Page 28 of Nanny Omega

Fuck, what was he doing? He awkwardly unclenched his fingers from Ersa’s wrist and took a step back.

“I’m sorry about this. I’ll get back to work,” Ersa murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he pulled down the sleeve of his shirt. And that’s when Xander saw it—the crescent-moon-shaped bruise. “Jun, Erle… come.”

“No, it’s fine,” Xander said, forcing his gaze away. “Spend some time with your friends. Just… next time, let me know if you’re expecting company.”

Xander excused himself and returned to his office.

He sank into his chair and buried his face in his hands. He couldn’t believe what he’d just done. Ersa must think he was unhinged—feral. He’d acted like a mindless, territorial beast, the kind of alpha people whispered about in fear and disgust.

“Fuck,” Xander groaned, wishing he could turn back time. But even if he could, he knew he’d still react the same way because he’d just realized that something in him was hopelessly drawn to Ersa, fixated in a way he couldn’t quite control.

Chapter 8

Ersa

“Thankyouforlunch,Ersa. I have a ton of work that I need to get through by the end of the day,” Erle said, getting to his feet. As he rounded the table, Ersa got to his feet to meet him halfway. “Come here,” Erle murmured as he pulled Ersa into his arms. Ersa leaned his head on Erle’s shoulder, soaking in the alpha’s warmth and familiar scent—a reminder of home and a sense of belonging. “I’m glad to see that you’re okay. I was worried about you in that commune house. Mother and Dad are worried about you too.”

“I know,” Ersa said.

“You should connect with them. They miss you.”

“I miss them too, but…” Ersa sighed. “It’s not easy talking to Mom. She wants me to get bonded again, and I don’t want to.”

“You don’t, but I thought…” The surprise flickering in Erle’s eyes caught Ersa off guard. “Never mind. I’ll talk to her. She won’t bother you about that anymore.”

“Thank you, Erle.”

“It’s nothing,” Erle said as he leaned down to kiss Ersa’s cheek. “I should get going. Jun, are you going to be okay?”

Jun leaned back in his chair, pushing his empty plate aside, clearly finished with his lunch. “Yes, I’ll connect with my alpha. He’ll send someone to come and fetch me.”

“Are you sure?” Erle asked, his eyes soft and understanding as he focused on Jun.

“Yes, I’m sure. Go. I’ll be fine,” Jun said.

“Okay. Ersa, I’ll see you soon,” Erle said, flashing a quick smile as he slipped out the door. Ersa waited for a beat before he turned to Jun.

“What was that about?” Ersa asked as Jun got to his feet.

“I need the washroom,” he announced, ignoring Ersa’s question as he sauntered out of the room as if he owned the place. He vanished into the washroom a few doors down the hallway, the faint echo of the sanipod sliding open filling the quiet.

Ersa sighed as he leaned on the opposite wall, his eyes focused on the door to the washroom as he tried to figure out what was going on with Jun. Three years ago, he’d tried to talk to his friend, and Jun had shut him out even then.

Not again, Ersa thought as he walked into the washroom. The steady rush of running water broke the heavy silence as Jun stood at the sink, his focus fixed on washing his hands while he pointedly ignored Ersa’s presence.

“Something is going on with you.”

“I could say the same thing about you,” Jun said, stepping close to the dryer. “Erle noticed it too. You’re sleeping with your alpha, aren’t you?”

“No!” Ersa snapped sharply, his voice cutting through the air louder and more defensive than he’d intended. Grating his teeth, he winced at the smirk on Jun’s lips. “You’re so annoying.”

“Even if you don’t tell me the truth, I know you’re sleeping with him. I’m bonded to an aggressive alpha, remember?” Jun leaned close and lifted Ersa’s arm. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and ran his fingers over the crescent moon bruise on Ersa’s inner arm as he said, “This tells me everything I need to know. And I can smell the alpha scent on you. Erle probably smelled it too, but he’s too modest to ask. That’s why he was surprised when you said you’re never getting bonded. He thought maybe you were planning to get bonded soon since you’re fucking your alpha.”

“Why would he think that? I’m never getting bonded. Ever.”

“Ever? So, you two are just fucking.” Jun stared at Ersa, his grey eyes assessing. “That’s unlike you. You’re not the type to have casual sex. What is really going on, Ersa?”

Ersa stared at Jun, hesitating. How much should he reveal? He bit the inside of his cheek as he weighed his words. If the omega knew the real reason he had slept with Master Quin, he would likely lose his mind. A false pregnancy was no trivial matter, especially for an omega who had already experienced the joy and heartbreak of having and losing a cub. The emotional toll was immeasurable. “We’re not fucking, as you put it. It was a onetime thing. Don’t worry about it.”

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