I read over the revenue reports submitted by our finance team, a twinge of happiness twisting inside me and making me smile. It had been more than three months since I got here at Think Train, and the results were wonderful.

I’d done it.

I was happy for myself. But most of all, I was happy for the magazine and its employees, who’d grown on me in the short time I was here. This was surprising for me, considering I’d always been mechanical about work, fleeting in of acquired businesses and getting out as soon as I could. I was good at it, good at keeping a business up and renovating its face without having to get immersed too much in it.

But this was different.

It felt like Think Train was a pet project, a passion I didn’t know I had until I was fully involved and it was too late to disentangle myself. I wanted it to succeed more than anything, wanted its employees so happy that they would celebrate for many months to come.

Particularly one certain employee.

And just like that, my thoughts drifted to Leo right away.

It had been like that for too many times to count now, and I hadn’t bothered trying to fight it anymore. I hated keeping our romance a secret. What was the point? Leo snuck into my thoughts when I often least expected it, his laugh his sweet smile, and those green eyes making me unable to resist seeking him out. Just a few months into our affair and I still wasn’t done. Usually, I never even lasted more than a couple of week with an omega.

But with Leo? I didn’t think I could ever get enough—not his body, not his mind, not any of his quirks. I wanted more of him every day, and it was baffling. I was powerless in my attraction for him and beginning to believe that fated mates could actually be a thing.

I was changing whether I wanted to or not. And it was all because of Leo.

And I didn’t think I could leave him along as easily as I had left other lovers in the past. When I was away from him, I was filled with a longing and emptiness that would instantly vanish the moment he was near me. That was a thought that needed further analyzing, but now was not the time. For now, I focused on the damn earning reports, finishing up on my reading before standing up and getting into action.

I called for an emergency meeting. Fifteen minutes later, I had everyone gathered in the conference room, with Walter the first in and Leo the last. He was looking harried but curious, and I frowned for a bit at the thought that he probably wasn’t getting enough rest.

Then I focused my attention to the room.

Everyone was looking at me curiously, so I didn’t waste time any longer. I made an introduction by thanking everyone for the hard work that they’d done and the work that they’ve continued doing as the holidays season approached. Then I proceeded to read the latest revenue, eyes focused on Leo. Because of this, I was able to see his expression change from curiosity to wonder, then to delight.

My words lit up his beautiful face. It lit up his entire body language—he was now standing tall and proud, and I almost stumbled on my speech as I watched him transform and glow in front of my eyes, telling me just how much he loved this magazine. He had a radiance and glow I’d not seen before. A surge of pride settled inside me as I finished the meeting and wished everyone a good day.

Cheers rose before everyone dispersed, and Walter gave me an approving nod before leaving, which meant a lot more to me than he’d ever know. I wanted to do right by him, because he had dedicated his life to this company, and I wanted to prove to him that I was the alpha for the job. To him it may have just been an approving nod, but for me, it symbolized the passing of the torch.

As everyone left the conference room, it was just me and Leo left, and I could see his body practically vibrating as he turned twinkling eyes at me.

“I’d like to see you in my office in five minutes, Leo,” I said calmly, in case someone overheard us from the open door. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

He stifled a cute chuckle. “Of course. I’ll be there.”

Five minutes later, the door to my office opened. Leo stepped forward, positively giddy.

“I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed. He laughed, and it was the most infectious thing in the world. In his simple navy-blue pants and white shirt, I thought he was the hottest fucking thing I’d ever seen.

“This is amazing, Lucas. And in just three months!”

I smirked. “You can thank me now.”

I held out a sealed envelope to Leo. “Here, I have something for you.”

“Is it a bonus for my hard word?” Leo joked.

“No. Just, please open it and see.”

Leo took the sealed envelope from my hand and placed it on my desk without taking his eyes off me.

The sparkle in his eyes turned to a gleam. “I’m sure that can wait. For now, you can tell me how you’d like me to thank you.” he teased.

In response, I pulled him in for a kiss. It was a celebratory kiss, but it prolonged into something deeper and hotter, one that had our breathing going erratic and our bodies pressing against each other. I delved into him, diving into his familiar, wonderful taste and feeling something different this time.

It felt like home.

When I pulled back, I stared at him in wonder, the new feeling rolling around me strangely. It fluttered and settled as I kissed him again until we were both lost in each others arms.

I was about to tease him this time when I noticed the happy look on his face disappear, to be replaced by a somber expression. I stepped back and placed my hands on his shoulders, tilting my head. “What’s wrong?”

He bit his lip. “I… I need to tell you something. I should have told you sooner.”

Suddenly there were tears forming in Leo’s eyes, which alarmed me. I took him to the nearest wall where I had him lean against my chest as I kissed his forehead. Was he just being emotional about the good news?

Instead, Leo stood on tiptoe and kissed me again, making me forget about everything but his tongue on mine. He distracted me until my mind was blank and my body was happily aroused, my dick already semi-hard the moment he’d entered the room. But it only grew harder as he sucked on my tongue, and I wondered if we could get away with a quickie in my office again before my next meeting.

I was feeling pretty high on my sex drive when Leo broke the kiss again. I made a move to follow his mouth—

“I’m pregnant.”

I froze.

My ears rang with the words, and I wondered if I was hearing things. But one look at Leo’s serious expression told me he wasn’t kidding.

Like a flash, all that was happening these past few months suddenly came back to me. His so-called flu, the vomiting. The way he didn’t look that well some days as if he was about to collapse on his feet. Him avoiding me like I had a plague one day, then coming onto me horny as hell the next. It all fit like pieces of a puzzle, making sense more than anything had ever made sense.

How could I have been so clueless? An alpha like me should have been able to sense something like this. Maybe I was too focused on my businesses to pay attention to all the signs.

I swallowed. Panic bloomed in my chest, settling down and sliding toward my stomach. My erection dwindled, and I knew he noticed as dread mixed with his somber expression.

I swallowed again. Then I cleared my throat as he slowly backed away.

“Is it mine?”

It was the absolutely wrong thing to come out of my mouth. I didn’t know what made me say it. I was a complete asshole. A bastard of the highest degree that didn’t know when to be sensitive to someone’s feelings. Of course, it was mine. He hadn’t been with anyone else, but I just relied on a default reaction without thinking.

And I’d just hurt the only omega I’d ever cared this deeply about.

He took another step back—a bigger one this time.

“If you didn’t want it, you could have just not insulted me,” Leo said quietly. “I would have understood, you know.” Tears streamed down his face, and I could have killed myself for being the cause of it.

Then he was slipped out of the door, while the tears ran down his face.

“You bastard,” a voice yelled.

I reeled back as his punch hit me on the nose. I saw a white flash, unable to believe what was happening. I touched my nose and saw it was bleeding.

Walter was staring at me with cold eyes.

He’d heard everything.

I inwardly winced at the thought, even while horror filled me as everything happened too fast.

Then his next words had me stumbling to come up with a decent explanation as to what had just occurred in the office

“Get out of here. You better fucking resign from this position right fucking now,” growled Walter, in full protective father mode.

“Please, let me explain,” I pleaded.

“No! You’re done. You’ve betrayed me. Don’t ever come back.”