Page 7 of Season's Greetings
“Sorry. So sorry—I didn’t mean to interrupt. But I didn’t know who else to turn to and—Claudia threatened to take Toby. She insists that he’s her legacy. That he’s her ticket to everything she’s ever wanted. But we both know that can’t be.”
For a split second, Daniel wished he didn’t know what Matthew meant.
Except he did. And he’d been forced to live with that knowledge.
Now Matthew was here, asking for help, upending his life all over again—and this time, Daniel wasn’t sure he could walk away.
All this time, he’d been lying to himself. Shutting it all out. Telling himself it didn’t happen.
Facing the truth—facing Matthew—hurt.
Sitting this close to him, breathing in his scent, holding himself back from touching him… hurt.
Every damn day since he’d been forced to walk away from the only omega he ever wanted, his life had been—empty. Like his bed. His house. His heart. And don’t forget his fridge.
Part of him resented Matthew.
He’d been living his perfect life. With his… wife. His perfect house. His perfect son. And his—okay, slightly less than perfect dog. The same dog that was currently chewing on Daniel’s desk leg.
That wasn’t the point.
The point was, part of him didn’t want to help.
He didn’t want to be pulled in. Didn’t want to have his heart ripped out and his reputation destroyed—again.
Chapter 5
Matthew
Oh, he could tell by the look on Daniel’s face that the alpha was thirty seconds away from throwing him out of the office—not just with ano, but ahell no.
Not that Matthew could blame him.
Part of him felt sick to his stomach, knowing he was tearing open old wounds. But as he’d already said—he had no one else to turn to. Really, if he did, he wouldn’t be here, staring into his cup of coffee like it held the secrets of the universe.
Maybe coming here was a mistake.
He should just go. Learn to fight his own battles. Solve his own problems. Heshoulddo that. Heneededto do that.
So why wouldn’t his legs move?
Why was his heart pounding so hard?
Why was his chest so tight?
Why did it feel like the air had been sucked out of the room and his lungs were about to burst?
“Matthew, calm down. Take slow, deep breaths.”
He was spiraling. Panic was taking control. His vision blurred so badly he didn’t even realize Daniel had moved from his seat—until he felt a warm hand rubbing slow circles on his back.
He tried to focus on Daniel’s voice, not the heat of his touch. But the alpha’s presence was overwhelming. With him this close,something inside Matthew stirred. A pulse reawakened—soft at first. Then sharp. Electric. Tugging at a place behind his heart.
His bond mark burned.
He could feel Daniel—not just his touch, buthim.
Daniel
