Chapter 9

A few weeks later, Gilbert sat up in bed to stretch lazily. Nelson was still sleeping beside him, snoring softly. Gilbert observed that he was still so attractive, even with his eyes closed. He was a lucky omega that he was so attracted to the person he was matched with as his alpha by circumstance.

He wondered what the state of his heat was and felt his stomach to find that there was no lingering pain – it must be almost over by now. He swaddled himself in one of Nelson’s soft nightgowns and sat by the window to watch the light snow drifting down towards the pavement as the sky brightened. They still had a week left of work before the Christmas break, and then he’d be able to return home. His mother had been overjoyed when he wrote to her that he would return to Bourton for a couple of weeks.

“Hmm…?” Nelson murmured from the bed. “Morning.”

Gilbert stood to crawl back into bed beside Nelson to nuzzle against his scent gland, liking his sleepy, masculine scent.&nbs