Chapter 10: Secrets

It was a busy afternoon in the bustling city. The streets were lined with cars: so jammed packed there was barely enough room to drive. The street vendors yelling at the passerby to buy whatever cheap, knockoff, brand of item they were selling.

The aroma of numerous food shops filling the air: pulling in the most hungry of customers.

Max sat outside a popular coffee shop. Propped up on a wooden bench: leaning back on his phone. He continuously checked the time.

"Max!" A voice rang out from not so far away.

Sitting up he spotted Leo on the other side of the crosswalk. He waved back.

Leo anxiously waited for the light to turn green and sprinted across the street.

Running up to the red haired man: Leo was met with a strong arm around his shoulders: Max's other hand messing up his hair.

"Knock it off!" Leo could help but laugh.

"That's what you get for ghosting me for nearly a week you little brat!" Max laughed.

He let go of Leo as the Omega attempted to fix his mess of a head.

"Come on! I made us a reservation at our usual place!" Max excitedly pulled Leo behind him.

Just down the street was a small restraint with a variety of food choices. The two men sat inside and ordered.

Leo was doing well up until that point. The longer he sat the more he started smelling somthing.

"You alright?" Max asked, picking up a beer, he had ordered, and knocking it back.

"Yea it's nothing. I've just been feeling sick the past week remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you saying that a couple days ago, you should probably go see a doctor if you havnt."

Leo smiled.

"Yea probably."

His mind began to wander around his current situation once again. Under the table he lightly touched his stomach.

"Hey I know! Here!" He pushed a beer at Leo.

"Let's see who can chug the fastest, like old times. Loser has to pay!"

Leo looked at the glass bottle in front of him.

"Hard pass."

He handed the bottle back over the table.

Max frowned.

"Man you REALLY must be sick. You never turn down a friendly competition."

Leo gave a forced smile.

The smells in the room was starting to hit him. Between the people, food and other miscellaneous odors, he was starting to feel a bit nauseous.

"Hey man, I know we just got here but how about some fresh air?" Leo stood up.

"You don't look good". Max stood up as well.

Leo didn't wait for an answer he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and left the restraint.

Max fumbled with the money in his pocket to pay their tab.

Just outside Leo took some deep breaths. His hands were planted on his knees as he tried to not vomit on the street.

Max came running out the door. He saw Leo off to the side and slowly walked over.

"Hey, you're gonna need to go to the doctor. You know full well if you're sick during Frankie's heist then we are all screwed."

"I'll be fine."

Leo stood up right.

"I took my medicine so ill be fine. Don't worry!"

Max have an apprehensive look.

Leo punched his shoulder.

"Let's just take a walk alright?".

"Yea alright."

---

Back at the penthouse David finished up the last of his afternoon paperwork. He let out a long sigh as he leaned back in his chair.

He checked the time.

"Just about four huh?"

He closed his eyes:thinking.

Leaning forward he grabbed hisphone off the desk. Dialing Noah's number he put the phone to his ear.

"Noah. Let's do the pheromone exchange now while I have time."

He listened for a moment.

"Alright, have him in the living room in thirty minutes."

He hung up.

I leaned back once more and looked up at the ceiling.

"He is a handful".

David came out of his office. He walked into a complete chaotic mess.

Some of the staff members were running around the house: almost as if searching for somthing. Somthing important.

Noah came out of Leo's room and nearly crashed into David.

"Oh! Sir!" He took a small step back. All of the other staff members reacted to Noah's voice. They stopped what they were doing. All eyes were on the two Alphas in the room.

"What the hell is going on?!" David said with a bit of agitation in his voice.

"Oh this is-! I mean it's-!" Noah tried to find his words.

David turned to a maid that was closest to him.

"Well?!"

The woman shrunk in fear.

"I...it's Mr. Meadows sir!"

"The omega?" David questioned.

"We are unable to locate him!" She sputtered out.

David slowly turned to Noah; expecting an explanation.

"You see, when you called for me to fetch him I was unable to locate him! So..."

"What do you mean you were unable to locate him? Where is he?" David crossed his arms.

Noah gulped.

"That's just it sir....I don't know where he is".

David's face Scowled. He turned to one of his bodyguards.

"Did that boy take the car?"

"No sir! The car and driver are still here!"

David gave a somewhat perplexed look.

"Could he have gone outside?" The Alpha asked.

Everyone looked at one another.

"We havn't checked yet sir." Noah calmly explained.

David wasted not time getting in the elevator and traveling to the first floor.

He walked off it in a rage and stormed over to Mr. Walters who was sitting behind the desk.

"Where is the Omega?!" David slammed his hands down onto the top of the desk.

Startled: the man stood up.

"Sir! He said he was going for a walk, outside, around the building!"

"How long ago was this?"

The man looked at the time clock on the wall.

"I would have to say about three hours ago."

David's eyes widened.

"My father is going to kill me". He gripped the counter.

"Sir please let us check outside before you jump to conclusions. I am sure he simply didn't run away!"

David turned his head to the secretary.

"For your sake, as well as everyone here, you better hope you are right."

He stormed out of the building to the driveway. The men standing outside were startled as well.

"Where is he?!" He yelled at the drivers.

Noah came up beside David.

"Sir please calm down!"

"What's going on?" A calm voice asked coming around the building.

Everyone turned to see Leo. Hands casually in his pockets as he looked at everyone.

No one said anything: they all looked at eachother.

"Where have you been?" Noah was the first to ask. He rushed towards him.

"Sorry I was hanging around out back and fell asleep". He laughed.

Leo quickly realized the look of terror on Noah's face and stopped.

"Sorry".

"It's not your fault! We may have jumped to conclusions!" Noah tried to reassure him.

"Enough!" David said. Hrubbed his forehead with his fingers.

"He's here, let's just go back in and be done with this I am a very busy man". He sighed.

With the chaos died down everyone made their way back up to the penthouse.

It was a long an awkward ride up. Leo was feeling relieved that he came back when he did.

--- 40 minutes prior---

Though Leo had offered a walk with his friend he wasn't feeling up to it either. They both sat outside: Leo was hunched over on the park bench.

"Hey man, I feel like there's somthing you're not telling me." Max patted him on his back.

Leo sat up.

"Don't worry about it Max." He sounded more sternly this time.

He felt his phone vibrated in his pocket. He looked at the caller ID.

"I gotta go". Leo's eyes grew wide.

"Everything alright?"

"There's somthing important I have to take care of."

Standing up swiftly he looked at his friend.

"Please, don't tell Frankie about this, I'll be better when the next gig comes around alright". He tapped max on his chest with the back of his hand.

"Max gave a concerned look.

"If you say so..."

"Great! I'll text you later!" Leo scurried off into a sprint.

-----

Leo let out a soft sigh.

Noah glanced over at him.

The elevator came to the top floor as David, Leo and Noah came into thr living space.

David sat down in his chair in a huff. Crossing his leg over the other as well as crossing his arms over his chest.

"Let's get it over with". He glowered.

Leo sat on a chair opposite from him.

Standing towards the side of the room, Noah spoke up.

"Actually the two of you need to be a little closer together. Say on thr sofa perhaps?"

Both David and Leo glanced at one another.

Neither wanting to move.

Noah looked at them both. Both Alpha and Omega were stubborn in their own way.

"Just so you know sir, your late night meeting starts in...an hour", Noah cleared his throat, looking at his watch.

"This is ridiculous!" David huffed as he stood up and plopped himself down on the sofa. Watching the Alpha move fist then Leo did too. He sat next to David, as far from him as he could on the small sofa.

Noah took out a stopwatch and set it on the table.

"Just twenty minutes. Once finished I'll need to report back to Mr. Griffith." Noah stated.

Setting the clock he turned towards the back of the apartment and disappeared.

Leo glanced over at David. The Alpha hadn't moved an inch.

He looked around waiting. Nothing was happening.

Looking back at him Leo realized somthing. If he hadn't gone crazy, it looked like David was nervous. Though hard to tell there was a slight twinge in his brow.

"Scared?" Leo thought. He shook his head at the notion.

"Hey". David snapped Leo out of his internal conversation.

"Stop looking at me". He snapped. Leo looked forward: trying to think of somthing else. A minute or two went by and yet still nothing.

Leo was getting antsy.

It was weird enough what they were doing but the silence was starting to make it unbearable.

He was about to say somthing when a familiar smell hit his nose.

He sat firm with his hands in his lap. The scent was soft and kind. Very relaxing. It wasn't overbearing or strong. Like a fresh breeze through blades of grass, earthy and woodsy. He wasn't sure whether the bond they shared played a role but it was making Leo feel comfortable. A sense of being home.

He closed his eyes letting the pheromones engulf him into a warm blanket. It was starting to make him sleepy.

"Woah! Hold on!" David shifted and moved from his seat.

Leo snapped back to reality. Though much of David's pheromones still lingered around them.

He looked at the Alpha who had stood up and moved away from him.

"Your pheromones are too strong, ease up will you?" He sounded harsh.

Leo hadn't realized he was releasing hos own pheromones. He lifted his arm and sniffed.

His eyes went wide. He was giving off an exceedingly high amout of them. He jumped up and stepped back as well.

"Well what did you expect?! You're the one who initiated!"

"Initiated what?!" David snapped back.

Leo was feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.

"Nevermind I'm sorry alright?!" He stormed off to his room.

David growled and stormed off the opposite direction.

Noah had just come back seeing both doors slam simultaneously.

He looked down at the timer. The alarm went off.