9

"…"

A heavy silence followed. No one spoke.

Grayson quickly stepped into the counseling room, quietly shutting the door behind him before turning around. His gaze flickered between Josh's tense expression and Steward's unreadable face. Then, as usual, he laughed.

"Disappointing, Steward. I didn't expect you to betray trust so easily."

With an exaggerated sigh, Grayson placed a hand over his chest, as if playing the tragic lead in a drama. Josh, unimpressed, didn't bother reacting. It was Steward who finally broke the silence.

"My apologies. I slipped up."

"Are you really sorry?"

Grayson narrowed his eyes, studying Steward, who answered in an easy, natural tone.

"Of course. I'm deeply reflecting on my mistake."

Then, almost playfully, he added:

"Please don't revoke my license."

A strange tension hung in the air. Grayson stared at Steward, who had tacked on that "please" as if pleading in earnest.

Josh, watching closely, felt uneasy. What the hell was this man thinking?

After a beat, Grayson finally moved. With a casual step forward, he flopped onto the couch, the cushions rustling under him.

"Well, it's not a big deal. He would've found out sooner or later. Where's Chase? Did you come alone? I didn't see his car."

Josh answered flatly.

"I just came to pick up his medication. Mr. Miller is filming."

"Oh, really?"

At that moment, a staff member entered, setting a tray of snacks on the table.

"Thank you, Julie," Grayson said smoothly, flashing a charming smile.

As soon as she left, he unwrapped a piece of chocolate and tossed it into his mouth—only to frown in disappointment.

"This isn't it."

Josh glanced at him, confused. What did he mean? Before he could ask, Steward spoke.

"All the samples were taken by the police. I'm sorry."

Josh blinked, caught off guard. Samples? Was he expecting something hidden in the medication? And more importantly—why was Steward apologizing for it?

Before he could process his thoughts, Grayson groaned in annoyance.

"I still had some left. Disappointing, Steward."

"My apologies," Steward replied smoothly. "Once the analysis is complete, we'll find an identical replacement."

"You'd better."

Grayson leaned back, rolling another chocolate between his fingers, still looking regretful.

Josh, unwilling to waste more time, abruptly cut in.

"Was it you who actually drugged Mr. Miller?"

Grayson paused, unwrapping his chocolate lazily before glancing up. Steward, as expected, said nothing.

Grayson popped the chocolate into his mouth, letting it melt before speaking.

"What do I get if I tell you?"

"I won't hit you."

"That's it?"

Grayson chuckled. Even now, when he had no right to joke, he still treated this like some kind of game.

Josh clenched his fists. Maybe a punch would wipe that smirk off his face. Just as he was about to move, Grayson spoke again, voice still laced with amusement.

"I don't like getting hit, so I suppose I'll talk… Not that it's much of a secret."

He glanced at Steward before shrugging.

"After all, secrets don't last forever."

Steward simply smiled.

Josh shifted his gaze back to Grayson. He watched as Grayson propped his arm on the couch's backrest, casually pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips.

"When Chase's first rut hit, he had no partner. He was just a shy, adolescent boy."

Josh almost scoffed. Shy. Adolescent. Boy. Those words didn't seem to fit the man he knew now.

Still, he waited silently for Grayson to continue.

"I brought Alex in a hurry, but it wasn't much help. Chase couldn't even get it up and just fainted. In the end, I had no choice but to inject him with something. And when he woke up, he didn't remember a thing, so I just told him—"

Grayson was about to brush past the details, but Josh cut in sharply.

"…What?"

Josh blinked, his mind racing. Then, as the realization hit, his voice grew sharper.

"You're telling me… you lied to him? You made him think he was with a dog while he was in rut?"

Grayson sighed, as if this were nothing more than an inconvenience.

"What else was I supposed to do? If he didn't release, the buildup would've driven him insane. His brain would've melted."

Josh gritted his teeth. "That doesn't justify taking him to an orgy party against his will! He told you he didn't want to go, but you forced him!"

He would never forget that night—how Chase had returned, shaken and barely holding himself together. Did this bastard even realize how much his own brother had suffered?

But Grayson's next words were even worse.

"I didn't have a choice."

Josh froze. "…What?"

Grayson's expression didn't change. Calmly, as if explaining the weather, he continued.

"Chase always complains about not wanting to sleep with anyone, but he refuses to do anything about it. The pheromones keep building up until he loses his mind. If I don't intervene, he'd spiral into a complete breakdown. So I inject him to bring him back."

Josh felt a chill crawl down his spine.

"Every time, he throws himself away like trash afterward. But in reality… he has no other options."

Josh's face paled. His thoughts tangled in knots, trying to process the weight of Grayson's words.

Grayson let out a humorless chuckle.

"You don't get it, do you? Chase won't even take the injections himself. If he refuses to handle it on his own, what else can I do? He won't date. He won't sleep with anyone. Hell, he's never even been in a relationship. You think I'm lying? I'm not."

Josh stared at him, unable to respond.

Grayson sighed dramatically, then shrugged.

"If he ever accepts reality, he'll be able to regulate his pheromones like any other dominant alpha. But if he keeps this up, well…"

A smirk played on Grayson's lips.

"Then I'll really have no choice but to bring in a dog. Not ideal, of course—not exactly hygienic…"

He trailed off, as if expecting Josh to agree.

Josh answered with his fist instead.

A solid punch to the face.

Grayson's head snapped back, and for the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.

"If I don't do that, he won't even be able to get an injection. What if he doesn't like that? If he doesn't, can he date someone? I don't like that, Josh—my brother. He hasn't dated anyone until now. I can't believe it. Can you? But it's true."

Grayson spoke quickly, almost as if he were complaining, then immediately shrugged and shook his head.

"He doesn't like having sex alone, and he doesn't like dating someone for that purpose. That's why he can't sleep with anyone when he's conscious. It's very difficult for him to get pregnant because he can't control his ejaculation. The only option left is injections. Check for yourself—he says he'll rely on them for the rest of his life."

Josh stopped listening. His mind was tangled in the unexpected truth, unable to process it properly. Grayson continued speaking.

"If he accepts reality someday, he'll be able to naturally regulate his pheromones like other dominant alphas. If he keeps this up, we'll really have to bring in a dog. Of course, that's the last option, but… doing it with dogs isn't exactly hygienic…."

He paused and smirked. "Right?"

Josh didn't answer. Instead, he hit Grayson in the face even harder.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

Crazy bastards.

Josh clenched his jaw and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The speedometer climbed higher, but the rage burning inside him didn't subside.

Crazy bastard—how could he say that and laugh?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He should have beaten him to a pulp. If Steward hadn't stepped in and forced Josh to leave, it would've been worse. What was even more infuriating was that Grayson had provoked him the entire time.

"Why are you mad?"

Josh didn't know if he was genuinely clueless or just trying to get under his skin, but one thing was certain—he had laughed at Josh with a bloodied face. How could he laugh in that situation? The thought made Josh sick.

And Chase…

The more he thought about him, the more his chest ached. Chase had been suffering since his manifestation, and no one had done a damn thing about it.

Tell me it's not true. Tell me you were never forced, that you never had to endure that kind of pain.

Josh's foot slammed on the brakes. With a sharp screech, the tires skidded against the asphalt. He sat in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel, his mind reeling.

"Am I the only one Chase has ever been with?"

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.

No way. He tried to deny it, but if Grayson was telling the truth… then yes, it was true.

Chase had never had sex before. The accumulated pheromones had always been removed by injection.

"Then… ridiculous…"

Josh muttered absently, stumbling over the truth that refused to be ignored.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

By the time he returned to the set, he was much later than expected. Josh took a deep breath and got out of the car.

As he walked toward the trailer, his mind raced.

What was he supposed to say to Chase?

He needed to reassure him. And…

And what?

His thoughts hit a wall. He had no idea how to face Chase now.

He was Chase's only partner.

The revelation had shaken him to his core. Until now, he'd thought of himself as just another man who had shared Chase's bed.

But the truth was, Chase had never been with anyone else.

Of course… was it really so strange? A man in his twenties, still a virgin?

For Chase, it made sense. His trauma had started with his first rut, leaving him unable to have normal relationships. That part was understandable. But to think he had never even dated someone?

Chase Miller was one of the most beautiful men in the world—anyone would agree.

He had money, fame, and looks. It didn't matter if he had a few personality quirks—people would still throw themselves at him.

It didn't make sense.

Josh stopped, shaking his head, trying to deny it.

Then he thought back…

Chase always blushed so easily. He reacted so nervously to kisses. And that first time…

When Josh had gone down on him, Chase had been too overwhelmed. He had been too excited.

No, not just the first time. Every time.

He had never known sex before.

Josh could no longer deny reality.

And this was all because of Grayson Miller.

Josh clenched his fists, feeling the sting in his knuckles from punching Grayson earlier. He ignored the pain.

He needed to focus on Chase. He had to see him.

Determined, he quickened his pace toward the trailer. But just as he neared, his phone rang.

"Yeah, Mark?"

He answered as he kept walking, but the voice on the other end sounded tense.

"Josh, where are you? Are you almost here?"

"Yeah, I'm heading to Chase's trailer now. Why?"

"Good. Hurry. It's an emergency. Everyone's gathered here."

Josh's steps faltered. "An emergency? Did something happen to Chase?"

Mark's voice was tight with anxiety.

"Chase is gone, Josh."

Josh froze.

"What?"

Mark's next words sent a chill down his spine.

"He's been kidnapped."