Page 40 of Glitterati Omega

“It’s safe and comfortable here.”

Winston sighed. “With your medication and with people nearby should you need them.” He looked down at Rupert sternly. “I cannot be at your beck and call today, as an alpha should be.”

Rupert flushed, then glanced away as he tried to hide the scowl on his face. He supposed he wasn’t important enough or good enough or something enough to make Winston fulfill his duty as an alpha.

“Fine,” he groused, then grabbed the handle of the case, dragging it toward the door. “I’ll go. But …”

He paused again, looking up at Winston. “Call me?”

He sounded utterly pathetic.

Winston chuckled and rubbed at his arm. “Of course,” he said, and Rupert tried to will away the anxiety rising in the back of his throat that told him Winston would absolutely, one hundred percent not call him. Ever.

He really did need to get back and take his meds, didn’t he?

With a defeated sigh, he opened the door and stepped out into the cool of the morning. He almost walked smack into Charli, who was standing on the porch, arms crossed as she glared at him. She looked him up and down critically, crinkling her nose. Rupert stared at her as she circled around him. “We’re leaving,” she said at last.

“Right. To the penthouse—”

She shook her head. “The airport.”

He balked. “What?”

“I called over and got your appointment moved—Dr. Arendse was most gracious about it, and Peter managed to find us another crew. So we’re leaving.”

“I have plans,” Rupert protested, tossing a desperate look at the door. Where the hell was Winston?

Charli snorted and grabbed him by the wrist, tugging him toward the waiting car. “You don’t need to spend any more time dilly-dallying with some backwaters American alpha. You’re going home.”

“It’s none of your business who I dilly-dally with,” he retorted. “I like him, and that’s enough.”

“You also liked Thomas,” Charli said snidely, “and look where that got you.”

He stared at her, speechless. “Just because you want to go home!” he cried finally, balling his hands into fists and trying to pull away.

“I want to go home so we can look after yourhealth, you ridiculous creature.” She shook her head furiously. “I had to watch yourmother—”

“Don’t!” He clapped his hands over his ears, stopping midway down the walk. He didn’t want to hear anything about it—not how his mother had suffered, not how she’d ultimately ended her own life over her own illness and her alpha’s infidelity. It had been too much for her to bear.

Charli pulled his hands away from his ears gently. “There now. You have to understand—your mother and I grew up together, pet. She was my favorite person in the world—it hurt me so much to watch her suffer so.”

He couldn’t stand to look at her; he knew she was crying now. “You have to understand,” she went on, “how much it hurt to see you …”

Her voice trembled, and Rupert sobbed himself, then covered his face with his hands. “Stop it,” he whined, “just stop it.”

“I was so scared,” she warbled.

He almost threw himself into the car, trying desperately to stop his sobbing. He sat there, he didn’t know how long, with his hands curled in his skirt, pulling at the fabric, and biting his lip. Finally, he drew a shuddering breath, looking up.

Charli’s eyes were still dewy and her lips quivered. “You haven’t had your meds the last couple of days.”

“No,” he agreed miserably, sliding over. She patted him on the back as she clambered into the car.

“Let’s get you home,” she said.

He shook his head. “I don’t want to,” he whimpered. “I want to stay here and see Winston.”

“Rupert, you need to be serious about this.”