Heats suck.
The cramps, the gross feeling of slick constantly dripping down his legs and soaking the pad that laid on Mason's bed, the headaches and nausea... Mason hated heats.
Especially since he was unmated and had no interest in having pups ever. They were completely unnecessary!
Also, he'd never had his heat start early or last as long as it had. He was on his fifth day, still in pain, when he was usually relaxed and almost done by the fourth.
A knock at his door made him growl, but he relaxed when Henry appeared in his doorway, waiting for permission to come in so he didn't make Mason uncomfortable.
Mason waved him in and held out his hands for the ice water that Henry was holding. He drank it quickly, not caring if it would upset his stomach.
"I hired someone," Henry said, sitting at the desk chair and taking Mason's empty cup of ice. "Don't eat the ice, Mace."
"Give me the cup of ice!" Mason snapped, reaching for the cup, only for Henry to push a brown bag in his hand.
Mason opened it and found a muffin, glaring at it before he reluctantly ate it. "I still want the ice," he mumbled.
"You don't need the ice. Your iron is already low and low iron is linked to eating ice," Henry explained, picking up the sweaty shirts all over the ground that Mason had worn and taken off when they got soaked in his sweat. "I've gotta get back to work. I can't leave the new girl alone for too long."
"Who'd you hire?" Mason asked as he ate pieces of muffin and watched Henry clean up his room. "And I can clean my own room."
Henry scoffed. "You're not going to do your laundry in this state and I know how obsessive you are with tidiness."
Mason thanked him and laid back down once he finished his muffin, but he remained attentive as he waited for Henry to tell him who he'd hired.
"She's a Beta, her name is Lucille and she's worked at coffee shops before and is experienced with what we make here. She's mated but doesn't have kids so she's willing to be here for long hours with the two of us," Henry explained as he disappeared into the bathroom where the washer and dryer were. "And she's on her own down there so I should get back to help her. Saturdays are always busy."
Mason saluted him playfully and cuddled back into his sheets so he could hopefully sleep off the pain in his gut.
•••
Henry locked the door to the stairs that led to Mason's room and changed his clothes in the small bathroom so he didn't smell like an Omega's heat and draw attention to his boss. Regulars would know where he was and some may not mention it but the Alphas who knew he was unmated might bring it up. It had happened before and it could happen again.
When he changed he got back to the front, assisting Lucille by putting in orders while she made coffees. He had finally gotten through the whole line when another customer walked in, faster than the rest.
"How is he?" the Alpha who was apparently Mason's mate asked, hands on the counter as anxiety took over his whole expression. "Is he safe? Is he taken care of?"
"My name is Henry, welcome to Espressino, what can I get started for you today?" Henry asked, a thin smile on his face. "Can I interest you in our new spicy feta sandwich?"
The Alpha glared at him. "What?! I'm asking you how my mate-"
"We might have some new stores in the back if you'd like to check them out," Henry said in a low voice. "Lucille, can you cover for me? My friend here is a baker and wants some of my recipes."
Lucille nodded sweetly and continued making the drinks and shifting to the register while Henry and the Alpha disappeared into the back.
"Do you have a name?" Henry asked once they were in the bakery part of the cafe.
The other Alpha nodded, glancing around as if trying to find Mason. "Yes. Terrance."
"Henry."
"What are you to my mate?" Terrance asked, not shaking Henry's outstretched hand. "You said you don't sleep with him, but-"
Henry cut him off, his inner wolf not liking how Terrance was talking to him in a space he deemed as his when Mason wasn't around.
"I'm his best friend who's made sure he's safe during the time he's spent here," Henry growled darkly, narrowing his eyes. "And I'm keeping him away from everyone during his heat, including you."
Terrance seemed to realize that he must've overstepped and held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not here to cause trouble, just wanted to make sure he's safe," he said, tapping his fingers on a nearby cupboard so he had something to do. "I want to talk to him when his heat is over. Is that... is that possible?"
"He's a stubborn guy who doesn't want a mate," Henry reiterated. "Tread lightly."
Terrance nodded and turned to leave when he heard a door unlock and a scent fill the air. His pupils dilated and he whipped around to see Mason standing with disheveled hair, his own eyes dilated.
Henry instantly moved to stand in front of Mason, knowing that Terrance was an Alpha and may struggle to control himself.
"What're you doing down here?" Henry scolded, trying to usher Mason toward the stairs. "You were supposed to stay up there!"
Mason was staring at Terrance. "I smelled him," he mumbled, trying to get out of Henry's grasp. "You know that Omegas who can't be with their mates have longer heats! There's no feelings attached, I just need him to make the pain stop so the heat ends!"
Henry scowled. "That's your wolf talking, Mace. Not you," he said, turning back to see Terrance plugging his nose and taking breaths through his mouth to calm himself. "You can talk to him once your heat is done."
Mason growled at him, the pain and heat having no influence over his actions. "All he's good for is ending my heat! Why would I want to talk with him when it's done?"
Peering over his shoulder, Henry could see the heartbreak in Terrance's eyes. He pushed Mason toward the stairs, using his Alpha tone to scare his friend; something he never did.
"Get upstairs now!" he snarled, making Mason whimper and scramble up the stairs. "And don't speak that way about your mate without knowing him!"
Henry locked the door once again and turned to see Terrance still looking sensitive and hurt.
"He's not usually like that," Henry said. "Yes, he's stubborn, but it's just normal Mason trying to undo what heat Mason is trying to do, which is clearly attract you."
Terrance sat down on one of the chairs, lowering his head. "I've been looking for my mate for six years. Since I turned eighteen, I've been searching, hoping to find him. And now he doesn't even like me."
"That's not true," Henry cut in, parting Terrance's shoulder. "He doesn't like the idea of an Alpha having control over him, since theoretically you could take him away from his work and force him to stay home and not work."
Terrance looked shocked. "I would never do that!"
Henry smiled; he liked this one. "Then prove it to him. Prove you're not like those other cocky Alphas that he's convinced you are," he said, guiding Terrance to the front of the cafe. "And feel free to stay as long as you'd like and ask me questions. Just don't go into the back or Mason may smell you and we don't want a repeat of the last ten minutes."
"Thanks," Terrance said, handing Henry a ten dollar bill and ordering a large coffee with extra cream and sugar. "Keep the change."
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