CHAPTER 17: WHAT’S WRONG WITH MASTER?

Viktor’s grey eyes burned as he glared at the cracked phone in his hand, the message from Jace kept searing into his mind over and over again:

"Thanks for today. I had fun. Let’s meet again tomorrow and go harder."

"Harder? What do they mean by harder? How dare that..."

His jaw clenched, a storm brewing inside him.

’Elias, his nanny, is taking his kids to meet a boyfriend? Another man other than me? How dare he?’

The thought twisted something deep in his chest, his fingers grazing the faint hickey on his neck... a mark Elias had left last night in a drunken haze. The memory made his blood boil, not just because of the act, but because Elias might be running around with someone else after that moment.

"Where’s your nanny?" Viktor asked, his voice sharp, his gaze flicking to the twins.

Dante crossed his arms, his face defiant. "There’s no way we are telling you if you’re gonna yell at him."

"Yeah," Dario added, stepping closer to his brother. "You’re acting weird, Dad. Leave our nanny alone and go meet your... Clara."

Viktor’s eyes narrowed, but he ignored their protests. He turned, storming out of the room, the phone still in his grip. He checked Elias’s room first, but it was empty, the bed was neatly made, and there was no trace of him there.

His footsteps echoed as he moved through the mansion, his anger growing with each step.

"Why does this house suddenly feel big? Where is that brat hiding?"

The kitchen was his next stop, and there he found Elias, carefully setting a small bowl of steaming chicken stew on a tray for the twins. His lips curled into a grin and he squinted his eyes.

’Got you!’

Before Elias could place it down, Viktor grabbed his wrist, yanking him hard against the counter. The bowl slipped, shattering on the floor, hot stew splashing Elias’s leg.

He gasped, pain flashing across his face, but before he could react, he noticed the stain on Viktor’s black pants. Instinctively, he bent to wipe it, but Viktor pulled him up, pinning him against the counter with a force that made Elias’s breath catch.

"Wh... what are you doing?" Elias stammered, his voice shaky, his cheek still stinging from Clara’s scratch.

Viktor’s leg pressed between Elias’s thighs, his body caging him in. "Where the hell did you take my kids?" he growled, his cedar scent overwhelming, making Elias’s head spin. "And don’t lie to me about your sister again."

Elias’s eyes widened, his heart pounding. "I went to the hospital, honestly," he said, his voice trembling. "My sister was sick. I had to sign papers for her treatment. The twins wanted to come. I swear, that’s all."

Viktor’s grip tightened, his eyes dark with suspicion. "You expect me to believe that? You’ve used that excuse before and there’s no way I’d stand here and believe them again,"

"You could ask the twins or my friend... Jace. He was there with me,"

Angry veins popped on his forehead as he heard that name from Elias. Jace. It was as if it sounded so special coming from Elias’s lips.

"Jace? What is he to you?" He asked.

"Nothing. We are just..." Elias paused and realised he wasn’t supposed to say he was friends with Jace maybe... classmates. So he tried to correct himself.

"Jace is just my classmates and he’s here for a project, that’s all!"

"Project? I guess there’s one way to believe that,"

He grabbed Elias’s shirt, ripping it open with a sharp tug, buttons scattering across the floor. His hands roamed Elias’s chest, searching for marks, hickeys, anything to prove his suspicions about this "boyfriend."

Elias flinched, his face burning.

"Master, what’s wrong with you?" he asked, his voice breaking. "Why are you doing this?"

Viktor didn’t answer, his hands trailing to Elias’s back, turning him roughly to check for marks. The sweet vanilla scent hit him again... faint, intoxicating, the same as last night. It wasn’t a beta’s scent; it was something else, something that stirred him in ways he couldn’t explain.

He leaned closer, his chest pressing against Elias’s back, his breath hot on Elias’s neck. "Has anyone been touching you?" he demanded, his voice was low and dangerous.

Elias’s breath hitched, his body trembling under Viktor’s weight. "No one," he whispered. "Why do you care? You’re just my boss, not..."

"Shut up," Viktor snapped, spinning Elias around to face him, pinning his wrists above his head against the cold kitchen wall. His grey eyes burned, his alpha pheromones... dark, smoky cedar... flooding Elias’s senses, making his knees buckle.

The pill Elias took wasn’t enough especially when it comes to Viktor’s scent. His own scent was slipping through, vanilla mixing with Viktor’s, creating a dangerous spark.

"Why do you care if anyone touched me?" Elias asked, his voice barely audible, his eyes searching Viktor’s face.

Viktor froze, his grip loosening slightly.

’Why do I care? Why the hell am I doing this right now? To a... man?"

His mind flashed to last night, the memory vivid and raw.

Flashback: Last Night

Elias lay sprawled on Viktor’s bed, the duvet tangled around him, his face flushed from the whiskey he’d chugged. He thought he had returned to the couch, but he had no idea that he was on Viktor’s bed.

Viktor had returned from his talk with Luka, expecting to find Elias on the couch. Instead, the nanny was in his bed, cosy in his sheets, the room heavy with that sweet vanilla scent. Viktor’s nose twitched.

"How come his Beta Pheromones are this strong?"

He frowned, shaking Elias’s shoulder. "Hey! Get up," he said, his voice firm. "Back to the couch or your room."

He paused, remembering Luka wasn’t asleep yet. He didn’t want his pervert of a brother seeing Elias, as he had promised to visit his room.

"Go back to the couch!" He rephrased his words.

Elias’s eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused. He grinned, a sloppy, drunken smile, and before Viktor could react, Elias’s hand shot up, wrapping around his neck and pulling him down.

"What in the world are..."

"You’re loud," Elias mumbled, his voice slurred, his strength surprising as he tugged Viktor onto the bed.

Viktor landed with a grunt, Elias straddling him, hands planted on his chest.

"Get off! Immediately! How dare you do this to-?" Viktor ordered, but Elias pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh," Elias said, giggling. "You’re too loud, Master." His hands fumbled with Viktor’s shirt, unbuttoning it clumsily, revealing his tattooed chest.

Viktor’s face heated, his body reacting despite himself. He didn’t know why he found Elias’s drunk action cute and... Sexy.

"What are you doing?" he growled, grabbing Elias’s wrists. "Don’t you dare touch me! Do you think I’d get attracted to... to a man like you?"

Elias tilted his head, his grin mischievous. "What? Not interested in me?" His hand slid lower, brushing Viktor’s bulge through his pants. "But you’re hard, boss. You sure you don’t like men?"

Viktor’s breath caught, his body frozen. Before he could say another word, Elias leaned down, his lips grazing Viktor’s neck, biting and sucking, leaving a mark.

Viktor flinched, the sensation sharp and electric. He could’ve pushed Elias off. He knew he was stronger and bigger than Elias... but something stopped him. The heat, the scent, Elias’s boldness... it was intoxicating.

Then, as quickly as it started, Elias’s head lolled, and he passed out, slumping onto Viktor’s chest.

Viktor exhaled, his heart racing, and gently laid Elias back on the bed. He stumbled to the mirror, staring at the red hickey on his neck, his cheeks burning.

"How dare he," he muttered, but his voice lacked conviction. He lowered his head and saw the bulge in his pants. Just because of a little touch from a man... he got this hard.

’How the hell did it get to this? I’m not... I shouldn’t be interested in men... right?’

He turned and looked at Elias before carrying him to his own room, tucking him in, unable to shake the memory of that touch. That was the reason he left the estate early the next morning.

PRESENT

Viktor’s mind snapped back, Elias’s tearful eyes staring up at him. "Stop tormenting me," Elias said, his voice breaking, tears streaming down his scratched cheek. "If you hate me, just fire me. Please."

Viktor’s chest ached, guilt hitting him hard. He couldn’t tell Elias about last night... not when Elias had been drunk, unaware of what he’d done. But the thought of Elias doing that with someone else, with this Jace guy, made his blood boil.

He released Elias’s wrists, stepping back.

"Don’t cook for the kids tonight," he said, his voice flat. "I’ll get a chef. Just focus on your job and that’s taking care of them."

Elias stared, his wrists red, tears still falling. Viktor tossed the cracked phone onto the counter.

"Wipe your face before the twins see and think I bullied you," he said, turning to leave.

Elias watched him go, his heart pounding.

"What the hell is wrong with him today?" he muttered, touching his stinging cheek.