"Ah-ah."
Josh sighed deeply.
The bustle continued unabated. Wasn't it time for everyone to come back by now? He checked his watch—only a couple of hours had passed since they arrived at the party. Regardless, the job wouldn't be done unless Chase decided to leave. Even so, he let out another sigh from deep in his throat.
The garden was vast—wide enough for him to curse without being heard. He felt like he could stay up all night just staring at this place. It reminded him of Chase's garden, where he wandered every day, but this one was even bigger.
Why build a house in a national park?
He grumbled inwardly as he walked along the path, lost in thought. Fortunately, nothing seemed out of the ordinary so far. A group of bodyguards stood in the background, chatting idly. Just then, Henry's voice crackled through his earpiece.
"Anything unusual?"
"Not yet," Josh replied curtly. After a brief exchange, he cut the contact.
The party seemed to be going smoothly. After making his rounds, Josh figured he should arrange for some food—a simple meal.
I'll leave Henry and Isaac to eat while Mark and I keep an eye on Chase.
As he mulled it over, his eyes caught a shadow crouched under a tree. Instinct kicked in—his hand moved toward his pistol, ready to aim. His body tensed, but as he took a better look, he quickly assessed the situation. His shoulders relaxed slightly.
The man under the tree hadn't even noticed him.
Gasping for air, he leaned weakly against the trunk, oblivious to Josh's presence. He looked too out of it to register anything.
Is he sick?
Josh approached cautiously, scanning the man's condition. The closer he got, the more concerned he became. Something was definitely wrong. His slumped shoulders and exhausted posture set off alarm bells in Josh's mind.
I might need to call an ambulance.
His mind raced through possible questions. Are you a guest? Staff? But as he stepped in front of him and stopped, the man still didn't react. His breathing was shallow, his body eerily still. Without hesitation, Josh extended a hand.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The response was instant—and startling. The man's fingers clamped onto Josh's hand with unexpected strength. But what shook Josh even more was what happened next.
Slowly, the man's eyes fluttered open, locking onto Josh's.
For a brief moment, Josh stopped breathing.
Is he an Omega?
Josh instinctively tried to catch a scent, but there was nothing. Inhibitors, maybe? Or maybe, like Josh, he barely had a scent at all.
Not that pheromones mattered much. Even if he was a Beta, few people could resist that gaze. If Josh were the type to go after men, he might have already dragged this one to bed without hesitation. No, he wouldn't have even waited for a bed. Humanity had been having sex long before beds were invented. As long as the other person agreed…
Josh cut off that train of thought.
"I don't think you're feeling well. Do you want me to call 911?"
His tone was calm. Normally, he didn't get involved in other people's business, but this was different. Leaving someone in such bad shape didn't sit right with him. Besides, if he walked away now, he'd be up all night worrying.
Wait. This is a guy, right?
Josh quickly scanned his frame again. Though he was slender, his body had sharp, masculine lines—unmistakably a man.
"…No, I'm fine."
The weak murmur confirmed it. And strangely, Josh felt both relieved and embarrassed at the same time.
Clearing his throat, he handed the man his water. He drank greedily, finishing over half the bottle in a few gulps. Some color returned to his face, and his breathing evened out slightly. He still sounded fragile, but at least he managed a soft "thank you."
Josh felt a little more at ease. But that didn't mean he was about to leave him here. The man looked like a deer that had given up running—offering his neck to the hunter out of sheer exhaustion.
Wait, deer?
For a split second, Emma's face flashed in Josh's mind. If his little sister had been here, she'd have fallen for this man instantly. Good thing she wasn't.
As their conversation continued, the man seemed to recover little by little. He even suggested getting food for Josh's team. That sounded good to Josh, so he decided to take him inside. More importantly, he needed to get this guy somewhere safe.
That was the plan—until someone abruptly interrupted.
"What are you doing here?"
A cold voice cut through the air.
Josh turned his head—and was met with an unexpected sight. A tall man with striking purple eyes stood before them.
Keith Knight Pittman.
The man beside Josh muttered in surprise, "Mr. Pittman."
Josh's eyes flicked between the two.
New questions flooded his mind. Was this guy part of the staff? Pittman's secretary, maybe? And why was Pittman all the way out here in the garden? Had something happened at the party?
It felt off.
Josh glanced at the pale-faced man beside him. He still didn't seem well. Should he say something? But then again, this was a grown man. It wasn't his place to interfere. The little crisis had passed. He'd done enough.
The man must've been thinking the same thing because he spoke first.
"Thanks for your help. You must be busy…"
Josh caught the underlying message—he wanted him to leave.
Josh nodded slightly, ignoring the strange unease creeping over him.
"Yeah. Take care."
As he turned to leave, the man hesitated, then suddenly spoke.
"I'm Yeonwoo. Seo Yeonwoo."
Josh paused.
"I'm Joshua. People call me Josh. Nice to meet you, Yeonwoo."
They exchanged a brief nod. Josh also gave Pittman a quick glance—but, as expected, Pittman ignored him entirely.
Something was off between those two. But whatever it was, it wasn't Josh's business. His colleagues were probably waiting on him. He still needed to find the kitchen and arrange for food. Or had that already been taken care of?
Henry must be losing his mind by now. He always got aggressive when he was hungry. Maybe Josh should check in—let them know food was coming.
He mulled it over for a moment.
Then he stopped in his tracks.
A few steps ahead, an unexpected figure stood in the shadows, smoking a cigarette.
Chase.