you home.”
Harper felt miserable enough without adding riding the bus while soaked to the skin to his adventures for the day.
“Okay.”
“I’ll just go validate my ticket.”
Harper crossed his arms and tried not to be too impatient while William spoke to the woman at the desk. As the alpha crossed back toward him, he hesitated, his eyes focused on something behind them. Harper turned, trying to figure out what he was looking at, but all he could see were people milling about.
William reached his side, urging Harper toward the door. “Let’s put some space between us and this place.”
“No argument here.”
They were in the car and halfway home before William raised the topic once more.
“I’m sorry again about today. I can’t believe the doctor said that. If I’d had any idea he was like that, I wouldn’t have brought you within five miles of that clinic.”
“I kind of worked that out already. The look on your face when he said it... Whoever recommended him is a seriously poor judge of character.”
“They meant well, I’m sure. I just… I wanted you to have the best. I’ll find someone better.”
Harper leaned his head against the window, the glass cool against his skin. He didn’t relish the idea of doing this all over again.
“Could we wait a bit on that? I’m not sure I’m ready to be poked and prodded again just yet.”
William’s face fell, though the alpha did his best to hide it. “But… this is the first step. How can we move forward until we’ve seen a doctor?”
Harper’s anger flared hot and heavy. “I’m not planning on waiting nine months to see a doctor. I just need some breathing room after that disaster.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“Says you. You weren’t the one being judged from the moment you stepped through the door, stabbed with needles, and treated like a second-class citizen.”
“You’re being melodramatic.”
“And you’ve got alpha blindness. If you didn’t, you’d never have taken me there.”
For the rest of the drive, they both silently fumed. As William pulled up in front of Harper’s building, he finally spoke.
“I’ll make another appointment.”
“Leave it. If and when I’m ready, and if I want company, I’ll call you.”
“But Harper…”
He opened the door and got out, ignoring William calling after him as he slammed it shut.
Chapter Twenty-One
Harper was back to being angry and with no clearer idea of what to do about his predicament. William called him, but he wasn’t ready for that conversation. He muddled through another few days of work, and then had a very welcome day off. But a call from an unknown number just after ten a.m. sent him into a tailspin.
“Mr. Jones?”
“Yes?” Being called by his surname was never a good sign.
“I’m calling from Dr. Arnold’s office.”
The voice on the other end of the phone sounded nervous.
“Oh. If it’s about the bill…” William was supposed to be taking care of that, wasn’t he? Unless he’d changed his mind.
“Oh no, it’s not that. We, uh, we need you to come back to the clinic.”
Harper paused. “What? Why? Dr. Arnold isn’t my doctor any longer.”
“Right, yes. But there’s a problem with your… blood tests. He said you need to come in right away.”
His heart started to race. He hadn’t even thought about the tests after he’d walked out of the appointment.
“What kind of problem?”
“I don’t know. I’m just the messenger. All I know is what I’ve been told. Please, you need to come in.”
Not knowing what else to do, he got to his feet. “I’ll head straight there.”
He grabbed his jacket and hailed the first cab he saw. As they drove there, he pulled out his phone, trying to decide who to call. His first instinct was to call William, but he changed his mind at the last minute and called Zac instead. The call went straight to voicemail. Harper didn’t bother leaving a message, deciding he could get through this, whatever this was, by himself.
The same security guard moved to intercept him as he strode through the doorway but paused halfway across the foyer. Harper paid him no mind, his attention focused on the reception desk.
“Harper Jones. I’m here to see Dr. Arno—”
“Harper?”
He turned at the unfamiliar voice, spying a stranger standing behind him, an older omega.
“Um, have we met?”
“No, dear. I’m William’s father. You and I need to have a talk.”
Harper frowned and turned back toward the reception desk. “I’m supposed to see the—”
“You’re here to see me.”
“But my tests—”
“A little white lie.”
Harper turned and gave the man his full attention. “White lie?”
“It