Forgive me for each halting line

Ⅳ

But unfortunately, it's not enough in the slightest.

His hands won't stop shaking, and it was making things awfully difficult for him—every stroke has to be redone once, twice, thrice before it is satisfactory. His face burns, distractingly so. His clothes feel like sandpaper on his skin.

'He could ask Alhaitham for help.' Kaveh thinks, 'He probably wouldn't refuse.'

No, he has to at least try to pull through. Tomorrow he'll stay inside his room and rest, away from any Alphas that might make the more primal part of his brain go haywire.

'Despite the rough exterior, Alhaitham is quite kind and considerate. A wonderful mate to raise pups with—'

No. No. Kaveh pushes away the intrusive thoughts brought on by his heat. He shushes his inner Omega nagging him to pounce the virile Alpha sat across from him. No, he is here to paint, and that's what he is going to do. Who knows when he'll have an opportunity like this again.

A pang in his stomach makes Kaveh cringe. Maybe he should tell Alhaitham to go. He can gather references of the plants and flowers here, so today wouldn't be a complete waste—

But the Alpha smells so so good. And he doesn't want him to go. He wants him right here, with him, close by and he never, ever wants to let him go. What he wouldn't give to be held by those strong arms, to bury his face in that well-built chest, to—

He needs to get a hold of himself, immediately. He is more than this. He has enough self-control to get his job done, which is precisely why he is here, to do a job. He isn't here to drool over the thought of his client's cock.

Kaveh swallows thickly and holds his paintbrush tighter, until his knuckles have turned white.

Would Alhaitham stop him if he presented himself to him? It would be wonderful, to be taken right there and right then on the ground. Oh, how good Alhaitham would feel with his knot inside him—

Kaveh suddenly set down his paintbrush on the easel in front of him. He wants to take a deep breath to ground himself, but all that will do is make him more dizzy with the Alpha's intoxicating scent. So instead, he opts for curling his hands into fists and digging his nails into the palm of his hands.

"Kaveh, are you alright?" Fuck, even the Alpha's voice is setting his body on fire.

"I—I can't. Not today. I—" Kaveh takes a deep breath, suddenly unable to talk, "it looks like it's about t-to rain. I'll—I gotta put these back inside."

Without waiting for Alhaitham's reply, he suddenly stands up, barely aware of how he has knocked over the stool he was sitting on. In retrospect, Kaveh wishes he hadn't gotten up so quickly, because the next thing he knows is that his vision has gone dark, he's completely lost balance, and he's about to fall.

Except he doesn't.

Judging by the warmth that is now surrounding him, and the intoxicating smell of Alpha rendering him unable to move, Alhaitham had caught him before he could hit the ground.

Kaveh doesn't open his eyes. He doesn't want to. He simply turns his head until his face is buried into the crook of Alhaitham's neck and takes deep breaths, clinging onto him for dear life. It must hurt, the way he is digging his nails into the Alpha's back like this, but he can't really bring himself to let go. His scent was intoxicating yet soothing, and it helps with the horrible gnawing feeling in the Omega's chest that's been there since he's woken up that morning.

"Thank you. But...you don't have to—" He just barely manages with a soft sigh. Alhaitham says nothing, and only continues to hold Kaveh. And he's thankful for that.