CHAPTER 7: At the Dean’s Office

The moment Hugo and Devon saw Kyle, they stood up and strode towards him.

Devon Adler reached out first and gently took Kyle’s thin hands into his own. His dark eyes scanned the boy from head to toe, his voice filled with worry. “How is your body feeling today?”

Before Kyle could even process what was happening, Hugo Keagan quickly walked past them and shut the office door, locking it to prevent any prying eyes from looking inside. Then he pulled Kyle’s other hand, and together, they guided him to the couch in the office, then made the confused boy sit.

 “Have you eaten breakfast yet? I brought something for you to eat,” Devon said softly as he reached over the table for the insulated food flask.

“I also brought something for you to eat, too,” Hugo said immediately. He picked up his own food container and brought it closer, glaring at his rival. It was obvious that the two were competing for Kyle’s attention.

Kyle sat frozen on the plush sofa, staring at the two premium food boxes placed in front of him, his mind completely blank. He was deeply confused as to why these two terrifying men had come all the way to Oakhaven National University just to bring him breakfast.

Behind the massive desk, the Dean watched the entire scene with wide, shocked eyes. His jaw was nearly dropping to the floor. What on earth was going on? Why were these two most dangerous and untouchable Alphas fussing all over the Sawyer family’s adopted, useless son?

Kyle felt the pressure of the Dean’s gaze. He nervously began to fiddle with his fingers, his face turning pale as he stuttered, “I… I…” He really did not know what to say.

Devon noticed Kyle’s panic; he turned his head slowly to the Dean, casting a lethal glare at him.

 “Why are you still sitting there? Can’t you see that you are making him nervous?” His voice was cold enough to pierce through a bone.

The Dean felt a cold sweat break out across his back. He quickly stood up from his chair, his legs shaking. “Oh! Oh, yes! I am very sorry about that, President Adler! The office is completely yours!” He did not dare to say another word. He scurried out of his own office like a frightened mouse, closing the door behind him.

“Don’t be nervous now. He is gone,” Hugo said. He squatted down in front of the sofa so that he was looking up at Kyle. “Also, please forgive us. We completely forgot to introduce ourselves properly to you last night. My name is Hugo Keagan, and I work in the military. It is very nice to meet you.”

  Hugo politely brought out his large, calloused hand for a handshake, his gaze never leaving Kyle’s face for a single second.

Kyle looked at the hand in front of him. He shyly and hesitantly brought out his hand, barely letting their fingers touch. He kept his eyes glued to the floor and stuttered out, “N…ice to meet you… Master Keagan.”

  Devon sat on the edge of the sofa right next to him. He also introduced himself. Kyle’s small shoulders shook a little. “I… I know who you are… President Adler.”

Devon reached out his long, elegant fingers and gently touched the side of Kyle’s chin, using a very light pressure to lift the boy’s head so their eyes would meet.

“The rumors outside are completely false, Kyle,” Devon said, his dark eyes looking deeply into Kyle’s watery ones. “Listen to me carefully. I am not Noah’s fiancé whatsoever, and I will never be his fiancé in this lifetime. Do you understand?”

Kyle’s heart hammered against his ribs. “B…ut…”

Devon’s thumb gently caressed his pale skin. “What is it? You can tell me anything.”

Kyle swallowed hard, sadness and fear filling his chest. “B…brother will be… s…ad. I don't want him to be… s…ad.”

The moment the words left Kyle's mouth, Hugo's jaw clenched so tightly the muscles in his face ticked. He felt a wave of fury burn in his chest. “Damn it! You still care about that arsehole after what they have done to you in that house?”

Hearing Hugo's sudden, loud tone, Kyle instantly flinched. His eyes went wide with terror, and he scrambled backward against the cushions of the sofa. He instinctively raised his thin arms to shield his head, tears bursting from his eyes as he began to apologize hysterically.

“I… I’m s…orry! I… I’m s…orry! P…lease… I’m s…orry!” Kyle wept, his whole frame shivering violently. He did not know what he had done wrong, but all his life, he had been beaten and told that everything was his fault. Whenever an Alpha grew angry, he knew he had to beg and crawl to survive.

Seeing the intense terror in Kyle's eyes, Hugo's heart completely shattered. He realized his loud voice had triggered something. He moved closer and instantly dropped down onto both knees on the floor right in front of Kyle's feet.

“You don't have to be sorry at all! I am the one who is sorry, Kyle,” Hugo pleaded, his large hands carefully reaching out to hover near Kyle's arms, not daring to touch him roughly. “I was reckless. I should never have raised my voice at you. I swear I will never do it again. Please don't be scared of me.”

Kyle slowly lowered his trembling arms, blinking through his tears. He was completely shocked. Why was this Alpha kneeling on the floor and apologizing to a useless stray like him? Wasn’t everything always his fault?

Devon gently patted Kyle’s back, releasing Kyle. “We came here today simply to bring you food. You can eat one serving right now, and you can save the other serving to eat during your lunch break.”

Hugo stood up from the floor and carefully unpackaged his food box. Inside was a serving of exquisite, golden-braised bird's nest congee. The rich, delicious aroma filled the office. It was obvious that this dish had been freshly prepared by the head chef of a five-star restaurant.

 The serving size was very small, specifically portioned so that Kyle could easily finish it in one sitting. As Hugo brought out the delicate silver cutlery, he spoke softly, “As much as I wanted to increase the food portion today, Logan strictly warned us last night. He said your stomach is too weak and we must take it very slow to avoid ruining your digestive system. Here, take it.” He gently placed the spoon into Kyle’s thin fingers.

Kyle held the silver spoon, his watery, expressive eyes looking up at Hugo in pure disbelief. He stuttered, “F…for m…e?”

Looking at those big, innocent, wet eyes, Devon and Hugo both felt their protective instincts flare up completely. Hugo could not resist reaching out. He gently and softly patted Kyle's hair, “Yes, it is exclusively for you.”

Kyle stared at the steaming congee. “W…why?”

“Because I am your match, Kyle,” Hugo explained firmly, his dark eyes soft. “Since we are biologically bound together, it is only natural that I take care of you, feed you, and protect you from anyone who dares to hurt you.”

Sitting on the side, Devon let out a cold, low scoff. The sound was so quiet that a normal human or an Omega like Kyle could never hear it. But to Hugo, an Alpha with incredibly sharp hearing, the scoff was as loud as a bell. Devon glared at his rival. He was furious that Hugo had managed to trick Kyle into eating his food first. In his mind, Devon decided that first thing tomorrow morning, he would make sure the stocks of  Keagan’s newly built company would go down.

Kyle held the spoon tightly, his eyes widening slightly as he looked back down at the bowl. “M…match?”

Hugo nodded his head smoothly. “Yes, a perfect match. The doctor, Logan, told you about the test results yesterday in the hospital, remember?”

Kyle lowered his head, keeping his eyes on the congee. In truth, he remembered the ninety-nine percent compatibility very well. But when he returned to his dark attic last night, he thought the two great tycoons would never take the match seriously. He was just a stuttering mess. Why would they want a defective product like him?

Devon, as if reading the thoughts running through Kyle's mind, shifted closer. He reached out and gently rubbed Kyle’s thin shoulder to comfort him. “You don't have to think too much or worry about your background, Kyle. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You never have to worry about what we think. We will never let you go, no matter what happens in the future.”

Hugo chipped in, “Adler is right. Now, hurry up and eat while it's hot. I’m  sure you weren't allowed to eat a single bite of breakfast in that Sawyer hellhole this morning.”

Kyle felt a strange warmth bloom inside his chest. He looked at the two large men, whispered a very quiet, “Th…ank you,” and finally lifted the spoon to his mouth.

The moment the congee touched his tongue, Kyle’s eyes instantly widened. The flavor was incredibly rich, smooth, and tastier than anything he had ever imagined in his entire life. The two Alphas watched as he ate the breakfast with relish.

Kyle ate slowly, and within a few minutes, the small bowl was empty.

Hugo checked the container, a satisfied smile broke across his face. He quickly packed the plates away. He was incredibly happy because Kyle had managed to eat exactly six spoonfuls of food today. That was one spoon bigger than the tiny amount he had managed to swallow at the hospital yesterday! It was a massive victory.

Devon then stepped forward, picking up his own luxury insulated bag and placing the strap gently into Kyle's hand. “Make sure to eat this one during your university lunch break.” Kyle nodded his head quickly, “I… I will… th…ank you, President Adler.”

Devon gently pulled him up from the sofa by his elbow and escorted him to the door with Hugo tagging along.

 Standing right outside in the hallway was the Dean who had been chased out of his own office.

Kyle shyly stepped past the Alphas, keeping his head low as he walked out into the corridor. Devon and Hugo stood in the doorway, their eyes softening as they looked at his retreating back. “Take good care of yourself in class, Kyle,” Devon called out softly.

Kyle gave a small, quiet nod and quickly hurried down the long hallway, out of their sight.

The moment Kyle’s thin frame turned the corner and was completely out of earshot, the warm, gentle expressions on Devon and Hugo's faces instantly extinguished. The soft light in their eyes vanished, replaced by a freezing, ruthless aura that made the entire hallway feel like an execution ground.

The two slowly turned their heads at the same time, their dark, predatory gazes locking tightly onto the trembling Dean standing before them.

“Now,” Hugo growled, his deep voice dripping with ice as he stepped back into the room. “Shall we get down to business?”