Adam Reynolds, who had remained silent throughout the argument over the Non-Disclosure Agreement, was genuinely taken aback by Noah's final, furious pronouncement.
"You don't know me?" Adam asked, his surprise evident in his tone.
Noah, still simmering with anger and confusion, looked back at him with an incredulous expression. "Am I supposed to know you? Are you the face on the dollar bill? Why should I know who you are?"
Adam studied the young man closely. Despite the anger, Adam recognized the genuine confusion in Noah's eyes. He wasn't feigning ignorance; he truly had no idea who Adam Reynolds was. Adam frowned, understanding that his usual intimidation tactics were useless here.
"How about we do this," Adam conceded, altering his approach. "You might find out about me later, and I won't be able to rest until I know this incident absolutely will not reach the public. So, you sign the NDA, and I will find a way to repay you as much as I can."
Noah simply rolled his eyes, utterly defeated by the relentless argument and his own exhaustion. "Don't worry about it. I've already wasted too much time arguing with you. I have things to do, and I honestly don't want anyone to know what happened here. This was a mistake, something that should never have happened in my life. I will sign your damn NDA. Keep your money and your compensation. I don't need it."
He grabbed the pen and scribbled his signature onto the Non-Disclosure Agreement with a flourish of finality, then thrust the paper back at the personal assistant. Noah was too tired, too drained to continue the fight. Signing was simply the quickest way to escape.
As soon as the paper was signed, he stood up, carefully balancing on his wobbly legs, and began to leave. Adam watched him, noting how carefully Noah moved.
Adam knew he had been excessively rough with the boy. However, a new, pragmatic idea had just formed in Adam's mind. Since their bodies had already established an intense compatibility, perhaps the boy could offer a complete solution. Adam was never one to delay.
"Mr. Walker, wait," Adam called out.
Noah, already struggling to maintain his footing, was shocked that they were stopping him again, even after he had signed their demanding document. He turned back slowly, his face clouded with renewed fury.
"What?" he asked flatly.
"I just thought," Adam began, his voice surprisingly calm and persuasive, "since our bodies are already familiar with each other, and I still have three more days left of my rut, why don't you stay here and help me finish it? The only reason I can remain this calm right now is because I was thoroughly satisfied last night. Otherwise, I'd be releasing so many pheromones you wouldn't even be able to stand where you're sitting. The fact that I can control myself like this proves our compatibility is high. You might as well help me until the end."
Noah was momentarily speechless. He simply stood there, utterly dumbfounded, wondering if he had heard correctly. Seeing Adam waiting confidently for his answer confirmed the reality of the outrageous request.
Noah searched his mind for words vile enough to curse Adam's entire lineage, past and future, but he was too tired. Arguing with the personal assistant had drained every last ounce of his energy. He simply didn't have the strength for another verbal battle.
Without saying a word, Noah turned his back on Adam and began walking toward the door, his wobbly, determined gait showing his absolute refusal. He was immensely relieved when he finally made it outside the presidential suite.
Inside the suite, Adam wasn't actually surprised by Noah's abrupt departure. If Noah had accepted the request, that would have been the truly bizarre outcome. Still, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
It was a pity, as his body was extraordinarily compatible with the young Omega's. His pheromones, which usually ran wild during his rut, were currently as soft and manageable as a sleeping baby's.
Caleb, the personal assistant, was livid at what he perceived as Noah's profound rudeness in walking out on the President.
"President," Caleb asked, his voice stiff. "Do you want me to bring him back forcefully for you?"
Adam raised his head, his elegant neck arching. "He already thinks we are bandits, Caleb. Are you trying to prove to him that we are, indeed, bandits? Besides, since when do we resort to forcing people to do things against their will? Caleb, where exactly did you learn this recent banditry attitude?"
Caleb's mouth twitched. He felt deeply aggrieved. He was only trying to help the President, but Adam had, like that rude young boy who just left, called him a bandit. However, Caleb had to fulfill his duty.
"So, President," Caleb persisted, his voice softening slightly. "Do you want me to find another Omega for you? One who is docile and calm and will listen to your every word?"
Adam looked at his assistant with an expression of weary disbelief, then shook his head. "Just get me my inhibitors. This was a one-time mistake. I have always gritted my teeth through my ruts, and I will grit my teeth through the rest of this one."
Caleb nodded, but his internal dislike for Noah intensified. If only Noah had agreed to the President's suggestion, the President wouldn't have to suffer through the rest of his rut.
Meanwhile, Noah was in the elevator, sinking against the wall. His legs were still shaky and painfully tired, so he leaned his entire body against the metal wall for support.
He was grateful that the clothes provided by that foul-mouthed lackey, the personal assistant, included a hoodie. He pulled the hood over his face. He didn't want anyone to see his swollen, bloodshot eyes, and he still wasn't sure if Boss Ryan and his crew were still lurking in the hotel. Caution was essential.
The elevator successfully stopped at the ground floor. Noah walked swiftly toward the grand entrance and then out of the hotel building. It was only after he reached the main gate that a fresh wave of panic hit him.
He had no money. He had no phone. He couldn't call a cab.
He was dead tired and stranded. He briefly considered going back into the hotel to ask Adam for cab money, but he simply couldn't bring himself to beg the Alpha who had assaulted him.
Besides, he wasn't even sure he would be allowed back inside the hotel. Entry was likely still restricted by invitation, and the guards wouldn't care that he had just walked out of the presidential suite.
Noah was left standing outside the gate, utterly stranded and without means to get home. His legs started to hurt more intensely, and he slumped down onto the ground by the side of the road. Tears pricked his eyes. He felt overwhelmed by the sheer run of bad luck and trauma he had endured.
He postponed his impending breakdown when he noticed a car approaching the hotel entrance. It looked expensive and luxurious, clearly intended for the hotel's clientele. With a burst of desperate energy, Noah sprang to his feet, positioning himself directly in the vehicle's path.
The car screeched to a halt right in front of him. Noah walked quickly to the driver's side and knocked on the window. The window glided down, and Noah's heart stuttered.
The driver was an Alpha, and strikingly handsome, with the kind of rugged, slightly dangerous looks that screamed 'bad boy.' Noah instantly worried. Would this man help him? But He had no other option.
Taking a deep breath, he forced out the request. "Sir, please, can you lend me your phone to make a quick call?"