Chapter Text
Carlton was sitting in the bar, nursing his third beer. His marriage with Victoria was a mess. They don't talk or spent time together anymore. They've stopped even having sex. He always seen their relationship as perfect combination of love and logic. When they met, Carlton and Victoria were both using supressants. So they first connected on emotional level. Then they ended in bed and the sex was good. So after few months they gotten engaged. They had long discussion about his future path to become a detective. About her parents expectations. About the world view on alpha/alpha couples. About their views on their secondary sex. About children.
Children. That was the problem. It is recommended to stop using supressants for two alphas to concieve easily. That sex in rut should be more productive. And that the hormones shouldn't be under any foreign influence.
So they quit. Victoria's ruts returned sooner than Carlton. So did the production of pheromones. It didn't smell bad. Actually it smelled well. But the sex stopped feeling good. They couldn't find some balance in bedroom. First he was to passive, then she was too fast. He couldn't find the right angle. She had to change the sheets. He couldn't get it up quickly enough. She was tired after work. He had to work in the morning. She just went through rut. He will start his in a week... The reasons for them to not have sex were everywhere. Carlton honestly didn't notice that they went two months without doing it.
Two months in which Victoria could've become pregnant. Instead she found a marriage counselor.
At first it seemed as good idea. Carlton wanted to figure out what was wrong with them. He was willing to do anything to make things normal between them. But now he wasn't so sure. He was offered the position of interim chief of Santa Barbara police department. But he refused because Victoria asked. She said it would be time consuming and also would make him less concentrated on their marriage. That if they want to have children, he has to start thinking about them as a unit. Until that moment he thought that there wasn't a question if they want children. He thought that they're trying to have children. Or at most if they can have children. Physically. Or if they should adopt. Victoria asked him if he lost his mind. They can't do any important, life changing decidions when their relationship is in this state.
And today he found out that she accepted a higher position in her firm last week.
What does it mean? Did their situation change without him noticing?
"You look grumpy," his partner Lucinda joined him. "We catched our killer. Cheer up. We're celebrating your success. Your victory over the evil!" she giggled and sipped her drink. Obviously it wasn't her first and she seemed a little tipsy.
"Sorry, Lucinda, I'm not in the mood," Carlton checked his phone.
"Problems in the paradise?" she asked and without giving him chance to answer She continued. "I always forget you're married. You're at the job as much as anyone else."
"Excuse me?" Carlton sneered with unhappy surprise.
"Oh, not like that. I mean that you don't take long lunches or dinners or go home sooner to be with your other half. I'm not even sure if your alpha is male or female. You don't smell like them. Almost never. Only some weak traces. Sometimes..."
"I...I will pretend you didn't said that." He was stunned she dared to talk about his scent. It was personal.
"Why? It's true. The only proof that you're taken is the ring," Lucinda brushed his ring with her finger and than she caressed slowly his hand.
Victoria's name showed up on his phone as it started ringing. "I'll go answer this and you should drink some water. And no more alkohol." Carlton took her half empty glass and throw its contents in nearby bush.