ã€ŠA Simple Truthã€‹


 Visuals

Timeline of Main Events:

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Apartment Layout:

    Character Sheets:

    [Soon to be added]

 Unexpected Connections

    "Okay class, your final this year will be on May 12th. I want everyone to be there. No exceptions."

    The professor had told the classroom on the first day of school back in January. He had meant it; several moths had gone by, and the finals were but a week away. The only problem Talon had when he had put this final his calendar was that his rut wasn''t clockwork. It showed up whenever his body felt ready. They could be every month to once every six months. But he did have a knack for knowing when it was coming a few days beforehand, or on a worse occasion, a few hours beforehand.

    On early Friday morning,he had taken a shower before going to class. He washed his body, making sure he didn''tsmell overwhelminglylike an Alpha. He could feelhisknotatthe base of his dick was sore, despite not getting any action in quite some time. That was usually an indicator that his rut would come about soon. He would probably find himself accidentally stalking and following around Omegas, trying to get a whiff of their scent.

    He was dreadfully bad at beinganAlpha, he always tended to lean more towards Beta, but when his rut came for the first time, he had surprised many people including himself. He had spent his first rut with anOmeganfriend who offered. ButTalonhad yet to understand how to control theWolfand it turned out that he wasveryaggressive in rut,heended up having to leave halfway through because he, the Omega,couldn''t handleTalon. After that he decided to spend his ruts alone, it had been years now since he spent it withanyone orwas with someone outside.

    Talon raised a hand to thread it shakily through his blond hair, walking over to throw on his school''s white button-up dress shirt and black khakis, pulling on a deep green tie to complete their uniform. Uniforms held significant importance within the school, created not only for comfort but also for safety. Alpha and Omega uniforms were designed with special fibers to effectively block scents, allowing both to focus on material and not the scents lingering around them. It was also useful for when one enters their mating cycle unexpectedly, and needs to keep their scent blocked long enough to leave campus without an uproar. In contrast, Omegan uniforms were engineered specifically to be bite and scratch-proof, helping create a safer environment for for them should anything happen. Each uniform required a display of their corresponding secondary gender symbol stitched into the fabric, helping with identification.

    Walking outside he got into his black Nissan Versa and began the short drive to school. Before pulling out of his apartment, he called his mate Oliver and put his phone on the stand he had clipped to the vent as the phone rang.

    He could hear the phone being picked up,"HeyTal, what''s up mate?"

    "''M not actually doing too well."He said, pulling out onto the road.

    "What''s wrong?"heasked, concernevident.

    "You know how my rut randomly shows up?"The car goes silent for a second before Talon spoke up again,"It''s probably going to start soon, we have around a week until the final. I don''t know what to do! I''ll fail the class if I''m not there."He stressed.

    "I don''t know. How long do you think you have?"

    "A few days at most."

    "Oh boy..."He could hear a long sigh from the other end,"Have you thought about maybe spending it with a-"

    "No! Absolutely not!"He cut him off,"I''m aggressive, I''ll hurt the poor thing."

    "It''s been years! You''re probably better now. You know how to control yourWolfmore; it was one time. Your first time!"

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it any better! Besides, where would I even find someone tohelp with¡®that¡¯on such short notice?¡±

    Oliver laughed in the background.¡°I can''t really offer up my Omega, but I know I can find one you like, so either you give menames,orI figure it out myself.¡±There was some rustling in the background and a low humming sound.¡°Hey man, I need to do something. I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡±

    Talon huffed, turning the corner onto Payne Road leading to the school parking lot,"We can talk about this later. I''ll see youinclass."

    "Alright,mate. Hang in there, yeah?"

    Talon half-smiled, despite Oliver not being able to see him,"Yeah. Bye."

    "Bye,"Oliver said before the call ended. Talon put his head on the steering wheel for a moment, taking a deep breath and carding his hands through his hair shakily before grabbing his schoolbag. He left the car and clicked the lock button, walking to hischemistryclass. The class beforehiswas a medicalstudyand practice class, the class wasjust about toend. Talon always liked to be earlytohis classes, especially this one. His professordidn¡¯tlike the idea of assigned seats; the first ones there got the best equipment and the seats they wanted, so naturally, Talon showed up as early as possible to reserve seats for his friends. Oliver, Jacob, andRorkewere always a little late, or just showing up just barely on time.

    The students trickled out of the classroom; Talon walked in after there were only a few students left in the room. He walked in proudly, attempting to keep his Alpha in line. He wasn¡¯t looking down; only at the professor at the head desk of the classroom, in doing so he accidentally slammed into something ¨C or someone. He looked down, he had accidentally knockeddowna girl, but not just any girl. The Omega he¡¯s had his eyes on for the last year of Uni, Lillian. She immediately scrambled to her feet, bowing her head andapologizingto the Alpha, fingers clutching tightly tothesmall purple binder that sheassumedlyusedfor the class. Her voice was so soft and gentle, the voice of a well in-tune Omega. He got lost in her for a moment, she was so small and perfect and adorable. Her long blonde hair was up in a sleek, straight ponytail,thelittle curlsandfluffaround her head fell down her forehead and hung around her ears. Being this close to rut certainly gave him some ideas of what to do with ¨C no ¨Ctothat hair.

    She looked up, expecting him to be upset, but instead,he was looking at her with a fond, goofysmile. She smiled back,¡°It¡¯s fine, I wasn¡¯t looking where I was going.¡±he said, snapping himself out of his trance. They stood in the doorway for a moment, both taking a slow deep breath and smiling.¡°I¡¯m Talon.¡±He said, breaking the silence and extendinghishand towards her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lillian.¡±She replied, though he already knew that, and extended her trembling hand to shake hisin return. His hands were so much bigger, he was so much taller than her, she barely went up to hischest. Talon pulled away from her hand quickly, his cheeks flushing slightly at the metaphorical sparks that he could feel just from her warm, softhands. It certainly wasn¡¯t helping that his rut was coming up. She smiled, the typicalOmeganblush spreading across her freckled cheeks and kissing the tips of her ears.¡°I- Ishould get going...¡±She said with sad eyes. He nodded, stepping to the side to let her pass.

    He smiled again, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately, and let his eyes trace her movements as she walkedaway, even her skirt looked petite, seeing as it showed off the sensual curves she possessed. He tore his eyes away from her, walking into the classroom and taking a seat at Lab Table¡°6¡±. He needed to get this girl out of his head, and what better way to do that then to check up on thecelebrity gossip.

    ¡°Henry BeauStalker Told to Leavethe Star Alone¡±

    ¡°MikeyCybalClarifies Instagram Remarks About BeinganAlpha¡±

    ¡°PrinceJacobsWants to¡®Protect¡¯SonjaMablefrom Intense Media Scrutiny¡±

    The minutes passed, Talon fiddled with his black pen and scrolled through Twitter to distract himself as his professor silently walked around the classroom getting things set up for hisnextclass. Jacob walked in, his short brown hair messy,clearly not brushed,and his light brown eyes lighting up at the sight of his friend.¡°Hey,Talon!¡±He waved over, smiling at him.

    ¡°Hey,Jake. You¡¯re here early.¡±He teased, nodding toward the stool next to him.

    ¡°Yeah, thought I was going to be late, so I kind of hurried out the door.¡±He laughed sheepishly, sitting down and dropping his backpack on the floor.¡°Why are you always here so early?¡±

    Talon shrugged,¡°Get the best seats.¡±he replied.

    ¡°Oh, okay...¡±He trailed off,¡°Where¡¯s Oliver andRorke?¡±Jacob asked.

    ¡°Should be here at some point, unlessRougot distracted by a cat. Or a baby.¡±Talon smirked.

    ¡°Yeah, that Omega has issues.¡±Jacob laughed,¡°I¡¯m glad Betas don¡¯t get distracted by that stuff!¡±He proudly smiled.

    ¡°Can I please remind you that most of your friend group is either an Alpha or Omega? There aren¡¯t really any Betas except for Shaun and Cindy.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. That¡¯s fair.¡±He replied, throwing his hands in defeat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t get distracted by babies sometimes too.¡±

    ¡°Whatever!¡±Jacobyelled, face tinting red on hispuffed-outcheeksas he pivoted his body to turn away in a huffed fury, his arms crossed tightly.

    Talon laughed, the other students started trickling in as well as Oliver andRorke. They walked over to where Talon and Jake were sitting,Rorkesmiled brightlyas the two.Rorke¡¯susual fixed curlsweretussled;and his cheeks seemed a little more flushed than usual, his glittering green eyes glossy.Rorkehid tiny behind Oliver, who¡¯s fringe was messy(he hated anyone messing up his hair) and his bright blue eyes seethed with something mysterious, mischievous even.The corners of his mouth quirked up into a smirk as he nudged the Omega behind him to go sit down at the table.

    Talon watched in silent amusement asRorkewinced slightlyas he sat down. Jacobdidn¡¯ttake noticeofthepheromonesthat stilllingered slightly around the Alpha and Omega. Talon raised an eyebrow,¡°Good time,guys?¡±

    Rorkeflushed deeply and looked at his hands bunched up under the tableon his lap,Olivergave a sick grin before pulling a small translucent purple bottle out of his backpack andpoureda little on his hands. He put the blocking gel on his neck and inside his forearmsfollowed by passing the bottle toRorke.¡°Better, my Lord?¡±he quirked at Talon.

    Talon rolled his eyes and nodded, turning to the front of the class as more students trickled into the classroom, fillingthe remaining seats. A few minuteslater the Professor sighed and walked to the front of the classroom, beginning the lesson.Today they got to study Recrystallization,which is atechniqueused to purify chemicals.

    They had been giventwosolvents; hydrocarbonand ethanol.Oliver hadbranchedoff with Talon to talk about his rutwhilst working on hydrocarbon andhe had sentRorketo go workonethanolwith Jacob. They were nearly done with the filtering of the solution (the last step) when Oliver finally spoke up.¡°So,Talon... Names.¡±Talon lookedup;white lab coat curving around his form, hands clad in blue gloves, andclear lab goggles. He tilted his head to the side, a silent ask for what Olivermeant.¡°Itold you this morning thatI¡¯d need some names of your crushes or someone you can spend your rut with.¡°

    Talon threw himaglare.¡°Keep it down!¡±hewhisper-yelled. Oliver rolled his eyes.¡°And I told you,I can''t spend it with someone, I¡¯ll hurt her...¡±Talon sighedbegrudgingly.

    ¡°Hmm. ¡®Her¡¯. So,youprefer afemalepartner? Got it.¡±He smirked,¡°Names?¡±

    Talon sighed heavily, knowing Oliverwouldn''tlet up. They¡¯ve been best friendssince Talon¡¯ssecond year ofsecondary school, it was just pure luck that theywere both acceptedbyAriesPrometheusUniversity,a proudschool of Manchester, England.They were now in their second year of university and Oliver had been in quite a few of Talon¡¯s classes.Though Oliver wanted to go intoBioengineering, Talonjust needed a degree before he went into something less ¡®high demand¡¯ and more ¡®dream job¡¯. He decidedhe wanted to become a coach athis old secondary school.Many laughed at him, but he wanted to be there for the wayward kids, kind of like he was when he attended.

    He could still remember getting teased by all dynamics,¡°You¡¯re the apotome ofall Alphas andLeadership.¡±or¡°You''re just a Beta bitch!¡±How clever. He remembered spending a significant amount of time with hisfootball coach, Mr. Ward. Everyone else would pack up theirblack and white pentagon balls andsportsbags before heading out, Talon would sit with the coach talkingorgo on walks. The Alpha taught himeverything he didn¡¯t learn in his Junior High heath class, even the embarrassing parts. When it felt like the world came down andeveryone hated that he wasn¡¯t a ¡°proper¡± Alpha,Griffincame in to hold him. Something specialtheyshared,Talonreceivedpermission to refer to him asGriffin, rather that Coach Ward or simply Ward.

    Talon snapped his head back to realityafter shaking his head a few times, which earned an amused look from his best friend.¡°Oliver...¡±he groaned out lowly, ¡°You know that¡¯snot what I meant.¡±Oliver snorted once before comparing both crystalized substances they had in the end, one turning to look like wet chalkdustandtheir ownlike powdered sugar and regular sugar mixed.

    ¡°Still, we both know you can¡¯t fail this class. You¡¯re too smartforthat. Nowc¡¯mon. Help me out here? We need to find someone.¡±Talon huffed, pulling off hislab coat with ¡®TK¡¯ written in red sharpie on thetag andset the folded cloakinto his bag.¡°If you can¡¯t choose then I¡¯ll just hire someone. I don¡¯t have an issue.¡±

    Talon snapped his head over from the sinks where he was scrubbing his hands down, enjoying the cool water.¡°No! I would never accept that. I- I do... like someone that is...¡±He shied away, muttering the last bit under his breath.

    Rorkelooked at his boyfriendwhoseeyes had suddenly lit up, accidentally releasing happypheromones.¡°You do!Oh,my goodness!What''stheir name? Isit a girl or a boy? Are theyan Omega?No judgment if theyaren¡¯t. What¡¯s their name?¡±Talon rushed over to the eager Alpha and pressed a palm to his mouth, effectively shutting him up.¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just excited. Youhaven''tshown interest in anyone in a long time... Notas long asI¡¯veknown you.I was starting to think you were Ace.¡±

    Talon shot him a glare. So nosy.¡°She is an Omega, a female one. AndI''mnot Ace! I just like to... stay cautious.¡±Oliver sighed deeply;hecould tell that he wasstilla tad bit traumatized fromwhen he presented.They had shared a dorm room intheirfreshman yearand would occasionally have togo to Talon¡¯s bed and comfort him when he had nightmares. Talon would tense his entire body, flashesofthe Omega crying out in pain, the scratches and teeth marks, bruises from where he had gripped his hips and forced himself as deep into the boy as he could. HisWolfwas desperatelyrestless, nothing butfireinitsveins.

    After a particularly rough round, Talon¡¯s second round with him,Talon had fallen asleep for a few minutes to recharge. Meanwhile the Omega riffled through the tote he brought with him and found a little blue capsule. He pulled out twopills and crushed them into fine powder, which he put into a glass of orange juice for the Alpha to drink once he awoke. He did. And in a moment of clear headedness and munching on an energy bar, he blacked out. The Omega ran and called for help, desperate anddishevelled. Talon was brought to a confined area for situations like that, turns out he had a double dose of Alpha Quell, a special medication that can be taken in rut or in anger to calm theAlpha dynamic. Too much will knock someone out.

    Once it was all over, the Omega filed a restraining order, and Talon was burdened with the visions of being a vicious beast. He never forgave himself forit andhad nightmares every night until a few yearslater when it was reserved for every month or so.Oliver was the only one he could be vulnerablearound, so the other Alpha would end up coddling him until heeitherfell asleepagain orstoppedshaking.Usually,hewouldjust get behind him andbig spoon him, which was always a comfort. On particularly bad days Oliver would callRorketo come and make a nest for them all to lay in and watchThe Office reruns on either someone''s laptop or thetelly.Talon appreciated that he had such good close friends,Olivernevercriticizedhim for being the way he was, andRorkewas always there to keep him true to his heart.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°How about this,you headdown toBlueFoxwithRorke? I have another class inhalf an hour, but he¡¯sfreethe rest of the day.¡± Oliver offered, silently hoping he¡¯d take the bait.Throwing the fishing line and hoping for a bite.

    He did.¡°Yeah. A cuppa sounds brilliant right now. Thanks.¡±Talon was just gladOliver had dropped it.Or so he thought. Talon trudged off to go collect his things, seeing as the Professor had dismissed class. Meanwhile, Oliver was sending a few quick texts toRorketo keep him up to dateand inform him that he was heading to the Fox after he packed up.

    Talon walked up to the Omega after class, loosening his tie around his neck.¡°Ready to go Rou?¡±heasked, shrugging on his greymessenger bag.

    ¡°One second!¡±He rushed out, bounding over to Oliver to give him a quick kiss.¡°I love you Oli.I¡¯ll see you back at the flat!¡±Oliverreturned his kiss with an ¡®I love you too¡¯ before they walked out of the classroom to head to theBlueFoxCaf¨¦.

    <hr>

    Rorke¡¯s lips were still tingling from the kiss he gave Oliver before they left, Talon could tell. He kept reaching his hands up to his lips and biting them slightly.Occasionally, he would hear a deep rumble, or a low humming sound, the Omega waspurring.¡°What was it like to meet Oliver?¡±Talon suddenly blurted out, catchinghis friend off-guard.

    The boy looked up at him where the Alpha was averting his eyes,his lips pursed together nervously,andhis knuckles turning white where they clutched the strap of his grey messenger bag.¡°Maybe I remember it differently, because it feels like a scene from¡®Jaws and Jewels¡¯,¡±Jawsand Jewelsis a widely-known old children''s fairy tale about the first Alpha and Omega meeting.¡°But it did feel like that. Like my nerves were alltingling,and my heart was beating super-fast,andI couldn¡¯t take my eyes away.¡±

    Talon pondered the way he looked,Rorke¡¯seyes glazing over and sparking with happiness at the memory,¡®Like aflowergrowing in darkness and only blooms when it sees the sun...¡¯Talon mused to himself.¡°I want that someday...¡±He trailed off sadly, turning the cornerto the street where the Caf¨¦was.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting it to happen either.¡± Rorke laugheda little, pulling down the collar of his dress shirt to show off his mating bite.¡°Then I ended up with this! Hurt like a bitch!¡±Talon laughed at the Omega, always good atlighteningthe mood.Talon could remember it like it was yesterday, Oliver had called him an hour beforehand asking for his help in spreading roses and candles around their flat. Talontended to the chicken noodle soup on the stove,Rorke¡¯s favourite, while Oliver prepped the bed and everything else. Then, afterRorkegot home from a friend¡¯s house, they mated officially. From what he had been told, they had been talking about it for around ayear butteetered on the edge until two months ago.Rorkewas glowing for weeks after.

    Talon noticed a few people staring atRorke¡¯s mating bite until he pulledhis shirt back to cover it. Talon could feel his rut seeping through again, a rumble rising in his chest before he let out a low growl.Rorkesnapped his eyes over to the Alpha,eyeswide open. Talon stopped almost as soon he started.¡°Fuck! I¡¯m sorry,I''mhaving troublecontrollingit. Sorry. I saw people staring at you ¨C I''m¨C fuck, sorry. Don¡¯t be scared.Please.¡±Talon andRorkecontinued walking, Talon with his head buried in his hands, andRorkewith his hands in the pockets of his tankhakis.

    ¡°I - It¡¯s okay. Just startling is all. Glad you''re protective of your best friend''s mate.¡±He smiled, brushing it off. Talon still had his head in his hands, so Rorke reached up and pulled them away, giving him a reassuring smile.¡°You''re okay.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Rou.¡±He mumbled, pulling thedoor open forRorketo walk into thebustlingCaf¨¦/Bakery.TheBlueFoxwas a little coffeeshop on campus that they usually went to when they wanted to do study sessionsor hang out.

    The store wason the corner of the street, windows lining the edge and fadedmaroon walls. The windows had colourful cursive writing, whichchangedevery week. Things like¡°Create your own sunshine!¡± and¡°Don¡¯t forget where you belong¡± in pretty pastels with little flower designs and swirls. Thedual tableswere positioned by the storefront windows, with a few coupleseatingand some students typing on their computers. Once youwalkthrough chipped white doors andwalkdeeper into the shopyou''regreeted bythe friendlyfacesof the employees. More than half of the medium-sized shop was sleek wooden tables and silver chairs, save for a smallsection where there was a worn-in leather couch and somearmchairs arranged in a circle, in thecentrewas a large coffee table under a baby blue rug, which matched the walls.

    They walked in and took a seat at a table with an extra chair, until a child walked up from the tablenearbyand asked for it. They both set their belongings beneath the table before Talon stood up on his way to thecashier.¡°Cappucc-¡±

    ¡°Cappuccino with the littlehearts, extra shot of espresso?¡±Talon cut himoff, smiling.

    Rorkenodded.¡°Thanks!¡±Rorkeshouted back as Talon walked to the front. On his way up to the glass displayof baked goodsand themarblecounter topshe heard a small commotion from the ¡®Fox Den¡¯ as they called it. Talon stopped and looked over at thelong-curved couch that seemed to have atrioof rowdy Alphas surrounding something. Everyone else didn¡¯t seem to pay any mind, but with Talon being dipped into the soft glow of his rut, he could smell something. Something strongandalluring, but also somethingworrisome. Something that left an empty pit in his chestand left him sinkingtohis knees.

    Talon strode over to the slight commotion and picked up what he was smelling,distresspheromones.Ablondeheaded girlwassittingon the couch, her hands bunched at the edges of her tan skirt with her head down.¡°C¡¯mon sexy.We know your kindaredesperate to be touched. Let us take you out of here, we¡¯ll show you a good time.¡±A tall black-hairedAlpha urged.

    ¡°N - No... I don¡¯t want to...P -Please leave me alone...¡±Talon could see her sink into the couch further, a shudder racking her body as she released stronger distressedpheromones.Talon walked over quicker now, about to come up behind the group.

    ¡°Is that any way to speak to an Alpha, Omega?¡±He nudged her shoulder, she pulled away, whimpering softly.

    Talon rushed up behind them.¡°Damn right it is!¡±He growled. The trio all turned to look at him.So did the girl.Lillian.His eyes softened, her eyes glossed over and her eyes a pleading look for help. His eyes snapped backtothe Alpha¡¯seyes in rage.¡°Leave her alone.Just becauseshe¡¯san Omegadoesn''tmean that shemustobey you, and itcertainlydoesn¡¯t mean she¡¯sa whore like you¡¯re makingher out to be.¡±Talon¡¯s eyesflicked to hers again, sincerity and compassion.¡°Now leavemy mate alone.¡±The words slipped; hecouldn¡¯tstop them. Her eyes widened with confusion before she gave a knowing smile.

    The front Alpha grumbled.¡°Whatever, Knot-head.¡±He said before walking away with his group, not before bumping into his shoulder with another grumbled insult. Talon sighed deeply,no trouble this time, thankfully. Talon shot her a quick smile before turning heel to go order he andRorke¡¯s drinks, until -

    ¡°Thank you.¡±He turnedaround againatthegentle voice.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±Talonasked,turning around to face her.¡°Did you say something, Lillian?¡±

    She nodded her head, the click of her laptop shuttingand pushed onto the circulartable before shestood up.She cleared her throat and spoke up.¡°Erm...Isaid thank you. For getting them to go away... A ¨C And the things yousaid...¡±Lillain bumbled on,blush spreading up her freckled cheeks and kissing the tip of her nose and ears with pink.

    ¡°Of course. No-one should treatan Omegalike that. Especially if that Omega is you.¡±He mumbled the last part, but she caught it.

    Lillian smiled back, he was so sweet and made her heart jump.¡°You¡¯re the boy I bumped into this morning, right? Tal ¨C on?¡±She questioned, hoping she gothis name right.

    Talongrinned, she remembered!¡°That is my given name.¡±He sent her a wink.

    She giggled a bit, not startled by his hint.Her eyeslingeredonthe red-stitched¦Á printed on his button-up.¡°So,you¡¯re an Alpha?¡±sheasked,gesturing tohis Alpha insignia.

    ¡°Yeah, since seventh grade.¡±She nodded.¡°I would ask if you were an Omega, but judging by circumstances and your thick pheromones, I don¡¯t have to ask.¡±He smirked, cocking a hip out and slipping a hand into his pocket. For once he was glad to have the confidence of asecondary schoolgridiron player.

    Her leafy eyes widened, freaking out, she rushed and pulled some blocking gel out to rub over her scent glands. Talon was bittersweet with it, though hedidn¡¯thave to be tortured by the alluringscentof vanilla and orange peels,the smell slowly drifted away until it was replaced with the homey smell of baked goods, coffee, and sandalwood. Much to his disappointment.¡°Sorry. My scent isreally potent. I try my best, but it seeps out sometimes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It smells good.¡±he sighed, shrugging his shoulders.¡°Though your reaction was priceless.¡±He said, beforeburstingout laughing.

    She looked hurt for a second before joining him, laughing along with him. The rest of the world could fuck off for all he cared, right now, he had the cutest little girl in front of him and she wasn¡¯t afraid.Rorkehad watched the entire exchange from his spot atthe table, using his phone¡¯s camera to zoom in on the two and snap a quick picture to send to Oliver.¡°Female, and anOmega. Check.¡±Hetypedout, sendingamessage to Oliver.

    They stopped laughingand smiled at each other. Talon could tell his eyes were lighting up, the same way hers were twinkling, little green burstsbehind her eyelidswith each heartbeat.¡°I should go order for my friend...¡±Talon trailed off sadly.¡°Sorry. I¡¯d love to talk more, Lillian.¡±

    She looked down sadly before rushing behind her and grabbing a small to-go cupfrom offthe coffee table.¡°I finished mine earlier and was going to go getanother onebeforethose guys showed up and you so bravely fought them off.¡±

    Heturned,a silent invitation for her to go with him up to the counter.¡°I¡¯m your knight in shining khakis, and don¡¯t you forget it!¡±Testingthewater, he jokingly nudgedherside. She tossed her (clearly half-full) cup oftea into the bin.Shecame back, and nudged him back, a typical tell-tale sign that she was interested.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±She replied. They both approached thecashier, Justine, and nudged her forward.

    ¡°You can go first.¡±Talon urged, to which she smiled gratefullyandputin her order.

    ¡°Can I please have a small lemon-ginger tea?¡±The cashier nodded before Talon stepped forward, putting a hand on his chin.

    ¡°Can I have another tea, this time spearmint?¡±Justine nodded.¡°And aCappuccinowith an extra shot of espresso?¡±

    ¡°You have the option for foam, what design would you like?¡±sheasked, typing the orders into thesilver handheld tablet.

    ¡°The hearts please.¡±Lillian shot himalook.¡°For my friend¡¯s mate.¡±Talon whispered.He wasn¡¯t sure why he felt the need to explain himself, but she shrugged and smiled anyway.Talon pulled out his card, about to give it to Justine, until something light and warm grasped around his wrist.Big green eyes looked up at him, he understood what she was trying to say.¡°It¡¯s fine, Lillian. My treat.¡±

    Before she could open her mouth and say any form of protest, Justine took his card and swiped it.Lillian attempted to pout, but soon gave up the act andlet out a small¡®Thankyou, Talon.¡¯She wasn¡¯t sure why she felt tingly when she said his name, andTalon wasn¡¯t sure why he felt tingly when she spoke his name. It just looked perfect on her watermelon-colouredlips, that''swhat she was. Perfect.

    Talon¡¯s drinks came out before hers did, the two chatted until Justine called out his order.¡°ByeLillian, I do hope to see you later. Will I?¡±he asked, silently hoping she was still interested and wasn¡¯t going to scurry off and change her classes to avoid him.What a ridiculous thought.

    ¡°Definitely.¡±She smiled, moreblushgracing her cheeks and nose.Watching himwalk away left cold blood rushing to her head, and an empty feeling in her chest. She decided to approach him and ask for his number when her tea came out,she¡¯dpack up her things and walk over casually. If itwasa no, she was already on her way out of the coffeeshop and could save herself theembarrassment. Which was then followed by curling up in a nest andwatchingmovies until she felt better.If it did go well, however,she¡¯dhave his number.

    Talon walked over to a beamingRorke, face glowing with a wide grin stretched across his face.¡°You guysgonnasuck face later?¡±He asked shamelessly.

    ¡°RorkeWilliamElliot-Bloome! Have you no shame?¡±heasked, setting his drink down and pullinghis chair up. At the sametimethe girl from earlier with little curly black pigtails came over tugging a chair behind her.

    ¡°Thank you, misters!¡±She chirped. Both went silent as she left the chair. They looked at each other and laughed.She turned back around and looked at Rorke .¡°Are you an Omega?¡±sheasked, tilting her head to the side.

    Rorkestuttered for a second.¡°I - I... um... Yeah! I am an Omega.¡±She smiled up at him with twinkling hazel eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re so pretty! If I¡¯m an Omega, Iwannabe as pretty as you!¡± She said, bunching her fists up in front of her in excitement.¡°Bye!¡±She said,skippingoff.Rorkespent the next minute beaming and smiling from ear-to-ear and gushing before he remembered why Oliver sent him here.

    ¡°So,haveyou found anyone to spend your rut with...?¡±Rorkeasked, keeping his voice at a lower volume to avoidan outburst. Talon was always so conservative when talking about these things.

    Talon sighed deeply.¡°Rou... You¡¯ve been there for the bad days; you know I can¡¯t.¡±He trailed off.¡°Evenif I was looking for someone they aren¡¯t going to fall into my lap. And I don¡¯t want to risk it.¡±

    Rorkesighed.¡°Look man, I¡¯m all for sensitivity and letting you take this stuff lightly, but you need to get over it this time.¡±Talon nodded; Oliver was right earlier; hecouldn¡¯tafford to fail this class. ¡°If the biggest issue is finding someone who can handle you, I have a few people I can set you up with.¡±

    It was now that Lillian chose to walk over, had you not been tuning into the discussion like she was, no-one would bat an eye. But she heardeverybit of it and decided to make a proposal.¡°H - Hey again Talon...¡±Talon straightened in his chair from where he and Rorke had been leaning over to talk quietly abouthis upcoming rut.¡°I know it¡¯s a bad time to enter the discussion, but if you want Ican...Erm...¡±She mumbled something and trailedoff;the last part being lost toembarrassment.

    Rorke¡¯s eyes widened, already figuring out what she was going to offer.¡°What was that last part?¡±Rorkeasked, just to be sure Talon heard.

    ¡°I - I said that if you want, you can say no, I couldoffer tosp-spend it withyou...¡±She said, face burning up and breath being held captive in her chest. Talon sat there dumbfounded, mouth open slightly, and from the looks of it, holding his breath like she was.¡°But you can say no! If you already have someone else in mind.¡±She said, sadness edging into the last sentence.

    Talon still hadn¡¯t uttered a word, was barely breathing, his breath was just short shallow inhales. Like if asquirrel was hyperventilating. He finally snapped out of it and released the breath building in his chest. ¡°Um... no...¡±She looked at him sadly.¡°I mean, I don¡¯t have anyone in mind!¡±Except you, he thought.¡°I would love to spend it with you, Lillian. Thank you. You have no idea howmuch this means to me.¡±

    She beamed, smiling.¡°Brilliant!¡±shesaid, glowing slightly. She realised that she was too enthusiastic about being takenup on the offer of such apromiscuousthing as being present during someone¡¯smatingcycle.¡°I mean... Okay.Erm... I guess we should trade numbers so we can work out all the details?¡±She couldfeel herself growingmore embarrassed by the second. She had to get out before herface could be camouflaged in a strawberry patch.¡°I have to go. Um... I wrote my number on this slip of paper. So just sendme your first and last name so I can put itinmyphone?Then we can talk?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,yeahsure. That works, looking forward to it.¡±he said, reachingout to take the slip of paperlightlyto avoidshowing how truly nervous he was. His heart clenchedtight and made his chest hurt withevery rapid beat, his palms were beginning to heat up alongside the pit of his stomach, but worst of all, the arousal.He willed his body to stop releasing the pheromones, willed his body not to betray him, willed himself not to fall into rut.

    A few deep breathsand his body temperature loweredby afew degrees, effectively calming down. His hands shook a slight bit, onlynoticeableif you reallylooked.He looked up and gave a shy smile, she responded back with big eyes glowing back, and a beaming smile.¡°Okay, I have to go. Bye,Talon! And friend!¡±Theywaved to her as she left out the door, then watched her stop outside the door, contemplating something. She said something, the noise blocked by the windows andbustleof everyday life. She listened to something before burying her head in her hands, obviously trying to get something out of her head. Talon and Rorke turned back to talking after she pulled out her phone and walked away with someone on the line.

    ¡°You should get out of here too, T. Clean up and get everything ready, yeah?¡±Rorke said standing upand taking his cappuccino in hand, slinging his bag on his shoulder with the other.

    ¡°That would make sense, make sure there is a spot for her things in the guest room and the additional bathroom.¡±He said,looking up and making a mental checklist.

    ¡°The guestroom?Mate,she¡¯sgoing to be staying with you! Once it hits,you two will be tied together forall but an hour or so of the day.¡±Rorke laughed.

    ¡°D - Don¡¯t remind me! And I''m going to set up the guest room just in case she doesn¡¯t want to be with me for that ¡®hour or so¡¯. And if- no-when I get out of control, she¡¯ll need a place to hide and call theauthorities.¡± Talon rambled on, Rorke rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his muscular shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. You¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Talon smiled sadly,¡°Yeah, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Okay! I have to get back to Oliver, he¡¯s already back at the flat.¡±Rorkesaid, making his way towards the door.

    ¡°Okay, wish me luck.Bye Rou.¡±He said, collecting his stuffto walk to his car back in the school parking lot.

    ¡°Oh. And Talon?¡±Talon turned to look at Rorke with his handonthe exit door.¡°Be sure tohave fun!¡±Then he left the coffeeshop, pep in his stepand a smirk on his face.

    Mission accomplished.

 Calm Within The Storm

    Talon didn¡¯t have school the next day, it was Saturday after all. He and Lillian had been messaging like friends who had known each other for years, joking around and sending endless giggling emojis. Talon had discovered after plenty gifs of the man that she¡¯s a really big fan of Henry Beau, an Alpha with the voice of a god. Talon liked his music, but was not nearly as interested as she was, she was planning to head to his concert in October. Lillian usually responded back either right away or a few minutes after, save for times when she¡¯d have something to do. Talon¡¯s chest felt like it was swelling when she¡¯d laugh at his jokes, or agree with something, and oddly enough, tell him to be quiet when he made an attempt at flirting. It was nice to know she would fluster when he¡¯d make a comment about her being cute, to which she¡¯d respond with a ¡°I¡¯m not cute! I¡¯m scary and ferocious!¡±. Yeah, right. He rolled his eyes.

    All the while he was gliding around his apartment, picking up the socks by the couch, cleaning out the guest bath area, wiping down the counters and putting the sheets through the wash with some lavender scents. The lavender was used as a cover-up, so the entire apartment didn¡¯t smell like his autumn pine cones and ginger scent, and it was also a great calming scent if she got overwhelmed. He had gone to Aobe Dextur, a store where you could find plenty of home items. Talon tended to kick out quite a bit of heat, so he didn¡¯t have too many blankets, and the ones he did have weren¡¯t Omegan quality. So, he decided to go out and buy some soft blankets for her, and maybe a little gift for her after this mess was over. If Talon hadn¡¯t scared her away before his rut ended.

    They had decided that Lillian should come over at the end of the day to get things situated seeing as his scent got stronger every hour. He received some dirty looks from some people in the store because, like most Alphas, he doesn¡¯t like to use scent blockers aside from the gel. The base of his dick where his knot would inflate was sore and irritated. He had walked around most of today with a boner, thank goodness for compression shorts, and managed through the day with only two freezing showers to calm the hormones and rising body temperature. He could already feel the tiredness in his muscles despite not having done anything yet.

    It was nearly 6:45, she would be here in fifteen minutes, still his heart. His hands were sweating sightly, and his scent got even more powerful, filling the room despite the windows being opened to air out his scent. The flat smelled so Alpha-y it made him sick to his stomach, or maybe it was the nervousness that made him nauseous. He busied himself with fluffing the couch pillows again and rearranging the fruit bowl for some reason. His eyes darted around the apartment, making sure everything was okay and presentable, what if she hated it? He pulled out his phone, no messages, he was about to call it off when he heard a small knock at the door.

    His heart plummeted into his stomach at mach speeds, his chest feeling empty and his mouth going dry. The door sounded again, another small rap on the door with a squeaked,  ¡°Talon? You here?¡± . He wanted to hide and change his sex to Beta, or die, anything less terrifying than this was an option. He pulled himself together and walked to the door, undoing the deadbolt and opening it.

    The purest little thing was standing on the other side, cheeks flushed and burning, big eyes sparkling, well-bitten lips, feet one in front of the other to show off curves in those skinny jeans. Her shirt was loose, it showed off the mouth-watering skin of her neck and her shoulders, the fabric hanging over the mounds on her chest leaving a tent over them as the fabric went to her stomach. She tugged a bit on the edge of that yellow Planter¡¯s Peanuts T-shirt nervously while her other hand clutched to the olive-green strap of her messenger bag, little pastel flowers over the top. The strap dug into her chest, hugging her covered breasts, like she was actively trying to tease him.  ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so small.¡±  Talon breathed, standing in the doorway, awestruck and awkward.

    She gave a shy smile, different from her excitable and talkative personality he had seen while texting. Talon shook his head a bit to clear it, stepping to the side with a ¡®Come in¡¯ gesture. She ducked her head and stepped in on her toes, ready to run, like she was stepping into the Lion¡¯s Den. Maybe she was. Talon wasn¡¯t one-hundred percent aware of what to do with the Omega, she seemed like she shrunk away with every shaky breath.

    Talon sighed to himself, gently shutting the door behind him to avoid startling her. He walked over to where she was turned around, shaking slightly, and put a hand on her shoulder to turn her to face him. He put a gentle finger below her chin and lifted her head up. Her sage eyes stared up in nervousness... and another emotion he couldn¡¯t make out.  ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, Lillian.¡±  He said, voice low and gentle. Talon¡¯s scent wrapped around her, not overpowering, but comforting.

    She swallowed dryly, blinking up at him.  ¡°Yes, Talon.¡±  She muttered.

    ¡°Hey,¡±  Talon said, removing his hand from under her chin.  ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re good.¡±  She nodded, averting her eyes.  ¡°If you want to call it off that¡¯s okay too, I will never force you to do this with me. But after it starts, you can¡¯t go back.¡±

    Her eyes widened and she squeaked out a frantic,  ¡°No! I want to do this with you. I just haven¡¯t done this in a while. And I''m naturally skittish. You¡¯ll need to... be patient. I¡¯ll come out after my Omega settles a bit.¡±  she said, smiling to herself and scuffing her white converse on the hardwood.

    Talon smiled, he wasn¡¯t sure whether he was happy or upset, she said she wanted this.  ¡°I... Erm... I¡¯ll show you around, yeah?¡±  He asked, beginning to walk towards his bedroom, the first room in the hallway. She peaked around him to get a glimpse of the room as he creaked the door open.  ¡°This is my room.¡±  Talon stated lamely as he stood in the doorway. She looked at the bare slate walls and the queen-sized bed pressed against the far corner with thin black silk sheets and dark forest green cotton pillow covers. He really didn''t have a lot of stuff, not even so much as a poster. A small dresser was at the foot of the bed with a few miscellaneous items like a comb, some hair gel, some blocking gel, and a small orange clay bowl that looked like it had been crafted by a young child in art class, half of it was lopsided. Inside held a pair of keys with a small piece of fabric with ¡®TALON¡¯ misshapen and hand-stitched onto the front and back.

    She found it endearing that Talon kept small crafts from his childhood, or something a family member had made for him, made him seem like a softer person. She walked to the dresser and brought the strap of her bag over her head, resting the bag on an empty surface before walking back to Talon where he stood quietly. Like he had wanted to say something, but the words had died in his mouth before he could speak.  ¡°Is something wrong?¡±  She asked, her chest tightening in worry of making him upset.

    ¡°N - No... I mean, maybe?¡±  She shrunk further.  ¡°I mean no! You¡¯re okay! I just, erm, I had set up the guest room for you to stay in...¡±  Talon trailed off.  ¡°But you can stay here with me if you want! I just... gave options...¡±  Talon scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

    ¡°O - Oh... I¡¯m sorry, Talon.¡±  She said, her head tilted down. He gave her a questioning look, why was she sorry?  ¡°I - It just seems like a better idea for me to sleep with you.¡±

    Talon flushed just a touch and gave a light laugh.  ¡°Was that pun intended?¡±  He asked, testing the water with a joke and trying to lighten the mood.

    She gave a grin, her demeanor shifting from submissive to smug along with the weight on her leg. She cocked a hip out, her blue jeans stretching around her handles.  ¡°So, you caught that? The answer is yes, it was very much intended.¡±  She smiled brightly, shifting weight between her legs in a swaying motion, a typical gesture of playfulness.

    Talon¡¯s lips quirked up into a smile, relieved that she wasn¡¯t as afraid as she seemed. They still needed to get settled in though.  ¡°I¡¯ll show you your space regardless, then we have a few things to discuss.¡±  She nodded, following him absentmindedly down the small hallway, past a small closet he kept towels and extra toiletries in, and into the room he had prepared for her.  ¡°This is your space, for as long as you¡¯d like it.¡±

    The room was similar to his, this time a singular window and a bed pressed to the edge of the room, only the dresser was smaller and was next to the headboard against the wall. The bed had faded blue comforter on, white sheets underneath, two white and blue blankets folded at the foot of the bed, and several black pillows scattered messily at the headboard and one white fluffy pillow, Talon realised had forgotten to take the tag off it. Over the window there were sheer white curtains and no blinds, the room was slate and bare like the other had been, saved for the bubble stickers that littered the edges of the walls. The apartment certainly had history; Talon wondered if he would get the chance to show her everything he wanted to. What a stupid thought.

    He stepped to the side, so her vision wasn¡¯t being blocked by his shoulders, she peeked around and let out an excited squeak.  ¡°Blankets!¡±  Talon watched in amusement as she shouted excitedly, hopping onto the bed with the blankets on all fours, collapsing and bringing one to her nose.

    Her nose twitched, her eyes shifting from excitement to confusion as she inhaled again.  ¡°Why doesn¡¯t this smell like you? The room smells like lavender, but nothing like you.¡±  She sounded almost disappointed.

    ¡°I - I didn¡¯t want you overwhelmed?¡±  It sounded more like a question than anything, he thought she might appreciate not being surrounded by his scent everywhere she went, a safe space.  ¡°I thought you might be uncomfortable if my scent was everywhere.¡±  He felt kind of stupid, of course she would want to have his scent everywhere, this was their den for the time being. It was probably stressing her Wolf out with the irrational fear that the scent belonged to someone else, even if she knew it wasn¡¯t.

    She stood up, smoothing out her shirt and brushing her blonde hair out of her face, sauntering over to stand in front of the Alpha. Her eyes peered up and her chin tilted up slightly, a typical sign of comfort in an Alpha¡¯s presence.  ¡°I like your scent. Other scents are making my Wolf restless.¡±  Talon nodded, his body tense and on edge being so close to her. He wanted to reach out and hold her, she was only a foot away, so close he could smell her fragrance. His nails dug into his palms,  ¡®stay¡¯  he told himself sternly.  ¡°I won¡¯t shatter you know.¡±  She said, leaning forward.

    Talon was speechless, his heart was thrumming in his chest, his breath stilled in his throat, caught like a game of cat and mouse. She moved closer.  ¡°I - I know,¡±  He stuttered out stupidly. Since when had someone ever made him feel like this? Heart banging against his ribcage, his cheeks being kissed with red against the tan skin and his hands shaky. He was an Alpha for Wolf¡¯s sakes.

    ¡°I won¡¯t break if you touch me, Talon. C¡¯mere.¡±  She mumbled the last part, turning her head to rest against his tense chest, soft cheek pressed to his heartbeat as her arms wrapped around his waist snuggly. Lillian could feel his lungs, stuttering and stopped as he continued to try to hold himself back. He still hadn¡¯t warned her of the danger he was. Lillian muttered something softly, it took him a moment to realise that she had said,  ¡°Please.¡± .

    That seemed to snap him out of his trance. His trance of the Omega being so close, her small warming body pressed so perfectly into his frame, every inch of her skin being felt through his skin, like it was burning into his memory. He gripped her hips, his fingertips resting perfectly on her lower back. He lowered his head into her soft golden hair, inhaling her delicious scent.

    Something citrus-like. Familiar. Like he had known the scent his whole life, but now that it was in his nose it made him harden in his jeans and grooves of happiness sing through his bones.

    She could smell his arousal building up, the heat coming off his body and his scent coming off stronger. She pulled back, his fingers reluctantly leaving her hips. She looked almost dizzy, lips red, cheeks flushed, and eyes glossy.  ¡°Let¡¯s head to the kitchen and get things situated.¡±  She said, trying to hide her own arousal by biting her lip.

    Talon nodded, a bit dizzy himself, every moment he felt himself slipping. Talon walked to the kitchen with her, she ducked into his ¨C their ¨C room to grab something out of her bag. They met up in the kitchen, a small area cut into the wall in a way that cupboards lined the walls with granite countertops, a stove, and a tall silver fridge. A circular wooden table with carved legs sat off-centre, more out towards the sitting area by the door but still closer to the heart of the small kitchen. Four chairs belonging to the table sat around, one pulled out further than the other three.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Lillian went and slipped a paper onto the table and a yellow black-ink pen. It was a mating contract. Often, Alphas and Omegas will bring a contract to sign as a waiver of consent as well as a proof of absence if either or both parties are missing work or schooling, which can be presented for a pass. The contract must be signed before either party goes into heat or rut, to be sure of events taking place. Talon quickly picked up the pen as she sat down, signing his name on both sheets, she scooted closer to him as he handed the pen and contracts over to her.  ¡®Talon L. Keane¡¯  was written in cursive on his lines, she looked at his last name. She tested it out on her lips.  ¡°Keene?¡±  She asked,  ¡°What¡¯s your middle name?¡±

    He laughed at her mispronunciation, in an endearing way.  ¡°My middle name is Lucas. My last name is pronounced Keane, Kee - ah ¨C neh.¡±  She nodded, prettily writing her name down on her lines,  ¡®Lillian E. Rosaleen¡¯ . Talon decided to ask her the same question in return.  ¡°Rosaleen? That¡¯s your last name?¡±  She nodded.  ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®E¡¯ for?¡±

    ¡°Emily.¡±  She said simply. Talon nodded, placing both sheets in his hand and tapping them into the table to straighten them.

    ¡°You have a cute name.¡±  He said, to which she flushed slightly and stood up, leaving the papers on the table.  ¡°Where are you going?¡±  He asked, moving to get up as well.

    ¡°What are your dinner ideas? For tonight and throughout the week.¡±  Talon brought a hand up to his chin and thought for a moment. This must have been the thing he forgot about, though it wasn¡¯t a big deal, he could just find something and throw it together.

    ¡°I honestly hadn¡¯t thought about that. I usually just eat energy bars and what-not. But I always have items in the fridge to make things, my mate Oliver is over with his Omega a lot.¡±  Talon itched to start a conversation on the topic of a warning. He needed to tell her what she was getting into before it was too late to leave, and Talon could only hold onto himself for a little while longer.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not eating granola bars during this, so what do you say I make something for tonight and the rest of the week?¡±  He wanted to protest and settle on making something for her since she was helping him through rut, but before he could open his mouth, she quirked up again.  ¡°I can tell you want to talk about something, and I overheard part of your conversation with your friend the other day in The Fox. But I tend to get nervous and need something to do whilst we talk about the conditions. So, can I make dinner?¡±

    Talon would do anything to keep her content, so he nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll bring these to the spare room ¨C your room - and leave them on the dresser.¡±  She nodded.  ¡°The vegetables are in the fridge; meat is in the freezer.¡±  He walked into the room, the blankets he bought her in slight disarray from where she had dived onto them.

    He was still hard from when she hugged him, hormones be damned. Talon went to go take a seat on the bed, pressing a palm roughly to his trousers to relieve some of the pressure. He was still wearing compression shorts, but his length was swelling and pressing desperately against them. He hissed when he pressed against it, it was sensitive and hard, aching. He moved his palm up and down the length as it was kept confined in the shorts, that seemed to relieve some of the pain, but he wouldn¡¯t dare touch it any more than he had. There was still a chance that he could slip into his rut early, seeing as there was an Omega in his kitchen he was meant to  breed . He didn¡¯t like thinking of her like that, but also couldn¡¯t help the thought. The entire reason of her being over here with Talon was so he could fuck her into the mattress for three days straight.

    He got up, his legs tingling from the arousal, his hips involuntarily jerking forward into the dresser as he moved to set the papers on top. Talon gasped loudly, bending over slightly from the aggressive stimulation, he chose to blame it on his restless Wolf.  ¡°Thanks, Wolfy. Banging my dick into solid wood is a great idea.¡±  He rolled his eyes, walking out of the room to head back to the kitchen to see his - the - Omega.

    She had out a pot, cutting board, some carrots, celery, potatoes, an onion, a few spices and seasonings, and a nice cut of steak. Lillian on the other hand, was standing on her tiptoes trying to reach something at the top of one of the cupboards. Her hands pushed on the edge of the countertop with an arched back trying to reach what Talon noticed was a jar labelled ¡®corn starch¡¯ and a box of pepper, curves all out on display. He walked up to the unsuspecting Omega, a hand on her hip to steady her as she lowered down so he could reach up, flat-footed, and pull them both down. He immediately took his burning hand off her side. He pushed the items into her palms and smiled,  ¡°Thank you, Talon.¡±  She said, face heating up from the proximity.

    ¡®It¡¯s just the pheromones¡¯  he sternly told his Wolf,  ¡®Be gentle with her¡¯ .  She set herself and floated around the kitchen, chopping things and measuring them all in the blink of an eye. Talon leaned against the counter of the kitchenette, chewing the inside of his cheek nervously, unsure of how to even start the conversation. She noticed his hesitance as he shifted his weight from leg-to-leg, looking anywhere but at her. She pulled out an apron with a bunch of cartoon-y dogs and threw it over her head, tying the back strings and walking up to him.

    ¡°You said you wanted to discuss things with me? Before it starts?¡±  Talon nodded and swallowed dryly, eyes on the floor.  ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not going to walk out if you¡¯re into something you think is weird, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. Let¡¯s go over our limits first, okay? Then we can ease into whatever it is you want to say. Give you some time to find the right wording or something.¡±  She smiled and walked back to the cutting board.

    ¡°That sounds alright. Yeah.¡±  He said, happier that she wasn¡¯t being overly pushy. As entertaining as independent Omegas are, he was glad to not have to fight with her on anything. She seemed very pliant and good at peacekeeping.

    ¡°I can go first. Please don¡¯t knot my mouth or my bum. I want to be able to breath and the other thing just hurts.¡±  She said, chopping up the vegetables and boiling the water.

    ¡°Sounds good, I wouldn¡¯t want to knot your bum anyway.¡±  She nodded from her place at the counter.  ¡°It sounds kind of dumb, but you¡¯re going to have to work with me on everything if you can and try to be submissive. I don¡¯t think my Wolf will handle defiance well...¡±

    She chuckled lowly as she scraped some onions into the pot with a sniffle.  ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find I¡¯m one of the most submissive Omegas you¡¯ll meet this side of London.¡±   She laughed.

    ¡°Okay... and... erm... I guess there''s one more thing I should tell you, er - warn you ¨C about... Unless you have anything you want to say first...¡±  He trailed off, fidgeting with his fingers, he was a right mess.

    ¡°I guess I should just let you know that I...¡±  She stopped cutting up the potatoes, swallowing dryly and nervously pushing them around on the cutting board.  ¡°I haven¡¯t done this in a long time... Take a knot that is. Or sleep with anyone... It¡¯s - It¡¯s been a couple years. So... erm... I guess you¡¯ll have to work with me too?¡±

    Talon bobbed his head, thinking how amazing she was going to feel. Omegas who haven¡¯t slept with anyone in time are known to produce more slick and be tighter, no matter what size toy (if any) they use when they¡¯re in heat. He could feel the excitement bubble up, she was going to be so wet and tight and ¨C  stop . He told himself firmly ¨C  stop that  right  now . It was then Talon realised he had been silent for around ten seconds.  ¡°When was your last heat?¡±  As she stopped cutting again, he began to panic.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s too personal! Sorry I asked! I don¡¯t want to pull you into one if things get too heated. Shit. I shouldn¡¯t have asked. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Five weeks.¡±  She said, slowly resuming cutting.  ¡°For me they come every three months or so.¡±  She said, sliding the chunks in with the onions.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked such a personal question; I was raised better than that.¡±  Talon said, rubbing his face.  Idiot, Idiot, stupid knotheaded Alpha.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If I¡¯m not ready to tell you when my last heat was, then I¡¯m certainly not ready to be bred by you or take your knot.¡±  She said simply, Talon swallowed harshly ¨C why did she sound so hot?  ¡°In a few hours we are tightly bonding on a physical level performing one of the most intimate activities between an Alpha and Omega. I¡¯ll try to be more open if you will.¡±  She said, setting down the knife and walking up to Talon, who peeked out through a hand.  ¡°C¡¯mere.¡±  She said, arms open for the second time that hour.

    Talon stepped into them, covering her body with his own and hugging her tightly. It felt nice. Slow. Like he didn¡¯t need to be so nervous. Why was he nervous again?  ¡°I - I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m - I¡¯m scared.¡±  He mumbled, stuttering.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I think your deal is, and you can tell me if I¡¯m right.¡±  She said as he pulled back, trying to drop his arms to his sides.  ¡°No, Talon. Hold onto me. Look at me, please?¡±

    He did as he was told, looking down into her ivy eyes, full of concern.  ¡°I - Okay. I¡¯ll hold you. I¡¯ll - I will. Hold you. Yeah. I will.¡±  He could feel himself slipping, his compression shorts straining as his mind continued to cloud.

    She chuckled, holding onto his waist as his hands held onto her hips, liking the dips in her back, perfect love handles.  ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll hold me. I think you had a bad experience a while ago, probably with a mate or something, and now you believe that you¡¯re a bad Alpha. Close enough?¡±

    Talon nodded, releasing a shaky breath.  ¡°When I went into rut the first time an Omegan friend offered to help me out. But...¡±  His eyes glossed over, gripping her tighter. Lillian released some calming pheromones.  ¡°But I was too aggressive. I hurt him. I couldn¡¯t hold back. He double-dosed me on Alpha Quell and called 999.¡±

    She nodded, so she had been right. Lillian had taken a few Dynamic Psychology classes, paying more attention during the time they spent on Alphas.  ¡°So now you have PTSD from what had happened?¡±  Talon nodded.

    His eyes shot open as a cramp gripped him, doubling over as it lurched through him.  ¡°A - Ahh...¡±  He whined, his hand immediately reaching down to press a palm to the front of his trousers.  ¡°P - Please. Get the Alph -¡±  Another hit rocked his body, the hormones heating up his body significantly.  ¡°Fuck. Alpha Quell! Grab it immediately!¡±  Talon gritted through his teeth.

    Lillian ran over to the cupboard, looking frantically.  ¡°What¡¯s the bottle look like?¡±  she asked, pushing things around.

    ¡°White bottle, blue lid no ¨C Ah! - Label,¡±  He held his dick through his clothing, squeezing around it as the hormones finally settled into his body. Lillian found the bottle, hands shaking as she unscrewed the lid and shook out one small blue capsule, grabbing the glass of water she poured earlier and handed it to him. The worst of it was over, the pain subsiding as a shaking hand went to take the water glass. He took the pill and set the glass down, carding a hair through his sandy blond locks.

    Lillian¡¯s fight to keep her eyes averted from his trousers was fruitless, looking down at the small bulge.  ¡°Are you wearing those Alpha compression shorts everyone¡¯s raving about?¡±  she asked, looking back into his eyes.

    ¡°Y - Yeah. Around my rut I do so I¡¯m not greeting people with a third leg.¡±  He joked, trying to pull his shirt over it, to no avail.  ¡°Too sensitive though. Hurts quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°What happened anyway? I¡¯ve never seen something or read anything about that. Why did you take the Alpha Quell?¡±  she asked.

    ¡°I take the Alpha Quell to calm my hormones, so I don¡¯t go Feral. As for the immense pain, that comes as my body floods with the final rush of hormones my body needs before my rut. Shouldn¡¯t be long before the floodgates open.¡±  He explained.  ¡°They call it pre-rut. Don¡¯t you Omegas go into pre-heat or something?¡±

    Lillian nodded, walking back to go finish cutting up the vegetables.  ¡°Our hormones usually increase at a steady rate until our heat hits. Like a water balloon. Fills with water until it¡¯s too big, and pops. The only time we get anything like that is when we get Over-Heat. But we rarely have to take Omega Quell aside from that.¡±

    ¡°O¡¯s also don¡¯t go on anger rampages fighting their own dynamic and desperately trying to mate the opposite.¡±  Talon said, shaking his head.

    ¡°That''s fair,¡±  she said as she threw her head back to laugh.  ¡°And about our conversation earlier, you¡¯re worried about hurting me, aren¡¯t you?¡±  Talon grabbed the bottle of Alpha Quell off the counter.

    ¡°Yes. The last thing I would want is to hurt anyone.¡±  Talon walked over to her, pivoting her body to face him.  ¡°But if at any time I get too much, dose me up with two of these,¡±  he said, putting the bottle of Alpha Quell down on the counter in front of her.  ¡°And fucking run. Call 999 or a friend to come get you. Lock yourself in the spare room if you have to.¡±

    She whimpered, he realised that he was holding her in a tight grip. He let go, soothing himself best he could whilst waiting for the Quell to kick in.  ¡°Talon, I¡¯m an Omega for Wolf¡¯s sake. You are biologically programmed to protect me.¡±

    ¡°I was then too, and I still left bruises.¡±  He said, shoulders slumping.

    ¡°It was your first time, your first rut, your first experience with being an Alpha. It¡¯s not unheard of to not be able to control your Wolf.¡±  She soothed, rubbing up and down his arm.

    ¡°You and Oliver...¡±  He mumbled, they had both said the same thing.

    ¡°But if things get bad, I¡¯ll do as you say. But I think we¡¯ll be okay. Is there anything else we should talk about?¡±  she asked, tilting her head to the side adorably.

    ¡°Not that I know of. I guess I should just thank you for doing this for me.¡±  Talon replied sheepishly.

    ¡°Not for you.¡±  She reminded.  ¡°With you, Talon. We¡¯re in this together now.¡±

    ¡®Forever?¡¯ he wondered. He tilted his head up and laughed huskily, then returned his eyes to hers. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re in this together now.¡±

 Nestled Together

    Lillian had just finished the stew, around 9:30 at night at this point, the windows shut, with the curtains ceasing their billowing when the night opened and grew cold, and Talon¡¯s Alpha Quell worked wonders. As his hormones dulled a bit, the tension in the room eased. The Alpha and Omega were gliding around the room; she was giggling madly and Talon? Not a care in the world. He felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He felt at home for the first time. Not the ¡°At home¡± he always feels with Oliver and Rourke, a new kind. Like his heart was warm and his hands itched to just reach out and hold her. But afraid she was merely an illusion cast in place and would disappear if he dared get too close.

    What he didn¡¯t realise was that Lillian was feeling the same way, if not harsher and more persistent. She mused to herself how any Alpha she had been with, whether the one in bed or the few she had dated over the years, had never felt this safe. She felt like she was in danger walking in, and now? She wants to build her nest all over his bed and stay there the rest of her life. Wants to stay in this kitchen and sing songs and dance around late at night with the music playing over the speakers. The rest of the world could fade away and she wouldn¡¯t notice. Wouldn¡¯t care.

    ¡°- then she turned around and said, ¡®Can I take a picture of this? It¡¯s really cool, and I just want to see it later! Isn¡¯t it cool babe?¡¯¡±

    Talon gasped and pulled his head in his hands.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me-¡±

    ¡°Yep. It was her boyfriend I was drawing. I was so embarrassed!¡±  She said, stirring the pot one last time and flicking the burner off.

    ¡°That kind of thing would only happen to you, you realise that right?¡±  Talon laughed, reaching some bowls on a higher shelf that she claimed she could reach.

    ¡°Hey I was gonna get those!¡±  She said, swiping at his arm to get him to put them back.

    Talon was slightly amused and decided to play into her little fantasy of being tall.  ¡°Fine, you¡¯re tall enough to reach them.¡±  He said, setting the bowls back down on the shelf and stepping back.

    ¡°Mind grabbing the forks and some napkins whilst I get the bowls?¡±  she asked as she walked over to the cupboard.

    Talon shook his head at her antics, she was so cute, how did he get so lucky to get someone like  her  into his den?  ¡°Yeah sure, let me know if you need help getting the bowls.¡±  She scoffed from across the kitchen, leaning and practically climbing the counter, tips of her toes barely touching the ground as she reached up in a futile attempt to reach the bowls.

    Talon opened the silverware drawer, thinking for a moment before pulling out one fork, and grabbing two napkins from the basket on the counter. Bringing them over to the table he set them down, walking over to the Omega still roughly a dozen centimetres from the actual shelf, not even near the bowls. She swatted back at him.  ¡°Stop it! I can reach it!¡±  She said, trying to stretch higher.

    ¡°Hey c¡¯mon you¡¯re plenty tall enough to reach things, as long as they¡¯re not on the top shelf because I¡¯m a giant.¡±  He said, playing into her frustrations, it was adorable. She was at  most  155 centimetres, but could  not  be much more than 150, and compared to the (roughly) 200-centimetre monster that Talon was, everything had to be up higher because he was up higher. She couldn¡¯t reach things and was either going to hurt herself or break something.

    ¡°Do you need me to pick you up so you can reach them? Or should I just get them?¡±  he asked, laughing softly and grinning madly. Until she went cold. She lowered down onto her heels silently, pheromones going stale for the first time. She started walking quietly back to the table.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. You can get them,¡±  she trailed off, stepping around Talon and leaning away. What happened?

    ¡°Lillian. Hey.¡±  He said, turning around to grab her forearm.  ¡°Hey what¡¯s wrong? If it¡¯s really that important I can find a step stool or pull up a chair or I could get down and you could stand on my back or-¡±

    ¡°Stop, please.¡±  she said, pulling her arm gently from his grasp, looking up. Were her eyes glassy?  ¡°I¡¯m okay...¡±  She said, obviously not.

    ¡°Wait, no. Please. What¡¯s wrong? At least tell me what I did so I don¡¯t do it again. Please.¡±  Hearing his voice drop alongside his heart was hard to ignore, hard to not give in. Impossible to not give in.

    ¡°Just, please don¡¯t pick me up. Please don¡¯t. I ¨C I''m scared...¡±  She said, shaking, frozen in place.  ¡°Please.¡±  She said, unaware of what she was even asking.

    ¡°Oh, little Omega. Hey. Come here, it¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t pick you up.¡±  He said, taking a step forward, calming his pheromones. He reached a hesitant hand out to push some of her hair behind her ears, a finger gently lifting her head up. A single tear slid down her flushed cheeks, green eyes glassy and bright.  ¡°Hey. Please don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re too pretty for that.¡±  He soothed.

    ¡°Nnn...¡±  She whined, embarrassed from all the attention. She must not be used to attention, which is confusing because how are eyes not drawn to her if she¡¯s in a crowded room? She unfroze and walked into Talon¡¯s arms, pressing one dry cheek into his chest and exhaling shakily. He relaxed a little, glad she didn¡¯t run away. But did joking about picking her up really set something off? What happened to her to make her like this?

    Bringing a hand to tilt her head up, a thumb brushing away a warm tear, pulling her in tightly. The Alpha Quell definitely took the edge off, didn¡¯t relieve any....  pressure.  He leaned down, a bit of a stretch, and kissed the top of her head softly, resting his head there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you¡¯re aggressive. You¡¯re ten times gentler than him...¡±  She said, voice shaking along with her legs.

    Him? Who was ¡°Him¡±?  ¡°Who¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°No-one anymore...¡±  She cut him off,  ¡°I have my demons too.¡±

    ¡°How do you have demons when you¡¯re an Angel?¡±  He asked, nosing through her hair, kissing her head, and unknowingly scenting her.

    She flushed, hidden in his chest.  "I''m no Angel. Angels are pure and beautiful. I¡¯m tainted.¡±  She said, voice braking on the last word.

    ¡°Little Omega... no you¡¯re not. You¡¯re so beautiful and pure and perfect. Everyone else is wrong.¡±  A small sob left her mouth.  ¡°Anyone who would dare to see you as anything less than a work of art, anything less than amazing, anything less that  you,  doesn¡¯t know you and doesn¡¯t deserve to know you. You¡¯re amazing, Lillian. I¡¯ve seen that every day in the last year, and I hope to keep seeing it every day for the rest of my life.¡±

    More sobs, distress pheromones, and tears.  ¡°D - Don¡¯t l ¨C l ¨C lie.¡±  She cried, pressing harder into him. He kissed her head again, rubbing small circles into her back.

    ¡°I¡¯d never lie to you, Angel.¡±  He spoke. They stood there, one fork on the table and the bowls still in the cabinet, for another few minutes while Lillian sniffled softly.  ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened Little One? Why are you so sad? Who made you so sad?¡±

    More sniffles.  ¡°Alpha...¡±  Talon got a shock up his spine, his Wolf reminding him how attractive that word was coming from her mouth. He was reminded that his mouth was now dry.

    ¡°Y - Yeah...?¡±  he asked, swallowing harshly.

    ¡°Not you... my old Alpha... the one who was ¡®with¡¯ me for the first time, and only time.¡±  It took a second, but he realised the Alpha that took her virginity, she must be referring to him. But she said ¡°My old Alpha¡± which implies they were in a relationship. But if they were together, why did mentions or ideas of him ignite such fear? Did he rape her? Did he go into a rut and hurt her? Get too aggressive? Holy hell does she have a kid somewhere? Talon shook his head to ignore it. Best to not make assumptions and ask her directly.

    ¡°What happened? He didn¡¯t hurt you, did he? Did he mark you? Wait no you don¡¯t have a mark. Sorry I¡¯m trying to understand.¡±  Talon rambled, continuing to scent her. Who knew her scent would smell so good mixed loosely with his?

    ¡°Sort of... definitely scared me. He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m so skittish. Part of the reason, I¡¯m also an Omega so that doesn¡¯t help.¡±  He kissed her head again, trying to sooth her. She wasn¡¯t crying anymore, but she wasn¡¯t smiling and that was a problem.  ¡°We dated for a while, and everything was great. He was a great listener, a great kisser, always gentle, such a softie.¡±  There was a but coming. There had to be.  ¡°But when we got into bed together for the first time, he picked me up, pushed into me quickly, wouldn¡¯t slow down. He lost control I think...¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Talon gasped softly, he knew how that felt, and as much as he wanted to comfort her sometimes Alphas can¡¯t hold on to sanity, can''t stay sane enough to stop.  ¡°Is that why you were afraid for me to pick you up?¡±

    She nodded into his chest, another sniffle.  ¡°He got too close and wouldn¡¯t listen when I told him to pull out, just growled and made me bare my neck...¡±  That was not okay, no Alpha should make an Omega bare their neck against their will.  ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be knotted, I got scared. His eyes were pinpoint, and his teeth kept getting longer. Sharp. My legs were wrapped around his waist, I - I broke away for a moment and told him to pull out one more time, that I¡¯d get pregnant if he knotted me. Told me to stay in his Alpha Voice... For once, I defied, unwrapped my legs and fell to the floor right as his knot expanded, not inside me.¡±

    It definitely sounded like he fell into a pseudo-rut or something if he couldn¡¯t listen to his Omega. But as terrible as it is that she had to experience that, especially as her first time, he can¡¯t control that.  ¡°What happened after?¡±

    ¡°He growled and made me present to him, pushed into me, knot and all.¡±  He must¡¯ve been really out of it.  ¡°After his knot deflated, he told me to go wash off. I was bleeding from the stretch. Waited till the next morning to see if he remembered. ¡± She bled?  ¡°He remembered perfectly, was proper mad that I didn¡¯t let him knot me. Mind you I¡¯m barely 16 at this point.¡±

    ¡°Wait. He was upset at you? What a knothead. I¡¯d never do anything to hurt you. And if I did, I¡¯d make every second up to you. So, you were afraid if I picked you up, I¡¯d hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Something like that. It¡¯s more that it reminds me of what happened, and how often after that he told me I was heavy. That I was overweight, and he could do so much better, to be grateful that he was with me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s his name? I just want to know. A birthday and an address would be helpful, and a knife.¡±  Talon said, holding her in a tight grip. Protective pheremones thickened, making Lillian dizzy.

    ¡°W - What are you gonna do with those...?¡±

    ¡°Find him and take his knot off, care to join? I¡¯ll pin him up against a wall and fuck him against his will, see how he likes it.¡±  Talon growled.

    ¡°No need for all that. After that he decided to start seeing other people, so we went our separate ways, him with my V-Card and me with a hole in my heart. I don¡¯t need him, never did.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not helping his case.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t trying to, but I wouldn¡¯t want anyone else to go through what I did, even him.¡±

    ¡°Angel...¡±  Talon trailed, picking up her chin so he could see her face, other hand snaked around her waist. Her cheeks were flushed, the tips of her ears red, and her lips bitten to a lovely pink, her hair fluffy and soft, everything absolutely perfect. And in an instant, he couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes and connect. Her lips were softer than he thought, smooth, faint taste of Chapstick. She didn¡¯t seem surprised, melting into the gentle kiss like she had been missing it her whole life.  ¡°Mmm-¡±  Should he pull away? Probably. Was he going to? Absolutely not. Not yet. He wanted a chance to kiss her before the haze of his rut settled in. Begrudgingly pulling back she chased after him for a centimetre before settling in, exhaling every stressful thought she had just 10 seconds prior.  ¡°Look at me.¡±  She did.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid too, but I¡¯m going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated, better even. I¡¯m going to give you my all, Lillian.¡±

    She smiled slightly, her face blushing a little brighter.  ¡°Thank you, Talon. I know it¡¯s crazy, but I trust you... You won¡¯t hurt me, you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. But you know what to do if I lose it. But I¡¯m gonna hold on with everything I¡¯ve got. Everything I have and push past if I need to. I¡¯ll bite myself if I have to.¡±

    Lillian nodded.  ¡°Can we eat though? If we spend all our time being sad and sappy, you¡¯ll never get any energy in you.¡±

    ¡°Oh shit. Yeah, the soup! I forgot about that...¡±  Lillian laughed, pulling away. Talon scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, pulling back to see something glistening on his fingertips. How was she staying so sane when he¡¯s ejecting his scent into the air like it was his job?

    ¡°Also, you might want to but some blocking gel on... my head is getting dizzy...¡±  She whispered, fluttering here eyelashes tiredly, like she was trying to distract herself from the lingering scent.

    ¡°Y - Yeah... Sorry about that.¡±  Talon chuckled, grabbing some blocking gel from the cabinet, dabbing some of the clear gel into his hands and rubbing it over the back of his neck and the inside of his forearms.

    Talon walked to the cabinet to take the bowls down before walking back to the table to a very amused looking Lillian.  ¡°Care to tell me why there is only one fork here?¡±  she asked, amused lilt in her voice.

    ¡°O - Oh... Forgot I did that.¡±  Lillian laughed, walking over to the drawer to grab another fork.  ¡°Hey. You don¡¯t have to...¡±

    ¡°Have to what?¡±  she asked, her hand on the drawer.

    ¡°Get... another fork?¡±  That sounded five times worse coming out than it did in his head.

    ¡°You are not hand-feeding me, rut or no rut.¡±  She said, coming back to the table and sitting across from him, back facing the wall.

    ¡°Okay...¡±  Talon sighed begrudgingly, leaning over the table to pick up her bowl.

    ¡°Hey what are you doing?¡±  She asked, her head tilted, and a hand reached out slightly like she tried to grab the bowl before him.

    ¡°I¡¯m just pouring you some soup. You¡¯re okay, love.¡±  It came out before he could correct himself. It¡¯s rather common to call someone you care about love, at least it was for Talon. But this was different. He  like -liked her but didn¡¯t want to get his feelings tangled up in this mess, or even allude to the fact that it wasn¡¯t just his rut making him hard. Blame it on the Wolf.

    Talon swallowed harshly, playing it cool like calling her ¡°Love¡± was perfectly normal. Lillian shifted in her seat, retracting her hand and staring down at them in her lap. Her cheeks flushed harshly; she swiped a small hand across her cheek as if wiping the blush off.  ¡°Th - Thanks...¡±  She stuttered.

    Talon refused to speak, only nodding as he used a ladle to scoop the soup into her bowl. Pushing it over to her he picked up his own bowl and spooned some in for himself. Dinner was quiet, but about as quiet as he expected her to be, such a shy little thing. Talon would occasionally look over at her, taking delicate bites and blowing on the soup gently every so often, it really was a sight. How could an Omega act so... Omega-like? Like something straight out of a biology book, but even more stunning and small. She was small even for an Omega, everything was small aside from her breasts, which were perfectly proportioned with her curvy body, but were at least a double D.

    Talon wasn¡¯t particularly a boob guy, but his Wolf did like that she¡¯d be a perfect mother for his pups. Talon tried to slow down and not eat like he hadn¡¯t in a week, but this girl could cook something  fierce . Talon knew how to cook pretty well, though Omegas were supposed to be the designated dencooks Talon thought it was an important skill to have, alongside cleaning and basic first aid. Talon stuck to the more Alpha-aligned jobs like fixing things for friends, stepping up when a leader was needed, or even simply having knowledge on plenty of subjects. Being an Alpha was a lot of pressure, and it¡¯s not like he was short and could pass off as a Beta.

    Lillian lightly brought the bowl to her lips and sipped some of the broth.  ¡°H - Hey, erm... I have a small question...¡±  She asked, looking away from the table. Talon hummed around a piece of beef, encouraging her to continue.  ¡°S - So, I brought a collar with me...¡±

    Talon chocked for a moment. Coughing lightly, he set his fork down in the bowl.  ¡°What about it? What kind of...¡±  Talon had a hard time saying the word. Even the word was doing some serious damage to his composure and control. He could definitely imagine her in a cute leather collar with his name burned onto the back.

    Luckily Lillian snapped him out of his mind-rant and didn¡¯t make him say the word.  ¡°I - It¡¯s nothing fancy o - or dirty, per say...¡±  For Wolf sakes, Lillian. Get it out before the Alpha has a stroke.  ¡°Just - Do you bite? Do I need to wear the collar to block my scent a little or avoid being marked?¡±  It always scared Lillian how close her old Alpha got to marking her sometimes.  It still baffled her that he didn¡¯t mark her the night everything happened.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be okay... I¡¯ve never been particularly bite-y, and frankly I don¡¯t want your scent covered, it¡¯s really alluring and nice... easily the nicest thing I¡¯ve ever smelled... Kinda like citrus ¨C lemons! But with a tinge of vanilla mixed it, warm and gentle, kind of like you.¡±  Talon rambled, hand on his cheek, and staring off into space.

    Lillian sipped the rest of her broth whilst he was daydreaming, grinning like a child as he rambled.  ¡°Okay, I think someone needs to finish his food and shower, you¡¯re drifting off.¡±

    Talon blushed slightly and stopped, now realising that his thoughts were all out in the open.  ¡°S - Sorry. I didn¡¯t realise I said that last part out loud...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just finish eating and go wash up before we go to bed, we¡¯ve got a long few days ahead of us.¡±  She said, walking her bowl over to the sink and leaning over to place it softly inside alongside her fork.

    ¡°Okay.¡±  Talon agreed, stabbing a few bits of celery and beef onto his fork.

    A short time later Talon downed the rest of his broth, waking over to the sink to set his fork and bowl inside. Meanwhile, Lillian had put a lid onto the soup pot and set it into the fridge, after moving some items around to make space.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go get ready for bed, you still need to go shower.¡±  Lillian said, drying off her bowl after handwashing it.

    ¡°Oh - Okay... Yeah. Yeah, that¡¯s alright... Okay.¡±  Talon stuttered, playing with a rubber band on his wrist. Lillian could tell something was up.

    ¡°Okay, spill it. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I just - ¡®m nervous...¡±  He said, pulling on the band.

    ¡°About..?¡±  She coaxed.

    ¡°I want you to come with me...¡±  he mumbled, looking away.

    ¡°Dang. Are you normally this shy? It¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯re an Alpha sometimes. What do you want me to come with you for?¡±

    ¡°Shower...¡±  He said, scratching behind his neck nervously.

    ¡°Absolutely not. I¡¯ll sit in there with you but I¡¯m not getting in. You need to rest before your rut, not be sent into it early.¡±

    She had a point,  ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll sit in there with you but I¡¯m not gonna get in. You¡¯ll drive yourself mad.¡±

    ¡°Okay... I won¡¯t make you sit in there with me, but leave the door open?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±  She said, slightly exasperated by the Alpha¡¯s persistence.

    ¡°Are you gonna make a nest?¡±

    This flushed Lillian, it had been a while since she had anyone in her nest. Years even.  ¡°I - I don¡¯t know... Do you ¨C Do you want me to?¡±  She asked, some Alphas could be touchy about Omegas nesting in their den. A sort of claiming-slash-territorial thing.

    ¡°Of course, or you can make a nest wherever you¡¯re most comfortable. Anything to settle you and your Wolf. ¡°

    ¡°Okay...¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

 The Heat of The Moment

    Talon had a quick shower, quickly scrubbing himself off and running shampoo through his hair. His knot hung painful and heavy between his thighs, the cool water rushing over his burning skin. Something simmered under the surface, superficial and under his skin, tingling under his fingertips and aching in his bones. His rut wouldn¡¯t be long, but the mouth-watering Omega currently humming to herself in his bedroom had him pressing his forehead against the cool shower tiles, exhaling shakily.

    Outside, Lillian gathered up all the blankets from the room Talon originally set up for her, gagging at the artificial smell. Why would he cover up with lavender when he smelled so nice naturally? Like mid-autumn, disregarding her allergies and people¡¯s obsession with pumpkin spice. She walked to the bed with the blanket, slightly distressed because it still smelled brand-new and nothing like Talon, or herself for that matter. Hopping onto the bed she spread the blanket out, alongside the comforter. It smelled so strongly of him in here. It was an old smell, but it made her nose twitch in curiosity. There wasn¡¯t that much of a nest she could make with a single blanket, but it was something.

    The pillows on his bed smelled faintly of laundry detergent ¨C but his scent had been engrained in the fabric that no matter how much he washed them his scent would linger. He must have washed the covers recently, probably when they decided to spend Talon¡¯s rut together. It really was baffling how nervous the Alpha was, he was a little pushy [as expected] but overall, he was doing great for being on the edge of rut ¨C especially around an Omega.

    She hummed to herself as she went about fluffing up the pillows and configuring the blanket and comforter to her liking. It was something, and it¡¯s not like she was in heat or pregnant, so the nest didn¡¯t have to be perfect. Just comfortable. It was hardly a nest, more like a pigeon¡¯s nest if she felt like being particularly hard on herself. Either way he would (expectantly) be out of the shower soon and they would be laying down to hopefully get some rest before his rut kicked in full-force.

    Lillian could hear the squeak of the shower knob turning off, and the slow trickle of water down the drain as it came to a stop. Talon stepped out hastily and threw a towel up, landing on his head as he scuffed through his dripping hair to dry it off as best he could. Once his hair was faintly damp, he briskly towelled off his body, careful around his sore groin. Carding a hand through his wettish tufts and wrapping his towel around his waist, he walked out the attached toilet-slash-shower into the bedroom, finding Lillian settling herself into some soft looking shorts and an oversized T-shirt.

    Her cotton shorts were grey with white lace at the bottom, and an old-looking large jade green T-shirt with what looked like a rubbed-off circular water wave with curvy-cursive writing below reading ¡°Cancer¡±. Was she a cancer? Not that it meant much, but he wasn¡¯t sure when she was born. And that shirt looked oddly familiar... ¡°Is that my shirt?¡± Talon asked, tilting his head fondly. She jumped and looked his direction, holding a few folded articles of clothing, assumedly what she wore when she had arrived.

    ¡°Y - Yeah... you washed everything else, and this smelled the most like you,¡± She trailed off. ¡°And I like it.¡± She finished, tugging the hem of the shirt nervously, cheeks going pink.

    Talon laughed slightly, walking to his dresser and pulling out a pair of boxers. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lillian. If you want some of my shirts and whatnot, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± Lillian went to thank him, embarrassed that she had been unknowingly going after shirts and his scent. It was unlike her. He turned her into the exact opposite of what she wanted to be, she was usually calm and able to dampen her secondary gender. Instead, she was a needy little Omega that was unable to dull herself to tepid.

    Talon dropped his towel on the floor, and for the first time Lillian was able to see how much he really had. Those Alpha compression shorts really worked wonders. She was beginning to think he was insecure partly because he wasn¡¯t as big as other Alphas, and she was wrong. He had to be at least a quarter if not an extra half larger than the average Alpha. Then again, he was taller than most Alphas, but not bulkier. Properly thin, but not weak. More lean muscle than bulk muscle.

    Either way she was standing there gawking, which she definitely didn¡¯t need to be doing. Lillian squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, face going up in flames. Talon chuckled lowly behind her. "See something you like sweet girl?¡± he lulled, hooded eyes burning into her form.

    As cheesy as the line was it worked, she felt like she wanted to crumble to the floor and present herself to him. She hadn¡¯t felt this kind of overwhelming submission in years. ¡°M - Maybe...¡± was all she was able to squeak out, taking careful steps to the centre of the room and gently sat herself on the bed.

    She remained turned away from him, a common sign of fear or rejection, and enough to snap him back for a moment. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just trying to get you to relax a little. You¡¯re so tense. You can always back ou-¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s okay! I¡¯m okay, I don¡¯t want to go...¡± she whispered, turning her neck to face him. ¡°I¡¯m just nervous, if anything you should be the one with the option to back out.¡±

    ¡°I have that option, silly,¡± Talon laughed, wrapping the towel around his waist and moving to sit opposite to her on the bed.

    Her breath hitched. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant what I meant was-¡±

    Talon moved his hand back to gently grab hers, running the pad of his thumb over the top of her hand. ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want to go anywhere either. I like being here with you.¡± He whispered.

    Her face flushed lightly again as his hand grasped hers. He was so warm. ¡°Are you always this warm?¡±

    Talon chuckled. ¡°I do tend to run a bit warm during my ruts, but I¡¯m usually pretty toasty year-round. Why are your hands so cold? I¡¯m willing to bet your face is warm.¡±

    Lillian chuckled softly, ¡°I can be pretty blush-y, but I tend to run hot or cold really easy.¡± She left the bed, walking around to stand in front of him, face turned to the side nervously. Taking a few gentle steps she wiggled her way onto his lap, pressing a warm cheek to his even warmer chest. ¡°See?¡± She shuddered.

    ¡°You are a little cold. Do you want me to turn up the heat a bit?¡± He asked, stroking a careful hand through her soft hair.

    ¡°W - What do you mean..?¡± She asked, shoulders slightly tensing.

    ¡°Not like that, unless you want to of course,¡± Talon chuckled, chest rumbling slightly under her cheek. ¡°I meant the thermostat.¡±

    ¡°That makes more sense.¡± She laughed softly, wiggling further onto his lap. While wiggling she felt something press gently into her leg, much warmer than Talon¡¯s chest, but still softer. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked, trying not to press against it.

    ¡°Y - Yeah, I just need to get a handle on it. Get dressed and all that.¡± Lillian nodded, moving her way off his lap and walking to the other side of the bed, face still flushed. Talon made quick work of throwing on some boxers and a pair of cotton sleep shorts ¨C more so for Lillian¡¯s comfort. He was a little too warm for a shirt, so she¡¯d have to do without it. He was sure she didn¡¯t mind though. ¡°You ready for bed?¡±

    Lillian chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting on you, slowpoke.¡±

    Talon huffed to himself and walked to flick off the light switch, casting the room in darkness aside the shrouded moonlight. Talon shifted into the bed lightly, making no move to startle the tense Omega on the other side. He grabbed a pillow, pulling it to his chest and exhaling softly.

    As his eyes adjusted to the light he could see the gentle outline of Lillian, who had done the same with her pillow. From the way she was wiggling slightly, she was comfort-scenting the pillow. Talon almost wanted to throw his pillow away and pull her into his chest instead but decided to let her do her own thing. He wondered how long it had been since she¡¯d slept in the bed with another person, another Alpha.

    He had guessed that with her past Alpha she had spent a night with him or taken a nap with him at some point, Talon himself had slept in this bed with Oliver and Rorke on nights when he was feeling a little rough. Never with a partner though, no-one wanted anything to do with him romantically in High School, being the black sheep and all. There were a few times when someone would ask for a one-night stand, but he wanted something more meaningful.

    Talon wanted to love everything about his person, wanted to know their little ticks and buzzes, their favourite memory, every little thing. A one-night stand wasn¡¯t something his heart could handle, which was ironic because it was what this was likely to turn into. He hoped not, she seemed to like him at least superficially. He had to stop letting his anxiety speak and act for him. ¡®Easier said than done...¡¯

    It was getting late; the moon was no longer in the view of the window and his eyes were beginning to fall heavy. Even with the burning under his skin, his rut wasn¡¯t here yet and he should get sleep while he can.

    Talon could feel his consciousness slipping, vision zooming in and out. As he shut his eyes, he caught one last look at the quiet little Omega snuffling gently next to him, hair already sleep-mussed and fingers limply clutching the pillow in her own slumber. Talon gazed at her for a moment, eyes soft and hands itching to reach out. If this was a dream he hoped there was no waking up.

    <hr>

    Eventually the sizzling under Talon¡¯s skin erupted, bringing a new wave of lust with it and an ache in his groin. At some point in his sleep Lillian had inched closer and was practically on top of him, head pressed up against his chest and delicate legs intertwining his own. She looked so peaceful where she was at. Talon still had a little bit of sanity and decided to let her rest a while longer.

    He slowly unstuck himself from her, and once he was able to get out of the bed his knees felt loose and wobbly. Lillian whimpered and curled against the blankets in her sleep, subconsciously wondering where Talon had gone. The scent-blocking gel was beginning to rub off, so he clambered his way to the bathroom and set his head against the cool tile of the sink. He looked down after a moment to his own growing trousers, the pain of confinement rising alongside his heart rate.

    He shucked off his trousers and pants and immediately wrapped a firm hand around the throbbing base, hissing at the pressure. He stroked up and down the velvety red flesh, feeling a strong heartbeat beneath his skin. It wasn¡¯t long before his cock started leaking precum, he used one hand to grip the edge of the sink and the other to thumb over the head. He felt hot and dizzy, so sensitive and lusty. Before long he could feel fire pool at the base, more sticky precum leaking steadily as he threw his head back and stroked himself harder. Eventually he choked out a stuttered moan and shot several thick ropes onto the floor in front of him, panting heavily.

    Though he had released himself and the pressure was lessened, his cock filled back up once again and began throbbing incessantly. There was only so much longer he could hold on before he¡¯d have to wake the sleeping Omega, but he could hold out long enough to step into the cold spray of the shower. The cool water almost burned his fiery skin, the contrast was big yet did nothing to cool his temperature.

    He stood in the water, one hand carding shakily through his hair and the other gently palming his manhood. He nearly hissed when a stream of cold water trickled down his chest and dropped onto his throbbing and sensitive length.

    He had been standing in the shower for 25 minutes, having come once with no relief. It wasn¡¯t until he was on the edge of his third orgasm for the night that his inhibition was thrown out. He turned off the shower and quickly ran a towel through his hair and across his body, stepping back into the bedroom. Lillian was still curled up around a pillow, her messy fringe fallen in her face. Talon tiptoed over to her and sat on the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Hey beautiful, mind getting up for me?¡± Talon whispered, brushing her hair away from her face. It was almost like putting a treat under a sleeping dog¡¯s nose.

    Lillian began to stir, face twitching and body tensing. Her eyes were twitching as if she was in the middle of a bad dream and small whines breaching her lips. The Omega¡¯s eyes fluttered open, her grip leaving the pillow and her back curving into a stretch. She whined gently, looking lazily up at Talon. ¡°Nhn... What smells so good?¡± She whispered tiredly, moving to sit up.

    She could feel slick start pooling between her legs at his scent, the almost spicy scent of ginger alongside mid-fall leaves and pinecones. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s me.¡± Talon whispered back, gazing lustfully at the sleep-tussled Omega.

    It didn¡¯t take her long to realise what was happening and took her Omega no time at all to start a reaction to an Alpha in rut. Her pupils blew open, her body flushed, her hole leaked more slick, and saliva gathered in the corners of her mouth. He smelled amazing . Talon reached a hand down to squeeze himself and rub up and down while Lillian was waking up. Lillian swallowed heavily, eyes flickering down to the shaft in his hand. ¡°I um... How do you um... want me?¡± She stuttered, cheeks flaming while she tried to avoid eye contact.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Pinning her down, manhandling her delicate little body into a presenting position, draping himself over her and rutting into her... - His mind swam with ideas and fantasies of everything he could do with this girl. But it was their first time together, so he wanted to be as gentle and sane as he could. ¡° Um... could you-¡± Talon swallowed harshly. ¡°-Could you maybe get on your knees..?¡± He asked, both of them averting their gaze.

    Lillian nodded nervously, stepping off the bed to take off her sleepwear. The longer she was with him, the more alert and needy her body grew, slight throbbing beginning in her lower stomach. Talon chuckled to himself thinking this was his first striptease. Lillian shyly turned around, gently bringing her grey cotton shorts down and stepping out of them. She took a deep breath and took off the shirt she stole from him. Her nipples hardened more once they hit the air, a shiver wracking its way through her body.

    Talon¡¯s mouth watered as she took off more, the milky freckle-dotted skin on display with her long golden hair. Her ass looked bubbly and her body a perfect hourglass. She took down her last article of clothing and walked back over to Talon, hands covering her soft-looking breasts and her thighs pushing against each other as she shifted her weight nervously.

    Talon felt another wave of lust cross over him, a large chunk of his sanity dissolving. ¡°You ready?¡± He strained, heart clenching.

    Lillian nodded uneasily and made her way onto the bed, kneeling gently and placing her forearms on a pillow. She breathed gently to calm her nerves, feeling the bed dip as Talon shifted his way behind her. She clenched her thighs together, shivering in anticipation and her face burning with embarrassment. Talon brought a gentle hand to brush along the smooth skin of her hips and her ass. Lillian jolted a bit when he first began touching her. Talon slid across her skin like he was studying it, enjoying the feeling of the goosebumps rising while going over every scar and freckle.

    He eventually made his way down to her quivering thighs and ran his fingers sweetly along the inner parts, making her loosen up and spread her legs a bit more. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked softly, voice low and thick with desire.

    ¡°Yeah... Yeah, ¡®m okay...¡± She lulled out, properly lust drunk.

    ¡°Okay, then mind opening up a bit, Omega? I wanna see you.¡± He said, head growing foggier with every inch he trailed across her soft skin. Lillian bowed her head and sunk her torso a little further into the bed, spreading her legs enough for him to see her. As she shifted, he could see the slight shimmer of slick painted on her inner thighs. She must have shaved in the hours before she was supposed to arrive, and with her pale honey skin the pink stood out nicely.

    She was nearly dripping, a line of slick stuck to the inside of her thigh from when she had opened her legs for him. Talon moved a hesitant hand from her thighs and backside to her hole, pressing a finger against it. Lillian let out a muffled whimper and had buried her burning face in the comforter. She rolled her hips against the digit gently, a silent plea for him to continue his exploration.

    Talon set one hand on her hip, the other gently pushing its way into her pussy. She whimpered again, more slick flushing out over his finger. Even with the single digit Talon could tell she¡¯d be a tight fit. Her slick seeped steadily and coated his fingers, it wasn¡¯t difficult to feel how soft she was. He didn¡¯t wait long before slipping another one in, listening to the sighs and pants coming from her.

    Eventually he slipped a third in, Lillian gripping the sheets and whimpering out softly. He hadn¡¯t had much experience with females, so it took him a moment to find a good spot. Once he found it, he saw a shiver wrack its way up her spine, leaving her thighs quivering. He gently rubbed his fingers over the spot, listening to her soft cries and mewls of pleasure. ¡°Lillian, I can¡¯t hold on much longer. Are -¡± He felt a shiver wrack his own body, slick squishing as he rubbed against her spot. ¡°Are you ready?¡± His voice strained.

    ¡°Y - Yeah... please. Please just... Please.¡± She babbled, hips chasing his fingers as he gently pulled them out. Though his fingers weren¡¯t much compared to what she would be taking ¨C she still felt a distant feeling of emptiness once he pulled them out.

    ¡°Okay. Okay I will. Just hold still, Love.¡± He whispered. Between his sweet words and what felt like an eternity waiting for him to push in, her heart was thrashing heavily against her ribcage. She knew too little blood flow could cause dizziness, but who knew too much would have a similar effect?

    Talon lined up, rubbing the head on her slickened folds. Once he was properly coated, he slowly pushed the head in, feeling the silk warmth encompass him. She tensed completely and started rambling something while whining. ¡°You okay?¡± He asked shakily. What if this was too much for her? What if she realised what a terrible idea this was? What if she wanted to leave immediately? What if -

    ¡°Hand please. Please I need- hand, please!¡± she cried, clenching the sheets desperately.

    ¡°Hand?¡± Talon asked, unsure what she wanted.

    ¡°Please... I need your hand -¡± She whimpered softly reaching behind her towards Talon.

    It made sense now, she wanted to hold his hand while he pushed in. Was almost sweet had they not been in this particular... situation. Talon nodded and shifted, making Lillian flinch as the head shifted against her opening. ¡°Yeah, you can.¡± He said gently, entangling his hand with hers. As she squeezed his hand, she also clenched around the head, making Talon accidentally buck his hips. ¡°Oops - sorry.¡± Talon said, rubbing her hip gently with his other hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s - It¡¯s okay...¡± She panted, squeezing his hand again gently. Talon squeezed back, gently pushing the next few inches in. Lillian gasped for air, never having had something this thick stretching her out. She had tried toys before, but they always hurt ¨C and not in the good way. Only in her heats would she be able to mildly enjoy riding a small or medium dildo, but even then it would leave her wanting no matter how many cruel orgasms she pushed herself through.

    Talon had vague and displaced memories of what it felt like for his first time, and last time. Trauma aside, Talon could remember the other Omega feeling really nice ¨C but nothing compared to what he was experiencing now. He was around a dozen centimetres in, his chest felt like it was going to explode. She was as soft on the inside as she looked on the outside, and she arched her back just beautifully ¨C had he stumbled across the Goddess Freya? Her sweet-smelling slick encompassed his length, warm ¨C almost hot ¨C and viscous.

    Talon could tell when he reached all the way inside, her grip loosened just a bit and she sighed gently. She had managed to take almost 20 centimetres, but even with just the head she felt like she was splitting in half. Never before had she felt such a delicious stretch, all the others had been painful, but this stretch left her wanting to roll her hips backwards.

    ¡°Hahhh ~¡± She whined, shifting gently while his length stretched her out. When she had agreed to this, she hadn¡¯t assumed it would feel this good or satisfying. Talon sighed gently, eight-or-so centimetres were still left, but he wasn¡¯t about to push her that far yet.

    ¡°You okay?¡± He strained, holding back from bucking into her.

    ¡°Ye - Yeah. Feels ¨C Feels good. Feels nice.¡± She babbled gently, slowly rotating her hips around his groin. Despite the slight discomfort from her breasts being pushed into the sheets, she felt faint and blissful. ¡°Can - Can you move a bit? Please? I¡¯ll be good. I promise.¡± She whispered, shutting her eyes and rocking her hips backwards slightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good girl, a good little Omega. I¡¯ll move gently, let me know when you¡¯re ready for more.¡± He said, sliding out slowly. Both groaned at the loss, Lillian feeling a little empty and Talon feeling cold.

    He pushed back in gently, ¡°Ah~!¡± She moaned, eyes squeezing shut. ¡°Please.¡± She whimpered, enjoying the full feeling as he dragged his cock in and out.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna drive me mad.¡± Talon huffed, gripping her hips tighter and speeding up. ¡°You¡¯re so tight...¡± he groaned, pushing in a little deeper.

    ¡°Nnn- ah!¡± she cried, feeling the stretch intensify as he worked those last few centimetres in. ¡°Please. Promise I¡¯ll be good. I¡¯ll be a good girl, yeah? I will ¨C I¡¯ll be good,¡±

    Talon chuckled lowly; she was starting to lose her head ¨C much like himself. There was a tiny thread holding him back from absolutely destroying her, though he was wondering now if that¡¯s what she wanted. Such a quiet little thing was so loud and talkative now, even in just repeating herself and stuttering. ¡°You want me to go faster, sweet Omega?¡± He asked, thrusting in a tad bit harder once to punctuate.

    ¡°Ah!¡± She cried, cradling her hips back into his thrusts. ¡°Please. Need it, need you. Feels - Feels so good~¡± She whined, drooling slightly. As he picked up his pace the poor thing could barely keep her words together, half the things coming out of her mouth were incoherent sentences.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the stimulation became too much, the sounds of slick skin slapping against skin was deafening in the otherwise quiet room. Lillian could barely hold her hips in the air much longer but was still moving in tandem with his thrusts, whining all the same. As her hips continued to drop with each thrust Talon¡¯s chest rumbled. ¡°Keep your hips in the air.¡± he growled. She shifted her knees to hold her hips up better between thrusts. ¡°Good Omega.¡±

    Now that she was higher up, he could feel him force his way in deeper. Lillian was nothing but a babbling fuck-toy by this point, heavy pants and mewls falling from her mouth relentlessly. The deeper he went, the more she could feel. It was like he got bigger with every thrust; and she didn¡¯t ever want him to stop. The soreness settling on her hips was perfect .

    Lillian felt so lost in the pleasure and feeling she hardly noticed the beginning drag of his knot against her hole. She was focused on how rough he was thrusting in, occasional stuttered movements, and how the air in her lungs kept getting punched out with every shove deep inside her. Talon was enjoying watching how her pink little pussy changed colour over the last 15 minutes. She went from a shy, flushed pink to a desperate, horny red.

    Once his knot started swelling gently against her hole, he grunted and squeezed her hand to get her attention. ¡°Ome - Lillian. I¡¯m gonna knot you, okay? D - Do you wanna be flipped over?¡±

    She craned her head back, tears trickling down her flushed, swollen cheeks. A bit of drool was slipping out of her well-bitten lips. ¡°Please -¡± Was all she was able to make out before Talon had pulled out and flipped her onto her back in one swift motion, ramming back in. ¡°Ah! Alpha!¡± She cried, reaching for his hand again.

    Talon grabbed her hand and began thrusting back in desperately, chasing his orgasm. Her breasts bounced and were knocked around in a circular motion as he thrusted deep into her. Lillian¡¯s hair was messy and out of place, and apparently the blush didn¡¯t stop at her cheeks ¨C it burned down her neck and faded out around her clavicle. Not such an immaculate princess anymore, was she? She wasn¡¯t, and Talon relished in the pride of getting to break her in such a beautiful way.

    Talon could feel the fire burning in the pit of his stomach again, this time it felt white-hot and aggressive. Relieving in a way, like massaging a sore muscle. Lillian, on the other hand, had long since lost her sanity. Her hips had red marks from where Talon gripped them and slammed in, her eyes were glassy, her pupils were blown, and her tongue had given up on staying in her mouth. Talon looked down at the soft canvas of her stomach, fucking into her harder to watch the bulge get bigger.

    He wanted to touch it, her stomach looked so soft and perfect while she was being bred. He placed a hand down on her stomach, right where the bulge poked out every time he thrusted in. ¡°Alpha!¡± She sobbed, gripping his hand even tighter. Suddenly she got very tight. Almost uncomfortably tight, and Talon couldn¡¯t hold off for another minute.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna knot you. Gonna fill you up so nice, yeah? Bet you look so nice when you¡¯re filled with my cum.¡± he growled, letting go of her hand and placing it on her other hip. He gripped on firmly and thrusted as hard as he could into her one last time, hard enough to force her towards the headboard a few centimetres. As his knot expanded and locked them together, they both stilled.

    Lillian¡¯s small form was practically shaking. Her pale thighs quivering around Talon¡¯s hips, and her head lolled from side to side. Lillian¡¯s abdomen swelled gently as Talon flooded her, her breasts heaving with each deep breath. Talon was panting heavily too, pupils blown large with only a tiny ring of blue left. The world went quiet for a moment, save for heavy breathing and their deafening heartbeats. Talon was the first to break the silence, loosening his hands from her hips. ¡°You okay?¡±

    Lillian nodded, slowly coming out of her daze. She wiggled her hips gently, causing pain to seer up her spine. She winced. ¡°Nnn...¡± She whined. ¡°Y - Yeah... Just a bit sore...¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Kinda almost lost my head there for a minute.¡± He muttered, gazing at the small bulge in her abdomen. ¡°You tired? Do you need anything?¡± It was at this point that the anxiety settled back in, he saw the marks on her hips and the way she squirmed under his gaze. For the moment, she wasn¡¯t able to leave even if she wanted to.

    ¡°I am a bit tired.¡±  She whispered, turning her head to the side and flushing softly.

    Talon was worried there was something wrong now. Should he not have knotted her? Why would he have made that decision, she told him about her past experience with being knotted. He should have talked with her a bit more and confirmed that knotting her would be okay. Should have, could have, would have, he felt like he was spiralling. Like the devil was on his shoulder with no angel in sight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What for? Are you okay?¡± She asked, ivy green eyes tying themselves to his avoided gaze.

    ¡°I just feel like I should have talked with you a bit more before I knotted you.¡± He trailed, guilt creeping its way up his face.

    ¡°No no it¡¯s okay.¡± She said, shifting her hips again. ¡°I¡¯m just a little embarrassed.¡± She said, covering her breasts with her arms.

    ¡°Why are you embarrassed?¡± Talon asked. ¡°I¡¯m the one who lost control...¡±

    ¡°It''s just been a while since someone has seen this much of me, I hide myself from my roommate and even past relationships didn¡¯t see much of me.¡±

    Talon took a deep breath, he supposed that made sense, but anxiety was a bitch and seemed to hold him hostage. He wished he had more to say, more time to talk, but his body was tired and hot and all he wanted to do was nod off. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since anyone has seen this much of me either.¡± He sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s okay to me if it''s you.¡± Talon lulled, relaxing and moving to scent her more.

    As Talon nuzzled her neck and shoulders Lillian couldn¡¯t help but blush a little. As awkward as he was, he was sweet and apparently gentle afterwards. ¡°It¡¯s okay to me if it¡¯s you, too.¡± She said, dizzy by his scent and finding herself becoming tired.

    ¡°Hey, wrap your legs around my waist for a second.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡± She asked, tilting her head to the side.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna flip us over so we can get a little sleep, but I figured in this position you¡¯d be a little uncomfortable sleeping...¡± He said sheepishly. She nodded and wrapped them around his waist as best she could, feeling the knot tugging gently. ¡°Okay you ready?¡±

    ¡°Y - Yeah, just be gentle. Please.¡± Talon nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist and back gently to pick her up. Just enough to shuffle his way onto his knees and flip them over so he was on his back, and she was on his chest. His knot pulled slightly, making both of them wince.

    ¡°Better?¡± He asked gently, feeling her body press against his tiredly.

    ¡°Yeah... just feel really full.¡± She whined softly, rocking her hips back tiredly. He watched her nod off slowly, eyes drooping as she rested her cheek against his chest. She felt so warm and gentle and perfect. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but he was falling harder than he ever had before. This girl would easily be the death of him. Her breathing finally evened as her body relaxed, she smiled. Ever so slightly in her sleep she smiled, pressing herself against him. He decided that her face would be the last thing he saw before inevitably drifting off to sleep himself. They had a long couple days ahead, and he couldn¡¯t wait.

 Light in The Fog

    There was only so much time they could rest before things kicked into place again. Though an hour prior Lillian had woken up for a brief moment due to Talon¡¯s knot slipping out and the uncomfortable trickle of seed from her hole, she had melted right back into the embrace and continued to dream about whatever it was soft and contented Omegas dreamt about. Normally her head was spinning all night long, some nights lost to the clink of gears turning alongside the background image of her bedroom ceiling. But for the first time in years, she found herself completely blank and unable to ramble through heads ¨C hers or others. She had never really felt content before. Perfectly happy and relaxed ¨C not even running through potential scenes that she¡¯ll claim prepares her. Really, they just feed the anxiety.

    Despite that, this was time for pressing her head against his chest to revel in the warmth. The feeling of his chest slowly rising and falling would have to save the anxiety for later. Despite Talon still being bleary-eyed and flushed from sleep his other head was alert and insistent. Lillian was still straddling his waist and was dizzily rolling her hips against it as he woke up, every so often the bulbous head would catch on her entrance, and he would wince. ¡°Stop being a tease...¡± he mumbled, bringing a hand to his eyes in an attempt to rub the tiredness away.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She yawned. The curtains continued to flick lightly from the air conditioner, but the moon seemed to have only moved by a few hours'' time. The next day was just hours away and yet it still didn¡¯t seem to matter at all. Time no longer held meaning and her head was growing too foggy to estimate an approximate time.

    Talon could feel the bubbling under his skin grow and his head falling heavier with each passing second. The blood pumped fiercely behind his eyes as his pupils dilated, teeth tingling with the silent desire to bite. A low rumble began in his chest, causing a very tired Lillian to perk up immediately and snap her eyes to his ¨C now fully aware of the mood shift. A small whimper was all that was able to leave her mouth before his hands snatched her hips and pushed them down onto his throbbing length. ¡°Good girl.¡± he purred deeply.

    Lillian cried out his name the moment she felt him slam against her cervix, her abdomen protruding and throbbing at the intrusion. In one swift motion Talon had pulled both of them further towards the headboard in order to have her sitting in his lap properly, followed by bringing his knees up for a better angle. It wasn¡¯t until Lillian had a split second to compute what was happening that she realised what he was doing all this for ¨C and she better prepare herself. Her hands flew up to his shoulders and pulled her head into the crook of his neck, shivering in anticipation as he adjusted himself again.

    ¡°Hold on tight¡± he chuckled, holding her hips tightly before fucking up into her dripping hole harshly. The grip she originally had didn¡¯t prepare her for how aggressive this would be, then again, from the look in his eyes there probably wasn¡¯t much going through his head other than possession. In fairness, her head wasn¡¯t exactly firing on all cylinders either. As soon as her eyes lidded, she was done for. Her back arched into each thrust as she clawed at anything her hands could get a hold of. Whether that was his hair, his skin, or the pillows behind him, it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Please please please please please!¡± She begged, angling herself against his thrusts. ¡°Please- Fu- Oh god please Alpha I need more please!¡± Her brain was going numb. Once it finally had a thought, her mouth couldn¡¯t help but spew it out repeatedly ¨C until a new thought came along.

    Even in the haze of Talon¡¯s rut, there was a part of him that thought that maybe it was a mistake for her coming here. She sounded amazing and it was surprising what a loud little thing she was in bed, but any sanity available was slipping quickly. His chest felt hot and there was a loud voice in his head screaming to ruin her. He dwarfed her, and yet, he found it hot. It was hot that her waist could fit perfectly in his hands. Those flushed cheeks and big woeful eyes did things.  ¡°You better start being careful what you¡¯re asking for, Omega.¡± He rumbled, punctuating with a sharp thrust.

    Lillian, hardly registered his threat, continuing to babble and sob into his shoulder. ¡°No! Don¡¯t care just need it ¨C need you, please!¡±

    ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll play your game.¡± He smirked, wrapping his arms around her hips and lurching forward, pinning her effectively underneath him in one motion. The only thing Lillian was able to do was squeak in surprise as she was flipped onto her back, followed by being rammed back into so hard the air was punched out of her lungs. Talon¡¯s sanity slipped further, slamming himself into her desperately, gripping her hips tightly. ¡±I am going to knot you. Ready to be filled up nice and full? Ready to be plugged up with my cum?¡± He growled, angling his hips to ram into her more efficiently.

    ¡°Yes, please! Knot me please I need it!¡± She drooled, feeling the pleasure building. The rest of the world seemed quiet and distant ¨C nothing but the wet slaps and Lillian¡¯s babbling. Talon could feel her tightening, and could see the way her ears were burning bright red.

    He had figured she was close, he was too, and decided to kick it up a notch. Pulling her head a little closer, he leaned forward between thrusts and latched onto the junction between her shoulder and her neck ¨C right below her mating spot. As much as Talon wanted to bite that spot, but he knew that he wasn¡¯t allowed to, and both of them would regret it later. He wanted nothing to do with scaring her away. Lillian¡¯s breath hitched and for once she fell silent, shivering as he teased that spot with his tongue and nibbled softly.

    The combination of the soft bites alongside sucking on her skin and the harsh thrusts felt like heaven. After the initial shock, she melted underneath him, eyes blurring and abdomen tensing as an orgasm ripped its way through her body ¨C splintering her brain and leaving her shaking. Talon could feel her tighten completely, squeezing his cock and making it so pleasurably painful to continue forcing its way into her tight little hole.

    There didn¡¯t seem to be any coherent thoughts behind those eyes, even on the outside and in his own haze he could tell her vision was blurring. His hips burned and contracted trying to force his way in, finding his pressure building intensely. Lillian began babbling about being sensitive, gripping his shoulders and tucking her head closer, granting a larger area for Talon to bite. Her breasts softly pressed against his chest, damp with a mix of fluids ¨C most of which sweat.

    The building pressure, taunt like a rubber band in the hands of a child, finally snapped. It tore its way through them and carried fissures of pleasure between them like live wires. Lillian wrapped her arms around his back and squeezed him close, Talon slamming into her one last time and ballooning himself inside her. They panted heavily, Lillian still completely tensed as she rode through the aftershocks, feeling the pulse between their groins.

    Talon was still loosely latched to her neck, teasing his teeth across her bruising skin. Her neck would be at least one place with bruises when he was done with her. Still, he was careful not to puncture ¨C though the drive was there. ¡°O ¨C kay?¡± Lillian choked out.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Talon hummed, pulling away from her neck with a line of saliva, looking into her blown eyes as they fluttered.

    ¡°You.¡± She swallowed dryly. ¡°O ¨C kay?¡±

    He brushed the fringe out of her flushed face, holding her chin softly. ¡°Yeah.¡± He said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He kissed her for a brief moment, pulling back as she chased his lips. ¡°Are you?¡±

    She looked like she was trying to process the words, while running through every thought she had during their coupling. ¡°Okay.¡± She decided, letting out a contented sigh, and nuzzled into him again. Her arms finally fell from behind his back, deciding to use them to cover herself as best as she could. Looked like the shyness was settling back in.

    Talon really wanted to pin her arms to her side to let him get a good look, but she was probably exhausted and needed some cooldown time. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know how long we have until the next wave. It¡¯s taking a lot to talk smoothly.¡± Talon rumbled, still hovering above her, ¡°I¡¯d like to let you rest a bit. How do you want to do that?¡± They both knew he was too big to lay on top of her, and she knew her breasts were too large for that to be comfortable anyway.

    ¡°I ¨C I guess just flip us over, please?¡± She whispered, looking away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked, using one finger to lift her chin and rolling his hips softly.

    She gasped, face going red as her mouth parted softly. ¡°I just don¡¯t wanna ¨C don¡¯t wanna worry a ¨C about being too heavy¡­¡± She whimpered.

    ¡°Have you seen me?¡± He chuckled. ¡°I doubt you¡¯d even be half of my weight. You won¡¯t crush me.¡± She nodded, clearly very flustered. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked. She tightened her legs around his waist while he shifted his arms around the small of her back.

    Now was not the time to admire how outrageously large his hands were. ¡°Ready.¡± She whispered again, ears red. He nodded, swiftly flipping her on top in the gentlest manner possible. She immediately buried her face in his chest, biting her lip softly.

    He chucked and allowed her to wiggle herself to a comfortable position, running his fingers through her tangled hair softly. Lillian found herself in the same mindset she was beforehand ¨C content and warm and just so so perfect. Maybe it was the high, maybe it was the sex, but maybe¡­ maybe¡­ this was him. This feeling that she couldn¡¯t stop ¨C unlike anything she felt with her last Alpha. Or any boy she had met.

    It made this whole thing feel easy. She was downright terrified when she first arrived, and now she felt she would leave a part of herself here when life resumed itself in a couple of days. God, she hadn¡¯t even thought about when she¡¯d have to go. She¡¯d have to find time to study while she was here too, after all, finals week started the day this was supposed to end. And while she knew one of Talon¡¯s professors were strict on the date, hers weren¡¯t. She gave a reason for absence, and they understood the predicament. Her professors knew she was studious and she wasn¡¯t cutting class for something unimportant.

    ¡°It¡¯ll probably be morning the next time we get up. What do you want?¡± He asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked, yawning and feeling him shift inside her. It was such a wonderful feeling. Should something like this feel so¡­ right?

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re probably going to want to eat something. You ate dinner last night, but I know I¡¯m going to be hungry under all this haze.¡±

    She tried to think for a moment. ¡°Maybe. What do you have?¡± She asked, growing sleepy and about to clock out.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡± He trailed. He didn¡¯t want to offer the wrong thing, he wasn¡¯t sure what she liked. Did she have any allergies? Talon could hardly think. This was too much right now. ¡°Depends on what you like, I guess.¡± He decided, bringing an arm up to lay across her back, letting his thumb rub across the soft skin underneath it.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Lillian pondered. ¡°I like granola. And cereal. Eggs. I guess I¡¯m kind of fruity too.¡±

    Talon chuckled softly. ¡°Then what are you doing here with me?¡±

    Lillian giggled. ¡°Oh, you know what I mean.¡± She sighed, drifting away. She could feel the night begin to slow again ¨C along with their heart rates. Talon sighed contently, snuggling her into himself.

    ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t eating granola during this whole thing?¡±

    She huffed, mildly entertained. ¡°Go to bed, we¡¯ll deal with it in the morning.¡±

    <hr>

    Neither one knew if it was the morning sun or the insistent throb between their groins that woke them up, but after a lovely bit of time coupling and then cuddling, they were finally ready to get up and grab some food. Once Talon¡¯s knot went down again Lillian let him slide out, more fluids dripping onto the bedsheets. ¡°Please try to be careful when you get up.¡± Talon warned her.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    She groaned, rolling over. ¡°Why? Is there broken glass on the floor I¡¯m unaware of?¡±

    Talon chuckled. ¡°No, at least there better not be. I say that because I¡¯m a bit¡­ bigger¡­ than you. You might be a little wobbly getting up. I¡¯d offer to carry you,¡± Lillian shot him a dirty look. ¡°But I think you¡¯d kill me first.¡±

    Lillian nodded. ¡°That makes sense. I am a bit sore.¡± She said, shifting her hips back and forth.

    ¡°I can imagine. I can already see the bruises forming.¡±

    Lillian whipped around, looking across her body where she could see. ¡°Where? Where do you see bruises?¡± Talon traced a few circles around her hips ¨C where he had grabbed. ¡°Oh. Okay. You had me worried they were somewhere more noticeable.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s get up and get food. There are some things I want to try and get done at some point today.¡± Lillian nodded, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

    ¡°Can we put on some clothes for this though?¡± She clutched her upper arm nervously over her breasts.

    Talon thought for a moment, eyes scraping across her flushed body, ¡°No.¡± he said, getting up and walking over to the door, unlocking it.

    ¡°Why?¡± She whined, standing up from the bed and immediately falling to sit on her heels. Talon immediately rushed over, cupping her face in his hands.

    ¡°Are you okay? You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you? I told you to be careful!¡± He said, overconcerned. And for whatever reason that was cause for pink cheeks and fumbled words.

    ¡°I ¨C I¡¯m okay¡­¡± She said, failing to pull her head from his hands.

    ¡°Why do you want clothes?¡± He asked, helping guide her back to sitting on the bed.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m shy and it¡¯s cold.¡± She said, pulling his eyes to the goosebumps on her arms.

    ¡°Fine.¡± He decided, walking over to the side of the room, and picking up his t-shirt from earlier. ¡°This should work.¡± He said, handing it to her.

    She nodded, taking the shirt politely and throwing it over her head. ¡°What about the¡­ erm¡­ leakage?¡± she trailed, feeling more fluids slide down her thigh.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Talon pondered, fighting the internal struggle of whether or not to let her put something on. On one hand, she wouldn¡¯t be dripping all over his hardwood floors. On another, she¡¯d be dripping all over his hardwood floors. So conflicting. He supposed a towel would just have to do the trick. ¡°Let me go grab something.¡± Talon disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Lillian alone for a moment. As she sat, her mind turned as she shivered on the corner of the bed.

    She felt comforted by his shirt and how it wrapped itself around her. She pulled the collar of the shirt up to her nose, getting dizzy off the scent. It was comforting, in a strange way. It was a strange world she stepped into just a mere 12 hours ago. It was a strange world they had begun creating together. What a strange world to be a part of.

    Talon returned with a towel a few moments later. ¡°Here,¡± he said as he passed it to her. ¡°This should help a bit.¡± Lillian took the towel, wiping herself down and placing it under herself for the time being. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay? That was a rough fall.¡± Talon asked, watching her with mixed concern and endearment.

    ¡°Talon, I¡¯m fine. Just wobbly, like you said.¡± She said, exasperated by the Alpha¡¯s antics. She was capable of walking like any normal person. She did not need to be coddled.

    Talon¡¯s eyes softened, picking up on her frustration. Maybe he was being too much. ¡°Alright, well let¡¯s go get some food. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m hungry.¡± He said, extending a hand to help her up.

    They made their way to the kitchen, Lillian swaying her hips to alleviate the pain as she walked. The kitchen was pretty with the morning light shining on the hardwood. Talon felt surreal as he sat her down on a chair at the table, like he was still in a dream. He was sure he was still asleep, and this had all been a fever dream caused by his rut. He wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d be holding onto himself, and he wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d go back to normal life when this was over. Would she be too embarrassed to speak with him again? Change her class route to avoid him? Would she leave and never look back after all this was over? Would she ¨C ¡°-on? Talon? Earth to Cassanova.¡± She said, waving a hand in front of him. He snapped back, looking at her. ¡°Are you okay? You were gone for a hot minute there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He said lamely. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay. Just thinking was all. What do you want? I can make eggs, fruit, whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Eggs sound nice. What were you thinking about?¡± She asked, pulling an apple from the fruit bowl. ¡®So strangely arranged¡­¡¯ she thought to herself as she took a small chunk.

    Maybe if he gave her space she wouldn¡¯t want to leave after. If he could avoid overwhelming her, maybe she¡¯d stick around. ¡°Nothing important. Anyway, is scrambled okay? I¡¯m honesty not very good at anything else¡­¡± He said sheepishly.

    She nodded, she never minded eggs, as long as they weren¡¯t runny. Runny eggs were on her list of least-favourite things. Runny eggs, and at the moment, Alphas refusing to talk about a nine-yard-stare. ¡°You sure nothing was going through that head?¡± She pressed.

    ¡°Nope, nothing at all.¡± He fake smiled and began to work around the kitchen.

    While Lillian munched on the apple, she watched him move around the kitchen. Talon pulled out some eggs, a pan, butter, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. ¡°What¡¯s the paprika for? I can¡¯t handle spice well.¡± She said, watching him crack eggs into a bowl and whisk it with a fork.

    ¡°Oh, no worries I can¡¯t either.¡± How odd for an Alpha to not be able to handle spice. ¡°It was something my mom always used to add when I was little. She said it ¡®enhances¡¯ the flavour. I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s true or not, but I always add it for nostalgia.¡± That¡¯s kind of cute, though Lillian wondered¡­ he spoke as if his mother was no longer alive. She hoped she hadn¡¯t brought up a sore subject by asking about spices.

    ¡°That sounds nice. As long as you¡¯re not going to melt my face off this early in the day.¡± She laughed, trying to change the topic.

    ¡°She still does it when I visit, but with how far apart we are it¡¯s tricky. I¡¯ll have to text her sometime soon.¡± He said, smiling. He hadn¡¯t texted her in a few days, he guessed she would pry about what he¡¯s been so busy with. He wondered if he should tell her about Lillian. Talon would keep her in his arms forever if he could, and he knew she¡¯d approve, but once he mentions any Omega he never hears the end of it. Though Oliver and Rorke were mated, his mom still asks why Talon didn¡¯t pursue the pretty Omega. Lillian was just glad she didn¡¯t just accidently cause a conversation to gear towards his late mother. She was alive, thankfully.

    Talon hummed while working around the kitchen. The Alpha had flat-out refused to put on any clothes, so everything was on display while he cooked. Even as embarrassed as she felt for staring, there was no denying this man was beautiful. Lean muscles working, blond highlights complementing his tan skin, piercing blue eyes, even his lower region was beautiful, as odd as she felt admitting it to herself. Everything was in perfect proportion, the pink head and tan shaft, she wondered if he groomed because the hair seemed to be an even length. That¡¯s not even mentioning the abdominal muscle, which practically framed his length and strong thighs. What a sight to behold at 8 in the morning. Disregarding his beauty, there was something soothing about watching him make breakfast. He moved with purpose and care. She felt a warm sense of belonging she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. She¡¯d be damned if she didn¡¯t fall for him over the next couple of days, assuming she hadn¡¯t already.

    As the eggs sizzled in the pan, she rested her arms on the table, pressing her cheeks against them. She thought about the night they had spent together. The connection she felt when she was wrapped up in his arms. What she felt far surpassed any physical feelings. There was something much deeper. Deeper than a rut or her heat. Something beyond lust and desire. She felt seen. Cared for. Understood. All in ways she had never felt before. She felt she had been learning something new about him every minute; while also feeling like she had known him her whole life simultaneously. Even in her sleep-induced daze she found herself shifting closer to him while he was asleep. That pillow had nothing on him, and she hoped by snuggling up while he was asleep, he wouldn¡¯t be uncomfortable by her being there.

    ¡°Here we go.¡± He said, setting a plate of eggs down in front of her.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, taking a small bite. The food was hot and comforting. This had to be the most normal thing she had felt while inside their little bubble.

    Talon walked to the opposite side of the table, setting his plate down and quietly eating. Lillian tilted her head by his distance. ¡°I just figured I¡¯d give you some space while you¡¯re eating.¡± He said quietly, taking a few pieces into his mouth.

    ¡°Who said I wanted space?¡± She asked, puppy-eying him from across the table.

    ¡°Oh, nobody I just ¨C well I thought that maybe ¨C It was just something I thought would work better.¡± He said, feeling guilty now. This was what she wanted, right? Why would she want him down her throat every 5 seconds while she¡¯s here?

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want¡­ I¡¯m not going to force you to be close with me.¡± She trailed. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you far away. If I¡¯m ¨C¡° She swallowed hard. ¡°If I¡¯m honest I want you. With me that is¡­¡±

    Talon¡¯s face flushed. Did she mean with him with him? Or just proximity? Did she actually like him? What if she feels obligated because he got those Alphas off her back the other day? Talon swallowed his eggs dryly. ¡°What ¨C What do you mean?¡±

    Lillian finally registered the words that came out of her mouth. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± She didn¡¯t not mean it like that. ¡°I just meant you¡¯re a bit far away and we¡¯ve been so close and I like your scent and I just ¨C¡± She took a deep breath, she was getting ahead of herself. ¡°I just enjoy your company is all.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± He averted his eyes to the couch behind her. ¡°Did you want to move? To be closer, that is.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind that.¡± She said, picking up her plate. Talon followed suit, walking with her over to the couch. The couch seemed a little¡­ small, for the two of them anyway. After Talon finished rooting through the cushions for the TV remote, and they had decided on a position, they laid down.

    Talon laid slightly tilted, but mainly on his back, and Lillian pressed against him and the back cushions. Talon had forgotten that she was naked, saved for his oversized t-shirt, until it rode up and exposed all the lovely things down-below. His next wave wasn¡¯t here yet, but the sooner he turned something on and broke his attention away, the better. He turned on the TV, which immediately lit up with a purple pony on the screen. ¡°Oh, Rorke! That dude never changes the channel back.¡±

    Lillian laughed. ¡°What do you have against My Little Pony?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure if this was a trick question. Some Omegas like shows from when they were younger, it was apparently a comfort thing. That was why Rorke did it, allegedly. Who knows if she watched purple-pony-princess or whatever when she was younger? ¡°Nothing. I just wasn¡¯t expecting to see Princess Sparkles the moment I turned the TV on. Especially with a cute girl here.¡± He winked, hoping that would dig him out of the hole.

    ¡°Princess <u>Twilight</u> Sparkle. And I¡¯m just playing,¡± she chuckled, snuggling up to his side. ¡°I haven¡¯t watched this show since I was a little kid. Regardless, what should we watch instead?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Talon shrugged. ¡°Rorke has been watching this zombie show lately. We could try that.¡± Lillian agreed, stating she was a fan of scary things. This was before realising Rorke was a chicken, and the show was nothing more than a drama.

    A few episodes in and two plates of eggs later, Talon felt the heat rise under his skin again. The next wave must be here, and it was insistent and unrelenting. Talon tried to focus on the show, but his eyes couldn¡¯t help but to keep looking at the skin on Lillian¡¯s hips and legs. His mind couldn¡¯t help but think of the way her body responded to his. Her scent, her taste, her submission ¨C it was driving him mad. He had figured this girl would be the death of him, but he didn¡¯t think death would come this quick or be this sweet.

    His breathing grew heavier, and his teeth tingled with the urge to bite. He figured the skin on her neck would look so good with bruises and teeth marks that matched her hips. Lillian¡¯s nose twitched, picking up the change in scent. ¡°Talon?¡± she asked, green eyes full of curiosity and apprehension. No response. Instead, his eyes darkened as he gripped her hips and bent her over the back of the couch. Lillian squeaked in surprise, quickly flying her hands to grip the couch and balance herself.

    As she arched herself to press against him, he pushed the tip against her entrance. ¡°I¡¯m sure you feel it too.¡±  He lulled.

    Lillian whimpered, pushing her hips against the tip, letting the shirt droop and expose her breasts. ¡°Please.¡± She breathed. ¡°I need you.¡±

    Talon decided he didn¡¯t need the encouragement and buried himself deep inside her. ¡°Aw.¡± He teased. ¡°Can¡¯t seem to get these last 5 centimetres in. I¡¯ll have to fix that.¡± He pulled out just to thrust harshly back in, feeling her pushing against him. She was soaked. When that had happened, he wasn¡¯t sure. But he certainly wasn¡¯t going to complain. Lillian cried as he thrusted into her with a brutal rhythm, gripping her bruised hips until his knuckles were white. Lillian¡¯s nails dug into the fabric of the cushions and the couch, tears springing from the corners of her eyes as he worked those last few centimetres in.

    Lillian¡¯s moans and cries were a beautifully conducted symphony, he hoped his landlord lied about the room being soundproof. The sounds he was pulling from her mouth were pure magic, in the moment, he wasn¡¯t sure why he was so nervous about sleeping with an Omega anyway. This was amazing. ¡°Fuck, Lillian.¡± Talon grunted, feeling the pressure building. ¡°I¡¯m going to knot you again. I want you to be leaking for days.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please.¡± She babbled more. ¡°Please knot me. Please. I need it.¡± Her eyes rolled back, overwhelmed by the pleasure as her arms strained to keep her on the edge of the couch. With a final thrust, Talon pushed them both over the edge again. Lillian trembled as she felt him stretch her out again, filling her as she clenched around him.

    Talon stilled for a moment, taking in the pale, tender skin on display in front of him. Carefully, he leaned down and kissed the back of Lillian¡¯s neck, nosing that spot and causing her to shiver. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked quietly.

    Lillian nodded, dazed. Lost for words as she came off her high. ¡°Perfect.¡± She spoke. ¡°Absolutely perfect.¡±

    Talon smiled, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°Good.¡± He said, voice gentle. ¡°I¡¯m going to move us, then we¡¯ll rest a bit and see where the day takes us.¡±

    Lillian nodded, letting him maneuver so they were snuggled on the couch. He wasn¡¯t happy she was still wearing a shirt, but in complete fairness, it was his shirt. Either way; his eyes were drooping, and he needed to sleep off this orgasm. The sky outside was grey, small drops of rain hitting the window and the streets below shrouded in mist. It was a good day to be inside. He looked down, Lillian was already asleep. It was a good day to be with her.

 An Alarming Encounter

    The afternoon light filtered through the raindrops and made its way through the windows, casting soft patterns across the couch. Talon lay on his back, staring tiredly at the ceiling as his vision came into focus. Lillian, at the moment, was warmly curled up next to him, her soft breaths constricting around his heart. He could feel the heat between them radiating. Live tension was impossible to ignore, it was electrifying. The simmering of his rut beneath his skin lingered in his mind, the desire primal and raw.

    Talon shifted, catching a whiff of her scent ¨C sweet and floral, unique to her. He had never smelled something quite like her before. It stirred something in him, a desire he didn¡¯t fully understand yet. He watched her, taking in her scent, the way her hair fell into her face only to puff it away again, the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept¡­ she was beautiful even when she was asleep. He knew that much already, though she was still a breathtaking sight in the early afternoon. She looked peaceful, lost in her dreams.

    The comfort of the couch couldn¡¯t last forever, and with the way the cushions of the couch were digging into his back, he didn¡¯t want it to. Talon could feel the pulsing within himself start up again. He needed to distract himself from the overwhelming desire. ¡°Lillian,¡± he whispered softly, petting her hair. ¡°Wake up, beautiful.¡±

    She stirred begrudgingly, blinking up at him as she registered where she was at. ¡°Mmm¡­ what time is it?¡± she asked, voice think with sleep.

    ¡°Time to find somewhere else to be.¡± He sighed. Lillian curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Talon¡¯s heart raced as his Wolf registered the proximity, the tension building as it swirled under their skin.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Lillian said softly, breaking the silence. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    He hesitated, the heat inside him bubbling. ¡°Just how nice it is to have you here,¡± he replied, his voice low and slightly charged.

    She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± he said, leaning down to press his lips against her forehead softly. ¡°You make everything feel¡­ different. Better.¡± And she was different. This whole thing was worlds apart from what he had expected. Every hour that passed melted the anxiety a little more. He hoped she could feel it too.

    Lillian smiled; her gaze always seems to ignite something primal within him. He felt his breath hitch as he looked down at her, the way her lips curled into a smile, the way she bit her lower lip as if trying to suppress her own desire. This girl was playing a dangerous game.

    The air between them shifted, and Talon felt the tension snap all over again. He leaned closer, capturing her lips with his, the kiss fanning a fire within him that he had no hope of extinguishing. Lillian responded eagerly, her hands gripping his shoulders as she deepened the kiss, their bodies moulding to each other.

    Talon¡¯s hands found her waist, snaking around as he pulled her closer and pressed her back against the couch. The world around them faded away, leaving only the intoxicating sensation of her body against his. The dizzying scent of her own arousal. She wanted this. He could feel the heat radiating between them, and the primal urge within him surged to the forefront of his mind.

    ¡°Lillian,¡± he mumbled against her lips. ¡°You drive me crazy.¡±

    ¡°The good kind of crazy?¡± she teased; her eyes sparkling as she nosed his hand. She wanted more attention.

    ¡°Every good kind of crazy,¡± he chuckled, leaning down to press his lips to hers again and ruffle through her hair. This time, the kiss was deeper, filled with urgency and need. He felt like his body was on fire. He could feel her body respond instinctively, pressing against him as he deepened the kiss, pouring all of the longing and desire he was showing right back into him.

    As they kissed, Talon felt the pressure building inside him, the throbbing ache of his knot reminding him of the instincts that surged through him. He pulled back slightly, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he gazed down at her. ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± he asked, his voice low. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold back. My ¨C My head. It¡¯s hard to think.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s gaze was steady, filled with a mix of longing and impatience. She was sure of this, in the beginning she wasn¡¯t, but she absolutely was now. ¡°I want you, Talon. I want all of you.¡±

    With those words, the last remnants of his restraint shattered. Talon kissed her again, threading his hands through her hair, smothering the tiny girl. He felt her warmth enveloping him, igniting him and swallowing him whole.

    He laid her back against the couch, his body hovering over hers as he kissed her deeply. Lillian¡¯s fingers tangled in his hair, arching herself into him, urging him on. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of them lost in a haze as the rain pelted against the window.

    ¡°Talon¡­¡± she breathed; her voice thick with longing as heat swirled in the air between them.

    ¡°God, I need you,¡± he grumbled, trailing heated kisses down the length of her neck, savouring the way she shivered under his touch. The heat radiating from her body only ignited his need further, driving him wild.

    In one swift motion, he shifted, positioning himself between her legs, his fingers slipping between her folds. The couch creaked beneath them, but he was far too lost in the moment to care. He captured her mouth again, their bodies melding together as she whimpered into his touch.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t stop,¡± Lillian gasped, her fingers clawing at his shoulders, urging him to press closer. Every touch sent waves of pleasure surging through them, the tension building until it felt it might shatter at any moment.

    Talon felt his knot pulse between his thighs, the pressure building as he rocked his hips against her leg. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he promised. ¡°Not for a second.¡±

    ¡°Need you!¡± she cried, arching her hips into his fingers, he could practically smell her desperation as she begged him for more.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to get me,¡± Talon growled, suddenly pulling his fingers from the needy Omega¡¯s folds. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second you¡¯re getting away.¡± He gripped her hip with one hand while his other tangled in her hair, a handful that left her breathless and completely at his mercy.

    ¡°Nnn¡­¡± Lillian whined, surrendering to him and relishing being so utterly controlled. Right now, she couldn¡¯t get away, even if she wanted to.

    ¡°Get up,¡± he commanded, his voice a low growl. He wasn¡¯t looking to wait. With a firm tug, he pulled her to her feet, dragging her along as he made his way to the bedroom. Their bodies brushed against each other as Talon left a trail of fire in his footsteps. He boomed towards the first room in the hallway, his ¨C no- ¨C their bedroom.

    Once inside, he kicked the door shut behind them with a slam, the sound echoing in the charged silence. He turned to her, his gaze hungry, and with a teasing smirk, he whispered, ¡°Now, let¡¯s see just how much you can take.¡± The tension in the air swelled, anticipation crackling like electricity as he threw her onto the bed and ripped the shirt off her.

    With that, he pushed her shoulders down and spread her so he could see everything. The purple and yellowing bruises on her hips, the pretty pink of her hole, and all the way down to the slick sliding down her plump thighs. He licked his lips, burying himself deep within her, feeling the warmth envelop him. He hissed at the tightness. The sensation was electric, a rush of pleasure that sent his mind spiralling. Lillian gasped, her eyes wide with surprise and delight as he filled her, wasting no time pushing back against his length.

    His rut surged through him, urging him to claim her, to mark her as his own. Talon thrusted deeper, the sounds of their pleasure piercing in the air as they became lost to their urges. ¡°God, Lillian,¡± he groaned, feeling her body tighten around him, pulling him in deeper. The sensations were overwhelming, and he felt the pressure building within him, a familiar wave that threatened to crush them both.

    ¡°More, Talon! Please! Fuck!¡± she cried; her voice filled with need as she pulled him closer. She felt like she was drunk. His scent¡­ it was intoxicating. It was thick ¨C she hadn¡¯t ever met anyone who could pump out so many pheromones. The autumn pinecones were stinging her nose, the ginger was making her eyes water, every bit of his scent was enveloping all of her senses until there was nothing left but Alpha.

    With each thrust, he felt himself slipping further into the depths ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure he planned to return, even as he watched the world around them fade away. He was lost in the sensation of her body against his, the intoxicating scent of her skin, the way she cried out his name as if he were the only thing she could think about. Talon two days ago on Friday evening could have benefitted knowing how good losing himself felt. It seemed no matter how hard he gripped her hips, no matter how far he pushed himself inside her, how often he kissed her ¨C she was pushing right back against him. She seemed to be enjoying this, a lot. He sure was enjoying himself.

    The bed creaked beneath them, the windows in the kitchen were probably absorbing enough sound to break them, but Talon couldn¡¯t care less. His expensive black silk sheets were getting every fluid imaginable soaked into the fibres. What a lovely reminder that¡¯ll be when she has to go home. All that mattered right now was the way they fit together, the way their bodies moved in perfect harmony. An Alpha and Omega¡¯s bond was truly something special and sacred, disregarding the way he was defiling the pretty girl right now. Talon felt the pressure reach its peak, a familiar rush of heat washing over him as he continued thrusting into her with everything he had.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to knot you,¡± he growled, his voice thick with desire, the instincts overwhelming him. His teeth tingled, had they ever done that before? He looked away from where he was disappearing into her and moved to the beautiful arch of her back. From there, his eyes trailed up to the delicious skin on the back of her neck, and around her shoulders.

    ¡°Yes! Knot me, Talon! Please!¡± she begged, her body arching into him, urging him on. Somewhere within himself he knew he shouldn¡¯t, but it seemed like such a great idea right now. A little taste wouldn¡¯t hurt, and his teeth felt magnetically pulled to those spots, so he decided he should.

    With one final thrust, he buried himself deep, feeling the familiar swell of his knot as it locked them together. Almost every ounce of restraint snapped in that moment as he leaned over and sunk his teeth in. Lillian¡¯s body tightened around him, her cries echoing off the walls as an aggressive orgasm surged through her body, pulling him over the edge with her.

    They both gasped as the world exploded around them, the pleasure washing over them like a tidal wave. Talon held her close, his hands gripping her waist and teeth gripping her skin as he filled her.

    As the sensations began to ebb, he pulled back slightly, licking the raised and punctured skin. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Concern flickered in his eyes.

    Lillian nodded; her cheeks flushed, ¡°I¡¯m okay, what did you do?¡± she whispered, her fingers brushing the teeth marks.

    Talon felt a pang of anxiety strike his fuzzy head, feeling the sense of exhilaration lessen within him. ¡°I ¨C I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± he stumbled, reluctantly pulling away from her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± He said lamely.

    As they caught their breath, the world outside felt distant, but he knew he couldn¡¯t ignore the reality that awaited them. Whatever the future held, Lillian was now a part of his life, and he wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. But why the fuck would he bite there?

    After enough time for Talon¡¯s knot to go down again, Lillian got up quietly, pulling him with her to the attached bathroom. ¡°Can we shower off really quick?¡± she asked, already reaching for the knob. Talon nodded, helping her with the finicky shower settings.

    As the steam began to fill the small bathroom, Lillian stepped into the tight shower, the warm water cascading over her skin and washing away the sweat and fluids from the last two days. She felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety as she glanced at the bite mark on her neck in the foggy shower glass, a vivid fear developing in her head.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    The tender skin around the mark was sensitive, and she couldn¡¯t help but run her fingers over it, tracing the shape of Talon¡¯s teeth. A wave of worry washed over her. ¡®What if he paired us?¡¯ The thought sent a shiver down her spine, a mixture of excitement and fear coiling in her stomach. She wasn¡¯t sure which one was more prominent at the moment.

    Just then, she felt Talon¡¯s presence behind her, warm and solid. He leaned in closer, pressing his body against hers, the heat radiating from him mingling with the steam. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked softly, using a hand to rub along her body ¨C trying to wash her with the water.

    Lillian turned slightly, her gaze locking onto the bite mark. ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s right next to my scent gland,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I thought¡­¡±

    Talon¡¯s fingers brushed against her skin gently. ¡°You¡¯re okay, Lillian. I wouldn¡¯t do that to you.¡± He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze, his eyes darkened with sincerity. ¡°I promise.¡±

    She searched his eyes, seeking reassurance, and as she found it, her worry began to fade. The mark, while a sign of his claim, was not a threat. It was a reminder of their connection, a bond that was deepening in ways she hadn¡¯t expected. But she hadn¡¯t been claimed, yet.

    Lillian sighed, the tension easing from her shoulders as she realized the bite wasn¡¯t a pairing bite. ¡°Okay,¡± she breathed. Her heart was racing, not just from fear, but from the intensity of everything.

    Talon¡¯s lips curled into a thankful smile; she wasn¡¯t upset. ¡°Now, let¡¯s clean up a little.¡± He leaned close to her, grabbing a random soap bottle behind her from the shelf. The shower was small, and barely fit them, but Talon kind of liked that she couldn¡¯t be far from him right now. He was enjoying washing the Omega, paying so much attention to her and watching as she smiled and melted under his hands.

    As Talon cleaned her, Lillian felt a surge of comfort wash over her alongside the soap. Somewhere within her, she knew that whatever claim he could have had on her, it was one she¡¯d willingly embrace. It was a strange feeling to have, she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be ready for an official claim until she was 25. Most people pair before then, but Lillian always felt it was smarter to make sure she knew what she was doing before deciding on a life partner.

    As the warm water poured over them, Lillian still felt the lingering throbs of the bite mark on her neck. Talon¡¯s hands moved tenderly over her skin, and while she found comfort in his touch, she was dreading brushing the knots out of her hair.

    After they finished showering, the two stepped out, steam swirling around them as they dried off. Talon¡¯s expression grew serious as he caught her gaze, a flicker of concern crossing his features. ¡°You know, I thought¡­ I thought I might have paired with you,¡± he admitted.

    Lillian¡¯s heart raced at his words, a mix of panic and excitement flooding her senses. ¡°You did?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

    ¡°Not in the way I wanted,¡± he clarified, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to mark you like that. I got carried away, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She stepped closer, her heart pounding beneath the drops of water lingering on her skin. ¡°But it¡¯s not on my scent gland¡­ it¡¯s right next to it.¡± She searched his eyes, trying to gauge his feelings. ¡°That does mean I¡¯m safe, right?¡±

    Talon¡¯s expression softened, and he nodded slowly. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re safe. I wouldn¡¯t hurt you.¡± The sincerity in his voice washed over her like a soothing balm. ¡°Or rather, I don¡¯t think my Wolf would let me.¡± Maybe he did have more control over his Wolf now. He had intended to bite right where his instincts led him, but somehow, he missed? That couldn¡¯t have been an accident.

    Feeling a wave of relief, Lillian took his hand, intertwining their fingers as they made their way to the bedroom. Once inside, they collapsed onto the bed, the sheets cool against their warm skin. Talon pulled Lillian against him, their bodies fitting together perfectly as he wrapped his arms around her. She nestled into his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rush anything,¡± he said quietly, brushing his fingertips along her spine. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you do to me, but you¡¯re special.¡±

    Lillian looked up at him, her heart swelling at his words. She loved the way he held her, so fiercely protective and yet so gentle. ¡°I feel the same,¡± she confessed, a shy smile playing on her lips. Her hair could wait, she didn¡¯t want to move and was frankly exhausted from the last two hours. Besides, her hairbrush wasn¡¯t important enough for her to leave the Alpha¡¯s warm embrace.

    <hr>

    Talon¡¯s mind was fogged with the remnants of his rut as he awoke again. Lillian lay beside him, her presence a warm comfort against his side, but the heat within him was insistent, and growing more intense by the minute. Talon could feel the urges thrumming beneath his skin, an overwhelming need to claim all of her again.

    He had never experienced anything like her before. She made his instincts scream at him, urging him to take control, lose his mind. Lillian stirred slightly, shifting closer as if sensing the change in his demeanour. Her soft breaths filled the air, and Talon¡¯s heart raced at the sight of her, so peaceful and beautiful. He could feel the tension building, the urge to take her was overcoming him.

    ¡°Lillian,¡± he groaned. He brushed a hand gently through her fluffy blonde bangs, savouring the moment. But as she opened her eyes, blinking sleepily at him, the heat surged again, more demanding than before.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± she said, her voice a soft melody that sent shivers down his spine. There was a sweetness to her that made him want to protect her against the world, meanwhile his Wolf also wanted to ravage her, to drown out everything else but the two of them.

    ¡°Morning,¡± he chuckled, his voice low and gravelly. It wasn¡¯t morning, but who cared? ¡°I¡ªuh, how are you feeling?¡±

    Lillian smiled; contentedness evident in her eyes. ¡°Tired but good. Earlier was¡ªintense.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Talon agreed, his heart racing as he recalled the feeling of sinking his teeth into her, her cries of pleasure. ¡°It was.¡± He could feel his blood pumping fiercely behind his skin, the need for her growing stronger by the second.

    As if sensing his uneasiness, she shifted closer, pressing her body against his. The warmth of her skin made his heart swell as he fought to keep his composure. ¡°Talon¡­¡± she whispered, her voice trailing off as she nuzzled against him.

    The sound of her voice sent his instincts spiralling. He could feel the heat pooling in his core, his aching knot begging for relief. ¡°Lillian, I¡­¡± he started, but the words got caught in his throat. Instead, he leaned down to begin to kiss her deeply. He wanted her. He needed her. He wanted to pour all the longing and desire he felt into that single kiss.

    She responded eagerly, her hands threading through his tousled blond hair as she pressed herself against him. Talon groaned, feeling his dick swell painfully as he deepened the kiss, their bodies moving closer. Just as they began to spiral out of control, the shrill sound of the fire alarm pierced the air, jolting them both back to reality.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Talon asked angrily, pulling her against him protectively as the blaring noise echoed through the apartment. Panic surged through him¡ªhis instincts flaring. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s eyes widened; her own worries flaring. ¡°Is it serious?¡± she asked, glancing around the room looking for any sign of a fire.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we can¡¯t stick around to find out,¡± he said, quickly throwing on a pair of pants and a t-shirt, his heart racing as he glanced back at Lillian. ¡°Get your things! We need to go!¡±

    She nodded quietly, throwing on whatever she could find within the room. She then scrambled to grab her phone as Talon undid the deadbolt, leading the way out of the apartment. The hallway was filled with the sound of the alarm, panicked conversations, and the hurried footsteps of other residents. Talon¡¯s protective instincts kicked in as he shielded Lillian with his body, guiding her through the chaos. If he didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d pick her up to get her out faster and safer. She was far too small to be in all this chaos.

    They made their way down the stairs, the noises echoing in the enclosed space. Talon could feel his rut still simmering beneath the surface, a constant, maddening reminder of what they were risking going outside right now. The adrenaline coursing through his veins heightened his awareness, the scent of Lillian mixing with the panic in the air.

    As they reached the ground floor and stepped outside, the cool mist and interspersed drops of rain hit them. The alarm continued to blare, and residents gathered on the sidewalk, some still in their pyjamas, most looking bewildered.

    Talon scanned the crowd, his instincts still on high alert. It wouldn¡¯t take long for panic to lessen and for people to pick up the scent of an aroused, unmated Omega and an Alpha in rut. It was illegal to be out in public while in a mating cycle. ¡°Let¡¯s move over there,¡± he said, pointing to a shadowy corner of the alleyway beside the building. It was secluded, away from the crowd, and he could still keep an eye everything going on.

    Once they were tucked away in the alley, he turned to Lillian. His heart pounded, not just from the alarm, but from the close proximity to her. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion. ¡°What now?¡±

    Before he could overthink it, his Wolf within him surged again, primal and insistent. Talon stepped closer, backing her against the cool brick wall of the alley. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t hold back much longer,¡± he panted, his body feeling hot and clammy in the chilly England weather.

    Lillian¡¯s breath hitched, and before she could respond, he kissed her with an urgency that stole her breath away. The sound of the alarm faded away; it was just the two of them, and the pounding of their hearts echoing in the quiet space.

    He pressed against her, feeling the warmth radiating from her body. Lillian whimpered softly as his hands gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him. ¡°Talon¡­¡± she gasped, her body responding instinctively to his closeness.

    He couldn¡¯t help it. The moment their bodies connected; it sent a jolt of electricity through him. He thrust against her, feeling the heat of her body seep into him. ¡°You feel so good,¡± he groaned, ¡°I can¡¯t help myself when I¡¯m around you. I want you up against this wall. Right now.¡± He darkened, waiting for a green light of any kind.

    ¡°Please,¡± she whispered, her eyes lighting up with an unspoken ¡®yes¡¯. ¡°I need you.¡± She whined, pulling her shorts down to allow him better access and lifting a leg up for him to grab.

    Talon grasped her leg with one hand, pulling his shorts down enough to pull his cock out. With a growl, Talon obliged, picking up her other leg and hiking her up against the brick. He thrusted into her with a force that made her gasp. The alleyway was filled with the sounds of their bodies meeting, a symphony of pleasure that drowned out the world outside. He could feel her warmth enveloping him, pulling him deeper and deeper into the haze of desire.

    ¡°God, Lillian,¡± he whispered, his hands gripping her hips as he drove into her harder. ¡°You¡¯re so tight¡ªso perfect.¡±

    ¡°More, Talon! Please!¡± she begged, her voice breathy and loud in the small alley.

    It was clear he was driving her just as crazy as she drove him, but he knew they couldn¡¯t be too loud. They¡¯d get in a lot of trouble if they were caught out here with Talon in his current state. With each thrust, he felt himself slipping further into the depths of his instincts. He was lost in the sensation of her body against his, the intoxicating scent of her skin, the way she cried out his name as if he were the only thing that mattered.

    It took a moment to gain the cognition. He moved one arm further under her ass to help keep her up and moved the other hand to press against her mouth to muffle the loud moans and cries. It helped, not much, but it helped. It was hot to have this control over her, knowing he could try anything and still have a good time with her. But it was also important to him knowing she was intelligent enough to tell him to stop for any reason. He admired her agency when they discussed their boundaries on Saturday.

    The alleyway felt like a small sanctuary, a private world where nothing else existed but their pleasure. Talon felt the pressure building inside him, a familiar wave of heat singing through his veins. ¡°I¡¯m getting close,¡± he grunted, his voice strained.

    ¡°Fuck, Talon,¡± she cried, her body arching into him. ¡°Wait! We¡¯ll be stuck here!¡± She exclaimed, pulling her mouth from his hand easily. With one final thrust, he pulled himself out right as his knot swelled, shooting several thick ropes of cum on her legs and the brick wall. Lillian¡¯s hips couldn¡¯t help but try to chase him as he broke away.

    They both panted as the world filled in around them. The fire alarm had stopped, potentially a few minutes ago, as people started to file back into the building. Now that everyone was less panicked and ready to return to their day, their noses twitched ¨C sensing the two nearby. Talon held her close, his hands gripping her waist as he caught his breath, admiring his fluids on her.

    As the sensations began to ebb, he pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling in the cool air. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he sighed, concern flickering in his eyes.

    Lillian nodded, her cheeks flushed, worry about their predicament seeping in. ¡°I¡¯m very okay,¡± she whispered, her fingers brushing against his cheek. ¡°But it¡¯s time to go in now. We can¡¯t stay here.¡±

    Talon chuckled softly, the tension of his rut beginning to fade. ¡°Let¡¯s get back inside before someone sees us,¡± he agreed, reluctantly pulling away from her and gently lowering her onto her shaky legs.

    As they hurriedly fixed their clothes, the adrenaline still pulsing through them, Lillian couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of urgency. They needed to get inside before anyone noticed them lingering in the aftermath of the alarm. Talon adjusted his shirt, his movements quick and slightly frantic as he glanced towards the lobby.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he decided, taking her hand and guiding her towards the entrance. The moment they stepped into the lobby; the atmosphere shifted. A crowd of guests were filtering back in, and Lillian felt a wave of relief wash over her¡ªuntil the door swung open, and an Alpha entered.

    The Alpha stood tall and imposing, his muscular frame radiating strength and authority. Dark, slicked back long hair framed a sharp face with sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline. His intense, piercing hazel eyes held a predatory glint, scanning the room with confidence. He dressed in comfortable clothing that appeared too small, but accentuated his build, he moved with an effortless grace that exuded both danger and allure.

    Lillian felt the moment he caught her scent; his nostrils flared, and his gaze locked onto her with an intensity that made her heart race. Talon¡¯s grip on her tightened, his body tensing beside her. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± the Alpha asked, his voice low and smooth, dripping with possessiveness as he stepped closer, his eyes flicking between Lillian and Talon. There was an air of arrogance in his deep voice, it was obvious he was accustomed to getting what he wanted, and in that moment, he viewed Lillian as a prize.

    Talon¡¯s expression darkened, a protective growl rumbling low in his throat. ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± he asserted, stepping in front of Lillian, shielding her from the Alpha¡¯s gaze. The tension in the air tasted stale, and Lillian could sense the impending confrontation.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± the Alpha replied, looking at her clearly unmarked neck. A smirk played on his lips as he took another step forward. ¡°I can smell her; she¡¯d be quite a treat.¡±

 Lost in Translation

    ¡°Back off,¡± Talon growled, his body coiling with anger. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this.¡±

    Lillian felt heat boiling under her skin, flushed with the anxiety of the situation. ¡°Talon, please,¡± she urged softly, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Her voice was drowned out by the charged atmosphere, the two Alphas locked eyes, rumbling lowly towards each other.

    ¡°Just walk away,¡± Talon warned, his tone low and dangerous. ¡°I won¡¯t say it again.¡±

    The Alpha didn¡¯t back down, clearly, he had no intentions to anyway. Instead, he leaned in closer, eyeing Lillian with desire and competition. ¡°I think she deserves to make her own choice,¡± he taunted, glancing at her with an unsettling grin while licking his lips.

    Lillian wasn¡¯t sure if it was him, or the fact that she had just spent enough time with Talon to find other Alphas repulsive, but his scent stung her nose in the most uncomfortable way. His presence made her feel small and worthless, even her Wolf recoiled at the sight of him. They needed to get out of here.

    Panic continued to rupture within Lillian as she realized the situation was spiralling out of control. ¡°Talon!¡± she exclaimed, stepping between them to interject. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± She insisted. Classes on intersecondary gender dynamics made it clear Lillian had made a potentially poor decision. When Alphas were fighting over something, especially a mate, the Omega should never step between them. That was asking for things to escalate and a fight to start. This guy was huge, but Talon¡¯s rut gave him a fighting chance. Lillian just wanted to leave.

    In an instant, Talon broke his eyes from the Alpha¡¯s gaze to her, his expression softening as he met her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let him take you,¡± he insisted, his voice strained and frustrated. He felt like a lousy Alpha. He couldn¡¯t even convince one Alpha to leave his mate alone. But, oh, she wasn¡¯t his. She did have a right to make her own decision. Maybe she wanted someone stronger than him, more confident, more-

    ¡°Please,¡± she begged, reaching for his hand. ¡°We can¡¯t fight here. Let¡¯s just go back upstairs.¡± By this point, the lobby had a few people onlooking, and Lillian herself was pushing out enough distress pheromones to fill the room. It was bitter, panicked, it honestly should have been enough to give that Alpha the answer to her choice. Her scent stung out of her scent glands, tingling against her skin with the slight burning of soured fruit, the odour was a long way off from the citrusy soft delight she normally exuded.

    Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, Talon hesitated, his tension easing slightly. ¡°Okay,¡± he relented, but the fire in his gaze remained. He locked eyes with the Alpha again.

    With urgency, Lillian tugged him toward the staircase, feeling the Alpha¡¯s eyes boring into their backs. As they stepped inside the stairwell, she pressed her back to the cool concrete, her heart racing as she felt Talon¡¯s agitation bubbling next to her.

    Once they reached their floor, Lillian hurriedly led him to their room. She fumbled with the knob, her hands shaking as she finally pushed the door open. They slipped inside, and she quickly deadbolted the door behind them, leaning against it with a sigh.

    ¡°Fuck, Talon,¡± she breathed, turning to face him, her heart still pounding. ¡°That was too close.¡±

    He ran a hand through his hair, tension radiating from him as he paced the entryway. ¡°I can¡¯t <u>believe</u> that guy,¡± he ranted, frustration etched across his features. ¡°He had <u>no</u> right to look at you like that. <u>Talk</u> to you like that. <u>Exist</u> around you like that-¡±

    Lillian stepped forward quickly, placing a calming hand on his arm. ¡°But I¡¯m here with you,¡± she reassured him, her voice steady. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him. I want to be with you. I chose you.¡±

    Talon¡¯s expression softened as he pulled her into a stressed embrace, pressing together as the heat began to settle. ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose you,¡± he stuttered, his voice a whisper against her hair.

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± she promised, squeezing around his waist with her arms. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡± Lillian exhaled a shaky breath, the tension still heavy in the air. ¡°I¡¯m just glad we got away,¡± she follows, stepping further into the room. ¡°But Talon, you don¡¯t have to worry about him. I¡¯m here with you.¡±

    He turns to her, his gaze gentle. ¡°I just want to protect you, sometimes I worry I can¡¯t.¡± he said, his voice earnest. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to make you feel uncomfortable or threatened. I¡¯m not the confrontational type, but I couldn¡¯t sit back and do nothing, especially with those knotheads at the Fox.¡±

    With a nod, Lillian walked towards the bedroom, and Talon followed. They sat together on the edge of the bed, the atmosphere shifting as they begin to settle, finally. As Lillian shifted closer, Talon instinctively wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him as they laid back onto the soft sheets.

    For a moment, there was a silence between them as they snuggled up. Talon adjusted his position, pulling her closer until she fit perfectly against his side, her head resting against his broad chest. The chaos of everything outside faded into the background once again as Lillian felt the warmth of Talon¡¯s body next to hers, grounding her. She closed her eyes, letting the tension leave her.

    Breaking the quiet, Talon took a deep breath. ¡°Lillian,¡± he starts, his voice steady but slightly charged. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for the past year.¡±

    Her eyes fluttered open as she looked up at him, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve noticed you around,¡± he continues. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you going into classes, into the caf¨¦¡­ every time I saw you, I couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to you. But I was too nervous to say anything because¡­ well, you¡¯re just so pretty. I was scared.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s heart swells at his confession, a mixture of warmth and shyness flooding her. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you a few times too,¡± she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I just... didn¡¯t know you noticed me. Nobody seems to. I thought I was just another Omega. Keeping her head down.¡±

    Talon¡¯s expression seemed slightly pained as he moved closer, his eyes locked onto hers. ¡°You¡¯ve never been just another Omega to me, Lillian. You¡¯re special. I didn¡¯t think someone like you would ever be interested in someone like me.¡±

    The air between them quickly surged, Lillian felt the rush crashing under her skin. ¡°I like you too, Talon,¡± she replied, her heartbeat deafening in her ears. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid to say anything. Talking is hard.¡±

    A smile broke across Talon¡¯s face, he definitely understood how she felt. As they laid, Talon wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. He loved having her close, it felt right. Lillian rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. The sun was ready to set, and the rain had cleared. Lillian mused she may need another shower after the filth she participated in while outside for the fire alarm.

    <hr>

    Lillian had always been one to wake when she didn¡¯t wish to. She wasn¡¯t sure what time it was, but she felt it may be morning. She was surprised Talon slept through the night; she assumed his rut must be wearing off if his Wolf didn¡¯t wake him up for more coupling. As Lillian stirred awake, she enjoyed feeling the weight of Talon¡¯s arm draped protectively over her. She took a moment to savour the peace of the morning; the tension from the night before having settled, finally. She felt she had been too open about her growing feelings for Talon. She didn¡¯t want him to feel guilted into a relationship with her, he had a right to get back to his life after this.

    As she shifted slightly, Talon stirred, blinking sleepily. His eyes met hers, sleepy blue finding her green in the dark room. A subtle, goofy smile spread across his face as he brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. ¡°Good morning,¡± he mumbled, his voice scratchy with sleep. He could definitely get used to a view like this in the morning.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Lillian chirped quietly, her heart fluttering at the sight of him. The warmth bloomed in her chest, a mix of affection and the lingering anxiety about the day ahead. She¡¯d have to leave soon, regardless of how much she didn¡¯t want to.

    They spent a few moments in silence, quietly enjoying each other¡¯s presence before Talon stretched and sat up. ¡°What do you want to do today?¡± he asked, yawning as he ran a hand through his hair. When had he taken his shirt off?

    ¡°I thought we could just relax,¡± Lillian suggested, feeling a hint of shyness at his exposed skin, and at the prospect of another quiet day together. A girl could pretend this is how her life was going, waking up next to a handsome and very shirtless Alpha, ¡°Maybe we can heat up that soup I made the first night later on?¡±

    ¡°Sounds perfect,¡± Talon replied, a soft smile gracing his lips as he gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. He seemed more at ease, but Lillian felt the trickle under her skin. She felt several chaotic emotions from the way he was treating her, the confrontation still lingering in the back of her mind. Just yesterday he was dragging her around by her hair, aggressively fucking her, and trying to fight some idiot in the lobby. Now he was snuggling her, kissing her forehead, and asking her what she wanted to do today.

    This was so far away from what she had expected at the end of his rut. She expected him to ease back a bit, not turn into a huge puppy. It was kind of nice though, she decided she didn¡¯t mind. Her old Alpha had been so aggressive and rude all the time, she still kicks herself for being with him as long as she had. Even in the haze of his rut, Talon was still mindful of her. She had been nervous at the start, but now, she was dreading going back to her life without him.

    As they got up and moved around the apartment, Lillian could sense the subtle tension that still surrounded Talon. She could see that he was still fighting the remnants of his rut, the energy still simmering beneath the surface. It was both comforting and concerning, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of anticipation. The longer he felt like this, the longer she¡¯d get to stay. But she came here to help his rut, and make sure he was there for his final in a few days. She hadn¡¯t come here to fall in love or be a distraction to him.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Talon said, glancing over at her as he poured himself a glass of water. He could tell she was deep in thought but wasn¡¯t sure what about. Maybe he had taken it too far yesterday? She seemed okay going to bed, but Omegas are finicky like that. ¡°Are you doing okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, though even she could hear the slight tremor in her own voice. ¡°Just thinking about¡­ everything.¡±

    He turned to face her fully, tilting his head as he handed her a glass of water. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    She took a small sip, ¡°I just want to know how you¡¯re feeling about your rut ending,¡± she felt guilt pang through her at the lie. ¡°Is it getting easier?¡±

    Talon took a deep breath, thinking hard. ¡°It¡¯s definitely starting to wear off,¡± he said, his voice quiet. ¡°I can feel it. But I¡¯m still¡­ I don¡¯t know how to explain it. There¡¯s still this intensity, a need that¡¯s not quite gone.¡± He felt almost home free from his rut. The worst he had done was the bite, but she seemed to enjoy it with how often she was reaching up to touch it and whining happily against him when he brushed over it with his tongue.

    Lillian nodded, a small bit of excitement washing over her. ¡°It must be hard to manage. I know my heats can get that way sometimes.¡±

    Talon couldn¡¯t help but let his mind wander about her heats. They had brought it up the first day and talked briefly about it, but the thought of her in heat made his dick twitch. He thought back to the way she smelled when he was fingering her, the sweet vanilla and citrus wrapping around him and infiltrating his brain. That had to be a core memory, he felt her scent was nothing more than a drug created to destroy his senses. In heat, it would be much more potent. She¡¯d be desperate and writhing, he was sure he could satisfy her needs.

    He could feel the fog start to cloud his brain. ¡°It is,¡± Talon snapped back, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare you, and I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I¡¯ve been trying to keep it under control, but it¡¯s difficult.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, I trust you, Talon.¡± she reassured him, curious about the far-out look in his eyes. ¡°You seem very worried about hurting me, but so far, you¡¯ve been better than anyone I know. I know you told me a little about what happened before, but I really think you¡¯re past that.¡±

    He met her gaze, sincerity in his eyes. ¡°I just want to make sure you¡¯re safe, especially with everything that¡¯s going on.¡±

    As they continued talking, the tension between them shifted slightly. Lillian felt something deeper spark, but she knew she had to navigate this carefully. They didn¡¯t have to rush anything; they could take their time, just as they had been doing.

    As the morning transitioned into afternoon, Talon had suggested they watch something to pass the time. They settled onto the couch, Lillian curling up tiny against Talon¡¯s side. The film played softly in the background, but she found it difficult to focus on the screen. Instead, she was noting the way Talon¡¯s body reacted to her presence¡ªhis warmth enveloping her, the slight tension still lingering in his muscles, the way his body just seemed to invite her closer.

    As the film continued, Lillian felt the stirrings of Talon¡¯s rut begin to rise as small bursts of energy crackled between them. His scent started getting deeper, she couldn¡¯t help but release her own to add to the mix. When he shifted slightly, she could feel the heat radiating off him, the way his exposed skin pricked against her own like static electricity.

    ¡°Let¡¯s heat up that soup,¡± Talon suggested after a while, breaking the building silence. ¡°I could use something to eat.¡± She could feel his need, smell it too. Why wasn¡¯t he taking her? What was going through his head?

    ¡°Sure,¡± Lillian replied, dreading moving from the couch, from him. Maybe he wanted to bend her over the counter? They stood up together, and she felt the intensity of his gaze on her as they made their way to the kitchen.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    As they microwaved the soup, the atmosphere shifted again, and Lillian could sense that Talon was becoming more restless. She glanced at him, noting the way he rubbed the back of his neck, she had started picking up that he rubbed his neck when he was thinking about something. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked, probing.

    ¡°Yeah, just¡­ trying to manage this,¡± he said, looking away from her. ¡°It¡¯s hard when I¡¯m so close to you.¡± He decided not to tell her he was putting off the end of his rut so she didn¡¯t have to go.

    Lillian wasn¡¯t sure why he was holding back. ¡°I get it,¡± she said softly. ¡°But we can take things slow.¡±

    After they enjoyed the soup, they returned to the couch, the air thick with unspoken words and hesitation. Lillian leaned her head against Talon¡¯s shoulder again, feeling the growing warmth of him next to her. He had been feeling the building all morning, and now into the afternoon. After everything that happened yesterday, he wanted to give her some time. Avoid hurting her, avoid overwhelming her.

    When this was over, he didn¡¯t want her to run away from him. She seemed so comforted by him, but so delicate and nervous. He had to be doing something wrong to make her feel that way, or at least he figured. He never fully understood the inner workings of an Omega¡¯s brain, and Rorke was far from the right one to ask.

    ¡°We can just enjoy being here together.¡± she said, breaking the silence.

    Talon nodded, but she could see the struggle in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to hold back,¡± he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I can feel the need building inside me, and it¡¯s¡­ overwhelming.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s breath caught in her throat, the weight of his words sinking in. She knew what this meant, and the realization sent a thrill through her. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

    ¡°I want to be close to you,¡± he whispered, bringing a hand up to play with her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but I need to feel you.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s heart jumped as he played with her hair, melting under the gentle touch. ¡°Then let¡¯s not hold back,¡± she said softly, her voice filled with resolve as she pushed her head into his hand.

    Talon¡¯s expression shifted, relief washing over him. He pulled her closer, their bodies meshing as he pressed his lips against hers. The kiss deepened, finally lighting the fire that had been accumulating gasoline between them as Talon¡¯s hands found their way deeper into her hair and around her waist, pulling her closer.

    Lillian felt her heart thrumming quicker in her chest as she surrendered to him, finally getting what she had wanted all day. As the kiss deepened, she could feel the primal energy radiating from him, it sent shivers down her spine. She knew this may be the last go-around of his rut, but she could tell it was going to be good.

    As Talon¡¯s hands explored and stripped her body, Lillian felt a rush of warmth enveloping her. It was nerve-wracking to be so bare under his gaze, but something was exciting about it too. Every touch ignited her senses, and she could feel the heat building between them. With how hot and heavy everything was now, before he had even been inside her, she knew this was going to be far beyond lovely ¨C if not enough to break her.

    With an explosive urgency, Talon directed her back towards the bedroom, manhandling her into a position that would benefit his needs. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, his breath warm against her skin as he left little bites across her shoulders and pressed her hips against the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lillian breathed, her heart racing. ¡°Please.¡±

    With a deep growl, Talon leaned down to meet her shoulders, using a hand to brush her hair out of the way. Once he cleared the area, he bit down, capturing her shoulder with a harsh bite as he pushed his full length into her. Lillian arched towards him while he pressed his body against her, whining as her senses exploded under his teeth. She wasn¡¯t sure what spot he was hitting, but it was maddening.

    As he slid into her, Lillian sucked in harsh breaths, the sensation sending ripples of pleasure coursing through her. The way he slammed into her with full force was everything she¡¯d been needing; this dipshit Alpha just made her wait longer than she had wanted to. Talon¡¯s grip on her waist tightened, and she could feel the urgency within his movements. With each thrust, the intensity grew, Lillian found herself surrendering completely to the moment, to him. Talon still had his teeth sunk down on her shoulder, next to several love bites and bruises. He kept a grip on her, growling into her skin has he aggressively met her hips with his own.

    Soon enough, Talon¡¯s breathing became ragged, his eyes darkening as he finally released her from his teeth. The Wolf within him surged, driving him forward as he pushed deeper, their bodies sweaty and hot in the stuffy bedroom. Lillian gripped at the dishevelled bedsheets with all her strength, moving her hips to meet his as she yielded to the overwhelming sensations.

    As Talon continued to thrust into her, he could feel his knot ready to lock. She was going to look so pretty taking it all. Their scents building in the room were suffocating and practically toxic, and with each movement, she felt the tension build to a breaking point. She was ready to lose herself to him, every orgasm he had pushed her through had been body-breaking, and every thrust made her lose her breath a little more.

    ¡°Fuck, Lillian,¡± Talon gasped, interrupting himself with a growl. ¡°You feel so good. I¡ª¡±

    Talon could feel the heat exploding in his groin, in his head, in his hands, everywhere, as he death-gripped her hips ¨C he had no idea what to do with himself but continue driving forward into her. His hips stuttered, his hands seemed to spasm, his thighs shook, all at once he felt his entire body fail him for words or correct movements. In that moment, as he pushed deeper, his knot finally broke, locking them together. He fought himself to stay still; even as his knot swelled, his hips still wanted to continue thrusting into her, fucking his knot deeper into her as she writhed.

    Lillian cried, squeezing her eyes shut as the sensation of being filled overwhelmed her senses, and constrictions of pleasure consumed her. Talon¡¯s groan echoed through the room, the intensity of his rut slowly draining as he pumped her full.

    In that moment of bliss, Lillian felt the weight of his rut lift, the aggressive energy dissipating as they caught their breath. She could feel the warmth of him enveloping her, enjoying him draping himself over her as they came down from the high. Lillian didn¡¯t think she had felt that fuzzy in a while, it¡¯s like her head was underwater in the loveliest way possible.

    As they breathed heavy together, Talon held her close. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her lovely scent as he calmed and cleaning up the mess he¡¯d made with his teeth earlier. ¡°That was¡­¡± he started, trying to find the right words. ¡°Amazing. You have no idea.¡±

    Lillian cracked a dopey smile, feeling similarly. ¡°I think I do,¡± she replied, drooling slightly into the sheets.

    As they laid together, the aftermath of the sex left them both feeling spent. Lillian enjoyed as Talon licked over the marks he left and nuzzled her gently, waiting for the knot to go down. She could feel the tension in his body easing as the remnants of his rut trickled away, replaced by just him. She wondered if he would feel embarrassed when he was fully back in control.

    ¡°You¡¯re very soft,¡± Talon muttered, still nuzzling her scent glands. ¡°And smell really good.¡±

    Lillian smiled, her chest tightening at the complement. ¡°Thanks, you smell pretty good yourself.¡± She chuckled.

    Talon pulled her into bed, careful of his knot still locked in her as the feelings of his rut swirled down the drain and the fog cleared. She seemed very comfortable at the moment, but what would she do when they woke up? The entire reason they were here together was to help Talon with his rut. Now that it was over, she didn¡¯t have a reason to be here. Talon felt a sense of dread building, knowing he¡¯d have to let her go soon.

    As they settled into bed, Lillian felt relieved but also a bit nervous. They had finally finished his rut together, but she knew that the end of it came with a lot of new feelings and challenges. Who knows how he would feel when they woke up later this evening? She decided not to worry about it until later. Talon¡¯s knot hadn¡¯t deflated yet, and she was tired. The sheets were soft, Talon was warm, and for right now, she didn¡¯t want anything else. She decided to savour the moment while it lasted.

    <hr>

    Lillian woke slowly, Talon¡¯s body warming her skin. She shifted slightly, feeling the weight of Talon¡¯s arm draped over her. His rut was over, and she had to start preparing herself to go. As she turned her head, she noticed that Talon was still asleep, his features relaxed and the tension of his rut finally gone.

    She breathed in deeply, becoming aware of the discomfort of her own state. His knot had slipped out hours ago - she wasn¡¯t sure what time it was anymore. She was covered in sweat and other remnants from the sex, and the thought of leaving his apartment in that condition made her cringe.

    Carefully, she slinked from his embrace, deciding against waking him just yet. Talon stirred slightly but didn¡¯t open his eyes, his expression still lost in sleep. Lillian smiled at the sight before slipping out of bed and heading toward the bathroom. She needed a shower - now. She wished Talon would join her, but at the moment he needed rest. He also likely didn¡¯t want to do that now that his rut was over. Can¡¯t hurt to leave the door open, just in case.

    Talon had been asleep, lost in a deep slumber, but the sound of the running water gradually pulled him from his dreams. As consciousness returned slowly, he blinked against the warm light seeping from the bathroom, groggy and disoriented. He shifted slightly and felt the cool air against his skin, he was still nude. Which would make sense, he guessed. A rush of warmth flooded his cheeks as he remembered the intensity of his rut, his mind flashing through images of her bare skin.

    He turned his head, catching a glimpse of Lillian¡¯s towel draped on the top of the open bathroom door. The sound of water splashing filled his ears, and he felt heat creep into his cheeks. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going through her mind. Did she feel as awkward as he did now that his rut had ended? Why leave the door open?

    Talon rubbed the sleep from his eyes and pushed himself up, the sheets sliding off his body, leaving him feeling more exposed than he desired. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering haze of sleep as he wandered to his dresser to grab a pair of shorts. Popping his head just around the door, he saw Lillian¡¯s blurry form through the foggy shower glass.

    Talon looked away quickly. ¡°Lillian?¡± he called softly, unsure of whether she could hear him over the running water.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied from inside, her voice slightly muffled.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He hesitated, unsure whether he should just walk in or give her privacy. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable. Why ask if she was okay? She was probably fine and just wanted him off her skin.

    ¡°Just taking a shower,¡± she said, and he could hear the hint of amusement in her tone. ¡°I¡¯ll be out soon.¡±

    He nodded, even though she couldn¡¯t see him, and took a step back to give her space. The thought of her in the shower with the water cascading over her skin made his heart pick up pace. He felt flustered and unsure of what to do with himself. It was strange to feel so vulnerable after everything.

    As Lillian showered, Talon decided to occupy his mind with something else. He moved to the bedroom and began tidying up, making the bed and trying to smooth the sheets that had rumpled over the last few days. He could still see evidence of their coupling, a few stains on the sheets and pillows.

    As he worked, he picked up Lillian¡¯s clothes from the floor and folded them neatly, placing them on the bed. He noticed how small and delicate everything seemed as he handled her things. It felt surreal that she had been with him through all of this, maybe he wasn¡¯t that bad.

    She was still showering, so he moved to the kitchen, grabbing a container to store what was left of the soup for her to take with her. He wanted to make sure she had something to eat later, it was the least he could do. The thought of her leaving made his heart ache, but he reminded himself that this was for the best. She had come to help him, and now that his rut was over, she would need to return to her own life.

    After a few minutes, he tuned into the sound of the shower running and his mind wandered to thoughts of her. He could hear her humming softly, and it made him smile. The urge to join her was strong, but he felt unsure. He didn¡¯t want to assume she wanted him there. The last thing he wanted was to interrupt her personal time ¨C especially if it¡¯s because he was feeling clingy.

    Meanwhile, Lillian was in the shower, enjoying the feeling of the hot water mingling with the conditioner as she worked through the tangles in her hair. She thought about Talon¡ªhow gentle he had been this morning, how different he felt now that his rut was over. She was grateful for how he had treated her, but a part of her felt uneasy.

    What did this mean for them? She had come to help him, but now she wondered if he would still want her around. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he might see her as a burden once things returned to normal. She had helped him through his rut, a gesture she considered her way of repaying the debt she owed him for driving off the knotheads in the caf¨¦. Now that his rut was behind him, she felt the weight of her obligation had lifted, which also meant it was time to let go of her foolish feelings and move forward.

    After rinsing out the conditioner, she turned off the water and stepped out, walking to the door to pull the towel from the edge where it hung. She took a moment to admire the marks he¡¯d left, her hair still damp and curling slightly at the ends. When she returned to the bedroom, she was surprised to see Talon had been busy. The bed was made, her clothes folded neatly on top, and the man was nowhere to be found. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but the way her clothes sat neatly on the bed made her heart sink.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve been productive,¡± she waltzed into the kitchen, trying to fake an amused smile and keeping the towel held to her chest.

    Talon turned, flustered at having been caught in the middle of the chaos. ¡°I just thought¡­ you might want to take some soup with you,¡± he stammered, scratching the back of his neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how long you¡¯d be in there, and I figured it might be nice for you to have something to take with you.¡± Talon rambled, following her back to the room and propping himself in the doorway.

    Lillian felt a warmth spread through her at his thoughtfulness. ¡°Thank you, Talon. That¡¯s really sweet of you.¡± She turned, dropping her towel. Talon whipped around quickly, scampering off, trying to give her privacy. Lillian smirked at the flustered Alpha as he quickly left to rearrange the fruit bowl again. Any distraction other than her was a good one. Lillian grabbed a set of clothes off the bed and began to get dressed, her heart heavy with the impending departure.

    As she changed into clean clothes, she noticed the way Talon was giving her space¡­ too much space. His expression all morning was nearly unreadable, and he hardly made any eye contact ¨C different from in his rut when she didn¡¯t have a moment where his eyes weren¡¯t on her. She felt a pang of uncertainty. Was he doing all this to politely push her away?

    When she finished dressing, she walked into the kitchen, and as she caught his eye, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was ready to say goodbye. ¡°Talon,¡± she began, hesitating. ¡°I -¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re probably ready to head out,¡± he interrupted, trying to keep his tone light despite the ache in his chest. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve done what you came here to do, and I really don¡¯t want to keep you if you need to go.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s heart sank at his words. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡± she said slowly, but the words caught in her throat. The way he looked at her, his expression a mix of sadness and understanding, it made her feel like she was missing something important.

    ¡°I just thought¡­¡± Talon started, his voice trailing off. He felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. Maybe she was spooked after everything, especially after he had almost paired bonded her. He didn¡¯t want to push her, especially if she didn¡¯t want to be here anymore. She¡¯d been shut up in this apartment with her for a few days now, he was sure she wanted to get ack to her life. Without him in it.

    Lillian felt a knot form in her stomach. ¡°Talon, wait -¡± she began, but he was already stepping back, giving her space as if she had already made her decision. Everything in her screamed to step forward and press a palm to his mouth, shut him up while she figured out how to say what she wanted to.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said softly, willing his voice to stay steady. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have things to do, I understand. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The finality of his words cut through her, Lillian realized he was prepared to let her go. It felt like a door closing on what they had built together, and the thought made her heart ache. ¡°I -¡±

    ¡°No, really,¡± Talon insisted, his voice firm yet gentle. ¡°You can go. I don¡¯t want to keep you here if you¡¯re uncomfortable.¡±

    ¡®But I¡¯m not uncomfortable!¡¯ She wanted to assure, but it seemed his mind was already made up. She had to leave, it didn¡¯t seem he was taking no for an answer. It was odd, his voice seemed off. Why was he so insistent that she had to leave right now?

    The weight of his words hung in the air, and Lillian felt like she was being dismissed. She grabbed the container of soup and her packed bag, biting her lip as she opened the door, the opening click of the deadbolt echoing in the quiet apartment.

    ¡°Take care, Lillian,¡± Talon said quietly, his voice filled with unspoken emotions. He was too much of a coward to tell her to stay, and it would be selfish to ask that of her.

    She nodded, her heart heavy, and stepped outside, feeling the emptiness of the space surrounding her. The door quietly shut behind her, the sound echoed throughout Talon¡¯s empty apartment and in the hallway. She hadn¡¯t even looked back. He stood there for a moment, deflated, watching her leave and feeling loss wash over him.

    His brain spun, thinking about the last few days ¨C well ¨C what he could remember. Everything in him felt the loss, the pull, the deep-seated pain. His Wolf, his heart, his head, his dick, his hands ¨C they all wanted her back. He had been wanting her for the last year, and now that he had her, he had to go fuck it up and drive her away. Story of his life.

    But what had gone wrong? Had he scared her off?

    With a heavy heart, Talon sank down onto the bed, the sheets slightly rumpled from Lillian getting dressed. He stared at Lillian¡¯s towel, hanging on the edge of the bathroom door. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had let something that could have been perfect slip through his fingers. The emptiness in the room mirrored the hollowness in his chest.

 Horizons

    Talon sat at the kitchen table, textbooks sprawled out in front of him, but his focus was nowhere near the pages. He felt drained, and not just from the two exams he had already prepped and taken this week, but also because of Lillian. His mind kept drifting back to her, replaying every moment they''d spent together. Her laughter echoed in his ears, and he could almost feel her warmth beside him when he wasn¡¯t sulking over being alone. Rorke and Oliver exchanged glances, sensing something off.

    "Alright, spill," Oliver said, leaning back in his chair with a knowing grin. "You''re not even pretending to study."

    Talon sighed, pushing his textbooks away and staring at the ceiling. "It''s Lillian," he admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "I can''t stop thinking about her. She was just... amazing."

    Rorke smirked, nudging Oliver. "Sounds like someone''s smitten," he teased. "What was it about her?"

    Talon felt his cheeks heat up, a flustered smile tugging at his lips. "I don''t know, man. Everything, I guess. She was just so... genuine. The way she laughed; the way she made me feel like I was the only one in the room. She had this spark, you know? She had a way of lighting up the whole world."

    Oliver chuckled, crossing his arms. "Sounds like you''ve got it bad, mate. What else did you guys do? Aside from the obvious, of course." He teased, smirking and waggling his eyebrows at him.

    ¡°Oh, fuck off!¡± Talon laughed, a soft smile spreading across his face as he recalled all those little moments. "We cooked together. Well, she cooked, and I tried not to burn anything. She made this amazing stew, and we just talked... about everything and nothing at all. It was so easy with her."

    Rorke grinned, leaning forward. "And? Any Netflix and chill?"

    Oliver chuckled. ¡°Hulu and do you?¡±

    Talon groaned, rolling his eyes. "We watched some terrible zombie show. She laughed at all the wrong parts, and I couldn''t stop watching her. She was just... herself. She was so shy, but confident, if that makes any sense."

    Oliver elbowed Rorke, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sounds like someone''s head over heels. Think you''ll see her again?"

    Talon''s smile faltered, uncertainty clouding his expression. "I hope so. But when she left, it was like... I don''t know. Maybe I was just a phase, something to get over her ex or something."

    Rorke shook his head, patting Talon''s shoulder. "Hey, give her some time. If she felt even half of what you''re feeling, she''ll come around. You just gotta be patient."

    Talon sighed, trying to take comfort in his friends'' words. But the ache in his chest remained, a constant reminder of what he was missing. He picked up his pen, attempting to focus on his notes, but his mind kept wandering back to Lillian. Talon''s thoughts spiralled, the weight of what-ifs pressing down on him. He put down his pen, staring blankly at the notes in front of him. "I just¡ªI''m worried I scared her off," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

    Rorke and Oliver exchanged glances, their teasing expressions softening into concern. "What do you mean?" Oliver asked, leaning forward.

    Talon sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I was so worried about being too rough with her. I mean, the last thing I wanted was to hurt her, but... there were moments when I felt like I lost control. I kept thinking, what if I went too far, you know?"

    Rorke nodded, understanding in his green eyes. "You said she seemed okay, though. Did she ever say anything about it?"

    "No," Talon admitted, shaking his head. "She seemed fine, but what if she was just putting on a brave face? I mean, she let me know her boundaries and I thought I respected them, but... I don''t know. I feel like I fucked up somewhere, somehow."

    Oliver interjected, trying to reassure him. "Talon, if she was uncomfortable, she would''ve said something. From what you''ve said, she had enough trust in you to say at least that. "

    Talon nodded, but the doubt lingered. "There was also... another thing," he continued, hesitating. "I almost... I almost pair bonded with her."

    Rorke''s eyes widened, and Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" Oliver asked, leaning back in his chair. "That''s intense, dude. Did she know?"

    "She did, but didn¡¯t say much about it," Talon replied, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "I mean, I felt it happening, and I stopped myself, but what if she was upset by it? What if that''s why she left?"

    Rorke leaned over, giving Talon a reassuring pat on the back. "Look, if she felt that connection, it''s not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it just caught her off guard. It¡¯s a lot for any Omega to process."

    Talon thought for a moment ¨C maybe she was just unsteady and still working through her emotions? But the uncertainty gnawed at him. "I keep replaying everything in my head, trying to figure out if I did something wrong. I just... I miss her." He shook his head, as if trying to find a clear thought. ¡°I wish I could apologise, but I don¡¯t know what I did. I¡¯d take it all back if I could make it right.¡±

    Oliver offered a sympathetic smile, his tone gentle. "Give it some time, Talon. If she felt anything like what you''re feeling, she''ll come back around. Maybe she just needs a moment to sort through it all."

    Talon agreed, though his heart still ached. He picked up his pen again, trying to focus on his studies, but the pages in front of him seemed meaningless without Lillian. The thought of seeing her again was both hopeful and terrifying. He had seen her briefly around campus, but she kept her head down and wouldn¡¯t look at him. Maybe this is for the best, he¡¯ll learn from this and do better next time. The problem was, he didn¡¯t want another Omega. He wanted Lillian.

    <hr>

    Lillian sat curled up on her couch, surrounded by a fortress of blankets and books that had become her refuge in the days since leaving Talon''s apartment. Nesting always had a way of settling her inner Wolf when she felt distressed. Especially now as she went through what she felt was ¡®withdrawal¡¯.

    She''d tried to immerse herself in her studies, hoping a familiar schedule would drown out the chaotic emotions swirling within her. Yet, every time she turned a page, her mind drifted back to him - his laughter, the warmth of his embrace, and the way his eyes softened when he looked at her. The memories played on a loop, haunting her as she attempted to focus on anything but her aching heart.

    Her day-to-day life had taken on a monotonous pattern, each day blending into the next. She woke up each morning with the intention of being productive, but the weight of her thoughts made it difficult to concentrate. The zombie show she and Talon had started together played quietly in the background, a bittersweet reminder of him. She found herself unable to engage with the story, her mind instead replaying the whole weekend. She pulled a pillow to her chest.

    She knew her feelings for Talon were a complex, tangled web of emotions that ran deeper than mere infatuation ¨C something that she hadn¡¯t felt in a while. Some Alphas were gorgeous, and around her heat they all looked like lovely options, but it was never more than an appreciative passing glance. She was drawn to Talon in a way she couldn''t explain, a gravitational pull that defied all her attempts at logic. It wasn''t love ¨C at least, she didn''t think it was ¨C but it was significant, and it scared her.

    She felt a deep connection to Talon, especially after sharing his rut, all the conversations they had gave her butterflies. That was until his rut had finished and it was like he wanted nothing to do with her. Was she being clingy or needy? Lillian hadn¡¯t done this before, and had no idea how it was supposed to be after. She signed the contract in the beginning, it only lasted for the length of his rut, so what good was asking him to spend more time with her?

    Her friends had noticed her distractedness, their concerned questions met with forced smiles and vague reassurances. She hadn''t confided in them about Talon, the experience too raw and personal to share. Lillian had always kept her personal life ¨C especially any intimate parts of her life ¨C private. She had tried to speak about it with a therapist once but got too shy and changed the topic. She keeps her feelings bottled up, wrestling with them in solitude as she tried to make sense of her emotions and reality.

    The container of soup sat untouched in her minifridge, a small reminder of Talon''s thoughtfulness. Eating it felt like a finality she wasn''t ready to face. Once it was gone, she''d have to wash the container and return it, meaning she¡¯d have to face the Alpha again. The thought made her shake nervously. She wasn''t ready to see him, not when the air between them was thick with her unspoken words and their unresolved tension. She felt out of place sometimes, feeling a bit too submissive and shy for her own good.

    Lillian had been an Omega from a very young age, her first heat popping up when she was only 11. She had always been comfortable with her identity, but her past experiences had left scars. The trauma from her previous relationship with her old Alpha still lingered, making her wary of giving herself fully to another. It was a subconscious fear that reared its ugly head, fuelling her anxiety about her future with Talon. Or rather, the future she wanted with him. She worried about overwhelming him, about being seen as clingy now that his rut was over. She wanted to believe that she could have a relationship with him, but his recent actions made her doubt whether he wanted the same.

    Lillian''s independence was something she valued, something she''d fought hard to maintain after all the bullshit she had been put through because she was an Omega. She knew she could handle herself, that she didn''t need an Alpha to define her worth. But the idea of having someone like Talon, someone who could understand and support her, was comforting. She wanted to be with someone who cherished her, who saw her worth beyond being an Omega. Even though she knew he was in his rut, she felt he could still see her for her.

    The confrontation with the other Alpha in the lobby had been a big turning point. It had made her realise how deeply she was falling for Talon, how much she valued the way he protected and stood up for her. It was a stark contrast to her past, where she''d been a fun plaything, never truly valued. Talon''s actions had shown her how much she meant to him, but still, she hesitated. Sometimes she felt like he liked her too, and other times he was giving her so much space she might as well be on a different planet. It was so damn confusing!

    Fear of vulnerability kept her from reaching out. She worried about getting hurt, about opening her heart for once only to have it broken. So, she suppressed her feelings, burying them beneath layers of logic, caution, and her nest. She told herself that leaving was doing what Talon wanted, that she was making it easier for him to return to his life without her. She convinced herself that she was protecting them both. Who knows what he wanted; Lillian had barely had the discussion with herself on what she wanted.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    But as she sat in her quiet apartment, surrounded by the remnants of their time together, Lillian couldn''t shake the feeling that she was running away from something she shouldn¡¯t. She wanted to be brave, to confront her feelings head-on, but fear seemed to put her in a headlock. She didn''t know if she was ready to face Talon again, to risk her heart in a way she hadn''t before. So, for now, she buried herself in her books and the comfort of her couch, hoping that maybe time would bring her clarity and courage.

    <hr>

    Lillian had been walking around campus to clear her head. The last few days, her room was beginning to become suffocating, and she couldn¡¯t handle having to watch another episode over again because she wasn¡¯t paying enough attention. She had tried to use toys to give herself a sense of relief, but the moment she was done, the lingering melancholy came back. She was done running, done fighting, and needed to find anything else to distract her. Distractions like walking. Until she noticed Talon sitting on a bench, head in his hands. All at once, she felt herself snap. Somewhere in her heart she was concerned by how sad he looked, but her brain was sick of working overtime and had too much to say.

    Lillian stormed across the campus courtyard, her mind a muddled mess of thoughts and feelings. Every step seemed to echo her frustration and hurt, propelling her forward with a resolve she hadn¡¯t felt in days. She¡¯d been avoiding this confrontation, but the sight of Talon sitting on a bench, looking lost, was too much to ignore. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of anxiety and frustration urging her on.

    Talon looked up as she approached, surprise flickering across his features, quickly replaced by a wary expression. He stood up, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow as he watched her plant herself in front of him. "Lillian ¨C" he began, but she cut him off, her voice sharp, laced with the anger she¡¯d been bottling up.

    "No, Talon, you cut me off last week, it¡¯s my turn," she interjected, her words pouring out in a rush. "Why did you push me away? After everything we went through together, you just shut me out. I thought you wanted me, but now I don''t know what you want." She spoke loudly, a few people nearby turning their heads ¨C slightly amused by such a little thing speaking so bluntly to a mountain of an Alpha.

    Talon opened his mouth to respond, but she held up a hand, her anger bubbling to the surface. "Let me finish. You made me feel like I was nothing, like I was just there to help you through your rut and nothing more. That¡¯s why I came there to begin with, but you seemed to act like it was more than that. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Like I was disposable, like I was an idiot who gave you the time of day. And then you didn''t even try to stop me when I left, you practically begged me to leave!"

    Talon¡¯s shoulders sagged, the weight of her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. What the fuck had he done? "I was scared," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn¡¯t want to hurt you, and I thought I was doing the right thing by letting you go. You had a right to get back to your life, without me."

    "Better off without you?" she echoed, incredulous. Her eyes were bright with a mix of anger and gathering tears. "You didn¡¯t even ask me what <u>I</u> wanted. You decided for me, that¡¯s not fair, Talon. I¡¯m not some fragile Omega that needs protecting from you. I <u>chose</u> to be with you, that was <u>my</u> decision to make!" She ranted, her hands moving erratically alongside her words.

    Talon stood there, his eyes locked on hers, feeling the raw emotion in her words. "I¡¯m sorry," he said softly, taking a tentative step toward her. "I - I thought I was protecting you." He averted his gaze, feeling the weight of his own inadequacies.

    Lillian was about done with his bullshit excuses. ¡°Protecting? I¡¯ve been lost without you the past week, and you were <u>protecting</u>?¡± Lillian scoffed. ¡°You talked a big game about watching me, about how I was ''special,'' but you couldn¡¯t be there after you were done using me? Was this all just a sick game to you?¡± Her voice was sharp, each word landing like a whip on his guilty conscience.

    Talon winced at her accusation, the hurt in her eyes cutting deeper than anything he¡¯d ever felt. He wasn¡¯t sure where to start. Should he defend himself? Beg for forgiveness? Did she just want to be angry and get this off her chest, then never talk to him again? "Lillian, you were never, ever a game to me," he said, his voice earnest, though tinged with desperation. "I¡¯m sorry I made you feel that way. I wish ¨C" He paused, searching for the words. "I wish I could take it back."

    "Words are much easier to take back than actions, Talon," Lillian replied, her voice laced with the remnants of her anger. "You say I¡¯m special, yet your actions repeatedly told me otherwise. You let me walk away without a fight. You didn¡¯t even try to understand what I wanted, what I was feeling."

    She crossed her arms, her eyes blazing with hurt. "You almost pair-bonded with me, Talon. You know how serious that is! That''s supposed to be permanent. Yet, you just let me walk away like I was nothing. How could you do that? How could you pretend to care <u>that much </u>and then just throw me away?"

    Talon''s heart sank. He hadn¡¯t realized how deeply he had wounded her. She had every right to be as pissed as she was. "I didn¡¯t mean to," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was scared, Lillian. I didn¡¯t know how to handle it. The amount of feelings I have for you ¨C it terrified me."

    "Scared?" Lillian asked, thinking of the soreness in her hips. "So, you thought it was okay to leave me with all these marks and just disappear?!" She pulled down the collar of her shirt aggressively, revealing the litter of bites and marks along her shoulders, neck, and collarbones. "These aren''t just physical, Talon. They''re reminders of how you left me feeling confused and hurt. I¡¯ve had to stare at them every day since I left. Don¡¯t even get me started on my hips that look like they¡¯ve been tattooed to be a fucking galaxy." Her hips had started healing, but she was still sore. They were nearly black initially from how hard he had gripped them, but had since faded into various shades of blue, purple, and yellow.

    Lillian¡¯s gaze softened slightly, letting out a breath and lowering her hands, but her frustration remained. "I don¡¯t want you to protect me from yourself, Talon. I want us to be honest with each other. I can¡¯t keep guessing what you¡¯re thinking. We need to communicate. If we¡¯re going to be together, we have to talk about what we want." She slipped, mentioning them being together.

    Talon caught it, staring at her with a blank expression. ¡°After all this, you still want me?¡± His voice was tinged with disbelief, as if he couldn''t quite process the idea that she might still want anything to do with him.

    Lillian sighed, a mixture of exasperation and affection in her voice. "Talon, I wouldn¡¯t be here if I didn¡¯t want you. Yes, I¡¯m angry. Yes, I¡¯m hurt. But I came here because I care about you. Because I thought we had something worth fighting for. Worth bitching at you about." Lillian chuckled softly.

    He looked at her, his heart pounding with uncertainty. "I thought I¡¯d ruined any chance of that," he admitted, his voice soft and vulnerable. "I thought I¡¯d lost you for good." There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes as he tried to find the right words. "You¡¯re right. I messed up, and I¡¯m sorry. I do want you, Lillian. I never stopped wanting you. I just didn¡¯t know the right way to do this. Can we... can we start over somehow? Try to figure this out together?"

    She hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding as she considered his words. The fire in her chest gave way to bloom of hope. "I¡¯d like that," she replied, her voice softer now, though still tinged with the remnants of her frustration. "But you have to promise me, no more shutting me out."

    "I promise," Talon said, his voice soft. "No more running. We¡¯ll figure this out together, I swear."

    They stood there for a moment, the tension between them slowly easing as they looked at each other. Lillian felt the knot of anxiety in her chest begin to loosen, replaced by a tentative sense of peace. They stood in front of each other, breathing heavily while Lillian¡¯s tears dried and the flush in her cheeks dissipated.

    Talon reached out, taking her small hand in his. "I¡¯ve missed you, Lillian," he confessed, his voice tinged with vulnerability and a longing that mirrored her own feelings. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to get you out of my head since you left, either.¡±

    She squeezed his hand, a shy smile playing on her lips despite herself. "I¡¯ve missed you too," she admitted, feeling the warmth of his touch seep into her, grounding her. She had been boiling, and hadn¡¯t been that upset since she got grounded when she was seven. But now ¨C oddly ¨C his hand was warm and she could feel all the anger melting away. He did care.

    Talon nodded; his expression remorseful as he looked at her. "I know I¡¯ve said it before, but I really am sorry. I was so caught up in my own fears and insecurities that I didn¡¯t see what I was doing to you - to us. You deserve better than that." She did, and part of him wondered if she was making a mistake dating an idiot like himself.

    The sincerity in his voice tugged at her heart, and she nodded, her eyes bright and happy. "I just need to know that you¡¯re in this with me," she said, her voice steady despite the emotion behind it. "I need to know that you¡¯re willing to fight for us, even when things get tough." He guessed she did want this, and there was no harm in trying ¨C trying was the least he could do after putting her through all this.

    "I am," he assured her, his grip on her hand tightening slightly as if to emphasize his commitment. "I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you how I feel for so long, but I¡¯ve always been too afraid. Afraid that I¡¯d mess it up, afraid that you¡¯d see all the parts of me I don¡¯t like showing to anyone."

    Lillian took a deep breath, settling herself as she listened to his worries. "Talon, I¡¯ve seen those parts of you, they don¡¯t scare me. I want to see all of them. They make you who you are, and I wouldn¡¯t change that. I just wish you¡¯d trusted me enough to let me in sooner."

    He nodded, his expression one of understanding and regret. "I know, and I will. I promise I¡¯ll do better. I don¡¯t want to lose you, Lillian. You <u>are</u> special, I couldn¡¯t ever lie about that."

    Her heart jumped, and she felt the last of her frustrations evaporate, leaving only a sense of relief. "Then let¡¯s work on this together," she said softly, her voice filled with determination. "We¡¯ll figure it out."

    Talon smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile that made her heart flutter. "We¡¯re in this together," he agreed, pulling her into a gentle embrace. Talon tucked her head against his chest, cradling the back of her head and wrapping an arm around her waist. Her hair was soft, smelled like her, it was intoxicating. All his. She melted against him, feeling the warmth and comfort she¡¯d been missing since she left.

    As they stood there, wrapped in each other¡¯s arms, Lillian felt a sense of calm settle over her. The uncertainty of the past week faded away, replaced by the comforting knowledge that they were finally on the same page.

    The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the campus, painting the landscape and buildings in hues of red and amber. Talon released Lillian from their embrace, but not without taking her hand in his, a gentle, reassuring touch that spoke volumes. As they began to walk together, side by side, an unspoken understanding settled between them, wrapping them in a cocoon of newfound hope and possibility.

    With each step, they stole glances at each other, their expressions softening as their earlier tension gave way to a giddy, almost childlike happiness. The weight of their conversation lingered, but in its place was a sense of relief and the excitement of a fresh start.

    Lillian caught Talon''s eyes several times as he looked at her, his gaze filled with an intensity she had never seen before. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time, and in that look, she felt the depth of his feelings. There was something unguarded and raw in his expression, a vulnerability that hinted at emotions he had yet to voice. Through his hand, she could feel how fast his heart was beating ¨C she wondered if he could feel hers doing the same.

    ¡®Is that love?¡¯ she wondered, her heart skipping a beat. The thought made her cheeks flush, a warmth spreading through her chest. The idea that he might love her was both exhilarating and terrifying. She initially didn¡¯t think her feelings were love, but maybe she had been wrong. How else would she describe the flutter in her chest?

    Talon squeezed her hand gently, as if sensing her thoughts, and gave her a shy, yet heartfelt smile. It was a dopey smile that reached his eyes, crinkling the corners and lighting up his entire face. In that moment, Lillian felt a surge of affection so strong it took her breath away.

    ¡®I love you.¡¯ The words were unspoken, yet they hung in the air between them, palpable and real. She realized then that she did feel that way, and perhaps, she had all along. It wasn¡¯t just the connection they shared or the way he made her feel safe and cherished. It was the way he looked at her, the way he listened, the way he was willing to fight for them, and put up with her ripping into him.

    As they continued to walk, hand in hand, the setting sun casting long shadows behind them, Lillian felt a sense of peace settle over her. The path ahead was still uncertain, and there would be challenges to face, but with Talon by her side, she felt ready to embrace whatever came their way.

    They didn¡¯t need words to express what they felt. The gentle squeeze of their intertwined fingers, the soft smiles exchanged, the sweet lingering of their mingling pheromones, and the warmth of their shared presence were more than enough. Together, they would find ways to communicate, and perhaps, in time, those unspoken words would find their voice. The truth was, she loved him. Two weeks ago, Talon was a mess of anxiety, but with Lillian, he¡¯d never felt more confident. Love heals, and it had found its way to him.