Thanks, guys, for sticking around. It means a lot. I hope you also enjoyed this chapter. Axel is still amazing. He's the perfect book boyfriend. Who thinks so too? But I must admit, Ryder took the cake on this one. Do you have a favorite character? Let me know in the comments.
I opened my eyes to an unknown ceiling. The halo glow from the neon light of the rectangular bulb peered down on the bed. I shifted, freezing when my body ached. Bits and pieces of memory returned. Lucian and I on the bed. Us on the floor. In the bathroom. The kitchen area. We did nothing but ate, slept, and have sex. I sat up to find Lucian perched at the end of the bed. “Ryder will be here shortly.” His voice low and dangerous. The same tone he used with me back in college. “You should be showered and clothed by then.” I hated that tone. It was the note he used when I pissed him off. So, we slept together. What was so wrong in helping him through his rut? He should be thanking me. Fucking bastard! I gripped the duvet. “I don’t have any clothes.” The ones I wore were God knows where. Lucian rose to his feet. “There are clothes in the closet. Wear that until you get home.” With that, he walked out of the room, dismissing me. Not even a backward glance. And we were back to bein
Ryder slid beside Axel. He stiffened and scooted away from him. A wild reaction. The two had a bond since college that nothing could break. Ryder’s scent relaxed Axel. Ryder used that to his advantage, keeping Axel close. But somehow for the past week, their usual interaction has strained. Axel kept Ryder at arm’s length. And by the deep frown on Ryder’s face, it was a matter of time before he snapped. Ruder had a tendency to be rash when it came to Axel. He liked the idea of Axel being dependent on him. No matter how Axel behaved, their relationship has always been ruled by Ryder. How they met. The direction their friendship went. Up until today, I doubt he told Axel how he planned every single detail of their relationship. Even if Axel found out, he wouldn’t stay mad for long. Ryder had that disgusting personality that seeped under one’s skin and changed their minds. I hated him for it. He could make his worst enemy his best friend in minutes. Whatever Ryder did this time, Axel di
A burning sensation danced across my chest. I forced back a cough. The makeup artist seemed oblivious to the excess makeup power swirling in the air. She brushed away at the creases of my nose. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying her torture would end. This entire interview got on my nerves. If it were not for the people who rallied behind me, I would have said ‘fuck it’ a long time ago. I perked up at the voice of the television producer. A cue to the makeup artist and thank heavens she stepped back. More grateful of the producer, I opened my eyes and forced a smile. She observed her handy work. “You have amazing skin. I am almost envious of how good it looks.” I tried to keep my smile in tact. “Thanks. It must be because I'm an omega.” This was my second time doing an interview here and she said the same thing the first time. Her familiar chortle floated between us. “Darling, I am an omega, and I don’t have flawless skin like yours. I guess it must be a supreme dominant thing. The
Lucian Benedict. The last person I would ever want to ask for help.I shifted on the leather seat. “Is there no one else?”Odessa shook her head. Two curly tendrils danced on her forehead. “With the time frame we have, he is the only person close enough to aid.” She hesitated for a second. “He is the one who opted to purchase the hospital. The mall idea is still not clear. There are no concrete facts of what occurred, but he pulled out of the running last night.”Damn it.Why did that bastard have to be so wealthy? It did not matter how much money I accumulated over the years. Lucian's wealth was far more superior than any supreme dominant.I wiped my clammy hands in my trousers. “Why? Do you think he’s finally decided to torture me?”Why now? He established his hatred for me years ago. I finished college. Started a career. Became something. Made a difference. He could have stifled me back in college. Why now? Why?“Sir?” Odessa covered her nose with her palm. “Your pheromones.”My ey
I settled in silence, trying to remain calm. It would be a pain if Lucian started to use his pheromone. It was not a guarantee of how long I would last in this room. As a supreme, his pheromone was stronger than any ordinary alpha. In a battle of pheromones, he would dominate mine with ease. That was clear when he confronted me in college. The memory lingered in my head. How easy it was for him to have me on my knees, panting. Yet, I could not hate him.Sure, I despised how he won the awards that interested me. It annoyed me how much he refrained from associating with omegas. It was even more irritating how he could unsettle me with a single glance. I didn’t want to be attracted to such a beast. I had to be the bigger person, despite who killed who. The reality of it made me want to drown myself even more.Lucian raked his hand through his hair. “This meeting is over. You may leave.”“When will you stop blaming me for our parents’ mistakes? I am not my father, and you aren’t yours.”H
“Honey, I am here.” Ryder waltzed into the private restaurant room. He planted a wet kiss on a startled Axel. The poor guy pushed his friend away and wiped his forehead. Ryder pouted and clasped his chest. “Awe, baby, you’re breaking my heart. Didn’t you miss me?”Axel ignored him. Ryder never lost his beam until he looked at me. He leaned into Axel. “What’s wrong with him?”“Tyrith visited the office today,” Axel answered, not bothering to whisper.Ryder’s lips took on an oval shape. The waitress entered the room. Ryder peered up at her with a smile. “Sally, my boyfriend had a terrible day at the office. I want him to feel better. Can you get us the best dessert on the menu?”Red spread throughout the blonde’s cheek. “Yes, sir.” The female retreated without acknowledging the rest of us. Beta or not, they all groveled at Ryder’s feet. His carefree personality made things worse. People wanted to feel good about themselves and Ryder was the guy to make that happen. I was sure the blonde
My heartbeat pounded in my temples. I peeked at Odessa to check if she heard it. Her silence forced me to return my attention to the elevator doors. A ding sounded and the doors opened. I blew out a long breath. The bodyguard from the previous day greeted us with a scrutinizing look. I swore these alphas needed some manners.I brushed past him and down the hall. Voices traveled to us.Jaxon’s grunt floated in the air. “Stop treating him like a child. He’s an adult. If you spoil him anymore, he’ll get out of control.”“Jaxon is just jealous,” a masculine voice teased.Axel’s voice came alive. “You two, stop that. I’m at work.” The tenderness in his tone reminded me of a parent.“Then, tell him to get lost,” Jaxon whined. I chuckled at the sound. Jaxon often came across as a stringent child. To hear him whine came as a shock. “First, he stays at your place, eats your shit, uses your stuff, and now he shows up at your work unannounced. I’m going to call dad.”The small group of men came
Sex.Could you be any more of an idiot, Tyrith? Of all the things, you had to say sex. And in front of Lucian. He was going to think I liked him. God, I wanted to die. How could such a word leave my mouth? Sure, it had been a while since I indulged in such acts. I spent my heat cycle locked in my apartment. My life was fine without sex. At least, I thought so, but to say such a thing. Such abomination. Lucian remained silent, evoking more nervousness. I licked my dry lips. Lucian abandoned his chair. I glanced at the door, calculating the time it would take for me to get to it. Lucian got involved in sports back in college. Judging by his muscular build, he worked out. Me, well, the only exercise I did was run up a few steps a day or rush a patient to the operating room. Nothing too serious.Even if I ran, my escape was not guaranteed. My body went under the previous stress of enduring two dominant alpha’s pheromones. If Lucian released his, I would collapse. If I was not a supreme,
Ryder slid beside Axel. He stiffened and scooted away from him. A wild reaction. The two had a bond since college that nothing could break. Ryder’s scent relaxed Axel. Ryder used that to his advantage, keeping Axel close. But somehow for the past week, their usual interaction has strained. Axel kept Ryder at arm’s length. And by the deep frown on Ryder’s face, it was a matter of time before he snapped. Ruder had a tendency to be rash when it came to Axel. He liked the idea of Axel being dependent on him. No matter how Axel behaved, their relationship has always been ruled by Ryder. How they met. The direction their friendship went. Up until today, I doubt he told Axel how he planned every single detail of their relationship. Even if Axel found out, he wouldn’t stay mad for long. Ryder had that disgusting personality that seeped under one’s skin and changed their minds. I hated him for it. He could make his worst enemy his best friend in minutes. Whatever Ryder did this time, Axel di
I opened my eyes to an unknown ceiling. The halo glow from the neon light of the rectangular bulb peered down on the bed. I shifted, freezing when my body ached. Bits and pieces of memory returned. Lucian and I on the bed. Us on the floor. In the bathroom. The kitchen area. We did nothing but ate, slept, and have sex. I sat up to find Lucian perched at the end of the bed. “Ryder will be here shortly.” His voice low and dangerous. The same tone he used with me back in college. “You should be showered and clothed by then.” I hated that tone. It was the note he used when I pissed him off. So, we slept together. What was so wrong in helping him through his rut? He should be thanking me. Fucking bastard! I gripped the duvet. “I don’t have any clothes.” The ones I wore were God knows where. Lucian rose to his feet. “There are clothes in the closet. Wear that until you get home.” With that, he walked out of the room, dismissing me. Not even a backward glance. And we were back to bein
Where was he? I checked the time on my watch. He was gone longer than he should have. Lucian had masks made to withstand his pheromones. But this time, his pheromones were out of control. There was so much the mask could prevent. I, for one, knew this. The mask I wore was built like those and there were days when Lucian’s pheromones would seep through it. No matter how much I tried to stay away from him when he was angry, he was my boss. I couldn’t avoid him completely. He would never allow it. I squirmed in the seat. Thoughts of Ryder’s whereabouts clogged my rational thoughts. He could have collapsed. Dominant Alpha or not, he could never handle Lucian. He would never win him in a fair fight, much less one with pheromones. Tyrith did say he would clothe him in his pheromones. The idea unsettled me, but we did not have a choice. Lucian would be furious if we allowed people to die while he was out of it. The last time he ended a life, he… The gloves he wore were a prime example he
Clothed. Lucian’s pants hugged his waist. No shirt. Disappointment washed away my excitement. I couldn’t believe I expected him to be naked. With the thought came another wave of elation. He never touched them. Nothing happened between him and the betas. My pheromones grew stronger. I waltzed over to him, stopping a few feet away. He seemed more composed than I hoped. Instead of gold eyes, he stared at me with black irises, gold sclera with green limbal rings. Beautiful. He tilted his head to the side. I watched Ryder through the corner of my eye. He disappeared into what resembled the bathroom. Then the closet. Done he turned to the five other betas passed out around us. Lucian never moved. He watched me. I stayed put, giving Ryder time. One male laid on the bed behind Lucian. Two females on each side of the bed on the floor. A male in the doorway of the bathroom. Another male near the door leading out from the way we came. I figured he would be the easiest to get out. The two fe
Tucked in the backseat of Ryder’s Nissan Titan XD pricked at my anxiety. It flared at the realization of the direction he drove. He and Axel argued in the front seat. I would have understood their coded talk if my heart managed to settle down for a second. We drove out of the city and passed the suburbs. Things were not right. It made me uneasy. “I lose my mind during my rut,” Ryder announced out of the blue. “I can assume it’s the same for you, Tyrith.” What did that have to do with anything? I nodded. It was one of things ruts and heat had in common. The sexual desire grew to the point where its victim would lose their minds. If one was not careful, they would do the most shameful acts with the worst people. Back in college, one of the omegas in my lecture went into heat and slept with a professor. They were both ashamed of their actions. We could see it on their faces. Eventually, the professor resigned and moved elsewhere. The omega transferred. Heat and rut never cared who the
I collapsed in my chair. The day’s schedule had gotten brutal. Being a mayor and maintaining my doctoral duties was becoming a problem. I had always been a workaholic, but this was too much. My work prevented me from harboring unwanted thoughts. Not this time. Ever since Lucian used and discarded me, my brain refused to shut down. No amount of work could stop it from thinking about the supreme alpha. I blew out a long breath. I was a lost cause. Odessa sauntered into the office with a folder and package. She placed both on my desk. I straightened. “What else do I have on my schedule?” “You have the rest of the evening with Mr. Soy.” Right. We only had a week remaining to get our plan together. Little Sally couldn’t wait forever. I picked up the package and ripped the top open. “I should get going. We both want to wrap this up.” Without thinking, I shook out the contents on the table. A moldy scent jumped out at me. A cloth, a reel of condoms, and a card dropped on the desk. I ho
Go. Devour him. The words twirled in my head and crumbled my other thoughts. I pressed the shirt to my nose. The lavender scent calmed my nerves. The aroma trickled through my body, drawing more heat. The pheromone lessened. The odor was almost gone. I didn’t trust myself if it went away. This shirt was the reason I remained on this couch. My body and mind screamed the same thing. They needed him. Fuck! I never should have let him touch me. Things happened. Now this. “Wow!” Ryder’s muffled voice drowned out my wants. He strolled into the room. A gas mask covered his face. “Your scent has taken over the entire place. This is the worst it has ever smelt. I couldn’t even come through the gate without a mask. What the fuck, man? Are you trying to kill me? I thought your rut cycle isn’t until next week.” So did I. The date of my rut decorated my calendars. It never came before or after its original date. Never. Not until now. Not until I fucking accepted a blow job from that…that…fuck!
I ventured into Ryder’s penthouse, hoping he would be home. To my dismay, he wasn’t. The housekeeper greeted me with a wide smile. “Mr. Brown, welcome. Mr. Rodden hasn’t arrived yet.” I smiled at the beta. “That’s okay, Marsha. I’ll wait.” The slender woman eyed me. “It might take some time. Do you want something to eat or drink while you wait? I made dinner.” “No, thanks. I’ll eat when Ryder gets home.” She nodded and disappeared further into the house. I walked into the living room. Ryder’s place was like the typical bachelor’s pad. Though he was often in a relationship, his penthouse was void of any evidence he had lovers. He had a tendency to take them to hotels instead of his penthouse. I guessed deep down he knew none of them would work out. One thing was certain, Ryder loved himself. Portraits and framed photos of him hung in every room. He had a few photos of his mother on the walls and the living room coffee table. None of his father. He even had a designated wall for he
“I mean, I won the game too.” I shifted the large stuffed animal between my hands. “You got a chance to drag me on the first ride. Now it is my turn to choose, and I want to take a trip down the river cave.”Lucian raked his gloved hand through his hair. “Fine.”The answer caught me a little off guard. I expected him to make a bigger fuss. He often wanted things to go his way.I swallowed the lingering questions at the back of my throat. We strolled in the direction of the water ride area. The majority of them were closed off. No one wanted to do water rides at night. Even more so since most children left with their parents. Teens and adults filled the amusement park. The little children that were left lingered at the food stalls. I guessed they remained behind to enjoy the circus. The line at the river cave was longer than the other rides. Couples loitered, waiting for their turn. I glanced at Lucian, hoping he wouldn’t change his mind. After certain hours, the boat ride down the ri