Omega, Suppressed

An Omegaverse Romance

Leann Ryans

Copyright © 2019 Leann Ryans

All rights reserved.

No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Leann Ryans

Omega, Suppressed

This book has adult content that may make some people uncomfortable.

Other books by Leann Ryans

The Legion Omegas series:

The Omega Prize

Saving the Omegas

Winning his Omega

The Legion Omegas Omnibus, Books 1-3

The Hired Series:

Hired for Heat

Hired to Protect

Alpha Barbarians:

Raider’s Treasure

Bear’s Honor

Verik’s Price (coming Feb 9th)

Alphas’ Captive Short Story Duet:

In the Darkness

In the Light

Stand Alone Books:

Omega, Suppressed

Alien Incubator (Facebook Group Exclusive)

Contents

Copyright

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Thanks

1.

“I can’t believe you made me move to this backwater town in the middle of nowhere. You and Dad could have left me the apartment in the city. I could have hired a few people and run the bakery there myself,” Shailyn complained as she carried another box of supplies into the shop her family was taking over.

“We’ve been over this already Shai. They do not allow unmated omegas to live alone in the city. You know that. We’ve wanted to get away from there forever, and this is our chance. Things aren’t as dangerous out here. And just because they’re more traditional doesn’t make them a backwater town.”

Her mother stopped to give her a hug and a kiss on her forehead before heading back out for another box.

Rolling her eyes, Shailyn started to follow her but had to move out of her father’s way as he carried in one of the large mixers.

“If you didn’t want to move out here, I guess you should have accepted the Alpha that asked for you. I’m tired of you whining about moving here. As long as you are unmated, you are my responsibility, and you have to live with my decisions.”

Shailyn tried to keep from scowling, but she knew her father could see it. There were plenty of times she wished her parents were betas and not an Alpha-omega pair. Alphas were overbearing enough, being an omega with one as a father made growing up decidedly boring. Shailyn never got to do half of the things her peers had. Her father had been protective even before she presented, and it got worse once her dynamic came out.

“Have you seen how they treat the other omegas here? It’s like we not only moved to a new town, we moved to a new time-period! About a hundred years in the past,” Shailyn grumbled.

Her dad stopped and put his hands on her shoulders. Tipping her head back to look him in the eyes, and she could only hold his gaze for a few moments before submitting and looking down at his shoes.

“As your mother said, they are more traditional here. That isn’t a bad thing. Omegas like you and your mother are precious and need protection. If that means the town thinks one should stay home and not work, then that’s okay. If they want them to mate early, that’s okay too. It’s the omegas’ choice to follow the traditions and not flout them.”

Sighing, Shailyn looked back up into the emerald eyes that matched her own.

“It’s what they choose because they don’t know any better. No one gives them any other choice. I doubt they even know about heat suppressants out here. How am I going to find an Alpha that will allow me the freedom to be myself in a place that believes we are little better than broodmares?”

A purr began to throb from her father’s chest to calm her down, but Shailyn pulled away from him. Returning to unloading their truck, she tried to stop her thoughts from the downward spiral they had taken. With a look up and down the street, she had to admit that this place had a certain charm to it. It was quieter, and things seemed more laid back. People waved to each other as they passed, and most of the ones she had seen seemed content with their lot in life.

Everyone had been excited to see them moving into the old house behind the bakery and preparing to reopen it. It had been empty for a few years since the last owner retired and moved away. The town had been dealing with what they could ship in from other nearby towns and were glad to have the bakery open again. Her parents sold their shop in the city to buy this one, and the house behind it.

For as long as Shailyn could remember, she had always been in the kitchen with her mother baking. Her mother said baking was an act of love and found it perfectly suitable as an omega. The act of feeding people was her way of caring for them, and Shailyn had grown up with the same belief. Baking made her calm and content. Coupled with her heat suppressants, she felt no need for an Alpha, and had refused to mate, much to her parents’ disappointment.

At twenty-two, she was the oldest omega she knew that was still unclaimed. The ones that refused to take heat suppressants were almost always claimed during their first heat between the age of eighteen and twenty. Even the ones that used suppressants were usually claimed by her age, but Shailyn had never found an Alpha that she trusted enough to want to bond with. Luckily, she had her father to protect her from unwanted advances.

Pushing her dark hair from her face as she placed the last box in the kitchen of the bakery, she surveyed her new domain. Her mother had taken a step back from being the head baker about a year ago and let Shailyn take over most of it. Her mother now ran the front unless Shailyn needed help. Her father was there for the heavy lifting, and to make sure things didn’t get out of hand with customers. The plan was that he would work on the house, fixing it up, while she and her mother worked the bakery. He would still be close enough for them to call if there was any need, but they figured that in a small town, the need to have him in the building wouldn’t be as great as it had been in the city to keep other Alphas in line.

She had been unpacking for about an hour when she heard voices out in the lobby. Curiosity made her take a break and go see who it was. Peeking from the doorway between the front and the kitchen, Shailyn could see two Alphas speaking with her father. One was shorter than him and seemed about a decade older. She heard her father refer to him as ‘elder’ and assumed this must be the leader of the town.

The other Alpha resembled him enough that Shailyn figured it must be his son. He was taller than both of the older men, and more muscular. His dark blonde hair made his tan skin stand out, and his eyes were so dark they seemed solid black from where she was in the kitchen.

Shailyn’s breath caught in her throat when his eyes locked on hers. With one glance it seemed like he pulled her soul from her body, examining it even as he examined her body as she walked from the back. Chin raised and refusing to lower her gaze in submission to him, she stopped once she reached her mother’s side, still staring into his eyes.

Her father finally noticed her and introduced her to the two Alphas.

“Elder Roan, Luke, this is my daughter Shailyn. She does most of the baking, while my mate handles the front.”

The older Alpha focused on her and Shailyn lowered her gaze as a sign of respect. Tipping his head back, the elder scented her and looked at her father.

“I thought you said your daughter was an omega, but she has no scent. Like a beta.”

“She is an omega,” her father responded as her brows pinched together in a frown. “She takes heat suppressants which change her scent so as not to attract attention.”

The Alphas turned their focus back to her. The elder with a confused expression on his rounded face, and his son with a look of disgust written across his sharp features.

2.

“Heat suppressant? You mean those drugs that stop them from being an omega?” Elder Roan asked her father, but Shailyn spoke up before he could answer.

“They don’t stop me from being an omega. Nothing could do that. They just stop me from going into heat. It also suppresses my scent, so Alphas aren’t as drawn to me, and I can go about my business without being bothered.”

“But you’re an omega, going into heat is natural. Your scent draws an Alpha to you so they can claim and protect you,” the elder responded. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“To give me the freedom to choose. An omega in heat is claimed by the first Alpha that can get to her. She gets no say in it,” Shailyn responded, getting irritated at the dark look Luke continued to give her.

“That’s just the natural way of things. Our biology has made us this way. Omegas are weak and need an Alpha’s protection. Once they are claimed, the bond makes them feel safe and content. Having the choice of what Alpha claims you is not a particularly good reason to suppress your nature, girl. Not allowing your body to cycle the way it was meant to is unnatural.”

Shailyn tried to remind herself that this was the leader of the town they now lived in. Without his patronage, he could make her parents’ hopes come crashing down, but she couldn’t help her response to his condescension. Just as she opened her mouth to rebut him, her father stepped between them, cutting her off.

“Shailyn, I need you to finish unpacking the kitchen. It has to be ready for tomorrow and it’s getting late.”

Her furious gaze turning to him, the hand her mother placed on her arm stopping the response she was about to give. With a glance from his stern glare to her mother’s pleading look, Shailyn let out an irritated noise before stomping back to the kitchen. The swinging door couldn’t be slammed, and that irritated her even more.

Before it swung shut, she heard a voice that must be Luke’s say, “I’m sure without that abhorrent medication she would be much more docile too. She doesn’t act like an omega should.”

It took all of Shailyn’s control not to storm back into the lobby and show that ass just how docile she had been, but she knew anything she did would reflect on her parents.

Forcing herself to take deep breaths, Shailyn went back to setting up the kitchen. She resolved not to have anything to do with the town leader, or his son. If Luke ever placed an order with her, she was going to add three times the salt to it just for spite.

Humming to herself as she imagined him choking on a hunk of bread, it didn’t take long to finish getting the kitchen set the way she wanted it. Shailyn had to admit that this bakery had a lot more room than the one in the city, and she couldn’t help picturing the things she could do with the extra space.

Shailyn didn’t notice her mother until she turned around and almost bumped into her. The smile dropped off her face as she took in the disappointed look she was getting. Scowling at her mother before she started to admonish her for earlier, she held up her hand.

“Don’t, Mother. I know what you’re going to say. I know he’s the leader, and I will do my best to avoid him and his outdated views. And his jerk of a son.”

The frown deepened on her mother’s face.

“I know what he said upset you, and I understand. They aren’t as progressive thinking outside of the cities where the population and crime are issues. Those things aren’t a problem out here, so they don’t see the wisdom in the medication. I support your decision to use it, and so does your father, we only ask that you be careful what you say, dear. This is a small town, and things can spread shockingly fast. I don’t want you to find yourself ostracized because you didn’t think about who you were talking to before saying something in anger.”

Shailyn’s temper deflated under her mother’s obvious concern and she felt a touch of guilt. She had complained about this move since she learned of it, and almost embarrassed herself and her parents because of her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as her mother drew her into a hug. “I’ll try.”

That was the most she could promise.

3.

It was a few days later, while her mother was home having lunch with her father, when Shailyn saw Luke again. He came into the bakery with two other Alphas dressed in the same uniform he wore. She had found out they were the town’s guards and held a position of respect. As isolated as the town was, the guards occasionally had to deal with wild animals and rogue groups of Alphas. They were also the ones that settled any disputes within the town.

Business had been brisk that morning, but it slowed down as the day wore on, so the three Alphas were the only ones in the building besides her. Fake smile plastered on her face, Shailyn tried to forget the comment she had heard Luke make.

Greeting them the same way she would have anyone else, she said, “Hello gentlemen, what can I get for you?”

Luke and the dark-haired guard gave her an appraising look as the one with blond hair looked around the bakery.

“So, this is the little omega that’s pretending to be a beta?” said the dark-headed Alpha as he glanced to Luke before looking back at her.

Luke stalked closer to Shailyn as her mouth hung open at the boldness of the Alpha, smirking at her obvious shock.

“Were the Alphas in the city not good enough for you? Maybe you need a real Alpha to remind you of what you are,” the other Alpha said to her as Luke moved until there was only the counter between them.

Leaning closer, Luke scented her.

“Mmm, you do smell good once you get close enough.”

He turned to the other Alphas that had joined him in front of her.

“Just imagine how delicious she would be if she wasn’t taking those suppressants.”

All three Alphas gave her leering grins as Shailyn backed away from the counter. Larger than her, and with not much space between the counter and the wall, they could still reach her if they tried unless she dropped to the floor. Panicking, she tried to figure out if she could scream loud enough for her father to hear her from the house.

“Nothing to say this time, little omega?” Luke mocked. “You seemed ready to give my father an earful the last time I saw you. Until your daddy sent you away, so you didn’t get in trouble.”

“Maybe she’s never been in the presence of real Alphas before. If they have heat suppressants for omegas in the city, maybe they have suppressants for Alphas too,” the other blonde said. “Or maybe they’re just pussies because there are no real omegas to fight for.”

Shailyn stiffened her spine and found her courage.

“What I do with my body is of no concern to any of you. Now, if there’s nothing I can help you with, I have things to do.”

Her voice wasn’t as firm as she had wanted it to be, but at least it didn’t come out as a fearful whisper.

Luke leaned toward her again.

“I could do amazing things with your body if you stopped taking those disgusting drugs. Things I bet you can’t even imagine. You’re pretty, maybe I would claim you myself if you begged me nicely.”

Smirking at her again, he lowered his voice to a husky whisper.

“I’m sure you’d be begging once my knot locked inside you.”

With a gasp, Shailyn noticed slick dampen her panties at the hint of a growl in his voice. Stiffening her back to hide her embarrassment and glare up into his dark eyes, she leaned forward and hissed at him.

“I’d never let an asshole like you touch me, let alone knot me. Alphas like you are the reason they made these drugs. To protect omegas smart enough to take them and keep you from claiming us against our will.”

“It’s not against their will. They beg for it, every one of them. When they’re in the throes of heat and have an Alpha knot stretching their pussy, every omega begs to be claimed.”

Shailyn jumped as the back door slammed shut and all three Alphas looked up.

“I’d like a loaf of banana bread. My mother said the one she got from you yesterday was the best she’s ever tasted,” Luke said as her parents came through the door from the kitchen into the lobby.

Her father nodded a greeting to him while her mother focused on her.

Shailyn’s throat worked as she debated on what to do. If she played along, it would make her seem weak and easy to bully, but if she tried to call him out on harassing her, it could cause issues for her parents and the bakery. It would also make it seem like she needed someone else to save her.

Luke narrowed his eyes as she hesitated, and she glared right back at him before reaching below the counter for the bread. Plastering the same fake smile back on her face, she handed it to him, and took his payment. Giving her a nod as the other two Alphas grinned at her, Luke and his lackeys left.

Shailyn jumped when her mother’s hand touched her arm and her father focused on her.

“Are you okay, honey?”

Nodding, she cleared her throat and responded.

“Yeah. Just feeling a little weird. I’m okay.” Her mother gave her a concerned look as her father continued to study her. His nostrils flared and Shailyn was sure he could scent her fear in the air. Thinking fast, she came up with the first thing she could to explain it.

“The wind caught the door when they came in and it startled me. Especially with the three of them coming in while no one else was here. Can’t help remembering what it could be like in the city.”

Her father nodded as her mom began to rub her back.

“Why don’t you go home. The baking is done for the day. I’ll take care of everything so you can go relax. Get some fresh air. Explore the town. Maybe you’ll find some young ladies your age to spend a little time with.”

Shailyn gave her mom a weak smile and nodded, heading through the kitchen and out the back door to their house. Going into her room, she decided to take a bath to calm down. Stripping out of her clothes, she settled into the tub, trying to block out the things Luke had said to her, but they kept replaying in her head.

In the city, suppressants had become common enough that everyone accepted them. The Alphas didn’t like it, but most of them understood why they were necessary. An omega going into heat in a public place, or somewhere that she was unprotected, could cause major issues. Alphas could, and had, killed over an omega in heat. The pheromones from the omega’s slick would send them into a frenzy.

When Shailyn couldn’t get her mind to stop spinning, she gave up on the bath and climbed out. Drying off, she decided to lay in bed, snuggling in and burying herself in her blankets. Her scent surrounded her, and the nest of blankets and pillows gave her a sense of security that finally allowed her to relax.

4.

Shailyn wasn’t asleep long, but she felt much better when she awoke. Climbing out of the nest of blankets, she decided to do as her mother suggested and explore the town. She slipped into her favorite dress and left the house, heading toward the market.

They didn’t have open-air markets in the city, and it had fascinated her since they arrived in town. The brightly colored stalls were close to the bakery, and Shailyn had snuck a peek at them any time she got a chance. Usually, she didn’t see it until later in the evening after the bakery had closed, and it surprised her to see how many people were out shopping. Half of the town seemed to be packed into the square lined with stalls.

Shailyn was browsing through the different wares a while later when she heard a whimper from an alcove between two of them. Curious, she moved closer and picked up a low, male voice before she could see what was going on. Her deep breath let her realize exactly what was going on when she caught the scent of an Alpha and omega fear lacing the air. Though the male wasn’t physically restraining the girl, or touching her at all, he had her caged in against the wall with his arms.

“I d-don’t know when I’ll g-go back into h-heat,” the girl whispered.

With a growl, the Alpha leaned closer to her as she whimpered again. Shailyn couldn’t leave the girl, but also didn’t have the strength to stop the Alpha herself, and her interaction with the guards earlier didn’t leave her with any confidence in them, even if she could find one.

Thinking fast, Shailyn came out into the opening between the stalls, raising her voice to be sure the Alpha knew others would hear her.

“Hey, there you are! I’ve been looking for you. Sorry I was late.”

She tried to push a cheery note into her voice, but she was worried that it came out strained.

The Alpha moved back, dropping the arm that separated her and the girl. Shailyn continued as she gave her a bright smile and held out her hand.

“Sorry to steal you away, but we have to hurry. My parents will wonder where we are. I don’t want my dad to come looking for us. You know how Alphas can get.”

The man glared at Shailyn as the girl slipped out from between him and the wall. Shailyn took her hand and gave the Alpha her fake grin as she pulled the girl away.

“Sorry about that, but we have somewhere to be.”

Wrapping her arm around the younger girl, she hustled her away from the alcove where the Alpha stood with his fists balled by his sides. Whispering, “Just play along,” Shailyn steered them toward the bakery.

The girl didn’t relax until they turned the corner out of sight of the Alpha. When Shailyn looked over her shoulder, she noticed Luke watching them with his arms crossed, a dark smirk on his face. Scowling at him, she turned a corner and stopped.

“Thank you for that,” the girl said, breathing finally returning to normal as the scent of fear faded.

Shailyn released her, giving her a soft smile.

“No problem. Omegas have to stick together, right? I’m Shailyn,” she said, holding out her hand.

The girl took it, returning her smile. “Mindy. You don’t smell like an omega,” she said, tipping her head to the side.

“That’s because I take heat suppressants. It changes my scent. Makes it less potent so I don’t attract Alphas as much.”

“You don’t go into heat either, right?” Mindy asked, looking excited. “I’ve heard about suppressants before, but no one has any information about them here. Or they won’t talk to me about them anyway.”

“Yeah, it seems not to be very well known out here, but it’s used a lot in the city where I came from,” Shailyn said. “I’ve been using it since I was eighteen so I wouldn’t have to worry about going into heat and being claimed.”

Eyes focusing on the ground, the girl blushed.

“I’ve gone through one heat, but my mother took me out to our cabin in the mountains so there weren’t any Alphas around to claim me. Casir was angry when he found out. He wants to know when my next one is so he can keep me here.” Mindy looked up with a frown on her face.

“I take it you don’t want that to happen?”

Looking away again, Mindy shook her head.

“Casir… He’s much older than me. And he’s scary. I was hoping someone else would claim me, but if he gets to me first…” Mindy trailed off with a shrug. “That’s just the way it is I guess.”

She turned back to Shailyn and her eyes lit up.

“Unless… Do you think you could get me some of the suppressants?”

“Absolutely,” Shailyn nodded. “I can order double when I get mine.”

Mindy frowned again.

“They’re probably expensive though, aren’t they?”

Shailyn deflated a little because the medication was expensive, and she doubted the girl had a job with the way this town was. With a thoughtful hum, she remembered something her mother had mentioned.

“It is a little, but we need some help at the bakery. If you’re interested, I’m sure we can work something out.”

Mindy’s excitement returned and she threw her arms around Shailyn.

“That would be perfect! My mom won’t mind if I’m working there since you’re an omega too.”

Laughing, Shailyn said, “My mom is as well, and she’s there almost as much as I am. We can go talk to her now and get it figured out.”

Mindy bounced in delight, and the girls continued toward the bakery. Shailyn’s father was outside dealing with an overgrown hedge by the door and gave Shailyn a curious glance when he saw her with the other girl. Scenting Mindy as they passed, he gave them a small smile before they disappeared inside.

They found her mother behind the counter cleaning the decorations from their old bakery and sitting them out.

“Hey, Mom, I want you to meet Mindy. Mindy, this is my mother, Karen,” Shailyn said as she pulled the younger girl forward. “I told her you were talking about needing a little help, and she’s interested in working with us.”

Her mother reached out and took the hand that Mindy offered, giving her a smile.

“We have been getting busy in the mornings, and since Shai is busy baking then, she can’t help me out here. Her father tries, but he seems to intimidate the women that come in and I’m sure people would think it was nice to see a familiar face here. We don’t need any help in the afternoons, though, since I’m sure you can see it’s slow,” she said to Mindy.

“That’s fine. I have chores at home too, so having afternoons free would work out perfect. I’ve never had a job before, but I’m used to helping my mother and I’ll do whatever you say,” Mindy responded.

She was so eager she was almost bouncing in place, and Shailyn had to swallow a chuckle.

“We start early,” Karen warned her, but it didn’t seem to dampen Mindy’s spirit any.

“That’s fine. I can be here any time!”

Shailyn’s mother gave in with a laugh.

“Ok then, be here at five tomorrow morning and I’ll show you where everything is.”

Shailyn laughed at the stunned look that crossed Mindy’s face, but the girl didn’t complain.

5.

Dragging Mindy into her room, Shailyn opened a small blue box on her dresser.

“These are the pills. Try to take them at the same time every day because it leaves your system fast if you miss a dose. I take mine as soon as I wake up every day. They are bitter, but I drink a whole glass of water with it and it’s fine. It will take a couple of days once you start for them to kick in, but after that, you won’t have anything to worry about as long as you don’t miss a dose. I used to buy another bottle when I was down to five pills, but since I have to get it shipped now, I planned to order more when I have about ten pills left, just to be safe.”

Shailyn counted out the pills she had and divided the pile in half, giving twelve to Mindy.

“Here you go. Might as well get started on them, and I’ll place the order for more in the next day or two.”

Mindy shook her head, trying to push the pills in her hand back at Shailyn.

“I couldn’t, these are yours,” she said.

Giving her a smile and closing her hand over the pills, Shailyn told her, “Don’t worry about it. The sooner you start them, the better. Especially if you are going to be working at the bakery, because we get Alphas in all day.”

“I can’t pay for them now,” Mindy said looking up at her with watery eyes.

Shailyn pulled her in and wrapped her arms around the younger girl’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry about it. These are my gift to a friend in need.”

Fighting to hold back tears, Mindy gave her a smile when Shailyn released her.

“Thank you so much! You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“Oh, I do, trust me! If you have any other friends that want some, tell them to come let me know before noon two days from now. I’ll order some for everyone. It should only take a couple of days for them to get here, and it’s easier to order them all together.”

Thanking her, Mindy told her goodbye and left to head back home with the pills wrapped up in her pocket.

Since she was up before dawn every day, Shailyn was used to eating and going to bed early, so even though it was only mid-afternoon, she went into the kitchen and started making dinner. Usually her mother cooked, but she figured since she was already home, she could do it and give her mother a break. She had done the same for Shailyn by letting her leave the bakery early.

Pulling out meat, potatoes, and the other things she needed to throw together a shepherd’s pie, Shailyn got to work. It was a meal they had frequently since it was cheap and easy to make, and they all enjoyed it.

She was reading on the back porch when she heard her parents come into the house about an hour later. Rising from the swing her father had installed, she headed inside to pull dinner out of the oven.

“Thank you for cooking, dear,” her mother said as she came into the kitchen behind Shailyn.

She noticed the worried crease between her mother’s eyebrows as she turned to give her a smile.

“What’s wrong?”

With a sigh, her mom came closer to her.

“Mindy seems like a sweet girl, and I’m glad you found another omega to be friends with, but I feel like you’re up to something.”

Huffing, Shailyn turned back to scooping the food into bowls.

“She’s in a bad situation. She wants suppressants, but she can’t afford them without the job at the bakery. You said you wanted help, and she can do it. In return, she gets the suppressants she wants and a little extra money.”

Shailyn felt her mother put a hand on her shoulder.

“Did you think perhaps her family wouldn’t want her to have them? Not every Alpha is as understanding as your father. Especially in a place like this.”

Turning, she looked into her mother’s blue eyes.

“An Alpha was harassing her in the market. An older Alpha that her mother already hid her from once. She didn’t mention a father, but if her mother was willing to hide her during her heat to keep her from being claimed, then I’m sure she will see the wisdom in Mindy taking the suppressants.”

Pressing her lips into a thin line, her mother said, “I hope so,” before turning and going to set the table.

Shailyn’s father came into the room after cleaning up and they all sat down to eat. Discussing things that still needed work around the house and bakery, Shailyn made it through dinner and excused herself to her room.

If she was honest with herself, she hadn’t even considered that the medication may be something Mindy’s family may not want her to have. She hoped that her new friend didn’t get into any trouble. She figured she would know for sure if Mindy showed up in the morning or not. 

There was a dislike for suppressants in the town, at least from the Alphas, and though she didn’t want to create waves, Shailyn felt that the omegas should have access to the pills and information about them if they wanted it. It wasn’t right for others to decide that they couldn’t at least have the choice.

Resolved to help any omega that came to her for them no matter the consequences, she rolled to her side and was finally able to fall asleep.

6.

Shailyn had already been hard at work for two hours the next morning when Mindy came in. Smiling in relief, she greeted the younger girl when her mother brought Mindy into the back to show her where they kept everything.

Elbow deep in dough, Shailyn couldn’t do more than nod and say, “Good morning.”

It was a while before she got a moment alone with Mindy to see how things had gone over with her family.

“So, I take it your mom is okay with you working here?” Shailyn asked.

Mindy’s face lit up with a smile.

“Yes, she thought it was a great idea. She already met Karen when she came shopping here after you opened, and she thinks this is better than me sitting home alone most of the day since she doesn’t need much help at her booth in the market.”

“Did you tell her why?”

Mindy nodded, “Oh, yes! She’s happy about that too. She doesn’t want me stuck with Casir either but wasn’t sure what to do. He’s the blacksmith here, and it’s not like she could stop him if he came for me when I’m in heat.”

Frowning, Shailyn paused. “What do you mean?”

Mindy shrugged and looked away.

“My mom is a beta. She’s never said who my father is, but from things she’s said and done over the years, I think an Alpha assaulted her. Hiding me during my first heat is the only thing she has ever done to oppose an Alpha. She becomes very meek and withdrawn around them. If Casir, or any Alpha, scents me when I go into heat, it’s not like she could stop them from taking me. So, using these pills stop the problem altogether.”

She looked back up at Shailyn who was gaping at her in shock.

“You’re telling me that if some Alpha came into your home and tried to claim you while you were in heat, nobody would do anything? That’s considered normal around here?”

Shailyn’s fists clenched, and she was shaking with rage.

“Well, that’s just the way things are. You know an Alpha can’t control himself around an omega in heat.”

The wide-eyed look Mindy gave her didn’t help Shailyn’s temper any. Mindy honestly believed there were no other options for her.

“That’s a load of crap! It may be hard, but they can control themselves if they want to. In the city, they can still hold an Alpha accountable for breaking into a home to go after an omega. Claiming an omega while she is in heat, without stating intent beforehand, is punishable. This backward-ass town and its outdated rules allow Alphas to do whatever the hell they want. Why would they bother to control themselves when there’s no punishment if they don’t?”

Shailyn’s heavy breathing filled the sudden silence after her tirade. Mindy was still looking at her in shock and she knew she needed to calm down before she did something stupid.

“Tell my mom I went to the house to grab a drink,” she told Mindy before spinning around and stomping out of the back door.

She hoped she hadn’t been loud enough for others to hear in the front of the bakery, but she couldn’t believe that Mindy thought it was okay for an Alpha to blame his actions on an omega’s heat, and then not be held responsible.

It was obvious that an omega had never held a position of power in this community, and no one else had bothered to protect them.

As she entered the house, she braced herself on the wall to stop from marching all the way to the poor excuse for a town-leader and demanding that he bring this place up to the current century. Just from her brief time talking with him, Shailyn knew it would be pointless. Even in the city, it had taken two decades to get the laws passed and upheld. Without the population and crime issues, it would have taken even longer.

Pulling in deep breaths through her nose, Shailyn got herself a drink of water from the kitchen before returning to the bakery. The back was empty when she entered and she had a brief feeling of relief, followed by guilt. She hadn’t meant to let her temper get the better of her and scare Mindy. She decided she would find her and apologize in a little while, once things had time to settle.

Working on her prep for the afternoon baking, Shailyn lost herself in her routine and almost missed the chance to talk to Mindy. When she saw her come in the back to grab her things from the little shelf where they kept their personal items, Shailyn called out to her.

“Hey, Mindy, I’m sorry about my reaction earlier. I didn’t mean to scare you or bad-talk your home.”

Mindy gave her a smile.

“You didn’t scare me. I didn’t know things were so different in the city. People here tell nothing but horror stories of how bad the city is, I didn’t realize that some things were better. I know our town is behind in certain areas, but hopefully, we will catch up one day.”

“The horror stories are just as true, I’m sure. It’s not the best place. There are some good things about your town being behind the times a bit. The market and the way people get to interact with each other is amazing to me. I just wish the people in charge were less… traditional when it comes to omegas. They are keeping omegas suppressed instead of allowing us to make our own choices.”

“Me too,” Mindy responded before saying her goodbyes and leaving for the day.

Once again Shailyn drifted off in her own head as she worked, barely even having to think about what she was doing since she had done it so many times. She enjoyed having the time to herself to reflect, but it also led to her snowballing small issues into something way out of proportion. Shailyn was grateful when her mother came to the back to give her some special orders for the next day.

“You doing ok?” her mother asked.

With the flash of a quick smile, Shailyn responded, “Yeah, I’m fine. How was Mindy?”

Her mother’s features softened, and she smiled back at her.

“She’s a sweet girl. And smart! She picked things up right away. I may even be able to take a couple days off here and there if she sticks around.”

Genuinely happy, Shailyn agreed with her before her mother returned to the front. Focusing on the special orders, she was busy the rest of the day and was relieved when her mother came to the back to say they were closed.

7.

The next couple of days passed much the same, with Shailyn busy in the back while Mindy helped Shailyn’s mom in the front during the mornings. They would talk together when they had time for a break, and Mindy let her know that the two other omegas she had spoken to were interested in the pills. They wanted to talk to her and their families about them first though, before committing to making an order.

Shailyn was worrying about finding time to get down to the post office when her mother came in the back with Mindy around noon.

“Okay you two, get out.”

Head snapping up, Shailyn’s wide eyes focused on her mother.

“What?”

Her mom chuckled and walked over to pat her shoulder.

“You’ve been working hard the past few days and we were slow this morning. Take the afternoon off with your friend, and I’ll finish up back here.”

“But…what about the front?” Shailyn asked.

“Your dad’s out there. He’ll holler if he needs help,” she responded, giving Shailyn a push toward the sink. “Now wash up and go before I change my mind,” she said with a wink.

Not willing to pass up an afternoon off, Shailyn did as her mother said and followed Mindy out the front door, waiving to her father as they passed through the lobby.

“So…” Mindy said raising an eyebrow and smirking at her.

“Well, first, I need to go send in the order for our pills. Do you have chores you need to do at home?”

Mindy shook her head.

“Nothing that can’t wait. Let’s head to the general store.”

“But I need to mail…”

“Yes,” Mindy cut her off, “and the post office here is part of the general store.”

Blushing a little in embarrassment at not knowing that, she matched Mindy’s steps as they headed toward the center of town. When they stepped into the store, Mindy pulled her over to an older woman behind a wide counter along the wall, with rows of cubbies behind her.

“Hello, Ms. Darla. We need to get an order sent off to the city,” Mindy greeted the woman when she looked up at them.

Pushing her glasses up to settle them on her nose, she gave Mindy a sharp look.

“An order to the city. Whatever for?”

“I need to order more of my medicine. It’s hard to get, and I have a deal worked out with the pharmacy I used while I lived there to get it sent to me,” Shailyn said before Mindy mentioned anything about it being for suppressants.

She could tell the woman was a beta, but she wasn’t sure how the older woman would react.

Shailyn filled in the form that was given to her, using her arm to block what she was writing from the nosey Ms. Darla. Sealing it shut, she put the address of the pharmacy on the outside of the form. Handing it back to the older woman, she gave a sniff of disdain before dropping it in a small pile with other forms.

“These forms will go out tomorrow, but we only get deliveries once a week and we aren’t expecting the next one until five days from now. If your order isn’t ready by the time they leave, it’ll have to wait another week,” she said, sitting back down in her chair behind the counter and picking up some knitting.

When they stepped through the door to leave, Shailyn caught sight of an Alpha storming towards them. Assuming he needed to get in the store, Shailyn attempted to continue walking to the market, but Mindy froze where she stood. When she noticed the scent of fear rolling off of her, Shailyn took another look at the Alpha drawing closer and realized he was the same one from the market that she had saved Mindy from.

“Where have you been Mindy?” he growled as he closed in on her, forcing her backwards until she was pressed against the wall of the store.

“Hey.”

Shailyn tried to reach out to Mindy, but Casir bared his teeth at her and let out a threatening growl that had her heartbeat racing and dampened her panties. Even her suppressants couldn’t stop the instinctive reaction her body had to an angry Alpha.

“This doesn’t concern you,” he said before focusing back on the girl trembling in fear.

“I…I’ve been… been working…,” Mindy stuttered out.

Casir drew in a deep breath, about to yell at her, but froze, his eyes going wide. Leaning closer to her, he scented her hair, then her neck where her scent would be the strongest.

A look of utter shock crossed his face before morphing into rage.

“What have you done?” he roared in her face.

His fist connected with the building behind Mindy causing her to jump and let out a squeak of fear.

When he reached out and grabbed the front of Mindy’s shirt, Shailyn jumped forward and wrapped her hands around his arm, yelling again.

Air whooshed from her lungs when her butt met the sidewalk, Casir giving her an angry glare before turning back to Mindy.

“What. Have. You. Done?” he repeated lower, shaking her with each word.

Pulling her close to him again to sniff along her neck, he slammed her back against the building, a pained cry escaping Mindy’s lips with the impact.

Shailyn jumped to her feet, about to grab him again, when a wide body pushed her aside, blocking her view of her friend.

“What’s going on Casir?” came Luke’s gravelly voice.

Glaring at another interruption, Casir released Mindy’s shirt, though he still kept her pinned to the wall with his body.

“Me and my omega are having a discussion.”

Shailyn jumped forward and said, “She’s not his omega. She’s unclaimed.”

Luke flicked his eyes to her before they focused back on the Alpha that was now emitting a low growl.

“She would be if she hadn’t miraculously disappeared just as she was going into heat. And now she doesn’t even smell like an omega,” Casir gritted out between clenched teeth.

This time Luke looked at Shailyn before focusing back on the pair in front of them.

“Why don’t you give the girl some space, and you can finish having this discussion somewhere private,” he suggested.

The other Alpha hesitated a moment before stepping back from Mindy, though he wrapped a beefy hand around her upper arm to keep her close. Beginning to pull her friend down the sidewalk, Shailyn panicked thinking about what could happen if he got her alone.

“Wait, she needs to see a healer. He hurt her, you can’t let him drag her away somewhere she has no protection,” she said, grabbing Luke’s arm and pleading with him to not abandon her friend.

With an irritated huff he called out, “You need to let the girl go, Casir. If she wants to talk to you, she knows where your smithy is. She needs to go to Gretta’s if she’s injured.”

With a growl, Casir stopped though he didn’t drop Mindy’s arm. Shailyn saw his back expanding with each angry breath he drew in.

Luke began to growl beside her as he repeated, “Let her go.”

Casir pushed Mindy towards Luke and Shailyn, finally complying and stomping away. Shailyn caught her friend when she stumbled and almost went down. Mindy had one arm wrapped around her ribs and the other hand holding where he had gripped her arm.

Luke leaned closer and scented Mindy before focusing on Shailyn.

“Why does she no longer smell like an omega?”

Giving him a glare, she wrapped an arm around Mindy’s trembling shoulders.

“Because I gave her some of my suppressants to keep that asshole from being able to claim her. He’s too old for her and obviously abusive. I won’t leave her vulnerable.”

He crowded into her space and glowered down at her.

“So instead you give her unnatural drugs, probably without her mother’s knowledge, and caused a public incident.”

Shailyn’s jaw dropped in shock. She couldn’t believe he was trying to say this was all her fault.

“My mother knows and approves,” Mindy spoke up. “She doesn’t want me mated to him either.”

Face drawn with pain, she tried to straighten herself up to defend Shailyn.

“That sorry excuse for an Alpha is who caused this incident, coming after Mindy like he owns her, and then slamming her into the wall! Yet you just let him walk away so he can corner her again, while you stand here and lecture us,” Shailyn yelled at him.

Eyes narrowed, he let out a warning growl.

“I will deal with him later, but this whole thing would have been avoided if you hadn’t convinced her to take those vile pills.”

With a huff, Shailyn began to pull Mindy past Luke.

“This whole thing would have been avoided if the Alphas in this town didn’t think they were Gods that never had to face punishment for their actions. Omegas are people too! We have rights! And if we don’t want an Alpha to claim us, that’s our choice. We shouldn’t be forced into a bond we don’t want simply because the Alpha is stronger.”

“Damn it, woman, I’m not saying you don’t have rights. You need to think about your actions and how they will affect others. You can’t be spreading those pills to the omegas without pissing people off,” he yelled at her as she started to walk away.

“Get pissed,” she responded without turning back to look at him. “Others have already decided to take them once I get my order in.”

8.

Shailyn helped Mindy up onto the table at the small clinic she directed them to. Gretta turned out to be a middle-aged beta who bustled them straight into the exam room when they walked through the door.

“What happened?” she asked, washing her hands and pulling on a pair of exam gloves.

“An Alpha grabbed her and slammed her into a wall,” Shailyn told the woman as Mindy tried to pull her shirt over her head.

Helping her friend, Shailyn gasped when she saw the bruises already forming over her pale skin.

“It hurts to take a deep breath, or move my chest,” Mindy whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

Gretta had her sit up as straight as she could and examined the bruise over Mindy’s sternum first. Pressing on it as gently as possible, Mindy still flinched away from her fingers. She moved on to Mindy’s back and sides before she shook her head and stepped back.

“You have some cracked ribs. I’m going to wrap them, and I can give you something for the pain, but they’ll just have to heal on their own. You need to take it easy for a while. Don’t do more than what you’re comfortable doing without pain.”

Mindy nodded and raised her arms for Gretta to wrap a bandage around her chest. It wasn’t long before the girls were shuffling out of the clinic, Mindy unsteady from the pain medicine Gretta had given her.

“Let’s get you home. Where do you live?” Shailyn asked.

Pointing and giving slurred directions, Mindy told her where to go. It relieved Shailyn to see an older woman jump up from a table in the corner when she helped Mindy through her front door.

“Hello, I’m Shailyn,” she said to the woman as she rushed over, eyes fixed on Mindy.

“What happened?” the woman asked as she wrapped Mindy’s other arm over her shoulder and helped get her to the couch against the far wall.

“We ran into Casir,” Shailyn told her.

Her lips pressed together as her eyebrows drew down.

“I knew he would be angry about this,” she said, seeming to speak to herself.

“She has some cracked ribs and bruising. Gretta gave her some pain medicine that’s made her loopy,” Shailyn told her after they sat Mindy down.

The younger girl slumped to the side before wiggling herself into a reclined position. It was only moments before her eyes drooped and didn’t open again.

“It’s best that she sleeps,” Mindy’s mother said.

Finally seeming to realize Shailyn was there, her eyes widened as she took her in.

“I’m sorry, I’m Nancy,” she said, holding out her hand to Shailyn. “You’re Karen’s daughter. At the bakery.”

Shailyn nodded and returned her tight smile.

“I’m afraid that man will be the death of her,” Nancy whispered looking back at Mindy.

Pulling the older woman in for a hug, Shailyn said, “Not if we have anything to say about it.”

Nancy sniffled a little before gathering herself and pulling out of Shailyn’s embrace.

“Thank you for bringing her home. I will talk with Luke about this,” she said.

“He already knows. He’s the one who got Casir to let her go and leave, but it wouldn’t hurt if you demanded that he do something about Casir,” Shailyn told her. “I already did, but omegas don’t seem to carry much weight around here.”

With a small smile, Nancy said, “Luke is a good guy. He’s scared off Casir a few times already for us.”

Scowling, Shailyn replied, “He must not be doing a very good job if Casir keeps coming back.”

“There’s only so much he can do. Until she bonds, Luke and the other guards are the only ones that will look out for her, and the others don’t seem willing to do much.”

With a shake of her head, Shailyn looked down at the floor and mumbled, “That’s not the way it should be.”

This time it was Nancy offering comfort.

“It’s just the way things are.”

Her eyes met Nancy’s with determination as Shailyn said, “Then things need to change.”

With a glance down at Mindy before returning her focus to Nancy, she said, “Tell her not to worry about coming to work. She’ll still have her spot when she’s healed, but she can take her time to relax and get better.”

Nancy nodded and Shailyn said goodbye before heading back to the bakery. She wanted to go find Luke and his father and give them a piece of her mind, but she knew herself well enough to know she needed time to cool off and think before she did something rash.

The bakery was already closed when she got to it, so she walked around the back to their home. Her temper had cooled a little during the walk across town, but her determination to do something about how they treated omegas in this town had hardened.

When she found her parents in the kitchen, she told them about what had happened. Her father’s expression became stony as her mother gasped in shock.

“He will be getting none of our business,” her father declared. “I’ll order everything from the next town.”

With that, he stomped out the door and left Shailyn alone with her mother. Her mom came up to her and wrapped her arms around her, asking if she was okay.

“I bruised my ego more than my backside,” Shailyn told her, though now that she thought about it, she was a bit sore from her introduction to the sidewalk.

“I need to do something, mom,” she said, pulling back to look into her blue eyes.

“I know honey. We will figure something out,” her mom responded before letting her go and going back to the pot she had been stirring on the stove.

“You have about thirty minutes until dinner if you want to go get cleaned up,” she told her, and Shailyn gave her a weary nod, the long day crashing down on her.

She wanted to help the omegas but besides supplying them with suppressants, she didn’t know what to do.

Shailyn woke up when her mom came into her room a while later. She had fallen asleep in the bathtub as she tried to soak the aches away, and now the water was cold.

Her mother sat her plate of food on the desk against one wall before she came in and helped her out of the tub, applying a cream to the scrapes she hadn’t even noticed on her hands.

“I told Mindy’s mom to let her know to take as much time as she needs to heal, and we will hold the job for her,” she said as she sat down to eat, propping her head on one hand.

“Of course,” her mom replied. “Eat your dinner and go to bed. I’ll take care of things in the morning so you can sleep in.”

Shailyn heard her mom leave the room with her plate before crawling into bed and falling into a sound sleep.

9.

Shailyn moaned as she stretched the next morning, her backside reminding her of its brutal treatment the day before. She heard her parents moving around in the kitchen, so she knew she hadn’t slept in much later than usual. Her body was too used to waking up long before dawn to get to work at the bakery.

She threw on a set of work clothes before stumbling to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes as the light assaulted them.

“I told you to sleep in today, honey,” her mother said.

“I did,” Shailyn mumbled, giving her a smirk before grabbing a bottle of water and heading toward the door. “And I will still beat you to the bakery.”

Poking her tongue out and giggling as she darted through the door, her mother’s laughter followed her.

She hadn’t realized how much Mindy had been doing for them until she was bombarded with not only being behind from coming in late, but also having to help her mother in the front. Even her father had stepped behind the counter to help customers during their busy morning hours.

The day passed in a blur, and by the time they closed for the day, Shailyn didn’t have the energy to stay after to prep for the next morning like she usually would.

Resolved to come in early to catch up, she followed her parents to the house where they all collapsed on the couch, none of them having the energy to make dinner.

“How about I go get something from the café down the road? That way none of us have to cook,” she offered.

Her mother gave her a tired smile and nodded.

“That sounds great.”

Heaving herself back to her feet, Shailyn headed out of the house toward the market. There were booths in the market that sold food, but there was only one restaurant in the town, and it was a tiny café. When she entered, there was only two people in the place, and it didn’t take her long to order a meal to take back home.  

When she left the café with a bag full of food, it was almost a repeat of the day before as she plowed into a large male body. Barely holding onto the bag, the only thing that stopped her from falling to the sidewalk again was the door she landed against.

“Get out of my way, city trash,” a familiar voice growled at her.

Shailyn straightened her back and narrowed her eyes, glaring at Casir.

“What? Is your head too far up your ass to see where you’re going?”

She smirked as she watched his jaw drop before his face clouded with rage. Just as he made a threatening step towards her, another deep voice came from their left.

“Casir, a moment please.”

Shailyn turned her head and spotted Luke walking towards them. He shot her a quick glance but focused on Casir who was still glaring at her with his fists clenched. When he didn’t respond, Luke called out to him again.

“Casir.”

“Yeah. Fine,” he answered, turning to face Luke and moving enough that Shailyn could slip past him.

With a grateful smile, she took advantage of the opportunity Luke had given her, hurrying home. She decided not to mention this incident to her parents. They were already on edge about what had happened yesterday, and another problem so soon would have her father deciding to take things into his own hands.

The next few days passed in a blur of dreary routine. Shailyn missed having Mindy popping in to talk for a few minutes, and she wished she had time to go check on her. She mentioned something in passing to her mother, and the next thing she knew her mom came bustling into the kitchen with a basket full of things.

“What’s that?” Shailyn asked her.

“This is for Mindy and Nancy. I know she hasn’t been able to work as much the past couple days since she’s looking after Mindy, and I’m sure they would appreciate some fresh breads and stuff. I’m sure Mindy will appreciate your company too, so go,” she told her with a little shove towards the door. “Get cleaned up and go visit her.”

Ready to dart for the door, she stopped and gave her mom a hug, grateful for the break from work and being able to go see her friend. It didn’t take Shailyn long to rush into the house and change into something clean before heading back out again.

Knocking on Mindy’s door a short time later, she noticed the curtain twitch before it opened to reveal Nancy looking around the street behind her.

“Shailyn, it’s nice to see you,” she said ushering her in as she shot worried glances up and down their block.

“Is everything okay?” Shailyn asked.

After locking the door, Nancy turned to her and lowered her voice.

“Casir has been coming around a couple times a day looking for Mindy. I haven’t been answering, but he’s not giving up. I haven’t told her.”

Just as she finished, Mindy came down the stairs and greeted Shailyn.

“Hey! Mom sent me over with some goodies for you,” she told her friend with a smile, lifting the basket.

With a soft hug, Mindy pulled her into the dining room of her small home.

“Thank goodness! Mom can’t bake for crap, and I’m dying for someone to talk to,” Mindy said with a smile.

She still moved slow and seemed stiff, but otherwise, she looked okay.

“Are you feeling better?” Shailyn asked her.

“A little. The past few days were rough. It’s hard to sleep when anything touching your torso hurts. The bruising looks terrible, but I know it gets worse before it goes away,” she responded, attempting to shrug, but stopping with a wince.

Unloading the basket onto the table, Shailyn sat with Mindy as her mother began to put the stuff away. There was more than enough for the two women to get through the next week.

“Thank your mother for me,” Nancy told her before heading back to her table in the front room to work on the jewelry she made to sell at her booth in the market.

“Did you pick up the pills?” Mindy asked, drawing Shailyn’s attention.

“What? No, I completely forgot, has the delivery already come in?” she responded.

“Yeah, Mom saw them this morning when she had to run to the store.”

“I didn’t even think about it. I’ll stop by and pick them up on the way home. Then I’ll have an excuse to come back by in a couple days,” she said with a smile.

Mindy gave a little laugh.

“You don’t need an excuse, but I’ll be glad to have you come back. I love my mom, but I can only take so much of being cooped up with her before I want to pull my hair out.”

Chuckling with her, Shailyn said, “Oh, I understand.”

10.

Shailyn stayed and talked with Mindy for a while before it became obvious that her friend was growing uncomfortable. Making an excuse to leave so Mindy could take her medicine and rest, Shailyn said goodbye to her and her mother before heading to the store to pick up her package.

On the way, she spotted Casir heading in the direction she had come from but managed to avoid being noticed by him. The man seemed to be in a perpetual bad mood, and after their last two encounters, she was in no rush to draw his attention again. Shailyn worried about his constant trips to Mindy’s home though.

She entered the store and found Darla in the same spot as the last time. Greeting the older woman, she stopped at the counter.

“Hello, I’d like to pick up the package I ordered, please. From White Rose Pharmacy, for Shailyn.”

The woman glanced at her from behind her glasses before looking over the row of boxes she had on the counter behind her.

“I don’t have it,” she responded when she turned back to Shailyn, empty-handed.

“But… I placed the order five days ago. That should have been plenty of time,” Shailyn said, her heart rate picking up.

She didn’t have enough pills to wait for another delivery.

Darla shrugged her shoulders and sat back in her chair.

“They must not have had it ready in time. All I know is, I don’t have it.”

She gaped at the woman for a moment before pulling herself together and exiting the store. Shailyn pressed her back against the wall just outside the door, so lost in her circling thoughts that she didn’t notice Luke approaching her.

“They’re not there. I didn’t place the order,” he said as he drew closer to her.

She turned her head to focus on him and responded with a confused, “What?”

He looked down at her with a smirk and repeated,

“Your pills. Who do you think sends off the orders placed here? We don’t want those unnatural things affecting our community, so we decided not to place the order.”

Shailyn’s shock at his audacity morphed into rage. Her temporary stunned silence exploded.

“You what?” she yelled, launching herself into his space, shoving her hands against his chest.

Luke didn’t even rock, raising an eyebrow at her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“My father feels that the pills are unnecessary, and they have already caused one incident. He doesn’t want any other omegas getting the idea to try them, so he didn’t send in the order. You don’t live in the city anymore, it’s time to stop hiding what you are.”

Shailyn was incapable of putting a full sentence together she was so angry. Her fists clenched, and her entire body shook with the effort not to lash out and get herself in trouble.

Control snapping when she saw the smug look on his face, Luke’s head rocked to the side before she even realized she had moved, the stinging in her palm confirming she had slapped him. A brief glow of satisfaction filled her as she took in the shock on his face.

“You have no right! It’s my choice! I only have five pills left,” she hissed at him.

Overcoming his shock, Shailyn watched as his eyes darkened and he let out a growl. He backed her against the same wall Casir had trapped Mindy against, her body reacting to the rumble coming from his chest and releasing slick as he pinned her in with his arms.

Drawing in a deep breath, Luke scented her body’s betrayal and licked his lips before responding.

“That’s good to know. I guess I’ll come see you in six days.”

He invaded her space as he ran his nose along her neck and drew in another deep breath before pushing off the wall and walking away. Shailyn was left trembling in front of the store. Her traitorous body released a whimper as cool air brushed away his warmth and the Alpha scent faded from the air around her. 

Gritting her teeth, she turned and stomped back to the bakery, unsure what to do now. If she told her parents what had happened, they may decide that it wasn’t worth fighting over, but she had no plans to stop taking the suppressants until she was ready to. The only option left was to go to the city herself to get them, or she would run out, and Luke was going to come looking for her when she went into heat.

Growling to herself, she decided it was best not to tell her parents about it until after she had gotten more pills. They would ask too many questions, and Shailyn just didn’t want to get into it. Her father wouldn’t let her go alone if she told them, and she didn’t want her mother left alone at the bakery, even for the short amount of time the trip would take.

Deciding on her plan, she forced herself to relax as she entered the bakery.

“Back so soon?” her mom asked when she walked in.

“Yeah, Mindy needed to take more medicine and lay down. Her mom said thank you for the basket,” Shailyn said, passing by her to head into the kitchen.

Putting her apron back on, Shailyn began to get out the things she needed to prep for the morning. She planned to make extra for the next two days so she could leave early the following morning to head to the city without leaving the bakery short on anything. If everything worked out, she would be back by lunch, and then she would deal with the fit her parents would throw.

She knew it wasn’t the best idea to make the trip alone, but she couldn’t see any other way to do it besides closing the bakery for a day. Shailyn knew her parents would do it for her, but she didn’t want to put them in that position. If Mindy could still help it wouldn’t be so hard, but this was how they all made their living, and the town had already come to rely on them in the brief period they had been open.

Shailyn didn’t want to cause issues for any of their customers with an unplanned closing. She was an adult, and the whole reason she took the suppressants was to have more independence. She had always gone to get them herself in the city, now she would just have to drive a few hours instead of walking a few blocks.

11.

Shailyn usually woke up before her parents to go bake the morning’s goods, so nobody noticed anything unusual when she dressed and made her way to the kitchen. She left a note for her parents so they wouldn’t panic over her not being in the bakery, then made her way outside.

With a deep breath, she walked around the bakery to where the truck was parked. They kept it there since it was mainly only used to pick up supplies. Though Shailyn’s father had taught her to drive, she had never driven farther than a couple miles at any one time, and she was both excited and nervous about the trip.

Sliding into the front seat, she started up the old truck and backed it out of its spot, pulling out onto the empty morning streets. Shailyn remembered the trip to the town as being long and boring, with very little between the city and here, so she figured she wouldn’t have any issues until she got close to the city where traffic would begin.

Since she was leaving while it was still dark there wasn’t anyone else on the road, though she passed the guards stationed at the edge of town. There was only one road in or out, so someone guarded it all night, while others patrolled through the town as well. Shailyn was happy it wasn’t Luke watching the road since she wouldn’t have been surprised if he tried to make her stop.

Even growing up in the city, she had known about rogue Alphas that roamed around less populated areas. Men that were a bit too wild for normal society to accept. Some that were captured were so lost to their Alpha instincts that they forgot how to speak, and lived like animals, hunting food and women alike.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Shailyn focused on the drive ahead. Though she had worried that the boredom would be worse driving alone, she was so focused on the road that she didn’t have a chance to get bored.

When she reached about the halfway point of the drive, she decided to take a break to get something to eat from a gas station that she noticed coming up ahead. Shailyn was glad she had seen it because she had forgotten about needing gas, and when she looked down, she realized it was almost on the empty mark. If she remembered correctly, there wouldn’t be another place to stop until she made it to the outskirts of the city in about another hour.

Pulling up next to the pump, she looked around the station. It appeared to be old, and a layer of dust coated everything she saw, making the windows almost impossible to see through. Shailyn had seen her father pump gas enough times to know what to do, so she hopped out of the truck and headed inside to pay. 

A bell jingled above her head as she pushed the door open and stepped into the dim interior. Shivering at the creepy vibe she got from the place, she looked for something to eat. With very few options, and most of them stale or outdated, Shailyn decided to grab some water and wait until she got to the city to eat.

As she walked up to the counter, she noticed the man standing there. Hip pressed to the counter across from her, she knew he was an Alpha by his size, and he appeared to be just as unfamiliar with washing as the station was.

Doing her best to keep a straight face as the scent of stale sweat and musk reached her, she sat the bottle of water on the counter. Continuing to leer at her, the Alpha didn’t move from his relaxed position.

Shailyn cleared her throat and said, “I need to get that and fill the tank on my truck.”

As he stood, the Alpha pulled up the waist of his pants before calling out, “Charlie, go fill the truck.”

With a look around, she noticed a door in the corner she hadn’t seen before just as another grungy Alpha came out of it. He walked past her with a grin that showed off missing teeth, and out the door to her truck. The Alpha behind the counter continued to watch her in silence as she rocked from foot to foot, growing more uncomfortable.

“So, you’re alone then?” he finally said, causing her to jump at the sudden sound of his voice.

“Umm, for now. I’m picking up a friend,” Shailyn responded, not liking the way he asked the question.

“She pretty like you?”

“He’s very handsome,” she stressed, trying to get the man to go back to being silent.

She received a grunt in response before he went back to his invasive questions. She was wondering what was taking so long to fill the truck, but she couldn’t see enough through the window to tell.

Foot tapping and arms crossed over her chest, she was sure the man knew she was getting impatient.

“You in a hurry?”

“Yes, I have a schedule to keep. I’m expected.”

“That’s too bad. I was hoping you would hang around for a bit.”

Finally seeing the second Alpha approaching the door, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the counter.

“Sorry. How much do I owe you?”

The little bell over the door jingled again before she saw the one in front of her give a small nod over her shoulder.

“Sixteen gallons,” came from behind her, and the Alpha began typing on his register.

“That’ll be thirty-five dollars sweetheart.” 

Shailyn grit her teeth and handed over the money, his dirty fingers brushing against hers far more than was necessary.

Grabbing her water, she turned and called, “Thanks,” over her shoulder as she headed out the door.

Shailyn jumped into her seat, checking that the tank was closed and the gauge showed it being full before she took off, heaving a sigh of relief at leaving the place behind her.

She had been back on the road for about fifteen minutes when she noticed the truck seemed to be driving different. Within another five, the truck pulled to the left and was shaking like it was about to fall apart. Pulling over on the side of the highway, Shailyn got out of the truck and saw the problem. Her front tire was flat, the rim sitting on the thin piece of rubber separating it from the ground.

Running her hands through her hair, she stood and stared at the tire. Her dad had told her about flats, and theoretically, she knew how to change one, but doing it was another issue.

12.

It took a few minutes for Shailyn to collect herself before she started moving. With a glance around the truck, she found the tire iron and jack under the back seat. She set the jack under what looked like a good spot and began to pump it into place.

Once it reached what she felt was a good height, she set the wrench into place on one nut and attempted to turn it. Puffing and sweating within minutes, Shailyn couldn’t get the thing to turn. Deciding to try something different, she set up the wrench, and with her hand braced on the truck, set one foot on the wrench and jumped.

The entire truck rocked as her feet hit the ground again and the truck’s tire followed a moment later. Gasping, she looked under the truck to see the jack had slipped and fallen over. With a growl, she gave herself a break and went to grab the spare tire. When she glanced into the truck's bed, Shailyn froze. Eyes searching like something that large could hide in a corner, she raced to the tailgate and lowered it.

Still not finding a tire, she began to shake her head.

“No, no, no,” she mumbled to herself.

She bent to look under the truck, but there was nothing there either. Deflating, Shailyn sat on the tailgate and went over her options. She was about twenty miles past the gas station she had stopped at, and still twenty to thirty miles from the edge of the city. The pharmacy where she got her suppressants was another fifteen miles past that.

Though the gas station was closer, she hadn’t seen anything there that would help her with the flat, and she didn’t want to deal with the Alphas again after how they made her feel when she was there the first time. She could wait and see if anyone passed her, but she had no guarantee that they would stop. During the entire drive, she hadn’t seen another vehicle heading the same direction as her, and only a couple going the opposite way.

Since she had no other option, Shailyn let out a sigh and hopped off the tailgate, closing it and heading to the front of the truck to grab her water. Grateful that she had thought to buy it, she began her trek towards the city. It was still early in the day and she figured if she kept up a steady pace, she should be able to reach a place where she could get help within about six hours.

She made it an hour before she began to grumble about how ridiculous it was that she had to go through all of this just to get some pills. By the end of the second hour, sweat had drenched her clothing, and Shailyn was beginning to rethink the sensibility of her trip. By this point, she had expected to already be on her way back home, not trudging through the dust and heat on the side of the highway still trying to get to the city.

It was then that she realized this would be a bigger issue than just getting her flat repaired and picking up her pills. It would be less than two hours until her parents expected her home, and maybe another hour before they began to worry. At the rate she was moving, the pharmacy would be closed by the time she made it to the edge of the city and Shailyn would be lucky to find a place still open to deal with her tire issue, so she would have no choice but to stay in the city overnight.

She was sure she had friends that would let her stay with them for a night, but she would have to find a way to get to them. Between the gas she had forgotten about, and now having to replace the tire, she was going to be short of the amount she needed to have for two one-month supply of pills. That wasn’t taking into account needing to eat or most likely having to pay for a ride to her friend’s house, and then back to her truck in the morning.

Letting out another irritated sigh, Shailyn figured she would get as many pills as she could, and deal with having to come back for more soon or convince the town Elder to allow her to order them.

With a snort at that thought, she spotted a tree a little way from the road. Though she was used to being on her feet all day, she was usually standing still, and her legs were getting sore from all the walking. Deciding to take a quick break, she moved toward the inviting shade under the tree.

Flopping down in the cool grass, Shailyn threw an arm over her eyes, telling herself she would rest for a few minutes before getting back to her walk. When she opened her eyes again, the sun was high overhead and it was obvious at least an hour had passed.

She groaned, rubbing her eyes before she realized it was the sound of a car approaching that had woken her. Darting upright, Shailyn ran back to the side of the highway, yelling and waving her arms, but she wasn’t fast enough, and the truck passed by heading towards the city.

Shailyn stopped on the side of the road as she watched the dust trail disappear behind the truck. Dropping her hands to her sides, she let out a whine. She wasn’t sure what she had done to deserve this, but she swore she would never attempt to make this trip alone again. Closing the bakery once a month for a family trip to the city sounded good at this point.

Trudging along the roadway again, Shailyn wasn’t sure how long it had been since her impromptu nap when she thought she saw another car on the horizon. Stopping and shading her eyes, her heart rate picked up in excitement as she confirmed that there was a vehicle coming her way. It was heading away from the city, but she hoped they would stop and at least have some food or water on them. She would do just about anything for either.

Moving farther onto the road where she was sure they wouldn’t miss her, but wasn’t risking being hit, Shailyn began to wave her arms over her head. When the truck got closer and began to slow down, she realized that it looked just like the truck from earlier that she had missed. It wasn’t until she saw the men in the front seat that her heart stopped, and she began to back up.

13.

The Alphas from the gas station grinned at her through the windshield as the truck pulled to a stop in the middle of the road. The cashier leaned out of the driver-side window and gave her an obvious leer.

“We’ve been looking for you, honey. Thought we had lost you.”

Heart restarting, Shailyn began to tremble.

“What do you mean? How did you know I was out here?”

The first Alpha paused, and after a moment, the second one spoke up.

“We saw your truck on the side of the road a way back. It had a flat, and we figured you must have started walking, though we thought you would have walked the other way since the gas station was closer than the city.”

“You two just happened to be heading this way?” Shailyn asked. The two Alphas had her instincts on high alert, and she didn’t like the creepy vibe she got from them.

“Well, yeah,” the first alpha responded. “We got off work and decided to take a drive.”

The second Alpha, who she remembered being called Charlie, gave her a smile and opened his door. “Why don’t you come hop up here with us? I’m sure you’re tired of walking by now. I’ve got some water,” he said holding up a bottle and shaking it.

Taking an unconscious step forward, Shailyn licked her dry lips. With another shake of the bottle, Charlie patted the seat next to him as the other Alpha smirked at her. She desperately wanted the water, but her mind screamed that this was a bad situation and she needed to get away as fast as possible.

Shaking her head, she began to back away again.

“Umm, that’s ok guys. I still need to get to the city and you’re heading the other way. I’ll just keep walking.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” the first alpha said, starting to frown. “Get in the truck and we’ll give you a ride. We just want a little time with you. You can’t keep walking all the way to the city.”

She backed away a little faster as she continued to shake her head.

“No. I’m good.”

With a scowl, the Alpha opened his door and began to step out. As his foot hit the ground, Shailyn turned and bolted. There was an empty field along the side of the highway but there were trees just beyond it. Her only hope, if they gave chase, was to make it to the trees and try to lose them.

Stifling the terrified sobs trying to break free of her chest, she focused on putting one foot in front of the other as fast as she could. She heard the Alphas shouting at her, but she ignored their words, pressing on. Smaller than them, she knew there was little chance of outrunning the Alphas but hoped she had surprised them enough to make it to the trees.

She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw that both Alphas had given chase, proving in her mind that they had things planned for her she would not like. The first Alpha was closer, since he had been on the same side of the truck as her, while Charlie was coming from farther back.

Shailyn focused on the ground ahead of her so she wouldn’t trip, and drew closer to the tree line, beginning to believe she would make it. Not wanting to risk an injury, Shailyn knew running through the trees would be a bad idea, so she decided that climbing one would be her best option. It would be hard to get her down from a tree if she managed to get up it before they got to her.

Eyes aimed ahead, she tried to find one that looked promising between the strides jarring her body. Chest heaving with the exertion of sprinting flat out, she saw a tree that looked big enough to support her but wouldn’t be too hard to climb.

Adjusting course to it, Shailyn put on another burst of speed as she heard the Alphas getting closer to her. Not wasting the time to look back at them, she took a running leap at the lowest branch of the tree, hoping to catch it on the first try.

Luck was with her because her hands wrapped over the limb a second before her body collided with the trunk. Bark biting into her palms, she scrambled to pull herself up, crying out in relief when she got her knees on the limb.

Standing and stretching for another branch to pull herself higher, a scream left her lips as a hand wrapped around her ankle. Attempting to kick her foot, Shailyn lost her grip on the tree and teetered, gravity taking the side of the Alpha to help pull her back to earth, her shrill scream echoing in her ears as her body became weightless.

The collision with the hard earth left her dazed. Shailyn tasted blood in her mouth from where she bit her tongue on impact, and her ears were ringing as she tried to push herself to her feet. A hand tangled in her hair and pulled her head back, causing her eyes to sting as she let out a broken sob.

“Think you could run from Alphas little girl? We were going to play nice. Make it good for you.”

He lifted Shailyn to her feet by her hair, growling in her ear as she wrapped her hands around his wrist to ease the pull on her scalp.

“Now you can just take our knots and scream the whole time.”

Running his nose along her neck and shoulder, he said, “I like it when they struggle.”

She felt hands wrap around her hips as Charlie came up behind her, pressing his erection into her bottom. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed and tried to shake her head.

“No. Please. Just let me go.”

“I didn’t go through the trouble of putting a hole in your tire and then chasing you down just to let you go,” Charlie growled from behind her.

The Alpha in front of her drew in another deep breath, letting out a rumble.

“Do you smell that Charlie? I couldn’t tell before, but I think our little girl here is an omega. She might be worth keeping instead of just fucking and leaving here.”

Shailyn wasn’t sure if it was the smell of his breath in her face or being trapped with these two that made her stomach turn. Gagging, she felt another nose against her neck as the first Alpha straightened up and grinned down at her.

“You are, aren’t you? A fucking omega! We got lucky with you, sweetheart,” he said, leaning back down and licking her neck.

14.

Shailyn tried to jerk away from him, but the two Alpha’s held her tight, with one hand in her hair and two on her hips. He let out a laugh before his other hand began to grope her breast through her shirt. Pulling her head farther back, he grabbed the front of her shirt and jerked, the sound of ripping fabric reaching her ears as she let out a cry.

Shailyn released his wrist and brought both arms in front of her body to push him away. Letting out a scream, she put everything she had into trying to get away. She twisted her body, clawing at his face and brought her heel up. It connected with Charlie behind her, earning a grunt and a curse before he wrapped his arms tighter around her body.

She continued to kick her legs as much as she could with an arm squeezing around her hips as the first Alpha caught both of her hands in one of his. Snapping at him, a blow to the face momentarily shocked her. The fight left her body when a second blow rocked her head back the other direction as she whimpered.

When she blinked her eyes back into focus, Shailyn felt her lip and cheek already starting to swell, the skin pulling tight and pulsing in pain.

“That’s enough now bitch. Since you’re an omega, I’m willing to forgive this outburst of yours if you behave properly.”

He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look up at him.

“I don’t want my future mate’s face all messed up when I mark and breed her. It’s going to be hard for you to suck Charlie’s cock if your mouth is swollen shut because you can’t keep quiet and be a good girl,” he said with a smirk.

Spitting a glob of blood towards him, Shailyn grinned back.

“I’ll bite the thing off. Just try me,” she growled at him.

His fist clenched in her hair again as his face clouded over in rage.

Before he could do anything else, a voice came from behind her that made Shailyn’s heart skip a beat. She turned her head as much as possible with the fist in her hair as the Alpha in front of her turned towards the voice as well. As much as she disliked him, there was no other Alpha she would rather have seen in that moment than Luke.

Stalking towards them from the road, Luke’s eyes roamed over her before focusing back on the Alpha with his fist in her hair, his face set in a glower.

“What’s going on here?” Luke called out, stopping a few feet away.

“Mind your own business buddy, she’s ours,” the Alpha before her called back.

“She is my business, and she doesn’t belong to you. Let her go.”

The Alpha released her and turned to confront Luke. Charlie still held Shailyn around her shoulders and hips so she couldn’t get away, but at least the sting in her scalp eased and she could move her head. Charlie turned her until she was between the two Alphas as they faced Luke.

“There’s two of us and only one of you. Is the little whore really worth it? Whoever she is to you, forget about her and move on. She was out here alone, and we found her first.”

Luke moved before the other Alpha even closed his mouth, landing blows Shailyn could hear impacting the other man’s body. He had the Alpha in a choke hold without ever taking a hit himself and faced off with Charlie, both of them holding a body before them.

“I’ll trade you,” Luke offered, a small smirk pulling up the corner of his mouth and an evil gleam in his eye.

Charlie snorted, squeezing her tighter to him.

“Not likely,” he responded.

The other Alpha was still trying to struggle out of the hold but couldn’t get Luke’s arms to budge.

“It only takes a second to snap his neck. Let her go,” Luke growled, the timber of his voice sending shivers through Shailyn’s body.

Charlie began to shuffle her forward and she thought for a moment that he would do as Luke said. She hit the earth again before she realized he was tossing her aside, the sounds of flesh hitting flesh and grunts coming from behind her.

With a push, she rose onto her hands and knees, turning her head in time to see Luke’s foot connect with Charlie’s head just before he collapsed back to the ground. The other Alpha was getting to his feet as Luke turned to him, charging and knocking him back to the ground. With a few solid blows, the man lay limp in the grass.

Luke’s chest was heaving when he turned to her, stalking over as she tried to force her legs to support her. Trembling, Shailyn would have crumpled to the ground again if he hadn’t caught her, wrapping his arms around her and sweeping her into his arms.

With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, turning her face into his chest, perfectly willing to let him carry her away from there. She knew her limits, and she had passed them. The steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek calming her more than she would have believed.

Shailyn blinked open her eyes when he stopped moving, looking up into his dark eyes. He adjusted the way he was holding her before she heard a car door open. Turning her head, she recognized the black truck she had seen him drive in town.

He sat her on the seat, seeming reluctant to let her go before finally sliding his hands away and shutting the door. She watched him through the windshield as he crossed over to the driver’s side and got in.

Cranking the truck, he executed a turn to point them back toward the town.

Clearing his throat, he asked, “Are you okay?”

He kept his face forward like he was focused on the road, but she could see him looking at her from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” she whispered, studying his face.

He was a handsome man, with his dark eyes and strong jaw. Shailyn had the urge to reach out and run her hand over the stubble she noticed on his cheeks.

Shaking her head, she saw him grab a bottle of water and pass it to her. Twisting off the cap, she pressed it to her lips and downed the whole bottle.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Eyes focused on her hands in her lap, everything started to catch up to her. She could feel scrapes and bruises all over her body, and she was sure her face looked terrible with a swollen cheek and busted lip. Her ribs were sore from her impacts with the ground and combined with the hours of walking with no food or water before her mad dash, her body was turning into one big ache.

Tears trickled down Shailyn’s cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. It startled her when Luke reached over and pulled her against him. Tucking her under his arm, his chest began to rumble with a purr, the vibrations soaking into her trembling body as she let herself relax, leaning into his warmth.

Wiggling around a little, she laid her head on him and closed her eyes.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“Your parents called me when you weren’t home on time. I drove out this way to be sure you hadn’t had an accident, and I came across your dad’s truck. Then, when I saw the other truck stopped in the middle of the road with the doors open, I pulled over to see what was going on and caught your scent.”

“Mmm,” Shailyn replied, unable to get anything else from her tired mind.

His purr was the last thing she knew as she drifted off to sleep.

15.

When Shailyn awoke, she was in the tiny clinic where Mindy had been patched up. Her mother and Gretta were whispering in the corner until they noticed her stirring.

“Oh, Honey, we were so worried,” her mother said rushing over to her.

She took Shailyn’s hand in hers as Gretta came to her other side.

“You’re pretty banged up, though there’s nothing major. I cleaned the cuts, but they’ll heal on their own. The swelling in your cheek has already gone down a bit and should continue to get better, just take anti-inflammatories for it as needed. The bruises will take the longest to heal, but there’s nothing broken at least.”

Pausing, she steeled herself before going on.

“I know Alphas attacked you, but I was unsure if I needed to check…”

“No,” Shailyn stopped her. “It never got that far.”

Both of the women relaxed at that and Gretta gave her a small smile.

“Then you’re free to go home as soon as you’re ready, and don’t hesitate to come back if you need to,” Gretta said before leaving the room.

“I brought some fresh clothes for you,” her mom said, standing up and turning to the counter behind her.

She sat the clothes on the side of the bed before saying, “I’ll wait outside while you dress, unless you need help?”

With a shake of her head, Shailyn sat up.

“I’ll be fine, just give me a few minutes.”

Nodding, her mother left, leaving Shailyn alone in the hospital bed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head on them for a moment, taking in deep breaths. Luke had saved her from the Alphas, had even purred for her, and she oddly felt disappointment that he wasn’t there when she woke up.

Steeling herself, she climbed from the bed, noting all the aches that simple motion caused. It took her longer than usual to pull on the clothes her mother had brought, and Shailyn was grateful that they were loose and comfortable

With a last deep breath, she opened the door and walked out to the little lobby. She was surprised to see not only her parents, but Luke, Mindy, and Nancy.

Her father rushed to her when he noticed her in the doorway, wrapping Shailyn in his strong arms. She tried to suppress the whimper of pain his squeeze caused, but she must not have done it well because he released her with a gruff, “Sorry.”

Giving him a smile, she responded, “It’s okay. I’m so sorry, Dad.”

“Hush. We’ll talk about it later. I’m glad you’re back and nothing worse happened,” he whispered as he dropped a kiss to her hair.

He moved out of the way and made room for Mindy and Nancy to come forward.

“We’re so glad you’re okay,” Nancy said as Mindy gave her a much softer hug than her father had.

The girls looked at each other as they leaned back and gave small chuckles at their predicament. Both injured by alphas and unable to give or accept a strong hug.

“I never even made it to the city to get the suppressants,” Shailyn told her, shoulders drooping in defeat.

Everything she had done was for nothing.

Mindy gave her a smile and responded, “That’s fine. I think I have a plan. It’ll be okay.”

Nodding, Shailyn said goodbye to them both before turning to Luke.

“I don’t remember if I thanked you for saving me… So… Thank you,” she said to him.

He was standing in the corner with his arms crossed looking uncomfortable.

Nodding in acknowledgment, his eyes roamed over her like he was cataloging every scrape and bruise.

“I’m glad I made it in time,” he said. “Heading into the city alone was a stupid idea.”

Eyes narrowing, the softening feelings she had been having towards him hardened again.

“I wouldn’t have had to go into the city if someone would have sent in my order like they should have, instead of leaving me with no other choice,” she growled.

Stepping into her space, Luke glowered down at her, letting out a soft growl himself.

“You had a choice. A better choice. Stop taking the damn pills and let your body do what is natural. Let an Alpha claim you like a proper omega.”

“I want to choose who I mate with, not be a slave to my body, to be taken by the first male to get to me. Is that so hard to understand? Does what happened to me not prove why we need suppressants?” she pleaded.

She had the strongest desire to make him understand, though she wasn’t sure why.

Luke’s growl stopped and his eyes seemed to soften as they moved over her face again.

“They aren’t the only way. You can find a mate before your heat. One you choose,” he said before turning and walking out of the door, leaving her staring after him.

Shailyn’s mother moved up beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you ready to head home?”

Letting out a sigh and bowing her head she said, “Yes,” walking out with her father following them.

◆◆◆

Three days later, Shailyn was up at her usual time, ready to head into the kitchen and get to work. Her parents had been more understanding than she had expected them to be, though her father expressed his disappointment in her.

She had taken her last pill two days ago, but she didn’t know how long it would take for her body to kick into a natural cycle. She had been on suppressants so long she had no idea if she would notice any difference without the pills or not.

When her mother came down the stairs and saw her ready to walk out the door, she looked at her in shock.

“What do you think you are doing?”

Eyebrow raised, Shailyn replied, “Going to work.”

“No, you’re not! You should be resting,” her mother responded, moving closer to her.

“Mom, I’m fine. There is nothing wrong besides bruises, even the swelling is gone. I can work like usual, but I can’t sit around this house all day alone again with nothing to do but think about what happened.”

Her mother’s face fell, and after a moment of hesitation, she gave Shailyn a tight nod of understanding.

Shailyn headed into the bakery’s kitchen and lost herself in her usual tasks, unaware of how much time had passed until her mother came into the back and stopped her.

“You’ve done enough today. You should get off your feet for a bit, and your father has something you can do for him,” she said, pointing Shailyn to the front of the store.

As she walked through the door, she noticed Luke almost immediately. He was talking with her father by the door, and both of them turned to her when she stepped from the back.

“Luke had the truck towed to the shop in town. He will take you over there where you will change the tire yourself before putting the truck back where you got it.”

She opened her mouth to protest but her father cut her off.

“Your actions caused it to get the flat, so you will fix it. That’s final.”

Glowering at her father, Shailyn stomped out of the door and waited for Luke since she didn’t know which direction to go.

16.

She didn’t have to wait long before Luke followed her. Motioning toward the edge of town, they began to walk in silence. He seemed to start saying something a few times before stopping himself.

Finally, he reached out and gripped her hand, pulling her to a stop.

“I understand why you take the pills, though I still don’t agree with it. I’m sorry for not putting your order through the first time, and I placed a new one for you, but it will still be a few days before they get here.”

Shailyn’s eyes widened in shock as her jaw dropped open.

“You, you ordered them for me?” she asked to be sure she had heard him right.

“Yes. They’re already paid for, you just have to pick them up,” he said, looking sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You were right, it is your choice, and I shouldn’t have taken it from you.”

In a rush of emotion, she threw her arms around his chest and felt Luke stiffen before he relaxed and brought his hands up to her back.

“Thank you,” she whispered looking up into his dark eyes, drawing in the spicy scent she remembered from when he rescued her.

She released him and they turned and continued to walk, though the silence between them was less tense. It didn’t take long for them to reach the shop, and Shailyn spotted her father’s truck parked along the side of the building.

Waving to the older man working on another vehicle, Luke walked over to talk to him while she hesitated beside the truck. He came back rolling a tire that he sat next to the front wheel.

“There you go,” he said nodding to it and crossing his arms over his chest.

With a huff, Shailyn got to work.

Once Luke showed her the proper way to loosen the nuts and jack the truck up, it didn’t take her long to get the tire changed. Puffing a bit, she stood and stretched, trying to relieve the tightness around her middle. Luke leaned over to check the nuts as she felt a cramp rip through her middle and wetness soak her panties.

Letting out a gasp, she watched Luke’s eyes darken even more as his pupils expanded and he drew in a deep breath. Growl rumbling from his chest, he moved toward her, pinning her between his hard body and the side of the truck. Drawing his nose along her neck, he took another deep breath as a second cramp rolled through her, followed by more slick seeping from her core.

Shailyn could feel the vibrations of his growl through her nipples as they brushed against his chest. She moaned as his scent teased her and pressed her body against his, wrapping her arms around him to dig her nails into his back. 

“Luke, help me! It’s happening,” she whimpered.

Growl dropping in pitch until she felt it vibrating through her whole body, his hands slipped down to cup her ass through her pants as his tongue darted out and tasted the sweat on her neck.

“Get in your truck and go home,” he said against her neck even as he ground his erection into her stomach.

Starting to pull back from her, Shailyn whined.

“I can’t fight it for long, Shailyn. You smell too good. Unless you want me dragging you home with me, you better get in that truck and leave,” he growled out, trying to push her away as she clung to him.

Mind cloudy with lust and the painful cramps pulling at her middle, she continued to hold on to him. She knew it would be smarter to go home. That she was going into heat and he was likely to claim her if she didn’t get away from him, but she found herself not caring.

He had attracted Shailyn from the beginning, though she had thought she didn’t like him as a person until he helped with Casir and Mindy. She realized then that while he didn’t agree with the suppressants, he was still a good man that didn’t think of omegas as property to be claimed by whichever Alpha wanted them. He proved it even more by ordering the suppressants for her and admitting he was wrong.

“I want you Luke. Please,” she said looking up at him during a break between the cramps. “Take me.”

He hesitated, obviously fighting with himself.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. Go home.”

Shailyn shook her head and pressed a hand to his chest.

“I know what I’m asking. I want you to fuck me, Luke. Fuck me, bite me, and claim me as yours.”

Throwing the door of her truck open, he lifted her and tossed her inside, shoving her over enough for him to climb in and start the truck. Peeling out faster than was wise, he headed for his home as Shailyn’s hands wandered over to him.

As she ran her hand across his chest and down his stomach, she marveled at the muscles she felt under his shirt. She remembered the feel of them as he had cradled her to his chest and couldn’t wait to see him bare.

Reaching his pants, he let out a growl as his hand wrapped over hers.

“Not yet, Shai. I need to focus so I can get us somewhere safe.”

Whimpering, Shailyn snuggled as close to him as possible, and it seemed like mere seconds before the truck was pulling to a stop in front of a house she had never seen before.

The door of the truck flew open before he had even killed the engine. Luke jumped from the truck and pulled her out after him, slinging her up into his arms as he practically sprinted for the front door.

The interior was a blur as he carried Shailyn through the house until he reached what she assumed was his bedroom since the room was full of his scent. He sat her down on the bed before he leaned in and gave her a searing kiss that had her core clenching and slick pouring from her to soak through the rest of her clothes.

Firm lips pressed to hers, his tongue thrust into her mouth, stroking hers as she moaned and reached for him. Pulling away, his hand held her where she was.

“I’ll be right back. Stay here,” he said before leaving the room.

17.

It didn’t take Luke long to come back with his arms full of blankets and pillows.

“This is all I have. I’m sorry, I hope it’s enough.”

Confused at first, Shailyn began to feel the urge to fix the materials once he sat them on the bed. Swatting his hands away when he tried to move them around, she took over, arranging and layering the blankets and pillows until she had a cozy nest built in the center of the bed just big enough for the two of them.

She sat back on her heels and surveyed the nest before carefully climbing out of it. Once she was standing next to the bed, she turned and faced Luke. As she began to strip off her clothes, she watched his face as his hungry gaze took in every inch that she exposed to him.

Once Shailyn tossed the last bit of her clothing to the side, she walked towards him with her eyes locked on his. He kicked his boots off as she approached but stood and waited for her lead. Reaching out, she grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up as he lifted his arms and allowed her to take it off.

Dropping to her knees, she looked into his dark eyes as she unbuckled his belt and pants, pulling them open and allowing them to drop to the floor before he stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. Eyes locked on the erection straining against the last piece of clothing standing between them, Shailyn ran her hand up the length of him, marveling at the size of the thing meant to fit inside her.

Slipping her fingers over the top of his briefs, she pulled them down and freed his cock to bob before her. Licking her lips, she glanced up at Luke before wrapping her hands around the base of his cock, shocked at how soft the skin was.

Shailyn flicked her tongue out as she leaned forward to taste the drop of fluid that collected at the tip. With a hum of approval, she flattened her tongue and licked up the bottom of his shaft until she reached the tip again, taking it into her mouth as Luke let out a rough growl, burying his hands in her hair.

Moving slowly, she took as much of his thick cock into her mouth as she could, pulling back when she began to gag, before sucking it deep once again.

Releasing him from her mouth, she stood up, taking his hand and backing towards the bed. Crawling backward into the nest, she pulled him after her until his legs hit the mattress.

Laying on her back, Shailyn spread her legs before him as Luke looked over her with a heated gaze. Her nipples ached as slick ran from her empty core.

When he continued to stand there, she whimpered, “Please, Alpha.”

Leaning forward, he buried his head between her thighs, tongue plunging into her before he drew it up to her clit. Circling it as she writhed on the bed, he licked back down and thrust his tongue into her entrance again. The sound coming from him was half moan, half growl, and caused more fluid to soak into the blankets beneath her.

It didn’t take long for the tension in Shailyn’s core to wind into a tight ball that had her begging and panting for more. Pulling back, Luke sat up between her thighs and caught her gaze.

“Come for me, Omega,” he growled and plunged two thick fingers into her core.

Shailyn’s vision went white as fire poured through her veins, spreading from her core to the tips of her extremities as she screamed. Walls pulsing as tremors passed through her body, he continued to fuck his fingers into her until she fell limp against the sheets.

Withdrawing his fingers, Shailyn watched as he licked them, smirking at her the whole time.

“That was just the first one,” he said before returning his mouth to her pussy.

It wasn’t long before she was on the edge of another orgasm. Just as she thought she would shatter, he stopped again, grabbing her hips and flipping her over.

“This time you’re going to come on my cock,” Luke whispered against her ear as he leaned over her back.

Shailyn felt the blunt head nudge against her entrance seconds before he thrust into her, forcing a scream from between her lips as his fingers pressed on her clit, sending her over the edge. She could feel the burning stretch in her core, but the rippling pleasure passing through her drowned it out.

Giving her a moment to adjust, Luke began to move within her, causing aftershocks of pleasure to pulse through her pussy. She moaned into the bed and gripped the sheets as he began to move faster, the sounds of flesh smacking echoing through the room. With each thrust she felt his balls swing forward and hit her clit, teasing, but not enough to send her over the edge of orgasm again.

One hand tightening on her hip, he moved the other to her hair, pulling her head up and back until she was on all fours.

“You will come for me again Shailyn. You’re going to do it when I tell you to,” Luke said, slipping his hand forward from her hip until his finger brushed against her clit again.

Caught between the knot she could feel beginning to swell, and his rough finger, she whimpered and began to thrash, trying to escape the intense sensations. Whining, her lower lips stretched past the point of comfort as he continued to plunge his cock in and out of her pussy.

With a rough tug on her hair, Luke growled.

“Now, Shailyn. Come,” as he gave a hard thrust and locked his knot inside of her.

Screaming as the orgasm ripped through her, Shailyn felt his teeth sink into her shoulder, his cock pulsing inside her pussy as he filled her with his seed. Collapsing to the bed, she was barely aware of his purr as he adjusted them until they were spooning in the center of her nest.

18.

It was a few days before her heat wore off enough for Shailyn to think about anything besides Luke, and her first thought was of the bakery.

Lurching into a sitting position in the bed, she attempted to untangle herself from Luke and the sheets so she could get dressed and go assure her parents she was okay.

Luke tightened his hold on her with a grumble.

“Let go, I have to let my parents know I’m okay,” she said pushing at his arm.

“They know. I told them you went into heat,” he mumbled into the pillow pressed to his face. “Now lay down and be still.”

With a tug from him, Shailyn was lying down again.

“No, I need to get to work. Mom can’t run the bakery alone,” she said still struggling to get away.

A growl came from Luke’s chest as irritation pulse through the bond that had grown between them over the last few days.

“They are fine. It’s handled. Now go back to sleep.”

With a huff, she slipped out from under his arm. Sliding off the bed, Shailyn stood and glared down at Luke as he raised his head.

“Just because you’re my mate now does not mean you can tell me what to do. I don’t want to go back to bed,” she said with her hands on her hips.

Luke’s hand shot out before she could react and latched onto her wrist. Pulling her back onto the bed, he somehow maneuvered himself so he was kneeling over the backs of her thighs with his chest pressed against her back. Shailyn could feel his heavy erection resting against her ass, and a pulse of desire caused her core to clench.

“Your heat is not over and you will not be leaving this house until it is. You also haven’t bathed or eaten in days, and while I enjoy smelling our fluids spread across your skin, I doubt that your parents will. So, first, I’m going to fuck you again until your attitude is more pleasing, then I will feed you, and we will bathe. If at that point you no longer reek of enough pheromones to drive a beta crazy, we can go to the bakery to see your parents,” he growled against her neck as his hips rocked, sliding his shaft through the valley between her cheeks.

Shailyn moaned as she got lost in the memory of what he could do to her with that cock, and she arched her back, presenting for her Alpha.

It was the next morning before they left his house. He drove her father’s truck to the bakery, leaving it in the spot she had taken it from. Pulling her into his arms outside the back door, he gave her a lingering kiss.

“I have to go check in with the guards. I’ll be here when the bakery closes to walk you home,” he whispered against her lips.

“To your home?” Shailyn asked looking into his dark eyes.

“To our home,” he said looking down at her with a smirk. “We’re mates now, what’s mine is yours. You should pack a few things to bring over until we can move all of your stuff.”

Ducking her head to hide her smile, she peeked up at him from beneath her lashes before giving him another peck and disappearing into the bakery.

When she first met him, she had never thought Luke would be the Alpha for her, but he had proven he was a strong Alpha, as well as a good man. They may not see eye to eye on everything, but with their bond to guide them, Shailyn knew that they would make a great team. With him being head of the guard, and the leader’s son, he was also in a position to help change the way they treated omegas and had already promised her that he would. Starting with getting regular shipments of suppressants into town.

Though their beginning was rough, Shailyn was happy and couldn’t wait to see what changes they would make together. They had a good start at changing the way Alphas and omegas interacted, and hopefully, they could change the town for the better.

Thanks

Thank you so much for reading my story. This was the fourth book I wrote, and was the first time I ever had a word limit. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to stick to it, but the story wrapped itself up just in time!

If you enjoyed this one, I have plenty more for you to choose from that range from dark and dirty, to sweet, while all staying within the omegaverse trope.

Keep going for a sample of the Dystopian Romance, Hired for Heat.

If you enjoy sexy alpha aliens, check out my first series,

The Legion Omegas.

The Omega Prize

Saving the Omegas

Winning His Omega

All three are now available in Kindle Unlimited,

Or get all three in The Legion Omegas Omnibus, available in eBook and paperback.

I also have Dystopian Omegaverse Romance:

Hired for Heat

Hired to Protect

There is a Dark Erotica RH Duet. Both books are short stories (less than 20k words)

In the Darkness

In the Light

Alpha Barbarians

Raider’s Treasure

Bear’s Honor

Verik’s Price (Coming Feb 9th)

If you would like to keep up with what I’m working on, I have both a page and a group on Facebook, or you can sign up for my newsletter.

linktr.ee/Leannryans

Hired for Heat

1. Sandra

Her heels clicked against the sky-blue tiles as she made her way to the receptionist’s desk at the back of the bright lobby. The desk was a large affair, made of glass and shiny metal. The dark-haired woman behind it looked like she had stepped off of the cover of a magazine, the picture of perfect customer service.

Looking up, the generic greeting came from the receptionist’s ruby red lips.

“Hello, welcome to The Haven. How can I help you?”

“I have an appointment at two. Sandra Weanton.”

Nodding, the woman consulted the computer screen on her desk before looking up to meet Sandra’s almond-shaped blue eyes again. “You’re all checked in. If you would please have a seat, Ms. Burrie will be with you in just a moment.”

Sandra turned on her heel and walked over to one of the plush, cream-colored chairs scattered around the lobby. She was the only one there, which helped her relax slightly. Sitting, she crossed one ankle over the other and smoothed her skirt over her knees as she looked around the room. Three of the walls were solid windows overlooking landscaped gardens with bright pops of color from exotic flowers, while they painted the fourth leading into the rest of the building a blue to match the floor. It gave an impression a wide-open space while still being practical and maintaining a clean, professional feeling.

The Haven was the top omega tending facility in the city, containing a wide selection of studs as well as luxurious accommodations. Sandra had never been to the facility before, but many of her peers had raved about it, and curiosity had gotten the best of her.

She barely had time to settle and take in the room before the door behind the receptionist opened and a middle-aged woman dressed in plain scrubs the color of the wall stepped out. Sandra figured this must be Ms. Burrie and stood as the woman approached.

“Hello, you must be Ms. Weanton. I’m Agnes Burrie,” the woman said as she held out a hand to Sandra. “I’ll be the one showing you around today and answering any of your questions. Are you ready to head back?”

Taking the offered hand in her own, Sandra replied, “Yes, please,” and followed the woman to the door she had come through.

As they passed into the hallway behind the lobby the photos of smiling men hung along the walls momentarily distracted Sandra.

“Would you prefer to see the accommodations or the selection first?” Ms. Burrie asked her.

“The accommodations first would be fine.”

“Certainly,” the woman responded as she directed her to the right at the end of the hall. 

Now that she was paying attention, Sandra could tell that the woman was a beta just like the receptionist had been. Betas didn’t emit a noticeable scent like Alphas and omegas did.

As they passed a pair of women dressed in white pushing a cleaning cart, she began to wonder if all of the people that worked here were betas. It would make sense since it would make the clients feel more comfortable. A hormonal omega could attack another if she felt that she was being threatened.

Turning down a second hallway, Ms. Burrie stopped at the first door and swiped a card through the reader on the right. Beeping, the door opened and she stepped inside, moving over to allow Sandra to enter behind her.

“This is our standard room. They are all identical in layout and amenities. The bed is a king size, gel-top, twelve-inch foam mattress, and the sheets come in multiple colors. We also have a selection of fabrics to choose from for the duvet and pillows.”

Reaching down next to the leg of the wooden bedframe, Ms. Burrie stood up with a black strap in her hand. “They built the restraint kit into the frame with reinforced straps tested up to four-hundred pounds. We bolt the bed to the floor for added stability. The table next to the bed here has a water dispenser built into it to be sure you stay hydrated with no need to leave the comfort of your nest.”

Sandra found it a little strange that the bed sat in the middle of the room instead of against one wall, but she brushed it off as she continued to look around. Running her hand over the mattress to test its firmness, she let out a hum before crossing the charcoal grey carpeting to the door at the side of the room.

“The bathroom through the door there has both a standing shower and a sunken tub that is large enough for four and has a reclining seat. The jets in it are adjustable with controls set into the top to be easy to reach. Different soaps and oils are available, as well as towels, inside the cabinet just behind the door.”

Ms. Burrie continued on with her description of everything that made The Haven stand out among other tending facilities. Everything she mentioned had been in the brochure, but Sandra let her continue on.

“If there is anything you would like to have in the room such as, extra pillows, a selection of fruits or sweets, we are happy to provide whatever it is. You can also bring anything with you that you would like to make yourself more comfortable, but we suggest being careful with your choices since there is a risk of it being damaged or forgotten. We do offer a cleaning service for anything that becomes soiled.”

Sandra listened to the woman with half of her attention as she stepped back into the room. She noticed a larger table in the far corner and walked over to it, running a hand over the glossy wood.

“That table is also guaranteed to hold up to eight-hundred pounds and has restraints that can pull out of the legs. It can move, but it’s rather heavy. The chaise lounge in the opposite corner is moveable as well with similar capabilities.”

Humming, Sandra continued to look around. The walls were a dove grey and the lighting came from the ceiling, the entire thing glowing with a soft light.

“Is the lighting adjustable?”

“Of course, the controls are built into the wall here by the door as well as into the table beside the bed,” Ms. Burrie responded.

Sandra gave a brisk nod and strode back to where the woman waited by the door.

“Everything looks perfect. What about accessibility?”

“Once you are inside, we monitor the pheromones in the air. Either when you call us, or when the pheromones reach a certain level, we bring your stud into the room and seal the door. It remains sealed until your pheromone levels have lowered back within a normal range unless you hit your emergency button. If that happens, security will enter the room and deal with the problem, but we have never had that happen,” she responded, closing the door behind them as they walked back into the hall.

“The rooms are all soundproofed and monitored twenty-four seven by an AI system, so we maintain your privacy. The AI has extensive programing to register dangerous or unwanted situations. Your safety is our utmost priority.”

Turning to face Sandra, Ms. Burrie clapped her hands together with a big smile on her face. “So now I’ll take you to the selection area.”

2. Sandra

Walking through a doorway at the end of yet another hall, they passed into a new section of the building. This area was far more clinical feeling, with white walls and flooring, and bright overhead lighting. There was no carpeting or photos on the walls to soften the utilitarian nature of it. Turning a corner, they came to the first cell.

The wall facing the hallway was solid glass and the inside of the cell was painted a rich caramel brown with thick, matching rugs thrown on the tile floor. There was a twin-size bed against one wall and a desk against the other where a blonde Alpha sat working on something that he seemed to be very focused on. He was about average in size to other Alphas Sandra had seen, and the sight was slightly comical since he dwarfed the tiny desk and chair that he had been given.

Ms. Burrie passed her a tablet that had the Alpha’s picture and stats listed on the screen.

“We list the studs under the number on their cell. We try to avoid using names unless he gives it to you himself.  If you see one that interests you, just tap on the number of his cell listed on the left-hand side of the screen. Each profile contains a current photo as well as height, weight, and other physical characteristics. There is a brief bio on each of them, and how they performed during their schooling. Any special aptitudes and interests will fall under the ‘Other’ section, and if we have used them for breeding in the past.”

Nodding, Sandra scrolled through the Alpha’s information before looking back into the cell. The Alpha continued to work at his desk as if he had no idea he was being watched.

“Can they see us?”

“Not unless you want them to. It’s less disturbing for them and you can get a more accurate idea of how they are if they don’t know when they are being watched. If you decide you like one of them and would like to interact, I can make the glass transparent.”

“I understand,” Sandra said.

“Take as much time as you wish at each cell, and of course, you don’t have to decide right now about who you would like to select. Many of our clients come back multiple times before making their choice.”

Studying the Alpha for a moment longer, Sandra began to make her way down the hall, staring into each cell. Each one was different, furnished with a variety of objects besides their bed. Some had desks like the first Alpha she had seen, while others had bookshelves, exercise equipment, or easels. Every Alpha was appealing and appeared healthy and content compared to the ones in the work-camps she had seen occasionally. It was obvious why Alphas tried so hard to be selected as a stud for The Haven.

Continuing along the row of cells, she noticed another omega woman being shown around by a young woman in blue scrubs.

“I know he is the one you have chosen in the past, but company policy doesn’t allow a client to use the same stud more than three times,” the employee was telling the woman.

“I don’t understand why not. He already knows what I enjoy, and I am comfortable with him. I would like to speak with a manager,” the omega responded firmly before following the employee through a door leading back towards the front of the building.

Curiosity overcoming her, Sandra turned to Ms. Burrie. “Why is it we can only use the same stud three times?”

“Anything more than that seems to make the Alphas more likely to push their boundaries. They become too comfortable and can start to think that they can manipulate the client into freeing them. We have found it’s safer not to allow anyone to grow too attached.”

“What do you mean by free them?”

“The Alphas here are stringently tested, as you know. They are the smartest, the best behaved, and the least likely to pose any threat, so if an omega decides that she wishes to bond with an Alpha, we release him from his contract with us and allowed to join in outside society again. Though The Haven is the most lucrative position an Alpha can hope to have while unbonded, a lot of them wish to bond and join society outside these walls.”

Sandra’s eyebrows rose a bit in surprise at what the woman said. She knew of the mandates on Alphas but she hadn’t realized that they were essentially prisoners until an omega bonded with them.

Tilting her head to the side a bit, her eyes narrowed in confusion. “How would someone know if they wanted to bond with an Alpha if you only allows them to be with them three times? That doesn’t seem like enough time to make that kind of decision.”

“Oh, you can visit and spend time with the Alpha whenever you like in one of the meeting rooms, but they will not be allowed to tend you through more than three heats. Considering most omega’s cycles, that’s roughly a year. If you’re uncertain about him by then, it most likely isn’t a good match. Most of the omegas that come here choose a new partner each time unless they are looking to breed or find a mate,” Ms. Burrie told her.

“I see.”

Going back to checking each of the cells, Sandra was disappointed that none of the Alphas seemed to spark any desire in her. They were good-looking, and some were highly educated, but none of them sparked anything in her besides mild interest.

Glancing at the numbers on the side of the tablet, she realized there was a section that she must have missed.

“Is there another hall where these Alphas are? I didn’t see these numbers on any of the cells we passed.”

Glancing at the numbers Sandra was pointing to, Ms. Burrie stiffened, and Sandra caught a strange look flit across her face as she glanced away.

“Those Alphas are in a different hallway. We keep them separate because they are either new or have had a mark against them. We usually don’t recommend them for new clients. We consider them a higher risk.”

Sandra had always been more curious than was healthy, and Ms. Burrie now had her full attention. Telling her something was a bad idea was the best way to get her to try it, and she had gotten into a world of trouble as a child before learning to curb the impulse.

“I would like to see them please. I am willing to accept a higher risk,” Sandra told her.

Ms. Burrie’s lips thinned for a moment. “Are you sure none of the Alphas here interest you? Since this is your first time, many prefer to use a more experienced and reliable stud.”

“I am sure. None of your current selection appeal to me, and I was about to say I would have to go try the Omega’s Den instead and see what kind of selection they have,” Sandra told her.

She was hoping she would find what she was looking for in the isolated studs, and nothing was going to stop her from seeing those Alphas now. If it took threatening to take her business elsewhere, she had no problem leaving and waiting for them to contact her, because there was no way they would let someone with her status get away without doing everything they could to keep her. Sandra didn’t flaunt her power or money often, but she would if that’s what it took to get her what she wanted.