The Heat is On

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/37123717.

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Kevin Day/Aaron Minyard
Characters: Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Kevin Day, Nicky Hemmick, Aaron
Minyard, Abby Winfield, David Wymack, Matt Boyd, Danielle "Dan"
Wilds, Allison Reynolds (All For The Game), Renee Walker (All For
The Game), Seth Gordon, Riko Moriyama, Jean Moreau, Jeremy Knox
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Out of Canon, OOC, A/B/O
dynamic, Alpha Andrew Minyard, Omega Neil Josten,
Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Smut, Canon-
compliant character deaths, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, no
explicit scenes of it though, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Explicit
Consent, Lots and lots and lots of consent, POV Andrew Minyard, POV
Neil Josten, POV Alternating, Sex Toys, Masturbation, Praise Kink,
Mating Cycles/In Heat, Hand Jobs, Making Out, Edging, Temperature
Play, Blindfolds, Frottage, Intercrural Sex, Knotting, Biting, Dildos,
Vibrators, Knotting Dildos, Mates, Mating Bites, Collars, Blow Jobs,
Deepthroating, Rimming, Scents & Smells, Scent Marking, Nesting,
Rutting
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-02-14 Completed: 2022-10-17 Words: 147,704
Chapters: 8/8
 The Heat is On
by NikNak22

Summary

Neil Josten only has one year at Palmetto - one year that he'd planned to stay under the radar,
keeping his true omega status hidden, while playing a sport he loves before moving on.

But that was before he met Andrew Minyard. Before Riko drugged him into having a false
heat. Before Andrew so carefully helped him through it.

Now Neil is questioning what it truly means to be an omega - and what exactly the price
would be if he wanted to stay.

Notes

I know this particular universe's dynamic isn't everyone's cup of tea, so please, please review
triggers, warnings, and the plot summary before you dive in!

In which I take canon, throw it in a bottle, rattle it around, and pull out the bits I want. 🤣
FYI for anyone reading, the only plot point from canon that isn't addressed in the text is that
Andrew does not get court-ordered to go on any drugs in this one.
 Beating the Heat
Chapter Notes

T/W: Non-consensual drug use, implied/referenced rape. Explicit sex scene starts from
the break after the sentence, "Because he isn't going anywhere" and goes until "thank
you, thank you...". There is a lot of talk about consent and topics of sex throughout the
fic, though, so please be careful reading!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“We’re not doing this,” Andrew snaps, turning his back on the stubborn-as-shit freshman and
taking an agitated puff of his cigarette.

“Andrew,” comes Neil’s equally frustrated tone. “We have to.”

“No, we don’t,” Andrew rejoins, even though he hates repeating himself. “Doing this means
you’ve already accepted that it will happen, and I told you I will protect you.”

“Yes, I know,” Neil snaps back, and the conviction behind those three words are almost
enough to make Andrew pause. “But I’m an omega and we both know Riko doesn’t play
fair. The second he finds out, he’ll try to use it to his advantage somehow.”

Rage flares to life inside Andrew’s chest. “I won’t let him touch you,” he snarls, allowing his
alpha voice to bleed into the furious statement.

Neil, however, isn’t cowed.

“That’s the point,” Neil huffs. “By doing this, no one can. Except for you.”

Andrew glares at him, then down at the sheet of paper in Neil’s hand.

“PSU thinks you’re a beta,” he reminds Neil.

The only reason he knows the freshman isn’t one is because he’d found the illegal
suppressants he uses in that stupid duffle bag of his, which Andrew had happily rummaged
through as soon as he’d been able to get his hands on it. It had taken a combative
conversation full of snarling, growling, and posturing before the two of them were finally
able to agree on the shaky deal they have now – one that Neil is already doubting.
Neil rolls his eyes. “Your belief in the administration system is woefully optimistic,” he
deadpans. “They’re not going to cross-reference their records if we walk downstairs and tell
them I’m a freshman omega. They’re just going to take our contract, review the contents
with both of us, then witness us signing it. After that, should anything…” and here Neil
falters before he continues “…should anything unplanned occur, there will be an objective
third-party who can substantiate your position.”

He means when the Foxes come for Andrew’s head, once they figure out Neil is an omega
and that he’d allowed Andrew to be the alpha who “helped” him. It would be an officially
sanctioned document that Neil will have filled out legally, logically, and with full consent
before instinct and need take over.

Damn the omega’s practical nature.

“You don’t swing,” Andrew ruthlessly points out next.

Neil had been adamant about this from the moment he arrived on campus. He wasn’t
interested in getting off or finding a mate – he wasn’t interested in anyone, period. Neil
Josten came wrapped up in a bunch of warning signs that read, leave me the fuck alone.

The fact that they’re even having a conversation about this feels like a violation to Andrew.

“Well, if you’d stop arguing with me about this and come over here and look at this form,
you’d see I chose platonic options as my preferred method. Any…any sexual interactions
would come second. An alternative, if needed.”

Andrew bristles. “I would never take advantage of you,” he snarls. “If you don’t want sex,
then no one will touch you. Including me.”

“Again, it’s not you I’m worried about,” Neil says dryly.

Andrew narrows his eyes at him.

Neil sighs. “Let’s just say I’m…familiar with some of the methods Riko may use.”

Andrew continues to stare at him.

“Not that I’ve ever used them!” Neil says hurriedly. “I’ve just…heard about others who did.
About what…other terrible persuasive methods are out there.”

There’s a lot to process in those last couple of sentences. But Andrew supposes that with
Neil’s father’s shady connections to the mafia, it isn’t completely unbelievable that Neil
would have been exposed to something unsavory.

Andrew feels a rush of bile gather at the back of his throat that he swallows quickly. He
takes a deep breath before finally asking, “Why me? Why not Boyd or Reynolds? Or any
other alpha on campus?”

Because…Neil must know what it means to ask him, right?

Neil casts his gaze to the side. “It’s just sex,” he hedges.

Apparently not.

Andrew crushes the solitary spark of feeling in his chest as he snorts, “Says the guy who’s
never had it.”

Neil gives him an irritated look. “First off, if I had to do this, Matt and Allison are friends of
mine. So preferably, I’d still like to be able to look them in the face afterwards.”

Unlike you, who I could care less about, Andrew hears implied.

“And second,” Neil clenches his jaw before admitting, “I know how serious you are about
keeping promises. If I say not to touch, then I know you will. No matter…no matter what I
say in the moment.”

Andrew is quiet for a full minute. Then he clears his throat and grounds out, “Given this a lot
of thought, rabbit.”

“I believe in preparing for the worst,” the other man responds flatly.

And this would be, in Neil’s eyes. (With good reason). It’s a precaution that he’s trying to
set up as a very last resort, and part of Andrew can’t fault him for that.

Besides, there’s still very little to suggest the situation will actually occur. All of Neil’s
identification documents mark him as a beta. He’s also on those wretched suppressants –
ones that hide his scent and prevent his heat from coming. And all of this is unnecessary
anyway, as Andrew has zero intention of letting anyone, least of all Riko, touch him.

“Fine,” Andrew snaps. He stands up from the rooftop’s edge and throws his cigarette over
before walking towards Neil.

“Fine?” Neil echoes, his voice a little funny.

Andrew doesn’t respond to that. He simply snatches the paper from Neil’s hand and begins
reviewing it.

Like Neil said, platonic interactions were marked as his first preference – things like
scenting, snuggling, napping, feeding, etc. were all marked as okay. Unsurprisingly, he’d
marked bathing and dressing as solo activities, which aligned with his reluctance to change
out in front of the team in the locker rooms.

Andrew has no disagreement with any of his preferences, so he skips down the page to where
Neil marked sexual interactions as his “alternative” method.

He begins reading Neil’s sexual preferences – only to find them blank.

Andrew pins Neil with his stare, mildly satisfied at the way he squirms beneath it. “Seem to
have missed a section, rabbit.”
A little color blossoms in Neil’s cheeks. “Well, like you said – how would I know what I like
if I’ve never done it?”

There’s a stupid little thrill that goes through Andrew at the thought of being Neil’s first for
any of these.

He immediately squashes it.

This is supposed to be a worst-case scenario only – as in Neil intends for it not to happen at
all, if possible. Andrew would do well to remember that, regardless of how stupidly
attractive the omega is.

So, he takes a deep breath and asks, “Let’s start with what you don’t want.”

“No knotting,” Neil says immediately, without pausing for breath. “And no penetration.”

Understandable, but…

“No penetration at all?” Andrew asks clinically. “Or no dick penetration?”

Neil’s brow furrows. “Well…what else…what else would there be?”

Andrew swallows. “Fingers, tongue, toys.”

Neil’s eyes widen, and Andrew can hear his breathing pick up slightly. “Um…toys? Like…
what?”

“Dildos, vibrators, plugs, prostate massagers, anal beads,” Andrew rattles off a quick list
without removing his gaze from Neil’s face.

“Oh,” Neil says faintly, before he swallows audibly. His eyes dart to the side, a slow flush
starting to creep up his face as he says, “Um, okay.”

“Okay to what specifically?” Andrew asks.

Neil goes silent.

Andrew sighs, then uses his alpha voice to growl, “I need an answer, omega.”

With the advantage of being closer this time, he sees the little shiver that comes over Neil
before he whispers, “Um…I don’t…I…”

Andrew tries a new tactic. “Fingers, yes or no, Neil?”

Then tries not to swallow his tongue when Neil’s heavy-lidded gaze slides down to his
fingers. There’s a slight hitch in Neil’s breath before he chokes out, “Yes.”

Andrew nods, ignoring the heat under his collar as he writes it down, then asks, “Tongue?
Yes or no?”
Again, out of the corner of his eye, he watches Neil focus on his mouth. With a herculean
effort, he stops himself from sticking his tongue out and licking his lower lip.

“Yes,” Neil whispers again.

“Toys?” Andrew asks next, actively fighting to keep his voice even. “Dildos, vibrators,
plugs…?”

Neil hesitates, then nods slowly. “Yes, yes, and yes, but…um – no uh, massagers or anal
beads? They aren’t…I’ve never…”

He looks at Andrew confusedly for help, but Andrew just nods, writing his specifics down.
If they ever actually come to this fork in the road, he’ll just stick with the basics – the kid
seems overwhelmed enough as it is.

“What else don’t you want?”

“No biting or marking,” Neil says firmly.

Andrew crosses out both of those boxes. “What else?”

“Um…I uh, I don’t know what it’s called but…um, no handcuffs or um, ropes, or uh…things
like that,” Neil’s face is definitely burning now, but he sticks his chin out stubbornly and
remarks, “I don’t like to be restrained.”

Andrew taps a hand on the paper. That might be a problem, depending on the situation for
him. “What about hands?” he asks, before clearing his throat and clarifying, “What about my
hands?”

“What about them?”

“What if my hands are the ones to hold you down? Not hard enough to hurt, just to…stop
you from touching sometimes?”

Neil’s pupils flare, before he nods and says, “Yeah, that’s…yeah, okay.”

Andrew nods in return, jotting it down. He can work with that. “What about your dick?”

Neil scowls. “What about it?”

Andrew rolls his eyes before pinning Neil with another bored stare. “Can I use my hands?
Or my mouth to get you off?”

“Oh.” Swallow. “Yes.”

“Nipples?”

Neil frowns. “Why would you…would that even feel-”

“Yes, it would,” Andrew tells him, matter-of-fact.

Neil hesitates before he slowly shakes his head. “Not my…not my torso. I want to…I want
it to remain covered.”

“We could do that,” Andrew nods. “I could keep them covered while still licking and playing
with them.”

“Oh,” Neil squeaks before clearing his throat. “Oh, okay then…only if they’re covered then,
but…um…yes.”

Intrigued despite himself, Andrew still writes Neil’s request down, word for word.

He sees Neil waver in the corner of his eye, before he clears his throat and asks, “What about
you?”

Andrew lifts an eyebrow at him. “What about me?”

“Is there anything you don’t want?”

Andrew stares at Neil, wondering for a moment how much of a sex education the omega’s
been given. Because the truth of the matter is this – when it comes down to biology, alphas
are much stronger than omegas, and omegas are instinctually programmed to surrender to
them. That means that regardless of what Neil promises when he’s of sound mind now, he
has little to no chance of remembering it once he’s in the throes of a heat.

“Doesn’t matter,” Andrew scoffs.

Neil glares at him. “Of course it does. Just flip over the paper and start writing them down.
Or, if you want, I could go and get another form-”

“No,” Andrew grumbles, flipping over the form so he’s staring at the back. He rolls his eyes
once, just to visually remind Neil how pointless this is before he begins writing furiously. He
whips through listing out his no-go’s while he watches Neil grow more and more antsy out of
the corner of his eye.

Finally, Neil snaps, “Are you going to share with the class, or am I going to have read the
book?”

Andrew gives him one long look before reciting off, “No pet names, humiliation, bondage,
pain, penetration with any genitals or toys, water games, fisting, hair-pulling-”

“Wait, wait, wait, what?” Neil asks, almost panicked. “I don’t – what are – I’ve never even
heard of-”

Andrew gives him a small smirk before he explains, “Here’s the basic rule: don’t touch me
anywhere without asking.”

“Oh. Well…” Neil looks puzzled for a moment. “Why didn’t you just say that?”

“You asked me what I didn’t want,” Andrew reminds him.

Neil huffs before rolling his eyes. “Ass.”

Andrew shrugs, then adds, “I can explain them, but I wouldn’t suggest introducing any of
these into your first time regardless.”

Neil rubs his upper arm with his opposite hand, casting his gaze to the side for a moment.
Then he shrugs and says, “Okay.”

Andrew blinks at the simple acquiescence before handing the form back to Neil so he can
review and double-check all the details he added. Once Neil nods, satisfied, Andrew crosses
his arms. “So? We doing this?”

Neil swallows. Then he nods. “Yeah.”

“Lead the way, omega,” Andrew motions with his hand.

Neil gives him a scathing glare before heading down the stairs, Andrew solidly at his back.

Like all perfect plans, it only takes a couple months for everything to go to hell.

Kevin forces Neil onto the Kathy Ferdinand show, where he antagonizes Riko in front of the
entire world. Riko takes revenge by killing Seth via a drug overdose. Neil retaliates by
punching Riko in the face at the winter banquet.

Technically, it’s Riko’s turn in his and Neil’s sick game, so Andrew just waits for the fallout
from a rabbit who promised he’d stay under the radar. (Liar.)

But Riko strangely doesn’t make a move.

It’s only on the drive back from spending Christmas in New York City with the
upperclassmen that Andrew gets the hint something’s wrong.

They’ve just passed the exit for Edgar Allen University on the highway, Kevin
unsuccessfully trying to suppress his panicked scent and fluttering heartbeat in the passenger
seat next to him, when a random number pops up on Andrew’s phone. It’s shrill ring
interrupts the easy banter in the car instantly. Kevin stops breathing, so Andrew snaps his
fingers in the man’s face to get him going again before he opens the device and places it on
speaker. “Talk.”

“You have twenty minutes to get here before your striker becomes useless for the rest of your
season.”

Everyone stares at each other in confusion for a moment before their eyes immediately slide
to Kevin. Kevin, who’s sitting there, whole and healthy in Andrew’s car.
The man’s voice is lightly accented, though, and Andrew only needs one glance at Kevin’s
pale face to know it’s Jean. So he quickly rejoins, “Think you’ve taken one too many Exy
balls to the head, Jean Valjean. My striker is sitting right next to me.”

“Not that one,” Jean scoffs. There’s a very brief pause before he adds, “The omega.”

Andrew’s brain stalls out for a second before it comes back online with a vengeance. He
immediately snarls, vision nearly going red as he barks into the phone, his alpha voice
commanding, “What the fuck have you done to him?”

“Come see for yourself.”

Then the phone call ends.

With a screech of tires, Andrew does an illegal U-turn over the highway divider to start
racing back to the Nest.

“Omega?” Nicky pipes up from the back. “Wait, what is he talking about? We don’t have an
omega striker on our team. Seth was an alpha and Neil’s a beta like Kevin, right?”

Andrew is silent, nearly flooring the gas pedal as he wills the car to go faster.

“Right, Andrew?” Nicky insists, his voice growing tighter and his own panicked scent
bleeding into the air, mixing with Kevin’s.

Andrew ignores them both.

Fuck. The asshole had told him he was visiting his estranged uncle for Christmas – had even
promised not to do anything stupid while he was away from Andrew. Goddamn,
motherfucking liar.

If Neil isn’t already dead, he’s going to kill him.

“Fuck,” Aaron says softly into the damning silence.

The moment they pull into the stadium parking lot, they spot him.

Neil is lying on the ground next to a black raven’s bag with his hood up. Andrew screeches
up next to him, throws the Lexus into park, then sprints out of the car, over to the striker.

He rips the hood back and blinks for a second because the image that greets him isn’t what
he’s used to. Neil’s hair has been dyed a devastating auburn color that suits his skin tone
remarkably well, making him even more attractive, if possible. However, this improvement
is dampened by the number of cuts and bruises Neil’s covered in, including Riko’s new tramp
stamp on his cheek.
But Andrew observes all of this in two seconds before bringing his hand to Neil’s neck,
trying to find his pulse. It’s there but weak.

Andrew lets out a shaky breath.

Then his hackles rise when he hears voices coming towards them.

“Holy shit, is that Neil?”

“Fuck, is he-”

Andrew immediately whips his head around and growls viciously at them, throwing his body
over Neil’s to protect him.

“Whoa, whoa, Andrew! We’re not-”

“What the hell are you-”

“Jesus Christ, just stay back, idiots!” He hears someone snap before they turn to him.
“Andrew, calm the fuck down. I need to check Neil out to make sure he’s okay,” Aaron tells
him, throwing his hands up and approaching Andrew slowly.

Brother. Omega. Safe.

It takes a few seconds for the rage to recede. He drags ragged breaths into his chest, willing
himself to calm down. Once he has himself back under control, he finally lets Aaron come
close.

Aaron checks for a couple of vital signs, taking Neil’s pulse and respiration rate, leaning
close to sniff his nose and mouth, before opening one of his eyes and shining a light down
over his pupils.

Slowly, Aaron shakes his head, looking back up at Andrew. “They have him on something
but…I’m not sure what it is. It’s obviously mixed with something to knock him out right
now but it…smells wrong.”

Andrew leans closer to Neil and sniffs the air – then immediately curses.

Because the first thing Andrew smells is his first scent of Neil as a true omega. Which
obviously means Riko stripped away Neil’s access to his suppressants, but it’s not the
immediate concern on his mind.

The real problem is how goddamn delicious Neil smells.

It’s weak but there’s a hint of oranges and cloves that makes Andrew want to burrow closer,
makes him want to put his nose right up against the glands of Neil’s neck and scent him
deeply. His mouth begins to salivate, and he can feel his canines lengthening. If he moves
just a little closer, then he can lick a stripe up the gorgeous skin of the omega’s neck and -
Andrew shakes his head violently. With an extreme amount of willpower, he manages to stay
frozen, resisting the siren’s call of Neil’s mouth-watering smell and focusing on the other
notes that Aaron mentioned.

And…yes, there it is. He can smell it. Something sickly sweet and cloying enough to make
his nose wrinkle.

He stares back at Aaron. “They drugged him.”

Aaron nods. “Yeah, but with what is the problem. It’s not something I recognize.”

Which is saying a lot, knowing his brother’s past experience with illegal substances.

“We need to get him back to Abby,” Aaron says.

Andrew nods.

He slides his arms under Neil’s knees and back and lifts before starting towards the car.
Aaron grabs Neil’s bag and follows them.

Back at the vehicle, Kevin and Nicky are waiting for them.

“Oh my god, what have they done to him?” Nicky whimpers the moment he sees Neil up
close.

All the color drains from Kevin’s face upon seeing Neil, his gaze lingering on the new tattoo,
but he says nothing.

Andrew tucks Neil into the corner of the backseat before sliding in next to him, protecting
him from the others. He tosses his keys at Nicky before snapping, “Get us to Abby’s. Now.”

Nicky doesn’t say a word for once, the others scrambling back into the vehicle before he
steps on it.

Andrew gathers Neil carefully against his side, trying to prevent him from accidentally
slamming into the door or getting jostled, and doesn’t let go the entire ride back.

Luckily, Edgar Allen is practically on the border of West Virginia, meaning it’s only about a
four-hour ride back to Palmetto.

Nicky makes it there in three.

Kevin calls ahead to let Abby know they’re coming, so the moment they pull into her
driveway, Abby is sprinting out the front door in her bathrobe to come over and check on
Neil. Reluctantly, Andrew allows her to do a quick, clinical once-over of Neil’s visible
symptoms before she nods at him.

“Let’s get him in the house,” she says firmly.

Andrew nods, lifting Neil into his arms again before carrying him inside.

He brushes past Kevin to get there and watches the man freeze before wincing, taking a
couple steps back. Andrew ignores him, following Abby into a back room where she has a
bunch of medical equipment and supplies set up. He lays Neil gently on the bed before
glancing over at Abby.

“I’m going to need to give him a physical exam in order to assess the damage, Andrew,”
Abby tells him quietly. “Which means I’m going to need you to leave the room.”

A snarl rips out of his throat before Andrew even has time to think about the meaning of that
statement.

Abby winces but stands firm. “This is patient-doctor confidentiality, Andrew. You two are
not mates. You have no legal right to any of his medical information.”

Andrew balls his hands into fists as he wills himself to calm down. Neil himself had said he
didn’t want Andrew seeing his torso – he had no right to be there, no matter how much his
instincts were telling him to stay by the omega’s side and protect him at all costs.

So he whips himself out of the room and down the hallway to where the others are waiting.

“Wymack’s on his way,” Kevin announces. “Just sent him a text and-”

Andrew throws his hand against the wall beside Kevin’s head, cornering him. “Why did you
flinch when you smelled Neil?”

Kevin stares at him, mouth agape for a moment. Then his gaze darts to the side.

Andrew slams his foot against the wall next, making Kevin jump. “I won’t ask again, beta,”
he growls, using his full alpha voice. “Tell me why you flinched at Neil’s smell.”

Kevin cowers, his head firmly bowed as he answers, “I…I think I recognize what drug they
gave Neil, but I…I’m really hoping I’m wrong.”

“What is it?” Aaron demands, drawing closer.

Kevin looks over at him, finding it easier to stare at the omega’s eyes than Andrew’s. “It’s
something Riko created for his own personal use at the Nest. It’s definitely illegal and highly
potent.”

“What does it do?” Nicky asks warily.

“It…it’s a mix of an increased autonomous curative, some biological activators, and…a very
effective aphrodisiac.”
“Which means?” Nicky whispers.

Kevin winces. “It means the drug will force Neil to go into a false heat.”

Aaron blanches, stepping back. “What? But that’s-”

“Absolutely inhumane,” Nicky cuts in, horrified. “Why in the world would he…”

But he trails off as Kevin casts his gaze to the side, making an even worse face than before.

There is nothing Andrew wants to do more than find Riko and rip his goddamn face off
before plunging his knives so deep he rips the bastard’s heart out. But his need to protect
Neil outweighs his bone-deep thirst for vengeance right now, since he knows he’s the only
person Neil consented to help him through a heat.

He cusses the rabbit out violently in his head for a second, hating that his precautionary plan
has come true with every bone in his body.

Then he focuses, homing in on what must be done.

“Fine, so he goes into heat,” Andrew snaps at Kevin. “We’ll take him to the heat suites back
at the dorm, and I can help him through it there. How long does it usually last?”

Three pairs of eyes snap towards him.

“You can what?” Aaron says.

“When did you even-” Nicky starts.

“Neil made you his heat partner?” Kevin asks, stunned.

Andrew nods at Kevin. “It was meant to be a last resort,” he says bitterly, the words sour in
the open air, even to his ears.

The house is grimly silent for a moment.

“But…but I thought Neil didn’t swing,” Nicky says at last.

“He doesn’t,” Andrew confirms.

Nicky furrows his brow. “But then how can you-”

“He asked for platonic assistance, didn’t he?” Aaron pipes up.

“Oh, right. Duh. Of course, I totally forgot,” Nicky shakes his head.

But Kevin makes a noise in the back of his throat that has them turning back towards him.

“Now what, Day?” Aaron snaps. “What could possibly be worse than finding out Josten’s
actually an omega who’s been drugged, forcing him to go into an unnatural heat?”
Kevin runs a hand shakily through his hair as he explains, “Because that’s exactly the
problem – it’s not a real heat. There’s not just a difference in timing. Riko engineered it so
that if the omega isn’t…satisfied physically…then they’ll be in tremendous pain for as long
as the drug lasts.” He throws an apologetic glance at Andrew before he adds, “Just cuddling
won’t be enough.”

Andrew grabs one of the nearby kitchen chairs and throws it against the wall with enough
force to smash the furniture into pieces. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” he roars, eyes
glowing red and marching towards the front door.

Abby comes running out from the back hallway. “What is going on?” she snaps, surveying
the damage to her kitchen before grimacing at the scent of fear and rage in the room.

Kevin and Nicky huddle off to the side, away from the murderous vibes Andrew gives off,
but Aaron plants himself in front of Abby’s front door.

“Move,” Andrew commands, using the full force of his Alpha voice.

His twin shrinks a little but doesn’t budge. “No, Andrew. He needs you.”

“What he needs is for me to kill Riko,” Andrew growls, his tone lethal.

“No, what he needs is for you to take care of him through this fucked-up situation Riko has
forced him into,” Aaron growls back. “If he’s named you as his heat partner, then you’re the
only one he has fully consented to help him through this.”

“He doesn’t want that kind of help,” Andrew snaps.

“At all? As in he crossed off any sexual contact with you during heats on his form?”

Andrew clenches his jaw before ripping his gaze away from his twin’s knowing one,
remaining silent.

“Neil agreed to have sex with you?” Nicky blurts out, awestruck. “And you…you said yes?”

Andrew turns slowly to give his cousin the eye. “Problem?”

Nicky cowers back from the glare. “No, I…no, I just didn’t know…um…that you…with
guys…” He falters before growing silent under Andrew’s stare.

“Exactly,” Aaron pipes back up, using the opportunity to hammer his point in. “So, if both of
you have consented already, then why would you let him suffer through a tremendous amount
of pain instead?”

“Andrew,” Abby asks, stepping forward. “Aaron…what are you talking about?”

Aaron’s gaze doesn’t leave Andrew’s as he answers, “Apparently, Neil’s true designation is
an omega. Riko found out and drugged Neil, causing him to go into a false heat that can only
be resolved with the help of a heat partner. Otherwise, I’m guessing the drug will cause
Neil’s body to attack itself if certain hormones and secretions aren’t produced, resulting in
him being wracked with pain.”

“What?” Abby asks, her face paling. “Neil is…but all his forms say….” She shakes her head
before continuing with a trembling voice, “But I’ve never heard of-”

“It’s something Riko created at the Nest,” Kevin pipes up. “And I can assure you, the drug is
very real.”

Abby whips her head to the side. “Kevin, no. Tell me you haven’t…”

Kevin shakes his head quickly. “I’m not an omega, so it wouldn’t work on me. And I
never…I never partook in any of it. But…I know others who have.”

He means Jean, Andrew realizes with startling clarity. As one of the only registered omegas
on the team and Riko’s property, of course he would experiment on him. It makes him
wonder if Jean’s call was really a threat or a last-ditch effort to save Neil from what he knows
to be a horrible fate.

“But…it’s been hours since the original dosage,” Abby argues. “And it’s clearly been mixed
with a sedative so-”

“The drug has a purposefully delayed reaction,” Kevin explains, his tone full of sorrow. “So
likely…whenever he wakes up, it’ll begin.”

Abby’s jaw clenches before she asks quietly, “How long does it last?”

Kevin sighs. “For twenty-four hours. Usually.”

“Of course, it does,” Aaron replies scathingly. “Enough time for that shithead to have his fun
and to majorly fuck with an omega’s system. There’s a reason omega heats last for three to
five days. They give enough time for the body to prepare for, and safely come down from,
the insane rush of hormones.”

He glances over at Andrew. “So…are you going to help him?”

Abby turns towards Andrew. “Are you his registered heat partner?”

Andrew swallows before answering, “Yes.”

“Oh good,” Abby visibly relaxes, making Andrew blink. “So you’ve filled out all the
consent forms?”

Andrew clenches his jaw before nodding.

“Then let’s get him over to the dorms and-”

“There’s no other way you can think of to avoid this, right?” Andrew asks one last time,
though he knows the answer is fruitless.
Abby and Aaron turn towards one another before she offers, “Well, we could try and flush the
drugs out of his system, but…in reality, it’ll likely take a few days.”

“And he’ll be out of it and in extreme pain the entire time,” Aaron adds. “He’ll not only be
feeling the effects of the drug but trying to fight off an influx of hormones due to his heat
along with the detox process itself. It…wouldn’t be pretty.”

“We’d be taxing his body horribly, Andrew, and he could potentially sustain long-term
damage,” Abby adds sympathetically. “If he’s already prepared for this scenario…and
there’s a way for you to help him be comfortable and safe through it…then I’d likely
recommend he complete the unnatural heat cycle. It’s, unfortunately, the safest option for
him at this point.”

Which means there will be no hiding it. Riko has metaphorically fucked Neil over by
drugging him within the exact right timeframe to make it irreversible. He’ll either suffer
through a heat alone, or Andrew will help him – and regardless of which option he chooses,
everyone will know Neil’s an omega by the end of it.

Andrew shoves a hand through his hair before gripping and pulling it tight for a moment.

He has a choice – he could say no. But he’d be condemning Neil to enormous suffering in
the process. And that was the entire point of their conversation about consent, right? Just in
case the worst were to happen.

And here they are.

Andrew takes one last deep breath before letting it out in a sigh. Despite the bullshit he
knows others think about the designation, he’s an alpha. And alphas protect omegas –
especially omegas they make deals with.

He knows what he must do.

“Let’s get him to Fox Tower.”

Wymack meets them over in the parking lot at Fox Tower, where Aaron and Abby calmly
explain the situation to him.

Afterward, Wymack lets out a string of curse words that have even Andrew’s eyebrows
lifting before their coach asks many of the same questions Andrew had: Can he avoid it? Is
there a way to get the drug out of his system? Are there any other safe alternatives?

But after receiving all the same answers, his shoulders slump, and he sighs deeply, scrubbing
his face and beard multiple times before turning towards Andrew.

“You two filled out consent forms?” he asks.

“Yes,” Andrew bites out shortly. As if he would be doing this otherwise.

But Wymack surprises him when he tiredly says, “Thank god. At least later, he’ll have the
comfort of knowing it happened with someone he trusts.”

The words sink into Andrew’s chest like stones thrown into the deep end of a lake, somehow
feeling like both an anchor and a condemnation all at once.

The group piles mutely into the elevator, with Andrew carrying Neil and Aaron walking with
an IV beside them.

“He may be groggy at first, but at least he’ll be hydrated,” Abby says briskly as she presses
the button to take them to the basement. “The…restorative effects of the drug are already
helping with a lot of his injuries, but…just be careful, Andrew.”

Andrew nods, his jaw so tight he feels like it could crack.

It’s just about two am when they enter the heat suites, which, between their unusual arrival
time and the large group of people entering the section, has the official there blinking
rapidly.

“What is going on?” she asks sternly, striding forward.

Immediately, Abby draws her to the side to explain the situation while Andrew picks one of
the open suites and lays Neil down on the bed.

While Aaron detaches the IV, Kevin draws Andrew off to the side.

“When he wakes up, you’ll only have a few moments of sanity with him,” he warns him.
“So use them wisely.”

Andrew’s heartbeat slams into his rib cage. “How long is a few?” he snaps at Kevin.

Kevin shrugs. “Can’t say – really depends on the dosage and the person. Sometimes with Je
– sometimes the person only has a few seconds, sometimes more. The longest I’ve ever seen
is five minutes, and that was with them…actively trying to stay aware and conscious before it
rolled over them.”

Andrew turns his head to the side, both angry and grateful all at once for even the slightest
chance to tell Neil what’s going on.

“Okay, I understand the situation,” the official says gravely, stepping into the room. “But the
safety of this omega is my main priority, and only one person is officially sanctioned to be in
this room with him right now. Is there an Andrew Minyard here?”

Everyone else turns to look at him.

Andrew swallows hard before stepping forward. “Yes.”

The official turns a stern glare at him before asking, “Two forms of identification?”
Andrew turns over his license and student ID. She leaves the room to photocopy the items
and verify his claim. When she returns, she hands both back to him and nods. “I need
everyone else to clear the room. Now.”

There’s an awkward pause before Wymack gruffly nods and tells Andrew, “Take care of him,
kid. And don’t worry about school or practice for the next couple of days. I’ll handle it.”

Kevin makes a kind of squawking noise at this, but Wymack immediately puts a firm,
calming hand on his neck. The striker wilts instantly. He turns and looks one more time at
Andrew but doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to, though – the stench of guilt and
sadness is practically rolling off him in waves, enough to make Andrew choke.

“Um, I’d say good luck, but…it just kind of feels wrong in this situation,” Nicky deflates.
“So…I’ll make you guys lots of homemade tamales and guac in the meantime, okay? So you
can both have a decent meal when…when this is all over.”

He looks so defeated that Andrew gives him a slight nod of approval, which is enough to
make Nicky perk up. He leaves with Wymack and Kevin, the older man putting a hand on
both of their shoulders.

“Just…be careful with him, Andrew,” Abby warns him again. “Not only is he injured but…
with the lack of suppressants in his system and the fact that this will be his first heat in…
well, maybe his first heat ever, things might be more intense than usual.”

A sliver of panic spikes sharply in Andrew’s chest suddenly. What if he can’t control
himself? What if he succumbs to his instinct and ignores every boundary he and Neil
carefully set up? What if he –

But he snarls at himself an instant later. No, he promised Neil he would do this, and he will
respect his wishes, no matter the cost. This entire situation is about helping Neil, and he will
do everything in his power to make sure he’s as comfortable as possible.

It’s as if Abby sees the determination in his eyes because she smiles softly before she too
takes her leave.

And finally, it’s just Aaron in the room with him.

As per usual, his brother pulls no punches. “Have you ever helped an omega through their
heats?”

Andrew clenches his jaw. “A few times in past foster homes – but it’s always been strictly
platonic. As you know.”

Andrew only had to help Aaron through one or two of his heats. Aaron luckily didn’t seem
to have it as bad as some omegas do, so most of the time, he’s able to make it through on his
own, with only a few creature comforts from Andrew.

Aaron nods. “This will likely be much worse. Your instincts will be fighting against you to
claim him, so you’ll need to have ironclad control of yourself. And don’t forget to use some
platonic methods as well. While sex is intimate, heats are…intense. Having someone there
to…help guide you and take care of you can make the entire experience…a lot easier, okay?”

Aaron’s face is nearly red at this point, but he continues to stare stubbornly at Andrew.

If he’s being honest with himself, Andrew’s a bit surprised by the advice, seeing as Aaron
and Neil are akin to oil and water. They’ve hated each other from the moment Neil joined the
team. He wonders if this tip for comfort is an omega solidarity thing or if having a heat is a
much more difficult situation than he first realized.

Had he been ignoring his brother’s pain this entire time?

Aaron scoffs, rolling his eyes as if he can somehow hear Andrew’s thought process. “You
did nothing wrong, Andrew. I’m just telling you that…we want to be comforted. The whole
thing is…well, it’s just a lot to handle, okay? So, knowing that the person there with you will
be respectful of you through all of it, and actually hearing and feeling them take care of you,
means a lot to us.”

Andrew nods.

Aaron nods jerkily back, rubbing his upper arm a little as he takes one last look at Neil’s
sleeping form. “Well…see you on the other side, I guess.”

Then he walks out of the room.

Andrew can hear him saying goodnight to the official, who appears at the door moments
later.

“Here is the key to your suite,” she hands it over to him. “Although you may feel
comfortable otherwise, we do require locked doors to keep heat sessions private. No one else
will be allowed in the suite during this timeframe other than individuals Neil Josten marked
down on his consent forms – which is you alone, Mr. Minyard. The official at the desk is the
only other person who will have a copy. Still, we will only use it if you inform us you need
help in some way or if we are concerned for the omega’s safety.”

She walks over to a small cupboard in the wall and opens it. “We will deliver food and drink
three times a day here for your consumption. You may already know this, but omegas
regularly need assistance and encouragement to replenish their energy during a cycle. Their
appetites are often extremely diminished, but their bodies' exertion requires regular
sustenance and hydration. Family and friends can also use this cubby as a method of
delivering snacks, gifts, clothes, etc., if you need something, but note that any items will be
thoroughly inspected before being allowed to pass into your suite.”

Shit, clothes. Andrew hadn’t even thought of that. He can’t imagine Neil or him wanting to
walk out of here in the same clothes after…well, after.

He whips out his phone and texts Aaron quickly. The official waits until he’s finished to
continue her spiel.
“Bathroom is over here, with towels and supplies in this closet,” she opens the closet door,
“as well as several sets of fresh sheets, pillows, and blankets. First aid kit is above the sink in
case any minor injuries occur. We have a small refrigerator in this corner, and you can charge
any personal devices over here next to the desk, which is also equipped with paper and pens.
We do have several subscriptions for the two of you to pick from should you choose to watch
TV together – the remote is kept here in this drawer.”

She walks over to a small chest near the bed next. “In here, we keep a well-stocked supply of
lubricants, condoms, and devices for you to choose from to aid the heat cycle. All supplies
that are not sealed or packaged after an occupant’s use of the room are tossed, so we can
guarantee they are hygienic and safe for use. You may also bring your own supplies, but if
they are being used with a partner, they must pass inspection before the omega’s next heat
cycle.”

She goes over to stand back by the door. “If you require anything, simply flip this switch.”

She flips it on, and Andrew can see a small, blue light appear above their doorway on the
outside.

“This will inform us that you need something. You can also leave a note in the cubby if it’s
hard to communicate the request for some reason. We are available 24/7 to assist.”

She tilts her head at him, her face impassive. “Any questions?”

Slowly, Andrew shakes his head.

The woman nods hers in return before shutting the door with a final click. Immediately,
Andrew walks over and locks it. Then he turns around and leans against the door.

Standing there in the silence, looking at Neil’s peaceful form sleeping on the bed, the reality
of the situation slams into him at full force.

Fuck, this is really happening.

He’s really helping Neil Josten, the feisty and insanely attractive omega who’s been a thorn in
Andrew’s side since day one, through his heat cycle. Neil had chosen him, had trusted him,
to be the one to take care of him when he’s at his most vulnerable.

Andrew cannot screw this up.

Neil shows no sign of stirring, so after Aaron delivers a couple sets of clothes for each of
them, Andrew takes a much-needed shower to rid himself of the scent of travel, frustration,
and anger that’s clinging to him like a second skin.
On top of everything else, he knows Neil is likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of
scent he’ll be able to register now, so he doesn’t want to trigger any unnecessary panic. He
must stay as calm and relaxed as possible – a blank slate for all of Neil’s tumultuous
hormones to bounce off of.

He pulls on underwear, a soft pair of sweatpants, and a black tank top, followed by his
armbands (though he leaves the knives out). The suite is quite warm temperature-wise
despite it being January, which Andrew assumes is on purpose. They must turn up the heat to
make the person or person(s) comfortable with all the…clothesless activities occurring.

Andrew’s heart jumps into his throat when he hears Neil stir a little, but it’s only to shift over
onto his side in his sleep. Thankfully, Abby has changed him into a soft, navy-blue tracksuit
instead of the awful black and red outfit that was a parting gift from the Ravens. He can also
smell remnants of a clean lilac soap, which means she’d also bathed him to rid him of the
stench of the Nest.

Andrew is relieved by this small act of kindness because he recalls Neil specifically marking
down bathing as one of their no-go’s, and it would have driven Andrew nuts if he still had to
smell Riko on him.

Andrew stares at Neil’s small, prone figure on the bed, watching his chest move up and down
with each breath. The fabric of the tracksuit is just thin enough to outline the curves of Neil’s
body perfectly. He can see the dip between Neil’s back and his hips, the generous sloping
curve of his ass, the tiny sliver of skin peeking out of his collar at the back of his neck.

A tiny hint of arousal starts to rise unbidden in him. Andrew licks his lips and swallows,
casting his gaze to the side.

To be honest, he’s kind of been ignoring the side of him that is absolutely preening at the
chance to be with Neil this way. He’s never doubted his attraction to the smart-mouthed man
– he’d simply cut it off, stifling the spark whenever it rose, knowing that Neil didn’t
reciprocate.

Even now, with Neil’s full permission, he still feels somewhat guilty being here. It’s only the
repercussion of Neil being in pain that makes him stay, watching the clock anxiously and
waiting for the man to regain consciousness.

Neil sighs into the open space, shifting again, and Andrew’s pulse begins to race once more.
Neil’s obviously starting to come out of it, slowly. They’re in the final countdown before he
wakes.

Andrew clears his throat before standing up and slowly walking over to the chest by the bed.
He looks through the selection of lube, pleased to find one of the brands he likes available.
He takes it out and removes the plastic packaging before putting it on top of the desk.

He considers the condoms next before moving past them. Both he and Neil had gotten tested
in conjunction with handing in the consent forms, so he knew they were both clean. And
besides – this whole experience is about Neil, not Andrew. Neil made it explicitly clear there
was to be no penetration or knotting from Andrew, so he doesn’t see the point.
After all, he doesn’t mind swallowing.

There’s a slight shiver that races across his skin, heat gathering in his groin at the simple
thought. He grinds his teeth together and moves on to the toys next.

There are…a ton of them. Andrew’s somewhat surprised by the selection. But knowing that
Neil has little to no experience with any of this, he chooses a couple of simple options – a
slim prostate vibrator, a dildo with an inflatable knot, and a small anal plug. He removes
them all from their boxes, fiddling with the twist-ties and packaging before bringing them
over to the sink and washing them. He dries them afterward, double-checking that the
electronic ones are either charged or have working batteries. Then he goes over and snags a
dry towel from the bathroom and throws it on the chest next to the toys.

As a last thought, he wanders over to the mini-fridge and is pleased to find it stocked with
some cold water bottles. He grabs one and sets it down on the chest before going back over
to the side of the room, sitting against the wall and waiting once more.

Though it feels like forever to him, it only takes another ten minutes for Neil to finally open
his eyes.

Immediately, Neil jerks violently, whipping his head and limbs around as he takes in the
strange room. A wave of panic and fear assaults Andrew’s nostrils, making him jump to his
feet instinctually. But while his reaction is motivated by the need to protect, Neil recoils at
the movement.

Andrew freezes. Taking a deep breath, he calmly states, “It’s me, rabbit.”

Neil stops moving at the sound of his voice, and Andrew watches the man shudder before
rasping out, “Andrew?” He licks his lips before adding, “Are you – are we-”

“We’re back at PSU in Fox Tower,” Andrew says quickly. “We’re in one of the heat suites in
the basement.”

Neil blinks at this information. “The heat suites…what? Why?”

He tries to take a deep breath, and Andrew sees the exact moment Neil smells him. His
pupils blow wide, and he lets out a little gasp, fingers curling into the sheets as he blurts out,
“What is that?”

Though his reaction makes something coil tightly in Andrew’s gut, he knows they’re up
against a ticking clock, so he ignores the question and asks, “Can I come closer?”

Neil nods his head.

So Andrew walks over calmly and sits on the edge of the bed next to Neil, grabbing the water
bottle and opening it for him. Neil gratefully takes it and begins gulping it down. As he does
so, Andrew quickly tries to explain.

“Here’s what you need to know, Josten. That piece of shit Raven drugged you with
something that’s made you go into heat.”
“Into heat?” Neil chokes, coughing up water. “But I’ve never – how the fuck -” He sets the
water bottle down before running his fingers through his hair. “Okay, okay – so that’s why
you’re – okay, so we just…do this how we talked about. Platonic shit.”

Andrew shakes his head slowly. “This isn’t just any heat,” he tells him grimly. “It’ll only
last twenty-four hours, but it’s made specially to encourage you to want to be fucked. If you
don’t, then your body fights back.”

“What the fuck?” Neil shouts, scooting backward on the bed and curling up into himself. His
scent becomes drenched in equal measures of terror and anger. “But I said – you promised-”

“And I’m going to keep that promise, Neil, so just relax,” Andrew tells him, using his alpha
voice.

Neil relaxes by a fraction.

“I told you I wouldn’t fuck you, and I meant it,” Andrew insists, staring into Neil’s eyes.
“I’m only here to help you in whatever way you want me to. Nothing more. If you don’t
want me to touch you at all, then I won’t.”

Neil swallows before looking around the room wildly. “Maybe we could – maybe we could
just try cuddling or napping together, or – you know? To start with? Maybe it’ll be enou-”

But he suddenly cuts himself off with a gasp, arms clutching around his middle and doubling
over in pain.

“Neil!” Andrew snaps, drawing closer to him on the bed. He hovers his hands near Neil’s
face and neck, hearing him grit his teeth. “Can I touch you, yes or no?”

Neil lets out a frustrated noise before he chokes out, “Yes.”

Immediately Andrew slides one hand to the back of Neil’s neck and the other to cup his face,
lifting it. Neil’s eyelids flutter, leaning into the contact before he clenches his jaw and goes
rigid. Andrew can see him fighting to keep his focus on him.

“Maybe…” he gasps. “Maybe I can just…do it myself?”

“You could try,” Andrew considers the suggestion seriously. “But the likelihood is it won’t
be enough – you’ll grow tired too fast. But if you want, I’ll leave you alone.”

“NO!” Neil immediately snaps, nearly growling before closing his eyes and spitting out a
frustrated, “fuck.” He takes a deep breath and repeats the curse. Then he opens his eyes and
says, “Okay.”

“Okay?” Andrew parrots.

“Okay, you can help me,” Neil explains tiredly. “But only using the conditions we…we
talked about before.”

“Yes,” Andrew promises instantly.

Another wave of pain shudders through Neil, and this time he lets out an unhappy whine. He
slaps a hand over his mouth as if embarrassed, but Andrew could give two shits about the
noise – he just needs to make the omega feel better.

“Can I hold you, Neil?” he asks.

Neil nods, so Andrew slowly begins drawing him into his arms until he’s resting against his
chest. Strategically, he tucks Neil’s head underneath his chin, but Neil draws back, rigid until
Andrew urges him forward again. “You can scent me, Neil.”

Immediately, Neil relaxes before his nose dives into Andrew’s neck and breathes deeply.

A shiver races over Andrew’s skin, goosebumps rising as Neil continues to scent him.

Neil gives a happy sigh before tucking his forehead into Andrew’s neck. “What…what about
you?” the redhead asks sleepily. “Are you sure you want to…I mean, you don’t have to…I
could-”

“I already said yes when I signed the forms, Josten. I’m not backing out now,” Andrew tells
him.

“Don’t have to if you don’t want to,” the omega grumbles before sighing again. He nuzzles
closer and asks, “Where can I…where can I touch?”

The question stuns Andrew. That Neil would focus on this – would remember Andrew’s
boundaries, using the last moments of his consciousness to solidify them. It’s…well, it’s
something.

“Waist and above, rabbit,” he whispers into Neil’s ear.

Neil gives a full-body shiver, confessing, “I like when you call me that.”

Andrew huffs, his breath causing a few hairs on Neil’s head to flutter. “And yet you always
look so pissed when I do.”

“Hated it…in the beginning,” Neil manages to eke out. His hands slowly trail up Andrew’s
chest until his arms are wrapped around Andrew’s neck. “Now I…don’t mind.”

“Don’t mind is different from like,” Andrew cautions him, dragging his cheek against Neil’s
so that their stubble rasps together. “Can I scent you, Neil?”

Neil makes a little whining noise before leaning his head to the side and baring his neck.
“Yes, alpha,” he whispers.

The small submission is enough to draw a pleased rumble from Andrew’s chest before he
leans forward and tucks his nose into Neil’s neck, and breathes deeply. That scent of oranges
and cloves from before blooms beneath his touch. Unable to help himself, Andrew softly
kisses the skin there, just a light brushing of lips.
Neil jolts as if branded, a livewire reaction that makes him gasp and his heartbeat thunder
beneath Andrew’s hands.

“Shh, it’s okay, Neil, it’s okay,” Andrew soothes, his hands stroking steadily over Neil’s
back. When Neil relaxes back into his touch, Andrew praises him without thinking. “Good
boy.”

A pleased purr erupts from Neil’s chest. Startled, Andrew draws back to see a small smile on
Neil’s face and his eyes shut tight.

Looking around the bed, Andrew decides to make them a bit more comfortable, dragging
nearby pillows closer to prop them behind him. But the move jostles Neil, who whines his
displeasure. A small note of fear trickles into his scent, and he clutches onto Andrew tighter.

“Don’t leave, alpha, don’t leave,” he pleads.

Andrew swallows hard before reassuring him, “I’m not leaving, rabbit.”

“Good,” Neil settles, his nose diving into Andrew’s neck once more. “Stay with me, Drew.”

Drew?

Andrew scowls at the nickname, but he quickly forces himself to take a breath. Neil
probably won’t even remember it when this is all over. And he doesn’t want to upset the
omega if he’s already feeling uneasy that Andrew might leave.

Though he has to admit, the mere thought of it nearly makes him scoffs – as if anything could
make Andrew move from this spot.

No, Neil has no reason to worry. Because he isn’t going anywhere.

For a while, Andrew wonders if Kevin is wrong about the drug because Neil seems perfectly
content to just be held and scented. They cuddle for a bit, with Andrew even getting Neil to
eat some fruit provided through the two-way cubby door.

He’s not exactly with it mentally, weaving in and out of consciousness, but he responds to
Andrew’s asks and praise beautifully. Andrew continues to speak to him in calm and
soothing tones, each sigh and purr Neil makes satisfying his alpha instinct immensely.

He’s just about concluded this could work, that they might be able to make it through Neil’s
false heat without having to do anything sexual in nature when Neil wakes up from his next
nap.

He blinks slowly up at Andrew, watching him with those crystal blue eyes.
“Hey rabbit,” Andrew tells him softly.

Neil blinks again. Then he begins to squirm, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. A small
whine of distress clears his throat.

“What’s wrong, Neil?” Andrew asks, brows furrowed.

“Hot,” Neil whines again, pulling uselessly at his jacket.

Andrew carefully pulls Neil’s hands aside before unzipping the jacket. “Is that enough?”

“No,” Neil shakes his head. “Off.”

Okay, so Neil had said no assistance with dressing, but…he’s also somehow reduced himself
to the ungraceful coordination of a two-year-old, trapping his arms in the sleeves and
rendering himself useless. After a few more moments of struggle, Andrew bites his lip and
helps Neil out of the jacket. Then he firmly decides that if Neil wants any other clothes off,
he’ll have to do it himself.

Apparently, though, the jacket winds up being the only article of clothing Neil’s mystified
by. Because two seconds later, he’s whisked his pants off faster than Andrew can blink.

“Uh, Josten,” Andrew blurts out ineloquently before all the air is sucked out of his lungs
when Neil rips off his underwear too.

Andrew’s eyes shoot to the ceiling for a moment as he slowly takes a breath. Then another.

Okay. Okay. He can do this.

Neil had said it was okay to help him, and he’d meant it. So if Andrew is going to keep his
promise, then it means he’ll have to look at the redhead sometime.

And Andrew never breaks a promise.

He waits another couple of seconds, then slowly drags his gaze back down until he’s looking
at Neil’s body once more.

Unfortunately, the first thing Andrew sees is the number of abrasions, cuts, and bruises that
mottle Neil’s skin – leftover souvenirs from the Nest. It’s clear they’re all in the process of
healing, as Abby said, but the sight of them fills him with an unspeakable rage.

Without thinking, he growls, low and deep in his throat, and Neil immediately freezes before
cowering. He curls up into his own body, making it as small as possible before whimpering.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Andrew chides himself.

He tries to blank his mind out, removing all traces of aggression from his scent. He doesn’t
touch Neil, but he does reassure him, whispering praise like, “No rabbit, it’s okay. I’m not
mad at you. You did nothing wrong. Come on, will you turn back around and look at me?
Let me see those eyes?”

Slowly, Neil turns back to him, those guileless blue eyes searching his face. Andrew keeps it
impassively blank, not even flinching when Neil raises one hand up to cup his cheek. Neil
smiles then, something soft and sweet before he sighs. His hands start drifting towards the
hem of his shirt – the only article of clothing left on him since he’d apparently ripped off his
socks while Andrew was having a mental breakdown.

Andrew captures them both quickly, kissing Neil’s palms when Neil frowns at him. “Why
don’t you leave that alone, rabbit? You look…” and here Andrew swallows for a moment,
nearly choking out the words, “…you look good with just a t-shirt on.”

It’s true but not the kind of statement Andrew Minyard usually makes. He feels like an idiot
saying it if he’s being honest. But Neil makes it all worthwhile a second later when a smile
blooms on his face, the redhead flushing happily from Andrew’s praise.

Pleased by the omega’s reaction, Andrew finally allows his gaze to roam, eyes drifting over
Neil’s gorgeous tan skin, his lean legs and slim ankles, the tangle of matching auburn hair at
his groin, the long, rigid length of his fully erect dick –

Oh shit.

Stupidly, it’s only then he realizes the room is flooding with the heavy scent of Neil’s
arousal. Andrew takes a deep breath and – oh yeah, goddamn, how had he missed that? The
intoxicating scent is practically oozing from Neil’s pores. Andrew even catches a tiny whiff
of Neil’s slick growing.

His eyes shoot back up to Neil’s face, which still looks dazed and happy. The redhead scoots
closer to him, nose burrowing into Andrew’s neck before his hand begins to drift down his
own chest. Andrew watches it skim over the dark fabric of his t-shirt, traveling lower and
lower before finally gripping his dick firmly in his hand.

Neil sighs against Andrew’s neck, his hot breath skittering across Andrew’s sensitive skin
before he begins tugging on it slowly.

Andrew drags in a ragged breath as he watches the slow, steady rhythm of Neil’s hand on his
own cock. Holy fuck, why is that so hot? Instantly, a boner tents in his own pants, and he’s
almost disappointed in himself for not being able to hold out longer.

He hisses through his teeth when Neil begins nuzzling against his neck, leaving soft kisses as
he starts stroking his dick a little faster. Andrew fists his hand in the pillow beside him and
fights to take a breath.

Okay, okay, so – Neil had said that maybe he could try doing it by himself first. If that was
the case, then Andrew’s only option was to sit back and let him do it, right? It was what Neil
wanted. (And it’s not like watching this is exactly a hardship).
Andrew holds himself as still as possible, letting Neil scent him to his heart’s content as he
jerks off. But soon, the redhead begins to shift again, a slight frown tugging at the corner of
his lips.

Quickly, Andrew rolls over to grab the lube from the chest next to them.

“Here,” he tells Neil. “Try this.”

He squeezes a small amount out onto the head of Neil’s dick. Neil takes a quick indrawn
breath at the new sensation before running his hand over the slippery liquid. When he drags
it downward again, the friction between his hand and his cock makes a loud, squelching noise
that echoes through the room. Neil arches and shudders at the sound, a small moan growing
in the back of his throat.

Jesus Christ.

Andrew buries his head in the pillow next to Neil’s, breathing in the scent of his hair and
trying his best to calm the fuck down. Which is nearly impossible when an insanely hot
omega is masturbating next to you, making lewd noises, and smelling delicious enough to
eat.

Neil nuzzles closer to Andrew’s head, rubbing his cheek against Andrew’s hair.

Andrew turns so that he’s staring deep into Neil’s eyes.

As Neil returns his gaze, Andrew hears words begin to spill from his lips. “That’s it, rabbit,
you’re doing so good. It feels good, doesn’t it? So hot and tight – why don’t you try
squeezing the head with your fist? Yes, just like that. Now rub your thumb right below it,
right there…yes, good. That’s it.”

Neil’s feet shift on the sheet as he helplessly follows Andrew’s instructions, his breaths
growing rapid and noises pouring freely from his lips. His head lolls on the pillow, eyes
opening and closing, but Andrew notices that he fights to keep his gaze on him.

“That’s it, Neil. Keep going, that’s it. Now try going faster. Grip your cock tighter and
stroke it harder. Yes. Like that. Do you like it? Tell me, does it feel good, omega?”

“Yes, alpha,” Neil groans out, his hips starting to jerk.

Andrew can tell he’s close. He’s gasping, toes curling, face and neck flushed. Andrew keeps
up the steady praise in his ear, and Neil reacts to each word as if Andrew’s physically
caressing his body. Finally, he’s nearly shaking on the bed, and Andrew expects him to cum
any second, but it doesn’t happen.

Neil just keeps going and going and going – and Andrew realizes he’s the most idiotic alpha
on the planet.

So he moves close enough for Neil to feel his lips against his ear as he whispers, “Cum for
me, Neil. Come on. Cum, omega.”
And with a cry of relief, Neil spasms all over his shirt and hand. Large, thick ropes of cum
cover him as he shudders, his clean hand curling tightly into Andrew’s shirt. Content and
happiness flood his scent, coating the air with evidence of his gratification.

“That’s it,” Andrew whispers in his ear. “Good boy. Good omega.”

Neil whines in pleasure, lifting his head, seeking Andrew.

And Andrew leans forward, lowering his own before he suddenly pauses.

Shit, how the hell had they talked about everything but kissing?

He stares down at Neil’s plump, lush lips, the omega’s tongue absently flicking out to wet
them, but something doesn’t sit right in Andrew’s stomach. He can’t do it – not without
Neil’s consent.

And then his mind comes up with an even worse thought – what if this is Neil’s first kiss?

Oh, fuck no. He is not getting kissed for the first time while out of his mind. Neil deserves
to kiss whoever he wants, if he wants it, on his own terms – and to remember it.

Neil rubs his nose against Andrew’s, jerking him back to the present. So he brushes the hair
back from Neil’s forehead and presses a soft kiss there. He follows it with another at his
temple, another at the corner of his jaw, and one on his neck.

Neil preens under the attention, his happy purring filling the room.

He lifts his hands towards Andrew’s neck, but Andrew stops him before he can slip his cum
and lube-covered hand into his hair. This close, the smell of Neil’s cum on his fingers fills
Andrew’s senses, and before he can think twice about it, he sucks Neil’s fingers into his
mouth.

The taste is both sweet and bitter – and utterly addictive. He continues licking it, cleaning
Neil’s fingers until it’s all gone. Then he drags the towel over and wipes the rest of the
excess lube off Neil’s hand.

The moment the appendage is clean, Neil threads their fingers together, thrusting his other
hand into Andrew’s hair and tugging him forward. Again, Andrew dodges his lips, brushing
soft kisses across Neil’s cheeks and on the skin beneath his ear. He tugs gently on Neil’s ear
lobe with his teeth, and Neil murmurs encouragingly.

Andrew rolls over so he’s hovering on his elbows over top of Neil, shoving one leg between
his thighs so he can –

Holy shit. Neil is hard again.

Andrew stares down at the rigid member and wonders if a shortened recovery period is a
natural effect of Neil’s heat or the drug. He shifts to move away, but Neil keens, his hips
arching as he starts rubbing shamelessly against Andrew’s thigh. Andrew stays still for a
second before slowly pressing down.
Neil ruts up against him instantly, his leg lifting to circle Andrew’s hip, but at the last
moment, he hesitates.

Andrew raises himself up slightly to check on Neil, but…nothing seems to be wrong. With a
furrowed brow, he looks back at Neil’s face to find him breathing hard, his fingers clutched
tightly in the sheets, and his front teeth buried in his bottom lip. He slams his foot back on
the bed, toes digging in, while his thigh shakes from the angle he has it turned at, hovering
away from Andrew’s hip –

Waist and above, rabbit.

Shocked, Andrew realizes Neil is trying to keep his promise. Andrew had said he could only
touch him above the waist and, somewhere deep inside him, Neil was holding true to that
boundary.

This is what he gets for not communicating properly, Andrew chides himself mentally – for
skipping over Neil’s question as inconsequential. Because what Andrew meant was Neil just
couldn’t grab him anywhere below the waist. But this? He can handle this.

So he grabs on to Neil’s thigh and shoves it up against his hip, easily resisting Neil’s muscles
as he says, “It’s okay, rabbit. This is fine. Just no hands or mouth below my waist, okay?”

Neil looks into his eyes, licks his lips, and nods. Then he gasps when Andrew maneuvers his
other leg out from underneath him and drags that thigh up to circle his hip as well.
Carefully, Andrew watches Neil’s face as he lowers himself down until his full body weight
rests on Neil, their groins pressed intimately against one another.

Neil immediately lets out a small whimper, hands scrabbling on Andrew’s back, and thighs
squeezing tight. His fingers dig into the material of Andrew’s shirt, pulling at it, and Andrew
realizes he wants it off. Andrew considers for only a brief second before ripping the tank top
over his head and flinging it to the side.

Neil is immediately pleased with the amount of skin he’s been granted access to. His fingers
trace every inch of Andrew’s chest and back, exploring with a kind of wonder and reverence
that makes Andrew still. Then the redhead surges upwards, trying to rub their chests together
before pulling back and whining at the thick cloth of the t-shirt between them. Again, he
starts to try and rip it off, but Andrew immediately grabs hold of his wrists and pins them
down above his head to stop him.

Neil’s eyes widen as he tries to buck against Andrew but realizes quickly it’s no use. Andrew
worries for a moment that this will trigger something or that maybe he’s somehow hurting
him. But his gut wrenches hard a second later when Neil’s eyes flutter, and he positively
moans beneath his grip. He arches again under Andrew’s hands, and Andrew presses down
on them tighter, watching Neil’s cock jump at the sensation.

Yep. Okay – they are definitely talking about this once Neil’s heat is over.

Right now, though, he focuses on the dilemma of Neil’s t-shirt. It’s clear that the fabric is
muting sensation, and Neil doesn’t like it. But he also knows that Neil really didn’t want him
to see his torso, so…what other option is there?

His eyes search the room, looking for an answer before they snag on his tank top.

Shit, of course.

The tank top is a lighter, thinner material than the cotton t-shirt but not see-through –
meaning not only would it be less hot for Neil to wear, but it would still cover him
completely. A perfect compromise.

Andrew switches hands to make sure Neil’s wrists are still pinned before he leans over the
side of the bed to snatch the tank top off the floor. He brings the bunched-up fabric closer to
Neil’s head so that he can try and untangle the clothing – and is completely floored when
Neil surges forward and buries his nose in the top.

Right – his alpha scent. How could he forget?

Neil soaks in the scent like he’s getting high off it as Andrew wrestles with him to get it
untangled. After some particularly sweaty moments, it’s ready for Neil to wear.

Andrew glances up at Neil’s face before he leans close and asks, “Can you be good for me,
Neil? Can you keep your hands here and promise not to touch until I say?”

Neil nods eagerly, and Andrew feels the bed give under the pressure Neil puts behind his own
hands to keep them there.

“Good boy,” Andrew says as he releases Neil’s wrists slowly, dragging one hand across his
cheek for just a moment.

Neil smiles and purrs, nudging his head into Andrew’s hand, though his hips shift restlessly.

Determined to make this quick, Andrew shoves the tank top over Neil’s head with little
finesse before dragging it down over the top of Neil’s t-shirt. Then he grips the bottom hem
of the tank top tight before he begins scooching the cotton piece underneath up, making sure
Neil’s torso is covered at all times. It takes him a minute or two of uncoordinated efforts
before he finally can pull the cotton t-shirt over Neil’s head and off his hands.

Neil sighs with relief the moment the garment is off, and Andrew takes a quick glance back
down at his body to make sure his plan worked. Neil’s entire torso is covered by the thin
cloth of the black tank top, but he can see the outline of his hardened nipples perfectly.
There’s only a slight gap at the neckline since Neil’s chest isn’t as broad as Andrew’s,
allowing a hint of collarbone to show through, but that’s it.

Andrew sits up and sighs, pleased that his plan worked before Neil whines at him.

He blinks back up at the redhead, finding him watching him, his hands still pinned obediently
to the bed.

“Such a good boy for me,” Andrew praises him, his chest rumbling as he slides his hands
lightly over Neil’s chest. He starts rubbing Neil’s nipple with one thumb while the other
continues up over his neck until it rests on Neil’s bottom lip. “Aren’t you? Aren’t you a
good omega?”

Neil squirms beneath his touch, thighs tightening instinctively around Andrew’s hips and
eyes hooded as he stares up at Andrew. Then his tongue reaches out to lick Andrew’s thumb
before sucking it into his mouth.

Fucking hell.

Andrew is frozen for a second, watching Neil suck on the digit lightly. Neil positively oozes
sensuality for someone who’s never done anything remotely sexual. Is it instinctual for
omegas, he wonders? Or is this just something quintessentially Neil?

A sharp nip of teeth draws him out of his woolgathering, and his hand jerks a little in
response. Neil opens his mouth immediately, eyes widening as he glances up at Andrew with
a worried look on his face.

Andrew immediately caresses Neil’s cheek, running his wet thumb over Neil’s lips again.
“No rabbit teeth this time, okay, omega? Only sweet bunny nibbles…yes, like that,” he
croons as Neil nibbles his teeth gently on the pad of Andrew’s thumb. “Perfect, bunny. Now
flatten your tongue and pull your lips over your teeth…yes, exactly. And suck on it gently…
so good, little bunny.”

Neil gives a pleased whine in the back of his throat as he sucks on Andrew’s thumb,
following Andrew’s instructions to the letter.

And suddenly, an idea comes to mind.

While Neil continues to suck and nibble on Andrew’s thumb, he repositions him, so he’s on
his side, body curled slightly. Andrew slowly works his way down until his head is even with
Neil’s groin. Neil’s hard dick is still there, waiting patiently, a dribble of pre-come sliding
slowly over its head.

Andrew groans softly before licking his lips at the sight.

He tucks Neil’s upper thigh over his shoulder so that he has easy access to him before
breathing Neil’s scent in deep. His mouth begins to salivate as he reaches up and firmly takes
Neil in his own hand.

Neil bucks for a second, dislodging Andrew’s thumb from his mouth as Andrew slowly
strokes the engorged member. He doesn’t give Neil much time to think about it, though,
gently pressing his thumb back against Neil’s lips, asking for entrance, and Neil submits
without a second thought, sucking him back inside his mouth.

He gives a shy lick against Andrew’s thumb, and Andrew smirks in return – before leaning
forward and giving the head of Neil’s dick a shy lick as well.

Neil yelps, surprised, letting go of Andrew’s thumb. Andrew immediately stops touching
him.
Neil has always been quick, though, and Andrew can’t help the rush of pride he feels when
the omega leans forward and tentatively sucks his thumb back into his mouth. Following his
lead, Andrew slowly sucks Neil’s head into his mouth as well.

Neil waits a moment, but when Andrew doesn’t do anything but sit there and hold Neil’s
cockhead in his mouth, Neil slowly swirls his tongue around the digit. In return, Andrew
slowly swirls his tongue around Neil’s dick. Neil shudders, his stomach contracting slightly,
but he doesn’t let go of Andrew’s thumb this time. In fact, they repeat the movement for a bit
before Neil places his lips around the tip of Andrew’s thumb and sucks lightly on it.

Andrew mimics him, and Neil gives a small cry from the back of his throat at the pleasure.

They continue like this with Andrew letting Neil lead, the redhead trying different
techniques, changing tactics when something isn’t working, and repeating certain moves over
and over when it does. Andrew mirrors each movement and sensation Neil offers, never
pushing or urging the pace along faster. He simply lets Neil explore to his heart’s content,
grateful to even be allowed to have this man’s hard, delicious dick in his mouth.

Finally, Neil slowly sucks Andrew’s entire thumb into his mouth, all the way down to the
base, and Andrew gladly echoes the movement. It’s enough to throw Neil off entirely, his
jaw and tongue going slack at the feeling of his cock down Andrew’s throat, and Andrew
decides the lesson is over.

He removes his thumb from Neil’s mouth and pops off for a second to roll Neil onto his
back. Then he swallows him down in one go and begins sucking hard.

Neil keens, his hips instinctively thrusting upwards, forcing Andrew to grip his hips tightly to
keep him anchored. Then he begins a steady rhythm, swallowing Neil deep before rising up
to circle his head, sometimes humming, sometimes scraping his teeth as he goes.

It has Neil nearly shaking, his body vibrating with the need to cum, but his hands stay locked
tight in position above his head.

Andrew continues his ministrations, never stopping, when Neil finally cries out, “C-
cumming, Drew! Cumming!”

And he spills down Andrew’s throat beautifully, that sweet and bitter taste filling his senses
once more. Andrew milks him until Neil is whining, jerking his hips back, and even then,
Andrew can’t help but tease him some more. He gives one last tiny lick to Neil’s head that
has his cock jerking before he travels back up towards Neil’s face.

He soothes the omega with long, sweeping strokes over his legs, hips, back and chest,
whispering to him how good he is, how he listened perfectly, how he didn’t touch and came
so hard for Andrew. Neil gasps and squirms at the praise and Andrew’s eyes nearly fall out
of their sockets when he sees Neil grow hard once more.

“Fuck, rabbit,” He groans before switching their positions. He rolls Neil on top of him, so
that he’s straddling Andrew’s waist. He looks directly into Neil’s eyes as he orders him,
“Show me how fast you can cum, omega.”
And he’s pleased to find Neil is still in there somewhere because his eyes light up with the
challenge, immediately rising to the occasion (as it were) as he puts his hand back on his
cock and starts pumping.

Andrew gives him some more lube before holding onto his thighs, encouraging Neil along.
And he can’t stop the tiny quirk of his lips when Neil throws his head back before he lets go.

Andrew gasps as he pulls back, taking a quick break to catch his breath.

They’ve already been at it for hours.

He’s led Neil through a few more handjobs and blowjobs, but as he predicted, Neil’s stamina
for pleasuring himself had exhausted quickly. Luckily, Andrew’s managed to shove some
more food down him in between sessions, along with three more water bottles and one
bathroom break, but it’s been easier said than done.

Neil craves constant contact – any distance from Andrew has him whining and, if it’s been
too long, like in the case of the bathroom episode, minor ripples of pain start shooting across
him again.

Cursing Riko for the millionth time for making a drug that makes it painful for an omega to
even take a piss between sexual bouts, Andrew had dropped to his knees and given Neil a
blowjob right in the doorway of the bathroom to stave them off.

By that point, he’d given Neil permission to thread his fingers through his hair, instructing
him not to pull or tug. And he’d been so pleased when Neil did precisely that. Even as he
was orgasming, he never tightened his grip on Andrew’s hair, simply continuing to sift
through the strands with wonder before dipping his thumb to trace the soft skin behind
Andrew’s ear.

It was enough for Andrew to cum untouched.

To be honest, he was kind of surprised he’d lasted that long, and instantly cursed himself for
not putting a condom on because now he had jizz in his pants, but unfortunately, that wasn’t
even the first issue he had to deal with.

Because in the blink of a second, after he came, he was knocked onto his ass on the floor as
Neil pushed forward, diving for Andrew’s crotch. He stopped a few inches away and began
whining, remembering Andrew’s command, but Andrew could tell the smell of his own cum
was driving Neil insane.

It’s not the first time that Neil’s tried to reciprocate during their session, but Andrew
steadfastly refuses to let him touch him. Riko put Neil in this position to be made a
plaything, and Andrew will not let that happen. He’s here to service Neil – not the other way
around. So he’d made a vow early on not to even touch himself – he would get no sexual
gratification for helping Neil through this.

Of course, he hadn’t planned on cumming untouched, so now he had that to deal with. And
he was pretty sure he only had two changes of underwear too. Taking the underwear off and
putting a condom on would definitely make himself cleaner but the temptation would be too
great. The barrier his underwear provided, while minuscule, was helping him abstain
mentally. And it was dirty already, so…

He’d grimaced before wrapping Neil up in his arms and hauling them both into the
bathroom. He’d set Neil on the sink and turned on the faucet, warming the water up before
grabbing two washcloths and cleaning them both.

It wasn’t bathing per se – Andrew just quickly did what he could to clean the mess in his
pants so that he could get most of it out – but for Neil he took a little more time, wiping him
down gently around his neck, face and thighs, as well as his sensitive member before
carrying him to the bed again.

Neil had been docile through the whole ordeal, letting Andrew move and touch him as
needed. Then he threw his arms around Andrew’s neck and cuddled against his chest the
moment he picked him back up. He’d purred loud enough to fill the entire room, and
something rumbled in Andrew’s chest in return, without his permission. When he laid them
both back down, he simply held Neil there for a while, fingers gently carding through his hair
as he silently pressed kisses against his forehead.

But Neil’s next wave of arousal hit them with a vengeance, and somehow Andrew
instinctively knew that he needed to bring it to the next level when Neil began to thrash, his
scent spiking and body heat soaring.

Which led them to here and now, with Neil’s ass in the air and Andrew plunging his tongue
deep into his hole, slick dripping from it as he laps and laps at the puckering bud. Andrew’s
eyes nearly roll into the back of his head with each flavorful burst of the liquid – Neil tastes
so fucking good that he just can’t help himself. Neil’s hips rock and shake with each
masterful swipe, a suite of noises dropping from his lips that Andrew’s yet to have the
pleasure of hearing. He somehow knows they’ll be playing on repeat in the back of his mind
at a later date.

He’s only pulled back for a second when Neil begins whimpering. “C-can’t, alpha,” his
voice shakes. “N-need…ah, you…mmh.”

Andrew dives back in, pulling one of Neil’s cheeks apart to go deeper, while his other hand
sneaks between his legs to begin stroking him.

Neil gasps at the dueling sensations, and Andrew can tell from the hesitant undulations in his
hips that he isn’t sure whether to push himself back on Andrew’s tongue or thrust forward
into Andrew’s hand.

Andrew helps make the decision for him by timing it perfectly, stroking downward on Neil’s
cock with his hand as he rocks forward before thrusting his tongue deep as Neil shoves his
hips back. From that moment on, Neil becomes a machine, working his body into a dizzying
high, a sheen of sweat covering his skin as he pushes on, relentless.

Andrew’s tongue begins to tire but he forces himself to keep going, especially when Neil
begins uttering soft little exclamations like, “Yes, alpha, yes,” and “so good, I can’t, so good”
and “more, more, more.”

Finally, Neil cries out, his body shaking like a leaf as he shoots his load all over the sheets.
Almost instantly, he collapses onto them, body gasping for breath.

Andrew instantly clamps down on the base of his cock inside his underwear to stop himself
from cumming again. Fuck, maybe he should grab one of those cock rings he saw in the
chest – it would probably help, right?

But the ridges of Neil’s spine are too appealing, and Andrew finds himself nosing forward
and pressing small kisses all the way up the omega’s back. He reaches the base of Neil’s
neck and licks there a couple times, feeling the gland beneath it giving way, soft and oh, so
tempting. He nuzzles it a little more before his teeth begin to dully nibble, just soft little bites
that allow Neil to feel him but don’t bruise or break the skin.

Neil lets out an obscene purr, hips arching under Andrew to ground up into his groin.

Andrew bites the skin a little harder, feeling his fangs elongate.

“Yes,” he hears Neil gasp out. “Yes, bite me, alpha. Make me yours.”

The request is like dousing cold water on top of Andrew.

He jerks away, furious for allowing himself to be drawn in for even a moment. Neil had
barely wanted to sexually bond during the heat – he sure as fuck doesn’t want to be mated
with Andrew. He quickly scans Neil’s neck for any kind of mark, sick to his stomach for a
moment that he’d left something when Neil had explicitly said not to. But to his relief the
skin is slightly red but fading quickly, no marks to be found.

Fuck.

Andrew lets out a relieved sigh. Shit, that had been too close.

Okay, new rule – Neil’s neck is off-limits for the rest of their time together.

Some of his panic must have bled into his scent because Neil whines and flattens his body so
he isn’t rubbing against Andrew anymore. “Sorry, alpha. Sorry, Drew. I won’t – I won’t ask
anymore. Just…don’t leave, yes? Don’t…don’t go.”

Andrew furrows his brow a little, intrigued by the request. It’s the second time Neil’s begged
him not to leave and Andrew can’t help but see the irony of the runaway asking someone else
to stay.

He tucks the interesting kernel of information into the back of his mind, though, as he rubs
soothing hands down Neil’s back. Now isn’t the time to interrogate Neil, although he’s pretty
sure Neil would be willing to tell him anything at this moment – another danger that Riko
likely planned on taking advantage of, if he’d had the chance.

“I’m not leaving you, and I’m not mad at you, Neil,” Andrew whispers into his ear. “But no
more asking me to bite you, okay?”

Neil nods instantly. “Okay,” he promises, with a tone that is both determined and stubborn.

Andrew’s not sure how long the promise will last, but he smirks against Neil’s skin anyway,
laying a soft kiss on his shoulder as he asks, “Would you like me to touch you again, bunny?”

Any leftover tension in Neil’s frame melts away at the pet name. “Yes, Drew,” he sighs
happily before slowly shifting. Andrew waits, watching Neil draw himself up so that his legs
are folded neatly under him, his ass slightly raised once more. Then he uses the position to
start rutting it against Andrew’s stiff crotch.

Ah, crap, crap, crap.

Andrew hisses at the movement before jerking his own hips away, ignoring Neil’s sounds of
protest. “Stay there,” he orders Neil, and watches Neil’s body shiver at the command. He
snatches the lube from the other side of the bed before he kneels to the side of Neil, and his
fingers slowly begin circling Neil’s hole.

Neil gasps and digs his fingers into the sheets as Andrew teases him maddeningly, dipping
his fingers below and lingering before stroking up and away again. Each time he gets closer
and closer to Neil’s entrance, sometimes tapping on it before he begins circling again. Neil’s
hips follow each motion of his fingertips as if in a trance.

It has the redhead mewling into the pillow, sounds muffled as he tries to withstand the
exquisite torture. Slick weeps from him, steady and thick and heady as Andrew breathes it
in. He doesn’t relent, though, until finally, Neil wrenches his head from the pillow, gasping
in a breath as he chokes out, “A-alpha. Drew, I – won’t you – I need-”

“Yes?” Andrew asks him, letting his alpha voice bleed easily into his teasing question.
“What do you need, omega?”

“I need you,” Neil whines. “Need you…inside…fill me up? So…so empty.”

Fuck.

Neil is going to be the death of him.

“Such a good bunny,” Andrew praises him. “Such a good boy for telling me what you need.
And good boys deserve rewards, don’t they?”

Neil nods rapidly, eyes shining as he stares over his shoulder at Andrew.

“Then I’ll give you one,” Andrew tells him, his gaze never dropping from Neil’s as he slides
one finger in.
Neil’s eyes widen and go glassy, no longer seeing Andrew as he clenches down hard on the
digit inside him and moans. His ass gives way immediately – there’s almost zero resistance
between Neil’s slick, the lube Andrew covered his hand in, and how riled up Neil is. Still,
Andrew moves gently, sliding his finger in and out slowly to give Neil time to get used to it.

Before long, Neil is riding his finger enthusiastically and begging for more – so Andrew
gives it to him. He thrusts two fingers inside and hears Neil’s high-pitched little “oh” as he
does so, which makes his own cock jerk a little in response.

Stoutly ignoring it, he continues thrusting and scissoring inside of Neil, opening him up
slowly. He changes the angle of his hand, searching, and smiles the moment his fingers find
Neil’s prostate.

The omega shouts, body jerking and head whipping towards Andrew to ask, “Wha-what?
What is – ah – need – mmmh – again, again, again-”

So Andrew does it again, watching Neil’s body spasm in pleasure once more. He starts
setting a rhythm, thrusting deep and barely brushing over Neil’s prostate on the drag
outwards each time. He watches Neil pant and arch, a little string of drool dripping from his
mouth as he takes it again and again.

Then Andrew adds a third finger and begins thrusting faster, concentrating on hitting that
spot each time as he does so. Sweat drips from his forehead as he closes his eyes and hears
the erotic squelch of his fingers in Neil’s ass, the noise intermingling with Neil’s gasping and
the creaking of the bed.

Neil moans, trying to thrust himself farther onto Andrew’s fingers but the position doesn’t
give him much leverage with his legs tucked beneath him. He can do nothing but squirm as
Andrew fucks him with his fingers again and again.

He can see Neil’s cock weeping pre-come against his stomach and over his thighs, but he
doesn’t touch it and neither does Andrew. Andrew just keeps going, determined as he thrusts
harder.

“Come on, bunny,” Andrew croons. “Gonna cum for me? Gonna cum from my fingers in
your ass? You like it so much, I know you can do it. I know you can be good and cum for
me. Come on, that’s it, come on…”

Andrew can just barely see Neil’s abs clenching beneath the tank top, muscles heaving as he
takes it over and over, reaching towards the very crest of that pleasure wave. And finally,
Neil finds it. Andrew vibrates his fingers inside of Neil as he cums, fingers hitting his
prostate in a spastic tempo as Neil’s entire body quakes in satisfaction. The redhead throws
his face down in the pillow once more, ass rising in the air as hot liquid spurts all over
Andrew’s tank top, Neil’s legs, and the sheets.

Andrew marvels at the amount Neil’s still able to produce, and is extremely tempted to lick
him clean again, but Neil collapses onto his side and instantly falls asleep. Letting out a
shaky breath, Andrew takes advantage of Neil’s unconsciousness to wobble over to the
bathroom and run another warm washcloth beneath the faucet.
He returns and wipes Neil down perfunctorily before removing the sheet around him.
Andrew grabs a new set and replaces it on the bed before silently collapsing next to Neil. His
cock is absolutely throbbing, but Andrew grits his teeth and staunchly ignores it.

Instead, he lets his eyes drift closed and feels Neil cuddle closer to him before fatigue sweeps
him under.

Andrew is utterly exhausted.

Neil’s unnatural heat makes him a sexual powerhouse – his body keeps going and going,
regardless of whether his mind keeps up. Although he hasn’t said anything, Andrew would
swear Neil is exhausted as he is, but his naps have become fewer and farther between even as
his body demands more.

It’s gotten to the point where Andrew has to negotiate to make Neil eat, praising him for each
little bite. One time, he’d assumed Neil’s voice was getting hoarse because of the pleasure
until he realized neither of them had drank water in a couple hours. So he stopped what he
was doing and forced Neil to drink two full water bottles before they continued.

Neil’s scent each time Andrew takes care of him like this is a strange combination of
frustration and content, of desperation and satisfaction. His hands reach for Andrew at all
times, settling only once he can feel Andrew’s heartbeat fluttering beneath his fingertips, or
the muscles in his forearms flexing, or can entwine his fingers in Andrew’s own. He loves
when Andrew puts his hand on the back of his neck, when Andrew’s fingers grip his hips
tightly, or when he softly encircles Neil with his arm, rubbing his belly in gentle circles.

Right now, he’s arching back against Andrew, laying on his side with one leg lifted in the air
and Andrew’s arm shoved underneath it while he slides the vibrator in and out of Neil’s slick
ass. He tweaks one of Neil’s nipples with his other hand, rubbing the bud back and forth
while Neil’s hand clings to his forearm. His other hand is shoved in Andrew’s hair, while
Andrew presses soft kisses all over his shoulder.

The room is an inferno, absolutely sweltering from their constant movement, smelling of
nothing but sex, sweat, and hormones as Neil’s heat continues. It’s starting to make
Andrew’s own mind melt, his instincts screaming at him to let go, to take Neil, to end this
madness.

He came twice more in his boxer-briefs before giving in and snatching a cock ring from the
box, shoving it down on his own dick to try and help hold him off. It’s working so far – but
barely.

The heat also caused him to strip off his armbands some time ago, unable to stand the sweat
pooling beneath them. The moment he removed them, his stomach nearly dropped through
the floor because Neil began nosing along his forearms. The omega inhaled the smell and
began pressing soft kisses to the top of his arms, as if he somehow knew instinctively to stay
away from the multitudes of scars on the inside of them.

It shattered something inside of Andrew, nearly making him tremble until he pulled himself
back together and decided to ignore it.

He’d plugged both Neil and his cell phones in a long time ago, and every once in a while he
can hear one of them going off, but they may as well be on Mars for how far away the desk
seems at the moment. Their connection to the outside world feels as if it’s thousands of
lightyears away, he and Neil existing in this pocket of time and space only for each other.

But even so, he knows they must be getting close – that the twenty-four hours must be almost
up. He can tell because Neil’s arousal seems to be rising, like a pulsing wave that’s
beginning to surge upwards into a tsunami.

It’s the most out of it he’s seen Neil this entire time – he keeps begging for Andrew’s cock,
telling him to fuck him, mate him, breed him, and Andrew’s gut clenches with each new ask.
Although he’d thought the vibrator would help, he can tell it’s not doing it – that Neil needs
something more.

His hair and neck are damp with sweat, Neil feeling equally as slippery, and all he can think
of is that they’re so close. That they’re almost done, if he can just –

Neil whines again, hips grinding back against Andrew. “Alpha, need you,” he begs. “Want
you inside of me, need your cock, take me – make me yours.”

Andrew grits his teeth and closes his eyes, trying to ignore the request. He doubles his efforts
between Neil’s legs.

But then Neil grabs onto Andrew’s hand and removes it from his nipple to slide it down until
it’s pressed right over his stomach. “Drew, want to feel you inside, right here,” he whispers
against Andrew’s forehead, lips brushing against his skin with each word. “Want you to slide
into me, so big and hot, want you to fill me up with your cock.”

Andrew chokes, lungs seizing before he wrenches the vibrator out of Neil’s ass, causing him
to spasm a little.

Fuck it – it’s time to bring out the big guns.

He leans over the side of the bed and whips the chest open, pulling out a black harness he’d
seen stored in there earlier. He slides it onto his legs, over his underwear, and secures it.

“On your knees,” he snaps at the omega, who eagerly gets into position, his chest on the bed
and hands coming up to spread his cheeks so that Andrew can see his soaked hole clenching
onto nothing. Andrew grabs the dildo with the inflatable knot and snaps it into place on the
harness. Then he moves forward and lines the dildo up so that Neil’s kissing the head with
each squeeze.
“Relax for me,” he tells him, and Neil immediately obeys, relaxing. Andrew bites down on
his bottom lip as he slides the dildo inside, watching the way Neil’s body eats it up eagerly.
Neil is scrabbling at the sheets, clawing and mewling and utterly wrecked at Andrew’s long,
slow glide. Once he’s fully seated inside of Neil, the base of the knot rubbing against his
entrance, Andrew sits there for one long moment to let him get used to it.

Then he pulls back and snaps his hips forward.

“Oh fuck!” Neil cries out, arching his back. “Fuck, fuck, again, again-”

So Andrew does it again, a smooth slide out before thrusting deep once more. This time
Neil’s moans are a string of unintelligible words mixed with some French, Andrew suspects,
the gibberish making his own cock twitch and strain against its trapped position.

For the hundredth time, he ignores it and begins fucking the dildo into Neil at a rapid pace,
trying to angle it to hit Neil’s prostate. It takes him a little bit to find it but once he does, Neil
cries out hoarsely before smothering his mouth with a pillow to try and stop it. Andrew
whips the offending article away because a.) he needs to make sure Neil keeps breathing but
b.) he can’t help but love the sounds that fall helplessly from his – from the omega’s mouth.

So instead, Neil drools into the sheet as the force of Andrew’s dildo rocks into him over and
over again, his mouth mindlessly babbling as Andrew keeps going. Andrew can’t help but
watch as Neil pushes back towards him over and over, hole clenching on the dildo as he
effortlessly takes it to the hilt, and he knows the image of Neil in this position will be burned
into the back of his mind forever.

He memorizes the shine of Neil’s bronze skin as his muscles shift and flex, the deep blue of
Neil’s eyes that are half-lidded and nearly rolling up in his head, the way his tank top clings
to Neil’s every curve, claiming him in a way Andrew never even thought of.

“Ah – ah – Drew – unn – harder, harder – more, give me…more-” Neil begs.

Andrew notes how not once has Neil used the word please or asked again to be bitten, and
the alpha in him is enormously pleased. So he grips Neil’s hips tighter and snaps against him
faster, beginning to inflate the knot at the dildo’s base.

“Oh, fuck yes, fuck yes,” Neil cries, whining and rutting up against it as Andrew goes faster
and faster. “Give me your knot, alpha, want you inside of me. Drew, give it to me now, yes,
yes, now – oh fuck – oh god – I can take it, give it to me – Drew, Drew- ”

So, with one last, giant thrust, Drew pushes the knot inside – and inflates it to as far as it will
go.

Neil screams, cumming hard the moment he feels it inside, and the room is flooded with a
wave of utter ecstasy. When it hits Andrew, he begins cumming as well, his own hips
shaking and vibrating the dildo inside of Neil from the force of his own orgasm. His fangs
jut out and his eyes zero in on the back of Neil’s neck like a beacon. The sheer need to bite
Neil hits him with the force of a two-ton truck, every instinct inside of him begging him to
claim Neil as his.
Through sheer willpower, Andrew manages to bring his own forearm up to his mouth before
sinking his teeth deep into it. He can feel his body fighting itself, the urge to claim being
sated at the same time that it registers pain. He bites down harder and watches a tiny trickle
of blood begin to drip down his forearm.

Neil whips around at the smell of it, whining in displeasure but Andrew distracts him from it
by clamping his other hand onto Neil’s dick and stroking him hard. At first, Neil wails,
struggling to get away from the sensation, but before long his hips are thrusting into
Andrew’s hand with abandon as Andrew ruthlessly pulls another orgasm from him.

And finally, finally, Andrew sees nothing but a small dribble erupt from Neil’s head.

Neil slumps down beneath Andrew onto the bed, his body completely wiped, and Andrew
deflates the knot before slowly removing the dildo from inside him. He watches the
redhead’s hips jerk only a little when he pops the head out. Although he can’t move, Neil
immediately begins to whine at the loss, so Andrew grabs the anal plug and thrusts it back
inside, giving Neil that full feeling again.

Neil somewhat settles, still keening quietly as Andrew removes the harness from his own
body with shaking hands. He throws himself back onto the bed before rolling Neil on top of
him with his last amount of energy, sliding a finger between Neil’s cheeks to stroke the
bottom of the anal plug softly as he glides his other hand up the back of Neil’s neck to tangle
them into his curls.

“Sleep, omega, sleep,” he hushes against his ear, feeling Neil relax and droop against him.

And as sleep slowly beckons to him as well, dragging him under, he hears Neil whisper back,
“Thank you, Drew. Thank you, thank you, thank you…”

When Andrew wakes up next, something immediately feels wrong.

He thrusts his hand out blindly and realizes he’s alone in bed. Half-asleep, he lunges upright,
panic rising in him as he searches for Neil before his ears perk up at a specific sound.

The shower is running.

Swallowing, Andrew blinks at his surroundings. Though the curtains are still closed, he can
see daylight peeking around the corners, letting him know they made it. It’s over. They
survived through a twenty-four-hour unnatural heat with Neil intact and Andrew not breaking
any of his promises.

And yet something squiggles unsatisfactorily in Andrew’s chest. He has this urge to see Neil,
to verify he’s okay, to make sure Andrew didn’t accidentally hurt him somehow during the
experience.
To understand what’s currently going on in Neil’s head.

Because Andrew knows his own feels jumbled. The bed feels cold beside him, and the room
smells stale and cheap. His body is sticky and gross, uncomfortable in his soiled underwear.
It doesn’t help that the running water of the shower is also filling Andrew with the urge to
pee, and it takes him a little bit to remember the last time he’d done so.

He reaches into his underwear and pulls off the cock ring he’s still wearing with a grimace,
standing up and tossing it into the trash bin. Then he slowly pads over to his bag, rifling
through it to pull out some clean clothes.

He hears the shower turn off. A few moments later, Neil pops out, skin still heated and hair
still wet. He’s thrown his clothes on hastily, judging from the shortness of his breath. But
something about him looks soft and rumpled, warm and relaxed.

And out of nowhere, Andrew is seized with the strangest urge to kiss him.

But clearly this urge is only one-sided because the moment Neil’s eyes meet his, they dart
away, face burning. “Shower’s yours,” he mumbles, and Andrew’s nostrils are suddenly
filled with the smell of shame.

It makes his own spine go rigid, irritation welling inside of him as he snaps his head back
down to his own bag and continues roughly searching through it for his toiletries. So what if
Neil is embarrassed by what happened? What does Andrew care? It doesn’t matter.

Neil had made it clear he never wanted this in the first place, that Andrew was only to be
used as a means to an end. A weapon wielded as a last resort. Now he’s done with Andrew,
obviously wants nothing to do with him – he’s clearly dying for this whole awkward
experience to be over with.

So Andrew obliges, grabbing his clothes and supplies in one arm as he heads towards the
shower, not bothering to look Neil’s way again. But the moment he draws near Neil, trying
to brush past him because the annoying omega hasn’t moved, Neil sniffs the air and his body
sways towards Andrew, pupils blowing wide.

Andrew freezes.

Neil’s reaction surprises him. Technically, he should be past the hormone blindness heats
cause, and Andrew knows how gross he must smell right now. Between the scent of sweat
and sex that is clinging to him, as well as remnants of fluids from both Neil and himself, he’s
a disgusting mess.

And yet Neil steps closer as if he’s drawn to Andrew, like he just can’t help himself.

Neil shakes his head, as if trying to dislodge something before he says, “I’m sorry, I – I don’t
know what – it’s just-”

He pauses, a flush blooming over his face and neck as he bites his bottom lip.

Andrew waits.
Neil clears his throat and whispers, “Can…can I scent you? One last time?”

Andrew waits until those hesitant eyes meet his, and though he searches them, he can’t read
what’s going on inside them.

But finally, he nods before asking, “And you?”

He frowns, wondering where those words came from, but Neil nods rapidly, answering, “Yes,
you can scent me.”

Then they both stand there, frozen.

Slowly, Andrew takes a step towards Neil before placing a hand on the wall behind him, half-
caging Neil in. Neil’s eyes are wide, his chest rising in short, staccato whisps as he stares at
Andrew.

Then Andrew leans forward, dipping his head into the crook of Neil’s neck, and feels Neil do
the same. He sniffs deeply and – fuck, there it is.

Andrew closes his eyes at that tangy smell of oranges and cloves, the heady scent filling up
his nostrils, clean and bright without any sickening smell attached to it. It smells purely of
Neil, with just a hint of content as an undertone that makes Andrew’s chest want to rumble
with satisfaction.

He hears Neil sigh next to his ear, taking a deep breath in before he starts pulling back.

Reluctantly, Andrew mirrors him.

Neil’s eyes are on the floor as he licks his lips and quietly says, “Thank you.”

Andrew grunts before walking into the bathroom and snapping the door shut. He runs
through his shower perfunctorily, washing every inch of him, removing all traces of Neil
from his body as he feels something leaden weigh down his chest.

Why does he feel so forlorn at the thought of this being it? Why are his instincts screaming
at him to go out there and do something, anything to stop the omega from walking away
without some kind of tie between them?

Which is ridiculous – they already have a deal. And Andrew doesn’t want something else –
neither does Neil. Before this stupid heat, they’d been fine – a little rough around the edges
but fine. They’ll be like that again afterwards too, going back to their separate rooms,
separate interests, separate lives.

Which is fine.

Andrew’s just fine with all of it. Just ask him.

But there’s a yawning hole gaping inside of him, a sudden chill running through his body at
the thought of Neil being parted from him. Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with him?
Andrew’s suddenly glad he’s never sexually helped an omega through a heat before because
this yearning, this abrupt need for a bond, is terrifying. He makes a small note to himself to
talk to Bee about it and see if there’s any information on the lingering effects of an omega’s
heat on an alpha.

Because that’s got to be why he’s feeling this way, right? Just leftover hormones? Biological
instincts going haywire? His body fucking him over once more?

It makes the most sense.

After he’s done showering and getting dressed, he walks out of the bathroom to see the cot
stripped, the window open, and his clothes that were strewn all over the floor piled neatly
next to his bag. All of the toys and lube have been tossed in the trash, and Andrew spots
several empty water bottles next to them.

Neil, for his part, waits patiently on the unmade cot, his own old, duffle bag seated familiarly
on his shoulder.

Surprised the rabbit waited for him, Andrew walks over and begins shoving his dirty clothing
into his own bag. He frowns a little because he can’t find his black tank top that Neil wore
during…yesterday, but then shrugs, figuring Neil must have mixed it in with the sheets or
something.

Whatever. He doesn’t care.

So he zips his bag up before putting it on his shoulder, crossing over to the desk to throw his
phone and charger in his bag without looking at them, before he turns towards Neil.

The two of them stare at each other across the room, and Andrew can feel the moment
weighing heavily on them both. The realization that this is it – that once they walk through
that door, it’s really over.

Andrew swallows and asks gruffly, “Ready?”

Neil pops to his feet and nods.

So Andrew walks to the door and swings it open.

They sign out at the desk, the official there giving them a tired spiel about rating their
experience and the quality of service they were provided on their online survey. Andrew just
stares blankly at them until they stop talking about it. Then he and Neil enter the elevator
and punch in their floor.

Neil remains silent through all of it.

Andrew has no idea what time it is but he’s grateful to find the floor empty when they arrive.
He walks over to his door before pausing to watch Neil amble slowly towards his. Like
Andrew, Neil pauses at his own doorway before glancing back towards him.
 Again, they stare at each other, some connection pulling taut between them, fraying like the
last threads of a rope.

Neil is the one to finally break it, putting the key in the door before going inside and firmly
shutting it.

After another moment, Andrew follows suit.

The suite is thankfully empty, and Andrew walks to his bedroom, throwing the bag inside
before he comes back into the kitchen and looks at the clock. It’s ten am – everyone must be
at class.

Technically, Andrew should be at one of his now as well, but he doesn’t give a shit about
school and means to take advantage of the break Wymack has secured for them. Especially
since he knows Kevin will be harping at him to get back to practice as soon as he sees Neil is
back – and there’s no way the junkie won’t jump at the chance as soon as he’s able.

Andrew sighs, the silence of his suite suddenly deafening.

He snatches one of his packs from his desk and heads up to the rooftop. He parks his ass on
the ledge, feet dangling as he lights one up in broad daylight. Then he sits there, letting the
cigarette slowly burn down as he examines this strange feeling sitting heavily in his chest.

He did his duty as an alpha – he made it through without breaking Neil’s consent.

So then why does he feel so empty inside?

Though he sits there for hours, no answers come to him. When he sees Kevin and Aaron
approaching the tower, heads close as they talk to one another, he sighs.

There’s no time for him to be feeling out of sorts over the anomaly that is Neil Josten. His
people need him – need him to be the strong, unyielding alpha they’ve always known. None
of this bullshit wavering.

Neil’s heat was just a weird circumstance he’d handled, and it’s over now.

So he pulls himself up and puts himself back together, his walls solidifying into place as he
squares his shoulders and heads inside.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you so much for reading! 💖

 In The Hot Seat
Chapter Summary

In which Neil is a hot mess, Matt is a very patient bro, Andrew is a protective honey

🤣
badger, and Aaron is utterly aggravated with everyone in every universe. (So...you
know...the usual )

Chapter Notes

T/W: As per usual, lots of reference to sex, mating, heats, and hormones throughout the
fic in general. Specifically, though, there is a nasty but quick scene with gross comments
from a dealer, starting with the line "taking a strong whiff of his neck before sneering."
Tune back in at "Neil swallows a sick feeling..." if you want to skip. There's also a
reference to a rape/non-consent scenario in the online chat discussion. Skip after "a lot
of us don't even get that" to "I haven't had another heat partner since" to be safe. One
passing reference to a canonical secondary character death, and one implied reference to
rape/non-consent from Riko that was planned but didn't happen. Otherwise, I think we
should be good.

Last but not least, remember the author chose to shamelessly manipulate canon plot
points and mix them around to suit their purposes - so if you're looking for canon-
appropriate, remember this universe is adjacent but not exact.

Happy Reading!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Wymack is talking to them.

Neil tries to tune in, but it’s like his antenna is busted, the frequency wavering in and out of
reach. All he knows is that Wymack’s voice is low and deep, interrupted by short bursts of
volume as he barks out directions to the team. Dan steps in and joins him shortly after, but
the only difference Neil can tell is hers is slightly higher pitched.

He huffs, internally frustrated with himself as he tries to focus on what they’re saying,
knowing that he should be paying attention, but it’s no use. To add further insult to injury, he
feels his eyes sliding towards the goal, drawn like a magnet for the thousandth time that day
before he snaps them forward again.

It’s been several weeks since Christmas and what everyone else is cautiously calling the
“incident.” Neil doesn’t care what they call it. All he knows is he feels more confused now
than he did then.

See, he thought any…lingering reactions…might still be an effect of the heat. Like a delayed
response to the drugs or something biological/hormonal that needed time to be fully cleansed
from his system. Yet here he is, two weeks later, and his fascination with Andrew doesn’t
seem to have waned one bit.

It’s both mortifying and captivating – like a complex math problem he has yet to solve. And
yet, this strange obsession isn’t the only thing occupying Neil’s thoughts. In fact, there are
several things since the “incident” that have opened Neil’s eyes.

The first is that despite how out of it Neil was during the actual heat session, he was surprised
to learn he could recall everything. Absolutely everything he and Andrew did, what they
said, and how it all happened are burned into the back of Neil’s mind.

Which is both a blessing and a curse because the second and probably most astonishing
observation for Neil was how he’d had no clue that heats could be so…pleasurable.

In his head, he’d equated them to an illness, picturing fever and nausea, aches and pains –
strapped to a bed and blinking in and out of consciousness. An experience to suffer through
and, worse come to worse, require Andrew to help him out with a stifled handjob or
something. An act that would be slightly painful and horribly awkward and result in Neil
being unable to look him in the eye for weeks afterward.

Heats were bound to be an annoying but necessary chore – like most of his masturbation
sessions are.

Yet being with Andrew had been…incredible.

He swears he can still feel Andrew’s mouth on him sometimes, swirling his tongue around
his dick, thrusting the same tongue into his ass, curling those fingers inside him until he
reaches bliss.

The realization that his heat with Andrew had not only been bearable but, in truth, utterly
satisfying completely floors him. And what’s worse is…sometimes, very late at night when
he’s alone…he thinks about doing it with him again.

He imagines how it would feel to have Andrew’s hands on him once more, touching him with
purpose this time instead of as a last resort. What it might be like to give him all of his body,
to see if Andrew would flinch at whatever is left. (After all, he’s already seen so much).

Then he sometimes wonders what it would be like for him to be the one to take Andrew in
hand, to swallow him down his throat, to actually feel the hard heat of him moving deep
inside him.
(And here he has to be careful because straying to these kinds of thoughts lately has left him
feeling wet down below in a way that makes him antsy.)

Stupidly, though, he also thinks about what it might feel like if they kissed.

It’s this last thought that leads him to the third stunning realization of their time together –
because Andrew had listened to him. He’d kept his word. Even when Neil had practically
begged him to mount him and rail him hard, Andrew held back because lucid Neil told him
no.

No one’s ever listened to what Neil wanted.

And the fact that Andrew was an alpha on top of it – the very designation his mother had
whispered words of warning to him over and over, had implored him to avoid at all costs –
was enough to blow his mind.

He recalls feeling so safe and content and…and almost cherished by Andrew. How he’d
carded his fingers through Neil’s curls, cupped his cheek, wiped him down with a warm
washcloth, cuddled him in his sleep, made sure he stayed hydrated and fed. Andrew had
taken care of him in ways he’d never even imagined.

He shivers especially whenever he thinks of Andrew whispering those sweet words in his ear,
praising him over and over.

Sometimes he’ll catch himself looking in the mirror, running a hand lightly over his neck and
wishing that Andrew would have left a mark. Just one sign of teeth so he could feel claimed
– and then he’ll wonder what the hell is wrong with him.

Neil doesn’t want a mate. Can’t have one, in fact. Being on the run means focusing on your
own survival. It leaves no room for others – one of his mother’s strongest lessons.

But he knows Andrew doesn’t want a mate either – and he especially doesn’t want Neil.
He’d made that perfectly clear during their session.

Again, Neil sneaks a glance at the goalie, but it’s no use. Going off his suppressants hasn’t
suddenly given him x-ray vision. And behind Andrew’s goalie pads are armbands waiting,
providing yet another layer against prying eyes – preventing Neil from glimpsing what he so
desperately wants to see.

He ducks his head in shame, remembering the puncture wounds on Andrew’s forearm and
how he’d earned them. How Neil had been too chicken to ask how he felt the next day. He
stares at Andrew sometimes, looking for any clue, any hint at whether they’re healing, but it’s
no use. He has absolutely no idea, and it itches at him to ask.

Especially because he knows Andrew has noticed he’s staring at him.

After everything that’s happened, that’s what Neil finds the worst – how Andrew is treating
him completely normal. He should be grateful for it, and in some ways, he is. There’s no
awkwardness between them – they still talk the same as before. Andrew still gives him
cigarettes to burn down to the filter without smoking, still lets him sit up on the rooftop with
him. They play together, eat together, ride together – it’s all the same. Nothing has changed.

And yet, at the same time, it’s driving Neil crazy.

They’d gone to Eden’s once since the incident, and Neil had felt a flurry of excitement in his
belly beforehand, so sure that something would happen. But the night went off without a
hitch, same as always. The others drank and danced all night while Andrew ignored him. As
per his usual MO, the alpha refused to touch him, refused to even go near him – but he didn’t
let anyone else near their table as well.

The obvious dismissal caused something in Neil’s stomach to plummet, his gaze turning
towards the dance floor as he watched other omegas in the club. He saw the bite marks on
their necks, a clear sign they were taken, or the hands of their partners on their backs and hips
as they danced or hung out by the bar. He noticed their pleased smiles and the way they
curved their bodies towards their mates, watched the adoration in their partner’s eyes as they
leaned down and kissed them or softly stroked their skin.

He watched all of it and wondered at the horribly scratchy feeling inside his chest. One that
painfully clawed and dug at him until he forced himself to look away.

Again, he found himself in front of the mirror in the bathroom that night, trying to swallow
down the bitter feeling of disappointment as his fingers trailed down his perfectly clean and
unmarked throat. He’d shut the light off in disgust, throwing himself onto the ratty armchair
in the living room and grabbing the blankets Nicky threw down there for him. Although he
desperately tried to pretend otherwise, he spent a long time sniffing through them until he
curled up in the soft rainbow-hued one that most heavily carried Andrew’s scent.

By the time he woke the next morning, he’d made a decision.

It was clear the incident meant nothing to Andrew. Hell, it was possible the alpha had helped
many omegas through their heats – Neil wasn’t special. Neil was nothing.

He needed to get over this dumb obsession with the alpha and move on.

So now Neil is back to business as usual. He plays Exy and loves it, relishing his night
practices with Kevin and throwing himself into games. He goes to classes because they’re
mandatory, barely eking by enough to ensure he can play. He hangs out with the
upperclassmen sometimes and watches movies, trying to grasp the concept of what it means
to relax. And he ignores his pending deadline, an internal clock that ticks down his days left
at PSU.

Despite his best intentions, though, Neil feels this constant itch deep in his gut. It’s
something he’s never felt before – something he can’t ignore.

It’s a heat that burns all through his body when he watches Andrew’s biceps flex to fling a
ball down the court. Or when Andrew licks his lips after eating ice cream in the dining hall.
Or when he squats in the gym, his thigh muscles bunching and broad back straight while his
plump ass curves and thrusts out as he –
Someone clears their throat behind him. “Uh, Neil?”

“Yeah?” he answers absently.

“Um, you might want to tone it down a bit and focus back on practice before Kevin notices.”

“Notices what?”

“Uh,” he hears Matt cough once before he quietly says under his breath, “Um, before he
notices how turned on you are right now, bud.”

It takes a moment for the words to register. When they do, Neil whips his gaze away from
their goalie before meeting Matt’s with a panicked look. “What?” he snaps out loud, feeling
shame and terror rip through his body all at once.

Matt winces as Dan calls over, “Josten! Everything okay over there?”

“Yeah, he’s fine!” Matt calls back instantly before whispering low to Neil, “Whoa, it’s okay,
buddy. Just relax. Nothing to be ashamed about. Promise.”

Neil grits his teeth and tries to breathe, fighting to calm down so he can rid himself of any
scent.

That’s another thing he’s still getting used to – the way scent is like a whole other channel of
communication. How it broadcasts emotions with all the sensitivity of a game show host on
daytime TV. He can smell how the others feel now, which makes things entirely more
difficult in a brand-new way.

Before, he didn’t know how they felt and didn’t care. Now he can smell Matt’s sadness
sometimes when he turns down an invite, Dan’s frustration or concern when she asks how
he’s doing and he lies, or Aaron’s hurt and anger when they verbally spar.

It’s something he doesn’t want to pay attention to. A connection that only drags him closer to
the Foxes when he needs to stay away – when he knows how much it will hurt when he
goes.

But somehow, he keeps forgetting that this new revelation of smelling others means now they
can smell him as well. It’s a loss of privacy that irks him to no end because he was
completely invisible before. Now it feels like the others can read him like an open book.

Case in point: Matt.

“Look,” Matt says sympathetically, “I know coming off those suppressants means your
hormones are all out of whack and believe me, I get it. This one time in high school, I got a
whiff of this super cute beta and popped a boner right in the middle of gym class. Worst
thing ever – had to go to the nurse’s office for like, hours, because it just wouldn’t go away,
no matter how many times I tried rubbing it out-”

“Yep, okay, thanks Matt,” Neil grimaces, looking frantically around at the other Foxes to
make sure they weren’t listening. He tries his best to focus back on the drill.
“Just saying it happens to everyone, okay? Puberty sucks – and it’s like you’re getting a
massive dose of it all at once. So don’t get too embarrassed. Just try to think of, like, your
grandma, or puppies in the rain, or something else, okay?”

Neil never knew his grandparents but has seen plenty of drenched animals before (not that he
really understands why either of those things would be helpful in this instance). Instead of
focusing on them, though, he chooses to put it all out of his mind. Through sheer
determination, he finally turns his attention back on Exy, and he doesn’t think about the
embarrassing moment again for the rest of practice.

But he should have known Matt wouldn’t leave it there. As soon as they’re back alone in
their room, the backliner approaches him.

“Um,” he clears his throat as Neil pulls a bottle of water from the fridge and downs it. “So…
I know you don’t…well, that you haven’t wanted to talk about it with anyone, but…I’m just
saying you could, you know. If you wanted to. Talk about what you…what you and Andrew
went through.”

Neil freezes.

Matt scratches the back of his head. “I mean…look, you might not know this, but it’s usually
pretty normal to feel some kind of bond with the person you experience a heat with, even if
you aren’t ‘official’ or ‘mated’ or whatever. It takes a lot to trust someone with that
responsibility, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were having some…mixed feelings about it.”

Neil blinks at him.

His gut reaction is to tell Matt to fuck off. His next impulse is to simply run out of the room
and avoid the conversation entirely. But when he tries to do either, he finds his feet glued to
the floor and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.

Because the truth is, although it’s a very, very bad idea, he finds himself considering the
offer.

See, the problem is he’s curious.

His mother never talked about heats with him on the run – there was a reason she’d put him
on suppressants, after all. There was no need to. Nor did she ever want him thinking about
it.

Everything he’d learned about the subject was from awkward middle school classrooms,
where guys snickered and girls wrinkled their noses, and no one asked any real questions.
And of course, back then, Neil hadn’t cared – he’d barely paid attention to the topic, chalking
up the entire class as a colossal waste of time.

Now might be his only chance to ask about some things he’s been puzzling over.

He fiddles with the cap on his bottle as he thinks, realizing after a bit that he’s been silent this
whole time while Matt patiently waits.
So Neil clears his throat before he asks in a tight voice, “Have you…ever helped anyone
through their heat before?”

Matt nods. “I used to date an omega my last year in high school and helped him through
several heat cycles.”

Neil swallows. “And…did your partner feel…good during them?”

There’s an awkward pause before Matt nods slowly. “Nature kind of makes omegas
predisposed to wanting to mate, and biology does what it can to make it feel good, but that
doesn’t necessarily equate to mind-blowing pleasure. That’s the role of the alpha to try and
make it as good for them as possible. Well, beyond furthering the species, that is.”

Neil furrows his brow. “So then, do alphas get pleasure from it?”

Matt’s lips quirk in the corner. “Nature helps us out with that too. We’re programmed to
respond to you guys positively – literally, everything you do attracts us. Consider omegas
kind of like a delicacy to us. I mean, even your slick is basically like our ambrosia.”

“My…what?” Neil chokes a little.

“Oh! Your slick? The wetness that starts to gather…um…you know? Below? It’s what
your body does to prepare for – well, you know for what.” Matt blows out a breath. “Man,
there was this omega back in my freshman year at PSU – damn, he was fine! But anyway,
eating him out always made my head explode. He tasted so damn good; I could do it all
day.”

Neil coughs a little on the sip of water he just took, his face turning pink as he hurriedly asks,
“So it doesn’t matter for an alpha. As long as it’s an omega, then they’re good – it feels good
for them.”

Matt waves a hand cautiously in the air. “Ah, I mean in a general sense, yes? But alphas can
have preferences just like omegas – some prefer males, some females, some are good with
either. But just like with any relationship, a heat usually means more and feels better when
the two partners trust and care for one another on some level. Otherwise, it’s kind of like a
one-night stand – except five days long, of course. Things can get really awkward afterward
if it’s just sex and the two haven’t communicated. That’s why omegas are so picky with who
they let in during that time, especially because they’re so vulnerable.”

The taller man rolls his eyes as he adds, “I mean, there are some real jerk alphas out there
who think all omegas exist to serve them. But for the most part, we’re just honored if an
omega trusts us enough to ask. It’s a real privilege to help an omega through a heat, and you
want someone who will treat you with the respect you deserve.”

Neil bites his lip as he tries to wrap his brain around this new information. Hearing it from
Matt’s perspective is…a little shocking. His father, mother, and Riko had all ground into him
the shame of the experience in different ways. And Andrew had simply been silent on the
subject, not indicating either way how he felt about it (as per usual).
But now, after listening to Matt, he thinks Andrew may have been showing him that respect
through his actions and promises, if not the actual words. He wonders if Andrew had felt just
as privileged when Neil asked him.

“Hey, um, if you need it, I just wanted to offer that I’d be happy to help you next time
around, okay? You don’t have to answer now, but I already asked Dan, and she was cool
with it,” Matt offers, a warm smile on his face. “Oh! And it can be completely platonic too –
we don’t have to do anything else if you don’t want to. No pressure either way.”

Neil immediately glances to the side, away from Matt’s gaze as he chokes out a mortified,
“Thanks, Matt.”

“No problem, bud,” Matt tells him cheerfully. Then his face drops, and a strong scent of
anxiety permeates the air. “But…okay, just tell me this because it’s literally been driving me
insane…are you okay? Did…did Andrew treat you okay?”

Neil’s face burns, heat gathering instantly in his cheeks. A sharp wave of arousal emanates
throughout his body as he’s reminded again of just how well Andrew “treated” him.

Matt’s eyebrows shoot upwards as he begins to grin. “Wow…okay then. So I’m guessing
that’s a solid yes. Nice work, Andrew.”

“Shut up,” Neil snaps as he stalks over to the living room, throwing himself down in one of
the armchairs.

Matt laughs as he follows him. “So, does this mean you’re gonna have him help you through
your real heat, then?”

Neil pauses mid-reach for the remote.

Shit.

How the hell could he have forgotten about his next heat? As in the real one – the one that
could last up to five days. The one that his body will be doing periodically off and on now
for a good majority of his life.

Fuck.

Matt eyes him carefully in the silence. “Have you guys talked about it?”

No. They haven’t. And isn’t that the problem in a nutshell? Because Neil doesn’t know how
Andrew feels about the whole thing.

And despite what he keeps trying to tell himself, he knows…or at least he thinks he knows…
that something happened in there. Something started that he can’t take back. Something that
makes his chest hurt and his eyes follow Andrew, makes him perk up whenever he hears his
voice, makes him want to close his eyes whenever he gets a whiff of that addicting scent –
evergreen, tobacco, and the mildest hint of woody vanilla.

Andrew smells like freedom and safety and everything Neil wants but can never have.
“Well…Andrew is still the only person on your consent forms, right?” Matt chimes in again
when Neil doesn’t say anything. “So you better talk about it with him before your next one.
Because you still have time to change it, if you like.”

Neil immediately bristles at the thought. He doesn’t want someone else to help him. If
anyone’s going to touch him, he wants it to be Andrew.

And then he panics a little, because seriously, where the fuck did that thought come from?

“Just…think about it, okay?” Matt warns him one last time as he walks into the bedroom.
“And talk to Andrew about it, obviously.”

Right. Of course. Talk to Andrew.

Obviously.

Or not.

Neil doesn’t talk about it with anyone after speaking with Matt. He ignores the situation,
keeping his head down and everything status quo.

And this is fine – everything is fine. After all, Neil has enough to worry about.

There’s all the usual bullshit, like crummy team dynamics, navigating Kevin’s panic attacks,
and manipulating Aaron and Andrew into therapy together while ignoring Bee in his own
psych appointments.

But there’s also insulting Riko on live TV, resulting in the desecration of the entire team’s
cars. He donates part of his blood money stash to Andrew as recompense, but he still doesn’t
know what to make of how Andrew’s eyes burned into him after handing it over. How he’d
dragged Neil’s face close, putting his hand on the back of Neil’s neck before blowing smoke
in his face and walking away.

(It had made Neil’s knees quake, and he had the insane thought of tucking his face under
Andrew’s chin and nuzzling him, but he managed to hold himself back at the very last
second.)

Then Belmonte happened. Before the game even started, Neil received a “gift” in the form of
a blood bomb in his locker, ruining everything inside it, along with a pointed reminder about
Nathaniel Jr.’s birthday on the wall.

He tried to swallow down the sheer terror rising in his throat at the message, wiping it off
quickly with a towel, but he also cursed himself too. How could he be so stupid as to forget
that his father was still out there? Someone obviously knew about his past – probably Riko –
and was reminding him of a fate he can’t escape.
Now he’s out on the court, still shaky and playing in mismatched guards and a stained
uniform – the best Wymack could do under the circumstances because Neil refused to be
benched. He can see the way the Belmonte players keep wrinkling their noses at him and
making faces as if they can’t stand his stench. Neil is simultaneously ashamed and relieved
by it, the obnoxious smell masking his own tumultuous feelings as he tries to keep his head in
the game. He channels everything he has into a single emotion – anger – and becomes a
whirlwind on the court, completely unstoppable.

Until the Terrapins switch in a new dealer.

The moment the alpha steps on the court, his eyes whip over to Neil and linger, like a
predator locked onto its prey. Neil bristles at the obvious way he singles him out but is
determined to ignore it. The two of them butt heads a couple times in the third quarter, but it
isn’t until the fourth that they reach their boiling point.

With only ten minutes to go, Neil takes a flying leap and shoots, scoring their eighth goal of
the night – only for the dealer to come crashing into him, knocking him to the floor and
covering him with his body. Neil’s helmet flies off in the process somehow, his head hitting
the ground with a sickening thud.

Immediately, Neil struggles against him, trying to push his body off, but the alpha is too
strong. The taste of fear sours his mouth even as he fights back harder.

But the dealer doesn’t care. He pins Neil and scents him, taking a strong whiff of his neck
before sneering, “There you are, omega. Knew that smell was in there somewhere. The stats
say you’re a beta, but that’s obviously a lie, isn’t it? Bet if I put you on your knees right now,
you’d be sticking that ass in the air for me in no time. Then everyone would see you for the
slut you are.”

Neil swallows a sick feeling of revulsion down as he tries in vain to get away from the
disgusting alpha. Panic begins to creep up into his chest. He doesn’t want this. He wants
this asshole to go away, to get off him – he wants him gone – he wants – he wants –

And then, just like that, the dealer suddenly disappears – ripped off him and tossed to the
side.

Immediately, Neil’s body is covered by a second one – one that he instantly recognizes and
relaxes into. One that immediately makes him feel safe.

Andrew hovers over him, blocking any Belmonte players from getting to Neil. He’s still
wearing his goalie pads, though his helmet and racquet have been tossed aside in his haste.
His eyes glow a furious red, and he growls viciously, fangs elongated in his rage.

Shortly after, the other Foxes get there, blocking Andrew and Neil from the other team’s
view. They immediately growl and begin snapping warnings for them to back off, Dan
nearly going toe to toe with the nasty dealer who has leaped to his feet once more. Neil can
even hear Wymack’s voice joining the fray, which means the Belmonte coach must be nearby
as well, but he ignores them. He simply focuses on his breathing, the shelter of his team
giving Andrew and him a short bubble of privacy.
Andrew is still nearly vibrating with anger above him, though, so, without thinking, Neil
whips off his glove and lifts his bare hand towards Andrew’s face, putting it in his line of
view.

It draws Andrew’s attention to him instantly, eyes staring down at his. Slowly, Neil puts his
hand against Andrew’s cheek, and he watches the red fade, the alpha’s eyes morphing back to
that molten gold color. Neil stares up into the gorgeous hue, feeling calmer than he has in
weeks. His thumb softly strokes Andrew’s silky skin while his eyes are drawn to the light
pink color of the other man’s lips.

For just a second, he watches Andrew’s eyes dip down to his own mouth.

Then Abby bursts through the line of Foxes, and Andrew starts a little. With a narrow-eyed
glare her way, he slowly and strategically removes himself from Neil.

“Neil! Are you okay?” Abby immediately kneels next to him, giving Andrew a single,
curious glance before she focuses back on him once more. “I want you to follow this light,
okay? Good. Now tell me your name, what year is it, and where we are…”

Abby performs a few more regular checks before declaring Neil done for the night, against
his protests. Immediately, Andrew helps him to his feet, wrapping Neil’s arm around his
shoulders and a firm hand around his waist as he helps the striker off the court.

No words are exchanged between him and Wymack, but it’s obvious Andrew is benching
himself as well. Wymack tells Renee to gear up and has her and Nicky go in for the last ten
minutes of the game while Andrew and Abby escort Neil to an exam room.

Andrew ungracefully plops Neil down onto the table and stays standing there, his eyes
practically daring the striker to move as he removes his cumbersome goalie pads. Abby flits
around him, checking a few more of Neil’s vitals before she grumbles and tells them she’ll be
right back, muttering some excuse that Neil doesn’t pay attention to.

The moment she leaves the two of them alone, he starts to feel his panic rise once more.

He doesn’t know if it’s because of the hit he took on the court, the terrifying message written
on the wall earlier, the ugly words the dealer said, or simply the comedown from the
adrenaline of the game, but something begins sliding anxiously over his skin, threatening to
overwhelm him. Something that was gone for only a brief second on the court floor when
Andrew had been on top of him. When he’d been flooded with the alpha’s scent.

He fights to take shallow breaths as everything seems to catch up with him at once. The
reality of his designation, his stupid rivalry with Riko, the futility of him playing this game
when he knows he shouldn’t be here – knows he doesn’t have much time left.

How, at the end of the day, he really is utterly alone in the world.

His mother would call him weak – and he is. He is being weak. But right now, he needs it
too much to really care, ignoring her shrill tone inside his head as he reaches out to the one
source of comfort he’s had in the entire past year. “Andrew?”
The goalie pauses mid-motion, locking eyes with Neil.

Neil nearly shivers under the weight of that gaze. He swallows his pride, though, closing his
eyes for only a brief second as he hoarsely asks, “Will you mark me?”

If possible, Andrew becomes even more still at the question. Neil would almost swear he
isn’t breathing before the alpha suddenly flares his nostrils. Neil’s brow furrows at the action
until he realizes what Andrew’s doing – trying to read his emotions. He feels his skin flush at
being the subject of such intense focus, wondering why his stomach is now doing nervous
flips.

Instantly, the air turns hot and charged between them. Captivated, Neil watches Andrew’s
pupils begin to expand as the alpha licks his lips. “How?”

Neil’s heartbeat kicks up a notch at the question. “With your scent?”

Andrew doesn’t break his gaze with Neil as he considers.

Neil also tries to covertly sniff the air to get a read on how Andrew’s feeling, but as usual, the
alpha is a blank slate. His face is a mask of indifference, and he must have somehow learned
to block off his scent because Neil has zero indication of what he’s thinking.

So he tries to mask his own surprise when Andrew nods in return. “Yes.”

Now his stomach is really fluttering as Andrew takes a couple steps towards him, standing in-
between Neil’s parted legs. He draws close to Neil’s face until Neil can see the freckles
running over his nose and cheeks, can see himself mirrored in Andrew’s honey-golden eyes.
“Don’t touch,” he whispers against Neil’s lips, waiting for Neil’s nod of confirmation. Then
the alpha dips his head and begins to nuzzle Neil.

Neil clutches his hands onto the edge of the exam table, fingers digging in as he wills himself
to be still. He swallows the rising gasp erupting from his lungs at the first feel of Andrew’s
hands on his skin. The goalie’s thick fingers spear through Neil’s curls, dragging his nails
against his scalp as he rubs his forehead and face against Neil’s neck and collarbone, coating
the omega with his scent and sweat. His hair tickles Neil’s chin as he performs the action
again and again on one side before switching to the other.

And Neil…Neil is in heaven.

There’s something that feels so right about being covered in Andrew’s scent. The omega
inside of him preens and glows to be slathered in it. He wants more of it, can’t seem to get
enough. For once, he feels safe and protected and claimed, like Andrew’s scent has given
him an invisible shield. Like no one can touch him with the smell of Andrew rubbed all over
him. Like Andrew would kill anyone if they dared to even try.

By the time Andrew pulls back, Neil realizes he’s arching his neck to give Andrew better
access, small noises emerging from his throat as he fights for breath.
The two of them stay there, staring at one another, only a hair’s width apart. They’re both
panting, with Andrew’s hands now on the table, just inches from Neil’s own. Neil’s eyes
flicker between Andrew’s eyes and his lips, both pulling at him simultaneously, making him
ache to lean forward, to close this gap between them so that there’s nothing left, nothing
separating him from being with his –

“Here we go,” Abby hums as she pops back into the room without warning.

Andrew wrenches himself away from Neil. He immediately snatches his goalie pads off the
floor and simply leaves the room, not bothering to look back.

For a moment, Neil gapes at his departure, feeling as if a limb has just been severed from his
body. Then he curls in towards himself, not understanding why he feels the alpha’s absence
so keenly.

He doesn’t even realize he’s whimpering slightly until Abby asks him in a worried tone,
“Neil? Is everything all right? Are you in pain anywhere?”

My chest, he almost says out loud, then swallows it. He quickly shakes his head.

He knows emotions are pouring out of him – that the air is likely thick with the scent of his
arousal, confusion, and turmoil. But luckily, Abby is kind and doesn’t address it. She simply
finishes the exam, wrapping the few cuts and scrapes Neil earned in his tumble, before
sending him on his way.

He goes back to the locker room and pushes open the door, only to remember at the very last
second that everything he owns is currently covered in two gallons of blood. Aka, it’s
pointless for him to be there unless it’s to grab a mop and start cleaning up the mess. But his
entire thought process derails the moment he sees Andrew standing by the bench, freshly
showered with just a towel around his waist.

It’s nothing new – Neil has seen Andrew change plenty of times before. But for some reason,
this time, his eyes are riveted to the drops of water dripping from Andrew’s hair onto his
shoulder, carving tiny streams down his broad chest. Neil’s tongue tingles, the urge to go
over and lick the tempting droplets up nearly overpowering him.

Then he blinks when Andrew snaps his fingers at him. “Your brain must still be rattled,
rabbit, so let me be clear. Either get in the shower-”

“NO!”

The words are ripped from Neil’s mouth, complete with an accompanying growl. His eyes
widen at the awkward and unfiltered response, his body instantly rejecting even the thought
of removing the alpha’s scent.

The only indication Andrew gives that he’s surprised by Neil’s reaction is the pause he does
before he continues, “Then quit staring and get the fuck out.”
Neil’s face instantly turns red at the call-out. Pissed and mortified beyond belief, he
immediately whips around and goes back out to the lounge. He throws himself into his usual
spot on the couch as he waits for the rest of the team to file in.

Luckily, it’s only a short wait.

“We won, eight-five,” Kevin tells him the moment he sees him.

Neil perks up, pleased.

“Ugh, ever hear of a shower, Josten?” Aaron curls his lip at him as he walks by. Then he
pauses, clearly recognizing his brother’s scent before his brow furrows.

Allison snorts. “Subtle, shortie. Or is this just another way for Andrew to mark his
territory? If so, tell him to buy a collar – it’ll be less obvious.”

Neil’s face heats up as he flips the woman off, but Nicky latches onto the subject like a
leech. “Ooh, a collar? Wait, are things getting serious then, between you and Andrew,
Neil?”

But Andrew cuts in before Neil can answer, stepping out of the locker room, fully dressed, as
he states, “There’s nothing between us. This,” and he points a finger between Neil and him,
“means nothing.”

“Uh, okay,” Matt frowns, “but then why does he smell like-”

“Who gives a shit who Neil smells like,” Aaron snaps, interrupting Boyd. “I want to know
why the fuck a message written in blood on our wall was addressed to a ‘junior.’”

“And you’ll find out after you guys get changed,” Wymack barks at them. “So get moving.”

The rest of the team grumbles as they pile into the locker room while Andrew sits next to
Neil and ignores him.

Neil huffs out a breath and settles in for a very unpleasant conversation.

It goes just as horribly as he imagined, with the Foxes poking and prodding each other’s open
wounds to see if the other bleeds. Aaron callously digs into the horrors of Neil’s past while
Neil delivers a sharp blow in return, lying through his snarling teeth. The cap to the night
comes when Andrew decides to confess to Tilda’s murder – a defense and condemnation of
his brother all at once.

By the time the Foxes head out, the air is rife with distrust and unease. Neil himself is
bristling, filled to the brim with frustration and aggravation – caused, ironically, by both
twins.
Aaron is also wound, unable to even look at his brother. He simply takes off towards the
tower on foot, his shoulders hunched and bag constantly hitting his hip from his aggressive
pace.

After a brief glance back at Andrew, Kevin follows him.

So it’s just Nicky and Neil in the car with the alpha on the short and silent ride back to the
dorms. Neil purposefully waits for Nicky to slip inside the lobby doors before he rounds on
Andrew in the parking lot and spits out, “Why?”

Andrew just pins him with a glance.

It irritates Neil even further. “Why did you say yes?” He whips out. “Why did you do…any
of it with me if you didn’t want to?”

Because it’s clear now to Neil that Andrew must not have really wanted it. The puncture
wounds on his arm, the way he keeps ripping himself away from Neil in disgust, how he
kicked him out of the locker room earlier – Andrew is obviously pushing him away. Neil is
simply getting mixed signals because of the alpha’s sworn promise to protect him. He isn’t
interested in Neil like that – it’s only Neil who has this dumb, lingering obsession.

It's only Neil who stupidly wants him back.

“Want,” Andrew scoffs. “I want nothing.”

The non-answer grates on Neil. “Then why did you even bother?”

Andrew grits his jaw tight before turning away from him. “Not tonight, rabbit.”

“Andrew-” Neil hisses.

“If you’re going to play this game, Josten, then you’d better be ready to pay up with some
hard truths of your own.”

“Like what?” Neil presses, so sick and tired of all the lies. He wants to push against
something and feel it push back. He wants to feel real, just this once.

Andrew turns back, and his hazel eyes burn as he stares into Neil’s own. “Like why you
went to the Nest over Christmas break.”

Neil immediately slams his mouth shut.

Andrew waits a moment, but when Neil shows no sign of talking, he huffs and says softly,
“Thought so.” He turns away from Neil and starts walking, waving a hand over his shoulder
as he calls out, “Come find me when you’re willing to trade, Josten.”

Neil seethes, teeth grinding against one another, his jaw is so tight. But he refuses to make a
sound.
Andrew snorts as if he knows the predicament Neil is in. Then he leaves him stewing in the
parking lot, hands fisted while his mind and body ache for something he can never have.

Stupidly, it only takes one day for him to cave.

The next morning, he walks into the locker room to clean up his mess only to find it basically
sparkling. Wymack casually informs him that he and Abby took care of the blood bath, then
just as casually drops the fact that he wants Neil for vice-captain next year.

It’s like dropping a nuclear bomb on Neil’s head.

The two of them argue back and forth about Neil’s suitability for the position, each growing
more frustrated with the other, but Neil adds a tinge of desperation to the conversation
because his coach just doesn’t understand.

“But I’m an omega,” is what finally comes out of his mouth. It’s his last resort, which is
made all the more awkward by the fact that he and Wymack have never talked about the
enormous lie about his designation – not even after Neil returned from the “incident.”
Wymack had just gruffly asked if he felt better, to which Neil had replied he was fine, and
that was that.

Now the older man lifts one eyebrow as he replies, “And I give a flying fuck about that
why?”

“You think a bunch of alphas and betas are really going to listen to me?”

Wymack gives him a strange look. “Haven’t you noticed, Neil? They already do.”

Panic coats Neil’s tongue. “Even Andrew?” he retorts, unable to help himself.

Now Wymack narrows his eyes. “Are you seriously messing with me?”

“What? No…why?”

Wymack continues staring at him for a bit before he scoffs. “Like I said before, kid – it’s
above my pay grade. I could give a shit why he listens to you – I just know he does.” He
gives Neil a wry look. “And so do you.”

No, I don’t.

Neil tries to tamp down on the disappointing feeling in his chest at his coach’s less than
helpful explanation. “Right,” he says sharply.

Wymack winces a little, which is the only indication Neil gets that his scent must have turned
bitter. “This shit is never easy, kid. No matter how old you get. And you know what I’m
gonna tell you if you ask.”

Go talk to Andrew.

So Neil keeps his mouth shut.

Wymack sighs. “I’m not asking for an opinion here, Josten. You’re the only one who can
succeed Wilds, and I know you need this as much as they do. So unless you can give me one
good reason why you can’t do it, then you’re going to suck it up and deal.”

Neil’s chest and eyes burn as he glares at his coach. Wymack can’t even begin to understand
what a cruel act it is to tempt Neil with this. How it’s everything he’s ever wanted – a future,
a purpose, a life here. Pretending for a moment like he matters – like the team wouldn’t be
the same if he was gone.

“I-” he almost starts, then immediately swallows.

Because the reality is, it doesn’t matter what he wants. He’s living on borrowed time. A
dead man walking, shackled by the sins of his past.

“I have to go,” he whispers.

And tries not to crumble when Wymack simply nods his head and replies, “See you
Monday.”

Neil immediately bolts out of the stadium. His head is in a fog. He doesn’t even remember
taking the phone out of his pocket, but suddenly Andrew’s voice is in his ear, snapping his
name at him.

“Neil! NEIL! Answer me, rabbit!”

Neil can’t think of what to say, though. Truths and lies swirl in a hazy mix on his tongue
before he simply requests, “Come and get me from the stadium.”

Andrew hangs up the phone, and Neil lays back onto the sidewalk and waits.

The ride to the car dealership is long but fine. Neil lays down in the backseat and dozes
while Andrew and Kevin go inside. He doesn’t even get up when he hears a car rumble up
next to him, only opening his eyes when Andrew opens the driver’s door and calls back to
him, “Kevin?”

Neil sits up, blinks at the huge, expensive black car parked next to them before he shrugs.
“Let him ride with you. I have nothing to say to him.”

Andrew doesn’t respond except to shake the rental car keys at Neil.
Neil sighs, getting up and out of the car before standing in front of Andrew. The blonde
holds the keys out an inch from his chest, forcing Neil to step closer. The moment he does,
Andrew’s scent slyly sneaks its way into his nose, a comfort that he longs to sink into.

He sways a little, dipping into Andrew’s space as he carefully takes the keys from him before
shifting to get into the driver’s seat. Andrew doesn’t move, though, and the two of them
nearly brush chests as Neil slides in. His heart begins to pound, and he only realizes he’s
been holding his breath when Andrew finally walks off without another word.

Neil breathes a sigh of relief, starting up the rental car as he follows Andrew home.

After they drop the rental car off and make their way back to PSU, the three of them silently
enter the dorm building. Kevin heads automatically to his room without a word to either of
them, but Neil keeps walking up the tower stairs, not stopping until he reaches the roof.
While he fiddles with the door, Andrew takes out two cigarettes and lights them, passing one
over to Neil without question.

They take their usual seats at the edge of the rooftop before Andrew sets something down
between them – a car key. The key to his brand-new Maserati, to be exact.

Neil’s breath stutters in his throat.

Andrew sniffs the air before scoffing. “A man can only have so many issues,” he tells him.
“It is just a key.”

“You’re a foster child. You know it isn’t,” Neil replies. His throat thickens, feelings tight
and sharp as they stab ruthlessly into his chest, threatening to overwhelm him. He closes his
eyes before he whispers just one word. “Why?”

Andrew takes a deep puff before letting the smoke trail from his mouth. “Evermore.”

Neil knows this isn’t an answer – it’s a demand for payment.

He swallows, his stomach twisting as he replies, “The winter banquet.”

Andrew slides him a heavy-lidded glance to show he’s listening.

“While I was there, Riko threatened…he threatened to hurt you if I didn’t come,” Neil cuts
himself short, head turning to the side. “That’s why I went.”

“He threatened to hurt me, an alpha sworn to protect you, and that’s why you went,” Andrew
repeats. “One inconsequential threat from a spoiled raven had you throwing our deal to the
wind and delivering yourself right into his hands.”

Neil winces but nods his head.

Andrew scoffs. “Try again.”

“It’s the truth!”

“Says the liar.”

Neil grits his teeth. He should have known it wouldn’t be this easy.

Forcing down the revulsion in his stomach, he spits the words out of his mouth quick, like
he’s ripping off a bandage. “He said if I didn’t come, then he’d make sure your foster brother
knew exactly where to find you. He said just one phone call, and he’d tell Dra-”

Andrew moves lightning-quick.

The alpha throws himself over Neil, pushing Neil to the ground before he nearly covers
Neil’s mouth with his hand, stopping only a hair’s breadth from his lips. It’s only then Neil
realizes that his eyes have gone blood-red, rage and disgust filling the air, followed by only a
small tinge of fear. The alpha makes a low growl, and it’s enough to have Neil’s hackles
rising, but weirdly he can somehow tell it’s not directed at him.

Neil stays silent and still, watching Andrew, waiting for his next move.

Finally, the red fades from his eyes, and the air clears. Neil can literally see the alpha pulling
everything back inside of him, ripping his hand away from Neil’s mouth and slapping the
ground next to his head as he snarls, “You are so stupid.”

“I know,” Neil replies softly.

Andrew whips himself off Neil and sits back. He picks his cigarette back up and takes a
couple of shaky drags before he deflects, “How did Riko find out you were an omega?”

Neil’s breath trembles as he sits up and swallows. “That’s two truths,” he points out, if only
to distract himself from witnessing the break in the alpha’s usual ironclad control.

Andrew simply nods in acknowledgment.

So Neil sighs and begins, “I was a week in and knew my dose was running out, but the
Ravens’ stupid partner system made it so I couldn’t get away. Especially since Riko was so
focused on me. I finally snuck off to the bathroom in the middle of the night to try, but Jean
caught me.”

He swallows hard at the memory, remembering how his adrenaline kicked into high gear
when Jean stepped into the tiled room and switched on a light. How he’d snarled, threatened,
and pleaded, practically begging the raven to keep his mouth shut. How, in the end, none of
it had mattered.

Jean simply ignored him, taking the bottle and running it straight into the palms of his
owner’s greedy hands.

“Riko was delighted. He immediately flushed the suppressants and waited the few days it
took until they were completely out of my system. Then he had Jean hold me down and
shoot me up with the drug while he explained everything he planned to do to me. How I’d be
begging for it soon. How he’d record the whole thing so I could watch my shame over and
over while he pointed and laughed.”
Neil shudders at the memory, at the horrifying realization he’d had while lying cuffed in bed
at the Nest that he was trapped. That Riko literally owned him at that moment – and there
was nothing he could do about it. “The next thing I knew…I woke up in the heat suite with
you.”

He thinks for a moment before adding, “It must have been Jean who…who got me out. Who
called you. He was the only one who was allowed to be alone with me. Riko found it fitting
that he was one of the only other omegas on the team, and we were partnered together.” He
scratches at his forearm, nails digging in as he remarks offhand, “I’ll bet he was punished
severely for it.”

Andrew’s hand on his arm startles him, but the blonde merely stops Neil’s nails from drawing
blood, removing the omega’s hand from his own skin before releasing him. “It is not your
fault.”

Neil feels a guilty twinge in his chest. “But if I-”

“Riko is a shitty excuse for an alpha and an even shittier excuse for a human being,” Andrew
tells him without a qualm. “His actions are not your own.”

“But Jean-”

“Jean made his decision,” Andrew says quietly. “Perhaps in part because he had some guilt
of his own.”

Neil clenches his jaw before looking away. “He still didn’t deserve it.”

Andrew scoffs. “No one gets what they deserve.”

Neil turns back to Andrew and stares at him a moment. Then he swallows hard before he
says, “If I ever get the chance, I’ll kill him for you.”

Andrew stills. “Jean?” he says lightly. “Or Riko?”

Neil doesn’t back down. “Drake.”

It takes Andrew a long time to answer. “I see the dumb bird’s been talking about what isn’t
his to tell.”

“I tried not to listen,” Neil half-apologizes. “He…made it difficult to ignore.”

When Andrew remains silent, Neil pushes on, wincing as he says, “So I just…I get why you
wouldn’t want to…you know…with me…but not why you did.” He takes a deep breath
before asking, “Did I make you-”

“No,” Andrew says sharply. “No one makes me do anything. Including you, Neil Josten.”

“But then…why did you say yes? When I approached you about the consent forms? I
thought…well, now that I know, it makes sense if you would have said…it’s just that…”
Neil huffs out a sigh, running a hand awkwardly through his hair as he grates out, “You hate
me, don’t you?”

“Every inch of you,” Andrew confirms. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t blow you.” He snorts,
then tacks on, “Obviously.”

“But then…why…” Neil’s head spins before something finally clicks into place. Something
that he’d never even considered an option before now. “…you like me.”

“I hate you,” Andrew immediately corrects, but there’s a slight waver in his scent –
something that Neil immediately picks up on but can’t decipher.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he demands.

“Because nothing will come of it.”

“Nothing?” Neil repeats. “Why?”

Andrew rolls his eyes. “I’m self-destructive, Josten, not stupid. I know better.”

Neil immediately opens his mouth to argue but closes it just as fast.

Andrew’s right. Nothing can come of this – Neil will be dead in four months, five if he’s
lucky. He should never have let Andrew get this close, never let himself become something
Andrew desired.

He never should have let Andrew become something he desired.

And yet here they are.

Neil wants Andrew and Andrew…against all odds…wants Neil too.

So…now what?

A second later, Neil gets hit with a cigarette butt in the shoulder. “Hey!” he snaps on
instinct.

“Take your emotional crisis elsewhere, rabbit,” Andrew chides him, already pulling out
another cigarette. “Somewhere I can’t smell it.”

Annoyance rises in Neil’s chest for the hundredth time, perturbed by the blonde’s
nonchalance at what feels like a life-changing revelation to him, but he grits his teeth and
stands.

He takes a few steps towards the door before he swivels back and snaps out, “I don’t care
what you say – this isn’t nothing.”

“It’s nothing because, to me, it’s nothing,” Andrew retorts. “Consent goes both ways,
omega. If I say it’s a no, then it’s a no, regardless.”
“And will it ever be a yes?” Neil counters.

Andrew huffs. “Perhaps you should ask yourself the same question.”

“And if I have?” Neil pushes again. “What if my answer’s already yes?”

Andrew huffs. “This isn’t a yes. This is a nervous breakdown. I know the difference, even
if you don’t.”

Neil opens his mouth to argue, but Andrew immediately cuts him off. “Save it, rabbit. Talk
to me about your heat when you’re not confused as fuck and two seconds away from self-
imploding.”

A streak of heat flashes up the back of Neil’s neck, both annoyed and humiliated at how the
alpha had known he was going to ask, without Neil saying anything. But before he can think
of how to respond, Andrew continues.

“Keep pushing, Josten, and I’ll give you my answer right now.”

Which means no.

Neil immediately snaps his mouth shut. Because even though he knows it’s a bad idea, he
wants Andrew to say yes. But it should be a no – he shouldn’t want this. He can’t have this,
he knows he can’t. So why is he still pushing for it? Why does he want Andrew to agree
even though he knows it’s impossible in the long run? Why is he even bothering to fight for
this at all?

Ah, fuck it, he is confused. And fuck Andrew too because somehow, he knew it, the asshole.

So, although he feels frustrated beyond belief, Neil swallows his pride and heads back
downstairs, leaving the alpha to brood on his own. He slams his way into his empty dorm
room before stripping off his clothes. He turns the shower to scalding and steps in, feeling
like layers upon layers of yearning still cling to him, stubbornly caked onto his skin like dirt.

He sticks his head under the water and tries to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
Because Andrew is right. He’s not thinking straight right now, and he needs to. He needs to
be certain if he wants to move forward with this.

If he wants to start…something…with Andrew.

Because he knows this is something. Something that glimmers with potential, like a precious
stone in a dark cave. If he can just be patient, if he can move slow enough to gently uncover
it with soft fingertips and featherlight brush strokes, then he might find something
invaluable. Something that’s more than worth its weight in gold.

Something that Neil might have been waiting his whole life for.

And yet…
He sighs, shutting the water off with a sudden jerk as he steps back out of the shower and
begins drying himself off with a towel. He catches a glance of his image in the mirror and
nearly starts, the auburn color of his hair and sharp flash of blue eyes making his stomach
twist.

Too bad time is the one thing he doesn’t have.

It’s a week later, and Neil’s really starting to panic.

He has to talk to Andrew.

Abby had reminded him again in his last physical that due to his sudden influx of hormones,
it’s extremely likely he’ll have a natural heat very soon, regardless of the “fake” one Riko
forced him through.

“Your body is fighting to normalize itself,” she’d said, “So you should be on the lookout for
signs of pre-heat.”

Neil had simply glared at her. “But what does ‘soon’ mean? How long?”

Abby gave him a sympathetic glance. “Unfortunately, I can’t say, Neil. It all depends on
your genetics, metabolism, current hormonal balance, how long you’ve been on the
suppressants – and even with all of that information, I could only make an educated guess.”

“But…I don’t…” he stammered, trying to fight to find the words. He didn’t want this –
didn’t even know what was really happening to him.

Abby pursed her lips once before she tore a small piece of paper out of her notebook and
wrote something down. “Try this, hon,” she said softly, passing the paper over to him. “I
know a lot of this can be overwhelming and difficult to ask about, so…sometimes talking to
someone who’s in the same situation as you can help.”

Neil looked down at the paper warily before giving a single, curt nod. Then he’d walked out
of her office without another word.

Now he’s buried in the deep recesses of the library, hunched over a computer in the corner as
he types in the website written on the paper. Immediately, a page pops up that touts itself as a
“judgment and profit-free zone for omegas to anonymously connect with one another.”

As he scrolls through the site, he can see several topics relating to heats, such as pre-heat
symptoms, conversation guides to determining heat partners, navigating consent, the biology
and science behind the mating cycle, how omegas present, and more.

Neil could easily see himself getting sucked into articles for hours, and he doesn’t have that
kind of time. So when he sees a little blinking bubble in the right-hand corner asking if he
wants to join the live chat happening currently, he simply takes the plunge.

It immediately pops up a warning, letting him know the chat is for 18+ only, which he
accepts. Then the page refreshes, and he’s suddenly thrown into the midst of a conversation.

BredRedSailorS2: ok, first time going through a heat with a partner, hm? Well, my first
time was with my older brother, who’s an alpha.

BredRedSailorS2: And before anyone asks, OF COURSE it was platonic. Obviously.

Sheesh.

BredRedSailorS2: Anyway, I made a little nest of blankets in front of the couch in our
basement, and he came down to visit with me. We snuggled and played video games, and he
plied me with snacks and drinks the entire time. He just made the whole thing not a big deal,
you know? It was really nice.

Granny8MySox: aww, what a sweetie!

vapidtranslate66: Solid. Those alpha pheromones, man. Soooo helpful.

vapidtranslate66: not that betas or omegas can’t help, tho! There’s just something about
alphas that make a heat easier, yk?

Neil blinks at the screen. Betas can help omegas through a heat? And other omegas too?
That…wasn’t something he’d ever known was possible.

He’d been told his entire life that omega heats were meant to service alphas – because that’s
all they were good for, of course. Omegas were meant to be seen and not heard. They’re
something shameful and lesser than the other designations. An utter disappointment.

Or at least that’s what Nathan always said.

His mother was also disappointed by his omega status, but only because she regarded it as a
weakness and a burden. Something to slow them down. Another hurdle that had to be dealt
with.

When he’d fought her once on taking the suppressant pills, she’d told him the only alternative
was to open his legs up for some alpha to breed him instead. That alphas were the only ones
who could “fix” Neil during his heats – and he would totally be at their mercy if he agreed.

Neil had immediately swallowed the pills without complaint.

Now he wonders if he would have chosen differently had he known there were other options.

A second later, he internally shakes his head – probably not. Because in the end, it didn’t
really matter – Neil wasn’t interested in anyone, regardless of their designation. Still isn’t
interested now, in fact.

Well…except for one alpha. Maybe.

ClinicalAsshole05: first off, there’s a reason alphas make heats easier – it’s called biology.
And secondly, yeah, alphas can make it easier, but they can make it way worse as well. Just
depends on the luck of the draw.

G2HInAHandbasket: yeah, my first sexual heat with a partner ended up being with my
boyfriend at the time, who was an alpha. We were both younger and…well…I guess you
could say we weren’t prepared for it. Any barriers or consent decisions we’d made
beforehand were…totally run over.

G2HInAHandbasket: By the time it was done, he just kept apologizing and refused to go
near me for any subsequent heats after bc he felt so bad. We ended up breaking up shortly
after that.

BredRedSailorS2: oh man, I’m so sry

Granny8MySox: ugh, that’s rough

TreeHuggersG99: at least he apologized and felt bad. A lot of us don’t even get that.

TreeHuggersG99: my first sexual heat with a partner was…awful. I was in pain, and I
wanted to stop, but…they just kept going. They even laughed when it was over, telling me to
stop being such a baby while I sat there and cried. They said it’s what omegas are meant for
– to satisfy alphas.

TreeHuggersG99: I haven’t had another heat partner since.

ClinicalAsshole05: Jesus fuck that’s awful

vapidtranslate66: 💀😱💀😱💀😱💀😱
G2HInAHandbasket: omg I’m so sorry, Tree!! That’s horrible!! You poor thing!!

BredRedSailorS2: did you report them? Or at least talk to someone about it? Because that
shit is not okay.

TreeHuggersG99: yeah, I’ve been talking to someone for a while now. Taking things slow.
In a better place now but…still a long way to go.

BredRedSailorS2: good. glad to hear it’s helping. And I’m so sorry – you deserved so
much better.

Granny8MySox: so sad that this is how so many of us start out with our heats. Alphas can
be so brutal.
Yeah, this was more of what Neil had been expecting. Alphas taking advantage of omegas,
getting lost in the heat of the moment, using their biology against them to satisfy their own
desires. It was everything he’d expected and more from Riko (if he’d actually been able to
join Neil’s heat).

And yet not once did he ever think Andrew would do the same.

Neil frowns now as he thinks about it. Had he just been naïve? Assuming that a conversation
and a piece of paper would do the trick? Or was he somehow able to tell, even back then,
that there was something different about Andrew?

Shybean183: well…alphas can’t help themselves tho, right? Isn’t it just part of their nature?

Slatepsycho51: no, that’s a bullshit lie, and don’t let any of those fuckers tell you otherwise

Slatepsycho51: Heats are not an excuse to take advantage of us. Regardless of the hormones
and urges alphas feel, they are fully capable of choosing not to give in to their instincts. And
if an omega has given them boundaries, then that’s something the alpha should respect,
regardless of how they may feel in the moment.

Slatepsycho51: we as omegas need to be able to trust our partners

RaiNbow!Runner: I don’t want to just rag on alphas either – that trust and respect goes for
any heat partner

ClinicalAsshole05: agreed. My partner’s a beta, and he always asks for my consent – before,
during, and even after my heats. He never ever assumes that something I’ve said yes to
before means I’m okay with it later.

Shybean183: but isn’t that annoying for your partner to keep having to ask? Mine compared
it to a game that constantly shifts – they said the whole point was that if we were in a
relationship, then I’m supposed to give them the “cheat codes.” So they know how to
“unlock a level” any time, without having to look it up.

ClinicalAsshole05: look, this is gonna be harsh, but your partner sounds like a childish
douchebag who’s lazy as fuck. You’re a real, live person – not some NPC. And as a real
person with real problems, it also means you have thoughts, moods, and desires that shift all
the time. So what if it means your partner has to check in and ask? They should respect that
– they should respect YOU. You’re *allowing* this person the privilege of touching you and
being with you – that’s not something they should be taking for granted.

ClinicalAsshole05: you deserve that, ok? Don’t let them take that away from you.
Neil smirks at the user’s rant, watching others join in and agree.

RaiNbow!Runner: And just to be clear, an alpha can totally be respectful of that. My heat
partner is an alpha, and he’s wonderful – he always checks in before every heat to understand
my go/no-go list. He’s never once crossed one of those boundaries, especially if I said no
beforehand. But even if I did say yes before, if I say no in the middle of my heat, he
immediately backs off.

RaiNbow!Runner: And he goes above and beyond for me, making sure I have my favorite
snacks, bringing me heated pillows, and letting me snuggle up in his favorite sweatshirt.

RaiNbow!Runner: There was even one heat where all we did was cuddle for three days
straight – he never touched me sexually even though I gave him full permission to. He just
held me because he said that’s all I really wanted that time, and he was more than okay with
it.

Something about this story strikes a chord with Neil, immediately making him think of
Andrew. About the respect and care he showed Neil during his last heat, despite it being a
false one.

He chews on his bottom lip for a moment before taking a deep breath and typing something
quick.

ExyKid4Life: are the two of you mates?

RaiNbow!Runner: we are now. But he was always like this from the beginning. Respectful,
open, trustworthy. His restraint and graceful handling of my heats were actually one of the
main reasons we became mates.

ExyKid4Life: and how did that…go exactly?

RaiNbow!Runner: how did we become mates? Or how did we approach him joining my
heats?

Neil is sorely tempted to ask for the former, but he shakes his head and focuses on the answer
he needs.

ExyKid4Life: the latter

RaiNbow!Runner: well, it didn’t start immediately, tbh. I knew him for a while before we
ever became sexually involved. And even then, I didn’t let him join me during a heat until
we’d been dating for six months.

RaiNbow!Runner: of course, that might just be me. I know others who’ve had great success
finding mates and hooking up with them after only a few dates, then letting them join their
very next heat. But I have always been cautious about who I invite into mine.

RaiNbow!Runner: It took a lot of communication, trust, and vulnerability between the two
of us for me to open up enough to let him in. I won’t lie either – even in the end, I was still a
little unsure. I think there’s always going to be that nagging seed of doubt, regardless of how
many conversations you have. At some point, you just need to jump. So I did – and I’ll be
forever grateful that I took the chance.

G2HInAHandbasket: aww ❤❤❤❤

Granny8MySox: that’s amazing, how lucky you are!

ClinicalAsshole05: it shouldn’t be about luck. That’s what should be standard, regardless of

what your partner’s designation is

ClinicalAsshole05: I just started having someone join my heats for the very first time in my
life. Like I said before, he’s a beta, and even though we’ve known each other for a while
now, it still took a lot of conversations for us to work through how we could make it through
a heat together without crossing either of our boundaries.

ClinicalAsshole05: We even tested ourselves the first time by keeping it strictly platonic. No
matter how either of us felt, we kept our intimacy non-sexual. And it worked.

ClinicalAsshole05: It made me realize how important the bond between us is and how I can
trust him to take care of me during my heats. That I can believe in what he’s saying and let
my guard down enough to just be with him and know I’ll be okay.

BredRedSailorS2: YES. THIS^^^^

G2HInAHandbasket: aww that’s so sweeeeeet!

Slatepsycho51: preach, brother

The conversation lulls for a second, and Neil figures now is as good a time as any. So, he
takes a deep breath, then quickly types:

ExyKid4Life: ok so…I’m having heats for the first time, uh, later than what’s prob usual,
and I…have a few questions
RaiNbow!Runner: no worries – go right ahead

Slatepsycho51: that’s exactly what this chat is for, my dude, so shoot

ExyKid4Life: ok. Thanks.

ExyKid4Life: So…uh…I guess to start with, I just wanted to, um, ask if it’s…normal for
heats to…feel so good? When you’re with a partner?

RaiNbow!Runner: you mean sexually?

ExyKid4Life: yea

RaiNbow!Runner: it definitely can be. Again, it’s what CA and I have been talking about in
terms of respect, etc., but…if you find the right partner…heats can be downright MAGICAL

ClinicalAsshole05: yeah, having the right partner can make a real difference. I…never even
knew how good it could feel until my partner helped me through our first heat together.

Matt had said the same thing, but there was something comforting about hearing it from a
total stranger. A stranger who was an omega – who knew exactly what it felt like, who’d
been in the exact same position (or positions, if he’s being honest) as Neil. It makes him
relax a little, not feeling as awkward about the…way he’d reacted to Andrew.

RaiNbow!Runner: I’m assuming you just had your first heat with a sexual partner?

ExyKid4Life: yeah…it was…um…

RaiNbow!Runner: that good, huh? 😏

ExyKid4Life: …yeah…he was…amazing

RaiNbow!Runner: out of curiosity…and you don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to,
but…what designation was your partner?

ExyKid4Life: …umm…alpha

RaiNbow!Runner: oh yeah. You know then.

RaiNbow!Runner: getting dicked down by a BEAST, am I right?

RaiNbow!Runner: *air high five*

Neil snorts then blushes, looking around the room quickly. Luckily, no one else is nearby.
ExyKid4Life: *air high five*

Granny8MySox: damn, rub it in, guys

hoamster26: ugh, I want me some big, respectful alpha dick too 😭

ClinicalAsshole05: *rolls eyes* alpha dick isn’t everything, yk

RaiNbow!Runner: oh shush, CA! Like you aren’t getting railed by some hot, respectful
beta dick rn😜

RaiNbow!Runner: let the newbie have some fun

ClinicalAsshole05: …whatever

Neil snorts out loud again at their reaction.

ExyKid4Life: so…what about the whole praise thing? Is…is that an omega thing? Um…
cuz I’m not usually someone who cares about…compliments and shit like that, yk? But
during my heat, it was…wow

ClinicalAsshole05: yeahhhhh wish I had a better excuse, but that’s biology hitting us hard.
Kind of an instinct/pack mentality thing. We want to be praised by our partners and told how
“good” we are for them. It’s a verbal indication of their desire and satisfaction with us, and
that just so happens to be something we’re very into during our heats.

RaiNbow!Runner: but at the same time, who doesn’t like being praised, am I right? Alphas
and betas will deny it all day long but praise them right back and see how they preen.
Everyone wants to be complimented by their partner.

RaiNbow!Runner: so don’t feel ashamed by it, newbie. (You too, CA – I see you squirming
over there!)

Neil sits back and wonders for a second how Andrew would react to being praised. He tries
to recall from his heat if Andrew had responded to any of the nonsense spilling from his
mouth, but the memories are hazy. He can’t tell if it was because of the searing temperature
in the room or Neil’s words that made that slight pink color tinge Andrew’s cheeks.

He uses a fingernail to pick at a gouge on the corner of the computer desk he’s at.

If he gets another chance, he’ll definitely find out.

ExyKid4Life: so…praising your partner can make them feel good…what else makes them
feel good?

RaiNbow!Runner: well, it’s different for every partner. Complimenting them is good,
cuddling and scenting are usually appreciated by both partners. Massages, stroking their hair,
holding hands – even just talking and listening can make them feel good.

Shybean183: Um, but…what about…submission? Isn’t that what all alphas want from
omegas?

RaiNbow!Runner: oh, sweetie. Not all of them, and maybe not necessarily in the way
you’re thinking. Yes, submission can feel good depending on the kind of play you’re into.
As long as your partner remembers it’s sexually motivated and not something that translates
back into real life (unless that’s something both partners prefer and have agreed upon prior).

RaiNbow!Runner: submission is more about vulnerability and trust than being subservient.
It can show your partner that you trust they’ll protect you – that you’re willing to “let go”
with them. Yes, the power exchange at times can be extremely hot – but again, only if
they’re not degrading or disrespecting you. (Outside of any scenes – and if you have
questions about what I mean by that, Shy, DM me)

RaiNbow!Runner: But going back to your question, ExyKid, if you’re talking about sexual
techniques…then I have a couple different websites to recommend to you 😉

ClinicalAsshole05: I say don’t worry about the sexual aspect. You’re brand new to this, and
your partner will (or should) understand that. If you’re sexually involved outside of your
heats, you can focus more on learning techniques and what drives them crazy there. Just
focus on building your partnership during your heat and let your partner comfort you. That’s
why you invited them to it, after all.

Huh. Neil had never thought about it like that before. Of course, Andrew had brought him
an enormous amount of comfort and relief during his heat, but…it just never was the aspect
he’d focused on.

And speaking of comfort…

ExyKid4Life: So, um…is being drawn to your partner’s scent normal then? During a heat…
and outside of it?

BredRedSailorS2: well, we’re naturally drawn to more compatible partners, and during your
heats that sense of smell intensifies

ClinicalAsshole05: yeah, there are several factors for this, including biology, the trust factor
you have with the person, the status of your relationship, how safe your environment is, etc.
ClinicalAsshole05: and like BredRed said, you crave that psychological sense of safety
during your heats more intensely. It’s actually one of the first indicators of pre-heat, that
need to make what we call a “nest” and surround yourself with soft things that smell like
safety and comfort to you

ExyKid4Life: oh. So it’s normal then? Wanting to drown yourself in their scent, being
drawn to them regardless of whether you’re in a heat or not, feeling way better when they’ve
scent-marked you, etc.? I mean…there are times when I literally feel like I’m losing my
mind, they smell so good

ClinicalAsshole05: okay…well…it’s not always to THAT degree. Um…I usually only hear
of cases like that when the two partners are…mates

ExyKid4Life: …what?

G2HInAHandbasket: oh yeah. That’s bonding-level shit right there.

ExyKid4Life: uh…wait…I don’t…

hoamster26: Do you always want to be around them? Does something just feel more “right”
when they’re nearby? Does it feel awful to be apart from them? Like you’re missing a limb
when they go? Are their hands the only ones you want touching you?

ExyKid4Life: ummm

ExyKid4Life: …I don’t…

ExyKid4Life: ………………maybe

hoamster26: 😊

RaiNbow!Runner: 😊

Granny8MySox: 😊

vapidtranslate66: dang, that’s some fairytale shit right there. Romantic as fuck. Finding
your mate basically with your first heat? Nice work, newbie.

A rush of heat and terror bursts in Neil’s chest. In two seconds, he’s clicked out of the chat
room, his breathing picking up as he dashes outside.

He can’t have a mate. He can’t. He can’t be that for someone. It isn’t fair to Andrew.

It isn’t fair to you either, a small voice in the back of his head says, but he ignores it.

He can’t do this to Andrew. He can’t let it affect either of them. Maybe it’s for the best that
he doesn’t talk to Andrew about his heat. Maybe he should try to suffer through his next one
alone, regardless.
It can’t be that bad, right?

His phone rings, startling Neil out of his thoughts. He looks around and is surprised to see
he’s on his way back to the dorms. Pulling his phone out, he watches the battery life blink at
5% before he spots Andrew’s name on the screen.

He answers without hesitation. “Yeah?”

After a moment’s pause, he hears Andrew’s slow drawl answer, “Surprised you picked up,
rabbit.” There’s another pause and a quick intake of breath that tells him Andrew’s smoking.
“Where are you?”

“On my way back to the dorms,” Neil replies, watching Fox Tower come into view. A corner
of his mouth lifts as he spots the tiny figure on top of the dorm roof, the glow of his cherry
visible in the fading light.

“Couldn’t hitch a ride on the highway?”

Neil reaches the sidewalk below the roof and looks up at Andrew. “I told you I’d stay.”

“And you’re a liar,” Andrew tells him without remorse, eyes burning into Neil’s now as he
peers down at him. He takes another drag of his cigarette before he continues, “Which means
I don’t believe you.”

“What can I do to convince you?”

Andrew is silent, staring at Neil for the longest time. Finally, he flicks his cigarette butt over
the edge, and Neil watches it land a few feet from his sneaker.

“Nothing,” his voice snarls through the speaker. “You’re a pipe dream. An illusion. And
one day, you’ll disappear – we both know that.”

Neil doesn’t answer at first because Andrew speaks nothing but the truth. One day Neil
Josten will leave, never to return to this place. And there’s nothing either of them can do
about that.

So he simply stares back at Andrew before he stoops and grabs the still-burning cigarette off
the ground. He puts the stick in his mouth and takes a long drag before he slowly lets the
smoke spill from his mouth. “But I’m here now.”

I’m real, now. You can touch me, if you want to, right now. And I know you do.

This is also the truth, but he doesn’t dare say the words aloud.

It doesn’t matter anyway - he knows Andrew can hear them. Knows it from the silence that
yawns between them, cavernous and deep. The words sink between the two of them slowly,
their implication turning the air hot and tenuous even though they’re five floors away.

A few seconds later, Andrew snaps his phone shut, cutting the call off.
It’s a dismissal. It’s also a victory.

Neil closes his phone slowly before slipping it into his pocket. Then he smirks, giving
Andrew a two-fingered salute before he heads into the dorm lobby.

Shit, how is it possible that he’s had two opportunities now to talk about pre-heats and didn’t
take advantage of either one of them?

Neil scowls at himself. Idiot.

So now, because he’s a moron, he’s stuck standing outside this door, dreading every minute
of the conversation he’s about to have.

It’s a bad idea – even worse than his usual ones. But at this point, he has no choice. It’s his
very last resort.

So, after another minute of stalling, he raises his hand and knocks.

The door swings open after a few seconds, and Aaron glares at him. “What the fuck do you
want, Josten?”

Neil grits his teeth. “I have a few questions-”

“Oh, fuck off,” Aaron tries to swing the door closed in his face, and Neil pushes back just
hard enough so he can slip into the room.

“Are you alone?” he asks.

“Get out, bastard!” Aaron snarls.

“Are. You. Alone?” Neil repeats, face impassive.

Aaron glares at him for another minute before he goes over and throws himself onto one of
the bean bags. “Yes, I’m alone, Josten. Happy now?”

Neil moves over so that he’s seated on the corner of the couch. “Like I said, I have some
questions.”

“And you literally couldn’t bother anyone else about it?”

“No, it had to be you.”

Aaron’s eyes narrow at that. “Why?”

Neil huffs out a breath before looking away.

Aaron drags a hand over his face before he groans. “Jesus, didn’t your mom teach you any of
this shit?”

“No,” Neil replies stubbornly.

“You know there are other ways to get answers other than bugging me, right?”

“Yes,” he says stiffly.

Aaron glares at him again before he throws a hand in the air. He grabs onto his game
controller and un-pauses the game he was apparently playing before Neil interrupted. “Fine.
Fuck it – go on. What the hell do you want to know?”

Neil takes a deep breath, forcing himself not to rise to the bait at Aaron’s snippy tone. “What
does being in pre-heat feel like?”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Temperature or mood swings, feeling irritated at everything, feeling
uncomfortable in your own body. Sometimes dull pain or aches in your abdomen or back.
You’ll start to nest usually, which means you’ll want things close to you that are soft or make
you feel comfortable and safe.” He kills a guy onscreen ruthlessly, concentration split while
he quickly spouts off facts. “When omegas are mated or in serious relationships with their
partners, they tend to want to be near them, becoming more touchy-freely and craving that
skin-to-skin contact. They can also be more jealous or possessive of their partner as their
hormones ramp up, too.”

His fingers tap on the controllers before he sighs and begrudgingly adds, “You’ll get more
easily aroused or attracted by certain things, and you’ll produce more slick. You’ll also stink
to the high heavens – the rampant hormones in your body making you very noticeable and
attractive to others, especially alphas.”

Aaron pauses the game and gives him another side glare. “Have you talked to Andrew about
this yet?”

“Why do you care?” Neil immediately shoots back.

“I don’t,” Aaron snarls. “You just need to make a decision either way. Regardless of how
you feel, it’s not fair to ask Andrew to drop everything the day of just because he’s your last
option, and you decide you want to use him for your heat.”

Neil nearly winces at the thought of “using” Andrew. Is that what he’s doing? He’s never
really thought omegas were capable of using an alpha, but…maybe Aaron is right.

“Just stay away from him if you really don’t give a shit, Josten,” Aaron continues. “He
doesn’t need your mixed signals confusing him. And you don’t need a partner.”

Now Neil really does make a face. Yeah, it would suck, but he could probably make it
through a heat on his own. He’d just have to-

“It’s not the same, you know,” Aaron interrupts his train of thought, staring sharply at Neil’s
face. “Real heats aren’t the same as when you were drugged.”
“They’re not?” Neil blurts out, so surprised that he doesn’t even think about what he’s
saying. “But then…how do you-”

“I’m not saying they’re more comfortable, but I’m willing to bet they’re way less intense
than what you experienced,” Aaron juts out his jaw as he looks away. “Your hormones and…
needs won’t be so demanding. You’ll have more thought and choice during it. Yes, things
can still get a little fuzzy, but…you could figure it out.” Aaron looks back at him as he says,
“You have a choice, Neil. You don’t have to go through a heat with a partner. You could
manage just fine on your own.”

This new revelation stuns Neil. If he’d been surprised before that designations other than
alphas could join a heat, now he’s floored by the fact that some people actually chose to go
through their heats alone – and that they had no issues with doing so.

But if that’s an option, then…the real question is…does he want to go through his heat
alone?

“Are we done here?” Aaron asks him petulantly.

“Yeah,” Neil gives him a short nod.

“Good. Then get the fuck out,” Aaron snaps at him, turning back to his game.

Neil rolls his eyes as he gets up. He’s almost made it to the doorway when Aaron calls out,
“Just make sure you tell him either way, Neil. My brother is an asshole, but he at least
deserves that.”

Neil can tell it’s meant to be an off-the-cuff remark. A warning that was more take-it-or-
leave-it than showing any genuine care for his brother. But he also knows this is a lie.

Because Aaron’s shoulders are hunched, his fingers gripping the controller tightly. His eyes
are eerily locked on Neil, and he can smell Aaron’s anger and fear slowly permeating the
room. He even bets if Aaron were to open his mouth right now, he’d see his fangs
descending.

No, this is an act of protection. A very real threat. A declaration of war if Neil doesn’t
follow through.

Neil knows instantly at that moment that Aaron would kill for Andrew, if necessary. It’s the
first time he feels a hint of respect for the other twin. The two omegas will never see eye to
eye, but in this area alone, Neil can agree with him.

So he nods once at the blonde, giving him the satisfaction of being acknowledged and
watching his shoulders relax a fraction of an inch. Then he slips out into the hallway, letting
the door snick shut.
He thinks about it for a while. He ruminates, mulls it over, weighs the pros and cons. He
chews on it constantly, letting the idea run round and round and round inside his head.

By the time Friday rolls around, though, he’s no closer to an answer than before.

So, when Nicky promptly declares Neil and Andrew boring before announcing he’s going to
go bug Dan and Matt for a while, Neil doesn’t think twice. He barely waits a heartbeat after
Nicky closes the door to get up and lock it.

The sound is deafening in the dorm living room.

Neil watches Andrew’s hands twitch – just a momentary pause in rolling the ice cream carton
Neil got him before he continues.

He comes back over and sits down on the floor, facing Andrew. Then he asks slowly, “Do
you ever think about what we did together during my heat?”

Andrew’s gaze is steady when he looks back at Neil. “Yes.”

Neil licks his lips. “Was it…just because of the heat that you did it? Or…”

It takes Andrew a long time to answer, continuing to roll his pint back and forth between his
hands as he thinks. Finally, he responds quietly, “No. Men have always been my…poison of
choice.”

“Me included?” Neil can’t help asking.

Andrew glares at him. “Yes, Neil. You included.” He pauses, then adds, “But it doesn’t
matter.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t swing,” Andrew grounds out through his teeth.

Oh. Right. He doesn’t…but…

“Can I try something?” Neil hears the words fall from his mouth.

“Depends on the ask,” Andrew replies coolly.

Neil swallows hard, then asks, “Can I kiss you?”

Andrew freezes. His eyes widen, a flicker of surprise crossing over his face that Neil feels
privileged to see – even somewhat proud to have caused before the blonde masks it once
more. He scoffs, turning away from Neil and snapping, “I’m not a guinea pig.”

“No, I know,” Neil replies softly. “But you’re the only one I’ve ever…”

He trails off a second before rising up to kneel in front of Andrew. He slowly plucks the ice
cream carton from his hand, putting it on the coffee table beside them. Then he looks back
up at Andrew and waits, tilting his head slightly to the side.

As acts of submission go, it’s not an enormous gesture, but neither he nor Andrew are flashy
people. He bets Andrew will get it – the way Neil has lowered himself before Andrew,
looking up at him, baring his neck slightly, making sure Andrew knows he’s in total control.

And get it, Andrew does. His eyes flash with understanding before his pupils slowly
expand. There’s the slightest hitch in his breath that he quickly tries to cover up but not
before Neil catches it.

Golden eyes catch onto his as he growls out, “What do you want, omega?”

“You,” Neil says simply.

“And if I want nothing?” Andrew cages.

Neil gives him a lopsided grin. “Then that works because I’m nothing.”

Andrew’s jaw hardens, but he doesn’t look away.

“If you don’t want this at all, Andrew, then tell me,” Neil says seriously. “I won’t bother you
anymore about it. But I also don’t want to ignore it just because it’s new for me. I trust you.”

“You shouldn’t,” Andrew growls.

“After what you did for me in my heat?” Neil says softly. “How could I not?”

Andrew glares at him, furious then. But he doesn’t move when Neil slowly reaches a hand
out towards his face, slow enough that Andrew could stop him at any time.

He wants to know if what he’s feeling is only due to some misguided notions from the heat or
if this is something more. Something past all the hormones and desires. Something real.

It doesn’t have to mean something, though, if they don’t want it to. They can choose to just
enjoy it for what it is – to only let themselves go so far. Neil doesn’t have to be that someone
for Andrew.

But maybe, just for a little bit, he can be the person who makes Andrew feel good for once.
Who doesn’t shy away from his rough edges. Who understands what it’s like to be at the end
of your rope, holding on with gritted teeth as it digs into your palms, ripping away skin and
cutting into bone.

And Andrew can be the one who holds him together. Who helps ground him. Who
persuades him to stay, who makes him feel braver than he is, who lets him pretend to be real
just a little longer.

They can do this. They just have to choose it. They just have to let themselves have it, for
once. Just for a little while.
Andrew catches his hand before it can reach his face. Neil, in return, brings up his other one,
and Andrew captures that hand too, giving him complete control of Neil’s arms. Neil relaxes
easily into his hold, barely blinking when Andrew flips their position, making him lie back
against the floor before leaning over him. Usually, Neil would hate feeling trapped like this,
but something about Andrew being the one covering him makes him feel safe. His heart
starts beating loudly in his chest as Andrew leans closer. He licks his lips, and Andrew stares
at them, a sort of rumble happening in the back of his throat that falls somewhere between a
purr and a growl.

He slowly maneuvers Neil’s hands until they’re positioned over his head, one hand clamped
down on his clasped wrists. Neil’s stomach grows hot as he remembers how Andrew pinned
him to the bed like this before. He squirms a little beneath Andrew’s grip at the memory. He
knows he must be releasing some kind of smell because Andrew suddenly sniffs the air
intently before his own scent begins to roll over Neil. It makes Neil feel hotter, makes his
pants start to feel tight, a wet feeling growing in the seat of them.

“Don’t touch unless I say so, omega,” Andrew growls as he grows close to Neil’s face.

Neil nods rapidly.

An inch from his mouth, Andrew asks him one last time. “Yes or no, rabbit?”

“Yes,” Neil whispers before Andrew leans forward and seals his lips over his.

Andrew’s mouth is hot, wet, and demanding. It bruises Neil in the best way, burning straight
through to his core and stoking the flames even higher. Andrew gives no quarter, taking
Neil’s mouth and challenging him to meet his fervor. Neil does so with relish, mimicking
Andrew’s movements and opening his mouth wide when Andrew’s tongue asks for entrance.

A small whimper grows in the back of his throat as Andrew bites his lower lip, sucks on his
tongue, and slides his lips over Neil’s in a tantalizing rhythm that Neil can’t help but follow.
The fog in his head thickens when Andrew slides a hand down until his fingers gently stroke
the back of Neil’s neck, right where his scent gland is.

Neil makes a choked-off noise that Andrew swallows, the blonde digging his fingers in a
little deeper as the kiss grows fiercer. More, more is the chant that echoes in Neil’s head
because he can’t seem to get enough. He’s drowning in Andrew’s scent, on fire from the heat
of Andrew’s mouth, and he's thrilled by the alpha’s small gesture of possessiveness over his
neck, both treasuring and protecting the area as he takes Neil apart.

He wants to keep going. He doesn’t want to stop.

But all too soon, they hear a thump against the door as Nicky walks into it.

“What the hell, you guys? I walk out of my room for two seconds, and you lock it? What is
this, Fort Knox?”

Andrew immediately pulls back from Neil, taking a gasping breath like a man resurfacing.
Neil, for his part, lays panting beneath Andrew’s iron grip, his groin still very interested in
making things happen despite the interruption. The two stare at each other for another
moment, the scent of their desire lingering in the air.

Andrew tightens his grip on Neil’s wrists before slowly letting go of them. Neil keeps them
there, watching Andrew with half-lidded eyes. Andrew runs one finger slowly over their
clasped position, making him shudder.

“Hello!! Guys? Andrew? Neil? Are you still in there?”

Andrew scoffs before he finally draws back from Neil completely, standing up to march over
to the door. He pauses right in front of it, taking a deep breath which Neil uses to scramble
back onto the couch in a somewhat decent position, throwing the blanket over his lap. Then
Andrew grabs the doorknob and snaps it open.

“Finally! What took you so long?” Nicky grumbles, his arms full of a bag of Chex Mix, a
tube of Pringles, a partially-opened box of fruit roll-ups, and multiple DVDs. He takes two
steps into the room before he stops suddenly, sniffing the air. “What the…okay, who the hell
is getting it on in the dorm room?”

Neil freezes on the couch, his usually graceful liar’s tongue stuck solidly to the roof of his
mouth.

Luckily, Andrew doesn’t seem to have the same problem. “Kevin,” he says.

Nicky wrinkles his nose. “Eew…seriously? He and Thea are having skype sex right now?
Ugh, he really needs to just get on a plane and go get laid.”

Neil slides a look towards Andrew for the tricky nuance of that lie. Because yes, Kevin had
probably used the dorm before for more…intimate conversations with Thea, but not tonight.
Tonight, he’d holed up in his room to watch the Trojans game for the fifth time, getting his
daily fix by watching Jeremy kick ass on the court. But that’s Nicky’s fault for not qualifying
his question when he asked.

However, Kevin and Thea also broke up months ago. Something Neil only happened to
know because he’d been there when Kevin nearly broke down on the court during night
practice, he was so upset. An update that Andrew knew about, but Kevin hadn’t bothered to
share with the rest of the team.

So…technically, Andrew told Nicky the truth. It was Nicky who made all the assumptions.

Neil doesn’t know why his stomach is suddenly fluttering from the sheer cleverness of it.

But somehow, he swears Andrew knows. He swears he can see it in the flicker of a glance
Andrew gives him in return, setting his skin alight once more. Then the blonde settles back
in his beanbag, rolling the ice cream carton beneath his hands again. He ignores Neil, not
bothering to look his way again for the rest of the night, although Neil watches him play with
that carton for a very long time.
 Neil, for his part, tunes out the movie Nicky picks almost instantly as he fights the stubborn
plastic packaging on his own tub before finally giving up. With Nicky safely turned towards
the TV, Neil holds the cool treat up against his cheek. He hopes to soothe the heat still
radiating from it, unfortunately helped by the extra weight of the blanket on his lap.

He wishes it was Andrew’s weight back on top of him again.

He lifts his fingers back up to his lips in awe in the dark as he tries to recall the exact shape of
Andrew’s mouth molded to them. The way it had seared and brushed against his so
passionately compared to the blank face he’s giving the TV right now.

He wants to do it again. He wants Andrew to kiss him again, to thread his fingers through his
own, to hold him close. He wants Andrew to be the one to help him through his heat once
more.

Now he just needs to find the courage to ask.

Chapter End Notes

🤣🤣🤣
Neil at all times during this fic: "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but I'm going
to make it Andrew's problem regardless."

Also, me drawing y'all in with porn and then throwing 16k of plot at you: 😅😅

Thanks for reading!! 💖💖💖

 To Come in Heat
Chapter Notes

...what?? I added more chapters? Because I realized there was much more to write about
in this au before I came to any sort of conclusion? Pshh, no. They were always there -
just ask me. 😅😅

To all my non-American friends...when I say sixty-two degrees, I mean Fahrenheit lol.

🤭
So, aka, like 16 degrees Celsius. Just so you get what's really going on in that scene
when you get there

T/W: Okay, so we start off this chapter with an explicit sex scene - simply jump to the
scene break if you want to avoid it entirely. Or you can tune back in at the line "Shit.
This is the third time..." There's also more smut in the third scene. Skip from "...having
Neil pet him" to "Neil frowns" to avoid. Otherwise, as per usual, we're having lots of
conversations and scenes about consent and sexual content in general.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Neil wakes with a start, his heart pounding as he flings the sheets off him. He’s panting, and
the room feels like it’s a million degrees – he’s already sweated through his pajama top, the
fabric disgustingly clinging to him in several places. The worst part, though, is the way his
dick throbs between his legs, arousal pulsing through his body in small waves.

He rolls over just far enough to glance at his alarm clock.

Two am. Great.

Too early to get up, and yet he also knows he won’t be able to fall back asleep if he doesn’t
do something about this.

Grimacing, Neil sits up slowly and shoots a rueful glance towards his roommate, still
blissfully asleep and snoring away. He sighs as he quietly puts his feet on the floor before
reaching underneath his bed to grab the Ziploc bag he’d hidden between the frame’s slats.
Then he silently pads out into the hallway and into the bathroom, closing and locking the
door behind him.
He turns on the light and starts the fan. Then he strips out of his pajamas before taking a
deep breath and opening the bag.

Inside are three items – two of which are unlikely souvenirs from a scenario he’d never
thought would happen. The first is the small anal plug Andrew had filled him up with at the
very end of his false heat, a surprise he’d discovered in the shower afterward. And the other
is Andrew’s black tank top – the one he’d worn throughout the session before hastily
throwing it in his bag later. He looks guiltily at it now, remembering how Andrew had
paused when gathering up his clothes. He definitely knew the tank was missing – he just had
no idea that Neil had purposefully stolen it.

Now he lifts the soft article of clothing out of the bag slowly before he brings it up to his nose
and – shit, there it is. He breathes deeper as Andrew’s scent fills up his nostrils. Then he
groans as his dick pulses, his body shivering at the sensory memory of Andrew.

Neil reaches a hand back into the bag to pull out the third item – a bottle of lube he’d snagged
at the gas station on one of his runs. He pours a little bit out into his palm before taking
himself in hand and strokes once.

Pleasure zips through his body at the light touch. His thighs quiver, and he sucks in a breath
as he leans back against the wall. He strokes a few more times, tightening his palm and
feeling his cock grow even harder beneath it. Then he lets go abruptly, air hissing through his
teeth as his hips jerk forward.

Though he can feel his slick beginning to gather, he still puts a little more lube in his hand
before he reaches behind him and begins circling his rim. He strokes downward and away,
teasing himself slowly. Then he closes his eyes and pretends his finger is shorter and thicker,
attached to a pale, muscular forearm and bulging bicep. He pictures the alpha standing
beside him, leaning over him, barely brushing against his back to whisper in his ear.

You like that, rabbit?

Neil whines a little, leaning against the sink as he strokes over his hole and away again. He
can imagine Andrew’s deep tone perfectly, his soft, pink lips nearly touching Neil’s skin.

I’m gonna put it inside now, okay, bunny?

Neil nods before he slowly starts to push the digit in, feeling a little resistance at his
entrance.

Relax for me, Neil.

Neil nods again, rubbing slowly until he’s able to slip in the tip. Gently, he pushes inward,
opening himself up.

There we go. That’s perfect, bunny.

Neil strokes inside once, his slick and lube helping the glide. He grabs the tank top again and
holds it back up to his nose as he sniffs deep. He begins thrusting inside him slowly, starting
with an uneven rhythm that gradually grows more graceful and adding another finger shortly
after. He moves both of them around inside, searching for that spot Andrew had found
before. Then he jolts when he finds it, a whimper dropping from his mouth that’s thankfully
muffled by the tank top.

There it is. Feels good, doesn’t it, Neil? But you want something bigger, don’t you?

“Yes, alpha,” Neil whispers under his breath before he reaches over for the anal plug, his
hand shaking slightly. He grabs it and coats it with lube before bringing it behind him. He
holds his breath as he feels the tip rub against his entrance, then he pushes slowly.

The plug glides in, smooth as silk. He shudders as he feels it fill him up before clenching
down instinctively.

So tight, bunny – you’re clamping down so hard. You must really like it, hm?

Neil bites his bottom lip, eyes nearly rolling up in his head as he reaches down and strokes
his dick hard. He slips the tank top over his head so that it sits around his neck and nose,
then he leans over the sink and begins going to town.

At some point, he looks up and startles when he sees his debauched reflection staring back at
him. His eyes are half-lidded, tank top dangling around his neck, and the small glimpse of
his mouth shows lips that are swollen and parted as he huffs out uneven breaths. He’s bent
over at the waist, a slight sheen of sweat on his brow as he rolls his hips forward into his
hand, fist clenched around his hard, red, and slightly weeping dick.

You look good like that, bunny – so hot and ready for me. Need to practice, though. Time to
stretch yourself out. Show me how you fuck yourself, bunny.

Neil shivers at the command. Then he reaches a hand behind him to grab the base of the anal
plug. He pulls gently, feeling it pop out of his hole before he slides it back in again, impaling
himself.

Yes, that’s a good bunny. Now go a little faster.

Neil’s thighs shake as he pulls the plug back out before pushing in a little harder, a controlled
glide that feels so good he can’t stop another sigh from slipping between his lips. He leans
forward, trying to find that spot again as he slides the plug in and out. It takes him a couple
of times before he does – the very tip of the plug just brushing against it when he angles
himself the right way. He shudders at that very brief contact.

He can’t imagine how it would feel if it was Andrew’s cock slamming into it.

The thought makes his hips shake, fist tightening on his own dick as he works the plug inside
him faster, harder. It feels like a sauna in the small confines of the bathroom, arousal and
pleasure thick in the air. However, he keeps going, never stopping as he continues to imagine
it’s Andrew’s hands on him, Andrew’s fingers inside of him, Andrew’s dick fucking him.

Finally, he’s so close he can nearly taste the orgasm. He just needs a little push…
I’m gonna fuck you so hard someday, rabbit. Gonna fill you up so good. You’ll feel my cock
thrusting inside of you, my hips slapping your ass as I ram into you, over and over. You’re
going to feel so hot, wet, and tight on me, squeezing down hard as I bring you right to the
edge. Then you’re going to cum for me, Neil – going to shake your hips as I fuck you through
it, crying out as you reach that sweet bliss.

Neil speeds up, riding the wave. He squeezes his eyes tight and swears he can almost feel
Andrew’s hot breath on the back of his neck, his sharp fangs dragging over the skin there.

One day, rabbit, you’ll be mine.

Neil cums hard, liquid spurting onto his chest and dribbling over his fist as he whimpers and
keeps going, hips rocking as he slams the anal plug inside him over and over, riding the crest
of his orgasm to completion.

When he’s finally done, he drops to his knees on the floor of the bathroom, anal plug fully
seated inside of him. He leans forward against the sink until his forehead hits the cabinets.
Then he blows out a breath as he slowly comes down, logic and reason permeating the foggy
haze of his horny brain.

Shit. This is the third time this has happened this week. What the hell is wrong with him?

Maybe all the clandestine makeout sessions he’s been doing with Andrew have left him
frustrated? But he never feels that way in the moment – he always feels more than grateful
for whatever Andrew is willing to give him. But he’s also never felt the need to masturbate
before like he has lately (nor has he ever been this successful at it).

So what is his problem?

Neil sighs before gently removing the plug and washing it in the sink. He dries it off with his
towel before placing it back in the Ziploc bag, along with the closed lube bottle. With one
last sniff of the tank top, he gently folds it inside and zips it closed.

Then he turns on the shower before stepping in and cleaning himself up – washing both the
evidence of his pleasure (and Andrew’s scent unfortunately) down the drain.

ClinicalAsshole05: Dude, FUCK creative writing. Like, hello? I’m pre-med.

ClinicalAsshole05: Why the hell do I need to know how to write a short story under 1500
words using no adjectives or adverbs?

ClinicalAsshole05: Exactly how is that supposed to help me with my job in the real world?

ExyKid4Life: Maybe you’ll need to lie to the medical board? Or the nursing staff? Or to a
patient who’s dying?
ClinicalAsshole05: Illegal, not unless I want a slow and painful death, and both dark and
heartbreaking, EK

ClinicalAsshole05: Also, why the hell are all your scenarios about lying?

ExyKid4Life: They say to write about what you know 😉

ClinicalAsshole05: Sounds like it’s what YOU know

ExyKid4Life: Maybe write about being an asshole instead then?

ClinicalAsshole05: 🖕
Neil snorts as he walks down the sidewalk after class.

He’d gone back a couple of times to the omega chat room and found himself really starting to
hit it off with ClinicalAsshole05, or CA, for short. They began DM’ing each other on the
side, and Neil even went as far as downloading the app onto his phone just so he could chat
back and forth with them.

It’s another side bonus, having this friend – someone who’s his alone, someone he’d found all
on his own. It’s just one more thing he’s letting himself indulge in while at PSU. It’s also
one of the only reasons why he keeps his phone charged – especially when he keeps getting
these weird countdown text messages from an unknown number. He’s tried telling them to
fuck off, asking what the hell their problem was, and threatening to bring the messages to the
police. Still, they never respond with anything but the following number, once a day.

Pushing it off as someone being an ass, Neil decides to ignore it, choosing instead to focus on
the pieces of the device he does like – such as Andrew’s calls and messages, CA’s DMs, and
the other Foxes’ check-ins. (Even if he doesn’t answer them all).

It…makes him feel somewhat normal. Like his father and Riko and the mafia are nothing
but a dream, a weird half-life that’s way too dramatic and far-fetched to even be real. For just
a second, he pretends like Neil Josten really is just a college student, playing Exy for fun and
working towards being…something in the future.

And unfortunately, this is where reality breaks his little fantasy apart. Because even in his
dreams, Neil can’t possibly imagine what he’d be doing with his life if he wasn’t running.
That or maybe his brain knows the alternative would simply be too cruel to consider – a life
with possibilities, potential.

A life where Neil could even, possibly, have a mate.

“Josten.”

Neil stops suddenly, looking up from his screen to find Andrew standing in front of him. His
lips quirk a little as he tilts his head and replies, “Minyard.”
Andrew stares at him blankly before he grabs the front of Neil’s jacket and hauls him around
so that he starts walking in the opposite direction. Neil follows without complaint.

They walk to the outer edge of one of the campus’s enormous brick buildings, away from
prying eyes when Andrew sticks a foot out and trips Neil. Neil stumbles before he feels
Andrew’s hands catch him and reposition him so that he’s leaning up against the wall.

Andrew slides his hands up Neil’s torso, up and around his shoulders, and back down until
he’s clamped down onto each of Neil’s wrists, pinning them against the wall by his hips.

Andrew licks his lips, eyes hooded as he stares at Neil. “Yes or no, Neil?” he asks.

Neil nods his head instantly. “Yes.”

Andrew swoops in the moment the confirmation leaves Neil’s lips. The kiss burns, hot and
fast as a forest fire, leaving Neil devastated in its wake. Andrew takes his mouth like a man
starved, sliding their lips together again and again. It has Neil gasping, leaning forward to
meet Andrew eagerly, trying his best to keep up with the passionate onslaught.

Then, just as fast, Andrew rips his mouth away, taking a few steps back. He’s panting, and
Neil can distinctly smell the scent of his arousal in the air, but a few seconds later, it
evaporates. The flushed pink color of his face smooths out, leaving it blank and uncaring
once more.

Meanwhile, Neil is still gasping, his fingers clenching and unclenching with the need to draw
Andrew back to him, to bring him closer once more. The scent of his own arousal spills
freely from him, but Neil isn’t ashamed. If anything, he hopes it might encourage Andrew to
kiss him once more.

But though Andrew’s pupils are still dilated, he makes no further moves on Neil.

“Come on,” he jerks his head at him before he begins walking back to the dorms.

Cursing just a little, Neil tries to straighten himself out before following the alpha.

Neil frowns down at his phone, looking at his own messages staring back at him.

ExyKid4Life: Exams really kick your ass this time?

ExyKid4Life: …really tho, tell me if you’re ok

ExyKid4Life: …CA?
It’s been a day or two since they responded, and Neil has this nagging feeling in his gut. It
doesn’t have the dark, blood-tipped edge of fear to it, but it’s not quite the buzzing hum of
annoyance either. It’s…odd is the only way to describe it. But it won’t go away either.

It’s kind of like…it kind of feels like…

“Aww, Neil,” Nicky says, plopping down on the bench next to him. “What’s got you so
worried, hm?”

Neil blinks. Worry. That’s what this feeling is. He’s…he’s worried about someone.

Shit.

The revelation blinds him a little, his chest tightening as he shrugs his shoulders
automatically. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

Nicky snorts and shakes his head. “Of course, you are. Wanna tell me what you’re not
worried about then?”

Neil can feel Andrew stilling beside him, obviously listening to the conversation. He’s not
quite ready to talk about his online friendship with the other Foxes, though. The concept is
so new, and Neil himself isn’t 100 percent certain about it yet. So his gaze quickly darts
about the room, trying to land on a new subject when he spots something unusual.

Neil furrows his brow. “Where’s Aaron?”

“Really, Neil?” Nicky lifts one eyebrow. “You just noticed he’s gone?”

Neil stares back at Nicky but remains silent.

Nicky sighs. “He’s been in pre-heat for the last couple of days. That’s why we didn’t go to
Columbia this weekend. He’s probably officially starting his heat today.”

Neil blinks. Aaron had been in pre-heat?

He tries to think back, gauging the other twin’s reactions. Okay, maybe if he thinks about it,
Aaron had smelled a little stronger, but Neil had merely wrinkled his nose at the scent before
shrugging it off. And sure, he’d been a little more irritable and snappish, but Neil had just
chalked that up to Aaron’s sparkling personality in general.

Was there anything else, though? No, Aaron had seemed pretty normal, snuggling down in
one of the beanbags playing video games, eating every single snack Nicky brought out for
them, burrowing himself into one of Kevin’s enormous hoodies, pouting the moment Kevin
announced they were heading to night practice –

Neil whips his head up to look over at the striker. “The game tomorrow,” he says pointedly.
Kevin gives him a cool look before he shrugs, pulling his practice uniform top over his head.
“We can make do without one backliner for a game.”

“We’re already down to nine people,” Neil snaps. “We’ll forfeit the game if we start with
less. We’re already at the bare minimum.”

Kevin rolls his eyes. “Omegas are given an automatic pass for games, Neil. They’re the one
exception in the Exy league, counting as a body even if they’re not on the court.”

“But if even one of us goes down injured, then we’ll only have one sub available-”

“Then we won’t let it happen,” Kevin snaps back at him. “We’ll play the game and win like
we’re supposed to and let Aaron go through his heat in peace. It’s called stepping up, Josten
– just like we would do for any of our teammates if they couldn’t play for some reason.” He
gives him a withering look as he adds, “I would think as a fellow omega, you’d understand
that.”

Neil snaps his mouth shut as embarrassment rolls through him. He hadn’t even thought about
there being any official rules in the Exy handbook that would accommodate omegas. He was
so used to the designation being held against him that he’d automatically assumed they’d be
punished for it – automatically assumed he’d be punished by not being able to play Exy in
what little time he has left.

And in his selfish desire, he’d somehow managed to shame another omega to boot.

He lowers his head, suddenly unable to meet Kevin’s gaze. He stares down at his gloves in
his lap, gripping them between his hands a little harder.

A second later, a cool hand slides over the back of his neck. Instantly, he feels a little of the
tension release from his shoulders. He looks up to meet Andrew’s eye, who stares back at
him blankly, without judgment. A small smile lifts in the corner of his lips.

“So,” Nicky says slyly. “The great Kevin Day isn’t going to talk about how detrimental it is
to the team that Aaron’s missing practice? That he’ll be missing out on all of these
wonderful drills we love so much? That he’s going to be so behind compared to the rest of us
because he misses one or two days of practice and a game-”

“A player’s physical and mental health is infinitely more important than pushing themselves
through a practice or game and potentially hurting themselves further. That kind of mentality
only brings the team down in the end – and this remains true regardless of the player’s
designation,” Kevin says archly, sniffing a little. “Now either you can shut your mouth on
the subject, Nicky, or I’ll make sure you won’t have enough breath left by the end of practice
to walk, much less talk.”

“Still not the captain, Day!” they hear Dan shout from the lounge.

Kevin scowls in her direction as Nicky giggles. When Kevin swings his murderous glance
back at Nicky, though, the cousin raises up his hands in defense. “Okay, okay! No more
talking about Aaron. Got it. How about instead we discuss my comfy black sweater that you
stole, hm?”

“You mean the comfy black sweater you originally stole from me?” Andrew pipes up with a
sharp sideways look towards Nicky.

“Eh, what’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours, right cuz?”

“No.”

“Pshh. Stingy.”

“Either way, I didn’t steal the stupid sweater, Nicky. I wouldn’t touch the thing.”

“Well, you don’t have to act all high and mighty about it, sheesh. What, is the thread count
not high enough for you, Day? Does the wool need to come from a rare black sheep that’s
grass-fed from nitrogen-rich soil in the hills of Switzerland or something?”

“Ha. You go Gucci, then try going back. Then you can talk to me about it.”

“Ugh. Spoiled raven.”

And weirdly to Neil, that’s that.

Nicky drops the subject, and everyone moves past it without further issue. The rest of the
team doesn’t even bring it up, barely blinking at Wymack’s update that Aaron won’t be able
to join them this week until Thursday or Friday at the earliest.

It’s stupidly comforting to Neil to watch his team’s lack of reaction. They don’t tease or
make fun of the fact that Aaron’s missing practice because of his heat. In fact, he actually
hears both Dan and Renee whispering to Nicky on the sidelines at one point, asking him to let
them know if Aaron needs anything.

By the end of practice, Neil understands that simply put, Aaron’s heat isn’t a big deal. No
one on the team cares – in a good way. Even though he’s not the one in heat, Neil feels a
band of pressure release from around his own chest, the feeling of being a burden to them
because of his designation lightening considerably.

With the Foxes, he can almost start to believe that omegas aren’t useless or shameful or dead
weight – they’re just a natural part of life. One of the three designations, each with its own
benefits and drawbacks. It’s a stunning realization to contend with, one that keeps him quiet
and unfocused as he and Matt share dinner and he tries to tackle homework after.

He’s almost grateful for the knock on his door later, interrupting his horrendous studying
session. When he opens it, he blinks at Andrew standing behind it in the hallway.

“Boyd?” Andrew asks as he walks inside.

“Uh…date night,” Neil confirms. “Then watching movies with the girls afterward. He never
says it, but he usually ends up sleeping over there.”
“Free dorm,” Andrew observes, walking to the center of the room and giving it a once-over.

“Yeah, it’s quiet,” Neil shrugs.

Andrew sniffs the air before wrinkling his nose. His brows furrow as he cranes his neck.
“Hot in here,” he says shortly.

Neil blinks. Is it? He’d actually felt cold earlier and had even turned the thermostat up,
thinking something might be wrong with the dorm’s heat register, but maybe he just didn’t
notice it turning –

His mind is wiped blank when Andrew tugs his sweatshirt off, giving Neil the briefest
glimpse of pale, smooth stomach before Andrew pulls his tank top back down. He turns
away from Neil to toss the hoodie over the back of the couch. It gives Neil the chance to let
his eyes wander over the goalie’s bulging bicep muscles and broad shoulders, dusted with a
light sprinkling of freckles. His muscular forearms are covered, as per usual, by those thick,
black armbands.

Stupidly, Neil feels his knees grow a little weak at the sight.

Andrew ignores him, moving past Neil to go over to the kitchen and open the fridge. He
grabs one of Matt’s beers from inside and opens it without pausing. Only then does he turn
back and lift an eyebrow at Neil for his prolonged silence.

Neil coughs, cheeks heating a little. “Um, yeah, so…I was just studying until…” He trails
off as he looks at the clock. “Wait, aren’t we supposed to be-”

“Kevin’s busy tonight,” Andrew shrugs before he takes a sip. “Entertain yourself.”

Neil gapes at the blonde. “Busy?” he reiterates. “Busy doing what?”

Andrew smirks a little at the question before taking another sip, remaining silent. Clearly, if
Neil expects an answer to his question, he isn’t getting it from him.

There’s nothing in this world he can think of that would trump Exy practice. The Exy-
obsessed Kevin Day he knows would never let anything supersede it. He wonders for a
moment if his absence has anything to do with Riko or the Ravens, but he doesn’t think
Andrew would be over visiting with him if that were the case. Whatever Kevin is doing, he
must be safe.

So Neil sighs and looks back towards his bedroom. Guess he really could use the time to
catch up tonight. There’s still that history essay he owes for his Civil War history course,
plus Professor Halloway is expecting those trig equations he missed from last time –

Something hits the side of his cheek. Neil frowns, looking down at the floor to see it’s a
metal tab from a can.

He slowly looks back up to find Andrew staring at him.

Suddenly, he realizes just the two of them are in his empty dorm room. A dorm room that
will likely remain uninterrupted for the rest of the night.

A slow heat begins to churn in his stomach.

Andrew continues to watch him as if he can tell Neil is slowly warming up. Then he sets the
beer aside and crosses the room, cornering Neil against the wall as he leans in as close as he
possibly can without touching him. He brings his cold hand up to cup Neil’s chin, forcing his
eyes to meet his as he asks, “Can I scent you?”

“Yes,” Neil whispers back immediately.

Andrew waits, and it takes Neil a moment to catch on. He stuffs his hands deep into his
pockets, rendering them utterly immobile before he looks back up at Andrew. Then he
slowly, purposefully tips his head back, exposing his neck.

Andrew’s eyes flash red before he sinks forward and begins scenting Neil deeply. The sound
of his slightly shaky breath rocks Neil to the core. He’s infinitely grateful he has the wall to
lean against because the feel of Andrew’s nose skimming along his skin makes his legs
tremble.

He tries to hold still for Andrew, but he must be failing at it because only a few seconds later,
Andrew whispers back, “You can scent me too, Neil.”

Neil drops his head down immediately to the juncture between Andrew’s neck and shoulder.
He buries his nose in deep and lets his senses become flooded with that fresh, addicting
scent. There’s a pulse of pleasure that echoes through his body, his mind feeling a little floaty
as he sniffs again.

Andrew scrapes his cheek up Neil's neck and chin, rubbing them together as he cups Neil’s
cheek in his hand and raises his head until his lips are hovering over Neil’s mouth.

“Yes or no?” he breathes.

“Yes,” Neil answers back.

Then Andrew crushes their lips together, owning the kiss entirely, which Neil is grateful for,
feeling himself sink into it with abandon. He tries to fully let go, letting himself live inside
this moment with Andrew’s kissing him senseless, but reality pushes its way in with the
annoying buzz of his cell phone in his pocket.

Neil knows without looking that it’s the prankster – the stupid jerk sending him the daily
countdown at the same exact time every day. Andrew reaches around and grabs the phone
before holding it up towards Neil, though, as if he might want to answer it. Neil responds by
grabbing the stupid thing and tossing it across the room – an action that has Andrew’s brows
furrowing, but Neil doesn’t want to waste time talking about some juvenile dick. He wants to
kiss Andrew stupid.

So he dips his head down while Andrew’s head is turned to kiss his way up the alpha’s neck.
The reaction is even more rewarding than Neil could have imagined. Andrew gives this
entire-body shiver that has Neil reeling, filled with the need to do it again. But Andrew
doesn’t let him – doesn’t even address the reaction by turning back and kissing Neil harder
and deeper.

So Neil lets it go – for now.

Which is easy to do, seeing how his brain is melting beneath the heavy feel of Andrew’s
hands on him. The goalie wanders and roams, thick hands stroking and soothing over Neil’s
hips, thighs, ass, and chest.

It’s enough to make Neil’s breath tremble, the feel of someone’s hands on him because
they’re interested in him. Because they desire his body and want to bring him pleasure – not
hurt him. The thought alone makes his chest feel warm – but with Andrew actually touching
him, proving that attraction, it’s like throwing a match onto a tank of gasoline. Neil’s left
with an explosion of pleasure and emotions that he can’t even begin to sort through – an
unholy mess wrapped up in desires and debris that Neil will likely scavenge through later
with a fine-tooth comb for anything valuable. But right now, he can’t be bothered.

He's riding along happily, fully immersed in Andrew’s kisses, when suddenly Andrew dips
his hands into Neil’s pockets. Immediately, Neil pushes them in deeper, thinking the alpha
must be testing him, but Andrew links them together with his before pulling them out. He
slowly raises Neil’s hands up to his hair and leaves them there, squeezing for just a second.

“Just here, omega,” he pulls back to whisper against Neil’s lips.

“Yes, alpha,” Neil responds immediately, watching for Andrew’s nod before he sinks his
fingers into the silky soft strands.

He’d done this several times during his false heat session, but the feeling of wonder never
leaves him each time he’s granted the privilege. Andrew’s hair is just so soft in comparison
to his own. He could spend hours simply sifting through it, feeling those gossamer strands
brushing against his fingers.

But Andrew isn’t interested in having Neil pet him. No, the alpha makes his intentions clear
a second later when he lays a heavy hand on Neil’s groin, fondling him over his jeans.

Neil’s attention is instantly captured, his hips tilting a little to grant Andrew’s hand more
access as Andrew presses a little harder, rubbing more insistently. Neil kisses him even more
enthusiastically, trying his best to convey his consent and interest through his actions as
Andrew basically rocks his hand against Neil, Neil’s hips following the motion.

He makes a distressed noise when Andrew pulls his hand away but is filled with giddy
delight when he returns to flick Neil’s jean button open and pull down the zipper, reaching
inside Neil’s underwear to take him fully in hand.

Then he starts jerking Neil off – hard.

Neil moans his appreciation into Andrew’s mouth, hands cradling the back of his head as
Andrew rips the orgasm from him in no time flat. Neil should probably be embarrassed by
the speed at which it happens, but he can’t find it in himself to care. He’s too engrossed with
the feeling of Andrew, the scent of him surrounding Neil, the way Andrew’s breath hitches,
and his hand trembles as Neil cums against him, spurting thickly over his hand.

Neil wishes it could last longer only because he doesn’t want to leave Andrew’s arms, but
Andrew is pulling away all too soon. He wipes his hand on Neil’s shirt roughly as he bites
one last time at Neil’s lower lip, using his teeth to pull at it gently. But he doesn’t step back
yet, clean hand still clinging onto Neil’s hip.

Neil stares at him, his eyes half-lidded and still breathing hard from his heady orgasm. “Do
you want me to-” he starts, but Andrew quickly shakes his head. “Don’t.”

Neil frowns. “But you can’t go back like that-”

“I said be quiet.”

“You said, ‘don’t,’” Neil reminds him.

He pulls Andrew back to him, tugging lightly on his hair so he can reach Andrew’s mouth
with his own again. Andrew tolerates a short kiss from him before he leans back once more.

Without thinking, Neil gives a low whine. “Alpha,” is the plea that drops from his lips.

“Go,” Andrew snaps. “Now.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere I can’t see you,” the alpha orders through gritted teeth.

The sound of his commanding voice makes Neil shudder before he quickly obeys. He quietly
leaves the room, heading into the bedroom to change his shirt and clean himself up, taking
his time. When he comes back, Andrew is leaning against the sink, finishing his beer, and
looking completely unruffled. He tosses the empty can into the sink after he finishes, salutes
Neil, and then leaves without another word.

Neil watches the door snick closed and deflates a little, wishing Andrew had stayed for just a
little longer. It’s not like they had to do anything – he just wanted to hang out a little. Maybe
talk.

He shakes his head. How stupid of him.

His and Andrew’s arrangement is built upon a mutual need to satisfy their bodies and nothing
more. Neil has no right to ask anything else of Andrew.

He turns back to head into his bedroom when he spots Andrew’s sweatshirt still lying over
the back of their couch. He frowns, walking over to grab the garment.

Right, he should probably take it back over to Andrew’s room and –

But the moment he picks it up, Neil’s nearly swept off his feet by the fresh scent of the
hoodie. Before he can even think about what he’s doing, he thrusts his face into the fabric,
practically inhaling the smell. His hands instinctively clutch onto the sweatshirt, unwilling to
let it go.

Neil bites his bottom lip. Well…the tank top under his bed is starting to lose its scent. And
Andrew has tons of black hoodies anyway…he wouldn’t miss one of them for a few days,
right? And Neil could always give it back if Andrew asked for it.

And he will give it back, of course. Eventually. Just…not tonight.

So before he can think any deeper on it, Neil scurries off to his bedroom with his prize. He
inhales the hoodie’s scent one last time before he gently folds it up and carefully places it
under his bed. Something about the action satisfies him greatly. He nods absently to himself
before he stands up and sits back down at his desk, a feeling of rightness burning inside of
him.

Then he torturously makes his way through his homework for the rest of the night.

ClinicalAsshole05: Hey, sorry for ghosting you

ClinicalAsshole05: My heat was this week

ExyKid4Life: Oh! No prob

ExyKid4Life: Um…are you feeling…better?

ClinicalAsshole05: *snorts* you’re so awkward

ClinicalAsshole05: yeah, I’m fine. Better than fine, actually

ExyKid4Life: …bc of your beta?

ClinicalAsshole05: …yeah…bc of him

ExyKid4Life: so…um…do you actually…mind your heats, now that you have a partner?

ClinicalAsshole05: well, it’s not like they’re ever going to be a picnic

ClinicalAsshole05: but yeah…I don’t mind them so much now that I have him

ExyKid4Life: oh. Cool.

ClinicalAsshole05: …
ClinicalAsshole05: *sigh*

ClinicalAsshole05: …ok fine.

ClinicalAsshole05: If anyone ever asks me this in RL, I’ll deny it before punching them in
their stupid face, but…I s2g being with him during my heats is the calmest and most relaxed
I’ve ever felt in my entire life

ExyKid4Life: oh…that’s…

ClinicalAsshole05: shut up, ok?

ClinicalAsshole05: it’s stupid. I know

ExyKid4Life: …that sounds really nice

ClinicalAsshole05: oh

ClinicalAsshole05: thanks

ExyKid4Life: 😊

ClinicalAsshole05: …you worried about your own heat?

ExyKid4Life: …maybe

ClinicalAsshole05: it’s going to be fine

ClinicalAsshole05: you have your alpha, rt?

ExyKid4Life: …yeah…

ExyKid4Life: I mean, yeah, exactly

ClinicalAsshole05: …you still haven’t talked to him, have you?

ExyKid4Life: …

ExyKid4Life: *sigh*

ExyKid4Life: no

ClinicalAsshole05: WTH are u waiting for? An engraved invitation?

ExyKid4Life: I’m not…but he might be. *grimaces*

ClinicalAsshole05: …then it sounds like you need to start chiseling, dude

Neil’s grateful that CA reached back out to him. As soon as he finds out it was only his heat
cycle, Neil does this weird sigh of relief. It’s not like he would have been able to help if
anything was wrong anyway – he has no idea who this person is or where they live. But it
somehow makes him feel better regardless to hear they’re okay – that there’s someone else
out there who will go on and have a happy life once he’s gone.

It both sobers him and gives him a melancholy kind of hope.

In the real world, Aaron also returns from his heat without a fuss – well, mostly anyway. To
Neil, he’s still prickly and annoying as usual, the only major difference being the number of
hickeys he now has covering his neck.

But the moment Andrew spots them, he immediately stops what he’s doing to give his twin a
narrow-eyed glare. Aaron returns it, walking over to his locker with his head held high and
spine rigidly straight. The atmosphere in the locker room drops by several degrees as the two
twins stare hostilely at one another, practically daring the other to say something.

Then Kevin walks through the locker room door, and Andrew apparently decides to turn his
wrath on him instead.

“Really, Day?” he snaps.

Instead of snapping back, though, Kevin weirdly blushes in return.

“Leave him alone, Andrew,” Aaron growls.

“Or what?” Andrew snarls back.

“You know exactly what,” Aaron retorts. “Don’t tempt me – I’m ready to break this any time
you are. You’re just pissy because yours can’t figure their shit out. It’s no one else’s fault the
idiot couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag. Maybe next time, don’t fall for a moron, hm?”

Andrew jumps up, eyes flashing red and growling. Aaron growls back, getting in Andrew’s
face. But before anyone else can even think of intervening, Kevin throws himself between
the two of them.

“Knock it off,” he tells them both, his eyes hard and tone cold. “This isn’t helping
anything.”

“Oh, now he grows a spine,” Andrew sneers. “What timing – is the broken-winged birdie
finally ready to fly?” His red eyes spear through Kevin. “Tell me, beta, are you ready to
break a deal too?”

Kevin winces a little, his face paling as he shoots a glance towards Aaron before squaring his
shoulders. “Just stop talking about it like you’re the only ones in the room. It’s more than
insulting to hear you say shit like we aren’t standing right here, listening to you.” He turns
back to stare at Neil suddenly as if making a point. “Right, Josten?”
Neil freezes while tying up his laces.

He watches as everyone turns to look at him, the locker room falling dead silent as they wait
for his response. Neil stares back at them with wide eyes. His brain is on fire, whirling as he
tries to figure out exactly what he’s supposed to say. Unfortunately, though, he was barely
paying attention to the brothers, so used to them sniping about something.

In the end, he just squeaks out an ineloquent, “Um…”

Aaron smirks at Andrew.

Andrew’s jaw clenches before he whips his head away from Neil. He turns around and slams
his locker door shut. Then he marches out of the room without another word.

Neil watches him go, his brow furrowing before he turns a helpless glance back at Kevin.

Kevin rolls his eyes, dragging an aggravated hand over his face before he shakes his head and
goes back to changing.

Feeling like he’s missed something important, Neil tries to shrug off the uneasy feeling
before he finishes tying up his laces and grabs his racquet. Maybe if he’s lucky, Andrew will
be just pissed enough to let Neil try shooting at him before practice starts – if only to shut the
goal down on purpose.

So he heads out the door and decides to put the entire weird episode behind him. Because
whatever this is about, surely Andrew doesn’t care enough to let it affect him, so neither
should Neil.

Right?

As evidenced by his entire life, Neil is not lucky.

Andrew is in a terrible mood for the rest of practice. He ignores Dan when she asks him to
do drills. He blatantly defies Kevin, standing in front of the goal and letting every shot go in
without a care. And finally, when he gets the annoyed tap on the glass from Wymack, he
begins blocking shots only to immediately turn around and throw them at the Foxes’ ankles.

Neil watches it all go down silently until Wymack’s suddenly calling for him.

“Yeah, coach?” Neil asks as he draws near.

“Fix it,” Wymack tells him flatly.

“Fix what?” Neil cages.

Wymack is not amused. “I know this is your fault somehow, Josten. Kevin already told me
as much.”

The rat fink bastard.

“But-”

“I don’t want to hear details, Josten. I just want results. Aka for you to go over and fix it.”

“How?” Neil asks. Because if he doesn’t even understand how he started this, how in the hell
is he supposed to finish it?

Wymack gives him a look. “You know how.”

Neil stares in confusion at his coach, but it’s no use. Wymack simply gives him a shooing
motion.

Sighing, Neil turns around and begins jogging towards the goal, hearing the whistle blow
behind him to stop play.

He keeps going, past a curious Nicky and Matt to draw dangerously close to their persnickety
goalie. Andrew lifts a brow as soon as he walks up. “Junkie,” he greets, tone impassive.

Neil sighs. “Wymack wants you to quit it.”

Andrew leans to one side to give their coach a look before glancing back at Neil.
“Apparently, it’s time for Coach to learn that we don’t always get what we want in life.”

“Andrew-”

“Tell me, rabbit – do you always do coach’s dirty work for him?”

“Of course not,” Neil snaps back before he sighs. “He just thought I could help.”

“Really?” Andrew draws out the word slowly, chewing on it. “And how exactly does he
think you can help?” He pauses before adding, “Do you even know what it is you’re
‘helping’ with?”

There are a lot of potholes in that statement Neil wants to avoid, so he simply cuts to the
chase. “What will it take for you to stop trying to injure our teammates, Andrew? We need
them.”

“No, you need them,” Andrew retorts.

“If we don’t have enough players, then we’ll be forced to forfeit.”

“You say this like I care about Exy,” Andrew tucks his racquet up over his shoulders, leaning
his chiseled arms on them. “In case you forgot, I don’t.”
It takes Neil a moment to tune back in, he’s so distracted by the sudden display of muscle.
When he does, he spits out, “So what do you care about then?”

Andrew gives him a flat look at the question. “How about instead you tell me exactly what
you’re willing to exchange for my heartfelt cooperation?”

Neil clenches his jaw. “Because revenge in the form of defeating the Ravens isn’t enough?”
He huffs out a breath. “What would it take?”

He thinks this might give him a moment to think while Andrew considers, but surprisingly
the goalie shoots back immediately, “Show me your scars.”

The request sends ice shooting through Neil’s veins. But as he breathes through the sudden
spikes of frost, he realizes he shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Abby has already seen them,
and the other Foxes aren’t stupid – they know there must be a reason why Neil never changes
out in front of them. And Andrew…well, of course, Andrew knows they’re there. He’d
probably felt them with all the…intimate things they’d done during their heat. And still, it
had taken him this long to ask.

He takes a shuddering breath as Andrew waits. Finally, he asks quietly, “When?”

“After practice.”

Neil grits his jaw. Okay, he can do this. He’d been meaning to anyway, but…

“That’s a steep price to pay for something that benefits us both.”

Andrew lifts a brow. “I told you-”

“Your deal is to keep Kevin safe.”

“Yes – safe. Not happy. I could give a shit whether we play or not.”

“But if we don’t play and at least try to win, then Kevin might think it’s impossible to do so
without the Ravens. He might go back to them, thus breaking your deal.”

Andrew shuts his mouth and stares silently at Neil for a moment.

It’s enough to encourage Neil to push on. He swallows and asks boldly, “I’ll still show you.
If you show me your wounds as well.”

Andrew furrows his brow for a second before his eyes widen fractionally. After a few more
seconds, he grunts in affirmation.

Neil smiles in return which causes Andrew to scoff. “Idiot. Now run back to your spot down
the court, rabbit, and don’t let me see you again until after practice.”

Neil turns to go when Andrew tacks on, “And tell Wymack next time to mind his own
business. I will not let him get away with this twice.”
Neil nods at the dismissal and jogs off.

He runs past Wymack and simply gives him a head nod for now – he’ll relay the rest of the
message later. Wymack nods in return before he raises the whistles to his lips and blows,
signaling play is live again. Neil jogs back to his side of the court. He tries to concentrate on
the drills he’s running with Aaron and Renee, but he can’t help but sometimes chuckle when
he sees Dan or Kevin run down to their end to pick up a ball Andrew’s thrown all the way
across the court.

Well, at least his teammates won’t have broken ankles. Although he’s not sure if they’ll
actually be thanking him for that after practice.

Of course, that might be par for the course if he were to become vice-captain anyway.

He scowls at the errant thought. Time to stop thinking.

So he puts his head down and falls back into the one thing that has never let him down since
his mother died. The only thing he’s ever wanted in his entire life.

And he ignores the tiny voice that whispers, liar, in the back of his mind.

Practice ends in a blur.

Before Neil can blink, they’re headed back to the dorms, Andrew hot on his heels down the
hallway as he follows Neil back to his room. Luckily, Matt is taking the girls to dinner, so
Neil knows they’ll have privacy for a short while.

Just enough time to cash in another secret, he thinks grimly.

Then again, it’s probably good if Andrew sees all the…well, if Andrew sees what he looks
like. Especially if he’s going to join Neil’s heat again. Then he won’t have to worry about…
about keeping things covered when…

Neil makes a little choked-off sound in the back of his throat, his chest tightening and
shoulders tensing.

Andrew immediately whips towards him as Neil closes the door to his dorm room. “If it’s a
no, then say so, Neil,” he says tightly. “We don’t have to do this.”

“No, we made a deal,” Neil winces, closing his eyes and leaning back against the door to
draw a deep breath. Then he tightens his jaw and pushes off it, moving quickly towards the
bedroom. “And I want to.”

“It doesn’t smell like you want to,” Andrew growls.

“It’s just…a lot,” Neil says flatly.

He waits until Andrew closes the door to the bedroom, then turns to face him. He stares into
the alpha’s eyes for a second, gathering his courage. Then he grabs the hem of his t-shirt
tightly in his hands and whips the garment off.

He homes in on Andrew’s face, watching intently for a reaction.

Andrew doesn’t give him one.

He simply stares at the newly exposed skin with a detached sort of curiosity. His eyes roam
all over Neil’s torso, a slow migration that increases Neil’s body temperature incrementally
the longer he stares.

Neil refuses to look down and see exactly where Andrew is looking. He knows it’s likely
even worse than before, Riko adding to his scar collection with relish. There are even some
wounds still healing, Riko had cut so deep. Neil’s reminded of them constantly during
practice, slight aches of pain sharply poking holes in his concentration.

He braces for the obvious questions, but Andrew remains quiet while continuing his visual
journey.

The intense concentration gives Neil a stabbing twinge of self-consciousness. For a second,
he wants to curl up and hide the ugly marks from the alpha, shying away from that merciless
stare. It’s silly, but he wishes for the first time in his life that he wasn’t damaged goods – that
Andrew had a better omega to partner with. Someone more aesthetically pleasing, with less
hang-ups and problems.

But he quickly shoves the stupid wish to the back of his mind as he reminds himself that he
won’t be here much longer – then Andrew can find someone better. The kind of omega he
deserves.

A few more minutes pass, and Andrew still hasn’t said anything, the silence driving Neil a
little insane. Finally, the alpha steps towards him, his hands raised before he draws back at
the last moment.

“It’s okay,” Neil says out loud, surprised at how husky his voice sounds. “You can touch.”

Andrew’s eyes connect with his for a brief second, as if checking to see if what Neil said was
really true. Then he lifts his hands back up and slowly skims them over Neil’s skin.

The light touch is electrifying. Neil immediately sucks in a breath at the feel of Andrew’s
rough, calloused hands soothing the marred planes of his torso. It shouldn’t be the moment
for this, but Neil can’t help but close his eyes as Andrew’s hands possessively wander over
his body.

He shivers, an act the alpha definitely notices but doesn’t mention. Instead, he runs one
thumb over a circular indentation in Neil’s skin, up near his collarbone. “You were shot,” he
says flatly.
“Told you someone was trying to kill me.”

Andrew doesn’t respond except to continue his search. Next, he comes to a large brand over
Neil’s shoulder, with even smaller circles raised up in dotted lines. “This is not from a life on
the run.”

“No, it’s not,” Neil answers quietly. “It’s from my father. Police came over and asked some
questions, and apparently, I wasn’t quiet enough. I was five, so I don’t really remember.
What I do remember is him holding me down and pressing the hot iron into my shoulder after
they left.” Neil pauses for a second, remembering the way he’d screamed, remembering his
mother’s echoing sounds in the background as she begged his father to stop. “Omegas
should be seen and not heard,” he quotes out loud now for Andrew’s benefit. “A lesson I’ll
never forget.”

For a split second, Andrew’s eyes turn red. Neil wonders what he’s done to upset the alpha,
but just as quickly, they’re back to normal again. He looks back down at where his hand
connects with Neil’s skin and confirms quietly, “Your father is dead. You don’t need to listen
to the shitty, worthless words of a dead man, Neil.”

Neil hums, both unable and unwilling to contradict Andrew. For one thing, Andrew’s an
alpha – able to say what he likes and have his voice heard no matter the circumstances. But
omegas? Neil fights against shaking his head. He knows it’s not the same.

The second is a bigger but much simpler truth – and that is, his father is unfortunately still
alive. And as long as he’s alive, Neil knows he can’t forget.

Not that his father would ever let him.

“-come back, rabbit,” Andrew’s voice calls to him softly before he feels a hand cupping his
cheek. “There you are.”

Neil blinks back at Andrew before his eyes slide away again.

Andrew puts his thumb under Neil’s chin and tilts his head back up. “Neil. I told you I
would protect you, remember? That is our deal. There’s no need to be scared, rabbit. I’ll
take care of you.”

For a split second, Neil wishes that was true with a fervor that makes him ache. But he
shoves it all back down inside him, giving Andrew a weak smile before he nods in his
direction and whispers, “Your turn.”

Andrew searches his eyes for a second before he steps back. He removes both of his
armbands with unhurried movements, tossing them on the bed.

Neil furrows his brow. “You don’t have to take both of them off. I just want to see-”

“I know,” Andrew replies quietly. Then he takes a deep breath before holding his arms out
for Neil.
Neil tucks his own hands behind his back as he hungrily takes in the wound from their heat.
It’s healing nicely, just two small, circular indentations that are red in color but soon will fade
to light pink. In an odd way, they’re a physical reminder of Andrew’s commitment to Neil –
both his promise to take care of him and his assurance that he will not touch Neil if he
doesn’t want it. Neil would never wish for the alpha to be harmed, but he also can’t seem to
stop himself from looking fondly at the scars, knowing what they mean and how Andrew
earned them. He aches to move closer and feel them for himself, but he can also tell how
rigid Andrew’s stance is – how much he doesn’t want Neil to touch.

And that’s even before Neil notices the other scars there.

It starts with just one or two small pink lines that Neil can see trailing up from under
Andrew’s forearm, near his elbow. Neil tilts his head, trying to get a better look at them. Did
something happen during his heat that he can’t remember?

But then Andrew angles his forearms for Neil, turning them over so that Neil can see the
entire area.

Neil’s stomach drops.

Inside of Andrew’s forearms are lines upon lines upon lines – straight, clean, and self-
inflicted wounds. Wounds that would bleed heavily and purposefully. Some that even
probably deserved stitches but never received them.

Neil swallows hard as Riko’s ugly words fill his head, stories he’d been forced to listen to
about what happened to Andrew in the foster system. Stories that had just been too horrible
not to be true.

And for once, he’s the one who gets it. He might not have been the one who put these scars
on his torso, but he can understand feeling like there’s something ugly inside of you –
something that you just want to get out. A way to relieve yourself of that internal darkness
when there seems to be no hope and no other options.

Although the others may not think so, Neil knows what these scars represent – they’re a bid
for survival. They’re Andrew trying, in some way, to hold on.

And most importantly, they’re all old. Andrew clearly hasn’t been cutting for a while now.

Neil goes to take a step forward unconsciously when he freezes, holding himself back.

“You can touch, omega,” Andrew grits through his teeth.

Neil isn’t fooled for a moment. Andrew is nearly vibrating with the exposure, his scent bitter
and turning sour with each passing moment. He absolutely loathes this but is determined to
keep his end of the deal.

So Neil finds another way.

He steps closer to Andrew, who grows rigid with his nearness, then drops to his knees before
him. Andrew’s brow furrows, watching as Neil clasps his forearms behind his back. Then
Neil bends down before nudging up on the outside of Andrew’s forearms once more, sniffing
along them.

Instinctually, Andrew rotates his forearms back at the silent gesture, letting Neil scent them
more thoroughly. Neil reaches the puncture wounds before he looks up into Andrew’s eyes.
Then he closes them and leans forward to brush the softest kiss against one.

He hears Andrew suck in a breath above him, the bitter scent from before dissipating to
reveal something sweeter.

Neil raises his head and moves to the other one before he repeats the simple gesture.

Another breath hisses through the alpha’s teeth as Neil pulls back. Andrew’s golden eyes
drink him in, soaking in the image of him on his knees before him. He holds their gaze one
last time before he sits back on his heels and simply bows his head.

This time he knows nothing can be mistaken about the gesture. It’s a position of
subservience, of him bowing before the alpha, allowing him to assert his dominance over
him. It’s something he’s been made to do so many times in his life against his will, he’d
sworn he’d never do it again for anyone.

Yet here he is, willingly bowing before Andrew.

Because he wants the alpha to know he’s not broken. That Neil isn’t ashamed by what
happened to him in his past or his scars. That he still gladly accepts his protection and is
grateful for the opportunity to be near him, to be so lucky as to have him as a partner in his
heats.

He wants Andrew to know that he trusts him.

He hopes the alpha understands.

He swallows, eyes squeezed shut and heartbeat thundering in his chest as he waits in silence
for Andrew’s next move, unsure how the alpha will react.

He doesn’t expect thick fingers to skim softly through his hair. Nor does he expect Andrew
to drop to his own knees in front of him. Silently, Andrew pulls Neil’s head down to his
shoulder, exposing his neck completely. Then Andrew brushes a single kiss against the back
of it.

Neil shivers against him, the answer to his gesture clear.

This is Andrew accepting him. It’s a continued promise of his protection and safety. It’s him
recognizing Neil’s submission and allowing it. It’s him returning the favor, telling Neil that
he’s unbothered by his scars, all his issues, and his past life. It’s Andrew accepting Neil as
one of his own, accepting to be Neil’s alpha if they both so desire it, a hierarchy that’s been
woven long ago into their bones.

The ritual is one Neil is infinitely familiar with, the formality of the mafia enforcing such
traditions and longstanding customs to show respect. With this exchange, Andrew is
officially initiating Neil into his pack while Neil accepts Andrew as his leader – although he
knows that in the normal world, such formalities rarely exist anymore. He’s surprised
Andrew even knew what to do, but perhaps his moves were simply born more from instinct
than actual knowledge.

It’s something that Neil should never have let happen and will be forced to renounce the
moment his father finds him again, but he can’t find it in himself to care right now. He
wanted it – wanted Andrew to know that he wants this.

That if he’d had a choice, he wants to be his.

Neil squeezes his eyes tighter and leans further into Andrew’s shoulder, turning his head to
smell his fresh scent. Evergreen, tobacco, and woody vanilla. Forests and hearths and cozy
kitchens. Freedom and safety, ferocity and comfort all wrapped up in one.

The corners of his eyes sting as he tries to remind himself that, just for now, he can have this.
Just for now, he can lean on someone and let them stop him from falling. As long as he
knows that someday soon, he’ll have to give it all up.

I am not your answer and you sure as fuck aren’t mine.

Andrew’s words echo from a conversation on the rooftop several weeks ago. And, as always,
he’s right. He is not the solution to all of Neil’s problems. Those are Neil’s alone to deal
with the consequences. If there is one thing he can do for his alpha, then he will not let them
drag Andrew down with him.

He lets out a shuddering sigh, his heart aching as Andrew reaches up and soothingly strokes
the back of his neck.

Exy isn’t the only thing he wants anymore, but it doesn’t matter. Because the truth is this -
regardless of what he wants, he knows he can never have it.

Neil is a dead man walking. And dead men don’t have dreams.

They just have a clock that ticks down the time.

Neil hurries through the hallway, huffing as he carries his newly acquired bundle of treasures
back to his room. He tries to kick the door open fast but irritatingly finds it’s locked. Nearly
growling with frustration, Neil does an awkward balancing act as he digs out his key from his
pocket. It takes him four tries before he can get the door open, but once he does, he swings
his way into the room and bodily slams it shut behind him.

He scans the living room and kitchen, but luckily, the coast is clear. Breathing in a small sigh
of relief, Neil stalks into the bedroom. He drops to the floor, and immediately stuffs the
clandestine haul under the bed, shoving and pushing to get everything under there.
He’s sweating, breathing hard as he rearranges it all to make everything fit just right. And
finally, finally, when it does, he sits back and feels the itch under his skin settle somewhat.

Perfect, his mind says, content humming along his veins. Then, now what was I doing
again?

He frowns before scratching slightly at the back of his neck. He was in the middle of…
something before…before the urge came on. Right?

He stands up quickly and scowls at the way the world sways a little before righting itself.
God, why was it so hot in this dorm? He tugs a little at his collar before he goes over to the
thermostat and taps the screen.

Right – it says it’s sixty-two degrees in here. Stupid thing must be broken. Again.

Neil makes another annoyed huff under his breath. Just perfect. Now he’ll have to reach out
to the over-friendly RA to get maintenance to come up and look at it.

He gives the register a narrow-eyed glance. Or fuck it – maybe he can just take apart the
thing himself.

He recalls Matt having a small toolkit that he kept lying around somewhere. He tears apart
the kitchen, then hunts under Matt’s bed, but of course, he can’t find it.

Neil kicks Matt’s bedframe in exasperation. Stupid Matt and his stupid toolkit. He scratches
again at the back of his neck, feeling the itch under his skin start up again.

He makes a frustrated sound as he whips the dorm room door open to stalk down the hallway,
ignoring the desire to sprint. All day he’s had these weird bursts of energy that just won’t go
away – he tried running them off this morning and had felt soothed by the burn of practice,
but both barely seemed to relieve the ache. Now it’s back with a vengeance, and all Neil
wants to do is make it go away.

Reaching the girl’s room, Neil taps out a no-nonsense knock. There’s noise and a burst of
laughter behind it before Dan opens the door.

“Oh! Neil! Um…there you are. I, uh…figured you weren’t coming.”

Neil stares at her. “To what?” he asks stupidly.

Dan lifts a brow. “To the team movie night?”

Fuck. That was tonight?

Shit, shit, shit.

If he thinks back, he does remember Dan saying something during practice, but he’d simply
nodded and kept moving, his head feeling like it was underwater. He’d definitely planned on
skipping it, though – just the thought of hanging around his teammates right now sounds like
torture.
So he’s unsurprised to hear himself say, “I’m not staying. I just need to talk to Matt quick.”

“Oh. Okay,” Dan stares at him, her face slightly squinted. “But I thought you decided to…
with Andrew…not with…”

Neil waits but Dan doesn’t finish her sentence, simply shaking her head. “Anyway, uh…he’s
in the kitchen.”

Neil grits his teeth and nods. Then he walks past her into the room, his shoulders squared
and spine rigid as the people and noise begin grating on him like nails on a chalkboard.

“NEIL!” Matt shouts, already clearly drunk. “My man! There you are!”

“Boyd,” Neil snaps, making a beeline towards him. “Where’s the toolkit?”

“The toolkit?” Matt stares at him fuzzily. “What toolkit?”

“The toolkit you keep in our room.”

“Oh! That toolkit! Uh…why do you need the toolkit?”

“Because the heat register is broken.”

“Um…dude…no, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Neil, bud, I love you man, but it’s not broken. You purposefully set the temperature to like
sixty degrees this morning, complaining it was too hot.”

“And yet the room is still burning up.”

“Uh…I mean…just checking here, but…are you sure it’s the room?”

God, he hates arguing with drunk people. “Look, can you just tell me where the toolkit is or
not?”

Matt huffs out a small sigh before he asks, “Did you check under the sink?”

Neil clenches his teeth. “Yes, I checked under the kitchen sink-”

“No, no, man! I mean the bathroom one!”

Neil glares at him. Seriously?

“Want me to come back and help you look for it?”

“No.”

“Well…do you need any help taking it apart?”

“No, Matt,” Neil rolls his eyes. “I’m perfectly capable of taking apart a heat register on my
own, thanks.”

“Hmm…well, look – why don’t you stay for a bit before you go back, bud, okay? Have a
drink! Chill out and relax! Then, after the movie, we can take a look at it together,” Matt
grins at him, seemingly unaware that Neil’s three seconds away from murdering him.

“No,” Neil snaps before turning around and heading back towards the door.

His nose wrinkles as he smells all the different scents of people in the living room – it’s clear
the entire team has gathered. Then his entire body tenses, picking up one particular smell
that sinks its claws into him and drags him forward.

Changing direction, Neil marches into the area before his eyes snap towards the couch. They
immediately lock onto Andrew’s form, sitting in the corner of it.

There it is. There’s that beautiful smell.

Neil draws closer before he stops again. His eyes widen as a snarl rises to his lips.

Because there’s a beta sitting far too fucking close to his alpha.

Without thinking, Neil immediately throws himself down on the couch between them. Both
the beta and his alpha freeze.

The beta quirks her lips as if she’s trying to fight back a smile. “Why hello, Neil. So nice
that you could join us.”

His alpha is not nearly as amused. “What the fuck, Josten?”

Neil gives his back to his alpha, though, knowing he’ll protect him, as he growls at the
threat. “Too close,” he snaps at her.

“Okay, Neil,” the beta says easily, moving until she’s sitting all the way over on the opposite
corner of the couch. “Is this better?”

No. He wants her off the couch and away from them. She could still reach them if she
lunges – could still wound his alpha, but he won’t let that happen, he’ll –

A hard hand grabs onto his chin, forcing him to look away from the beta. “Neil,” Andrew
snaps, looking into his eyes. “That’s Renee. She is not a threat.”

Neil feels the tension spill from his shoulders at the alpha’s command. Good, his alpha has
control of the situation. His alpha says they’re safe. Then, clarity hits him a second later as
Andrew’s words kick in, followed by a wave of embarrassment.

“Oh,” Neil says, turning back to see Renee watching them amusedly. “Oh, I – I didn’t –
I’m-”
“It’s okay, Neil,” Renee replies serenely, the smile budding on her face now. “No harm
done.”

Neil opens his mouth to argue, then closes it again, unwilling to make a bigger ass of himself
than he’s already done. So, he simply crosses his arms and leans back against the couch,
turning stonily to watch the movie.

“Oh! Neil, I thought you were leaving?” Dan stops as she goes by the couch.

“No,” Neil says stubbornly. “I’m staying now.”

He hears Andrew make some kind of noise beside him, but he can’t interpret it, and he
doesn’t turn to look at him to decipher it either.

“Uh…well, I think the rest of us are sitting elsewhere so…just saying you can space out a
little on the couch if you want.”

Neil furrows his brow. “Why?”

Matt, who’s walking by, stops and snorts. “Because you’re practically sitting on top of
Andrew, Neil.”

Neil frowns before he looks down and sees…okay, yeah, his thigh is maybe a literal scant
inch away from Andrew’s. And his shoulder. And maybe he’s leaning towards him a little.

Neil scoots a half-inch to his right, feeling irritated by the distance before he looks back up at
Dan and Matt. “There. Better?”

Matt snorts again into Dan’s shoulder while he watches her bite her lip. “Um…yeah….” She
glances over at Andrew before sighing. “Sure, Neil. Glad you decided to stay.”

Neil grunts, sinking back into the couch again. He feels a dull ache returning to his
midsection while that itch hums underneath his skin. He tries to ignore them both.

“Right…moving on…so I rented Fifty First Dates and I’m telling you guys, I think this is
gonna be a good one,” Dan grins at the team, trying to smooth over the moment as she steps
in front of the TV.

“Aw man, with Adam Sandler?” Nicky groans. “Why not Lion King 1 ½?”

“Because we’re not twelve anymore, Hemmick,” Allison rolls her eyes.

“Hey! Lion King is good,” Kevin protests.

Allison turns on him. “Did they even let you see that movie in the Nest? Or is it simply one
of the programmed “safe responses” to “favorite childhood movies” in an interview?”

Kevin opens his mouth before closing it again.

“Aw man, see? Now we have to see it!” Nicky squawks. “I’ll bet Neil hasn’t seen it either,
then.”

“Yes, I have,” Neil snaps.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” he retorts, his temper flailing. “Despite what you guys may think, I did
have some normal, childhood experiences. Not every single thing you bring up is completely
foreign to me. I just don’t want to bother explaining half the time what I do and don’t know,
and besides – sometimes it’s simply none of your fucking business.”

The room goes completely silent as they stare at him.

Neil glares back.

“Uh, okay then. Sorry bud, we’ll just-” Matt starts.

“Yeah, why don’t we just start the movie then-” Dan says at the same time.

Their attempts at distraction fail, however.

“Okay, fuck it. Are we seriously just going to ignore this?” Aaron snaps, sitting up from his
spot on the floor. “Neil just comes in and nearly rips Renee’s throat out for talking to
Andrew before basically claiming him on the couch. He’s being a complete ass, smelling
like that, and we’re all going to just gloss over the fact?”

Andrew glares at him.

“Maybe we should just-” Dan starts.

“Oh no, he’s got a point,” Allison pipes up. “I want to know exactly what’s going on
between the two of you anyway.” She points a lethal-looking nail between Neil and Andrew.

“Nothing,” Neil pipes up, beating Andrew to the punch. “There’s nothing going on.”

“Right,” Allison lifts an eyebrow. “You look and smell like you’re two seconds away from
devouring him, kid. Which I’m super intrigued by but also, it’s starting to make me cringe
because seriously – get a room, already.”

“I don’t need a room,” Neil snarls. “I’m-”

“-fine,” the rest of the team echoes in sync with him.

Neil scowls at all of them.

“For fuck’s sake, Neil,” Aaron says, disgusted. “You’re in pre-heat.”

Neil freezes. “I’m what?”

“Temperature swings, irritability, possessiveness, jealousy – any of this ringing a bell,
Josten?”

Neil’s mouth drops open. “That’s – I’m not-”

“Bullshit. Don’t even try it,” Aaron glares at him. “I’ll bet if I went back to your room right
now, I’d find your nest, wouldn’t I?”

Neil bristles.

“Actually, that’s the one thing I strangely haven’t seen,” Matt frowns.

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Just because you can’t find it doesn’t mean there isn’t one, Boyd.”

“Look, it’s not a big deal,” Neil skips over the subject. “Let’s just watch the stupid movie,
and-”

“No, you can’t just ignore your way out of this one, Josten,” Aaron continues. “Omegas who
are irresponsible about their heats are just as much a pain in the ass as alphas who disregard
their ruts. You smell rank, your hormones are messing with all the alphas in the room, and
honestly, you simply suck to be around right now. You need to get down to the heat suites
before your heat begins. So get your shit together, pack a bag, and get moving. Now.”

Neil’s face flames with the horrendous amount of shame he’s feeling. His chest feels
constricted, like there’s a fist around his lungs squeezing tighter and tighter the longer they sit
there in silence, the entire team watching on.

Then, Andrew breaks it. “Get up.”

And suddenly Neil’s not only feeling mortified but now he’s totally crushed. Because his
alpha is disappointed in him – he’s an embarrassment, something to be ashamed about. His
shoulders cave as he curls his chest inward, hands nearly shaking as he gets up and refuses to
look at anyone.

He walks towards the door at a fast pace, ready to nearly rip it off its hinges with his need to
get out of there when he hears Nicky call out, “Wait, Andrew, you’re leaving too?”

And Neil hears a huff of breath right behind him before Andrew answers, “What does it look
like?”

Neil whips back around to meet Andrew’s apathetic stare.

“Andrew-” he hears Aaron start, only to glance over and see Kevin put his hand on the
omega’s shoulder. Reluctantly, Aaron sits back.

“Come on, omega, let’s go,” Andrew says roughly, reaching up to put a hand on the back of
Neil’s neck. Neil instantly feels calmer as Andrew’s strong hand guides him out into the
hallway before firmly shutting the door behind them.
He leads him back over to Neil’s room, then leans against the wall while Neil fumbles with
the lock. Once the door is open, Andrew immediately strides inside and over to the
bedroom. He turns to stare at Neil.

“Well? Where is it?”

Neil stares back at him. “Where is what?”

“Your nest, Josten.”

Neil freezes.

Andrew gives him a look. “I’m not going to take it from you, omega. It’ll make you more
comfortable during your heat, so we need to pack it up.” He glances around the room. “So,
where is it?”

Neil bites his bottom lip. Then he looks away before he glances under the bed.

Andrew follows his gaze before he begins squatting down.

Neil immediately gives a small whine.

Andrew pauses before he straightens again, stepping back. “Go on then, omega.”

Neil lowers himself to his knees on the floor before he slowly and carefully starts pulling
things out from underneath it. There are three shades of black sweaters, two black hoodies,
an orange and white scarf, multiple pairs of socks, a woven green afghan, two blankets, a pair
of leather driving gloves, three black tanks, four black t-shirts, and two pillows.

And all of them are undoubtedly Andrew’s.

Andrew remains silent as Neil pulls them all out one by one, folding them up neatly so the
alpha can see the respect with which Neil is treating them. When Neil goes to sit back,
though, Andrew raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s it, rabbit?”

Neil’s face heats as he squirms under Andrew’s steady gaze. Then he ducks back under the
bed and sheepishly pulls out the very last item – a black pair of Andrew’s underwear he’d
nabbed straight from one of the dryers in the basement the other day.

Neil swallows. “H-how did you know?”

Andrew gives him a look.

Shit. His eidetic memory – of course.

And here Neil thought he was being so stealthy about it. No, of course, Andrew had noticed
every single piece missing – and yet, he’d let Neil do it.

Neil swallows hard as he crushes the clean underwear between his fingers. “Sorry,” he
whispers, eyes cast ashamedly to the floor.
The floorboards creak as Andrew moves forward. Immediately, Neil shuts his eyes and
winces, expecting a heavy blow for being such a stupid omega. When a few seconds pass
and nothing happens, he slowly squints one eye open to see Andrew frozen, staring at him
with red eyes.

“Listen to me very carefully, omega,” Andrew says slowly, through gritted teeth. “I am not
your father. I will never strike you for being an omega or acting like one. Do you
understand?”

“Yes,” Neil answers automatically, immediately submitting to his alpha’s voice.

Andrew gives a frustrated sigh before he sinks to his knees next to Neil so that they’re even
in height. He lifts Neil’s chin up and makes him meet his eyes, the red color fading from
them as Neil watches. “I mean it, Neil. Do you understand that I would never hurt you,
never make you do something simply because I am an alpha and you are an omega?”

Neil’s mouth drops open again to answer but the look in Andrew’s eyes stops him. Does he
believe it? Both his father and mother had punished him severely for being one in different
ways, and Riko had tried his best to subjugate Neil while at Evermore. But Riko was never
Neil’s alpha, would never be Neil’s alpha – if Neil had any choice at all, he’d gladly submit
to Andrew. He’d choose him in a heartbeat. Permanently.

He sucks in a breath. A terrifying feeling crawls up his throat at the realization because when
had he decided that? Neil can’t have a mate. And even if he did choose Andrew as his alpha,
as his actual mate, wouldn’t that mean he has the right to do with Neil as he wishes?

“An omega is nothing to be ashamed of,” Andrew says quietly, stealing Neil’s attention once
more. “You are equal to the same rights and treatment as any alpha or beta. There is no need
for you to be punished just because you are an omega, Neil. While we are together, you will
always have a choice. I will never force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

Neil stares back at Andrew hungrily, searching for the lie, but seeing nothing but the truth in
the other’s eyes. Maybe he really is stupid. Maybe he just wants to believe Andrew,
regardless of the truth. Or maybe, just maybe, he’s been lucky enough to find the one alpha
who understands. Who will give him his freedom, instead of a collar and a chain. Who
won’t hold him back but will stand by him, shoulder to shoulder, to face whatever the world
throws at them together.

Or…well…who would have. If Neil could have stayed.

He swallows hard again before he closes his eyes and nods. He whispers out a shaky,
“Okay.”

Andrew slides his hand down to cup the back of Neil’s neck, squeezing there for just a
second. Then he gets up and grabs Neil’s shabby duffle bag from the bottom of his closet.
He tosses it on the bed. “Go on and pack that shit up, rabbit.”

Face burning again, Neil quickly complies, packing up all of Andrew’s clothes and other
items into his duffle bag while Andrew rummages through a few outfits from Neil’s closet.
He shoves Neil’s clothes in the bag, seemingly unbothered by items such as Neil’s underwear
as he packs them inside. Then he goes to the bathroom and packs a few toiletries from there
that are Neil’s as well.

Neil doesn’t ask how Andrew knows which are his – he assumes his smell gives them away.

“Anything else?” the alpha asks Neil when he’s finished.

Neil purses his lips before he grabs his bookbag, shoving his laptop and some homework in
there. Maybe while he’s still in pre-heat, he can get some of his shitty schoolwork done.
After all, he’ll have nothing else to do while trapped in there.

Finally, he faces Andrew and nods.

Andrew lifts his duffle bag easily onto one shoulder and walks into the living area, heading
towards the door. “We’ll stop at my room next.”

Neil pauses next to the couch. “Your room?” he echoes.

Andrew looks back at him and lifts a brow. “Problem?”

“No, there’s no problem. I just…” Neil furrows his brow. “Why are we stopping at your
room?”

Andrew stares at him for a moment before he says quietly, “Because there are a few things
I’ve packed for your heat as well.”

The words zing through Neil’s body like a lightning bolt, nearly stopping his heart.
“You’re…you’re coming with me?” he asks, unable to hide the hopeful tone in his voice.

“If you want me to,” Andrew responds evenly.

“Yes,” Neil blurts out immediately. “Yes, I – wait!”

He drops his bookbag on the floor as he spins around and rushes back into his room. He
opens his desk drawer and whips out a piece of paper before running back into the living area
and holding it out to Andrew.

Andrew carefully sets Neil’s duffle bag on the floor before he takes the piece of paper from
him and opens it. He scans the top line before his eyes shoot up to Neil’s. “You changed
your consent form.”

Neil blushes. “Yeah, I…I added a few things.”

He waits for Andrew to read through the contents, his face unchanging as he notices the
updates to the platonic section, where Neil now gave him full consent to bathe and undress
him. Then his eyes move lower on the page, and Neil reaches behind his back to squeeze his
arm tightly as the alpha scans through the changes in the sexual preferences.

Namely, there are three big ones.

“Marking,” Andrew reads aloud.

Neil nods. “No biting, though – um, not on my neck anyway. I mean, I’m not…and I figured
you’re not either so…” he trails off, swallowing before he continues, “but I’m good with…
with anywhere else.”

Andrew’s eyes flick up to meet his before they jump back down to the page. “Your torso.”

“I-I don’t mind, if…if you don’t,” Neil stammers out. “You can touch me.”

Andrew’s jaw clenches before he reads the final change. “Penetration.”

And stupidly, Neil can’t stop the flare of arousal at the thought, saliva pooling in his mouth as
he whispers, “Yes. I – I want that. If you do. But no knotting because…you know.”

Andrew watches Neil’s face, nostrils flaring a little as he smells Neil’s excitement. Then he
folds the paper up and tries to shove it back towards him. “We’re not making changes now
that you’re in pre-heat. You’re not in the right frame of mind.”

Neil frowns. “But I didn’t. I made those changes last week. Check the date – that’s a copy.”

He crosses his arms against his chest and waits for Andrew to reluctantly open the paper
again, checking Neil’s signature and the date signed. His jaw clenches even tighter.

“It’s just waiting for your signature. I wasn’t sure you wanted to…well, if you’d um…come
with me again,” Neil flushes. “So, once you sign it, the official will stamp it, making it
legit.”

Andrew is silent for a long moment. It’s enough to make Neil fidget, nerves sparking little
fires along his limbs as he waits.

Finally, Andrew grits out, “And if I can’t do this?”

Neil blinks. “Then we don’t do it.”

Andrew stares at him.

“I mean it,” Neil says, frowning. “This is just a list of things I’m okay with you doing to me
if we get there. It doesn’t mean we have to do them. I…” He swallows, eyes casting to the
side for a second before he gathers his courage and meets Andrew’s gaze head-on. “I won’t
force you to do something you don’t want to either, alpha.”

His heart beats loudly in his ear as he waits for Andrew to respond.

It takes him a while but finally, Andrew folds the paper up and thrusts it back towards Neil.
A disappointing feeling slides down the back of Neil’s throat as he gently takes it from him.
Then Andrew jerks his head towards the door and says, “Come on.”

Feeling stupid, Neil shoves the copy of the new consent form into his backpack before he
lifts it to his shoulder and follows Andrew out of his room. There’s no reason for him to feel
this way – Andrew’s still joining his heat. He’s still going to…be with Neil while he goes
through this. There’s no need for Neil to be greedy. This is more than enough.

They head over to Andrew’s room, which ends up being a much quicker stop than Neil
imagined. Andrew simply walks into his bedroom and immediately picks up a bag before
walking back out.

“Oh,” Neil says out loud before he can stop himself. His heart is pounding hard in his chest
at the thought of Andrew being prepared just in case – of packing ahead of time on the slim
chance that Neil asks him again. He gives Andrew a shy smile which has Andrew rolling his
eyes.

They’re heading back towards the hallway door when Andrew pauses. He turns back to Neil
and asks, “What did Riko use to restrain you?”

Neil freezes, the air sucked out of his lungs for a moment at the memory. It takes him a
second to breathe before he chokes out, “Handcuffs. The metal…it bit into my wrists
because I struggled so hard.”

He wraps one hand around his wrist now, remembering the sharp bite and the ache that
followed.

Andrew nods. “No handcuffs. But you’re okay with my hands.”

And just as quickly, the ugly memory of Riko is washed away with the memory of Andrew
pinning him down gently on the bed. Neil nods enthusiastically.

“And if I restrained you with something soft?” Andrew poses. “Something that won’t hurt?”

Neil frowns, trying to picture what that could be. If Andrew needs it, though, and it doesn’t
hurt…he thinks it might be okay.

“I think so,” Neil says slowly.

“It’s a yes or a no, Neil.”

Neil purses his lips. “Can I…see it first? Before I decide?”

Andrew thinks for a moment before nodding. Then they head out of the room, down the
elevator, and are walking into the heat suites in no time.

They walk up to the official at the desk, who looks up and gives them a brisk but kind smile.
“Mr. Minyard. Mr. Josten. Good to see you again.”

Neil blinks at the woman. He’s never seen her before in his life but is shocked to see Andrew
give her a nod of acknowledgment. Apparently, this must have been the official in charge
the…last time he was here.

“Mr. Minyard, if you’ll provide me with two forms of ID again? I’m getting you logged in
now. You’ll be in suite 380, over on the right.”
“We have updated consent forms,” Andrew speaks up as he hands over his IDs.

Neil’s head shoots towards him in shock.

“Yes, I can see there are updated forms on file,” the official nods. “But they’ve only been
signed by Mr. Josten so far. Would you like to update your permissions as well, Mr.
Minyard?”

“Mine will stay the same.”

“And you are comfortable and consent to Mr. Josten’s updates?”

“Yes.”

“And you swear that you are not being coerced, blackmailed, or forced to in any way comply
with Mr. Josten’s new preferences?”

Neil starts at the question, surprised the official would even ask it, but Andrew nods
confidently. “I swear.”

“Great, so I’ll just need you to sign right here…thank you, Mr. Minyard. Now, if you’ll both
leave your bags then we’ll review them quickly while we do a short health exam.”

Neil immediately balks, stepping back. “I-I don’t-”

“It’s just a precautionary procedure,” the official assures Neil. “We’ll record your vitals, such
as temperature, blood pressure, etc. as well as take a quick blood test to ensure there are no
drugs in your system and to check on your hormone levels. The results will be kept strictly
confidential and only shared with your permission, or in the event of an emergency with
medical personnel. You will not be forced to undress for the exam if you do not prefer, Mr.
Josten. These are all simply protective measures to ensure you’re healthy and are not being
influenced in any way during your heat.”

Oh. Okay, then.

“You go first,” Andrew tells him. He pulls out a small slip of yellow paper and hands it to
the official. “I have other contents to be tested.”

“Very good, Mr. Minyard,” the official nods, pleased. “As long as the rest of your items are
unsealed, then we should be able to get this done quickly.”

Neil furrows his brow as he looks at the paper before the official’s words click. “You…you
brought something to help with-” He blushes, unable to finish the sentence with the woman
standing there.

The official is unfazed, though. “You have a very responsible partner, Mr. Josten. This slip
of paper proves that Mr. Minyard brought the contents of his bag down to be examined prior
to your next heat. We’ll do a quick exam to verify the contents match before testing any
liquids he’s brought. It's another precautionary method to ensure there’s no coercion through
drugs or any harm that could come to either of you by using them.”
“Oh,” Neil says out loud, both shocked and somewhat pleased by all the preventative
measures. It’s…odd to have a complete stranger looking out for his safety to this extent
but…he can’t say he doesn’t like it.

“Go on,” Andrew tells him again, nodding his head in the direction of the examiner’s office.
So, Neil nods, leaving his bookbag to be reviewed as he goes and knocks on the door.

The examiner is an older gentleman with white hair and gentle hands. He doesn’t say much,
to Neil’s relief, simply going through and taking Neil’s vitals before drawing some blood,
telling Neil exactly what he’s doing the entire time. He informs Neil his blood results will be
posted to his PSU account and that the two of them will not be interrupted unless the tests
come back positive with something.

Neil nods and leaves the office to meet the official back at the front desk. She hands his
backpack back and escorts him into the heat suite. She begins running through a tour of it,
pointing out the workings of the cubby system, where the supplies are, how the lighting
system works, etc. Andrew comes in about halfway through and simply tosses his bag to the
side, leaning against the wall as he waits her out. Neil figures he must have been through this
already, but he doesn’t interrupt, letting Neil get the full spiel before the official asks if he has
any questions.

Neil quickly shakes his head which she nods her head at before leaving them to it. The
moment she closes the door, Andrew walks over to Neil and holds out his hand. Neil hands
him the key the official gave him, and Andrew walks over to the door and locks it. Then he
turns back to lean against it as he stares at Neil.

Neil stares back at him, unsure exactly what they’re supposed to do now. How do partners
normally go through their heats together? Do they just get right to it? Or is there some kind
of grace period - a slow ramp-up to the main event? Or do they simply ignore each other
until things really get started?

How is he supposed to know?

Andrew lifts a brow. “Are you planning on standing awkwardly in the middle of the room
the whole time, rabbit? Because I, for one, at least plan to use the bed to sleep tonight.”

Neil scowls at him before the last word registers in his mind.

Sleep.

He suddenly feels a wave of exhaustion shudder through his body at the tempting thought.

Andrew catches it. “And how have you been sleeping over the last week, Josten?”

Like shit. But somehow, he thinks Andrew knows this already.

Neil casts his gaze to the side and spits out, “Fine.”

Andrew snorts. “You can have the bathroom first.”

He walks over to the desk and snatches the TV remote from the drawer. Then he hops onto
the bed and leans back against the headboard as he turns on the TV and begins flipping
through channels.

His complete nonchalance at the situation throws Neil off somewhat, who grabs his bag
before going into the bathroom to change into his pajamas. He throws on a t-shirt and some
sleep shorts before brushing his face, his teeth, and using the toilet. Then he takes a deep
breath and goes back into the room.

“Um…your turn,” he tells Andrew, who simply slides off the bed and grabs his bag before
heading inside and locking the door.

Neil rubs his arm before he steels himself and crawls into the bed. Immediately, Andrew’s
scent surrounds him. He glomps himself onto the pillow where Andrew was laying,
snuggling up with it and rubbing his face in it shamelessly. He holds it tight and grimaces a
little at the achy wave that pings through his abdomen, curling his body up as he mindlessly
watches whatever show Andrew put on TV.

He’s drifting when Andrew comes back in, dressed in a tank, his armbands, and a pair of
sleep shorts himself. He tilts his head, examining Neil’s fetal position before he goes over to
the end of the bed to crawl in so that his back is facing the wall.

Neil curls himself up tighter, trying to make sure that Andrew has enough room and that he’s
not touching him when Andrew suddenly asks, “Do you want me to hold you, Neil?”

Neil nearly whimpers at the question, his abdomen pulsing at the thought, but hurriedly
swallows the sound back down. “Are you sure that’s…okay?” he whispers back quietly.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t okay with it.”

“I know…I just…” Neil trails off, uncertain how to put it.

Andrew sighs. “I may not be able to hold you the whole night, rabbit, but we can at least try
it to begin with – until you fall asleep. How does that sound?”

Neil nods his head rapidly. “Good. Yes.”

Andrew grunts his own approval. Then, slowly, Neil feels Andrew’s arm encircle him before
the alpha begins dragging Neil back against his chest. When he’s fully laying against him,
surrounded by Andrew’s scent and heat, he lets out a relieved sigh.

“This okay?” Andrew asks, his mouth muffled a little, buried as it is in the crook of Neil’s
neck.

“Yes,” Neil answers drowsily.

The TV continues to play above them, but Neil couldn’t name the show if his life depended
on it. He’s barely able to keep his eyes open while lying on such cool, soft sheets, wrapped
up in the arms of his alpha, safe and warm and secure.
For the first time that week, he closes his eyes and drops into a dreamless sleep, the sound of
Andrew’s steady breathing the last thing he hears before he goes under.

The Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1865. These years marked the bloodiest years in
American history; experts believe that approximately 618,000 to 700,000 Americans died in
the Civil War. The war primarily began due to increased tensions between the Northern and
Southern states, including states’ rights, the Dred Scott court case, slavery, and…

Neil huffs and leans back in the desk chair as he stares at the ceiling in frustration. It’s the
third time he’s read over the introductory sentences of his essay and still hasn’t gotten any
further.

Why the hell can’t he concentrate?

The sound of someone turning the page in the silent room reaches Neil’s ears.

Oh. Right. That’s why.

Neil turns and eyes the alpha lying unconcerned on the bed in frustration. He wasn’t sure
what he’d been expecting when Andrew said he’d join his heat but…it wasn’t this.

The two of them have basically been silently ignoring each other all day. Neil did some
calisthenics and stretching exercises in the morning after the two ate breakfast, but then dove
straight into his statistical equations. Andrew watched TV while Neil worked before
stopping him to eat lunch in the afternoon. Then he’d pulled out a book he brought, lounging
on the bed while Neil set up his laptop at the desk and tried to write this stupid essay.

It's…awkward, Neil cringes internally as he thinks about it. And on top of this weird, silent
dance they’re doing, Neil keeps feeling stronger pulses of energy followed by hot flashes
before a slow, creeping fog tries to envelop his brain.

He’s fought it off each time it approaches but the effort of doing so drains him, his body
feeling worn out and tired after each push. Even now he sighs again, feeling the ache return
to his midsection after the latest battle. He rolls his neck before arching his back, trying to
stretch the muscles out.

Then jolts when Andrew snaps his book shut. “Exactly how long do you plan on doing this,
hm, junkie?”

Neil stills. “Um…doing what?”

“Pushing off your heat.”

Neil blinks. “What? I’m not-”

“I can smell it, rabbit. The hormones keep trying to roll over you and you keep fighting
them, preventing your heat from actually starting. The longer you do it, the more you’ll be in
pain, and the longer we’ll be stuck in here because you’re being stubborn.”

Wait…that’s what was happening? His body was…and that’s what it felt like?

A sudden coil of fear twists deep in Neil’s gut because…this wasn’t what he’d been
expecting. It felt like he was losing control. It felt like he was purposefully letting himself
fall off a deep chasm, not knowing what lay at the bottom. It felt like letting go and the
thought terrifies him.

Andrew gets up off the bed and approaches Neil slowly. He squats down in front of him as
he asks, “Do you trust me, Neil?”

“What?” Neil snaps, looking over to meet Andrew’s hazel eyes. “Of course I do.”

“Then trust me to take care of you,” Andrew tells him bluntly. “That’s what I’m here for,
remember?”

Neil’s fists clench in his lap as nerves grip him tightly once more. Then he suddenly
remembers what one of the users had said in the online forum.

I won’t lie either – even in the end, I was still a little unsure. I think there’s always going to
be that nagging seed of doubt, regardless of how many conversations you have. At some
point, you just need to jump.

Neil closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. They were right – Andrew is right. Neil wants
Andrew here. He wants Andrew to help him. And he wants to get this over with – he knows
there’s no stopping it, no matter how much he pushes. Sooner or later, his heat is going to
come, whether he likes it or not.

It’s time to give himself fully over to Andrew and see what happens.

“Okay,” he whispers under his breath.

He feels Andrew take one of his hands, forcing his fist to unclench as he interlocks their
fingers together. Then with his other hand, he cups Neil’s cheek. “Can I kiss you, rabbit?”

Neil’s eyes slit open to meet Andrew’s hazel ones. They stare back at him, completely
unashamed, waiting for his response. “Yes,” Neil says thickly.

Infinitely slowly, Andrew moves forward, rubbing his thumb against Neil’s cheek before he
gives him the softest, sweetest kiss Neil’s experienced yet. Neil sighs into it, letting his head
lean into Andrew’s palm.

Almost immediately, the fog creeps forward, but he flinches at it, shying away again the
moment he feels it draw near.
Andrew pulls away, his brow furrowing a little as he says out loud, “You need to relax,
rabbit.”

Neil nods stiffly, somehow both ashamed and frustrated at his inability to do so.

Andrew frowns. Then something seems to click, his eyes widening a little before he stands
up. “I have an idea.”

Neil watches him walk over to his bag before taking a bottle out of it and handing it over to
him. Neil squints down at the label, then back up at Andrew. “Massage oil?”

Andrew shrugs, repeating, “You need to relax.”

Neil purses his lips. He…understands the concept, of course, but…he’s never had a
massage. “What do I have to do?”

Andrew’s lips quirk. “Nothing. Just lay there and let me take care of you.”

Well, that sounds…okay.

Neil stands up and moves towards the bed. Before he lays down, Andrew pipes up, “Remove
your shirt?”

Neil halts mid-motion, one knee on the bed. He breathes in and out, slowly. Then he takes a
tight hold of the hem of his t-shirt.

“Omega, if you’re not-” Andrew begins only to nearly get hit in the face with Neil’s stripped-
off t-shirt as he flings it behind him.

“Um…on my back? Or my stomach?” Neil asks, looking over his shoulder.

Andrew whips the t-shirt to the ground from where he’d caught it in mid-air before he
growls, “Stomach.”

Neil’s lips quirk before he obediently lays down on his stomach and waits. He watches
Andrew walk over and open the massage oil bottle before pouring a little out into his hands.
A pleasant aroma wafts into the room, something that smells like flowers and…uh…
cookies? Baking?

Whatever it is, Neil likes it.

He watches Andrew rub the oil between his hands for a little bit until both palms are covered
in it. Then the bed dips slowly by Neil’s hip as Andrew leans his weight onto it. “I’m going
to start by touching your shoulder, okay, rabbit?”

Neil nods his head silently and only tenses slightly with the first feel of Andrew’s hand.
Andrew strokes over the skin smoothly, simply coating it in oil and letting Neil get used to
his touch. Then, he begins making circles along Neil’s back, smoothing out the tension in
Neil’s skin as he calmly and methodically rubs him down.
 The repetitious pattern has Neil relaxing slowly, sinking deeper with each stroke. While at
first he’d felt self-conscious, now he feels like he’s practically melting into the bed as
Andrew caresses his skin.

Andrew’s rough, calloused palms follow the trail of his spine to his lower back, sinking the
heel of them deep into Neil’s muscles there, long fingers spreading and claiming the skin
before he sweeps upward once more.

Neil can’t imagine it feeling much better until Andrew really starts digging his fingers in,
using pressure and strength to surge deep into Neil’s muscles. Neil has never been so grateful
for Andrew’s enormous biceps than in that moment when Andrew’s thumbs push down into a
sore spot between his neck and shoulder blade.

Neil lets out a positively filthy moan that has Andrew’s hands stuttering before they dig
deeper, becoming more relentless. He finds every knot, every tense point on Neil’s torso and
massages it into submission. He leans his entire weight onto Neil as he surrounds Neil’s
spine, and Neil can feel his joints popping with release. He grunts and groans, making
helpless whines and little noises as Andrew’s hands soothe his body.

By the time Andrew moves onto his arms and hands, Neil is basically floating. His head
feels light and his body is utterly relaxed. He feels the fog begin to creep in again and
Andrew’s hands brush over his sides as he leans close and whispers in his ear, “That’s it,
Neil. Let go. I’ve got you. Let go.”

His hand trails up Neil’s spine until it claims the back of Neil’s neck, his palm fully cupping
the sensitive area and massaging there. It immediately makes Neil feel safe and grounded.
He may be falling but Andrew will be there to catch him. Andrew won’t let him get hurt.

So he closes his eyes and finally lets go.

Chapter End Notes

🥰😊
Hope y'all enjoyed the worldbuilding in this one! I've had a blast making up some of
this.

Also, kudos to all my Kevaaron shippers who called it...y'all have some eagle eyes 😉

Next up...Neil's heat. The REAL one. (Dun, dun, DUUUNNNN!!!)

Thank you so much for reading, y'all! 💖💖

 If You Can't Take the Heat...
Chapter Notes

Okay, so real talk: about 74% of this is Fluff and Smut, and the other 26% is Angst.
(You have been warned...either way LOL).

T/W: Again, explicit sex scenes for a majority of this chapter update. Skip to the 6th
scene break if you want to miss the heat entirely. Quick reference to canonical-type child
abuse and passing mention of suicide in scene 7. And ugly references to rape/non-
consent in scene 8. (Skip from "As soon as they're away from the crowd..." to "Neil
freezes..." to avoid it entirely).

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Neil wakes up slowly, eyes squinting at the amount of light in the room. He hisses, slamming
them shut again and drawing a hand up to block his face before he suddenly hears
movement. The bed shifts, dipping as someone gets up from it.

Then the light dims, and Neil sighs in relief.

“Better, omega?”

Instantly, Neil smiles at the gravelly tone, opening his eyes to see his alpha’s handsome,
blank face looking down at him. He lifts his hands up and cups Andrew’s cheeks in his
palms as he leans up and kisses Andrew’s nose. “Yes, alpha. Thank you.”

The skin beneath Neil’s hands warm, turning a lovely shade of pink that Neil approves of.

His alpha is so pretty.

Andrew’s eyes widen, and his mouth parts a little, which gives Neil the chance to run his
thumb over his alpha’s full bottom lip, also a gorgeous shade of pink that is petal-soft. He
feels Andrew’s shaky puffs of breath on it, hot and wet, and wants to taste him.

He gets his own little shock of surprise when Andrew purses his lips to kiss Neil’s thumb.
“Go on then, little bunny.”
Neil feels a small rush of pleasure at the nickname before he swoops up and captures his
alpha’s lips with his own. A wave of content runs through him at the feeling of Andrew, so
soft and warm, welcoming him in. He nibbles and plays with Andrew’s lips, gentle
movements that simply let him feel the other man. Let him bask in the comfort and glow of
being there with him now.

He sighs and lets his head fall back on the pillow, fingers gently brushing through Andrew’s
silky hair, the soft strands nearly causing shivers to erupt over him.

“Are you hungry, bunny?”

Oh. Yeah, okay, he’s – maybe he’s a little hungry.

He nods, and Andrew leans forward to press a kiss on his forehead. Then he gets off the bed,
his hand trailing over Neil’s arm and hand before he finally slips from his fingertips. Neil
huffs, missing the loss but feels better a few seconds later when Andrew rejoins him with a
plate of food.

“Gonna need you to sit up, Neil, so you don’t choke.”

Reluctantly, Neil moves, his body feeling as if it’s underwater as he struggles to sit up. When
he’s finally upright, he moves forward until his chin rests on Andrew’s shoulder. Andrew
seems unbothered by the weight, continuing to put together a plate of food. Neil hums,
watching Andrew pull some grapes off a vine and put together some crackers with cheese.

Finally, he holds one grape up to Neil’s lips and asks, “Will you eat this for me, bunny?”

Of course.

Neil opens his mouth willingly, and Andrew slips the grape inside. Neil chews on it slowly,
the sour flavor of the grape bursting juicily on his tongue, lighting up his taste buds before he
swallows. It’s clean and delicious, and he makes a small noise of satisfaction in return.
“Mmm, more,” he tells Andrew before opening his mouth again.

He watches Andrew’s Adam’s apple bobble as he swallows before he reaches down and
plucks another grape from the plate, holding it up to Neil’s mouth. Neil leans forward and
gingerly takes the grape from him, his tongue slipping against Andrew’s thumb for a split
second. Andrew waits until Neil’s mouth is closed to slide his damp thumb over Neil’s lips,
softly stroking him. Then he pulls back and waits as Neil eats it.

Andrew feeds him for a little bit, watching Neil chew and swallow and make happy noises.
He even lets Neil feed him back once or twice, mouth quirking at Neil’s giddy smile and the
preening glow of satisfaction he feels when Andrew swallows something he gave him.

When Andrew steps away again, removing the dishes from the bed, Neil slowly looks around
at his surroundings.

There’s…something not quite right about where he’s lying.

He shoves the sheets around, fluffs pillows, then tries a different position, but none of it
works. He huffs in frustration, looking up at Andrew with a pout when he returns.

“What’s wrong, omega?”

“It’s…not right,” Neil frowns, unsure how to put it.

Maybe if he…

He gets up and begins pushing on the bed, huffing when it doesn’t move. He tries harder and
barely feels the legs scraping against the floor. Then, suddenly, the bed is moving.

Neil whips around to find his alpha behind him, pushing with Neil to get the bed moving.
Neil glows with satisfaction, letting Andrew push the bed further until he places a single hand
on his chest to stop.

Yes, that’s better. Now it’s against the wall, just like Andrew likes it.

There’s a sharp intake of breath behind him, and Neil spins to reach hands out to his alpha’s
face. “Are you okay, alpha?” he asks him, worry rising in his chest.

Andrew nods, eyes darting away as he chokes a little, gasping out, “Fine, omega.” He jerks
his head towards the bed. “Need anything else?”

Neil looks back at the bed and tilts his head. Yes, he needs –

He hurries over to the floor where his bag is and starts pulling things out, wrinkling his nose
as he does so. No, not that, not that – ugh, not that either.

Frustrated, he goes to tip the whole thing out on the floor when Andrew’s hands are there
again, closing over his to stop him. “Let me help, Neil.”

Huffing, Neil waits as Andrew slides in beside him to gently remove Neil’s clothing,
toiletries, and other things in his way. Then he starts pulling out the pieces Neil needs. The
ones that will make everything better – the ones that will make it right.

The first one he hands over to Neil, he clutches onto it immediately, snuggling the article of
clothing and holding it up to his nose in delight. Then he gets up and scurries over to the bed
with it.

Yes, right there. Right there is perfect.

He turns to go back but finds Andrew has brought over all the things, holding the pile in his
arms.

Neil’s heart soars. His alpha is so good to him.

He purrs to show his satisfaction, leaning up to rub his face under Andrew’s chin in
happiness. Then he grabs the pieces from his arms and begins arranging them on the bed.
He shifts and maneuvers them, pushing and pulling, smoothing over and fluffing things up
before they’re positioned precisely how he wants them.

Once he’s satisfied, he snuggles in, overwhelming pleased with how everything’s situated
now. He wriggles around a little before he peeks an eye back out at Andrew, and his heart
stutters in his chest to see the tiniest smile in the corner of Andrew’s mouth.

“Do you like it?” he asks, wanting to please his alpha.

There’s a brief pause before Andrew slowly nods.

Neil smiles and holds his arms out. “Come in?” he invites.

Andrew nods again before he carefully climbs into the nest, into Neil’s waiting arms. Neil
wraps himself around Andrew, happily clinging onto him as they snuggle back down.
Andrew rubs his back slowly, a soothing, rhythmic motion that Neil happily sinks into.

“TV?” Andrew asks him.

Neil merely hums in agreement. So, Andrew pulls him closer to his chest and turns the TV
on, never stopping his stroking motions. With the TV in the background as white noise, the
comfort and scent of Andrew in his nest, and the alpha’s chest rumbling beneath his ear, Neil
drifts off again.

Neil continues to drift in and out, time stretching and tumbling into confusing gaps of
wakefulness and slumber. Andrew is with him the entire time, softly stroking his cheek or
his side, snuggling his nose into Neil’s neck, and whispering nice things.

Things that make Neil giggle, sigh, or ache to hold him closer.

And Andrew lets him. He allows Neil to hold him close, run his fingers through his hair,
stroke one of those same fingers down his nose, and burrow his face into his chest.

It’s the safest and most content Neil’s ever felt.

On some level, he knows he’s not entirely with it – the feeling kind of reminds him of being
drunk, except without the pain or pull of stitches as his mother sews him up. It’s a pleasant,
hazy state of mind where things he’d never usually talk about come tumbling out of him.
Things he’d usually hold his tongue for, would think is a terrible idea to reveal for some
reason, seem perfectly safe now to say. Things like –

“I really like when you touch me,” he tells Andrew, whispering into his ear as he slowly trails
a finger up his jaw.

“Yeah?” Andrew whispers back.

“Always feels so good,” Neil admits. “Even better than when I touch myself.”

Andrew is quiet before he repeats, “When you touch yourself?”

Neil nods before he closes his eyes and leans forward, rubbing his nose against Andrew’s. “I
always imagine it’s you touching me. Your hands, your voice, your smell…” he murmurs.
“It’s the only way I can get off sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

“Well…most of the time,” Neil confesses. “Touching myself doesn’t…it’s not always…” He
frowns, weird feelings stirring in his chest as he tries to explain. “I’m just not interested
usually. You see, I couldn’t afford to get close to others while on the run. Any time I did, my
mother would…punish me for it. That included any kind of sexual activity, even if it was just
me touching myself. The minute she got a whiff of my impending heat, she placed me on
suppressants immediately. And it helped. I wasn’t interested in anyone before, and suddenly
I didn’t have to worry about these stupid urges either.”

Neil shrugs, pulling back to run his finger down Andrew’s neck before making little circles
on his collarbone. “And it stayed that way until I went to Evermore.” He wrinkles his nose.
“Then Riko. And the drugs.” Then his face smooths out as he says, reverently, “Then you.”

He smiles up at Andrew. “A lot of the time, I’d regret it afterward – touching myself. But
not you. I’ll never regret what happened between us. I’ll never regret this.” He pauses, then
adds, “And I won’t ever forget it. Not for as long as I live.”

However long that may be.

Andrew is quiet as he takes in Neil’s words. There’s a myriad of scents coming from him
right now that has Neil pausing. He distinctly picks out anger, confusion, protectiveness,
longing, and determination.

He draws back a little, wondering for a moment if he’s done something to disappoint his
alpha.

But then Andrew slowly brings a hand up to run his fingers against Neil’s scalp, sifting
through the curls there as his scent evens out. Relaxing, Neil closes his eyes and leans into
the touch. Then he hears Andrew ask, “Do you want me to touch you now?”

“I always want you to touch me,” Neil confesses, another bit of honesty that is confusing but
no less the truth for it.

Andrew pauses. Then he says softly, “But I won’t always be here.”

Why won’t he…oh. Yeah.

Neil curls in towards himself, withdrawing entirely from Andrew.

Right. Someday he’ll be gone. And he won’t have this anymore – Andrew won’t be able to
help him anymore because he’ll be alone, on the run again.
Or he’ll be dead.

“Shh, bunny,” Andrew reaches out and draws Neil close, folding Neil’s head into his own
neck. It’s only then Neil realizes he’s whimpering, small pathetic sounds that seem to
emanate from his very core. “I’m here now, Neil. I’m here.”

He runs soothing hands over Neil’s neck, back and sides, hushing him as he places soft kisses
on his shoulder. Then he whispers, “And maybe I can help.”

Help? How?

Neil furrows his brow as Andrew draws back suddenly, gently setting Neil to the side as he
kneels down and opens the cabinet door beside the bed. He finds something, fiddling with
packaging and twist ties, before heading into the bathroom.

Neil’s frown deepens as he hears water running. Curious, he gets up from the bed and
follows Andrew into the bathroom before looking down at what Andrew has in his hands.

It’s a medium-sized dildo with a suction cup at its base.

Neil wrinkles his nose, trying to figure out what that would be used for when Andrew
beckons to him. Neil goes to him without a second thought, letting Andrew crowd him
against the sink as he leans close and explains, “Alphas help during heats because of our
hormone levels. They help alleviate symptoms…but they also increase your libido. So,
before we do anything, Neil, I want to be clear that we do not have to have sex during your
heat if you don’t want to.”

Neil frowns at him. “Meaning you won’t touch me?”

“No, it means I’ll touch you as I have been – platonically. Nothing sexual.”

“Oh,” Neil thinks about it. “And if I want you to? Touch me sexually?”

“Then we can do it, depending on what ‘it’ is,” Andrew tells him.

Neil captures Andrew’s hand and brings his palm up to his lips, kissing its center. “I want to
do what you want to do,” he says honestly.

Andrew huffs out a breath before he leans forward. Neil opens his mouth automatically as
Andrew’s lips slide over his. The alpha kisses him thoroughly before he leans back and says,
“Will you show me how you get yourself off then, bunny?”

“You…want to see…how I touch myself?” Neil repeats slowly. “Why?”

“Because I will teach you how to make it feel good without anyone else’s help.”

Neil frowns. “But I like it better when you touch me.”

“I know, bunny,” Andrew tells him, stroking the side of his face. “And we can still do that
later. But I promise this will feel good.”
Neil pouts a little before he nods his head. “Okay.”

“Good omega,” Andrew says softly, lips quirking.

A jolt of pleasure rushes through Neil, his lower belly heating up at the two simple words.
“What should I do?” he asks.

“Let’s start by getting you undressed.”

Neil complies instantly, whipping his shirt off and shucking his shorts without a second
thought.

Andrew hums as Neil stands naked before him, the alpha’s eyes hungrily eating up the view.
Neil feels pleased by the reaction and leans further against the sink, hips and chest tilted
suggestively as he looks up at Andrew through heavy eyelids.

Andrew lets out a hiss of breath before he steps back. “Let’s start by having you show me
what you normally do, bunny, when you touch yourself.”

Neil shrugs before he reaches a hand towards his dick. It’s half-hard now from Andrew’s
kisses, but he probably can get it up if he works at it for a bit.

“Going right for the kill, hm, bunny?”

“Yes?” Neil asks, confused. Was he already doing something wrong?

“Why don’t you try touching somewhere else first?”

“Somewhere else?” Neil repeats. Where else is he supposed to touch?

Andrew sits on the edge of the tub across the room from Neil. “If you’re already aroused,
Neil, then it’s easy enough to go straight for your dick and stroke yourself off. But
sometimes, your body needs to warm up. Sometimes you need to help it get there. So let’s
start by sliding your hands over your chest and thighs – and don’t touch your dick until I tell
you to,” he warns.

Neil takes the command to heart and starts trailing his hands slowly over his torso. Then he
leans down a little to reach his thighs, hands wandering down the outside of them before
slowing stroking back up the inside. The long, slow glide is pleasant enough, but it’s not
doing much for him.

“That’s good, bunny,” Andrew praises him, and Neil gets a warm rush of happiness. “Now
turn around and run your hands over your hips and the back of your thighs.”

Neil turns, giving Andrew his back as he smooths over the skin. There’s a slight flare of…
something in the bottom of his stomach as he feels Andrew’s eyes on him, watching him.

“Now reach up and slowly cup your ass in your hands and knead it. Yes, just like that. Does
that feel good?”
“Yes, alpha,” Neil answers truthfully, feeling small zings of pleasure starting at the
movement.

“Okay, now spread your cheeks a little…just like-” and suddenly Andrew stops.

Neil furrows his brow at the cut-off sentence. He leans his hips against the sink as he glances
over his shoulder. “Alpha?”

“Neil,” Andrew answers him, his voice slightly strained. “What’s that inside of you?”

Inside of him? There’s nothing but…

Oh. Right.

Neil tries to stare down over his shoulder like he can somehow see the jeweled end of the
black anal plug between his cheeks but quickly realizes the attempt is fruitless. “It’s an anal
plug.”

“I can see that,” Andrew says tightly. “When did you put it in?”

“Um…” Neil tries to think back, his mind hazy. “Friday. Movie night.”

Andrew sucks in a breath. “You’ve had this in since yesterday?”

“Not during practice,” Neil admits, “But yeah.” He shrugs. “It just…felt better.”

It had made sense when he did it, he’s pretty sure. The plug stopped his slick from weeping
out of his ass, and it filled him up nicely, that persistent itch down below alleviated by the
plug’s constant rubbing.

“Fuck,” he hears Andrew swear underneath his breath before he growls out, “You’re not
supposed to wear a plug for longer than a couple hours, omega.” He sighs, then adds, “At
least, not until you’ve worked yourself up to it.” He glares at him. “You could hurt yourself
otherwise.”

“Sorry, alpha,” Neil pouts, letting go of his ass and crossing his arms over his chest.

He hates making his alpha mad.

“I’m not mad, Neil, I just-” Andrew blows out a breath, dragging a hand slowly over his
face. Then he quirks an eyebrow at him, asking in a suggestive tone, “Well, seems like
you’ve already stretched yourself out a little, hm, bunny?”

Neil’s shoulders relax, and he nods happily. “Stretched enough for your cock?”

Andrew chokes. “Not…quite yet, bunny. Let’s get you worked up to that first.” He nods his
head towards the dildo next to Neil.

Neil frowns at it.

“Have you ever used toys before, Neil?”

Neil shakes his head. “No. Never. Except for my heat with you. And…well…this,” he
motions haphazardly towards the jeweled anal plug inside him.

He hears Andrew curse under his breath again, a slight scent of arousal filling the air before
he says gently, “When you play with toys, you always want to make sure they’re cleaned up
first. I’ve already washed this one so that it’s ready to use, but you’ll want to make sure you
get some lube as well. Never put a toy inside you without lube to help, okay?”

Neil nods.

“See that suction cup on the base of the dildo? Take that and stick it to the tile floor behind
you, leaving enough room for you to kneel in front of it.”

Carefully, Neil picks up the dildo and judges the distance before sticking it to the floor.

“Good. Now grab the lube and get on your knees in front of it, facing away from it.”

Neil obeys, lowering himself to the floor and assuming the position.

He hears Andrew move so that he’s completely out of sight behind Neil, but he can still hear
his voice. “Masturbation is all about listening to your body and doing what feels good. This
will likely include some fantasy elements for you since I know you said you have trouble
getting off. So lean back, rub your ass against the dildo, and pretend it’s my dick.”

A little noise of surprise falls from Neil’s lips at the mental image, arousal sweeping through
him. Then he scoots back and jolts at the first contact of the dildo before he begins rubbing
against it. He closes his eyes and pictures it belonging to Andrew and feels his own cock
begin to stir.

“Good. Now pour some lube into your hand, then take your dick and slowly begin stroking
it.”

Neil follows his directions and slowly slides his lube-covered hand over his dick, feeling it
immediately respond to the attention.

“That’s it, omega. Now take your other hand and start pinching your nipple.”

With a tiny whimper, Neil reaches up and begins tweaking the hard bud, streaks of pleasure
and pain jolting through him at the sensation. He gasps aloud, pausing his movements for a
brief second as he feels them echo through him.

“Don’t stop moving against that cock, bunny.”

“Yes, alpha,” Neil moans as he begins rutting up against it again.

He tightens his fist on his now-hard cock, circling and squeezing it before he comes up to the
head and rubs his thumb there. His hips jerk a little at the movement before he strokes back
down, the squelch of the lube and his labored breathing loud against the tiled walls.
“You feeling good, bunny?”

“Yes, alpha,” Neil nods his head enthusiastically.

“Time to take the plug out then,” Andrew directs him. “Reach behind you and slowly, gently
pull the anal plug out. And don’t stop stroking your cock, Neil. Lean forward if you have to,
to balance.”

“Yes, alpha,” Neil answers, leaning forward to reach behind him and take a firm hold of the
end of the plug. Slowly, he starts pulling it out, the flared end popping through first, causing
a little whine to fall from his lips before he feels the rest of it glide out smoothly.

“That’s a good omega,” Andrew praises him, making Neil flush. “Now reach up inside and
show me if you can fit two fingers in.”

Neil does so effortlessly.

“See how the plug is about two fingers in width? That’s how you know how much you have
to stretch before it can go in. Now, how big is that dildo behind you?”

Neil’s mouth twists as he looks behind him and silently measures. “Three fingers?”

“Yes, that’s right, omega,” Andrew praises him again. “So you need to stretch yourself out
with three fingers before you can take it. Will you do that for me now?”

“Yes,” Neil nods enthusiastically, shoving two fingers inside of him before he starts working
in a third. It’s a little tight at first, and he feels a slight burn before it finally starts to slide in.
Once it’s in, he rests for a moment, simply holding his fingers in there.

“There we go, bunny. Now you need to stroke them in and out to make it easy for the dildo
to go in. So start fucking yourself on your fingers.”

“Okay,” Neil responds as he slowly starts sliding his fingers in and out. It’s a little hard to
maneuver, but he manages it, the positioning of his fingers accidentally brushing that spot
inside sometimes depending on the angle and causing him to shudder. He works himself on
them for a short while until they start feeling easier to move.

“Don’t stop stroking your cock, bunny,” his alpha warns him again.

Neil blinks, his hand movement almost non-existent against his throbbing member. So he
tightens and begins stroking again, pleasure streaking up his spine. And, interestingly, he
feels his fingers really start to glide, his own slick slipping down to ease the strokes in and
out.

“Are you ready, Neil?”

“Yes,” Neil whines.

“Lube the dildo up first, then,” Andrew commands him.

Neil pours more lube into his hand and covers the toy with it.

“There we go. Yes, good boy,” Andrew’s voice seems to whisper in his ear, making him
shiver. “Now fuck yourself on it, bunny.”

Neil raises himself up high onto his knees before slowly shifting down. The head of the dildo
pierces him, and he moans, biting his lip as he feels it fill him up.

“How does that feel, bunny?”

“Good. Big,” Neil whines, sitting there and letting his body get used to the invasion. He
shifts a little, and the dildo rocks up against that spot inside him again. He lets out a startled
yelp.

“Neil? You okay?” Andrew snaps out, worry threaded through his tone.

Neil can smell his anxiety flooding the air and hurries to assure his alpha. “Yes, I’m fine. It
just – it hit that…place inside and it…” he chokes out another gasp, chin tilting down to his
chest as he groans, “…it feels so good.”

The smell of anxiety dissipates, and relief takes its place. “…does it now?”

“Yes,” Neil says again, more enthusiastically, making little rocking motions on the dildo by
swiveling his hips.

“Then why don’t you try doing it again, bunny?”

Neil groans, abs shaking as he raises himself up before sinking downward. “Oh fuck.”

“Good boy. Ride that cock now, bunny. Tell me how it feels.”

“Feels so big, and thick, and hard,” Neil moans as he fucks himself on the dildo, shivering
with each slide. “Feels like…just what I needed. Was empty, but…now I’m full.”

“Do you like the feeling, bunny?”

“Yes, but…” Neil gasps before he continues. “…wish it was your cock, alpha.”

“And how do you think it would feel if it was my cock inside you instead?”

“Perfect,” Neil says without blinking. “Hot and thick and amazing. I’ve thought about-”

But he pauses for a second, a smidgen of anxiety rising in his chest.

“What’s wrong, bunny? Tell me what you’ve thought about.”

“Is it okay to?” Neil asks in a small, hesitant voice.

“Yes. You can tell me what you think about while you fuck yourself.”
“I think about you,” Neil whispers softly. “Your big hands gripping my hips, spreading me
open, shoving your fingers into my hair.” His thighs shake as he keeps up his relentless
rhythm on the dildo, his ass tightening as the filthy thoughts and daydreams spill from his
mouth. “Shoving those same fingers inside me and curling them until they hit that spot.
Your hips slamming into my ass. Your teeth and tongue on my neck, whispering things into
my ear.”

“Like what?” Andrew asks, his voice thick.

Neil sniffs the air again and is pleased to smell the thick scent of his alpha’s arousal. There’s
no mistaking it now, along with the sounds of his labored breathing.

“So good, bunny, you feel so hot and tight,” Neil repeats some of the words he has imagined
Andrew saying. “Open up for me, Neil. Gonna fuck you hard until you’re begging for it.”

“Is that what you want to do, omega? Beg for my cock?”

“I would,” Neil says shamelessly. “Want it so bad.”

“And would you want it hard? Is that what you like?”

Neil furrows his brow. “I…I don’t know.”

“That’s okay, bunny. We could go hard and fast, with me slamming into you until it feels like
my cock is hitting the back of your throat, it’s so deep. All you’d have to do is lift your hips
and focus on nothing but the way my dick is fucking you. Or I could lay you out so nice and
gentle, legs spread, and simply glide into you, each stroke soft and slow until you’re
trembling in my arms, nearly shaking with the need for release.”

Fuck. Both of those sound so good that Neil keens, making a loud noise in the back of his
throat at the mental image of Andrew doing either option.

“Which do you want right now, bunny?”

“I-” Neil says thickly, trying to find his words. “…hard, I think.”

“Then fuck yourself harder on the dildo, Neil. Let me see how you would ride me.”

Neil’s breath stutters on the command. “Can I…can I use both hands for balance?”

“Yes.”

Neil sighs in relief, letting go of his dick as he leans both hands forward onto the tile floor to
get into position. Then he slams himself down onto the dildo and cries out at the delicious
feeling. “Fuck, fuck, it feels so good, so good-”

“Then keep going, bunny. Don’t stop.”

Neil nods his head and pulls himself forward before slamming down again. He starts a fast
rhythm, loving how the dildo seems to stretch him out inside, the fake, thick veins rubbing
against him as he tirelessly works himself on it. His skin now has a sheen of sweat covering
it, his abs and thighs shaking from the effort.

He focuses on the squelch of lube inside of him, shuddering at the erotic noise as he impales
himself again and again before another sound reaches his ears.

It sounds like a quiet gasp – like someone just took a sudden, indrawn breath.

Without really thinking, Neil glances to the side. The bathroom mirror gives him a small
glimpse of Andrew in this position – just enough to see that Andrew’s arm is moving up and
down in a flurry of motion.

Neil’s eyes widen, and something preens inside of him with satisfaction.

His alpha is getting off to this. His alpha likes seeing him fuck himself on this toy.

The revelation blows Neil’s mind a little, a strange feeling of pride blooming inside.
Suddenly, he starts to hear words fall from his lips. “Do you like this, alpha? Do I look
good, spread like this?”

He reaches around behind him to pull his ass cheeks apart wider, letting Andrew clearly see
the dildo inside him, and hears Andrew let out a small groan. “Are you imagining this cock
as yours, Drew? Because I am. I’m pretending that it’s you I’m riding, that you’re the one
filling me up. Only you can fuck me like this – you’re the only one who makes me feel so
good.”

He lets out a cocky grin, one that he knows usually infuriates Andrew as he asks, “Do I feel
good for you too, alpha? When I ride you like this? How does it feel inside of me?”

He’s not sure whether his alpha will answer him. After all, he vaguely remembers the whole
point of this exercise was for Neil to show how he’d get himself off.

But a second later, he hears Andrew say into the quiet, “Fuck. You feel perfect, omega.”

Neil shivers with delight, gasping at the notion. His alpha thinks he’s perfect. But the warm
glow just continues as Andrew keeps going.

“Each time you sink down onto me, you clench, gripping my dick harder, squeezing me
tighter. It makes me want to fuck you faster, so I can feel it more.”

Neil’s body echoes those words, clenching hard on the dildo, moving his hips faster. “Like
this?”

“Yes, exactly like that, bunny. You’d feel me reach up and grip your hips so that I can slam
up into you every time you press down.”

Neil moves his hands until they’re leaning behind him and closes his eyes, pretending he
really is seated on Andrew’s lap. “Yes, I want that.”

“Good. Then I’d whisper filthy things in your ear, kiss your shoulder and your neck-”
“-and bite me?” Neil asks, going harder and faster on the dildo, his dick straining against his
stomach. “Would you mark me, alpha? Make me yours?”

There’s a deep, shuddering breath behind him before Andrew says lowly, “If you want that,
Neil. I’d bite you. I’d…make you mine.”

“Fuck yes,” Neil answers him, his entire lower half nearly spasming at the thought. “Drew,
fuck me. Shit, yes, I want you to bite me and fuck me, alpha. Want you to fill me up and
cum inside me. Want you to make me yours, show everyone you’re mine – god, I want it so
bad-”

“Then take it, omega. Take what you need,” Andrew growls behind him. “Come on. Cum
for me, bunny.”

And with one final shout, Neil does. He falls right over the edge and begins cumming hard
against his stomach and chest. His hips jerk and spasm as the dildo hits that spot perfectly,
drawing the orgasm out so that Neil is hit with wave after wave.

There’s a loud snarl behind him, and Neil smells Andrew’s own release. His quiet curses
muttered under his breath make Neil grin like an idiot even as he continues to shudder from
his own orgasm.

Finally, he slumps down, dildo seated firmly inside of him while his hands lean against the
tiled floor in front of him. He feels like his lungs have shattered, each breath torn from his
chest. “Drew?” he asks thickly.

He tries to lift himself up, but his thighs shake like a newborn foal.

A second later, he feels hands on him as the alpha lifts him up, slowly and carefully off the
dildo. “I’ve got you, Neil. Time to get you cleaned up, bunny.”

Neil makes a small noise of protest only because he doesn’t want to move. He closes his
eyes for just a second. When he opens them, he and Andrew are standing inside the shower
while warm water hits Neil gently in the face.

He grasps behind him only to feel Andrew’s fully clothed body against him, holding him up.

“Drew?” he asks sleepily.

“You have to clean yourself up afterward, bunny,” Andrew whispers gently in his ear.
“Could get sick otherwise. So no falling asleep until you’ve cleaned yourself out first.”

Neil only realizes what this means a few seconds later when he feels Andrew’s soapy hands
covering his body. Then Andrew trails his fingers over Neil’s hip and around his ass before
gently cleaning him out inside.

The feel of Andrew’s fingers inside him makes him tremble, even now.

“Big enough for your cock now, alpha?” Neil asks hazily. “Still want yours.”
He can hear Andrew swallow behind him. Then his alpha leans close and says softly, “Not
yet, bunny. Remember how we said the dildo was three fingers?”

He puts three fingers inside of Neil gently now as a reminder, softly stroking them. Neil
mewls a little, rocking his hips back against Andrew and nodding.

“If I were to fuck you, bunny, I’d need to fit four fingers inside. Would have to stretch you
further.”

He rests the fourth finger at Neil’s entrance, teasing him with the prospect, and Neil whines a
little at the delicious thought of just how big his alpha really is. How much he’d fill Neil up.

“Yes,” Neil babbles, nodding his head as he ruts back against Andrew harder. “Yes, want that
– let’s do that.”

But his alpha doesn’t listen. Instead, he puts a soapy hand on Neil’s sensitive dick and begins
stroking it.

“Alpha,” Neil squirms, throwing his hands up to lean against the wall. But Andrew has him
firmly in his grip, his rhythm never stopping. He gently grips Neil’s dick and squeezes him
perfectly as those thick fingers curl up inside him, hitting him just right.

“Oh fuck, fuck,” Neil mumbles, mildly shocked that he could be here again, riding that edge
again so quickly. “Feels so good, alpha. You make me feel so good, Drew.”

Andrew responds by trailing kisses up Neil’s throat and nibbling on his ear. Neil shudders at
the quick nip of teeth.

“Fuck, gonna cum, Drew, gonna cum-”

“Then cum, omega. Show me.”

Neil obeys instantly. He gasps, cumming over Andrew’s hand, his whole body shaking with
this next release.

If he thought he was tired before, he’s completely exhausted now. Andrew is clearly the only
thing holding him up in this shower stall. But the alpha takes his weight as if it’s nothing,
finishing cleaning Neil up before he shuts the water off and lifts him into his arms.

He grabs an enormous, fluffy towel and wraps Neil up in it, drying him off vigorously before
taking him back to Neil’s nest. He sets Neil gently inside before he cups Neil’s cheek in his
hand. “Gonna be right back, omega, okay?” he tells him, dripping slightly on the bed.

Neil nods.

Then he watches as Andrew turns, the wet fabric of his jeans clinging to the outline of his
butt, showing off every delicious curve.

Mm. Fuck, his alpha has a nice ass.

The corners of his mouth quirk at the sound of Andrew’s huff, the alpha quickly marching his
way back over to the bathroom door and slamming it shut.

Neil is extremely pleased to find his natural heat is nothing like the drug-induced haze Riko
put him through. He remembers how it felt like he was constantly being pushed harder and
higher, his body begging and craving for something to fill him. His sex drive was a ravenous
beast in the wake of the onslaught of false chemicals.

Now the urge is still there, but it feels distant like it’s far off on the horizon. His real heat
ebbs and flows like gentle waves upon the shore. There are moments of longing and want
where Andrew will take over and guide him through it, bringing Neil to the cusp before
gently pushing him over. His skin heats, and his heart shivers when Andrew leaves tiny
marks on his collarbone or on the flesh of his inner thigh. Neil will arch and sigh, pleas and
praises dropping from his lips as his alpha takes care of him repeatedly without complaint.

Then there are other times where Andrew will simply hold Neil, stroking his hands softly
over his skin as he listens to Neil talk. Neil can barely recall what he’s saying to Andrew.
Stupid things, he thinks, like why his seat in the lecture hall for Economics is perfectly
positioned in the corner. (Due to its proximity away from people and the amount of sunlight
pouring in from the window, of course). Or how it’s a travesty that the sorbet machine in the
dining hall hasn’t been fixed for three weeks now, and he’s always a little bummed to see the
out-of-order sign still on it.

It doesn’t seem to matter. Neil goes on and on, saying whatever comes to mind, telling
Andrew all his little thoughts and opinions, things he’s never bothered telling anyone else.
Things that have never mattered enough to admit to.

And Andrew never makes fun of him. He never tells Neil to shut up or that what he’s saying
isn’t important. He listens the entire time, nodding his head, murmuring, or sometimes even
responding with his own input. He’ll play with Neil’s fingers or prop him up against his
chest, letting Neil lean against him as he keeps going. He’ll even open bottles of water for
Neil, helping him drink when Neil’s voice grows tired.

There’s not a word for it that Neil knows of. It’s just a feeling – something all-consuming
that seems to have burrowed its way into his chest, carving a place in the middle of his lungs,
sinking its claws slowly into his heart. It flickers and burns with warmth, the glow lighting
him up from inside the longer he spends with Andrew.

He doesn’t want it to go away. He never wants it to end.

For a stupid, selfish moment, he wishes he could stay in this soft bubble with Andrew until
the end of time. Just the two of them.
Then he takes a deep breath in and simply lets the feeling go – lets Andrew roll him over and
begin kissing him senseless.

Because there’s no point in thinking about forever. All he can do is enjoy whatever this is
right now.

It’ll have to be enough.

“Drew,” Neil moans, trembling as Andrew’s hand moves so slowly on his dick, caressing him
with featherlight strokes.

“Yes, Neil?” Andrew whispers in his ear.

“Drew…need you…need you to…”

“Need me to do what, little bunny?”

But Neil can’t think – can barely rub two brain cells together with Andrew’s hand rubbing his
dick like that. “M-more…alpha…more…”

Andrew tuts slightly. “I think you can cum like this, omega,” he chides him, his strokes
never stopping but still so, so soft and light. “Remember, Neil. Sometimes it’s hard and fast
– and sometimes it’s gentle and slow.” He licks a line up the side of Neil’s neck. “Just focus
on my touch, bunny. Just think about what I’m doing to you right now. Think about how
good it feels.”

Neil whines as he does. There’s Andrew’s hand, of course, on his dick, but there’s also his
other hand that’s snuck up under Neil’s body to softly circle his nipple. There’s the feel of
Andrew’s stomach against his back, rising and falling with each breath. And then there’s
Andrew’s leg that has snuck its way between Neil’s, the hair on it brushing against Neil’s
sensitive inner thighs as he slowly slides it back and forth.

“Feels so good like this, doesn’t it, Neil? Now just imagine if it was my cock sliding into
you.”

Immediately, Neil’s dick twitches at the thought, and he can feel Andrew’s lips smiling
against his shoulder.

“I’d go so slow, bunny – would let it drag inside you, filling you up inch by inch. I’d let you
whine and whimper, your hips rolling and your toes curling as I pressed deep inside. Then
I’d pull back just as slow until your legs tremble and your voice breaks. Until you’re begging
me for more. Then I’d bend your knees up and keep fucking you – deliberate and unhurried,
dragging the pleasure out just to see how long you’d last.” He nibbles on Neil’s earlobe.
“How long do you think you’d last for me, hm, bunny? Ten minutes? An hour? Two?”
Neil whimpers, his ass clenching as he pictures it, nearly feeling the long, slow glide of
Andrew’s cock deep inside him.

“Maybe I’d just fuck you all night,” Andrew says softer. “In a dark room, holding you in my
arms as my cock fills you up again and again, over and over. Would you like that, bunny?”

“Yes,” Neil sobs out, eyes nearly filling at the ghostly sensation. He wants it so bad he can
almost taste it. But Andrew’s hand never hurries, never stops its sluggish rhythm. And Neil
can finally feel his orgasm coming – the water rippling in the distance, building slowly inside
him.

“That’s it. That’s it, let it come, Neil. Fall into it. I’ve got you. Cum for me, little bunny.
Gonna feel so good when you do,” Andrew croons in his ear.

The pleasure is an unstoppable force, powerfully shaking through him as Neil lets it rise and
rise. He feels like he’s breaking, like he’s shattering in Andrew’s arms. But Andrew holds
him through it until Neil gives a breathy cry as he finally comes undone.

It’s a thousand stars bursting inside of him. It’s a firework exploding in the sky. It’s a
whirlpool throwing him up before dragging him down, down, deep until his head swirls in
every direction, unsure of anything except for the feel of Andrew’s hands on him. His entire
body trembles from the brutal yet somehow gentle force of the orgasm. Andrew soothes him,
though, kissing the back of his neck and whispering words in Neil’s ear that he can’t hear.

The comedown is so abrupt, so overwhelmingly exhausting that Neil can do nothing but turn
and wrap his arms around his alpha’s neck, holding him gently to try and show his thanks
before the tides sweep him under again.

Neil hears the creak of a door and blinks, watching Andrew cross the room to get something
out of the cubby system.

“Drew?” he calls sleepily.

“Time to eat again, omega,” Andrew tells him, setting a tray beside them and reaching down
to help Neil sit up. Neil flops around easily in Andrew’s arms, happily falling back against
him when Andrew slides in behind him.

He mindlessly watches Andrew pluck off the green stems of some strawberries before
holding one up to Neil’s mouth.

Neil turns his head and smiles at Andrew first. “My favorite.”

“I know.”

Of course, his alpha knows.

Neil closes his eyes and opens his mouth, feeling Andrew slip the strawberry inside. He
holds onto the fruit as Neil sinks his teeth into it. Immediately, the juice of the strawberry
bursts inside his mouth, dribbling down over his lips and chin.

He murmurs in the back of his throat, but his limbs feel too foggy and disconnected to do
anything about it. Not that he needs to – Andrew simply tips his head back, so it’s leaning
against his shoulder and begins licking the juice off Neil’s skin.

Neil gives a pleased hum, frowning a little when Andrew draws back to feed him another.

So Neil gives him a devilish grin before he deliberately bites down on the fruit to cover
himself in juice once more.

Andrew gives him a flat look before his tongue swoops in to clean Neil up again. He nips
Neil’s chin with the flat of his teeth, making the omega giggle. Then his lips descend on
Neil’s, kissing him, the bright flavor of strawberries on both of their tongues.

The two continue feeding and kissing one another until all pretense of eating is gone.
Andrew simply sets the plate aside before he rolls on top of Neil, dragging his mouth up to
meet his as he kisses Neil boneless into the mattress.

Neil loves the feel of his alpha’s mouth on his. What he doesn’t say in words, Andrew more
than makes up for in the thousands of ways he kisses Neil. Silent gestures and little
sentiments that Neil deciphers from the fervor and motions of his alpha’s lips.

Are you okay?

Open for me.

More, Neil.

So good, bunny.

Now, now.

Easy. Nice and slow.

He hears the last phrase echo through his mind as Andrew lazily sweeps his mouth over
Neil’s, making butterflies in his stomach swoop for the hundredth time. It shouldn’t be
possible, and yet…here they are. Neil has no idea what day it is, but he doesn’t care. All he
knows is that his alpha has been so good to him, taking care of him again and again, and he
wants to return the favor.

“Alpha,” he whines, trying to draw back. Andrew simply transfers his litany of kisses from
Neil’s mouth to his neck. It makes Neil gasp and arch, fingers clutching onto Andrew’s
forearms. “Want to…feel you…” he rasps. “…want to…make you feel…good, too…can I?”

Andrew stops his motions, giving Neil a momentary break. The omega gasps, dragging in a
few breaths while his alpha thinks.
Finally, Andrew draws himself up to look Neil in the eye. “Neil, I’m not…” his jaw clenches
as a bitter scent begins filling the air. Neil frowns, concerned, lifting his hand to cup
Andrew’s cheek.

Amazingly, he watches Andrew shudder against it. He closes his eyes for a brief second
before opening them and flatly says, “That’s not something I can let you do, bunny.”

Neil waits.

“I can’t…I’ve never…” Andrew huffs again. “Other people touching…me…doesn’t

happen.”

“Okay,” Neil nods his head and is confused when Andrew’s eyes grow wide as they stare
down at him.

He would never make his alpha feel uncomfortable. Just because he craves his touch doesn’t
mean Neil has the right to trample over his alpha’s own wants and needs.

So he simply says, “Still want you to feel good.” His finger chases the stubble across
Andrew’s chin as he asks, “What can I do?”

Andrew is silent for a long time. Long enough for Neil to lose his train of thought, in fact.
He simply peppers kisses all over his alpha’s face and neck while Andrew decides something.
Or internally debates. Or does whatever his insanely clever alpha is thinking of doing right
now.

Andrew groans, dropping his head a little as he snorts out “clever” under his breath like an
oath. It makes Neil smile before a stray thought pops into his head out of nowhere.

And if I restrained you with something soft? Something that doesn’t hurt?

Oh. Right. That was the question Andrew asked him back in his room.

Can I…see it first? Before I decide?

A little furl of excitement starts to curl in Neil’s belly. “Oh,” he says out loud now. “Yes, I-”
He nods his head slowly at his alpha, making eye contact. “I’d like to see it now.”

Andrew stares at him, his brow furrowed as if confused.

Ah, right. He probably didn’t say that other part out loud.

No worries, he can just take care of this.

Neil wriggles underneath Andrew until the alpha sits back. Then he slides off the bed as
Andrew watches him quietly go over to Andrew’s bag and open it.

“Neil,” Andrew starts, watching him. “What are you doing?”

“Finding the soft thing,” Neil tells him. “The one you want to restrain me with.”
He hears a sudden intake of breath but doesn’t look back towards his alpha. He keeps
hunting, his brow furrowed as he rummages through Andrew’s clothes.

He blinks when Andrew sits down on the floor next to him a second later. “No, Neil. This
isn’t something you can decide right now. We’re in the middle of your heat.”

Neil makes a little noise of protest, but Andrew gently takes hold of his hands and drags them
away from his bag. “You weren’t sure when we were back in my dorm room, so we’re not
going to use it now. We can talk about it later if you want. When you can actually think
about it. Okay, bunny?”

Neil huffs out a breath, his shoulders sagging a little. He pouts, his bottom lip stubbornly
stuck out because he just wants his alpha to feel as good as he does. “Okay,” he finally says.
“But can I – can I still see it?”

Andrew gives him a long look before he leans over and pulls something colorful out of his
bag – blue, satiny strips of cloth the color of Neil’s eyes. Neil’s eyes widen in delight at the
fabric, and Andrew drops them carefully into his outstretched hands.

Neil takes in a quick, indrawn breath at the feel of them. They’re cool and silky soft. He
slides one over his hand, feeling the fabric whisper against his skin.

“Someday, I want to tie your hands up with this cloth, Neil,” Andrew tells him, his voice low
and deep. It draws Neil’s eyes back to Andrew’s face, his gaze serious and heavy as he stares
at Neil. “That way, I’d still have both hands free to touch you. And I…” he swallows. “I
might be able to…touch myself back. But only if you’re wearing these.”

Neil swallows. “Could I…watch you if you do that?”

But Andrew’s eyes immediately become shuttered. “No.”

So he can’t watch, and he can’t touch. However, if he could guarantee Drew both of those
things, then maybe the alpha could still find a way to feel good.

Something about this puzzle spins and turns in Neil’s head, his mind trying to look at all the
hidden nooks and crannies. Because something about it is gnawing at him, poking sharply in
his side, trying to make itself known.

Finally, the light catches one of the corners, and Neil’s eyebrows wing up.

He thinks of earlier when the two of them had been in the bathroom. When Neil had been far
away from Andrew, unable to touch him, his back turned so he couldn’t see the alpha. How
Andrew had been able to touch himself then.

If he wants his alpha to feel good, then Andrew has to be out of Neil’s sight, and Neil has to
keep his hands to himself.

He can do that.

For Andrew, he can do anything.

He whips his head towards Andrew. “What if I wear this over my eyes?” he holds up the
fabric towards Andrew. “And swear to keep my hands to myself? Would you be able to
touch yourself then?”

Andrew sucks in a quiet breath at Neil’s words. Then he tilts his head, considering. He
purses his lips and opens his mouth, seemingly on the edge of saying something, before he
scowls and draws back. “Neil, I’m not going to-”

“Riko never covered my eyes,” Neil tells him honestly. “He always wanted me to watch, to
see what he was doing. And I know you’re not him. Your smell is different, and so is your
voice and your hands – and they’d be on me the whole time. Right?”

“Yes,” Andrew says instantly, then frowns at himself.

“So, if it helps you feel more comfortable, and I’m not restrained…could we try it, alpha?”

Andrew takes a deep breath before pinching the silk fabric between two of his fingers and
sliding it through them gently. “I need you to think about this carefully, omega,” Andrew
tells him, his tone quiet as he puts both hands on Neil’s face. “You can say no. Do not just
do this because you think it will make me feel better. I need to know you want this too.”

“Yes,” Neil nods. “I mean it – yes.”

Andrew lets out a shuddering breath, eyes closing for just a heartbeat before he utters, “…
then it’s a yes for me too. But-” he says instantly as Neil goes straight from relaxed to giddy
in a heartbeat. “If it starts to feel uncomfortable at all, you will tell me the moment that
occurs, understand, omega? And if I say stop, we stop. No questions asked. Got it?”

“Yes,” Neil nods immediately. “Yes, I promise.”

“I mean it, Neil,” Andrew’s eyes burn into him. “I will only do this if you can promise you
will say no. If not, then I will put this away right now.”

“I know,” Neil bobs his head again. “I really want this too.” Then he gives Andrew a
lopsided grin. “I think it could be fun.”

When Andrew hesitates, Neil leans forward and presses a soft kiss to his lips. “I can say no,
Andrew. If I need to, I promise I will say it.”

And finally, his alpha rolls his eyes. “Menace.”

Then Neil yelps when Andrew scoops him off his feet and into his arms, carrying him back
towards the bed. He places Neil down gently on it before he wanders over to the mini-fridge
and pulls out an ice cube tray from the tiny freezer section. Then he goes back to his bag,
pulls out another box, and begins unsealing it. He takes it to the bathroom, where Neil hears
the sink turn on and off before coming back into the room. Neil catches a quick glimpse of
some kind of wire attached to a black box before Andrew throws it on the bed next to Neil’s
leg, along with the ice tray and another bottle of lube.

“Um…” Neil frowns, trying to sit up and look at the supplies. “What are those for?”
And feels something hot whoosh through his stomach at the look Andrew gives him back.
“You’ll find out, my pretty omega.”

Neil’s heart nearly stutters to a stop in his chest. He knows it’s just a phrase, but hearing
Andrew call him my omega makes his arousal tip off the charts. Stupidly, he feels his dick
grow hard at the words and the promise of pleasure he knows his alpha will give him.

“Okay,” he says weakly, his face heating at the knowing smirk Andrew sends his way.

Andrew takes the blue strip of cloth and tilts his head at Neil. “Lean forward, bunny?”

Neil sits up and leans forward so that he’s within reach. Andrew slowly reaches up and
begins tying the silk cloth around his eyes. Neil stares at Andrew’s face, making it the last
thing he sees before the world goes dark. He gives in eagerly to it, shutting his eyes as
Andrew makes the binding firm enough so it won’t slip but not tight enough to hurt him.

“Is that okay, Neil?” Andrew asks, his voice close to Neil’s face.

Neil nods.

“Can you see anything?”

“No,” Neil shakes his head, licking his lips.

Then jumps a little when he feels Andrew’s fingers touch his face. He relaxes into Andrew’s
palm as the alpha’s lips slide over his own. Andrew molds and plays with Neil’s mouth for a
bit before he draws back again. “If you need to stop at any time, Neil, tell me.”

Neil nods again. “Yes, alpha.”

“Lie back again?”

Slowly, Neil lies back and feels Andrew move with him, ensuring his head meets the pillow
once he’s fully reclined. Andrew’s hands simply skim over Neil’s skin, his fingers hovering
over every dip and ridge as he plants kisses across Neil’s neck and chest.

It has Neil’s breath catching, marveling at how hyper-focused he is on where Andrew is

touching. Removing his sight makes his other senses seem heightened – Andrew’s scent and
his own arousal simmering around Neil like a thick fog, the hot touch of Andrew’s hands
making Neil’s own skin heat. But it’s the mild shock and surprise of discovering where
Andrew’s lips will land next that excites him in a way he never could have imagined.

Andrew slowly makes his way down Neil’s torso until he’s nibbling on the corner of Neil’s
hip. Then, a second later, Neil feels Andrew’s hot breath hovering over his dick, moving all
around but never touching it.

The surprise makes Neil jump, his body startling at the sudden but evasive touch. He fights
against arching upwards, the temptation of Andrew’s mouth making him groan before he
grits his teeth at the feel of Andrew’s own on his inner thigh.
His head shoots to the side when he hears the squirt of the lube bottle. He licks his lips in
anticipation. It feels like years later when Andrew’s clean hand settles on his thigh once
more.

“I need you to spread your legs and hold them for me, bunny. And don’t let go until I tell you
again, okay?”

“Okay,” Neil whispers hoarsely. He draws his legs back, spreads them wide for Andrew, and
cups his hands behind his knees.

For a second, he just sits there as his heartbeat hammers inside his chest. He pictures
Andrew staring down at him, just looking at Neil spread and wanton before him. It makes
his dick pulse and his hole clench, growing wet as he simply thinks about it.

Then he feels Andrew’s steady hand on him once more. “Going to put my fingers inside of
you now, okay bunny? Want to get you nice and stretched for a new toy we’ll play with.”

A new toy? Neil’s entire being perks up with interest.

But the curious feeling is ripped away from him when Andrew’s fingers begin circling his
hole. Neil is loose and stretched out from earlier, so it seems like only seconds later when
Andrew easily thrusts two fingers in and out of him, making him arch and moan.

Then, suddenly, Andrew’s fingers are ripped away, making Neil grit his teeth in frustration.

“Feel this, bunny? I’m going to put this inside you, right up against your prostate. That’s the
spot inside that feels so good when something hits it.”

He pushes something into the fingers of Neil’s left hand, and Neil frowns as he feels it. The
toy feels small and round, like a pebble or something, but it’s clearly attached to a wire.

Andrew takes it away as he explains, “It’s a vibrator. So once I put it inside, I’ll turn it on so
it’ll vibrate right against that spot. Does that sound good, bunny?”

Yes. Holy shit, that sounds amazing.

Neil nods his head vigorously. “Yes, alpha.”

Andrew hums in acknowledgment, and Neil waits before he suddenly feels the cool tip of the
toy against his entrance. Slowly, Andrew presses the toy and his fingers deep inside him,
searching for a little bit before pressing against that amazing place inside, making Neil gasp.

A second later, he feels Andrew’s fingers leave, the toy still inside him.

Neil holds his breath and waits.

Nothing happens.

“What’s the matter, bunny? Did you want something?”

Neil nearly groans at Andrew’s teasing tone. The bastard. “Yes, alpha.”

“Tell me what you want.”

Neil huffs out a breath. “I want you to make me feel good.”

“And how will I do that?”

Neil groans before he grits out, “…by turning the toy on inside me. So it can…hit that spot.”

“Mm…good boy.”

Neil’s stomach jolts a little at the praise. Then his entire body constricts as Andrew
mercilessly turns the vibrator on.

Pleasure skitters through his body like static. His fingers constrict, digging into his thighs as
the toy vibrates against his prostate. It feels – holy fucking shit, it feels amazing.

He keens and arches, panting for a bit as he feels Andrew’s hands on his thighs, ass, and
stomach, stroking his skin thoughtfully. Then he switches the vibrator off.

Neil immediately whines.

Andrew doesn’t acknowledge it, though. He simply removes one of his hands from Neil’s
body before returning a second later – with something freezing touching Neil’s chest.

“Oh fuck!” he gasps as the cold ice cube circles his nipple, leaving wet streaks in its wake as
it meets his hot skin. He can feel his nipple tightening into a bud, hardening quickly beneath
the shocking sensation.

He hears Andrew’s chuckle above him before the alpha removes the ice suddenly from Neil’s
chest. Neil breathes a sigh of relief, only to hiss a second later when Andrew’s cold fingers
grab onto his ribs. Then he feels the ice cube circling his opposite nipple, making his teeth
clench. But nothing prepares him for when Andrew leans down, puts the first cold nipple
into his hot mouth, and starts sucking.

Neil nearly bucks at the dueling sensations, goosebumps erupting over his skin as he shivers.

When Andrew pulls the ice cube away from his other nipple and latches onto it, trailing the
ice cube down over Neil’s stomach, he releases a hoarse cry from the back of his throat.

“How do you feel, omega?” he hears Andrew ask him, popping off his nipple to check.

“Feels so good, alpha, so good,” Neil babbles back.

His answer must satisfy Andrew because a second later, the alpha says, “Then let’s make it
feel even better, hm?”

And he switches the vibrator back on.

Neil’s hips jerk upwards at the sudden sensation, and he has to flex his biceps to get them
under control, forcing himself to stay still for Andrew. And not a second later, he’s rewarded
with the feel of Andrew’s mouth and hands back on his nipples, sucking them into his mouth
and rolling the bud with his tongue while he trails the ice cube all over Neil’s chest.

Neil can feel the pleasure building, can feel himself climbing towards that peak when
Andrew suddenly switches the vibrator off again and pulls back.

Neil whimpers, rolling his head side to side slightly as his torso shudders. He has to bite his
lip to stop himself from pleading with Andrew. But apparently, Drew doesn’t like this
because his thumb is on Neil’s lip less than a second later, tugging the soft flesh away from
his teeth.

“Want to hear you, omega. Don’t go quiet on me now.”

“Drew,” Neil groans. “I…I can’t. It feels…ugh. Want more. Want your mouth and lips and
fingers touching me, inside me.”

“Don’t worry, bunny, I’ll give you more,” Andrew tells him, sliding his hand comfortingly
over Neil’s stomach.

The first ice cube must have melted enough for Andrew to grab another because a second
later, Neil feels a brand new, solid version begin running up the side of his dick.

“Drew!” he snaps, torso arching off the bed as Andrew slowly runs the ice cube up all over
his shaft. “Oh fuck! Oh shit!”

Andrew never drifts as low as Neil’s balls or as high as his head – he simply keeps running it
up and down Neil’s cock before suddenly taking it away again.

Neil’s body is nearly simmering with anticipation, having gotten an inkling from Andrew’s
torturous play with his nipples of what’s coming. But when it does, it’s not what he expects.

Because clearly, Andrew must have popped the ice cube into his own mouth before he
suddenly descends on Neil. His alpha’s mouth is a mixture of hot and cold that feels
ridiculously good to Neil, combined with the slick of his alpha’s spit. He bobs his head on
Neil’s cock, sucking him off masterfully as Neil simply reels, head thrown back as he can do
nothing but enjoy the ride.

The alpha only gives him a slight break, pulling off to stick more ice cubes in his mouth and
– crushing them? Neil can hear the hard crunch of ice on teeth before Andrew sinks down
once more – this time with the crushed ice held inside his mouth.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Neil snaps as Andrew continues his blowjob, sucking Neil’s cock inside
his mouth and making him nearly shake with pleasure.

When he pulls off the next time, Neil tries to gulp in air, shivers wracking his body. He
waits, feeling Andrew’s gaze on him, watching Neil fall apart beneath him.

“Do you want to cum, omega?”

Neil nods his head fervently. “Yes, alpha, yes. Will you let me cum?”

“Such a good boy for asking,” Andrew growls, making Neil shiver again, pleasure glowing
inside him. “Yes, Neil. I’ll let you cum.”

Neil sighs in relief. And when he feels Andrew’s lips hovering above him, Neil seeks them
out, lifting his mouth to meet Andrew’s. The two make out for some time, Neil treasuring
how Andrew carefully holds him.

Then Andrew leans back and switches the vibrator back on.

Neil hisses at the way it immediately begins pounding against his prostate and gasps at the
lubed hand that suddenly grips his dick. Andrew starts stroking him, getting him off hard and
quick.

He doesn’t think it can feel any better than this when the vibrator suddenly begins going even
faster inside him, increasing to a new level. Neil cries out, legs shaking as he thrusts his hips
upward into Andrew’s hand.

He can hear Andrew panting above him, his grip on Neil’s dick never tiring, his thigh pressed
up against Neil’s ass. Though Neil is nearly overwhelmed by the pleasure he’s feeling,
trembling with it, he realizes he can just barely hear the slick of lube against something else.

Something that isn’t touching him.

Something that has Andrew breathing hard, almost grunting against Neil, the scent of his
arousal nearly drowning the omega with its thick, delicious smell.

With a feeling of wonder, Neil realizes that Andrew must be touching himself. His alpha
feels good enough to touch himself with Neil right there, next to him.

This epiphany, along with the amount of trust Andrew has bestowed upon him, pushes Neil
over the edge. “C-cumming,” he warns Andrew only once before he’s suddenly spilling onto
his stomach and chest, unable to help himself.

Andrew groans above him. As Neil continues to shake from the force of his orgasm, he hears
him grit out between his teeth, “Can I cum on your stomach, Neil?”

“Yes, yes,” Neil moans, neck arching at the thought.

He feels something warm splatter onto his torso a second later, mixing with his own cum. Its
scent fills Neil’s senses, and he can’t stop the smile from creeping over his mouth.

He hears a growl before Andrew’s lips are suddenly crushed against his, wiping the smile
from his face as he kisses Neil senseless.

Finally, Andrew turns the vibrator off, gently removing it from inside of Neil. It causes the
trembling of Neil’s limbs to finally stop, and he has to lick his lips a couple of times before
he can ask, “Can I let go of my legs now, alpha?”
A pause occurs, which makes Neil realize Andrew had forgotten that Neil was still holding
onto his legs. Had never moved them, in fact, listening perfectly to Andrew’s command the
entire time.

“Yes, omega.”

Instantly, Neil drops them in relief, sighing a little as he flexes his fingers. He stretches his
legs out gingerly and jolts when he feels Andrew’s hands on him, massaging his thighs and
hamstrings as he begins to relax.

After a few minutes of kneading, he feels the dip of the bed as Andrew gets up. The sink
turns on a few seconds later, and Neil is unsurprised to feel a warm washcloth on him next,
beginning to clean him up.

Before Andrew can pull away again, though, Neil reaches out, grabbing onto his arm and
pulling Andrew steadily towards him. He reaches his other hand up until he can feel
Andrew’s face. Then he leans up and kisses Andrew softly on the lips. “Thank you, alpha.”

It’s a thank you for taking care of him but also for Andrew entrusting him with this. For
letting Neil make him feel good, in the only way he could, even though it’s nowhere near
what Andrew has done for him. It’s still a moment of vulnerability that he knows the alpha
has never let anyone else have.

Andrew simply grunts in acknowledgment, unable to form words in response. But Neil
doesn’t need them – he just needs his alpha to know that he gets it. That he enjoyed this.
That it was more than good enough for him.

And he’s pretty sure Andrew understands because he gently slides in behind Neil, back into
their makeshift nest, encircling Neil with his arms as he drags him against his chest. He
reaches up and gently removes the satin cloth, making Neil blink a little at the light before his
heart stutters at the feel of Andrew’s lips on the back of his neck.

Andrew kisses the gland there softly, nibbling at it while he lets Neil thread his fingers
through his hand around his stomach.

Neil doesn’t say anything but continues to let Andrew kiss him there, the alpha showing his
thanks in his own unique way. But he’s glad he’s facing away from him so that Andrew can’t
see the smile that blooms warmly on his face.

Neil knows he must be nearing the end of his heat.

His body is on fire, the prolonged exposure to his alpha driving him nearly insane with want.
He needs something inside of him. Something that will make this ache go away, this hole in
his belly, this need to be filled.
He grits his teeth and fights it for as long as he can, but finally, he gives in, begging, “Alpha.
So empty – it hurts. Fill me up. Now?”

Andrew simply nods in acknowledgment, his hands directing Neil to turn over as he pulls his
fingers out of Neil’s ass and sits up. There’s a disappointed pang inside Neil’s chest as
Andrew reaches for the harness again and pulls out the knotting dildo. He wants Andrew’s
dick inside of him so badly, but he pushes away the thought stubbornly.

Andrew has to feel comfortable too. He’s being selfish, craving for more when his alpha has
already given him so much.

So he simply gets on his knees and spreads his legs wide, waiting and aching for Andrew to
fill him.

He’s surprised, however, when Andrew slides the blue cloth into view.

“Will you put this on for me, bunny?”

Neil sits up and ties the cloth around his head so fast he’s nearly disoriented by the action.
He knows what this means for Andrew now – that he wants to cum with Neil. Wants to get
off at the same time as him.

Nothing could please the omega more than the thought of his alpha being satisfied alongside
him.

So he willingly blinds himself and assumes the position once more, hearing the squelch of the
nearly empty lube bottle behind him as Andrew gets the dildo ready. But he’s surprised once
more when he feels Andrew’s lubed-up hands reaching for his hips before turning him over
onto his back.

He hears Andrew take a deep breath before choking out, “Want to fuck you like this, bunny.
Yes or no?”

“Oh, fuck yes,” Neil immediately snaps, nearly writhing in anticipation. He rolls his hips up
towards Andrew, picturing it. “Holy shit, yes. Give it to me, now, alpha.”

Andrew snorts before his hands grip Neil’s moving legs, stilling them. “Hands above your
head, bunny.”

Immediately, Neil reaches up and crosses his hands above his head.

Andrew makes a hum of satisfaction. Then he spreads Neil’s legs open wide before pushing
them back until Neil is nearly bent in half. Then he lines up the dildo and slowly begins
pushing it inside.

It feels just as amazing as Neil remembers. The broad head breaches his entrance as the thick
shaft begins filling him up entirely. He groans as it goes deeper and deeper until he feels
Andrew’s hips resting against his ass.
Andrew pauses there for a minute, letting Neil get used to the feel of the dildo lodged deep
inside of him. Then Neil’s ears perk at the sound of the lube bottle again before Andrew
slicks something else up.

His own cock, Neil realizes. Andrew must be stroking himself off while fucking Neil with
the dildo.

Neil groans, trying to picture the image as he clenches hard on the dildo. Then he shudders
as Andrew raises his hips, rearing back to fuck the dildo hard into Neil’s ass.

“Fuck, yes! Fuck, yes, do it again, alpha,” Neil pleads as he feels the wide head nudging his
prostate, hitting it perfectly as Andrew slides it back out and in again.

Within minutes, the two of them are fucking like animals. Andrew pounds the dildo into him
mercilessly as Neil rolls his hips, clenching and unclenching his ass to try and take more of it
inside. His fingers dig into his own palms, and he mortifyingly feels drool dripping from his
mouth over his chin, but he can’t seem to make himself care when Andrew’s making him feel
so good.

He hears the squelch of lube over Andrew’s dick as he fucks himself into his hand, and the
sound just drives Neil harder and higher. He reaches an almost frenzied state of arousal as
words drop from his lips, things he doesn’t remember but seem to drive Andrew on faster, his
own gasps music to Neil’s ears.

The alpha somehow seems to know when Neil starts getting close. He snaps his hips even
harder, reaching down Neil’s torso to tweak his nipple before gripping Neil’s dick and
stripping away at it.

Neil arches and moans, body instinctively trying to scrabble away from the roughness of
Andrew’s touch, but he can go nowhere with the man’s weight on top of him and the dildo
trapped inside of him.

And that’s all before Andrew decides to pump up the knot and slip it inside.

The feeling of the dildo’s knot filling up his hole drives Neil over the edge. “Alpha! Fuck,
Drew, want your cock inside of me so bad. Nnf - want to feel your knot, want it to fill me up
– ah – it’ll feel so good, so good – fuck, shit – I know it, ah, will. Never felt – nn – anything
like it – just you, just you, just you – god, you fuck me so good, it’s so good – mmf – fuck me
harder, now –”

Andrew gasps above him, and Neil feels something warm splatter onto his stomach. The
scent of Andrew’s cum fills his nostrils, and a second later, his orgasm rips through him. The
pleasure overwhelms him, flooding his entire body like a light in the darkness. He can’t even
tell where it’s coming from – every part of him feels so good that he can do nothing but float,
shimmering along the crest of the orgasm as it bleeds him dry.

When he finally comes down, Andrew has removed the dildo and is petting him. He tells
him how good Neil is and how he did so well, leaving little kisses along his neck and
shoulders as he softly strokes his skin.
When he realizes Neil is back with him, Andrew leans forward and removes the satiny strip
of cloth. He cups Neil’s cheek in his hand, waits for Neil’s eyes to focus on him, then leans
down to kiss him softly.

Neil simply purrs with the attention, happiness flooding his senses as Andrew rubs his face
all over Neil’s face and neck, scenting him completely.

Then he draws back and slides a thumb over Neil’s lips. “Time for a bath, bunny.”

“With me?” Neil slurs, eyelids drooping.

Andrew hesitates then says, “Not with you, bunny, but I’ll stay in the room. Okay?”

“Okay,” Neil sighs happily.

Andrew kisses the palm of Neil’s hand before he gets up and begins running the bath. Neil
simply lets his eyes droop closed and dozes for a bit before suddenly he feels arms around
him, lifting him. Neil cuddles against Andrew’s strong chest before he’s slowly being
lowered into the warm water.

Neil groans at the delicious feeling as he sinks below the bubbles. He lifts a finger and plays
with a couple on the surface, amused at the unnecessary frivolity. He’s never had time to
indulge in something as inane as a bubble bath. Still, as he lays his head against the side of
the tub and peeks his toes above the water, he quickly thinks it could become a favorite
pastime of his.

“How do you feel, omega?”

Neil smiles up at Andrew, whose head leans on his own arms, laid flat along the side of the
tub. He observes Neil carefully.

“Amazing, alpha,” Neil answers honestly. He swivels closer to Andrew so that his face is
only inches away from his own. “And you, Drew?”

Andrew stares at him before he reaches down to brush a few hairs away from Neil’s eyes.
His eyes dart to the side as he nods, a simple acknowledgment of Neil’s statement.

The tiny gesture thrills Neil.

Andrew clears his throat. “Can I help clean you up, Neil?”

Neil smiles wider. “Yes.”

With infinitely gentle hands, Andrew scrubs every inch of him. He lathers up his fingers and
vigorously rubs shampoo through Neil’s hair and scalp, causing him to moan with delight at
the feeling. He tips Neil’s head back and places his hand on his forehead to ensure no soap or
water gets in his eyes. Then he dips inside of Neil, cleaning him up carefully to ensure he’s
squeaky clean, inside and out.
Neil lets Andrew’s hands wander freely, far past the point of being embarrassed or
concerned. He simply tips his head back and enjoys the feeling of his alpha taking care of
him, pampering him with such niceties.

He helps dry Neil off later before carrying him once more to the bed. This time, though,
Andrew helps him into another pair of pajama shorts and a t-shirt – Andrew’s own clothes, he
realizes, when the comforting scent surrounds him.

Andrew tucks him into bed, laying a hand one more time on the back of his neck and
brushing a soft kiss against his forehead. Then he heads back towards the bathroom.

Neil has just enough coherency to hear the shower turn on before his eyes close, and a deep
sleep drags him all the way under.

“All set?” Andrew asks him as he picks up his bag.

Neil rolls his neck and shoulders, pleased at how the fogginess has wholly disappeared, no
longer messing with his head as it has been for the last couple of days. But he’s also amazed
at how gloriously, deliciously relaxed his body feels too, and wonders offhand if Andrew
feels the same way.

But he waves away the thought, tuning back into Andrew’s question as he takes one last
wistful look around the room. “Yep,” he clears his throat and nods, not meeting Andrew’s
eye.

The prolonged silence following his response drags his eyes back towards the alpha anyway.

Andrew gives him a cool look before he beckons with two fingers. “Come here.”

Neil huffs out a breath before he slowly ambles over. When he’s within arm’s reach of
Andrew, the alpha loops his fingers into Neil’s belt loop and drags him closer. “Yes or no,
Neil?”

“Yes,” Neil says instantly and sighs when Andrew’s mouth rises to meet his.

Andrew kisses him slowly, but the kiss itself is full of heat and promise. This isn’t the end,
his mouth seems to say. Stop thinking about stupid things already.

So Neil smiles in response, causing Andrew to draw his head back before pushing Neil’s face
away. Then he unlocks the door, and they step out of the room.

The sign-out procedure is as dull as last time, and they’re in the elevator and walking out
onto their floor before Neil knows it.
Andrew turns and gives Neil one last searing kiss, yanking him closely by the front of his t-
shirt before he simply turns and walks into his dorm room, closing the door smartly behind
him.

Neil bites his lip to stop another grin from spreading over his face before letting himself into
his own room. He tosses his bag onto the bed before unzipping it and dumping out the
contents haphazardly. His nose wrinkles at the overwhelming scents that erupt from the bag
– his and Andrew’s own, of course, but also the smell of his arousal and their elevated
hormones during his heat.

Ugh. He should really do laundry before Matt gets back.

He rummages around the pile before something clatters to the floor. Neil looks down to see
his phone skitter across, followed by his charging cord. He sighs before picking the dumb
device up and plugging it into the wall.

It takes a couple seconds for his phone to boot up, and instantly he watches some text
messages flood in.

There are wishes of good luck during his heat from Matt and Renee, the former telling him to
text him if he needs him to bring anything down. There are catcalls and snickers in the form
of text messages from Nicky and Allison, both telling him to ‘get some’ in their own unique
ways. There’s another text from Kevin informing Neil in drunk, broken English exactly how
he plans to get Neil caught up once he’s back since he’s missing so much practice.

Neil huffs at that message before looking at the one from Wymack, telling him not to worry;
Andrew reached out and informed him of Neil’s heat. He confirms that he won’t expect
either of them back at practice until Wednesday and that he’ll reach out to their professors to
let them know they’ll also be missing class.

Neil blinks at this update, a wave of guilt overcoming him as he realizes he didn’t think of
Exy or the team once during his entire heat. He never even considered reaching out to inform
his coach or professors that he wouldn’t be coming. Luckily, Andrew obviously did,
however.

Neil’s face heats a little at how his alpha continues to take care of him.

His face darkens at the missed countdown messages from the stupid prankster before lighting
up again at the DMs from CA.

ClinicalAsshole05: hey – you good, man?

ClinicalAsshole05: what’s with the radio silence?

ClinicalAsshole05: something going on?

Neil looks down at his phone and grins.

ExyKid4Life: yeah, all good

ExyKid4Life: just finished my heat

ClinicalAsshole05: …with your alpha????

ExyKid4Life: …yeah

ClinicalAsshole05: ha! Knew it!

ClinicalAsshole05: you are such a dumbass – I bet he was all over it, wasn’t he?

ExyKid4Life: yeah

ExyKid4Life: I mean, I was definitely dumb about some things but…

ExyKid4Life: he helped me through them

ClinicalAsshole05: idiot

ExyKid4Life: I know

ExyKid4Life: now if only his brother wasn’t such a dick, things would be perfect

ClinicalAsshole05: ugh, I know what you mean

ClinicalAsshole05: my brother is also a dick

ClinicalAsshole05: and his mate? If you can call him that? Jesus fuck

ClinicalAsshole05: the guy is an absolute moron

ExyKid4Life: oh yeah?

ClinicalAsshole05: yeah. You would’ve been shaking your head with me if this kid came
into YOUR team movie night smelling like shit

ClinicalAsshole05: basically tried to hump my brother on the couch and then pretended like
nothing was wrong

Something prickly and uneasy starts to trickle down the back of Neil’s neck. He hesitates,
then keeps typing.
ExyKid4Life: ha, really?

ExyKid4Life: yeah, I did something pretty stupid too

ExyKid4Life: tried to ask my roommate for a toolkit to dismantle the heat register

ExyKid4Life: because I was dead sure that the temp in my room was off

ExyKid4Life: but then I caught the scent of my alpha and things went downhill from there

ClinicalAsshole05: ha! Bet you didn’t try and take out the goalie on your team tho to get to
him

ClinicalAsshole05: that’s what this moron did

ClinicalAsshole05: and what does he say when you call him out on this shit?

ClinicalAsshole05: I’M FINE

Neil’s heart stops.

Fuck. Fuck, no way – no way it can’t be…

His heart starts racing as he thinks over their conversations and puts together what he knows.
CA is a pre-med student. They’re in their second year, an omega on a sports team, who has a
beta for a partner that they’ve known for at least a year, if not more. They’re short-tempered
and kind of an asshole, but wicked smart. And they have a brother they’re in a hate/love
relationship with. A brother who has an idiot omega for a mate who goes around saying he’s
fine…

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Before he can stop himself, Neil’s shaky fingers type out one word.

ExyKid4Life: Aaron?

He watches CA begin to type then stop. Then they type again and stop. They do this several
more times, and finally, Neil can’t take it anymore.

He marches out of the bedroom and over to the door, slamming it open – only to hear another
door slam open down the hall.

Aaron stares over at him in shock.

“CA?” Neil whispers.

“No,” Aaron whispers back, face pale. “Fuck, no.”

“It’s you, isn’t it?” Neil says again, even though he knows it’s true. Can feel it in his bones.

“We’re not talking about this,” Aaron snaps at him, whipping the door closed behind him and
going up to slam Neil against the wall, hands fisted in the front of his shirt. “We are never
talking about this again, do you understand?”

“But-” Neil begins, unsure where to begin. Uncertain of what he’s feeling right now.

Aaron wrinkles his nose in disgust, pushing away from Neil. “Just keep your fucking mouth
shut, Josten, got it? And don’t you dare fucking message me again.”

He glares at the phone still clutched in Neil’s hand like a lifeline.

Neil clenches his jaw and straightens his shirt before he jerks his head towards Aaron, not
meeting his eyes. “Yeah, I got it.”

Aaron hesitates, staring at him for a moment. He opens his mouth as if to say something
before he finally shakes his head. “Fuck,” he whispers violently to himself. Then he turns
his back on Neil and slams the door to his dorm room shut behind him.

It takes Neil a second or two to get his feet to shuffle back towards his room. He makes his
way inside the dorm quietly before clicking it closed.

There’s a weird turmoil of emotions happening in his chest right now that he doesn’t
understand. He feels angry and hollow, bereft and strange. It’s odd, but…it feels like the
edge of grief. Just a tiny sliver of it.

Because in one foul, ugly swoop, Neil lost one of the only friends he’s ever had.

Neil swallows hard. And what does he care? That friend was Aaron – Andrew’s fucking
mess of a brother who’s been a complete and utter asshole to him the entire time they’ve
known each other. So what if they’re both omegas? So is a third of the population. Aaron’s
friendship isn’t a loss – it wasn’t worth shit in the grand scheme of things, so who cares if
they stopped talking? Just one less thing he needs to worry about when he leaves.

He tries to tell himself this makes him feel better.

It doesn’t.

Then his heart leaps into his throat when his phone buzzes in his hand.

He turns the screen towards him eagerly, but his heart drops when he sees another countdown
message come through.

Neil huffs out a breath before he stares down at the number in the text. His brow furrows.

With slow, deliberate steps, he walks over to the calendar in the kitchen and stares at it. Then
he begins counting down the days, a growing ball of dread in the pit of his stomach.
At first, he thought it might land on Neil Josten’s birthday, but instead, the countdown ends
on Friday, March 9th – an away game in Binghamton, NY, the last one before PSU’s spring
break.

The timing is too suspicious for Neil not to be alarmed.

Ending on an Exy game meant it had to be somehow connected to Riko. Riko or one of his
cronies was trying to send Neil a message. That something was coming for him on that day.
Something he had no idea what it was or if it could be stopped.

Panic coats Neil’s throat, and he swallows convulsively.

He could run now – he still has time to. But his stomach immediately twists because that
wouldn’t be fair to Andrew. Not right after helping Neil through his heat. Not when Neil is
still tied up in a deal of protection with him.

Neil’s hand clenches, turning into a fist.

He will not let his alpha become involved in this. He won’t let Andrew fall for something
Neil did, for opening his big mouth and dragging the wrath of Riko and the Moriyamas down
onto the Foxes.

He has to convince Andrew to break his deal. To let him go before something happens.
Otherwise, he knows Andrew will never forgive himself. That he’ll likely get caught up in
the crossfire.

That they’ll both be destroyed in the process.

So he swallows back his sadness and disappointment, his regret and foolish desires, as he
determinedly sets a new plan into action.

By the time the team goes to the Binghamton game, Neil has to get Andrew to let him go.

Fear grips Neil by the throat as the team boards the bus for Binghamton.

He’s had zero luck trying to convince Andrew to break their deal over the past couple of
weeks. The alpha swings from snarling and growling at him in frustration to pure apathy and
boredom when Neil tries to bring it up.

It’s getting them nowhere fast, and now Neil only has twelve hours to convince Andrew
otherwise.

To say he’s desperate is an understatement.

When the team stops for lunch and Neil gets his final “0” countdown message, he feels sick
to his stomach.

With determination, he heads towards the back of the bus, ignoring Kevin’s snappish tone to
sit down next to him and talk game strategy, slipping into the seat in front of Andrew.

He waits a few minutes until the bus pulls out of the lot, the other Foxes safely engaged in
conversation, before he sits up and leans against the back of the bus seat, staring down at
Andrew. “Hey.”

Andrew flicks him a glance before his gaze returns to the window. “Stop looking at me like
that.”

Neil huffs. “Is it exhausting seeing everything as a fight?”

“Not as exhausting as running from everything must be.”

“Maybe,” Neil swallows, his heart hammering in his throat as he takes the plunge. “I told
you I’m working on that.”

Andrew huffs, his eyes rolling. “Work harder.”

“I can’t unless you let me go,” Neil says quietly. “Stand with me, but don’t fight for me. Let
me learn to fight for myself.”

Andrew’s jaw clenches, and he goes to open his mouth when Neil quickly slips in, “Do you
really think omegas are equal to alphas?”

Andrew stares at him. “Yes.”

“Then you know that assuming omegas need protection presumes that you find them weaker
than betas or alphas.”

“I never said you were weak,” Andrew hisses, eyes flaring red at the accusation.

“No, you didn’t,” Neil acknowledges. “Which means you trust me to be able to stand up for
myself.”

“Sharp words don’t draw blood, Neil.”

“And letting you take the blows for me teaches me nothing except to say them louder,” Neil
argues. He smirks at Andrew. “Isn’t it time I accept the consequences for my actions?”

When Andrew stays silent, Neil sobers a little. “I don’t want to be Kevin, Andrew – bending
before them every time. I want to fight. I want to be a different person than I was before.
Someone who stands behind what they say. Someone who would fight for others – who
would fight for you.”

He doesn’t dare remove his gaze from Andrew’s as he hearkens back to an earlier
conversation they’d had in practice about zombies and the apocalypse. About the few people
they’d go back for and risk their survival to help. “I want to go back for you, Andrew. If the
world goes to hell, I want to be the one who stays fighting by your side.”

“You wouldn’t,” Andrew immediately snaps back at him, though his eyes have faded to their
usual color. “You’re a different kind of desperation – the one that ends in suicide. You’re
bait. The martyr that no one asked for or wanted.”

Neil nearly snorts at the thought because there’s no way he’s that good of a person, but he
simply says, “Only one way to find out, right?”

“You’ll regret it.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

Andrew stares at him, and Neil tries not to buckle at the tiniest flash of hurt he sees in
Andrew’s eyes. It freezes him until he realizes why.

Because Neil’s withdrawing from Andrew – he’s removing himself from Andrew’s pack.
He’s asking Andrew to let him go, to lift his protection, saying he doesn’t need it.

Neil can do nothing to remedy the kind of hurt because it’s necessary. He needs to cut all ties
before whatever happens in order to save Andrew – although he knows the alpha will never
thank him for it.

So he simply holds his gaze, refusing to back down.

Finally, Andrew whips his head away, dismissing Neil as he remarks, “Don’t come crying to
me when someone breaks your face, omega.”

It’s a cut direct. The final tie severed.

Andrew has let him go.

Neil’s chest convulses slightly, his conscience eased while darkness seems to seep in slowly
at the same time. Because now he’s truly alone.

He swallows, fighting back his terror as he looks out the window to see the countryside
rolling by. It strikes him as familiar, and he blurts out before he can stop himself, “I’ve been
through here.”

Andrew looks back at him, giving him wordless permission to continue. And Neil latches
onto it, thinking that at least this is something he can give Andrew. One last piece of himself
before he’s gone for good.

So he begins talking, quiet words that tell Andrew about the dirty cities he’s been through,
the seedy motels he’s stayed in, and the shady bus stops he’s slept in. About the back alley
transactions he’ll never forget. The way his mother’s fingernails would dig into the back of
his neck, hands gripped tight enough on his forearms to leave bruises. How her voice would
hiss in his ear to stay down and stay quiet, then grow high-pitched and tight before telling
him to run.
He doesn’t sugarcoat the memories, giving Andrew as much truth as he can spare. And
Andrew doesn’t flinch, listening to him without question before finally opening up a little
about his own transition to living with Nicky and Aaron in Columbia.

Neil knows that whatever’s about to happen won’t be pleasant for him. But for right now, on
a warm bus in March as they travel North, Neil soaks up this quiet moment with Andrew and
holds onto it tight.

The Bearcats were a hard-fought win. Even before the buzzer goes off, declaring the game
the Foxes’, the two teams were already brawling.

It drags out the time it takes to get the teams split up and off the court, leaving Dan and Neil
free to go over and handle the press. By the time Neil hurries into the locker rooms, the rest
of the team is practically cleaned up and out.

Sighing, he grabs his stuff and showers quickly before changing. He’s running a towel
through his hair one last time and zipping up his bag as he walks towards the door when his
phone starts ringing.

Rolling his eyes at how impatient Andrew can be, he digs his phone out and lifts the screen
towards him.

His stomach immediately drops to his feet.

It’s a 443-area code. An unknown number, but Neil knows what it means.

Baltimore is calling.

“Don’t run.”

The sound of his own voice startles him, echoing in the empty locker room. His legs are
tense, and he grabs hold of one of the locker handles beside him to help hold him back, but
he doesn’t move. He stays put, adrenaline spiking through him at the sudden need to go.

It’s just Riko calling to try and rattle him. Or one of his cronies, doing the dirty work for
him.

Neil shakily tries to convince himself of either scenario, but he knows. He knows.

It’s too late.

It takes until the fourth ring for him to answer, his hand shaking as he holds the phone up to
his ear. “Hello?”

“Hello, Junior. Remember me?”

A sick shudder rolls through Neil at the familiar voice. He’d know it anywhere.

It was Lola Malcolm – an alpha who was one of his father’s closest people and also one of
his sickest. Lola was a deranged alpha who loved torturing people, known for cleaning up
his father’s messes.

And Neil was one of Nathan’s largest to date.

Dragging up courage from somewhere deep, Neil thickly answers, “Lola.”

“So you do remember me,” she hums. “Now you see, that’s bad because if you remember
me, you remember who you are and what your place is, omega.”

“I made my own place.”

“You don’t have that right,” she spits back immediately, hissing at him. When he doesn’t
respond, she continues, “Now that’s better, omega. You’ll learn to hold your tongue again –
to speak only when asked to, when I want you to. But right now, it’s time to go – and you’re
not going to make this difficult for us, do you understand?”

Lola has never held back from using her alpha voice, and the command in it grates on Neil’s
ears, every bone in his body bucking against it.

But Lola being here means that Romero is too – her twin alpha brother. And where Romero
is, Jackson is never far behind.

Neil is outnumbered, and he hasn’t even left the building.

All thoughts of running vanish from his head. He could maybe slip past one of them – but
not all three. Even so, he can’t prevent the bitterness from rising in his throat when he thinks
of how close he is to having everything he’s ever wanted. A weekend away from his first
planned vacation with the Foxes, a month away from championships. This close to winning
Andrew’s trust – to becoming…something with him.

And Lola was here to rip it all away.

“Put a hand on me, and you’ll regret it,” he snarls, all bravado.

“Oh, because your big, bad alpha will save you?” Lola says sweetly back. “Don’t worry,
Junior. We know we’re taking away his plaything, so we left a new toy for him in its place.
Someone he’s…intimately familiar with, shall we say?”

Terror claws inside of Neil. “If you touch him-”

“Then make this easy for us, Nathaniel. Walk outside and follow Jackson like a good little
omega. Your father is waiting, after all.”

All of the blood drains out of Neil’s face. His father is…here?
Suddenly the “0” flashes in front of his eyes, blaring at him. This is it. Neil has run out of
time.

He’ll be dead by morning, if not sooner.

His team will never know what happened to him.

Neil swallows, looking down at the phone, realizing Lola has hung up on him. He slides it
into his back pocket with a shaky hand. Then he reaches down and zips his bag closed.

Across the opposite wall, he looks in the mirror one last time. Commits to memory the last
moments of Neil Abram Josten. Then he steels his shoulders and prepares to do the very
thing he’s never done in his entire life.

He stays.

The lounge is filled with his teammates, still buzzing and chatting excitedly with their win of
the night. Neil’s eyes sweep over them longingly before catching on one of the security team
members standing by the door. The man coldly meets his eyes, and Neil’s heart stops – it’s
Jackson, the disgustingly sick beta.

A second later, another man joins his side. Neil’s head nearly spins on its axis because that’s
Romero Malcolm, Lola’s brother.

Fuck. He never stood a chance.

“If we’re all accounted for, we should head out,” Jackson calls to Wymack.

“We’re still waiting for Neil,” Nicky argues before Jackson motions towards him. “Oh, there
you are!” the cousin says brightly, grinning at Neil. “We thought you’d drowned in the
shower or something.”

Neil clears his throat. “I’m sorry,” he says hoarsely.

Nicky waves the apology off without a second glance as the team gathers up their things,
thinking Neil is apologizing for being late. Neil scrabbles at the wall behind him, trying to
fight off the light, woozy feeling in his head. He tries to take in every detail – the swing of
Allison’s ponytail, the brightness of Matt’s laugh, the furrow of Aaron’s brow.

Then another face enters his vision, much closer.

Andrew stares at him hard, and Neil has to physically will his sadness and terror back – he
probably reeks of it right now. He opens his mouth to say something but finds nothing left –
he doesn’t know how to possibly convey to Andrew everything he needs to in this final
moment.

He doesn’t want to leave him with nothing, though, so he finally hears the words fall from his
mouth, “Thank you. You were amazing.”
Andrew tilts his head, and Neil knows he doesn’t get it. How could he possibly understand
that Neil meant everything – his protection and trust, his honesty and his kisses. The keys to
his house and car – the only things he’s ever possessed. The equality and respect he treated
Neil with, during his heats and towards him as an omega in general.

But someday, maybe, he will.

He soaks in the image of his alpha’s handsome face one last time, wishing desperately that he
could kiss him. Then he swallows and deliberately turns his back on his team to start
walking down the hallway towards the bus. Immediately, Romero and Jackson flank him,
pretending they’ve simply taken up their post, but Neil knows the real reason. He tries to
think of it as him protecting his team, of putting himself as a wall between these murderers
and them, but he thinks he’s deluding himself at best.

The crowds begin cheering and booing him simultaneously as soon as he steps in sight. The
noise increases as the rest of his team follows behind, a roar that reverberates, ugly and deep.
His nerves are on edge as the atmosphere grows tense, vile insults slung both ways across the
aisle.

Then things started flying.

It takes Neil approximately two seconds to realize the riot is staged. Romero takes hold of
the back of Neil’s neck and grips tight, wrenching him to the side in the pretense of getting
him down and to cover. He lets his bag and racquet drop to the ground, trying to give his
team some indication that he didn’t go willingly. That he would have stayed if he had the
choice.

As soon as they’re away from the crowd, Romero’s hand moves from Neil’s neck to grip the
base of his hair, wrenching Neil’s head back horribly as he scents him. “Fucking pain-in-the-
ass omega. Bitch isn’t even in heat.”

For a split second, Neil is infinitely grateful to the universe that his heat came early. That he
got to spend it with Andrew, who took care of him, instead of these disgusting creeps.

“Who cares?” Jackson grins, holding onto Neil’s wrists and crossing them tightly behind
him. “He’ll bend over soon enough for us. Just gotta get him back so his Daddy can have
some fun with him first.”

Neil grows nauseous at the thought of these slimy assholes touching him, followed by sheer
terror at what his father has planned. He grimly thinks these two will be lucky if there’s
anything left of him once his father is through.

“Hear that, junior? We’re going to fuck your brains out once we get your Daddy’s
permission. And you’re gonna like it.”

“He obviously already does since he let that alpha breed him. I can still smell the brat’s scent
all over him.”
“Hope he enjoyed it then,” Romero snickers, “Because Junior here’s probably the last thing
he’ll ever fuck.”

Although he literally feels hairs ripping out of his scalp with the move, Neil wrenches his
head to the side to look at Romero. “What do you mean?” he grits out.

“I mean that my dear sister wasn’t kidding when we said we left him a little gift back in the
locker rooms,” Romero grins widely. “Someone from his past just aching to reconnect with
him.”

“Yeah, aching in his pants,” Jackson snorts.

Neil freezes, nearly tripping both men up as he realizes what they mean.

They brought Drake here. Drake is here, and he’s out to get Andrew.

And Andrew doesn’t know it.

“Come on, keep moving, you little punk,” Jackson pushes at him, making him stumble as he
moves forward again. “Let’s get this show on the road already.”

Neil tries to think fast, a plan formulating in his head as he spots the car in the distance
they’re pulling him towards.

He only has one shot at this. He has to make it count.

He stumbles again, drawing Jackson closer to him as he leans forward to haul Neil up – then
Neil rams his elbow into his stomach with everything he has.

Jackson goes down without a fight, arm clutching his torso as he falls. When Romero turns,
Neil swings his leg up between Romero’s and listens to him howl when his foot connects.

Then he begins sprinting away from them.

He whips his phone out of his pocket and brings up the first thread his thumb hits, which
happens to be his DMs with Aaron. Neil knows he’ll never escape. So he simply runs,
uncaring of his destination as he types out the few words he needs to.

ExyKid4Life: Andrew. Locker rooms. Drake

ExyKid4Life: Save him

Then the phone flies out of his hands when he’s unceremoniously tackled from behind.

“You little shit!” Romero snarls at him. “Let me be the first to remind you of your place,
omega!”
 Then he slams Neil’s face into the ground, and the world goes black.

Chapter End Notes

Highlights of this chapter told in emojis:

🥵🥵🥰🥰😍😍❤🔥❤🔥
NEIL:
ANDREW: 😡😡🤯🤯😤😤😍😍

--------

AARON: WTF
NEIL: 😠😠
💀💀💀
🥺🥺😢😢
--------

NEIL: 😰😰😱😱😡😡 💀💀💀💀

--------

Annnnddddd preview of next chapter:

AARON: ???????????

Thanks so much for reading, all! 🥰

 ...Then Get Out Of The Kitchen
Chapter Notes

LOVEYS!! Omg, these past two weeks have been crazy between work/life. I'm so sorry
this has been delayed!! You guys are so patient, though, and I so appreciate it! Things
are going to continue to be crazy for a while so just a heads up that it'll probably be
another couple of weeks before the next update (apologies again! I kept thinking this
was going to be shorter and yet I keep coming up with new scenes and scenarios for it
so...you'll notice I've removed the chapter count because I don't want to keep stringing
y'all along until I finally have the actual end in mind LOL).

You know for all the ways this chapter is different, I'm also pretty sure this guy is the
closest to canon out of the whole fic. I had to keep going back and studying the source
material to make sure I had all the right angles covered. I didn't want to rehash the whole
thing completely though so I hope it deviates enough to still be interesting! :)

T/W: Okay, this is a rough chapter, guys. We start off in the first scene with graphic
violence, and a detailed attempt at sexual assault. (Skip from "Junkie, answer me!" to
"Andrew's eyes flit around wildly" if you want to skip the attempted assault specifically,
or just skip to the end of the scene if you want to avoid anything surrounding the assault
and associated procedures with it). In the second, there's a brief reference to the
attempted assault once more. (Skip from "She stares at him head-on" to "Renee nods
again" to avoid it). Allusions to and a description of canonical torture in scene 4.
Canonical panic attack in scene 5. And then a canonical/OOC smut scene in scene 8.
(You'll know when you get there - feel free to skip over if not your thing!)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Andrew is one extremely pissed-off alpha.

He doesn’t know who the hell this bullshit security team is that Binghamton hired, but
they’re obviously dumb as fuck. The assholes disappear as soon as shit hits the fan, and
Andrew has to fight his way out of a three-way tango between two angry Bearcat fans and an
unhelpfully helpful, wasted PSU guy.

He immediately starts looking for his people, catching an elbow in the eye from a piss-drunk
beta as he fights his way over to Nicky. Once he gets him untangled from some kind of
catfight with two omega girls, he hauls him over to the bus, shoving him inside.
A quick glance onboard finds Aaron first, standing over Kevin who’s seated in front of him.
Aaron has Kevin’s head tilted gently to the side, examining him. It looks like someone tried
to strangle Kevin and did a pretty good job of it, the ghost of fingerprints curling up the side
of his throat like dark smudges.

Dan and Matt are on board, too, the latter holding his arm awkwardly while Dan’s nose
swells. Matt winces as Dan shoves another ice pack into his side, his t-shirt torn in several
places. Both of his hands are already wrapped, the alpha clearly having taken a severe
beating from whoever he met up with.

Wymack and Abby are also there, the first cussing and snapping into his phone with someone
to try and get the situation under control. Abby doesn’t say anything, though she’s practically
ripped her first aid kit apart. Bandages, antiseptic, and ice packs are spread all over the place
as she fusses over the other Foxes.

He turns just as Renee barrels through the door, holding onto a hissing Allison whose eyes
are blood-red. Scratches and bruises cover her face and arms as she continues to shout
obscenities at whoever she was just rumbling with. Welts that look like an imprint of a hand
are appearing on her forearm, indicating someone grabbed it hard.

Andrew suspects the matching bruise on Renee’s face is from her getting involved.

Although she doesn’t show it, he can see the ginger way Renee holds her left hand. It doesn’t
seem to have affected her greatly, though, her mind still functioning well enough to take a
sharp look around the bus, counting her people.

Andrew looks back as well.

It seems like they have everyone. Everyone except –

“Where’s Neil?”

His voice rings out clearly, and everyone on the bus freezes.

There’s an almost comedic swinging of heads around as the team searches for him – as if he
was just hiding under the seat or something, in a fucked-up game of hide and seek.

But the lying redhead is nowhere to be found.

“I thought he was right in front of you,” Kevin tells Andrew as Aaron scowls down at his
phone.

He was – along with those useless security guards. Perhaps they took him back to the
stadium?

Neil’s not technically under Andrew’s protection anymore, but the alpha could give two shits
about that at the moment– he’s getting his rabbit back. So he walks down the aisle and yanks
on the lever, whipping the bus door open again.
“Andrew!” Aaron snaps, his tone panicked and high-pitched, but Andrew ignores him, taking
back off into the night.

It takes a little bit to make his way back toward the stadium, ducking and weaving between
the crowd of bodies – brawling fans but also policemen and the security team, the two forces
finally starting to get a handle on the riot.

Though he searches in the crowd, Andrew doesn’t spot him, nor does he pick up any kind of
scent. (Not that he would have been able to, likely, with all the people there).

So he makes his way back inside the stadium, heading towards the locker room. It’s likely
that either the security team brought Neil back inside for safety, or the junkie himself decided
to hole back up there and wait.

There’s an uneasy feeling in Andrew’s gut that he tries to ignore as he walks down the silent,
abandoned hallway. Neil hasn’t left them – it’s not time yet. The runaway had promised to
make it through finals, had promised to give them a full year. He wouldn’t just run out on
them. Not when they’re so close.

He slams his way through the door and into the lounge, calling out, “Neil!”

The room is empty, but there’s a weird smell emanating from it. Something that’s triggering
Andrew’s memory, but he doesn’t have time to figure it out right now. He needs to find Neil.

Grimacing, Andrew marches towards the locker room, pushing the door open. “Junkie,
answer me!”

The fist flies at him without warning.

He crumples to the ground, immediately disoriented by the powerful blow to his head. He
feels a large hand grip the back of his hair and smash his face down against the floor once
more.

Blood trickles over his forehead and eyes as he blinks, slowly trying to lift his head up as
someone begins laughing.

“There you are, AJ. Took you long enough. And how’s my little brother been?”

Everything inside of Andrew freezes.

No. No, it can’t be.

“It’s been a long, long time, hasn’t it? I’m so glad your little omega’s friends called to let me
know where you landed. We left on such poor terms, don’t you think? Especially when we
were so…close before.”

Move, his head screams at him. Fight. Run. DO SOMETHING.

But he can’t, ice flowing through his veins as the monster from his nightmares crouches over
him and digs his fingers into the hair at the base of Andrew’s head, pulling it up painfully.
“Let’s relive the good old days, hm?”

He throws Andrew across the room with an almost inhuman toss, his back smashing
painfully into the lockers as Drake comes for him. Pain radiates up through his back and
side, his body finally scrabbling, trying to push Drake away, to throw a belabored punch that
Drake easily dodges, grabbing hold of Andrew’s arms.

“Won’t be needing these, little bro,” Drake smiles at him, ripping Andrew’s armbands off and
tossing them cheerfully to the side. The clank of metal on the floor cruelly reminds Andrew
how easily he has been disarmed.

He tries to headbutt Drake from behind, but Drake resists him, the alpha an entire wall of
muscle from his time in the military. He laughs as Andrew fights him. “Oh, this is great.
Look how you’ve grown, AJ! You were so quiet and docile back then; it almost wasn’t any
fun.” He leans forward to whisper in Andrew’s ear, “I like it better when they fight back
now.”

Then he shoves Andrew forward so that his stomach is straddling the bench, forehead nearly
touching the floor. He hears the slow slide of a belt before Drake wraps the leather tightly
around his hands, securing them.

Then the man’s hands reach for his waist.

This can’t be happening.

Andrew’s head throbs, blood pooling on the floor from his upside-down position as he tries to
buck and resist.

He promised himself it would never happen again. That he’d never let this happen to him
again – especially not with Drake. It’s why he had the knives. It’s why he trained in the
basement with Renee, ruthless hand-to-hand combat to defend himself. To have the upper
hand if Drake ever came after him again. To avoid this very situation.

He can’t…he can’t do it. He can’t go through it again. He can’t.

But it seems he doesn’t have a choice. It feels like his mind is nearly separating from his
body as he feels Drake’s hands rip his jeans down to his knees, his underwear following
shortly behind it. As he hears Drake begin to undress, he throws one final thought out to the
universe – asking it to let him black out from the blood loss so that maybe, for once, he won’t
have to feel anything. That he won’t have to remember it.

Then, suddenly, there’s an indecipherable shout followed by a sickening crack. Red splatters
the lockers in front of him, and Andrew feels its warmth coating his back. Something large
crashes to the floor behind him.

Then there’s nothing but silence.

He hears an object drop to the floor next to him and flinches at the feel of hands on him,
pulling at his pants again. He immediately struggles, resisting even though he knows it’s
fruitless, but a second later, he hears a voice over him saying, “A-Andrew! It’s – it’s just m-
me.”

Aaron?

Aaron pulls up his underwear and pants quickly before tackling the makeshift restraint Drake
had tied around his hands. Andrew can’t help the groan that falls from his lips when Aaron
helps haul him back up into an upright position, seating him on the bench.

Andrew’s eyes flit around wildly before they land on the body beside him. He simply stares
at it for a moment, his brain uncomprehending the sight.

“Andrew. A-andrew, fuck, look at me. Are you – did he?”

Andrew sluggishly turns to look back at Aaron, Aaron’s trembling hands on his face helping
guide him. As soon as he spots the omega, rage and anxiety flare up inside him, and he lifts
his own hands towards Aaron’s face. His twin’s face, covered in blood. “It’s everywhere.
What did he do?”

“Nothing. It’s – it’s not mine,” Aaron answers him. “It’s not mine, it’s – Andrew, he – he
was going to -”

Andrew stares down at the bruises forming on his wrists, blue and red and purple marks
already appearing. Then he lifts his thumb up and wipes at a smear of blood on Aaron’s
forehead, right where his own temple is positively pulsing, expecting to find a similar injury.
“Did he touch you?”

“Why – why was he here? How did he…what did he do to you, Andr-”

Andrew shakes Aaron a little, shutting him up. “Answer me. I said, did he touch you?”

“No. No, he didn’t have time,” Aaron whispers back, his face bright white beneath all the
blood.

“I’m going to kill him,” Andrew snaps, unthinking.

“He’s already dead,” Aaron utters dully, his eyes going foggy and distant.

The sentence rips through Andrew like a chainsaw, rattling everything inside him.

The monster is dead. It can never come for him again.

Drake is dead. It’s finally over.

“That explains the silence,” Andrew says dumbly, briefly staring back at the still body.

But Aaron doesn’t answer him.

Andrew turns back and – shit. Aaron’s clearly going into shock, and Andrew can barely
string two thoughts together. And he still hasn’t found Neil.
He has to get up. He has to get Aaron back to the bus, has to get rid of the body, has to –

But not even a second later, Kevin comes barreling through the door, hoarsely yelling,
“Aaron! Aaron, are you-”

His eyes latch onto the twins.

“Aaron!” He roars, leaping forward. He shoves Andrew back hard and drags Aaron into the
safety of his arms. He cradles him against his chest as he growls and hisses at Andrew.

“It’s me, you idiot!” Andrew snaps at him, then winces, his eyes closing at the fresh, new
wave of pain skittering across his head from the volume.

Kevin ignores him, however, smearing blood all over himself and Aaron as he tries to scent
him, rubbing his head against Aaron’s face and neck in an attempt at comfort, leaving kisses
all over his skin as Aaron stares blankly ahead.

Andrew swears before forcing himself to sit up again. “Day!” he snaps again, trying to get
his attention. “Kevin, listen to me! You…have to…find Neil.”

Kevin blinks before his eyes seem to focus back on Andrew. “Andrew? What…what the
fuck…what happened to…” They widen as they blink at the body on the floor behind
Andrew. “Fucking hell…is he…”

“Dead,” Andrew says flatly.

He snaps his fingers, trying to get Kevin’s attention away from the corpse. “Neil,” he barks.
“Where is he? Did you…find him?”

Kevin shakes his head slowly. It takes a seemingly herculean effort to drag his eyes away
from Drake and focus back on Andrew. “We’ve been searching, but all we’ve found so far is
his bag. I think…” he swallows and looks to the floor, next to Andrew’s foot. “I think that’s
his racquet.”

Andrew looks down at the blood-soaked net with disdain. Then it hits him.

If Neil had ran, he wouldn’t have left his stuff behind. That duffle bag was practically glued
to his hip at all times. He never would have simply ‘dropped’ it.

Fear surges within him as he remembers the offhand comment from the shitbag beside him.

Your little omega’s friends called.

Neil didn’t have friends – fuck, he barely acknowledged the lot of them as teammates.

Neil didn’t run. He was taken.

Kevin frowns at him. “Wait a minute – shit, Andrew. You’re injured-”

Andrew shakes his head, trying to stand up, but lands hard on the bench when his legs
crumple beneath him. “Have…to find…Neil,” he says again, trying to get it through the
thick beta’s head what’s important right now.

Neil is in trouble. He’s in danger – someone has him.

They have to find him, have to help him.

But Kevin ignores him, apparently already on the phone with someone. “-need to get in here
now, it’s…it’s bad. Get an ambulance here, stat.”

Andrew’s head throbs again and he closes his eyes, leaning forward to cradle it in his hands
as he tries to get his bearings for just a minute. Tries to put himself back together before the
pigs arrive.

But a minute turns into twelve because before Andrew knows it, there are suddenly people
sitting in front of him, trying to ask him questions about what happened, asking him to follow
a light, telling him that he’s severely injured and needs to sit still while he’s examined.

There are cameras flashing, and people barking orders, and his coach arguing back, and none
of them are looking for Neil. They need to find him.

Andrew needs to find him.

He wrenches himself up and tries to take a step forward only to have hands on him, holding
him back. He struggles and growls, hissing at the foreign touch, fighting back against them.
Then he feels something pinch the crook of his arm.

The edges of his vision begin to go fuzzy.

“Andrew!” he hears Wymack snap, the man stepping closer to him.

“They took…Neil,” he slurs before everything goes dark.

Andrew bolts upright with a sudden gasp, eyes blinking painfully at the amount of white in
the room. There’s beeping and monitors everywhere, and something’s connected to his arm.

He hisses, fighting it a little, when a voice stops him. “Andrew.”

Andrew shoots his head up to find Renee sitting on a chair next to him. Her wrist is wrapped
and the shiner on her eye has bloomed now, immediately telling Andrew he’s lost some time.

“Where’s Neil?” he snaps.

But Renee slowly shakes her head. “We don’t know.” She pulls something out of her jacket
pocket and lays it next to Andrew’s leg on the bed. “We found this.”

It’s Neil’s phone.

Just another nail in the coffin proving that Neil didn’t go willingly.

Andrew snatches the device up and immediately searches through the few messages on there,
trying to find the most recent. He’s mildly surprised to find it’s a DM chat, eyes blinking as
he scrolls through the messages.

His eyebrow lifts as he tries to wrap his brain around the fact that apparently his brother and
Neil had found and friended each other anonymously – some kind of omega chat online
apparently – and how they’d only uncovered this fact a few weeks ago.

He stares down at the last few messages, both ominous and cryptic in nature.

ExyKid4Life: Andrew. Locker rooms. Drake

ExyKid4Life: Save him

ClinicalAsshole05: Neil??

ClinicalAsshole05: Neil, wth are you saying

ClinicalAsshole05: what does that mean?

ClinicalAsshole05: Neil, you fucking shit, answer me! Where are you?

ClinicalAsshole05: NEIL

Unsurprisingly, there’s no reply.

The only other clue that something shady went down is an unknown text message thread that
simply has the number “0” in it.

A countdown then. Someone was counting down the days, warning Neil that they were
coming for him.

And the idiot didn’t say a thing.

Andrew’s hands clench tighter on the phone.

No, not only did the rabbit not say anything, but he also purposefully got Andrew to break
their deal. To let him go, knowing that this was going to happen.
He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, rage unfurling in his chest as he tries to breathe
through the sudden onslaught of emotions he’s feeling.

When he finally feels like he’s somewhat under control again, he asks, “Aaron?”

“With Kevin and Wymack at the police station,” Renee rips the band-aid off quick. “He’s
being booked although both Kevin and Wymack are claiming it was self-defense. Wymack
was posting bail, last I heard.” She stares at him head-on, her voice as calm and neutral as
possible as she bluntly tells him, “The medical team has been waiting for you to wake up to
ask if you’d be willing to do a rape kit.”

Andrew’s mouth goes dry.

“No,” he says immediately.

Renee simply nods her head.

Andrew clenches his fingers in the hospital bed sheets, before he grits out, “I wasn’t raped.”

Renee nods again. “But you were assaulted.”

Not a question – a statement. A clear, clinical fact.

“Yes.”

It’s an obvious answer, confirmed alone by the stitches currently woven into his scalp, but
apparently the beta needed to hear it.

Renee nods again and doesn’t say another word.

Then they both look up as Wymack slams the door open. “I just a call from the FBI. They
found Neil.”

“The FBI?” Renee repeats, her brow furrowing.

Andrew doesn’t care about this part, however. “Where is he?” he snaps, cutting to the chase.

“In Baltimore.”

Baltimore? What the fuck was he doing there?

Andrew doesn’t bother wasting time with questions though – he simply rips the IV out of his
arm and swings his feet over the side of the bed, his head lurching slightly as the machines
next to him start beeping wildly.

“Andrew-” Renee starts.

“Christ, kid, hold on a second, we have to get you checked out properly-” Wymack tries to
tell him.

Andrew glares at both of them. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Renee shuts her mouth, jaw clenching. Then she nods.

“Wait, a goddamn minute you two-” Wymack tries to say, but Renee ignores him. She tosses
a bag onto the bed which reveals clothes she’d obviously grabbed from somewhere, but
Andrew doesn’t care enough to ask.

He snatches them up and starts heading towards the bathroom while Renee corrals Wymack
out of the room, steel infused into her tone when she says, “Tell the team we’re leaving in ten
minutes, coach.”

“But-”

“Ten minutes.”

Andrew hears Wymack grumbling under his breath, a tired, “Fucking hell,” muttered before
he firmly shuts the door.

Once he boards the bus, Andrew staves off Nicky’s tears and the rest of the team’s hesitant
but genuine questions of concern by immediately veering towards his brother, checking in on
him.

Aaron still seems to be in a state of shock. The only indication that he’s somewhat aware of
their surroundings is the tight grip he has on Kevin’s hand, the beta glaring and snarling at
anyone who draws too close to them.

Andrew takes a seat at the back of the group, but not nearly as far back as he usually does.
He ignores any inquiries from the upperclassmen on what happened, waiting for Wymack to
board the bus. When he finally does so, he turns to address them tersely.

“I just got a call from FBI Special Agent Browning, saying they’ve located Neil in
Baltimore.”

“In Baltimore?” Dan pipes up. “What – how did he get there?”

“Did you just say the F.B.I.?” Nicky asks incredulously.

“Did someone take him?” Matt asks. “Is he okay?”

“They won’t say,” Wymack says grimly. “They’ve simply requested our presence there to
ask us some questions.”

“Bullshit,” Allison spits out immediately. “We aren’t telling them anything until they tell us
what the hell happened to Neil.”
Wymack grimaces. “That’s…the other strange part about this. They’re not calling him Neil.
They keep referring to him as Nathaniel. Nathaniel Wesninski.”

There’s a sudden gasp from Kevin that has all the Foxes heads shooting towards him.
“Junior,” Kevin croaks out, like this suddenly all makes sense. “No…no way…it can’t be.”

“Kevin,” Andrew barks at him, and the man whips his head up. “Explain.”

Kevin shakes his head again and Andrew growls. The beta swallows, and starts slowly,
“Nathaniel was…or is, I guess…a kid Riko and I played with when we were younger. He
was there at the Nest for tryouts when we were…seven or eight, I think?”

“You met this kid once during a tryout when you were eight and you expect us to believe you
remember him?” Allison scoffs.

Kevin nods. “It’s not because of his playing…although he was good, even back then…it’s
because of what happened afterward. You see-” he chokes off for a second, and Andrew sees
Aaron squeeze his hand tighter. “-his father’s the Butcher of Baltimore.”

“The what?” Nicky squeaks. “Is that some kind of joke, Kev? That sounds like the name of
a hokey serial killer in a horror movie.”

But Nicky’s weak attempt at humor is made all the more sinister when Kevin simply nods his
head. “He is a serial killer. He’s on the Moriyamas payroll, head of the mafia in Maryland.
Nathan – Neil’s dad – is known for the crazy amount of people he’s tortured and killed.” He
shudders, his voice thinning out as he rasps, “The guy is terrifying. Like, completely insane.”

A lot of pieces start falling into place for Andrew suddenly.

Why Neil’s torso looks like a well-used cutting board. Why his mother and him ran so long
ago. Why they were hunted every day of their life. Why Neil was constantly looking over
his shoulder.

Because his father is a monster who has the money and resources of the mafia at his
command.

Andrew’s somewhat impressed Neil managed to stay alive even this long.

“He took Riko, Neil, and I up to the guest suite at the stadium and…made us watch,” Kevin
continues.

“Made you watch what?” Dan furrows her brow.

Kevin swallows, eyes far away as he whispers, “Made us watch him kill someone and
dismember the body.”

“Holy shit,” Matt snaps.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Allison whips out, her face blanching.

“Are you kidding me?” Nicky asks, a useless question since anyone can see that Kevin isn’t
joking.

Kevin takes a deep breath, though, and shakes his head, more of an automatic response than
an answer to what Nicky said. “Nathaniel Jr. disappeared the next day. His mom and him
simply didn’t show up to tryouts and all I remember is the Moriyamas were pissed.” He
looks over at Andrew as he says, “Nathaniel was supposed to be Riko’s plaything. The
omega was a gift owed to him by the Wesninski’s. They ended up giving him Jean instead.”

Andrew stills, anger lighting him up from inside again as he realizes what Kevin is saying.
That his father, after torturing Neil for years, was simply going to hand him over into Riko’s
deranged hands like a new toy. Neil would have been broken, used, and abused. No one
would have cared what happened to him.

And Andrew…Andrew would likely have never met him.

Fuck, he hates the mafia.

“Last I knew, though, the Butcher was in jail,” Kevin frowns up at Wymack. “They were
finally able to put him away for money laundering or something financial-related.”

“Guess we’re going to find out,” Wymack nods. “Because we’re headed to Baltimore –
unless anyone has any objections?”

The entire bus falls immediately silent.

“Right,” Wymack nods, then sits down and starts the vehicle up.

Andrew simply leans his head against the window as they pull out of the parking lot,
beginning their four-hour journey, and closes his eyes.

The FBI agents are a pain in the ass.

They lead the entire team into a motel room in Baltimore and proceed to answer none of their
questions while asking a million of their own. So the Foxes become just as uncooperative
back.

Andrew stonewalls them, not showing even a flicker of emotion as they try to dig into how
he received his injuries and what happened. Dan hisses and growls when they try to needle
into who Neil was on the team and how he got there. And Allison threatens multiple times to
hire a fancy-ass lawyer who will rip them to pieces in court. When this fails to move them,
she switches gears, quoting a connection to a federal judge who will make their career in the
FBI a living hell.

That at least shuts them up for a little bit.

It’s a complete stalemate between the two parties when a more junior agent enters the room,
coming back with a full tray of coffees for the other agents (no offer to the Foxes, of course).

“If nobody’s going to talk, we’ll simply leave,” Townsend, the head agent who’s been
speaking with them, threatens them.

And before anyone else can reply, the junior agent beside him whistles, the smaller alpha
remarking, “Man, they won’t talk either? Neither will the kid. Says he refuses to speak until
he can see them.”

Everything inside of Andrew freezes, his anger and growing impatience with the situation
wiped out in a second with relief because Neil is alive.

A new determination infuses his spine with steel. If Neil’s alive, then Andrew can see him
again. He can find out what the fuck happened to him. He can hold him once more.

And he’s going to – fucking hell he’s going to scent the shit out of that asshole. (But only if
Neil wants to, of course.)

He watches both Allison and Dan perk up with the new knowledge, a sinister smile sliding
onto Allison’s face.

Townsend gives the kid a murderous glance and Andrew’s pretty sure the guy’s career at the
FBI might be over – not that he knows it yet.

“Well?” Dan says boldly. “Like Neil said – we’re not saying anything until we see him. So
either you bring us to him or him to us, or we don’t talk.”

Townsend clenches his jaw hard, his eyes turning red from rage. Then he whips himself out
of the room, grabbing onto the back of the junior agent’s neck and hauling him outside with
him.

They hear him practically barking outside, fury infused into his tone, before everything goes
quiet. The team simply gives each other looks as they wait.

Andrew burns with impatience now, is literally this close to some serious violence if someone
doesn’t start doing something soon when Townsend finally, begrudgingly, makes his way
back into the room.

“He’s on his way over now,” he tells the group with little fanfare. “You’ll have twenty
minutes with him.”

“Bullshit,” Andrew snaps without thinking.

“Yeah, what the fuck?” Allison sounds right behind him.

“It’s that or nothing,” Townsend snaps back.

“We’ll talk to him however long we need to,” Andrew snarls at him, anger coursing through
his limbs. “And you won’t do shit about it.”
“Keep it up, kid, and I’ll make sure you don’t see him at all,” Townsend retorts, his eyes
turning red again.

“I’d like to see you try,” Andrew hisses, his own eyes glowing when Wymack steps between
them.

“Okay, enough with the nonsense,” his coach starts, leveling a stare at the agent.

“Then keep your team in line, coach,” Townsend aims his ire at him. He jerks his head at
Andrew. “And maybe that one on a leash.”

“I happen to agree with ‘that one’,” Wymack says neutrally, his arms crossed as he stares at
the agent. “But at this point, I simply want to know what we can do to move this along so we
can see Neil faster.”

“Your team bus needs to be moved from in front of the motel,” a female officer steps in, since
Townsend looks like he’s about to blow a gasket. She gives him a look before continuing,
“We want to draw as little suspicion to the place as possible, so the media doesn’t get wind.”

Wymack nods. “I can do that.”

“Perhaps you should take him with you,” she recommends, nodding Andrew’s way. “Just to
prevent any…further incidents.”

“The only way he walks out of here right now is with a promise from you, coach, that you’ll
make him heel,” Townsend snaps at Wymack.

“And I refuse to promise that,” Wymack stares evenly at him. “Andrew is a grown adult –
not a dog. No one can or should make him ‘heel’ – including you.”

“Then we’ll do it here,” Townsend snarls, marching towards Andrew. “And maybe I’ll give
him a muzzle as well.”

Though pissed, Andrew doesn’t even have time to react to the agent’s statement.
Immediately, Wymack steps in front of him and it’s the first time Andrew thinks he’s ever
seen their coach furious.

Despite all the times the Foxes have ticked the larger alpha off, Wymack never loses his
temper. But right now, anger pours off him, his eyes growing red and a deep growl
emanating from his throat that has even the hair on the back of Andrew’s neck standing on
edge.

He looks two seconds away from ripping Townsend’s throat out, so Andrew’s not sure if the
female agent is crazy or brainless when she steps in-between the two. She holds up a pair of
handcuffs like a white flag and shouts, “Compromise! We handcuff the two of you together
while you move the bus, then take them back off when you return.”

Neither Wymack nor Townsend move. The alphas stare each other down until finally,
Townsend folds. “Fine! But make it quick.” He turns towards the female agent. “And if
they try anything, shoot them.”
The female agent raises an eyebrow back at him before facing Wymack. His coach
immediately turns toward Andrew. And that’s when Andrew realizes Wymack is offering
him a choice.

It only takes Andrew a second to make it.

He nods back at Wymack. If this is what it takes to see Neil faster, then so be it.

So Wymack nods back at the woman and holds out his hand. She immediately snaps one end
of the cuffs onto his coach’s hand then holds the other one out for Andrew.

It takes him another second to draw his left hand up and allow her to snap the cold metal
band around it.

“This is fucking bullshit,” he hears Nicky snap suddenly behind him, his voice quavering
with emotion. Andrew turns in surprise to see his cousin nearly fighting back tears as he tells
the agents, “Andrew’s not a criminal. He just wants to see Neil. Neil is his-”

Nicky stops. His head whips towards Andrew.

Andrew stares blankly back.

His cousin purses his mouth before he continues, “We all just want to see our friend, okay?
And you’re making this ridiculously hard. We know he wants to see us too, so just hurry up
and get him here!”

“We’re trying,” the female agent responds, a placation at best. “We just need you to be
cooperative for a little while longer.”

“Then why don’t you try being cooperative first,” Matt snips.

The agent sighs before she begins leading Wymack and Andrew out of the room.

Moving the bus is a quick and painless chore – mostly because the female agent is the one
there with them. She doesn’t try and make small talk or wheedle any information out of
them. She simply does as promised, taking them to the bus and helping them make this task
as quick as possible.

By the time they come back, there’s a new black SUV parked in the back that wasn’t there
before.

Andrew perks up – Neil is here.

“Jesus fuck, hold on, Andrew,” Wymack snaps at him as Andrew nearly hauls him up the
stairs, trying to get to the room as fast as possible, the female agent huffing behind them.

Andrew doesn’t care.

He can smell Neil’s scent now – just the faintest whiff of it as they get closer and it’s driving
him wild. He has to get inside. He has to see him.
He slams his way through the door just in time to watch Neil wrench a gun down from one of
the agent’s hands. “Don’t,” the omega says belatedly, a warning or a curse, Andrew isn’t
sure.

Apparently, the agent had a knee-jerk reaction to Andrew’s sudden arrival, but Neil prevented
anything from happening by his quick move. He can immediately see how much the action
pains him, though. So Andrew wraps a hand around Neil’s neck, comforting him even as he
puts his other hand on Neil’s shoulder. Then he shoves him to his knees so he can rest.

The omega hisses air through his teeth, hands clenched painfully in his lap. Hands that
Andrew can now see are wrapped like a mummy’s – thick white bandages looped carefully
over each finger, his palms, and his wrists. He swallows hard at the harsh smell of antiseptic
and blood reaching his nostrils.

The injuries he sees are likely only the beginning of it.

“Leave it,” he hears Wymack hiss in the background before he feels the alpha’s steady
presence at his back, preventing any agents from getting to him.

Then Andrew uses his free hand to cup Neil’s chin, forcing his gaze to look up at him.

The moment Neil’s eyes meet his, that bright blue slamming into him with the force of a two-
ton truck, Andrew feels like he can finally breathe again.

He’s alive. He’s alive. Neil is sitting there, hurt but breathing in front of him.

I’m never letting him out of my sight again.

He’s going to kill him.

No one will ever touch him, ever harm him. Not while I’m around.

He’s going to throttle him within an inch of his life.

I’m going to cuddle the shit out of him, and never let him go.

So many emotions are jockeying inside of him, swinging back and forth hard on a pendulum
as he tries to rein them in, his grip probably becoming painful on Neil’s chin.

Neil doesn’t say anything, though, except to raise his hand and drag a thumb gently against
the skin near Andrew’s eye. “They could have blinded you,” he says quietly. “All that time
fighting, and you never learned how to duck?”

Okay, nope, scratch it – he really is going to kill him.

How dare this asshole talk about Andrew’s injuries when he’s sitting in front of Andrew with
a thousand bandages covering his hands and face? When he looks like he’s been beaten to
the farthest depths of hell and back?

Which, speaking of…

He lets go of Neil’s chin to tug the hood of his sweatshirt out of the way, needing to see the
full extent of the damage – or at least as much as he can see right now. He runs a finger
along the tape and gauze on one side of Neil’s face until he can feel an edge. Then slowly,
gently, he tugs it free.

There are two long lines of stitches covering his cheek. A knife, likely, that someone used to
cut up his face. The cuts are clean and steady – meaning someone had purposefully held him
down and cut into him with the precision of a surgeon.

Or, more accurately, with the crazed detachment of a psychopath.

His jaw clenches and he moves to the other set of bandages on the opposite side of Neil’s
face, tugging at it when Neil suddenly flinches. Andrew freezes, heart dropping into his
stomach. It takes every ounce of control to stop his fingers from shaking as he continues at a
much slower pace to expose the wound. Once it’s revealed, he clenches the bandages hard in
his hand as he stares.

He hopes whoever did this isn’t dead because he’s going to kill them. Slowly.

“Christ, Neil,” Wymack whispers above him, but Neil doesn’t move his eyes away from
Andrew’s face.

He can hear one of the Foxes moving behind them but Wymack jerks at Andrew’s cuffed
wrist, probably giving some kind of stay-put motion as he snaps, “Don’t.”

“One at a time,” a new agent’s voice reminds the rest of the group. He must have arrived
with Neil, but Andrew pays him no attention.

Andrew raises his hand to Neil’s chin and turns him, this way and that. Neil lets him do it,
giving him full view of the injuries without resistance. Then he says, “I’m sorry.”

Rage spikes within Andrew so suddenly he barely even registers drawing his fist back.

How fucking dare this asshole apologize for being tortured. How dare he apologize to
Andrew for making himself a martyr, for trying to protect the team. How dare he put
Andrew above himself by making his very last communication to them a plea to save
Andrew, to protect him instead of trying to save himself.

Fuck that.

“Say it again and I will kill you,” he hisses, letting his shaking arm drop. The intense rage
that flares up inside him is snuffed out just as quickly as it came. Because regardless of how
furious he is with Neil, he would never hurt him.

“This is the last time I’m going to say it,” says Townsend. “If you can’t stow that attitude
and behave-”

“You’ll what, asshole?” Neil hisses, finally turning his gaze away from Andrew to glare at
the guy.
Andrew immediately misses it.

“The same goes for you, Nathaniel. That’s your second strike. A third misstep and this,” the
new agent motions at the rest of the room, “is over. Remember you are only here because we
are allowing it.”

Okay, enough is enough. These assholes are seriously pissing him off.

Andrew can feel his eyes turning red, his muscles bunching as he goes to stand and knock the
smug looks off these guys’ faces.

But his vision is suddenly blocked by a pair of bandaged hands.

Andrew freezes. He shoots a glance back at Neil whose eyes are on him again. Neil doesn’t
say anything, but his look is pleading, entrusting – asking for something Andrew knows he
can give. So he sits back down at Neil’s request, the man giving him a grateful look before
he levels an icy glare at the new agent.

“Don’t lie to a liar,” he snaps, all fire and bared fangs as he rips into the agent. He proceeds
to tear him to shreds, words flying off his tongue that Andrew soaks in, knows he’ll never
forget, but he can do nothing but stare at the viciousness with which his omega does it.

Something inside of him eases a little, knowing that the Neil he knows is still in there. That
they haven’t broken him yet.

His dressing down of the agent earns Andrew a free hand, which he immediately uses to latch
onto a small part of Neil’s hoodie pocket – just something to maintain contact with him.

And then Neil starts telling him what happened.

They speak in German, so as to cut the agents out directly. Neil explains how the riot was
staged, how he’d been given the warnings via text message, how he’d earned the marks on
his face. (Andrew’s getting rid of his dashboard lighter the moment he gets back to his car.)

The last bit is followed by an outcry from Nicky, which has Neil shooting his face in his
direction, almost as if he’d forgotten the rest of the team was there.

The team reacts violently to the wounds, hisses of sympathy and outrage pouring from them,
an overpowering scent of bitterness filling the air as the Foxes cringe at the injury. It makes
Neil unconsciously shirk back, shying away from the scent as if something were wrong with
him.

So Andrew doesn’t think. He moves forward and rubs his head against Neil’s cheek, and
feels the omega stiffen beneath him before he relaxes into Andrew’s touch, accepting the
comfort the alpha is giving him.

Once Neil takes a shuddering breath, Andrew sits back and lets him continue his story.

By the end, Neil’s lip is quivering as he casts his gaze to the side and tells him, “Andrew,
they want to take me away from here. They want to enroll me in the Witness Protection
Program so my father’s people can’t find me. I don’t want-” he starts, then pauses. He
clenches his jaw then meets Andrew’s gaze once more. “If you tell me to leave, I’ll go.”

It’s a truth and a lie all at once. He can tell from Neil’s scent, from the way his chest is caved
in, that he wants to do anything but leave. He wants to stay – the runaway doesn’t want to
go.

But he will. If Andrew tells him to.

Andrew yanks on the collarbone of Neil’s sweatshirt to rid the man of the stupid idea. “You
aren’t going anywhere,” he tells him. His voice is confident and sure. It’s a declaration –
another promise.

And Neil eats it up like Andrew’s the sun when he’s been living his whole life in darkness.
His eyes are fixed to Andrew’s face, wide and vulnerable.

“You’re staying with us. If they try to take you away, they will lose,” he says louder, in
English now, so that the rest of the Foxes can hear him. So they can join in the fight.

“Take you away,” Dan echoes immediately. “To where?”

“Are we talking about ‘away for some questioning’ or ‘away for good’?” Matt demands.

“Both,” says the new agent.

“You can’t have him,” Nicky says fiercely. “He belongs with us.”

Like everything else, it’s another fight with the FBI. The team and the agents argue back and
forth until the new agent finally turns to Wymack, exasperated. “Coach Wymack, talk some
sense into your team.”

“Neil,” Wymack addresses him, and Neil lifts his stare to meet his coach’s gaze. The alpha
stares at him calmly. “Talk to me. What do you want?”

The question seems to floor Neil for a second. His mouth opens and closes like a fish, eyes
actually filling with tears as he fights to get the words out of his throat. They come out so
jagged and quiet that everyone in the room has to shut up to hear him. “I want – I know I
shouldn’t stay, but I can’t – I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to lose any of you. I don’t
want to be Nathaniel anymore. I want to be Neil for as long as I can.”

“Good,” Wymack follows this response without hesitation. “I’d have a hell of a time fitting
‘Wesninski’ on a jersey.”

The other agent rubs his temples. “I would like a word with you.”

“About?”

“Your willingness to put your players in considerable danger, for one.”

“Giving up on Neil now goes against everything we are,” Wymack says. “I’m game to argue
with you about it for as long as it takes but not if it means using up Neil’s allotted time.
That’s not fair to any of them.”

While Wymack continues to argue with the agent, Andrew tugs at Neil’s hoodie again,
whispering under his breath in German. “Get rid of them before I kill them.”

“They’re waiting for answers,” Neil grimaces. “They were never able to charge my father
while he was alive. They’re hoping I know enough to start decimating his circle in his
absence. I’m going to give them the truth or as much of it as I can without telling them my
father was acting on someone’s orders.”

He hesitates, then adds on, “Do you want to be there for it? It’s the story I should have given
you months ago.”

“I have to go,” Andrew insists. “I don’t trust them to give you back.”

Neil gives him a shaky smile and Andrew tuts before dragging Neil up onto his feet again.
As soon as he’s up he addresses the team. “I’m sorry. I should have told you, but I
couldn’t.”

“Don’t worry about that right now,” Wymack tells him gruffly. “Twenty minutes isn’t near
long enough for this conversation. We can talk about it back on campus, right?”

“Yes,” Neil agrees instantly. “I promise. I just have to talk to them first.”

“Then go,” Dan shrugs. Neil whips his head towards her as she adds, “But come back to us
as soon as they’re done with you, okay? We’ll figure this out as a team.”

“As a family,” Nicky attempts to smile.

A hopeful scent emanates from Neil as he swallows loudly. “Thank you,” he whispers.

Allison waves off his thanks. “Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up and get back, kid, okay? We have
some bets to settle about this.”

Neil frowns. “About…my past? Or…about…” he blushes suddenly, his eyes flicking to
Andrew’s quickly before meeting Allison’s again.

Allison snorts. “Oh, hell no. Sorry to burst your bubble, Neil, but the rest of us figured that
out a while ago.” She motions between him and Andrew haphazardly, then jerks a thumb
behind her. “I mean when exactly that happened. I’d rather find out exactly why and when
the two of them hooked up than think about this awfulness any longer.”

Neil follows the direction of her thumb to where Kevin and Aaron are seated against the
headboard, the omega firmly laying against Kevin’s chest, while Kevin’s arms encircle him.
Neil’s brow furrows before his eyes pop open as he realizes exactly what’s going on between
the two of them.
Andrew fights against a sigh at the omega’s obliviousness. For someone so observant,
sometimes Neil could be completely blind to what’s directly in front of him.

Neil’s mouth gapes for a second before he simply shakes his head. Then he turns to Andrew.
“Ready?”

“Waiting on you,” Andrew reminds him.

“Like hell,” Townsend snarls, immediately shooting them down. “He has no right. He’s not
related to Neil, nor are they mated or bonded in any way. He’s not coming with us.”

The female agent sighs loudly behind him.

“Trust me,” Wymack says darkly, “If you don’t let Andrew come with you, he will literally
bite Neil in front of you right now just to prove you otherwise.”

Neil’s mouth quirks slightly to the side – just a tiny call on Wymack’s bluff.

Andrew raises an eyebrow at him. He watches, pleased, as understanding dawns on Neil’s

face that Wymack’s not joking. Because he’s right – Andrew would do it in a heartbeat if it
meant protecting him.

But only if Neil wanted to, of course.

A telltale blush begins crawling up the side of Neil’s neck, his eyes widening even further as
he looks at Andrew. The scent of oranges and cloves thickens.

Andrew smirks.

Oh yes. His pretty omega wants it.

Then he scowls internally at himself. There’s an echoing satisfaction that roars inside of him
at the knowledge of Neil’s willingness. An emotion that feels traitorously close to…want…
lying hidden beneath his usual wall of indifference like a snake in the grass.

Does he…want to bite Neil?

No, he wants nothing.

Neil is nothing.

Neil is everything.

A person is not an answer.

Fuck off, self.

But all his twisted emotions and internal arguments are for naught when the new agent
relents, simply looking at the two of them before shrugging and impatiently stating, “We’re
leaving now.”
Townsend bristles, giving the agent an angry look before he swings around and walks out the
door without another word.

Neil begins moving forward as well, only to have Wymack stop him, holding out his hand as
he tells him, “We’ll wait for you, all right? We’ll stay here for as long as it takes, Neil.”

Neil swallows and nods.

Then the two of them follow the rest of the agents outside into a dark SUV. They slide into
the back and don’t speak as the agents take off, Neil leaning his head against the window as
they pull away from the motel.

But something’s eating at Andrew. Something that’s been nagging him, gnawing away at the
back of his mind since the moment Neil returned.

The question tastes like ash on his tongue, but it burns, too hot and urgent to ignore.

He clenches his jaw, turns to Neil, and quietly says in German, “Did they touch you?”

Neil turns his own head towards Andrew, his brow furrowed. “Yes…?”

Everything in Andrew freezes. He swears his heart stops cold from the sudden amount of ice
crystalizing in his veins. Bile swishes in his stomach, the contents sloshing nastily as it tries
to decide whether to revolt on him.

Fuck. Fuck.

But then Neil’s eyes widen, and he’s quick to add, “…and no.” His eyes drop to the floor of
the vehicle before they return to Andrew’s. “They were going to but…they didn’t have a
chance.”

Relief shudders through Andrew with a euphoria almost like a drug.

Good. With all the things Neil has been through, at least he didn’t have that to deal with on
top of it.

Neil fidgets in his seat before his eyes close painfully. He takes a deep breath as if he’s going
to say something, then closes his mouth. He does it again and opens his eyes this time. “I
didn’t…did they…”

His eyes flicker up to the stitches on Andrew’s temple, his hand fluttering over it before
jerking back. In the end, he simply asks in a much quieter tone, “And you? Did he…touch
you?”

“Yes…” Andrew starts with and watches Neil’s entire countenance drop. He simply seems to
shut down, his chest caving in and his shoulders dropping, an expression of utter defeat
shadowing his face.

“…and no.”
Neil’s head shoots back towards Andrew so fast, Andrew’s surprised he doesn’t get
whiplash.

“Aaron got there in time.”

There’s a slight delay before Andrew’s words register, the realization sinking in that Neil did
it. Aaron reached Andrew because of Neil. His message wasn’t in vain.

Neil’s breath stutters before he gives a relieved sigh, the corner of his mouth turning up the
tiniest bit. He stretches his hand across the seat, fingers spread wide between them.

It takes Andrew a moment to understand it’s an offering. It takes him another moment to
figure out what to do with it.

He decides to slide his hand over and simply tuck his pinky over Neil’s.

Neil lets out a quiet exhale at the contact. It makes Andrew want to record the sound and
play it on repeat. It curls up nicely in his chest, like a sun-drenched cat settling into their
afternoon nap.

It doesn’t belong in the back seat of an FBI vehicle.

“Can I really be Neil again?” Neil whispers to him, the softest ask yet. His eyes hang on
Andrew’s, desperation written plainly on his face.

Andrew aches to kiss him. To haul him onto his lap and hold him tight.

Instead, he answers, “I told Neil to stay. Leave Nathaniel buried in Baltimore with his
father.”

A ghost of smile twitches on Neil’s mouth, his eyes shining back at Andrew. Then he turns
his head back towards the window and takes a deep breath.

“Neil Abram Josten,” Andrew hears him murmur.

Then he feels Neil’s pinky curl around him tighter, and finally lets out a breath of his own.

It takes entirely too long in Andrew’s opinion for the FBI to question Neil. By the time the
assholes are done putting him through the ringer, the omega looks exhausted.

It’s a strange predicament for Andrew because on one hand, he’s finally hearing the (mostly)
unfiltered truth from Neil’s lips. But it comes at the cost of a stranger tearing him to pieces,
examining each bit, then judging him for it.
The agents wheel and deal, try to barter and threaten him, but Neil sticks with his story and
refuses every attempt to learn more about the Moriyamas or place him in the Witness
Protection Program. Andrew’s starting to wonder about the legality of the whole
interrogation when they finally slap a piece of paper down in front of Neil that has a picture,
his designation, and his new, full legal name – Neil Abram Josten.

The new agent (apparently called Browning) gives him the song and dance about not leaving
the country, never using a pseudonym again, and keeping in contact with them if they need it
but Neil barely blinks, unable to draw his eyes away from the document.

“Pen,” he snaps at him, cutting off Browning’s carefully articulated speech. “I get it. Just
give me a pen so I can sign it.”

Scowling, Browning tosses him one that Andrew catches because either the asshole doesn’t
remember that Neil’s fingers are severely injured or he’s more of a dick than Andrew
originally thought. He slowly uncaps it before handing it over to Neil who gingerly takes it
and signs his new name on the dotted line.

Then, finally, they’re done. Free to go. Released.

Which is good because at this point, Andrew wants nothing more than to take his omega
home and simply let him rest.

But they’re thousands of miles away from home. So instead, Andrew puts up with the agents
taking them back to the shabby motel, walking into Abby and Wymack’s room to let Abby
finally get her hands on Neil and see his injuries for herself.

Again, Andrew is loathe to let her touch him, but it’s been hours if not a full day or two since
anyone has touched Neil’s bandages. Andrew’s nose wrinkles just smelling them – they
really need changing.

So, Andrew hovers next to Neil on the bed and steels himself, watching her slowly unwrap
the gauze inch by inch to reveal the devastation of Neil’s skin beneath. He forces himself to
watch – to not look away because he needs to see it for himself, what they’ve done to him.

But the moment he gets a clear view of the wounds is also the moment that the reality of the
situation must sink in for Neil. He looks down at his arms and sucks in a ragged breath, his
eyes going wide as he begins to shake.

Abby’s eyes also widen, tears pooling in them as she helplessly watches Neil begin to have a
panic attack.

So Andrew grits his teeth and pushes Neil’s head between his knees to try and get him to
concentrate on breathing. “Stop it,” he snaps.

Abby gives him a chastising look for the harsh command, but he doubts her murmuring and
running of her fingers through Neil’s hair is helping either.
In the end, they’re forced to wait until Neil finally gets a hold of himself, coming back to
them slowly. When he can breathe once more, Neil simply turns away from his injuries and
buries his face into Andrew’s neck.

Andrew allows it, resting his fingers on the back of Neil’s neck as Abby begins changing his
bandages.

“Well?” Wymack asks as he walks back into the room. “We staying or leaving?”

Neil begins to make a noise of protest, but Andrew sharply replies, “We’re staying.”

The redhead draws back to look at him.

“You’re exhausted, Neil. You need to eat and sleep – not travel on a bus for another nine
fucking hours.”

For a minute, it looks like Neil will protest but then he simply sinks back against Andrew
again and nods his head.

“I’ll secure a room,” Wymack tells them, walking back out before either can protest.

By the time Abby is finished, Wymack has returned with their new key cards. He produces
both Neil and Andrew’s bags out of thin air, handing them over to him without a word.

Andrew grabs the bags and the key cards then walks out of the room, leading the way.

He’s sorely tempted to carry Neil as well but settles for walking at his exhausted pace. When
they get inside, Neil simply walks over to the bed and collapses onto it. Andrew follows him
and begins untying Neil’s shoes.

Neil rolls to his side and watches him.

The moment Andrew has both shoes off, Neil seems to spend what little energy he has left on
crawling his way up the bed until his head hits the pillow. Then he goes still.

Andrew watches him for a second or two before he tosses his bag to the side and begins
looking for the room service menu to see if they have any late-night options. Then he
remembers it’s a fucking motel so they have diddly squat to offer. He’s going to have to find
nourishment elsewhere.

A knock at the door, however, interrupts his train of thought.

Frowning, Andrew goes over and checks the peephole, only to roll his eyes. He unlocks it,
opens it, and snarks, “What?”

Aaron just looks at him. His face is still pale, and his eyes are red-rimmed and angry.

“Can we come in?” Kevin asks bluntly behind him. The question is directed at Andrew, but
the beta hovers over Aaron, worriedly looking down at him.
“No,” Andrew answers anyway.

Kevin sighs. “Andrew-”

But Aaron ignores him, pushing his way past Andrew into the room in a move that surprises
the alpha. He growls, moving forward to yank him back when Kevin shoots a hand in front
of Andrew. Andrew turns back towards him, and he gives Andrew a pleading face.

Scowling, Andrew decides to wait, keeping an eye on Aaron as he approaches the bed Neil is
laying on.

The omega doesn’t pause but crawls up right next to Neil so that he’s lying beside him. He
waits until Neil opens his eyes, staring over at him before he says, “You are so stupid, you
know that?”

Andrew snarls at the statement but both omegas ignore him.

“Yeah, I know,” Neil replies softly.

“A real idiot.”

“Yep.”

“The absolute worst.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“If you ever do that again, I will find you and kill you myself, got it?” Aaron whispers
furiously.

Neil nods tiredly. “Okay.” Then, even quieter, he adds, “Thank you for saving Drew.”

“Shut up,” Aaron whispers back. “Of course I did.”

“Of course you did,” Neil agrees easily, yawning.

Then Andrew blinks when Aaron shuffles closer and essentially cuddles Neil, his chin lying
on top of Neil’s head on the bed as he whispers, “Thank you for warning me.”

And Neil snuggles closer, notching his head even further under Aaron’s chin as his eyes
close. “Shut up. Of course I did.”

“Of course you did,” Aaron slurs back, his own eyes shutting.

And just like that, both omegas fall fast asleep on the bed in front of them.

Andrew simply stares at the situation for a second before sighing. He starts towards the
door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Kevin hisses under his breath, still gawking at the scene.
“To get a snack from the vending machine, Day,” Andrew answers. “Because I’m tired and
hungry and this obviously isn’t going anywhere.”

He gestures towards the bed haphazardly.

“Oh,” Kevin nods. Then he grabs the desk chair and sinks into it before propping his feet up
on the table. “I’ll take a water and a protein bar then. Or peanuts, if they don’t have any.”

Andrew quirks an eyebrow at him. A very blatant, did I fucking ask?

Kevin simply shrugs in return. “What? Someone has to stay with them.”

Begrudgingly, Andrew admits this is a good point. But he doesn’t say it out loud – he simply
rolls his eyes at Kevin before he goes downstairs and gets a snickers bar, peanut m&m’s, two
Gatorades, and some fruit gummies in case Neil wakes up.

Sigh – and a water, peanuts, and a protein bar. Damn it.

When Andrew gets back, the two of them share in their mini-feast while Andrew turns the
TV on silent. Neither of them really care what’s on, nor do they speak. So much has
happened in the past couple of days that it feels like a luxury to just sit and tune out for a bit.

Then, at some point by some mutual agreement, Andrew turns the TV off as Kevin gets up.
He wanders over to the bed and gently lifts Aaron into his arms. Then Andrew holds the
door open for them as Kevin carries him out into the hallway, presumably heading back
towards their room.

Andrew tiredly brushes his teeth, uses the bathroom, then simply crawls into bed next to
Neil. He glances at him for a moment before he purposefully turns on his side with his back
to the door, now fully facing the redhead. He watches the peaceful, steady rise of Neil’s chest
and his relaxed face.

From here on out, nothing is going to happen to Neil. Not if Andrew can help it. If anything
comes for his omega in the middle of the night, they’ll have to get through him first.

So he snuggles down and prepares for a restless night, watching over Neil and ensuring he
stays safe.

The bus ride back to Palmetto the next day is long and draining. But the moment the team
arrives, no one even thinks of leaving.

Instead, they all pile back into the lounge, divvying up the gas station haul someone had
gathered. Andrew watches Neil struggle with the protein bar Nicky hands him, hissing
through his teeth before Andrew simply grabs it and opens it for him.
Neil gives him an obnoxiously grateful look, which has Andrew’s heart beating painfully as
he stares back at him.

Then Kevin interrupts their moment, hissing at Neil in French. He waves a hand towards his
face a couple of times which has Neil tensing and snapping back until finally, Andrew’s had
enough. He shoves Kevin back harshly, which earns him a huff and a glare, but he doesn’t
care.

Then Neil tells them everything.

He talks about who his real parents were, how he’d played Exy with Riko and Kevin when he
was younger, and his time on the run with his mom. He tells them how he had to lie, how
he’d planned to keep moving at the end of the year, how he’d been so close to running so
many times. How he’d never even understood his connection to the Moriyamas and the
mafia until the fall banquet. How he’d never meant for them to get caught up in everything.
How he’s not sure where he stands now that his Uncle Stuart and the Hatfords have entered
the picture.

He tells them point-blank how if his Uncle can’t find a way to appease the Moriyamas, then
they’ll kill him.

“What?” Matt blanches. “You can’t be serious, right?”

Neil shrugs. “I’m a loose end. A leak in their empire, if they believe I’m going to talk.”

“But you’re an omega,” Aaron pipes up hoarsely.

Andrew bristles but Neil accepts the crude reality without blinking. “Yes, but there are others
with… less complicated ties to the family. My designation would be a Hail Mary, at best.”

It would be a death sentence either way, Andrew thinks grimly. Outright execution or
indentured slavery? Neither was a viable option.

“When will you know?” Dan asks.

“Uncle Stuart is supposed to get in touch with me,” Neil shrugs.

“So all we can do is wait,” Allison summarizes.

Neil nods.

“Well…don’t worry, Neil,” Nicky responds in a falsely cheerful voice. “Andrew will protect
you.”

Kevin blanches, whipping his eyes towards Nicky as he remarks in a horrified tone, “We’re
not talking about Riko or the Ravens here, Nicky. This is the Moriyamas. The fucking
yakuza. They’re so much worse than Neil’s father – like a thousand times-”

“I know, I know,” Nicky cuts in, aggravated. “Just shut up, okay?”
“He’s right,” Aaron defends Kevin, his own tone snappish and cutting.

It renders the room silent for a few uncomfortable moments.

Then Wymack clears his throat and begins talking about how to break the news to the press,
which has Neil turning on Kevin in a flash. Andrew watches amusedly as Kevin blusters and
sweats under the pressure of whatever leverage Neil has on him until the team decides to call
it a day.

Andrew unlocks his car with a feeling of nostalgia – as if it’s been a lifetime since he last saw
the Maserati instead of only a couple days. While Nicky helps Neil gingerly take the front
seat, Andrew rips the dashboard lighter out of his console and flings it out the window,
uncaring where it lands in the parking lot. He turned his head back once Neil is seated and
has just a split second to watch the redhead close his eyes and sniff the car before he rubs his
head against the seat gently.

It takes him another second to get his fingers to start moving again. To turn on the car and
pretend as if he’s not shaken to the core by the fact that Neil missed this. That the omega
thought he was never going to see the Maserati again. That he purposefully tried to scent
himself with it now, pleased to be back somewhere familiar.

Through unspoken agreement once back at the dorms, the entire team lands in Matt and
Neil’s room. Matt and Kevin shove the couch out of the way, while the rest of the team
gathers up pillows and blankets, making a horrific mess of the living room floor with bodies
flopping exhaustedly down.

It’s going to be hell for him to sleep there but Andrew refuses to move from Neil’s side.

He watches Aaron and Kevin settle down next to him – Kevin pulling Aaron gently into the
safety of his arms, Aaron’s back lining up against Kevin’s chest – and feels jealousy burn
through him like a bright flare.

He should be able to hold Neil like that – at least in front of the Foxes. He should be able to
show that the omega is his. His to hold, his to protect. His to keep safe.

But he can’t. His lungs seize and his limbs grow stiff at even the thought of it.

And it angers him. It infuriates him.

But then he sees a bandaged hand waving slightly in front of his face.

Andrew blinks and turns his gaze towards Neil who has turned his back to the door and is
staring at Andrew. His eyes are fathomless in their understanding. He simply holds up a
hand and waits for Andrew to get it.

Ever so gently, Andrew cradles Neil’s hand in his own. Then he slowly brings it close to his
chest.

Because at least he can give Neil this.

He watches a small smile cross Neil’s face before he scooches closer. Then he simply closes
his eyes and drops into sleep.

And somehow, even with a room full of people in there with him, Andrew manages to follow
him.

Unsurprisingly, Andrew is the first to wake.

It takes him a moment to get his bearings before the events of last night come rushing back to
him. Then he slowly turns his head to stare at the sleeping face of Neil beside him.

Diluted rays of sunshine are peeking through the blinds someone had drawn last night, giving
the room a warm, hazy glow. One particularly cheeky beam highlights an unmarked area of
skin on Neil’s neck.

Andrew’s suddenly seized with the urge to lick and nibble at it.

Instead, he gets up and filches Matt’s room key from the drawer along with Neil’s spare pack
of cigarettes and a lighter. Then he slips out of the room and makes his way up to the
rooftop.

The sun is still making its way over the horizon, chasing away dark blues and violets and
replacing them with soft pinks and oranges. Like he’s walking a well-worn forest path,
Andrew makes his way over to the edge and sits, lighting up. He takes his first drag on the
cigarette, inhaling the smoke into his lungs, and feels the rush of nicotine hit his bloodstream
with a jolt. Then he shudders, releasing the smoke out into the cool morning air.

The fingers of his other hand run through his dirty hair slowly.

Fuck, he needs to talk to Bee.

There’s too much swimming around in his head right now. Things he knows he needs to deal
with. Things he knows that, with Bee’s help, he needs to talk about.

But there’s something about this frail, silent morning that makes him want to push it off for
just a little longer. To be there for Neil, to do…whatever he can to help the omega feel
better.

And at the same time, he knows there’s nothing. Nothing he can do to make it better.

He can’t make his wounds heal faster. He can’t stop the mafia from coming after him. He
can’t undo the torture and trauma his father and minions have put him through – again.

Useless. He’s utterly useless.

Being an alpha doesn’t mean shit if you can’t protect your own.

But he’s not one of yours, a voice whispers nastily in his head. Neil made sure of that.

Right, he muses, thinking back on Neil’s words on the bus. When Neil had asked him to let
him go.

Was the impending threat of his certain demise all that motivated him into separating himself
from Andrew? Or was there more to it?

Did the omega…not want this?

Andrew takes another long puff of his cigarette.

But then what was that in the motel room? When Wymack had threatened the FBI agents
with Andrew biting Neil in front of them, and Neil’s pupils had flared, and his breath had
caught?

Was it fear or desire that caused the reaction? Was Andrew only seeing what he wanted to
see?

He hisses when the cigarette singes his finger, the cigarette apparently having burnt down to
the filter without him noticing. He tosses the dead butt on the ground next to him and
smokes another before he starts to feel somewhat calm.

Then he stands up and makes his way back downstairs.

He slips back into the dorm room unnoticed, placing the borrowed items back in their places
with no one the wiser before he lays back down next to Neil. He leans back carefully onto
his side, watching the redhead for any sign of movement.

He’s just about smugly convinced himself that he’s a goddamn ninja when Neil’s eyes flash
open.

One look tells him that Neil knew he was gone the entire time.

Accepting the knowledge easily, Andrew reaches out slowly and cups Neil’s cheek. The
redhead’s eyes flutter closed as he leans fully into Andrew’s hand. Andrew strokes his skin
ever so lightly, listening to Neil sigh.

Then the omega relaxes again, slipping back asleep as Andrew watches over him.

It’s a few hours later when the others begin to show signs of life.
It’s like watching a chemical reaction – as soon as one starts moving, they wake another, and
so on and so forth until the entire team is shuffling around like zombies.

Breakfast plans are made that have all of them wandering off to their own dorms – including
Andrew. He goes directly into the bedroom, locking the door behind him as he swiftly gets
dressed, before rummaging around in the kitchen.

Nicky looks at him fuzzily before shaking his head and continuing towards the bathroom.
Aaron ignores them both completely, flopping back down on the couch and potentially falling
back asleep.

Once Andrew finds what he’s looking for, he leaves his dorm room and makes for Neil’s
again. He catches Kevin leaving it in a huff, holding the door open just long enough for
Andrew to slip back in.

Neil blinks at him while Matt continues making coffee, the strong aroma making Andrew’s
mouth water a little.

A split-second glance at the kitchen has his eyes latching onto the unopened bag of
medication Neil must have pulled out. He’s likely due for more pain meds but couldn’t open
the bottles with his fingers in that condition. And, being the stubborn ass he is, he probably
didn’t ask anyone to help him with it.

Andrew huffs internally to himself as he makes his way over to the couch. Like a wayward
duckling, Neil follows him.

He waits until the redhead is fully seated before he lifts the bottom edge of Neil’s hoodie.

Nothing but warm skin.

He does it again, in another spot, and nets the same result.

“I don’t have a shirt on under this,” Neil tells him.

It’s not the time or place for it, but Andrew stupidly feels a frisson of arousal race through
him at the barely indecent confession. He rolls his eyes at himself before shoving the feeling
to the side. Then he simply leans back against the couch to wait.

Neil has the audacity to hold his hand out for the tape and bags in Andrew’s hands. Like he
knows what Andrew’s going to do and is offering to do it himself. Like he can.

Andrew ignores him.

Once Matt finally gets out of there, turning the shower on in the bathroom, Andrew flicks a
hand at Neil’s hoodie. Neil’s face pinches as he tugs the hoodie over his head slowly. He
only manages to get it as far as his elbows when he has to take a breather. Instantly, Andrew
takes over, pulling it the rest of the way off so that Neil sits there, exposed in the middle of
the room.
With quick efficient movements, he whips open one of the garbage bags he brought before
sliding it up Neil’s left arm first. It’s only then that Neil’s eyes widen, realizing what Andrew
means to do with the supplies he brought.

He holds obediently still as Andrew tightly tapes the ends around his biceps, then holds out
his other arm for Andrew to do the same. Andrew adds another layer of tape to both arms
just to be doubly sure that no water will get into them.

Once satisfied, he moves on to Neil’s face.

Again, the omega holds perfectly still as he folds tiny scraps of plastic garbage bags and
tapes them over Neil’s bandages. He’s pretty sure he ends up with more tape on Neil’s face
than strictly necessary, but he’d rather give Neil the free wax job than end up soaking his
bandage and potentially hurting him.

He tilts Neil’s chin this way and that to look at his handiwork before tossing the scissors and
tape back on the coffee table. Then he tugs the blanket out from underneath them and drapes
it over Neil’s torso.

At first, he thinks this is sufficient coverage, but Neil’s inability to close the gap due to his
wrapped hands has Andrew scowling. He gently pushes Neil’s hands to the side before
holding the blanket closed for him.

Then they both sit there, waiting for Matt to finish.

For once, the alpha takes a hint, speeding out of the bathroom and dressing in no time flat.
“I’m going to see if Dan needs help rescheduling her flight,” he tells them on his way out,
which is the most blatant lie Andrew has ever heard in his life. “Come next door when
you’re ready.”

Just get the fuck out, Andrew snaps in his head.

“Okay,” Neil answers, like a normal person.

Matt heads out the door and Andrew immediately follows him, locking it behind Matt. Then
he turns back to find the blanket on the floor, and Neil nowhere in sight.

Andrew wanders over to the bathroom and finds Neil staring at the wet tub forlornly. He
gives a small, nearly indecipherable sigh before his head jerks towards the bathroom mirror,
spotting Andrew in it. He turns towards him, but Andrew doesn’t meet his gaze – his eyes
are focused on the lines of scars covering Neil’s torso. All of them, luckily, are old.

He lets out a small, relieved breath – it seems Nathan and his cronies didn’t have a chance to
do more damage before Neil’s uncle got there.

Unbidden, his hand sneaks its way up onto Neil’s chest, simply feeling the familiar bumps
and ridges.

Neil is there, standing right in front of him. It almost doesn’t seem real.
“Hey.”

Andrew looks up.

Neil’s eyes are hooded, and the scent of oranges and cloves begins to bloom around him. He
leans forward, towards Andrew, and Andrew feels his heart stutter to a stop.

Oh.

Oh, Neil does want this.

It doesn’t even occur to Andrew to resist when Neil slides his lips over his. He opens
immediately, sinking into Neil’s mouth, morning breath and all, as he revels again in the fact
that Neil is real. Neil is here, kissing him. He wants Andrew.

The thought is nearly polarizing.

But the flavor of desperation is on Neil’s tongue. His teeth are just a bit too sharp, the
pressure of his lips just a bit too heavy. Andrew can tell that he needs this – needs some kind
of anchor to life after his too-close brush with death.

And, if he’s being honest with himself, Andrew does too.

“You are a mess,” he whispers against Neil’s lips regardless.

Neil nips at Andrew’s bottom lip before he replies, “What else is new?”

Andrew growls and kisses him fiercely once more before he pulls back and gently moves
Neil out of the way. He turns the shower on and hears Neil rustling behind him. When the
water is finally warm, he turns to find Neil only halfway out of his pants, frustration clear on
his face.

There’s a striking moment of déjà vu for Andrew as he thinks back to the times he has helped
Neil undress and bathe during his heats. But right now, it feels different, the two of them not
driven by hormones but…by something different. Something more.

Andrew decides to stop thinking about it.

He walks over and efficiently strips Neil, keeping his hands clinical. Then he helps guide
him carefully into the tub.

Neil sighs heavily once under the water stream, and Andrew has a split second of
dissatisfaction, wishing he could give the omega the bubble bath he so enjoyed from before.
Maybe later they can think about it, when Neil can begin airing his wounds.

Then he shakes his head again before slipping his armbands and shoes off and following Neil
into the tub.

Neil gives a quiet murmur of surprise as Andrew lifts his hand up to run his fingers through
Neil’s hair – just a gentle drag of his nails against Neil’s scalp, separating the curls he finds
there. The redhead lifts his hands in return, presumably to cup Andrew’s face before
scowling down at the plastic bags blocking him.

Andrew snorts before he yanks the shower curtain closed and grabs the shampoo bottle.

Washing Neil’s hair feels like a religious experience. There’s something so relaxing and yet
fulfilling for Andrew to scrub his omega down, cleaning and caring for him until he begins to
hear Neil’s gentle purrs under his breath. They echo against the tiled walls, just loud enough
to be heard over the water, and it makes Andrew’s chest swell with pride.

He tries to clean Neil’s body with the same respectful detachment, but the task proves to be
too much for him. As soon as he begins sliding his hands over Neil’s body, his dick springs
to life.

As though they belong to someone else, his hands begin to drag and caress, making Neil arch
and release small, cut-off noises under his breath. And when Andrew sees Neil’s cock begin
to rise to the occasion, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t pleased with the reaction.

He helps rinse Neil off one more time before his lips swoop down and begin kissing along the
edge of Neil’s shoulder.

He hears Neil’s sharp intake of breath, and sees the way Neil’s nipples pucker, goosebumps
erupting over his skin. It makes him smirk as he traces kisses across Neil’s collarbone until
he reaches his neck. He drags his lips up the column of skin before he finally captures Neil’s
mouth once more.

The two of them kiss passionately for a couple moments, making Andrew’s head feel
lightheaded and dizzy. He pulls back to get some air, only to have Neil latch onto his own
neck.

He immediately gasps, a noise he isn’t proud of, before he clenches his teeth shut. He’s so
overwhelmed by the pleasure streaking through his body, he nearly grinds up against Neil to
feel it again.

“Your neck fetish is not attractive,” he grits out through his teeth, trying to save face.

“You like it. I like that you like it,” Neil responds, infuriatingly.

He bites down again to prove his point and Andrew hisses, exposing his neck further so that
Neil can repeat the action. Then he scowls as he feels Neil’s mouth smile against his skin.

He pushes him back against the wall before nipping Neil’s jaw in admonishment. “Yes or
no?” he growls.

“It’s always yes with you,” he hears Neil answer him.

“Except when it’s no,” Andrew insists.

He tries to kiss his way up to Neil’s neck, but Neil pulls back, guiding Andrew’s head back to
his mouth so he can kiss it gently. “If you have to keep asking because – I’ll answer it as
many times as you ask. But this is always going to be yes.”

Irritation lances through him. “Don’t always me,” he snaps at Neil.

“Don’t ask for the truth if you’re only going to dilute it,” Neil answers, his guileless blue eyes
seeing right through Andrew, into his very soul. He feels exposed, seen through, his layers
stripped down to their very core by that penetrating gaze.

So he at least slaps a hand over Neil’s mouth to stop the idiot from spouting off any more
nonsense as he sinks to his knees. He trails kisses down Neil’s chest and hips and thighs
before he simply zeroes in on Neil’s cock and swallows him whole.

“Drew!” Neil snaps, his head falling back and eyes nearly rolling up into his head as Andrew
sucks hard.

Neil’s plastic-covered hands grope at Andrew’s hair but fail to grip anything, so he throws
them back against the wall to slither and slide. From the way his thighs are shaking, there’s a
good chance that he might fall, so Andrew takes him in hand and pins his hip against the wall
to hold him steady.

Then he dips and plays, bringing Neil right to the edge with single-minded devotion.

It’s intoxicating being in this position here and now – when he knows this is all Neil, wanting
him, wanting this from Andrew. How he’s given his body over to Andrew completely. How
his every reaction is wholly and utterly his own.

It’s Neil unconditionally choosing him and Andrew’s head spins from the revelation.

“Alpha,” Neil whines before he puts a hand on Andrew’s shoulder, stopping him.

Andrew pulls back and looks up at Neil, a furrow appearing between his brows.

Neil slides down slowly to the floor, a controlled movement helped by Andrew once he
realizes the omega’s intent. “Alpha,” Neil whispers again, leaning forward to kiss Andrew
softly. “Together?” he asks.

Andrew looks down between them where Neil’s legs are splayed wide and his dick is still
hard, yearning for Andrew’s touch. Then he looks back up at Neil’s face which is open and
understanding – simply waiting for Andrew’s decision.

He told Andrew what he wants – and what he wants is…Andrew.

He wants them to cum together.

Andrew’s dick pulses in his jeans, aching at the thought. He clenches his jaw – can he do it?

Neil puts his hands around the back of Andrew’s head, slowly draws him forward, and kisses
him. Andrew lets him, recognizing the distraction for what it is – Neil giving him a moment
to think, to decide what he wants to do.
And after a moment or two of wavering, Andrew feels his own hand drift down over his
stomach to shakily undo his zipper. He kisses Neil harder – almost brutally, ferociously, as
he draws his own cock out of his underwear.

But Neil meets him, beat for beat, his eyes firmly shut and legs spreading wider to
accommodate Andrew as he moves closer. When his knees finally touch the wall, he lifts
Neil onto his thighs, bringing their groins finally close enough together to reach one another.

He wraps a hand around Neil’s dick and pumps twice, swallowing Neil’s moan. Then he
wraps a hand around his own dick, tugging at it and groaning before he goes back to Neil’s
again.

He flip-flops between them, going back and forth, drawing out the pleasure until finally,
finally, he takes his cock and lines it up with Neil’s, wrapping a hand around them both.

Neil gasps into Andrew’s mouth followed by a quiet whimper. The reaction has Andrew
reeling, shocked that simply the feel of Andrew against Neil has him acting this way.

Andrew gives them both an experimental tug that has Neil’s hips jerking. Neil kisses him
fiercely as a reward, clearly pleased by the movement. So Andrew does it again, his own
hips thrusting forward slightly this time. Then he begins stroking them together, a slow and
steady rhythm that he’s almost certain will break him, will shatter him to pieces if he dares to
let go of Neil.

So he holds on tighter, gluing Neil against him as he takes them higher and strokes faster.
Neil never relents in kissing him, lips moving over Andrew’s as he slips in words of praise to
Andrew like, “so good,” and “alpha” and “more.”

Finally, Andrew’s fist is nothing but a blur, Neil grinding against him as his breath begins
stuttering. “Cumming, Drew,” he whispers between them. “I’m cumming.”

Andrew merely grunts in return, watching as Neil’s head falls back as he cries out, cumming
all over Andrew’s hand, his shirt, and Neil’s stomach. His eyes are still closed though and
the vision of him blissed out and so vulnerable before Andrew is enough to drive him over
the edge. He cums hard, his own vision nearly whiting out as he feels Neil nuzzle and nibble
along his neck.

When the pleasure finally wanes, Andrew drops his head to Neil’s shoulder and simply
breathes.

Neil mirrors him, head against Andrew’s shoulder as he catches his own breath.

Then Andrew sits up and gently extricates Neil from his shoulder, setting him down slowly
on the floor as he leans back to rinse the cum off his hand. He hoists Neil to his feet after, the
omega smiling dazedly at him as he helps him out of the tub and gives him a towel. He
opens the door for the redhead who stumbles out of it before shutting it firmly behind him.

Then he strips off his own clothes and steps back under the spray.
The water is lukewarm now, but he doesn’t mind. He takes a quick and efficient shower,
washing what feels like days’ worth of filth off his skin. When he steps back out, though, he
frowns – apparently there is only one towel.

Sighing, he reaches for the door handle to see if there’s anything else to use in the dorm and
immediately notices the towel Neil must have left for him on the doorknob.

There’s a stupid little flip of a feeling in Andrew’s chest that he immediately squashes down,
taking the towel (which unfortunately smells like Matt) and scrubbing himself down quickly.

He throws the towel around his hips and wanders out to find Neil.

Unsurprisingly, the omega is leaning against his bed, still dripping wet, the plastic bags
rendering any attempt at drying himself nearly useless.

Andrew simply gives him a look which Neil shrugs at. Then he walks over and takes Neil’s
towel from him and begins scrubbing him down.

It’s not a chore by any means, though. There’s something ultimately soothing to Andrew to
be the one who takes care of Neil like this. Again, he feels a strange sort of pride that Neil
chose him – that he’s the one allowed to be here right now, helping him.

Once Neil is mostly dry, he helps him out of the plastic bags, before dragging on some of
Neil’s loosest clothes. It’s just cool enough that he can still wear long sleeves for now, but
this is South Carolina. Sooner or later, Neil is going to have to start wearing t-shirts, and his
arms will be exposed.

Andrew runs his fingers over Neil’s heavily bandaged forearms consideringly.

He might have an idea on how to help the omega with that.

Andrew stows the thought away in the back of his mind to ponder over as Neil turns away
from him. He comes back with a pile of his own clothes in his arms and shoves them at
Andrew.

Andrew blinks at them before he realizes – Neil wants him to wear his clothes.

He lifts an eyebrow at the omega, who blushes. Then Neil spins on his heel and abruptly
leaves the room.

A hint of amusement rises in Andrew’s chest as he pulls the clothes on slowly. Then he
wanders out into the kitchen to snag one of the three coffee mugs Neil has filled. He takes a
sip and scrunches his nose – the drink is far too bitter for his liking but it’s not like Neil
would know that. He can dump some creamer into it back at his room.

He looks up and Neil blurts out, “I don’t have my keys.”

So Andrew walks over to the drawer where Matt’s keys are and takes them out, handing them
over to Neil. Neil smiles at him gratefully, and Andrew yanks the bag of medicine from his
hands as well, unscrewing the caps and giving Neil the proper dosage (that he just happened
to skim over once).

Again, Neil gives him that stupid look, the one that makes Andrew feel like he’s melting and
irrationally angry all at the same time, so he fights the urge to push his face away and just
turns towards the door instead.

“Um, Andrew?”

He swivels back.

Neil is frowning at him. “Can I…is it okay if I…um…scent you?”

There’s a pink flush on his cheeks at the request and Andrew stares at it for a moment before
the question registers. Wait…Neil wants to scent him? Why?

The answer comes to him in a flash – he had to use Matt’s towel. So, although faint, he
probably smells like the other alpha a little. Which, apparently, Neil doesn’t like. Not when
he purposefully gave Andrew his own clothes to wear.

Who knew his omega would be so possessive?

He gives the other man a look, which makes Neil blush even further. Then he nods.

Immediately, Neil swoops forward and begins rubbing his cheek and face across Andrew’s
neck and face. Andrew closes his eyes and breathes in the heavy scent, nearly dazed by it
when Neil pulls back, a flushed and happy grin on him.

He sniffs the air once before biting his lip and nodding, clearly pleased.

Andrew fights against the twitch of a smile that threatens to cross his own face.

He tries again to head towards the door, but Neil stops him once more. “Our game is over
now, isn’t it?”

Andrew looks over his shoulder. “It’s still my turn.”

“But after that?” Neil asks forlornly. “I have no secrets left to trade.”

If the omega thinks that will be enough to deter Andrew, he has another thing coming.
“Come up with something else,” Andrew offers dismissively.

“What would you take?”

“What would you give me?”

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to,” Neil says softly.

The words are a callback to his own, he knows, and he gives Neil a look to show exactly
where he can shove them. But they also send a thrill through his body, pleasure and guilt
warring within him at how freely Neil offers himself to Andrew. As if they’re both equally
sunk into this, unable to get out now.

Andrew’s not even sure he wants to try.

He opens the door for Neil and watches him head down towards the girls’ room before
locking it behind him. Then he heads back to his own suite.

He beelines to the kitchen, heading straight towards the fridge and some sorely-needed
creamer for this coffee, but Nicky catches up to him anyway.

“Andrew Joseph Minyard! Do my eyes deceive me? Or are you wearing Neil’s threads?”

Andrew doesn’t bother looking Nicky’s way, but he does catch how Aaron suddenly whips
his head towards him.

Kevin sniffs the air before wrinkling his nose. “Yep. They’re definitely Neil’s.”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “As if anyone else owns anything that ratty and threadbare.”

Andrew flicks a cool glance at his twin before he dumps the creamer into his coffee cup and
takes an experimental sip.

There we go. Much better.

He begins draining the cup as Nicky continues. “Oh my god, I didn’t realize you guys were
at the point of wearing each other’s clothes! That is so darn cute! And holy shit, is your hair
wet? Meaning you took a shower over there?” Nicky squeals. “So are you guys mates
now? You gonna actually hold hands next? Or kiss in front of us? Or – oh my god – are you
going to bite him, Andrew? I mean it’s already an obvious yes from him. You can tell from
the way he looks at you that he totally wants it-”

Nicky’s sentence gets cut off mid-way by the blow to the stomach Andrew gives him. He
cowers away from Andrew’s growl and hissed command to, “Shut the fuck up. Now.”

“Okay! Okay, sheesh, sorry Andrew,” Nicky winces, rubbing his stomach. “I didn’t mean-”

Andrew growls again and Nicky shuts up.

He drains the coffee cup and puts it in the sink before going back over and throwing himself
down on the couch.

Aaron gives him another derisive look before he turns his attention back to the TV. Nicky’s
stupid comment nettles at Andrew, though, causing curiosity to bloom. So he turns his head
slightly to observe Aaron out of the corner of his eye and…yep.

Aaron doesn’t have a bite mark yet either.

He huffs when Aaron slowly raises his middle finger up towards Andrew from across the
couch without looking at him. Then he focuses back on whatever is playing on the screen.
 It isn’t too much later when the upperclassmen swing by to get them. Matt’s eyebrows fly up
as soon as he recognizes what Andrew is wearing, and Allison smirks at Dan who rolls her
eyes and forks a twenty over. Renee simply smiles at him, though, seemingly pleased.

Wisely, they’re all smart enough to keep their mouths shut, though.

Interestingly, he catches a heavy exchange of glances between Aaron and Neil, but he doesn’t
dwell on it. Whatever needs to happen between those two will happen eventually, one way or
another. And that’s for them to figure out.

So he simply swings his keys on his finger and stalks away from the group, heading down the
stairs towards the parking lot so they can get this show on the road.

After all, he’s hungry, damn it.

Chapter End Notes

Phew. Like I said....rrroooouuugggghhhhh chapter for everybody. But now that's over
with, and we can get back to some more fluff next time. 😉

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed!

 Catching Heat
Chapter Notes

Oh hey...remember when it took forever for me to update this fic because my work/life
balance came crashing down around me to culminate in all events happening next
month? Phew. Because IIIII dooooo. 😅😅😅

So sorry that it's taken so long for me to update, loveys! Things are going to be rather
slow from a writing perspective from me for a little bit - have to get past June & July
before I can prob dedicate time again. But if you can bear with me, enjoy some updates
in the interim!

T/W: mentions and allusions to sexual assault in multiple scenes (one more explicit than
others with Nicky/Andrew in the kitchen), very minor alluded-to sex scene, blatant
conversation about child abuse between Neil and Aaron, and multiple references to
panic attacks from different characters. (Just be careful as you're reading and feel free to
skip at any time to avoid any triggers).

It was a couple hours’ drive up to the cabin Allison booked for them.

Just enough time for Nicky to blather on excitedly like this was a real vacation they were
taking, even though Andrew knows both Nicky and Aaron have been on one before. With
the family, Andrew sneers internally – some kind of fucked-up Brady Bunch situation where
Tilda and Luther pretended the blood swimming between them meant anything.

Kevin, of course, had been on all-expenses-paid vacations before, living under the tight-fisted
control of the Moriyamas. But this was the first time Andrew had ever been to something
even remotely resembling a vacation.

He glances over at Neil’s quiet form staring out the window.

He bets this might be the first time Neil has ever been on one as well.

The car is silent minus Nicky’s excited chatter and Aaron’s obligatory responses. His twin’s
thigh is glued to Kevin’s as he cradles Kevin’s left hand in his lap, holding it gently to
prevent Kevin from messing with it.

Ever since Kevin entered the vehicle, he’s been silent and withdrawn. Whatever the hell
happened over at the Foxhole Court had obviously ripped the floor out from beneath his feet.
Andrew keeps getting whiffs of despair, anxiety, and disappointment emanating from the
beta. The sole person Kevin decides to acknowledge outside of Aaron is Neil, but only to
throw him murderous glares from the backseat. Neil, if he feels them, never responds.

No guilt from his omega, it would seem.

His omega. The words feel foreign inside his own head, while simultaneously feeling so
right that it shakes Andrew to his core. He hasn’t said them out loud, of course, but neither
has Neil. They linger there, though, tempting and cajoling Andrew as he tries to shove them
farther and farther down.

So, naturally, he told Bee about it.

She’d been waiting for his call, quiet and composed as usual. He figures she must have
already been given a heads up about the entire situation by either Wymack or Abby, but she
didn’t act like it. She let him choose what he wanted to tell her, didn’t guide him or push him
one way or the other. Her only request boiled down to him calling her every day this week.

You’ve just had a traumatic episode, she reminded him, as if he didn’t already know. Things
will likely feel unsteady. Sharp. Rough. Jagged.

Neil needs me, he’d responded.

And you need him, she’d answered without pause.

I don’t need anyone.

Do not let the pieces of what was, destroy what could be, Andrew. You both deserve better
than that.

It was a short conversation and yet already he feels raw, scraped out from inside. It prevents
him from reaching over and grabbing Neil’s hand over the gear shift and interlocking their
fingers together like he so desperately craves. Yet he can’t stop himself from watching Neil’s
bandaged fingers twitch and linger there like he’s waiting just in case Andrew decides to.

The upperclassmen beat them to the cabin due to their pit stop for alcohol. It saves Andrew
the trouble of being the responsible one, letting someone else handle the minute details of
checking in, dispersing keys, and the like. Instead, he just wrinkles his nose at the mixture of
smells the vacation home presents as he heads downstairs to the only available bedroom.

Nicky had immediately voted for him and Neil to take it, cooing and being obnoxious about
it. Andrew doesn’t bother addressing the accusations, though he does take note of the
sidelong look Neil gives him, as if waiting to see if he’ll say anything about it. But since
Andrew decides to ignore his cousin, Neil keeps his mouth shut.

They get to drinking quick enough, with Nicky dispersing alcohol to the others while Andrew
works on Renee’s virgin Mojito. He makes enough for her to have a couple to enjoy before
he slides two tumblers onto the counter and pours a couple of fingers' worth of whiskey in
each. Then he pushes one towards a wide-eyed Neil who’s been sitting there, silently
watching him.

“I don’t drink,” Neil reminds him.

“You don’t drink because you are afraid of losing control,” Andrew replies. “What do you
have to hide now?”

The simple question seems to stun Neil for a second. Then, he lifts the glass.

Mockingly, Andrew salutes him with his own before they both toss their drinks back.
Andrew watches Neil out of the corner of his eye, strange looks washing over the younger
man’s face as his eyes become glassy and distant. Disparate smells tinge Andrew’s nostrils.
Scents that don’t belong together are tumbling out of Neil – confusion, agony, despair, relief,
and wonder all tangled up in a messy knot.

It makes Andrew’s brow furrow, and he plucks the empty glass from Neil’s lax fingers before
he can somehow hurt himself with it.

He refills both their glasses before joining Neil outside for a quick smoke break. They ignore
Nicky and the upperclassmen’s cries of delight to find Neil indulging for once before Andrew
goes back in for another round. Like a shadow, Neil follows him.

So does Nicky, hopping out of the hot tub to join them inside. Andrew tunes out his cousin’s
mindless chatter towards Neil as he refills their drinks, before getting another alcohol-free
one for Renee. The upperclassmen wander in slowly through the sliding glass door behind
him, clearly going up to get changed for dinner.

And here’s the thing about trauma – it sneaks up without warning. And when it does, it’s a
bitch.

One second, he’s perfectly relaxed, knowing where he is and who is in the kitchen with him –
not a single one of them a threat. And the next, Nicky puts his hand innocently on Andrew’s
shoulder and his world falls apart.

It shouldn’t bother him. It’s not usually one of his trigger spots – and Nicky had just touched
him there earlier that day with no problem. But now that hand suddenly feels like a weight
on his shoulder, shooting a memory of being forced to his knees and his jaw pried wide open
by thick fingers to the forefront of his mind. Like an unwanted trailer before the start of a
movie.

He cringes back from the touch, an odd mixture of a growl and a whine escaping his throat.
His scent plummets and the world fades in front of him so that he can’t see, can barely hear
what’s going on around him. The body next to him is too close, too close. It’s a threat.

Go away, go away, go away.

And then, suddenly, it’s gone.

He sucks in a large breath as a new scent fills his nostrils. Something he instinctively knows
means comfort and safety. Something he knows he can trust.

Slowly, the roaring rush of blood in his ears begins to dim and he tunes back in just in time to
hear Neil snarl, “-I said stay the fuck back.”

“Neil, we were just-” comes Boyd’s voice.

“I don’t give a shit.”

“Look, Josten, the monster’s the one waving knives around the kitchen like a lunatic against
his own cousin-” cuts in Allison’s waspish tone.

“-who should know better than to approach Andrew from behind by now,” Neil growls,
interrupting her.

“I’m sorry, Neil! I’m sorry, I just-”

“The one you should be apologizing to is Andrew, not me,” the angry redhead snaps. “But
for now, just stay away from him, got it? Everyone just stay the hell back.”

He’s so tense that Andrew can practically see his metaphorical fur standing on end. He has
his back to Andrew, shielding him from the others – who all happen to be alphas or betas.

Fucking idiot.

“Andrew?” Neil asks him cautiously. He keeps his hands wide and in sight, not drawing any
closer. Just watching and waiting for what Andrew will do next.

He hates him for it.

Hates how understanding he is. Hates how he just gets it, without Andrew having to say
anything.

So he simply clenches his jaw before jerking his head to the side. Neil steps back, allowing
him to brush past him without touching as he heads out the sliding glass door to the deck.

And is stupidly grateful that no one follows him.

It’s hours later when he finally comes down from the roof of the cabin. He feels calm,
collected, and much more in control than when he’d left. Another call with Bee had helped,
where she reminded him again that such lapses were likely to occur and not to feel ashamed
or defeated by them. But even still, it takes Andrew a while to scrub that feeling of
helplessness from his skin.
Night had fallen in his self-imposed absence, the sounds of the team wandering off to get
dinner and returning echoing below. Not long after, he watches the chimney begin to smoke,
telling him someone has enough brains to whip up a fire.

Still, he waits, somehow unable to force himself to be with the rest of the group right now.
Not when he still feels so vulnerable.

It’s only once the raucous and chatter finally begins to die down that Andrew makes his
move. He slips inside just as the team is splitting up to head off to bed.

“Minyard!” Allison snaps, voice slurring. “There you are!”

Andrew casts a bored glance her way, somehow knowing he’s the one she’s addressing.

She wags her finger at him. “This cabin isn’t soundproof. Do not keep me up, understand?
That goes for you two, too!” She snaps, pointing accusingly at Dan and Matt. The couple
drunkenly snickers even as Dan tries to keep a straight face. “No fucking where I can hear
it! It isn’t fair to those of us who aren’t getting any.”

He expects something stupid to come out of his cousin’s mouth, but surprisingly, it’s his twin
who brazenly replies, “No promises.”

Then he entwines his fingers with Kevin, pulling the blushing beta down the hall as Allison
sputters indignantly at them.

Shaking his head, Andrew heads downstairs to the promise of quiet waiting below. The
moment he steps into their room, however, he realizes something’s off.

The scent of desperation and fear permeates the air like a thick fog. His head snaps around,
trying to locate the source of it but all he sees is Neil’s still body, lying sideways on the bed in
his pajamas, away from Andrew. He’s completely motionless – practically a corpse resting
there.

It makes Andrew want to go over and shove his fingers against the pulse in Neil’s neck to
ensure he’s still breathing.

Instead, he deliberately moves towards the other side of the room, slowly grabbing his own
pajamas and heading towards the bathroom door.

Neil doesn’t say anything as he snicks the lock.

Andrew whips through his nightly bedtime routine, his own pulse jackhammering beneath his
skin even as his movements remain calm and even. When he walks back out into the dim
room, Neil still hasn’t moved, and the awful stench hasn’t dissipated.

Andrew pulls back the covers on his side of the bed and silently gets in. Then he waits.

It’s less than thirty seconds before he hears Neil’s voice whisper, “Andrew?”
His tone is rough and raw – like Neil’s been screaming himself hoarse for hours even though
Andrew knows he’d barely spoken that night, his voice never reaching Andrew on the roof
above. Emotions can do that to you, though – screw your body over against your will.

Andrew would know.

Another wave of fear assaults his senses and Andrew’s body tenses with the heavy smell
that’s emanating from the omega. It makes no sense to him – until suddenly it does. In an
instant, he understands what’s coming, knows even before the trepidatious words leave Neil’s
mouth.

“Will you…” Neil swallows. “Will you bite me, Drew?”

“No,” he snarls back immediately.

“Oh,” the redhead responds before he chokes out, “I…okay.”

Andrew curses mentally. “Neil-”

“I’m - I’m sorry,” Neil blurts out, his voice growing tighter and tighter with every word.

“For what?”

It takes Neil a second or two to respond. When he does it’s barely above a whisper. “For
being so weak.”

Now Andrew’s pissed.

He growls before throwing the covers back and shifting up onto his knees. Then he pushes
Neil’s shoulder back so that the redhead is lying flat on the bed, looking up at Andrew with
wide eyes. It’s a punch to Andrew’s gut to see the wetness there, not yet spilled but hovering,
oh so close.

“You are not weak,” he snaps at him.

Neil’s eyes drift to the side. “I’m an omega,” he says dully, as if that explains anything.

Andrew catches hold of his chin and turns his face back so that Neil is forced to look at him.
“An omega who was willing to take on two alphas and a beta mere hours ago.”

Neil rolls his eyes. “They’re foxes.”

“An omega who’s managed to put up with and survive all of Riko’s bullshit for almost a year
now.”

Neil huffs but remains silent.

“An omega who, at the cost of his own life, wasted his last chance at escaping a serial killer
on someone else.”
“It was not a waste,” Neil snaps, fire dancing in his eyes for just a moment.

“Neither is my time,” Andrew growls in return. “You know I have neither the patience nor
the inclination to bother with someone who’s weak.”

Neil clenches his jaw and turns his gaze away again.

“Look at me, Josten,” Andrew snaps, using his full alpha voice.

Neil squeezes his eyes shut before he reluctantly obeys, turning back towards Andrew.

“I will not bite you tonight because the only reason you are asking is because you are
exhausted and injured and scared,” Andrew tells him. “Tonight, you are a rabbit who needs
to hide and lick his wounds. Tomorrow you will be a fox again.”

“So you only want the fox, not the rabbit,” Neil poses.

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” Andrew growls.

“It does to me,” Neil snaps in return. He sighs, dragging a bandaged hand over his face. “I
don’t want to die, Andrew.”

“Then don’t.”

“I want to stay,” Neil continues shakily. “With you – and the Foxes. With Wymack, and
Abby. I want to play Exy and continue studying at PSU. I want to be Neil from now on.”

“Then be him. Stay.”

“They could take it all away from me in a heartbeat,” Neil chokes. “All I’ve ever done is
run. I’ve never…I don’t know how to do this.”

“You’ll learn,” Andrew tells him, his tone bracing but not harsh. He jerks his head,
motioning toward upstairs. “They will teach you.”

Neil blinks, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Will you?”

Andrew clenches his jaw and remains silent.

Neil huffs, his smile self-deprecating as he aims it at Andrew. “Don’t worry, I get it.”

Andrew tilts his head.

“I mean…I know I’m not…that I don’t look like…before. I look…” he waves bandaged
fingers towards his injured face haphazardly. “I’m all fucked up now, so I get that you don’t
want others to know about…that we’re not…and besides we never…” He trails off before
sighing. “Whatever. You get what I mean. We can just keep it the way it’s been. Nothing.
A secret. So no one has to know that you’re with – that we’re-”
He cuts himself off again, frustrated, and all Andrew can do is sit there and blink as Neil’s
words hit him with the blunt force of a two-ton truck.

The omega has the fucking gall to think Andrew won’t bite him now because he has some
damn scars on his face?

Oh, fuck no.

“You are not fucked up,” Andrew spits out, his words mangled because of the accompanying
growl he mixes into the statement. “And if I ever hear you say those words again, I will
make you eat them, understand?”

Neil’s eyes widen comically. “But I – you don’t want me.”

“I never said that.”

“You said you want nothing.”

“And what do you want, Neil?”

“Anything you’ll give me,” Neil replies instantly.

Andrew snarls his frustration but then Neil continues.

“I want to stay by your side. I want to hear your voice. I want to play with Exy with you. I
want to drink hot cocoa with you and watch stupid movies, and share a blanket with you
while we do. I want a future where you’re in it – where we’re in it together. Someday, I
want to be called yours while I call you-”

He immediately cuts himself off, looking ashamed for letting himself get carried away – for
nearly voicing the thought aloud. But even though he doesn’t speak it, the concept is still
powerful enough to stun Andrew into silence.

See, he’d been so worried about his possessiveness of Neil – afraid of the way his omega sat
so right on his tongue. How it took up valuable brain space, imagining having Neil as his to
keep, his to protect, his to cherish. It had made him feel fucked up, selfish, and creepy. He
was so against the idea of somehow “owning” Neil that he’d never even considered the
thought of Neil wanting to call Andrew his as well.

Oh, there’d been allusions there, sure, but he’d chalked them all up to hormones and heat of
the moment. Something that could easily fizzle and fade away. Something that could slip
through his fingers in a single moment.

But now – now he gets it.

Neil wants to call him his alpha. And it’s shattering his entire universe, breaking it down
literally atom by atom, because there’s never been a world that Andrew’s imagined where
someone has wanted him in return.

Hell, there’s never been a moment where he could imagine someone wanting him at all.
And yet…

He looks down at his own personal pipedream lying beneath him. The man’s breaths shallow
and his eyes wide, all of him open and splayed and so, so vulnerable. Just waiting for
Andrew to crush him to pieces and yet still willing to take the risk.

His beautiful, brave, and annoyingly oblivious omega.

His.

But still, Andrew has to be sure. Because while Neil thinks he so desperately wants this right
now, Andrew can’t tell how much of this is driven by his fear. If he will regret his choice
come morning.

So he settles on a compromise.

Andrew takes a deep breath before he tells Neil, “Biting is not the only way to be claimed,
omega. It is simply the most permanent.”

Neil sharply sucks in a breath at the unspoken suggestion. “I…how?”

“Shall I show you?”

“Yes,” Neil says instantly, and Andrew is pleased to finally smell that scent of fear and
desperation waning, being replaced by desire.

Andrew slides his hand over Neil’s chest, feeling his heartbeat speed up beneath the skin. He
revels in it for a couple of seconds before he leans down, hovering over Neil’s lips as he
whispers into them, “I’m going to show everyone you’re mine, Josten.”

And he swallows Neil’s whimper as he crushes his lips beneath him, savagely and ruthlessly
robbing the omega of both his breath and (hopefully) his thoughts as Andrew single-
mindedly takes him apart. He licks into the younger man’s mouth, sucking on his tongue and
nibbling on his lips until Neil is moaning quietly beneath him.

He draws back, nuzzling at Neil’s chin until his head falls back, exposing his neck.

Then Andrew sets to work.

He paints Neil’s skin a myriad of colors, bruises blooming gently to the surface as he sucks
hickey after hickey into his neck. Large enough and high enough that there’s no chance of
Neil covering them up. They’ll be a blaring signal to anyone with half a brain that Neil is
taken – both claimed and satisfied by someone.

By Andrew, specifically.

And though they’ll be hidden, he also leaves a trail of hickeys on Neil’s collarbone, his
hipbone, and his inner thighs. No one else will see them – but Neil will know. He’ll stare at
them in awe, that wide-eyed and wondrous look on his face that makes Andrew’s stomach do
flips as the omega traces over the marks gently with his fingertips.
But that’s for later.

Right now, Andrew focuses on swallowing Neil down, drawing his pleasure out so that he
can’t think, so that he can finally relax and settle under Andrew’s capable hands.

And he does. He gives himself willingly over to Andrew, spending himself and falling asleep
shortly after wrapped up in Andrew’s arms, marked by Andrew’s mouth, with Andrew’s
scent practically embedded into his skin. There’s a dopey hint of a smile on his relaxed face
that Andrew can’t help but mentally trace, burning the image into his brain.

Then he finally drops off to sleep himself, a content and satisfied feeling filling him to the
brim.

“Neil! Are those – did you and – oh my god!” Nicky screeches as soon as he sees Neil at
breakfast.

Neil flushes slightly but doesn’t say anything, letting the hickeys speak for themselves.
(Although Andrew’s pretty sure the omega chose to wear the lowest cut shirt he brought this
morning).

“Dude,” Matt shakes his head, still yawning. “Oh, man. The early days – am I right?”

Neil furrows his brow at him while Dan grins. “Adorable.”

Neither of them explains further so Neil decides to let it go, a soft hand tracing up his neck
and a dopey smile crossing his face once more. It makes something burn furiously in the
bottom of Andrew’s stomach, so he whips away to get himself another cup of coffee.

“Hey!” someone shouts. “I thought I explicitly told you guys no fucking!”

Andrew turns towards Allison as she makes it down the stairs. “No. You said not to be
loud.” He cocks his head slightly. “So I made sure his mouth was busy.”

He watches Matt choke on his drink out of the corner of his eye while Dan starts cracking up
silently. Neil blushes bright red this time but still doesn’t speak up, damning himself in his
silence.

Allison sputters and stares at them, seemingly lost for words before she apparently gives up
and goes to grab a mug, grumbling the entire way.

In a weird moment of camaraderie, Matt lifts his coffee mug towards Andrew.

Even stranger is how Andrew decides to respond, clinking their glasses together before the
two of them take a sip. It makes Neil break into a smile again, something light and shining in
his eyes that Andrew doesn’t want to think about.
Luckily, he’s distracted by the dual appearance of his twin and self-imposed charge.

And…well, won’t this be interesting.

A hint of amusement rises unbidden in his chest as he cuts a glance towards Neil, waiting for
his reaction. The younger man is still tired this morning, staring into his cup, and barely
responding to those around him.

It’s obvious Aaron must be tired too because he takes a seat on the stool right next to Neil
without saying a word. But the looks on their faces are identical.

Utter satisfaction.

They both seem to notice each other at the same time. They look up, meeting each other’s
gazes and both pairs of eyes comically widen.

Because their happy expressions aren’t the only thing that’s identical.

Hickeys and little teeth marks cover Aaron’s neck as well, the omega obviously either
allowing Kevin or encouraging him to feast on him last night. Probably for the same
possessive reasons Neil asked.

Neither of them says a word but they both crinkle their noses, making noises of disgust as
they whip their heads away from each other. A second later, they’re lightheartedly kicking
and pushing at each other like two irritated two-year-olds who missed their nap.

Andrew rolls his eyes before he looks over at Kevin, lifting a brow.

Kevin, catching Andrew’s gaze, clears his throat and flushes before strangely straightening
his spine.

Interesting.

Andrew decides to wander out onto the deck to have his morning cigarette, waiting to see if
Kevin will take the bait.

Unsurprisingly, he does.

“You’re really gonna make me do this, aren’t you?” the striker muses as he walks up to him,
sliding the glass door closed.

Andrew says nothing.

Kevin takes a deep breath. “Okay, here goes – Andrew, he’s a young, impressionable omega
who has been through a lot of shit in his life, okay? He doesn’t need…whatever is going on
between you two…if you’re not going to take this seriously.”

Andrew takes a long drag of his cigarette before meeting Kevin’s eye as he blows smoke his
way. “Who says it isn’t serious?”
“Andrew,” Kevin says disbelievingly, “none of us can tell what the fuck you’re talking about
half the time. And that’s when the two of you actually decide to talk to each other – the rest
of the time there’s just these weird silences where I swear you’re both doing some kind of
psychic, mind-melding shit.”

Possible, Andrew muses silently to himself. “Maybe I just like pissing him off.”

Kevin furrows his brow. “Well then, you’re doing a terrible job of it. Because I’m pretty
sure he’s halfway in love with you already.”

The line throws Andrew for a hard loop. He narrows his eyes at Kevin. “Wait – are you
trying to shovel talk me about Neil?”

“Of course I am!” Kevin says indignantly. “Who did you think I was talking about?”

Andrew glares at him.

“Exactly how am I supposed to shovel talk you about Aaron, Andrew? It’s you who should
be doing that to me! Although feel free not to,” Kevin adds quickly. “You’re already
terrifying enough as it is. Plus, I swear I only agreed to mark him here because those bruises
will heal before the end of the week and Riko won’t be able to see them.”

Right. Because if done right so that they don’t hurt, the bruises will be light enough that the
omegas will heal fast from them. Meaning by the time Neil is back on campus, all of
Andrew’s hard work will be completely undone.

The thought makes him frown.

“But he was just so insistent last night, freaked out over – well, anyway I just wanted to make
him feel better,” Kevin mumbles into his coffee cup.

Andrew’s head snaps up. “Freaked out over what?”

Kevin winces. “I-”

Andrew gives him a low growl, a lone warning.

Kevin sighs. “He’s just a little scared about what’s going to happen to his future now that he
has…what happened…hanging over his head.” He purses his lips before continuing even
quieter, “We all know they won’t allow you to become a doctor if you have a criminal
record.”

“It was self-defense,” Andrew replies instantly.

Kevin gives him a strange look. “No,” he says slowly. “It was in the defense of another
but…there’s little evidence of that. There’s no footage in the locker rooms due to privacy
laws, and since…well, there’s not much to go on other than hearsay in general, it’ll be a hard
case to win.”
Andrew feels his stomach twist with what Kevin isn’t saying. Because what he means is
because Andrew refused to do the rape kit at the hospital, then Aaron will have a tougher
time convincing a jury that he was defending Andrew. That he had to kill Drake in order to
stop him from committing a horrendous crime.

His hand tightens on his cigarette as the consequences of his actions become clear.

“He doesn’t blame you, Andrew,” Kevin says quietly. “Not once has he even mentioned it.
He’s still just upset, I think, that he didn’t see the signs. That he didn’t know what was
happening before you joined him and Nicky.” He shrugs lightly. “Now he does.”

It’s not just Aaron, of course. That means Nicky knows now too – and Kevin, from the
sounds of it. Probably the rest of the team has also figured it out, has realized how weak he
is. Maybe even Neil is second-guessing whether having an alpha who’s been sodomized
repeatedly against his will is really –

“Andrew, stop.”

Andrew whips his head towards Kevin.

Kevin looks at him evenly. “Just breathe.”

And it’s only then Andrew realizes how hard his heart is pounding, and that he’s taking
shorter and shorter breaths. He fights against himself, trying to suck air deep into his chest
and calm himself down.

In the interim, Kevin takes the opportunity to continue talking.

“No one thinks differently of you, Andrew.” He gives him a small half-smile. “You’re still
one scary-as-shit asshole. It’s just…” he lifts a hand awkwardly to scratch at the back of his
head. “…we get it now, you know? At least a little bit. That’s all. Nothing more.”

When Andrew doesn’t say anything, Kevin adds, “And I don’t think it matters to Neil, truly.
He still wants you, regardless.”

Andrew clenches his jaw, his eyes unwillingly meeting Kevin’s again because despite his best
intentions, he still desperately wants those words to be true.

“I mean it, Andrew,” Kevin says softly.

“Shut up,” Andrew tells him in return, jerking his head away. It would be difficult for
anyone else to tell, but Kevin has known him long enough to realize this means thank you.

“Of course, it’s also obvious to anyone who isn’t blind how much you want him in retu-”

“You know I can make a man bleed out in twenty seconds, right, Day?” Andrew interrupts
him.

Kevin immediately shuts up.

“It’s all about finding the right artery and hitting it perfectly…” Andrew continues. He slips
one knife out from his armband and twirls it in his hand before sliding his thumb right along
the edge. The blade catches the sunlight just right, reflecting a small beam so that it hits the
tattoo on Kevin’s face perfectly. “…don’t motivate me, got it?” He pauses before adding,
“For either of them.”

Kevin pales and swallows hard, his head nodding rapidly.

With one smooth motion, Andrew re-sheathes the knife before slowly reaching up to pat
Kevin’s cheek hard. “Good boy.”

Then he walks back inside.

Annoyingly, it’s Neil who wakes up first when Renee taps on their door late the next night.

Neil had retired to bed early, after stubbornly participating in all the ridiculous outdoor
shenanigans the Foxes decided to partake in. Unsurprisingly, they’d wiped him out, his
injuries still healing, and the small amount of alcohol Andrew had plied him with finished the
job. Andrew had followed him shortly after and only stirred when he felt Neil’s hand clutch
onto his forearm under the pillow.

Andrew instantly awoke, looking over at Neil’s confused and befuddled face before
remembering that Neil once told him he’d slept with a gun under his pillow while on the run
with his mother. Now he’s reaching for it, groping for a weapon that isn’t there.

Because there’s a threat. Someone is at their door.

Andrew rolls over, unsheathing one of his knives as he creeps over and silently props the
door open. A second later, he swings it wide, sheathing the knife once more.

“I’m sorry,” Renee tells him. “I need to borrow your car. I will bring it back before we
check out.”

Her tone, while calm, is terse and no-nonsense. Something has obviously happened.

“Light,” Andrew calls out.

Neil understands him instantly, reaching for the bedside lamp and making several attempts
before the light finally switches on. Both of them hiss at the burn in their eyes before
Andrew makes his way over to his bag and searches for his keys.

“Renee?” he hears Neil inquire, an obvious question in his tone.

“Kengo is dead,” Renee answers.

Neil’s scent drops immediately, anxiety and shock whipping through the room like a blast of
cold water. “Jean?”

“Riko hurt him,” Renee says. “I am going to get him.”

Ah, now it all makes sense.

Andrew knew Renee had kept in touch with Jean, waiting exactly for this moment. While he
holds no love for the omega himself, seeing as he was one of the abusers who hurt Neil (gun
held to his head or not), he can appreciate the man’s one act of kindness in getting Neil out of
the nest before Riko’s drugs could take effect.

“They won’t let you into Evermore,” Neil tells her, his tone obviously trying to convey what
a stupid idea this is.

Renee smiles back at him, a cold and chilling thing. “Yes, they will.”

Andrew believes her.

He presses the key into the beta’s waiting palm. Renee nods her gratitude before turning
away and walking out of the room. Andrew follows her upstairs.

“I will be back in one day’s time,” she tells him as she heads out the front door.

“Yes, you will,” Andrew tells her unsympathetically, both a warning about his car and a
threat that he will come get her if need be. He taps his arm before adding, “Do not kill
yourself for him.”

Renee flashes him a cheeky grin. “There will be no need. I have a plan.”

He expected nothing less. You don’t walk into the devil’s territory without some kind of
bargaining chip in mind. “Leverage?”

“Exactly,” Renee’s eyes turn ruthless.

Andrew nods because there’s nothing further to say. He watches her get in the car and take
off. Then he walks back into the cabin and locks the front door behind him.

Neil is waiting for him when he returns to the bedroom and closes the door behind him. He
says nothing but Andrew can tell the omega is a wiry bundle of nerves. There is nothing he
can do about this, though, so he doesn’t offer any words of comfort.

He simply slips back into the bed and hovers close. Neil watches him.

Sighing, Andrew raises one arm.

A strangled kind of noise exits Neil’s throat as he surges forward with the permission,
burying his face in Andrew’s neck as he draws comfort from his scent. Andrew, for his part,
slowly strokes the omega’s back and neck. Long, soothing motions meant to help Neil relax.
It takes a very long time, but it does work eventually. Neil’s heartbeat calms down but
neither of them gets much sleep that night. And when morning comes, they get to watch
Kevin freak out, much like Neil did.

Except louder.

He sprints out of the kitchen with Aaron on his heels to have a panic attack in his bedroom.
Andrew instantly begins pouring coffee for the rest of the team and spikes it with the bottle of
Bailey’s he brought.

No one complains. And they all nervously wait for Renee’s return.

Unsurprisingly, Andrew spends the next day watching over Kevin.

To be fair, Aaron joins him in this feat, the brothers playing a tedious sort of “tag-you’re-it”
game as they do their best to take care of the anxiety-ridden beta.

Now Andrew heaves out a sigh as he steps out of Kevin and Aaron’s bedroom, the exhausted
beta finally taking a nap and giving him an unexpected break. He immediately looks for Neil
only to find the omega conspicuously absent.

Ignoring the nervous thrum in the pit of his stomach, Andrew steps out onto the deck and
immediately freezes at the sound of voices.

“Okay, okay…uh…wound that bled the most?”

“Eh…probably the gunshot? Mom couldn’t…I mean, we ruined like…like eight motel
towels if I, if I remember – hiccup! – ah, right.” Neil’s tone is hazy and high, like he’s
grinning. “The cleaning staff was so pissed.”

Aaron snorts. “I’d be – be pissed too. Do you know how…how hard it is to clean up
blood?”

Neil giggles. “What do you think?”

Then the two of them start laughing.

Slowly, Andrew peeks over the edge of the deck to find both Neil and Aaron sprawled on the
grass a short distance away, heads next to one another but bodies lying opposite as they stare
up at the sky. Beer cans litter the ground around them, making Andrew wonder how exactly
this impromptu day-drinking session came to be.

Was it because both of the omegas felt safe for once? Or because everything else has gone so
absolutely to shit that they both figure it can’t get any worse?
“One time, my mom – she, she got so pissed because she broke my nose and I bled all over
the new carpet,” Aaron giggles.

“Ooh! One time my mom got so mad because I got blood all over the rental car seat,” Neil
chimes in before snorting. "Told the sales guy it was a bottle of marinara, and he bought it."

“Another gunshot wound?” Aaron asks.

“Nah, this one was just a scraped knee.”

Aaron’s quiet for a moment following Neil's answer, then he confesses, “One time my mom
put a Batman band-aid on my knee after I fell at the playground. She kissed it and told me I
was so brave.” He tilts his head. "I think I was four."

Neil digests this response, as if weighing the answer before he replies, “My mom let me sit in
her lap once while we listened to some free outdoor concert in the park. She hummed along
in my ear while they played.” He swallows before admitting, “She had a really nice voice.”

Aaron sighs. “That’s the hard part, right? Because it wasn’t always bad.”

“No, not always,” Neil whispers.

The two of them are silent for a moment. Then Aaron flops his hand back so that it hits Neil
square in the nose and says, “Hit me, Josten!”

Neil snorts before he sits up and snatches another beer from the cooler they have near them.
As he fights with the tab, Aaron sighs and says, “You’re really fucking my brother, aren’t
you?”

Neil stills. “Uh-”

“Ugh, don’t answer that. It’s obvious. I mean, kinda weird that you went straight from the
whole ‘I-don’t-date’ high horse to suddenly tearing up the sheets with my brother, of all
people. One would almost think you chose him because you knew he’d been targeted before
and would be easy prey.”

If Neil was still before, now he’s frozen solid. Color flushes high in his cheeks as he glares at
Aaron with a look that would melt paint. Even Andrew sucks in a breath at the low blow.

But before he can march his way down there and knock some sense into his twin, Aaron
continues, “But I know better. Jesus fuck, the million questions you asked on that damn
forum, how conscious you are of his space, the way you look at him, and the way you-” he
grits his teeth then continues, in a strangled sort of tone, “-the way you put his life before
your own to stop Drake from getting to him. If you hadn’t – if I hadn’t got there in time -”

He shakes his head, unable to even put into words the unimaginable scene he’d nearly
witnessed. “Don’t hurt him,” is what he finally ends up whispering.

“I would never,” Neil answers solemnly. Then he wrinkles his nose. “Not that he would let
me, though.”
Aaron snorts, squinting over at him. “Right. Pretty sure Andrew would let you do anything
if you asked him to.”

“Me?” Neil gawks. “No way, he thinks I’m an idiot.” He sighs, then goes back to fighting
with the tab again, the thick bandages on his fingers and his inebriation making the task
nearly impossible. “I’m just – we’re not-” He clenches his jaw before finishing, “It’s not like
I matter anyway.”

At this, Aaron frowns, sitting up. “You don’t think he’d fight for you?”

“No,” Neil says without hesitation. “Of course not.” He shrugs, trying to dig at the beer can
tab with his teeth now as he adds, “Why should he? I’m nothing.”

“You’re utterly useless is what you are,” Aaron snaps. “Give me that!”

He snatches the can away from Neil, opens it with a satisfying pop, then takes a long swig
before handing it back to Neil. Neil shrugs before taking a sip as well.

Then they both lay back down on the grass and look up at the blue sky again.

“You’re wrong, you know,” Aaron tells him.

Neil shakes his head. “I’m really not.”

“You’re not nothing,” Aaron insists. “Not to us and not to him either. I can tell.”

Neil doesn’t answer for a bit before he whispers, “Thank you.”

Aaron shrugs and grunts.

Both of them fall silent again before Aaron suddenly offers, “We finally reached car accident
injuries in my trauma class.”

“Really?” Neil smirks, taking another sip of beer before passing it back over to Aaron. “Like
actual gore this time or-”

“Oh, it’s disgusting,” Aaron says with relish before launching into a nauseatingly descriptive
scene of a guy who’d been launched through his back window.

Shaking his head, Andrew quietly retreats into the house and leaves the drunkards be.

Jean is not thrilled to see them.

Understatement, Andrew thinks as he watches the omega thrash about on the bed at Abby’s
house. He’s hurling obscenities at Kevin and Neil in French from the way Kevin is flinching,
although Neil seems unfazed. The backliner hisses and growls and is completely
overdramatic about the whole thing if you ask Andrew.

It’s clear he’s been beaten to shit, though. Bruises coat every inch of his skin, his one eye
swollen shut, and his nose and arm clearly broken. He smells like the emergency wing of a
hospital, coated in so much blood and antiseptic that Andrew can barely breathe in the small
room. Then there’s the omega’s own scent of pain and distress – of panic and discomfort that
has Andrew fighting to remain still against the wall. He’s an alpha, after all, and an omega in
this state instinctively calls to him to comfort.

He has a feeling this gesture would go highly unappreciated, though. Especially since
Andrew can smell what else happened to the omega before Renee got him out. Can
recognize the flinches of pain when he turns a certain way. Is intimately familiar with the
way he jerks back when anyone in the room moves too fast, or gets too close.

It makes Andrew want to tear Riko’s throat out with his bare hands – and he doesn’t even like
Jean.

The only person Jean seems to react fractionally better with is Aaron. The no-nonsense
omega comes into the room and immediately orders them all to back off, including Kevin.
He can see the way Jean relaxes just a little with another omega in the room (well, an omega
not intimately familiar with knives and the mob, that is).

Eventually, he kicks them all out because he can see how their presence isn’t helping Jean,
and Andrew is all too happy to go.

Kevin, on the other hand, is a mess.

“Look at what they did to him,” he hisses as soon as they’re out of earshot. “Kengo’s dead,
the Nest is under university investigation, and they’ll have figured out that Neil went to the
FBI by now. At this rate, we’ll be lucky if they decide to simply murder us all in our sleep!”

“Knock it off,” Neil tells him brusquely. “Or you’re as good as dead already. And I’m not
willing to roll over just yet.”

“But there’s no point!”

“Have you forgotten about my uncle?”

“Your uncle who is negotiating for you,” Kevin spits at him. “You may have someone
fighting your battles, Neil, but Jean and I are on our own. We are nothing but misplaced
assets at the moment, in extremely dangerous territory. There is nothing stopping them from
taking back what is theirs – or getting rid of it if they so choose.”

Neil’s jaw clenches but he remains silent, Kevin apparently having struck a nerve. It
somewhat pisses Andrew off because it completely overlooks himself as a factor in their deal,
but even he isn’t stupid enough to think he can fight off the entire sphere of influence the
Moriyamas have.
Kevin’s right and they both know it.

So he should have known Neil would do something stupid in return.

Unfortunately, he has no clue, though, ignorantly going back to his classes for a few days
after spring break only to have Neil suddenly text him out of the blue to meet them at
Abby’s.

Andrew doesn’t bother replying but waits by the car until he sees Neil show up with a white-
faced Kevin, grimly dragging him along as they determinedly head towards the house.

Andrew lifts an eyebrow at them when they arrive, but Neil just shakes his head before
jerking it towards the house, a blatant inside motion. Andrew follows them.

They bypass Abby and Aaron quickly enough before Neil is shoving Kevin down onto the
bed and roughly waking Jean up. When the two of them are coherent and paying attention,
Neil rips the band-aid off quickly.

Ichirou came. He has decided to spare their lives, considering them an investment instead.
They are all assets of the Moriyamas now, tithing 80% of their earnings to him should they
go professional for the rest of their lives. If they do not make the cut, Ichirou will kill them.

Both Kevin and Jean’s reactions are entirely appropriate in Andrew’s estimation. They’ve
been given a lifelong sentence with no hope of escape. A cry rips from Jean’s throat that is
so guttural even Andrew’s stomach twists upon hearing it. Kevin looks shell-shocked. He
belatedly pats a comforting hand on Jean’s shoulder, staring into nothing as the omega rocks
and cries, utterly defeated.

It’s enough to have Aaron barging into the room, looking around wildly to try and find the
source of the problem, but becoming ultimately frustrated as the rest of them when he sees
there is no blood or injury.

There is nothing to be solved here. Nothing that can be done.

Appropriately, though, his twin glares at Neil, somehow surmising even without knowing that
he caused this.

It prompts Andrew to stare at the omega as well because Neil’s reaction is completely
different from the others. Yes, there is resignation and exhaustion there, a weariness so bone-
deep that it makes Andrew want to scoop him up and put him to bed for three days straight.
But underneath it all is a strange sense of exhilaration and relief.

It confuses the hell out of Andrew.

Then Neil meets his gaze and there’s a flash of guilt and regret.

And now Andrew is pissed off.

He thrusts himself away from the wall and heads out into the hallway. Unsurprisingly, Neil
follows him.
He means to keep walking down the hall (and quite possibly out of the house) but he stops at
the slight tug on his sleeve. Instinctively, he turns towards the omega.

“How does it feel to sell yourself out?” he whips out. And it’s only then that he realizes how
angry he is. How utterly frustrated and upset and tired that he could do nothing. That, at the
end of the day, this was the only way out Neil could think of.

Because he knows now that’s what Neil did. He didn’t just try and save his skin – he
sacrificed his own life in order to save Kevin and Jean as well. He took the only bargaining
chip he had and used it to give all three of them a shot instead of getting out while he still
could.

A fucking martyr to the bitter end.

“Worth every penny,” Neil tells him. “Let him have however much he wants. I don’t need
the money.”

Andrew would like to pettily argue that Neil very much fucking does from the state of his
wardrobe, but he manages to keep his mouth shut as Neil keeps going.

“All I need is what he gave me: a promise that I have a future. I have permission – no, orders
– to live my life how I want to. I’m going to graduate from Palmetto State in four more years
and play Exy until they force me to retire. Maybe I’ll even die of old age.”

The redhead stares triumphantly at Andrew, and rage rolls over him like a boiling pot because
Neil doesn’t even know how fucked up he sounds.

Neil is grateful that he’s been given a chance to live. Like he hasn’t earned that right by
simply breathing. He’s happy because he might have a shot of dying of old age now instead
of being taken out with a sniper’s bullet at any moment.

It’s enough to make Andrew sick.

And of course, the junkie is more than satisfied because, on top of it all, he’s been given
permission to do the one thing in the world he loves more than anything – Exy.

“You sound more like them every day,” Andrew snaps, unable to even begin to put into
words the turmoil he’s feeling. Distantly he hears a phone ringing in the background, and it
practically could be coming from a third dimension it feels so out of place from the reality of
where he is in this moment.

“You’re going to have to come up with something of your own to hold onto,” Neil answers
him, ignoring the jibe. “I’m safe, Kevin doesn’t need your protection anymore, Nicky’s
going back to Erik eventually, and Aaron’s got Kevin. What are you going to live for if
you’re not playing sheepdog for us?”

The molten knife cuts so cleanly through the woven steel bands Andrew forged on all his
deals that he doesn’t even realize he’s still pathetically hanging onto their severed tendrils
until that moment.
In one fell swoop, Neil not only bought his freedom but broke all of Andrew’s ties as well.

“Aaron has the trial,” he spits out, grasping desperately at straws.

Neil makes a pained face before taking a steadying breath. “About that-”

The door to the bedroom whips open behind them and Aaron comes stumbling out of it, his
phone clutched tightly in his hand. “Th-they’ve canceled it.”

Andrew stares blankly at him.

“The-the trial,” Aaron sputters. “I – they – an officer just called to tell me they’re dropping
all charges and declaring it self-defense.” He looks up sternly at Andrew. “He told me how
they’d found evidence that Drake had been stalking you for months. That he had an entire
plan drafted up on how he was going to – to claim you – after the game in Baltimore and how
if – if everything went south, then he was going to…kill you both.”

Aaron swallows hard before he snaps at Andrew, “Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?
Jesus Christ – you were being stalked by that asshole? When did you realize it? For how
long? What the hell, Andrew? I mean, they say this guy was completely obsessed with you.
Like they found an entire goddamn shrine with creepy pictures of you and everything. Just…
fuck.”

Beside him, Neil clenches his jaw, his eyes cast down to the floor.

Right. The police just so happened to find an entire trail of evidence linking Drake’s attack
on him. One that probably went back months. One that had a nice, clean internet footprint
with a typed-up confession and everything. An open and shut case, all wrapped up with a
pretty bow.

Andrew takes in Aaron’s jubilant face, the stark relief and hope for a bright future ahead of
him written all over it. Not a shadow of doubt crosses his disposition, the omega standing
taller than Andrew has seen all week. Aaron believes the lie, obvious as it is, because he
wants to.

So Andrew simply shrugs, choosing to say nothing as his twin snorts at him.

“Okay, well, next time fucking tell someone that you’re being stalked, okay asshole? Ugh,”
Aaron shakes his head, although there’s still the glimmer of a half-smile on his face that he
can’t seem to get rid of. “I’m going to go find Abby and see if I can’t get these two
something to drink.”

He stalks off down the stairs, a light bounce to his step, and Andrew finally turns to look at
Neil.

Neil, whose shoulders are hunched, his eyes firmly glued to the floorboards.

“Another price paid?” Andrew says coolly, eyes never leaving Neil’s face. “And what did
this cost you?”
Neil closes his own painfully before he slowly lifts his head up to meet Andrew’s gaze. “To
kneel before him.”

At first, this answer confuses Andrew. Although deferential and ego-bruising, it’s not exactly
the kind of payment Andrew would expect the high-ranking alpha to –

And suddenly, it comes to him.

He surges forward, his body instinctively moving before his mind can catch up, thrusting his
fingers into Neil’s hair and jerking his head forward towards his shoulder, exposing the back
of his neck – only to find it bare.

A wave of relief floods through him, nearly making him choke.

“He said he doesn’t care who fucks me,” Neil says smally, into Andrew’s shoulder. “As long
as I remember who my true alpha is, and what pack I belong to.”

Then he slowly brings his hand up and draws the collar of his shirt down, exposing the back
of his shoulder that doesn’t have the scarring from the iron. That was previously untouched.

Now, there is a letter ‘M’ clearly drawn into the skin. Slowly and deeply, with the jagged and
deliberate signature of an Alpha’s claw.

“I am the butcher’s son,” Neil tells him dully. “And if Ichirou calls me, then I will come.”

In all reality, it has nothing to do with Andrew. Not a single decision Neil has made has
affected Andrew personally. So why it feels like his chest is being torn in two right now
rocks Andrew to his very core.

Again. Neil has been injured, marked, hurt again and there was nothing Andrew could do
about it.

He knows life isn’t fair – it hasn’t been to him, and it’s certainly been a bitch to Neil as well.
He never imagined they’d get out of this scot-free – well, okay, maybe that was a lie. He’d
simply never merged the two realities in his mind. There was the truth, on one hand, one
where he realized that his deal of protection with Kevin would likely end in his death. Where
Neil would try to run again and die soon after. The bleak but probable reality where the two
of them would never meet again in their lifetimes, both victims of an early grave.

But then there was this bubble, this stupid little hazy present where Andrew got to pretend
like he could have Neil. Where he could kiss and care for and protect his fiery omega.
Where he could enjoy his company and this whatever they had between them for as long as
possible.

But you can have it now, a small voice says darkly inside of him. It comes with strings
attached, but when has that ever stopped you?

“I – I know you probably don’t-” Neil starts into the prolonged silence. “That I’m…damaged
goods now. In more ways than one. Th-that no alpha would…want to touch an omega who’s
been…claimed by another but…” He hisses in a breath, voice trembling. “…if there’s any
chance at all, then I just want you to know it’s still a yes from me.”

Andrew blinks.

Neil still wants him to bite him. After everything, Neil is still holding out hope that, just
maybe, Andrew would still have him.

He thinks back to how Neil first asked him to bite him at the cabin. He wonders if Neil
somehow knew then that this could happen but didn’t tell Andrew. How he’d simply asked,
willing to let Andrew make the choice. Knowing that there was a high probability that later
on, he wouldn’t have the option.

He also wonders what Ichirou would have done if Neil already had a mark. If he would have
been nearly so “generous.”

“Choose us,” Neil continues when Andrew remains silent. “Kevin’s going to retake his spot
on Court before he graduates. He thinks I can make the cut with enough practice and time.
Come with us. Let’s all play in the Olympics together one day. We’d be unstoppable.”

“That’s your obsession, not mine,” Andrew answers, the words coming to him like a well-
rehearsed script. A scene in a play. A made-up character whose problems were a world
away from his own.

“Borrow it until you have something of your own.”

Andrew starts to step back but Neil clutches onto his sleeve. “Isn’t any of this fun? Having a
place, having a team, a different city every week and cigarettes and drinks in-between?” He
finally raises his head, so that Andrew can drown in the shockingly blue waters of his eyes as
he honestly confesses, “I don’t want this to end.”

The truth burns through him, searing his lungs because it’s too much. All of it is too much.

“Everything ends,” he snaps in return.

He has to go – has to leave, because the weight of Neil’s words, of the decisions he’s made
for all of them, are crushing Andrew.

So he slams the package he holds in his hand, the one he barely remembers getting out of the
front seat of his car before walking into this hellish nightmare, into Neil’s chest before he
whips around and simply leaves.

The next week goes much as Andrew expects.

Kevin has a breakdown – one that cannot be satisfied until he is on the court, in the only
place he has ever felt safe. And for once (to Neil’s sheer delight, he can tell) Andrew joins
him. They duke it out, teeth gnashing, growls snarling, and voices snapping at each other.
But he doesn’t stop Kevin from shooting on the goal until they’re both completely winded
and exhaustion settles into Andrew’s limbs like a weighted blanket.

It’s the first time Andrew feels it – that tiny shot of exhilaration he swears Kevin and Neil are
both addicted to. He doesn’t tell them, of course, but he dutifully follows Kevin onto the
court every night thereafter, listening to his instructions and insight with begrudging (and
silent) respect.

Neil, on the other hand, fights his own battle with the press. He addresses them clearly and
unflinchingly, snarling at them to back off when they become intrusive, but answering as
forthright and as honest as he can where possible.

He watches their team fight off the Bearcats once more from the bench, his mouth drawn and
silent but his knee bouncing endlessly. And through it all, he wears the armbands Andrew
gave him.

Their victory is hard-won that night, not that Andrew really cares about the outcome. The
only mildly amusing moment occurs when Aaron and Kevin announce their relationship to
the public. Aaron simply thrusts his helmet into Nicky’s hands before jumping into Kevin’s
waiting arms, kissing him in front of the entire world. The rest of the team sputters and
gasps, cheers and whistles while Andrew rolls his eyes.

He ignores the plans the team makes to celebrate, some joined effort with the cheerleaders to
get enough booze, showering just in time to watch Kevin have a panic attack by the sink.
Because apparently, the beta had decided that simultaneously telling the world that he was
bisexual, never been skiing, and that Wymack was his father was the smart thing to do.

The scene in front of him doesn't look like it, but Andrew actually thinks Kevin is handling
all this rather well.

“We’re all going to die,” Kevin gasps out loud, his limbs shuddering.

“No, we’re not,” Neil tells him.

Aaron stands by the sink, watching Kevin. When the beta lifts his gaze to meet Aaron’s,
Aaron silently holds his hands up to cup Kevin’s face. The move interests Kevin somehow,
and Andrew watches as he slowly slides one of Aaron’s hands up to fully cover the tattoo on
his cheek in the mirror. An odd sort of tremor runs through him, followed by another at the
light stroke of Aaron’s thumb over the skin.

He leans down until his forehead touches Aaron’s, the two of them closing their eyes for the
briefest moment. Then he straightens, a new kind of determination in his eye as he turns
towards Neil and Andrew. “We have a lot of work to do.”

“Tomorrow,” Andrew says before Neil can say anything. He’s had enough of goddamn Exy
tonight.
After Wymack gives them their after-game pep talk – which, surprise, surprise, now they’re
in the semi-finals and bound to be crushed by USC – Andrew drives them all back to the
dorms. In the spirit of team solidarity, he stays for all of 2.5 seconds when the vixens show
up, before grabbing a handle of vodka and escaping to his dorm room.

It feels like he’s barely dropped into one of the beanbag chairs with his ill-begotten gains
before his long-term gamble walks through the door – holding the lynchpin to Andrew’s
destruction.

A pipedream with a key.

Neil’s face is a mixed bag of wonder and trepidation. He takes a few steps into his new home
and stops, looking around for a moment, seemingly taking in the space.

Andrew tries to tell himself that the decision was based on pure logic. That Nicky is loud
and obnoxious and always pisses him off with his cheery attitude in the mornings, so sending
him over to live with Matt would be a welcome relief. And that of course Kevin and Aaron
will want to room together now, being the gross, disgustingly into-each-other, public couple
they’ve become.

But neither of these choices explains why Neil suddenly has a key to their room. Why
Andrew explicitly told Nicky to give him that key. Why Andrew would give up the golden
opportunity to have a single room, all to himself.

And the look Neil gives him tells him he knows it.

“Last I knew you hated me,” the striker cocks his head, staring at Andrew.

“Everything about you,” Andrew quips in return. He takes another swig of vodka, straight
from the bottle, before Neil gently tugs it away from him.

“I’m not as stupid as you think I am,” Neil tells him, his eyes serious.

“And I’m not as smart as I thought I was,” Andrew admits. “I know better than to do this
again. Perhaps it’s the self-destructive streak in me?” he muses aloud, more for his benefit
than Neil’s.

There’s a quick, fleeting series of emotions that cross Neil’s face before Andrew distinctly
picks up on the way Neil’s scent slowly grows stronger. “I am not a pipe dream,” the redhead
starts cautiously. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I didn’t ask you,” Andrew snarls.

“Ask me then,” the idiot of course rebukes. “Or stick around long enough to figure it out for
yourself.”

“I’ll get bored of you eventually.”

It’s an obvious bluff on his part but Neil’s eyes cloud a little. He starts to draw back but
Andrew quickly captures Neil’s shirt collar in his hand and yanks at him until he falls over
Andrew.

Neil’s eyes widen and he quickly maneuvers himself above Andrew so that they’re not
touching, his hand planted next to Andrew’s head so that he can stay close but not smother
him.

It’s this tiny consideration, done instinctively and not for the first time, that finally unlocks
the words trapped on Andrew’s tongue. “Listen carefully, omega, to what I’m about to tell
you,” he says slowly. “You do not belong to me.”

Neil swallows hard and his eyes begin drifting off to the side, so Andrew captures his chin
and draws his face back to him.

“You do not belong to me because you are not an object or piece of property to be owned.
Just because someone ‘claims’ you as theirs doesn’t mean shit to me. It is your choice and
your decision on whether you accept that ownership. And even if you do, I could give a shit
about some stupid title. If an arrogant, backward alpha overlord wants to feel better about
himself by demanding fealty, let him have it.” He cocks his head. “I am the one who will be
by your side.”

“Always,” Neil breathes. “If…if you want it.”

“Then I will stay.”

“Okay,” Neil whispers.

“And so will you.”

Neil’s eyes shine. “Okay.”

Andrew snorts, beginning to push Neil off him when the omega blurts out, “S-so does this
mean I can be…yours? And…you can be…mine?”

Andrew stops and looks at him. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” Neil says immediately.

Andrew pauses. “Then you can have it,” he answers quietly.

Neil’s breath catches, but he doesn’t move. He looks hungrily down at Andrew as the smell
of oranges and cloves starts to become heady. “Is that a yes?”

Andrew sighs as if completely put out by this mess of a human being above him when they
both know the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. “Yes, rabbit. It’s a yes.”

Immediately, Neil swoops down and captures Andrew’s mouth, a feverish dance of tongues
and heat and moans erupting between them that sets Andrew’s head ablaze. He reaches for
Neil’s hand, the one still anchored by his head, and lightly grabs onto his wrist, pulling it
down until it sits on his chest. He tenses beneath the sudden touch, but he knows it’s what
Neil deserves for a moment like this.
And yet Neil, like the goddamn pipedream he is, doesn’t move his hand. He doesn’t
withdraw it, thereby completely rejecting Andrew, but he doesn’t move it from that spot. It’s
a silent gesture to prove to Andrew a respect for his body and his choices that he’s never had.

It’s enough to make Andrew tremble, especially when Neil follows up this action with a
promise. “I won’t be like them,” he tells Andrew, pulling back just far enough to whisper the
words against his lips. “I won’t let you let me be.”

“One hundred and one,” he says, feeling like the stupid organ in his chest is three seconds
away from shattering. “Going on one hundred and two.”

Neil smirks back at him. “You’re a terrible liar,” he informs Andrew, as if he didn’t already
know, so Andrew decides the only option he has left is to shut him up.

By kissing him. Obviously.

Andrew doesn’t know why he’s out here, standing next to Kevin as he goes on and on with
the sunshine boy himself, Jeremy Knox.

The two haven’t shut up since the moment they saw one another, catching up like two old
biddies who ran into each other outside the supermarket. Like the rest of them aren’t
standing here, waiting to play a game.

You know – sometime in this century maybe.

Finally, though, Kevin seems to get to the point. “I have a backliner for you. Do you have
room on next year’s line-up?”

Jeremy’s head tilts and his brow furrows. He obviously wasn’t expecting the question.

His face grows even more concerned as Kevin gives a short explanation of the situation.

“I put together some of his stats for your review,” he transitions after a bit, letting Jeremy
soak in the unbelievable story. “As well as summarizations of his strengths and weaknesses
from the last couple games in my-”

The striker stops as if just now realizing his bag isn’t beside him. He frowns before turning
towards the Foxes’ bench and whistling sharply.

Neil stops and stares back at him for a moment before rolling his eyes. Then he starts
jogging out on the court towards them.

Andrew bristles. “Did you just call him like a dog?”

“And yet he came,” Kevin smirks back at Andrew.

Andrew scowls.

Before he can wipe that smirk off Day’s face, though, Neil reaches them. “What?” he asks
Kevin shortly.

“I need you to get my bag,” Kevin orders him.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Jeremy interjects, raising an eyebrow at Kevin slowly. “I’m sure
that’s what Kevin meant.”

Kevin flushes slightly under the gentle chastisement. “If you don’t mind,” he mutters under
his breath.

Neil rolls his eyes again and huffs. “Could have told me that before I came over here.”

He glances once at Andrew, just a single moment of connection that Andrews feels all the
way down to his toes before Neil turns around and begins jogging back towards the bench.

“Ah,” Jeremy says out loud.

Both Andrew and Kevin turn towards him.

“Sorry,” Jeremy says sheepishly. “But uh…I get it now.”

The two Foxes exchange a look before they go back to staring at the Trojan.

“Oh! Right, sorry, but um…I can smell them on you,” Jeremy explains. “Both of you.”

He lifts a finger to his nose and Andrew suddenly remembers how Jeremy is renowned for
having a legendary sniffer – one that is eerily spot-on, revealing way more about a person
than just their usual signature scent.

“Kevin’s is more obvious – especially after that grand declaration from last game,” Jeremy
grins. “But also because his is…fresh, shall we say?” He turns and winks at Kevin. “Smells
like someone was worried about you coming out here.”

Kevin blushes and Andrew snorts. Even he could tell how strongly Aaron had scented Kevin
before they came out onto the court, a possessive move that had made Andrew roll his eyes.

Jeremy turns back to Andrew. “Yours is a little older – last night maybe? – but…um, more…
potent.”

His cheeks grow a little pink as Andrew stares at him, neither confirming nor denying
anything. But underneath his façade, he’s a little shook. Because he and Neil had been
almost frantic last night, their hands and mouths connecting again and again as they took
each other apart, desperation and desire slathered over their skin in equally passionate hues.

But how the fuck could sunshine boy know that?

Jeremy laughs nervously before he adds, “It made me a bit curious who’d caught your eye
until Josten jogged up, covered in your scent.” He grins. “Happy for you, man.”

Andrew glares at him.

The conversation ends, thank fuck, when Neil dutifully returns with Kevin’s bag in tow. He
holds it out to him.

“Well?” Kevin asks.

“Well, what?”

“Open it.”

“What? No, you open it.”

“How can I open it if you’re the one holding it?”

“Well, you could start by taking the damn thing already!”

Andrew sighs as the two of them continue bickering back and forth.

“Ugh, who was your bitch last year?” Neil finally gripes before he begins fighting with the
zipper.

Kevin goes to open his mouth and Andrew narrows his eyes, snapping, “Don’t you fucking
dare.”

If the beta even thinks about saying his brother’s name, he’ll –

But Kevin’s eyes bug out for a second before he lifts his head haughtily and sniffs. “I would
never.”

Damn straight he won’t.

Andrew still glares at him anyway.

After fumbling for a few more seconds, Neil finally rips the bag’s zipper open. And until that
exact moment, it was easy to forget that Jeremy is an alpha.

Knox has that kind of harmless vibe to him like Boyd does. Both of them so easygoing and
laid back that you could easily mistake them for betas.

But the second Neil opens that bag, Jeremy’s pupils suddenly flare, eyes growing red. His
gaze locks onto the bag with a sudden, feverish intensity. “Who is that?” he snaps.

Oh. Interesting.

Both Kevin and Neil blink. “Who is what?” Neil asks dumbly.

Jeremy jerks his head at the bag. “Whose scent is that?”

Kevin frowns before looking down at his bag a moment. “Uh…mine? Oh! Unless…” he
digs through the bag before pulling out a shirt that was stuffed at the bottom. “Um…I think
Jean borrowed this? He was…well, he was being an ass when he did it but, uh, basically
he-”

“He’s injured,” Jeremy interrupts Kevin, uncharacteristically cutting him off. “Bad. Who did
this to him?”

Neil’s face closes off as Kevin sighs. “Who do you think?” he finally says softly.

Andrew watches as the dots connect for Jeremy. After that, it takes him another moment, but
then he shakes his head, eyes blinking as he tries to snap out of it. A flicker or two later and
the red is gone, followed up by a sheepish smile from the cheerful alpha. “Sorry guys. I…
that, um…was weird. It doesn’t really happen…I mean I never usually…” he shakes his
head again, cutting himself off. “Never mind. Just…my bad.”

He gives Kevin a reassuring smile and says, “We’ll be in touch.”

And Andrew watches Kevin give him one of his rare, real smiles back, relief instilled in his
features. Then they finally get this show on the road, Jeremy handing over their starting
lineup for the actual game tonight and cheerfully throwing everything into chaos.

“That was weird,” Neil comments as they walk away a short time later.

“Weird? Weird – are you kidding me? They’re basically throwing the game away! This is
sectional suicide, there’s no way they’ll be able to-”

“I meant how he reacted to Jean’s scent,” Neil interrupts Kevin’s tirade with a sigh.

“Oh.” Kevin shrugs. “Jeremy’s just worried about a potential new teammate, that’s all.”

Andrew snorts.

“What?” Kevin snaps at him.

Andrew muses for a moment before deciding. “$20 bucks says he gives you something to
take back home to Jean after the game.”

Neil frowns in confusion but Kevin’s eyes nearly fall out of his head at the implication.
“That’s not – he would never – he didn’t mean-”

“Take it or leave it, Day.”

Kevin wars with himself for a moment before finally nodding. “Done,” he says confidently.

And when Jeremy finds them after the game (after a goddamn exhausting, well-fought
victory that Andrew is still shocked they got away with), his gift in hand, Kevin glares at
Andrew the entire time.
“Just a little welcome basket in case Jean would like to join us,” Jeremy tells them with a shy
smile on his face. “Uh, you know, the usual…just some merch and other incentives to help
him decide to call USC home.”

Right. “Other incentives.” Like the red and gold sweatshirt stuffed inside the basket – the
one slathered in Jeremy’s scent.

Andrew can’t help his smirk as he lifts an eyebrow and holds his hands out, forcing Jeremy to
look him in the eye as he hands the package over. Jeremy flushes as he does so, recognizing
how Andrew cuts through his bullshit like a butter knife.

Next to him, Neil grins.

Once the sunshine captain is gone, Kevin forks a twenty out of his wallet and slaps it down
into Andrew’s waiting palm. “I hate you,” he snaps.

Andrew shrugs as he tucks it into his own. “Get in line,” he quips as Kevin stalks away from
them.

He turns to find Neil watching him, a soft look on his face. “I don’t,” the redhead says
quietly. He waits for Andrew’s nod before he slowly cups Andrew’s face in his hands,
fingers sliding back gently through his blonde waves. “I could never hate you.”

“Never say never,” Andrew warns.

“Never,” Neil says stubbornly, kissing the corner of Andrew’s eye. “Never,” he repeats again
as he kisses the edge of Andrew’s jaw. “Never,” he whispers once more as he gently kisses
Andrew’s lips, a sweet, slow slide that has his knees feeling weak.

“You’re the worst, Josten,” Andrew tells him in an embarrassingly breathy and wobbly tone
once the redhead pulls back.

Neil grins at him. “I know.”

Andrew pulls him forward again to wipe that smug grin off his face when they both jump at
the sound of a horn beeping behind them.

“I’d like to leave sometime today, assholes,” Wymack stares at them from the driver's seat,
completely put out. “Rhemann’s got a steak waiting with my name on it, so get your asses on
this bus and go make out on your own time.”

Andrew scowls at him, immediately flipping him the bird, but Neil just laughs and captures
Andrew’s hand with his own, pulling him towards the bus. “Yes, coach.”

“Damn heathens,” Wymack grumbles as they pass by him, Andrew giving his seat a solid
kick for good measure.

Then he pulls out of the parking lot and blatantly ignores the fleeting glimpse in his rearview
mirror of Andrew pulling Neil down onto him in the very last seat at the back of the bus.
 Turning Up the Heat
Chapter Notes

No, YOUR chapter is 21k, okay???

Oh, hey lovies. I know this has been a long time coming but I PROMISE you that even
though it doesn't seem like it, I've been using every spare second I have to get this guy
written up and edited. Hope it was worth the wait! And yes, you're correct, this is the
second-to-last chapter. We're finally getting close to the end, folks 😉 - what a wild ride.

T/W: Lots of canon-typical warnings in this chapter folks. There's some explicitness
happening between Andreil back in the dorms - skip after Aaron enters the bedroom and
jump back in at the break to miss entirely. There's also an explicit character death, and
blunt conversation around that, along with panic attacks. You should know when it's
coming...but let's just say Ichirou's scene deals with a lot of it, so you might be able to
skim through to avoid.

Happy reading!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

While Kevin has to hit the floor in order to avoid the vase Jean hurls at him, Neil simply
steps to the side. It shatters against the wall where he was standing a second ago, a single
glass shard somehow finding its way across an exposed patch of skin on his cheek. It leaves
a shallow cut that oozes blood slowly. It’s irritating but not something he’s focused on while
Jean is hurling obscenities in French at them.

“You pompous, condescending, monkey-brained asshole!” Jean snarls at Kevin. “You

absolute imbecile!”

“I told you, we can trust Jeremy,” Kevin implores him for what must be the fifth time. “He
understands.”

“He understands nothing,” Jean shouts. “He was not there! He does not know!”

“But he empathizes,” Kevin insists. “He gets what we’ve gone through.”

“Oh, so now it’s we?” Jean hisses. “Now, when it suits you, you’re a Raven once more?”

Kevin winces. “Jean-”

“No, I will not hear it. You do not know what it was like after you left. You do not what he
was like after you left!”

“No, I know,” Kevin says softly. “But-”

“Perhaps I do not want the Trojans,” Jean cuts him off, clearly uninterested in pursuing that
subject further.

“And who else would you choose?” Kevin asks him shortly.

Neil snorts, adding, “Who else would have you?”

“I’m the number one backliner in the league,” Jean hisses at him now in English.

“And you’ve got the black mark of the Moriyamas on your back,” Neil shoots back. “The
only team the Moriyamas can’t touch because they’re too clean is the Trojans.” He tilts his
head. “So take their charity and goodwill and run with it.”

Jean snarls at him but doesn’t refute the statement.

“Jeremy…he’ll take care of you,” Kevin softly tries again.

“Care?” Jean scoffs, head turning away from them. “He’s an alpha. They do not know the
meaning of the word.”

Now it’s Neil who bristles. “All alphas are not like Riko.”

“Oh please,” Jean rolls his eyes. “Just because your alpha is less of a psychopath doesn’t
mean he isn’t one.”

“Leave Andrew out of this,” Neil replies coldly.

“What? Can’t face the truth, Nathaniel?” Jean sneers. “Mark my words – all alphas are the
same. When the time comes, he will throw you to the wolves without so much as a backward
glance.”

“You’re wrong! Andrew’s not like that. He’s-“

“Just think about it, ok, Jean?” Kevin interrupts them tersely. “I haven’t made any promises
to them, so it’s still your choice. But I really think they’d be the best option for you.”

“And how would you know what the best option for me is?” Jean aims those wicked gray
eyes back at him, shadowed with colorful purple and blue bruises. “You don’t even know me
anymore.”

Kevin’s face pales a little, but he answers, “Maybe not anymore…but I’d like to.”

Jean seems thoroughly unimpressed by this statement. He rolls his eyes again and shifts
uncomfortably on the bed. Then his gaze whips toward the door as he hisses out, “What the
fuck do you want?”
Neil glances towards it just as Andrew enters the room.

“The poodle is still yapping, I see,” Andrew drawls, ignoring Jean’s answering growl easily.

Then he stops suddenly, his eyes snapping to Neil’s face.

Neil blinks in confusion as Andrew walks up to him and grabs his chin in his hand, tilting it
to the right.

Oh, right. The cut from the vase. He totally forgot about –

Then his mind blanks as Andrew leans in and slowly licks the cut clean in one swipe.

In reality, he knows the move is practical – alphas have properties in their saliva that will
shorten the time it takes for the cut to heal. But he can’t help his face from heating up at the
intimate gesture.

Behind Andrew, Kevin’s face also flushes slightly as he pointedly looks away. But Jean just
scoffs at them, his lip curling in disgust as he rolls his eyes.

Neil fights against an eye roll himself at the omega’s childish behavior.

Andrew steps back and inspects the cut again, rubbing a thumb over the skin directly under it,
before dropping his hand and turning towards Kevin.

“Leaving in one minute.” He jerks his head at Jean. “You give it to him yet?”

Jean’s expression grows wary. “Give me what?”

Kevin glares at Andrew. “No. I was working up to it.”

“Stop overthinking it and just hand him the swag, Day. He can burn it or jack off to it for all
I care. Either way, make it his problem so the shit is out of our dorm.”

“Jesus Andrew,” Kevin mutters before sighing and turning back to Jean. “Um…the Trojans
wanted you to have something.” He goes over to the door and grabs something from outside
in the hallway as he keeps talking. “Just a little token of their appreciation-slash-incentive
for you to join…”

He brings the basket inside the room and Neil’s nose immediately wrinkles. It’s not that
Jeremy’s scent smells bad - it’s actually quite pleasant, with a mix of salt, coconut and
something woodsy that blends together nicely. So it’s not that Neil doesn’t like it – it’s just
that it’s so obvious. Any omega could smell it from a mile away, and Neil knows Jean is no
different – injured nose or not, there’s no missing the alpha’s scent.

But Jean barely reacts.

For only a split second, Neil watches his eyes snag on the sweatshirt piled in there before he
turns back to Kevin and deadpans, “And? I’m supposed to join their team because they gave
me a…” He pauses purposefully, looking down at the basket before snidely calling out, “…
coffee mug, pen, braided keychain, and refrigerator magnet that says, ‘Not this time,
Helen’?”

Andrew snorts.

Neil, because he’s an instigator at heart, adds, “And don’t forget the sweatshirt.”

Jean gives him a look that could stop death in its tracks. “And a stupid, ratty, hideous
sweatshirt.”

“Okay, forget it, we can leave now,” Kevin says frustratingly, throwing his hands up in the air
as he walks towards the door. “Keep the shit or not. I’ve said all I need to say.”

Andrew throws him an amused look before glancing back at Neil. You have thirty seconds to
follow, his expression seems to say before he leaves the room as well.

Neil doesn’t waste time, pinning Jean with a hard glare. “You have one shot, Moreau. One
shot at recovering on a team that will give a shit instead of just seeing you as another asset.
Who will actually care if you recover versus how your presence can help improve their
relationship with the Moriyamas. So think wisely on your choice before you screw
everything up because of your damn pride.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Jean replies mercilessly in French.

Neil gives him a smug grin. “Thanks, but I’ve got someone to do that for me now.”

Jean spits more insults at him under his breath but Neil ignores him, walking out of the room
and back downstairs.

The next day, they come back to the dorm room to find an expensive piece of paper folded on
their coffee table, with a white lotus flower sitting on top of it.

The sight of it is enough to drain the color from Kevin’s face as he stumbles backward into
the door and begins muttering hoarsely under his breath. But for Neil, it’s the scent that stops
him in his tracks.

He’s only smelled it once before – in a dark, expensive town car where he’d negotiated for
his life. Where he’d been only one cool command away from execution.

He’ll never forget it.

With the two of them officially incapacitated, Andrew is the only one left to address it. He
walks forward without hesitation, flinging the flower to the side and opening the letter
unceremoniously. The only tell that he’s bothered at all by the unexpected appearance of the
item is the slight wrinkle of his nose upon nearing it – even his weaker alpha nose can tell
how thoroughly Ichirou has doused the note in his scent.

He reads the note silently. Both Kevin and Neil wait with bated breath.

Finally, Kevin can’t take it anymore. “What does it say?”

Andrew flicks him a cool glance before crushing the paper in his fist. “Ichirou is demanding
yours, Neil’s and Jean’s presence at Edgar Allen for the championship game.”

Both Kevin and Neil exchange a look, their brows furrowed.

“Well, of course we’ll be there,” Kevin states the obvious. “But Jean isn’t well enough to
travel, he should be-”

“And afterward, the three of you are to meet him in the Eastern tower.” Andrew’s gaze
moves from Kevin to Neil. “Regardless of what the game’s outcome is.”

“Fuck,” Kevin whispers, face going white once more. “Fuck, he’s going to kill us.”

Neil grits his teeth against Kevin’s scent of panic, trying hard to stop it from increasing his
own. “We’re his assets now, Day. Of course he’s going to call on us sometimes.”

“Oh. Oh, right,” Kevin swallows, desperately latching onto Neil’s vague promise of safety.
“Like – like a check-up. A social call.”

Right.

Neil nods. “Something like that.”

“Okay,” Kevin bobs his head again before heading towards his bedroom. He snags a bottle
of vodka from the corner of someone’s desk as he goes. “Okay. But…just in case…I’m
going to drink this bottle until I throw up and blackout. Okay? Okay.”

Neil frowns and goes to open his mouth, but Andrew stops him. “Leave it. Aaron’s class
ends in two minutes. He’ll take care of him.”

Neil drags a hand over his face before rubbing at his eyes. “Right.”

He hears Andrew step closer to him. “Neil.”

“What?”

“Talk to me.”

“About what?” Neil snaps.

“About why you’re freaking out right now, rabbit.”

“I’m not-” Neil starts but stops when Andrew simply gives him a look. “Your scent is
vacillating somewhere between panic and terror, Josten. So spill.”
Damn it.

Now that the truth is out in the open, though, Neil can feel his chest growing tighter, can feel
the way his throat is constricting air to his lungs. “The letter,” he starts.

Andrew lifts a brow. “What about it?”

Neil paces away from Andrew before whipping back. “Don’t you see? It’s not about the
message – it’s how he knew what room to leave it in. That he knew when to leave it – when
none of us were home. That he was able to sneak it into the fucking dorm at all! Christ,
Drew!” he snaps out, hand thrusting through his hair in aggravation. “We’re being
watched!”

“Mm,” Andrew hums nonchalantly. “So?”

“So? So it means Ichirou has eyes and ears everywhere! It means we aren’t safe – none of
us! And we never will be, and it’s all my fault and-”

He's cut off by Andrew’s large palm sealing itself over his mouth. Neil peers into his calm,
hazel eyes as Andrew tells him, “Breathe.”

Neil obeys, gulping in a large, shuddering breath.

Andrew drops his hand. “Good boy.”

Then he plops himself down into the beanbag on the floor and turns on the TV.

Neil blinks at him. “That’s it?”

Andrew lazily lifts his head to stare back up at Neil. “And what more do you expect me to
do?”

Neil drags a hand again through his hair. “I don’t know, I just-”

Andrew holds up a hand and starts counting off on his fingers. “One – none of us have the
means or money to bribe off the hordes of shitty people the Moriyamas use for their
network. There’s no use fighting a battle we can’t win. Two – we take one of their people
out, another will simply take their place. And we’ll likely piss Ichirou off for bothering him
when the goal is to keep all of you off his radar. Three – campus technology is likely shit in
comparison to the hackers the Moriyamas have on the payroll. One sweep probably told
them all they need to know about our dorm situation, our classes, and our team schedule.
Four – if you’d like to waste hours of your day sweeping the dorm room for bugs, go right
ahead, but Ichirou knows there’s little to nothing of interest you shitheads discuss that could
be of use to him. And five – it’s clear the elder brother is a drama queen who gets off on
messing with people’s heads. He purposefully sent the three of you this invite a week
beforehand so you could piss yourselves worrying about it. You let the twisted fuck get
inside your head, he wins – got it?”

Andrew purposefully turns his head and looks Neil square in the eye. “So let me handle dear
Ichi this time, while you and Day focus on how to kick his little brother’s ass, okay?”
Neil blinks at the impassioned speech.

God, his alpha is fucking smart. Is it weird that he’s so turned on by it?

Ugh, it probably is. Hopefully, Andrew can’t smell it on him –

But his train of thought is broken as Aaron slams through the door.

“Kevin?” he asks, never stopping as he crosses the living room.

Andrew jerks a hand towards the bedroom.

Aaron flings his backpack off and tosses it in the general direction of his desk before
marching right into his and Kevin’s bedroom and locking the door. A few seconds later, they
hear music pumping inside, loud enough to block out any sounds. But the real hint Neil gets
that something more…intimate…might be happening is the pungent scent of a lit candle to
block out any other smells.

Neil wrinkles his nose at the door.

“Josten.”

Neil turns back to Andrew.

“Lock the door.”

Neil furrows his brow before he crosses over to the suite door and locks it. He turns back to
Andrew.

“Come here.”

Without wavering, Neil crosses the room until he’s standing by Andrew’s side.

Andrew stares up at him with a steady gaze. “Let me help you relax. Yes or no?”

“Yes,” Neil says immediately.

Andrew holds out his hand.

Neil accepts it, only to get yanked down into Andrew’s lap. With quick movements, he’s
manhandled into position by Andrew, with his back against Andrew’s chest. Instantly, a little
of Neil’s tension releases.

He shivers when he feels Andrew’s hot breath whispering in his ear. “Can I scent you, Neil?”

Neil nods.

Andrew hums before he skims his nose down the elongated column of Neil’s neck. He
breathes in deeply before exhaling a contented sigh, a sound that pleases Neil greatly. A
quick, small purr erupts from his throat before he has the chance to stop it.
Blushing, he tries to ignore the sound, but Andrew’s chuckle lets him know it’s a lost cause.

“Let me hear you, omega,” Andrew breathes. “Let me hear all the pretty sounds that mouth
makes.”

Neil gasps quietly at the soft-spoken command. Then he does it again when he feels
Andrew’s hands skimming his waistline, toying with the hem of his shirt.

“Okay?”

Neil nods. “Yes, alpha.”

Andrew growls a little and gently bites down where the side of Neil’s neck meets his
shoulder. Neil’s head falls back as Andrew runs his hands under his shirt and all over his
chest, thumbs brushing his nipples and making him squirm.

Andrew tuts. “You’re supposed to be relaxing, bunny. Not tensing up like that.”

He tweaks one of Neil’s nipples again and Neil arches his back at the zing of pleasure that
zips down his torso.

“C-can’t,” he manages to grit out, hips grinding back against Andrew against his will.

“Hmm.” Andrew slides his hands slowly down the length of Neil’s chest, past his stomach
and hips until he’s grabbing under Neil’s thighs. With a quick motion, he separates them,
spreading Neil wide open and fingers gripping tight.

Neil whimpers.

“If you can’t hold still,” Andrew whispers in his ear, “then I guess we can’t do anything about
this.”

His left hand slides up Neil’s leg to cup him through his shorts.

Neil sucks in air. “No! No, wait, I can-” He swallows, shuddering out another breath before
he forces his limbs to sink pliantly into Andrew’s embrace. “I can be good.”

“Can you?” Andrew muses. He makes a vee with two of his fingers and draws them up
slowly over Neil’s groin, pressing in on either side of his hardening cock as he finishes with,
“Let’s see.”

Neil closes his eyes tight, staying perfectly still as Andrew slips his hand beneath his
waistband and begins playing with his cock. He does light, soft strokes that Neil knows are
meant to drive him mad and, unfortunately, it works. He feels like he’s slowly losing his
mind as Andrew keeps his unhurried pace, content to simply feel Neil’s swollen dick in his
palm.

Then, occasionally, he’ll jerk Neil so rough and hard that Neil nearly rips a hole in the
beanbag with how tight he grips it. It brings him right up to the edge, hips straining, but then
Andrew goes right back to stroking him softly again.
As he does it over and over, Neil feels like he’s going to break. He’s literally going insane,
muscles quivering as Andrew plays with him, and he bites his lip in an attempt to stop
himself from begging.

Andrew must not like this, however, because two seconds later he grabs Neil’s chin with his
free hand and turns his head to kiss him soundly. It’s almost a relief for Neil, being able to
focus on something else as Andrew continues his maddening alternation between gentle and
rough.

When Neil is obviously panting from being edged so many times, and Andrew has
swallowed the many muted cries and whimpers he keeps uttering, Andrew finally releases
him, telling him, “Good boy, bunny. You’ve done so well.” He nips Neil’s earlobe as he
orders, “Now cum for me.”

He begins stroking Neil ruthlessly – rough, dirty pulls meant to draw Neil’s orgasm out as
quickly as possible. Grateful beyond words, Neil bucks his hips up into the motions
shamelessly, feeding into each stroke as his body finally drifts higher and higher towards that
peak.

Then, just when he’s about to crest it, he feels Andrew’s teeth mouthing at the back of his
neck over his sensitive organ as he whispers a growled, “Mine.”

And Neil loses it.

He tips right over the edge with abandon, cumming heavily inside his underwear as Andrew
continues stroking him through it. Then he slumps back against Andrew, boneless and sated.

With a growl, Andrew grabs his legs and lifts them again, keeping them spread wide as he
ruts up against Neil’s ass. Neil can feel the hard length of him against him but can do nothing
more than murmur encouraging noises until Andrew stutters to a stop and the smell of his
release fills the air.

The two of them are both breathing hard, chests heaving and pants a sticky mess. But Neil
can’t find the strength to sit up, much less clean himself up. So he simply turns into
Andrew’s neck and nuzzles the delicious scent he finds there.

Andrew snorts before drawing his face back out and kissing him once more. This kiss is a lot
softer and gentler though – something that almost feels too sweet for what they just did
together.

Neil pulls back and looks at Andrew’s face, searching – for what, he doesn’t know. Andrew
stares back at him, all the same, and it feels like he’s looking for something as well.

They stay like that until the slamming of a door jolts them both.

Aaron whips out of the room in a rush. Neil tenses, expecting some sarcastic comment from
him about fucking in the living room, but Aaron doesn’t even bother to look at them before
he slams open the suite’s door and is gone.
Neil blinks at the sudden exit. He looks back at Andrew whose own gaze bounces between
the suite’s door and the door to Kevin and Aaron’s room.

He huffs, then says, “Come on.”

Without waiting for Neil’s answer, he gathers him in his arms and lifts them both up to a
standing position. Neil’s face flushes again but for a completely different reason this time.

Andrew rolls his eyes at the flared scent of Neil’s arousal. “Too easy,” he mutters.

But he doesn’t set Neil down before walking them both into the bathroom. And when he lifts
and holds Neil in the shower, biceps straining as he fucks him against the wall, Neil moans
louder just to see the smirk on his face.

“I can’t.”

Neil lifts a brow.

“No, you don’t understand. I can’t. He’ll kill me.”

“Ichirou?” Neil frowns.

Jean shakes his head. “Riko. Either he’ll do it himself or he’ll have someone on the team do
it for him.” He swallows hard, voice trembling a little as he admits, “If I enter that stadium
again, I’ll be a dead man walking.”

Across the room from him, Andrew rolls his eyes.

Neil, however, clenches his jaw at the admission, knowing the truth of Jean’s statement only
too well. Memories of his time at Evermore try to crowd in as he furiously beats them back,
mind racing for plausible alternatives when he hears Kevin hum. He glances up to watch
Kevin clear his throat.

“Yeah, I thought that might be the case,” the striker mentions, looking down at his phone and
typing something before he looks up at Jean. “So I came up with a plan.”

“You did?” Jean voices his surprise before he seems to catch himself. He narrows his eyes at
Day. “Right. Okay then – so what exactly does this plan entail?”

All four of them turn when a knock sounds on the door.

“Kev?” calls out a voice cautiously.

Jean’s eyes snap to Kevin’s. “You didn’t,” he hisses.

Kevin’s face scrunches up painfully before he shrugs. “I didn’t say you’d like the plan.”

The door swings open to admit a figure dressed in a burgundy hoodie with the picture of a
Trojan’s helmet emblazoned across it in gold. “Kev! Oh my gosh, it’s so good to see you
again! Thanks for the invite to the game – can’t wait to see you guys face off with the
Ravens in person! Oh, by the way, so sorry about the tiff you and Aaron are having but hey,
good news – he definitely stole one of your hoodies and was wearing it last night. Beg for
forgiveness and I’m sure he’ll take you back in no time,” Jeremy tells him cheerfully as he
steps in the room.

“He did?” Kevin asks hopefully. Then he stiffens. “And wait, what do you mean, beg for
forgiveness? How exactly do you know that this is my fault-”

“Josten, Minyard,” Knox breezily carries on before winking at them. “Honeymoon phase is
still on, I see. You two lovebirds just can’t keep your hands off each other, huh?”

Neil furrows his brow. Wait, how the fuck does he know about –

“Back off, Knox,” Andrew immediately snarls at him.

“Sorry, sorry,” Jeremy holds up his hands. “You both are adorable, though, you know?”

Andrew bares his fangs at him and hisses.

Dutifully, Jeremy moves on, his gaze finally landing on Jean. Neil watches carefully as his
step falters, his eyes growing wide as his chest stutters slightly. For just a split second, his
enlarged pupils flare bright red before he snaps them shut. Neil’s eyebrows raise at the small
wave of arousal that emanates from Jeremy. The Trojan captain takes a shuddering breath in,
swallowing hard.

Then the moment passes, the scent abruptly cut off as he watches Jeremy’s eyes pop back
open. The alpha plasters a bright, friendly smile on his face as he energetically approaches
the bed. “Jean Moreau, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person! I mean, not that I haven’t seen
you before but usually you’re upright with like five pounds of body armor on, trying to bash
my skull in with a racquet.” He stops, holding out his hands suddenly. “Which is a joke! I
mean, like a figure of speech – like I know you weren’t really trying to crush me on the court,
it’s just, ah, how you are – I mean, how you play! Because I’m, uh, pretty sure I was bruised
for two weeks after you slammed into me in semi-finals last year. You remember? We still
had Thomson and Fernandez at that point, and I swear the two of you were gonna throw
down your racquets and go toe to toe after that seventh goal in the third quarter but – um –
anyway!”

The man continues to ramble as Jean watches him silently. “Wow, it’s hot up here – does it
feel hot up here to you guys? And oh – your glass is empty! Let me go get you some water.
And some snacks – do you feel like some snacks? Pretty sure Abby had some cheese and
crackers down there, maybe some grapes – do you like grapes? What am I saying, everyone
likes grapes, right? Am I right? Okay, right, I’m just gonna grab this and – ah – I’ll um, I’ll
be right back!”
With amusement, Neil watches Jeremy’s face turn bright red as he snatches Jean’s half-full
glass of water from his bedside table and practically flee the room.

The moment he closes the door behind him, Jean turns on Kevin. “That is your plan?”

Kevin drags a hand over his face. “He’s a well-known and beloved figure in the Exy world-”

“He’s a puppy!” Jean snaps. “You’re throwing me into a den of wolves with a golden
retriever at my side!”

“Was gonna say Pomerianian but…” Andrew shrugs. “…same difference.”

“-and as such,” Kevin continues, ignoring them both, “it’ll be harder to pull something with
Jeremy right there. The media will be all over you two, wondering why he’s here with you,
speculating whether this means what they think it means, what predictions are for next
season-”

“So?”

“So it means you’ll be protected simply by staying in plain sight – by staying at his side.”

“At his side? And here I thought he was supposed to stay by mine,” Jean counters.

Kevin sighs. “That’s not what I meant-”

“Sounds like you’re simply handing off my leash from one master to another,” Jean accuses
him sullenly.

“Would you rather we find one that chokes you on it versus letting you lead?” Neil inquires.

Jean slowly turns his head towards him, a deadly look in his eye. “I beg your pardon?”

“All of us will be playing during the championship game. We’ll be stuck on the court and
there’s no way you can sit on the bench with us. It could be construed as favoritism – by the
Moriyamas or by the Ravens fans. If you want to live, then we need to keep up the façade
that you just had an untimely accident-”

Jean snorts.

“-but regardless, it means you’ll be at the mercy of the crowd, and we’ll be unable to protect
you. There’s no one else who we’d risk involving at this point – Jeremy is literally your last
hope.” Neil cocks his head. “So do you want to face returning to the Nest alone? Or would
you like Cali’s golden child, the ‘friendliest and nicest alpha on the planet’ to accompany
you?”

“He is nothing to them!” Jean snaps. “They will crush him like a bug the first chance they
get!”

Neil shakes his head. “You don’t know that-”

“Yes, I do, in fact!” Jean replies vehemently, launching himself upright in bed. He grimaces,
his hand going to his side for just a second before his eyes harden. “If you’re going to force
me to be chained to an alpha, then at least-”

“What? Find one who will curb you into submission? Who won’t give a shit what happens
to you? Who will be blinded by their pride and raging hormones enough to make a stupid
move – risking your safety simply to boost their ego?”

Jean’s jaw clenches.

“You can’t have it both ways,” Neil tells him. “Either you work with an alpha we can trust,
who has enough humanity to give a crap what happens to you, or we find a mindless thug
who can rip someone’s throat out at the drop of a hat – including yours.”

“And I really think you’re not giving Jeremy enough credit,” Kevin sniffs. “We have no idea
how he’ll react in a threatening situation-”

“Roll over and play dead?” Jean deadpans.

Kevin just gives him a look.

Cornered and irritated because of it, Jean’s eyes flit around the room until they land on
Andrew. “Nothing to add, Minyard?” he spits vitriol at the only person left who hasn’t
contributed to the conversation. “Or just here for the free show?”

“If this is a show, then it’s barely entertaining,” Andrew drawls. He lazily takes out his knife
and begins cleaning his nails. “Let me be clear, Moreau – I don’t care about you. Ergo, I
don’t give a shit what you choose. Either be a big boy and sit alone in the stands of EAU like
Daddy Warbucks told you to or bring the lap dog along for company.” His golden eyes lift to
finally meet Jean’s. “Regardless, your ass is going to that stadium. I’ll make sure of it.”

Jean snarls and Andrew instantly growls back. For a split second, Jean freezes, panic
washing over his features before he thrusts his head away, a strange combination of rebellion
and cowering as he no longer meets Andrew’s gaze.

It’s in this tense atmosphere that Jeremy chooses to return.

“Hello! I’ve brought some water and snacks back up with me – and some lemonade,
actually, because your nurse is a wonderful lady who happens to make some brilliantly old-
fashioned-”

Jeremy takes two steps into the room and stops. His head whips over to the corner where
Jean is. “You’re hurt!” he snaps, striding towards him.

Jean snorts and rolls his eyes. “Keen observation skills, Capitan. Surprised you didn’t-”

“You ripped open your stitches, on your right side, didn’t you? Just now?” Jeremy rolls right
over him. “I can smell the blood – it’s fresh.”

Jean freezes.
Jeremy carries on unnoticed. “Let me go get Abby-”

“Non,” Jean practically snarls. “Absolutely not.”

“Jean, you need to-”

“I need to do nothing!”

“But you’re-”

“You do not own me, and I will not-”

“Jean, stop.”

It’s the first time Neil’s heard Jeremy’s alpha voice, and he’s surprised by the authority in it.
He finds himself gritting his teeth, trying hard not to succumb to the command in its tone.
Jean winces as well, before sending Jeremy a murderous look.

Interestingly, Jeremy winces back. “Jean, please,” he starts again softer, all traces of his
alpha voice gone. “You’re injured. Let someone look at your wounds so you can heal
properly.”

When Jean remains silent, he adds, “It’s okay to ask for help. No one here wants to see you
hurt further, okay? We’re all interested in seeing you recover, I swear. So…please let me go
get someone?”

Neil sees Andrew’s shoulders stiffen at the repeated use of the word please and bristles. His
tongue opens to snap at the other alpha when Andrew’s eyes snag his.

Neil waits.

Andrew gives him the slightest shake of his head.

Don’t.

Neil’s brow furrows but he relaxes back against the wall. If Andrew doesn’t want him to say
something, then he won’t.

The reason for this silence though, soon becomes clear – because when Neil tunes back in, he
notices both Jean and Jeremy are locked in some weird kind of power struggle. One where
Jean presses against it, both demanding and attacking Jeremy’s dominance, while Jeremy
tries to concede it, sincerity practically leaking from his pores as he waits Jean out.

Jean is primed for a fight and Jeremy has none to give him. It leaves Jean bereft and
confused, struggling to understand where he stands.

Finally, it seems to dawn on him that the choice is entirely left up to him. That while Jeremy
is concerned and wants to get someone to help him, he won’t do it without Jean’s
permission.
An alpha asking for an omega’s permission – the very act seems to be rocking Jean to his
core.

Neil can smell the tumultuous emotions rocking through Jean from here – smells him cycle
through anger, confusion, and anxiety before settling into something wary. He nods, his head
turned away from Jeremy as he softly whispers, “Okay.”

Jeremy breathes out a sigh of relief before he gets up and heads toward the door. He pauses
when Jean calls out, “Aaron, though. Not Abby.”

Jeremy looks back and nods at him before he disappears once more.

Kevin opens his mouth, but Jean holds up a hand instantly. “Not one word,” the omega
hisses.

Petulantly, Kevin closes it again.

A few minutes later, they hear stomping up the stairs before the door slams open.

“Okay, who brought the Labrador?” Aaron snaps at the room at large as he enters it.

Andrew, who’s closest to the door and the first person Aaron sees, jerks his thumb at Kevin.

Aaron’s gaze darts over to the beta before his shoulders hunch. “Of course you did,” he
mutters sourly.

Kevin flinches and opens his mouth to say something, but Aaron doesn’t give him a chance.
He sweeps past him to sit on the edge of the bed, dismissing him silently with his back turned
towards him. He studies Jean for a moment, then commands curtly, “Everyone out.”

Jean relaxes a fraction.

Instantly, Andrew leaves the room. After a forlorn and puppy-like gaze aimed at Aaron,
Kevin follows him. Neil brings up the rear, grabbing hold of the doorknob as he looks back
on the pair, Aaron already murmuring to Jean. Then he slowly shuts it.

And as he walks downstairs and spots Jeremy depressingly hunched at the kitchen counter, he
wonders if anyone else noticed the red sweatshirt cuff sticking out from between Jean’s
mattress and box spring.

Neil derives pure pleasure in making Aaron jump when he slaps the iced caramel latte down
on the table in front of him. “So you decided sitting upright in a wooden chair at the library
was better than sleeping back at the dorm?”
“Maybe,” Aaron snipes back at him, grabbing the peace offering and slurping on it
obnoxiously. “So? What do you care?”

Neil rolls his eyes as he drags back a chair and plops himself down in it. “Oh, I don’t know –
maybe it’s the six-foot beta tearing his hair out as he paces a hole in our living room floor,
driving Andrew and I nuts with the number of times he asks to go to the court to try and get
his mind off you.”

Aaron snorts.

“Or maybe it’s the alpha who happens to be your brother who keeps chain-smoking by the
window and going on long drives because he doesn’t know where you are and doesn’t like
it.”

Now Aaron huffs and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and looking off to the side.

“Maybe it’s because I’m the only sane one in our dorm room at the moment and am pissed
you’re not sharing in the suffering.” His throat tightens a little, forcing him to clear it. Then
he adds in a quieter voice, “Or maybe it’s because I’m…worried. About you.”

His pulse speeds up as he admits it, feeling stupid and tongue-tied to have said it out loud.
His hands are clasped tight in his lap and his stomach clenches, but he meets Aaron’s startled
gaze head-on.

After a long moment, Aaron’s shoulders soften. He lets out a sigh. “Did Kevin put you up to
this?”

Neil scoffs.

Aaron’s lips twitch before he drags a hand through his hair. “He just – I don’t-” He cuts
himself off.

Neil waits silently.

Aaron sighs again before he admits, “I just don’t want to be put second…you know?
Everything we do, Kevin’s always – ‘would the Moriyamas be okay with this?’, ‘Riko’s
gonna be so pissed’, ‘I have to think of my career’…I mean, it’s starting to feel like that kiss
during the game was just for publicity or something. Like a moment of insanity before Kev
came to his senses.” He tugs the sleeves of his sweatshirt down over his hands as he admits in
a low voice, “Maybe he doesn’t want me the same way I want him back.”

Neil highly doubts this is the case, seeing as how Kevin’s basically followed Aaron around
like a lost puppy since the moment Neil arrived on campus, but he just hums. “You tell him
that?”

“Yeah,” Aaron answers hollowly. “We…fought. I was pissed. Called him a coward. Said
that number on his face will always show who owns him – on the court and in his head.”

Neil winces. “Ah.”

“Yeah,” Aaron says, slinking down in his chair. “I just – I know, okay? I know it’s just me
being stupid and insecure and that he’s trying his best but…”

“…but is that enough?” Neil finishes when Aaron trails off.

Aaron nods, not meeting Neil’s gaze.

Neil looks down at his own hands as he offers, “I get it. Being an omega…sucks
sometimes.”

Aaron chokes out a small laugh. “Great. Thanks for the encouragement, Josten.
‘Sometimes, we suck.’”

“Shut up, you know what I mean,” Neil rolls his eyes. “Because of our status, we have to be
careful – more careful than others do. It’s so fucking easy for us to get take advantage of.
And it’s not fair but it is what it is.” He shrugs. “So I don’t think it’s unreasonable for you to
question where the two of you stand. It makes sense that you want to know what you mean
to someone and whether you’re willing to accept their answer.”

Aaron stays silent.

Neil takes a small sip of his own small, black coffee before he adds, “But you also probably
shouldn’t be a shit and take it out on Kevin without telling him how you feel either.”

“Wow,” Aaron draws out the word. “Gee, thanks. Such great, unsolicited advice. Not sure
how I got through life without you before now. Any other pearls of wisdom you care to
share?”

“Absolutely. Just go up to Kevin and repeat after me – ‘I, Aaron Minyard, renowned idiot
and complete moron, who is 200% in love with you, Kevin Bernadette Day, but also super
insecure that you might not like me back, am complete shit about talking about my own
feelings and would like to have an enormous, lovey-dovey heart-to-heart with you on how I
stupidly, insanely want to spend the rest of my life with you and somehow not jump off a
bridge. And in return, you will list all the thousand reasons why you are head over heels for
me and how you can’t live without me.’”

Neil puts out a hand like he’s about to shake it with someone and grabs his own hand in
return. “Good talk? Good talk.”

Aaron just stares at him. “…you are the absolute fucking worst, you know that?”

Neil grins evilly at him before shrugging.

Aaron kicks at Neil’s chair, and Neil kicks him back. Then Aaron sighs and puts his head in
his hands.

Neil stares at the deep, dark bags under Aaron’s eyes, and the way his shoulders are curved
in, likely getting a backache from studying in here too long. “You look like shit,” he tells
him without remorse. “So at least go back and sleep in the dorm room, okay?”
Aaron gives him a look.

Neil shrugs again, unconcerned. “I can kick Kevin out for a while, if you want.”

Aaron sighs. “No, I – no it’s fine. I can handle it, I just-” He puts a hand on the back of his
neck. “It’s not even that big a deal. I just need to get over it.”

“Or you can tell Kevin to stop being a dick,” Neil offers.

Aaron blinks.

“Just saying,” Neil tells him, before slurping his coffee down obnoxiously.

Aaron huffs, pointing at Neil then himself. “Pot. Kettle.”

Neil frowns. “What?”

“I’m saying that’s rich coming from the man who’s decided to be mates with my brother.”

Neil wrinkles his nose. “We’re not mates.”

Aaron pins Neil with another look. “Right. So the two of you are together twenty-four
seven, your scents are slathered all over each other, Andrew helps you with all of your heats,
and yet you’re trying to tell me there’s no commitments, no deals – nothing between the two
of you?”

Neil squirms a little in his chair. “Yep.”

Aaron narrows his eyes. “Because you don’t want it or because he doesn’t?”

Now Neil pauses.

Okay. So it’s not like there’s nothing between them. He knows now that they mean
something to one another. But…what?

S-so does this mean…I can be…yours? And…you can be…mine?

Is that what you want?

Yes.

Then you can have it.

Andrew had answered him, had granted Neil the right to claim Andrew as his. But even now,
Neil’s not quite sure what he’s meant to do with it. What exactly the claim entails.

He frowns a little.

Then you can have it.

And…it did sound a little like Andrew was simply accepting what Neil wanted.
But what did Andrew want?

His silence stretches on too long and he watches Aaron clench his jaw a little before he casts
his gaze to the side. Then he stands up and begins gathering up his books. “Come on. I’m
sick of this place. Let’s get out of here.”

Neil nods jerkily in return, helping him collect papers and shove them into Aaron’s bookbag
before he leaves the table behind, stomach twisting sourly as thoughts churn and collect in his
head.

He tosses his half-full coffee cup in the trash and follows Aaron out into the night.

Neil’s lying on the sofa, channel-surfing and bored out of his mind a few nights later when
Kevin comes stumbling through the door.

His face is pale, and Neil can smell the anxiety coming off him in waves. But Neil ignores
this, immediately zeroing in on the bandage on Kevin’s face. “What happened?”

“Where’s Aaron?” Kevin demands back.

But the bandage calls to Neil like a beacon. “Is that…?” he starts, then trails off as Aaron
walks in the room.

Aaron’s eyes widen as he takes in Kevin’s appearance.

Kevin clenches his jaw before determinedly going over to stand in front of Aaron. Once
there, he stares down at him and waits.

Slowly, Aaron lifts his hand up towards Kevin’s face. With trembling fingers, he gently
removes the gauze from Kevin’s cheek to reveal exactly what Neil had barely dared to hope –
a tattoo of a chess piece replacing the number two that once adorned Kevin’s face.

“You did it,” Aaron says dumbly.

“Let Riko be King,” Kevin replies, never looking away from Aaron’s face. “Most coveted,
most protected. He’ll sacrifice every piece he has to protect his throne.” He waves a hand
irritatingly. “Whatever. Me? I’m going to be the deadliest piece on the board.”

“Queen,” Andrew pipes up.

Neil startles a little since Andrew had previously been napping in the bedroom, but he
supposes the noise must have woken him up.

“He’s going to be furious,” Andrew continues.

“Fuck him. Fuck all of them. Waste of time to be angry. They should be afraid.”

“Hell hath no fury,” Andrew deadpans. He smirks a little at Kevin. “Nerd.”

Kevin tiredly flips him off without turning. But his face softens as Aaron lifts a hand to
stroke the skin beneath the tattoo. “Is this…real?” he asks thickly.

“As real as it gets,” Kevin answers quietly.

Aaron looks up at him in wonder before a small smile blooms on his face. His expression is
so vulnerable and private that Neil nearly turns away before Aaron stands on his tiptoes and
presses a kiss right below the tattoo. Kevin sucks in a breath before he lowers his head as
Aaron presses a kiss to his temple. Then he skims his nose down Kevin’s face to kiss the
corner of his lips.

He pulls back and smiles up at Kevin, his thumb tracing gently over Kevin’s bottom lip.

With a hungry growl, Kevin thrusts his fingers into the back of Aaron’s hair and tips his head
back to slant his mouth over his in a deep, passionate kiss. Aaron succumbs to it instantly,
looping his arms around Kevin’s neck. He moans as Kevin smooths his hands down over his
ass to pick him up. With effortless grace, Kevin carries him into the bedroom, still kissing,
and kicks the door shut.

Andrew snorts. “Finally. Pair of idiots.” He snags his pack of cigarettes off the desk and
kicks Neil’s heel. “Come on.”

He walks out of the room, not bothering to look back, expecting Neil will follow. And, after
a small grin aimed at the closed door, Neil does.

When Andrew kisses him into the tarmac of the roof that night, it’s furious and passionate
and Neil feels excitement begin to bubble beneath his skin.

They’re going to take on the Ravens – and they’re going to win.

As the PSU bus rolls into Edgar Allen’s parking lot, Neil’s stomach is a bag of nerves and
anticipation. The stadium is draped in red and black, and he can see several fans have
decided to tailgate in the parking lot, hordes of them screaming and booing alike as the Foxes
drive by.

Once securely behind the gate, Wymack puts the bus in park and waves them off.

With little fanfare, the team descends, escorted by the security team as they meander slowly
down the underground hallway beneath the stadium.

Before they can reach the locker rooms, however, Nicky asks, “What is that?”
The team pauses before their gazes follow where Nicky’s pointing – at something on the
court. They all head over to the away bench to check it out.

Inside the glass walls, an enormous red flag with the symbol of the Ravens has been laid out
over the court floor. It’s enormous, covering the entire half-court line and stretching to
almost either side of the glass wall. It’s ceremonial, obnoxious, and completely unnecessary.

“Pompous bastards,” Allison snipes.

“What’s the point?” Matt asks. “We’re already in their stadium.”

Neil rolls his eyes at it before wrinkling his nose. “Ugh, it smells.”

“Seriously,” Aaron winces, his own face screwing up at the overpowering stench. “That’s
disgusting. Did they keep the stupid thing up in the attic with cat feces for twelve years or
something?”

Dan and Renee share a puzzled look. “I don’t smell anything,” Dan remarks.

“Me either,” Renee echoes.

Neil furrows his brow before looking at Andrew. He gives him a deadpan stare back.

Okay, so he doesn’t smell it either.

Neil exchanges an annoyed look with Aaron, the pair of them rolling their eyes
simultaneously. Damn alphas and betas – they can’t smell shit.

Whatever.

Neil turns along with the rest of the teammates to go back to the locker rooms when he feels
a sudden chill race up his back. His senses go on high alert.

It feels like someone’s watching him.

He whips around but finds the court empty. The gates are still locked so fans haven’t been
allowed in yet, and while some staff is meandering about, no one seems to be paying him any
attention.

Scratching the back of his neck, Neil shakes his head and goes inside.

“God, is this smell fucking everywhere?” he hears Aaron ask as they drop their stuff off in
the locker room.

Neil makes another face as he enters the room – he would agree, it somehow seems even
stronger in here.

“I seriously can’t smell it,” Matt crinkles his nose, purposefully taking deep sniffs around the
room.
“Ugh,” Aaron nearly gags, throwing his sleeve over his nose.

“Five minutes before press time, boys,” Wymack tells them, throwing open the locker room
door and poking his head inside. “Let’s go.”

“Whatever. Anything to get out of this room,” Aaron says quickly, and double-times it out.

The smell is thick and cloying but Neil still waits until the rest of the team exits to smile at
Andrew.

Andrew frowns at him. “What?”

Neil smiles wider. “Nothing.”

Andrew just gives him a look.

Neil drops his gaze to his hands that are fiddling on the bench he’s straddled. He closes his
eyes briefly, then looks back up at Andrew and says, “Tell me we got this.”

He has to ask. He knows Andrew will scoff or ask why on earth Neil is asking him of all
people for a motivational speech for something as dumb as Exy but –

Andrew sits down and straddles the bench in front of him before grabbing Neil’s chin firmly
in his hand. Then he plants a hard, nearly bruising kiss on his lips. When he pulls back, he
looks Neil in the eye and says, “We got this. Stop being stupid.”

Neil shudders and gives him a small smile back. Then he hears, “Impossible. Josten’s
always stupid.”

Both Neil and Andrew lean to the side to see Aaron rummaging through his bag in the next
row of lockers. “What? I wanted my water bottle. Not my fault you two chose the literal
worst place to be romantic.”

Neil raises a brow. “Says the guy who dropped to his knees and gave Kevin a blowjob in our
locker room the other day.”

Now Aaron is the one turning red, sputtering, “I didn’t – I thought we were – when did you-“

Andrew smirks.

“Shut up!” Aaron snaps, before grabbing his water bottle and stomping out the door.

Neil gives Andrew a wicked grin that has the man rolling his eyes and turning his face away.
“Menace.” He stands up and walks towards the door. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Neil sighs – then starts coughing from the enormous amount of stench he inhales.

Andrew draws back and furrows his brow.

Neil just shakes his head, before standing up and following him out the door.
An hour later, after all the pre-game press conference bullshit is nearly over with, Neil can
barely sit still in his seat.

He wants to take Riko’s face and smash it into the nearest table.

The cocky striker keeps goading Neil, slinging thinly-veiled barbs across the table that needle
Neil endlessly. His knee is shaking with the monumental effort it’s taking to hold his tongue,
and not even Andrew’s heavy hand on it can quell his annoyance. In fact, Andrew’s touch
also irks him somewhat. But instead of shaking it off, Neil simply grabs it under the table
and holds on tight.

It’s lucky for him that Andrew’s poker face is nearly perfect – he doesn’t even flinch with
how hard Neil squeezes it.

He wants to get out there. He wants to be on the court. He wants to go, go, go – damn it, he
just wants to move at this point instead of sitting in this stupid chair.

He cranes his neck, an agitated feeling crawling over his skin. He swears he can feel each
individual bead of sweat trailing over his flesh, the muscles beneath coiled tight. He tugs
roughly at his collar and huffs. His warm-up suit feels itchy and hot. He wants it off. Now.

When they finally wrap, heading towards the locker rooms once more, Neil nearly snarls at
the rest of his team to hurry up. They’re moving too slow and he just –

“What is wrong with you?” Andrew snaps at him.

“Nothing,” Neil snaps back.

Andrew raises a brow.

Okay, so maybe Andrew didn’t snap. Maybe he just asked Neil the question in his normal,
bored tone.

But something about his voice irritates Neil. Maybe it’s how he said it. Or maybe it’s the
way he phrased it like a question when it really wasn’t. Or maybe it’s just the way he’s
breathing, so damn loud and heavy and too close and–

“Don’t fucking touch me!” Aaron shouts.

Neil whips his head over, flinching at the loud noise.

Andrew furrows his brow.

Kevin looks at Aaron like a deer in headlights, hand whipping away from his shoulder as if
burned. “I’m – I’m sorry, I didn’t-”
“Exactly!” Aaron snaps. “You didn’t think. Maybe I don’t want to be touched, hm? Why
does everyone always assume we want to be touched? Just back the fuck off already!”

“Whoa, guys,” Matt holds his hands up as he approaches them. “Chill for a second…”

“Shut the fuck up, Boyd!”

“Hey!” Neil snaps back. “Lay off him, Minyard! Just because you’re so pissy-”

“I’m pissy? Look who’s talking!” Aaron swivels towards him, finding a new target.
“Wherever there’s a fight, you just can’t keep out if it, huh, Josten? Why don’t you learn to
keep your damn mouth shut!”

“Jealous?” Neil whips back. His head is throbbing at the noise but anger swells deliciously
inside of him. It’s a beast awoken from its slumber – a monster finally released from its
cage. “At least I fight for what I want. You just roll over and take whatever someone gives
you – always have, always will.”

“Whoa, Neil, buddy, it’s all good. No harm done,” Matt tries to calm him, stepping between
the two of them but Neil shoves him back and out of the way.

Matt stumbles back, surprised, and turns wide eyes on him.

Neil ignores him, his gaze locked on Aaron.

“I’m so sick of your stupid face! Take one more step and I’ll beat the shit out of it,” Aaron
threatens him, the vein in his forehead nearly popping out of his skin. His eyes look
bloodshot and his face twists as he breathes heavier.

That godawful smell fills Neil’s senses, sharpening everything until his body feels like it’s
overloading. Everything is loud and painful and – fuck, why are the lights so bright in here?

“I’d like to see you try,” he responds, which isn’t his best comeback but it’s the best he can
do under the circumstances.

Doesn’t matter anyway because Aaron takes the challenge for what it is. He growls and the
sound grates on Neil’s ears. Instinctively, he growls back, and watches Aaron crane his neck
in return.

Neil’s blood feels like it’s boiling beneath his skin he’s so pissed. God, why won’t Aaron just
shut up? He fucking hates him, he’s going to kill him, he’s going to rip him limb from limb –

“Back down, junkie,” Andrew growls at him, shoving him back.

“Fuck off!” Neil shouts in return, and barrels into him.

In one swift move, Andrew uses his own momentum against him to tackle him to the floor.
He pins him there and whips out in his alpha voice, “Stop it, Neil. Now.”
Neil, who was fighting against Andrew up until that point, immediately freezes at the
commanding tone. He whines as it rips through his head, making him curl up on the floor.
It’s too loud and strong and his head hurts and what the fuck is that smell?

He curls inwards, smaller and smaller on himself, as the pounding in his head starts taking
over. He squeezes his head between his arms, trying to stop its insistent throbbing.

“Neil? Neil, what’s wrong – oh shit, Aaron! What’s happening? What’s going on?” He
hears Nicky shout.

Voices begin talking over each other and it’s all a confusing, painful mess echoing inside
Neil’s skull until suddenly he’s grabbed by someone. At first, he fights it, but then his head is
shoved into someone’s collar, and the clean scent of salt and coconut permeates through his
senses like a breath of fresh air.

Neil gulps it in madly, burrowing in until he’s practically smothering himself– anything to get
that other, awful smell out of his nose.

“ – get back! Come on! We need to get them out, NOW!”

And then he’s moving. Someone’s literally lifting him up and carrying him out of the locker
room and out of the stadium until he can suddenly feel the heat of the sun on his back once
more. Slowly, the terrible odor starts to dissipate, and Neil tries sucking in more of the salt
and coconut scent to help it diminish.

“ – yeah, okay, okay, you guys are okay. I’ve got you. There we go – keep breathing, deep
breaths. Andrew! Andrew, come here and take Neil. Let him scent you – it’ll help get rid of
it.”

Two seconds later and Neil feels himself bodily removed from the beachy scent to Andrew’s
own familiar aroma. Neil greedily gulps the delicious smell down, shoving his nose into
Andrew’s neck as far as he can. Andrew pulls him in just as tight, cradling his head in his
hand.

Slowly, Neil’s mind begins to clear, and he vaguely begins to hear snippets of the
conversation around him.

“ – the hell was that? Jesus, the two of them practically went batshit crazy on each other.”

“We think it’s an omega stimulant – something designed specifically to affect them only.”

“A what?! Are you serious?”

Something that only affects omegas? Then that means –

“Aaron,” Neil coughs out, spine rigid for a moment.

Then he relaxes again when he hears Aaron answer weakly, “’m here.”

He feels Aaron’s hand touch his own and Neil squeezes it, nearly dizzy from relief.
“Yeah, you can take him in just a minute, Day. Sorry, it’s just that alphas tend to put off a
stronger scent, so it’ll help him rebalance quicker-”

He hears a large growl before the voice answers, “Okay, okay! Sheesh, here you go. All
yours, bud.”

There’s some shifting and maneuvering behind him but Neil loses focus when Andrew’s
warm hands begin sweeping up and down his back, soothing him. Neil purrs in response,
closing his eyes once more.

After an undetermined amount of time, he’s finally able to lift his head and open his eyes
enough to see Jeremy standing there, surrounded by a bunch of irate foxes.

He blinks a little. Jeremy had been the one to carry him and Aaron out? At the same time?

While Jeremy is certainly taller than him, standing at five foot eight, he still has a striker’s
build, slender and quick. Neil would never have guessed that he could carry Neil’s or
Aaron’s weight – and certainly not together. The alpha is clearly much stronger than he
looks.

Neil is so increasing his weights when he gets back.

“What the fuck just happened?” Allison demands, pinning Jeremy with a glare.

“Like I said, omega stimulant,” Jeremy tells her. “Smelled it as soon as I stepped out of the
car.”

“Jean?” Kevin asks quickly.

“Safe with Rhemann. Didn’t let him get out because something smelled fishy.”

“So how did you know what it is then?” Dan asks suspiciously.

“Didn’t. Jean told me as soon as I explained it to him.” Jeremy’s face pinches. “Apparently,
it’s something the Ravens do to control their omegas sometimes. To…put them in their place
as it were. He says it’s a chemical agent that only omegas can smell, and it causes them to
become aggressive and paranoid.”

“So they were targeting Neil and Aaron?”

“Well…from what I understand from Jean…Neil most likely was the target,” Jeremy winces
as he looks between them. “Aaron unfortunately was just collateral damage.”

Kevin growls and lets out a loud string of expletives, clutching Aaron tighter to his chest.

“Okay but…why?” Nicky asks.

“To provoke Neil into attacking Riko,” Andrew answers.

The team swivels their heads over to look at him.

“Oh shit,” Matt blinks.

“Okay, but…” Nicky repeats, “…I thought he wanted to face him on the court? Isn’t that
their whole thing? The rivalry?”

“Yeah, but it makes Neil look like the bad guy if he’s being all belligerent and an asshole,”
Allison pipes up this time. “Up until now the press has been portraying us, and Neil
especially, as the underdog. The survivor, coming out on top against all odds. If Riko could
get Neil to attack him on live TV, in front of everyone, then he could paint him as the bad
guy.”

“Seriously?” Dan says, disgusted.

“He was greedy though,” Jeremy pipes in. “He doused the place in that stuff, and Jean tells
me the best way to use it is for it to seep in slowly. Most omegas apparently don’t even know
what’s happening to them until it’s too late.” He wrinkles his nose. “But inside there it smells
like he’s slathered it on every surface possible.”

“So you can tell where they put it?” Wymack asks Jeremy. “The stimulant?”

“It’s definitely in the locker room and the away bench, but…I think there might be some on
the court itself too.”

Now Wymack is the one swearing.

“Wait, but…how did they concentrate it so that just Neil and Aaron are affected? I mean…it
must have been in the air for some time. It’s been slowly working on them for at least an
hour and a half now, right? So what about the omegas on the Ravens team? How are they
not affected?” Matt asks.

“I don’t think that they’re not,” Renee says slowly. “I think Riko and Tetsuji simply don’t
care if they are. It doesn’t matter what happens to them.”

Nicky pales. “Seriously? But that’s…”

“What the fuck,” Allison chimes in.

“Goddamn bastards,” Wymack snarls, fists clenching at his sides. “I’m going to give them a
piece of my mind.”

“I’ll come with you!” Dan pipes up, and the two of them take off.

Nicky immediately begins cooing over Aaron while Neil watches Renee draw close. “How
are you feeling, Neil?”

“I’m fine,” Neil croaks out before a strong hand grips the back of his neck. Neil shudders,
body falling pliant as Andrew’s strong voice rumbles against his ribcage and in his ear.

“You are not fine, rabbit. Just breathe and relax.”

Neil sighs. “Yes, alpha,” he says quietly, closing his eyes once more.

He feels something shift against his head, and freezes. Then his heart nearly flips in his chest
when he feels Andrew’s lips place a soft kiss there amongst his curls.

He burrows his nose further into the junction between Andrew’s neck and collarbone,
fighting against the urge to smile.

By the time Wymack and Dan return, Neil feels shaky but significantly better than before.
He sits upright and watches their furious glares as they approach.

“Assholes are claiming it was a ‘janitorial error,’” Dan snarls as soon as she gets close.

“Said there must have been a mix-up in chemicals – a newbie mistaking it for a cleaning
solution,” Wymack huffs. “A likely story.”

“Because who even has this shit on hand to mix up in the first place?” Allison asks.

“They’re correcting the problem now, having the staff go in and wipe the place clean, but it’ll
probably delay us by an hour,” Wymack tells them.

True to his word, it’s just about an hour later when the team is informed they can head back
in. Jeremy goes in first, just to make sure, before giving them a thumbs up. Even with the
alpha’s seal of approval, though, Neil enters the locker room cautiously. But he’s relieved to
find the horrible smell is truly gone – not a whiff of it lingers.

But unfortunately, something else has taken its place.

“Seriously?” Nicky snaps when he sees a tag with the name “Wesninski” written in clean,
bold-face type across one of the lockers.

A tag that clearly wasn’t there before.

Annoyed and on edge, Neil strides forward before whipping the locker open, intent on simply
getting it over with. For a moment, he experiences a horrible sense of déjà vu, wondering if
he’s about to see blood spilling all over him, but when he opens it, nothing happens.

In fact, there’s only one thing hanging in the empty locker – a leather collar with a note
attached.

Neil freezes at the sight of it.

With a shaking hand he snatches the collar down – he doesn’t need to look at it to know the
name “Nathaniel” is etched across its metal tag. Swallowing hard, he opens the note.

Remember this, Nathaniel? From all the fun we had over Christmas break? As your owner, I
can’t wait to see you to wear it again. It’s only a matter of time.
You will remember your place, bitch. And you will come crawling back to me when you do.

R.

Nausea swirls inside of Neil, his stomach threatening to empty itself onto the floor at any
moment as memories of the Nest come flooding in. Humiliation rolls over him in waves as
he remembers how Riko tried to dehumanize him then. It was a chunk of time he’d repressed
– a time he hadn’t bothered to stop and consider since. He still didn’t want to. And he’d
certainly never planned to tell the rest of the team what happened to him during that
horrifying break.

Now his face and neck are flushed, and he can’t look anyone in the eyes as he remembers the
exact weight of the collar in his hand – remembers the sound of it clicking into place as Jean
put it on him.

He’s in serious danger of spiraling before Andrew suddenly yanks the item out of his hand.

“Wait, Andrew-” Neil protests but Andrew ignores him.

Without a word, he walks out of the locker room and into the lounge area, where the girls and
their coach are waiting.

“Jesus, what the hell is taking you guys so long, we just-”

Unceremoniously, he flings the collar down on the table along with the note. The others stare
at it a moment before Dan snatches it up and begins reading.

Allison doesn’t need to read it to know. “Fucking Christ, are you kidding me? He actually
made Neil a collar? What, is he living in the Middle Ages? Just how sick and twisted is this
guy?”

“This is unacceptable,” Wymack says furiously. “I won’t stand for it – I’m finding Tetsuji
and-”

“No, don’t!” Neil snaps. “It won’t help!”

“But Neil, they can’t just do this and get away with it,” Matt pleads.

“And complaining to the officials about their poor sportsmanship is just a waste of time,”
Neil argues. “If anything, Tetsuji will probably commend Riko for it.”

“But at least maybe we could get a free penalty shot for it or something,” Nicky says.

“For a championship game? No such thing,” Kevin scoffs. “It’s never happened in the
history of Exy and never will.”

“Well, we have to do something,” Matt argues back.

But everyone in the room stops when Dan stands suddenly. She whips the note back on the
table but keeps a firm grip on the collar. Then she walks over and stands in front of Andrew,
holding her hand out. “Lighter.”

Andrew stares at her a moment. Then he wordlessly draws it out of his pocket and gives it to
her.

Immediately, Dan walks out of the room.

“Babe?” Matt calls after, his eyes wide. “Babe, what are you doing?”

“Okay, that’s it,” Nicky throws his hands up. “Now Dan’s lost it. Our fearless leader has lost
her marbles. We’re officially screwed.”

“Christ,” Wymack hisses. “Everyone stay here. I’m going to go find her.”

“Uh, no need, Coach,” Aaron’s eyebrows lift at something behind him.

“What do you mean?” Wymack’s gaze narrows on him.

“Oh shit, he’s right. There she is,” Allison breathes.

The team swivels to the enormous tv screen in the lounge, watching Dan’s figure dominate
it. The cameras find her immediately as she walks confidently to the center of the court in
full uniform. Her head is held high as she holds the collar in one hand and a gas can in the
other.

“Oh my god,” Allison says gleefully, nearly bouncing up and down in excitement. “Oh my
fucking god.”

“No way,” Kevin’s eyes widen. “She wouldn’t…right?”

But they all watch as Dan starts walking the perimeter of the flag and douses it in a trail of
gasoline. By the end, there’s only drops in the can left, and she uses those last bits on the
collar before tossing the empty can aside. Then she holds the collar up in the air and waits.

The audience is captivated, watching her every move and cheering as if this is the opening act
to some pre-game show. Meanwhile the cameras zoom in on her determined face,
instinctively knowing they’re about to witness a historical moment.

Although Neil’s stomach swoops at the close-up, he should’ve known better. Dan’s smarter
than that. The moment she lifted her hand, drawing attention to the collar, she turned it
inward towards her wrist so that the name isn’t visible.

Once she has the attention of everyone in the stadium, she flicks the lighter on. With a slow,
dramatic movement, she lights the collar up. It flares to life immediately with the accelerant
and Dan stares at it consideringly.

Then she flings it onto the Raven’s flag.

As if planned for, the flag immediately lights up, flames licking outward from the center until
the entire thing is engulfed. The fire rages before her and Dan stares it down defiantly.

“Holy shit!” Nicky screams, bouncing up and down and using Aaron’s shoulders for balance.
“Dan is the most badass person I know! Balls of fucking steel, oh my god!”

Neil agrees. So does the rest of the crowd, apparently, from the thunderous noise the action
is met with. He can hear the PSU fans chanting Dan’s name.

“Wilds, Wilds, WILDS!”

They’re watching the slow-motion replay of Dan flinging the collar and setting the flag on
fire when suddenly there’s an ear-splitting crack. Across the way, the court doors have been
thrown open as someone in black stands there, chest panting as they stare at Dan.

It’s Riko.

His face is furious – a complex, snarling mess as he sees the symbol of his team burn up in
smoke before him. As he watches the mockery Dan’s made of his supposed threat.

His eyes lift to meet Dan’s. She smirks at him.

Neil has never loved his captain more.

Coolly, Dan stares Riko down from across the way. The cameras are eating it up, already
splicing the screen so they can zoom in on the two captains’ faces as they glare at one
another. Neil can tell it infuriates Riko because he can do nothing – nothing that won’t be
captured on a jumbotron and displayed for millions to see.

And Dan knows it.

So, in the end, she simply cocks her head and flicks him a very familiar, two-fingered salute.

Next to him, Andrew snorts.

Then she turns on her heel and doesn’t look back, dismissing Riko as her name continues to
thunder from the rooftops.

As soon as Dan enters the lounge, she gives them a huge grin. “Who’s the bitch now?”

“God, I fucking love you!” Allison glomps onto her immediately, squeezing her hard.

“I love you too!” Matt says, lifting them both up in an enormous hug that has Dan and
Allison wheezing as their feet kick the air.

“Christ, I can’t take any of you anywhere,” Wymack groans, shaking his head, although
there’s a smile on his face that he can’t quite remove.

Once Matt finally sets them down, Dan digs Andrew’s lighter out of her pocket and holds it
out silently. Andrew smirks a little as he opens his hand, and she drops it in without a word.
Then she turns to Neil who clears his suddenly tight throat and whispers out, “Thank you.”

“Oh, believe me – it was my pleasure,” she replies, her smile a little feral as she aims it at
him. But the hand she ruffles through his hair is gentle and Neil feels something warm inside
his chest flicker at the gesture.

“Right. So…now can we kick some Raven ass?” Allison asks the group.

“After the additional hour it takes for them to clean up the court,” Wymack grouses. Then a
little smirk finds its way to the corner of his mouth as he tells them, “So gear up, Foxes.
Let’s win this thing and get the hell outta here.”

The team cheers in response, and Neil feels his heart begin to pump with excitement.

It’s finally time to take Riko down.

The game is rough. From the moment both teams step on the court, it’s a vicious, violent
fight that takes off at break-neck speed and never quits. The Ravens hold nothing back, and
by halftime the score is seven-three in the Ravens’ favor.

Renee is pale-faced and grim as she steps off the court, her disappointment palpable – her
anxious scent permeates the air around them. Both Allison and Dan stand on both sides of
her, using their alpha scents to try and soothe her.

Though she’s upset, Neil notices the nod Andrew gives her when she looks his way. She
hadn’t wanted to play goal tonight, but Andrew had asked her to go in for the first half so he
could study how the Ravens play. Neil’s honestly impressed that she only let seven in – it
could have been much worse.

Now the team gathers around Wymack, already feeling battered and bruised as they try to
form a plan for the second half.

“How the hell are we supposed to beat them if we can’t keep the ball?” Nicky wheezes,
trying to suck in air and down a Gatorade at the same time.

“And who’s fault is that?” Kevin snaps at him.

Matt and Aaron wince. Though all three backliners have been trying their best, the truth is
they’ve been getting trounced. The Ravens are too quick, too agile and they’re exhausted.

“You have to drive them back. Force them to shoot further out so that Andrew has a chance
to catch them before they reach the goal,” Kevin continues.

“Fat chance. They’re almost as fast as your mini-me there,” Aaron rasps. “We can’t keep up,
babe.”
The pet name is a smart distraction – whatever retort Kevin was about to whip out gets
swallowed as he blushes and sputters.

“Focus,” Wymack tells them, kneeling down and pulling out his clipboard. “The Ravens will
be coming back with a whole new line-up, fresh as goddamn daisies. So we need to use our
heads. Let’s start down at the other end with Day at the third court-line and Josten on –
Reynolds, are you listening?”

“Nope,” Allison replies shamelessly.

“And what could possibly be more important right now than our half-time strategy?” Kevin
asks acerbically.

“This,” Allison says, flipping her phone around.

Intrigued, Neil draws in closer to see a video playing on Allison’s phone. It’s clearly from
the point of view of a bystander watching some kind of confrontation go down.

“Is that…here?” Dan frowns. “At this stadium?”

“Yep,” Allison replies. “And watch who pops onscreen.”

“So? What do you have to say for yourself? Traitor,” someone sneers in the video. “You’ve
got balls to be walking around here so casually.”

Neil can’t see their faces but it’s clear from the uniforms that it’s a couple of Ravens who are
likely sitting the bench, judging by the warm-up suits they’re still wearing. He counts about
three of them, and they’ve all gathered around one person, cornering them against a wall.

Someone who looks very familiar.

“Is that Jean?” Kevin snaps, instantly straightening.

“Mm-hmm,” Allison confirms again.

“Then we have to help him! We need to go find him right now and-”

“Just wait for it,” Allison holds up a finger.

Jean pales in the video, eyes wide and voice silent as he stands there, frozen. Then suddenly,
Jeremy steps in front of him.

“Hey guys, I’m sure you’re excited to see Jean and all, but shouldn’t you be with your team
right now?” he smiles at them.

One of the Ravens snorts. “Get out of the way, Knox. This isn’t your fight.”

Jeremy keeps the smile pasted on his face. “Not sure why there has to be any fight at all,
actually. We’re just getting some snacks and-”
A Raven steps closer and sneers down at him. “I said move, Knox.”

Jeremy stares back at him, unflinching. “No. I don’t think I will.”

“Jeremy,” Jean says hoarsely from behind him – a warning or a plea, Neil isn’t sure.

Then, without any warning, the Raven strikes Jeremy in the face. It’s an open-handed hit, his
claws out, so that Jeremy now has large, raised scratch marks over his left cheek.

“Last chance, Trojan,” he snarls. “Get out of the way before someone gets hurt.”

The two Ravens behind him snicker as if this is funny.

Jeremy slowly turns his face back to them, uncaring of the blood oozing down his cheek.
“No,” he says again defiantly, staring the three ravens down.

“Holy shit,” whispers the guy recording the video.

Jean looks like he’s whispering something, grabbing the tiniest bit of cloth on Jeremy’s
sleeve and pulling, but Jeremy minutely shakes his head.

The three Ravens begin inching forward when an enormous PSU fan suddenly steps up next
to Jeremy. “Dude, he told you to back off. What, you gotta hearing problem or something?”

“Yeah, what the hell?” says another girl to the side, dressed head to toe in bright orange.

“Shut the hell up, bitch. This ain’t your fight,” calls a guy with a large raven drawn on his
cheek.

“Wanna say that to my face, birdbrain?” she snaps back.

“Oh, come on then – let’s see what you got,” says another girl in black with EAU in red
letters on her chest. She gives the girl a come-hither motion, and the PSU girl snarls in
return.

More people begin growling, snapping, and shouting, the PSU fans seemingly coming to Jean
and Jeremy’s aid as the Ravens’ fans back their own. Neil can see Jeremy slowly backing up
against Jean until his back is flush with Jean’s front, eyes darting around as he watches the
looming threat around them, the air thick with tension.

Neil’s not sure what is the actual hair trigger, but something suddenly breaks and the guy
shooting the video starts backing up rapidly as a brawl breaks out. He tries to focus on what
happened to Jeremy and Jean, but he can’t see anything beyond a few guys in headlocks, two
girls pulling at each other’s hair, and another guy trying to lift and throw a trash can into the
chaos.

Then the video cuts off as security comes rushing in, trying to break up the fight.

There’s silence in the group for a moment.

Kevin blinks. “Did Jeremy just start a riot?”

“I mean does it count as starting it if you never raised a fist yourself?” Matt asks.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Wymack rubs his brow. “Where the hell is Rhemann? I’m
calling him.”

“Damn, Jeremy is a badass today,” Nicky grins. “Gold star to the Captain! That guy
deserves to get laid tonight.”

“And let me guess – you volunteer?” Aaron rolls his eyes.

“Oh, no, I’ll be busy getting railed by Eric,” Nicky grins. “But maybe, if you ask nicely, he
could join you and Kevin-”

“Fuck off,” Aaron says coldly. He steps a little closer and grabs Kevin’s hand possessively,
which makes Kevin blush once more.

Wymack comes back, slipping his phone into his pocket as he tells them, “Jeremy and Jean
are shaken up but fine. The scratches on Jeremy’s face are the worst they got.”

Kevin lets out a sigh of relief before shaking his head. “This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t
have thought of it. We should have never brought Jean back here-”

“We had no choice,” Neil reminds him. “Ichirou asked him here – not us.”

“I know, but-” Kevin drags a hand over his face and through his hair, cutting himself off. He
shakes his head but there’s nothing else to say. There was no other option.

The break is over far too fast and then they’re lining up to go back on. Neil bounces on his
toes behind Kevin and waits for his name to be called.

When they announce Day’s name, he waits for the cameras to focus on him, then taps the butt
of his racquet on the floor. With a dramatic flourish, he switches the racquet from his right
hand to his left, then raises it in the air.

The entire stadium loses their minds, screaming with excitement – for the son of Exy
transcends all teams and loyalties.

Neil can’t help the grin that splits his face as he follows Kevin onto the court, the chant of the
crowd and the hum in his blood calling him home.

Kevin scores twice in only a manner of minutes – and the Ravens become pissed. They shoot
on the goal relentlessly, but Andrew denies them again and again.
So they retaliate in two ways – first by Reacher punching Kevin in the face, causing a full-out
team brawl and earning them a penalty on goal, which Kevin makes. Then Williams makes a
horrendous foul by running full-speed into Andrew, tackling him to the ground.

Neil throws down his racquet and plows into Williams without a second thought, sending him
to his knees. He’s literally about to pounce on him, ready to take the beta out for daring to
attack his alpha, when Matt comes swooping in, lifting Neil off his feet and over his shoulder
to march him away from the situation.

“Hey, cool it – we need you, remember?”

“But that fucker just-”

“I know, but we can’t lose you. You don’t have a replacement, and I’m the backliner, all
right? It’s my job to defend the goal. Let me do it.”

Neil is seething but he takes a deep breath and tries to nod. His eyes shoot across the court to
find Andrew. The goalie is already back up and looking bored as he stares back at Neil.

It earns them another penalty but it’s not enough – the Ravens continue to switch out with
fresh, new blood and the Foxes are getting tired.

“They’re not fast enough,” Andrew tells him when Neil jogs over.

“I know,” Neil says, looking at his defensive line.

“Are you tired?” Andrew asks him.

Neil slowly shakes his head.

“Then let’s end this,” Andrew says coldly.

It’s a brilliant strategy once Neil understands – Dan subs in for him as striker, and Neil takes
Matt’s position as backliner. He’s the fastest player in Class I Exy, after all, and the only one
who has a shot of stopping the Ravens’ strikers.

As he takes his position, he sees Riko step onto the court with a savage smile.

The next fifteen minutes are somehow both a blur and centuries-long. Neil clashes with Riko
again and again, the two of them ruthless in their intent. There’s not a spot on Neil’s body
that doesn’t feel bruised as he crashes to the floor with Riko over and over.

“Fuck off,” Riko hisses at him under his breath, frustrated and snarling as they fight for the
ball once more.

Neil doesn’t even have the breath to respond.

By the time the last minute is counting down, Neil feels like he’s ready to throw up and the
game is still tied. Exhaustion is wearing him down and the idea of a shootout with the
Ravens nearly does him in – it would be the worst possible way to end the game. Not when
Kevin, Andrew and him are all running on fumes.

When the buzzer finally goes off, he simply drops to the ground, panting as all his strength
leaves him in one go. Black spots are crowding his vision as he struggles to catch his breath,
desperately trying to get oxygen to his poor starved brain.

Then he blinks when he hears the buzzer go off again.

Dumbly, he watches his teammates begin screaming around him, jumping up and down in
disbelief. With shaky, trembling fingers, he rips off his helmet to stare up at the scoreboard.

The score is ten to nine – Kevin had scored in the last two seconds of the game.

The Foxes have won.

He turns to see Riko standing next to him, frozen. He keeps staring at the scoreboard in
agony and rage – as if the score is a mistake. As if any second now, he’ll see it corrected.

The Ravens lost for the first time in history under his reign.

The King is dethroned.

Neil lets out a jagged laugh that threatens to tear him wide open as Riko shoots his gaze
towards him. “I’d ask you how it feels, but I guess you’ve always known what it’s like to be
second,” he takes in a rasping breath as he adds, "you worthless piece of shit."

The expression on Riko's face is worth it. He watches it morph from stunned realization that
this is really happening, to a horrifying, vicious anger that completely transforms his
features.

“I’ll kill you,” he snarls, raising his racquet high above his head.

Even with the warning, it takes Neil a beat too late to realize Riko’s really going to do it.
He’s about to bash Neil’s head in with his racquet in front of millions.

And there’s nothing Neil can do about it.

In the background, he hears Dan scream his name, but Neil just watches as Riko swings the
racquet towards him. His body is beyond exhausted, and he knows there’s no way he’ll be
able to defend himself.

He’ll never make it in time. This is it.

Then an enormous orange racquet comes hurtling out of nowhere.

Andrew swings his own racquet down on top of Riko’s forearm, shattering it. Neil hears the
sickening crunch of bone as Riko falls to the ground, screaming.
Andrew stands over Riko with a bored stare, watching him flail on the ground in agony.
Neil, in contrast, stares up at him in awe until the Foxes converge on him.

He’s tackled to the ground by Matt and Aaron before Allison jumps on top of them. Once
they pull themselves off, Neil finds himself glomped on by Nicky and Dan, the latter holding
his face and checking him over with a worried glare. Finally, Kevin does a slide tackle and
takes Neil with him in a one-armed hug as he squeezes the life out of him.

“Hey Kev,” Neil whispers in his ear. “We won.”

And huffs out a laugh when Kevin just squeezes him tighter.

The emergency removal of Riko to the hospital delays the ceremonial celebrations to the next
day. Which would have been fine with the Foxes except for one thing – while the rest of the
stadium gets to clear out, the Foxes are forced to remain, confined to the lounge area as
they’re detained for some bullshit reason that Neil instantly recognizes as a smokescreen.
The delay annoys the shit out of all of them, seeing as they’re exhausted and more than ready
to unwind back at the hotel.

But after a couple hours of sitting there, the monotony is finally broken by a security guard
arriving outside the lounge’s door.

“Day, Josten. There are some additional questions we need to ask of you.”

Kevin’s gaze immediately shoots over to Neil, but the silent clue is unnecessary – Neil
already knows.

This is Ichirou calling.

With a blank face, Neil stands up and makes his way over to the door, with Kevin on his
heels. The Foxes watch them silently, the air in the room tense as they follow the security
guards out.

Neil casts a single glance back at Andrew before they slam the door shut.

They meet Jean at the elevator to the Eastern tower. Jean gives them a sidelong glance but
otherwise doesn’t react. The elevator ride is cold and silent – not even music plays on their
way up.

The elevator opens into a long, dark hallway which the security guards gesture to. Neil steps
out first with Kevin and Jean close behind. The elevator doors close and the trio are left
alone in the hallway.

Neil can hear Kevin breathing hard and wonders if he recognizes the place. The last time
they were here, after all, is when they watched Nathan chop a man into pieces.
“Come on,” he whispers to the pair then starts walking down the hallway. A few seconds
later, he hears their footsteps echo after his.

At the end of the hall is a nondescript door. With slightly trembling fingers, Neil opens it
slowly.

Inside is an enormous room, decorated in various shades of grey and black. Two long, black
leather couches sit in the middle of the room, facing one another, while a sleek low coffee
table stands between them. On one of the couches, Tetsuji and Riko sit, their postures
slumped and defeated. Behind the opposing couch stands his Uncle Stuart and another man
Neil doesn’t know.

And up on the dais, against the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the court,
stands Ichirou.

He’s in a crisp, navy suit with a stark white button-up opened at his throat, revealing a sliver
of his pale chest. Gold cufflinks adorn his sleeves while sharp, brown leather oxfords cover
his feet. His hair is black, shiny, and slicked back in a way that tells Neil it’s clearly been
styled. He’s wearing mirrored aviators that he doesn’t bother to take off as they enter the
room, the rays of the sunset painting his right shoulder pink.

He watches them silently for a couple moments. Neil stares back but fixes his gaze
deferentially to somewhere around Ichirou’s collar. After all, it’s no coincidence that the
room is filled with Ichirou’s alpha scent.

Ichirou is in charge and wants them to know it.

“Sit, gentlemen,” comes his cool command.

Neil doesn’t need to be told twice. With swift movements, Kevin, Jean, and him walk over to
the empty couch and carefully sit down on it. Their postures are straight and attentive, like a
trio of naughty schoolboys summoned to the principal’s office.

None of them dare speak into the silent room.

After they’re settled, Ichirou makes a slight gesture with his fingers. The unknown man
behind them walks over and hands him something. At first, Neil thinks it’s a gun, and his
limbs instantly tense. But on closer inspection, he realizes it’s a remote.

His brow furrows in confusion, but he keeps his mouth shut.

Ichirou points the remote at a far wall and Neil sees the entire thing light up – it’s a collection
of TV screens that are mounted.

As he watches, an image pops up on the largest, central screen – it’s a picture of him,
coughing and hacking on the parking lot’s asphalt, surrounded by his team. All around the
picture, on smaller screens, he sees a series of magnified comments pop up:
Anniej5823: omg poor Neil! My boy! What did they do to him???

Tritonsace64: dude, I heard they had to evacuate all the foxes due to something in the locker
rooms? Like someone was saying it was a chemical spill or something? WTF?

HamburglarsHoe: um...they’re saying it was an ‘accident’…like…how the hell is that an

accident?

Jujubean22: aw hell, nah. Definitely was on purpose. Fucking raven bastards.

RawrzAgain700: what? The Ravens so scared of the Foxes they need to cheat? Aren’t they
the #1 ranked team in the nation? So what’s with all these bullshit antics? It’s fucking weird.

The image changes and Neil watches the replay of Dan facing off with Riko on the main
screen, the Ravens’ flag burning between them. Again, comments begin popping up on all
the side screens surrounding it, enlarged so the room can see.

RolyPoly4Sholey: holy shit did you see what Wilds just pulled? BADASS!!! Like hell yeah,
#gofoxes

Foxyheart13: See Riko’s face?? That shit’s HILARIOUS

6237deadnutz: Anyone else wondering if that was actually planned? Because judging from
a lot of people’s faces, I’m thinking not

RavenH8R!!: Definitely not fake. You see the way Moriyama and Wilds were staring each
other down? That was some serious shade. You can tell they hate each other.

**THRSTEEBOY**: Makes you wonder what’s really going on with this supposed
“rivalry” between the two teams

Ichirou clicks another button and the video Allison brought up from halftime starts playing.

Trojanator99: omg I can’t believe that stupid raven just hit JEREMY KNOX – only the
nicest, kindest human being on the entire planet!!! Like NOOOOOOO

PonyGrl&U: Like what kind of dick do you have to be to punch the sweetest guy in Exy?

SayWuTUWant: Something’s starting to seem fishy about EAU…I mean, why are they
being so hostile to Jean? Wasn’t he just in a car accident? Like…what do they have against
him?
PurplepriorsX9J: What do they have against omegas in general you mean, right? Telling
you – that “pre-game” show wasn’t a stunt – Wilds looked PISSED. And I swear she was
holding a collar in her hand. Not cool, man. Not cool.

Finally, a replay of the last five seconds of the game shows on the screen, with Neil on the
ground, Riko swinging his racquet at him, and Andrew intervening.

BillysMateKK88: FUCK ME. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. Riko was seriously gonna take
Josten’s head off, wasn’t he? Tell me I’m not the only one who saw that, right?

LailasGurl4EVA: Dude, that is FUCKED UP. Like seriously fucked up. Guy is deranged –
glad Minyard was there to stop him.

KevMakesMyDay: After all the shit that went down in this game, I gotta say – not sure I’ll
be rooting for the Ravens anymore. Not if this is how they handle themselves. Kinda
disgusting.

Ichirou slides the remote into his pocket and stares over at the couch – the one with Tetsuji
and Riko on it. Again, he holds out a hand.

This time, the man really does put a gun in it.

Neil tracks it like it’s a live grenade as Ichirou takes a couple steps towards the couch,
hovering over the two. He stares them down before hissing out, “You are a disgrace.”

It’s not immediately apparent who he’s talking to, but Tetsuji bows his head in shame
anyway. Riko, however, looks up at his older brother with wide eyes. “Ichirou,” he chokes
out.

“You are a liability,” Ichirou replies to him coldly. “And I have no further use for you.”

“Ichirou…please…I…”

Ichirou tilts his head slightly, watching Riko beg before him. He reaches one hand out and
slowly caresses his cheek. Riko curls into the gesture, resting his head in his brother’s palm.

And that’s when Ichirou raises the gun.

It’s only through some primal instinct that Neil realizes what’s going to happen. As soon as
Ichirou starts the motion, Neil’s hand shoots out and shoves Kevin’s face away, trying
desperately to prevent him from watching it. In strange solidarity, Jean also reaches for
Kevin, but pulls him in towards his chest protectively.

Between the two of them, they manage to succeed. Kevin misses the whole thing.
But neither of them looks away.

With a grim sort of satisfaction, Jean and Neil watch as Ichirou puts a bullet through his
brother’s brain without a second thought.

Riko’s corpse jerks slightly before it simply slumps over on the couch and is still.

Ichirou holds up the gun over his shoulder, and the stranger takes it from him wordlessly. He
wipes the gun off meticulously before placing it in Riko’s hand.

“I trust you are satisfied, Nathaniel? I have held my end of the bargain.”

In shock, Neil realizes Ichirou is addressing him. His head snaps up from Riko’s dead eyes
to stare at Ichirou’s collar as he nods. “Yes, my lord. Your people are safe, as are mine. I am
satisfied.”

Beside him, Kevin fights to raise his head. He’d tensed with the sound of the bullet and had
been content to stay where he was. Now, with Ichirou and Neil’s exchange, curiosity drives
his head up from Jean’s shoulder to look. The moment he sees Riko, though, he freezes.

Neil clamps a hand on Kevin’s thigh and clutches it tight as he watches the blood drain from
his face. On Kevin’s other side, Jean also has a death grip on Kevin’s hand, both of them
silently willing Kevin to keep it together. To not fall apart.

It’s obviously a difficult battle – Kevin’s breath is stuttering, his haunted gaze staring at Riko
as his scent emits a convoluted mix of relief, terror, and despair.

Luckily, it’s the latter that Ichirou reads on his face.

“I am touched to see how much loyalty you still hold for my family, Kevin,” he remarks
casually. “Such an asset to us, even now.”

Kevin flinches at the sound of his name but after Neil digs his nails in painfully, he hoarsely
replies, “Thank you, my lord.”

Ichirou retrieves the remote from his pocket and turns back to the televisions on the wall.
“And I see you’ve taken great thought and care to your future as well.” He clicks a button
and several pictures of Aaron fill the screens.

They’re obviously from different days, as Aaron’s face is taken from different angles and he’s
wearing different outfits. But they’re not taken from promotional materials or social media
websites – no, these are clearly candids, taken by a professional surveillance team.

It’s meant to show they’re being watched.

The instant the photos appear on screen, Kevin’s hand grabs Neil’s wrist in panic.

Ichirou continues, unperturbed. “Selecting a mate who’s an omega and set to be a doctor. A
doctor with a…now spotless record, thanks to your friend, Nathaniel.”
Kevin’s wide eyes dart towards Neil but he doesn’t turn his head.

“Intelligent. Soft-spoken. Clean image. A prominent figure in the community with a soon-
to-be wealthy salary.” Ichirou taps his fingers on the side of his tailored suit pants. “An
excellent choice. You have my blessing.”

Neil doesn’t even realize Kevin isn’t breathing until the air comes whooshing out of his lungs
in relief. “Th-thank you, my lord,” he stutters out again, bowing his head slightly.

Ichirou doesn’t bother acknowledging the gratitude, simply moving on. “Despite my
conversation with Nathaniel, I must admit…I began to rethink my decision regarding you,
Moreau.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Neil watches Jean stiffen this time. But Jean is infinitely more
practiced in the ways of the Moriyamas, so this is a momentary slip. His face never wavers.
He simply waits as Ichirou continues.

“After all, you are still the property of my family. An omega given as payment for a debt
owed.” He stops pacing and hovers on the side of the room near Jean. “However, the events
of today have given me pause.”

He clicks the remote and brings up a still of Jeremy standing in front of Jean from the video,
his face brave and determined.

“Despite our best efforts, we have never had someone on the inside of USC before. Thus
your transfer there now seems particularly fortuitous. It would be the perfect cover. And
he-” Ichirou points cruelly to Jeremy on the screen, “-would be the perfect mate.”

Now Jean’s eyes widen.

“The golden boy of Exy,” Ichirou muses as he stares at Jeremy. “Untouchable and beyond
reproof.” He spins back around to face Jean. “He will be your ticket into infiltrating their
campus and discovering their weaknesses. You will use him to undermine the competition
and restore the glory of the Ravens once more.” He shoves both hands in his pockets as he
begins walking back towards the windows. “You will go to USC, you will seduce this
Jeremy Knox into becoming your mate, and you will provide us with whatever information
we ask for inside the Trojan court. And you will do it all within one year. Understood?”

It's only with this cruel and callous order that Neil finally understands just how worthless
Jean’s value is to the Moriyamas. That Ichirou can think nothing of commanding Jean to
destroy another man’s life – to betray and undermine a team he hasn’t even joined yet, thus
completely ruining any hope he has of enjoying the experience. To condemn him to lose
before he’s even played the game.

So, it’s no wonder that when Jean answers him with a hoarse, “Yes, my lord,” he sounds like
the life has been completely sucked out of him. It’s an outcome that not even Neil could
have anticipated. And though he racks his brains furiously now, he can think of no
alternative to save him from it.
“Good,” Ichirou nods, then turns towards Kevin. “And you can thank Kevin for coming up
with it. Approaching the Trojans with a sob story to bring them into our confidence…such
ingenuity. Always thinking of how to support the family further.” He smiles, and it’s a cold,
manipulative thing that sends shivers up Neil’s spine. “Well done, Day.”

Kevin’s eyes widen once more. Neil can tell he’s devastated by this turn of events – after all,
there’s no way he had any part of this. Kevin had only been thinking of how to keep Jean
safe. But his pleading look goes unseen because Jean is practically shutting down – his face
is shuttered, his body devoid of all emotions.

He is a caged bird forced to sing with a chain of gold around his throat.

Ichirou turns back towards the windows. “Excellent game today, gentleman. I expect similar
results in the future. You are dismissed.”

Immediately, the door behind them opens as two security guards enter. They motion to Neil,
Kevin, and Jean on the couch. While Neil wastes no time at all in getting up, Jean has to pry
Kevin from his spot, his gaze trained back on Riko’s body, and his feet stumbling in front of
him as they all head towards the door.

But halfway there, they hear Ichirou speak up once more. “Oh. Except for you, Nathaniel.
There is something else I wish to discuss.”

Neil freezes just as Kevin looks back at him. Kevin’s face is a mix of horror and anxiety, but
there’s nothing he can do about it. He simply stares at Neil’s face as the security guards lead
him away, and Neil does what he can to convey all the emotions he wishes to express in that
split second – in case he never sees him again.

Thank you for teaching me and playing with me until the end.

Tell the others how much they mean to me and how I’ll miss them.

Tell Andrew I’m sorry.

Kevin nods, just once, before they snap the door shut. Neil can only hope he understands.

As he turns back towards the couch, he sees Tetsuji being led away by the stranger to another
side door. Behind the couch, his uncle hesitates.

“Yes, Stuart, you may stay with your nephew,” Ichirou tells him, amused.

Neil watches his uncle relax fractionally.

When he’s seated once more, Ichirou slowly takes off his sunglasses and places them on the
table with a tiny, purposeful click. Then he looks at him.

It’s unnerving, this targeted and frozen stare. Ichirou gives nothing away – no small tics, no
little noises or hums – nothing that would indicate what he’s thinking. It causes a small bead
of sweat to slowly trickle down the back of Neil’s neck as he waits.
When Ichirou speaks next, the accusation is cold and crisp. “When I asked if you had a mate,
you denied it.” He clicks a button on the remote rapid-fire, and Neil watches as hundreds of
pictures of Andrew pop up on the screen, the largest one of tonight’s game, with him standing
in front of Neil as Riko screams at his feet. “Did you lie to me?”

“No, my lord,” Neil says instantly. He clenches his jaw hard, terror suddenly spiking in his
chest. “We’re not mates. We’re nothing.”

“Nothing,” Ichirou repeats thoughtfully. Then he presses play on the TV and Neil watches a
replay of Andrew crushing Riko’s arm, noting the look of pure fury on his face as he does
so. “This does not look like nothing.”

He pauses for a moment before adding, “This looks like a problem. Is he going to cause
trouble?”

“No!” Neil shouts, forgetting himself a moment. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He immediately
casts his gaze to the floor, lowering his head as he rephrases, “I mean, no, my lord.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Ichirou tilt his head. “I would take your word for it,
omega, but in my experience, the Wesninskis are liars. Your father was one – so what would
make me think you aren’t one as well?”

Neil wisely doesn’t answer this question.

“Perhaps I’ll find out for myself, hm?”

He nods at the henchman in the room again, who goes over and knocks on the door Neil
came from. A security guard immediately enters and Ichirou commands, “Bring him to me.”

The security guard nods once then leaves the room.

And with horror, Neil realizes Ichirou is bringing Andrew up to the tower.

Neil is literally sitting on pins and needles as he waits for Andrew to arrive. He doesn’t dare
risk a look at his uncle, nor does his uncle try to break the silence.

Only Ichirou seems unfazed, having one of his men bring in a cup of tea that he sips at slowly
while looking out over the court. In the back of his mind, Neil wonders if he sees it as a new
investment, or a new toy to play with and destroy. Maybe both.

Finally, there’s another knock on the door, and a few seconds later, Andrew walks calmly
through.

The moment he enters the room, his eyes locate Riko’s body, still cooling and bleeding out
onto the granite floor. They simply flicker over his corpse curiously before meeting Ichirou’s
gaze.

He doesn’t look at Neil once.

“Minyard,” Ichirou greets him. “Congratulations on your win.”

Andrew stares at him a moment before nodding his head slightly.

“I find your after-game celebrations to be rather…enthusiastic, however. Is there a reason

you decided to take your excess energy out on my kin?”

Andrew doesn’t miss a beat, his face completely stone-faced as he answers, “I suspect it’s for
the same reason he’s currently bleeding out on your floor.”

Neil’s gut clenches at the flippancy, but Ichirou seems to overlook it, simply lifting a brow
and asking. “Which is?”

“He didn’t do as he was told.”

Ichirou’s mask never slips. “And what is it you told my brother to do?”

“I told him not to touch my things.”

“Yours?” Ichirou echoes, his tone faintly amused. “It seems you are mistaken. For Nathaniel
is marked as mine.”

“Is he?” Andrew muses back, crossing his arms. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Ichirou snaps his fingers and Neil suddenly finds himself shoved to his knees on the floor, his
head wrenched forward, and his shirt ripped down to show the deep initial ‘M’ gouged into
his shoulder.

“Perhaps this rings a bell?”

“Ah, right…how could I forget?” Andrew answers calmly. “M for Moriyama…or is it M for
Minyard?” He shrugs lightly. “Guess no one can know for sure. There’s no scent tied to it,
you see – and it’s hidden away where no one can see it. Kind of hard to tell, actually, who he
belongs to.”

“You would claim the mark of another alpha?” Ichirou asks, ice beginning to creep into his
tone.

“It’s better than the alternative, isn’t it?” Andrew blandly returns. “Or were you expecting
him to announce to the world how he’s the property of the Moriyamas the moment someone
catches the scar on camera?”

There’s a beat of silence in the room.

Neil doesn’t dare breathe – it’s clear Andrew has caught Ichirou by surprise. Because he’s
right – despite the feudal ways of the mafia, the general public wouldn’t appreciate Ichirou’s
brutal sign of dominance on Neil’s body. After all, the Moriyamas are known as generous
benefactors to the outside world. The mark would be a red flag the feds would happily dig
into.

Goosebumps erupt over his skin as Ichirou’s scent sours. “Is that a challenge?” the other
alpha hisses softly. “Because I’ll bite him right now to show what’s mine.”

Andrew shrugs. “Go ahead.”

The words are like a slap to Neil’s face.

His heartbeat goes into overdrive, eyes widening as he tries to hide the scent of fear
emanating from his pores. Does Andrew not want him? Is he purposefully goading Ichirou
into taking him? What is he up to exactly?

Can’t face the truth, Nathaniel? Mark my words – all alphas are the same. When the time
comes, he will throw you to the wolves without so much as a backwards glance.

Jean’s words are especially mocking in his ear as one of Ichirou’s men thrusts his fingers into
Neil’s hair and wrenches his head forward, exposing his neck for Ichirou to take. He closes
his eyes and braces himself.

If done during intercourse, the extreme levels of serotonin help dilute the pain a mating bite
can cause. But Ichirou doesn’t care whether Neil hurts – if he decides to bite him now, then
Neil knows the pain will be excruciating.

There’s nothing he can do but wait, though, so he simply takes a deep breath and sits there.
But after several seconds of silence, he realizes Ichirou hasn’t moved. The tension in the
room takes on a strange, stilted kind of vibe before he hears, “But you won’t.”

Neil fights against the hands holding him to shoot his head back towards Andrew. The way
he drops the blasé comment on Ichirou fucking Moriyama nearly has Neil bolting towards the
door and dragging Andrew with him. But Andrew still won’t look at him, though, and Neil
thinks he’s finally beginning to understand the angle Andrew’s playing.

This is a faceoff between alphas. Andrew’s trying to earn Ichirou’s respect – which includes
showing little to no favoritism towards Neil. He wants Ichirou to believe that Nathaniel is
just another omega toy being tossed between them – not someone Andrew is partial to.

But to what end?

“You’re establishing your empire – and hanging onto relics of the past is counterintuitive to
that goal. The Butcher may have been close to your father, but he became too arrogant.
Messy.” Andrew tilts his head. “It’s one thing to make Nathaniel an investment – it’s another
thing entirely to call him mate. In fact, I think it’s fair to assume several of your close
connections would be insulted by the arrangement.” He pauses before continuing, “Plus, I
have a feeling he’s not your type.”

Ichirou remains silent.

“No, you like them a bit more…obedient, shall we say?”

Neil can’t see Ichirou from the way his head is forced down towards the floor but
interestingly, he sees his uncle’s foot twitch just slightly.

“So I think you’ll find that Nathaniel, with his quick temper and running mouth, simply isn’t
worth the trouble.”

There’s a long silence that meets Andrew’s statement. It’s purposefully intended to make
him squirm, but the blonde stares confidently back at Ichirou with a slightly bored face. As if
he really doesn’t care what the other alpha decides.

Finally, Ichirou asks, “So…what are you offering?”

“Give him to me,” Andrew answers. “Let him be my burden to bear.”

“Why?” Ichirou demands. “What does he have that could possibly be of worth to you?”

Andrew shrugs. “He’s…interesting. A means to pass the time.”

Neil’s heart does a little flip in his chest at the significance of those words, regardless of how
carelessly they’re said.

Ichirou lets Andrew’s response soak in a moment. Then he replies, “I can assume you like
yours a little feistier, then, hm? Willing to let them mouth off a little so you can shut them
up?”

Andrew simply smirks in return.

Ichirou taps his finger on his suit pant as he considers something. Then his face breaks into a
cold smile. “I like you, Minyard. A man with your tastes could be useful to me.”

“A generous offer, my lord,” Andrew replies respectfully. “But someone has to keep a close
eye on your investments.”

“Hm,” Ichirou leans back against the windows and crosses one leg over the other. “Then
keep him under control. Mark him properly this time, Minyard. I will not have any doubts
as to his ownership.”

Neil’s stomach drops.

Mark him properly this time. Does Ichirou mean what he thinks he means? Did he just tell
Andrew to bite him? Andrew, who basically refused to the last time Neil asked?

He whips his head towards Andrew to watch his response. But Andrew’s face gives away
nothing, simply offering Ichirou a nod of acknowledgement in return.

“But understand this,” Ichirou continues. His voice drips with polite hostility, the room
dropping several degrees as he nails Andrew to the wall with his stare. “If you choose not to
bond him within a year’s timeframe, then I will come for him. And I will do with him as I
please.”

Fuck.

There’s a slight tic in Andrew’s jaw now as he nods his head once more. “Agreed.”

Ichirou’s cold smile blooms again on his face. “And people say I’m not a romantic.”

He makes a quick hand motion and Neil is released. He sits up slowly and fights the urge to
rub his neck, pulling his shirt back up to cover his scars.

“You are dismissed, Nathaniel. I expect to see you in next year’s championships as well. Do
not disappoint me.”

“Yes, my lord,” Neil answers quickly. “Thank you.”

This time, it’s his uncle who helps him stand, gripping his arm tight to stop his knees from
buckling.

“You will remain, Stuart, as I have business to speak with you on.”

Neil’s uncle squeezes his arm once before he crisply responds, “Of course, my lord.”

Ichirou lifts his head to address Andrew. “Until next time, Minyard.”

“My lord,” Andrew bows his head slightly. Then he leaves the room, the door left open
behind him for Neil to follow. It’s an act again, showing Neil’s deference as an omega to his
status as an alpha.

Neil follows meekly behind, and it’s not nearly as much of an act as he wishes it to be since
his legs feel like jello. He’s torn between relief and disbelief – afraid that at any moment
Ichirou is going to renege, dragging him back inside and getting rid of him, once and for all.

But Ichirou lets him go without another word, and Neil swallows a giddy laugh threatening to
bubble up from his chest as he enters the elevator next to Andrew. They descend silently and
follow the security guards back through the corridors once more.

Night has descended on the stadium by now, and the entire place feels eerie and desolate.
Neil walks slightly behind Andrew and imagines the dark walls are closing in on him. The
pressure and stress of the game combined with his adrenaline over meeting Ichirou is all
catching up with him now. He’s slowly collapsing under the weight of it all. His chest grows
tighter with each step, his breaths more shallow as they pass the locker rooms and head out
towards the parking lot.

Andrew, of course, notices. “Not yet,” he hisses at Neil under his breath in German. “Keep it
together just a little longer, rabbit.”

Neil can’t answer – in fact, he barely has the strength to nod, but somehow, he manages.
The security team waits at the entrance to the stadium as Andrew and Neil continue towards
the PSU bus.

“Don’t you dare fucking stop, Josten,” Andrew encourages him in his own way, prompting
him to keep walking. To keep his head held high and face impassive as they pass under the
watchful eye of the Moriyamas on their turf.

They make it onto the bus where Wymack simply nods at them tightly. Somehow, the rest of
the team knows not to say anything as they pass down the aisle, their eyes meeting Neil’s
briefly before turning back to scan the parking lot, everyone on edge and antsy to get out of
there. The one exception to this is Aaron, who’s holding Kevin as tightly as possible, his
mouth set in a grim line as Kevin trembles in his arms.

Neil clenches his fists tighter, keeping his own head down and focused on Andrew’s steady
steps towards the back. Left. Right. Left. Right. He sits down next to him on the very last
seat and immediately feels the bus lurch forward, heading down the drive and out the gate.

He snaps his eyes shut and keeps his spine straight, feeling his illusion of control waver like
smoke slipping through his fingers as the bus wheels rumble and roll beneath him.

It’s only once they’re on the highway and speeding along that Andrew finally says, “Okay.”

Neil instantly collapses.

Ragged breaths are ripped from his chest as Andrew immediately gathers him up in his arms,
his hand heavy on Neil’s neck as Neil holds onto his shirt tightly.

“It’s over, rabbit,” Andrew murmurs to him softly, stroking his back. “It’s done. Let go.”

I’ve got you.

So Neil burrows his head into the crook of Andrew’s shoulder and does.

Neil weaves in and out of the thick body of students dancing in the parking lot, focused on
reaching his destination, when someone snags his elbow.

“Neil!” Nicky shouts in his ear, even though he’s standing right next to him. “Where’s
Andrew?!”

Neil shakes his head. “Don’t know. Trying to find him.”

“You should go find him!” Nicky yells back, clearly intoxicated. “Drag that cranky bitch
down to the party and tell him to live a little!”

Right. Only if he has a death wish.

Neil’s mouth twitches. “Great idea. You go first.”

Nicky squares his shoulders. “All right, I got this! Let me just-”

But he gets waylaid by Erik’s gentle hand on his elbow. “Or perhaps we could leave Neil to
it?” he murmurs in German. He admonishes Neil with a single eyebrow lift.

Neil sniffs. Spoilsport.

“Besides – it’s your turn,” the enormous beta continues. He motions to the table behind them
where Allison is laughing her ass off at someone as she chugs a red solo cup.

“Oh, really?” Nicky swings back around and Neil doesn’t waste any more time.

He dives back into the crowd and this time is able to make it all the way to the corner of the
dorm building unhindered. He starts turning the corner to use the side entrance when
something sour reaches his nostrils.

Nose wrinkling, he pauses. He takes a step back, hovering at the corner before cautiously
peering around it. He can see Jean and Jeremy standing ten or fifteen feet down from him,
the two talking quietly but intensely to one another. They’re obviously having a conversation
that Neil wants no part of – right outside the very door he was hoping to slip into.

He huffs in annoyance.

He can’t hear from where he is, but he sees Jean make some kind of hand motion, shaking his
head before he walks off. Jeremy lifts a hand towards him but slowly lowers it, his face
falling as Jean walks away. Dejected, he turns around and begins ambling back towards Neil.

Neil quickly ducks back behind the corner, but before he can figure out what to do with
himself, Jeremy’s standing right in front of him.

“Oh – hey Neil.”

“Um…Knox,” Neil settles on, leaning casually against the wall.

“Great game yesterday! You’re a force on the court, you know? Can’t wait to play you guys
again next season!”

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” Neil concedes.

“I mean, we’ll be losing Clemington, but with Moreau joining us and Bernard really upping
his game, I think you guys will have a run for your money. At least that’s what Wymack said
when he and Rhemann…” Jeremy’s eyes widen before he stutters, “…I m-mean, well, um, I
think Rhemann may have said something at some point? That maybe Wymack told him…
over the phone! Yep, when they do their coaching thing. Together. Yep. That’s a…that’s a
thing. For sure.”

Neil blinks at the alpha. “Okay.”

“Yep, okay! Well, I’m gonna uh…go find Kevin! Yeah – have you, uh, have you seen him?”

Neil jerks his thumb. “Puking his guts out in a trash can on the east side of the parking lot,
by that half-dead tree. Just look for Aaron – he’s holding his shirt up for him, I think.”

“Cool, cool – uh, thanks!”

And with that, Jeremy takes off without looking back.

Shaking his head at the weird antics of everyone tonight, Neil finally slips into the dorm
building and immediately heads toward the stairs.

He opens the rooftop door without fanfare and has to stop. His new vantage point gives him
an up close and personal view to the fireworks the campus has been setting off. They
explode and twinkle in the sky, loud enough and bright enough to make the hairs on the back
of his neck stand up, but still stunning in their aftermath.

He wanders over to the rooftop’s edge and sits down to watch them dazedly.

Unbeknownst to the Foxes, the PSU campus had been waiting for them when they returned
from the awards ceremony this morning. Once the university pariah, the student body had
been all too happy to embrace the Foxes’ monumental win. The dorm building especially
had gone all out, the other sports team members spilling out of the doors to cheer and shake
the team’s hands as the bus pulled in. Ever since then, it’s been a non-stop campus party that
only seemed to grow as the night wore on.

(Neil has a feeling that campus security was politely asked to look the other way because he
can see PSU students drinking openly in the parking lot below.)

He closes his eyes and tips his head back, feeling the breeze dance through his hair. He keeps
waiting to wake up from this dream, still feeling like it can’t be true. There’s no way Neil
Josten can be real – PSU student, striker for the Foxes, Division I champion. Able to stop
running, to play Exy, and to hold onto this family he’d found purely by accident with both
hands.

So he focuses on his anchor, his alpha, seated next to him, Andrew’s calming presence able
to soothe him as always. The lights from the fireworks weave through his flaxen hair, giving
it an unearthly glow as he tips his head up towards the sky. Smoke plumes from his pursed
lips, and Neil’s head spins with the ache to kiss them.

“Staring,” Andrew tells him with his eyes closed.

Neil smiles in return.

“What are you overthinking this time, rabbit?”

Neil shakes his head slowly, spotting Matt and Dan dancing and twirling to the music on the
sidewalk below. “That I can’t believe I get to have this.”
Andrew follows his line of sight before snorting. “Not sure Wilds’ and Boyd’s dance moves
are something to be grateful for.”

Neil huffs before quipping, “And your cousin’s drunken innuendos are?”

Andrew looks down again at the party. “And where is the man I’m unfortunately related to?”

It’s a bit like a Where’s Waldo puzzle as Neil peers through the crowd. “There. Playing beer
pong with Allison against two guys from the volleyball team. Erik and Renee are watching
them.”

“Winning?”

“Of course. It’s Allison.”

“And Aaron?”

“Keeping an eye on Kevin. Last I saw he was regaling some starstruck freshmen with tales
of Court before his twelfth vodka shot finally caught up with him.”

Andrew hums but doesn’t comment.

“Ran into Jeremy on the way up as well – him and Jean were having some sort of tiff.”

“What? The poodle arguing with someone? Shocking,” Andrew drawls.

“And then Jeremy said something…strange about Wymack,” Neil furrows his brow. “He got
really nervous when he was talking about him and Rhemann and then practically sprinted
off.”

Andrew snorts. “That’s because Jeremy is a terrible liar and Wymack and Rhemann are
fooling no one.”

“Wymack and Rhemann? But what do you…” Neil’s mouth drops open. “You mean…?”

“Oblivious as always,” Andrew rolls his eyes at him.

“Huh,” Neil blinks, his mind blown a little. “But aren’t him and Abby…?”

Andrew simply shrugs, a non-answer that clarifies nothing for Neil.

So he shakes his head and continues, “Well, like I said, I need these things spelt out for me.”
He nibbles on his bottom lip for a second before he starts, “And um, speaking of spelling
things out…um…about…about what Ichirou said on…uh…biting me,” his neck flushes hot
for a second before he forces himself to keep going, “…you don’t…I mean, don’t feel like
you have to – that you’re supposed to…I’m just saying, no one’s forcing you if you really
don’t want-”

“Neil,” Andrew says mildly. “Shut up.”

Neil snaps his mouth shut.

After a couple seconds of silence, Andrew lets out a sigh. “Stop worrying about it tonight,
rabbit. We have plenty of time to figure it out.”

Well. And that is true, he supposes, but –

“Go on and celebrate with those idiots you call friends,” Andrew sneers at him.

“They’re your friends too,” Neil replies instantly.

Andrew gives him a disgusted look in return.

“Besides, maybe I just want to stay up here with you,” Neil adds, his lips quirking to the
side.

“Martyr,” Andrew replies.

Neil shakes his head. “Can’t be a martyr if you want to do the thing that’s bad for you.”

“Junkie.”

He shakes his head again. “Can’t be an addict if the thing for you isn’t bad,” he replies again
softly.

Andrew clenches his jaw as he cuts him a look.

Though it’s meant to intimidate, all Neil can think about is how the nighttime darkens his
eyes, pushing them more towards a caramel brown versus the green that pops in the early
morning. They’re beautiful in any light, capturing Neil in their gaze entirely.

Then his eyes dip down to Andrew’s lips.

“Andrew?” he asks even softer, leaning towards him. “Kiss me?”

Andrew stares at him for another moment before tossing the cigarette butt over the side of the
building without a second glance. He pushes Neil down so that his back meets the tarmac
and leans over him.

Neil stares up at Andrew and the night sky, fireworks still exploding all around them. He
smiles as Andrew cups his face in his hands. “Yes,” the alpha growls, then fuses their lips
together.

This time, the fireworks erupt inside his chest.

Neil sighs into the kiss Andrew envelops him in, letting the world fall away until all he
knows is the warm sweep of Andrew’s tongue and the sharp nip of his teeth. He feels safe
and warm and relaxed on top of this roof with his alpha– and for once, he’s content to stay
inside that bubble.
 Andrew is right – they have lots of time. There’s no need to think about the Moriyamas and
their ever-looming threats tonight.

Tonight, he gets to bask in the glow of a hard-fought win. Tonight, he doesn’t feel guilty for
skipping practice and giving himself a night off. Tonight, he gets to lose himself in Andrew’s
arms, in the feeling of his lips.

Tonight, it finally feels like it was all worth it.

Chapter End Notes

Thanks for reading as always!! ❤ 🔥❤🔥

 The Heat is On
Chapter Notes

Ho, ho, ho - is this timing not perfect, or what? Posting my last chapter during
Kinktober? It's like it was planned...(it wasn't, but let's just run with it, eh?)

Thank you SO MUCH to all of you for your lovely comments. I know I haven't been
able to keep up with responding as much as I would have liked to this time around, but
please know I appreciate every single one of them and that they absolutely make my
day!!

So I hope you enjoy this very last chapter, and thank you so much for reading this fic!

T/N: Alllllll right, so WE ARE HERE, folks. Reminder that this is an A/B/O fic, so we
have some very ABO things about to happen - aka knotting and biting. Here is a very
good explanation of this whole thing if you're unfamiliar with the universe's setting.
With that being said, THINGS ABOUT TO GET REAL. Like 83% of this chapter is
pure, unfiltered smut. So if that's not your deal, solid - you can either skip everything
after scene 10 and join us for the last two scenes of the chapter, or you can skip scene by
scene to catch those non-sexual ones in between. (There are a few, so maybe not
EVERYTHING in this chapter is smut lol). The whole point is, once again, to have
intimate and explicit conversations about sex and consent, and then to enjoy those. :)

Okay, so enough babbling...on with the show!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

In retrospect, he should have known.

The signs were all there, of course – just hidden in plain sight. Jumbled into the everyday
nothings that wove their lives together. Unseen but hovering like the weight of humidity on a
hot summer’s day.

The first clue comes when Aaron and Kevin return from summer break.

“Aaron Michael Minyard!” Nicky squeals the moment Aaron walks through the door. “Is
that what I think it is?”

Andrew’s eyes flick to his twin. He immediately spots it.

On the back of his twin’s neck is a clearly visible wound – mildly red and ringed with tiny
teeth marks. The imperfect oval aggressively gives off Kevin’s scent while mixing with
Aaron’s, a clear indicator that the omega is taken. It doesn’t quite exude the same “fuck off”
signals that an alpha’s would since Kevin is a beta, but anyone would have to be blind to miss
it.

It’s a mating bite. The highest form of dedication two partners can have. A sign for all to see
that the two have chosen to be together for life.

Aaron blushes red at Nicky’s outburst, and Kevin squeezes his hand as the rest of the Foxes
leap up to check it out.

The team from last year has gathered in the Monsters’ dorm room to watch a movie – a kind
of catch-up session before the new recruits arrive. They coo and squeal over the telltale
mark, with some idle groaning, money exchanged, and a healthy dose of teasing heaped on
both heads.

Amid the chaos, Aaron’s gaze flicks over to him, searching and hesitant. It’s a silent ask for
approval, even though they both know he doesn’t need it.

So, Andrew coolly exhales a plume of smoke before nodding. He watches the release of
tension along Aaron’s shoulders, and his smile is brighter as Renee and Dan ask for details.

Then Neil comes back from his run.

“Neil!” Matt shouts as soon as he sees him (because the alpha is whipped for Neil, regardless
of relationship factors for either party). “Come check it out! Aaron and Kevin took the
plunge! They’re mates now!”

Andrew watches Neil’s eyes zoom in on the bite, and his fingers tense slightly on his
cigarette. The omega’s nose twitches slightly, noting the change in Aaron’s smell.

The cigarette starts burning dangerously close to Andrew’s fingers. Still, he continues to
wait, unwilling to move his gaze from Neil’s face. He expects him to shut down or freak out
– reacting poorly in some way to the news.

But Neil just smiles.

“Finally,” he grins, toeing off his sneakers and kicking them to the side as he approaches
them. “Can you imagine if we’d had to find two other poor souls to deal with both of you?
The horror.”

Andrew’s gaze whips back toward his twin to hear his reply.

Because this would be the perfect opportunity to return with something cruel. Something
like, “you’re just jealous because you don’t have a mate,” or “at least my mate’s willing.”

It’s a sucker punch just waiting to happen.

But Aaron simply rolls his eyes and says, “Shut up.”
And Kevin says, “Seriously, Josten? Were you raised in a barn? Can you at least pretend to
put your sneakers away while I’m here?”

“Nope,” Neil replies, popping the “p” obnoxiously.

Aaron pushes at Neil’s shoulder, and Neil pushes back. Then he tugs on Neil’s arm to drag
him toward the fridge, likely to get a drink. Neil hesitates, though, and turns back toward
Andrew.

Andrew’s stomach plummets. This is it.

He waits, nerves on edge, as Neil opens his mouth.

“Want anything?” Neil asks him.

Andrew blinks. Then he slowly shakes his head.

Neil shrugs and follows Aaron into the kitchen. Andrew stares after him.

And though he waits the rest of the night for Neil to address it, the omega never says two
words.

The next clue comes on a night out at Eden’s.

It was only a few months into the new season, and the new recruits were driving Neil crazy.
Already wound from a loss earlier that night, Andrew knows the man is one hair trigger away
from tearing into someone. So he’s unsurprised when Neil slams the tray down on the table
the moment he and Aaron return with drinks from the bar.

“Stupid fucker,” Aaron snarls, furious. “I honestly can’t believe you didn’t punch him.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Neil grits through his teeth, his body nearly vibrating with tension.

“Doesn’t matter? Neil, he practically told you to stick your ass in the air and take it because
you don’t have a mating bite!”

“Oh my god, he said what?” Nicky’s mouth drops open, his eyes hazy and wide from the
numerous shots he’s taken already.

“Just drop it,” Neil says.

Andrew sits up.

Predictably, Aaron’s head swings over to him. “Well? Are you just gonna let that asshole get
away with treating Neil like that? Fucker has the gall to tell Neil how an unmarked omega
has only one place in this world, and it’s on his knees, servicing a big, fat-”

“I said to drop it!” Neil snaps. “I’m fine; I can take care of myself. Andrew doesn’t have to
do anything.”

Kevin frowns. “But Neil, this is seriously like the sixth time it’s happened. Maybe you
should-”

“Sixth time?!” Nicky shrieks. “Andrew, are you serious right now? What the hell are you
two doing-”

“Everyone fucking shut up right now, or else you’re all finding your own ride home, got it?”
Neil shouts, cutting them off. “I said I’m fucking fine, and I meant it. So drink your
goddamn drinks and get the fuck out of my business.”

There’s a strained moment of silence before Nicky begrudgingly moves on to a new topic.

Neil sits down and nurses his soda, glaring mulishly at the other three at the table in equal
measure.

He does not meet Andrew’s gaze.

The next time happens before they even make it out of the dorms.

Andrew waits in the living room for Neil to change, having laid out his outfit like usual. But
when Neil finally walks through the door, it stops Andrew in his tracks.

Instead of the dark grey number he’d left on the bed, Neil is wearing a thick black turtleneck
– the kind stuffy professors, Andy Warhol wannabes, or stupid hipsters wear. The offending
garment starts at his chin and covers his entire torso before ending at his knuckles. It’s big
and black and hides every inch of skin on Neil’s upper body.

Andrew hates it.

The stupid item only has one thing going for it – and that is, it’s tight. It shows off the svelte
contours of Neil’s frame while hiding all the damage done beneath. But under the poor
lighting in Eden’s, Neil will all but disappear in it, eagerly swallowed up by the shadows,
never to return.

Aka, it’s the perfect way to hide in plain sight. A distinctly rabbit thing to do.

Andrew looks up to quip something smart about Neil’s poor choices in fashion, but the
moment he meets Neil’s gaze, the comment dies on his tongue.
Because there’s a kind of fragile defiance on Neil’s face as he stares back at Andrew. Some
wavering emotion straightens his spine even as his fingers tremble on the doorknob. His
scent is weighted with anxiety and anger – as if he needs to be ready to defend himself at any
moment.

So Andrew takes a mental step back.

If he thinks logically, it’s not the worst look in the world – but it’s a solid step back from the
progress he felt they’d been making. A slow way of reclaiming the scars on Neil’s skin.

But maybe it’s a bad night. Maybe Neil can’t handle the sight of them, however cleverly
veiled they are beneath Andrew’s fashion choices. Plus, no one ever said Neil has to wear the
tops Andrew gives him. It’s Neil’s choice.

So Andrew says nothing.

And when Neil wears them each time they go out, regardless of whatever Andrew has picked
out for him, Andrew simply holds his tongue and carries on.

The final clue occurs when they’re back at Eden’s.

Neil and Andrew are seated at the booth while the others are off dancing. Neil’s leg is jittery,
and he’s lost in his own head, gazing out at the dance floor with an odd expression on his
face. Anxiety is pouring off him in waves, so Andrew reaches up and places his hand on the
back of Neil’s neck to soothe him – and is stunned when his hand meets resistance.

Because there, hidden under Neil’s shirt, is a collar.

Without waiting, Andrew rips the fabric of the turtleneck down to see that it’s a reverse collar
– a collar with a steel plate covering the back of the neck. It’s an accessory unmated omegas
wear for protection, a precaution against unwanted bites. They usually don one when they
don’t feel safe.

Neil whips out of his reach then, blustering and face turning red. But he doesn’t meet
Andrew’s eye – and he makes no move to remove it.

Andrew excuses himself from the table without another word.

Outside, he fights with the lighter, fingers trembling as he tries to deduce the meaning behind
the gesture. Does Neil feel unsafe with Andrew? Does he think he can’t count on Andrew to
protect him? Or that he simply won’t when push comes to shove?

And who does he need protection from? Strangers? Ichirou? Andrew himself?
He doesn’t know. All he knows is that anger, and something that feels sickeningly like
disappointment is pooling in the bottom of his stomach, making his fists clench and his
mouth snarl.

He wants to punch someone. Maybe himself.

Or maybe he should use this anger to knock some sense into Neil. After all, he knows what
those collars trigger in the omega. Ever since Neil moved into Andrew’s room, he’s been
privy to the nights when Neil wakes with a silent scream, fingers clawing at his throat to tear
off an invisible restraint from a long-dead hand.

And yet here he is. Wearing the very same thing Andrew knows will cause him nightmares.
The heavy weight of his trauma literally hung around his neck, disguised as protection.

It infuriates him.

They don’t talk about it when he returns to the table. They don’t talk about it when they
leave. And when they go home to Columbia that night, they sleep in separate beds.

So it should be no surprise to Andrew when Aaron finally corners him. And yet, somehow,
he’s still thrown off guard when Aaron slams through the door.

“What the actual fuck do you think you’re doing, Andrew?” his twin rampages immediately
upon spotting him.

Andrew looks pointedly down at the book he’s reading on the bed.

“I mean about Neil,” Aaron says as if it’s obvious.

“Neil’s on a run,” Andrew returns to his page. “And as far as I’m aware, he doesn’t need
help with that.”

“Don’t play coy with me, asshole,” Aaron spits out, having the gall to grab the book out of
his hands and fling it across the room. “How long are you going to make him wait?”

Andrew throws a cool look at the discarded book before lifting an eyebrow. “For?”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Seriously? What, is this a fucking alpha power move or something?
You going to make Neil crawl on his knees and beg? Because I can tell you right now – he’s
not going to do it.”

“Do what?” Andrew repeats, slowly growing annoyed.

“Ask you to bite him, of course!” Aaron snaps. “You absolute shit-for-brains moron – Neil
thinks you’re not going to bite him!”
Andrew short-circuits.

“What?” he repeats stupidly.

“But of course the idiot won’t ask you because he thinks he’ll be coercing you if he does,”
Aaron continues, ignoring Andrew. “He thinks you don’t want a mate and that you would
have bitten him by now if you did.”

He thinks you don’t want a mate and that you would have bitten him by now if you did.

Oh. Oh.

And now, finally, things start slotting into place for Andrew.

The forced non-reaction to Aaron’s mating bite. The bitter disappointment and refusal to get
Andrew involved at Eden’s. The sudden appearance of those damn black turtlenecks
covering every inch of skin. The addition of the fucking collar, protecting that very same
unmarked section of his neck.

There’s a pounding noise echoing in Andrew’s ears, and it takes him a moment to realize it’s
the sound of his own heartbeat thundering inside his chest.

“You need to be the one to go to him, Andrew,” Aaron points a damning finger at him. “You
need to be the one to ask.”

Andrew bristles at the command until Aaron adds –

“Or you need to let him go.”

Andrew is on his feet, snarling and growling at Aaron before he fully processes the sentence.

“Thought so,” Aaron smirks. “So what the hell are you waiting for then?”

“Did he tell you?” Andrew snaps in return.

“Uh, no need,” Aaron looks at him like he’s an idiot. “Anyone can see he doesn’t have a bite
mark on his neck.”

“About the deal,” Andrew hisses, now thoroughly aggravated by his brother’s presence.

Aaron furrows his brow. “Deal?” he asks warily. “No…what deal?”

Ah, of course Neil didn’t tell him. A goddamn martyr to the end.

“Andrew,” Aaron warns.

There’s no need for him to explain it to Aaron. In fact, later, when he thinks back to the
moment, he won’t recall making a conscious decision to do so. But there’s a tiny, nagging
seed of doubt that’s taken root in his brain for some time now. Something that’s made him
hold his tongue over and over. Something that’s caused him to hesitate from bringing it up
time and again.

Perhaps all it needed was his twin's small (angry) push to jimmy it loose.

“Ichirou gave us an ultimatum. I bite Neil within one year’s timeframe, or he belongs to
him.”

“Holy shit, Andrew,” Aaron’s eyes bug out as he pointedly looks down at his watch. “But it’s
almost…fuck! So, seriously, what the fuck are you waiting for then? Jesus, I would have
thought you’d done it months ago! Are you telling me he’s spent all this time with that
hanging over his head?” He spins away from Andrew, running a hand through his hair before
turning back. “Fuck, Andrew! Like, just…fuck!”

Okay, well, when he puts it that way…

“He’s forcing us to make a decision,” Andrew defends himself. “A decision that either of us
might not want. What if the only reason Neil chooses to be bitten by me is because of
Ichirou’s threat?”

“Is it? The only reason?” Aaron returns. “Have you asked him?”

Andrew rolls his eyes. “Haven’t bothered. I already know the answer – he has to say yes.”

“Yeah, because he’s an omega who had the misfortune of being born into the mob,” Aaron
answers sarcastically. “Aka, he has no choice – everyone’s always making them for him, so
he’ll take whatever option hurts the least. But in this case, none of that matters anyway
because he wants to be bitten by you, Andrew.”

“How do you know?” Andrew demands.

“How do you not?” Aaron returns. When Andrew just glares at him, he sighs. “Fine, well –
think about it. Has he ever given you any kind of sign he wants to be bitten?”

Yes. Several, in fact.

“So…what’s the problem?”

Andrew glares at him. His jaw clenches.

Aaron glares back, waiting.

So Andrew takes a deep breath, pries his mouth open, and spits out the root of all his fears.
“What if the only reason I’m biting him is because I know it’ll save him from that
psychopath?”

Aaron stares at him for a moment. Then he rolls his eyes. “Christ, save me from alphas and
their goddamn pride,” he mutters before he continues, “Easy answer. If the Moriyamas
weren’t a factor, and there was no timeline involved – would you still do it?”
The question sucks the air out of Andrew’s lungs in one fell swoop.

Was it really that simple?

“If you have any doubt, any hesitation, then the answer is no,” Aaron shrugs. “But if you
immediately jumped to yes, then…well...”

“And if I do say no?”

Aaron shrugs. “Then that’s the choice you’ve made.”

Andrew looks sharply at him.

Aaron sighs. “You’re my brother, Andrew. Even if it’s a stupid-ass decision, I will always
take your side. And I’m not moral enough to condemn you to a life of unhappiness if it’s not
what you want.” Then his face grows serious. “But Neil’s life is in your hands. It isn’t right,
it isn’t fair, but those are the cards you two have been dealt with. So just consider things
carefully before choosing.”

He turns and heads back toward the door.

He’s nearly out of it before Andrew growls, “You’re leaving?”

Aaron pauses. “Yes?”

“So you don’t want to know.”

“Know what?”

“What answer I’ll give?”

Aaron gives Andrew a tired look. Then he shakes his head. “Neil is the only one who needs
to know. In fact, he deserves to know – deserves to hear it from you, anyway, whichever way
you pick.” He shrugs and smiles sadly. “The rest of us will figure it out after.”

Then he’s gone, and Andrew is left alone on his bunk, with the light of the fading sun
crawling over his comforter and the loud, echoing weight of his thoughts.

The rooftop is freezing when Andrew kicks the door open.

Neil is over by the roof’s edge, the neon orange hoodie he’s wearing practically a beacon for
low-flying planes. He has the hood up to battle the wind that whips over the parapet, with
only a few fluffy tendrils of hair flapping against his forehead.
It curls something obnoxiously warm in Andrew’s stomach as he approaches. That warmth
expands when he catches Neil’s quicksilver glance as he turns his head to greet Andrew, a
fuzzy smile snug in the corner of his mouth.

Naturally, Andrew throws something at him.

Neil blinks as he fumbles to catch it. “What is this?” he asks.

“What’s three weeks from now?” Andrew asks in return. He pulls out his pack and taps it for
a cigarette.

Neil straightens, that smile growing wider. “Spring break – our trip to Columbia.”

The air floods with his excitement, even over the cutting wind. Neil has been looking
forward to this trip for months now – a private getaway that just the two of them have carved
out for themselves. Andrew’s seen him doodle the date on textbooks, papers, game schedules
– even on his own hand.

“And?” Andrew asks, pulling his lighter out from his pocket and snicking it on.

“And what?”

Andrew lights his cigarette and jerks his head toward the item in Neil’s lap.

Neil frowns down at it before realizing. Flipping through the pages, he finds the month of
March on the calendar before drawing his finger along to the correct date.

There’s a brief pause as his finger hovers there. Then he lets out a small “Oh.”

Andrew doesn’t respond because he already knows what’s written there.

It’s the first day of his rut.

He smells the way Neil’s scent plummets – sees the echo of his disappointment in the curve
of his shoulders. “Oh, that’s – well, that’s fine then. I’ll just – I could stay with Kevin and
Aaron, I bet, with Wymack or Abby or…or just in the dorms. No problem. Do you uh…do
you need anything? Um, I could help you pack or…uh…”

He trails off, voice growing quieter as he goes until it fades into nothing. Because Neil
knows Andrew has never invited him to join his rut before. Just like Andrew knows that Neil
isn’t disappointed to be missing Andrew’s rut – he would never pressure Andrew like that –
but because of the timing. The fact that now the two of them will be spending their break
apart is simply disappointing.

Well, not just disappointing. Despite his best efforts, Neil looks crushed by the update.

So Andrew lifts the lit cigarette to his mouth and sucks a burning breath in. He looks across
the dark parking lot and says, “You will come to Columbia that week. You will join my rut.
And during it, I will knot and mate you.” He blows smoke from the corner of his mouth
before he adds, “Yes or no?”
There’s silence from beside him.

After it goes on too long, Andrew turns, only to be blindsided by the expression on Neil’s
face. His eyes are much too wide, and his mouth is open. He’s staring at Andrew as if he’s
just shot him through the heart.

“What?” he says finally. “Really? You…Andrew, are you…I mean, with me…?”

“Did I stutter?” Andrew responds.

For a split second, there’s a spark in Neil’s eyes. Then it immediately douses. “This is
because of what Ichirou said, isn’t it?” His tone is resigned, and he sighs. “Andrew, just
because he said you have to, it doesn’t mean-”

“No,” Andrew snarls, cutting him off. “I told you before, I don’t give a fuck what he thinks.
I’ve-” He takes a breath and whips his head away from Neil. He clenches his jaw before
continuing, “I’ve wanted to bite you since long before.”

Neil lets this sink in a moment. “How long?”

Andrew turns back.

Neil is watching him, his gaze so damn hopeful, and yet Andrew can smell how he’s trying to
keep his emotions in check. How he’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

So he makes sure he looks Neil in the eye when he answers, “Wymack called it.”

It takes Neil a second to get it. To recall that moment in Baltimore when the whole team was
stuffed into a hotel room with the FBI. Where Wymack threatened something Andrew was
two seconds away from making good on.

Neil’s eyes widen. “But that wasn’t – he was just – you weren’t really going to -” he blusters.

Andrew lifts an eyebrow.

“Oh,” Neil’s voice flutters, and something dances along Andrew’s veins at that sound.

He likes it – a lot.

“So? Is that a yes? Or a no?” he reiterates.

“Yes!” Neil blurts out immediately, and Andrew is nearly blasted in the face with the scent of
oranges and cloves. “Yes, yes, yes – Andrew, I can’t even – yes, I want it, yes-”

“Shut up,” Andrew tells him, throwing his cigarette to the side because now his stomach is
fluttering, and he can’t handle it. He places his hands on either side of Neil’s face and kisses
the hell out of him.

Neil is a Roman Candle beneath him, hot and bright and burning, stars and colors swirling as
he hungrily meets Andrew’s mouth, asking for more, more, more. Andrew isn’t gentle as he
answers, claiming Neil’s lips and stoking the fire between them higher.

Something vibrates beneath his ribcage, growling and gnarling and settling right into place.
It hums and paces, a beast in its cage with the promise of freedom finally at its door. The
only way to satiate it is to nibble on Neil’s neck, nip at his chin, lick into his mouth, and taste
strawberries on his tongue.

It’s a tiny window into what’s to come, a teaser of what will be. It’s nearly overwhelming in
its depth and urgency, so Andrew pulls back before he’s tempted to take more. He’s unable
to retreat completely, though, and surprises them both by simply resting his forehead against
Neil’s. Small, wet puffs of air blow over his face as Neil huffs, trying to calm himself down.

In the end, it’s Neil who slowly moves forward and places the sweetest kiss Andrew’s ever
received on his lips. Something infinitely shallow and light – like skimming frosting off the
top of a cake with your finger.

It’s a silent promise. Neil’s way of saying that he knows. That he gets it, but he’s not
backing down from it either. After all, Neil has never been a coward – he’ll walk straight
into the fire, not knowing if he’ll make it to the other side.

So Andrew finds Neil’s fingers and slots his own between them before squeezing tight.
Because he’s no coward, either. If it involves Neil, Andrew will use that fire to burn the
world down around them to keep him safe.

Because Neil is his. And he is Neil’s.

And it’s about time everyone else knew that.

A couple days before break begins, Andrew drives them to a nearby plaza to do some
shopping.

He leans over the divider to snag Neil’s chin. Then he presses a soft kiss against his lips
before sending him on his way.

Neil’s small smile stays on his mouth all the way through the doors of the grocery store. He
has a list of food to keep them nourished throughout Andrew’s rut – favorite snacks and
nibbles, a few heartier pre-packaged meals to tide them over, and real food for when it’s
finally done.

Andrew locks the car over his shoulder as he heads in the opposite direction – to what is,
unarguably, the more fun of the two jobs.

A list of items from the sex shop.

He calmly walks through the doors before heading straight toward the back wall. He tosses
different vibrators, rings, and lubes into his basket as needed – things he and Neil enjoyed
playing with before and things that might be fun to try later. He also grabs a few sleeves and
toys to help satisfy himself alone in case Neil gets too tired. He’s never had someone join his
rut, after all. He has no idea how demanding he’ll be, so he wants to ensure different options
are available.

To the woman’s credit who checks him out, she doesn’t blink at the sheer volume of items
purchased. She simply throws the free, flavored single condom packets into his bag with a
bored toss and asks if he wants his receipt.

Andrew shoos the question away with his hand before grabbing his haul and shoving it into
the trunk of his car. He rests his hands on the warm lid for a second as his mind wanders
over the list of things he just purchased.

There’s something so satisfying about buying things you know will pleasure your partner. He
can already hear the noises Neil will make, smell his sweet scent, and picture the way his
body will bow and shake. His alpha instincts nearly purr at the image, calm, pleased feelings
of taking care of his omega flooding his veins.

It draws a slight smirk to the surface of his lips that hovers there for a moment. Then the
expression slides off his face as he straightens up and heads to the next store to purchase the
other items Neil may need.

After that’s done, he waits in the car and takes a few deep breaths, willing himself to relax.
And is grateful to feel that tiny smirk floating to the surface once more as he spots Neil
walking toward the car.

Neil throws his bags into the back seat before sliding into the passenger side. “What?” he
frowns at Andrew when he spots the expression on his face.

Andrew slides a finger along Neil’s jaw before hooking a finger under his chin to draw him
to him. Then he kisses the shit out of him, a supernova burst of heat and light before he
abruptly pulls away.

Neil follows him for a second before drawing back and opening his eyes. His breathing has
picked up, and his pupils are blown out. Oranges and cloves dance along the air as a twinkle
enters his eye.

“Next time, I get the sex shop,” he grins.

Andrew snorts. Then he puts the vehicle into drive and heads out.

They don’t tell anyone they’re leaving.

This works, of course, only because Nicky has already left for Germany, the Upperclassmen
are en route to NYC, and Kevin and Aaron have abandoned them for Abby’s place. So,
Andrew and Neil pack the car up and simply head out on Saturday morning without another
word.

They get halfway there when Neil’s phone lights up.

Neil looks down at the screen before picking it up. “Yeah?” He’s quiet for a moment before
answering, “Yeah, we left already.”

He waits again. “Columbia.” Then, “Until Friday.”

Then the skin on his neck and cheeks slowly begins to turn pink. “Shut up.”

Then, “Asshole.” Followed by, “Fuck off!”

Andrew barely hears someone laughing on the other end before Neil hangs up on them.

“Your brother is a dick,” he snaps.

Andrew snorts because he isn’t fooled. Between Neil’s blushing face and the heavy scent of
excitement and happiness filling the car, he has a good idea of what his brother was asking.

When they pull into the driveway, Andrew jerks his head toward the house. Eagerly, Neil
jumps out of the car and goes to unlock the door. It’s a job Andrew knows he enjoys,
clutching the keys Andrew gave him like a lifeline as he bounces on the porch and makes a
few tiny motions that mean so much.

They unload the car and put away items in an unhurried fashion. Today the plan is to simply
relax and unwind. After all, Andrew’s rut is set to start tomorrow, and he’s already showing
signs of it coming.

It started with a sudden surge in aggression earlier this week, Andrew snarling and growling
at shit he normally wouldn’t care about. Kevin, Dan, and Jack all became his victims at
practice – especially with anything that involved Neil. The omega has been throwing himself
between Andrew and everyone else for days to ensure the others didn’t get stabbed.

Then there was the need to touch everything that was his, running his hands over his car, the
dorm, his possessions – all so that they contained his scent. He’d nearly torn Matt’s throat
out yesterday when he hugged Neil goodbye, a possessive streak seizing his chest and not
letting go until their car was out of sight. (It took him an hour to thoroughly scent Neil so that
none of that damn Alpha’s smell was left). And he launched Kevin’s gym bag not once but
twice out the window after the beta didn’t put it away fast enough after practice. (Why the
fuck do the beta’s socks smell like death anyway?)

Now he’s going around the house, locking doors and windows multiple times and then re-
checking that he’s locked them. This instinct for protection has been the fiercest, seeing as
he’ll be at his most vulnerable during his rut. Though he hates it, he knows he’ll be weak and
unable to protect Neil if something happens. The mere thought drives him to make another
round, ensuring the whole place is as secure as possible.

Neil bears all these quirks in silence. He knows that Andrew needs to do it, his instincts
controlling most of his behavior at this point. So while Andrew obsessively re-locks
doorknobs, he’s focused on making them a hearty meal. After all, they’ll need their strength
for what’s coming.

Dinner is quiet, with an undercurrent of tension humming beneath it. It’s not heavy, though.
No, stupidly, Andrew can feel what others might describe as butterflies in his stomach.
Something light and airy with just a hint of excitement.

He deliberately squashes them.

Finally, when night falls, Andrew double checks his car is safely in the garage. He secures
the locks one last time before ensuring the timers he’s set on the lights are working. Neil has
already brought some provisions upstairs, so he simply makes one last loop around the house
before finally going up.

Now the butterflies morph into lead weights while his thoughts reach deafening levels in his
head. His heart beats a sickening thud with each step, limbs growing increasingly tense as he
walks toward that thin strip of light at the end of the hall.

Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he should have never invited Neil here. Maybe he should
pack him back up in his car, drive them to Palmetto, and deposit him back in the dorms where
he knows he’ll be safe. There are too many what if’s here and not nearly enough ways to
control them.

He hesitates outside the door before clenching his hands into fists.

No, he promised Neil. It’s too late to back out now. Neil is here, just for him – for them
both, really. For better or worse, Andrew has decided to let him join his rut, and now he has
to bear the consequences.

Besides – the simple truth is he wants Neil here. Wants to claim him and place his mark on
him so every alpha knows Neil is fucking his.

So, he takes a deep, steadying breath, turns the doorknob – and finds Neil waiting for him.

At first glance, there’s nothing special about this moment. They’ve already slept here
together, so it’s not like Andrew’s seeing Neil in his room for the first time. Nor is Neil
necessarily wearing anything “special” for the occasion. He’s got on extra-large, orange
mesh gym shorts rolled at the waistband, along with a white t-shirt from last summer’s Exy
training camp. His hair is mussed, his eyes are tired, and he looks comfortable. Ready to go
to sleep in Andrew’s bed.

But somehow, here in this moment, the sight of Neil sitting cross-legged on his comforter
shakes Andrew to his very core. He’s a three-combo punch – between his devastating good
looks, his enticing smell, and that achingly familiar presence Andrew has come to rely on, it’s
enough to knock Andrew off his feet.

It takes everything he has to turn away from the mirage before him and lock the door with
trembling hands.

When he turns back, Neil cocks his head and smiles.

“Hey,” he starts with.

Andrew angles his head in return.

“Join me?”

Andrew considers. Then, with small, slightly stiff movements, he crosses the room and
crawls onto the bed next to Neil.

“So, um, this might be stupid, but…I thought you might want to recreate this. Together. One
last time,” Neil says softly. His mouth quirks as he fiddles with a piece of paper in his
hands.

Andrew holds his hand out. Immediately, Neil places the paper in it.

It’s a copy of the consent form from the dorm.

When Andrew meets Neil’s gaze again, the redhead smiles crookedly before holding up two
pens – one red and one blue. Defiantly, Andrew snags the red one. Neil grins further before
he checks a box on the paper between them with the blue pen.

Platonic Interactions.

He pauses before moving on, staring back up at Andrew.

Slowly, Andrew moves his pen forward and checks off the same box.

Pleased, Neil begins checking off all the options that are okay – scenting, cuddling, feeding,
bathing, changing, etc. Andrew follows each one in succession, ignoring the look of awe on
Neil’s face as he does so.

Fully aligned, they move to the Sexual Interactions section next.

Without hesitation, Neil checks the box for “Oral” and writes “+ Kissing” next to it for good
measure.

Snorting, Andrew checks it as well but writes under it, “no rimming” and “no touching ass or
feet.”

Neil reads over it and nods. Then he moves to the next section and checks off “Penetration.”
There’s a slight burn on his face before he confidently places checks next to “knotting,”
“biting,” “use of toys, fingers,” etc.
He draws back and waits for Andrew.

Andrew looks down at the paper for a long time. Then he moves forward and checks off the
same boxes for “knotting” and “biting.”

He looks up at Neil. “Nothing goes in me. I can’t-” His jaw clenches before he forces
himself to continue. “Maybe someday we can try, but-”

“It’s okay, Drew,” Neil quietly interrupts. “You don’t have to explain. I get it.” He leans
back and smirks. “Besides, I have a few no-go’s of my own.”

“Really?” Andrew drawls. “Go on then.”

Neil takes a deep breath, then lists off, “No handcuffs, cigarette burns, choking, holding
down of my legs or thighs without asking, collars, leashes, or any kind of pet play.”

Andrew nods.

There’s a twinkle in Neil’s eye as he continues, “No pet names, humiliation, bondage, pain,
water games, fisting, hair-pulling-”

“Asshole,” Andrew rolls his eyes, immediately recognizing the list as the one he gave Neil
during their first conversation about heats.

“Okay, but for real most of those are true except uh…the hair-pulling,” Neil flushes. “Not
like hard, but…um…slight tugging is okay.”

Andrew’s mouth quirks.

“Shut up.”

Andrew snorts, then sighs. His voice drops to a low timbre as he states, “I don’t know how
this is going to go.”

“I know, but we’ll-”

“I don’t know how this is going to go, but you need to be prepared in case things go
sideways,” Andrew continues, interrupting him.

Neil nods. “I’ve been researching ruts and talking to other omegas online, so I think I have a
good idea of what to-”

He cuts off when Andrew simply heaves the black bag he’d stuffed under the bed up and
plops it down between them.

Neil blinks. “Andrew, what is…”

His voice trails off when Andrew unzips it and starts pulling out items. There are ropes,
handcuffs, a gag, a leash, and a muzzle.
Neil’s eyes widen, and he whips his head up to meet Andrew’s gaze. “No,” he says in a
horrified tone.

Andrew grits his teeth. “Neil, I won’t be like them. You need to promise that you’ll use
these on me if necessary.”

Neil flinches. “No, Andrew, I can’t – I’m not going to do that! I’m not just going to…chain
you up like some animal!”

Andrew sighs, then strips off his armbands. With a flourish, he unsheathes the knives within
and holds them out to Neil. “Take them.”

Neil’s face pales even more. “Andrew-”

“Take them.”

Neil stares stubbornly at Andrew for another few seconds. Andrew waits, unblinking.

Then Neil sighs and slowly lifts them out of Andrew’s hands.

“Do what you need to to restrain me, do you understand?” Andrew grabs Neil’s chin to face
him when Neil mulishly looks away. “I would rather bleed by your hand than hurt you. Got
it?”

“Yes,” Neil snarls. He looks down at the blades, spinning them in his hands. Then he leans
back, opens the nightstand drawer, and drops them gracelessly inside.

“Neil-” Andrew growls.

“I will do what I have to to stop you,” Neil swears. “I promise I won’t let you be like them.
But I will also do everything I can not to hurt you or restrain you if that happens. These-” he
motions distastefully to the items on Andrew’s bed “-will only be used as a last resort.” He
lifts his chin high. “Okay?”

Andrew’s throat feels tight at Neil’s own form of protection. “Don’t be a martyr,” he growls,
fear lodging claws into his chest. “I mean it.”

“I won’t,” the redhead promises. “We’re both going to make it out of this okay, Andrew. I
promise.”

It’s the best oath Andrew will get, he can tell. Neil no more wants to hurt him than Andrew
wants to hurt Neil. So they’re handing each other weapons of destruction while also
exposing their soft, vulnerable underbellies.

It’s anyone's guess whether the two will be destroyed or emerge stronger than ever when this
is over.

But there’s no more time to prepare. Andrew can feel his hormones sneaking up on him, the
call of the rut too insistent to turn away. It crowds in at the back of his mind, heavy and all-
consuming. The fog is coming, and there is nothing he can do about it.
Too tired now to speak, Andrew nods. He crawls to the side of the bed nearest the wall and
watches as Neil reaches up to turn off the light.

The room is pitched into darkness as Neil lays back down beside him. They sit there in
silence for a moment as their eyes adjust. Then they continue to stare at each other.

Andrew’s not sure what he’s looking for in Neil’s face, but one thing is certain – there’s not a
trace of fear to be found. Neil’s heartbeat is calm, his breathing and scent even, and he meets
Andrew’s gaze unequivocally.

The omega is ready for this. He wants to be with Andrew for it. So Andrew needs to trust he
can handle it.

Whatever Neil is looking for in Andrew’s eyes, he must find it because he smiles, and his
head relaxes into the pillow. As his eyes slit closed, he whispers, “See you tomorrow,
Andrew.”

Andrew watches him for a bit before his own eyelids start to droop. The fog is right there,
ready to consume him. His mind is nearly bucking underneath the need to succumb to it.

So he does.

“Tomorrow,” he whispers as it rolls over him, so low and deep that he’s sure Neil can’t hear
him.

But before he slips into unconsciousness, he watches Neil’s lips quirk into a small, half-smile
one last time.

If he’s being honest, Neil’s not sure what to expect. He’d read up, of course, on the subject,
determined to make Andrew feel as comfortable as possible with sharing his rut. But that
still doesn’t mean he knows how Andrew will respond.

Some people reported their alphas turning aggressive and territorial. Others mentioned them
craving touch – scent-marking and snuggling their partners and rarely letting them out of
their sight. Others still said the entire thing was a sex marathon, with their alpha never
satisfied and pushing their body to the limit for more.

It’s hard for Neil to imagine Andrew doing any of those things. He’s always so in control, so
purposeful in his words and actions that he simply can’t picture the alpha falling prey to his
instincts.

But of course, this is untrue, though, because Neil’s already seen it. Just last night, Neil
watched Andrew whip himself into a frenzy around the house, little growls and snarls
erupting from his throat as he tested doors and windows to ensure they were safe.
So it’s perfectly reasonable to think that when faced with the onslaught of hormones from his
rut, Andrew, too, would be driven by need. But the need for what is the question.

So, faced with the unknown, Neil waits for Andrew to wake up this morning. He hits the
bathroom and brushes his teeth. He skips his usual morning run. He fiddles with his pajamas
before ultimately deciding to keep them on. Then he counts what must be the millionth crack
in the ceiling above in his bid for patience.

But it’s like waiting for the sound of the shotgun on the starting block – he hovers there,
itching and jittery for the race to begin.

Unfortunately, this delay has also been made infinitely more difficult due to the hard-on Neil
is sporting. Sure, he could blame it on morning wood, but he knows that’s not the case. No,
he’s likely reacting to the flood of hormones radiating off Andrew at the moment. The room
is simply swamped with them, his scent pervading every space. Neil can nearly feel the
blistering heat emanating from his body, and he winces at the sight of Andrew still under the
sheets.

The whole thing is driving him a little crazy if he’s honest. He’s been shamelessly rubbing
his thighs together, eager for Andrew to wake up and get his hands on him, if possible. He’s
almost a hundred percent positive that Andrew’s rut has begun, but he forces himself to wait,
energy humming beneath his skin with anticipation.

Finally, Andrew stirs.

Soft, stuttered breaths escape his mouth as he stretches his limbs like a languid cat. Neil
freezes as he slowly rolls over, his glazed, hazel eyes blinking at Neil.

“Hey, Drew,” Neil whispers.

For a second, Andrew just looks at him. Then the breath is punched from Neil’s lungs
because Andrew looks at him – and smiles.

It’s small, lovely, and so open that Neil’s heart nearly gives from its fragility.

Andrew scoots forward on the bed, hands reaching out toward Neil before hesitating. He
looks up and gives Neil a wide-eyed look and a slight whine.

Neil furrows his brow before it clicks. He opens his arms and says out loud, “It’s okay,
Drew. You can touch me.”

Immediately, Andrew surges forward and wraps his arms around Neil, shoving his nose in
Neil’s neck and scenting him deeply. He kisses and nibbles at Neil’s neck in shy, playful
bites.

Neil’s eyes flutter from the sparks of those tiny nips, head tipping back before he gasps out,
“Can I scent you, Andrew?”

Andrew nods rapidly.

So Neil buries his face into Andrew’s neck and sniffs deeply, that wonderful scent of
evergreen, tobacco, and vanilla filling his nose.

“I’m going to rub your back, okay?” He says out loud, waiting for Andrew’s nod before he
sweeps his hands soothingly over the man’s broad back. His skin is still warm from sleep,
and his t-shirt is rucked up from scooting across the bed.

Andrew sighs out loud at the repetitive motion before sinking against Neil, utterly relaxed
and trusting.

Neil smiles and kisses Andrew’s forehead. “Do you want something to eat?”

Andrew pulls back to look up at him, eyes skittering away before shrugging.

“Why don’t you use the bathroom while I grab something?” Neil suggests, slowly sliding off
the bed.

He stops when he feels Andrew’s hand clamp down on his wrist. He turns back to see an
oddly uneasy expression on his face.

“I’ll be right here when you get back,” Neil reassures him. “Promise.”

He watches Andrew think about it for a long moment. Then he finally nods his head and
releases Neil. He gets up and hurries into the bathroom, turning back to watch Neil for
another second before shutting and locking the door.

Neil chuckles as he pulls a bag of mini-muffins out of his stash and an apple juice carton
from Andrew's mini-fridge. He crawls back onto the bed with his prizes as he hears the toilet
flush and the faucet running, so he settles in to wait.

Andrew throws the door open when he’s finished and looks rapidly around the room. The
moment he spots Neil, his eyes lock onto him, and he rushes back toward the bed.

Neil bites back a smile. “I’m here, Drew. Promise I’m not going anywhere.”

Andrew jumps up onto the bed before he begins crawling toward him on all fours. Neil
flushes for a second, something hot blooming in the pit of his stomach at the visual. Andrew
pauses, his head tilting as he sniffs the air. Then his pupils blow out and he smirks, lids
heavy as his eyes roam hungrily over Neil’s body.

He licks his lips, and Neil’s dick jumps in his shorts.

“Okay, okay, you got me,” he admits, cheeks bright red as he shoves his hand into Andrew’s
face. “But breakfast first, then you can devour me.”

There’s no other word for it – Andrew pouts before huffing and sitting complacently to the
side. He sits cross-legged, hands in his lap, as he closes his eyes and opens his mouth.

Neil blinks, realizing after a second that Andrew’s waiting for him to feed him.
A choked-off embarrassed laugh tumbles out of him at the way his heart stutters. Then he
focuses on the task at hand, fighting trembling fingers to get the bag open. “Um, they’re
blueberry ones, just so you know. But I wanted to get some fruit in you instead of just sugar
and carbs.”

Andrew opens his eyes just so he can roll them at Neil before closing them again.

Dramatic little shit.

But it makes Neil’s stomach settle, knowing Andrew is still in there.

Breaking one of the muffins in half, he gently slides a piece into Andrew’s mouth. Andrew
delicately takes the bite and chews on it slowly before swallowing. Neil feeds him another
and smiles as Andrew takes it just as thoughtfully.

They go through breakfast like this, with Neil feeding him little sips of juice here and there
until both are gone. But before he can draw his hand away from feeding Andrew that last
bite, Andrew’s mouth slips around Neil’s crumb-laden fingers. He sucks them into his
mouth, tongue licking the crumbs off before nibbling gently on Neil’s fingertips.

Neil sucks in a breath.

Andrew opens his eyes and smirks at him.

Neil huffs, drawing his fingers away and getting rid of the mess before returning to the bed.
He goes to lie down when Andrew tugs at his shirt, a frown on his face.

“What is it?” Neil asks.

It takes Andrew a couple tries before he manages to eke out “Food.”

“Oh – you want some more? I can get you-”

But Andrew shakes his head rapidly. “No. You – eat.” Then he swipes his thumb over Neil’s
mouth insistently.

Neil blinks. “Oh, I can just – it’s not a big deal, I’ll eat later-”

“No,” Andrew snarls. “Eat now.”

Neil stares at the alpha’s stubborn face for a moment. Then he smiles, warmth flooding his
chest as he gets up. “Okay, okay. I’ll just eat a banana real quick, all right?”

Andrew huffs, satisfied.

Neil grabs the fruit, peels it, and begins eating it without much thought. But not two seconds
later, a flood of scent slams into him like a ton of bricks.

Whipping his head to the side, Neil rapidly scans Andrew to see what’s wrong – only to find
Andrew’s eyes locked on his face. Or, more specifically, his mouth.
Ah.

The room suddenly feels several degrees hotter as Neil considers the banana he’s holding.
Embarrassment and arousal war within him as he makes his decision. Then he locks eyes
with Andrew as he slowly lowers his mouth over the tip of the fruit.

Andrew’s eyes widen, and his breath picks up as Neil slowly moves his lips up and down the
flesh of the banana without biting. He lets it bulge into his cheek as he lets out a tiny moan.
Then he flattens his tongue against the underside as he pulls it back out.

The tips of Andrew’s ears are flushed now, and Neil can see the large outline of his dick
through his boxers. He circles the tip of the banana with his tongue, and Andrew lets out the
tiniest whimper, hands digging into the sheets.

“Do you want something, Drew?” he teases him.

Andrew lets out another small whine.

Neil shakes his head. “You have to tell me.”

Andrew’s face flushes now, and Neil can see how he’s clenching his teeth. But he stays
silent.

So Neil shrugs and continues bobbing his head on the banana.

It only takes a few more seconds of watching the omega before Andrew caves. “Your
mouth,” he blurts out suddenly. “Want it. On me.”

Neil pulls off the banana and grins at him. “Okay.”

He turns away to gobble the fruit down quickly before swiveling back to Andrew. He cocks
his head. “Will you lay down for me?”

Andrew nods before he slowly lays back.

Neil crawls his way over so that he’s hovering above Andrew. He slowly reaches out with
his hand, giving time for Andrew to stop him if he wants, before cupping his cheek. “Can I
kiss you, Drew?”

His chest nearly cleaves in two when that tiny smile appears on Andrew’s face again. The
alpha nods and Neil tenderly leans down to capture Andrew’s lips in a sweet kiss.

He means to keep it gentle and light. Andrew, however, has other ideas.

Immediately, he throws his arms around Neil’s neck, sliding his hands into his hair as he
yanks him down so that Neil is lying on top of him. It knocks the breath from Neil’s body,
and he freezes for half a second with concern. But the ferocious surge of Andrew’s mouth
against his tells him this must be okay.
The taste of Andrew spreads like wildfire through his veins. Andrew’s mouth is a drug that
lights Neil up from the inside out, tumbling them both off the edge of a cliff without any care
to what lay beneath. Neil momentarily lets himself be swept out to sea with the sensations
before reluctantly pulling back to shore.

He lifts his head, lips sticking to Andrew’s as he pulls away, and the alpha lets out an
annoyed growl.

Neil smiles and ducks his head to the shell of Andrew’s ear. “Don’t you want my mouth on
other places too, Drew? Like here.” He ghosts a kiss beneath Andrew’s ear, then nips gently
at his lobe.

Andrew visibly shudders, a small gasp filling the air.

“Or how about here?” Neil muses, trailing his lips down Andrew’s neck before hovering
where it meets his shoulder. “Can I mark you here, Drew?”

Andrew nods violently.

Neil bites back a chuckle before he uses his tongue and teeth to make a beautiful red mark.
Andrew’s nails dig into his back as he does so, but the alpha looks pleased when Neil draws
back.

Neil continues his journey southward. “How about here, Drew? Can I touch these?”

He smooths over Andrew’s pecs, circling his nipples. They’ve learned that Andrew isn’t
nearly as sensitive as Neil here, but it still gives him a pleasant sensation to play with them.

He waits for Andrew’s nod before he tweaks them over the fabric. Andrew arches slightly at
the attention, his eyes wide and unblinking as he watches Neil.

Neil toys with the hem of his shirt. “Off?”

Andrew sits up, his lat muscles rippling as he tears the shirt off himself and flings it to the
side.

Again, Neil has to bite back a smile as he smooths his hands over soft skin. He kisses the jut
of Andrew’s collarbone and the spot over his sternum. He cups both pecs in his hands before
rolling the pebbled nipples beneath his thumbs, watching them turn in color from pink to red.
Then he leans down and uses the five o’clock shadow on his chin to brush against them
slightly.

Andrew’s stomach jumps at the contact, hissing a little at the pleasant burn.

Neil repeats the motion twice before turning and laving his tongue over each in succession.
It makes Andrew shift and squirm, tight noises and squeaks escaping him. But he really
starts panting when Neil’s hand moves southward over his stomach.

He teases a finger under the hem of Andrew’s tight, black boxers. They’re wet already, a
damp spot gathering at the tip of the hard outline of his cock beneath. Neil drags a nail over
the skin just above the waistband and watches Andrew’s dick twitch inside the cloth.

“Drew?” he asks. “Can I take these off?”

Andrew licks his lips as he stares down at Neil. Then, in a gravelly tone, he spits out, “Yes.”

Neil doesn’t hesitate, grabbing the cloth firmly from around Andrew’s hips and pulling it off
his legs in a single movement. Andrew’s dick slaps wetly against his stomach from the
action, and he hears the alpha’s echoing gasp from above.

Neil unashamedly stares at Andrew’s thick member, the white shaft engorged with its red
head leaking precum and a thick vein traveling up its side. He remembers the first time
Andrew finally let him watch. How he was totally mesmerized by the sight of that heavy
cock as it peeked in and out of Andrew’s fist.

It always feels like such a privilege to be entrusted with pleasuring Andrew, and Neil’s mouth
waters now with the opportunity. He’s still not the best at doing this, but he’s hopeful that his
meager skills will be enough to satisfy Andrew. Imagining it is certainly doing wonders for
Neil, the sight of Andrew’s cock calling to his own dick as it throbs inside his shorts.

He must have released some hormones because Andrew’s dick twitches again, his hips
jerking as Neil’s eyes find Andrew’s face. Again, moving glacially slow, he slides his hands
up Andrew’s thighs and simply rests them there. “Alpha, can I touch you?”

Andrew stares into Neil’s eyes and clenches his jaw. Neil smells the thick scent of his
arousal and watches him swallow heavily as he growls out, “Yes.”

Awe fills Neil at Andrew’s simple acquiescence, making his hand tremble as he reaches out
to take him in hand. He’s so velvety smooth, filling up Neil’s palm so that it’s hard to wrap
his fingers around him. Neil wonders at how Andrew’s skin softly pulls as he strokes him
while remaining so rigid beneath.

He does it once more before reluctantly letting go, getting up to fish for some lube in the bags
Andrew bought for them. Irritated for not finding it sooner, Neil hunts through the items
until finally grabbing the flavored one. He snorts when he sees it’s banana-flavored.

He turns to inform Andrew of the funny coincidence, but the humor dies on his lips as soon
as he catches sight of the bed.

Because Andrew has a hand clamped around his dick and is pumping it.

He jerks himself roughly as he watches Neil, hissing breaths through his teeth with each
stroke. The breath is torn from Neil’s lungs as Andrew fists his cock, pulling and straining,
his chest flushing and muscles flexing as he pleasures himself. His toes curl as he circles the
head of his dick with his palm, hips surging up and thighs rock-hard as he strains.

Neil stands there, frozen, unable to do anything but watch as Andrew succumbs to his desire.

In fact, it takes him a second to realize that Andrew is rasping something at him. “Off,” the
alpha commands, pinning Neil with red eyes. “Take them off.”
With a jolt of arousal, Neil realizes Andrew wants him undressed.

Feeling like an overgrown oaf, he fights to strip off his clothes as fast as possible, limbs
snagging and catching in the restricting fabric. Finally, he wrenches the offending garments
off, feeling hot and flushed and his own dick throbbing as Andrew hungrily takes in every
square inch of him.

“Touch yourself,” Andrew gasps, shivering on an upward stroke. “Wanna see…you touch
yourself.”

Oh fuck.

Again, that primal surge of embarrassment mixed with need surges through Neil in an
unexpected wave. But he fights against the feeling of stupidity because Andrew wants this.
He wants to see Neil touch himself, and Andrew so rarely wants anything that Neil would be
foolish to disagree.

Besides, Andrew’s looking at him with such lust that Neil feels helpless to disobey. As if in a
trance, he tosses the lube on the bed beside him before his hand wanders down his torso.
Andrew tracks the limb like prey, glazed eyes homed in on its target. When Neil finally
wraps a hand around his own dick, Andrew moans as if he’d just grabbed his instead.

It makes Neil’s cock grow harder, his scent thickening as he takes a cautious pull. The
resounding pleasure is nearly enough to send him to his knees. His thighs shake with the
effort it takes to keep standing, and he suddenly realizes he’s not going to make it very far if
he keeps touching himself with Andrew writhing on the bed in front of him.

“Drew,” he manages to huff out even as he takes another sharp pull on his dick. “Alpha –
want to touch you. Want to make you cum.”

Andrew licks his lips again, his cock growing red and angry from stroking it dry. He
feverishly watches Neil’s hand before he finally closes his eyes. His teeth are clamped
together, so it takes Neil a moment to understand when he utters between them, “Yes. Come
here, omega. Make me cum.”

With a sigh of relief, Neil drops his hand from his own dick before he rushes over to
Andrew. He swipes the lube from next to them and pours a small amount into his palm. He
hovers over Andrew’s hand, which has continued, non-stop, to stroke himself. Then he
gently lifts it off, kissing his palm and entangling their fingers as he draws it to the side.
Then he looks into Andrew’s eyes as he grabs a firm hold of his dick with his lubed-up hand.

Andrew throws his head back, a strangled noise escaping his throat at the feel of Neil’s
fingers curling around him. He’s close, Neil realizes and wastes no time in getting him the
rest of the way there. He begins stroking him hard, gliding effortlessly on Andrew’s skin
with the help of the lube. Andrew fucks up into his hand with reckless abandon, hips rutting
and hands clenching the sheets beneath him as Neil drives him harder and higher.

Neil drinks in the sight of Andrew wild and wanton beneath him, with his chest heaving and
his mouth open and gasping at the simple feel of Neil’s hand. It only takes Neil a few more
strokes to push him over that edge. He watches as Andrew’s balls draw up, and his stomach
quivers as he begins spurting thick ropes of cum over his torso.

Neil barely has time to blink before he’s licking the stuff off Andrew’s skin. His tongue laves
and soothes as he cleans Andrew up, letting the alpha catch his breath for a second as he
goes. But the call of Andrew’s scent, so potent and heavy, fills Neil’s senses.

He finds himself working his way down Andrew’s body with open-mouthed kisses and nips,
powerless to stop his descent. He tries to drag himself up and away, fighting against the need
to swallow Andrew whole, when suddenly he feels a hand in his hair.

Delight fills his being when he feels it pushing him down toward Andrew’s semi-hard cock.
He immediately opens his mouth, and relief pours through him as he takes him inside. He
sucks and mouths over the organ with relish, loving how he can feel Andrew slowly
hardening against his tongue.

Before long, Andrew’s fully erect again, his member pushing against the side of Neil’s cheek
like the banana from earlier. Neil draws him in and out, laving his tongue up the sides and
sucking at the tip, driven on by the tiny growls and squeaks the actions earn him.

Andrew’s hands wander gently over Neil’s cheeks and throat, feeling his dick being worked
inside. Neil shudders with arousal once he realizes, mortification threatening to rear its head,
but Andrew doesn’t seem fazed. He watches Neil pleasure him with zero shame, even
guiding Neil’s head into a rhythm that has his own breath quickening.

At one point, Neil swallows as much of Andrew as he can, trying his best to ignore the gag in
his throat as Andrew fills him. He breathes through his nose and strokes what’s left before
humming.

Andrew’s hands are nearly painful on his head as he moans, gritting his teeth before gasping
out a strangled, “Cumming!”

The warning is too late for Neil to register before hot cum spills down his throat. He pulls off
quickly, choking a little, and Andrew immediately sits up and runs hands down his face,
whining.

“It’s okay,” Neil gasps, still trying to catch his breath. “It’s okay, Drew. I just was surprised,
is all. I’m fine.”

Andrew renews his whine at this last statement, and Neil huffs out a husky laugh. “No, I
really mean it, Drew. I’m okay.”

Andrew searches Neil’s face for a second, brushing strands of hair away from his forehead.
Then he finally nods and sits back.

Neil climbs his way back up onto the bed before collapsing face first. He huffs out a relieved
breath before turning his head toward Andrew. Andrew has rolled onto his side with one
hand supporting him as he faces Neil. He hesitates, hovering where he is.
Neil rolls onto his back and opens his arms wide. Andrew practically falls into them.

He snuggles up tight to Neil’s chest, rubbing his nose there before sliding his leg between
Neil’s thighs. It’s a bid to get closer, Neil knows, but then his hard thigh presses into the apex
of Neil’s groin. A sudden zing of pleasure goes zipping through Neil’s body, reminding him
he’s still hard. His senses quickly narrow in on the feel of Andrew’s large muscles flexing as
they encircle him and the mouth-watering scent wafting up from his baby-soft hair.

It makes Neil’s dick grow even harder, his hole clenching as slick begins to dribble from it.

Pressed as tight against Neil as he is, Andrew feels the change and tilts his hips up against
Neil, rutting slightly against him.

Neil gasps.

Immediately, Andrew draws back, a small, sad whine filling the air. He withdraws his hands
and clutches them to his chest.

“No, no, it’s okay, Drew,” Neil says quickly. “It felt good – promise.”

Andrew hesitates.

“You can touch me again,” Neil encourages him. “In fact, I want you to touch me. Won’t
you-” he swallows the bright, hot heat of embarrassment down and coaxes, “-won’t you make
me cum?”

Andrew’s eyes widen before he eagerly pops back up. Then his hands are back on Neil’s
body, wandering hungrily over his skin. He pushes lightly on Neil’s shoulder so that he falls
back before leaning down to take Neil’s mouth in a burning kiss.

It sucks any remaining thoughts from Neil’s brain in one quick swoop. He barely tunes back
in to feel Andrew kissing his way down his throat and chest before his mouth closes over one
of Neil’s nipples.

“Oh shit,” Neil hisses out, hands fisting in the sheets.

Again, Andrew pops off, concerned, so Neil quickly spits out, “It’s good, feels good, Drew.
Keep going.”

Andrew returns to the task with renewed vigor. He licks and bites, teases and caresses Neil’s
chest until he’s ninety-nine percent sure he’s going to cum right there. Andrew’s tongue is
relentless, swirling around Neil’s nipples like they’re tasty lollipops. It causes the omega’s
torso to writhe, arching in sweet agony until Andrew finally decides to move on.

Neil slumps down on the bed and takes in some sorely-needed breaths. Meanwhile,
Andrew’s hands slide over his ribs, circle his belly button, and dip into his hips. He spreads
Neil’s legs impatiently so that he can see all of him clearly.

It causes Neil to let out a mad half-giggle in response which seems to amuse Andrew.
He follows the line of muscle on Neil’s inner thighs with his thumbs all the way up into his
groin, then he smooths it back down again. His eyes never stray from Neil’s dick, though,
watching it jump as he draws closer each time.

He does this multiple times until Neil is shaking with the need for Andrew to touch him.
“Alpha,” he whines, groaning as Andrew’s hands sweep past him again to stroke his lower
stomach. “Touch me,” he begs.

Andrew’s eyes flicker up to his and back down, hands circling him again. He smirks, then
licks his lips. Then he clamps a hand down on each thigh before he leans forward and
swallows Neil whole.

“Oh shit! Shit, shit, fuck, shit-” Neil swears, completely unprepared for the sudden
overwhelming sensation. He feels like he’s barely hanging on for the ride as Andrew sucks
him mercilessly, dragging the orgasm out of him with single-minded ruthlessness.

Neil doesn’t even have the time to be embarrassed as Andrew swallows his release down his
throat before he’s bodily flipped over.

“What? Drew, I-”

He’s cut off, though, as Andrew spreads his cheeks wide and begins licking him. Neil bites
his fist, nearly choking as Andrew’s hot tongue thrusts into him. It’s an onslaught of pleasure
he can’t even imagine resisting.

“Good, so good, Drew, so good,” he babbles, smushing his face into the bed as Andrew
relentlessly fucks his ass with his tongue. “More, I need – oh god-”

Andrew works his hand under Neil’s body, prompting him to get on his knees as he begins
stripping his semi-soft dick. Neil bucks, rocking his hips with each pull, his eyes nearly
rolling back into his head as he quickly hardens again.

Andrew’s a master with his tongue, circling and swirling, delving deep then playing shallow.
It’s a roller coaster ride that has Neil’s stomach swooping. His body is hot, and his blood is
boiling as his hips shake with each bump and curve. He can barely string two thoughts
together as he tries to wrap his brain around this being Andrew’s rut – so why is he so focused
on getting Neil off?

But the thought slips away again as Andrew slides his hand down to roll Neil’s balls in his
palm. Neil moans with the contact, biting his lower lip as Andrew takes him in hand once
more. The alpha never tires, never seems to even breathe as he pleasures Neil.

So it’s no wonder that Neil barely lasts. All too soon, he’s crying out and spilling into
Andrew’s palm for the second time in quick succession.

He collapses forward onto the bed, exhausted, and merely grunts when Andrew bites his ass
cheek before soothing it with a kiss. The alpha continues leaving kisses up his spine until he
reaches the back of Neil’s neck. He kisses him once, twice, three times there before he
collapses onto Neil, his heavy weight nearly smothering the omega.
Neil wants him to stay there forever.

“Two,” the alpha sighs contentedly on top of Neil, covering him completely with his
warmth.

It takes Neil a hazy moment to get the meaning of that statement.

“Oh, Drew,” he blinks. “No, you – you don’t have to make sure I cum as much as you do.
It’s your rut. I’m here to help you. To make you feel good.”

He shoves his fingers through Andrew’s hair, trying to get him to turn and catch his eye.
Andrew prevents him from doing so, though, by tucking his forehead down into Neil’s
shoulder. He takes several deep breaths as if gearing up to say something.

When he does, the words are halted and heavy, as if they’re a struggle to get out. “Making
my…omega feel good…makes me feel good.”

The words nearly stun Neil into silence.

Heart caught in his throat, Neil whispers back, “You always make me feel good, alpha.”

Andrew hums, and Neil suddenly gets flooded with the scent of satisfaction. The alpha finds
Neil’s hand and slots his fingers between, tightening them. Against his shoulder, Neil feels
the ghost of a smile tracing his skin.

And that’s when Neil realizes the alpha is positively preening at the honest words Neil gave
him.

So he softly adds, “I couldn’t have asked for a better alpha.”

Now Andrew buries his face in Neil’s neck, an arm slipping under him to settle over his
heart. Neil waits, letting the alpha feel the way it’s beating a steady rhythm in his chest.
Then, to his utter surprise, he feels Andrew’s breath even out.

The alpha has fallen asleep on top of him.

For a few seconds, Neil weighs his options before simply succumbing to the situation. He
tilts his head to the side and lets his own eyes slip closed as Andrew cocoons him with his
body.

After all, suffocating under your mate after mind-blowing sex isn’t the worst way to go.

It’s almost laughable to Neil now that Andrew thought he’d need knives, gags, or other safety
precautions to “control his aggression” – because the truth is there’s none of that to be found.
Andrew is so cautious and careful of Neil that it nearly makes his eyes burn when he sees
those hazel ones looking down at him with concern, his mouth soft and fingers gentle as he
smooths them over Neil’s skin. It makes him understand now why Andrew wouldn’t want
anyone with him in his rut – because right now, his defenses are practically nonexistent.

But it’s not just a case of Andrew being physically vulnerable. No, it’s also the crumbling of
Andrew’s emotional wall. His usual stone façade has been cracked open like a melon,
revealing the soft fruit inside.

It makes Neil want to cradle Andrew’s trust in his hands, protecting it like a baby bird with a
broken wing. It’s fragile and, oh, so precious. Neil would do anything to keep it safe – to
keep Andrew safe.

He fiercely promises himself he’s never going to let anyone see Andrew like this. These
gentle smiles, this open trust and vulnerability – they’re for him alone to treasure. He alone
will keep this side of Andrew safe.

Because here, now, Andrew is willingly ripping himself apart at the seams for Neil. Opening
himself up for ridicule and attack that Neil could so easily take advantage of.

But he won’t, of course.

No, Neil will take the time to carefully stitch him back up as painlessly as possible.

It’s the least he can do, after all, for his mate.

One of the most interesting aspects of Andrew’s rut is how the alpha’s normally curated
boundaries regarding touch seem to have evaporated. This isn’t to say he’s not respectful of
Neil – no, Andrew is still constantly looking for Neil’s consent, ensuring he has permission
before pleasuring him.

But with Neil’s (enthusiastic) approval, Andrew’s normal restraint seems to have disappeared
like smoke. He reverently runs his hands all over Neil’s body, smoothing and kissing the skin
whenever the mood strikes him. He leans fully into Neil’s hands back, eyes fluttering, and
sighs rumbling from his chest in return.

It’s like he’s been trapped in the desert for months and has just been given access to water.
He drinks and drinks and drinks his fill, acting as if he’ll never have access to it again. As if
any day, he’ll need to pack his bags and ration them out, allowing himself only a drop at a
time in order to survive.

It saddens Neil because all Andrew has to do is ask, and Neil would give this to him. But
trauma doesn’t work like that, he knows, and one of Andrew’s biggest fears is taking more
than he deserves.
So he sits back and lets Andrew feast on his touches, feeling like an elaborate spread laid out
only for the alpha. And feast Andrew does – he massages and pets, rubs and nibbles, slides
and caresses. There are moments where Neil can do nothing but purr, eyes slipping closed
and mind drifting contently as Andrew worships his body.

Then there are other times when each touch only stokes the flames higher, igniting his arousal
with no more than a fingernail tracing his skin.

He feels that way now as Andrew’s index finger lazily draws a line down his torso, ending
below his hip. He swirls around Neil’s hard dick, never touching, before sliding back up the
other leg toward Neil’s chest.

Neil is nearly panting with the light caresses, impatience building underneath his skin. He
knows it’s one of the main differences between them – where Neil is impetuous and rash,
ready to dive right in once the fire’s been lit, Andrew could spend years winding them both
up, inch by inch, until they explode.

Unfortunately, his rut doesn’t seem to have changed that. The only difference now is Neil
can smell how extremely aroused Andrew is because he hasn’t bothered hiding his scent. It’s
driving Neil mad – he doesn’t know how Andrew can stand it.

“Drew,” he tries again, licking his lips. “Alpha – stop teasing and touch me.”

Andrew gives him a slow, heady look. Then he merely bends down and lays kisses along
Neil’s inner thigh.

Neil throws his head back against the pillow in frustration, nearly shaking with the need
coursing through him. It’s so hot in this tiny room they’re in, even with the fan going above
them. He can feel tiny beads of sweat trailing down his body, making him shudder because
his skin is so sensitive.

“Drew,” he whines. “Come on.”

There must be something in his voice this time because he watches the way Andrew’s head
pricks up. He noses along Neil’s groin for a second, breathing deeply, then finally draws his
hand toward his cock.

When his hot, thick fingers finally close around it, Neil nearly sighs in relief.

For a moment, Andrew sits there, simply feeling the weight and substance of Neil in his
hand. Then he gives a leisurely pull.

Neil’s hips rocket upward with the simple touch, and he feels Andrew’s other hand anchor
itself on one as a result. The next tug has him trapped, and he groans at the feeling.

Andrew’s rhythm is glacially slow. His strokes are more like a glide, squeezing Neil from
base to tip until he pops his fist off at the end. He waits for a second, then wraps his hand
around the base of Neil’s cock and starts once more.
It’s not enough. Neil is desperate for just a little more pressure, just a little faster stroke. His
body shakes with the need, skin fever-hot, and eyes bright as he watches Andrew play with
him.

He feels like a bow, bending as his string is pulled taut, then releasing as Andrew pulls up
and off him.

Grasp. Pull. Bend. Release.

Grasp. Pull. Bend. Release.

He gasps as Andrew’s fist encloses around his head before pulling off this next time and
wonders vaguely if he could get off like this. There’s heat building low in his stomach,
rippling with each cadenced stroke of Andrew’s hand.

His eyes nearly roll to the back of his head with the next pull, and he can feel a delicious
tingle of anticipation as Andrew’s hand hovers close before wrapping around the base of his
dick once more.

Andrew’s infuriating pace never hurries. Though Neil begs and pleads, the alpha is content
to take his time, stroking Neil in that exact same rhythm. His thumb gently rubs against his
hip as he watches the omega tense and squirm under his ministrations. Neil feels the hungry
weight of his gaze on his body, and it makes something wind inside him even tighter.

Soon his hands are digging into the sheets, twisting them as Andrew’s fist tightens around his
head. His dick has been weeping pre-come for some time now, making the glide even
smoother for Andrew. He’s impossibly hard, his cock slapping back against his skin each
time Andrew releases it. It adds a little extra zing of pleasure to the sensitive organ, and Neil
stupidly finds himself looking forward to the bounce.

His head whips side to side as Andrew goes on and on. Neil’s babbling things now, unsure if
they’re praises or curses, as his toes clench and his thigh muscles strain to the unhurried
rhythm. His entire world revolves around Andrew’s hand, on the squelch of skin against skin
that is unashamedly loud in the quiet room.

“Drew,” he finally gasps out, body falling back against the bed once more with the latest
caress. “I think I’m – I’m cumming, I can’t – gonna cum-”

Andrew makes a little humming noise in the back of his throat in response. He leans forward
and mouths a kiss where Neil’s leg meets his groin.

He doesn’t stop.

There’s a slightly hysterical feeling in the back of Neil’s mind that this is happening. That all
it takes is Andrew’s hand on him, fondling him at his will, to make Neil’s body react like
this. But then something answers back just as fiercely that of course Andrew could make
him cum like this. Because only Andrew could – it will always only be Andrew for Neil.
It’s with this last thought in mind that Neil’s body finally breaks. Andrew strokes upward on
his dick, squeezing his head between his fingers, and Neil starts cumming. He paints
Andrew’s hand and his own stomach white with the liquid. Andrew waits, keeping the
pressure on Neil’s cock steady as his orgasm floods through him.

When Neil finally slumps, his dick still twitching in the aftermath, Andrew slides his coated
fingers into the mess on Neil’s stomach. Neil can do nothing more than groan as Andrew
touches him. He feels winded, like he’s run a marathon instead of simply receiving a handjob
from his alpha.

It’s amazing how Andrew can affect him so.

He watches as Andrew’s hand plays with the evidence of his pleasure on his body, fingers
sticky and wet. Then he blinks as Andrew sits up until he’s kneeling on the bed beside him
and uses that same hand to slick his own cock up.

Neil’s mouth goes dry as he watches Andrew pleasure himself, stroking his own dick with
confidence. Then Andrew abruptly lets go before sliding his hands over Neil’s thighs.

“Yes?” he rasps.

Neil has to clear his throat before he nods in return, gasping out, “Yes.”

His quick reply is all it takes for Andrew to haul Neil’s legs up and over his shoulder.

Neil barely has time to wonder about this new position before he feels the length of Andrew
poking at the back of his thighs. “Yes?” Andrew asks him again, teeth gritted together.

Neil nearly trips over his own tongue as he hurriedly agrees.

Andrew’s cock jabs him, taking a few practice bobs before finally squeezing between his
thighs. Neil doesn’t expect the jolt of arousal to spark through him at the sight of Andrew’s
dick peeking between them. He’s especially surprised by the drag against his own cock, the
friction causing simultaneous pinpricks of pain and pleasure after having cum so recently.

He moans with the feeling, however, smelling the way Andrew’s hormones surge as Neil
arches beneath him. Andrew breathes hard as he thrusts again, his eyes glued to Neil’s
writhing form. His grip is tight as he slams his hips forward, shoving Neil backward on the
bed with the power behind it.

Neil reaches for him slowly, his hands open, and waits until Andrew sees them. Then he
slowly cups the back of Andrew’s thighs, again waiting for Andrew’s terse nod before he
pulls them tight, encouraging the alpha to thrust harder.

Andrew needs little reassurance to do so, his jaw clenching and ab muscles tight as he keeps
a steady rhythm. For a second, Neil simply closes his eyes and loses himself to the feeling,
breath shuddering in and out of his lungs as Andrew takes what he needs from him.

Slowly, the rhythm builds. Andrew’s hard breaths turn into gasps as he drives toward that
peak. Neil impossibly finds himself growing hard again, and he moans out loud at the
discovery, unleashing his desire between them.

Andrew simply grunts at the fresh, new wave of hormones, nostrils flaring as he goes faster.
The constant slap, slap, slap echoes in Neil’s ears, followed by the resounding push against
his body. He begins lifting his hips, thrusting back, and clenching his own thighs to add to
Andrew’s pleasure.

Andrew groans with this new pressure and turns his head to nibble and tongue at the indent
of Neil’s ankle. It makes Neil’s heart shiver in his ribcage. Then Andrew’s red eyes ensnare
Neil’s as he commands, “Cum with me, omega.”

And, as if his words are magic, Neil does.

He cries out and shakes through the orgasm, hips jerking as he feels Andrew growl above
him. Then he’s coated a second time, Andrew’s own hot cum slathering his stomach and
chest with strips of white.

Once the tremors have stopped, Andrew drops his legs, letting the limbs bounce on the
mattress as Neil does nothing to stop him. Andrew flops down next to Neil, his breathing
still unsteady, and Neil giggles out loud. Andrew’s echoing glare does nothing to stop the
laughter, which tumbles out of him as Andrew’s mouth twitches into a smile.

Then Andrew leans forward and kisses the corner of Neil’s jaw, and Neil’s breath releases on
a sigh.

It takes him several tries but finally, Neil scrapes together enough motivation to sit up, crawl
off the bed, and walk into the bathroom on shaky legs. He wets a washcloth with warm water
before staggering back out into the bedroom. He gets Andrew’s permission before cleaning
him off, wiping him up in gentle strokes.

Then he cleans himself off before launching the dirtied washcloth toward the hamper. He
doesn’t turn to see if he’s made it before he collapses back onto the bed.

With a grunt, he feels Andrew’s arms wrap around him as he pulls him into his body. Then
the two of them fall asleep once more.

The days flow by thick and syrupy, like wild, fresh honey. Most of the time, Neil simply
tastes the sweetness of it, but there are a few times when the dangerous hum of the swarm
draws near.

The first time this illusion is shattered is no one’s fault.

It’s in the wee hours of the morning, in the middle of a sleep they’ve exhausted themselves
into, when, out of nowhere, a car alarm goes off.
Neil has only a second of hazy lucidity to recognize the sound for what it is – accompanied
by the loud, raucous laughter of drunks. It’s annoying but not unheard of in this young
neighborhood and certainly not something either of them has ever had to worry about.

But tonight, Andrew feels differently.

He bolts upright before throwing himself off the bed to the ground. His red eyes are wild,
and his mouth is open, fangs elongated as he growls viciously at the open room. If he had
fur, Neil swears it would be standing on edge right now. As it is, his muscles are tense, and
his shoulders hunch as he searches rapidly for the threat.

With a shot of adrenaline, Neil scurries out of bed, his hands open and visible as he tries to
soothe the angry alpha. “Andrew! Andrew, it’s okay, it’s just a car alarm, there’s no need
to-”

But the breath whooshes out of his body as Andrew rushes over to him, grabbing Neil with
one arm and throwing him behind him as he slams them both into the wall. Neil’s chest feels
like it’s being crushed as Andrew’s back presses into him, the alpha’s head still whipping side
to side as he scans the room for the non-existent threat.

Andrew clutches at his forearms and whines when he finds them sparse, no knives to be
found. So instead, he grabs the nearest item – a boot – and brandishes it like a weapon,
thrusting it out in front of them as if to fend the enemy off with it.

It would be funny if Neil didn’t smell the terror wafting off Andrew’s skin.

He tries to take as deep a breath as he can before stating calmly, “Andrew, we’re safe. No
one is coming to get us, okay? You can relax.”

His words seem to have no effect on the alpha. Another snarl rips through the air as they
hear laughter once more. Andrew’s chest is heaving with the frantic breaths he’s taking.

Time for a new plan. “Andrew, I’m going to put my hands on your shoulders, okay?”

He lifts them over Andrew’s shoulders and out in front of Andrew’s face so Andrew can see
them. It takes Andrew a second to focus but finally, after several more panicked breaths, the
alpha nods.

Neil slowly moves his hands back before calmly placing them on Andrew’s shoulders. Then
he slowly begins to rub them, making sure to keep his grip extra light. “Alpha, we’re safe. I
promise. You’ve protected us. We’re not in danger, so I need you to take a deep breath and
relax. Can you do that with me?”

Andrew doesn’t answer, but he does stop his agitated search. He just stands there, rigid as a
statue, as Neil continues to softly rub his shoulders, speaking in a calm, even tone.

“How about you start by dropping the boot, okay? We don’t need it anymore, so why don’t
you let it go?”
Andrew’s fingers clench tighter on the makeshift weapon for a second. Then, with great
effort, Neil watches each one open until the boot finally drops to the floor.

The sound of it dropping is like a release. Andrew sags back against Neil, tension melting off
him as he leans into the omega. Neil grits his teeth and angles his body so that he’s cradling
Andrew without grasping him. It’s a difficult position, requiring him to use his legs and core
to support the strong alpha. But Neil would willingly stay here for days if it meant not letting
Andrew fall to the floor.

“Good, that’s so good, alpha. Thank you,” he says carefully, still keeping his fingers loose on
Andrew’s shoulders. “Can we go back to bed now?”

The question is met with silence.

Seconds tick by. Neil’s legs begin to shake.

He’s just about convinced himself that Andrew didn’t hear him when the blonde finally
nods. He straightens, and Neil lets out a sigh of relief. Then he smiles as Andrew grabs his
hand carefully, threading their fingers together, before tugging him back toward the bed.

This time, though, Andrew forces Neil up onto the bed before him, looking around the room
warily as Neil climbs under the covers. Once Neil is settled, Andrew slides in as well before
glomping himself onto Neil’s chest. He tucks his face into the curve where Neil’s neck meets
his shoulder, throws an arm around his waist, and a leg over his thighs.

Andrew’s covering him, Neil realizes. He’s willingly putting his back to the room to ensure
Neil is safe.

There’s a little spark of happiness that comes with the realization. Neil feels it humming in
his chest, and he strokes Andrew’s back lightly in return.

“Thank you, alpha,” he whispers.

Andrew simply grunts in return, and it takes a while for them to drift back asleep.

Though it should have been obvious to him from the beginning, there’s one crucial piece to
Andrew’s rut Neil quickly discovers – and that is the alpha doesn’t like to cum alone.

It makes sense, seeing as how thoughtful a partner Andrew has always proven himself to be.
But the reality is Neil didn’t consider the logistics of such a preference. Because even with
how attentive and caring Andrew is, the man is still in the middle of his rut. Aka, his
hormones are raging, which, in turn, increases his libido and causes his refractory period to
become basically non-existent.

Neil’s, on the other hand, can barely keep up.

“Oh fuck,” he rasps, shuddering at the feeling of Andrew’s thick fingers stroking deep inside
him.

He’s lying on his back, knees spread wide as Andrew fingers him open. It’s a compromise
they’ve reached – if Andrew can’t make Neil cum at the same time he does, then he at least
needs to be touching and pleasuring the omega in some way.

In the meantime, Neil has finally caved, breaking open Andrew’s bag of toys from the sex
shop, and grabbed a cock sleeve for Andrew to use. He pumps the alpha’s dick with it now,
his rhythm matching the one Andrew’s using on his body. There’s a strange, territorial
instinct within him that’s dissatisfied with letting something else pleasure his alpha, but the
rational part of him knows he needs to save his strength.

After all, he hasn’t even had Andrew inside him yet.

This is actually strategic on Neil’s part, though, because something tells him the moment it
happens, the two of them won’t be satisfied with anything else. And there are still days left
in Andrew’s rut.

So he tells his instincts to shove it, using the sleeve to make Andrew’s hips stutter, the alpha
rutting into the toy with reckless abandon. There’s something wicked and delicious in
watching Andrew chase after his own pleasure, the image searing itself onto Neil’s brain and
firing the heat in his abdomen to a nearly unbearable temperature.

Andrew’s so focused on his own pleasure that his hand falters inside Neil for a second, giving
the poor omega a short break as the alpha hurtles toward his orgasm. Neil smiles, watching
as Andrew cums, staining the sheet below them as it drips out of the toy Neil carefully slides
off him.

Andrew simply stays there, sucking down oxygen as he gets his breath back.

Then his eyes dart back to Neil’s.

Oh fuck.

Neil swallows, feeling like a rabbit that’s been spotted by a wolf.

Andrew smirks at the reaction, licking his lips in return. Then he pops his fingers out of
Neil’s ass without warning.

Neil’s face flushes at the loud squelch, watching as Andrew struts, naked, over to a bag on
the floor. How the alpha even knows where anything is, with his body and mind so clouded
by hormones, is amazing to Neil, but he supposes that a photographic memory has to be
useful for something –

Then his mind goes blank as Andrew pulls out a vibrator.

The alpha’s eyes darken at the whimper Neil gives, followed by the shameful scent of his
desire. Neil’s body wants, remembering the pleasure that the toy brought before.
So he gives in to the feeling. He draws his knees up to his chest, spreading his legs wide so
that Andrew can see all of him. He clenches his hole once or twice and watches Andrew’s
eyes snap to it.

A snarl emanates from deep within Andrew’s throat. He immediately surges forward. But
instead of beelining toward the bed, like Neil expects, he makes a detour to the bedstand and
snatches up his phone.

Neil’s brow furrows in confusion.

The alpha stays there a second, fiddling with it before music suddenly starts playing from the
small device.

Neil flushes a little as he realizes Andrew’s put on the playlist they sometimes use when
they’re fooling around back at the dorm or in the Maserati. It’s a sweet, thoughtful touch to
something that’s been so physically focused. He smiles at Andrew to show he’s pleased by
the action and watches the tips of the alpha’s ears turn red.

Andrew returns to the bed, snagging the bottle of lube as he goes. He draws one knee up
beside Neil as he slathers the vibrator in lube, staring deep into the younger man’s eyes. It
makes Neil shiver in anticipation, hole twitching as he waits.

Soon Andrew deems it ready. He draws closer to Neil, leaning over him and resting the
vibrator against his hole.

His delicious scent ripples over Neil in soft waves, making the omega’s head spin. He
clenches a couple of times, barely feeling the tip of the toy teasing there. Then he groans a
little, complaining, “Alpha.”

Andrew’s mouth twitches. He circles Neil’s hole with the vibrator a couple times. Then he
slowly pushes forward.

It’s both agony and relief as Neil feels himself getting filled up. The ache that’s been pulsing
within him this whole time is temporarily sated as Andrew slowly slides the vibrator in and
out, starting a rhythm that has Neil’s hips catching. He toys with Neil for a bit, letting the
pleasure build at a gentle pace. Then Andrew slowly slides the vibrator in as deep as it will
go and leaves it there.

He reaches up with his clean hand to rub his thumb over Neil’s bottom lip. Neil draws the
digit into his mouth and starts sucking on it.

Andrew smiles down at him for a second.

Then he turns the vibrator on.

Neil’s eyes roll into the back of his head, the vibrations rippling through his entire torso. He
swears his groin shudders with those first pulsing sensations. Then Andrew switches it off
again.

“Shit,” Neil swears under his breath, releasing Andrew’s finger to curse softly.
It’s going to be one of those sessions.

He both hates and loves it as Andrew torments him, flicking the vibrator on and off, watching
Neil’s hips grind and stutter before arching in painful desire as the vibrations stop. Neil’s
face and chest are red from the constant teasing. He can feel beads of sweat dripping down
the back of his neck but can barely focus on it with the pleasure Andrew keeps drawing out
of him.

He slumps back on the bed again after another torturous round when he notices something.
Andrew brings his hand up to Neil’s mouth again, rubbing insistently at his lower lip, and
Neil realizes that Andrew’s been eyeing it up for some time now.

He licks his lips, watching the way Andrew’s gaze homes in on the action before he croaks
out, “Drew?”

Andrew’s eyes snap up to his.

“Do you want something?”

“Yes,” Andrew answers without hesitation, his thumb rubbing Neil’s lower lip. “I want to
fuck your mouth.”

Neil’s stomach jolts.

This is another interesting thing about Andrew’s rut – the pendulum swing of his
communication. Because sometimes he barely has the ability to speak at all, his language
comprised of grunts and nods, twitches and gazes. Then, other times, he has the mouth of a
sailor, whispering naughtily of all the things he wants to do to Neil’s body without a single
ounce of shame.

On the one hand, Neil’s delighted at the way Andrew freely tells him what he wants. But on
the other hand, he’s not sure his heart is going to make it if Andrew keeps surprising him like
this.

But he can worry about his health later. Right now, he focuses on stammering out an
enthusiastic “Y-yes!”

Abandoning the vibrator inside of Neil, Andrew begins crawling his way up Neil’s body. He
straddles Neil’s chest until both of his thighs are on either side of Neil’s neck. He softly runs
his fingers through Neil’s hair before they tighten, giving the omega’s head a small, thrilling
tug. “What do you do if you need to stop?”

Neil taps twice on Andrew’s thigh.

“Good. Still yes?”

Neil rapidly nods.

Andrew smirks down at him. “Open that pretty mouth then, omega.”
Something tight streaks its way through Neil’s body as he immediately complies. He opens
his mouth wide and feels Andrew’s dick slowly begin sliding its way inside.

Neil keeps his head and neck lax, breathing through his nose and waiting until Andrew tugs
his head forward, bobbing Neil’s mouth on his dick. He does this a few times, letting Neil
get used to his size before he lets go and repositions himself to a better angle.

He waits a few seconds before tilting his hips. Then he starts a slow rhythm, rutting against
Neil’s mouth.

The new angle lets his cock slide deeper into Neil, beginning to glide down his throat. He
fights against the need to choke and loses the battle a couple times, gagging. Each time, with
some quick taps to Andrew’s thigh, the alpha immediately slides out. He waits, letting Neil
catch his breath before the redhead motions to continue.

Before long, Andrew has a steady rhythm going, sliding in and out of Neil’s mouth with fluid
grace. Neil finds himself opening his mouth even wider, trying to take more of Andrew in
with each thrust. He breathes deeply through his nose, nearly overwhelmed by Andrew’s
scent with it pressed so tight against the alpha’s groin.

His own dick grows rock-hard, and he moans as Andrew grinds above him. His eyes water
as he looks up at him, need plain on his face.

“Go on, bunny,” Andrew tells him thickly. “Get yourself off. Use your hand.”

Neil doesn’t have to be told twice.

He immediately grabs onto his cock and begins pulling, masturbating himself frantically as
Andrew keeps fucking his face. The rhythmic slide and gentle pounding of Andrew’s hips
echo inside his brain, becoming the focus of his entire world. He follows their movement
mindlessly, simply reveling in the act of servicing his alpha.

Soon though, he swears he can feel the tension rising. Andrew’s hips seem to snap at a
certain interval, squeaks in the bed echoing his movement while Neil’s mouth surges up to
meet him on a silent beat. It’s easy to follow, and Neil does so again and again and again.

He wants Andrew deeper. He wants more.

Time slips away from Neil as he follows his alpha instinctively, losing himself in the
seductive rhythm of his hips, the smacking of his balls as they hit Neil’s chin. Andrew’s
body demands more, and Neil happily gives it to him.

At some point, Andrew draws back, and Neil opens his mouth wider, arching up to meet his
thrust as he has each time before – only to realize Andrew’s pulled back and waiting,
hovering above him. Confused and thrown off, he glances up to see what the issue is and
finds Andrew smirking down at him. A strange silence fills the air.

That’s when Neil finally realizes – Andrew’s been fucking him on beat with the playlist.

And Neil simply followed it, swallowing Andrew’s cock like a fool.
Disgusting omega whore.

Mortified, he frantically taps on Andrew’s thigh to let him up. Andrew’s brow furrows as he
does so, rapidly getting off Neil’s chest as Neil sits up, his face burning. He rips the vibrator
out from inside him, suddenly loathe to have anything touching him, then turns away from
the alpha. He winces at Andrew’s concerned whine, but Neil can’t look at him.

Is this really what he’s become? An omega slut who only wants his alpha’s cock deeper and
harder in his throat? Opening his mouth wider so he can take it?

His fingers dig into his arms as he clutches them around his middle.

Was his father right about him all along?

“Neil.”

Neil shakes his head, trying to pull himself together. Shit, this is Andrew’s rut. He’s
supposed to be helping him. He’s supposed to be making this easy for Andrew, not having an
internal crisis because he’s a weird, stupid, inexperienced omega that can’t even –

“Neil…do you want to stop?”

“No!” Neil chokes out immediately, even though he still can’t face Andrew.

There’s another second of silence. “Are you hurt?” comes the next question, quieter in tone.
It’s accompanied by just a trickle of concern, the scent hitting Neil’s nose and instantly
making him panic.

“No, I’m not – you didn’t hurt me,” Neil hurries to explain. “It’s not – I just didn’t – I’m
not-”

Fuck, how the hell does he explain this?

Sorry, I just wanted your cock so bad that my mind completely blanked. I got thrown off
because I didn’t realize you were fucking me to the beat of the song, and I greedily tried
swallowing you down at the wrong moment. So I’m both depraved and an idiot.

“No,” he whispers again but doesn’t elaborate.

A longer silence follows this statement that has his stomach turning. Then the alpha asks,
“Neil…did you like it?”

Neil’s body can’t lie. He makes a half-whimper, half-frustrated noise as his body twists
slightly before going rigid. He hears Andrew sniff the air behind him.

The scent of satisfaction comes flooding back to him. “Come here, bunny,” Andrew
commands, a hand sneaking its way around Neil’s middle.

Face still hot to the touch, Neil lets himself be drawn back against Andrew as the alpha coos
in his ear. “It’s okay to want it, omega. You’re not dirty or less for doing so. Nor does it
mean I’ll assume you always want it. Okay?”

Neil makes a pitiful noise in his throat.

“Do you think I’m disgusting for wanting it?” Andrew asks him. “For wanting to see the
way those pretty pink lips of yours wrap around my cock? To enjoy hearing the whimpers of
satisfaction when I’m deep in your throat? To see your blue eyes glaze over as they stare up
at me with such trust and devotion?” Strong fingers grip Neil’s chin as he nips at his jaw.
“Does that make me a horrible and lecherous person?”

“No,” Neil chokes out rapidly, flushing at the alpha’s descriptive words. “But I’m a-”

“Then why would you be?” Andrew cuts him off shortly.

“You know why,” Neil whispers it anyway. “Because I’m an omega. We’re…wanton and
desperate, and…and it’s just our nature. Our bodies crave sex…my father said it’s what
we’re meant for, and that-”

Instantly, the alpha growls angrily behind him, the air turning foul as his outraged scent
floods it.

Driven by instinct, Neil cowers when faced with the unexpected aggression.

Slowly, the scent dissipates as Andrew strokes one of his hands through Neil’s hair. He
scents Neil thoroughly, calming the omega until he’s melting back against him.

“The shit that piece of scum spewed doesn’t bear repeating,” he tells Neil through clenched
teeth. “He’s wrong.”

“But-”

“You’re my omega, right?” Andrew suddenly demands.

A wave of happiness flows through Neil at the statement. “Yes,” he says quietly.

“Then when I tell you that you’re not a slut for wanting me, for wanting your alpha – and that
I’m extremely pleased with how much you want me – then you’ll believe me, correct?”

Neil pouts at the unfair statement because there’s no way he’d ever tell Andrew that he
doesn’t believe him. He would never, ever mess with Andrew like that.

“Yes,” he says reluctantly, eyes still downcast.

“Neil,” Andrew commands, putting his fingers on Neil’s chin again and forcing him to look
into his eyes. “Do you believe me?”

Neil searches his alpha’s face and feels something settle in his stomach. Andrew’s gaze is
calm and open. His scent is clean, and even in this serious moment, his hazel eyes dip down
to steal glances at Neil’s lips.
It makes Neil break into a small smile. “Yes,” he replies, the answer much more assured this
time.

“Good,” Andrew growls, surging forward to capture Neil’s lip in a breathtaking kiss. “Now,
can we get back to you getting me off?”

Neil snorts out a laugh. “Yes.”

Andrew leans forward to press another kiss behind Neil’s ear, then scoots back to let Neil
turn around. Neil hesitates before he goes to lie down again, but Andrew stops him with a
hand on his chest.

“What’s wrong?” he demands.

Neil fiddles with his hands in his lap as he stares at the opposite wall.

He can’t tell Andrew – it would be too selfish. After causing so much trouble as it is during
his rut, he can’t possibly also –

“Neil.”

Neil instantly submits as Andrew uses his alpha voice on him, made all the more potent by
his rut. He squeezes his eyes shut, then whispers, “I…I don’t really want to cum right now. I
feel...” He trails off before shrugging and doesn’t finish.

In truth, he feels like his body is too big for his skin currently. The reminder of his father has
made his libido plummet. His limbs suddenly seem stiff and awkward, and the echo of
shame still lingers in the back of his mind. Asking his body to respond to arousal, to be
touched in the pursuit of pleasure, just seems like too much right now.

For one sickening moment, though, fear grips his throat as he imagines Andrew demanding
he continue anyway, using his alpha voice to make Neil submit.

But of course Andrew doesn’t do this.

No, the alpha simply hums for a moment, taking in Neil’s words. Then he crawls into Neil’s
lap as Neil turns his stunned eyes on him. He grabs Neil’s hand and puts it on his cock as he
says simply, “Like this?”

The offer is perfect. It gives Neil a way to still be connected with Andrew, to still be part of
this, without demanding anything of him in return. Neil swallows against the choked feeling
in his throat at Andrew’s understanding. “Yeah,” he whispers, drawing Andrew closer with
his hands on his thighs.

It’s nearly an indescribable feeling to see Andrew melt under his ministrations. He watches
him with rapt attention, flying high as Andrew’s eyelashes flutter and his hips roll above
him. It’s humbling to Neil to be given access to this vulnerable side of Andrew, and he revels
in the way Andrew puts his trust completely in Neil’s hands.
In no time at all, Neil brings the alpha to his second orgasm. He feels the warmth of
Andrew’s release in his hand but ignores it to watch the alpha shudder, eyes closed and lost in
the throes of rapture. Then Andrew slumps down on his chest, breathing heavily, and Neil
happily holds him.

He’s unsurprised by this sudden exhaustion. Despite the looseness of his tongue, it must
have taken Andrew some serious concentration and willpower to have that conversation with
Neil. Add in the marathon sex sessions they’ve been having, and it’s no wonder the alpha’s
tired.

So Neil gently tucks him into bed, popping into the bathroom shortly to wash them off again
before he slips in beside him. He watches over Andrew, stroking his hair lightly as he gets
some much-needed rest.

And he thanks his lucky stars again that of all the alphas out there, this man is the one he
chose.

The second time things go sideways is all Neil’s fault.

They’re both gasping for air, coming down from another satisfactory round of sex, when Neil
starts groping around the edge of the bed for water. He’d stashed an entire case upstairs
earlier and is grateful for the foresight because the two have been pounding it. It’s the item
most often he can get Andrew to take, between the meager snacks and meals he’s been
sneaking the alpha.

But this time, his hand comes upon nothing but empties.

Throwing the last plastic bottle down on the floor in disgust, he turns back, only to find
Andrew asleep on the bed again. Neil stares consideringly at him.

And here is where he makes his mistake.

Because all he can think about is his frustration at running out of water. At how they both
need to stay hydrated. At how he’d seriously miscalculated how much they would need and
now needs to correct that mistake.

He can be quick. He’s the fastest striker in Exy, after all. It should be a piece of cake for him
to run down, snag another case, then run back up.

So while Andrew peacefully sleeps, Neil slips out of the room, locks the door behind him,
and makes his way downstairs.

Once down there, it strikes him that he should check over the house – ensure nothing’s
missing or out of place while he has the chance. So he does a quick search, feeling proud
about how he’s taking care of things for his alpha, protecting him. Once he’s satisfied that
everything’s still in order, he heads into the kitchen. He snags as many water bottles as he
can possibly carry before slowly making the trek back upstairs.

He’s gone maybe ten minutes at the max.

It’s still too long.

The moment he opens the bedroom door, Andrew lunges at him. The water bottles are
knocked out of his arms as Neil’s back meets the door. He instinctively shrinks, expecting
painful blows for entering the alpha’s space unannounced. But instead, he feels Andrew
touching him all over, hands searching frantically and whining as he goes.

“Neil,” he blurts out urgently, over and over. “Neil? Okay? Not hurt, don’t be hurt, Neil,
Neil, safe? Okay? Neil-”

Neil’s heart drops at Andrew’s panicked tone. He internally chastises himself for being a
fucking idiot as he quickly replies, “No, Andrew, it’s okay! I’m here, I’m not hurt, I’m okay,
I promise.”

At the sound of Neil’s voice, Andrew’s eyes whip up to meet his. “Safe?” he whispers, a
hesitant confirmation.

Neil nods vigorously. “Definitely. I was just getting us some water, see?”

He points to the floor and waits patiently as Andrew’s gaze follows it before returning to his
own.

“Gone,” he accuses Neil.

Again, Neil nods. “I know, that was stupid. I won’t do it again.”

Andrew narrows his eyes, waiting, and Neil adds, “Promise.”

The alpha huffs then, satisfied, before he begins dragging Neil back to the bed. Neil lets him
do it, uncaring of the dozen water bottles strewn across the floor. He’ll take care of them
later.

Right now, comforting his alpha is more important.

Andrew shoves him onto the bed before climbing on top of Neil. “Yes?” he asks gruffly.

“Yes,” Neil barely has time to respond before Andrew claims his lips with a blistering kiss.

It feels like the alpha is pouring all his concern and worry into Neil, hands trembling slightly
as he cups the omega’s face. So Neil matches him, beat for beat, trying to reassure Andrew
as he kisses him back just as fiercely.

I’m here. I’m here. I’m safe.

You’re here. You’re here. I’ve got you.

Finally, the alpha draws back, licking his lips. He gives a satisfied sigh before curling into
Neil’s chest.

Neil happily wraps his arms around him and snuggles his nose into the soft tufts of hair on
Andrew’s head, breathing deeply.

After all, who needs water anyway?

Sometimes, Neil can’t believe this is real.

It all seems too easy, too natural, for it to be true. Because how is it possible that Andrew,
who has had so many promises broken, who’s had too much taken from him, could be so
open and vulnerable with Neil now? How is it possible that Neil, the boy who’s had to think
of no one but himself, who’s always had to leave everything behind, would willingly stay and
give Andrew everything?

It’s impossible and yet somehow true. A strange, alternate dimension that Neil never wants
to return from. An upside-down yet beautiful wonderland that Neil hopes he can stay in
forever.

Because it feels so right to let Andrew’s lips claim him. To let that white-hot heat sear
through his body and warm his soul. To welcome Andrew’s hands on his body, with the
feeling that he’s known them for centuries. That he would recognize the way they curve into
his ribs, slide down his chest, cup his jaw, and feather over his ankles anywhere.

How it feels like the two of them were always meant to be – here, now, like this. Neil in
Andrew’s lap. Limbs tangled and entwined. Sharing hot breaths between them as Neil’s
hand strokes them both into a frenzy. Their minds spinning and dazed as they let their bodies
lead them to new, impossible heights.

And yet it also somehow means more because it was a choice. That Neil would never let
another alpha besides Andrew have him like this. That Andrew would never trust another
omega enough to let them in besides Neil. That they know it is only for each other that they
can be here in this moment. That they will each treasure each other, cherishing every sacred
piece given and guarding it with their life.

But Neil doesn’t feel sacred right now.

Right now, he feels filthy and wanton, and he revels in it. He leans into the feeling, knowing
how much his alpha wants him, knowing how much his alpha likes him like this. His body is
so open and ripe, ready to give Andrew everything. Ready for Andrew to take, take, take.

Fuck, he hopes he takes it.

It’s what drives Neil to finally stop the grinding rhythm he’d set between them. To wait for
Andrew’s eyes to jerk up and meet his, widening as Neil pushes his shoulder until the alpha
lies down. To watch them open even further when Neil hovers over him, thighs gaping and
hand reaching to grasp Andrew in his hand.

Neil’s chest gleams with sweat, his abs flexing as he leans back and looks down at Andrew
through hooded eyelids. “Want you to fuck me, alpha. Yes…or no?”

And now the alpha in Andrew beckons. There’s a viciousness to the smile that appears on his
face, eyes wild and hungry. Neil nearly shivers with the heavy clamp of Andrew’s hands on
his hips, how the biceps in his arms bulge as he rolls Neil’s body so that he’s teasing right
over his tip.

“Yes,” comes his firm answer, his voice hoarse and so deep that Neil swears he can hear it
vibrating in his chest. “Make me cum, bunny.”

The command lights Neil up from the inside. Thrilled, he replies with a savage grin of his
own. “With pleasure, alpha.”

He leans forward on his knees, and Andrew helps by sliding his hands down to spread his
cheeks. Together, they position Neil perfectly over Andrew’s cock. But once in position,
Neil hovers there, waiting. He catches Andrew’s eye and makes sure he has his full attention
before he slowly sinks down on him.

Their twin groans resonate in the tiny room.

It’s not the first time Neil’s had Andrew inside him. No, that particular night was some time
ago. It had been full of starts and stops, of multiple tries and mixed feelings, and neither of
them finding release in the act.

But they’d tried again – and again, and again, and again – until it began to feel more
comfortable. Until Andrew didn’t flinch at the sight of Neil’s spine arching, of him
scrabbling on the sheets, or whining for Andrew to go deeper. Until Neil felt comfortable
enough to join Andrew in the rotating rhythm of his hips, to lock his legs around his waist, to
not feel guilty about letting go when Andrew whispered the dirty command in his ear.

Now there’s nothing but sheer satisfaction to be found when Neil smoothly glides onto
Andrew’s length. Now Andrew simply waits as Neil shudders above him, his cock filling
Neil up so impeccably that it always makes his body stutter. Now they’re both used to the
gradual build-up as Neil gets more comfortable, thighs flexing as he sets the pace. Now Neil
glories in the way Andrew watches him with awe, eyes drinking in the image of Neil flexing
above him, riding them both to orgasm in just the way they like.

Neil flashes a bit of tongue at Andrew as he licks his lips, making the alpha growl and hiss as
he digs his blunt nails into Andrew’s chest. He can’t get over this feeling of perfection, of
two pieces fitting together so right that it’s almost impossible to imagine them apart.

To think he’d gone his whole life without this – to think he could have gone his whole life
without meeting Andrew is – well, the thought is enough to make him sick.
He tries to shove it away quickly, focusing back on the task at hand, but Andrew must smell
the dip in his scent. Because a second later, Neil’s eyes slip closed as Andrew’s hand cups
his cheek, mouth ghosting over Neil’s in a slippery kiss.

Neil appreciates the brief attempt at comfort, but he doesn’t want to dwell on it. No, he
wants to drive Andrew out of his mind – wants him to feel just as wrecked as he does.

So he sinks down fully, taking Andrew’s entire length before staying there. He rotates his
hips, circling them with Andrew’s dick trapped inside as he squeezes him tight.

Andrew abandons all pretense at the feeling. His head falls back, and he bites his lip hard as
Neil’s hips roll just the right way. He fucks himself deep on top of Andrew a couple more
times, setting a hungry rhythm before stopping again. Then he clamps down hard on
Andrew’s cock once more.

Andrew’s eyes nearly roll to the back of his head.

“Fuck,” the alpha hisses, and Neil can feel the pinprick of claws digging into his skin.

He wants more.

He drives himself down harder onto Andrew, feeling the resounding zing of pleasure echoing
up through his body each time his ass meets Andrew’s hips. Nearly delirious with it, he grits
out, “Drew, more.”

And thankfully, Andrew knows what he’s asking.

His hands are like steel on Neil’s torso as he helps pull the omega down toward him just as he
thrusts up into him with a brutally hard stroke.

Neil whimpers.

Andrew doesn’t stop.

He must smell the wave of sensual delight Neil’s riding at the moment, so he simply grabs
Neil harder and fucks him faster on his cock. Neil hazily thinks he might be drooling at this
point but can’t fathom the wherewithal in him to care, his mind is so overcome with bliss.
He lets his body roll and bounce, happily taking whatever Andrew gives him and letting him
seize control.

The two of them are panting, loud gasps and moans filling the air as they race toward their
orgasms. They each try and push the other higher, with Neil tracing the tendons in Andrew’s
neck and Andrew peppering his shoulder with kisses, his hands squeezing Neil’s ass cheeks
as they grind together.

It’s too good, too good. Neil can’t think. He can’t focus on anything but the hard thrust of
Andrew’s cock inside him, and it’s somehow absolute perfection, and yet still not enough.

“Drew,” he moans, his own eyes rolling to the back of his head now. “Drew, I can’t – I want
– alpha, I need-”
And again, Andrew reads his mind because a second later, the alpha has grabbed onto Neil’s
cock and is stripping it for all it’s worth.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, so good, so good, alpha, more, I can’t-” Neil babbles
nonsensically. “Need you to – faster, faster, fuck me harder – come on, alpha, come on- fuck
me, more, fuck, fuck, fuck -”

With a final growl, Andrew jackknifes upward and latches onto where Neil’s neck meets his
shoulder. Neil cries out as his teeth sting the flesh and then soothes it with his lips and
tongue. The mix of pain and pleasure shudders through Neil and sets him off like the
ricochet of a bomb exploding.

He cums hard into Andrew’s hand, body impossibly tightening and squeezing Andrew for
everything it’s worth. Andrew cries out in return, his own body succumbing to the pleasure
Neil wrings from him. They both stay there, clinging to one another as their bodies shake
through the aftershocks.

Then they slump backward, limbs sprawling as they collapse onto the bed.

Neil’s chest is still heaving as he lays on top of Andrew, but he can’t deny how glorious his
body feels. There’s a delicious thrum of carnal satisfaction that turns his muscles to jelly, his
mind mush, and his desire temporarily sated. He even revels in the feel of Andrew softening
inside him, their bodies close as they can possibly be as Andrew’s rut ebbs for a moment.

Everything is warm, hazy, and wonderful. His post-sex brain rejoicing in the aftermath of the
mating call.

Then reality starts to seep back through.

To start with, the two of them have been sweating their asses off. Add in lube, cum, and
Neil’s slick, and they are one unholy mess. Within seconds, Neil is aware of every sticky,
slimy place they’re connected.

He looks down over Andrew’s shoulder at the sheets, and his nose scrunches up even more.
God, the bed is filthy. It’s riddled with stains and sweat marks and has a somewhat funky
smell.

He doesn’t know how far into Andrew’s rut they are now, but he doesn’t care. They have to
clean this place up a bit – have to clean themselves up a bit before they continue.

So he digs deep, finding some untapped inner strength as he slides Andrew out of him and
rolls off the bed with a grunt. He staggers onto his feet, tipping completely off-balance and
grabbing the covers quickly to counter it. Andrew makes a low, rumbling noise at the
awkward movement, something that echoes deep in his chest, but Neil ignores him.

With all the steadiness of a newborn foal, he walks to the bathroom. He grabs onto the side
of the tub for support as he sinks down on shaky legs to the floor. He grimaces at the feeling
of liquids oozing out of him before he leans over and turns the faucet on. He waits until it’s a
nice, hot soothing temperature before blindly reaching for something nice-smelling to throw
in the water.

He’s pretty sure he succeeds but figures Andrew can kill him later if he grabbed the wrong
one.

(The alpha is surprisingly picky about using his fancy, expensive soaps.)

Neil walks back into the bedroom with determination. He collapses a hip onto the bed,
throws an arm over Andrew next to his head, and rasps out, “Drew. Come on…get up. Take
a bath with me?”

The alpha lazily opens one eye, pinning Neil with a glare.

“Feels gross, alpha,” Neil pleads. “Come clean me up?”

It’s fighting dirty, perhaps, but it works. Andrew groans once before pushing himself
unsteadily to his feet. After Neil asks, he allows the omega to support him into the bathroom,
with Neil using every last bit of strength he possesses to help lower Andrew safely into the
tub.

Finally, though, the alpha is sighing in relief, eyes slipping closed as he relaxes beneath the
bubbles.

Neil stands up again, and Andrew’s eyes shoot open. He hisses.

“Just a second,” Neil smiles. “I’ll be right back – need to take care of something first.”

Andrew glares at him.

“Promise I’ll be quick, Drew.”

He waits until Andrew finally nods to leave the bathroom.

Once back in the bedroom, Neil grabs the fresh sheets he’d stashed on top of the dresser and
quickly undoes the bed. With exhaustion dogging him, he struggles to put the fresh, new
sheets on, limbs straining as he fights the corners. But finally, the wretched chore is done.

Feeling strangely accomplished, Neil wipes off his brow and smiles. He dumps the dirty set
of sheets in the hamper and then returns to the bathroom.

The tension bleeds from Andrew’s shoulders once he sees Neil again, his position changing
from alert to relaxed once more. A smile nearly graces his lips as he watches Neil finally
climb in, a hand clamping on Neil’s hip to help slowly lower him between the alpha’s legs.

Then it’s Neil’s turn to sigh as Andrew’s arms encircle him, his chin settling on top of Neil’s
head as Neil leans back against his chest. The bathroom is warm and quiet as the two sit
there, the only sound the soft splashing the water makes whenever one of them moves. It’s
nighttime now, the only light coming from the couple of candles Neil lit, giving the entire
experience a warm, intimate feel.
It makes Neil smile as he closes his eyes. “Thank you, Drew,” he whispers sleepily.

And feels like his entire chest is glowing when Andrew whispers just as softly back, “Thank
you, Neil.”

After their bath, the two crawl into Andrew’s bed, exhausted, the alpha’s rut giving them an
unprecedented break. Neil’s instincts tell him it’s the last respite before the finale – the
nearly insane rush of hormones that comes with the end of a rut.

But this break comes with a price.

He’s in the middle of a deep sleep when he hears it – or rather, feels it.

Neil lifts his head from the pillow to see Andrew shifting on the bed. It isn’t the restless,
wild flailing other people do when dreaming. No, Andrew is quiet in his suffering – always
has been. It’s just one or two jerks of the head, a trembling of his fingers, the minute shift of
an ankle.

But then his mouth parts on a small gasp, and Neil realizes that even in dreams, Andrew’s rut
still affects him.

“Stop,” is the first word he hears, whispered so low and small that he isn’t even sure he really
heard it. Then “No” comes a little bit louder. There’s a deep gasp, fingers clenching into the
sheet, and a furrowed brow before the words, “Stop it. Stop it now – don’t touch – I’ll –
don’t, no-”

Neil sits up, gritting his teeth as he watches Andrew suffer. It’s so rare that he wakes up
during one of Andrew’s nightmares. By the time he gets up, Andrew is usually already
staring at the ceiling, stewing in the aftermath of the horrible images he’d been trapped in.

So Neil has little practice with waking him from one. But he has to try.

“Drew,” he calls softly, not daring to touch him. Not in the throes of his nightmare. “Drew,
wake up. Wake up, it’s just a dream.”

He can see drops of sweat glistening on Andrew’s forehead as his head thrashes to the right.
His fingers dig in harder, and Neil’s heart drops to the pit of his stomach when Andrew
growls, “No, don’t touch him! Neil, get back – stay away from him! I’ll kill you, I’ll – Neil!
NEIL! Neil, no!”

Neil swallows hard, his own hands clenching his knees hard as he calls louder. “Drew!
Drew, I’m right here! I’m fine, Drew, so wake up! Promise it’ll be better if you just open
your eyes. Come on, alpha. It’s me, I’m right here, I’m right-”
And he gasps when Andrew suddenly reaches out and clamps a hand around his wrist.
Andrew’s eyes shoot open. He pants as he stares up at Neil with wild eyes.

Neil freezes, letting the alpha look his fill.

Finally, Andrew croaks out, “Neil?”

“Yes, Drew?” Neil whispers back.

“You’re…okay? Not…hurt?”

“No, I’m fine, Drew. See?” Neil tells him, slowly dragging Andrew’s hand up from his wrist
to caress his face.

Andrew takes a few more unsteady breaths as he gently touches Neil’s face, feeling for blood
or injuries that Neil knows isn’t there. His hand travels down until it’s resting against Neil’s
neck, feeling for his heartbeat.

As Neil’s steady pulse beats beneath his fingertips, Andrew’s forehead falls to the pillow.
Breath rattles through his lungs in long gasps as he tries to get it back under control.

“Neil?” he asks again.

“Yes?”

And it seems to take an eternity before Andrew whispers, “Don’t go.”

The ask is small and gut-wrenching. It slices through Neil cleanly, like a sharp knife. “I
won’t, Andrew,” he promises. “I’ll be right here.”

Andrew’s gaze burns through him. His hand tightens around Neil’s throat for a split second
before relaxing again. His fingers stroke Neil’s heartbeat tenderly, dark gold eyes ensnaring
Neil as he weakly requests, “Stay.”

Which, of course, Neil has only one answer to. “I will, Andrew. I’ll stay. I won’t let
anything get to us. You can sleep. It’s okay.”

He sees Andrew shudder in response, just a slight quiver down the line of his back as Neil’s
words settle over him. Inch by inch, Neil watches him relax, sinking further into the pillow.
His hand lags, trailing down Neil’s skin until Neil catches it and rests it over his heart. The
steady feeling of Neil’s heartbeat captured under the cradle of his palm seems to soothe
Andrew. His breath evens out.

Neil watches, waiting, as Andrew closes his eyes. Then he waits even longer until he can tell
Andrew’s finally asleep.

It occurs to Neil that he was wrong earlier – this is the real reason why Andrew doesn’t want
to share his ruts. Because he doesn’t want others to see his weakness. He doesn’t want
anyone else to know that he too, needs protection. From the ghosts in his head, from his own
demons, from the unseen threats they know are out there.
Andrew is so strong, both inside and out. It’s something Neil has always admired him for,
and still does. And it doesn’t make him think any less of the alpha for needing some
reassurance.

Because yes, he relies on Andrew, and would lean on him in a heartbeat when need be. But
Neil has never been an omega who needs to be coddled. No, he’s always been a fighter. A
prickly thing, ready to bite back with teeth, claws, knives – whatever is nearby that’s
sharpest.

So he wants Andrew to know he has his alpha’s back. He wants Andrew to be able to let
down his walls with him, to feel safe when he’s at his most vulnerable. And for Andrew, he
knows that means voicing his consent, trusting Neil will say no when he needs to, and never
asking more from Andrew than he can give.

But it also means protecting Andrew. Fighting others with words or blows to defend what’s
his.

And Neil would, in a heartbeat.

So tonight, he takes up his post. He safeguards Andrew, watching over him because it’s what
he needs right now. Andrew is his safe place – so Neil will do everything in his power to
become his.

He watches until the first fingers of dawn come crawling over the bedspread to play with the
golden tendrils of Andrew’s hair. And when those bewitching hazel eyes open and beckon to
him, Neil goes without a second thought.

Neil’s back bows as Andrew’s cock ruts into him, the rhythm relentless and oh, so satisfying.
He spreads his legs wider, trying to take Andrew deeper, and hears the alpha grunt with
approval.

His head turns on the bed, looking at the pattern of sunlight on the wall and vaguely wonders
what time it is. His nostrils flare, breathing in the new wave of Andrew’s scent. Then his
mind blanks, riding that wave of bliss as arousal pours through him like molten lava.

They’re in the thick of it now. It’s a fever-pitched roller coaster ride to the end that Neil can
do nothing but hang on for. It feels like Andrew has been fucking him non-stop for the last
eight hours, although he knows that’s impossible.

Just like it’s impossible that Neil could want more.

His body craves it, nearly begging for Andrew to be inside him. Which is ridiculous seeing
as Andrew has barely left his side. Neil’s had so many orgasms that he’s lost track of the
count, his body simply bending and giving to Andrew’s will.
Like now, for example.

Neil shudders through his latest orgasm, cock twitching as cum streaks across his stomach.
He pants on the bed, breathing hard as Andrew slides out of him. He protests the movement,
whimpering in the back of his throat.

Andrew lightly slaps his ass, silently asking him to turn.

Neil does so without blinking, getting on his knees as Andrew slips back inside him. It
allows him to go deeper, his hand pressing down between Neil’s shoulder blades until his
chest hits the bed. Then Andrew draws back and begins fucking him once more.

Neil’s hips simply buck and roll, following the thrust of Andrew’s cock as he slams into him,
loving every second of it. The room is burning up, and Neil’s skin is slippery and wet. His
hands dig deeper and deeper into the sheets for purchase as Andrew takes him.

And then, finally – finally – he feels it. The thick swell of Andrew’s knot, grinding up
against him.

There’s a fluttering feeling in Neil’s stomach as it slaps against his ass, physically showing
Neil how much Andrew wants him. Forecasting how thoroughly he’s about to claim him.

It takes Neil back to the conversation they’d had in the car on the way to Columbia.

“You’ve read up on knotting?” Andrew asks him out of the blue, hands gripping the steering
wheel tight.

The air inside the car suddenly fills with a mix of anger and anxiety.

Neil swallows, unsurprised that Andrew has chosen to do this conversation here and now –
where neither of them can escape from it. “Yes.”

“And? What did you learn?”

“That it’s a kind of claiming by alphas – especially during ruts. Knotting is their way to…
um…produce if they so choose.”

“Which we do not.”

“Which we do not,” Neil agrees firmly, mentally double checking again that he brought his
meds before sighing in relief when he recalls which bag they’re in.

“It will be a lot,” Andrew says flatly. “More than you’ve ever taken before. You'll need to
tell me if you can’t do it.”

“I will,” Neil promises instantly.

“But remember that you’re also an omega,” Andrew says carefully, “so your body is
designed to be able to handle it, if you want to. Just relax and breathe through it. Let the
feeling roll over you, and…if you can…let yourself-”
“-submit?” Neil says quietly.

Now it’s Andrew’s turn to swallow hard.

The car rolls to a stop at a stoplight and Neil waits until Andrew turns to look at him.

“I trust you, alpha,” he tells him, observing how Andrew hungrily studies his face, gauging
his reaction. “If it’s for you, I don’t mind it.” He swallows then admits, “I want to.”

Andrew stares at him for a moment then grabs the back of Neil’s neck hard, drawing him
forward until their foreheads are touching. “I’ll take care of you,” he promises, whispering
low.

“I know,” Neil breathes back.

They stay like that for another second, until the light turns green. Then Andrew leans back.

“I have heard omegas like it, though,” the alpha remarks casually.

“Well, thank fuck,” Neil snorts in return. “Or else you’d hear of a lot more alphas dying
after sex.”

Andrew huffs out a laugh and the tension in the car eases, turning lighter as they drive off.

Now Neil’s eyes widen a little as he realizes the sheer size of Andrew and understands better
what he was saying. The warning he was trying to give. Yet, despite his apprehension, he
still feels his legs shifting wider, preparing to take Andrew – notes the way he’s practically
dripping slick.

He wants it, he realizes. Wants all of Andrew inside him.

So Neil thrusts back harder, showing Andrew how much he wants the alpha to take him.
“Yes,” he gasps out. “Yes, Drew – it’s a yes.”

It’s the enthusiastic confirmation Andrew needs. He stops thrusting for a moment before
grabbing Neil’s ass cheeks and spreading them wide apart. Then he slowly begins pushing,
hard.

Through sheer will, Neil forces his body to relax. He breathes Andrew’s scent in deeply and
lets the wave of submission take over him as Andrew begins to slip inside.

Andrew wasn’t kidding – it’s a lot. Everything is tight and Neil feels fuller than he ever has
in his life. But it doesn’t hurt or feel wrong – in fact, it feels like exactly the thing he’s
always been looking for. During each heat, when he masturbates – that ache he always feels
deep inside.

Finally, finally, Andrew is filling it.

It’s everything Neil’s ever wanted, and he releases a deep sigh of content as Andrew bottoms
out. Andrew snarls, weight draping over Neil’s back as he slides his arm underneath,
cupping the soft of Neil’s belly as he sits there, letting Neil adjust.

But Neil feels as if he’s suddenly been consumed by fire. He rocks back on Andrew’s dick,
somehow wanting more of him, even though Andrew has already given him everything. He
can’t help instinct, though, so he thrusts himself back harder, feeling the way the alpha’s cock
rubs against his prostate and shuddering violently with each caress.

Andrew seems to want to be closer too, though they both know there’s nowhere else to go.
He rocks into Neil regardless, fingers reaching down to thread between Neil’s as they rut and
grind together.

Neil’s eyes widen as he feels Andrew grow bigger inside him, and he cries out at the feeling.
He’s whimpering and moaning, making noises that seem to drive Andrew wild, if the sharp
nips to Neil’s shoulders and neck are anything to go by.

But neither of them stop. They don’t want to, bodies giving and receiving and craving more,
more, more. They can barely move but it doesn’t stop their skin from slapping together, from
Neil’s hips jerking with each thrust. From his cock bobbing, red and painfully hard from the
brutal massage his prostate is getting.

Andrew is burning inside of him and Neil’s head spins from it.

He’s so wrapped up in the feel of Andrew inside and around him, that he barely realizes he’s
cumming again until Andrew whines in his ear. He kisses and bites at Neil’s earlobe, hand
streaking through the mess on his stomach as he continues fucking him non-stop.

Neil gasps as Andrew reaches down and begins stroking him. He impossibly hardens again
as Andrew slams into him, over and over. His senses are overwhelmed by the alpha's heat,
smell, and sight. The air nearly vibrates with tension as the two move together, hips rolling
as one as Andrew’s hormones reach their peak.

Neil cums again underneath Andrew, crying out and stuttering as he stains the sheets.

It drives Andrew on faster, his body frantically fucking inside Neil, seeking that tight, wet
heat. Neil simply slumps to the bed, taking and taking what Andrew gives him. He can feel
Andrew laying desperate kisses over his back, cherishing Neil inside and out.

Neil can smell the alpha’s orgasm coming, can hear it rising within Andrew as the alpha’s
breaths grow ragged and harsh. His claws dig into Neil’s hips once more, slamming into him
with nearly brutal force. Neil knows he’ll be bruised and marked when this is over, but the
thought stupidly fills him with satisfaction.

He hears Andrew whine, and instantly knows he’s worried about him. So he casts his hand
back until it’s cupping the back of Andrew’s thigh, and pulls him toward him – showing him
how much he still wants him. Encouraging Andrew to go even deeper, get even closer to
him.

It’s out-of-this-world insane but he feels himself hardening again, cock rubbing against the
sheets with each of Andrew’s movements. But he focuses on Andrew, wanting his alpha to
find that relief he so desperately craves.

“Come on, alpha,” he groans. “Come on, fuck me. Fill me up, Andrew. Need you to – unf –
need you inside me, need your – ah – cock to fuck me hard. Come on, Drew. Fuck me – fill
me with your – ah, ah – cum, come on, alpha, come on-”

Andrew growls with each word Neil speaks, his body nearly shaking.

“Come on, Drew,” Neil babbles, nearly desperate. “Come on, Drew, cum – come on-”

And finally, with a howl, Andrew does. There’s a shocking heat inside of Neil, filling him up
as Andrew cums inside of him. It makes Neil shake uncontrollably, makes something inside
of him want to leap up and run, although he’s pinned down on the mattress by Andrew’s
weight. Andrew anchors him there, and Neil is so grateful for it, the alpha holding him tight
as Neil’s world shatters.

Everything is so hot and bright and overwhelming that Neil barely registers the heat on the
back of his neck as Andrew opens his mouth wide. There’s just a single flicker of
recognition before he feels Andrew’s fangs pierce the back of his neck, sinking into the organ
there.

Pleasure ripples through Neil at the feeling and he distantly realizes he’s cumming again,
untouched, from the feeling of Andrew inside him, surrounding him, melting into him.

There’s a faint smell of blood but Neil’s not bothered by it. Not when Andrew’s tongue is
licking the back of his neck, faint reverberations echoing through his body with each rough
stroke. When Andrew begins nudging at his face, though, he forces his eyes open.

He focuses hazily on the sight before him – the back of Andrew’s neck, somehow impossibly
twisted to reach him.

Neil stares at it in confusion before Andrew whips his head back around to growl at him.

Neil licks his lips. “You want me to…bite you?”

The word is instantly ripped from Andrew’s throat. “Yes.” Then he turns again, presenting
his own neck.

The request is somewhat surreal for Neil, who can still feel Andrew pulsing inside of him.
But his body seems to know what to do, because he feels his canines lengthen inside his
mouth. Trusting the instinct, he reaches up and opens his mouth wide.

And sinks into Andrew’s skin like it was always meant to be.

When Andrew wakes up, his body instantly freezes as he takes stock of his surroundings.
Unsurprisingly, he’s in his bedroom in Columbia. This makes sense since he normally goes
to Columbia to complete his rut. He’s also alone, which is typical.

But that’s where the similarities stop.

Because usually when Andrew wakes up after his rut, his body feels half-starved and aching.
He’s usually exhausted, completely drained of energy. He’ll crawl to the bathroom then
torturously drag himself downstairs to find sustenance, muscles sore and body brimming with
unsatisfied need.

Now, though, he feels none of that.

There’s a pleasant stiffness to his limbs, the way he feels after a game. Tired but not
exhausted, hungry but not starving. He almost feels…replenished. Satisfied. Content.

It’s bewildering.

The only real ache he can feel is from the back of his neck…and suddenly the memories all
come flooding back to him.

His eyes widen as he recalls inviting Neil to his rut. How he made Neil promise to stop him
by any means necessary if it got too much. How Neil had stuck with him the entire time, had
never left. How the two had come together, over and over, reaching a new level of sensual
delight he’s never experienced before.

Now he looks around the room and notes how the empty bottles, half-flung clothes and
sheets, and leftover trash from their meager meals is all gone. A window has been opened,
allowing fresh air to circulate. Andrew is sleeping on laundered sheets, his body clean and
rested, and his hand grasping an empty space on the bed that was obviously filled before.

A warm feeling creeps over his stomach at the realizations before flaring as the door opens,
and his mate comes walking in.

“Oh! You’re up,” Neil says softly, eyes wide. He’s carrying a tray that holds chocolate-chip
waffles smothered in butter and syrup, sausage links, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast smeared
with jam, a coffee mug and a glass of orange juice.

Embarrassingly, Andrew’s stomach growls out loud as the delicious scent wafts over to him.

Neil grins and walks toward him.

Awkwardly sitting up against the headboard, Andrew watches Neil place the tray on his lap
before crawling up onto the bed next to him. He waits for a second, swallowing against the
urge to simply dump the entire tray into his mouth, tableware and all, as he asks, thickly,
“You?”

“Ate already,” Neil says cheerfully. “Go on, Drew.”

His shoulders sag with relief, his alpha instinct satisfied at knowing the omega has already
been taken care of. Then he picks up his fork and starts shoveling the food in.
Neil hums a little as he watches him, a pleased look on his face. Andrew uses the cover of
eating to check him out subtly.

The omega looks like he’s glowing. He stretches out on the bed and Andrew’s relieved to see
he doesn’t wince or look like he’s hurting anywhere. He’s obviously feeling comfortable, as
he’s only wearing boxers, but Andrew can see a few marks and bruises his hands left on his
flesh. They make his stomach twist unhappily until he sees one of Neil’s hands trace over a
bruise on his hip. There’s a proud smile on his face that makes Andrew reconsider.

And then he spots the mark on Neil’s neck.

Neil freezes, watching him. There’s a hint of distress coming from him, but he waits.

Andrew swallows his last bite before setting the tray carefully to the side. Then he beckons.

With a thick swallow of his own, Neil crawls toward him. He stops when he’s an arm-length
away, turning to his side so that Andrew can see it: the mating bite.

Andrew stares at it for a long moment. Then slowly, reverently, he leans forward to brush a
kiss over the bite.

Neil melts instantly, a puppet whose strings have been cut. The tension in his shoulders
dissipates as he turns back to Andrew, smile wide on his face.

Andrew cups the back of Neil’s neck and pulls.

Neil makes a small squeak of surprise as he tumbles down onto Andrew’s chest. But then a
content purr fills the air as Andrew’s fingers slide into his curls and massage his scalp.

“Okay?” the omega asks quietly after a few minutes of sitting there.

And Andrew takes a deep breath, inhaling his mate’s mouth-watering scent before he
murmurs, “Okay.”

Andrew scowls down at his phone, frowning as he loses the latest level of his game – again.

He’s waiting for Neil to get ready so that they can get in the car and go meet the rest of the
Foxes at Eden’s. It’s the Saturday before break ends, and they’re doing the proverbial “night
out on the town” before they have to suck it up and dive into championships and finals.

Usually he’s the one they’re waiting on, though, so this extra time Neil’s spending in the
bathroom is already a red flag.

Andrew grits his teeth. He tries to ignore his annoyance, quelling his twitching foot as he
smooths out his scent. Thoughts of Neil regretting what they did cloud his mind as the
minutes tick by. His concern grows exponentially until he finally decides he’s going to walk
over there, rip the door open, and ask what the hell is taking so long –

Then the bathroom door opens.

“Um,” Neil says as he takes a few hesitant steps into the room, “What do you think?”

Andrew blinks at him.

The impossibly tight blue jeans and boots, while always a shock to the senses, are expected.
The sheer navy-blue number Neil wears on top, is not.

First off, the color is surprising, as it pairs strikingly with the auburn curls on his head. Neil
is never one to stand out, so Andrew’s surprised by the choice because it calls attention to the
omega. It doesn’t reveal much, though, the fabric covering his entire front from neck to
wrist. But when Neil turns toward the mirror on Andrew’s dresser, Andrew’s heart nearly
stops in his chest.

Because there’s a perfectly cut vee in the back of Neil’s shirt that reveals a strip of skin from
mid-back up to his neck. Aka, exactly where the mark is.

That’s when Andrew realizes Neil must have chosen this on purpose. He must have picked it
out himself, the moment Andrew asked if he could bite him. He looks at Neil’s face in the
mirror, cheeks flushed with happiness, picking at invisible threads on the top, and realizes the
omega is preening.

His eyes catch Andrew’s in the mirror, and they falter a little. “Andrew?”

Andrew stands up and crosses the room until he’s standing right behind Neil. His hands grip
the dresser on both sides of Neil’s hips. His gaze never leaves Neil’s as he murmurs, “I
think…” and he bends down to kiss the mark on Neil’s neck again, making the omega sigh,
“…that Ichirou can go fuck himself.”

Neil positively grins. He spins in the circle of Andrew’s arms before reaching up to puts his
arms around Andrew’s neck, his own fingers finding Andrew’s mark. “Yes or no?”

“Yes,” Andrew growls before he leans up and kisses Neil senseless.

They fool around for a bit, hair getting mussed and lungs breathing hard before Andrew
reluctantly pulls away. They’re more than a bit late by now, and he can hear both his and
Neil’s phones getting blown up consequently. So he twines his fingers around Neil’s and
drags him down to the car.

The ride there is restless, Neil’s excitement pulling at Andrew’s own. Anticipation stupidly
digs at them both, so that by the time they’re walking through the doors, Neil is practically
vibrating next to him.

But Andrew quells this energy by keeping his hand in his as they calmly walk toward the
table in the back where the rest of the Foxes are seated.
“There you guys are! Finally,” Allison grumbles as soon as she spots them. “Jesus, aren’t
the two of you only ten minutes down the road? What gives?”

Dan snorts. “Uh, I think it’s obvious. Can’t you smell it? They’re practically slathered in
each other’s scents – even worse than usual.”

Andrew watches Aaron’s head perk up, his eyes finding Neil’s and widening.

Neil flashes a sharp grin at the team. “Sorry,” he shrugs, completely unrepentant.

“Well?” Kevin frowns. “Are you going to sit down or just stand there, watching us all
night?”

Again, Neil shrugs before he bends down, preparing to scoot in next to Kevin.

Andrew sees the moment Kevin spots it. His eyes widen and his gaze shoots over to
Andrew.

Andrew stares back at him impassively.

Aaron’s mouth splits into a grin.

Neil flushes at their reactions, chewing his bottom lip as he tries to stop himself from
smiling.

The awkward moment doesn’t go unnoticed. “What are you guys smiling about?” Nicky
asks them, suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Aaron shoots back immediately.

Andrew nearly rolls his eyes.

“What? What is it?” Nicky asks again, a bloodhound on the scent.

“If you can’t figure it out yourself, that’s your problem,” Aaron taunts him, taking a smooth
sip of his drink.

Nicky narrows his eyes at him before turning on Neil. Andrew watches the redhead fight
against fidgeting under his gaze.

Nicky relaxes a little, probably misunderstanding Neil’s nervousness. “I like the new top,
Neil!” he cries out, causing several others at the table to turn toward him again. “I mean, not
that the turtlenecks weren’t cute and all but God, they were also the worst, you know? You
looked like a stuffy English professor. This at least has some style!”

“Of course it does,” Allison sniffs. “I helped pick it out.” She jerks her head toward Neil.
“Show him the back, hon.”

Andrew watches a slow smile crawl across Neil’s face. Aaron snorts into his drink, and
Kevin covers his mouth against the echoing smile on his face as Neil slowly turns.
The scream Nicky lets out when he sees it is unholy.

“Neil!” he shrieks, dropping his glass on the table and spilling it everywhere. Nicky doesn’t
care though as his gaze whips back and forth between Andrew and Neil. “When did you -
does this mean - how did it – oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!”

“Wow,” Allison says, mouth dropping open.

“Congratulations,” Renee smiles. “I’m very happy for you both.”

“Holy shit,” Dan says, grabbing another shot and downing it. “Holy shit, am I seeing this?”

“Babe, punch me,” Matt blinks.

“Don’t you mean pinch me?”

“No, I don’t think that’ll be hard enough and I want to make sure this is real.”

“Fine, then.”

“Ow!”

“About time,” Aaron smirks, lifting his glass toward Andrew.

Andrew flips him off in return. “I’m getting a drink.”

He turns to leave and hears his cousin gasp again. “Andrew! What is that?”

Andrew sighs and simply turns back to look at him.

Nicky looks like he’s on the verge of crying. “You have one too?”

“Aww,” Dan coos, grinning at him. “Didn’t know you were such a romantic, Minyard.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “Fuck off.”

Because fine, he knows that alphas don’t normally get bitten in return. Most simply bite their
omega to show dominance. It says they’re taken, the scent from the alpha marking his claim
usually enough to deter others. But it’s important for Neil to know that he’s equal in this
relationship. That he isn’t just Andrew’s to own.

So, although it’s a bit old-fashioned, Andrew let him bite him to show he’s just as claimed.
That Neil is his, and he is Neil’s, and there’s no question where the two of them stand with
one another.

“Sweet,” Allison smirks. “Like sickeningly sweet. As in please get out of my face with your
lovey-dovey bullshit so I can enjoy my drink in peace.”

Dan punches her in the shoulder.

“What the shit, Wilds?” Allison curses, snarling at her.

 Dan snarls back. “Just shut up and let them be. Neil’s been waiting forever for this, and
we’re not going to ruin it for them.”

Allison rolls her eyes but wisely keeps her mouth shut.

“Also, you owe me three hundred bucks.”

“The fuck I do!” Allison snaps, hair standing on end once more as she rounds on Dan.

Dan rolls her eyes and turns back to them as Allison starts ranting. “Go on, loverboys. Go
get a drink. We’ll be back here waiting.”

Immediately, Neil hops up and follows Andrew, who is pointedly ignoring his cousin’s calls
of, “I’m so proud of you, Andrew!” as he walks away.

Before they can make their way to the bar, though, Andrew feels the pull of Neil’s fingertips
on his sleeve. He lets it happen, amused as Neil drags them across the dance floor, over to
the side door, and into the alleyway.

He continues pulling Andrew into the dark, the alcove between buildings lit only by the pale
rays of the moon above. Then he leans against the brick wall and smiles smugly at Andrew.

“What?” Andrew asks.

“Nothing,” Neil grins, before curving his finger around one of Andrew’s belt loops and
tugging.

Andrew lifts a brow as he lets Neil pull him closer. “Want something, omega?”

Neil shakes his head slowly. “Just you, alpha. Only you.”

Andrew snarls his agreement, a wolfish grin fleeting across his face that Neil catches. Then
he leans forward and kisses him, watching Neil’s eyelashes flutter closed, feeling the soft
indrawn breath on his lips. His arms reach up to encircle Andrew’s neck, while Andrew’s
close around his hips.

And all around him wafts the delicious scent of oranges and cloves.

Chapter End Notes

(Literally, there is nothing like Grammarly scorned when I have to dismiss 9,000
notifications because it hates porn. So apologies if you had to deal with more
grammatical errors than normal because I was hating on the program lol)

Wondering what the deal is with Jeremy and Jean? Well...I have an idea. It is NOT
written. But I would like to explore this universe just a bit more, using them as the
focus. I can't quite shift over to them yet, though, so think of this inspiration as on
simmer until I can find more time to do so. But...yeah. Their time isn't quite over yet 😊

Again, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!