Expert (The Wrong Alpha Book 4)

Alessandra Hazard
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 Contents
Expert
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Part II
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
From the Author
About the Series

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 Other books in the series:
Book 1: Unnatural
Book 2: Feral
Book 3: Illicit

Copyright © 2023 Alessandra Hazard

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any
manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review. This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and events are the
product of the author’s imagination.

www.alessandrahazard.com
__________

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 Part I

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 Chapter 1

“The doctor is considered one of the best in his field.”

Eric Blake hummed noncommittally, looking out the helicopter
window at the cloudless sky.
“Everything will be all right,” the other omega said. “I’m sure it’s
nothing serious.”
It was a nice sentiment, but Eric doubted it. He was young, not
stupid. He’d done his research.
There was something wrong with him. Or at least there was
something wrong with his heats. After his third abnormally strong heat, Eric
could no longer deny it. Omegas like him were supposed to have very mild
heats, remaining lucid and in control. Omegas like him weren’t supposed to
turn into mindless animals craving an alpha knot. And yet that was exactly
what had happened to Eric during his last three heats, and it had been
getting progressively worse.
At this point, he had no choice but to see a doctor. And no matter
how much Lucien tried to comfort him, Eric doubted it was nothing
serious.
“This is a good clinic, Eric,” Lucien said as the helicopter
landed. “The best in Kadar. Their service, discretion, and expertise are very
highly rated. There’s no need to be nervous.”
Eric smiled faintly at the older omega. He liked Lucien. Ever since
he’d moved to Kadar, Lucien had become the closest person to him in the
country.
Lucien was everything an omega was supposed to be: gorgeous,
gentle-mannered, well spoken, and graceful. Next to him, Eric was acutely
aware of his own flaws. It wasn’t really about outward appearance: he knew
that physically he looked very much like an omega, and a pretty one, with
his soft features, light-brown hair, and long eyelashes framing his blue
eyes. But compared to Lucien, Eric felt like a country bumpkin. Too
bookish and graceless. Too socially awkward. He never knew what to say,
preferring his computer and his online friends to real people.
Which is why you ended up fleeing to another country, you ninny.
Pushing the thought away, Eric said, “I’m not nervous.”
“I’ll wait for you here,” Lucien said, clearly not buying his lie.
“No,” Eric said, opening the helicopter door. “Please don’t waste
your time. I’m not a child; I’m eighteen. I can find my way home.”
Home. Even after months in this country, the Cleghorns’ majestic
estate still didn’t really feel like home. He missed his home. His real home.
“If you’re sure,” Lucien said, frowning a little but accepting his
decision, ever so considerate.
Part of Eric wished Lucien would push and insist on staying with
him. Gods, it was messed up. He was messed up. Eric was probably the
only omega in existence who didn’t crave independence and freedom to do
whatever he wanted. What he craved was being part of a pack, security of
not having to make hard decisions by himself. He wasn’t used to this. He
wasn’t used to being so alone. He’d grown up surrounded by affectionate
older brothers, under the protection of his alpha mother. Over the past few
months, Eric had found that being independent was very overrated.
“I’m sure,” Eric said with confidence he didn’t feel. “Thanks for the
ride!” He hopped off the helicopter, shut the door, and strode toward the
clinic before he could chicken out.
He didn’t like hospitals, but he wasn’t an idiot: he did need to see a
doctor. The drastic change to his heat’s intensity could be caused by a
number of serious health issues. The horror stories he’d read on the Internet
had made him lose sleep recently. A check-up was necessary.
The interior of the clinic was fancy but tasteful, making it obvious
that it catered to high-profile clientele. Eric felt a pang of worry, but
unfortunately, he couldn’t risk going to a less expensive clinic. After the
scandal, discretion was paramount. He could afford this appointment—his
eldest brother was very generous with his allowance, but Eric wasn’t sure
how many subsequent appointments he could afford without having to ask
his brother for more money. And he’d rather not alert his family about his
health issues. He’d been enough of a burden for them already.
“Um, hello,” Eric said, handing his ID to the receptionist. “I have an
appointment.”
She smiled, after glancing at it. “Of course, Mr. Blake. Dr. Randall is
waiting for you. Second floor, office 207. Please take a moment to visit
office 201 for a blood test before you go to Dr. Randall—the doctor has
requested it.”
Muttering his assent, Eric headed to the second floor.
After a quick blood test, he walked toward office 207. He stopped,
glancing at the golden plaque on the wall.
Dr. Hugh Randall
Head of AO Sciences
He pushed the door open.
The office was fairly large and well lit without being unpleasantly
bright. It was rather minimalistic, but it didn’t give the impression of cold
and impersonal. It smelled of—
Of alpha.
Tensing up, Eric eyed the doctor in confusion and alarm.
“Please take a seat.”
Eric took the seat across from the doctor and curled his hands in his
lap, dropping his gaze. He felt incredibly awkward. And confused. He’d
had no idea the doctor would be an alpha. Especially an alpha who was
handsome and relatively young. Why had he been given an alpha doctor?
Granted, he hadn’t specified that he didn’t want an alpha doctor, but Eric
hadn’t thought it was necessary, considering his omega designation and the
fact that he was coming off his heat.
 Back home, he wouldn’t even be allowed to be alone with a strange
alpha like this.
But he wasn’t home.
Eric cleared his throat a little and looked back at the doctor.
It was hard not to notice that Dr. Hugh Randall was an attractive man.
His thick chestnut hair was streaked with gold, his face full of character
and strength: sharp cheekbones, a patrician nose, well-shaped lips, and a
firm jaw dusted with dark stubble. The blue coat he was wearing over his
white shirt did little to hide that he was fit and broad-shouldered like most
alphas. It was hard to tell his age: he was a man in his prime, and he could
be anywhere between twenty-five and fifty, since alphas generally didn’t
show signs of aging before they hit their fifties.
“Are there—are there no omega doctors?” Eric said.
Dr. Randall’s eyes softened. They were an unusual color,
something between blue and green. Turquoise—that was the color.
“I know that in Pelugia omegas are treated by omega or beta doctors,
but in Kadar we treat all genders and designations.” The doctor’s voice
was smooth and soothing. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, Eric. I treat
dozens of omegas every day. It’s just a job for me. You should forget that
I’m an alpha. I’m a doctor, you’re my patient, and my designation doesn’t
matter.”
Rationally, Eric understood that. But it was still incredibly hard to
force himself to talk about such intimate issues with an alpha.
He wondered if Dr. Randall knew about the scandal.
Pushing the thought away, Eric sat up straighter and, fixing his gaze
on Dr. Randall’s dark blue tie, said, “I’ve been experiencing problems with
my—my cycle for the past few months.”
Dr. Randall made a humming noise, writing something down.
“You’re a Vos omega, correct?”
Eric nodded.
“What, exactly, is the problem? Has your cycle become irregular?”
 Eric shook his head. “No, it’s not that. I’ve been… My heats are
much stronger now. Too strong. Like, I know what a normal heat is
supposed to be like for a Vos omega—my heats have been textbook-normal
since I presented at thirteen. My last few heats were very much not
normal.”
Dr. Randall stopped making notes and lifted his gaze to him,
frowning. “There’s no such thing as normal, Eric. Everyone is different.
People change. Their bodies do as well. There are many reasons why an
omega’s heat might change its intensity. Losing a mate, meeting a potential
mate, birth of a child.” His eyes became piercing. “Sometimes a very
stressful situation is enough to change the heat’s intensity.”
Eric suppressed a grimace. So that answered the question of whether
the doctor was aware of the scandal or not.
“But first, we need to exclude the possibility of a malignant growth,
so I will examine you before we proceed further.”
“Ex—examine me?”
Dr. Randall gave him a steady look. “Of course. Please undress
below the waist and lie down on the examination table. I’ll perform a
manual examination.”
Eric swallowed. He looked at the doctor’s long, strong fingers and
tried not to blush.
Manual examination.
Right.
“Can’t you use ultrasound for that kind of thing?”
Dr. Randall cocked his head to the side, studying him. “I can,” he
said. “And I intend to use it after the manual examination. If you’re shy,
ultrasound isn’t a solution. I would still need to insert the probe into your
—”
“Right,” Eric said.
“Besides,” Dr. Randall said. “There are certain problems that are
difficult to detect with tech, so I wouldn’t recommend skipping manual
examination. Ultrasound might not provide a full picture. But if you are
truly uncomfortable, we will stick to ultrasound.”
Wincing, Eric got to his feet. “No, that’s fine. I want to get to the
bottom of it.” He headed to the curtain separating the examination area
from the rest of the office and quickly pulled off his pants and underwear.
He looked at his socks, hesitating. Did he need to take them off, too?
After a moment, he decided against it and climbed onto the
examination table. He lay down on his back and cleared his throat. “I’m
ready.”
He heard the doctor pull on his gloves; the snap of rubber made him
flinch, his stomach tightening with nerves. He hadn’t been examined by an
Alpha Omega doctor since he presented years ago, and the doctor had been
a beta, which was much less unnerving and embarrassing.
Dr. Randall’s face was the picture of professionalism as he walked
toward Eric, but Eric still found himself blushing. He was naked below the
waist in front of an attractive mature alpha. To his mortification, he felt a
significant amount of slick trickle out of his hole.
Eric fixed his gaze on the ceiling. It wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t help
the reaction of his body.
“Let’s see,” Dr. Randall said, pushing Eric’s shirt up and palpating
his stomach. The touch was strong and confident—and absolutely
impersonal. Unfortunately, Eric’s body’s reaction wasn’t impersonal at all.
His stomach clenched at the touch, his entire body tensing up.
“Please relax,” Dr. Randall said.
“I can’t—I’m sorry.”
Dr. Randall’s hands paused. “Look me in the eye, Eric.”
Reluctantly, Eric did as he was told. Dr. Randall’s gaze wasn’t unkind
but there was a steadiness to it as he said, “I need you to relax for me.”
His body immediately went boneless.
Eric gasped. “Did you just use your Voice on me?”
 Dr. Randall gave him a strange look and shook his head. “No. You
just seem very receptive to alphas.” He resumed palpating his
stomach. “Spread your legs a little.”
Shifting his gaze back to the ceiling, Eric did as he was told.
“Sorry,” he muttered awkwardly when he felt his cock harden and
more slick trickle out of him.
“There’s no need to apologize for the physiological reactions of your
body.” Dr. Randall’s voice was calm and professional as he slowly pushed a
thick finger into him.
Eric gritted his teeth, his wet hole greedily squeezing the
finger. “Sorry,” he mumbled again, his entire face aflame.
“Stop apologizing.” There was a sternness to Dr. Randall’s voice that
only made him wetter.
A tiny moan escaped Eric’s lips as another finger joined the first and
pushed deeper. “Ah.” And then another moan, as the fingers started moving
in him, searching for something—examining him. Dr. Randall was
examining him, for fuck’s sake. Why was he reacting like the worst kind of
slag? But it felt so good, like it was something he hadn’t known he’d been
craving.
To his deep mortification, Eric couldn’t stop a disappointed whine
when the doctor pulled his fingers out.
“Hm,” Dr. Randall said thoughtfully.
Eric still had his gaze fixed on the ceiling. He would never be able
to look this man in the eye.
“You are hypersensitive,” Dr. Randall said. “You indicated in the
questionnaire you filled out online that your heat ended a day and a half
ago. Some sensitivity is normal, but you shouldn’t be so hypersensitive at
this point.”
“Is it bad? What does it mean?” Beyond the fact that he really wanted
his doctor’s fingers back inside him.
 “I have a few theories, but let’s try ultrasound first. I will now insert
the ultrasound probe into you. Is that okay, Eric?”
“Yes,” he whispered, his hole squeezing around nothing. Fuck, he
was so empty.
He bit the inside of his cheek when he felt something hard and cold
press into him. It didn’t feel as good as the doctor’s fingers.
Dr. Randall turned the probe a little, making him gasp and shiver
uncontrollably. Finally, after what felt like forever, the probe was pulled
out.
“You may get dressed,” Dr. Randall said, and Eric heard him take his
gloves off before leaving the examination area.
Eric sat up with some difficulty, squeezing his thighs together, trying
and failing to lessen the empty feeling inside him. Damn it.
His hands shaking, he got dressed.
Once he was ready, he took a deep breath and emerged into the main
area of the office.
He couldn’t hide behind the curtain forever.
It was time to find out what was wrong with him.

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 Chapter 2

“Please take a seat,” Dr. Randall said.

Eric walked to the chair and sat down. His face still felt too hot and
he was having trouble meeting the doctor’s eyes.
It was hard to gauge what Dr. Randall was thinking or feeling, since
the alpha was clearly on some kind of suppressants, which made his scent
very faint, making it impossible to get a read on him. His handsome face
was very neutral.
“I’ve received the results of your bloodwork while you were
dressing,” Dr. Randall said at last. “I now feel confident in your diagnosis,
but I want to confirm several things first. I will ask you a few questions and
I’d like honest answers, Eric.”
Well, that didn’t sound intimidating at all.
“Sure,” Eric said, folding his hands on his lap.
“How long has it been since you last had an orgasm?”
Eric stared at the doctor.
Dr. Randall stared back at him, his gaze expectant.
“How is that relevant?” Eric said, clearing his throat.
“Very. Please answer the question, Eric.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Eric shrugged. “It’s been a while.
Maybe two, three weeks? I don’t know. Lately I haven’t been able to—to
get off for some reason.”
 Dr. Randall nodded, as if he’d expected that answer. “Have you
noticed an increase in your libido outside your heats? Increase in slick
production?”
Eric was sure his face was totally red now. “Yes. On both counts.”
Dr. Randall’s lips thinned. He looked grimly satisfied, as if he was
pleased to be correct, but at the same time wasn’t all too happy about
it. “All right. Do you want the good news or bad news first?”
Eric cleared his throat a little, his eyes darting around the room. “Eh,
good news?”
“The good news is, you don’t have any malignant growth in your
reproductive organs. They’re perfectly healthy for an omega of your age.”
Dr. Randall looked back at the chart. “The bad news is, your bloodwork
indicates that your hormones are all over the place. Coupled with your other
symptoms, I’m confident that you have hypersexual disorder, Type 3.”
Eric wet his lips with his tongue. Hypersexuality. He’d had an inkling
it was something along those lines, so he wasn’t all that surprised. “Type
3?” he said.
Dr. Randall met his eyes, his expression still grim and unamused. If
Eric didn’t know better, he’d think the doctor was disgusted by the
situation. “Yes. It’s a hypersexual disorder that can happen only to omegas,
usually as a response to a highly stressful situation. It happens rarely, and
there are no confirmed triggers for it. The exact same trauma may not
trigger the same response in two different omegas. It’s theorized that the
type of trauma and psychological background play a part, but it’s all
guesswork. We still don’t know why some omegas’ biology responds to a
traumatic situation this way.”
“What way? Why is wanting sex a biological response to a stressful
situation? It seems weird.”
“Strictly speaking, it’s not sex your biology craves. It’s the security of
having an alpha. That’s why you are unable to achieve orgasm on your own.
Sex with a beta or an omega will similarly not work. Your body needs
certain pheromones produced only by alphas.”
 Great. Fucking fantastic.
Eric clenched his hands on his knee. “Right. So how is this disorder
treated?”
“There are two options that are normally advised in a situation like
this,” Dr. Randall said. “The conservative medical option consists of a strict
regimen of six drugs you’ll have to take for the duration of four months.”
“I’ll take that option,” Eric said quickly.
Dr. Randall gave him a flat look that clearly conveyed how
unimpressed he was by his rash decision. “The problem with that option is
that the drugs do very substantial damage to your liver and kidneys, and
besides, they aren’t recommended for unmated people without children.
There’s a high chance that those drugs will make you incapable of having
them.”
Eric’s stomach knotted up. It wasn’t that he had been planning to
have kids anytime soon, but not being able to have them at all—having that
option taken away from him—was… daunting.
Trying to hide his discomfort, Eric shrugged. “I’m never getting
mated, so it’s not very relevant.”
Dr. Randall frowned. “You’re eighteen. How can you be sure that you
won’t change your mind in a few years?”
Smiling crookedly, Eric looked anywhere but at him. “It’s not about
changing my mind, doctor. It’s not up to me. Let’s be honest: no one wants
spoiled goods.”
“Spoiled goods,” Dr. Randall repeated slowly. “Is it about the scandal
in Pelugia?”
His lips twisting, Eric looked down at his hands. “I mean, the mere
fact that you, a Kadarian I’ve never met before, are aware of the scandal
speaks for itself, doesn’t it? No one will want to mate an omega like me.”
No one would want an omega who had been stupid enough to send a
salacious picture of himself to an alpha he’d met on the Internet—an alpha
who had sold the picture to the tabloids. The scandal it created had been
unheard of. Eric was the brother of the omega the future king had been
courting. Highborn omegas like him were supposed to have an unblemished
reputation, but his was tarnished beyond repair.
“Look at me, kid.”
The informal address, spoken in a different tone, made Eric look up.
For the first time since he’d entered this office, Eric could see a man
behind the professional, neutral mask of a doctor. And that man was angry.
Dr. Randall’s eyes were hard, his face stony as he said in a flat
voice, “Any decent alpha would know not to blame you for that situation.
You were a kid whose inexperience was taken advantage of. You are
hardly ‘spoiled goods’ just because you sent some asshole a revealing
photograph. It’s not your fault.”
Eric blinked a few times and looked down at his hands, his throat a
little tight. He rarely allowed himself to feel sorry for himself—what
happened was his own fault, no matter what his relatives said—but… It felt
so damn unfair that one stupid mistake had cost him so much. If he were an
alpha or beta, no one would have cared about the photograph. He wouldn’t
have been forced to flee to a different country and live with strangers. His
life wouldn’t have been ruined. The double standards were unbearable
sometimes.
It felt good to be told that it wasn’t his fault by someone who wasn’t
his family or friend. He was grateful—and a little surprised by how candid
his doctor was being—but Eric knew things weren’t that simple. He wished
they were. “The problem is, people think I did more than just send him the
photograph, doctor. I’ll be forever labeled as a slag no matter what I say. No
alpha will ever want to be mated to an omega with a tarnished reputation.”
“That’s not true.”
“We both know it’s true.” Eric smiled bitterly, studying the doctor.
Judging by the fact that the man was head of a department at such a
prestigious, high-profile clinic, he was probably very well off at the very
least. He certainly gave off the air of a confident, self-possessed alpha who
knew his worth. In a capitalist country like Kadar, the financial situation of
an alpha was the primary thing that dictated their place in society, so it was
probably safe to say that Dr. Hugh Randall belonged to the upper class of
Kadarian society.
“Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m not your patient. Be honest with
me: would you marry a ruined omega like me? Would your family
approve?”
Dr. Randall’s eyebrows drew together.
“You’re a kid,” he said at last. “Even if I intended to get mated—and
I don’t—I would never mate such a young omega.”
It piqued Eric’s curiosity. Alphas rarely were so against mating. But it
wasn’t his place to ask.
Eric shook his head. “Our age difference isn’t that bad by Pelugian
standards—”
“We are not in Pelugia. Things are different here. I’m thirty-three. I
could have been your father, kid.”
Eric opened his mouth but closed it. Such an age difference didn’t
seem big to him. It was a cultural thing, he supposed. Back home, no one
raised eyebrows if young omegas mated alphas twice their age, or even
older than that. After all, their species lived up to one hundred and forty
years, and alphas remained virile for most of them; a fifteen-year age
difference seemed like nothing in comparison.
But he couldn’t expect the same cultural norms in a different country.
It was no different from alphas in Kadar being allowed to have several
spouses; Eric might think it was weird, but he understood that it was just a
cultural difference between Pelugia and Kadar.
“That’s beside the point. You’re avoiding the question, doctor. You
know I’m right.”
Dr. Randall’s expression became rather pinched. “An alpha who cares
more about their family’s opinion than you wouldn’t be worth your time in
any case, so I will not accept the scandal as a viable reason for you taking
those drugs and risking your long-term health. Don’t get me wrong: it’s
your body and you can choose to do whatever you want with it, but I
strongly advise against using a solution that you might come to regret in a
few years when you meet someone and want to build a family with them.
You’re not thinking rationally right now. The scandal might seem like the
end of the world now, but it’ll blow over. It will. Don’t ruin your health
with one reckless decision made under duress.”
Eric sighed. He did see the doctor’s point, even if he didn’t believe
that the scandal would ever be forgotten. “Fine. What is the other option?”
“The other traditional option is the obvious one,” Dr. Randall said,
his jaw clenching for a moment. “A mating to a compatible alpha. A mating
bond will fix the hormonal imbalance in your body.”
Eric’s lips twisted. “No, that’s definitely not an option.”
“I can’t say I disagree with you.”
Eric blinked. He had expected the doctor to dismiss his words and tell
him he was being unreasonable, not to agree with him. “Really?”
Dr. Randall leaned back in his chair, clasping his long fingers on the
desk. Eric tried not to look at them. Every time he did, he found himself
squirming, hyperaware that those fingers had been inside him, filling him
up, moving in—
Right.
Swallowing, he lifted his gaze back to the doctor’s eyes.
“I don’t think a forced mating to a stranger for the sake of satisfying
your biological instincts is a good solution,” Dr. Randall said. There was
something hard in his voice, and Eric wondered if there was a story there.
The subject clearly was something Dr. Randall felt strongly about.
“Exactly,” Eric said. “Even if alphas were lining up to mate me, I
don’t think I could—I don’t think I can trust any alpha right now—trust
them enough for the mating bite to take.”
There was a long silence. Eric looked down at the desk, unable to
meet the alpha’s eyes. Eric could feel his gaze, heavy and assessing.
“I understand,” the older man said at last, his tone not unkind.
 Smiling humorlessly, Eric shrugged. “I guess we’re out of viable
options, then. It’s—it’s okay. If my condition isn’t life-threatening, I can
handle it. It’s not completely unbearable.” Strictly speaking, it wasn’t true.
He had thought he might die during his last heat. It had been that bad. It had
scared him enough to book this appointment.
“Your hormones indicate that you’re not being honest,” Dr. Randall
said.
Eric winced. “Look, Dr. Randall—”
“You may call me Hugh.”
“Hugh,” Eric said, more softly. “I’m not sure what you expect me to
say. If there are no more options, all I can do is suck it up, right?”
“No, the longer you leave your condition untreated, the worse it will
become.” A pause. “It has already become worse, hasn’t it?”
Reluctantly, Eric nodded. His heats had grown in their intensity, and
the last one had been so intense that he had been literally sobbing all the
time. Considering that Vos omegas had heats every 13-15 days, it didn’t
exactly look good.
“It will become worse,” Hugh said. “The issue of your heats aside,
your regular life will suffer, too. You’re already showing symptoms.”
“What symptoms?”
“Your fingers are unsteady. You keep squirming in your seat, unable
to sit still, because you’re still aroused from the simple medical
examination and the proximity to an alpha.”
Eric’s face was burning. “It’s not my fault your scent is all over the
place.” He couldn’t quite hold the doctor’s eyes. Talk about mortifying.
Hugh lifted his eyebrows. “I’m on suppressants.They don’t
completely suppress my pheromones, but you shouldn’t be able to smell me
from such a distance. The fact that you can shows how much sharper your
instincts and senses are compared to the standard curve. You’re spiraling
and it’ll only get worse. Before long, you’ll start losing control of yourself
around unmated alphas, and that leaked picture would be nothing compared
to the scandal you’ll cause when you jump some alpha in public.”
“It’ll become that bad?” Eric whispered, his insides going cold.
Hugh’s expression was grim. “I’m afraid so. Type 3 disorder is no
joke. It’s the type that makes uninformed people call omegas certain
derogatory terms. Judging by your hormone levels, you probably have six
or seven days at most before your symptoms get that bad.”
Eric didn’t know what to say. He had noticed his increasingly
heightened awareness of alphas, but he had written it off as the consequence
of his stronger heats rather than something to worry about. It helped that he
almost never left the Cleghorn estate, so he barely saw any unmated alphas.
But if what the doctor was saying was true…
“I need a solution, then,” Eric said, desperation making his chest
tight. “I can’t be seen jumping strange alphas—not after what happened.
My family can’t withstand another scandal. I’ve already ruined my
brothers’ life once. I can’t do it again—I can’t let them down again—I can’t
—maybe I really should get mated to someone—anyone—”
“Calm down,” Hugh said, his pheromones flaring. Alpha, they said.
Obey.
Eric gasped, his panic gone in an instant, replaced by
animal need. He felt his underwear become uncomfortably sticky.
He glared at Hugh, his face hot. “Don’t do that,” he ground out.
To the doctor’s credit, he looked slightly chagrined. “You were on the
verge of a panic attack. Alpha doctors are allowed to use their Voice in an
emergency for the benefit of their patient’s health.”
Eric knew he was right, but it didn’t make him feel better—or less
aroused.
Sighing, Hugh leaned back in his chair, his expression pensive. “I
understand your situation,” he said. “I understand that you want to avoid
any scandal. But getting mated to some stranger isn’t a good solution, given
the time constraints. Six days is nowhere near enough to find and mate a
strange alpha. That would be an extremely rash decision, and you shouldn’t
settle for someone you can merely tolerate. You deserve better, kid.”
Eric’s eyes were suddenly stinging. Terrified that he might actually
cry in front of his doctor, Eric looked down, trying to blink the tears away.
“I’m not a kid,” he said without much heat. Frankly, he didn’t mind
being called that. He was used to it, as the baby of the family, and he kind
of… he kind of missed being treated like that. The Cleghorns were good
people and they treated him well, but they were always politically
conscious and treated him like an equal—which was great, don’t get him
wrong, but it only made Eric miss his family more. Having this man call
him kid made him feel more normal than he’d felt in months.
Coughing a little, Eric said, “Can’t you prescribe some suppressants
for me? My brother Jules was taking them for years and he’s fine. Not
sterile.”
Hugh shook his head. “Your brother must be a Dainiri omega.
They’re exponentially more fertile than Vos omegas, and suppressants can’t
damage their fertility. Strong suppressants are never prescribed to Vos
omegas because there’s generally no need for them, and Vos omegas’
fertility is already on the decline as it is, on the evolutionary scale. Only
very weak suppressants are allowed to be prescribed to Vos omegas, and
even they are considered harmful for them. Weak suppressants will not help
you.”
Eric sighed. “So is there no other way, then? Besides the drugs?”
“There might be.”
Eric looked up, frowning. “What do you mean?”
Hugh drummed his knuckles against the desk, his expression
pensive. “There’s an experimental treatment I have come up with. Its
effectiveness hasn’t been proven yet, so there’s a chance that it may not
work or that it may not be as effective as the traditional methods.”
“What treatment?” Eric said, sitting up straighter.
Hugh seemed amused by his eagerness. “The alpha-omega mating is
nothing more than a combination of certain hormones and pheromones
released by their systems. I believe that it’s possible to simulate a successful
mating to trick an omega’s biology into thinking that it’s getting what it
needs.” His lips twisted into a wry smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “But you
can probably guess that my theory isn’t exactly popular among the majority
of my peers.”
Eric nodded. Most people still regarded mating compatibility and
mating bonds as something very intimate, soul deep. Turning something
magical and romantic into a cold, hard science would never be
popular. Even Eric felt a bit weird about the idea of tricking his body into
thinking that it was mated.
“So you want to use me as a lab rat?” Eric said, but he couldn’t deny
he was intrigued.
“It would be a mutually beneficially arrangement. You would help
me with my research, and I might be able to help you with your problem.
Free of charge—you will not be charged for my time.”
Eric cocked his head to the side, pondering it. It was a very tempting
offer. Considering how expensive Dr. Randall’s services were, he’d be able
to save a lot of money this way. This appointment had already put a
considerable dent in his savings, and he still needed to upgrade the CPU of
his computer. “What exactly would that entail if I were to agree?”
“I will put you through practices designed to simulate mating. You
will use self-pleasure tools while I supply you with the pheromones I’ll get
from appropriate alpha donors—”
“Wait, what?” Eric said. Did the doctor mean what he thought he
meant? “You mean—you mean that I’ll have to use sex toys in your
presence?”
Hugh looked at him steadily. “Essentially, yes. I know it’s awkward,
but I’m a doctor, Eric. I’ve seen it all. It will be impersonal. I will not touch
you or look at you unless absolutely necessary. You will be mostly dressed
and you can cover your lap with a blanket if you feel uncomfortable. I will
administer an alpha donor’s pheromones to trick your body into thinking
that you’re engaging in sexual intercourse with an alpha and I will monitor
your readings. They will be recorded, but they will be stripped from any
personal information. Client privacy is paramount in our clinic. Would that
be acceptable for you?”
Acceptable? Not really. But it was still far less humiliating—and
risky—than the other options. Compared to becoming sterile and jumping
strange alphas in public, this option was just embarrassing, and Dr.
Randall would be the only person to witness his humiliation. At least he
could trust the doctor-patient confidentiality in this case.
Clearing his throat a little, Eric said, “I wouldn’t really call
it acceptable, but I think I can do it. It’s better than the alternatives,
so… thanks for giving me this opportunity.”
Hugh gave him a wry look. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m reasonably
confident it will work, but there’s no guarantee. And you’ll need to sign
paperwork first. My nurse will mail you the forms. They’ll need to be
signed both by you and your family alpha—you’re an adult, but Pelugian
laws still apply here. Your eldest brother is your family alpha, correct?”
“Yes,” Eric said, cringing as he imagined telling Anthony about this.
Thankfully, he didn’t need to. “But he gave Mr. Cleghorn the right to act as
his proxy in Kadar.”
“Royce Cleghorn?” Hugh said, a wrinkle appearing between his
brows. “The prime minister?”
“Yeah. I’m staying at his house. Would that be a problem?”
“Not at all. In fact, I know him. Not well, but our families move in
the same circles.”
In the same circles? Hugh must have belonged to the very top crust of
Kadarian society, then. It made Eric a little uncomfortable. He must look
like a naive, awkward country bumpkin to a man used to socialites.
“All right,” Eric said, getting to his feet. “Will that be all?”
“Book another appointment as soon as you and your guardian sign
the paperwork. Don’t drag this out. You can’t afford not to.”
Eric nodded. “Okay. But what if there is no slot available within the
next six days?” It was a valid concern. This clinic was booked months in
advance. He’d gotten lucky that someone had canceled their appointment
that day.
“Don’t worry about it. In case of emergencies, I can work overtime,
and your case is an emergency. Besides, you’ll be essentially supporting my
private research, so I’ll be available to you at any time if I don’t have
another patient.”
“All right,” Eric said, turning toward the door. “Thank you.”
“Eric.”
He looked back.
The alpha was gazing at him steadily. “Discuss your options with
your family before signing the paperwork. You have other options, no
matter how inadvisable they might be.”
Eric nodded and hurried out of the room, his stomach in knots and his
hole still uncomfortably slick.
He stuffed three fingers inside himself as soon as he got home, but
they didn’t bring any relief.
They never did anymore.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 3

Eric didn’t follow his doctor’s advice.

He couldn’t think of anything he was less eager to do than talk about
his constant horniness with his older brothers. It was too embarrassing.
Besides, Anthony was still half a stranger after being gone for fifteen years.
Jules and Liam were blissfully in love with their mates; Eric didn’t want to
ruin their happiness by making them worry for him. He wanted to deal with
the issue on his own before it reached his brothers’ ears.
The problem was, he needed to convince the Cleghorns of that. Eric
liked Royce and Haydn, but he doubted it would be easy to convince them
to hide the truth from his family.
Unfortunately, he was right.
“No,” Royce said, in a tone that brooked no argument. “I can’t make
a decision like that and sign these forms without consulting your legal
guardian.”
Eric crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to look intimidated. In
the months he’d stayed with the Cleghorns, he’d never had to confront the
alpha of the family, much less confront him for a reason like that in Royce’s
rather intimidating office. It reminded him that this was the leader of the
country he was arguing with. “You are my legal guardian. Anthony gave
you the authority.”
Royce shot him a rather tight look. “Not when it comes to something
like that. I can’t in good conscience authorize you getting an unorthodox
treatment like that without consulting your actual family alpha.”
Eric glared at him. “This is my body. I should be the only one making
decisions about it. Not Anthony, not you or Haydn. Me.”
 “Eric is right,” Haydn said, laying his hand on his husband’s
shoulder. “If he doesn’t want to have his family informed, you do have the
authority not to inform them. It’s that simple. It is his body and he should be
the only one to have a say about it.”
Royce looked at his husband. They exchanged a long, intimate look,
seemingly having a silent conversation with their eyes only, and Eric
averted his gaze, feeling awkward. It was hard to miss how in love Royce
and Haydn were. It made him wistful. And a little envious. He would never
have something like this.
“Fine,” Royce said at last, turning back to Eric. “I’ll sign the forms—
after I have my lawyer take a look. But I want you to know that getting that
treatment isn’t the only viable option you have.”
“What do you mean?”
Royce’s dark eyes were serious but not unkind as he said, “I think it’s
time for you to stop hiding in this house. It’s been months, Eric. We’ll start
taking you to social events. You can meet people there. Unmated young
alphas from good families.”
His stomach knotting up, Eric shook his head. “I don’t have time for
that. The doctor said things would get worse within six—”
“I remember,” Royce said, unmoved. “And I’m not suggesting that
we find you an alpha within the next six days—that would be very rash,
even if it were possible. But I don’t want you relying on that treatment
indefinitely. The sooner you get an alpha of your own, the sooner the
problem will go away.”
“You shouldn’t associate yourself with me in public,” Eric said,
looking at his shoes. “You’re public figures.”
“We can handle it,” Haydn said firmly. “Royce is right. Think about
it, okay? It’s your decision to make, but you should at least consider it. Who
knows, you might meet someone you like.”
Reluctantly, Eric nodded and made his excuses.
Four days and about a hundred signed forms later, Eric sent the
paperwork back to the clinic and booked another appointment. He winced
when he saw the time of the appointment: eight in the evening. He felt bad
for making Dr. Randall work overtime, even if it was for a cause he was
clearly passionate about.
Speaking of which… Eric couldn’t resist digging up stuff about Dr.
Randall. The doctor’s cynical conviction that an alpha-omega mating bond
was just a product of the right hormones and pheromones released by the
body and not anything special had to stem from something, right?
Eric had always been good at research. It took him less than an hour
of digging up old articles and creeping on social media to piece together
Hugh’s past.
Hugh Randall had been married. And not just married, but properly
mated to an omega. Apparently, Hugh had been on a school trip with his
class when he and his classmate, Nadine, got separated from the class and
stuck in a cave for days. Nadine had gone into her first heat, presenting as
an omega, which consequently triggered Hugh’s first rut. They both had
been fourteen.
Eric chewed on his lip, staring at the screen unseeingly. Considering
how young and inexperienced they both were, it was no surprise that they
hadn’t been able to resist their instincts and ended up getting fully mated.
If the old gossip websites were to be believed, the marriage had been
incredibly toxic, with Nadine and Hugh refusing to acknowledge each other
in public. They had gotten divorced when Hugh was twenty-four.
Interesting. Divorce was still pretty rare on the planet, even if it
happened more often in Kadar compared to Pelugia. Divorce of a fully
bonded alpha-omega couple was practically unheard of.
The reason for the divorce wasn’t stated anywhere, but Eric had
found recent romantic pictures of Nadine with another omega. It seemed
Nadine preferred omegas.
Eric wasn’t sure what to think. Had his failed mating made Hugh
cynical about alpha-omega bonding? Could Hugh be objective in his
research when his personal experience might be affecting his judgment?
 But Eric had no other choice. Hugh had been right: his condition was
worsening. Over the past five days since he’d seen the doctor, Eric had
started feeling flushed and aroused at completely random times, and if he
happened to smell an unbonded alpha, his cock hardened and he became
uncomfortably aware of his hole. It was deeply mortifying. It had gotten so
bad that even bonded alphas started looking appealing to him. When Eric
had caught himself staring at Royce’s broad shoulders last evening, he had
promptly fled to his room, horrified and embarrassed. It was a good thing
that Royce’s unbonded brother, Aksel, was temporarily banned from the
estate. Eric didn’t trust himself not to jump him if it weren’t the case.
The fact that Aksel and the other unbonded alphas were banned from
going anywhere near Eric was deeply humiliating—it meant everyone in
the Cleghorn household knew about his problem—and it made Eric
determined to fix himself as soon as possible.
That determination made his footsteps firm as he walked to Dr.
Randall’s office. He knocked sharply and went inside.
“Good evening,” Eric said, his resolve faltering a little when he saw
Hugh and felt his treacherous body react to the scent of a virile alpha in his
prime. Hugh’s scent was faint compared to other alphas because of his
suppressants, but it didn’t seem to help. He still smelled divine.
“Eric,” Hugh said, pushing his chair away from his desk and standing
up.
Eric licked his dry lips, his gaze traveling helplessly over the broad
shoulders and strong biceps under that doctor’s coat. He felt blood rush to
his nether regions, his groin aching.
“It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it?” Hugh said, his voice calm and lacking
any judgment.
Eric nodded miserably, trying not to breathe too deeply.
“Have you brought the supplies I instructed you to bring?”
Eric nodded again, suppressing the urge to laugh. By “supplies”
Hugh meant a knotting dildo. Every self-respecting omega owned one to
deal with their heats. Eric wasn’t embarrassed about it. Everyone
masturbated, be it alphas, betas, or omegas.
But it was a completely different thing to use a knotting dildo in the
presence of his doctor, who also happened to be an insanely attractive
unmated alpha.
“Go behind the curtain, put it in, and cover yourself. I’ll join you
when you’re ready.”
Inhaling shakily, Eric did as he was told. He relaxed a little when he
could no longer see the doctor. Taking his pants and underwear off, he
climbed onto the examination table. Retrieving his dildo from his
rucksack, Eric lay down on his back and pulled the blanket over his lower
body.
Eric had to bite his lip as he pushed the dildo inside himself. Fuck, he
was so slick and achy already that it didn’t even hurt. He barely felt the
stretch. The dildo wasn’t large—it was considered small by sex toy
standards, far smaller than an average alpha cock. That was the size Eric
was normally comfortable with, but right now he couldn’t help but think
that he needed a little more, that the stretch wasn’t enough. Maybe his body
somehow knew it wasn’t the real thing he was getting.
Well, that was what he was here for.
“I’m ready,” Eric said quietly. He didn’t bother raising his voice:
alpha hearing was excellent.
After a few moments, Hugh appeared from behind the curtain, his
face impassive as he glanced over Eric’s covered form.
“Let’s start, then,” he said, sitting down in the chair by his head. He
was carrying a case with closed vials. He set it on the table and pushed a
button on the recording device. “How would you describe your state right
now?”
Eric fixed his eyes on the ceiling, trying not to breathe in the alpha’s
scent too deeply. “Aroused. Unsatisfied.”
“Rate your level of arousal. On a scale of one to ten. Ten being the
heat level.”
 “Eight,” Eric said after a moment. Fuck, it was so hot here.
As if hearing his thoughts, Hugh took off his doctor’s coat and set it
aside. His light blue scrubs had no business looking so good.
Eric stared at the alpha’s strong, muscular forearms corded with
veins. He licked his lips, his walls squeezing around the dildo in him. He
flushed, unable to meet Hugh’s eyes as the man attached sensors to his neck
—to his mating gland—to monitor his readings.
“You should use the dildo now,” Hugh said, as if speaking about the
weather.
Eric picked up the remote of the toy and pressed the appropriate
button. He barely swallowed a moan as the dildo started making thrusting
motions, imitating fucking. He was determined not to make a sound, but his
body kept twitching under the blanket, his face burning with
embarrassment, even though Hugh was very pointedly not looking at him
but at the readings on the screen of his computer.
“Level of arousal?” Hugh said, his gaze still on his computer.
“Nine,” Eric panted out. Fuck, he wanted more. There was this
terrible feeling of dissatisfaction, no matter how good it felt. His arousal
plateaued, not going anywhere. The feeling had become painfully familiar
to him lately. He couldn’t come. He wouldn’t be able to come, no matter
what he did. “I can’t—I can’t—”
“I know,” Hugh said, his voice soothing. “Eric, I will now need you
to scent these alpha pheromones and pick the one you like the most.” Hugh
picked up one of the vials. “We will record how they affect you.”
“Okay,” Eric ground out, moving his hips frantically. He no longer
cared how shameless he looked. He just needed to come. He needed it. He
needed an alpha. He needed to be fucked by an alpha. Taken care of. Alpha.
He needed an alpha.
Hugh brought the vial to his face, and Eric moaned, hit by the scent
of alpha. He grabbed the doctor’s hand and pressed his nose against the
scent gland on the man’s wrist, inhaling greedily as he was fucked hard. Oh
gods, oh gods, oh gods.
 “…Eric,” the voice seemed to come from very far away. “Eric!”
The Voice hit him hard and Eric came, squeezing around the cock in
him, making half-pleased, half-frustrated noises against Hugh’s wrist.
He still wanted something—something—
“The knot,” the alpha ordered tersely. “The toy, Eric.”
Eric made a confused sound, his eyes squeezed shut as he scented the
alpha’s wrist.
Swearing, the alpha took the remote from him and then Eric felt it:
the fullness he craved. He was full. So damn full. He moaned in bliss, his
body finally relaxing. Sated, for what felt like the first time in ages.
For one long, blissful moment, he felt perfect.
And then reality came crashing in.
Eric’s eyes snapped open in horror and utter mortification as his gaze
met the doctor’s. Hugh’s expression was tight.
“I’m sorry!” Eric croaked out, releasing the alpha’s wrist and
springing into a sitting position. “I didn’t—I really didn’t mean to grab your
arm, I swear. I swear, Hugh!”
The look on Hugh’s face softened a little. “I know, kid,” he said, his
lips twisting into a rueful smile. “It’s my own fault for not anticipating that
you would be more attracted to a source of fresh alpha pheromones than the
donated sample. In my defense, my suppressants inhibit my own sense of
smell too, so it’s hard for me to judge how compatible our pheromones are.”
“Oh,” Eric said. “Right. You must be using Ritoven, then? The lighter
suppressants shouldn’t affect your own senses.”
Hugh looked at him curiously, something like amusement flickering
in his blue-green eyes. “Smart boy.”
“I like to read,” Eric said, ducking his head. There was a weird sort of
warmth in his belly that had nothing to do with the orgasm he’d just
had. “That’s basically all I do these days.” He nibbled on his lip, wanting to
deflect the subject away from him. “Why are you using Ritoven? It’s pretty
strong. I didn’t think it was a requirement for alpha doctors.”
 “It isn’t,” Hugh confirmed. “Most of my colleagues use milder
solutions that slightly dampen their scents to put patients more at ease.”
Eric gave him a curious look when Hugh didn’t clarify why he didn’t
do the same. But given his research, he could make an educated guess why
Hugh would prefer to suppress his alpha instincts and remain in control of
himself at all times.
“I can still smell you,” Eric said.
Hugh’s expression became rather pinched again. “Clearly,” he said,
very dryly, glancing at his wrist.
Eric blushed.
Smiling in obvious amusement, Hugh tapped Eric’s nose with his
thumb. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s not your fault, kid. You can’t help what
your biology finds attractive.” A shadow crossed his face, his gaze
becoming grimmer. He sighed, running a hand over his face. “But it does
complicate my research. Ritoven is the strongest suppressant allowed for
doctors. I can’t switch to anything stronger without losing my license to
practice. We get drug tested every week.”
“So… what does it mean?” Eric shifted a little, trying to find a
comfortable position, which wasn’t easy considering the dildo inside him.
He really wanted to pull it out. Now that he was no longer aroused, the
artificial knot just felt uncomfortable and too much, but he didn’t want to do
it in front of Hugh, even under the blanket. He idly wondered if the real
thing was as uncomfortable, but he quickly pushed the thought away. His
face was probably red enough anyway.
Hugh’s lips pressed together, a furrow appearing between his well-
shaped dark eyebrows. “It means that we’ll have to tweak the parameters of
my research.” Leaning back in his chair, he hummed thoughtfully. “Strictly
speaking, what happened didn’t disprove my theory. Quite the contrary: it
proved that an omega’s biology can be tricked into thinking that it’s getting
what it needs. You said you were incapable of achieving relief on your own
despite the use of the same tools, correct?”
Eric nearly snorted. He had to admit it was admirable how Hugh
managed to make it sound like he wasn’t talking about Eric fucking himself
with a dildo. “Correct,” he confirmed.
“And yet you could do it after scenting an alpha, an alpha you had no
prior attachment to.”
“Right!” Eric said, nodding earnestly. “That means it’s working,
doesn’t it? I don’t need to mate anyone?”
Hugh seemed amused by his enthusiasm. “Let’s not get ahead of
ourselves,” he said. “As much as I want to say yes, one point of reference
doesn’t make a pattern. We’ll run more tests.” He looked back at his
computer. “Your readings are good for now. Your hormones are close to
normal. The question is, how long it will last. I don’t expect it to last long.
Your body was tricked into thinking that you had sexual intercourse with an
alpha, but sex doesn’t replace a mating bond. I doubt it’ll be enough to
stabilize you for long. You will stay the night in the clinic for observation.
We’ve already prepared a room for you. My nurse will show you to it.”
He started turning away, and Eric suddenly felt a rush of
panic. “Wait.”
Hugh turned back, his eyebrows furrowed in question.
Eric opened his mouth and closed it, unsure what to say. He couldn’t
even explain the origin of his weird panic, didn’t understand why he didn’t
want Hugh to go. Shouldn’t he want him gone after the whole mortifying
ordeal?
Hugh’s lips curled slightly, his eyes flashing with understanding. “It’s
just the endorphins, kid,” he said, his voice a little tight but not unkind. “As
far as your biology is concerned, I’m the alpha who just made you feel
good. It’s normal for an omega to feel a little clingy toward the alpha,
especially after their first sexual experience.”
Eric blinked. He cocked his head to the side. “How do you know it
was my first? The whole planet thinks I’m a slut.”
Hugh’s eyes hardened. “Don’t call yourself that.”
Shrugging with a rueful smile, Eric pressed, “Seriously, how did you
know?”
 Hugh brushed his hand against Eric’s wrist. “I’m an AO specialist,
Eric. If I couldn’t tell an untouched omega from an omega with sexual
experience, I would have been very bad at my job.”
That… made sense.
Eric swallowed back a disappointed noise when Hugh removed his
hand. He told himself it was just biology, hormones getting wires crossed
and acting up. He didn’t really want Hugh to stay.
“Thank you, doctor,” he mumbled, without looking at him. “I really
appreciate your help. Truly. You can go, I’m fine.”
There was a long silence.
Suddenly, he felt something being draped over his shoulders.
Eric shifted his gaze to it and stared. It was Hugh’s coat. It smelled of
him.
“It should help,” Hugh said in a clipped voice. “I’ll see you in the
morning, Eric.” And with that, he left.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 4

As Hugh had promised, there was a room prepared for him in the
other wing of the clinic. A very kind, cheerful nurse, Linette, helped him
settle, lifting his mood with her jokes. It helped that Eric felt well. He felt
kind of awesome, actually. Gone were the constant hum of arousal, the
distraction, the low-key dissatisfaction and need under his skin. His head
felt clear and calm for what felt like the first time in months. It unsettled
him—how much he had been compromised for months without being fully
aware of the extent of it.
He slept like a baby, despite being in an unfamiliar room that smelled
so sterile and impersonal. Hugh’s coat definitely helped. It smelled so good.
It made him feel safe. It didn’t even bother Eric that his readings were being
monitored constantly while he slept. He felt good, comfortable, and calm.
His serenity lasted throughout breakfast, which was excellent, but by
late morning, Eric started feeling agitated again. The nurse that came to
check his readings shook her head and said, “I’ll tell the doctor.”
Eric’s stomach somersaulted. “Dr. Randall is here already?”
“He’s with another patient, but we’re supposed to inform him when
your readings change. He will come here as soon as he can.”
Eric nodded, fixing his eyes on his tablet. He didn’t lift them until the
nurse was gone, wondering if she knew what kind of treatment Eric had
been getting.
Time seemed to crawl. Eric kept himself busy, texting his brothers
and the Cleghorns, making up a great social life for the benefit of his family
and assuring the Cleghorns that he was fine. Haydn and Lucien had offered
to come with him to his appointment, to monitor what was happening, but
Eric had refused, the mere idea making him cringe. It was bad enough that
his doctor had seen him like that—he didn’t want other people watching
him, as if he were some freak show.
At long last, the door opened again, and Hugh walked in. The alpha
looked as impeccable as ever, his handsome face a mask of
professionalism.
“Good morning, Eric,” he said, picking up the chart the nurse had left
for him and studying it. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“A little restless again.”
Hugh frowned, and Eric’s gaze was helplessly drawn to his strong
jaw and full, firm lips, before traveling to the man’s stubbled throat above
his white collar.
Ugh. Scratch restless. He was horny again.
Eric squirmed and crossed his legs, covering his erection with his
slightly raised knee.
“Your readings are a little better than they were yesterday prior to the
experiment,” the doctor said, his eyes still on the patient chart. “They were
within the normal range for fourteen hours before spiking again. That’s not
as good as I hoped, but it’s better than I expected. Your xortenesol levels are
lower, which indicates that your body was really tricked into believing that
you had sexual intercourse with an alpha.”
“That’s good, right?” Eric said, folding his hands in his lap.
Hugh looked up at him. His eyes seemed green today. “It is,” he
said. “But as I already told you, this is a stopgap measure. Only a
compatible alpha—or tricking your body into thinking that you have a
mating bond to an alpha—will stabilize your hormones long-term.”
Eric winced. “Yeah, I got it. We should hurry up, then. Royce wants
me to attend social gatherings to meet eligible young alphas.” He laughed a
little. “It’s going to be a disaster. So I hope this treatment works.”
The doctor was looking at him with a wrinkle between his eyebrows.
“We’ll see about it, but I can’t guarantee anything,” he said. “I’m
reasonably confident it will work, but I don’t want to get your hopes up.”
 Eric nodded distractedly, wondering if it would be too weird to ask
Hugh to scent-mark him. His skin was crawling with a mix of agitation and
arousal again, and he had a feeling that being scent-marked would settle
him a little.
“Are we going to do the same thing again today?” Eric said, clearing
his throat a little. He hoped he didn’t sound too eager. Which he wasn’t. It
was just a medical treatment, nothing more.
“Yes,” Hugh said. “With one key difference. In order not to
contaminate the test results, Linette will be the one to administer alpha
pheromones, not me.”
Eric’s stomach dropped. He looked at his fingers. “Oh. I’m not sure
I’m comfortable with her watching me…”
“She’s an omega too. She will understand what you’re going through
better than me. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Eric shrugged, not looking at the doctor. Rationally, he knew Hugh
was correct. Having an omega monitor him while he dealt with his needs
would be far less embarrassing. But. He kind of… He wanted Hugh there.
Shaking the weird thought off, Eric mumbled, “Okay.”
Silence reigned.
“Look at me, Eric.”
He lifted his gaze to the alpha. Hugh was frowning, his eyes
narrowed as he studied Eric. “I’m not abandoning you,” he said. “I don’t
want you to think that I’m foisting you off on someone else. But what
happened yesterday isn’t exactly the outcome I hoped for. I’m trying to
prove that bottled alpha pheromones are enough to satisfy an omega’s
biological needs. Taking those pheromones from the source largely defeats
the purpose. I need to make sure that the pheromones of our alpha donors
are as effective as mine were.”
“I understand,” Eric said. “Will you still be in the room?”
Hugh nodded after a moment. “I’ll be right there,” he said, gesturing
toward the desk at the far corner of the room.
 As if on cue, Linette entered the room, all smiles and
cheerfulness. “Are you ready for this, Eric?”
Eric took a deep breath and told himself he could do it.
An hour later, he no longer thought that.
“It’s not working,” he muttered, red in the face, panting hard. He felt
beyond frustrated, beyond turned on, and very, very hot. The blanket he had
over his lap didn’t help, either. The dildo inside him was moving fast and
hard, and Linette was all but shoving the vials with different pheromones
against his nose, but Eric was still unable to come, his arousal having
plateaued at a frustratingly high level. “I need—I need—” He looked at
Hugh pleadingly, breathing hard as he gyrated his hips under the blanket.
The alpha’s jaw was clenched, his eyes blazing as he looked from
Eric to the monitor in front of him. “Try the fourth sample again, Linette,”
he said tersely. “His xortenesol levels responded better to it.”
“Yes, doctor.” The nurse switched the vials, and Eric took a deep
breath. These pheromones definitely did something to him, notching his
arousal higher, but it wasn’t enough. It didn’t feel quite right.
“Please,” Eric croaked out. “Please.”
“Doctor, I don’t think it’s working,” Linette said, and even through
his blurring vision, Eric could tell that she looked worried. “His heartbeat
and blood pressure are dangerously elevated. I don’t think it’s safe for him
to continue.”
“I know,” Hugh said, his voice clipped. “I’ll take it from here,
Linette. Go.”
Looking relieved but a little curious, Linette left.
As the door clicked shut after her, Hugh strode over and sat down in
the chair the nurse vacated. Eric watched greedily as the alpha rolled his
sleeve up, revealing a strong forearm corded with mouthwatering veins.
Hugh brought his wrist to Eric’s nose and Eric gasped, his senses assaulted
by the scent of alpha. He latched his mouth onto the alpha’s wrist and
sucked hard, unable to muffle his high-pitched moans as the dildo moved in
him. His arousal finally left the plateau it had remained on for so long,
spiking erratically. He wanted—he wanted—
Before he could think twice about what he was doing, Eric launched
himself into the alpha’s lap and buried his face in his neck, nuzzling against
his main scent gland there. Oh, he smelled divine. The rich smell was pure
alpha, and Eric moaned, gyrating his hips frantically as he was fucked.
Gods, yes, yes—
He came hard as the toy in him inflated, knotting him, and the relief
was so immense after an hour of torture that his eyes turned wet. Oh.
Finally.
“Shh,” the alpha murmured, his strong, large hand stroking his back
in a wonderfully soothing manner. “I’ve got you. I’m sorry for making you
go through this.”
Eric smiled into the alpha’s neck and floated for what felt like
forever. It felt so good, to be wrapped up in those strong arms, to breathe in
this comforting scent and just be.
A phone went off. The sound seemed to be coming from somewhere
very far. Irrelevant. Unimportant.
But the alpha answered. “Yes,” he said, his tone colder,
professional. “I’ll be there shortly. Apologize for my tardiness.” He ended
the call, and gently tried to untangle them.
Eric clung to him like a monkey.
“Eric,” the alpha said. “Let go of me. I’m already late for my
appointment.”
Eric whined and clutched his shoulders, trying to squirm closer to
him.
“Sweetheart,” Hugh said, more softly. “Let go. I have work. Other
patients.”
No, he thought, and the intensity of that feeling was enough to jolt
Eric out of his post-orgasmic daze.
 Blinking blearily, Eric lifted his head and met the doctor’s eyes. He
should probably feel more embarrassed, but curiously, he felt no shame. He
felt good. Comfortable. It was starting to weird him out how not weirded
out he felt. He was an awkward person in the best of circumstances; he
should have been an awkward, uncomfortable mess in such an objectively
embarrassing situation after practically molesting his doctor.
Yet he felt settled and comfortable in his skin—comfortable where he
was. Which was still in his doctor’s lap.
“Sorry,” Eric said, but he still couldn’t bring himself to move off
Hugh’s lap. “I’m sorry it didn’t work.” He ducked his head, his lips pursing.
He did feel bad about disappointing Hugh. “I’m probably a terrible test
subject. Are you angry with me?”
“It’s not your fault,” Hugh said with a sigh, brushing his hand
through Eric’s hair before gently lifting him off his lap, blankets and all,
and depositing him back on the bed. His effortless strength made Eric’s
insides warm, his hole clenching greedily around the dildo. Fuck, why was
he still like this despite the mind-blowing orgasm he’d just had? He’d heard
from his brothers that knotting gave the omega such a high that it was
supposed to satisfy the omega’s sexual appetites for a while. But it seemed
his body knew the difference between a real knot and a fake one.
“You can clean up and go home for now,” Hugh said, without looking
at him. “My schedule is booked for the rest of the day. I’ll think about how
to proceed from here and will contact you.”
Eric’s stomach knotted up. He felt upset, and he wasn’t even sure
why. Hugh’s words were entirely reasonable. “My next heat is in five days.”
Hugh gave a clipped nod. “I know. Don’t worry, I’ll contact you
before your heat.”
And then he was gone.
Eric just sat there for a long time, feeling miserable for no reason.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 5

Hugh Randall sat in his office long after work hours had ended, deep
in thought. He was frustrated with himself for his inability to find a solution
—and he didn’t like how much the whole thing had him rattled. He liked to
think that he was more even-tempered than most alphas. His suppressants
helped, of course, but even when he took a break from them once a year as
recommended, his self-control remained exceptional, his instincts and his
temper tightly reined in. He never allowed his instincts to interfere with his
job in any way.
Eric was the exception, somehow.
Hugh grimaced, thinking about the completely unprofessional way he
had conducted himself with the kid. He should have referred him to another
doctor the moment Eric had revealed that he could smell him despite
Hugh’s suppressants and the physical distance between them—that was a
sure sign of high natural compatibility. But he’d decided that it wouldn’t be
an issue as long as he kept his professional distance, which was supposed to
be easy while he was on suppressants.
Except apparently the kid didn’t need to smell enticingly for Hugh’s
protective instincts to kick in. He hadn’t been able to remain impartial. That
wide-eyed, awkward boy had tugged at his protective instincts from their
very first meeting. Hugh had known that if he referred the kid to someone
else, other doctors would not bother with alternative solutions: they’d tell
him that mating was the only solution for him, which… The idea of that kid
being forced to mate someone he barely knew because of his biology made
him angry.
But it was one thing to feel protective of a young patient under his
care. Allowing said patient to scent his wrist was another matter entirely. It
had been Hugh’s first professional transgression. As far as professional
transgressions went, it was a small one. But allowing his patient to scent his
throat while he got himself off was… Fuck, he could have his license
revoked if anyone found out. Eric was a vulnerable young omega suffering
from Type 3 hypersexuality disorder; he wasn’t responsible for his actions.
Hugh didn’t have that excuse.
Although, strictly speaking, nothing had happened between them and
Hugh genuinely didn’t see his patient that way—Eric was a barely legal,
inexperienced kid, and that was a big no for him. Anything less than strictly
professional conduct was prohibited in the clinic, for a good reason.
Eric had seemed to get the impression that Hugh was angry with him
for lack of progress on his research. That wasn’t what made Hugh angry. It
wasn’t the kid’s fault that the experiment had failed. It was his own. He was
the one who’d messed up. The frustrating part was, Hugh was still sure that
his theory was correct, and in other circumstances, he could have proven
that bottled alpha pheromones were effective for tricking omegas’ mating
instincts. The problem was, the test results were contaminated.
Omegas tended to imprint. Young omegas imprinted like baby
ducklings on alphas who showed them kindness, allowed them to scent
them, and made them feel good. As an AO specialist, Hugh knew that better
than anyone, and yet… He’d allowed Eric to scent his wrist, he’d given him
his own clothes, he’d allowed him to use him to get himself off, and he’d
treated him with kindness. Of course the kid had imprinted on him. And of
course other alphas’ pheromones would no longer be effective while Eric
had an imprint on an alpha. The experiment’s results were worthless,
because the experiment was contaminated by the kid’s imprint on him.
Hugh sighed, leaning back in his seat and staring at the surface of his
desk unseeingly.
The right course of action now would be to put some distance
between them for a while to allow the imprint to wear off. Unfortunately,
they didn’t have the time. Eric’s next heat was in a few days, and Hugh
couldn’t in good conscience just leave him on his own and hope for the
best. Heats could be very dangerous for omegas with hypersexuality
disorder. There had been precedents of such omegas’ heats not ending when
the moon waned, which made the omegas lose their minds. Eric’s youth, the
recent stress he’d been through, and him being away from his pack—and
away from the alpha he’d imprinted on—made the risk of continuous
acyclic heat very high.
Eric couldn’t spend his heat alone: that was out of the question.
Beyond that, things got… murky. There was always the option of
employing specialized alpha services to help Eric through his heat. Those
services were very discreet, but there was a significant chance that it
wouldn’t work because of Eric’s imprint on him. There were also Eric’s
trust issues when it came to strange alphas.
Fuck, poor kid. He had the worst sort of luck. It pissed Hugh off that
there hadn’t been any alpha close to Eric’s own age who’d been kind
enough to Eric for the kid to imprint on them. Eric was clearly starved for
affection and acceptance if he latched onto the first alpha who’d been kind
to him, an alpha fifteen years his senior, an alpha who was the worst
possible choice for an imprint. As Eric’s doctor, Hugh couldn’t help him
through his heat, even if he wanted to, which he didn’t. Even if Hugh
wanted to do it and it weren’t forbidden, fucking the omega would only
make the imprint stronger, so it wasn’t an option.
What a mess.
Hugh pinched the bridge of his nose, his mind racing. There had to be
something he hadn’t considered yet…
There had to be.
As if on cue, his phone went off.
Hugh went still upon seeing the caller ID. He probably shouldn’t
have given Eric his personal number—that was another professional
transgression—but in his defense, he’d had to text Eric for health updates.
He hadn’t expected Eric to call him. The kid didn’t seem like the type.
Maybe something had happened.
Hugh answered the call and transferred it to his computer.
Eric’s heart-shaped face appeared on the screen. “Hey,” he said,
looking down shyly before looking back at Hugh, his bottom lip caught
between his teeth.
 Fuck, he was almost painfully endearing. Hugh couldn’t imagine how
anyone could hurt such an adorable slip of a boy. Even thinking about the
dickhead who’d sold Eric’s picture to the tabloids made him want to punch
someone. He’d seen that picture, of course. Everyone had. It wasn’t
pornographic or anything, but it was very suggestive. Intimate. Not
something everyone on the planet was supposed to see.
“Hey,” Hugh said, pushing the thought away and focusing on the
present. “Is something wrong?”
Eric shook his head. “I just wanted to ask if you’ve found a solution.
My heat is the day after tomorrow, and I… Last time it was so bad.” He
swallowed. “I’m scared,” he admitted in a small voice.
Hugh’s heart started beating faster, his anxiety spiking as his hands
twitched, wanting to touch, to comfort. He didn’t know what it was about
this omega that made his protective instincts go haywire.
“What was the scariest part last time?” Hugh said in his practiced
doctor’s tone. This was his patient. Just his patient, nothing more. He had to
set some boundaries, even if it was well past his work hours.
“It hurt. So much.” Eric’s throat bobbed. “But the scariest part was
how alone I felt.”
Hugh nodded, unsurprised. The full moon amplified everything: not
just the base desire for mating but the omega’s other needs too—need for
security and belonging. Need for a pack. The distance to Eric’s family
surely didn’t help. “You should contact your family,” Hugh said. “Have one
of your brothers come—”
“No,” Eric said, wincing. “I don’t want them here.”
Hugh studied him carefully. “You haven’t told them about your
health issues.”
Eric’s wide-eyed deer-in-the-headlights look was all the confirmation
he needed.
Hugh sighed. “Eric.”
 “I can’t tell them!” Eric said quickly. “Please don’t make me tell
them! They worry about me too much as it is. I’m sick of being a burden to
them.”
“I doubt they think you’re a burden,” Hugh said. “I’m sure they love
you. You’re very—” He cut himself off before he could say something as
idiotic as lovable. That was the last thing he should do, considering the
kid’s imprint on him. Speaking of which… “Are you aware that you have
imprinted on me?”
Eric flushed bright red. So he did know.
“I’ve—I’ve suspected,” he said. “After the other alphas’ pheromones
didn’t work, I did some research and…” He shrugged, going for casual and
missing it by a mile. “It was the most likely reason. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Imprint is just a biological
equivalent of a crush. It’s not something you can control.”
Eric frowned. “But it’s something that really complicates things,” he
said quietly. “As long as I have an imprint on an alpha, I’ll be useless for
you—your research.”
It was Hugh’s turn to frown. “I’ll be still your doctor, whether you’re
involved in my research or not. Don’t call yourself useless.”
“I know. I just…” Eric gave him a rueful look. “Disappointing you
makes me feel terrible. It’s probably the imprint, but—”
“It’s the imprint,” Hugh said curtly, leaning forward. “And you didn’t
disappoint me. Your health comes first, not my research.”
The bright-eyed, hero-worship look Eric gave him jolted something
in his chest, and Hugh felt a wave of shame for no reason.
Unsettled, Hugh cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking about how to
handle your heat, and… You’re right—the imprint does complicate things.
You can’t use heat agencies—”
“I don’t want to use them anyway,” Eric said, cringing.
“But you can’t spend your heat alone, either,” Hugh said, looking at
him steadily. “The risk of continuous acyclic heat is too high.”
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 XIII
Then, at the drooping of the twilight hour,
We wander in the ancient plaza where
We breathe the attar of the jasmine flower
Like incense on the altar of the air;
And list, as music swells
Down drifting from the old cathedral tower,
The arpeggio of the bells.
 XIV
We linger by the sea-wall while the tide
Below us murmurs like a sad refrain,
Bearing from outer ocean reaches wide
The lore and legend of the Spanish main,
Nor leave that spot serene
Till Sleep, as with the mantle of the bride,
Wraps fair Saint Augustine.
 XV
Days dedicate to rapturous things were these;
It was as though Youth came again, and brought
Past aims, past ardors and past ecstasies,
And toward the shrine of Beauty turned our thought.
And there were after times
Of exultation, prismic harmonies,
When hours ran by in rhymes.
 XVI
Once, ’mid cathedral Carolinian pines,
We saw the Springtide, at its radiant birth,
Kindle to fragrant gold the coiling vines,
And make a garden of the wakened earth;
And every morning heard
Within the treetops, melody linked with mirth,
The hidden mocking-bird.
 XVII
And while the cardinal through the waving bredes
Of pendulous moss swift flitted like a flame,
Back flooded to our minds the illustrious deeds,
Emblazoned on the honor-scroll of Fame,
When Liberty was won,
Hearkening the Ashley whisper to its reeds
The name of Marion.
 XVIII
From Gloucester cliffs and brown Nantucket dunes
The mountains lured you, and the mountain star;
For us the Woodland sang its lyric runes
Where’er we followed it, or near or far,
In sun or shadow cool,
Or loitered through long languorous afternoons
By Dian’s darkling pool.
 XIX
Far up the valley Wittenberg’s vast form,
Its summit beckoning, with you I view,
And above sweeping slopes where wild bees swarm
Glimpse timid deer at dawn and fall of dew;
Through Panther Kill we roam,
And mark the purple streamers of the storm
Ascend behind the Dome.
 XX
And, too, in bookmen’s mines of dusty ore
Ever shall I remember how we delved,
Plucking from out the musty treasure-store
Rich rarities within the darkness shelved,
Elated if we found
Leaves that some name we long had honored bore
In frayed morocco bound.
 XXI
Thus, step by step, we trod adown the years,
Thus, side by side, with ne’er a break between;
We shared our laughter and we shared our tears,
Nor deemed inexorable Fate might intervene
To sever the strong cord
That bound us, Fate with its “abhorrèd shears,”
That is man’s over-lord.
 XXII
You that in Autumn came, in Autumn went;
How vain to say the mourning word! how vain
To beat the bars of that arbitrament
That metes to mortals pleasurement or pain!
How vain!—how vain!—and yet
We beat upon them, and we only gain
The poignance of regret!
 XXIII
Autumn again with all its loveliness;
Autumn again that brought an end to joy,
Despite the sight of earth in amber dress,
And airs that bear the blitheness of a boy!
Autumn, and leaves that toss
In bright brief triumphing, while they express
The brooding sense of loss.
 XXIV
Autumn again down every winding way
That, in the days gone by, our footsteps pressed!—
Instead of woven amaranth would I lay
Above your dust—you gone by paths unguessed—
Love’s deathless asphodel;
Until some happier hour,—when, who shall say?—
Brother in song, farewell!
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