Slow Heat

by Leta Blake

  Jason was grateful the Wolf Above Party had been defeated seventeen years prior, allowing scientists in the universities to extend and expand their research on post-Old World humanity. Science had finally been freed from the tyranny of religion, and Jason was ready to get onboard. Though to express that opinion publicly was a risky thing. The Holy Book of Wolf was still considered a more important document then their government’s Constitution. But no one could deny science and technology had grown in leaps and bounds in the seventeen years since the New Wolf Reform Party had taken charge.

  Unfortunately, in Jason’s opinion, the New Wolf Reform party didn’t go far enough in the civil rights department to challenge the strict laws regarding reproduction and omega rights, but at least they’d opened the door for advances in technology and science.

  Dr. Obi was a real pioneer in the study of post-Old World genetics, and Jason admired his work greatly. Optimistically, he steered Xan toward the group of professors, hoping he might steal an opportunity to ingratiate himself in a brief conversation with Dr. Obi and win his favor.

  His gaze swung from the frowning, grizzled face of Dr. Obi to a handsome omega standing beside him, and his heart stopped. Sheer beauty assaulted his senses: pale skin, dark hair, green eyes, and flesh that smelled like bliss. The omega stood tall and sharp-dressed in navy trousers, a black belt, and a moss-green oxford shirt, and he gripped the arm of a tall, muscular alpha in a tweed jacket.

  One moment Jason had his arm around Xan, and the next his life as he knew it ended.

  A raw, musky scent flooded Jason’s nose and throat, coating his mucous membranes. His eyes rolled up in his head as the scent drilled deep into his brain, awakening him with a soul-deep shiver. Pounding, urgent lust peeled his humanity away, leaving only animal instinct. His cock roared with blood. His body screamed with raw need and yearning.

  Shrieks of shock barely registered in his pheromone-focused drive to get his hands and mouth on source of that mind-warpingly perfect scent. He grabbed his delicious-smelling omega, buried his face in the curve of his neck, and rutted his hips against him, growling as strong hands tried to pull him away.

  His omega fought, shoving desperately, until Jason gripped his throat, stilling his struggles. He smelled his omega’s terror and confusion, rolling off him in waves of stench that nearly overpowered the sweet, musky aroma that had triggered Jason’s whirl of madness. Needing to touch skin, he tore at his omega’s clothing, his cock pulsing wetly in his pants, echoing the musky scent of slick slipping from his omega’s ass. He wanted to drown himself in that smell, rub it all over himself, die with his cock buried deep in his omega’s sweet ass and dripping with his omega’s slick.

  His omega let loose a wild cry.

  Jason released his hold on his omega’s throat, color and sound spinning around him, torn between comforting his terrified omega and lashing out in rage at the hands still trying to tug him away.

  “Shh.” The hushing sound cut through the whirlpool of his mind. His omega gripped his hair and tugged at him, trying to meet his eyes. “Calm down now. Shh. I’ve got you. You’re all right.”

  That voice.

  Like honey and sand pouring over him, gritty and warm, sweet and itchy. Jason wanted to hear that voice every second of every day for the rest of his life. He wanted to strip this man until he was naked and pleading beneath him, begging for his cock and crying to carry Jason’s babies.

  But hands kept grabbing at him, voices kept calling to him, and he was really starting to get pissed off.

  “Let him go!” his omega snarled. “Or he’ll rip me to pieces, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Jason, buddy. Not here.” Xan’s desperate voice rang in the air around him. “You need to calm down now. This isn’t how it’s supposed to work.”

  Who gave a shit about supposed to? He had his omega right beside him, and he was never letting him go.

  Xan put his hand carefully on Jason’s arm, and Jason growled at him, barely hearing his words. “You have to register first, contract with his family, or he can press assault charges. You know the rules. You need to calm down. Right now.”

  Jason’s cells screamed to possess the man he held protectively in his arms and had backed up to the table. He wanted to kiss his omega’s pink, lush, gaping mouth. He wanted to rip his pants down and get his fingers drenched in the slick seeping from the man’s anus in readiness for Jason’s cock.

  It was the fear in his omega’s arresting moss-green eyes that held Jason back more than Xan’s tugging grip, or his sensible words, or the strong arm of another alpha laid across Jason’s chest. More than the security guards hustling into the library with syringes at the ready to prick him with alpha sedative, more than the quelling lull of the drug rushing into his system as they reached him and jabbed those sharp points into his neck, arm, and thigh. No, it was the glint of terror in those beautiful, perfect, soft green eyes that made Jason stand down.

  He couldn’t look away as his knees went weak and he collapsed onto the stretcher the security guards had rolled up to catch his fall. He held out his hand, a cold horror enveloping him as the room grew fuzzy and distant, like in a dream. Fingers took hold of his, and he blinked his eyes open again, grateful to see his omega holding his hand.

  “Get his information,” Xan said to one of the guards harshly. “We’ll need it for his alpha’s parents.”

  “Wolf-god,” the alpha standing next to Jason’s omega whispered. “How the hell…?”

  Jason snarled at the man groggily, tried to lift up from the stretcher to tear the alpha’s eyes out for daring to speak to his omega when he was slick and opening for a cock. He’d rip the man’s eyes out and then tear his testicles to shreds. He’d kill him for looking at his omega, for smelling his aroma.

  “Shh,” his omega soothed him. “He’s a friend.”

  Jason didn’t like the sound of that, but his omega’s calming hand on his shoulder was almost as soothing as the alpha-sedative the guards had hit him with.

  “How is this possible?” the other alpha asked, and Jason lunged again, but his omega stilled him by pressing him back onto the stretcher. “He can’t be old enough for you.”

  “Apparently, he is, Urho,” his omega murmured, stroking his thumb soothingly against Jason’s wrist. Jason shuddered at the lush, velvet heat of his omega’s voice, and he offered up a grateful smile that felt like it was going to melt off his face and slide to the floor. His omega smiled back tentatively, his teeth white and straight, his eyes still glinting with fear. “It’s fine. Don’t say anything more right now.”

  Jason tried to get a good look at his omega, but the world was hazing in and out now. He gripped his omega’s fingers and let his eyes fall closed, listening hard to what he could make out around him.

  “Name and address where you can be reached for the next few days?” a security guard asked, and Jason peeled his eyes open to see the beta standing close, a notepad in hand, and a serious expression on his face.

  “Vale Aman,” his omega said.

  Vale.

  Such a beautiful name. Jason’s heart constricted and released, a twisting ache that made him gasp.

  “You don’t have to give them any information,” Urho interrupted, placing his hand on Vale’s arm, until Vale flinched back from him with a pointed look down at Jason.

  “But I do, don’t I?” he said. “It’s the law.”

  “He’s just a child. He can’t be yours. He’s too young.”

  “Don’t you mean I’m too old?” Vale sighed and closed his eyes, releasing Jason from their spell. “I’m still of child-bearing age. His claim is valid.” His cheeks reddened, and Jason was on fire for him. “Now let me get this over with. I’m Valendo Aman, known as Vale, of 981 Oak Avenue, and I’ll be happy to entertain this young alpha’s parents as the law commands.” He swallowed hard and squeezed Jason’s hand reassuringly. “Is that all?”

  “Don’t you want to know his name?” Xan asked.

  Vale
glanced his way, startled. “Yes. I suppose I do.” He gazed down at Jason appraisingly. “And who are you?”

  Jason opened his mouth, but the alpha-sedative had made his tongue numb. His lips trembled on an inarticulate groan.

  “He’s Jason Sabel, son of Yule Sabel and Miner Hoff. A good family.” Somehow Xan’s tone implied that Jason’s family was better than his omega deserved, and Jason tried to shoot him a glare of warning, but his eyes could barely stay open.

  As the guards secured Jason to the stretcher, preparing to take him out of the library, he fought to stare up at Vale, mesmerized by his green eyes.

  “And here I thought I was in the clear,” Vale murmured, almost to himself, but Jason heard him clearly through the mess in his head. Vale pressed his bow-shaped mouth into a line and cleared his throat. “It’s not the first time I’ve been wrong. It won’t be the last.”

  “You mean you thought you were free,” Xan said, a little nastily, crossing his arms over his chest. Jason slurred a snarl at him, but Xan ignored him. “You hoped your alpha was dead.”

  “Hope isn’t quite the word,” Vale said softly, his gaze gratifyingly fixed to Jason’s. “And it appears he’s only slow to arrive.” He smiled down at him, a bitter-tinged, sad thing that Jason wanted to erase and replace with radiance. “Took his time.”

  “In what? Getting born?” Xan sneered. “Or maybe you were fast. I bet you’re one of those omegas. I bet you’re not even pure.”

  Jason launched at Xan, tugging against the restraints the guards had secured only moments before. He’d pummel his friend, pound him, break his face for his insults.

  “Take him,” a security guard called out.

  Jason clung to Vale’s fingers, tugging him along, until Vale bent low and whispered, “Let go now.”

  Eager to please, Jason dropped Vale’s hand and then crowed in misery as the guards ripped him away, carting him out into the blinding afternoon sun.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “You deserve better,” Xan said, clenching his jaw. He lounged in the chair beside Jason’s bed in the university health clinic waiting for the alpha-sedative to be cleared from his system and for Jason’s parents to show up. “He’s old. Used up.”

  Jason shoved the mop of blond hair off his forehead and glared at Xan. “I will end you if you don’t shut your mouth.”

  “Didn’t you see him?” Xan’s lips curled up disdainfully.

  “Yes. He was beautiful.”

  “Gray on his temples. Wrinkles around his eyes. He’s thirty-five if he’s a day and maybe even forty.”

  A strange, unsettled feeling wriggled into Jason’s stomach. As the sedative had worn off, he found he couldn’t remember much about his omega except for his moss-colored eyes and mouthwatering scent.

  Oh, and his voice.

  Such a sweet, delicious voice, like honey and sand, rhythmic and crashing in gentle waves against his soul. The memory of that voice made him quiver. But he couldn’t recall how tall the man was, or the color of his hair, or the shape of his face, or anything to indicate his age at all.

  Jason lifted his chin. “He’s beautiful,” he declared again.

  “Pheromone delirium,” Xan said dismissively.

  Jason’s fists balled up. “What did you say?”

  Xan’s voice was terse with frustration. “You heard me. I’m trying to protect you here. That’s all.”

  “By insulting my omega?”

  “He’s not yours yet, is he?” Xan’s blue eyes pleaded with Jason. “Be sensible here.”

  “I am. You’re just jealous.”

  Xan’s eyes flew wide. “I’m not. We’re just…you and I aren’t…I don’t have feelings for you.”

  Jason stared at Xan, the meaning of his words chilling him like a cold blanket of snow. “Of course you don’t. You’re jealous I got my omega early.” He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to convince himself he didn’t see the hurt deep in Xan’s eyes.

  “Yeah, right. You’re not going to get to consummate the imprint with him for a long time. You know that, right? He has to contract with you first, and your parents will drag that out if they know what’s good for you. And they do, so they will.” Xan nodded decisively. “Hell, they’ll probably suggest a surrogate, because that only makes sense. He’s too old to risk childbearing, even if he’s fertile still. And they’ll want you with an omega who can give you more than one.”

  “I’ll never take a surrogate.”

  “Oh yeah? Just wait. When you’re not blinded by pheromones, you’ll see what a bad risk this omega is. He’ll never give birth to healthy offspring. You’ll be doomed to an old, sickly omega with no future for your name.”

  The Sabels weren’t one of the most prestigious families in the upper crust of society, but they weren’t without their reputation. He needed an heir or two. Maybe three.

  “Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Xan shrugged. “Fine. Have it your way.”

  “Mr. Sabel, Mr. Hoff, your son is right in here.”

  Jason struggled into a fully seated position, dizziness plaguing him as his father and pater hustled into the small room.

  Father’s bright blue eyes, always tender and loving, were dark with worry, and Pater’s hazel ones were tired and ringed with darkness. They were both dressed more casually than usual: Father in a pair of khaki trousers with the sleeves of his white oxford shirt rolled up, and Pater in a soft shirt and winter-brown cardigan over well-worn, comfortable pants. They both had fresh haircuts. Father’s blond hair was shaped into a neat style close to his head, and Pater’s light brown was in a looser cut, a fringe draping clean and straight against his forehead, in a style like Jason’s own.

  Jason remembered that Pater had just gone through a heat several weeks earlier. A pang of guilt hit him at being the reason he’d left his doctor prescribed post-heat month-long respite. Pater was fragile, and Father usually zealously protected his rest period for the full four weeks. But apparently, Jason accosting an omega in the middle of the university library was enough reason for Pater to be out and about, health be damned.

  “I’ll leave you alone,” said the nurse who’d taken over Jason’s care once he was awake, mainly providing him with water to help wash the sedative out of his system. “Chancellor Rory will be here soon—any moment, I’m sure—to discuss this situation.”

  The nurse clearly didn’t want to be in the room for whatever conversation was going to take place. He was a beta, like most non-doctor healthcare providers, but the idea of lingering for gossip clearly didn’t appeal.

  “Yes, thank you,” Father said.

  “Jason, are you all right?” Pater asked, full of worry, sitting on the side of Jason’s bed to slip his fingers through his Jason’s hair.

  Father crowded behind him, somehow hovering protectively over them both. Anxiety for his family poured off him in sour-scented waves Jason’s sensitive nose recognized from times when Pater had been sick after a brutal miscarriage.

  Xan said, “You should wonder if his omega is all right.”

  His omega, huh? Hadn’t Xan just said he wasn’t Jason’s yet? Asshole.

  Pater’s eyebrows drew down. “Oh, son. What happened?”

  Jason tucked his chin down, wanting to wrap his arms around Pater and seek his solid warmth for comfort. But he was a soon-to-be contracted alpha now. He couldn’t act like a spoiled little whelp.

  “He was just there and I couldn’t—I didn’t mean to—it just took over.” Jason didn’t want his fragile pater thinking he was a brute.

  Pater squeezed his hand reassuringly. “That’s the reason young omegas and alphas are introduced under close supervision.” He turned his gaze to Father. “What was a juvenile, unbonded omega doing on an alpha campus?”

  “He’s old,” Xan said with a sniff.

  “What?” Father darted a confused glance Xan’s way and then back to Jason. “What does Xan mean by that?”

  Jason shrugge
d. He didn’t want to explain even though his parents would discover the truth eventually. But he didn’t want their minds poisoned by Xan’s opinion, so he shot a glare at Xan again, daring him with his eyes to speak another word against his omega.

  Xan glared back.

  “We’re here for Jason now, Xan. You can go,” Father said shortly. His tone was tired and thin. Jason knew how careful he had to be during Pater’s heat to fulfill his own alpha needs without hurting or impregnating Pater, and then afterward he took care of Pater through his respite as diligently as an omega with a newborn. As tired as Pater looked, Father was probably equally exhausted.

  “Xan can’t go,” Jason said. “He’s a witness.” Humiliation burned like a coal in his belly. “He has to make a report to the police, too.”

  “The police are coming? Here?” Pater glanced around the room. “Did you injure him, son? Or give him reason to file for assault?”

  Jason shook his head, remembering the way he’d gripped Vale’s throat, torn his clothes, and bent him over the table. But the man had been on his feet when they’d carted Jason away on the stretcher. He hadn’t said anything about filing for assault despite Jason’s out-of-control behavior. He’d given his information willingly and said he’d be awaiting contact from Jason’s parents. Surely he wouldn’t change his mind now, would he?

  Jason’s nostrils flared.

  There’d been that other alpha on the scene. Urho. He hadn’t heard the man’s last name. He’d encouraged Vale not to cooperate. What if he’d gotten under Vale’s skin once Jason was gone? Convinced him that Jason was too young, too unpredictable? And what if he persuaded Vale to claim assault to the police?

  Jason’s gut curled tight in fear and self-loathing. Some alpha he was: he hadn’t controlled himself and had been carted off like a lunatic. He’d made a horrible first impression. He’d be amazed if Vale wanted to submit to him now or ever. Of course he’d probably file for assault. Why shouldn’t he? And that other alpha…if he touched Vale, if he had a role in keeping Vale away from him? Jason would have no choice but to tear his throat out or die trying.