Oppourtinist Alpha

Danny’s POV

I stepped down from the cab, my friend Erica already waiting on the curb. She paid the driver, and he pulled away fast. She didn't press me with questions right then, which was a relief because I didn't even know where to start. I had managed to text her some details about the whole saga from yesterday, just some of it though. I had told her, I was accidentally marked by an Alpha stranger.

Accident? I scoffed internally as I walked up the stairs behind her. That wasn't an accident. He took complete advantage of me.

The second we got inside her apartment, I dropped onto the sofa and buried my face in my hands.

"Okay, boy. You have to tell me what the hell is going on," Erica said, leaning in. Her eyes had that familiar, sharp glint she gets whenever she smells juicy gossip. "At least tell me... was he hot?"

I lifted my head, giving her a flat glare. A dry, bitter smile pulled at my mouth as my stepbrother’s voice suddenly echoed in my head: Did you actually come to Mum's wedding?

"Actually... yeah," I answered, sitting up straight. "He's hot. And he's insanely wealthy."

"And...?" Erica dragged out, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"And... he's my stepfather," I said plainly.

Erica went completely still. She just stared at me, her mouth hanging wide open.

"He's my stepfather," I repeated, my voice rising as my stomach twisted into a knot. "My stepmother's new husband!"

"What?!" she barked, slapping a hand over her mouth. "Are you serious?!"

I just nodded grimly. "Yeah. Dead serious."

She shook her head in sheer disbelief, pacing a step. "Wait, hold on. The stranger you slept with was your mum's new husband? And he marked you? That means..."

"Yes," I cut in, the reality tasting like poison. "It means my stepmum's husband is my mate."

Erica grabbed my hands, her grip tight. "So... what did he say when he found out?"

I leaned back against the cushion, letting out a long sigh. "He said it was a mistake. He tried to buy me off."

"Okay," Erica nodded, her brain instantly switching gears. "At least he offered to pay. How much are we talking?"

I stayed silent, staring at her. I had forgotten for a second how intensely practical Erica could be. If she were in my shoes, she would’ve grabbed the cash without thinking twice. How was I supposed to tell her I walked out without taking a single cent?

"How much, Danny?" she pressed, raising an eyebrow.

"It was... twenty thousand dollars, I think," I dragged out, looking away. "And I rejected it."

"You WHAT?!" Erica shrieked, clutching her head.

For the next two hours, I sat on that sofa listening to her endlessly rant about my giant ego and how broke we both were.

"You need to turn your ass right back around, go to that mansion, and take that money!" she commanded, throwing her hands in the air. "Dude, that money can save our lives! Especially yours!"

"No, Erica!" I snapped back, my anger flaring up. "I would die of hunger than take a dime from that evil, opportunistic bastard!"

Erica stopped pacing, putting her hands on her hips. "Okay, fine! But what if you guys are actually fated mates? what then huh?!"

"Jeez, Erica, this is 2026!" I yelled back, rolling my eyes. "Nobody believes in that fated mate bullshit anymore! Can you please just let me sleep? My head is pounding."

I couldn't tell if it was her yelling or the absolute strain of the last twenty four hours, but my body suddenly started feeling weird. You know that horrifying feeling when one second you think you're just tired, and the next, your entire system feels like it's crashing from the inside out?

Erica sighed, her tone softening a bit as she walked back over to the couch. "Look... I'm your best friend. Life sucks right now, but hey, my bestie is still alive, right?" She leaned down to wrap her arms around me.

She pulled back instantly. "Ouch! Danny, why are you burning up?!"

"I... I don't know," I mumbled. My throat felt dry as dust. "I think I am just getting sick."

"No, you're scorching hot," she said, her voice turning panicked. She leaned closer, sniffing near my jaw. "Holy shit... your pheromones are leaking everywhere. Are you going into heat again?!"

"No... I don't think so," I rasped out.

I tried to push myself up into a sitting position, but my legs completely gave out. I collapsed right back onto the cushions like a doll with its strings cut. It felt like every drop of strength and life was being violently drained out of my body in real time.

"Oh my god, Danny! What's wrong?!" Erica panicked, her voice starting to echo as my vision blurred around the edges.

She ran to the door, throwing it open into the apartment hallway. "Help! Somebody help me!"

Within seconds, heavy footsteps came rushing inside. Neighbors from down the hall gathered around the couch, trying to hoist me up.

"What happened to him?!" an older woman asked loudly.

"I don't know!" Erica sobbed out, her hands shaking as she touched my arm. "His body suddenly started burning up and his pheromones went crazy!"

A tall man in the crowd leaned over me, his hand pressing firmly against the side of my neck, right over the raw, swollen bite mark that was suddenly throbbing like an open wound.

"Was he marked recently?" the man asked sharply.

"Yes!" Erica cried. "But that's no reason for him to be like this!"

The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence as I watched the man's expression slowly shifting from concern... to horror.

"Actually..." he whispered, staring at the bite mark on my neck. "It is."

Erica frowned. "What do you mean?"

He swallowed hard.

"This isn't an ordinary mating bond. The mark has already taken root."

"Taken root?" Erica echoed, her face paling.

The man nodded grimly.

"They're fated mates."

His eyes remained fixed on the angry bite mark. "His body has already accepted that Alpha as its only anchor. Separating him immediately after the bond forms is the worst thing you could have done."

"Can we please just take him to a hospital?" Erica said.

The man slowly shook his head. " I am a doctor, and I am telling you, the hospital won't help him."

He looked at Erica with a grave expression.

"Find his Alpha... now. Otherwise, your friend won't survive this."