Chapter 1 An omega in heat

Piper

I was in heat.

It hit me so hard I could barely stand. My legs trembled beneath me, my breath coming in uneven bursts as the world tilted slightly. I tried to straighten up, and walk like nothing was wrong, but everything blurred.

Not now. Please, not here.

I forced myself forward, one shaky step at a time. The hall was packed with hundreds of alphas, their presence overwhelming. The air was thick with their scent. The moment any of them fully caught my scent, I knew what would happen.

Eyes followed me as I moved, their gazes heavy, and hungry. I tried to keep my head low, but my arousal made it impossible to focus.

“Did you smell that, Alpha Leo? It’s intoxicating. An omega in heat.”

“Yes. Who is she? I haven't seen her before.”

“I heard Alpha Dominic’s mother adopted her dead friend’s daughter a few days ago. That must be her? I didn’t know she was an omega.”

“Who cares? Her scent’s driving me insane. I swear I’m this close to losing control and taking her right here. I’m sure that demon won’t mind if we take his adopted sister for ourselves tonight, right?”

“I’d advise you not. You know how possessive he gets over anything that belongs to him.”

Their whispers echoed around me. My stomach twisted. I clenched my fists tighter, forcing my shaky legs to move faster.

When I reached a room in the mansion, I didn’t think, I just grabbed the door handle and shoved it shut behind me fast. I stumbled to the bathroom, panting, and clutched the sink, gripping the counter like it was the only thing keeping me upright.

When I looked up, I froze.

My reflection stared back at me, cheeks flushed, pupils blown wide, a faint tremor running through my fingers. I looked like a mess. A hot, aching pulse throbbed low in my stomach, sharp enough to make me grit my teeth.

“Fuck,” I whispered hoarsely. “I’m so screwed.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d gone into heat. I knew my cycle. I knew the warning signs. Normally, when it happened, I locked myself away, soaked in cold water, and waited it out with suppressants until my body calmed. But this time, it came without warning.

And of course it had to happen now, of all times. During the Alpha Summit, surrounded by more dominant males than I’d ever been near in my life. Alphas who were strong, territorial, and primal, men who could sense an omega in heat the moment my scent touched the air.

Fucking an omega in heat was every alpha’s addiction. That was why so many of them kept omegas as their mistresses, they couldn’t resist the pull, and mine was even worse than most.

I hurriedly stripped off my dress, slid my underwear down, and turned on the water. The moment I sank into the bathtub, a shaky breath escaped me. I didn’t need to look to know I was already dripping.

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, my legs squeezing together. My body ached for release, but I knew better. Touching myself would only make it worse.

I snatched up my phone from my bag, the cool metal slipping against my sweaty palm. My thumb swiped through my contacts, searching for anyone who could help me.

I paused over my friend’s name. He had my heat suppressants, but he was too far to reach me in time.

“Damn it,” I whispered, scrolling again. My heart stuttered when I saw her name, Mrs. Caldrin. My adoptive mother.

Just seeing it made my throat tighten. Only a few months had passed since my birth mother’s death. When Mrs. Caldrin, the Alpha mother, heard the news, she took me in. It had been an act of pure kindness, despite the whispers that an Alpha matriarch of her standing shouldn’t adopt an omega. She hadn’t cared, she’d done it anyway.

I couldn’t call her. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cause her any trouble. I was supposed to live quietly.

I scrolled again, and my hands gripped around my phone as I saw his name.

Lucas, my mate. The man that broke our bond just because I was an omega.

A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. My thumb hovered over his number for half a second, then I shook my head so hard it made me dizzy.

“I’d rather die than ask that bastard to touch me,” I muttered. I’d never given him my virginity, and I wasn’t about to start now because of these damn hormones.

The phone slipped from my fingers and clattered against the floor.

“There’s no one,” I whispered to myself, pressing my hands to my burning cheeks. “No one I can call to help.”

“Now, what do we have here?”

The voice was low, and lazy, but it sent a shock down my spine. My heart leapt into my throat. Shit. I’d forgotten to lock the door.

I turned around and froze at the sight in front of me.

A man leaned casually against the doorway, arms crossed, like he’d been standing there all along, watching. And God, beautiful wasn’t even the right word. He was devastating.

He had to be at least six feet tall. Broad shoulders filled the doorway, his shirt half-unbuttoned and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Tattoos snaked around his forearms, and his tie hung loosely. His hair was a mess, the kind of disheveled that looked unintentional but somehow perfect, like he’d spent the entire day running his fingers through it. And his green eyes pinned me in place with a single look, sharp and amused all at once.

My lips parted. I licked them before I could stop myself.

A mistake.

Because I saw the flicker in his gaze as it dipped to my mouth, before lifting back to my eyes. My stomach twisted, my pulse skipping.

“I wonder how a woman managed to wander into my room.”

He paused, eyes glinting. “An omega in heat, no less.”