HEAT & WANT

Luna barely made it through her apartment door before her knees gave out. She slumped against the wood, sliding down until she was sitting on the cold hardwood floor, her body burning from the inside out.

The heat was getting worse. Much worse.

She'd managed to keep it together in the alley, but now, alone in her tiny studio apartment, there was no hiding from what was happening to her. Every nerve ending felt exposed, hypersensitive. The thin cotton of her uniform clung to her skin like sandpaper, and she could smell her own arousal mixing with the lingering scents of the two alphas she'd just encountered.

Asher's pine and winter storm. Kai's wild ocean and leather.

Both scents were embedded in her memory now, her omega biology cataloging them as potential mates. The thought should have terrified her, but instead it sent another wave of liquid heat straight to her core.

Luna pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to think clearly. She needed to call in sick to work tomorrow. She needed to stock up on water and easy foods. She needed to barricade herself in here until this passed.

What she didn't need was to be fantasizing about two dangerous alphas who could snap her in half without breaking a sweat.

A knock at her door made her freeze.

"Luna." Asher's voice was muffled through the wood, but she could hear the strain in it. "Let me in."

"Go away," she called back, not moving from her spot on the floor. Standing felt impossible when her legs were shaking this badly.

"I can smell you from the hallway. Every alpha in this building is going to be able to smell you."

Luna's blood turned to ice. She'd been so focused on getting home that she hadn't considered her neighbors. There were at least three other werewolves in her building, including Mrs. Chen's adult son who'd always made her uncomfortable with the way he stared.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"You're not fine. You're in full heat and you're unmated. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

Luna forced herself to stand, using the door for support. Through the peephole, she could see Asher pacing in the narrow hallway, his hands clenched into fists. Even through the distortion of the lens, he looked dangerous, predatory.

And absolutely gorgeous.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"To help you."

"By doing what? Claiming me?"

The silence stretched long enough that Luna wondered if he'd left. When he spoke again, his voice was closer to the door, intimate.

"Would that be so terrible?"

Luna's breath hitched. The honest answer was no, it wouldn't be terrible at all. Her body was screaming for exactly that kind of help, for an alpha to pin her down and take away the burning need that was consuming her from the inside out.

But her mind knew better.

"I don't even know you," she whispered.

"You know enough." His voice was rough with want. "You felt it too, in the alley. The connection."

She had felt it. The mate bond had snapped into place the moment their eyes met, an invisible chain linking them together. Even now, with a door between them, she could feel him like a second heartbeat.

"That's just biology," she said, trying to convince herself as much as him.

"Is it?"

The door handle rattled, and Luna stepped back, her heart racing. But it didn't turn—he wasn't trying to force his way in, just testing.

"Let me in, Luna. Let me take care of you."

The words sent a shiver through her entire body. She could picture it so clearly: Asher's hands on her skin, his mouth at her throat, his body covering hers as he worked her through the heat. It would be so easy to give in, to let him shoulder the responsibility and the choice.

"I can't," she said, her voice breaking.

"Why not?"

Because she was terrified of losing herself completely. Because she'd spent her entire life being independent, and the thought of being claimed, owned, made her feel claustrophobic. Because there had been something in Kai Stormheart's eyes that promised he wasn't going to just walk away.

"I just can't."

Footsteps in the stairwell interrupted them. Luna pressed her ear to the door, listening as someone climbed toward her floor. The footsteps were too light to be another alpha, but her heart rate spiked anyway.

"Miss Rivers?" An unfamiliar voice, soft and concerned. "Are you alright?"

Through the peephole, Luna saw a woman she didn't recognize standing next to Asher. She was tall and willowy, with silver-blonde hair and the kind of ethereal beauty that screamed supernatural. But there was something calming about her presence, something that made Luna's racing pulse slow slightly.

"Who are you?" Luna asked.

"My name is Dr. Thorne. I specialize in omega health." The woman held up a medical bag. "Alpha Blackwood called me. I understand you're experiencing some difficulties."

Luna shot a look at Asher through the peephole. He'd called a doctor? Without asking her?

"I didn't give you permission to—"

"You're in heat and alone," Asher interrupted. "Permission or not, you need help."

Dr. Thorne stepped closer to the door. "Miss Rivers, I'm not here to pressure you into anything. But I can offer you some medical options that might make this easier. Safe options."

Safe. Luna liked the sound of that word. Nothing about her current situation felt safe.

"Can you give us some privacy?" Dr. Thorne asked Asher.

"No." His voice was flat, absolute. "I'm not leaving her alone."

"Alpha Blackwood." The doctor's tone carried gentle authority. "You're making her more agitated with your presence. The protective instincts you're feeling are natural, but right now they're not helping."

Luna could see Asher struggle with that, his jaw clenched tight. Finally, he stepped back from the door.

"I'll be downstairs in the lobby," he said. "Call if you need anything."

The sound of his footsteps retreating made Luna feel strangely bereft, like she was losing something important. She shook off the feeling and opened the door for Dr. Thorne.

The doctor stepped inside, and immediately Luna felt some of the tension leave her body. There was something about the woman's scent—clean and neutral, with just a hint of lavender—that didn't trigger her omega instincts.

"Beta," Luna said, understanding.

"Yes. It makes me useful in situations like this." Dr. Thorne set her bag down on Luna's tiny kitchen table and pulled out a chair. "Sit. Let me take a look at you."

Luna perched on the edge of the chair, hyperaware of how her body was responding to even the smallest movements. Every shift sent sparks of sensation through her nerve endings.

"When did your heat start?" Dr. Thorne asked, pulling on latex gloves.

"This morning. But it's gotten so much worse in the last few hours."

"That's normal for a first heat, especially at your age." The doctor pressed cool fingers against Luna's wrist, checking her pulse. "Your heart rate is elevated but not dangerously so. Are you experiencing any nausea? Dizziness?"

"Just... need," Luna admitted, her cheeks burning.

Dr. Thorne nodded professionally. "Also normal. I can give you something to help with the intensity, but Luna..." She sat back, her expression serious. "You're not just any omega. Your scent signature is unlike anything I've encountered."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're going to attract more attention than usual. And it means traditional heat management might not be as effective."

Luna's stomach dropped. "So there's nothing you can do?"

"I can give you suppressants that will help with the physical symptoms. But the psychological need, the drive to mate... that's going to be harder to manage. Especially with a mate bond already forming."

"I don't have a mate bond," Luna said quickly.

Dr. Thorne raised an eyebrow. "The alpha downstairs begs to differ. His scent is all over you, and yours is calling to him so strongly I could feel it from three blocks away."

Heat flooded Luna's cheeks. "It's just biology."

"Biology is complicated." Dr. Thorne began preparing a syringe. "Especially when you're the last of your kind."

The words hit Luna like a physical blow. "What did you say?"

"You didn't know?" The doctor paused, needle halfway to Luna's arm. "You're the last unmated omega in North America. Possibly the continent."

The room spun around Luna. She gripped the edges of her chair, trying to process what she was hearing.

"That's impossible."

"I'm afraid not. The Council has been tracking omega populations for decades. The last confirmed omega birth was twelve years ago, and she was claimed at eighteen." Dr. Thorne's voice was gentle but implacable. "You're it, Luna. You're what everyone has been waiting for."

"I never asked to be anyone's salvation," Luna whispered.

"No, I imagine you didn't." The doctor administered the injection with practiced efficiency. "But that doesn't change what you are."

The medication worked fast, dulling the sharp edges of Luna's need until it was manageable rather than overwhelming. She could think clearly for the first time in hours.

"How long do I have?" she asked.

"Before the heat peaks? Maybe two days. Before the Council gets involved and starts making decisions for you?" Dr. Thorne packed up her supplies. "Considerably less."

Luna felt trap doors slamming shut around her, her carefully constructed life crumbling. "What am I supposed to do?"

"That depends on what you want." Dr. Thorne headed for the door, then paused. "For what it's worth, Alpha Blackwood seems genuinely concerned for your welfare. That's rarer than you might think."

After the doctor left, Luna slumped back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. The medication had helped with the physical symptoms, but it couldn't touch the emotional turmoil.

She was the last omega. The last of her kind.

And downstairs, a powerful alpha was waiting to claim her.

The thought should have terrified her. Instead, as Luna pressed her fingers to the spot where she could still feel Asher's scent on her skin, she found herself wondering what it would feel like to let him try.

A crash from the fire escape outside her window shattered the moment. Luna spun around to see a familiar figure silhouetted against the glass.

Kai Stormheart crouched on her fire escape, his eyes glowing amber in the darkness.

"Hello, omega," he said through the glass, his voice carrying easily. "We need to talk.”

Chapter 3: Three Alphas, One Omega

Luna stared at Kai through the glass, her body responding to his presence despite Dr. Thorne's medication. The suppressant had dulled the sharp edge of her heat, but it couldn't stop the way her pulse quickened or the liquid warmth that pooled low in her belly.

"Go away," she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

Kai's mouth curved into a knowing smile. "That's not what your scent is telling me." He pressed his palm against the window. "Let me in, Luna."

The sound of her name on his lips sent a shiver down her spine. How did he know her name? How had he found her apartment?

"I'm not inviting strange alphas into my home."

"Strange?" Kai laughed, the sound rich and dark. "We're going to be much more than strangers, omega. You felt it in the alley. The pull."

She had felt it. Even now, with glass between them, the mate bond was trying to form, reaching out like invisible threads. It was different from what she'd experienced with Asher but equally powerful, equally undeniable.

"You can't just climb onto my fire escape," Luna said, backing away from the window.

"I can do whatever I want. I'm a rogue alpha, remember?" Kai's eyes tracked her movement. "Besides, Blackwood is downstairs playing guard dog. This seemed like the more discreet option."

Luna's apartment felt smaller with Kai's predatory gaze on her. Even through the glass, his presence filled the space, made the air feel thick and charged.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want." His voice dropped lower, intimate. "The question is whether you're brave enough to take it."

Before Luna could respond, another scent hit her senses. This one was different from both Asher's cold mountain air and Kai's wild storm—it was warm and soothing, like herbs and rain-washed earth. Her omega instincts immediately categorized it as safe, protective.

A third alpha stepped onto her fire escape.

Luna's knees nearly buckled as another wave of recognition crashed over her. This alpha was massive, even bigger than Asher, with broad shoulders and gentle hands. His dark hair was longer than the others', pulled back in a simple tie, and when he looked at her through the glass, his eyes held a warmth that made her chest tight.

"River Nightshade," Kai said, not sounding surprised. "I wondered when you'd show up."

"Kai." River's voice was deep, rumbling. "You're trespassing."

"So are you."

River moved closer to the window, and Luna felt her breath catch. Where Asher was all sharp edges and controlled violence, and Kai was dangerous charm, River was steady strength. The kind of alpha who would burn the world down to keep his omega safe.

"Luna," River said, and her name sounded like a prayer in his mouth. "Are you alright?"

The genuine concern in his voice broke something inside her. She'd been handling everything alone for so long that having someone ask about her welfare with such obvious care made her eyes sting with unshed tears.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Both alphas on her fire escape gave her identical looks of disbelief.

"You're in heat," River said gently. "Alone and unmated. You're not fine."

"That's what I told her," came Asher's voice from behind her.

Luna spun around to find Asher standing in her doorway, having apparently picked her lock while she was distracted by the others. His eyes were dark with possession as he took in the scene—his omega, surrounded by two rival alphas.

"Get out," Luna said, but she wasn't sure which of them she was talking to.

"No," all three said simultaneously.

The word hung in the air, heavy with alpha dominance. Luna felt her omega biology respond despite herself, a fresh wave of arousal making her legs weak. Three powerful alphas, all focused on her, all wanting her.

It should have been terrifying. Instead, it was the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced.

"This is my apartment," she said weakly.

"And you're my mate," Asher replied, stepping closer. "That makes it mine too."

"Our mate," Kai corrected from outside the window. "Don't get possessive, Blackwood. She hasn't chosen yet."

River pressed closer to the glass. "May I come in, Luna? Please?"

The please nearly undid her. When was the last time an alpha had asked her permission for anything?

"This is insane," Luna whispered. "All of you need to leave."

"Why?" Asher was close enough now that she could feel the heat radiating off his body. "Because you're scared of what you want?"

"I'm not scared."

Kai laughed from the fire escape. "Liar. Your scent spikes every time one of us gets close. You want us, omega. All of us."

Luna's face burned with humiliation because he was right. Her body was responding to all three alphas, her heat flaring despite the medication. The logical part of her mind was screaming warnings, but her omega instincts were drowning out everything else.

"Let me in," River said quietly. "I can help with the heat."

"We can all help," Asher said, his voice rough with want. "Together."

The word sent a shock of pure lust straight through Luna's core. Together. All three of them, touching her, claiming her, taking turns until the heat finally broke.

"That's not possible," she said, but her voice was breathless.

"Isn't it?" Kai's eyes were glowing brighter now. "You're not just any omega, Luna. You're the last one. The rules don't apply to you."

Asher moved closer, close enough that Luna could smell the desire on his skin. "You felt the bond with all of us. That should be impossible, but here we are."

"Multiple mate bonds," River said, wonder in his voice. "The old stories spoke of it, but I never thought..."

"The old stories also said the last omega would either save or destroy our kind," Luna said shakily. "Maybe this is how it starts."

The three alphas exchanged looks over her head, some silent communication passing between them.

"Maybe it is," Asher said finally. "Does that change what you want?"

Luna looked between them—Asher with his dangerous beauty and protective instincts, Kai with his wild charm and rebellious nature, River with his gentle strength and healing presence. Her body wanted all of them. Her heart was already reaching for all of them.

But her mind...

"I need time," she said. "To think."

"You don't have time," Kai said bluntly. "Your heat is getting stronger. In a few hours, you won't be able to think at all."

"And the Council will be here soon," Asher added. "Once they realize what you are, they'll make the choice for you."

River pressed his palm against the glass again. "We're not trying to pressure you, Luna. But we are trying to protect you."

"From who? You're the dangerous ones."

"Are we?" River asked softly. "Right now, the most dangerous thing in this room is your own biology. Let us help."

Luna's resolve crumbled as another wave of heat crashed over her, stronger than before. The medication was wearing off, and her body was demanding satisfaction. She could feel slick dampening her thighs, could smell her own arousal mixing with the three alpha scents filling her apartment.

"If I let you in," she said to River, then looked at Asher, "if I let you stay, this doesn't mean anything. It's just biology."

"Just biology," Asher agreed, but there was something predatory in his smile.

Luna moved to the window with shaking hands and unlocked it. River climbed through with fluid grace, his massive frame somehow managing not to knock anything over in her tiny apartment.

The moment he was inside, the air changed. Three alpha scents, three different energies, all focused on her. Luna felt like she was drowning in testosterone and want.

"God," she whispered, pressing her back against the wall.

River approached her slowly, hands raised like she was a spooked animal. "Easy, omega. We're here to help, not hurt."

"Speak for yourself," Kai said, climbing through the window behind him. "I plan on hurting her in all the best ways."

Luna's core clenched at the promise in his voice. She'd never been with an alpha during heat, had never experienced the intensity of truly letting go. The thought of these three taking her apart piece by piece was both terrifying and intoxicating.

"You don't have to decide anything right now," River said, reaching out to cup her face in his large hands. "But you do need to let us take care of you."

His touch was electric, sending sparks of sensation through her overheated skin. Luna leaned into the contact before she could stop herself.

"That's it," River murmured. "Trust us."

Behind him, Asher and Kai were watching with hungry eyes. Luna could practically feel their control fraying, could see the way their muscles tensed with the effort of holding back.

"I don't know how," Luna admitted.

"We'll teach you," Asher said, moving to her other side. "Everything you need to know."

When he touched her arm, Luna gasped. The combination of both alphas' hands on her skin was overwhelming, perfect. She could feel her resistance crumbling, her body taking control.

"Please," she whispered, not sure what she was asking for.

"We've got you," River promised. "All of us. We've got you."

And as Kai's hands joined the others', as three sets of alpha pheromones wrapped around her like a cocoon, Luna finally stopped fighting and let herself fall.