Niklaus Heinrich**Eight Years Ago**Niklaus adored the feeling after a successful mission, not because of the incoming pay but because he could only have Lucienâs undivided attention then. Lucien always suggested an area with a beach after a mission.The salty and wet air tugging on Niklausâs clothes felt good; even the sun drying him seemed to relax him, which was ridiculousâhe hated the heat; it was always grossly annoying. He preferred the cold.His eyes turned naturally to the brown hair flowing in his visionâLucien.Lucien stood facing the sea, covered in the orange glow of the sunset. A sight that he wished could remain engraved in his mind for eternity.âHave any dreams, Nikky?âLucien asked, turning to face him, but he turned so fast that the whiskey in the glass he stole from the poolside bar sloshed.Niklausâ fingers twitched; he wanted to steady him, but Lucien steadied himself with a laugh.His cheeks were flushed, indicating just how drunk he was.Dreams? Niklaus didnât
Lucien SinclairâNiklaus...What is this?âThe soft voice breaks the dark tension between us, reminding me that he had interrupted earlier.How the hell did I just forget about him?Unable to move my head I instead move my pupils to the man whose gaze flicks between mine and Niklaus' back. Disdain flickers in his eyes before his voice softens.His voice addressing Niklaus is softer than his glare.âA recessive omega?âThe man begins, his glare hardening.âNiklaus, you... you donât-I can offer more. You know that... dominant omegas are the only ones who can keep up with a dominant alphaâs rut-âBefore the man can continue, an apology slides from my lips."I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."He called me a recessive omega. Does that mean he is a dominant omega? no wonder he looks so delicate. Were they fucking?Sheesh! I keep forgetting that for Alphas and omegas, there is no such thing as âsexual orientationâ for them; as long as their pheromones match, they would bang anything and a
âYou canât.âThe words slip from my lips without warning.The water that had been falling silently suddenly felt loud.My hand reaches the faucet, turning it off before stepping out of the shower.âCanât what?âNiklaus asks, his voice carrying a deathly chill, but if I stay in his presence any longer, I might vomit.He canât like me.What he has done to me shouldnât fall into the category of âlikeâ. He shot me, stabbed me in the back, sprayed his pheromones on me thus turning me into an omega without my consent, put me in the hospital and broke my sisterâs heart; have I been watching too many Disney movies?My weak hands tug at my shirt, but the buttons that can normally split easily refuse to budge, so I am forced to unbutton them one by one.âIâm borrowing a gown; my clothes are filthy.âI say, dismissing his earlier threat.Iâm an omega agent, not to mention my looks, but I get hit on constantly and being surrounded by alphas doesnât help because of course, some bastards like him w
Itâs the third time in the past five minutes that my eyes have glanced over the clock hanging above the cupboards in the employee lounge.11:55 a.m.My thumb taps restlessly on the mopâs handle.Five more minutes.âExciting lunch plans?âA voice whispers in my ear, startling me.I would have noticed if the person was an alpha or omega, even with the hangover I am nursing and stress from yesterday, so they must be a beta.My gaze turns to the woman, who is surprisinglyâŠgorgeous.Her beauty is subtle, underrated even, courtesy of her thick-rimmed glasses. Her warm brown hair in a loose ponytail seems to summon every male urge in me to dig my fingers in the mess.âUhh, earth to Lucien? You are Lucien, right? The sexy new janitor the ladies have been gossiping about?ââIâm sexy. I mean Lucien- fuck, Iâm Lucien.âI correct hurriedly as warmth floods my cheeks.She chuckles.âYou look lost in thought, Lucien.â She says with a smile, walks over to the cupboard behind me, grabs a cup, and fi
My jaw tightens with every curt word spoken without the slightest hint of care.Rather than let Niklaus take further control of the conversation, I step between them. âSorry, Maya. This is a work lunch; the director and I are supposed to-ââLucien.âMaya cuts me off and softens her voice.âThis place is reservation only, I canât get in.âShe says matter of factly, but I already know that was why I wanted us to sneak around the back; it would be kinder if she never knew if Niklaus had entered or not.âMayaâŠâI call softly, trying to ease my rejection, but her hand reaches mine, and her nails dig into my flesh.âLet me join your table; let me get closure.âIsnât closure him being an ass?âMa-ââLuci, please, let me join you. There are things I need to get off my chest, and you know that!âNo, what I know is that you are still in love with him. What I know is that you will make a scene, and he will have you removed, breaking your heart.My answer: Maya, itâs not a good idea. But at her
Niklaus HeinrichThe irritation grating Niklausâs veins had a face, and the woman sitting in front of him was it. Every gesture, every breath she took, was a test of his patience.âWhat are you playing at?âNiklaus asks as his eyes zero in on the empty glass in Mayaâs handâthe same one she had tipped over to wet Lucienâs clothes.âYou called me yesterday, and nowâŠâShe exhales with a bitter laugh.âAre you playing with me knowing I love you? Is it fun for you? Torturing me like this? The fact that you came with Luci can only mean you used me. Again.âHer eyes sharpen, but Niklaus doesnât bother to acknowledge her words.âLauren. Who is she?âHe asks instead, causing Mayaâs face to contort into a sharp sneer."He's never going to forgive you, you know. He doesn't even want to be near you,"Maya presses, leaning forward slightly to press her pink nails against the table to stress her point."Your best bet of seeing him beyond the few months heâs stuck in this city for your little missi
I canât taste anything.The food sitting on the plate in front of me remains untouched save for a few forced bites. Every mouthful tastes like expensive cardboard, so rather than through sheer will, there is no other reason why the food reaches my stomach.âOur engagement was a contract.âThe words that caused my ears to ring keep playing in my mind.What the fuck does he mean âa contractâ.It wasnât a contract! They were in love! I saw the way he looked at herâhe used to talk about her all the damn time; heâd even get excited to drive me home just to see her; what the hell does he mean by contract, as in a cold, calculated agreement?What the hellâŠwhat the hell?I force myself to sit through the rest of the lunch.Niklaus, as always, looks completely unbothered, except when he notices that no more food is entering my mouth. He is the reason I keep forcing food down my throat.Maya, on the other hand, her voice is still bright, as if he hadnât just ripped her apart, as if she hadnât
The dry and warm wind rustles my hair.I have walked quite a distance from the restaurant; I can no longer hear her voice as she calls me; in fact, all I can hear is Mum.Mumâs laughter in her prime as she would whisper that she loves me, that I was her treasure, her miracle birth until dad showed up with a two-year-oldâthe child of âthis womanâ he made a mistake with.âIt was one night.âHe had said with tears in his eyes, as if he needed to show proof of guilt for us to understand.âShe was an omega in heat, and I couldnât help myselfâŠIâm sorry, I didnât mean it.âThe words were another slap in the face for my Beta mother."I canât love it, LucienâŠI canât."I was five when she whispered those words to me, her suitcases were already at the door.My next words to her were, âIâll do it; Iâll take care of her, so stay.â I donât know if she stayed because of me, and I donât know if she had packed my bags tooâI hope she had; either way, Maya has been my responsibility, no, at this point, m
My heart thunders loudly in my chest, the beastly sound serenading my earnest exit.Skipping the elevator, I rush straight for the stairs, taking two at a time until I reach the back door.The bag I left is still there, so I switch out my dark hoodie for a light one in case it's identifiable. As soon as I make the switch, I turn to the door and grab the knob, but unlike the freedom that I envisioned, my hand stings as soon as I hold the knob, causing me to groan and take several steps back."What the hell, why is it hot?"The door swings open with a heavy force before the answer can even form in my mind. Two men in full gear step in, their black rifles raised and aimed directly at me.My breath catches in my throat.Contrary to my instinct to stand still and raise my arms in submission, my legs turn back towards the steps.Niklaus looked up at me. But the angle, he couldnât have seen me, could he?No, no way, even if he did, I shot immediately, so⊠fuck.How?My mind races as I calcul
I can feel my chest heave from the burning anger at his words, but fighting him like this when I have never won a physical fight with him is pointless."Don't touch me."I say as I slap his hand away from my hair."How long?"He asks as he steps away from me, pressing his hand to his nose as if inhaling it, but I don't have a scent, so maybe he is rubbing his nose."What?""How long until you make a move on me, Luci."By move, does he mean how long until I try to kill him?Hah...this lunatic."Don't worry, you won't have to wait too long."**âWhatâs this?âNiklaus asks, gesturing to the pillows I set up in the middle of the bed as he dries his dripping wet hair with a damp towel.As if tired, he tosses the towel aside and pulls the one on his waist off, exposing himself to me.WhyâŠwhy the fuck is he hard?I groan inwardly as I turn my gaze away from him.âTurn off the lights when you are done.âI say, before switching off the lamp by my side.After a bit of shuffling around, the pillo
"There, dinner."I say as I place a bowl of burnt pasta in front of Niklaus."You should be a chef...""I thought I wasn't allowed to work."I answer cooly as I walk to my seat."I was under the impression that spaghetti is prepared by boiling. How did you manage to burn it? That shows talent that shouldn't be ignored.""Oh, haha..."Without smelling or waiting for the steam to fade, Niklaus pokes his fork into the charred mess, spins the charred white strings covered in red sauce on his fork, and eats it.If it had poison, I'd be as good as done now...But something about what Anna said makes me doubtful of poison as a means to kill him.She mentioned being immune; is Niklaus the same?"So, where did you go?"Niklaus asks as he wipes his lips with the napkin, his lips obviously twisted in disgust."Out. Are you not going to finish your meal?""It's not poisoned, is it? Since it's not, there is no need for me to finish it. It's disgusting; hire a chef, honey."I groan at the word âhon
"Don't touch me."I growl the words when Niklausâs hands wrap around my waist as we leave the car.Of course, he doesn't listen, leading me to push his hand off my frame."I'm meeting Anna Stone tomorrow for coffee.""Coffee? That's funny. Why is my husband meeting another woman?ââWe arenât married yet.ââThree days isnât long, Lucien.ââYou are rushing this. I told you that for this to be believable, we need at least six months.âNiklaus shrugs.âI donât care about believability; I am not selling a story; I am tying you to me, permanently. And about meeting Anastasia tomorrowâŠhmm, it might not be possible.âHe adds casually.âWhy not?âTo my question, Niklaus places his hand on my waist and pushes me towards the house, but rather than the sight of the staff welcoming us back home most of them have suitcases.âWhatâs going on?ââWell, you are the new madam of the house, so you get to redesign this place, from the staff to the artwork.ââAre you- Did you fire them?ââYes, they were se
Revenge with a baby is messy.Dear God, am I really going down as someone who murdered my childâs father?Well, they donât have to know. I donât mind being a tragic widower as long as weâre rich. But what kind of life is that? Hah⊠I donât want to resemble this bastard.âThere is no need for the surgery.âI whisper the words, but the stillness in the room means they heard me.âPardon my interruption, but without pheromones-ââBeta women give birth fine.âI counter.âYes, beta women, not men. The male omega faculties are regulated by their ability to flow and receive pheromones. That is why morning sickness is worse without the childâs father and-â âFine, fine.âI say, waving my hands in the air.âItâs fine; I will just not keep it, so there is no need to continue with the explanations.âEven as I say the words, my hand still strokes my belly, as if I were talking about a situation that doesnât concern me.Deathly silence follows my confession.âBy âitâ, you meanâŠâThe doctor prods as
Niklaus rose abruptly from his seat. His force pushed my chair back slightly, making me realise he had never locked it in place."A recessive omega? I never said the type you were."His lips curl into a lethal smile."It- it was obvious from our agreement that you sleep with a dominant omega during your rut."The blood rushing in my veins at the word âpregnantâ warms my skin.I can feel my muscles tense as thoughts of running fill my head, but the bastard's large build blocks me.Is that why he stood?"Right...Right, our Luci sure is sharp. I bet your little head is racing right now.""Can w-we stay on topic?"Niklaus strides slowly towards me like a predator. His large hand cups my collarbone before he moves behind my chair.I half expect him to push it, but something clicks into place, jolting meâthe lock."Wha-"My words halt in my throat when his hand slides down my collar and lifts the hospital shirt, exposing my chest."What are you-"Before I can express my outrage, both of Nik
"Married?"I repeat the word as though it tastes bitter.Perhaps lying and saying that my last memory was the kiss at the ball made him too brazen because what kind of nonsense is this?âYes, Lucien, at the ball, we had a lengthy discussion, and you decided to honour our arrangement to get married.â...the audacity of this man.His warm hand caresses mine. I want to smack his hand away, but again, the roughness in his touch, as if he were desperate, is intoxicating.Don't worry, Niklaus; it gets worse. I will make sure of it."I'm sorry, I just...put yourself in my shoes; this is coming from nowhere."I lift my gaze to him, softening my eyes as if I donât know any better."Lucien... you saw the news; our wedding was incoming before the accident. Plus, is it really from out of nowhere when we are engaged?"Biting my lip draws his focus to the plump flesh; alphas are so easy to seduce; seriously, I donât even have pheromones, but I can smell the hunger off him.Still, I expected to be t
Niklausâs fingers tapped ferociously against his chair. It was an abrupt meeting that needed his attention, one that didn't seem to end, and one in which his father was in attendance, so if he skipped it, he could be punished by a poisoned meal.Nothing like familial love to bond people."Tell me about your wedding plans, son."The person giving the presentation froze at this question, which was clearly out of topic."I thought this was a very important meeting?"Niklaus asked, testing his father in the same way."Your mother is very worried about you.""You mean stepfather, and I'll get back to you on that during the next family dinner.""I have arranged a meeting between you and Anastasia Stone-""I appreciate it, but Anna and I-""The meeting will be at three pm. Dress in golf attire, I hear she takes after her father."His mouth pressed into a fine line.âMy engagement is real.ââTo a beta?âHis father spat out.âWe have an arrangement.ââWhatever arrangement, the Heinrichs only n
For some reason, the car ride home was tense. Even the hum of the engine couldnât soothe my mangled nerves.Despite the countless times I rubbed my lips, which still tingled from the unfamiliar kiss, the sensation of Niklausâs roughness on me neither faded nor fizzled.Why the hell did I moan when he flicked my nipples? I am a betaâŠ.Why did he even flick my nipple? I want to scream sexual assault because all this time, I thought of him as a kid brother instead of the panting beast from that time, but we are engagedâŠwe are engaged, right?Fuck.I curse inwardly; the buds on my chest, which I often refer to as dud, feel tender for some reason.My body curls further at the thoughts clouding my mind before I turn my gaze to Niklaus. He still looks furious.Yet despite the fury on his face being my faultâjust a gut feeling, each time the headlights of a passing car washes his frame, I am drawn to his mystical beauty.Whoever knew eyes could be that blue.My mouth dries as his gaze turns to