Page 6

Xander

V ina’s footsteps hit the floor in rapid succession as she tried to keep up with Xander’s longer strides and make note of all his orders at the same time. Xander slowed down, giving her a moment to catch her breath before he continued. “Prepare the guest bedroom on the first floor for us. And we’re going to need food for the next four days. Ask Ersa what he likes to eat during his heat and make sure he has everything he needs.”

“Yes, Master.”

“A nurse from the health center will arrive soon. She’s going to need a place to set up her stuff and rest while we…” Xander trailed off, unable to bring himself to say what was going to happen in a couple of hours. He dug his fingers into the muscles at the back of his neck in an effort to release the tension that was slowly twisting the muscles there into knots. “And Benjn…”

“I’ll take care of him. Focus on what you need to do.”

Xander’s hand hovered over the access pad on the wall as Vina’s words sank in. “This is not how I thought things would end up. I never…”

“I know, Master. Things don’t always go as planned,” Vina said. “Benjn’s health is at stake. You have to do everything you can for your cub.”

“I know.” Dropping his forehead on the door panel, a sigh slipped from his lips, the exhaustion from last night pulling on his muscles. The cold from the surface seeped into his skin, cooling his heated head. “He barely slept last night. I need this to work.”

“It will, Master,” Vina said, her voice full of hope that Xander wished he could feel. He pressed his palm to the access pad, and the door slid open, releasing a quiet whoosh that echoed around them. Vina trailed close behind, her voice already rising as she stepped into the office after him. “While you were out, the agent from the agency sent the contract for you and Ersa to sign. I left it on your desk.”

“They did?” Xander moved to the desk and picked up the e-reader, the contract loading as soon as the screen lit up, then pressed his thumb to the scan pad for the system to capture his fingerprint. “Please give this to Ersa.”

“I will. Will you be needing anything else?” Vina asked, reaching for the e-reader and tucking it under her arm.

“No.”

“I’ll get to work.” She bowed and walked out of the office, the door whooshing closed behind her. The silence made Xander feel antsy, made his thoughts sound too loud in his mind, and he started to doubt his conviction. An inexplicable wave of anxiety rippled down his spine, coiling tightly in his stomach and stealing the air from his lungs.

“It’s okay. I just have to control myself, that’s all,” he mumbled to the empty room.

No biting, no pinning the omega down, no scratching… damn, this was going to be torture. His claws always slipped out when he got excited, a primal response he could barely control. The thought of holding back, of keeping himself reined in when every instinct in his body screamed otherwise, made his skin itch with frustration. No excitement, then. Xander let out a long, weary sigh, staring at the ceiling as if it might offer some kind of solution. But there wasn’t one.

Restless energy thrummed through his muscles, propelling him to pace from the window to his desk and back again, over and over, like a caged animal seeking escape. When a knock sounded, interrupting his gloomy thoughts, he bolted to the door, too grateful for the distraction.

“Hicks, come in,” Xander said, stepping out of the way for the alpha to waddle into the office, a stack of boxes balanced precariously in his arms. Xander snatched one from the top, his fingers already ripping through the foamy material.

“You can’t wait to see it, huh?” Hicks’s laughter rumbled from his chest to swirl around the room as he placed the boxes on his workbench. “I couldn’t wait either. I had to get it to you as soon as the parts arrived from the warehouse. This one is going to be a hit.”

“You say that about every damn waste bot we roll out,” Xander grumbled, though he found himself laughing right along with Hicks, the alpha’s laughter and excitement contagious. “Let’s see what this baby can do.”

“Yes!” Hicks jumped up and down, a gleeful smile stretching his lips, as if he were a cub. And for the next two hours, Xander shoved every thought from his mind and focused on testing his new waste bot. He wanted it small, quiet as a whisper, and efficient enough to surpass the bulkier models already in use. The prototype gleamed under the overhead lights as Xander fed it various types of waste—metal, cloth, leftovers—monitoring its internal breakdown systems, sensors, and chemical reactions.

His brow furrowed. “It’s still too noisy,” he muttered, frowning at the faint whirring coming from the bot’s core.

“I don’t hear anything,” Hicks said, crouching beside it.

“Listen,” Xander insisted.

Hicks tilted his head, holding perfectly still as he focused. A moment passed. “Nope. Nothing. It’s perfect. You did it,” Hicks said, eyes gleaming. “I didn’t think I’d like the square design—especially since your other bots were all cylindrical—but this one’s got character. It’s clean, compact… kinda charming, actually.”

Xander opened his mouth to argue, but before he could speak, Vina’s voice cut in from the doorway.

“The nurse is here,” she announced.

The tension he’d felt hours ago returned with a vengeance, pulling on his shoulder muscles.

“Thank you, Vina. Is everything ready?” Xander asked as he stood up from the mountain of boxes on the floor, the assembled waste bot in his hands. He turned to hand it over to Hicks, who quickly scrambled to his feet, kicking the boxes across the floor in his rush to get up. His arms and legs went every which way as he grasped the air, fighting to remain upright. Laughter erupted from Xander’s mouth, the sound abrupt and loud, and it took him by surprise. He turned to Hicks to apologize when the alpha took the waste bot from him, a chortle of delight shaking his shoulders.

“It’s good to hear you laugh again, Master,” he said, moving to the door with a spring in his step Xander hadn’t seen in a while. “I’ll take this to Fury. He’s going to go nuts.”

“What’s with him?” Vina asked.

“I have no idea,” Xander said with a shake of his head, a tiny smile playing at his lips.

“He’s right, though. You haven’t smiled in a while. I hope things work out tonight. I want to see Benjn healthy again,” she said, a catch in her voice. She blinked rapidly, looking around the room, and then she gasped in mock horror as she bent to her waist to pick up a foamy piece of a box from the floor. “Look at the mess you two made.”

“Sorry. We got a little excited. I should clean up.” Xander moved to do so, but Vina waved him away.

“Go, go. Don’t keep Ersa waiting. I’ll clean up here.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No. It’s fine. I need something to do, or I’ll go crazy. Go, I’ll take care of this mess.”

“Okay,” Xander said. He made his way to his room and started to pull off his clothes as soon as the door closed behind him, his mind focused on one goal: make tonight work. In the washroom, he quickly got cleaned up, his jaw set in a hard line of determination. He got dressed in his sleeping clothes, his every movement turned mechanical as though he were detaching himself from reality. The nearer he got to the stairs, the more it felt like he was retreating, his mind withdrawing from the weight of what awaited below. The door to the guest room was slightly open, and Ersa, dressed in white loose-fitted sleeping clothes, stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on the newly changed sheets and his brows furrowed as if he were trying to solve a very complicated problem.

“Are you okay?” Xander asked, his fingers wrapping around the edge of the door. When he stepped into the room, Ersa’s scent hit like a punch to the gut. Xander recoiled, and his grip on the door tightened, the hard metal digging into his palm. He held his breath, but the sweet and spicy scent swirled around his face, the dark, woodsy notes finding their way into his lungs despite his efforts.

Don’t get excited , Xander told himself, shutting the door.

“Yes,” Ersa said, glancing over his shoulder at him, a tight smile pulling at his lips. “My heat has already started. I didn’t think the heat-inducing hormones were that strong.”

“I know, I can smell it.”

“Smell it?” Ersa placed his arms on his chest defensively.

Xander laughed, the sound awkward and tight. “I’m an aggressive alpha. Of course I can smell it. I’m sure you’ve heard about our heightened senses. Even suppressants can’t dampen them.”

“Of course,” Ersa said, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip. “I think we should…”

“Yes,” Xander said as he pushed through the awkward tension in the room and watched Ersa pull off his clothes, starting with his pants and underwear. His movements were slow and hesitant as he revealed his toned thighs and ass. Next, his top fell to the floor, revealing a snug compression band wrapped tightly around his torso. With a quick tug on a hidden fastener, the fabric loosened and unraveled.

Xander’s breath caught. His eyes widened as the band dropped away, revealing the soft, generous curve of Ersa’s chest. For a moment, he simply stared, stunned into silence, desire rushing through his body as he watched Ersa pull back the covers and slip into bed.

Let’s get this over and done with , Xander thought as he dragged his clothes off in quick, jerky movements. When he climbed onto the bed, he reached for Ersa, dragging the covers off the omega. Awkward tension hung between them as they stared at each other.

Shit.

“Let me…” Xander said as he tried to carefully slide between Ersa’s thighs.

“Just…” Ersa said, wiggling from under him to position himself on his hands and knees. The moment Ersa shifted, Xander’s instincts roared to life—a fierce, primal urge to pin him down. His muscles tensed, and his hands itched to reach out, to seize and hold. But he forced himself to stay still, his jaw tightening as he battled the overwhelming need. His voice came out rough, strained. “Don’t move.”

Ersa ignored him, buried his face into the pillow, and arched his back as he lifted his plump ass into the air, his knees spread wide, giving Xander a clear view of his dripping hole.

Fuck , Xander silently groaned as desire burned through his veins, potent and hot, and his hard cock throbbed.

“Let’s do it this way,” Ersa mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillows. Though it shouldn’t irritate him, Xander found Ersa’s behavior rubbed him the wrong way.

“No,” he snapped. “I’m not going to mount you like some animal. Turn around.”

When Ersa turned around, he shyly dragged his knees to his chest, covering his body. “I thought this way would be easier.”

“For whom?” Xander asked and then continued without waiting for an answer. “Just because we must have sex doesn’t mean that it has to be awkward and unpleasurable. Please lie down, and don’t make any sudden moves.”

Ersa stared at him for a moment, his eyes shining with an emotion Xander could only interpret as fear.

Fuck. He needed to cool it.

Before Xander could say anything more, Ersa slid to his back and spread his thighs wide, leaving no doubt in Xander’s mind that he was on board.

Warm, soft skin had Xander gritting his teeth as he slid between Ersa’s spread thighs. Fuck… fuck , he silently groaned. He clenched the sheets in his fists, his knuckles whitening as he fought against the inferno raging inside him, his body trembling with the effort to keep it contained.

I can do this , Xander thought as he leaned down and kissed Ersa on the lips.

A soft gasp escaped Ersa from the first touch of their lips. Xander forced himself to hold still, waiting for the omega to set another boundary.

He didn’t.

Instead, Ersa moaned softly, his body arching off the bed to rub against Xander’s as he moved his lips in tiny, tentative kisses that touched something deep inside Xander’s heart. Xander groaned, angling his head to take Ersa’s lips in a devouring kiss that had both of them gasping for air. Ersa’s soft hands found their way to Xander’s back.

Fuck, he was touching him. Xander reveled in the feeling. And when Ersa tunneled his fingers into his hair and wrapped them around his braid, Xander lost his mind, his body trembling as another wave of arousal prickled along his skin to fuel the fire that had been smoldering from the moment he stepped into the room and smelled Ersa’s scent.

And to think he’d believed that the omega’s scent was unimpressive. Now, Xander couldn’t keep himself from nuzzling his nose along Ersa’s neck. Xander paused at the sight of the faded mating mark on Ersa’s shoulder. His eyes locked onto it, his pulse quickening as the primal, possessive beast within him roared to life, clawing at his restraints. The sight sent a jolt through his veins, an intoxicating mix of desire and the instinct to claim, to possess.

Not now , Xander silently begged as he dropped his head on the pillow, fighting his instincts.

“Hey?” Ersa tugged on his braid, not hard enough to hurt but enough to send a prickling sensation down Xander’s spine. It snapped him out of his internal war. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking about something. It’s not important,” Xander mumbled as he made a tiny concession. Instead of fighting the beast inside him, he placed an open-mouth kiss onto the marked skin and sucked. Ersa squirmed beneath him, his leaking cock leaving a trail of precum along Xander’s thigh.

“You like that?” Xander murmured, his voice laced with surprise and a hint of intrigue. His gaze flickered over Ersa’s expression, searching. And he didn’t have to search too hard as Ersa voiced his pleasure.

“Uhhh… mmm… fuck… I… ahh…” Ersa moaned weakly, his body shuddering. “Please… please. Just do it.”

“Are you sure? I haven’t even touched you yet,” Xander said, wondering what else the omega would like. Fuck, he groaned as all the things he’d ever wanted to do with an omega flooded his mind. Xander lightly bit down on the Ersa’s shoulder just to test the waters.

“Oh fuck… hmm… I’m sure… I’m sure.”

“Okay.” Xander went to his knees. “Open your thighs a little wider for me,” he commanded. When Ersa slid his thighs wider, Xander reached out and ran his fingers over Ersa’s spasming hole. He silently groaned as he pushed a finger inside and watched more slick gush out.

“You don’t have to do that. I’m ready,” Ersa moaned, reaching for Xander’s hand.

Why does it feel like he doesn’t want me to touch him? Xander asked himself as he stared down at Ersa. He shook the thought away as he grasped his hard cock and brought it to Ersa’s sopping wet hole. A moan rumbled through his chest, his muscles tightening as heat enveloped his cock. “So tight.”

“Three years. I haven’t had sex in three years,” Ersa cried, widening his thighs to take him deeper. “Don’t stop.”

“Hmmm,” Xander moaned as he pulled out and slammed back in over and over, picking up the pace with each thrust.

“Ahhh… oohh… mnhg… more.” Ersa’s pleasure-filled moans spurred Xander on as he gave him exactly what he asked for. He fucked him deep and fast, the smack of flesh against flesh echoing around the room.

When Ersa dug his nails into his back, Xander roared as a sharp, stinging sensation danced along his spine, setting off his orgasm. He froze, every muscle locked in place, his breath caught in his chest, his focus on his throbbing cock. When his knot started to swell and lock them together, Xander tried to pull out, but Ersa wrapped his arms and legs around him, holding him in place. Ersa rocked his hips, causing Xander’s knot to sink deeper and stretch him wider. Xander’s eyes fluttered shut, rolling back as his muscles tensed and trembled, every nerve ending alive. It was too much—he felt like he was unraveling, coming apart at the seams as agonizing pleasure racked his body, leaving him breathless and helpless against the torrent.

“Oh fuck,” Xander moaned. He never knew how good knotting an omega felt. Nath and the service omegas he’d been with had hated it, so Xander had refrained from doing it. He hadn’t known what he was missing until now, until this moment. A shot of pleasure went through him, curling his toes as Ersa’s hole convulsed around his knot.

Ersa whimpered as he came, the sound strangled and shaky. He clung to Xander as if he’d never let go. Xander found himself kissing Ersa’s neck, the need to comfort, to please and protect the omega from any pain and hardships, filling his heart. Xander frowned, unsettled by the swirl of emotions tightening in his chest. He’d never felt this way about any omega before—not even Nath. Maybe it was gratitude, he told himself. Gratitude that Ersa had stayed, that despite the unfair pressure Xander had put on him, Ersa hadn’t walked away. He could have—but he hadn’t.

Before he realized it, his lips were brushing against Ersa’s forehead again and again. He rolled his hips, prolonging Ersa’s orgasm. When the omega came again, writhing and whimpering beneath him, a smile slashed across Xander’s face, pleased with himself.

A while later, when Xander’s knot had subsided, he slid off Ersa to lie next to him. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, Ersa sat up and said, “I should go find Nora. She told me to come to her as soon as we were done.”

Before Ersa could swing his feet to the floor, Xander was already out of bed and putting his clothes back on.

“I’ll go get her for you. You should rest,” Xander said as he made his way out of the room. As soon as he stepped into the hallway, he caught the faint murmur of muffled voices, which he easily identified as that of the nurse and Vina. He followed them to the cooking station. The low hum of conversation abruptly stilled the moment the door slid open.

“He’s ready for you,” Xander said to the nurse.

“Okay,” Nora said, taking a final sip of her tea before she slid off her chair at the counter and made her way out of the cooking station. Xander turned to Vina, who was busy behind the counter, clearing the dishes they’d used. She’d clearly been taking good care of Nora and keeping her company as well.

“Thank you for keeping her company. You didn’t have to do that,” Xander said.

“I know,” she said, turning away to place the dishes in the sink. “Did everything go well with Ersa? He looked nervous earlier. I wasn’t sure he would go through with it.”

“It went well, but we’re still not out of the woods yet. We might have to do this again if it doesn’t work. For Benjn’s sake, I hope it works,” Xander said, worry for his cub weighing on him. “How is he?”

“I tried to feed him, but he spit out the formula. I’m going to try again in an hour.” Vina sighed. “I hope things will get better soon.”

“Me too,” Xander said.