Page 7

Ersa

S till high from the pleasure he’d found in Master Quin’s arms, Ersa tugged on the soft pillow under his head with his free arm to get comfortable as he extended his other arm to Nora to do as she pleased. As Ersa shifted, the rumpled sheet rustled and released Master Quin’s dark scent into the air. Ersa shuddered as another wave of pleasure caused his hole to spasm needily.

Aftershocks . He gasped, clutching the pillow to anchor himself, trying his best not to breathe in the alpha’s dark, oppressive, yet intoxicating scent.

If anyone had told him three years ago that he would one day like another alpha’s scent besides Mason’s, Ersa would have told them they were crazy. He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t hate Master Quin’s scent. Or hate the way he’d touched him. Or kissed him.

Even though Ersa had agreed to have sex with the alpha for medical reasons, he hadn’t thought that he would enjoy it. That he would like it so much he’d want to do it again and again, even though Master Quin was an aggressive alpha.

It’s because it’s been a while , Ersa reasoned, watching Nora through heavy lids. Nora’s touch was featherlight and quick along his arm as she administered the hormones. Ersa braced for the sting of the needle and the rush of coldness as the hormones entered his bloodstream, but this time, Ersa barely felt a thing.

“When will I know if it worked or not?” Ersa asked.

“We’ll run tests a week after your heat,” Nora said, smoothing a pain-aid over the needle wound. She looked up then, a bright smile lighting up her face. “You’d have started experiencing symptoms by then.”

“You say that as if this is going to work.”

Nora gave Ersa’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “Have faith, honey. Everything is going to work out as it should. But that’s not something you should be worried about right now. Focus on your heat. We can worry about everything else later, okay?”

Ersa nodded.

“Go back to sleep and enjoy your heat with that handsome alpha out there.” When Nora let go of his arm and walked out of the room, Ersa missed her warm and kind presence. Her reassuring words made him feel better and less anxious about what he needed his body to do. It had to work. Benjn needed him.

It will work. All I need to do is wait , Ersa told himself, a yawn splitting his mouth wide. As he turned to his side, facing away from the door, his hole pulsed as his heat returned with a vengeance. Ersa reached for his hole, biting off a moan as he smoothed his fingers over the tender opening. Master Quin had stretched him wide and deep; Ersa could still feel the imprint of the alpha’s cock around the rim of his hole and deep inside. It was as if Master Quin was still inside him, rocking his hips. The thought had Ersa bowing off the bed as his hole throbbed, and slick gushed out to coat his fingers.

Fuck , Ersa silently groaned, staring at the wall in confusion. When did his heat get so intense? Ersa felt like he’d go crazy if he didn’t get something inside him. His mouth hung open on a silent scream as he pushed two fingers inside his sopping wet hole. He rocked his ass back to meet his thrusting fingers as overwhelming pleasure burnt like wildfire along his spine to his toes.

The bed suddenly dipped, startling him. As Ersa turned around, Master Quin’s arms came around him and pulled him to his naked chest.

When did he get naked?

“You started without me,” Master Quin growled as he sank his teeth into Ersa’s earlobe. “You couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

“I… please… please…” Ersa mewed, backing his ass into the alpha. When Master Quin held him still, Ersa thought he was going to make him wait because the way he’d said Ersa started without him had sounded as if he was displeased.

Punish me! The words slammed into his mind, sharp and urgent, sending a jolt through his system. His breath hitched, his pulse quickening as desire coiled tightly within him. He never… What was he thinking… He wasn’t that kind of a person.

Ersa closed his eyes, mortified.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Instead of punishing him, Master Quin grasped Ersa’s right thigh, opening him up so he could sink his hard cock deep inside his hole in one smooth thrust.

Ahhh… fuck! He was coming.

Ersa buried his face in the pillow, clutching the sheets as he hung on for dear life. Shudders racked his body, and white sparks exploded behind his eyelids as a stream of come shot from his cock to hit his chest. Before he could catch his breath, Master Quin gently pushed him to his back and slid over him. The alpha’s warm breath hit his chest just as his tongue lapped at Ersa’s skin. Baffled, Ersa looked down and watched Master Quin eat up his come like it was the most delicious thing in the world.

Fuck, that was hot, filthy and a turn-on. Ersa couldn’t stop staring at the alpha’s seeking mouth and darting tongue. He squirmed, his cock growing hard again.

When he was done, Master Quin lifted his ravenous gaze to his as he cupped Ersa’s mound, the ample flesh fitting perfectly in his right hand. He gave it a light squeeze before he leaned down and laid an open-mouth kiss around his nipple. They watched in fascination as the bud hardened. Master Quin went in for another kiss, this time suckling lightly on his nipple.

“Fuck,” Ersa hissed, arching into him, silently begging for more.

“Do you like that?” Master Quin asked.

“Yes,” Ersa moaned.

When Master Quin’s hot mouth closed around his nipple and suckled hard, Ersa’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. An electric sensation zapped through his body, causing his hole to pulse needily. He felt so empty. He wanted to be filled, to be fucked until he couldn’t remember his name.

“Fuck me,” Ersa whined.

“Shhh… I got you,” Master Quin said as he spread his thighs wide and entered him in one smooth thrust.

“Ahhh hnh, fuck yes,” Ersa moaned, dropping his head on the pillow, giving himself to the pleasure. And for the coming three days, Master Quin took care of him and made his first heat with an alpha—after three long years—perfect.

***

Four days later.

The water in the bathing bot pulsed and bubbled around Ersa, washing away sweat and the smell of sex from his skin. Ersa stared at the full-length mirror mounted on the wall facing the bathing bot, wishing the water could wash away a lot more than that. The fluorescent lights above glowed white, leaving his skin paler than usual, a stark contrast to the glaring red mark on the side of his neck. Ersa leaned close, his eyes widening when he realized that it was right over his mating mark. The mating mark that Mason had left on his neck to seal their bond. It was faded now because Mason was dead, and their bond was broken, but it was still there. If Ersa looked hard enough, he could see it.

Why would Master Quin bite him there?

Although Master Quin hadn’t bitten him hard enough to break the skin or leave a claiming mark, it was strange that he would bite Ersa there. Ersa drew his knees to his chest and rested his chin on his folded arms as he continued to stare at the mark, his mind whirling as he tried to figure it out. Why did Master Quin do it? And why did it feel so good?

Biting into his bottom lip, Ersa raised his right hand and tentatively touched the mark. A sharp jolt of electricity shot through his body, sparking along his nerves, hardening his already sensitive nipples, and causing his cock to jerk below the pulsating water.

What the fuck was that? Ersa snatched his hand away as if it had been burned.

Was he hypersensitive because he hadn’t had sex with an alpha for three years? Wide-eyed, Ersa stared at the mirror as if it held all the answers. There were other marks on his body too. Would they feel the same way the bite mark did if he touched them? Ersa asked himself as his eyes fell on the crescent-moon-shaped marks on his thighs, stomach, and arms. The red welts tingled as the warm water lapped at his skin as though in answer to his silent question.

Like many other omegas, he had grown up hearing stories of how wild aggressive alphas were in bed. How untamed, feral, and impossible to control they were that he’d naturally shied away from them, thinking he couldn’t handle one. But now… Ersa buried his face in his hands, his cheeks burning as vivid memories from his heat crashed over him like a tidal wave. Every touch, every whispered word, every shiver of pleasure resurfaced with startling clarity. The intensity of it stole his breath—the way Xander had made him feel, the way his body had responded so eagerly. He couldn’t believe the things they’d done, the depth of his own desire, or how utterly incredible it had felt. His heart raced just thinking about it, and the warmth pooling in his stomach only made it harder to push the memories away.

A knock sounded on the door, startling him.

Dammit. He shouldn’t be lazing around in the bathing bot thinking about sex, Ersa silently scolded himself as he jumped out of the bot. He stepped under the dryer, and with a soft hum, the bot whirred to life, blasting him with a stream of hot air. On his way to the door, he reached for the drying cloth from a peg on the wall and wrapped it around his body for modesty. When the door slid open, Vina’s sheepish smile greeted him.

“Oh, Ersa, I didn’t mean to interrupt your bath.”

“It’s fine. I was done anyway,” Ersa said, making his way to his room. “I need to get dressed and get back to work.”

“Don’t worry about Benjn. He’s fine. I bathed and fed him. Though he fought me every step of the way.” She laughed, her gaze drifting to the passageway that connected Ersa’s room to Benjn’s. “He’ll sleep for a while.”

“You didn’t have to do that. I would have taken care of him once I was done,” Ersa said, feeling like a burden. “I’m not here for you to take care of me.”

“I know. I just…” Vina trailed off as she blinked rapidly, looking anywhere but at Ersa. “I’m grateful for what you’re doing. A lot of omegas wouldn’t have done it. So… I wanted to say thank you.”

The weight of her words bore down on Ersa, the pressure suffocating. “Don’t thank me yet. We don’t know if it’s going to work or not.”

“I know. There’s a chance it might not work. Master Quin told me, but I’m still grateful,” Vina said as she finally looked at Ersa, a glossy sheen coating her eyes. “Because of you, there’s hope that Benjn will be fine.”

At her words, guilt clawed its way up his throat. If Vina knew what he’d done, she wouldn’t be so grateful. Ersa thumbed his eyes, his breath hitching in his chest as the need to confess his sins overwhelmed him.

“I lied on my application,” Ersa blurted out. “If I hadn’t lied…”

“If you hadn’t lied, Master Quin would still be looking for a nanny.” Vina leaned close, a conspiratory glint in her eyes. As she cupped her right hand against the side of her mouth, her voice dropped to a hushed whisper. “I’m happy you lied.” Her laughter rang out, echoing around the room in chuckles that shook her tiny frame. The sound, bright and cheerful, broke the heavy tension between them. Ersa found himself smiling too as Vina continued to laugh, her spirits clearly lifted. The maid was making Ersa feel like his lie was a blessing. As if he was meant to be right where he was.

Vina rubbed her eyes, an audible yawn escaping her lips. “Wow,” she cackled. “I feel like I haven’t slept in days. I should go and get some rest. You should do the same while Benjn is still asleep. You know the kind of monster he turns into at night,” she said, a fond smile on her lips in spite of her words. “Good night, Ersa.” With an air of deference, she folded her arms to her middle and bowed before she made her way to the door, where she suddenly came to an abrupt stop. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I brought food for you. I left it in the cooking station in a warmer. I thought you might be hungry.”

“Thank you, Vina,” Ersa said.

“No problem. Make sure you eat something.”

“I will,” Ersa said as he watched Vina leave, the door sliding closed behind her. Making his way to his room, Ersa tightened the drying cloth around his body to keep the material from unraveling. When he entered the room, he stopped short when he noticed that the clothing cubicle was slightly open. He remembered closing it because he’d been agonizing over what to wear for his heat with Master Quin. The sleeping clothes purchased for him were too large, and the bright neon colors did nothing for his pale skin and blond hair. Not that Ersa had wanted to look attractive or anything. He’d still wanted to look decent, like someone an alpha would want to have sex with. Irritated with the choices, Ersa had slammed the door shut after selecting one that didn’t look as bad as the others.

Why was the door open now? Ersa asked himself as he crossed to the clothing cubicle and peeked inside.

“My case,” Ersa exclaimed excitedly when he saw the black carry-all case at the bottom of the cubicle. The drying cloth unraveled and slipped from his body, pooling at his feet in his rush to open the case. His hands tore through the contents, shirts, underclothes, and pants sailing through the air before landing in a scattered mess behind him. When he found what he was looking for, Ersa folded to his haunches, and the dark screen of the holo image display device lit up as he turned it on. A second later, Mason’s smiling face filled the screen and then slid away to be replaced by another image. Ersa touched the screen lovingly, tracing Mika’s toothy grin and chubby cheeks. His eyes stung as he blinked rapidly, desperate to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. To distract himself from the ache in his chest, he shoved to his feet and searched for the perfect place for the device. Now that he was out of the commune house, Ersa could look at them every day, and the bedside table was the perfect place, he thought as he made his way there. As he settled the device on the table, he wound the brightness dial down so it wouldn’t disturb him while he slept.

“There,” Ersa said. Turning to the mess he’d made, Ersa searched for his favorite sleeping clothes, a light blue matching set made from the softest material. A feeling of lightness and satisfaction settled on him as he pulled the top over his head, the soft material gliding along his skin in soothing touches.

After he was done getting dressed, Ersa tidied his room. The clothes he’d thrown carelessly to the floor, he folded and packed in neat rows in the clothing cubicle. He picked up his connector from the bed, where he’d set it aside while he was packing his clothes on his way to the cooking station. A delicious smell drew him to the counter, where warmth radiated off a round-shaped container. Ersa’s mouth watered as he lifted the lid, the spicy aroma of the red meat and vegetables making his stomach growl.

“Thank you, Vina,” he said as he slid into one of the chairs at the counter and quickly tucked in, every bite of the meat delicious and juicy. The vegetables were crunchy and soft, cooked to perfection. When all the food was gone, Ersa leaned back in the chair as he rubbed his stomach, sated. With his other hand, he picked up the connector and switched it on.

A blaring sound filled the silence, echoing around the room so loudly Ersa’s eyes flew to the hallway. Afraid the sound would wake Benjn, Ersa moved to turn the connector off when he saw Jun’s code displayed on the screen, he quickly answered it.

“Jun…” he whispered but was quickly silenced by Jun’s rant.

“Do you know how long I’ve been trying to connect with you?” Jun’s voice came through the speaker loud, his anger palpable. Ersa winced, holding the connector away from his ear. “The last time we spoke, you told me you were going to some strange alpha’s house for an interview, and then you disappeared. Your connector was off, and that evil coordinator at your commune wouldn’t tell me where you were because of some fucked-up rules I’m sure she made up on the spot.”

“No. She didn’t. She’s not allowed to divulge any information about the omegas in her care, unless you are family. She’s just doing her job.”

“I’m family,” Jun grumbled.

Ersa laughed. As always, Jun managed to make him laugh.

“I know. I’m fine, Jun. Nothing bad happened.”

“If nothing bad happened, why didn’t you connect with me after your interview? I waited for you.”

“I’m sorry about that. Things happened that were out of my control.”

Jun gasped. “What happened?”

Ersa searched his mind for the right words to soothe Jun’s unease. “Let’s just say I had my reasons for staying,” he said carefully. “Since I left my things at the commune house, I had no way to reach you and let you know where I was.”

Ersa’s words hung in the air, met with silence. Frowning, he pulled the connector away from his ear, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the device. For a moment, he’d thought the connection had cut off, but the screen still glowed, the call very much active.

“Jun, did you hear what I said?”

“Yes. But I feel like you’re not telling me everything,” he said. “Where are you? I need to see for myself that you’re alright.”

“Jun, I’m fine.”

“Tell me, Ersa… please.” Jun’s voice wavered on the edge of a sob.

“Okay… okay… don’t cry. I’ll tell you.” Ersa rattled out the address he’d heard the agent give to the operator the day he came for his interview. “Don’t come unannounced, Jun. Let me know beforehand. This is not my house.”

“I know,” Jun said. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“That’s too soon,” Ersa said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. The moment Jun’s sharp gasp cut through the line, he knew he’d made a mistake.

“Too soon? What do you mean?” Jun screamed in Ersa’s ear. “There’s something you’re not telling me. I’ll be there tomorrow morning.”

“No, Jun… wait,” Ersa said, but the connection went silent.

“Arggg…” Ersa grumbled as he picked up his plate and dropped it in the sink to wash tomorrow. He might as well get some rest, he decided, heading to his room. He was going to need all his strength to deal with Jun tomorrow.

He made a detour to Benjn’s room. As he walked into the room, Ersa looked up at the twinkling lights on the ceiling, which glowed from blue to orange, the sight soothing. Ersa stared at them for a second before he tiptoed to the crib in the middle of the room. Unable to resist, he ran the back of his fingers along Benjn’s cheek.

“You’ve been a good little alpha today, haven’t you? My little alpha, thank you.” Ersa leaned down and kissed Benjn’s cheek. “Good night,” he whispered, retreating.

In his room, Ersa dropped the connector on the bedside table, and a deep yawn overtook him, stretching his jaw until his eyes watered. Getting under the covers, he fluffed the pillow and tucked it beneath his head. The holo image device glowed golden as it displayed Mason’s and Mika’s images one after the other. Ersa stared at them, tracing their delicate features as though to imprint them in his mind forever, until his eyes felt heavy, and he couldn’t keep them open anymore.

“Good night,” Ersa mumbled, drifting into oblivion.

Seconds later, he jolted awake. His heart pounded frantically, and his eyes darted wildly around the dimly lit room as he tried to figure out what had woken him. As if on cue, Benjn’s wail ripped through the night. Ersa waited for a few minutes to see if Benjn would fall back to sleep without any help, but the cub cried even harder.

Ersa stumbled out of bed and ran to Benjn’s room. Ersa was about to pick Benjn up when Master Quin rushed into the room, a bottle of milk in one hand. Ersa stepped aside because he knew Benjn wanted his dad. As if on cue, the cub quieted down when Master Quin moved closer to the crib. Ersa watched as Benjn snuggled against his dad’s chest.

Master Quin whispered softly to Benjn as he walked to the settee in front of the window, where he coaxed Benjn to feed from the bottle. Dad and cub engaged in a battle of wills, with Dad coming out victorious when Benjn stopped whimpering and eagerly reached up for the bottle. Master Quin sighed, his tense shoulders relaxing as he watched Benjn feed heartily. The moon washed the pair in a grey light that made them look beautiful, almost surreal. Ersa found himself rooted to the spot. No matter how much he willed himself to turn away, his eyes remained riveted to the pair, drawn to them with an intensity he couldn’t explain.

A while later, Master Quin got up and gently laid Benjn back in his crib. Benjn squirmed in protest. “Shhh… I’m right here,” Master Quin murmured as he rubbed the cub’s back in soothing strokes.

“I think he’s used to having you close at night. Maybe Benjn should sleep in your room. Having your scent around him soothes him.”

“No. He needs to get used to the fact that his father is not here anymore,” Master Quin said, his voice low. “This is the way things are now.” When Master Quin finally lifted his gaze, Ersa’s breath caught at the sadness etched into his eyes. The sight of it tugged at something deep inside Ersa. He wanted to reach out, to smooth away the pain written on Master Quin’s face, to make everything right… even if he didn’t know how.

“Nath took care of Benjn during the day, and I took care of him at night. Nath only woke up to feed him, and I would do the rest. Most nights, Benjn slept in my arms. When Nath left…” Master Quin trailed off, Ersa filled in the rest, and the realization sent a chill down his spine. The omega had left. Just… disappeared.

Why? His heart clenched as he struggled to comprehend it. He couldn’t imagine walking away from his own cub, leaving Benjn, so small, so vulnerable, alone in the world. The thought was inconceivable. What could have driven Nath to abandon his own cub?

“I’m sure Benjn misses that. His father is gone, but you’re still here,” he said. When Master Quin said nothing, Ersa stepped close to the crib. “I’ll go. I’ll sleep in your bed,” Ersa blurted out as he gently picked up Benjn. Settling the cub on his chest, he walked to the door. When Ersa looked over his shoulder, the alpha was still standing where he’d left him. “Are you coming, Master Quin?”

“We can’t do that. I…” He trailed off. His brows drew together, deepening the lines of uncertainty on his face.

“I know, but Benjn can’t stay in here. I understand you want to change his routine, but this is too drastic. It’s hurting him—Benjn can’t lose both his parents at the same time.” Ersa stared at the alpha, waiting. “Master Quin?”

“Call me Xander first,” he suddenly said. “We’re past formalities now, don’t you think?”

Ersa swallowed uncomfortably, biting into his bottom lip.

“You can’t do it.”

Ersa nodded.

“Why?”

Ersa looked away, unable to hold Master Quin’s intense gaze. “It’s… it’s not professional.”

At his words, Master Quin’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and his massive shoulders shook from silent laughter. Ersa’s cheek heated.

“Are you coming or not?” he growled, embarrassment making him snappy. Master Quin answered with a rumbling growl of his own that caused Ersa’s breath to hitch in his chest. Focusing on Benjn, Ersa continued out of the room. He hid a smile when Master Quin followed him without any fuss.

“Is that any way to talk to your alpha?” Master Quin asked, sounding way closer than he’d been before. A shiver rippled down Ersa’s spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps blooming across his skin.

“Sorry,” Ersa gritted out.

“Liar,” Master Quin whispered, walking ahead of him. Ersa followed him in silence, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors as they traversed a series of hallways. When they reached Master Quin’s room, Ersa stalled at the door, a nervous feeling churning his stomach.

“Is something wrong?” Master Quin asked.

“No,” Ersa said. He swallowed hard as he stepped into the bedroom, which was filled with Master Quin’s heady scent. Another shiver rippled down Ersa’s spine despite his efforts not to react to the alpha’s scent. To distract himself, Ersa crossed the floor to the holo image device he’d spied on the bedside table from the door. Ersa leaned close as an image of a gorgeous omega with dark hair and golden eyes stared at something in the distance, a contented smile playing on his lips. Was this Nath?

“Is this your bond mate?” Ersa asked to confirm.

“Yes.”

“He looks lovely,” Ersa said as he straightened.

“Thank you.” Master Quin’s response was clipped and short, and Ersa could sense that he didn’t want to talk about the subject any further.

Ersa’s gaze swept the room before it fell to the massive bed. The dark covers on one side of the bed were tossed carelessly as if someone had gotten out of bed in a hurry. Ersa adjusted Benjn in his arms as he rounded the bed to the other side. Before Ersa could settle Benjn in the bed, Master Quin spoke as he opened a door Ersa had assumed led to the washroom. “Benjn’s room is in here.”

“Oh,” Ersa exclaimed as he walked through the door, then stopped abruptly. The rooms were similar. Except in here, the settee sat in the middle of the room next to the crib . Like in the other room, wooden stars dangled from the ceiling. Ersa tilted his head back, his eyes following the string from which the wooden stars dangled to the twinkling blue and orange lights embedded in the ceiling. Simply gazing at the soft, glowing lights filled Ersa with warmth.

When Ersa stepped deeper into the room, his nostrils flared as he picked up Master Quin and an omega’s scent in the air. Though the scents were faint, Ersa could tell that Master Quin and his bond mate had spent a lot of time in the room. Master Quin moved to the crib and pulled the covers back, and together, they tucked Benjn in. The simple act brought tears to Ersa’s eyes. He blinked them away as he made his way out of Benjn’s room. Clutching his chest, Ersa came to a stop at the foot of the massive bed and closed his eyes as he waited for the ache to dissipate. In the three years Ersa had been ensconced in the commune house, he’d come to learn that the pain of losing a cub never truly went away. It was a wound he would carry for the rest of his life. After a few minutes, Ersa started to breathe easily. Then his eyes fell on Master Quin’s bed.

“Fuck,” Ersa muttered under his breath as the reason why he was in Master Quin’s room rushed to his mind.

What were you thinking? Ersa slapped his forehead, admonishing his impulsiveness.

When he heard Master Quin’s steady footsteps behind him, he dove for the bed before the alpha could see how nervous he was.

The room suddenly fell into darkness, and the sound of Master Quin’s footsteps got louder as he neared the bed. Dragging the covers to his chin, Ersa held his breath and waited for the moment the bed would dip and the sheets rustled as Master Quin got into bed. When nothing happened, Ersa chanced a peek at the alpha and was met by intense, glowing ones.

Eek, his eyes glow in the dark. Ersa stared, fascinated.

“You’re going to pass out if you keep holding your breath like that,” Master Quin said as he settled into bed. He waited for a beat before he continued. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes. Let’s just sleep,” Ersa murmured, his voice tight as he quickly turned away, trying to put some space—and sense—between them. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing sleep to come, but the silence stretched on endlessly, broken only by the sound of his own restless breathing. The minutes dragged, heavy and slow.

Frustration built inside him. With a huff, he fluffed his pillow, yanked the covers higher, and settled down again, only to find no comfort. Seconds later, he shifted onto his back, then rolled to his side. Still, sleep evaded him.

Before he could move again, a strong arm shot out, wrapping around his waist and tugging him back against a solid, warm chest.

“What are you doing?” Ersa squeaked, his breath catching as Master Quin’s heat seemed to seep through the thin layers of fabric, wrapping around him like a blanket. His skin prickled, his heartbeat quickening despite his best efforts to stay calm.

“Lie still.” Master Quin’s voice was low and sleepy, a soft rumble against Ersa’s back. “I can’t fall asleep if you keep moving.”

Ersa went rigid, his pulse thundering in his ears as an achy feeling pulsed from his cock to his hole. It surged through his body like a relentless tide, each wave crashing over him with heated intensity. The sensation spread like wildfire, igniting every nerve ending and leaving a trail of tingling sparks in its wake. His skin prickled, his breath hitched, and the slow, simmering burn of arousal coiled deep in his core, building with every pulse.

Oh shit… Ersa buried his face into the pillow, fighting the feeling. But Master Quin’s scent filled his nose—rich, intoxicating, and utterly irresistible. It lured him in, teasing his senses, stirring something primal and insatiable within him. Ersa bowed off the bed, his right hand flying to his chest to squeeze his aching mounds. “What’s happening to me?” he whined.

“What’s wrong? Are you ill? Look at me,” Master Quin asked, his voice laced with concern as he gently pushed Ersa to his back.

“No, I…” Ersa trailed off, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as his hole pulsed needily. He was fucking horny, and he couldn’t tell Master Quin that. “Let’s sleep.”

“You smell like you did when you were in heat,” Master Quin said as he drew in a sharp, audible breath. Ersa flushed.

“How is that possible? I can’t still be in heat.”

“I don’t know. Maybe the heat-inducing hormones are still in your system,” Master Quin said. “I’ll connect with Dr. Alora tomorrow morning and find out. Do you think you can hold on until then?”

“Yes,” Ersa said. It wasn’t like he had a choice. Turning away, Ersa lay on his side. A gush of wetness slid down his thighs as desire raked its nails across his back, leaving a scorching heat along his skin. His fingers trembling, Ersa clutched the sheets to keep from begging Master Quin to fuck him. But to his utter embarrassment, a needy whimper slipped from his lips at the thought of feeling the alpha’s thick cock inside him again. No —Ersa sank his teeth into his bottom lip, his eyes squeezing shut as if that alone could chase away the overwhelming rush of sensations flooding his body.

“Damn,” Master Quin muttered, his voice thick with frustration—or maybe something else entirely.

Ersa’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Master Quin said. Before Ersa could respond, strong fingers closed around his arm, and in one smooth motion, Master Quin turned him around. The air between them shifted, charged and heavy. Ersa’s breath caught in his throat as his back hit the mattress and Master Quin settled between his thighs.

“What are you doing?” Ersa asked, his cock aching. He needed to get the alpha off him before he lost his mind and begged him to fuck him. When Ersa lifted his hands to push Master Quin off him, the feel of his hard chest and the warmth radiating off his skin caught Ersa off guard. Instead of pushing the alpha away, Ersa found himself drawing him closer.

“Mmmh… please… please. One more night,” he begged, arching into the alpha. The movement caused his cock to rub against Master Quin’s thigh. A shot of pleasure rippled through Ersa’s body, curling his toes.

Fuck it , Ersa thought as he slung his arm around Master Quin’s neck and drew him close enough for their lips to touch. “Please, give me one more night,” Ersa begged against the alpha’s lips. Master Quin groaned as he wrapped his arms around Ersa and took his lips in a deep, searing kiss.