By the time Brogan got home, he was feverish and cranky, and Peyton was crying up a storm. He soothed his boy with juice and a cookie. Afterward, he hid in the bathroom so he could quietly freak out. The meeting with Hamilton had rocked him to his core, and Brogan didn’t know what to do or think. Common sense said to tell Tarek or Isa what had happened, because none of that had been legal—was it? For a criminal defendant to set up a private meeting with a witness for the prosecution?

But the funding offer…a cure…what if?

A soft ache deep in his abdomen startled Brogan into paying closer attention to his body. He checked his temperature, which was up by almost two degrees.

Oh goddess, really? Now?

For most omegas, the early signs of heat happened slowly and over the course of eight to twelve hours. Elevated temperature, cramping, lower body aches as their uterus lowered and their system adjusted for possible impregnation. For Brogan, those signs hit quickly and heat began within four to five hours.

Going into heat with all this mess in his head? Not good.

He called Liam, who squealed with excitement and said he’d be right over to pick up Peyton. Brogan never really understood it when his friends got excited over a heat. It was two days of constant arousal, natural slick oozing from his ass, and no real relief, because he couldn’t get what his body wanted—an alpha’s cock and knot. The beta service had good options for helping an omega through heat, but Brogan had never looked forward to it.

Up until an hour ago, Brogan had been cautiously excited to share his heat with Mikel, because he’d finally experience it with an alpha he loved. Now? He’d be going into it with this huge secret hanging around his neck. It also wasn’t fair to put this burden on Mikel before the heat. Mikel was looking forward to this so much, and he’d done everything possible to prepare his place. Condoms, food, body wash, extra sheets and blankets.

No, this was Brogan’s secret to bear for now. Heat first, blackmail second.

He packed a small bag, but didn’t have to take much, since he’d spend the majority of his time naked anyway. Mikel returned in a good mood, and he whooped for joy when Brogan told him the news.

“I can’t wait to spoil you rotten,” Mikel said as he pulled Brogan into a tight hug. “Oh, this is so exciting. Our first heat.”

“Yeah.”

Mikel pulled back, his joyous grin melting into a frown. “You aren’t excited?”

“I’m nervous, I think.” And he was nervous, about a lot of things all at once. “This is my first heat with an alpha since Lawry’s house.”

“Of course, I’m so sorry.” He gently tugged Brogan to couch so they could sit, and he held both of Brogan’s hands in his. “I’ve been so selfish about this whole thing, not even thinking how it could be traumatizing for you.”

“I don’t think it will be traumatizing. In some ways, I’m glad I don’t really remember that heat, and in all the heats I’ve had since, I’ve never had a flashback or panic attack. I don’t expect to have a bad reaction simply because an alpha is there. If anything, I’ll trust you even more because my body knows you’re my bondmate. I know you’ll take care of me and not hurt me.”

Mikel’s eyes sparkled and his broad smile returned, so Brogan knew he’d said the right words to comfort his alpha. The last thing he wanted was for this to be an upsetting experience for either of them, so Brogan needed to push Hamilton out of his head and focus on the heat.

When Liam arrived, Brogan cornered him. “So have you taken a test yet, or what?”

“I’m doing a hospital test at the end of the week,” Liam replied. “The first two home tests weren’t conclusive, so Isa made me an appointment.”

“Does Dr. Troi think you have good odds?”

“He isn’t saying one way or another. I think it’s because of Isa’s age. Alphas have had kids older than he is now, but there’s also a four-year gap between Tarius and Demir, so…”

“Got it. I know you guys want a baby, so I hope it goes your way.”

“Thanks.” Liam looked to the side, where Mikel and Peyton were playing. “Are you nervous?”

“Not really. Okay, a little, but not really.”

“Trust me, I get it. You’re excited because he’s your bondmate, but on the other hand, you’re trusting your well-being to another person for forty-eight hours.”

“Exactly.” Brogan so wanted to confide in his friend about the Hamilton meeting, but then Liam would go straight to his mate about it. No. “Thank you again for watching Peyton.”

“Never a problem. Layne will love the company, and so will Demir.”

“How’s his extra studying going?”

“So far, so good. He’s got some sort of goal in his head, but he hasn’t shared it with me or Isa yet. But we trust him.”

“He’s a great kid, and he’ll make someone a great partner one day.”

Liam shuddered. “I can’t believe he’s turning sixteen soon. He’s not even my kid but I’m already nervous about him dating and having sex, and all the other stuff teenagers do.”

“He’s smart, and he has two big brothers who’ll kick the ass of anyone who hurts him.”

“And having a constable sire never hurts.”

Brogan chuckled. “This is true.” A constable sire was more threatening than a pizza delivery dad, but that wouldn’t be Mikel’s profession forever. It was simply a starting point, a foot in the door. And no matter his eventual career, Mikel would be a wonderful dad to Peyton and any other kids they might have in the future.

“Are any of your nerves about mating?” Liam asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Trusting Mikel to always use a condom?”

Of all the things Brogan was worried about right now, that was not one of them. “No. Mikel’s a young alpha, but he’s smart, sensitive, and we talk. All the time. Plus, Mikel’s the one who wants to wait, and I agree with his reasons, so I don’t see him losing control and forgetting the condom.”

“Then I wish you a good heat and lots of hot sex.” Liam hugged him. “You ready to go play with Layne, Pey-pey?”

“Yeah!” Peyton said. He abandoned Mikel and raced over to Liam.

Brogan picked him up for a hug goodbye. “You have lots of fun with Layne and Uncle Liam, okay? I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Bye, Omi.”

After they left, Brogan wrote a note for the Li’s, so they didn’t wonder where he’d disappeared to. Mikel was full of nervous energy on the drive to his apartment. Brogan squirmed, unable to get comfortable as his lower half cramped and rearranged itself. He hated this part, because it happened so fast. His womb descended and his anal passage shifted to accommodate. His hole would loosen, and soon he’d begin producing a fragrant, natural slick—a scent that would entice any unmated alpha within smelling distance.

Thankfully, the apartment building was mostly beta, and the few men they passed paid little-to-no attention to either of them. Betas didn’t have the noses for the pheromones or slick, and they could rarely gender scent unless very close to the other person.

Brogan’s skin heated as he crossed the threshold, and he plucked at his clothes, annoyed by them but not quite ready to be naked yet. The futon was down in bed form, and a big box of condoms sat near the two pillows. Mikel moved around the apartment, and it took Brogan a moment to realize he was lighting candles. The romantic gesture warmed him deep inside, and Brogan held tight to it.

“I love you,” Brogan said, the words out before he thought them through.

Mikel froze with his back to Brogan. As he turned in a slow pivot toward Brogan, his eyes gleamed with emotion, and he kind of looked like he wanted to melt into a pile of goo. “I love you, too. I do, so much it hurts.”

“I know. I had to say the words before we did this. And I’m so happy to hear them back.”

“I love you.” Mikel crossed the distance and pulled Brogan into a hug. “I’ll say it whenever you need to hear it, my love.”

“Thank you.” Brogan kissed the side of Mikel’s neck. “It’ll start soon.”

“What should I do?”

“This.” He adored his alpha’s hugs the most, so they held each other tight, until the unbearable, heated itch across his skin drove Brogan away with a soft cry. “Oh, it’s starting.” He reached for the collar of his shirt just as the surge hit and the first drops of slick began to flow.

Mikel stared as Brogan undressed, excited and a little bit terrified now that the heat had truly begun. Thanks to advice from both Omegin and Dex’s nurse husband Serge, Mikel had done every possible bit of preparation he could for this, since neither of them would be able to leave for the next two days. Mikel was confident he had everything they’d need, plenty of food and water, and since he only had a shower and no tub, a variety of body washes in different soothing scents.

The first wave of Brogan’s heightened scent hit Mikel right in the groin—that spun-sugar aroma mixed with tantalizing pheromones and the honey-sweet scent of Brogan’s slick. Mikel’s mouth watered for a taste, but he didn’t approach. Brogan finished undressing, and he stood in the middle of the living area, shoulders hunched, breathing heavily. His erection strained away from his body, and the sight clued Mikel into his own aching cock.

Instincts battled with his higher thought functions, demanding Mikel push his mate to the floor, sink his dick into that wet, loose hole, and fuck until he came and knotted. Mated and claimed.

No, they weren’t mating, and Mikel would go to his mate when beckoned. It took every ounce of his love and respect for Brogan to keep him still, rooted in place, waiting for permission.

“Goddess, oh.” Brogan sank to his knees, hands clutching at his lower belly.

“Tell me what to do,” Mikel said. “Anything.”

“I’m scared. I’m so scared, Mikel.”

“Don’t be scared, love.” Mikel crouched in front of his mate and opened his arms. Brogan plastered himself against Mikel’s chest, and this close, the scent of slick nearly made Mikel insane with lust. But Brogan’s fear grounded him enough reality to control himself. “What are you afraid of? Me?”

“No, never you. So many other things. It doesn’t feel right to enjoy heat.”

Mikel struggled for the right words to soothe his upset bondmate. “Heat is about two people and only two. You and me. The rest of the world doesn’t matter right now. You’re allowed to enjoy this, I promise. You deserve all the love and pampering in the world, and I want to give it to you.”

Brogan sobbed once, then started plucking at Mikel’s clothes. “Please.” Mikel helped until they were both naked. Brogan leaned forward and sucked Mikel into his mouth, while jacking himself, and holy wow! Mikel came after only a dozen strokes, and Brogan swallowed the load. Then Brogan came over his hand and Mikel’s thigh, and that was probably the fastest orgasm of Mikel’s life. Despite the stories, Mikel expected his erection to wane a bit now that he’d come, but he remained as hard and eager as before.

“You taste so good,” Brogan panted. “Needed that first.”

“Anything. Tell me.” He licked his lips, a bit eager to find out what the slick tasted like.

As if sensing his thoughts, Brogan turned and dropped to his hands and knees, butt tipped into the air. Mikel stared at his rounded ass and the slightly-open, glistening pucker between his pale cheeks.

Yes, please, and thank you.

He swiped his tongue over Brogan’s hole. Brogan’s sharp cry matched the bark of joy in Mikel’s heart over that first sip. That first wonderful, delicious taste of his mate’s essence. He pressed his lips over Brogan’s entrance and pushed his tongue inside with no resistance. Brogan keened and humped backward against his face. Mikel grabbed his hips to hold him still, so he could pull every possible drop from Brogan’s hole. Every morsel of that sweet nectar he’d spend three months missing between heats, because it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.

This is why alphas lose their damned minds over heat. Forget the fucking, slick is the best thing on the planet.

Mikel drank from his mate until Brogan was a writhing mess, begging to be fucked. Begging in his beautiful, broken voice, and Mikel couldn’t think of a reason to deny him. But not on the floor like this. No, he forced his mouth from that honey and picked Brogan up. Carefully put him on the futon, face up, so he could see Mikel. Know it was Mikel. Brogan pulled his legs back and open, offering himself with love, devotion, and a tiny bit of fever in his eyes.

It would be so easy to take him. To slide his naked dick home and claim his mate, as the goddess intended.

Not yet.

Mikel ripped open the box of condoms, and soon he was sheathed in the protective barrier they’d agreed upon. Fucking, coming, and knotting? Yes.

Mating? No.

“Knot me, please,” Brogan said. “Please, my alpha.”

“Yes.” Mikel notched his dick to Brogan’s wet entrance. “Mine. Yours.”

“Us. Forever.”

He pushed, and the first slide of his cock into his mate took Mikel’s breath away.

Brogan wanted to scream out his pleasure and joy, but his voice only allowed harsh panting and a lot of moans. To finally feel his alpha’s hard cock in his passage? Perfection. His mate was exactly where Brogan needed him to be, filling him, loving him, protecting him. Mikel gasped as his hips met Brogan’s ass, and he stared down at Brogan with such innocent wonderment that Brogan’s heart wanted to burst with joy.

My alpha. Now and always.

Mikel kissed him then, and Brogan’s senses filled with the combined taste of Mikel and his own slick. Two amazing, heady things that had Brogan tipping right into a second orgasm. His semen coated his own stomach and chest, and Mikel stopped kissing him long enough to lick it up. Not a drop wasted.

“Need your knot, please,” Brogan panted.

“Anything, my omega.” Mikel drew back slowly, then pushed into Brogan on a long glide that…was not what Brogan needed.

He bit Mikel’s shoulder and said, “Fuck me like you mean it, alpha.”

With a growl, Mikel let loose and did exactly that. Brogan held on as Mikel’s thrusts became shorter, harder, and he loved every moment. Every slap and slam, every squish and smack, as their bodies moved. As they barreled toward this wonderful thing Brogan couldn’t wait to experience—his first knot with his bondmate.

“Love you, love you, love you,” dropped from Brogan’s lips like rain, constant and refreshing. This was everything he’d ever wanted, and Mikel was giving it to him. Driving them both to climax.

Mikel pushed in deep and stilled. “Oh, oh…oh!”

Just inside his rim, the base of Mikel’s dick began to expand. A slow rise, stretching Brogan in an impossible way, pressing hard against his gland. Brogan climaxed a third time, while imagining Mikel’s seed coating his insides. Marking him. Mating them. A fantasy this time but also their inevitable future. They would mate one day. Maybe his next heat, maybe the heat after. It didn’t matter.

All that mattered was this moment. Their love for each other. And a promise of a long, happy future as partners, equals.

And mates.

Heat was the most extraordinary experience of Mikel’s entire life. For two whole days, nothing mattered more than his bondmate. Between surges, they showered, cuddled, and watched television. Brogan slept a lot, and he ate anything Mikel prepared for him, despite not seeming to enjoy the taste—a distinctly omega thing, apparently, because Mikel liked the food. They splurged on noodles and chocolate cake and wine.

And they knotted with each surge, which happened roughly every six hours. Mikel glutted himself on slick, loving it more than any other part of their couplings—not only for the taste, but for the way he could make Brogan orgasm with just his tongue.

And Brogan relaxed the deeper into the heat they got. Whatever initial hesitation he’d had, those earliest fears seemed to be gone, and he embraced Mikel’s attention. He also lavished his own attention on Mikel, sucking him off between surges, and worshipping every inch of his body. Less and less, his scars bothered Mikel because they didn’t seem to bother Brogan. They were simply part of his body, no more and no less.

Mikel checked in with Liam twice—not because he didn’t trust Liam and his mate to care for Peyton, but because Mikel needed to know. Peyton was part of his heart now, and he’d step in front of a train for that boy. For Brogan, too.

He stroked Brogan’s hair while he napped. They only had a few hours left before the heat ended, and Mikel hoped they could make love again, surge or not. To use the amazing slick nature provided during these quarterly periods of time. Brogan snuffled and leaned into his touch. They were cuddling on the futon with the last of his clean sheets, and Mikel was glad he’d listened to Omegin about the extras. Going into the building basement to do laundry while sporting a raging boner would have scared every single neighbor he had, and no thank you. They already side-eyed him for being alpha in a beta-heavy building.

Mikel’s stomach growled. The microwave clock said it was lunchtime, so he slid out of bed and warmed up leftover lasagna. Brogan grumbled about being woken, but he needed to eat and keep his strength up. They ate in bed, feeding each other bites. Brogan purposely swiped sauce across Mikel’s nose, then leaned forward to lick it off.

“You’re adorable,” Mikel said.

“I like goofing off with you. And you’ve taken such good care of me these last two days. I can’t believe it’s almost over.”

“This has been an honor for me, Brogan. I never thought I could feel so much love and joy, until I met you. You changed my life.”

“You changed mine, too.” He eyeballed the nearly-empty box of condoms. “Once more? I’d love to feel you outside of a hormone surge.”

“Anything you want.”

Mikel cleaned up their food, and when he returned to the bed, Brogan rolled the condom on him. He directed Mikel onto his back, climbed on top, and sank down onto Mikel’s cock so slowly Mikel’s abs burned with the restraint of not surging up and claiming his mate. Slow and steady, a teasing pace, Brogan rode him while never breaking eye contact. So many things burned in Brogan’s expressive brown eyes, and the one thing that Mikel treasured the most was trust.

The leisurely strokes carried Mikel close to the edge of orgasm, but he never tipped over. Not for a long, long time. The first time Brogan frowned—probably from the exertion on his legs—Mikel eased him off, then switched positions so Brogan could relax on his back and let Mikel do the work. He pinched Brogan’s nipples just to hear him sigh, then pinched harder so his passage clenched.

“Wish we could do this forever,” Brogan said, a bit pleasure-drunk.

“Same.” Mikel loved being inside his mate during the looseness of heat, with the benefit of slick. The scents and sounds and beautiful sensations of it all. He’d miss it when it ended. “Love you so much.”

They’d already been making love for what felt like hours when another surge hit. Brogan thrashed and clung to him, humping desperately against Mikel’s thrusting hips, so Mikel gave him what he needed. He pounded into his bondmate, while jerking him, and they both came at almost the same time. Brogan’s climax and clenching hole threw Mikel over the edge with him.

Mikel sighed with joy as his knot expanded, a unique sensation that had scared him a little the first time, because he didn’t want it to be too much, or to hurt Brogan. But Brogan had loved it, and he loved each knot thereafter. Mikel humped a bit more, that knot stroking Brogan’s gland, until Brogan came again, one more fluidless orgasm. Brogan wrapped his legs around Mikel’s, and they existed in that perfect moment for a while.

After some time, the knot disappeared, and Mikel reluctantly slipped out and tossed the condom into the trash with the others. Then he cuddled Brogan close and kissed him soundly. “This has been so perfect,” Brogan whispered. “Thank you.”

“You are so very welcome, my love. So very, very welcome.”