Fertility. Hayden fucking reeked of it. The sickly sweet scent wafted into my nose without warning. I nearly blew my load right then and there.

I couldn’t believe he walked into the club without masking his scent. It was a rule at the bathhouses and gay bars. You never knew how your smell might trigger another guy.

His scent said one thing: he was ready to be bred. But he had no idea what he was getting himself into. I watched as he walked into the maze. I could see the hunger in all of the men’s eyes. The aching, painful longing an alpha feels when he needs to spill his seed can feel like hell. The only cure is to take him.

So, I walked as quickly as I could. I took his wrist into my hand, a sure sign that this omega was mine. No one in that club would fuck with a guy like me. I was the beast, a relic around those parts. Once I picked an omega, he was mine forever.

Unfortunately, I didn’t like to be played around with. Leaving me hanging on the first night was a clear no-no. Plus, Hayden wasn’t ready. He was too disobedient. Too naïve. He would have to be taught.

A daddy couldn’t move too fast on impulses. He had to be slow, deliberate, and methodical with every single move he made. When the perfect time came, I would know. Until then, I was careful not to act too quickly.

I left because he needed to realize that I didn’t need him. At that moment, he needed me. That simple fact sent me walking out the front door.

Hank was probably right. Hayden was just another lonely cruiser. He needed to be tamed. Last night, he was a wild fucking animal in need of a leash. I had a few he could borrow.

I stepped out of bed, proudly eyeing the chokers, flogs, and leather paddles that hung against the wall. At one point of my life, they were my trophies, but they had been unused for a fucking century. I ran my hand against my pride and joy: the St. Anthony cross. No one dared to climb onto that one.

I heard my phone buzz. At first, I thought it might Hayden. I felt my stomach shake with pleasure. I shuddered with terror when I realized who it really was.

Patrick, my crazy fucking ex… We hadn’t dated for three years, and he was still fucking with my head. I stared at the bright luminescent screen of my phone. The words reflected back at me: “I saw you with your new boy-toy last night.”

So, he was watching over me still? I didn’t know Hank even allowed him in the old L & S. I couldn’t trust anyone these days. I’d have to switch clubs or stay home altogether.

“Lay off, Patrick. I’m not in your life anymore.” I stared at the screen for a good thirty seconds before sending the message. Patrick and I had gone through a lot together. Too much. I didn’t know how to approach this anymore.

“I just can’t understand how it doesn’t affect you. I can’t leave my house without thinking about him,” he said.

“Don’t,” I typed. “Not now. I thought we agreed. No more talking about what happened.”

“It’s easy for you, isn’t it? You’re the beast. Mr. Fuck Machine. You can hide behind your mask all of the time. Meanwhile, your new pet has no clue. Just wait until he finds out how damaged you really are. He’ll run for the fucking hills.”

I couldn’t deal with this bullshit anymore. The adrenaline rushes were too much for me. It surged within my body as I typed the following sentence: “Don’t fucking text me ever again.” I quickly blocked his number before he could respond.

Patrick wasn’t the first omega I had ever seriously dated, but he was the first to really mold with me. Then, when all was said and done, he broke me.

Back then, I wasn’t careful enough. I thought I knew everything. After all, I was the fucking beast. Once I opened up to him, he took everything from me. I let a piece of me die with him.

In the dimly lit bathroom, I swallowed down my anti-depressant medication. It was a full cocktail of crazy pills. The last one caught against the back of my throat. When I finally got it down, it left a bitter taste on the back of my tongue.

“Calm down, Leo,” I whispered.

The mornings were hard, but the nights could be worse. I tried not to let life get to me, but sometimes, it felt suffocating. Today was one of those days.

Leaning against the cold tiles of the bathroom wall, I reached inside my shower to turn on the hot faucet. I stepped inside, feeling relieved as soon as the water hit my face.

Still, Patrick had ruined my day, and no amount of hot water could ease me out of that tension. I opened my eyes and stared at the tiles in front of me. I slammed my fist against the wall. I released my knuckles from the plaster, watching as the small chips of paint fell to the wet cement floor.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

Blood trickled down my knuckles. The sting felt good. It felt deserved. I collapsed onto my knees and closed my eyes, letting the water fall onto my face.

Why was I letting Patrick get to me like this? The thing was, I didn’t care about him at all. What happened three years ago was the past. I just wanted to get on with my life, but he somehow had a stranglehold over my psyche.

I had to block Patrick, but knowing him, he’d probably show up at the Leather and Lace again to stalk me. If I stopped going to the club, he’d appear at my front door, bawling his eyes out. He was still somehow a friend to everyone in the scene, though maybe that had changed. I felt like I couldn’t escape him.

As the steam billowed around my body, I thought of the night before. I still hadn’t felt the straight boy’s mouth, but the more I thought of Patrick, the more I wanted Hayden to call.

He had a slim build, and his uncircumcised cock was pretty fucking hot too. In time, he’d be ready. He’d play the part better than any of my exes ever could. I wasn’t fucking around this time. If I was going to find the perfect bottom, I was going to make him understand that this was the real deal.

You’re getting ahead of yourself, Leo. Stick to the sex.

When he was ready, I’d force myself on him. I’d gag him. I’d choke him. I’d flog him until he begged me to stop. And when I finally did mount him, I’d pump my seed into him as deep as his hole would let me. I’d breed him better than any other guy in the world.

Fuck. I had to take a deep breath. I hadn’t cum in months, and my cock was aching to blow. I struggled my body onto my feet and wrapped my hand around my shaft.

I stroked my cock, imagining the stranger’s open hole staring back at me. I could feel his hips against my palms. I could fucking smell him, taste him even. I imagined myself slide into him, feeling his warmth shake the cold out of me.

I let go as fast as I could before straining my eyes open. I grunted and bit the inside of my cheek as hard as I could. I almost came, but I stopped myself right before my climax. The next time I had a release, it would be with him. He’d take every last drop and beg for more.

Sometimes, I felt like a beast. I was big and bulky, and barely fit in anywhere. I tried my best to be normal, but I just wasn’t. Part of my lifestyle was about feeling in control. Most of the time, I just wanted to escape.

In the darkness, I couldn’t be seen. I was just a big mass of hard flesh and power. Unless I was in the club, I didn’t dare leave my home. I was the Minotaur of the leather scene. Hear me fucking roar.

I sat on my bed and took my phone in my hands. Patrick put a damper on my day, but as soon as I saw my phone light up, I smiled. It could only be one person.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Hayden. It had to be him. The excitement I felt caught me a little off guard. “You’re disobedient,” I said. “You know what I want. Yet, you stood me up. Then, when we finally did meet, it took you over thirty seconds to drop onto your knees.”

My chest was fuckin’ pumping. I thought of that smooth body of his, and I suddenly felt tumultuous. I had the urge to tell him to come over, but I knew that I had to have limits.

If this was going to work, it couldn’t be like my last relationship. I needed to establish trust from the very beginning.

“I was frightened,” he said.

The fear was obvious. I could see it reflected in his eyes. “Learn to let go of yourself. Turn your fear into excitement. You let your emotions betray you,” I said.

I wished I took my own advice, but I had given up a long time ago. Hell, the scene pretty much gave up on me too. Hayden offered me a thousand new possibilities, but ultimately, I felt disinclined to expect anything from anyone.

“I’m sorry, sir. I want to learn,” he texted.

A small laugh escaped my lips. “Then, tell me the fucking truth. No beating around the bush. I don’t play games,” I said.

“Yes, daddy,” he typed.

He was young. He could be molded into the perfect pet. My mind began racing with possibilities, but I took a deep breath and held it for ten long seconds. I calmed down.

“Fuck it,” I whispered.

“Come over,” I typed. “3523 Elm Street. Be here in ten minutes or don’t come at all.”

“Now?” he asked.

“Is that a problem?” I asked.

I was starting to get annoyed, but my cock hadn’t caught up with my brain yet. Now wasn’t the time to get too flustered. “No, sir. I’ll be there. Ten minutes.”

“Eight,” I said.

I sat back with a glowing smile on my face. I had a strong fucking feeling that this was the start of something serious, and when Hayden arrived in seven minutes, I thought of all the things I might do to him.

“On your knees,” I commanded.

“Yes, daddy. Anything for you, daddys.”