Page 28 of Feral Alphas

“An omega, in heat, sir. She refuses to let me go.”

His brows jump. “Take her to the Omega Center. Follow protocol.” He hollers into his radio and a moment later a patrol wagon pulls up to the curb. Felina opens the back door and supports my elbow as I step up into the back and slide onto the bench seat, carrying the omega like she’s a baby monkey and I’m her mom.

Felina locks us in and the van rocks slightly as she climbs in the front.

I wish the drive would take hours, because the omega cuddles into me like I’m the only thing she wants in life, her every labored pant bringing our chests closer together.

“What’s your name?” I ask, stroking wisps of dark blonde hair out of her face. Her dampener bracelet sprays up my arm as she writhes but I don’t care.

Her voice comes soft and raspy. “They called me Rose. Before that, it was O-4.”

My pulses stutters and dread lands on my shoulders. That’s a clinical designation, not a name. Is there an omega smuggling ring we haven’t caught? Did we fail this precious woman by not finding her sooner?

I keep my howl locked in my throat and count to ten. Follow protocol, the boss said. “Rose, I’m taking you to the Darinian Omega Center. They’ll be able to help you and look after you there.”

She shakes her head, my Kevlar rustling under her chin. “No more centers.”

The fear in her voice tears at my heart. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Fuck! The endearment slips through, and I hit my head back against the wall. That heady potpourri smell is undoing my iron will, piece-by-piece, but I can’t get attached. “The Omega Center isn’t like the other places you’ve been. I promise you’ll be safe there.”

She whimpers against my skin. “It burns.” More hot tears drip down my neck and she writhes across my hips like she’s trying to cure her heat on me, and fuck if I’m not coming in my pants in seconds. I pant silently into her hair. Luka’s gonna laugh at how fast one little omega undoes me.

My knot bulges painfully and I slam my fist against the wall with a groan. “Punch that gas, guys!”

I lock my hands around the edge of the seat to keep them from diving into her clothes like I’m dying to. This situation reminds me of conditioning back at basic training a decade ago, but a hundred times worse. As agents in the omega crimes unit, we’re around distressed omegas all too often, and we go through special training to resist our instincts, but in all my years I’ve never come across such an affecting scent. I press my lips into her hair, the drive to be everything this blonde omega needs so powerful I’m trembling with desire.

Sirens wail as our driver acknowledges the emergency and we veer around a corner. I lock my arm around the omega’s waist and hold on, but she’s clinging so tight to my neck there’s no danger of her falling. I mean, technically as an OCB agent, I’m certified to help her through her heat if it’s an emergency, but we must be close to the Center now.

She drags herself across my lap, humping the bulge in my pants and even my gun holster, whining with need. Each of her desperate breaths paint my ear with fire.

“Help me,” she begs again and my control snaps. I dig my fingers down into those tight-as-sin leather pants and hit a pool of her slick.

The van jerks to a stop and I gasp as I realize what I’ve done. I pull her against my chest, hiding those round breasts out of sight as Felina raps once and opens the back door. I sigh with relief as the pale blue, nest-shaped Omega Center fills the skyline.

“Thank fuck!” I gasp. At this rate I’ll go into rut in another few minutes.

“Hold it together, boss,” Felina encourages with a wry grin, and I hope she didn’t catch my slip up in the wagon cameras. “I radioed her case ahead.”

I slide out and jump to the ground, my bad knee complaining after I landed on it earlier back at the arena.

Waiting staff usher us inside the emergency department and into a darkened room with heavy curtains and a bed. The two beta nurses exchanged wide-eyed glances as Rose’s powerful scent swirls through the small space.

“Come, sweet girl,” they croon, trying to get her on the bed.

She clings tighter, shaking in refusal.

One of the nurses meets my gaze with a slight smile. “Agent Nesters, is it alright with you if she stays there while we do our checks?”

I nod, glad for a reason not to let go of her yet. “Yes. Anything she needs. From what I understand, her name is Rose and before the fighting ring she was in an illegal omega smuggling center.”

The nurse gasps while the other shakes her head sadly. They take Rose’s temperature and check her heart rate, then confer softly before coming back to me.

“Agent Nesters, Rose is experiencing a critical heat, and her vitals are spiking dangerously. If we administer a sedative now, there’s an increased chance of a bad reaction that might send her into cardiac arrest.”

My arms close tighter around her. “Is there an alternative?”

She clears her throat. “The best way to calm an omega in heat is to knot her. We have alphas on standby who can help, but you’ve clearly gained her trust and as an OCB agent you’re certified to intervene as necessary. If you’re willing, would you assist her through her heat? It’s entirely your choice.”

The breath in my throat catches. Certified, yes, but I’ve never needed to use that license before. I clench my teeth together to hold in a groan. How can they talk of trust, when this woman doesn’t know me? She’s been used all her life, in who knows what terrible ways, and yet now she clings to me, a stranger. It’s like I’m her lifeline.

---