Page 230 of Kingdoms of Night

“Do you know how the Alphas in Alberta Sector treat Omegas?” she asked.

“I do.” I’d never been there, nor did I have any desire to visit. They tended to form packs around their Omega mates, meaning more than one Alpha claimed the Omega. Given how much Alphas liked to fuck, it was fairly evident how the Omegas were treated in that sector.

Surely not all the Alphas were bad.

But the fact that sharing was so prevalent in that sector suggested they didn’t engage in soul-deep bonds.

Because most X-Clan Alphas refused to share.

We were too possessive to even consider the notion.

“Then perhaps you’ll understand my concern over being claimed since I was promised to one of their Alpha triads,” she said quietly.

My eyebrows rose. “Promised?”

She sat down again, surprising me as she straddled my thighs and placed her hands on my shoulders. “My Alpha father arranged it. That’s why I left.” She frowned. “Well. ‘Why I ran’ would be more accurate. He hadn’t exactly approved of my decision to move into the human world and pursue my degrees.”

“Because he was an Alpha who believed in controlling your identity,” I guessed.

“Yes.” She moved closer, her slick heat only an inch from my aching cock. “But you’re nothing like those Alphas.”

“I’m not,” I agreed.

“You’ve never told me what to do. At least… not without good reason.”

“Sometimes you have to obey,” I told her.

“But just so we’re clear, I’m probably not going to obey often,” she informed me, her voice breathy despite her obvious intention to set some ground rules.

“I would hope not.” I wrapped my palm around the back of her neck to pull her even closer. “I meant what I said earlier about punishments. I intend to do all those things to you.”

“While still allowing me to be me?” she asked, her mouth close to mine.

“I’ve never desired you to change, Riley.” I stroked my thumb along her neck. “And I won’t be desiring you to change now, either.”

She nodded slowly, her tongue slipping out to dampen her lower lip.

“Well, there is one change you’ll need to make,” I said, thinking it through.

She stilled. “What is it?”

“Your suppressants. I don’t want you to take them anymore. I want you to be able to be you. I want your wolf to be free.”

“But—”

“This is one of those items I won’t negotiate, Riley. You can’t suppress your shifter side. It isn’t healthy. Fuck, it could have gotten us killed today.”

She pulled back a little. “No one is going to let an Omega be a doctor.”

I snorted. “There are plenty of Alphas who wouldn’t bat an eye at that chosen profession.” My gaze narrowed. “Alphas like Kieran, right?” He was a V-Clan wolf with mystical abilities for healing. Surely he’d picked up on her penchant for suppressants—something I hadn’t even considered until right now.

And her reddening cheeks told me I was on the right track.

I pulled back even more. “Has he knotted you?” Because that might prove problematic. “Have you used him to help you through a heat cycle?”

She frowned at me. “I told you that I’ve never been knotted. And I also haven’t gone through estrus in over a decade.”

Right. Yeah, she’d mentioned that. But the notion of her being with Kieran short-circuited my ability to process thought. “Do you want him to knot you?”

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