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The Butterfly Effect Pt. 2

Summary: [“Don’t give me your throat unless you mean it.”]

Pairing: Alpha!Andy Barber x Omega!Reader

Word Count: 14.8K

Warnings: 18+ ONLY. Here there be explicit language, dystopian society, awful tyrannical government organizations, misogynistic issues, subject of imprisonment/captivity, manipulation, discussion of noncon breeding, threat of violence, general sexual content, thigh riding, and praise kink. I think I got them all…

Author’s Note: Well, fuck. This was a lot more than I anticipated. What was meant to originally be a oneshot will now be a... threeshot? I think I have a problem and his name is Andy Barber. I promise though, we're going somewhere... This is also a part of my wife’s 5k Soft!Dark Challenge! YAY! Thank you @stargazingfangirl18 for being such a wonderful and supportive spouse and for frothing at the mouth with me over Alpha!Andy. You are the sweetest.

**(((((()))))) = scene divider because there were too many scenes to have the fancy butterflies in one post**

Read PART ONE if you haven't yet or else this will make no sense.

Part Two

You dreamed of a world full of threads.

You hadn’t been aware of them before, but they were all you could see now. Threads that became a dark, tangled web with no escape—and you were right in the center. Strings and ropes and chains surrounded you on all sides, gnarled hands and withered fingers, all of them reaching and grasping and searching.

For you.

One wrong move, one wrong breath, the trap would spring and you would be ensnared.

Lost.

Taken.

Forever.

You dreamed and fear began to fill you, like a boat taking on water. With every inhale you sank deeper and deeper and—

A weight, like a heavy winter blanket, settled over your mind. It was soft and warm and so very strong, and it began to block out everything—your terror, your anxiety, your worry. Until there was nothing at all. Nothing but calm, quiet night.

And yet, in that darkness, one thread remained.

Glittering silver, like the sun sparkling off the surface of a lake. It didn’t reach for you; it didn’t need to. It had already slipped beneath your skin, weaving between your ribs until it wrapped around your heart.

But you were not afraid.

(((((())))))

Several hours had passed when you finally woke up. Your body was sluggish, not wanting to move from its place on the bed. Rubbing a hand over your face, you turned your head to the large window. It was covered with thick blackout curtains, but there, just around the edges, you caught the barest streaks of the morning sun trying to cut through the darkness.

You wanted to rip back the curtains and let all the light in.

You were still staring at the window when the door cracked open. Soft golden light spilled into the room and sent the shadows skittering. You sat up in the plush bed, hissing sharply as your aching muscles protested the sudden movement.

Andy was a dark silhouette filling the doorway.

“Did I wake you?” He asked in a hushed voice.

“No,” you said, softly. “I’ve been up for a while. I…” you paused, hesitating as your mind flew to your strange dreams. Frowning, you merely shook your head, “I could smell the food.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. The smells wafting under the door had been an onslaught to your newly sensitive nose; coffee, eggs, pancakes, bacon—the works.

“Ah,” Andy relaxed and leaned his shoulder against the doorframe with a quirk of his lips. “Well, I hope it smells good.”

You nodded eagerly. After only being allowed broth and crackers last night, you were more than ready for something substantial. Your stomach growled in agreement and from the doorway, Andy chuckled in that low, gravelly way of his.

He glanced over his shoulder at the brightly lit room behind him and turned back to you, brows lifting. “Do you want to come out here to—”

“No!”

The word leapt off your tongue like oil hitting a hot pan. Silence filled the space between the two of you.

“I…” you tried to talk around the lump of fear that fisted at the base of your throat. You weren’t ready. The mere thought of leaving this room, the same room you had been in since waking up from your heat the day before, sent you into an irrational kind of panic. Swallowing with a grimace, you finally managed to squeak out, “Can I stay in here for now, please?”

For a long time, Andy just stared at you, concerned, and then, as if a sudden realization came upon him, his whole demeanor changed.

“Of course, you can. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking…” the Alpha trailed off with a sigh. A second later he lifted his head and smiled sweetly at you. “You just hang tight. I’ll be right back.”

Your brows pinched as you watched him turn and slip quietly out of the room. And then it hit you like a gunshot to the chest.

A handsome man was about to bring you breakfast in bed and you weren’t even wearing pants.

Eyes rounding dramatically, you scrambled out from underneath the heavy covers, nearly tumbling out of the bed in your rush. You tip toed across the room to the dresser, knees wobbling like a newborn giraffe. Ripping open a drawer, you snagged the first pair of sweats you could find and gracelessly tugged them up over your hips, rolling them at the waist so that the legs wouldn’t drag across the ground. The shirt Andy had given you had stretched out a bit overnight and was now sliding off one shoulder, but you didn’t have time to find another.

Not when you became aware that there was something glaringly wrong with the bed.

You didn’t know what exactly was wrong, but you knew that you needed to fix it—starting with the pillows. Fluffing them, you rearranged them in an absolute frenzy at least four different times before shoving the heels of your palms into your eyes in frustration. They didn’t look the way you wanted, but the problem was that you didn’t even know what you wanted. Eventually you gave up on the pillows and moved on to try and smooth out the lumpy feather comforter.

Stepping back, you took in your work and your heart fell.

It wasn’t right.

A tiny growl erupted out of you as you scrambled clumsily back onto the bed. Spinning on your knees, you had just grabbed the pillows again when a throat cleared.

Later, you would swear that your heart actually stopped.

Dropping the pillows at your side, you twisted around, eyes lowered to the wrinkled comforter, whole body deflating like a sad balloon. If you were both going to eat breakfast in here, then you at least wanted the place to look… to look…

You searched for the word but came up short. A whine built up in your throat, but you swallowed it down before it could sneak its way past your lips. You knew Andy was watching you closely, his gaze was a physical weight, but you couldn’t bring yourself to even look at him.

You didn’t know what he was thinking and a part of you didn’t want to know because if you were disappointed in yourself then he, an Alpha, would surely—

“It’s perfect.”

Jolting, your head snapped up.

Andy stood still, a heavy tray of delicious smelling food balancing in his hands, and his heart in his eyes. Unable to handle the way he was looking at you, the emotion sitting so bare in his face, you dropped your gaze back to your lap. Twisting your fingers together, your shoulder hitched up to your ear and you wrinkled your nose.

“It’s not right,” you mumbled eventually.

Footsteps approached and there was a soft scraping sound as the tray was carefully slid onto the top of the dresser. You stayed very still.

A moment later a gentle knuckle tucked under your chin, lifting your head. Even in the dim lightning of the room, Andy’s eyes seemed to glow with an otherworldly kind of gold. He held your gaze for a long moment and the gnarled tree root that worry and fear and panic had twisted your heart into unwound itself with a soft sigh.

“No, Butterfly,” Andy whispered. “This is a perfect nest.”

Nest.

You were nesting.

Because you were an Omega.

A shiver skittered up your spine and left your mouth with a trembling exhale. His words of approval and acceptance waged war with your newly developed instincts. Slowly, you reached up and wrapped your fingers around his wrist, needing to hold onto something solid, needing to tether yourself to this world (and there wasn’t anything or anyone you could think of who was more grounded than this Alpha).

Andy’s pulse leapt wildly beneath your touch and those golden eyes glinted. It made you dizzy. And when his thumb dragged across the sensitive skin just beneath your bottom lip, you all but went under. Your eyes slid shut and you swayed on your knees, mind completely gone.

This Alpha was dangerously intoxicating.

Calloused fingers trailed down your chin, under your jaw, skimming along the side of your throat. A tingling kind of thrill rushed through you, gathering in your chest and pushing out through your nipples in an electric wave until they hardened almost painfully. You arched your back with a breathy sigh when Andy’s warm palm settled in the space where your neck met your shoulder.

His thumb brushed over your thrumming pulse. “You did so good, Omega.”

You felt those low, throaty words in your goddamn toes. They curled unintentionally and a nervous, fluttering kind of energy bubbled up in your blood. It simmered and came to a rushing boil, spilling out of your mouth in the form of a single note chirp.

The noise jolted you out of whatever haze you had fallen into and your eyes flew open, shocked and a little embarrassed at the new sound.

“Sorry, I…” you started, voice raspy and weak, and then you cleared your throat and tried again, louder—“Sorry.”

Andy gently squeezed your shoulder and ducked down to try to catch your eyes. “What was that, Omega?”

You flicked your gaze to the side, avoiding Andy’s searching look.

“I said sorry.”

“No, not that,” he rumbled. “The other. Make that sound again.”

Lips flattening, you slid your gaze back to the Alpha, giving him a look. But when Andy just smiled encouragingly, the corners of his eyes crinkling, you realized that he wasn’t making fun of you—he genuinely wanted to hear it again.

At his gentle urging, you swallowed and tried to conjure up the chirp again, reaching down into a part of you that was so unfamiliar, so new, so untried—

And nothing.

Sighing, you shook your head. “I can’t. I don’t know how. I wasn’t thinking about it when it happened. It just… happened.”

“You’re letting the human part of you get in the way,” Andy explained and you frowned. “The hindbrain isn’t concerned about what others thinks. It just acts. You’re going to need to learn to trust that part of you.”

You just stared up at him, feeling even more lost. His gaze softened, blue eyes framed by those ridiculously long, dark lashes of his.

“I can help, if you’d like,” he offered gently.

Shyly, you nodded and he tapped the side of your thigh twice. You scooted over so he could sit down on the edge of the bed. There was a playful, almost boyish quality to his grin, like this was something he always wanted to try. Andy cleared his throat and then wet his lips and locked eyes with you as he made a low, huffing sort of sound.

Instantly you chirped back, as though his call had summoned a part of you that you weren’t able to control on your own.

Eyes wide, your mouth dropped open in complete and utter shock and Andy laughed. He repeated the sound and immediately you called back, though your chirp was slightly warped by your nervous giggle.

“See?” He nudged your still shocked form, grinning and so fucking proud. “That wasn’t so hard. It’s just a form of vocalization for us. It cuts past all the jargon and gets straight to the point. Most of the time I prefer that over navigating all the details.”

Shifting further back onto the bed, you winced, still feeling the soreness from your heat though it was growing duller by the moment. You crossed your legs and tilted your head at the Alpha, considering his explanation. “So, what does that chirp mean?”

Andy just looked at you.

“What do you feel when you make that sound?”

You took a moment to think about it, to examine the emotions swirling inside you and landed on three things.

“Happy,” you told him. “Content…” your mouth twisted and you ducked your head, shoulders hunching, “a little flustered.”

Andy nodded, lifting both brows. “There you go. You’ll be a pro at this in no time. But first,” he slapped his thighs and pushed up off the bed. “You need to eat.”

Your gaze followed the Alpha as he walked over to the dresser and somewhere deep inside you, there was a tug in the center of your chest.

(((((())))))

You passed out not long after breakfast.

It was so strange, the exhaustion. Your heat was clearly over but you still felt like you had been run over by a semi. Just pulling yourself out of bed and walking over to the adjoining bathroom took a concentrated effort.

You had also expected the change to be more… drastic. At least physically. But as you peeled off the sweatpants and the oversized shirt you wore and stared into the bathroom mirror in nothing but your own skin, twisting this way and that, there were only two noticeable differences.

The first was the fact that your eyes seemed to have been replaced with living coals. No matter how many times you blinked, they kept that same golden glow you had only seen flashes of in Andy’s gaze. You didn’t know what that meant or if it was permanent, but it was strange to look into the mirror and see someone else’s eyes staring out of your own face.

The second was the ultra-sensitive patch of raised skin in the pocket of soft flesh right above your clavicle. You never remembered your mother mentioning these things pulsing and throbbing, but yours certainly did.

Even as your eyes fell to it now, it seemed to have a mind of its own, waking up like a grumpy toddler to angrily demand your attention.

You stared at it for a long moment, tilting your head to the side, lips parting as you lifted a hand and carefully reached out a single finger, just to see if it would ease the—

You gasped audibly.

The instant your fingertip connected with that raised patch of skin, some unseen force folded your body in half, throwing you onto the bathroom counter. If you hadn’t caught yourself on your elbows, you would’ve smashed your face into the faucet, but you weren’t thinking about that. You weren’t thinking about anything but the obscene moan that was pulled out of the pit of your belly, the way your vision flashed white, like you had been struck by lightning.

That spot at the base of your throat didn’t just tingle—it burned with need, like there was a live wire attaching the mating gland on your neck to your clit.

Back arching, you instinctively clenched your core and like a wet cloth being wrung dry, trails of slick started to slowly dribble down the inside of your thighs. It rolled down your smooth skin hot and thick and heavy, like sap on a tree.

You clenched again—hard—and a whine wheezed out from between your lips; it was a desperate sound, a call, a plea.

Wrenching your hand away from your mating gland, you slammed your palm flat into the counter and panted, eyes perfect circles. Your muscles trembled and your heart tried to beat its way out of your chest. All the while, that gland throbbed and pulsed until your knees finally buckled, unable to hold the weight of your body up anymore.

They knocked into the cabinet with a loud, resounding thud.

You yelped, both kneecaps bursting in pain. Sweat coated your skin and it was a graceless thing, the way that you slid down onto the cold tile floor in a pile of shaking limbs. You tried to slow your breathing, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

Breathing in and out. In and—

You went still.

Eyes blearily slitting open, you delicately sniffed the air and then blinked at the heavy scent of warm brown sugar that filled your lungs. It was so strong you could almost taste it on your tongue. It swirled around the room, permeating in the air like baked goods in a hot oven. Sighing, you licked your lips and—

“Butterfly?”

Shit.

Your eyes flew open, sheer panic flooding your veins. Heart pounding, you scrambled across the bathroom floor until your back hit the wall opposite the door, leaving behind a small trail of slick. You tucked your knees into your chest and wrapped your arms around your shins, swallowing down a whine.

“Are you okay?” Andy asked in a careful voice. “I heard…” he started and stopped.

You heard his audible swallow on the other side of the door and you knew in that instant that he could smell that heavy brown sugar scent.

That he could smell you.

Eyes huge, you stared at the shadow underneath the door, the Alpha that had gone so silent and so still. You held your breath.

You weren’t stupid. You may have been a late bloomer, but you knew some things about this world. You knew that scent clouding the air was radiating from the honey-thick slick trickling down your skin. You knew it was meant to attract Alphas.

Above all else, you knew that you were curled up naked on the bathroom floor, shaking and trembling in a puddle of your own mess while a man—a friend—an Alpha stood just on the other side of a flimsy wood door.

“It sounded like you were hurt,” Andy said eventually and yet he sounded like he was the one in pain.

A tremor rolled through you.

“I’m fine!” You squeaked out, your whole body ablaze with mortification.

Andy didn’t respond right away and he didn’t move away from the door. The gland on your neck ached, thrumming wildly, like a drum. Your grit your teeth and screwed your eyes shut. Then—

“Do you need my help?”

It wasn’t just a question; it was an offering and it had something inside of your chest shifting and raising its head in attention.

Did you need this Alpha’s help?

Yes, a voice inside of you all but wailed, but you fought it tooth and nail until what came out instead was a quiet, painful, “No.”

It felt like a betrayal. Your nails dug into the soft skin of your shins, breath locking in your lungs until they burned.

“Okay,” Andy agreed after a long moment, his voice muffled, like he had pressed his forehead against the door at some point and was all but breathing into the wood. His throat cleared, “I’m going to start working on dinner.”

You nodded but then realized he couldn’t see that. Wetting your lips, you managed to get out a soft, “Thank you.”

He didn’t respond but you saw the shadow leave and suddenly you could breathe again. Your head thumped back against the wall with a sigh and your muscles unwound. Swallowing hard, you glanced down at the space between your legs and grimaced at the gooey, stringy mess. There was no way in hell you were going back outside with… with all of… that on you.

Your eyes fell on the shower and in any other situation you would have asked your host if you could use their shower, but something told you that Andy wouldn’t mind.

(((((())))))

“Well look who’s feeling better.”

The words were spoken no sooner than the bedroom door behind you clicked shut. You went still.

Andy watched you from his place by the stove with a soft but surprised smile. He had a white kitchen towel casually slung over one shoulder and was wearing dark jeans and a warm looking sweater; he was barefoot.

You stayed where you were, feeling the itch to turn around and slip back into your room, into the space of familiarity and comfort. You probably would have, too, if it weren’t for the fact that it still smelled like your slick, despite how well you cleaned the bathroom and despite the tenderness of your inner thighs from all of your scrubbing.

Andy seemed to read it all on your face and the man had mercy on you, dropping his gaze to the boiling pot he was currently stirring a wooden spoon through.

“I was just about to bring the food in,” he told you lightly.

You swallowed like you had something stuck in your throat and when you spoke, your voice was very small. “I thought it would be nice to eat out here tonight.”

Andy’s eyes snapped up and clear blue eyes locked on you. You silently begged him not to ask why and he seemed to understand by the way that his lips curved. “We can do that.”

You flashed him a quick but grateful smile and turned to take in the rest of the apartment.

It was large and open and pristinely clean and… it reeked of money.

Oddly enough, it carried the same strange emptiness, the barely-lived-in feeling, that you had first noticed in the bedroom. There was not much color outside of grays and whites and blacks and beiges, no decorations, no personality, no little knick-knacks, and suddenly you were aching for your own home—the tiny apartment you and your mother shared where the door hinges squeaked and sometimes the faucets exploded like Old Faithful.

It might have been a pain in the ass place to live, but it was home and it felt like home.

Shuffling past the kitchen and into the living room, you glanced up at the vaulted ceilings and the glittering, elaborate light fixtures overhead. You were grateful Andy hadn’t turned those on and seemed to prefer the low lighting of reading lamps, much like yourself.

There was a large window against the wall near the dining table and it was covered in the same thick blackout curtains as the window in the bedroom. Brows pinching, you wandered over there next, highly aware of Andy’s gaze tracking your steps as you cautiously explored.

The edges of the curtains were outlined in an orange glow and you smiled a little, feeling the same urge as this morning. You could only imagine how beautiful the sunset had to be to offer you even a sliver of a color that beautiful and vibrant. Curious, you reached up and—

“Don’t.”

You glanced over your shoulder in silent question. Andy was wiping his hands on the kitchen towel, his serious gaze locked on you.

“We need to leave the curtains closed,” he explained in an urgent tone. “There are eyes everywhere.”

A world full of threads.

Your hand fell away from the curtain in an instant. Of course. How could you have forgotten?

“Right,” you nodded and wrung your hands together. Biting your bottom lip, you stared hard at the ground and then slowly lifted your eyes. “Has there been any news?”

A beat of silence.

“No. Nothing terrible at least,” Andy told you in a muted voice. He turned off the stove and carried the large, steaming pot over to the sink to dump the pasta into a strainer. You watched the way his face contorted in anger through the clouds of steam, the way his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. When he spoke next, you caught a flash of teeth, “They’re too busy celebrating the… conception.”

It was clear you both had other words for what they were celebrating.

The news of Project Restore’s ‘success’ had broken the morning you had gone to the courthouse to file for your D-level license. You wondered now if it had been an omen.

You wondered what was going to happen to you; you couldn't stay in this apartment forever, no matter how nice it was.

Your mind flashed to that tangled web, to the ropes and the chains that were waiting for you everywhere you turned. A tremor shot through you and you felt your throat tighten, like a fist was slowly cutting off your air supply.

“You’re safe here, Omega.”

“For how long?” You asked and your voice didn’t quite shake. Desperate eyes landed on Andy and he tossed away the towel and walked towards you.

“You’re safe,” he repeated, his voice deepening in a way that made your head spin, before adding, “with me.”

Andy’s words slid under your skin and wrapped around your bones; they carved themselves into the marrow until you actually believed him. You didn’t look at him as he approached, merely closed your eyes and let that promise settle deep into the meat of your heart.

The world wasn't a safe place, but Andy was. It prickled at your skin and you tried to speak but you tongue felt thick and unable to move. Moments later, you inhaled and blinked your eyes open. Andy was right in front of you, standing close enough that you had to crane your neck back to look up at him. And for some reason that you could not name, he looked sad.

You made a low noise in the back of your throat and reached up to brush the tips of your fingers along the side of his face.

There was no thought to the action, you simply needed to touch him—to soothe him.

His beard was softer than you expected and the skin just above was burning hot. Andy held still (you weren’t sure the Alpha was even breathing), and then it happened all at once.

His eyes slid shut and this close you could see the way that his thick eyelashes dusted the tops of his cheeks. Dark brows pulled together and lifted in the middle and you watched some deep unnamable emotion bleed through Andy’s face.

Like it had been too long for him.

And then he leaned into your touch.

Turning his head, Andy pressed his mouth into your fingertips and your lips parted with an exhale. You both stayed like that, so still and so quiet, and he didn’t kiss your fingers, he just kept his lips pressed against the soft pads. It took everything in you not to dip them between his lips for him to taste.

You wondered if he would let you. You wondered what else he might want to taste. You wondered what it might be like to forget the world and lose yourself completely to the rush, to the consuming—

“Alpha,” you keened.

The sound, raw and drenched, came up out of your throat before you could swallow it down and the gland at the base of your throat was burning.

A sudden bloom of warm brown sugar swirled in the air around you, sweet and heavy.

Snapping back to yourself, you jerked your hand away from Andy’s face, mortified at the sudden slippery wetness gathering between your legs. You tried to scramble backwards but hands gripped your elbows, keeping you in place.

“No, no, no,” Andy was saying quietly, holding tight even as you tugged uselessly against his hold, dropping your eyes to the ground, chest heaving. “Don’t do that, Butterfly. Don’t run from me. That scent? I want you to hear me right now: it is nothing to be embarrassed about. Okay? There's no shame in it.”

Your face crumbled and you shook your head silently.

“C’mere, Omega, you’re okay,” Andy crooned softly and pulled you into a hug.

You let him, feeling anxious for any kind of comforting touch, wrapping your arms around his trim waist and pressing your face against his chest, trying to breathe deep and calm yourself. His cologne smelled good and even though you understood that now it was his scent you enjoyed, there was still a part of your brain that would always assume it was just magic cologne.

Magic cologne that made everything in you want to rise up on your tippy toes and stick your nose in his neck for the rest of eternity.

“It’s perfectly normal,” he assured you again, and you felt his chest vibrate with the words. “It’s just how you feel, that’s all.”

You waited a beat, then—

“Thank you,” you said, voice muffled against him, and you meant it. “For… all of this. For everything you’ve done.”

He pressed a kiss into your hair like it was second nature and you froze momentarily, then smiled against him before leaning back, still keeping your arms around his waist.

“It’s no burden on me,” Andy’s eyes were practically sparkling as he stared down at you in his arms. At some point, one of you started to softly sway gently back and forth and you could not figure out who. When he spoke next, his voice was just above a whisper. “I like taking care of you.”

You didn’t know what to say to that so you just rolled your lips over your teeth and ducked your head into his firm chest to hide. Andy laughed softly, his big hands sliding up and down your back.

It was nice, to be held after everything.

Only when the oven timer went off did you both let go of each other, and even then it was a gradual, reluctant thing.

You didn’t know what to make of the ache you felt at his physical absence, though he was only a few feet away. Part of you was sure it had to do with your designations alone, but the other, quieter part of you knew it was something else.

Something bright and silver and glowing in the cage of your ribs.

Inhaling deeply, you watched Andy discreetly adjust his jeans before opening the oven. And when he removed the freshly baked garlic bread and you smelled the heady scent of apples and cinnamon instead, you grinned to yourself.

Perfectly normal, indeed.

(((((())))))

“Did you sleep well today?”

You glanced up mid-bite, both brows lifting. Andy was sitting back in his chair watching you eat, a small but pleased smile on his face. He had done that at breakfast, too, like it satisfied some deep part of him to see you enjoying the food he made.

Setting down your fork, you snorted lightly, “Like the dead.”

“I’m not surprised,” Andy reached for his beer. “You need to rebuild your strength.”

“I feel like all I’ve done is sleep.”

The Alpha shrugged, “Your body needs it.”

You hummed and picked your fork back up, stuffing the bite of heavenly pasta in your mouth. The amount of restraint it took not to moan was impressive—Andy clearly knew how to cook.

Thinking on that little fact, you slanted a look at the Alpha who was now draining his beer. You watched the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed, the veins that stood out along the back of his hands. He was an obscenely attractive Alpha, not to mention uncommonly kind. He had a successful and well-paying job.

How the fuck does this man not have a mate?

There was a sudden tug, right in the center of your chest and you grunted in surprise. You straightened in your chair and rubbed at that spot, wincing.

“What are you thinking, Butterfly?”

Your eyes snapped to Andy and the lie was slipping off your tongue before you could stop it.

“I was just wondering where exactly we are. This place is pretty nice.”

Andy just stared at you for a long moment and you shifted in your seat, flicking your gaze away from his.

Finally, the Alpha murmured, “This is my home.”

Nodding in relief, you glanced around the large, open space. There was an expensive looking couch in front of a large television, but you saw no pillows, no blankets, no sign of a makeshift bed. Your eyes slid back to his.

“Where do you sleep?” You asked with a tilt of your head. He had been in that chair in your room when you initially woke up from your heat, but once you got through the worst of it, Andy had given you some space.

“In the guest bedroom,” he pointed to a hallway to the left of the front door, the one space you had yet to explore. “It’s just through there.”

Your stomach dropped.

“I took your room?” You asked slowly, your voice laced with guilt. “Why didn’t you put me in the guest bedroom?”

Andy leaned forward resting his elbows on either side of his empty plate. He folded his fingers in front of his mouth, gathering his words.

“To put it lightly,” he began, “you needed to be in a room… drenched in an Alpha’s scent.” Your eyes widened comically and Andy’s lips thinned in a humorless smile. “It helps, or so I’ve heard. And after seeing how you react to my scent, I’d say it was an accurate assessment.”

You sat back in your chair, trying to process it all, but all you could come up with was, “How though?”

“How does my scent help you?” Andy clarified.

“Yeah—I… I don’t understand. When I smell your scent—or your ‘magic cologne’,” you made air quotations and the Alpha chuckled, amused. The sound caught your attention immediately and your heart fluttered at being the one to make him laugh, to make him happy. A chirp jumped out of you before you could stop reign it back in. Andy’s grin stretched even wider, fonder, his gaze never leaving yours.

Your leg began to jiggle.

“It calms me,” you picked up where you left off. “Your scent makes me feel better. Sometimes I swear that it even changes my emotions. How is that possible?”

Andy leaned back in his chair, intelligent blue eyes staring at you. When he spoke, it was careful and slow. “The more dominant you are, the deeper the need and desire you have to protect and provide. But it's not just a need that I have, it’s something others can draw from me or any other Alpha. That transfers over through touch and scent. I’m fairly dominant and… you’re an Omega. It’s biological. But in truth, if the world wasn’t the way that it is, all Alphas would be a comfort to you or to anyone with a lower designation. We are meant to be a place of safety.”

“I feel safe with you, Andy.”

You weren’t even thinking as those words left your tongue. You didn’t have to because it was true. Truer than maybe anything else you knew.

“I’m glad,” his golden eyes were pure fire despite the soft and kind tone he spoke in; you felt the flames of his gaze lick at your skin. “You are safe with me. I swear it.”

Careful, whispered a voice that sounded very much like your mother’s.

You blinked and forced yourself to drop your head, brows pinching together.

You had always known deep down that Alphas were dangerous. You were no fool, every Alpha, no matter how kind was dangerous. But what you weren’t prepared for was the kind of danger that was Andy Barber.

With your mother being a Beta, you had never been the singular focus of an Alpha. Sure, your mother’s intensity could be a bit much at times, but it tasted nothing like this. This was heady and intoxicating and you were shocked by just how quickly you were swept away.

… Do I want to be swept away?

That was the real question.

You wet your lips; they were dry and slightly chapped. You didn’t look at him as you reached for his hand and grabbed hold of it.

“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” you started and then stopped, choosing your next words carefully. “I can move into the guest bedroom now that I’m done with my—now that my heat’s over.”

Silence answered you.

It stretched between the two of you long enough that you had no choice but to flit your eyes up nervously. Andy didn’t look angry, in fact, he looked so damn sad it nearly broke your heart.

His shoulders rose as he sucked in a breath, “I know why you’re saying that and I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but that’s a hard no for me. I don’t think it would be smart to change your surroundings so suddenly. You’ve been nesting in there and to take you out of that wouldn’t be good for you. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Well as long as you don’t mind someone hogging your bed,” you tried to joke despite the way that your heart was lurching in your chest.

Andy just watched you, his eyes flashing gold once more.

“Believe me, Butterfly, I don’t mind at all.”

(((((())))))

The next morning a solid weight settled on the edge of the mattress and gravity tilted your whole body towards it. Colliding with a solid thigh, you sleepily nosed at it, appreciating the scent with a stupid half-aware smile before you opened your eyes.

Andy was in a suit, similar to the one he wore the first day you saw him.

You were suddenly much more alert.

“Is everything okay?”

“I just wanted to talk before I go into work,” he explained quickly and you relaxed back into the soft mattress.

Andy had brought up his inevitable return to the office last night after dinner. He had risked a lot to take off as much time as he had for your heat, not to mention the suddenness of it. You both knew if he stayed away much longer it would raise suspicion and that was the last thing either of you needed.

“Mm, sure,” you told him, the words garbled around a yawn. You felt the Alpha’s amusement as he stared down at you.

“Omega,” he called in a low tone and you jerked awake, smacking your lips, not realizing that you had at some point closed your eyes again. Andy’s mouth curved, almost absently, and he lifted a single eyebrow. “Do you remember the details I went over with you last night?”

You nodded and Andy kept that single brow raised until you spouted off his instructions back to him, counting them off on your fingers. “No opening the curtains or the door. And if I need to hide, I go to the attic in the closet.”

“Good girl,” he nodded approvingly and you preened. Andy smirked a little and continued, “You can watch TV if you want and I’ve got some books lying around here. Don’t worry about noise, this place is soundproof,” your brows shot up to your hairline at that but Andy didn’t explain further. “I’ve got scent neutralizers I’ll set up today before I go, just in case. You probably won’t like them so I’ll keep them by the front door and windows mainly. I’ll leave this room alone, but if you think you’re in danger, if it sounds like a raid, you bring those in here and crank them up on high.”

“You’re very…” you started, squinting as you searched for the right word, “prepared.”

Andy just looked at you.

“I have to be.”

You fell quiet after that. Reality was summed up in those four words. You thought about the fact that he was leaving you here, by yourself, for the first time since you had… since you had become one of them. A slew of scenarios rushed through your mind and none of them ended well.

And suddenly hiding the way you were, sneaking behind blackout curtains, living a half-life, didn’t feel sustainable let alone possible.

“Did I say something wrong?”

Your eyes snapped up. “No. It’s just… how long are we going to be able to do all of this? How long do we have to do all of this?”

“I don’t know,” Andy sighed heavily. He reached up and trailed a finger down the apple of your cheek. “The only thing that matters to me right now is that you’re safe. That’s my number one focus. I’ve been shielding you since the moment I picked you up from that courthouse—”

“Shielding me?”

Andy hesitated, then answered carefully, “Omegas call to us. You might be the least dominant designation, but your presence is like a megaphone. I’ve been muting that sound so-to-speak—covering you so that you won’t be detected. If another Alpha got suspicious and tried to poke around in the bonds here, it just means that they would run into me first.”

Stunned, you blurted out, “That sounds difficult.”

“Maybe,” the man shrugged and there was something smug living in his tone. “Maybe it is difficult for some Alphas.”

Some. Some but not him.

You flicked your gaze over him appraisingly and Andy instantly recognized the sizing up. The smile that grew on his lips was one you had never seen before and it had a wicked edge to it.

“I told you, Butterfly. I’m a fairly strong Alpha.”

Something flared to life in your chest and your mouth opened but no words came out. You eyed Andy for a moment and he stared right back. The look in his eyes was heavy and unnameable and it set your heartbeat to double the rate. You could hear it pounding against your ribcage and if you could hear it, so could he.

Inhaling deeply, you grasped for your natural defenses: changing the fucking subject.

“Before you go,” you piped up, your voice overly bright and you knew Andy noticed but the man wisely kept his mouth shut. “I was wondering if you knew where my duffle bag was. I wanted to wash my hair and as comfortable as your clothes are… I kind of miss my own.”

The air around you instantly shifted. You felt it, the change, like muscles tensing before the countdown to a big race—like the bracing before a storm.

Andy had gone eerily still.

“I had to dump it.”

Shock rolled through you like a tidal wave and with it came anger and disbelief.

“You… what?” You sputtered, sitting up now. “Why would you do that? Those were my things! The only things that I have left! You didn't even think to check with me? To ask if that was okay?”

Andy’s mouth thinned, “I know and I’m sorry, but we have to—”

“There was no 'we' here! There was just you making a decision without asking me," you bit out, your voice hard. And then the words kept tumbling out, like they had been building beneath the surface of your skin and finally broke through their cage. "Let me guess, your main focus was making sure I was 'drenched in an Alpha's scent', right?"

Andy didn't get angry. He merely he lifted one brow until you felt like ducking your head. The Alpha leaned back and folded his arms across his massive chest. He tipped his head at you, his words equally hard. “Actually I was going to say that we have to make it look like I’m the only one that lives here. If this place were to be searched, the less things I needed to hide, the better. That’s why you’ll wear my clothes and use my toiletries.”

The two of you continued to face off, meeting each other's gazes steadily in a play at dominance. But you were no match, not for him.

Suddenly, as if some invisible rubber band snapped, you couldn't take anymore. The tension sagged out of you and you sighed, dropping your eyes, shoulders slumping. There was a momentary flash of triumph in the Alpha’s eyes. Then that softened and he sighed, unfolding his arms.

“Listen, anything extra that you need, anything you even want, I’ll get for you, but we’ll just have to make it looks like it’s mine.” You said nothing, still clearly upset. Andy deflated slightly, shaking his head when he noticed the stubborn set of your jaw. “Listen, Butterfly, I am doing my absolute best to keep you off of everyone's radar,” he said lowly, and reached for your hand. You almost pulled away. You didn’t though and soon Andy was sweeping his thumb over your knuckles. He looked so tired and so sad and you hated that it tugged at your heart. “That means that I have had to make some tough decisions and I’m going to ask that you trust me on this. You said you feel safe with me, so let me do what I have to in order to keep you safe.”

You watched him carefully for a long time. Truth shone in Andy’s face and you pursed your lips, everything in you softening considerably. Logically, his reasoning made sense. You just hated that it did. You hated that it was yet another thing you had to adjust to, yet another thing that changed.

“I understand,” you murmured.

Andy’s nostrils flared. “You don’t smell happy about it.”

“Am I supposed to be?” You scoffed and turned away, trying to be angry but failing. Something else welled up inside of you and it had tears stacking in your eyes like a tower of unstable bricks ready to spill over at a moment’s notice.

You trembled.

“No,” the Alpha admitted after a long moment. He exhaled heavily, “You’re right. That was insensitive of me. What can I do to make this easier?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted in a choked voice. “This is just… hard.” Your hands clenched into fists at your sides, feeling everything inside of you lock up, “And I know I’m not the only one this had been difficult for. I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful, but—it’s a lot of change and I’m scared, Andy. I’m scared about what’s going to happen, what could happen. I don’t even know what my life is going to look like, what kind of future I could even have, and that really sucks, you know?” Your voice shook and everything in you began to tremble. You could feel Andy’s gaze on you, honed in, burning, and you kept your eyes closed because you needed to find a way to say this. “And I know it sounds stupid, but I kind of liked the little bubble we had going and I wasn't ready for it to burst. You’re also leaving me here alone today and it’s just… I feel like I need…”

Your voice died, trapped, and your face screwed up. You felt Andy shift on the bed, waiting. You shook again and a tear slipped down your cheek, faster than a falling star.

“What do you need, Butterfly?” Andy’s voice floated to your ears and drew your eyes open. You stared up at the Alpha but he was looking at you, eyes shining with such vulnerable pain, as though he felt the very thing ripping you in two. His voice was very quiet and pleading as he asked again, “What do you need?”

“Could I maybe give my mother a call?” Your shoulders hitched up to your ears and your mouth twisted, staring at Andy in quiet hope. When he didn’t answer right away, you clarified. “While you’re at work today? I haven’t talked to her since—”

“No.”

Stunned, you flinched back like he had struck you.

Andy watched your reaction and shook once, like he had taken a blow as well. Still, he didn’t budge. “You can only have contact with her for emergencies right now.”

“Andy—”

He cut off your hurt plea with a low growl and your mouth snapped shut, teeth clicking together, your eyes huge.

He had never growled at you before.

“I don’t know if you realize just how much danger you’re in,” he started, pulse jumping wildly in his throat. “If word got out, if one phone call was tapped—do you know what they would do? Project Restore would take you in an instant and you’d be bred around the clock. They’d rip you open and sew you back together again. And me? They’d drag me out in the streets, strip me, beat me, and string me up for the city to see.”

Your blood went cold. You didn’t have to imagine what he was describing because you had seen it, everyone had. Jaw trembling, you blinked and another tear made the jump, landing on the comforter bunched around your lap with a soft, wet plop. Andy watched it, his face screwing up something awful, and then it smoothed out.

“I don't want to scare you,” he rasped, wetting his lips. He stared down at the wet spot from your tear. “But maybe being scared is good right now. Maybe it’ll keep us alive.”

He rose to his feet and you turned away from him, even as he reached the door and glanced back at you.

“Just… give me some time to figure things out. Please, Butterfly.”

And then he was gone.

(((((())))))

Turning on the television had been a bad idea.

You had seen the four Omegas before—the whole country had. Project Restore was fond of parading them in front of the cameras as a part of their propaganda. But as you sat on the couch today, staring into the screen, it was like the very first time.

The vacancy in their gazes, the hunched shoulders, the way that the Alphas loomed over them as they touted their long-awaited success (a scientific breakthrough they called it).

You expected it to make you sick, and on some level it did, but it also made you angry. The anger that filled you now was something you had never quite experienced before. It was one thing to experience the cruelty of this world as a Designationless, but it was something very different to experience it as an Omega.

You stared at the black-haired Omega on the screen, the one that everyone was so proud of, and your blood turned to fire and it all came rushing back, how much you hated all of this, the thousand ways you wanted to burn it all to the ground, and nothing else mattered.

Something inside of you cracked; you would realize, much later, that it was your restraint.

No matter how much you fought against it, you were one of them now. Those were your sisters and you had to do something.

Your gaze slid to the front door.

Before you knew what you were doing, you were on your feet. Stopping just in front of the door, you stared into your warped reflection in the shiny silver handle. Your stomach clenched.

Inhaling, you reached for the doorknob at the same moment there was a tug in the center of your chest, it felt curious but also concerned and you reeled for a second, not sure what to make of the strange sensation.

The curtains and the door stay closed, Butterfly.

Shaking your head as Andy's voice from the night before floated through your mind, you shoved it away, brows pulling low over your eyes.

The deadbolt slid open with a solid click and you went for the doorknob next and—

It wouldn’t budge.

You froze.

A beat later, you tried again and still nothing. Heart racing, your eyes searched for any sort of lock you had missed and came up blank. Desperate, you planted your foot on the wall beside the door and yanked with everything you had.

Nothing.

You staggered backwards, chest heaving. He had locked you in. Andy had locked you inside this apartment. That was the only explanation.

Betrayal stung like venom in your heart. You were shaking all over and the panic was rising, the feeling of being trapped—just like all the other Omegas. The only difference was your cage had the illusion of freedom.

Andy had said the apartment was soundproof. You put that to the test when you dropped to your knees and screamed your throat to shreds.

(((((())))))

You were sitting on the ground next to your bedroom door, one leg extended, the other bent, glaring at the large, extravagant bed. One arm rested over your knee and your hand curled into a fist.

There was a scent in the air and it wasn’t pleasant. You figured it was appropriate that the smell of your simmering rage was that of burnt and blackened brown sugar. It was still the essence of who you were, but there was a bitterness to it that you had never known until now.

You stayed perfectly still when your sensitive ears caught the telltale sounds of the front door opening. You listened to the clink of keys drop onto the counter. A few moments later footsteps slowly approached.

You wondered if he had any idea what was waiting for him.

Andy hesitated outside the door, the fact that you were that attuned to him that you knew his movements should have frightened you, but you were beyond caring at this point.

The handle above your head jiggled and you felt a sick sort of satisfaction when Andy realized that you had managed to lock the door to your bedroom.

It hadn’t been hard. All you needed was a fork to jam into it (you had your mother to thank for that tip).

“Butterfly.” Andy called out slowly and there was no small amount of suspicion there. “What are you doing?”

Your upper lip curled and you turned your head and growled at the Alpha on the other side of the door. You had never made the sound before and it came more easily and was far more impressive than you could have hoped for.

A beat of silence.

“That’s cute. You want to open the door?”

Incensed at his dismissal, you narrowed your eyes at his shadow. “No.”

The door handle jiggled again, this time with more force.

“Open the door,” Andy demanded, his own frustration bleeding through and oh, how ironic that was.

“Make me,” you bit out.

There was a long moment of quiet and something about it set you on edge. The air felt full of static, like it would the second before lightning struck. Your blood was buzzing beneath your skin.

And then—

“Open the door, Omega.”

Andy’s voice deepened as though there were thousands of others before him, with him, all speaking at the same time. The command rolled through you, latching onto the back of your neck like a phantom hand, and it squeezed until you had no choice but to obey.

It took you three attempts to remove your homemade lock and that was because your hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The compulsory need to comply, to do as Andy said, was so strong you could hardly see straight.

Gulping, you carefully cracked open the door and the first thing you saw was Andy’s stone-like expression. He seemed… bigger, if that were possible. Everything about him and the way he held himself was larger than life and felt intimidating as hell.

You remembered all the times you had mimicked posturing Alphas and you realized now how foolish you looked when staring into the face of one as strong as Andy.

“Don’t challenge me, it won’t end well,” was all he said before pushing the door open further. You stumbled back and Andy’s eyes slid to the mangled fork in your hand like it was a snake he wanted to kill.

You dropped it to the ground.

His gaze lifted back to your face and you flat out shivered. The Alpha’s nostrils flared. “Now, what was this about?” You just shook your head but Andy was having none of that. “Words,” he snapped at you, “use them.”

“You locked me in.”

Andy went still and then his eyes narrowed. “You tried to leave?”

And all at once, you were angry once more. No, you weren’t just angry. You were pissed.

“That’s not what we’re talking about,” you said, your voice shaking as you forced yourself to meet this Alpha’s eyes because you could not lose to him. You might be an Omega, but that didn’t mean you were weak. “You have me trapped in here, Andy. I can’t even call my own mother, you’ve taken everything I own, you fucking locked me inside—”

“—for your safety—”

“—what am I supposed to think of all this?!” Your voice cracked in the room like a whip. “You keep saying I’m safe here, but you didn’t tell me that safe meant trapped.”

A flash of hurt shot across Andy’s face and you wondered if you had gone too far but it was too late; the anger was rushing through you and your teeth chattered behind your words.

“I’m starting to wonder what the difference is between you and the Alphas at Project—”

“I am nothing like them.” Andy’s voice was pure ice.

For the first time, you actually moved closer to him. You didn’t tremble. You didn’t even flinch. You merely tilted your head back and challenged his gaze.

“Prove it.”

Andy said nothing before spinning on his heels and storming into the living room. You watched him walk away from you and it felt like your heart tore loose, like it was dangling in your ribcage by a single, thinning thread. The pain was so sharp, so deep, it had you following after him, bare feet slapping on the hardwood floor.

He had his back to you but turned his head to the side at your approach and you stopped mid-step. You stared at his profile, the sharp angles still achingly beautiful—even now.

“I will say this once, Omega,” Andy’s voice went quiet. He turned now to stare at you full on and the sheer power and presence radiating from him nearly had your knees buckling. “Everything that I do is for you. Every decision I make, every risk, every single fucking thought in my head is about you. I can hardly sleep because I’m worrying about how to keep you alive, to make sure that there isn’t something I’m missing about your designation because no one knows a goddamn thing about it and what you might need. I’m terrified that they’ll find you and I feel that fear in my bones. This country is fucked and I’m trying to make the best of an impossible situation. I know this isn’t what you wanted, but it’s what you have.”

You were speechless, staring up at him. There was a certain kind of truth living there in his words, a hard and angular truth, begging to make itself known. You felt the anger physically drain out of you and when it fully left, you felt raw, like the molten heat of it had scrubbed you clean from the inside out.

Andy stepped closer. His eyes flickered between both of yours and then flashed to your mouth.

Your stomach flipped.

“You have to know that I…” the words were nothing more than a breath in the back of the Alpha’s throat. He shifted closer still, until you felt the heat radiating off of him.

You shook your head, whispering back, “Know what?”

He made a quiet noise as his eyes continued to search yours. When he next spoke, his voice was so soft you almost didn’t hear it but you felt it; he was close enough you felt his chest rumble with the words—

“Not now. I can’t.”

A beat passed and you let out a very small whine.

“Andy.” You weren’t sure what you wanted, or even what you wanted to say, but his name alone was enough.

This close to the Alpha, you were able to catch the slight shiver that passed through him before he stepped back, putting some space between the two of you, and cleared his throat. “I know we didn’t leave on the best terms this morning, but I had been hoping that tonight we could do something special. Or at least different.”

Your heart lurched and you wondered what it would take for the thread that it was barely hanging on by to snap. Even stranger, you found that you didn’t want it to snap.

And it was that thought that had you offering up a truce.

“What did you have in mind?” You asked, softly.

Andy offered you a sad, small smile. “Let me go clean up, get out of this suit first.”

(((((())))))

You were having a staring contest with the oven by the time Andy came wandering out of his room in a pair of soft flannels and a simple white t-shirt. He paused next to the fridge, brows lifting in question.

“I thought pizza might be nice,” you pointed to the box on the counter.

Andy hummed in agreement and walked over to you. Before you could even register what he was doing, a large hand cupped the back of your head, holding you still while he pressed a kiss into your hair.

You froze and Andy didn’t comment on it, he just gave you fond look as he pulled away. “Thank you.”

Thoroughly distracted from your mission of ‘Make-Sure-The-Pizza-Doesn’t-Burn’, you watched Andy snag a beer out of the fridge and then wander over to a hall closet. He disappeared inside and a few moments popped back out with an armful of board games.

A feeling that could only be described as delight shot through you and across the room, Andy’s head shot up like you had called his name.

“Good choice?” He asked with a hopeful grin.

You smiled back, feeling both shy and playful. “If we start with Scrabble, just so that I can kick your ass.”

Two slices of pizza later, your belly was filled and everything felt warm. The two of you sat opposite of each other at the dining table. You wiped your mouth on a napkin and leaned forward, eagerly watching Andy place the last of his tiles onto the board.

“’Snuck’ isn’t a word, Mr. Barber. I believe the word you are looking for is, ‘Sneaked’,” you informed him haughtily. “You should know that, you went to law school.”

“Bullshit,” Andy said over the mouth of his beer with a grin. “It is a word. People use it all the time.”

You lifted one finger, “It only came about in the nineteenth century and is a Northern American dialect. We are playing a proper game here.”

“Dictionary,” he demanded, hold out his hand.

“You’re really going to dispute this?”

“I went to law school,” Andy repeated your words flatly, “of course I am.”

You picked up the Scrabble Dictionary and handed it over, shaking your head as he all but tore open the cover. “I’ve beaten the shit out of you this round. There’s no point, really. I’d suggest conceding gracefully while you still have the chance,” you told him with an exaggerated sigh. “I may not be so merciful later.”

It was true when you looked at the board. You had racked up the points, hitting multiple triple word squares. Andy’s eyes met yours over the top of the dictionary and they narrowed.

“Oh, it’s gonna be like that, huh?”

“Of course, it is,” you flashed him a wide grin, a tingling feeling zipping up your spine. “Why don’t you choose another game and we’ll see if it’ll be a second loss for team Alpha.”

(((((())))))

You had made a tactical mistake.

Carefully, you inhaled through your nose and exhaled just as slowly through you mouth, lowering the tweezers into the slot just over the stomach of the patient. You eyed the white butterfly sitting at the bottom of the hole in absolute silent concentration, clamping a wing with the tweezers, you oh so slowly began to lift it out—

A guttural huff burst from the Alpha’s throat across the table and the sound, like before, caused a chain reaction in you that you couldn’t stop if your life depended on it.

Jerking in surprise, you chirped in response and dropped the butterfly when the tweezers hit the side of the stomach slot and the light over the patient’s nose lit up in a bright, cherry red.

“You asshole!” You hissed and dropped the tool, glaring up at Andy’s innocent expression. “You did that on purpose!”

He lifted both hands in surrender, but there was a smile tugging at his lips. “Honest mistake.”

“Oh, and the two other times you did that were mistakes, too?”

Andy watched your ire like he had found his new favorite hobby. The Alpha bit his bottom lip to try to hide his grin and then slowly released it. The playfulness on full display from him was something you had never seen before and you’d be damned if you let him know how much you were enjoying it.

Especially when he tilted his head to the side, lifting a single brow your direction. “Are you always this grumpy when you lose?”

“I’m not losing,” you grit out. “You’re cheating!”

Andy snapped his teeth at you and the action was so animal-like it took you aback. He didn’t seem to think anything of it. Instead, something downright mischievous was twinkling in his blue gaze.

“Didn’t know you were so easily distracted, Omega,” he commented with a sly smile. Fingers clutching the neck of his beer, Andy lifted it to his lips and paused, eyeing you long enough that it had you squirming in your seat. He waited a beat, then—“I wonder what other noises can you make.”

Your mouth dropped open. There was a spot in your chest that felt like it was glowing, beating like the pulse of a heart, and it flared now in a tingling sensation. Your toes curled. The corners of Andy’s eyes crinkled as he drank your reaction in.

Desire shot through you, and with it, a delicate brown sugar scent. Andy’s nostrils flared and his eyes gleamed. When he spoke, his voice had deepened and there was something inhuman about it.

“Maybe someday we should find out some day.”

Your chest burned. You sucked in a breath, eyes locked on his. “Maybe we should finish the game first.”

He stared at you for a long time and you watched the beautiful details in his eyes as the colors shifted back and forth from deep arctic blue to fiery gold. Andy didn’t say a word, but you saw the naked want in his face.

And then it became too much.

You dropped your eyes with a shaky exhale. Biting the inside of your cheek, you felt very much like a thirteen year old girl talking to your crush and very much like an animal backed into a corner by a creature who hadn’t yet decided whether it wanted to eat you or not.

Finally, Andy reached for the tweezers and made his attempt to gain the point you had missed when you dropped the butterfly. You watched him in silence and though his brows were furrowed in concentration, something told you he was highly aware of your every move.

And seeing as how the Alpha had openly cheated during this game of Operation, you decided to level the playing field.

It was only fair.

Your mind raced, trying to figure out a way to distract him effectively. Chirping felt like you were stealing his trick and you needed something that would drive home the fact that you played to win. You had always known that words were the second choice of communication in this world; body language was everything.

The idea came out of left field and it was wild enough that you were fairly certain it would work. Andy had just taken hold of the tiny butterfly when you shifted in your seat.

Like you expected, his eyes darted to you and that’s when you struck.

Holding his gaze, you smirked and tipped your head back, exposing your throat to him.

You didn’t know what reaction he would have, but the rumbling growl that burst from Andy’s chest was not it. Your eyes flew open in shock but his gaze was locked on your pulse; the gland at the base of your neck positively thrummed to life at his attention.

The Alpha gracefully unfolded his body and rose from his chair, stalking towards you. Your heart pounded, climbing its way up your throat, as he slowly approached with eyes of liquid fire. There was nothing you could do but stay perfectly still, your blood buzzing, tingles racing along your skin, as Andy took your face in his hands and gently lowered your chin.

Seeing the confusion and question in your eyes, he simply shook his head.

“Don’t give me your throat unless you mean it.”

Releasing his hold on you slowly, you closed your eyes as you came back to yourself. It felt like you were in a trance, a daze, and the mixing scents of brown sugar and apples and cinnamon wasn’t helping.

Holy shit, what just happened?

Your eyes fluttered open. Andy was back in his chair, watching you with hooded gold eyes. He looked like a rubber band about to snap, stretching thinner and thinner by the second.

“As fun as this is,” Andy started in a strained tone. He closed his eyes and rolled his neck and shoulders, like he was trying to physically shake something off. When his eyes opened, they were blue once more. He looked exhausted and only proved that by his next words. “I should get some sleep. I’ve got a lot of meetings tomorrow.

“Mm,” you agreed, unable to say much more.

Andy glanced at you. His brows lifted and you saw the familiar concern trickle across his expression. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, a bit,” you said softly, shrugging your shoulders.

“We had a rough day,” Andy sighed. “I’m just glad it ended better than it started.”

A tiny smile crept onto your lips but you nodded in agreement. You thought back to the rage that had consumed you earlier, the betrayal and confusion you had felt. You knew there were still things the two of you needed to work out, but now that you had some time to think, now that you found yourself face to face with him, you felt more settled.

“C’mere, Omega.”

Your head shot up at that quiet request, blinking. “Hmm?”

“Just come here,” Andy repeated, holding out a hand to you in offering. His fingers twitched, beckoning you to him and you were rising up out of your seat before you knew what you were doing.

The walk to Andy’s chair was short but it felt like time had stretched itself by the time your feet came to a stop in front of him. The Alpha tilted his face up, taking both of your hands in his. His thumbs swept over your knuckles and you had felt the strength of this Alpha before, but it was his gentleness that had your heart thudding.

“Would it be okay if I held you for a while?” Andy asked and the question was so vulnerable, it seemed to turn everything inside of you soft and sweet.

Your lips were curving on their own and you nodded gently. “Yes, please.”

Andy gave you a pleased look and then pushed out his chair and opened his arms. Your heart fluttered like a bird and you felt that warm glow in the center of your chest spread out down your arms and legs like warm honey as you crawled into Andy’s lap.

The Alpha had you turned sideways, a muscular arm wrapped around your shoulders, giving you something to lean against. His other hand was just above your knee, holding you to him. You felt the press of his bearded cheek resting against your forehead and all at once, you both sighed, as if you shared lungs.

Andy’s scent wrapped around you and it smelled so good, so right, you turned your face, pressing your nose lightly into his neck.

“That’s is,” Andy rumbled. “Take what you need, Butterfly. It’s okay.”

Your brows pulled together, an emotion too strong and too deep and too real to be named rolled through you. Inhaling his scent, you felt it begin to fill all the empty spaces inside of you like a balloon.

You had never felt safer and more protected and more surrounded in your entire fucking life.

“I’m sorry,” Andy was murmuring suddenly, his voice a mere whisper. You went still, but didn’t pull away from the comforting way you were tucked into his throat. You felt it bob as he swallowed. “For this morning. I let the stress and my temper get to me,” the hand on your knee squeezed gently. “I want to be better for you.”

A low noise came from the back of your throat, an attempt at comforting him.

“You’re a good Alpha, Andy.”

“I should have told you about the door.”

You didn’t say anything, couldn’t find the words. Andy inhaled, his wide chest expanding and moving your body with it.

“I locked it after I saw how you reacted this morning. Hell, I should have told you about your bag. It's just... I’ve never even known an Omega until you and my instincts are going a little haywire,” he explained, sounding embarrassed. “I’m going to make a lot of mistakes, but I hope you’ll continue to be as brave as you were today in calling me out on my shit.”

Slowly, your hand lifted and came to rest on Andy’s chest, right over his heart. It thumped in response, like it was saying hello. You smiled sweetly at it.

“As much as I hate admitting it... It was probably a smart thing, locking it,” you said eventually, resting your head on his firm shoulder. “I had watched the news and saw one of the celebration ceremonies. I was so upset seeing the other Omegas that I just wanted to do something. Anything. I know if I got out that I wouldn’t have gotten very far and I really don’t want to think about where I would be right now if you hadn’t locked that door. I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Neither of you said anything for a long time after that. Andy had almost lulled you to sleep in his arms when you heard his voice one last time.

“We’re okay now?” He asked and though he knew the answer, you figured the verbal confirmation was important to a man like him.

Your snuggled deeper in, sighing out a soft, sleepy, “Yes, Alpha.”

(((((())))))

Over the next week the two of you established a routine of sorts.

Andy would come wake you up before he left for work in the morning with soft whispers and gentle touches. After he left, you almost always dug through his laundry and pulled out the shirt he wore the day before. Most of the time you wore it around the house, tucking your nose into the shoulder every now and then, just to breathe him in.

You stayed away from the news, opting to watch some of the movies from Andy’s collection or curling up on the couch with one of the thriller novels he had.

Daytime was the hardest. You tried to keep yourself busy and for now it was working, but you knew it wouldn’t last. Boredom would eventually hit and, to be honest, you weren’t sure how long you would be able to stand it.

You didn’t want to say anything to Andy because things had been going so smoothly. He was smiling more and there seemed to be a weight lifted off his shoulders. Not to mention, the slick-inducing looks he kept sending your way had you distracted in an entirely different way.

Every night ended with you in his lap, tucking your nose into his neck. He didn’t even have to prompt you anymore, you had gotten to the point where you initiated. It helped when he explained both of your designations biological need for touch—that it released chemicals reducing your stress. Going too long without any contact led to explosions…

Like the kind you had the night you locked Andy out of your room.

Though you had grown up with a Beta mother, there were so many things you had to learn about the hindbrain and how it functioned. Andy was a fantastic teacher, patient and kind, and he challenged you constantly in your assumptions.

He was everything an Alpha should be.

Of course, you might be a bit biased, but so would anyone who was being taken care of and made to constantly feel safe, secure, and supported. The more time you spent with him, the more you also became aware of the bond between the two of you.

You hadn’t been able to name it before, but you knew what it was now. You dreamed of it at night, that same glittering silver thread tying you to him.

And every day the thread grew stronger, thicker, tighter. You could feel Andy nudge you sometimes, like when a dog would bump its nose into you for attention. There were times you swore you felt the flare of his emotions, at least when they were strong. Other times it went oddly silent.

But you knew it was there, even if the Alpha never uttered a single word about it.

(((((())))))

He was late.

You glanced at the clock again. Andy was never late. He always came home at six o’clock on the dot but it was nearing eight now and your nerves were shot. You were perched on the couch, knees tucked into your chest.

The apartment was silent. The dinner you had prepared sat cold on the table and you couldn’t bring yourself to put it away. Not yet.

It was another half hour before you heard the slide of the deadbolt. Shooting up off the couch, your heart thudding hard against your ribcage, you stared wide-eyed at the door as Andy wandered in, his face lowered to the ground.

You stayed quiet and still, fear mixing with concern as you took in the way his shoulders slumped and the exhaustion you could feel pouring off him. His body fell back against the door as it shut, eyes closed.

“Hey,” Andy croaked at last.

You stayed where you were, watching him in concern. “Are you okay?”

Andy’s head lifted and he squinted at you as though he was having trouble even staying upright. He pushed off the door with his shoulders and walked toward you. You let him pull you into his arms, one hand cupping the back of your head, the other falling to the small of your back.

“Rough day at work,” Andy murmured into your hair. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

You pulled back, tilting you face up to look at him. “What happened?”

Andy met your gaze and his jaw clenched and for a breath of a moment, you saw something hard and mean and almost vicious flicker behind the Alpha’s eyes.

“One of my coworkers is riding my ass. He… we’ve always butted heads but he crossed a line today and I snapped. I wanted to cool off before I came home. You shouldn’t have to see me like that.”

“I’m sorry,” you said right away. “Can I do anything to help?”

Andy just stared at you for the longest time.

He swallowed heavily and then his gaze fell to your throat. The bond in your chest tingled. He wet his lips, hesitating a moment before he quietly asked, “Can I…?”

The Alpha’s eyes flew back to your face. You knew what he was asking, but even more, Andy knew what he was asking.

Don’t give me your throat unless you mean it.

You reached up and took hold of his hand. Sucking in a breath, eyes locked on his, you made a decision. “Come on, then.”

Andy let you lead him over to the sofa and he sat down onto the soft leather per your direction. You felt his eyes on you like a weighted vest as you stood over him and the gland on your neck throbbed until it was painful.

It was a physical sensation, Andy’s look. You felt it with your whole body, a buzzing, tingling sensation that was very much like adrenaline, and you felt it in your spine, like someone was following the string of bones and nerves with a finger—

Fucking hell.

You trembled under the intensity of it all as you climbed into his lap, the same way you had every night for the past week. But this time instead of tucking your face into neck, you carded your fingers through his thick hair and tugged lightly until his head bent. Only then did you tilt your head back and offer the Alpha your throat.

“Butterfly…” Andy whispered but you held yourself still and focused on breathing.

With your eyes closed, you never saw the way Andy’s gaze honed in on your pulse but you felt his hands tighten on around you. You felt a large, warm palm slide up the soft flesh of your belly to right underneath your breasts. He nosed under your chin, pushing your head just a tiny bit further back.

Taking just a little more.

You had expected the tip of his nose, but what you got was the feather-light scrape of Andy’s teeth on your throat and the hot lips that followed, closing over your pulse in a dizzying kiss.

Heat shot through you and you clamped down on that feeling, even as the syrupy scent of brown sugar filled your nose. Your nipples hardened into little nubs and his thumb brushed the underside of your chest. You held her breath and forced yourself to calm down, trying with everything in you to shove your desire, your want, your fucking need away.

This was about helping Andy. Not the fact that you could practically feel your pupils dilate as you melted on the inside, the runoff pooling directly between your legs, warm and heavy.

Of course that all went to hell when Andy’s other hand slowly rose and fisted a handful of hair at the back of your head, forcing you to bear even more of your throat, as if he were preparing you for something.

You whimpered, unable to stop yourself.

“Shh, Omega,” Andy breathed against your throat, moving his mouth lower and lower until—

A hot tongue touched your mating gland and your eyes flew open, chest heaving. Slick gushed from core like a wet sponge and you clenched with everything you had, mouth falling open in a soundless scream.

You rolled your hips, body jerking uncontrollably and above you, Andy groaned. Apples and cinnamon blended with the brown sugar scent and it was enough to nearly send you over the edge. As if he knew, as if he could somehow tell, Andy held you fast, pulling his mouth away from that spot. But he didn’t stop entirely.

The Alpha simply changed tactics, planting intoxicating and almost formless kisses up the length of your throat, lips and tongue and teeth leaving a wet trail in his wake. Hot breath coated your jaw. Teeth nipped at your chin and then your bottom lip and the feeling of it all drew a moan out from the very pit of your belly.

And at the sound, he snapped.

Andy moved suddenly, growling deep in his chest, hands wrapping around your waist until you were lifted in the air. He turned you so that you were straddling him.

Or more like, straddling one muscular thigh.

Your eyes bulged and before you could get a single word out, or even a squeak of surprise, Andy surged forward and his mouth slotted over yours.

Big hands squeezed your waist, fingers curling around your ribs as he kissed you. You whined into his mouth, fingers scraping along his beard. He let out a low grown when you melted against him and he broke away after a moment, inhaling sharply, eyes bright and lips swollen. Nuzzling your face, he nipped at your jaw, breathing unsteady.

“You want this?” The Alpha huffed against your face. His hands slid down to the flare of your hips and pulled you down harder against his thigh, silently urging you to move against him.

Shaking, trembling all over, you panted. Hooking an arm around his neck, you whined, unable to get a single fucking word out of your throat. It was easier just to bury your face in the side of his neck and nod.

“Okay,” Andy breathed out. Fingers flexing against your skin, his mouth was at your ear, breathing heavy and hot against your skin. “I don’t want you to hide from me though. I want to see your pretty face if I’m going to ruin you, Butterfly.”

You bit your lip and shifted against him, squeezing your thighs and searching for the right amount of pressure.

“I said I want to see your face, Omega.” Gasping, you lifted your head finally and met Andy’s hungry eyes. “There’s a good girl,” he murmured, both hands scraping at your lower back until they cupped your ass, gripping and kneading just this side of painful. Andy’s mouth curled into a shark-like grin at the broken gasp that slipped out of your mouth. “Here’s what we’re going to do: you’re going to ride my thigh until you come.”

Your mouth fell open and the bond flared between the two of you, hot and electric. It pulled at you, like Andy was at the other end of the rope and you had challenged him to a one-way game of tug-o-war.

And you had no hope of winning.

After a particularly sharp tug, your hips canted upward, the pressure of his leg firm against your core. Your hands flew to his shoulders to brace yourself.

Andy darted forward, catching your mouth in a wet kiss. “C’mon, Butterfly,” his fingers stroked and kneaded, coaxing you into motion. “Move those pretty hips for me. It’ll make both of us feel better.”

Your breath hitched against his cheek, eyes fluttering shut as you ground against him. Andy moaned in your ear and there was a second rush of warm, wet slick pooling between your thighs. The Alpha growled as he smelled the fresh wave and it only made you produce more—until you were almost embarrassingly wet.

Rocking against him, you tried to hit your clit just right, tried to get the pressure you needed and while it felt incredible—while he felt incredible between your thighs—it wasn’t enough.

You wanted to be filled.

You wanted… you…

“Andy…”

Shamelessly, you pressed your chest against his, rubbing your torsos together as you swiveled your hips harder.

“Yeah, baby?” Andy mouthed at the spot beneath your ear and sucked until your panting became small mewls of pleasure. “What do you need, Omega? Tell me.”

You rolled against him hard, your pussy clenching and aching and wanting. He smelled so good and felt even better and you were losing your mind in the rush of it all. You wanted more—needed more.

“I,” you gasped. “I want,” your breathing hitched, “Please!”

Andy watched you rock against him, watched you use his thigh for your own pleasure, his gaze heavy and intense. The bond in your chest felt like a goddamn volcano.

“I know what you want, Omega,” there was a deepness in Andy’s tone, a darkness in his words that slid over your skin and made you want to get on your hands and knees and offer yourself to him on a silver fucking platter. Andy saw it and his eyes flashed gold, like the flipping of a coin. “Not tonight. Tonight is about what I want and I want you to come all over my thigh until you can’t remember your own name.”

Your bared your teeth at his denial but grabbed onto his shoulder with one hand, grinding down on his leg with new vigor. Slick was soaking through the fabric of his trousers and he let out a rough groan, nipping at your mouth.

“You smell so fucking good, Butterfly,” Andy’s voice was husky. “C’mon, just a little more. I know you're getting close. Can smell it, can feel it.”

Your legs start to shake, hips rolling harder and faster. Teeth dug into your bottom lip as the pressure began to build and you whimpered.

Andy grinned, his mouth open and panting and the next thing you knew you were clinging to his neck with both arms, nails crinkling the crisp material of the shirt on his back as he took over. Hands gripped you, fingers denting into the soft flesh of your ass, grinding your pussy over his thigh until all you could hear was your shared moans and the wetness of your own slick.

You were so close, so fucking close. The emptiness was torture. Tears sprung in your eyes because he didn’t understand, you needed more, you needed to be filled—

“Come for me.”

You screamed.

The orgasm hit you hard; like you were getting ripped in half. If it weren’t for his fast reflexes, you would have jerked yourself completely out of his grip. Andy wound his arms around you as you bit his right shoulder, stifling your cry.

It left you weak and gasping and utterly limp in his arms. You lifted your head but could barely keep your eyes open and your breath was leaving you in shallow pants, your forehead pressed against his. Andy’s lips brushed against yours in slow, lazy strokes. When you both had finally caught your breath, he kissed you one last time before nudging his nose against yours and pulling back.

“You okay?” Andy asked and his voice sounded hoarse. Funny, he hadn’t been the one screaming. Big hands smoothed over your arms, your thighs, like he was taking inventory. Concern etched into his face. “You’re shaking, Butterfly.”

“It was just a little… intense,” you managed to squeak out, holding onto him for dear life.

Andy hummed, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. He shifted you a little and you whimpered at both how sensitive you were and the sloppy wet, sucking sound the mess between your legs made. The Alpha glanced down at it and there was a deep kind of satisfaction in that look. He lifted one brow, “You made a mess of me.”

“I’m sorry,” you looked down between the two of you, realizing that he was still in his nice slacks from work… which were now utterly ruined. “I—”

Andy’s eyes slid up to yours and your mouth clicked shut at the predatory thing you saw staring back at you.

“I want you to do it again.”

(((((())))))

You’re smart. Don’t get swept away, okay? I love you. Remember that. Always remember that.

#alpha andy barber

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