#stmmm

DAY 18 - PRESENTATION OF DESIGNATION

"You have to be fucking kidding me."

You dropped the folder containing your company's balance and deals as you leaned back in the leather chair. This mother fucker took another shareholder from you. As a CEO of an indie game developing company, you were always on the lookout for new producers or people who would invest in your games. There was only one problem.

Eddie Munson.

He was the CEO of another gaming company, and for a year, you two had been looking into the same people, on and on, fighting for the deals, fighting for the investors. Some you won, some he won. This time, he won. He had settled on better revenue for them, even when that was a stupid move. If the game didn't succeed, he would be in trouble.

But his games always succeeded. Even in small communities, his games were recommended on streams, as were yours. As a Beta, you always thought you could be as successful as Alphas, and you were with proof. But he was always the needle that poked through the pillow where you tried to rest.

Your cellphone rang, and you already knew who it was without even looking at the ID. You grabbed it, and answered with a swipe on the screen.

"I swear to god, Munson—"

"I wish that you would say hello at least once." You groaned in exasperation as you rubbed your eyes together, another headache coming in.

"What the fuck do you want, knothead?"

"Jeez, just wanted to check on you after you received the news about the investor's choice. That was all. Wanted to see if you were crying or throwing a fit." You heard the Alpha chuckle, and you wanted to kill him. You really did.

"Oh yeah, I bawled my eyes out. Ripped my chair into pieces and all."

"You need someone to comfort you, sweetheart?"

"Piss off." With that, you hung up, groaning loudly as you opened your drawer to get your painkillers out. Maybe you fucked up in that interview because you had been feeling sick lately, but you weren't going to let that stop you.

You cursed the day you gave him your phone number. But it was almost a ritual that whenever one got a deal, and the other didn't, you would call up each other to show it off. It was… funny. You weren't going to admit that you always expected his calls, nor you got giddy each time you pressed on his contact to call him.

Tomorrow there was a developer convention, where many CEOs, investors, and shareholders attended to strike deals with potential gaming companies, like yours… like Eddie's.

You will make that handsome bastard cry.

—

The room felt hotter than usual. You took medication for your fever, but it seemed as if it didn't do anything. It didn't do shit. You could barely focus on conversations, even if you made a few deals and sealed some meetings with investors, you could feel yourself weaken each minute that went by.

"You moping over here?" You heard that gruff voice right next to you, side eyeing his profile. He looked good, way too good. Tight black button-up shirt, black pants, hair up, scruff tidied up… Damn.

"Why would I? Got Blizzard to invest in our new game." He hummed at your answer, then he turned to look at you, clearing his throat.

"Seeing you in a dress is something different." You were a bit surprised to hear that, and something stirred within you. You fixed your posture with your long dress, pretending that the heels you were wearing were not murdering you.

"I am assuming that is a compliment."

"Sure." You stayed silent, pretending not to be overjoyed by it, but the headache gave you a sharp sting at the back of your head, making you wince. He frowned, nose flaring. "You alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" He fully turned to look at you, tilting his head.

"Did you change your perfume?" Huh? You turned towards him, giving him a cocky smile.

"You've been smelling me, Munson?" His eyebrows twitched for a second, his face getting closer to yours. Your breath hitched, his cologne invading your nostrils.

"Didn't say that. It's just that this perfume is strong and sweet. Never smelled it before on anyone."

"I could say the same to you. Your cologne is pungent, and it's almost dizzying." You weren't lying about that. It was making your lungs feel intoxicated, or filled with an intense leather smell that was just too potent. He was frowning at you, getting even closer.

"I am not wearing any cologne." Your eyes fluttered for a second, feeling your throat closing up. His eyes widened slightly as you stumbled forward, his hands coming to grab your forearms. "Holy shit, are you okay?"

Your skin was hot, way too hot, and he put the back of his hand on your forehead. You were sweating, eyes closing as your head swirled. Your hands held onto him to keep yourself standing, and suddenly you knew you started moving, and words were being said to you, but you couldn't quite understand them. You were disoriented, feeling your insides turning in pain as your head pounded.

And maybe it was the fever, maybe it was the pain, but your world turned black.

—

Your eyes opened with a gasp, sitting up on a bed. You felt yourself being completely drenched, still wearing the dress, but it felt so sticky. Your legs rubbed against each other, and your eyes widened as you felt something sticky, slippery, between them.

Eddie came out of the bathroom with a handkerchief against his mouth and nose. He was breathing heavily, and you noticed you weren't in a place you knew. Your throat was dry as his scent was making you float, and you fell back on the bed, gasping for air.

"Where am I? What are you doing here?" You asked, and his voice was muffled against the cloth he had against him.

"My hotel room. I called the paramedics, and they should be here any time soon to take you to the clinic—"

"The clinic? Paramedics? For a fever? Are you crazy?" You tried sitting up again, but your hands flew to your belly as a sharp pain came through. He was far away from you, and you could hear him growl as he pressed himself against the wall.

"It's not a fever, you're in heat." What?

"Huh!? I am a Beta! I don't have heats!" He breathed once more into the cloth, closing his eyes as if containing himself.

"You are in a presentation heat!"

What? No… You could only present once in your life; that wasn't true. It cannot be true. It is a lie, wasn't it? A play of cards he was doing to disorient you? But then you heard it, the whine coming to your throat. You could never do that sound before. You heard it from Omegas but never from Betas. No. No. No.

"That's— not possible!" You grunted, clenching your eyes as your head stabbed and stabbed. There was a knock on the door, and Eddie quickly went to open it. People came rushing in, and you were placed on a gurney they got in. This wasn't happening. You probably had mono, or something else, not this. Not a heat. No.

But it was.

For a week, you stayed at that clinic, tests being done, blood work, x-rays… You had presented. You were stunned as the doctor explained it to you. Second presentations were rare, but not impossible. It happened one in a hundred Betas. You were that one. That insignificant fucking one.

You hadn't spoken with anyone yet. Your colleagues sending you 'get well' messages, but you didn't respond. How could you? You were going to lose it all. Even at home, you were a little bit hollow. You couldn't help but cry when your instincts made you make a nest in your bed.

Eddie messaged you, tried calling you, but you wouldn't answer. You knew that talking to the Alpha might ignite something within you that you weren't ready to find out. You weren't ready to face it.

But a knock on your door made you get up from your bed, and even before you could reach the door, you could smell him. Authentically him. You shouldn't open, but you wanted to. You really wanted to because you wanted to smell him even more.

You trembled as you opened the door, seeing him standing there with some flowers. He noticed the pain in your eyes as he examined you.

"Get well… flowers?" He said awkwardly, and you felt your eyes burning as you let him into your house. A horrible decision since his scent was going to stick to the walls, the couch, and even the marble surfaces of your kitchen. "Why didn't you answer my texts? Or anyone of your company?"

"Why does it matter?" He frowned as he placed the flowers on the table, sensing your distress in just a second.

"What is going on in that mind of yours?" It was the first time he saw you like this. Vulnerable, defeated. He didn't like it.

"What is going on in my mind? Well, the fact that I am now an Omega for one, so that happened." His breathing hitched at that, and you noticed it immediately. "The fact that now I will lose everything I worked for. So why does it matter if I talk to my coworkers? Why does it matter that I keep in contact with you?"

He was stunned into silence, confusion written all over his face. You could smell some anger on him, now being able to detect his emotions through his scent.

"Lose everything? What the fuck are you talking about?" You scoffed, shaking your head.

"I built all of this as a Beta. Omegas don't belong in higher positions because people say they're volatile. That we are hard to work with because we have to take a week off from work because of our heats. How can I keep my job like this? People will not take me seriously. Not investors, or shareholders, or the bank. Not even you, Munson."

He took a deep breath in, his face hardening as he took a step closer. You blinked at how his posture changed, how he was huffing through his nostrils.

"Now, why would I not take you seriously? Because you're an Omega? Really?"

"Everyone will choose you, an Alpha, over me. I won't have a line of people to provide for my company. You won." He let out a humorless scoff, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Has this always been a competition to you?" You frowned at him, not understanding where his anger was coming from.

"Wasn't it?" Silence fell between the two of you, and he sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"I'm disappointed that you think that because you're an Omega, you're no match for me. It really isn't you." You squinted your eyes, taking a step closer to him.

"I am not me anymore!"

"Yes, you are! You went to business school! You have the knowledge to fuck me over in every sense of the goddamn word! Just because you're an Omega now, doesn't change the fact that you know how to run a company, for fucks sake!"

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. Eddie Munson, an Alpha, always saw you as his equal, even when you were a Beta. Even right now, a full-fledged Omega, he still saw you as an equal to him… And maybe that's why you had always liked him so much. He never belittled you for being a Beta when he got the deals, and you didn't.

But something in his words vibrated a little too much in your head.

"Fuck you over? In every sense of the word?" He stood still, breathing a little heavy as he tried looking away. His hands were on his hips as he tried to keep himself upright.

"I… I never really saw it as competition… I saw it as… a way to get closer to you." You stood frozen. Was that a joke? He always made sure to get under your skin, and you would get overjoyed when he did, but you never thought it would be something positive for him as well.

"Get closer to me? Like… friends?" He sighed heavily, grunting as he stepped away, running his hands over his face, while your heart felt like it was coming out of your chest.

"Fuck, no. I— I mean, maybe? I just know I wanted to be close to you, but I was never going to take that chance with you because… You don't like me, so…"

"Who said I didn't like you?" The words came tumbling out of your mouth because you could stop yourself. You covered your mouth with wide eyes, and you could smell his scent spike at the revelation, his eyebrows raising in question.

"What?"

You both stood there, stuck to the ground, and the room grew heavier and heavier. The Alpha before you fixed his posture, tilting his head. You stuttered a bit, clearing your throat. You could barely smell the flowers he brought, because your head just swirled all around him. Fuck, you outed yourself.

"I… I get happy when you call me, even if it is to mess with me. I mean, not happy, excited? I—" You couldn't form words as you stuttered, and his lips turned into a cocky grin, his arms coming to cross over his chest.

"So you're saying you are into me." Your eyes widened, pointing at him.

"You are into me! You just said it!"

"Nope, never did." He took a step forward, as you took a step back, your defenses coming up as you looked at the door of your bedroom, wanting to go and curl up in your nest for safety. His face became serious again, his hand coming to rub the back of his neck. "It's just… messy, I guess…"

"Why so?" You asked, and his eyes went to look for yours.

"Jesus H Christ, you really are going to tell me you don't feel it?" You blinked a few times, realizing what he had just said.

"Feel what?" He scoffed, shaking his head.

"The goddamn tension, sweetheart." You mocked him, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Don't know what you are even talking about." He stayed silent for a second, and you gulped heavily, nervously licking your lips. "I am a Beta… Or was… I didn't really think I had a chance… I just thought you would always look at me as a competitor, not as a partner…"

His scent sweetened, and you couldn't help the little purr that rumbled in your throat. Your arms fell to your sides as he took a step closer, then another, until he was towering over you. His hand came to cradle your cheek, and you saw him leaning in, taking your breath away. He was all over you, your apartment, and—

You pulled away from his grasp, his hand hovering in the air.

"What—"

"You're making a move now because I'm an Omega… You are not— If you had really wanted me before, you would have done something earlier…"

He could see the redness forming in your eyes, tears starting to build as you bared your heart to him. His hand fell, and he chuckled, shaking his head. You frowned, offended, opening your mouth to tell him off, but he interrupted you.

"I didn't make a move before because I thought you saw me as a knothead Alpha. I thought that you, as a Beta, didn't want to be with someone like me. I didn't— I didn't want you to think I wanted to succeed you or anything like that, and I honestly thought you hated me for being… an Alpha." His voice was quiet, vulnerable, unlike any of the other times you heard Eddie talk.

Hate him?

"I never once thought of that… I never wanted to prove that I am better than you just because I am— was a Beta…" He nodded, then his gaze fell on you, a fiery one.

"Can we just please do what we have been wanting to do to each other for the past year? Your new designation really does not change how much I want you. It's still the same as before."

And finally, you let your body respond for you for the first time ever. Your arms moved to wrap around his shoulders, eyes brimming with tears from how overwhelmed you felt. His breath got caught in his throat as his arms finally embraced you, and his lips crashed into yours.

Lips you never thought you would touch or savour. Lips that you never thought would reciprocate the kiss that was happening right now. You could feel slick starting to pool in your underwear, and you moaned as his tongue ravaged yours. He growled when you pulled him closer, feeling his hard-on against your stomach.

He pulled away reluctantly, looking down at you with dilated pupils.

"We don't have to do anything now. I want you to be comfortable with what I just said. This isn't happening because you're an—"

"Omega, but it does ease things up a lot. So stop talking, please…"

"Fuck." His lips were on you instantly, ravishing your mouth as no one had ever done before. His hands wandering over your back, your hips, your ass, and your fingers are tangled in his hair, giving it a few pulls.

Your mind was filled with sudden fog, a heat running through your veins. The first touch of an Alpha after your re-presentation was making you sensitive. Way too sensitive. And needy. You were so goddamn needy.

You grabbed him by the shirt, not breaking the kiss for a second as you started backing up towards your bedroom door. He groaned into your lips, pulling away for just an inch so he could talk.

"Sweetheart, is that a nest?" You pulled away, eyes in shock as you turned your head to see your untidy nest, done with the things you had at hand. You felt like crying, feeling a bit like a failure.

"I've never done a nest before… It's my first time, so I know it's not good, and it doesn't look okay—" His hands cradled your cheeks to turn your gaze back on him.

"It's a beautiful nest, Omega… You did good… We just need to add something to it." You chirped at the compliment, eyes half lidded as you stared at him with a dreamy look.

"What's that, Alpha?"

You were then pushed onto the bed, making you bounce with a gasp at the action. You held yourself up by pressing your hands on the mattress, and your eyes widened when you saw the smirk on Eddie's face as he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"My scent."

—

Eddie entered the office, holding folders in his hands. He was whistling as he passed the trophy shelves, including game of the year award. The office was big, cozy, and he then sat down on his chair, dropping the folders on the desk.

"You know, we should implement some more modern changes. It's been years, and we still present our projects with papers and folders." He complained as he rocked in the chair.

"Did we get the deal?" You asked, opening the folder, and he scoffed.

"Of course we did."

"Then I don't see a problem." Eddie mocked you on the side, doing faces, and you giggled, shaking your head. "You know that I can sense when my mate is doing something he shouldn't, right?"

"Maybe I wanted to get caught, love." You turned your head to look at him, shaking your head. "You feeling okay?"

"Not much nausea today. A bit overheated at times, but they go away." He straightened up in his chair, moving to press a kiss to your cheek. You found out you were pregnant a month ago. Having pups was never in your projects because, as a Beta, you couldn't have any… But ever since Eddie mated you two years ago, well… those projects changed a little.

"Good." He was leaning in to kiss you, only for a knock to interrupt you both. He groaned, looking at the doors. "Yes?"

A smiling Omega came in, Dustin Henderson. He was part of Eddie's company before you two decided to merge. Eddie had assigned him to be the head of the programming team, even if he was an Omega. Dustin was exceptional in his work… It only made your love for Eddie grow.

"So, Eddie, I have figured out the mechanics for the new fighting macros for Slicing—"

"Why are you talking to me?" He cocked his head, and you shook yours, rolling your eyes. Dustin chuckled nervously and then turned to you.

"Right— Sorry, habit still…"

"Don't worry, Dustin, I might be your boss, and also Eddie's, but I don't bite." You said softly, and your vice president wiggled his eyebrows next to you.

"Except for me~" You smacked the back of his head, and he just jerked down, rubbing the area you hit. Dustin rolled his eyes, bidding goodbye with just a wave before leaving the office. "Why did you do that!?"

"Insubordination."

DAY 17 - PREGNANCY

You stood in front of the door with your heart in your throat.

You didn't expect this, you didn't want it, and much more from an Alpha like Billy fucking Hargrove. It was a hook-up, a one-time thing. You were mostly shy, but Billy was an attractive Alpha, with rumors that went back to high school.

You two talked in the hideout, watching Eddie perform with his band. You were surprised to see Billy working as a barista there, and it had been a while since you got laid. Of course, you weren't the type to just go out and have sex, unlike Eddie or Nancy. You were actually shocked when he asked you out for a date.

Eddie had warned you that Billy was a little out there, but he was not the same as he was in high school. He did have some Omegas and even Alphas that were lining up to have a taste of the blonde man.

"Does he normally ask people on dates?" You asked Eddie, and he hummed for a moment, nodding.

"Yeah… To get in their pants." You winced at that, not really knowing what to do, but you wanted to get out of your comfort zone, and it had been a while, so why not accept? Billy was attractive, and it would be just one time.

A one-time that would change your life forever.

You took a deep breath in, raising your fist up, gathering up courage so you could face the next few minutes. Your stomach was in knots, and your heart felt like it was collapsing into itself. Finally, you gave three knocks and waited.

Maybe he wasn't home, even if his Camaro was outside, and you could delay this conversation. Maybe you could go home to prepare yourself mentally, at least a bit more. Oh fuck, you should have done that, or maybe you shouldn't be here at all, because he wouldn't care—

The door opened, revealing an Alpha female, a girl. Billy's sister, or, well, stepsister. You knew he had adopted her, and you didn't know the details, but that made you have more interest in the Alpha. Just because of that action, which wasn't something easy to decide. You opened your mouth to greet her, and she just yelled over her shoulder.

"Your date is here!" She gave you a half smile and walked away, letting you enter the home. You frowned a bit, your blood running cold now knowing that Billy had plans for today, and you might just ruin them. You stood at the front door, deliberating whether to leave or get this over with. A rough voice vibrated in your ears, steps coming closer.

"It's early for him to come—" He stopped in his tracks when he saw you at the door. He gave you a charming smile, and you could already tell that he was a bit smug to see you back into his house. "Well, what can I help you with? I'm a bit… busy tonight, baby, so—"

"Um, no, right, uh… I should just leave…" You turned around, but his nose flared, his smile falling. He could smell the sourness in your scent, and his hand shot out to hold you by your bicep in a soft grip. Your head snapped towards him, seeing the worry in his eyebrows.

"Hey, don't take it to heart… I— It was just a casual thing, just like this is—" You shook your head wildly, nervous of what he had interpreted.

"No, no… I don't care what you do, just… tell me when you are available and don't have anything planned…" He squinted at that, pulling you into the house, closing the door behind you. You could feel the cold sweat running all over your body, feeling a little intimidated to be in his den, once again, and not to do what you two did last time.

"Alright, then what is it? You're not here for another fuck, or anything, so…" You actually wanted to punch him. You couldn't help the hiss that came out of your mouth, taking him aback.

"I am not like your other Omegas. I am not here for another fuck."

"So, you're not a whore." He smirked, his arms crossed over his chest. You squinted at him, shaking your head as you closed your eyes.

"I'm just gonna go." You made a move to leave, and he raised his hand to stop you. His face hardened, a rumble in his chest for you to submit to telling him what was going on.

"If you didn't come here for that, then for what?"

Your bottom lip felt like it was wobbling, so you turned around to walk into the living room, pacing a bit. You knew he wasn't going to be happy about it, much less because of what he did in his daily life. He wouldn't give it up, not even if…

"I'm pregnant."

And time froze. You didn't hear him speak, your back towards him. You couldn't even smell him because of how nervous you felt. You were afraid of turning around and facing him, but you knew you had to. You needed to know what he was thinking or feeling. So you faced him, and all you could see was his face in shock, and he was pale… so pale.

"What…? We— We used protection!" He yelled, and you flinched at the tone. He was angry, his paleness turning red, and you started to shake from nerves and from rejection on his part.

"I know, but it can fail, and it did—"

"How do you even know it's mine!? It could be someone else's!" His voice was sharp, denying the fact that you were pregnant. He didn't want it. He didn't want to have a pup this early in life, but you felt so little right now. Some place deep inside of you, you hoped that he would have said something encouraging, but he was just doubting you.

"I said I'm not like the other Omegas! I don't go out and have sex in the daily! You were the only one I had sex with after a drought of half a year!" You screamed, and that made him shut up. There was a variety of scents, and also, the scent of worry from a young Alpha that might be hearing through the walls of the small house.

Billy was in shock, not saying anything as his gaze fell to the floor. He shook his head a bit, and he stomped towards the kitchen that was connected to the living room, and you saw how he opened the fridge and popped open a beer. His back was turned your way, and you were playing with your fingers, trying to handle the pain, the nerves, the sadness, all at once.

It was still your pup… but…

"I… I won't have it." You declared, and you saw how he froze on the spot. "I can't afford a pup right now, not by myself… I'm not gonna make you be present, or force you… I know you don't want it, I know you are not ready for it, and you don't want to give up your life… But I really cannot do it by myself, so I will— I will go to a clinic soon. You don't have to worry."

He didn't say anything. He didn't look your way. His scent was gone, something that happened to Alphas and Omegas when they were in complete shock. You felt like you were betraying your instincts by your decision, and you knew you would cry into your pillow when you got home. You didn't want to give the pup up, but you couldn't take care of it by yourself.

Without another word, you bid goodbye to Billy, feeling tears starting to run down your face, and before he could see you, you ran out. You walked to your car, not hearing him come after you, not hearing him call out to you… Nothing.

If you have the baby, you will not be able to let go. You would not give the child the life it deserved, and you wanted a pup when you were stable, mated, with a nice Alpha that would help you financially, physically, mentally… And that wasn't going to happen, at least not with Billy Hargrove.

And when you got home, you scheduled an appointment at the clinic, and cried yourself to sleep, holding your belly, preparing yourself for what was to come.

—

The next day, it was raining, thundering, and you had been lying in your bed all day. That was, until hard knocking made you stand up. You could smell the Alpha on the other side of the door already, feeling your heart about to combust.

Your fingers itched as you grabbed the handle of the front door, turning it to see a drenched Billy Hargrove, breathing heavily on the other side. You frowned, confused.

"Billy? What are you doing here?"

"Don't get rid of the baby." You stood there frozen, not understanding the Alpha at all. He didn't react to the news yesterday, and now he was asking for you to… not go through with not having it?

"I'm… I don't understand? You didn't say anything yesterday, and—"

"I know, I know, and it was wrong of me to do so, but I was shocked and…" He looked down, his hands running all over his damp hair. "I didn't mean to react like that."

You stood there, blinking, completely bewildered. What did he want you to do?

"I can't do this alone—"

"I will be present for the pup. For you…" His jaw clenched, looking up at you. "You want to go through it?"

You felt tears filling up in your eyes, and you looked away as a knot formed in your throat. You shook your head, sniffling.

"No… But I don't have a choice if I do it alone, so…"

"And you won't be." Thunder made you look up at him, his blue eyes staring into yours with an intensity that you didn't expect to see.

"Why the… change?" He doubted for a second, his jaw clenching as you smelled his scent turn acrid.

"I didn't have the best childhood. My father didn't want me, but my mother had me anyway… I don't want the pup to go through that. I want to give the baby a life where both parents are present, and want them…"

You couldn't help the purr that vibrated in your chest, the chirp, which made the corner of his lips go up slightly. You cleared your throat, licking your lips.

"You won't be able to do the things you do now… People will know you have a pup, and that is not very attractive on a single Alpha… Your life will change…" You warned him, even if you didn't want to, because you were so happy that he decided to raise the baby with you. But you had to, because you were thoughtful, and he knew. He appreciated it by smiling your way.

"I won't miss it. Don't worry."

—

Six months in, and Billy was always at your house. He brought you groceries, went to the baby meetings, the courses, and the trainings. He even bought books for himself to raise the child right. Ways that were never done to him. Correcting the child that didn't require a fist, as he had received in the past.

You were munching on some popcorn, both of you sitting on your couch while watching a movie. You hadn't realized how he was looking at you, how he had been looking at you the past few months. You weren't going to tell him that you fell in love with him, or that you felt that he was your mate, even if he hadn't said anything or even made any moves that indicated it.

You put the bowl down on your coffee table, leaning back on the couch to press your hand on your belly, which was now big, with a very strong baby boy kicking inside. Just then, you noticed the gaze, and you turned to look at him with a smile.

"What?" He shrugged, slowly blinking your way.

"Just looking at you." You could feel your heart coming up your throat, beating wildly, so that you felt your ears buzzing.

"And why is that? Do I have a pimple?" You chuckled nervously, and he scooted a bit closer, shaking his head.

"You just look beautiful. That's all." That took you by surprise. You were in very wide clothes to be comfortable, no makeup on, and you felt your stomach turning with nerves. His hand came to rest on your belly, and you smelled it. Arousal. Need.

"Are you… close to a rut…?" You asked, and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"No. Can't I tell the mother of my pup that she is beautiful?" You felt your entire body burning up, and you knew Billy hadn't been sleeping around. Ever since you told him you were pregnant, Max, for some reason, always kept you up to date on Billy. The only Omega he saw was you.

"I… I know it's been a while for you, but… You don't have to—"

"I want you. I have been wanting you for a while… I just kept it well hidden." His hand was warm as it rubbed on your covered belly, and your fingertips ran cold with nerves.

"But… Billy, I'm not in my best shape and… There are others—" He stopped you completely, a growl coming your way as his face came close to yours.

"I don't want you just like that. I want YOU. I want this. I want your mating gland to have my bite, and I want mine to have yours."

And his eyes were not deceiving you. He wasn't saying it just because. He wasn't saying it because of the pressure that you two were having a child together. You could feel your eyes burning with incoming tears, and you hadn't realized until you saw him smile, that you were chirping with happiness. His hand came to cradle your cheek. At the lack of response, he continued,

"So? I'm a little nervous over here, and now I understand what lack of responses does, so please—"

"Yes… Yeah… I would love that, Alpha…" He finally smiled, closing the distance to place his lips against yours. You purred against him, the room feeling hotter than usual. The memories of that heated night that brought you two together flash in your mind. He chuckled against your lips,

"I should take care of my Omega, shouldn't I?"

"Even like… this?" You looked down at your belly, not really understanding how he found you attractive with how big you had gotten. He groaned, shivering as he lay you down onto the couch, getting on top of you without crushing you.

"Especially like this."

DAY 16 - REJECTION SICKNESS

He felt like he was being ripped to shreds.

His insides were turned, knotted, and not in the good way. His lungs felt small, and it was as if he couldn't hold much air in. A constant fever, a constant stomachache, constant nausea, constant pain in each of his limbs.

Eddie thought it was going well. Eddie thought that this Alpha was it. Nancy Wheeler was the most unexpected Alpha he had ever encountered, and it started off as simple hook-ups. It was a way to pass the time, but then feelings were involved.

He never really expected to be mated. He only loved one person in his life, one he could never have. You. His best friend… who was also an Omega. When he presented, he had cursed the hells for making him the same designation as you were. He thought that if he turned out to be an Alpha, then he would have given it a shot, finally.

But it didn't happen. Eddie Munson presented as an Omega in high school. He cried about it, and you were by his side, not knowing the real reason for his tears. He had to move on from the love he felt for you. He needed to because if not, he would die from it.

So, he gained a bit of popularity among Hawkins. The slutty Omega you could call up for a fun time. You were against it, telling him it was reckless, stupid, but he didn't care. He had to let go of you, and if he had to force himself into relationships with Alphas, then it had to be done.

Then came Nancy fucking Wheeler. He never thought of fucking her back in high school, but she was a very pretty Alpha. She fucked well, and she was attentive to him. She cooked for him after sex, and that made his insides feel fluttery, something that only happened with you. It was happening; he was moving on.

They became exclusive, and he helped Nancy out of her ruts, while she helped him out of his heats. She was becoming a potential mate, and he was growing more and more excited, unlike you.

"I don't know, Eds… I just don't think you two match that well…" You had said, and that was one of the biggest fights you two had. He hasn't talked to you since then. A month went by, and he finally decided to tell Nancy about his intentions. He was so sure Nancy would reciprocate. She was doing things Alphas only do in courting rituals, so was it so wrong for him to assume?

And then, she dropped the bomb.

"I— Eddie, I am not— I don't see you in that way… As a mate… A potential mate."

That broke him. He could feel something shattering inside of him. Nancy stopped contacting him soon after, and he didn't dare to come out of his house, of his nest. He couldn't bear to have Nancy's scent, so he deep-cleaned his apartment and sent the box with her belongings to his uncle. He could deal with that later on, but he just needed to recover.

But another scent was in his nest. Yours. Your scent, that was slowly going away the more time that passed. He clutched onto your shirts, and he wanted to call you as he cried. He wanted to so badly, but he knew you didn't want him in your life. Nobody did.

Was he ever enough? Was he enough for his uncle? Enough for you? His mother died while giving birth to him, so maybe he had been a curse all along. He was useless, wasn't he? He was pathetic, small, and a waste of space. Even a waste of time for anyone who encountered him.

He missed you. He really missed you, and now he didn't have the Alpha, but worse than anything else, he didn't have you. Even after everything, he still loved you, and that was probably never gonna go away. It was better to succumb to the sickness, wasn't it?

Dropping and making everybody else a favor.

He didn't know how many days had passed, but as it wore on, he got weaker and weaker, not being able to get up at this point. He deserved it. He deserved what was happening to him. So, he closed his eyes, gripping your shirt close to his chest.

But then, he felt himself being shaken violently. He gasped, his eyes opening wide as he tried to focus his eyesight on the blurry image of someone sitting next to him on his bed.

"Eddie! Eddie, please! Wake up!" Your voice. That was your voice. He managed to get a clear view, and what he saw made his senses shake up. Your face was bloodied, your eyebrow had a cut, and your hair was disheveled. He tried sitting up, but had no strength to do so.

"Wh—What happened?" His voice was raspy, hoarse, weak. You sighed out of relief, and he realized you had tears mixing with the blood as it ran down your face.

"Oh god, fuck, Eddie, I thought I was too late!" You sobbed, clutching at his shoulder so tightly that it probably would bruise. He was paler, so it was going to be easy for that to happen.

"Why… Why are you bloody? What happened to you?" He asked, and your lip wobbled, and he also saw a small cut on your upper lip.

"It doesn't matter—"

"You are hurt, it does matter…" You doubted for a second, gulping as you stared down at him.

"I saw Nancy with an Omega at Melvald's… Holding hands…" His eyes widened, and he should care about that, but realization dawned on him, his worry directed solely to you.

"Nancy? You… What did you do?" He asked, his hand coming up to rub against your cheek. You winced, shaking your head.

"What a reasonable best friend would do… I punched the shit out of that Alpha." His eyes widened, feeling his heart pumping again, more than it had done the past few days.

"You punched an Alpha!? They can beat you up!" You chuckled, wincing as it made your lips stretch out.

"As you can see, she did… But I got her a black eye… And maybe ripped some of those curls out of her scalp."

You looked and sounded like an angel to him. You did something that was not normal for Omegas to do. You stood up to an Alpha to defend him. He started crying, sobbing as he jerked on the bed. You shushed him, shaking your head, but the words started coming out of his mouth like vomit.

"I am not good enough… She didn't want to mate me, she never even thought of me as a potential mate… What is so wrong about me? Why does no one want me for more than a fuck?" His scent soured, his heart rate started to slow down once more as pain struck his brain.

"Eddie, don't say that… Please…" He heard you sob, whine, but he kept rambling, not being able to contain himself anymore.

"I won't survive this… I know I won't… Just— I am so sorry… No one wants me, no one will ever want me, darling… I just have to let go…"

Silence filled the room, and he tried to calm down to be able to look at you, read you. He was shocked when he saw tears streaming down your face, without stopping. You grabbed his hand, tightly, and you took a deep breath in.

"I want you…" You whispered, and so small that if he weren't paying attention, he wouldn't have heard it. He chuckled, almost breathlessly.

"You're my best friend… I meant in a romantic way… In someone wanting to mate me way. No one wants me like that…" You grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently as if gathering courage, taking a deep breath in.

"That's what I meant…"

And he fell silent. His eyebrows met in the middle, heart stopping completely. What?

He was frozen on his bed, not feeling his body at all. It felt like he was floating or something. His brain shut down, and the words kept repeating in his head, but they were not settling in. They were not making sense. You? Want him? He could feel you trembling, and at his lack of response, you kept talking,

"I know it's not… I know it's not common, and I know it's wrong. I know it is, because nature should not make me want an Omega, but the thing is… I don't want an Omega… I want you. Always have…" Your voice was breaking, and he started breathing again as it all started sinking in. He gained enough strength to sit up, and you tried to push him down, but he denied it, shaking his head.

"No, wait… What? You… For me?" He felt his bodily functions starting to work again, his scent picking up to your sweet yet muddy one. You were nervous, shaking as he looked at you.

"Trust me, I— I know this is unnatural… Omega with another Omega? I knew it was doomed the moment you presented, and then when you started seeking for an Alpha…" You sniffled, starting to sob, "I went through rejection sickness after we stopped talking, and then I felt something was wrong, and I went out, and I saw Nancy, and I came running because I knew you would be in the same situation because of her—"

"You went through this?" He asked in complete shock. He didn't know. He didn't even think you would go through something like that… for him.

"Y-Yes… The thought of not even having you as my friend… And also knowing that at one point I was gonna see you completely mated to her, and I just…" You let go of his hand to hide your face, crying into your hands. "I am so sorry if this ruins the friendship, but I really don't want you to leave me for this, please…"

You didn't know what you were doing to him. You didn't know that he would never do that. Not after this. Not after you gave him the most amazing news he could ever receive. Not after being told that his feelings are reciprocated. No. His skin started regaining color, too quickly, and he might have a stroke, but his happiness was coming out from his pores.

He slowly grabbed your wrists, pulling them down, and you sniffled, shyly looking up at him. Those eyes that made his knees wobble each time you looked at him like this.

"What exactly… do you feel for me?"

"Don't make me say it… If I say it, I will never move on—"

"I don't want you to move on, so please say it." Your eyes lit up at his words, and he could see the hope glinting in your pupils. You gulped and moved your mouth.

"I love you, Eddie… Even as an Omega, it never stopped. It should have, but it just didn't…"

He let out a sob, not from sadness. From joy. The pain went away instantly, his insides unknotting, and his cheeks flushed as tears ran down his cheeks. His hands came to cradle your face, gently so it wouldn't hurt you. He pulled you close, and he leaned in to finally press his lips against yours, softly. You were shocked for a second, and then you kissed him back. He pulled away just enough to breathe over your lips, enough so he could speak.

"I love you too… Since school. I wanted to present as an Alpha so I could have a shot at you, and then I didn't… It never went away either, sweetheart…"

You couldn't help the choked-up giggle that came out of you, pressing your forehead against his. His chest felt warm, and then he heard you purr and chirp, and he mimicked those sounds for you to know he felt the same way. The sickness was gone.

"We're two morons…" You said with a small laugh. He chuckled, nodding.

"Yeah… Big ones… You went to an Alpha for me. Big balls for a little Omega like you." You rolled your eyes, wincing a bit since you moved your eyebrow.

"Well, I should actually take care of the wounds… And make you something to eat. Also, I could probably win you in a fight. I have in the past." He couldn't be more in love with you than he was now. You two wouldn't be able to have children, but you will have each other… And that was enough.

"I wish I could kiss you senseless, but it will make that cut you have worse." Your scent spiked up, and you jumped a bit on the bed.

"We can try…?"

DAY 14 - AGE GAP/LATE IN LIFE

It was as if you were obsessed, hypnotized even.

In your late 30s, you really didn't give it much thought when it came to having an Omega for life. Sure, it would have been nice to have a family, have a loving Omega to take care of, have your own pups and all, but it just didn't work out for you.

You dated, you tried, you had relationships, but when it came to finally mating them, you just couldn't do it. You went to therapy, tried to figure out if something was wrong with you, but you were told that some people just don't have that itch. The itch to mate, or be bound for life. You accepted it and moved on.

You left your hometown in search of another goal in your life, because you felt stuck after a few years of having the same job, the same routine, even the same pack. You were a bit of a selfish Alpha, being able to let go that easily, but you were born to roam. You were born to run and be free, and you were happy with it. You enjoyed your life.

And then, you met Vickie. Vickie was a coworker, a cute little Omega who was happily mated to an Alpha named Robin. You became really good friends with them, actually enjoying their chaotic energy. Soon, you met the entire group, and with that, came a new pack. They told you about their own hometown, Hawkins, and honestly, you had never heard of it before in your life.

Billy was your demise, but not in the way one would think. Billy cursed you with the worst thing of all.

"You know, one of our friends actually made it big." He said, giving that information out loud. A friend of theirs, an Omega who was the lead singer and guitarist of a metal band. They showed you a picture of him, older than you, probably in his early 40s. He looked… nice. Not really your type, but you were drawn to his hair, to his tattoos, to his figure…

And then, Billy lent you the vinyl. Corroded Coffin… And Eddie Munson's voice was your goddamn doom.

You were struck by lightning, instantly, across your entire body. You had to hold yourself against the wall as the vibrations of his voice danced inside of you. Was he that good that it made you tremble? Was his voice in a certain vibrato that made your knees turn weak?

Without telling the others, you tried to keep yourself cool, tried to hide everything you were doing. You bought all vinyls, cassettes, CDs, every poster, every figure, every little trinket you saw of him, and him only when walking down the street. You bought shirts where his face was printed on. Every single piece you bought either had Eddie's voice in it or his face. Dark hair with grey highlights that reflected his age, wrinkles in the expressive parts of his face.

For months, you jerked off to him, his songs playing in the background as you watched a videotape of his music videos. You were a fucking freak, but you couldn't help yourself. You held your tongue each time you saw the pack, just asking once if you would ever meet Eddie. The answer was 'Not likely. He is not fond of meeting new people.'

That had killed you. But hope rose within you when you heard about Billy having to go visit his sister in California, where Eddie was having some concerts. You grabbed your best polaroid and tried not to be suspicious when you handed it to Billy.

"I just want Eddie to be comfortable with me if we ever cross paths, so that he knows my face."

He didn't question your motive, finding it reasonable. That week he was gone felt never-ending. You wondered every single night if he had seen your picture, if he had the same reaction you did when you first saw him. You weren't that hopeful, even if you craved it.

When Billy returned, he mentioned that he had given the picture to him, and the only reply Eddie gave was 'cool'. For the first time in your life, you felt rejected. That never happened before. Feeling this kind of aggressive rejection. You had never met this Omega in your life, and he had you wrapped around his little finger like no one ever did before.

Corroded Coffin announced a surprise concert in Chicago, not only a week later. It wasn't just Chicago, but it was still weird. They were supposed to end the little tour and concerts in California, but decided to travel a bit more.

You were hoping everyone got invited to VIP or to an after party, and you were somehow included. Your nerves were eating you up as you drove to Vickie's house, hoping to hear news about it. You could feel your fingertips digging into the leather of your wheel. Having dinner without any news was making you feel nauseous, until finally, Robin talked.

"So, uh… We have Eddie's concert tomorrow." Your ears perked up, but the tone she set was enough to tell you that you were not invited. You could feel your body flush as everyone looked at each other, and your scent was probably turning slightly acrid, which made a few noses twitch.

"Oh, well… I am supposing that's gonna be fun for you guys." At your words, Robin continued, a little confused herself.

"He invited you."

And you had never wanted to purr more in your life than you did now.

—

Seeing him live was something else. He had gotten you all over the barricade space so you could watch him perform up close. Your eyes were stuck on him during the whole set, not caring about the screaming crowd or your friends.

You wanted to reach out and touch him, rush on stage to claim him in front of everyone who was yelling obscenities at him. Alphas that had their eyes set on him as he sang and sweated on stage. You could hear yourself growl at that, rage building up more and more because how dare they. You were the perfect Alpha for him, weren't you? Why—

"I never do this, but I think this is a special occasion." Your eyes widened when he took his shirt off, revealing tattoos on his pale skin, and he strutted towards the edge of the stage, right in front of you.

He held his hand out, shirt in hand, and you could already smell his musk, his scent so sweet that it was already making you leak. You trembled as you took it, the growls and cheers drowning out as your fingers grazed his. Your eyes locked into brown ones, with a bit of wrinkles on the sides of them, and you could see it. The same lust you felt inside. The same eyes you had when you looked into the posters. Pupils blown from desire.

An hour later, you were railing into him on your mattress, his hair surrounding him as he bounced up and down on your bed, drool coming out from his mouth, his legs spread as you thrusted in and out of him. You were panting on top of him, and even if he had a larger frame for an Omega, you were melting him into the bed below.

"You like that, Omega? Listening to yourself while I fuck into you?" You growled, and he nodded, tears rolling down his face and down onto the pillow. His slick was dripping out of him, gushing at each thrust. He was a mumbling mess between your name and profanities. Your hands were holding him open for you, pulling his knees apart.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, Alpha—!" You could feel him squeezing you again. What time was it now? Orgasm number four? You didn't care, and you were going to take until you were satisfied. Were you ever gonna be? It didn't feel like it.

He wasn't fazed when he saw your room; in fact, he had purred and chirped with delight. He didn't even greet the others when you were behind the curtain. He excused himself and desperately dragged you away. The moment you gave your address to the driver, and poor Beta, you had thrown yourself at him. You claimed his lips as if he had belonged to you this entire time.

He pushed you onto the seats, rubbing against you, starved just like you were.

You could feel your base burning, teeth sharpening as you felt your knot start to swell up. He wanted it, clenching each time you pushed your knot inside of his slit to keep you inside. His cocklette bounced each time your hips snapped against him, and you smirked, pleased with the view below you.

"What did you do with my picture, Eddie?" He was mumbling, and you stilled, keeping your base out of him, to which he snapped his eyes open, whining loudly. "Tell me. I know you have it."

"I— I touched myself to it— Heat, I went into heat with it—!" That was something you weren't expecting. Just by the mere sight of a picture of yours, he had gone into a triggered heat, and not only that, it became clear that he had organized these concerts to have an excuse to come and meet you. You gave him a sharp thrust, making him gasp, choking on a moan.

"What a perfect Omega you are." His back arched, hands flying to grip onto the bars of your headboard for support as his vision went white. You growled loudly, giving a few staggering thrusts before your knot didn't let you move out from him, locking you two together. You rutted into him as he came around you, and finally, you came, painting his walls white.

You plopped on top of him, breathing heavily, letting go of his knees. He relaxed, his arms slowly moving to embrace you. You didn't know him, and he didn't know you. Maybe he was your soulmate or something, but you knew that you weren't going to be able to let go of him. After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke between pants.

"I… I don't normally do this, but your picture did something to me, and— Fuck… It seems I did something for you too…" His eyes moved around the room, a chirp caught in his chest. You smiled, raising yourself to be able to look down at him.

"No shit." He smiled, genuinely, and you moved to give him a soft peck on the lips. "Can I court you…?"

He stood silent for a second, gulping as his scent turned humid. He was upset or nervous.

"I… I am not in my best shape… I won't be able to conceive pups easily… I'm in my 40s, sweetheart…" He said, and you shook your head, your hand coming to rub his cheek, where stubble stood, grey hairs peeking through the dark ones.

"I'm fine with just you. If we have one, we do, if not… I will be perfectly fine." He smiled, nodding.

"Then, it's settled. You can court me."

DAY 13 - MATING RUN/CHASE/HUNT

This was such a waste of time.

Your arms were crossed over your chest, looking at the fire crackling, moving towards the sky as the big campfire was raging in the middle of the field. It was the seniors' hunt. All graduating folks went through this, and now it was your turn. It was just a stupid thing, kind of like a tradition in Hawkins High.

Omegas ran through the forest, and the Alphas would try to catch a 'Mate'. It wouldn't really mean anything, but most of the time, the Alphas took this chance to show interest in an Omega. Either because they were scared shitless during the entire year to even try to, or if they were too focused on something else.

Either way, it was a waste of time for you. You weren't really anyone's type, from what you came to find out during all your years in Hawkins. No courtship done to you, or even asked out on a date. Maybe your scent was bad, or something, but you made peace with it. It wasn't the end of the world, you would just need… a lot of therapy because at some point the Omega inside of you will crave touch, and need a bite.

"So, you all know! We give the Omegas a five-minute grace period so they can go further into the woods, and then… we run." Jason Carver smiled as he winked at Chrissy.

You weren't really paying attention to anyone, wanting to be home more than anything else. You weren't an Omega like the popular folk. You weren't really submissive or in need of the protection of a big Alpha. You could throw punches, talk back, and even when Alphas growled and bared their fangs at you, you would hiss and spit back.

No Alpha made your knees tremble, and that made you undesirable. No Alpha made you cower, or whine, or whimper, and that made you unsuited.

The flare gun went off, and you followed the Omegas who were laughing, asking each other who they wanted to get caught by. Once you all went into the woods, you went your separate ways, and you stopped running. You looked around, sitting down on a trunk, putting your hands into the hoodie you were wearing. It was kind of chilly for it being close to summer.

When you were in middle school, you actually couldn't wait for this event. Your older sister mated Aaron like this, and they're the happiest couple you've ever met. She caught him, toppled him to the ground, and offered to start courting him on the spot. Years later, they got married and have two children together, with one more coming their way.

You looked up at the sky between the cups of the trees, dreading the moment you come out of the woods without getting caught by anyone. The shame and humiliation. Your eyes went towards the southern path of the woods. Maybe you could just walk around the site to get to your car and leave.

You heard the next shot, and you could hear, even at this distance, the primal screams of the Alphas, jumping into the woods to start the hunt. You went to the other side, completely apart from the hoard of Omegas.

Sighing, you got up from the trunk, starting to walk, knowing that there was no need to run or hide for you. As sad as it sounded, you knew you were not going to be chased, even when the school year started. There was… one exception, though.

Crunch.

Your head whipped over your shoulder at the sound. Eyebrows met in the middle because of the sudden noise. Fuck, just a stupid branch cracking. Your gaze went back to walking, pulling the hood over your head, before putting your hands into the pockets again.

You couldn't wait to get back to the crochet piece you were making for yourself. Just a big cardigan made full of yarn, and it may also be part of your little nest. You had pieces from friends, like Vickie's tank top, or Barb's scarf, your sister—

CRACK.

You stopped completely.

That sounded close. Too close. You took a deep breath in, and through the earthy smell, the humidity… there were ashes. There was something. Fuck. You didn't notice it until now. An Alpha? Maybe a close one, but you couldn't smell another Omega.

A chill ran down your spine, and your senses started sharpening out of pure instinct. It couldn't be… could it? You took a step, then another, just walking. You were testing it, seeing if you were going to be proven right. God, what—

RUSTLE.

Your instincts went into overdrive. A shock went down your entire body, because you didn't know if it was any of the people from school. You didn't know if this was an Alpha that just followed for the fun of it, for the thrill of the chase and the game.

No. This was different.

You were being preyed on.

You were prey.

Your feet suddenly started moving quickly, hood flying off your head as you picked up speed and the wind pulled it back. Fuck, fuck, fuck! You were running, and the farther you went, the louder the other steps became. Someone was chasing you. Someone was fucking chasing you.

While running, you were trying to identify the scent, but there were so many in this forsaken forest. You could feel your heart wanting to come out of your throat. You were trying to breathe in as best as you could, but it panicked you further, because the scent was stronger, meaning that the Alpha was closer.

Some other Omegas would be delighted and joyous about this situation, but this was not the same case. That Omega probably wanted to be chased, knowing there was an Alpha that would be the chaser, but you didn't. No one showed interest in you, so this was either a prank or someone else… Someone not from your school.

You were also not into the idea of being an Alpha's consolation prize because they couldn't catch the Omega they wanted… And maybe that was happening right now. You rushed to hide behind a big tree, trying to catch your breath as you gathered your thoughts. You tried focusing on the scent, to try to recognize it, but it was so difficult because of the adrenaline and the humidity that was all over the earth of the woods.

You could only gather the scent of ashes, maybe some leather. You could think of many people who have those notes, for fucks sake. You gulped heavily, trying to center your location, looking around you. If you were correct, you could see Hawkins Middle School at the very far back. At least you would have some clearing.

You took two steps from out of the tree, and you froze up. The Alpha was behind you. Before you could scream, a hand covered your mouth, tightly, and you growled against it, a strong arm coming around you to lock you in their arms.

And then their scent became distinctive. That exception. Through the leather, through the musk, through the ashes… There was the scent of old cigar. The hint of burnt caramel. A scent that burned itself into your brain at the beginning of the year. The only Alpha that treated you as an equal, instead of something fragile.

"I will let you go, so promise me you won't kick me in the nuts, darling."

His hand moved from your mouth, and you let a breath out.

"Munson…"

You turned around, seeing a very worked-up Eddie Munson, hair tied up and wearing a tight sleeveless shirt. His eyes were clashing with yours, and you two were breathing heavy from the running. He smiled through a sigh.

"I caught you… I guess." He was nervous, you could tell. Your chest, for the first time, desired to purr. But there was another part of you that was still on high alert. Your teeth bared, and he took a step back in surprise.

"I'm no consolation prize for you to return victorious." You knew Eddie was not in the popular crowd, and maybe this was his last chance of being part of it. By bringing an Omega under his arm. He laughed, shaking his head.

"Trust me, I had the chance to participate in this thing two other times. This is the first time I ever actually ran." You frowned at his words, tilting your head.

"Why? Because you know you will graduate this time?"

"Ouch."

"Sorry." You winced a bit at the lack of tact, another thing that made you unattractive. You didn't hold back your tongue, no matter what. You had no filter, and normally Omegas cared for those things.

"No biggie, you are right, but uh, no. That is not the reason I decided to actually participate this year."

Hope was something that you had not felt in a long time. You shouldn't feel it now, because you might end up disappointed. But you couldn't help yourself, because the Alpha before you seemed even more nervous than you were.

"Why… did you participate?" He cleared his throat at your question, his ringed hand scratching at his cheek, hiding his blush.

"Well, uh… Cause I had a good reason to do so…"

"And that reason is…?" He moved closer to you, standing inches from you, and his scent was pungent, addicting almost. His face dipped forward, moving towards your neck, and you heard him take a deep breath in.

"You, Omega."

You were in shock, and he was smelling you, tasting you with just his nose. He was humming at it, and you wondered what he smelled. You wondered if it was as addictive as it seemed just because of the noises he was making. You closed your eyes as his nose grazed over the skin of your neck.

"Why me…? I'm the least… Omega Omega there is." He chuckled, pulling away from you, his forehead almost touching yours.

"That's exactly why. You aren't scared of anyone. Not even if an Alpha confronts you." He was smiling, and you could feel your world spiraling the more his scent invaded your personal space. "When I saw you kick Patrick in the balls this year… damn, that was so fucking hot…"

"Eddie, if I remember correctly, our only interaction wasn't—"

"Good? I do remember. I growled at you, and you hissed at me… And I growled back, to hear you hiss more at me, and you didn't back down… You caught me first, darling, right then and there."

It was at the same time that Eddie had caught your attention as well. It was the first Alpha who didn't look flabbergasted at being hissed at by an Omega or called out. The first Alpha who was stepping up to you, the way you were stepping up to him. Most of the Alphas would have gone away, called you a bitch, but not Eddie. If it hadn't been for the bell, you would have probably punched him.

You can't even remember why it all happened to begin with.

"You mean it? I'm… a fucking lot." You proceeded to say, feeling your body pulsing and flushing from the nervousness, the embarrassment, and the chirp that wanted to explode from out of your chest.

"I know, baby, I'm not far behind… So what do you say? Would you let me court you? Take you out on dates and all that…" He was so nervous, and you knew he wasn't used to these things. You could just guess. But fuck, you never had this happen to you. Not only the situation, but what you were feeling. This attraction, this need to hold and to be held.

Your arms wrapped around his shoulders, and he saw it in your eyes, and they mirrored his. He leaned down, a smile forming on his lips, and before he pressed them against yours, he whispered,

"I'm taking that as a yes…" And he kissed you. It was strong, a deep peck, and you sighed into it. You always believed you weren't missing much about physical interaction, but fuck. You were. You were because the moment Eddie deepened the kiss, moving his lips against yours, you finally felt it.

Your legs trembled for an Alpha, for the first time.

end

DAY 12 - PUPS/CHILDREN

"Where the fuck DID HE RUN OFF TO!?"

You were pacing back and forth in your living room, your mind reeling with thoughts and possibilities of where your husband went. He could be anywhere, and he shouldn't.

"I am sure he is fine! He probably needed some air—" Dustin started, your pup on his lap as he played with his small guitar. His uncle Eddie was rubbing a little too hard on him.

"He would have left a note!" You replied almost in a screech, and Robin walked out of the kitchen as she held the plate of cookies in her hand. "I already drove looking for him, and my scent is broken or something because I couldn't—"

"Okay, you need to calm down. He is most likely fine! I know Steve, and he is not reckless!" At Robin's words, your head, Dustin's, and even your own son turned to look at Robin as if she were actually serious. She winced and put the cookies on the coffee table. Your pup immediately let go of the guitar, reaching over to grab one.

"Sebastian, what do you say to Aunt Robin?" Your voice made his ears perk up, noticing his mistake, and looking up at Robin.

"Thank you, Auntie Robs!" She was immediately awed by your five-year-old's puppy eyes, as he started eating up on one or two cookies. You went back to pacing, running your hands over your face as you felt your heart about to leave your throat.

The door opened, and you jumped up, but quickly knew that the one behind the door wasn't your husband. Eddie walked in, taking the helmet off his head, shaking his curls away.

"Didn't see him, nor caught his scent." You groaned loudly, and you heard a small whine coming from the couch. You quickly turned around, rushing towards your son who was tearing up thanks to how worked up you were. He could smell you, know that something was wrong.

"Is Papa okay?" You bent down, rubbing his cheek softly, trying to calm yourself down for his sake. You nodded, trying your best to smile at him.

"He most likely is… He just forgot to tell Mama where he was going." You tried explaining, but your pup knew your scent in all of your moods, and he knew you weren't in a good one. Suddenly, Sebastian perked up, a smile on his face. Your nostrils flared, the scent of your mate coming closer to the door. Your body lit up, straightening up in one second as the door opened.

"Hello— Why is everyone in my house?" Steve asked, clueless, looking at Eddie, Robin, and Dustin. Your eyes were piercing at him, hours of looking for him, and he just struts in and says hello?

"Papa!" Sebastian got up from the carpet, running towards his father, hugging his leg tightly, knowing Steve couldn't pick him up. He smiled down at his pup, his hand caressing the mop of his son's hair. "Mama is mad at you!"

At that, Steve's smile fell, looking up at you. Your arms were crossed over your chest, and there was steam coming from the top of your head. You were fuming. He trembled a bit, his mating gland pulsing slightly, looking at Sebastian's godfather for help. Dustin cleared his throat, getting up from the couch and rushing to pick Sebastian up.

"Well, um… We're all gonna go play with Sebby to his room!" He forced a smile, looking at Eddie and Robin for approval, who were just shocked, but knowing that the ground was about to collapse at any moment with you, Eddie rushed to get the cookies off the coffee table and ran upstairs alongside Robin and Dustin.

Silence engulfed the living room as you and your husband, your mate, stood in the living room. He put a hand behind his neck, rubbing it.

"I… I didn't know you would be mad if I left for a while…" Your eyes widened at his words, as if he were crazy.

"The fuck you think, Steve!? You left for hours!"

"I got a little sidetracked by Joyce! I was at Melvalds this whole time!" Your nose flared, and you could smell the twinge of deception, the little taste of a lie.

"You are lying to me." At that, he straightened up, frowning your way.

"Why are you so mad!? I took a little longer than expected, so I'm sorry for that—" You couldn't help the fire igniting inside of you, taking some steps towards him. He could almost feel the floor shake at every step of yours, until you were inches away from him.

"I am MAD because my mate disappeared for hours! I am MAD because he is lying to me! I am MAD because anything could have happened, and you are being careless!"

He looked down at the floor, sighing. You didn't realize your eyes were burning with incoming tears, and you sniffled.

"I'm sorry—"

"You are literally past your due date. The baby can come at any minute, and you are just strutting around the streets… Steve, you can't do that…" A deep breath came out from your lips, as if you had been holding it for hours. Your hand came to rest on his belly, feeling your daughter kick right where you rested it. Steve's hand came to lay over yours, and you looked up to meet his gaze.

"I know… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have been out for so long…"

"Where were you, Steve?" He sighed, getting his hand in his coat, pulling out a small velvet box. You tilted your head in question, and a blush crept over his cheeks.

"With the baby, I wouldn't have had time to get you an anniversary gift… so I went ahead and got one…"

Your heart melted instantly, you carefully grabbed the box and opened it to find a silver necklace holding a small pearl at its center. You felt like sobbing for being such an asshole, but this kind thing didn't excuse him for being gone for so long, but fuck—

"Omega, you shouldn't have… I wouldn't have cared…" You whispered, trying to hold back tears, and then you felt a soft kiss being pressed to your head.

"But I would have." You turned your head upwards, and you tiptoed to kiss his lips, which he hummed into, purring with delight. You pulled away, smiling up at him, only for then to frown.

"No excuse. You should have left a note." His eyebrows met in the middle, confused, tilting his head.

"I did? It was on the kitchen counter."

You blinked a few times, and then you heard the steps coming back down, first small ones, then big ones. Sebastian was rushing towards the two of you, not wanting to play with the others any longer.

"I wanna be with Papa!"

"That little fucker is like a fucking snake!" Eddie was huffing air, his hair in disarray. Dustin was laughing, chewing on a cookie as he walked downstairs with Robin. You looked down at Sebastian, who was now hugging your leg tightly.

"Son, baby… You were making the cookies with Robin in the kitchen… Did you perhaps see… a note?"

Then Dustin started coughing, spitting the cookie out, and you all looked up to see what was happening.

"What the fuck—" He looked at the cookie, and in the center, there were little pieces of paper stuck inside. Sebastian smiled, pointing at it.

"I made that one myself!"

DAY 11 - MUZZLES

"Now, now… You need to be a good boy for me, okay, Alpha?"

Your voice was sweet, enticing, and delicate, but held a possessive tone behind it. Something a little more wicked. A play you and your Alpha loved to do. It edged him and made him go feral.

When you started dating Billy, you never expected him to be the submissive kind of Alpha. It was a surprise, but what was even more surprising was that you were the perfect match. A sadist. He found himself after he met you, of course. He always thought that by being an Alpha, he had to be strong, and rabid, and just a beast when in bed.

But even in his ruts, all he wanted was to be used. And you use.

"But I really want to mate you, baby… You promised tonight it would happen…" You frowned for a second, and then you saw the little glint in his eyes, the lust that resided in them. He meant it, of course, but there's also a hint of 'Please, edge me until I cry and beg…'

"I bet you do, but I never give stuff out that easily… right, Alpha?" He shivered under your words, and you could already feel the slick that was dripping down from your core as he started going into a submissive trance. "Now… I got you something really special for tonight…"

You moved away from him, both of your bodies naked. You always teased him, standing in front of him in your glory as he got harder and harder, looking at your slick sliding from in between your thighs, down your legs. Sometimes, you even made him lick the floor if a droplet or two would fall. You would sometimes let him touch himself, and other times, not at all.

You opened a leather box that was sitting on your desk and grabbed something from inside, smiling as you looked down at it. His eyes widened when you turned around, his gaze zeroing in on the object in your hands.

"A muzzle…?"

"Mhm… Can't have you ruining the fun in the heat of the moment." You were smirking as you looked up at him. His chest rumbled, but his cock twitched with attention. He slowly got on his knees, his eyes never leaving your form. "Good boy."

He trembled at the praise, his hair falling over his face. You hummed, putting the muzzle back in the box, walking over to him, standing behind his form, towering over him. Billy's breathing hitched as you grabbed his hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. This was one of the ways you showed him you would take care of him, despite what you two were into, or how rough you became.

Once done, you walked back to the box, muzzle in hand, and you bent down as you started strapping it on his head. A metal cage hovered over his mouth, his ears were in between two straps that joined in the back of his head, where you were tightening the belt more and more, so he wouldn't pull it off.

"Comfy?" He winced slightly, making you hum once more. You loosened it up just a bit, and he sighed in relief.

"Thank you, sweetheart." You smiled just for a brief second, and you walked to his front to look down at his form. Fuck, he looked so good. All muzzled up, not being able to bite you or even taste you.

"If you behave and do as I say, I may be merciful to you and let you mate me. Sounds like a deal?"

You could almost see his tail wagging, his head nodding desperately as his blue eyes shimmered with pleasure. Slick slid down your inner thighs, coating your skin, and his gaze fell to it. He instantly lunged at your legs, grabbing onto them tightly, and then you heard a growl as hard metal hit your skin. He was trying to desperately lick you, but the muzzle prevented him from doing so.

"Fuck!"

"I said, behave. You cannot take stuff I do not give, Alpha." You hissed at him, making Billy sit back down on his ankles, letting go of your legs. "Now… what to do with you?"

You tied him up in the bed. That's what you did. You used him freely, letting him knot you one time, where his fangs showed behind the muzzle, and you almost lost resolve. Your mating gland pulsed with need for the man you love to make you his forever. His eyes were dilated in a black color, and you knew that when you took the muzzle off… He won't be in a submissive state at all. Not today.

"Omega… Untie me!" You felt your nervous system send an electric shock throughout your whole body. You clenched around his deflated knot. His wrists were red from the ropes, and your mouth and legs were sore from sucking him off, riding him to your heart's content. You had made a mess out of him over his legs and his bed, but it didn't matter.

He had drool dripping from the side of his mouth, and you could see all of his veins just popping out from all the strength he was doing to come lose from the ropes.

"Do you think… You earned it?" You whispered out, and his eyes met yours. There was more to it than the sex you two were having. You knew he was a good Alpha, but… "Have I earned it…?"

His gaze softened as he saw your eyes, noticing you were doubting yourself. He was amazing, but sometimes you felt like you didn't deserve him at times. You felt like he let you get your way many times, even when it shouldn't have happened. Fights that he let you win, even when you knew you were in the wrong. You wondered if he was actually afraid of you.

And your eyes widened when you heard a snap. His right hand came up to grab the back of your neck, pulling you flush against him. You could feel his heartbeat against your chest, and you whined as your eyes filled with incoming tears.

"Not many things went right in my life, but I know for sure that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me…" You sniffled against him, nodding. You looked up to look into his eyes, your hand coming up to rub at his temple.

"And you are mine…" You reached over to untie him from his left wrist from the headrest, and your world was flipped, your eyes meeting towering blue ones, your back against the mattress.

"Please…" He breathed heavily now, looking down, a plea in his pupils. Your hands moved to the back of his head, slowly pulling the belt open, and you took the muzzle off, throwing it to the side. His eyes zeroed in on your left shoulder. You smiled widely, feeling him grow hard inside of you again. His scent was strong, and as he got closer, you saw him baring his fangs.

"My Alpha…" You whispered, and finally he bit down on your mating gland, making you gasp and grip at him. Electricity and pain shot throughout your body, and your entire universe shifted. He trembled on top of you, his teeth into your skin. He pulled away, and he planted a kiss on your wound, a smile on his lips.

"My Omega."

DAY 10 - SEX POLLEN/SURPRISE HEAT OR RUT

"Don't touch it!"

"What? You scared of a little sparkling vine, princess?" Eddie laughed as he grabbed the glowing red vine that was on the floor of the tunnels. You hissed at the recklessness of the Alpha.

"There shouldn't be any of these things in here! Why are you touching it!? Aren't Alphas supposed to be cautious?" You argued, and he glared your way, wiggling the thing on your face.

"Then it's great for us to take it back to the station, so that everyone can have their assumptions! If there is a gate somewhere in these tunnels, we are fucked!" He yelled out, and you huffed at him.

You and Eddie had this cat-and-mouse thing going on for years. Ever since you got involved in last year's battle by mere chance and mistake, the closeness has made this game escalate. You had been a neighbor of Eddie's since you could remember, both raised in Forest Hills. You remember even smelling when he presented, and he probably had smelled yours too.

It was fun to bicker, mess with each other, and you both knew there was… something. Robin even stated that you and he are the 'perfect mates' for one another, but you tried to fight her on it, when deep inside, you were happy people thought that. But since Eddie never made a courting move on you, you just assumed that maybe it wasn't what it really looked like.

Maybe you saw something that wasn't there to begin with.

"It is still dangerous! What if it tracks where we are!? What if it's a trick for Vecna to know our location!?" He thought for a moment, snarling a bit as he looked down at the piece of jiggly vine he had in his hand. It glowed red in some places, and it sort of pulsed.

"If it did, we would have already been attacked! Perfect chance to take out two of the people going against him!" He argued back, and you stepped back at the tone, which made him sigh. "Didn't mean to use the Alpha tone—"

"Drop it."

He looked at you for a moment before he turned and started walking away, your eyes widening as he didn't listen to you. You rushed to his side, snatching the thing off his hand. It was slimy, sort of, and warm.

"What the fuck are you doing—!" Before he could grab it back, you threw it on the ground and stepped over it, smashing it completely. It made a squelching sound, only for spores to come out, like a gas bomb. You coughed as it filled your lungs. It burned, and it smelled putrid. Eddie covered his face as he screeched, growling at what just happened.

"FUCK!" Your eyes were glistening, a whine vibrating in your throat as you felt yourself shiver for some reason. Eddie coughed as he grabbed your shoulders, worry washing over him at the sounds you were making. He couldn't risk being mad now, not when you seemed affected by whatever that was.

"Let's get out of here!" He guided you away as you both coughed, leaving the gas cloud behind you. Finally reaching the stairs, he let you climb up first before following right behind. The sun hit your body, and you crawled on the grass, lying down on it as you tried to catch your breath.

Eddie immediately closed the hatch door, coughing as he let himself fall right beside you, looking up at the sky.

"I'm sorry—" You whined as you felt your eyelids growing heavy, his scent engulfing your lungs, a sweet maple kind of smell falling from the trunk of a tree. He wiped his face, his eyes closed, feeling himself relax, and he knew something was wrong. He moved his hand as best as he could to get the walkie talkie from his belt, sending an SOS signal in morse code to the station.

"It's okay, I asked for help… Don't panic…" His voice was rough, trying his best to reassure you that it was going to be fine. He had to protect you, letting you feel safe, somehow. Your whines fell silent, and he saw you had fainted. He couldn't move his body, his eyes widened, and he did his best to yell for help. "HERE!"

He kept yelling, and the moment he heard his name being called by Joyce, he let his eyes fall, finally knowing they had been spotted and were going to be helped.

He just needed to sleep a little.

—

You awoke on a bed downstairs in the basement of the radio station, normally a place where someone could crash if too tired from a crawl or exploration trip.

Your eyes drifted to your left, to the bed next to yours, seeing Eddie sleeping as well. Your body felt lightweight now, no longer aching or your lungs didn't feel like they were squeezing into each other, ready to pop.

"You're awake!" You heard Vickie cheer, standing on your right side, making you jump a little.

"Yes… I'm… I don't know what happened…" She hummed as you sat up without any problems. Vickie grabbed your wrist and checked your pulse for a few seconds.

"Your pulse is still fast… You don't feel sick? Or like you are having palpitations?" She asked, and you shook your head. The only thing you felt was dryness in your throat, an itch on your skin, and as if you were hot all over.

Before you could say any of that to her, Will rushed into the room, making the two of you look at him.

"I'm sorry! Um, I'm happy you are okay, but— Vickie, is there a chance you could come with me to the Wheelers? I think Mike is presenting or is having a stroke!" Will was in tears, and Vickie frowned, looking down at you.

"There's no one at the station… Robin and some are still exploring, and I'm sure Joyce will come with Will and me… Are you okay? Are you strong enough to check on Eddie?" You blinked a few times, and suddenly you felt like you wanted her gone. You wanted to be left alone with the Alpha in the room.

"Yeah… I feel okay… Just go." You gave her your best smile, and she reciprocated before rushing out with Will. Your head whipped back to the Alpha next to you. Your lips felt dry, and your body moved on its own as you stepped out of bed. You stood next to his sleeping form, and fuck— Something was wrong.

Something was dreadfully wrong because you wanted to jump on him. You wanted to ride this Alpha. You wanted to be knotted by him. You have always wanted to, but this time, it's with purpose. This time, it felt as if you didn't get it; you would die.

You gulped heavily, now feeling your eyes burn, and those palpitations Vickie mentioned somehow made their appearance right this second. Your nostrils flared, and you could just know the moment you were left alone with him.

Your hand reached over, trembling, hovering over his face, then his neck, and you felt like you were about to explode. Slick started pooling in your underwear, and you could feel tears running down your face because of how overwhelmed you were feeling.

This wasn't something you had dreamed about before. You had wanted Eddie like this many times, but you would have never told him. No one was ever going to know, and now it seemed as if you couldn't hold back any longer. Your fingers twitched just inches from his face. You shouldn't touch him, you shouldn't even be hovering over him like this, but your body was yelling for him. Screaming for release.

You were stronger than whatever this thing was. You had to be. You could deal with this on your own, but you knew it was going to hurt for god knows how long. Your breathing was heavy, labored, sweat all over your forehead as you started retreating your hand.

But your wrist was grabbed in a tight grip, and in just a few seconds, you felt yourself being yanked onto the bed, bouncing on top of it as a form covered your own. Your legs were still draped over the edge of the bed, but your eyes couldn't leave the brown ones that were looking down at you intently.

More slick gushed out of you as you saw Eddie panting on top of you. His scent changed instantly to that of arousal. You whined underneath him, your right wrist still being gripped by his left one. He was caging you onto the bed, the palm of his right hand next to your head.

"Something's… wrong…" He could barely talk, and all you could do was nod. He clenched his eyes tightly, and his skin glistened with sweat. "You need to get out… Fuck—"

Your free hand reached up to rub against his cheek, and this was selfish. Masquerading this situation as the only opportunity to be with him the way you had always wanted to, instead of fighting. His eyes met yours, pupils blown, the similarity of a rut very apparent in his features, as well as the inside of his pants.

"We can help… each other out…" You breathed out, and he choked on air, his chest rumbling, and his mouth got closer to yours, and your body shivered in pure need. Your scent was driving him insane, and you knew he didn't want to overstep, that he didn't want to do something you didn't want to. "I— It's gonna hurt… more… if we don't…"

He pondered for a second, and you could feel how hot he was running. He looked away for a second, as if trying to contain himself, but whatever was going on, you both knew you were fucked. He turned your way again, his lips brushing against yours.

"Are you conscious enough to say this?" He asked almost in a choke, and you wanted to cry from how much care he was putting into consent. Even in the frantic state you two were in, there was still care, and a line that was paper-thin, ready to be broken.

"Yes… Are you?" You asked back, and he nodded quickly, a drop of his sweat falling on your cheek.

"Yeah… Fuck— Whatever it is, it fucking hurts…" You gulped and took the leap yourself. You clashed your lips against his, unleashing a battle of tongues, teeth clashing, and finally getting your legs up on the bed, spread for him so he could sit in between.

He dry humped you, making you moan into his mouth, feeling his hard cock over all the layers of clothes. You were probably drenched through your pants as well. In another case, this would have been a little embarrassing, but he seemed to like it as he grunted into your mouth the more he rubbed himself against you.

"Eddie, the clothes— I'm suffocating," You were gasping into his lips, feeling the room growing smaller, the air was thicker, and it was hard to breathe it in. He kneeled up, ripping his shirt over his head, and he hurriedly helped you get undressed. Strings of your slick followed as he peeled off your underwear.

"God, Omega…" You felt something inside you click. Something feral, and you felt your entire body flush, and you clenched around nothing at all. You purred at the attention as he looked down at your naked center. "You like that, huh…?"

You licked your lips, instincts winning over as you felt yourself burning in your belly, tightening, intestines twisting into themselves as slick kept gushing out from you like a fountain. You turned around, getting on all fours, and then proceeded to lie your chest to the mattress, presenting your ass to him.

"Alpha… Please…"

Seconds later, you were being railed into the bed, and the only sounds in the room were your moans, his grunts, the bed creaking, and the squelching in between your bodies. The heat never left, not for a single second, but it just progressively got worse.

When he flipped you to look down at your face, you could see Eddie in a way you never thought you would be able to see in your life. He looked so good when wrecked like this. He kept calling your name as his pace never slowed down. He kissed your calf as he held your leg over his shoulder.

Even in this haze of lust, you still found that action the most enticing of all.

"Fuck— My knot is—" You nodded desperately, meeting his thrusts as his eyes looked down between your bodies. His hair was stuck to his face from the sweat, and you felt yourself melting underneath him.

"Please, Eddie… Alpha…" And that did it. His knot started showing at his base, getting harder to thrust in and out of you, and all you did was cry out his name as you begged for him to lock inside of you. "Oh god, please, please, please…"

You were begging, head thrown back into the pillow, mouth open as he kept giving the final thrusts. His mouth fell to the crook of your neck and shoulder, and you wished that he would bite down.

He moaned loudly, growling as he came inside of you, locking his knot in your core, his seed shooting out to paint your insides white. Your eyes widened, your body trembled, and your hands gripped at his back like a lifeline. You were probably marking him all over, but you felt like you were crumbling over as you came around him. You were milking him till the last drop, and you didn't want it to stop.

But the clouds lifted.

As soon as you two climaxed, the air became pure again. The haze was gone. And everything became clear once more. You could feel him breathing heavily on top of you, and you didn't know what to say or what to do. What— What if he thought it was all a mistake? What if he regretted everything? What if he stops talking to you after this?

"You with me, princess?" You were still trembling underneath him, realization falling of what you two had done. He pulled his head back, and his voice was shaky as he spoke. "I almost bit you there… Fuck… This was like a rut, but out of nowhere and so intense…"

You were trying to center yourself, closing your eyes as you felt him pulsing inside of you. You nodded, feeling shame all over your body because guilt started seeping in.

"Yeah… It felt like a heat to me… I'm… I'm sorry…" His eyes stared at your features, and his hand came to cradle your face, making you open your eyes.

"Hey… I can smell your distress… No need to apologize, we helped each other out—"

"And now you will tell me to forget it, right?"

He froze at that, looking down at you as if you had gone crazy. You weren't meeting his gaze at all, and he sighed heavily, pressing his forehead against yours.

"No… I was not gonna say that." Your eyes finally met his, your heart pounding as if you had just run a marathon. "Whatever just happened, even as fucked as it was… I'm kind of glad it did."

"What?" You asked incredulously, and he let out a nervous chuckle, nodding.

"Yeah, uh… Unless you never felt that… tug-of-war situation going on between us… Which might make me look like a jerk, and an actual knothead right now, and oh god, I have to stop talking—"

You cut him off, hands moving to the back of his head to pull him into a deep kiss. He smiled in between, his arms wrapped around your body, holding you close to his. When you pulled away, you were chirping, which made Eddie's chest rumble with pride. A happy Omega. That's all that mattered now.

"I think nature got tired of us doing that little game of ours, too… right?" He smiled, dimples showing and all, and then it just fell, his head turning towards the door, and quickly pulling the blanket all over your bodies.

Vickie knocked on the door, almost shyly.

"Um… When you guys are ready… could you please come upstairs?"

Oh… people were at the station… for a while now.

—

Eddie stood next to you, holding your hand tightly as an angry Dustin Henderson stood before you, a table in the middle, and a very familiar vine that you had stepped on a few hours ago.

"So, uhm, what's wrong?" You asked nervously, seeing Steve leaning against the wall, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. Robin proudly chipped in, smiling widely.

"I mean, I am thrilled that it happened, because, FINALLY! Got you two together! So, I am super excited because I always told Steve that you and Eddie were meant to be mates—"

"Robin, for fucks sake…" Steve grunted, and while you were embarrassed, Eddie stood proud.

"Oh, yeah, if it weren't for my amazing sense of smell… The poor pups would have… heard something they shouldn't be hearing at this age." Dustin rolled his eyes and finally pointed at the vine on the table.

"Robin, we heard worse. Now, care to tell me what you did to this thing?"

"I… stepped on it?" You smiled innocently, and Dustin gave an exasperated sigh, and then Eddie intervened.

"Wait… Did this… Thing, whatever the fuck this is, have anything to do with what happened down there?" He asked, and Dustin gave him a nod and a fake smile.

"It did! Good job, Eddie!" The Alpha growled at the pup, who took a step back, but another growl filled the room, and Eddie looked at Robin, who was glaring at him, with a smile on her face. You stopped the quarrel between the two Alphas and stepped forward, examining the vine.

"So this thing might have triggered like a placebo of a rut and heat?" Dustin sighed heavily and then shook his head.

"No. It's a new thing Vecna does, which kind of triggers you to do your deepest desires, or some shit like that. It was in a book I found in the Upside Down— Nevermind, point is, you should have just LEFT IT!"

You and Eddie stood there, and you finally turned around and pointed your finger at him.

"I TOLD HIM TO DROP IT! IT'S HIS FAULT!" Eddie's eyes widened, only to harden afterwards.

"WHAT!? You stepped on it, princess! If you hadn't, we wouldn't be getting scolded right now!"

Robin stood next to Steve, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And I thought them finally fucking would stop their bickering."