Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fran wasn’t at all sure what she’d expected when she’d finally given in and placed a request through that app. The one that Isobel had jokingly referred to as a dick dashing service when she’d suggested that Fran needed to find a nice alpha to help her through her next heat instead of going at it alone.

“Well, it makes sense, doesn’t it, Fran?” Isobel had laughed, waving her hand as she spoke. “If you can get groceries and clothes and just about anything else you can imagine delivered straight to your door, it was just a matter of time before someone created an app to get an interested alpha delivered for your heats.”

“I… I…”

Fran’s cheeks burned with how much she was blushing as Isobel went on and on about the app a friend of a friend had told her about. If wouldn’t cause problems for her later, Fran would have given anything to just walk right out the front door and never return with how embarrassed she was to discuss heats and dick dashers at work.

Just a few more minutes before her break was over, and then she’d be able to escape.

Well, at least until the next time Isobel cornered her.

“And really, you should consider it. I can’t imagine going through a heat every few months without some help. When I think about everything you omegas must go through, I’m more and more grateful that I ended up being just a simple beta,” Isobel had prattled on, barely pausing long enough to take a breath. She seemed completely unaware of how her words were coming across, the not-so-subtle digs towards omegas as she repeated tired old stereotypes Fran had heard over and over while growing up.

“It’s… it’s not so bad,” Fran mumbled, her voice little more than a whisper as she fussed with her water bottle, her fingers tracing familiar patterns over the words etched into the side again and again as she tried to quiet her mind.

Isobel meant well enough, Fran supposed, but when her coworker went on and on about designations and how grateful she was to be a beta, Fran brushed away the pang of jealousy that pricked at her chest as she feigned a polite smile.

She really – really – didn’t want to be talking about this right now, not with how raw all her emotions felt just then after going through yet another heat by herself, but Fran had no idea how to direct the conversation to something else. It was shocking enough that Isobel had dared to bring up that app during their lunch break. Most betas pretended that things like that didn’t exist.

Part of what her coworker was saying was true as much as she was loath to admit that. Her heats had been more and more intense lately, leaving her drained and haggard feeling, and her post-heat recoveries were taking a little longer each time as she spent two, sometimes three, whole days rehydrating and ordering food to her apartment between naps.

She was sure that something was wrong with her. Other omegas didn’t seem to have a problem bouncing back after a heat. But then, Fran realized she didn't exactly know that many omegas who were her age and were still alone.

It’d taken her almost a year to work up the courage to ask her doctor about it, but her doctor had just given her a soft smile and reassured Fran that this was to be expected. It was just a normal part of being in her thirties and going through heat after heat without a partner there to support her.

She’d been unable to keep the scowl off her face as she realized what was being implied. It wasn’t like Fran enjoyed being alone. She’d just… well, she’d never found someone who accepted her, flaws and all.

Her doctor had been the one who brought that app to Fran’s attention, gently explaining that there was nothing wrong with seeking out a bit of companionship for her heat if she wanted, and that from what she’d seen, the app had been successful for other patients.

Fran had just nodded, politely brushing her doctor off that day, just like she was brushing off Isobel today, before leaving the office.

It was too much to think about.

She didn’t begrudge anyone else using that app – Fran knew firsthand just how uncomfortable life could be as an omega, and anything that made it easier, even a dick dashing app, was appreciated in its own way – but Fran had no interest in ordering an alpha to help her through her heats.

She was perfectly fine on her own, thank you very much.

Well, ok. She was mostly fine on her own.

Besides, the last time she’d thought about letting an alpha get close had only ended in disappointment, and Fran knew she didn’t want to risk that again. Better to just continue the way things were. It was safer that way.

But as she made her way back to her desk, finally free from her one-sided conversation with Isobel, Fran tried to ignore the small voice in the back of her mind that whispered how nice it would to not be alone the next time her body was plagued with cramps and feverish with how it called out for relief – for an alpha to knot her.

Mate her.

Claim her.

Fran managed to put all thoughts of that app out of her mind for almost a month, but when she went to fill out a heat leave request at work on a bland Wednesday morning in the middle of March, double-checking that everything was in order for next month before she submitted it to HR, her mind started to wander again.

Would it really be so bad to have an alpha there? She had enough money set aside for all the dasher fees and convenience charges the app added on top.

It wasn’t like it had to be anything serious. Just a bit of casual sex. Nothing more than an alpha helping out an omega.

 It wouldn’t be her first time doing this. Fran had had casual sex before. Once.

For a moment, she almost convinced herself that this would be ok. But then laughter near the coffee pot brought her crashing back to reality, and Fran realized how ridiculous she was being.

She’d be fine by herself, right? She didn't need anyone.

For the next two weeks, Fran continued to convince herself that everything would be ok. There was absolutely no need for an alpha. But she couldn’t quite shake the idea of requesting an anonymous alpha to come to her apartment.

Maybe there was something to the app. She wouldn’t have to be Fran, the quiet office worker. Fran, the anxious colleague who struggled to voice her opinions. Fran, too lost in daydreams and what-ifs and thinking about all the possible outcomes of any given scenario to see what was right before her.

No. She could be whoever she wanted. Whatever she wanted. Outgoing. Vivacious. Confident in herself. Not compromising on what she wanted.

She might even be brave for once.

And it was with that thought that Fran found herself downloading the app as she curled up on her couch that night, a glass of wine in hand as she read through the various terms and conditions, filling out a half-dozen different applications and submitting a brief overview of her medical records, before she was given her first glimpse of the alphas in her general neighborhood who’d be available over the next few weeks.

Oh. There were so many choices here.

No faces, of course, and definitely no real names were available, but each of the alphas had their own little sections listing their scent profiles and preferences. Some even uploaded partial photos, giving prospective omegas an enticing visual to go along with the blurbs listing out how they’d take care of an omega if they were hired.

Fran scrolled for hours that night, debating over the profile of each dick dasher as doubt started to creep in. It was hard for her to imagine that any of them might want to accept her request, even with the not-so-insignificant fee the app was going to charge for their services.

She went to bed that night dreaming of alphas and heats and what might happen if she were to do more than just endlessly scroll. When she got up the next morning, Fran promised herself that she wouldn’t open the app again, but by 7 p.m. that night, she was flicking through the app again, reading and rereading each profile as she dreamt of actually going through with it.

And the pattern continued for the next few nights, spending hours on the app, lost in her daydreams and all the different possibilities, until Fran had the startling realization on Friday that her heat was mere hours away.

Oh.

Oh god.

Nothing was ready. Not her usual meal prep. Not her nest. Nothing. She’d been too caught up with thoughts of alphas and trying to convince herself that she’d be ok on her own, that she’d forgotten all about it. And now it was too late to go to the grocery store without causing a scene.

She couldn't do this again. Not again.

Panic set in as the first cramp in her lower belly rolled through her, and moving more on instinct than anything else, Fran reached for her phone, clicking on the name she’d starred that very first time she’d opened the app.

knottingforyou69 had drawn her attention. Sure, the name was immature, and maybe the alpha seemed far from her usual type, but there was something about the way he’d talked about heat collars and a strict feeding schedule that had made her pause. And he insisted on providing water breaks and meal times as part of his package.

He seemed serious about taking care of the omega. Maybe… maybe she could do this.

Before she could stop herself, Fran hit a few buttons on the app, moving almost on autopilot as she entered her credit card information, and probably for the first time in her life, Fran didn’t even overthink about what she was doing as she selected the PAY NOW option.

Oh. She'd just done it.

The moment the email came through, confirming her request for knottingforyou69, though, Fran began second-guessing the whole thing. The app had enough screening measures – beyond the basic background checks and compatibility information, and they’d even required proof that both parties were on appropriate blockers and suppressants – that she wasn’t entirely too worried about this being a colossal mistake.

But she couldn’t entirely ignore the quiet voice that whispered how let down the alpha was going to be when he arrived. It wasn’t like she was particularly pretty or outgoing or even experienced enough with all this.

And she’d tried to be clear about that when she’d submitted her request, but the insistent cramping in her lower belly was making it hard for her to think of anything other than how much she needed some relief. She only hoped that knottingforyou69 wouldn’t be too disappointed by her.

The knock at her apartment door came only an hour after the request had been accepted. Fran wasn’t sure whether to be relieved by that. Was an hour normal? Maybe he’d been dreading this too. Or was he overly eager? She’d seen on a reddit post that it’d taken some alphas a few hours to get everything in line before they showed up. Should she be worried?

The knock sounded again, more insistent this time, and Fran’s spiraling thoughts came to an abrupt end as her stomach dropped, realizing what that sound meant.

Oh god. knottingforyou69 was here.

He was standing just outside her door. Mere feet away. And if the next few minutes went well, it wouldn’t be long before he was in her bedroom fucking her through the next few days.

Releasing a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, Fran straightened her clothes, taking one last look at her appearance in the mirror – not that it would matter in a few minutes – before heading to the door.

Oh.

Oh no.

No. No. No. No. No.

This couldn’t be happening. Her stomach sank, a twisting and turning sensation that left her feeling nauseous when she opened the door and instantly recognized the familiar face on the other side.

Phillip Altman.

Phillip fucking Altman was standing on her doorstep with the most shit-eating grin Fran had ever seen.

“So, Frannie,” Phillip said, rocking on the balls of his feet as he grinned down at her. “What’s this about you needing an alpha to help you through your heat?”

Fuck.

Chapter Text

Fran didn’t know whether she should just slam the door in Phillip’s smug face. What the hell was he doing here? She hadn’t seen him since that summer they’d worked together back when she’d been freshly graduated with a master’s degree and trying to figure out what she was going to do with her life now.

That had been years ago, though.

It felt like almost a lifetime since the party at the lake when she’d gotten that last glimpse of Phillip before she left for the city. He’d been all smiles that night, flirting outrageously with everyone as drinks flowed freely around the fire pit. Fran had tried to ignore the slight twinge in her chest as she noticed him going off into the woods with his latest fling, his scent lingering in the air with the promise of things that would never come to fruition.

Not for her, at least.

She hadn’t thought about him since.

Well, that might have been a lie. But still. A few passing daydreams about her irritating and funny and far-too-charismatic former coworker weren’t important.

“So, can I come in?” Phillip asked, his voice dragging Fran back to the present as he held up a brown paper bag nearly overflowing with food.

“I…” Fran trailed off, debating whether this was still a good idea. But then another early heat cramp rolled through her lower belly, making her wince, and she knew she didn’t want to do this alone. Again. “Yes.”

Phillip grinned, that annoying, all-too-smug smile of his promising things that Fran didn’t even dare to think of – before moving past her as he entered the apartment, and Fran was left standing there, trying not to react when his arm brushed against her.

Oh god.

All the suppressants and blockers and everything else she was on were as good as wet paper with how Phillip’s scent cut through them. She’d recognize that deep amber and leather scent anywhere, and it made Fran want to lean into him, breathing deeply as she soaked it all in.

But she couldn’t let herself do that. No matter how much she’d once wanted to.

“So,” Phillip began, glancing about her modest apartment before gesturing to the bag he still held. “Where’s the kitchen? Need to get this all sorted out before it’s time for me to start fucking you.”

Damn. Her belly swooped at his words. They both knew exactly why he was there, but hearing him say it so boldly was strangely arousing. She was already so on edge that even the brief image of Phillip in her bed, grinning down at her as he filled her with his knot, was nearly enough to bring her to her knees.

She only hoped he wasn’t able to smell the fresh slick that was soaking her panties at the thought.

“This way,” Fran said, leading Philip to her kitchen.

She’d always thought it was a decent size for just one person, but now that Phillip stood mere inches away from her as he set the bag down on the counter, it suddenly felt cramped. Almost like the walls were closing in.

Forcing herself to focus on anything else, Fran could only watch as he filled her counter with an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. She opened her mouth as if to say something, before closing it again, words failing her as she got another whiff of his intoxicating scent. Fuck. This was ridiculous. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so out of sorts – like she was a stranger in her own apartment.

“What’s all this?” Fran finally asked, her curiosity overriding the confusing mix of pheromones and nerves that plagued her as Phillip made quick work of sorting through the groceries he’d brought before asking where she kept her cutting board.

“I told you when we agreed to this that I plan on taking care of my omega during their heat,” Phillip said, filling one of her plastic containers with the strawberries he’d just washed before glancing over at her. “And I intend to keep that promise, Frannie.”

Oh. The way he looked at her as he said her name made her belly clench, feeling like she was on one of those ridiculous roller coasters she’d been forced onto back when her class had taken a senior day to visit Six Flags.

She hadn’t expected him to take this so seriously. Even when knottingforyou69 had just been a name, she assumed that he’d waltz in her apartment, fuck her a few times, and then leave.

“So Frannie, how have you been?” Phillip asked, grinning over at her as he moved to wash the dishes he’d dirtied as he’d cut and diced and divided everything up into containers for later.

The question nearly made her jump. He’d been talking about… something while he’d worked, but she’d been so caught up in her thoughts, memories of that summer they’d worked alongside each other flashing through her mind, as she watched the big alpha get everything ready, that she didn’t realize he was already finished.

Oh no. What had he just said?

Right. He’d asked how she was.

“Fine,” Fran mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood next to the stove, trying to tamp down the anxiety that was creeping in. There was no way that he’d known she’d forgotten to go shopping for herself, but it made one less thing for her to be worried about as she mentally prepared herself for what was to come.

“Uh-huh,” Phillip said, sounding like he didn’t believe her as he stacked the containers full of fresh fruits and vegetables in her fridge.

She didn’t know why she was all tongue-tied around him – even more than she usually was – and it made her cringe, wishing that she was someone else. Someone vivacious and outgoing and good at knowing how to interact with others.

But wishing wasn’t going to change any of that.

“Where’s your heat collar?” Phillip asked as he turned from the fridge to look at her.

“What? Oh, I – I – I think it’s in my bedroom.”

“Frannie – Omega –” Phillip said, his voice firm as his gaze locked on her neck, staring at the small, unblemished mating gland that was practically begging for attention. “Go get it.”

“Phillip?”

The sudden shift was confusing. They’d been having a friendly, if not stilted, conversation, but the underlying demand in his voice caught her off guard.

“Now, Fran.”

His tone left no room for argument, and she scrambled back to her bedroom to grab the collar. Fran couldn’t remember Phillip ever being this serious. Not with her, at least.

Maybe he’d actually managed to grow up since the last time she’d seen him.

It didn’t take long for her to grab the heat collar. The thing had barely been more than ten feet from her bed since she’d bought it about twelve years before, when she’d oh-so-foolishly hoped that she might have an alpha to share her heat with.

It’d gone with her for college. Been nestled in the back of the dresser she’d thrifted for her first apartment. Traveled with her when she’d taken that summer job upstate after graduation. And more recently, it’d been taunting her each time she opened the drawer, reminding her of those silly dreams she’d once had.

More than once, she’d thought about tossing it away – it was silly to hold on to something for so long when the odds of it being used diminished with each passing heat – but there’d always been a small part of her that hoped the day might come that it would be used.

And now here she was, finally grabbing the thick, protective collar that would slip around her neck, protecting her mating gland from any careless bites during her heat.

She felt foolish about not having it ready when he arrived. Fran thrived on being organized. She usually had lists and plans and always – always – double-checked everything, and it made her belly hurt realizing just how much she’d forgotten for this heat.

It wasn’t like her.

Oh god. Fran paused, her stomach sinking as she realized that the moment Phillip stepped into her bedroom, he would see the haphazard pile of blankets, pillows, and stuffies in the corner where a nest should be.

Damnit. This wasn’t how her first heat with an alpha was supposed to go.

Another heat cramp rolled through her, and Fran thought she was going to be sick when she walked back to where Phillip was waiting for her in the kitchen, already dreading what was to come.

“Good girl,” Phillip said, the unexpected praise making her pause in her tracks when she returned with the collar in her hand. The pleased grin he gave her only worsened her mood, knowing that she was going to be a disappointment.

Maybe she should ask him to leave. Offer to give him 5 stars and a healthy tip on top of the commission he was getting from the app, so she didn’t have to see the disappointment in his eyes when he found out what a pathetic excuse she was for an omega.

“Frannie,” Phillip softly prompted, holding out his hand for the collar. His voice yanked Fran out of her spiraling thoughts, and she stared at him for a few short seconds before a crimson blush stained her cheeks as she realized what he was asking for.

“Here,” Fran said, quickly handing the sturdy collar over to him.

“Thank you, Omega,” he said, his voice dropping as he drew close, leaving only an inch or two between them.

Fran sucked in a breath when he ran a finger along the length of her neck, the gentle touch making her ache.

“Shame to cover this.”

She furiously tried to ignore the explosion of butterflies swirling in her belly when he slipped it around her neck, the back of his fingers brushing against her mating gland once more before the latch on the collar gave a satisfying click.

She couldn’t help but think about the brightly colored labels that had been on the back of the package when she’d picked it up at the pharmacy years before, warning that it would only provide the most rudimentary of protection. If he really wanted to, it wouldn’t take much for Phillip to rip it off and sink his teeth right into her mating gland.

If only…

Wait.

No.

What the fuck was she thinking?

Phillip had no interest in her. He was just here to do the job he’d been hired for. That’s why he’d asked for the collar. It’d prevent any silly mistakes in the heat of the moment when their pheromones were running wild, and she was liable to do something foolish.

Like begging him to bite her.

And the steady weight from the thick leather was a stark reminder that there’d be no claiming. Not for her.

Chapter Text

Fran wasn’t sure how they ended up in her bedroom.

Well, that wasn’t quite accurate.

She knew that Phillip had slipped the collar around her neck while they’d been in the kitchen, the click of the lock sending a shiver through her, and a small part of Fran almost mourned the fact that her gland was covered. And somewhere along the way, he’d reach for her hand, encouraging Fran to lead him to her nest, but everything else seemed to have blurred together.

Damn. Her heat must have been farther along than she’d thought, because she didn’t know why else she was struggling to focus.

And now she was standing next to her bed, panicking about her lack of a nest as Phillip glanced about the room. She really should have prepared better for her heat before deciding to engage his services. He was bound to notice what a pitiful excuse of an omega she was, and just the thought of disappointing him was enough to turn her stomach.

“I – well, I – I –” She didn’t know what to say now that they were standing mere inches from where he’d soon be fucking her.

“It’s ok, Frannie,” Phillip said, grinning as he leaned against the doorframe. “Where do you want me?”

Dear lord.

Her face felt like it was on fire with how she flushed, her cheeks turning crimson with thoughts of Phillip underneath her as she chased relief from the heat cramps that were growing. For a few minutes when they’d been in the kitchen, she’d almost forgotten that she’d hired him to fuck her, but now it all came rushing back to her.

“The – the bed, I guess,” Fran said, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to calm the nerves racing through her. “I – I forgot to make a nest.”

“Don’t worry about that, Frannie,” Phillip said with a grin that made her belly swirl. “We can always toss something together if you need.”

Fran nodded even though creating a nest was a little more involved than just that, but it wasn’t like Phillip would be expected to know that. From what she’d seen, most alphas never really bothered to understand omegas, but it was still sweet that Phillip was trying to reassure her.

The air grew thick when Phillip took a step into the bedroom, and Fran could only watch as he tossed off his shirt, quickly followed by his jeans. God, he was breathtaking. All lean muscle with a smattering of moles that she had the strangest urge to trace, and the neatly trimmed trail of hair that dipped below his underwear made her shift, her thighs rubbing together as slick dampened her panties.

She felt almost drab next to him. He was so damn hot, and she was… well, she was just Fran. Boring and plain and far too uninteresting. It didn’t make sense why he’d agreed to this arrangement.

Phillip must have sensed that her thoughts were beginning to spiral because he paused, his thumbs looped in the elastic of the navy boxer briefs he was wearing as he glanced her way.

“Hey,” Phillip said, his voice soft as he closed the distance between them. His finger trailed along the edge of her jaw before nudging her chin up until their gazes met. “I know you want to, but don’t start overthinking this, Frannie.”

“Can’t help it,” Fran muttered, unsure why she was admitting that. It was embarrassing how her thoughts were always running away from her, and even more embarrassing that Phillip seemed to remember that about her after all these years.

“Can you try? For me? I want you to enjoy this.”

Fran nodded even if it felt like an impossible task, but it seemed to be all the assurance Phillip was looking for as he gave her a soft smile before leaning forward to brush a kiss across her forehead, and Fran was taken aback by the sudden tenderness of the moment.

This wasn’t at all what she’d expected when she finally gave in and placed her dick-dash order. Not that she was complaining, but damn, she had a feeling she wasn’t going to be able to forget this heat. Not even if she wanted to.

“Now, why don’t we get comfortable?” Phillip asked, that mischievous grin of his making another appearance. “Been dying to taste you the moment I walked into the building.”

Oh.

Fran swallowed hard, a swarm of butterflies swirling in her stomach, but she listened to what he said as she took another step or two closer to the bed.

“Are – are you going…” Fran trailed off, glancing at Phillip when he made no move to finish undressing.

“Nah, Frannie, I wanna watch first. Need to see what I’m working with.”

A shiver ran through her at his words. He was at once cocky and arrogant and… and utterly charming. And Fran could hardly believe that she was doing this, her fingers fumbling with the button on her jeans as she stripped off her clothes while Phillip stood there watching.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Phillip swore, closing the distance between them when her bra fell to the floor a minute later, leaving her completely bare before him.

She’d never felt more self-conscious in her life, but his words were strangely comforting. Fran couldn’t remember the last time anyone had called her beautiful or looked at her like she was the entire universe, like Phillip currently was.

But maybe that was just her imagination.

Or maybe not, because Fran forgot how to breathe when he brushed a knuckle across her stomach, and then his hand was trailing up and up, leaving goosebumps in its wake, until he was cupping her breast. Fuck. Fran tensed when his thumb swiped over her nipple, heat curling in her belly with how much she longed for him to repeat the motion.

“Phillip, wh – what are you doing?” Fran squeaked, caught off guard when he swept her up in his arms a moment later before depositing her on the bed.

“I want to taste you before we get too caught up in your heat and I forget,” Phillip said with a grin as he quickly stripped off his boxer briefs before joining her on the bed.

“Phillip, I – you – you don’t have to.”

When she’d first thought about hiring an alpha, Fran had just been thinking about how good being knotted would feel. It’d never crossed her mind that the alpha would be interested in doing more than that.

“Please, Frannie? Always wondered what you’d taste like.”

Oh. Fran gulped, ignoring that small voice that warned her that this was a bad idea, before giving a shy nod. Phillip grinned at her response before settling between her thighs, and the movement caught her attention as she glanced down between them, her gaze going straight to his cock.

It was long and thick with a ruddy mushroom-shaped tip that made her clench. For some reason, she hadn’t expected him to be so… well, so big, if she were honest. And she definitely hadn’t thought that he’d be hard already, but he was.

They hadn’t even done anything yet, but then, this was his job. Maybe Phillip was one of those alphas who got hard at the drop of a hat. Any omega would do.

It’d certainly make a lot more sense than Phillip being attracted to her specifically, but it still didn’t stop the anticipation tightening in her stomach when Phillip pressed a kiss along the inside of her thighs.

“Oh!” Fran cried out when he swiped his tongue over the gland on the inside of her upper thigh. And then he repeated the motion before sucking on it, pleasure shooting through her as she instinctively clenched.

Fran couldn’t keep still, slick already starting to dampen the sheets below her, as she bit back a moan. It wasn’t fair that he barely needed to touch her, and she was already ready to start begging.

And then his teeth nipped at the gland, and Fran couldn’t help the sharp cry that escaped her as she twisted below him. Fuck. It felt so good, the hint of pain from his teeth sinking into her thigh mixing with pleasure in the most intoxicating way.

Fran felt like she was on fire by the time his lips trailed up to her cunt, leaving little kitten licks and kisses on her oh-so-sensitive skin. The groan Phillip let out when his tongue swiped over her entire cunt, soaking up every last trace of her slick as he repeated the motion again and again, made Fran ache, already feeling so on edge that she could cry.

“Please… please, Alpha,” Fran cried out, her hips jerking up when his teeth grazed over her clit.

“Fuck, you taste so good, Omega,” Phillip groaned, his hands coming up to hold her hips still as he feasted on her cunt. He was like a man possessed, relentless in how he teased her with a mix of kisses and nips and flicks of his tongue.

Her hands curled in the sheets, squirming and trying to chase the pleasure that was coursing through her as Phillip’s mouth pushed her to the very edge. Fran couldn’t remember it ever feeling like this before. And when he eased a finger inside her aching cunt, it was almost too much.

Fuck.

“Alpha – Phillip – please,” Fran pleaded, unsure what she was trying to say. Everything felt so tight, a strange, heavy pressure building in her lower belly as his tongue flicked and swirled over her clit.

It was like she was on the edge of a precipice as the pressure grew tighter and tighter and tighter. And for a brief moment, Fran thought she might pee, anxiety slamming into her at the thought of losing control, but it was too late to stop herself.

“Oh!” Fran cried out, caught by surprise when Phillip coaxed an orgasm out of her seconds later, releasing a spray of liquid between her thighs as pleasure coursed through her.

Fuck. Her cunt was practically quivering from the strength of her orgasm. And Fran wasn’t aware of much just then, but she knew the liquid had completely covered Phillip’s face.

Oh no.

No. No. No. No.

Fran burst into tears, completely overwhelmed and beyond mortified by what she’d just done – by how she’d ruined things. This was not at all how she thought tonight would go. Fuck. She wanted to just disappear.

“Hey, Frannie – Omega,” Phillip said, his voice soft as he moved to sit up, concern on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Frannie repeated, hiccupping before another sob escaped her as she noticed how soaked his face was. “What’s wrong is that I just peed on you.”

“Peed on me? What –” Phillip paused, his tone becoming even softer as he said, “Oh, Frannie.”

He moved up the bed, wrapping his arms around Fran as his lips brushed against her forehead. He was trying to comfort her, but Fran knew she didn’t deserve his kindness. God, he had to be completely turned off by her.

“S… sorry,” Fran whispered, trying to blink away a few stray tears.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Phillip said, running a finger along the gland on the inside of her wrist as he kissed her temple.

“But I… but I just… you know.”

“Frannie,” Phillp said, pulling back as he stared down at her. “Has this never happened to you before?”

“Peed during sex? No.”

“Oh, Frannie,” Phillip said, with a soft laugh as he hugged her to him. “You didn’t pee. Not really.”

“I didn’t?”

“No, Frannie. It’s called squirting. Haven’t you heard of that before?”

“Yes, but I – I – that’s never happened to me before,” Fran admitted, her voice little more than a whisper. “You must think that I’m a fool.”

“Never,” Phillip said, his arms tightening around her before giving her another kiss. “You’ve never been foolish to me.”

Fran sniffed, the last of her tears fading as the kindness in Phillip’s voice made her chest ache. She wasn’t entirely sure that she believed him – and god, she was beyond embarrassed by everything that happened in the last few minutes – but there was some comfort knowing that Phillip wasn’t upset.

“Really, Omega,” Phillip said, his tone teasing as he nudged her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. “I should be honored being here for your first time. Wanna see how many other firsts we can try out tonight?”

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and it was enough to break the tension in the room as a surprised laugh escaped Fran.

“You’re an ass,” Fran said, a hint of a smile on her face as she shoved at his shoulder.

“Maybe,” Phillip said, his chest rumbling with a laugh. “But I’m your ass for the next three days.”

Fran smiled, but all she could think about right then was that this arrangement was temporary, and that when her heat was over, he’d be leaving. And she had a sinking feeling that her impulsive decision to dick-dash an alpha was going to leave a mark – and not the sort of mark a small part of her was secretly hoping for.

Fuck. What had she gotten herself into?

Chapter Text

Fran wasn’t sure how long she lay there, curled up against his chest while Phillip kissed her every now and then, but a small part of her was almost sad when her heat surged, coming into full force. She tried to wait it out, but the painful cramping in her lower belly was impossible to ignore any longer.

“Phillip, I – I think it’s time,” Fran said, her voice barely audible as she shifted on the bed. Heats were a natural thing, but it was embarrassing how needy she felt, all her senses roaring with how much she needed an alpha – her alpha – just then.

“Don’t worry, Frannie,” Phillip said with a smile, and the confidence that rolled off him was like a balm on the nerves that were twisting her belly, “I’ve got you.”

It was like a switch had flipped at her words, almost as if he’d been waiting for her to indicate that she was ready for more.

Without warning, Phillip was rolling her over onto her back, quickly moving to hover above her as he leaned down to trail kisses along her jaw. And a whine caught in her throat when he pressed his face against the thick collar on her neck, right above her aching mating gland, and inhaled deeply.

“Fuck, Frannie, you smell perfect. So ripe,” Phillip groaned, his tongue darting out to trace the edge of the collar. “Can’t wait to taste you again once I’ve fucked you.”

Oh. Images of Phillip between her thighs, licking up all trace of her slick mixed with his cum that was trailing out of her cunt, made Fran restless, her glands itchy and aching as the thought sent arousal shooting through her.

“Would you like that?” he teased, kissing her earlobe as he slipped a hand between them, his thumb brushing over her clit.

God, yes. So much.

She couldn’t find the words to respond, though, so Fran just nodded, whimpering as he gave a little flick, and the smug bastard smiled at her reaction.

“Good.”

Another alpha might have immediately started fucking her, but Phillip seemed to delight in drawing things out as he toyed with her. Fran’s hands curled in the sheets, feeling slick trailing down the inside of her thighs, as he teased her. Fuck. It wasn’t fair how her body craved his every touch.

The urge to start begging him to do something – anything – to ease the growing ache in her cunt hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t quite so gone with her heat to be brave enough to do that. And as nervous as she was, it didn’t stop her from shifting on the mattress, her hips chasing the motion of his fingers as her slick soaked the bedding.

Eventually, though, he took mercy on her, bringing his slick-soaked fingers up to his mouth to lick clean before turning his gaze back to her.

“Is my omega ready for me?” Phillip asked, nudging her thighs apart as he settled between them.

“Y – yes,” Fran said, glancing down between them as he took his cock in hand. She’d seen it earlier when he’d first undressed, but damn, even knowing he was big didn’t prepare for this moment.

How was he supposed to fit? She’d never… god, she’d never had anything so big inside her.

A surprised squeak escaped her a moment later when Phillip brushed the tip of his cock against her cunt, and if she wasn’t so on edge just then, the bright, happy laugh he let out at her reaction would have stolen her breath.

“Fuck, you’re so responsive, Frannie.”

She blushed – she couldn’t help it – and that only made Phillip’s smile grow. And for a brief moment, her heat faded into the background as they stared at each other, smiling like a pair of fools.

Sex had never been so – so – so carefree. Maybe that wasn’t the right word, Fran thought, but she’d never felt so safe. Even with what had happened earlier, Phillip didn’t judge her.

How she was supposed to move on after her heat ended, she didn’t know. But Fran didn’t have long to linger on those thoughts as Phillip teased her again with his cock, and pleasure soared through her when he rubbed the precum that had formed at the tip on her clit.

Why was everything he did so hot? Not that they’d done anything particularly outlandish, but it was all so far from what she usually picked when she resorted to watching a few videos to help her through her heat. A simple fuck. Maybe a knot, but that was it.

Another cramp twisted in her lower belly, pulling Fran from her spiraling thoughts. Phillip seemed to notice how her hands clawed at the bed, a soft cry escaping as she was caught off guard by the intensity of it, because he shifted on the bed, encouraging her to loop one of her legs around his waist, before easing the tip of his cock inside her.

“Fuck,” Fran hissed, her knuckles white from how tightly she was gripping the sheets. He’d only slide mere centimeters inside her before pausing, but she was already so fucking full.

It was overwhelming. And wonderful. And she was already greedy for more.

“Shhh, I know it’s a lot, Frannie,” Phillip said, moving a hand between them to tease her clit again. “But you can take it.”

“Please, Alpha,” Fran begged, shifting on the mattress when he didn’t move right away. “I – I need…”

“I know what you need,” Phillip said, a strand of hair flopping over his forehead as he slipped another few centimeters of his cock inside her before pulling back. He repeated the motion twice more, going a little deeper each time, and Fran thought she might start sobbing with how much she needed him to do more.

It didn’t matter that she felt like she was being stretched impossibly wide around his cock. Her body was craving her alpha – craving his cock and his knot and… and his bite.

“Alpha!” Fran cried out when he finally – finally – bottomed out inside her, and she was left gasping for air.

“Doing such a great good, Frannie,” Phillip said, brushing a kiss against her forehead. “My perfect, perfect Frannie.”

The words made her melt as her body slowly adjusted to him, and a thrill of pleasure curled in her belly when she shifted below him, giving an experimental clench around his cock. Oh. That felt good. Really good. Repeating the motion once – twice – three times more, Fran was so lost in chasing the feelings coursing through her that she almost didn’t notice when his hips jerked forward as he cursed.

“Frannie, unless you want this to end before it’s even started, I need you to stop squirming,” Phillip said between gritted teeth, his breathing labored as he leaned over her.

Oh.

Oh…

A small part of her was tempted not to listen, but Fran was usually such a mild, well-behaved omega that the idea of disappointing Phillip made her pause. But, maybe, if the opportunity ever presented itself in the future… No. She couldn’t let herself think such things. This was a one-time only situation.

“Thank you, Omega,” Phillip said when she did as he asked, and Fran found herself almost preening at his praise.

A few seconds passed as Phillip seemed to gather himself, and then he started moving, slowly at first, with gentle thrusts, before picking up speed. Gasps filled the room, both of them breathing hard, and Fran clung to him, her nails leaving marks on his back as she rolled her hips up, trying to meet his thrusts.

“So fucking perfect, Omega,” Phillip groaned, leaning down to capture her lips in a desperate kiss as he thrust again. “You’re taking me so well.”

“Please, Alpha,” Fran cried between kisses as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge. “Please… please…”

It was all too much. Already, she was on the verge of an orgasm. And when his cock hit a certain angle inside her cunt, she clamped down around him, lost in pleasure as her belly curled impossibly tight. She was lost in pleasure as her belly curled tight.

Giving in, a broken cry filled the room while Fran’s cunt clamped down around his cock, leaving her breathless as her orgasm slammed into her.

“Fuck, Omega. My Frannie. Feel so fucking good wrapped around me. Knew you would.” Phillip exhaled, his movements growing sloppier, shakier with each thrust. It wasn’t long before he was following her over the edge, filling her with his cum as his knot popped as it locked them together.

And Fran was full, oh so very full, but fuck, it was amazing.

If only it wasn’t a fleeting moment. Something not to be repeated.

The next two days slipped by far faster than Fran was prepared for. Phillip kept his word, and when his knot loosened, he’d slipped between her thighs and feasted on her cunt, not stopping until she came three times. He’d been relentless, and when she felt herself on the edge of squirting for the second time that night, she’d given in, allowing herself to enjoy the moment.

Phillip didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Such a good omega,” Phillip murmured, face glistening and smiling up at her from between her thighs as she lay there panting and feeling completely spent.

Fran beamed at him. The praise went straight to her cunt, which she supposed wasn’t a bad thing since her heat didn’t give them long to rest before it was demanding that her alpha fuck her again.

He’d been insistent about taking regular water breaks, even going so far as to hand feed her while she’d sat on his cock while they waited for his knot to deflate. His thoughtfulness continued to surprise her, and Fran had to keep repeating to herself that she couldn’t fall in love with him.

It was just the pheromones talking. She’d be like this with any alpha.

Or at least, that was what she told herself every time the haze from her heat faded a little and she was able to think clearly again.

Temporary. This was temporary.

But it wasn’t helping that Phillip was so – so – so wonderful. It was like he knew what she craved before she did. At one point, Phillip even encouraged her to ride him, and the position had provided an unexpected level of intimacy as she clung to his shoulders, little gasps of pleasure escaping her when he leaned forward to suck and nip and play with her breasts.

“Fuck, you’ve such pretty little tits,” Phillip said, tugging on her nipple before leaning down to twirl his tongue around the raised, rosy-pink tips. “Always knew they’d taste this good.”

Fran didn’t know how, but he made her cum twice just from playing with her tits. She tried returning the favor, wanting nothing more than to taste all of him, but he’d insisted that this was for her.

“Next time, Frannie,” Phillip said, not realizing the effect his words had on her. “Not done with you yet.”

Even in the middle of a heat, her overactive imagination got away from her. There wouldn’t be a next time. He was just being polite. He was probably like this with everyone.

But that still didn’t stop her from dreaming of future heats spent with Phillip. Of times when the heat collars wouldn’t be necessary, because of course, her collar stayed firmly on the entire time, and Fran was definitely not feeling sorry for herself about that. Not one bit.

Ok, maybe that was a lie. But she didn’t want to admit just how much she longed for Phillip to rip it off her neck and sink his teeth right into her mating gland.

During the height of her heat, when she was the most senseless and lost to the pleasure of Phillip’s touch and taste and voice and smell and, well, everything, she’d had to bite her bottom lip to keep from begging him over and over again to bite her.

She’d slipped up once or twice, but the words had come out so softly that she was sure that Phillip hadn’t heard her. Or if he had, he was choosing to be polite and ignore what she’d said.

It was fine. Totally.

He didn’t belong to her. And besides, someone needed to remember that this was just a temporary arrangement, and as compatible as they seemed to be in her bed, it wasn’t like he’d still want to be here once his services were no longer needed.

Fuck. This had been a mistake.

A glorious, wonderful, tortuous sort of mistake that she was never going to forget. Not even if she wanted to.

Chapter Text

When Fran woke up on the third morning, snuggled up against Phillip as she used his chest as a pillow, the first thing she realized was that she was aching everywhere – almost like she’d just run a marathon. All the telltale signs of her heat had faded away while she’d been sleeping.

Fuck. As much as she tried to ignore the signs, she’d known last night that this was coming, but like the fool she was, Fran had hoped that they would have a little longer together before Phillip had to leave.

“Frannie?” Phillip asked, his voice thick with sleep as he stirred awake. His hair was mussed and flopping over his eyes, and he had three days’ worth of stubble covering his face, and she was pretty sure he’d never been more attractive than he was just then. “What’s wrong?”

“N – nothing,” Fran mumbled, twisting one of her hands in the sheets as she tried to blink back the tears that were gathering in her eyes. Now wasn’t the time to cry. “I – I’m fine.”

“Frannie,” Phillip warned, sounding serious and far more awake as he propped himself up on his elbow while he stared down at her. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I – I’m not lying.”

“Then why is your scent changing, Omega?” Phillip asked, the way his chest rumbled as he spoke, making her squirm on the bed. She felt like she’d just been caught breaking the rules.

“It’s nothing,” Fran said, unable to meet his gaze.

“I can tell that something is off. Are you hungry? I can go make something real quick. Or do you need a knot again? Give me a minute and I’ll be ready to go. Wait. Fuck,” Phillip said, the words coming out in a rush before he paused, his face falling as if he’d just realized something. “I hurt you that last time, didn’t I? I shouldn’t have been so rough. Let me get dressed so I can drive you to urgent care.”

“No, Phillip,” Fran interrupted, reaching for his hand before he had a chance to pull away. His thoughtfulness even now reminded her of the time a cousin had dragged her onto a roller coaster, with how her belly swooped. “N – nothing’s wrong. Really. It’s just – well, my heat is over.”

“Oh.”

He swallowed visibly, and if Fran didn’t know better, Phillip seemed to deflate at the news as a faint, almost bitter scent filled the air. But that had to be just her imagination. There was no way that Phillip would be upset at the news since it meant that his job was over now.

It wasn’t possible. Couldn’t be.

Whatever this awkward strangeness was that had crept in was probably her fault. Omegas were always a little disoriented and out of sorts after all the pheromones and hormones that had been racing through their system during the heat faded away. And besides, even if all of her senses were screaming at her not to let him go, they’d both known that the end of their arrangement was coming.

“Do you… do you want a shower?” Fran asked, unsure what else to say when they continued to lie there, neither of them making a move.

“Sure, Frannie,” Phillip said, the tension melting a little when he grinned, the smile not quite reaching his eyes, right before his thumb lightly teased her still sore nipples. “But only if you join me.”

Oh. She… she hadn’t expected that. But Fran nodded, knowing that she didn’t want to waste the few precious minutes they had left together.

“Then lead the way, Frannie,” Phillip said, brushing a kiss across her cheek.

Everything ached when she moved to get off the bed, her body at once beyond satiated and exhausted and yet, almost singing with the satisfaction of a heat spent with her alpha. Phillip seemed to sense her discomfort, though, because he just smiled and swung her up in his arms.

“Phillip!” Fran squeaked, caught off guard by his sudden movement.

“Don’t worry, Frannie,” Phillip said with a laugh as he kissed her cheek. “I’ve got you.”

“I can walk,” Fran protested even as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “The bathroom is like twenty feet away.”

“But what if I like taking care of you? Don’t make me beg,” Phillip said, giving her the biggest puppy dog expression she’d ever seen. “You know I have no shame.”

“Fine,” Fran said with a smile. “If you insist.”

“I do.”

She couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly Phillip carried her to the bathroom, navigating the clothes scattered everywhere and the narrow hallway with ease. But when he came to a stop in front of her shower, the happy laughter of seconds before faded, a familiar sort of tension filling the bathroom as he slowly released her, her body sliding down his.

“About time this came off, don’t you think?” Phillip asked, running a finger along the thick collar she still wore.

Oh. Her belly felt like an explosion of butterflies, nervously shifting on her feet as she leaned into his touch. Her gaze met his as he unlocked the collar, his movements achingly gentle while he removed it, and she had to bite her tongue to keep herself from doing something foolish – like purring – with how happy she was now that he was finally – finally – taking her collar off.

“Perfect.”

Fran gasped as the collar thudded to the floor, the sound echoing in the room. Phillip’s thumb brushed over her gland, and if she didn’t know her heat was well and truly over, she would have thought it was starting back up again with how she ached at his touch – and that was before he leaned forward to swipe his tongue over it.

Fuck.

“Damn, Frannie, you taste so good,” Phillip rasped, swinging her up to sit on the sink. 

Her fingers dug into his shoulders, tilting her head to the side as he traced the outline of it with his tongue. She was barely aware of her hips rocking forward, her cunt rubbing against his cock, as he wrapped his lips around her gland, giving it a hard suck. It was like he was feasting on her after a long journey as he teased and sucked and lightly nipped at her mating gland, each flick of tongue bringing her closer and closer to begging him to bite her.

Please. Just a little harder.

Her wish went unanswered when Phillip pulled back a minute later, his eyes almost glassy and breathing heavy like he’d just been running as he stared down at her.

“Shower. We should shower,” he rasped out, his voice thick with arousal.

Fran nodded, ignoring her now slick-soaked thighs as she hopped off the counter and turned on the shower. She would have fucked him on the counter if he’d continued.

Would have mated him right then and there, too.

The shower was cramped with both of them in there, but Fran wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Not when she accidentally pressed against Phillip’s chest as she reached for the soap, and he caught her up in his arms, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Oh. There was a sadness between the soft, lingering kisses that made her belly twist, the frenzied energy from the past three days replaced with a sort of resignation.

“Can I?” Phillip asked, his breath shaky as he positioned himself between Fran’s legs, one of his hands running along the backside of her thigh.

“Please,” Fran begged, her hands wrapped around his neck for support, unable to keep herself from running her thumb over his mating gland, wishing nothing more than to imprint this moment on her very soul.

Phillip lifted her up against the wall of the shower, slowly fucking her as if they both knew this was going to be the last time, while the water still pounded down on them. Nothing else mattered just then as he thrust again and again, his mouth swallowing her every cry and moan and gasp as he coaxed one last desperate, aching orgasm out of her.

A sob escaped her when she felt his knot start to grow, teetering on the edge of an orgasm, and instead of knotting her like he’d done during her heat, Phillip yanked his hips back just enough to keep his knot from locking them together as he came.

It was like a knife to the heart. Alpha didn’t… Alpha didn’t want her.

Burying her face against his shoulder to hide the handful of tears that escaped while she muffled a sob. Phillip didn’t seem to notice her distress as he came down from his orgasm, which in hindsight was probably for the best, because Fran couldn’t explain why she was upset without giving away far too much.

What he’d done was sensible, but damn, it hurt.

Taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to get control her herself, Fran eventually pulled her face away from his shoulder while her legs slipped back down to the shower floor. She wasn’t at all prepared for how her heart stuttered, feeling like it was being squeezed when Phillip cupped her face, his thumb caressing her cheek as he smiled. A true, genuine smile that seemed to light up his entire face, and for one brief moment, it made her forget that her heart was starting to crumble into a thousand little pieces.

“Frannie.”

“Alpha – Phillip,” Fran breathed, her pulse racing the longer they stood there, her back pressed up against the wall as the water from the showerhead sprayed down on them.

Fuck. She’d never be able to take a shower in her apartment again without thinking of him.

Starting to panic at the thought, Fran knew that she needed to end this torture. Now. Phillip wasn’t hers, and there was no use hoping it would change.

“Frannie, Omega, I – I –”

“I should let you finish showering,” Frannie interrupted, telling herself that no matter what she not-so-secretly wanted, this was the right decision. She couldn’t afford her feelings getting any more tangled than they already were. “I – I – I don’t want to keep you.”

“Right.”

Phillip swallowed, his gaze running across her face once more before he stepped back. It was like a bucket of ice water had been tossed on them both, and Fran felt instantly cold, her arms curling around her stomach to keep from reaching for him as she looked at anything but Phillip just then.

The rest of the shower passed in awkward silence, both of them going through the motions as they cleaned up. Fran didn’t know whether to cry when Phillip turned off the water and only murmured a quiet thanks when she handed him a towel.

She’d ruined things, as usual.

And now, watching him gather his belongings before quickly putting on the clothes that had been on her bedroom floor for the past few days felt like a punch in the gut.

Breathe. Just breathe.

“Phillip, I – I –” Fran hesitated, feeling vulnerable and anxious as Phillip slipped on his shoes.

“Yeah, Fran?”

He’d said Fran. Not Frannie. Not even Omega. Just Fran.

“Thank you, for you know, everything,” Fran said, tears pricking at her eyes as she inwardly cursed at how awkward she sounded.

“Oh. Right. Just doing my job,” Phillip said, his smile falling flat and sounding so unlike the annoyingly smug alpha that had arrived at her apartment three days before.

“I never did ask,” Fran said, unsure why she was continuing to draw out this conversation. Stop talking. “Would you like something for all the groceries you brought? I feel like I should be giving you something for that.”

“No,” Phillip said instantly, his tone almost harsh before softening a little as he said, “No, Fran.”

The mention of money hung in the air as a stark reminder of what this arrangement had been. This was just a job. Nothing more.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.” Fran cursed under her breath, knowing that she should just shut up now, but her mouth wasn’t cooperating.

“It’s ok, Fran. I – I’m not hurting for money,” Phillip said with a shrug. “This is a side gig. Needed to keep busy, and this annoyed Paul and Judd the most.”

“Oh.”

They stood there in awkward silence before Phillip said, “I should probably go.”

“O – okay.”

“This was – this was fun, Fran. If you ever need an alpha, you know where to find me.”

Fran nodded, her eyes prickling as she gave Phillip a watery smile. Saying goodbye was so much harder than she’d expected when she so foolishly dick dashed an alpha to her door.

Phillip paused in the open doorway to look back at her. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then his shoulders dropped, whatever emotion had flared in his eyes shuttering away before saying, “Bye, Frannie.”

“Goodbye, Phillip.”

Chapter Text

Running had always been easy for Phillip. Maybe even too easy because any time something got a little difficult, or whatever fun he was having with his latest fling turned serious, he fled. Or worse, he ended up sabotaging things.

Back when he’d been seeing Tracy, she’d said that he never had to worry about having a serious conversation or risk opening himself up to someone if the relationship was over before it even began. At the time, he’d brushed her comment off, but now he knew that the universe had to be laughing at him.

Because, of course, the one time he wanted nothing more than to stay, Phillip knew he had to leave.

I don’t want to keep you.

I don’t want to keep you.

I don’t want to keep you.

Frannie’s voice had been echoing in Phillip’s mind from the moment he walked out of her apartment, feeling like he’d just left a part of himself behind, and even now, as he finally parked his car before making his way inside his cold, empty house, all he could picture was her face as she’d said those words.

It’d been like a punch to the gut, painfully reminding him that he was just there to do a job and nothing more.

He’d been driving aimlessly for the last three hours, trying to clear his head, but it didn’t work. Part of him was afraid that nothing would because leaving Frannie behind was one of the hardest things Phillip had ever done.

Even now, his chest hurt, almost like it was difficult to breathe, and there were little crescent marks on his palms from how tight his hands were curled as he fought the urge to grab his keys and race back to Frannie, willing to agree to almost anything for a chance to kiss her just one more time.

Fuck. If the heavy, painful ache twisting his stomach every time he thought of her was what it was like to care for someone, he wasn’t sure he wanted any part of it.

Well, okay, maybe that wasn’t accurate. Accepting Fran’s request on the app had been one of the biggest mistakes he’d ever made – and he wouldn’t have changed a thing even if he could.

Knowing that, though, did little to ease the lingering ache as he flopped down on his couch. He’d never noticed it before, but after spending the last few days in Fran’s warm, lived-in apartment, this place felt barren. Lifeless.

God, if only he’d spent a little more time with her. He wouldn’t have even tried anything. Just being in her presence would be enough for him.

But Phillip knew that leaving had been the right decision. It was more than risking his side gig assisting the occasional omega with their heats. Sure, the money was nice – and his alpha did enjoy being of service to the omegas – but he’d never felt so vulnerable then he had during Fran’s heat.

He’d been so close to slipping up and begging Fran to let him stay another night. And maybe another. And another. Until he intertwined himself so thoroughly into Fran’s life that the question of him leaving never crossed either of their lips.

Fran, oh-so-clearly telling him that she didn’t want to keep him, had been a small mercy in retrospect. It’d saved him the humiliation of being rejected by the only omega he’d ever wanted to belong to.

Besides, Frannie deserved better than someone like him hanging around.

Phillip was painfully aware of his faults. He knew he was a fuck up – almost everyone in his life, including his own mother, had reminded him of that. He might be okay for a quick fuck, might even be a solid option for an omega that didn’t want to be alone during their heat, but he’d never be good enough to be someone’s mate.

And he’d definitely never be good enough for Frannie.

He still couldn’t believe that she’d trusted him enough to share her heat after how he’d treated her that summer they’d worked together. He’d been a careless young alpha back then, more impulsive and selfish, and it was probably a good thing that she’d never taken any of his requests to fuck her through the heat that had crept up on her at the end of August as anything more than a joke.

Damn, he’d been stupid.

Still was with how he’d so eagerly accepted her request when it’d popped up on his phone, knowing full well that if Frannie accepted him, he wasn’t going to be leaving unscathed.

It was probably a good thing that she didn’t know how close he’d been to ripping her collar off.

Even after her heat symptoms had faded, and he’d been desperately drawing out the remaining time he had with her in the bathroom, Phillip had been on the very edge of sinking his teeth into her gland. Only knowing how much it would hurt his Frannie to betray her trust like that had stilled his movement.

But now…

Fuck, now he wasn’t so sure he would have made the same decision. A better man would have stayed far, far away the moment he realized the girl he’d been so obsessed with back when he’d been young and dumb and horny wanted him to fuck her, but he’d never claimed to be a good man.

Already, her scent was fading. Dammit. He should have snatched something from her apartment to bring with him. A hair tie. A towel, maybe. Or even better, the panties she’d been wearing the day he’d arrived. They’d be covered in her scent, almost every fiber coated in her very essence, and he’d be shamelessly inhaling them right now if he could.

But, of course, for the first time in his fucking life, Phillip had decided to do the right thing. Of all the rotten luck.

God, he was being ridiculous, moping around his apartment like a sullen teenager.

Clearly, he wasn’t cut out for being a dasher if he got this attached to an omega. Not that his Frannie was just any omega, but still, he wasn’t sure it’d be fair to the other omegas if every time he opened the app, he was secretly hoping that it was Frannie requesting his services again.

It might be time to move on.

Just delete the app and leave knottingforyou69 in the past. And, maybe, if he were lucky, he’d eventually be able to forget about Fran and the incredible few days he had pretending that he belonged to her.

Forgetting Fran – forgetting her smile, the way her laugh made his chest feel all tight, her sweet, intoxicating scent, and all the delightful little noises she made as she came on his tongue, leaving him in her heady slick – was far harder than he’d expected.

It was like she’d carved a little piece of herself onto his heart.

And now it was like he was living in a fog, merely going through the motions as he tried to block all memory of what had happened with Fran. It wasn’t working. Nothing was, no matter how he tried.

And even though Phillip couldn’t remember the last time he cried, he almost broke down in sobs when he woke up on Sunday and realized that his rut was here. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It was too soon.

He never – well, okay, almost never – missed a dose of his rut suppressants, but looking through the special pill container he always brought with him during his dick dashing jobs, he had the sinking realization that he hadn’t taken a single dose while he’d been with Fran. He’d been too caught up in taking care of her to even think about his own needs.

God, this was just more proof that he was still such a fuck up.

It was too late to stop it now. The stash of emergency suppressants in his bathroom wouldn’t make a difference with how far he was gone.

Phillip barely had time to send a message to Paul that he wouldn’t be able to work for the next few days before he was reaching for the lube in his nightstand, his cock already rock hard and leaking pre-cum.

If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend that his Frannie was in the room with him. That it was her hand wrapped around his cock, slowly stroking him as she encouraged her alpha to tell her how he liked to be touched.

And then she’d be riding his tongue. He wouldn’t stop feasting on her delicious pussy until she’d come at least twice, and maybe, he’d even be able to coax her into squirting for him again.

Remembering her shy, sweet smile when he’d explained what squirting was, was enough to push him over the edge, his groans filling the room as he came all over his hand.

“Fuck, Frannie, what have you done to me?” Phillip asked the empty room, breathless and aching and wanting nothing more than to taste her just one more time.

He didn’t have long to think about that before he was hard again, images of how pretty Frannie’s tits had looked as she rode him during her heat flashing through his mind as he fucked his hand.

His rut felt nearly endless.

At one point, he tossed his phone out of the window, hoping that it would break from the fall, because he had been mere seconds from calling Fran and begging her to come see him. And if, by some miracle, she’d answered, he would have promised her the world for just a minute of her time.

By the time he’d made it to the other side of his rut on Wednesday, he’d torn his pillow to shreds with how he’d bit it again and again, imagining that Fran was there in the room with him. That it was her neck that he was biting.

… that she was sinking her teeth into his gland, marking him as she claimed Phillip as her mate.

And the tears that he’d been holding back escaped as he held the tattered remnants of his pillow to his chest, painfully aware that he was alone.

I don't want to keep you.

Fran wasn’t here. She wasn’t his. And never would be.

He was pathetic.

And it was time to move on. He’d just have to accept that he couldn’t be the alpha Fran needed, no matter how much he wanted to try.

I don't want to keep you.

Chapter Text

The tears she’d been holding back started to fall the moment the door was firmly shut behind Phillip. God, she was such a fool.

Fran was well aware that this had been a temporary arrangement – that was the whole point of paying the dashing service to deliver an alpha straight to her front door – but knowing that didn’t stop the sharp ache in her chest. And it did little to ease the lingering rejection that hung over her when he left, unable to shake the feeling that she hadn’t been good enough for her alpha to stay.

That he hadn’t wanted her.

Dammit. She really needed to get ahold of herself. There was no need to be such a crying mess when she knew from the start what this had been.

But no matter what she told herself, Fran couldn’t stop the sobs that escaped as she curled in on herself on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest and feeling lonelier than ever. It was ironic that the one heat she managed to spend with an alpha had left her feeling almost broken and more frustrated at being an omega than any of the heats she’d been alone.

She’d known that downloading that app had been a stupid idea. It would have been better to spend her heat alone. If only she could go back in time and stop herself from requesting knottingforyou69.

What rotten luck the one alpha she’d never forgotten was the one to show up at her door.

Fran wasn’t sure how long she’d been lying on the couch, miserable and feeling like a piece of herself had walked out of the front door, when a notification popped up on her phone, asking her to rate her experience with knottingforyou69. Just seeing his username made Fran want to throw her phone across the room, unable to stop the rising panic that was clawing at her chest.

She wasn’t ready for this.

It was too soon.

He’d just left. It hadn’t even been long enough for his scent to fade from her apartment, and she was being asked about her experience with Phillip. Fuck. How did one even rate something that had left such a permanent mark on her memory?

It was enough to make her belly twist, nausea battling with her anxiety, but after another minute or two passed, and a few stray tears slipped out as she struggled to bring her breathing under control, Fran decided to just get it over with. It wasn’t like it was the app’s fault that she’d gotten overly attached to Phillip, and putting this off wasn’t going to suddenly make her feel better about things.

Feeling almost numb as she filled out the handful of post-heat questions, Fran gave Phillip five stars across the board. He’d been perfect. Better than perfect, if that were possible. It was almost hard to reconcile the alpha that had shown up at her door with the Phillip she’d worked with a few years ago. Sure, he was still silly at times, a bit smug and a bit unserious as he tried to get her to laugh, but then he’d taken such good care of her.

Never making her feel bad – not even when she’d so thoroughly embarrassed herself after she’d squirted all over him – and god, the way he’d made sure her needs were met before she knew she even had them made her chest ache even now. It was hard to imagine anyone being a better alpha.

Fuck. She needed to stop thinking about Phillip.

Shaking her head as she tried to refocus on her phone, Fran found that most of the app’s questions were simple enough, asking about her experience and wanting to know how satisfied she was, but her thumb hovered over the screen when the question Would you like to make knottingforyou69 a preferred dasher for next time popped up.

Oh.

Everything in her was screaming to hit yes – to make him her preferred dasher so that she could request Phillip again and again for future heats – but if she was feeling this much after just one heat with him, Fran doubted very much that her heart would survive doing this a second time. And she knew her dignity definitely wouldn’t, because there was a strong chance that she’d be begging him to bite her the moment he walked through the door.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say no – it felt too final – so instead Fran just skipped over the question, answering the next few without much thought, before adding the suggested tip for Phillip’s services, and submitted the feedback.

She was never – never – using that app again.

It was a struggle to force herself to leave her apartment in the days after her heat ended. All she wanted to do was curl up on her bed and relive the moments she’d had with Phillip.

Fran had changed the sheets on her bed before she went to sleep that night, but despite knowing that others would probably find it gross and unhygienic, she waited an extra day or three to wash everything, not wanting to lose his scent any sooner than she had to.

And not that she would ever admit it to anyone, but at one point during the night, she’d gotten out of bed and curled up in the discarded bedding on the floor – all that remained from the makeshift nest Phillip had helped her put together. Nuzzling her face against the pillowcase he’d used during the few moments they’d actually been able to sleep, a purr built in Fran’s chest, almost content for the first time he’d walked out the door.

The material was still infused with his warm, heady scent combined with her own, creating a perfect blend of the two of them, and Fran took a series of deep breaths, committing the scent to her memory.

No one had ever warned her that it could be so rough having an alpha leave shortly after a heat ended. She should have begged him to stay a little longer, no matter how embarrassing it might have been if he declined.

It was too late for that now.

All that remained of his scent quickly faded, and Fran ignored how empty her apartment felt, even as his memory lingered in every room. She could still picture him laughing and teasing her as he prepped all the fruits and veggies he’d brought while she hovered in the kitchen doorway. She’d never be able to look at her bed without remembering that he’d been there, taking such good care of her when she’d been so vulnerable during the height of her heat. And if she just closed her eyes, Fran could feel the way his chest had rumbled against her back, almost like a purr, as they slipped off to sleep curled against each other.

It was pathetic. She needed to move on. Phillip clearly hadn’t been affected by this, so there was no reason why she had to torture herself with thoughts of what ifs and maybes, wishing that she’d been braver when he’d still been here.

But knowing that didn’t stop Fran from slipping into daydreams more often than she wanted to admit, imagining a dozen different scenarios where things had gone differently with Phillip.

She asked him to stay in one.

He’d refused to leave in another.

She’d slipped her collar off when he went to get some fruit from the kitchen and begged him to bite her when he returned.

He’d ripped the collar off, the latch easily breaking in his haste to get it off her before his teeth sank into her gland. And then he was begging her to return the bite, and dream Fran didn’t even hesitate.

And on and on it went as Fran found it harder and harder not to lose herself in her daydreams of how things might have been with her alpha. Not that he would actually ever be her alpha. But in her dreams, he was, and that would just have to be enough for her.

Going back to work two days after her heat ended, and pretending that everything was perfectly normal, was pure torture. She didn’t want to deal with the endless spreadsheets, the email chains that never went anywhere, or the meetings that should have just been a Slack message – and she definitely didn’t want any of the curious stares she always got from a few of her coworkers after returning from a heat. It wasn’t like she asked to go through this. She’d have much rather been a beta and not have to worry about any of this.

Despite how inappropriate it was, Isobel had been not-so-subtly pestering her with questions about her heat leave since she returned, but Fran tried her best to ignore her. As lousy as she felt right now, it would only feel worse if she snapped at Isobel and did something that would get Fran fired.

“It must have been nice to have a few days off, though,” Isobel chattered on, completely clueless about what she was saying when she followed Fran to the breakroom for coffee. “Especially with how busy we’ve been. I’d have loved not to hear the phone ring for a few days.”

“Heats aren’t vacations, Isobel.”

“And you got to spend it with an alpha,” Isobel said, ignoring Fran’s comment as she for the pot of coffee.

“You do know that plenty of omegas go through heats alone, right?” Fran asked with a scowl. “It’s not that uncommon.”

“Oh, but I thought… you know,” Isobel said, waving her hand around. “We talked about the app.”

Fucking hell. This was too much this early in the day.

Fran rolled her eyes and returned to her desk before Isobel could say anything else. Her coworker could be beyond annoying when it came to demi-humans, but it wasn’t worth all the hassle of a conversation with HR. It wasn’t anyone’s business, least of all Isobel’s, whether the reason why Fran was dragging her feet when she showed up to work and had to drink more coffee than normal was because she’d had a rough heat.

But even with her coworker’s nosiness, being at work was still better than her apartment. Phillip was everywhere when she walked through the door, almost as if he’d left little pieces of himself behind, haunting her whenever she saw the Tupperware containers in the kitchen, or the blue towel he’d used after they’d showered together, or even the soft rabbit stuffie he’d handed her at one point during her heat, urging her to hug while he ran to the kitchen to get her some water.

They’d only had a few days together, but every little thing reminded her of him.

The sex had been good. Wonderful, even. But her favorite moments with Phillip had been in between rounds. The intimacy of Phillip feeding her while they rested. The way he’d brought her a cool cloth when she’d been beyond exhausted, even as her heat made her ache for more. Cuddling with him, sharing whispered words and soft touches as his knot kept them locked together. And laughing with him, feeling more carefree than she’d had in years as he’d softly teased her.

God, would she ever be over him?

Chapter Text

Fran might not have been able to bring herself to delete the app since that would mean losing the handful of DMs she’d exchanged with knottingforyou69 before she’d learned that he was Phillip, but she was absolutely determined to never look at it ever again.

Never – ever – again.

Not even if she was desperate.

But the universe had to be laughing at her, though, because her resolve didn’t last long. She’d only been back at work for a week before she found herself on her couch, the TV on and a glass of wine in hand, as she aimlessly scrolled through her phone. Out of habit more than anything else, Fran didn’t even realize at first that she’d opened the alpha dashing app until the home page popped up, her profile staring back at her and at least a half-dozen notifications in her DMs.

Oh.

She’d turned off the notification alerts for the app after she’d filled out the feedback form, not wanting to think about the service, or Phillip, or her heat ever again, and she truly hadn’t expected any unread messages to be sitting there.

For one brief, wonderful moment, hope filled her chest as she glanced at the DMs. Had Phillip messaged her? Oh god, please let it be him. Please.

Setting her glass of wine on the coffee table, her hands were shaking as she opened the first DM. Damn. Disappointment washed over her when she realized it was just a routine message from the dashing service, offering her a small discount if she used their service to arrange for another alpha to join her for her next heat.

That wasn’t going to happen. Not in a million years.

It wasn’t like she had anything against the other alphas on the app, but she was most assuredly not going to go through another heat with someone, and even on the off chance she did, Fran was well aware that there was only one alpha who would be able to satisfy her omega. And with how he’d hurried out of her apartment, she doubted Phillip would be up for a second time.

Quickly going through the rest of the messages, her heart sank even more as she opened each one, realizing that they were reminders about arranging her next heat, invitations to view other alphas the algorithm thought she might like, and a few advertisers that had partnered with the app in the hopes of selling their services. And at the very bottom of her notifications… Oh, god. Phillip.

It was an old message. He’d sent it less than an hour after she’d placed the order, but she’d been too busy stressing over what she’d just done to realize that he’d messaged her to let her know that he was on his way and would be at her apartment soon.

Don’t worry, Frannie. I’m on my way. Just need to make a quick stop, and then I’ll make this the most memorable heat you’ve ever had. Promise.

Oh.

Her heart twisted, like it was being squeezed in two as she read his words. He’d called her Frannie even then.

Before she could think better of it, Fran started typing a response even though she had no idea what she was going to say. What was there to say, really? But she stopped, feeling like she’d just been punched in the gut when she saw a small message at the very bottom of the screen that said this user no longer exists.

No. Fuck no. He’d deactivated his account.

Oh god, she couldn’t breathe.

Fran didn’t even try to hold back the tears that started to fall. It was stupid that she was affected by something as simple as that, but she was. The app had been her only way to contact Phillip, and now even that was worthless.

Alpha was gone, forever out of reach.

A week passed and then another, and Fran felt like she was living in a fog. Everything felt out of sorts, like her entire universe had shifted exactly two inches to the right, and there was nothing that she could do to bring it back into alignment. It was enough to make her skin crawl, fighting all of her instincts as she got up each day and went to work, pretending that she was fine.

It was a lie, but Fran was determined to move past this. Somehow. She couldn’t let herself get so hung up on the idea of Phillip, no matter how wonderful he’d been, and stop living her life.

Or at least that was what she kept telling herself, but that was far easier said than done, though when Fran went to the grocery store near her apartment that night. It was silly that even the grocery store reminded Fran of Phillip and the way he’d gone out of his way to make sure that she was well-fed during her heat.

Fran rarely deviated from her meal planning, but on a whim she didn’t want to explain, she added a few extra fruits to her cart before moving on to her carefully prepared list. Veggies. A few proteins. And even one of her favorite bakery items made it into her cart. Everything about it was a perfectly normal shopping trip until she walked down the baking aisle and her heart leapt to her throat, all of her senses on high alert as she caught a very familiar deep amber and leather scent hanging in the air.

Alpha.

Alpha was here.

Whirling around and hoping against all hope that he’d be standing right there, Fran’s heart sank when she didn’t see him. Oh.

Before she could stop herself, Fran tried to follow it through all of the competing scents that threatened to overwhelm her as she turned first one corner and then the next. She ignored how itchy her glands were becoming while she navigated through the wide array of people in the store. Her brief moment of hope disappeared when she didn’t see anyone that could possibly be mistaken for Phillip, and after another glance down the nearest aisle, Fran came to a stop, forcing herself to accept reality.

Of course.

It was just her imagination. He wasn’t there.

Tears pricked at her eyes at how disappointed she was by that. Dammit. How long was it going to take for her to get over him?

A small, but growing, part of her almost wished she were brave enough to track him down and give Phillip a piece of her mind for so thoroughly ruining all of her expectations for what an alpha was like. How dare he be so kind and considerate? But she knew that seeing him again wouldn’t do her a bit a good, so instead, Fran just grabbed the last of the items on her list, absently scratching at her flushed mating gland, and went to check out.

Being an omega really was so inconvenient some days.

Phillip felt like the world’s biggest asshole, his heart pounding so loud that he could practically hear it when he ducked behind the chip display near the end of the bread aisle at the grocery store.

Frannie was here.

Fuck. Of all the rotten, wonderful, most excruciating luck.

From where he was standing, her sweet, tantalizing scent hit him like a load of bricks, and he couldn’t help but imagine what it’d be like to sweep her up in his arms. If the universe were kind, she laugh and kiss him back, and then invite him back to her place, or maybe he’d ask if she’d like to see his, and he’d spend the next three days hidden away with her, tasting his Frannie again and again and again until she was so sated and happy that she begged him to stay forever.

And he would without hesitation.

No. Fuck. He needed to stop before his thoughts grew any wilder. He hadn’t meant to be here at the same time as her, and just seeing Frannie was nearly enough to bring him to his knees.

God, he needed to turn around and leave right now.

It had been wrong to even come to this grocery store in the first place. It was nearly on the opposite side of town from where he lived, and he’d had to pass three other grocery stores to get here, but he’d been missing her today, and since he knew it’d been a mistake to actually see her, he’d decided the next best thing was visiting the grocery store just around the corner from her apartment.

It was the same one he’d stopped at to stock up on food for her heat, and as ridiculous as it was, he could almost pretend that he was back at the store buying more things for her. Even now he could so clearly remember the way she’d grinned when he’d fed her some of the rambutan, shyly admitting that she’d never been daring enough to deviate from her tried and true meal planning routine to try the fruit before, and it’d made him want to go out and buy a whole truckful of assorted foods just for his Frannie to try.

And for an all-too-brief moment today, he almost thought he was dreaming when Frannie had walked through the doors, list in hand as she grabbed a small cart, and her delicious scent wafted over to him. God, he wanted nothing more than to give chase. To close the thirty feet or so that was between them and claim his omega. But he couldn’t.

More importantly, he shouldn’t.

Frannie deserved better. So like the pathetic chicken that he was, he just watched her from a distance, a small kernel of warmth blossoming in his chest when he saw her pick out two of the rambutan, and a dragon fruit, too, and wondered if it would be so awful if he went to talk to her.

It wouldn’t have to be long. Just a moment or two would be enough. Hell, he’d even settle for just a glance in his direction.

He almost did, too, when she started glancing around, moving through the aisle like she was searching for something – or maybe someone – but instead, his fear got the better of him, ducking out of sight behind the displays, and only able to watch as his omega eventually stopped wandering the aisles after grabbing a few last items and went to check out. He felt frozen in place watching her exchange a few words with the cashier, the polite smile on her face making it hard for Phillip to breathe, and when she walked out a minute or two later, it was like a piece of himself was going with her.

Dammit. He was such a fucking coward.

Next time, if there ever was a next time, he promised himself that he’d work up the courage to go talk to her.

Chapter Text

Nearly a week after the grocery store incident where her imagination had gotten away from her, thinking that Phillip was nearby, Fran was just settling down on her couch for the night, wanting nothing more than to escape into her favorite TV show, when a knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

Odd. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

More than a bit curious, Fran set the TV remote to the side and went over to answer it, wondering if it was a lost delivery person, or maybe her landlord, but she almost stopped breathing when she opened the door to find the last person she expected to see again: Phillip.

Oh god. Phillip was here, standing mere inches from her.

“Hi.”

“Hi, Phillip.”

Fran didn’t know how she managed to get the words out of her mouth. Her heart was racing with how close he was, her pulse had to be setting a world record right now, and when she took a deep breath, reminding herself that she needed to remember to breathe, Phillip’s warm, familiar scent slammed into her, making her legs feel like jelly, her omega suddenly screaming at her to submit to his bite. Dammit.

She could feel herself responding to his mere presence, wanting to lean into his touch and soak up his warm, comforting scent for as long as he’d let her. But before her thoughts could run away from her too much, Fran forced herself to meet his gaze, and her heart twinged at the heavy bags under his eyes and the dark stubble on his cheeks, almost like he hadn’t slept for more than an hour or two for at least a week. Oh, Phillip.

“I-I know I shouldn’t be here, Frannie, but I–I–” He trailed off, running a frustrated hand through his hair, and the sadness in his eyes when he averted his gaze made Fran’s chest ache.

“It’s – it’s ok. Did you – did you forget something?” Fran asked, not sure why he was here, but she certainly wasn’t about to turn him away.

It was all so tense, their conversation stilted and awkward, and a far cry from how relaxed they’d been during her heat, and Fran could sense the anxiety building in her stomach as her hand unconsciously fiddled with the doorknob, needing to keep her hands busy to prevent herself from doing something ridiculous – like wrapping her arms around him and never letting go. God, she needed to pull herself together.

“No, I – well,” Phillip paused again, shoving his hands into his pockets as he shifted back on his feet before sighing and saying, “I – dammit, Frannie, can I kiss you?”

Oh.

His question caught Fran completely off guard, and for a brief moment, she wondered if she was just lost in another one of her daydreams. He couldn’t be serious, and yet...

Saying no was the last thing she wanted.

Just the thought of Phillip coming over here to ask permission to kiss her was near enough for Fran to feel a rush of exhilaration, a mix of excitement and heat and something she couldn’t quite name blossoming in her chest even as she wondered if she’d be brave enough to say yes.

“If you don’t want to, Frannie, that’s fine,” Phillip said, resignation in his voice as his scent shifted, becoming almost dull and lifeless when she didn’t immediately say anything. “I-I can leave, and you’ll never have to worry about me again.”

The sadness in his voice made her ache, and Fran could feel herself starting to panic as she tried to find the right words, opening her mouth and then closing it again when nothing would come out. God, of all the times for her anxiety to make it impossible for her to say anything. Frustrated with herself, Fran drew on courage that she didn’t even know she had, releasing the doorknob as she quickly closed the distance between them, and in one swift movement, she surged up on her toes, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled Phillip into a kiss.

He made a surprised noise, but a second later, Phillip responded, hugging her tight to him while their mouths met in a desperate, longing sort of kiss. Oh, god. It was messy and awkward, and yet, Fran wasn’t sure if she’d ever enjoyed kissing someone more.

In that moment, all of her pain from the last few weeks seemed to fade away; the only thing that was important was that her alpha was here now. A low, contented rumbling filled the air around them as they settled into the kiss, and after a second, Fran realized that she was practically purring, her omega happier than ever while Phillip coaxed her mouth open with his tongue, his movements at once teasing and hungry.

“Fuck, Frannie,” Phillip groaned against her mouth, one of his hands slipping down to caress her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze before he started backing her up.

And Fran was so lost in the kiss that she barely noticed when her back hit the door, the air around them tense and thick, and if she was capable of having any coherent thought just then, she might have been self-conscious about the slick dripping down her thighs. Nothing else mattered – not even the fact that they were still in her open doorway and any of her neighbors might walk by.

She would have been perfectly content to spend the rest of the night kissing Phillip, but after a bit, their movements slowed, the frantic, desperate kisses turning into something deeper, until Phillip eventually pulled back, breathing heavy and face delightfully flushed as his eyes searched Fran’s face.

“Hi,” Fran said, giving him a shy smile.

“Hi, Frannie,” Phillip said with a laugh, the boyish grin on his face going straight to her belly.

“Do you – do you want to come in?”

“Fuck, yes.”

A second later, a surprised laugh escaped Fran as he scooped her up in his arms, lightly kicking the door shut behind him, and carried her over to the couch. She knew that they should probably talk about why he was there, but the moment Phillip sat down, shifting Fran so that she was facing him as she straddled his thighs, they started kissing again, unable to keep their hands off of each other.

“I shouldn’t have left,” Phillip said between kisses, his hands running up her legs, his thumbs dipping down to the tops of her inner thighs, brushing oh-so-close to her cunt. “When your heat ended. I should have stayed.”

“I shouldn’t have let you go,” Fran said, surprising herself with her honesty as she squirmed on his lap, her hands tugging at his shirt, wanting to be even closer to him. Maybe today was the day she’d finally be brave.

“God, Frannie, it’s been miserable without you,” Phillip said, breaking the kiss just long enough to strip off his shirt, her own following close behind. “I haven’t been able to eat or sleep or do anything.”

“I know, Phillip,” Fran said, her chest aching at the thought that Phillip might have been just as lonely and upset as she had been. “I know.”

The lingering sadness from their time apart was replaced with a growing passion as Fran leaned forward to kiss Phillip again, unable to keep her hands to herself, trailing her fingers over his chest. She smiled against his lips when he shivered as her thumb brushed over his left nipple, her nail lightly scraping over the raised peak.

“God, Frannie,” Phillip groaned when she repeated the motion, “You’re playing with fire.”

“Don’t care,” Fran said against his mouth, her other hand sliding down to undo the button on his jeans.

Her words were like a match being struck, the moment becoming heated and urgent, and they couldn’t stop touching each other as they moved more on instinct than anything else. One second, Fran was kissing Phillip and trying to slip her hands into his jeans, and the next, she was naked on the couch and Phillip was grinning as he sank down to the floor, his face perfectly positioned between her thighs.

“Been dreaming of tasting you again,” Phillip murmured, pressing a kiss on the small gland on her inner thigh, and before she could react, he was swiping his tongue across her cunt, eyes closed and practically humming when he repeated the motion twice more in quick succession.

“Oh god,” Fran cried, pleasure coursing through her. She was like a livewire. Sensitive and aching and already so on edge.

“Damn,” he groaned, his hands coming up to hold her thighs open as his teeth scraped across her clit, giving it a playful sort of nip that went straight to her core. “Even better than I remembered.”

He barely had to touch her before Fran was grasping at the couch cushions, her lower belly tight with how she ached as Phillip’s tongue flicked and swirled and swiped over her clit, drawing every bit of pleasure out of her. His mouth was somehow even more magical now that she wasn’t lost to her heat, but instead, was so fucking aware of every little thing he was doing. Her cunt was aching so much from how she was clenching down around air again and again that a sob escaped her when he slid two fingers inside her.

Oh fuck. She was already so close.

“Please,” Fran cried, her hand tangling in his hair, tugging at him to hold him close as she rocked her cunt against his mouth again and again. “Please, Phillip. I – I need…”

“Come for me, Frannie,” Phillip groaned, crooking his fingers in a come-hither motion as he wrapped his lips around her clit, giving it a hard suck.

“Alpha!”

Her orgasm slammed into her, clamping down on Phillip’s fingers as she rode the pleasure coursing through her. And Fran barely had a chance to start coming down from the high of her orgasm before Phillip was moving, his eyes wide with arousal and the tip of his cock flushed as he positioned himself above her.

“Oh!” Fran cried, her hands coming up to dig into his shoulders as he eased his cock inside her. Despite only sharing one heat, everything about the way her body moved against Phillip felt so familiar, like they’d been mates for years now and not just two former co-workers who happened to spend a few days together years after they’d last seen each other.

“Damn, Frannie, you feel so good,” Phillip groaned, and the way he said her name made her clench around him. “Like you were made for me. My Frannie. My Omega.”

She loved the way he talked during sex, the words just babbling out of him like a stream of consciousness, his words praising and teasing and making her dream of what it’d be like to have a future with him. And oh god, the way she ached with how much she hoped those dreams of spending forever with her alpha – with her Phillip – would come true.

“Mine,” Phillip declared, the couch creaking as he thrust again and again. “My Frannie.”

“Phillip, oh god, Phillip,” Frannie whined, tension curling tight in her stomach again, already knowing that a second orgasm wasn’t far away, as she clenched around him, arching her back and feeling greedy for more.

This was everything she’d been longing for since he’d walked out the door. He was everything. And only in her most fantastical little daydreams over the past few weeks had she imagined anything close to this unfolding.

“Fuck, Frannie,” Phillip groaned, his face nuzzling against her neck, teeth grazing the edge of her mating gland as his thrusts grew sloppy, his arms beginning to shake. “So fucking tempted.”

“Please, Alpha, please,” Fran cried, tilting her head to better expose her gland. “I want it.”

“Not yet,” he rasped, his voice laced with pain as he pulled back. A few weeks ago, his response would have felt like a rejection, but today it hung heavy in the air, a promise of things to come.

Not yet…

Fran nodded, pulling Phillip into a kiss, and the frantic energy from moments before returned as she rocked her hips up, meeting his thrusts. And despite the orgasm she’d just had, when Phillip slipped a hand between them to tease her nipple, Fran gave a sharp cry, the tension that had been curling tighter and tighter in her lower belly releasing, and she was left helpless to do anything but give in to the pleasure as her orgasm rolled through her.

It left her breathless, collapsing back against the couch as her cunt clamped down around Phillip’s cock, her body greedy for every little bit of pleasure that she could eke out of the moment. Phillip swore, his teeth gritted, while his thrusts grew harder, faster, and it wasn’t long before he was coming with a shout, and Fran let out a sharp gasp, the sound filling the room, when his knot popped, catching them both by surprise as it locked them together.

Oh fuck. She hadn’t expected that, and based on the wide-eyed look Phillip gave her as he collapsed down on top of her, he hadn’t either, but damn, it felt so good even as she felt impossibly full, stretched wide around her alpha’s cock.

Knots weren’t that common outside of heats and ruts, so for him to do it now… god, it made her chest ache, happiness coursing through her at the knowledge that she’d done this to him. She’d made her alpha nearly lose control.

The heat from the moment slowly faded as they cuddled together on the couch, waiting for his knot to fade. Fran didn’t even bother to muffle the little chirps and purrs that escaped her as Phillip nuzzled his face against her, too delighted by everything to hide how her body instinctively responded to him.

“God, Frannie, I’ve missed you,” Phillip said, his thumb absently tracing over the gland on her wrist.

“I-I’ve missed you, too,” Fran admitted.

She supposed that she should be embarrassed by how needy she’d been, but now that she was curled up tight against Phillip’s chest, happier than she’d been in weeks – maybe even years – she didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that Phillip was here – now – and she wasn’t going to let him go so easily this time.

She almost pinched herself to see if it was real, but when Phillip shifted, moving some of his weight off her, his knot caught on her cunt, the small tug sending a mix of pleasure and pain through her, and she knew it was real. So fucking real.

God, it’d been amazing. Even the sex had been sweeter this time. More poignant, somehow, and even though he didn’t bite her – it was too soon for that – Fran hadn’t been sad.

“Frannie, there’s… there’s something I need to tell you,” Phillip admitted after another minute or two passed, breaking the contented silence that had fallen over the apartment.

“Oh?” Frannie asked, her heart racing and bracing herself for the worst. Was he going to leave again? Dear lord, she hoped not.

“I–I saw you the other day,” Phillip said, his shoulders growing tense as if he was bracing himself for her reaction. “At the grocery store.”

“Oh.” Fran exhaled, relief pouring through her. Of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn’t even on her list.

“I couldn’t stay away – not entirely – so I’ve been going to your grocery store. It’s stupid, but it was as close as I dared get to you,” Phillip admitted with an almost sad laugh. “Imagine my surprise when you walked in. Nearly took my breath away with how pretty you looked.”

“I-I thought I was imagining your scent. I–I went looking for you.”

“I know,” Phillip winced, his cheeks flushing as he averted his gaze. “I–I didn’t know what to do, so I hid until you left.”

“Oh, god, we’ve really made a mess of things, haven’t we?” Fran asked with a not unkind laugh.

“Yeah, I even deleted my account on the app. I couldn’t handle seeing it on my phone and not having your name pop up.” Phillip admitted, relief in his voice as he flashed her a rueful smile. “But it was probably a good thing, though, since I went into a breakthrough rut a couple days after I left.”

“Oh, Phillip,” Fran said, her heart aching at the thought of him going through an unexpected rut all alone.

“Took everything I had to not race back here and claim you,” Phillip said, sounding wistful.

“I-I wouldn’t have minded,” Fran offered before she could think better about what she was saying. But it was true. She would have encouraged him to do it, too, if she had known – or at least, she would have imagined encouraging him.

“God, Frannie, don’t say things like that,” Phillip groaned, a wave of his raw, heady scent filling the air. “A man only has so much restraint.”

She laughed at that. It would have saved them both so much misery if he’d been selfish and had come back to her apartment.

“I–I saw that you’d disappeared. From the app, that is,” Fran admitted, deciding that now was the time to lay it all out on the table. “I-I was tempted to DM you, but then you weren’t there, and I–I– ”

“Fuck, Frannie, you must have thought I was an ass. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok, Phillip,” Fran said, her voice soft. “I think we’ve both been bad at communicating with each other.”

“Yeah.”

They fell silent again after that, but it was a relief to have things out in the open. She couldn’t even be upset about the grocery store incident since she probably would have done the same thing. Though now they’d talked, Fran felt almost foolish over how upset she’d been the last few weeks, but in a weird way, it was comforting to know that she hadn’t been alone. That spending her heat together had also left its mark on Phillip.

His knot soon softened enough for them to part, but instead of moving away from each other, Phillip just pulled back enough so that he could flip them over on the couch, arranging it so that Fran was lying on top of him as they cuddled.

“Frannie, can I – can I take you to dinner?” Phillip asked, his fingers tracing patterns across her lower back.

“Oh. Are you hungry?” Frannie asked, raising her head to look at him. “I’ve got some stuff for dinner in the fridge. I just need a few minutes to throw it together.”

“No, Frannie,” Phillip said, his fingers dipping a little lower to trail along the upper curve of her ass. “I mean, can I take you out? On a date.”

Oh. He wanted to… oh.

“Yes, Phillip,” Fran said, smiling as she nodded, not wanting to leave any room for misunderstanding. “I’d like that. A lot.”

“Great,” Phillip said, and the grin he gave her went straight to her heart. “That’s great.”

They both fell silent again, the contented happiness in the room almost palpable, and she almost started to slip into a blissful doze when Phillip said her name. “Frannie?”

“Yes, Phillip?”

“Can I taste you again?”

It took almost a week for them to arrange their first date, but that had more to do with the fact that neither of them was inclined to leave Fran’s apartment any sooner than they had to.

For the first time in her life, Fran called out of work. Her anxiety had barely even bothered her when she’d emailed her boss and HR to tell them that she was having omega issues and would need to take a few days of leave. They didn’t need to know that the issues at hand were that she didn’t want to be more than a few feet from Phillip now that they were finally talking about how they felt.

And Phillip had been just as bad. He’d not-so-politely told Paul that he’d return to work in a few days. There were other, far more important things he needed to do first – like telling his omega just how much he loved tasting her.

Maybe being brave and trying new things wasn’t so bad after all. Not when it led her directly to her alpha.