Page 148 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

Darius stepped closer, his nostrils flaring slightly as he caught her scent. The action was deeply Alpha, primal in a way that made her Omega instincts respond despite her best efforts to suppress them.

"Your scent has changed," he said, voice dropping to a register that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. "The Society representatives will notice immediately."

"I said I'm fine," she insisted, though the slight tremor in her hands betrayed her. "I can handle this for twelve more hours."

Darius studied her, his expression unreadable. Then, with decisive movements, he reached into his pocket and extracted a small silver pill case. "Take this."

"What is it?" Serenity eyed the single blue pill he tipped into his palm.

"Emergency suppressant. Military grade. It will buy you about ten hours." His jaw tightened. "With some side effects."

"Side effects?" The wave of heat that crashed through her made it difficult to focus on his words. Her skin felt simultaneously too tight and hypersensitive, every nerve ending suddenly attuned to his proximity.

"Dizziness. Possible nausea. It's not meant for long-term use." He hesitated. "There's a reason it's not commercially available."

Serenity reached for the pill, but Darius closed his hand. "I have a more effective method of delivery."

Before she could question him, he placed the pill on his tongue, took a quick sip from a nearby water glass, and closed the distance between them. His intention was immediately clear, and despite the strategic necessity, her heartbeat quickened as his mouth descended on hers.

The kiss was firm, purposeful—his tongue guiding the pill past her lips while his hand steadied the back of her neck. She swallowed reflexively, the pill sliding down her throat as Darius deepened the kiss with unexpected heat. What had begun as functional quickly shifted into something more primal, his Alpha instincts responding to her pre-heat pheromones.

When he finally drew back, Serenity glared at him, though the effect was somewhat diminished by her flushed cheeks and slightly parted lips.

"I could have just taken it myself," she said, working to keep her voice steady.

A rare smile curved Darius's mouth. "What kind of menacing Alpha would I be if I did something so boring to my most fascinating rival?"

She rolled her eyes, but the movement triggered a wave of dizziness that had her reaching for the wall to steady herself. "Side effects. Wonderful."

His hand caught her elbow, supporting her with surprising gentleness. "It will pass. The medication needs about twenty minutes to fully engage."

Another wave of heat surged through her, more intense than before. Serenity bit her lip to stifle a groan, her skin prickling with heightened sensitivity. Darius's scent—sandalwood and something uniquely him—suddenly seemed to fill her senses, drowning out all other stimuli.

"Twenty minutes is too long," she whispered, hating the vulnerability in her voice. "The car leaves in ten."

Understanding crossed Darius's face, followed by a calculated determination. "There are ways to temporarily suppress symptoms," he said, his voice dropping lower. "More... traditional methods."

Serenity understood his meaning immediately. Physical release could temporarily divert the biological imperatives of pre-heat, buying precious time for the medication to work. It wasn't a cure, but it might blunt the worst edge of her symptoms.

"We don't have time for—" Her words cut off as Darius backed her against the wall, his body caging hers without actually touching her.

"We have exactly eight minutes before Lucian and Ronan expect us downstairs," he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her. "More than enough time to take the edge off."

Her rational mind knew this was functional, a biological necessity rather than intimacy, but her body responded with embarrassing eagerness as his hand slid beneath her blouse, fingers tracing the curve of her waist with possessive heat.

"This is hardly professional," she muttered, even as her head tilted back to give him better access as his lips found her neck.

Darius's soft laugh vibrated against her skin. "Nothing about our arrangement has ever been professional, Serenity."

His touch was deliberate and efficient, finding the sensitive places that would bring her the quickest relief. For all his calculated precision, there was an unmistakable hunger in the way he pressed her against the wall, his body hard against hers. This wasn't just strategy—this was an Alpha responding to his Omega's need.

The thought should have infuriated her—she'd spent her entire life fighting against being anyone's Omega—but in this moment, with her biology betraying her and their mission hanging by a thread, she surrendered to the temporary relief his touch provided.

When release came, it was swift and intense, muffled against his shoulder as her body shuddered through the temporary respite. Darius held her steady, his breathing controlled but his eyes dark with barely restrained desire.

"Better?" he asked as she straightened her clothing with trembling fingers.

"Temporarily," she admitted, feeling a brief clarity return as the worst edge of the pre-heat symptoms receded. The dizziness from the medication remained, but the burning need had dulled to a manageable ache. "That buys us what, an hour?"

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