Page 85 of The Sterling Acquisition
“Intramuscular injection of a hormone blocker to bring down the immediate cycle, followed by sustained-release tablets for ongoing suppression. Side effects include nausea, dizziness, potential mood changes, and temporary scent suppression. Total treatment package runs fifteen hundred iscs.”
Dante didn’t blink at the price—fifteen hundred was a rounding error on his operational budget—but Orion’s reaction was immediate.
“Fifteen hundred? That’s insane. That’s more than most people in SVI territory make in a month.”
“Welcome to Neutral Zone economics,” Dr. Langdon said dryly. “Supply and demand. How badly do you want to not attract every Berserker between here and wherever you’re going?”
Orion’s jaw tightened, but he nodded reluctantly.
“Fine. How long until the injection takes effect?”
“Twenty minutes for initial suppression, forty-eight hours for full cycle management.” Dr. Langdon was already moving toward a locked cabinet. “But I don’t administer controlled substances in-office. Too many questions if the wrong people come asking. I’ll give you the supplies and instructions—you handle the application somewhere private.”
Even more careful than I thought. She’s been burned before.
She handed Dante a small medical kit containing a pre-loaded injector and a bottle of pills. “Instructions are in the kit. The injection goes intramuscular, preferably upper arm or thigh. Don’t let him drink alcohol, don’t let him miss doses, and get him somewhere safe before the initial spike wears off.”
“Initial spike?” Orion asked.
“The medication triggers a temporary intensification before suppression kicks in. The heat will spike for about ten minutes before the blockers take hold.” She fixed them both with a look like she knew exactly what kind of trouble that could cause. “You’ll want to be somewhere very private when that happens.”
“How intense?” Orion pressed. “Because if you’re talking about making my heat worse before it gets better—”
“Intense enough that every Alpha in a three-block radius will smell you,” Dr. Langdon said bluntly. “But brief. The alternative is traveling eighty-five miles through Static Zone territory broadcasting this level of chaos to every Berserker pack between here and wherever you’re going.”
Orion’s expression darkened, but he nodded grimly. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
Dante handed over the money—fifteen hundred iscs that Dr. Langdon counted before nodding toward the back door.
“Storage room, left, right, straight to the alley. And gentleman?” She looked at Dante. “Whatever extraction you’re running, you’ve got maybe an hour before word spreads about what just walked through my waiting room. Move fast.”
They made it out of the building without incident, but the moment they stepped into the alley, Dante could tell something was wrong. Orion’s scent wasn’t gradually building like he thought it would—if anything, it was getting stronger, and his coordination was definitely compromised.
“The injection,” Dante said, reaching for the medical kit. “We need to—”
Orion stumbled, his scent spiking so sharply that Dante’s rut-primed nervous system reacted instantly. The Omega grabbed his arm for support, and the whispered “Dante” that escaped his lips was so needy, so perfectly desperate, that every possessive instinct Dante roared to life.
Without conscious thought, Dante pulled Orion against him, pressing him back against the alley wall. “Easy,” he murmured, though whether he was talking to Orion or himself was unclear. “I’ve got you.”
Tactical decision time.They could try to make it back to the van—it was the fastest route to safety, but carrying a dizzy, vulnerable Omega through Neutral Zone streets was basically painting a target on both their backs. Alternatively, they could find somewhere to lay low, administer the medication, and wait for him to stabilize, giving potential threats time to lose interest but also extending their exposure.
Dante scanned the immediate area, noting a small cafe that looked like it catered to the kind of people who minded their own business, and what appeared to be a clothing vendor who specialized in non-corporate fashion.
“Food first,” he decided aloud. “Then the injection. Then we reassess based on how you’re handling the suppressants.”
Orion nodded, though whether in agreement or because he was too dizzy to argue was unclear.
One crisis at a time,Dante told himself, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings as they made their way toward the cafe.
And try not to think about how the sight of him stumbling makes every protective instinct you have scream for action. That way lies tactical errors and emotional compromise.
Though as Orion leaned briefly against his arm for support, Dante was beginning to suspect that that ship had already sailed. They walked slowly toward the cafe, Dante’s arm around Orion’s waist, providing both support and the unmistakable message that this Omega was his. The Neutral Zone foot traffic parted around them, some with knowing glances, others with the kind of careful distance that suggested they recognized a potentially volatile situation brewing.
Chapter twenty-nine
Local Hospitality
Orion
