Page 29 of His Rejected Alpha Mate
It was the most I’d spoken to him in weeks, and I longed to soak in his presence. He seemed to eat up every word and gesture that I made, giving me hope that if I could just get through this heat, I could apologize and we could possibly work on being together. It wasn’t a lost cause.
“Heat clubs are there as a resource for omegas to control their heats. They can start them early—“
“They can? How?” I interrupted. “Sorry!”
“Well, as you know, your body floods you with hormones the closer you get to your heat, so it’s easy to introduce enough chemicals that are present in semen to trick the body into starting a heat early.”
“So you just have a lot of sex and the semen can start it off?”
“Basically. There’s a magical remedy that can do it too. Most prefer not to use magic. Shifters don’t always react well to it, and sex is fun. An omega will pick a couple of beta shifters, then once their heat has started, they can either pick an alpha to knot them, or the betas can use a potion or toy to emulate a knot.”
“I always wondered about the knot.” Roan said aloud from the doorway. “All alpha shifters have them, but not all alters have knots, like the birds. Have you ever wondered that?”
“It’s down to evolution, or a prayer, depending on what story you believe.” My voice sounded loud in the silence left by Roan’s question. This was one of the few things that I knew about shifter biology since Rincoln had loved the origin story of the knots.
“What?” Kade and Roan asked together.
“The Luna famously favored her wolves, giving them the ability to knot in human form, increasing the chances of pregnancy. The knot ties the couple together, giving the sperm more time to get to the egg before being expelled by the body.” I was in full on lecture mode. “The other species, seeing how fertile the wolves were, begged The Luna for the same advantages, and being a sympathetic goddess, she allowed the future generations the same as her precious wolves. Either that or they mix mated with wolves and developed a knot in later generations. I like The Luna story better.” Despite it being Rincoln’s favored version, it suited my belief of what the goddess was like.
“Huh. Thanks, Jasper.” Roan said before returning to his desk.
“Back to Heatwave—“ Dakota said carefully.
“That’s the local heat club?” I queried.
“Yes.” He replied.
“I’m not sure about going to a club and having sex with strangers,” I said deliberately.
“It’s a pity you don’t have a mate, right here, that could take you through your heat.” Kade said with a smirk.
“Kade.” Dakota’s rebuke was firm.
“I’ve a lot to make up for before that and no time.” I said softly, aware of how angry Dakota looked at even the suggestion that he was my heat partner.
“Damn right.” Dakota barked as he stood and returned to his desk without another word.
“I’ll stick to toys,” I said to a wide eyed Kade. “Safer.”
I was so fucked. And not in a good way.
Distractions
Dakota
Havingmynewlysinglemate near me was absolute torture. Did he have to look so delectable in those pants that showcased his round ass? The shirt and sweater vest combo was really doing a number on my dick, so I’d stayed safely behind my desk until I’d overheard the conversation about Heatwave.
I prayed to The Luna that Jasper wouldn’t go to the heat club because I’d have to go there and humiliate myself in front of people to keep him away from another alpha. I wasn’t so worried about betas since they couldn’t give him what he needed long term.
That thought made me think about Hiroshi and his men. Did he really think that his mate bond would allow him to be with not just one other person, but two? That he’d get his fated mate and Tate and Asher? Fated mate bonds were so close that a partner couldn’t be with anyone else. They couldn’t cheat. Unless, with already being in a relationship with Tate and Asher, The Luna included them in his bond with his alpha? It had never been done before, so I wasn’t sure it would work. I wanted to save my friends from pain, but didn’t think it was my place to say anything. My head hurt just thinking about it.
I’d have to tell Hiroshi I couldn’t go through his heats with him anymore. While I was technically a single agent and could do whatever I damn well pleased, it didn’t feel right, and there was every chance that by the time that Hiroshi’s heat was due that Jasper and I would have sorted things out.
Inside, there was a deep longing for my mate that I had to constantly push down. Just the reminder of the three rejections were enough to firm my resolve not to ask again. A part of me knew Jasper had been fishing for me to suggest I serve his heat, but I had the niggling feeling that it was only because I was convenient, not because he wanted me. If he hadn’t had a heat approaching, he would have avoided me until he sorted his mixed up head.
When Kade had suggested it, I felt bad for biting his head off. I was relieved that Jasper was seeing some of the damage that he’d caused and knew we were in for a long road, if we even ended up bonding at all. At this stage, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted. It wasn’t thinking what it would be like to sink into Jasper, to keep him tied to me on my knot.
Arousal burned hot in my core and I took deep breaths, checking over endless spreadsheets of numbers to calm down.
