JULIEN

Hot. 

It’s so hot.

Even in a bathtub full of ice, my body was feeling hot. This is the strongest heat cycle I have had since I turned sixteen. My heat was always regular. Once every month, I would drink my suppressants, make a nest and take ice baths, even touch myself to calm down the heat in my body. But this time, it was different. My body asking for only one thing: Byron. 

My mate…

My alpha…

Just thinking about him made my body shiver and the need to have him inside was getting stronger, slick peeking through my dent. I slid my hand down there, touching it gently. Remembering the sensation of Byron’s fingers when he touched me there a few days ago. ‘I want him so bad…’  

BYRON

Mikaela told me Julien was going through his heat so I did what every mate would do: go and help him. I knocked on the manor’s door, waiting for someone to open up.

‘What’s taking them so long? Our mate needs us.’ Boris growled. Impatient. 

‘I know buddy, but we have to be patient.’ 

The door opened and I was greeted by King Henry, he was looking at me with a serious look.

“Hello, Your majesty. Mikaela told me Julien’s in heat and as his alpha, I’m here to help him.” I said in a hurry looking behind him and wanting to go inside the house but he was in the middle of the door. 

“I’m sorry Byron, but I can’t allow you to see him.” The older omega sighed and brushed back his hair.

“What? Why not?” I was confused, I thought he accepted our relationship and the Queen was not back from her trip yet.

“Your rut will start once you meet him and you’ll lose control. I can’t allow that, my wife still doesn’t know about this.” He was serious, he raised his hands and some beta guards stood beside me. “Guards, please escort him to the woods.”

‘Damn it.’ Boris growled. He started to get angry and tried to take over, but I did my best to keep control and be calm about this situation. I just wanted to see Julien and help him. I knew how hard a heat cycle can be for omegas who just found their mate. I sighed. Henry turned his back on me. 

“Wait! Can you give him this?” I took off my shirt and handed it over to the older omega. “If I can’t see him, let him have this. For his nest.” He looked at me, grabbing the shirt from my hands.

“Okay, I’ll give this to him. Thank you, Byron.” He gave me a soft smile and then got into the house closing the door behind me. I was feeling uneasy and on the way back home, all I could think of was Julien.

~oOoOo~

JULIEN

Over a week passed and my heat was over. It was really painful and the longest I’ve ever had but when Papa gave me Byron’s shirt, his scent made it better. A few days later, Mikaela also came to help me, he made sure I was staying hydrated, eating, and taking my ice baths. He also brought me some more clothes from Byron, all of his clothes ended up in my nest. His scent in it made it all better. ‘I miss him…’

“So, are you excited to meet Alpha Rendall?” Mikaela asked me, distracting me from my thoughts. He was helping me style my hair. 

I made a promise to Byron and he had texted me that he wanted me to meet his dad today. Papa permitted me so I was getting ready to meet him and I’m not going to lie. ‘I’m so nervous. I’m freaking out.’ I’ve always read in my books that Alphas were big and scary, and if Byron was no tiny man, I could only imagine his dad.

“I’m scared. What if he doesn’t like me?” I said to Mikaela through the mirror with a worried face.

“Don’t worry, Alpha Rendall is a soft alpha. He’s been nice to me. I anything Mason’s dad is scarier than him.” He laughed, finishing fixing my hair. He had shown me a picture of Mason and his family and I agree, his father-in-law was scary. “I think he’s open-minded too. All the people in the pack are like that.”

“I’ll take your word on that, you are living there now.” I sighed checking myself in the mirror before taking a bag, where I had some essential things: a notepad with a pen, my phone, my favorite cherry-flavored lip balm, a hand mirror, and some condoms; because you never know when you are going to need them.

“After you meet the alpha, we are going to have some dinner at my in-laws, too.” He smiled at me. “Be mentally prepared, my papa-in-law can be something.”

“Oh…the one pressuring you to have kids?” His face went blank at my question and then he sighed.

“Yeah him, don’t misunderstand me. I love Jamie but Mason and me, we want to spend time alone, together and it’s too soon to have kids.” I nodded at his words and he looked at his phone. “Oh! They are here. Let’s go.”

Mika walked out of the room excitedly, he hadn’t gone home since he came to help me with my heat. I can feel he missed Mason these past few days. When we walked out the manor’s door, Mika ran towards his mate, jumping and clinging to him like a Koala giving him a passionate kiss. I laughed and walked over to Byron. Standing on tiptoes, I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

“Hi, baby. How are you feeling?” He asked me, putting his hand on my cheek and caressing it softly with his thumb. 

“Hi. I’m better now. Your clothes helped me a lot. I should probably give them back to you.” I smiled, putting my hand over his and caressing it with my thumb.

“You can keep them, I have a lot of clothes back home.” He left a soft kiss on my forehead, making me blush. And once Mason and Mika finished their passionate kissing session, we walked to the woods, heading to the pack. 

~oOoOo~

BYRON

As we walked into the pack's territory, we received many curious looks our way. Some were envious and others were disappointed because I was holding hands with Julien. Mason and Mikaela said goodbye to us and left for their house. I knew they were going to have a wild time. I could smell how Julien was scared and nervous as we walked to Dad’s office. I caressed his hand with my thumb. When we entered the building, some of the betas greeted us and Layton was among them. 

“Byron.” He greeted me and then looked at Julien. He trembled a little, scared of Layton. “And you must be Julien. It’s nice to meet you, the name’s Layton.”

“Nice to meet you too, Mika has told me a lot about you.” He shyly smiled at Layton and what happened next shocked me. Layton smiled back at him. I wished I took a picture of it, Mason’s not going to believe me when I tell him.

“Your father’s waiting in his office.” He bowed at us and then left the building, probably going to help Jamie with today’s dinner. Julien stiffened upon hearing the Beta’s words.

We walked to his office and stood outside the door. I looked at Julien and caressed his cheek with my free hand to give him some courage.

“Are you ready?” I asked him, smiling. He nodded and took our intertwined hands to my mouth leaving a tiny kiss on the back of his. He smiled at me a soft blush on his cheeks.

I knocked on the office’s door, and Dad answered with a come-in. We entered the room and closed it when we came in. Dad finished some paperwork and looked up at us.

“Oh, it’s you, Byron.” He smiled at me and then my dad’s curious gaze fell on my mate. Julien shyly smiled at him. “So, this is your mate? Julien Collingwood, right?”

“Yes. It’s nice to meet you, alpha Rendall.” Julien bowed and smiled shyly at him.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Julien.” He smiled back at my mate and signaled to the chair in front of his desk, offering him a seat. “Take a seat, Julien and Byron I want to talk with my son-in-law in private, could you leave us alone?”

Julien tensed at my dad’s request and he looked at me, asking me not to leave. I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and whispered ‘It’s going to be okay, I’ll be outside.’ He nodded and walked to the chair my dad offered him. I gave him one last look before leaving the room. Once outside I sighed, a little nervous but I know dad was a nice man, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. Now I just had to wait and hope that everything goes well.