The moment Avery inhaled Noël's heat-laced scent, the last fragile threads of his restraint snapped. Everything he had been clinging to, the rationality, the discipline, dissolved beneath the weight of instinct. His body reacted before his mind could catch up. His lungs burned with every breath, his pulse hammered in his ears, and a hunger unlike anything he had ever known surged through him. He staggered forward, guided by nothing but the intoxicating pull of Noël.
In the hallway, Noël was curled weakly against the wall, his small frame trembling, his palms pressed flat against the cold floor as though grounding himself. His wide eyes shimmered with confusion, pupils dilated, lips parted as though every breath cost him effort. The sweet, heavy scent of Omega heat clung to him, weaving through the hall like a silken snare that ensnared Avery whole.
Avery crouched before him, his knees hitting the polished wood, and leaned down until his face hovered just above Noël's shoulder. He brushed his nose against the smooth curve of Noël's neck, dragging in a deep inhale. The effect was instantaneous. Waves of euphoria rolled through him, so intense he almost groaned. His Alpha instincts screamed for him to claim, to mark, to possess.
His hands moved on their own, slipping beneath Noël's shirt. The fabric lifted slowly, exposing pale skin to the warm glow of the hallway lights. Avery's fingertips traced along Noël's chest, brushing over his ribs, his stomach, the lean softness of his Omega's body. Every shiver Noël gave only sharpened Avery's desire.
Noël's body responded even while his mind lagged behind, hazy from the sudden heat. He arched slightly at Avery's touch, his breath hitching, a quiet sound leaving his throat. His thoughts felt tangled, trapped between resistance and longing. His body screamed for relief, for the Alpha before him, yet some invisible weight pinned him, making him sluggish, unsteady. He could do nothing but breathe Avery's name, broken and soft.
"Avery…"
That single word, faint, needy, drenched in desperation shattered whatever was left of Avery's composure. His chest tightened, his feral instincts clawed free. He tilted Noël's chin, lowering himself, lips just a breath away from claiming Noël's mouth—
And then he froze.
A foreign scent laced into the air, faint but piercing enough to cut through the haze. Another Omega's scent.
Avery's head snapped toward the door of Noël's room. Standing there, pale and wide-eyed, was Jay. His expression was conflicted, caught between alarm and reluctant understanding. He clutched the doorframe for balance, his chest rising and falling rapidly as Avery's rut-driven pheromones flooded the hall.
Jay's voice came out strained, thin. "W-what's… happening?"
He didn't need an answer. His gaze flicked once from Avery to Noël, and the truth was evident: Avery was in rut, Noël was in heat, and together their pheromones filled the air with a dangerous, suffocating potency.
The weight of Avery's aura pressed against Jay, crushing, overwhelming. His knees weakened, his lungs burned as though every breath pulled Avery deeper into his system. Jay stumbled backward a step, gritting his teeth. He had no intention of being dragged into their chaos. He forced his body back, step after step, until he reached his own room. With trembling hands, he snatched a patch of suppressants from his drawer, pressing it hard against his nape. The cool sting spread through his bloodstream, dulling the worst of the ache, but the heat in his veins lingered.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, chest heaving. "Damn it…"
Back in the hallway, Avery's attention had returned wholly to Noël. With one swift motion, he scooped the Omega into his arms. Noël's body fit against him as if it belonged there, fragile yet burning hot, his scent flooding Avery's senses in waves that made his head spin.
He carried him to their room, each step heavy with purpose, until they reached their room. The door slammed shut behind them. Avery laid Noël down gently on the bed, though his movements trembled with the effort it took to be gentle. His gaze darkened as he took in the sight before him—Noël flushed, sweating, lips parted, eyes glazed. Every part of him screamed mine.
Slowly, almost reverently, Avery reached for the hem of Noël's shirt again, sliding it off. His eyes drank in the sight of him, every line, every curve, etched into memory. His Alpha instincts surged violently. This was what his body had craved all along, what the rut demanded, what his soul ached for.
_________
At the gates of the estate, a black car screeched to a halt. Miss Reed stepped out, her face pale, her heart pounding. She had been frantic ever since realizing Avery had left the estate. She had searched every possible place he might have gone to lose control—an exclusive lounge where the wealthy discreetly sought companionship, a place not quite prostitution but close enough to skirt scandal. He hadn't been there. Which left only one possibility: Noël.
Her stomach twisted. She had sworn to protect both Avery and Noël, to ensure security so tight that neither Alpha rut nor Omega heat could spark disaster. Yet now she realized she had failed. The one assistant left at Avery's door had left it open, and Avery had slipped out, unchecked.
She sprinted up the steps and into the house, her shoes clicking sharply against the marble floor. As she was about to go upstairs, she caught sight of Jay descending with a backpack slung over his shoulder.
He clearly had no intention of staying in a house where two mates were about to devour each other. It wasn't just awkward; it was dangerous. For an Omega like him, Avery's rut wasn't just oppressive, it was unbearable. Avery was an S-tier Alpha, and that level of pheromone intensity went beyond normal comprehension. Jay had encountered Alphas in rut before, but this… this was different. Avery's aura carried a raw, crushing energy that suffocated the air itself. Even as an Omega accustomed to strong pheromones, Jay could barely keep steady near it.
"Mr. Jay," Miss Reed called gently, stopping him mid-step. She looked like she had just run across the estate, hair slightly out of place, her chest rising and falling quickly.
"I guess you ate too late," Jay replied dryly, reading the stress etched on her face. He shifted the strap of his backpack and added firmly, "I'll be out for the next few days. Inform Avery on my behalf."
Miss Reed frowned. "I can't just let you go anywhere. It isn't safe for you. Let me arrange a room for you. Or… would you feel more comfortable moving to the south estate until this passes?"
Jay hesitated. He didn't want to burden her further, and he hated being coddled. "I'll be fine. I can just stay the night at a friend's house."
But Miss Reed knew better. He was an Omega—leaving him exposed outside was reckless especially after he had been exposed to an alpha in rut. "No, Mr. Jay," she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. "You cannot. I'll take care of everything you need. Don't argue."
Jay sighed, already knowing it was useless. Miss Reed's word was law when Avery wasn't present. "Fine," he muttered, handing himself over to her arrangements.
After instructing one of the bodyguards to escort Jay and ensure his comfort, Miss Reed stood in the center of the living room, her mind restless. It was already too late. She could feel it—Avery had already given in. Her chest tightened as the reality sank in.
All she could hope for now was that Avery had remembered his own so-called rules, that he had at least paused long enough to ask for consent this time. In the past, several Omegas had left his side conflicted, torn between satisfaction and a sense of being overwhelmed.
They complained that the intimate encounter had been to much for them to handle. None had taken it to court, though. Whether because of shame, desire, or fear of going against an Alpha like Avery, they'd all stayed quiet but only after asking for compensation.
But miss Reed was never sure. Were they truly victims? Or opportunists who wanted to twist the narrative to their advantage?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden sound that cut through the walls of the living room—Noël's cries. Raw, breathless moans carried down the hall, echoing faintly but clear enough to make Miss Reed stiffen in embarrassment.
She quickly gathered her belongings, cheeks heating as she muttered to herself, "At least the walls are soundproof from outside." The bodyguards stationed beyond the gates would never hear what was happening within.
Still, she left the house with heavy steps, already dreading the tasks Avery would assign her once this was over.