Like everything else in my life up until now, my prison is beautiful, elegant, ostentatious even. It fits perfectly with all the society omegas and their alpha boy toys. Everyone thinks alphas run our world, but I know better. Thanks to growing up under my mother’s wing, I saw time and time again that alphas all eventually become slaves to their omegas.
At least that’s how it is with my mother who wields her control over our family with sinister grace. Even my much-kinder sisters are the same. The difference is, they don’t know it yet.
I would have been just fine using sexual charm and magnetism to push my life down the desired path. Now that I’m an alpha though, who the fuck knows what’s next for me? I’m no longer destined to breed. The expectation died along with the rest of my future.
The gates open before us, allowing the driver to pull through. He guides the black town car straight to the front steps, stops, and cuts the engine. Getting out, he strolls around to my side and opens the door for me. A beaming smile showcases twin dimples distracting me from the rest of him. I force my eyes down and drink in his lean frame and casual attire, which includes a collared shirt and argyle sweater vest with the academy crest. A pair of black-framed reading glasses hang from the opening of his shirt. Okay, so he’s a bit nerdy and a lot annoying, but still very, very hot. Had we met under different circumstances, I’d probably have tried to make a conquest of him. Omegas are supposed to remain untouched—or at least unpenetrated—but alphas are encouraged to play. I’ve never had full-on sex, but I’ve had a lot of fun with foreplay over the years.
I bet he has a big cock. Probably doesn’t know how to use it, but would be a willing student. I smirk as I picture myself pulling him into the backseat of this car and ripping off that geeky sweater vest, guiding his hands and tongue to all the right places.
Instead, I push my fantasies aside and get out of the damn car.
He dips his head as I exit, a show of submission. Weird, but whatever.
“Thanks for the ride. See ya,” I prompt when he begins to follow me up the steps of the registration building.
He chuckles softly. “You’re welcome, Amber.”
I stop and glance back at him anxiously. “Are you going to go get my suitcase or something?”
“Housekeeping will take it and deliver it to your dorm.” He smiles, bringing those adorable dimples into sharp focus.
Once again I’m caught by the urge to ravish him, almost the way sleep often comes on—nothing at all and then everything all at once. I may not be an omega, but I’m still a Steele. I’m having a hard time resisting my attraction to him, but I also know I can’t lose my virginity to some random cab driver. If he doesn’t get gone fast, I’m going to lose control—and the last time I lost control, well… someone died.
“Don’t you have another fare to collect or something?” I demand, placing a hand on each hip as I stare him down.
“Perhaps it’s time I introduced myself to you properly.” He dips his head again, gazing up at me with crystalline blue eyes which cut a stark contrast to his dark brow. He turns to the side and pushes back a lock of dark hair to reveal the skin behind his ear—and with it, what is undeniably an omega mark. He must be disguising his scent. Why wouldn’t he? Shit.
“Professor Theoden Hudson,” he says, letting his hair fall back into place and awarding me with a giant grin. “Omega Studies.”
THEODEN
Amber’s pouty mouth parts in surprise, her hard jaw slackening and softening her features for the first time in our brief acquaintance. I knew she’d build an impenetrable wall around herself if I had introduced myself as one of Drakewood’s professors, so I chose not to mention it during our silent drive to the academy.
But now that my job escorting her here has ended, I need to introduce her to the true me, the one she’ll be dealing with going forward. As much as I’ve let myself fantasize over the years, I am an obedient, nurturing male omega, not a haughty, devil-may-care alpha. Not like her.
It was entertaining to pretend otherwise for a brief moment in time, especially given how undeniably beautiful Amber truly is. I hadn’t expected my body to yearn for hers like this. I haven’t wanted to let an alpha claim me in a very long time, but now that it has, I must squash this inconvenient attraction immediately. I’m her professor. She’s not only off limits, but also dangerous. That’s why she’s here, after all. Only the most fucked-up young alphas are assigned to Drakewood. Which means she’s way more than I could ever handle. Hell, if I let myself give in to the pull, she’d likely destroy me.
But that damn pouty mouth.
“You bastard! You should’ve told me you were my fucking professor—anomegaprofessor.” She crinkles her brow, heaving a breath. A wave of pheromones smacks me right in the face, her sweet cherry-vanilla scent traveling into my lungs and setting me off. My cock hardens, threatening to tear through my pants.
Then she surprises the hell out of me by stepping close, linking her fingers through my hair, and pulling me down to inspect the small infinity-shaped mark just below my ear.
Her breath tickles my neck, and I know I should step away. I should reprimand her and demand she remove her hands this instant. But fuck. All I want to do is drop to my knees and worship her in a way I haven’t given myself to another since youth. I shouldn’t be so attracted to her. She’s my student, after all, and it’s always my shitty fate for things to turn out like this. I should’ve been born an alpha or beta. But I got the short end of the fucking stick. I had no choice but to train to be a professor. It was either this or basically be exiled and deemed useless. I can’t carry children like females. And sure, I have had male alphas interested in me, but there was no way they would accept me permanently as part of their pack. No one wants to doom their bloodline for the sake of adopting a sweet and lonely—but ultimately useless—omega.
Whatever. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to this incredible young woman, trying to dominate me despite my authoritative position.
“Might I suggest you save yourself from getting in trouble on your first day by releasing me?” My voice remains soft, breathy. I shift on my feet, feeling the hardness of my cock against my pants. I’ve never ached so badly for relief.
Amber feels my desire for her too. She presses flush to me, tracing her finger in figure eights, her attention locked onto my mark. She uncontrollably lusts after me. This is probably her first encounter with a male omega, and her innate nature draws her to me just as her nature draws me to her.
“I understand your curiosity, but this isn’t the time, nor is it the place. You’re probably feeling a bit out of control, and I promise that I will help you. You just need to put space between us first. It’s important.” I wet my lips and rub them together, gently squeezing her shoulder.
Her bottom lip quivers as the realization hits her, and she manages to slink back and hug herself. Her vulnerability burrows under my skin. She isn’t fragile like glass. More like a fucking bomb, which means I must tread lightly.
“I fucking hate this. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t bethis.”Amber thrusts her arms out and turns away from me, blinking her eyes to clear the sheen.
I close the distance again, her magnetic pull reeling me in as if she is my sunlight and I’m a wilted plant reaching for the thing that’ll rejuvenate me and give me life. “I know there’s nothing that I can say now, but I just want you to know that everyone’s first day here is rough. And it will be even harder for you, considering you are our only female student.”