Warning: This includes corporal punishment and forced public nudity.
Mike closed his eyes and tried to ignore the commotion behind him. He let out a long sigh as another spark of laughter rippled through the crowd.
He'd screwed up. He'd screwed up really badly and now he was displayed in the corner of the associate room, his red ass readily available for everyone to see. He dropped his head, allowing it to hang down between his arms. They were starting to ache from the unyielding chain holding them up towards the ceiling. He still couldn't believe they'd installed the stupid thing specifically for him.
But of course, as Jessica had so kindly reminded him before turning him over her knee, the firm didn't usually hire omegas. Certainly not ones that ended up losing the firm their biggest client when he did something he'd been specifically told not to do by his boss.
He shifted and heard someone murmur something about finally getting to see him use the plant they'd so graciously provided. Mike grimaced. He was fairly certain the senior partners weren't actually expecting him to piss on a bush that had probably been here longer than him, but considering Jessica had spanked him like a child and then paraded him through the office in nothing more than one of Harvey's shirts, it was probably best to hold it in and hope someone came for him before he had to ask.
Mike shifted again. He wasn't exactly one for sitting around all day, but neither did he regularly spend hours on his bare feet.
"I don't know, omegas can open pretty wide if you get them nice and wet first," Kyle said loudly, obviously wanting Mike to hear.
He clenched his jaw shut. Louis had been very clear that the only thing they wanted to hear from him for the rest of the day was "I quit." Barring that, he was expected to stand quietly in his corner like a good little omega and wait for one of them to deem his punishment over.
"You're good at calculations, Ross. Tell me, how many pens do you think could fit up an omega's ass? Hypothetically speaking."
Mike let out a carefully controlled breath. This was for grammy. He couldn't afford to get fired. And it was for him. This job was his chance.
…And for Harvey, who'd given him a single look of utter disappointment before handing over a spare shirt and walking away. Mike hadn't seen him since.
"A better question is how many teeth you're going to lose when I shove my fist into your face. Hypothetically speaking."
Mike tensed. Speak of the devil…
"Sir, we were just-"
"Leave."
Mike could hear them scurry away as they attempted to get out the alpha's sight as soon as possible. It would have been comical if not for the fact that he didn't have the same ability, instead forced to tuck his tail between his legs and draw in on himself when the big dog drew near.
"Did they touch you?"
He shook his head. They hadn't, unless you counted how one of them had accidentally brushed his calf when they'd shoved the potted plant between his legs.
He yelped when fingers yanked him back by his hair. Mike swallowed at the look in Harvey's eyes and wished, not for the first time in his life, that he'd been born at least a beta so he didn't feel so much like sinking down to his knees before the alpha right then.
"Are you lying to me?"
"Just a graze, from when they gave me the plant."
Harvey backed off, though not much. His hand shifted from tugging at Mike's hair to resting possessively on the back of his neck. Mike shivered and tried not to do something stupid like present his ass to the alpha.
"Why did they give you a plant? Wait, don't tell me-" Mike snapped his mouth shut. "-I think I understand." Harvey looked amused. His right hand stayed resting on Mike's neck, apparently content to claim domination over him for the rest of eternity, while his left slid around Mike's hip to grasp his cock. "You know, I'm half tempted to make you do it. Maybe what this puppy needs is to be potty trained before he can be expected not to make a mess all over the damn office."
Mike's stomach twisted around on itself, uncertain if it wanted butterflies or stabbing pain. After the way Harvey had ignored him during his punishment, he'd been terrified that he'd abandon him, but having this sort of attention was not necessarily what he'd wanted.
"Please don't," he whispered, well aware that while Harvey may have scared off all the betas and low-level alphas in the area, that didn't mean Louis or Jessica couldn't walk in at any second. And that was without the obvious evidence that'd be left for anyone else to see.
"Give me a reason why I shouldn't." Harvey's voice was hard. Hard enough for Mike to hear the order underneath the order: give me a reason why I shouldn't still fire you.
They'd been "gentle" with him. Giving him the option of a punishment more suitable for a mouthy omega than an associate who'd just lost them billions of dollars in potential revenue. He'd have been out on his ass looking for a new job if he'd been a beta. Though if he'd been a beta the client might have listened to his advice rather than been offended by his sarcastic comments.
Harvey had told him not to consult the client without him.
Mike swallowed and then took a deep breath. He'd screwed up, big time, but proving himself right now to this alpha…that was something he could do.
"Because it violates Clause A of Subsection 37 in the Harassment policy for the company."
Harvey was still for a moment and for a moment Mike thought he'd chosen wrong, and then the other man smirked and shifted his hand around so that it was under Mike's chin. He tilted Mike's head back so that he could give him a kiss.
It wasn't a sweet kiss. No, it was angry and dominating and it told Mike that he belonged to Harvey and he'd better not fuck up again. Mike flushed and tried to ignore how much he wanted to sink to his knees in relief.
"Come on, let's get you out of here," Harvey said when they parted. He reached up and undid Mike's cuffs, the Velcro sounding overly loud in the empty room.
"I don't actually have to go to the bathroom." Not yet anyway, and he didn't want Harvey standing beside him at the urinal, tapping his foot as he waited impatiently for him to finish.
"You will, after I'm done feeding and watering you. Can't let my puppy waste away in the corner; that'd be animal abuse."
Mike frowned, but was still too tense to return the joke. Under it all, the alpha was still seething, something which was evident enough in the way he kept at least one hand on Mike at all times: a gentle reminder of his place.
"After that, I think I'll enjoy myself. In the office: on the couch, under the desk, or maybe across the desk. Maybe all three. I just had to go to bat for the idiot who lost us our biggest client, so you'll understand when I say I'm going to require a lot of stress relief."
"You went to bat for me?" Mike blurted.
"What? You think this is business as usual?" Harvey waved at the chain. "She wanted to fire your ass. Luckily I managed to convince her that it could be put to far better use."
Mike looked down. "Thank you."
"You're damn right thank you. From now on things are going to be different. I don't care what you think, if I give you an order you will obey me or I'll sign the termination papers myself. Do you understand?"
He nodded.
"Good, follow me."
"Could I have my clothes back first?" Mike asked, feeling like he probably wouldn't get flipped over Harvey's knee for asking. Spanking wasn't really his style, anyway.
Harvey gave him a look that said he'd thought Mike was smarter than that. "You're not even supposed to have the shirt. I just asked Jessica to put it on you so that while you were standing there, all vulnerable with your ass ready for the taking, people wouldn't forget who you belonged to."
Mike glanced down at the too-large shirt. He hadn't thought anything of it when Harvey had handed it over; he'd been grateful to be given anything and the shirt was long enough to do a decent job of covering him, even if parts still hung out.
"Am I really that oblivious?" he asked himself, quietly.
"Yes," Harvey called over his shoulder, apparently leaving him. "Now hurry up or I'm skipping lunch and taking your ass on one of these desks."
Mike darted after him.
AN: Let me know what you thought! :3 All reviews are loved and constructive criticism is more than fine.
Also, feel free to follow me on AO3 if you also want to see my explicit fics (username pt_tucker).
FYI, this is actually the third in a series, though the stories can all be read by themselves. Check out my AO3 to see the explicit fics that go alongside this.