Alberta sat in an armchair, watching Rose cuddled against Dimitri. While the guy seemed legit about his assertion they were mates, she was unprepared to allow anything until she heard it from Rose's lips.

That Rose was Omega coming into estrous was clear enough. The nesting and her demeanor all screamed what was going on. Alberta had only seen two Omega present before. The first was when she was a Novice. A female Novice had evolved during Alberta's sophomore year. Undetected until it was too late, the Omega's experience had been the worst imaginable. From that perspective, Alberta understood Court's directives that every Omega receive estrous suppressing drugs then be brought to Court for their own protection.

The second presentation Alberta witnessed was during her first year working at the Academy. The rarest of the rare, she'd been present when one of their juniors, Ambrose, had presented. Heterosexual male Omega were the least common presentation, and she'd been there first hand when he'd been drugged and taken to Court. Unmarried, but now lover to Her Majesty Tatiana Ivashkov, he'd made the best of his situation. Yet it wasn't a life Alberta wanted for Rose.

Much as she did not want to admit it, being Belikov's mate was probably Rose's best option—particularly if they were genuinely mates and fated to be together. Still… Alberta would not rest until she heard Rose tell her that!

"She's waking," Dimitri warned in an undertone as Rose started to stir on his lap. Her movement and enhanced scent did little to stop his arousal. Recognizing he needed a clear head for the next little while, he imagined Babushka in her swimsuit. It was enough to quell even the most ardent of passions!

Rose opened her eyes, immediately nuzzling into Dimitri's neck pulse point, seeking comfort via his scent.

"What's happening, Comrade?" she rasped, sounding much more like herself now she'd rested a little.

"Have you wanted to make a soft, warm space?" Dimitri asked ignoring her question, doing his utmost not to worry his mate.

"Yes! I don't know why, but it has been freaking me out!" Rose replied tensing in his arms. Purring in response, Dimitri waited until Rose was calm again.

"What else is going on?" he asked.

"I'm getting weird hot flushes. And it aches… Down there… And I'm wet," she added in a horrified whisper. "Not just a little bit—I mean a lot!"

Dimitri nodded, unsurprised. If his book were to believed, these were classic symptoms of an Omega going into estrous. The equivalent of an Alpha rut, an Omega in estrous put out a powerful pheromone that attracted numerous partners. Additionally, their body made a natural form of lubrication referred to as 'slick.' During their estrous, an Omega might be jittery, scared, defensive and nervous. In a first estrous—like Rose was experiencing—it was normal for an Omega to be particularly agitated. And a lack of a confirmed mate made estrous dangerous for an Omega as they were particularly vulnerable.

"What's going on, Comrade?" Rose asked again. "What's happening to me?"

Dimitri's eyes met his mate's. "We think you're going into estrous, Roza. We're not sure why, but you're displaying classic Omega behaviors."

"We?" Rose lifted her head from the crook of Dimitri's neck, peering around.

"Hello," Alberta greeted, her voice gruff but loving. "Guardian Belikov called me over because he was worried about you."

"Is it true Alberta? Am I becoming Omega?" Rose asked her voice still raspy.

"It's looking a lot that way," Alberta admitted, moving her chair close to Rose's pillow 'nest' and grasping her hand. While Rose allowed the contact, it didn't escape Alberta's attention that Rose didn't move from Dimitri's grasp or lap.

"We never read that far in the book? What does that mean?!" Rose asked, her question directed at Dimitri.

"You're going into heat, Roza. It's a bit like an Alpha's rut, but you will put our powerful scents that will make you irresistible to potential lovers. Humans, Moroi and dhampir alike will be drawn to you. There's a reason most Omega are given estrous suppressing drugs and shipped to Court as soon as they present. An Omega's scent can be so overwhelming, potential lovers cannot control themselves. Unprotected Omega can be abused in estrous."

"There is a drug we can give you," Alberta explained, outlining the estrous suppressing medication held within the Academy's infirmary, but also explaining the likely repercussions of using it. "Once we give you that, you will be safe—at least as far as sexual assault is concerned. However, there are other considerations."

Between the two of them, Alberta and Dimitri explained the likely outcomes if Rose were to take the medication. Both thought the other did a good job of impartially presenting the issues, so Rose was positioned to make an informed decision.

"Can't we just go somewhere? Away from other people?" Rose asked Dimitri, freaking out about her other options. "I love you. You love me. We'd planned to make love tonight, anyway… We could go away then come back when it's over?"

Dimitri was sure not to smirk. Hearing Rose come to the same conclusion he had, without him suggesting it, pleased him.

"Is that what you want, Rose?" Alberta asked, regarding the young woman she all but considered a daughter carefully.

"What are my other options?" Rose asked rhetorically. "Take the suppressants then get dragged to Court and drugged? Or have sex with numerous men who are unable to control their impulses while I'm unable to control my own? I love Dimitri," she explained, holding Alberta's eyes firmly. "I know I'm not yet eighteen, but I'd already made the decision to give myself to Dimitri tonight. Being Omega changes nothing; I'm his mate."

"Actually, this does change things. With you Omega, if we make love it's possible I could impregnate you. Alberta said you are on birth control pills?" Dimitri asked, his nerves evident.

"All female Novices take the pill to regulate and time our periods. I've taken it without fail every morning for years."

"It's not that I don't want that with you," Dimitri quickly explained. "Just later!"

"A lot later," Rose agreed, nuzzling his neck again.

"Rose? I need you to think about this. Really consider your answer. Do you want to go away with Dimitri for a few days while you go through your estrous? You need to consider that Guardian Belikov is an Alpha and that there would be no one to protect you if things got out of hand."

Rose stopped and considered for a moment.

"Are you sure you're my mate?" she asked her Russian mentor, her eyes locked with his.

"I'm certain. There is no doubt in my mind. What about you Roza? Are you sure?"

"I am. That's why I want us to go away together. An Alpha's first instinct is to protect and pleasure their mate," she quoted his own comments and those from the book. "Nowhere is safer for me than with you."

Alberta watched as the two cuddled closer on the sofa. She sighed, making her decision. "I have no idea how I'll explain your absence, but I have somewhere I can recommend."


"Is that everything?" Dimitri asked as he tucked a sleepy Rose into the front seat of one of the Academy SUVs. Hidden at the service entrance of the Moroi dorms, the area was not overlooked, and no one would be down here. Alberta had already equipped the passenger seat with the duvet, pillows and a quilt from Dimitri's room as he'd explained Rose would be happiest in a nest, and preferably one which had his scent on it. The back seat was similarly populated with her bed linen. They hadn't been able to risk leaving Rose alone, and since Dimitri was the one who could soothe her to sleep with his purr, preparing for their getaway had fallen to Alberta.

"I've packed plenty of warm, casual clothing for you both. There's the food you ordered from the kitchen, plenty of water, toiletries and Rose's contraceptives. While there should already be plenty at the cabin, there's also a supply of seasoned logs for the fireplaces in the trunk."

Dimitri had to hand it to Alberta—she'd managed to get everything together in short time. He just fervently hoped when packing for him, Alberta hadn't dug deep enough into his socks and jocks drawer to find certain one-handed reading materials!

"I've called County Highway Maintenance and they're scheduled to clear the side road about half an hour before you're due. From the turnoff, the campsite is warded, and earth magic keeps the trail up to the cabin clear of anything but a superficial layer of snow. The driveway is about three miles long, and the cabin is on just over forty square miles. The area around the cabin is clear as the sophomore students camp there in Spring, but the rest is heavily wooded and private. There should be no one close by."

"Thank you, Alberta. I understand the trust you are placing in me - I will look after her."

"I'm not thrilled about what will happen, but I understand it's her choice. However, I want your word that if she changes her mind, you'll hold back."

The chances of Rose, in estrous, refusing her mate were slim to none—however, Dimitri readily agreed. He would not make love to Roza if she was in any way uncertain. Sure, it would be torture but that's how it would be!

"Rose is my mate. I will be tender with her and worship her the way she deserves," Dimitri promised. "That includes following her every wish."

"You'd better," Alberta growled. And while he smiled, Dimitri thought Alberta's protective snarl could almost pass as Alpha!


"Where are we?" Rose asked two hours later when they pulled off the side road onto the gravel path leading to the Academy's campground. Used for the sophomore Novice camping and outdoor survival sessions, the students camped in the open for three weeks while the Guardians shared a large cabin.

"The Academy campground," Dimitri explained, guiding the SUV along the path. At 7:00 am it was just light out, and while it wasn't snowing, it would be later in the day. Dimitri had spent the last two hours purring as he drove, keeping Rose asleep. As he drove, he'd pondered how Rose being an Omega partner changed things. The first and most fundamental difference was the possibility for them to have children together. As a male dhampir, Alpha or not, his only opportunity for offspring was to impregnate a female Moroi or an Omega. Since Alpha's mates were most often Beta, kids were not something Dimitri had seriously considered. However, now the opportunity would be there he meant what he'd said to Rose earlier. Not now… but maybe later?

"I haven't been here since I was a sophomore," Rose commented, looking out the window with no idea of her mate's thoughts. "Please tell me we won't be camping in this weather?" she stated, starting to sound panicky again.

"No… Alberta has cleared us to stay in the Guardian's cabin. It's warded and fully equipped—we'll be nice and warm."

"So how does this work? Are we going to get there, unpack and go for it?" Rose asked with a nervous giggle. Dimitri thought she was joking. Kind of.

"I thought I could make us dinner and we could talk for a while? Maybe we could read more of the book, so you understand what's happening to you?"

"I'd like that," Rose replied. Earlier she'd been too overwrought to eat. Now she was calmer, her appetite had returned. She was starving. And curious.

"Then let's get you inside and I'll unpack," Dimitri said as they pulled up in front of a sizeable wooden cabin. Fishing the key out of his duster pocket, Dimitri asked Rose to remain in the car as he opened the cabin and checked it was safe. Returning to the SUV a moment later, he opened the passenger door, lifting Rose out cocooned in all her blankets. He carried her onto the porch and into the cabin, setting her down on the larger of two sofas.

"Look around, Roza. You'll probably be happiest if you prepare another nest. Set up wherever you're comfortable."

First bringing in the rest of Rose's bedding and pillows, Dimitri then set to lighting fires in the main room and bedroom fireplaces before ferrying in the coolers and cardboard cartons packed with food. He pulled out the non-perishables, putting them neatly away into the single cupboard. Since there was not a refrigerator, he'd put the coolers on the front porch where they'd stay cold. Noticing Alberta had included two bottles of wine with what she'd packed, Dimitri pulled out ingredients for goulash. A dish he'd made frequently back home, it was the perfect meal on a cold winter's day.

"I'm going outside to turn on the gas," Dimitri told Rose as she fussed arranging blankets and pillows on the sofa. Finding the exterior cupboard containing the gas tank, he opened the valve, releasing the gas which would give them hot water for showers, then switching on the water pump.

Inside, thanks to the fireplaces, the cabin was already heating up. It frustrated Rose that she had to recreate her nest. The one in Lissa's suite had taken her hours! Placing and rearranging her duvets and pillows, she barely acknowledged Dimitri when he told her he would change out of his uniform then start on dinner, however her stomach rumbled when she smelled the seared meat.

"Dinner will be a while, so I've made some nibbles," he said, bringing a plate over to the coffee table with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Noting Rose was getting irritable, he leaned into her nest, nuzzling her neck and purring. "Take your time… once dinner is cooking, we can talk."

Dimitri purred in contentment as he cut the vegetables and loaded them into the casserole dish. That Rose was hungry was good news. Once in full estrous, it was unlikely she would eat much, hence Dimitri wanted to feed her a rich, hearty meal now. As he cooked, Dimitri made other preparations for their stay: placing two glasses in the bedroom along with several bottles of water, fresh towels in the bathroom, and pushing the twin beds together before putting fresh sheets on the combined space. The overlarge fireplace was doing a reasonable job getting the room warm. It should be toasty by the time they came to bed.

Rose had settled down by the time Dimitri appeared holding Alpha, Beta, and Omega - a Comprehensive Guide.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Rose, gazing at her tentatively.

"Ok. It comes in waves. Sometimes I feel like me, but sometimes I don't… Being near you helps."

"That's a second lovely looking nest you've made," Dimitri said with a smile, admiring his mate's work. "Can I join you?" From his previous reading, Dimitri knew Omega would make a nest for when they were nervous, vulnerable or coming into estrous. An Omega's nest was their safe space, and should never be entered without express approval. Even though Rose was more herself right now, permission should be sought and granted before he sat down.

"Sure," Rose said, only a little nervous, allowing Dimitri to sit with her, stretching his legs long the length of the sofa. Wiggling in between his legs, Rose got comfortable as Dimitri used his long reach to grab the coffee table and pull it toward them.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" he asked running his nose along her neck.

"A small one if you are."

Pouring two glasses of red wine Dimitri passed one to Rose. "To love," he intoned, smiling when Rose repeated the statement, clinking her glass with his.

"I like that you thought to pack wine…" Rose commented.

"You can thank Alberta for that. But I'm glad she did. Sitting here with you with wine, nibbles, and a roaring fire is perfect!" Much better than a dingy church attic, he thought. "So, you must have questions?"

"Plenty! So estrous; how long does it last?"

"I think it varies. Hang on—let me look it up." Finding the relevant section in the book, Dimitri read to Rose, explaining estrous typically occurred every three months and could last two days up to a week.

"A week?!"

"That's what it says," Dimitri replied, nuzzling and purring.

"And I'll be turned on the whole time?"

"I believe so. I don't have any first-hand experience," Dimitri joked lovingly.

"How will that even work? Can I guard if I'm Omega?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of an Omega guarding, but I am sure we can manage it. You can take leave when you need to."

"You'll need to take leave at the same time, though. Unless…?" Rose suggested.

"I will take leave," Dimitri growled furiously. No way no how would his mate go through an estrous without his support.

"If it's a week each time, that will use up all our leave," Rose fretted, becoming distressed. Dimitri responded by purring again until she calmed. "And then there's your rut."

"We will work it out. We might be able to access the heat suppressing medication to limit your estrous to once a year to coincide with my rut," he suggested.

"Is that even possible?"

"I'm not sure. What I do know is we'll work it out. I love you, Roza. You're the woman I want to be with."

"I want to be with you, too," Rose whispered, curling into Dimitri and letting his arms and purr soothe her.


By the time they'd finished reading about what it meant to be Omega, dinner was ready. Rose was relatively calm—a few hours in Dimitri's arms, cosseted by his scent, purr, plus half a bottle of wine working wonders. A large serve of goulash on mashed potato helped her mood, too. Dinner done, they returned to Rose's nest in front of the fire, cuddling close as they started to make out. Not wanting to demand anything of Rose, Dimitri started by stripping off his shirt, exposing his bare chest. The moment she saw it, Rose responded by rubbing her face against the curls of his chest hair. Sparse, Rose still adored what he had, kissing and licking between his firm pecs. Showing he approved of Rose's actions, Dimitri growled happily, snaking his fingers into her hair.

"Kiss me," he moaned, pulling Rose on top of him, a knee on either side of his thighs. Straddling him, Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her lips to his. Her lips open, his kiss caught her moan as she shimmied on his lap, finding and grinding against the start of his erection. Pausing only to discard her hoodie, Rose also pulled off her bra, leaving them both bare-chested.

Dimitri looked like a kid in a candy shop as he admired Rose's plump shapely breasts. The perfect size for his hands, Dimitri stared covetously at each perky nipple, a gorgeous pink-brown against the paler skin surrounding it. Kissing Rose's lips, then moving along her jaw to her ear then to her neck, Dimitri nuzzled placing light kisses on her scent points before proceeding to her décolletage. He buried his face in the valley between Rose's breasts, kissing the skin over her sternum.

A shudder and gasp told Dimitri Rose liked what he was doing. Meeting her eyes for a moment he smiled before kissing his way across to Rose's left breast, kissing the nipple several times before pulling it into his mouth.

"Dimitri!" Rose groaned, scratching his scalp with her nails and rocking against his crotch. The more he sucked, the more she enjoyed it! Relinquishing one nipple then moving across to the other, Rose started unbuttoning her jeans as she rocked against Dimitri's hardness. "Take me to the bedroom," Rose crooned in a soft voice, embarrassed about her need.

"Are you sure, Roza?"

"I am. Make me yours, Comrade!"

Wrapping his arms around Rose as she clenched her legs around his hips, Dimitri carried her into the cabin's sole bedroom. The twin beds pushed together to give them more room, the linen was clean and the space private. Rose looked happy and excited when Dimitri laid her back onto the bed, slowly stripping her pants and panties. Continuing to kiss her, their night of passion started.