By the time the weekend rolls around, Ben can feel his new blockers working. In the gym, the sour scent of the fellow Alphas lifting weights disappear, as too does the once floral scent of the omega who teaches the cycling classes.
Unmated omegas no longer flock to him like he's water in the desert, though even stronger suppressants don't completely remove their interest.
Yet, even with what he is certain to be proof of the new blockers working hard, he can still smell Rey.
Her sweet essence torments him and follows him around every inch of their apartment. In fact, he's spent more time in his bedroom in the past week than he ever has.
Part of the increase in time spent is simply to escape her scent.
The other reason is far more… private.
At any rate, he's at his wits end trying to figure out why her suppressants are taking so long to kick in. By now, her scent should be muted enough that Ben doesn't feel compelled to lick every inch of her exposed skin.
For protection, of course.
But on that Saturday morning, he sat at the kitchen island, just enjoying the quiet, clear moments before Rey would wake up and turn his morning upside down. Sure, the apartment still smelled like Rey because she lived there, but it was at least tolerable when she wasn't physically around.
Or, at least barricaded behind the thick white door that taunted Ben daily.
His mother would be arriving shortly, intent on spending the morning with Rey and Ben. She was meeting some former colleagues in the city for lunch, and if she came to the city, seeing her son was a must.
Ben didn't mind seeing his mother. He saw her so infrequently that it didn't bother him when she dropped by.
Well, that had been before everything changed.
But now, his mother was certain to sprinkle in rather suggestive comments whenever she would get the chance.
Oh, how the tables had turned!
She went years tormenting him about getting over Rey, to abandon the hopes of her presenting, to find a nice Omega, blah blah blah…
Ben knew his mother. Surely, she'd be singing a new tune.
As he went about starting the coffee pot, he heard a door open and the soft pitter patter of bare feet on their wooden floors.
Days ago, only the sounds would have indicated Rey's presence.
But now he didn't need to use his ears.
In fact, the moment the door opened, his body was on high alert.
One simple inhale had his limbs shaking.
Omega.
"Ben?" She yawned, strolling into the kitchen on shaky feet, "Do I smell coffee?"
While he momentarily stiffened, he didn't want to alarm Rey, and quickly retrieved two mugs from the cabinet. "Mhm," He acknowledged, a deep rumbling in his chest, "Just started it."
Rey grinned and perched herself on one of the counters, watching him intently. As he moved about filling the mugs, she pulled open a bakery box and squealed. Before he could even set the mug in front of her, she had a chocolate croissant stuffed into her mouth.
"You couldn't wait for my mom?" He chastised, although his tone playful, "She's stopping by."
With a swallow, Rey took another voracious bite. "I'm hungry," She muttered, before swallowing the last bit, "I'm always the hungriest on Saturday mornings. That's what happens when you hibernate."
Ah, Rey's hibernation, or the period between Friday night and Saturday morning when Rey attempted to catch up on all the sleep she lost during the week. He'd seen her sleep for fifteen hours before—she claimed it was normal.
Ben wasn't quite sure.
Rey proceeded to grab a blueberry muffin and take a bite, before greedily grabbing her coffee mug. "Oh!" She exclaimed, after a generous gulp of the warm liquid, "Once your mom leaves, I need to run to Twin Suns."
At her words, Ben couldn't help the way his lips twisted in a scowl. Rey noticed and let out a pout.
"What's your issue? I like Twin Suns."
Apparently, Rey took his response to mean Ben disliked the haughty boutique about three blocks away from them. Truthfully, Ben was indifferent to the store, except cautiously admitting that he did enjoy the scent of the overpriced candles that Rey kept purchasing.
But his affinity for the candles aside, he simply didn't understand why Rey needed to go there.
Or why she was planning on leaving him.
PROTECT OMEGA!
"And why do you need to go to Twin Suns?" He asked slowly, knowing after years with his mother to tread carefully when it came to questioning women's shopping habits, "Did you need something in particular?"
Rey finished off her muffin and nodded. "I need to get Kaydel a gift. We're going out for dinner tonight for her birthday. Then we have a sleepover."
Ben froze, vaguely remembering Rey mentioning the celebration of their mutual friend weeks ago.
"Oh. Who's going to dinner?" He couldn't help but ask.
His curiosity was twofold. Obviously, he didn't like the thought of Rey going out, but he couldn't help but feel a little hurt that Kaydel hadn't invited him. While he wasn't as close to the girl as Rey was, they were college friends, seeing each other a few times a month when Rey got everyone together for dinner.
Rey seemed to sense his displeasure. She giggled and refilled her coffee. "It's just me, Kay, and Jessika. I think she wants something low-key. Just some girl time."
Ben nodded and cleared his throat. "Right. So… You're spending the night with them?"
"Yup! We're splitting a night at the Royal Endor."
He chuckled. "I see. Big spenders, are we?"
Rey shrugged. "I mean, for just a king room it wasn't too bad. We're all tiny so we'll share a bed."
Suddenly, in a moment that would have been more shameful had Ben's week not have been shameful enough, his mind immediately zeroed in on three beautiful omegas sharing a bed. Hopefully naked. And touching each other.
He wished he was invited.
With another sip of his coffee, he nodded. "Well, have fun. Tell Kay I said happy birthday."
Rey grinned. "You could say it yourself by paying for half of her gift."
Arguing would be futile.
Ben knew damn well he'd pay for half the gift. He'd pay for the entire gift.
He'd do anything Rey wanted.
But before he could allow himself to obsess over how much of a pushover he was when it came to Rey, his mother's powerful knocking vibrated around the room. Within steps he had the door open, and his Tasmanian devil of a mother spun in, her arms filled with bags of god knows what.
She grinned and dropped the bags on the counter, before turning and pulling her son into a hug. Her soft taps onto his back reminded Ben of being young, as did her familiar floral perfume and her muted omega scent.
He felt safe. Supported. Loved.
"Sorry I'm late," His mother began, before hurrying over to Rey, "Traffic was a nightmare."
The older omega quickly pulled Rey into her arms, pressing a kiss to her head. When she pulled away, she grinned and squeezed Rey's arms.
"Oh, someone's suppressants have finally kicked in!" Leia exclaimed, smiling excitedly, "Now things will finally feel normal."
Rey bit her lip and shrugged. "Probably not normal, but yeah." She cleared her throat, before asking, "How can you tell they're working?"
His mother waved her hand. "Your scent. It's muted. Even Ben's is too. So this is good!"
Ben glanced at Rey, the two of them sharing a pointed look. He was the first to look away, his cheeks uncomfortably red.
Were he and his mother standing in different apartments? The entire place reeked of Rey. It was like living with his face buried in her scent gland.
It concerned him how much that thought excited his Alpha.
As his mother unloaded random groceries from the bags and quizzed Rey about designation services, her job, and her overall past week, all Ben could do was simply stand and stare.
Or rather smell.
Because this didn't make sense.
Her suppressants were working. His blockers were upped.
Why the hell could he still smell her so much?
-x-x-x-
When his mother finally left, cutting as close as possible to her lunch plans, Ben leaned against the front door, letting out a groan of agony.
He loved the woman, he really did, but she insisted on buying him bags of raisins and adult vitamins, as if he didn't know how to take care of himself.
"Why did you get Swiss chocolate that my Uncle sent and I got a fucking jumbo pack of raisins from Costco?" Ben asked, sliding besides Rey, who was happily eating said chocolates, "That doesn't seem fair."
Rey giggled and ate another piece of chocolate, her grin massive. "Well, you and Luke don't get along."
"But those chocolates are clearly regifted—Luke would have given it to my parents, and my mother must not have wanted sweets around my dad. So why did you get them and not me?"
She smirked and ate another. "Because I deserve them."
Well, that wasn't a fair argument. Of course she deserved them.
Omega deserves everything.
Ben smiled softly and nodded. "Right. Well, should we get going?"
Rey raised an eyebrow. "Get going? Are you coming shopping with me?"
"Yes. Of course, I am."
As she gently closed the box, Rey stood, shifting on her feet. "You don't have to. You heard your mother. My suppressants seem to be working."
It was painful for Ben to ignore his internal catch-22 at her words. He was thrilled to hear her suppressants were finally working—not only for her sake, but also for his own sanity. But, at the same time, he wasn't sure he liked losing his excuse for accompanying her everywhere.
"Can't I want to spend time with you?" Ben muttered, suddenly focused on wiping down bits of pastry crumbs from their island, "Maybe I want to buy some candles."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine. Let me grab my purse."
When she hurried out of the room, Ben took a moment to collect his thoughts and take a deep breath without Omega in his direct airflow. Shopping with Rey was always an adventure and knowing his desperation for making her happy, they'd leave the shop with bags filled with candles and incense and whatever other weird stuff the over-priced boutique sold.
Rey reappeared, her face all smiles, and stopped in front of him. "Ready to go?" She asked, clearly excited for their outing, "I think their new summer line is in!"
With a nod, Ben stepped forward, his muscle memory working for him. He was hypnotized, really—his body clearly remembering the glory of what came next.
Of what her gland tasted like.
Of what it felt like when his tongue caressed her sweet skin.
But as he leaned forward, his eyes zeroing in on her neck, Rey jerked away and cleared her throat. Noticing her reaction, he stopped and glanced at her, concerned.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, his eyes still staring at her enflamed gland.
Rey cleared her throat and shook her head. "No, no, it's just um—if my suppressants are working then do we um—" She bit her lip and looked down, "Do you need to scent me?"
Do you need to scent me?
Ben practically recoiled at the question. Of course he needed to scent her. If his scent wasn't covering every inch of her perfect body, how would other Alphas know to stay away? How would other Omegas seethe with jealously over her protection?
But then a thought, a rather brave thought considering the near dominance of his inner Alpha on his actions, had his shoulders tensing up.
Rey was right. He didn't need to scent her. Alphas did not need to stay away. Omegas had no reason to be jealous.
She didn't belong to him.
CLAIM HER NOW.
DO NOT SHOW WEAKNESS. STEP FORWARD AND CLAIM. SHE WILL BE SO SWEET.
SO RIPE FOR PUPS.
He staggered back, suddenly needing more space between him and her curious eyes. He swallowed the desperate plead to continue to scent her, to beg to continue to protect her, and merely nodded.
"No—no—I guess I don't," He stuttered out, staring at her careful hazel gaze, "My mom is right. Your suppressants are working so… You're good. Just uh, force of habit."
Rey just nodded and smiled softly. "Right. Then let's go."
She scurried out ahead of him, leaving him to lock their door and fall behind.
And the entire journey to the elevator and the parking garage, he cursed under his breath about her stupid fucking buns.
Because said buns kept her hair off her neck.
Which meant he spent every waking minute staring at engorged, perfect, delicious glands.
His mouth salivated.
He made the quick decision to buy her a scarf at Twin Suns.
-x-x-x-
As expected, their afternoon was long and painful for Ben. Again, said pain was twofold—half of his misery stemmed from simply being a man forced to wander about an over-priced boutique, acquiescing Rey every time she stuck a candle in his face or inquired about whether Kaydel would like a particular dress or pair of earrings.
Kaydel was his friend, sure, but how the hell did he know what she liked to wear?
But the true misery wasn't the experience. It was simply following Rey around, being decimated by her scent and the sight of her weeping gland.
It was why he desperately tried to buy her a scarf at Twin Suns. Unfortunately, despite being a huge fan of gifts, she reminded him that it was May. It was hot outside.
Ben pleaded with her to remember summer scarves and how fashionable they could be.
Unfortunately for him and his Alpha, she disagreed, and resumed her candle smelling.
Eventually, they escaped the boutique without too much damage. Rey had settled on a candle and a small leather purse for Kaydel, as well as two candles for herself.
Somehow, Ben ended up paying for everything, but his inner Alpha whistled excitedly at the face of pure pleasure Rey made whenever she inhaled one of the over-priced mason jars.
He'd do whatever he needed to in order to please her.
After shopping, they stopped back home, allowing Rey to change and for Ben to carefully wrap the gift. With a mother like Leia, Ben was a perfectionist and a stickler for details, and wasn't a fan of Rey's assertion that they use the store bag, no matter how nice the paper was.
And once Rey was dressed in a billowing white dress with her hair lightly curled and an over-night bag in her arms, Ben had a perfectly wrapped box that looked more prepared for a Hallmark Christmas movie than to be handed off to one of his soon-to-be drunk college friends.
Of course, when Ben's eyes landed on delicious tan skin and soft white fabric that made his omega look like a virginal treasure that he needed to have, he quickly decided there was no way she was taking the metro to the other side of town. He hated her taking the metro on a daily basis, but now with her designation, it made him furious.
He hated to think what Monday would look like. Rey would surely put her foot down on Ben driving her to work, and deep down he knew it wasn't a realistic permanent fixture, but the alternative was far worse.
So after a brief argument that Ben only won when he pointed out how uncomfortable she would be walking around in her wedged sandals, he led Rey to his car and set off for the other side of town, specifically some new Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant that Jessika's on-again-off-again boyfriend owned.
Ben kept his opinions to himself, suddenly happy he wasn't joining for dinner. He considered calling Poe, knowing a good chat with a fellow Alpha who was not his father was in order, but ultimately decided that he'd simply grill himself a steak and fall asleep alone.
Maybe even have some alone time, now that he spent every waking moment of jacking off concerned that Rey could smell him.
This would be a much-needed vacation.
"This is it!" Rey exclaimed, pointing at the modern façade of the new restaurant, right at the base of a luxury apartment building, "Wow, it's good Jessika has an in, because it's packed!"
Ben pulled into one of the valet spots and looked at the sign, his lips twisting in a scowl. "Itadakimasu Bella Casa?"
She nodded excitedly. "Hey, don't knock it until you try it! The seafood risotto is supposed to be lifechanging."
"Rey, you don't even like seafood," Ben muttered, before climbing out of the car.
"Exactly! But I'm willing to try it so it must be good!"
He couldn't help but smile, despite rolling his eyes. From the backseat, he retrieved her overnight bag and the perfectly wrapped gift. As he stared at her, all golden skin and delicious omega, he could feel the words bubbling in his throat, things he desperately wanted to say.
"Rey—"
"REY!" Two identical feminine voices shouted, the clanking of their heels and their excited squeals getting closer, "REY!"
Then, in typical fashion, as soon as the familiar brunette and blonde appeared before them, the girls were hugging and squealing, commenting on outfits and makeup and hair and suddenly, Ben felt like he was 20 years old again, living next door to the three girls, wondering why he didn't feel a pull towards the two other omegas.
Instead, he only ever focused on the Beta.
Said two omegas turned to Ben, their lips twitching into a smile. Jessika spoke first.
"Ben!" She squealed, before pulling him into a hug, "So good to see you!"
He patted her back awkwardly. "It's nice to see you too, Jess."
Jessika stepped away, allowing Kaydel to step forward and pull him into another hug. Instead of the two buns Ben had grown used to seeing her with, she wore her hair in loose curls, the strands brushing against a pink polyester sash that read "Birthday Girl".
Ben chuckled. "Happy Birthday, Kaydel. Thanks for the invite, by the way."
The blonde rolled her eyes and stepped back, offering him a small smile. "Please. You'd be gone in seconds after we started girl talk."
"True, true," Ben laughed, before glancing at Rey. He couldn't help but frown when he noticed her once excited smile had dissipated. And her scent seemed…
Tense?
"You okay?" He couldn't help but ask, handing over her bags and the gift.
Rey nodded and forced a smile. "Just hungry. Thanks for the ride, Ben!"
And before he could tell her to be safe, to text him when they were at the hotel or to just have fun, the three women disappeared inside, only waves and the disappearing smell of omega indicating their departure.
With a sigh, he climbed back into his car, knowing a night to himself was just what the doctor ordered.
-x-x-x-
Rey was angry at herself. She couldn't even enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant, or the delicious cocktails, or the interesting food, or the excited catching up that she and two of her closest colleges friends were in the middle of.
Instead, all she could think about was Ben and Kaydel hugging.
It was a nagging feeling in her gut that had existed since she was eighteen years old and first met the pretty blonde. They were freshmen roommates, assigned randomly, and had immediately hit it off, so well in fact that they lived together for all four years. By their sophomore year, Jessika came into the picture, and the three of them shared an apartment for their junior and senior year.
Ben had similar luck with his college roommate Mitaka, and once all of them were booted from student housing, they got apartments next to each other. Such an arrangement allowed Rey the freedom of getting to know new friends while also being so close to Ben for her last three years of school.
Despite their platonic friendships, Rey always thought Ben and Kaydel had chemistry. While Jessika was also an omega, the girl was constantly in a relationship, being the type who refused to be single. Besides, Rey knew Ben couldn't stand the fast way the girl spoke or her over-the-top bubbly personality.
But, Kaydel was another story. She and Ben got along fine, both getting degrees in business, and both being avid readers. In fact, Rey thought Kaydel had quite a lot in common with Leia, which would make her an obvious choice for Ben.
For years, she dreaded the possibility of two of her best friends getting together. It was a feeling that had slowly disappeared, especially as she saw Kaydel and Jessika less.
But seeing Ben and Kay together again brought up old feelings of heartbreak.
Yet this time, they were worse.
They absolutely paralyzed her.
Throughout dinner, her heart nearly burst out of her chest, and every time Kaydel spoke, Rey's omega requested she lean across the table and cut the girl's tongue out of her mouth.
Rey didn't like these feelings.
Not one bit.
It was safe to say she was happy for dinner to end.
But she wondered what an entire evening with the two girls would bring.
-x-x-x-
Kaydel and Jess stared at her with wide eyes, sitting comfortable on the massive California King bed. They were dressed in matching silk pajamas—Rey too was wearing the party favor—and watching Rey with rapt attention.
So much rapt attention that the room service cake and wine and chocolate was practically forgotten.
"—and so Finn and Poe had to watch over me until it ended," Rey finished, taking a gasping breath as the story nearly came to a close, "Then Leia took me to her doctor to confirm what we already knew. I'm an Omega."
Kay and Jess shared looks of shock before turning back to Rey.
"Wow. I mean… Wow. I saw your gland but I thought it was a hickey or a burn or something. I didn't want to ask," Kaydel explained, before popping a chocolate covered strawberry into her mouth, "This is insane, Rey."
Jessika nodded, her eyes comically wide. "Do they know why your presentation was so delayed? Or what triggered it?"
Rey cleared her throat and began to play with the soft fuzz of the socks her pajama set came with. "Erm, well, they think my mother's drug use before and during her pregnancy may have messed up my development. They aren't quite sure."
The two girls gave Rey a comforting squeeze on her knee. With a clearing of her throat, she continued.
"As for what triggered it, well, my doctor thinks it has to do with me encountering one of Ben's ruts for the first time. Because it started well…. Maybe two days after his rut ended?"
Her friends shared another twin look, one that had Rey on high alert.
"What are those faces for?" Rey questioned, knowing her friends were keeping something from her, "What's that about?"
Kaydel, always being the more mature one, spoke first. "It's nothing!" She sighed and began to braid her long blonde hair, pausing to think for a moment, "It's just that… Well you and Ben have always had this thing…"
"Which never made much sense since he was an Alpha and you were a Beta—" Jess cut in, nibbling on her lip as she spoke, "So…. Maybe everything kind of makes sense now?"
Rey pursed her lips. "What thing could you possibly be referring to?"
Kaydel groaned and waved her hands, clearly at a loss of words. "You know… Just a thing! Like… A bond, I guess. A connection. You two were always in sync, always finishing each other's sentences, desperate to be around one each other. Kind of like…"
"Best friends?" Rey interjected, her voice sounding small.
"Soul mates," Jessika suggested instead, sharing a nod with Kaydel, "You and Ben acted like soul mates, minus the sex and the designation part."
At her friends' words, Rey felt her cheeks heat. Could they be serious? She knew Jessika and Kaydel had every right to speak—they had lived with Rey and practically Ben for three or four entire years. They knew so much about her relationship with the Alpha.
But they had to be mistaken.
"That's definitely not true," Rey exclaimed, hating how weak her voice sounded, "We do not act like that. Besides, you two certainly showed a lot of interest, no matter how I felt!"
Rey was surprised by how bitter her words sounded. But she was even more surprised by the look of amusement that crossed her friends' faces.
"Wait, what?" Jessika laughed out, her eyes nearly filling with tears by how funny she found Rey's words, "What are you talking about?"
Rey knew she was in too deep now and decided to push forward. "You both were totally into Ben back in school. I just never said anything."
And she hadn't. Because before, she had no right. She had no chance with Ben then, and who was she to stand in the way of him finding an Omega?
But now…
Now her omega was growling.
Tearing at her insides, demanding that she let these hussies know that he was hers.
Even if he wasn't.
Kaydel frowned, clearly doing a better job of handling Rey's feelings than a laughing Jessika. "Rey," The blonde began, her voice careful, "I can't necessarily speak for Jessika, but I was never interested in Ben."
Ever as childish, Jessika jumped in. "I was dating Nien from sophomore to senior year! And even if I wasn't, I can't do Ben's macho Alpha male thing. I know some omegas are into that, but not me."
Rey pursed her lips, recalling Jess's college boyfriend. He certainly was not the stereotypical Alpha.
But Jessika was never really her concern. So, she focused her attention on Kaydel, delirious with tense energy as she waited for the blonde to speak.
"As for me, yes, I'll admit Ben is attractive, but I was never interested in him," Kay explained, offering a polite smile at Rey, "First, he reeked in college. I couldn't stand his smell," she explained with a laugh, "Why do you think I never wanted to go over to his place? Being around him is one thing, but his apartment?" She shook her head, before adding, "Besides, I don't see how I or anyone else could have competed with you."
Rey pursed her lips. "Me? But I was a—"
"A beta, I know," Kaydel continued, "But he still gave you literally all of his attention. If you were in the room, he was focused on you. No one, and I mean no one, could have competed with that."
With a clearing of her throat, Rey couldn't help her mind from zeroing in on one of Kaydel's comments.
The one that made the least sense to her.
"You think he reeks?" Rey asked, staring at her friend, "Really?"
It made absolutely no sense to Rey. She knew that pheromones and scent had to do with compatibility, and while one Alpha or Omega could smell delightful to one person, they may smell awful to others. Since Rey had presented, she had encountered her fair share of smelly Alphas.
But given how delicious Ben's scent was, how much he smelled like sandalwood and rain and chocolate and everything that was right in the world, she couldn't understand how a smart, beautiful omega like Kaydel would not feel the same way.
Kaydel practically snorted. "Well, I did. But today, actually, I couldn't smell him at all. It was weird."
From beside her, Jessika took a gulp of wine and nodded enthusiastically, "I couldn't either. Totally bizarre."
"He probably upped his blockers," Kaydel offered, clearly thinking over the circumstances, "It would make sense given your living situation."
Rey nibbled on her lip, trying to process their words. She obviously had heard the word blockers throw around given her proximity to Alphas in her life—her grandfather, Ben, Han, Poe, and Rose to name a few—but she still couldn't grasp what exactly it was that they did.
But even her ignorance on the subject wasn't what caught her attention.
I couldn't smell him at all.
"What do you mean you couldn't smell Ben?" Rey asked, her words sputtering out much faster than she expected.
Jessika began to cut into the cake, taking time to make sure the slices were perfect. As she set a plate in front of each of them, she shrugged. "It's like Kaydel said. I couldn't smell him at all. I was always indifferent to his smell—I certainly didn't think it reeked. But… I couldn't smell him today."
Kaydel nodded and dug into her cake. "I mean we hugged and everything. I couldn't smell him," She ate a bite before adding with a smirk, "But I certainly smelled that bartender."
"Oh, yummy! I did too. I'll ask Snap if he's single," Jessika offered, smirking slyly, "I love playing matchmaker."
Suddenly, Rey felt like a fish, if the way her mouth opened and closed was any indication. She struggled to obsess over multiple statements from her friends, the first being the Alpha bartender who personally delivered their drinks, clearly looking for the opportunity to say hello to three young, attractive omegas.
Rey thought he smelled awful. Like, 'I need to staple my nose shut' awful.
Yet Kaydel thought he smelled delicious?
But even then, she didn't think it worthy of obsessing over the bartender. Instead, her mind went back to Ben.
How could they possibly not smell him? They were two unmated omegas, both who had hugged him close enough that no matter what, they'd get a whiff of his scent.
And it was fucking strong! Even that morning, with him following her every moment while shopping, and then in the car, she thought she was going to suffocate in delicious Alpha.
By the time she made it to the restaurant, her favorite underwear had been ruined.
That's what twenty minutes in a car with him did.
His scent was everywhere.
"I don't understand," Rey began, suddenly not hungry for the perfect cake slice in front of her, "How could you not smell Ben? His scent is…" She groaned and rubbed at her eyes, "It's so bloody strong. It's like he bathes in Alpha pheromones. These past few days—especially today on the way to the restaurant—they've been so hard."
Kaydel and Jessika shared a look before quietly digging into the cake. When Kay finished her chewing, she looked to Rey.
"We all smell differently, Rey. That's part of being an Omega," She started, her voice gentle, "But if you can smell Ben right now, when we both can't, that's um…"
"A big deal!" Jessika jumped in, not as cautious as her friend, "That means you two are like ultra-compatible."
Rey blinked, struggling to understand Jessika's words. "Ultra-compatible?" She mimicked, the words making her tongue swell, "What do you mean?"
"Soul mates, duh."
Kaydel groaned and shoved her friend. "Chill, Jess. You're going to scare her. She's new to all of this," she glanced at Rey and offered a soft smile, "It just means you two may be a good match. Good chemistry. It doesn't mean you're made for each other or anything."
Rey nodded dumbly. "But… we could be?"
"Yeah, you could be," Kay whispered in response.
The girls sat in silence for a bit, picking at their cake. Rey of course resumed eating, knowing no tension was going to permanently prevent her from being hungry. But as she swallowed her last bite, she knew she had questions, and the best two people to ask were sitting in this room.
"What's it like?" Rey finally asked, looking at her two friends, "You know…" She cleared her throat, "Being with an Alpha?"
Any hesitance the two girls had immediately disappeared. They both perked up, sly grins transforming their features.
"Oh, Rey," Jessika began, her perky voice now filled with a sort of reverence that Rey desperately wanted, "It's the most magical thing in the world."
Kaydel nodded in agreement, her cheeks tinging pink. "They just… They're made for you, you know? Sex is always good, but with an Alpha, it's great."
Rey blushed and began to play with her hands. "And the knot? What erm…." She cursed and bit her lip, "What does that feel like?"
The two girls giggled.
"It feels like someone is becoming a part of you and then filling you with his come," Jessika explained, completely composed despite the topic at hand, "It can be awkward if you don't care for the alpha, but if you do, it's wow."
Kaydel grinned, before adding, "The orgasms are otherworldly."
Rey swallowed and looked away. "I don't remember much about my heat but…" She sighed and rubbed at her eyes, "Finn got me these toys. I've been too scared to try them since my heat ended."
Jessika perked up. "Oh my gosh. Did he buy you a Big Boy Alpha 2020?" When Rey nodded, she added excitedly, "That's a good friend!"
"Jess is right—those are insane," Kaydel explained, before eating another forkful of cake, "It's still not quite like fucking an Alpha, but it's damn close when you need it to be."
After thinking back to the silicone toy tucked carefully into her bedside table, she sighed. "I'm scared now. I don't know what's going to happen when he has another rut and I have another heat."
Her two friends shared another knowing glance before looking back to Rey. Jessika spoke first.
"Um, isn't it obvious? You literally have a hot alpha who you like the smell of living with you. You never have to worry about a heat alone again."
Rey frowned and shook her head. "First of all, I've never had to worry before. Second of all, I can't sleep with Ben. Are you crazy?"
"No, are you crazy?" Jessika shot back, before setting her plate aside, "You and Ben have clearly always had a thing for each other, biology be damned. Why the hell would you try to fight that now?"
Kaydel nodded in agreement. "Look, I know this must be super overwhelming and a ton to take in, but it seems silly to fight this insane connection that you two have."
Their words had her heart nearly pounding out of her chest. Apparently, her friends were hellbent on her getting together with Ben—between Finn, Poe, and now Jess and Kaydel, it was all anyone talked to her about.
It solidified her biggest fear about being an omega.
All that mattered now was which Alpha was going to fuck her and keep her calm.
She was a slave to her biology.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" She couldn't help but cry out, frustration fizzling through her veins, "All everyone keeps telling me is to shack up with Ben! And it's bullshit, okay?" She sniffled and hugged her knees to her chest, forcing herself to take a deep breath, "Is this what it's like being an Omega? Your life being meaningless until you find an Alpha to bite you?"
Kaydel frowned and grabbed Rey's hand. "No! No, it's absolutely not," She sighed and squeezed her hand, "Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Sometimes it fucking sucks being an Omega. Some Alphas suck. Even some betas suck. People treat you differently and assume you're a fucking hormonal mess 24/7. They give you shit about heat leave and force you to wear suppressants and—"
"People can scent when you're sad and horny, Omega suppressants are way more expensive than Alpha blockers, Alphas never get in trouble for their scent, but Omegas always do—" Jessika jumped in, grabbing Rey's other hand.
"And the heats fucking suck—I mean, our body literally shuts down and makes us miserable for days at a time unless we get cum. Isn't that ridiculous? Not insulin, or sustenance, but fucking semen," Kaydel muttered.
Jessika nodded vigorously. "So, yeah, you're right, being an Omega can really suck."
Rey's shoulders slumped. "Weren't you trying to cheer me up?" She whispered weakly, hating to hear the sad tone of her voice, "Because everything you're saying is making me feel worse."
With a groan, her friends gave each other a look.
"I was going to add that there were perks to being an Omega," Kaydel explained wearily, "First, you basically read minds by smelling people sometimes."
Jessika smiled and nodded. "That's how I knew Snap was into me. We were friends and then one day I smelled him and whoa. He was… Ready."
Kaydel grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. "Look, the best part of being an omega, what makes it special, especially when compared to betas, is the romance of it." She bit her lip and looked at the ceiling, wistful dreams clearly taking over her thoughts, "We can find our soulmates. We can become one with another person."
Both girls stopped and studied Rey, their eyes drifting to her new mating gland. Jess bit her lip and smirked.
"In fact, your gland is inflamed. That normally means you're around an Alpha your body wants. It's fucking with your pheromones," Jess explained, studying the patch curiously, "Like, wow."
Rey swallowed and looked down. "Finn and Poe said the same thing but um. Ben was um. Scenting me until my suppressants came in," She squeaked out, suddenly embarrassed, "We stopped since they're working but about twice a day, he'd um… Lick my gland."
Kay and Jess just stared at her, their mouths agape.
"Ben was—"
"—scenting you?!"
Rey nodded weakly. "Yes. And I haven't admitted it to really anyone, but it felt so good." She let out a wistful sigh, her cheeks bright red, "Incredible, actually."
"OH MY GOD!" Jessika practically shrieked, jumping to her knees and climbing towards Rey, "You had an Alpha scent you?! How are you still moving? How haven't you climbed him like a tree?"
With a gulp, Rey pulled at the soft pajamas. "Erm. I was certainly having some… intense dreams. And in his car today, I…" She groaned and looked down, "Being around him has been a lot."
Kaydel smirked and jumped off the bed. In seconds, she had a fresh bottle of wine in her hands and was quick to pour them glasses. "Alright. Let's start the fun chat. Tell us about this dream!"
"Did you like destroy your sheets?" Jessika asked, accepting the glass, "Did you call Ben Alpha?"
Rey blushed and took a gulp of wine. "Okay… Well, from what I can remember, it started in the middle of the sex. I was on my knees and his massive hands were holding my hips. And he was um, licking at my gland, and—"
Her audience had never looked more interested.
-x-x-x-
After an evening of giggling and wine, the three omegas climbed into the bed, reveling in the soft mattress of the luxury hotel.
With thoughts of a certain Alpha on her mind, Rey was quick to fall asleep.
It was both a surprise and a delight when she had the dream again.
But this time, he had a face.
One that she had been staring at since she was five years old.
It's time. Let Alpha claim you.