Chapter 14

Izuku's eyes snap open when he tastes the scent of alpha.

He instinctively bolts upward, but in the midst of his panic, he hadn't registered the presence of his headache. A painful throb sends him reeling and a groan escapes him, blankets sliding down his chest and pooling around his waist. There's something soft beneath him and when he opens his eyes, he realizes that he's in some sort of bed.

"Oh, Midoriya! You're awake."

The voice is... familiar, though he can't quite recognize it. It isn't until he glances to his right that he comes face to face with the same brown haired girl he met several months ago.

Uraraka.

This feels like déjà vu, though it's probably because this is exactly how he felt when he woke up in Bakugou's tent for the first time. However, this place is anything but a tent: as his eyes slide away from her to observe his surroundings, he realizes that this is a very large room. It's lavish with elegant furniture carved from dark wood—the dresser, the bookshelves, even the bed itself—and there's art hanging from the walls. Painted beasts spill blood from their jaws and for some reason, Izuku feels like he already knows where he is.

These sheets smell like Bakugou, after all. This must be his quarters,

possibly in the castle itself.

His brain lags as he struggles to remember exactly what happened. Many of his memories feel too fuzzy to truly grasp, though he's vaguely reminded of the scent of earth. Bakugou's fingers in his hair, pressing his face against the ground as he mounted him from behind. The laughs and jeers of his men, salty tears sliding down Izuku's cheeks, the burning stretch of a knot filling him with nothing but pain...

Izuku leans back against the headboard, thinking, processing it as his eyes slide shut. It was all so overwhelming, he feels like he's forgetting things. Vital chunks of information that have slipped down the drain, never to be seen again.

And if Bakugou succeeded in dragging him here, he's scared that Kirishima will make good on his earlier threats.

"Midoriya?" There's a dip in the mattress and Uraraka sits on the edge of the bed beside him. "How are you feeling?"

Still, Izuku doesn't look at her. He only squeezes his eyes tighter, tighter, tighter still until color blooms against the darkness of his eyelids. The scent of Bakugou is so heavy in the air, it's suffocating. He's drowning in it, swallowing it down as it infests his insides.

"Why are you calling me that?" Izuku asks, ignoring her question.

"Calling you what?"

"Midoriya. You called me Izuku and now you don't anymore."

There's a momentary pause. "Because you're not just Bakugou's mate.

You're my superior now."

"Now?"

"You're carrying his pups, which automatically makes you royalty."

A numb feeling rises in Izuku's chest and he opens his eyes, tilting his head to glance towards Uraraka. Her expression is... unreadable. If Izuku didn't know her any better, he'd say that she's empathetic. But there's something behind her eyes that just seems relieved. Happy, even.

He's not sure why he isn't registering her actual words. "That's not possible," he says, keeping her gaze.

"It's true," she replies and threads her fingers together. "You went into heat and Bakugou mated with you for several days."

"I don't remember."

"It happened, Midoriya."

Izuku glances down: there's a few bandages wrapped around his chest, probably because he'd broken his ribs when he fell. Bakugou also must have stripped him of his clothes again because his skin feels bare, warm against the blankets. His hand slides over his stomach, tentatively, testingly, but it feels entirely flat.

Still, there's no denying the pain between his legs. It's a dull ache that comes and goes, asserting itself whenever he moves even slightly. There's phantom bitemarks and bruises coiled around his scent glands as well—he doesn't have to see them to know that they're there—and he reaches to touch them,

gingerly. It makes him shiver as he presses his knees together beneath the blankets.

He remembers nothing after he blacked out. In fact, his memories are a bit scrambled to begin with, though it could have been a result of the blow to his head. It makes him disoriented and even a little confused.

But maybe Uraraka is right.

Maybe it did happen.

"I'm carrying Bakugou's pups," Izuku echoes, speaking slowly. Tasting each word as it escapes him. "Is that what you're saying?"

Uraraka nods. "Yes. That's right."

"How many?"

"I'm not sure at the moment, since it's only been a week. I believe we should be expecting a litter rather than an only child, though, since you are an omega."

A litter. That means three or four pups, probably. He still can't register it because he feels so empty.

Izuku runs a shaky hand through his hair but it's too difficult to keep calm. It only takes a few seconds before his composure breaks and he chuckles, bitterly at first, before they bubble from the depths of him. He breaks into a fit of laughter, even as his chest aches, tightening, shaking and trembling he can't bring himself to stop. Uraraka only stares, confused as she watches him.

"Midoriya?" Tears slide down his cheeks and he internally hears a deafening crack. It must be from his mind, the sound of his sanity slowly being crushed beneath

the weight of everything. Is Iida okay? Is he alive? That's all that matters right now, because if he's dead, then Izuku doesn't know what he'll do. Uraraka hasn't said anything about it but he's almost too afraid to ask.

"Midoriya, I know this is very difficult for you," she begins again, leaning forward as miserable laughs escape him. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't be in this much pain."

"You don't care about me so don't bother pretending to," Izuku says once he finally manages to swallow his outburst.

Uraraka blinks a few times at his words. "I do care about you. I really do."

"You only care about Bakugou."

There's a brief, telling silence in which Izuku allows himself to breathe, to take things in as he's ready to accept them. Of course, it doesn't last for long.

"I want what's best for him," she admits, eyes downcast. "You're someone he wants, so I'm going to take care of you the best I can. Pregnancy can be difficult and I'll try to make things comfortable for you."

Just hearing her say 'pregnancy' makes him feel like his guts are turning inwards. It's a disgusting word, misused and misplaced. It shouldn't apply to him and he just can't identify with it even if she insists it's the truth.

"Bakugou is a monster," he says coldly and she looks a little taken aback. Possibly even offended. "He's a sick and cruel person, warped and screwed up in the head."

"You're wrong," Uraraka murmurs.

"You don't get to tell me I'm wrong."

"I know a monster when I see one, Midoriya. He's misunderstood and he's been through a lot."

"I've been through a lot!" Izuku hisses, making her flinch. "I was torn to the ground by that lunatic. He slaughtered the people I was supposed to protect, he bonded me without my consent, he gave me pups when I didn't want them!"

"I—"

But he interrupts her, the fresh heat of rage simmering beneath his skin. "Then he degraded me, humiliated me, tortured me, and when I finally found relief for the first time in months, he tracks me down and slaughters my friend who I loved! If that person wasn't there for me, I would have died! Why would I care what he's been through, and why are you so desperate to make my sympathize with someone who has done this to me?!"

"You just don't understand him," Uraraka insists, a bit angrier this time. "He did everything he could to find you because you're valuable to him. He brought you to his palace and he's shared his room with you because he cares about you, Midoriya. Do you even know how lucky you are? He could have killed you when he took your kingdom."

"And I'd rather be dead!" Izuku snarls, baring his teeth.

"He'll be suffering if you keep acting like this. What he needs right now is a mate," Uraraka says as she tries to keep her cool. "He needs a mother for his pups and he needs you to forgive him—"

Izuku moves so fast, she has no time to react: he suddenly snaps his hand around Uraraka's throat and grips it so tightly, she chokes and squirms as he

drags her just inches away from his face.

"Don't tell me to forgive him," he speaks softly, so dangerously. Her eyes are wide and she tries to pry his fingers off her neck, but right now, he's much stronger than her. "Don't tell me to sympathize. Don't tell me he's misunderstood and don't tell me that I just don't understand."

She writhes in his grip but he only squeezes tighter, keeping her in place as he draws even closer. His sheer animosity is borderline terrifying and he's just as intimidating as an alpha twice his size.

"I am a very empathetic person." His voice drops to a whisper and his nails sink into her skin. "I can easily place myself in people's shoes. Even Bakugou. But make no mistake: if I had the chance, I would tear him apart with my bare fucking hands for what he did to me. And if I learn that Iida is dead, I promise you I will annihilate that son of a bitch."

Uraraka's eyes widen at the mention of Iida's name but Izuku thinks nothing of it. Instead, he releases her with so much force that she tumbles to the floor, gasping as she rubs her throat.

Izuku is pissed. Too fucking pissed to stay in bed and he wants to get the hell away from Uraraka, so he slides off the mattress and wraps one of the blankets around his body. There's a stabbing ache between his legs and he has to hold onto one of the bed posts, but he doesn't give a shit. Even with this pulsing headache and these broken ribs, he couldn't possibly give a damn.

"Wait, Midoriya—" "Don't you dare say one more word to me," he growls, and thankfully she falls silent behind him. It takes some maneuvering to get to the doorway—leaning against the walls, holding onto the furniture to keep him steady—but as soon as he's about to reach for the knob, the door opens.

Izuku knows who it is before he even looks: fresh alpha scent hits his nose and there's a strange twisting sensation in the bond. He supposes it at least gave him time to prepare before he finally meets Bakugou face to face, bigger than he remembered and obviously far less angry. The burns from earlier remain but they only stand out as a slight pink discoloration, and right now, his expression is completely unreadable.

Izuku's heart begins to drum in his chest and it's hard to swallow his anger and panic. Bakugou seems to sense it, and soon enough, that calm expression shifts into one of amusement.

"Good evening, love."

The words are soft but they're spoken with such venom, it makes Izuku sick. They carry a clear, threatening tone that can only be felt through the bond. But he won't back down, even if every instinct in his body is screaming to act submissive for the sake of survival. After all, Bakugou won't kill him if he's actually carrying pups.

"Good evening, Bakugou," Izuku replies, just as icy. "I was just going to take a walk."

A grin slowly slides across the alpha's lips and Izuku feels a spike of actual fear this time, but Bakugou only leans forward.

"Were you now?"

He's close. Too close, but Izuku doesn't move an inch. "I needed fresh air."

Bakugou's eyes flick past him, probably looking at Uraraka behind him before glancing back down to Izuku. "Shouldn't you get dressed first?"

"I don't know where the clothes are."

"I'll show them to you."

Izuku's shoulders stiffen as Bakugou's arm slides around them, guiding him back into the room and towards the closet. It's only then that he notices there's been another woman in the room all along, standing in the far corner: she's tall with long, black hair tied up in a ponytail. He hadn't even seen her when he first surveyed the room and she didn't speak a single word while he was fighting with Uraraka. And she must not have lifted a finger while he was choking her either.

"That's Yaoyorozu," Bakugou says as he digs through the clothes. He probably sensed Izuku's anxiety through the bond. "She's your personal bodyguard and she's very skilled."

Izuku doesn't reply to him, instead turning his attention to the clothes that Bakugou is picking out for him. They're patterned, silk robes that look like they possibly cost as much as the suppressants he so desperately wants. But instead of actually letting him pick one out to wear, Bakugou hands him a dark green robe with silver threading.

"You won't need to wear anything beneath," he says coolly.

The lack of autonomy makes Izuku's blood boil but he takes it anyways, shedding the blanket and letting it drop to the floor. Bakugou's eyes linger on his naked form as Izuku slides the robe around his shoulders, though he tries his best to ignore it. But Bakugou leans forward, pushing his hand beneath the fabric to touch Izuku's stomach. He flinches back but Bakugou's palm is already pressed flat against his belly.

It's unsettling, invasive, and disgustingly vulnerable. Izuku is used to Bakugou taking what he wants by force or touching him in places that makes

bile rise in his throat, but this... it's different, and not in a good way.

"I've done a lot of thinking," Bakugou murmurs, rubbing his thumb in slow, gentle circles. "I used to think that omegas were only good for being fucked. But after breeding you, I've realized that you're so much more than that. You're someone who can carry life."

Izuku feels like he's going to be sick. He almost wishes Bakugou were as aggressive as he was before... this sort of patience gives him anxiety.

"And I've never cared much for life," Bakugou continues as his gaze slides up to meet Izuku's, "until I realized that I could make it myself and share it with someone like you."

"I never wanted this," he says through gritted teeth, words as sharp as his eyes.

"Honestly, me neither. I just wanted pups to have an heir and I just wanted a mate for fun. But that was before you ran away, and your absence made me realize some very important things."

Izuku stays silent at his words but it doesn't discourage Bakugou from speaking at all. "I always felt like something in my life was missing," the alpha says, shifting his touch from Izuku's belly to his hips. "Meeting you was an experience I never thought I'd have and it was all because of a connection. Human connection, a bond. What I have with you is something I've never felt before."

"I thought you said you don't need people," Izuku murmurs, eyes narrowing.

Bakugou shrugs. "Maybe all I need is

you."

He can only shake his head and turn away because this is too exhausting. Bakugou has never felt connected to another person in his entire life and now the bond forced that onto Izuku. Does that mean he's the only person Bakugou can feel anything for? This is most definitely not love, but a bond is something that could make Bakugou feel the closest thing to it.

And if he's never felt love, then it makes sense why he keeps insisting he's in love because of the connection the bond offers. Any strong positive emotion that isn't associated with death and gore must resemble attraction. Kirishima was absolutely right when he said that Bakugou can't process relationships like everyone else can.

This isn't good.

"Why me?" Izuku asks, though it's getting difficult to keep the shakiness out of his voice.

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met," Bakugou says simply. "Strong, smart, and beautiful. But most of all, you're powerful and I admire that. I respect it."

Izuku could almost scoff. "You don't respect me."

"I do."

"You don't care what I want and you don't care about me."

Bakugou draws his touch away from Izuku and the omega immediately takes a step back. It felt strange being so close, breathing the same air as someone he tried to escape so long ago.

"You're lucky that I forgive you for running off with another alpha," Bakugou says with a dangerous smile. It makes Izuku's stomach churn. "I could be making your life a lot worse than it is right now."

"I didn't run off with anyone," he murmurs, curling his hands into fists. "He saved my life. You should be grateful to him, because if he hadn't found me, I would have died." "Did you fuck him?"

"No."

"I don't believe you."

"Why not?" Izuku growls. "Sex is the last thing on my mind because you made me hate it."

Bakugou keeps his level gaze without much trouble. "No alpha would be able to control himself around you. Your body was begging to be bred for months."

"He would never do that to me."

"Never?"

"Never." Izuku says coldly, without a doubt in his mind. "And if no alpha could control himself around me, then maybe he is better than an alpha. I can at least say for certain that he's better than you."

Bakugou's eyes flick past him again, and although Izuku doesn't turn around to see what he's looking at, he assumes that it must be either Uraraka or the bodyguard. Either way, he seems... satisfied, in an unsettling way. It puts Izuku on edge and he wonders if he should have just shut up and swallowed his words, but he knows that isn't what Iida ever would have wanted.

You wouldn't be happy with yourself if you lived a lie.

Iida's words are true. Even if it would make things easier to tell Bakugou what he wants to hear, he'd sacrifice himself and his own happiness to be nothing but an empty doll. That isn't the sort of person he wants to be.

"Yaoyorozu, did you show him yet?" Bakugou calls out. Izuku blinks a few times and turns to face the bodyguard standing against the wall.

"Not yet, your highness." Her voice is so calm, so empty. "I was about to before you arrived."

"Show me what?" Izuku asks, feeling a bit nervous.

There's a belt around the woman's waist with daggers hanging from it, but there's also a few larger pouches for possibly carrying supplies. She slides a small wooden box out of one, and when she opens it, his blood freezes.

It's an eye.

Iida's eye. Izuku can't think but he feels himself paling, almost dropping to his knees from the shock. But the only thing that keeps him upright is the growing feeling of something in his chest, clouding his lungs until all he can taste is rage. He feels hot, like he's on fire as his skin crawls. There's a storm brewing within him and it makes the outburst towards Uraraka seem like light rain.

Before he can stop himself, he whips around and launches himself at Bakugou.

It's a punch aimed for his jaw but the alpha grabs his wrist in midair. Izuku snarls and throws another with his left but Bakugou catches it a second time

with a wicked, disgusting grin that makes furious thunder clap in Izuku's ears. With nothing else, he doesn't even think before throwing his skull forward to slam straight into Bakugou's.

Now that wipes the smile right off his face as the alpha snarls. Izuku's head pulses with pain so intense, he nearly cries, but the blow was enough to make Bakugou release at least one of his hands. He lunges for one of the vases on the dresser and tries to smash it over Bakugou's head, but the alpha barely dodged it in time. The ceramic flies out of his grip and crashes against the wall and Izuku screams with frustration as Bakugou slams him into a nearby mirror, shattering the glass as it rains to the floor.

The alpha throws him straight down and Izuku chokes as the wind is immediately knocked out of him. Sharpier pieces of glass slice through his robes and into his skin, but his fingers inch towards one of the larger shards as tightly as he can. His hand bleeds as he grips it but he takes a quick swing, sticking it straight into Bakugou's thigh. It doesn't go through his armor and the alpha laughs at his failed attempt.

"You're fucking pathetic," he growls, grabbing a fistful of Izuku's hair to drag him off the ground. The omega shrieks and yanks the shard out of Bakugou's leg, instead aiming for his belly. It tears through the first layer of cloth but it's still not enough to pierce leather.

Bakugou forces Izuku down to his knees and he wails, glass digging into his bare skin. His head hurts and his ribs ache, making him wheeze a bit as he tries to breathe.

"What a hormonal omega," the alpha purrs. "Do I need to stick my cock in you to make you calm down?"

"Pull it out and I'll rip it off," Izuku snarls, baring his teeth.

"Careful love, unless you want your eye in a little box like that alpha's."

"Take both my fucking eyes so I don't have to see you again." Bakugou clicks his tongue as he pinches Izuku's chin between his thumb and forefinger. It forces him to look at the alpha, even if he despises it. "Well if you won't be a good mate for me, then maybe we'll get lucky and have an omega son to take your place."

Izuku's blood freezes in his veins and he feels a feral, protective instinct rise within him. Out of everything Bakugou has ever said or done, this is possibly the worst. "You wouldn't."

"I would, actually. Having two omega wives wouldn't be so bad."

He feels sick. He feels so, so sick because there's so much wrong with that, he doesn't know if he can truly grasp those words. The way Bakugou says it is so casual, as if it's entirely normal and he doesn't mind the possibility at all. How can anyone be so disturbed? How can anyone contemplate doing something that evil?

To threaten something like that... it's inhuman.

Tears of rage begin to roll down his cheeks and he feels Bakugou assert himself through the bond. It's sedating him, forcing him to calm down but his heart is pumping too fast. He catches a glimpse of Uraraka, seated by one of the bedposts as she watches with wide eyes.

"This is the man you're telling me to sympathize with!" Izuku cries, speaking directly to her. She flinches and it seems like she wants to look away, but she

can't. "This is the man you're telling me I'm lucky to be with! He'd mate with his own child just because I won't obey him!"

"I'm glad Uraraka is saying such nice things about me," Bakugou says, a sick smile crossing his lips. It makes a bitter taste rise in Izuku's throat as he turns his gaze to him, the most pissed he's ever been.

"I hate you," he snarls through angry tears. "I hate you, I swear I'll fucking kill you."

"Watch your mouth, Izuku. You know what will happen if you don't."

His lip curls as his canines ache, desperately wanting to tear into Bakugou's jugular. He's dying to taste the alpha's blood and he swears he'll never give up. Not right now, not like this, but he's scared of what will happen if he doesn't comply. If he doesn't submit, the things that will happen to his pups are terrifying to think about. He just hopes not a single one will be an omega, for their own sake.

"Pregnancy has made you so aggressive already," Bakugou sighs, dropping Izuku to the floor. His hands sink into the broken glass to keep himself upright and it hurts. "Hormones really are powerful." It's so condescending, Izuku wishes he could kill him right here. But his chest aches and when he coughs, he tastes blood on his tongue as it dribbles from the corners of his mouth. His broken ribs have probably gotten even worse and Bakugou leaves him there, walking away from his injured mate.

"Uraraka, come with me."

She glances up towards him, a little worried. "But sir, Midoriya is—"

"Yaoyorozu can take care of it," Bakugou says coolly. "He needs to be prepared for our dinner with my mother in a few hours, and she can deal with cleaning him up. I have other orders for you right now."

Izuku doesn't bother to look up to see Uraraka's expression. At this point, he could barely care. All he hears is footsteps leaving the room and the door shutting behind them, leaving Izuku alone with the woman. The world is silent and honestly, he's just glad that Bakugou is gone. He needs peace or he might lose his head.

"Your highness."

Izuku nearly jumps as he realizes that the bodyguard—Yaoyorozu, was it?—is standing right before him. He hadn't even heard her approach... is she normally this quiet? The soles of her boots rest on top of the broken glass yet they hadn't made a single sound as she walked across the shards.

"Would you like me to bring you to the bed?" she asks. Her voice is thin and dreamy, almost thoughtful. "I can carry you."

He doesn't even respond, instead reaching forward to grip the side of the wardrobe. It takes a bit to drag himself off the floor and lean against the furniture: his knees are bloody with a few sharp pieces of glass stuck inside. They aren't deep considering how small they are, but it still feels a little achy as he tries to make his way towards the bed.

Throughout the process, Yaoyorozu walks with him to make sure he doesn't fall. He manages to get to the bed and seat himself down on the side of the mattress, feet dangling from the edge as his toes barely graze the floor. His knees look very discolored from bruising, but they're also slick with blood dripping down his calves. It's starting to hurt more as time passes and he supposes he'll have to get the glass out somehow.

"Do you want me to help, your highness?" Yaoyorozu's voice is back and he kind of does need some sort of help... but he's not sure how much he actually wants it. However, he's so tired he doesn't think he has the energy to do this all by himself.

"Fine," Izuku mutters, and Yaoyorozu kneels down in front of him. She seems much more focused now, taking a very close look at his knees. "This might hurt."

It's surprising how quickly she begins pulling out the pieces. It does hurt, but they're shallow wounds and Izuku manages to keep his composure rather easily. He's felt much worse in the past, especially after all the pain he's been through with Bakugou.

The bedroom is a mess: the mirror is shattered, there's a large puddle of water on the floor from the broken vase, and there's blood smeared across the wood. Yet it still doesn't feel like enough and Izuku craves to ruin more, because right now, his heart aches. He didn't get to make Bakugou pay. He was easily overpowered due to his exhaustion, his wounds, and his current state with pups. His soul has blown an emotional circuit and he can't feel anything but grief.

Iida shouldn't have had to die.

It wasn't necessary. There was no point and it was done for no reason besides the fact that Bakugou wanted it done. It's unfair and Izuku despises

it, hates it, loathes it. "Were you the one who did it?" he asks suddenly.

Yaoyorozu glances up at Izuku, meeting his eyes as she stops picking at the glass for a moment. She doesn't ask for details but he can tell that she knows what he means.

"Yes."

Izuku looks away once she delivers her answer. He's not sure why he expected a different answer, but it feels strange that he's being touched by the same hands that slaughtered his only friend. The person who loved him and helped him. It makes him sick to his stomach.

But if he thinks any more about Iida right now, he might fall apart. He pushes it to the back of his mind no matter how difficult he is, and when he's finally alone, that's when he'll allow himself to feel.

"Why didn't you do anything when I hurt Uraraka?" he asks, a bit more coldly this time. "You could have stopped me if you wanted to."

"If the new queen needs a channel for their frustrations, then I believe you have the right to do as you wish to release those emotions," she says simply.

"What if I had killed her?"

"I think Prince Bakugou would be very upset, then." "But you still wouldn't have stopped me?"

Yaoyorozu pauses for a moment, though to be honest, her expression is so blank that Izuku isn't sure if she's even thinking. "I don't believe so."

Izuku sighs, his frown deepening as he looks away. None of Bakugou's allies are sane, or if they are, their priorities are entirely warped. Maybe she only cares about 'the queen' and absolutely no one else. But if she's a bodyguard, she hadn't even lifted a finger while watching Bakugou treat him the way he did.

"You're supposed to protect me, right?" It's a simple question but it makes him nervous regardless, scared to acknowledge that he might not be able to hold his own due to his condition.

"All your wants and needs come before my own, your highness."

"Even above Bakugou's?"

"Yes."

Izuku's eyes harden as she continues to stare blankly. Her vibe is off, like she's nothing but an empty vessel. There's no way to tell if she's lying or not, but there's nothing left to lose at this point.

"When the time comes, don't let Bakugou put his hands on my pups."

He doesn't trust Yaoyorozu and he hopes that it comes out protective, as if he actually desires to keep his bloodline safe. But his main objective is to kill Bakugou, and if he fails that, he needs to find a way to keep his pups from coming into the world. If he deceives the bodyguard into thinking he won't actually hurt himself to accomplish this... maybe there's a chance to succeed with at least one of his goals. He doesn't want a single child to be put through the pain and suffering that Bakugou could inflict upon them.

Thankfully, Yaoyorozu dips her head into a nod even if it doesn't give him the slightest bit of comfort.

"As you wish."