Sarang pushed away from the bar and wandered through the crowds, brushing off the advances of a few female omegas. He had a particular type, one he always sought out when he gave into the rut, and they didn’t make the cut.
A couple males tried to catch his eye, but they either smelled too sweet or were too large or small in stature. He was particular. Wanted just right.
The smell of iris and moss caught his notice, too familiar, and his head whipped toward it, catching sight of a form partially shrouded in shadow by one of the alcoves. The black velvet curtain to the deep space was still open, meaning the omega waiting beside it had yet to find a partner.
Sarang was already crossing toward him, mind struggling against what his heart was telling him.
There was no way Shiloh was here, even if this omega smelled exactly like him.
Even if he was the perfect height and build, with the same inky black hair and—
He came to a halt in front of the omega in question, tipping his head and giving another sniff, trying to ignore the disappointment when he registered the foreign scents mixed in with the familiar.
Not Shiloh.
But similar.
Sarang released his pheromones, letting them waft over the omega who was eyeing him down with interest. When he wasn’t immediately dismissed, he pressed harder, stepping closer and allowing a low rumble to vibrate through his chest. Even though everyone signed a waiver when they entered Den Night, Sarang wouldn’t take advantage of someone who wasn’t interested.
The omega leaned in, sniffing his throat before the corner of his full lips tipped upward.
Taking that as an invitation, Sarang wrapped his hands around the smaller man’s waist and crowded him against the stone wall. He’d been hard since before walking into the room, and he rubbed the bulge in his pants suggestively against the omega’s stomach, purring in approval when he received a needy whimper and a wave of lust pheromones in return.
The omega was leaking from both ends, the tangy smell of his slick cutting through more of that familiar scent Sarang had been drawn to. Probably for the best. He could only allow himself to sink so far into delusion, just enough to satiate the obsessiveness within him.
He went to push the omega into the alcove, but the man placed a hand over his heart, stilling him.
“You’re too big for this spot, alpha,” the man said in a breathy voice.
Too high pitched.
Not at all like the omega Sarang wished he was about to bed.
“There.” The man motioned behind Sarang toward the corner. “Let’s relocate.”
Private rooms were that way. Personally, the alcove was enough for Sarang, but seeing the omega hesitate had him nodding. Either way, they’d be stuck with each other for the rest of the night—well into tomorrow if they ended up being truly compatible.
“How long does your heat usually last?” he asked as he led them toward the hallway, keeping a hand on the omega’s lower back and sending warning glares to any alpha they passed whose gaze lingered. “My rut can be anywhere from twelve to forty-eight hours, depending.”
“Depending on how good the breeding is?”
Sarang scowled at the word choice. “Mating. Are you not on protection?”
“I am, and I’m guessing so are you. It’s just a kink, alpha. Promise.”
Since Sarang had taken the pill before coming here, and the likelihood of him impregnating anyone was already low anyway, he didn’t argue the point further. Most of the people in here were trying to breed, that was also something he understood, so he couldn’t fault the omega even if it wasn’t merely bedroom talk meant to help set the mood.
“My heats don’t typically go for longer than a day,” the omega finally told him as they stepped into one of the small rooms. There was a single bed with a bare mattress covered in plastic in the center and nothing else, not even pillows. “But I’ll stay and help you through your entire rut.”
The lighting was even darker in here than out in the main area, with only four light orbs bobbing against the ceiling, casting a glow weaker than that of a candle. The entire space was shrouded in shadow, dark enough they could have comfortablyremoved their masks without fear of the other seeing their faces clearly enough.
Sarang’s cock lengthened. He’d be able to hold onto the illusion even better in here, without having to see the omega. His night vision was good, better than many, but he was no dominate alpha, so while his vision would adjust to this murky darkness, it would take time. Enough time for him to be slave to his rut and half out of his mind before then.
“You will,” Sarang agreed, stripping out of his shirt as he walked toward the bed. “Come inside and close the door.”
The omega turned to do as he was told, but the lights in the room and out in the hallway flickered once before going out completely, casting them in total darkness.
The sound of outcry from the main area clued Sarang into the fact the whole place had just lost power, but then there was a gasp from the omega with him, and a thud. Before he could ask what happened, the lights in the hall returned, momentarily lighting up the silhouette of the omega.
