His heat built up, fast and harsh due to his age. At eighteen, his body was still in its adjustment stages, which meant unexpected fluctuations of pheromones and an easily triggered disposition. The men who had attacked him had possibly tried using their alpha pheromones on him, but they’d been a pathetic excuse for their presentation.
As a dominant omega, only the strongest of the strong would be capable of swaying Shiloh’s instincts. Dominants were rare enough it was unlikely for him to randomly stumble on—
Something in the air shifted, the smell of salt and ocean breeze tainted by a musky floral scent. For a moment, he thought perhaps it was petrichor, though it’d yet to rain, but when the smell strengthened, his defenses went on high alert.
Alpha.
A warning growl slipped past his lips, knowing it’d be futile to try and hide at this point. If he could smell the alpha, that meant Shiloh’s scent had already been picked up on. With his heat threatening to overwhelm him, it wasn’t surprising.
Omegas experienced heat anywhere from every two to four months. It was a state of extreme arousal meant to spurtheir species into procreation, a concept that might have been considered dated, if not for the current state of their planet.
The birth rates on Synastry were dropping, a fact hidden from the public. It was estimated that in five years’ time, it would be considered a legitimate crisis.
Didn’t mean Shiloh had any interest contributing to the solution.
Forcing himself up, he clawed at the salt pile he’d been leaning against, scanning his surroundings. Considering the salt farm was pretty flat, aside from the heaps of white, it didn’t take long to locate the potential threat.
Whether because of his heat or something else, the second Shiloh’s eyes locked with the alpha’s he felt sucker punched in the gut.
Which was bad for many reasons, not least of all the fact his gut was still bleeding all over the place.
If only his dick remembered as well as the rest of him did.
What started as another warning sound quickly shifted into a whine, and Shiloh bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from making another, even as the alpha crept closer.
The gorgeous, unreal alpha who seemed to have stepped straight out of Shiloh’s darkest fantasies.
Was he dreaming?
Hallucinating?
His hand pressed over the wound a bit harder, the pain causing him to nix that idea instantly.
This was real, which meant no matter how badly he wanted to claim the stranger before him, Shiloh was at risk. He had to pull his head out of his ass and stop this guy from getting any closer before—
“You’re injured,” the alpha spoke, stopping twenty or so feet away to stare.
“Stay back,” he warned, mind scrambling for a solution that didn’t end with him flat on his back, either from being murdered or fucked.
His breath caught in his throat and his dick throbbed and lengthened even more.
He should not have thought about fucking.
The alpha would no doubt tower over him by a good foot or so, and he was stockier, though his height helped keep him from looking bulky. Shiloh wasn’t into the body builder type, it just wasn’t his ideal, and this alpha, with his perfectly sculpted muscles in all the right ways was—
“You’re in heat,” the alpha said.
Oh.
The alpha was an idiot. That would certainly help cool Shiloh’s libido, for a little while anyway.
“Stop.” Shiloh retreated when the alpha suddenly stepped forward.
“I’m not going to take advantage of you.” His eyes swept past Shiloh, settling on the direction he’d come. “You’re running from someone. Let me help.”
“Like I’d fall for that.” At least they both thought the other was a moron. Put them on even footing if nothing else. “Go away. Before—”
“Any other day I might consider it,” the alpha replied calmly, “but not today. Whoever is after you, they’re almost here. You won’t last long against them, omega.”
