Lin took a slow breath and nuzzled his face further into the large, white pillows. The bedrooms they were using were some of the few rooms that had actually been cleaned up. Most of the furnishings had remained covered with white clothes, but the beds had been readied, the bathrooms cleaned, and everything dusted down for their arrival. He was relieved they'd chosen the larger rooms with large beds. The space had allowed him to bend and twist John into numerous positions with ease. Prickles ran across his skin as he recalled the keening sounds that had escaped his pink lips and the scratches he'd left on his back. The spark of need flared in his abdomen, signalling the revival of his rut. He needed to rouse himself and see to his omega's needs. As he breathed in again, he noticed the sweet scent of John's heat was softer than before. It was his first day. That wasn't right.

"John?" Lin murmured curiously as he turned over. His eyes were still closed, tired in the grey of early morning. His arm reached out and found the other side of the bed cold. That meant it had been empty for some time. His dark eyes snapped open. His senses flared in panic as he looked around desperately. The room was dim with the heavy green curtains drawn, but in his heightened state, he could see almost perfectly. John wasn't anywhere to be seen in the large room. He almost growled as he got to his feet. His rut quickly combined with his concern to send hunting instincts swirling in the pit of his stomach. He needed to find his omega.

After finishing in the filthy bathroom, having pounded John through three further orgasms, Lin had carried him to the room he'd been sharing with Naru. Obviously, Naru had moved to reside in a different room. He'd bathed John in the huge tub, cooling his hot skin with the water and soothing him with gentle touches. John had sobbed and trembled miserably throughout, but he'd still clung to his larger body at any opportunity. John may not have wanted the gentle touches, but his omega certainly had. He'd nuzzled into Lin's hands at any opportunity, and as the heat had returned, he'd outright climbed into Lin's lap.

Lin had taken that as a sign of need and teased John through another orgasm. They'd made thorough use of the large bed. John had been pliant as Lin had stretched his thighs wide and settled between them. He'd embraced him, pulling him down and scratching his approval into his shoulder blades. Lin had turned John on his side, spooning him to completion and knotting him. John had settled obediently on his knees. He'd lain on his front. He'd settled in Lin's lap. He'd even hooked his feet over Lin's shoulder and allowed his strong hands to bend him in half. They'd both been exhausted by the time the first wave of John's heat passed, so Lin had settled down to sleep with John nestled safely in his arms. Now he was gone.

Lin felt his incisors digging into his lip. He'd been careless. There were two betas and one more alpha in this house. John was in heat, so any of them could have been tempted. Any of them could have taken his omega while he'd slept. Lin sniffed cautiously. No foreign scents lingered in the air. No one else had been inside the room. That meant John may have left. He might have left his alpha during his heat. Rage coiled in his chest. He felt slighted. Was John so unsatisfied that he'd sought a new mate? A better mate? His teeth lengthened. The ache to sink his teeth in and claim John again burned in his chest. He searched for John's unique cotton candy scent. He almost sighed in relief as he calmed his alpha. John hadn't left the bedroom. At least, he hadn't gone into the main house.

Lin's gaze shifted to the door leading to the ensuite bathroom. He padded over quietly and turned the handle. It was locked. His brow furrowed in displeasure. He didn't like being cut off from his omega like this. It wasn't safe. Omegas were a lot weaker during their heats. They were more prone to collapsing or fainting, and their heightened emotional state could make them irrational. He paused as he heard sniffling and scented blood on the air. John? His eyes blazed and his claws sharpened as he kicked the door open in alarm. His omega was hurt. He needed to be cared for. He turned his head as he entered the modest room and looked across at the large bath. The hanging curtain had been drawn around the tub, where he could hear John hissing and whimpering. Lin hurried over and tossed the curtain aside.

"What are you doing?" Lin snapped as he grabbed John's wrist and tugged his slickened fingers away from his bloodied shoulder. John wouldn't look at him as he blinked tears of pain out of his eyes. He was gritting his teeth against the sting of his skin where he'd gouged long red scratches. Lin didn't really need John to answer the question. He could see what he'd been trying to do. His chest ached and filled with hurt as he took in the deep gashes over his teeth marks. He'd been desperately scratching at their mating mark. Small bleeding trails marked his limited success. "You'll only hurt yourself..." Lin chided gently as he turned on the light for a closer look. This room was at least clean, so there was a lower risk of infection.

"Hurts," John excused in a small voice as Lin moved him with gentle hands. Lin's brow furrowed at the words. Of course it hurts. You're going against your most basic instincts! He decided not to snap at John any further. Shouting and fighting would do no good. The only thing he could do was perform his duties as an attentive and loving mate. He leaned in and placed his mouth over the bleeding trails with a small sigh. John flinched and moaned as Lin sank his teeth into the pale flesh, filtering more of his own essence into John's vulnerable system. John shivered with need as Lin's tongue soothed the tender area. His skin felt hot against the hard surface of the tub. "Hot," he gasped as he reached for Lin's arm.

"Don't worry, I know what to do," Lin murmured as he gathered him up and returned to the bed. He could already feel his rut flaring. He couldn't help it. Being rejected by his omega hurt. It made him want to prove himself even more. He wanted his mate to see him. Acknowledge him. His eyes darkened as he deposited the weakened omega on the mussed up duvet. John writhed under his heated stare. The dark spiced scent washed over him. Lin growled low in his throat, watching John timidly turn over and climb to his knees. He held his dripping rump high in submission. His alpha was pleased. He enjoyed his omega's shudders as he gripped his peachy skin.

Lin didn't even prepare him this time. John was still wet and stretched from their previous couplings, and fresh slick was already spilling down his thighs. He lined himself up and pushed in, watching in satisfaction as John, his mate, whimpered and clawed at the bedding. Mine. Lin felt a rush of possessiveness as he thrust his hips. His alpha growled low in his throat. This was his omega. His to care for. His fingers bruised those slim hips as he gripped tightly and snapped his hips forward again. He repeated the action, building his tempo. He grunted with each slap of flesh. He bounced John roughly, tugging his hips again and again. This was his omega to claim. His mate. He needed to make his dominance clear. The pushback was unacceptable. Lin noticed John's squeaks reaching a higher and higher pitch. They almost sounded like cries of distress. His alpha cared little. The omega needed to learn his place.

John started to struggle, desperately clawing at the bedding to inch himself away, but Lin's feral grip was like a vice. His voice caught as he sobbed loudly. Each hard thrust was slamming against his walls painfully. It wasn't the same as before. Lin wasn't coaxing him. He wasn't being gentle or attentive. He wasn't soothing him with gentle words and touches. John tried calling out, but he'd lost the ability to form words through the sharp pain. Instead, he tried to lurch away, hoping that Lin would notice and pause long enough to realise how much pain he was causing. John was horrified as Lin simply gripped the back of his throat. He squeezed the soft skin and muscle at the top of his spine that forced him into submission.

"Nn-nah! L-Li-" John choked as his body fell limp. It no longer obeyed his commands as Lin gripped that pressure point. It was even more painful at this angle. John's face was being pressed into the mattress, his back sharply angled up as his ass remained raised in the air to accept Lin's thrusts. Lin's alpha was ruthless as he rocked. One strong hand remained on John's neck while the other gripped his hip. He could hear Lin's grunts and gasps as he laid claim to his body. John whimpered pathetically as hot tears spilled down his cheeks. He held his breath, closing his eyes tightly as he waited for it to be over. It seemed he'd finally gotten what he'd asked for. He felt dirty and used as Lin pounded into him. Lin didn't care about his feelings. He didn't care about his body. John was a thing to be used and tossed aside. "Stop!" John cried finally, sobbing as Lin relentlessly plundered him. He felt Lin flinch as he came, pulling out before his knot could form and trap him there.

"John!" he cried in alarm as he allowed him to fall against the bedding. John slapped Lin's hand away as he reached for him. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly and curled up like a scared child. He could still feel the aching inside. He likely had bruises forming on his tender walls where Lin had defiled him. Lin settled beside him warily. Hurt and torment swirled in his dark eyes. "John, I..." He wasn't sure what he could say that would make this better. He'd been trying so hard to keep his alpha under control. He wasn't even sure when it had fully broken through his defences to assert itself so fully. He still remembered everything, but he definitely hadn't been in control of those actions. He never would have allowed himself to treat John that way. It was vile.

"Don't!" John whimpered as he curled up even more. He didn't want to be touched. He didn't want to be comforted. He'd finally been treated the way he'd wanted. He felt so much worse than he'd expected. He'd truly thought it would be better for Lin not to treat him like a true mate. He'd never asked to be mated. He'd never wanted to be mated. He'd thought it would be easier if Lin simply took what his body so clearly wanted. That's why Lin had mated him. He didn't need to be so attentive. He didn't need to act like it was a real relationship. Like he was invested. Like he mattered. The thing that sickened him most was the way his body still pined for Lin's caress. What kind of animal have I turned into? John slowly allowed Lin back into his personal space as he quivered and cried. He couldn't refuse his alpha. He had no right to. The alpha owned him.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to lose control with you like that," Lin apologised softly as he slowly slipped his arm further and further across John's slim, bruised waist. His chest ached with guilt at the sight of those dark marks. John stiffened a little as his chest settled against his back. He sought John's hand, linking their fingers gently. He felt truly monstrous as he buried his face in John's golden curls. He should have been stronger. He shouldn't have lost control of his senses. John was so much smaller and more delicate than he was. He held him closer as John remained silent. He continued to release his spiced scent remorsefully, apologising over and over. He would have thought John had fallen asleep if not for his racing heart and quivering breaths.