18. Candy

This was the time I hated the most.

When the guests left, I had to return to reality, and the aching emptiness that would sweep through me all over again.

Every client wanted a piece of me, but none of them knew that every one of those pieces belonged to the three alphas who guarded me, day and night.

They were my alphas—mine since the moment I first laid eyes on them.

And now they were leaving.

I hoped I could wear them down, so those barriers they put up to keep me away would crumble and I could bring their cocks inside me again, take their knots, hear them moaning my name. One day I'd be held and cherished again, nestled between the three of them like I could never escape, and to have the choice to be together as mates.

Groaning to myself, I sat up on the edge of the bed, sliding off and tiptoeing to the far right of the room, to an inconspicuous door most of my guests didn't notice.

I took guests to my fake nest, which all the hosts called our boudoirs, another fancy way of saying ‘the room for fucking', but I did like that one.

With a giant bed in the middle, the six-hundred-square-foot room was packed with everything the guest might need for the night, and decorated by me, to fit my host persona. Bright pinks, soft purples, lace and gauze, and fluffy pillows. Teardrop-shaped crystal lights hung from the ceiling, and the thickest baby pink carpet I could find. There were chests of drawers and a big wardrobe where I hid trinkets and silly things like a diary or fake pictures of my ‘family', so clients thought they were discovering my secrets.

It was all just for show.

I punched in the code on the keypad, and the door slid back. Sighing, I stepped through, away from my fake nest, and into the place I really called home.

What I loved about this job, apart from the huge payouts, the endless freebies, and my three alphas, was that I had my own apartment. And as the most sought-after omega in the club, mine was the biggest. It was another six-hundred-square-feet, but this was split into smaller rooms, cosier, more like a real nest, though I invited other omegas over for nights in.

After I showered, cleaning off the remains of the last clients, I pulled on a fresh robe, and padded across the plush white carpet of my living room to push aside a pink, sparkly drape that hung across the wall. There was a small door hidden behind it. It could be a normal cupboard, where someone might store junk or cleaning supplies, with the door just reaching my hip.

And hidden away in there were my most prized possessions.

I sighed in relief as I bent down and crawled inside my real nest. The door was only just big enough for Apollo, Zeus, and Odin to squeeze through if I ever brought them here.

Even if the security team knew about my nest, none of them would ever enter. Omegas got seriously fucked up if an alpha entered their nest without permission. They were an extension of ourselves, our most private place. Though there were omegas who were happy to let anyone in, I'd never be one of them. The media said it was normal for nests to be open, like it's normal for all omegas to be skinny, perfect housewives, but it's all bullshit. At the moment, I needed my nest to be small, but I'd also spent years building another nest in my imagination, so it would be easy to create when I moved into their pack house—when we were finally together at last.

I whined as the familiar sad pain flooded my body. I wouldn't have the chance to do it until they came back from Rio.

With two weeks to go, I was getting desperate. I had to do something to make them stay.

I clicked a switch on my right, the beauty of my nest exploded, and suddenly, I was bathed in a golden glow as thousands of tiny stars burst around me.

Pushing the door closed, I checked to make sure the drape was back in place. I didn't want anyone finding me, even though it had been my secret since I moved into the rooms eight months ago.

This was all I needed to be safe and comfortable. I could lie on the large bare mattress, look up at the nets of stars, and remember how far I had come.

My foster parents would lock us up in a bedroom every night to get us all out of the way so they could shoot up. Though ‘bedroom' was pushing it. We each had a mattress and a bucket in a corner. When I presented at eighteen and ran away from home, I knew I couldn't rely on anyone but myself. I had to sink any dream I had of finding a pack and face reality as I realised what kind of life was in store for me.

Until Michael. Until the contract. Until Odin, Zeus, and Apollo.

The mattress in my nest was hard—the same kind of cheap thing I'd slept on in all kinds of places. I'd been pinned and attacked on one, huddled under a bridge in winter, locked in an attic in the dark. There were heaps of bad memories trapped inside me, and they were all wiped away when I dreamed of lying on that mattress with my alphas.

I didn't want them to be as uncomfortable, so I gave in and made sure I had an extra comfy one, so when they eventually came, they could surround me and sleep soundly, holding them in my nest.

I'd left my nest as close to empty as possible. The bare wooden floor and walls and the pink insulation above reminded me of all the places I'd stayed growing up. Cheap rooms or squatting in old buildings. It was the only thing that had been consistent my entire life.

I'd never had a nest until I started working at Club Heat, and every day I walked inside my little closet, I came home. It would always be my space. No one would ever come inside without my permission, steal my things, wait for me, attack me, or force me down and fuck me.

Dropping to my knees, I crawled towards the pile, sitting back on my heels as I reached for my most precious possession: Zeus's T-shirt.

We exchanged clothes when we could to make things easier. We couldn't be together, but we could at least be surrounded by each other's scents. I gave them bits and pieces when I could. Apollo would bring me food, and occasionally, it would come with a jumper or a shirt. And when I returned the glass dishes, I would pass them a treat, too. Sometimes it was a shirt I slept in, other times, when I was really annoyed at them, I would send them an after-show thong.

I loved every single piece I had of them, but it wasn't the same as Zeus's T-shirt.

I lifted it to my nose and inhaled, my pussy quivering as the faded passion fruit scent whispered to me, taking me back to that amazing moment six months ago.

We had been backstage, ten minutes before a show, and I'd spilt coffee on him—a complete accident, and perfect all the same. He had to whip it off to stop the burn, and instantly, we were caught by each other.

We"d both stared, tension blooming around us as my eyes traced the hard muscles of his chest, scattered with rivers of lightning scars, before finding his cock.

My fingers trembled as I held the shirt close to my chest, picturing the fire of desire blazing from Zeus as he stepped towards me.

I crushed my thighs together as I groaned, swimming in the memory of what came next.

His chest rumbled and I looked up, a breath growing, expanding as I perfumed, and he shuddered, drawing me in.

All Zeus had to do was reach out and take me. His body was as firm as I remembered it, strong enough that he could pick me up with one hand.

I placed the coffee cup on the table next to me, sat up, and spread my legs. We didn't need to say anything… it was clear what I wanted.

He was on his knees in seconds, his wide shoulders parting my thighs. There was a camera in the top corner of the room, pointed straight at us, though I had been craving them for so long that I didn't care.

He'd been inches away, so close to tasting me, until Benny snapped, ‘What the fuck do you think you're doing?' from behind us, ruining everything.

Another memory that broke my heart.

Whimpering, I squeezed my eyes closed as pain cut through me. I lifted my arms, gathering the huge wash of fabric and bringing it over my head. His shirts were always tight on him, but I was swimming in light blue as I slipped my arms through the sleeves.

Naked apart from his shirt—just like I was after my first heat—I lay back in the pile, rolling in their scents as my fingers brushed up the fabric, and I found my nipples.

I was hornier than usual, and my nipples and pussy were more tender, which was a definite sign my heat was due. I had at least a week.

I was sure they were planning to leave before it came. My heats were pretty regular, but there were times where it could be triggered. Like when Zeus stripped in front of me, and my heat came two weeks early just from the sight of him.

My hand trailed to my pussy, pushing the fabric against my clit, sighing as I split my thighs and rocked my hips, imagining Zeus ignoring Benny, choosing to force my legs apart and plunge his tongue into my pussy.

I already knew what I wanted, and what I had to do to get it. I was done waiting around, tired of always talking about ‘the contract' and ‘the risk'. I understood why; I'd read Benny's stupid folder listing Michael's body count, and I'd Googled all the names to make sure it was real.

I was tired of hurting, tired of resisting them, tired of the fucking drama of constantly being around them and not being able to be with them.

They had each other for support, but I had nothing.

I couldn't let them leave.

Biting my lip, I stroked faster, pinching my nipple, picturing their hot hands and rough mouths devouring me.

I saw Apollo throwing my leg over his shoulder to eat me out before a show. Or Odin slamming me against the wall and pistoning into me until my hips were raw. Or Zeus pushing me to my knees and forcing me to suck his cock.

My body twitched as an orgasm came so hard and quick that I was panting, mewling, desperately wishing they were there with me.

The guests I served rarely made me come. It hurt being with any alpha who wasn't my scent match, but I endured it all for them. Even one thought of them had me slicking. Apollo's teeth on my neck, grinding on Odin's thigh, Zeus's fingers in my ass…

Wrapping my hands around the soft silk of Zeus's shirt, I held it up to my nose again. Fear trembled through me, because, if I followed through on my plan, and they still rejected me, I wasn't sure I could survive the heartbreak.

We were scent matches—mates—we belonged together. I had to entice them enough to make them give in, and then they would finally sink their teeth into me, and I'd be their real omega.

Ifound Benny leaning out the window of his fifteeth-floor office, elbows propped on the sill, taking a drag from his cigarette, and wistfully watching the smoke blow away on the wind.

"Morning," I said lightly, as if I wasn't here to wheedle a favour from him.

He rose as he saw me, stubbing his cigarette out in an ashtray on the sill.

"Candy, honey, what can I do for you?" He swept his arm out to the chair in front of his desk, throwing himself into his own with a groan. The chair bobbed as he rocked back, bending his arms over his head, the barest hint of his round belly showing from under his dress shirt.

I daintily lowered into the chair, all meek and harmless, though I suspected Benny wouldn't fall for it.

"Have you already started making preparations for my heat?" I asked straight away. I was too anxious for small talk today.

He paused, sallow skin tightening around his jaw as he looked at me over the top of his reading glasses. "I'm taking bids, yeah. Why?"

"Is there a chance I can have this heat to myself?"

Benny clicked his tongue, the furrow in his brow becoming a crevice, and I instantly knew it was a no. Though I was sure he'd say that from the beginning.

He leant forward, his elbows landing on his desk, opening his mouth to speak, but I got there first.

"Benny, I haven't been alone for two years. I've brought in at least two hundred thousand for just my heats. Isn't that enough to give me one off? Just one?" Even though I'd heard that going through a heat alone was total hell, but I wouldn't be alone.

He let out a heavy sigh and pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Candy, I can't go around letting omegas off on their heats. Yeah, I can give you an extra day off for your heat, but I'm not the one who decides these kinds of things."

"It's been so long since I've been alone." I bit my lip, pressing my hands between my knees. "I haven't even had a holiday; I've barely left the Club. And the only times I've been out are on escort service, or home visits, or to the Spa or the Studios. I just go on shopping trips with the other hosts. That's it." I gave him my tear-filled eyes and trembling bottom lip combo I'd been practising since I was a kid, hoping it would be enough to sway him. I was ready to start full-on crying if I needed to. "Please, Benny… I just want a break."

"For God's sake," he groaned. "I'm sick and tired of you lot thinking you can take advantage of me. This isn't my decision, okay?"

"But—"

"Look, I'm the one who chooses who buys your heats, who gets to fuck you, who even gets to bid on you in the first place. But I don't have any more power than that."

He picked up a pre-rolled cigarette from the ashtray on his left, bouncing it between his fingers, running his tongue across his teeth before tutting. "But… maybe I make mistakes." He shrugged. "I'm only human, after all." He sighed dramatically, and my heart jumped in my throat with hope.

Benny huffed out a breath. "So, say, for example, someone used their well-earned wages to, oh, I don't know…" He winced as he stretched, his spine cracking as he leant back in his chair. "Put in a bid for your heat." He tilted his head. "I mean, I know you buggers try it all the time, but I can't catch everything."

It wasn't exactly unheard of for a host to buy another for the night so we could have extra time off. Benny occasionally let us get away with it, but an entire heat off was a whole other level.

"So," he continued, "maybe I miss a name or two." He shrugged again as he put the unlit cigarette between his lips. "And maybe I accidentally chose that fake name." He stared at me bluntly, and I gave him a smooth smile.

"Well, hypothetically, what kind of name might you miss?"

"Oh, one of those classic names guests use. Kara Mel, possibly." He shrugged, pulling the cigarette back. "And say, for example, my good friends down at the security team all go out for coffee between nine and ten on the first day you have booked for your heat." He twirled his cigarette between his fingers, rolling it nonchalantly. "I mean, it wouldn't be my fault if they didn't catch anyone entering your room for the day…"

He swung forward, thumping his elbows on the desk, meeting me head on. "I'm assuming you want the usual crew guarding you for your next heat?"

"It depends on how many people buy me, really. If it's just this one person you mentioned, maybe I'll only need a skeleton team. Probably three guards, at most."

"Sure, if you say so," he said, his voice monotone.

"And I think my dear Kara Mel is listed in their file as an alpha female. So, I probably wouldn't need attendants, anyway." I held a hand to my chest, sighing. "It's been such a long time since I've been with an alpha female. I highly doubt she would ever bite me… not after the accident." I turned my head, looking mournfully out of the window. "That poor woman, so young, too. Fell straight in a vat of boiling sugar. Very poetic." I peeked at him with a wry grin. I could tell Benny was holding back his smirk.

"Okay, enough of your bullshit." He grabbed his lighter from the top of the desk. "Bids close in two days. The current winner is sitting at a hundred thousand. You sure you wanna blow your savings on this?"

"Would you do it for your omega?"

"Hmph, fair point. Just don't go about telling the other omegas I let you off. I don't want a horde of hosts descending on me, asking for breaks."

I shot up from the chair, excitement bubbling through me as I clapped my hands. A steam of perfume floated around the office as I bobbed up and down, beaming at him. "You're the absolute best!" I leaned over the desk, giving him a flash of my cleavage through the royal blue dress as a special treat before I kissed his cheek.

"And if I see a single fucking bruise on your neck, I'm making sure your boys never come back, you got that?" Benny scowled, blushing as he wiped away the lipstick I'd left on his grey stubble. "You know what happens. I can't take responsibility if you come out of this with a bite."

I couldn't afford to be thrown into the bargain bin—that was an omega's worst nightmare. Despite a knot and a bite being totally different categories, I craved both.

I knew it was shit of me, but my body had been ready for them for years. I needed their teeth on my neck, for them to bond with me for real, not just the insanity of an unfulfilled scent match.

"Don't turn this into some fucking production." Benny glared at me. "Get fucked and then tell them to fuck off, alright?"

"Of course!" A hand fluttered to my chest. "I'd never try anything else."

"Uh huh," he grunted, narrowing his eyes at me. I wouldn"t believe me either.

"Thank you so much!" I twirled, spreading my scent again, blowing him a kiss over my shoulder before bouncing out through the door.

"Just don't do anything stupid. Please," he called after me before I closed the door behind me, even though that was exactly what I was planning.

Stage one was officially complete. Now all I had to do was to put the other pieces in place. My alphas weren't going to know what hit them.