FINN

For the next few hours of lectures, focusing was insanely hard. My mind kept drifting to one thing.

Teaching a class took all my concentration, so I picked a topic that involved a lot of slides. This way, students could take notes at their own pace, and I could get a few moments to breathe.

During those brief breaks, when I didn't have to speak, my gaze wandered over the class. Some were alphas, some omegas, and some betas. For some reason, seeing the alphas annoyed me. I felt this odd irritation building up inside. So, I looked at the omegas instead. A small group of them sat together, and I could swear I was picking up their scents more strongly than usual. Not everyone was on suppressants, so some had their natural scent emanating, which was throwing me off. What was going on? Normally, I wouldn't care about this stuff at all.

The whole scenting thing that AOs made a big deal out of never made sense to me. How could anyone get excited over the smell of flowers or leaves in the forest? It seemed ridiculous, honestly.

But now? Now it felt… different. It didn't seem as absurd. I was even breathing more deeply, trying to catch different notes of the scents and figure out which belonged to whom. I knew AOs could tell people apart by smell even from a distance, but why was my sense of smell suddenly sharper?

It was all super confusing. I couldn't figure out what was happening. When I had to switch to the next slide and explain the diagram, I caught myself absentmindedly rubbing my neck. I didn't realize it until I noticed an omega raising an eyebrow at me. Why was I massaging my scent gland? Maybe because it was tingling? That was new.

I straightened up, cleared my throat, and got back to the lecture, but my eyes kept flicking toward the door, to the handle I'd need to turn to… run back to Liam?

Run to Liam? What was going on?

I barely made it to lunch. I joined a group of colleagues from the department, and Professor McDonald—an omega—sat next to me. At one point, he turned to me and said, "What's that new cologne? Interesting smell."

I looked at him, confused, then shrugged and mumbled, "Same one I've always used. I'm not the type to change stuff like that."

McDonald raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Another professor, also an omega, was sitting nearby and gave me a thoughtful look, then scratched his chin. What was his problem? I noticed his gaze shift to my neck, so I instinctively pulled my shirt collar up. Why were they looking at me like that? Alphas and omegas were always irritating with their ability to pick up on scents, hear heartbeats, smell arousal—you couldn't hide anything from them. It was nosy as hell. Especially now, when I was already feeling super uncomfortable.

I only had one more lecture, from 12 to 1 pm.

After lunch, I went to the bathroom, feeling a bit dizzy and still struggling with the fact that I'd had a semi the whole time.

I splashed some cold water on my face, hoping it would help, but things only seemed to be getting worse. The idea of teaching another class in this state felt unbearable.

Then my phone rang. An unknown number.

I hesitated but picked up.

"Finn…"

"Liam!?" I couldn't believe he was calling me. My heart raced. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

He didn't answer right away. I could hear his uneven breathing through the phone, so I pressed it closer to my ear.

"Liam? Tell me what's happening."

"You're gonna hate me. You're gonna kick me out."

"Liam, what are you talking about? I'm starting to get worried here."

"Can you come back? Please, I'm begging you—"

"I have one more lecture, but if this is serious, of course I'll come!"

"Please, I'm begging you. I can't take it. I think I'm gonna die."

"I'm coming! But tell me what's happening."

"I'm… in heat."

Those words landed like a bomb. It felt like the world split into two: the world before those words, and the world after.

A long silence followed. I could hear him breathing heavily.

Finally, he whispered, "Are you mad? Sorry, I'm such a freak."

"No. I'm not mad. Honestly, it may be strange, but things have been a bit bizarre since I saw you on that cliff and couldn't tear my eyes away… Now, I'm happy you called. I'll be there in half an hour."

Then I hung up. Yeah, those words were out there now. I wondered if they surprised him. Maybe even lightened his mood? Hopefully. I really didn't want to add to his stress.

One more time I splashed cold water on my face and clenched my jaw as I left the bathroom. I headed straight for the dean's office. I needed to ask for emergency leave and maybe a few days off. I wasn't even thinking about what had just happened or why—I was just acting on autopilot.

Thirty-four minutes later, I was pulling into my driveway.

I practically sprinted from the car to the house, opened the door, but the kitchen and living room were empty, so I dashed upstairs to Liam's loft, taking three steps at a time.

With my heart speeding up, I didn't even bother to knock, just pushed the door open and walked in.

The smell that hit me as I entered nearly knocked me out. It was sweet and enticing, like cherry blossoms in the spring. But with an extra note, like sugary candy. Was it a smell of heat? Could I really sense it?

My heart quickened even more when my eyes fell on the bed.

Liam was lying there, completely naked. He was in the breeding position, his fists clenched, his face turned toward me. A pink dildo was sticking out between his buttocks, looking downright obscene. His head was propped up on pillows.

That was a view I hadn't expected.

"Please…" he mouthed, in a voice I could never refuse, under any circumstances.

But I had to say it because it needed to be said.

"I'm a beta, Liam. What if I can't go into the rut? I might not be enough for you, I might not be able to handle it."

"You can, I know it, I feel it! Please help me—"

"Liam, if I do this to you, it will change everything between us. You may not be ready for it. It may hurt you, and it may make it harder for you to heal from—"

"Please!"

I clenched my eyelids, and the scent literally overwhelmed me. Any attempt to think logically, to resist, to explain, and to justify my reasons was doomed to failure. How could alphas bear it without going crazy? And why the hell did I even smell it if I had never been able to before? What had changed?

"Liam, listen to me now. I'm going to go downstairs and take a shower. During this time, I ask you to think deeply about whether you definitely want this if you want it with me. Think of all the consequences. I won't say no to you because I know you're suffering, but it must be your decision and yours alone!"

"Please, fuck me!"

"Liam, we've only known each other for a few days! I beg you, think it over. I'm going to take a shower, but if you're still sure when I get back, ask me again."

Leaving the room felt almost heroic, but I wanted to give him a few more minutes to weigh the pros and cons. What was happening felt entirely beyond my control, and I wanted him to make this decision consciously—not in the heat of the moment. Acting on impulse could seriously damage our relationship in the future. What if he resented me afterward? Thought poorly of me for taking advantage of him in a vulnerable moment?

It was bothersome to realize that he might be driven only by the heat-typical overwhelming, feverish lust, rather than a genuine wish for intimacy with me. Yet, I had to trust that he wouldn't ask if there wasn't real interest on his part. Still, the question remained: was arousal a strong enough reason to change the nature of our relationship? It surely didn't ease my worry that he might ultimately loathe me afterward, thinking I'd overstepped my role as host. I didn't want to destroy what was slowly, subtly building between us. But now I felt trapped—he asked, he begged, and refusing could push us apart for good.

The only reassuring thought was that maybe I could try to talk to him afterward—to explain and apologize. If I denied him now, he might just see it as another rejection, adding to an already long list of… as he once put it, ‘people who were disgusted by me'!

I took a shower, a cold one, to cool my raging mind as much as possible and restore at least a little bit of logical thinking, but unfortunately, it did not help much, my dick was like a signpost pointing in only one direction.

Almost delirious, I got out of the shower and ran upstairs.

With a frown, I walked back into Liam's room—he was in the same position, except he no longer had a dildo stuck between his buttocks—his open pink hole looking straight at me. Then I saw it shrink and pulsate, a typical symptom of heat in omegas… Yup.

"Please!"

Liam seemed to know no other words, but this time, it was almost a scream—mournful and pleading.

My heart pounded as I moved closer to him, my hoarse breaths catching in my lungs. My whole body felt primed for action, ready for something intense and unfamiliar. What was happening? I was a beta, for fuck's sake!

Liam's wide eyes followed my every move, his head still resting on the pillow, twisted toward me.

"Liam, tell me first, will you hate me after this? Will you think I took advantage of you? That's what I'm afraid of, and I don't want that! I wanted to… go slowly with us, with our relationship. I wanted a chance to properly court you!" I hesitated, clenching my jaw. "So, if you want me to find someone else who can meet your needs during the heat, just say the word…" It was painfully hard to utter these sentences, but I wouldn't be myself if I didn't give him an option out.

But Liam would have none of it!

"No way! I don't want anyone else. It has to be you! I only want you to do this!"

I bit my lip, feeling a wave of desire intensifying in every cell, waking me up in a way I'd never felt before.

"But you barely know me—"

"I feel you, who you are! I know you have goodness in you, that you're gentle and caring, I like you and want… more with you."

"More with me… beyond the heat?" It was almost a whisper.

"Yes, is it too much to hope for?" His voice broke slightly.

"No, I want the same. I'm just a little scared it could ruin things for us, Liam. It might feel unnatural, rushed… and I want us to have a good beginning."

Liam's eyes found mine, despite his strange, tilted position. "Finn, those words are enough for me. I appreciate your concern, but for some reason, I went into heat while I was with you. Fate wants it this way, and I need to… follow through!"

Swallowing hard, I slowly nodded.

"You have to give me permission to touch you, to be with you. I need to hear it clearly and explicitly from you."

"I agree! Please, Finn, I need you!"

I closed my eyes for a moment, realizing everything was about to change. Four days ago, I met him on the edge of a cliff. This wasn't how I wanted things to go. I wanted to show him warmth and support first—before desire and lust—but Liam was right; Fate had chosen for us, and I had to trust it.

Liam's eyes traced my every movement as I took a few steps toward the bed and then slowly climbed onto it, taking a deep breath into my lungs and resting my hands on his round, waiting buttocks. A shudder went through my whole body, as pleasant as if someone had touched me with a magic wand and whispered a sweet spell of lust into my ear.

There was no stopping it. I groaned in a raspy way, looking at the damp, pink gate to paradise visible between his white globes.

I gently touched the edges of his entrance with both thumbs; it was dripping wet and very soft, almost fluffy. I had a feeling he must have been using the dildo for hours. When I spread it further to the sides, Liam made a quiet moaning sound. The inside visible between my fingers was a vivid pink and yielding, very inviting.

"There on the cliff, you said you were a virgin," I asked with a hoarse voice, feeling like a perv. "Is this really your first time, Liam?"

"Yes, I was only with... rubber dildos before," he replied. "But it was quite a lot of… sessions. I have a healthy libido."

My gaze fell on a dildo lying nearby. I squinted my eyes slightly, and then reached for it, analyzed it for a moment, and then threw it on the floor far from the bed. "It won't be needed now."

Hearing the soft sound of the dildo hitting the floor, Liam let out a gasp, then splayed his knees even more forcefully to the side. "Fuck me, Finn! I really need to be filled! I'm so empty, so fucking empty inside!" I had always heard this kind of call in omega heat porn, but it kinda suited the situation.

With a frown, I took the condom out of my pocket, but then Liam reached back and grabbed it, yanking it out of my hand.

"No! I don't want this; I want a real deal, no more rubber inside me, I've had enough of this!"

"Liam, what if it's not just the so-called empty heat?"

"I'm a beta, Finn."

"Apparently, that's not the whole truth about you."

"Anyway, the first heat is always infertile… please! I need to feel you, I need to know!"

It was true, the first heat was very rarely associated with pregnancy because during it the uterus was just maturing, under the influence of a rapid flood of hormones, increasing its size and only during the second heat was it ready to accommodate an embryo.

However, I couldn't say that I was 100% sure whether it was actually an average 'first heat'. Was it, possibly, something completely different that neither of us had thought of?

But since I had no other evidence at this point, I had to follow what science said.

The only thing that remained unanswered was what Liam meant by 'I need to know'.

Strangely, I was trembling with nerves, which was really incomprehensible since, after all, this wasn't my first time. I unzipped my pants and pulled them down, and Liam's gaze fell on my stiff dick, fixating on it. I was quite pleased with my size, which was in the alpha range at 8.5 inches.

The vast majority of betas didn't exceed seven inches, and most omegas didn't exceed five and a half. Of course, there were exceptions to the rule, but that was the statistical average. At that moment, when Liam's gaze fell on my tool, I felt a certain satisfaction with my size, not to say contentment.

However, I wasn't going to push it in right from the get-go. I moved my hand along the shaft and then lightly brushed the tip of my dick head against his thigh. He trembled slightly as my pre-cum spread over his skin.

With my eyes firmly fixed on his smooth, pale skin, I leaned over and kissed his left buttock. The kiss was still very gentle, tentative, almost shy; I didn't rush. I first made a long line of kisses leading along his crease.

Liam made quiet, almost meowing and purring sounds, some of them quite impatient. My pecks turned into open-mouthed kisses, and I lightly nibbled his soft butt flesh, sucked, certainly leaving him love bites. I didn't hesitate to use my tongue either, in long licks tasting his skin, which smelled like a sun-warmed garden full of cherry trees. But finally, I got where I wanted, and my tongue made a long, languorous circular motion around his hole.

Liam let out a muffled, dragged moan.

His hips rocked slightly from left to right, as if in a movement of impatience.

"Please…"

"Shhh, baby… Patience."

My tongue plunged even deeper, tasting his surprisingly sweet... what? Did he have slick?

"Such a nice, wet hole, I just need to admire it for a little bit longer…" I mumbled, shocking myself. I'd never been a fan of any kind of dirty talk during sex, so it was very out of character for me to get into it so much.

I stared at his hole intently. It was small, but not quite like the clenched orifice of a typical beta. Its edges were more open, like the petals of a flower, thicker, and more protruding from the body, which brought more of an association with the hole of omegas. Was it like this always, or only changed after he went into heat?

"I'm gonna defile it very soon, plow it, possess it…" I babbled, feeling my pulse quicken even more.

"Please, do so…"

His voice was slightly trembling, but full of submissiveness. He looked at me with his head turned to the side, lying on the pillow, his cappuccino-colored eyes wide open, pleading.

Seen from above in the breeding position, Liam looked very sexy. His narrow waist and delicate, slender back contrasted with his round, bulging buttocks, between which a pink rose opened, now gently winking at me.

I squeezed those two white roundnesses with my fingers, shook them lightly, wiggled them, and even gave them two little slaps, but my fingers were mostly drawn to his entrance. Finally, I slid them in, one by one, my fingertips dwelling in the wetness, feeling the soft flesh inside, soon finding the swollen, enlarged prostate.

I had never had sex with an omega, so I had no idea if it was in the same range as an omega's prostate, but I was willing to bet it was, as it was certainly larger than a typical beta's—spongy and soft. When I pressed on it, Liam let out a deep moan.

Massaging it, I couldn't help but wonder: what had happened in the last few days? It had been four days since I first saw him, and Liam had come into full heat. Why? How was that even possible? These things don't happen overnight. Yes, I definitely had an instant attraction to him, very intense, but this was just unprecedented. Normally, I would have thought about it much longer, since it was such a curious case, but looking at that pink ring taking my fingers wiped out my ability to concentrate. I had to go inside.

Knowing that I would be the first one there gave me mixed feelings. Liam had waited so many years for Soren, despite having admittedly a healthy libido. He clearly wanted to offer his virginity to the person he loved, and now? I was, after all, still almost a stranger…

"Liam, are you sure? This is your first time; do you want to have it with me?"

"Yes, that's right, I just feel like it was meant to be, Finn, I really do!"

It was probably the heat talking through him, so I promised myself to do everything in my power to make it up to him and ensure he felt warmth once the heat wore off. Coming down from those hormones could be like rehab for a drug addict—pretty emotionally challenging.

Biting my lip, I angled my dick down, against his muscle ring, feeling my pulse rise above the safe limit, as I was about to find myself in a narrow realm of hotness and pleasure. I tightened my fingers on his buttocks and began to push.

I wanted to do it slowly, I truly did, to give him time to adjust, but my dick had a different idea. I started to sink deeper, with more urgency, as if something was pulling me in. I let out a groan, giving away my inner struggle, but it didn't help much. My hips just pushed forward!

And… then it happened.

I couldn't help myself; my body just exploded. My spine bent into a "C", and my dick spewed cum that filled Liam with multiple hot spurts—but that wasn't the strangest thing, or even the strength and intensity of this orgasm. It was what I saw around us: the room was now filled with a pulsating storm of electrical discharges and flying sparkles that wrapped around our bodies like lightning surrounds a tornado!

I screamed, and Liam… well, I barely heard him, deafened, but he was screaming too. I felt like I was going to lose consciousness. My vision turned red. Even though I was kneeling between Liam's obscenely highly raised buttocks, I wobbled dizzily and fell forward, almost flattening his thin frame on the bed with my full weight.

My orgasm refused to stop; I didn't know what was happening. I was gushing and gushing into him. I could hear Liam moaning beneath me. His body shook slightly, and my hands reflexively found his clenched hands. I intertwined my fingers with his, still panting, as electrical discharges danced across our skins.

The realization of what had happened hit me like a tidal wave. I wasn't the type to be afraid to tell the truth, even if it meant facing disappointment. That just wasn't me. And I wasn't going to let my life turn into a months-long mess of doubt and uncertainty.

So I shouted out loud, "Fuck! We're True Mates!"

Right to the point.

We both froze, just panting and gasping. Because it was just too much to continue as if nothing had happened, I stepped back and pulled my still stiff dick out of his dripping hole. I grabbed his hips and turned him toward me. His belly was wet with cum; apparently, he too had come in a pretty impressive spurt.

Our eyes locked.

His face was flushed, his pupils wide, and his mouth hung open as he stared at me in shock. I grabbed his shoulders and sat him up firmly, then cupped his face in my hands.

"Liam, baby, you're my True Mate!"

Liam blinked, "Am I? Really?"

"Yeah, fuck yeah! It's what they call the First Orgasm! No doubt about it. I had my suspicions before, but now we have undeniable proof."

Liam kept staring at me, his lips trembling, eyes welling up.

"Really? Could that really happen to me? To me?"

I grinned widely.

"Yes! To you. And Fate was in a hurry to give it to you, to end your suffering. It's obvious to me—you went into heat so quickly, so you just… know. And you could be happy!"

He still gaped at me, his breath hitching.

"I didn't want to say it earlier, but even back on the cliff when I saw you, something inside me locked onto you like a stuck compass needle and refused to turn anywhere else. From the first moment I held you, I didn't want to ever let you go," I said with emphasis, my voice shaking a bit.

Liam blinked again, brushing tears from his eyes.

"And I didn't want you to let me go! I wanted to stay there forever, wrapped in your arms, on that cliff…" he whispered.

"And just think, I was so close to losing you, my precious Mate!"

I wiped his wet cheeks with my thumbs, then glanced at his soft lips.

"This might be out of order, but who says we have to do things like everyone else?" I said, then leaned in and kissed him for the first time.

Liam whimpered and immediately parted his lips, letting me in. I trembled as a massive wave of happiness and excitement surged through my whole body while I cradled my freshly found True Mate in my arms. Trembling slightly, I pulled him closer, holding him like a treasure I didn't want to lose.

That young man had gone through a lot, but that was all in the past now. I was going to make sure his life would be completely different from now on.

"Liam, it was killing me, thinking about how much you were suffering," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "From the moment I heard from Winter about your situation, I dedicated myself to changing your life, to making it happier, better, in any way I could. And now… as your True Mate, I can do just that! And you're going to change my life too. You're my Sun now, the brightest star in my sky!"

Liam sobbed, clutching my arms, his eyes filled with tears.

"My baby, my True Mate, my sweet Liam, I finally found you, sweetie! Everything's okay now, everything's okay…"

"Oh God, I can't believe it… It's almost too much—I might explode!" he gasped, breathless and trembling.

"Shhh, relax, baby, nothing can separate us now. We're perfect for each other; Fate knew it and brought us together!"

"We really… are?" he asked, still struggling to believe it, his questions popping up like he just needed to hear it over and over.

"Yes, yes, you'll be mine forever, and I'll be yours!" I kissed him tenderly again and whispered softly, "My poor baby…"

Then Liam suddenly pouted. "I'm not poor! In three years, when I'm twenty-five, I'll access my trust fund. I'm going to inherit a few million dollars because I was an only child."

I laughed heartily. "Oh, baby, that's not what I meant by poor, but I'm glad. Our kids won't have to live in a tiny house!" I winked.

His face grew serious. "Our kids?"

My expression must have said it all because he blushed.

"Our bodies will change, Liam. That's how True Mate magic works. We'll be able to have children. I'm pretty sure that the last load was already… quite viable." I wiggled my eyebrows, glancing meaningfully down.

Liam blinked in shock, and his eyes instinctively went to his stomach.

Meanwhile, my gaze wandered over his naked form, and in a sudden impulse, I lowered myself, pulling him closer, no longer wanting to speak. Liam gasped softly. My lips couldn't tear themselves away from his body; I slid them down to his neck, which I had once been so fixated on—it was finally available to me. I noticed then that his glands were no longer pale and flat but pink and slightly protruding. I immediately sucked on it, overwhelmed by a strange need.

"I need more of you, Liam, much more…" I mumbled, and relocated, so I was lying on top of him and could pull his knees upward without any hesitation. I pressed into his wet hole again, with one greedy and quick motion, thrusting all the way in. I had to possess him; I had to make Liam mine forever, this urge was immense. He groaned, just grasping under his knees to make my access easier.

"I'm going to fuck you now, Liam, and I'm going to continue doing that for as long as your heat lasts," I breathed out.

"Yes, please…"

I rocked into him, and he accepted it with a deep moan. I could literally feel the fire igniting in my veins; I was pierced by light shivers, similar to mini orgasms, as I started pumping into him with an intense rhythm, looking straight into his slightly glazed eyes.

With each of my thrusts, he let out a breathy moan, but it wasn't the end; the intensity was only increasing. The blood was boiling in my veins, and I knew that something had irreversibly changed in me, something was awakening.

Liam's gland caught my eye again, pink and slightly swollen, waiting. My earlier fascination was nothing compared to what I felt now, almost obsessively fixating my eyes on that part of his body.

I fucked him with even and long thrusts; I knew exactly what I wanted, what fantasy I was going to make real because there was this new, unfamiliar sensation in my gums, this pressure I had never felt before.

"Gonna mark you…" I managed, as my mating fangs were pushed out of my gums.

Liam exhaled sharply as he saw the long, thin teeth sliding out from between my lips, but immediately turned his head slightly and presented his gland to me. I already knew exactly what he wanted and what he agreed to.

With a growl that my throat had never produced before, I leaned in and sank my fangs into his neck.

We both came immediately, in an astonishing orgasm that was a mixture of a strange possessive feeling, wildly feral desire, and a sweet pain that could not even be called pain, rather an intense shudder spreading throughout the nervous system.

It was almost too much, my dreams of someday marking my mate had finally come true, and in the best possible way—while holding my True Mate in my arms.

His insides clenched around me in spasms as another phenomenon began to happen in my body—another tickling, this time in a completely different part of it, not in my gums.

I wanted to warn him, to tell him what was about to happen, but I couldn't; I just couldn't get the strength to pull my fangs out of his neck.

So, when my knot swelled, slowly filling with blood, Liam made a surprised sound, but didn't try to push me away. He just took a few deeper breaths, trying to relax to accommodate me, feeling as my knot expanded rapidly in his hole.

Finally, I forced myself to get my fangs out of his neck, lifted my head, and looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but it was stronger than me, baby…" I said.

Liam was panting, his lips parted and very red, his cheeks rosy. The skin on his neck was flamed and slightly wet.

"What are you apologizing for? After all these years of being ignored, pushed away, and no one wanting me, you're giving me everything I've ever dreamed of and more. Don't you dare say you're sorry for those things!"

For the next two hours, Liam and I made love intensely and without any break.

Our bodies were covered in sweat, but finally, the wave of heat that had taken over Liam had subsided. He was so exhausted that he fell asleep almost instantly, nestled against my side. It was obvious that despite all the big changes his body had gone through, Liam didn't yet have the metabolic strength of an omega, and was still very thin, so the fatigue hit him faster.

And honestly, it hit me too—I'm not going to lie. I fell asleep right there next to him and woke up about three hours later, just as the sun was dipping below the horizon. I felt totally wiped out, but I managed to drag myself out of bed, feeling a sense of duty. I headed to the kitchen and whipped up two huge protein shakes with bananas, hoping they'd give us a boost of energy.

Another issue was also pressing—both of us definitely needed a shower.

When I went back to the bedroom, Liam was lying on his stomach, arms spread out, face turned to the side, cheeks pink, which was typical for a ripe heat. I sat down beside him, with the shakes in my hands.

"Baby, I know you're tired, but you should drink this. Another wave could start any minute, and you'll need all the strength you can get," I murmured softly, brushing his slender arm.

Liam slowly opened his eyes and focused on me. It was nice to see there was no stress or fear in his gaze, just trust and happiness to see me—mixed with a lingering exhaustion.

I handed him the shake, and he slowly took it, sitting up with some effort. Then he pressed the drink to his lips, finishing it in a few solid gulps.

"Thanks, really good—for a protein shake." He bit his lip, eyeing me with a smile. "You must have a lot of these…" He gestured toward my abs. "Do you go to the gym a lot?"

I laughed, a little embarrassed. "Well, you know, for the past three years, I haven't been in a normal relationship. So, outside of work… well, I spent my free time at the gym. That's why I've got a good stock of protein shakes, probably enough to last through this whole heat. But I'd still say we should eat some real food in between," I murmured with a laugh.

Liam nodded, his eyes looking brighter, almost golden instead of their usual cappuccino shade.

"And now, I think we both need to head to the shower—we're getting a little sticky."

Liam gave me a shy look. "You mean… together?"

"Do you want to? The shower is pretty small—it's a tiny house, after all."

"It's not that small. I think we can both fit—I don't take up much space," he winked, giving his torso a playful little pat.

I allowed myself a slightly provocative smile.

"Your wish is my command. Let's go shower, then."

With a playful curtsy, I offered him my hand, and he got out of bed. He walked to the bathroom completely naked, while I was just in boxers.

"You know, even after only a few days together, I can see a difference—you're not so skinny anymore; you're filling out a bit," I murmured, winking warmly at him since certain pleasant contours of his body hadn't escaped my notice.

Liam looked at me with a tentative smile. I had the urge to lightly tap his small nose, but I wondered if that might be too much—was he ready for that level of playfulness?

We stepped into the shower, managing to fit together, though I quickly realized there was only one way this was going to work.

"Let's do this: first, I'll wash you, then you wash me. This way, only one of us is moving at a time, so we won't be bumping into each other or hitting our elbows on the walls since it's a bit tight in here."

We did exactly as I'd suggested.

But the moment he turned around, I froze for a second, the ‘Soren' tattoo suddenly right in front of me, requesting attention. Earlier, during sex, Liam had worn a T-shirt pulled down over his back when we were in the doggy position, but now he was fully naked, and the tattoo was there in its full, inky glory, staring back at me with its swirling lines.

Unconsciously, I cleared my throat, and Liam glanced at me over his shoulder.

"I know… but please, just ignore it," he whispered.

"There's no problem," I mumbled in response. "I just forgot it was there for a second."

"I forget all the time. But in my case, it's completely on purpose," he said with a bitter edge to his voice.

Wanting to ease the tension, I started by gently working through his strawberry-blonde strands. Gently massaging his scalp seemed to have the intended relaxing effect—he let out little sounds, almost like purring.

"This feels nice; I didn't realize a head massage could be so soothing," he murmured.

"Just let yourself wind down and enjoy it," I whispered, kissing his arm.

Once I finished and rinsed his hair, I worked my way down to his neck, noticing his slightly enlarged, softer neck glands—clear signs of his heat. I gently ran my soapy hands along his nape, down his back, and then let them slide down to his waist.

My hands swirled around his round butt, and I made sure to thoroughly clean the intimate area between his ass cheeks. Liam's face was flushed, and his cock was starting to get hard as he felt my fingers moving over that spot.

"I think another heat wave is coming," he muttered suddenly, but I didn't respond.

My fingers kept circling around his entrance, which was delicate and pink, now more intensely due to the heat - the colors were deeper and more vibrant. I made a few small circles around his soft ring, and Liam let me, his breathing getting faster.

But this was supposed to be a shower, not sex, so I moved on to washing the rest of his body, including his legs and cute little feet, which he lifted up for me, so I wouldn't have to bend down.

Then it was his turn to return the favor. But this time, something unexpected happened. After washing my hair (I had to lean down), Liam's hands slid down from my arms and chest, which he had soaped up, and made their way to my cock. Let's just say he was in for a HARD surprise, and I'm not saying that lightly. His fingers wrapped around my shaft and started to move gently, and he looked up at me with this question in his eyes.

"Can I?" he asked.

I knew exactly what he was requesting, and I was a little breathless, so I just nodded. I could feel a burning wave of excitement, and my cock was throbbing in response.

Then Liam did it—he slid down to his knees, still looking up at me, and I saw this subtle, almost provocative smile on his face, like he was living out some fantasy or something.

I was definitely not opposed to that.