His head pounded.
That was the first thing Nathan felt, pain concentrated just over his right eye, and he groaned lowly as he became conscious.
He blinked his eyes open. The world was still dark.
It took a moment for him to realize there was something over his eyes. He went to pull it off.
He couldn't.
His wrists were tied together, uncomfortably secured above his head. He tried to break free, twisting and turning his arms in a bid to loosen his bonds. They didn't loosen, but he quickly discovered that his legs were also tied down. Tied open.
A vulnerable position for him. A perfect position for them.
It may have been that realization, or the cold air on his skin made him shiver. The cold air on his skin...
He wasn't wearing any clothes.
His heart started pounding. Thoughts raced through his mind.
The alphas were serious about bitching him. That was what had happened. They'd taken him and Eliza to who knows where. They were going to...
Fear gave him the energy to struggle anew. He fought until the rope burned his skin. Until sweat dripped off his chin. Until he was panting with exertion.
But that wasn't what made him stop.
He heard footsteps.
That sound made him freeze.
He tried to focus his senses. Smell was hopeless, but he heard several faint thuds. Then, he heard the footsteps grow louder.
The door creaked as it opened.
He went absolutely still.
In an instant, he decided that he wasn't going to make it out in the next few seconds and the best option was to pretend to be asleep. His heart beat a million miles a minute as he tried to take deep, steady breaths. He clung on to the faint hope that his act was believable.
A moment later, he heard the door close. Everything was silent.
Relief hit him like a brick. He resisted the urge to sigh.
After waiting another minute to be sure they were gone, he went back to work. He twisted and tugged on his wrists urgently, convinced he was making progress.
Not enough progress. Not fast enough.
Again, the creak of the door resounded through the room.
He went still once more.
He could barely hear the quiet footsteps inside the room. It was impossible to tell where they were, if they were coming or going. His only chance was to keep still and silent, hope they'd leave again and give him more time to escape.
He waited, painfully aware that every second they weren't leaving was another second they might figure out his act. Each moment was harder than the last. He couldn't stand it. Not knowing who was in the room. Not knowing what was going to happen.
Any illusion that he was unconscious was shattered when he jerked in surprise as a hand touched his right arm.
He waited for any sort of reaction from his captor. He expected some insults, or maybe they'd try to scare him further, or they might get straight to it.
It didn't come. Not even a single word. There was only silence, a puzzling lack of noise.
Then, his heart leapt up into his throat.
The hand was moving downwards.
His breath quickened. His muscles tensed. His jaw locked.
He was on the edge of throwing away any hope of playing possum in favor of fighting as hard as possible. He wasn't going to just let this happen, to lie there and take it. No way he was going to make any of this easy for those fucking alphas to bitch him. He was ready to fight.
Except that hand. It was touching him. It was soft. It was nimble. It was small.
It wasn't the hand of an alpha.
His mind went blank. This person wasn't an alpha. A beta or omega. They couldn't bitch him.
That should have been a relief, should have set him at ease. Except it still didn't explain what they were doing touching him. Or why they were in the room at all. He couldn't think of any reason that would be good for him.
He swallowed nervously.
A low, soft sound started in his right ear. As if someone's face was right next to him. And purring.
Betas don't purr. This person was an omega.
This information only confused him further. Why would the alphas let an omega in with him? It didn't make any sense.
The omega touched his head lightly, near his right eye, near where he hit it. He winced as pain shot through his skull unexpectedly.
The purr turned into an low whine.
"Please don't touch that," Nathan whispered.
To his surprise, the omega took their hand away. The whine switched back to a purr as they caressed his cheek lightly. He froze momentarily, taken off guard by a gesture that he could almost mistake for an apology.
They touched his thigh, soft breasts pressed up against his ribcage and an arm settled loosely around his waist. They'd obviously laid down next to him. Laid down next to him very closely. He could feel their nipples rub against him. They were nude.
He couldn't breath. His whole body stiffened. He waited, fearful of what would come next.
He promised himself that he wasn't going to react. He wasn't going to show them how afraid he was. He wasn't going to scream. Even though he really wanted to. Whatever this torture was, he'd endure it.
But, minute after minute, nothing changed. They just kept touching him. They kept purring.
It didn't make any sense.
He couldn't stand it any longer. He had to know.
"Hey, what's going on?" Nathan whispered as quietly as he could.
The omega didn't respond, nor did they move. The purring continued. That didn't make him feel any better. His breath was coming faster now. He twisted his hands again, trying to get away.
The purring got louder.
He squirmed, trying to use his limited mobility to break contact. He just needed a millimeter.
The omega didn't let him go that easily.
As he inched away, the purring became irritatedly loud, directly into his ear. They hooked a leg around his, pressed closer and nuzzled his shoulder.
"Who are you? What are you doing?" Nathan whispered.
He could feel them nuzzling his jaw.
"That doesn't answer my question," Nathan whispered angrily. "Who the hell are you?"
The omega mewled quietly back at him, evidently upset.
Nathan squirmed in the bindings, trying to pull away, but he'd pulled the ropes tight already.
The omega adjusted to be more on top of him. They pushed their head into the crook of his neck and had his thigh right between their legs. The position didn't feel very malicious. But it wasn't comfortable either.
Something dripped onto his thigh. Something that came from between their legs. They rubbed up against him and he realized it was slick. He had slick on his thigh.
This wasn't just an omega. It was an omega in heat.
His dick gave an involuntary twitch.
There was an omega in heat pressed up as close as possible to him. Who was probably thinking of exactly one thing. He could admit that was sexy, even if this was not the place or time for those types of thoughts.
He could feel himself getting harder and tried to clear his mind. His priorities were finding Eliza and getting out of here, nothing else.
He couldn't let himself get distracted. Not right now. He took a breath.
At some point, the omega was going to notice how his body was reacting. They wouldn't be satisfied with cuddling him forever. He needed to get out. Soon.
He started to twist his wrists again, pulling against the ropes. He thought he could feel it loosening just a little. If he could just get one hand free, then he could yank the blindfold off and figure out what the hell was going on.
The purring became louder, more insistent to the point of demanding. He ignored it. He didn't care if he was upsetting this strange omega, he wanted out. Their reaction only encouraged him to work harder.
He felt a hand in his hair. Running through his hair. Messing up his hair.
He scoffed, this omega seemed determined to irritate him. If they weren't going to help then they could at least stop distracting him. He tried to ignore them and focus on his hands.
Except this sensation felt oddly familiar.
As the small, soft hand ruffled his hair, an idea started forming in his mind. There was only one person he knew who liked to do that. And that person was also an omega. And depending on how long he'd been out, also in heat.
Nathan stopped struggling, both worried and hopeful that he was right. "Eliza?"
He felt, more than heard, the vibrations from the omega's low purr.
"Eliza? Is that you?" Nathan whispered.
More purring. She nuzzled his neck gently.
"That's not an answer," Nathan grumbled lowly.
More nuzzling.
He sighed. This wasn't getting him anywhere. It had been too much to hope for that Eliza was here with him. The omega wasn't replying. Or couldn't.
He turned the idea over in his mind. The omega hadn't said anything so far. They could have gone feral, experienced something traumatic enough to make them shut down.
This could be Eliza.
"Eliza, if that's you then... um... squeeze," Nathan whispered hopefully.
He felt the hold around his waist loosen. Then tighten.
"It is you," Nathan whispered in relief. His mind needed time to process this new information. His body didn't. The fact that Eliza was cuddling him, her bare skin rubbing against his, shot straight to his dick. Not that it needed any extra encouragement.
He ignored it. He wished it would go away. He hoped she didn't notice.
The feeling of relief from her being here didn't last. It was quickly overshadowed by the fact that she had gone feral, and may not be particularly helpful. He didn't want to think about what may have triggered her to retreat that far into her own mind. Instead, he tried to focus on the practical aspect of their escape.
"Eliza?" Nathan whispered. "Can you take the blindfold off?"
The purring became quieter, but he could sense that she hadn't moved.
"Blindfold. On my head. Off. Now," Nathan repeated lowly.
Eliza wasn't moving.
"Eliza, reach up and pull this thing off. It's easy," Nathan whispered encouragingly.
He felt her move, and he waited, but after a couple minutes, she still hadn't touched the piece of cloth.
"Come on," Nathan grumbled. "We need to get out of here. I need you to do this one thing then I'll take it from here."
Eliza touched his neck, her fingers slowly drifting down to his collarbone. He flinched slightly from the unexpectedly sensation in such a sensitive spot.
"Elizabeth!" Nathan complained, his voice rising slightly above a whisper. He knew how much Eliza hated her full name, but he needed to get her attention. "The blindfold!"
Eliza started pressing her fingers into his neck.
"That's not where the blindfold is. It's on my head," Nathan grumbled lowly.
It took him a second to put it together. She was massaging where his mating gland would be if he wasn't a beta. As if he was an unruly alpha who needed to be calmed down.
"I don't need to calm down," Nathan hissed quietly, still mindful that the alphas may be nearby. "I need you to get the blindfold off of me and we need to leave."
From how she completely ignored his words, he got the impression that she very much disagreed.
Nathan let out a frustrated huff. "The blindfold," he tried to convey urgency in the whisper.
She pressed harder, although her motions were somehow still gentle. In a strange way, her massage was making him calmer, but it was still patronizing.
Nathan took a deep breath, trying to think. This wasn't working. He had to put this in a way her omega brain would understand. Put it in a context she could recognize.
Eliza's purring became softer.
"Please. I need to see you," Nathan cajoled. "I want to see you."
He felt the fabric being tugged lightly. Tiny tugs. Not enough force.
He held his breath, hoping. This was progress. It was a tiny step. But it was progress.
She started pulling it upwards exaggeratedly slowly. It took all his willpower not to urge her to go faster, lest his words accidentally lead her in the wrong direction.
Nathan felt the cloth brush over the wound, ignoring the pain. He hid a wince, not wanting Eliza to change her mind, or get distracted. She gave the flimsy cloth another tug.
The blindfold finally came off.
The room was already half shrouded in darkness, his eyes didn't need to adjust. The only light appeared to be coming from a streetlight outside the window, it was enough to see that he was tied to a bed in a small room. Even in twilight, he could see the poor condition of the place. The hole in the wall and huge section of peeled paint wasn't easy to miss.
He saw Eliza, nude and pressed up against his side, looking at him expectantly with big doe eyes. It was as if she was completely unaware of their current perilous situation.
Her pupils were blown wide. Glancing over her, it didn't appear that she was injured. There was no mistaking that she was in full heat now. Maybe even feral. Certainly lacking lucidity.
Nathan twisted his neck to look up at his hands. He'd been right, his limbs were secured to the bed with green rope. His wrists were tied to the headboard, marred by red rings from the rope burns. He could see now that he really hadn't been making any progress there.
He needed his hands free. Or at least one. And he needed Eliza to do it.
Given how hard it had been to get her to remove the blindfold, that seemed like a monumental task. The knots were solid and she was... not all there. He really hoped this wasn't too complicated a task for her.
For the moment, there was no sign of their captors. The door was cracked open. They could leave. Make a break for it. They could take the alphas by surprise. If Eliza could only snap out of it and untie him. That was a big if. His anxiety levels skyrocketed again.
Eliza let comforting purr and settled back down next to him.
Nathan glanced at her again, clueless about what to do. She needed help. Hopefully this state was only temporary. He'd figure it out later. Once they got out of here. He couldn't help her if he didn't get free.
Eliza was still looking at him expectantly, quietly.
Nathan had idea of what she wanted. "Good omega."
Eliza keened happily.
Nathan blinked in surprise. She'd just keened at him.
That was an incredible compliment, but he couldn't focus on that right now. He still needed her help. They had momentum right now. "Okay, that was good. Now, I need you to untie my hands." He nodded towards his hands.
Eliza put a possessive hand on his chest.
Some of his optimism faded. "I'm flattered but..."
Eliza wrapped her arms around him, her expression softened.
"I won't leave you," Nathan promised.
Eliza purred happily.
Nathan resisted the urge to smile. "But you still need to untie me."
The purring stopped. Eliza gave him a look that was nearly a pout before curling around him.
Nathan let out a quiet, exasperated sigh. "You'd rather cuddle me than untie me?"
Eliza turned her face upwards and gave his cheek a tiny lick.
"Hey!" Nathan grumbled quietly, turning his face away.
Eliza started nuzzling his neck, then drifted down to his chest.
Nathan took a deep breath. He had to put this in terms she'd understand. "You can't spend your heat here. It's a bad place," he whispered persuasively. "We'll find you a better one, somewhere you can build a nest."
Eliza's ears perked up at the mention of a nest. She sat up and stared at him.
"You like that idea? You want to build a nest?" Nathan asked lowly.
Eliza nodded, whining lowly.
Nathan guessed this was part of the reason she was sticking to him so strongly, clinging onto anything or anyone that made her feel safe in the absence of a nest. He saw an opportunity. "You can nest, but first we need to leave."
Her eyes were more alert, more focused on him. That alone was an improvement.
"I need my hands," Nathan whispered insistently, nodding his head upwards.
Eliza glanced at his hands, then back to him, then back to the rope.
"Hands," Nathan repeated. He only hoped she understood.
Eliza started moving. Way slower than he liked.
Nathan twisted upwards to watch her. She was picking at the knots, but it was slow going. Either they were very well tied, or she was losing focus, or a combination of both. He watched her work with baited breath.
"Come on," Nathan urged in a whisper.
His fear was growing stronger with every passing second. She needed to hurry. Every moment they wasted was a chance the alphas could come back.
Eliza stopped. She turned her attention back to him, kissing his neck gently.
"Don't do that, finish untying me!" Nathan whispered urgently.
Eliza switched to nuzzling his neck, letting out a comforting low purr. She petted his head with gentle, calming motions.
Nathan huffed in frustration. Then, he made a conscious effort to relax his body. Fighting her wasn't going to get him anywhere. If he gave her what she wanted, then maybe she'd get back to work. "I'm okay. Focus on the rope." He flashed her a reassuring smile to complete the act.
Eliza sat up again, eyeing him curiously.
"Eliza. Please. Hands," Nathan gave her a desperate, pleading gaze. He was running out of ideas.
This time, the message seemed to go through, and Eliza went back to picking at one of the knots. He tried to stay calm, avoid any motion that might distract her, but it was difficult. Watching her slow progress was incredibly frustrating, he ended up staring at the ceiling, counting the bumps to distract himself from the situation.
It seemed like forever before Nathan felt his left hand come free. "Good omega," he praised, quickly freeing his other hand now that he had one free.
Eliza purred happily as she pressed up against him again.
Nathan reached down to free his legs. It took him only seconds. He quickly got off the bed, listening carefully, and she clung to him tightly. The only audible sounds were their shared breaths.
There were some discarded wooden boards on the floor. He didn't hear the alphas, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He picked up one of the boards, then gave it a test swing.
He frowned. Eliza clinging to his waist was going to be a problem. With much cajoling, he finally got her satisfied with holding onto one of arms, leaving the other free. It wasn't ideal, but she refused to let go of him entirely.
That was it. They were free. The door was unlocked. There was nothing else to do other than to leave. He inhaled nervously.
Holding the board at the ready, Nathan slowly pushed the door open.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5dcnAxpkc
