#omega is a reckless driver trained by a reckless driver

[warriors-of-korrasami]

Distractions

NSFW

A/B/O 

Road head. Car Sex.

“A drive?” Asami asked softly.

“Yeah. We could just go for a drive. Take the back roads around town. Just enjoy some time to ourselves.” Korra responded casually. 

The alpha had to admit, the idea did sound appealing. Of course, Asami herself loved to drive. So what could be the harm in just taking a drive? 

Little did Asami know that Korra had much more, devious, reasons for wanting to go for a drive.

It was a little bit on the later side, the sun had already gone down. But that might be even better. Asami knew of a little spot they could park and stargaze. It could be romantic.

“Okay. Sounds like fun. I know just the place to go.” Asami smiled at Korra.

Both of the women got ready and met in the garage. Asami quickly stepped up to open Korra’s door for her. Something the alpha always did. Korra couldn’t help the slight blush that covered her cheeks every time. 

Korra considered herself lucky to had found an alpha that often treated her like royalty. But the omega knew when Asami did it, it was out of love. Not like most people, who did things out of obligation, simply because she was the Avatar.

No. Asami truly loved Korra. And went out of her way to make sure that her omega knew it. Using every opportunity to show her admiration and devotion.

Even if it was just small things like opening the door for her. Or stopping to buy Korra her favorite sweets on her way home from work. Or making sure to never leave the house without kissing her mate goodbye and an ‘I love you.’ 

Korra sighed happily as she slid into the passenger seat of the newest Satomobile Asami had built. This particular Satomobile Korra had a major say in its making. The omega had asked Asami to custom make it for them. 

Asami eagerly agreed and asked what Korra had wanted in the vehicle. The omega had wanted interior things. A big back seat. Front seats that could lean all the way back. A low flat middle console. A small steering wheel. Nice, loud, speakers with a new radio.

While Korra’s reasonings for wanting all these things seemed to go over her mate’s head, the alpha had been more than happy to make a Satomobile just for Korra. 

Up until this point, Korra hadn’t had the chance to put any of these particular things in play. But tonight, the omega had major plans for them. 

Asami slid into the driver's seat. The car started with a low rumbling purr. The quietest Satomobile yet. It was sleek and shiny. Low to the ground, with a solid cab that had plenty of headroom. Korra had made sure of that. 

As they pulled out of the garage and onto the road, Korra flipped through the radio stations. Finally settling on something smooth that still kept a beat. 

They had finally made it to the side road that split off the main one. It was much smaller, wrapping around the outskirts of the city. Through the spirit wilds. 

Few people used this road. Even less so at night. So Asami wasn’t worried about seeing anyone on the road. So once they turned onto the road the alpha kicked it into gear. Revving the engine as she sped up. 

Korra laughed gleefully, feeling the rush of adrenaline.  Asami was an excellent driver. Often using her driving skills to show off. Speeding down the road, whipping around corners. 

Trusting Asami’s driving with her life, Korra wasn’t scared. Quite the opposite actually. Each time the car lurched forward as she switched gears, Korra's stomach would flip. The adrenaline burning into arousal. 

Asami was trying to show off. And it was working. This was exactly what Korra was hoping for. 

Korra glanced at her alpha, a devious smirk on her face. The omega finally had the chance to put her plan into play.

Reaching her hand out, Korra placed it on top of Asami’s thigh. Trying to keep the touch light and casual. 

The alpha smiled softly, one hand letting go of the wheel, she placed it over Korra’s. 

“You know, you are a really good driver. Maybe we could.. Put your skills to the test?” Korra purred out the challenge, knowing Asami couldn’t refuse.

“Oh? And what kind of.. Test, are you thinking?” Asami knew her mate was trying to bait her.

“Well… Let’s just see how well you can focus, with a bit of.. Distraction.” Korra breathed out, the words hung in the air.

The alpha let go of Korra’s hand and placed it back on the steering wheel again, smirking. “Fine. Let’s see if you could even distract me in the first place.”

Fire blazed in the omega’s eyes, determined to get want she wanted. Her hand slid down the alpha’s thigh, keeping her touch light, teasing. The tips of her fingers swirled around Asami’s knee, and back up. 

Asami’s grip tightened, as the omega teased her. She couldn’t stop her clit from shifting, her pants grew a noticeable bulge at the front. 

The alpha couldn’t help but growl, if Korra thought getting her hard would be enough to distract her, the omega was sorely mistaken.

Letting her hand trail up the curve of the bulge, Korra could feel it pulse under her fingers. She cupped it, giving the alpha’s cock a light squeeze through the material of her pants.

The omega started to unbuckle Asami’s pants, pulling down the zipper.

“Woah. You're not really gonna..” Asami trailed off as Korra reached into her pants.

 “Shh, just keep your eyes on the road,” Korra said soothingly.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea… We could-” Asami was cut off by her own gasp as Korra finally managed to release her cock from her pants.

Fully extended, the alpha's cock bounced free. Heavy under its own weight, her length throbbed eagerly, showing none of her reservations. 

Korra licked her lips, staring down at the alphas thick member. Placing her hand around the base of the cock, the omega gave it a light squeeze. It pulsed in her hand, pre-come welling at the tip.

The omega swiped her thumb across the tip, gathering up the slick overflow. Bringing it up to her lips, she licked it clean. Eyes rolling at the taste, it was a little weaker than the alphas thick come. But still tasted just as good.

Reaching back down, Korra started to pump her mate’s cock with slow, measured strokes. The length throbbed in her hand every time she reached the tip.

A low moan escaped Asami, she was leaking like a fountain now. Making each stroke smoother than the last. The omega hummed in response, heat building in her belly. 

 Glancing up to see Asami’s jaw was clenched tight, eyes trained straight forward. 

Asami can totally handle this. Could she handle my mouth though? Korra licked her lips at the thought.

The omega pumped her fist faster. Watching with great intensity, as the overflow spilled over her fingers. Spirits, she wanted another taste so badly.

Finally, Korra couldn’t take it anymore. She needed more. Briefly letting go of her mate’s cock, Korra leaned back and unbuckled her seatbelt. Before turning back to her alpha. 

Korra started to lean over before Asami’s warning growl stopped her. “Korra..”

The omega shivered, slick dousing her lower lips. The growl was supposed to stop her. But.. it’s only turned the omega on more. 

Leaning down Korra took her mate’s cock back in her hand, dropping her head to lap insistently at the slit.

Asami hissed in return, “Fuck!”

The omega moaned, sealing her lips over the puffy head, and stroked the length faster. 

Although Korra was distracted she didn’t miss the fact that the car was starting to slow down. 

Asami was losing focus. 

The moans spilling from the alpha grew louder, her hips starting to buck up into her mate’s hot mouth.  

Korra moaned in return, she was completely soaked. Pleasing her alpha always turned her on. But the fact that they were in a moving vehicle only spurred her on. It was reckless. Dangerous. And downright just plain hot. 

Eventually, Asami’s hand came off the steering wheel, and closed around the back of her omegas head. 

Pushing her head down, the alpha gripped roughly at Korra’s hair.

The groan that left the omega was the loudest yet, eyes rolling as the head of the alpha’s thick cock slid down her throat. 

As much as Korra liked to serve and please her alpha. The omega loved being forced to do those things. 

Korra adored when her mate would go all alpha. Using her strength and power to use the omega for her own selfish pleasure. 

The alpha pumped her hips up every time she pushed Korra’s head back down. Forcing her cock as deep as possible each time. 

Finally, the car pulled off the road, quickly slamming to a stop. Both Asami’s hands fell into her mate’s hair. Thrusting up as fast and as roughly as she could. 

“Fuck. Oh, omega, I’m gonna-“ Asami growled through her teeth as her head fell back against the headrest. 

Korra swallowed around Asami’s cock, desperate for the alpha’s come. 

Finally! Finally, Asami came, snapping her hips up. Thick spurts shot down Korras throat. The omega greedily sucked, swallowing down every drop. 

Asami’s hands slid out of her omegas hair as she panted and moaned. Korra sat back up. A smug and satisfied look on her face. 

“I definitely think I distracted you.” Korra purred smugly. 

Asami just let out a breathy chuckle, still coming down from her high. Although she had just come, her cock was still rock hard. 

Korra briefly looked around outside. They just pulled off the side of the road. So they weren’t exactly hidden. 

But then again they hadn’t seen any other vehicles on the road, so the likelihood of them getting caught was slim. Still possible. 

But fuck it. Who cares? Asami had more than enough money to pay off the police if anything happened. 

With her mind made up, Korra sat back and wiggled out of her pants. Baring her swollen, soaked folds to the open air. She hadn’t worn anything else.

The alpha’s eyes bugged out of her head at the glorious sight before her. “You.. You planned this?”

“Oh, I’ve been planning this for a while. Now, lean your seat back.” Korra purred seductively. 

Immediately Asami did as she was told. Pushing the seat as far back as she could. Her omega quickly climbed into her lap.

Korra pulled her mate into a deep kiss, as she planted herself down fully onto the alpha’s cock. She was so wet, she took her all in one fluid stroke. 

Asami groaned into her omega’s mouth, placing her hands on her waist. Korra started to roll her hips. 

The Satomobile started to rock as Korra started to pick up the pace. Slamming her hips down as Asami thrust up into her. The couple rutting furiously together. Both chasing after their high.

Breaking the kiss they both moaned out. Panting heavily as they rocked together. They weren’t going to last long. But that was probably for the best. The longer they took the more chance they had of getting caught.

At the thought of getting caught, Korra moaned. Kissing down her alpha’s neck, until she reached her mate mark. Digging her teeth into the skin.

Asami yelped under her. Her thrusts jerking out of rhythm. The base of her cock started to throb, her knot was forming. 

Korra immediately felt it and began grinding down on it. Trying to pop it in. 

“No.” Asami’s rough growl broke through the air. 

“Please. Alpha knot me. I need it.” Korra whined into Asami’s mate mark.

“No. No knot. We can’t.” Asami tried to remain firm.

“Alpha, please. Want your knot, want your pups. Fill me.. Please.” Korra whimpered out pitifully. 

The omega continued to grind down against the knot, it was starting to make progress. The top stretching her tight entrance. 

Spirits, they were totally going to get caught. But fuck it. Asami growled and she roughly gripped her mate’s hips, pulling her down onto her knot.

With a few rough thrusts up the knot finally popped in. The stretch and pressure against her front wall made Korra come hard. Whimpering and whining, the omega arched and shook with each ripple of her orgasm.  

The hot, tight walls squeezing her was too much. The alpha couldn’t hold back. Coming in thick spurts, filling her mate. 

The knot was sealed in, keeping every drop of come inside the omega. Warm and comforting.

Korra collapsed on top of her mate, moaning and panting heavily. Both coming down from their high. 

“Thank you. That was amazing.” Korra breathed out softly.

Asami wrapped her arms around her omega. Rubbing her back softly, kissing her omegas mate mark as well. 

“You’re telling me. That was incredible. You did so good. My good little omega.” Asami purred soothingly. 

“You did good! I knew you could handle a little road head.” Korra chuckled softly, kissing her neck. 

“I think you technically did win. I was definitely distracted.” Asami laughed out. 

[debbiechanclub]

Best Two Out of Three, Part 5

These are getting so long 😅 Hope you're ready for some drama. 

Best Two Out of Three

Part: 5/26

Pairing: Kenny Omega x OFC and Adam Page x OFC

Warnings: Alcohol use, language, angst

Word Count: 3.2k

Catch up on previous parts here.

"So I hear you have a match against Alex next week.”

Callie glanced at Adam as he drove them back to the hotel after Dynamite. She’d wondered how long it would take him to bring up the match. “Yeah. Who told you?”

“Kenny.”

She bristled at the mention of Kenny’s name. “Did he also tell you that when I asked him for the match he said no, but when Alex did he said yes?”

She still couldn’t believe he’d done that. After Alex had left the locker room, Callie had stayed in the bathroom stall until Kenny had left, too; she didn’t want him to know she’d overheard their conversation. At least now she knew why he had such an obnoxiously soft spot for Alex—there were obviously some unresolved feelings there. She wondered what the full story was; she made a mental note to ask Britt tomorrow if she knew any details.  

“No,” Adam said as he steered the car into the hotel parking lot. “But the Bucks did.”

Callie shot him a confused look. “What?”

“After Kenny told me about the match, I mentioned it to Matt and Nick,” he explained. “They told me about your conversation with Kenny in production.”

She rolled her eyes. “Figures those two would eavesdrop,” she muttered.

“They said you were yelling,” Adam returned as he parked.  Callie glowered at him.

“Well he called me reckless, Adam. Forgive me for getting upset.”

“I know; I don’t blame you for getting upset.”

She paused. She hadn’t expected that.

“Look.” He reached over and placed a comforting hand on her thigh. “I agree that it was kinda shitty of Kenny to deny you the match and then turn around and give it to Alex. But I also think it’s better this way.”

Her scowl returned when she heard that. “Well I don’t,” she said, and she pulled away from him and got out of the car.

“Why not?” Adam asked as he climbed out of the driver’s side. Callie ripped open the trunk and grabbed her bag before she answered him.

“Because I wanted a one-on-one match with her.”

“What?” Adam hurried to grab his bag and shut the trunk. “It is a one-on-one match!”

“No, it’s not; not really,” she said over her shoulder as she marched toward the front entrance of the hotel. “Because not only will I have to deal with Alex inside the ring, but I’ll also have to deal with four people outside it who want me to lose.”

Adam stopped for a second, stunned, before he resumed hurrying after her. “What the hell are you talking about?” He caught up with her as they crossed through the front doors into the lobby. “Kenny and I will be in your corner, Callie.”

“Will you, though?” she returned as she jammed the up button for the elevator with her thumb. The elevator right in front of them opened with a ding, and they both got on.

Adam punched the button for their floor. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he asked as the elevator doors slid closed.

“Kenny will physically be in my corner, but that’s it,” Callie shot. “You know he wants Alex to win. He probably hopes she’ll hit me with a chair.”

The elevator arrived at their floor. Callie flew out the doors as soon as they opened.

“And what, you think I want her to hit you with a chair, too?” Adam charged as he followed after her.

“I don’t know, maybe,” she huffed. “We’d be even then, right?” She fumbled to pull her key card out of her purse as she marched toward their room.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Adam breathed. “Okay, let me say it to you loud and clear so there’s no confusion: I don’t want Alex to hit you with a chair.”

They arrived at their room. Callie shoved the key card in the lock and pushed open the door. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes,” he gritted through his teeth. Tense.

They burst into the room, and Callie whirled around to face him. “Look me in the eye and tell me that’s not what you want, Hangman.”

Adam stepped right up to her, so close that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. “That’s not what I want,” he said. But the husk in his voice indicated there was something else he wanted. Callie wanted it, too.

She reached up and pulled his mouth against hers, and he eagerly claimed her. They were feverish, grabbing hair and nipping skin, ripping at each other’s clothes as they blindly stumbled to the bed. So what if Kenny had been right about the sex; they couldn’t care less at the moment.

* * * * * * * * * *

“So word on the street is you have a match against Callie next week.”

Alex let out a sigh as she collapsed onto the spare bed in Kris’s hotel room. She wasn’t surprised she’d already heard about the match; word traveled fast in the AEW locker room. “Yeah.”

“Did you ask for it or did she?”

“We both did, actually. Apparently, Callie asked Kenny first and he told her no.”

Kris’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “But he told you yes?”

“Yeah. But only because I said he and Adam could be in Callie’s corner for the match.”

Kris snorted. “Please. You know Kenny’s gonna be rooting for you.”

Alex cut her a look. “Don’t get me started on Kenny.”

A corner of Kris’s mouth quirked up in a smirk, but she let it go. “Well anyway, are you going to Britt’s party tomorrow night?”

Alex’s brow furrowed. “Britt’s having a party tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, after the Dark taping. She didn’t invite you?”

“Nope,” Alex returned. Her invitation must have slipped Britt’s mind while she’d been threatening her.

“Well, I’m sure you’re invited; it’s literally at the arena,” Kris said; but then she frowned in thought. “Then again, isn’t she friends with Callie?”

Alex pursed her lips as she nodded. “Yeah. Fun fact: Britt threatened me on Callie’s behalf in catering today.”

Kris’s eyes widened. “What? What did she say?”

Alex let out a tired sigh. On one hand, she was hesitant to open up that can of worms; but, on the other, she wanted to tell someone—and Chuck and Trent were off the table. Telling them would only make things worse, guaranteed. So she filled Kris in on the details. “After Double or Nothing—you know, when Callie hit me with a chair—Adam came up to my hotel room and we talked in the hallway about it. Britt’s room was right across from mine; apparently she eavesdropped on us.”

Kris gaped at her. “Oh, she would.”

“I know, right? Anyway, when we were in catering tonight, she threatened to ‘fill Callie in on the details’ of our conversation if Adam and I don’t figure out our feelings.”

“What?” If possible, Kris’s jaw unhinged even further. “What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know,” Alex groaned. “Callie must have cried to her about how she’s convinced Adam and I are fucking behind her back.”

“Oh my God.” Kris brought her hands to her temples. She looked just as confused as Alex felt about the entire situation. “Okay, but Callie’s insecurities aside, why would Britt threaten to tell her about your conversation with Adam if all you did was talk about what happened at Double or Nothing?”

Alex winced. She’d been afraid she would ask that. “Well… it might have been a little more than just that,” she admitted.

Kris stared back at her. “Okay, you’re gonna need to elaborate.”

“Ugh, fine.” Alex let out another groan. There was no avoiding telling her. “During the course of the conversation I might have brought up how Adam and I made out once.”

“WHAT?!” Kris nearly jumped from her bed in shock. “You and Adam made out? When?”

“Years ago,” Alex said, wanting to make it crystal clear that it wasn’t by any means a recent occurrence. “Back when we were training, not long after we first met. We got drunk on moonshine and made out in the bed of his pickup truck.” She cringed. “God, it was a stereotypical country song come to life.”

“HA! Oh my God,” Kris struggled to speak; she could barely contain her laughter. “Moonshine?”

“Yes. And I’m not talking store-bought shit; it was the real deal.”

She flashed a devilish grin. “Are you sure all you did was make out?”

Alex’s mouth dropped. “Yes! I mean, we did get to second base. And there was some dry humping—”

“Alex!”

“—But that’s it!” she insisted. “It was a one-time thing.”

Kris’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

Alex sent her a confused look. “Why?”

“I mean, you and Adam get along so well,” she clarified. “Why didn’t you date?”

Alex shifted on the bed; that was a loaded question. The truth was that she and Adam had considered dating back then. But, ultimately, they’d decided the timing just wasn’t right. “Because it was kind of a messy situation,” she explained. “I’d just broken up with a longtime boyfriend, and Adam and I were training together. It didn’t seem like a good idea to get involved.”

Kris frowned. “Well, that’s understandable.”

Alex’s brow furrowed as she nervously bit her lip. “My God, I can’t believe I just told you all that,” she breathed. “I haven’t told anyone that.”

“Well then you probably needed to get it out!” Kris returned. “And don’t worry—my lips are sealed.”

“I know,” Alex said; but then she rolled her eyes. “I wish I could say the same about Britt.”

Kris’s eyes widened again. “Oh God; what if she decides to tell Callie at the party tomorrow?”

Alex shrugged. “If Britt wants to stir up shit at her own party, then that’s her prerogative,” she said. “As long I get to kick Callie’s ass next Wednesday, I really don’t care.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Welcome to the party!” Britt proclaimed as Callie and Adam walked into the bar at Daily’s Place. They’d shown up fashionably late and most of the roster was already there enjoying themselves, including the rest of The Elite. But, as Callie scanned the room, she couldn’t help but notice that Alex and her attack dogs were conspicuously missing.

“It’s literally just drinks at the arena, Britt,” Adam said.

Britt’s smile dropped. “There’s hors d’oeuvres, too.”

He dramatically put a hand to his chest. “Oh—I didn’t realize there were hors d’oeuvres,” he sarcastically returned. “Please forgive me.”

Callie bit back a smirk; but Britt wasn’t as amused. “Just go get your whiskey before I throw you out. I want to talk to Callie.” She shooed him away to the bar. As soon as he was gone, she looked expectantly at Callie. “So? Things seem better between you two today. Did you talk to him about where he went after Double or Nothing?”

She gave a sly grin. “No. But we relieved some tension; I’ll just put it that way.”

“Oh, no,” Britt quickly waved her hands in front of her. “Did not need to know that.”

Callie let out a laugh; but her smile quickly faded. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you, too. Do you know anything about what happened between Alex and Kenny?”

Britt’s face scrunched up. “That’s random.”

Callie shrugged, trying to seem casual about it. “Well, I just heard some things and was curious if you knew the full story.”

Britt glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot before she answered. “Well, I don’t know the full story. But, from what I understand they were sleeping with each other and Alex wanted to make things ‘official,’ but Kenny didn’t for whatever reason. So Alex moved on.”

Callie’s eyebrows arched. “When did this happen?”

“Oh, gosh. Between Double or Nothing last year and All Out, I think?” She rolled her eyes. “They tried to hide it, but it was obvious.”

So that explained why Callie hadn’t known about it; she hadn’t signed with AEW until just prior to All Out. But even so, she’d picked up that Kenny felt some type of way about Alex; and if he still wasn’t over her a year later, she could only assume it meant some part of him regretted not making things official.

“Speak of the devil.” Britt pursed her lips as she looked toward the doorway, and Callie turned to look, too. Orange, Chuck, and Trent had just walked in; and with them, of course, was Alex, wearing a tight, low-cut tank top that showed off her body in all the right ways.

Alex’s gaze met Callie’s from across the room—and she smirked. Callie’s eyes narrowed. That fucking bitch.

* * * * * * * * * *

Step one for dealing with jealous, catty bitches was to look hotter than them. Check. Step two was to completely ignore them and live your best life. Check. Two drinks in and hanging with her boys and Kris, Alex was having a great night. 

Trent nudged his chin at her. “Wanna do a body shot?”

Chuck nearly choked on his beer. “Fucking what?”

Alex smirked as she leaned toward him. “Are you hitting on me, Trent?”

“I don’t know,” he coolly returned. “Do you want me to be?”

She arched a brow. “My eyes are up here, big shooter.”

He pursed his lips. “Come on. You wanted me to look.”

She bit her lip as she sat back again. “No; let’s not. I don’t want to make Chuckie jealous.”

Chuck just rolled his eyes.

“I do want another drink, though.” She scooted past James and made her way to the bar. As soon as she was out of earshot, Chuck glared at Trent.

“A body shot?”

“Relax,” Trent said. “That was a test to see if Mariposa has joined us. Obviously, she has.”

James smirked. “Nice.”

Kris sent Trent a confused look. “Mariposa?”

Chuck sighed. “‘Mariposa’ is what we call Alex’s drunk alter ego.”

Kris’s eyes widened with excited curiosity when he said that. “Okay, I have to hear this.”

“Alex turns into the biggest flirt on planet Earth when she drinks, as I just clearly demonstrated,” Trent explained. “I guarantee you she’s not coming back from the bar. She’s gonna pick some poor unsuspecting target and spend the next ten minutes fluttering her eyelashes at him.”

“Hence, ‘Mariposa,’” James added.

“When we were in Vegas for Double or Nothing, Mariposa spent all night flirting with Chuck here,” Trent said as he pointed a thumb at Chuck. “It’s what gave him the balls to confess his undying love for Alex.”

Chuck smacked the tabletop. “Okay, again: I was also very drunk that night, and I’m not in love with Alex!”

James sent him a look. “Whatever you say, bud.”

He just grumbled and drank his beer.

“Anyway, we’ve turned it into a drinking game of sorts,” Trent said. “We like to make bets on who she’ll go after.”

Kris laughed into her drink. “Okay, that’s kind of messed up, but also kind of hilarious. Can I get in on it?”

“Absolutely,” Trent said. He waved his hand out over the room. “Please, make your selection.”

“Yes! Okay.” She eagerly looked around, searching for a pick. “What’s her type?”

“She likes beards,” James answered.

Kris frowned. “Hm. Well that knocks out my initial pick, then.”

“Who?” Trent asked.

She smirked. “Maxwell.”

“HA! Oh shit, I hope it’s Maxwell,” he laughed. “That would be fucking hilarious to watch.”

“I don’t think he’d know what to do with her,” James commented.

“Come on, Alex wouldn’t flirt with Maxwell,” Chuck dismissed. “He’s like seven years younger than her.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like he stands a chance, anyway,” Kris said with a nod toward the bar. “Cash certainly doesn’t waste any time.”

They all looked over. Sure enough, Alex was leaned back against the bar with Cash Wheeler standing just in front of her; and judging by their body language, they weren’t talking about the weather.

“Damn,” Trent said. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Alex looks fucking hot tonight.”

Chuck shot him a look.

“What?” he shot. “Like you didn’t notice.”

“I mean, I don’t swing that way and I noticed,” Kris admitted.

James smirked again. “Nice.”

Back at the bar, Alex let out a laugh as she flipped her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder and playfully hit Cash on the arm. Trent looked back at the others. “What did I say?” he said as he picked up his drink. “She’s not coming back.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex’s friends weren’t the only ones watching her; Kenny hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her since she’d walked through the door. It was criminal how good she looked, and what’s worse was that he knew she’d done it on purpose; he just wasn’t sure if she’d done it more to piss off Callie or to rub it in his face after yesterday. But either way, when he saw her gently bite her lip as Cash leaned in to say something in her ear, it was almost more than he could take.

“What’s eating your shorts?”

He turned and glared down at Callie. How long had she been standing there? “What?”

She turned her eyes toward the bar. “Oh. I see what it is.” She smirked. “Getting a little jealous, Kenny?”

His eyes narrowed. “I thought that was your job, Callie.”

Her face dropped. “I learned something interesting,” she said.

Kenny let out a tired sigh. “What’s that?”

“Well.” She paused to take a sip of her drink. “I learned that you and Alex used to be... intimate.”

A mixture of shock and anger marked his face as he looked back at her. “And who told you that?” he charged. “Adam?”

“No. Britt did.”

Kenny rolled his eyes. He wasn’t surprised.

“So, what happened between you two?” Callie asked. She winced. “Oh; was it not that good?”

He laughed wryly to himself. “Alright, I see what you’re doing. Still upset about that comment I made about you and Adam?” he asked. But she ignored him.

“On second thought, it must have been good. I doubt you’d be looking at Cash like you want to murder him if it wasn’t.”

Kenny bit down on his jaw. His patience had officially run out. “Is there a point you’re trying to make? Because I’d appreciate if you got to it.”

Callie’s eyes hardened. “My point is that your feelings for Alex are pretty fucking obvious, Kenny,” she spat. “And once the bell rings for our match next week, your emotions better not get the best of you when I start to kick her ass right in front of your face.”

She sneered smugly up at him, clearly proud of herself for throwing his own words back in his face. But Kenny couldn’t care less. All he cared about was ending the conversation—and he knew exactly how to shut her up. “That won’t be a problem, Callie,” he said. “Because unlike you, I can control myself.”

And with that he walked off, leaving her alone to stew in her anger again.

[darkredehmption]

Take Hold Part One

#SL #TakeHold #PartOne 

@DamagedBrother and @OfFeatherNFang 

*~*~*

Mal:

These were the nights that reminded me of hunting. The rush. The adrenaline. The balls to the wall fucking chaos that changed every second. 

My feet pounded the pavement, Rhage at my left, as we pursued three Lessers. The stink of them alone was enough to track them through the streets, but one was wearing an obnoxious orange hoodie, making him a beacon as we raced down the back alleys and side streets. 

We weren’t the only ones on the hunt. I could sense Zsadist and Tohr getting closer, hunting their own prey, and I realised a few streets before it happened that we were coming to a head. Were the Lessers grouping together? Maybe they’d planned it. The thought earned a growl as I cast my angelic senses wider, trying to detect more of that oily darkness. 

“I’m going airborne,” I called to Rhage, who only grunted his agreement as I summoned my wings and launched into the air. Unlike dematerialising, I didn’t need to concentrate anymore to get my wings - they were right there, always, ready to appear the second I thought of them. I also wasn’t limited by steel or things like other vampires, so I had that going for me too. 

Hitting the rooftop, I sprinted across to bisect the alleys. Tohr and Z with their Lessers were about to merge with Rhage and ours, and I knew, without knowing ‘how’ I knew, that it was a trap. 

As the two Lesser groups came together at a junction they pivoted, forming one group as one black blooded fuck at the centre drew out an assault rifle. The gun pointed toward Zsadist, and there was no other thought. I tasted my heart in my throat as I leapt off the building. Slamming into the Lesser from above, I took the one with the rifle to the ground, vanishing my wings as we rolled across the pavement. 

Whatever else the Lessers had been expecting, it hadn’t been an aerial assault, and the others shouted their confusion at the game change. The rifle went off a couple of times, at least one bullet hitting one of the Lessers and perfuming the air with the stench of sweetened roadkill. But I didn’t feel pain, and Zsadist wasn’t hit, so that was all that registered as I wrenched the weapon free and went to town on the fucker beneath me. 

Zsadist:

 I could smell my mate. He was too far from Tohr and I. I couldn’t help but wonder how things were going for him and Rhage. My male was strong, a warrior just like my Brothers, but I still worried about him getting hurt. Fuck. If his wings were out, and a lesser laid their hands on them, I would gut them like a fish.

“We got em!”

Tohr hollers as we speed up. My shitkickers pushed into the pavement as we ran after the trail of baby powder. It felt nice to be out and chasing after the enemy. So much has been going on that has left me in a funk lately. The whole Hadrian thing was a mess. I cared for the male, but ever since we became bonded it all changed. He kept his distance from me, and Mal wanted nothing to do with him. At least Wrath was smart enough to keep them off rotation together. I couldn’t imagine how well that would go.

Suddenly I’m brought to a halt.  Here came the group of lessers, followed by not only Rhage but another batch of the enemy. They trapped us. Fuckers weren’t as always dumb as we thought. Before I can ask Hollywood where Mal was, I watch as a lesser raises an assault rifle at me. Then suddenly he was crashing down as my mate fell from the sky and tackled him to the ground. 

I didn’t know whether or not I should be impressed or upset that he took the fall like that. My golden eyes flash black as my body takes over. The warrior coming out in me as my Brothers and I leap forward to take on the rest of the lessers. Lunging towards one that tries to grab Mal from behind. Don’t get me wrong, it bothered me when someone came after my Brothers, but when someone touched my mate, it awoke an animal in me. 

I growled loudly as my fist connected with his jaw, having the satisfaction of watching the fucker’s pale head snap back. I took him down, my fangs latching onto its throat as I roughly tore it open with a violent shake to my head. Black blood splattered over my face, the sounds of him screaming was like music to my ears. 

Pulling back I spit out a piece of his flesh, letting out a low laugh before I brought out my blade and finished him. The bright light flashes in my face, but I ignore it as I shift up, my eyes searching for Mal.

Mal:

There was chaos, but it was a familiar sort. The kind that adrenaline recognised because it mainlined it through your system and got you moving at just the right speed with just the right strength to break bones, spines and jaws. 

I delved into that chaos and let the adrenaline guide my hand, my blades, and I minced my way through the Lessers if they remained standing. Without Butch here, there was no disabling them for a final vacuum moment. It was straight up massacre, pop flash and buh-bye fuckers. Catch you later.

With every Brother and my lover around me engaged, and Lessers bleeding out at our feet, I inhaled sharply and looked around. A chill traced down my spine and I paused a second longer, frowning as I tried to get a fix on it. Was it just the Lessers? The lingering essence of the Omega as one of its denizens was stabbed back into the dark ether? 

Scowling, I pivoted as another of the fuckers came at me, brandishing my black slick blades and pretending I was a sushi chef as I carved him up. The darkness had to be them… and soon there’d be none of them left to poison the night.

Getting to meet Zsadist’s gaze for a split second, I grinned at the black, the furious protective nature in that gaze, and drove my dagger straight into a chest cavity. His eyes were lost to me in the burst of light that followed.

Zsadist:

I kept my gaze on my mate’s until I felt the presence of another behind me. Quickly I turned, dagger held high, ready to strike, only to see the enemy wasn’t behind me. 

What?

Looking around to see each of my Brothers and Mal squared off with the remanding lessers. I almost thought it was the demons inside my head messing with me until I felt something creep up on me once again. But before I could turn I’m surrounded by darkness. My golden eyes go wide, lips parting as I back myself up into a wall. Pressing into the bricks as I try to shake off this feeling. My vision seems hazy as I tried to focus on Mal, who had a lesser down on the ground. 

I screamed internally, then suddenly it felt like I was looking out as an outsider. As if something else was controlling me, taking over my body. I wanted to be sick and purge out whatever was brewing inside of me.

[Get the angel.] 

A voice whispered in my head. 

What? Shaking my head to rid the thoughts, but it didn’t stop. Soon I was pushing off the wall and heading straight for Mal. It was like my legs were moving on their own accord. Like I wasn’t controlling my body. I wanted to scream, I tried too, but nothing came out of my mouth. 

[Shh. Get the angel.] 

Before I reach my male, my head turns to watch the Escalade pull up. Butch appears and exits the vechile to play vacuum. Inhaling any lesser left over from the fight. I just stood there watching. Even if I wanted to move I couldn’t. All I could do was watch the scene unfold in front of me. 

[Watch the angel. Watch him.]

Mal:

As the final Lesser went down, I brandished my blade, the black blood slicking off to make a dark line against the pavement. I was panting, but everyone was standing, and so I was grinning. The adrenaline rush was real. 

Glancing up, I took in Z, his powerful body stock still and spattered with gore. I did a sweep, checking for red, but there was no blood I could see. He looked whole. Yet I felt… unease. My smile faded.

“...Nallum?” I wiped my blade on a Lesser’s shirt, right before Butch staggered over and went blackhole on his ass. Sheathing the blade, I approached Zsadist, frowning. “You okay? Sorry if my aerial manoeuvre didn’t go over well,” I add, suddenly worried the somewhat reckless move had inspired his bonded male side. 

“Hey!” A quick glance over my shoulder at Vishous, supporting a green looking Cop, and I gave a hasty nod. This probably wasn’t the best place for a relationship themed chat, and the stink eye V was giving me said as much. 

“M’ coming. I can drive. You guys can finish checking shit out here and head back,” I offered, moving to hold Cop’s other side as I look back toward Zsadist. He sheathed his blade, the action almost mechanical as his still vacant expression stared out at the world. “You wanna ride with us?” I offer hesitantly, feeling my heart skip a little with concern I couldn’t voice yet. 

Every part of me that adored the male wanted to drop Butch in a heap and rush to Zsadist’s side, wrap him in my wings and stroke his face as I figured out what was wrong. What had upset him. Yet this was the deal we’d made, out fighting together. We loved one another, but we were warriors. That was how this shit went.

“C’mon,” I said, my tone firm. “You’re comin’ with us.”

Zsadist:

[Yes. Follow the angel. Get the angel. Go.]

My body moved automatically towards the SUV. Following Mal as he moves into the driver seat. I practically pushed Vishous out of the way to get to the passenger side. Sliding in and turning my head to gaze at the angel. My angel. 

[My angel.]

Once Butch was in car, it started to move. My eyes stayed trained on the angel. Watching his every move. When he lifted a hand, my eyes followed it. Watching as he messed with the ac, or turned the dial on the radio.

[Get the angel. My angel.]

I wanted to scream again. To tell Mal that something was wrong. That I wasn’t myself and I needed help. If I could only move my hand, touch him, and alert him about the situation. But I couldn’t. I was trapped and all I could do was watch. 

[Shh. My angel.]

The voice was like no other. A voice that would cause nightmares even from the strongest warrior. It made me cringe, turned my stomach upside down every time it spoke. 

Mal! Please Mal!

I screamed in my head over and over again. Hoping that one of the times my lips would part and he would hear me. But he didn’t. He just focused on driving us home. He was too distracted checking on Butch who was groaning in the back seat of the Escalade. 

Mal:

I set the tunes to a reasonable volume and pulled out of the alley, leaving Vishous and the others to finish the clean up routine. The irony was they’d still beat us back to the manse, but neither Butch or I could do the disappearing act, so the SUV was where it was at.

Eminem was interspersed with Butch’s occasional groaning and moaning, and I checked the rearview whenever I could. 

“You need to hurl you lemme know,” I called out, getting only a muttered curse and ‘fuck off’ for my trouble. I shrugged and grinned, letting the amusement bleed into my voice. “I mean, it’s your car man so however fucked up you like it is entirely up to you.”

Another curse. This one came with the bird being flipped. I chuckled and glanced to Zsadist in the passenger seat, hoping the interaction would’ve provoked some kind of relaxing to his intensity. But no…

The smile faded from my face, and I reached across the space, wanting to put a hand to his knee. It was the most I could allow myself in this moment, still being out and watching the streets. Nevermind if I let anything happen to Butch - V would fuckin ash me in seconds…

The second my hand touched his knee though, my Divinity sparked down my spine. It was a rush of energy, a burst of power totally undetectable to any creature other than myself. But it was there. And it was a warning.

My eyes widened as I looked around, trying to cast that power out and find the problem, the threat. But all I got was a nauseating punch to the gut. As if it was right there, in front of my face, and I was missing it. Looking back to Zsadist as we pulled onto the highway, I squeezed his knee.

“Talk to me. Are you okay? You’re… really quiet. Even for you.”

Hopefully once we were at the manse, I could figure this out. Maybe even ask V to run a city sweep for weird things that might trigger my holy side. But Zsadist had to come first. Something was definitely up with mine male. 

Zsadist:

It was so hard to just stare at my male and not be able to talk to him, especially when he spoke up. I didn’t even feel his touch as he placed a hand on my leg. Nothing. Everything around me felt dark and cold. Almost like I was back in the dungeon once again.

“Yes, my angel.”

The demon replied in a voice that sounded exactly like my own. When I saw relief on Mal’s face I lost it. No! Don’t believe a thing it says! Fuck, please help me. 

My hand lifted automatically and landed on Mal’s shoulder, fingers clenching as it gave my mate a squeeze. “We better get Brian home then we can head to our bedroom.” 

Butch snorts loudly from the back. “First of all, Brian? And can you keep your dick in your pants until I’m far away from you two. Damn.” He groans, rolling on his side. “Like I’m happy for y’all, but that doesn’t mean that I wanna know how anxious you are to get down and dirty.” 

My chest rumbles as laughter erupts from me. But it wasn’t me. No. It was something sick that was playing the role of me. And doing a shitty job, if I may add. “Just relax, we will be back soon.” 

The mansion comes into view moments later as we pass the mhis. I watched as Fritz buzzed us in, the car pulling around the fountain in the front, and as soon as it stopped I was getting out. 

[Follow the angel. Follow wherever he goes. My angel.]

[rklandon]

░▐ ★_alpha omega 、

he didn’t expect to come back here. since the princess wanted to go to his private hiding spot to give him the news that would change everything, he hadn’t come back. how could he knowing that everything changed right here? but after fighting with baekhyun, after giving into all his frustration and yelling it out at the top of his lungs, where else could he do that but here? his throat feels raw and it’s reckless for him to yell any more when his evaluation is soon for singing but he feels lost. lost, conflicted, hurt. yixing feels a mountain of feelings he didn’t want and he’s getting buried underneath them. 

the look on baekhyun’s face, the raised tone of his voice, the questions that yixing didn’t have answers to, he feels the weight of the world on his shoulder when his best friend isn’t there to hold him up, to lift him up like sunshine. he wants to debut but he can’t get over the feeling that his best friend doesn’t want to be with him anymore. 

(weakly, he asks, why would anyone?)

he could wait, he could listen to baekhyun. he could rely on faith and believe that he’ll be taken in by royal and debut in the same group as baekhyun because that’s the other part of his dream. it wasn’t only debut but debuting with baekhyun. he could wait but he’s clutching the phone in his hand, the saved voicemail open on his screen waiting for him to press play and he already feels like he’s waited long enough to do something in his life. living with haste and grand gestures, he doesn’t truly live to the fullest possible extent and it bears down on him heavy. there’s a tight grip around his heart and he can’t tell who’s holding it right now. 

is it the princess? is it baekhyun? is it baek jiyoung? the final possibility is one that yixing spent most of his life denying, was it him? constantly tearing himself down when he should’ve saved himself first? 

reliant and overly dependent, he didn’t allow himself a purpose because he didn’t think he deserved this life. he’s tossed aside, garbage that becomes a burden on his elderly grandmother. her guardianship of him meant she had to work for the rest of her life. he’s bad luck and he doesn’t stop thinking that after the first time someone attempted to kidnap the princess when they were young. 

she was too young, too naive, too sweet and innocent and yixing was too stupid to realize. strange hands that reach for her and another set that knocks him out. if it wasn’t for the driver investigating when they didn’t come around the corner from the school fast enough, who knows where either of them would be? his nainai rocked him to sleep that night and she still doesn’t know he wasn’t crying because he was scared, he cried because he understood just how useless he is. 

years go by and he pretends his muscle tone is all from sports, from swimming and basketball, from the pickup games of soccer with the guys in their neighborhood, but it’s all training. yixing was prepared for life as intense as sphere years before he moved to seoul, an arrangement with her father that he refused to go back on. he had to prove his worth. 

but where is she now? what could he do for her now? what could he do for baekhyun? and then there’s jennie. aa, jennie. he isn’t there for her enough as it is. he hates that he has to think of how chanyeol is there for his girlfriend more than he is. bitter questions are pushed aside of how chanyeol has the time when trc has a stricter schedule because as jealous as he is, his insecurity trumps all. he didn’t intend for it to happen but when did jennie become his entire world if he doesn’t have the princess and baekhyun? when did she crawl so deeply into his heart as if it was her home? there’s no more strength in him to shout, to howl at the moon. a wolf that tries to belong to multiple packs is bound to be torn apart and he feels like his heart is in pieces now. 

what will he have if they’re all gone? 

what will he have if he continues to stay still when he can still reach out? he coughs, curses himself for not bringing his backpack with him like he always does. yixing only has his wallet, keys, and phone on his person because of a rash decision to run away. yixing, usually prepared yixing with an extra water bottle, snacks, and a light jacket, sits on the ground, looking over the railing of the mountainside stop, with nothing to fall back on. 

his nainai was the first he told, and the princess should’ve been the person he told second. she would’ve been. she always is unless she’s right there by his side and for most of his life, she was. but it’s been a long time coming since he listened to the voicemail. he heeded irene’s warning: don’t listen to it. but how long could he ignore her? how long could he ignore the text? 

is it too late? 

the timing was never right for them. he thinks this as he looks out over the city lights, thinking how they were both there together months ago, how different his life would be if he confessed that night her parents came to visit and she needed an escape. he’s the knight who saved the princess on multiple occasions except when it counts. no longer loyal, but forever her knight. his heart doesn’t belong to just him. it never has but he knows bits and pieces have gone to other people, to other dreams so what can he say? instead, he cries as he finally clicks play and listens. 

it’s a message his heart wanted for years, it’s a message his heart already knew. she’s his princess, his other soulmate. he knows her better than she knows herself and that’s why he’d been waiting for so long. his heart grew greedy in her absence, became more selfish the longer he waited for her to realize what he’s known: that they’re in love with each other. 

“do you know that cliche in romantic movies where the protagonist realizes they’re in love with someone, but it’s too late? i would always make fun of it when we’d watch those kinds of movies. how can someone be so naive, right?”

she pauses, allowing for an empty laugh.

“i think i understand them now.”

since the moment she stepped past security in the airport when he saw her off, he’s been letting her down and he has to do it again. he has to put a different dream first but how does he let go now? 

“i miss you. i want to go home, where you are.” 

but she’s not here. she’s not here and yixing is laying on the ground, arm covering his face as he swipes tears with the sleeve of his jacket, worn leather irritating his eyes, thinking about how she’s not here and still she has so much power over him. he’s thinking about how a heart doesn’t break even. time is an illusion at this point. 

it feels like three hours and it’s barely been more than one. he’s on his feet, rushing to run from one problem when he came there to run from another one. the difference is he’s running back to the problem he thought he had, he’s running back to talk to him because he’s choosing the fight he can take on. he’s choosing to fix it, to do something when he can because he wouldn’t feel this much pain hearing her confession if he did something in the first place. 

he can’t lose someone else. 

speed is another illusion and two are both taken by it: yixing and the truck driver. all he remembers are headlights and the sheer volume of the honking hurting his eardrums before the crash. 

[sherristockman]

Drugged Driving Now Causes More Fatal Crashes Than Drunk Driving Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola One in 4 Americans (and 1 in 3 millennials) reports knowing someone addicted to opioids,1 and recent statistics reveal driving under the influence of these and other drugs has become a serious problem, now causing more fatal car crashes than drunk driving.2 Many who go on to develop an addiction to opioids start out merely seeking relief from their aches and pains. Back pain is a leading cause of opioid use, but many also get hooked on these potent painkillers after receiving a prescription following a sports injury or a minor surgical procedure such as a tooth extraction. Little did they know the painkiller they were taking would lead them down such a dark and troublesome path. For years, drug makers misled doctors and patients about the addictive nature of their narcotic painkillers. As it turns out, opioids are highly addictive and have become the No. 1 gateway drug to heroin. While the rising death toll from opioid overdoses has received much-needed attention in the last couple of years, another related problem is now surfacing. Millions of people are driving under the influence of opioids, yet law enforcement has few reliable tools to identify drugged driving, or for measuring opioids and other drugs in someone suspected of driving under the influence. Drugged Driving Is a Leading Cause of Fatal Car Crashes According to a report3,4,5 compiled by the Governors Highway Safety Association and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, prescription and/or illegal drugs were involved in 43 percent of fatal car crashes in 2015, while 37 percent involved illegal amounts of alcohol. The findings highlight an urgent need for law enforcement training in identifying drug-impaired driving. As reported in the Chicago Tribune:6 “The drugged driving report, which summarizes findings from multiple studies, said law enforcement officers often have a hard time recognizing drivers under the influence of drugs, who are more difficult to assess than those driving drunk. ‘Officers need to know more than they do for alcohol how to suspect drug impairment, and know that it can exhibit itself in different ways,’ [lead author and former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration official Jim] Hedlund said in an interview. ‘Drug impairment has different signs and symptoms — think of the difference between uppers and downers.’" Many drivers also make the mistake of not taking their drug use into account before getting behind the wheel. Illegal drugs are far from the only drugs capable of impairing your judgment. As noted in the report, hundreds of medications can impair your driving ability, including some sold over-the-counter (OTC). Opioids are certainly part of that list. Drugs — both prescription and illegal — in combination with alcohol is particularly risky. Identifying Drugged Driving Poses Unique Challenges When it comes to measuring the amount of drugs in a person’s system, the fact that different drugs metabolize in very different ways and at different rates makes testing of blood, urine or saliva extremely challenging, not to mention the fact that no single test can measure all the possible drugs a driver might be on. An alternative is to use other types of tests to evaluate whether a driver might be impaired by drugs. The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is giving out $100,000 in grants this year to train police officers in five states on the identification of drug-impaired driving. The U.S. Drug Evaluation and Classification Program, for example, teaches law enforcement to use a 12-step evaluation. The drawback is, it’s a 90-minute procedure that is not easily done roadside. Adding to the dilemma is that while “driving while impaired” is illegal in all 50 states, the specific definition of “drug impairment” varies. There’s also no uniformity in what drugs are actually screened for when impairment is suspected. Testing for all of the hundreds of drugs known to cause impairment is hardly feasible either. Crash Risk Associated With Drugs According to the report, marijuana accounted for 35 percent of fatally injured drivers found to have drugs in their system; amphetamines accounted for 9 percent, while more than half were caused by "other drugs." In terms of crash risk, European studies have found the following associations, assuming a driver with no drugs or alcohol in their system has a relative crash risk assessment of 1:7 Marijuana is associated with a slightly elevated risk, with a relative risk of 1 to 3 (increasing your crash risk by anywhere from 22 to 36 percent according to different studies) Opioids, cocaine and benzodiazepines are associated with a medium increased risk, with a relative risk of 2 to 10 Amphetamines and/or multiple drug combinations are associated with a highly-elevated risk, with a relative risk of 5 to 30 Drugs in combination are associated with an extremely elevated risk, with a relative risk of 20 to 200 Opioids Versus Marijuana — Don’t Lose Sight of the Greater Issue While the report and most subsequent media articles have honed in on marijuana, let’s remember that the majority of the fatal crashes, over 50 percent, involved “other drugs,” and that opioids have a higher relative crash risk than marijuana. While 1 in 8 American adults (13 percent) reports smoking marijuana,8 the opioid problem surely outweighs recreational marijuana use. More than 259 million prescriptions for opioids are written in the U.S. each year9 — an astounding 1 in 5 patients with a pain-related diagnosis is prescribed opioids, and in some states opioid prescriptions outnumber the residents.10 More than 12 million Americans report using prescription painkillers for nonmedical purposes11 and 2 million Americans over the age of 12 are addicted specifically to opioid painkillers.12,13 One in 4 Americans and 1 in 3 millennials reports knowing someone addicted to opioids.14 Honing in on how the legalization of marijuana may impact road safety without saying a single word about the impact of opioids is just reprehensible. We cannot continue sweeping the matter of opioid overuse and addiction under the rug and simply point fingers at marijuana. Clearly, you should not drive if you’ve been smoking pot (CBC-based medical cannabis is different, as CBC does not have a psychoactive effect), but you also clearly should not drive if you’ve recently taken an opioid, even if you’re taking it as prescribed. The recent arrest of Tiger Woods15,16 highlights this common-sense advice. Tiger Woods Arrested for Drugged Driving According to a CNN report,17 Jupiter, Florida, police found Woods asleep at the wheel in his car on the side of the road. The driver’s side had minor damage, and both front and rear tires on that side were flat. When the officer woke him up, Woods’ speech was slurred, and he said he didn’t know where he was. He was arrested and charged with DUI. A Breathalyzer test revealed he had no alcohol in his system, however, and he admitted he was taking “several prescriptions.” In a public apology,18 Woods blamed his impairment on “an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.” He’s recovering from surgery, so the medications he’s referring to may have been prescribed in relation to that. “I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved,” Woods said — a comment that highlights the social stigma of drinking and driving. But we now need to recognize that medications are just as dangerous when you’re behind the wheel. A prescription is not a “free pass” to avoid personal responsibility. You still have to make sure you are in fact not impaired before driving. The same goes for over-the-counter drugs. Certain allergy medications and cough syrup, for example, can make you drowsy and the side effects may linger well into the next day. A California man was even charged with DUI resulting from excessive caffeine intake earlier this year. The man was arrested for “erratic, reckless driving” and charged with DUI. When testing failed to reveal drugs or alcohol, he was cited for driving under the influence of caffeine — the only substance found in his system. The charges raised many an eyebrow and were eventually dropped, but not without some legal wrangling. Carefully Weigh Your Need for Narcotic Pain Relievers It’s extremely important to be cognizant of your level of impairment when taking ANY drug. Also beware of the addictive potential of opioid drugs. I urge you to seriously weigh your need for them. If you have not seen it yet, watch the documentary “Chasing the Dragon” before filling that prescription. There are so many other ways to address pain. Below is a long list of suggestions. If you are in pain that is bearable, please try these options first, before resorting to prescription painkillers of any kind. If you need a pain reliever, consider an over-the-counter (OTC option. Research19 shows prescription-strength naproxen (Naprosyn, sold OTC in lower dosages as Aleve) provides the same pain relief as more dangerous narcotic painkillers. However, while naproxen may be a better alternative to narcotic painkillers, it still comes with a very long list of potential side effects,20 and the risks increase with frequency of use. Nondrug Solutions for Pain Relief ✓ Eliminate or radically reduce most grains and sugars from your diet Avoiding grains and sugars will lower your insulin and leptin levels and decrease insulin and leptin resistance, which is one of the most important reasons why inflammatory prostaglandins are produced. That is why stopping sugar and sweets is so important to controlling your pain and other types of chronic illnesses. ✓ Take a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work, by manipulating prostaglandins.) Good sources include wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sardines and anchovies, which are all high in healthy omega-3s while being low in contaminants such as mercury. As for supplements, my favorite is krill oil, as it has a number of benefits superior to fish oil. ✓ Optimize your sun exposure and production of vitamin D Optimize your vitamin D by getting regular, appropriate sun exposure, which will work through a variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain. Sun exposure also has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects that are unrelated to vitamin D production, and these benefits cannot be obtained from a vitamin D supplement. Red, near-, mid- and far-infrared light therapy (photobiology) and/or infrared saunas may also be quite helpful as it promotes and speeds tissue healing, even deep inside the body. ✓ Medical cannabis Medical marijuana has a long history as a natural analgesic and is now legal in 28 states. You can learn more about the laws in your state on medicalmarijuana.procon.org.21 ✓ Kratom Kratom (Mitragyna speciose) is another plant remedy that has become a popular opioid substitute.22 In August, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued a notice saying it was planning to ban kratom, listing it as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. However, following massive outrage from kratom users who say opioids are their only alternative, the agency reversed its decision.23 Kratom is likely safer than an opioid for someone in serious and chronic pain. However, it’s important to recognize that it is a psychoactive substance and should not be used carelessly. There’s very little research showing how to use it safely and effectively, and it may have a very different effect from one person to the next. Also, while it may be useful for weaning people off opioids, kratom is in itself addictive. So, while it appears to be a far safer alternative to opioids, it’s still a powerful and potentially addictive substance. So please, do your own research before trying it. ✓ Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) EFT is a drug-free approach for pain management of all kinds. EFT borrows from the principles of acupuncture in that it helps you balance out your subtle energy system. It helps resolve underlying, often subconscious, and negative emotions that may be exacerbating your physical pain. By stimulating (tapping) well-established acupuncture points with your fingertips, you rebalance your energy system, which tends to dissipate pain. ✓ Meditation and Mindfulness Training Among volunteers who had never meditated before, those who attended four 20-minute classes to learn a meditation technique called focused attention (a form of mindfulness meditation) experienced significant pain relief — a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness.24 ✓ K-Laser, Class 4 Laser Therapy If you suffer pain from an injury, arthritis or other inflammation-based pain, I’d strongly encourage you to try K-Laser therapy. It can be an excellent choice for many painful conditions, including acute injuries. By addressing the underlying cause of the pain, you will no longer need to rely on painkillers. K-Laser is a class 4 infrared laser therapy treatment that helps reduce pain, reduce inflammation and enhance tissue healing — both in hard and soft tissues, including muscles, ligaments or even bones. The infrared wavelengths used in the K-Laser allow for targeting specific areas of your body and can penetrate deeply into the body to reach areas such as your spine and hip. ✓ Chiropractic Many studies have confirmed that chiropractic management is much safer and less expensive than allopathic medical treatments, especially when used for pain such as low back pain. Qualified chiropractic, osteopathic and naturopathic physicians are reliable, as they have received extensive training in the management of musculoskeletal disorders during their course of graduate health care training, which lasts between four to six years. These health experts have comprehensive training in musculoskeletal management. ✓ Acupuncture Research has discovered a "clear and robust" effect of acupuncture in the treatment of back, neck and shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis and headaches. ✓ Physical therapy Physical therapy has been shown to be as good as surgery for painful conditions such as torn cartilage and arthritis. ✓ Foundation Training Foundation training is an innovative method developed by Dr. Eric Goodman to treat his own chronic low back pain. It’s an excellent alternative to painkillers and surgery, as it actually addresses the cause of the problem. ✓ Massage A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Pain Medicine included 60 high-quality and seven low-quality studies that looked into the use of massage for various types of pain, including muscle and bone pain, headaches, deep internal pain, fibromyalgia pain and spinal cord pain.25 The review revealed massage therapy relieves pain better than getting no treatment at all. When compared to other pain treatments like acupuncture and physical therapy, massage therapy still proved beneficial and had few side effects. In addition to relieving pain, massage therapy also improved anxiety and health-related quality of life. ✓ Astaxanthin Astaxanthin is one of the most effective fat-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than anti-inflammatory drugs. Higher doses are typically required and you may need 8 milligrams (mg) or more per day to achieve this benefit. ✓ Ginger This herb has potent anti-inflammatory activity and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice. ✓ Curcumin In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility. A past study also found that a turmeric extract composed of curcuminoids blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively preventing the overproduction of a protein that triggers swelling and pain.26 ✓ Boswellia Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients. ✓ Bromelain This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form but eating fresh pineapple, including some of the bromelain-rich stem, may also be helpful. ✓ Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO) This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a joint lubricant and anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and carpal tunnel syndrome. I used a topical preparation for this. ✓ Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils These contain the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is particularly useful for treating arthritic pain. ✓ Cayenne Cream Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain. ✓ Methods such as hot and cold packs, aquatic therapy, yoga, various mind-body techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy27 can also result in astonishing pain relief without drugs. ✓ Grounding Walking barefoot on the earth may also provide a certain measure of pain relief by combating inflammation. ✓ Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, originally developed in the early 1960s for the treatment of opioid addiction. When taken at very low doses (LDN, available only by prescription), it triggers endorphin production, which can boost your immune function and ease pain.