#tag: Warpath

[artdecosupernova-writing]

WIP Acrostic Tag

Rules: You will be given a word, and you must share 1 sentence from your WIP(s) that starts with each letter in that word!

Tagged by @space-writes! Tagging, with no obligation, @drippingmoon, @zmwrites, @oh-no-another-idea, @pertinax--loculos, and open tag! Your word is FUTILE. As per usual, I am playing fast and loose with the rules lol

AMOUNT—

A — And then Thrive looked rattled. Shaken to his core, possibly having never heard those words spoken to him before, definitely not expecting them from his antagonist of all people, especially not when he was fighting for his life on an unfamiliar planet. He stared, at a complete loss for words. When he did find one, it was quiet and an obviously conflicted attempt to disavow the current situation. (Eternal)

M — Mercury twirled his staff. "Warren's been tryna tell us we can't think like that or we're fucked. The Emmuli feed off of negativity and pessimism; that's how they got the obhelian in the first gat-damn place." (Aurora)

O — "Oh yeah?" Warren muttered, parking his fists on his hips and breaking into a sarcastic smile. "How much swearing is goin' on up here [in my head]? 'Cause I'm gonna give you a hint—it's a lot." (Eternal)

U — "Uh," Warren called over the roaring ocean, a hand poised over his eyes to block out the sun, "I know we're still kind of a rogue society here but can we maybe agree that patricide is against the law even now?" (Meridian)

N — "No laughing in this house," Warren called down the long main hallway. "I remember very clearly forbidding laughter and fun here." (Warpath)

T — Thrive aimed an uncharacteristically bitchy eye-roll at the comm panel and Warren covered a burst of laughter with a loud cough. (Aurora)

[tbhidk2]

Respect to Warpath for surviving the Skybound/ Energon universe... for now atleast.

(Please we need Huffer and Kup back please)

[tf-animated-out-of-context]

One last round of trivia:

"The Stunti-Con Job" exists as both a comic and a BotCon script reading; the plots are the same, but the script reading added a subplot featuring Minerva, a medibot determined to meet Ratchet at all costs, who's somehow dragged Warpath along on her quest. (She does also appear in the comic version - see below.)

The script reading also featured a musical interlude - a duet sung by G1 and Animated Grimlocks. I don't think it went according to plan.

Like the story's title, the comic's original cover pays homage to the classic British comedy film "The Italian Job". (As do the picture captions on the relevant TFWiki page.)

Sideswipe and Breakdown share a body-type (first seen on Rodimus Prime) - possibly a callback to the G1 episode "Masquerade", in which that iteration of Sideswipe was disguised as Breakdown. (The same applies to Jazz and Dead End, and, more or less, to Optimus and the Motor Master.) In-universe, all the Stunticons underwent spark transplants into Autobot frames - except Toxitron, who's a clone of Optimus. Not a very successful one.

Cheetor, meanwhile, is a retool of Blurr - a fact Sideswipe remarks on four BotCons later, in "The Return of Blurr". which takes place at about the same time as "The Stunti-Con Job". Hence Blurr's appearance in the latter, in the High Council box alongside Cliffjumper - still cubified, and no doubt still talking twenty-four to the dozen.

Strika's Team Chaar, seen at the very end of this story, has undergone a reshuffle since "Transwarped" - Oil Slick is still there, unfortunately, but Cyclonus, Blackout and Spittor have been replaced by Mindwipe, Sky-Byte, Scalpel and Blot.

As for Autobot cameos, there are too many to list, but most of them are here:

(Botanica is also in this frame, but further up in the High Council box. TFWiki claims that Tap-Out is somewhere in the crowd; I can't see him, though.)

[libelelle]

yup still there!! probably a bit damaged but definitely still there. trust me i was also worried about this

THANK FUCKING GOD

[1tbls]

this is so kimharry tbh

[whokilledtheowl]

Reading Iliad and achilles rage and grief has spoiled "dead gf, mad bf and vice versa plot for me🥲 like you assuming I'm gonna read someone else crying for their beloved and not compare it to achilles? You think I'm gonna see someone on warpath and not compare it to achilles? No way!

[dreamersbcll]

“Godless” - for @krikeymate

———————————————————————

Sam could tell from the very moment she woke up that something was wrong.

She liked to attribute it to her sixth sense. Ever since she was little, Sam was able to tell when shit was about to go sideways. From the day she was slapped by her mother the first time to the day she found that cursed journal

That same sinking feeling in her gut. Like she swallowed a boulder, it sat in her stomach and weighed her down with dread and anxiety about what was coming next. The feeling usually disappeared after a while, but this one rotted in her stomach, festering her body with fear.

She decided not to let this feeling rule her and padded her way out to her living room. It was five in the morning, and she didn’t have to be at work until ten, so she might as well watch television.

Turning the television on, she skipped channels until she found the one she wanted. Living alone in a shitty apartment was rough, but not having a smart tv was the worst. Everybody else got to watch the latest Grey’s Anatomy episodes, while Sam watched a lot of public television. It was alright. She learned a lot about the weather and public events in Modesto.

Her favorite channel was the news. It was stupid, but she liked knowing what was happening around her. Strangely, it was comforting to know that other people had lives around her. That things were happening outside of her little bubble. Plus, it was easier to sleep when the gas prices flashed across the screen.

But this morning, with that pit of dread in her stomach, she admittedly hesitated to switch to the news. Something told her just to turn the television off, but like most warnings in her life, she plowed through it.

And there, on channel four news, she saw it.

Her baby sister’s face was plastered across the screen, a picture Sam hadn’t seen. It took her breath away at how grown-up her baby sister looked. It looked like some school photo- as Tara wore a peach long-sleeved shirt, her hair was down and stringy. Tara smiled big, but Sam could tell she was faking it.

Sam was so engrossed with the photo of her sister that she almost missed the headline flashing across the screen.

WARNING: DISTURBING SCENES

She cocked her head, watching the cameras pan around a house. Her old house. The house in Woodsboro. The one she was raised in. Why were they in her home?

The cameras panned around, zooming in on various shots of a clear scuffle.

Sam snorted. Of course, Christina fucked up her home. That woman could ruin anything she touched. But why would they do a piece on her mother being a stupid drunk? It’s not like it was news.

Naturally, Sam spoke too soon.

As the camera zoomed in, Sam felt her blood run cold. On the floor of what once was her kitchen, a broken picture frame, glass shattered around it. She knew that picture well. It was from the day she taught Tara how to ride a bike.

—-

“Okay, the brake is the right trigger. The left one is a brake too, but you shouldn’t use that. That one will stop super quick, and you’re not ready for that, okay?”

Tara looked up at Sam, her big brown eyes wide with fear. Her purple helmet wasn’t tight enough, slipping onto her forehead. Coupled with the splash of freckles over her nose and the braided pigtails on her shoulders, she looked utterly adorable. It was hard for Sam to be serious when her little sister looked like a little angel.

The two sisters were standing at the side of Tara's new bike. Well. Mostly new. Sam had stolen it from the elementary school and spray-painted it purple. Rummaging through her father’s toolbox, she had taken the training wheels off too. Now her baby sister could be just like all the other kids. Seven wasn’t too late of an age to learn how to ride a bike. Sam learned at eight years old from her friend Tracy’s mom.

She knew it was time for Tara to learn. Her baby sister had been begging for weeks to let her ride Sam’s big girl bike. But now, at the sight of her very own bike, her little sister looked unsure.

Frowning, Tara messed with the right brake, feeling the bike stop and go under her hand. She did the same with the left; her brow furrowed deeply.

Sam knelt by Tara’s side, cupping her cheek and gently rubbing her thumb in soothing circles. Her sister leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed.

“What’s wrong, baby girl? Are you okay? Am I going too fast?” she asked, smiling slightly at how Tara practically fell into her hand.

Her sister shook her head, jutting her lower lip in a pout. “No, Sammy. I’m just scared. What if I fall off?”

Sam held out her hand, and Tara took it without a second thought. Looking into her sister’s eyes, she saw a mirror of her younger self. Unsure. Scared. Nervous.

She knew she had to calm Tara’s fears. Nobody had done it for her, so she was determined to do it for Tara.

Anything for her baby sister.

“Listen, honey. You’re not going to fall. You know how I know that?”

Tara shook her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Sam smiled, squeezing Tara's hands. “I know that because I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall. I will protect you, okay? Always,”.

“Always?” Tara feebly asked.

Without hesitation, Sam answered. “Always. I promise,”.

Tara smiled and threw her arms around Sam’s neck. “Okay. I’m ready,”.

Sam hugged her back, basking in the warmth of her baby sister.

“Okay. Let's do it!”

Sam doesn’t quite know who took the picture. Maybe the twins' mother or even her father. All she knew was that she was thankful she had swiped that picture frame from Walmart. She knew it would come in handy one day.

She was proud to be Tara’a protector. She always would be. She promised.

—-

Now staring at that picture frame smashed on the kitchen floor she grew up in, Sam started feeling light-headed.

Bloodstains were smeared on the floor and a bloody handprint caked to the wall. Shattered glass was all over the kitchen floor, and yellow caution tape covered the whole scene.

And there she saw it.

Below the bloody handprint, but above the broken picture frame, was a messy word.

S A M A N T H A

Her name was scrawled in red paint on the wall. No, not paint, blood.

She swallowed hard, shivering at the frame. None of this felt real. What was going on? Why was her name on the wall of her old kitchen? And why was it in the blood?

Who’s blood was that?

As if answering her frantic thoughts, the camera flashed back to the news reporter, and Sam saw the new headline underneath him.

LOCAL WOODSBORO TEENAGER FOUND SLAIN IN HOME: NO LEADS AT THE MOMENT.

And there was her sister’s picture again. Right above the headline. Her smiling, beautiful baby girl. A new murder case for the local news to follow.

The room around her started to spin. This wasn’t right. Tara was eighteen now. She was supposed to graduate high school this year. Sam had the date on her calendar- she promised herself that she would see her baby sister walk across the stage. Now she’s dead.

Who would kill her baby sister? Who could take her instead of Sam?

She got up, stumbling her way to the bathroom. Falling to her knees, she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. It was hot acid crawling up her throat. Shame and disgust burned in her gut, and her hands couldn’t stop shaking as they held onto the porcelain bowl.

Leaning back, Sam felt her back hit the wall, and she closed her eyes and tried to breathe.

This wasn’t right. Tara couldn’t be dead. Sam hadn’t even said hello again, much less goodbye. How could she be taken away from Sam? Who would do this?

She shakily got to her feet, hand on the wall to keep her upright. Making her way to the sink, Sam turned the water on as hot as possible. She needed to feel it tear the skin off her hands.

Something to tell her that this reality wasn’t her own.

Letting her hands grow red and angry under the steaming water, she looked up in the mirror, eyes widening at the reflection staring back at her.

Her father stood behind her, a strange look on his face. She wasn’t unaccustomed to seeing him, especially when she hadn’t taken her medication. But he usually smiled behind her, a shit-eating grin occupying his bloody face.

But Billy stood behind her, a knife in hand, blood dripping off the blade, a strange look on his face.

“You know why they did this, Sam. You know why they took her. Are you going to let that slide?” he growled, his eyes dark with bloodlust.

She swallowed hard, pulling her burnt hands from the scalding water. They were red and angry, and she couldn’t bend her fingers. Steam curled off her fingertips, and against her will, her hands shook.

“What can I do? She’s dead. She was murdered,” she choked out, her throat clenching in pain.

He just shook his head, blood spattering onto his soiled shirt.

“Are you going to let her die in vain? Are you going to let her death mean nothing?”

Sam shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “No, no. She means everything. I promised to protect her. I promised,” she sobbed.

Billy leaned in, and Sam could feel him breathing down her neck. She shivered at the feeling.

But a genuine part of her loved knowing his control over her. It felt so fucking good to be understood and accepted for her bloodlust. Her natural state of chaos, the violence she craved to inflict on others who wronged her.

Maybe that’s why she was more than okay with his following few words.

“You can’t protect her now. But you can avenge her,” he whispered.

She straightened up, wiping the tears from her face.

“How?”

He grinned at her, and she felt something bloom in her chest.

Rage.

“You let me take over. And we will make sure that everybody knows not to fuck with the Loomis bloodline,”.

Sam blinked, and suddenly he was gone. She was left alone with just her own reflection in the mirror. Her own tear-filled eyes, and blistering hands. The pain radiated up her arms, making her teeth ache as she clenched them.

But the pain didn’t bother her. No, it was fuel. She knew Billy was right. It was time to let go of the pain she felt. It was time to inflict it on others. It was time for her revenge.

Tara wouldn’t die in vain. Sam promised to protect her. In life or death, Sam would make whoever murdered her baby sister pay for their sins.

And she would make it hurt like hell.

[efervon4u]

Hey so ignoring all the pointed questions in my inbox I'm gonna be away for awhile.

You guys be nice while I'm gone.

[artdecosupernova-writing]

WIP Acrostic Tag

Rules: You will be given a word, and you must share 1 sentence from your WIP(s) that starts with each letter in that word!

Taking an open tag from @sleepy-night-child, and tagging @space-writes, @pertinax--loculos, @celemee, and @drippingmoon 😁 Your word is FOLLOW.

MAGIC—

M — "Messier 33," Warren muttered, turning to Thrive. "...That's Triangulum." (Meridian)

A — A long pause. Thrive lifted a hand to chest-level and out of his fingertips rose particles of light, the veins beneath his skin taking on the same glow as the obelisk. The light came together, swirled over his palm to form a star map of unidentified origins. (Aurora)

G — "Gladly." Warren leaned his hands onto the table. "Thrive's had virtually no issue being king until Delegate Sinkship took office, or, more accurately, all of the pushback he's received has been solved with a conversation or a compromise. Interestingly, that leads me to a pretty fun question…" He lifted his gaze to her. "Why does the human delegate have such sway over the others?" (Warpath)

I — "It is," Thrive said, unaffected on the surface. "It's who I, as an obhelian Protector, have been this whole time. I've done unforgivable things in my pursuit of justice, some of which have given me great satisfaction. I have moral ambiguity at times, mostly to do with my oath. I am not a saint. You and I have been together for several hundred years…I'm not sure how that slipped by you." (Asylum)

C — Controlling the essence w̷i̶t̷h̴i̸n̴ ̸y̸o̵u̵, the Emmuli growled. Disrupting the t̴r̴u̶t̸h̶, arresting your given capacity, reshaping your intelligence into the pattern t̴h̷e̸y̶ ̴f̷i̷t̷ ̸y̷o̷u̷ ̵t̷o̴ ̷d̷e̴s̵e̷r̶v̸e̷. (Eternal)

[karmirage]

fic masterpost

yeah i do have other marvel fics on my ao3 but some of them i wrote in high school also some of them i don't vibe with anymore

note that some of these are from a while ago! my perceptions and takes on characters change and grow, so if i wrote something, sometimes i won't agree with the characterization later. keep that in mind.

on that note: many of the old fics name Xuân as Xuyen, bc that was the fanmade actually-Vietnamese alternative to Xi'an before her name was changed in canon.

Family Colors (2018): 1,679 words. Standalone (there used to be a second chapter but I didn't like it so I got rid of it). Gen, Kamala-centric, Civil War II era. To whom do the Captain Marvel colors belong?

cloudburst (2019): 423 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. ever wake up to a thunderstorm?

Retail Therapy (2020): 1,209 words. Standalone. James Proudstar/Terry Cassidy. Early-krakoa era -- I wrote this just a bit after krakoa became A Thing, when we didn't know what had recently happened with more minor characters like terry. also i think they're very cute.

Morning Song (2020): 955 words. Standalone. James Proudstar/Terry Cassidy. idk I think Jimmy would like cooking.

if you don't mind me saying so (i love you) (2020): 25,423 words. Part 1 of "love like fools." Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. my funny little fake dating indulgence. the epitome of "I wrote it for me but you can read it if you want" (as so many of my works are). i haven't actually reread this one i have no idea if it's good or not. but it sure exists.

Days Off (2020): 1,523 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Sam wakes up sick and Roberto tries to help.

sunlight (2020): 2,090 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Seasonal affective disorder strikes Roberto.

the whole 'not being dead' thing (2020): 1,094 words. Standalone. Gen. Early-krakoa era. Jay is resurrected and catches up with his new nephew.

Winner Takes All (2020): 2,006 words. Two chapters (so far. might fuck around and add another chapter idk). Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Utopia-era. sparring and unsaid feelings and also Doug's new ability to read body language.

i don't want to spend my life (without your kiss goodnight) (2020): 1,702 words. Rated M for non-explicit making out. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. the world has not ended so obviously let's party

my home in you (2020): 2,122 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. patching up the other's wounds.

The Meaning of Family (2021): 10,926 words. Standalone. Gen. Ruth-centric. Ruth bonds with her family -- because she does have family, and no x man is truly ever alone. Also, possibly, she might kill someone in the future.

live our life like we know we could (ONGOING/HIATUS): 22,300 words. Part 2 of "love like fools." Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Post mission, post reveal, navigating uncharted relationship waters.

in the name of the moon! (2022): 4,382 words. Standalone. Gen (though it's tagged as Sam/Roberto, and you can certainly read it like that if you want, but that's not the focus). Sam textile artist real To Me. also: halloween and sailor moon.

i mean every word i say (2023): 1,559 words. Rated T for mention of sex. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Sam's been keeping secrets, and that makes Roberto nervous.

we will never be forgotten (2023): 2,689 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Roberto gets mindwiped, knocked out, and a visitor in the infirmary (in that order).

you're never gonna get a second take (2023): 2,166 words. Standalone. Dani Moonstar/Xuân Cao Mạnh. don't you just love those undercover missions where they have to dress in fancy clothes? yeah so does xuân

nothing holds me back at all (2023): 1,461 words. Part 1 of "the memories that make us." Gen. Dani-centric. Dani rides a horse for the first time (with her father's help).

you can never take this part of me (2023): 1,691 words. Part 2 of "the memories that make us." Gen. Sam-centric. Sam goes fishing with his dad and his gaggle of younger siblings.

~~~

works in progress (that I'm posting to hold myself accountable so I actually finish them someday):

- the rest of "the memories that make us" (i.e. the other 13 parts, one for each of the original nine and the six academy x era students. all of it is me practicing writing kids)

- king/lionheart Sam/Roberto medieval au. even tho I hate royalty the aesthetics kind of slam

- megafic (62 chapters planned! six tie ins! almost fully canon compliant all the way up to war of realms!) the ties that bind & related works wrt the better endings au

- rewriting document of high school fics (mostly samberto. I'm more or less a one trick pony)

- several shorter smaller things that I just have to work up the courage to post (including practice with NSFW writing)

- not a fanfiction: but my long ass academic paper (fully cited) that talks about the mutant metaphor and the actual minorities within the x men and my huge large spreadsheet that goes with it.

[myenemies]

LETS FUCKING GOOOOO

[ebitenpura]

thinks about Eight, who begins his career as an agent removed from his culture since childhood, who struggles being unfit in both worlds of the Empire and being Echani, who constantly battles and redefines what it means to be a warrior of both, who feels lost from others because a sword is all he is. Eight, who eventually becomes a hero of the Alliance, and legend to his people; who becomes immortalized as patron of unnamed warriors and those who walk the shadows alone.

[anonyunknownonearth]

Take a peek at the tags, guys - the tags

Jason comes back from the dead and, as he's still a bit out of it, heads to the manor.

Crawling straight up through six feet of compacted earth is hard, especially after waking up suddenly in a coffin, so after he makes it inside, he sits down to rest on the couch.

And immediately falls asleep.

Hours later, Bruce returns home to find Jason's body, covered in dirt, dug up from the grave and left on his couch.

[daftladsmoved]

"best friends cuddle. this is normal. this doesn't have to be romantic." hajisouda lmaoooo

@worldneeds ---- answered.

"will you shut up." this is the fourth time hajime's rolled over in about as many minutes, and maybe the tenth time he's had to shove his elbow into kaz's ribs. "no one is talking about it like that except for you. do you hear them complaining?"

it's been silent (save for souda) for a while, the soft sound of everyone else breathing making it sound as though the island itself is coming to life. there are so few of them, now. hajime can't raise his head to look around, so he twists to frown directly into kazuichi's eyes instead. even that makes him ache, for some reason. "get some sleep."

[spiicii]

jey uso / rut 

x fem!reader word count → 8.5k summary → jey goes into an unexpected rut in the middle of a match. now driven by animalistic desire and instinct, he’ll rip the entire backstage apart to find the one person he yearns for: you.  notes → this is the ask that started it all but i've gotten a few other requests for this prompt too! thank you @darkandlight00 for showing interest and for @minteagalaxea and @acute-crashout-jeyuso for keeping me motivated. pls enjoy a gratuitous gunther beatdown as well as some wonderfully feral jey for your viewing pleasure. links → masterlist / taglist  tags → alternative universe, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, possessive behavior, biting, bruises, daddy kink (if you squint), canon-typical violence, unprotected piv sex, knotting, ruts and heats, mentions of blood, scent marking, breeding kink

You stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror, reaching up to trace the bites and bruises Jey had left on your neck. He’d been uncommonly rough tonight, his mouth blazing a warpath across your delicate skin. While it wasn’t unusual for him to be possessive, the marks had been a little too deep, a little too bruising. The last time he’d marked you like this he’d been in his rut. 

“M’sorry.” 

Jey moved up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist to pull you close. His eyes flickered down to the rapidly darkening bruises at the base of your throat. You could tell he was remorseful, offering an apologetic kiss to your cheek when he met your gaze in the mirror. 

"Guess I went a little overboard, huh?” 

You couldn’t help but laugh, leaning your head back to press a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Just a little.” 

Jey pulled you closer, nosing at the sweet spot behind your ear to scent mark you. You rolled your eyes, but didn’t push him away. He’d been uncommonly clingy today, rubbing his scent on you every chance he got. As if you could ever smell like anyone else. 

“I hate this.” He muttered, his brow furrowed as he stared down at you. 

“Hate what?” 

“Those stupid heat suppressants. They starting to take your scent away.” 

You met his frustrated gaze in the mirror, offering him a reassuring smile. “I know, sweetheart, but that’s the point. It’ll be better this way.” 

Jey pouted, but he didn’t argue. You both knew how important it was for you to be on the pills now that you’d started this new job. Being backstage at WWE meant that you were surrounded by alphas. As an unmated omega, your scent would be nothing but a distraction. And the last thing you needed was going into heat at a job with so many unmated alphas roaming around.

“It don’t feel right.” Jey muttered, still trying to take in as much of your scent as he could. You’d only be on the pills for a few days, but they were already beginning to do their job. In a few weeks you’d barely have a scent at all.  

“Those are your instincts talking, baby.” You told him, reaching up to run your fingers through his soft hair. “You already get mad when another alpha even looks in my direction. You think you’ll be any different at work?” 

“You could just not work at all.” Jey met your eyes in the mirror again, his arms tight around your waist. “Stay home. Let me take care of you.” 

He scraped his teeth across the scent glands on your neck, the implication clear. 

You knew he wanted to make things official and mate you, but you didn’t feel ready. You’d grown up with parents who had mated too quickly and things hadn’t ended well for them. You’d seen what happens when a mated pair grows to loathe each other. No matter how unhappy they were, they couldn’t leave. Couldn’t move on. They were still a slave to their instincts, their biology tying them together until one of them died. 

You couldn’t go through that. You wouldn’t go through that, especially with Jey. You didn’t want to mate until you were completely certain it was what both of you wanted. If you were going to be tied together for life, you had to be sure. 

Still, you couldn’t deny the small thrill that ran through you as Jey nosed at the mating mark on your neck, your body instinctively leaning into his touch. There was a small part of you that wanted to let him bite there, officially claiming you as his, but you forced yourself to move away. 

“I don’t want to stay home.” You murmured, reaching up to play with his beard. “I want to work. This is important to me, Jey. I’m not ready to give up my career just yet.” 

Jey seemed disappointed, but he didn’t argue with you. Instead, he moved his hand to rest over your stomach, right above where you womb sat. His dark eyes met yours. He seemed almost hopeful, a silent promise for a future you both wanted but weren’t yet ready for. 

You resisted the instinctual urge to purr, knowing it would only encourage him. 

“I’m going back to bed.” You told him instead, standing on your tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to his bearded cheek. “You coming?” 

Jey could only nod, watching as you made your way back to the bedroom. 

You and Jey had been dating for almost two years now, but it had taken some time for you to work up the courage to move in with him. You’d never had a partner to nest with before. Nesting was intimate. Just one step closer to mating. 

Despite your fears, you couldn’t deny how natural it felt with Jey. He’d allowed you to follow your instincts and create a nest in your shared bedroom, ensuring that your scents were mixed together amongst the mountain of blankets and pillows you’d piled onto the bed. You’d put a canopy up to make it feel more like a den, the omega inside you yearning for a small space to feel safe in. 

It was your favorite place in the world. 

You quickly climbed up onto the bed, motioning for Jey to join you. To your surprise, Jey just stood there and stared at you instead, his dark eyes inscrutable. 

You furrowed your brow in confusion. “What’s wrong?” 

Jey shifted uneasily. “I don’t know,” he murmured, rubbing his hands together nervously. “I think I need to check the house.” 

You raised an eyebrow. He got like this sometimes, whenever he was feeling particularly protective, usually before his ruts. He would do a “check” of the house, ensuring that every window was locked, every door was closed, every curtain was drawn. It made him feel better, knowing that he was making your nest safer, that instinct to protect you driving him to pace the house restlessly until he was convinced his territory was safe. 

But he shouldn’t be feeling like that now. His rut wasn’t due until the winter. You wondered if your heat suppressants were throwing him off, making him restless and confused. You knew how strongly alphas responded to scent changes, especially in their partners. 

“Sweetheart, we’re okay.” You offered him a reassuring smile, motioning for him again. “Come back to bed.” 

Jey shook his head, now beginning to move around the room in agitation. “No. No, I gotta keep you safe.” 

He quickly moved to the window, checking each lock with a worried expression. You stood and reached out to him, a soft hand resting on his arm.  

“Baby, it’s alright.” You murmured. You let out a subvocal purr, an instinctual urge to soothe the restless alpha. “We’re safe. It’s okay.” 

Jey was quick to snatch you up, picking you up with ease and carrying you back to bed before you could argue. 

“Stay.” He growled, his eyes much darker than usual. You stared at him in confusion, even as your body instinctively relaxed at his dominant words, the urge to obey him overwhelming. 

“Jey.” You pleaded, though he wasn’t paying any attention to you. He continued to check the room, eventually leaving to no doubt check the rest of the house as well. 

You curled up deeper into your nest while you waited for him. Why was he so protective tonight? Your hand came up to trace the bites on your neck. His unusual roughness, combined with the uptick in his protectiveness, were usually signs of his pre-rut. But how was that possible? Jey’s ruts had been consistent since he first presented as a teenager. They’d never changed, no matter how much stress he was under. While it wasn’t impossible for alphas to have multiple ruts a year, Jey never had before. 

Perhaps it really was your heat suppressants causing all this. The thick booklet the doctor had given you detailing the side effects of the drug discussed the effect the suppressants had on scent. And alphas weren’t exactly known for dealing with scent changes well, especially in their mates. 

But we’re not mated. You told yourself. Although the mingled scents of your nest told a different story. 

Eventually Jey returned, still rubbing his hands together anxiously as he paced the room. You sat up to look at him, beginning to purr again in an effort to soothe him. 

“Jey, sweetheart, please come back to bed.” 

Jey didn’t seem convinced, doubling back to the bedroom door to make sure it was locked again. 

You sighed. You’d have to get creative if you wanted him to join you. 

“I’m so lonely without you, baby,” You whined, laying it on a bit thicker than usual. You offered him your best bedroom eyes. “I need you. Please, Daddy. Come to bed.” 

Jey was on top of you so quickly that you couldn’t help but laugh. 

*****

You were sore the next morning. 

Jey had fucked you through most of the night, that possessive look in his eyes never fading no matter how many times he came inside you. If Jey’s biology hadn’t been so consistent throughout his life, you would have been convinced it was his pre-rut. 

You were grateful when he woke up the next morning back to his old self again. He was all smiles and jokes as he kissed you awake, his body relaxed as he held you close. And when you left the nest to make him breakfast, he had no objections, merely following you to the kitchen to keep you company as you scrambled some eggs. 

He looked so good this morning, his sweatpants slung low on his hips and his chest bare as he leaned against the kitchen island. His mullet was still messy from sleep, his tattoos glistening in the morning light that slanted through the windows. If you weren’t so sore from last night, you’d probably ask him to fuck him right here on the kitchen counter. Instead, you asked him, “Are you feeling okay this morning? You seemed…different last night.” 

Jey raised an eyebrow. “What kind of different?” 

You rolled your eyes, motioning to the bruises on your neck. “Don’t you feel like this was a bit much?” 

Jey seemed apologetic. He shuffled to your side, pressing a kiss to a particularly nasty bruise he’d left beneath your jaw. “I told you I was sorry.” He mumbled, wrapping his arms around your waist again to pull you close. “I ain’t mean to take it that far.” 

You sighed. “I know, baby. I’m not mad. I’m just worried about you.” 

“Why?” Jey’s tone was defensive, his body tensing behind you. “Ain’t nothing wrong with me.” 

You didn’t want to argue with him, but you also didn’t want him going to work if he was about to go into a rut. You turned around to stare at him. “You don’t think maybe these are all signs?” 

“For a pre-rut?” Jey scowled. “It can’t be. I already had mine this year.” 

“I know, but-”

“You worrying for no reason.” Jey interrupted, keeping his long arms wrapped around your waist. “I told you I’m fine. So, I wanna check my house and keep my girl safe? That a bad thing?” 

“No, but-”

“Then don’t worry.” Jey pressed a reassuring kiss to your cheek. “Please. I don’t like seeing you get worked up.” 

You frowned, but you didn’t argue with him. Maybe he was right. If he really was in his pre-rut, you doubt he would have let you leave the nest at all this morning, let alone come into the kitchen to cook for him. Still, you couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He still seemed on edge, his words a little too defensive to have you convinced that he was fine. 

But then Jey smiled at you, his face so open and happy that you couldn’t help but smile back. No, you were wrong. Jey was fine. You were worrying for nothing. He was fine. Everything was fine. 

*****

When you arrived at the arena that afternoon, you gave Jey a quick hug, already preparing to part ways. You both had responsibilities tonight. 

“I’ll see you after the show, baby,” you murmured, standing on your tiptoes to peck a quick kiss to his lips. “Good luck in your match tonight.” 

You moved away, as if to leave, but Jey was quick to grab your wrists, pulling you back into his chest. 

“Jey.” You complained, trying to wiggle from his grasp. “You gotta go see your trainers.” 

Jey’s hand was quick to grab your jaw, forcing your face up to look at him. You immediately stilled. 

“You’ll be waiting for me?” he asked, his tone urgent. “After my match?” 

You gave him a strange look. “Of course, baby. Don’t I always?” 

“You won’t leave.” It sounded more like a command than a question. His eyes seemed darker than usual and you noticed that his hand on your face felt hot to the touch. “You won’t leave the arena.” 

“Why would I leave? Won’t you need a ride home?” You tried to chuckle but Jey didn’t even crack a smile, his hand on your jaw tightening. 

“You’ll stay here and wait for me.” There was an edge behind his words, his pupils blown wide as he stared at you. “You won’t go anywhere. And when the show’s over, we’ll go home.” 

You let out a small whimper at the punishing grip he kept on your jaw and Jey blinked, seemingly unaware of how tightly he was holding you. He quickly released your face, shaking his head in confusion. 

“Sorry, I-” He seemed uncertain, wiping some new beads of sweat that were forming on his brow. “I just felt a little weird there for a second.” 

You couldn’t help but purr, an instinctive reaction at the sight of his distress, and Jey immediately relaxed at the sound. It was something omegas did to soothe their alphas and you were grateful that Jey reacted so well to it. He dropped his head onto your shoulder, allowing you to pet his hair in reassurance. You could practically feel the heat radiating off him. 

“Jey,” You couldn’t keep the worried tone out of your voice. “I think we should-”

“Jey! There you are!” One of his trainers had found the two of you in the parking lot. He looked breathless, as if he’d been running to look for him. “We got a lot of shit to cover tonight. Let’s go, come on.” 

Jey immediately straightened, pulling away from you. He passed a hand over his face and you could tell he was trying to pull himself together. “Yeah, yeah. You got it, uce.” 

Jey looked back at you, his gaze apologetic. “Sorry, honey.” He murmured. “I’ll see you after the show.” 

You frowned. “Jey, I don’t think it’s-”

“Hunter’s been looking for you, Jey.” The trainer interrupted, motioning to him with urgency. “Come on, we need to go. Like now.” 

Jey quickly followed, casting one final look over his shoulder at you before retreating. You nervously watched him leave. Should you follow him? It was clear something was off. 

Your phone vibrated and you groaned when you saw the missed messages. Your coworkers were already looking for you, no doubt eager to begin prepping for the show. You quickly responded that you were on your way, forcing your anxieties down. Jey was a grown man. He knew his body better than anyone. If he felt he could get through his match tonight, you trusted him. 

You had no other choice. 

*****

“Hey, sis.” Jimmy’s smile was wide, pulling you into a tight hug in greeting. “Where you been all night?” 

You returned his hug with a laugh. “I’m working now, remember? Gotta go where they tell me.” 

“True, true.” Jimmy chuckled, pulling away from the hug to smile at you. He was dressed casual tonight, wearing his usual hoodie and black joggers, his gold chain glittering in the light. Although he was normally on SmackDown, he still came to Monday Night Raw whenever he could to see the two of you. You knew he couldn’t go too long without seeing his twin. 

“Hopefully they ain’t working you too hard.” Jimmy teased, giving you a gentle nudge with his elbow. “I know how Hunter can get.” 

You shook your head. “Nah. I like it. And getting to come to work with Jey has been nice too.” 

“Yeah.” Jimmy’s smile dropped at the mention of his brother’s name, his face suddenly worried. “That’s actually what I was hoping to talk to you about.” 

“What? About Jey?” 

“Mm hm.” Jimmy moved closer to you, lowering his voice so others couldn’t overhear. “I saw him earlier tonight. What’s going on with him? He seems off.” 

You swallowed. Was it that obvious? Or was it just because it was his twin? You knew the two had a special bond. 

Jimmy seemed to notice the conflict on your face. “Is he sick or something? He just seemed weird to me when we talked earlier.” 

“I don’t know.” You admitted, fidgeting uncomfortably under Jimmy’s worried gaze. “He kept saying he was fine. But he was acting weird last night too.” 

“What kind of weird?” 

You shifted uneasily and Jimmy caught sight of the bruises you’d been hiding beneath your hoodie, his eyes narrowing at the sight. 

“He do that to you?” 

You didn’t answer and Jimmy gave a concerned look.  

“That’s ain’t like him. Unless he’s in his pre-rut.” Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Is he?” 

You sighed. “I don’t know. I thought so at first. He got so protective last night, like he normally does before his ruts. Then with how long he kept me up…” You didn’t finish the sentence, suddenly very aware that you were still in public. “But he let me out of the house today, Jim. He wouldn’t do that if it was that time of year. And he’s already had his rut back in February, so it can’t be. Can it?” 

Jimmy seemed uncertain, rubbing his neck in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “He ain’t ever had more than one a year before, but it’s not impossible. He’s been under a lot of stress at work.” 

You stared up at him, your own gaze just as nervous. “What should we do? You know he won’t leave. He’s got that match with Gunther tonight.” 

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Jimmy pulled out his phone. “Look, I gotta cut this promo, then I’ll meet you in Gorilla. You’re gonna be there to watch his match, right?” 

You nodded. 

“Once I finish this, I’ll come join you. Then if some shit goes down, I can be there.” He placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder, his gaze at you kind. “Don’t worry, sis. You know I ain’t gonna leave him hanging. He’s my brother. I got his back. And yours.” 

You offered him a small smile, but it must have looked weak because Jimmy quickly pulled you into a hug. You allowed yourself to relax into it, knowing that he was trying to ease some of your fears. You knew Jimmy wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you. Or his brother. The Bloodline operated like a pack and although you weren’t officially Jey’s mate, they knew you were his chosen. That made you one of them, which meant that Jimmy was responsible for you, just as he was for any other omega who joined his pack. 

“It’ll be alright,” he murmured, nosing behind your ear to scent mark you in reassurance. You relaxed even more at his smell. It wasn’t quite the same as Jey’s, but it was close enough to calm you. “Just hang in there. I’ll meet you in Gorilla.” 

You nodded, forcing yourself to take a deep breath as Jimmy squeezed your shoulder and walked away. 

You needed to keep it together. This wasn’t the time to succumb to your instincts, no matter how badly the omega inside you wanted to drop everything and seek Jey out. The mere idea of your alpha in distress had your heart racing, your hormones going haywire at the thought. 

When you arrived to Gorilla Position, you tried not to fidget, offering a polite smile to everyone who greeted you. You were glad when Jimmy finally arrived. 

“Hey.” Jimmy’s hand was on your shoulder again and your body instinctively leaned into his touch. “You okay?” 

You forced yourself to nod, though you knew it didn’t look convincing. Your instincts were beginning to cloud your mind, seeking out a strong alpha like Jimmy to keep you grounded in your distress. 

Thankfully, Jimmy was able to sense it. 

“It’s alright.” he soothed, nosing behind your ear again to offer you more of his scent. You wanted it to comfort you, but it didn’t. He didn’t smell right. You wanted Jey. He was your partner. Your chosen. And you couldn’t stop worrying about him. 

“I think I messed up, Jimmy.” You admitted, wringing your hands together nervously. “I knew something was wrong, but I still let him come here. I should have kept him at home. I should have seen the signs.” 

“Hey,” Jimmy’s arms were around you again, pulling you into another hug. He’d had plenty of experience with Naomi to know when an omega was beginning to spiral. He kept his arms tight around you, your body instinctively relaxing in his hold. “We don’t know for sure what’s going on. But whatever it is, we know that Jey can handle it. And we’ll be here for him the whole time, right?” 

You nodded into his hoodie, forcing yourself to control your breathing. You knew that your hormones were fueling your anxiety, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. Just the knowledge that your alpha might be in any kind of pain or trouble was triggering this, you knew, but you had to resist it the best that you could. 

A few people around you began to murmur and realized that Gunther was making his way through Gorilla, ready to be in position for his entrance. You watched as his nostrils flared, his eyes turning to meet yours once he caught wind of your scent. 

You didn’t miss the protective way Jimmy’s arm wrapped around you, his hackles immediately raised as the Ring General approached. 

“You must be Jey Uso’s mate.” Gunther said, stepping forward until he was in your personal space. You huddled closer to Jimmy on instinct, feeling safer in the arms of an alpha you trusted. “I can smell him on you. Him and his pack.” 

He met Jimmy’s burning gaze and grinned when the older twin curled his lip in anger. 

“You smell distressed, little one.” Gunther mused, his gaze down at you curious. “Worried about what I will do to your mate tonight?” 

“You better watch yo’ mouth, uce.” Jimmy snarled, the scent of his anger bleeding into the air around you. “Or else you won’t even make it out to the ring.” 

Gunther seemed amused by the threat, offering Jimmy a smirk as he towered over you. You noticed that he was staring at you intently, his eyebrows raised when he finally caught sight of your neck.  

“Well, well. I spoke too soon. No mating bite, I see. So, Jey is not truly your mate then, is he?” Gunther’s words were mocking, seemingly delighted by this revelation. “A shame he hasn’t officially claimed you, little one. Though I can’t say I’m surprised. Lesser alphas certainly aren’t as eager to stake their claim, are they?” 

Jimmy took a step forward, his eyes blazing with anger, before one of the PAs intervened. 

“Thirty seconds.” He informed Gunther, his eyes flickering between the two alphas. “You’d better take your position.” 

The Ring General smirked, casting Jimmy one final look. “After I finish Jey tonight, you can tell your pack leader, Roman, to come find me. I wouldn’t mind a real challenge for a change.” 

Gunther’s eyes swept over you one last time before he finally retreated, exiting Gorilla to make his way to the ring. You tried to swallow back some of the bile that had risen to your throat. Gunther’s smell had left a nasty taste in your mouth, his oppressive scent causing you to feel even more edge than before. 

“I hate that fucker.” Jimmy muttered. He turned his gaze back to you, his expression softening. “You alright?” 

You nodded, subconsciously reaching up a hand to touch the unclaimed part of your neck. You couldn’t deny that some of Gunther’s words had stung. He’d seemed far too amused to learn that Jey hadn’t officially mated you yet, his gaze at you almost triumphant, as if you had proven something that he’d known all along. 

“Hey, don’t worry about him.” Jimmy said, his arm still wrapped around you to keep you close. “He just trying to get in your head. It’s a game to him. That’s all.” 

You nodded again, leaning against his strong chest in an effort to calm your rattled nerves. You watched on the nearest TV as Gunther entered the ring, his expression cold as he stared down the throngs of booing fans. You didn’t miss the way his gaze flickered around him, no doubt searching for where Jey might enter from. 

Thankfully, Jey didn’t keep him waiting long. 

His music hit and the fans erupted into cheers, the ground beneath your feet shaking from the roar of the crowd. The camera found Jey amongst the audience and you couldn’t help but notice that he’d forgone his usual bright colors to wear all black, as if he were going to a funeral. He didn’t seem interested in reveling with the audience tonight, his face serious as he made his way down to the ring. 

“He doesn’t seem like himself.” You murmured. 

“He’s okay.” Jimmy was quick to reassure you, rubbing your arm in an attempt to comfort you. “It’s all part of the show.” 

Was it? 

The bell rang and Jey wasted no time, immediately charging Gunther and backing him into the corner, much to Gunther’s amusement. They exchanged a few words, but the microphone didn’t pick it up, the referee already pulling Jey back to give Gunther space to get out of the corner. 

As the match continued, it was clear that Jey was agitated, not even bothering to acknowledge his adoring fans like he usually did, his eyes entirely focused on his opponent. You couldn’t help but notice that his body seemed stiff, his movements jerky as he attempted to keep up with Gunther’s punishing pace. 

At one point, Gunther gave him a particularly brutal chop and you watched as Jey stumbled, his face twisted into a grimace.

“Come on, uce.” You heard Jimmy mutter, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the TV screen. “Don’t let him in your head.” 

Gunther seemed determined to try. You watched as he grappled with Jey in the middle of the ring, chuckling something in his ear that the camera couldn’t pick up. Jey’s eyes burned in anger, shoving Gunther away to offer a superkick to his chin. 

The crowd roared their approval, Gunther dazed as he stumbled into the ropes. But it was only momentary. When Jey tried to come at him again, Gunther was too quick, already grabbing Jey by the arm and slinging him into the turnbuckle. You watched in horror as Jey crumpled, his face a mask of pain. 

You began wringing your hands together in nervousness, your body thrumming with anxiety as you watched Jey struggle back to his feet. 

“It’s a shame I don’t have any worthy opponents for tonight,” You heard Gunther say, his expression smug as he kicked Jey in the stomach, forcing him back to his knees. “I was hoping for more of a challenge, Jey. You disappoint me.” 

He grabbed Jey by the hair, forcing the smaller alpha to look up at him. “You’re not even the strongest in your pack. They could have at least given me the other twin. That would have been less of an insult.” 

You realized that Jey’s mouth was bleeding, his lip split from where it had collided with the turnbuckle. You watched in horror as Gunther quickly hauled Jey to his feet, his smile sadistic as he held him up by the hair. “Your pack leader is the only one I see fit to challenge me. But he’s not here to protect you anymore, is he, Jey?” 

Before you realized what was happening, Gunther had maneuvered Jey’s body in front of him, picking him up with ease and slamming down onto the mat in a brutal powerbomb. Jey groaned in pain, his eyelids fluttering as he struggled to crawl away. 

Gunther laughed, continuing to spit insults even as Jey grabbed at the ropes in an attempt to pull himself up. His trash talk was difficult to hear over the boos from the crowd, but you still managed to catch one word: omega. 

Your blood ran cold. You watched as Jey froze, still on his knees with his head turned away from the camera. His chest was heaving, his knuckles blanched from how hard he was gripping the ropes. Gunther didn’t seem to notice, still taunting him with a self-satisfied grin on his face. 

You could feel Jimmy tense beside you, clearly understanding, just as you were, that Gunther had said something very wrong. 

You weren’t exactly sure what happened next. One minute Jey was kneeling near the ropes, his head bowed and his body tense. The next minute he was exploding from the mat, attacking Gunther with such ferocity that even the crowd was stunned. 

Gunther landed on his back with a loud thud. Jey was quickly on top of him, landing blow after blow to his face. His expression was murderous, his teeth bared like an animal. And when the camera zoomed in, you could see that his pupils had swallowed the soft brown of his irises, his eyes wild as he continued to pummel Gunther with his fists. 

You clutched Jimmy’s arm in fear. You wanted to speak but you couldn’t, realizing with horror that Gunther’s taunting, likely about you, had finally triggered Jey’s rut. 

Jimmy quickly pulled away, approaching Hunter and the other producers from where they sat behind the desk. 

“Cut the match!” You heard him demand, his tone now laced with panic. He didn’t want the world to see his brother in such a vulnerable state. “He can’t continue! Rule it a DQ, now!” 

You could hear Jimmy and Hunter arguing, but you weren't able to turn around to look at them. Your eyes were glued to the screen, watching with horror as Gunther put his hands up in an attempt to push Jey off him. Gunther was stronger, but Jey was meaner. He was quick to shove Gunther’s hands away, landing a particularly nasty strike to his nose that caused blood to spray across the mat. 

You realized that Gunther’s shoulder wasn’t entirely off the mat, leaving the referee with no choice but to try to pull Jey off of him. Jey snarled, the sound so loud and animalistic, even through the camera, that the hair on the back of your neck stood up. The referee quickly backed away, beginning the five count. 

The crowd was going wild. Michael and Pat’s commentary was almost impossible to hear over the commotion, though you could imagine that they were scrambling to find some kind of explanation for Jey’s irrational behavior. 

The referee reached the five count and the bell rang, effectively ending the match, but Jey still refused to move, continuing to bludgeon Gunther’s face with angry, hard-hitting punches. 

You heard Hunter shouting for security, all the producers around him all rapidly talking over their headsets. You jumped when Jimmy grabbed you by the arm. “You need to leave.” He told you, his tone urgent. 

“What?” 

“He can’t find you here.” Jimmy insisted, his eyes flickering to the screen as more referees got involved, still trying to pull Jey off of Gunther. “He’ll jump you right here in front of everyone and we won’t be able to move you. You gotta get further backstage.” 

You were nodding in agreement, though your mind was racing. Where would you go? Backstage was crawling with staff and talent. 

“Gimme your hoodie.” Jimmy demanded. You hesitantly allowed him to pull it over your head, staring at him in confusion. 

“He won’t leave Gunther alone.” Jimmy pointed to the TV. You could see that security had finally entered the ring, trying their best to pull the feral alpha away from Gunther. Gunther had stopped fighting back a long time ago, now lying motionless on the mat, his face bloody.

“Your smell is the only way we can get him out of the ring. But once he gets your scent he’ll come back here looking for you.” He quickly pushed you towards the exit, motioning for you to leave. “Go. I’ll take care of everything else. It’ll be alright.” 

You hesitated, unable to tear your gaze away from the screen. Jey’s face was hardly recognizable, his eyes wild. His teeth were bared as he tried to fight security, still bloodstained from his earlier collision with the turnbuckle. 

“Go!” Jimmy pushed you again. “Unless you want this to happen right here in front of everyone.” 

You didn’t, so you quickly obeyed, retreating further backstage as fast as your feet could carry you. 

You ignored the concerned looks from your coworkers, a few of the wrestlers watching you with curious expressions. Most of them knew who you were, of course, and could probably infer what had happened in the ring tonight. You could hear various snippets from conversations as you walked past. 

Did you see…Had to be a rut, right? 

Damn, this hasn’t happened since Orton back in ‘09. 

I never thought Jey would be the one to snap. I always thought it’d be Jimmy. 

Come on, you know he can’t control it. 

You think Hunter will give him a fine? 

He tore Gunther up. So much for a match at Mania. 

Isn’t that Jey’s mate? Guess he’ll be looking for her. 

You tried to ignore them, your heart pounding in your chest as you made your way back to the staff locker room. You shakily pulled out your phone, trying to remember how long you’d been on the heat suppressants. Had it been a full week yet? They weren’t truly effective until you’d been on them for a full seven days. There was still a chance Jey could trigger your heat. Which meant there was still a chance he could get you pregnant. 

You needed to get to your bag. You always carried an emergency heat contraceptive, just in case. 

You heard a loud commotion behind you, the sound of Jey ripping apart the backstage echoing down the hallway. You could hear shouting, no doubt security trying to contain him. You realized that your scent was likely faint; Jey had just mentioned last night how it was beginning to fade. Perhaps that would give you more time. 

You cursed yourself for getting into this situation in the first place. The signs had been obvious: his roughness with you, his obsession with keeping you safe, keeping you up all night with seemingly unlimited stamina. You never should have let him leave the house. Now you were stuck in a random arena, nowhere near your comfortable nest at home, with a feral alpha on the hunt for you. You were beginning to realize that wherever Jey found you, that’s where you would stay until his rut was over. And his ruts usually lasted two, maybe three days. 

By the time you reached the staff locker room, your hands were shaking. You quickly shut the door behind you, grateful that the room was empty. You ran to your bag to search for the small syringe, the commotion from Jey’s pursuit growing louder and louder from outside the door. You heard what sounded like a table being thrown, Jimmy’s voice becoming clearer as he tried to calm his brother down. 

Your hands were shaking so much that you dropped your bag, the contents spilling across the floor. 

“Shit!” You fell to your knees, scrambling to find the contraceptive. Surely you hadn’t forgotten it? You could still hear the chaos of Jey’s search for you echoing down the hallway. He’d tear this entire arena apart if he didn’t find you soon. 

You finally found the syringe, struggling to open the safety seal as Jey’s snarls grew louder. He was getting close. You didn’t have much time left. 

By the time you jabbed the needle into your side, Jey had made it to the door. 

You weren’t entirely prepared to see him like this. He seemed larger than life as he stood in the doorway, his nostrils flaring as he followed your scent. His lip was curled into a menacing snarl, his lip still split and his teeth bloody. And when his eyes landed on you, you could see his eyes grow darker, zeroing in on his prey. 

You saw Jimmy standing behind him in the doorway, catching sight of the syringe in your hand. 

“Oh, thank god.” Jimmy sighed in relief, and that’s when Jey moved.

He crossed the room impossibly fast, colliding into you with such a force that you both fell back onto the floor. 

“Jey…” His name came out breathless, your heart thrumming like a frightened rabbit beneath his rough hands. His usual scent was much sweeter now, a side effect of his rut, and you felt dizzy with it. His heightened scent, combined with the feeling of him on top of you, had wetness rapidly forming between your legs. 

Jey’s eyes widened, his nostrils flaring as the smell of your arousal bled into the air around you. He let out a low snarl, ripping away your shirt and pants and flipping you onto your stomach with ease. You gasped, your body shivering in anticipation as he started pushing his cock inside you. 

You knew his mind was entirely focused on one thing: to breed. He wasn’t here to make you feel good. He was here to claim you, to take you and make you his. To fill you up with his seed and give you a litter of his pups. A low fog was beginning to settle over your mind at the thought, your back instinctively arching as Jey finally bottomed out. 

You let out a moan as his massive length split you open. Jey growled again, his teeth digging into the back of your neck possessively as he began fucking into you. Pleasure was already beginning to unfurl from your core. Although he hadn’t prepped you beforehand, your body was taking him with ease, as if you were made for him. You could feel his knot beginning to form, your hole getting wetter and wetter to accommodate it. 

Jey’s teeth dug deeper into your neck. His entire body was still shaking with adrenaline, but it didn’t slow him down. Instead, he fucked into you with the desperation only a rut could bring, his bloody hands gripping your hips as he continued to brutally thrust into you. 

You arched your back even further at the feeling, soft pants of breath falling from your open mouth. You could already feel your first orgasm approaching even as his knot grew bigger, putting pressure on your insides. 

“Jey.” You gasped, gushing around his cock without warning. You hadn’t expected to finish so quickly, your body shaking like a leaf beneath him. Jey let out a pleased sound, his knot reaching its full size inside of you when he finally came. His hips stilled. You could feel his throbbing cock pump you full, the knot keeping you tied together. 

For the first time since Jey arrived, the room was quiet. You let out a shaky breath, resting your forehead against the floor. You were grateful the staff locker room had been empty. You had no doubt that Jey would have fucked you on the floor in front of everyone had you not made it here in time. While it wasn’t ideal, you had no choice now. Jey had claimed you here, so here is where you would stay until his rut ended. Jey could only act on instinct now, his biology completely hijacking his body and mind until it was satisfied. 

Jey finally released his teeth from the scruff of your neck, softly licking at the skin he had torn in a wordless apology. You felt your body relax, even as your spasming hole continued to milk his cock as he stayed ball-deep inside of you. 

You were glad your heat hadn’t been triggered yet. It would likely only prolong his rut and would leave you at the mercy of your own biology. The omega inside you was already unhappy with being away from your nest, feeling exposed and unsafe in this unfamiliar room. You couldn’t help but whimper and Jey was quick to check on you, leaning over you to nose at your cheek affectionately. 

“Sis?” Jimmy’s voice had Jey growling again, his grip on your body tightening. “I need a sign of life, girl.” 

You struggled to look over your shoulder, catching sight of Jimmy standing in the doorway. He looked worried, meeting your gaze with a concerned expression. 

“You good?” 

You could only nod, Jey whipping around to snarl loudly at his twin for the intrusion. He was vulnerable right now, his knot still keeping the two of you tethered. If Jimmy got too close, brotherly bonds wouldn’t matter. Jey would guard his territory, his instincts compelling him to challenge any alpha that got too close to his chosen omega. 

“Alright, just hang in there. Trin’s on her way with supplies. We’re here for you, okay?” 

You nodded again, unable to speak as Jey’s knot continued to pulse inside you. Jey was quick to lean over you, caging you in possessively until Jimmy finally retreated and closed the door behind him. 

It took some time for Jey to finally relax, his eyes still darting to the door as if he expected another intrusion. Eventually his knot went down and you were able to pull apart, some of his come dribbling onto the floor below. You whimpered at the feeling and Jey was once again nosing at your cheek again, seemingly triggered by any sign of distress from you. 

There was a couch on the other side of the room. It would feel a lot more comfortable than the floor, but when you made an effort to move in that direction Jey was quick to grab you, flipping you onto your back to keep you close. 

His pupils were still blown wide, the blood from his split lip finally drying. You couldn’t be sure what he was thinking about as he gazed at you. He didn’t look like your Jey. Not right now. This Jey wasn’t quite human, his instincts making it difficult for him to form a coherent thought. 

He furrowed his brow, his expression almost distressed, and you couldn’t help but reach up a hand to cup his cheek in reassurance. 

“It’s alright.” You soothed. You couldn’t be sure what was upsetting him and you knew he didn’t have the capacity to speak right now. “We’re okay. I’m here, baby.” 

Jey frowned, reaching out a hand to touch your face. His knuckles were bruises, the skin bloody from his vicious attack on Gunther. You watched as his brow furrowed deeper, trying to focus enough to speak. 

“Mine.” He rasped, his voice an octave deeper than usual. “Mine.” 

You couldn’t help but smile at him. Normally he wasn’t cognizant enough to speak, but you were pleased to hear him try. You reached up to pet his soft curls, watching with fondness as his eyelids fluttered at your touch.  

“Yours.” You agreed.

Jey leaned down to kiss your neck and you let out a contented sigh, reaching your arms around him to keep him close. He nuzzled into your hair, his hands now gentle as he caressed your skin. Even when he was in his rut, acting on his most animalistic urges, Jey was still impossibly sweet. His instincts were to protect you. To keep you safe and happy. To love you. 

Your heart swelled at the thought, suddenly filled with the stupid desire to bare your neck to him and allow him to mate you. Jey seemed to sense the shift, his teeth grazing across the mating mark on your neck. His instincts wouldn’t allow him to bite there unless you allowed it, but it didn’t stop him from nuzzling into it, almost a silent plea for you to finally let him claim you. 

But it wouldn’t be right. You wanted the moment to be special. You wanted Jey to be fully cognizant and aware of what was going on, fully able to understand the significance of it. It wouldn’t be fair to do it now - not while he was in the middle of his rut and barely coherent. Barely human. 

You could feel his cock twitching against the inside of your thigh, already gearing up for another round, and you couldn’t help but shudder at the sensation. That seemed to spur Jey into action.

He finally released your neck, leaning back up to push his rapidly hardening length back into you. He let out a low moan as he sank into the tight, wet warmth between your legs and you couldn’t help but writhe in pleasure, struggling to keep your eyes open as he bottomed out. God, he felt so big. You were grateful the two of you fucked enough for you to be used to this. Otherwise this wouldn’t be nearly as pleasurable as it felt now. 

You let out a whine as his grip on you tightened, now beginning to hammer into you at full force. You scrabbled for purchase against his tattooed chest, his eyes dark as he stared down at you. He looked devastatingly beautiful like this, his bronze skin glistening with sweat and his brow furrowed in concentration as he fucked into you. Although you struggled to keep your eyes open, you didn’t want to look away. 

You let out a gasp when he suddenly leaned down to bite near your collarbone, his instincts driving him to mark you as his in every way possible. You spread your legs wider to grant him better access and Jey yanked you closer, his possessive mouth already seeking out more of your skin to bite. 

His sharp canines ghosted across your mating mark again and a new feeling of pleasure raced through you at the feeling. It took all of your willpower to keep from baring your neck to him. It was just biology, you tried to tell yourself. Just instincts. You could fight this, no matter how strong the desire to let him mate you was.

Still, you couldn’t deny the reaction your body had at the thought. You could feel a haze beginning to settle over your mind, the idea of finally belonging to him, of finally being mated, causing your leaking hole to spasm around Jey’s cock. Jey let out a low moan in response, his body still radiating heat as he loomed over you. 

You could feel a new fog settling over your mind now, your own instincts urging you to go limp beneath your alpha’s rough hands and allow him to breed you. Jey’s pace was punishing, his hips never faltering even when he leaned up to grab at your thighs, pushing them forward to allow him better access to your swollen cunt. You felt helpless beneath him now, your brain beginning to shut down in favor of being good for him. 

Jey seemed to sense the change, letting out a happy sound as he pushed you into a full mating press, his entire body weight pinning you to the floor. A wave of ecstasy washed over you, your mind now solely focused on him. 

“Jey.” You pleaded, unable to tear your gaze away from his dark eyes. 

They were the last thing you remembered before finally going under. 

*****

Looking back, you could only remember bits and pieces of what happened after Jey triggered your heat. 

You remembered Jey’s hands on your face, cradling you close to him as he continued to fuck into you. You remembered him wringing every ounce of pleasure from your body, giving you orgasm after orgasm until you were certain you couldn’t take anymore. You remembered Trinity entering the room, cooing soothing words that you couldn’t understand as she tried to get the two of you to drink some water. You remembered the sudden feeling of blankets and pillows around you, the air now smelling of your nest at home. You remembered Jey curling his body around yours, keeping you close to him as you both rested in between rounds. 

When you finally emerged from your heat two days later, you were greeted to the sight of Jey’s sparkling brown eyes. 

“Baby?” Jey’s voice was warm, his hands soft as he caressed your bruised skin. “You good?” 

It took you some time to realize that you were still in the staff locker room, the two of you huddled together on the couch beneath a blanket that smelled like home. Jey had his arms around you, pressing a gentle kiss to your temple as you struggled to return to reality. 

Your brain was foggy, but you were acutely aware that every muscle in your body ached. Jesus, you couldn’t remember the last time you’d felt this sore. You reached up your arm in an effort to stretch it and let out a low moan of pain for your trouble. 

“It’s alright,” Jey soothed, quickly reaching out to massage the sore muscles of your arm. “It’s okay, baby. Just relax for me.” 

You obeyed, leaning against his strong chest as he continued to massage you, his beard tickling your neck he pressed another kiss to your jaw. 

“My sweet girl,” he praised, pulling you close so he could press his nose into your hair. “You did so good for me, sweetheart. Such a good girl. I love you so much.” 

You hummed in contentment, your eyes closing as Jey cradled you in his arms. You didn’t care that your body ached or that your skin was bruised and raw or that your lips were dry and your stomach was cramping. None of it really mattered. All that mattered was Jey’s arms were around you, his lips impossibly soft as he peppered your face with kisses. And when he smiled, his gaze at you adoring and his eyes crinkled with laughter, you knew you were going to be okay.

_____

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