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It was not often that Neuvillette saw Sigewinne looking so worried and terrified, nor was she in the habit of visiting his office unannounced during working hours. Neuvillette instantly knew something was very wrong.
Neuvillette had just stepped in front of his desk when Sigewinne ran into him, hugging his legs tightly. “Monsieur Neuvillette!!” she cried out in a voice trembling with fear.
The Iudex gently led her to sit on the couch next to him. “Sigewinne? What’s the matter?” he gently asked as he stared into her tear-filled eyes.
Sigewinne grabbed the sleeve of his judicial robes as she exclaimed; “I - His - His Grace is in danger!!”
Neuvillette’s heart stopped as he took in her words. Wriothesley was in danger? “What? How?” he asked with concern.
Sigewinne attempted to explain, but her voice was so wracked with sobs that it was impossible for the Iudex to understand her. He held her shoulders and squeezed gently.
“Please, calm down Sigewinne. I cannot understand you,” pleaded Neuvillette softly. While he seemed calm on the outside, a nervous energy vibrated inside him. He feared for Wriothesley, for he knew Sigewinne wasn’t one to exaggerate.
Something must be seriously wrong with the duke.
Sigewinne nodded and wiped her tears with trembling hands. She hiccupped and spoke with a shaking voice; “His Grace is - he is in rut, and as things stand now, if he spends it without an omega I fear it will kill him!!”
Neuvillette was shocked and confused. “In rut? But… Isn’t Wriothesley a beta? I don’t understand…” As an omega himself, Neuvillette would know. He was very sensitive to the pheromones the alphas exuded. The duke had always been almost scentless like any other beta, and even the most powerful scent suppressants couldn’t completely hide an alpha’s scent.
Sigewinne shook her head. She nervously wrung her hands together. “That’s what we all thought! It turns out he’s a late bloomer. He presented as an alpha yesterday. He came down with his very first rut. I didn’t think it was possible for an alpha to present this late, but I imagine his traumatic childhood paired with a reclusive life under the sea led to this,” said the Melusine with sadness.
Neuvillette was truly shocked by the news of Wriothesley being an alpha. He didn’t quite know what to think of this, but it wasn’t the most important thing right now. He looked at Sigewinne with worried eyes; “And how do you presume his rut will kill him if he spends it alone?”
While it was very painful for alphas and omegas to spend their respective cycles without a mate, and generally not recommended, it did not endanger them to the point of risking death.
Sigewinne went on to explain; “I’ve seen it happen before. It’s not a normal rut. It’s what we call an over-rut. Normally, an alpha can spend his rut alone without a partner because they retain some lucidity, enough to sustain their bodies to survive even if the ordeal is painful. But His Grace is not like that! He has no hint of lucidity left! All he cares about is mating an omega. These over-ruts are dangerous for many reasons. His brain has completely shut down, only his instincts are left! He’s on high alert, and the constant spike of adrenaline can damage his heart! I’m afraid he could even have a heart attack if he doesn’t soothe his instincts to mate!”
Neuvillette felt fear grip his heart. He understood Sigewinne’s panic. The solution was simple though; Wriothesley needed an omega to spend his rut with him. Was this why Sigewinne came to him…?
The head nurse sobbed anew. “I’ve found omegas who were willing to help His Grace through his rut, but… he rejected them all! He even tried to hurt them!!”
Neuvillette felt a mix of emotions then; Displeasure that Sigewinne had tried to get any random omega to mate with Wriothesley, and relief that Wriothesley rejected them all. He felt disgusted with himself for feeling this way. The duke could die because of these rejections. How awful it was for him to be relieved.
But Neuvillette knew why he felt this way. While he had trouble understanding his emotions most of the time, one thing became clear to him years ago.
He cared for Wriothesley. Deeply. Cared for him in a way that made him yearn for his presence and miss him more and more after each meeting, in a way that made him worry for the duke’s wellbeing, in a way that compelled him to ask Sigewinne to take special care of his health.
In a way that made him wish Wriothesley wouldn’t take any mate that wasn’t himself.
“And you came to me… because, as an omega, you thought I could help?” asked Neuvillette calmly, glad that his voice did not betray his trepidation at the possibility of mating with Wriothesley.
Sigewinne nodded sheepishly, and she bowed her head. “I’m so sorry, Monsieur Neuvillette! It’s unfair of me to put this on you, but I have no other choice! I don’t want His Grace to die!”
Neuvillette couldn’t bear to see Sigewinne in so much distress. He held her face and gently tilted it up. He smiled softly at his dear Melusine as he brushed away her tears.
“Do not apologize, Sigewinne. I share your concerns. But… if he rejected every omega thus far, why do you think he will not do the same to me?” asked the Iudex.
Neuvillette found it puzzling that Wriothesley would reject every omegas if his instincts were demanding for him to mate. What caused this unusual behavior? Neuvillette doubted it would be different with him.
Sigewinne bit her lip, looking hesitant to speak. When she did, her voice was meek; “Because he trusts you, and he cares deeply for you. My theory is that he might accept only an omega with whom he would normally want to mate with if he could choose for himself. The only one I could think about is you. I hope that subconsciously, he will recognize you and allow you into his den.”
Neuvillette couldn’t stop the blush from spreading across his cheeks. Warmth spread through his body. Because he trusts you, and he cares deeply for you. Was this truly what Wriothesley thought of him? Was Neuvillette really so blind that he did not see the depth of his affection?
Sigewinne continued on as Neuvillette still processed her previous words; “I know I’m asking a lot from you. You’re the Chief Justice, and a Dragon Sovereign. I shouldn’t be asking you to mate with His Grace. But-”
“I will do it,” interrupted Neuvillette as his heart hammered in his chest.
Sigewinne’s eyes widened, filled with surprise and hope. “Truly?”
Neuvillette nodded. He was still blushing as he answered quietly but confidently; “Yes. I would do anything to ensure Wriothesley’s safety. Let me quickly put my affairs in order and inform Sedene of my leave of absence, and we’ll be on our way.”
Neuvillette hoped Wriothesley would accept him. Not only because he could not fathom losing him, but also because Neuvillette selfishly wanted to be the one to mate with him.
Sigewinne threw herself at Neuvillette, hugging him tightly. “Thank you so much,” she exclaimed with relief.
Neuvillette returned her hug and whispered against her forehead; “Everything will be okay.”
He had to believe it would be.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
The two guards flanking the entrance of Wriothesley’s office looked surprised to see the Chief Justice approach them along with Sigewinne.
“Your Honor? I apologize, but His Grace is in no position to receive visitors,” said one of the two guards with unease.
Sigewinne interjected before Neuvillette could do so; “It’s alright. He’s here to help. Hopefully.”
The other guard, the female one, cleared her throat as a blush spread over her cheeks. “R - Right. Go on, then.”
Judging from her reaction, Neuvillette assumed that she was aware of the nature of Wriothesley’s predicament, and thus what kind of help Neuvillette would try to provide. The Iudex felt mortified and uneasy.
As soon as he and Sigewinne had entered Wriothesley’s office and began climbing the stairs, Neuvillette whispered; “These guards… Will they keep quiet about this whole ordeal? They know what I’m here for. If the news that I helped Wriothesley with his rut spreads…”
Sigewinne nodded resolutely. “Yes, they can be trusted. They won’t say a word, don’t worry.”
Neuvillette trusted his Melusine, so he forced himself to put these worries to rest. He had something more important to worry about, namely Wriothesley’s wellbeing.
They both stepped on the upper floor of Wriothesley’s office, which was empty. Sigewinne pointed to a door that blended easily with the wall, with a bookshelf tucked right next to it.
“His Grace is in his private quarters, just past this door.”
“Indeed. I can smell him,” said Neuvillette.
Wriothesley’s pheromones were so powerful that they suffused the air in his office. Neuvillette felt his body react to the strong, dominating smell of an alpha in rut. Usually these pheromones almost made him gag, but not Wriothesley’s. He smelled so good; Like tea, leather and bergamot. To his embarrassment, Neuvillette could already feel the warmth pooling in his belly and the slick dampening his underwear.
Neuvillette had never helped an alpha in rut. He knew what he should expect, but knowing and experiencing it would be two totally different things. The Iudex swallowed his nervousness and began to disrobe, getting rid of every accessory and layer of clothing apart from his pants and poet’s shirt. In the instance that Wriothesley would accept him, Neuvillette anticipated for him to be rough and aggressive. He would prefer to keep most of his clothes intact.
Neuvillette deposited everything on Wriothesley’s couch. “I will leave these here. If I don’t come out soon, you can assume that Wriothesley has accepted me and I’ll take care of him for the duration of his rut.”
Sigewinne nodded and smiled weakly at Neuvillette. The latter could see that she felt guilty for roping Neuvillette into this.
“Thank you. If it works, I won’t be able to enter His Grace’s den. He will not allow anyone near you, his mate. But I will leave water and food here in the office every day, and I will make sure no one comes in here. Please take care of him and of yourself,” pleaded the head nurse.
Neuvillette gently squeezed her shoulder. “I will, don’t worry. I’ll see you later, Sigewinne,” said the Iudex with a reassuring smile.
He walked towards the door to Wriothesley’s quarters and put his hand on the handle. Neuvillette closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his nerves. He was nervous for multiple reasons; He feared Wriothesley would reject him and possibly die, but he also feared what would happen to their relationship if they did end up mating. After all, while Neuvillette consented to mate with Wriothesley, the duke did not have the same luxury.
He prayed that their relationship could be salvaged, and that Wriothesley would forgive him for this. No matter what, Wriothesley’s life was worth it in his eyes, even if the duke would hate him afterwards for taking advantage of him this way.
Neuvillette pushed the handle and entered Wriothesley’s quarters. The duke’s scent was so overpowering inside his living quarters that tears sprung to Neuvillette’s eyes and he trembled as slick gushed out of him to his embarrassment.
The Iudex’s heart raced in his chest as he closed and locked the door behind him. He heard it then. A dangerous growl coming from deeper in Wriothesley’s quarters, sounding so animalistic that he couldn’t believe it was coming from a human.
“Wriothesley?” called Neuvillette hesitantly as he took a step away from the door.
The growling suddenly stopped. Neuvillette heard footsteps approaching. When he turned his head towards the sound, he didn’t have any time to react. The duke was upon him in an instant, slamming Neuvillette’s back against the door, punching the breath out of his lungs.
Neuvillette’s eyes widened in shock as he found himself trapped between the door and a very naked Wriothesley. The duke’s forearms were pressed against the door on each side of Neuvillette’s face and he was growling menacingly at him, teeth bared a few centimeters away from his neck.
If Neuvillette wasn’t the Hydro Sovereign, he would have been afraid of the alpha caging him against the door.
Instead, Neuvillette forced himself to stay calm and sweetened his scent, gently trying to coax the alpha to calm down and recognize a potential mate. It worked to an extent, as Wriothesley’s snarling became less threatening, but his eyes stayed cloudy. It was clear he wasn’t lucid. He probably did not even realize Neuvillette was the one before him.
The Iudex slowly lifted his hands so as to not agitate the alpha further and he gently cradled his face, bringing it away from his neck. “Wriothesley, can you hear me? It’s Neuvillette,” whispered Neuvillette soothingly.
The alpha finally stopped growling and he closed his eyes, nuzzling against one of Neuvillette’s palms. The Iudex sweetened his scent even more, letting it turn syrupy and sweet as honey. Wriothesley picked up on it. He pressed his body firmly against Neuvillette and rubbed his nose against Neuvillette’s scent gland, scenting him.
Oh Sovereigns, Wriothesley is massive… Neuvillette’s mind grew agitated as he could clearly feel the duke’s impressive cock pressing against his belly, hard and leaking precum on the Iudex’s clothes. More slick gushed out of Neuvillette’s ass, his body responding to the alpha, trying to prepare itself for a good breeding. While Neuvillette usually hated being a slave to his omega instincts - especially during his heats - now he welcomed it as his instincts allowed his excitement to overthrow the apprehension he felt at taking Wriothesley’s cock.
Wriothesley growled against Neuvillette’s neck. His hands moved from the door. One of them grabbed one of the Iudex’s thighs, hiking it up against his hip, while the other grabbed one of his asscheeks, his thick fingers feeling over the damp fabric covering his weeping hole.
The new position made their hard cocks brush together, and Neuvillette moaned at the pleasurable sensation.
Wriothesley suddenly became agitated and his scent lost some of its empowering nature, growing a bit hesitant. Neuvillette didn’t know where this sudden hesitation came from. When he tilted the alpha’s face up, his eyes were still hazy, so it didn’t come from a sudden bout of lucidity. Neuvillette couldn’t let Wriothesley slip away from him. He could feel how fast his heart was beating, how tense he was; It wasn’t a state Wriothesley could sustain forever.
He needed to mate, and Neuvillette would ensure he would.
The Iudex wrapped his arms around the duke’s shoulders and buried his face in his neck to scent him in return. “It’s okay. Take me as your mate. Breed me as many times as you need. I’m here to help you,” whispered Neuvillette, making sure that his scent grew irresistible.
It had the intended effect. Wriothesley’s pheromones regained their heady nature and Neuvillette’s mouth was claimed in an hungry kiss that left his head spinning.
Wriothesley’s hands pawed at his clothes, tearing the buttons of his shirt apart in an attempt to get Neuvillette naked. The omega surrendered to his alpha, letting him plunder his mouth, and he moaned against Wriothesley’s lips. Neuvillette quickly worked his pants open with shaking hands and slipped them off before Wriothesley could destroy them.
The same couldn’t be said of his shirt and underwear. With a surprising show of strength, the alpha ripped the fabric of Neuvillette’s underwear in his haste to pull them off, and the remnants of his shirt hung at the omega’s elbows.
Neuvillette should feel self-conscious at being completely bare in front of Wriothesley for the first time, but his omega instincts were preening, overjoyed about the prospect of being soon bred by this worthy alpha. By now, the insides of Neuvillette’s thighs were completely soaked with his slick.
Wriothesley groaned as he picked up on Neuvillette’s arousal, much to the omega’s embarrassment. The alpha took his cock in hand, guiding it to rut between the Iudex’s soaked thighs. Neuvillette realized as he felt the head of the alpha’s cock come dangerously close to his entrance that Wriothesley intended to penetrate him without preparation. The alpha was deep in the haze of his rut, and all he wanted was to breed his omega. His partner’s comfort and pleasure was not even a concern for him in this state, and Neuvillette did not blame him for it.
Despite the haze of arousal slowly taking over him, Neuvillette still had enough sense to stop Wriothesley before he could attempt to take him right away. Despite the abundant amount of slick he had produced already, Neuvillette knew he needed to stretch himself. He wouldn’t be able to take Wriothesley’s cock without tearing otherwise.
“Hold on, Wriothesley. I need to prepare myself for you,” reasoned the Iudex. He gently pushed on the alpha’s shoulders in an attempt to push him away the time it would take him to prepare himself, but Wriothesley growled in warning, baring his teeth.
There really was no hint of lucidity left in Wriothesley. He wouldn’t listen to reason.
Neuvillette swallowed and he gasped as the cockhead caught on his hole, but it fortunately missed its mark.
A sudden idea formed in Neuvillette’s mind. He pushed more harshly against Wriothesley’s shoulders, finally forcing him to take a step back. Wriothesley’s deep, menacing snarl turned into a moan when Neuvillette swiftly dropped to his knees, grabbed the alpha’s cock and swallowed it as far as it could go down his throat without gagging.
Neuvillette whimpered when Wriothesley’s hand gripped his hair and forced him to take even more of his fat cock, until the tip hit the back of Neuvillette’s throat and his jaw hurt at how wide it was stretched. Tears sprung to the corners of his eyes, and he relaxed his throat as Wriothesley began to move him on his cock, moaning and groaning in pleasure above Neuvillette.
The Iudex submitted easily to his alpha’s needs. Despite the rough treatment, he enjoyed being able to bring such pleasure to his mate. He closed his eyes as he brought a hand behind him, quickly thrusting a first finger in his soaked hole to begin stretching himself.
Neuvillette’s moans were muffled around Wriothesley’s cock, and his ears burned with the obscene sound of his slick and the wet slide of his mouth over the alpha’s cock.
Neuvillette opened his eyes and looked up at Wriothesley as he inserted a second finger in his sloppy entrance, and he shivered at the lust burning in the alpha’s eyes as he gazed down at him. Wriothesley looked like he wanted to devour him, and the omega wanted to be devoured. He hoped that deep down, Wriothesley knew it was Neuvillette who was down on his knees for him, worshipping his cock, and not any random omega.
Wriothesley fucked Neuvillette’s mouth relentlessly, and his pace soon began to falter as his cock twitched, more precum seeping from the tip onto Neuvillette’s tongue. The omega realized that his alpha would come soon when his nose bumped against the inflating knot, and he quickly added a third finger inside his tight passage. He ignored the sting of pain in favor of quickly thrusting and stretching his entrance wide. He moaned in pleasure when the tip of his fingers brushed against his prostate, lighting his veins on fire.
Wriothesley tightened his grip on the back of his head and pushed him forward one last time, sinking his cock deep into his throat, stopping shy of the knot. The alpha groaned loudly, and he spilled his cum deep down Neuvillette’s throat. The omega almost choked on the warm liquid, but he managed to swallow it all down.
The satisfaction of bringing his alpha such pleasure deepened the haze of Neuvillette’s own pleasure, affected as he was by his pheromones. He wanted to be good for Wriothesley, to be the perfect mate for him.
Wriothesley pulled him off his still hard cock and up against the door like before. Neuvillette lips were captured in another heady kiss, and he moaned when Wriothesley’s tongue invaded his mouth to chase after his own taste.
While they kissed, Neuvillette felt his thigh being lifted once more, and Wriothesley’s cock found its way back between his thighs. This time, the omega did not stop him. Neuvillette wrapped his arms around his mate’s shoulders and relaxed his body as the tip of the alpha’s cock pushed against his stretched, dripping entrance.
Wriothesley broke the kiss to lick and nibble at Neuvillette’s neck just as he breached him, his fat cock bullying its way inside his pulsing walls. The omega opened his mouth in a silent cry, a mix of pain and pleasure burning in his veins as he was stretched way wider than around his three fingers. Still, his body obediently opened up to welcome the alpha’s cock, the slide made easy thanks to how much slick Neuvillette produced.
Neuvillette’s nails sank in the flesh of his mate’s shoulders, drawing blood. It only seemed to encourage Wriothesley. He groaned in pleasure and slammed the rest of his cock inside Neuvillette.
The omega had no time to try and adjust. Wriothesley’s fingers held his thigh up in a bruising grip, his other arm wrapping around the small of his back as he began a punishing pace, his cock thrusting in and out of Neuvillette’s sloppy heat at a fast pace.
The pleasure quickly overwhelmed the pain Neuvillette felt as Wriothesley’s cock brushed against his prostate every time it sank into his ass. He could do nothing but stand there and take it, trapped between Wriothesley’s burning body and the door, moaning his pleasure as he was thoroughly taken apart by the alpha’s delicious cock. His own cock was trapped between their bodies, the friction adding to the cocktail of pleasure overwhelming him.
“So - so good,” whimpered Neuvillette. He had never felt anything like this. The exhilarating feeling of being united with the man he cherished, of being able to bring him so much pleasure. Oh, how he wished Wriothesley would not be lost to his rut, that he could be conscious of their heated embrace, that he could see how easily Neuvillette unraveled under his touch, singing for more of it…
Instead, Wriothesley was groaning and moaning against Neuvillette’s neck, mindlessly seeking out his pleasure in Neuvillette’s body, aiming to breed him. Neuvillette could feel it; The knot already inflating at the base of the alpha’s cock, bumping against Neuvillette’s ass every time he savagely fucked his cock into his wet, welcoming heat.
Delirious in his pleasure, Neuvillette wanted that knot. He was so aroused that his slick dripped out of his stuffed hole with every thrust, forming an obscene puddle on the floor.
“Give me your knot, Wrio… Breed me,” moaned Neuvillette as he desperately clung to his mate’s back.
He got his wish. Wriothesley bit hard on the side of Neuvillette’s neck - thankfully missing his scent gland - and he rammed his cock hard into the omega, his knot popping inside and stretching Neuvillette’s hole wider than ever before.
Neuvillette’s cry of pain and pleasure mixed with Wriothesley’s long guttural groan of rapture as he emptied his seed into his willing omega. Neuvillette tightened around the knot and came at the blissful sensation of being knotted and bred. He squirted around Wriothesley’s cock and spent himself all over their bellies, his body shaking uncontrollably as he experienced a mind-breaking orgasm.
They rode their highs together, and Neuvillette had never felt so sated in his life. It was his first time taking an alpha’s knot, and the experience was unforgettable since it was Wriothesley knotting him, holding him so fiercely and possessively like Neuvillette was his precious treasure.
Neuvillette was still trembling after his intense orgasm when Wriothesley hiked up both of his legs around his hips and effortlessly carried him further into his den. His knot was still inflated, keeping them locked together as he walked to the bedroom.
Neuvillette was pressed against the mattress, his inner omega purring in delight as the alpha scented him, pressing his heavy frame down on him. Wriothesley’s knot soon deflated, and Neuvillette whimpered when the duke slid his still hard cock out of his loose, puffy hole.
Cum and slick came flooding out, but Neuvillette didn’t have the time to complain about wasting his mate’s seed that he was flipped on his stomach, his hips raised in the air to present himself like a good omega.
Neuvillette’s cheeks burned at the obscene position, but he didn’t protest. Wriothesley’s overpowering pheromones demanded that the omega submit, and Neuvillette eagerly surrendered his body to be bred once more. He was here for this; to satisfy every last of his alpha’s urges so he could go through this ordeal unscathed.
He didn’t have to wait long. Wriothesley gripped the Iudex’s hips in a bruising hold and he sank his cock in Neuvillette’s ass in one go, his heavy balls slapping against his asscheeks.
Their moans of rapture echoed in the room, immediately followed by the wet slaps of skin against skin as Wriothesley began fucking the omega in earnest. Moans and whimpers were punched out of Neuvillette every time Wriothesley sank home, and he met each of those brutal thrusts to try and get more . Faster, deeper.
In this position, Wriothesley reached so much deeper inside him than before, and it was driving Neuvillette wild with pleasure. He was still oversensitive from his last orgasm, so he knew he wouldn’t last long. Already, his cock was dripping precum against the sheets, his body shaking from the incredible pleasure burning through his veins and consuming him whole.
Wriothesley wrapped an arm around Neuvillette’s stomach and draped himself across his back, his sharp teeth nibbling at the unmarred skin of the omega’s nape. Neuvillette moaned and clenched tightly around his alpha’s fat cock pounding so deliciously in his warm insides.
Neuvillette’s second orgasm took him by surprise. Wriothesley’s cock battered his prostate dead on, and the omega came with a broken cry of his alpha’s name. He melted against the sheets, and whimpered helplessly as Wriothesley kept fucking into him in a frenzy, uncaring of how raw and sensitive Neuvillette’s insides felt.
The omega felt the newly formed knot bump against his loose and soaked hole, and this time it popped inside him effortlessly and painlessly. Neuvillette sighed in contentment as more cum flooded his insides, and he purred at being bred again, enveloped in his alpha’s possessive and warm embrace.
Wriothesley licked and nibbled at his nape as he rode his orgasm with short, aborted movements, and Neuvillette faintly realized that the alpha still wasn’t attempting a mating bite. It was probably better this way, since Wriothesley wasn’t conscious and might regret it later.
Neuvillette tried to ignore the unease and apprehension he felt at the thought that Wriothesley might regret bedding Neuvillette after his rut ended. However, there was no use worrying about it now, so soon into Wriothesley’s rut.
The omega whimpered quietly when as soon as his knot deflated, Wriothesley began to rock his hips again. His cock was still fully hard, still rearing to go. There was less urgency in his movements, but there was no denying that he wasn’t ready to collapse and rest any time soon.
Neuvillette was glad he wasn’t human. He didn’t know if he would survive a few days of Wriothesley’s unusual rut otherwise…
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
When Wriothesley woke up, he didn’t immediately open his eyes. He felt incredibly sluggish, and his chest felt unnaturally warm. His head was pounding with a painful headache, and upon trying to move, his muscles screamed, more sore than after his most strenuous sessions in the Pankration Ring.
He froze when he felt something moving in front of him. He snapped his eyes open in alarm, and his heart stopped at what he was seeing.
Neuvillette slept in front of him, his back pressed against Wriothesley’s chest, his long tangled hair spilling everywhere. Wriothesley was paralyzed, not even daring to breathe as he tried to make sense of why Neuvillette was in his bed, completely naked just like Wriothesley.
The Iudex moved again, mumbling in his sleep, and pleasure suddenly pooled in the duke’s belly. His eyes snapped down and he realized with horror that his cock was currently buried deep in Neuvillette’s ass.
Wriothesley panicked, confused and horrified by what he had been doing in his sleep. “What the fuck?!” he exclaimed as he quickly pushed himself away, his cock pulling free from Neuvillette’s warm, wet insides, making the latter gasp quietly. Guilt and shame filled the duke when he saw a copious amount of cum and slick escape Neuvillette’s raw, puffy entrance.
The Iudex was completely pulled awake by Wriothesley’s panicked cry and sudden movements, and he turned around to look at Wriothesley with a sleepy expression. The duke’s destructive emotions deepened when he saw the mess he had made of Neuvillette. Bite marks everywhere; On his neck, his chest, his thighs… The Iudex’s lips were bruised and kiss-bitten, and bruises shaped like hands covered his fair skin.
Wriothesley turned his gaze away, not able to look at what he did to the man he loved any longer. He sat up as his panic grew and he began hyperventilating, to the point of being nauseous. How… How could this happen?! And why didn’t he remember anything?!
He - he laid his hands on Neuvillette. He was disgusting… He was nothing but an animal and he deserved to be -
A pair of gentle hands cupped his face and slowly turned his head back until he had no choice but to gaze at Neuvillette who was now sitting close to him, just shy of their thighs touching. The Iudex wore an incredibly worried expression.
Wait, worried…? Shouldn’t Neuvillette curse him? Shouldn’t he sentence him for another twenty years in prison for defiling him?
Next thing he knew, Neuvillette pressed their foreheads together and gently shushed him. “Wriothesley, please calm down.”
Wriothesley felt bile rise in his throat and he had to fight the urge to throw up. “How can I calm down when - when you’re in my bed and I was - I was -” I was defiling you in your sleep. He couldn’t bring himself to say the words.
Neuvillette shushed him again. One of his hands slid back to tenderly caress his hair. His lilac eyes were gentle as he whispered; “Do you remember what happened? How you presented as an alpha and went through your very first rut?”
What? An alpha? But… That was impossible. He was a beta, always had been. What was he talking about? Try as he might to remember, his mind came up blank. The last thing the duke remembered was feeling increasingly ill one morning, to the point where he had collapsed in bed after calling for Sigewinne.
And now he woke up with his cock inside the Chief Justice, and being told that he defiled him during a rut after presenting as an alpha?!
It was just too much for Wriothesley. His breathing grew faster, and his body shook uncontrollably. “I - I can’t remember. I don’t…”
Neuvillette shushed him again, continuing to gently caress through his hair, trying to calm him down. Wriothesley didn’t think he deserved that, not after what he did to Neuvillette.
His nose suddenly picked up on a sweet, unknown scent that slowly turned soothing, and Wriothesley briefly wondered if it was Neuvillette’s omega scent.
“You need to calm down. This is not good for your heart. Stay here. I’ll make you some calming tea and we’ll talk. Alright?” proposed Neuvillette, worry swirling in his eyes.
“O - okay,” agreed Wriothesley weakly.
Neuvillette smiled gently at him, and his touch left the duke as he pulled away. Wriothesley fought the urge to yank him back, knowing he didn’t deserve to touch him. He had to avert his eyes when Neuvillette left the bed and stood completely naked, not bothering to hide his nudity.
“Apologies. May I borrow your shirt so I may cover up?” asked Neuvillette, seemingly having seen how Wriothesley avoided looking at him.
“Yeah, go ahead.” Following his words, the duke heard Neuvillette pick up something from the floor - his discarded shirt from before this whole mess began, probably - and slip the garment over his slender frame.
Wriothesley couldn’t help but steal a peek. Neuvillette being a lot slender and a bit shorter than the duke, the latter’s dress shirt stopped mid-thighs, and it was loose enough that it slid off one shoulder, showing an alluring expanse of milky skin covered with bite marks.
Guilt continued to eat away at the duke, festering there during the time it took for Neuvillette to prepare a cup of tea in his office.
Wriothesley just sat there in his bed reeking of sex and their scents combined, the sheets draped over his lap and his back reclined against the headboard. His headache was growing worse, and the nausea still had not passed.
He tried to calm down, to think about things rationally. His worst fear was having taken Neuvillette against his will, but judging by the omega’s reaction, was it really the case? If Wriothesley had… raped him, would Neuvillette still be here, looking so gently at him and calming him down?
Neuvillette soon came back, and if Wriothesley wasn’t so upset, he would have enjoyed the sight of a disheveled Neuvillette wearing nothing but his own shirt.
The Iudex handed him a cup of chamomile tea. Wriothesley took it with trembling fingers. “Thanks.”
Neuvillette nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, right next to Wriothesley’s thigh.
The duke took a few sips of tea, letting the warm beverage calm his nerves. This, coupled with the omega’s soothing scent - Archons, Neuvillette smelled so good, like Petrichor and Romaritime flowers - was enough to finally allow Wriothesley to calm down enough to have a conversation about this fucked-up situation.
“I’m an alpha?” he began by asking, his gaze locking with Neuvillette’s gorgeous lilac eyes.
It would certainly explain why he could smell Neuvillette’s pheromones now. It sounded unbelievable, to present well past his thirties, but he had to face the evidence.
Neuvillette nodded. He answered calmly; “It would appear so. And because you presented so late, your first rut was very dangerous for your health. You were in grave danger of dying if you were to spend it without an omega, according to Sigewinne.”
The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. His eyes widened in shock as he asked; “And what, Sigewinne asked you to be my mate?”
Wriothesley thought it was nothing short of blasphemy. To have the Chief Justice mate with an ex-criminal, a sinner… Wait, did he - Wriothesley’s eyes snapped to Neuvillette’s neck, anxious and hoping that he did not give him a mating bite. He couldn’t see one right away, but he also couldn’t see the back of his neck.
Neuvillette noticed his staring. His thoughts must have been obvious as he gently reassured him; “We did not bond, do not worry. And to answer your question, yes. However, I was not her first choice. You rejected every omega she sent your way. I was her last resort. She believed you might not reject me because you trust me and that… you care for me. She was right.”
Wriothesley was so mortified that he almost did not notice the rosy blush settling across the omega’s cheeks.
The duke covered his mouth with a trembling hand and lowered his eyes in shame. “Oh gods. I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have had to lower yourself to mate with a mutt like me. What was she thinking?”
Before he could wallow in his self-depreciation, a delicate hand grabbed the one covering his mouth and gently lowered it. Neuvillette sought his gaze.
“Wriothesley, listen to me,” the Iudex said gently but firmly, commanding the duke’s attention. He found himself compelled to look into Neuvillette’s eyes.
“Sigewinne did what she had to do. We both wanted you to live. We both would have done anything to ensure you survived,” said Neuvillette with a fierce honesty.
Neuvillette was the one who averted his gaze then. He squeezed the duke’s hand, and Wriothesley was left speechless when a vivid blush painted the Iudex’s cheeks up to the tip of his ears.
“But don’t get me wrong. I did not help you merely out of obligation. I was consenting because it is you , a man who I care deeply for. I would have gladly been your mate even had your rut been a normal one,” confessed the omega.
Wriothesley must be dreaming. “That - that sounds unreal.” He could think of so many people who would be more deserving of the Iudex’s affections than him.
When Neuvillette’s gaze returned to him, they shone with a fierce determination. “I don’t lie, Wriothesley. You seem to believe yourself unworthy of my affections, but I assure you that you are more than worthy enough. And if anything, I am the one who owes you an apology. While I could consent to mating with you, you could not. Truth be told, I’m the one who wronged you. I am sorry.”
Wriothesley put his cup of tea on the bedside table and didn’t hesitate to cup Neuvillette’s cheek. The omega’s scent immediately sweetened. Wriothesley forced himself to ignore its pull as he whispered; “Neuvillette… I would have chosen you. Every time.”
Wriothesley’s anxiety evaporated completely. Not only did he not force himself on Neuvillette, but the omega wanted to be with him. His only regret… Was that he did not remember any of the heated embraces they shared. How he wished he could remember how Neuvillette looked in the throes of passion, how sweetly he must have unraveled under Wriothesley’s hands…
Neuvillette’s eyes widened in surprise. Wriothesley chuckled weakly as his thumb brushed over his cheekbone. “Don’t look so surprised. I thought it was obvious how much I desire you,” said Wriothesley with a lopsided smile.
Neuvillette covered Wriothesley’s hand cupping his cheek and nuzzled his palm, gently scenting him. A spark of arousal settled in Wriothesley’s belly, and his own scent took on a heady nature despite himself. He couldn’t quite control it yet, not used to his newly awakened secondary gender.
He saw how Neuvillette’s pupils dilated in return. “Why haven’t you said anything?” asked the omega.
Wriothesley smiled sadly. “I thought I was just a beta. As an omega, you deserve to be with an alpha.” That was just one of the reasons, of course, but Neuvillette didn’t need to know about the depth of his crippling self-worth issues.
The duke didn’t think he would ever be deserving of such a wonderful man, but he was good at bottling these insecurities down.
Neuvillette kissed Wriothesley’s palm, sending shivers down his spine, and his eyes were bright as he answered firmly; “I would not have cared about that. I would have you no matter your secondary gender.”
Oh, how many years have they wasted then. There was no use mourning the time lost however, not when the future was looking brighter than ever.
Wriothesley chuckled softly. his hand that rested on the bed, linked with Neuvillette’s, came up to rest behind the Iudex’s neck, and he brought him closer.
“Who knew you could be such a sweet talker?” he whispered near the omega’s tempting lips.
Neuvillette smiled coyly. “I think the last few days of sex have unwound me a little…”
Not only a sweet talker, but bold too. Wriothesley sighed. “A pity I can’t remember any of it.”
Wriothesley was stunned when Neuvillette swiftly and gracefully straddled him, his free hand resting in the crook of the alpha’s neck.
“I wouldn’t mind refreshing your memory,” said Neuvillette just before their lips met. The kiss was sweet and tender, and the duke lost himself in the euphoric feeling of kissing the man he had desired for years.
He gripped Neuvillette’s thigh, his fingers sinking in the plush flesh and making Neuvillette sigh against his lips. Archons, but kissing Neuvillette felt heavenly. His lips were so soft and pliant, easily opening to let the duke’s tongue inside. Their scents mingled together, growing sweeter by the second.
Wriothesley could lose himself for hours in the touch of the omega’s lips, of how silky his hair felt between his fingers, and of how responsive Neuvillette was, sighing and pressing his body tightly against the alpha’s…
Wriothesley broke their kiss when the need to breathe became too pressing. He whispered with a chuckle; “Wow. I feel like I’m dreaming…”
Neuvillette’s answering smile was breathtaking. his hand slid from Wriothesley’s neck to tease over the scars running down the alpha’s neck. “This is quite real.”
Neuvillette was clearly quite content to be sitting in his lap, looking like the best meal Wriothesley had ever been blessed with and he was starving. He was about to kiss his omega - his omega! - again when a sudden thought came to him and he froze.
“Neuvi…” whispered Wriothesley with apprehension.
“Yes?” asked Neuvillette as he lifted an eyebrow in concern.
Wriothesley swallowed his nervousness and asked quietly; “What if you get pregnant after this?” It was evident from what he had seen when he woke up that he had come at least once in Neuvillette without protection. He was sure it was a gross understatement.
Neuvillette hummed. His eyes were soft as he looked down at Wriothesley; “Since I wasn’t in heat, the risk of that happening is low, but not impossible. If I end up conceiving, I will not be expecting you to raise our child with me. It would be unfair of me to put the responsibility on your shoulders since you did not ask for this.”
Wriothesley brought their foreheads together. “As if I could ever not want to be a part of our child’s life. Or yours, for that matter. I was just wondering if you would keep the child. I’m glad you would,” admitted the duke.
Even though their child would be unplanned, the duke would take responsibility and raise them to the best of his abilities, love them and provide for them. He had always wanted a family, but thought it impossible since the man he loved was the untouchable Iudex of Fontaine.
If Neuvillette ended up conceiving a child from their tumble in the sheets, Wriothesley would be more than happy to step up and raise them alongside his beloved.
Neuvillette looked relieved and happy upon hearing Wriothesley’s words. He kissed him again, and his scent became syrupy and sweet, calling to the alpha’s instincts to succumb to the temptation he offered.
And what a temptation it was. Wriothesley didn’t even try to resist it. Why would he, when the omega he loved desired him back?
Wriothesley was more than eager to make up for his missing memories.