Archive of Our Own

i 

Aglaea felt it coming hours before it happened. There was a telltale stirring in her loins and a heavy ache in her testes when she awoke, as well as a pressure that not even an early morning trip to the restroom could alleviate. She left the restroom, her bare form crossing the chambers until she stood at her wardrobe. She opened the bottom drawer and dug through it, leaning slightly on the furniture for support. 

Other alphas may have the luxury to call out sick from work for the week, but she did not. Okhema was a city that would not run itself. Her prolonged absence would merely leave a vacuum for the Council to exploit. For every second her gaze was unfocused, threads unwound, was a second those opportunistic Elders would seize to poison the minds of Amphoreus against her. Against the Flame-Chase Journey for which she and those who came before her had given up so much. 

Now, more than ever, Aglaea needed to appear unshakable. Just a few days ago, the Ladon Alliance launched a sneak attack that decimated the western front. It’s not like the Heirs were unaware of the threat. There were Tribiosi stationed in every military encampment, every fortress, and every allied city-state. Communication between those girls was quick and free-flowing. But they did not have eyes and ears in every corner across Amphoreus. Not like Cifera did. 

The blonde alpha ignored the way her semi-hard length pulsed as the thought of the Dolosian’s name crossed her mind. Cifera. The name brought up a myriad of feelings. Love. Anger. Confusion. Desperation. Hope. Despair. Lust. Regret. Nostalgia. Longing. She wasn’t ready to unravel that complicated web of emotions, the sting of Cifera’s departure still fresh in her mind. 

No one had seen the cat-eared omega since shortly before the Hundred-Day Feast. She had returned to the Marmoreal Palace and made quite the fuss about the humidity in the bathhouse. After that, it was a communications blackout. Even during her longest stretches away from the Holy City, she always resurfaced within a month. The last time anyone had seen Cifera was five months ago. 

Except for Aglaea. That meeting at the gates of Okhema was a secret she would take to her grave. No one needed to know how she’d ran out of her bedroom that night the moment a Garmentmaker informed her that Cifera’s bedroom window was open. No one needed to know how cruel and unforgiving Cifera’s expression had been, illuminated by the moonlight, as she told Aglaea she never wanted to see her again. No one needed to know how completely and thoroughly devastated Aglaea became, swearing that she would die from heartbreak then and there. 

So, for all intents and purposes, Cifera was missing. The Council crowed and jeered that the Dolosian had run away, shirking her duties. Neither she nor the Tribiosi had any proof to the contrary. As Cifera’s name was dragged through the mud, Aglaea was slow to fill the gaps that the omega left in the Heirs’ defenses. It was that reluctance to replace Cifera in any sense of the word, even for espionage, that led to the deaths of three-hundred-and-fourteen soldiers when Ladon attacked.

Aglaea took a shuddering breath, biting back a moan as she pulled on her undergarments. Her underpants stretched to accommodate her erection then snapped back to trap the length securely against her left hip. She sniffed, noting the way her scent was beginning to take on a musky quality. The alpha moved to her bedside table, picking up a bottle of vanilla-scented perfume. She sprayed the fragrance liberally. 

As she proceeded to the closet and shuffled through various ensembles, she debated seeing the physician in person or via a Garmentmaker. On the one hand, she could exert more pressure in person, making the physician less likely to disagree with her request. On the other hand, a Garmentmaker was more discreet and had no scent or genitalia that could give away her symptoms. 

Tugging on the bundle of golden threads before her, Aglaea closed her eyes. When she blinked them open, she found herself in the staff room at the Twilight Courtyard. Deftly, she maneuvered the strings, directing the Garmentmaker through the corridors until she found the office she was looking for. The door was ajar, but not wide enough to make an unannounced entry proper. Knock Knock. 

Inside, a man hunched over a desk covered in medical reports looked up at the sound. He jumped slightly. “Oh! It’s a Garmentmaker.” He quickly rounded the desk, whatever the city’s leader wanted being a higher priority. He pulled the door open, ushering the Garmentmaker inside with a bright smile. “Lady Aglaea, how may I be of assistance this morning?” 

Garmentmaker floated over the threshold, coming to a halt just a few feet in. Through the mannequin’s mechanical voice, she made her request. “Dr. Costas, I’d like another set of suppressants and inhibitors, please.” 

The physician’s smile froze, eyebrows furrowing in concern. “Lady Aglaea, far be it from me to question you, but as a physician I must advise you against this.” He turned toward one of the racks in the office, one that had three locked boxes. He withdrew a key from his pocket and opened the rightmost box. Inside were a set of scrolls. He picked the one on top of the pile and read it. “You’ve been using these medicines for nearly three consecutive years. And the last few times I gave them to you, I already went against the sound advice of the medical community.” 

Back in her closet, Aglaea gulped. In the comparatively small, enclosed space, it was easier for her pheromones to cloud the air. Those pheromones, plus her body’s natural heat, was beginning to make her sweat. She hurried out of the closet, pulling a random dress off a hanger. She inhaled the fresh air of her large bedroom with a fervor. 

Mind a little clearer now, she made her case to the physician. “I understand your concerns, doctor. But you’ve said it yourself. As a demigod, my biology may be more resistant to the long-term side effects of continuous suppressant usage.” 

In his office, Costas frowned. He looked back and forth between the scroll in his hands, the Garmentmaker, and the stack of suppressants in the corner on the floor. With a sigh, he relented. “Very well, Lady Aglaea. You can have your suppressants and inhibitors.” He bent down near the stack, grabbing two boxes, each containing five days’ worth of suppressants. He set them on his desk. “But let it be known that you requested these medications against your physician’s professional advice.” 

The physician reached into his other pocket, pulling out his teleslate. He spent a moment typing, setting the device next to the suppressants once finished. “And,” Costas continued with a very stern tone, “if you start to feel any symptoms like nausea, headaches, an unusually strong sense of smell, or a painful erection, you must let me know immediately.” 

“Of course,” the Garmentmaker’s mechanical voice reassured. There was a tense silence in the office as they waited. Within minutes, a nurse appeared at the door, holding two vials of inhibitors. Costas and the nurse packaged the medication into a nondescript bag, handing it off to the mannequin. 

Aglaea disconnected, allowing the Garmentmaker to navigate to her bedroom on autopilot. She made to sure to raise the priority level of that task so that the headless figure would not get sidetracked by a random civilian request. The alpha turned the golden threads onto herself, checking specifically for how prominent her erection was. With the lack of further stimulation, there was now just a slight bulge where her left thigh joined with her pelvis. It was not any more prominent than her bulge usually was, and one would have to pay close attention to her crotch to tell. 

Once the Garmentmaker arrived, Aglaea dumped the contents of the bag onto her bed. She started with an inhibitor. Its efficacy decreased the closer one was to their rut or heat, so she could only pray that she caught the signs early enough. She unwrapped one of the two attached syringes, dipping the needle into the vial. Carefully, she extracted approximately half of the pink liquid. Bringing the needle to her right elbow, she injected the first dose. A chill went through her veins as the medicine entered her body. 

Next, Aglaea opened the second syringe, extracting the rest of the inhibitor. This time, the needle went to her pelvis, pushing into one of the veins nearest her groin. She hissed at the pain, but she did not let it stop her. In short order, the second dose of inhibitor was administered. 

Finally, she opened a box of suppressants, pulling out one of the patches. Aglaea did not need a mirror to help her align the patch with her left scent gland. Once the patch covered the gland, she felt immediate relief as her sense of smell dulled. She applied a second patch to her right. All it took was a bit of foundation to blend the suppressants in with her skin tone. 

Feeling ready for the day, Aglaea left her room. If the people she greeted in the hallways noticed anything wrong with her, they kept hush. To her delight, everything was going according to plan. The morning debate at the amphitheater was loud and combative as usual, but she and the Chrysos Heir-supporters managed to keep Caenis and her ilk at bay. 

Things only started going wrong at lunch time. Making her way back to her office, Aglaea suddenly grew lightheaded. Losing her balance, she stumbled. One of her assistants caught her before she could fall. “Are you alright, Lady Goldweaver?” 

“Yes, I’m fine. I must have tripped over a loose pebble.” Aglaea made a show of lifting her feet and examining the soles of her heels for any rocks. When she sat down with her salad, she brought a forkful to her lips before reeling in disgust. The food smelled rotten, but a visual and thread inspection showed that the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh. Harvested that morning, even. 

Aglaea tried again to take a bite, but the stench of mold was overpowering. She shoved her plate back, turning her head to the side to cough and clear her nostrils. If I can’t eat the salad, then surely the bread roll is safe. It was not. This time, it was not the smell but the taste that was gut-twisting. The alpha could barely swallow the first bite before she felt bile rising in her throat. 

She rose to her feet, stumbling toward the plotted plant in the corner. She heaved violently, emptying the contents of her breakfast into the soil. When she thought it was over, the blonde stood once more. This time, she grew so lightheaded that she lost her balance completely, falling backward and nearly knocking her head against the adjacent wall. 

The alpha sat there for a few dazed moments, trying to recalibrate where she was. Eventually, she felt well enough to crawl toward her desk, dragging herself into the chair. Elbows on the desk, she held her head in her hands, massaging her temples as she could feel a migraine coming on. She summoned a Garmentmaker to take the food away, no longer hungry despite her growling stomach. 

Aglaea set to work on the stack of Council proposals and citizen requests. It did not take long for the first true indication of her rut to kick in. Right as the clock signified the second quint of Action Hour, it was like her sense of smell exploded. All at once, the scents came rushing in. A beta running through the halls trying to make an appointment. An alpha in the library, turning through the pages of a seventy-year-old tome. An omega walking up the staircase, heading right toward Aglaea’s office. 

As her mind struggled to process both the words on the documents in front of her and the scents overloading her nose, her cock swelled, quickly filling her undergarments and straining the skirt of her dress. The inhibitor, it’s not working? Aglaea shifted in her seat, feeling the drag of her balls against the cushion even through her clothes. She shifted again. Then again. And again and again until she belatedly realized that she was essentially grinding against the chair. 

The alpha forced herself to still, even as a whimper left her lips. She gulped, ignoring the way her length was beginning to throb. She picked up her quill, staring down at the parchment covered in shapes and symbols that she could no longer comprehend. She tried anyway, but she was quickly distracted by the smell of an omega approaching, getting closer and closer. A bead of sweat dripped down her temple, the air inside her office growing muskier. 

Against her better judgment, Aglaea stood. Her erection hit the desk on her way up, the tip catching slightly on the edge of the desk. She stifled a barely contained moan at the light contact. Before the lust could completely cloud her thoughts, the alpha staggered toward the coat rack near the door. I’ve made a mistake. Working like this is. . .untenable. She tore her coat off the rack, wrapping it around herself, trying not to thrust against her hand as it brushed over her groin. 

She pulled out her teleslate, fumbling due to her sweaty hands. The device clattered to the floor, forcing Aglaea to bend over to pick it up. The motion was pure torture, the way it resulted in her erection being pressed between her thighs and stomach. She was so close to relief, yet so far. 

Knowing that typing would get her nowhere, the alpha activated the voice command function. “Send the following. . .message to all administrative staff: I am out of the office. . .for the next three days. . .starting now.” Aglaea didn’t bother to check the transcription. If moans and panting come across through the text, then at least I have a valid excuse. 

Aglaea had enough wherewithal to avoid walking on the main streets. Instead, she took a secret underground passage that linked her office with one of the private bath chambers at the Marmoreal Palace. It was a chamber that, for security reasons, had four Garmentmakers permanently stationed in the area. Two outside the doors, and two inside. As she staggered through the passage, she stopped only a couple times to tug at her cock whenever the need for relief became too overwhelming. 

By the time she made it to the bath chamber, her active conscious was no longer in control. Unable to stay upright, Aglaea fell against the wall, sliding down until she was on the floor. Her left hand flew to the middle of her dress, seizing her length through the fabric. She squeezed tight around the shaft, moaning freely as she got her first moment of true relief since her rut began. She loosened and tightened her hold several times, adding in verticality once that was no longer enough. 

Aglaea panted, delirious with pleasure as she pulled and stretched her cock with abandon. The two Garmentmakers in the room turned toward her. She could feel their concern, as well as their confusion upon not knowing what to do, but the blonde couldn’t bring herself to care. Her tip leaked precum, staining the fabric as her hand grew more frantic. A bit of drool may have fallen from her mouth as she moved her hips, thrusting into her hand for extra friction. 

She watched as her cock shot in and out from between her fingers, the head red with want and desire. It contrasted nicely against her gold-painted nails. Cifera has golden nails too. If only this hand was hers. Her balls clenched at the thought of what she could’ve had, if only she weren’t such a spineless coward. 

A loud whine pierced the room as Aglaea’s imagination urged her on. Cifera’s hand is smaller than mine, so it would not wrap as easily around my girth. Cifera’s nails are longer, so they’d be able to slip deeper under my foreskin. Cifera’s canines, ever present, would drag across my skin, maybe catching on a nipple or digging into my scent glands. Cifera’s fluffy tail would brush across my balls, tickling them in a way that makes me throb. If she had the choice, would Cifera start with her hand, her mouth, or—? 

With a groan, Aglaea gave a particularly deep thrust, her right hand quickly coming over to join the left. While one hand squeezed tight around the base where her knot was beginning to form, the other clamped down on the head. Her undergarments, dress, and hand were no substitute for the inside of an omega’s body, but it was hot enough and tight enough for her to stumble and trip over the edge. 

Her cock absolutely throbbed as she came, each pulse accompanied by another shot of release. She resumed her thrusts, hoping to ride out the orgasm. At some point, one of the Garmentmakers did take the risk of approaching. A cold, mechanical hand landed on Aglaea’s shoulder. A growl tore from her throat as she faced whoever dared interrupt her. The mannequin jumped back, hands raised in surrender. 

She was frustrated at being disturbed, though the Garmentmaker wasn’t totally useless. “Master, would you not feel better after a bath?” She huffed. Those puppets had little understanding of ruts and heats, with these particular Garmentmakers knowing only that she frequented the chambers after work. It must think that I’ve just come from a bad day at the office. But, the Garmentmaker’s not exactly wrong. 

With some struggle, Aglaea shrugged off her coat and slipped off her dress. Her bra and undergarments would have been a more challenging obstacle, if not for the two extra sets of hands in the room. Those hands also held her steady as she staggered to the bath, sinking into the water. Even though the bath was steaming, it still felt cool to her overheated skin. 

Aglaea tried to imagine what it would be like to have Cifera there with her, tending to her rut in the bathhouse. She whined and growled as her mind drew a blank. Cats don’t like baths, especially not cats of the Dolos thief variety. The chill of the bath provided only momentary relief. Soon, her cock stood upright once more, aching and pulsing with a persistent throb. 

The alpha gripped herself again, prioritizing the tip this time. She pinched herself right at the base of the head, groaning. The bath began to spin as she used her other hand’s palm to rub circles around her cockhead. The water came dangerously close to her face as she reeled, nose occasionally going under. The first time it happened, Aglaea surfaced with a sputter. 

She coughed and blew her nose to get all the water out. When her nose cleared, she could smell the rest of the bathhouse clearly. Not just the private chambers she was in, or even just the rest of the baths in this particular wing. No, she could smell everyone inside the entire Marmoreal Palace. It was an assault on her senses. Every alpha she smelled raised alarm bells in her mind, growling at an unseen enemy. But every omega she smelled sent a bolt of pleasure right to her loins. 

Her hands slowed as her mind did, movements becoming sluggish. The bath chamber continued to spin, her body continued to overheat, and wave after wave of foreign scents continued to assault her nose. Aglaea parted her lips to call for one of the Garmentmakers. It came as quite the shock when she got a mouthful of water instead. She vaguely registered the feeling of falling and her whole head becoming wet. She struggled to push herself back up until her eyelids grew heavy, too heavy to keep open. 

When Aglaea finally blinked her eyes open again, she was no longer in the bath. She was in her bedroom, curled on her side on her large mattress, erection pressed into a pillow. The covers were pulled up, draped over her form. Her body felt hot, but no more than during her usual ruts. She was nowhere near as overheated as she last recalled being. She gave a tentative sniff, no longer smelling the whole of the Marmoreal Palace. 

Aside from herself and her own rut pheromones, the only other prominent scent in the room was that of Dr. Costas. Aglaea raised her head, and it didn’t take long for her to find him sitting on a chair, reading a book. On the floor next to him was a bag of medical supplies. She tried to call his name, but her voice was too hoarse. Her voice came out as a croak instead. Still, it was enough to get the physician’s attention. 

The beta looked up from his book. He gave Aglaea an unimpressed stare as he closed the book, setting it down in his bag. “I am used to alphas disregarding my advice. But I must say, none has ever had it blow up in their face as spectacularly as it did for you.” He stood, grabbing his bag as he did. “Then again, Miss Goldweaver, you are my only patient who has taken suppressants and inhibitors for three years without pause. Were you a lesser being, there might have been no bringing you back from the brink.” 

“Wh-what happened?” This time, Aglaea was able to sound out coherent words. 

“After the inhibitors failed to stop your rut, the side effects of said inhibitors kicked in. It became a poison, paralyzing the cells and organ functions that are meant to help alphas regulate their cycles.” Costas reached into his bag, pulling out a vial of green liquid. The antidote. “I understand that losing Miss Cipher must have been very hard on you, but that does not give you license to be so reckless with your health.” 

Aglaea wanted to growl at him for daring to mention Cifera’s name, but the physician left before she could. Now alone, the alpha took stock of the situation. Underneath the blanket, she was naked, her tip pressing wetly into a pillow. A thin layer of sweat covered her body, and the thick, musky scent of silk and linen filled the air. After what she’d gone through previously, Aglaea could have mistaken this for being just another lonely night spent wishing Cifera loved her enough to stay by her side unconditionally. Well, that’s basically what her ruts were anyway. 

May as well indulge once more. Aglaea’s hand circled her length, beginning a familiar pattern of desperation and longing. 

ii

Cipher listened for any late-night walkers who might stumble upon her little hideout. It wasn’t large, nor was there anything attention-grabbing about the hut. This far off the path, everything should be fine, but she could never be too safe. 

Satisfied with her findings, she looked down at the metal chest Bartholos had withdrawn from his stomach before disappearing for the night. It was a relatively small container, but it was enough to store the treasures held within. It had a lock that required a key, but Cipher ignored it. It was just an illusion. The omega lifted the lid. Inside were a handful of clothes. She shoved her face into the chest, inhaling the scent of silk and linen. 

The scent was growing stale with time, but it had not faded yet. These clothes would last another two years before she’d need to sneak back into the Marmoreal Palace for more. Her tail waved with anticipation. Cipher dug around through the container for a bit, deliberating over which article to choose. When her head popped back up, she had a pair of white underpants between her teeth. Treasure in mouth, she flipped the lid shut, making sure no more alpha pheromones escaped than inevitable. 

With a sigh, Cipher flopped onto the bed back-first, kicking off her shorts and own underwear as she did. She was not in heat tonight, but she’d just gotten back from burying a now-dead Council informant. I deserve a reward for my hard work! 

She let the underpants fall from her mouth, scooping them up with a hand. She brought the fabric up to her nose, letting the smell of Aglaea fill her senses. Like this, it was as if the alpha was in the room with her, hovering over Cipher’s prone figure on the bed. It was exactly what the omega wanted. 

As her nose provided the outline, Cipher let memory fill in the rest of Aglaea’s details. A shadow fell over the omega as a body blocked the ceiling light. Blonde strands blanketed the Dolosian’s face as a pair of yellow-green eyes stared into her lake blue ones. Strong arms connected to broad shoulders framed either side of Cipher’s head, holding up the woman above her. A knee pressed gently between Cipher’s legs, which spread wider as the omega shifted. 

“Someone’s been a naughty kitty, pilfering my undergarment drawer, hasn’t she?” A silky smooth voice teased, breathing hot against Cipher’s ear. 

“Me? Guilty as charged.” Cipher let out a breathy giggle, her own arms coming up to wrap around Aglaea’s shoulders, tugging the alpha closer. The older woman lost her balance a little, knee bumping against Cipher’s clit. The omega moaned, grinding against the leg in search of more. If Aglaea minded her knee getting wet, she didn’t show it. 

The alpha leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Cipher’s cheek. She continued kissing the omega, trailing down her jaw to her neck and then down to the swell of the omega’s breasts. Then, Aglaea ran a tongue through the cleavage, growling in triumph as the younger woman gasped. 

Seeking revenge, Cipher let her hands wander. First, she fondled Aglaea’s own breasts, delighting in the way the alpha shuddered above her when she pinched and twisted a nipple. Then, the omega slid her hands across the blonde’s stomach, feeling the toned abs flex against her touch. Finally, she reached Aglaea’s pelvis, fumbling around for the alpha’s telltale bulge. 

To Cipher’s frustration, Aglaea pulled away, grabbing the omega’s wrists to keep them away from her body. The blonde smirked, watching her whine and beg for it. “Do you think you can take me when you’re not in heat? All of me?” 

“Yes! Yes, I can,” Cipher insisted. With her hands trapped, she flicked her gaze down to Aglaea’s bulge. The details were less clear around the alpha’s crotch. She couldn’t make out its length or thickness, just that there was a bulge. Damnit. 

The alpha hummed, clearly not believing her. “It’s alright, my love. I have plenty of other ways to pleasure you. Like my tongue.” The blonde ran said tongue across her lips. “Or my fingers.” She brought their enjoined hands between them, showing off the way her long digits completely hid Cipher’s. “Perhaps you have a toy you’d like me to use, instead?” Aglaea’s gaze briefly flickered across the room, where a second, wooden chest rested by the door. 

Cipher tried once more to pick Aglaea’s cock, taking advantage of her tail and the alpha’s lack of a third hand to stop it. Just as her tail was about to brush over the bulge, the vision of Aglaea flickered. Cipher rushed to pull her tail back, but it was too late. She blinked, and the alpha was gone. Tears pricked the corner of Cipher’s eyes. This was supposed to be a reward! Come on, Zagreus, what happened to your fool-proof illusions?  

She understood why the trickery failed. For as well as Cipher knew Aglaea’s body after years of staring at her and touching her, she’d never gotten to see or feel that part of the blonde. And without the power of heat pheromones clouding her mind, she couldn’t quite convince herself of the lie necessary to perfect the illusion. 

Cipher grumbled, reluctantly rolling off the bed and stalking across the room. She knelt next to the wooden crate, pulling out a phallic object. It was tacky, but it was free. She’d stolen it from an adult shop somewhere in Aidonia. The toy was carved from a dromas horn and of a modest size. It was enough to keep around, but it wasn’t a proper substitute for the real thing. Unfortunately, Cipher didn’t have much of a choice. 

The omega hurried back to the bed, grabbing the the discarded underpants to try again. Her tail thumped against the mattress impatiently, waiting for Aglaea’s form to reappear. 

iii

Since becoming an official couple, Aglaea and Cifera had discussed the more physical aspects of their relationship on a few occasions. One thing they agreed on was that their first time together should be one in which they were both fully in control. In other words, without any heats or ruts. The blonde was relieved when, after she’d brought up her misgivings, the Dolosian readily agreed. 

Now, the only issue was finding the right moment for their coupling. There were days when they got frisky, but it was difficult to find alone time when someone was always looking for one of the pair. The closest they got was in Cifera’s room at the cottage she shared with her granny. That was also the closest they came to total disaster. 

The omega had her pinned against the wall, knee pressing up against Aglaea’s crotch. The blonde whined a little, moving her hips forward in an attempt to encourage Cifera to move as well. Vexingly, the younger woman remained still, offering no help in the alpha’s search for relief. 

If Cifera wasn’t going to do anything, then Aglaea would just have to take matters into her own hands. Quickly, so that the omega didn’t have time to stop her, the alpha’s hands flew to her pants, undoing the front button. With newfound freedom, her erection sprang out, slapping against the other’s thigh. 

“No underpants? Were you expecting to get laid tonight?” Cifera reached out a finger, lightly poking the length with her nail. Aglaea’s cock jumped at the touch. The alpha opened her mouth to respond that, yes, she had expected it because the omega told her not to wear anything underneath. But the voice that followed wasn’t hers. 

“Cifera, Aglaea, I made some oatmeal honey cakes. They’re fresh out of the oven!” The door swung open, and Annas poked her head in. 

Cifera gasped. “Granny, didn’t I ask you knock?” The omega reacted first, unpinning Aglaea and moving between her and the doorway. Thanks to her quick thinking, Cifera’s dear granny did not get flashed by Aglaea’s length nor the evidence of the couple’s plans for the night. 

Annas’ intrusion was a complete and utter mood killer. Aglaea was so paranoid about another interruption that she couldn’t get hard again that night. It was embarrassing on both counts for the alpha in a way that an omega would never understand. Needless to say, they’d narrowed their list of viable locations to one: Aglaea’s home. 

In the Eternal Page, the population density was quite the feat. Fitting all of Amphoreus’ population into a city smaller than Okhema was an architectural nightmare. Many of the region’s building designers cried as they learned how to build out vertically rather than horizontally. The Trailblazer called these extremely tall buildings ‘skyscrapers.’ A fitting name, indeed. 

Aglaea lived in one such skyscraper, not necessarily by choice. Rather, she’d been gifted the entire top floor of one by a group of Okhemans as thanks for her contributions to Amphoreus. Cifera was offered a similar gift, but she declined in favor of staying with her granny. Aglaea had no such qualms. The benefit of being estranged from one’s parents is that you feel no pressure to live with them. 

Now, Aglaea and Cifera would reap the benefits of Adonis and Ophelia’s poor parenting decisions. The blonde lived alone in her floor-wide suite. She had no neighbors to worry about, nor any sentient companions like Bartholos who might demand attention. The only thing alpha had were her Garmentmakers, but they would listen unconditionally if she ordered them to vacate the premises. 

Knock Knock 

It was faint, but Aglaea swore she heard something as she stepped out of the bath. Steam billowed out from behind her as she opened the bathroom door, towels wrapped about her hair and body. She looked around for the source of the noise but found nothing. How odd. Shrugging, the blonde turned down the hall toward her bedroom. 

Knock Knock Knock 

“Agy!” 

Aglaea froze. She would recognize that voice anywhere, even when muffled by a door and half a suite. She turned around, passing the bathroom and stepping into the main area. The suite had a mostly open floor plan, with the entertainment center, kitchen, dining room, and reading room all occupying different corners. She sped to her front door, slipping momentarily on some of the water dripping her from her body. 

She swung open the door, greeting her girlfriend with a bright smile. Aglaea spread her arms out for a hug, having not seen Cifera all day. The omega promptly blushed. “Your towel!” she screeched. The alpha looked down, sheepishly realizing that without her arms to hold ups the towel, it had fallen. And, of course, underneath that towel she was naked. 

Flustered and face growing hot, Aglaea scooped up her towel and rewrapped it around herself. She took a step back, letting Cifera enter her home. As she passed by, the Dolosian’s tail swept in a wide arc, brushing against the alpha’s crotch. The blonde wasn’t sure whether that was intentional or not. 

Cifera’s head swiveled as she examine the inside of Aglaea’s suite, giving an impressed whistle as she eyed the size of the place. She wandered first to the entertainment center, where one of Tribbie’s TV inventions sat atop a cabinet. Then she skipped over to the reading room, looking at the stuffed bookshelves. Finally, Cifera peaked down the hallway leading to the bathroom and bedrooms. 

“Wow,” she breathed. “This place is huge! Kind of like your—.” 

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Aglaea cut her off. She narrowed her eyes as she joined Cifera in the hallway, squeezing past on the way to her bedroom. 

“What? Come on, Agy. I was going to say, ‘like your dress collection.’ Who do you think I am?” Cifera padded after the blonde. 

“I think you are exactly the type of person who makes crude jokes of that variety,” Aglaea deadpanned. She stopped Cifera before the omega could enter her room, shooing the younger girl away so she could change clothes in peace. Her outfit wasn’t terribly important, since she doubted the garments would stay on for too long. I’d best go with something easy to remove. 

Once the blonde exited her room, dressed in a simple t-shirt and knee-length skirt, she found her partner holding a flower vase up against the hallway wall. Cifera twisted and turned the vase, holding it at different angles. At one point, she even flipped the thing upside down, with some of the water spilling out before the Dolosian could right it. “Having fun dehydrating my flowers?” 

Cifera jumped, hiding her hands behind her back as she turned to face the older woman. “Oh, interesting outfit! Very minimalist, like your walls.” The blonde regarded the hallway again. It was pretty barren. “Functional, but dreadfully boring,” the omega critiqued. “Where’s all the fun? The personality? Do you even live here?” As she spoke, the Dolosian gestured wildly, vase still in hand, now spilling the water left and right. 

“If this place feels unlived in,” Aglaea interrupted, grabbing the vase and pulling it away so that the flowers maintained a chance at survival. “You’ll just have to help me decorate.” 

Cifera’s ears perked, and her tail swished back and forth. “Oh, is that an invitation to move in?” 

“If you want it to be.” Aglaea gave a non-committal shrug, leaving room for the omega to take the statement as seriously or not as she cared. The blonde ushered both of them out of the hallway, back into the open room. She walked into the kitchen, going to the sink and filling the vase with new water. She set the vase to the side, moving to the fridge. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted for dinner, so I bought an assortment of ingredients.” 

The blonde first opened the main door, revealing an array of fruits and veggies, along with several cuts of meat. On the top shelf were packages of fish and some cheeses. Cifera pulled out the bottom drawer that held the frozen foods. “I’ve also got some pasta,” Aglaea shuffled to the side, opening one of the kitchen cabinets to grab the container of noodles ready to go into a pot of boiling water. 

Cifera looked between the fridge and the pasta, but her gaze eventually settled on Aglaea. The omega’s eyes scanned up and down the alpha’s figure, licking her lips. “I think I’d rather have you,” she purred, leaning in and putting a hand on Aglaea’s bicep. The younger woman’s other hand snaked around the blonde’s back, coming to a rest on her shoulder blades. 

Aglaea’s cock stirred, but she ignored it. Pushing the younger woman slightly away, the blonde bent down to open one of the bottom cabinets. “If we skip right to dessert, we’ll wake up very hungry in the morning.” She grabbed a pot, filling it about three-quarters of the way at the sink and putting it on the stove. Cifera pouted but did not complain as she went back to the fridge, selecting a few ripe tomatoes and cloves of garlic. 

During those next handful of minutes, Cifera chopped up the veggies while Aglaea kept an eye on the water. When the younger woman finished, she draped herself across the other’s back. The alpha could feel the way Cifera’s breasts pressed against her shoulder blades and the Dolosian’s hot breath against her ear. The omega’s tail was active as well, curling and uncurling around Aglaea’s thighs. 

Cifera whined when Aglaea reached for a handful of pasta, her resting place disturbed. She nibbled the blonde’s ear as punishment, causing the older woman to nearly drop the noodles on the floor. “Cifera,” she warned. The omega merely huffed, burying her face into Aglaea’s neck, nose right against the scent gland. 

At such close proximity, Cifera’s scent was impossible to miss, as was the way the undertone of arousal permeated the air. For their own safety, once the pasta was in the pot of boiling water, Aglaea waddled the pair over to the small kitchen table. She tried to pass the omega off to one of the chairs, but Cifera dragged her down as well. They ended up with the omega sitting in the chair and the alpha straddling her lap. In this position, Aglaea’s groin was pressed flush against the younger woman’s stomach. 

Cifera beamed, clearly feeling the shaft rapidly harden. Without warning, she seized Aglaea through her skirt, giving an experimental squeeze. The alpha’s breath caught in her throat, her length throbbing at the contact. Having felt and heard enough, Cifera dropped all pretenses and flipped up Aglaea’s skirt, revealing the prize that awaited. The alpha’s erection stood tall and proud, reddened tip beginning to leak already. 

The omega swiped a thumb over the head, gathering the precum. Looking Aglaea right in the eyes, Cifera brought her thumb to her lips, making a show of licking her hand clean. The alpha stared, transfixed as the younger woman swallowed. The air was getting heavy, their combined musky scents seeming to make the room just a little more humid. “Mmm,” Cifera moaned, “tastes so good, so potent.” Aglaea’s cock bobbed. Something hissed. 

“Nngh. Cifera, the pasta.” With a willpower she didn’t know she had, Aglaea managed to tear her gaze away from her lover, looking toward the stove where the water was beginning to boil over. The alpha pulled back, getting ready to stand. 

The omega growled, grabbing a fistful of Aglaea’s shirt to keep her from standing. “Fuck the pasta,” Cifera declared. She pulled the alpha down so she could capture the older woman’s lips in a rough kiss. The kiss was messy and wet, the omega having pried open Aglaea’s lips, tongues now battling for dominance. When they finally parted for some much needed air, their lips were swollen. Some droplets of gold were smeared from where Cifera’s canines pricked the blonde’s lower lip. 

The Dolosian made an executive decision, helping Aglaea off of her so she could stand. The omega darted to the stove, turning off the burner and moving the pot to an unused one so it wouldn’t start a fire. Then, she came back to the kitchen table, grabbing the alpha’s arm and dragging her to the entertainment room, practically throwing the blonde onto the sofa. 

Aglaea landed on her back, sprawled across the furniture. Cifera climbed on top of her, staring down with a ravenous look in her eyes. She grabbed the hem of the blonde’s shirt, yanking it roughly over the alpha’s head and freeing her torso. The shirt was flung somewhere, but neither woman cared to check. Then, the Dolosian’s hands scrabbled to Aglaea’s skirt, which had fallen back over her erection. Cifera hooked her thumbs in the waistband, pulling the skirt down in one swift motion. Only then did she stop to admire the naked alpha beneath her. 

The blonde’s assets were on full display. Her voluminous breasts, flush with anticipation, bounced slightly as she took in heavy gulps of oxygen. Her biceps flexed as she moved her hands to Cifera’s waist. Aglaea’s length flopped against her stomach, the bulbous head coming to rest a little past her belly button. She raised one knee, her generous thigh filling the space between the omega’s own. 

For a moment, Cifera did nothing, unsure where she’d like to start devouring the alpha. She eventually settled for her chest. The younger woman’s hands cupped Aglaea’s breasts, testing their weight and firmness. She then began to knead them, lowering her head to take the right nipple between her lips. Cifera swirled her tongue around the areola, sucking a little when the nipple began to harden. Once there was enough to grip, the omega gently bit down on the bud. Aglaea’s hips bucked, the force sadly dislodging the younger woman’s mouth. 

Wiping the saliva with the back of her hand, Cifera got back to satisfying her partner. She pressed a feather soft kiss to the nipple, then began trailing kisses downward. Aglaea moaned as lips met her sensitive skin, her length twitching and dripping with need. The moment Cifera placed the first kiss onto her cock directly, on the head, the alpha choked on her want. Her hands squeezed, nails digging slightly into the omega’s hips. Her balls clenched and her shaft jumped, slapping lightly against Cifera’s cheek. The teasing was beginning to be just a little too much for her to endure. 

The younger woman pulled back, hands pressed against Aglaea’s abdomen for support. “Thought you’d be more of a talker,” she murmured. The alpha whined at the loss of stimulation for her throbbing erection, thrusting up and toward the side, hoping to generate friction against Cifera’s thigh. Quite cruelly, the omega pushed down, trapping the blonde’s hips against the sofa and denying her contact. Aglaea felt like she could cry, frustrated tears already beginning to gather. “Be patient, Agy. I’ll make sure it’s worth it.” 

The alpha let out a low growl, indignant. “Patient?” She let go of Cifera’s waist, pushing herself up so she was eye-level. Gravity pulled her length down, the shaft now bobbing slightly in the air between their hips. “Haven’t we been patient enough? After countless millennia of waiting, haven’t I been patient enough?” 

“Hmm,” the omega remained dreadfully still as she considered the alpha’s words. It was as if she was trying to prolong Aglaea’s torture. Her length even began to lose some of its hardness, perhaps as a form of protest. “I guess you have,” Cifera conceded. A wicked grin spread across her face. “You’ve been such a good girl, haven’t you Agy? Waiting all those years without taking a mate. Saving yourself just for me.” 

The alpha’s brain malfunctioned at the praise, blood rushing anew to her previously softening cock. An army of butterflies gathered in her stomach. A pitiful whine escaped her throat as she nodded rapidly. The implications of her reaction would have to be explored later, because right now, all Aglaea wanted was for Cifera to do something, anything, with her erection and relieve the building pressure. Her wish was granted. 

“You deserve a reward, and I’m more than willing.” Cifera grabbed Aglaea’s ass, lifting her while simultaneously leading her back until the older woman was trapped against the arm of the sofa. With the newfound room, the omega stopped straddling the alpha, shuffling away until she was squatting on the other half of the furniture. She put her hands on the blonde’s knees, spreading them apart to give unobstructed access to Aglaea’s groin. The alpha instinctively knew what was about to happen. Her tip leaked another round of precum in anticipation. 

Leaning forward, Cifera brought her face to Aglaea’s crotch. She stuck out her tongue, dragging it across the underside of the alpha’s balls, giggling when she felt them tighten in response. Aglaea pushed her hips forward, her length rubbing against the younger woman’s cheek. Cifera tutted. “This a reward, Agy. Just sit back and let me take the lead. I’ll do everything I should.” 

Without warning, Cifera’s mouth engulfed the entire head of Aglaea’s cock. The crevice was hot and wet, the younger woman’s tongue poking around the opening of the tip. The blonde was a truly gagged, stomach lurching as the unfamiliar environment sent waves of pleasure through her nerves. She couldn’t contain her tears then, finally getting more relief than a fleeting kiss or squeeze of a hand. 

Aglaea tried to thrust deeper into Cifera’s mouth, but it was a fruitless endeavor. The second her hips moved, the Dolosian pulled away, a pop sounding as her lips let go of the head. The alpha let out a devastating whine, her length twitching wildly in search for that hole again. “Nuh-uh,” Cifera playfully hissed. “I told you that I’m the one in charge right now.” Still, she bent down again, taking that bulbous head into her mouth once more. This time, the omega kept her hands on Aglaea’s hips, making sure she couldn’t move them. 

Cifera resumed exploring the head with her tongue, tracing the gentle slope from where it was the widest up to the very tip. She gave an experimental suck, the sensation setting Aglaea’s sensitive nerves on fire. This was all beginning to be too much, and the alpha could feel her balls tighten and pulse in agreement. She tried to warn the omega of her impending release, but all that came out was a strangled moan. She reached down blindly with one hand, eventually finding Cifera’s face and pushing it away. Preoccupied with pleasure, it wasn’t a very strong push. 

Still, the omega must have gotten the message. But instead of pulling off the head so Aglaea could release into a towel or something, Cifera loosened her jaws and took even more of the shaft into her mouth. Her tongue ran up and down Aglaea’s length, following the raised contours of the vein that ran along the underside of it. An endless flow of moans and whimpers left the alpha, reaching a crescendo when the tip of her head bumped against the back of Cifera’s throat. 

All it took was Cifera using her teeth to softly bite the shaft for Aglaea to come undone. Her balls clenched as the first spurt of cum shot out, making its way down the younger woman’s throat. Each subsequent shot was accompanied by a wave of ecstasy, all the pressure in her loins lifting. Cifera, mouth still encompassing the alpha’s cock, began to suck, encouraging her partner to give more and more. 

It was too much, the feeling of a coupled release after years of unsatisfying masturbation, alongside the continuous pulling and tugging of her cock due to Cifera’s sucking. Aglaea writhed in simultaneous bliss and agony, tears streaming freely down her face. She broke free from Cifera’s hands, turning to her side and curling up, her own arms clamping down around her stomach in an attempt to cut off the overstimulation. 

Briefly, the omega followed her, the tip still trapped between her lips. She only let go once Aglaea pushed against her face with genuine force this time. Likely feeling bad for what was happening, Cifera placed a hand on Aglaea’s back, rubbing it comfortingly and releasing some of her soothing omega pheromones. For a while, all the alpha could do was lay there and cry as her cock throbbed painfully. She dared not touch her member herself, lest she start another wave of this ordeal. 

Eventually, Aglaea’s body cooled down, and her length began to tingle with numbness. It was an odd feeling, but it was preferable to feeling everything to the nth degree. As her cock softened, she uncurled herself. She grabbed the hand that was still rubbing small circles into her back, clutching it as she turned to face Cifera. The younger woman looked at her with a quiet understanding. “Guess you really needed that, huh? Come on, let’s get you to the bath.” 

Aglaea let the younger woman guide her to her feet, but she stopped after a couple steps. “Hold, Cifera,” she requested in a scratchy voice. “What about you? It’s my turn to pleasure you now.” Cifera turned around, raising her other hand to reveal wet middle and ring fingers. Stunned, the alpha leaned closer and sniffed them. The finger smelled strongly of minerals and arousal. She reeled back did a double take as she took in the omega’s state of undress. At some point during Aglaea’s orgasm, Cifera must have taken off her clothes and fingered herself. 

The alpha frowned. What kind of lover am I if I leave my beloved to take care of her own arousal? Cifera tried to resume walking to the bathroom, but Aglaea tugged her back in the opposite direction. “Was that really enough to satisfy you?” 

The Dolosian threw her a skeptical look. “No offense, Agy, but you look like you’re done for a while.” She gestured to the alpha’s cock, which hung flaccidly between her thighs. Aglaea reached down with her unoccupied hand, grabbing the shaft and giving it a few strokes. She felt nothing, not even the slightest bit of arousal. Cifera was right. As far as her cock went, the blonde was well and truly spent. Fuck. 

Having proved her point, the younger woman tried once more to lead the way to the bathroom. She looked normal enough, and her scent wasn’t upset or anything. But Aglaea couldn’t shake the lingering suspicion that she was leaving her partner disappointed. Maybe it was the way her tail drooped limply, void of idle sweeping or flicking. Or perhaps it was the omega’s ears, the way they were slightly folded. It could have even been Cifera’s chest, still flush with lingering arousal. Whatever gave her that feeling, Aglaea had to think fast or she’d lose the opportunity to redeem herself. 

She looked down that their connected hands. That’s it! This time, when Aglaea pulled back, it wasn’t just to halt the omega’s steps. She dragged them back to the open room, back to the sweat-stained sofa. She pressed Cifera gently onto the cushions, cupping her left cheek with her hand. “I don’t need my cock to bring you to orgasm, my love.” The alpha whispered in the younger woman’s ear, delighting in the way the fur inside bristled and at Cifera’s sharp inhale. “I have plenty of other ways to pleasure you.” 

For some reason, that last part got an especially strong reaction from the omega. Cifera let out an obscene moan, flooding the air with her scent. She nuzzled her face into Aglaea’s hand, even sticking out her tongue to lick the palm. Then, the younger woman pushed her away. “Not here,” she mumbled. “Bed. It’s softer.” The alpha didn’t disagree. 

In less than a minute, the couple pushed their way into Aglaea’s bedroom, collapsing onto the large, plush mattress in a tangled mess of limbs. Once they sorted themselves out, Cifera lay on the bed, head and shoulders propped up against a pile of pillows. Her hands rested atop the blonde’s shoulders. She had her legs spread wide, vagina exposed and ready for the taking. Aglaea licked her lips, debating whether to use her tongue or her fingers. I want to see her face when I make her orgasm for the first time, so fingers it is. 

Since Cifera had just fingered herself not too long ago, Aglaea felt it was okay to skip the buildup this time. She pressed her lips against the omega’s in a far softer kiss than the war of tongues they’d fought earlier. The younger woman’s lips were slightly salty, likely from the sweat she’d practically sucked off of Aglaea before. Cifera parted her mouth, inviting the alpha’s tongue to enter. She did. Unlike before, there was now a tangy aftertaste. It wasn’t terribly pleasant, and Aglaea almost wanted to break the kiss and spit out whatever caused it. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she was tasting was her own semen. Cifera, you’re too kind swallowing all of that. 

While she had the younger woman distracted by the kiss, Aglaea brought her left hand down to Cifera’s crotch. She brushed the back of her hand across her lower lips, testing for how wet the omega remained. The blonde broke the kiss, leaning back to add her vision to the appraisal. Cifera’s entrance glistened, and her pink clit was swollen. The vagina clenched and unclenched as its owner took note of Aglaea’s appreciative stare. “What are you waiting for?” she mumbled. 

Instead of a verbal response, Aglaea pinched the little bud, earning a squeal. Claws dug into her shoulders, sure to leave a mark in the morning. “Give a lady a bit of warning next time,” Cifera whined, tail thumping lightly against the sheets. It sounded like music to Aglaea’s ears. She smiled, pinching the clit again, eyes following the way the surrounding muscles contracted. The claws in her shoulders dug deeper. A tail whacked against her leg. 

“Alright, alright,” Aglaea placated. “I’ll begin in earnest now.” As promised, the alpha used her thumb and middle finger to part the vaginal opening. She carefully inserted her index finger, but only to about the end of her nail. Her gazed flicked back up to Cifera’s face, monitoring her expression for signs of pain. 

There were none. Instead, Cifera let out a pleased sigh, cheeks flushed as she shifted forward, urging the blonde to continue. She complied, pushing her finger deeper until it was half-way in. The omega’s vagina was wet and tight, even with just one finger inside. How tight will she feel, seated around my girth? Aglaea shoved that thought to the side. Later, she promised herself. 

She slowly, carefully curled her finger, feeling the way Cifera’s hot inner walls flexed around the appendage. The omega groaned, eyes squeezing shut. Aglaea twisted and turned her hand, feeling all the ways her finger could move and the ways Cifera’s body would stretch to accommodate. Exploration complete, the blonde withdrew her hand. Cifera hissed at the loss, eyes flying open. “Agy!” she growled, face red with anger now. 

Aglaea pressed a kiss to her partner’s forehead in apology. She flexed her hand, returning to the vaginal opening. This time, when she entered the younger woman, it was with her middle and ring fingers. She plunged in, diving all the way to her knuckles. Cifera gasped, clenching tightly around the intrusion. She pulled the blonde’s upper body toward her, head coming down to bite her shoulder and stifle a moan. 

Cifera continued to bite Aglaea’s shoulder, even breaking the skin once the alpha began to thrust her fingers in and out. The alpha paid no mind to the pain, focused first and foremost on pleasuring her girlfriend. As the younger woman’s arousal grew, her juices lubricating the blonde’s fingers, so too did Aglaea’s. Her length was still slow to react, but she could feel a heat beginning to coil in her abdomen. She imagined that Cifera was undergoing a similar feeling, what with the way she began to writhe. 

Aglaea thought two fingers would be enough. After all, when Cifera had fingered herself, she only used two as well. But the omega let go of her shoulders and grabbed the alpha’s wrist, stalling her thrusts. That hand was replaced with the Dolosian’s tail, allowing Cifera to repurpose her hand into guiding Aglaea’s index finger back to her entrance. Message clear, the alpha began to add a third finger into the mix. It was a noticeably tighter fit, but the younger woman was wet enough for it to work. 

The alpha resumed her thrusts, letting her fingers drive a little deeper than before. She also began to curl them at various points of the thrust, using Cifera’s gasps and moans and mewls to inform her which places brought the most satisfaction. 

It was at times like these that Aglaea most regretted the loss of the golden threads. She yearned to know that this fingering felt as good to Cifera as Cifera’s mouth had felt to her. That the younger woman wasn’t just faking her pleasure out of pity or something. With the threads, Aglaea would be able to peer into Cifera’s mind, reading through the other’s unguarded thoughts. If she were doing a truly good job, then the alpha would have access to tons of them. If she felt particularly adventurous, she could even link their emotions and share in Cifera’s pleasure. She would be able to feel what it was like to have one’s lower lips split open and vaginal cavity filled, despite not having one herself. Would it feel like gaining something new, or like recovering a missing piece? 

Without the threads, all Aglaea could rely on was her own intuition and her intimate knowledge of Cifera’s behavior. In a way, that, too, is deeply personal. Without my threads, my ability to understand Cifera becomes special, an indicator of a bond that we alone share. No one knows Cifera like I do, and no one knows me like she does. A possessive growl rumbled from Aglaea’s chest, scent glands expelling a wave of pheromones. Cifera responded to her call with a purr, greedily sucking in the saturated scent of her lover. 

“I’m close,” she murmured. “Just a little more. Agy, please!” She broke off into a needy whine, meeting Aglaea’s thrusts with her own. They were initially off-beat, but soon they synchronized into a rhythm of their own. The alpha nearly forgot why she’d chosen to use her fingers in the first place, eyes focused on watching her fingers slide in and out. But Cifera’s warning had the alpha’s head flying up, catching the omega’s scrunched expression as she was thrust over the edge. 

The omega clenched around Aglaea’s fingers, the white, milky fluid leaking out between the digits. Cifera’s moan was loud and unabashed, tail thrashing with abandon. A beautiful blush dusted her cheeks and the bridge of her nose as she rode out the high. When her eyes cracked open, staring up at Aglaea with a vulnerable, soft grin, the alpha couldn’t help but lean down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

She let her fingers slip out of Cifera’s opening, peppering the younger woman’s face with more kisses until the omega could only giggle. They rested like that for a moment, Cifera laying on the pillows while Aglaea hovered over her, the Dolosian’s tail sweeping in a lazy arc. Maintaining eye contact with her beloved, the alpha brought the hand she’d used to fuck Cifera to her lips. She took in all three at once, making sure to lick and suck them clean. The omega’s juices tasted sweet, but also slightly salty. A purr rumbled in the omega’s chest while she watched. 

“Was that to your liking?” Aglaea asked, half-teasing, half-serious. 

Cifera reached out, taking the alpha’s hand out of her mouth and pressing it against her face, nuzzling it. She hummed her satisfaction. “Yeah. You could be a bit rougher, though.” With her free hand, the younger woman cupped one of her own breasts, groping it. “You didn’t play with my boobs at all! Or my tail!” Said tail lifted off the bed, sweeping playfully under Aglaea’s nose. 

“I’m sorry, my love. It’s just a little difficult to multitask when you turn my brain into a pile of mush.” To remedy Cifera’s complaints, Aglaea bent down, kissing a nipple, feeling the way her breasts hung just barely above the flat of the younger woman’s stomach. The alpha was prepared to give her girlfriend’s well-endowed body the attention it deserved. 

“What if you stuffed your dick between them instead?” Aglaea’s arms gave out, causing her to fall face-first into Cifera’s cleavage. 

“Pa-pardon?” the blonde sputtered, face aflame as her cock jumped. Since she was hunched over, her shaft dragged against the mattress as it hardened. She glanced upward, but Cifera was completely serious. She wore a wide grin, canines peeking out. She brought her hands to her chest, pushing her breasts together so that they framed both sides of Aglaea’s face. The alpha hurriedly pushed herself up, her gaze lingering on the other’s display. 

“Hehe. You’re so cute when you get flustered like that.” Cifera let go of her chest, rising until she, too, was sitting up. “Guess I’ll have to wait for your rut to see you wild and out of control, but this side isn’t bad, either.” 

Affronted, Aglaea turned her face away from Cifera’s attempt to trace a finger along her jaw. “If you want me to do something during sex, you should just say it. There’s no need to beat around the bush.” 

“Oh, Agy. If you knew even half the things I did with your illusion during my exile, I think you’d die of shock.” Cifera grabbed Aglaea’s shoulders and pushed her around until she was kneeling on the bed, legs spread to give her erection the spotlight. “But for now, I’ll finally help myself to the main course.” The omega licked her lips in anticipation, standing momentarily to readjust her own position. 

Once aligned, Cifera fell to her knees, straddling the blonde’s hips. Her entrance hovered just above the tip of Aglaea’s cock. The alpha felt more blood rushing to her lower head, her breaths picking up pace as she waited. One hand on Aglaea’s shoulder for support and the other wrapping around the shaft to steady it, Cifera finally sank down onto the alpha’s member. 

When the head breached the vaginal opening, Aglaea’s breath hitched. Even when she used the golden threads to form a cocoon to help with her ruts, it could never replicate the hot, wet, and tight feeling of being inside another person. She can’t remember the last time she’d bedded someone like this, but it hadn’t felt this good. It hadn’t had the weight and gravitas of being with someone she truly, madly, and deeply loved. 

Those warm, fleshy walls surged to meet Aglaea, Cifera’s body adapting into the perfect mold. Even with so much of her length still outside, the blonde was getting lightheaded. She rested her hands on Cifera’s hips, her chin falling onto the younger woman’s shoulder. “Breathe,” Cifera whispered a reminder into her ear. Bewitched, the alpha followed the command, lungs filling with air once more. “Do you need a moment?” the younger woman offered. 

Aglaea shook her head. She was slightly overwhelmed, but she wouldn’t trade this moment for the world. “Keep going,” she urged, voice raspy. Her cock pulsed and twitched, which must have reassured Cifera enough to keep sinking down. The deeper her cock penetrated, the narrower the cavity became and the tighter the omega squeezed the length. It was electrifying. Finally, their hips met, the blonde fully hilted inside her own Cifera-shaped sheath. They stilled, getting used this new connection. 

Surprisingly, Aglaea was the first to move. The blonde shifted her hands down to grab Cifera’s buttocks, rising to her knees with a strength she didn’t know she had. Still buried deep inside, she carried the omega to the side of the bed. She set the younger woman down, then turned her around until the alpha was now standing on the floor. Now, Cifera lay with her butt at the edge of the bed, legs locked around Aglaea’s hips. From this position, the alpha had a better angle from which to thrust. She took full advantage. 

The blonde started slowly at first, pulling out only about halfway before sliding back in. It was a languid pace, one meant to savor every second of contact. It was a pace that allowed Aglaea to bend down, whispering sweet nothings into her lover’s ears. For the alpha, it was a tender moment, one in which she could take her time to appreciate the beautiful, selfless, flushed mess of a woman under her. 

Cifera was not nearly as appreciative, as she began to clench down every time Aglaea bottomed out. The greater resistance made it harder to move, forcing quicker, stronger thrusts from the alpha. The omega’s pleased purrs showed that she got exactly what she wanted. “C’mon, go faster. I’m not gonna break.” 

Arms wrapped around Aglaea’s shoulders, dragging her even closer. Cifera picked a spot on the alpha’s neck, latching on with her lips. She sucked on that spot intently, pulling away with a pop. She dove right back in, kissing the same spot and running her tongue along the forming hickey. What really spurred Aglaea into action was when Cifera turned her attention to the alpha’s scent glands. The omega nibbled on the gland, fully aware of the danger. 

Teeth grazed Aglaea’s scent gland, not enough to break skin but enough to flip a switch in the alpha’s brain. Growling, the blonde drew out all the way, ignoring how Cifera whined at the loss, plunging back in with a single, deep thrust. She buried herself completely, a slap echoing as their pelvises met with force. 

The omega’s walls clamped down at the sudden intrusion, the tightness sending a shiver down Aglaea’s spine. She began thrusting again, setting a new, faster pace as she chased a similar high. Her own precum and Cifera’s wetness made the task much easier. The alpha’s abs flexed as she pistoned in and out, one hand reaching out to press against the omega’s clit. 

She pressed her thumb against the bud, tasting the air as Cifera pumped out a wave of pheromones in response. Aglaea took it all in, letting the smell of the younger woman’s arousal spur her on. She rubbed her thumb up and down against the clit, finger occasionally slipping whenever she thrust too sloppily. Cifera’s tail coiled around the blonde’s wrist, helping stabilize the limb. All the while, the omega kept her head buried in Aglaea’s neck, alternating between moaning and sucking hickeys into the skin. 

Cifera was the first to reach her peak, benefitting from the dual stimulation of both her clit and her vagina. The first sign of the omega’s impending release was the way she seemed to subconsciously retract her pheromones. Then, in the middle of a messy kiss against Aglaea’s collar, Cifera suddenly bit down. The alpha’s only other warning was the sudden contraction of the younger woman’s walls. 

Omega pheromones diffused into the air as Cifera came, teeth digging in so deep that it started to hurt a bit. Her inner walls spasmed around Aglaea’s length, dousing it with her juices. Not to be alone in her high, Cifera reached blindly with one hand, finding the alpha’s balls and rolling them in her palm. 

Just from Cifera’s scent alone, Aglaea would’ve joined her in ecstasy, so the biting, clenching, and fondling were just an added bonus. Not wanting to accidentally bite the omega’s scent glands, the blonde snatched one of her pillows just in time to snap her jaws onto it. She moaned into the pillow, muffled, and she pressed as far into Cifera as she could, hips locking into place as she came. 

Rope after rope was unloaded, Cifera’s walls greedily milking the alpha for more. The omega pried the pillow from Aglaea’s mouth, pulling her down into a rough, searing kiss. Once the blonde finally had nothing left to empty, she broke the kiss, panting heavily. She pulled out, her softening cock drenched in a mixture of her and Cifera’s cum. With nothing left to block the hole, more of their mixed release slowly dripped out of the omega. 

Aglaea was certain she looked like a mess, hair all over the place and hickeys painting her neck and collar. Her body was definitely covered in multiple layers of sweat, and the salty liquid stung a little as it ran down into the scratches left by sharp claws. As the adrenaline left the blonde’s body, her knees weakened and she flopped down onto the bed next to Cifera. 

The Dolosian fared no better. Her hair was sprawled across the bed, making her head look like some kind of tentacled sea creature. Her neck and collar were free from hickeys, but her lips were swollen and bruised from her own endeavors. Sweat matted the hair along her tail, weighing the appendage down, though it’s not like she had the energy to move it now. She slowly closed her legs, turning over and cuddling into Aglaea’s side.  

The partners lay there for a bit, basking in each other’s scents and in the fact that they had finally explored one another in every sense of the word. It was only when Cifera’s stomach produced a loud growl that they got up. Sheepish, the younger woman dragged herself onto her feet. “Maybe we shouldn’t have skipped dinner after all.” 

Aglaea sat up, brushing her damp bangs aside. “And I wonder whose bright idea that was?” The omega playfully batted an arm at her, which the alpha caught. She slipped her hand into Cifera’s, letting the younger woman pull her off the bed. Now that the post-orgasm high was fading, the blonde became all too aware of how grimy her body felt. She was due for a shower, then a nice, long bath. 

She trudged toward the bathroom adjoined to her room. It was smaller than the one in the hallway, having just a toilet and a shower. She turned on the light and began searching for a clean rag she could use to scrub her body. She opened drawers and cabinets, squatting as she rummaged through them. The blonde pulled out a small box that was in the way, giving it a nominal glance. Aglaea gasped. The box fell from her grip with a clatter. 

Hearing the noise, Cifera popped her head in. “What was that?” 

“Cifera,” Aglaea whispered. She was frozen in place, her once warm body developing a chill and her hands shaking. Any trace of lingering arousal was entirely extinguished. Instead, a pure, cold fear settled in. She fumbled for the box, almost dropping it a couple more times. “I came inside you.” 

“Uh, yeah, I remember, Agy. You should do it more often.” Cifera rolled her eyes, not understanding what the big deal was. She patted the alpha on the back before turning to leave. 

“I came inside you,” the blonde repeated, stressing her words this time. “And we didn’t use protection.” In her hands was a box of condoms. Aglaea wasn’t sure where she’d gotten them or if they were even the right size. It had been a while since she last entertained the idea of having sex with someone. But once she and Cifera became official, the alpha had rushed to get some, just a bit too embarrassed to take her time weighing the pros and cons of the various choices. 

Cifera took the box and appraised it, scrutinizing the thing with narrowed eyes until it clicked. “Oh. Oops.” The omega handed the box back to Aglaea with a casual shrug. 

“‘Oops’? Is that all you have to say, Cifera? If anyone should be upset or angry about this, it should be you! Don’t you realize what this means?” Aglaea gripped the box tightly, slightly crushing its sides. She stared at Cifera with wide, frantic eyes. She pushed past the omega, searching for her discarded skirt, cursing as she realized it was in the entertainment room. 

Aglaea threw on a pair of slippers, rushing out into the hallway. As soon as she spotted her skirt, she dug through the pockets, pulling out her teleslate. The blonde scrolled through her list of contacts, debating whether to call Tribbie, Costas, or Hyacine. Tribbie’s not a doctor, but we’ve both known her since forever. Costas is a doctor and he has great expertise in alpha-omega relations, but Cifera doesn’t know him at all. Hyacine is a doctor and our friend, but as her seniors, would it be improper to discuss such matters with her? 

Just as she was about to select Tribbie’s profile, a clawed hand snatched the device away. Aglaea tried to reclaim her teleslate, dropping the box of condoms in the process. Stubbornly, Cifera kept moving the device out of reach, refusing to give it back. 

“Aglaea,” she stated firmly, shaking her head. “You get too caught up in your own mind sometimes.” Cifera set the teleslate onto the floor, then she grabbed both of the alpha’s hands, pulling her into a hug. “Talk to me. What are you freaking out about?” 

“We didn’t use protection. What if you end up pregnant? We’re not ready for a kid. We’ve not even discussed the possibility of being parents yet!” Aglaea was fully prepared to ramble for minutes about their predicament. She had a list of at least twenty reasons why couples shouldn’t have kids before becoming mates, ten reasons why being parents at this time was uniquely bad for her and Cifera, and three reasons why she wasn’t ready to be a mother yet. And those reasons were just about the general idea of parenthood. She had at least fifteen more related to the logistics of preparing a home for a new child, seventeen on the struggles of being first-time parents, and so on. 

Thankfully, Cifera didn’t let her get to that point, cutting off the spiral of doom before Aglaea could get in too deep. “Woah. Okay, first of all, I don’t think it’s even possible for me to get pregnant in the Eternal Page.” That was. . .a good point, actually. The Page was about preserving memories. Can memories even create new life where one did not previously exist? “Second, you make it sound like having a kid with me is the end of the world. I’m almost offended.” 

The alpha’s eyes widened. Sure, she didn’t want to have a child now, but she in no way meant to suggest that it was because of Cifera. “No, that’s not what I—. I mean, I didn’t—. Having a child with you would be—.” 

“Shh, it’s alright, Agy.” Cifera freed one hand and put a finger over the blonde’s lips, effectively shutting her up. “I get what you mean. As long as we’re stuck in this limbo, it’s not a great time to start a family. But,” she took the hand still intertwined with Aglaea’s, placing them both on her stomach. “Even if the impossible happens, I’d find a way to make it work as long as it’s with you.” 

Aglaea took a steadying breath, closing her eyes to focus on grounding herself. She focused primarily on the steady beat of Cifera’s heart, willing her own heart rate to slow down and match it. Whatever happens next, Cifera and I will find a way to deal with it, together. 

iv 

Cipher awoke to the sound of running water and an empty spot next to her in bed. Groggily, she sat up, blinking the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. Her ears flicked as she yawned, rolling out of bed to start her day. Her fluffy slippers were on the floor, right where she’d left them the previous night before crawling under the covers next to her girlfriend. She padded over to one of the two wardrobes in the bedroom, the smaller one being hers. 

As the omega rummaged through the drawers for an outfit, the shower in the adjoined bathroom turned off with a creak. Cipher smiled, humming as she pulled out a familiar hood and bodysuit. I wonder if it still fits. I’ve not had to run around much since being reborn into this fancy Page. 

The bathroom door swung open, and Aglaea stepped out. The blonde held a towel in her hands, drying off her face. To Cipher’s delight, the end of the towel went down to the alpha’s navel, leaving her flaccid cock on full display. The younger woman admired the way it flopped around slightly with each step, unencumbered by any layers of fabric. She couldn’t imagine Aglaea being so carefree with someone else in the home before, but living together for the past eight-or-so months had really helped to lower all the remaining barriers between the couple. Well, almost. But she had a plan for that. 

Cipher whistled appreciatively, abandoning the dresser in favor of stalking toward her girlfriend. Once close enough, she leaned on Aglaea’s shoulder, purring into her ear, “Need help drying off?” Her tail brushed teasingly against the length, causing the alpha to look up from the towel, rolling her eyes. She didn’t bother to give the younger woman a verbal response, all too used to her antics by now. Aww, and she used to get so flustered, too. Aglaea did, however, turn to steal a kiss, swiftly walking away toward her own wardrobe. “Hey,” Cipher called after her, “thieving’s supposed to be my thing!” 

The omega didn’t have to wait long to claim her revenge. After her own shower, she put on the outfit she’d chosen earlier. It was the one she’d come to be known for throughout the recurrences, having somehow always developed an affinity for hoods. Cipher’s hand went up to her neck, tracing the collar of her undershirt and the literal collar which her replica Coin of Whimsy hung from. The collar served as both a fashion statement and a line of defense for her scent glands. With luck, she would soon have a different, more permanent way to ward off unwanted alphas. 

She quickly left the bedroom, passing through the hallway lined with framed pictures she and Aglaea had put up over the months. Her favorite was one that Princess Homebody took during a girls' night. Aglaea had been the first to fall asleep while watching a movie, head laying on her girlfriend’s lap. Castorice perfectly captured the adoration in Cipher’s eyes as she stared down at the sleeping woman whose face pressed against her stomach, hand in the middle of brushing aside the blonde’s bangs. The omega hadn’t noticed the picture being taken in the moment, but she was glad because the candidness was part of what made the photo special. 

Putting aside her reminiscing, Cipher zoomed to the kitchen, finding Aglaea already seated at the table. There were two plates, each with their own stack of honey cakes. The younger woman’s eyes glanced at the stove and sink, but there was no sign of a frying pan in sight. Then she spotted the box on the counter, a sentient honey cake mascot smiling with a thumbs-up pose. Cipher snorted. I knew it was too good to be true! Still, she appreciated the thought. 

“Good morning, Cifera,” the blonde greeted once she noticed the other woman’s arrival. It was the weekend, so she’d opted for a more casual outfit. And it wasn’t just casual in Aglaea’s terms but, like, the kind of casual that normal people mean when they use that word. She wore a red flannel shirt, with the top two buttons still undone. It gave a generous preview of her chest, pale skin and part of a golden tattoo visible. Aglaea paired the flannel with a pair of jeans, another one of those fashion trends from beyond the sky that the Trailblazer introduced. Cipher was personally a big fan, and not just because of the way the denim hugged Aglaea’s figure. 

This outfit was how Cipher knew Aglaea intended to stay home all day, because she would never be caught dead wearing plaid in public. The omega sauntered over to the table, grabbing the alpha’s fork and taking a generous scoop of honey cakes for herself. The blonde protested, trying unsuccessfully to reclaim her fork. “You have your own plate, you cheeky kitten!” 

Smirking triumphantly, Cipher plopped herself down on Aglaea’s lap. “Nope. Don’t you know, what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is still mine!” She leaned back, letting her ear tickle the blonde’s neck as she stared up. Even viewed from below the chin, Aglaea didn’t have a single bad angle. The blonde’s arms snaked around her waist, settling on her hips. The arms tightened, pulling Cipher closer as the older woman grumbled lightheartedly. In a show of mercy, the Dolosian forked another bite of honey cakes, holding the food up to Aglaea’s mouth. Aglaea looked tentatively between the fork and her partner, eventually taking the bite. Her teeth snapped around nothing but air as Cipher pulled the food away at the last second with a wicked grin. “I can’t believe you fell for that,” she chortled, “again!” 

The younger woman’s butt abruptly met the floor as Aglaea shoved her off her lap. Cipher yelped, and a hint of fear permeated the air as the alpha briefly worried she’d hurt her. She helped the younger woman back to her feet, the omega going to the other side of the table to sit in her own seat this time. 

As they were cleaning up, Cipher made her move. She snuck up behind the blonde who stood at the sink, washing off their plates. Tiptoeing slightly, she trapped the older woman in a back hug, pressing her nose to the blonde’s scent glands where the smell of silk and linen was the strongest. Then, Cipher gave the gland a playful nibble, feeling the way it sent a shiver through the alpha. Annoyingly, Aglaea continued to scrub away, so she took another nibble, a little rougher this time. The plate fell with a loud clatter. “Cifera,” the alpha warned, a mix between a scold and a moan. “Mind your teeth, kitty.” 

Cipher ignored her, opting to run her tongue along the blonde’s neck, soothing the faint teeth marks she’d left. “You’re welcome to return the favor,” she purred. 

Aglaea stiffed, body tense as she mulled over what Cipher just said. “Does that mean. . ..,” she trailed off. 

“Yeah, it does,” Cipher confirmed. Her tail wound its way around the older woman’s leg. “Whichever one of our cycles comes first, I want there to be no doubt who we belong to, Agy.” 

Claiming marks. One of two ways to create a life-long bond with one’s partner. It’s the traditional way, available only to alphas and omegas. During a heat or rut, when one’s body is most malleable and scent glands most receptive, all it takes is one bite for the recipient’s scent to become permanently infused with the other’s. Once claimed, a person’s physiological reaction to any other’s pheromones but their claimer’s becomes muted. It used to serve as a way for alphas to dominate and control their omegas, but in nearly every recurrence, the Imperator had outlawed one-sided claiming. 

These days, claiming takes on a more romantic meaning. It’s a show of devotion, an open proclamation that you want to be bound to the other person, and only that person, for life. To Cipher, claiming Aglaea and having Aglaea claim her was a no-brainer. She couldn’t imagine trusting her body in its most vulnerable state to anyone except the blonde, and she knew the feeling was mutual. Even after tens of millions of lifetimes, the thought of exchanging such marks with anyone else never crossed her mind, not even at the height of her loneliness. 

“I—. I would be honored to wear your claim, Cifera.” Aglaea’s voice was thick with emotion. Even though Cipher couldn’t see her face from behind, she could see the redness that bloomed across the alpha’s neck. Elated, the omega seized the opportunity, jaws clamping down and canines digging into the blonde’s scent glands. “Ouch!” Instead the blissful moan she expected to hear, Aglaea sounded like she was in genuine pain. Damnit, I forgot! And I just said that one of us has to be cycling for the claiming mark to take hold. 

“Sorry, Agy. Got ahead of myself.” Cipher sucked gently on the wound to soothe it, paying no mind to the metallic taste of blood. With her zoion canines, the bite was sure to scab, meaning she’d have to be careful and avoid the spot when it came time for the actual marking. Well, all they can do now was wait. 

They didn’t have to wait very long. Just three days later, Cipher and Aglaea were at a group outing with some of the other Heirs. Without the looming threat of Irontomb to keep the gang together, Tribbie and Hyacine had taken to organizing monthly get togethers. Aglaea made it a point to attend each and every one, which naturally meant that Cipher was present more often than not as well. 

This month, they were doing something called ‘karaoke.’ It was a game from beyond the sky that the Trailblazer showed them. The moment Tribbie laid eyes on that karaoke machine, she was hooked. Now, gathered at Hyacine’s apartment, everyone stood around Tribbie’s latest invention. It looked much simpler than the one the Trailblazer had, but it could do all the core functions. Tribbie’s machine played music, and it had a screen that displayed the lyrics to the music. 

They had an interesting group tonight. There were, of course, Tribbie, Hyacine, and Aglaea, but the focus on music meant Hysilens made a rare appearance. Hysilens, in turn, had convinced Cerydra to come along. Polyxia clapped with excitement from her wheelchair as the priestess turned the device on, having come without her sister for once. Princess Homebody must’ve been too shy to sing in front of others. Phainon was usually at these gatherings, but he and the other guys had skipped. 

“Okay, everyone. First, we’d like to thank you all for being here. I know not everyone is comfortable with public singing, but this is a judgment-free apartment.” Hyacine looked at Cipher in particular for that last part. She even had a slight glare, or as close to one as the doctor could muster. Little Ica hovered nearby, the white pegasus’ glare being infinitely more intimidating. What gives? 

“Now, who’s ready to party?” Tribbie and Trianne shouted in unison, shooting upward then bursting out in different directions like a firework. Trinnon did not shout, but she still posed with her sisters. 

Cipher leaned on Aglaea’s shoulder with one elbow. “I’m a pretty amazing singer, you know.” Leaning even closer, she whispered, “I think I’ll dedicate my second song to you.” 

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, though kept her head looking straight ahead where the others were connecting the karaoke machine to Hyacine’s TV. “Not the first?”

“Nah, that one goes out to my guy, Bartho. Can’t have him thinking he’s a better singer than me.” Cipher giggled at the exasperated expression Aglaea made, but that look was quickly replaced by a fond smile. 

At Tribbie’s insistence, Polyxia went first. The red-haired girls had managed to scrounge up an impressive library of songs, some of which Cipher had never heard before even as well-traveled as she was. When the purple-haired woman made her choice, the Dolosian figured out it was an Aidonian piece only once the lyrics popped up on the screen. 

Curious, Cipher squeezed in between the Tribiosi triplets, reaching for the scroll that listed all the songs. There was a certain Dolosian love song that she wanted to sing if able. Before she could grab the scroll, however, someone else beat her to it. She was prepared to fight for the parchment, but she thought better of it once she realized that it was Cerydra. The Imperator even appeared to send a smirk Cipher’s way as she returned to Hysilens’ side. 

Sulking, Cipher slinked over to where Aglaea now sat on a loveseat. The younger woman plopped down with a pout, arms crossed and tail thumping against the cushion in annoyance. She leaned into the blonde’s side, whining, “My hand was practically already on the scroll! It’s an abuse of power, I say. Quick, Agy, help me plan a coup!” 

The blonde huffed in amusement, using one hand to rub soothing circles into the younger woman’s back. “You’ll get your chance eventually, my love. Let those old-timers have some fun while they’re still nimble enough to get out of bed in the morning.” They both laughed at that, though they had to make sure to keep it down as Polyxia was still performing. When she finished, everyone gave her a round of applause. 

As expected, Hysilens stood to claim the microphone next. She picked an operatic piece. But as the opening notes began to play, the siren walked over to Cerydra and dragged her onto the makeshift stage as well. The shorter woman protested, but she was eventually forced to join Hysilens in what turned out to be an operatic duet. 

That gave Cipher an excellent idea. “We should sing a duet, too!” She stared at Aglaea’s side profile, willing the older woman to turn her head and see the devastatingly cute and persuasively pleading expression she wore. 

All too familiar with Cipher’s tactics, the blonde kept her face stubbornly forward. “I think you would come to regret that idea,” Aglaea deadpanned. 

“Oh, come on, Agy. You can’t be that bad at singing. I’ve heard you humming in the bath some nights, so I know you can at least hold a tune!” Cipher pouted just a little more exaggeratedly, pushing forward to nudge the top of her head against the blonde’s chin. She also pushed out some of her pheromones. A little bit of sweet-talking should do the trick. 

“Humming in the privacy of my own bath is a far cry from—.” When Aglaea abruptly cut herself off, Cipher raised her head. The alpha’s nose twitched as she sniffed the air. Hah, it’s working! Finally, the blonde turned to look at Cipher with a questioning gaze. She just stared for a moment, enough that the omega began to shrink back in self-consciousness. Under that scrutinizing gaze, the younger woman began to sweat a little. It’s getting hot in here. I should ask the Pink Girl to turn on the fan or something. 

For some reason, red dusted Aglaea’s cheeks as she began to blush. “As I was saying,” she resumed, “even among friends, it’s only natural to—.” She cut herself off again, this time coughing into the elbow that was not currently brushing against Cipher’s chest. 

Something weird is going on. Cipher pulled back a little more, using her left hand to fan herself. Aglaea wouldn’t make eye contact. Frustrated by her girlfriend’s cryptic behavior, Cipher took a look around the room to check if anyone else thought the blonde was acting strange. Hysilens and Cerydra were still engrossed in their duet, as were Polyxia and Trianne. Tribbie, Trinnon, and Hyacine, however, kept glancing back. But instead of Aglaea, they were looking at. . .Cipher? 

Even more confused, the omega took a deep breath to reorganize her thoughts. That’s when she noticed it. The scent of minerals and gemstones floated in the air, noticeably sweet. But to Cipher, the scent that stood out the most was Aglaea’s. That fresh silk and linen fragrance drew her in like a moth to a flame. The alpha always smelled good, but it was particularly alluring at the moment. 

“Cifera,” came Aglaea’s voice, low and steady. “Perhaps we should it call it an early night.” She was finally looking right at the younger woman, eyebrows furrowed in concern even as her blush reached her neck. The alpha swallowed, and Cipher’s eyes tracked the way her throat bobbed, a single bead of sweat dripping down the side. The Dolosian licked her lips, wishing that she was licking that neck instead. Wait. What am I thinking? 

The Dolosian’s ears twitched, picking up the way that the karaoke machine was paused. Hysilens and Cerydra stood, breathless and panting from the notes they’d been singing. But they, too, were now staring at Cipher. 

Finally, Polyxia asked the question no one else was brave enough to ask. “Is something going on with Lady Cipher?” The purple-haired beta seemed to be the only person in the room still acting normal, hands dropping down to the wheels of her chair to push herself closer. Even from halfway across the room, Cipher could smell the beta’s ivory and bone scent as if she stood right next to her. 

Her gaze flicked back to Aglaea, who was staring back just as intently. Those smoldering yellow-green eyes were really hitting the spot just right for Cipher in that moment, sending a pang of arousal straight to her stomach. That was when she finally connected all the dots. I’m going into heat. “Agy,” she breathed, “let’s get out of here.” 

Nodding, Aglaea stood, pulling the omega up with her. They didn’t bother to grab their things as they hurried out the door. Cipher wasn’t really paying attention to anyone else anymore as the alpha bid a hasty farewell. The younger woman thought she heard Hysilens wish them a fun night of sex, but her heat-focused brain might have misheard. 

Thankfully, their luxury suite was just a few blocks away from Hyacine’s apartment. As Aglaea led the couple down the streets, Cipher found it increasingly difficult to keep her hands from wandering. At one point, she nearly groped the alpha’s length in public, earning a warning growl. That growl was a mewl compared to the growl Aglaea directed toward another alpha whose gaze lingered on Cipher for too long. 

As they stumbled into the elevator, Aglaea clumsily pressed the buttons, accidentally hitting a few others before punching the one for their floor. Cipher didn’t care who might try to enter the elevator, pushing the alpha against the wall and shoving her hands up the blonde’s blouse. Her overly sweet pheromones clouded the air as she scraped her claws against Aglaea’s abs, mouth latching onto the older woman’s neck. She stepped into her personal space, pressing their crotches together. 

It was a testament to Aglaea’s willpower that both of them remained fully clothed when the elevator finally stopped at their floor. Cipher practically dragged the blonde out of that tiny box and into their suite. She didn’t let go of the alpha until they entered the bedroom, throwing her onto the bed. The omega scrabbled up onto the mattress after her, shedding her pants and underwear with ease. She pulled at the edges of her shirt, practically tearing it off. She didn’t bother trying her save her bra, the hook snapping as it gave way to her need. 

In a contrast to Cipher’s haste and reckless abandon, Aglaea appeared to be taking things slow and careful. She was still removing her bracelets and rings by the time the omega was fully bare. The alpha glanced at her lover from the corner of her eye, tracing along Cipher’s curvy figure. The omega preened under the attention, her clit beginning to swell as slick moistened her thighs. 

“You look breathtaking as ever, my love,” Aglaea crooned. Divested of her jewelry, the blonde brought a hand to Cipher’s feverish face, running her thumb across the younger woman’s lips. Cipher opened her mouth and captured the appendage, swirling her tongue around the nail even though it should’ve been swirling around something else. Something that the alpha still had trapped beneath her pants, for some Titans-forsaken reason. 

Cipher’s hands flew toward the alpha’s pants, swiftly undoing the button and yanking them open. A pair of larger hands covered hers, halting their movements. She growled in frustration. Aglaea rolled to her feet, stepping out of her pants and leaving them in a heap on the floor. Her cock strained against her white undergarments, a damp spot already present near the head. That wetness made the fabric sheer, giving Cipher a sneak peak of the deliciously flushed skin contained within. 

Agy’s taking way too damn long! Helpfully, Cipher hooked her claws into the undergarments and gave a fierce pull. She wasn’t able to rip them off, but she certainly did stretch them out. “Cifera,” Aglaea growled, annoyed, “I happened to like those.” 

The omega scoffed. “As if you don’t have nine other matching pairs.” She wasn’t done yet, hands flying to the blonde’s blouse. Cipher made an effort to be gentler this time, though she was still rather frantic as she lifted the blouse then unhooked the white bra underneath. Free from their restraints, Aglaea’s assets hung proudly. Her long, thick cock stood at attention, counterbalanced by a pair of heavy balls. And her ample breasts were clearly asking for Cipher’s hands to give them a bit of support. 

Before the Dolosian could get too handsy with either option, Aglaea took advantage of her distraction to reposition themselves. Cipher fell onto the bed on her back, now starting up at a faceful of boobs. She leaned up, taking one into her mouth, pinching the nipple between her teeth. Her tail took care of the rest, snaking up to coil around Aglaea’s length. 

A hand pressed against her shoulder, pushing her away and deeper into the mattress. “Oh my, someone’s eager, isn’t she?” Aglaea stared down, an amused smile playing across her lips while a ravenous hunger filled her eyes. Her erection pulsed, and Cipher could feel every throb through her tail. The alpha’s scent was musky, betraying her arousal even as she infuriatingly delayed the omega’s satisfaction. 

“Agy, please,” she growled. “Don’t do this to me! Not now!” She’d been able to largely ignore her needs on the streets and in the elevator, but now the heat building in her abdomen and crotch was getting to be unbearable. If the pressure wasn’t relieved soon, she might just cry. She was already halfway there, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Her tail unwrapped itself in favor of thrashing in frustration. 

Cipher didn’t let Aglaea have an opportunity to respond, for the omega reached down with one hand and guided the length to her vagina herself. The alpha let out a strained gasp as the omega’s hand gripped her, and her breaths grew more staggered as Cipher squeezed. She didn’t really need any additional lubrication, her slick doing a more than fine job preparing her entrance. Still, the younger woman pulled the taut foreskin back even further from the tip, rubbing the head against her clit and smearing both her juices and Aglaea’s precum around. 

Having gotten the hint, Aglaea lined herself up with Cipher’s entrance. She briefly glanced up at the omega for reassurance before burying her entire length inside in one go. Fire coursed through Cipher’s veins as she was filled, walls clamping down around the hot, throbbing intrusion. A deep, drawn-out moan passed through her lips as she adjusted to the alpha’s size. 

The thickest part of the head had a slightly larger diameter than the rest of Aglaea’s girth, meaning there wasn’t much room to breathe once the alpha began thrusting in earnest. Even when pulling out, the head would sometimes catch on Cipher’s walls, prolonging the contact in a way that made the omega clench. It must’ve felt good for the blonde, too, because her breath would always hitch when it happened. 

The scents of their mutual arousal blanketed the room in a heavy musk of minerals and silk. If anyone else entered, they would suffocate. But for Cipher and Aglaea, it was fuel for the flames of their heated passion. It wouldn’t take long for them to reach their peaks, especially knowing that they planned to make their mating official this time. 

When Aglaea’s pace began to slow, Cipher whined a pathetic mewl. The loss of friction was torture, a denial of her pleasure and a slight dousing of the heat. Her budding frustration quickly dissipated once she felt the reason for Aglaea’s change of tempo. 

Though her thrusts were shallower, something stiffer, larger bumped against Cipher’s entrance with every movement. It was Aglaea’s knot, rapidly swelling as the alpha neared her own orgasm. Cipher squirmed in an anticipation, willing her entrance to part even further so that the blonde could push the knot in sooner. Unfortunately, her body refused to listen to her internal coaxing, taking its sweet time to comply. 

This meant that, for a few minutes, all either of them could do was wait as Aglaea’s knot continued to swell and Cipher’s body prepared. The older woman took the opportunity to draw down her pace, spending a moment at the apex of every thrust just grinding her knot against the omega’s clit. That was a whole other stimulation of its own, and it brought Cipher nearer to her release than she would have liked. I’m so close, but. . .I can’t. I won’t. Not unless Agy comes at the same time. 

Cipher could feel how sweaty their bodies were, and it only added to the humidity. She arched her back off the bed at a particularly effective thrust, feeling the slight chill as her back meet something other than the damp, heated bed for a second. She collapsed back down with a heavy sigh. Aglaea monitored her every movement. Her eyes roamed everywhere, not staying on any one place for too long because she had so much to appreciate. 

Her eyes soon fixated on Cipher’s abdomen, which flexed with each breath and even more so with every pant or moan. Aglaea’s head dipped down until her face was right above the omega’s torso. A pink tongue stuck out, catching a drop of sweat and dragging up the trail of moisture it left as it had run down Cipher’s abs. It was dizzying. It was maddening. Cipher couldn’t believe Aglaea had just done that. 

Evidently, neither could Aglaea. As soon as the alpha realized what she’d just done, her hips juddered to a stop, pace breaking. She was already flushed from the sex, but now her face was ablaze. The alpha looked to the side, avoiding eye contact. She whined, trying to find some way to rationalize what she’d done but finding herself unable to explain. But just because she was embarrassed, it didn’t mean Aglaea wouldn’t do it again. The way her cock leaked and twitched wildly inside Cipher was an obvious tell. 

Cipher lifted her hips, urging Aglaea to resume her thrusts. As she did, the omega glanced down, taking another good look at the alpha’s knot. It’s huge! No wonder Agy couldn’t get it in as quickly this time. She was no stranger to that aspect of having sex with an alpha. Heck, she’d seen and felt Aglaea’s knot several times. But Cipher was certain she’d never seen the blonde swell this much before. 

Obediently, the alpha started moving again. She seemed to think Cipher was wet enough, so she wasn’t going slow and grinding anymore. Instead, she pumped in and out at a speed even the Titans would envy. With each successive thrust, she pushed in with more and more force. Cipher willed herself to relax, body complying this time. Finally, with one last push, Aglaea’s knot popped inside Cipher’s vagina, sending them both careening over the edge. 

Her walls fluttered and spasmed around the intrusion, feeling the way Aglaea’s cock pulsed heavily as she pumped out rope after rope of cum into her. Cipher took it all, then she greedily clenched and squeezed, milking her alpha for more. They moaned in tandem as they rode out the high. The blonde shuffled forward, burying herself as deep as she could before resting her forehead against Cipher’s. 

In the haze of relief and exhaustion, Cipher nearly forgot why they’d been waiting for her heat or Aglaea’s rut to come in the first place. With newfound strength, she fumbled with her hands until they landed on the alpha’s shoulders, pushing her up slightly. The blonde gave a quiet whine but offered no other resistance. The younger woman’s mouth latched onto Aglaea’s neck, using her nose to find the scent gland. 

Opening her jaws, Cipher bit down, sinking her canines into the soft skin. Aglaea gasped and shuddered and moaned above her, body growing taut as her cock shot out another string of release. The alpha’s pheromones exploded into the air, tinged with the smoky undertone of rut. A slightly feral growl ripped from Aglaea’s throat as her already sensitive nerves became enhanced further. 

When Cipher let go and pulled back, she found Aglaea on the brink of mental collapse. Her eyes were clouded with lust, yet they also held the tears of an overwhelming, unsatiated desire. Her stomach was sucked in, holding back lest she hurt her beloved omega. Her arms shook, unsteady as they held herself up. Her knot was still inflated, unchanged from when it first penetrated Cipher. 

Aglaea’s gaze was transfixed on a single point: Cipher’s own scent glands. Yet the alpha still waited patiently, even if unwillingly. Cipher didn’t try to speak, knowing her voice would be too hoarse for words. Instead, she cupped the blonde’s cheek guiding her lips to her neck. 

Consent given, Aglaea latched on. Her canines weren’t as naturally sharp as the Dolosian’s, but they still pierced plenty deep enough into the omegas scent gland. Immediately, Cipher understood why Aglaea had become so overwhelmed. A guttural moan left the younger woman as waves of tingling arousal shot through her nerves. She breathed through her nose and inhaled a wave of the alpha’s intoxicating pheromones. Her walls spasmed once more, a new round of juices pouring out as her stomach coiled and uncoiled. Aglaea answered her with a heavy throb. 

The newly established mates collapsed on the bed together, Aglaea rolling over onto her side so as to not crush the younger woman. They both groaned as the movement jostled the alpha’s knot. They readjusted themselves, slow and careful. Cipher curled into Aglaea’s side, tail draping loosely across their hips. They were done for the night, that much was certain. But they had the rest of Cipher’s heat and Aglaea’s rut to explore their newfound connection.