Omega for Rent
Omega for Rent
SERIES: Omegas of OAN
BOOK: 3 of 4
STANDALONE? Interconnected standalones with a series arc
TROPES: Fake Dating, Sex Worker / Client, Billionaire Hero, Interstellar Cruise Ship, Alpha Male, Knotting, Class Differences
Fake. Hired to be his pretend omega girlfriend. So why is it starting to feel all too real?
Catching feelings for clients is stupid and Leah knows better. She’s a professional. Her years at the Glittering Gem have hardened and shaped her into the woman she’s become, and she likes it that way. She has all of the control in her relationships with her clients.
Until Gray hires her to pretend to be his girlfriend at his business partner’s wedding aboard an orbiting cruise ship.
It’s supposed to be a week on a luxury cruise ship in space. She’s meant to sip cocktails on the artificial beach and eat gourmet food prepared by the very best chefs.
Falling in love isn’t part of the plan and it’s definitely not what this Alpha hired her for. So then why can’t she stay professional and keep her feelings out of it?
Money can buy Gray everything he wants . . . except for peace and quiet.
He's tired of the constant barrage of questions about who he’s dating, why he’s not married yet, and when will he settle down. He doesn’t expect to like Leah so much, and he certainly doesn’t plan on making this fake relationship real.
He has an upcoming merger to deal with -- one that will change not only the fate of his company, but humanity itself. It's the deal of the century. Something that might give Earth a fighting chance to ward off the invading Theta-Devs. This is no time for distractions.
Falling in love isn’t part of his plan. So then why can’t he suppress these Alpha urges that she brings to his surface?
Omega for Rent is the second novel in the Omegas of OAN series. While each book is a standalone following a different couple there is a series arc and they're best read in order. A content guide is available for readers with sensitivities on the author's website www.alexisbosborne.com
Leah was lounging on the blue velvet sofa in her room and reading Lillian Beronte’s latest romance novel when the brothel’s Madam poked her head through the door and crooked a summoning finger at her.
The older woman eyed Leah with an approving look. “Jade, you’ve got a client, but he wants to meet you first before he signs,” she ordered.
Leisurely flipping the next page in her book, Leah frowned and crossed her legs. “It’s my day off,” she reminded her taskmaster of a Madam.
The woman was constantly “forgetting” that her girls all got one day off a week per their contract, plus an entire week off in the summer. The new ones learned quickly that if you gave this woman an inch, then she would take a mile. The only way to gain any respect at The Glittering Gem was to set firm boundaries early and then stick to them ferociously. Leah hadn’t clawed her way up to the top ten to start sliding back down now.
Madam Bancroft made an irritated noise in the back of her throat, her expression souring as she set her fingers to her chin and looked thoughtful. “He’s booking you for a week. But if you don’t want the job, I suppose I can give it to Diamond . . .”
A week? A week! Twenty percent of a week’s fees plus tips . . .
Snapping her book closed and setting it down on the sofa, Leah jumped up. Madam Bancroft smirked before she disappeared from the doorway. Smoothing the skirts of her robe down, Leah hurried toward the door before she caught herself.
The client wants to meet me first, meaning he’s already here.
Changing course, she ran to her battle station and studied her reflection. After adjusting the fit of her bra and fixing the back of her underwear, she re-tied her robe in such a way that it was slipping off one shoulder. Her hair was still curly from last night’s set so she threw it up into a messy updo and stuck a fake gem-encrusted hair stick into it to hold it all in place.
Setting the dial on the makeuper to “sultry natural,” she stuck her face in and tried not to flinch when it stamped the cosmetics onto her face.
I’ll never get used to that.
Pulling away from the cosmetic device, Leah double-checked her makeup, hair, and outfit while making sure she looked both beautiful and approachable. Exactly what the Alphas who typically booked her paid for.
Satisfied that she looked as good as she was going to get without doing a complete wardrobe change, Leah slipped on a pair of heels and hurried down the hallway. Their bedrooms were small, but private which was one of the reasons why she kept working for the Glittering Gem instead of selling her contract to a more lucrative, but also more dangerous, brothel.
She passed a few of the other omegas in the hall. Ruby dipped her chin in a nod while Pearl glanced over at her. Leah ignored them both and made her way to the Madam’s office. The beta bodyguard opened the hallway door for her, then shut it behind her after she stepped into the front of the house. Leah smiled while she cut a path through the milling prostitutes and patrons.
An older Alpha—a senator, if she recalled correctly—slid a hand down her arm in a teasing invitation, but Leah was able to extract herself from his grasp with a smile and a quick apology. Dodging her way past clients and staff alike, Leah entered Madam Bancroft’s office.
“Ah, here she is. My best girl, as discreet as they come, here at the Gem. Jade, this is Mr. Graydon. He’s looking for a young lady to escort him to a few gatherings on the new Lunar Cruiseliner,” Madam announced.
Leah glanced at the man who turned his attention to the door as it closed behind her. Tall, even while sitting. Broad-shouldered, as most Alphas were. Handsome, that was nice. With a prominent, regal nose and a protruding brow hanging over warm brown eyes. His skin was smooth and barely lined, and his nails appeared well-manicured and buffed. His suit was either tailored or custom-made. The way that it hugged the breadth of his shoulders and tapered down his back meant it definitely wasn’t off-the-rack. You could always tell the Alphas who came from real money, versus the ones who’ve made something of themselves, by their shoes.
Glancing down, she saw that they were leather. And not synthetic leather either, but actual honest-to-goodness leather. The kind of leather that came from real livestock. Cows, most likely, not that she’d ever seen a real one or probably ever would. The leather was a medium brown with warm tones, and it had been buffed to a gleaming shine without a single smudge, dent, or scuff.
Crossing the room to sit in Madam’s second empty client chair, Leah faced forward with her hands folded loosely in her lap and dropped her chin. The maneuver let her lashes shade her eyes in the traditional submissive pose that most Alphas seemed to appreciate.
Yet his scent never wavered.
There was no uptick in pheromones or change in his underlying musk. Sniffing, careful not to let her nostrils flare and give herself away, she rolled his scent through her sinuses.
He smelled of cologne, of course, but under that was the natural scent of him too. She picked it apart. Woodsy, musky, amber.
His scent reminded her of the forest glade that she’d stumbled into once when she got lost on a school field trip outside of the city. She’d been scared until she sat down on a fallen, rotting log underneath some ferns and noticed the dragonflies darting between bushes. They swarmed in the sunbeams, a glittering array of blues and greens and even purple. Having grown up in inner-city New York she’d never seen a dragonfly or butterfly before. No bees or ladybugs either. Insects were rare now after all of the chemicals they had to spray everywhere to turn the famine around. It had felt magical in that upstate forest clearing. Like she’d stumbled into a faerie land, right out of one of her illustrated children’s books, and that moment was hers alone. The teacher had found her, later, and had to practically drag her away.
God, I could have sat there for hours and never tired of looking at it.
Snapped out of her daydream, Leah saw that Madam and Mr. Graydon were already discussing the details of the contract.
How long did I space out?
“Our standard rate is twenty thousand credits a week, plus a retainer of a quarter of a million against potential damages. The retainer is refunded once my girl is returned and inspected. An itemized bill for any repairs or medical expenses will be sent to the address on file. Unless you’d like to open a rolling account with us?” Madam Bancroft asked.
“No, that won’t be necessary,” he answered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
His voice was rich, deep and dark. The sound of it made the hairs on her arms stand on end and her nipples tighten. Some wild, tingling awareness burned through her. Risking a glance at him under the cover of her eyelashes, Leah studied him.
How long has it been since I’ve actually been attracted to one of my clients?
She enjoyed her work. Liked to see her patrons happy and fulfilled. But few, if any, ignited her own passions.
Leah swallowed, suddenly a bit nervous and unsure.
This feels dangerous.
Only stupid working girls caught feelings for their clients, and she’d been doing this far too long now to have any dreams of being rescued by some Alpha prince charming, no matter how many fairy tale romances she read on her days off. Leah was practical. You had to be to survive this sort of life without scars on your heart.
Madam Bancroft’s cool expression warmed. “I’ll outline the rules then, Mr. Graydon, since this is your first rental with the Glittering Gem. We run a standard omega contract with a typical non-disclosure agreement that goes both ways between the house and the client. For the duration of the rental, you shall be fitted with a set of self-dissolving teeth caps and injected with a temporary birth control shot that renders your sperm impotent. I can provide you with a pamphlet regarding this medication if you’d like to read more information about it,” the Madam offered.
Mr. Graydon picked a piece of lint off his slacks and flicked it off. “I’ve done my research. That’s fine.”
Madam Bancroft smiled, her ruby-tinted lips curving in a feline grin. “Excellent. I do so love a well-informed client. Makes things easier. Your omega will be fitted with a collar to prevent any accidents in the heat of the moment. This collar can’t be unlocked by anyone but myself or my attorney in the event that I am unavailable.”
He shifted in his seat, his leather shoes creaking at the change. “The collar will be a problem for me. I came here because of your reputation for discretion. If she’s collared, then others may know her for what she is.”
The word “whore” floated between them unspoken, an invisible slur. Leah hid her wince, but just barely, while her soft feelings for the handsome Alpha died a little. It was a good thing, even if it smarted her pride a bit. Her smile was tense, but he wasn’t looking at her anyway.
The Madam pulled the top drawer of her dresser open and took out an omega collar. She handed it across the table to Leah.
Leaning forward and taking it from her Madam without any prompting, Leah fitted it to her neck and snapped the lock into place, glad that her hair was already up and out of the way. The white frosted plas-film material turned transparent as its embedded circuits connected upon contact with her skin and activated. It looked as if the collar melted straight into her body and disappeared from sight.
Mr. Graydon made a pleased hum in the back of his throat, and Leah’s body pulsed with happiness at the noise.
Happy Alpha, her omega purred. She shoved the intrusive thoughts back down. He’s not our patron yet. Don’t get attached.
But Leah’s omega didn’t understand such things like contracts and temporary. All her hindbrain saw and heard and smelled was a nice-smelling, handsome man who was making happy Alpha noises.
“I see that your reputation for discretion is well-earned,” he interjected in an approving voice.
Madam Bancroft nodded, sliding the thick paper contract and a fountain pen across her desk. The woman always insisted on pen and paper because datapads could be hacked. Sensitive information was best stored physically, according to Madam.
As the Alpha read through the lengthy documents, Madam pointed out the more important pieces of the contract. Both parties were vaccinated for disease and injected to prevent pregnancy. The rented omega was not to be shared with any others without prior approval and the payment of additional service fees. The omega’s beta bodyguard was to remain present at all times except during intimate moments. Late return fee schedule . . . excessive damage fee table . . . etcetera.
Leah’s mind blanked out as the Madam went over information that she’d heard hundreds of times before. Mr. Graydon agreed to every bullet point, signing his initials on every dotted line at the bottom corner of each page of the contract. His signature on the back page was a grand, sweeping, and illegible flourish. Once he’d signed the last page, the Madam shook his hand and flashed Leah a pleased smile.
“Jade will be delivered to your address on file by nine in the morning,” Madam added.
Frowning as he pulled a pocket watch from his coat, he turned the device over and read the glowing screen before spiriting it away again. “No, that won’t do. I need her now. The shuttle leaves in two hours.”
Madam blinked at him from across the table. If the woman was surprised by this, then her carefully crafted facade didn’t show it.
Fidgeting with the hem of her robe, Leah was aware of the fact that she was dressed in sleepwear and her best clothes were still at the auto laundry. It was her day off, after all.
“Of course,” Madam amended. “I’ll have her packed and ready within the half-hour. May I offer you some refreshments while you wait?”
He tugged a wrinkle from his suit and shook his head, his foot tapping against the fake-wood floorboards. “She won’t need clothes. Her own, I mean. I’ve brought a few things for her to wear. The rest of her wardrobe can be obtained on board,” he added quickly.
The Madam’s resulting smile was tight, but then she nodded and swiveled to her mounted datapad where she tapped a few keys.
Leah felt the collar lock into place on her neck and shoulders. The faint electrical tingle let her know that it was now fully activated. Pressing two fingers to it, she touched it to make sure that it was laying flush against her skin as it made small fine-tuned adjustments. The worst thing in the world was when it locked into place crooked, especially since she was going to be wearing it for an entire week straight.
“I’ve sent messages to my on-site nurse. She’ll come and administer the prophylactics and off-planet vaccinations and fit you for your caps,” Madam explained.
They waited in tense silence until a few moments later the door opened and nurse Jocasta entered. The woman was carrying a steel tray loaded with syringes and vials. The nurse set the tray down, pulled up a chair, and began going through her spiel about what everything was and its side effects.
The Alpha waved her off and stood up from his chair, tugging his shirt out of his pants at the nurse’s direction and undoing his belt. Leah watched, not a little bit shy at all now, as he pulled his pants down, exposing his well-muscled hip. The nurse sprayed her hands down with an antiseptic gloving spray, swabbed his skin with a topical disinfectant, then injected him quickly. Each injection swiveled the barrel on the nurse’s needle gun, changing the medication each time. The nurse stuck him again two more times in different spots on his hip, then pulled a bite block tray from her pocket and fitted him with his canine caps.
While the Alpha tugged his clothing back into place and pressed the caps into place while they fused, the nurse turned toward Leah. There was no kind spiel or sweet voice now. Both of them knew the drill. Leah stood and pulled her robe up to give the nurse full access to her ass. The needle slid deep into the muscle, and the injection stung and burned as it infused. Vaccines for off-Earth pathogens, an anti-pregnancy booster, and a top-up to her heat suppressant.
The nurse stuck her four times in total, but Leah barely flinched. She was used to this sort of thing after all these years. With a sore, burning hip, she let the robe drop to cover herself again.
“Your beta guard will be Cayne. He’s outside waiting in the lobby,” Madam said.
“Come,” the Alpha said as he side-eyed Leah and headed toward the door to leave.
Sparing one last glance at Madam Bancroft, they shared a silent conversation and then Leah followed the Alpha out.
My new Alpha . . . for the next week, at least.
SERIES: Omegas of OAN
BOOK: 3 of 4
STANDALONE? Interconnected standalones with a series arc
TROPES: Fake Dating, Sex Worker / Client, Billionaire Hero, Interstellar Cruise Ship, Alpha Male, Knotting, Class Differences
Fake. Hired to be his pretend omega girlfriend. So why is it starting to feel all too real?
Catching feelings for clients is stupid and Leah knows better. She’s a professional. Her years at the Glittering Gem have hardened and shaped her into the woman she’s become, and she likes it that way. She has all of the control in her relationships with her clients.
Until Gray hires her to pretend to be his girlfriend at his business partner’s wedding aboard an orbiting cruise ship.
It’s supposed to be a week on a luxury cruise ship in space. She’s meant to sip cocktails on the artificial beach and eat gourmet food prepared by the very best chefs.
Falling in love isn’t part of the plan and it’s definitely not what this Alpha hired her for. So then why can’t she stay professional and keep her feelings out of it?
Money can buy Gray everything he wants . . . except for peace and quiet.
He's tired of the constant barrage of questions about who he’s dating, why he’s not married yet, and when will he settle down. He doesn’t expect to like Leah so much, and he certainly doesn’t plan on making this fake relationship real.
He has an upcoming merger to deal with -- one that will change not only the fate of his company, but humanity itself. It's the deal of the century. Something that might give Earth a fighting chance to ward off the invading Theta-Devs. This is no time for distractions.
Falling in love isn’t part of his plan. So then why can’t he suppress these Alpha urges that she brings to his surface?
Omega for Rent is the second novel in the Omegas of OAN series. While each book is a standalone following a different couple there is a series arc and they're best read in order. A content guide is available for readers with sensitivities on the author's website www.alexisbosborne.com
Leah was lounging on the blue velvet sofa in her room and reading Lillian Beronte’s latest romance novel when the brothel’s Madam poked her head through the door and crooked a summoning finger at her.
The older woman eyed Leah with an approving look. “Jade, you’ve got a client, but he wants to meet you first before he signs,” she ordered.
Leisurely flipping the next page in her book, Leah frowned and crossed her legs. “It’s my day off,” she reminded her taskmaster of a Madam.
The woman was constantly “forgetting” that her girls all got one day off a week per their contract, plus an entire week off in the summer. The new ones learned quickly that if you gave this woman an inch, then she would take a mile. The only way to gain any respect at The Glittering Gem was to set firm boundaries early and then stick to them ferociously. Leah hadn’t clawed her way up to the top ten to start sliding back down now.
Madam Bancroft made an irritated noise in the back of her throat, her expression souring as she set her fingers to her chin and looked thoughtful. “He’s booking you for a week. But if you don’t want the job, I suppose I can give it to Diamond . . .”
A week? A week! Twenty percent of a week’s fees plus tips . . .
Snapping her book closed and setting it down on the sofa, Leah jumped up. Madam Bancroft smirked before she disappeared from the doorway. Smoothing the skirts of her robe down, Leah hurried toward the door before she caught herself.
The client wants to meet me first, meaning he’s already here.
Changing course, she ran to her battle station and studied her reflection. After adjusting the fit of her bra and fixing the back of her underwear, she re-tied her robe in such a way that it was slipping off one shoulder. Her hair was still curly from last night’s set so she threw it up into a messy updo and stuck a fake gem-encrusted hair stick into it to hold it all in place.
Setting the dial on the makeuper to “sultry natural,” she stuck her face in and tried not to flinch when it stamped the cosmetics onto her face.
I’ll never get used to that.
Pulling away from the cosmetic device, Leah double-checked her makeup, hair, and outfit while making sure she looked both beautiful and approachable. Exactly what the Alphas who typically booked her paid for.
Satisfied that she looked as good as she was going to get without doing a complete wardrobe change, Leah slipped on a pair of heels and hurried down the hallway. Their bedrooms were small, but private which was one of the reasons why she kept working for the Glittering Gem instead of selling her contract to a more lucrative, but also more dangerous, brothel.
She passed a few of the other omegas in the hall. Ruby dipped her chin in a nod while Pearl glanced over at her. Leah ignored them both and made her way to the Madam’s office. The beta bodyguard opened the hallway door for her, then shut it behind her after she stepped into the front of the house. Leah smiled while she cut a path through the milling prostitutes and patrons.
An older Alpha—a senator, if she recalled correctly—slid a hand down her arm in a teasing invitation, but Leah was able to extract herself from his grasp with a smile and a quick apology. Dodging her way past clients and staff alike, Leah entered Madam Bancroft’s office.
“Ah, here she is. My best girl, as discreet as they come, here at the Gem. Jade, this is Mr. Graydon. He’s looking for a young lady to escort him to a few gatherings on the new Lunar Cruiseliner,” Madam announced.
Leah glanced at the man who turned his attention to the door as it closed behind her. Tall, even while sitting. Broad-shouldered, as most Alphas were. Handsome, that was nice. With a prominent, regal nose and a protruding brow hanging over warm brown eyes. His skin was smooth and barely lined, and his nails appeared well-manicured and buffed. His suit was either tailored or custom-made. The way that it hugged the breadth of his shoulders and tapered down his back meant it definitely wasn’t off-the-rack. You could always tell the Alphas who came from real money, versus the ones who’ve made something of themselves, by their shoes.
Glancing down, she saw that they were leather. And not synthetic leather either, but actual honest-to-goodness leather. The kind of leather that came from real livestock. Cows, most likely, not that she’d ever seen a real one or probably ever would. The leather was a medium brown with warm tones, and it had been buffed to a gleaming shine without a single smudge, dent, or scuff.
Crossing the room to sit in Madam’s second empty client chair, Leah faced forward with her hands folded loosely in her lap and dropped her chin. The maneuver let her lashes shade her eyes in the traditional submissive pose that most Alphas seemed to appreciate.
Yet his scent never wavered.
There was no uptick in pheromones or change in his underlying musk. Sniffing, careful not to let her nostrils flare and give herself away, she rolled his scent through her sinuses.
He smelled of cologne, of course, but under that was the natural scent of him too. She picked it apart. Woodsy, musky, amber.
His scent reminded her of the forest glade that she’d stumbled into once when she got lost on a school field trip outside of the city. She’d been scared until she sat down on a fallen, rotting log underneath some ferns and noticed the dragonflies darting between bushes. They swarmed in the sunbeams, a glittering array of blues and greens and even purple. Having grown up in inner-city New York she’d never seen a dragonfly or butterfly before. No bees or ladybugs either. Insects were rare now after all of the chemicals they had to spray everywhere to turn the famine around. It had felt magical in that upstate forest clearing. Like she’d stumbled into a faerie land, right out of one of her illustrated children’s books, and that moment was hers alone. The teacher had found her, later, and had to practically drag her away.
God, I could have sat there for hours and never tired of looking at it.
Snapped out of her daydream, Leah saw that Madam and Mr. Graydon were already discussing the details of the contract.
How long did I space out?
“Our standard rate is twenty thousand credits a week, plus a retainer of a quarter of a million against potential damages. The retainer is refunded once my girl is returned and inspected. An itemized bill for any repairs or medical expenses will be sent to the address on file. Unless you’d like to open a rolling account with us?” Madam Bancroft asked.
“No, that won’t be necessary,” he answered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
His voice was rich, deep and dark. The sound of it made the hairs on her arms stand on end and her nipples tighten. Some wild, tingling awareness burned through her. Risking a glance at him under the cover of her eyelashes, Leah studied him.
How long has it been since I’ve actually been attracted to one of my clients?
She enjoyed her work. Liked to see her patrons happy and fulfilled. But few, if any, ignited her own passions.
Leah swallowed, suddenly a bit nervous and unsure.
This feels dangerous.
Only stupid working girls caught feelings for their clients, and she’d been doing this far too long now to have any dreams of being rescued by some Alpha prince charming, no matter how many fairy tale romances she read on her days off. Leah was practical. You had to be to survive this sort of life without scars on your heart.
Madam Bancroft’s cool expression warmed. “I’ll outline the rules then, Mr. Graydon, since this is your first rental with the Glittering Gem. We run a standard omega contract with a typical non-disclosure agreement that goes both ways between the house and the client. For the duration of the rental, you shall be fitted with a set of self-dissolving teeth caps and injected with a temporary birth control shot that renders your sperm impotent. I can provide you with a pamphlet regarding this medication if you’d like to read more information about it,” the Madam offered.
Mr. Graydon picked a piece of lint off his slacks and flicked it off. “I’ve done my research. That’s fine.”
Madam Bancroft smiled, her ruby-tinted lips curving in a feline grin. “Excellent. I do so love a well-informed client. Makes things easier. Your omega will be fitted with a collar to prevent any accidents in the heat of the moment. This collar can’t be unlocked by anyone but myself or my attorney in the event that I am unavailable.”
He shifted in his seat, his leather shoes creaking at the change. “The collar will be a problem for me. I came here because of your reputation for discretion. If she’s collared, then others may know her for what she is.”
The word “whore” floated between them unspoken, an invisible slur. Leah hid her wince, but just barely, while her soft feelings for the handsome Alpha died a little. It was a good thing, even if it smarted her pride a bit. Her smile was tense, but he wasn’t looking at her anyway.
The Madam pulled the top drawer of her dresser open and took out an omega collar. She handed it across the table to Leah.
Leaning forward and taking it from her Madam without any prompting, Leah fitted it to her neck and snapped the lock into place, glad that her hair was already up and out of the way. The white frosted plas-film material turned transparent as its embedded circuits connected upon contact with her skin and activated. It looked as if the collar melted straight into her body and disappeared from sight.
Mr. Graydon made a pleased hum in the back of his throat, and Leah’s body pulsed with happiness at the noise.
Happy Alpha, her omega purred. She shoved the intrusive thoughts back down. He’s not our patron yet. Don’t get attached.
But Leah’s omega didn’t understand such things like contracts and temporary. All her hindbrain saw and heard and smelled was a nice-smelling, handsome man who was making happy Alpha noises.
“I see that your reputation for discretion is well-earned,” he interjected in an approving voice.
Madam Bancroft nodded, sliding the thick paper contract and a fountain pen across her desk. The woman always insisted on pen and paper because datapads could be hacked. Sensitive information was best stored physically, according to Madam.
As the Alpha read through the lengthy documents, Madam pointed out the more important pieces of the contract. Both parties were vaccinated for disease and injected to prevent pregnancy. The rented omega was not to be shared with any others without prior approval and the payment of additional service fees. The omega’s beta bodyguard was to remain present at all times except during intimate moments. Late return fee schedule . . . excessive damage fee table . . . etcetera.
Leah’s mind blanked out as the Madam went over information that she’d heard hundreds of times before. Mr. Graydon agreed to every bullet point, signing his initials on every dotted line at the bottom corner of each page of the contract. His signature on the back page was a grand, sweeping, and illegible flourish. Once he’d signed the last page, the Madam shook his hand and flashed Leah a pleased smile.
“Jade will be delivered to your address on file by nine in the morning,” Madam added.
Frowning as he pulled a pocket watch from his coat, he turned the device over and read the glowing screen before spiriting it away again. “No, that won’t do. I need her now. The shuttle leaves in two hours.”
Madam blinked at him from across the table. If the woman was surprised by this, then her carefully crafted facade didn’t show it.
Fidgeting with the hem of her robe, Leah was aware of the fact that she was dressed in sleepwear and her best clothes were still at the auto laundry. It was her day off, after all.
“Of course,” Madam amended. “I’ll have her packed and ready within the half-hour. May I offer you some refreshments while you wait?”
He tugged a wrinkle from his suit and shook his head, his foot tapping against the fake-wood floorboards. “She won’t need clothes. Her own, I mean. I’ve brought a few things for her to wear. The rest of her wardrobe can be obtained on board,” he added quickly.
The Madam’s resulting smile was tight, but then she nodded and swiveled to her mounted datapad where she tapped a few keys.
Leah felt the collar lock into place on her neck and shoulders. The faint electrical tingle let her know that it was now fully activated. Pressing two fingers to it, she touched it to make sure that it was laying flush against her skin as it made small fine-tuned adjustments. The worst thing in the world was when it locked into place crooked, especially since she was going to be wearing it for an entire week straight.
“I’ve sent messages to my on-site nurse. She’ll come and administer the prophylactics and off-planet vaccinations and fit you for your caps,” Madam explained.
They waited in tense silence until a few moments later the door opened and nurse Jocasta entered. The woman was carrying a steel tray loaded with syringes and vials. The nurse set the tray down, pulled up a chair, and began going through her spiel about what everything was and its side effects.
The Alpha waved her off and stood up from his chair, tugging his shirt out of his pants at the nurse’s direction and undoing his belt. Leah watched, not a little bit shy at all now, as he pulled his pants down, exposing his well-muscled hip. The nurse sprayed her hands down with an antiseptic gloving spray, swabbed his skin with a topical disinfectant, then injected him quickly. Each injection swiveled the barrel on the nurse’s needle gun, changing the medication each time. The nurse stuck him again two more times in different spots on his hip, then pulled a bite block tray from her pocket and fitted him with his canine caps.
While the Alpha tugged his clothing back into place and pressed the caps into place while they fused, the nurse turned toward Leah. There was no kind spiel or sweet voice now. Both of them knew the drill. Leah stood and pulled her robe up to give the nurse full access to her ass. The needle slid deep into the muscle, and the injection stung and burned as it infused. Vaccines for off-Earth pathogens, an anti-pregnancy booster, and a top-up to her heat suppressant.
The nurse stuck her four times in total, but Leah barely flinched. She was used to this sort of thing after all these years. With a sore, burning hip, she let the robe drop to cover herself again.
“Your beta guard will be Cayne. He’s outside waiting in the lobby,” Madam said.
“Come,” the Alpha said as he side-eyed Leah and headed toward the door to leave.
Sparing one last glance at Madam Bancroft, they shared a silent conversation and then Leah followed the Alpha out.
My new Alpha . . . for the next week, at least.