Chapter 4 Being an omega is a curse

Naomi's pov :

When I woke up again, the world was a haze of fire and fog. My eyelids fluttered open, heavy as lead, my body slick with sweat that soaked through the thin sheets beneath me. I tried to move, but ropes bit into my wrists and ankles, binding me spread-eagled to the four-poster bed in this dimly lit chamber.

The air was carrying the faint scent of aged wood and something metallic-blood? No, that was just my imagination, twisted by the agony coursing through my veins.

Heat. That's what this was. As an omega, I'd heard the stories whispered in hushed tones among my kind: the relentless burn, the insatiable need that turned rational minds into desperate pleas.

But betas and alphas? They could never understand. For them, it was a fleeting discomfort, a biological nudge. For omegas, it was torture-a primal storm that ravaged the body from the inside out. My core throbbed with a pain that felt like shards of glass scraping against raw nerves, my skin hypersensitive, every brush of fabric against my flesh sending jolts of unwanted arousal mixed with excruciating ache.

Slick pooled between my thighs, my body's treacherous preparation for an alpha's claim, making me feel exposed, vulnerable, like a vessel waiting to be filled or shattered.

I'd only ever heard about heats till now-clinical explanations from elders, romanticized tales from mated friends. "It's intense," they'd say with a knowing smile, "but your alpha will make it right."

I'd imagined it as a warm glow, a passionate interlude. But this? This was hellfire. My muscles cramped, my abdomen contracting in waves that left me gasping, tears stinging my eyes. I arched against the restraints, trying to alleviate the pressure, but it only made the slick flow more freely, soaking the bed and heightening my humiliation. Why now? Why here, in this godforsaken room, captured by him of all people?

The door creaked open, and a rush of cool air sliced through the stifling heat. Elias, the alpha who'd haunted my nightmares and dreams for three long years. His presence hit me like a tidal wave-his pheromones, rich and dominant, like smoked oak and storm clouds, wrapping around my senses. It was a balm and a torment all at once.

The pain eased fractionally, my body responding instinctively, craving more. But he was still across the room, leaning against the doorframe with that infuriating smirk, his broad shoulders filling the space, his dark eyes glinting with cold amusement.

"Naomi," he drawled, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through my bones. "Look at you. Tied up like a present, and now going into heat? How convenient. Trying to seduce me so you don't have to spill your secrets?"

I whimpered, the sound escaping before I could stop it. His scent was intoxicating, pulling me under, but he was too far. I needed him closer-needed his touch to quench this inferno. "E-Elias... please..."

He sauntered forward, each step deliberate, his boots echoing on the stone floor. The closer he got, the more his pheromones enveloped me, soothing the edges of my pain like cool water on a burn. But his expression was anything but kind-lips curled in mockery, eyes narrowed in suspicion. He stopped at the foot of the bed, towering over me, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Why did you run away three years ago, Naomi? And that night-why slip out like a thief? Answer me."

I needed words, but my mind was fracturing under the heat's assault. My pussy clenched emptily, slick dripping down my thighs, my nipples hardening painfully against the damp fabric of my shirt.

The pain surged again, a sharp stab in my lower belly that made me cry out. "I... I can't... it hurts..."

Elias laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that cut through my haze. "Oh, now it hurts? Poor little omega. But you're the one who betrayed me, aren't you? Helped my enemies plot against me. And now you think batting those pretty lashes and leaking all over my bed will make me forget?"

I shook my head weakly, tears streaming down my cheeks. The heat was overpowering my thoughts, turning everything into a blur of need. "Touch me... please, Alpha... I need you..."

He leaned in closer, his breath fanning my face, but still not touching. His pheromones spiked, deliberate, teasing my senses. "Begging already? How pathetic. You need my help now, do you? After everything? But tell me, Naomi-who's been taking care of your heats these past years? You must have found yourself a nice alpha to knot you through them. Someone from my rivals' pack, perhaps? That's why you're so bold, helping them undermine me."

No. Gods, no. There had been no one. But speech failed me; my throat was dry, my body convulsing in another wave of agony. Slick gushed anew, my hips bucking involuntarily against the air. I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my lip until it bled, the metallic tang grounding me for a fleeting second.

Elias's eyes darkened, misinterpreting my silence as admission. His hand shot out, gripping my chin roughly, forcing me to meet his gaze. The contact was electric-his skin on mine sent sparks of relief through me, dulling the fire momentarily. But his grip was meant to hurt, fingers digging in like vices.

"Nothing to say? Then it's true. You've got yourself an alpha. Clever girl. I underestimated you-thought you were just a simple, scared omega running from her fate. But no, you're a mastermind, aren't you? Scheming with my enemies, spreading your legs for their leader to seal the deal."

"Elias... no..." I managed to whisper, my voice breaking. The pain was relentless, a deep, throbbing ache that radiated from my core to every limb. My skin felt like it was splitting open, hypersensitive and raw. I twisted in the ropes, the friction only worsening my torment.

He released my chin with a shove, stepping back. "If you help my enemies, then from today, you're my enemy too. That's why you ran, isn't it? Wanted nothing to do with me. Hated the idea of being claimed by a 'heartless' alpha like me."

I sobbed, the rejection amplifying my suffering. Omegas needed their alphas during heat-not just for pleasure, but for survival. Without relief, the pain could drive us mad, weaken our bodies to the point of collapse. "Please... don't leave..."

Elias's laugh was devoid of humor, a cruel bark. "Oh, now you want me to stay? After fabricating lies about me, plotting my downfall? Fine. I won't let you go. I'll cage you here, in this room, like the traitor you are. You'll never see that alpha of yours again. You want to see me heartless? Very well. I'll make sure you're torn from your lover's arms forever. Suffer alone, Naomi. Let the heat consume you."

He turned toward the door, his broad back a silhouette of unyielding stone. Panic surged through me. The pain crested, a vise around my womb, making my vision blur. I lunged against the ropes, ignoring the burn on my wrists, and my fingers just managed to snag his sleeve. "Elias! Wait... help me... I'm begging you... it hurts so much..."

He paused, looking down at my hand clutching him like a lifeline. For a long moment, he stared, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he pried my fingers off, his touch lingering just enough to tease me with relief before withdrawing. His voice was ice-cold, devoid of pity.

"No. This is your punishment. Endure it. Maybe next time you'll think twice before betraying me."

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing like a death knell. I collapsed back onto the bed, wracked with sobs. The heat raged on, unchecked, my body a battlefield of fire and emptiness. Slick continued to flow, my pussy aching for what it couldn't have, every nerve screaming in protest. Hours blurred into eternity-waves of pain that left me breathless, curling into myself as much as the bonds allowed.

I squeezed my legs together futilely, trying to stem the tide, but it only heightened the desperation.

His cold rejection was a blade twisting deeper than the heat itself. I hated him for it, yet craved him more. Omegas were wired for this dependency, our biology a cruel joke that demanded submission to alphas for relief. Without it, the pain built, layer upon layer, until it felt like my insides were liquefying.

By dawn's faint light filtering through barred windows, I was delirious, whispering pleas to an empty room. My skin was feverish, slick coating my thighs in a sticky mess, my breaths shallow pants. The ropes chafed raw wounds, but they were nothing compared to the internal inferno. I imagined his hands on me, soothing, claiming-but the fantasy only worsened the ache.

He returned once, briefly, to toss a blanket over my shivering form. "Still alive?" he mocked, his eyes scanning me with feigned indifference. "Good. Punishment isn't over yet."

"Alpha... please..." I croaked, my voice hoarse from crying.

He smirked, leaning against the wall. "Look at you, reduced to this. The great schemer, begging like a whore. Did your other alpha make you feel this way? Or was he too gentle for a traitor like you?"

Tears fell anew. "There... there is no other..."

"Liar," he spat, turning away. "Suffer, Naomi. It's what you deserve."

The door closed again, leaving me in isolation. The heat peaked, my body convulsing in dry heaves, pain so acute it bordered on numbness. I squeezed my eyes shut, legs trembling as I fought the urge to scream. In the A/B/O world, alphas were protectors, caregivers during heats-knotting to ease the torment, pheromones to calm the storm. But Elias's cold side denied me that mercy, twisting care into cruelty.

As the day wore on, my mind fractured further. Hallucinations danced at the edges-his face mocking me, his scent a phantom tease. Slick dried and renewed in endless cycles, my pussy swollen and sensitive, every shift a fresh agony.

I bit my pillow to stifle cries, hating my omega nature, hating him for exploiting it.

Yet deep down, beneath the pain, a spark of defiance flickered. But gods, the torment... it was unimaginable, far worse than the stories. And with Elias's cold mockery as my only company, I wondered if death by heat wouldn't be kinder.