Chapter 3
Baal wanted to touch him so bad that it hurt.
If this were any other Hunt, he would have succumbed to his urges and be halfway through a third or fourth round by now. As it were, this year things were different. Special.
The omega standing across from him was too pretty to be fucked in the dirt, too precious to be left to freeze in the snow. Too smart to be treated like a cheap whore.
It’d taken him a hot minute to figure out what his snow bunny was doing during the chase.
He didn’t know how he’d gotten intel on the layout of the forest, but it’d been clear after a while that the omega was moving with a mission.
It wasn’t a coincidence that he found this cabin, tucked on the side of the mountain at the north-east edge of the forest.
Once he’d realized Thorn’s destination, it’d been almost too easy to keep the other alphas at bay.
Baal had hunted at a safe distance, not wanting to tip his prey off too early.
The idea of screwing in this weather didn’t appeal, and the comforts of the cabin, knowing there’d be blankets, and warmth…
A tub he could bathe his frosty omega in once he’d fucked him into submission…
Well, all of that combined had been enough to make him harder than he’d ever been in his life.
The patch concealing the brunt of his pheromones was hidden on the back of his neck, the high collar of his coat keeping it from sight, but it was sticky and damp, and soon, would be rendered useless.
He needed to move things along and get the omega ready for him before he lost all sense and control.
There was no chance of the omega walking away from tonight unscathed, but if Baal could help it, he’d prefer not to leave any permanent damage.
“What’s with the hesitation?” Baal said when the omega made no moves to do as he was instructed. “If you don’t start undressing, I’ll take that as a sign you aren’t interested in my compromise. And if that’s the case, I’ll—” The second his hands dropped to his fly, the omega shot into action.
Trembling, he stripped out of his pathetic excuse of a jacket, then hesitated again, though this time because he didn’t know what to do with it.
In the end, he opted to fold it and place it carefully on one of the stools tucked under the kitchen island.
His sneakers came off next, along with his socks.
Baal snorted. “Running out of insignificant garments, snow bunny.” Taking pity on him, he added, “Talk to me while you do it.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Start with the basics. Tell me your name.”
“Thorn. Thorn Winters.” He tugged his cranberry colored long-sleeved sweater over his head, exposing a lean form with toned muscle. “I’m twenty-two.”
“You got that body from laborious work, I can tell,” Baal said appreciatively, going quiet when Thorn dropped his pants and eased out of his boxers. He half expected the nervous omega to cover himself, and was pleasantly surprised when the opposite occurred.
Thorn stood there, naked, with his spine straight and his eyes focused, almost as if daring Baal to say something rude or mocking.
He would never.
Not to a work of art like that.
“Good boy,” he praised instead, his cock swelling. The dress pants did nothing to hide his arousal, and he knew the omega was aware of it when his cheeks turned red. “Now, go sit on the couch.”
Thorn opted to step back, giving Baal a wide berth and going around the other side of the couch. He perched on the center cushion and rested his hands on his knees, but it was clear he was ready to run at any given moment.
That wouldn’t do.
He removed a box from his pocket, then, wanting to make the space more comfortable, Baal shook off his coat and tossed it onto the kitchen table before heading for the fireplace.
He felt the omega’s gaze on him as he squatted and got to work adjusting the wood and the settings for the automatic fire.
Modern technology was great, and meant it’d be roaring to life with the mere touch of a button once he was sure there was enough kindling.
If it went out while he was balls deep inside his frosty omega, there was no way in hell Baal was going to take the time to relight it.
“You’ll really honor the agreement?” Thorn broke the silence first, and Baal smiled even though the omega couldn’t see the gesture.
“I said I would.” Finished, Baal stood and turned to face him. “I keep my word.”
“An honorable mafia member.”
He tipped his head. “Doesn’t sound like you believe it.”
“About as much as I believe in the yeti.”
Baal chuckled. “Funny. I like that you can make comments like that even though you’re terrified of me.”
Thorn’s mouth pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t remark on that.
The small plastic box popped open and he tugged out a string of Yuletide lights.
It was a cheap set with a small battery box attached, and he flicked the button to check and be sure they worked.
The tiny bulbs flickered and then came alive, reds, blues, greens, and yellows blinking in a random pattern.
The omega stared at him suspiciously, stiffening when Baal took a step closer.
“Hold out your wrists,” he commanded, only for Thorn to shake his head negatively.
“That won’t be necessary. I won’t try to run.”
“Hands.” This wasn’t up for debate.
Thorn seemed to realize as much, because he finally brought his arms together and held them out before him.
He remained still as a statue as the strings of lights were wrapped around his wrists, locking them together, and almost leaned back when Baal moved in again, catching himself at the last second.
“Good boy,” Baal said softly, twisting the rest of the lights so he could loop it over the omega’s head. The lights would look so pretty tied around his throat, but he didn’t want to push him that far just yet.
Once everything was secured, he checked his handywork, humming appreciatively.
The lights bound Thorn’s wrists and forced his arms to remain bent. There wasn’t much give, so he had to keep his fists against his chest.
“Next.” Baal pulled a small vial from his pants pocket. Popping the cork, he spilled the small red pill out onto his palm and then held it out to the omega. “Take this.”
“What is it?” He stared at the drug suspiciously.
“Does it matter?” Baal asked. “You have to take it either way.”
Thorn shifted as if he was about to try and get away, but stilled when Baal let out a low growl.
“If I have to force you to take this, you don’t get your money.”
He opened his mouth but then paused. “I can’t take it dry.”
Snorting, Baal went to the kitchen and got him a glass of water.
“You’re familiar with this place,” Thorn noted. When the pill was offered again, he stuck out his tongue, allowing Baal to place it there. Then he took a gulp from the glass held against his lips.
Baal didn’t bother asking him to open up to prove he’d swallowed it. If he had, they’d both know in a minute or two. “This isn’t my first White Hunt.”
He took the glass and set it aside, then stepped back and began removing his clothing, laughing when the omega immediately looked away. “You’re going to see it all eventually, why bother with the modesty? It’s not like I’m the first naked alpha you’ve ever seen.”
Thorn huffed. “Of course not.”
Baal didn’t like the way that made him feel, a spike of jealousy stabbing him in the center of his chest. The growl he emitted came unprompted, surprising the omega, who slid back on the cushion as if to put more space between them.
He might not have been his first alpha, but he was certainly the omega’s biggest, if how wide his eyes got the second Baal’s cock was freed was any indication.
Tossing his clothing to the side, he gave the omega a moment to take him in, preening under all that attention, even if he could smell the fear coming off the other man in waves. His omega scent had a slight sour tinge to it that Baal wasn’t fond of, but he’d fix that soon enough.
“Are you feeling the effects yet?” he asked, a bit impatiently. Now that they were both unclothed and there was a mate right there for the taking, he was starting to really lose his composure. “We’re running out of time, frosty omega.”
When omegas were turned on, they secreted slick to wet their passages. The wetter Thorn got for him, the less of a chance there was Baal would tear something when he pinned him down and impaled him on his cock. This was already more generosity than he typically bestowed on anyone.
“I don’t—” Thorn’s sentence ended on a gasp. He doubled over, clutching his stomach, and let out a whine. Within seconds, his skin was flushed all over, any lingering signs of cold damage gone in a flash. “What…What is this? What did you do?”
“Forced your heat cycle,” Baal replied shamelessly.
“Why?!”
“Because,” he said honestly, “red might be a festive color, but I’d like to avoid seeing you bleed as much as possible.”
Before Thorn could respond, Baal peeled the patch off and let his pheromones explode in a rush that had the omega instantly swaying and toppling over, his face pressed to the couch as he floundered like a fish out of water.
Baal poured them out, letting them blanket over the omega, drenching him in dominant alpha pheromones. It was enough to send any omega into a lust-induced haze, but that prospect hadn’t been enough to satisfy him.
Thorn didn’t resist when Baal approached and rolled him onto his front. His hips were lifted so he was kneeling on the center cushion, ass in the air, on full display.
“Even your balls are pretty,” Baal cooed. “How have you managed to stay unclaimed all this time? Staying away from you this long is already enough to make me crazy. Do you know how many times I almost said fuck it and jumped you?”
“Please.” Thorn blinked, clearly fighting against the dual effects of his forced heat. “I don’t want this.”
“This?” Baal pressed a thumb against his warm entrance, his digit easily pushing past that ring of muscle. “You’re so wet and ready. Who are you kidding?”
Thorn tried to wriggle away, but Baal grabbed onto his waist and held him still. He removed his thumb and replaced it with a finger instead.
A gush of slick poured from his hole, drenching Baal’s hand.
He rubbed it around Thorn’s entrance, then down his taint and over his balls.
When he squeezed him there, the omega jerked and cried out, his dick twitching and dripping.
A small puddle of precome had already stained the couch, and seeing it was such a turn on, Baal immediately added a second finger.
He stretched and opened him up, the smell of Thorn’s arousal growing thick in the air as he fucked him with his fingers.
It was obvious when he located his prostate, because the omega twitched again and emitted a high-pitched wail.
“Tied up, impaled on my hand…Yeah, you’re not going anywhere.”
Thorn whimpered and Baal shushed him, pulling out and lining his cock up.
“The drug I gave you only induces a false heat for around twenty minutes or so,” he revealed. “Just enough to ease you into things.” If he were kinder, he would have strengthened the dose, allowed his omega to remain in that oblivious state of mindless lust all night.
But Baal was selfish. He wanted Thorn present. Wanted him aware of what was going on, what was happening to him.
Whose alpha cock he was being split on.
“Next round will have more foreplay,” he promised, shifting his hips closer. Baal wanted to bite and lick him all over. Wanted to know what his nipples felt like between his teeth, what his cute dick tasted like. But first… “Cry for me, omega.”
Baal slammed forward, thrusting into Thorn with one hard push straight down to the hilt. They both gasped, that tight heat cinching down on his cock even as he forced his way out and slammed back in again.
Thorn succumbed to his instincts, rocking back against him, widening his thighs so Baal could go deeper. He clawed at the cushion, and if Baal wasn’t mistaken, was rubbing his chest against the tangle of lights, stealing friction wherever he could like a horny little devil.
He spanked his firm ass, watching the round globe jiggle, and laughed when Thorn cried. “You’re so pale. All over. I want to cover you with my prints. In my marks. See what you look like all roughed up and thoroughly claimed.”
Sure enough, the pink handprint that appeared had Baal’s cock gushing, and he picked up the pace, drilling into the omega sobbing beneath him.
He needed Thorn to come while he was in this state. Needed to begin the process of conditioning his omega into craving his dominance. Ruts and heats were similar in the sense they completely took a person over and clouded their judgment, brought them to their very base instincts.
Right now, Thorn didn’t care about money or debts.
All he cared about was getting pumped full of alpha cock and come.
Of being plugged by an alpha knot. So long as Baal fulfilled his body’s longings, the seed would be planted.
By then, no matter how much Thorn struggled or fought against him, his body would respond to Baal.
Before this night was through, Baal would teach him to recognize his alpha.