Vaughn Mortem

They were supposed to be killing time.

Auron dragged Vaughn through the mall like a bored god slumming it, muttering about wanting something “deliciously breakable” for his birthday. Vaughn didn’t care. He was hungry, pissed off, and already looking for an exit.

“You need to lighten up,” Auron said, eyes scanning the crowd. “Maybe find yourself a little something too.”

“I’m fine,” Vaughn growled. Until it hit. The scent.

Omega. Pure. Sweet. Ripe. Theirs.

Vaughn stopped like he’d been punched in the chest. His breath caught.

“The fuck—” His cock went hard instantly. Then came the pressure. Low. Tight.

His knot. Forming. For the first time.

“Well, well,” came a familiar, smug voice inside his head. “Look who finally got his Alpha upgrade.”

Fade. His wolf. Distant his whole life. Not anymore.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me,” Vaughn muttered. “You’re talking now?”

“Not my fault you’ve been emotionally constipated for twenty years. That Omega walks by and your dick’s saluting the flag.” A beat. “And damn, that knot’s got potential. Think they’ll cry when you use it?”

“I will end you,” Vaughn hissed.

“Not before we wreck our mate against that glass. Let’s make ‘em feel it.”

He was already moving. Eyes locked on the group ahead— Two Alphas. A few Betas. And in the middle: them.

The Omega. His. Laughing. Relaxed. Standing too close to people who didn’t deserve to breathe their air.

“Mine. Now.” Fade growled.

Vaughn didn’t slow down.

One of the Alphas stepped forward. Mistake. Vaughn grabbed him by the throat and slammed him aside. The others flinched. The Omega froze.

He planted a hand beside their head, body caging them. The other twitched, hungry to grab, to own.

“You,” he growled. “You did this.” His voice was heat and hunger, shaking with instinct and fury.

“I’ve been called a Beta all my life. Fought like one. Fucked like one. And then you—” He laughed, breathless. “You walk by, and now I’ve got a knot, a hard-on, and a wolf who won’t shut the hell up.”

He leaned in, lips brushing their cheek. “My wolf’s loud. Dirty. Smug little shit.”

“Can you blame me?” Fade purred. “They smell like heat and moaning. Bet they’d beg.”

“Shut up,” Vaughn growled out loud.

Behind him, Auron strolled up, smug as sin. “Excuse you?”

Vaughn didn’t turn. “You knew.”

“Obviously.” Auron shrugged. “You fight like an Alpha. Eat like one. I figured the knot would show up once you got horny enough.”

“Don’t be mad,” he added. “I always assumed you were defective. Didn’t realize you were just repressed.”

Vaughn turned back to them—his Omega.

“You smell like mine,” he whispered, voice rough. “And if anyone else looks at you again, I’ll put them in the ground.”

He leaned in, tone dark and possessive. “Stay. Run. Doesn’t matter. Your pretty little body belongs to me.”

“Let’s wreck ‘em.” Fade whispered.