Lab Rat

Naturally when the other alphas left to go their own ways, Jonny started to feel more relaxed. He didn't understand why he felt uneasy around the alphas, especially Andrew, until Elroy went to that meeting. He started to feel irritated, annoyed, and angry. He started to feel frustrated and jealous. He couldn't pin point why exactly, until he saw Andrew walk Elroy up to the door (as if they were on a date and had just returned). Andrew leaned in and kissed Elroy's cheek, and Jonny could almost feel the steam coming from his ears. He was sure his face would get stuck in a scowl, as his face seemed to scrunch smaller and smaller with anger.

Elroy entered the house, sheepishly, as if he knew Jonny would be fuming and Clarissa would be waiting at the door to see if he had any love bites. As if on cue, the girl runs to him and starts tugging on his shirt, trying to see any bites or hickeys. He embarrassingly pushed her off himself and tried to escape back into his own room. He didn't say much, but he only rarely ever really did.

It took a few weeks for Jonny to pick up on Elroy's flirting. He either thought Elroy was being very nice and comfortable around him or didn't really get the hints (subtle or not).

Elroy started by trying to get to know Jonny a bit more. He started asking more questions, prying into Jonny's life. When he felt comfortable enough, he shamelessly (and in his mind, obviously) began to flirt. He told Jonny he looked good. He asked Jonny if he wanted to go out to eat with him. He sat closely beside Jonny on the couch, while they watched TV, and even laid his hand against Jonny's thigh. Jonny just seemed to overlook every advance. He brushed off the compliments. Jonny told Elroy he wasn't hungry, he just ate, or he would rather eat at home. He assumed Elroy was just a touchy person.

Elroy decided Clarissa and Jonny needed to know he was an omega. He informed Eric that he wasn't going to go to the healer unless it was absolutely necessary for his next heat and that he was going to try to deal with it at home. As his heat neared, Elroy started to really feel attracted to Jonny. He knew it was mostly because Jonny was an alpha, and his attraction to the other man didn't make it any easier. He knew his scent was starting to change, becoming sweeter to attract a mate.

Jonny napped on the couch, while Clarissa played a card game with Elroy. They were waiting for Jonny to wake so they could all eat together. The food was almost done. Elroy was just waiting for the timer to go off.

Clarissa was winning the game. She was becoming more and more excited. Elroy could tell because she began to bounce up and down and lean closer to him. They played a few more rounds before the shrill beeping of the timer went off, waking the alpha on the couch. Looks like two problems were solved at once. Clarissa jumped up and eagerly told Jonny about the game of cards and how she beat Elroy. Jonny congratulated her. The smell of spaghetti hit his nostrils, and his mouth started to water. He really loved Elroy's cooking.

As they ate together, Elroy cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention. "We've been together a while now, and--"

"You can't leave us!" Clarissa interrupted.

"I'm not leaving." Elroy sighed, "I didn't say anything sooner because I thought you guys would realize it, but neither of you have. I don't want you both to think of me as a liar, since I never once said I am. However, I also didn't correct you. I--"

It was Jonny this time that interrupted, "What are you talking about?"

"If you let me finish, you would know that I'm not a beta. I'm an omega. I've been going to the pack healer during my heats."

"Before we came here, you didn't go anywhere. You didn't have any heats. That can't be right."

"I think I would know. I presented when I was 14. Anyways, I talked about that with the healer, Jonny, and she believes that the drugs I had in my system stopped my heats temporarily. They didn't seem to start back up until we were in a safe environment with a pack."

Jonny stared at Elroy. He just stared and stared. It started to make Elroy feel uncomfortable.

However, Clarissa jumped up from her chair and hugged Elroy. "That's why you smell like mint and honey. Your heat is coming soon, isn't it?"

Elroy shifted awkwardly under Jonny's gaze. "Any day now."

"You waited until so close to your heat to tell us? Are you planning on going to the healer? Or staying home?" Jonny exclaimed, "What about Clarissa and me? Clarissa shouldn't be around during that. Hell, I shouldn't. I'm a threat to your virtue. Who knows if I'll control myself around you?"

"Is that what you're worried about? My virtue? Your control? Clarissa can always stay at a friend's house, if it is that important to you. Just a heads up though, you don't have to worry about my virtue. I'm not an innocent virgin. Also, did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want you to control yourself? You've been putting off my advances nearly all month, which means you really don't find me pleasing enough or you're too fucking stupid to realize my intentions."

Elroy stormed out of the room. Jonny's jaw fell open with shock, and Clarissa kept nudging him to go after Elroy.

"Jonny, go after him. You like him. I know you do." She pushed him towards the hallway. "You mutter Elroy's name in your sleep."

Jonny was caught off guard. He didn't realize that Clarissa had caught on before he had. His wolf had always seemed to want to be around Elroy since the beginning, but Jonny refused to allow it. His mind gave him excuses. As Jonny looked at the girl beside him, he knew. He had to come to a decision. He had to listen to his wolf. He couldn't ignore that side of himself. Especially since Elroy just admitted to wanting Jonny.

Jonny slowly moved after Elroy. It seemed his legs were stiff, almost as if they forgot how to move. However, once he started moving, he couldn't stop. He ran, and when he got to Elroy's door, he breathed in the mint and honey scent and pushed the door open.

Elroy was laying on his stomach with his head in his pillows. He was unhappy, and Jonny knew he needed to speak up because the omega didn't hear him come in. Elroy must have been lost in his thoughts.

"I didn't mean to upset you, and I was wrong to use an attitude towards you. You shocked me. All this time, I've believed you were a beta with an interest towards the pack alpha. I thought of you as the wounded beta from the lab, and all I wanted to do was get you as far away and keep you safe. I was ignoring my wolf because I found his attention towards you ignorant. He didn't seem to acknowledge what happened to you. He wanted to claim you. I found that if I pushed him away, I could protect you."

"You don't need to protect me, Jonny."

"Elroy, I really do. I still feel like I need to protect you. I don't know if it is instinctual. Since I've met you, it is all I've wanted. I wanted to protect and provide for you. I wanted to keep you safe and happy."

Elroy sat up, and he patted his bed beside him. Jonny quietly claimed that spot beside the omega. "What does your wolf want, alpha?"

At the sound of the word 'alpha', Jonny's wolf purred. His wolf wanted to dig his teeth into Elroy's beautiful skin and claim him. Jonny seemed startled at the sudden want, and he tried to push it back. Elroy didn't let him. "Don't do that. You don't have to protect me from yourself, Jonny. Tell me what your wolf wants. Tell me while I can still think straight. You have to let him come to the surface every once and a while. Pushing your wolf away isn't healthy. Let him out to play."

The way Elroy said those words, Jonny's wolf jumped out of his internal cage. He pulled Elroy close and pushed his nose into the crease of Elroy's neck. He inhaled deeply. As he opened his eyes, pulling away slightly, he noticed a pale scar. He traced it with his fingers, confused and startled as he began to realize the shape.

Elroy pressed his hands to either side of Jonny's face and turned Jonny's head so they could look into each other's eyes.

"That means nothing now, Jonny."

Jonny remained silent. He just stared into the omega's eyes. For once, he and his wolf were one. He felt so relaxed with himself. Yet, he worried about why his omega was claimed.

"I can smell your uneasiness. Jonny, that bond has been broken. It's been a long time. It was an arranged mating to bring the packs together. It was broken when we had realized we weren't true mates."

It all seemed to click together in his head. "That alpha last week, Andrew. You two scented..."

"Missing the company of someone you loved is always challenging. I scented him because I missed him. I couldn't believe he was here. He was healthy and happy. He was just like his old self. I grew up believing I would be with him forever. My parents told me about how he and I would have lots of pups and make our packs much stronger. I had grown to love him. I just realized later on that we weren't in love. We were in love with the idea of being mated and having a family. Our pack understood and allowed us to break our bond. And I left so it wouldn't hurt as much. I was selfish. However, if I never had left, I wouldn't have met you. And I don't regret that."

"You really like me?"

Elroy laughed. "Like I told Andrew, more than anything."

"You talked to him about me?"

"He noticed I was attracted to you. He asked me about it, and I told him."

Jonny leaned closer to Elroy again. He breathed in that irresistible scent. "You smell like heaven."

"Are you trying to get me to go into heat early?"

"If it's just me that you want to share it with, yes."

"Jonny," Elroy muttered, "You're ok with it, then?"

Jonny hummed and kept his nose buried in Elroy's neck. He nipped at the skin, letting himself run his teeth against the smooth skin. Jonny wasn't expecting Elroy to moan. The sound was sweet in his ears. "You like that?"

"Fuck yes."

Jonny began to lose himself to his wolf. His wolf liked to tease the omega. His hands touching the other, running all over to memorize every inch. His nails dragging at Elroy's hips, allowing the omega to moan again. The scent of honey and mint increasing as Elroy started to pant. Elroy was losing himself, as slick leaked from his hole with want and anticipation.

Weakly, Elroy whimpered. He expressed his last sober thought. "What about Clarissa?"

Jonny jumped back to his senses. "Shit! I nearly forgot."

He ran to make arrangements for her, and he eagerly pushed her out of the front door. He didn't say much, but they all knew she knew what was going to happen.