Chapter Text
The engine hummed as the car raced along the highway. The sky was a brilliant blue, the landscape the most vibrant emerald green, but inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was like a thunderstorm—dark and moody.
"I can't believe my parents sent me out to live in the middle of nowhere for 2 months," Mira huffed, staring out the window with her chin resting on her palm.
"Hey, think of it as a vacation! You're in a beautiful tropical country with the ocean practically at your doorstep. A lot of people would kill to be in your position, you know," Zoey said.
"It's not a vacation, it's a punishment," Mira replied bitterly. "I embarrassed my parents when I publicly rejected Abby at their banquet. So now they're sending me away like an omega in the 1900s who's been diagnosed with hysteria."
Zoey sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Yikes. So that's what happened, huh?"
"Zoey, it was terrible. He barely spoke a word to me all night. He just kept flexing and admiring his own reflection in his wine glass, and whenever I tried to make conversation with him, he told me to tell my parents to get catering with better macros next time. And I'm supposed to date a guy like that?"
"He does sound like a piece of work," Zoey acknowledged. "But he's far from the worst alpha your parents have tried to set you up with."
"I just wish they'd stop meddling in my love life altogether. It's 2026. Arranged matings are an oppressive relic of the past."
"They are, but you know it's different for people—omegas—like us. Freedom in love isn't a luxury we get to have when we have to worry about social standing, family legacy, and all that."
Mira scoffed. "When did you become so pessimistic?"
"It's not pessimism, it's realism."
"Sure. I just feel bad that I've dragged you into this whole mess."
Zoey grinned. "Don't be! I volunteered to go with you, remember?"
"You volunteered to be hot and miserable with me for two months at the height of summer," Mira retorted. "Don't blame me when you get swamp ass."
"Oh, I'm definitely going to be hot when I watch those sexy alpha farmhands harvesting pineapples." Zoey wiggled her eyebrows and Mira groaned.
"I should have known that's what you came here for."
"Can you blame me?"
"Do you have a secret farmer kink or something?"
"I have a kink for alphas, especially muscular, sweaty ones."
Mira rolled her eyes. Zoey had always been alpha-crazy, and it didn't look like she was going to grow out of it anytime soon. "You know we aren't allowed to sleep with them, right? They work for my parents. Can you imagine the shitstorm that would cause?"
"Only if we get caught. You just have to be careful."
"You talk like you've done that sort of thing before."
When a few moments of silence passed with no response, Mira swiveled her head around to look at her friend. "Don't tell me…"
Zoey threw up her hands defensively. "What? This omega has needs, okay?"
"Weren't you just talking about how the rules of society are different for omegas like us?" Mira asked with a raised brow.
"They are! That's why we have secret hookups." Zoey leaned in with a secretive smile. "The sneaking around makes it hotter."
Mira shot a furtive look at their driver, who was staring straight ahead, acting as though he hadn't heard anything. However, his reddened ears gave him away.
"Be careful who you say that around," Mira hissed.
"It's okay, Bobby's chill," Zoey said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You can't really expect to be celibate until your parents set you up with a mate, can you?"
Mira shifted in her seat and played with her fingers. Now it was Zoey's turn to act scandalized.
"Mira! Seriously?"
Mira's cheeks heated. "You know what my parents are like! They'd flay me alive if they found out I'd had pre-mated sex. Not everyone gets to be a wild and free teenager like you were."
It was true. Despite both Mira and Zoey being chaebol heiresses, Mira had been raised on a tight leash, whereas Zoey had had considerably more independence. She'd moved around a lot as she'd grown up, spending time equally in both South Korea and the United States. As long as she never got into major trouble, her parents had never much cared what she got up to. Their only expectation was that she eventually settle down with a respectable job and mate, same as all other members of their social class.
Mira had not been afforded such luxury. Her parents, who had a much more traditional mindset when it came to raising their kids, had regarded her as a "problem child" from a very young age for not being the quiet and submissive omega daughter they had hoped for. Of course the assertive attitude that had made her older alpha brother the golden child was "unbecoming" for his little omega sister.
All of this had led to a strict and overbearing upbringing as Mira's parents tried to tame their daughter's rebellious spirit. Though Mira delighted in testing the patience of her sire in certain aspects of her life, this—intimacy, mating, sex—was a line that Mira had never dared cross.
"You're nearly 22," Zoey said, "and you've never once thought about it?"
"Of course I've thought about it." Mira felt sheepish, although she didn't know why.
"And you've never done it? I remember back in school, you had alphas tripping over themselves to get your number."
"I just haven't met any alpha I'd be willing to risk my hide to sleep with." Mira may still be a virgin, but she'd be damned if other people thought it was for lack of romantic attention.
"Don't you have urges?"
Mira groaned, dropping her burning face into her hands. "What's with the third degree about my sex life?"
"What sex life?"
Mira growled in warning.
"Kidding! Duh. I just think that, you know, maybe you wouldn't be so grumpy all the time if you actually…got some."
"'Got some'?"
"Yes, 'got some.' You know, like, have sex. Bang. Bump uglies. Play 'hide the sausage'—"
"I know what you meant—" Mira tried to cut in, but Zoey bulldozed over her words.
"—You're so aggressive all the time, it might help you unwind. But you have to go and be all…cloistered."
It wasn't that Mira was a prude. She'd grown up with the internet. Of course she knew what sex was and the many creative ways two people—or even three or four (though she's never admit to looking at that genre of material)—could get their rocks off.
It was simply that all her 'research' on the subject had been done in the privacy of her bedroom, with the door locked, incognito mode on, and a VPN activated for good measure.
That type of open discussion about this topic was strictly not allowed in her household. Mira wasn't used to talking about this aloud, that's all.
"I'm not grumpy," Mira defended weakly. "And I don't get urges. I'm on suppressants."
Zoey clicked her tongue. "Oh honey…"
"I don't even know why we're talking about this. I will not be lectured on sex by someone who's younger than me."
Mira crossed her arms as if to settle the matter, although she feared it came off more petulant than authoritative.
Zoey shrugged. "Suit yourself."
At the front of the car, Bobby cleared his throat awkwardly. "We're 30 minutes from the farm, Miss Kang and Miss Yoo."
The car rolled to a stop in front of a large, multi-story farmhouse. The baby-blue paint job and furnished front porch gave it a cozy feeling, something Mira was sure was not done by her parents. They didn't know the first thing about making a home welcoming. Instead, they favored a pristine and minimalistic aesthetic rather than something that seemed homely and lived in.
The house was clean and well-maintained, too. Whoever lived here obviously took great care of the house. The only thing marring the light blue walls were small splotches of yellow. When Mira looked closer, though, the splotches turned out to be pineapples. Hand-painted, if she had to guess.
"Oh my gosh, it's so cute!" Zoey squealed.
On the other side of the road were the pineapple fields, their spiky green leaves sprawling as far as the eye could see. Several workers milling about in the fields stopped to look up at the new arrivals.
Bobby exited the car and quickly pulled Mira and Zoey's doors open. A wave of humid heat washed over Mira, immediately summoning perspiration to her neck and brows. Bobby then hurried to the back to pop open the trunk. He hauled out two large suitcases and began dragging them toward the house. Zoey skipped after him, excited to see what their living situation would look like for the next couple of months.
Due to the sheer amount of luggage the two omegas had brought, Bobby would have to take more than one trip. Not wanting to make his job any harder than it had to be, Mira grabbed one of the remaining luggages. It was wedged far back inside the trunk, and extremely heavy. Mira had to grit her teeth and brace to tug it forward, let alone haul it over the lip of the trunk.
Just as she was about to heave with all her might, the scent of citrus tempered with sweat filled her nose, followed by a smooth, melodic voice that said, "Here, miss, allow me."
Strong hands attached to forearms that were corded with muscle grabbed the handles. Tan and weathered, they were a stark contrast to Mira's pale and unblemished skin.
With a grunt, the stranger lifted the luggage out of the trunk and set it gently on the ground. Mira felt a flicker of annoyance. There was nothing she hated more than presumptuous alphas who felt the need to play hero for who they thought were helpless omegas.
"I could have gotten that—"
The rest of Mira's sentence died in her throat when she looked at the source of her irritation.
Expecting a tall, broad-shouldered alpha, Mira was surprised when she had to look down, coming face-to-face with a woman who was shorter than her. The first thing she noticed about her were large, earnest brown eyes. Then came her vibrant, lilac-colored hair, which was tied up in a long braid that ran down her back. Strands of it had unraveled, framing her face in a not-unappealing way. She wore a loose button-up shirt that was rolled up around her elbows, showing off her impressive forearms.
Though her body was clearly sculpted by years of hard labor, the alpha's demeanor remained soft and polite.
And she was fucking hot.
"I—I—" Mira's mouth worked uselessly around the syllable. She cleared her throat, getting ahold of herself. "Uh, no offense, but who the hell are you?" It was too easy to fall back on using rudeness as a defense mechanism when she felt off-kilter. It was her way of gaining back control of the conversation.
"I'm Ryu Rumi. Nice to meet you," she answered brightly. This Rumi person didn't seem at all bothered by Mira's less-than-respectful tone. It annoyed her.
"I could have handled it myself. I didn't need your help."
"I know you didn't need it," Rumi said, nodding her head. "But you looked like you wanted it."
"And you're an expert on what omegas want?" Mira asked drily.
Rumi furrowed her brows, her confused expression oddly adorable. "Um, I—I just meant that—"
"Relax, I'm messing with you." Mira smirked, but it wasn't as mocking as she'd intended for it to be. Seeing an alpha act so deferentially to her was unexpectedly disarming. Maybe even a bit cute, though Mira would be loathe to admit it. The people that Mira's parents typically hired to work for her, be they her nannies, maids, or drivers, were usually betas or other omegas. Mira's reaction to Rumi's behavior was simply a product of novelty.
Rumi's tight expression melted into a smile of relief. "Oh. Okay. Good." The alpha slammed the now-empty trunk closed. "No guest of ours is going to carry their own luggage. Especially not the daughter of the Kangs."
Normally, Mira would have bristled at having been reduced to her family's name. But the way Rumi had said it, so genuinely, as if she wanted nothing more than to simply be of help without any ulterior motives, extinguished her ire.
Even if her tone hadn't assuaged Mira's feelings, Rumi's winning smile would have knocked down the last of her defenses. It was unfair how pretty she was despite the fact that her hair was unkept, that she was drenched in sweat after working in the hot sun for several hours, that dirt streaked her right cheek. She was a stunning vision. Mira felt herself flush, and she knew it wasn't from the heat.
Rumi awkwardly shuffled her feet. "Do you need help carrying your luggage to the house?"
"So thoughtful of you to bother asking this time. Since you're here already, you might as well."
Rumi took the largest trunk and cantered off with it, leaving Mira scrambling to keep up. The alpha lifted the luggage up the steps of the porch carefully, and Mira definitely did not notice the way her biceps strained against her sleeves.
Zoey, in her typical fashion, had absentmindedly left the front door open in her excitement to see the house. Her voice floated out onto the porch from within.
"Miraaaaa, come on, you're taking forever. What are you—oh, hello, who are you?" Zoey's tone, which had started out exasperated, immediately turned flirty as soon as she laid eyes on the mysterious alpha. Rumi bowed slightly.
"I already got acquainted with Miss Kang here, but I'm Ryu Rumi, the general manager for this farm. I'm also responsible for you two while you're here, so if you need anything, just ask me."
So, you're my warden. Got it, Mira thought snidely.
"Would you like me to show you to your rooms?"
"I think we can find our way to a bedroom, thank you very much," Mira said curtly.
Rumi looked taken aback for a split second before dipping her head respectfully. "Of course, I didn't mean to imply that—"
"Mira's just tired from the trip!" Zoey chimed in. "Don't mind her, she gets a bit cranky when she hasn't had her beauty sleep."
Shooting Rumi a placating smile, Zoey corralled Mira up the stairs.
"Uh, what about your luggage?" Rumi's confused voice floated up after them.
Once they were on the landing and tucked into a corner where Zoey was sure their conversation couldn't be heard, she whirled on Mira. "What was that? Rumi's just trying to be nice."
Mira scoffed. "I know exactly what her type is like. She'll be so helpful that sooner or later, she's gonna ask if you need help undoing your pants."
Zoey shrugged. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Of course it is! She works for my parents. I don't trust anyone who works for them."
Mira knew what this entire forced sabbatical was about. Her parents had felt shamed by her behavior in front of many other prominent families. So, in retaliation, they'd sent her to one of their branch farms in a completely different country to hide her away, get her under control. And her parents no doubt expected that Mira would be desperate to go back to South Korea, so much so that she'd promise to do whatever they wanted in order to be allowed to return.
And Rumi, as the general manager of this farm, no doubt reported directly back to her sire, or at least one of his direct underlings. Therefore, whatever Mira said or did around Rumi would inevitably get back to her parents.
That's why Rumi's helpful and innocent demeanor pissed Mira off. It was so forced, it made her sick. There was no way an alpha as attractive as her was that nice for any reason other than to get into an omega's pants. An alpha like her who also worked for Mira's parents was even worse.
Zoey groaned. "You're so negative! And paranoid! I'm sure Rumi isn't interested in doing anything other than her job. As much as it saddens me to say."
The shorter woman patted Mira's shoulder in a way that was tad too patronizing for the older omega's liking. "I know it might be hard to believe, as the daughter of the Kangs and all, but not everyone is obsessed with you. Why don't you just make the best out of this situation and appreciate the eye candy while you're here?"
And with that, Zoey walked back down the stairs, returning to where Rumi was still waiting with their luggage, because the alpha apparently didn't have anything better to do.
Something was wrong.
Mira woke up burning hot.
It wasn't the type of warmth one might experience from being out in the sun too long, soaking in its rays until their skin turned golden brown.
This heat originated deep within her body. It was a wildfire that exploded out of her pores and prickled over her skin.
She hadn't felt anything like this, not since she turned thirteen, when she'd had her first—
Stark realization seized her.
Her heat. Her heat was here.
No. No. No. That shouldn't even be possible. Mira was on suppressants. She never missed a day. Ever. She took them every morning like clockwork, in between washing her face and making her bed.
To have her heat arrive now was simply impossible.
And yet, the overwhelming hot flashes and cavernous ache deep within her loins matched the time-worn memories of her first heat. Though there was one large, glaring difference.
The ache between her legs was excruciating. It was beyond anything she could recall from her first heat.
Mira panicked. She needed help. And medical attention, most likely. She needed—
"Rumi!" Her voice came out shrill and broken, the cry of an animal in distress more than anything.
The bedroom door burst open as the farmhand stumbled in, looking alarmed. "Mira, what's—" Her eyes widened as she took in the sight and smell of Mira squirming on the bed, drenched in sweat, the air thick with her pheromones. Understanding filled Rumi's face immediately, and even from across the room, Mira could see her pupils dilate, could see the exact moment she went from Rumi to alpha.
"You're in heat."
No shit, Mira wanted to snap. Instead, what came out was a pathetic whimper.
Rumi walked to the bed and crawled onto it with her hands and knees. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you." Rumi's scent cut through Mira's like a knife through butter, bringing with it the refreshing and tangy smell of citrus. It calmed Mira, and she felt the ache between her legs lessen a fraction.
"Please," Mira begged. "It hurts. I need you."
Rumi pulled off Mira's sleep shorts and leaned over her to kiss her while pulling her own pants down with her other hand.
Rumi pulled Mira's panties aside, exposing her drenched core, and lined herself up. Just before she pressed in, though, Rumi broke the kiss to ask, "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, please, I've never been more sure about anything in my life." The omega wrapped her long legs around Rumi's hips, interlocking her ankles and forcing her hips forward.
As soon as the head breached her, pure bliss radiated through Mira's entire body. Rumi kept pushing in, forcing Mira's pussy to stretch around her. Rumi was so big, so thick inside her, Mira could hardly breathe. She rolled her hips, coaxing Rumi to start moving. "Rumi, please."
The alpha's hips slammed into her, fucking Mira's cunt ruthlessly. "Oh gods, fuck yes," she moaned, her head lolling to the side.
She hadn't known it would feel like this, that sex with an alpha would feel this fucking amazing. Absently, she wondered why she'd never done it until now. The world shrank down until the only thing she could feel was the steady rhythm of Rumi pumping in and out of her.
"I think I'm close," Mira gasped out.
There was no reply.
"Rumi?"
Mira opened her eyes, but instead of seeing Rumi's beautiful features, her face was a blur. The alpha started disappearing like wisps of smoke. Rumi's scent, her touch, and all of their surroundings faded away like sand slipping through Mira's fingers.
When Mira woke up, it felt as though she had been doused in cold water. Reality—sharp and cruel—flooded her senses. Her bedroom was empty, and the bedsheets underneath her were damp with sweat. The only scent in the room was her own desperate and horny one.
Mira tried to rub her face, but something restricted the movement of her wrist. She looked down and realized that she had literally woken up with her hand inside her pants.
She quickly withdrew it, face burning in embarrassment and disbelief. Mira had just had a wet dream. And not just any wet dream, but a fucking heat dream about Rumi.
Mira could already see the smug, shit-eating grin on Zoey's face if she were to ever tell her this had happened.
Mira's attention was pulled back to her body as she felt a sudden throb in her cunt. The dream had felt so damn real, she'd nearly gotten off. Clearly, her body was not happy about having its orgasm interrupted. Her walls clenched around nothing, and Mira swore she could still feel the phantom thrusts of Rumi's cock inside her.
Fuck, why'd she have to have a dream about her of all people? Why not some faceless alpha or random celebrity? How would she look at Rumi after this?
Her body responded to thoughts of the alpha with a lance of arousal that tore through her gut.
Covering her face in shame, she snaked her fingers under her pants again, meeting familiar swollen wetness. She practically melted in pleasure once her fingertips found her large, swollen clit. It was completely erect. She scissored her fingers around the short shaft before rubbing circles on the head.
She was so worked up from her dream that her orgasm came embarrassingly quickly. Aching to have something inside her, Mira slipped two fingers of her other hand inside herself, bucking wildly into her own touch.
Once her orgasm had calmed into a pleasant buzz, Mira lay panting in her bed. Her arm was tired, and her wet underwear clung uncomfortably to her skin. She dragged her damp fingers out of her pants, groaning.
This was going to be a long trip.