We managed to find the way up to the next level of the dungeon, but the monsters no longer had dark attributes. We were facing off against fire elementals and making slow progress. Not having the advantage sucked. It took a combined effort just to take down one enemy.
"We're never going to get off this level at this rate." I launched five light arrows at an elemental, and its core exploded.
"Maybe if you would stop almost hitting me with your goddamn spells!" Ronak jumped out of the way as an elemental spewed fire at him and punched its core, causing it to crack and crumble.
"My spells aren't going to hit you unless you directly jump in front of them at the last second. C-can't you put a little faith in me?" He was being ridiculous! How was I supposed to help take down an enemy if my spells didn't come close? It wasn't like I was going to hit him, and he's a melee fighter, what did he expect?
"One of your damn spells zipped right past my head!" He turned to growl at me.
"D-did it hit you? Stop being whiny." Sometimes I swear he acted like a giant toddler.
"Would you like to run that by me again?" He growled louder and took a few steps towards me. I quickly took a few steps back, and he stopped approaching me. He was still snappy and curt, but he was being a little nicer. I think. Maybe this dungeon was just driving me crazy. He was still rumbling like an angry thunderstorm, but like a switch, his pupils dilated, and he quickly stepped away from me. Umm… What was that about? He hid his face in his hands, but I could see the pink of his cheeks at his hand's edge… Huh? Was he… blushing? Why?
I wasn't in the mood for whatever was happening with him. Instead, I glanced at the mushrooms on the wall and noticed that they were already starting to dim, signaling that the end of the day was fast approaching. "We need to find somewhere to make camp for the night." We were going to end up in total darkness if we didn't hurry. Not that my light orbs couldn't illuminate the space, but I'd like to know the entire area around us is safe before setting up camp. Otherwise, I'll never be able to fall asleep.
"We need to make more progress than this pathetic amount!" He sounded almost panicked. What was that about? He didn't seem to care a while ago…
"Huh?" Haven't we been making decent progress?
"I thought we would make it out today, but at this disgustingly slow pace, it might be a few fucking days." He began nervously pacing back and forth. Honestly, it was making me nervous just to watch. He paused and turned towards me. "You could trap me in a shield."
"M-maybe you've finally lost your mind, but I'm not following your thought process. Why would you need to be placed inside a shield?" I scratched my head, unsure why he would need something so ridiculous.
"Gah! And you dared to call me dumb for not realizing you were an omega?!" He growled, but it didn't feel threatening this time. "My damn rut is approaching; it should start tomorrow night and last a day." Oh… OH!
My face turned flush. That's what has him so tense?! No wonder! "Do you not carry suppressants and inhibitors with you?"
"Are you stupid? Those don't work on dominants." He clenched his jaw and grumbled, "For someone so smart, you're pretty dense sometimes."
"I-I'm not dense! If you want my help, you'd better stop calling me names!"
"You don't have an option. If you don't help, you're going to be the one in trouble. I'm an alpha and you're an omega. And we're the only two here. Did you forget that little fact?" He folded his arms and tried to look tough, but his red face had the exact opposite effect. It would have been comical to me if the ramifications weren't so horrifying.
I didn't have much room to talk, though; my face was plenty red. M-my heart is difficult enough, I don't even want to imagine what his rut is like. I took multiple steps away from him. "F-fine, I'll do what I can. L-let's make camp and worry about this tomorrow." Just thinking about it was making me feel weird. It was like my body was becoming excited, yuck!
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We managed to find the stairs up to the next level, and it seemed quiet enough, so we placed our camp in a little cove of the caves. We ate in silence with embarrassed faces; neither of us wanted to broach the topic of his rut again. It was too awkward. I didn't want to think about what his shameless behavior would be like. Gah, and I had to somehow prevent it?! Did he forget he can shatter my shields?!
I stood from the table and chairs and joined Ronak by the fire. "Do you think the dungeon floors are going to get easier tomorrow?"
He glanced up from the flames. "They don't seem to be getting harder."
"True, if we get our teamwork down, we should be able to breeze through things." I paused and fiddled with my fingers. "I can tell you're not used to working with others. I'm sorry I called you whiny."
"And?" I froze. D-did he just ask me for a better apology? He didn't, did he? I stood from my seat as my eye twitched. I held out my hand and brought a pillow from my storage. Within a split second, I rushed forward, bringing the pillow down over his head.
"And nothing!" I snapped. Forget meanie! He was a big jerk! "You don't deserve a nicer apology! Who do you think you are?!" Some of my irritation from earlier returned, and I relentlessly bashed him over the head with my pillow.
I kept whacking him until his hand reached up and snatched hold of my wrist. He pulled my arm down, and the sudden change of momentum caused me to stumble. I slowly looked up into Ronak's crimson eyes that were staring down at me in surprise. "Don't you think you're a bit brazen for a lord's son?" His free hand came forward and brushed along my neck, making me jolt in fear. "I will be a duke soon and am second in line for the throne. What gives you the right to hit me?"
My face felt like it was going to burst into flames. This was just as embarrassing as waking up in his arms. I tried to look away, but all I could see was him and his dumb body! I went to say something, but the scent of his pheromones made me gasp. I tried to squirm away, but his grip on my wrist tightened, and his other hand slid down to grip my hip, preventing me from rotating. I wasn't sure what was going to happen except for my heart escaping my chest. Too close!
I glanced back up at him and noticed his eyes were trained on me as if taking in every movement. It was like being caught by a hunter. I wanted to release my pheromones into the air, but I used every ounce of self-control not to. "P-please let go!" I managed to squeal.
Ronak blinked and inhaled sharply as if only realizing what was happening. He instantly released me and stood, causing me to fall from his lap. I let out a yelp and managed to throw out an arm before I face planted onto the ground. S-so mean! You couldn't have let me go, so I didn't fall?!
"I-I'm going to bed!" I squealed before scurrying off to the tent. Stop it, heart! You're going to escape my chest at this rate! Just the feeling of his lingering touch was driving me insane. I tried distracting myself by hiding under my blankets, but his crimson gaze haunted my mind.
"I think I should sleep out here…"
"I-it's too cold at night, just sleep over there." I stuck my hand out from under the blankets and pointed at his half of the tent. He'd better stay over there tonight. I foolishly peeked out from under my blanket to see him standing at the tent entrance. He faltered there for a moment longer before taking off his shoes and lying down on his bedroll.
Oh! The fire! How could I forget about something like that?! I sat up and quickly scurried over to the entrance of the tent, but I let out quite the yelp as he grabbed my ankle. "Where are you going?" He asked. I peeked back at him to see a bit of concern on his face. "I'll sleep outside if you're uncomfortable."
"I… I umm… forgot to put the fire back into my storage…" I pulled the tent flap back and pointed over to the fire. Ronak must have extinguished it because only its smoking ashes remained. "C-can you let go of my ankle?" As quickly as he grabbed it, Ronak released my ankle and jolted away from me. W-was his incoming rut making him less aware of his movements? This was unlike him…
I stashed the supplies back into my storage and returned to my blanket cocoon. There was no way I was going to sleep like this! It had been hours, and I hadn't fallen asleep. I was just nervously fidgeting under the blanket. What was up with his recent behavior? Was it because of his rut, and I was the only omega around?
Hours had passed, and I just couldn't fall asleep. Ronak rolled over in his sleep, or at least I thought he was asleep based on his breathing that became lighter. I fidgeted nervously until a low growl caused me to freeze. "R-Ronak?" I whispered, but there was no response. What was that? Just a bad dream?
I was lying there trying to calm down when a hand gently touched my back. I almost cried out in shock. What the heck are you doing under my blanket? I spun around to face him and was even more shocked to see a set of eyes peering at me. W-was he awake? No… his eyes looked almost glazed over, like no one was home.
His hand found my wrist and pulled me towards him. I tried to resist, but those muscles weren't for show; there was no chance of me winning. He let out a satisfied grunt as he pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me.
I thought that would be the end, but he buried his nose down against my head and inhaled. The funny sensation sent a shiver down my spine. He let out another satisfied grunt and went about pulling me closer to him. H-how much more do we need to be touching a-and why do you never wear a shirt to bed?!? Before I knew it, I was completely entangled with him like the previous night, except I was facing away from him because of all my desperate squirming to get away.
I figured he would settle down once he got comfortable, but I let out a little squeal when he nibbled on the edge of my ear. My whole body jolted from the sensation, and my toes curled. "W-what are you doing?!"
His arms squeezed me, and his thigh rubbed up and down against mine. D-d-did his rut come sooner than expected? I jolted in horror as his hips pressed against me. No, no! Absolutely not! Get that thing away from me! You're not going to be my first!
I used all my effort to try and pull away from him, but all I managed to do was shift upwards a bit. My eyes went wide, and a gasp escaped my mouth as he ran his tongue over the base of my neck. "Ronak! You've got to wake up!" I yelled and squirmed even more violently, but he gripped my arms and held me still. I managed to sit up a bit, but he sat up as well, not giving me any chance of shaking free of him.
He continued licking the back of my neck, and I couldn't control myself. It was as if each lap of his tongue wore away at my self-control. I released pheromones into the air, and his licking became more excited. It was as if my brain had stopped functioning. The more he licked, the more docile I became. My arms gave out, and I crashed back down into his welcoming arms. No, not like this! I-I don't want you!
"R-Ronak!" I whimpered. L-let me go!
"Mmmm, good smell." He nuzzled his face against my neck and gently kissed it. W-where is this gentle side coming from? It's driving my brain crazy!
I rolled towards him and stared into his eyes. They were still a bit hazy, but they gazed at me so gently. It made it seem like Ronak was a different person. Why couldn't he be like this all the time? He was incredibly handsome when he wasn't scowling.
His face got closer to mine, and my eyes went wide. W-wait-! I tried pulling away, but he just leaned in further. His lips brushed against mine, and I tried flinching away, but his lips still managed to find me. Our breath mingled, and my heart fluttered in my chest as his lips enveloped mine. N-no! You're nothing but a jerk! I didn't want my first kiss to be with the likes of you! This can't be happening! His hand gently cupped my face as he kissed me again. W-why? Why can't I stop myself? My hands slipped forward and pressed against his bare chest. No… n-ngh! It was just as firm and sculpted as I thought it would be.
I yelped as he rolled forward, trapping me underneath him. His hips pressed down against mine, and it was hard not to notice how excited he was feeling. He grabbed my wrists and pinned them down beside my head as he leaned down to kiss me over and over. His kisses were so gentle that I found myself being consumed by them. His tongue searched mine out, and I couldn't help but want more. H-how is it possible that he even tastes of cherries? I-it's so tart…
He shifted, allowing his knee to slide up between my thighs, and I nervously squeezed it between my legs. My desire had won out over logic, and my concerns were drowned out by his tender kisses. His pheromones didn't feel suffocating like they were when he was mad; instead, they were drowning me in a sea of desire. N-no f-fair…
He pulled away, leaving me gasping for air, and proceeded to pull my shirt off. My face was warm, and it felt like a little drool was escaping the corner of my mouth, but I wasn't that bothered by being exposed. I stared up at his red eyes through my own that had become fuzzy. He blinked a couple of times, and the haze seemed to clear from his vision.
Like a frightened cat, he quickly jumped off me in shock. I almost felt… sad as I lay there trying to catch my breath. "Shit! My rut shouldn't be taking hold so soon!" He froze and sniffed the air. "Why are you releasing so many damn pheromones?"
I barely registered his words; I was so turned on that my mind felt like a soft pudding. "Y-you don't remember… licking my neck… t-to make me… express pheromones?" I was still painting, trying desperately to catch my breath. I rubbed my thighs together and tried to ignore the warmth between my legs. "Ngh!" I whined and squirmed under the blankets even further. Why did a scowl have to return to his face? He was so much better looking when he wasn't scowling.
"Are you listening to me?" He snapped. D-did he say something?
"N-not really." I managed to mumble. My hand wiggled its way down, and I gently ran my fingers along myself. "Mpfh!" I bit down on the blanket and let out a moan. H-how dare he get me all worked up?
Ronak grabbed my shoulders and pinned me down against the bedroll. "Y-you need to put me in a shield. I-I can't hold on much longer." The fuzzy look in his eyes was returning, and the panic was starting to fade. His aggressive sniffing was probably not helping his situation. My pheromones had fully taken over the tent and were probably exacerbating the problem.
Ronak let out a loud rumbling growl as he leaned down and sniffed my neck. He pulled the blanket down a bit and sank his teeth into my shoulder. I let out a loud cry as he bit me over and over. Pain would course through me, but would be slowly replaced by a strange satisfaction. The pain did bring me back to my senses a bit, but no matter how I struggled, there was no getting him off me.
His eyes peered down at me like a starved animal as he pulled my blanket down even further. N-no! Not there- Ngh! Ronak's teeth bit down on my nipple, making me moan pathetically. Wh-why did it feel so… so good? Mpfh! I had to bite down on my own tongue to keep the indecent sounds inside of me. You would have thought I had something to give; he was suckling me so hard. More indecent sounds managed to escape me as he moved to the other side. I-I'm n-not a chew toy!
By the time he sat up, I was incredibly frazzled. My poor skin already had red marks forming from all the places he nibbled and chewed. H-how did he expect me to cast spells in this state? I was barely getting enough air into my lungs at the moment.
Ronak apparently didn't care that I was struggling to breathe because he stole even more kisses from me. How was I supposed to ignore such sweet behavior? Each time he touched my body, it was like a jolt of lightning coursed through me. I… I wanted more…
Ronak pulled the blanket completely off of me, and a light shiver ran up my spine. I rubbed my legs together in embarrassment. Y-you can totally see my boner… I-I mean, he has one too, but I don't appreciate him staring at mine.
I let out quite the yelp as he leaned down and sniffed my groin. E-excuse me! P-personal space!! Gah! He tugged my pants down, exposing me, and he let out a funny grunt. Wh-what was that about? Nuh-uh! D-don't take my pants all the way off! Nooo! I reached down to stop him, but between his strength and the scary growl he let out, there was no hope.
I tried scrambling over to the tent wall to get a blanket, but Ronak grabbed my thigh and dragged me back over to him. He wasted no time using my movement to his advantage as he moved to sit between my legs. N-no. I-I don't want you to be my f-first… "R-Ronak… s-stop-!"
He grabbed my thighs and pushed them up to my chest as he scooted even closer to me. Ronak pulled my legs apart and leaned down to kiss me. Th-this position is embarrassing! M-my legs are all s-spread! S-stop! Y-your kisses are too much!
Ronak didn't stop, though; if anything, he was getting more worked up. He sat up and started undoing his pants, so I tried to use that as an opportunity to escape. The moment I moved, though, Ronak's hands grabbed me and held me still. "L-let me go-!" Ronak leaned forward and rubbed his partially undone pants against me. Eep! J-just how big is he?! I-I need to get out of here!
I tried casting a spell, but the moment any mana started to shimmer in the air, Ronak let out a growl and smacked his hips against me. I let out quite the surprised little yelp, which completely distracted me from casting anything. Ronak must have liked how that felt, though, because he continued to grind against me with more vigor.
An embarrassing sound managed to leave my mouth, and Ronak let out a pleased grunt. S-stop y-you're making me feel w-weird… Ronak paused and sniffed the air like a dog. His blurry gaze dropped back down to my groin, and I couldn't help but squirm in embarrassment. D-don't look! He kept gazing at me like a starved beast. It's like he wanted to take every part of me in, and he clearly liked what he was seeing because he licked his lips. Eep!
He grabbed my hips and dragged me up, completely hauling my butt into the air. Ack! Th-this is too much! I-I'm completely exposed and-!! Ronak's tongue touched somewhere I never thought it would. I let out a loud yelp and tried to roll away, but his grasp was like iron as his tongue ran over my bottom again. He might as well have been sending bolts of lightning through my body. Each time his big wet tongue pressed against me, I jolted in fear.
Something tickled my nose, and I gasped in surprise as his pheromones started to mix with mine. They were dark and rich with those tart notes of cherry. I didn't feel intimidated by them, though; there was nothing threatening about these pheromones. They completely engulfed me and made my eyes flutter. It was like we were transported to a meadow of cherry trees in bloom, except there was an alpha between my legs trying to squeeze his tongue inside my bottom.
I let out a loud gasp as his tongue managed to wriggle its way inside. Woah! N-no! N-not there! I-it feels too… too g-good! A loud moan escaped me as Ronak's finger joined the mix. I reached over and grabbed a fistful of blanket, pulling it over to me so I had something to latch onto as my body shivered. This feeling overwhelming me was r-really nice.
A second finger joined the first, and he went about stretching me out. I was a bit grossed out by his tongue delving even deeper inside me, but the feeling only made me squirm more. I-I was going to start drooling at this point. H-holy cow! Ngh!
Ronak came up for air with a pleased look on his face. W-was it that satisfying for him to stick his tongue into someone's bottom? I let out a bit of a squeal as his fingers really tugged at me. H-hey! Wh-what are you trying to do?!
He laid me back down on the ground and started fiddling with his pants again. I was so busy panting into the blanket that I didn't notice what he was up to until he moved to pull his pants all the way off. Wh-why is that so massive?! A-are alphas r-really that b-big?!
Fear coursed through me as I realized his intentions. No! No, no! I-I don't even like you! D-don't do this to me! I rolled to the side as fast as I could and tried escaping, but Ronak grabbed my ankle and dragged me over to him. "N-no! Let me go! Y-you don't even like me!"
I let out a loud yelp as his massive dick touched my back. He had hold of my butt and was rubbing his thumbs around my hole. I kept trying to flee, but he'd just grab my hips and pull me back over to him. Finally, he let out a loud, intimidating growl, and I started to shiver. I-I should have listened to him. I should have put him in my strongest shield and done everything in my power to keep him there. I have no chance now. I'm frazzled, and he's ten times stronger than me. A big tear ran down my face as I grabbed the blanket and hauled it over to me.
Ronak clearly didn't notice my distress or didn't care because he used my lack of movement to press his tip against me. Th-that's not going to fit! "S-stop! Please stop! I-I don't want this-!" Ronak didn't stop, though; instead, he kept pressing. I thought he was going to rip me in two. The pain was so sharp that even my cry of pain cut out in the middle. "P-pull it out! I-it hurts!"
Ronak paused now that his tip was inside, but he didn't stop like I wanted him to. Instead, he grabbed my hips and continued forging onward. My knees felt like they were going to collapse. The pain only continued to increase as he pressed further inside. There was no way I wasn't bleeding. I-is this how I die? Being gouged out by Ronak's dick?
He came to a halt, and I desperately gasped for air. N-no more! Please! I-it hurts so bad! Ronak started pulling out, and I thought I would experience some relief, but the moment he jammed back in, I let out a loud yelp. Wh-what was that?! He did it over and over. Soon, the pain started getting overwhelmed by a new feeling.
D-did I… like it? Eew, no! No way! An embarrassing moan escaped my lips, and my eyes went wide. What is this? Why… why is he able to glide in and out so easily? The more his hips rocked, the more I melted down into the blanket. M-more- No! Wh-what am I thinking?!
I thought I wasn't going to experience any more pain, but apparently Ronak had different plans. He tried pressing even further in, and I jolted in surprise. H-he wasn't all the way in?! H-he only paused?!
I let out a muffled cry as he wedged himself in a bit further. He'd stop and thrust a bit before trying to wedge even further. H-how much further did he think he was going to reach?! He was going to burst out of my stomach at this rate! H-how is he so big?! I felt completely stuffed to the brim, and yet he still was pushing into me.
Finally, Ronak let out a pleased grunt, and I yelped in surprise as his balls smacked into mine. W-was he in all the way? Mpfh! He started to pull out a bit, but rammed back into me. It was like he was spanking me! He did it over and over again, letting out pleased grunts as he moved.
Ronak leaned down over me, and I could feel his hot breath on my neck. Thankfully, it was only his tongue that made contact, but the big jerk was desperately trying to get me to put out pheromones. With each thrust of his hips, my sanity slipped a bit further. Before I knew it, my pheromones were mixing with his to make the most pleasant of smells.
Gah! Ronak's teeth dug into my shoulder. D-did he not bite me enough earlier? Must he bite me even more? I guess the biting was helping me keep my sanity because first there would be pain, and then a weird satisfaction would take over.
I couldn't take it any longer. "M-more-! Ngh! More!" Ronak sat up and complied with my cries by picking up his speed. I tried burying my face in the blanket, but I had to lean back up as loud cries of pleasure escaped me. I-it wasn't what I wanted, yet it felt… so… good.
My arms stretched out in front of me and clawed at the bedroll while Ronak kept kneading my butt with his hands like an oversized cat. H-how can he thrust so quickly? The more he thrusted, the more my brain felt like it was melting. I-I couldn't take any more of it. I-I… Gah! It was like my entire body stiffened except for my bottom, which desperately squeezed Ronak's dick. My brain tingled like crazy, and with a big gasp, I collapsed down onto the bed, making Ronak slide out of me.
Wh-what was that- Eep! Before I could even process what happened, Ronak rolled me to my side, propped up my thigh, and plunged right back in. I squirmed a bit, but Ronak's fuzzy eyes seemed rather determined. It took me a moment, but within seconds, I was a moaning mess once again. N-no! Don't nibble my calf!
It was like he was driving me to insanity. Over and over again, he'd take me to the brink, and my body would shudder like crazy. He didn't even seem bothered by it because he'd just move me to a slightly different position and keep thrusting into me like a horny animal. I was a mess of tears, drool, and shame while he was only breaking a sweat. J-just how much stamina did he have?! H-he was going to break me if he didn't stop!
Ronak started letting out some funny noises as he slowed down. It was a strange cross between a grunt and a growl, but he'd get a little louder each time he pressed all the way into me. His hand that clutched my chest squeezed my swollen nipple, and all I could do was let out an exhausted mumble. I was grateful to be lying on the ground. I couldn't take any more strange positions. My body felt like a limp noodle.
His other hand gripped my stomach and pressed down as he inserted himself all the way. It felt really strange, like he was rubbing himself through my stomach. With a loud grunt, Ronak rubbed his hips against me, and I felt a warmth begin to fill me. My legs squirmed around as the feeling sent tingles up my sore spine.
Wh-what? Is he getting even bigger?! I let out a sad cry as pain started to course through me. Owie! "Stop! Stop, I've had enough!" I groaned. I-I can't do this anymore! He's going to rip me in two! H-how much is he going to fill me? S-someone h-help me-
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I didn't even have the energy to open my eyes, but a fierce growling brought me back to my senses. I was wrapped in Ronak's arms, and he was… licking my neck? "Mine… all mine." He mumbled before licking my neck more. Wh-what? I managed to peel my eyes open, but I made the awful mistake of moving. My entire body jolted in pain. H-he really did break me! "My omega." His voice was so deep and pleasant in my ear, but the ramifications of what he was saying terrified me.
"N-no!" I squealed. I moved again and let out a cry of pain. Owie!
"Stop moving." He grunted before sinking his teeth into my shoulder.
"Stop that! It hurts!" I whined. Didn't he do enough?! My entire body was crying out in pain because of him. He didn't need to bite me anymore! "You don't like me, and I don't like you! You were in your rut! Last night was nothing but an accident!" Tears stung the corners of my eyes, and my stomach clenched. Stop it, body! Just because he was sweet while kissing me doesn't make up for everything he's done! It would be best to pretend nothing happened between us.
He sat up a bit and glared down at me. H-he was fully conscious?! "Must you cry over everything?" He leaned down and licked away the tear that had dropped down the side of my face. His tongue was so warm and soft, but the memory of what he did with it yesterday returned, and I felt a little grossed out. Ew! D-don't lick me with that thing!
"Wh-why won't you let me go?" Even while slightly sitting up, he kept a firm grip on me.
"You'll try running."
"W-we're in a dungeon and my body aches… I doubt I'll be running anywhere." His arms tightened around me as he lay back down. What was he? A big snake?
"Mmm, you're quite bold for a little lord. What am I going to do with you?" Do with me? Hopefully, release me! "You're in no shape for moving around, so don't even try." He wasn't wrong. Even just wiggling my toes ached.
"Wh-why?"
"Mmm, why what?" His voice tickled my ear as he nuzzled his face against my shoulder. My heart was beating like crazy again because of his slightly sweet behavior.
I guess it was a bit of a vague question. I had so many questions for him. Why did he hurt me? Why was being so nice now after being a jerk just yesterday? H-how could he behave so sweetly? He couldn't possibly have developed feelings… Where do I even start? "Wh-why… did you say I was yours?"
"You should feel honored." I should? "You're the first omega that I don't find absolutely repulsive. Congratulations. Nobles of your standing could only dream of attracting someone of my standing's attention. You should feel honored that I like your pheromones." The more he talked, the more my stomach turned into a giant knotted mess. I can't believe I called him sweet… He wasn't sweet. He was an egotistical jerk.
"I-I'm not interested in your title and wh-why would I be honored that a jerk, who's been b-bullying me, enjoys my pheromones?" My words came out a bit more mumbled than I would have preferred, but it was something I couldn't contain inside myself. His words stung like my poor, chewed-on skin. I wanted to flee from his arms, but I knew I couldn't.
"I wasn't intentionally bullying you…"
"What?" Did he not realize that his words didn't pair together at all? One does not unintentionally bully another.
"At first, your fake smile annoyed me. I wanted to tear it off…" So you were bullying me… "Then, on the day we spared you had a peculiar smell about you. I figured it was an omega that you were hanging out with… since I thought you were an alpha…" I-I let out pheromones on the day we sparred together? It was probably because I was scared for my life… "I tried to figure out which omega you hung out with that smelled like that, but I wasn't able to track them down… which makes sense now…" He trailed off, not giving me a proper answer to why he was supposedly not bullying me.
The memory of him shoving me to the floor came to mind, and the taste inside my mouth turned bitter. "If you weren't bullying me, why did you push me down and smash my shield? You could have broken my jaw or fractured my skull." My words were ice cold. I couldn't just lie there and pretend like everything was fine just because we had i-intercorse.
His hand slid under the blanket and gently traced along my hip. Was he admiring his handiwork? It hurts twice as bad now because of him. "You were the first person to stand up against me… All the other nobles fall over backwards to please me. You're the weird one who gets on my nerves." That's not an excuse for what you did! Was he insane?!
"Where's my pillow?" Ronak made a strange grunt, but I completely ignored him. I managed to drag my arm out of the blanket cocoon and reached over to grab the spare pillow I usually held in my arms at night. Ronak had sat up slightly to observe what I was doing, which was perfect. Despite it hurting a lot, I rammed the pillow into his dumb face. It wasn't as satisfying as before because of the angle and my sore arm, but his confused expression as the pillow fell on top of me was worth it. "You're awful." I couldn't help but frown. I had never in all my life met someone as egotistical and rude as he was.
Ronak grabbed the pillow and threw it across the tent with a snarl. "You have such an attitude when that fake smile of yours comes off."
"You make me infuriated. How does your ego even fit into rooms? Did no one ever teach you to be humble for what you have and kind to others?" Since my arm was out of the blanket, I reached up to massage my temples. He was giving me a headache.
Ronak let out a loud snicker and glared at me with those scary, hungry eyes. "Humble and kind? You're going to be completely taken advantage of if you think that two-faced nobles are going to be humble and kind. I don't know what moron taught you such a moronic ideal, but every noble I've met is nothing but a snake." It just sounded like he knew quite a few jerks, but I guess his lovely personality had to come from somewhere.
"M-my parents taught me that, Mr. Pottymouth, and I agree with them. There's nothing wrong with showing others kindness."
"I think your ideology will come back to bite you one day."
"A-and I think you're a jerk." My hand searched the side of the tent for something else to throw at Ronak, but I instantly froze. Rich laughter filled the air, and my eyes instantly drifted back over to Ronak. This wasn't the cynical laughter that sent shivers down my spine… It was cheerful, and he was clearly amused. W-was that a smile on his face? W-woah…
"You're a damn strange one. I don't think your short little arms can reach." He laughed as he reached over and shoved the extra blanket away from me. "Should I have you taken to jury over assaulting royalty? You've assaulted me with a pillow twice now, and I've gotta say, that's a goddamn new one. Daggers and swords are one thing, but an omega with a pillow might become a laughing stock." My face turned warm with embarrassment as he laughed at me once again. I pulled my arm back into the bedding and glared at his far too pleased face, but my eyes eventually drifted down to the exposed part of his chest.
I noticed them yesterday while I was pretending not to ogle his chest, but I was never in a position to ask. It wasn't that he had one or two either. His chest and back were completely covered with a wide variety of scars. Some were jagged and strangely shaped, while others were clearly bite marks or from blades. "I-is that why you have scars?" My hand moved without thinking and traced along a scar on his shoulder.
"Mmm, I got that one when I was nine. An assassin tried sneaking into my room and threw a dagger at me. Luckily, I was fast enough to dodge, but he did manage to give me that before I could take him down." Th-that was almost too much information to take in… He had an assassin come after him when he was only nine?! I-I'm pretty sure I would have been killed if one came after me. Also, h-he took an assassin down? D-does that mean… he killed them? H-he was lying r-right?
I pulled my hand away in shock and stared at the old scar with concern. There wasn't much I could do about his many scars. The best I could try would be cutting the scar out and using my ability to knit his skin back together, but that sounded gross and painful. There was also a chance that it wouldn't remove them… "Are you concerned about it? Don't be. It's a reminder not to be soft like you, little prince charming to the rescue." Wh-what did he just call me?! I-I'm not concerned about the likes of you!
"D-don't call me that!"
"Then what should I call you? A pipsqueak?" My cheeks turned pink again, and I pulled the blanket up a bit further to hide my face. A-a p-pipsqueak?! Wh-what sort of nickname was that?! I get that I'm smaller than him, b-but I wasn't that small! He was just freakishly big and muscular! B-besides, I'm an omega! It would be weird if I were big like him!
"Y-you could c-call me my name!" I managed to squeak from under the blanket.
"Mmm, I guess I could call you Micha, but Pipsqueak fits just as well." My dumb heart leapt as he said my name, which only sufficed in agitating me. Stop it, body! You've been nothing but trouble! "Hmm, should you be permitted to use my name?"
"I-I prefer big meanie!" I snapped as I peeked out from the blanket. If he was going to call me names, then I was going to call him names!
"I don't think you're in any position to attempt to tease me." He opened his mouth wide, showing off his sharp-looking alpha teeth, and leaned down to my shoulder. "I'll mark you again if you don't watch out." He snarled. Gah! I-I take it back! I'll stop calling you big meanie!
"M-mark?!" I squealed. H-he didn't mark me, did he?!
"None of them are permanent marks." He grumbled as he licked my shoulder. Ack! S-stop that! "Lord or your grace would feel strange…" Huh? Oh.. was he back to talking about how I should address him? "I guess you can use my name, except in formal settings." He sat up again and stared down at me with expectant eyes. What? D-did he want me to say his name? He stared for a moment longer before opening his mouth wide and leaning down to my shoulder again.
"S-stop it, Ronak!" I squealed. I don't need you chewing on my skin any more than you have! I didn't even dare look at my poor skin; I could already tell how messed up it was just by lying here. He planted a kiss on my shoulder this time, which shocked me. Wh-what was up with him?! He was so hard to understand! It was like he was giving me emotional whiplash!
"Mmm, what an obedient omega you are," Ronak mumbled as he snuggled back down next to me. I-I didn't like how close he was to me, but there was no changing that, was there…
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W-was Ronak playing with my hair? I groggily blinked and realized I had rolled to face away from Ronak. "Wh-what are you doing?" I tiredly asked as I felt him fiddling with my hair again.
"Your bow came out." He dangled the ribbon I used to tie up my hair in front of my face. "How do you tolerate having such long hair? It would drive me fucking insane."
"I-it has always been long… My mother said I looked cuter with long hair, so she never cut it." I was so used to having longer hair at this point that the idea of cutting it seemed strange. Besides, it wasn't that long. It only hit my shoulders.
Now that I was more awake, it was easy to tell from the tugging that Ronak was twirling my hair around his fingers. "I have to agree with your mother. I think short hair would seem odd on you." Wh-what? D-did he just imply that I was cute? Has the dungeon addled his brain or something?
The tent fell silent for a moment, but there was an odd rumbling that seemed to come from Ronak, but it definitely wasn't a growl. "A-are you hungry?" That had to be his stomach, right?
"Maybe…"
"Y-you should have said something before I fell back asleep." I rolled to my back and carefully sat up. Holy cow! He really did break my body! Pain shot through my back so sharply that I thought for sure something was broken. I pulled the blanket along with me, and Ronak grabbed another one to cover himself. W-we were both still very… naked… I tucked the blanket around me nervously and noticed Ronak smirking.
"I've already seen you naked. Why are you embarrassed now? I even cleaned you up after regaining consciousness." H-he cleaned me up?! I mean… I did notice that I wasn't dirty and sticky… b-but to think that he cleaned me up?! Ack! Forget my face, my entire brain was being roasted over a fire.
His laughter filled the air once again as I hid under the blanket from him. I managed to get it tucked in around me as I fearfully curled up into a ball. I didn't want to see his stupid smirk or think about his hands touching my unconscious body! Eep! It was too much!
I let out a loud yelp as he pulled the blanket up and grabbed my butt. I jolted despite the pain and tried to flee, but he just pulled me, butt first, onto his lap. My nails dug into the bedding as I attempted to stop him, but the entire reason I was in this mess was that I stood no chance. No, no, no! L-let me go!
"See? What's the point in being embarrassed?" He ran his hand over my butt, and I let out an embarrassing squeal. L-let go of me, you pervert!
"S-stop! That was an accident! Y-you were in your rut a-and were out of your mind!" I tried kicking my legs and rolling out of this mortifying position, but his grip tightened.
"An accident? You didn't even attempt to stop putting out pheromones or encase me in a shield. I might have gone into a rut, but I wasn't out of my mind. I'm fully aware of everything that happened." His hand rubbed over my inner thigh, making my toes curl up. "Plus, you're not very convincing when you're already this wet…" I poked my head out of the blanket to see him sniffing his sticky-looking fingers. G-gross! I wanted to die; I was so mortified. How dare this dumb body betray me?!
"S-stop it! That's gross!" I squealed loudly as he licked his wet fingers. I-I know you stuck your tongue down there, but licking it off your hand is disgusting! He really has lost any resemblance of sanity!
"You taste like vanilla tea… must have something to do with your pheromones… or the ridiculous amounts of sweets you eat…" His eyes darted over to glare at me.
A big shiver ran down my spine. H-how did he know what I was eating? "D-did you spy on me or something?"
"I didn't know they were your pheromones, remember? I told you that I tried investigating who you were hanging out with, and I just happened to take notice of your disgusting consumption rate of sugar." He poked my bottom with his pointer finger. "It's remarkable that you don't weigh triple what you do. You don't seem to exercise, and you get winded just from running away from me." R-RUDE!!! I-I walk… around campus… a-and the capital…
"I-I don't eat that many sweets!" I angrily squealed. S-stop poking my butt! I let out a loud yelp as he pinched my bottom, and I ended up hiding under the blankets.
"If you don't feed me, I'll have to keep playing with your ass. Your decision determines your predicament." He said while running his hand over my butt. A total meanie! L-leave my butt alone!
"I-I'll feed you! P-lease let me go! This is h-humiliating!" He gave my butt one last squeeze before releasing me. I didn't waste one second, fleeing his lap and tucking the blanket firmly around my poor, abused bottom.
Ronak watched me with amused eyes. S-stop smirking, you jerk! I did as he asked and pulled some kebabs from my storage and some clothes for me to change into. We clearly weren't leaving the tent today, so I only brought out pajamas. If I had to be stuck with this demon, I might as well be comfortable.
"How am I supposed to watch you panic if you put clothes on?" Ronak said while chewing on a kebab. He might have been eating, but his creepy red eyes were trained on me.
"Y-you pervert," I whined as I pulled my top on. I finally got a glimpse at my skin, and it was worse than I predicted. My entire torso was covered in bite marks and small red marks that looked like bug bites. Was all that necessary?! I know he was in rut, but have some self-control!
"My little omega is so mean." He snickered into the kebab.
I froze and looked up at him in confusion. "Yours? I-I am not yours… nor will I ever be… Are you so arrogant that you've never been told no before?"
Ronak paused eating and stared at the side of the tent for a moment. "I've been told no once… by a rather bold low-ranking noble who refused to let me borrow their notes from when I was gone on business. It made me rather upset." He gave me a dirty look and bit into a fresh kebab. What?! N-no wonder he was so selfish and arrogant if he's never been told no! Not that it justified his terrible behavior, but I was starting to piece together why Ronak was the way he was.
"P-put some clothes on," I mumbled, trying to change the topic.
"Mmm, if I do that, then you won't be able to stare at my chest. Now, who was it you were calling a pervert?" My face, which had only just calmed down, got warm again. I-it's not my fault you've been wandering around topless! What was I supposed to stare at if not it?!
I decided to look anywhere but at him as I finished pulling my pants on under the blanket. I reached over to grab a kebab, but refusing to look at Ronak was a mistake. He snatched up my wrist and pulled me onto his lap again. I let out a scream and thrashed around in his arms, but he easily wrangled me. "Wh-what's wrong with you?! Put me down!"
Ronak held up a piece of kebab that was free from its stick and offered it to me. "I'm trying to be so patient and nice. I've even reduced my swearing. Why are you playing hard to get?" What? Playing hard to get?! I wasn't playing anything! I just wanted out of this dungeon and far, far away from Ronak. If I never had to see him again, that would be best! A-and patient? Nice?! Don't make me laugh! He might not be swearing as much, but that didn't magically erase everything he's done!
"Wh-why are you so interested in me?!" There had to be plenty of omegas desperate for his hand in marriage, and he could probably take his pick of the ones at the academy. I don't understand why he had become so hyper-focused on me. I didn't feel that way about him in the slightest.
He tossed the meat he had tried offering to me into his mouth and slowly chewed on it before giving me a curious look. "Mmm, you smell intriguing."
"Y-you said I reeked!" I snapped. I wanted to claw his eyes out! That was such bad reasoning! There are probably hundreds of omegas that smell of vanilla tea! Go bother one of them!
"I said you reeked of an omega." What's the difference?! Talking to him was such a waste of time! He only succeeded in confusing me further, and was it necessary to cradle me in his arms?! I'm not a large child! "Are you avoiding my gaze?" He brought his hand up from my hip and gently pulled my chin up so I had to look at him. My eyes met his for a moment, but I quickly looked away. I didn't even notice him lean towards me until his lips pressed against mine. His hand slid from my chin up to my cheek as he deepened the kiss. Gah! H-he tastes of meat with a touch of cherry! My eyes opened wide in shock as he pulled away from me. "You act all shy now, but you happily returned my kisses yesterday." I was turned on and confused! I wouldn't describe that as happy!
I opened my mouth to respond to his insanity, but he popped a piece of kebab into my mouth. The air around us was instantly overtaken by the woodsy smell of cherry trees, and I instantly felt calmer. Wh-what was this? Wh-why do I have the overwhelming desire to melt down into his arms?
"Heh, such an angry pipsqueak." I slowly sniffed the air while chewing on the meat in my mouth. It was like I had been forcibly sedated. I swallowed the meat I was eating, and Ronak fed me another one with a smirk on his face.
"I-I'm not your omega," I mumbled as I accepted another yummy morsel of food.
"Yeah, okay." Ronak snickered.
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We had to get out of this dumb dungeon. If I had to wake up to Ronak forcibly cuddling me one more day, I was going to be sick. I couldn't take it any longer. I needed to be free of him and his insanity.
I glanced over at the psycho who was doing some morning stretches. At least he was wearing clothes now. The freak refused to put any on yesterday. He had a blanket covering him the entire time, but it still made me extremely uncomfortable. One wrong move and his massive- Eep! N-nope! N-not thinking about it! Lalalala!
"Good news. It's another dark attribute level, so you should be able to take everything out easily, Micha." It was so stinking weird hearing him attempt to be nice. Nothing was right about this scenario. It made my skin crawl.
"We've made it up five levels… a-and wasted an entire day…" I mumbled that last part, but of course Ronak heard me.
"We stayed in the tent yesterday because someone was sore." He folded his arms and gave me a glare. It felt oddly nice seeing him act a little 'normal', but he didn't need to remind me. My body was still aching all over from what he did.
I stashed our camp back into my storage and waltzed off down a tunnel. At least the monsters were just slimes. I could handle that… they weren't too gross. If anything, they were cute. I didn't mind Ronak staying out of my way either. It would be a shame if one of my light arrows missed and poked him in the butt. We could see how he liked being skewered. My poor butt is never going to feel the same.
We walked in silence while looking for the stairs when I started to notice something. All of the dark attribute monsters that could wield magic had purple, almost black mana… Why does he…? I glanced behind me to look at Ronak, but he noticed and we accidentally made eye contact.
"What?" He grumbled.
"Wh-why is your mana r-red?"
"Huh?" This jerk. I know he heard me.
"A-all these monsters have dark purplish-black mana… I was just wondering why your mana is red." Had I not seen his magic in action, then I would have assumed that he had a fire attribute. Most mana colors aligned with their basic elements. Mine was gold for light, Terra's was pale green for wind, and even Jade's was a blue-green for water. Ronak, having red mana and an attribute for darkness, was… confusing. Now, his mana was a more crimson color, sort of like his eyes. It wasn't the fiery red that one normally would assume to be associated with the element, but there was no denying that his mana was red.
"That's an imperial family secret. I might be willing to tell my omega…" He gave me an annoying smile, so I turned around and marched down the tunnel. He can keep dreaming! There wasn't a chance I was going to become his omega! I-I didn't care anyway! I-I just didn't like the silence… I missed the omegas that would talk to me. At least they weren't confusing! Ronak followed after me with a chuckle. "Aren't you curious?"
"N-nope! Not at all!" I raised my hand and unnecessarily shot multiple arrows at a particularly large slime.
"That's too bad. It's an interesting story. Guess I'll have to save it for my omega." He yawned. Taunt me all you want! I'm not falling for it! Why would I ever want to be your omega?! I-I would have to lose every last brain cell to fall for the likes of you! "I'm sure he'll enjoy listening to it one day." H-he?! S-stop acting like I'm yours! D-dream on!
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Thank goodness the last three dungeon levels had dark attributes, which allowed me to quickly fly through them. The monsters were becoming easier, too. No more giant lizards or fire elementals, we were now facing off against mid-tier monsters. We had gone up almost ten levels total, but the end was still nowhere in sight.
"They sure aren't the pushover goblins of the dungeons' first level, but these aren't too bad to take down." Ronak punched a treant, causing it to shatter into pieces. It was his turn to help out, so I was simply following him around collecting all the treant fragments. I was rather excited about it, too! Treant fragments were an incredibly useful potion ingredient that I've never had the chance to get my hands on. They were stupid expensive, and Ronak said he didn't care if I kept it all! Hehe!
Ronak had his hands transformed into his long, red, and black claws that he used to easily carve away at the seemingly never-ending horde of living trees. I asked why he wasn't using his swords, but he said the area was too cramped.
The treants creaked and groaned, but they were hardly frightening. "That's good to hear. You can keep getting me all the alchemy ingredients you want." I grinned as I placed another treant corpse into my storage and wandered over to an interesting plant.
This level of the dungeon was just a big forest, which we had to navigate through. It was a nice change of scenery compared to the dark tunnels we had been wandering through for hours. I was exceptionally excited about all the strange plants growing all over. Think about all the different things these plants might be able to do! They might have interesting properties that I can utilize! I couldn't wait to get back to campus and brew up some potions!
A shadow loomed over me, and I looked up to see Ronak hovering next to me with a scowl. "Don't wander. We don't need another level one incident on our hands." I raised an eyebrow. Was he concerned?
"B-behind you…" I held my hand out, sending an exploding orb of light crashing into a treant that had gotten close while he was distracted. We weren't struggling to take them down, but at the same time, we didn't need to give them any opportunities to hurt us.
Despite his complaining, I continued to harvest strange plants as we made our way through the forest. It was incredibly fun until Mr. Overprotective would wander my way and complain that I was being reckless... It was like my mother was here in the dungeon.
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When we found the stairs and ascended to the next level, I absolutely hated it. I thought my heart was going to stop when I spotted the type of monsters living on this floor. Giant freaking bugs were crawling all over the walls and ceilings. They made horrid grinding and clicking sounds that grossed me out and gave me the heebie-jeebies. I sort of… freaked out… One got close, and I blew it to smithereens with the strongest light orb I could muster, which annoyed the heck out of Ronak.
"Will you stop it!? You could hit me!" I was hiding behind Ronak and glancing around nervously. "They're just bugs. They're not going to hurt you!" He tried to snatch my wrist, but I avoided him.
"Th-they have too many legs and e-eyes! It's disgusting! A-and the sounds they make are a-awful. Eeep!" I launched another explosive arrow orb combination at a bug that was crawling on the ceiling towards us.
"You're going to bring the ceiling down, you idiot!" Ronak snatched me up into his arms and threw me over his shoulder as the walls rumbled. I dug my fingernails into his back and squealed as he raced off to find the stairs. "You can attack anything behind us, but if you get us trapped here because of your stupidity, there will be consequences!" I didn't care, I just wanted far, far away from the gross bugs. Eww, they gave me creepy crawlies! Die bugs! DIE!
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"Should we stop on this level for the night?" Ronak was breathing heavily as he sat me down and glanced around at the mostly empty cavern we had arrived in.
"N-no! What if bugs c-crawl up from the previous level?!" I stared down the stairs and imagined the worst. Ah! W-was that an antenna?! I held out my hands and was going to collapse the stairway so bugs couldn't come up, but Ronak grabbed my hands and hauled me away from the stairs.
"If we hurry, we might be able to make it to the next level. Would that make you feel better?" I nervously glanced between him and the hall and nodded.
"M-maybe…" Getting out of here would make me feel alright…, but collapsing this stairwell… that would make me feel oodles better. I stared at it with wide eyes full of hatred and was frustrated that Ronak was holding my hands. L-let go… I must end this tunnel's existence…
"Come on then." Ronak kept his grip on my hands and hauled me away from the stairs before I could blow them to smithereens.
This level of the dungeon had kobolds scurrying about. They were short, dog-like humanoid creatures that made annoying barking and yipping sounds. It took me a while to calm down and stop glancing behind us, but eventually I did. Between the two of us, we were making quick work of the kobolds. I wasn't sure if I wanted to add them to my storage, but Ronak told me to take them because the guild might buy them from me.
"The guild?" I asked, looking at the teeth of one of the kobolds we just killed.
"You're telling me you don't know about the empire's adventuring guild? We're in a dungeon for god's sake." Ronak gave me a look like I was the stupidest person in the world. H-hey…
"I know of the guild… I-I just don't know what it is they do…" I looked away awkwardly. The area of our local viscount's land, that my family lived on, didn't have a guild, so I wasn't terribly familiar with them. I knew where the one in the capital was located, but I had no reason to just waltz right in. Besides, the people who entered and exited that building were rather intimidating.
"The guild helps control monster populations, manages dungeons, employs people and adventurers, provides travelers with information, sells potions, and a whole host of other things. Have you never been to one?" He watched me as I put the kobold corpse into my storage. Oh… that sounds interesting.
"No… There was never a need to. The only one I've been past has been the one in the capital, but I've never gone in." I sent two light arrows crashing into a kobold that screeched in pain before flying backwards from the impact. It was a bit overkill, but I was still tense from the bugs. S-so many bugs…
"How were you even allowed into this class without an adventuring identification card?" Huh?
"A what?" Ronak punched a kobold, sending it flying down the tunnel.
"Were you born under a rock?" Were you ever nice? Ronak pulled a card out of his uniform's inner pocket. It was dark blue with silver writing on it. I was too far away to see what it said, but I could see our empire's crest on it. The shield and sword with a rearing unicorn on either side. It was definitely identifiable. "These cards provide us with a rank to complete quests or permission to enter dungeons. Do omegas not have them?" I shrugged. How would I know? I'm barely finding out about this…
Ronak let out an exasperated sigh and pocketed his card so he could set two kobolds ablaze as they rushed him. Ugh, I hated those creepy black flames. Something about his 'flames' always made me feel uncomfortable. They just seemed eerie.
"I'll have to take you there once we get out. I enjoy going there in my free time." Take me there? While I am curious about the guild, I don't particularly want you to go with me. Maybe one of the girls could take me when we get out of here.
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I was still feeling a bit nervous about our bug encounter, but being an entire floor above that one made me feel a bit better. What didn't make me feel better was that Ronak wasn't even trying to lie on his side of the tent anymore.
I had entered first after putting away the fire and snuggled up under my blanket when Ronak entered and lay down right next to me. He didn't even hesitate to wrap his arms around me either! Um…. No… no, you are not!
"E-excuse me, but what do you think you're doing?" I stared at the tent wall in anguish.
"We end up like this anyway. Might as well get a head start." That's because you have no self-control, a-and stop nuzzling your face into my hair! It's going to be so dirty by the time we get out of here! "Must you always be so tense?" He nuzzled his face down against my shoulder and gently bit it.
"S-stop trying to mark me!" It hurts! Did he not care what sort of mess he was making of my skin?
"If any other alphas were to find out that you're an omega, I think I'd lose my mind. You're mine." He mumbled into my shoulder.
"I-I'm not yours!" I grumbled back, and Ronak let out a sigh. I thought he would relent, but instead, he engulfed me in his calming pheromones, which were suffocatingly strong. "N-not fair!" I mumbled as a calm sleepiness fell over me.
"Go to sleep, Micha." He kissed my neck and whispered into my ear. "I'm almost sad that we're almost out of the dungeon." S-sad? Why would you be sad? That's dumb… My thoughts became hazy as his pheromones lulled me to sleep.
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"I think we should be able to make it out today. I've been putting very little effort into killing these pathetic monsters." Ronak barely punched a skeleton, and it fell to the ground in pieces. "They're even dark attributes, and I can take them down easily."
I had returned to being his glorified lantern since this level didn't have many of the glowing mushrooms along the walls. He didn't need my help, so I was back to just collecting the corpses or… bones, I guess, in this case. We had gone up four levels so quickly that I wouldn't have been surprised if we made it out before dinner.
Ronak did that gross, melty thing and turned into his goopy floor puddle thing. "Th-that's so gross…" I grumbled at the red puddle in front of me. I guess he couldn't talk in that form because he slowly swished around my feet. "Shoo, I-I don't want to know what it would feel like to step on you like that." I waved my hands, trying to get him to leave me alone, and an eerie chuckle could be heard echoing out from the puddle. Wait, could he talk or not? You know what? I don't think I care to know…
I followed behind him and watched him make quick work of the monsters. I was surprised that not all of them were skeletons. There were a few mummies all wrapped up in bandages. It felt extra odd collecting their corpses, but when I complained, Ronak partially left his puddle to glare at me.
"They make excellent potion materials." I stared at him with wide eyes. I wasn't sure what was worse, the idea of drinking mummy or Ronak halfway sticking out of the red goop.
"You drink potions with them inside?!" I felt nauseous just thinking about it. I stuck out my tongue and made a disgruntled, uck, sound.
He furrowed his brow at me. "You'll use lizard parts and other monsters, but not mummies?"
"I-I've actually only ever used plants in my potions. I was looking forward to experimenting with the monster parts..." I awkwardly scratched my neck, but noticed Ronak's look of surprise.
"You made all those high-level potions we've been drinking strictly out of plants?"
"Y-yes… is that odd?" I just learned how to do it by combining multiple different recipes until something worked…
"Beyond odd. I would like to watch you brew a potion when we get out of here." Ngh… I didn't want anything to do with him once we were out of here. I avoided eye contact and slowly nodded. I wasn't promising him anything. We'll see if that happens.
"A-anyway, let's keep going." I tried to politely smile, but I had a feeling that Ronak's narrowed eyes saw right through me.