Forget : A Dark Omegaverse (Unhingedverse)

It’s two days after Christmas, and I’ve been twitchy through both of them. Cian told me he’s not leaving the house and to take the week off as of three days ago. All business has also been canceled.

Christmas isn’t a holiday the guys and I celebrate outside of giving each other gifts. It’s just another day for us. Our families insist that we spend a couple of hours with them to fawn over us and catch up.

While we typically go home regularly, the guys and I have been hyper fixating on a pretty little omega. Our families have noticed our absence and interrogated us.

I have to say, there are few things scarier than when they all gang up together.

Caelin was able to finally clone Hollis’ phone when she went to dinner with friends. She went out on Christmas Day with them, and Caelin was able to reach over and grab her phone when she turned away for a moment, while they were at the bar.

She was none the wiser, and he left shortly after, leaving her phone exactly where she left it. It didn’t take long, keeping his anonymity intact. He’s been her shadow for two full weeks. The man is obsessed, and I know he feels as if we’re running out of time too.

Now, he can manipulate the app, see all of Hollis’ calendar appointments, and we can hijack one of Aisling’s dates. She hasn’t had any since Pack Dayton, which is surprising to me.

She’s been marathon dating for weeks. Caelin told me that the packs that Hollis is bringing in for the mystery dates all had prior plans to the holidays, which now explains the break.

Domh has been asking me non-stop questions about Aisling, trying to piece together what makes her tick. My theory that Domh is her scent match panned out, and they hit it off incredibly well.

It bears weight that he would want to find out as much as possible about her, but the reality is that I’ve only seen the omega who throws pocket knives at me, fights me at every turn, and refuses to back down.

Even then, it’s been months since I’ve spoken to her.

God, I’d give anything to have her yell at me.

“So, I may have planted a few bugs at Omega’s Haven,” Evan says, stepping into the living room where I’ve been glaring out at our backyard.

We had a white Christmas, and the snow is still coming down. It feels like we’re living in a bubble, and it’s about to pop.

“Did you?” I ask. I need a distraction, and this will do. “Hear anything interesting?”

Turning, I raise my brow with a smirk. Except Even looks a little pale and he’s wringing his hands.

“Aiden, our girl hasn’t been to work since just before Christmas,” he says softly. “No one knows where she is, and they’re worried about her. Wren is in the middle of her heat as of yesterday, so no one can call her either. Pack Mohan is out of commision.”

“As it should be,” I mutter. “Maybe she’s sick? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of her getting ill outside of that one time that Cian asked me to call the doctor. Occasionally, I see him walk into the house looking upset, but no one will tell me why he’s there. I thought it was his parents.”

“His parents are going to outlive us all,” Evan says with a snort. “They’re very healthy. I would have heard otherwise, since I drive them around and Miss Marla likes to chat. That’s definitely not why he’s there.”

“I don’t like this,” I mutter. “I need to get into the house.”

“Why?” Domh asks, leaning against the door as he comes in.

“Aisling,” I grunt. “She’s missed several days of work. Could she have gone into heat?”

Domh winced as he thinks. “Alone? God, I hope not,” he says.

“What’s going on?” Caelin asks breathlessly as he comes in. “Who’s alone?”

“We don’t know what’s going on,” I state, raising my hand. The last thing I need is for them to lose their minds. We’re unstable at the best of times, and my heart is pounding so hard I need to keep us all reined in.

They react if I do. I’m their alpha. I can’t lose my shit.

“Aisling hasn’t made it into work, but was expected,” Evan says helpfully. “I know we just had Christmas, but I bugged Omega’s Haven for intel on her.”

“How?” Caelin asks, incredulously. “There’s no way they’d let you in there.”

“Morgan,” he grunts. “She went in to help her friend. It’s why I didn’t come home one night a few weeks ago. I was extracting Meghan and her toddler. First, I killed her pack and then set the whole thing on fire. I cleaned up all by myself.”

Huffing out a laugh, I shake my head. “You texted me about that,” I remember. “I sent people out to make sure there was nothing left. You did good.”

“So do you think there’s something wrong with Aisling?” Evan asks, shifting on his feet. “Is it possible she’s in heat and the boss is keeping it under wraps for some reason?”

People don’t usually keep something like that a secret, because it’s as normal as breathing. People simply adjust their schedules and expectations and keep it moving.

“Fuck,” Caelin grunts. “Something isn’t adding up. There’s a note in Aisling’s file and her profile that she’s looking for a pack to spend her heats with. She says she doesn’t need a forever pack, just someone for the duration of the four days she has it.”

“But she doesn’t want a forever pack?” I ask, confused. “Why would she want a hookup only for that, unless she can’t handle them alone. That would explain why she’s going on so many dates so quickly…”

My anxiety is ramping up and my trigger finger is twitching. Why would an omega be looking for something so transitional when biology typically makes omegas want a home, alphas to protect and adore them? What’s going on with Aisling?

“When she was in my truck, she acted as if she was being forced to date,” Domh says. “I thought Cian may have been pushing the issue, but she’s only nineteen, isn’t she? Aisling told me her father was wonderful to her. So what the fuck gives?”

“Yeah, she has a November birthday,” I murmur. I’ll never forget the date, either. It’ll always be ingrained in my mind. “Something is wrong, I just feel it. I’m going up to the house. I have a key. I have to see.”

Breathing is getting more difficult as I struggle to hide the urgency I feel. I have to stay calm. For them.

“Don’t get caught,” Domh says, looking a bit worried. As Cian’s lawyer, he has a healthy fear of him. He sees the worst of him more than we do, I think.

That’s saying something, since the boss beat the fuck out of me. I deserved every blow, though. I wonder if he knows what I did.

“I won’t,” I murmur, hoping it’s not a lie as I pull on my coat. Fuck, that cold is going to be brutal after the warmth of our fires. “Keep your phones on you, and don’t leave the house, yeah?”

“Aye,” they grunt back, and Domh begins to pace.

Leaving them to it, I walk calmly to the garage door, grabbing my keys on the way out. Slamming the door behind me, I race to my truck, knowing the winter tires will get me through the snow.

Not all areas will have had the snow plow come through, especially where Cian lives, because the house is on a private road.

Usually, it doesn’t matter because he can call people to plow him out, but since he’s planning to stay home, the road could be close to impassable without good tires.

Getting into the truck, I hit the garage door opener, gritting my teeth as I push the start button and wait. I would love to say that I’m not freaking out, but I am. The door to the house bangs open, and Caelin runs out to bang on my window.

Rolling it down, I shake my head at him in askance. “I gotta go, what’s wrong?”

“If she’s in heat and in pain, you do whatever you need to fix her,” he growls.

Caelin and I don’t fuck people outside of our pack. It’s something we agreed to, and Evan and Domh have to use a condom whenever they’re out fucking betas. Though, in the last two weeks, I’ve noticed that all of that nonsense is over.

Aisling is ours, no other woman will be enough for us.

We’re done pretending there’s anyone else.

“I will,” I promise. It’s a big deal for Caelin to say this, but he’s been obsessed with Aisling since the moment he saw her. It would be hard not to be. “I gotta go.”

Nodding, he watches as I back up the truck, his fingers running through the waves of his hair as his face displays the agony he feels at being left behind. The compass on his arm stands out in stark relief, a tattoo he had done five years ago when he was twenty-four.

Caelin told me it was because we were his true north. No matter what, he’d find his way back from whatever hole he burrowed into while hacking or working. Caelin also had really bad depression that hit when he was nineteen, during which he reached for us.

We helped him pull himself out of the bleakness and the voices that told him he wasn’t good enough. That’s about the time that Cian hired him to exclusively run his computer and tech work.

Before that, he ran errands for him, until I explained to Cian that he was wasting Caelin’s talents.

We all work for Cian because he’s fair, and we stay for the same reasons.

It’s a struggle to keep myself from driving too quickly. Once I’m on the roads, my hands squeeze and release the steering wheel until I can hear the leather creek and complain.

I can’t stop, my body focusing on how quiet everything is, the way the material feels under my hands, and how heavy my foot is on the gas pedal. I’m forcing myself to stay grounded, since it’s very easy for me to lose myself to the anxiety I know the guys are feeling.

I need to stay present. No accidents, no detours, no exceptions. Finally, I manage to get up the driveway to Cian’s house, grateful someone actually plowed the driveway, even if they did nothing else.

Me:

I’m here. If you don’t hear from me, it’s because I’m inside and can’t respond.

Domh:

Noted. I want updates on her though.

Me:

Got it.

It feels like a fever dream as I climb out of the truck, locking up behind me as I trudge up to the front door. While someone plowed the driveway, the stairs to the front door are icy and full of snow.

I almost fall on my ass twice going up them, but finally get the door open.

The house is abnormally quiet as I close the door behind me and slip out of my shoes and socks. I don’t want to stomp around while I’m investigating, nor do I want to be heard.

Hiding my shoes behind the coat rack, I begin prowling through the house. No one is on the back patio, the chef is preparing a late lunch, and there’s no sign of Cian.

It’s not until I start walking toward the steps that I hear his voice on the phone, and I hide behind a large door that separates the sunroom from the rest of the house.

“I know, doctor, but she’s crying in her sleep,” Cian says, his voice tortured. “I don’t know what to do, or how to help her. Fuck, well that’s just not helpful!”

His roar makes me wince as he continues his tirade down the hall, allowing me to sneak my large body up the stairs. My shoulders are bunched up at my ears from the tension that I feel, and I race on silent feet to Aisling’s room. It’s clear something is wrong, she’s in pain, yet it could be anything.

Is she sick? Why can’t the doctor fix what’s wrong?

The questions are endless as I ease open the little omega’s door, only to be slammed in the face with her scent.

“Fuck,” I grunt, wincing as I adjust my dick.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

All I can smell is slick, need, and my omega. My eyes bounce around the room that she’s made hers, noticing the blackout curtains hung up and blocking out the light, the soft lamps lit, but I can’t find her.

The room is made up of soft blues and teals, and the pillows have pops of purple on her bed. I pay attention to all of it, imagining what it would be like for her to live with the guys and I.

She needs her own room, and the guys need a project. Taking quick photos of it all, I send it to our group chat.

Me:

Keep yourselves busy. Build our girl a nest.

It seems like weird, obsessive behavior, but my inner alpha is puffing out his chest in approval. I won’t ignore my instincts. I can’t. My heart is still pounding in my chest as I walk to her closet and yank the door open.

“What the fuck?” I gasp.

Aisling is laying on the floor on a pallet made of blankets and fluffy pillows. She’s hooked up to an IV, and whatever is in it is slowly dripping into her vein. She’s clearly in pain, her thighs rubbing against each other as she whines, tears rolling down her face.

I drop to my knees next to her, eyes wide as my chest begins to heave. There’s so many questions in my mind, and I can’t focus on any of them when she takes a deep breath and stills.

Her head turns toward me, though she doesn’t open her eyes.

“Alpha,” she whispers, her voice raspy and cracking.

How long has she been like this? Is this how she spent fucking Christmas?

I can’t not touch her. I lean over and cup her cheek.

“Baby girl, what the fuck is going on?” I whisper. Tears well in my eyes as I stare at her.

I should be worried about Cian coming upstairs, but I can’t be fucked to do so. My cock is straining, begging to sink into her pussy, yet I hold back. That would get me killed.

My instincts are both a blessing and a curse. Aisling relaxes as I rub her cheek, and I realize that she can scent me. Fuck. Whatever she’s been using has officially worn off.

“God, we’re a pair, aren’t we?” I murmur, noticing the way my voice calms her. It’s as if all the anxiety just drains out of her body.

A text lights up my phone, and I force myself to check it. I almost forgot I texted the guys. It’s as if everything else has just melted away. I need to stay focused.

That’s easier said than done when Aisling needs me though. Fuck, she needs all of us, but I’m the only one strong enough to keep myself in check. Caelin would already be ripping out the IV in her vein to wake her up, and Domh would pick a fight with Cian, even though he terrifies him.

Evan? He would steal her away, intent to keep her with us forever. Talk about starting a war.

Caelin:

I’m cleaning the attic now. It’s the perfect low ceiling room for it.

Evan:

Already online shopping now.

Domh:

Where the fuck is her father? Bring her to us now.

Yep, that went about as well as expected.

Me:

I’m with her, and she’s in heat. It’s complicated. I need you to stay busy, okay?

Tossing my phone to the side, I have to hope that Evan and Caelin will be able to contain Domh. He’s ironically spent the most time with her. She’s all he can think about, though we’re all obsessed.

Evan has been tailing her still, sending us photos when he can.

Those are what we’ve all been surviving on.

God, baby. Am I the reason you’re here? Did I somehow do this?

“I should have known you’d end up here at some point,” Cian says from the doorway, making me flinch as I look over my shoulder.

He has a gun in his hand, his eyes trained on Aisling and I. His eyes are red, broken blood vessels spider-webbed throughout the whites of them.

“How long have you known that you’re her scent match?” he asks, his eyes moving to where my hand is still on her cheek. My fingers twitch and I jerk back my hand, only to be tortured by Aisling’s keening scream.

“Don’t stop touching her!” Cian screams, his eyes wild. God, how long has Aisling been like this? He looks as if he’s been traumatized, and I wonder if every heat has been like this.

“Well don’t fucking shoot me,” I grunt, hunching back over to cup her face. It’s an uncomfortable position, but I’d stay like this for hours if needed, because she sighs happily and leans into my touch.

“Why is she hooked up to all of this shit?”

“Aisling’s heats are very painful, and she is terrified of them,” he says, sighing heavily. “About a year ago, she asked me to have her sedated during them. It’s why I had you call the doctor.”

“She’s been sedated through them for an entire year? That can’t be⁠—”

“Healthy? No, it’s not. Dr. Fields almost refused me this time,” Cian grunts. “He won’t do it again, which is why she’s been dating with that service.”

“Cupid’s Call,” I say before I can swallow back the words.

“Are you boys stalking my daughter?” Cian growls, which makes the omega next to me shift uncomfortably.

“Yes, but I don’t want her to know that,” I mutter, thinking about how I can make her more comfortable. Pulling off my coat, I work quickly as the whining begins, covering her with it for my scent. If I could pull my shirt over her head, I would, but the damn IV is messing with that plan. Laying on the pile of blankets next to her, I notice how soft the textures are.

God, every piece in her nest seems to make sense in terms of warmth and comfort.

My arm wraps around her under the blankets making sure there’s as much skin on skin contact as possible. I had to push her tank top up, but it wasn’t in a way that’ll get me killed. My hand goes right back to its previous position, but now I’m pressed against her body.

“I knew there was something odd about Domhnall just randomly running into Aisling,” Cian grunts.

Damn, he pulled out his full name. No wonder Domh is scared of him.

“Tone it down, boss,” I sigh. “Now I know why Domh looks like he’s going to shit his pants when he talks about you.”

“I’ve gotten to know my daughter over the last year, and I absolutely will not calm down,” Cian says. “Every time she comes home from a date, dejected because some asshole told her she’s a whore for wanting a pack to help her through her heats, I want to kill them. But, I’d most likely send you, and I can’t fucking do that.”

“Did she tell you Pack Dayton talked about selling her to Ophelia?” I ask. I know I’m stirring the pot, but I want the kill order.

I need it. I don’t care that they already had their asses kicked.

“She most certainly did not,” Cian roars, making me wince. Fuck, I really need to rethink my approach. “Goddamn it. Aisling makes me insane. I’m her father, and know she’s not going to tell me everything.”

It’s possible she doesn’t know, which is why she couldn’t say anything. It makes Pack Dayton even more dangerous. Fucking pricks.

“How much did you know about what I did?” I rasp, sighing. “I wasn’t thinking, I swear. Is this my fault?”

“Yeah, she told me most of it,” he grunts. “She had her first heat alone, and I think it was terrible. I came home from my trip, to find her dehydrated and haunted. I think Aisling knew on some level that it might happen, which is why she went to that store.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “You really should kill me. I’m a rat bastard who doesn’t deserve her.”

“I can’t,” Cian says, sounding like he’s sad about it as he moves where he can see me better. It’s a good thing no part of my body is grazing her breast, because he really might splatter my brains against her pretty gray walls.

“Aisling uses an alpha pheromone blocking gel, but she’s been unconscious for two and a half days, so it’s worn off. Her body knows you’re her’s, even while asleep. It’s why she’s reacting to you. I hope you don’t have any plans, because your place is at her side. I’ll get you a giant cup to piss in. This nest is your home until her heat is over.”

I forgot my phone when I moved to lay next to her, and Cian leans over to pick it up. I didn’t lock it, and his eyes begin reading my texts with the guys. It’s invasive as fuck, but I don’t really have a leg to stand on at the moment.

“You’re building her a nest?” he asks incredulously.

“I’ve known she was mine since I found her,” I tell him. “Right there on the street, I was hit in the face with her scent, and I was done for. But she didn’t show a single sign that she felt the same.”

“She started using the gel at work as a bartender, and never stopped,” Cian explains. “She has no idea that any of you are scent matches. Still doesn’t to be honest, since she’s unconscious. I don’t know how much she’ll remember of this. You don’t have to tell me if I’m right or not, Hayes, it’s right here bleeding off the texts. You’re all obsessed in a way that only a scent match can be. Evan is right there with you, because you’re all goddamned peas in a pod.”

“There’s a lot of gray area, boss,” I remind him. “Aisling is still planning to date, and she still has a heat that’s unstable. I have to be able to get the pack in front of her as a suitable match. I also have to figure out how to get her to forgive me.”

“This is yours, isn’t it?” Cian asks, ignoring my words completely as he picks up a knife from the shelf in front of him. “Care to explain how my daughter has it?”

Squinting from my place on the ground, I see it is mine. “This is where you kill me,” I tell him, groaning. “I’m an idiot and left it with a note when I took her toys with me.”

Cian’s face is turning red as he stares at me. I don’t know if he knew that part or if he’s fishing for information, but now he has it.

“I really fucking hate that I can’t kill you,” he growls. “Maybe before you walked in today, but not anymore. You’re important to her now. Will I throw away that information if you tell me what was on the note?”

“Yes Sir,” I whisper, burying my face in Aisling’s neck. Sugar cookies are all I want to smell if he’s going to kill me. Fuck my life, I’m such an idiot.

“Goddamn it,” he rumbles. “You’re such a fuckwit, Hayes. Why would you do this?”

Lifting my face, I sigh. “I felt intimidated by her, which doesn’t even make sense based on how I live my life,” I say. Clearing my throat, I decide not to go into detail about how often the guys and I use toys and or a spreader bar during sex.

“I wanted to be who she wanted during her heat. I had been stewing for hours, making irritated comments as she packed her things. Aisling was making yet another big transition and change, but all I could think about was myself. You were right to beat the fuck out of me.”

“I stopped too soon,” he says. Waiting, I nod, holding my breath for his next words. “Aisling will not go anywhere near your pack if you’re there. How are you planning to get her to date you? Is Hollis helping you?”

Hollis is well known to the mafia families because of who her parents are, but there’s no way she’d help us. Her professionalism is unmatched, and she keeps everything confidential.

“Absolutely not,” I deny. “Caelin figured out a way to hack into her app, and is going to make certain one of her mystery packs never show. They will instead.”

“Mystery?” Cian asks. “What do you mean?”

“Uh, sometimes if someone doesn’t know exactly what they want, Hollis will pull packs of her choosing for an omega to date. It’s a surprise to everyone involved, all they have is a date and location,” I explain. “I have a feeling that’s what’s happening now.”

“The alphas Aisling’s been meeting with are terrible,” he admits. “As I said, she’s been upfront with her needs. I have the freezer fully stocked with her favorite ice cream exactly for when she gets home.”

“You’re an enigma, Cian,” I murmur. “Domh kept asking Aisling if you’re the reason that she’s dating, because you want her packed up as soon as possible.”

“Bah,” he scoffs. “If it was possible for her to stay with me forever and take care of her own needs, then that’s what she’d do. I just got her back.”

“We’d never keep her from you,” I say seriously. “Ever.”

“I know,” Cian says. “I’m going to be honest, though. You may need to kidnap her for this to work.”

Tossing me my phone, he walks out of Aisling’s nest, ignoring my dropped jaw. Heart pounding, I grab my phone and check the messages.

Domh:

I found a construction company willing to come out tomorrow and do a few updates to the attic.

Evan:

I’m adding so many things to my cart in her color scheme. What kinds of fabric does she like? Send me photos.

Caelin:

How is she?

Blowing out a breath, I take a photo of her, making sure they can see me as well.

Domh:

What the fuck is that bastard doing to her?

Domh and I are going to need to talk about how he feels about our boss.

Me:

Aisling has to be medicated through her heats, because she’s scared to death after what I did. This is my fault. Her gel has also worn off.

Evan:

Wait, what the fuck does that mean?

Caelin:

Can the scent match be recognized if she’s unconscious?

They’re rapid fire messaging me and I sigh, moving so that I can carefully drape Aisling over my body. The arm with the IV is on my chest, while the tubing hangs over our heads, because of how the doctor set it up. There’s not a pole to worry about knocking over, thankfully.

Sending them another photo, I also get one of the different blankets surrounding us.

Me:

Evan, she likes lots of different textures and fabric weaves. See if you can figure these out from sight alone. The IV isn’t working as well anymore, which means I’m not moving from this spot until her heat breaks. Aisling was in pain when I found her, even though she was unconscious. Also, the answer to your question, Caelin, is yes.

Caelin:

Fuck me.

Me:

Actually, that’s exactly what Aisling will need for her next heat. Knots, sex, and us. This shit isn’t going to work next time. Find a way to make that happen, guys.

I know I’m putting a lot of pressure on Caelin, but he’s the only one who can make this happen.

Me:

And guys? I won’t be able to be there when you hijack her date. I’ll apologize to her, but I don’t want this to fuck up anything.

Domh:

You’re probably right, but this feels wrong. We always do everything together.

Me:

Remember the knife you gave me for my birthday?

Domh:

Yes. I noticed she keeps it with her. Why does she have it?

Deciding I may as well come clean while they can’t beat the fuck out of me for a while, I close my eyes. God, I don’t know how I’m going to fix this.

Me:

When I stole her toys, I also left her a note with my knife that said that only whores need sex toys. She went into heat with those words. We’re lucky she didn’t use it on herself to get away from the pain.

There’s silence on the other end for so long, I turn the vibration on so I’ll notice when they respond as I doze off. I’ve been on edge for so long that I haven’t been sleeping well.

Having Aisling in my arms is exactly what I need.

When my phone finally vibrates, I flinch awake. Blinking away the sleep, I see it’s been four hours. There’s a bottle of water next to me, a closed empty bottle that is labeled for piss, and a sandwich. That’s more hospitality than I expected from the old man.

Caelin:

I’ll gut you if you ever do anything like that again to our omega. She is to be adored, loved, and only broken, so we can put her back together again. Our instincts are not for the faint of heart. I hope she can handle it, because none of us will be able to hold back.

Domh:

It’s killing me that you’re with her right now. I want to gut you simply for that.

My pack is filled with insane assholes. It’s why we fit together so well.

Evan:

Can I add a cage to the cart in case she’s a bad girl? I don’t like to give up my toys.

Rolling my eyes, I shrug. In for a penny, in for a pound. We may as well go all in on this. It’s clear that Aisling is keeping secret the worst parts of ourselves from her father. I bet once she forgives me, it’ll be all water under the bridge for holding her hostage too.

Me:

By the way, we have her father’s blessing to kidnap her. He won’t stand in our way to claim her, bite her, and bond with her.

Domh:

Somehow, I don’t think that’s what he said, Aiden.

Chuckling under my breath, I take a bite of the sandwich that was left for me, content in knowing that it’s not poisoned. He needs me to stay with Aisling.

Me:

Close enough, Domh.