Hired for Heat (The Hired Series Book 1)

by Leann Ryans

Picking her way carefully through the worst of it, Sandra made her way to the building, letting out the breath she had held hoping not to fall and twist an ankle. The scent of Alphas surrounded her as she stepped through the door and turned her stomach sour, acid bubbling in the back of her throat to remind her that she hadn’t eaten, and it had nothing else to work on besides her own tissues.

  Gritting her teeth and ignoring the discomfort, she made her way to the desk across the dingy lobby from the entrance. The bleary-eyed old beta at the desk looked up at her in surprise.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I need to speak with an Alpha that is assigned to this camp about a personal matter. He is a recent transfer from the city by the name of Austin Nevouto.”

  Sandra was glad that Natashia had gotten his last name for her from her friend in Alpha Control. It would have been much less believable if she had walked in not knowing his full name.

  “You drove all the way out here to speak to an Alpha? It couldn’t have been handled with a phone call?”

  Narrowing her eyes at the old beta male sitting at the desk she tried to hide the flush she could feel creeping up her neck and cheeks.

  “No, it couldn’t. I need to speak with him in person. Where can I find him?”

  Sighing, the beta typed on his computer, muttering to himself.

  “It looks like his crew is on site this week so he will already be out there,” the beta said, waving his hand towards the mountain behind the camp.

  Swallowing the irritated growl that wanted to break free, Sandra clenched her jaw until her teeth hurt before responding.

  “And when will they be returning?”

  He gave a small shrug saying, “Later. Whenever they finish their work for the day. It’s usually just before dinner, around six-ish.”

  Glancing to the clock on his desk, Sandra’s stomach dropped. It wasn’t even noon yet.

  “Is there somewhere I can wait?” she asked with an exasperated sigh.

  “There aren’t any females here Ma’am, you’re safer waiting in here with me. There’s a break room in the back with a couch if you’d like.”

  Pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers, Sandra tried to clear her mind before giving the beta a nod.

  31. Austin

  Austin had gotten up early and gone straight to the rec room, waiting outside of it impatiently before it was even scheduled to open. By the time someone showed up fifteen minutes late he was barely containing his irritation and couldn’t stop the hint of a growl in his voice when the old Alpha walked up to unlock the door.

  “Don’t you growl at me boy. I have other duties to see to and I’m sure you have somewhere else you’re supposed to be.”

  “I could have been at work on time if the room had been opened when it was supposed to be,” Austin responded, shoving past him into the room and dropping into the first computer chair he came to.

  Leg shaking in impatience, he waited for the ancient computer to boot up, clenching his fists until his knuckles popped. He only had about fifteen minutes left until he was late to meet up with the crew before they headed out to the site. He would have more time this evening to look for her if he came straight here, but he couldn’t wait to get started, hoping he would find something quickly.

  Trying to figure out what to search for with only a first name and idea of her job, he typed in ‘Sandra’ and ‘omega’. A ton of results popped up drawing a groan from him. Adding in the name of the city and ‘business’, he hit gold. The first result showed a picture of her dressed in an immaculate white business suit standing outside of a glass building he had seen downtown as she cut the ribbon, officially opening the building. Apparently, she was a well-known architectural designer and had opened her own company at a shockingly young age, especially for a female, and an omega.

  Trying to get over his shock, he looked for a way to contact her. She had a business page, but he had no idea if she actually saw anything that went through there or if it went to some assistant. He knew most companies had a person who handled that type of thing, and he doubted he would be able to reach her through there. Not finding a personal email or number, he took down the office number and lunged for the phone hanging from the wall.

  Counting the rings, it went to the voicemail of someone named Natashia, so he left a message saying he had an important matter and needed to reach Sandra. Cursing under his breath when he realized he had no number to leave for her to call him back, Austin left his name and said he would try back again that evening.

  Hanging up, he stared at the phone for a moment before rushing out the door for his crew’s meeting spot. By the time he got there, they were all standing around waiting for him. Motioning for them to go, he headed to work, hoping she got his message and waited for his call tonight.

  The day dragged on. Only half of his mind was on what he was doing, and it showed in his work. Embarrassed when he made his third mistake that day, Austin tried to push the thoughts of Sandra away and focus, but something felt different. The constant pull he felt in his chest seemed to ease and he wasn’t as snappy as he had been lately. He thought it was that he was distracted, but even when he sat down to eat lunch with the crew and had nothing else to think about, he didn’t feel the aches he had been living with.

  Shrugging it off, he kept working, trying to keep an eye on the guys in his crew. Luckily for him they all seemed to get along and were willing to do their work without much pushing. There were some Alphas that would refuse to do their part unless threatened constantly which was a drain on everyone around them, and Austin was glad there weren’t any like that on his crew because with his temper lately, it would have led to a fight.

  Glad when the day finally ended, and all of their work checked out, he almost sprinted back to the camp, rushing to his room to shower and change so he could go make the call while everyone else was at dinner. He didn’t notice the note under his door until he stepped, dripping, out of his bathroom. Picking up the little slip of paper, Austin’s brows drew together as he read the words. There was someone waiting to see him at the Admin building.

  Trying to figure out who it could be, he drew a blank. He had a brother who he wasn’t very close with, but he had no other family that would make the effort to come see him. Alphas weren’t allowed to leave the camps without a valid reason, which took a lot of bureaucracy to get approved, and no one he knew had any reason to come find him this far from the city.

  Figuring it must be someone from Alpha Control, Austin dried off and got dressed, the irritation at being diverted from making his call was overcome by the curiosity over who it could be.

  Walking into the Admin building, he stopped and looked around, not seeing anyone but the old beta at the reception desk. Taking slow steps across the lobby, he waited for the man to look up at him.

  “I received a message that someone was here to see me?”

  “Oh,” the old man said, his face lighting up with a smile. “You must be Austin! She’s been waiting all day you know.”

  “She?” Austin said in surprise, eyebrows drawing together.

  “Yes. Nice young lady. Well dressed. Seemed a bit upset that we couldn’t bring you back in from the site to speak with her. She’s in the break room in the back.”

  Austin was moving before he finished speaking, taking quick strides to the door he could see in the back corner of the lobby. Yanking the door open, he stuck his head inside, eyes darting around hoping to see the one woman that had a reason to look for him.

  Austin was greeted with an empty room. Air rushed from his lungs before he heaved in a deep breath, he drowned in the scent of vanilla and grapefruit. Cock stiffening, he rushed in, looking around for her with a growl.

  Why was she hiding?

  Movement from the couch caused Austin to whirl around, growl growing deafening until he realized the body on the couch was Sandra.

  Blinking open sleepy grey eyes, she shot up from the couch as a feral grin pulled at his lips.


  32. Sandra

  Confusion clouding her mind, Sandra couldn’t believe she had fallen asleep on that lumpy old couch. Chest heaving as her heart raced in reaction to the growl that had awoken her, she tried to get it to calm as Austin stalked towards her. The growl he had let out when he came in had scared her awake, but it had lowered to a bare whisper as he began to invade her space.

  His spicy musk surrounded her, and she stepped back, bumping into the couch as he continued until he stood chest to chest with her. She could feel the muscles of his chest pressing into hers as her nipples tightened.

  Staring down into her eyes, Sandra couldn’t read his expression. His eyes seemed hard, like he was angry with her, but his firm lips were pulled into a smirk that seemed to say he was laughing at her rumpled appearance.

  Attempting to smooth her skirt and hair with her hands, she froze as he raised his, sliding it around the back of her neck, cupping it and tilting her head back. His lips came crashing down on hers, burying her under a mountain of lust she had been trying to hold back.

  Austin growled into her mouth as he gripped her hip with his other hand, pulling her tighter against him as he attacked her tongue with his.

  Falling into his spell, Sandra was almost lost before she remembered why she had come to see him. Wiggling her hands up between them, she pushed her palms against his abs, attempting to get him to back up so she could speak.

  A tug on her hair had her yelping as he let out another growl that vibrated into her mouth. He wasn’t going to release her or back up. Waiting until he finally stopped for air, she gasped in a breath and blurted, “We have to talk.”

  Austin continued to hold her to him as he buried his nose in her neck. She could feel his tongue lick along her shoulder, and she had to swallow a moan.

  “Austin. Austin!”

  Tugging on his hair, she got him to raise his head and look at her, his pupils half blown already.

  “We have to talk. I came here to talk to you about the past few weeks since my heat.”

  Voice rumbling like a rockslide, Austin replied, “You’re mine. We bonded.”

  Attempting to swoop back in for another kiss, Sandra dodged him and managed to slip away. Moving to the other side of the room, she held up her hands to stop him as he tried to get close to her again, eyes narrowed with a steady growl causing her panties to flood with slick.

  “We’re not bonded though, not fully. My doctor said it’s only a partial bond.”

  Stumbling as she continued to move away from him, she tried to explain what she knew.

  “A partial bond can be broken,” she yelped, dodging his hand as he lunged for her.

  The break room wasn’t very big, and Sandra was once again in front of the couch when Austin paused, seeming to finally hear what she had said.

  “Broken? Without one of us dying?”

  “Yes,” Sandra said, nodding quickly. “A partial bond can be broken if one of us fully bonds with another.”

  “I don’t exactly have any omegas begging to bond with me Sandra,” Austin said to her, eyes narrowing to a glare.

  “I can try to find another Alpha. Bond during my next heat. To release you.”

  Sandra didn’t even see him move before his rough hand was wrapped around her throat, pinning her to the wall with her legs dangling over the back of the couch against it. Beginning to panic, she clutched at his hand. She was held firmly but he wasn’t cutting off her air.

  “I’m s-sorry,” she attempted but was drowned out by a roar.

  Austin’s pupils were completely blown, the blue iris gone as he bared his teeth in her face. Though she didn’t think he would actually hurt her, he was obviously angry. Her core was leaking so much slick it was beginning to run down her leg, having soaked through her underwear.

  Nostrils flaring, Austin leaned in to run his nose along her neck.

  “You are mine Sandra. By luck, or by fate, we are bonded. There will be no other Alpha for you. Ever. Do you understand me?”

  His heavy breathing was loud in her ear as she nodded her head, not trusting her voice. The relief that coursed through her at his words was overwhelming and left her entire body trembling.

  Kicking the couch out of the way in an impressive show of strength, Austin moved forward and pressed his body to hers, pinning her to the wall with his mass, and the hand circling her throat loosened and began to stroke her neck and shoulder.

  “I think I need to show you whose you are. Remind your body who it belongs to.”

  His words pulled another pulse of fluid from her core, soaking into his shirt where she could feel the heat of his skin seeping into her as her legs wrapped around his waist. Sandra moaned, rocking her hips in search of friction.

  Stepping back, he suddenly released her, and Sandra landed on the floor, legs wobbling and barely holding her up.

  “Strip. Now.”

  Voice laced with Alpha command, she had no choice but to do as he demanded, and she was bare in a matter of seconds. She was neither graceful nor sexy in her haste to obey him, but the hungry look on Austin’s face proved he didn’t care.

  Trembling, Sandra stood still as his eyes roved over her body, lingering over her visible ribs and prominent hip bones.

  “You have not been taking care of yourself omega.”

  Whimpering, she attempted to cover herself but froze at the renewed rumble of his growl. Slick tickling the inside of her knees, Sandra waited as he moved back to her, cupping her head and making her look up at him.

  “Your Alpha is here to care for you now. Let go,” he whispered to her.

  Knees turning to jelly, she let out a sob as his other arm circled her body and pulled her against him. She was enveloped by his heat and scent. He held her like that for a couple of minutes before pulling back again.

  “Lean over the arm of the couch.”

  Eyebrows drawing together, Sandra looked from him to the couch.

  “Now,” he barked, causing her to jump before she quickly moved to do as he said.

  The cushions of the old couch were so worn and flat that her head barely reached them as her ass was thrust into the air, toes barely maintaining contact with the ground. Moving to her side, she watched as Austin began to undress, stripping out of the t-shirt and dark jeans he had been wearing.

  Sandra couldn’t stop her core from clenching in need at the sight of his cock standing hard and ready for her. It seemed even bigger than she remembered, and a shiver of anticipation ran down her spine as he moved closer again.

  33. Austin

  Reaching out one hand to stroke her hair, Austin ran the other up from the back of her thigh over the swell of her bottom, marveling at the smooth skin before circling it over to the other cheek.

  “Things are going to be different than they were at The Haven. We are going to do things the way I want,” he rumbled at her, feeling her body trembling under his hands.

  “But first, you must be punished for considering breaking our bond with another Alpha,” he whispered as he tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her head back as his other landed on her vulnerable rear.

  Sandra squealed and kicked her legs as he caught her by surprise, quickly raining down blows on her ass until it turned a merry shade of red.

  “Shh, this will help you remember that I am your Alpha,” he told her.

  Scenting her salty tears, he turned her head to the side and kissed her cheek, licking the wetness from his lips even as his hand continued to smack against her bottom. Pausing, he rubbed his hand over her ass, feeling the heat pouring from the abused flesh before slipping his hand lower, running his fingers through her drenched core.

  “See, this is what you needed. You took it well, so now I can reward you.”

  Letting go of her hair, he captured both wrists and pulled them behind her, pinning them to her lower back as he moved from her side to stand between her legs. Kneeling, Austin groaned at the sight of the slick running down her thighs to the arm of the couch
. Leaning in, he took a deep breath before flicking out his tongue to taste her, that first lick reminding him how delicious she was.

  Flicking his tongue over her pussy again, he pressed two fingers to her opening, pushing them into her tight channel as he licked up every drop of slick that seeped from her as she thrashed over the arm of the couch.

  Unable to wait any longer, he sucked her clit into his mouth as he pumped his fingers into her, feeling her core clench and attempt to milk his fingers as she screamed into the cushions.

  Standing, Austin lined himself up with her entrance and slammed into her in one stroke, the pitch of her scream changing as he forced her cunt wide around his cock. Letting out a moan of his own, he made himself hold still for a moment to give her a chance to adjust.

  Feeling the clutching walls relax marginally, Austin pulled out and thrust back in with enough force to scoot the couch down the wall. One hand still holding her wrists against her back, he gripped her hip with the other, picking up his pace until he was frantically pounding into her.

  Feeling her legs shaking against his, Austin continued the punishing pace, balls slapping against her cunt with each thrust until her pussy began to flutter around his shaft. Cursing as his knot began to swell and catch at her entrance, he forced himself in with one final thrust, knot locking him in place as his cum began to fill her.

  Moaning, Sandra’s cunt milked him for every drop of seed until his legs, too, were trembling. Releasing her hands, he braced himself against the arm of the couch as he leaned over Sandra’s back, kissing her shoulders and neck.

  “I didn’t know if you would be mad at me. I’ve been trying to find you to see if you felt the bond too so we could figure out what to do.”

  Sandra turned her head to look up at him as she continued to speak. Austin wished they could simply enjoy the moment before having to face the issues at hand.

  “I don’t want to force you into anything, if you don’t want to be bound to me. I can… try the other option… or if you don’t feel it then I can try to continue dealing with the symptoms I’ve had.”