Her Broken Alpha - Isoellen Page 0,1

nothing about, sir."

After her visit, the doctor had made sure Naya received a list of signs she should watch for when it came to her next heat. It wouldn't do for her to be caught unprepared. Included was an addendum of expectations. The paper read like a summary of everything Naya learned in her science and health class. Mother had huffed, complaining that in her day, they were just told to watch for hard cramping and an embarrassing amount of slick.

Then her mother had handed Naya a stack of padded underwear. The extra thick lining in the crotch reminded Naya of a diaper. Mother had said that while men loved to see a girl leaving a trail of slime wherever the sweet young thing went, she didn’t want that mess all over her floors and furniture.

Biology had dictated the entire course of her life. Naya would grow up, choose a mate, satisfy their physical demands, get pregnant, and bring little baby alphas and omegas into the world. She would strengthen the 12 Sectors and contribute to society.

Live happily ever after.

It wasn't like Naya secretly harbored other ambitions. She liked the idea of her own home, of becoming a mother, of taking a mate who adored her. But the pressure to fulfill her role felt like a vise around her heart, one which grew tighter each day.

Her mother and sister had both done it and survived, and happily—more or less.

The weight of her mother's regard made her start. She'd lost herself in the litany of worry again. Mother was a breath away from calling out her dithering.

Gathering the yarn, Naya hurried back to her seat. Mother insisted appearances and self-control were everything.

Crispin would help Naya establish their own home, her own little territory where she could choose her furnishings and cook their meals how she wanted them. There was no reason to run and hide from him. Rather, she should run to the door and embrace her intended husband-mate with enthusiasm.

Only her mother’s presence kept Naya from overcompensating for her lack of enthusiasm. Outbursts were not lady-like.

"That dress is a bit tight across the bodice, dear one," Mother said. In her lap, the older woman punched her needle through the fabric stretched tight on her embroidery hoop.

Naya frowned down at her impossible cleavage, smoothing the gaping fabric. Her first estrus had reshaped her body drastically and it still felt like a foreign, unfamiliar thing. She'd already cut the threads and loosened the bodice of this dress once, adding a new edging of pale sage-colored silk for modesty.

A year ago, she'd boasted nothing but bee stings for breasts. Now she had a shape that drew everyone's attention.

Not only could men see the obvious changes, but they could smell them. She washed twice daily and doused herself in a concoction said to dampen omega pheromones, but nothing helped.

As a child, even at seventeen years of age, she'd been invisible to civilized males. She could wear what she wanted, go with her older sister where she wanted, and pass through crowds without worrying about the attention of aggressive, unmated males. Having big breasts and a big butt changed everything.

Naya regretted not enjoying those childhood freedoms more. Even before the change, her mother had thought girls should stay in the home and not roam about as they pleased. Naya had spent her time in the kitchen learning to cook, working on patterns for her knitting, and reading love stories in her favorite chair. She’d stayed home like a proper daughter instead of seeing anything of the 12 Sectors she wished to explore.

Now because of her pheromones, she'd be homebound until her first pregnancy changed her scent and broadcasted her status as a bride-mate.

The door knocker rapped, but Naya stayed in her seat. It wasn't her place to get the door; that duty belonged to the household servants. She'd wait for the servant to escort the men to the parlor as was proper, even though there was only a short wall between this room and the entryway.

Crispin and his father soon rounded the corner, their alpha presence filling up the feminine space. Though they were men of affluence, they were both dressed semi-casually in long, loose pants perfectly hemmed above their boots and rain-dampened dark wool coats. Their dress and stature broadcasted their alpha nature and status to everyone who crossed their path.

Naya had always thought Crispin’s long, lean body looked fine in his clothes. He smiled when he saw her, his face congenial and open.