I want to kill them all.

Lucas was kneeling in his kennel again, wearing nothing but a spike-studded dog muzzle and a collar. This cage was his second home. Its purpose was meant for time-outs when he disobeyed which was always, hence why he was imprisoned here most of the time. Sweat rolled down his skin, his breathing was heavy, and he had an urge to procreate for days. His hard erection stood straight, making his stomach sticky with pre-cum.

Lucas was in rut.

These were the side-effects of a green liquid they forcefully injected into his thigh. It was supposedly a new product, now available for rich buyers to test out.

He glared at the middle-aged woman through the thick bars, knowing his blue eyes were full of hatred. Lucas refused to call them Master or Mistress. Why should he give them respect when they treated him literally like an animal?

Actually, no. Worse than that. These bloodsuckers, the Zhang's, were obviously wealthy in this forsaken city. When they realized soon after the auction that Lucas was aggressive, like a feral canine, they sent him to 'trainers' to tame his inner alpha no matter the cost. All were unsuccessful in breaking him. There was no vampire on Earth who could make him submit.

The Duchess tapped her foot on the stone floor, staring icily at him in return. "I seriously don't understand you! We've never had such a problematic pet," she complained. "Stop with the pheromones, for once!"

Since arriving, Lucas rarely shut off his musky lavender scent. It was an attempt to deter everyone from coming closer. Some vampires turned down the Zhang's right away when meeting him because they could sense his intense anger while the majority gladly accepted the task.

Another posh-dressed vamp was in the room with them, upset with the situation. His suit was bloodied where Lucas had bitten him on the arm with a strong jaw, refusing to let go like a fighting wolf. It took three servants to pry his mouth open with a crowbar to release his hold.

He held a red leash attached to a female human's throat. Given the lack of scent, that meant she was a beta. While pretty, the blood slave never looked up and listened to her owner's every command. She was completely domesticated through and through, likely born in captivity. Hours prior, she was delivered to the Zhang's luxurious downtown home with the intention of breeding them.

Just the thought of being used like this again made Lucas growl. The hostile sound echoed in the darkened room.

No more. I've had enough.

The dim ceiling lights faintly outlined a king-sized bed and ugly toys used for kinks.

"I thought you said he was trained," the second bloodsucker said. "We've been preparing this contract for months to pair them and produce offspring. Do you know how many others I have lined up who want the same thing with my NHS-winning female?"

NHS. The National Human Show. Lucas learned many despicable things vampires did to people besides consuming them for blood, and this was one of them. Supposedly, the Before era had best-of-breed competitions dedicated to showcasing dogs, cats, and other animals. For bloodsuckers, the NHS was the same concept to display the finest of physical and temperamental standards. The prize was a hefty sum of money, a trophy, and bragging rights because the winning human was always given to the king for his messed-up program.

Lucas overheard many times how he was show-quality and could improve the alpha lines. The only negative thing was his awful temper.

"I sincerely apologize," Duchess Zhang responded with regret. "He's been doing better lately so we thought he got past the rebellious phase." She kicked the kennel hard, almost tipping it over. Lucas's body slammed against the bars. Little did they know the reason why he was docile as of late – when he saw Teru alive on the same side of the country, in the same city, on the same street, breathing the same air, everything changed.

Lucas needed to stay alive.

The noble vampire picked up his briefcase and tugged on the leash. "The deal's off. I'll send you the hospital bill next week. The damned thing didn't damage my human, but I will not risk her getting injured. Perhaps you should consider putting him down. What a shame." One of the Zhang's servants waiting in the hallway guided them away to leave. The door shut.

It was silent. Duchess Zhang's dominant alpha pheromones overpowered his, saturated in angry musk. Lucas hated the way her heels clicked on the cold floor when she stomped over to a wall covered in years worth of blood splatters from past blood slaves. Wicked items like whips, floggers, paddles, and others he couldn't name hung on the stained wallpaper. Today, her choice was a whip with tiny barbed balls hanging from the tip.

Lucas's heart dropped. He was going to hate this punishment today. That would leave scars. What's more add to the collection of permanent welts on his back, though, right?

She raised the weapon high above her head to strike him...

...but her husband frantically opened the door with the phone in his hand. "Prince Kieran called!"

Kieran. It was the name of the bloodsucker who owned Teru. He detested it, wanting to eradicate the word from the English language.

The Duchess lowered the gnarly toy. "What? For what reason?" Her voice was nervous because she assumed it was regarding when their alpha attacked the lion of New York. Lucas will never forget how he won that challenge, proud of his victory despite not getting the reward. After biting that roach in his scent gland, most of Lucas's memories were blank because he entered his rut season after smelling Teru's delicious sugary pheromones.

"He wants us to bring him," the Duke pointed at Lucas, "tomorrow at Central Park. Do you think...," he trailed off.

"Pride wants to suggest a pairing with his omega?" she finished the sentence. They were elated at the thought. As they chattered with excitement, Lucas's mind was filled with thoughts of Teru. This felt unreal. Were they actually going to meet after all this time? It hasn't been long, yet it felt like a decade.

And to be paired, too. It would be the perfect opportunity to mark him to protect him. That lesser alpha, Kieran, could never have Teru once his teeth punctured a forever ring on his neck. When an omega was marked, other alphas didn't have a choice but to give up.

His childhood friend would be angry. Teru would understand in time. Lucas conjured up a plan to escape from here and go home.

He pulled himself into a tight ball, homesick for the pack life. The caves weren't perfect and he had tragic hardships, but it was all he knew. It was safe and usually predictable, with the exception of the occasional human poacher. The two can run in the forest again and swim in the same lake just like ol' times. Who knows, maybe have a pup or three.

An employee walked in and held out a small case to his heartless owners. "It's five in the afternoon, Master. I've brought the counter-injection, per your order from this morning." The shot was supposed to stop a rut in its tracks. Instead of preparing it, the Duke and his spouse gazed down on Lucas, who was struggling to maintain his shred of sanity not to relieve himself sexually in front of them.

"No need," he said. "Let this blood slave suffer until sunrise. Give it to him then and make him look presentable."

"Understood, Master."

They were so cruel to leave Lucas like this for another thirteen hours. At least they didn't bind his wrists to the bars again like the last cycle, preventing him from touching his dick.

Throughout the night, he couldn't sleep. Lucas should've been cold because of the chilly temperature and lack of blankets, but his rut-induced illusions kept him hot and bothered. As he masturbated, Lucas wondered how he would mark Teru. Would he want that omega riding on top of him? Mmm, that'd be a difficult position to bite.

Lucas conjured up an obscene image of himself mounting him from behind in the forest, pressing Teru's shoulders into the grass so he couldn't run. The alpha's toned muscles would be more defined from the strain of pounding him raw. He wanted to feel his wet hole clench around his cock like it needed it to survive.

Teru's pink entrance would tighten, meaning he'd orgasm soon.

"Oh no, you don't," is what Lucas would warn. He'd then reach under Teru's belly to squeeze the base of his penis. It was a method the prior trainer did on him last month to prevent incoming semen from coming out. The omega whimpered. One thing Lucas refused to admit - while under the Zhang's influence, he was developing a taste for rough play. Soon, plain sex, aka vanilla, wouldn't be enough to satisfy him.

"An alpha should come first." That was also something he was told a lot. Their catchphrases were rubbing off on him, too. "Say you want me to come inside."

In his perverted daydream, he picked up the speed of his thrusts. If Teru didn't listen to his command by repeating the words, he'd smack his ass to make him speak. A red handprint would glow on that milky-colored skin. "Say it!"

He hated how fucked up he was becoming. Nevertheless, he wanted someone who could take his growing ferocity. Lucas wanted, needed, control.

This could merely be your rut talking, his humanity tried to reason until his horny gender suppressed it. Less talk, more sex.

"Please come inside me!" Teru wailed, spooking the chirping birds in the trees. Lucas's mouth licked Teru's nape. Before he could visualize biting him, Lucas came. Every drop spilled over his thighs. His cock didn't soften because it sought to fuck for real. He jerked away again, thinking of the same fantasy.

That fantasy would become real.

You're my best friend. You're my omega.