Heat for sale

“An online public auction of the heat. Ninety percent of the proceeds go to you and ten percent go to the university for the trouble. If you want, we could offer an attempt at breeding you at a premium. That will bring in the highest possible bids. Obviously, there are alumni of the university who’ll pay a tidy sum when offered a heat purchase directly, but if you give them an omega to bid on? Especially one as handsome as you? Well, they’ll bankrupt themselves in a frenzy of competition for the right to claim your first heat.

And, if you’re willing, they’ll shell out even more for a chance at breeding you.”

Adrien ran a hand over the flat, toned stomach beneath his soft sweater.

He cleared his throat, words stuck for a moment, until he finally said, “I’m not sure I’m ready to try for a pregnancy.”

“Understandable. But you have to also consider your finances. Certainly you can sell future heats and breeding attempts, but none will go for so high a price as a first heat and first breeding combined. You know how much alphas like to stake their claims—even if it is only for a single season.”

Adrien closed his eyes. He’d face up to ten such ‘seasons’ in his life. No omega had been known to go into heat more than ten times, and most averaged only five, but each successive season was less fertile than the last and brought in less money. Assuming you didn’t fall in love with an alpha and marry him. Then one man handled all an omega’s seasons and became financially responsible for his well-being for life. Such pairings were common but not expected.

“And, as you know, unless you fall for one another, which is highly unlikely, any child you bear is the concern of the alpha. You wouldn’t be required to participate in its life at all. The wee thing would be immediately transferred to the alpha’s care after a period of chestfeeding and then weaning.”

“That’s still a large portion of my life. Four months of pregnancy followed by a year of chestfeeding, at a minimum. The interruption to my college career would be a strain.” To put it mildly. He’d only just begun to really make headway understanding the co

“College can wait,” Mr. Finch said. “I see in your files your goal is to be named a certified art history professor. For you, an omega, to have that chance the government demands a large fee. According to your university

accounts, you’re barely able to afford another year of education, and I’m not even sure if you can achieve enough funds to reach your goal. Even by selling the breeding along with the heat.”

Adrien’s stomach hurt.

“But, if you truly want to aim for such a lofty future career, then an online, public auction is definitely the only chance you’ve got.”

“Do I have to decide now? About the breeding, I mean?”

“So it’ll be the auction for sure?”

“Yes, as you point out, I have no other choice financially.”

Mr. Finch made a happy sound. “Excellent. We can always get the auction going with just the first heat on offer. Once the pot is bubbling with bids, we can sweeten it by offering the breeding as an add-on. It always creates a frenzy to drop the breeding offer mid-auction. Drives the alphas wild.”

Adrien’s head swam. He sat down on the hard single bed he’d slept on for the last four years of studies. “What do I have to do? What’s the next step?”

“You’ll come to my offices tomorrow. We’ll discuss the protocol for provoking your first heat. Then you’ll pose for some photos for the auction—

naked, of course, so they can see the goods. Make sure to have everything down there looking as nice as possible. A little trimming never hurt anyone!

It can actually help make the package look a bit bigger. After that I’ll work up the wording for the online auction, set it up for you, and get it started immediately. We’ll be able to sense within the first day whether or not we need to be worried.”

Adrien’s mouth went dry. “Why would we need to worry?”

“In your case, based on the photos in your file, I think you’ll be fine.

You’re young and attractive, though that mop of blond hair could be a bit neater. Stereotypically, alphas do prefer brunets, fair or not. Still, there are always the fetishists who love the lighter hair. You have a tender look about you, and that will make them want to take you apart,” the matcher said, a hint of laughter in his voice. “And when you’re in heat, you’ll want him to take you apart, too. Ah, heat. It makes sluts of us all.”

Adrien shuddered.

Would he be a slut in heat? He couldn’t imagine wanting a stranger to touch him, take him, and impregnate him. But the matcher was right; he was ru

without family to fall back on, he was definitely in a place in life where he had little choice but to go the auction route. While he dreaded the thought of carrying a stranger’s child, of interrupting his studies and his student life so thoroughly, he also knew he’d likely have to agree to be bred, too.

If he was very lucky, in a best-case scenario, he’d auction off the breeding for high value, but it wouldn’t take. That way he’d collect all the breeding money without having to pay the ultimate price of time, discomfort, and pain.

Still, he wasn’t ready to admit any of that aloud just yet. It would make it too real.

Pacing the floor of his small dorm room, he agreed to let the matcher set up the auction and make the appointment for him to come into the office the next day for photographs. After a week or so, he’d give his consent to offer up his first breeding, too.

He rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. They stung with sweat. It couldn’t be that bad. Every omega did it. He’d be just like anyone else.

He just wished he didn’t have to be.

Chapter Two

THE MATCHER’S OFFICE was garishly decorated and reminded Adrien of a brothel in a movie, complete with red curtains and wallpaper to match. Mr.

Finch himself was unattractive enough—short, stubby, and stinking of cigar.

He’d been on his cell phone when Adrien first arrived, but he’d waved him into a chair across from his wide wooden desk and smiled. Then he’d swung his feet up on top, leaned back, and lit a cigar, puffing it at the ceiling. A nameplate resting on the front of the desk read Ron Finch.

“I know, Phil, but this one is a doozy of an omega, I tell you. He’s hungry for cash, and you know what that means.” Ron winked at Adrien and flicked his ash in the red tray on his desk. “He’s here now. Yes, he’s handsome. Plus he has a sexy little butt that jiggles just right when he walks. I’m telling you, it’s worth putting up a fight for him. You’ll see.”

Adrien swallowed back bile and squirmed in his seat.

Ron didn’t seem to care or notice. “Now, don’t forget to brag to your friends. They’ll all want to make you sweat for him, I’m sure.” Ron chuckled and then hung up the phone. “Chumming the water for you, Adrien. Getting the sharks hungry.”

Adrien smiled, but there was no joy in it. “Thanks.”

“So, first, let’s review how we’ll trigger your heat. Once the auction closes, you’ll have a week and a half before your heat will need to start.

During that time, you’ll be prescribed two hormones that will force your heat forward. Future heats will give warning signs several months in advance.

Those signals are best not ignored if you want to capitalize on them.”

“Sell them, you mean.”

“Exactly. So long as you’re a student or professor here at the university, I can help you sell those heats, or, once I’ve retired, whoever takes my place can help. If you marry, however, that alpha will be responsible for dealing with the heat. Of course, some married omegas do continue to sell their heats for profit in order to benefit their entire family, but we usually stay out of that and let the alpha handle those arrangements.”

Adrien pushed his glasses up his nose and nodded.

“And, obviously, some older omegas take up the duty of selling their heats themselves on less than reputable sites or in individual transactions. We advise you to stay away from that if possible. You have a stellar matching service here at the university, so you should absolutely take advantage of it.”

There wasn’t any new information in Ron’s little speech, but it made Adrien feel a bit better to hear it all spelled out, and he was glad for any reason to stall for time on the photos.

But it seemed as though his time was up.

Ron stubbed out his cigar. “Now, let’s get started with the pictures. I have a room here where I take them. I try to keep them all in the same tone so no one can accuse me of favoritism. Though if I had a current favorite among the heats up for sale, it would be you.” He smiled at Adrien and winked.

Adrien cringed. “How do the pictures…? I mean, what will I have to do for them?” Adrien knew that auctions were conducted for campus omegas’

heats on a regular basis, but he’d never taken a look at the website himself.

He’d been too afraid of what he might see of his future there.

“It’s easy, really. Naked, hands crossed behind the back for the first shot.

I’ll take a lot of those just to make sure I capture you with the most appealing expression on your face. It helps to show subservience in your eyes if possible. That can be hard for some omegas to accomplish, but I think you’ll be a natural. Then I take that same pose from behind. That frames the buttocks, which, as you know, is every alpha’s obsession.” He laughed.

“After that, I’ll grab one of you bent over with cheeks spread so they can see your anus. Finally, I’ll snap a few of just your face. Again, aiming to capture one with the right mix of i

Ignoring the pounding of his heart, Adrien said, “Bids have already started?”