A Swirling Sea Ch. 01

Growing up, Nolan Williams wanted to be a fireman. He wanted to fly down that pole donning the thick outfit as though it were armor, on his way to honk the horn of a massive crimson truck as he raced down the street. He dreamed of braving an ocean of flames and rescuing the weak from tiny Hells on earth, carrying the coughing and wounded to a waiting ambulance to the sound of applauding neighbors. He would be a hero, someone little kids like him looked up to.

And then, at 13, his friends told him he smelled like sweetness and his bright hopes were snuffed out like a candle, darkness streaming from its wick.

He was put on antidepressants when he was 14, and anxiety medication at 16. He was told he could be an excellent nurse, teacher, secretary or even a house-husband. None of these careers, however, were appealing.

Eight years later, he was interning at an accounting firm. It was the end of his first day and, because of his medication, his body was weighed down with fatigue. He couldn't wait to get home, get his second wind and jerk off. He was not looking forward to the drive back home because according to schedule, his meds could wear off completely as early as halfway through his commute. It would be uncomfortable, but he could still make it if he left now. He hated cutting things so close, but he had offered to clean the office and had wanted to stay until it was finished.

At 9:20, he was done- every pencil was sharpened, crumb vacuumed, miscellaneous item in its place and stain removed. Grabbing his satchel, he headed to the elevator. Someone came out from across the hall and joined him in the short walk. He smelled like an Alpha, and a twinge of nervousness sprung up in Nolan's chest.

The down button was pressed and Nolan adjusted his glasses as he looked at the man beside him. He held a thick navy blue binder in his left hand. He must've been wearing a cologne, too, as was customary for Alphas who didn't want to flaunt their intimidating aroma. He could smell it beneath the warm, woodsy layer of whatever was on his neck. It was a spicy, masculine smell and it had his mouth watering.

The elevator dinged and the two stepped into its low-lit, tight space. He wondered if he should offer his name, but decided against it. His own scent was definitely apparent and he wanted to leave the building as soon as possible.

They were halfway down when the lights went out.

"Shit," he grumbled.

A bead of sweat traced down his spine like a faint, tracing finger. Why the Hell had he worn a sweater??? "Did the, uh, elevator stop working?" he croaked.

"Seems like it." He ran a hand through his dark, thick hair. He looked like he was in his mid or late twenties and had a pair of noticeable bags beneath his dark, glittering eyes.

The elevator was cool, and yet the stranger shed his light jacket to reveal a pair of toned, sun-kissed arms. He must've smelled it by now- the scent of an Omega in need.

"You look pretty pale. You good?"

The drowsiness of the suppression meds had worn off and something else had snatched its place. Something unmistakable. The smell of a nearby Alpha was triggering a deeply embedded instinct in Nolan to submit and breed.

"No."

The stranger sniffed the air, his eyes adopting an alarmed look. "Fuck. Are you kidding me right now."

It wasn't a question.

"Is there anyone we can call?" Nolan asked.

"My phone's dead. We'll have to use yours."

Nolan reached into his satchel, and something dawned on him. Desperately, he searched his bag, anyway, hoping he was mistaken, but it was no use. He had left his phone upstairs.

"I don't have mine..."

"Shit." He covered his nose in a futile attempt to stop the scent. "This is just my luck."

"I am so sorry. It's my first day and I was a late bloomer so I'm not used to this kinda thing and I stayed too late and- and...." His eyes were watering now, threatening to overflow to his cheeks.

"Hey, hey- it's fine." He placed a hand on his shoulder. Whether it was an effort to reassure him or have an excuse to put his hands on him, Nolan wasn't sure. "It'll be back on in a few. Just relax; okay, man?"

Time passed. Nolan took to pacing the few feet that he could and shuffling his feet aimlessly. It felt like a half hour had gone by when Nolan finally blurted out, "Do you even like guys?"

"Excuse me?"

Nolan's face heated up. "Sorry, I'm not thinking clearly."

A moment of silence. Then, "If you're asking if I'm attracted to you right now, the answer is yes. But I promise you I won't act on it."

"You can act on it, if you want," he offered. "I won't tell anyone."

The stranger looked away from him, practically staring a hole into the floor. "No."

Nolan's ass tightened in his pants. He felt like the stranger's scent was getting stronger by the minute.

"If you want to relieve yourself, go ahead. I have enough self-control."

Nolan unbuckled his belt with shaky hands. "Thank you; and again, I'm so sorry-"

"Don't apologize. You can't help the body you're born with," he grumbled. The stranger clenched his fists, and to Nolan's surprise, he realized his hands were also shaking.

Nolan pulled down his briefs and sat down on the dirty floor. He plunged three fingers into his wet hole and moaned shamelessly, a horny haze overtaking him to the point of numbing his fear. He looked over and saw that the stranger had sprung an obvious erection from the display he was putting on.

"You can have me, if you want," he tried again. "You could take me right here."

"Stop," said the Alpha through clenched teeth. His veins were showing on his forearms, like light blue branches dancing beneath his skin. He took a steadying breath. "I'm not taking advantage of you."

The lights flickered back to life, and the whirr of the elevator filled their ears.

Nolan quickly sprang to his feet, pulling his briefs back up as well as his pants. He was still breathing heavy and hard, and planned on finishing up in his car.

"Seeya later," he slurred, fumbling with his belt.

Once the elevator doors opened, he felt the stranger's hand on him again, tighter than before. "My name is Mateo, by the way," his voice was low, like he was relaying some sort of secret. "Let me walk you to your car."

The pair crossed the nearly empty parking lot until they arrived at Nolan's silver Honda Civic. It had been his mother's car, and being the only child, she had passed it down to him when he turned 17.

When they reached the car, Nolan decided to try one final time. "Before you go, can I taste you?" Nolan murmured. "Not your cock, your mouth. I want to taste your-" Before he could finish his sentence, Mateo had smashed his lips to his own, his tongue penetrating his mouth. Nolan moaned into the kiss, his fingers clenching Mateo's soft jacket. He tasted faintly of cigarette smoke and mint.

When the two finally separated, he opened his binder and scribbled something down. "Here," he said. "Text me to let me know you got home safe, okay? Can you drive?"

Nolan felt lost in a swirling sea. "Okay." He vaguely knew he would feel the burn of humiliation later, but right then, he didn't care. He would pull over somewhere on the roadside and fuck himself sober before pulling onto the highway.

Mateo hesitated for a moment, looking down at Nolan like a nervous mother. He then gave him a quick peck on the forehead, turned on his heel and began the trek to his own vehicle.