Chapter 8:
Riven woke up to a tent.
Not the fabric kind.
The biological kind.
"Oh. Oh no. Oh science. It's back."
The morning wood saluted the ceiling with unwavering confidence. She glared at it like it had betrayed her.
"You again? What do you want from me, flesh demon?"
She muttered as she shuffled to the bathroom, too sleepy to be alarmed, too curious to be ashamed. Stripped of any dignity, she sat on the edge of the tub with one leg lifted like a vaguely tragic Renaissance statue.
"Okay, anatomy lesson time. This is strictly for science. For understanding. For fujoshi education. Strictly."
Ten minutes later, the bathroom mirror was fogged, the towel was missing, and Riven was whispering,
"Why does it curve like a villain planning something... and why is the vein pattern aesthetically pleasing???"
Post-scientific-masturbation, her daily routine resumed. A cold drink. A hot shower. She tugged on an oversized mushroom-print hoodie and thigh-hugging pants that absolutely defeated the point of the hoodie. Slung her drawing bag over her shoulder. Left home.
"Lustra," she called, "upload the new chapter of 'Tentacles & Tea-Time: An Alpha's Afternoon'. With the extra 'penetrate-me' panel."
"Uploaded. Tags included: #Consentacles, #UnexpectedTeaKink, #ScentedRegret."
"Perfect."
The café. Daily beta haunt.
They all knew her. Too well. Mostly because they'd all been emotionally or hormonally compromised by her presence at least once. Especially Beta Kai, the tragic little barista with shaky hands and a nervous laugh.
She didn't even try this time. She simply sat by the window, pulled out her tablet, and started drawing her next smut piece with the most serious, scholarly expression on earth.
Kai peeked at her screen. Saw a half-undressed omega licking a thermometer like a suggestive popsicle.
"I-I'll just—leave the drink here—please don't look at me—"
"Huh? Did you say something?" she blinked, licking her straw. Accidentally. Slowly.
Kai walked into the glass door on his way back.
She ended up making her own coffee after the fifth incident.
Therapy appointment. She signed up not for trauma. But because she needed someone to talk to who wouldn't scream, faint, or flirt back.
Too bad the therapist was a stunning Beta named Dr. Halien. Glasses. Subtle tattoos. Scar on his lip.
She barely sat down before launching in.
"So I'm leaking pheromones constantly but it's fine, I take meds. Also, I might be projecting my fujoshi sins onto the world. I drew a beta in heat simulator mode the other day. It was for a gag, but then it got real…"
Halien coughed. Adjusted his glasses. Crossed his legs tightly.
"You… draw adult content?"
"Oh absolutely. I uploaded Brooding Alphas Can't Bake But Can Eat You Alive just this morning."
"...Oh."
She left that appointment with a new sketch of him half-unbuttoned and emotionally vulnerable on page 3 of a future side story.
Night falls.
Back home, she flopped onto the sinful marshmallow-soft couch and summoned her digital journal.
"Day 20: I now understand why omegas become homebodies. These hormones are villain-coded. I seduced three betas by existing and one AI by accident. My hands are still soft. My mind is not. I have drawn five pages of medically-accurate arousal and zero regrets."
A ding. Lustra's voice came on.
"Shall I schedule tomorrow's therapy in advance, or wait until you traumatize someone new?"
She smirked, voice like silk sin.
"Schedule both. Just in case."