A thought that Himeko might have caught a cold flashed through Moeka's head.
Then... it hit—both the pheromones and the realization. Perhaps it was a pure coincidence that Himeko's heat period started at precisely this point, though Moeka could not rule out the possibility of her having some sort of influence either. Having an Omega trying to seduce her could have helped bring out the cycle earlier than usual.
But whatever it was, Moeka could not let this powerful magical girl go out of control. If she started assaulting random women on the street, the consequences would be devastating.
''I-It feels weird, senior...'' Himeko said, clutching her chest.
''Hold it in a little, Miss Haruno.'' Moeka patted the girl's shoulder, ''I'll take care of it.''
Enduring the thick waves of Alpha pheromones, Moeka accompanied Himeko back into the building. Since the headquarters was often visited by staff and magical girls, numerous break rooms were always available. The two promptly headed into one of them.
After setting the panting Himeko on the bed, Moeka locked the door to prevent any sort of leakage. According to the chief, the stronger a magic user, the more potent their pheromones would become. In addition, as per recent cases, their outbursts were usually more violent. For someone like Magical Marigold, even ten of these doors would not be enough to hold her back.
''...''
The situation was more urgent than it seemed.
Moeka took a deep breath before turning around. Approaching Himeko, she felt her body gradually getting hotter. Even if her pheromones had been stable thanks to Fumiko's mark, an Omega could hardly stay still under an Alpha's scent.
A slightly displeased sigh escaped Moeka's lips. Seeing Omegas getting irresistibly and comically aroused under an Alpha's pheromones was fun in fiction, but to be subjected to this hierarchy in real life was somewhat miserable. In the future, she would have to consider these nuances in battles as well.
As she made that mental note, Himeko's dishievled appearance came into view. The girl's face was completely flushed, fine sweat damped her forehead, and in those blue eyes, Moeka spotted a sort of ravenous intent she sometimes saw in her rivals. Strangely, she could sense her body's strength slipping away, as if it were trying to submit.
''...!''
And when Himeko perked up to look at her, Moeka's entire being shuddered. A gaze that seemed to pierce right through her, dominating. Were these an Alpha's true capabilities? Channeling a bit of magic to calm her nerves, she sat beside Himeko.
Both of their hearts were racing.
In that haziness, Himeko's arms seemed to move on their own, trapping the delicate Moeka within. The noble girl nuzzled at her senior's neck, greedily taking in that sweet scent while rubbing her own onto the Omega. The more she did it, the more comfortable it became.
Moeka did not know how to respond at first, so she simply began stroking Himeko's back. While it was ticklish, she could bear with it... for now.
Slowly, as Himeko's sobriety faded, she got bolder. Her hands began to caress Moeka's waist, slender fingers slithering downward toward the thighs and bottom. Resting on Moeka's large assets was exceptionally cozy, and so was feeling up her soft body. For the hungry Alpha, the thought of stopping never occurred.
''Miss Haruno, please wait...'' Moeka trailed off.
She had not been prepared for this level of intimacy. Earlier, she was planning to do some practice with Fumiko to execute her job better, but Himeko's heat period came too suddenly. Even then, she found herself unable to shake off this clingy girl, and more annoyingly... she did not feel the desire to do so.
Himeko, in her murky trance, smiled, ''Didn't you promise to take care of me, senior...?''
Thud.
The Alpha pushed the Omega down onto the bed, reenacting the classic scene in countless raunchy novels. Their bodies were pushed against one another, sharing warmth. A strange, magnetic-like attraction brought the two together, evoking desires.
Himeko, almost too naturally, kissed Moeka's forehead, then slowly moved her lips down, touching the nose. Before long... she stole the moistening lips.
''...Stop.''
That was, if Moeka did not block that mouth with her hand.
Any other woman might have been crushed by Miss Magical Gold's immense pheromones, but Moeka was a magical girl herself. Even in a daze, her self-awareness and reason would reign supreme. She was not about to sleep with this girl she had just met today.
On the other hand, not getting what she wanted, Himeko frowned. Removing the annoying hand blocking her way, she pinned both of Moeka's wrists above her head. Using a little magic, the woman beneath her suddenly had her resistance rendered useless!
Moeka felt as if she were dealing with a wild animal. Countless plans materialized in her head, but in the end, she settled for a distraction tactic. The amount of magical power Himeko used was still on the tamer side, though if Moeka used hers to break out of this, it might instigate further, more drastic reactions.
''Miss Haruno, don't you want to touch my chest?'' Moeka coquettishly said, ''You were staring at it all day.''
''Chest...'' Himeko hummed, her eyes darting downward.
Good progress, Moeka thought. If she let this girl claim her lips, the next target in line would probably be her neck. She did not want to be permanently marked, nor did she want the popular Magical Gold to become an assaulter.
Eventually, Himeko did follow Moeka's lead, moving her hands to squeeze the soft and cushy assets wantonly. With terrifying precision and speed, Moeka's shirt was unbuttoned, revealing an erotic scene of her nearly bare top, only masked by the white underwear's protection.
An overwhelming wave hit Himeko—a sweet, gripping fragrance that made her almost drool.
''Nn...''
Accompanied by skittish moans pampering her ears, Himeko found herself mesmerized by these sensations. She was glued to those two milky mounts, her hands unable to pull away. Her fingers danced atop the wimpy flesh, sliding beneath the fabric to play with them naked, teasing the cherry tops relentlessly.
''Hah... hah....''
She was, by all means, hypnotised.
The dry patch in her throat only got more intense. She wanted it—desperately so.
''...Go ahead,'' Moeka gently hugged Himeko's neck, ''Mark me.''
At that moment, the instinct as an Alpha surged. Himeko heartily kissed Moeka's chest, then thoroughly rolled her tongue over a spot as if to prepare for a feast. In the end, her teeth slowly sank into that smooth peak, embedding her own scent and mark on the Omega.
Moeka sealed her mouth shut, though she could not prevent a moan from escaping.
A faint sense of connection was felt between the two as they remained still for a long while. A little bit of familiarity... and some physical chemistry.
Thirty minutes later.
''I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!''
Kneeling on the ground, Himeko nearly punched a hole in the concrete with her head.
''It was my fault! I couldn't hold myself back...!'' She lamented, ''Please forgive me! I'll do anything you ask! I'll take responsibility!''
''...''
Moeka felt somewhat bad as she adjusted her clothes. In her mind, she only did what was required of her job, though... having someone owe her like this was not so bad.
''It's fine, Miss Haruno. You don't need to take responsibility for anything.'' She replied, ''It's not like I'm pregnant or anything.''
''Yes...''
For whatever reason, Himeko sounded a bit deflated. Still, she was relieved that her senior did not come to hate her.
''If you're still guilty, treating me to a meal or two should be good enough.'' Moeka casually added, ''We'll be working together from now on, after all.''
''Senior... you're my goddess!''
Himeko ended up clinging to Moeka even more.
That evening, Moeka came home just in time for dinner. In the shower, as she examined her chest, something intriguing was found. Himeko's mark perfectly overlapped Fumiko's faded one.
'Alphas being competitive... I guess that's a real stereotype.'