Breakfast is awkward for two reasons.

The first one, Sakura doesn't mind in the least; Itachi made off with the entire serving container.

And while Fugaku is extremely embarrassed, Sakura is glad that his appetite has returned with vigor.

The second reason it's awkward is the same reason Itachi was able to steal it in the first place.

His heat.

Why Shisui hadn't bothered to mention it was close, Sakura can only guess. The kitchen staff are grumpy and flustered as they explain what happened to the Clan Head and she turns to look for the hungry Uchiha.

It shouldn't have happened for another month, but the pink haired alpha theorizes his cycles are temporarily amiss.

"This place is so big," Sakura tells Shisui as he falls in step. "He could be literally anywhere."

After two hours of searching, they find him wedged into the hollow of a tree in the courtyard. He's sleeping, still hugging the empty serving container.

"There's no way he really ate all that," Says Shisui.

"I think he did," Says Sakura with a laugh. Gently, they pull the vat from his hands. His eyes crack open and the pink haired alpha gestures to him. "Come here. Let me take you inside."

"Take me?" He whispers. She can see he's still half asleep.

"You should probably grab him before he makes a break for it," Says Shisui.

"No," She says. "He's going to trust us this time."

They watch in amusement as he wriggles out of the tree. It takes him a minute to acquiesce to her when she tries to pick him up, wrapping his legs around her hips and lying his head on her shoulder.

Fugaku's expression is priceless but he's quick to reign it back in. "Is he ill?"

"No," Says Sakura. "He's just sleepy." She decides to avoid any mention of his heat and what they may decide to do about it.

Shisui is already starting to get restless beside her.

She's a little nervous, if she's honest. Their aggressive rutting seems to have set the tone for many of their interactions after that.

Sakura knows the other alpha loves Itachi. But she doesn't know what she'll do if it starts to get out of hand.

When they get back to her room, she sets him on the bed. She can't help but note his trembling hands when he says, "I need more bedding."

She and Shisui share a glance before the older Uchiha smirks. "You need to be bedded?"

"Pillows." Says Itachi. "Blankets. Bring them to me."

"What a bossy omega," Shisui complains under his breath as he strides from the room.

Their epic quest for their charge's comfort begins. He's naked and built himself a cozy nest by the time they're done.

His skin is starting to become rosy and warm, breathing a little more laboured. "I think," He says. "I think I'm ready."

To Sakura's surprise, Shisui hangs back a bit, looking to her to take the lead.

For that, she kisses him, hands lightly resting on his bruised neck. If Fugaku had seen the finger-shaped marks, he was gracious enough to play dumb.

She pulls away and takes a single step back. His eyes are narrowed but she thinks he's just very focused on not sexually mauling the chuffed omega.

The older Uchiha takes his time approaching Itachi as he pulls off his shirt. Sakura can't help her amusement when she catches a glimpse of the marks on his back. They probably still hurt. She's going to have a field day with them.

Itachi sits up taller as Shisui bends down to press their mouths together. She takes the opportunity to undress, noting the sneaky way the bigger alpha's wrist slides down the omega's side.

The younger man tangles his fingers in Shisui's hair as attention is shifted to his neck. Sakura thinks about quietly seeing herself out but Itachi shifts his arm over the shoulder of the other alpha to reach for her.

"Alpha," He says with bright eyes.

She takes his hand in hers and he pulls her to him. His mouth is hungry. Shisui's shoulder presses softly against her ribs. His palm draws across the small of her back.

What a greedy bastard, She thinks.

xXx

When Sakura wakes, there's an alpha straddling Shisui. "Hey, dickhead," She says as she taps his pectorals with both hands. "The power grid's out. Generator's been on for thirty minutes."

His eyes crack open. "That happens when there's a breeze."

"Yeah," Replies the alpha. "But our eastern border pinged right before hand."

"Izumi," Says Shisui. "I promise you, it's a fucking fox."

"And I promise you that when Fugaku-sama comes in here and sees everybody's dicks out, he's going to lose his shit."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a massive bitch?" He asks as he sits up.

"It's been mentioned a few times," She says, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Who's on duty at the eastern border?"

"It was supposed to be you."

"Shit!" He hisses, throwing her off to hurriedly pull on his clothes. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"Oops," She says, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I also wiped titty sweat on your forehead while you were sleeping."

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

He pauses, expression scandalized. "You're a monster, Pear."

"Suck it, dickhead." She says with a laugh. "Have fun looking for that fucking fox."

When he rushes out, she follows at a slower stride. Looking at Sakura as her hand lights on the knob, her countenance turns serious. "I'm going to tell you right now that you have no idea what you've just done." Then she shuts the door.

"Well," Says Itachi. "She seems nice."

"I guess," Says Sakura. "I'll go get some lunch."

xXx

"How's he doing?" Asks Fugaku as he looks up from his meal.

"He's resting for now. We finally calmed his heat down for a bit."

If the Clan Head has any inclination of what she means by that, he's awfully good at hiding it. "I'm sorry you're trapped here with those three."

"Three?" She says. "It's no trouble at all."

"You say that now," Fugaku rubs the scruff on his face. "But it gets a little claustrophobic with Shisui and Izumi around."

"You sound like you know from experience."

His fingers tap on the table. It's similar in pace to Shisui's but it's a different cadence. "Itachi is always welcome. I'm happy to have him back. The other two, I've kicked out of the compound just to have some peace and quiet."

"They must make a lot of trouble for you," Says Sakura as she tries to figure out where Fugaku's train of thought is headed.

"He's been quiet over the last few weeks," Replies the Uchiha. "I think you've reigned him in some."

"Oh," Says Sakura with an uncomfortable chuckle. "I'm very flattered you think so."

"I'm glad to hear it," Fugaku turns back to his meal. "I also find it incredibly interesting that both of your parents are omega, but you are strangely an alpha."

Sakura's lips stretch into a smile of their own accord. She thinks her eye is twitching just slightly. "It sure is." And with that, she gathers the food set aside for herself and her omega and speedwalks down the hall to her room.

When she comes back in, Itachi is three fingers deep. His eyes widen and his face turns red when their gazes meet.

"I guess I'm having you for lunch, instead," She says.

She sets her food to the side and steps out of her shorts. He's slick enough that she can fill him with minimal effort, softly taking him in hand as she times her strokes to her thrusts. His eyes close, head tilting back and fingers tightly gripping at her thighs.

Her pace picks up as she pinches one of his dark nipples between her fingers. "Still with me?"

"I'm here," He breathes and Sakura runs her free hand wherever she can reach of him, feeling lucky to have such a lovely omega.

She leans over him, pressing her lips against his as he releases into her palm. She finds her own climax shortly after.

They lounge for another few minutes before Sakura finally gets up and distributes their food.

Itachi sits across from her at the low table. "He used to leave me in the breeding bench for days."

Sakura puts down her miso to brush her hand against his. "I'm so sorry."

"And he-" Itachi takes a long moment to pick his grilled fish apart. "I would be-" He moves to his rice, pushes it around. "Sodomy and blunt force trauma were involved."

"I will die before I let him come near you again," Sakura tells him. "I'm sorry I argued with you about it."

"No," Says Itachi. "No, I know I was asking a lot from someone who was temporarily housing me but knowing it was there--"

"Was enough to upset you," She says. "I understand."

"He would tell me I could avoid it if I completed specific tasks," Says Itachi. "But everything I did was wrong." His brow furrows, gaze drifting to the ceiling as he blinks. "Sakura, why was it always wrong?"

"I'm sure you know that he made you play that game so he could specifically set you up to lose," Says Sakura. "It doesn't hurt any less though when all you want is someone you care about to stop hurting you."

"That alpha you spoke to? The one after Kimimaro..."

Sakura can feel her hackles rising. She thinks about picking up and walking right back down to Konoha so she can tear him to shreds. "What about him?"

"He was the only one who was kind to me. He would touch me before fucking me so it wouldn't hurt. Tried to use anything that wouldn't damage me for lubricant if sodomy was involved."

"Did he participate because he wanted to?"

Itachi shakes his head. "It was cooperate or the electric collar was turned on until you were no longer able to cooperate."

He won't meet her eyes. She feels like the worst person in the world for having collared him. "Itachi, I--"

He holds up his hand. "If I don't say these things now, I never will. I was impregnated four times." He takes a shuddering breath. "However, it was discovered in utero that none of them had the genetic markers for an active sharingan so I received trauma until..." His voice breaks off.

She takes his hand in hers. There's nothing left for her to say as she gives him a gentle squeeze. She waits for him to continue but his free hand goes back to pushing his rice around.

"Is there," She asks. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No," He says. "Just be with me for awhile."

xXx

He's sitting cross-legged in the crate when it's settled in the room across from hers. With this new omega, comes a few pages of anything Yamato was able to glean from the blonde.

Sakura thinks the timing for this is completely wrong as Itachi has only just started his heat. She won't have the time or energy to fight this one.

"Itachi," Says Fugaku. "You said he wouldn't make trouble but he's been cursing our Clan the entire time he's been here."

"Which is, technically only five minutes," Says Itachi. "And he hasn't caused any property damage."

"Because he's crated." Says Fugaku. "And one cannot keep an omega crated for extended periods without inflicting harm. So what is Haruno-san to do?"

"It's okay," Sakura fibs. "I've got it well under control."

"I think you've said that before," He says idly as he walks away. "I just can't quite place where."

"I think your father hates me," She says when Fugaku has vanished from her line of sight.

"If he's digging through your lineage, he wants you around," Says Itachi. "Everyone here is just very fluent in Asshole."

"Is that what it is Shisui speaks?" She says. "Explains why sometimes there's a disconnect."

"There's a disconnect," Says the blonde, "because you're all inbred cunts, un."

"If I were Uchiha," Says Sakura. "I would tell you that doesn't offend me because I've heard it plenty of times."

This takes the blonde aback for a moment.

"Now," She says. "I'm going to open the door and then I'm going to mark you. And you are going to be one of my omega whom I will defend, protect, and care for--"

"One of," He spits. "Fuck that."

"You know, most omega don't want to share their alpha so Itachi is being very magnanimous with you."

Leaning forward enough that his forehead touches the crate, he whispers, "Kill yourself, un."

"Edgy," Says Sakura. "Real mature."

"Did I make the wrong decision?" Asks Itachi. "I thought he would be relieved to be somewhere stable."

"He'll come around," She says. "It'll be okay."

Itachi anxiously shifts his weight from one foot to the other and Sakura steels herself for the long haul. "Go ahead and go back to my room. I'm going to battle it out with him here."

"You're going to lose, un." He says. "And I'm going to murder everyone in the godforsaken place!"

"A-are you sure?" Itachi asks.

"I won you over, right?" Sakura asks him.

"Maybe he just needs a baby doll," Says Shisui as he comes in.

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Was it a fox?"

"It was a goddamn bear," Says Shisui. "Come here, you." He scoops Itachi up and carries him out of the room.

"Listen," She says. "I know you're scared. I know you have been through some really, really bad shit."

His glare doesn't abate for even a millisecond so she continues. "This can go easy. Or this can go with you kicking and screaming while I mark you."

"Do you think you can?" He says.

"Oh," Says Sakura. "Boy, you have no idea."

She lets him think it over as his eyes bounce back and forth between hers. His expression shifts slightly and Sakura can see he's come to a decision. Slowly, she crouches, pops the lock and stands as the door swings open.

They stare at each other a little longer before he eases out, rising to his feet before her. She sighs when she sees his height. Taller than her, shorter than Itachi. He's skin and bones like the other omega when he first came in to her care. "Take your shirt off, please."

She's surprised when he does, watching him warily for anything he might have planned as her wrist glides along his cheek then down his neck. His expression is still defiant when her wrist inches down his side. "You can put it back on, now."

He doesn't take his eyes off of her except the mere seconds it takes to pull the fabric back over his head. She backs away, opens the door and he follows her out. "Go that way," She says as she points to her door.

The blonde doesn't make any indication he's going to cooperate and Sakura holds her breath. Finally, he moves in the direction bid him. She opens her door, gets an eyefull of Itachi riding Shisui and shuts it. "Plan b," She says, a little sad that both of her men are fucking without her.

She takes him to the courtyard. "I'm not going to show you around because I don't want you to form an escape plan," She says. "But you do need to stretch and get some fresh air."

He looks at her for a long minute. "I hate Uchiha and yet I am now surrounded by them, un."

"If it makes you feel any better," She says. "The Clan Head apparently gets fed up with all of them, too."