Unmarked

Andrea Sachs knew she was stepping into a battlefield, she knew that but there was not really another option available. It was either this or Auto universe and while this assistant position was not ideal, it would most certainly get her to a better position right?

When she walked into Elias-Clarke’s lobby, the idea that not everything might be as it seems hadn't even crossed her mind. It was a given, an unspoken rule of society: positions of power were held by Alphas. Betas managed what they could, but Omegas? Omegas were the lowest of the low, scraping by in any job they managed to secure—they did not rule industries.

But within thirty minutes of her first day at Runway, Andrea realized she had miscalculated.

It wasn’t just the scent. It was the way people moved around Miranda, the way the air subtly shifted when she walked by. There was a strange intensity in the way the woman carried herself, her sheer force of will, that had led Andy to believe she was like any other powerful Alpha in New York city. But standing in Miranda’s office, watching as the great Miranda Priestly lazily twirled a Montblanc pen between her fingers while her ice-blue eyes assessed Andy with clear disapproval, something felt… off.

It wasn’t until Emily, the first assistant, hissed at her to breathe that Andy realized what that familiar and sweet scent really was. Miranda Priestly was an Omega!

The revelation hit Andy like a freight train, something so fundamentally against what she had been taught all her live momentarily shut down her brain. Omegas weren’t allowed to hold positions of power without an Alpha’s mark and permission—society had dictated as much for centuries.

And yet, here she was. The woman who practically dictated the fashion world, an unmarked Omega, surrounded by Alphas and Betas who seemed to ignore that very fact. For the first time in years, Andy felt truly out of place.

"Are you hard of hearing, Andrea? Or do you enjoy wasting my time?"

Miranda’s voice was cool, but the sharpness of it sent a shiver down Andy’s spine.

She straightened immediately, gripping her notebook as if it were a lifeline. "No, Miranda. I mean, yes—I mean, I heard you. I'll get it done."
The woman exhaled slowly through her nose, clearly unimpressed. "Then why, exactly, are you still here?"

Andy nearly stumbled over her own feet as she turned and walked briskly out of the office, Emily’s exasperated glare following her.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, Andy let out a slow breath. The faintest trace of Miranda’s scent still clung to her skin, something delicate yet demanding, sharp like white florals undercut with something rich and deep. It was intoxicating and dangerous. Because it meant Miranda was unclaimed and that was a problem.

You see Andy was not your typical Alpha, she did not carry herself with authority or dominance. She was raised partly by her grandparents who were firm believers of the old ways. The mated bound was something to be respected and protected, fiercely. She was taught all the right ways to secure a mate respectfully.

Andy here family comes from a long line of strong alphas and while she doesn’t look it, Andy is one of the strongest alpha’s out there. In a couple of months she would be turning 25 which means that by law she would have to claim and mark a mate. And while her Beta Nate would be an option, Andy would really prefer her mate to be Omega and a well… female. Miranda being an mated but unmarked Omega could cause her instincts to get the better of her, because of her power she can basically claim anyone she wants.

**-

Nate finishes up in the kitchen and walker to the table with 2 plates of food. He places them down before taking a seat at the other and of the table. He pulls out his phone to read the menu for tomorrow, he just started this job and really wants to make a good impression. The sit in silence for a while before Andy speaks up.

"I don’t understand how she’s still working there," she muttered, shoving a forkful of pasta into her mouth as she sat across from her Beta, Nate.

He barely looked up from his phone. "Who?"

"Miranda Priestly. She’s an Omega. And she is unmarked."

That, finally, got his attention. "You’re joking."

Andy shook her head. "Wish I was. But there’s no mark, and I swear, the moment I walked into her office, I could smell it."
Nate frowned. "That’s not legal. Unmated Omegas can’t work without an Alpha’s protection. Hell, they’re barely allowed out in public without one. How has no one reported her?"

Andy twirled her fork between her fingers. "Because she’s Miranda Priestly.”

Nate snorted “Why are you so certain anyway? Maybe you smelled wrong”

Andy’s eyes darkened before she almost yelled at him “You think me a liar?”

Nate flinched slightly at the share volume “No ma’am, it just seems highly unlikely with her being such a prominent figure that’s all…”
“I don’t know how this is possible but I’m telling you I know what I smelled. But lets keep this between us for now yeah, at least until I know more.”

“Yes ma’am” he answered before looking on his phone again.

The finished there meal and went to bed. But Andy could really find sleep. She could only think of one thing, Miranda Priestly, somehow, had been defying every rule in their society for years. She should have admired it—maybe even respected it. But instead, all she could think about was how fragile that power really was. It was a dangerous game Miranda was playing. Because if the wrong people found out, her entire empire would crumble beneath her feet. Andy stared at the ceiling of their bedroom. The problem was, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be the one to stop her.

**-
The next couple of weeks flew by, preparations for fashion week were already starting. Other shoots came and went and Andy became more comfortable in her new position. After some hiccups pertaining her clothes, which Nigle gracefully solved, she received less hateful commands from Miranda. After that first day, the idea of Miranda truly being an Omega still lingered but Andy was far to busy to worry about it. That is until she woke up one morning with Miranda’s scent lingering in her mind. It is faint, but still present.

However the moment Andy walked into the office, she nearly staggered. The scent was overwhelming, thick in the air, sultry heat of a storm about to break. An omega was in pre-heat and not just any Omega, no one other than Miranda herself.

Andy’s breath caught as she looked around the office, expecting to see some kind of reaction. Some indication that everyone else smelled what she did. But Emily was barking orders as usual, Serena was running around with samples for the next meeting and all others were working on there usual tasks. Nothing changed, no one seemed to notice. But Andy’s stomach twisted at the overwhelming presence of the sweet smell. How was that possible?

Emily looked at her with a raised brow. "Are you going to stand there like an idiot all day, or are you actually going to do your job?"
Andy swallowed, forcing herself to move toward her desk. But the scent was relentless, curling around her senses like a predator. When she spotted Nigel walking down the hall, she made a run for it, she grabbed his arm before she could stop herself. "Nigel, we need to talk."
He frowned. "What?"

Andy lowered her voice. "Miranda… she’s in pre-heat. And no one else seems to notice. How—"

Nigel’s expression darkened instantly, and before she could blink, he had dragged her into an empty conference room, shutting the door behind them. He closed the blinded and look if know one noticed them. "Are you out of your mind? Don’t say that out loud."

Andy blinked at him. "But—"

"No buts, Six. You didn’t smell anything. You don’t know anything. Do you understand?"

Andy frowned. "Nigel, I’m not crazy. I know what I smelled."

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You did not hear this from me got it!” he waited for her to nod her head before continuing.
“Miranda takes suppressant pills. High-level ones. It should be impossible for anyone to tell she’s an Omega, let alone catch her scent. The only people who know are Emily, Leslie and me. And now, apparently, you."

Andy stared at him. "That doesn’t make sense. Why can I smell her then?!"

Nigel looked at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "Then that’s something you need to figure out. But for God’s sake, do not bring this up again and especially to Miranda. If you value your career—hell, if you value your life—you will forget you ever noticed anything."

But Andy couldn’t forget. Because now, the scent was getting stronger. And there was no way in hell she could just go back to work...

**-
It had been a terrible day, while everyone worked there ass off. Meanwhile Andy could not concentrated on anything. She made mistake after mistake and had been yelled at more than she cared to admit. She was tired and a headache had been forming every since 4 o’clock. So when Miranda called her into her office for god knows what, she could not hold back anymore. In less than a second she found herself standing in Miranda’s office, fists clenched at her sides.

"Andrea, get me Partick on the phone immediately. These colors are awful, how this man can think this is a great combination is beyond me" Miranda sighed, not looking up from her desk before waving her hand “That’s all”. But when Andy didn’t move, did she look up at her.
"If you’re just going to stand there wasting my time again, do let me know so I can properly ignore you."

Andy took a breath. "Miranda. Why can I smell you’re an Omega? And more importantly why con no one else, because you are in pre-heat and it is driving me up the wall." Miranda froze.

Her pen halted over the document she was signing, shoulders stiffening. Slowly, deliberately, she lifted her head and fixed Andy with a stare so sharp it could have cut glass. "Excuse me?"

Andy swallowed. "No one else seems to be able to smell it. I don’t understand why, but I can."

For the first time since she had started working at Runway, Miranda Priestly looked genuinely, utterly stunned. "That," Miranda said slowly, her voice like ice, "is impossible." And yet, the look in her eyes said she knew Andy was telling the truth.

For a long moment, silence stretched between them, a heavy feeling filling the room . Then Miranda’s gaze hardened. "Close the door, Andrea. Now."

Andy hesitated only a second before stepping back, pushing the door shut with a quiet click.
"Who are you and who do you work for?!" Miranda demanded, her voice still cold, but there was something else beneath it—an emotion Andy couldn’t quite place. Fear? Suspicion?

Andy took a steadying breath, forcing herself to remain calm under Miranda’s piercing gaze. The sharp demand, the fear-laced suspicion—none of it was what she had expected. But then again, she hadn’t expected to be in this position either.

“I’m Andrea just Andrea. And I work for you, Miranda, no one else. I don’t know what you are implying but I don’t care for it” Andy said carefully, keeping her voice even. She could feel her Alpha getting angry. Who does this Omega think she is. “And again I don’t know why I can smell you. But I do.”

Miranda’s fingers tightened around her pen, knuckles going white. Andy could see the flicker of calculations behind those ice-blue eyes, the rapid weighing of options, the assessment of risk. But there was something else beneath the cold exterior—a fracture in the otherwise seamless control Miranda wielded like a weapon.

“This conversation is over,” Miranda said finally, voice clipped. “You will not speak of this again.”

Andy took a step towards her. “Miranda—”

“That’s all.”

Andy clenched her jaw. “No, that’s not all,” she said, stepping closer despite the unspoken warning in Miranda’s eyes. She could feel herself getting more worked up. Pheromones flooding the room in silent warning for the Omega to treat lightly. “I need to understand why I can smell you when no one else can. If your suppressants work on everyone, why not me?”

Miranda’s expression darkened, but she did take a small step back. “That is not your concern, Andrea.”

“It is when it affects me,” Andy shot back. “I couldn’t focus all day because of it. It’s distracting, it’s overwhelming—”

“Then perhaps you are the problem.”

Andy faltered. Miranda rose from her seat with the grace of a queen. “If your instincts are too fragile to handle working for me, you are free to leave,” Miranda continued smoothly. “I’m certain we can find another Alpha better suited for—”

“I don’t want to leave.” Andy surprised even herself with the intensity of her own words. Miranda stilled. Her nostrils flared ever so slightly, as if trying to gauge whether Andy’s resolve was real.

“Then you will keep your mouth shut,” Miranda murmured. “You will not speak of this to anyone. Not Nigel, not Emily, not anyone.”
Andy hesitated before nodding slowly. “Fine. But you have to give me something, Miranda. Some kind of explanation.” Miranda exhaled through her nose. “It isn’t an explanation I owe you, Andrea. It’s an order.”

Andy clenched her fists, fighting the instinct to challenge the command outright. She could push—she wanted to push—but she also knew that Miranda was one step away from throwing her out for good, Alpha or not. Once more a long, tense silence stretched between them.
Then, just as Andy was about to turn away, Miranda spoke, her voice quieter this time.

“There has never been an Alpha who could scent me through my suppressants. Not once.” Andy’s breath hitched. Miranda’s gaze was unreadable as she continued. “And yet, here you are.”

Something heavy settled in Andy’s chest. Because Miranda wasn’t just confused—she was wary. Wary of Andy. Wary of what it meant. For the first time since stepping into this world, Andy realized she wasn’t just challenging Miranda Priestly’s dominance. She was threatening her entire reality.

Andy squared her shoulders, meeting Miranda’s gaze. “I promise I’m not working for anyone, Miranda. I just want to know what’s happening.”

Miranda’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Andy scoffed. “I talked to Nigel.”

A flicker of anger crossed Miranda’s features. “You are playing a very dangerous game, Andrea. If you value your career—if you value your future—you will drop this. If I hear another word of this nonsense, you will regret it.”

Andy stood firm, she was not about to let it go now. “How are you getting away with this? How have you been working as an unclaimed Omega in this society?”

Miranda’s breath hitched ever so slightly before she masked it with a cold glare. “Because I was meant for great things. My parents made sure of that. I had no choice in the matter. They ensured that I could rise above my designation, and now—now, there is no going back.”

A flicker of something almost vulnerable flashed across Miranda’s face before she locked it away. Andy couldn’t explain why, but seeing Miranda worried, shaken even, stirred something inside her—something protective. Instinctive. She couldn’t even imagine how hard It must have been all these years, hiding who you truly are.

Andy took a few big steps until she was right in front of Miranda. “I won’t talk,” Andy said softly, reaching her hand towards Mirana’s face. “I swear.”

Miranda all but flinched away “Get away from me, Andrea.”

Miranda’s voice was sharp, final. Andy hesitated, but the tension in Miranda’s shoulders made her take a reluctant step back. The conversation was clearly over.

**-
Later that night, Andy found herself dialing her grandmother’s number, her hands trembling slightly as she pressed the phone to her ear. See needed to talk to someone, someone who could maybe explain what was happening.

The phone rang twice before a familiar, warm voice answered. "Andy? You never call this late sweetheart, ss everything alright?”

Andy swallowed hard. "Grandma… something’s happening and I need your help."

A long pause. "Tell me everything, sweetheart."

Andy let out a slow breath and began recounting the entire situation—the way Miranda’s scent had hit her like a brick wall, how no one else seemed to notice, how Nigel had confirmed Miranda was on high-level suppressants, and finally, the confrontation in Miranda’s office. "She doesn’t understand why I can smell her," Andy finished. "And neither do I."

Her grandmother remained silent for a moment before speaking, her voice calm but firm. "Andy, listen to me carefully. If Miranda’s suppressants don’t work on you, it’s because your bond is overriding them. It means she’s yours, whether you both knows it or not."
Andy’s stomach twisted. "That—That doesn’t make sense. She has children and she has a mate right now! Mates don’t just—appear. There’s a whole process."

"Not always," her grandmother countered. "Sometimes, if an Alpha is powerful enough—especially an Alpha of our lineage—the bond can manifest even through artificial barriers. And from what I’m hearing, that’s exactly what’s happening." She hesitated, then added, "Sweetheart, Miranda isn’t just some Omega. She’s been living outside the system for decades. If your bond is strong enough to break through those barriers, it could have serious consequences."

Andy rubbed a hand over her face. "What kind of consequences?"

"If her body starts recognizing you as her Alpha, it could override her suppressants entirely. And if that happens, her next heat won’t be suppressed at all."

Andy sucked in a sharp breath. "You mean—"

"It means she’ll go into full, natural heat. And she won’t be prepared for it. Neither will you."

Andy’s pulse pounded in her ears. "But she doesn’t want this. She doesn’t even acknowledge it."

Her grandmother sighed. "I know, sweetheart. That’s why you have to be careful. You don’t want to trigger something neither of you can control." Andy swallowed hard. "And what about me?"

There was another pause. "Your own rud will be coming soon, Andy. And if you’re already bonded—even unofficially—Miranda will react to it."

Andy closed her eyes, dread curling in her gut. "What do I do?"

Her grandmother’s voice softened. "For now? Nothing. Keep your distance. Don’t push her, and don’t let your instincts get the best of you. Miranda is already fighting something she doesn’t understand. You forcing the issue could make her shut down completely—or worse, run."

Andy exhaled shakily. "I don’t want to hurt her."

"I know you don’t, sweetheart. But the truth is, this is bigger than you now. Whether you want it or not, you and Miranda are connected. And the closer you get, the harder it’s going to be to ignore."

They talked for a while longer before Andy decided it was time to go to bed. Nate was already dead to the world by the time she got into it. However, after hat conversation, she got barley any sleep at all.

**-
The next morning, she arrived at work only to be met with a very angry Leslie, waiting for her at her desk. She mentioned for Andy to follow her to her office. “Inside. Now.” Andy followed Leslie into the private room, where the woman shoved a thick stack of documents toward her before she even got the chance to sit down.

“This is an NDA. You will sign it, and you will drop this entire thing. I don’t wat a single word of this entire thing breath to anyone.”
Andy glanced at the paperwork, then met Leslie’s glare. She took the pen in hand, then, just before signing, looked Leslie dead in the eye.
“I’ll sign. But you should know—it’s highly likely Miranda is my mate.”

Leslie’s expression turned from anger to sheer horror. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Andy just exhaled and signed her name. Things were about to get very, very complicated. She pushed the papers back across the table towards Leslie before getting up to leave back to het desk.

“Now wait a second! You can’t just drop something like that and move on” Leslie all but yelled

“What is it to you” Andy snarled at her. “I get an NDA shoved in my face, nobody talks to me. I’m left on my own to figure out what the hell is going on. Fine with me, that is what I gathered so far, do with the information whatever you want.” Andy picks up her things and storms out of the office towards her desk to start the day. She has a lot of things to do and a very little time in a day to do them.