Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They circled him like vultures, gazing at him with hungry eyes. He was trapped, he had tried to run but to no avail. They wanted him to submit, but no, he would rather die. And judging by the looks of some of the men surrounding him, they’ve killed Omegas before. He would just be another tally, another statistic in their cold and cruel society. He put on a brave face, clenched his jaw and fists, trapped in a muzzle and chains respectively, but he couldn’t stop his body from shaking as they tied him down to a bench made of metal and leather in the middle of the room.

It was dark, and cold, but all Josh could feel was the fear of what they would do next. He struggled as the chains shifted and pulled him down to lean over the leather seat, his legs were bound to the metal as well. There was gruff mumbling and chuckles as he flinched at their touch, more often than not roaming down to his ass. It was hard to look up, his head facing the ground, and whether or not he wanted to look at what was happening was a tugging debate inside his head. He managed to glance up for a second to see shiny metal coming towards him. His eyes went wide and the laughs echoed as he struggled harder, trying to get away from the collar that would seal his fate. Warm hands circled his head first before pulling on the side of the muzzle to expose his neck. Cold metal encircled it, and a click reverberated throughout the room as it settled in place. 

Josh clenched his eyes and tried to steady his breathing, but he ended up lightheaded from hyperventilating instead. He would die in this collar, he then realized. Alone or surrounded by hurtful Alphas, he would die wearing it. And that fear settled in his chest so deep that it somehow calmed him. The collar finalized that he was owned and at the mercy of these Alphas who just wanted to control him under the guise that they were training the perfect Omegas.

One thing was for sure, and that was he would not be the same after this moment. But that was just what they wanted, wasn’t it?

Josh was considered lucky, born in the outskirts of the cities where Dema had yet to gain control of. It wasn’t rampant with Banditos, as their base of operations was further out in Trench. It was the closest thing to how civilization was a century ago, and for that, he was lucky. In the cities Dema controlled, their military roamed the streets, looking for those who defied and rebelled against the Bishops, nine Alphas who had become dictators over what was known in the past as North America. Each Bishop ruled over the Nine Cities, with smaller towns surrounding them, often unvisited by Dema’s forces. Past that was Trench, mountains and caverns out west where the Banditos lived in rural camps.

But even in the small towns outside of Dema’s control there were still strict and cold communities. Alphas were the head of the house, with an Omega wife usually. Rarely a Beta wife was chosen, as they were not as compatible as Omegas were to Alphas. They would produce offspring, hopefully an Alpha that could continue to contribute to their society. Betas were nothing special in the eyes of the government, they weren’t leaders, only followers. But Omegas, those were something to be controlled, contained, and made to submit. Often they were shipped to schools where they would be taught how to behave and to please their Alpha once they graduated. It was no secret that there was an underground of illegal Omega trafficking going on surrounding these schools either. But everyone turned a blind eye to it, as long as the Omegas were being controlled and trained to behave properly in their society.

Josh’s luck ran out, though, when he presented as an Omega at age sixteen. His parents dealt with his “rebellion” for six months before shipping him off to one of the Omega Training Schools closer to Columbus. His parents would rather have no son than a defiant Omega that would ruin their family image, they told him after he had gotten another suspension at his public school. He would skip classes, mostly the Omega ones they put him in after he presented, smoke behind the gym building, and pick fights with anyone who dared to look at him wrong. He was alone, being the only male Omega in the school, not having his parents support and understanding when he told them he didn’t want to submit to an Alpha, only their disdain. He was viewed as a disappointment, something to be hidden.

The halls were bleak and the classes they put him in were mind numbing, only this time he couldn’t skip them, they were all escorted to the classroom and guards lined the halls so that no one was left behind. He didn’t do homework, and for that he got five lashes for each assignment not handed in. Physical punishment was allowed and revered here, used at any sign of disobedience. Soon, his whole body was lined with scars, but he was not broken by them. 

He was alone here as well, the other Omegas were afraid to be seen with him, for fear of being punished along with him. Josh had a feeling the Alphas were doing so when someone even tried to talk to him. They wanted him to be alone. Eighteen couldn’t come soon enough, Josh thought. Then he would be free.

They called him in two days before graduation.

“Joshua William Dun,” the dean addressed him with indifference. “I see you turn eighteen in a month. You’ve been here for nearly two years. What have you learned?” The Alpha peered at him over his spectacles, regarding him with disinterest in his answer, but what Josh said next was to be expected at this point.

“That Alphas are pieces of shit.” He cursed himself that it came out so meekly, but he had hardly talked for two years, his voice was softer than he wanted it to be.

The dean pursed his lips and looked back down at Josh’s file, writing something down before handing it off to a guard in the corner of the room. He looked back at Josh with a smirk. “I see. In light of that, I have brought you here to inform you that you will not be graduating this spring, nor next.” Josh tensed in his seat, the guards on standby palmed their weapons. “That is all.” He waved a hand as if dismissing Josh, who rose from his seat in anger, before turning towards the guards again. “Take him to Columbus. He’s property of Bishop Nico as of now.”

“What? You can’t do this! I-I was supposed to be released! I turn eighteen in a month! I’m not anyone’s property!” He growled out as he struggled with the guards that came in to apprehend him.

The Alpha sighed, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. “Joshua, your parents handed over their custody of you to the school. They made it clear they want nothing to do with you. Since you are not yet eighteen, I am your legal guardian and can make the decision to make you property of the City of Columbus. Since we are in Bishop Nico’s district, you now belong to him. You will be taken to Columbus where one of his advisors will decide what to do with you until you are eighteen, where you most likely will be sold to the most suitable Alpha that can handle your… rambunctiousness. Is that clear?”

Josh was speechless for a moment, before he spat at the Alpha maliciously, “Fuck you.”

He got five minutes to gather his thoughts, alone in his room with the bars on the window and a lock on the outside of the door. Years of disobedience had led to this, and Josh wondered if it was worth it. He was not easily broken, but the path he chose to take was not an easy one, and many didn’t make it out alive. Bishop Nico... he had heard the name in classes before, scarcely before he presented. He was the current Bishop that ruled Columbus, known for his fierce “loyalty” of his followers. And now he was expected to be one of them. Fuck that. 

“Fuck this,” he muttered, getting to his feet and hurling the nearest object across the room. None of the things in his room were personal, so he felt no attachment as he trashed the place. When his bed frame hit the wall, the guards finally pulled him out and manhandled him through the dormitories and out to the courtyard where a van was waiting. It was more like a police escort vehicle where he was handcuffed to the seat in the back with two guards sitting across from him. 

Josh mentally laughed. Omegas were supposed to be docile, but here they had at least two Alphas making sure he could cause no harm. He had been known for breaking a nose or two, or knocking out some teeth. 

The drive to Columbus took around an hour. They must be in the heart of the city if it took that long, going through security checks and all that. Josh had never visited Columbus, nor had he wanted to. He looked around as they parked and led him into a building, hands still cuffed. The streets were dark and gray, along with the buildings. There wasn’t any greenery anywhere, unlike where he had lived. They must have driven into a military compound or something, because there weren’t any civilians around either. His vision changed as they entered the building, Josh taking time to look at how they unlocked the doors with a key card. 

The inside of the building was just as cold and impersonal as the outside. They went through so many gray hallways that Josh wasn’t sure which way they came in. Mapping out the place would be hard, and escaping almost impossible. They stopped outside a double door after taking an elevator up to the top of the building. His guards opened the doors and pushed him inside where a man was sitting behind a desk.

“Care to knock next time?” He said without even looking up from his paperwork. The guards faltered and issued an apology before handing over his file that the dean gave them. The man sighed, looking at the file placed on his desk, before picking it up and flipping it open. “Now, who do we have here?” He read over what Josh assumed was his entire life story as it took the man a good five minutes to read through everything in his file. When he was done, he glanced up at Josh before signing a paper in his file and putting it to the side in a stack of other manila folders.

“Joshua, I think you’ll do just fine here.” The man, an Alpha of course, went back to his other paperwork piled on his desk.

“Where is here?” Josh asked, voice more annoyed than the fear he was feeling.

The man ignored his question. “I’m sure once you’re eighteen, we can find you an Alpha who will take care of your… behavioral problems. Most of them are so eager to break an Omega. They don’t call me the Matchmaker for nothing. There hasn’t been an Omega out of line yet. Of course,” he looked at Josh fully for the first time, eye contact unbreaking to make sure his point got across, “if there were to be a problem, we here would be sure to correct it before it got out of hand, using whatever means possible.” His stare was icy as it bore into Josh. “Understood?”

Josh would not let this Alpha’s threats to frighten him. He clenched his jaw and lifted his chin in an act of defiance. The so-called Matchmaker sighed and looked down at the papers he had abandoned. “You’re lucky, Joshua, that I am such a patient Alpha. Most would have you punished for your disobedience. I’ll make a note to make sure that you get an Alpha that will. Dismissed.”

The guards turned him around and shoved him back into the elevator, this time going down to the basement. He zoned out a little on the ride down, staring at his fuzzy reflection and wondering how he got there. As soon as the doors opened, though, dread filled his stomach. It was dark and damp, the hallways only lit by emergency lights and water condensation from exposed pipes dropped on their heads as they walked. This time it was easy to track where they went, as it only took half a minute before reaching a room that held a couple people already in it.

There was a chair in the middle of the room and a shower in the corner. It set Josh on edge. The people in the room were easily recognized as Omegas, but they were lifeless as they approached Josh to lead him to sit on the chair. The guards stayed where they were, watching Josh internally panic with boredom. He could feel the anxiety bursting in his chest, closing up his throat, so that when he sat down and heard a buzzing next to his ear, he could only let out a yelp as a lock of hair fell from his head onto the floor. For the first time in years, he felt tears well up in his eyes, and the Omegas surrounded him to shield him from view from the guards as they continued their work, some of them putting supporting hands on his shoulders. Josh hated how it kept him calm enough not to bolt right then and there. He figured that was why they let the Omegas do this instead of the Alphas.

Once his head was freshly shaved, and a few tears had been shed, a guard came over and to uncuff him. Josh stood dumbly as he didn’t know what to do with his hands, but the Omegas started to tug on his clothing and he reluctantly let them undress him and lead him to the shower.

The water pressure was somewhat decent, but the water temperature was freezing cold, and Josh shivered as he washed himself with unscented soap one Omega gave him. The Omegas huddled around him with towels once he was done and helped dried him off, making the whole process go as quickly as possible as they handed him some white cotton shorts. After that, they handed him back to the guards who cuffed him and took him down a long hallway of doors. Josh counted at least twenty before they opened one on the left and led him in. The cuffs were gone once more and they guard quickly left before Josh could examine the room he was left in, the door shutting behind them with a metal ringing sound.

It looked like a prison cell, only less sterile looking, and it was only slightly less damp than the hallway outside.

The anger came surging back quicker than Josh expected, and angry tears started rolling down his face as he aimed to punch the door, letting out a yell and then a yelp when he hit the metal. He recoiled and let out a breath as his frustration decreased. He backed into the wall behind him, and slid down to sit against it, head in his hands.

What had he gotten himself into?

Josh lost count of the days. There were no windows, only a meal a day keeping him sane. Even then, sometimes it wasn’t enough. Like it or not, Omegas weren’t supposed to be alone. They lived off of being near other people, calming them down and being the peacekeepers. It was the reason why disobedience wasn’t tolerated, since an Omega couldn’t calm down their Alpha if they were all riled up themselves. Frustration, anger, excitement, or any other strong emotion wasn’t allowed, because it only helped to feed the Alpha’s emotions. So being in solitude, it was literally torture for an Omega.

Which is why Josh shot to his feet when the door opened for the first time in a month. His hair had grown out from its short buzz, and his hygiene wasn’t the best as he hadn’t had a proper shower in a while. Josh’s eyes squinted at the light in the hallway, being a little brighter than the one in his cell. It made it hard to see the guards who grabbed him and dragged him down to the first room with the chair and the shower.

Josh was exhausted by the time they got there. Not being able to walk more than eight feet at a time didn’t do much for stretching his legs. He could sense the irritation of the guards as they pulled him along like he was nothing. He had lost weight too from the shitty meals they had been feeding him.

Once again, the Omegas came for him and sat him down, shaving his head until it was a short buzz cut, then leading him to undress and take a shower. Josh may have spent more time in the shower than was necessary. Even if the water was cold, the suds of the soap felt great. They dried him off again, putting him in a new pair of shorts only to hand him over to the guards again. But instead of cuffing him and taking him to the elevator, they roughly guided him into a hallway, long and narrow, that lead to an open room.

Josh’s breath caught in his throat when he looked around. It was mostly bare, but Josh’s eyes landed on the table holding an assortment of leather items. He started to back away, eyeing at a metal collar, but the guards easily caught him and dragged him further into the room. A heavy door Josh hadn’t noticed slammed shut.

“Happy Birthday, Joshua,” The Matchmaker said as Josh struggled weakly against the two Alphas holding him. He approached from the table, holding a heavy looking chain connecting two leather cuffs. He reached out and Josh flailed, managing to get loose and run five feet before another guard grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back. Josh could feel how huge the Alpha guard was behind him as he held his neck with one arm and his upper torso with another. The two guards that were holding onto him previously grabbed his arms again, holding them out for the Matchmaker to bind.

The leather was worn and softer than Josh would have imagined against his wrists. Metal encircled them, holding the leather in place with a small lock. As they clicked in place, despite Josh’s continued struggling, the Matchmaker stepped back and smiled, waving a set of keys in his face before putting them into his coat pocket. He then turned towards the table again, this time coming back with a mask of some sort. Josh twitched as it came closer to his face, trying to back away, only to be met by the immovable force of the Alpha behind him. It covered his mouth and his nose, though Josh could tell it was ventilated as he breathed in by the slots in the hard leather. Thick straps wrapped around the base of his skull and up around his ears to the back of his head.

With his hands cuffed, he wouldn’t be able to take it off. Josh shook his head, hoping for it to give, but it stayed solid, moving with his movements. Josh growled behind the muzzle, and heard the door open.

In came Alphas of various sizes, races, and sexes. Some sat down in chairs placed on one side of the room, others stood around, eyeing him or talking amongst each other. Josh looked around with unease in his stomach, he turned in time to see the Matchmaker smirk and pat his covered cheek roughly. He then turned away and addressed the crowd, but Josh couldn’t hear his words through the blood rushing past his ears as his panic increased tenfold.

And then, the show began.

Collared and shivering from the brisk air in the room and his anxiety, Josh could barely hear the numbers being shouted as the Matchmaker stood by his side, trying to get the highest bid out of his patrons. He knew he was panicking, and the fact that he knew didn’t help in the slightest, in fact, it only made it worse. Suddenly, there was a shout of celebration, and a man approached the Matchmaker to shake his hand. 

Had he… had he just been sold?

Josh blinked in bewilderment as he tried to look up at the man. He let out a grunt of protest when the man yanked his head back to see his prize up close.

“Oh, you’ll do just nicely, my Omega,” he smiled with a look of promise of what was to come. Josh looked at him with fear and hatred in his eyes as the man stepped back to grab the key from the Matchmaker. He approached, and Josh struggled, shaking the frame of the seat he was chained too. “Ah, ah, ah, none of that.” He said while unlocking him. Josh was hoisted up easily by the man, and he could smell the Alpha musk radiating off him from across the room, let alone this close up. It made him gag.

He tried to strain away when the man caught his bound wrists, spinning him around and walking up to the nearest wall with him. Josh gulped, beginning to panic as the cold brick hit his shoulders first, and then seemed to envelope him, the Alpha a burning heat in contrast. Josh whined, trying to get away, still struggling in this Alpha’s grasp, when suddenly he was pulled off the wall and slammed back into it, the forearm of the man now pressing into his neck while his other held painfully tight onto both of his wrists.

“I said-!” He was cut off suddenly, as a loud bang rang around the room, throwing the Alpha and Josh away from the wall as the brick next to them exploded. They both landed on the ground, ears ringing, as dust and debris flew down around them. Shouts and gunshots filled the air, and Josh caught sight of black figures with masks make their way through as he coughed. One of them fell onto the ground as a brave Alpha attacked them, an object flying to the ground in front of him. 

Josh’s eyes went towards the object, black and sleek metal shining in the darkness, a beacon of hope. The Alpha next to him struggled to get up, and when Josh looked at him, he saw the Alpha looking at the gun too. His eyes went wide, scrambling towards the gun a couple feet from him, still in chains and legs somehow not working properly yet. The Alpha pulled him back, trying to get the gun for himself, and Josh flailed and struggled, this time catching the man in the chest with an elbow, knocking him back for just a second, but one second was enough for Josh to lunge, grab the gun, point, and pull the trigger.

Blood flew everywhere, including on his face as the bullet went through the Alpha’s head. He stood still in shock, breathing heavily from the struggle and also the fact that he had just killed a man. The gun shook in his hands, until a hand gently put it down. Josh dropped it, looking at the person kneeling next to him. Their eyes were kind as they smiled, though a mask covered it. They smelled sweet, and dangerous, and Josh was enamored. 

“Let’s get out of here, shall we?”

Josh helped the person get him up, before he almost crumbled back down. He looked at his leg, and saw blood. “Shit,” he heard the person say, quickly hoisting him back down only to take something out of their pocket. They tied it around his leg, above the wound bleeding heavily, and brought him back to his feet. Next, they dealt with his cuffs, still holding his wrists together tightly. They picked the locks easily, and they fell to the floor with a thump. Josh rubbed his wrists for a second, before his hands shot up to the muzzle to get it off as well.

“Not yet,” The person said, hard to hear over the commotion around them. “Too much dust, and it’ll hide your face.” Josh looked at them pleadingly, but they just responded, “I know. It’ll help, trust me. C’mon. Time to go.”

Time and his vision was blurring as they ran, or tried to run in Josh’s case, through the dark halls that were bathed in a dim red light. They weren’t heading towards the elevator, but the person seemed to know where they were going, so Josh didn’t protest. A couple minutes later, they reach two other people dressed in black, with hints of yellow on their clothes, who were guarding a door. 

“He’s the last one,” the person holding him up said, holding out a fist for them to bump.

“Good job, let’s get out of here,” the one on the left said, bumping fists quickly before turning towards the door.

“Yeah, this place gives me the creeps,” the other one said, fist bumping as well before shivering dramatically with a laugh.

They pushed through the heavy door, and out into a street where a van was waiting. Two more people stood near the van’s open doors, ushering them on hurriedly. Josh took a step forward, but then he went down, his leg giving out under him. His vision swam as bodies moved around him, blood pulsing in his head as well as his leg. They said something, but Josh couldn’t understand. A question maybe? He looked at them, dazed, before they picked him back up, and laid him down in the back of the van.

Josh promptly passed out once his head met the floor-bed.

The next time he awoke, it was to intense pain in his leg. He was still in the van, from what Josh could tell since there was a slight rocking back and forth as they drove. He looked down to see a needle and thread, and so much blood, but then his vision went black again.

The last time Josh woke up, he was almost alone. Someone was sitting beside him on a chair, reading, while Josh was laying down on a bed. He noticed he could breathe in fresh air, and lifted his hands to his face to feel that the muzzle was gone. He sighed in relief before looking at the guy next to him.

“Hey,” the guy said, with an easy smile. “Name’s Ned. I saved you back there. You probably have a lot of questions. I’m here to answer them.”

Josh stared for a moment, before nodding dumbly. He swallowed and soon coughed, his throat closing up and he croaked out, “Water?”

“Oh shit, yeah, here.” Ned said, hurriedly getting him a water bottle next to the cot. Josh took one sip, then quickly gulped the rest down, huffing out small breaths as he handed Ned back the empty bottle. The guy just laughed. “Where am I?”

“Ah, the infamous first question. You are at a Bandito outpost just outside of Columbus. We gained lead on an Omega trafficking route a few months back and planned out an attack to get them out of there. You were one of the twenty-one Omegas we saved.” Ned explained, looking intensely at Josh for his reaction. Josh swallowed, throat no longer dry and sore, and nodded.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Josh trying to think of questions he wanted answered, and Ned waiting for those questions to be spoken.

“So,” Josh eventually started, looking across the small room at the open door, “Banditos?”

Ned smirked, “Were a group made mostly of Omegas, but all statuses who share our cause are welcome. Basically we stick it to the Bishops, trying to bring them down once and for all. We help out Omegas who need and want our help, and also recruit those who want to be recruited. Are you interested?”

Josh ignored the question in favor of looking down at his leg. It was wrapped neatly in gauze and tape. “How long have I been out?”

“About a day.” Ned answered in stride, not showing any sign that he was annoyed with Josh avoiding his previous question. His hair was blonde, and he had a boyish look to him, an easy smile always on his face. The book he was reading was one of the mass market paperbacks sold in the suburbs, and the cover looked like it was a romance novel. Josh glared at it, reminded of his mother who used to read them. Ned noticed, and put it in his cargo pants pocket.

“So. Interested in my offer? Or do you need to think it over?” Ned tilted his head as he waited for Josh’s answer. 

He thought about it for a moment. Helping out Omegas and bringing down the government? There would likely be danger, and fighting, and more blood. Josh twitched at the image now forever burned into his brain of that Alpha’s head exploding. He paused before answering.

“Count me in.”

Chapter Text

Months of training had passed quickly. And Josh spent the next few years helping the Banditos with their operations, providing intel from each time he went to the City, to being a soldier for their forces. Soon enough, he was the one training new recruits, teaching them how to use weapons, and sharing his experiences so they could learn something before heading out into the City themselves.

Josh quickly rose in the ranks, and seven years later, he was their leader, Clancy's right hand man.

Weekly he would go into the City, trying to find Omegas who needed help, maybe teach a couple Alphas a lesson, and to organize safe spaces for Omegas to hang out and mingle in.

The last was his favorite. They would scout out places weeks in advance, making sure that they were either owned by Bandito alliances or abandoned and not visited by Dema’s forces. Then word would spread to those in the know about the gathering, and plans for a distraction across town were then made, just in case things were to go south. Josh made sure to go to every event, pleased to see the City’s Omegas having fun and relaxing for once.

The parties usually started late at night, familiar faces started showing up at around ten, but the show wouldn’t start until eleven. He greeted each person that came to be hospitable and also as a security measure. Knowing the faces of all that were there could be helpful if Dema found their way in. 

One face caught his eye, showing up closer to eleven in the evening. They had a live performance scheduled and there was an excited and nervous buzz in the air that Josh ignored. He had a job to do. And part of his job was to figure out why this Alpha would be here in the first place. It was uncommon for Alphas to come, usually they were brought by family or trusted friends, but this Alpha was alone. He seemed friendly enough, although he looked a bit paranoid, which set Josh on edge.

The music started, and Josh took a second to locate the Alpha in the crowd, before they all started moving. The Omegas and Betas surrounding him didn’t look wary of his presence, and they would know better than he who would be trouble for them, so Josh let loose a bit. He danced while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, but his gaze kept drifting towards the Alpha who looked like he was having a great time. Eventually, he found himself gravitating towards him. The band’s set was almost over, and Josh had a plan to find out if this Alpha was actually dangerous or not.

He clapped as the band finished, watching the Alpha do the same, before he turned away and accidentally bumped into Josh. His smile faltered a bit as he said, “Shit, sorry.” But it soon returned along with his hands hovering over Josh’s arms and chest to try and steady himself without actually touching Josh. Josh tilted his head and smiled back.

“No worries,” Josh quickly reassured him, helping him get his balance a bit. The DJ started hyping up the crowd on the microphone, which caused the Alpha to look back towards the stage. Josh took a peek at his exposed neck, as well as a quick sniff to get his scent in his memory. No mating mark, and fuck, he smelled good. “I was just wondering if you would like to dance?” Josh asked, backing up as the Alpha turned back around to stare at him with wide eyes.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” He smiled shyly, the music starting shortly after, something more electronic with a heavy beat. It was easy to dance to, but the Alpha seemed hesitant. Josh loosened up, gained some confidence, and took the Alpha’s hands in his and placed them on his hips. He smirked at the Alpha who gawked at him, a blush high on his cheeks, but he got the picture and moved in closer.

Josh made his touches deliberate and forward. He raked his hands down the Alpha’s shoulders, then sides, only to land at his waistband. No weapons or wires that Josh could feel, although the look the Alpha was giving him was dangerously lustful. He held back, though, dancing with Josh until Josh pulled their hips together, grinding into the Alpha. He felt the Alpha’s hands move down to his ass and Josh smirked in satisfaction. 

The Alpha was attractive, kind brown eyes, the same color as his hair. He had a few markings, black tattoos that Josh knew were not Dema approved. Josh had his own, although they were more colorful, on his arms as well. His breath came out shallow and his lips parted as the Alpha moved his head closer to scent at his neck. Lips grazed at his scent gland, a nose nudging his ear before pulling back. Josh gulped. He had to be careful with this one. 

The song ended, and Josh pulled away, giving a shy smile. “Sorry, I have a job to do.” The Alpha looked at him in confusion, eyes watching as Josh brought his mask to cover his face. A look of recognition crossed the Alpha’s face, as well as an embarrassed blush. He nodded, and Josh waved as he disappeared back into the crowd, looking for something a little more dangerous. 

He caught the Alpha staring at him multiple times throughout the night as he watched the crowd from the sidelines. Little glances, here and there, like he knew Josh was watching him. Josh tried not to, he was supposed to be watching for anything suspicious, but his eyes were betraying him and seeking the Alpha out. He tried to get rid of the feeling of the Alpha pressed against him, all it did was make his throat go dry and his pants slightly tighter, but every time their eyes met, the feeling would come back.

Josh couldn’t remember the last time he felt so comfortable and warm in someone else’s company, let alone an Alpha’s. Ever since he got this promotion within the ranks, he couldn’t even remember the last time he fucked someone. He didn’t have time to find someone, and dating was out of the question since one of them could easily be captured or die the next day. He hadn’t even had a proper heat, the closest thing to it was when he switched over to the suppressants the Banditos had instead of the Dema controlled ones. It only lasted a couple of days, and Josh spent them alone, sweating, and in pain in his bunk. After that, any fooling around was purely because of sexual frustration.

And, boy, was he frustrated. They locked eyes again for a brief moment, Josh moving forward to finally make a move, when something behind the Alpha caught his eye.

He panicked, eyes going wide as he checked the comms to only hear static. Fuck, he had been so distracted by this Alpha that he hadn’t even noticed anything was going on! Josh growled in anger, moving through the crowd quickly to try and get to the guy before he could raise the gun towards the crowd. A few Omegas saw and panicked, causing the man wearing a balaclava to turn and aim at the crowd.

“Get down!” Josh shouted, pushing people down as he moved towards the threat. Gunshots rang out as well as screams, and Josh grunted in pain as a bullet grazed his shoulder. A Bandito close to the guy distracted him enough, only for Josh to then come up behind them with his knife and slash at the guy’s arm, the gun clattering to the floor. He put the guy in a chokehold while another Bandito zip-tied his arms together. Josh handed him off, before turning around to look for the Alpha.

He was tending to those wounded, comforting them and helping the Banditos get them to safety. Josh was glad he wasn’t hurt, but they all needed to get out of there. If there was one, there would likely be more. Thoughts raced through his head as he surveyed the mess around him. Was this a one off attack? Was this organized? Was there just one, or more? How many people were injured? What was the safest route to get them out of there?

“Josh!” He whipped around at the sound of his name, only to see Ned approaching. “The assailant is in custody. Two Banditos are down, comms are cut, this doesn’t look like a one man job. Thoughts?”

Josh paused, thinking. “Could be a distraction. Only one, though? Seems to me like it would make sense to attack all at once. Comms are down. They don’t want us communicating. Why?”

They stared at each other, each racking their brains for the enemy’s next move. It was almost like how they would distract Dema from attacking their gatherings. They both came to the same conclusion in seconds, Josh rushing out, “Send someone out to check out the Banditos in the City, either get the comms up and running or call me with an update. I gotta get these people to safety.” Ned nodded and was off.

Josh took a deep breath in before looking around, meeting the Alpha’s eyes as he was holding onto an Omega’s bloody hand. He could do this, he promised himself. He had to.

He steadied himself, and got to work.

The perimeter was closed off and deemed safe within twenty minutes. The injured would be sent back to base to be cared for, while the others waiting for the vans to free up to take them as well. Josh and the Alpha danced around each other, each helping out and providing comfort to those who needed it. Josh quickly tended to his shoulder, and waved off anyone who tried to look at it. He was probably a little paranoid, checking the comms and his phone every couple of minutes, but no one had reached out to him yet. It was worrying.

They were the last to leave the building after everyone else was transported somewhere safe. In the van, Josh’s worrying grew tenfold.

“Hey, it’ll be alright.” 

Josh looked over from his phone to see the Alpha sitting across from him. Josh nodded with a dismissive smile, staring blankly next to the Alpha’s head. 

“This doesn’t normally happen, right? This is my first shindig I’ve been to, so I wouldn’t know.” Josh smiled, eyes refocusing on the smirk of the Alpha.

“No, this usually doesn’t happen at shindigs. At the monthly soirées, however…” Josh trailed off, both of them laughing.

“I’ve heard Dema loves a good soirée.” The Alpha joked back. “My name is Tyler,” he introduced himself, lending out a hand. Josh took it without hesitation.

“Josh. Thanks for your help back there.” Josh didn’t want to let go of Tyler’s hand, and it seemed Tyler felt the same, because they held their hands between them for a good moment, before Tyler blushed and pulled away.

“Uh, yeah, no problem. It was the least I could do.”

“Not to be a douche or anything, but–,” Josh trailed off before Tyler picked up on what he was trying to say.

“Why was I even there?” Josh nodded and Tyler shrugged. “I know the band. I help smuggle their CDs to those who want them. Finally gave in and decided to see them live.”

“Oh,” Josh responded, nodding. He kind of felt bad for feeling Tyler up for weapons, but considering what had happened, better to be safe than sorry. “What is the status on getting the comms back up?” Josh directed towards the front of the van. They would be in their camp soon, judging by how long they’ve been driving.

“We’re still working on it. They should be up shortly, though.” The Beta in the front yelled back to him. Josh nodded, looking down at his phone.

A message. His heart almost burst from his chest. He caught sight of Tyler’s worried look as he put the phone to his ear to hear the message. 

There was a lot of static, and it was hard to hear through all the shouting and loud noises. What he could hear though, raised his hair on end.

“Dema in the City. Possible Bandito compromise, Ned’s been taken along with a few others. Heading back ASAP.”

His face must have shown his pain and anger, for Tyler leaned over and took his free hand in both of his.

“Is everything alright?” He asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Josh squared his jaw and shook his head, head hanging low, and it felt like the only thing keeping him sane was Tyler’s tight grip on his hand.

They got back to the base in the early morning. Josh immediately sought after Clancy, not wanting to waste a moment in trying to find Ned and the others. He left Tyler behind with the others, since he would just get in the way and offered the Omegas and Betas some form of comfort.

The early morning turned to day, and Josh was exhausted, but he had formed out a basic plan with Clancy on how to get their Banditos back. That alone took a major weight off of his shoulders, but he couldn’t relax until they were safe and back at camp.

Tyler found him roaming the hallways in the building they occupied like a ghost. Josh felt like one. He didn’t say a word, just fell in step with Josh as he walked. Josh was grateful when Tyler handed him his coffee, sipping at the hot beverage with delight.

“So, what’s the plan?” Tyler said softly as Josh eventually stopped at the door to his quarters, hand still on the door handle. He turned to look at the Alpha with tired eyes, sighing before answering.

“The plan is to escort the misplaced Omegas and Betas, and Alpha,” he included as a second thought, “throughout the week to their homes, safely. The rest is classified.” Josh turned back to the door, finally opening it. Tyler blocked the threshold before he could close it, though.

“That’s it? Classified?” Tyler said, tone annoyed.

Josh tilted his head, looking at Tyler as if trying to make his head explode. His anger rose with each breath, and soon enough, he breathed fire. “I’m sorry, I must have been wrong to assume that you weren’t another entitled knothead that thinks they deserve everything. Let’s get this clear, you’re under my roof, my people are missing, and the only thing I’m entitled to do with you is to get you home safe. So yeah, it’s classified. Are we clear?”

Tyler looked shocked for a moment, but Josh held his ground. He soon withered under Josh’s stare and tight jaw, dipping his head and nodding. “Sorry.”

Josh sighed in frustration, feeling like an ass. He put on a softer tone, “Look, if you wanna help, see me tomorrow, or today — this evening — and we can discuss what you can do to help, alright?” Josh stumbled out, forgetting that it was ten in the morning and tomorrow was well into today.

Tyler nodded again, this time more upbeat. He stepped away from the door frame, and Josh dismissed him with a soft, “Night,” before closing the door.

Josh sighed as he fell into his cot. He didn't even take off his clothes, just toed off his boots and curled up in his blankets, hugging his pillow, and falling asleep, silently wish Tyler was there to hold him.

Josh could feel the pressure building as he grinded into the warm body in front of him. The music was loud, a constant heavy beat to which they moved to. The Alpha smelled of sweat and bonfire, his touches feather light until Josh gripped onto him tight. Josh swayed as the bodies around him rocked the couple back and forth, Josh hanging onto Tyler like a drowning man holding onto a buoy. His breath came out short as Tyler scented his neck, canines raking the sensitive skin above his scent gland. He let out a short moan, trying to cut himself off as Tyler cupped the tent in his pants. Josh could feel the smirk against his neck, tongue darting out to lick at his sweat soaked skin. 

“You’re such a sweet Omega, Joshua,” Tyler purred. “Bet you could take my cock like a champ. You smell so fertile, I’d put pups in you in no time.” 

Josh groaned as Tyler said these dirty words into his ear, his hand rubbing over his lower abdomen like he could already feel a bump. 

“C’mon, Joshua, you know you want it.” Tyler’s hand rubbed harder at his bulge, and Josh gasped. He could feel the wetness between his cheeks, slowly running down his leg. The music was more like loud noise surrounding them, although he could hear Tyler perfectly clear. “That’s what Omegas were born to do. Breed. Would you like me to breed you, Joshua?” Josh nodded, drunk off of Tyler’s scent. His mind began to wonder though, why was he being so forward? It wasn’t like Tyler, from what he knew. 

His hands roamed up Josh’s body to encircle his neck. Heavy metal weighed down on his shoulders, and Josh was alerted all at once. The music reached a cacophony before dissipating with a loud click of metal. Josh opened his eyes, terrified to see a wicked grin on Tyler’s face. “You’re mine now, Joshua.” They were alone. No. People were surrounding them. Looking at him like he was a piece of meat. Including Tyler.

No. He tried to say but no sound came out. Just a click of his throat. It was harder to breathe with the cold metal across his throat. He was so hot, still warm with lust, cock still hard and hole still dripping. But the metal was so cold, as was Tyler’s stare. He tried backing away, only to notice that he was chained like an animal. His heart beat like a rabbit’s, and Tyler stared at him like a hungry wolf.

“My Omega, Joshua.” Tyler purred, cupping his cheek. Josh flinched. “Kneel.” He ordered. Josh stood still. Hands were suddenly in his hair, gripping tight and throwing him to the floor in front of Tyler’s feet. Tyler looked satisfied, while Josh was horrified, still unable to move or speak.

Josh suddenly felt cold, as freezing liquid was poured on him. He shivered, smelling the gasoline on himself. Tyler took out a match. He lit it.

“Happy Birthday, Joshua.” Tyler smirked. 

Josh screamed. 

He woke up with a jolt, as if he were falling. Blankets were thrown every which way, entangling him and suffocating him in his cot. His heart raced and his breath came quick. His hair was matted down onto his forehead with sweat, and he spent a good minute just breathing before raking his curls back.

Josh spent another five minutes staring at the corner of his small room, trying to get the scent of gasoline out of his nose. He rose, eventually, face scrunching up when he noticed his boxers were soaked with slick. He looked at the clock. Five in the evening. He barely had time to do laundry, so he stuffed his boxers in a corner with the rest of his dirty laundry, cleaned up a bit with some water from his canteen, and changed into fresh clothes.

Slowly, he realized that he would have to face Tyler. Fuck. 

He skimmed around the mess hall for as long as he could, before his stomach decided it needed food, now. Josh kept his head down low as he gathered his food, and sat down at one of the few tables they had. Despite his hunger, he found it hard to eat. The rations tasted as bland as ever, and couldn’t even cover up the taste of copper in his mouth. The nightmare flashed behind his eyelids each time he blinked, and he squirmed in his seat, feeling the weight of his clothes on him. Josh realized for the first time in a while that he was on the verge of having a panic attack, which didn’t help him calm down any less.

Josh jumped in his chair as Tyler sat down across from him.

“Hey.” Tyler greeted easily, looking more well rested than Josh did. He quickly noticed Josh’s unease. “You alright?”

Josh struggled to breathe. Gasoline was in the air again, and his skin pricked with unwanted sensations. He nodded anyway, not wanting to seem weak in front of the Alpha. It didn’t convince him well enough.

“You sure? Would you like to go outside, get some fresh air? You don’t look so good.” Tyler pestered on, but Josh tried his best to stay still and focused in the moment.

“I’m fine. What was it that you wanted?” Josh grit the words through his teeth, waving a hand as if he could dismiss the panic rising within his chest. Tyler gave him a look. Josh shot back a glare.

“About the plan to get your people back.” Tyler said shortly. Josh sighed and nodded, putting a hand to his head, slowly coming back down from the heights of anxiety. The plan, that made him feel better.

“Right. We sent out scouts to gather intel. Should be back within a couple days. Then, hopefully, we have enough information to plan an extraction.” Josh said this as he looked around the mess hall, looking anywhere but at Tyler. He could see Tyler nod out of the corner of his eye, and that was good enough. 

“Can I join?”

Josh froze, looking back at Tyler finally. His anxiety spiked, then settled, thinking about Tyler on the battlefield, possibly getting hurt or killed, and then Tyler next to him, smiling as they shot down Dema soldiers.

“Do you know how to shoot a gun?” Was his reply, voice cool like steel. 

“No.” Tyler said, sheepishly. Josh sighed, on the edge of about to be an asshole, but he reigned it back in.

“You could die.” He said, more soft this time, unable to stop the look of hurt on his face.

“So could you.” Tyler said quietly, hard for Josh to hear, but hard enough to make Josh’s heart hurt.

“I’ve made my peace with that a long time ago.” Josh sniffed, looking away from Tyler’s sad eyes, a small smile on his face. “I’d rather die protecting my people than in the hands of those monsters.”

“Yeah, but they need you, Josh. I’ve heard the way they talk about you. Sure, you’re Second in the pack. But Clancy isn’t as close to the people as you are. They would be devastated to lose you.” Josh could read between the lines, and it made him feel weird. Emotions… weren’t his thing, not with Alphas. 

“But, I barely know you.” Josh gulped, facing it head on. Tyler looked back, surprised for a second that he would be so forward.

“Um. True. But… I… would rather not see you hurt. So I could get to know you more. You dying isn’t going to help that.” Tyler had a tinge of pink on his cheeks, making his tone light with a soft smile. Josh choked down the butterflies trying to fly up his throat. “By the way, how is your shoulder?”

Josh looked at the bandage he put on it this morning. He had got stitches when they arrived at the camp, and it was cleaned and patched up. A dull ache throbbed, only sharp when he moved it too wildly. “I’ve had worse.” Josh shrugged with his uninjured shoulder. 

“That’s not really reassuring,” Tyler muttered, a frown tugging at his lips.

Josh sighed, rubbing his eyes in frustration. He was so tired. Going up on anxiety and crashing down always made him exhausted. “Look, the only thing I can do here is have you start training. You can become a Bandito if you complete it, but it takes months. We’re looking to have Ned and the rest out by the end of the week.” Tyler’s eyes were tired as well, dark puffy bags under them and Josh knew his were worse. They looked at him softly, and it made him want to squirm. He shifted in his seat, looking around quickly before leaning forward on the table. “Listen, I have to do this. It’s my job. I was the one who sent Ned out there. I need to be the one to get him back.”

They were silent as they stared at each other. Josh hated that he wanted to reach across and take Tyler’s hand. He needed comfort, one of his many Omega traits he couldn’t shake. Tyler eventually nodded, eyes determined although he wrung his hands together on the table.

“Alright. When does training start?”