Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Most of the pack is out, doing God knows what and I sit in the living room in my PJs, on the floor, absolutely content to have the Playstation to myself.
Of course my peaceful, lazy state doesn’t last long.

I can smell my alpha before I hear or see him, being perfectly attuned to him since I hit puberty and presented as an omega a couple of years ago, and I switch the console off mid-game.

‘Boy.’, his deep voice reaches me from the doorway and I sit up straight and incline my head. ‘The weather is nice. Go out with the baby. And wear something appropriate for a change.’

I sigh inwardly and scramble to stand up awkwardly. My grown-up body steel feels brand-new after I had a growth-spurt with sixteen.
Other teenagers would be glad to not look like children anymore, but I hated it and still hate it. I was the perfect cute, little omega, size-wise at least and now I almost look like a beta.

I dress in a tight, white tank top and light jeans shorts and go to the nursery to get the baby out of his playpen. He looks at me with wide, blue eyes and makes some noises. I hug him for a while, sniffing his neck and swing him around, which is fun for both of us, before I dress him in a little hat and jacket and put him in the pram.
He smiles at me and I have to smile back. It’s not his fault, after all. He’s my family and I love him very much, even if I didn’t have those stupid paternal omega instincts.

And if the baby wasn’t here, alpha would still have found a reason to make me go out, so he can spend the afternoon with the older omegas.
We walk into the park on our usual route and I talk to the baby with some high-pitched noises that make him smile at me and try some noises himself.

I barely concentrate where we are going. My feet know the route by heart and I try to look up as little as possible. I hate to see the stares I get. Of course I wear cute and revealing clothes when I’m out, because my alpha and society want me to - well, mostly because of my alpha, though -, but I don’t think that it works in my favour.

I attract the wrong kind of attention, because I just look wrong.
If I’d dress like a beta, nobody would notice me, but as an omega I confuse people.

All the omegas in my father’s pack are blonde, but I came out strawberry blonde or ginger, as some like to call it when he isn’t around. Also I must have inherited some of his alpha physique because I’m way to muscular for an omega.

Alphas that are attracted to me when I’m alone without the pack are always perverts. I hate that I can smell their arousal.
I used to look up, to see who was aroused by me and I always met the leering faces of some middle-aged men. I soon decided not to give a fuck and ignore them.

I have to push the pram around a group of men that is waiting in front of the hot-dog stall and I hold my breath.
I hate the mixture of sizzling meat and aroused, sweaty alphas and betas that always almost crushes me when I walk by that stall.

When I start breathing again, I have to stop walking. The baby makes a startled noise, not used to changes in our routine. I smell- I‘m not sure what I smell.
I do smell arousal, but it smells clean and nice and – yummy? Not at all like the sweaty, disgusting and way too powerful arousal most alphas normally give up.

The arousal I smell is for sure not directed at me.
Nevertheless, I carefully look around under my lashes. If that is how most alphas smell for most omegas, then I suddenly understand the mutual attraction that always puzzled me before.

I just have to know what this nice-smelling alpha looks like.
Suddenly another smell interferes with the nice one and I hear the baby make a startled noise. I tense and look at the pram. An older beta woman stands there and almost has her head in the pram.
‘Aren’t you a cutie.’, she says to the baby and he starts bawling.

I take a step back, violently pulling the pram after me, before I can even think about proper omega behaviour.
Baby abruptly stops crying, startled by the movement. The woman looks at me with a disapproving frown.

‘You’re young to have a baby.’, she says. ‘Even by omega standards. It’s good he didn’t inherit your abysmal hair colour.’, she tells me.
I’m a little startled. Why does she think she can walk up to a strange omega and give them her opinion? But I remember my place by now and don’t reply, lowering my gaze.

The woman sees that as the sign of my submission it is and takes a step to the pram. I hiss and I look at her. I’m shocked by myself, I never hissed at somebody before!
Of course looking at betas or –God forbid- strange alphas is also not polite, but I at least have already been known for not observing this particular social rule to the point.

The woman isn’t impressed. She looks at me over her glasses and her frown has deepened.
‘Now, boy, that’s no good behaviour for an omega! An un-collared one at that. Do I have to report you?’

I feel the blood leaving my head and start to tremble. If she reports me I could end up in custody at some training centre, where they will try to reprogram me into perfect behaviour. I heard stories about that place.

The woman looks oddly pleased with herself and again takes a step to the pram. It’s not about looking at the baby anymore, it’s about showing me my place and I know that I should just let her, but I just can’t let someone who isn’t pack handle the baby.

‘Don’t touch him!’, I blurt out and she pauses and looks at me sternly.
‘Please.’, I remember being polite, finally! ‘Please, ma’am, please don’t touch the baby.’

She looks at me like I’m a puzzle she’s trying to solve and I’m near a panic attack.
I’m way over my head in this situation. I can’t let her touch the baby, but I can’t just disobey someone higher than me in public.
It’s pretty much a lose-lose situation and I’m near tears.

I close my eyes and inhale deeply to stable myself. The aroused scent I noticed earlier is still mingling in the air and helps grounding me, too.
‘Grandma.’, an authoritative voice says calmly. ‘You know omegas are protective of babies. You didn’t even ask before you attacked the poor child.’

I open my eyes to see an alpha standing next to the woman. He’s about my age and not very tall for an alpha. His black hair is long and tied back into a ponytail. His hand is on his grandmother’s arm to stop her from coming nearer and I just feel very, very thankful.

He looks at me and I look into his almost black eyes before I remember my place and incline my head. I hear him sigh.
‘I’m sorry for my grandmother.’, he says. ‘Please, go home before anything else happens.’
I nod, turn around and nearly run, as fast as I can while pushing the pram. I really don’t want anything else to happen.

He didn’t say it in a threatening voice.
But that could just be because he knows he’s threating enough when he uses a normal voice. He is an alpha, after all. It was pretty decent of him to apologize, though.

I put the pram in its place in front of our door and open it. The house smells of sex, but also of cooking, so at least not all omegas are included in the alpha-prescribed afternoon’s activities anymore.

The newest omega rushes out of the kitchen after I closed the door.
Of course, his sense of smell is super heightened since he gave birth, so he was alerted to our arrival and maybe to the stink of fear I give up.

‘What happened? Is he ok?’, he takes the baby from me and checks him out. The baby croons at his father and tries to grab his hair with his little, fat fingers.
The omega sees that he’s unhurt and looks up to me.
‘Are you ok?’, he asks me and I shrug. His concern for the baby alerted the rest of the pack to our arrival as well.
The alpha’s door opens and he exits with my father and the second omega. I lower my head when he approaches me.

‘How did you manage to get into a state at the park?’, he asks.
I swallow and clasp my hands behind my back. ‘I’m sorry, Sir. There was a beta woman. She wanted to touch the baby.’
The newest omega makes a noise at that and alpha must have looked at him sharply, because I smell a spike of fear and then he vanishes into the nursery.

‘What did you do then?’
‘I- I hissed at her.’, I say meekly. ‘And then she said she’d report me.’
My omega father makes a concerned noise and a step forward but alpha extends his arm to stop him. ‘So why are you here and not at the police station?’, he asks calmly.
‘I- I apologised of course. And then I asked her nicely to not touch the baby. And then her alpha grandson came and told her to let it be and told me to go home.’

It’s quiet and I hate that I can’t see their faces and first and foremost, alpha’s face. But at the same time I’m very glad for the social rules that don’t force me to look at anyone when I’m ashamed.

Alpha must be able to smell that I’m ashamed and sighs.
‘Go to your room and stay there until dinner.’, he tells me.

I lie down on my bed and am glad for the very, very light punishment I got. I would have gone to my room either way. And I’m not even banned from dinner.
I replay the situation with the woman in my head again and again. There’s no way I could have behaved better.
It was just my instincts, that maybe were drawn out from being alone with baby plus the nice alpha smell that made me react like that. I just have to hope to never see that woman again.

The thought makes me sad and I’m confused, until the conscious part of my brain realises that I will also never see the alpha again then. I try to remember the components of his scent, but I can’t. At least I can remember exactly what he looked like.

I moan and look down on me to suddenly detect that I undressed and started touching myself between my legs. I never before felt the urge to do that.
I stop and try to just lie there but as soon as I start thinking of the alpha again, I catch myself doing it again.

I remember how he put his hand – it was a nice hand with long fingers- on his grandmother’s arm. I wish he would’ve touched me.
Even if it was to punish me. As long as it’s his skin on my skin it would’ve been perfect.

I try to at least cover my nakedness with the blanket but I’m so hot that I immediately kick it off the bed.
I shortly wonder if I’m getting sick but then I have other things on my mind.

I feel -horny? But in a strange way. Ok, jerking off it is then. I try to bring it behind me and I reach the edge very fast but then it stops.
It feels great, of course and I’m hot and panting and very aroused, but I just can’t come.

Meanwhile a hollow, empty feeling starts to build in me. I stop jerking of, puzzled and touch the space between my balls and my ass again. Something seems to draw me there. It’s extremely sensitive and suddenly my fingertip slides into a wet, hot entrance.
I’m startled, but at the same time it feels so good that I just have to keep doing it. I need to be touched there!

After a while I have four fingers in to the brim and I whine, because I need more but I can’t put anything more in. I stop to think. Maybe I could get a cucumber from the kitchen?
That’s when it hits me! I’m thinking about using sex toys!

I groan and remove my hand to cover my face with my hands, but then I don’t, because my fingers are really wet and they smell weird.
Fuck! I’m going into my first heat. And from the opening between my legs you can tell that it’s increasing very quickly. I groan again and my omega father bursts in and then stops mid-move. It looks almost funny.

‘Oh sorry, I thought I heard-‘ he says and starts retreating.
‘Daddy! Daddy, I need an alpha.’, I whimper and he tenses and his eyes widen.

‘Oh darling, you’re going into your first heat.’ He sits at the edge of the mattress and I should be ashamed that my father sees me like this but I don’t have the emotional capacity left. All I care about is being filled.

Thank God Dad understands me without telling him and pulls a carton from under the bed.
Of course! I totally forgot that he got me toys when he had “the talk” with me after I started puberty.

‘I’m going to tell alpha. Everything will be alright.’, Daddy says and leaves.
I don’t even care, I just found a large dildo that finally will satisfy the urge to be filled.

It’s working better than my hand at first, but I still feel the need to be filed by an alpha – by The alpha- and that scares me.
So I’m kinda glad to be distracted when there’s a knock on my door.

My alpha enters with the doctor, another alpha, and their combined presence makes me sit up and bow my head instead of trying to fuck myself into oblivion.
Alpha sighs and sits down on my mattress. He makes me lean against him so the doctor is able to look between my legs and examine me.

He’s cold and distant as always. Even though he is an alpha, I don’t want him to touch me there, but my alpha’s presence makes me obedient and I let him.
Finally, the doctor stops. ‘I’d advise you to supress it for now.’, he tells my alpha and when he nods, he get me a pill from his bag and makes me swallow it.

‘When did the heat start, boy?’, he then asks me. I shrug. I lost every sense of time.
‘After I went into my room, sir.’ I reply meekly. ‘I don’t know how long ago that was.’

The doctor looks at alpha who says. ‘It was three hours ago.’ The doctor looks impressed.
‘That’s a strong heat then.’, he says and looks at me again.

‘So, how did you meet the alpha that brought the heat on?’, he doesn’t have to end the sentence with ‘you little whore’, because I hear it nevertheless and look at alpha, concerned about the implication, but he just watches me neutrally.

‘Do you think it was the boy from the park?’, he asks me and I nod. I must be. I imagined it was him fucking me. And I never smelled someone like that, ever.
‘Do you remember anything about him?’, he asks. ‘Anything that could help us find out who he is?’

I shake my head. I’m so stupid! Here I am, having an alpha that would probably give me to the alpha that induced my first heat and I don’t know how to find the guy in question. So he has to give me to another one.

Heat suppressants aren’t done for long in our social circle. You go into heat and you have to join another pack, that’s how it is.
I’m lucky that my first heat started when I’m technically an adult, at least.

I start to cry and the doctor frowns and looks exactly like the woman from the park at that moment.
‘Why are you crying, boy?’, he asks harshly and I start to sob. My alpha sighs and makes me slip from his lap to the mattress.

‘Be calm!’ he says with his Voice and I feel a wave of calm rush through my highly strung body and stop crying.
He pets my head. ‘Sleep, son. And don’t worry. You know I wouldn’t give you to a cruel alpha.’

I nod and sniff. ‘Thank you, father’, I say meekly and he kisses my cheek and leaves the room.
I hear the doctor say ‘I could propose a solution, Sir.’, then I am out.

Chapter Text

The omega looks at me with wide, green eyes and I get the urge to just take him home with me and protect him – okay, and maybe fuck him - forever.
Of course I do nothing of the sort because I’m not a fucking animal even though I am an alpha.

I can smell his thankfulness that slowly replaces the panic in his scent. The anxiety is still there.
I don’t care. Every emotion he has smells utterly lovely to me.
I do care that he’s not feeling well, though.

His beautiful eyes vanish out of my sight when he bows his head, making it clear that he respects me as a superior.
I’m a little sad about that, but at least his hair is equally gorgeous as his eyes.

I don’t understand how grandmother could insult it mere minutes ago.
‘I’m sorry for my grandmother.’, I tell him. ‘Please, go home before anything else happens.’

He nods and takes off quickly and I curse myself. I don’t even know his name!
I shake my head. What would I do with his name? He smelled like he’s part of a pack and he had a baby with him. I have no business finding out who he is whatsoever.

I turn and flee into the opposite direction before the alpha in me starts to win and I chase and kidnap the omega.
I can feel grandma stare at me, but she doesn’t say anything, while she tries to keep up with my quick steps.

I thought the feeling would weaken when I can’t smell the omega anymore, but his scent is still lingering in my nose when we get home.
I feel very high-strung and I’m out of breath even though I didn’t walk that fast.

Father comes out of his office and I incline my head to him.
‘What’s wrong with you?’, he asks me and grandmother answers for me. ‘Some impolite little omega whore got him into a rut.’

I spin around to her and growl. She just raises her brows at me.
Father sighs. ‘Go to your room, boy. You can get it out of your system there or I drive you to the brothel.’
I run into my room and soon lie on the bed and jerk off. I don’t want to go to the brothel. Father made me go there when I had my first official rut and it’s just sick.

All this omegas that are in a chemically induced heat all the time and I was too weak to be able to resist them and felt very ashamed of myself afterwards.
The thought makes my still my hand for a second.
I haven’t been I a rut since then. I've been playing with the thought that it was the horrible experience that just somehow differed my sense of smell so I didn’t find most omegas attractive.

But maybe I’m just one of the alphas with a special taste. Well, that’s good then. It makes the chance of meeting an omega that makes me go into this state close to nil.
And I was able to control myself and not just grab him then and there so I know I’ll be able to control myself in the future, too. I’m a little proud of myself and smile.

Then I realize that I hear my father and grandmother talk in the kitchen. As always, I’m not sure if they just don’t care that I can hear them or forgot about it.
Grandma recounts what happened in the park but of course in her story she’s setting a perfectly decent example while the omega is behaving like a wild dog.
She tells my father that he was the ugliest thing she’s ever seen with his red hair and his build and I almost stand up to defend him.

‘Red hair you say?’, Father repeats and something in his voice makes me pause.
‘Yes, yes, he was a ginger Omega. Have you ever heard of something like that?’, grandma tells him excitedly.

‘Was he around Marco’s age?’, Father asks and I guess grandma nods, because I can’t hear her answer.
‘And the baby was his?’, father asks and I stop breathing to hear grandmother’s reply.
She seems to pout. ‘How should I know? He behaved obsessive enough and he pushed the pram. But he didn’t say it was his.’

They are interrupted by the phone. Father answers it.
‘Is he, now?’, he says amused. ‘I figured. - No, no, I’ll be there shortly and then I’ll tell you about it.’

He yells through the door that he’s going to visit a patient. I’m to behave and be polite to my grandmother. I decide to stay in my room.
I imagine the intense green eyes and how he hissed at my grandmother and jerk off until my penis feels raw.

Chapter Text

When I wake up, my omega father is next to me and hugs me. It’s early morning and my stomach rumbles. He opens his eyes and smiles at me.
It’s a sad smile though. I have a dreadful feeling in my gut when I see it.

He stands up and extents his hand. I follow him into the kitchen.
He closes the door and makes me a sandwich and a hot cocoa, like when I was a child and couldn’t sleep because I had to go to bed without dinner.

I take a sip of the hot, chocolaty oat milk. ‘Dad, what’s wrong? Am I in trouble?’
He pauses and massages the place between his eyes before sitting down.
‘You’re not in trouble, darling. I’m just worried about you. We omegas never stop worrying about our children.’, he smiles at me sadly again and then takes my hand.

‘It’s all going so fast.’, he says and brushes the hair that escaped from my messy bun out of my face.
‘What is?’, I ask and I have a feeling I know the answer already. I just went into heat, after all.

Dad sighs. ‘Your father found you an alpha.’
I put the cup down. ‘So soon?’
Dad nods. ‘Yes. Th- The doctor will give you to his son. You have this morning to pack and say your goodbyes before you get quarantined.’

I need some time to process this. I knew on some level that I would have to move out sooner or later.
And of course I also knew what it entails. And yes, of course my heat sped the whole thing up, but-

‘The doctor?’, I ask. Dad nods and looks as desperate as I feel.
‘I’m sorry, son. He was quite adamant about it all. Your father says he knows the doctor’s son and he’s decent. He won’t hit you.’

I know I should be glad to hear this. There are a lot of omegas that are abused by their alphas and I won’t be one of them.
But living with a person that cold and distant and persisting on good behaviour all the time…

I can’t imagine that the apple fell far from the tree. It never does, in my opinion. Most of my alpha brothers are exactly like our father after all.
There are very few exceptions from that rule I know. Like, myself.

‘Does- does he know I have red hair?’. I ask and Dad sighs and pats my hair.
‘I don’t think they found that important, darling.’

Now it’s my turn to sigh. Great! Some upper-class, strict alpha will expect to get a blonde, petite omega bride in a couple of days and will have the disappointment of the century!
What a good start for a marriage! I have another thought.

‘How many omegas does he have?’ Dad looks close to tears. But he doesn’t cry. He has very pale skin and alpha says that crying makes him look ugly for hours.
He stands up to pace the room instead.

‘I don’t know anything about him, sweetie. Alpha- your father, is very secretive about all this. He seemed very smug though, so I think he made you a good deal.’
I scoff. A good deal for him doesn’t mean it’s a good deal for me.

Dad sits down next to me and hugs me. He sniffs my neck and I lean against him.
After a while he pats my shoulder. ‘Let’s pack darling. Then you can say your goodbyes when everyone’s awake.’ I nod glumly and we go into my room.

I don’t really own anything. The games and consoles and the computer are the pack’s after all, so my clothes and couple of books are packed very quickly.
I don’t have any jewellery or make-up. It will be my alpha’s task to give me beautiful presents when he wants me to present his status in society.

I sit in the kitchen when the others slowly get up and have breakfast. The betas are there first. They eat breakfast and talk to me good-naturedly.
They always liked me and I would call some of them friends. Most just say goodbye and go about their day after breakfast, but the couple of betas close to my age hug and scent-mark me for the last time.

After that, the omegas slowly get up. They try to be distant to not make it harder on themselves and I don’t take it personally.
I saw them behave that way towards my sister a couple of years ago. I behaved that way myself, after all. And she was even married of to another country. I may at least have the chance to see some of them again.

I almost start to break down when I say goodbye to the baby. Alpha growls at me and I quickly try to collect myself.
I know that it’s an easy way out of distress when he uses his alpha Voice on me, but I hate to be controlled that way.

I hug the youngest omega my father has – now the youngest omega, period, until the baby will present - and then say goodbye to my Dad.
I’m glad we spent the morning together and had one last breakfast, just the two of us. He hugs me close and scents me.

‘I’ll see you in a couple of days.’, he whispers into my ear and I nod. Of course. He’s the one that will get me ready for my alpha.
I hold on to the knowledge as I leave the house with my alpha father.

We are quiet on the car ride, except from me sniffing from time to time. He puts his gigantic hand on my leg.
‘Don’t worry, son.’, he says gruffly. ‘I picked you a good one, really.’

I’m glad he tries to console me, but how the hell will he know what’s good for me? Nevertheless, I nod meekly.
‘Thank you, alpha.’, I say.
‘Oh, I’m just your father now, kid. Better get used to calling another man alpha.’

I turn my head to him. ‘Could you tell me anything about him? Please? Father?’
‘We discussed not to tell you anything, to not influence you beforehand. It will be quite interesting to see how you two manage.’, he replies, thoughtful.

I can’t stop a frown. He talks like I’m some kind of experiment. I don’t like that.
Then he seems to have reached a decision. ‘Well, I can tell you that he’s young and he’s not as old-fashioned as his father.’

I’m astonished. Sometimes my alpha father knows exactly what to tell me to make me feel better. I don’t take him for the empathic kind, normally.
Why should he be, he’s an alpha? They rule and protect. Being kind and welcoming is the omegas’ job.
‘Thank you, father.’, I say quietly and he squeezes my leg before returning his hand to the steering wheel.

We park in front of a hotel and he has me wait while he goes to the reception. The hotel is a nice one, it’s clean and the staff seems friendly and professional.
So at least the doctor isn’t cheap about his son.

It’s traditionally the father of the alpha that pays for the ready-making of the omega. Even if the alpha is already grown up.
I know this because my father had a really intense discussion with the new omega’s father when he bought him.

Father goes with me into the elevator and leads me to a room at the end of a hallway. He holds the door open for me.
The room is huge, with a TV, some gaming consoles- do I detect some of the games I like to play at home?- a bed, a couch and a desk.
The bathroom has a tub as well as a shower.

Father puts my luggage on the bed and rubs his hand across his hair. He seems uncertain all of the sudden and it makes my chest tighten.
He clears his throat. ‘So, son. You know the drill. You will stay here for a week. No going out, no talking to anybody. The betas brought you some stuff so you don’t get too bored. But don’t play all the time. I want you to shower or soak in the tube twice a day. You have to get rid of the pack smell.’ I nod. Every child knows that!

‘The staff is instructed to bring you food three times a day until the fifth day. Then you won’t eat until you have met your alpha.’ I swallow.
I also knew this, in theory, but being the one who’s told to starve for two days is different.

‘If you have a medical issue, you tell the reception and they call me. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear from you. The telephone is off-limits.’ I nod.
I already had to give him my smart-phone and post that I’m not available any longer on every social network.

Father sighs and then comes over to hug me. It’s a rare occurrence and I melt into his touch. He touches his omega spouses a lot but he has been very distant with me since I reached puberty.
He sniffs my neck and I whimper. He makes a shushing noise that I never even heard him make to the baby.

‘Everything will be fine, son.’, he tells me. ‘Your dad will join you in a week and get you ready. Then I will drive you to your new alpha. You’ll be doing great. You’re a good boy and I’m very proud of you.’
He kisses my forehead and then leaves abruptly while I just stand there, astonished, for at least ten more minutes.

I unpack and shower before I start playing to my heart’s content. It’s different from playing at home, though.
I cherished a moment to myself then, because I knew I had little time before another pack member would be home, too.
Knowing that I will be alone for a week feels shit, even when I finally have the time to finish a game.

The week flies by very fast. I get into a routine of sleeping late, eating breakfast, soaking in the tub, eating lunch, gaming or reading, eating dinner, taking a shower and gaming until late again.
The pack smell is vanishing quickly, thanks to the expensive shower gel in the bathroom that’s developed especially for transitioning omegas. Which I somehow became.

I giggle nervously when I detect that I don’t smell like the pack anymore and read the packaging. The giggling becomes a hysteric crying fit in the shower.
Afterwards I look into the mirror. Crying made me feel less on edge, but now I have a headache and I look like shit.
Great, one thing I inherit from my beautiful, blonde omega father and it’s that. Thank you, universe!

The two last days are the hardest. I’m bored, I’m anxious and now I’m also hungry. I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin.
I haven’t used my voice for a week – well, ok, except for yelling at the screen sometimes- and I haven’t touched another human being for a week and it just feels wrong!
It makes my skin crawl with the need to be touched.

Of course I know what the ritual does to an omega. I’m meant to crave my alpha’s touch so I accept him quickly and without drama.
I’m also meant to crave his company because we are not meant for isolation. There’s a reason many of us live in packs or huge families, after all.

Urgh, families! I so hope that his other omegas are nice. There has been some jealousy in our pack of course. Especially when the new omega arrived.
But all in all we always tried to make everyone feel welcome. I know that there are packs were things are different and there’s a strict pecking order amongst the omegas.

As probably the youngest and ugliest I’d be their little bitch if they are like that. I also hope that he doesn’t want to get me pregnant immediately.
I love children, but it hasn’t been that long since I was a child myself. I’d prefer to have more time.

Of course I’d also preferred to have more time before I went into heat because of some random stranger and then get married to another random stranger so I guess fate is not really in my favour, regarding things like that.

Chapter Text

I’m woken from an exhausted sleep – jerking of almost violently does that to you – when the door to our apartment closes.
A short while later, father knocks on my door. I make sure I’m decent – viz. my penis is inside my trousers and yell ‘Yes?’.

Father enters my room and sits down at my desk. It’s untidy and he raises his brows.
‘You’re going to have to be more neat when you live in a bigger place.’, he says. I frown but don’t react. That’s a weird thing to say.

I’m a student and absolutely dependent on living with my father until I graduate and can start working.
I do a little work, helping him, and he even pays me, but the money is never enough to get my own place.

I would have gotten one, if it were. It’s not that I especially like living with him. Two very different alphas in one household is awkward enough.
But my strict and meddling grandmother in the apartment right next to ours is the cherry on top.

Father scoffs when he realizes that he won’t get an answer. He stretches and I get a whiff of some pack smell.
His patient must have been from a pack, then. The smell is oddly familiar. Must have been someone who’s sick often.

‘How’s your rut?’, father asks and I shrug. ‘It’s mostly over.’
I’m not exactly lying. Is my penis hard and red and needs to be touched? Ok, yes, it is. But jerking off a couple of times will suffice.
Yes, it will be unpleasant after, but still better than the feeling after father makes me go to the brothel to knot some omega who’s a stranger and doesn’t smell that good.

He looks at me like he knows exactly that I’m not telling him the whole truth but then he shrugs.
‘I made some arrangements for you.’

I sit up straighter. That doesn’t sound good. The last time he made some arrangements for me he made me go to said brothel.
The time before he tried to make me go to a boarding school after- no, I don’t want to go there.

I shake my head to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts.
‘What kind of arrangements?’ I ask and I hate how meekly I sound.

I’m not one of those toxic alphas that have to be the strongest and loudest all the time but it would be nice if I could stand up to my father from time to time.
In ancient times I would have fought him for his position years ago.

Ok, that would be a bit over the top. We don’t even have a pack, so where’s the benefit from that? Also I would have to pay all the bills if I won. No, thanks!
It still rubs me the wrong way that I have to live with him and his bigoted views and listen to him and obey him.

I’m jolted out of my thoughts when father replies to my question. ‘I found the omega that made you go into rut. He’s on the market!’, he tells me.
I don’t know what to feel. My hands cramp and all my blood flows into my dick. It was hard before, but thinking about the omega and that he doesn’t belong to anyone yet triggers a mighty response from my libido.

Father watches me and smirks. ‘I knew you lied.’, he tells me. ‘Please, go, father!’, I pant. I’m so close to start jerking of in front of him and I’d love to have some dignity left.
He stands up and goes to my door. ‘You will come out when you’re finished and we talk. If you haven’t finished by evening I will drag you to the brothel, boy. Rutting alone for more than an afternoon isn’t healthy.’

I whimper and beg him to leave and he does, finally! I throw my blanket off as soon as the door closes and start working. It’s more painful than pleasurable by now but I just have to cum again and again while I have the omegas scent in my nose and his green eyes and red hair in my mind.

I imagine what his slick smells like and how soft his skin is and how he looks up to me and calls me alpha and begs me to knot him. I knot and cum while I think about this and I think I even black out for a while.

It gets better after a couple of hours. But mentioning the omega could trigger something, so I stick a post-it note to my door, telling father that I’m out of rut and need to sleep it off and then go to sleep.

Judging by the wet spot in my bed the next morning I did ejaculate again in my sleep. My penis hurts and I wince while I dress in some loose PJ bottoms.
I sniff around the apartment. Father’s scent is stale, so he let me sleep and went to work. Brilliant!

I go into the kitchen to drink some tea and make some porridge. I try to be quiet, even though I’m alone in the apartment.
It’s not unheard of that grandmother comes by while I’m alone in the kitchen. She pretends she wants to help me and just starts cooking eggs or sausages then. I’m completely content with my porridge, but does she listen to me?

She’s always telling me how alphas are some kind of God-given gift to the world and we have every right to take control, while omegas are just whores that need to be taken care off by us, yada-yada, but then she doesn’t listen to me, her alpha grandson at all.
I roll my eyes at the thought and take the porridge into my room.

I tidy up a little – it really looks like shit in here- and wash up an assortment of bowls and mugs in various states of mould when father comes back.
He’s whistling. That’s unusual.

‘Ah, you took my advice and tidied up.’, he says and I roll my eyes.
‘I would’ve done so anyway.’, I mutter and he laughs and pats my shoulder in passing. That’s weird.
I frown and look after him.

‘Father? What did you want to talk about?’, I ask him because I need to get this whole awkward situation behind me, fast.
He does something in his office and then sits down at the kitchen table with some papers.

'Do you remember what I told you yesterday?’
I shrug. ‘That my room needs tidying?’

‘No, after.’ I think about that, but I just remember than I really needed him to leave my room so I could touch myself.
I feel myself blush and shrug. ‘No, I don’t remember.’

‘Do you remember what induced your rut?’ he asks. I nod. I don’t want to talk about him. He’s private! He’s none of father’s business!
I can feel my lips moving to bare my teeth and I turn to the sink again. My behaviour is ridiculous and I don’t want him to see me like this.

Of course he can smell the anxiety and protectiveness on me and chuckles. ‘Ok, so you remember the red-head, then. Good.
I told you yesterday that I know who he is and that he’s on the market.’

I spin around and stare at father. He smirks. ‘That got your attention, huh? Sit down.’
He nods at the other chair in our kitchen and I dry my hands and sit down, still watching him.

He shuffles with the papers and pushes some over the table to me.
‘It’s like this. He’s available and you’re very hard to please. So I bought him for you. All you have to do is sign this.’

I -, he-, what?! Is this some kind of dream? I just stare at him. He rolls his eyes at me and that makes me come to my senses. ‘Father, I won’t buy a person and you know it.’
He sighs as if I’m the most difficult person ever. Then he leans down and gets something out of his bag. I hear rustling and he seems to open a plastic bag. The smell strikes me abruptly.

I growl at father. Where is my omega? Is he hiding him from me? Did he hurt him? Father chuckles and I bare my teeth.
He bares his teeth at me and I wince and look down. Something rustles again and the scent gets weaker.
I feel like I just woke up and look at him, frowning. What just happened?

Father grins at me and there’s something resembling pride in his eyes.
‘So it is him.’, he says smugly. ‘You went full alpha for him. I didn’t even know you had it in you, son. Sign the paper and he’s yours.’

I shake my head to clear it. It only works a little. ‘I, ehm, what – and then?’ I finally manage to get out.
‘You inherit your mother’s house when you start your own pack. It was in your grandfather’s will. I just arranged for it to have it cleaned. You can start living there tomorrow. Next week your omega will be delivered to you.’

He can’t be serious? That’s a huge step. And he wants to decide it for me? Yes, my instinct is running wild at the mention of the omega but that’s- that’s crazy! And inhumane. I won’t rip him from his pack so he can live with me, a stranger with the rudest grandmother alive!

‘But father.’, I try to sound stern and reasonable. ‘I have the right to choose my omega myself.’
If I hadn’t, he surely would’ve had me start my first pack with 15, when I had my first rut. Well, officially. I didn’t tell him about the truly first.
Mother was still there then and I didn’t need him for stuff like that.

‘But, son, you did choose him. You’re extremely compatible. Look at the effect he had on you. You didn’t even touch him. And right now you just smelled an old shirt of his and wanted to challenge me over him.’

Well, sadly, he has a point. It’s very difficult to discuss things with him. He has the ability to always sound right even though most things he says are crazy and out-dated.
I try it from another angle. Deep inside I know that I have already lost.

‘But- he’s part of a pack.’
Father shakes his head. ‘No, he’s the son of a pack. And he’s even of age. It’s time for him.’

‘And the baby?’
‘Not his.’
Oh.
Huh.

I still feel very bad about the fact that the boy will be taken from his family to live with me- a total stranger.
And I’m not even an impressive alpha. I’m just some guy. Who happens to also be an alpha.

But the alpha in me is taking control. The scent is still in the air and I just want to have the omega. Protect the omega. Control the omega. Bite him. Nest with him. Breed him.
Fuck! I’m already looking forward to being his alpha, if I’m honest with myself. I don’t know what that makes me. But most alphas are total assholes, why should I be an exception?

And it surely has its perks to live in mom’s house, which is a good half hour away from my father. And I still wouldn’t have to pay rent.
But-

‘What about Uni?’ I ask.
Father shrugs. ‘You have a lot of semester breaks. And you can take leave for a couple of weeks when you have a new omega. You can resume your studies once he settled in.’

‘I can’t move to campus with an omega, father.’
‘Then leave him here, I don’t care.’

Huh. He must be crazy. ‘I’d never leave an omega with you and you know it!’, I say coldly.
He normally wouldn’t let me talk to him like that but it’s a special subject, so he just frowns instead of yelling at me or becoming violent.

He finds a way to punish me, tough:
‘I think you have enough information about the omega for now. You will meet him next week. He’s getting ready as we speak. And if you get cold feet I’ll be glad to take him off your hands.’

My breath hitches. That’s a serious threat and it does what he meant for it to do. It gets me in line.
‘I will take him, father.’, I say darkly and sign the paper.

Chapter Text

After a week I wake up because of the sound of the door closing softly.
I was feeling so weak the day before, I even went to bed early, so at least I had enough sleep, although it’s early.

I sit up and see the smiling face of my omega father. He has some luggage with him and I jump up to help him.
We’re not supposed to talk and I know that he’d never disobey his alpha, but his gentle touch to my head and smile tell me everything I need to know right now.

He prepares the tub and lays out some things on the desk while I soak. Then he comes over and starts washing me.
It’s like I’m a child again except I feel really uncomfortable when he washes me between my legs. I don’t remember that I cared about that as a child.

When I’m scrubbed raw he has me come out and rubs me dry with a huge towel before he makes me sit on the chair.
He massages some oil into my hair and then pulls it into a bun.

He massages some oil into my face, but thankfully this time he gives me the bottle to apply it to the rest of my body myself.
He applies the slightest hint of make-up on my face. I’m glad it’s not more. I’d love to hide my freckles but the alpha will see them sooner or later, so why not sooner?

My eyes pop either way.
I represented the pack as much as the other omegas did until last week, so my father took care that I always had perfect nails, eyebrows and coloured lashes.
I am dressed in light, white linen trousers that cling to my ass and legs and a white kimono style shirt.

Dad blow-dries the bun on my head and then opens it. My hair falls in soft curls down to below my shoulder blades.
He smiles at me and kisses my forehead, while he arranges it with pins so it won’t fall into my eyes all the time.

Then he gets a little black jewellery box out of his bag. So the alpha has some family jewellery he wants me to wear.
It must be a good family then. The box is even custom-built, with a big, ornate G on it. Or maybe a C. I can’t see it very well.

Like every omega from the upper classes, I have holes in my ears, nipples and nose to be decorated as my alpha sees fit.
Dad puts some small stones in my ears and an even smaller one in my nose. I have to scrunch up my nose because it tickles and he giggles at me.

Then he adorns me with a delicate bracelet and two ankle bracelets, also decorated with the same stones. They look nice and precious without being too much.
My left arm stays empty until my alpha will gift me a watch during our first year together, as is tradition.

I see father’s signet ring on my finger and start to pull it off, but Dad stops me with his hand and shakes his head.
He touches my shoulders to make me stand up and smiles as he looks me up and down. He leads me to a mirror and I have to confess I look pretty decent.

Beta decent, though, not omega decent.
More isn’t possible. Either the alpha likes me like I am or he never will. I feel like I have a stone in my stomach and am suddenly glad that I haven’t eaten for two days. At least I can’t start to vomit in the most improper moment, then.

Dad squeezes my hand, then makes me wash my hands with soap before he leads me into the lobby. I know that I look the picture of obedience.
I hold myself very straight, my hands are clasped behind my back and I look down while I follow Dad’s feet into the lobby until we stand in front of my father.

I can smell some alphas noticing me and I can almost feel the stares of the people in the lobby but I’m way too nervous to care.
Father sends Dad away and I need all my inner strength not to cry or run after him. Instead I gulp, fix my gaze on father’s feet and follow him out to the car. He opens the passenger door for me, makes sure that the belt isn’t crumpling my clothes and then gets in on the driver’s side.

I don’t see the landscape outside. I am fixated on touching my fingertips together, thumb to index finger, thumb to middle finger, ring finger, the smallest finger and back.
I flinch when father breaks and stops the engine.

‘We are here.’, his deep voice says and I’d like to cry because it’s the first time someone spoke to me in what feels like an eternity.
‘Look outside boy.’ I lift my head and look outside.

I see a small house with a little garden. It looks homely. The garden is a little overgrown, which helps relax me. Someone with that garden can’t be a total snob at least.
Father clears his throat and I look back at my hands.

‘I will open the door for you in a minute. You will leave the car and go inside the house. The door is open and your alpha is waiting for you. I don’t need to tell you, but you will obey him and be a good boy and don’t bring shame on my pack.’
I nod.

He clears his throat. His voice sounds softer now.
‘The papers are signed. I’m not your alpha anymore. You will have the traditional ceremony today- he gives you his rules, he takes care of you in bed and he feeds you and after that you’ll be his, bonding bite or not. You are Marco’s first omega, so you will be expected to be a good housewife as well as pleasing to him.’

Marco, huh. That sounds young and hip. I dare to hope for a good future with him. The house isn’t big, I can manage the household.
And I want to be pleasing to him. I hope he lets me. Even though I’m not fulfilling the ideal of beauty.

I’m not sure about being his first, though. It’s scary. I thought I was worried about being the new omega and all the drama that could induce, but being all alone with a new alpha in a new home is terrifying in its own way.

My father can smell my fear.‘Don’t worry boy.’, he says. ‘You’re going to do great. Now, give me back my ring please.’
I pull the ring of and let it fall into his open palm. He squeezes my hand for a minute, then he gets out of the car and opens the door for me.

I look into the window if I need to fix my hair or straight out my clothes, but everything is fine. I brace myself and walk towards the house.
I hear father start the engine and drive away when I reach the door. It’s ajar and I open it silently, slip out of my sandals and step over the threshold.

The first thing I notice is the smell. It smells very, very good. Maybe he had someone make cookies before I arrived?
I heard that estate agents do that to make the houses they want to sell more appealing.

But then I detect a hint of anxiety inside the smell and realize that it’s the alpha that smells so delicious. It smells almost familiar and I try not to frown as I think about where I could've smelled him before. Maybe the doctor had him with him before? I'm not sure, though.
Well, either way, noticing his anxiety makes me like him already.

I know he has to be here somewhere, waiting for me. I’m not allowed to look up.
I refuse to fuck up on my first day, so I let the door behind me fall close with a quiet sound and then kneel down on the floor to wait.

The floor looks nice. Omegas are expected to be barefoot when inside- often even naked. Our main purpose is to be bred, amongst others, after all.
So I’m glad the floor looks nice and clean and there’s a lot of small carpets.

My racing heart is slowly calming down from the quiet atmosphere in here and I start to notice the things around me better.
I can hear the alpha breathe, and now that I know he’s here I can also feel his eyes on me.

What is his first impression of me?
I’m painfully aware that I’m too muscular, too red-haired and almost too tall for an omega, so the least I can do is behave perfectly.

The alpha comes closer with soft steps and his scent is threatening to overwhelm me. I instinctively bow my head further to show my submission and hear him inhale sharply.
He seems to live alone so he must be fairly young at least.

‘Stand up, please.’ He has a melodic voice and suddenly I- I know that voice! And now I can also place the scent!
I stand up and look up to see the young man from the park.

Then I’m shocked how early I managed to fuck up and look down again. I wrestle the urge to fall to my knees. He just told me to stand up, after all.
He sighs and I see his hand move as if he wants to touch me but he doesn’t. Suddenly I’m longing for his touch and I whimper softly.
His hand shoots forward and his thumb rubs my cheek softly. It grounds me immediately.

‘It’s ok, you can look at me. I’m not some alpha from the middle ages and if we’re to live together it becomes awkward really fast otherwise.’, he says. He sounds nice and sincere.
I look up and he smiles at me almost shyly. He’s not much taller than I am and very lean for an alpha but still drips power and strength from every pore.

I’m a little afraid to be near such power, but I’m also intrigued and my stupid omega inside would love to fall to his knees and beg to be controlled by him.
He’s wearing a button-down shirt and a jacket and his dark hair is open and falls in soft waves down to his collar bones.

He’s clean shaven and has a strong jawline and cheekbones that could be used as weapons. His eyes-
‘Your eyes are less dark.’, I blurt out before I can help myself. He cringes and blushes for a second but then he’s perfectly composed again.

‘Well, ehm, yeah, you made me go into rut when I saw you.’ Oh. So that’s why all this happened all of the sudden. At least we’re compatible then.
‘Oh. I’m sorry.’, I say meekly, because I don’t know how to react.

He snorts. ‘I don’t think you intended it.’
I try very hard not to frown. ‘Well, no, Sir.’

He chuckles and comes a little closer. ‘So, why do you apologise?’
I can feel the heat of his body on my skin and every breath I take is full of his delicious scent. I long for his touch and his praise. Stupid isolation!

I try to pull myself together so I can answer him in a full sentence. It’s kinda hard. I just want to howl and whine and show him my neck. But I manage.
‘I’m an omega Sir. It’s my upbringing. It’s always better to apologise.’

‘Hmm.’, he looks discontent and I suddenly feel weak. Must be the aftereffects of the heat and not eating for two days.

My stomach rumbles.

Chapter Text

His stomach rumbles and I remember about protocol.
My protective instincts have already kicked in and I’d love nothing more than to carry him to the table and feed him, but we have to act accordingly or our bond could be unsafe.

Also my father would kill me. And this is not a figure of speech right now!
‘Please kneel again.’ I instruct him and he falls to the ground gracefully. He does everything gracefully and always seems self-confident even when he bows his head for me. I hate that I love that. Stupid alpha instincts!

I get the collar from the sideboard and put it on his neck. It corresponds with the family jewels my father somehow managed to drag from my grandmother’s claws.
He presents his neck as if it’s the most natural thing in the world and I’d love to lean down and smell him. Bite him.

I cuss inwardly and pull myself together before I terrify him with my aroused scent. I can smell that he’s sad and confused and anxious and I wish I could make it better.
I extend my hand and he takes it and lets me help him stand up again. He’s still looking at the floor. Well, he’s been told to look at the floor for years, I guess it must be a bit much to expect for him to suddenly change it.

Also my grandmother would throw a tantrum if he’d ever look up in her presence. So I guess it’s good that he’s well-bred even though it makes my heart ache.
I make him hold his hand flat, palm up, then I get the family ring I had made in his size from my pocket and put it in his hand. His eyes widen and he looks up to me through his lashes. He’s searching for my guidance and I fucking love it.

I clear my throat before I trust myself to speak normally.
‘It’s yours.’, I say and quickly add. ‘You don’t have to wear it, if you don’t want to.’ He makes that adorable thing again where he almost frowns.
His eyes search mine for a millisecond, then slip away.

He seems to have problems with looking at me, his eyes always want to slip down immediately.
On the other hand, he also seems to have a problem with not looking at me either.
I’m intrigued by his behaviour.

He’s from a very good household but his behaviour at the park as well as now show me that he’s not brainwashed completely.
I really hope he grows to like me. I already like him. And he’s so beautiful and special as well.

He takes my hand and gives me the ring, then directs my hand to slip it on his finger. He glances at me and blushes.
‘Aren’t you the cutest?’, I ask rhetorically before I can even think about maybe not saying stuff like that out loud.
He blushes even more and looks up to me, smiling.

His smell changes a little bit. Oh!
‘You like me, too, do you?’ I am intrigued. He can’t blush any further, but he bows his head.
‘Don’t be shy.’, I smile. ‘I’m glad about it. Did you recognize my scent when you walked in?’

I’m curious. He smells different because they washed away his pack scent but I was able to pick him out as soon as he left the car.
He nods shyly. ‘Yes, Si- alpha. Of course.’

His choice of words makes me curious. ‘Of course?’
He shrugs a little uncomfortably. ‘Well, I- I went into heat afterwards.’
It sounds like a big confession for him. Ok, maybe it is. Omegas from families like his are pretty sheltered, so they don’t go into heat a lot.

I’m astonished and a little flattered. ‘Wow.’, I say. ‘I wasn’t told. We didn’t even touch. We must be very compatible.’ I realise that I am thinking aloud when his eyes meet mine.
I put a finger under his chin before he can look down again.

‘Do you feel safe with me?’, I ask him and he nods with wide, green eyes.
‘Good boy.’ My words have an immediate effect on him and I vow to praise him as much as I can.
His body completely relaxes and he looks up to me with trusting eyes. I didn’t even use my alpha voice.

I lean in to him and kiss him softly on the lips. He immediately opens his mouth a little, but I break the kiss.
‘Oh you like me alright.’, I murmur into his mouth and can’t help but smile.
Then I draw back a little and breathe deeply.

‘So, rules.’, I tell him because they are important and I don’t want to do anything more before I can be sure he consents.
‘I don’t want you to pretend. Like, ever. If you don’t want anything, you tell me. The rule for me is, that I won’t get angry and I will refrain from forcing you to anything you don’t want to. Ok?’

His gaze tells me that he never expected there to be rules for me but he’s too polite to comment on it. He nods, wide eyed. I already love his expressive, green eyes.
I vow to be witty and interesting as fuck so he will always watch me intently like this.
I could watch him look at me for weeks and never get bored. It would be borderline creepy, though, so I will refrain from that.

‘I also don’t want you to be too submissive.’ Now I’m sure his eyes will pop out of his head soon.
I grin at him and he smiles back while I commence. ‘I want a relationship, not a servant. We’re basically a family now. I know it’s going to take time for you to open up to me and just be yourself. So the rule for me is to be patient.’

I clap my hands and feel very official right now. ‘Soo, I think we make the rest up as we go. Unless you have a rule from your former household you want to apply here?’
He seems to think about it than shakes his head. ‘No, Sir. I can adapt to that.’ He seems to be relaxed and self-confident right now and I’m happy about it.

I take his hand and lead him to the bedroom. He stiffs a little and I sigh inwardly. I could scold him for not making use of rule number one right now but I don’t want any bad feelings today. And we have to get to know each other sexually, there’s no way around that.

I face him and take both of his hands. ‘I’m not going to fuck you. I barely met you. But we have to undress and at least touch, so the bonding is fulfilled.’
Is there something like disappointment in his eyes? No, he seems relieved, but also a little curious, which is a good mixture for now.

I untie the knot to open his shirt and slide it off his shoulders. He’s breathing harder and a little shakily and I rub his shoulders a little. He immediately relaxes.
He’s so responsive to me, it’s like he was made for me! I’m absolutely awed by his behaviour.

I strip of my jacket and my own shirt as well before I move on to his trousers. It’s just fair, after all.
He also looks at me interested and so isn’t nearly as nervous as he was before when I undress him.

His trousers slide down his legs and he lifts his feet to undress completely.
I make two steps backwards until I sit on the edge of the mattress and get rid of my shoes, socks, pants and underwear.

I stand up again. He stands at attention in the middle of the room, like a deer in the headlights. An amazing, beautiful, pale deer with freckles.
He’s more muscular than the omegas I regularly see in my father’s practice. I like that a lot.
They always look like they’re sick and he looks healthy and glowing and like a man instead of some fragile doll.

My stare clearly makes him uncomfortable, although he has a boner.
Maybe omegas really are ready to go all the time and I shouldn’t interpret too much into this?

‘Come here.’ I order him softly and am amazed as he immediately obeys.
I slowly let my arms glide down his arms until we hold hands. ‘May I kiss you?’

He looks amused. ‘You don’t have to ask, alpha.’, he replies lightly.
‘But I do.’ I say and he chuckles softly.
‘Yes, Sir.’, he says and leans forward. I kiss him and he doesn’t react at first but when he starts to respond it’s- wow!- very good.

‘Have you been kissed before?’, I ask and he stiffs.
‘I didn’t mean to insult your pack, I was just curious.’ I hurry to placate him. I put my hand on his shoulder and he relaxes.
I could do this gesture all day long, just to see him react to me.

I let my hand glide upward until I cup his cheek in my hand.
‘You didn’t answer.’ His eyes grow wide. He’s a little afraid but also intrigued, I note.

Of course, he has less of a clue of this situation than I have.
‘I have never been kissed or touched in a sexual way, alpha.’, he replies and his voice sounds a little husky. I hum approvingly while I start to kiss him again.

‘You must be a natural then.’, I say and he looks relieved and proud. He immediately lowers his gaze. Oh, he’s so not used to praise! I vow to change that!
‘My name is Marco, by the way.’, I say. ‘You don’t have to call me alpha all the time.’

His eyes flicker up to my face for a minute. ‘Yes, Marco.’, he says and I love how my name sounds on his lips.
I want to throw him on the bed and make him scream my name until he's hoarse, but of course I don’t. I refuse to be like the stereotypical abusive alpha shitheads.

‘About your name.’, he tenses, poor thing. ‘I want you to think about what name you would like. I don’t want to choose anything that you hate and then have to live with it.’
He looks astonished. ‘Sir?’
‘Hm?’
‘What’s our last name?’

I love how he says ‘our’ as if it’s the most natural thing in the world that he’s mine now.
‘It’s Celestino.’
He repeats it and I have to smile. He looks at me. ‘It- it’s nice.’, he says and I smile at him and kiss his cheek.

‘I’m glad you like it, omega.’, I say and he seems to weaken in the knees when I address him with his secondary gender. That’s good to know.
I kiss him again and let my hand slide down his body carefully. I stroke his nipples, very softly, until he’s panting and they stand at attention, then slide my hand down his side, the other hand on the back of his neck, holding him close and making him relax.

I softly grab his ass and he lets out a startled little moan. I chuckle and bring my hand to his front.
He inhales sharply when I massage his balls. I can feel his dick touching my arm. It bounces a little under the unaccustomed attention.

He makes the sexiest noise when I start jerking him of and I need all my willpower to not do anything more to him in that moment.
He gives up a wave of arousal and slowly backs out of the kiss. I still my hand and look at him. His eyes are blown wide and he’s flushed.

‘Can I- may I touch you too?’, he whispers and I have to grin and nod and kiss him again simultaneously.
He seems a little startled but then opens his mouth immediately while his hand slowly takes the same route over my body than I did earlier.

He takes a long time caressing my abs, I’m not sure if he’s fascinated with them or too shy to move down, but I let him discover my body at his own pace.

I can feel that I’m bringing him closer to the edge and smell his wonderful slick building in his hole, but I won’t touch him there until he’s ready.
It seems to make him more confident and he wraps his hand around my penis and starts stroking.

It’s different from what I would do myself and that makes it all the more interesting.
And the fact that it is his hand that is touching me there is so glorious that I spill not long after he finished.

He looks down at the result, our hands and stomachs splattered with milky white substance and our dicks slowly shrimping.
I didn’t knot on purpose, I don’t want to scare him. His head is tilted to the side and he frowns lightly.

‘Are you ok?’, I ask and touch his arm with my clean hand.
His head jerks, up but he immediately relaxes when I rub his arm with my hand and looks at me with intelligent eyes.

He nods and smiles a little.
I instinctively smile back. ‘Let’s have dinner then. Thank you.’ I indicate our bodies and he blushes and looks down.

I get a wet towel from the en-suite and clean the semen from our bodies. Then we wash our hands and I wrap him in an elegant cotton robe I bought for him.
He’s expected to be naked a lot in the beginning of our relationship, but I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable and I also don’t want him to be cold.

He takes the robe with a little raise of his eyebrows and puts it on gracefully. I dress more casual than before in a t-shirt and cotton pants.
I pick up the clothes that we dropped on the floor before and catch him check out my ass when I turn around again.
He blushes and looks down and I can’t help but grin.

I take his hand and kiss him on the cheek. ‘Come on, let’s eat. You must be starving.’
He takes my hand but hesitates in the bedroom doorframe. ‘Marco?’
‘Yes?’

‘Ehm- but – we didn’t.’, he swallows and seems extremely embarrassed, which makes me guess what he wants to say.
I cock my head and take a small step so I stand very close in front of him.

‘We both came, right?’ He’s not able to meet my eyes, but he nods.
I resist the urge to put my finger under his chin and lift his head up. It’s such a patronizing gesture. But by now I finally have more understanding why alphas are often portrayed like this in the media. What he’s doing to my alpha instincts… it can’t be normal!

I clear my throat and focus on his cute nose instead of his eyes. ‘I told you I won’t fuck you. I won’t force penetrative sex on you when we barely know each other.’ I tell him and I see how his jaw loosens and his eyes widen for a second. A small frown appears on his forehead and he opens his mouth, but then closes it again.

That makes me smile,and I go on: ‘The rules don’t say anything about penetrating either way. We got each other off and that’s sufficient in my eyes. Or don’t you agree?’
He swallows. ‘I- I agree. Thank you, alpha.’, he adds very quietly and I squeeze his hand.
I lead him into the garden where I arranged for a little fire in a metal basket and some salads and bread and vegetables.

‘I’m a vegetarian.’, I tell him. ‘But if you crave meat or just miss meat, you can tell me. You don’t have to adapt my eating habits.’
He smiles at me. ‘I hate meat.’, he says. ‘So that’s really great.’

I smile at him. ‘Well, good. Be prepared for my grandmother giving you shit about missing vitamins and strength and stuff. I can guarantee you that I’ll always take good care of you, though. You’ll never be missing calories or vitamins, baby.’

The mention of my grandmother makes him tense and I mentally kick myself.
‘I think me not being strong enough will be a first as a complaint about me.’, he says drily and I laugh while I fill a plate and arrange him on my lap.

‘I think you’re perfect.’ I say sincerely while I feed him a piece of bread and he nearly chokes.

Chapter Text

I love that he’s a vegetarian!
He can see that my reaction is sincere and smiles at me. ‘Well, good. Be prepared for my grandmother giving you shit about missing vitamins and strength and stuff. I can guarantee you that I’ll always take good care of you, though. You’ll never be missing calories or vitamins, baby.’

I nearly swoon. My alpha will take care of me and he calls me baby!
I have an inner turmoil about this, the rest of my human mind against the growing omega instincts.

Plus, he’s waiting for a reaction. I decided to ignore the last half of what he said completely.
‘I think me not being strong enough will be a first as a complaint about me.’, I say darkly and he surprises me by laughing at that.

Then I suddenly sit on his lap! Of course father also feeds his omegas, especially the new ones, often. But they always kneel at his feet.
It should be awkward because of my height, but I sit sideways, with my left shoulder to his right shoulder and we just fit.

He fills a plate with his left hand while he holds me with the right. It feels pretty great.
He takes a piece of the French bread with herb butter I ogled and feeds it to me.

‘I think you’re perfect.’ He then says and the piece of bread takes the wrong way.
I start to cough violently and he makes soothing noises and claps my back until I’m able to stop.

‘Sorry.’, he says and I wince. ‘No, I’m sorry.’
Meteorologists must be hella confused right now because my head surely is brighter than the sun in this moment.

I can feel him looking at my face and look down.
Great I nearly killed myself eating, what must alpha, ehm, Marco think of me?

He sort of shrugs and picks up his fork to feed me some vegetables.
They are nice and remind me of dinners with the pack at our favourite Italian place.

‘Marco?’, I ask, because I can’t stand the silence.
‘Hm?’, his baritone vibrates near my ear and I almost get goosebumps.

‘Are you Italian?’
He nods while he chews and then swallows.

‘Well, my father’s father is from Italy but he’s born here and me too.’, he explains. ‘You can just ask a question, you know? You don’t have to ask beforehand.’
‘Ehm, ok.’, I say and feel a little overwhelmed.

‘Marco?’ I ask and immediately cuss inwardly.
He chuckles. ‘Yes, darling?’

‘Ehm- do you speak Italian?’
‘Si.’, he replies, which even I know means yes. ‘You want to learn it?’

I’m perplexed. Why is he asking instead of ordering me to?
‘I- I’d love to learn another language.’, I reply sincerely and then I gather my courage to look at him. ‘If you want me to.’

He smiles at me and kisses my cheek. ‘I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t’ want you to, would I?’
I nod. He’s very confusing. I can barely handle the fact that I fucking love his scent.

And then he’s also nice and almost seems to view me as an equal dialogue partner.
And the way he looks at me.

I blush again and take another piece of bread from his hand.
My lip brushes his thumb and I can see his breath hitch and the black of his eyes expand for a second. So I really have the same effect on him.

I can’t really wrap my head around that, but I feel weirdly powerful and it makes me giddy.
He smiles at me when he sees my face and leans in to brush his lips against my cheek.

He really likes to kiss me and I detect that I love that. My father seldom kisses his omegas, he’s more of a grabber and squeezer.
Of course I don’t know what they do in the bedroom and I don’t especially want to know, thank you.

Urgh, I really have to leave that train of thought.

‘How old are you?’, I ask Marco and he looks at me strangely. Did I do something wrong?
I’m about to hang my head when he replies.

‘I’m 19. You’re 18, right?’, I nod. ‘They really didn’t tell you anything about me, huh?’
I shake my head and he sighs. He cusses softly, but I don’t think it’s at me because he’s rubbing my side with his hand simultaneously.

‘Poor thing.’, he then says. ‘You had no idea what to expect since we met, did you?’
Suddenly I feel close to tears and I snuggle into his touch.

He hugs me close and caresses me until I’m calm again.
‘You still hungry?’, he asks and I shake my head. ‘Not even for dessert?’

I look up to him slowly. His eyes meet mine. They look at me softly and I see some soft wrinkles around them.
He’s the kind of guy that smiles with his eyes and it makes me feel warm and squishy inside.

‘What kind of dessert?’ My voice sounds softer than I ever managed before.
Who would’ve thought that I just need to meet the perfect alpha to become a better omega?

‘Mousse au chocolat.’, he responds and my eyes go wide. I fucking love mousse au chocolat!
Apparently no words are needed because he stands up and makes me slide onto the chair.

‘Stay here.’, he instructs me. I suddenly feel cold and snuggle into his jacket that is hanging over the back of the chair.

He looks at me intensely when he comes back with a dessert bowl and a little spoon in his hand.
He puts it on the table and is by my side with two quick steps. I shrink back and he pauses and takes a deep breath.

‘Sorry.’, he says and I think by now he apologized to me more than every other person I know.
‘I didn’t mean to scare you. Just, you sitting there with my jacket on, waiting for me. It does something to my alpha instincts.’

I’m not able to answer to that. I have the strong instinct to just call him alpha and spread my legs for him, but that would be embarrassing as fuck!
Apart from most peoples' opinion most omegas aren’t really huge whores. The feelings Marco awakes in me are total new and they scare me.

Marco carefully slides on the chair next to me and somehow manages to get us into the same position as before.
He starts feeding me the dessert and it’s heavenly.

‘So, who’s the baby?’, he then asks.
‘My little brother.’, I reply and I feel a sharp pang when I think about him. He must have forgotten about me by now. He’s still so small.

‘Are you the oldest?’, my alpha asks and I shake my head.
‘No, I was the youngest for almost 17 years. Then my father somehow decided to get himself a new omega.’

Marco chuckles. ‘Midlife crisis.’
I tense, against better judgement. Of course he notices. He’s not offended that I react that way.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult your alpha.’, he says seriously.
I turn my face to him. ‘You’re my alpha.’, I say, because firstly, it’s true and secondly, I really have the urge to make it clear.

He smiles at me. ‘Hmm, yeah, that’s right.’, he says softly and kisses my neck.
I immediately move my head so he gets better access and I hear him breath in deeply.
‘God, you’re making me crazy.’, he says softly and then shakes his head and picks up the threat of conversation.

‘I’m sorry for insulting you father, then.’, he says, as if the whole sexual tension thing just now didn’t happen.
I shrug. ‘That’s ok. I also think you’re right. It’s common enough and his age is fitting.’

We just sit for a while, carefully scenting each other without making it to obvious.
Suddenly I have a thought. He’s awfully young, but…. ‘Sir?’ I ask and he is alerted to my tone and choice of address. ‘Yes, baby?’

‘I, ehm, I was wondering-‘, I trail off. He nudges me with his nose. ‘Hmm?’
I take a deep breath. ‘I was wondering how many omegas you want.’

Chapter Text

I could sit like that for hours.

With this exquisite creature in my lap that’s curious about me and smells so fucking good and wrapped itself into my scent as soon as I left him alone for a couple of minutes.
Next time I will have the dessert already on the table, too. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to leave him alone again.

He stiffs and I smell his neck to reassure him.
‘Sir?’ he asks and my head snaps up to look at him. He seems distressed and I don’t like that at all.
‘Yes, baby?’, I reply as softly as I can.

I seriously have no idea where the pet names come from. I’m not from a very pet-namy upbringing but with him, they just flow out of my mouth.
‘I, ehm, I was wondering-‘, he stutters. It’s adorable. Everything he does, is, really. I have to nudge him with my nose and hum, to get him to speak further.
‘I was wondering how many omegas you want.’

I frown and draw back a little, but immediately smell his distress and hug him close again, burying my nose in his hair.

‘Why?’, I try to ask lightly. ‘Do you already need more time away from me?’
He tenses and I can smell his anxiety. Poor thing, so awfully afraid to anger me.

I know the high-ranking pack families aren’t abusive to their omega children, but I hate how they made him think he’s only worth anything when he’s obedient all the time.

‘I’m just kidding, darling.’, I reassure him. ‘I honestly haven’t thought about that. I didn’t even plan on one omega until I met you and my father arranged our bonding.
Right now I can’t imagine ever wanting anyone else but you. Ok?’ He blushes for the nth time that evening.

‘Yes. Thank you, Marco.’, he says in his little voice and him using my name of course makes the animal in me smell and kiss his neck again.
We sit like this until the sun has gone down and I feel him shiver.

I pick him up, bridal-style and he makes a startled little noise that makes me laugh.
He hides his face in the crook of my neck but I hear him chuckle a little.

I carry him into the bedroom and put him down next to the bathroom door.
He’s squeezed between me and the wall and I nearly attack him because- God! I just have to kiss him.
He’s startled shortly but then reacts enthusiastically and I can barely wrap my head around the happiness I feel because of it.

I take his chin in my hand and lift his head so I can kiss and lick along his neck. The sweet smell that tells me that he’s aroused increases and he trembles lightly and whimpers. Until I nose along his mating gland and he inhales sharply and tenses a little.

I remove my head from his neck – which feels like the hardest thing I ever accomplished! – and hug him close.
‘Don’t worry.’, I tell him quietly and he instinctively buries his face into my neck. I don’t know how I deserve him.

Part of me still expects to wake up from my rut and find out that this was just a pleasant dream.
‘I wouldn’t bite you like that. We take a little time before that I think. I also learned that it works best during heat.’ He nods lightly against me.

‘Thanks.’, he says softly and I have to chuckle.
‘Not for this.’, I reply and he snorts.

‘Well, then I take it back.’, he says and I have to laugh.
He’s slowly feeling confident enough to show his sense of humour and take a chance being sassy and I love that.

He lifts his head to look at me and I instinctively find his lips with mine. This time our kiss is more soft, reassuring instead of passionate and it’s equally nice.
I wonder if he’s able to touch me in a way that doesn’t feel nice at all. I wonder if I will always feel nice to him, too. I sure hope so!

I have to stop because the urge to pee is getting stronger and stronger. He immediately looks at me attentively when I draw back a little.
I have to clear my throat before I’m able to speak.

‘So, we have two bathrooms. I was thinking that you could have the en-suite and I go to the downstairs bathroom for the time being.’
He seems relieved and nods. I give him another quick kiss before I take a step back.

‘Ok, then I’m just going to be downstairs. You have everything you need in there, I hope. Toothbrush, towels and such. If you need anything, please tell me, ok?’
‘Ok.’, he replies. He’s watching me carefully with his head a little on the side like he’s trying to figure me out.

I wrench myself away from his capturing eyes and take a deep breath.
‘So, uhm, I’m downstairs if you need me.’, I stutter and make the most undignified exit ever.

I take my time in the bathroom, unsure how long he will take and if he needs some time by himself.
I shower sloppily, unwilling to wash his scent of me. I hope he does the same but I won’t tell him how to live his daily life.

When I come back up, it’s silent. The little light next to the bed is on. He’s lying on the edge of the mattress and looks at me.
He’s snuggled into the blanket but I see his robe thrown over a chair and so he must be naked. In my bed. Our bed.
Oh God, I’m this close to losing my mind!

I have to compose myself before I draw closer. ‘Did you find everything?’ He nods.
I take a step towards him and he breaks eye contact to look down. His hair falls in his face and I have the strong urge to put it behind his ear. Cliché level 1000, I know.

I slowly, as if he was an animal that is easily startled, walk to the bed and lie down next to him. I don’t touch him.
Instead I look at him until he looks up and meets my eyes. I smile. ‘Would you like to come closer?’

He hesitates and the alpha in me gets hurt and angry. Why doesn’t he want to come here?
How come my omega is so disobedient? Doesn’t he respect me? Doesn’t he like me?

I’m startled by the sudden explosion of emotions and try my best not to let them show.
I seem to have succeeded, because he decides to snuggle against me under the blanket.

I hug him and rub his back until he basically melts into me. His skin is soft and he smells delicious.
He must have had the same thoughts as me while showering, because my scent still lingers on his skin, marking him as mine and my alpha purrs inside me when I realize this.

He shifts a little. Nudges against my boner and tenses.
‘Don’t worry about that.’ I say quietly. ‘I just can’t help it. You’re so close and naked and your smell…’ I exhale in a long drawn-out puff of air.

‘I want to have you very much, but I won’t force you to anything. I will hold back, until you feel secure enough to tell me what you want. That you want me. Ok?’
He looks up to me and I have to smile because his cheeks are adorably pink.
We lock eyes and he nods. ‘I understand.’, he says softly. ‘Thank you.’

He snuggles back against me, his nose on my collarbone.
‘The doctor-‘, he hesitates. ‘your father.’, he then corrects himself, sounding astonished and I have to chuckle which makes him smile up at me.
‘He gave me some suppressants when I entered my heat. So, I’ll have my first heat with you in a week or so, I guess.’

Oh God, this night is going to get hard!

Chapter Text

I shift a little in my alpha’s warm embrace, when I feel - ehm, something?. Oh. I just nudged against his erection and I don’t know what to do.
Does he expect anything of me? Or will he be embarrassed about it?

‘Don’t worry about that.’ He says quietly. ‘I just can’t help it. You’re so close and naked and your smell…’, he breaks of to sigh.
‘I want to have you very much, but I won’t force you to anything. I will hold back, until you feel secure enough to tell me what you want. That you want me. Ok?’

I can feel myself blush again. I will never be able to tell him that I want him. That’s just not anything I can do.
It will be a pretty sexless marriage then.
Both of us growing equally frustrated and then we will start hating each other. I guess he will reconsider his position about having another omega quiet soon.

The thought about frustrating him makes me remember the wave of anger he just gave of when I hesitated to move closer to him.
I don’t want him angry like that. It scared me to my core.

I quickly look up to him and am relieved to see him smile at me. I nod, because he asked me a question and it’s polite to answer.
‘I understand.’, I say meekly. ‘Thank you.’

His smile makes me smile back and his eyes are doing strange things to my insides, so I snuggle back against his shoulder.
Then I have a thought. ‘The doctor- your father.’, - I still can’t believe this unpleasant man is now my family and was able to produce the sexy and kind person at my side.- ‘he gave me some suppressants when I entered my heat. So, I’ll have my first heat with you in a week or so, I guess.’

I know I’m taking the easy way out right now. There’s no way he’ll wait for me to tell him that I want it when I’m in heat.
I brought him into rut just from being at the park. With distance. Outdoors, for God’s sake!

I have looked up to him again when I mentioned his father and now he grins at me. ‘I can’t wait.’
I have no idea how to react, so I look down. He pulls me in and holds me tight and if I could purr, I would. I’m glad that he hasn’t noticed my own erection by now.
‘If you’re uncomfortable I can arrange to spend your heat away from me. You don’t have to be ready just because your body tells you to, do you understand?’

He sounds sincere and his consideration causes a lump in my throat. I swallow it down. ‘Yes, thank you. But I- I think I will be ready.’
Huh. I didn’t plan to tell him that, but now that I said it I guess it’s true.
Thinking about him was keeping me sane- well, barely- during my last heat. I like how he looks, how he smells and I really liked what we were doing this afternoon, so…

He leans in to kiss me and I stretch my neck to meet him halfway. His lips are so soft, but when he starts working them, it’s clear that he knows what he wants.
And I want to give it to him. I open my lips to let him in and he makes an approving noise.

He pulls me up a little, so I’m half on top of him. Now he has to notice my boner.
He does, but I’m less ashamed then I thought I’d be. Our erections touch and it’s very pleasant.

I make a little gasp and can feel his smile while our mouths are still working each other. I smell his by now familiar spicy smell of arousal reach another level.
I’m pretty sure my scent is doing something similar right now. This could become a problem. It’s not really easy to pretend around someone when he’s able to sniff out all your emotions.

He somehow turns us so he’s on top of me. We’re still kissing.
He’s pushed up on his arms and although he’s not the typical body-builder alpha type he is fit and muscular and has pretty sensational arms.

He moves his body so our dicks are rubbing against each other. I start to move into his rhythm, but it’s still not enough. I put my hand down to wrap it around us both.
‘Fuck!’, he groans into my mouth and I agree. This feels awesome. He picks up his speed and I start moving my hand, too.

I can feel the pleasure build up in me.
I don’t want it to end too soon and concentrate on kissing him, starting to explore his tongue with mine where I let him roam freely in my mouth before.
He’s moaning and leaning into me a little more.

His movement makes me look at his arms again. That are straining from holding him above me all the time and a little sweaty and just a work of art.
My self-control slips and I increase the speed of my hand and then I’m shooting my milky-white fluid in my hand and on his tip and on our stomachs and, as if he’s waited for it, he does the same.

He collapses half on top of me, but manages to still look after me, in that he isn’t putting any of his weight on me. He nuzzles his face to my neck and I lean down and kiss his forehead. He looks up at that, a little astonished and I notice that this is the first time I’ve approached him by myself that way.

I wonder if that’s a problem for him, if he wants me to be mostly passive, but before I can even finish the thought, the look in his eyes changes to pure delight.
He kisses my collarbone and then rolls out of bed. He walks to the en-suite and I hear water running.

I wonder if I just get up to wash too, but he didn’t want us in the bathroom at the same time – I’m so glad about that! - so I wait for him.
It was the right decision, because he comes back with a wet towel and cleans me, so I can stay in bed.

After he finishes, he looks at me appraisingly.
I feel the urge to cover myself with the blanket and I know that I blush at the strangest places right now, but he seems to be utterly fascinated by me, so I let him.
It’s not like I’m not watching him all the time. Fair’s fair.

I still can't believe that I somehow met a compatible alpha that's young and attractive.
Even if he stops being kind someday, at least I'm into his looks.

‘Do you work out?’, he suddenly asks and I try not to flinch. He didn’t exactly say it in a mean voice but I just hate being reminded of my un-omega body type.
I can’t look at him as I answer. ‘Yes, I was a little chubby when I went into puberty.’

His scent starts to change a little and his eyes wander over my body again.
‘I didn’t feel good like that and my fathers were against letting me eat less, so I started to work out.’, I add, because I have to break the weird silence.

He looks into my eyes and his scent changes back to normal. I still blush at his piercing, open gaze.
No-one has ever looked at me like that before. Like I’m interesting and beautiful and he wants to know all of me.

It’s sort of terrifying. I can’t handle it. I mean, he surely can’t find me that beautiful? Because I’m not!
He just likes my scent. And I’m new. Of course that’s interesting. I should relish it as long as it is that way, but not get used to it.

‘I can stop working out.’, I tell him so he stops looking at me like that. He immediately shakes his head.
He throws the towel into the laundry basket and lies down next to me.

‘Come here.’ I snuggle against him. It feels so good. He wasn’t really gone right now, but now that he’s back in bed I detect that I missed him.
That’s just stupid, really.

Now he kisses my forehead. ‘Do what feels good for you, darling, ok?’
I bury my face in his neck and inhale his scent. ‘Ok, thank you.’

We just lie there for a while. Sometimes he’s rubbing my back, caressing my arm or hair and giving me little kisses.
Our conversation rubbed me the wrong way, though. I feel the need to explain myself.

‘I’m sorry I don’t look like a proper omega.’, I suddenly blurt out. His hand stills. I’m afraid to look up at him. Then his hand continues drawing circles on my upper arm.
‘Now what makes you say that?’, he sounds curious. He doesn’t sound angry. I’m so relieved!

‘Just…’, I try to gather my thoughts. ‘Just you asking if I work out. I know I’m not… normal-looking. I’m sorry that you made a bad deal with me.’
I can feel his face turn towards me but I’m too much of a coward to meet his gaze. He sighs and then gets out of the bed. Shit! Maybe he hasn’t seen me that clearly before. Maybe my comment just made him realize how unnatural I really look.
‘Come with me, please.’ His voice sound kind but I’m not reassured. By now I think that his voice always sounds kind.

He’s the type of person that barely loses his temper. I’m very glad about it but I’m also not used to it.
Like, there must be a line that shouldn’t be crossed somewhere. I think it’s nice if you are able to figure that line out sooner rather than later.

I stand up slowly. We are both naked, so at least he won’t throw me out like this. Will he send me to sleep in another room?

Chapter Text

Fuck! I sure put my foot in, asking him if he works out.
He comes from a pretty old-school pack so of course he’s brainwashed to think that every omega must look like the omegas in the magazines.

I could smell him become more anxious as soon as I asked about his muscles.
I wanted it to be a compliment, damn it. I’m just stupid sometimes.

His anxiety spikes before he quickly apologizes for not looking like a ‘proper’ omega. I mean, what the fuck? That’s really getting me down.
I force myself to remain calm and neutral.

‘Now what makes you say that?’, I manage to ask.
He’s stuttering through his answer, finally getting out that he doesn’t look normal and he’s sorry that I have to put up with him and I feel my heart clench painfully. Poor thing. Doesn’t he realize that he’s perfect like he is?

The worst part is, I know where his thinking comes from. Most alphas would have thrown a fit when presented with a red-haired omega that’s not half-starved.

Idiots! Like they must look half-dead so you can take care of them. He let me take care of him just fine today.
It feels even better when I know that he’d be perfectly capable by himself!

I don’t think reassuring him right now would help anything. Then I have an idea.
I stand up and extend my hand to him. ‘Come with me, please.’

It smells like his anxiety goes up the roof but he stands up and takes my hand.
He’s looking down and I hate how defeated he looks. What does he think I’m planning?

I purposely don’t reassure him right now. He has to learn that he can trust me. That I won’t hurt him or do anything that’s bad for him.
So he has to endure his anxiety to learn this properly, as sorry as I am about that.

We are both naked but it’s warm in the house, even though I left the door to the garden open. It is summer after all. I lead him into the guest room.
There’s an old wardrobe in there with a full-length mirror. I position him in front of it and stand beside him, wrapping my arms around him and looking over his shoulder at his naked mirror image.

He looks incredibly startled and I’m torn between pity and amusement.
‘What do you see?’, I whisper into his ear.

He turns his head to me, then looks back into the mirror. I make my hands roam above his upper body and he leans a little into me.
He clears his throat, then- ‘An abomination.’, he says, quietly but very forcefully and I have to stop moving for a moment to process this.

I kiss his neck and he relaxes somewhat.
‘Why is that?’, I ask and I hope I sound neutral.

I’m angry at society, his pack, other alphas, my grandmother, that this perfect human thinks that way about himself.
But it would be counterproductive to let him feel my anger.

He sighs and it almost seems a little impatient. I’m proud that he’s trusting me enough to not wear a pleasant mask all the time by now.
‘I’m too tall, too built, too – ginger.’, he lists as if it was a very stupid question I asked.

I hum against his neck. ‘You’re not that tall.’, I say and stand up straight so now I can look over his head. His mouth twitches a bit.
‘And the rest is just BS, in my opinion.’ That shocked him, I can see his eyes go wide. I kiss the back of his head.

‘That makes you unique, you know. All the other omegas are basically replaceable, looks-wise. You’re not. You’re really special.’
He seems to consider this, which is more than I hoped for.
I thought he would flat-out refuse to be consoled about his looks. But of course he could just be too polite for that.

He checks his mirror image out discreetly, then suddenly looks into my eyes.
‘What- what do you see, then?’, he asks timidly and I have to smile because that’s just adorable.

I kiss his cheek and lean forward to whisper into his ear.
‘I see beauty. I see the most gorgeous guy ever.’, his breath hitches, but he’s not convinced.

I move a little and speak normally again.
‘And I see a grown man and not some kind of child-like doll. It’s bad enough being attracted to males in this society. At least I’m not some kind of pedophile.’, I tell him.

He turns around at that and looks up to me with wide eyes. ‘Many alphas-‘
I scoff and interrupt him. ’Yeah, many alphas are perverts, my dear. They are violent. They are overly jealous. They are criminals. You want those alphas?’
It comes out more bitter than intended and I can’t resent him for bringing a bit of distance between us.

He shakes his head. ‘No, no! I’m glad that you’re my alpha. I’m – I’m really glad.’
He looks utterly confused and close to tears and I feel sorry for playing with his feelings, even if it was unintentional.

I open my arms and he moves into my hug obediently, snuggling against me while I nose against his throat and rub his back.
‘Look,’, I say, after we’ve both calmed down. ‘I’m not like the others and you like it. Why should you be like the others?’

He tenses shortly and I can feel his frown against my neck. ‘I- I haven’t thought about it that way.’
He turns back around and looks at us in the mirror, then suddenly puts his hand up to let it glide through my hair.

‘I’ve never seen an alpha with long hair before.’, he tells me.
‘I can cut it if you want me to.’ I immediately reply. He turns around.

‘No.’, he says strongly. Then he swallows and looks down.
‘No, Marco. I didn’t mean it that way. I like it. But- thanks for offering. It means a lot.’

I kiss his forehead. ‘I think I’d do everything for you, sweety.’ I tell him.
I cringe inwardly. It’s way too soon to say stuff like that. But he seems content with it and not overwhelmed. Fortune favours fools!

We go back to our bedroom hand in hand. He vanishes into the bathroom for a couple of minutes and then slips into bed right next to me, immediately moving closer and putting his head on my shoulder.

I wrap my arm around him and play with his gorgeous hair.
‘I’m glad you’re here.’, I say. ‘I didn’t want to start a family- I feel way too young. But I’m glad that we reacted to each other and our fathers were able to arrange something.’

He hums approvingly against my shoulder. Suddenly his scent shifts a bit. He’s afraid of something. This time, he looks at me and talks before I can inquire about it.
‘Won’t your grandmother be mad about me?’

Oh. Yes. That wasn’t pleasant for him at all. And my father also isn’t the nicest of men. Especially not to omegas.
I’m honoured that he’s giving me a chance instead of being biased.

I shrug and try to act nonchalantly to take the fear away.
‘She’s always mad. I don’t want you to care what she says. Or what my father says. They are nothing to you. They aren’t important. The only opinion that’s important for you is my opinion. And the only person that’s important for me is you. Do you understand?’

He relaxes against me and sniffs my neck. ‘Yes, alpha.’, he whispers.
Those word go straight to my dick, but I can smell how tired he is.

‘Good night.’, I say and kiss his forehead.
He yawns. ‘Good night.’
After I while I listen to his even breathing before I also drift into dreamland.

Chapter Text

The next days are similar to our first evening together.
He feeds me for every meal and I always sit in his lap. It could definitely be worse. Just the inner turmoil between my omega and my – well, person, is getting on my nerves.

I could be completely content with the situation if the human wouldn’t say things like ‘You’re an adult, you can eat by yourself.’ or ‘Look, there’s a perfectly nice other chair, why do you sit on his lap?’.

The voice inside my head on purpose ignores the perfectly reasonable answer that enough omegas are only fed some mash that’s supposed to have all the vitamins we need and have to kneel on the floor, so I’m pretty lucky.

I’m not even sure where this person inside me comes from. It’s not like I was brought up in “beta-world”.
Maybe my fathers were right and watching TV was bad for me after all.

Marco’s also a decent cook, which is nice because I don’t know shit. I start to help him a little, though, and he seems to be happy about it.
He seems to be happy about most things about me, to be honest.

It’s scary. Yeah, well, of course flattering but – really? I’m not that great!
Maybe he’s a little stupid?

He doesn’t appear stupid, though. On the contrary.
He’s pretty funny and he seems to be going to university.
I’m still too shy to ask him a lot and he seems content with us living together without talking much for now, so I have no idea, honestly.

He’s also very sweet and attentive. And he’s funny. And he finds me funny. Nobody understood my humour before.
Maybe we’re both stupid. He would probably call it ‘special’.

We spend an embarrassing lot of time in bed, just kissing and touching each other.
He seems content with it and isn’t pushy at all, although I can smell his arousal and have an inkling what he’d like to do with me.

But I’m not ready to tell him that he can go further. What if I do something wrong?
I just managed to jerk another guy off without feeling weird and self-conscious.

To be honest, I just managed being naked without being embarrassed all of the time.
So how should I-? No! I’m not going into that train of thought!

In the mornings I make sure that I get up before him and have brushed my teeth before he kisses me for the first time.
I also wrestle with my hair for 15 to 30 minutes while he’s making breakfast.

Dad gave me all the equipment I need to wear it open and a little curly.
It’s an awful fuss but Marco liked my look on our first day and as an omega it’s my duty to appear pleasing to my alpha.

Sometimes he works in the garden while I play the games the pack gave to me for the hotel room.
Sometimes he works out and I pretend not to stare at him.

When he’s out to do some grocery shopping, I work out. Sometimes we both read.
When we read in bed, we mostly read only for a short time before something else happens. I have to confess, I’m pretty content. It could go on like this.

Of course it doesn’t.

On the fifth day his alarm wakes us earlier than we got up before. ‘You can sleep in, if you want.’, he tells me quietly while he dresses and leaves the room.
I consider it, but as soon as I’m alone I feel incomplete and cold and even a little sad. It’s scary how my body reacts to him.

I slip out of bed and quickly brush my teeth. I consider just putting my hair up, but I know it’ll become routine really quickly if I take a shortcut like that after not even a week.
My father’s omegas were with him over 20 years and didn’t let him see them when they weren’t perfectly groomed.

I brush my hair out and pin it back a little so it doesn’t fall into my face all the time.
I go into the kitchen. He doesn’t hear or smell me while he’s making coffee and flinches when I hug him from behind.
I giggle a little and he turns around and tickles me for revenge. The tickling quickly becomes a make-out session. We’re disturbed by the ding of the microwave.

He arranges me on his lap and feeds me half his porridge. He also made me a hot cocoa so we both have a hot beverage.
Then he looks at the clock and sighs while he puts down his cup.

‘Ok, darling. I have to leave you for a couple of hours. I will be back in time for lunch, though.’
He sounds matter-of-factly and I can’t really smell his feelings right now because of the coffee and I don’t like that at all.

I also don’t like how small my voice sounds when I ask ‘Where are you going?’
He absentmindedly rubs my back and sighs.
‘I have to help my father. I work for him part-time, so he’s basically paying for the food we eat. You can come with me, if you don’t want to be alone.’

Huh. Not really a choice, is it? I’m unsure if it was a question or an order. I’m also unsure how he reacts when denied.
I decide to take a chance. At least I will know then, if it ends badly.

‘I’d rather stay.’, I say meekly. He squeezes my side with his hand and kisses my cheek.
‘That’s ok, baby. It will be boring for you either way. And my father isn’t very pleasant to omegas.’

I try not to snort and almost manage it, but a puff of breath comes out loudly. His hand is in my hair immediately.
Since he found out that it sooths me he’s stroking it all the time. The more reason to wear it open for him.

‘Are you afraid of him?’, he asks and I shrug.
He sighs. ‘I understand that. But please note that you don’t have to. Be afraid. I will never get you into a situation that scares you on purpose.’

Instead of replying I kiss his neck. I soon noticed that it’s a nice way to distract him from almost anything.
He lets me kiss him for a while, then he slowly stands up. He lets me sit on his chair and leans down to cup my face in his hands.

‘I have to go. I’ll miss you. You can wear clothes if you want while I’m away. I’ll be back for lunch, so you’ll barely notice I’m gone.’ He kisses my forehead.
I stand up and follow him to the door and he seems pleasantly surprised by it.

‘Ehm, have a nice day?’ I say and cringe inwardly for being a housewife from the 50s. His face lights up, though.
‘Thank you darling.’, he replies.

Then he’s gone, just like that. I stand in the hallway for a while, unsure what to do with myself.
I’m really used to him being in charge of our daily routine by now.

I decide to make the best out of him being away and do all the fucking beauty stuff I have been putting off, because I didn’t want him to know that even my mediocre appearance takes effort. Also I didn’t’ want to be apart from him for too long.

I have the most intense work-out I had for a week, then take a long shower and use the special lotion my Dad gave me, that doesn’t wash off the smell of my alpha while still washing of dirt and sweat and stuff. I don’t know how it works. People say the stuff causes cancer. Totally worth it, though.

I put conditioner in my hair and wash it out, pluck my eyebrows and trim my nails.
While I pluck my eyebrows I see that my lashes are starting to fade from black to brownish.
In a couple of weeks, they will be red.

I wonder how I should tell him that I need beauty treatments now and then.
I’m not even sure if I get money after some time. If I’m allowed to leave the house. It wasn’t in his rules.
I’m pretty sure he didn’t think about that at all. He’s mostly reasonable, though. I just have to gather my courage to just ask him for stuff.

Which is the hard part. I’m pretty shy by nature. And I’ve grown up in an environment where it was widely known that omegas are seen, not heard.
So I’m not a big talker or anything. But normally I’m able to get my point across.

But as soon as he touches me or just looks at me, I get so meek. I basically just want to please him and not stand out in a negative way.
He literally renders me speechless. I know it’s not his fault. But it isn’t mine either. So it’s just unfair.

I’m frustrated while I massage oil into my hair and brush it. I can’t be arsed to curl it right now. I decide to put it in a French braid, that way it will curl naturally when I open the braid at least. I just want it out of the way. It’s too much effort. I don’t know how the other omegas do it.

I step out of the en-suite. I barely killed half of the morning with all that stuff.
I have no idea what to do now. The house is clean. He’s doing the cooking. I don’t even want to play a game.

I just go to bed. It’s where I belong, after all. That’s all an omega is good for. Being knotted. Being bred. So lying naked in bed is exactly what’s expected of me.
I push the thought away that Marco didn’t fuck me yet, so he thinks I’m more than his hole. Maybe he didn’t fuck me yet because I’m ugly. He could be lying all the time.

I doze off, my thoughts in a steady downwards spiral. I didn’t really have time to wonder about my life in the last days.
All the angst, stress and uncertainty I repressed are now coming up to haunt me.

I can hear the door after a couple of hours. I already knew it must be about lunchtime because I’m hungry.
He’s calling for me but I don’t react. He’s going to find me sooner or later.

I’m right, he immediately walks into the bedroom. I can almost feel his surprise at finding me in bed. I don’t care.
Looking at him makes me feel pleasant things. I don’t want to feel pleasant things right now. I didn’t earn it!
I turn away from him.

Great, now he smells concerned. Stupid scents! He didn’t even bite me yet, why is everything so intense?
He sits down on the edge of the mattress and I feel his hand touching my shoulder gently.

‘Did you just stay naked and waited for me the whole morning?’ He talks so fucking gently to me. It brings me close to tears.
I try to answer, but a pathetic ‘Alpha.’, is the only thing that comes out when I open my mouth.
He immediately lies down and pulls me close while he makes calming noises. His whole scent shifts to be reassuring to me.

I start to cry and he makes more soothing noises and gently kisses my neck. I hate how good this helps with making me feel better.
I don’t want to be dependent on him like that. I want to feel my own emotions, for fuck’s sake!

After maybe a quarter of an hour I mostly calmed down.
The sobs turn into hiccups. The hiccups turn into nothing.

‘What was that about?’, he asks softly.
I shrug. ‘Nothing.’ I sound like a pouting child but I don’t care.
His hands are on me, turning me to face him and I flinch back. He immediately stops touching me.

‘Sorry.’, he says.
‘It’s ok.’, I manage to reply, not looking at him.

‘I’d really like to know what’s troubling you. How can I help you?’
Argh, if he could just stop being so fucking nice all the time. It confuses the hell out of me!

‘I missed you.’, I say in a small voice. It’s not a lie. It’s just not the whole truth.
I can feel him watch me closely.

‘Is that all?’, he asks and I nearly flinch again because his voice sounds cold.
I nod.

‘I don’t believe you.’, he says, which makes me nearly cry again. I clench my jaw together.
He sighs and sits up in bed to look down on me.
As it should be, I remind myself, when I start to be irritated by that.

‘Tell me.’, he says.
I bury myself into the blanket. ‘No.’

‘Baby!’, he sounds exasperated.
Great, not I can finally test out what he’s really like. No alpha can be that patient all the time.

I glare at him but I’m near crying again and I know he can smell it. It’s so irritating!
We’re not even mated - although I am officially his, of course - but he’s still able to figure me out all of the time. I hate that. Ok, I mostly love it. But I hate that I love it!

‘Tell me,’, he says, more sternly and it’s hard to disobey, but I manage.
‘Leave me alone!’, I press out.

He takes a deep breath, then: ‘Omega! Tell me the truth!’
I’m shook to my core. He didn’t really use his alpha Voice just now?

Chapter Text

I just can’t. He’s lying there and he smells miserable and he’s still stubborn enough to refuse to talk to me.
I feel so helpless. So of course I react without thinking.

‘Omega!’, I call him and I hate that, because he still doesn’t have a name and it’s just wrong.
‘Tell me the truth!’, I wanted to sound stern but of course I manage to accidently use my alpha voice.

For a moment you could hear a pin drop.

Then it’s like a damn broke.

‘You god-damn hypocrite!’, my omega sits up and hugs the blanket to him, his eyes blazing at me.
I know this is a serious situation but God would I love to throw him over the edge of the bed and fuck him right now!

‘Talking about consent all the time, not wanting to fuck me and everything, forcing me to talk about what I want, which is just cruel in its own way, by the way, you asshole!
And then you use your fucking alpha voice on me and force me to open up, although it is pretty fucking clear that I’m not ready for this and that I don’t want to talk about it?
Are you fucking serious?’

Pheeeew! Yeah, I ordered him to be honest, but that’s a lot.
And also a lot of cussing. I didn’t even know he’d know those words.

I flinch back and sit up straighter under his attack and he looks at me with wide, shocked eyes and moves as if he wants to cover his mouth with his hand.
But apparently the command has been strong enough to still linger.

‘Don’t you have enough of me already?’, he asks me and the hopelessness in his voice makes me cringe.
‘You fucking own me! Do you need my inner thoughts as well?' He pauses for a second as if to think, before he sounds a little calmer.

'Do you really want to help me? Are you able to stop the urge I have to fuck you, then? A complete stranger!
To submit to you although I hate feeling – just less? And will you give me back my pack, my family and stop confining me, making me feel so unsure about my life and my future and what the fuck is happening to me right now and what will happen when I let you get close and get used to you and you tire of me, because I’m not new anymore?’

He breaks off with one single sob. Than he just looks at me, trembling, his hand still half-raised on the way this mouth.
He looks at it, frowns and puts it down.

I can’t really progress all the shocking things he said just now because I have the overpowering urge to make everything right and protect him.
Which is kinda stupid, because apparently he needs to be protected from me and it breaks my heart.

Before I can react in any way, he clears his throat and meets my eyes.
‘Wow. I- I didn’t even know that I would say this. Please dont take it too seriously.’, he says meekly.

His scent of despair has cleared during his outburst, replaced by mostly anger. The anger is slowly subsiding now.
It feels like after a thunderstorm when the air is cleared with remnants of electricity in it.
Hell, I feel like after a thunderstorm. Shocked and a little worried but glad it’s over and we both survived.

I stand up slowly because I don’t think he wants to be in the same room as me right now.
I feel deeply ashamed. I hadn’t even thought about most things he just said.

I thought I was a pretty decent and sensible guy.
Turns out I’m just another douchebag alpha that just thinks about himself.

‘I’m sorry.’, I say to him.
He scoffs. ‘Stop apologising. Please. You behave like an alpha, a kind alpha, half the time and I somehow need that.
And then you break your role and it confuses the hell out of me.’

Oh. I refrain from apologising again. Then I frown.
‘Is the command still working?’ It can’t be, can it?

He chuckles. ‘No. I just had an epiphany. It may be better for both of us if I am a little more honest. It seems that we both have no idea what we’re doing.’
I have to smile a little at his words and he smiles back.

Then I decide to be the alpha he needs.
‘I’m going to hug you now.’, I tell him. To my surprise he stands up and moves towards me to meet me halfway.
‘Please. Touch me, alpha. Make me feel safe.’, he says in his little voice again and I comply.

We hug it out and I plant little kisses on his neck, shoulders and face, sniffing and liking his glands in between until he’s basically putty in my arms.
I put him back on the bed and hug him close.

‘You still need a name.’, I say. ‘Because I’m not going to get rid of you, you know? Can you believe me, please?’
He sniffs and nods. ‘I do. I do believe you. I have terrifying thoughts about it, about everything really, when you’re away, but everything feels right when you’re here.’

I softly kiss his forehead.‘So, any thoughts?’
He shrugs. ‘I have been thinking about it. I- I think I’d like a short name? And maybe not too Italian, because- well, look at me, I’m clearly not.’ I chuckle and nod again.

He sighs. ‘I have no idea.’ After talking with a couple of omegas in father’s practice I kind of expected that.
It may have been too much to expect him to make a decision like that. I did think about it myself, though.

‘What do you think of ‘Luca’?’ I ask. He stills for a while.
Then I hear him try out the name quietly and have to supress a giggle. He’s just too adorable.

Finally, he nods. ‘I like it.’ He looks at me and smiles.
I nod and kiss his nose. ‘Luca it is then. Hi, Luca. Nice to meet you.’
He snorts and rolls his eyes at me, but snuggles against me.

We cuddle for a while, then go to the kitchen. I’m hungry and he must feel similar.
Thank God I brought pizza because I didn’t want to cook, so lunch is served in a heartbeat.

We take it outside, Luca dressed in his robe and eat it cold.
I go wash my hands and then sit down next to him. He immediately leans against me.
I still can’t believe how well our bodies react to each other.

I remove his hair tie and open his French braid with my fingers, caressing the fabulous curls that emerge.
He’s giving up a wave of annoyance and I still. What’s wrong now?

‘Are you still pissed that I used the Voice on you?’, I ask him and I’m careful to not sound apologetic.
He takes that part instead.
‘I’m sorry.’ He looks down and I supress a sigh. Back to being distanced it is then.

I guess he just needs time and I vow to give it to him.
He can take as much time as he needs, I’m not going anywhere.

We spend a normal pleasant afternoon with each other, eat a light dinner and make out for hours afterwards, because it seems to feel right for both of us and with our mouths occupied nobody can say anything stupid.

The next days are strained. I have to go to uni and it’s an hour and a half for one way, so I’m stressed and he’s lonely and we both miss each other for hours.
Reuniting in the evening is nicer than the first day, thank God.

He practically jumps at me when I open the door.
I taught him how to make a few dishes so we either eat salad, sandwiches or pasta for dinner.

I have prepared the week’s lunch on the weekend, so he can microwave it and have a warm meal every day.
I miss feeding him while I eat my lunch at the cafeteria and I’m gloomy, even if I’m surrounded by laughing friends.

After a pleasant weekend I think about the upcoming week and decide that it can’t go on like this. I hate the long commute and I hate being away from my omega for so long. Also, I’m not nearly able to get all my stuff done.

‘Luca.’, I say one evening, in bed. He puts his book down immediately and focuses on me. I’m ridiculously pleased by this.
‘I need to stay overnight at the uni for a couple of days. I have a big project coming up.’

He’s terrified immediately and I grab his neck to force his body to relax. He bows his head and goes still.
‘Can I- can I come with you? I won’t be any trouble, I swear.’, he asks meekly.

‘I’m sorry darling. I have a room at the dorms and omegas aren’t allowed there. Bad for morale amongst alphas or something like that.
I’ll call you and I will hurry, so it’s two or three nights at the most, ok?’

He nods and appears so defeated that it almost physically hurts me. I decide to look at alternative housing when I’m there so I can take him with me the next time.
The dorm was my safe haven when I would still be living with my father otherwise, but now it served its purpose and I can move on.

I decide to tell him, to cheer him up. ‘You know what, I’ll be looking for other accommodation as well. So you can join me the next time.
Maybe even meet some of my friends after a while. Don’t worry, they’re mostly beta.’ I seem to have misinterpreted his worry because he doesn’t seem reassured.

‘I’m sorry for being an inconvenience.’ he says. I pull him in and hug him close.
‘Don’t ever be sorry for being mine, darling. I love - that you’re mine. I don’t care if it makes things complicated.’
He nuzzles against my neck and kisses it and I feel like I’m in heaven.

The next day I get up early. He needs some time until he plods into the kitchen after me, as usual.
I wonder what he does every morning. He does get up at the same time as me, it’s not like he needs time lying around to slowly wake up.

I make porridge and he sits on my lap while I feed us both.
It’s a ritual I’ve really grown to like.

Normally I could stop feeding him by now, we are pretty bonded, just the mark is missing.
But I think breakfast and dinner make up for not always eating lunch together and not seeing each other enough.
And I love how grounded we both feel when he sits on my lap and I feed him.

Being a doctor’s son and with my background I know for a fact that the mark is hugely overrated.
Most bonding can be achieved without biting your omega. It’s basically a sign of belonging together in a good bond.

Of course it can also be used by bad alphas to force an omega into giving in to them.
The hormonal reactions after a bite develop way faster than if you bond the old-school way (lots of skin contact, orgasms and feeding), so it can be even dangerous for an omega’s health to be bitten immediately. Not that most alphas would care.

After breakfast I let him sit on the chair while I stuff everything I need into my backpack. I get a hair tie and make a quick ponytail so my hair is out of my face.
He huffs and I have the feeling he’s annoyed somehow but he looks normal when I glance at him.

Maybe he’s angry at himself for missing me already. It would fit his intriguing personality.

‘I’m off, darling. Be good. I’ll miss you, but it’s not for long.’ I kiss him and he comes with me to the door.
We kiss again and I take some time to be able to leave the house.

I already miss him after the door closes. I miss him even more when I sit in my car. I haven’t used it in a while but this time I take it instead of the train so I’m more flexible and faster. His scent is missing in my car and that is just wrong. His scent should be on all my stuff by now.

I vow to take him with me the next time I go.

Chapter Text

I sit in the kitchen chair, feeling Marco’s warmth lingering under and behind me while he gets ready to go. I feel miserable.
And of course I had to spend perfectly nice time that I could have spent with him washing and grooming myself and taking care of my hair.

His own soft, dark curls are tied into a quick ponytail and that annoys the hell out of me.
Of course he looks good no matter what he does with his hair, while I have to be careful about my appearance.

I see his worried glance at me and try not to look as if I’m breaking apart inwardly.
We kiss a lot and I can feel that he doesn’t want to leave me, which is nice, at least. Then he’s gone.

I immediately stuff my hair into a messy bun and go back to bed. For lunch I eat the food he prepared.
I know that its good, but it tastes like nothing because he’s not here. I resent having to eat by myself by now, which is just weird.

Then I play a little, doze off, got waken up when he calls me and talk to him on the phone for two hours - which is strange at first, but then I love it - and have a very late snack instead of dinner.

The next day starts way later than the day before but otherwise is practically the same.
I’m looking forward to my alpha returning, hopefully the next day.

I’m playing a game after an afternoon nap, when I hear someone using the key to enter the house.
I’m immediately excited that Marco is back, but it can’t be. Also, I don’t smell him. I smell something foul and miserable. It’s not that intense, though. So it’s a beta.

‘Don’t you clean your alpha's house, when he’s not here, omega?’, are the first words his grandmother says to me when she enters the living room.

I don’t know what her problem is. It’s not untidy in here. And what is she even doing here?
She seems to have the key so maybe Marco told her to look after me? Well, it would be nice if he had mentioned it.

I’m glad, that I’m wearing one of his shirts and boxer shorts, instead of being naked in front of this woman.
I remember my social standing and switch the console off, while standing up to face her.
She’s old, she’s beta and most importantly, she’s a member of my alpha’s family, so I have to be respectful.

I bow my head and clench my fists.
‘He wants a relationship, not a servant.’ I manage to sound almost meekly while replying. She’s not impressed.

‘Huh, still impolite and sassy, are you? I bet you’re not even capable of doing the household.
My grandson is smitten with you, but it doesn’t take a lot for a young man to be satisfied, you just have to please him in bed, don’t you?’

I bristle, because firstly, she really insulted both of us right now and secondly- ha! I wish! Of course she sees it.
‘Keep your emotions in check, boy! It’s bad manners for you to be so easily readable.’

She goes into the kitchen and starts clattering about. I ponder just staying here for a while, but I just can’t.
I go after her. She’s rearranging the cupboards and cleaning the counters simultaneously.

‘I’m not sure my alpha appreciates this, Ma’am.’ I try to be polite.
She scoffs at me. ‘He doesn’t know a thing about taking care of himself. He’d be lost without my help. And you would be too, I gather.’

I raise my eyebrows. Marco’s a really good cook so he knows something.
And the apartment isn’t dirty. I don’t know what she’s talking about.

She ignores me, while clattering about and I decide that it’s not worth it.
It’s not as if she’s painting the walls or other stuff that couldn’t be reversed.

I feel stupid just watching her and try to make amends.
‘Do you want me to help you?’

She looks at me as if I’m something disgusting, that she stepped in.
‘No, I don’t want you to destroy everything I’ve done.’ I have a feeling she isn’t talking about the state of the apartment anymore.

I’m unsure what to do. I can’t handle the blatant hostility she throws at me.
I also can’t just ignore her and go back to gaming.

Me standing there, seems to get on her nerves.
She clucks and sighs. ‘Get out of my way! Go to bed like a good whore. And don’t disrespect me again.
I’m not above reporting you after all. Maybe you could still be helped with a little retraining. I know people, who can arrange that.’

The threat gets to me. I bow my head and go into the bedroom. I consider sitting into the armchair and reading, but it sounded like an order and I’m afraid she’s going to look after me in a while, so I go to bed.
I consider taking off my clothes, her wording strongly implied what my use in bed is in her eyes after all, but Marco’s clothes smell like him and I need that right now.

I sink into his scent and it’s the only thing that grounds me. I can’t even begin to think about what his grandmother said to me or I will fall apart. I’m not sure how he can be related to that woman. But he clearly is and so some of her views must surely have rubbed off on him? Is there a side of him I haven’t yet encountered?

I hear the grandmother rummaging about in the house. After a couple of hours, she comes into the bedroom.
I flinch back and try to make myself as small as possible. I have a dreadful feeling when she’s near. She’s powerful in her own, scary way. It’s weird she’s not an alpha.

She goes into the en-suite and clatters around.
‘No condoms?’, she yells. ‘He’s not already breeding an ugly bitch like you, is he?’

‘I- I’m on birth control’, I manage, not wanting to embarrass my alpha by telling her that he doesn’t use his right to sleep with me.
She scoffs and comes over to slap my face. I’m to stunned to react. It hurts and I feel tears collect in my eyes. I won’t cry in front of her!

‘You will address me accordingly, boy.’, she scolds me and I bow my head.
‘I’m sorry, Ma’am.’, I say meekly.

She looks in all of his drawers then, makes fun of the books I brought with me, and then leaves.
I manage to wait until she left before I break down. I switch the phone off and cry myself into a restless sleep.

Chapter Text

I stand up very early and decide to not eat breakfast. I want to eat with Luca.
I drive back on almost empty streets and listen to The Cat Empire, while the sun slowly comes up.

I’m home earlier than we normally get up. The house looks peaceful.

I can’t wait to tell Luca that I finished the project and found us a room with an older couple, if I need to stay overnight again.
I would have told him on the phone yesterday, but he must have let the batteries run out.

Something isn’t right when I open the door. It smells too- clean?
It smells like chemicals and the homely scent, that we both managed to create while living together, is faded into the background.

I silently walk up the stairs and open the door to the bedroom. He’s tossing in bed and then seems to react to my smell.
He stills. I can feel him wake up and look at my silhouette in the door. It’s pretty dark in here.

Suddenly, I’m shy to approach him.
‘Hi darling.’, I say and when he doesn’t react. ‘What happened here, while I was away? Did you clean?’

He breathes heavily and hesitates. I’m at the point where I want to ask him again, when he finally answers.
‘No- no, I’m sorry. I didn’t clean, because- I’m stupid. Of course it’s expected of me I just- I don’t-‘, and then he’s sobbing.

I am with him in two big steps.
I don’t know how to handle it and he told me to be more alpha the last time he broke down, so I squeeze his neck and make shushing noises until he’s calmer.

‘Can you talk to me and make sense, please?’, I try to lighten the mood. He sniffles and nods.
‘You’re grandmother was here. She cleaned. And she told me to get out of the way and stay in bed like it’s proper for someone like me.’

Of course she did, that old cow! I’m extremely irritated.
Luca gets quieter and quieter and stops talking. He’s basically crouching before me, showing me his neck and looking down.

I need a couple of minutes to realize that he smells my anger and is afraid. I immediately regret it.
I take deep breaths, while I slowly rub his neck with my thumb to calm him.

‘I’m not angry at you, babe. I’m angry at her. Do you understand?’ He whimpers and nods.
It breaks my heart to see him afraid of me. I’m supposed to protect him!

I sigh and stand up. Maybe it would be best to just act normally?
’Let’s have breakfast, baby.’, I say and he jumps up, clearly afraid of my reaction, if he’s not fast enough.

I swallow down the sadness I feel about that and take his hand in mine, leading him to the kitchen as gently as possible.

From the outside, everything is normal after that.
He sits on my lap and eats, melts into my touch and listens to me about my days.

But his scent still holds a lot of fear and he’s barely meeting my eyes. I’m not sure if I’m angrier with grandmother or myself.
I try to wait it out, but it doesn’t get better, even after hours.

I try to do pleasant things with him, like cuddle him and he is responsive, but he seems far away and flinches when I catch that he missed what I said.
We go to bed like that and this is the first night, when he’s not cuddling against me.

I decide to give him space. I have a feeling that we both barely sleep. But we pretend to and don’t talk to each other.
If I only knew what exactly is bothering him. But I can’t ask him. Not after the last time he had a problem. He would tell me if he wanted to talk about it, I’m sure of it.

I know that grandmother told him to stay in bed. I can imagine the words she used.
I don’t know why it bothers him that much, to be honest. He must know that it’s not what I think? And I told him her opinion doesn’t count, didn’t I?

‘Please.’, he says softly and I tense and look to him. He’s holding the blanket to his chest as if he wants to protect himself.
‘Please, don’t be angry.’, he begs with wide eyes.

Shit! Thinking about my grandmother must have made me stink up the whole house.
I turn on my side to face him. ‘I’m sorry, darling. I’m just pissed at my grandmother.’

He sighs. ‘She’s right, you know.’, seeing my reaction, he hurries to go on.
‘She’s from another time. And she could be more friendly. But the key message is still applying. I should have thought to clean while you’re away. I should have been disgustingly polite to her. And I should have waited for you with hugs and kisses and o- open legs, instead of being all weird and sad. It’s what expected of me. It’s what- what I’m here for.’

I frown. ‘Do you really believe that?’
He shrugs. ‘What I believe isn’t important. It’s what society dictates us, so it’s true.’

I ponder this a moment. ‘Well my little philosopher. I, for once, don’t give a fuck about society’s expectations. And I neither wanted you to do any specific housework nor did I invite my grandmother. So it was totally ok, that you weren’t that polite to her. Please stop beating yourself up for that.’
‘Ok.’, he just says. He’s still tense and unhappy.

‘Luca?’, I say and extend my hand.
He eyes it, then takes it and moves closer to me. ‘Hmm?’

‘Would you please talk to me, about what’s really going on with you?’
I expect him to bristle and deny that anything is amiss, like last time. But he just gazes into space for a while, then nods.

‘I think I’m bored. And lonely. No, no, don’t get me wrong, I’m not lonely when you’re here. You’re everything for me. I don’t need anybody else when you’re here. But you have a lot to do the whole time and I’m just waiting for you. I guess I felt pretty useless and then she told me I was useless and so I just believed her.’

He sounds a little disgusted with himself. I’m not able to mind, I’m still high from him saying that I’m everything he needs.
The human part of me knows that this isn’t how a relationship should work, though.

‘Actually, I’ve been thinking. You’re pack-grown, right?’, He just nods, we both know, that I know that.
‘How many were you?’
‘Between 12 and 20.’, he says.

‘So you were never really alone, right?’
‘Right.’ He sounds sad.

I prop myself up on my elbow. ‘So, I have a friend who’s looking for a room. He’s beta. I was thinking about introducing you two, see how you like each other.
If you hit it off, maybe he could move in with us. It would balance this whole situation out a little.’

I can feel him watching my face in the dark.
‘You’d start a pack for me?’, he asks huskily.

‘Yes, of course.’, I reply and suddenly he’s on me and I can barely breath from the force behind his hug.
‘Don’t get ahead of yourself.’, I warn him. ‘You could hate each other. And either way, it’s a long way off.’

He nods. ‘I know. Don’t worry, I know that. It’s just- I appreciate it. Really.’ His hand finds mine and squeezes it and my heart feels like it could burst any minute.
Finally, he settles down in our normal positon.

'Until then.’, I begin after a couple of minutes of silence.
‘Hmm?’, he hums, sleepily. ‘I thought I’d let you meet with your omega Dad if you’d like that. And if your pack isn’t put off by your new scent, then maybe you can even visit your little brother. I know it’s not much, but-‘

He presses his lips against mine. ‘It’s everything. You have no idea. Thank you. Thank you, Marco. I didn’t even dare to hope for this.’
I’m equally happy and sad. Why didn’t he trust me enough to tell me that he wants to see his old pack? I’m not that horrible, am I?
I kiss his forehead and we both finally find sleep.

The next day I don’t have to find my grandmother to yell at her. She’s letting herself in, while we’re having breakfast.
She ignores Luca and looks at our porridge in disgust.

I stand up and let Luca sit on my chair. He slides right down to kneel on the floor.
Fuck! He’s really afraid of her. It makes me even more angry.

She’s walking around our house, complaining to herself about everything she sees, when I grab her by the shoulder.
‘Out!’, I say. She looks up at me with a fake shocked expression.

‘What? How are you even talking to me?’
I don’t have time for her games.

‘I want you out, grandmother!’, I almost growl and I can see that she’s intimidated by that.
I make my hands into fists to stop the urge to gesture a lot.

‘The key was for emergencies. And I specifically gave it to father, not to you! You come into my home and intimidate and insult my omega.
I don’t think so! I don’t want to see you for a while. Give me back the key!’

She huffs and stands up straighter, when she sees that I’m serious.
‘That little whore surely gave you a crash-course in bad behaviour, boy. You should really consider sending him to a training facility!
Don’t think I haven’t noticed, that you haven’t even bitten him yet!’

I bare my teeth at her and she backs up. ‘Did you know that he was just lazing around, in your clothes, while you were gone? He’s not good for you.
Look what he looks like. I always wanted someone proper for you. After your unfortunate upbringing-‘

‘YOU LEAVE MY MOTHER OUT OF IT!’, I yell and at that she runs out and slams the door behind her.
Luca is pale. He has his back pressed to the chair leg and looks at me, trembling.

I’m not in the mood to reassure him right now.
Fuck! I need someone to calm me, not the other way around.
With a glance at him, I go out into the garden.

I dig up an old vegetable patch and chop some wood until I’m pleasantly tired.
When I turn back to the house, I see Luca lean in the doorway, watching me. He’s dressed in one of my shirts and boxer shorts.
Is that what grandmother meant? That foolish woman. He looks mouth-watering wearing my clothes!

I caress his cheek in passing, when I walk back in, and go take a shower.
When I come out, he waits with a towel. He wraps me in it and rubs me dry.

‘I’m sorry.’, I say while he’s massaging my scalp with a smaller towel.
‘I didn’t want to scare you. I’m changing the locks, so she will never come in like that again.’

‘Thanks.’ He says and I realize that it’s the only word he said until now. I put my head in my hands.
I’m the worst alpha ever. How should I look after another person? I’m barely able to get by, by myself.

He brings me some clothes from the bedroom and watches me put them on. ‘Mar- alpha?’
It stings, that he’s not sure how to address me. I’m too tired to go into it, though. ‘Yeah?‘

‘Where is your mother?’ I pause mid-movement and see him flinch. I sigh. I will tell him, of course.
He has a right to know. But I will tell him in my own time. I’m pissed off at grandmother for barging in and saying stuff she has no right to say.

‘She’s dead.’, I tell him and my tone tells him, that the issue is closed for now. He lowers his gaze.
‘I’m sorry.’, he says and he clearly means it. I lean in and kiss his cheek. ‘Thanks.’

The rest of the day goes by in a haze. We’re both distanced and deep in thought and I can’t bring myself to care.
The next day, I have the lock changed.

Father tries to call me a couple of times, but I don’t answer.
I really have to rent out a room quickly or we won’t have any money for food.

Luca is still disturbed. He’s clearly unsure how I want him to react. To be honest, I don’t even know what I want with him right now.
It’s nice to hold him, yes. But it’s an awful responsibility to care about him.

Slowly my sense of responsibility come back, though, and I try to be nice to him and calm him, to get back to normal. He’s still reserved and careful around me.
I can smell his heat start two days later. It’s a shitty timing. I have a paper due, I still need to sort things out with my father or we won’t have any money soon and we’re still walking around each other on eggshells.

‘Maybe you should take another suppressant.’, I say after lunch.
He went off my lap as soon as the meal was over and is now washing the dishes.
The plate he’s washing slips out of his hand and smashes on the floor. I jump up.

He’s cowering on the floor, trying to pick up all the pieces at once. He’s already bleeding.
‘Stop!’, I order and he freezes and looks up to me. He’s crying.

I crouch down next to him and pick him up. I carry him to the bathroom and clean and bandage his little cuts. He’s crying the whole time.
I want to kiss him but he turns his face away. I grab his chin.

‘Don’t push me away, Luca!’, I say. ‘Talk to me.’
He looks down. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just destroying everything. And I’m crying all the time. And I’m ugly when I cry.’
That startles me and I snort amused. He looks up at that, frowning.

‘Darling’, I tell him. ‘I don’t want you to cry, because it means you’re distressed. I want you to be happy.
I don’t care what you look like when you cry. Everybody is ugly, when they cry. And you’re still the most beautiful person in the world for me.’

He stares at me. ‘Really?’
I nod. ‘And don’t worry about the plate. It’s just a plate. Accidents happen.’

He nods at me with wide eyes, but he clearly didn’t process anything I just said.
I sigh and stroke his hair. ‘I’m sorry about springing the suppressants thing on you. It’s just bad timing. A couple of days later would be better. What do you think?’

He nods. ‘You’re right.’, he says. He seems down. I hug him and sniff his neck. I realize that I haven’t done this for a while.
I lick his glands and he moves into my caress and wraps his arms around me. He sighs, but it’s a content sigh this time.

I kiss his neck upwards until I land on his lips. He’s kissing back enthusiastically.
Maybe this is what we needed the whole time.

We slowly go into the bedroom. He undresses himself, before I have the chance to do so.
Then he just stands there, naked and looking at me openly, clearly waiting for me to do something. I look him up and down and he slowly, self-consciously, opens his legs for me.

I swallow and the next thing I know is that I’m on him, on the bed.
He’s moaning and I’m panting and I have both our dicks in my hand and have sucked multiple bruises into his neck. I hesitate and he smiles up to me.

‘Are you back?’, he asks hoarsely. I nod. ‘Did I- did I hurt you?’ He shakes his head.
‘You’re even the perfect gentleman, when you’re full alpha.’, he tells me smiling.

‘I bruised your neck.’, I point out and feel a little sheepish.
He chuckles. ‘Yes, I noticed. I really liked it. Would you like to continue? Please? Alpha?’

I growl and continue.
Afterwards we lie in our own mess, entangled in each other, and it feels right.

It slowly goes back to normal after this. Baby steps, though.
Luca takes a suppressant the next morning. I just put it on the table. Taking it was his own choice.

I still catch him look at me with something resembling concern more than once. And sometimes he smells devastated and anxious.
We’re quite good in distracting each other with our bodies though.
I decide to study more at home, so he’s not alone.

I sit in my study one morning, when he comes in. He silently kneels down next to me and puts his head in my lap.
I would never have ordered him to do so, but now that he’s doing it by himself, it’s shockingly nice.

I start to understand, why alphas expect submissive behaviour from their omegas. It does something to me.
Like having him naked the first couple of days did something to me. I still think it’s wrong to force people into servitude, of course.

I stroke his beautiful, silky curls and he nuzzles into my leg. ‘What’s up, darling? Miss me?’
‘Always miss you.’, he mutters. It doesn’t sound as romantic as the words should be. It sounds like he’s cross about it.

’I’m sorry, darling. I feel the same thing.’, I try to reassure him. He shifts on his knees.
‘I can’t imagine that’s true.’, he finally says. My inner alpha wants to punish him for being insolent, but I, Marco, am just glad he’s finally talking to me.

‘Why not?’, I try to sound neutral. He sighs and moves a little away from me to look up to me.
‘Well, you’re distracted. You have something to do. I don’t.’ The wave of despair that emanates from him, hits me offhand.

I cup his cheek with my hand and stroke it with my thumb.
‘It’s good of you to tell me how you feel. I’m worried about you. What do you need, baby?’

Chapter Text

‘What do you need, baby?’, my alpha asks and that makes me happy. He sounds as if he’s serious, too.
I don’t know why I was fretting so much over the last days. He’s a decent guy. He really cares about me and would never hurt me.

I sigh and look up to him. I know what I want to ask him. We even spoke about this already, after all. But nothing ever came of it.
‘Can- can I go out? Please?’

He’s silent and I’m worried that I’ve gone too far with my demand. But then he clears his throat and lets out a puff of air.
‘Yes, of course you can go out, baby. You’re not a prisoner. You wear a collar, you wear my ring, nobody’s going to mess with you.’

It sounds like he’s trying to argue with himself, so I don’t say anything.
‘I’m sorry it appeared to you, like I wouldn’t let you go out. It’s those stupid overprotective alpha instincts.’

I cock my head and look at him. He looks and smells unhappy. I put my hand on his thigh and he smiles down on me.
Some of his unhappy scent clears and gets replaced by the nice flavour I can’t put my finger on yet.

‘Don’t you like being an alpha?’, I ask. Because it seems like it, but that just can’t be true.
He sighs. ‘Well, I- yes. I mean, I am what I am. And I’m glad it made us compatible. Really glad. But I could do without smelling you and just wanting to have you. That’s not who I am. I don’t want to just have to take another person. That’s barbaric! I’m very glad that you at least feel the same about me or I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.’, he trails of.

I don’t understand what he’s saying. The core message is that he’s glad to have me and that is positive, at least.
‘But you are free to do as you please.’ It’s not like I want to argue with him, but he just doesn’t make sense.

He scoffs. ‘As much as society allows me to, yes. I also have a lot of responsibility and I’m constantly worried that something happens to you.’
He’s stroking my cheekbone with his thumb, moving his hand over my hair. He lets it rest when he covers my ear and I instinctively press against it. His eyes grow softer.

‘Please tell me that you aren’t worried about yourself at least. That I’m able to spare you from it.’
I have to think about that in order to answer honestly. ‘I used to worry a lot. But- no, I don’t worry that much when I’m with you. You make me feel safe. My alpha.’

I barely breathe the last two words, because I’m being embarrassingly cheesy but he heard me alright. He grins a lopsided grin and pulls me on his lap.
I lean in to kiss him by myself and he’s taken aback for a millisecond, but then he dominates the kiss easily. I can feel his lips curl into a smile.

I got my old smart phone back from Marco after our initial bonding period. Officially, so we can stay in contact when he’s out.
But of course, I also have the old numbers on there. I wasn’t sure if I’m allowed to use them until recently, though.
A lot of alphas make their omegas cut off all the ties to their past life.

Now I fret over the messaging program, uncertain what to write to my Dad.
Finally, I settle on asking him if he’d like to meet. I immediately add that I’m allowed. He’d never do anything that’s against an alpha’s wishes.
He’s from a very good family and actually married down a little when my father bought him.

Dad is happy I wrote and we make an appointment in the café near the park I used to go with the baby. It’s near both of us.
This house isn’t that far away from my old home. I have no idea why Marco and I haven’t smelled each other before.

I can practically feel, how worried Marco is when I say goodbye to him.
I tell him where I’m going and whom I meet and when to expect me back, like a good omega, so he can’t really complain.

Feeling his eyes in my back, as I leave the house, makes me nearly change my mind.
But the sun is out and the wind is exactly right and I haven’t been walking outside since I went for THAT walk with the baby, so somehow I make it to the end of the street and soon I see the café.
It’s a hidden, little building, that’s especially for omegas.

I immediately see my Dad when I enter. He stands up to greet me. Normally we would scent-mark each other by hugging. And I’d love to hug him.
But I feel weirdly reluctant, because he’s not pack and he doesn’t smell like Marco. We touch knuckles instead and it’s weird.

My sweet omega father smiles at me and asks me a million questions about my alpha.
While I tell him everything, I realize what a catch I made. Dad is really happy and enthusiastic.

He’s worried and frowns when I mention the grandmother. A couple of weeks ago he would have told me that my behaviour needs polishing, but now I’m my alphas responsibility and he’s visibly holding back. I feel sad for him. It must be hard.

I inquire about the pack. The baby has a new tooth. That’s all. At least I didn’t really miss anything except late-night crying then.
Then I slowly feel safe enough with him to ask for relationship advice.
‘Dad?’

I just realise that I do this 'asking before I ask'-thing with everyone. I have to tell Marco, so he doesn’t think it’s out of respect for him.
He’s still weird about me being too polite and 'not myself', as he puts it. I don’t want him to think that I’m distanced.
I’m fully into our relationship by now. Well, ok, mostly. And to be honest, that scares me, a lot.

Dad watches me and I realise that I’ve been deep in thought. ‘Ehm, do you- like, when you do things for father. Do you do them because you have to or do you really want to?’
Dad chuckles. ‘Ah, so you just discovered your omega instincts, huh? Yes, darling, I want to please your father very much and I want to do everything for him he has me do, even if it wouldn’t look like it in front of strangers. It’s normal. Is there a specific reason you ask?’

I blush. But I already started this conversation and he helped me with my heat two weeks ago, so he’s the perfect conversation partner for this.
‘Well, he- He told me that he’ll wait until I’m ready. You know, with- sex’, I mumble , ‘and I-, I can’t talk about that to him. I’m way too ashamed.’

Dad looks at his fingers for a moment. ‘Do you want to?’ I nod.
‘You can tell him with your body.’

I scoff. ‘No, he needs verbal consent’.
Dad raises his perfect eyebrows. Not for long, of course, it could wrinkle. ‘You really got a good one there.’

I have to smile. ‘Yes, I know! That’s why I don’t think the idea horrible. I think. Even when I’m not in heat at all, I - sorry, it’s not really something to talk about with my dad.’
Dad chuckles. ‘Well, I’m also a fellow omega, darling.’

I blush and look down, suddenly unable to continue talking about this.
Dad seems to understand. ‘Maybe you should just tell him, what you just told me.’

I sigh. That’s what I feared he would say. It’s no help at all. I know I should just talk to him but – how?
‘Yes- maybe.’, I reply. I’m really not convinced but I decide to leave it be for now.

Dad has to go. He promises to say hi to everyone from me.
He gets picked up by a beta, but I’m not in the mood for awkward small talk with someone I lived with for all my life and wait until they’re gone.

I leave the café and slowly walk back home, deep in thought. Someone catcalls. I ignore it.
I notice, that I’m not that affected by most alphas' stink anymore. Another thing to be thankful for. I sigh and nearly walk into a huge alpha.

‘Look where you’re going!’, he says. I back up and hang my head. ‘I’m sorry, Sir.’
I try to walk around him, but he takes a step to the side. ‘Didn’t you hear me call you?’, he asks.
I wouldn’t call a catcall and a whistle ‘calling after somebody’, but ok.

I frown and decide to play dumb. ‘No, I’m sorry, Sir.’
‘Huh.’, he says. Intelligent conversation so far, really.

‘Well, I caught you nevertheless. So, you coming home with me?’
The nerve of those people! I try not to roll my eyes. I’m collared and wear a ring. And I know I smell like Marco. What’s wrong with this guy?
‘I’m not interested.’, I say and quickly walk by him.

He’s grabbing my shoulder. That’s not good. If he would intend to behave properly, he wouldn’t touch me like that in public.
‘Please don’t touch me, Sir.’, I say and my voice shakes.

‘Oh, come on.’, he scoffs, but releases my shoulder.
‘Don’t make a fuss! My apartment is not far. You smell like an alpha, it’s not like you’re not used to it.’

The nerve of him! ‘I don’t know what you’re implying, Sir.’ I say and start to walk faster.
Of course he easily keeps up with me.

‘Come on. You look very special. I'll show you a good time.’, he says.
‘I already said, that I’m not interested!’, I say with more venom in my voice then intended.

He grabs my shoulder again. ‘Uppity, are you? Like you could make any demands. Beta-looking omega like you. You should be glad for every offer, you ugly piece of shit.’
I duck my head and wait. There are people around. It’s not like he can just grab me. Or can he?

I take a deep breath to calm myself, but that just makes me notice that I shake all over.
‘I think that’s enough.’, a familiar voice says and then I smell my alpha. I whimper and step out from the other alpha's grip to hide behind Marco.
He takes my hand and I press into his back.

The other alpha scoffs. ‘Yours, is he?’
‘Yes, he is.’, Marco says. ‘He’s collared and he’s wearing a ring. Are you fucking blind?’
Anger rolls in waves off him, but this time I’m not afraid of him. I know he’s not angry with me.

The other alpha scoffs. ‘Well, he could have said something. Only said he’s not interested. Stupid little thing. Doesn’t know what he wants, huh?’
He pisses off and I whimper. Marco turns around and holds me close. ‘Let’s go home.’ He says. I grab both his hand with both my hands while we walk back.
The thankful feeling his arrival made me have, vanishes while we walk. What was he even doing there? Was he spying?

Marco unlocks the door and we enter our home. ‘Are you ok?’, he asks me while I take my shoes off.
‘I’m perfectly fine.’, I tell him.

He raises his eyebrows and leans against the wall with his arms crossed. ‘Are you?’
I frown and don’t answer. He grins and that somehow pisses me off.

He stops grinning and holds his arms open. I sigh, but then of course walk into them and let him embrace me.
I’m not that pissed off any more.

He kisses my temple. ‘Have you been in this situation before?’
I look up to him. Is he serious? ‘Yes, countless of times.’, I answer.

He seems genuinely puzzled. ‘How did you get out?’
I shrug. ‘Mostly someone from the pack was with me. Or they saw my father’s ring. It makes me sick. They only accept some other alpha’s claim. Why don’t they just accept that I’m not interested?’

I realize that I’m asking the wrong person and turn away.
I walk into the kitchen. Marco cusses and follows me.

‘Tea?’, I ask and he nods. Now he leans against the counter with his arms crossed.
I don’t like that. I shush him away to get the teabags.

He paces the room. I pour hot water into two mugs and put them on the table.
I wait for him to sit down and pull me on his lap but he’s still pacing.

I sigh and sit down on the perfectly fine second chair that is almost never used.
I eye my tea. I can’t start drinking until my alpha started his. It’s just not done.

I grab his hand in passing. ‘Marco. Marco, please sit down. I’m ok. Nothing happened. You’re making me anxious.’
He stops. Draws his hand across his face. Then he sits down next to me.

‘Fucking overprotective hormones!’, he says and I have to laugh.
‘You know, it’s not the hormones that are overprotective. They just make you overprotective.’, I say mildly.

‘Being clever, omega?’, he snorts and although I can feel that there’s no sting in his words, I flinch and tense.
He rubs his hand across his face. ‘I’m sorry, darling. You’re right, as most times, and I’m just wound up and miserable.’

‘Most times?’, I murmur under my breath and he snorts. ‘Don’t provoke me right now, Luca.’
‘Or what?’, I ask, while I push his mug in his direction. He looks at me and his eyes are nearly black.

‘Or I have to show you your place.’, he growls and this time there is a sting behind his words. But also so much more! I swallow and inhale deeply.
‘I- maybe-’, I stutter and he tilts his head to the side and watches me closely.
‘Maybe you should.’, I say quickly and then look down.

There’s an intense silence for a couple of seconds.
Then he’s on me. He grabs my upper body and pulls me up with him, while he sniffs my neck, growling.
‘Mine.’, he says. ‘Mine, mine, mine.’, while he picks me up and carries me to the bedroom.

He tosses me on the mattress and kisses me almost violently but it feels so, so good.
He’s more awake then last time, when his alpha took over, though. I know I can reach him.
‘Marco.’, I say when he moves on to my neck, and he stills. ‘I think I’m ready for something more.’

A deep growl escapes his throat and makes me shudder. He waits for a couple of seconds, before he looks up to me.
‘Are you sure?’ My heart is in my throat and I should be afraid, because he looks like a wild animal right now. But he’s my wild animal and I trust him. I nod.

He smiles at me and quickly kisses my mouth. Then he starts nibbling at my nipples. I moan and move into his mouth.
He puts his hand on my chest and I still, completely under his command.

He slowly moves lower. I almost scream, when his tongue licks over the tip of my penis. I didn’t know I could feel that way.
And I’m highly strung by now. He doesn’t let me move, I just have to lie there and take what he gives me. And boy does he give!

‘Alpha.’, I pant and he gently bites into my inner thigh as a response, then starts sniffing around my hole.
‘Alpha, please, I want to please you, please. I need to please you.’ He shushes me and I whimper.

He looks up. ‘You are pleasing me, little omega. I’ve been fantasizing about the taste of your slick, since I first met you.’
His words make said slick flow, and I’m not able to be embarrassed about that right now.

‘I need to take care of you.’, he continues. His voice is so husky, it’s almost a growl.
‘And I will. And you lying there all trembling and panting and wanton and stuff. That’s just – wow. I’m very pleased with you, darling, don’t worry. Now hush.’

His head goes down again, his hand grabbing my penis almost to roughly and his tongue exploring the rim of my hole. I produce more slick and he starts licking it up.
I squeal and wiggle, but he slaps my thigh and I immediately go still again.

‘Marco!’, I pant and he growls in approval. It sends vibrations through body parts, I didn’t know I had. I moan and he doubles his efforts.
I lose all my capability for thinking, when his tongue starts entering me and he licks me out, while he slowly strokes my dick. I know that I make a lot of noise and even say things, but I can’t recall any of them later.

When I come, it’s the most intense feeling I had so far. I didn’t even know that it was possible to stimulate my hole and my penis, until now.
Marco goes on licking and I soon ride another climax out. I’m completely exhausted by now.
He seems to feel that. He joins me, covers us both with the blanket and kisses my cheek.

I float for a while, then I grab his hand and turn my head. ‘What about you?’
He smiles. ‘I’m ok.’

I swallow, suddenly anxious. ‘Are- are you pleased?’
His answer is the most important thing in the world right now.

He grins and leans in to me. ‘Yes, darling, I am so fucking pleased by you. I- ‘ he clears his throat. ‘I love how you react to me.’
‘Oh. I’m glad.’, my voice sounds very small.

I have to say another thing before I fall asleep though. ‘Thank you, Marco. For saving me. And taking care of me.’
I can feel his smile against my cheek. ‘Every time, darling.’

Chapter Text

The next morning, I wake up with a smile. It quickly turns into a frown because what the fuck am I smiling about?

It’s Thursday and I promised my father I’d help him in his practice in the morning.
We barely talked after the thing with the horrible, meddling old cow and he’ll sure give me shit about it when I’m there. Maybe she’ll even be there.

I let out an annoyed huff and that’s when the delicious smell hits me. Oh yes, that’s what I’m smiling about!
I open my eyes and grin at Luca, who’s still snoozing with the most angelic look on his face and adorably ruffled hair.

I realise that I don’t see him asleep a lot. He’s always up before me and when he falls asleep, I follow suit. And it’s dark. I won’t stare at him in the dark. That would be creepy.
Ok, and I can’t see in the dark. Otherwise I would, probably.
I lean down to kiss his forehead and he mumbles something and turns.

I stand up and go downstairs. As always he enters the kitchen just when the porridge is cool enough to eat.
He looks like straight out of an advertisement for robes or holiday homes or something where people just look perfect and relaxed in the morning.

He smiles at me with his shy half-smile. ‘Morning, Marco.’
I love when he says my name. I kiss him, then pull him down to sit with me.

‘You still ok about yesterday?’, I ask and he has trouble swallowing.
I have to laugh because it’s funny how he’s still so embarrassed to talk about everything that happens in the bed.
I mean, we were both there. And it’s just the two of us right now. Why not talk normally?

He coughs a little and then nods.
‘More than ok.’, he mumbles and blushes and I lick his neck. He croons and moves more into my body.
We snuggle for a while and I savour the feeling of his warm skin on my body, until I really have to go or I could lose my job, being related to my boss or not.

He accompanies me to the door and I kiss him on the mouth, then on the nose. He scrunches up his nose and I grin at him.
Then I need to be serious. I don’t want to, but I have to. ‘I don’t want you to go out alone again.’, I tell him sternly. I see his eyes widen before he looks down.
‘But-‘
I sigh. Of course his trying to discuss this now!

‘No buts! If you want to meet your Dad you’ll set a date where I can accompany you. Or you invite him over. Is that understood?’
He seems to be pouting and I have to confess that it amuses me.

‘Yes, Sir.’, he mutters and his defeated tone snaps me tight out of my amusement.
I lean in to be near his face and look into his eyes.

’Oh darling, don’t be mad. It’s for your safety. I can’t concentrate on my work if I don’t think you’re safe.’
He relaxes a fraction and sighs before meeting my gaze. ‘Ok, Marco. I won’t go out.’

I smile at him and give him another quick peck on the mouth. ‘Thank you, sweetheart. I’ll be back for lunch.’
Work is nicer than I thought. Apparently father is also miffed about grandmother’s behaviour.
Not towards ‘the omega’ of course, but that she didn’t respect her alpha grandson’s wishes.

Apparently she stole the key from his apartment. Sometimes I think she needs a boyfriend.
But better not, the poor guy. Nobody deserves that!

I mostly work the reception and do the accounts and some purchasing when there aren’t that many patients or calls.

It’s pretty uneventful and I take some time to call my friend Tom.
He’s delighted to hear from me. He cracks some awful jokes about married life and why I didn’t find time to call – Yes, toxic masculinity did prevent me from telling my closest friend that I won’t force myself on my spouse for now! – before we try to make a date so he can meet Luca.

It’s hard to find a date. He’s a stand builder and has the most atrocious working hours whenever there is a fair. Finally, we settle on this evening.
It’s awfully spontaneous and I feel a little bad about that. But at least Luca can’t work himself into a frenzy for days beforehand.

I decide to grab some sandwiches from the coffee shop outside when I leave. We will BBQ in the evening, after all.
I unlock the door and the smell hits me like a brick wall. I’m not sure if the smell of his arousal is still lingering and I didn’t notice it this morning or if he’s aroused again.
It can’t be heat. That smell is different and he took the suppressant, after all.

I slowly walk into the kitchen. He’s wearing his robe and – I have to gulp – nothing else.
He’s leaning against the counter, his head bowed, his eyes focused on my as soon as I enter.
Ok, he’s aroused alright. And clearly waiting for me.

‘Thinking about yesterday, were you?’, I ask him and he smiles.
‘Not much else to do, is there?’, he says lightly and tilts his head the fraction it needs to uncover his glands for me.

‘Oh, I’ll give you something to think about for the afternoon then.’, I reply and I’m surprised how hoarse my voice just got. ‘In the bedroom. Now, omega!’
His scent increases and I have to literally hold on to the door frame to not jump on him when he passes me with lowered gaze and a smug smirk.

I’m immediately after him and we have a little race to the bedroom. I catch him right in the doorframe and pin him against it.
He looks up to me with wide, innocent eyes and I swear, he knows exactly what he’s doing.
Shy, little virgin, my ass!

‘You want me to eat you out again?’, I ask him, because I just have to make him talk about it, when he’s in that mood. He blushes, of course, but his gaze is steady on mine.
He nods. ‘I’d like that. But could you have your body in my reach? I don’t want to be the only one who has fun.’

Isn’t he the sweetest? ‘Oh sweetheart, believe me, I had even more fun than you last night. But if it makes you happy, we’ll change positions.’
‘I- yes. Yes, that would make me happy.’, he whispers.

I open his robe and he lets it fall to the floor with a shrug of his shoulders.
I run my index fingers down his upper body and relish his reactions to the simplest of touches.

If he’s like this in daily life, how sensitive will he be in heat? The thought makes my half-hard dick reach his maximum. Luca looks down on it and smirks.
He opens my trousers, then changes course and pulls my shirt over my head before he pulls down my trousers.

He slides to his knees to help me pull them completely off while I’m still standing and the image of him on his knees, naked in front of my erect dick takes all my self-control.
I moan and he focuses on my face. He looks a little apprehensive and stands up quickly.

I grab his neck and kiss him passionately, until the lingering apprehension vanishes.
I take his hand and lead him to the bed. I lie down and stop him from doing the same.

‘Kneel next to my head.’, I say and he obeys although he looks a little uncomfortable.
I reach for his dick and give him a couple of strokes before I move on to tease the rim of his hole.

He’s ready and open and wet, must have been for hours and the thought of having a horny omega in my house, waiting for me is just – wow!
My dick twitches and he looks at it fascinated.

‘May I?’, he asks me, always so polite, and carefully reaches for it after I invite him with a hand gesture.
His confidence soon grows while I work his eager cunt. Then I shift and he freezes. ‘What- what are you doing?’

‘I intend to taste your delicious juices, my lovely.’, I tell him. ‘And you can still play with my dick and balls. You’re being very good there.’
He blushes and looks away but immediately relaxes at my praise, the little darling.

I continue shoving my head between his legs and he moves so he sits on my face nicely.
I give him a first, tentative lick and he moans and presses down on me. Huh! I knew he’d like this.
He also increases his own efforts. I start to lick him out, relishing his taste and how the slick is gushing out of him, draining me.

I don’t touch his dick today.
I did it yesterday because he was used to being touched there while his hole was something new for him.
But today I want him to grow confident with the pleasure it can bring.

He’s on edge, soon. I can hear the delicious noises he makes and see and feel the contractions as his hole tries to milk a knot that’s not there- yet!
Another wave of his delicious slick comes out and he cums, without any stimulation to his penis.

I follow quickly into his hands. He pants and needs a minute to settle down before he’s able to move away from me.
He snuggles into my side and I turn and wrap my arm around him. I kiss him but he breaks it immediately with a frown.

‘So, that’s what I taste like.’, he says and I have to laugh.
‘It is’, I agree. ‘Don’t you like it?’
He shrugs. ‘I’m not sure. It would be weird, wouldn’t it?’

Now it’s my turn to shrug. ‘Well, I like it.’
He smiles at me. ‘That’s the only thing that matters.’, he says solemnly and my whole stomach does a somersault.

A propos stomach. I kiss his forehead and get up. ‘Stay here. I’ll wash. And then I’ll bring us some sandwiches.’
His eyes go wide. ‘In bed?’, he asks and I laugh. ‘It’s time we change the sheets anyway.’

He blushes and grins. He still looks relaxed and happy when I come back. I can see that he stood up to wash his hands while I was away.
Also- did he brush his hair? God, he’s so weird. But cute.

I set down against the headboard and he snuggles into my lap. The food gets a raised eyebrow.
‘Oh, standards, have we?’, I tease him and he lowers his lashes but there’s a slight smile on his lips.

‘I won’t apologize for liking the food you make.’, he says and I chuckle at that.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll have a proper BBQ tonight.’, I tell him, while I lead the sandwich to his lips. ‘A friend of mine is coming over.’

He coughs and sits up straighter and I clap on his back a bit. He turns around to me afterwards.
‘You have to stop springing stuff on my while I eat. You’re going to kill me someday.’, he says, half in earnest.
I think I didn’t grin as much in all my life as in the two weeks since I met him.

I open the door at 7:15 – because Tom is always late – and Tom barely glances at me before hurrying into my home. I roll my eyes at his back.
‘Yeah, good to see you, too.’, I say and hear him laugh his booming laugh while he steps into the garden like he owns the place.

Then he turns to me. ‘Oh my god, he’s a read-head, how cute.’, he goshes.
‘Don’t, Tom!’, I say and the stealth in my voice makes him look at me startled. I force myself to speak softer. ‘He doesn’t like his hair colour.’

Luca glances at me from the lounge chair he half stood up from when Tom arrived and his mouth forms a perfect O.
I’d love to put my finger in there and have him suck it. Then use the moist finger to start widening his hole.

Luca’s eyes seem to intensify as his gaze focuses on me under his lashes. I can smell him react to my arousal.
Inviting Tom over was a bad idea. We’re still early in our relationship and I just want to be alone with him.

On the other hand, it’s probably good that I can’t. I promised to give him time and right now I’d love to just take him. I clear my throat and look away.
‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean anything.’, Tom says and Luca smiles at him.
‘No worries.’, he says and I could just throw Tom out and fuck Luca over the couch because he handles everything so gracefully and it turns me on.
Luca’s look at me is puzzled by now.

Thankfully Tom is a beta and so he’s not able to smell it that intensely. But he’s also a good friend and he watches me amused from narrowed eyes.
‘Gosh, Marco, you’re head over heels. Good for you mate.’ He claps my back and walks into the kitchen to get a beer.

‘You want a beer?’, he calls over his shoulder and I have to go over to Luca and put his hands on his shoulders to stop him from standing up to hurry into the kitchen.
‘Make it two.’, I call and sit down next to Luca. ‘He basically lived here with me when we were younger. He’s more family then a guest. And he’s perfectly capable to get his own drink.’ I tell my omega and he nods and leans into my side.

Tom comes back with two beers for us and we clank the bottles. We take a sip and Luca makes a disgusted little noise and scrunches up his nose.
Then he puts his bottle on the table.

Tom laughs. ‘Don’t like it?’
Luca shakes his head. ‘It’s- bitter. How can you drink that?’

‘I guess we had a lot of time to get used to it’, I grin and Luca eyes the bottle suspicious.
‘You don’t have to get used to it, darling. I can finish your bottle later.’ I placate him. He leans back into me and I wrap my arm around him.

‘You want anything else?’, Tom asks and Luca looks startled for a moment but then relaxes when I sniff his neck.
‘I have a look what’s in the kitchen myself in a moment.’, he tells him. ‘Thanks, though.’

A couple of minutes later he stands up and goes into the kitchen. Tom gives me both thumbs up as soon as his back is to us and I feel a goofy grin build on my face.
‘Hit the jackpot, huh?’, he asks and I shrug.

‘I didn’t even intend to. But yeah. I guess I did. Maybe I should send my grandmother flowers.’ I muse and he cracks up.
‘I bet she will complain because she has allergies.’

‘Who?’, Luca asks. He’s on his way back with a glass of orange juice and is caught between laughing with us and frowning because he didn’t get the joke.
He sits down and I immediately pull him to me again. ‘We were just wondering if I should send my grandmother flowers because I met you because of her.’

Luca snorts at this. ‘Make sure you have a good lawyer, then.’ He deadpans and Tom cracks up again.
‘Oh, he already has your family all figured out.’, he laughs. Luca looks proud of himself and I kiss his cheek.

I’m pleasantly tipsy when Tom leaves after a funny evening.
He was able to draw out a bantering, easy side of Luca I have barely glimpsed before and I’m thankful for that.
Also it’s really nice that they seemed to hit it off, because it would be great to have my best friend joining our pack.

He’s a beta, so no competition for either of us, he’s almost family for me and he’s very easy going.
He’s also not always there and the additional rent money would be much appreciated.

We both go into our respective bathrooms.
Luca’s already in bed when I enter the room and looks at me with a barely readable expression.

‘What’s up darling?’, I ask as I slide in beside him. We have already evaluated the evening and Tom and Luca is as pleased as I am.
‘You were aroused before.’, Luca starts and I make an encouraging noise.

‘Are you tired?’, he then asks and looks at his hands. I chuckle.
‘Depends.’, I say and wink at him when he looks up.

His mouth twitches. ‘Ok, then. I’d like to try- with my mouth.’
He smugly sniffs the air when my arousal impregnates the air immediately.

I lean in to kiss him and then stare into his eyes until he submits by lowering his gaze.
‘Oh no, baby.’, I make clear. ‘First I give you a blowjob, then you can give me a blowjob.’

He snorts and glances at me from lowered lashes. ‘You know, I’m not some maiden from the 17th century. I’ve watched porn.’
I nearly choke on the laugh he forces out of me.

He frowns. ‘I don’t know why this is so funny.’
I smile at him. ‘Because you said it like you’re some maiden from the 17th century would say it. All dignified and stuff. And by the way. Are you the same person that told me it’s cruel to expect verbal consent from you because you can’t talk about it?’

He blushes. ‘Well, I can’t.’
He’s ridiculous! Still chuckling I try to look at him sternly. ‘Ok, be quiet then.’

I slide down between his legs. ‘Marco, what are you-? Oh. Oh my!’
I chuckle against his dick. ‘Still from the 17th century? Don’t faint on me.’

‘Ha, I don’t plan to. Don’t oversell yourself.’, he says. I love how sassy the relaxed evening in company made him.
‘Oh, it’s on!’ I say. I move him, so his legs aren’t on the bed and slide to the floor between his legs. Then I latch myself onto his dick again.

He pretends to protest but soon all the noises he makes are moans. It doesn’t take long until he spurts into my mouth.
I swallow his semen and he watches me with wide eyes. I stick my tongue out at him and he snorts.

I’m awfully pleased with myself. He slides down next to me and we snuggle on the floor.
After a while, he looks at my half-hard dick and then at me. ‘Marco, I- I’d like to try. Or don’t you want to?’

‘Are you asking if I don’t want a blowjob? From the sexiest omega alive?’ He rolls his eyes.
‘Oh no you don’t roll your eyes at me omega!’, I tell him off and he stiffens.

He presents his neck. ‘I’m sorry, alpha.’
I growl and sniff his neck. Then I lick it and he giggles.
‘It’s ok. We’re ok.’, I tell him and his eyes lock with mine, still a trace of laughter in them.

‘I want you to take me seriously when I pay you a compliment.’, I tell him.
He nods with big eyes. ‘As you wish, alpha.’, he breathes.

I put a hand on his head so he stays on the floor and hoist myself up on the bed. Luca looks at me startled.
‘You don’t have to.’ I say. ‘But you offered.’

He looks at my dick, then starts touching it. He crawls nearer and that imagine alone makes me hard as hell.
He looks torn between fascination and amusement when he sees the blood flow into me that quickly.

He glances up to me, searching for something in my face. I try to look encouraging and seem to succeed.
He kisses my tip and I yelp, which makes him smile and try in earnest.

‘Be careful with your teeth.’, I say and he nods while he licks my dick. Then he starts sucking, first only on the tip, later he takes more into his mouth.
How he looks with my dick in his mouth alone makes this the best blowjob I ever had.

‘Don’t overdo it. You’ll gag.’, I warn him when he starts going deeper and deeper. His eyes laugh at me and he comes up to breath.
‘I don’t have a gag reflex.’, he informs me and I need a lot of self-control to not cum then and there. He seems pleased by my reaction and continues.

I’m deep in his hot, wet throat that convulses around me and he moves his head front and back while he tries to suck simultaneously.
I lose it when he looks up at me the next time and cum into his mouth.

He swallows, the darling, and then is on my lap, his face in my neck.
‘Shy now?’, I tease him and he giggles.

‘A little bit.’, he confesses quietly. ‘I liked that.’
‘Me too.’, I say and his scent becomes pure bliss.

Chapter Text

It’s the third week after we met each other but it feels longer.
The way I instinctively snuggle into Marco, trust him, react to him and know how he will react most of the times suggests that we’ve known each other for ages.

It’s the same with his behaviour around me. Does he know my dark thoughts and insecurities?
Well, ok, not really. He knows when something’s off, though and he knows how to make me feel better. A lot better.

I smile when I walk down the stairs for breakfast because he let me suck him of again last night and I really like to please him.
And the omega in me loves to have his cum in my body, even though oral wouldn’t make me pregnant, birth control or not. Stupid omega body, really!

He knotted yesterday before he came and that pleased me way too much. I stride into the kitchen and he looks up and smiles at me as I slide into his lap.
He brushes my hair to the side and kisses my neck, which should be illegal because it feels better than taking drugs.
Well, not that I would know what that feels like.

We eat breakfast, listening to the news on the radio and he drinks his coffee while I have a cup of tea.
I renounced hot chocolate for a while, because I don’t have as much time to work out, being Marco’s spouse.

After, Marco cleans the dishes while I sit on the chair and enjoy his lingering warmth.
‘I need to do some groceries.’, he says. ‘And you want to get out of the house. Join me?’

I’m ridiculously pleased that he wants me to do share some boring daily task with him.
It means we’re a normal couple. The honeymoon is over. We’re bonded and maybe he really isn’t planning to get rid of me.

‘Yes, please.’, I smile at him and he looks at me fondly, which always makes me fell funny and avert my eyes.
Half an hour later, we walk the approximately one km to the next store.

I can feel him want to put his arm around me, but he resists. I’m grateful and take his hand in mine.
We get a couple of curious glances from passer-byes. A woman smiles at us.

We walk by a building with a window front and a huge stand-up-display of a pretzel on the little parking space in front. It smells heavenly.
It smells a little like my alpha, to be honest, yummy and fresh, but more edible. I notice that I started to walk slower when Marco stops.

He cocks his head at me, his eyes narrowed in amusement.
‘Would you like a second breakfast?’, he asks.

I do this weird thing where I’m unsure what to say and just wiggly my head and shoulders. He seems to interpret this as a yes and guides us into the store.
It’s homely in there and smells even better. We’re the only customers right now.

A middle-aged woman smiles at us. ‘What can I get you?’, she asks.
Marco looks at me but I’m completely overwhelmed.

‘What exactly smells so good right now?’, he finally asks, when it becomes clear that I’m not able to say anything right not.
The woman laughs. ‘Oh, we’ve just baked a lot of things. But you two look like you could share a chocolate croissant.’ Marco tilts his head and I nod at him.

The woman beams at us while she packs a chocolate croissant in the little paper back.
‘Aren’t you a cute couple?’, she says fondly and I’m amused to see Marco blush for a change.
He clears his throat while he pays and then we go out.

He leads me to a bank in a little park not far away and we share the croissant. It’s a little warm and the chocolate is half-melted and it’s the most perfect thing I ever tasted.
I dismiss the thought that I wanted to eat less sweets as soon as it arises.

‘Don’t you think we’re a cute couple?’, I ask Marco teasingly and he snorts.
‘Well, I think you’re the cutest person alive, so that part makes sense. I just don’t like to be the focus of attention from strangers.’

I grin at him. I figured as much but to hear him confess it so self-consciously is just awfully cute. He breaks the typical alpha stereotype so well.
I would never have been as happy as I am with him, were I with some brute. I shudder and try to take my mind of such thoughts.

‘It was just one woman.’, I say and he shrugs. ‘And she said something nice.’
Somehow I really want to prove to him that the situation was ok.

‘I kno-ow.’, he says, rolling his eyes and I can just imagine him about six years younger.
‘How do you survive doing the groceries then?’, I’m curious.

He frowns at me and I explain. ‘Well, you hated that she talked to us. But you have to talk to people when you go shopping all the time, don’t you?’
His frown gets deeper. ‘No, I don’t, Luca. I just say hello, then I pay and then I say thank you. They don’t point me out for anything. It’s just the bakery that is that way.’

Oh, maybe I did have a wrong idea of grocery shopping then.
‘Huh.’, I say in my naturally intelligent manner.

Marco’s frown clears a little as he tries to puzzle me out. ‘Haven’t you been to a supermarket before, baby?’
I’m a little bit ashamed to confess this but I won’t lie to him. Also, he’s going to see how unnormal I am sooner or later.

‘Well, no. I’ve never been grocery shopping.’, I confess meekly.
He makes a startled noise. ‘Really, never?’ I sigh inwardly. Why does he have to make me say it again? As if it isn’t embarrassing enough as it is!

‘No!’, I say with more force than I intended to and immediately duck my head to show him that I didn’t mean it that way.
He pats my arm absentmindedly and I relax again. Of course he’s not mad about little slip-ups like that. When will I learn?

‘Didn’t you ever go shopping with your dad?’, he asks softly.
I shrug. ‘No, the betas did all that.’

‘Huh.’ Well, at least this very smart reaction isn’t inherently mine. ‘What did the omegas do?’
He sounds curious and I squirm a little before I give honesty a try. ‘Look pretty and fuck my father. Sometimes have a child.’
He’s startled into a laugh and that makes me grin a little, too.
Maybe I could’ve said it a little more diplomatic?

‘And the betas did all the house work and your father ran his business and fucked the omegas?’, he asks and I shrug again. ‘That’s pretty much it, yes.’
He’s quiet for a while. ‘That sounds- boring. For you, I mean. Growing up. Not for the parties where fucking is involved of course.’

I chuckle slowly while I think about it. I managed to move the conversation away from myself but Marco has the ability to always circle back to me in conversations.
‘Well we were enough people to always have companionship.’, I tell him. ‘And I went to school until a couple of months ago. I was always able to go out, too. Much freer than the other omegas. Father wanted me to secure a match. But he couldn’t parade me in front of his contacts. Normally the omegas he paraded were mostly used for sex. Somehow he didn’t want this for his omega son.’ I realize that I sound bitter but Marco either doesn’t pick up on it or decides to ignore it.

‘Were you the only omega child in the pack?’, he asks.
‘No, I have an older sister. She lives in Spain. She was promised to a business contact right after she presented. So, don’t worry, I know that it could’ve been worse than you.’
I try to lighten the mood with this, but it backfires on me and Marco seems hurt.

I try not to panic. My alpha is displeased with me and I don’t know how to change it!
He pulls me close to him and I smell his neck, which helps putting me at ease. He sniffs at me too, so I hope that he’s also feeling better now.
‘Come on.’, he says quietly. ‘Let’s get going.’

We grab a cart and walk into the supermarket shortly afterwards.
I’m amazed by everything I see. It’s very bright in here and it’s loud and there’s so much stuff.

First we go into the vegetable aisle.
Marco expertly puts the things he has written down into the cart while I just look around, probably looking like I’m brain-dead or at least outside for the first time in my life.

I glance some bananas. Marco sees me looking at them, of course.
‘Take whatever you want, baby.’, he tells me. I hesitate. ‘Ehm. Do you know how to bake banana? Like the Chinese dessert?’

‘You sure have a sweet tooth.’, he says while he packs some bananas in the cart. I grin at him.
‘I may be known for liking sweet things, yes.’, I tell him and love the way his eyes light up at the subtle hint. I’m glad I could compensate for the comment from earlier just now.

We go on and I just want to open my moth to say something to Marco, when-
‘Linus?’

I tense and turn. I feel Marco tense beside me. He smells worried. He’s worried so fast when I'm involved.
I clear my throat.
‘Actually, it’s Luca now.’, I say before anything else, while I watch for the person that dead-named me.

Then I recognize the person – the man – the alpha! That spoke to me.
‘Matty?’, I ask, astonished and he grins and looks exactly like his 10-year-old self again despite his stubble and muscles.

Marco looks at me and then at him. He walks a couple of metres and studies the different kinds of flour.
Matty indicates his head in his direction. ‘Is this your alpha?’ I nod. ‘He’s young, huh? Good for you. He nice?’

I open my mouth to reply and then I’m distracted. I glance at Marco. His smell is - off. There’s a note in it that I haven’t smelt before.
Before I can get anxious about it, he comes back, places a hand in the small of my back and leans in to kiss my cheek.
‘I meet you at the exit in ten, baby.’, he says and goes into another aisle. I’m absolutely astonished.

Matty chuckles. ‘Hell, yeah, he nice!’, he looks after Marco retreating and then becomes serious again.
‘We always wondered what happened to you when you stopped coming to school.’

I swallow. ‘You did?’ After presenting as an omega I had to leave the normal school and my friends behind to get education suited for omegas instead.
I had repressed all thoughts about them. Somehow I thought they’d just moved on. It’s a nice feeling to know that someone wondered about me from time to time.

I shake my head. I don’t want to get emotional in a grocery store.
‘Yes, he’s nice.’, I say thoughtfully while I watch Marco’s retreating back.

Matty chuckles. ‘I can smell it now. You’re really complimenting each other. No pack, tough? That must’ve been hard for you?’
I shrug. ‘Yeah, it was.’ Ha! It still is. ‘It’s ok, though. I’m ok…’, I catch his concerned gaze. But I can’t bring myself to lie and say I’m happy about not being part of a pack.

I clear my throat. ‘So, you’re an alpha, huh?’, I state the obvious.
He shrugs uncomfortably. ‘Yeah. Presented like a year after you. Wasn’t a nice surprise. Better than yours, though, I bet. And I could stay in our class at least.’

I discreetly filter his scent. It’s a nice scent.
Lemony, familiar, safe. Lonely. ‘You’re not part of a pack either?’
He glances at his feet. ‘No, the situation with my mother got out of hand after I presented. She wasn’t nice to her beta son, as you know. And then the son suddenly became competition.’

He scoffs unhappily. ‘I moved out when I was 16. Been living alone ever since. I do see my Dad sometimes, though.’
Oh. That sucks, poor Matthew. He was always pretty popular and never really alone.

‘No omega?’, I ask him. He shrugs. ‘Haven’t met one that fits yet. Also I feel too young to settle down.’ I hum noncommittally.
Funny how he’s glad I found a young alpha but feels too young to bond himself. That’s exactly why young omegas often are forced to bond to alphas twice their age.

I remember our friends form school. ‘What are Mickey & Sarah up to?’
Matty grins and relaxes a little. ‘Well, Sarah moved for university. She’s studying law. And Mickey married young, another beta. They met in 8th grade.’

‘Wow’, I say softly. ‘We’re all pretty grown-up, huh?’
Matty grins. ‘Looks like it.’ He lets his gaze wander over my body and it feels nice.
It also feels dangerous.
‘I- I have to go back to my alpha.’, I tell him and leave him after a quick goodbye.

Marco wraps his arm around my back when I join him, but doesn’t say anything. I inhale his scent and feel safe.
After paying, he puts the shopping in his rucksack when Matty passes by us. He stops and shuffles nervously on his feet.

Marco stops and looks at him. Matty takes a deep breath and extends his hand. ‘Hi, I’m Matty.’
‘Marco.’, my alpha says and appraises him while they shake hands. His nostrils go wide and he’s sending convert glances at Matty. Matty does the same.

Then Matty inclines his head a little and Marco relaxes so quickly that I almost make a startled noise. I have never really been able to watch alphas react to each other.
My father was the only alpha in our pack and I wasn’t invited to his business meetings. And my alpha brothers were just kids when they lived with us.

‘I just-‘, Matty begins to stutter, then indicates me. ‘He’s a good one, you know. Always liked him. Wanted to protect him, even when we both thought we’re beta. I just wanted to tell you, I’m glad he met someone like you. Thanks for taking care of him.’ I notice that he’s clenching and unclenching his hands while he speaks.

Marco raised his brows during Matty’s little speech but didn’t react otherwise.
‘Thank you.’, he replies and I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. ‘For getting him through primary school alive.’
There’s the hint of a smile on his face and I really, really want to kiss him.

Matty looks down. ‘Well, yeah. So, I have to go.’ He glances at me, nods at both of us and leaves the store.
Marco looks at me like he wants to read my thoughts. I still don’t like that and narrow my eyes at him, which makes his eyes glint in amusement.
He takes his rucksack and my hand and we exit the store.

In the parking lot, Matty is loading up his car booth. He freezes when we approach him, clearly uncertain about Marco’s reaction to him.
To be honest, I’m also very puzzled.

Marco looks at Matty with his head cocked to the side. ‘Would you like to visit us sometime?’, he asks and I feel like my eyes could be falling out of my head every second now. Matty looks exactly like I’m feeling.
‘Um.’, Matty’s eyes flick between my alpha and me. ‘that would be great actually.’

‘Cool. Give me your number.’ Matty dictates Marco his number and he calls him so he has my alpha’s number as well.
‘Just write when it would be good for you. We’re home most evenings. Right, darling?’ I nod, unable to respond vocally.

Matty grins at me and then concentrates on my alpha. ‘I will. Thanks.’
He nods at Marco, more deeply than the standard farewell, showing his submission and my inner omega purrs because my alpha is the most powerful alpha here.
Marco makes an almost inaudle amused noise, nods shortly and suddenly we’re walking back home.

‘Ehm. Thank you?’, I manage to say when we’re halfway there. He looks at me, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.
‘Darling, you need company. And him, too. He reeked of loneliness. And I found it intriguing to meet another nice, young alpha. I’m sorry I couldn’t have you get his number instead. I felt weirdly protective of you just now.’

He scratches the back of his neck and it’s my turn to scoff. ‘Weirdly protective? Weirdly protective would have been biting him because he spoke to me. Or grounding me because he spoke to me. You acted… almost too decent. You’re something else, you know. You just manage to exceed my expectations every time.’

His smile is almost blinding and his scent spikes up into pure happiness and I just have to pull him to a stop and kiss him, darkly looking passer-byes be damned!
‘I don’t know how I deserve you.’, I murmur, when we break the kiss.

He looks awfully proud of himself.
‘Well, I still think it’s a dream that you belong to me, so I guess that makes us even.’, he chuckles and wraps his arm around me for the rest of the way.

‘Two syllables and begins with an L, huh?’ he chuckles later. I shrug defensively. In our circle, it’s not proper for the alpha to know the old name of an omega.
It’s supposed to be a new start, after all. But I can’t change what happened.

‘It was your suggestion, Sir.’ I tell him and he snorts.
‘Don’t worry, I know.’ Well, that’s nice. I mean, of course he knows. But I still feel bad about it. It’s just typical that I managed to get into a situation like this.

I turn my head to face him, making sure that I’m looking slightly down. ‘I- I’m sorry for this- situation.’
‘Hm?’, I can see him frown.

‘For letting him use my dead name.’, I explain and he snorts again and increases his hold around me.
‘Well, Matty isn’t that threatening but I still don’t think you could’ve stopped him when he recognised you.’, he says grinning.

I glance at him before I look down again, grinning slighty. ‘Well, no. you’re right. As always.’
He laughs at that. ‘Does that mean you don’t like that I’m always right?’
My grin is growing. ‘Sometimes, yes. But mostly not.’

In the evening, Marco’s phone vibrates. He looks at it with raised brows.
‘Your friend really needs a social circle.’, he tells me. ‘Would you like us to invite him for next week?’

I shrug, suddenly insecure. ‘If you- if you’re really sure that it’s not a problem.’
‘No, baby. I can handle it. It’s only fair. We had a friend of mine over, now we can have a friend of yours over.’

I look down. ‘He’s not exactly a friend. I haven’t seen him in years.’
Marco kisses my cheek. ‘Doesn’t matter. You clicked. You have happy memories together. You deserve to have a pleasant evening without me.’

I turn to him so fast that it almost makes me dizzy. ‘You won’t be there?’
He seems surprised, then happy about my reaction.

‘Well, we’re both alphas. It could be awkward.’, he explains as if that were no fucking big thing to leave me alone with another alpha in his house.
And suddenly I detect that I don’t want to be alone with another alpha in his house.

‘But he submitted to you instantly.’, I tell him.
He narrows his eyes at me. ‘You think I could be there without drama?’

I recall the meeting at the supermarket and nod. ‘Yes, I think so. And if not, I shouldn’t meet with him.’
‘Hm, ok. Do- do you want me there?’, he sounds almost insecure which is impossible.
He can smell what I feel for him all the fucking time so he must know that he’s my everything.

‘I-yes.’, I say. Then I have a thought. ‘Maybe not in the beginning but later? I’m sorry, I’m being presumptuous.’, I immediately apologize.
Marco sighs and rubs his hand in his face. ‘You aren’t. It’s absolutely reasonable to want some time alone with an old friend. I’ll make us dinner while you show him the house and garden and after, we eat together. How does that sound?’

I can’t help but stare at him. I swallow and try to say something, anything, but I feel like my throat closed up.
It would be fascinating how being shown kindness can make a person all shy and awkward if that person wasn’t me.

Marco looks at me like and smiles. ‘Ok, then.’, he says and kisses me.
I close my eyes and am just grateful that he understands me that well sometimes.

Chapter Text

The week goes by slowly. I’m able to study from home for now.
Thursday I leave to work at my father’s for a couple of hours.
When I come back, I realize that the smell in our house has changed.

I find Luca on the couch. He’s playing a game, but he seems to have trouble concentrating.
He’s sweaty and he seems to be twitching a lot, like he wants to move. He looks at me when I come in and immediately stops the game.

He basically jumps me and kisses me very proactively.
I answer the kiss and break it off after a couple of minutes, smiling at him.

He immediately lowers his gaze. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.’
‘I know.’, I say. ‘You smell delicious. And you’re all jumpy and nervous. And you’re hot. Hot, do you understand?’

His eyes widen. ‘Oh, no, wait. Can you stop being cryptic, please? Am I going into heat?’
He looks terrified and I immediately rub his shoulder.

‘Yes, you’re going into heat. I guess you will be in heat over the weekend. It’s your first, yes?’
He nods.
‘So it’s going to be intense, but short.’, I tell him. He seems worried by the idea.

‘Do you want suppressants?’, I immediately ask him. ‘It’s ok if you do. You’re not ready and I won’t scar you for life, my love.’
Something settles into his face.

‘I am ready!’, he says forcefully.
Huh, ok. I’m not exactly sure he knows what he’s getting into. But I want to believe him so fucking bad.
Maybe it’s wrong of me to listen to him. And also listen to my dick to be honest. But I have to take him seriously, don’t I?

The rest of the day, Luca follows me everywhere. I try to be as reassuring as possible and touch him whenever I can while I make preparations.
I feed him nutritious little snacks and let him drink a lot. I also put some water bottles and granola bars into the bedroom.
He watches everything and swallows nervously. He clings to me as soon as I touch him to reassure him.

He’s still not in heat when we go to bed but it’s slowly developing. He’s hot, but I can’t open the windows or we’ll have a front yard full of alphas on our hands.
I try to give him a thinner blanket, but he hisses at me and clings to the blanket that was already in the bed. It’s nice to know that his nesting instinct is intact. And him hissing at me is hot as hell.

Sadly, he’s immediately embarrassed about it, when I let him keep the blanket and he goes back to normal.
I wrap my arms around him and slowly lick his salty neck to reassure him.
He’s already at the state where he’s more animal than human and that does some things to my inner alpha that I can’t possibly describe.

‘Try to sleep a little. You’ll need your strength.’, I tell him and kiss his forehead.
He immediately turns away from me, his blanket in front of him, and pulls me closer until I spoon him like we’re one being.
He sighs and relaxes. I fall asleep pretty fast with my nose buried in his neck.

I wake up way too early. The bed feels clammy and something is moving next to me and it smells like I’m in paradise. I have trouble knowing where I am for a second.
It hits me when Luca tries to get one leg under me. I inhale sharply at the realization what’s about to happen and he stops and looks up to me.

‘Marco.’, he says and I’m glad he remembers my name. He pauses his efforts and moves up to kiss me.
I have slept and not brushed my teeth after, which should be disgusting for both of us, but that’s immediately forgotten when he tries to dominate me into kissing him. My alpha takes over and gives him what he wants until he’s moaning and almost kicking me, trying to wrap himself around me completely.

When I pause, so we can breathe, he slides down my body. I don’t know what he’s doing until his hot mouth is on my penis.
He deep throats me almost immediately and that’s way too intense.

‘Luca, stop.’, I growl and he stops. He looks up at me and I can make out his pale face in the darkness.
He looks afraid and I try to reassure him instantly.

‘You’re so good darling. Almost too good. Come back up, please.’, He does, slightly hesitant and still insecure. I kiss his forehead and cheeks while I whisper to him.
‘Don’t worry, baby. I’m so proud of you. You’re so good. But I need to take care of you, not the other way around, ok?’
He makes little keening noises and I’m not sure if he’s with me anymore.

‘Do you understand?’, I ask him and put a little force in my voice.
‘Ye- yes, Marco. You’ll take care of me.’, he breathes. Somehow it’s extremely hot to hear him say this.

‘That’s right darling, I will. Now be good and lay down on your back and open your pretty legs for me.’
He seems to have some difficulty with stopping to touch me, so I stay very close to him while he repositions.

I put my hand on his chest while I kneel between his legs, to let him know I’m still here. He holds on to it immediately and leans in to suck on my fingers.
I’d love to take him here and now, but he deserves his first time to be done properly. I start liking at his rim and he immediately moans and nibbles at my fingers. He’s wet and delicious and has already opened up quite a bit.

I lick the slick off his legs and his crack until he wriggles and let’s go of my hand. Then I start licking inside him.
He lets out the most delicious little scream and then presses his hips up and opens his legs even more to let me in.

That display of his willingness to take me makes my dick hard like it was never before.
I can feel the knot start to build deep inside me, even though my dick is untouched right now.

I remove my hand from Luca’s upper body and wrap it around his penis, giving him small strokes while I eat him out with long strokes of my tongue.
The noises he’s making are exquisite and he’s moving his hips like he can’t decide if he wants to press against my mouth or in my hand.

He starts panting loudly and rhythmically and I up the tempo of my hand until he comes into my hand, while a wave of slick starts running down my chin.
I slowly massage him until the orgasm is completely over.

I take a towel – I have put a pile of them next to the bed before we went to sleep- and wipe my face and then his legs and ass.
I wipe my hand and his dick on it and put it on the bed to soak up the wet patch he created.

Then I move up. Luca is tossing around and whimpering. I hug him to me and he puts his chin on my shoulder and nuzzles into my neck.
‘Not enough. Need more.’, he says.

I rub his back. ‘I know darling. Don’t worry, I’ll give you what you need. You just need to ride out a couple of orgasms first. I won’t be able to stop after I started fucking you properly and I’m rather fond of my dick, you know.’

He chuckles at this. ‘Me, too.’, he murmurs sleepily.
‘Good to hear. Now doze off for a while. We have our whole lives, baby. I’m going to make you feel so full, don’t worry.’ He hums against my ear.

We both doze off for a while until he starts rubbing against me while he’s still asleep. I use my hand to slowly finger him awake.
He looks absolutely blissed out when he wakes up and looks at me, his eyes not fully open and his mouth already moaning.

I must have collected some really good Karma in a past live to have ended up with him in this one.
This time I finger him, adding more and more until it’s almost my fist in there, until he comes.
He’s clinging to me, moaning, interrupted by incoherent half-words until he comes unravelled, this time completely without needing stimulation to his penis.

I need to switch the towel after, then make him sit up.
‘Let’s drink something for me. Baby.’, I say, guiding a bottle of water to his mouth. He closes his mouth and turns his head away.

It’s pretty common in omegas.
Evolution is quite the bitch in that aspect: They need food and water during their heat, but they only want sex.

They would be able to ride out a heat just fine on their own if they weren’t so dependent on someone watching after their hydration and nutrition.
That’s one of the reasons omegas are supposed to have an alpha after they reached their first heat.

Of course most of those dickheads forget about that part and many omegas have symptoms of dehydration or insufficient nutrition after their heat.
I know that because my father always gives the alphas an earful for this. At least he’s responsible in that aspect.

‘You’d like my dick in your mouth, don’t you, baby?’, I ask my pouting omega nonchalantly. His head darts around to face me, curious.
‘Why?’, I ask him. His mouth and eyes go wide.

He needs some time to process and it’s very cute to be able to watch his brain slowly turning on again.
‘I- I want to please you.’, he finally says in a small voice. God, he’s even cute when he’s wanton and horny!

‘It would please me if you drank something, darling.’, I tell him sternly and move the bottle to his mouth again.
He looks at the bottle as if it could bite him, then at my face and nods. I put the bottle to his mouth and he empties it in a couple of quick gulps.

‘Very good, my love.’, I tell him and his face lights up.
‘I’m so pleased.’, I add, for good measure.
You can’t really praise an omega too much. People who say that are assholes and their omegas often have some kind of psychological issue.

I put the bottle on the floor and open my arms. He immediately moves into them, his face on my chest.
He starts licking my nipple and I let him. They’re not that sensitive and it gives me a nice feeling without the threat of becoming too much.
Also it’s good when he’s occupied. He will start feeling empty soon enough. Again.

As if he can read my thoughts he starts slightly humping my leg. I move it, so it’s pressed against his balls and hole and he increases the speed.
He looks up to me and I kiss him, letting my tongue search his open mouth. He starts whining after a while and I break the kiss.

‘What do you need?’, I ask him. He looks up to me but he’s far away.
‘Alpha.’, he whines and it feels wrong. I know it’s his heat and he’s not Luca right now, he’s an omega needing to be mated, but that’s not enough for me.

I remove my leg and he’s distressed. I hold his face in my hand to keep him from trashing around.
‘What’s my name?’ I ask him. He frowns and tries to get out of my grip but he’s no match for me.

Suddenly, he goes limp. ‘Marco.’, he breathes and I relax and kiss his forehead. ‘Good boy.’, I praise him and he smiles and nuzzles into my neck. ‘Marco, please!’
He humps my leg again and I let him.

I lean down and start running my finger over the general area between his legs, which makes him up his speed.
He moves more into me and I lean down and start to massage over his hole. He moves into my hand and soon I finger him again.

It doesn’t take long until he comes and then slumps, clearly exhausted. Somehow I get him to eat and drink something and then let him sleep.
I take a quick shower and decide to drink a coffee while he’s reloading his batteries. I need to fuck him, soon, for my own mental health, if nothing else.

I drank half the cup when I hear him make high-pitched noises upstairs and I immediately run to him.
He goes quiet when I enter the room, his gaze fixated on me. He opens his legs and lets me see his wet, pink hole.

I need to pause and swallow before I slowly approach him. He immediately looks distressed again and whines, this time more quietly, I am in the same room as him after all.
I shush him and come closer. He sits up, still presenting and awkwardly crawls back, clearly making space for me.

His eyes look wild. They are much darker than before, like wet moss on the forest ground. The white in his eyes is bloody, enhancing the green of his irises.
He licks his lips and I’m on him. I kneel between his legs, his face in my hands and explore his mouth almost too roughly, but he lets me and seems to like it.

‘Alpha.’, ha pants when I let him go for air. Then he clears his throat.
‘Marco.’ I’m proud of him for remembering my name in this state.

‘I’m here, darling.’, I tell him, while I start to position myself between his legs. He won’t need any preparation.
‘I’ll take care of you. You’re so good for me. So wet and open.’ He moans approvingly.

‘I need to hear what you want.’, I tell him. His shyness is long gone, flushed out by the slick probably.
‘Fill me, please.’, he whispers huskily and I feel a surge of electricity run straight into my groin area.

‘You want me to fuck you, baby?’, I ask him, just to make sure. Ok, and I really enjoy him talking that way.
He nods, then sees that I need a verbal answer. ‘Please, fuck me, Marco. Please.’, he begs.

I turn him around, because I remember that it’s easier for the first time.
He immediately puts his head on his forearms, his shoulders on the mattress and his ass in the ear, legs spread, as if he was born for this.

I line up behind him, enjoying the small noise he makes when he feels my tip slowly penetrating him. Then I push in with a quick thrust of my hips.
There’s no resistance. Yes, he’s thigh and wet and hot and it feels fantastic but it is like he’s made for me. There’s no force needed and that is an exhilarating feeling.

I fuck into him, hard, getting lost in the feeling and the noise he makes and that he even rocks back into me, because he needs this as much as I do.
He comes after a while which causes me to spill into him. I stay in him and we rest for a while until he needs another round.

This time I knot him when I come and he cries out and comes for a long time, milking my knot.
I have never felt like this. If I would die right now, it would have been worth it.

I roll us to our sides and spoon him. He’s languid, purring at the small strokes I give his side and chest and otherwise just lying there, letting me be close to him and plugging up my cum in him.
He’s asleep by the time my knot goes down. I wet a towel I the bathroom and clean us both a little, then change the towels on the bed.

He wakes up when I lie down again and watches me from lowered lashes. I kiss his forehead and he smiles a slight, lazy smile.
‘Marco.’, he purrs. ‘Thank you.’ I’m surprised how lucid he is during his heat.

‘You’re very welcome’, I tell him and snuggle up in front of him.
I coax him into having another drink and a granola bar. The sun is setting outside, so he has been in heat for more than a day now.

He looks drawn out, but on the other hand his skin glows and he still smells delicious to me.
We continue like this. I manage to make him come two times again without fucking him, but it gets harder and he begs for my knot in between.

The most we sleep is maybe two hours, deep in the night. The next morning, I put him into the tub I filled with lukewarm water.
I wash him and then jerk him of. Afterwards, I let him suck my dick, because he’s begging deliciously for it.

I coax him into the kitchen and feed him some porridge while the washer and dryer is making sure we don’t run out of towels.
He starts rocking in my lap after we finish breakfast and I end up fucking him over the kitchen table.

Now I will never be able to eat or cook in here again without the image of him leaning over the table for me to fuck him in my head.
It’s totally worth it.

I drag him up the stairs and put him into bed. He rearranges the blankets and pulls me in with him, forcing me to spoon him again.
I kiss his shoulders and his neck and he indulges me by making small noises and keeping still, although I can smell that he’s ready to go again.

I knot him from behind, slowly and tenderly this time around and he’s patient enough to accept that.
It means most of his heat is over, which is a good sign because we’re both exhausted.

We drift of again and I come to, because he is rocking into me. I’m still penetrating him, although the knot has gone down and I must’ve been growing hard in my sleep.
I grab his shoulders and nip his neck and he stills. I growl and he winces. Then I push out.

‘Marco.’, he whines at once and I hush him.
‘Don’t worry, sweetheart. I will fuck you so good. But I want to see you for a chance.’, I tell him while I turn him so he’s on his back.
He watches me position myself between his legs. He puts them up, hands on his knees so they stay up and arches his ass in my direction.

’Oh, you’re such a good omega.’, I tell him and he moans while still holding eye-contact.
That would be impossible if he weren’t in this state. I’m so glad that they have heats.
It’s unhealthy and tiring but – wow- to see his unfiltered wanton reactions to me is just the greatest!

I push into him and he looks down to watch it. He moves into me as good as he can and I love his enthusiasm.
The fucking has lost the desperate edge by now and I think this must be the last or second to last knot before his heat is over. So let’s make it count!

I lean down to kiss him while I hammer into him at a steady pace. He opens his mouth and lets me explore, urging me on with little pants.
I kiss down his chin and land on his throat, licking over his adam’s apple and kissing all the skin I can reach.

‘Please.’, he says and he sounds clear. I look up and meet his gaze.
He still looks completely debauched with his glazed over, half-lidded eyes and his open lips.

‘Yes, darling?’, I ask him. ‘What do you need?’
He says something and I’m sure I misunderstood.

‘What did you say?’, I ask.
‘Please mate me.’, he repeats. Then: ‘Alpha, please.’
I’m oddly relieved. It’s the omega in him that’s speaking, not him.

‘Say my name, darling.’, I order him mildly, to snap him out of it.
‘Marco.’, he pants, while my thrusts pick up speed. ‘Marco, Marco, pleeease. Please, claim me.’

He puts up his hands to press my head into his neck. I may have miscalculated how much water he needs. He’s surely dehydrated and that makes him hallucinate.
I know omega’s want to be mated as much as alphas feel the need to mate them, but there’s no way he’d ask me to mate him this early if he were lucid.

I’m not even convinced that he was really ready to lose his virginity, for God’s sake!
He moans when my knot starts. ’No, no, bite me, please, now, please.’, and I cover his mouth with mine until I have cum inside him.
Instinctively he starts contracting around me even though he still makes distressed noises.

‘I will mate you, darling.’, I tell him. ‘Don’t worry. You’re mine, forever. But I won’t do it now, ok? It’s too soon.’ He whimpers.
I put my hand on his dick and jerk him of until the noises he makes change and he comes, dry. Just like that, his heat is over.

His whole body relaxes as if this last orgasm was some kind of endboss he needed to defeat to finish the game.
He stretches his head up to lick and sniff my neck.

Then he curls into himself, as much as possible with me still in and over him and falls asleep.
I cautiously lie down next to him and follow suit.

Chapter Text

A filter seems to lift from my eyes and my brain and I'm myself again after being pure omega, on and off, for hours.
I feel fantastic.

My legs are open for my alpha, I’m extremely wet and satisfied.
I ache in all the right places and my alpha is currently fucking me, while he fucks my mouth with his tongue.
There’s just one thing that could make this better.

As if he knows my thoughts the stops kissing me and gets his mouth to my neck. I stretch my head, to give him easy access.
He’s licking and kissing but there’s no bite.

Someone winces. I take a moment to realize that it’s me. Why am I wincing? I can talk!
I open my mouth and try. ‘Please.’, I say and it works surprisingly well.

Marco’s looks up to me and scrutinises my face. I love the dark, possessive look in his eyes when he looks at me like that.
‘Yes, darling?, he asks me. ‘What do you need?’

The question throws me. My alpha wants to take care of me! He wants to give me what I need!
From the feeling in my body he’s given me what I need for a couple of hours already. That must be exhausting. He’s not in rut after all. I got so lucky with my alpha!

‘Mate me.’, I mumble, suddenly shy. Do I even deserve an alpha like him?
He looks startled and makes me repeat it. Maybe I was too impolite.
He surely deserves the bests-behaved omega that exists. I will show him that I’m worthy of his bite.

‘Please mate me.’, I say softly. He doesn’t react.
Of course! I need to address him with the proper respect. ‘Alpha, please.’

Something I can’t really recognize flickers across his face. But maybe I imagined it.
I’m still being fucked and he’s surely trying to fuck my brains out, so I’m not exactly functioning that well right now.

‘Say my name, darling.’, he orders me. Oh, that’s an order I love to obey.
‘Marco.’, I pant and he fucks me harder, making it even harder for me to concentrate.

Didn’t we just talk about something? Ah yes, there it is.
I have to say it quickly, before it’s gone: ‘Marco, Marco, pleeease. Please, claim me.’

I lead his head to my neck to show him what I mean. Maybe he doesn’t understand me. Maybe I’m panting too much.
How couldn’t I? This is the best I ever felt.
His dick is made for my hole and his knot is the most glorious thing and I finally understand why everybody is always talking about sex.

Fuck, I was distracted and now I feel his knot start to grow. Which is good. I love his knot. I need it.
It fills me so well and makes all the feeling of emptiness and neediness vanish. But he needs to mate me before he’s finished, I know that much!

I try to articulate my wish while he’s knotting and I try hard not to come on his knot.
’No, no, bite me, please, now, please.’ He kisses me and- finishes. Just like that.

I’m not able to care too much. His knot feels just right and I float a little on the feeling, milking him with muscles I didn’t know I had until this weekend.
I’m pretty sure he didn’t understand me. I’m still upset and the omega in me that seems to be more vocal than the person me shows his distress.

Marco looks at me then. ‘I will mate you, darling.’, he says. ‘Don’t worry. You’re mine, forever. But I won’t do it now, ok? It’s too soon.’
What? So he did understand me? But he didn’t take me seriously? Like, fucking is ok, but mating not?

Doesn’t he want to? Did he want my first heat to look how good I am, but now he’s disappointed? Is he going to get rid of me after all?
But I need him. I can’t imagine being with anybody else! What will happen to me? Why doesn’t he like me? I like him!

My thoughts unravel as the feeling of pleasure downstairs increases. I’m still filled with his cum and knotted and now he started jerking me off.
It’s almost too much but in the most pleasurable way. I lose myself in the feeling and immediately fall asleep after I cum.

I wake up some hours later. Marco is propped up on his elbow and watches me.
I smile at him. He’s the most beautiful person on earth.

Something was bothering me before, but- I don’t remember.
And it can’t have been important. Must have been a dream.

I try to say hi but my voice is almost gone.
‘How are you?’, he asks. I try to shrug but have to groan because it hurts.
‘Are you able to walk to the bathroom?’, he asks. It seems important to him and so I nod.

I stand up very slowly and traipse into the bathroom. It’s filled with steam and I see that he prepared the tub for me.
He helps me get in and then sits down behind me.

I relax against him while he washes first my hair and then all of my body that he can reach like this. I brush against his dick when I move and he hisses and flinches.
I freeze and look up at him. Does it hurt because of me?

‘I’m so sorry’, I whisper sincerely. He pecks a kiss in the middle of my neck and shrugs.
‘It’s not your fault. I couldn’t hold back long enough. Now I understand why packs share omegas in heat. It’s intense. But it’s worth it, don’t get me wrong. I liked every second of your heat.’

I lean back in another position and let him wash the rest of me. Something is bothering me.
‘Do packs really share the omegas?’, I ask him.
He pauses and frowns. ‘It’s known to be common, yes. Didn’t your father?’

I laugh at this but quickly stop because everything hurts.
‘He’s way to jealous.’, I tell Marco. He raises a brow.
‘And he has- what- five omegas? Impressive. Now I know who you got your stamina from.’ I hide my blush behind my hands while he chuckles.

We go back to bed afterwards. Somehow he managed to change the sheets while we were in the bath.
I can’t remember him not being with me but I’m pretty out of it so what do I know? I fall back asleep as soon as I lay down.

I wake up to bird song. Marco snores softly next to me. He looks extremely cute.
I slowly get up and look on my phone. I’m not sure how long I slept. I feel a lot better, but Marco still looks exhausted.
It’s Sunday, Mid-morning. Our bath was last evening, so my heat ended Saturday afternoon. It’s insane- two days are just gone.

I creep out of the room, do my business in the downstairs bathroom and sit in the kitchen with a cup of tea.
I remember how he fucked me over the table and blush. Then I start to remember all the other things.

Normally I would be aroused by the thought, but I’m too drawn out. I remember that I came dry with my dick the last time I came.
But- why? I tap the table distractedly while I try to remember. It seems important.

I think- I was distressed and he wanted to calm me down? But what was there to be distressed about?
Then I remember.

I asked him to mate me. I addressed him with his name and all. I was definitely lucid.
And he, the guy that told me he would do anything for me, he just ignored it!

I sip at my tea angrily and promptly burn my tongue. Then I glare randomly at things in the kitchen.
I can’t glare at him, he’s still sleeping and he looks way too vulnerable for an alpha and he fed me, fucked me and washed me afterwards.
He must have done a lot of laundry too. Heats are a messy business.

I sigh.
I’m still pissed, though.
I try to think about other things but I immediately remember his condescending tone after he just came in me, while I fucking begged, when I hear his steps on the stairs.

He walks in and smiles at me. His hair is open and he’s not wearing a shirt and he’s gorgeous. I frown and look away.
He walks around me and leans down to kiss me. I turn my head so he kisses my cheek instead. I can see him frown from the corner of my eye.

He leans against the counter and puts his hands in the pockets of his sweat pants.
‘Are you ok?’, he asks.

‘I’m fine.’, I almost snap at him. ‘Very satisfied, thank you.’
I know that I’m being a bitch but I don’t know how to stop. I also know that I sound bitter.

I don’t even care, even though I’m aware that it’s dangerous to be a bad-tempered omega.
My father used to have an omega that behaved like this a lot. He sold him on someday.

I don’t want to be sold. Really! I want to stay with Marco.
But- I mean it’s just unfair! Why doesn’t he feel the same?

I’m close to crying and stand up abruptly. I can feel him watch me as I leave the room and I smell his worry but I can’t bring myself to care right now.
I lie down in bed. I’m still aching and exhausted but I slept enough to not be tired.
It gets boring quickly but I came here to prove some kind of point and now I can’t leave the room again. How would that even look, huh?

I hear him come up the stairs a while later. He opens the door very softly and then slowly approaches me.
He leans over me and sees that my eyes are open. ‘Is- Is it ok if I touch you?’

I nod.
He sighs. ‘Can you say it please?’ I roll my eyes.

‘Yes, it is ok if you touch me.’, I notice how cold I sound and decide that he doesn’t deserve this. His penis hurts because of me, after all!
‘More than ok, honestly.’, I say a little more neutrally.

He lies down and puts his hand on my back. I can’t help myself and snuggle into his touch. Soon he spoons me.
‘I’m sorry.’, he says softly and I make a questioning noise. He apologizes a lot, but mostly I don’t even know why.

‘You were in heat and I took advantage of your – willingness. And just wanted to be believe that you mean it. So I’m sorry that I did stuff to you that was too soon.’, he sounds miserable but that still pisses me off. Why isn’t he able to believe me when I say that I’m ready?

‘You didn’t.’, I spit out.
He moves a little. ‘Huh?’

I roll my eyes. Why does he need everything to be written out for him?
‘You didn’t take advantage. I told you what I wanted, didn’t I? And you didn’t even do everything I told you to.’ The last bit comes out in a low murmur.

His hand on my back stills. I can see his puzzled expression inside my head right now.
‘I-I didn’t? Could you be more specific, please?’

I sigh. ‘No! Please leave me alone.’
He hesitates, but then stands up and stretches. ‘I’m in the living room if you need me.’

I don’t react. What the hell does he think he’s doing? He’s not taking me seriously half the time but when I tell him to go he does?
What the fuck? He noticed that I’m distressed, right? Why isn’t he staying with me?

He sighs again, then he leans down and kisses my forehead.
The spot he kisses me burns a hole in my head.
I start to cry as soon as the door is closed.

I stay in bed for the rest of the Sunday.
After I’m sure that Marco won’t be coming back in here I get a book and read until late at night. Then I sleep.

On Monday morning I stay in bed until my bodily needs draw me out. I’m not sure if Marco has gone to uni today.
It smells like he’s here. But this is his house, it always smells like him. And he hasn’t been in the bedroom since yesterday.

I creep into the kitchen to drink a tea or, even better, a hot chocolate.

Of course Marco intercedes me on my way back to the bedroom with the cup in my hand.
‘Luca, you have to eat.’, he says.

‘I’m not hungry.’, I murmur. He clicks his tongue. He looks a little annoyed, but mostly sad.
‘It’s not a question.’, he tells me. ‘I promised to take care of you and I will. I right now, you need food.’

I scoff before I can help myself. A minute ago the sight of him melted my heart but now it’s hard again.
Taking care of me, pah! I’m not even his mate! Why does he care?

‘You promise a lot of things you don’t play out, don’t you?’
He frowns, which makes me feel bad because I want to console him but I’m the reason he’s frowning in the first place. ‘No, I’m not really known for stuff like that.’

I sigh and let myself be led into the kitchen and on his lap. I lean against him.
For the umpteenth time today I feel sorry for being like this. But I can’t help it.

He starts to feed me and I slowly feel better.
Huh, who would’ve thought that being hungry could make me more irritable?

When I’m finished eating, he wraps me in both of his arms and breathes into my neck, which feels great but also makes me irritated again.
Of course he can smell it.

‘Luca, can you please tell me what this is about?’ He sounds resigned but still authoritative enough that I have to answer him this time.
‘You didn’t want to mate me.’, I say very fast.

He tenses a little. ‘What was that?’
I close my eyes. ‘Please don’t make me repeat it.’

‘Is this about not mating you during your first heat? I’m astonished you can even remember that you asked.’
He says it like I’m unreasonable and stupid. I try to stand up but his arms tighten around me.

‘No, darling, I’m sorry, but we’re discussing this right now. Did you really mean it?’
I sack against him. ‘I don’t know. But I also didn’t know if I meant the other things. Until you did them, that is. And you did them without second thought, didn’t you? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you did. But, you - You just didn’t do this. You- you’re not taking me seriously. It hurts.’

‘Oh, darling, I’m so sorry.’, he kisses my neck and I can’t help but relax further into him.
‘I didn’t want you to feel that way. I just- it was so soon and so sudden and I- I want it to mean something when I mate you. I don’t want it to be a spur of the moment thing.’

Huh. Now I feel worse. But I’m irritated at myself now, not at him. Progress, right?
Of course he has been thinking about it instead of just brushing it away. I should know him that good by now.

It seems like it’s time to make up. I’m glad he’s that understanding when I’m in a bad mood.
He could’ve just used his voice. Or laughed at me. Or both.

I turn my head to look at him.
‘Are you saying you’re a romantic, Marco Celestino?’, I ask with a teasing smile.

His eyes smile back, while he leans ahead to kiss me. ‘I think so, yes. One of us has to be.’
I giggle and we kiss for a while, slow, tender kisses than don’t lead to anything else.

He breaks the kiss and shifts me on his lap. ‘Darling, why didn’t you just tell me this instead of pouting for a day?’
Good question! I shrug. ‘I don’t know. I don’t understand it either, but I- I can’t just talk about stuff like that, ok? I’m not used to making demands. It’s rude for an omega to make demands. Alpha always knows best and that’s the only thing I need to know.’
I can hear that I sounds silly and I stop talking.

He sighs. ‘So I make you feel uncomfortable sometimes when I want you to be vocal?’
‘Yes, sometimes.’

‘I’m sorry. But- do you understand that I have to? I don’t want to be like those alphas that think they’re the greatest when their omegas are just too afraid to tell them that they don’t want half the things they do together. I want you to be happy and feel safe with me. And it’s important that I know where we stand for this to succeed. I mean, I know it’s a lot, you’ve been told to not make demands for 18 years. But I’m certain you can learn new behaviour. Would you try for me? I’ll be patient. Even if it takes another 18 years.’

I have to laugh at that. ‘Do you think we’ll still be here like this when I’m 36?’, I ask him. I can’t even think that far into the future.
He hugs me closer. ‘Of course we’ll still both be here in 18 years. And in 30, 50, 60 years as well.
Can’t wait to see you all old and still incredibly graceful. And our grandchildren will adore the hell out of you.’

I look at him with wide eyes and he misinterprets my gaze. ‘Don’t worry, I don’t want children immediately. That’s another thing you’ll have a say in.’
My throat closes and I have to clear my throat. ‘I- I can’t wait to see our grandchildren.’, I tell him and his smile is everything I need.

Chapter Text

The next couple of days are weird. I was fully looking forward to having us feel extremely close and Luca being very docile and sweet after his heat.
But of course I fucked up and then we had a fight and I even slept on the sofa, what a fucking cliché!

It’s good-ish between us now. Well, I think. He’s not exactly forthcoming about his thoughts, is he?
But now he is sweet and nice and cuddly. So it’s like before his heat. I could bite into my own ass! We could be that much further by now.

At least his friend is coming over, so maybe I will see a new side of him, like after Tom’s visit. Also, I hope we’ll relax slightly (yes, both of us) around each other.
Right now we’re both walking a little on eggshells and is feels just weird.

The doorbell rings and I tense all over. Luca sends me a worried glance. I force myself to chill out.
Stupid alpha instincts! Like a dog that barks at every passer-by. Embarrassing!

‘I’m fine. Go get your friend.’, I tell my omega.
As soon as he’s gone, I have to sneak after him. I have the strong urge to protect my bond and my home from a strange alpha, which is just ridiculous. I invited him here after all.

Luca opens the door and they both greet each other. I don’t hear them move so at least he’s not hugging MY omega.
Oh God, did I really just think that? I’m such a fucking nutcase!

Matty clears his throat after a minute or so. ‘So, I brought wine. It’s what adults do, right?’
He sounds insecure and my inner alpha stops growling and puts his head on his front paws. That’s no danger for our family.
‘I hope you like red. I just picked whatever bottle looked the fanciest. Look, there’s a bird on it.’

I hear Luca chuckle and am immediately pissed off that I’m not the one that amused him.
My inner human hits my inner alpha with a stick and tells him to be glad that Luca is chuckling, no matter the reason.

‘I like the bird.’, he says, polite little thing that he is. ‘I have no idea if I like red wine, though. Thank you, Matty.’
Matty scoffs and whispers. ‘He’s not making you abide by those stupid omega rules, is he?’

Luca laughs and I can imagine him shake his head. ‘Oh no, nothing of the sorts. I just didn’t have the opportunity to try wine. I realized that I don’t like beer, though.’
Matty laughs. ‘Nobody does at first.’

I decide that I like him and go back to the kitchen. Also it wouldn’t be wise to let Luca find out that I’m spying on him.
Luca brings the wine into the kitchen and Matty slouches along, clearly uncomfortable when he sees me. I smile at him and nod and he bows his head.

I make lasagne and green salad while I hear them walking around the house, talking to each other.
Luca gives him the tour and I feel deep satisfaction whenever he talks about ‘our stuff’ instead of ‘my stuff’.

They go into the garden and I wash up the pots and pans while the lasagne is in the oven.
I set the table and include wine glasses. Red wine and lasagne is a pretty good fit after all. Might as well open the present.

They both come back and I can see that they have grown more comfortable around each other since Luca opened the door.
Matty still sends me worried glances and is hilariously keen on keeping his distance to my omega as soon as I’m near.

I try to not let my amusement show but Luca knows me pretty well by now and has to grin as well.
The conversation is stilted at first but I let them continue their talk about old friends and it soon becomes more natural.

Matty asks how we met.
I pipe in now and then while Luca nails mimicking my grandmother. He’s really entertaining if he wants to be.

I guess slowly sipping his wine helps him. It seems to taste better than the beer, then.
He’s starting to have adorable red cheeks after a couple of sips and I briefly wonder if this was a good idea.

But then he gets tipsy. The kind of tipsy where he snuggles closer to me on the sofa, after we finished eating, so I decide that I don’t mind.

Matty exclaims when he sees the gaming console. Apparently they spent whole afternoons playing those games in Luca’s old home as children.
Soon, there’s a competition going on, while I watch them, slightly amused.

I never was much of a gamer. Tom and I were mostly outside, building ramps for our bike trail (he broke his arm like five times in his teens) or swimming in the lake.
Which reminds me, I have to take Luca there sometime.
I don’t even know if he learned to swim. Or ride a bike. I’m sure Matty knows those things about him.

The thought stings, but a look at Matty makes me realize that I’m being ridiculous.
He’s his childhood friend. Of course he knows him. But I have the rest of our lives to get to know him even better.

Matty is like an overgrown toddler. If I didn’t know he had moved out at 16 I wouldn’t think him capable of looking after himself.
I’m glad Luca has a friend that’s equally untypical an alpha as I am.

Matty drives the car against the wall at the game they’re playing and shouts at the screen as he loses because of this.
I watch Luca laugh. It makes me extremely happy to see him like this.

Then I turn to Matty. ‘You sure you live alone?’
He laughs good-naturedly. ‘Live, yes. Manage, oh no. That’s the first time I had a home-cooked meal in ages. And it was brilliant. Thanks for inviting me, Marco. Really. I don’t take it for granted. I was like so fucking excited when I saw Luca here again and then he had alpha smell on him and I thought ‘Fuck, I won’t be able to talk to him for long.’ And then the alpha is you, and you’re young and cool. I’m so fucking glad for you both.’

Luca stopped laughing during his speech and put his head on my shoulder. I must have wrapped my arm around him without even noticing it, I realize.

‘So what’s your plan for the future?’, I ask Matty.
He shrugs. ‘Right now I just work some jobs, to pay the rent. But I’d love to study law. Yes, I don’t look like it, but I was very good in school.’

Luca giggles. ’He was. Always surprised the teachers. One moment he was being funny and loud and the next moment he could recite the whole lesson back to them. God, did you have Mr. Whitehead again?’
Matty laughs out loud. ‘Yep, had him until 10th grade, right before he went into pension.’

‘Is there a story there?’, I ask.
Luca smiles at me with a cheeky grin. ‘Oh, several. He was just the most unorthodox old man. He was always throwing his keys around when he thought we didn’t listen to him. Most times he hit the students that were listening. We were sitting in the back row, of course.

And-’, he laughs and his eyes glitter and I would love to throw Matty out and carry Luca into the bedroom but I’m also quite content to get to know him better and listen to him talk about his childhood without his usual shyness.
‘Oh God I just remembered! - he always cleaned the blackboard with a wet cloth and afterwards he dried it with a dryer, like you’d use for hair. And the lesson was on hold for five fucking minutes because he was only able to continue when the blackboard was completely dry.’

Matty cracks up. ‘Fuck, yes, he did do that. The best thing was the dead bird, though.’
Luca laughs out loud at this. He buries his head into my neck and his shoulders shake.
I rub his shoulders and smile down on him.

‘So, what about the dead bird?’, I ask Matty. I see him look fondly at Luca, but I don’t mind.
He’s no competition. He’s just extra security for my omega. And a friend. That’s good, I like that.

Matty downs his wine and shuffles forward on the armchair he occupies.
‘So, when we were like in fifth grade, there was a bird on the ground, right off the school grounds. And Li- Luca, being fond of animals like he is, just had to drag us to leave school grounds, so we could try to save the bird. But he had a broken neck. He must’ve flown against a window or a car.

So when we just finally convinced him to go back – he wanted to bury the bird, you see‘ I smile and nod. It’s too fitting of the gentle soul that is my omega.
‘-Mr. Whitehead appeared. It was a really bad offence to leave school grounds. But the red-head looked at him with his huge eyes- I guess you know his pleading gaze by now, he’s a right manipulator that one.’

I nod and Luca turns his head to look at Matty. I have a feeling he’s sticking out his tongue.
Matty chuckled. ‘Well, and the old guy always had a soft spot for Luca. He was an alpha, maybe he already guessed something and wanted to protect him. Um, yes. Huh, where was I?’

Luca snorts. ‘I was getting us out of detention.’, he reminds him.
‘Ha!’, Matty says. ‘You were the whole reason we had left school grounds.’

He scratches his head. ‘So, yeah. We sure thought we’d have detention for weeks, but Luca looked up to him and told him that there’s a bird. And it was our duty as citizens to try to save him. You could literally see Mr. Whiteheads heart melt. He was the biology teacher, so he loved animals.

‘So, could you save the bird?’, he asked us and Luca here started to cry and said. ‘No, he’s dead.’. And nobody ever wants to see Luca in distress, even before he presented, right?
So the teacher said: ’Let me look.’, and went to the bird. And Luca looked at him with hopeful eyes, because he was a teacher, and an alpha, so surely he could do anything, right?’

I grin so much, my cheeks hurt. Matty is really good at telling stories and having Luca giggling in my arms is doing the rest.
I have to ask for old pictures of him sometime. I’m sure he was the cutest kid around.

Matty takes a deep breath and Luca giggles in anticipation. ‘So the teacher looked at the bird, then at us boys, that thought he was some kind of superhero. And he picked up the bird. And he looked at it from all angles. Everyone could see that his neck was broken. And then he said- he said.’, Matty has problems telling the story because he’s giggling that much.

Luca pipes up. ‘He said: ‘That bird isn’t dead. Look at him fly!’, and then he threw the dead bird into the bushes.’
They both crack up and I chuckle, equally at their story and at them laughing.

‘So, you weren’t distressed that he threw a dead bird around?’, I ask him after we’ve all calmed down.
Luca shakes his head. ‘No. I mean, it was sad that the bird was dead. But he had been dead before. But Mr. Whitehead behaving that ridiculous and unexpected. That was just too hilarious.
And he even escorted us back into the building, excused us to the next teacher for being late and we never were punished for leaving school grounds.’

He looks smug and I kiss his cheek, noticing from the corner of my eye that Matty looks at us curious, but seems neither jealous nor embarrassed.
I save that fact in my brain for later use.

We have some more friendly banter. I see my chance to check one box, when Luca is going to the toilet.
I turn to Matty. ‘So, you’re not interested in your own omega right now?’

He sobers up immediately. ‘No, Sir. Or- do you know someone who needs an alpha? I’d always help an omega in a bad situation. Luca told me that he didn’t know who he was going to for a week and that just sucks. If I could help someone out, I’d do it. If that’s why you’re asking.’

I nod. ‘No, I don’t run some omega saving operation, but I appreciate it. So are you looking into joining a pack? An alpha living by his own is highly unusual, that’s why I ask. Also you seem to be the kind of person that needs to be around other people.’

Matty sighs heavily. ‘Oh you have no idea.’
I keep silent because I feel there’s more. Matty looks deep in thought, then continues speaking.
‘The thing is…I don’t know a lot about packs. I grew up in a family, as most of my friends did. I know Luca’s pack and, well, that’s not a prime example to be honest.’

That raises my interest. ‘How did he grow up? I don’t want to pry, because he’s awfully closed-off about it. Was his father abusive?’
Matty shrugs and looks at the door before turning back to me. ‘Well, there were slaps and back-hands as educational measures, yes. But he never ‘fell down the stairs’, as far as I know and I don’t think any of his omega step-fathers ever ended up in hospital so the alpha could have been worse.

Awful sucker for the right way to do things, though. Social etiquette must be obeyed always and that kind of stuff. I think at home the rules were a lot less strict, otherwise Luca wouldn’t be that much of an independent person he is today. I don’t want to think about what would have happened to him if he had a different alpha.’

I nod. I figured that much. Luca obeys social rules I didn’t even know of. He surely didn’t need to be told five times about the right protocol before we bonded, like I did.
And he was so terrified when he thought we weren’t doing the sex part right, the poor soul.

I listen for him, but he takes a while. I turn to Matty again and lean a bit forward. He copies my posture right away.
‘You know. I’m thinking about founding a different kind of pack. Not that much hierarchy. Kind behaviour, no corporal punishment. Basically a commune where friends live together and become a family instead of a business organisation?’

Matty raises his browns and nods. ‘That sound great. Good for Luca as well. He needs to be around people. And the unusual aspect sounds fun.’
I smile at his opinion. ‘Yeah. I know. I would’ve loved to grow up in a pack like that. So I guess I’d love my children to grow up like that in a couple of years? But I’m unsure about all this.
Like how would an alpha-alpha dynamic play out in enclosed quarters? And do there need to be contracts beforehand? What if someone wants to leave? What if someone wants someone else to join? I’ve grown up in a family, too. A pretty dysfunctional one. So I have no fucking clue how to bring people together.’

I fell silent. I knew I had those concerns but saying them out loud seems unreal. To my surprise, Matty grins at me.
‘But you already do. You invited me over. You didn’t have to. Luca didn’t expect you to. I didn’t. But here I am and that’s great. And I accept you as my superior, don’t worry. There’s something about you that smells powerful as hell. And you’re not even 20.’

Now it’s my turn to raise my brows. Matty looks sheepishly for a second there but then speaks on.
‘And you’re also friends with a beta and introduced him to Luca. He told me. That’s bringing-people-together 101.’

Huh. I haven’t seen it that way but what he says makes sense. And it’s awfully nice to point it out like that. ‘You really think so?’, I just have to ask.
Matty nods. ‘Yes. I guess you’ll do great with forming a pack. But if you’re unsure, maybe ask some other pack leaders for advice? I mean, if you speak to Luca’s father you’ll know what to do and what not to do, classic win-win situation.’ We both chuckle at that, then Matty becomes serious.

‘I hope you’ll still have me over sometimes, I’m really glad I met my favourite red-head again. And you’re good together. I think we could be friends?’
‘Of course you can come over.’, I quickly tell him. Then I have a thought.

‘Do you plan to move in the future?’ That would be shit. I can’t ask him what I’m thinking about asking when he’s planning to leave someday.
Matty shrugs. ‘I have no idea. I’d love to stay near, but I don’t really have a reason to. And studying nearby is more expensive than studying abroad.’

I nod. It makes sense, I was also thinking about those things when I had finished school.
But it’s also promising that he sounds like he’d rather stay.

‘And if you wouldn’t have to pay that much rent?’, I ask, not very subtle.
Matty narrows his eyes at me. ‘What are you-‘, he breaks off when we both hear the bathroom door.

I smile at him. ‘Let’s forget about it for now. But yes, I was implying what you thought I implied.’
Matty looks astonished, then he looks worried at the door. Luca is leaning in the doorframe and he’s very pale.
I jump up immediately. ‘Darling, are you ok?’

He leans into me when I reach him. He smells like toothpaste and a little bit like booze.
He shakes his head. ‘I don’t feel so good.’, he murmurs and I snort softly.
‘Too much wine, huh? Let’s get you to bed.’

Luca struggles out of my arms. ‘No, we have a visitor. I’m so sorry.’, he looks at me, then at Matty with wide, distraught eyes. Matty jumps up in an instant.
‘It’s late anyways. I was just waiting for you to say goodbye.’, he lies smoothly and winks at me.

Luca relaxes a little. ‘Oh. Ok.’ I guide him to the door and we say our goodbyes, Luca already half-asleep.
I wrap my arms around him and put my nose near his earlobe as soon as the door is closed. He buries his nose under my adam’s apple.

We just inhale each other for a couple of minutes, before I softly clap on his back.
‘Let’s get you to bed, honey.’

Chapter Text

I wake up with a headache and the strangest feeling in my mouth.
I miss Marco’s smell and warmth and the arm he throws over me in his sleep. Why is he up sooner than me?

Uagh. I remember that I was vomiting. Matty left shortly after.
Where those two connected? I hope not.

No, I think it was just late. I hope I said a proper goodbye at least. I’m such a disgrace. Letting two alphas alone in one room.
One of them was only there because he’s my friend and Marco is confusingly nice.

I hope I didn’t do anything to piss my alpha off. I’m still waiting for him to show me where he draws the line.
I also really don’t want him to be mad at me, ever, so I hope I never reach that line.
Sometimes I think that maybe I’d rather tiptoe around him for the rest of our lives than finding out what would make him really angry at me.

I slowly stand up. Yuck! Something is not right.
My body aches like I have a cold. My stomach muscles ache when I move. Didn't even know I had those muscles.

I very slowly make my way into the bathroom. In the mirror I see my ghost.
It has to be. Can’t be me. I’m paler than usual, my hair is like a bird’s nest, because I didn’t brush it before going to sleep.
My skin looks dry and like it shrank overnight, hugging my cheekbones too closely.

I wash with cold water to revive at least a little bit. I brush my teeth two times, because one isn’t enough. It also helps with the headache.
Then I wrestle with my hair. It takes twice the time than usual. I’m exhausted when I’m ready. I could go back to bed, but I’m also hungry. I suddenly crave pizza.

I slurp down the stairs in a bad mood. Usually I love porridge, and Marco has enough variation in his breakfast plan to not make it boring.
But I can’t stomach porridge right now. I’d love something greasy and unhealthy.

I enter the kitchen and see Marco at the stove. Is it lunch time already? No, I didn’t sleep that long.
He turns around and smiles at me. ‘Hello, my little wine taster. How are you this morning?’
I groan and he does this adorable thing where he smiles with his eyes.

I go to him to hug him and kiss his cheek. I glimpse into the pot. ‘What are you doing?’, I ask him.
He grins while he kisses my cheek. ‘The best hangover breakfast after French fries. Beans on toast.’

Hmm, that’s what I have been smelling. Warm bread. Oh God, I love that guy! He must notice some change in me and smiles at me. ‘You want an egg, too?’
I shake my head. I don’t think I’ll manage to eat much despite being hungry. My stomach still feels queasy. ‘No, that’s enough, thanks.’

Marco gestures for me to sit down. I draw my knees close and hug them with my arms while I watch him. He turns to me after filling water into the electric kettle.
‘Do you also want to drink coffee? I’m sorry I never thought to ask before. You’re not forbidden anything with me, ok? I don’t care if you eat unhealthy stuff as long as you’re not pregnant.’

That makes me giggle. I drank wine yesterday so I kind of knew this already.
‘I figured.’, I tell him. ‘But it’s nice of you to say it. I don’t think I want to get used to drinking coffee though.’

He nods and gets a cup for me from the cupboard. ‘Ok, breakfast tea it is.’
He’s so sweet. He’s really going above and beyond for me. While I must seem like I don’t give a fuck, getting up late and not really doing anything around the house.

I sigh and burry my head against my knees. He fills a plate with the food and brings it over.
He moves the second chair right next to the one I’m sitting one and sits next to me, our sides touching.

I move, so I sit half on his lap, half on the chair, my upper body leaning against his. His nose is in my hair and he sniffs it a little and then gently bites my neck before he cuts the toast in small pieces and starts to feed me.

The food is nice. Warm and full of proteins and the right amount of unhealthy because of the white bread, but I can’t fully enjoy it.
I’m still not feeling too well and this has always affected my mental well-being.

Self-doubts are starting to creep up and I can’t do anything about them.
How could I? I can’t even have breakfast by myself. I know Marco doesn’t mind that, but it’s not fair on him to do all the work.

Like, I know he gets off on providing and stuff like that but what am I doing? It’s not like I’m pleasing him sexually all the time.
Or do house work. Or charm his colleagues. Or make him some money. Whatever an omegas tasks are in different scenarios.

No, I just exist. And try to at least look good for him. And I can’t even manage that.
And it irks me that he doesn’t even know that I make an effort for him. And I’m an ungrateful shit additionally.

I realize that I groaned out loud when he stops feeding me.
‘What’s wrong darling? Do you feel ill?’

Why? Why does he have to be so thoughtful and nice? Now I feel even worse.
He also drank wine. I didn’t even stop to think if he’s alright. I’m such an asshole.

He deserves the truth at least. He knows when I’m lying either way and I don’t want to repeat the Voice-debacle from our second week together.
‘I’m ok, health-wise. Please don’t worry about me, alpha. I think I’m just a little stressed.’

‘What are you stressed about?’, I watch Marco’s face closely.
Somehow, I’m suddenly ready to bristle at the slightest hint of amusement or arrogance but there’s nothing there.

I haven’t even thought about him asking about the reason for being stressed. I thought he’d be ok with knowing that I’m not feeling ill.
Now he really wants to know what I’m stressed about instead of making fun of me, this confusing, perfect person.

I sigh. ‘Looking good for you takes a lot of effort you know?’
He kisses my cheek. ‘And yet you manage it so brilliantly.’

Ok, now I bristle. I hate when he’s like this. Not taking me seriously while paying me compliments.
How is a guy supposed to handle this?

‘Shut up.’, I turn my head away. Of course he reacts caring and sweet immediately.
How is a guy supposed to be pissed off with someone like that?

And I suddenly want to. I need to.
I can feel it building beneath my skin, all the negative emotion that needs to come out now and then.

His nose is in my hair again and then he uses one hand to brush it away to press his face into my neck.
‘Please.’, I tell him. ‘I take an awful amount of time to do my hair every day. And then you just- play with it.’

His hand and face move away. ‘Oh. I thought you liked that.’
I feel close to crying. ‘Yes, I do.’ I turn to face him.
‘I do like it, Marco. But sometimes I’m just annoyed, because you don’t even see that I make an effort. And I hate to take that effort.’

Marco looks at me like he’s really seeing me for the first time. It feels uncomfortable. He’s way too attentive. ‘How did you wear it before you moved in with me?’
‘Mostly braided or in a bun. And if open, then not curled.’

‘So, you don’t have naturally curly hair?’, he asks.
I scoff. ‘Nope.’ I sound like a teenager but I don’t even care. If he doesn’t like that I have straight hair, he won’t even care about my tone.

He frowns and slowly put up his hand to put my hair behind my ear.
‘So, why are you wearing it like this?’ I hate that he talks to me like I’m some easily spooked animal.

But I inwardly purr at how soft his voice can get and that he’s making an effort to be nice.
I sigh and look away. ‘Because you liked me like this on the first day.’

I hear him breathe deeply before he starts to speak.
‘Darling. Luca. I always like you. I found you adorable this morning when you were still sleeping, all messed up. I loved it when you looked absolutely destroyed during your heat. I was immediately intrigued by you when you hissed at my grandmother.

Were you the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen when you entered our home? Well, yes. But you don’t have to try so hard every day. It’d be ok if it’s special for you to dress up for me. Like- we should go on a date, you know. That would be worth the effort. You really don’t need to do your hair just for having breakfast with me.’

‘Ok.’, I say. I’m not sure he hears me, it was that quietly.
I feel so stupid. Of course I don’t. What was I even thinking? He must think me the vainest person ever.

He sighs. ‘It’s your upbringing, right? Like, your omega dad looks like he’s 30. Which is highly improbable. All the omegas at your father’s do is caring how they look, don’t they?’
‘It’s not everything they do.’, I get defensive. How dare he speak about my family? He has no idea!

‘No, of course not.’, he says calmly and my defences go down.
I sigh. ‘Yeah, it’s about 90 %.’

Marco kisses my temple. ‘I’m not superficial, you know. But even if I were.
You’re always beautiful to me. Yes, I do like to play with your hair. But if you want it out of the way, just tie it together, please. Or- would you like to cut it?’
Would I? Dad would be so shocked. And my hair is not even that long for an omega. Also, my alpha has long hair. I couldn’t have shorter hair than him. Or could I?

No, actually, as long as I can tie or braid it together, I rather like my hair.
Yes, it’s awfully red but it is what it is and at least it looks healthy and has a nice structure.

‘No. But thanks. I just-are you sure? Don’t you mind if I braid it?’
He moves and makes me turn my head so we face in the same direction.

Then he starts parting my hair. He braids it and ties it together.
I turn around to him. His own hair is falling into his face now. I tuck it behind his ear.

‘You’re so pretty.’, I say. Then I cringe. Pretty isn’t really the word you would describe an alpha with.
His eyes glimmer mischievously. ‘Well, thank you. You’re one to talk, though.’, he says. He leans forward and kisses me.
He looks at me soberly when he pulls back. ‘Is there anything else that you thought was proper, because it was done at your old home, but you’d secretly like to change?’

I- well. I open my mouth, but hesitate.
I’d love different clothes than the ones Dad picked for me and father approved of.
They’re not mine. The only thing I like are the PJs my grandmother gave me for Christmas every year.

But I don’t have money. I can’t just expect my alpha to buy me clothes when I already have clothes.
If I were pregnant, ok, I’d need new stuff then. But just on impulse?

And it’s not like I wear them often. I’m barely clothed in our home.
I mostly wear a shirt of his and boxer shorts or my PJs. I just dress in my old clothes when we’re going out or having visitors.

He watches my struggle. ‘Just say it.’, he tells me.
I shake my head. ‘No, I don’t want to cause trouble. You’re a student. I’m lucky I get good food. I don’t need you to spend anything else on me.’

Marco tilts his head and frowns. ‘What are you talking about? Something expensive? You don’t want a car, do you?’
I manage a slight chuckle. ‘No.’

He takes my face in his hands, tilting my head slightly upwards to look into my eyes. ‘Tell me. Please.’
‘I don’t really like my clothes.’, I murmur.

He laughs at that but stops when he sees the indignation in my face.
‘I’m not laughing at you, babe. I’m glad it’s something I can help you with. It’s not like you need that many clothes. You wear mine most of the time anyway. And I fucking love that.’

There’s something primal in his eyes I can’t quite decipher, but it’s gone before I can really make it out.
‘What don’t you like about your clothes?’

I shrug. Will he understand my problem? Well, only one way to find out.
‘My Dad picked them out for me. They’re just not- me. They’re so- omega. You know?’

He nods. I’m not really surprised.
‘I think I understand. You’re a grown man, you need some stuff that you picked yourself. Let’s go shopping, then.’

Chapter Text

Huh. So my omega hates his clothes.
Now that he said it I feel rather stupid that I haven’t seen it before.

He doesn’t like how he looks, so why should he like to show it off?
And he always lounges around in my darker shirts instead of wearing his lighter clothes.

‘Let’s go shopping then.’ I tell him and love how his face lights up when he sees that I’m taking him seriously.
I hate how he still doubts me and watches my reactions carefully. I thought we would be farther in our relationship by now.

I’m awfully glad he doesn’t want to cut his hair, though.
Right now he looks at the braid I made him with my hair tie – and why the hell does it feel so right to even use my hair tie on him?- in the hallway mirror.

He must notice my gaze or scent because he turns and smiles at me.
It’s one of the rare ones, a real, genuine smile that reaches his eyes and changes his scent and I feel my heartbeat pick up.

We spend a lazy morning on the sofa, I read and he’s dozing off his hangover.
I prepare a light lunch and then we’re driving into the city.

We ignore the stores that cater especially to omegas as well as the huge chains, going for the more hip and fair places that pop up in the back streets in every city that houses university students.

Luca has been to the city before, but never ventured outside the huge shopping street and I vow to show him new things more often. He’s watching everything curiously and his hand never leaves mine.
He laughs at some stickers at a street light, is amazed at some street art and touches the soft fabric, the clothes in my favourite store are made from, in wonderment.

He fits the omega stereotype in that aspect. He always goes for my oldest t-shirt and the softest blanket at home, because his skin loves soft things.
I could watch his fingers slide over and rub different clothing for hours.

He has this little concentrated frown on his forehead and is nibbling at his lip and I’d love to devour him here and now.
He blushes and looks at me suddenly, so I may have thought about that a little too intensively. Then he smiles at me and squeezes my hand.

I move closer to him and look at what he’s looking at. It’s a black button-down shirt with a huge, red flower print on it.
I rather like it. I think it would be too much on him, but he can wear whatever he wants.

‘You like that?’, I ask him and he shrugs awkwardly. His cheeks are slightly pink.
‘I- ehm – I thought that it would fit you, just now.’, he says softly.

I feel insanely happy that my omega thinks about me while he looks at clothes. And I can see what he means, the shirt would be exactly my style as well as an update to wearing old band shirts.
He’s right, maybe I should care a little more about my appearance. He takes an effort for me, after all.

‘Should I try it?’, I ask him and he shrugs again, not daring to look at me. He’s so cute and shy, it’s way too adorable.
‘Luca.’, I say in what I hope is a teasing tone. ‘Are you embarrassed about your family instinct?’

His head shoots up and he looks into my eyes. ‘So that’s what that is?’, he wonders and now it’s my turn to shrug.
‘Yes, I think so. We want to take care of each other, right? It’s not a one-way street?’

He looks oddly pleased and his mouth slightly turns up. ‘I- yes, would you mind? I mean, you already have clothes you like.’
I snort. ‘Well, half my clothes seem to be permanently yours now, so I could need something new.’, I tease him and this time I make him grin and feel all warm inside.

I pick the shirt up to try it later, then we go looking for something for him.
He’s more of a t-Shirt guy and seems to be drawn by dark or colourful clothes.

I hate our society for expecting omegas to wear pastels and whites all the time.
Luca tends to be clumsy so he must have torn or dirtied a lot of omega clothes in his teens. I’m sure he was punished for this.

He’s still freezing whenever he thinks that he did anything wrong.
And he’s awfully careful with some things, so I guess his father was harsh, even if he didn’t hit him. I know what just yelling or showing disappointment all the time can do to a child.

I notice that I kind off became distressed over my thought when Luca lets go of my hand and looks at me with huge eyes, baring his neck a little.
I sigh. ‘Sorry, darling.’

He frowns and looks at the dark green shirt he’s holding in his hands. ‘Do you want me to look for different clothes?’
I reach out and caress his arm.
‘Are you kidding? This is perfect with your eyes. There’s the possibility you won’t wear this for long, though.’, I smile and he rolls his eyes a little, but also smiles.

‘It feels strange.’, he admits, talking more to himself than to me. ‘Almost daring. That neither of us really dresses accordingly. I mean I love that flower print on you, but it’s so un-alpha. But I really like it. That you just pull stuff like that off, I mean.’

His eyes meet mine for a second and for a moment I’m convinced that he feels about me as I feel about him.
Which can’t be. I’m lucky he’s mine but I can’t expect any miracles.

I close the distance between us and softly kiss him.
‘You know, you’ve grown up in a very traditional environment. It’s not that bad to not fit into the typical alpha-omega-stuff these days. Of course some old white men will look at us funny, but fuck them, right?’

His mouth curls up. ‘I’d rather fuck you.’, he says very quietly and is startled when I start to cough violently.
‘That’s fine with me.’, I reply, after I manage to breathe again and am rewarded with a shadow of amusement that flits through his eyes.

‘So, let’s try these on and then buy them and confuse people’s gender stereotypes. And alphas in general.’, I add and after his puzzled gaze explain: ‘They’ll smell you a mile off, but they won’t be able to recognize you as omega.’
‘Which is good. Because you’re already taken.’, I then whisper into his ear and relish his shudder.

We end up sharing the changing room because the other one is occupied by an old hippie lady and the attendant doesn’t give a fuck either way.
The shirt looks good on me, as do two others that Luca somehow managed to pick out for me. I decide to buy them.
It’s not like I often buy clothes and it’s not fast fashion either. If I don’t gain a lot of weight someday, I’ll be still wearing these in ten years.

Luca gets two blue jeans, two darker pair of pants and several shirts.
I think we both have a feeling that he’ll still be wearing my old shirts around the house.

He’s astonished that everything fits. Apparently omega clothes are designed to make omegas feel bad about themselves and are always tight or too long or too short in some places. I hate our society.

After a slight make-out session - because how could I keep my hands of him when he undresses in front of me? - he’s in some new clothes he decided to directly keep wearing and adjusts his braid.

‘How come you know how to braid other people’s hair?’, he wants to know. Which is a valid question, but it’s really not the right time to start talking about this.
‘My mother.’, I say. He looks curious but I look away, making clear that the issue is closed.
I can smell that he’s hurt that I brush him off like this. I lean in to pepper his cheek with little kisses and after we both look presentable enough, we pay and leave the store.

We take the clothes to the car. It’s mid-afternoon by now. I close the car booth and we both stand and look at each other.
‘So, what now?’, Luca asks, as it becomes apparent that I don’t really intend to drive us back now.

I feel suddenly shy. I had a plan, since our talk this morning. It was an abstract plan, but the timing would be good.
I try to keep a clear head while Luca looks at me expectantly. I don’t have to be shy. We already live together. And it’s not like many people were declining when I asked them out in the past.

I inhale slowly. ‘Ehm- ‘,- well, what a great start to any sentence- ‘would you like to go out with me? We could eat dinner somewhere and go to the movies or something like that? If you’re up to it? If you’re not feeling it we can go home, no pressure.’, I rush to add.

Luca looks startled, but in a happy way. ‘I- ehm – yes.’, he has to clear his throat and I suddenly think that driving home doesn’t sound so bad after all.
‘I’d love to do that with you. Go on a date. I never had one of those.’

His jaw makes a clicking noise when he slams his mouth shut which I detected is a thing he does when he thinks that he’s talking too much, so I smile at him in what I hope is an encouraging way.

‘Great. Would you like Spanish food? There’s a good place down the street from the store we went to.’ He nods and I wrap my arm around him as we start walking there.
We pass the cinema and buy tickets for later, before we enter the restaurant. It’s kind of fancy but they aren’t snobbish about it and people are dressed normally for the most part.
We sit down and Luca asks me to help him choose, which pleases some ancient, hidden part inside me way too much.

We fall into easy banter, him telling me about the times he went shopping with his dad and when the pack went to a restaurant and his alpha brother smelled an omega at the next table and nearly lost it, until the food comes.

It’s strange to not feed him. But I refuse to make a spectacle out of us.
Alpha-omega pairs aren’t seen that often on a date. And mostly it’s alphas that parade their omegas around, having them kneel and feeding them scraps.

I swear, the last time I had dinner with dad some alpha made his omega suck him off under the table while he ate. Everybody stared and pretended not to.
The omega was half the alpha's age and bright red when they left the restaurant, him on a fucking leash!

Would I like to have my dick inside Luca’s mouth all the time? Hell, yeah!
Would I like to embarrass him in public? Never!
Maybe a little in our bedroom, ok. But he can handle that. His eyes pierce me and narrow, then he grins. He must’ve smelled my arousal.

His foot brushes against my leg, fumbling for something. It slides up and settles between my legs.
I close them before he reaches his goal, pinning his foot between them. He grins and blushes a little.
I shake my head at him but make sure that I don’t mean it with my facial expression.

I put one hand under the table and start tickling him. His eyes go wide and he squeals, then puts his hand before his mouth while he tries to free his foot.
I let him, laughing at him, while he glances around to make sure that nobody is looking at us.

‘Playing with fire?’, I ask him and he snorts.
‘Never.’, he deadpans and I chuckle.

The waiter brings our dessert and he thanks him, still a little red in the face. The waiter is clearly enamoured by him, then remembers me and looks at my face.
What he sees seems to scare him and he hurries away.

Luca shakes his head, grinning, while he licks chocolate mousse from his spoon.
‘Poor kid. No need to look at him like that. You know I’m yours.’, he says with a hint of amusement in his voice.

His eyes become more serious when my scent seems to change again.
I can’t even begin to describe the emotions I feel when he says that he’s mine. So matter-of-factly as if it’s no big deal.
He swallows and looks down, scraping another spoon of brown fluff from the little glass.

‘Are you?’, I ask softly and he looks up. He frowns and his smell gains a hint of anxiety.
‘You know I am.’, he states.
I smile at him. ‘I didn’t mean it that way. I just- what would you think about more people?’

He puts the spoon down and sits up straight, appraising me calmly. I can’t recognize the feeling he’s in, but it isn’t good.
‘I thought you said you don’t want another omega that fast. But of course I’ll accept your decision, alpha.’, he says politely.

I almost jump up, but I don’t want to scare him by putting him in the spotlight. I touch his leg with mine. ‘Oh, darling. That’s absolutely not what I’m talking about.’
He exhales slowly and I suddenly notice how tense he just got. I’m such an idiot. Why can’t I ever phrase things right?

I just watch him, not sure if he’s feeling safe enough to continue talking to me right now.
After a while, he picks up his spoon again and tilts his head a fraction.
‘So, what were you talking about, Marco?’, he asks.

I take a deep breath. ‘I –I was thinking of founding a pack, maybe. But not with another omega.’,
I immediately add. ‘I was thinking maybe a beta first. We already talked about this, do you remember?’

He nods. He doesn’t seem distraught right now but he doesn’t seem enthusiastic about the idea either.
‘Tell me what you think.’ I say when it’s clear he won’t start to speak by himself.

He thinks for a while. ‘I- It’s nice of you. To think about me in that way. It’s just - it’s difficult when I don’t know the people. I was born into my last pack. And the new ones were always a minority that had to adapt to us, you know? Now, a new one would be third of the pack.’
He frowns and seems frustrated that he’s not able to bring his point across. I put my hand on the table and he immediately puts his hand on top of it. I stroke it with my thumb.

‘And if you already know them?’, I ask softly. ‘I’d never just invite anybody. We’d both have to be sure about this person. You more than me, because you’d be alone with them sometimes and you’re in the more – vulnerable position.

And – you know they may have to help out during your heat.’
He blushes and I cuss myself silently. Did I have to bring that up so bluntly?

But then he grins a little. ‘So, you wouldn’t mind sharing me?’, he asks and looks in the direction of the waiter with raised eyebrows.
I chuckle. ‘Oh, I would. But I think it wouldn’t faze me that much inside a pack. I mean, apparently my brain is wired that way.
The other alpha stuff seems to be true, why should this be an exception? And you’re still mine. You’re always mine first.’

I say that a little more harshly than intended, but he just squeezes my hand.
‘I am.’, he says and I have to blink a lot.

I hurry to continue. ‘It would be your decision. I don’t care if my penis falls off someday. If you don’t want anyone else during your heat, it’s fine, I’ll be there. We’d have to buy some toys maybe.’, I think loudly.

He’s bright red. ‘I do have some. I just- forgot about them. They’re with my stuff.’, he confesses and I have to laugh a little at his expression.
‘But it was much nicer with a real person.’

There it is, that half-smile I love so much about him. He’s teasing me while being embarrassed.
God, he’s killing me!

I gesture for the waiter that we’re ready to pay.
‘Just think about it for a while, Luca. No pressure.’ He nods and makes short work of the rest of his dessert.

We watch some movie with people who have special powers. They fight, they bicker, they win in the end.
I don’t even remember a lot about it.

I only notice how Luca’s leg touches mine, how I feed him popcorn and he licks the sugar off my fingertips, the way he laughs and startles at the odd scene in the movie and how he puts his head on my shoulder after I put my arm behind his neck.

We walk back to the car, entangled in each other. It’s dark and there aren’t that many people around at this time so our car is the only one in that parking space.
I lead him to the passenger side and hold the door for him. He sits down, then lets the seat slide as far to the back as possible and makes the backrest go down. He takes my hands and pulls me after him. I land on top of him and he grunts and laughs.

‘What are you doing?’, I ask him. ‘I want to kiss you.’, he replies with a hint of laughter in his voice.
He pulls on my shirt and I obediently lean in and find his mouth with mine.

He pulls me closer, so I straddle him, and deepens the kiss. I grow hard and I can feel that he also gets affected.
He whimpers when I sit up. I hush him and close the passenger door. The light in the car fades.
I move back on top of him and we proceed.

I move away and he whimpers again. I put my hand over his mouth and he starts licking and kissing my palm while I slide down and start the same motions on his neck.
‘What are you doing?’, he breathes when I suck his scent glands.

I snort. ‘What do you think?’
‘Hmmm. But. We’re in public.’ He sounds indignant, but his scent tells me something different.

‘You started it.’, I tell him and continue sucking. He moans and moves his head to give me better access.
‘Good boy.’, I murmur and he shudders and moans again.

His hands stroke my back, then slide under my shirt. He starts to pull it up. I shake my head.
‘We’re in public.’, I tell him, smiling and he whimpers. ‘Oh, poor thing, are you horny?’, I ask.

I can see him narrow his eyes at me, but his window for being sassy has closed.
He’s pure needy omega right now. ‘Need to touch you, alpha.’, he breathes.

I lean back into him and put my cheek against his.
‘You want to go home?’, I ask him.
He whimpers. ‘No, touch you, now.’ I nip at his earlobe and he hisses.

‘Impatient, are you?’, I make my voice growl a little and am rewarded with a spike in arousal in his scent. He whimpers again.
I move to look at him. ‘Making out in the car is one thing. Being naked in the car is a no go.’, I tell him.

‘Alpha.’, he says. I can see some glimmer in his eyes. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
I growl for real and bite into his exposed collarbone. He inhales sharply and arches his back.

‘You want me to fuck you? In public? In the car? Just open my pants and yours and hammer into you until I fill you with my cum?’
Wow! I don’t even know where that came from, but it’s hot and his reaction to my words is sensational.
I guess it’s alright if we free him from his pants because they must be soaked, like, right now.

‘Alpha.’, he repeats and this time it’s pure, sincere omega instinct. I hum deep in my throat and move a little to let him wiggle out if his trousers.
There’s the possibility that my car will have a trail of alphas following it for weeks, but it’s totally worth it.

He opens my pants and gets my dick out. I enjoy being clothed, while he is naked from the waist down, way too much.
His eyes slide over my body like he’s thinking the same. He opens his legs.

‘Please.’, he says while he looks into my eyes. I plant a kiss on his mouth but draw back when his tongue shoots out.
‘Please what?’, I ask.
He groans and closes his eyes for a moment.

I wait. It’s amusing how he’s fighting it every time. I know he’ll give in. He knows he’ll give in. And we both know that he enjoys it.
He opens his eyes and looks at me.

‘Please fuck me.’, he whispers.
‘Good boy.’, I praise him and he smiles and blushes.

‘As you wish.’, I continue and guide the head of my dick to his hole.
‘Do you need preparation?’, I ask. He shakes his head. ‘I’m good to go.’

I let my tongue glide over his lips while I slowly penetrate him. It’s heavenly. And he’s so fucking ready for me.
‘So wet for me. Such a good omega.’, I tell him and he gets even wetter and moans. I close his mouth with mine while I start to fuck into him in a steady rhythm. He tries to move, to help me, but his position isn’t really the best for it.

‘Just take it.’, I tell him and he stills. ‘Hmm, like that. Just let me fuck you. You’re so good, my darling. So fucking sexy.’ His muscles contract around me and he opens his mouth to let my tongue explore more freely.

I pick up speed after a while and have to sit up a little to have a better angle.
He covers his mouth with his hand to quieten his moans and that image alone is nearly bringing me to climax.

I see his gaze move over my arms and shoulders before he lets his head fall onto the backrest.
He moans my name and comes, contracting around me and making a little puddle on his stomach.

Nothing even touched his dick the whole time. I didn’t even knot.
He just came from my dick inside him and my words. The thought makes me follow suit.

I sink down onto him. After a while, he kisses my forehead. I move to catch his mouth with mine.
‘You made a mess.’, I tell him and he chuckles.
‘You’re as responsible as I am.’ His voice sounds husky.

I lean back to look at him. ‘Let’s go home.’, I say and he nods.
I get new pants from the boot, glad they’re dark so no neighbours will see the stains.

I have to pull down the windows on the way, because his scent is making me dizzy.
Luca seems to be in a strange mood. Not really anxious, but, thoughtful.

‘Everything ok, love?’, I ask him and his head jumps in my direction.
Classic. Calling him love after car sex. He must think I’m a total nutcase. It’s still way too soon.

But then he smiles and his scent seems to bloom. ‘Yeah, I just- do you mean those things?’
I make a questioning noise at him. What exactly is happening in his complicated, beautiful brain now?

He hesitates a moment, then very quietly asks: ’When you praise me. Do you just say that? Like, is this part of sex?’
I have to laugh a little and that seems to relax him. ‘Well, everything that happens during sex is part of it, isn’t it?’, I say and can almost feel him roll his eyes.

I put my hand on his thigh and he at once covers it with his.
‘I mean it.’, I say, now serious. ‘The sex may make me more- vocal or even unafraid to say stuff like that. But it’s always true.’

I glance at him. He looks straight ahead.
‘Good.’, he says softly, and I squeeze his thigh before I need my hand to shift gears.

‘Does it make you uncomfortable?’, I ask, although I’m pretty certain that’s not the case.
He snorts. ‘No. Ehm… on the contrary.’, he’s barely audible and I grin.

‘I can tell you how good you are all day, if you want to.’, I offer and I swear I can feel the heat his face radiates.
‘No thanks.’, he croaks.

‘But maybe, you could tell me again when we’re in bed?’

Chapter Text

Typical! I ask Marco about his praises in bed and he offers to praise me all day long. I’d need new pants every half hour.

‘No thanks.’, I manage to reply. My voice is almost gone from our adventure at the parking lot as well as a new wave of arousal. I’m very glad we bought dark clothes.
My new pants are already as wet as the other ones. I may need to look into products for omegas that are designed to stop stuff like that.

And I could have another go, if I’m honest. Somehow, I don’t think he’d mind.
‘But maybe, you could tell me again when we’re in bed?’, I propose and the sudden shift in his scent makes my breath hitch. Hell yeah, is he into it!

He doesn’t bother driving into the garage, just parks in the driveway, walks around the car with long steps and pulls me out of the car. We somehow manage the walk to the door, entangled as we are and he opens it. He pins me against the wall while he locks it from inside and brings his mouth to my ear.

’You will be naked on the bed when I come upstairs.’, he growls and I have to swallow.
I’m not sure how I’m supposed to be able to walk up the stairs in that state. But I’d always do what my alpha wants me to do.

‘Yes, Sir.’, I breathe and get rewarded with a satisfied grumble. I sprint up the stairs, get rid of my clothes as soon as I am in the bedroom and throw myself on my back onto the mattress.

A couple of seconds later he stands in the door with a bottle of water. His eyes are dark and appraise me.
Then he smiles. ‘Good boy.’, he tells me. ‘So beautiful.’

I start to tremble in anticipation and open my legs for him. I am his good boy. It’s all I want to be. I’m so glad he’s able to see it.
His gaze stays between my legs as he approaches me but he visibly makes an effort to pull away. I almost whine at this.

‘Sit up and drink something, darling. You’re too precious to dehydrate.’
I make a noise I never made before and I don’t even care. My alpha calls me precious and love and he takes such good care of me!

He holds the bottle for me and I drink, carefully. I’m really thirsty and drink almost the whole bottle, which earns me another praise. I’m really glad I told him that I like that.
I will be embarrassed later, for sure, but right now it just feels perfect. Well, no. It would be perfect if my alpha was touching me.

I whimper, too gone for words but of course he understands and is with me in a heartbeat.
‘Do you need me, baby?’, he asks.

‘I’m here for you. You’re so good to tell me what you need.’, he says with his kind voice and I feel warmer and safer than ever.
‘Marco.’, I manage to say and he kisses me, then moves down to my nipple while I struggle to remove his shirt. I whimper again and he helps me.

I try to touch as much of him as I can when we’re both naked and he lets me snuggle against him, while he kisses everything of me he can reach.
I turn my head to kiss him back and then get up on my elbows. But then I feel self-conscious. What if he doesn’t like it when I’m proactive like that?

‘What’s wrong, baby?’, he asks. I don’t know what to say. I’m not even sure what exactly my problem is.
But it seems very bad. Like, if I do or say anything wrong he won’t like me anymore.

My breathing picks up and his hand is in my neck in an instant.
He makes soothing noises with his nose on my scent gland while I calm down.

‘You want to ride me, baby?’, he whispers into my ear and I nod. He hums.
‘That’s a brilliant idea.’, he tells me and I fucking croon.

Of course he likes the idea. What’s wrong with me?
I move to sit on him while my neck stays in close proximity to his face. I love what he does there. He bites me softly and I let out a loud moan and feel how I produce more slick.

Marco sniffs. ‘You smell so fucking good, love. All horny and ready for me.’
Yes! Just for him. Oh god, he’s making me lose my mind! I whine and hump against him.

He laughs softly and directs his erection with his hand so I can sit down on it. I slowly let it slide into me.
Marco inhales slowly and loudly at this. ‘Oh baby, you’re so perfect for me.’

Suddenly I realize why I needed another go after we just had sex in the car.
‘Knot me, please?’, I ask him and he pulls me down to kiss me. ‘Of course, darling. How couldn’t I?’

His knot starts to build almost immediately and the pressure inside me in addition to the built-up arousal brings me to climax.
I contract around him and feel how good he fills me in return. His hands help me not to slide off him. He pulls my upper body to his and pets my head while his knot goes down.

I whimper when he slides out and he snorts. He kisses my forehead and arranges us in a comfortable position on the bed. We both don’t care about the mess for now.
He clears his throat and rubs my back. ‘You know I just didn’t knot you in the car because it would’ve made things difficult if the police had come, right? If I had something to say in that matter you’d be practically living on my knot.’

That’s a nice image. I hum and produce a little slick and he laughs. ‘Ok, maybe I exaggerated a little. I really don’t think I can go again. Sorry, sweetie.’

------------------

I chuckle. ‘It’s ok. I can live on your knot another time. Just sleep.’
I’d love to also use a pet name but it’s not coming natural to me and I don’t want to embarrass myself.

After he drifted off to sleep, I have to chuckle a little. Having me live on his knot. Calling me love. He’s such an adorable weirdo. If he means half the things he says to me, then I’m really fucking lucky. And I somehow started to believe he may mean them by now.

Something about the image of me and him makes me think about him and me and some other people I can’t quite make out. Yet.
Our discussion at the restaurant was intense for me. I know I shocked him when I thought that he was talking about another omega.

In hindsight, I’m shocked myself. That was just stupid. I can read him pretty well.
It must be some hormonal stuff, but he’s really into taking care of me and making me feel good. And he’s not interested in other omegas. I swear, he didn’t even notice their scent when we were out together. And even I smelled some of them!

I’m absolutely grateful that he asked me for my opinion instead of just springing some new room-, and possibly fuckmate, on me. And it’s not like I don’t have an inkling whom he’d like to invite to join our pack, now that I can properly think about it.

He did mention a beta he’d like to move in with us. I don’t need to be a detective to know that he was talking about Tom. I don’t think I’d mind.

And it wasn’t that obvious at that time -ok, and I was embarrassing myself by getting drunk-, but I know him by now and he was appraising Matty when he visited. I’m sure he asked him about his plans for the future while I was – ehm- in the bathroom. For a while.

How would that work out? We have enough space in the house for sure. And Marco is really dominant, in a calm way.
I saw Matty as well as Tom react to him. There’s no way it would be unclear who the head alpha is, which is good to know as his omega.

It also makes me a little proud. Which is stupid, it’s not my accomplishment that Marco is a dominant alpha and – well- mine.
I have to smile at the thought and glance at him, before I continue thinking about the pack thing.

My youngest alpha brother tried to challenge our father for the new omega, before he mated him. It was terrifying for the poor guy. It was also terrifying for us.
Maybe it was even terrifying for the alphas. Not that they would ever admit something like this.

Some alphas still fight till death and it would have destroyed our family if father had had to kill or even hurt his son like that.
Fortunately, he found another, more compatible omega for my brother and he moved out and on.

Well, so I don’t think that would be a problem anytime soon. And I do like both guys. They each bring something that would be good for a pack, even.
But would they get on with each other?

Tom is more typically alpha than both of the others in some aspects. He’s loud, he’s huge, he can be intimidating, he’s strong, he knows what he wants.
Would there be too much testosterone in the house, between Matty and him and of course, my alpha?
It’s impossible to know how they would react in stressful situations. They are all so different.

And would I like to have sex with Tom?
Well, my sex drive is higher than Marco’s. Don’t get me wrong, he satisfies me a lot but I could more often. Maybe it also has to do with boredom. But I seem to recall a biology class from before I presented, where they told us that omegas have a stronger sex drive. It was hilarious at that time. Huh, old times…

I also recall thinking about Matty a lot after I presented as an omega, so the answer to THAT question is at least easily given.
Seems like the only thing that really concerns me about the pack situation is that I’m not sure about the rules.

And yes, Marco is telling me that my opinion is important and so on, but what if that changes? What if some other alphas tell him that he has to make the rules and no one else has to say anything about it and he believes them?
What if he starts thinking that other people’s opinions are important and we all have to behave accordingly?

I know that my father has changed with his growing pack. His first omega has some pictures of them where they look carefree and happy and – more human?
And I believe that his first omega was never happy since he started mating other omegas as well. Will this be my fate in a couple of years?

Would Marco expect me to behave politer towards him when other people live here?
I had to play a role around my alpha father for all my life. I know he liked me well enough. I was allowed to laze around in my PJs after all.

But I still had to behave. And he’d never let his omegas do any of the sort.
They always had to be the perfect omega, representing the pack even in private. I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.

Ah, fuck! I guess I have to ask him. He has a way to make me feel stupid, like it’s evident that he doesn’t want those things from me.
It’s not. Not where I come from. He’s the weird one, yet I feel like the weird one most times. I hate having to talk to him about such things.

I sigh and he puts a hand on my chest and hums in his sleep. I feel a wave of calm rush over my body and relax into the mattress.
Why am I worried? My alpha is with me and he really likes me and I should just snuggle into him and sleep. Let him worry about decision making. So I do just that.

Marco smiles in his sleep when I move closer and that makes me feel strange, but in a good way.

A couple of days later he invites Tom and Matty over on a Friday night.
I talked to him about worrying about the dynamics between them and he agreed that they have to meet each other before we discuss this further.

Marco seems set on Tom while I would prefer Matty, if we had to decide between them. So I really hope they will like each other.

I’m not even only thinking about me, preferring Matty. He’d also be good company for Marco.
He isn’t used to other alphas, apart from his father, who’s, well, not the best role-model?

And Matty would be great in a pack. He’s a helpful person. And as an alpha he’d be much more help in a heat than Tom.
And it would also be great for him to live with others as well as be able to study instead of just work.

They arrive at the same time, already having bonded over their bikes.

Tom is the kind of guy that has a 3.000 € mountain bike and is now afraid to leave it anywhere so he takes it into our hallway with him.
Matty is the kind of guy that is impressed by that.

I’m the kind of guy that is rolling his eyes when nobody watches.
Buying a bike, which is a means of transportation, as far as I’m concerned, and then not being able to park it anywhere, seriously?
Marco grins at me as I shake my head when I close the door behind them.

Tom kisses my cheek after parking his bike, as if he’s known me all his live before strolling into the garden in a carefree manner.
Matter looks torn between what’s proper and what he wants to do and then pulls me into an awkward little hug.

He flinches when he sees Marco in the doorway to the kitchen. Hm, getting him to help with my heat could be more work than I thought.
He relaxes when we all sit outside, though.

The weather is splendid and they are all drinking beer. I’m not impressed by my experience with alcohol and stick to home-made iced tea.
We manage a friendly, light conversation while we eat and Marco is quiet and lets them find some common ground. They easily manage to find some shared interests and opinions.

I snuggle to Marco and he kisses me lazily while the other talk about some band they like.
They don’t even blink an eye at us, which is also good to know. If it was awkward to be ourselves in the house with other people, we wouldn’t invite them to live with us.
It’s the first thing we agreed on when we talked about it again.

It’s late when they leave and we both do our evening routine in silence and then meet in bed. Marco opens his arms and I let myself be pulled into his embrace.

‘So, would you like them both?’, he asks.
I sigh and look at the ceiling. ‘I- you do, don’t you?’ He nods and kisses my temple. ‘It’s up to you, though.’

‘We need to talk about rules.’, I say.
‘No knotting before I mated you.’, he says as quick as a shot.’ I raise my eyebrows at him. ‘Someone thought about this.’

He hides his face in my neck. Then he starts kissing me there. I move instantly to give him easy access.
‘That’s not fair, I can’t think like this.’, I tell him and, when he comes up, say: ‘You know, this issue could already have been done with.’

I immediately cringe inwardly after saying it. Can’t I just leave it? My father would have grounded an omega after a comment like this.
Marco just looks a little subdued. ‘Yes, I know. But we can’t change that now. And I don’t want to take any chance that Matty will try to bite you in the heat of the moment.’

‘He wouldn’t.’, I say. Marco sighs and massages the place between his eyes with two fingers.
‘Yes, I know. I’m stupid. Indulge me.’

I peck a kiss onto his lips. ‘Ok. No other alpha is going to knot me before we’re mated.’
His face lights up. ‘Good boy.’, he tells me and I feel warmer in an instant. ‘So, what else?’

We discuss possible rules for about two hours before we both fall asleep, still entangled with each other.

On Sunday I meet my Dad at the café that seems to become our regular meeting point.
I tell him about our pack-related plans and he seems relieved for me. I didn’t know he was worried that much about me, but now that I addressed the issue he says it felt weird to know that I lived alone with my alpha when I have always been surrounded by pack before.

He also recalls Matty and although he’s sceptical about alphas living together (as if it weren’t done in most packs, seriously, Dad!) he thinks Matty would be a good fit.
I stumble through a short report of my first heat – he asked!- and admit that it would probably be a good idea to have another knot at my disposal during that time.

I’m not exactly comfortable thinking about this when I’m not in heat, because Marco should be enough and is enough for me, mostly, but better to think about it sooner and don’t regret it during the next heat.

‘It sound reasonable.’, Dad says. ‘You only had one heat and it’s possible they get more intense before they eventually settle down at their perfect level and interval. It’s not exactly fun to only have one alpha during those times. And Marco won’t be 19 for ever.’ I cough and my face gets really hot..
Dad looks amused.

‘So you only ever had father, ehm, taking care of you during your heats?’, I ask.
He nods. ‘Yes, he’s the only man I ever had. Of course we omegas are also helping each other out in heat, but your father doesn’t want any other man near us, not even the pack betas. You know this, son.’ He sounds a little pissed by now, but I ignore it.

‘I never thought about it that way, because I hadn’t experienced a heat, but it seems so – mean, somehow. Why is he like that?’, I look up to see that Das is gazing at me with a blank expression. Uh-uh, that means he’s pissed alright.

I look down and hear him sigh. ‘Don’t talk like that about your father.’, he says. ‘How would you feel if I criticize your alpha?’
Huh. I haven’t really thought about it like that. Like when he told me he was worried because we were a pack of only two people, I felt almost angry for a short moment.
‘I’m sorry, Dad.’, I murmur.

He changes the topic and I listen to him talk about one beta’s wedding while sipping my tea until it’s almost time to go. I have an idea just as Dad is paying.
‘Dad, could we visit sometime, maybe? Marco could really need some advice about founding a pack. And I’d love to see the others again. I know my siblings never visited, but- do you think father is against it?’, I ask him and suddenly I‘m afraid of the answer.

I just realized that I really miss the other guys and would love to see them again, if father allows it.
Dad smiles. ‘Your siblings are alphas. It would be confusing for them to visit their old pack, because of all the smells. And your sister lives too far away. I’m sure we’ll be glad to have you, darling. We all were in a sober mood after you left. We had so many children living with us for years and suddenly you were the last of that generation that left. My alpha will arrange things with your alpha, ok?’

I nod. ‘Thanks, Dad.’
We say our goodbyes and I leave. Marco picks me up and we walk home together.

He loves the idea of being invited into my old home but I can smell that it makes him nervous.
I have to hide a smile. This is going to be interesting.

Chapter Text

Luca was so smart and arranged for us to visit his old pack. I’m curious to see where he grew up.
I’m intrigued to learn more about his upbringing, in general. I hope it will help me understand him more. Some of his reactions are still very foreign for me.

But, I’m nervous as hell. I nearly shat myself when his father called me to tell me that he would be up to meet me and give me some advice.
I mean he’s a grown alpha who has one of the most renowned packs in town. He’s rich as fuck and I only recently started to learn what he does for a living.

The Ashwood pack buys, educates -whatever that means, I think it's posh for 'trains', which is horrible enough- and sells omegas.
Omegas like that are frowned upon for a first bond in the upper classes, but they sure are happy for services like that if they want to enlarge their pack or rather, harem. No wonder that Luca's father wants his own omegas on best behaviour all the time.

Also, alphas that mess with him tend to leave town after.
I don’t regret having Luca, but it took me a while to realize that I’m also connected to his family now. It’s terrifying.

If I couldn’t smell that Luca is anxious the day we are invited over, I would be able to see it.
He is wearing his new clothes, but he picked the light blue jeans shorts and he takes an awfully long time to pick the green t-shirt that goes so well with his eyes over a white tank top.

I hug him from behind when he finishes dressing. ‘You look beautiful.’, I tell him.
I can literally see him fight against the urge to disagree and snort into his neck, which makes him giggle.

It’s a nice day and we walk through the park where we met to his old home. It’s a huge complex that’s entirely Luca’s father’s.
The penthouse is his and the omegas’ home as well as the common ground for the pack to meet and spend their lazy time.

The other floors have apartments for the betas and business contacts as well as the most high-class omegas that Mr. Ashwood acts as a broker for.
He also has several other buildings for housing his omegas around town. Father works as his doctor, so I’ve seen the addresses on the paperwork a lot.
I’m sure there’s some shady business involved, but as I benefit from him selling off his only omega son to a random stranger, I won’t complain.

Luca’s Dad opens the door and greets me with a nod of his head but without baring his throat. I’ve seen him around, but never spoke to him.
‘Please, come in.’, he says with a modulated, soft voice that sounds fake to me. I’m awfully glad they haven’t Luca broken into an omega mould like that.

He looks his son up and down with raised brows as we walk past him and I squeeze Luca’s hand.
The head of the household is holding court on a huge armchair in the living room, surrounded by two other omegas that don’t look middle aged.
Does he hide the older omegas? Or are they just otherwise engaged? I have to ask Luca about their dynamics when we’re back home.

Luca’s hand is sweaty while we walk up to his father, who stands up to greet us.
The omegas immediately also rise. I feel weird, like I travelled in time and have to adapt to foreign customs.

I notice that Luca stays a little behind me instead of at my side.
He doesn’t do this normally, but I don’t want him to feel put on the spot, so I let him do what feels right for him.

Luca’s father and I shake hands and look into each other’s eyes. I know I’m the guest here but I won’t submit to him.
I can be his equal as a guest just as well as his business contact alphas. He raises one brow but looks amused.

It’s the same look Luca has when he is amused. The more I look at Luca’s father, the more I see how similar they look. Just Luca’s colouring is lighter.
Luca’s father is stunningly attractive for an alpha who’s in his late 50s, so that's nice to know for the future.

Not that I doubted that I’ll always find my omega beautiful. I wonder what our children will look like.
Mr. Ashwood nodding at me makes me snap out of my daydream and I nod back, glad that he accepts me as equal and we don’t have to do some song and dance about who has the upper hand. I’m tired of other alphas. That’s why meeting Matty was such a nice surprise for me.

After that, the atmosphere shifts. Luca’s father greets him and then allows the other omegas to sit with him and talk to each other at another table in the room.
The youngest omega brings his baby and I watch Luca smile and talk to them while he cradles the baby that doesn’t seem to have any reservations about its big brother.

It’s bigger than the last time. I think. Didn’t really look at the baby at the park, there were other sights to see, after all.
I realize that I have no clue about babies, but my heart could melt when I see Luca crooning at his brother, so I guess that’s a good enough foundation to be alright in the family department, someday.

Luca’s omega father serves us coffee and then the omegas vanish into the kitchen after Luca threw a worried glance in my direction. I smile and wave at him and he gifts me the smallest twitch of his mouth back and tilts his head, then glances at his father before he follows his former pack-members.

‘So, you wanted to talk to me about founding a pack? Or is this some disguise for wanting to talk about my son? I know he’s unusual but you were very compatible and he’s well behaved and gentle. I hope he doesn’t make any problems. I could never really train him out of being sensitive and a dreamer but he can so the housework just fine after a little instruction.’

I frown at this. What a weird thing to say! I try to concentrate on the key message- Luca’s father is clearly fond of his son – instead of the traditionalist bullshit and shake my head. ‘Oh no. Firstly why would I need a disguise to talk about him to you, if there were something to talk about? Secondly, he’s perfect. I really like him.’

The alpha stares at me for a minute, then his expression becomes more open.
‘I figured. It’s strange how someone like your father made someone like you, but I saw you grow up and so, when you were compatible, hoped that it would work between my son and you. I’m glad it does.’

‘Well, my father wasn’t my only parent.’ I grumble and then change the topic.
‘So, what I wanted to talk about- Well, I wanted to ask how you did it and what the do's and dont's are, to be honest.’

Mr. Ashwood raises one brow and I’m puzzled.
‘Didn’t your spouse speak to you about this?’, I ask him.

The alpha smiles. ‘Of course he did. But I’m always interested to hear things from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
And who knows how right your intention was converted to me through the chatter of two omegas.’

I don’t like that he makes it sound like Luca and his father aren’t able to repeat some sentences without changing the meaning but I’m not here to discuss stuff like that with an old guy and force myself to let it go.

‘Well, yeah. So, I’d like to start a pack. And I already have two candidates that I trust and like. Luca thinks he’d get along with them too.’ His father looks astonished at that.
‘So, I wanted to ask you for advice on starting a pack. Thinks we need to think of that are often forgotten. Rules that should be laid down in the beginning. Stuff like that.’

The alpha leans back and crosses his arms. ‘Well, I can see that you’re dominant, despite not looking it at first glance. That’s a good trait to have as head alpha.
And you want to bring trusted friends in first, that’s also smart. I would have advised that. What’s their gender?’

‘An alpha and a beta male.’, I tell him and he nods. ‘Good choice. I never wanted other alphas around, but I’m sure you can make it work. And my son takes after me, he will need help during his heats.’ I feel myself blush and see the older man notice it by the slight upturn of his mouth.

‘And betas are good to stabilize the power dynamics and make a pack appear more human to the outside world.’, he proceeds.
I nod. I know that, even though it’s not why I want to ask Tom to move in with us at all.

‘About rules.’, he massages the spot between his eyes shortly before he looks sternly at me. ‘I don’t have much advice. It’s something every pack has to figure out along the way.
I can see that you’re way more modern and liberal than me. My rules wouldn’t fit into your dynamic at all.
I noticed how you let my son dress. I don’t approve, but he’s your spouse and he seems less tense around you then he was with us.
I saw him react to your authority, so you're a good alpha for him. It makes me glad. I do have a soft spot for my children, even if they are only omega.’

I intensely stare at some picture on the wall to not roll my eyes at his outdated views. Luca was right. Even if he can’t give me good advice, at least I know what to avoid.
Mr. Ashwood is finished speaking and I look back to him. ‘Ok, I understand. Thank you for your honesty. Do you have any other advice?’

We talk about finances and contracts for a while and that really is helpful. I’m shamefully unaware of anything legal, especially regarding pack dynamics.
Another thing that speaks for future-lawyer Matty as pack-member.

Luca’s father stands up after we finish our conversation and our coffee and I think I’m being dismissed but he surprises me.
‘You want a tour? See what a pack home can look like?’

I nod, a little out of my league right now but thankful for the opportunity. As if he knows I’m anxious, Luca peeks in through the doorframe.
He looks at me and his father, clearly unsure who’s able to command him in, the host or his alpha.

His father smiles a genuine smile at him.
‘Come here, son.’, he says and I nod as Luca quickly shifts his eyes at me. He goes to his father and is pulled into an embrace while getting a peck on the forehead.

‘I don’t need to worry about you and your father can also stop nagging, because you managed to find a good alpha. Good job.’, he tells him and I can feel my face grow hot while I watch some pink colour settle in Luca’s cheeks.

‘I promised your alpha a guided tour. Would you do the honours? My private room and the harem is off-limits, but you can show him around the rest.’
Luca smiles at his father before he drops his gaze.
‘Yes, father, thanks.’, he says politely, still smiling before he turns to me.

His father leaves the room while we each step towards each other, barely missing to collide and then we kiss and I rub my wrists all over him, because he smells wrong after spending time with others.

He sinks into the kiss and the touches and then nuzzles into my throat and rubs his face on mine, clearly experiencing the same feeling of wrongness.
Then he takes my hand.

‘Let’s have a tour, then.’, he says. His omega dad is standing in the hallway as we emerge the living room.
He manages to look amused without moving his facial muscles at all, which is impressive and slightly creepy and shakes his head.

‘Oh, to be young.’, he says under his breath and Luca blushed again, but sticks out his tongue at him.
He takes my hand and indicates various rooms, while telling me a bit about them. I can’t see the baby’s room because his father is in there, feeding him.

We leave the apartment and walk around the patio, the gym and one hallway of a beta apartment before returning to the main apartment.
He indicates the harem and shows me the second living room, where the pack spends time while his father is in the main room.

Then he stops in front of a closed door.
‘This is my old room.’, he says, a little emotional. He takes a deep breath and we enter it.

It’s a mostly bare room. The two bunk-beds are stripped, the shelves are mostly empty. There are some notches in the doorframe, indicating the growth of a lot of children.
His notches stop when he started to overpass the normal omega height at – I lean down to squint at the writing- sixteen.

I look up to see him watch me with a neutral impression. Our eyes lock for a moment, then he looks down.
He swallows, then gestures to the bed. ‘So, here’s where I went into heat for you.’

I’m startled into a laugh even though I can see and smell that he’s distressed. I cross the room to embrace him. I lick his neck and he shivers.
I hold him tight until his scent is mostly normal again and we leave the room.

He shows me the kitchen last. It’s empty, the family having moved into the main living room again.
It’s impressive that they let two outsiders visit their pack home without supervision, but well, Luca used to live here after all.

Seeing him with the baby made me realize that he will always be part of this pack, too, because his scent holds parts of both his fathers’ scents in addition to his own and now mine.

‘Here’s where I thought I’d be shipped off to some asshole that’s exactly like the doctor.’, Luca murmurs when he shows me where he always had his breakfast.
I hug him from behind and kiss his earlobe. ‘I’m sorry they let you think that, sweetheart. If we ever have omega children we will treat them more honestly and openly.’, I whisper into his ear and he turns around and surprises me with a deep, passionate kiss.

‘Let’s go home?’, he then says and I nod.
‘Of course, darling. Whatever you want.’, I say and the spike of happiness in his scent is the immediate reward.

We say goodbye to his family and his Dad leads us to the door. He hugs his son tightly before we go, then inclines his head to me, this time deeper and with showing his throat.
I know he must have spoken to his alpha about this. And I know it means they accept and respect me as their son-in-law and head of their son’s pack. It makes me strangely proud.

Back home we discuss what his father told me, that we need our own rules and that our choice of people is a good one.
Luca agrees and I can feel him drift off when I talk about contracts and finances so I shut up and we each dwell on our own thoughts for a while.

I liked seeing him with the other omegas. And even the hug with his father was kinda sweet. Especially after all the anti-omega bullshit he said before.
I could excuse it because he’s “from another time”, but I always think it makes it too easy for those people. Not everyone who’s mid-50 is that traditionalist, or we would still have even more abysmal omega laws as we have now.

I hope that things continue to change for the better for omegas, because the chance that we get omega children is pretty high and I want them to have a good life and never worry about being grabbed at the park, being catcalled or ogled by some stranger or having to spend the rest of their lives with some old perverts who thinks they’re not human.

Sadly, it’s not only Luca’s family that still ticks that way.
There are worse ones. Now that I think about it, I’m glad I never had an omega sibling, because that would have been horrible for them.

Or maybe it would have changed my father and grandmother for the better?
Who knows.

I feel a sharp pain when I think about my grandmother. I’m still majorly pissed at her. But to be fair she was just behaving in classic grandmother-style.
I should have known she would steal the keys and come snooping. Thinking it was for the best.
She’s just lonely and bored. She can be pretty funny and is the only person my father listens to, as well.

I’m as much part of my family as Luca is still part of his. If we have children, our families will be related through them. I guess I have to try to mend things with my grandmother.
I can’t understand how anybody could know Luca and not be completely taken by him. But it’s possible she will manage to be an asshole about him until she dies.

We’ll never know if they never meet each other again, though. And that won’t go well. I know her, the more I avoid her, the more she tries to meddle.
I don’t want her to disturb our pack. If she comes here regularly, if we have contact, it must be on my terms. It’s exhausting to think about this.

I stand up abruptly and Luca makes a distressed noise. ‘What is it? What- did I-?’
Fuck! I hate how he always thinks that everything is his fault. I hope whatever his parents did wrong for this to happen will not be repeated by us.

I force myself to emanate a sense of calm and look at him.
‘Darling. It’s alright. You’re perfect, I’m not angry with you at all. Please believe me, whenever I’m distressed you’re the cure, not the cause, ok?’

His breathing is still a little quick but his hands stop closing and opening and he stands up as well and makes a hesitant step towards me.
‘How- how can I be the cure?’, he asks shyly and I have to smile despite myself, sit down again and open my arms.

‘Come here, darling. If you’re with me, everything is alright.’
He rolls his eyes a little and coughs out a word that sounds like ‘cheesy’, but grins and sits down with me, this time on my lap, his face tucked under my chin. I’m not even sure why he hasn’t been on my lap before. He should always be on my lap.

His timid voice wrenches me from my musings. ‘So, what were you distressed about?’
I sigh and snuggle into his hair. It’s curly and open today and it smells perfect.

‘I thought about meeting your family. And how you’ll always be part of them. And if we have children, they will always be part of them, too. A little. And then I thought that I need to patch things up with my grandmother, because she’s part of my family and identity. And I hate to put you through having contact with her, because she’s horrible.

And, you know, I can take it, because I’m used to it and I know she loves me in some twisted, bitter way. I wouldn’t be who I am without her. But I don’t think that you can take it, because she hates omegas and you’re sweet and sexy and unusual and she hates that even more. And of course you want to be approved by my family and it hurts you when you’re not and I don’t want you hurt. Like, ever.’

He stayed still in my arms while I told him this and snuggled even closer at my last words. We’re silent for a while, but it’s a good silence.
I know that he’s thinking about what I said. Finally, he sits up and turns to look at me, his hands stroking my chest while he speaks.

‘I can take it, Marco. Your family is important to you. And I’d love a chance to meet them and maybe be able to leave the bad feelings behind.
And even if that’s not possible, at least we don’t have to wonder about what if then. And I know you’ll always have my back and be on my side if it gets worse.
Even if I’d love for you not to have to take sides. If your grandmother is an important person in your life, then please, invite her officially and let’s move on from the unpleasantness from the beginning.’

He seems a little uneasy, but determined and looks me straight in the eyes while I search them as well as his scent for any sign of insecurity.
I nod at him and he relaxes and snuggles back against me.

‘Thank you for being such a great person.’, I tell him and kiss his temple and he makes the sweetest pleased noise.

Chapter Text

Things have been going well after visiting my old home. Too well.
I have the dreadful feeling that it can’t stay like this.

Also, I’m a little discontent about the outcome of the visit, but I can’t tell Marco.
He promised me that he’ll mate me in my next heat. I just have to trust him.

But I have to confess, I thought he’d talk about this with my father and then talk about it with me, again.
I can’t bring it up just like that. I was waiting for an opportunity, but fate seems to be against me.

I thought that maybe someone would say something about the missing bite mark at my neck. And I saw Dad’s gaze linger there.
The other omegas were fully occupied with making exclamation about my clothes and then being happy that the baby still liked me.

His father told me that they’re thinking about naming him after me. I feel honoured but also slightly uneasy.
I’m not even the first brother who was named Linus as a toddler, my oldest brother was also named Linus.

He had moved out shortly before my naming ceremony.
I detect a theme here. But it’s their business. It’s not my name anymore and it's not particularly special to me, so they can do as they please.

I’m more concerned about being mated or well, the possibility of not being mated during my next heat. And now he’s invited his grandmother.
Yes, I know, I reacted really cool about that and I even meant that, but since then I’m slowly freaking out inwardly.

I can deal with unpleasantness. I can even try to be polite for a couple of hours and not let it touch me, although I’m sure I’ll manage to fuck up somehow.
But I’m still pretty sure she’ll never accept me. In hindsight it was never about me. She seems to hate omegas and redheads and I’m the combination of both, but that’s not what defines me.

If she hates omegas and redheads and is unpleasant because of that, I can deal with it.
If she tells Marco that I’m lazy and ugly and useless, that’s another thing entirely. Because I believe she’s right.
And he may have been blind to that for now- thank God!- but what if she manages to open his eyes to that before he mates me? What if he puts it off again?

The hormones from our scent compatibility and from bonding surely will vanish someday and without the bite he’s going to wake up to some not-right omega in his bed, that’s no help whatsoever in the house and realise that he can’t possibly want someone like me.

These kind of thoughts are spiralling in my head for days, Marco always near enough to stop me from freaking out completely with touches and scenting, before the day of his grandmother’s visit finally comes.
I’m looking forward to it by now, at least the uncertainty will be over afterwards. I will have some new dark thoughts to obsess about then, yay.

Breakfast is weird that day, we’re both way to quiet and tense. He sighs, mid-feeding me. ‘I’m sorry for putting you through this. I know she’s rude and impossible. But she’s still my grandmother. And I know she mostly means well. I wouldn’t be at uni if it wasn’t for her. She always helped me with my homework and made sure I had food with me-’, he breaks off.

I’m curious about the background of that story- like, what about his parents?- but I tried asking and he blocked me two times so he doesn’t want to talk about it and I have to accept that. It’s not like I’m volunteering any information about my presentation as omega or the various punishments my father had, to force me, or well, help me, to fit into society more.

I kiss his cheek. ‘It’s going to be ok.’, I tell him, because one of us has to say it and one of us should believe it. That would be him, then.
He smiles his easy smile that always comes when I am even remotely nice to him by myself and I wonder for the millionth time about the power of alpha instincts and bonding hormones.

I dress in my lightest jeans and a white button-down shirt of his. He raises his eyebrows at me but I just shrug.
He comes over to kiss me and holds me close for a while which helps calming me.

We settle in the living room and are both quiet and tense until the doorbell rings. Marco jumps up and tells me to just stay in the living room.
I can hear him open the door.

‘Is he sick or why are you opening the door?’, is the first thing his grandmother says to him. Great!
‘Can’t your grandson greet you? It’s not like I didn’t know who’s coming or were expecting official visitors.’, Marco replies neutrally and she scoffs.

I hear her take off her shoes and stand up when she enters the living room.
She raises her eyebrows at me.
‘Hello.’, I say and she looks displeased. I sit down again when they both sit.

She turns to Marco, who’s sitting next to me.
‘You let him sit on the furniture?’, she asks and I feel like someone punched me in the gut.

Marco’s hand is on my thigh immediately, stroking me while he answers with a sharp edge to his voice. ‘Yes, grandmother. Of course. He’s not an animal, for God’s sake.’
She looks annoyed. ‘Talking to your grandmother like that? You were raised better, Marco.’
Marco sighs. ‘I was. But you deserved it right now.’

We are all silent for a short while, then he looks at her again.
‘Would you like something to drink?’

She nods. ‘What do you have?’
‘Iced tea, orange juice, water or I could make some coffee or tea.’, I tell her while standing up.
I can finally prove that I can do something.

She thinks for a while and I dread that she wants something special to make life difficult for me, but then she decides on an iced tea.
I go to the kitchen and take the pitcher out of the fridge. I’m trembling but I manage not to show it while I fill her glass and offer it to her.
She takes it without looking at me.

Marco lifts his brows in disapproval and I can see some similarity between them, which is completely disturbing.
‘You’re not really complaining about everyone being impolite all the time and then you forget to say thank you when someone gives you a drink, are you?’, he says calmly and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest.

Surely he’s not allowed to talk to her like that? Surely she’ll start yelling now and at the end it’s my fault somehow. That he even has the nerve to tell a beta to thank an omega!
My breath hitches as they both look at me. She clears her throat.

‘I clearly forgot my manners, just now.’, she says. ‘Thank you.’
I stare at her for what feels like eternity until something in her face changes.
‘You’re welcome.’, I reply softly and she turns back to Marco with a sneer on her face.

‘Shy, is he?’ she asks. Marco looks like he's trying very hard not to roll his eyes. He’s relaxed but at the same time he’s tense. His scent is hella confusing to me right now.
‘He’s right there, you know?,’, he says, but then answers nevertheless. ‘And everybody would be shy after meeting you like this. That wasn’t cool, grandma. You were basically breaking in and molesting him in his own home. How would you feel if someone just came into your apartment and started complaining?’

I don’t know how he’s able to confront her so coolly. He doesn’t even sound cross, as if it’s a normal conversation. His grandmother pouts a bit, but then shrugs.
‘I understand.’, she turns to me. ‘I’m sorry for that.’ We both know she’s only saying this for Marco’s sake. This time I reply instantly.
‘It’s ok, ma’am.’, I say and am glad that I was able to surprise her with my decent behaviour.

They talk a bit about his father and that he shouldn’t live alone – Marco is weirdly intent on changing the topic-, his father’s practice and that Marco is such a good help - he tells her that we’ll start a pack and he’ll need less money because we’ll share everything and the members will pay a little rent, so his father should start looking for another back office person- and his studies – I didn’t even know his major until now, I’m such a bad spouse.

The she wants to know his plans for his birthday. Somehow I get involved into the discussion because Marco repeatedly asks for my opinion, to his grandmother’s obvious displeasure.
Apparently his birthday is next Thursday, which is a nice information to have, because I didn’t know that as well. I’m sure he knows my birthday by heart. Just shoot me now.

It is decided that we will go to a restaurant, that I’m absolutely allowed to sit at the table with them and there will be no discussion about that – I’m awfully glad and a little turned on by my alpha’s strict no-nonsense tone – and that we will have a timeframe of two hours for this event because if he has to spend a longer amount of time with his father something bad will happen.
I knew that he knows that his father is an asshole. I didn’t know that their relationship was that bad.

Then Marco has to go to the toilet. I freeze in my seat as soon as he stops touching me. I feel my mind slip into panic mode as soon as he left the terrace.
I force myself to take even breaths, aware that his grandmother is watching me.

‘You’re an anxious little thing, huh?’, she tells me as if we were talking about the weather.
‘It’s no wonder, really. A ginger omega and then with your body type, that must have been hard growing up.’

In another context, her words could be seen as kind or reassuring, but her tone is pure poison.
I hang my head and just pray for Marco to be quick. I look through the open door to watch out for his return and hear her inhale sharply.

‘Oh, he hasn’t bitten you yet even when you were in heat? Seems to have a couple of brain cells left. You couldn’t manipulate him that much, then.’, she states.
I frown and - because I’m me- rise to the bait.
‘What do you mean?’, I swallow the ‘Ma’am’, that’s on my tongue because apparently we’re only polite when Marco is around. Two can play that game.

She manages to look very arrogantly for her answer.
‘You’re not for him. Clearly, you must know that. You smell good to him, but that will fade. He will meet someone who’s more fitting and forget all about you. I guess he knows that unconsciously and so didn’t mate you. What, boy? You don’t really think he’s serious about you?’

I flinched at her words, but something about them touched me.
It’s almost liberating to hear her voice my worries. At least someone understands them. But something’s wrong nevertheless.

‘I know, that I’m not good enough for him.’, I say softly and she’s clearly surprised by my words.
‘But I’m serious about him. I’d never manipulate him. And I can’t change our scents. As long as he’ll have me, I’ll be his and there’s nothing you can do against it. Ma’am.’
She frowns and opens her mouth, but just then Marco reappears.

He looks from her to me with raised brows but as we’re not strangling each other and nobody is crying he seems to think it wise to just ignore the tension in the air.
They talk for a while, Marco mechanically rubbing my back, then she stands up to leave.

To my astonishment she says goodbye to me and even uses my name before Marco accompanies her to the door.
He comes back and flaps down next to me, instantly drawing me to him. We melt into each other and just exist for a while.

He smells comforting and safe for me, the hint of anxiousness that lingered on him the whole day is slowly fading.
He moves to plant a kiss on my forehead and drink something, then makes me drink something as well.

‘I don’t understand.’, I tell him after we brought the pitcher back into the kitchen.
He pauses. ‘What, darling?’
I’m not sure how to voice my thoughts but in the end it’s just one big question: ‘How could this family produce you?’

He snorts softly and pulls me on his lap in the kitchen chair. ‘They weren’t always my whole family. And there’s some background story to some of her stereotypes. I grew up knowing about it, so I was able to see it as stupid stereotypes instead of the truth early on.’

I turn my head to look at him quizzically. He sighs and plants some kisses along my jawline before he continues.
‘You know, Grandmother hates Omegas, because my Nonno, her husband, he- well, he was an alpha.’, I flinch and he laughs humourlessly.

‘Yes, that was quiet the scandal at that time, an alpha with a beta girl. Apparently he was in love enough to marry her and produce my father. But society convinced him that he wasn’t normal if he didn’t want omegas. Or maybe he really wanted them. Or maybe he was just a bastard and would have been the same if he were a beta. Ehm, anyhow, he betrayed her a lot with omegas over the years and told her it was his nature and she shouldn’t complain so much.’

The poor woman. That must have felt awful. I still don’t understand why she’s hating omegas instead of alphas then.
‘What happened to your Nonno?’, I ask.

Marco shrugs. ‘Nothing. Well, he died a couple of years ago. Too much red meat and cigarettes. They were married until the end, but he had moved out before I was born. I liked him as a kid and spent a lot of time with him. It’s why I speak Italian.

Well, so my grandmother doted on my father, because he was at least there. And he always fought with Nonno when the three of them were together, picking grandma’s side.
The more the disappointment, when he found a nice omega wife, and grandma thought he at least wouldn’t feel the need to betray her, just to have history repeat itself.

My father is very fond of brothels, you must know. He’s also not against chatting up young omegas in pre-heat in the street.
He’s the reason most omegas aren’t allowed to be outside alone, when it would be fairer to not let alphas like him out instead.’

I snuggle into him and rub my nose on his neck to comfort him.
He reciprocates the gesture and we’re just a heap of cuddly animals for a while, which feels great. Animals don’t worry half as much as humans.

‘So, why does she still like your Dad, then?’, I finally ask, because Marco stays quiet and I have to know the whole story. He chuckles dryly.
‘Well, he’s her only son, her everything. I think she couldn’t live with him being the bad guy. So in her head it was all my mother’s fault. She must have done something wrong to make him stray from her bed and all that bullshit. So my Dad started to complain about my mother a lot, to justify her way of thinking.

But on the other hand, he had made my mother completely dependent on him. She was fifteen when they meet, way too young, but he’d made her go into heat and then she was his. And at first of course she was welcomed with open arms until that changed.

By then she was pregnant, which of course was another reason for him to sleep around.
And she had to cut ties to her family when she met my father, so he was her only person of reference.

In hindsight I think she went into depression after she had me. She was a good mother, always there for me but she cried a lot and they fought a lot and she stopped eating and doing much in the house, which of course was another reason for grandma to meddle.

One day, when she was picking me up from school, we met her parents. It was completely by chance.
They nearly missed each other because she was so skinny and looked so unhappy and different than as a teenager.

Turns out my other grandfather was a powerful and rich alpha, similar to your father. He was outraged by my father’s behaviour.
Not even his infidelity, but that he wasn’t able to care for his omega.

I just realized it when I met you, Luca, but it’s not normal to not care when your omega is unhappy. Something isn’t right with my father.
They were bonded and mated and he still hurt her again and again. That’s, like, sociopath behaviour.

I always wondered if I could have inherited it because I had no interest in omegas before outside from presenting and the two ruts I had.
But then I met you and now everything is as it should be. You have no idea how terrified I was at first and how relieved I was when we just clicked.

Ehm, yeah, well- her father gave her this house and she moved here with me.
She still met with my father and he came over for dinner sometimes and they were way more decent with each other than when we had lived together.

When I was thirteen, she became pregnant again. My father slept over sometimes and I never saw her with another man.
I had presented by then, so I would’ve smelled another alpha. My father insisted that it wasn’t his child, though. I still don’t know why he’d do such thing.

He stopped visiting and Mom was miserable. She only ate when I forced her and became weaker and weaker. She- she and the baby died in childbirth.’
Marco stops speaking for a while and I whimper against his neck and start licking his scent glands to comfort him.

He sniffs a little but is very silent otherwise.
I look up at him and his mouth meets mine at once. I let him and then kiss his tears away, which makes him snort a little.

‘Funnily enough, my Nonno was the one that taught me how to cook so I could look after my mother. He died soon after she died.
I’d loved to have lived with him, but then I had to move back with my father. Thankfully he was working most of the time or we would have killed each other.

I was really angry for a while. Then I became kind of numb. My grandmother made me go to school and do my homework at her place.
She also made me speak to the school social worker, which helped me a lot after a while. And she let Tom stay over whenever he wanted, even though she hates him.

My mother’s father died soon after and apparently I inherited this house for when I would start a family.
I didn’t even know about this until after I fe- smelled you in the park.’

He shifts a little on the chair and strokes my back. ‘So, now you know my fucked up family background.’, he says after a while.
I hum against him. ‘I’m so sorry, Marco. And I’m proud of you. For opening up. And for living through that. And for not becoming like them.’

It’s his turn to bury his head in my neck and I kiss his ear.
I hesitate, then speak up again. ‘You know. I- I don’t need much. If it’s that hard for you to work with or for your father, then- well, I just want you to know you don’t have to because of me.’

He looks up at that and smiles. ‘God, you’re exceeding my expectations every fucking time, honey.’, he tells me. Honey. That’s a new one. I like it.
Then he shakes his head. ‘It’s ok. I’ve always worked there. I’m good with the system, I like the co-workers and most patients and I think the omegas are glad when I’m there too and it’s not only him and the betas. But I will cut down on the hours when Tom and Matty join us. I want to be home more often. And I really need to study more often, too.’

We cuddle for a while, then my stomach grumbles, which makes my alpha laugh. He manhandles me onto the other chair and gets up.
He goes about the kitchen, doing various things and I watch him. He’s graceful in some feline, almost dangerous way that most other alphas lack because of their size.

He stretches to get something from the top of a shelf and his shirt rides up, revealing his flat stomach and I can feel –something- build in my chest.
I have been naked or part-naked inside for a long time, still am, because I’m used to it and I love how Marco’s eyes light up when he sees me that way, even though I still don’t understand why.

But Marco is almost always dressed and it’s oddly arousing for me to be surprised with my alpha’s naked skin during the day. Apparently.
He catches my eyes and grins. ‘Not hungry anymore?’

I tilt my head. I am hungry. I could also do with some heavy petting. My life is full of hard choices.
Marco’s grin grows wider. ‘You know, this needs to cook for a while. And we already inaugurated the kitchen table.’

I don’t need to answer, because the smell of slick that spiked up in the kitchen is all he needs. He makes sure that nothing is going to burn before he tosses me over the table.
He pulls down my pants and I hear his zipper and it feels wrong in the most delicious way that we’re both almost fully clothed for this.

His finger dips into me and he makes a satisfied noise and removes it, making me whine.
He laughs softly. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get the real deal, baby.’, he tells me, which makes me moan.

My moaning increases when he makes good on the promise seconds later. I’m fucked into the table.
He has pulled up my legs and my arms are buried under my upper body so I’m just able to take it and that’s exactly what I need right now.

My alpha is taking his pleasure from my body and that’s just right. His hands are on my back while he fucks me, then work their way around my sides and lift me up.
He helps me stand and I lean over the table with him behind me. He kisses and licks my neck and I start to scream his name when he softly bites my scent glands.

‘Of, fuck, Luca. Fuuuck.’, he groans and then knots me, which makes me fall over the edge as well.
He gently massages my shoulders while we wait for the knot to subside.

‘I can’t wait for your heat.’, he tells me and he almost sounds a little sheepish.
I chuckle. ‘Don’t you think we have enough sex?’, I ask him lightly and he chuckles as well.

‘We have the perfect amount of perfect sex, my perfect omega.’, he tells me solemnly, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
‘But I can’t wait to mate you.’, he explains then, and I love to hear those words.

‘And it has to be during your heat. It’s way more effective that way. But don’t you think you aren’t mine until then.
We belong together. Nothing changes that.’, he adds and I’m glad he can’t see my eyes well up right now.

Chapter Text

Luca stands in the doorframe and looks a little sheepish. He’s shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
I put down my pen and stretch in my chair. ‘What’s wrong, darling?’

He’s clearly unsure how to say it and repeatedly bites his lower lip.
I stand up and go to him. I put his head against my shoulder with a hand in his neck.

‘Can you tell me?’, I ask. ‘If you don’t tell me, I can’t help you.’
He makes the amused noise I like so much and starts to speak against my shoulder.

‘My Dad asked if I’d join him shopping. He’s with two pack betas so we’d be perfectly safe.’
Huh. Betas from a different pack watching my omega? The wild animal inside of me is extremely against that, but thank God I’m able to think logically and this seems like a perfectly safe plan.

‘Sure, darling. Today?’
‘Yeah, he’d pick me up in half an hour. I- ehm.’, I wait for him to continue. He looks up at me and swallows. ‘Could I please have some money?’

I suck my teeth in annoyance and he flinches.
I lean in to softly suck on his scent gland and hum, silently telling him that I’m not annoyed at him.

I’m extremely pissed off with myself!
Poor Luca! He must have been wondering if he wasn’t allowed to buy anything by himself for weeks now.

Truth is, I made him a debit card before he even lived here and then I forgot to give it to him. Classic, really.
I explain that to him and he laughs at me.

When he realizes that he’s laughing at his alpha he stops for a second and appraises my reaction.
As soon as it’s clear that I don’t mind being laughed at- how could I, he smells so good and looks so gorgeous when he laughs- he recommences, which makes me chuckle as well.

I give him his debit card, wish him a nice day and look out the window as he gets picked up by his omega father, fighting the urge to go outside like some overly protective father from some outdated romance and ask for the betas’ credentials.

They’re Ashwood’s, so Luca is safer as he would be with me, to be honest. I continue summarising my lecture notes until I hear him come back hours later.
He’s creeping up the stairs, making me stand up because I have to know what the hell is going on.

But then I remember that there’s the possibility he bought something for my birthday and just sit back into my chair when he comes in, looking adorably flushed and out of breath as if he hurried just now.

I grin at him and he comes over and hugs me from behind. He’s standing while I’m sitting. We touched in a lot of ways over the last couple of weeks, but this is new.
I like how he leans down and to feel his nose in my hair and how he lightly kisses the back of my head before he walks around me and sits on the floor, leaning his head against my tight.

I lean in to kiss him properly, which nearly kills us both as I almost manage to keel over with the chair, but somehow everything works out fine when I sit back up again.
‘Did you have a nice time?’, I ask him and he laughs. ‘I forgot how exhausting my Dad could be, but yeah, it was great.’

‘Did you buy anything?’
He shakes his head. ‘Only a slick cup at the pharmacy, so I’ll stop ruining my clothes when we’re out together. No clothes, my Dad went to those omega-only stores and I hate it there. I mostly joked around with the betas and had to tell him that he looks good in every outfit.’ I can hear him roll his eyes even though I’m sorting through paper on my desk right now and chuckle.

Then I glance at the clock. ‘Oh, it’s later than I thought. Did you eat?’
Luca shakes his head against my leg and stays silent. Something is bothering him.

‘What is it?’, I ask and try to appear non-committal.
He sighs. ‘We gave a wide birth to everything food-related. My Dad doesn’t eat. He’s awfully afraid of gaining weight. Eating is like a religion to him. He basically only eats normal food and doesn’t google the calories first, when father hand-feeds him, which isn’t that often anymore, now the new one gave birth to a son that could be another alpha.’

My hand is in his hair before my brain even picks up on his tone of voice. ‘I’m sorry darling. You’re worried about him, huh?’
Luca sighs. ‘Yeah. He used to have me to fuss over and I could convince him that he’s worth something. And we spent a lot of time together when father was occupied with the other omegas. I don’t really know what he’s doing the whole day except being anxious and searching the mirror for wrinkles or grey air.’

I scoff. I can’t help it and Luca quickly speaks on. ‘I know he’s vain and superficial, but that’s his world. He’s just adapted to it. It’s not like father prevents his omegas from being anxious. He seems to get off on their insecurity.’

I scoff again and increase the grip in his hair, which makes him inhale sharply and look up to me. ‘You know I’d never do that to you, right? I don’t care how you dress, what you eat, what you look like, if you actually look like 45 when you’re 45. You’ll still be important to me and I’ll always accept you as you are.’

Luca blushes as buries his face in my neck. ’42.’, he murmurs.
‘What?’
He giggles. ‘My father is 42, not 45.’, he repeats and I have to laugh at his ridiculousness.

‘Is that all you managed to extract from my speech just now?’, I ask him and he chuckles along with me.
‘No, I heard you, Marco. Thank you.’ He pecks a kiss on my leg and then stands up, extending his hand. ‘Dinner?’

It’s my birthday a couple of days later. I didn’t have any expectations beforehand, but I’m pleasantly surprised.
Luca is already up when I wake up, his side of the bed only slightly warm.

I can hear him in the kitchen when I walk down the stairs. Interesting. I wonder what he planned.
He grins at me from in front of the stove when I enter.

‘Happy birthday, alpha.’, he says and I walk up to him and kiss him. He breaks the kiss to look at the stove and I realize that he’s making pancakes.
He sees my perplexed gaze and smiles a little insecurely. ‘You like pancakes, right? It’s literally the only breakfast food I know how to do.’

I laugh at his expression. ‘I love pancakes. And I think I’d love everything you do for me.’, I say while I kiss his cheek and he blushes and looks down.
‘Good.’, he states quietly.

‘Ehm. I know I’ve been watching you make coffee often enough, but I didn’t dare try it. So you’ll have to make your own drink, sorry.’, he doesn’t sound too sorry and I slap his ass lightly while I fix our breakfast beverages.

His pancakes are great and I love how he stops me from feeding myself, takes the fork from me and feeds me, while I still feed him.
He’s extremely self-conscious about it at first and we’re both very happy when it works out like this.

I’m already looking forward to my 21st.
‘How do you know to make pancakes?’, I ask him. He makes this cute thing where he starts to smile and then frowns, as if searching for the right words, before he speaks.

‘It’s sort of a family tradition. It’s like the one thing our father learned to cook from my grandmother. And he teaches it to all of his children.’
‘That’s cute. So I’ll teach our children to cook, but I’ll leave the pancakes to you, huh?’, I tease him and he vibrates with silent laughter on my lap before suddenly his anxious smell spikes up and he tenses.

‘I’m not sure how fertile I am. My dad only had me.’, he says, suddenly very serious. ‘And I’m just an omega.’
I nuzzle against his neck. ‘Hey, Luca. Come back here. Stop worrying. I don’t expect you to spit out one child after another. No matter the gender. I’ll still- like you, even if we don’t have children.’, -that only makes him tense up even more. Great, Marco!- ‘Also, you take extremely after your alpha father and he has how many children?’

‘Fifteen’, Luca mumbles and I nearly throw him of my lap.
‘Fifteen?’, I exclaim. ‘I hope you don’t want that many children.’

He’s clearly amused by my reaction and shakes his head. ‘Just a couple would be fine. And- ehm- we agree that we have a few years to get to know each other before we throw some children in the mix, right?’

I softly nib at his scent gland, enjoying the reaction it causes before I whisper into his ear.
’I agree wholeheartedly. And even if I didn’t, I’d always wait until you’re ready. You must know that by now?’

He turns his head, so his cheek is pressed to mine, then bows his head and licks my neck.
‘I know. I still expect to wake up someday, but, yeah, I know.’, he says softly.

Before I can work myself into a frenzy that my omega thinks this is just a dream- but a good one, right? Please let him be happy with me! - he stands up.
‘I, ehm, I bought you a present?’

Turns out he bought me another button-down shirt, that’s dark grey, with lots of colourful swirls on it.
It suits me extremely well and is from the same store we went to, when we changed his wardrobe.

‘I love that, thank you darling.’, I say and of course take any excuse to kiss him I can get.
He seems pleased. ‘It was hard to get my dad to agree to go to that store, but apparently it does the trick when I do things for my alpha instead of for myself.’, he tells me, slightly rolling his eyes and I shake my head and scoff.

‘I didn’t really have another idea, but I thought you liked that I thought about you when I saw those shirts and I remembered that they had more and I know it’s basically your money so it’s not really a-‘
‘Luca!’, I say sternly and he stops rambling and looks at me with huge eyes that soften when he sees my expression.

‘Luca. Stop rambling. Or don’t. It’s kind of adorable.’ – he manages to look slightly offended- ‘But stop worrying, please. It’s our money, not mine. Ours, ok?’ I look at him until he reluctantly nods. ‘And I love that you thought about what you could get me and this is perfect and I’m going to wear it today and at dinner tonight, ok?’

He beams at that although he looked slightly worried when I mentioned dinner.
I suddenly notice that I have to leave for work, even though it is my birthday.

I need to work the reception desk today instead of being in the back office, as father’s receptionist is sick.
I like that kind of work. I know most of my father’s patients by now.

He’s specialised in omegas, so a lot of patients come in once every couple of weeks, however long their cycle is, because they need a shot to make their heat more bearable.
That means that most of them have kind alphas, too. Because asshole alphas don’t care if the omega is overwhelmed with his heat as long as he’s begging for their knot.

My favourite couple, a 60-year old alpha, that has been extremely in love with his 40-ish omega for years and still is, is in today.
The omega knew my mother and is always fuzzing about me.

‘Marco, you’re wearing such a nice shirt today.’, he tells me when he sees me and I beam at him.
‘Thanks, Ian. My omega bought it for me.’ Ian’s eyes widen as his face lights up in a huge smile.
‘Oh God, I need to see him someday, you seem to be such a cute couple. I wish this one would listen to my fashion advice.’, he indicates his alpha, who just laughs at him.

Another alpha in the waiting room watches us grumpily and pinches his omega’s, who kneels next to his chair, neck.
I change my cards, so Ian is in before his omega, enjoying that little power play way too much, probably.

After work, Luca and I make and eat some salad and then chill in the living room for a while.
Luca slides from my lap and rests his head on my thigh, looking up to me with his green eyes. I sigh at the picture.

‘I know it’s terrible old-fashioned, but I like to see you like this.’, I tell him and he smiles up at me. ‘I know it’s terrible cheesy but I like to be like this with you.’
I know it takes a lot for him to admit this and I’m proud of him. But it gets even better.

‘I was thinking.’, he says and watches me intently. ‘I’d like to give you a present that I didn’t buy with your money.’
I refrain from telling him that it’s our money because I think that’s not the point right now.

I lay my head to the side and raise my brows at him. ‘What would that be?’
‘I haven’t sucked your cock in a while.’, he says matter-of-factly.

Damn! How can he look so damn innocent and say stuff like that? My breath hitches and my penis takes an interest and Luca smiles.
Then he nuzzles his nose against the area between my legs.

‘So, would you like that?’, he asks, as if the answer wasn’t clear.
‘Are you kidding? But only if you’re comfortable.’

Now he’s finally blushing. ‘I’ve been looking forward to this all morning.’, he murmurs and then opens my pants.
Five minutes later – he’s pleased by that, though, so it’s okay. - we snuggle on the sofa.

‘We have to get up.’, he says, just when I wonder if he fell asleep.
‘Hmm. I don’t want to go.’, I murmur and he nudges me with his head. ‘Come on. You can get angry at your father and then you can let it all out by pounding into me afterwards.’

I snort. ‘What’s gotten into you recently?’
He sobers up immediately. ‘Am I too much? I just- I really enjoy all that with you. I didn’t think it would be possible before.’

I rub my cheek against his. ‘Baby, I love that you enjoy it. What do you think I’m doing, huh? It’s nice to see you less self-conscious and more direct with me. I’m proud of you. I was happily surprised right now.’
‘Oh. Ok.’

We meet my family at an Indian restaurant near the house. I used to go there a lot with my mom.
They are nice to omegas there and I can choose something vegetarian without my grandmother giving me shit, because there’s lots of veggie stuff to choose from and it’s all delicious.

I hug my grandmother and awkwardly shake my father’s hand. Luca bows his head and only replies when he is addressed, like he was probably taught from a young age.
Father gives him the once over. ‘He looks healthy. Gained a little weight, too.’ – I can see that Luca flinches lightly at that. Another good reason for Indian restaurants: nobody is able to pick up the anxiety in his scent.

‘Did his heat go okay?’
I roll my eyes while we are led to the table. ‘Father, seriously. He’s right there and I’d prefer to not talk about our sex life in a restaurant, with you and grandmother, or basically at all.’

Father smirks, the bastard and grandmother already looks majorly pissed off. I’m not sure at whom, but probably at both of us.
At least nobody comments that Luca sits at the bench beside me and not on the floor.

I notice Luca look only at starters when we have a look at the menus and sigh before I lean in to whisper in his ear.
‘You know you can just ignore his stupid comment earlier, right? Don’t be like your Dad.’

He snorts at that and then seems overwhelmed by all the dishes. ‘Would- would you mind just ordering something for me?’, he asks.
That’s amazing. I love his trust and that he knows I’ll order something he’ll like. We’re compatible like that.

He grins lightly at my expression and I notice that grandmother watches us with an unreadable expression while father is playing with his phone.
‘So, 20, huh.’, he says when we have out drinks. ‘Time sure runs.’
I have no idea how to react to that and just shrug.

Father looks at me and lights up. ‘Wanna go to the brothel later? Boy’s night out? My tread.’
I press my jaw together and feel Luca put his hand on my thigh. I take a deep breath.

‘Father, could you not talk like this when my omega is with us or – even better- could you not talk like this at all? And no, you know I don’t want that.’, I say with the barest minimum of politeness I can manage.

Father just scoffs. He’s been a lot more lenient with my behaviour towards him since I’m not living with him anymore.
‘No, sense of humour.’, he says. ‘I’m not sure you’re mine.’

I have to chuckle. ‘Well, I look like grandma. If you’re really hers, than I’m probably yours.’
Grandma scoffs at that and we both chuckle while Luca just seems glad to not be involved in the conversation.

Chapter Text

Wow, I always thought my family was strange, with my father feeding his favourite omega when we went out to dinner, while the betas were making crude joked with the rest of them. But the doctor really takes the cake when he starts talking about going to a brothel with his son. Not that I’m supposed to know what that is. Thank you, internet!

At least Marco is clearly unwell with this issue and tells his father to stop and that he knows he wouldn’t go there, so this is an ongoing issue and his father didn’t just say it to watch my reaction. Also, I don’t have to wonder about that possibility.

The doctor then tells him that he has no sense of humour, which is just wrong, because he has an incredible sense of humour sometimes, it’s just much more defined and clever than the doctor's.

I zone out a little when Marco starts to tell him about our pack plans and start to listen again, when his father’s voice gets poisonous and mean.
He’s annoyed that Marco suddenly owns a whole house and decides to become some kind of hippie that lives in a communist commune.

I think about asking him if that’s what he thinks of my father’s pack, too, but I refrain from that, of course.
Marco can hold his own against his father and it’s terrifying to watch two alphas have a heated discussion in my proximity.

They change to Italian mid-discussion, and I’m pretty sure it’s because Marco doesn’t want me to understand everything his father is saying.
I’m awfully tense and feel a little sweaty and light-headed right now. Marco has his hand on my thigh and strokes it, but he’s not really with me, he’s too deep into his fight with his father to notice anything else.

I mean, of course he is. He shouldn’t be worried about me all the time. I should just be there, be polite and look good, not want my alpha’s attention at all times.
I’m such a bad omega, really. Feeling neglected because he doesn’t sense my distress for one fucking time.

I’m startled out of my anxiety when the grandmother suddenly starts talking to me.
‘So did you learn to do anything in the household by now?’, she asks me. It seems like she thinks that this is a normal conversation so I try to not feel too offended or judged.

‘I made breakfast today.’, I tell her and she looks almost amused. ‘For his birthday? I should hope so!’
She watches me and I have no idea how to react so I look down. She sighs.

‘So what did you do for breakfast?’, she asks.
‘Pancakes, Ma’am.’, I reply and am startled into looking at her when she makes a strange noise. It surely can’t be-? Yes, it can, she really is giggling.

’Oh, he loves pancakes for his birthday!’, she tells me and I manage a little smile in return.
Marco’s father slaps his hand on the table, not hard enough to attract attention of other diners, but hard enough to make me flinch and the grandmother puts her hand on my arm when I flinch and make to turn to my alpha.

‘That’s normal.’, she reassures me -I'm not sure if this situation is real anymore- and picks up our weird small talk like nothing happened.
‘He’s wearing a nice shirt today, is that your doing?’, she asks and I nod.
‘Yes, Ma’am. It was my birthday present for him.’

Marco still talks heatedly with his father and I decide to get into more details to divert my attention from them.
I end up telling her about our trip to the city, how I’ve never seen those kinds of stores before and how I ended up picking some clothes for him.

She watches me with an unreadable, but not unkind expression on her face, while I talk.
She nods when I finish. ‘Being compatible really means that you’re a good fit. Who’d have thought?’, she muses and then her gaze sharpens again.

‘It’s nice that you at least get him to dress better, omega.’, she tells me and I’m so confused.
Like, is this a compliment? Or is she saying I don’t know anything else but at least I know about dressing my alpha? Why is she even talking to me?

Marco seems to pick up on my confusion, even though he didn’t pick up on my anxiety earlier.
Maybe he’s too used to it already. I mean, I’m practically a wreck all the time. It’s a miracle he hasn’t just glued his hand to my neck yet to keep me in a state of calm.

He turns to me, cutting his father of mid-sentence. ‘What are you talking about?’
He glances at his grandmother shortly, but it’s pretty clear he’s inquiring about my well-being.

God, he’s so perfect! I smile at him, the first real one since this whole dinner started.
‘Your grandmother just complimented your shirt.’, I tell him and his eyes widen for a second. He mouths a kiss at me and then turns to his grandmother.

‘Yeah, he’s got taste, huh? You must be pissed, trying to get me into more button-down shirts for years and then my omega manages it somehow.’
I can see that he’s just teasing her and I’m glad to be part of this moment when her eyes light up.

She may be a bitter, old cow but I can see that her love for her grandson is real in this moment.
‘I already knew he has taste when he moved in with you.’, she deadpans and Marco blushes while his father snickers at him.

Our food comes and it’s delicious and Marco and I feed each other a little under the pretence of letting each other have a taste of our dishes.
His father rolls his eyes but his grandmother ignores it.

The conversation is strained, the doctor denying any attempt to have a normal one with crude jokes or sharp little comments in every direction.
He’s either pissed that he’s not his son’s alpha any more or he’s always like that. Could be both.

I can’t stomach the hostility anymore after the waiter collected our dishes and nudge at Marco.
‘Where’s the toilet?’, I ask him quietly and of course his father hears it nonetheless.

‘Don’t let him go there alone.’, he booms, making Marco roll his eyes at me. But then he winks.
‘Come on then, I’ll show you.’, he tells me and we walk to a corner and down some stairs, hand-in-hand.

The omega toilets are on the other end of the hall from the normal toilets. There’s even one stall each for males and females, which is unusual and, seriously, unnecessary.
Marco keeps standing after we’ve reached the hallway and points me to the door.

‘I still have some hope that romance isn’t completely dead, so I’m going to wait here for you and pretend I don’t know what you’re doing in there.’, he tells me and he is indeed where I left him when I come back out two minutes later.

He pulls me behind some old deco that is stored in the hallway and kisses me.
‘I’m sorry for my family. Birthday dinner is insane.’
I giggle. ‘Are you kidding? I’ve made the hint of some progress with your grandmother and the food is amazing.’

His eyes are intense when he kisses me again. ‘Oh god, how did I deserve you?’, he murmurs.
It’s slightly weird that we both have the same question.

He stops kissing me and I realize that I’d thought aloud just now.
’Do you also wonder how I deserve you?’, Marco frowns.

I shake my head. ‘No, I wonder how I deserve you.’
He lets out a relieved laugh. ‘Well, that’s ok then. But you’re insane. Please stop connecting with my grandmother.’

I glance up to see if this is an order – you never know- but he’s just joking and talks on. ‘I’m really not special, but you are. You’re amazing. It frustrates me that you don’t see it.’
He turns a little away from me, but hugs me close at the same time. ‘Every time I think we’re better I still realize that you feel like you can’t trust me. I hate that. You can trust me, Luca. I’m really into you. You’re amazing and gorgeous and funny and beautiful and I really mean all those things. I-‘, he sighs and pulls back. ‘Sorry. I’m way too intense. My father is messing with my brain. Let’s get back.’

I take his hand and pull him to me. He comes to me willingly, if a little startled and reacts to the kiss I give him with a small sound and a smile.
‘Let’s agree that we both deserve each other, then, ok?’, I whisper into his lips. ‘And we’re both special.’
He pulls back with narrowed eyes, but smiles this time. ‘Deal.’

He pulls me after him and is very sweet and cuddly through the rest of the meal, even though his father is rolling his eyes and saying dumb things.
His grandmother is watching us like a hawk, but she isn’t saying anything that’s too mean. I guess I could survive seeing her once in a while after all.

It’s not like I see her look at us all the time. I’m mostly watching Marco, either openly or from lowered lashes. I can’t put my eyes of this – my!- alpha.
This weirdo who thinks he doesn’t deserve me. Who thinks I hung the moon. He makes me feel so warm and good. He’s able to stop the bad thoughts. He’s able to draw out the vocal side of me that can actually talk about what I want. And to engage me in banter without it being too much or awkward.

We share some desert and then leave soon. His father obviously in a hurry to go to the brothel before ‘all the good ones are gone’. Ew, what an awful person.
His grandmother is taking a cab and we wait with her and look after the cab until it’s out of sight.

Marco sighs. ‘So, thank god that’s out of the way for this year. And maybe we’re able to get out of Christmas this year, with being a new pack and everything.’
He kisses my cheek and strokes my earlobe with his nose. ‘You were so good, baby. Looking and behaving like a fucking angel, even when my father said all those stupid things.’

I lean my head against him. ‘You told me that his opinion doesn’t count. And you’re not like him. So I’m not distressed about him. I would be terrified if I were alone with him, but you were there, so everything is fine.’
His arms tighten around me and we just breath in each other’s scent for a minute before he lets go and takes my hand. ‘Let’s go home, love.’

I love that word. I know it’s just an endearment and doesn’t really mean anything but it’s easy to forget that for a while, when he smells so good and looks at me like that.
I discreetly watch his profile when I walk next to him.

He’s so beautiful. He looks like those Italians from the old movies, all tan skin and dark eyes and sharp angles with full lips.
And he doesn’t even know it. He doesn’t react to the omegas and betas that watch him more-or-less openly wherever we are. He’s perfectly nice to everyone but I don’t think he’s aware that most people flirt with him.

He could easily be a superficial asshole and get away with many things, but the fact that he isn’t makes him even more beautiful to me.
He’s so kind and considerate. And witty. And god, the sex! And how he treats me, when he could easily just do the bare minimum and I would still be bonded to him because I’m his omega and he’s my alpha.

I started to see that my father isn’t a good spouse. Not really.
I also see that his omegas fall head over heels to please him.

I could have become like this. Dependent on my alpha’s sparingly used praise.
Instead I feel safe with Marco. Protected. Almost loved, sometimes.

Fuck! I think I fell in love with him.

This will make it so much harder when he’ll start to get fed up with me.

Chapter Text

After my birthday dinner, we have some amazing sex.
It feels like we have a deeper connection, now that we faced my awful family together, although Luca seemed a bit withdrawn on the way home, but I guess it was just a lot to process for him.

I almost told him that I love him. Again. I don’t want to scare him with this, though.
It’s way too early and I’m sure he must think I’m completely bonkers, that I managed to fall in love with a stranger in that amount of time. I honestly think I already loved him, when I saw him at the park. But that’s insane, so I’ll never tell this to anyone.

We wake up, snuggled against each other, and it’s the first time I’m sure Luca didn’t slip out of bed beforehand to brush his teeth or do any of the other stuff, I didn’t know about until recently.
I kiss him nevertheless and he’s responding enthusiastically.

We decide to eat the leftovers from yesterday’s lunch as a late breakfast and skip lunch. In the evening, the guys will come.

I officially invited them to have some kind of birthday event, but in reality we discussed having a conversation about being a pack with both of them, to see their reactions to us, as well as to each other.

Tom arrives first. Luca opens the door for him and is swept into an enthusiastic embrace, that has him giggling.
Tom is really into him. He never makes stuff like that a secret. I think that’s why he’s still single, he’s way too much for the average beta.

I see Luca react to my friend’s advances with blushes and smiles and think that they would do alright with each other, if I’m not there. Or even if I’m there.
I listen into myself, but I can’t be jealous of Tom. I just can't. It would be stupid and destroy the whole dynamic.

I can see that Luca's reactions too me are way more intense. And that’s good.
Maybe I would be jealous, if Tom was an alpha, but being a beta, he can’t knot and I know how Luca needs my knot, especially after our date night.
Tom may look and sound and behave like an alpha, but there’s something missing. He would never be able to satisfy my spouse like I can.

Also, Luca’s my bond. He has my last name, he eats the food I provide and lives in my home.
And after his next heat, he’ll wear my mark.

And I intend to get him his watch soon.
Father has been bothering me about saving for a watch for my omega, since I presented as alpha.

As gay alpha, nonetheless. What a shame... At least Luca’s side of the family isn’t homophobic, one bad thing he didn’t grow up with.
Although, maybe I should have listened to my father about the watch. Huh.

Plus, I can see that Luca is quite fond of me by now. And he behaves differently around Tom than me.
Tom is a friend for him. He’s not a sexual predator in our home. He’s not a threat.

My omega is way more careful around me, although I’m sure – well, I hope- that it’s not fear anymore by now. But I intend to bite him, after all.
And he has to obey me, although we both know that I’m not that keen on stuff like that.

So it puts Tom and him in a little bit of the same situation, as I possibly will be both their alpha.
It feels weird to think about that for real instead of as a far-away plan and I’m glad when Tom barrels into the kitchen and bear-hugs the hell out of me, while he’s congratulating me on my 20th and blabbering about something that happened on the ride here.

I disentangle from him, complaining that I need air and quickly kiss him on the mouth in greeting.
He freezes for an instant, searches my face and then lights up again.

‘Like that, is it?’, he asks and I shrug.
‘Let’s see.’, I reply and he grins widely. ‘Matty too, huh? Good choice, dude, good choice.’
I shake my head at his ridiculousness and shoo him out of the kitchen ‘Go bond with my omega.’

He salutes me ‘Yes, alpha.’.
He’s still smiling, but it’s sincerer now and his address makes my shiver. It feels weirdly good to be in charge.

I always hated my father’s authority because he abuses his power a lot and is an asshole, as most alphas seem to be.
But I intend to do right by my pack members and it feels good to be accepted as head of the family by loved ones.

The bell rings after half an hour and I hear Luca get chased to the door by Tom. The house will at least be a lot louder when –if- the guys live here.
But that’s good. I want children someday, it’s a nice preparation for them. And I get the feeling Luca needs this.

I feel bad about having only seen one side of him until now and thinking that it was all there is.
Of course he’s a complex person with lots of facets, what have I been thinking?

Matty seems to be a little overwhelmed by the greeting he gets, but quickly adapts. They chatter a little in the hallway before all three of them move into the kitchen.
Luca hovers in the doorframe and watches me with a little smile, while Matty approaches me.

‘So, do we hug now?’, he wonders aloud and I laugh.
‘Why not, huh?’, I ask him and we hug a little awkwardly and do that dumb thing where we clap each other’s shoulder meanwhile, to not make it weird. It does make it weirder, in my opinion.

Matty's scent shows his anxiety for a second before that note backs down and he smells content and calm.
Like Tom’s reaction to the kiss it shows me that he’s willing to accept me as his alpha, while he’s feeling secure within my – our – space. It’s good to know.

I wink at my omega over Matty’s shoulder and he seems content.
Tom wraps his arm around him and he tenses and quickly searches my face, before snuggling into the muscular embrace.

Matty turns around after our greeting and seems taken aback. ‘Did I miss something here?’, he’s puzzled.
‘Are you pack now?’, he asks Tom. Tom shakes his head and smiles.

‘Let’s talk outside.’, I say and it feels way to good that all three of them leave the kitchen at that.
I call them back and have them each carry something outside, before I follow them.

We set the food down and dig in, Matty still watching each of us in puzzlement, but seemingly satisfied for now that we will talk later.
Also, Luca immediately switches from Tom’s to my side, when I sit down and that seems to reassure him that things are indeed still as they should be.

Tom tells Matty the same weird story he told me before and although Matty can’t follow, he’s laughing with him and reacting to his expressions and reaction. They’d make a cute couple.
I’m not into Matty at all, he looks too much like a model for a cheap gym advertisement, but I can see that he’s on the more attractive scale of alphas.

I know that Tom is basically into everyone who’s a decent person, regardless of gender – we experimented a little, before, especially after my break-up, and he experimented a lot with other people as well and told me all about it- and I can see that he’s testing the waters and inconspicuously flirting with Matty. Well, as far as Tom can do anything inconspicuously.
Luca vibrates with hidden amusement while we watch them and I start to peck little kisses on his neck.

Matty still seems a little overwhelmed by the attention and the situation, but he reacts to Tom in a positive way and also glances at me from time to time which satisfies some primal urge I didn’t even know I had.

Luca settles on my lap for dessert and I feed him, which doesn’t get a second glance from the other two, so that’s alright.
I’m not making a show of us in public, but I like our little rituals at home and I think he feels the same.

I start to carry everything back to the kitchen afterwards and ask Tom to help me, while I settle Luca in Matty’s lap.
Luca snorts at Matty’s startled expression and snuggles into his neck.

‘Hi.’, he says and Matty looks around with huge eyes, before settling his gaze on Luca, which seems to ground him.
He holds him tenderly, like he’s very precious – well, he is!

His expression grows soft.
‘Hey. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?’, he asks and I leave to Luca’s giggling answer.

Tom is filling the dishwasher in the kitchen. I know he’s domestic like that and that’s nice.
I don’t mind to tidy up after Luca and me, but it could be a lot when we’re four people and three of them wouldn’t do much.

I hug him from behind and he leans into me, his head leaning back to touch my forehead.
‘What do you think?’, I murmur and he turns and kisses my forehead.

‘Are you asking me to move in with you, you old romantic?’, he smiles and I snort.
‘I’m asking you to join my pack, Tom. You’re as much family as if we were related and I’d like to make that official. Luca likes you, Matty seems to get on with you, but I’m going to discuss him with you, too. I love you and I know we can make this work because we have been working for a long time. So, would you like to join our family?’

Tom had grown sober, while his eyes search my face. He cups my cheek with his hand and smiles.
‘I’d be honoured, Marco.’, he rasps and swallows.

‘Does this mean I get to fuck pretty little Luca? As well as the gorgeous Matty? And you as well?’
I roll my eyes. ‘If everyone consents, yes. You know that that’s not the most important thing, right?’

He laughs. ‘You sure about that? But yeah, you’re right. Well, I guess you will do everything the proper way, with contracts and payments and rules and so on, but yeah, I’m in.
I think this is a great idea actually. One thing though, I’ve only seen Matty twice and I would advise you to watch out that he doesn’t fall in love with your omega. But I know you have some weird hormonal shit going on that’s preventing this. Otherwise, I’m very convinced he’s also a good fit.’

I nod and feel happy and we make out a little, which feels nice and familiar, but not nearly as good as kissing Luca.
I hope he feels similar, when he makes out with the other guys. I push that thought away quickly.

I get to test my theory when we go back to the terrace and find Luca softly kissing Matty’s lips.
His head turns to me as soon as he feels my presence and his eyes light up as he smiles at me, while Matty is clearly uncomfortable right now. But he can’t just throw Luca of his lap, so he’s trapped.

Tom starts to laugh when he sees them and plants himself next to Matty, pulling Luca off his lap and smacking a kiss on his cheek.
I lean in the doorframe and they look up at me. I clear my throat and look at Matty.

‘So, I guess this means you’re in?’ I smile at him to emphasize, that I’m not angry. And I’m not.
Luca is a little tense, even though he’s comfortable in Tom’s lap and Matty is holding his hand.
He clearly wants to be with me above all others when I’m near him. I feel a little drunk on that feeling.

Matty nods and grins a little. ‘Yeah, I’m- I wouldn’t have thought that you plan to ask me to join you but- Fuck, I really appreciate it. I’d love to be part of this.’
He indicates our little group and the house. Luca smiles at him and kisses his cheek and Matty fucking blushes and looks at me sheepishly, while Tom somehow manages to wrap his arm around both of them. If I could freeze this moment, I would.

Part of my brain is already making plans about timing and contracts and what I need to put on my to-do-list, like finally buying a watch for my brilliant omega and start to clean out the old furniture from the guest rooms, but the bigger part is just producing happy feelings.

I somehow manage to squeeze into the sunlounger with the three of them – add to the to-do-list: bigger furniture. We’d also need a room with a huge bed for Luca’s heats.
I don’t want anybody to nest in my bed. Of course it’s the omegas choice where his nest is, so I’ll have to talk to him about this, ehm, ok, so now I really drifted off.

We cuddle and everybody kisses lazily. We giggle a lot and talk a little about what everyone expects from being a pack and if any major changes need to be made.
We make a group chat to plan things more easily and decide that the two of them will move in in a couple of days, so they’ll already be a secure part of the pack for Luca’s next heat.

They will only start paying rent after they managed to cancel the payments for their old places.
Matty already plans so enrol at my uni for law mid-semester, if possible, because he’ll be able to manage the costs if he doesn’t have to pay for his own place and works part-time. We can also share the ride then and even share the room I managed to secure for the times I need to stay overnight, so it’s all working out brilliantly.

The guys leave together when the sun is long down. We can still hear them talking as we close the door behind them, Luca leaning against me, and they walk down the driveway.
I plant a kiss on my omega’s forehead. ‘How are you feeling?’, I ask him. ‘Are you ok? Anything you need to add?’

He shakes his head while pressing it against my chin. ‘No, everything works our great, I think. I’m a little overwhelmed right now, but in a good way.’
‘That’s good.’, I say and move a little away. ‘Why don’t you go to bed? I’d like to write down a couple of things as long as they are fresh.’

He pulls off me reluctantly. ‘Can I stay with you?’
I feel a stupid grin grow on my face. ‘Of course you can, darling.’

We settle down on the sofa, me with a notebook and a pen, Luca with his head in my lap, lying down.
He opens the lower buttons of my shirt and starts kissing my stomach while I note down the to do list.

‘Having fun?’, I ask him and he makes an amused humming sound and puts his nose in my belly button, which tickles.
I put the notebook down and squeeze next to him on the sofa. ‘Are you done exploring?’

He grins. ‘Never.’, he tells me and leans in for a kiss. This time he is the one that starts to explore with his tongue.
I open my mouth and react to his tempo and pressure until he breaks the kiss to breathe.

‘Did you miss me today?’, I ask him, curious, and he shrugs and blushes.
‘Maybe. Like, I know you were there all the time, but you weren’t with me. And I like the guys, but being with them felt way better when I could see you approve. Does that make sense?’

I nod. ‘It does. We’ll get used to it. I guess your insecurities – and mine- will fade when we share a pack scent.’
‘You’re insecure?’, he sounds incredulous.

‘Sure. I kissed Tom in the kitchen and it didn’t feel half as nice as kissing you. And I was worried if it is the same for you. And I’m a little worried that you don’t like me doing things with the other guys. I know we talked about sharing your heat but we never talked about me doing stuff.’
He laughs. ‘I like that it’s equal.’, he simply states and that’s perfect.

We kiss again and I smell Luca slick up, which arouses the hell out of me, as always. It’s almost scary, how in sync our bodies can be.
I make to pull him up and get us to bed, but he refuses.

‘You know.’, he says with a mysterious smile. ‘We’ve never done it in the living room. And I think we won’t do much stuff in the living room, just the two of us, at least, after the others moved in.’

His eyes are darker than usual and there’s something feral in them. I slide back onto the sofa.
‘What are you saying?’, I ask, curious how far he’s going to get.

I think I’m pretty aware of what he’s saying. I also think it’s a good idea. And him saying ‘just the two of us’- oh boy!
He rolls his eyes. ‘You know what I’m saying, Marco.’

I feel my mouth curl up. ‘Tell me, nevertheless. What should an alpha and an omega do right now, on the sofa?’
‘Well, I think it’s an alpha's duty to fill his omega with his knot now and then, so they both don’t forget that they belong together.’

Mhm. Interesting. ‘Yeah, how would that come to pass?’
Luca pretends to think about it. ‘I think it starts with making out. And the omega would get aroused from that, silly little horny things that they are.’
He’s clearly amused right now and I have to laugh, which seems to please him, while he continues.

‘And if the alpha is really in tune with his omega, he’d know that the omega is aroused. And he’d know exactly what needs to be done, of course.’
‘What would the alpha do?’, I ask him and he frowns a little and thinks. He tilts his head and looks at me with a quizzical expression.

‘What do you think?’, he asks innocently and I growl.
His handing me the control over this situation like this is just –argh- way too hot! He seems to think so, too.

His already blown pupils get even bigger and his breathe hitches as I manhandle him to lie on his back and prop myself up over him.
His eyes glide over my arms and then to my face, where they linger, gradually avoiding to meet my eyes, like the good submissive omega he is.

The scent of his slick is heavy in the air now. ‘Undress.’, I growl and he breathes hard while he tries to struggle out of his clothes with me still over him.
I become impatient and help him, then bite into his nipple as soon as he’s lying again. He closes his eyes and whimpers, but it’s the good kind.

‘Don’t worry baby, I’m here. I’m going to take good care of you.’, my inner alpha makes me say.
His eyes open, innocent and huge.

‘Fuck, Marco.’, he breathes and that is so different from the helpless, little ‘alpha’ I expected, that I laugh and my arms stop to hold me.
He yelps when my body knocks the breath out of him and then we both giggle while we roll off the sofa, onto the floor.

‘Ouch.’, he breathes and I tense and look at his face.
‘Are you hurt?’, I ask, suddenly intent on his answer and nothing else. My omega can’t be hurt. Never. I won’t let him get hurt!

He looks at me strangely and shakes his head.
‘It’s ok, Marco. I’m ok. We’re ok.’, he says and very cautiously puts out his hand to stroke my cheek, like I’m some kind of wild animal.

I growl and start to lick at his hand and he just watches me, already panting again, his pink dick pressed against his stomach.
I pull him to me and somehow manage to make him sit on the sofa while I stay on the floor.

I lick my way from his knees over his inner thighs and he makes the most delicious little noises when I start to lick his little balls, sometimes changing course, to taste a bit of his slick.
I push him, so his upper body falls back and he’s not able to look at me anymore, and work myself a little deeper until he’s wriggling, uncomprehensive and very wet, before I climb up between his legs.

He immediately sits up to kiss me, not even in the slightest disturbed by his taste on my mouth anymore.
We change positions, me sitting on the sofa, he straddling me and he guides my dick easily into his hole and sits down on me completely.
I almost cum on the spot.

He smiles a devilish little smile at me, as if he knows what he’s doing. I can’t have that. I pull him to me and start nibbling on his neck in the proximity of his scent mark until he’s putty in my arms and not even able to hold himself up anymore.
That’s when I start to fuck into him from below, enjoying his startled yelps, that soon turn into moans.

I take his head in my hands and force him to look at me, while I kiss him and sometimes just watch his reactions.
I can see the point where he stops being embarrassed and starts to relish the attention.

His eyes are glazed over, his breathing picks up more and he stops trying to hold in his moans.
I wait until he shoots his load on my stomach before I knot, still rocking into him. I have an intense, drawn out orgasm that’s even more perfect when he starts to come a second time, on my knot.

Afterwards, I hold him close, our cheeks touching, his cum drying between us while we wait for my knot to go down.
I whisper silly little praises into his ear the whole time and I can feel and smell that he’s embarrassed, but he’s also very happy and that’s all that’s important.

His inner omega whimpers when my knot start to go down and my alpha makes me softly bite his neck, which makes him relax and then still against my body.
We stay like that for a couple of minutes and when I want to pull him of, carefully, I realize that he fell asleep.

‘I love you.’, I whisper when I arrange his limbs on the sofa and put the blanket on him.
He smiles in his sleep.

Chapter Text

I don’t know.

I don’t know what’s going on.

It was so good.

Like, Marco’s birthday really made us feel closer. Well, I at least thought so. While being devastated because I develop feelings for that guy. And just like that, like he somehow knows it, he’s distant.

He’s working a lot right now. If he’s not helping out at his father’s, he’s at uni. No more studying at home, oh no.
We’ve barely seen each other for the past couple of days.

Is it something I’ve done? Is it just- me? Does he need space, or…?

I don’t know.

And that makes me crazy.

I know I’m clingy, which isn’t helping. We still have breakfast together at least.
He told me I could sleep in, but hell no! I won’t miss the only chance of spending time with each other we have recently. And he seems glad about it.

But on the other hand, he was the one, who told me to sleep in. Not once, but, like, thrice.
So maybe he’d rather avoid me completely?

But he’s not saying anything. And he seems happy to see me. He’s his usual charming, attentive, totally lovable self whenever we see each other.
He doesn’t smell different.

Maybe a little stressed, but of course, I mean he’s working all the time, while I just laze around and feel bored.
I even started cleaning. Like, obsessively. To pass the time.

I’m also on my phone way too much. Of course I googled ‘Why does my alpha spend less time with me?’
Most sites tell me to make more of an effort. But that’s not it!

I know that he’s honest, when he tells me that he always like how I look. Has he just gotten tired of me from one day to the next?
Do things like that happen? Like a child, that someday just puts its favourite toy aside? I really thought he’d be better than that.

After a week, I open my birth control while he’s making breakfast. Somehow I managed to get to the last blister without noticing it.
I decide to address it, while I’m on his lap.

Marco seems absent-minded. Like most times.
His fingers play around my left wrist and I relish the feeling of his skin on my skin. We haven’t really touched for a couple of days and it starts to affect me physically.

I’m at the point where I think about using my toys. I can’t initiate sex myself, when he’s like this.
He seems so tired at night. And in the mornings, he’s in a hurry.

‘Marco?’, I ask him quietly, to not disturb his thoughts. They could be more important than my problem.
It’s not like I need my birth control right now. What should get me pregnant, huh?

‘Yes, darling?’, he says, but I can feel that his mind is elsewhere. I know that he’s still a good alpha.
I’m just spoilt by his undivided attention over the last weeks. How stupid of me to grow accustomed to that.

‘My birth control is running out. I need a new package.’, I tell him. His fingers still.
‘Yeah, sure.’, he tells me and pecks a kiss on my cheek before settling my gently on my feet and getting up himself.

He walks to the hallway and I hear the door. Just like that. I just stare at the doorframe. He didn’t just leave, did he?
Suddenly I hear the keys in the lock.

He comes in, looking hurried and rattled. ‘Sorry. I’m just- sorry.’
He leans down to kiss me. ‘Have a nice day, baby. See you later.’

This time he really leaves.
I wash the dishes, clean the kitchen surfaces and then stand there for like half an hour, just looking at the wall. I’m a little shocked when I look at the clock.

I go to the bathroom and follow my beauty routine. It feels wrong.
It’s not like he cares. And I don’t care as well. What’s the point, really?

I sit on our bed, inhaling our mingled scent and suddenly note, that I’m stroking his side of the mattress.
I force myself to stop. Is it that bad already? Shit!

I try to think about what I could’ve done wrong. But there’s nothing.
At his birthday, everything was great. Afterwards, we had the guys over, it was also great.

We had sex in the living room and I dreamed that he told me he loved me.
Did I speak in my sleep? Does he think I’m a total freak? Is that it?

I don’t want to ask him. It makes it real.
As long as we don’t talk about it I can pretend that everything is ok.

Maybe he will forget the thing I did and move on from it?
But why is he so sweet and normal when he’s here?

Or…maybe that’s why he’s gone all the time? The hormones fuck him up?
He doesn’t want to be into me but our compatible smells force him? It makes sense.

I mean, look at me, stroking his bedding and trying to inhale his scent when he’s not here.
This omega-alpha thing is out of control right now. He must feel it, too.

Maybe he wants to get me out of his system before my next heat, so he won’t mate me. It’s not really reversal.
He’d have to find an alpha that’s willing to mate an already mated omega to get rid of me after this.
Often omegas just die under suspicious circumstances, when their alpha doesn’t want them anymore. Not that I think he’d do that.

To my surprise, I hear him come back at lunch time. I stand up and walk to the stairs to meet him there, instead of sitting on his side of the bed like a psychopath.
He hurries up the stairs to me and embraces me.

‘Hi, sweety. I just had to come back to you. It was too strange to leave this morning.’ I sigh into his neck, suddenly exhausted.
He turns his head to look at me. ‘Are you ok, darling?’

‘Tired.’, I mutter, because I’m apparently an idiot.
I know that I withdraw. And I know I should open up instead. But I can’t help it. It’s just something I do.

I was never encouraged to talk about what’s bothering me before. It didn’t matter, as long as I functioned.
Mostly, the things solved themselves somehow. It’s not like I’m used to get what I want, so why do I think about this so much? I should just accept the situation and move on.

Marco seems to know that something is off, of course and nuzzles his nose into my hair, humming. ‘Talk to me, baby. Come on. We see each other so little these days.’
I almost snort. Who’s fault is that? Or- wait! Is he trying to make me angry, so I open up?

I mean, I know I’m way more vocal when I’m pissed and pushed to show it, but that’s just not fair.
Yeah, well, ok. Maybe I should just try it. He’s here, he’s relaxed and he asked if I’m ok.

‘Let’s go to the living room.’, I say and he takes my hand and leads me down the stairs before settling us in the armchair. I lean my forehead against his temple.
‘You- I don’t know. It’s just. You said you won’t have to work that much, when the others move in. But now you’re gone all the time?’

He presses his head against mine. ‘Baby, the others don’t live here yet and they won’t be paying rent for the first couple of weeks.’, he explains to me, in that patient tone that sometimes just sets me off.

I take a deep breath. ‘I know. But we managed just fine like it was and suddenly- are you avoiding me? Did I do something? I- I’m sorry, but - I don’t know what’s wrong. And I’d like to know.’

He’s silent for a while. Is he mad at me? His scent is like always, but he’s better at hiding emotions than I am.
He’s a powerful alpha, after all.

I can’t handle the silence.
‘I’m sorry for being pushy.’, I murmur.

He sighs and turns his head, so we’re forehead to forehead.
His eyes pierce into mine in a way that makes me unable to avert my gaze. I’m close to crying at this point.

‘Fuck, Luca, I’m sorry.’, he then says. ‘I should have known that you were feeling this way. I’m not avoiding you or anything. I just try to save some money.’
I frown and pull away a bit.

‘But- why? We have everything we need, don’t we?’ Is he already saving up for a new omega?
He looks sad. ‘Oh darling, please stop being miserable.’

His hand slowly moves to cup my cheek and his thumb starts stroking me.
I let myself sink into the feeling and press my cheek into his hand, searching for as much contact as he allows.

He moves in and softly presses his lips against mine. It’s not really a kiss, just a pleasant touch, like acknowledging that we both have lips somehow.
He moves closer with his whole body and I press against him. There’s too much clothes.

I love how his scent is around me, how he’s warm and feels perfect but there’s too little skin contact.
I start to whimper. ‘Oh darling, shhhh, what’s wrong?’, he whispers. I open my mouth to say – well, I don’t know, really. Instead, a sob comes out.

‘Oh baby.’, he says and then my damns break and he’s just holding me, making soothing noises while I cry for what feels like an eternity.
After I start to calm down, he helps me by stroking my neck with his thumb, not really applying pressure, just showing that he’s there.

It’s amazing, that he always knows what my body needs. Amazing and a little scary.
Like, I wouldn’t be able to manage without him by now. That’s terrifying as fuck!

He lays me down on the sofa and joins me, holding me tight while managing to put the blanket over us. It’s hot outside, but the blanket feels like a nest and I feel better instantly. He’s so good with that stuff.

He pecks little kisses on my nose, my cheeks, my eyes, my eyebrows.
‘I’m sorry, Luca.’, he then says and he sounds strange. There’s tears in his eyes as well.

‘I fucked up, big time. We’re too freshly bonded to be apart that often. I’m such an idiot. I know stuff like that. And you were in isolation beforehand, how could I even think about leaving you alone for hours on end?’

He seems really angry at himself and I move in to lick his neck. Can’t have my alpha distressed, no way!
He chuckles lightly. ‘You’re way to kind, Luca. I really don’t deserve such an amazing person as you.’

I look down. I still can’t take his praise. And it feels weird, him saying such things after avoiding me. ‘Marco, I- could you please tell me what this is about? Please. Alpha?’
He closes his eyes while inhaling deeply and tightening his embrace.

‘I want to give you a proper watch.’, he chuckles humourlessly. ‘You know, I was an idiot about mating. So I wanted to at least give you the traditional gift when I finally do it, so you know I’m serious about you.’

He opens his eyes to stare at me intently. ‘I really am. Please believe me.’
I nod. I know that. Well, somehow at least. Sometimes.

‘But- why did you start saving now?’ It doesn’t make sense. Watches for first omegas are mostly family heirlooms. And if not, the alpha started saving up really early. I know that much from intense discussions – and some screaming matches- between my father and my alpha siblings.

He sighs again. ‘Because I’m stupid. I didn't want to think about having an omega someday. I supressed that side of being an alpha completely. And father was leaving me alone, because I still have my mother's watch, if I really needed one. And I guess I didn't think about it further, even when I knew I'd be bonded soon.

But looking at it a couple of days ago, I realized that it’s a woman’s watch. And one thing I really like about you is that you’re a masculine omega.’
Oh. That actually makes sense. But-

‘I could make it work. If you want me to. Or you could just change the watchstrap? That’s surely less expensive than a new watch?’, I ask him, because hell, I’m not letting him work that much ever again.

He smiles a little. ‘Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. But- their relationship was so poisoned. And we’re- we’re good, right?’, he looks almost afraid of my answer. It’s weirdly pleasing for me to be the one that calms the other in our relationship.

I smile at him. ‘Of course we’re good, Marco. I wouldn’t have missed you that much if we weren’t.’ He winces at that. Of course I said the wrong thing and reminded him how he, well, yeah, fucked up. I need to distract him.

‘Can you show it to me?’, I ask him and when he opens his eyes again, startled, I clear my throat.
’I mean, could you, please? If you want to?’

He stands up and makes to leave the room, but then turns to take my hand and take me with him. We walk up the stairs and then up another set of stairs. I’ve never been up here.
I thought it was just the attic, but it’s some kind of storage room that could be used as a real room to live in. I’m immediately imagining it with some childrens’ beds and toys in it.

Marco goes to some wardrobe and opens a drawer. He hands me a nice-looking box, almost shyly.
I smile at him and slowly open it. Inside is a watch on a delicate bracelet.

It’s decorated with the same kind of stones my collar and earrings are decorated with.
It’s nice and I can absolutely imagine it with a wider, darker strap on my arm.

I tell my alpha as much, trying to not sound too greedy. It’s his choice to give me a watch after all.
And it’s a big step, sort of like a wedding ring. The watch speaks of commitment in addition to belonging to each other.

He stares at the watch as if he sees it for the first time. ‘You- you wouldn’t mind that it’s from a bad relationship?’
I shake my head. ’I wouldn’t. It’s your mother’s. You loved her, right? It doesn’t have to symbolize anything about your father at all.’

He frowns and nods, then his expression lights up as he looks at me. ‘You’re right. I’ll call my father. Tell him I’ll reduce my hours again.’
His eyes trail my face, like I was some expensive piece of jewellery instead of the watch.

‘You’re so wise, darling. And so forgiving. I really-‘, he stops.
I frown and tilt my head. What happened now?
Did I do something? Did he remember something just now?

He seems to brace himself and slowly lets out his breath.
’I think I might be falling in love with you.’, he says very quietly and very calm and oh-so-bravely.

I feel my chest constrict around my heart. Or maybe my heart is growing?
He’s watching me, but looks down when I catch his gaze. He opens his mouth and then closes it again.

Then he extends his hand to me.
‘Let’s go downstairs.’, he says, completely neutral as if nothing happened right now.
‘Take the watch with you, I’m going to get a new watchstrap for it.’

‘Ok.’, I say. I’d love to say something else, like ‘Oh, Marco’ or ‘Me, too.’ But I don’t know how.

Chapter Text

Did I just almost tell Luca that I love him, then chicken out and then tell him that I might be falling in love with him – which would be true if we, like, travelled in time and it was that Sunday at the park- and he completely ignored it?

Maybe. Maybe I just thought about saying it and didn’t really do it. God, I hope that’s the case.
My poor omega. First, I just leave him alone and then when he has a breakdown I spring something like that on him. Mental!

I put the watch into my backpack to get it a new watchstrap the next time I head out. There’s also a note in there. Ah yes!
‘Your birth control should arrive at the pharmacy next week.’, I tell Luca.

‘Good.’, he says meekly. ‘Thank you. You’re ok with this, right? No children yet?’
‘Hell yeah!’, I say so forcefully that he starts to chuckle.

‘Also I don’t want us to worry, if you were to get pregnant, who’s it is.’, I add a little sheepishly. The guys will be moving in soon after all.
Luca’s gaze is appraising me. He wrinkles his nose. I fight the urge to bite it softly when he speaks.

‘You know I don’t have to. Sleep with them. Ok, maybe in heat.’ He looks at his hands, clearly uncomfortable with the thought of being in heat again and exhausting me too much.
I take his hands in mine and he looks up.

‘No.’, I tell him. ‘You won’t start sleeping with them in heat. That could backfire to hard. You need familiar smells in your heat. You need to feel secure in the pack. Something new is not good during a heat.’
He wrinkles his nose again and softly sighs.

‘Ok. I understand. It’s just- You know you’re enough for me, right? Like, I don’t think I’d mind Tom or Matty, to be honest.’
I love the way he blushes at admitting this. ‘But I would be absolutely content if it’s just the two of us?’

I grin at him and give him a soft kiss.
I love the way he moves into me and instinctively reacts to my touch. ‘Yes. Thanks, darling. I’m okay, really. They will be pack soon. There’s no place for jealousy inside a pack. We’ll completely share a pack scent and then it will be completely normal.’

Something is bothering me. I’m trying to reassure myself as much as him and I don’t know why. I know, that I mean what I’m saying.
And it’s not like they will be able to give him something that I don’t- ah, well.

I clear my throat and am pretty sure that I blush, because Luca is looking at me rather fascinated.
‘I’m just- … Tom has a huge dick.’, I mumble.

Luca tilts his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. ‘Please don’t tell me that I just heard you right. It’s about penis size, really?’
He looks absolutely astonished and ready to make fun of me, but a closer look at my face has him sober up.

His eyes go soft and he strokes my cheek. ‘You know you’re, like, perfect for me, right? And also you can knot. He can’t. So maybe nature just wanted to make up for that?’
I have to chuckle at this. He’s too cute.

And he’s not downright lying to me or reassuring me with some empty phrases but thought about his answer. I have a feeling that our relationship has just reached another level.
Of course if there were any levels, we’d just died in the last level with him completely ignoring my confession to him, so maybe it’s not that big of an achievement.

‘Your reassurance is pretty weird, but I’ll take it.’, I tell him, trying to sound light and not as if my heart is about to explode. He laughs and kisses me.

Two days later, the guys move in.
Matty arrives with his truck full of stuff. He seems to be a reader. Go figure.

I help him carry everything in. He had a look at the furniture and decided to keep the big wardrobe (with the floor-length mirror) and bed in his new room.
Tom comes a little later, just shy of needing to help us. He has a talent for things like that.

We eat some pasta together. I put Luca on Tom’s lap when I stand up to do the dishes.
Matty immediately joins me with a towel. It’s nice to know he’s not above doing thing, just because he’s an alpha. Not that I would have thought that of him. Or he wouldn’t be here right now.

‘Hi, cutie.’, Tom grins at Luca. Luca smiles slightly and nuzzles into his neck.
Tom looks pleasantly surprised and covers his neck with his hand, copying what I’m usually doing.
It seems to work, Luca sighs happily.

‘Well, yeah, about touching my omega.’, I say and they sit up, alert, while Matty put down the plate and towel in his hand.
‘I want you to get verbal consent from Luca, before you do anything more.’

Matty looks relieved at that, Luca amused and Tom has a big grin on his face.
‘Of course, Marco. Sure thing.’ He turns to Luca. ‘You mind if I kiss you? Like, a lot?’

Luca giggles and throws a glance into my direction. I don’t react. It’s his choice.
‘I don’t mind.’, he tells Tom and is immediately caught up in a deep kiss.

I tear my eyes away from them and turn to Matty. ‘Also, no knotting before I mated him.’
‘Yes, of course.’, Matty bows his head at me.

That reminds me. ‘Did you get the tests?’, I ask Matty and he nods. ‘I’ll get the results tomorrow.’
‘Good.’, I raise my voice, so Tom feels included. He already handed me his negative test results and swore that he hasn’t slept with anyone since testing.

He’s really looking forward to fucking my omega. And Matty, definitely. Probably me, as well.
You never know, with Tom.

‘Can we agree on always using condoms outside of the pack in addition to regular tests?’
They both say yes, while Luca smiles at me, nuzzled into Tom’s shoulder for now.
It looks like he belongs there. It looks good. I smile back.

‘Any other rules for now?’, Matty asks and I think about it. We have some rules written down and we’ll schedule a pack meeting once a week for the first time to discuss stuff like that, but for now…
‘Well, clean up after yourselves. And- let’s try to have meals together in the evening?’, they all nod.

Something occurs to me and I turn to my omega. ‘Luca, if I’m not here – would you like to be fed?’
Luca looks startled. ‘Ehm. I-‘, his head goes crimson.
‘Yes.’, he says quietly and hides his face in Tom’s neck. Tom kisses his forehead with a smitten look in his eyes before smirking at me. Yes, this is going to work out fine.

I try to think of something else. ‘We talked about bank accounts and stuff.’, I tell them.
‘We each have the paper work to make it official. I’ll send it tomorrow, if you’re ok with that? Or do you need more time?’

They shake their heads and Matty soon leaves for his room to unpack and fill out the paperwork, while Tom seems content to have Luca on his lap for all eternity.
I step behind them and put my hands on Tom’s shoulders.
Luca presses his face against them and I grab his nose, which makes him squeal. Tom laughs and stands up, carrying him like he doesn't weigh anything.

Ok, so now I’m a little jealous at his size and strength. Luca’s gaze is fixed on me though and he mouths a kiss as I look back at him. The feeling vanishes. He’s my omega. This is my pack. Everything is perfect!

And I told the guys to bond a lot in the first couple of days, so they are basically just following my orders.
I contemplate leaving Tom and Luca alone for a while but that would be too much today.

So I follow Tom into the garden.
We've built a huge piece of furniture out of pallets, since they were here the last time. We easily settle down in it.

Tom arranges Luca on his lap as if he’s a puppet and Luca seems content with this. Then Tom extends his arm and pulls me closer to them as well.
‘Can the neighbours see us from here?’, he asks and I shake my head, grinning.
Luca’s eyes just went huge!

I lean in to kiss him and he parts his lips and lets me taste him with my tongue. I hum contently and he sighs and relaxes.
Then I withdraw and make him turn his head to meet Tom’s lips.

Tom grins while he kisses my omega with more force, until he’s panting and his pupils are dilated and I can smell his slick building.
I know Tom can’t smell that, but he’s experienced enough to know that Luca is ready and willing without that animalistic sense.

He lets Luca go and winks at me. I lean in and our mouths meet right before Luca’s face. Luca makes a strangled noise and I break the kiss to look at him. ‘Is that ok, darling?’
‘Fuck, yeah.’, he whispers, out of breath and Tom chuckles and pulls me in again.

We continue like this, taking turns kissing each other. Our hands start to join, Tom stroking my stomach until he reaches Luca’s thigh.
‘You ok with me touching you?’, he asks him, sounding a little out of breath himself, by now.

Luca needs a moment before he’s able to respond. ‘Yes, please.’, he pants and Tom smirks and let’s his hand slide over Luca’s chest.
Luca’s breath hitches and I use the chance to capture his mouth again.

Tom pulls him up a little, as he was threatening to slide of is lap, ridding Luca of his T-Shirt in the process. He plays with his nipples, while I slowly pull down Luca’s shorts.
‘You might want to lose the trousers, Tom.’, I say matter-of-factly. ‘He’ll soak them in no time.’

Luca looks at me with half-lidded eyes, mouth slightly open. Like on command, he produces a little slick. Tom chuckles and gently bites in his earlobe.
‘Too late.’, he says. ‘I also rather like the power dynamic between us being clothed and him being naked. How ‘bout you, alpha?’, He wiggles his brows at me and sucks a bruise into Luca’s shoulder.

I look at my omega’s blissed out face and grin. ‘Yeah, that’s actually kinda hot. I also like how you manhandle him without any resistance.’
Luca moans again and tries to lift his arms, maybe to pull me in, but Tom won’t have it.

‘Oh, don’t start moving on your own now, little omega.’, he orders him gently and Luca obediently lets his arms sink and throws his head back to give Tom better access, all while still looking at me.

I have to remember that side of him for later use. My dominance in bed is different from Tom's, ususally, but seeing Luca like this, so bonelessly and clearly aroused in his voluntarily helpless state, is extremely hot.
‘Want me to fuck you like this, Luca?’, Tom whispers in his ear and Luca’s eyes spring open, fixed on nothing before fixing on me. I smile at him.

‘Tom asked you a question.’, I tell him when it’s clear that he’s not going to answer. ‘Don’t be impolite now. What should he think of us?’
‘Please.’, Luca whispers and Tom smirks.

‘Please what?’, he asks and pinches Luca’s nipple which makes him hiss.
‘Please fuck me, Tom.’, he breathes and Tom smirks at me. ‘Really, you want your alpha to watch?’

‘He can join us.’, Luca replies, surprisingly lucid for now. I lean forward and kiss him, while Tom lifts him up a little, fumbling a bit below him, and then hums.
‘Oh, you’re all ready for me. No lube needed. Good boy.’, he tells him in a low voice and Luca moans softly while Tom moves him like he needs him. ‘Oh, yeah, that’s it, just like that. Sit down on my dick, cutie.’, he tells my moaning omega.

I move in and kneel over their legs, facing them. Tom slowly fucks into Luca. He moves his head over Luca’s shoulder and we kiss in front of him again.
I let my hand wander to Luca’s dick meanwhile and am rewarded with a high-pitches noise when I start to stroke it.

I stop kissing Tom, who just switches to Luca, and open my own pants. I get my own penis out and take us both in my hand.
I take Luca’s arms, that he still doesn’t use, obedient darling that he is, and wrap one of his hands around our dicks. I keep my hand above his and start moving our hands in the rhythm of Tom’s thrusts.

Luca whimpers and moans and starts to throw his head around, but is stopped by Tom biting softly in his neck.
‘What’s wrong, darling?’, I ask him and he whines.
‘Too intense. Too much.’, he pants and Tom and I smirk at each other. ‘You want us to stop? You know we will, if you ask us to, right?’

‘Don’t stop. Please.’, Luca immediately pants. I lean in and lick from his collarbone to his ear.
‘Good boy.’, I croon into his ear and he shudders. ‘Marco, Marco please.’

‘What do you need, baby?’ Instead of answering he turns his head and kisses me. We all stop for a moment and turn our heads when we hear the door to the house fall shut.
Matty stands in the doorframe, his hand on the bulge in his pants, pupils blown wide.

‘Don’t stop because of me.’, he says and Tom laughs softly and hammers into Luca.
That’s what brings the omega over the edge. I feel his dick pulsate in my hand and my hand gets sticky.

‘You made a mess.’, I tell him hoarsely and he shudders, while Tom is still rocking into him. I lift my hand to his face and after a startled second he understands and starts licking his semen from it.

Matty makes a strangled noise. I turn to him, as if we’re just having coffee outside. ‘Are you looking forward to your test results coming in?’, I ask him.
‘Hell yeah.’, he grunts.

Luca watches him, while he licks my hand clean and then starts sucking on my finger.
‘Oh baby, do you need to suck something?’, I ask him innocently and he nods, whimpering.

I stand up, grabbing Tom’s shoulders. Tom gently makes Luca lean forward, until my dick is on his lips.
He licks his lips and looks up to me for approval, then he opens his mouth and takes me in.

Tom watches him intently and comes, when Luca swallows me whole, making him moan around my dick, which sets me off, too. I can hear Matty moan loudly next to us.
I cuddle next to the two of them, Tom still inside Luca, but way to sensitive now, by the way he winces, when Luca is pressed against him by my movement.

Luca is still standing proud, but makes no effort to touch himself.
He watches me with almost closed eyes and a content look on his face while Tom hugs him close.

‘That was awesome, cutie. I can’t wait to do this a lot with you.’, he whispers into his ear and Luca lets his eyes fall closed and his head loll back against him.
He wraps an arm around my upper body and pulls me close, pecking a kiss against my temple.

‘My good omega.’, I tell him softly and he smiles against my head.
Then his head snaps up. ‘Matty.’, he says and extends his other arm. I look up at the bigger alpha, who just closes his zipper.

‘Hi, Luca-.’, he says softly and slides to his knees in front of him. ‘Looks like you’re not finished. Poor baby.’
The look in his eyes is feral and Luca shudders when Matty comes nearer.

‘I’m going to suck you off, little one, okay?’, he asks sweetly and Luca yelps high-pitched and nods.
Matty chuckles. ‘Verbal consent, your alpha said.’, he reminds him and Luca lets out a shaky breath.

‘Matty, God, please!’, he says and that’s all Matty needs. He licks Luca’s penis a little, until there’s some more precum building, then swallows him whole.
Luca’s body tries to arch up, but Tom is holding him tightly. He makes some sounds deep in his throat and then moans into my mouth when I start to kiss him.
It takes a couple of minutes and then he lets out a small yell, tenses and slumps.

Matty chuckles and comes up, cuddling to Tom’s other side with one arm around my omega and one arm around Tom’s shoulders.

Chapter Text

It’s amazing what a difference living in a pack makes!
And a young, perfectly nice pack like that. And sexy, boy are those men sexy, everyone in their own way.

I mean, I was very content with Marco alone. I still am. I also like it to be the two of us now and then.
But, well, yeah, I did feel lonely sometimes. And it was weird, with strange silences in our conversations or us not knowing what to do with each other from time to time.
It sounds weird, but sex isn't always the answer.

I mean, despite being the most patient and kind human being, Marco still is my alpha.
I’m a little cautious around him, it’s only sensible.
My omega nature doesn't really let me be myself around my alpha, even when my human side is growing pretty convinced that Marco would accept, even like me, like I am.

But the boys change this. I’m happy and open. Marco, too. I love his wickedness and how he likes to cuddle with Tom.
Tom is like a kitten with my alpha and like a tiger with me and that difference blows my mind.

Marco is also very good at the whole head alpha thing without being obvious about it.
It’s just natural that we are all friends but submit to him and I, of course, submit to all of them. But we’re not obvious about that, like most packs are.
They don’t even expect it from me and that makes it so much easier.

On our first weekend together, at breakfast, Marco asks me if I know how to ride a bike.
Matty laughs and I glare at him, but then also have to smile.

‘What, what?’, Tom asks, leaned forward with a glimmer in his eyes. ‘What’s the story?’
I groan and lean back against Marco’s shoulder. ‘There’s no story. I rode my bike. I fell. I was forbidden to ever ride again. End of story.’

‘And you were there to witness the glorious event?’, I hear my alpha’s voice ask next to my head in Matty’s direction.
Matty chuckles. ’Yeah, he fell in front of the school because he was looking at the lollipop man’s ass.’

I hide my face in the crook of my alpha’s neck.
The movement of Marco’s chest tells me he’s trying not to laugh. Traitor.

‘How old were you?’, he asks with a smile in his voice. I shrug. ‘Probably twelve. It was shortly before I presented.’
Marco chuckles. ’Wow, an early bloomer. So- wow, you really are gay, huh?’

I frown and move to look into his face.
‘I- ehm.’, I gesture vaguely at the space between us, then the other guys. ‘Isn’t that obvious?’

He shrugs. ‘I don’t know. Could just be hormonal and not because you’re attracted to men.’
God, Marco. You’re breaking my heart right now! His hopeful expression makes me kind of angry. Not attracted to him? I know he has several mirrors!

‘Marco you’re like the most attractive guy I have ever seen, are you kidding me?’, I tell him more forcefully than I intended.
‘Your ass was the only thing that kept me from jumping out of the window on my first day here.’, I add for emphasis.

Marco raises his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth. Tom almost chokes on his coffee.
Matty sounds a little worried. ‘Is it that hard for an omega? The transition? I don’t want anybody go through that, ever, because of me.’

I have to close my eyes for a second. What is with those guys this morning?
I turn to my oldest friend. ‘Oh, Matty. You can meet an omega the normal way, you know? Dating and stuff. So when he moves in with you, he’ll probably be glad to not see you for a week beforehand. Also he won’t be half as worried. You don’t have to go into rut for someone from a traditional family that still things it’s best not to tell their omega kid anything.’
Yes, I have been on the internet a lot and found out that the way my family handles things is not that normal, thank you very much.

Marco buries his nose in my neck for a while. Tom and Matty do the dishes and tidy up.
Tom frowns when he puts the jam back into the fridge. ‘What’s all this?’

Marco stretches a little under me. ‘That’s a picnic. I thought we’d ride the bikes into the forest to our clearing?’
Tom beams at him. ‘Love that idea. But what about our perverted, obviously gay, bike accident victim here?’ He pats my head. I try to bite him, but he’s faster.
Marco shrugs. ‘They always say, that you can’t unlearn it. Let’s test that.’

We pack, dress and meet at the garage. Marco hands me his newer bike and adjusts the height of the saddle and the handlebar for me.
He takes an older one. There's a lot of stuff in the garage, now that I think about it.
The other two have their own bikes that they moved here with.

I look down at the handlebar and am suddenly nervous. I always wondered if the lollipop man’s - well, he was more teen than man, honestly!- ass did trigger my presentation.
Maybe I could have had more time with my friends, at school, living a carefree beta life, if I wouldn’t have felt some kind of unexplainable attraction at this day.

I swallow it down, when Marco, who took his bike out for a spin, comes to a halt next to me.
‘Are you ok, baby? You can sit on the back of my bike when you don’t feel like riding yourself, ok?’

I inhale deeply and then nod.
‘I’ll try it.’, I tell him and am rewarded with his amazing grin.

For once, a saying is right. You can’t unlearn it. As soon as I sit on the saddle and the bike is moving it all comes back to my muscle memory.
I have some difficulty with my sense of balance, and Tom and Matty aren’t really helping, always almost overtaking me to then yell ‘Careful, don’t let him see your butt.’, and breaking to fall behind. I can’t even roll my eyes that much.

Marco just laughs at them and stays by my side until I feel bolder and we even race each other for a while.
The forest path is nice for biking, always going a bit up and down, with a nice, firm, earth underground.

Marco takes the lead, when we’re deeper in the forest, checking if I’m still there and good and everything every minute.
I’m more than good. I forgot how free you feel when you ride down a little hill and then up another hill, all very fast, just by the strength of your own body.

I’m still happy when we’re there. Even though I notice that my ass hurts, when I stand on my feet again.
Marco puts a blanket on the grass and sits down on it, unpacking various food and drinks. I kneel down behind him and hug him. He leans back into me for a while.

Tom and Matty let their (expensive!) bikes fall into the grass and then play tag like some overexcited children, before coming over. Tom gets something from his saddlebag.
It’s a ball, that he’s pumping full of air now.
Oh God, they don’t want to do sports the whole day?

‘Don't let it touch the ground!’, he yells and pritches the ball to Matty, who’s on the other side of the clearing.
I instinctively duck my head. Tom notices the movement.

‘You wanna play ball with us, cutie?’, he asks.
‘I don’t want any of your balls anywhere near me, Tom.’, I reply dryly and am rewarded with my alpha’s chuckle.

Tom laughs loudly. ‘Now you’re just lying.’, he says confidently and I have to grin.
‘I don’t want any of your balls near me right now, Tom. You need to listen.’, I tell him.
‘Well, I’m ok with your balls.’, Matty yells, while jogging over to us. ‘Come on!’

Marco and me lie down on the blanket while the guys are yelling and groaning and laughing a couple of metres away.
I look at the clouds and nudge Marco. ‘Look, that cloud looks like a whale.’, I tell him.

He puts his head next to mine to have a better view, then snorts. ‘That’s a strange ass whale. His eye is like in the middle of his body.’
I scoff ‘Hello? He’s not like the others. Someone once told me that’s ok.’
Marco kisses my cheek. I can feel him grin against it afterwards.

‘Look, he has a turtle friend.’, I tell him, because I’m now totally invested in what’s happening in the sky.
Marco looks up again and begins to laugh. ‘The turtle is doing a huge shit right now.’

I crack up and Marco looks at me with this pleased smile, like it’s some great achievement when I laugh.
‘You know.’, I tell him. ‘You’re not supposed to talk to an omega like that. We’re supposed to be all fragile and delicate and shit like that.’

Now it’s Marco’s turn to laugh. ‘Supposed to, eh?’ He kisses my shoulder.
We just snuggle for a while, until Tom makes Marco play ball with him, because apparently that’s something they do in the forest.

Matty sits down with me, slightly sweaty and out of breath. He took off his shirt while playing and his glorious, golden skin stretches over his muscles.
The sight is more interesting than the clouds, to be honest.
He sees me look at him and grins. ‘I’m glad you’re not on a bike right now.’, he says, a little huskily.

I chuckle. ‘I’m not looking at your ass, Matty.’ I tell him. ‘You’re sitting on it.’
He kneels up, turns and puts down his trousers to show me his pale backside. I scoff and shake my head while he turns around again.

‘So, what do you say?’, he asks and cuddles against me. I snort. ‘Matthew, you don’t need compliments for me. Your ego is big enough.’
He leans in to kiss my forehead. ‘It’s always nice to know when the pack omega desires you, you know?’ He tries to sound nonchalantly. Emphasis on tries.

I look up to him and as he was already looking down to me, we’re now forehead to forehead, nose to nose.
‘I have very attractive pack mates.’, I tell him and his mouth curls up.

‘May I kiss you?’, he asks, suddenly sober again. It’s weird. We already kissed a lot, if less than with Tom.
But this feels different right now. More intimate. He has to feel it, too, or he wouldn’t ask.

‘Yes.’, I say, surprised how weak my voice sounds. Matty moves a little closer and then his lips are on mine and he kisses me softly, languidly and almost lazily.
I open my mouth, respond a little, but mostly let him do the work.

‘I’m glad we ran into each other.’, Matty says, after he stopped. He’s talking very quietly and is still in my face and it’s very intimate and as if the whole world were gone and there’s just us left.
‘I thought about you, a lot. And you’re even more beautiful as an adult. And sexy, god, you have no idea, right?. I’m glad I’m part of your pack or I would be in rut every time I went home after visiting you.’

I just look at him. I can’t really process anything right now, just that he’s here and he’s warm and smells good and he thinks I’m sexy and he’s a really good kisser.
Apparently he doesn’t expect a reply, because he just smiles at me and strokes my cheek, then moves in again for another kissing session.

We are rudely disturbed by the ball hitting Matty’s head. Matty winces, then looks up and good-naturedly yells ‘You wanker!’ at a laughing Tom.
He and Marco settle down on the blanket. Matty makes to move away from me, but Marco smiles strangely at him and nods at him to stay there.

I quickly get rid of the thought that his behaviour is weird. I need to stop worrying so much.
He has been handing me off to the guys a lot these past days. We’re still bonding as a pack, after all.

I let Matty feed me with the delicious sandwiches and some fruit, staying mostly passive, but chuckling at their easy banter.
We are a huge cuddly mess of limbs afterwards, until the wind picks up and the sky gets darker. ‘Looks like a storm.’, Marco says and the others nod.

We hurry home and are just inside the house when it starts to rain bucket lots and the wind threatens to uproot several younger tress in the area.
We cuddle up against the living room window and look out.

Matty behind me, his arms wrapped around me. Tom, next to me, his arm wrapped around Matty and his hand touching my back, his other arm around Marco.
I suddenly miss my alpha. We haven’t touched for hours. I wince and make to move to him.

Matty immediately lets me go. He smells a bit weird, but then he’s normal again, so I think the storm is messing with my senses.
Marco opens his arms as I settle in front of him, his nose immediately buried in the hair at my neck. I relax into his embrace.

My alpha excuses himself afterwards, apparently he still needs to study.
I have a strange feeling about this, but Tom and Matty settle in front of the TV with me and we play a wrestling game - where, me, the omega, mostly wins, ha!-, so the feeling is soon forgotten.

It pops back up when I get myself ready for bed and Marco is still in his little study. I knock and then open.
Marco sits on his desk in the dark, facing his laptop, not moving. I crouch towards him, because maybe he fell asleep like this?
He puts up his head and turns to me with clear eyes. So he was awake.

‘Uhm, I’m – going to bed. Are you coming?’
He smiles at me, looking tired. ‘Sure, baby. I’m with you in a second. Or if you want to, you can sleep in another bed, so you don’t have to wait?’

I freeze at that. What is he saying? Does he want me to sleep with someone else?
But no, Marco is not the guy that would cover an order as a question for me. Also I’m somehow very convinced that he wants me to decide on sleeping with him.

I extend my hand. ‘I’d rather sleep with you, Marco.’, I say softly and his face looks a little less tired.
He groans as he stands up. ‘Coming.’

I undress in our room and settle down under the blanket. I’m almost asleep by the time he comes in. I wonder what took so long.
He’s moving cautiously and silently, like he expects me to be asleep.

He startles when he turns to me in bed and looks at me. ‘I thought you were asleep.’, he whispers.
‘Did you just take extra long, so I would fall asleep?’, I ask him, suddenly suspicious. Something is off and it’s starting to affect me.

He frowns ‘Why do you think that?’ Aha! I have him now!
I recently discovered that he’s never lying. He’s just avoiding to give a straight answer.

‘Did you or didn’t you?’, I ask and he shrugs.
I sigh. ‘Marco, you tell me to talk to you all the time but now you clearly have something. Please talk to me as well.’

He opens his arms and I let myself be wrapped into his embrace. ‘It’s stupid.’, he says softly.
I make an encouraging noise.

His kisses my forehead and then lets his mouth rest there, stroking my hair with his nose.
‘Just…you and Matty, you looked so comfy together. And you have a past and everything. It's like you belong with each other.’

I shuffle and try to wiggle out of his embrace, but it’s too tight. I huff and settle back against him.
‘But I belong with you, alpha.’, I tell him and feel him relax slightly.

‘You’re not really jealous of Matty right now?’ I have to ask.
This is like, so stupid. I always thought I was the one with the stupid thoughts around here.

I manage to wiggle out of his embrace enough to look at him this time and tilt my head.
‘No.’, Marco answer too fast and looks sheepishly and I have to laugh.

‘Oh, Marco. Matty is like an overgrown golden retriever. I can’t take him that seriously. I like him, yes, but I- ehm, you don’t have to be jealous.’
I gesture with my hands, trying to get my point across. ‘I’m glad that he’s pack, I’m glad that we like each other and fit- like, in all aspects, I guess.'
I can't help but blush. I haven't even slept with Matty yet, but I'm sure that we'll fit!

Well, back to the matter at hand!
'But you’re my alpha. You’re my- husband?’ I try out this huge word and I think it fits and that’s just- wow.
Marco seems to think so too, because he lights up and then leans in to kiss me. We break off after a while, both too tired for anything else.

‘So, you take me seriously?’, he whispers, when I’m almost asleep.
‘Well, mostly, yes.’, I manage to reply while barely moving.

‘Ha! I’ll teach you mostly.’, Marco responds, but before I can find out how, we’re both asleep.

Chapter Text

After our trip with the bikes, I think our pack is bonded enough for me to leave for a couple of days for a uni workshop.
Luca doesn’t think so, though.

His green eyes are huge when he turns to me after I made the announcement.
‘But you-‘, he whispers and then falls quiet and lets his head hang.

I have to stifle a sigh. He’s still uncomfortable with telling me when he’s sad. And why he’s sad.
I nudge him softly. ‘Hey, darling, what’s up? Please talk to me.’

He inhales loudly. ‘It’s just- you said you’d moved out of the dorm so you could take me with you. And now you’re still leaving me behind.’
Huh. I didn’t even think about that. He’s right- partly.

‘But Luca,’, I try to explain myself. ‘It’s not like last time. Grandma doesn’t have a key anymore. And you’re not alone.’
He shrugs. ‘I still want to be with you.’

I have no idea how I’m able to feel sad for him and absolute happy because he wants to be with me at once.
‘Ok, then come with me.’, I say and am instantly rewarded when his face lights up and his beautiful eyes look at me in wonder.

‘Seriously?’, he frowns. ’I don’t want to be a burden or anything. You already ar-‘
‘Luca.’, I interrupt him more sternly than I intended and he shivers. I need to take a moment to breathe and concentrate on the matter of hand after that.

‘It’s ok. You’re not a burden. I’m looking forward to show you the campus and for you to meet my friends and you won’t even be alone in the room because we’re living with a very nice beta couple. It’s no trouble, seriously.’
Luca nods and his frown almost vanishes. He jumps from my lap. ‘I’m going to go pack.’

Half an hour later we say out goodbyes to the guys – I have the vague feeling they will fuck their brains out in the living room as soon as we’re gone by seeing Tom smirk and Matty blush – and are off.

It’s nice to have Luca in the car again. His smell still lingers in it after our first trip together, but it’s still good to refresh it.
Also I’ve always found it less awkward to have a conversation while driving, without the need to look at each other.

I don’t talk to my omega often enough. I know what he likes in bed, sure.
I know what he likes to eat, to wear, a little about his upbringing, but even that mostly from Matty.

We start a discussion about music. He likes underground hip hop and punkrock – why am I not surprised? – and always needed to hide it from his fathers.
But he’s ok with the Cat Empire playing in the car nevertheless.
As long as we’re not playing the radio.

Apparently his family always has the radio playing in the kitchen and he knows every advert and jingle from the last 18 years by heart. I test him on it- it’s true.
We laugh a lot and I feel very close to him. It’s nice. I hope it won’t get awkward when we get there.

It does.
Quickly.

Mrs. Jones opens the door for me and looks startled when she sees Luca.
‘Oh, Marco, did you bring your omega after all?’ She sounds nice and happy, but something is off. From the way Luca stiffs, I know he noticed it too.

‘That’s still ok, right?’, I ask and she quickly nods, then hesitates.
’Yes, of course. We knew you rented the room with the possibility of it being the two of you. It’s just, as we thought you were coming alone we invited our son to stay for the weekend.’

Oh. That could be bad news. I moved in with the Jones because the room is big enough for two and relatively cheap.
But also because they are betas that are used to an alpha presence, as their son is an alpha.

He moved out to boarding school though and we made it clear that he won’t be there when I’m here with a strange omega. Look how well that worked out.

I turn to look at Luca, then back to Mrs. Jones. ‘It doesn’t have to be a problem, right?’, I ask her.
Because we’re all humans first and it fucking doesn’t have to be a problem!
She brightens up. ’No, of course not. Stephen can behave himself.’

Luca takes my hand as she leads us to our room. It’s homely and cosy and I feel the tension leave Luca’s body as he sits carefully on the edge of the mattress.
The bed is made up with our linen, that he too slept in and there are a couple of my old shirts on the clothing rack, so it will smell like our nest to him. I’m glad it worked.

‘Thank you for doing all this.’, he says softly, vaguely gesturing towards the room. I sit down next to him and he leans into me.
‘You’re welcome baby.’, I say. We snuggle for a while.

I knew it was too early for Luca to leave the house like this.
I know I’m with him and everything but his omega instincts are still insecure when outside his relatively newly acclaimed nest. He must feel really lost right now.

I lie down with him and hug him close. Body contact and tight grips or being weighted down always works on omegas, I just learned in uni why and how.
I immediately forgot about the why after I had to write a paper about it, but the how is the important part and I’m grateful that I seem to be doing well at that bit.

After two hours, Mrs. Jones knocks. ‘Would you like to have lunch with us, boys?’ she asks. I look at Luca, who shrugs.
His stomach rumbles. That decides it.

‘Yes, thank you Mrs. Jones.’, I call and a couple of minutes later we leave the room, Luca awfully tense, insecure, and clingy. Ok, I don’t mind the last part.
Their son isn’t there yet and Luca slowly unfreezes with the nice older couple and is his usual, quiet but charming self. Mr. Jones shoos us out when we try to help him with the dishes and so we decide to take a walk outside.

The uni isn’t far away and I show Luca which buildings I go to for which classes from afar.
It’s too early for him to enter the huge building full of strangers. It’s also too early for him to meet my friends.

I already cancelled on them and got a lot of frustrated emojis back. I haven’t even shown them a picture of Luca yet, because I think he wouldn’t be comfortable with that.
There may even be one or two guys spreading the rumour that I invented my omega. Well, the joke’s on them.

I get us an ice cream and we sit on a bench near the river, watching the ducks and some people that walk their dogs.
I have my arm wrapped around his shoulders and he’s leaning into me, sometimes looking up for a quick kiss.

I love how nobody cares about us.
Male couples as well as alpha-omega couples that are outside together get stared at a lot where we live.

But here in this young, multicultural university town, people have already seen a lot.
Also the alphas in bigger cities are normally less traditional and less assholy, because they mostly grew up around a lot of betas and don’t have a god-complex.
Maybe it was good that I brought Luca with me after all.

We slowly walk back after a while, holding hands and being almost too happy together. This stops when we reach the staircase.
Even before the door to the Jones’ apartment opens, we can both smell the alpha.

It’s shocking. After I visited Luca’s old home, ate with my father and welcomed Matty to our house I really started to think that maybe I wouldn’t be that affected with another alpha near my omega.
Boy, was I wrong!

I feel the hair in my neck rise. My lips want to rise too, to bare my teeth – There’s not even anybody here right now, you idiot instincts!- and I snap out of feeling all bristly when Luca makes a strangled noise and pulls his hand out of my death-grip on his hand.
My whole body goes back to normal.

‘Sorry, babe.’, I say and he shrugs. ‘I understand. I feel it too.’, he says and looks almost afraid.
The other alpha is scaring my omega. How dare he?

I take a couple of deep breaths before I ring the bell. I don’t want to let myself in when their son is there.
It’s his home and we are the strangers, so anything could happen.

Mrs. Jones lets us in, looking tense but forcing a smile.
We go into the living room where a huge, ripped teenager is lounging on the sofa, looking intensely at the door and then at us.

We look each other up and down and then both seem to decide that we’re better off with a truce than a conflict.
I’m immediately not interesting to him anymore. Luca is.

The alpha gasps and sits up straight.
‘Holy fuck, he looks like a supermodel. I didn’t even know they made them like this.’, he says and he sounds so young that I can’t even be that angry about his inappropriate comment.

His mother is, though.
‘Stephen, don’t talk like that to our guests.’, she reprimands him and he puts his shoulders to his ears.
It’s interesting to see that his mother is still his alpha when he’s home, even though she’s beta.

Mrs. Jones shoos us into the dining room and calls for her son. ‘So, this is Stephen. And this is Marco, the student I told you about. His spouse’s name is Luca.’
I’m very thankful for her addressing Luca as my spouse instead of my omega.

It’s clear the family doesn’t have a lot of experience with omegas.
The Jones are nice enough but Stephen can’t take his eyes of Luca and the way he spoke about him – he clearly thinks he’s some sort of thing.

A lot of alphas think that, because that way they don’t have to address the issue that they have power over another human being.
A lot of betas think so to, because of sappy romances and the general talk about omegas like they’re some mystical creatures.

Of course most of them don’t even have a chance of ever meeting an omega that’s just themselves, protected and oppressed as they are either from alphas in general or by their alpha.

Luca doesn’t let go of my hand once, while Mrs. Jones talks to us about our afternoon and sets the table, even making her son help.
Luca flinches and moves further in my direction when the alpha comes near him.

The teenager notices and moves very deliberately and slowly after that. I’m grateful for it.

Dinner is nice and even Luca loosens up a bit, while Mr. Jones tells us how he met his wife, their son rolling his eyes and looking sullen, because I’m sure he heard this story like a thousand times.
His whole demeanour changes when Luca laughs at some funny interjection of Mrs. Jones.

He focuses completely on my omega.
I can understand, Luca’s laugh is very, very nice and the way he smells when he’s happy- but this is my omega and an alpha looking at a strange omega like this is similar to a beta jerking of in public transport while watching a beta woman. It’s just not done.

I tense and growl. The teenager’s gaze swiftly changes from Luca to me, then immediately back to Luca.
Luca froze and his breathing is fast and shallow.

‘Stephen.’, Mrs. Jones starts to say but her son growls at her and she pales.
He slowly stands up and I copy him immediately, pushing Luca behind me in the process. Luca whimpers.

‘Come here, darling.’, Mrs. Jones says and I feel him move away from me. Which is good, because it’s also away from the other alpha.
It’s also bad, because he’s my omega and he has to stay with me.

Mrs. Jones starts to gently lead him out of the room and I turn to them and growl. Luca freezes again, lowers his head and presses himself into the corner of the room.
I’m satisfied. He has to stay here. I have to smell him. Be able to see him if I want to. Hear him. Maybe feel him.

I turn back in time to see the other alpha approach. I think he’s intend to attack me and get into a defensive position. I’m wrong.
He ignores me completely and tries to pass me on his way to Luca. No fucking way.

I grab his shoulder and push him into the direction he came from. Now he concentrates on me and growls.
He lunges at me and I hear Luca breathe in sharply when he catches my ear instead of my whole face.

I put my hand up to feel for damage. It’s mostly okay.
Then I look at my hand. It’s bloody. That’s it. This means we’re going to fight.

I let my alpha instincts take fully over. The next couple of minutes are a blur of motions, noises and thoughts.
I come to me, when I crouch over the other alpha- over Stephen. My hosts’ son. Oh shit!

He’s crying, screwing up his eyes and bleeding.
I have the taste of blood in my mouth and the only thing that is stopping me from going in for the death bite is Luca, who has his arms wrapped around me and hugs me from behind.

I growl and he ups the pressure. I slowly stand up, taking a step back in the process and Luca slowly lets me go.
‘Are you back?’, he asks with a trembling voice. I take a deep breath. I’m not able to answer right now. I barely manage a slight nod.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones are standing in the doorway, looking shocked. He is clutching a phone.
‘I- I’m sorry.’, I say to them.

Mrs. Jones nods at me. ‘It’s ok. You weren’t yourself right now. We’ve seen it in him often enough. And he provoked it.’
‘I didn’t.’, the other alphas voice comes defiantly from behind me. I turn back to him and he flinches back, but then sticks his chin out.

‘He’s not even your mate.’, he spits in my direction.
I raise my brows. ‘He’s my spouse and my bond and my packmate. The bite isn’t important. He’s mine either way. So back the fuck off, kid.’

I take a step towards him and he jumps up with surprising agility, getting ready to attack again. This time I’m ready.
I copy his stance and am ready to jump and kill, when something moves behind me.

Luca stand between us in a heartbeat, eyes trained in me. ‘Marco, he’s young and inexperienced.
He had no idea what’s happening with him right now. Please calm down.’

‘Get out of the way, Luca.’, I growl and I see the other alpha getting ready to jump.
Not at me, but at him. That fucking freak wants to bite my omega!

‘Luca, now!’, I command and this time I use my alpha voice.
The look on his face while he obeys my order breaks my heart but I don’t have time to dwell on it because Stephen is jumping and I have to step back to kick him in the stomach.

He lands on the floor, gasping and crying.
I crouch over him and growl and he looks up and then, finally, puts up his hands, shows me his wrists and neck, clearly submitting.

‘This isn’t over yet.’, I tell him and then, to Luca. ’We’re going.’
Luca looks unhappy but nods and follows me out of the apartment, not looking at the Jones.
‘I’ll talk about it and pick up our stuff after I dealt with my omega.’, I tell them and feel Luca flinches beside me while they nod.

‘Get your son a counsellor. He’s going to go crazy in the street and just mate some random omega otherwise.’, I continue.
Mrs. Jones gulps and looks like she wants to say something, but I already turned around, grabbed Luca’s elbow and fled the building.

I march us to the car and open it with trembling hands.
‘Get in.’, I order roughly and Luca slips in and fastens his seatbelt, looking straight ahead with a clenched jaw.

I close the door, a little more forcefully than I wanted, but I’m still in alpha mode.
I force myself to take some deep breathes and slowly relay my clenched fists, then my arms and shoulder, my whole body.

When I open my eyes again, Luca is watching me with an unreadable expression but looks away as soon as our eyes meet. Fuck!
I messed everything up. Again.

I roll my shoulder, then walk around the car and get in.
I immediately turn the music off because it’s way too happy.

We are silent for two thirds of the ride. It’s not a pleasant silence.
But I don’t know what to say. How to say it. Does he even want me to say anything?

I sigh when we reach the entrance to the city. It’s now or never.
‘Luca.’

I feel more than I hear that he faces me. The alpha in me is satisfied that he’s that submissive. The human in me had rather he’d just yell at me.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to use the voice on you. I was completely overwhelmed.’

Silence. Then. ‘That makes two of us.’
His voice is so very quiet that I struggle to hear him.

I wait if there’s something else he wants to say. When we reach our street he continues:
’I’m sorry for- making him react to me. And disobeying. And for disturbing your studies.’

Fuck! Of course he thinks that he has something to be sorry for. Why didn’t I think about this?
I’m the worst alpha ever. Maybe he really had been better off with Stephen.

‘It’s not your fault.’, I tell him and my voice sounds rough from growling and yelling and maybe even biting the kid. Shit! I really have to get back and settle all that chaos.
‘And I still have my dorm room, so you didn’t disrupt my studies.’

I thought that would reassure him but he smells even more miserable.
I don’t have time to talk it out with him.

I have to drive back, talk to the Jones, settle into my dorm room and be up bright and early tomorrow.
‘Shit!’, I cuss.

Luca flinches and I hear his breath hitch. Then he sniffles.
I reach into the glove box and give him a tissue, like I’m on autopilot.
I have no energy left to soothe him. I have no time.

I don’t even know why he cries.
Probably he thinks about how he could end up with such a brute.

I get out of the car and make him get out too. I walk him to the door.
Matty opens it, looking startled and then worried when he sees Luca.

‘I have to leave him here.’, I tell him softly while I guide my omega in his arms.
‘He’s distressed, but I have to go. Will you stay with him and take care of him please?’

Matty nods while already embracing the completely unresponsive Luca and nosing at his neck.
‘Sure thing, alpha.’, he says and I nod and turn around to drive away again.

Chapter Text

‘He’s distressed and I have to go.’, Marco says. ‘Will you stay here with him and take care of him please?’
Matty calls him alpha and my alpha leaves me alone with him and just goes.

It hurt before. Being looked at like that, being the reason for a fight, the use of the alpha voice, because apparently I’m not obedient enough to listen to my alpha without force, the tense car ride, the headache I developed.
But now he just left me.
He didn’t even kiss me goodbye.

I break down and sob into Matty’s arms. He carries me inside after a while but I react when he wants to put me in his bed.
’No, no, no, please, Matty, I need my alpha’s bed. I need my nest.’, I tell him, breathless and he’s clearly confused and overwhelmed, but because he’s also my darling Matty he carries me into Marco’s room.

It’s strange to be here. It smells like him and like us and that should be soothing to me but he clearly hates me and so his smell just makes me remember this whole fucking evening anew.
‘Please leave me alone, Matty.’, I say and manage to keep it together until the door falls closed behind his worried face.

After I while I have no tears left and just stare at the ceiling, not really thinking about anything.
It’s kind of pleasant. Better than the alternative.

So, two months.
It only needed two and a half months to lose my alphas affection and protection.

All we needed was to go into public together.
To try to have a normal live, instead of living sheltered in our little commune and –bam- he realized what a freak I am. Always attracting the wrong kind of attention!

I must’ve fallen asleep, because when I come to, it’s much brighter and Matty is standing in the doorway, looking concerned.
‘Ehm, Li- Luca. I know you don’t feel like anything but I sort of promised Marco to take care of you and I think that means you have to eat?’

I roll my eyes, but I know that I will come eat.
It’s not Mattys fault. It’s nobody’s fault, really.

Just mine.
Always my fault.

But somehow sleeping helped my brain a little and I kind of understand that Marco left for a while and that he has to take care of stuff alone, because he can’t even take me to another apartment with him without me ruining everything, but that he will come back.

It’s his house, right? So maybe I should eat, so he won’t have to worry about me, when he comes back.
Alphas don’t like worrying about their omegas.

Also, Matty is an alpha and I have to obey him. Even though he looks like a puppy, standing in the doorway like this.
‘Did you cook?’, I ask him, because I know he’s as talented as I am.
‘Uhm.’, he says, sheepishly and somehow that makes me giggle. His relief when he sees that I’m alright is everything right now.

I stand up. Matty looks at my bare legs and swallows and suddenly I feel shy.
‘I’m coming down in five minutes, ok?’
He stares at me, than seems to get a grip, nods and thunders down the stairs.

I use the toilet and brush my teeth, because suddenly I’d like to feel like a human being again.
I dress in Marco’s oldest long pyjama pants I can find and it’s disturbing how much that comforts me.

When I’m downstairs, Matty is sticking his head into the fridge.
There’s bread on the counter and an assortment of things that definitely don’t go together.

I sigh and then shoo him away to make sandwiches.
I cut them into small pieces and sit down to eat by myself.
I don’t really feel like being fed by Matty right now. He looks at me strangely, even kinda sad, maybe, but then concentrates on his own food.

‘We need to buy new bread.’, I tell him afterwards. ‘Sure, I can do that.’, he replies.
Suddenly I need to get out of the house.

‘To be honest, I’ll be glad to leave the house?’, I tell him and he smiles at me.
‘Yeah, come with me, that’s great.’
I try to smile back but it feels fake.

We intend to go to the bakery, but it’s closed today, so we walk further, to the store.
‘Here’s where we met again.’, I tell him in front of the bananas.
Matty looks a bit embarrassed and shifts his weight.

‘To be honest, I was already finished shopping when I saw you. But I had to make sure it was really you. So I went into the store again. I was so glad that the cashier didn’t say anything about it.’, he blurts out and I have to laugh a little.

‘Matty, you’re crazy. But I’m glad you went after me that day or we wouldn’t be here today.’, I reply and he grins good-naturedly.
We bicker a little while doing the shopping, then are silent on the way home until Matty rests his hand on the small of my back.

‘I’m sorry there’s trouble with your alpha.’, he suddenly says and I tense. How exactly did it look like to him when we came back yesterday?
‘There’s no trouble with Marco and me, Matty.’, I tell him.
Because officially we didn’t fight or anything.

And suddenly I don’t want Matty to think that my alpha is distracted or weak.
Which is stupid. It’s not like he would challenge him. And if he would, Marco would win. I saw him, he’s intense. Impressive.

I see Matty’s face and decide to explain a bit. ‘Well, not really. I just seem to cause trouble between different people wherever I go.’
I tell him what happened. Matty growls and that makes the hair in my neck rise. I bow my head and his hand is holding my neck immediately.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t want to scare you. Ehm, am I doing this right? I never touched an omega like this before.’
I look up at that. ‘Never? I mean it’s only natural during… oh.’

He blushes, but shakes his head. ‘No, never.’
‘So, ehm…’, now I blush.

Matty chuckles. ‘No, I’m not a virgin, I have dated some betas. And Tom proved to be very into helping me find out what I like these couple of days.’
I snort. ‘I can imagine.’ Hmm, now I actually do imagine it and it’s -hot?

Matty stiffs. Great, now he smells my arousal.
He looks up to me face and there’s something dangerous in his eyes. I swallow. ‘Matty.’
He’s immediately himself again. ‘Don’t worry about that. I’m more than my instincts.’

Wow. I can’t believe my luck, having two alphas that behave like human beings.
Sometimes I wish they wouldn’t, to be honest.

We put the bread into the kitchen and then play a game. I prop myself up next to him, like I always do, but this time it feels different.
There’s something between us while we play that has never been there before.

Still, time flies and Matty flinches and frowns at the clock when it strikes midnight.
‘I guess we should go to bed.’, he says and stands up.

I whimper. He freezes and turns to me.
Oh God, what happened just now?

I try to open my mouth, to tell him to ignore that but another whimper escapes me.
Something in me really, really doesn’t want to be left alone right now.

Matty slowly comes back and settles down next to me. I snuggle against him before I even finish thinking about it and he wraps an arm around me.
He smells so good, familiar and like home, because he’s also an old friend and pack, it’s disturbingly reassuring.
‘Can I- can I sleep in your bed, Matty?’, I ask him and his scent does something slightly weird but I’m not in any state to think about it.

‘Good night.’
Wow. I thought Marco was a gentleman but Matty even tops this. He just rolled away so that he’s almost falling out of bed.

I sigh. ‘Matty, if I wanted to have much space to myself I could just sleep in my bed, you know?’
The mattress rustles. ‘What are you saying?’
God, he sounds young when it's dark.

‘Ehm. Touch me? I mean, I don’t know, we don’t have to do anything else if you don’t want to. Or I can go if you’re uncomfortable.’
Matty rolls over and faces me. ‘If I don’t want to? Fuck, Luca, you have no idea, huh? I know your family is weird and gave you shit for not being a petite blonde even before you presented, but surely you must see how into you we all are by now?’

Ehm. What is he talking about? Only weirdos like perverse strangers on the street and that nutcase Stephen are into me. It’s, like, my curse.
I frown. Then I push the thoughts away for another time and concentrate on the matter at hand.

‘So, you’re into me?’, I ask him. He laughs soundlessly, I feel him vibrate next to me. ‘Hell, yeah.’
‘But- you avoid contact with me, a lot. It’s always Tom that starts to snuggle or wants to feed me.’

He snorts. ‘Sweety, I’m distanced because I want to give you space. And being close to you is making me slowly crazy.’
‘Come here.’, I say. ‘Hold me, ok. And I give you verbal consent right now, that if something sexual develops from cuddling, I’m up for it.’

He groans. ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have told me that.’
He embraces me, making me tilt my head. He searches my eyes, then leans in for a kiss.

We’ve kissed before, but now I understand that he held back, because, wow, that’s passionate as fuck.
Of course it develops into something more. And it’s nice. It feels good and takes my mind of things.

Something is missing, though.
Not only because Matty of course doesn’t knot me – and I can feel that it takes a lot of effort for him, which makes me kinda proud- but because he isn’t Marco.
But Matty is grateful and cute and cuddly afterwards and I’m finally able to sleep well.

I wake up when something heavy makes the mattress move and Matty groans.
Tom snorts and something wet is in my face. ‘Eeew.’, I rub my cheek with my hand and then push his head away from me. ‘What are you, a dog?’

He laughs and wiggles. ‘Yeah, look, I’m wiggling my tail for you.’
I have to laugh despite myself and he somehow manages to squeeze between Matty and me.

‘So, you got some of that, huh?’, he asks me, indicating Matty and I giggle at his ridiculousness while Matty grunts.
‘Did you want anything, Thomas?’, he asks and I have to laugh at his tone and his usage of Tom’s full name.

Tom turns around and kisses Matty. ‘Yes, I did.’, he says then turns back to me. ‘Can I kiss you, too?’
‘You don’t have to ask.’, I tell him and move to meet his lips with mine.

Tom is a good kisser. I already knew that. He’s also funny and easy-going.
Right now he balances out the tension that would have been in the room when Matty woke up with me in his bed just by being there and being himself.

I’m not even overthinking anything right now, I just relish the moment. Yes, I miss my alpha but it’s in the background right now.
Tom isn’t trying anything with me, but he tells us some stories and we cuddle which is nice and reassuring.

We pilgrimage downstairs for breakfast after a while, Matty making the porridge under Tom’s clear instructions while he holds me on his lap and tickles me and kisses my neck.
It’s weirdly different if it’s a beta kissing my neck instead of an alpha who’s always aware of my scent glands, but both is nice. I like how Tom’s stubble feels on my skin.

Tom feeds me, because apparently Matty already had a reward when I slept in his bed – like I am some kind of prize, ridiculous!
We lounge around the house the rest of the day. I’m dressed in Marco’s boxers and shirt again, because it’s comfy and I don’t mind when Matty stares at my legs anymore.
I’m finally able to read his gaze at last.

In the evening Tom’s mobile rings and he leaves for the garden. We hear him chat and laugh while we watch TV. He comes in and hands me his phone.
‘Wanna talk to your alpha?’
I can hear him laugh while I’m up and out of the room with his mobile in an instant.

Back in our room, I press the phone to my ear.
‘Hi?’, I say and hear Marco’s chuckle. ‘Hello, love. How are you?’

His voice makes me well up, but he can’t smell or see me so I finally have the opportunity to mask my feelings a little.
‘I’m- I’m ok. It was kind of hard at first, but Matty and Tom are very distracting. I still miss you, of course.’, I immediately add.
‘I miss you, too.’ He’s silent for a while.

‘Do I want to know what you’re doing with the guys?’, the laughter is back in his voice and I chuckle.
‘Ehm, partly? Right now we’re just watching TV. We even ate healthily, Tom was making a huge tomato salad with the tomatoes from the garden. They’re all ripe at the same time, what does nature even think?’

Marco laughs and we talk a little more until Tom is hammering at the door.
‘Dude, I need my phone, I have a date.’
I roll my eyes and Marco laughs again.

‘Let’s not keep Tom’s date waiting, then.’, he says. ‘That would be a catastrophe.’
I snort. ‘Or we would do them a favour.’, I say dryly.

‘I really miss you.’, Marco answers and I don’t know how to respond.

‘Bye, darling.’, he says after a little silence.
‘Yeah, bye.’, I say and press the red button.

I throw Tom’s phone at him and run down the stairs, throwing myself at Matty, who looks startled but adapts instantly.
Somehow I fall asleep on him and the darling also sleeps on the sofa to not disturb me.

Tom is back the next morning, so he slept over at his date’s, but he won’t go into details.
He does tell me that he used a condom with a wink, though. I roll my eyes at him.

We fall into some kind of routine for three days, Tom doing his own thing but mostly being there and taking care of most meals.
Me clamouring to Matty, which is kinda unfair because I know that he likes that and I will stop doing it as soon as my alpha is back, but I can’t stop. He’s just my rock right now. He isn’t complaining, so it’s his problem, right?

We sleep together in a threesome the second day, Matty on top of me while he’s sucking Tom’s dick. It’s surprisingly pleasant, even without my alpha there.
They both are very gentle and I think they are doing this for me, which is nice of them.

I make out a little with Tom another time, but nothing more happens and that’s ok, because he’s not as horny as Matty and I just need to pass the time until my alpha comes back, seriously.
Not that I’m not into the other guys, but the situation is too weird to be fully into it.

Like, I know on some level that Marco doesn’t disapprove of me doing stuff with the guys.
But I don’t need his not disapproval. I need his approval. Best case scenario, while he’s also there to show me that he approves.

Also I can’t enjoy myself fully while there’s unfinished business between us. Although talking to him on the phone did reassure me a lot.
He was just normal, calling me love- which pleases me an unrealistic amount- and that was exactly what I needed.

On the fourth morning we just settled down in the kitchen when I hear the key turn in the front door.
I jump of Tom’s lap and sprint to the door just in time to watch Marco open it. His face lights up when he sees me and we’re entangling ourselves into each other without conscious thought.

We rub our cheeks against each other and against our necks for a while before I just bury myself against him, into his arms.
I don’t care that the door is still open and Marco maybe wants to come in. This feels too right.

‘Miss me?’, he rumbles into my ear in his teasing voice and I just hum.
He lifts one arm off me to greet and scent-mark the other guys, who followed me to the hallway way more slowly.

Matty offers to take Marco’s bags when it becomes clear that I’m not letting go.
Marco gently steers us away from the door, that Tom closes, before he somehow leads me into the kitchen.

I let him go long enough to fix himself some breakfast and sit down, watching him the whole time.
He glances at me every couple of seconds and always smiles broader. I don’t have enough control of my facial muscles to smile back.

I know I glare at him right now, but he can smell that I’m happy he’s back –honestly, I feel so relieved.
I didn’t know I was that worried before – and I know he finds it adorable when I glare, the bastard, so that’s ok.

He sits down and tilts his head which is all the invitation I need to settle into his lap and lean against him.
We eat in silence, his nose always rubbing along my forehead when he’s not chewing right now.

‘Yes.’, I say after we’re finished.
He’s silent for a couple of seconds, then snorts. ‘Did you just answer to a question I asked you half an hour ago?’

I shrug.
‘I missed you too, you weirdo.’, he whispers into my ear and I turn my head to catch his mouth with mine.

‘We’re good, right?’, I ask, while we catch our breath and kiss with our noses a couple of minutes later.
‘Baby, we’re so good.’, he tells me and looks into my eyes. I make some extremely undignified noise in my throat and he laughs.

‘Did I just make you turn fully omega?’, he teases me and I shrug again, partly because I wouldn’t be able to answer and that’s embarrassing.
But then I think about the time his alpha came out and how proud a part of me was of our bond and off being able to cause this. If he feels half as good about me being barely comprehensive right now, it’s worth it.

I bury my head under his chin and make some different, small sounds while I feel his chest vibrate next to mine.
‘I forgot how happy I am, when you’re there, over the last couple of days.’, he thinks aloud and I look up to him.
‘Dito.’, I say. ‘Please don’t ever leave again like that.’

He sighs. ‘Yeah, that was stupid. I’m sorry, babe. But I was able to come to an agreement with our landlords and settle the dispute with their son. Nobody’s going to press charges and I don’t have to pay rent for there anymore. I also have all of our stuff in the car booth. So I won’t need to go away anytime soon.’
He presses a kiss to my forehead. I love that so much. I completely forgot he does this.

‘So you didn’t kill him?’, I ask and feel stupid when he laughs.
He seems to note it because he’s changing it into a cough. ‘No, darling. I know our fight looked scary while we were at it, but we’re thankfully both human enough to leave that behind us. You weren’t worried about my life while I was away?’

Oh shit! I wasn’t even able to think about that kind of worried but now it hits me.
There was a chance he was never coming back! If I had let me have thoughts like that during his absence, I’m sure I would’ve gone completely crazy.

He shushes me and nuzzles his face against mine. ‘Don’t start to worry now, darling. I’m here. You’re here. Everything’s fine.’
He yawns. ‘I’m going to bed. I drove through the night, Stephen’s boarding school is 600 km away.’

I cling to him when he stands up and he looks down on my hold on him. ‘I guess that means you’ll join me?’, he asks and I nod.
Of course I’ll join him. I’ll never let him out of my sight again. Ok, maybe today at least. Or the next couple of hours.

He picks me up and I yelp, before he walks up the stairs, chuckling. He opens his bedroom door and sniffs.
‘Did you sleep somewhere else?’, he asks. I wince and he lets me down.
I look to the floor and bare the side of my neck.

‘Oh darling.’, he says and his hand is on my head, stroking the hair behind my ear in an instant. ‘I’m not mad. I was just curious.’
I swallow and look up to him with my head still bowed. ‘It felt weird, being here without you. And I couldn’t sleep. The guys distracted me from being worried all the time.’

He closes the distance between us and lets his mouth trail down my temple. ‘I’m glad they did. I don’t want you to worry or feel lonely. I founded the pack so you would have company, didn’t I?’
I nod, feeling stupid again. Why is he making so much sense?

‘Let’s renew the bed scent?’, I ask and he laughs at that and picks me up again to throw me on the bed.

Chapter Text

After I come home, Luca clings to me for a couple of days before everything slowly settles down to normal.
I try to reassure him a lot and also let him sit on the other’s laps under the pretence of being busy from time to time, but to be honest I love to see how much he missed me and that he needs me.

Or hopefully it even means that he likes me. I’m not sure. I try not to interpret things that way.
I know he’s mostly happy here and that must be enough for me.

We fall back into a routine of breakfast, studying, working, doing various things with various pack members and having Luca in my bed again.

His neediness is rubbing off on his sex drive and I’m kind of exhausted, although I’d never say no to him. I have a better idea though.

‘You know you can be with the other guys if you need a lot of touching, right?’, I ask him after we both came – him the third fucking time this evening! I feel like some kind of cursed hero- and he snuggles against my side and rubs his erection on my leg.

He stills.
‘I wasn’t even aware of doing that.’, he says and sounds honestly surprised, which makes me snort.

‘Well, that’s good then, because I need sleep and as much as I love getting you off, and of course getting off myself, it’s kind of exhausting.’

He’s silent for a while and I turn my head to look at him. He seems to be deep in thought, but snaps out of it when he feels my eyes on him.
He smiles at me on reflex, then sighs. ‘I’m sorry for being too much.’

It’s my turn to sigh and turn, so I lie on my side, head propped up on my arm.
‘You’re not too much, darling. Never. I mean, you’re a pack omega and we have a pack, so it’s perfectly normal that you have more, ehm, drive than me.’

He frowns. ‘Really? But at home-‘
‘Well, yeah, omegas adapt to their surroundings. Your omega father and his, ehm, spouses-in-law had a lower drive because it was only your alpha father and them and they would’ve killed him otherwise.’

He snorts. ‘I didn’t exactly need that kind of information about my parents, but I see your point.’
He moves closer for a kiss. ‘You’re so smart. How do you know those things?’

‘Ehm, I may have done some research after we met, to be prepared? And then I found it interesting so I kept on reading about those things. I even switched my study focus to be more on omega biology.

And that’s really helpful, mostly. I want to understand you. And me. The whole dynamic between us. I think it helps a lot with our relationship.’

Luca watches me with narrowed eyes. ‘It does. Thank you for doing that.’
He huffs, amused. ‘Maybe you should talk to Matty about stuff like that. If he ever has an omega he will be way in over his head.’

Oh? That’s news to me. Although I noticed that he didn’t touch Luca much while I’m here.
‘So he didn’t do anything while I was away?’
Luca snorts. ‘Oh, he did! But I almost had to force him.’

Interesting.
I thought Matty had the hots for my omega and would be on and in him as soon as I was away.

I kind of feel for him, now that I hear about this.
‘And now he’s on a dry spell since I’m back?’

Luca frowns. ‘Oh. Well, I suppose.’, he manages to look a little ashamed and I sigh and pet his head. ‘Hmm, I don’t think he would come on to you while I’m here. But we both know that you’re perfectly able to come on to him.’, I tell him.

Luca’s frown deepens.
’But I only want you when you’re here.’, he tells me and that almost makes me able to go for another round. Almost.

‘Are you sure?’ I ask him. ‘Did you test it?’
‘Well, no.’, he says and I smile at him.
‘I’m going to go to sleep. But you’re wide awake and horny, so please do what you have to do.’, I tell him.

He nods and leans in for a chaste kiss before he jumps up and leaves the room. He didn’t bother to get dressed.
I can smell the sharp scent of Matty’s surprised arousal somewhere in the house and have to grin, before I fall asleep.

I have bad dreams. I toss and turn, wake up to soothe myself by scenting my omega, but Luca isn’t here. I feel his absence more than at the time I slept at uni.

After a couple of hours of bad dreams and waking up again and again feeling confused and as if I miss something, I finally get to rest and sleep dreamlessly and deeply for a couple of hours.

When I open my eyes the next day, Luca is facing me and watching me intensely.
I flinch and blink for a couple of times. He’s still there when my gaze focuses again, but this time he’s looking down.

‘Good morning.’, I rasp. ‘Are you watching me sleep like a psycho?’
He chuckles at that and looks in my face again.

‘Maybe.’, he says, very cryptic, and then softly kisses me.
I have no idea what’s happening right now, but this is nice.

I groan, stretch and roll over to embrace him, which gets commented by a loud groan on his part, before he settles into my arms.

I sniff his neck. His scent is more Matty than me. That’s not right at all.
I start rubbing my skin all over him and he squeals softly at first and then just lets me.

‘That’s better.’, I say when my alpha lets me settle down again.
He hums. ‘It is. I didn’t want to wake you, but I needed this.’ His statement makes me happy and his scent spikes up, when mine spikes up.

‘Have you slept here?’, I ask him and he nods, then shakes his head and then frowns.
‘Well, I- I slept with Matty. And then it kind of happened again. And then I may have fallen asleep in his bed and I woke up in the middle of the night and it felt wrong, so I came to our bed. And then I slept badly and had bad dreams and I needed to touch you, but you needed to sleep.’

He sounds a little forlorn. Another great idea from the house of Celestino then:
Make your omega sleep with another alpha so you can sleep well, and then have him have a restless night with a bad conscience.

I’m so sorry for that, I don’t even have the words.
At least now I know why I suddenly slept better after a couple of hours. He was back where he belonged.

Still, I promised him that he’d be able to live out his sex drive so I won’t make a scene or anything. He’s not my property. Well, ok, legally he is, but that’s bullshit. He’s an independent human being.

‘Hm, do you think that you have to get used to it?’, I ask him and he shrugs and then looks at me with an almost pained expression.
‘I’m sorry Marco, I know you needed your rest, but I don’t think I can sleep with someone else again in the evening when you’re also here. It just- it feels so wrong.’

His posture is pure submission now and my alpha gets off on it, even though I’m sad that his subconscious has him behave that way towards me after disagreeing with me.

I move into his neck and gently bite the place where it meets his shoulder, right next to his scent glands. Apparently that’s what we both needed, because he goes very limp with a small sigh while I suddenly feel extremely good.

He’s mine and we’re bonded and he reacts to me and that’s wonderful!
There still is the problem that we partly founded a pack so he could be sated during his heat and above, though.

I move back a little and look at him with a cocked head.
‘Well, how about you do things with them before you do them with me? Like in the afternoons or so? And then you can fall asleep with me. Where you belong.’

Shit. I didn’t mean for the last part to come out aloud, but Luca’s eyes shine and he doesn’t seem to think that I’m an overly possessive bastard, so that’s good.

We descend the stairs for a late breakfast only to run into Matty, who hurries out of the kitchen with an almost panicky look. He freezes and steps back, inclining his head when he sees me.
I have to really fight to not roll my eyes.

‘Matty, were you just fleeing the kitchen because you heard me approaching?’, I ask him.
He blushes. ‘Ehm. No?’

Luca snorts behind me and quickly goes quiet when we both look at him.
‘Sorry.’, he says and goes into the kitchen, patting Matty’s shoulder as he passes him.

Matty half turns to watch him go and we both stare at my omega’s behind for a second, before I get a grip and clear my throat.
Matty spins around to face me and bows his head again, swallowing.

‘Matty, you know that I’m okay with my omega coming to you for sex, right? I mean, otherwise he wouldn’t have done that.’
Huh. Normally I think I’m pretty good at reading people so I was sure that I hit Matty’s problem spot on and was saying the right things to reassure him. But his reaction is off somehow.

He clenches his jaw and his fists and for a moment it seems that he’s avoiding my face because he wants to hide his feelings. The moment is fleeting, though, so maybe I imagined that?

He sighs and finally relaxes and I step towards him and rub my wrist over his neck to scent-mark him. He looks up and moves into the touch.

‘Sorry. I’m stupid.’, he tells me, chuckling and shaking his head.
‘I have no idea what I was thinking. I’m glad it’s ok for Luca to want me, even though you’re there.
It didn’t seem like that at first. I-‘, he’s interrupted by Tom coming out of his room.

‘Morning guys.’, he says in a good mood.
‘What are we doing? Touching and smelling and all that alpha stuff?’, he asks with an amused nod to my hand, that’s still on Matty’s shoulder.

That’s the downside of having just one beta in your pack.
He doesn’t understand about the so called ‘scent business’ at all.

But he’s a touchy-feely guy, so that’s ok.
Right now he comes in for a hug with both of us and I think it’s what we needed.

‘Hey.’, Luca complains from the doorway to the kitchen. ‘I want in.’
Tom lifts one arm and Luca snuggles to us.

He magically finds my mouth and kisses me.
‘I want in.’, Tom imitates him and moves his head in our direction. We both think he’s about to kiss Luca when he suddenly turns his head and kisses me instead. Luca’s eyes grow wide, then he laughs.

But not for long, because after successfully making me kiss back, Tom turns to my omega.
Matty drew back a little, looking sheepishly, but Tom ignores that and kisses him last, as well.

Then he claps his hands.
‘Can we have breakfast now?’, he asks and the tension breaks as we all follow him into the kitchen.

That’s the upside of having a beta in the pack. He’s not that fine-tuned to all our emotions and so can light up situations quickly.
Especially as it’s Tom, who’s just an adorable dork, really.

We venture into the kitchen, where we see that Matty didn’t even finish his own breakfast in his hurry to disappear – he has the sense to blush again when I raise my brows at him.

We sit down, Luca hovering next to the table until I pat my lap.
I hug him from behind, my chin on his shoulder and somehow everybody knows that I want to say something, because they stop whatever they are doing and look at me. Luca stiffs and I lick his neck before I look at the other guys.

‘So, we just discovered that it feels weird for us if I’m here and Luca sleeps somewhere else.’, I say. Matty is shifting on his chair, Tom raises a brow and looks from me to Matty, then back again.

‘So, no fucking when you’re here?’, he asks.
I shake my head. ‘No, he has to get used to being a pack with you. And he has a higher sex drive than me. I’m dying here, guys, I need your help, really.’
I grunt and snort when Luca punches his elbow into my stomach, hard.

‘Of course you won’t do anything against his wishes.’ – They look outraged that I think it’s necessary to say this, which tells me everything I need to know.- ’So, basically, what I’m saying is, the evenings are ours, but I don’t care what you do in the day.’, I tell them.

Then I stand up, kiss my startled omega goodbye and go grocery shopping and visiting my grandmother.

Leaving the house like this feels like that hardest thing I have ever done.
It gets harder when grandma pesters me about not bringing my omega –as if I’d do this to him- and not introducing her to the pack – well, she hates Tom and Luca already, where’s the point?

I play cards with her and even treat her to a piece of cake at a nearby café, so that I’ll be back home around the time most people would come home from work.

Matty’s bike isn’t in the garage and I remember that he had an appointment this afternoon.
I open the door, half expecting to be greeted by a Luca who’ll be excessively glad to see me, but no one reacts to me entering my home.

Maybe they’re in the garden. I remove my shoes and am on my way through the hallway, when I hear moans and grunts.
Ok, seems like my plan succeeded then.

The sounds come from the living room and I’m drawn to them like a moth to flame. I know I wanted them to have a great sex life while I’m busy otherwise, but I’m home now, so where’s my fucking welcoming committee?
Yes, I do know I’m unreasonable right now, thank you.

I silently approach the open door to the living room and watch what happens on the couch.
They are so concentrated on what they’re doing, Luca doesn’t even react to my approaching scent.

Tom is sitting on the couch and Luca kneels over him, facing him, obviously riding him.
Their legs are glistening from his slick and the room smells like they’ve been at it for a while.

I can’t see Luca’s face, but Tom looks destroyed.
He’s panting and has that frown between his eyebrows that tells me he’s close.

I wait a couple of seconds, then holler ‘Oi, you two, get a room!’, just when he’s cuming into my omega. They both flinch, then Luca turns and his face lights up when he sees me.

Tom’s hands wander from his sides to his shoulders and Luca stops moving. He’s flushed and slightly out of breath and his pupils are blown wide. He’s a sight to behold!

Tom regulates his breathing and his frown, then looks at me, slightly grinning.
‘Please, take him to your room. I’m finished and he’s insatiable.’

Luca laughs softly, turns back to him to peck him on the mouth and then jumps up to walk towards me. It’s getting harder to breathe and I feel that I’m getting hard just by my body reacting to his approaching naked glory and scent.

‘Let’s get a room, alpha.’, he purrs and noses against my collarbone. He licks up to my neck, then gently bites into my earlobe and I have to suppress a growl.
Tom is watching us, half-asleep, but smiling from ear to ear, that bastard.

‘We’ve created a monster.’, I tell him dryly and he snorts.
Luca pauses for a minute, then bites my earlobe, hard, this time.

I growl at him and he flinches away and ducks. He looks at me from lowered lashes, his eyes very dark, his lips puffy and slightly open.
As if he sees me look at them, he lets his tongue slide out, once, and licks them.

‘Come here.’, I order and he steps towards me. I lift him up, bridal style and carry him up the stairs while he buries his face in my neck, sucks at my skin there and basically purrs.

‘Did you miss me that much?’, I ask him while we enter our room. ‘I thought you have enough distraction by now?’

‘They’re fine, Marco. Thank you for them.’, he breathes against my neck, more serious than I would have thought he could be in that state. ’But they’re not you. And you did come at the right time. Or maybe Tom did.’ He giggles at his bad pun and I have to chuckle, too.

I throw him on the bed and he arranges himself on his back, legs open, eyes intend on me. God, he’s killing me. I make some deep noise in my throat and he seems impressed and pleased.
He opens his eyes a little more, tilts his head to show me his neck. His eyes are nearly black now. He’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

‘So, what do you think happens now?’, I tease him and he frowns while he tries to figure out what’s going on. Then his gaze clears.
‘I need you to get naked and take care of me, alpha.’, he enunciates clearly. The contrast between the demand and his submissive posture is killing me.

I start to undress, opening the shirt button by button. He looks at me hungrily, visibly growing impatient.
I smile at him. ‘Why don’t you start taking care of yourself while I undress?’, I ask him innocently. His face seems to start to burn form one minute to the next. His whole wanton demeanour is gone and he’s deeply embarrassed, but definitely still horny.

I tilt my head. ‘Go on. Or don’t you want to, anymore?’
The question is ridiculous, I can see the amount of slick between his legs and his erect, twitching penis.

‘Marco.’, he whines. ’Please.’
‘Please what?’, I ask him nonchalantly. ‘You can see that I’m busy, right? Wouldn’t want to tear the beautiful shirt you gave me.’

He closes his eyes for a second and whines. I need all my self-control to not just rip the clothes off me and jump on him, but where would be the fun in that?
I guess he already had intercourse like that at least three times today. I need to stick out.

‘Come on, darling, why don’t you look if you’re ready for me?’, I say and he glares at me for a second. ‘We both know that I’m ready.’, he breathes, still blushing.

‘Luca.’, I put the slightest amount of warning in my voice and he shivers and slowly puts his hand between his legs. He averts his gaze and slowly dips a finger in.
’I’m ready.’, he pants.

I pull my vest over my head and start to open my trousers.
‘Lick the slick from your finger.’, I tell him and he winces shortly, but after a glance at me, does what I said.

His scent of arousal increases a notch and there’s some new slick gushing out of him.
There’ll barely be any friction for me if I continue like this. Well, at least I’ll last long, then.

‘Put more fingers in.’, I order and this time he doesn’t hesitate, even fucks himself a bit with his hand. ‘That’s my good omega.’, I tell him, while I kick off my trouser and bow down to remove my socks.

He moans at this.
‘Now take your wet hand and wrap it around your dick.’, I tell him, while I slowly pull my underpants down.

He looks at me for confirmation, his eyes grow wide when he sees that I’m naked.
I stop moving and force my expression to be stern and he hurries to wrap his hand around his dick, moaning.

I kick my underpants of and then start to slowly sample my dirty clothes to throw them into the laundry basket.
Luca watches me. ‘Alpha.’, he whines.

‘Jerk yourself off.’, I tell him and he looks resigned and aroused at once, while he starts to stroke himself.
‘So good.’, I praise him again. ‘Look how good you’re taking care of yourself under my charge.’

He moans and it sounds partly frustrated which makes me chuckle. ‘What is it, love?’
‘Need you, Marco. Alpha. Please.’, he looks at me pleadingly.

‘What do you need me for, baby? You’ve been fucked a lot today, haven’t you? And you jerk of so beautifully all on your own.’ I saunter towards him and sit down at the edge of the mattress.
If I would reach out, I could touch him now.

He seems to have the same thought, because he winces and pleads with his eyes. I reach out but then stop right before I touch his nipple. He inhales sharply.
‘I asked you a question, Luca.’, I say, keeping my tone light so he knows I’m only playing.

‘Marco, please. I need you.’, I raise my brow and he grunts. ‘Please touch me. Please. I need you in me. I need your knot. I need- please, let me please you. Let me be good for you.’

The last sentence sounded so vulnerable that I decide I’ve teased him enough.
‘My love, you are so good for me. I enjoy you so much.’, I tell him and move in for a kiss.

He almost desperately kisses back and moans loudly when I start to tease his hole with my finger. ‘Don’t stop jerking of.’, I whisper, while I kiss down his throat. ’It’s so hot. You’re so fucking sexy, you have no idea.’

He’s not able to look at me, but a new flushing seems to roll over his whole body and he bites his lip and moans violently into his mouth.

‘Fuck, you’re gorgeous.’, I tell him while I start fucking him with four fingers. ‘You’re so horny for me. And you smell delicious. And the noises you make.’

Like on command, he’s not able to supress another moan.
‘That’s right, let it out.’, I whisper and then suck a bruise into his neck.

He yells and thrust into my body.
‘Marco please, I need you inside me. Please fuck me.’, he breathes with a hoarse voice and I finally break and do exactly that.

He’s not exactly tight by now, but he’s warm and he’s so wet and I did that and oh God, his smell and his noises! I think I do say things to that regard while I fuck him, but I honestly have no idea.

I wait until he’s made himself cum by jerking of, then I knot him while I have him lick his own cum from his fingers. The knot makes him cum again and I think he passes out for a minute.
I did that! I can’t believe it. What did I do in a past life to deserve this gorgeous man?

I kiss every part of him that I can reach and am drifting asleep when Luca softly clears his throat. ‘Marco?’
‘Hmm?’

He stiffens slightly and I nose against his neck. He fidgets a little, then goes limp.
‘What you said in the attic. With the watch.- I, ehm, me too.’

I’m suddenly wide awake and my eyes fly open to meet his embarrassed gaze for a millisecond.
He has to grin slightly at the huge smile that is building on my face, then he buries his head in my neck. I kiss his head.

’Thank you for telling me.’, I whisper, after I’m finally able to speak.
He pecks a light kiss on my skin and falls asleep.

Chapter Text

It’s still hot. I can’t wait until it’s winter.
Of course I’ll be complaining about the cold then. I know myself well enough.

But I told Matty that I’d go for a walk with him.
He’s studying his ass off to balance that he started a couple of months later into the summer semester than the other law students and needs to get some air and exercise.

I’m even dressed in my omega clothes right now, a flimsy, white tanktop and my shortest jeans shorts because it’s too hot to wear anything, really.

I’m also wearing a ton of sunscreen, because Matty refused to go out with me without.
The part where he was applying it on my whole body before I got dressed was fun, though.

Right now we’re in the park where I met Marco almost three months ago, on my classical baby walking route.
The hot dog stall is still there and people even buy food there. How can they eat something greasy and hot with those temperatures?

They still stink, of course.
Even more, because now I’m attuned to my pack and my own, personal alpha and so every strange alpha stinks in comparison.

Someone catcalls after me, but I ignore them.
Matty takes my hand and shields me from the strangers.

We pass another unmated omega teenager that smiles at Matty. Matty makes a sound like he’s chocking and turns away.
I frown at him. ‘What the hell happened? Do you know him?’

Matty blushes and keeps glancing over his shoulder before he turns to me.
‘No, no. It’s just- I’m terrified to talk to omegas, Luca.’

I’m barely able to stop the laughter that’s about to bubble from my throat, but I manage to clear my throat instead.
‘But, ehm - you speak to me all the time, Matty.’

He sighs and scratches his head before he takes my hand in his. ‘Yes. I know you already, don’t I? Knew you before you were an omega. You’re my friend and I know you’re a normal person.’

Wait-what? I let go of his hand. ‘You don’t think omegas are normal persons?’
We stop walking and Matty hits his own forehead. ‘No, Luca, of course I know you’re persons. I don’t buy all that crap that you’re weak or stupid either.

But those omegas- they make me weak in the knees, you know? You omegas all smell and look so good and are elegant and stuff. And I’m just some idiot alpha that’s way to huge for this world and for handling such delicate persons.
And whenever I say someone to someone I fancy I just start to make no sense and it’s cringe as hell.’

I snort at that. It’s not that I don’t get it, I do. But-
‘You say dumb stuff to me all the time. I don’t judge you.’, I point out.

‘My point exactly.’, Matty replies, very serious. ‘At least with you, I can be myself because you know me. And you have an alpha, I don’t need to impress you that much.’

‘Huh.’ 
‘Ah, let’s change the topic please. Look, there’s ice cream.’

There’s an ice cream van at the entrance to the park. It’s also surrounded by people though.
‘You want some ice cream?’, Matty asks. ‘My treat.’
I shrug. I don’t really want to go near those people. Ice cream would be nice, though.

Matty leans in and gives me a light kiss. ‘How about you wait here, in the shadow and I go get some ice cream for us? Chocolate, right?’
I nod, smiling at him gratefully and he walks away, whistling meanwhile.

Some people are walking by me, but they leave me alone. I start to relax and watch some children play ball.
Two of them are clearly destined to be an omega and an alpha. The bigger twin refuses to let the little twin play with them and shields him with his body.

They are watched by two omegas, one male, one female, that are shielded from the sun by wearing large hats, sunglasses and scarves. Obviously their alpha wants them to stay pale.

They look unwell and try to ignore the loud men that pass them on their way through the park.
It makes me angry to see that. Why can’t people just leave us alone?
They look like they have the kind of alpha that is going to smell other people on them and be cross with them, but what should they do if alphas go out of their way to touch them while passing? The world is so fucking unfair!

Of course now I see another alpha coming straight for me.
I stand up straight, head up. Sometimes that works in getting rid of them. Not that specimen, of course. He just smirks.

What is wrong with those asshats? Why the fuck can’t they leave me alone?
I’m clearly part of a pack! My collar is easy to see! My smell is mixed with two –two!- alpha smells! Why do they keep hitting on me?

‘Hi.’, the alpha says.
‘I’m taken.’, I say, because as much as I hate it, it is the fastest way to get rid of them.

‘What’s wrong with you? Stuck-up much? I just want to talk to you.’, he says.
Typical. Next he’ll be telling me that he’s not into me anyway. Why was he trying to chat me up then, huh? Alphas!

He surprises me though and says something else, which does make the same amount of sense.
‘You’re a pack omega, right? Used to more than one alpha? And you look special, little darling.’

‘Little darling’, is he serious? I raise my eyebrows and he grins.
‘Oh and you’re a little feisty, right. You’d be a real crowd pleaser, you know?’

‘What are you even talking about?’, I ask him, because I don’t think he’ll go away, but maybe Matty will get back soon. If he talks to me at least he’s not attacking me.

‘I’m talking about making some money, sweet cheeks.’ Urgh. Sweet cheeks? He can’t be serious!
I try to move away but he’s suddenly right in front of me and grabs my chin.

‘You’d be a good little whore, wouldn’t you? We’d have you eager to get fucked in no time. The gay alphas would pay exorbitant sums for your looks, so different and masculine.’

I break away from him but he grabs my arm before I can run and twists it behind my back.
‘Ouch.’, I try to yell but my voice doesn’t carry. ‘Let me go, you sick shit! I already have an alpha.’

His grin is getting diabolical.
‘Somehow I don’t think your alpha would miss you.’, he says and I twist in his grip in an effort to go away, but it’s no help.

‘Fuck off!’, I tell him and he seems delighted.
‘Finally.’, he tells me and nods at someone behind me.

He suddenly let’s go and I almost stumble to the ground but then I’m in the grip of two other men. They are wearing uniforms and suddenly put me in handcuffs while I stiff in surprise.

‘He offended me and cussed. He’s not mated so he should be brought to the centre as a menace to society. We don’t want him to influence other omegas, after all.’, the guy tells them, smirking.

I stare at him, then try to trash in their grip when they drag me into a nearby car.
Where’s Matty? Surely this must attract attention? Why is nobody saying anything? Can they really put me in the centre for this? Will they hurt me? How long will I be there?

There’s a strong grip in my neck, almost painful, a hiss in my ear ‘Be nice and obedient, omega!’ and a shove and I’m in the back of the car, whimpering and not able to fight because they used their fucking alpha voices on me right now and as I’m not yet mated to Marco and not used to the Voice- because he’s too fucking nice, for God’s sake! – it works very well on me.

I bow my head as they enter the front of the car and one of them turns to look at me.
‘Nice one.’, he says. ‘Good job.’, he turns to the window and says the last part to the alpha that caused this whole mess.

The alpha grins. ‘I’ll pick him up in three weeks. He’ll be nice and broken by then, right?’
The man in front of me nods. ‘Sure thing, you know how we work.’

We drive for maybe half an hour and I’m not able to look up, move, or even think, aside from having a light panicky feeling bubbling under the surface of my consciousness and thinking that I hope they’ll find me to be a good boy, which is clearly an effect of the Voice.
I know that and at the same time, don’t know it.

They park somewhere and tell me to get out and follow them, which I do. At the entrance, they remove my jewellery.
I whimper when they take the collar, but a grip in my neck makes me go silent.

Then I’m told to follow them down a corridor full of steel doors, that each have a little window in. The first command is fading and I could cause a scene while I follow them but we’re already in the building and maybe I’ll get the chance to use the element of surprise, so I act like I’m still ‘nice and obedient’.

It’s funny, the command wasn’t very specific, but my body knew exactly how to react to it.
Well, funny might be the wrong word.

They stop in the middle of the floor and the middle guy opens a door.
‘Get in there.’, he tells me and I do. I stop behind the door and feel it vibrate when they slam it shut.

My eyes need to adjust to the dim light for a second. I’m in a small room that looks like cells I’ve seen in American TV shows.
There’s two simple beds fixed to the left and right wall and a stainless steel toilet and washbasin in the corner.

One bed is occupied. The omega in it turns to face the room and looks at me. He’s older than me, I guess, no trace of youthful roundness left in his sharp, little face.
He has a black eye, the dazzling blue of it barely recognizable through the swollen flesh. Also, his lip is split.

I’ve never seen an omega that hurt before. I know it happens, but I just can’t imagine someone hurting a precious creature like this.
Even I, a fellow omega, have the urge to protect the small, blonde ones.

And he’s skinny. He looks like you could just break him in half. He also kinda looks like someone tried. He’s wearing only underpants.

He’s pale and has scratches and bruises all over, although nothing that looks deathly, at least.
He’s also wearing ankle and wrist cuffs made from metal as well as a menacing looking metal collar that has to hurt his neck.

‘Hello.’, I say, because it never hurts to be polite. And who knows how long we’ll be here together.
He scoffs and faces the wall again. The underpants he’s wearing aren’t covering his ass.

I shrug and sit on the other bed. I could use the toilet, to be honest, but in front of a stranger after I’ve just come in? I don’t think so!

The whole realness of my situation comes back to me as I sit there. I feel my bladder and I feel the scratchy, used mattress, that smells of distressed omegas.
Why were they distressed? Did the same thing happen to them? Is it really that easy to go into the centre?

I know that they teach every omega to fear it, but I’ve recently grown to suspect it was something like the bogeyman, used to scare children into obedience, but not real.

How will I be punished for saying ‘Fuck off’?
When will Matty know that I’m gone? And where I’m gone?

How long until I see my alpha again? I miss him already. There’s a bone-deep ache inside me. My whole body screams for Marco.
And I’m already almost in pre-heat. Another reason I took the chance to go outside as long as I could.

I’m not going to go into heat without my alpha, right? How do they even treat a heat inside centres? The guy talked about breaking me. About picking me up in three weeks.

He wasn’t serious, right? I won’t be here that long?
Also, I already have a home! The only person I need to pick me up is Marco. He wanted to mate me! This can’t be happening.

What if he doesn’t want to mate me after I was in the centre? What if he’s not picking me up because he doesn’t want an insolent omega?
I know how his grandmother and father are. He must draw the line somewhere?

I start to cry. Then it’s like a damn broke and I start to sob.
I hear the omega shuffle behind me and suck his teeth. Great, so he’s an asshole.

I turn around and glare at him. ‘I’m sorry my misery is annoying to you.’, I tell him, which makes him cock his head and narrow his eyes at me.

‘Feisty, are you?’, he says in a bored, but melodic voice.
I growl. ‘Don’t use that word. I’m not a child.’

He raises his eyebrows. ‘Aren’t you? You look barely legal.’
‘I’m 18.’, I snap back. I don’t even know why I tell this stranger my age. It’s not important what he thinks.

He has the audacity to sneer at this. ‘Barely legal, like I said.’
I scoff. ‘I don’t know which decade you sprung form, but last I checked omegas were adults at 16.’

His sneer deepens. ‘Yeah, that’s because some alpha dickheads enjoy teenager bodies too much, so they made it legal. Doesn’t mean you’re really an adult at 16.’, he says and before I can respond anything he adds: ‘I know I wasn’t.’

He nearly sounds sad, but I don’t know why I should care. He doesn’t care about me.
Seems like nobody cares about me, after all.

He sniffs the air and sighs. ‘Oh kiddo, don’t be devastated, it’s not the end of the world. They will be nice to the likes of you and before you know it some rich alpha with a fable for exotic things will add you to his harem and you have to endure his knot like once a month until you’re knocked up nicely.’

That makes me sit up. ‘What?’, I ask and he looks like a human for the first time. I clearly startled him.
‘You are here to train to be used in a brothel until you’re sold, right?’, he asks, frowning.

I copy his expression. ‘I- ehm, no? I said ‘fuck’ in front of an alpha and now I’m here. But I’m part of a pack. They’ll punish me and then give me back, right? Right?!’

The omega looks sad again.
‘Oh my.’, he says softly and I can see that he’s the beautiful kind of omega I learned to despise, because I was jealous, under his wounds.

‘Can- could you please tell me what’s going on?’, I ask. He stands up and starts pacing the small room, four steps in each direction.

‘I told him to not do this anymore. I said I don’t want to train those cases.’, he mutters. I stand up. I’m over a head taller than him and that gets his attention. He stands and looks up at me.

‘I can see why he did it, though.’, he says quietly. ‘You’re unique. And in a good way.’
I roll my eyes. Could people stop telling me this already?

‘Could you please make sense?’, I ask the omega and he sighs and massages the bridge of his nose.
‘Come here.’, he says, sits down on his bed and pats the space next to him.
I hesitate, but then follow his direction. I have nothing to lose, right?

‘The guy that provoked you is a brothel owner.’, he tells me. ‘It’s his shtick. He provokes omegas he likes into misbehaving and then his goonies, the centre guys come and take them to the centre.
Most alphas, if they have any, don’t want anything to do with omegas that have been brought to the centre because they can’t behave, so the omega finds himself ownerless.

The centre makes the omega crave to be anywhere else than here and then the guy sweeps in, pretends to be the better choice and voilá, you’re one of his prostitutes.
Don’t worry, he has a fucking lot of heat enhancers, you’re going to love being fucked by strangers, because you’ll literally have no choice.’

I just stare at him. He can’t be serious? Is he mentally ill? Or does he just like to mess with people? There must be a reason he’s in here.
He pats my leg before I flinch back. ‘Don’t worry about that. You’re going to start believing me tomorrow at the latest.’

Huh. Might as way play his game a little, see what it gets me.
‘So how are you involved in this?’, I ask and he’s startled for a moment.
‘Me? I’m just an omega prisoner in here, ownerless and no brothel material. Anymore.’

I snort dryly. ‘Oh, please. You have to have this information from somewhere and you muttered something under your breath that tells me you know this brothel owner well.’

He shrugs. ‘Well, yes, he was my alpha before I became too old for him. The heat inducers started affecting my health and he didn’t really like me without them. A little too feisty myself, you know?

 So as a compromise I get to stay here instead of being shipped off to a worse brothel with the other old, used omegas and teach the new whores a thing or two before he buys them.
There’s a lot of omegas that come here on their own for this purpose. The job description sounds glamorous after all. It isn’t. I’m sorry, kiddo.’

‘Well, I’m not. I have a pack. I’m not mated, but I’m bonded and my alpha will get me out.’
The other omega takes a deep breath.

‘That’s what they all say at the beginning. It’s what I said as well. But my alpha never picked me up. And I saw at least twenty omegas with the same fate as you.
Some of them are really enthusiastic whores. Some of them managed to snatch up high-ranking alphas. You know, the brothel owner also sells omegas to be mated to alphas.’

‘But, that’s not his right. It’s the father’s right if there’s no other alpha around.’
‘No. It is absolutely his right. If you go to the centre and nobody claims you, you’re ownerless and so the brothel becomes your owner and can do whatever they please.’

‘But I have an alpha and a father. I must be able to contact them? My father would never let this happen.’
The other omega shrugs. ‘Shouldn’t have let you go out alone, then.’

‘I wasn’t alone.’, I murmur.
That gets his attention. ’You were with your alpha?’

‘Well, I was with an alpha, yes.’
The omega looks at me puzzled. ‘But- why didn’t he stop them?’

Isn’t that the question? ‘I don’t know.’, I sob.
The omega sighs and clumsily strokes my leg. ‘Sorry kiddo, that’s life. Omega life, at least.’

Before I can ask him anything more, the door opens. A beta guard glares at the omega next to me, who flinches back and stops touching me. Then he waves for me to follow him.
I’m ashamed to confess that I don’t even think about not doing what he wants.

He leads me into an empty room, two doors over and makes me stand against the wall. Before I can even start to wonder what he’s doing, I have his tongue in my mouth.
I make a surprised yelp and turn my head away from him.

This feels so wrong. Kissing another alpha is bad, but at least it’s what our biology wants from us. Kissing another beta is just pointless.
I know I like Tom, but only because he’s pack and my alpha accepts him. My alpha would never accept this man.

I try to shove him away and he forces me against a wall.
‘Picky now? Why? Your alpha doesn’t want you anymore. You’re officially ours now. You better behave or there’s no food for you. Or do you react better to corporal punishment? Could hit you a bit, make you look like the old one in your room?’

I whimper, I can’t help it. It’s all too much and Marco -he really said he doesn’t like me anymore?
I’ve been waiting for this moment, yes, but now that it happened, I’m kinda shocked. Me being rude enough to get taken to a centre is really all it needed?

Shit. I’m almost disappointed in him. But mostly in myself.
I allowed myself to hope. To believe it would work out. To fall in love with him.

Well, he’s not a bad person. It’s not his fault at all. Of course he doesn’t want an omega that was taken to the centre.
I’m so stuck in my bad thoughts that I barely notice how the guard manhandles me.

He pulls on my hair and makes me open my mouth to explore it with his tongue. I can feel his erection push into my stomach through our clothes.
He starts to open his trousers with one hand and I make a distressed noise, but that just makes him laugh and bite into my lip.

He pulls down his trousers and forces me to my knees when his mobile starts to ring.
He puts one hand on my head, which is apparently enough to immobilise me and I have never felt so weak and small while he’s talking to someone on the phone.

He seems to have gotten a task, because he closes his trousers and then pulls me back to my cell, where he unceremoniously pushes me in and closes the door.

I land on the floor. The other omega stands up, to help me up, but I ignore him. I don’t want to move. Never again. I’d prefer to die right now than even have to grasp the concept that my alpha rejects me. It gets dark outside and they dim our lights. The other omega stopped trying to talk to me a while ago and is now asleep.

I stand up, slowly. I’m cold and my body is aching and I really have to use the toilet. The movement seems to bring me out of the state I was in.
I don’t really want to die. It hurts like hell that Marco doesn’t want me, but it’s not my fault.

And getting sold to some rich alpha was what I expected to be my fate for years, so it’s not that new or strange as a concept. I can survive this. I will survive this. And I have to get out of here, soon, because I really don’t want to suck that beta’s dick.

The other omega sits up when I sit down on my bed. ‘Feeling better?’, he asks.
I shrug. ‘So, what do you normally teach those omegas?’

He’s silent for a moment. ‘That was quick.’ There’s something like respect in his voice. But he smells sad.
I shrug. ‘I’m a realist. If my alpha gave up on me, then everything you said is true. And if I do well I might get the chance to be bought back by my father. Or, as you said, find one alpha instead of several every night.’

‘And day.’
I stare at him. He shrugs. ‘You said you’re a realist. Might as well get your facts right. But as I said, you’re going to enjoy it. You’re going to need it. If you want to or not. You have been in heat before, right?’ I nod and blush.

‘It’s like this. The difference is, you get used to it. You will be able to make decisions, think, speak, but you’ll still need their knots to be satisfied and not feel that horrible empty feeling. Do you know how to suck a dick? Good. Where’s your gag reflex?’
‘Don’t have one.’

‘Oh my, has he hit the jackpot. Can you do me a favour and tell him I teached you to suck dick without gagging?’
That makes me frown. ‘Why? It’s not like your situation can improve much, can it?’

‘Oh, you have no idea. I had a heat recently. Alone. In here. Without a toy. He said he gives me toys when he’s satisfied with my work. I don’t even know what that means.’
Fuck. I can’t even imagine a heat without a toy in an unfamiliar, cold room like this.

‘You’re near your heat, right?’
Shit. ‘Yes.’ I hate how small my voice sounds.

He sighs. ‘Don’t let the guards know. Especially the one that took you before. He’s all talk, won’t really do anything, but if you beg him for it, he can say it wasn’t rape, so he’ll wait for you to beg him for it. And we both know you will, if he’s here when you’re in heat. You’ll probably beg me for it.’

I frown. ‘How could you help? You’re an omega.’
‘I’m male, kiddo. I have a dick. And fingers. And an arm, depending. Looks like you could take half my arm on the second day of heat. You’re tall and young.’

Ew. No thanks?
But I know what he means. I remember my heat to vividly. If Marco hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have cared what was shoved into me as long as it felt full.

‘Is there any way I could contact my father?’, I ask the omega and he shakes his head.
‘I’m sorry, kiddo, but I don’t think so.’

‘Could you stop calling me kiddo?’
‘What’s your name then?’

I hesitate. Do I have a name right now? Do I still use Marco’s name for me? Do I use my old one?
There’s an undecipherable emotion flickering across the other omegas face.
‘What would you like me to call you, then? What are you used to?’

‘Luca.’, I say. ‘I’m still Luca.’
He nods. ‘Oh, that’s a very nice name. I’m officially called James. But please call me Simon.’

I sniffle and nod. Poor guy has the most common omega name ever.
Every male omega in the service industry is called James, to avoid people having to learn different names, after just calling us “omega” or “oi, there!” was considered impolite by society (it still happens a lot).
And a lot of alphas, unimaginative bunch they are, also named their omegas James as well.

Of course he finds my name nice. He would even find it nice if I was named Adolf or Donald.
Thank God Marco gave me such a nice name. That I’m going to lose now. To become another James.

I briefly wonder if Simon is a name this James chose himself or if he was named that as a child, but I’m too miserable to ask him.

Suddenly it’s all too much. I break down inwardly, the walls holding my shelf upwards collapsing as I break down on the bed.
First my body, that just can’t hold itself up any more, then my soul. I can feel Simon’s reassuring hand slowly stroking my back while I have the crying of the century.

‘You really liked your alpha, huh?’, he says softly after about half an hour when I’ve finally become quieter.
I nod. ‘I miss him so much.’, I confess and this provokes another –smaller- outbreak.

Simon huffs out a breath of air and shakes his head. ‘It’s a shame that even the good ones never pick up their omegas from the centre.’

Chapter Text

It’s too hot.
I tried to weed a little in the garden, as Matty is gone with Luca and Tom is working a lot these days, but I was sweating so much, I’m pretty sure all the plants will die from the salt.

Now I’m lying on the terrace. And I should enjoy the time to myself.
I’ve grown up an only child and I’m not exactly an extrovert so I need and relish time by myself. Instead I feel weird about Matty being out with Luca.

I’m not even sure why. Officially, hell, logically, there is no reason.
They’re pack, they’re friends, but Tom and Luca are, too, they even have a lot more sex and still I don’t feel weird about them.

Does Matty look at Luca like he hung the fucking moon?
Well, yes.
But how couldn’t he, really?

And I believe Luca when he says that he likes Matty well enough but considers himself my omega. I do!
I nevertheless feel on edge and weird today.

Why are they even out that long? They’re both not the kind of guys that love long walks.
And it’s too hot to sit down anywhere for a while.
Hell, Luca is a redhead, I hope they take care of his skin.

I’m relieved when I hear the key in the door, but I immediately sense that something is not right. Matty’s distressed scent is overpowering. And Luca- Luca’s scent is missing.

I bolt to the door where Matty looks at me, startled, sweaty and pale while unconsciously crouching down to be smaller than me.
‘What happened?’, I ask just as he’s saying: ‘Why is your phone off?’

Oh, that’s right. I listened to music in the garden until it went dead. ‘The battery is dead. Where is Luca?’
Matty draws a shaky breath and looks close to tears. ‘He’s been kidnapped, alpha.’
‘He, what?!’ Matty takes a step back as I approach him. ‘Matt, you need to tell me what happened right now!’

Matty swallows, then nods: ‘I was getting us ice cream and then some omega was asking me for directions and we chatted a bit.
And then I smelled that Luca was distressed and turned to him, but I was surrounded but other alphas. And I could just see them packing him in a car and drive off.’

He cuts me off to continue when I try to interrupt him with questions. ‘I got the plate, Marco. They brought him to a centre. I tried to call you and then I figured I couldn’t take the time to get you, so I immediately went there, but they said I’m not his owner so they can’t do anything.
They asked if you would come fast, then they would set up the paperwork. So he’s ok, Marco, you just need to pick him up.’

Oh God. I feel like I’ve run a marathon right now. I’m so relieved and I’m kind of angry at Matty that he didn’t start with the good news but I understand that he had to tell me what happened in the right order.
Poor kid. I nod at him in thanks while I start to put on my shoes and jacket.

‘Where is it?’, I ask Matty and then I follow him outside and sit down in his truck, because I’m in no state to drive myself.

Shit. My heart still beats way too fast on the way to the centre. Luca must be so afraid.
My father had patients from there. They don’t tell the omegas anything while they’re in there.

What did they even arrest him for? And why the hell didn’t they wait for Matty? I’m pretty sure Luca told them that a pack alpha was nearbye. Something about this doesn’t make sense.

But at least I know where he is and I’m on my way to get him out.
Matty has barely parked the car when I’m already storming into the building.

The omega behind the reception desk is smiling at me sweetly and extremely superficially, because she smells rather anxious. I don’t have time to worry about this, though.

I approach her. ‘Hi, I’m Marco Celestino. I’m here to pick up my omega Luca.’
The omega’s smile doesn’t waver as she checks something on her computer.

‘Ah, yes. You’re pack alpha was here earlier, right? Hmm, I see. I’m sorry Mr. Celestino, there has been some trouble with the paperwork and we need you to wait for a little while.’

Fuck my life! Of course there was trouble. I force a tight smile.
‘Sure, thanks.’, I say and sit down in the waiting area. Matty joins me after a while.

The feeling in here is just weird. There’s a hint of devastated and anxious omega in the air. Like a mixture of all the scents that ever were here still lingers in the air. It feels crushing.
I can feel it affect both our moods and when, after an hour, some new alpha picks up his shy, little, terrified omega from here, I go to the reception desk again.

‘Ah, Mr. Celestino. I’m sorry but it looks like we would need all your papers again.’, the omega greets me. What the fuck?
‘Why didn’t you tell me this, but waited for me to approach you instead?’, I ask, more puzzled than angry. The omega flinches back as if she feels threatened.

‘Mr. Celestino, we need you to stay calm please. Yelling at me in here won’t help your omega. I know you’re angry at him for causing a scene, but there’s no reason to case a scene yourself.’, she says and sounds perfectly polite, if it weren’t for the actual words she’s saying.

What is going on here? I’m not causing a scene. I’m not yelling.
And I can’t imagine Luca causing a scene as well. He’s way to meek in public. Hell, he’s even meek with me for like 85 percent of the time.

‘What the hell is happening here?’, I ask, forcefully and the receptionist clicks a button on her desk. ‘I’m sorry, Sir. I must ask you to leave the premises.’

‘But I- what? What about Luca? You need to tell me how and when to get him out. I can’t leave him here over night. His pre-heat is near. You’re a fellow omega, you have to underst-‘, I’m cut off by some buff security alphas dragging me out.

Matty stands up and causes one of them to let me go. The other one grins at me strangely and then something hisses.
I can suddenly smell Luca. I look around but he is nowhere to be seen. I need to go to him. He smells afraid and lonely and that just can’t be.

I start to fight with the security guys, because I need to get inside the building!
Suddenly there’s four of them. They push me to the floor. Luca’s scent vanishes as quickly as it was there. I hear sirens outside. Matty is standing at the wall, hands up while they threaten to taser him.

I catch his eye and shake my head at him. One of us needs to be able to help Luca and it seems like it’s not going to be me.

The police comes and one of the security guys talks to them. I can overhear them talking about a dangerous alpha that attacked an omega. Possibly in a rut. Unmated. They can’t mean me, surely?
I’m handcuffed and when I start to complain, I’m gagged and then something pricks me and I’m out.

When I come to, my head feels like it’s split in half. My mouth is sore and dry and I have cramps in my still bound hands.

I force my eyes open and find myself in a typical prison cell. Opposite me is a guy about 40.
‘Welcome back, brother.’, he says drily. ‘Fresh from the centre, right? Threw you right into prison instead of having you see a judge, it gets more impressive every time.’

I squint at him and blink a couple of times.
‘What?’, I rasp. He shakes his head and stands up to approach me with a glass of water.
He gives some to me and I’m eternally grateful to this guy.

‘What happened to me and how do you know the centre is involved?’, I asked after I thanked him.
He sighs. ‘They do this spiel all the time. Faking an omega making a scene and if you want to get them out, they’re being purposely difficult. Then they call the police. The officers are corrupt as well so no chance they’re going to listen to your side of the story. I killed someone when I tried to get my omega out. I’ve been here for 19 years. How old were you 19 years ago, huh?’

I need a moment to stomach that. ‘Ehm, young.’, I say because I won’t give him too much data.
‘I didn’t kill anybody. I don’t think. I think they used my omega’s scent to drive me full alpha?’

I try to remember but it’s a blur. The other guy nods, though. ‘Yeah, that makes sense. Be glad you didn’t kill anybody. You’ll be out in a couple of weeks. But forget about your omega. You’ll find a new one.’

Forget? About Luca? Never! I growl and the guy puts up his hands.
‘Or don’t. You’ll learn, don’t worry. You can’t have had him that long if you’re unmated.’

Fuck, this missing bite is kicking my but again and again!
‘I wanted to wait a little.’, I confess. ‘So he feels safe with me. He’s special. We’re very compatible.’ I bite my tongue to not tell this stranger, this criminal, how funny and smart and beautiful my omega is.

The man snorts. ‘Head over heels, huh? Shame you didn’t mate him. It’s much harder to kidnap them when they’re mated.’
I shrug. Too late for that now, right? Then I remember what he told me. ‘Why didn’t you mate yours?’, I ask, glad for a change of topic.

He sighs deeply. ‘He wanted to be free. He had a job and his own apartment. His parents were very liberal. Betas, you know?’ He fidgets with his hands and looks incredibly sad.

‘We just dated. I know, it sounds stupid, an alpha dating an omega, but we were boyfriends for months and it worked like this. I mean I planned to bond him in the traditional way, but that was far away. I thought we had time. I should have known. He was so beautiful. Of course someone else wanted him.’

He breaks of and stares into nothing, then shrugs and lies down on his small bed. I arrange myself on mine as well as I can with bound hands.
We both seem to dwell on gloomy thoughts until I hear him snore softly. I watch the sky through the little window and hope Luca at least sees the same sky as me.

Chapter Text

I wake up and look at the sky through the window.
It’s very pink from the sun that’s just about to rise and I would find it beautiful if I wasn’t devoid of all feelings.

I turn around.
Simon is still asleep. He looks more peaceful that way. And he smells pretty nice.
I didn’t notice that yesterday.

I sigh and try to sleep a little more, but then I cry instead, until he’s woken up by the arrival of breakfast. Apparently there still were some feelings left, after all.

Breakfast is two small bowls of disgusting, grey mash. We don’t even get cutlery.
I know the smart thing is to just get used to it as fast as possible, but I just can’t.

It’s too much at once. Not being fed by my alpha. Having some tasteless mash instead of his lovingly decorated porridge. Having to lick it straight from a bowl like an animal.
Having slept on a bare mattress, afraid and with a headache that comes from having the Voice used on me yesterday. Ok, and from crying.

I just turn around and tell Simon that he can have my portion as well. His scent spikes up, it’s 20 % worry but 80 % happiness and he wolfs it down like he was starving.
From the look of him, that’s quite possible.

I refrain from asking him about his life. I’m depressed enough as it is.
I realise that I’m crying again when Simon lies down next to me. ‘I know it’s hard, rookie. But you need to pull yourself together.’

This only makes me cry harder. He sighs and rolls his eyes but his scent tells me that he’s just acting tough. He feels sad for me. I hug him and he stiffs, but then chuckles and hugs me back.

‘Haven’t been touched in a long time, kiddo. Please don’t bond to me. It only makes it worse. We won’t see each other again after three weeks.’, he says, but contrary to his words he stays like this.
We doze off and are woken up by the door.

‘Easy, are you?’, the beta guard says, leering. ‘Giving it up for another omega, you little slut.’
Simon jumps up and presses against the wall on his side of the room. He glares at the guards but lowers his head when they look at him.

The alpha guard sniffs. ‘Haven’t you washed since you were in heat?’, he asks Simon.
Simon frowns, then his eyes dart to me for a second.
His face becomes neutral and he bares his neck at the alpha and winces. ‘I’m so-.’, he starts to say, but the beta guard interrupts him.

‘He was washed two days ago. Did it myself. Little bitch needed help because he’s so dirty, right?’ Simon looks up and glares at him again.
‘Seems like you didn’t do it right then.’, he says coldly.

The beta makes to go to him, but the alpha puts his hand up. ‘No, it’s not him at all. It’s the new one. He’s almost in heat.’ The beta starts to smile and I don’t like that at all.
The alpha turns to him. ‘I can’t handle him like that. You have to do it. And we should tell someone, right?’

The beta guard smirks. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll go wash him and bring him back. You don’t have to do anything about it.’
The alpha looks unconvinced, but then shrugs. ‘Sure, thanks.’, he tells the beta and turns around.

‘No, please.’, Simon says. The alpha stops and turns to him. ‘Don’t let him alone with him. He’s going to-‘, the beta guard is on him with two quick steps and backhands him so hard that he flies against the wall and then slides to the floor, holding his cheek.

He kneels there, hanging his head, when the alpha steps up to him.
‘Don’t tell us what to do, you little cunt.’, he growls and Simon trembles and whimpers.

The alpha leaves, followed by the beta, that grabbed my arm and is pulling me after him. I’m to startled to resist.
In the hallway the beta pulls me to the right, while the alpha goes to the left.

We stop at an open door that leads into a bare room. The floor as well as the walls are tiled.
‘In there.’, the beta orders and shoves me in. I’m barely able to catch myself.
He stands in the doorway, which is the only way out. ‘Undress.’, he says.

I make my hands into fists. ‘No.’, I tell him.
He chuckles and shrugs. ‘Are you sure you want your clothes to be wet after I showered you?’

Oh. It’s cold in the cell. And we don’t have blankets.
Slowly, I pull the top over my head.

The guard whistles lowly. ‘My, my, you’re a catch, huh? Ribbed young man with an extra hole and an eagerness to please and obey, what a nice mixture, omega. And you’ll be begging for my cock soon enough.’

Ok, that’s enough! What is wrong with these people?
I’m nothing special! Like, I’m glad I found the one person that honestly seems to like me and suddenly they steal me and everybody tells me I’m a catch? God, that makes me so angry!

I spit on the floor and hiss at the guard.
‘I’ll never beg you for anything.’, I lie. ‘You can’t even knot, you pathetic excuse of a man.’

The guard seems unfazed, he just raises a brow and smiles a bit wider. ‘Oh, yes, you’re feisty alright. They’ll love to put you in your place. And about knotting: At least I’m here. Where’s your alpha, sweet child?’

I inhale deeply and swallow. I won’t let him get to me.
I know the alphas have their methods to train me soon enough, but he’s just an asshole beta who wants to exploit the little power he has in this shitty job.

And he hurt Simon, who I’m pretty sure wanted to help me.
‘You’re half the man he is.’, I spit out.

The guards laughs. ‘Oh please, he’s not that impressive. Not very tall, right? The police were able to drag him off just like that.’ He snaps his fingers.
Ehm, what?

‘What?’
The guard’s face falls. Obviously he told me something that I wasn’t supposed to know.

Police? My alpha? He has to talk about Marco, because, he really isn’t the tallest, for an alpha.
But- does that mean he was here? He still wants me, but was dragged off?

Oh my god, my alpha stills wants me! I just have to survive in here and he will find a way to get me out, I’m sure of it.
I brace myself, force myself to breathe calmly and then undress fully. My main goal is to stay alive now. As unharmed as possible.

‘You can wash me now.’, I tell the guard with my meek voice.
He looks me up and down but doesn’t trust the sudden change in my behaviour. He also seems subdued because he obviously blabbed something he wasn’t supposed to.

He gets a hose from the wall and suddenly I’m drenched in ice cold water. It stings and the pressure hurts and I scream a little, but it’s over soon.

He ushers me back to our room, dripping and trembling, barely holding on to my clothes.
Of course they have also become wet. Asshole!

I lie down on the mattress and roll into a ball.
‘Are you alright?’, I ask Simon, when he moves to look at me. He shrugs.

‘Did he just wash you?’, he asks, astonished.
I nod. ‘He wanted to provoke me into something, I guess. But he told me by accident, that my alpha was being dragged of by the police. I think he wanted to come for me, Simon. I think they’re lying when they tell us that our alphas don’t want us anymore.’

Simon smells like regret and pain and sadness before somehow catching it and smelling neutral.
‘Are you sure he slipped up and didn’t just want to mess with your head?’, he asks me, weirdly tonelessly.

I nod. ‘I am pretty sure, yes. The way he acted- it doesn’t fit otherwise.’
‘I’m happy for you.’, Simon says, looking the opposite of happy, and then turns to face the wall.

I’m not able to care too much.
I look at the piece of sky I can see through the window and grin.

My alpha is coming for me! He didn’t leave me!
I’m like the worst omega ever and get dragged to the centre and he still tries to get me. Even gets violent over it. I know he surely hates that he couldn’t handle this civilised but I’m proud nevertheless.

The good feeling dims after a while. I can feel myself sliding into heat. I slick up without being even the slightest bit aroused.
I start to fantasize about Marco and a little about Matty and Tom, but I try to catch the fantasies before they get to wild. It’s still possible. I won’t be in full heat for a day or so. I just hope it’s enough.

The beta guard comes in again, this time with another alpha. The alpha sniffs the air and then makes a rumbling noise deep in his throat.
I tense up and turn to him without even thinking. I can barely avoid presenting for him. Shit! What the fuck is wrong with my body?

The beta guard snickers. ’Look who’s getting desperate for some action.’, he says.
The alpha snorts through his nose. ‘You sure you don’t want him?’, the beta asks him.
The alpha shakes his head. ‘He smells alright, but I’m into women and he’s not worth that my missus will pout for days. You go ahead.’

I try to crawl away on the bed, when the guard reaches for me, but I just move against the wall. The bed is so narrow he’s able to grab my upper arm nevertheless.
‘You want my colleague to use his Voice on you or are you coming with me without complaint?’, he asks. I slide forward and stand up.

I’d honestly do anything to avoid the Voice. It’s barely ok if my own alpha commands me with it, and it’s his right, after all. But it just feels so wrong if a strange alpha uses it on me.

The beta guard moves into my face and startles me. I bite into his lip as he forces his mouth on mine and then shrink back.
He glowers at me. ‘Like that, is it? Do you need the Voice after all?’

‘I have a better idea.’, the alpha guard says and we both turn to him. He has Simon in a tight grip and a knife against his throat.

‘I like how this one whimpers and bleeds.’, he says to me. ‘You know, he bit me when he arrived here and I’ve been having my revenge ever since. It’s important that you omega sluts know your place. Just because nature messed with you and gave you dicks, doesn’t make you men. No go with the guard and be thankful for the use he has in you.’

I look at Simon. He’s trembling and his eyes are huge, with tears spilling from them, but he shakes his head at me and tries to say something.
The guard pulls his hair and moves the knife. Simon whimpers and sniffs.

‘I’m coming with you, beta.’, I tell the guard with my gaze lowered.
‘Don’t!’, Simon whimpers and I hear a shark snap.
‘Shut up, bitch. Be glad this omega is more aware of his purpose than you are.’, the alpha guard says while I follow the beta into a room a little down the hallway.

It’s also a cell, but it’s empty.
‘Now you will beg me to fuck you or your little friend will bleed after all. And afterwards, you.’, the beta tells me. I hesitate.

He smiles his dangerous smile. ‘After you bleed, the alpha guard will have some fun with you using his Voice.
Maybe give you some commands that work your whole live. Like if you see your alpha again, maybe you won’t like his smell anymore.’

I fell the blood rush down my body and almost fall. They can’t do that, can they?
Whatever happens, Marco is my light. As long as I know he’s somewhere, still thinking of me, I’ll be ok. I can’t live with the knowledge that I wouldn’t be able to be with him again.

‘Please, please fuck me.’, I say, resigned and the beta cackles.
He pulls down my trousers and I let him. He roughly grabs between my legs and then frowns.

‘Why is there no slick?’, he asks. He has the best timing.
Apparently my pre-heat just decided to pause. It happens sometimes. It’s a process, after all.

‘I’m neither aroused nor in heat.’, I tell the beta. ‘Didn’t you go to school at all?’
The beta backhands me but I kinda predicted it and it’s not as bad as my father’s slaps were.

‘Well, we’ll use spit then’, the beta says. ’Lie down and open your legs.’
I stare at him. He’s not serious, is he? Nobody has ever wanted to fuck an omega that wasn’t wet. It’s just not possible.

The beta tilts his head. ’You want my colleague to use his Voice to make you wet?’
His existence in the same room as I would probably suffice, he is an alpha, after all. Not like this pathetic excuse of a human being.

But no, using the Voice to make me wet sounds even worse than doing other things with it. It’s unnatural.
The guard becomes impatient with my non-reactions and throws me over the mattress.

Suddenly I’m thrown back to my first heat with Marco.
He started so cautiously before I was able to welcome his advances in exactly this position.

Thinking of Marco makes me wet against my will and the guard laughs triumphantly as he reaches between my legs. ‘I knew you wanted it, slut.’

He’s pinning me against the mattress and I’m just too exhausted and tired and sad to do anything about it. I close my eyes and try to think of other things while he starts to pump into me.
At least it’s not uncomfortable. My pre-heat body is making way for him, preparing for a knot that won’t come.

I push the thought away that I don’t want this. That I feel violated.
I tense my muscles to stop them from trembling. I close my fists and press my eyelids together and concentrate on breathing, shakily, in, and out, to not give in to the urge to fight him off or start to cry or yell for help. I won’t give him the satisfaction!

I feel like I’m under water. Like everything is happening to someone different. Soon, I’ll wake up and it was all a dream. My alpha will kiss my tears away and hold me close. Hm, maybe not.

From the sound of the guard’s moans, he’s shortly before climaxing when someone enters the room and pulls him of me.
‘Uncool, dude.’, the new person tells him and then I’m grabbed. Someone roughly pulls my pants up and manhandles me back to my cell.

Simon sits on his mattress, hugging his knees and stares at the door when I get pushed in. I turn to look at the alpha guard from this morning and another guard I haven’t seen yet.
Behind them, the beta guard makes a line across his neck with his index finger, staring at Simon. Simon makes a terrified noise.

I jump up and embrace him as soon as the door closes. He trembles and starts to sob.
I really wanted to soothe him, but now that he’s going, I can’t hold it and we’re both sobbing for a while, holding onto each other.

He’s still trembling when I calm down and has a hiccup. I asked him how he got the guards to help me, but he just shakes his head, so I give up. We sit there, always touching, for what must be hours.

‘Will training be like this?’, I ask, because it’s the first thing on my mind and I need to say something, anything and he concentrates on my face and tilts his head.
‘Men just trying to have me until I don’t fight anymore.’, I explain what I mean.

He shrugs and sniffs. ‘Yeah, that’s one possibility. How well are you reacting to the alpha Voice?’
Oh, not the Voice again! ‘I- I think well?’

He snorts. ‘Well, tough luck. Sometimes they only use this. Tell you to be obedient a lot of times. To stay obedient even after the Voice is gone. Tell you how empty you feel and that you love alphas and want to be good for them and want to take their knots. They do this a lot and after a while it’s second nature for you.’

I cuss myself for having asked. I really, really didn’t want to know this. I’d rather die than live like this.
‘I really don’t want this.’, I murmur. Simon sighs and draws me against his body.

‘Well, they can also just give you medicine that has you in heat all the time. But the more rebellious omegas are still feisty while needing a knot and that’s bad for business.
So you’d have to convince them that you’ll be nice to the alphas and they’ll just do this. The Voice is exhausting for the alphas after all.’

‘Oh.’, I say. Well, both possibilities aren’t really nice to think of. And suddenly the thought that Marco is trying to get me back is too far to reach. Being in here is reality, plain and simple.

Thinking about my alpha is just a dream. I’m not even sure he’s real anymore.
Maybe I just invented him. He always was too good to be true.

My head swims. My hole hurts, as well as my whole body, to be honest. I ache in the weirdest places. I ache inside. Like, it’s sitting in my soul.
I pull Simon down with me, so we’re both lying instead of sitting and slowly drift off into a tense and restless sleep.

Chapter Text

Being in prison would just be boring, if I wasn’t worrying about Luca all the time.
I have no idea how exactly being in here should help criminals to come out as better people.

I’m not allowed to make a phone call. I don’t get visitors. Nobody tells me anything, so I’m slowly going crazy.

Could they free him? Has he already been bitten by another alpha?
Somehow I think I would feel it if he was bitten or seriously hurt or- no, I don’t even want to think THAT.

But I know that’s bullshit.
He could just vanish and never be seen again and I wouldn’t be any wiser.

My cellmate tries to distract me by playing cards and making small talk but it’s not really working. It’s nice of him, though.

I’m lucky to have him. The people in here are- I’m not sure if there even is a word for it. I think they’re mostly just bored? But that can make people crazy.
And it’s an alpha prison, so there’s a lot of alpha toxicity going around. I can hear shouting and growling and shoving all the time and try my best not to leave the cell.

Some guy wanted to come in and steal my stuff, just after I woke up. My cellmate just growled at him and he apologised and vanished.

Just now, some other guy comes in and I’m pretty sure he wants to fuck me, judging by his smell.
My cellmate watches me for a while as if he’s trying to puzzle me out, before chasing him away.

‘Thanks.’, I say. He nods. ‘But what were you looking at me for?’
He laughs. ‘You’re gay. And young. I was trying to figure out if I was doing you a favour or not.’

I raise my brows. ‘Are you the sort of guy that thinks every man that’s into men wants to fuck All of them All the time?’
He snorts and shakes his head. ‘Point taken. No, I’m just the guy that was in prison too long.’, he says.

I put my head on the mattress again and look at the clouds.
I remember how I was seeing sea animals in the clouds with Luca and turn my head to look at the wall.
I remember how Luca is standing close to the wall when he’s anxious and turn to look at the door.

Just then, a guard comes in.
‘Celestino.’, he says, and pronounces my name as wrongly as you can. ‘Come with me.’
I glance at my cellmate but he shrugs. Obviously this isn’t common.

I get up and he chains my hands before making me follow him. I’m guided into a room with a table and four chairs, all of them bolted to the floor. He connects my chained hands to a chain that’s connected to the floor and lets me sit there.

I look at the table and remember how I feed Luca every day.
Did he have breakfast today? Or do they let him starve? Does he miss me? Did they tell him I wanted to get him? Or does he fell all alone and abandoned?

I hang my head and some tears run down my cheeks.
Their trails have dried by the time the door opens.

I try to jump up, but the chain doesn’t let me.
I sit down and watch as Grandma and Matty approach the table and sit down.

‘Could you get him out?’, I ask Matty. Matty shakes his head and smells miserable.
He looks exhausted. Grandma looks even more bitter than normal.

She’s the one that addresses me first. I anticipate a huge dressing-down, but she surprises me. ‘We’re working on getting him out. Our family knows people that can help him.’

I sit up straighter. ‘Really? That’s brilliant. How? Why? How long will it take?’
Grandma sighs. ‘Your father is very involved with the brothels.’, she explains.

Matty snorts and looks at her. ‘You need to tell him the whole story or he won’t believe you that Luca is safe.’, he says to her.
She sighs again. ‘Fine.’

I look from her to Matty and back. Really? Since when does she give in that quickly?
I stop thinking about that when she starts to talk.

‘We never told you this, but you father had an older sister. She was an omega. She vanished when your father was 16 and he was 19. She had- a drug problem. We were pretty sure she had joined a brothel to be able to afford it.’
Grandma looks at the wall while she talks, visibly uncomfortable.

‘She and your grandfather weren’t close, but your father loved his sister and saw how worried I was, so went to every brothel to look for her.
But then he met your mother. He stopped looking for some time.

After his first infatuation was gone, he tried to make up for it and searched the brothels even more. But my daughter had vanished without a trace. When Clemente didn’t find her, he started letting the omegas there comfort him.

We- we found out that Angela had died by an overdose years later. By then, Clemente was good friends with the brothel owners and personnel. A good customer. And he had become their doctor in the meantime, using his connections to become the most renowned omega doctor in the city.
As you know, he still is. So, yes, we have good connections to the centre as well as to most omega handlers.
It’s only a matter of time. We need to find out which brothel owner wanted your omega for his collection and then can possibly bribe them or make a deal.’

I frown. I can’t even process this knowledge about my dead aunt right now.
‘But- What do brothels have to do with the centre?’, I ask. Grandma scoffs. ‘You kids are way too naïve. Where do you think the whores come from? The centres play a huge part in the trafficking of omegas.’

‘Oh.’, I say. And then have an idea. ‘But then, Luca also has a connection he could use?’
Grandma chuckles. ‘We think that your stupid omega didn’t even think to mention that he used to be an Ashwood.’

Oh. That’s unfortunate. But- Luca isn’t stupid! I growl at her.
She shakes her head, but looks amused. ‘Don’t worry. We don’t know if Luca was kidnapped to spite his father, so it’s better he’s not involved for now.’

I nod and we’re silent for a while.
‘Don’t you wanna know about when you come out?’, Matty asks.
I shrug. ‘It’s not important. Luca is important.’

‘Don’t you think he’ll find it important that you’re there when they let him go?’
Shit! Of course! I need to be there for my omega!
‘Do you know when they’ll let me out?’, I ask.

Matty manages a chuckle. ‘I knew this was a good point. I asked an professor for advice and we handed in a formal complaint with the station. They normally don’t want to deal with that kind of stuff and will just let you go in the next couple of days.’

Grandmother looks almost enamoured. ‘I like this one.’, she tells me. ‘He’s a good pick for your pack.’
What the fuck?

Chapter Text

I’m snuggled against Simon, almost pressing my nose into his scent gland and am pretty relaxed when I wake up. Until I remember where I am, that is.

I groan and sit up to stretch when I hear hectic steps outside.
’They’re really picking one of them up?’, someone says, dumbstruck.
I feel a hint of satisfaction. Good for the unknown Omega!

Turns out the unknown omega is me.

The slightly nicer alpha guard opens the door and Matty enters the doorway. Simon jumps up and backs himself into a corner, glaring at Matty. I pinch myself, not really believing that this is really happening.

Matty pauses, then smiles at Simon shyly. Simon hisses.
Matty frowns and looks around the room.

His face lights up when he sees me, just to close off when he sees the state I’m in.
‘Did you hurt him like that?’, he asks Simon and makes a step into our cell.
The small omega lifts his shoulders and hugs himself with huge eyes.

‘Matty.’, I say, still not sure if he’s really here. Matty turns to me and I get a whiff of his scent.
He’s angry, scared, relieved, happy and a lot more and now I’m sure he’s really here.

His scent hits me and I can feel the heat running through my body, ready to break out again at any moment.
My whimper makes Simon reach out a hand in my direction, but he freezes when he sees Matty stare at him.

He hisses again. Matty narrows his eyes.
‘Matty, he’s alright.’, I say quickly. ‘It were some of the guards, but it’s- it’s not that bad.’ My voice trails of.

My packmate still looks Simon up and down and the other omega starts to whimper. I’m kinda impressed. Matty is like a pet if you know him, but for strangers he can apparently seem intimidating as hell.

He suddenly makes a step toward him and crouches down to be Simon’s size, which is more like him.
‘I’m sorry. You don’t have to be afraid.’, he says in his kind voice and I suddenly start to cry.

He immediately turns to me. ‘Oh sweety, I’m so sorry this took so long. I’ve got you now. You’re going home.’
I run into his arms and he scentmarks me and dresses me in my robe.

‘That’s your alpha?’, Simon says softly, full of wonder.
I shake my head, still pressed against Matty’s neck. ‘No. But he’s pack.’

‘Fuck, you have two of those? Get out of here!’, Simon says and I start to chuckle through my tears.
‘Sorry.’ I let go of Matty to turn to him. ‘Can I do anything for you? You want me to contact anyone?’

Simon smiles sadly. ‘No, kiddo, I don’t have anybody.’
Matty carefully lets go of me as well and writes his number on a piece of paper. ‘If you ever need help, call us.’

Simon looks like he’s about to make a sarcastic remark but refrains from it.
‘Thank you, Sir.’, he says instead, more meekly than I would’ve thought he could be, and takes the paper carefully from Matty’s big hands without touching him.

Then he’s himself again and nods his head to the door. ‘Now go, get the kid out, he’s worth saving.’
Matty frowns and looks down at him. He’s looks twice his size.
I didn’t see how small Simon really is until now.

‘You’re not?’, he asks him softly.
Simon snorts darkly and shakes his head. Matty cocks his head and continues staring at him until he looks down.

‘Hmm, let someone else be the judge of that?’, Matty muses.
Simon starts to laugh darkly. ‘Piss off, dickhead. You already saved one omega, don’t let your head swell up.’

Matty looks lost and a little hurt while he shrugs and starts to lead me outside.
‘Don’t forget to get his collar and jewellery back from them, dickhead.’, Simon tells him.

‘Oh, yeah. Thanks.’, Matty says, distracted.
Simon watches him with a cocked head as he picks me up and carries me out of the cell.

I can see the guard hold out his hand and Simon roll his eyes and give him the paper with Matty’s number before we’re out of sight.

Matty carries me through some hallways until we’re in some kind of reception area. I can see outside from here and I love that. What I don’t love is the person that awaits me in the waiting room.

I hide behind Matty when he lets me down and Marco’s grandmother scoffs. ‘Stupid child. I’m here to help pick you up.’
‘Why? Ma’am?’, I ask.

‘Because your stupid alpha wanted to get you out and lost his control. And I’m your legal guardian when he’s not able to look after you.’
Oh. Well it’s kinda good I didn’t know that fact before. But there’s more important matters to dwell on.

‘So, he still wants me?’, I ask, and maybe she’s right and I’m really stupid.
She snorts. ‘Oh, child! I don’t know why, but he’s very into you. And he’s loyal and kind, so of course he still wants you, even after you fucked up and dragged everybody with you.’

Matty comes back from the reception and puts my collar back on. I turn to him while I lift my head. ‘How did you get me out?’

He strokes my cheek with his thumb while checking out my expression. ‘Fortunately, I have a nice law professor and the grandmother here has some amazing contacts.’, he says.

‘Legally speaking, you’re part of a pack and you’re collared and your alpha already purchased a watch for you, so it doesn’t matter if you’re mated or not. And what helped speed this up was that you’re in pre-heat and I threatened to go to the media, after we knew who’s responsible for all this. The way you were abducted would cause an uproar.’

Matty picks me up. ’Talking of pre-heat. Let’s get you home.’ I lift my head to lick his scent gland and he smells and tastes very smug while we leave the building.

The grandmother sits in the back with me as Matty drives.
‘Why did you help getting me out, I thought you hated me?’, I ask her. Apparently pre-heat makes me crazy.

She gives me the once-over and rolls her eyes. ‘Well, they didn’t knock some manner into you, there. Seems we have to keep you like this.’, she just replies and somehow I find this hilarious.

Matty chuckles from the front seat and even the grandmother has to smile after a while.
She starts to talk after I’ve calmed down. ‘Your father-in-law had a sister that was an omega. She vanished someday. She was very good looking in a dark way, similar to Marco. So I guess they wanted her for her special looks, like they did you. We always thought that she went to the brothels on her own, to earn money for drugs. They were what killed her in the end.

When Clemente was really drunk, after his separation from Marco’s mother, he told me about the brothels. How the omegas have a good time in there. How they want to be knotted. Even beg for it. He loved that. He needs a lot of reassurance. Maybe we made some mistakes early on, being that strict.’, she pauses and looks out the window. I hold my breath until she continues:

‘I really didn’t want to know the things he told me. Now, I can’t even look at an omega without imagining my sweet child begging for a knot just to be able to buy drugs.’
She sounds like she’s crying but her eyes are dry and her face is solemn.

‘I’m sorry for your loss.’, I say and her head snaps around to face me, her eyes wide.
‘Thank you. I- appreciate it.’

We are silent until we’re at her address.
‘I don’t hate you, Luca.’, she says before she gets out of the car.

I feel myself burn up for the rest of the drive.
Matty is speeding. He must smell that I’m pretty far along.

‘Fuck sweety, you’re all sweaty and sweet, making me dizzy.’, he murmurs against my neck when he carries me out of the car.

I whimper. This is all wrong. Where’s my alpha? We’re at his house but he’s not there. Is this punishment?

‘I need Marco.’, I whine and Matty tenses. ‘Shush, baby. Don’t worry, he’s getting out soon. And we’re going to take such good care of you. We already made a nest.’

I whimper again. A nest! I need my nest. I want the pack smell around me. Now!
We arrive at the door and there’s Tom, kissing me and touching me while Matty is carrying me up the stairs into the attic.

They really made a nest. They took the blankets and pillows from their beds as well as our bed and the sofa and piled them on the huge bed in the attic. I jump out of Matty’s arms and dive in until I’m fully immersed in the pack scent.

Something is missing. I smell my alpha and myself and have a short, glorious moment where I remember our last time together. It was too hot to really touch so he just let me ride him.

I smell Matty and Tom and- oh, there’s Simon’s smell, on my own body. And all the other omegas that have ever been in that cell.
And, there’s the guard.

I start to whine and Matty and Tom interrupt their shouting- shouting? Why were they- doesn’t matter – Matty is here and hugs me and licks my neck and I can feel his erection and press myself against him and it’s good.

And I hear the door slam shut behind Tom and- why is everybody leaving me?
And then Matty is there again and licks my glands and starts to finger me and I don’t even know when I got naked but it’s good and this time I like being naked again and that’s also good and – no, I won’t think about the guard just now and- where is my alpha and- Oh God I missed how perfect Matty’s dick feels inside me and- no, I won’t think about Simon, all alone and hurt in the cell and maybe in withdrawal because I’m sure we bonded a little and-
WHY is Matty’s knot growing?!

It hurts as I rip myself from his growing knot and stumble from the bed but it would hurt more to face my alpha’s disapproval- be it imagined or real- for not obeying a pack rule. It’s not like there’s a lot of them.

Matty sits up in bed. ‘Omega, come back here.’, he says in a hoarse voice and I’m almost there before I even realise that I’m following his order. Then I pause and hug myself.
‘Matty?’, I say and he growls.

‘You don’t get to leave the bed like that.’, Matty tells me and I’m afraid, because he sounds different and he looks a little more dangerous than usual. I take a step back.
He growls again and I whimper. He frowns and shakes his head.

‘Luca?’, he asks, sounding normal.
‘Matty, what- what’s happening?’, I ask him. I’m slicking up the floor, because apparently my body isn’t in sync with my mind at all.

Matty tilts his head and then the dangerous look is back.
‘Come here and take my knot like a good omega.’, he growls and I take a step back. He sits up and gets out of the bed.

‘Matty?’, I say again. He stares at me.
‘Come here’, he coaxes. ‘Let me make you feel good. Let me knot and mate you, like you earned it.’

Somehow I love to hear those words even as I’m completely sure that it’s the wrong person saying them. My body agrees to the first part and the slick starts dripping to the floor.
Matty looks down my body and licks his lips.

‘So ready for me and my knot.’, he whispers hoarsely.
He takes a step towards me and I take a step back.

He tries to follow but slides out in my slick and falls to the floor. I use his distraction to get the bed between us. The nest draws me. I just want to lie down in it and smell the scents and feel safe. But apparently I can’t feel safe in my own home now.

Matty stands up, groaning.
‘Luca.’, he says, suddenly sounding normal again. ‘What are you doing?’
He seems honestly confused and I realized that he went full alpha before.

It’s a lot like when Marco gets full alpha, now that I see it for what it is. But my alpha has every right to approach me that way, while Matty doesn’t.
Thinking about Marco makes me slick up again and my heat is almost at the point where I would beg anybody to fill me nevertheless.

‘Matty, you’re not supposed to knot me.’, I whine and he tuts.
‘Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose. I won’t this time. Let me make you feel good. I can smell that you need it.’

Matty approaches me again. But he looks normal again and a little sheepish, like he’s embarrassed about knotting me.
That’s ok then. We’ve all done some shit because of hormones, after all. No harm done. I’m almost sad because being knotted would feel amazing right now.

I sit down on the edge of the mattress and open my arms.
Matty shoves me, so I lie on my back while he nuzzles against me, kissing and licking until I feel like I’m melting into a warm puddle of slick.

He starts pumping into me again and it’s better this time. Safer.
Also his smell drew the weak beta smell of the guard from me. I start to rock back into him and he hums and picks up speed.

‘God, Luca.’, he moans and I make one of those highpitched omega-noises that I’m not sure where they come from.
‘That’s it.’, Matty praises me. ‘Just enjoy it, good omega.’

I bare my neck and he nibbles on my collarbone for a while. Then I can feel his knot grow again, slower this time.
‘Matty.’, I say, but he doesn’t react. I try to shove him away.

‘Matty!’, I yell, panicked. He freezes. I whimper and he reaches down to shush me.
I use his clumsy movement to shove him off me and run to the door.

His hand is on the door, pushing it closed, just as I reach it to pull it open.
He looks down on me. I whimper and his face goes soft.

‘Don’t be afraid. I’m going to take good care of you.’, he croons. ‘Just come here.’ He reaches for me. I nod and then back up into the middle of the room. I need to get him away from the door.

I let him come closer, because he has the clear intend to soothe me right now and I need that.
I keep my legs closed.

Matty hugs me, strokes my back and sniffs my neck, until I feel good again. Then he opens his mouth against my neck and aims for my mating gland.

I struggle in his arms, but he’s holding both of my arms and he’s really fucking strong.
‘Matty.’, I whimper, as I feel his teeth start to pierce my skin.

Chapter Text

Getting out of prison is even more unspectacular then going in.
A guard picks me up.
I say goodbye to my cellmate.
I get my stuff back, have to sign a lot of paper and I’m free to go.

Tom is waiting in front of the door in a parking space for people with walking impediments.
I open my mouth to berate him on that when he gives me a piercing look.

‘You want to be home quickly.’, he tells me. ‘Matty just brought Luca and he’s already in heat.’
I nod and buckle up.

Traffic is light and as I’m not driving I’m already in the house while Tom still parks my car.
I inhale deeply. The house smells like Luca, thank God.

But something is wrong. Luca is distressed.
The delicious heat smell holds a trace of anxiety and fear and confusion.

I hurry up the stairs into the attic.
Luca is crouching in a corner, teeth bared and eyes narrowed.

There’s a trace of blood on his neck, right next to his mating gland.

Matty crouches before him. He’s holding his crotch, on his knees with a red head. He’s whimpering.
He smells hurt and panicked, but also- he smells like it tastes when I’m thinking about mating Luca.

‘Alpha.’, Luca whispers and fixes his eyes on me, which makes Matty tense and turn his head to face to me.
He’s on the floor and clearly in pain – did Luca kick him in the balls?- but he still growls at me.
His eyes are barely recognizable as human eyes and his teeth are full on sharp alpha teeth.

I instinctively growl back. He slowly gets up while I approach him.
We circle each other and I can feel my own teeth grow as well.

What happened here? He clearly wants to fight, but why? And why did Luca feel the need to defend himself and still smells distressed? I was convinced that Matty wouldn’t hurt him.

Suddenly it hits me. I stop moving.
‘You didn’t just try to mate my omega?’, I say and I was sure it would sound astonished but my voice changed into a low growl and it just sounds menacing.

Matty whines and makes half a step back, then looks at Luca, who’s behind me right now and straightens up. He takes a step forward and growls again.

Fuck. I don’t really have to fight him, do I? He’s huge!
But he bit my omega. And that makes me furious. I know I can take him.

I don’t look like it and I especially don’t seem like it, but I know how to dominate another alpha.
I have to know, being my size and growing up like I had. My mother was hit on all the time when we lived alone in my early teens, someone had to protect her.

Matty seems to see that I’m not as easily spooked as he maybe thought and his eyes shift a little back.
‘Get out of the way, Marco. This isn’t about you.’

‘Not about me? You’re trying to steal my husband right now!’
Matty snarls at that and crouches into a jumping position. I mirror his movement and bare my teeth.

‘Stop it, you knotheads!’, Luca snaps from behind me.
I can see Matty straighten up from the corner of my eyes while I turn around to face my omega.

I tilt my head and focus on him and feel rather than see Matty copy me.
Luca looks from me to Matty and back again and has the nerve to look like he supresses a smile.

‘You’re not really going to fight, are you? Here, in the attic? With me in and out of heat and just back from being kidnapped?’, he looks at me at that and I feel how I shift back to being human.

He’s right. I missed him, I should hug him right now and not try to intimidate our friend.
Luca looks at me, his eyes softening, then at Matty, who’s still growling lowly.

My omega sighs.
’Why don’t you just ask me who I want? If you’re not fully hormonal you wouldn’t really do this without my consent, right?’, he says and sounds a little unconvinced, which breaks my heart.

I take a step back. He’s right, I would never stay in the way of his happiness.
‘You’re right.’, I say and stifle the pet name that’s about to slip out by habit.
‘I- I wish you the best.’

Luca frowns at me but I can’t really look at him or I will bite him. Or cry. Maybe both. I swallow, once.
‘I’ll leave you to it.’, I say and turn to the door.

From the corner of my eye I see Matty, who’s also back to human now and looks equally hopeful and confused.
I hear Luca take a step forward, surely to throw himself into Matty’s arms.

‘What th- Marco, wait!’, he says instead.
Oh god, what is he going to do? Thank me for taking good care of him until now? Wanting me to witness their mating? Please no! I’m hanging by a thread already.

But before I can pretend that I haven’t heard him, he’s on me and hugs me and somehow turns me around so I hug him back.

‘What the fuck, Marco?’, he says into my ear, his voice hoarse.
‘Did you really think I’d pick Matty?’

So, that’s it, that’s goodby-
Wait! What?
I clear my throat and hold Luca an arm’s length away from me.

‘Ehm-yes? You- you don’t? Really?’, I almost don’t dare to feel happy yet.
‘He’s your best friend!’

A voice in my head tells me to shut the fuck up before I convince my –MY!- omega that he indeed does want Matty.

Luca sighs and rolls his eyes as if I’m being extremely annoying and I love every second of it.
‘Exactly. He’s my best friend. I love him in a completely different way than I love you.’, he explains as if I’m seriously brain-injured.

Maybe I am. I just heard three words of what he said.
‘You- love me?’

Now his omega-nature takes over this brash, amazing, intelligent man and he looks to the floor, blushing.
‘Of course I do.’, he murmurs and then looks up with a flush on his face and a glimmer in his eye. ‘Can you fuck and bite me already? Please?’

I snort at that and Matty makes some kind of noise somewhere in the room.
Ah yes- he’s here, too. I turn to him and he bows his neck in our direction.

‘I- I’m so sorry, Ma- ehm, alpha. And I’m sorry, Luca. I- really! I don’t know what came over me.’, he looks up at little to plead with his eyes.
‘I know that you two belong with each other.’, he focuses on me.
‘And I- I also love him like a friend. Loved him that way since we’re children, really. But it’s not that.
It was – I don’t know, I reacted to something.’

I nod at him. I can see that he is sincere and I really want to be alone with Luca right now.
I have no idea how to react to his behaviour in the long run, but I’m glad we didn’t have to fight. And apologizing is a very huge step at this stage, so I’m satisfied, as person as well as head alpha.

‘Get downstairs, Matthew. I’ll deal with you later.’, I tell him and he gulps and nods. ‘Yes, alpha.’
Tom meets him in the half-open door and leads him downstairs, nodding at me.

After Matty left, I hug Luca tightly. Then I chuckle. ‘Did you really kick him in the balls?’
‘Ehm, yes. You know, it worked. But I know I’m not supposed to disobey an alpha. Are- are you mad?’

‘Are you kidding? I’d never be mad at you, darling. God, I missed you so much. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there for you.’ I take him by the shoulders to look at him. ‘How are you? How’s your heat?’

Luca doesn’t meet my eyes. ‘I’m lucid right now. Must be the whole-‘, he makes an all-involving hand gesture.
I nod. ‘Yeah. I have no idea what’s gotten into Matty, but I think I believe him.’

‘So-‘, Luca hesitates shortly before looking up at me. ‘You won’t banish him?’
Huh. Good question, love. Maybe I’ve gotten ahead of myself, founding a pack with another alpha in without ever having read about all the hormonal stuff that could go down.

I dodge the question. ‘Do you want me to?’
He shrugs. ‘No! Well, maybe a little. But, no! I feel sorry for him. And I think he just realized that we’re really just friends, when he apologized right now. It was nice to hear that someone loves me though.’, Luca murmurs the last sentence to himself.

I make him look up at me at that.
‘Luca- darling, surely you must know that I also love you.’, I tell him very seriously.
His eyes widen and his breathing speeds up. ‘You- you do?’

I lean in to kiss his forehead and then stay there. ‘Oh god, baby. Of course I do. I fell in love with you the minute I saw you and it’s been growing ever since. I was sure that you’re the love of my life when you haven’t even lived here for a week yet.’

I can feel his frown under my lips. ‘But- that’s just hormones. You didn’t even know me that well then.’
I chuckle. He really has to doubt every good thing I say to him. I look into his eyes again, caressing his cheek with my thumb.

‘I immediately knew that you’re kind and loyal and smart.
I learned that you have some issues and that you didn’t really need my protection, but accepted it either way. I knew you can be fiercely protective of yourself and others and will never be completely tamed.
I also knew that you’re the most beautiful person in the world and I soon realized that you’ll never agree with me on this. ’

Luca isn’t able to meet my eyes and I chuckle and kiss his eyebrows.
‘And then I started to get to know you better and I knew you were easily bored and you hated what our compatibility did with us because it scared you. And you were pissed off with me for being too kind, because you weren’t used to it and you didn’t want to make your own decisions that badly, after all.

I loved you when I met you and I love you now and I always loved you in between and I can’t imagine a time when I will stop loving you.’, I tell him solemnly.

Honestly, I’m impressed by myself right now. But it’s all true!
Luca’s face is really red and he swallows, while his downcast eyes look a little misty. He clears his throat.

‘Oh Marco, you’re cheesy as fuck’, he then says and that startles me into a laugh.
‘And I know you still can’t handle me being nice to you.’, I finish my list.

Luca smiles a small, sad smile while one single tear runs down his cheek. He looks up to me and pecks a quick kiss to my lips. ‘I love you, too. I’m not bursting out in song and dance for you, though.’

I sit down on the bed and pull him in to straddle me. We make out like this, until he starts to hump my leg.
‘You need it baby?’, I ask and start to stroke his leg. I’m surprised when he stops moving and tenses.
‘I- Marco- wait a minute please.’

I still. He takes a trembling breath and then, very quietly, says: ‘Marco, I – the guard. One of them. A beta. He-‘, Luca swallows and takes a deep breath.
‘Marco, he fucked me. I didn’t want to. Please believe me. I couldn’t- I just- he-‘, he slides off my lap to the floor and puts his face in his hands.

‘I’m sorry. Really. I- I understand if you don’t want me anymore. But, I- please. Please, don’t-‘, he mumbles something, while he seems to try not to sob.
He flinches when I take his hands of his face.

‘He raped you?’, I try to determine.
He winces and looks up to me, eyebrows raised. ‘Can you rape an omega?’

Oh God what have they done to him? I try to supress my anger because I don’t want him scared of me. I take a couple of calming deep breaths while I softly stroke his hair.

‘I don’t care what the law says, Luca. If he fu- penetrated you and you didn’t want to, it was rape. It wasn’t your fault. Oh, baby! Of course I still want you. I love you! You- wanna talk about it? Or- don’t want anybody to touch you?’

I start to draw my hands back but Luca grabs my arms with more strength than I expected.
‘Alpha! Please touch me. I need you. It’s better when you’re there, Marco. And I need you to somehow- I think when you sleep with me it kind of makes it undone?’

I hate the uncertain expression in his face.
‘Oh, darling.’, I say. He leans up to kiss me and I pull him on m lap again. After a while he continues to move against me.
I can feel my pants get wet. Luca moves back and starts to undress me.

I decide to let it go at his pace. I help him, but I don’t speed the process up, although his smell is making me crazy, while the thought about the guard violating my beautiful husband is driving in circles in my head.

I’ve never felt so aggressive. Even the Stephen debacle blanches in comparison. Even Matty’s transgression seems weak, now.
Hell, maybe he even smelled someone different on his pack mate and just wanted it undone. Who knows how our stupid hormones react?

Luca makes me lie on my back and then sits down on my dick, not once lifting his eyes off my face. I stare back at him and force my thoughts to just be about him.
‘I love you.’, I tell him and he smiles and then picks up speed. I pull his upper body down to me.

‘I’m going to knot and mate you, if that’s still ok with you.’, I tell him, panting. He moans softly and nods.
‘Are you lucid?’, I ask him. He nods again. ‘Yes, Marco. I want this. Really. Please make me yours. I don’t want to leave you ever again.’

His words kickstart my knot. I have an omega that really wants to be mated to me and that feels fucking good.
My knot swells and Luca goes crazy, moans and shivers and kisses me very passionately.

I wait until I’m almost there, then I grab his head. He stills and looks into my eyes. I cock my head and he nods and smiles.
He moves his head, so his mating gland is right in front of my mouth.

The blood from Matty’s almost-bite has dried. I lick it off and Luca makes an obscene noise.
I feel my teeth sharpen and taste the fruity smell I connect with mating in my mouth, before I bite into his tender flesh.

He yells and soaks my knot with slick while shooting cum over mine and his stomach. I shoot into him at the same time, the flavour of his blood in my mouth.

We stay like this for a at least half an hour, just feeling and breathing and being, then Luca collapses on me and my deflated dick slips out of him.
He looks up at me with a glimmer in his eyes and croons. ‘Alpha!’

I smile at him and he moves his head to lick his blood from my lips. I meet his tongue with mine and we kiss for a while.
It was always perfect when we kissed and I know you can’t improve something perfect but somehow it’s still even more perfect now.

‘I love you.’, I tell him again. He shudders and then whimpers.
I slowly sit us up. ‘Did I hurt you, darling?’

‘No, no. It’s just. Wow, it’s intense! I’m like- I’m like a part of you. And you’re a part of me.’
He frowns, clearly thinking about that and I can almost feel how he’s thinking hard and I know he will look up before he does.

‘Do you feel it too?’, he asks and I nod and kiss him. I’m not imagining it, then. It really is nicer than before.
It’s like I don’t only feel my pleasure but his as well, and his pleasure increases, so I’m pretty sure he feels it to.

‘Fuck, I’ll never be able to stop kissing you.’, he murmurs and I chuckle and lick his bite, which makes him gasp. ‘Marco! God!’

I can’t concentrate on his expression, unfortunately, because he’s bleeding a little. ‘Shit, I need a first-aid-kit.’, I say.
I’m so stupid. How could I bite my omega without the proper preparation? I even had everything I need in our room since before he arrived.

‘Are you in pain?’, I ask him and he puts his hand on my chest.
‘Marco, chill. I’m good. I’m so, so good. Please don’t ever stop touching me.’

I grin at him. ‘I won’t. Let’s just go to our room, ok? I’ll feel better when I took care of the wound.’
‘The bite.’ Luca corrects me. ‘It’s not a wound. It’s more.’

I feel a spark of far in my stomach while Luca bows his head. ‘I’m sorry for contradicting you.’
I lick his neck again, this time next to the bite and the spark vanishes. ‘That’s alright, love. You’re right, it is more.’

Matty is peeking up the stairs when we reach our floor and Luca stops. They stare at each other.
I look at both of them, then clear my throat end four eyes fixate on me.

‘I don’t want you to approach each other until I know- we discussed what to do with the situation.’, I tell them and am amazed by my own air of authority.
Matty nods, looks sad and goes into the kitchen.

Luca just looks at me, neutrally and says ‘Yes, alpha.’, with an air of calm and satisfaction around him.
In my room, he suddenly goes to his knees. ‘I’m sorry for the mess I made. It’s your right to punish me, alpha.’

He feels sincere and solemn. Not afraid, this time, but a bad conscience is there. I have to threat carefully.
Now I know why it is a challenge to be mated.

I get the first aid kit from the drawer and tend to the bite.
He’s very silent, but moves his head to give me a better access.

When I’m ready, I extend my hand and he lets me pull him up.
‘Darling, you didn’t make Matty want to bite you.’, I explain as I embrace him.

He’s stiff in my arms. ‘But- I was nice to him. I- I think I flirted with him, Marco.’
I have to chuckle at his indignation with himself. ‘Yes, of course you did. I was there half of the time. I joined in sometimes. He’s pack, Luca. It’s normal.’

‘But-‘
‘Are you contradicting me?’, I make my voice sound light, but he still flinches and sighs. ‘No, Sir.’
I massage my forehead and look him up and down. ‘How’s your heat?’, I ask him.

He frowns and I can feel him concentrate on his body. ‘I think it’s on pause.’, he tells me.
I nod. Makes sense. Must be a reaction to the bite. ‘Lie on your stomach for me, darling.’

I get some oil from the bathroom, while Luca obeys.
He’s smelling and feeling apprehensive, but not overly frightened so at least he finally knows I wouldn’t be unjust or hurt him.

He flinches when I drop some oil on his back. Then I start massaging him.
He hesitates, but then his curiosity wins. ‘Marco, what are you doing?’

I kiss his neck. ‘Darling. You were kidnapped, then you were at the centre.
After, your own packmate attacked you and almost bit you. And then I mated you. Which is a lot of stress for your body as well.

So, I’m going to make you feel good. I’m your alpha. I need to take care of you and I did a very bad job, so please let me make this up to you and stop talking about punishments.’
Luca thinks about this and then relaxes into my touch.

‘You really know what you’re doing.’, he says after some time, sounding tired.
I chuckle. ‘You know that I study physiotherapy, right?’

‘Yeah, but isn’t that knowing all the muscles and stuff?’
‘Mhm. That’s the theoretical part. This is the practical part.’

‘Are you as good in your theoretical part?’
‘Sure. This here, is the trapezius.’, I let my hand slide from his back to his neck.
‘It’s pretty long and goes up to here. And here we have the splenius. And this here is your scent gland. Right next to your mating gland. Recently stimulated by my mating bite. Very sensitive, should be handled with caution.’

I stroke him next to the band aid I put there and he immediately slicks up.
‘Hmh, just like I said.’, I tell him.

My boner started touching Luca’s back a while ago and now he arches his back to press his ass cheeks against me and moans.
I kiss his neck while I slide into him and whisper praises while I gently fuck him.

We snuggle against each other afterwards. His body temperature is almost back to normal.
I’m pretty sure all the stress fucked with his cycle. Poor baby. He smells satisfied, but tired.

He feels like he aches a little. But I’m not sure, I’m not an expert in interpreting the additional emotions I gained through mating him. Yet.

‘How are you?’, I ask him. He opens one eye and smiles at me.
‘I’m glad I’m with you.’, he says.

Then he yawns. ‘And I’m tired.’
I kiss his temple. ‘Sleep, darling. I love you.’

Chapter Text

I open my eyes. Marco looks at me.
’I love you.’, he says, as if he were saying good morning instead.

I hide my face in the pillow. ‘I won’t be able to say it back that often. I do, love you, you know, but I just-‘
I don’t even know how to explain but the sense of Marco being understanding over our bond is enough to reassure me. ‘It’s ok, darling. I love you nevertheless. Unconditional, you know?’

I groan. ‘You’re the cheesiest person I know.’
‘Mhm. You love that.’

I laugh, while groaning. ‘I really do.’
We kiss a little, until Marco starts touching me and I flinch when he touches a bruise.

Marco looks at my wounds and sighs. ‘Well, seems like we need someone with law knowledge. Time to make up with Matty.’
I stare at him. ’Make up? Like, he gets to stay?’ I’m so glad!

Marco frowns at me. ‘You said you don’t want me to banish him. I wouldn’t do anything you don’t want, love. But he will have to face some consequences. What he did was unacceptable and it can’t happen again. We need to figure out what triggered his alpha and how to avoid it. Although at least you’re secure as my mate now.’
His eyes go soft and he strokes my neck. I bare it for him and smile at him.

When he stops touching me and leaves the bed, I sit up and nod.
‘You’re right. You know, just before I- before. He told me that he’s afraid to talk to omegas. I think that’s partly where his obsession with me came from. Maybe you should tell him to get to know other omegas? Then he’ll see that I’m not that special and stop obsessing.’

Marco stops, mid-putting up his trousers, to look at me. ‘You are special.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Yes, for you. You’re my mate, you have to think that.’ I feel fuzzy when I say that he’s my mate and try to ignore it, while I try to find the right words.

‘But I mean- he thinks they are all, like, angels. And they’re not. They’re mostly just people. You should have seen my cellmate. He looked like the perfect omega, but was a bitter, old bitch. But kind, he was very kind.’

I trail off and try not to think about my time at the centre.
Or that Simon is alone in the cell.
Or that the guard threatened his life because he managed to save me from him.

Marco looks at me and I feel his need to make me feel better. Suddenly he seems to have an idea.
He jumps up and then rummages in the closet. He comes out with the jewellery box I remember and smiles.

I sit up. I completely forgot about this part of mating. Although we discussed the watch, like, not even two weeks ago.
I smile at him when he goes to one knee and holds the box out to me.

‘Would you do me the honour of wearing my watch?’, he asks and he looks, smells and fells a little apprehensive.
Must be nice to have such an uncomplicated emotional inner life. I bet our mating really fucks with his understanding of me.

But right now I’m just happy as well. Ok, maybe a little anxious. And in pain. And tired.
Ok, sorry, I can’t have uncomplicated emotions, apparently.

I open the box. The watch is the same, but the wristband is very plain and somehow it’s exactly like I imagined it. I like it very much.

‘Would you?’, I ask and he eagerly puts it on me. It fits perfectly.
Marco watches me intently.
‘How do you feel?’, he asks. I can’t take my eyes of the watch, but glance at him shortly and have to smile at him.

‘I feel- safe. Provided for. I knew I’m yours. But now everybody can see it. That’s really good. I’m happy with you, Marco.’

The happy and protective feeling that pulses from my neck into my body is almost overwhelming. I lean in to kiss him.
After a while, he stands up and sighs. ‘Ok, I’m going to talk to Matty now.’

As soon as I know he’s going to leave me- well, leave the room-, I feel the urge to pull him into our nest and just hug him close. I can’t be alone right now. But I, like, need to stay in bed.

I whine and he leans over me. ‘Darling?’
‘Alpha. Please stay with me.’

I don’t know why I am so needy but it feels like I would die if he left the room. He slides under the blanked with me and holds me close.

‘I’m here for as long as you need me, baby.’, he tells me and I immediately feel happy and relaxed and somehow weak.
‘Love you.’ I whisper and can feel his smile against my skin.

I doze for hours and it’s strange because I should still be in heat but instead of aroused and hot I feel needy and sleepy. Must be the mating bite.
I’m hungry, though, and so Marco is able to lure me down the stairs with the promise of food around lunchtime.

Matty sits in the kitchen and stares into a book. The whole room stinks of apprehension and fear. Tom is in the living room but comes into the kitchen when he hears us go down the stairs.

Marco nods at him and they sit down. I slide to the floor in front of Marco and lean against his legs. It feels wrong to be on the same level as them when they need to come to an understanding that’s partly about me.
I’m just the pack omega, I shouldn’t be included in pack politics, but I somehow managed to be the centre of them.

Matty stares at the band aid on my neck, then looks up at my alpha, his head bowed.
‘I’m sorry, Marco. Really! I don’t know what happened yesterday. I can’t stop thinking about it, but I have no idea why my alpha made me behave that way. Please don’t throw me out. I’d do anything, really. Please, let me stay in the pack.’

Marco nods solemnly. ‘You’re lucky. Luca doesn’t want to throw you out, so we won’t. But we discussed that you need an omega of your own.’
Tom starts coughing, while Matty’s eyes grow huge. ‘Will you force me to bond?’, he asks timidly.

Marco shakes his head. ‘Not immediately, no. But you have to get over this obsession with Luca. You need to look at other omegas with the intend of bonding someone. You need to talk to other omegas than Luca.
You don’t have to bond the first person you meet and I won’t give you a time frame, but you have to seriously consider finding your own mate if you want to stay here.’

He sounds so commanding and dominant. I nuzzle against his legs and purr when his hand lands on my head. Tom smiles at me and I smile back.
He claps Matty on the shoulder. ‘Dude, you’re convicted to date. That’s, like, awesome. Let’s download some dating apps and look at hot omegas.’

Marco rolls his eyes. ‘Before you do that, I want to see you accept that Luca is mated to me. Darling, would you let Matty scent you?’
Oh. I didn’t see that coming. I hate being the centre of attention. But I‘m already standing up because my alpha wanted this from me.

Funny. I hate the alphas’ Voice and I constantly rebelled (well, inside my head at least) against my father’s oppressing rule of my life but now that I’m mated to Marco I just want to please him. It helps that I also loved him before.

I think if he would have just bitten me, I’d go crazy right now. Maybe it really was wise of him to not bite me in my first heat. But we could have avoided the whole drama, of course.

Matty carefully stands up and approaches me. I tilt my head and he leans in to sniff me without touching me. His breath tickles my neck. I giggle, which makes him chuckle.
He turns to Marco. ‘I- yes, I can smell that you’re one. I’m certain that I won’t try anything again. Even when I’m in rut. May I speak to him again? Please?’

Marco must nod, because Matty looks at me.
‘Congratulations, Luca. It suits you.’, he says softly and I blush and look down. I feel strangely meek and I just want to hide behind my alpha.

The mating bite is tender and it seems to pulse and I get good emotions from it whenever I concentrate on my alpha. I think this is going to help me be a better omega so much.
I can’t believe my father didn’t just force-mate me after I presented to have it done with.

I look at Marco and feel all warm and I’m happy that father didn’t do it like this.
Marco smiles at me and then pulls me onto his lap, while Tom starts cooking pasta.

Matty frowns at his phone. ‘There are a lot of dating apps. Which one should I take?’
Tom looks over his shoulder. ‘Don’t take the apps where you need to pay to send a message or you’re just chatting with bots the whole day. You want a male omega, right? Or don’t you care about the gender?’

Matty shrugs. ‘I’ve always envisioned a male omega, so I guess male, yes.’
Tom nods. ‘How about those three?’
‘Three apps?’
Tom laughs. ‘You want to get some experience talking to them, right?’

Matty stands up. ‘I need to do this alone.’, he says. In the doorframe he turns, then shows me his screen.
It’s a picture Tom took at our picnic. Matty is lying on the grass, laughing and out of breath. He’s not wearing a shirt.

‘Is this a good profile picture?’, he asks me. I nod.
‘You’ll hurt your thumbs with all the texting.’, I tell him and he grins and rubs his neck before he leaves the room.
Marco chuckles into my neck and licks it until I’m a puddle of pheromones on his lap.

Matty really is glued to his phone over the next couple of days.
His scent changes between extremely happy and extremely annoyed. It makes me nauseous.

I’m glued to my alpha. I feel very possessive of him after the mating. Very lovey-dovey.
One evening we sit on the terrace and he feeds me fruit. I lick the juice off his fingers, while we stare into each other’s eyes.

I flinch, when Matty’s fist hits the table. ‘I can’t stand being around you two. I really do want this, too. But, I’m sorry, Marco, I can’t imagine meeting any of those omegas. Look at these texts. It’s like a robot wrote them. All “alpha” here and “alpha” there. They are just writing what I want to hear. No personality.’

I look at him. ‘What app are you using?’
‘This one is called One Purpose. It’s like the number one alpha and omega dating app.’
I groan. ‘Of course you only get textbook answers. It’s the app alphas force their children to download to try and secure a match without going out into the real world. All the chats are probably supervised by parents all the time.’

Matty groans. ‘Well, great. On the other apps they just ask me if they can send me dick pics and hole pics and then ask if I ‘Wanna fuck?’. I don’t want to meet those omegas either. Does stuff like that even work?’
Marco laughs. ‘Did you agree to the pics?’
‘Sometimes.’, Matty confesses, blushing.

Tom leans in on Matty.
‘So, if you were really lonely and horny. Would you meet them?’, he purrs into his ear.
Matty rolls his eyes and leans away. ’Ok, ok, I see your point.’, he says.

‘Did your father make you use that app?’, Marco asks me.
I laugh, slightly hysterical and he looks startled.

I get a grip. ‘Ehm. No. Father was of the opinion that I had higher chances of securing a match when the alpha was able to smell my scent while he sees me for the first time.’
Which I always thought was a polite way to tell me that my profile pic wouldn’t convince anyone of my worth as an omega.

Marco feels my distress, of course and slowly strokes my neck until I’m not able to think anymore, I’m just relaxed and have a pleasant white noise in my brain. He stops when Tom speaks up.
‘Well, ok, if apps aren’t working, maybe Matty needs to scent some omegas, too. Why don’t you just go to one of those omega houses?’

Matty groans. ‘Those places full of desperate omegas? Fuck, Tom, you know me. They’d walk all over me.’ Tom only laughs at him.
Matty thinks for moment, then turns to me. We are still a little stilted with each other and he didn’t touch me once since I mated, but it’s slowly getting better.

‘Luca would you please join me looking for an omega? You know what to look for and how I’m coming across.’
I feel flattered, but the thought about going somewhere with Matty makes me nauseous again.
I hiccup, once. ‘I’m sorry, Matty. I can’t even think about leaving Marco behind right now.’

Matty whines and makes puppy eyes at me. Marco sighs, laughing.
‘I’m coming with you.’, he decides. ‘Let’s have the weirdest shopping trip ever.’

Chapter Text

I can feel Luca’s anxiety spike up as soon as Matty asks him to accompany him.
I’m close to jumping up and tell Matty off, but then the emotion gets more complex. As always.

It must be exhausting to be Luca. It’s kinda exhausting for me to be able to feel his emotions, weaker and second-hand as they are.

Luca tells Matty that he doesn’t want to leave me and I’m glad I didn’t speak up just now. Of course I had the situation all wrong:
Luca isn’t anxious about going with Matty. He’s just anxious about leaving me.

He needs to leave the house, though. He also needs to spend more time with Matty.
The situation as is, seriously needs to change.

I sigh and have to grin at Matty’s pleading gaze at my omega.
He’s right, they will walk all over him.

‘I’m coming with you.’, I tell them. ‘Let’s have the weirdest shopping trip ever.’
Matty turns to me. ‘Like, now?’

Hmm, haven’t thought that far. I look at the kitchen clock and shrug.
’Why not? They are open and you won’t be able to get nervous for long.’
Matty sighs defeated. ‘Ok, I‘m just going to change.’

Tom looks at Matty’s phone while he’s in his room.
‘Fuck, look at those guys.’, he says. ‘Ok, it’s official. I’m going to install Grindr. I’m not up for another girlfriend right now.
And I could do with some “wanna fuck?” messages. It’s not like Luca let’s me anywhere near him.’ He lifts on eyebrow at my omega, smiling.

Luca stands up, stretches and groans and then goes to Tom and kisses his cheek, while taking his hands.
‘I’m sorry, Tommy. I know this is very difficult to understand as a beta. I wouldn’t even understand how intense mating is, if it hadn’t happened to me. I’m sure things will become normal again. The bond is already feeling less, ehm, overwhelming?’

He looks at me questioningly and I nod and shrug. He’s right. We were barely able to go to the toilet separately after mating.
He was needy while I was protective as hell. It was really intense, how we were able to feel each other’s emotions.

It’s better now. It starts to feel normal, part of us. I’m not sure if it fades or we’re getting used to it but I’m okay with Luca being near Tom on his own accord. Yesterday I would have growled at the thought.

Matty comes down the stairs and Luca wolf whistles at him.
He’s wearing a button down shirt and an old leather jacket and laughs, a little embarrassed at the attention.

He’s too nervous to drive, so I drive, Luca next to me with a constant hand on my knee while Matty sits behind us.
We go for the nearest omega house. There are a lot of them, but I don’t think they are very different from each other, so why burn the gas?

The parking space is mostly empty, which means there aren’t many visitors. The omegas that live there don’t own cars, of course.
Why would they? They’re not allowed to drive.

The reception area is decorated by a lot of pictures of lovely, model omegas. The wall behind the reception is full of mating-, and baby announcement-cards, as well as thank you-cards.
The pictures on them are weirdly similar. It’s mostly a huge alpha in his mid-forties with a delicate, young, mostly blonde omega. Luca’s anxiety spikes up as soon as we enter the reception.

I squeeze his hand and he squeezes back, but I can feel through our bond that he’d like to flee.
I try to reach out through it, soothe him, a feat I’ve been training over the past couple of days, and he relaxes a little.

When I turn to look at the sheets that introduce the omegas to the visitors, he tenses again. I look at him. ‘What is it, darling?’ He looks down and shrugs.
I sigh and pull him closer until he’s at my scent gland and I’m able to touch his gently with my nose.

He exhales slowly. ‘They’re all so beautiful.’, he murmurs against my shoulder.
Not this again! I try to supress being pissed but he flinches before I can. He starts to leave the embrace, but I hold on.

‘Luca, darling. You’re beautiful. We’re only here for Matty. I have no intention to get another omega or ever get rid of you. I love you, ok? Can you feel that I love you? Can you feel that I’m being honest?’

He’s still anxious and a little pissed himself, but he nods and kisses my neck before wiggling out of my hold.
‘Yes. Yes, I do know that you love me. I know my thoughts don’t make sense. But they’re here nevertheless. Believe me, this gets even more on my nerves than on yours.’

We’re saved from the discussion by Matty, who yells: ‘Are you coming?’
The alpha lady from reception guides us through a door into the building. It’s weird to see an alpha in a service position. Normally it’s an omegas job, with an alpha being the boss and controlling in the background.

The omega house seems to me like a pet shelter, to be honest:
Each omega has their own room. They are all similar, with a bed, a little desk, a make-up table and a small closet. The windows are bared and the doors each have a window in. It’s one-way, the lady tells us. The omegas only see a mirror when they look into it.
In the window is a little flap that can be opened to let the omega’s scent out. Otherwise, the rooms are air-tight.

Matty is told that he should look at all of them first before he starts scenting. The lady guides us to the hallway and we’re able to look into each room. Some are empty, but most are occupied.
A lot of omegas lie in bed and sleep or stare at the ceiling. Some are sitting at their desks, drawing or writing. One is applying make-up.

The lady knocks at the door of one omega that looks out the window. He flinches and looks to the door with a scared expression.
‘James, I already told you to clean your room. How will you attract and alpha when you’re lazy and disgusting? We have visitors, what should they think?’, the woman asks with a sharp voice.
Luca almost breaks my hand.

The omega, James, hurried to make his bed. The rest of the room is perfectly clean. From what I can see of James, so is he. He’s really cute, petite and blond and extremely young.
After making his bed, he kneels on the floor, facing the door, obviously welcoming the alpha visitors.

The woman sighs and then smiles at Matty. It looks fake.
‘This one isn’t ready by far.’
Matty looks lost. He’s pulling in his scent but I know him well enough to know that he pities the little omega.

He swallows. ‘Ehm. I really don’t need the most polished omega. I’m pretty low-maintenance.’
The alpha gives him a forced smile. ‘The more you need an omega that knows how to conduct himself, while you still find your position in life and in your relationship.’

‘Ehm, ok?’, Matty says. She leads us along.
James still kneels there, obviously unsure if we’re still there or not. I reach up to stroke Luca’s neck, reacting to the onslaught of negative emotions he feels. He presses his neck into my touch and hums.

The lady looks at us over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow and gives us the forced smile again when she sees me looking.
‘Is this your first pack omega?’, she asks me. I nod shortly. ‘I’m sure your mate will be glad for some company and help in the household then.’

I just cough, so I don’t have to answer. Matty frowns and Luca looks to the floor and doesn’t react at all. Just like she expects, obviously.
I realize that this is a waste of time.

Matty is destined to take the omega home that he feels the sorriest for instead of an omega that fits.
Luca is the only one who knows what society even expects in this sort of situation. As society expects for omegas to just be decorative elements for their alpha in public, he’s not going to be able to help us.

We pass a common room. Some omegas are playing a board game for children.
They stop and stand up to bow in our direction when we stand in the door.

The alpha smiles her first genuine smile. ‘These are our best omegas. Some have been here a while. We do educate and train them while they are here. Even the unluckiest ones, like the left one, who’s from a really bad background’ – the omega in questions blushes and wave of miserable smell drafts in our direction- ‘can be polished enough to make an alpha proud and happy.’

I have to clear my throat and she turns to me, explaining.
‘They have to earn time with their friends, of course. That’s why most are in their rooms. We are training them to a high level of good behaviour, so being with a strict alpha won’t be a huge problem. We’re doing them a favour, really.’

She turns to Matty. ‘What do you think, alpha? You like the smell of them?’
The omega smell is almost overpowering. They like Matty, a lot.
I mean, he’s young, he’s fit and he’s from a pack, so the omega wouldn’t be alone at home until he comes from work and they have children. What’s not to like?

Matty clears his throat and squirms. ‘To be honest, it’s all a bit much. I think this is enough for now and I’ll be coming back another time.’, he says.
The alpha’s face falls and the omegas smell distressed with an almost hurtful force.

Luca snickers softly next to me. I bump my shoulder against him and he leans against me.
His mood picked up as soon as Matty said that he wants to leave.

We are guided outside and take a deep breath as soon as we’re next to the car. I turn to Matty before I drive of. ‘I know the environment was like, disturbing as fuck, but did you smell an omega you liked?’

Matty slowly shakes his head. ‘No. It’s weird. I normally like most omegas’ scent. But there was no fit.
Like, they smelled ok. And they looked ok. And- oh God the poor kid in that one room, right? But I didn’t feel an Amor’s arrow or anything like that. Shouldn’t it be spectacular when you meet your bond?’

Luca snorts softly. ‘Sorry, Matt. I think this is all there is to it. It went like this with all my alpha siblings. They weren’t super in love. Not being repelled by the scent was enough and then it will grow. I think it’s rare that you’re super compatible like we are.’ He reaches for my hand.

Matty groans. ‘Huh, shit. You guys really fucked up my expectations.’ He rubs his neck with one hand, then looks at me.
‘Is it ok for you if I wait with this? Just a little? I really, really don’t feel like experiencing these forced environments with all the desperate omegas again in the near future. There must be a way to just meet normally and date.’

I completely understand him. I’m kinda glad I met Luca like we did meet. If I were single with twenty, father would have tried to mate me off for sure, just so I would move out.
And I probably would have done it. But it would’ve broken something in me.

‘That’s ok, Matty.’, I say and we drive home.

Chapter Text

Things slowly are back to normal at home.
Seeing that Matty really wanted to meet another omega, as well as experiencing both alphas’ apparent distress in the terrible atmosphere of the omega house, finally made me be less careful around Matty and in addition, around Tom as well.

We haven’t slept with each other, yet, and I honestly don’t feel like it at all, even with Marco.
But we do touch and Marco went back to the habit of randomly handing me off to another pack member’s lap when he’s busy. It helps a lot when the close contact to other men is basically my alpha’s order.

I don’t even feel any inner resistance about doing what Marco wants. Somehow, what he wants immediately becomes what I want, too. I guess it helps that we were pretty similar before, but it’s still strange. Only it doesn’t feel strange.

So it must be ok? It’s less intense than immediately after mating, though. Which is good.
I was kind of worried, subconsciously, of losing myself in the process.
I didn’t.
I think.
I hope.

Today, we go to the centre.
Marco sent them a very direct letter, threatening them with exposal and a lawsuit with the help of Matty’s legal knowledge.

Afterwards he had some pretty intense telephone conversations with them and suddenly they are so fucking friendly to him.
Now they want to meet face to face, to apologize, apparently, as well as surely talk us out of anything drastic. Assholes!

I dress in my darkest pants, even though it’s still way too hot outside and the green shirt, just out of spite. Marco looks amused when he sees me.
I sit in the back of the car with him, while Tom drives with Matty next to him.

Matty is raping along to some new underground alpha conscious rapper.
It’s funny, I listen to the illegal version of these kind of music a lot and have to take care that not even the alphas I would trust with my life notice.

For alphas, a little rebellion against the system is totally allowed. Marco chuckles about an especially bad punchline in a rhyme and tugs me close to kiss my cheek.
‘Are you ok?’, he asks for the tenth time today.

‘Just stay close to me, please.’, I answer for the 6^th time today.
The first couple of times I said yes and got berated about being more open and communication in general. Argh.

We are guided into another back entrance than the one I was brought in a couple of days ago and into a conference room.
I don’t recognize any of the people that sit around there. They stand up to shake my pack’s hands. Mine not, of course.

There are only three chairs for us. Curtesy of the centre for me is a pillow on the floor. I look at Marco for guidance.
He raises a brow and looks grim. ‘You want me to demand another chair or sit on my lap?’, he asks in a low voice.

I don’t want to cause any trouble. Who knows what they’ll do? Call the police and throw me in the centre again?
This time they’d be smart enough to ship me off to another town immediately, I’m sure of it.

The only discussion we had since mating was me telling Marco I would like to be chipped and him refusing outright, because apparently I’m not a fucking pet.
Funny. He’s so smart, but he refuses to see that legally speaking, I basically am. He could at least protect me like one.
As he hasn’t let me out of his sight once since I’m back I’m not too worried, though.

The men in suits, who are apparently the board members of the centre ‘s mother company, apologize- to Marco, of course- for the inconvenience we had and ensure us that the beta guard has been fired.
The other personnel are under surveillance to find out who was involved with shipping omegas of to the brothels. They also didn’t know that I was taken from Ashwood territory.
They’d never disrespect the pack borders and rules in the city. Yeah, right.

Matty speaks up in an impressingly serious voice. He asks about damages to compensate my alpha and me for the trauma of being incarcerated as well as separated and kept in the dark as well as compensation for the bruises I got here.

Of course their lawyer is terrifyingly competent and blocks all of Matty’s arguments. The bruises must have been from the park. I did kick up a fuss when I was arrested. Haha, I wish.

The food? Standard omega mash like omegas eat it in many households.
The cold shower? Surely I exaggerated because I’m a weak, sensitive omega.

The cell was even bigger than standard. Apparently there’s no law that says omegas need a bed to sleep in. If we want to see the cell for ourselves?

The question is clearly asked because they think we’ll decline. They are right. ‘I don’t think we need-‘, Marco pauses when I try to get his attention through the bond. He turns to me. ‘Yes, baby?’

One of the men looks extremely pissed off. Matty looks astonished. Tom looks like always.
‘Could we please visit the cell?’, I ask Marco very quietly. ‘I feel bad about Si- James. He was kind to me and then I just went and left him there and didn’t even say goodbye properly or thank him.’

Marco nods and plants a kiss on my cheek.
‘We’d like to see the cell.’, he tells the men. Matty drives his hands through his hair.
The pissed of man frowns and looks at his watch, the others stand up.

We are guided through a labyrinth of hallways, until I suddenly realise we’re in the hallway the cell is in because we come to a standstill.

One of the men unlocks the door and pushes it open. It makes a loud noise when it hits the wall and the figure on Simon’s bed flinches and sits up. He looks at the alphas, then focuses on me with a disbelieving expression.

I make a step towards him. Matty is next to me, he made a step into the cell at the same time. He’s focused on Simon, his nostrils wide, an intense look in his eyes. Marco and Tom are right behind us.
The cell feels very crowded with us all in it.
Suddenly my subconscious delivers the image of all of us locked into this cell while the men in suits walk away, laughing to my brain. I supress hysterical laughter by focusing on Simon.

‘You look better.’, I tell him. ‘Your black eye is gone.’
He snorts and removes the blanket he somehow must have earned – I try not to think too hard about that- to show me his ribs.

‘The guards tried their luck at playing piano instead.’
His whole ribcage is blue and yellow. Matty inhales sharply and makes a step until he’s right next to Simon and me. ‘Are you ok?’, he growls.

Simon sits up straighter, than seems to catch himself, frowns and forces himself back into a relaxed position. He softly clears his throat, cocks his head and raises one brow at Matty. ‘Not the brightest, are you?’
One of the men makes an enraged noise but it gets cut off by Marco’s laugh.

The omega’s head turns and he looks intrigued. ‘Aren’t you deeply offended that I spoke like that to a fellow alpha?’
Marco squeezes my hand and still smiles. ‘Are you kidding me? That was hilarious. And you saved my mate. You could do whatever you want with my pack members. We owe you.’

‘Mate, huh?’ Simon glances at my neck and I lift my braid to show him.
‘Good for you, kiddo.’, he rasps.

Then he turns to Marco. ‘You’re one of those honourable alphas from the fairy tales, right? And you say I have a favour free with you?  Could you manage to get me out?
The- the guards said you have Ashwood connections. I’m not worth much, but surely he’ll have some job for an old whore?’

I’m startled by a wave of Matty’s scent that smells outraged and sad at once. Simon jerks, wraps into his blanket and presses against the wall.
His face is turned in Matty’s direction, but his gaze is turned downwards.

Matty growls. ‘We won’t get you out of here so you’ll have the same fate as before, omega.’
‘I- I’m sorry.’ Huh. I haven’t heard Simon talk like this before. He’s been polite to the guards when he was afraid. Also meek. But not like this. This is something different. Something- true? Suddenly It feels weird to be in the same room as them.

The impatient man clears his throat. ‘You want this piece of work? How about a trade? You don’t sue for damages and he walks free.’
‘And then, what?’, Matty says and turns to Marco with a vulnerable insecurity on his face.

Marco looks him up and down, then nudges me through our bond. I hum in the affirmative.
‘We could make room.’, he slowly states. Simon sits up straighter.
He opens his mouth, then something crosses his face. He slumps down.

‘No. I don’t want to be bitten by anyone. Not even nice fairy tale alphas. But thanks anyway.’, he says to me. I think about Marco biting anybody but me and growl. Simon looks amused for a second while Matty looks astonished, his eyes taking in everything in the room at once.

Marco ignores it and speaks directly to Simon.
‘I don’t think you’d have to. We could pack-bond you. It happens. You don’t need a mate who’s responsible for you.’ I must have imagined Matty’s wince because nobody else is reacting to it.
Simon’s eyes are wide, focused on my alpha, before he starts to nod violently.

Marco turns to me. ‘He can just be part of the pack and live with us. I mean, if you even want him to. If you’re sure.’ I can feel him pull on my feelings through the bond, making sure I’m serious. I am, though.

Simon smiles, but it looks pained. He’s not trusting his good luck. Yet. I know that feeling.
‘Hmm, you’re all a trifle young for me. How do you even live? I don’t think I could sleep in the same room as all of you.’

I frown. His demands seem strange to me. He should be glad we’re taking him out at all. But on the other hand this is a completely unknown future for him. Of course he has questions. Maybe he even wants to test if we’re still taking him when he’s unreasonable.
Marco doesn’t seem to be fazed, at least.

He just nods. ‘You can have the whole attic for yourself. Matty surely would love to clear it out for you.’
‘I would.’, Matty pipes up eagerly. The omega looks at him with a glimmer in his eyes and cocks his head. ‘I have no doubt, DH. You’d take good care of me, wouldn’t you?’
He smiles, teasing.

‘DH?’, Marco mouths at me.
I snicker. ‘I’m pretty sure it’s the abbreviation for dickhead.’, I murmur. He grins.

Matty visibly gulps. Suddenly I feel strange about our offer.
Simon is already playing my oldest friend like a fiddle. And he has been through a lot. What if he has some dangerous motives?

But he saved me. And I’m mostly sure he’s ok.
And Matty is a grown alpha, he can take care of himself. He surely needs a feisty omega after the shit he tried to pull.

‘We just need the big bed for heats but you’ll be there, too, so that would work out, right?’, Marco muses. Simon nods and my alpha turns to the rest of his pack. ‘Are we all ok with this?’
Matty nods eagerly, I nod, once, because he already knows I am.

Tom shrugs and looks Simon up and down. ‘At least he doesn’t look like he eats much.’, he says and Simon is startled into a small, melodic laugh. Of course he laughs like those omegas from the movies. That’s just my luck.

Matty’s scent does something extremely overwhelming next to me as Marco turns to the men in suits. ‘Throw in an acceptable quarantine accommodation and we have a deal.’, he says.

Chapter Text

I’m awfully glad when we finish putting our signatures under various pieces of paperwork and are able to leave the centre. The new omega will be ready to be picked up by Tom in exactly one week.

Discussing the right hotel for this was exhausting and made worse by Matty not understanding why quarantine was necessary in the first place.

Now he shudders as the door falls shut behind us. ‘God, I hate the smell of that place.’
I chuckle, but it’s without humour. ‘See? Quarantine is good. You don’t want to reject him because he smells like that place. Also, bonding works much better that way. And it’s only a week. That’s doable. Right, darling?’ Luca shrugs. He’s subdued. Again.

I pull him to me and scent him and he hums, pleased.
Matty smiles at the picture we make. ‘Yeah, but- he has been quarantined a lot of time. Being in that cell isn’t that different.’

I sigh. ‘It is, Matty. And you know it. See it as a chance for him to heal and come to terms with his imprisonment before he’s back in society. It must be a shock. At least with a pack bond my father isn’t responsible for financing the quarantine or the deal wouldn’t have been done so quickly.’

Luca laughs into my neck. ‘Bad for him. The centre is reasonable generous, but that was a nice hotel.’ Matty growns and Luca turns to him.
‘Don’t worry Matty. The cheap hotel is also nicer than the cell. He’s going to be fine. He will watch trash TV and eat a lot of junk food.’

Matty frowns. ‘I don’t know how I feel about that.’ Luca raises one brow.
‘Well, it’s good he’s a pack omega and not your omega, if you already start to think about restricting his diet.’

Matty whimpers at this and bares his neck at my omega. Only slightly but it’s something I need to remember.
‘I don’t want him to be unhealthy.’, he says pleadingly.

Luca rolls his eyes. I feel pity for Matty. ‘He well eat the same as us when he lives with us. A week of fast food won’t kill him, Matty. You have eaten more fast food in your life than he will be able to eat in that week. He looks half-starved and he’s not an idiot, he won’t make himself sick.’

Matty nods while he is pulled to the passenger seat by Tom, who has taken his keys from him.
He turns on the driver’s seat to look at us, when we’re in the car.

‘You know what? There’s this huge flea market at the west side. And we kind of need a collar and all that stuff for the new one, don’t we? He should feel welcomed and everything?’

Luca nods vehemently. ‘That’s a great idea. I also really love flea markets. If- if you don’t mind?’, he looks up from buckling himself up, at me. I nod. ‘It is a great idea. And we didn’t spend as much time at the centre as I feared, so we have time.’

We stroll around the meadow where the flea market is set up. It seems like mostly old, middle-class people have a stand there. Lots of vases and old cutlery and stuff. Tom pulls Matty after him to look at some old weapons.

Luca finds a children’s book he loved as a child and the seller gives it to him for free before I can offer to buy it. His grateful, happy smell is everything and attracts the old alpha at the next stall.

‘You two will have beautiful children.’, he tells us. Not that we asked him. Luca becomes shy in an instant.
He bows his head and thanks him meekly. I put my arm around him. The old man chuckles. ‘You don’t need to worry about me, kid. The omega I loved is long gone and I’m looking forward to follow her.’

I can feel Luca being devastated through our bond. I take his hand and pull him to the old man’s stand to distract him. He sells mostly jewellery as well as some porcelain figures. My mother liked those.
‘My condolences. Is that why you sell your stuff?’, I ask him. ‘Don’t you have children to pass it on to?’

The man chuckles. ‘My children are happily married all over the world and have everything they need. The two omega children have fully furnished apartments with their alphas and more jewellery than they can ever wear. My alpha daughter and her omega are always travelling and don’t want any stuff to weigh them down. They each already chose the things that are important to them.’

He gives us the once over. ‘I like your energy. You’re a good fit, just like my late wife and I were. We didn’t even know each other before we were bonded but we grew to be very good mates for over fifty years.’

Luca looks up from the earrings he’s looking at and smiles at me.
The sadness I felt through the bond is making place for hope and happiness and I’m so blessed to be mated to him. To know that he’s looking forward to being my mate for all our lives is everything.

The alpha chuckles as he looks from me to Luca and back. ‘Freshly mated, are you? You have that completely overwhelmed aura.’
Luca snorts softly and the alpha turns to him again. ‘I’d love to give you my wife’s collar. I’d know that it’s in good hands. You have a good alpha, yes?’ Luca smiles his mysterious little smile at me before answering.

‘The best.’, he tells the man softly and even I can smell my happy scent spike up.
The man chuckles. ‘I thought so, yes. Sadly -for you, not for me- my wife was a petite blonde omega. The collar wouldn’t fit you at all. Seems like I have to give it to an auction house after all. And then I have no idea who’ll get it.’ He sighs.

Luca frowns a little, then softly clears his throat. He has picked up the earrings and is turning them round and round in his hands. ‘You know. Our new omega will be a petite blonde.’

The alpha sits up straight and coughs while throwing daggers at me with his eyes. ‘You’ll get a new omega? Freshly mated as you are?’
I shake my head and hurry to explain before we have him on our conscience. ‘An omega will join our pack. He won’t be mine. He’ll be a pack omega. And sooner or later I hope he will be the other alpha’s.’

Like he knows we’re talking about him, Matty appears by my side. Tom suddenly stands behind Luca and hugs him, his chin on his red hair.
The old alpha raises a brow. ‘That’s your pack?’, he asks. I nod, feeling weirdly apprehensive.

The alpha looks at Matty. ‘That’s the other alpha?’ I nod, again, and Matty frowns and looks at me questioningly.
I shrug. The alpha stands up with a groan and starts rummaging through his boxes.

He puts a box that’s wrapped in a scarf on his table, impatiently wiping the jewellery to the side. ‘Boy, I heard you got yourself an omega.’, he tells Matty. ‘Look at this collar. It’s stainless steel, so no allergies or stuff like that. It’s simple and elegant, yet decorative. Look at the decoration. That’s real craftsmanship.’

Matty is clearly confused but being a nice guy he looks at the fragile collar, that’s more like a necklace and nods.
‘I like that it looks like jewellery instead of something to keep someone captive.’, he says, politely.

The old man beams. ‘That is exactly why I picked it. Things are picking up slowly, but in my day, most omegas just had a chain or a piece of metal around their neck. Not decorative, just to show ownership.’
He spits on the floor to show what he means by this. He must be older than my grandfather would have been. I’m suddenly glad my grandmother isn’t an omega.

Now that they talk about it, I can see how Luca’s collar makes him look owned as well as decorated. I mean, I love that he’s mine and it looks pretty, but it’s not exactly his style and so looks like he’s forced to wear it. Which, to be honest, he is. Luca raises one brow at me, but we’re distracted by the old man before he can ask me what’s wrong.

The older alpha hands the box to Matty. ‘You take it, boy, and give it to your new omega.’, he tells Matty. Matty is clearly in over his head.
‘I- what? That’s very generous, but I-‘, he looks at each of us imploringly. Luca steps towards him and looks at the collar. ‘You know, I think Si- I think he would really like this, actually.’

Matty’s face lights up. ‘You think so? But, I- let me at least pay you something for it.’
The old man vehemently declines. ‘No, no. You can have it for free or you don’t get it. I don’t want money. I promised my Paula to give the collar to a worthy alpha. Give it, not sell it. And you’re a nice, young pack and you-‘, he points his finger at Matty, who takes a step back. ‘-are a nice young man. Now say thank you and leave.’

He sits down again and looks in another direction. ‘Ehm.’, Matty looks down at the box in his hands. ‘Thank you? Really. Thank you so much.’ The old man hums and waves us away with a gesture of his hands.

We slowly walk towards the car. After a couple of metres, Luca starts to chuckle, then laughs. We join in after a while. We are starting to be able to breathe again when we reach Matty’s truck.

‘That was so weird.’, Luca says. ‘It could only happen to you two.’, he indicates me and Matty. Tom snorts and agrees.
I roll my eyes, while Matty looks at the box with the collar inside. Then his head jumps up to face my omega.

‘Luca, what you said before- do you know his name? Because you didn’t want to say James.’
Luca blushes. ‘Oh, ehm, no. No, no. I can’t tell you Matty. That’s so not my place.’

I cock my head at him.
’Darling.’, I wait until he looks at me. ‘You found him. I know we say he’s Matty’s omega. But first, officially he’s our pack’s omega and secondly, well, he’s basically yours.
I mean, you even bonded to him before. You smelled like him when you came back. So if he told you what name he’d like to use for himself, then let’s do him the favour and give that name to him.’

Luca ponders this for a moment, then his shoulders become less tense. ‘You’re right. It makes sense. And I think he’d appreciate it. Simon will appreciate it, that is.’, he smiles.
‘Simon.’, Matty whispers and then holds out the box to Luca.

Luca makes a step backwards and takes my hand.
‘No, Matty.’, he says. ‘You keep it. He gave it to you and it feels right that you’ll collar him. I mean, you’re obviously into him. I even think- maybe it was his scent that made you crazy after you got me out of there?’

Matty’s eyes are in danger of falling out of his head. ‘Oh god, Luca. I think you’re right. And that’s why all the others didn’t smell that good for me. Because I already found the perfect omega.’

Tom snorts and Luca shakes his head, grinning. ‘Don’t tell him that you think he’s perfect. He’ll eat you alive.’
We drive home. I order some food and volunteer to pick it up, making a quick detour.

The week of Simon’s quarantine goes by fast.
Luca is behaving strange and only sleeps with me when it’s dark. He’s also shy around Tom and Matty. They make out, but he doesn’t put out. I can see that they are puzzled by his behaviour but I decide to leave it.

I can feel that he’s worried about something through the bond, but not overly worried. And he does have other emotions, so that’s ok.
I mean, he’s always worried about something. And I guess it has something to with the new omega. Maybe he’s self-conscious again about being tall?

I decide not to ask until he volunteers the information. He must know that he can trust me and open up to me by now. So if he doesn’t, it’s his choice.

Chapter Text

On the day Simon joins us, we – and with that I mean Marco with Matty hovering anxiously in the kitchen and me being tired on a chair- have prepared basically the same meal I got on our bonding day.

We decided to let him enter the house and kneel in the hallway, like I did weeks –has it really only been a couple of months?- ago. Matty will welcome him, do the rules and the bonding.

We’ll collar him together, but Marco wants Matty to be the first alpha he sees and I don’t really have any complaints about this. I know Simon mostly bitched at him when he saw him before, when he wasn’t completely terrified, that is, but they both smelled like they could hit it off.

He just has to get used to the fact that Matty really is a nice guy.
And Matty is nice enough to show that again and again, even if it takes months for Simon to start to trust him. Well, if his rut won’t overcome him, at least.

Simon’s bed is in the attic. Tom built a wooden wall for between the heat bed and Simon’s part of the attic so he has some privacy.
We all scented his bed, though. He needs to get used to the pack smell as well smell like pack himself as soon as possible. After the being physical part, when Matty feeds him, we’ll join them.

Marco and I look out of the window of our room when Tom arrives with Simon. Tom says something and Simon laughs when he leaves the car. Tom then gestures to the door.
Simon straightens his posture, seems to brace himself and nods, then walks from the car to the hallway. Tom will wait a couple of minutes and enter the house when Matty is upstairs with our new omega.

Marco puts his arm around me and hums when I sink into his touch.
‘So we have an omega from the centre, how about we add an alpha from prison?’, he jokes.

Of course I have to take everything he says at least a little bit seriously. ‘Do you think someone you met in prison is the right member for our pack?’, I ask him.
He shrugs. ‘Well, I was in prison. Do you think I’m some hardened criminal?’

That makes me chuckle. I’ve seen Marco full on alpha but I still can’t imagine him hurting anybody on purpose.
‘Obviously.’, I tell him. ’But you’re my hardened criminal.’

He caresses my cheek with the tip of his nose. ‘I’d be anything you want baby.’, he purrs.
I roll my eyes, but I know he can feel and smell that I’m amused and a little pleased. Ok, a lot.

I can feel and smell that he’s happy with me, right now, in this moment, in return and that’s great.
We hear the front door close.

‘Do you think someone you met at the centre is the right pack mate for us?’, he asks me, serious now.
I sigh. I did ask myself this question a lot these past days.

Of course I’m worried about this- when am I not worried?- but I also owe Simon.
And I feel bad for him. He has a really shitty fate in life. And I like him. The little glimpses of him I’ve seen while I was imprisoned with him and we bonded, at least.

I shrug. ‘Well, yes. Why not? It’s not his fault he was there.’
Marco starts to kiss me, which is always a nice distraction. The smell of Matty’s anxiety, that has been almost overwhelming the last couple of days, slowly gets replaced by the almost too sweet smell of an aroused omega as well as the fruity smell of Matty’s arousal.
I’m glad they both enjoy this. At least none of them is a virgin. They both know what they’re doing.

Marco snorts. ‘They fit well together.’, he says to me. I have to agree. They really do.
Almost as well as our scents. I’m not even sure where I end and Marco begins, by now, and that’s weirdly satisfying.

An hour later we go into the kitchen.
Simon is leaned against Matty on the bench that is barely used. Matty has his arm very carefully wrapped around him. His thumb is drawing circles on the omega’s hip.
There’s a half-finished meal on the plate in front of them.

Matty stops speaking when we enter the room. I smile as they both look at us.
‘Hi, Simon.’ Simon’s eyes widen. A lot. Fuck, he’s pretty when he’s not afraid and in pain!

‘I’m not-‘, he narrows his eyes at me, then opens them again, full of wonder. ‘You didn’t?’
Suddenly I’m not sure this was a good idea. ‘Is it ok?’, I ask him. ‘We can ignore what just happened and Matty names you, if you want?’

Simon sits up from his relaxed position. ‘Are you kidding? Thank you.’
He turns to Matty. ‘Could I-?’ Matty laughs and removes his arm. ‘Sure.’

Simon jumps up and embraces me. He’s pretty strong for being only skin and bones and barely 1,50 m. After he lets me breathe again, he turns to Marco and bows formally. His behaviour is perfect. I feel a spike of anxiety and Marco’s hand is in mine instantly.

My mating gland warms and sends pulses of calm through my body. I smile at Marco and he leans in for a kiss while gesturing for Simon to continue eating.
Simon goes back to Matty, seizing him up from lowered lashes.

He settles against him again, but is tense. Marco starts feeding me.
Simon seems to be dozing against Matty by now, but I can see that he notices everything.

Tom comes in after a while and kisses all of us on the mouth. Simon is puzzled, but leans his head up when Tom approaches him. Tom winks at him and Simon unsuccessfully tries to hide a smile.
He turns to me. ‘So, is everyone fucking everyone in here?’

I choke on a piece of courgette and cough. Marco claps my back while he answers for me.
‘If everyone consents, then yes. We mostly fuck Luca, of course.’, he adds, adjusting to Simon’s crude language.

I’m pretty sure he wanted to shock. Just like when he was calling Matty ‘dickhead’. Not that it wasn’t hilarious, in hindsight.
Now he raises his brows at me, then turns to my alpha.

‘Of course you do.’, he consents. ‘He is very fuckable. Well, you all are. From an omega perspective. Even the bulky beta.’, he grins as Tom laughs at him. He has a dimple when he grins.
Marco clears his throat. ’So, we’re all here, let’s get the official part over with.’

Simon nods and immediately bares his throat. He’s still wearing the hideous collar from the centre. Marco cusses. ‘These assholes. It’s custom to get it off before you’re quarantined.’

Matty nods solemnly. ‘I already looked how to get it off. Of course they didn’t give us the key. A last “fuck you” from them in our direction, I guess. Or in yours.’, he looks at Simon, who suddenly sits very straight and looks down, while still presenting his vulnerable neck.

Matty instinctively licks his scent gland over the collar and he shudders and whimpers.
Tom sighs and stands up. ’I’ll get a bolt cutter.’

Matty holds Simon, who closes his eyes as Tom very carefully removes the collar. We all gasp when it goes off. Simon‘s whole neck is bruised and scratched.

Matty looks at Marco questioningly. Marco shakes his head. ‘This has to heal first. We can’t put another collar onto wounds like this, even a delicate one.’
Simon whimpers and slides from the bench to the floor.

It must feel like rejection. Being invited into a pack and then not collared isn’t done. He must feel like a bad omega right now. He must be devastated.
And still he doesn’t allow himself to cry, just makes small distressed noises while breathing hard and holds proper position. I really don’t want to know what those brothel assholes did to him.

I squeeze Marco’s hand and slide down next to Simon, holding his tiny body close.
I make soothing noises and nose his neck carefully until he relaxes a little in my arms. He still makes those noises.

Matty leans down from where he sits and softly puts his thumb on his neck. Simon stiffs, but leans into the touch and stops whining.
Marco gives me some cream that I carefully apply onto his neck.

He then gives Matty a bandage.
‘Matty, if you put this on with a little ceremonial air, it could feel like a transitional collar to him and calm him.’, he says softly. Matty nods, jaw tense.

‘You want me to put something on your neck, Simon?’, he asks with his kindest voice.
Simon looks up to him and then immediately down again. ‘Yes, please, Sir.’, he breathes.

Marco puts the bandage on his neck, carefully, always watching that it doesn’t get to tight.
Then he picks Simon up from the floor. ‘I’m going to bring you to bed and stay with you while you sleep. You’re exhausted.’

I’m impressed. I haven’t heard him that commanding before. Simon seems also impressed.
‘Yes, Sir. Thank you.’, he says and softly smiles at me as he is carried away. He really does look exhausted.

Suddenly, I’m tired myself and I yawn. Marco snorts. ‘Funny, as soon as there’s a new omega you’re already in sync, emotions-wise.’
I look up to him. ‘Being tired isn’t an emotion.’, I state.

He snorts. ’Know-it-all’, he teases me and reaches down to pet my neck, just as Matty did with Simon. I melt into his touch.
‘Let’s go to bed then.’, Marco says and I nod and follow him.

I can’t sleep, though, the day is going through my head again and again.
Every time I’m nearly asleep I dream that Simon joins us in bed, tells me that I’m unfit to serve my alpha for now and pushes me out.

Marco nudges me with his nose. ‘What’s bothering you, love?’
Fuck! What do I tell him? After keeping my newest troubles a secret for a couple of days I’m glad to stay as near to the truth as I can. I did wonder about this, after all.

‘I don’t understand how he goes from being a brat to being perfect.’
Marco is silent and I clarify. ‘You know. Calling Matty dickhead, then calling him sir. Using bad language, on purpose, obviously to test your patience, but then kneeling in perfect position. It’s like he’s two persons.’

Marco breathes for a couple of minutes, then sits up. ‘Really? That’s puzzling you? But you do that, too.’
I what? No! I frown.
‘I’m never such a brat.’, I make clear.

Marco snorts. ‘No, you aren’t, well, snappy, like he is. But that might just be his temperament, right? You also go from being, hmm, yourself- like, one part of yourself to the other part, the omega part. It’s getting more fluent with time, though. You’re trusting me more to like you. I also think you accept your inner omega more, being with me. I’m proud of you for that.’

I feel warm because he’s proud of me, but I try to keep on track. ‘What do you mean, I change parts?’
I’m honestly confused. I’m always myself, or not? Except those times, mostly in bed, when I’m full omega. But I don’t think he means those.

Marco shrugs. ‘Well, at the beginning you were either perfectly behaved and kind of distant or you were showing me glimpses of yourself. And now you, hmm, for example you kneel before me but talk normally to me. Or you call me alpha in one sentence and Marco in the next.
I- I guess Simon was forced to behave perfectly with people around and was only able to be himself on his own or maybe around other omegas, so now he struggles to find the balance. He’s tough, though, or he wouldn’t be such a brat right now. He’ll be ok.’

I think about this, but my alpha makes sense, like most times. Not that I would admit this out loud. ‘Poor guy.’, I say out loud. ‘I don’t want to know what he went through, right? Good that he has Matty doting on him.’

Marco nods, kisses me randomly on the shoulder, because it’s in a reachable distance and then falls asleep.
I lie awake for a long time, worrying about all the changes that happened recently and all the changes that are yet to come.

Chapter Text

I wake up to the sight of Luca, who’s already dressed, tidying the bedroom.
He’s managed to wake up, get up and be dressed before I’m even awake for over a week now and I start to get worried. This behaviour is very unlike the Luca I’ve grown to know over the last months.

He picks up my favourite shirt and holds it into my direction.
‘Why was this lying on the chair? You normally put everything into the laundry basket immediately?’, he asks, puzzled.

I sigh. ‘I’m so sorry darling. I think I have to throw it away. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I teared it in prison. That was a short-lived present, I’m sorry for destroying it.’
Luca frowns and holds the shirt up to look at it. There’s a huge hole in the side.

He folds it and lays it on a sideboard. ‘Don’t worry, I can fix that.’, he tells me.
I sit up and tilt my head at him. ‘You can?’
He comes over, sits on the edge of the mattress and leans against me, letting me wrap my arm around him. ‘Sure.’, he says, as if it’s no big deal.

No it’s my turn to frown. ‘Didn’t you say you didn’t learn anything practical at your father’s?’
Luca shrugs. ‘Well, I had to learn that. I’ve been altering the clothes Dad bought me since I was twelve.’

Wow. How typical of him to tell me he doesn’t know anything practical and completely forgetting that he almost knows a craft. I lean into him to nibble at his side.
‘With a machine?’, I ask him.

He giggles and wiggles away from my mouth.
‘God, no. Just needle and threat.’, he sighs. ‘I’d love to learn it professionally.’
I stop what I’m doing with my mouth to look at his face. ‘You could, you know?’
His gaze searches mine, alert. ‘What?’

I try to sound non-committal. ‘I mean, sewing is one of the omega approved occupations. You could learn it at one of those omega colleges. I’m pretty sure we can afford that, if you want to learn sewing with a machine.
As a hobby or even to make money by altering people’s clothes. You could work from home, so nobody would be able to call you James and insult you, while you need to stay polite.’

Luca is silent for so long that I’d wonder if he fell asleep if it weren’t for the mating bond, until he moves in to lean against me, his face tucked under my chin.
‘You’re really insightful for an alpha.’, he murmurs.

I laugh at that. ‘I saw how my mum was treated a lot growing up.’
He hums. I make out the sharp feeling of his pain when he feels sorry for me at the mention of my mum, but it’s soon mixed with the feeling of love and gratefulness.

‘You’d really pay for an education for me?’, he wonders.
I try to not make it a big deal. I mean, it isn’t.
‘Of course.’, I say. ‘Whatever you want, love. You want us to look into what schools there are in the city?’
He slowly nods.

We cuddle for a while until we hear Matty leave for uni.
A couple of minutes later, Simon’s soft footsteps go down the stairs.
I nudge Luca with my nose. ‘Why don’t you look after our new packmate and I join you in the kitchen shortly?’, I ask him and he jumps up and leaves the room.

The kitchen feels weird when I enter it, way more solemn than normal. Simon is pressing his head against a bottle of water from the fridge. He stops, mid-sentence and bows his head to me.
Luca’s head also turns to acknowledge me, but less politely. His face lights up when he sees me and I think that I’ll never get used to that image.

I step to the counter and start preparing breakfast for Luca and myself.
‘Did you eat?’, I ask Simon and he nods meekly. ‘A little. I’m not very hungry.’
Well, he’s very small so I guess he doesn’t need a lot.

Luca starts telling him about how he met Matty again and how awkward and shy Matty was around him at first as it becomes clear that Simon won’t continue his story – I assume he was telling Luca all about his night with Matty. Hell, it still smells like arousal everywhere in the house – when I’m in the room.

I sit down and Luca moves over to my lap immediately. Simon raises one brow, swiftly, and instantly looks neutrally again when he sees me notice it.

He looks at Luca, who’s oblivious and happily accepts being fed by me, telling Simon about his first and only experience with alcohol now, back to me and smiles shyly. I smile back and Simon blushes and looks down.
Well, this is going to be a piece of work.

Simon keeps taking sips from the bottle. He sets it down on the table forcefully when we’re finished eating. It’s empty. He just drank 1,5 l in twenty minutes.

‘Are you feeling unwell?’, I ask him, worried. He tenses, then seems to think. His face goes blank while he starts smelling worried.
I tense, ready to jump up and squeeze his neck, should he need it, but he still seems calm.

‘Shit.’, he softly says into space, then looks at us. ‘My heat is triggered. Because you’re strange alphas and I’m in a new environment and there’s Luca’s slick all over the mattress of the big bed.’
Luca winces. ‘I’m sorry?’

Simon chuckles. ‘Don’t be, kid. You smell delicious.’
He stands up to go to the fridge and half empties another bottle of water. His body is clearly used to preparing for a heat alone. Poor thing.

He looks at the bottle, deep in thought, then turns to me, matter-of-factly.
‘I need to be filled, like, sooner rather than later. Would you take care of me please, pack-head?’
Ok, so the arousal that’s in the air isn’t lingering from last night after all. It’s his heat smell.

Now that I know it, it’s immediately triggering my need to take care of him. He doesn’t smell as perfect as my darling Luca, of course, but good enough.
And he’s part of the pack, it’s not like I’m not expected to help him through his heat. Or even, feeling horny.

In my opinion being an alpha is equally taking are of an omega’s needs than omegas being expected to care for their alphas.

I inhale deeply, but am distracted by the sour note Luca has taken. Something sharp tucks on the bond we share.
I immediately turn to him. ‘Darling, are you jealous?’

He flinches and whines. I lick his neck and can see how Simon’s gaze zooms in on my tongue.
Oh, he’s already getting desperate for an alpha’s attention, poor thing.

Luca tries to wriggle from my lap. ‘No, no, please go on. I’ll just go. I- ehm. Will you go to the attic?  Or- do you need our bedroom?’ He looks distracted and awkward and I sigh and stroke his cheek. ‘No, darling. That’s our bed, don’t worry.’

He nods and succeeds in getting to his feet, walking towards the door.
‘Luca.’, I say. He turns to me, eyes on the floor. ‘Could you get Tom please?’

He looks surprised, then nods and leaves. I turn to Simon.
‘I can’t knot you when he’s like this. I’m sorry. Tom is very affectionate and knows what he’s doing though. He’ll tide you over. And I’ll call Matty now, he’ll take care of you.’

Simon nods. ’I understand. You’re freshly mated, it would be insane if he was ok with this. He’ll come around when you’re more secure in your bond and I’m not that new anymore. I’ll be ok, I have had worse heats. Thank you for your concern.’

He walks in Tom’s arms when Tom enters the kitchen with Luca and whispers something into his ear. Tom’s face is split by a huge grin and he carries the omega up the stairs.

I turn to Luca. ‘Baby. Come here. Yes, like that. You’re so good. I love you so much. I wouldn’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable with, ok?’
He sighs and nods, half-heartedly. ‘Do you need to talk about it? ‘, I ask him.

He shrugs and hides his face in my neck.
‘I’m so stupid.’, he says softly. ‘I was worried that you’d get another omega, like in a couple of years, you know? I was really worried about that. And then I’m the one to somehow manage to take on another omega myself.’, he laughs bitterly.

‘And then I’m such a shitty pack member that I don’t want you to help him during his heat. And I know that you wouldn’t mate him or anything. And you’d even think about me, probably.
I still don’t understand why you feel that way but I can feel that your feelings are deep and true. And that’s awesome. But I just- I can’t Marco. And I feel like shit. I sleep with another alpha often enough and now I’m pissed that you think about sleeping with another omega. It doesn’t make sense. I’m, like, insane.’

He starts to cry and I hold him close, making little hushing noises and stroking his back. He’s miserable and terrified and I don’t think it’s just because of Simon’s heat and I have no idea how to help him. I feel like shit.

Chapter Text

I meet Dad for a hot chocolate and –in his case- a glass of water. Somehow, my father got notice that I had been in the centre, which resolved in a frantic phone call from my dad and him wanting to meet me to see that I’m alright in person.

Apparently it’s a huge deal that I was kidnapped in the park. Not because it happened to me, hell no. My parents kind of expect bad unusual things to happen to me.
No, it’s because apparently the park is Ashwood pack territory and it just can’t be that omegas are randomly kidnapped in Ashwood territory. At least if the kidnapping is done by non-pack members.

I tell my Dad everything that happened, from the park, to the room in the centre, even what the guard did. I feel strangely detached from it, emotionless, as I tell him.

Dad jumps up midsentence and goes outside for a while before returning back with a carefully pulled in scent.
I didn’t even know he can do that. Omegas aren’t encouraged to learn pulling in their scent. On the contrary, Father always wants to be able to sniff out if there’s someone feeling something out of the norm.

I finish at telling Dad about Simon and how I really didn’t like the thought of him being with Marco.
I don’t tell Dad what else is going on with me. I still hope it will somehow just vanish.

Dad sighs after I mention Simon. ‘I’m not sure I can give you advice, darling. We’re all mated to your father, so that’s a different situation. And he kept us away from new omegas until he had mated them, as you know. So we just had to accept each other.

And in one of your brother’s packs, every omega is pack-bonded instead of bonded to a specific alpha, so their dynamics are different as well.’

He looks up, his gaze sharpening. ‘But you do sleep with the other boys, don’t you? So it’s just fair.’
I sigh. ‘I know that, Dad. I’m not jealous when he’s with Tom, too. It’s just. He’s so perfect.’

Dad is silent for a while. I’m glad he doesn’t try to tell me that I’m also perfect. We both know it’s better to be a tiny, blonde omega. There’s nothing to argue about.

‘You know,’, he slowly starts telling me. ‘Your father’s first omega always thought I was perfect. And then I lost three pregnancies before I had you. And we all thought you were beta.
Funny, how he always smirked on me because of that, but you were his favourite child. He showed you old pictures and everything. He never did that with the others, even his own children.’

I shrug. ‘Maybe I reminded him of father. They did know each other from childhood.’, I mumble. Dad’s gaze sharpens. ‘See? I didn’t know that.’

I consider asking Dad why he doesn’t know anything about his mate’s or spouses’ past after over 20 years, but I don’t. I can remember how he got when I criticized the pack’s way before.
One specific information Dad gave me sticks in my brain, though.

Back at home, the atmosphere is- well, not loaded exactly but- weird. Tense.
Somehow, we all seem to be on edge. Treating each other carefully. Tom is mostly gone from the house, sleeping over at various friends’, doing god knows what.

Simon is either tired, sullen or bratty. Sometimes all of those things. It’s difficult.
He manages to be pretty normal with me, and he’s a great guy, really. He’s witty and likes to talk to me while I work out. He either closes up, goes very omega or becomes aggressive when one of the alphas is there, though.

And, ehm, yeah, the alphas. I don’t know what’s going on. Around me, Marco is and feels like always. Safe and content and incredibly into me.
But he started to get up earlier, which isn’t the best scenario for me as I want to be dressed before he wakes up. I can’t just stop sleeping naked. The nights are short enough, now they’re even shorter for me.

Marco is driving to uni earlier than Matty and also comes back before him. We have dinner when Matty is home, Marco feeding me, Simon picking at his food by himself, glancing up carefully now and then. After dinner, everybody goes to their rooms, mostly.

And Matty- well, it all comes down to Matty.
He’s- acting out? I’m not sure if that’s the right word. He’s mouthing off to Marco. He always immediately apologizes afterwards, but it’s still happening. And it hasn’t been before. It’s so untypical for him, really.

He’s sometimes forgetting things he was supposed to do on purpose. And whenever they are in the same room, the room just feels uncomfortable.

‘Marco?’, I ask one night, after we gave each other oral, because I need him but I can’t stand the thought of him being inside my hole right now.
‘Yes, love?’, he’s almost asleep.

‘Nothing.’, I say. It’s not that important. Have to let alpha sleep.
He sits up. ‘What is it, baby?’
I sigh. Great, now he’s wide awake. I’m such an awful partner.

‘I- do you know what’s going on with Matty?’
Marco sighs and cuddles close to me, pressing kisses on my neck between talking slowly.

‘I think he wants to challenge me. Well, he doesn’t want to. He’s not the type for this kind of thing, at all. But his alpha seems to want to.’

Oh. That actually makes so much sense. He slowly sees how far he can go and then, when the atmosphere is loaded enough and Marco maybe will finally get angry at him, they’ll fight it out.

I have a horrible thought. ‘Would you – fight to death?’
Marco snorts softly against my neck and licks my mating bite when I tense. ‘I’d never do anything like that, honey.’, he tells me.

Hmm. Sometimes I think he doesn’t know his inner alpha very well.
But I’m glad he doesn’t want to fight. But the alternative-

‘But- you can’t let him take over the pack. It’s your pack. It’s your mother’s house. And my dad mentioned that father wants to give us a house and a couple of betas for protecting the territory. They need to see you as a strong leader.’
He just nods. Of course. I’m not exactly saying anything new.

‘Will you throw him out then?’, I ask my alpha.
‘I dunno. I’m constantly thinking about a solution. I don’t want to throw him out. But it’s not a nice situation we’re in.’

I hum. I want the tension to be gone. I want to breathe freely – well, as freely as I can. But I don’t want to lose Matty from the pack. He’s my oldest friend.
He knew me before I presented and was there when my oldest brothers left the pack, one after the other. When my sister presented and suddenly had to share a room with me, because the other children were clearly alphas.

When I fell from my bike and father forbade me to do anything sporty that was taking place outside ever again.
He sneaked me sweets into the school for years, because we didn’t have many sugary things at home, in case one of the omegas couldn’t contain themselves.

I was so glad when I met Matty again. He’s a great help in the house- normally- and with my cycle. His admiration of me was also very good for my self-consciousness the last weeks.
And now his behaviour is threatening my pack. My alpha.

It was bad when he tried to mate me, of course. But he wasn’t himself.
And in hindsight I’m pretty sure that smelling Simon triggered some sort of rut.

Simon!
That’s what’s changed. Either him joining or the thing that is going on with me.
I’m not ready to think about the second opportunity.

‘Marco.’, I say slowly, deeply reluctant of what I’m about to say, but it needs out. Maybe he’ll tell me that it’s bullshit and that would also be ok. At least I’d have tried to help.
‘Marco, I think you need to fuck Matty’s omega.’

Marco stiffs and stops mouthing at my neck.
‘Fuck.’ He says softly after a couple of minutes. ‘I think you’re right, darling. We have an imbalance in the power dynamic because he has sex with more omegas than the pack head.’
Suddenly he bursts out laughing, sounding almost hysterical. ‘God, we’re not better than animals!’

He nuzzles into my neck and holds me close. I put my hands over his and squeeze them. Suddenly, just like that, I’m ok with this.
It’s just sex. Simon will never have a conversation with Marco like I do, late at night. He’ll never feel his tongue lick over the mating bite he created. He’ll never wear the watch of the omega that raised this fine alpha.

Marco seems to feel how calm and certain I suddenly am, too.
‘You’re so wise, baby.’, he tells me softly. ‘And so incredibly kind and forgiving. I love you so much.’
I hum, suddenly too tired for words but he must feel how much I love him back.

He nuzzles into my neck so hard that I’m sure he has trouble breathing, then stills like this, breathing in my scent, making me feel like I’m melting.

He starts talking again after I’m almost sure we would fall asleep like this.
‘I won’t mount Simon the next time I see him. I first want to try to talk this out, ok?’

I nod, but I’m pretty sure the solution I proposed is the only one. And I’m so ashamed that I keep my alpha at an arm’s length. I’m kind of glad to at least let him chase his pleasure elsewhere.

But I’m proud that I was able to help solve this problem.

Chapter Text

Luca is weird and distracted and doesn’t let me look at him naked.
Like, this morning I walked into the bathroom while he took a shower and he, like- yelled and then jumped out to wrap a towel around himself.

It’s not about Simon, though. I felt that he’s serious about being ok with me fucking him.
I can also feel that he’s normal around him. He likes him and they make good pack omegas together. There’s no jealousy or anxiety.

They are cuddling a lot and listening to music, laughing, then turn it off, when someone enters the room.
Luca’s also showing Simon how his games work. Simon hasn’t seen a console in years and is astonished how the graphics have developed.

Following our conversation about his sewing, we started to look at omega colleges.
After we read through the first college’s rules, I was so angry at our society and Luca was so subdued, that I vowed to weed out the bad one’s by myself.

So I’ve been secretly looking at a lot of omega colleges in my study room, feeling aggravated to downright angry from time to time, before I picked at least one that should be ok.

I walk to the living room with the laptop. Simon sits up when I enter, pausing the game and looking at me expectantly, making Luca sit up straighter in the process.
I sit down between them on the sofa, leaning into Luca’s direction.

Simon and I are dancing around each other since he moved in and I declined to help with the short bout of heat he had. We’re barely even scent-marking each other directly and I need this to start, if I want to achieve proper pack order.

It’s not that we avoid each other, I think, it just never happens naturally.
Now, he’s tense, careful not to lean away from me. Well, this is not the time to handle this issue.

‘Could you look at this school, please?’, I show my omega the opened website and he takes the laptop of my hands. The school I picked is the only school in this city that allows omegas to use furniture instead of kneeling on the floor for their lessons.

I’m very glad I don’t have an omega sibling. On the other hand, maybe if I’d been confronted with stuff like this growing up, maybe it wouldn’t be so shocking to me now.
I haven’t even gathered the courage to ask Luca about his experience at the omega high school he went to after presentation. The matter-of-factly way he talks about people treating him like shit, like it’s normal, is making me sick, even though I’m interested in his life.

I point to the language courses that are listed on the side of the website. ‘Look, they even have an Italian course, if you’re still interested. You could go there three days a week for a year to achieve a basic degree in both things.’

Luca scrolls through the page, looks at pictures and in the end comes back to the side that describes the seamstress apprenticeship.
‘That sound amazing, Marco.’, he says softly. Simon has leaned in to look at the monitor as well. His head is on my upper arm. I’m not sure he’s aware of it, so I try very hard not to move.

Luca looks over to us, sees Simon’s position and his eyes crinkle. He hides a smile, while he looks at my face.
‘I wasn’t a good student before, you know, because I didn’t see the point. But I was always enjoying learning stuff I’d really need or found interesting. So I’m pretty sure I could do this. If it’s really not too expensive?’

I shake my head and kiss his temple. ‘We can manage and this is important.’, I tell him.
In the spur of the moment I click “Register”. A form opens.

‘Would you like to register immediately or think about it?’, I ask Luca.
He hesitates a second, than moves to sit more comfortable and takes the laptop completely on his lap. ‘Let’s do this then.’, he says, determined.

I put my arm around him and –on the spur of the moment- the other one around Simon, who tenses, shortly, then nuzzles into my side. I feel a little like a pasha but if they don’t complain, why should I?

Luca puts in his personal information and chooses the courses he’d like to attend.
Then there’s a section that says it’s only for the alpha to fill out, marked in red. Luca hands me the laptop.

I squint at the monitor. ‘Do you grant the school the right to punish your omega as they see fit? Which kinds of misbehaviour do you want to be informed about?’ I read aloud. ‘What the fuck?’

Both omegas shrug, simultaneously.
‘That’s standard.’, Luca says, as if it weren’t a big deal. ‘They punished us a lot at the high school as well. They called it training measures, though. I think it’s a little different when I’m mated than when I’m just a kid.’

‘Is this normal for you?’, I ask him, unbelieving.
His eyes are puzzled. ‘Sure. My old school asked every alpha parent to agree and either they told them about misbehaviour –like, I never saw Davey again after he kicked the luggage cans over- or they just punished us themselves when they were allowed.

It was the same at my sister’s Spanish course and driving lessons. And my cousin’s gym. He didn’t want to hydrate, once, when they told him to and they force-fed him a litre of water. He complained to father as his pack-head, but father just tightened his gym rules afterwards.’ He tells me this so matter-of-factly.

I lean in to look at him intensely and he concentrates on me immediately.
‘Luca, I don’t want them to punish you and I don’t want them to tell me when you cussed. You’re a grown man, you can do whatever you feel like doing. I’m going to just cross that part out when it’s printed. If they ever scold you, hurt you or something similar, I want you to tell me. Because they don’t have my approval in that case, ok?’

Simon shifts and looks up to me, frowning and curious. Luca hides his face from me.
‘Thank you, alpha.’, he says with his meek voice and I sigh and pull him closer to me.
Poor, brainwashed darling. I will have to google how other countries treat their omegas, because if we have omega children, we’ll have to emigrate.

We eat together, as a pack, that evening. Simon is actually the only other pack member that can cook more than basics and we alternate cooking. Today, he made Ratatouille, which is amazing.
Luca is eating by himself, because food like this isn’t really easy to feed to someone, but we switched to sitting on the bench, mostly, so he’s very close to me at least.

‘The food is amazing.’, Matty praises Simon, like every other night and Simon just shrugs, uncomfortable.
He reacts to my compliments well enough, but his and Matty’s relationship seems to be complicated. You never know how he will react to Matty.

Simon clearly accepts me as pack head. He’s polite and calls me Sir or pack head every so often, even though I noticed that he never says alpha to anyone.
His behaviour towards Matty can definitely be called bratty and changes all the time.

‘Don’t you have news to tell us?’, he asks Luca, pointedly, when it becomes clear that nobody will help him get over his embarrassment at the praise.
Luca grins and blushes as everybody looks at him.

‘What is it, babe?’, Tom asks, friendly.
Luca looks at me questioningly but I don’t think it’s my job to tell his news so I just smile at him and nudge him with my nose.

‘I’ll be starting college soon.’, Luca says, meekly and flinches when Tom and Matty attack him with a lot of questions at once. He laughs and tries to answer them as best he can.
‘So will you drive to the station with me and then take another train to the school?’, Matty asks him after a while. Luca shrugs and looks at me. Reluctantly, Matty also looks at me.

‘I don’t want him to use public transport if we can avoid it. Especially not alone.’, I tell the pack, my hand on Luca’s leg. Tom nods. Simon relaxes his tense posture.

Matty glares at me. ‘So we need to drive him there before and after our own daily tasks?’, he asks and I feel Luca flinch a little at the hostility in his voice.
This is not about the extra way at all. Still, I have a valid argument for Matty.

I growl at him. ‘Maybe this wouldn’t be needed when someone hadn’t lost him at a public park three weeks ago.’, I say, my voice cold as ice.
Luca flinches and Simon focuses on something in his lap. Tom raises his brows and sighs before he speaks.

‘I’m mostly driving in this direction either way. It’s not that much trouble. And it’s for Luca’s future, right? We don’t want him bored and without anything to do. Right?’, he asks Matty directly.
Matty grunts and looks rebellious but doesn’t dare meet my eyes and finally nods.
The whole situation is exhausting.

‘Do you have a driver’s license?’, Tom asks Luca.
Luca shakes his head. ‘Father wanted this to be my alpha’s decision.’, he says and, with a smile to me. ‘And then it never came up.’
I smile back. ‘You can if you want to.’, I tell him and he mouths ‘Duh!’, which makes me chuckle.

Tom is excited. ‘Yeah, then you can drive my car to the school and I take over afterwards. Or-‘, he frowns. ‘are you only allowed to drive when an alpha is in the car?’

I shake my head. ‘If you’re pack, you can supervise him. He’s just not allowed to drive alone. I know a lot of omegas do this nevertheless, but I don’t think I’d survive trying to get you out of the centre a second time.’, I tell him.

Luca grins. ‘Yeah, me neither. But I don’t want to learn too many things at once, so maybe next year?’
‘Of course darling, whatever you want.’, I tell him and kiss his cheek. He glows.

‘Do you have a driver’s license?’, Tom asks Simon.
Simon shakes his head. ‘It’s expired. But I think I’d pass the test.’
‘Do you want to?’, I ask him. He tilts his head at me as he thinks.

I see Matty narrow his eyes at this. Sometimes I have a feeling Simon shows me his submission on purpose when Matty is here.
Maybe that’s him trying to apologize for being the cause of our dissent. I still haven’t figured him out.

‘I’d love to. If it’s really ok with you, pack head.’, he tells me, formally.
I smile at him and after a second’s hesitation, he smiles back. ‘Sure. Just register and give me whatever needs to be signed.’, I tell him.

‘If he’s busy, I can bring you there and sign for you.’, Matty says to Simon. Simon raises his brow, suddenly looking arrogant and aloof.
‘You’re not my pack head.’, he tells Matty, coldly.

Then he smiles. ‘You’re just a dick head.’, he says softly and Tom bursts out laughing. Matty leaves the room and slams the door.
I sigh and put my face in my hand.

‘Was that really necessary?’, I ask Simon. He shrugs, but looks a little apologetic.
‘Couldn’t miss that punchline. And he has to stop acting like this. We all know it. I wonder that you didn’t throw him out yet.’, he tells me, to immediately add. ‘Not that it’s any of my business, Sir.’

Luca leans in to me and buries his nose in my neck while Simon and Tom clear the table and then go to the attic – together.
I wonder if Matty and Tom are fine or if this- whatever it is- is also affecting their friendship with benefits. I feel bad.

We have a really good timing. After we sent the registration paperwork away, we only have to wait a couple of days to receive the application. Luca can start college a day later.

‘Tomorrow?’, he asks, green eyes wide, and his voice gets higher at the end of the sentence.
‘Oh baby, I thought you would be glad.’, I say softly. ‘Are you nervous?’

He looks at me like I’m stupid. ‘Yeeees?’
‘Why?’

He slumps down on the sofa and lolls his head back. ‘The other omegas will hate me. They will be perfectly behaved and petite little blonds that just live to be perfect and I won’t fit in.’, he intones, sounding defeated.

I sit down next to him and take his hand. I kiss it and he looks up, startled. ‘Darling, you are perfect.’, I tell him. ‘And, ehm, about polite, little blonds. Have you seen Simon? He does look like the stereotype and doesn’t act like it.’

The corner of Luca’s mouth twitches, once before he lets his head sink back. ‘Yeah, well. He‘s been through a lot. And you have to say that. You’re my alpha. And you mated me, so there’s no turning back now.’
I have to laugh. He glares at me, but his mouth is working to hide a blossoming smile.

‘And when they see you pick me up, they’ll be so fucking jealous that I won’t survive to be near any of them.’, he says softly.
I have to swallow and close the distance between us to rub my nose against his. When I’m mostly composed again, I draw back and narrow my eyes at him.

‘Want me to distract you, baby?’
The atmosphere changes. I can smell that he is aroused, very shortly, but he looks to the window into the light day outside and his face looks drawn again.

He closes his eyes and exhales, deeply. ‘Could you just- hold me, alpha?’
‘Of course I can.’, I say and pull him into my arms.
At least whatever it is isn’t about me. I just hope he’ll speak to me soon or I have to ask him about it and I know he hates that.

Chapter Text

Matty and Marco have been awfully polite to each other since the day I told the pack about college. We even managed to have breakfast together a couple of times this week.
And I’m extremely thankful that Matty behaved like his normal self, on the one time of the month that the new betas join us for dinner to discuss pack-business.

Today is my first day of college. I’m so fucking nervous but talking to Marco about it helped, astonishingly enough.
I decided on my green shirt, because I love how Marco looks at me when I wear it and if I attract attention because of my appearance either way, then I can at least earn it.

I sit on Marco’s lap and we eat porridge when Simon strolls into the kitchen. Matty jumps up and puts the rest of the porridge into a bowl for him while Simon makes a cup of tea for himself. Matty puts the bowl next to his place and takes the tea from Simon’s hand, pulling him to him.

Simon stiffs. ‘I can sit on my own, thanks.’
He takes the bowl of porridge and sits down opposite Matty, even though I’m pretty sure he had been planning on sitting next to Matty before Matty pushed the issue. These fools!
Matty, of course, looks crestfallen.
I think Marco is considering letting me sit on Matty’s lap to make him feel better, so I grab his arm and he tightens his hug around me and kisses my bond-mark instead.

I refused for him to take a day off to bring me to college. I’m not a child and he has some important exams in the next couple of weeks so he leaves for uni after breakfast after a short, intense snogfest in the hallway.

I already miss him after the door closes behind him, but I’m so glad to not be careful around him today. To breathe freely.
I hate that I can’t let him see me naked, but I just don’t want him to worry. Bad enough that he worries about me being worried. He doesn’t need another reason.

As discussed, Tom drives me to school.
‘Can you let me out here please?’, I ask him 500 m before the building.
He parks and looks at me. ‘Don’t want to be seen with me?’, he jokes.

I roll my eyes. ‘Haha. No, I- I always was the kid from the pack that was dropped off by his father’s betas. I don’t want my first impression to be the same.
It’s not about you, Tom. Every omega would be proud to be seen with you. And I have the feeling you know that.’, I raise my brows at him and he laughs. ‘Sure. I understand. I’m going to wait here after school then.’

I wait until he’s driven off and go to an ATM to get some cash.
Then I take a deep breath and enter the school.
Today starts with Italian lessons before I will have Sewing.
I’m also taking a bit of basic accounting and computer skills, because maybe it can be useful later, if Marco opens up his own practice.

I’m early and there’s only a handful of omegas, sitting quietly at their tables, when I nod at them and then sit down in the last row.

The room doesn’t get much fuller, but a couple of omegas do appear. Just before the bell rings, an omega with brown hair comes in. He looks around the room, then approaches me.

‘Could I sit in the non-blond seats with you, please?’, he whispers and I smile at him and make place.
‘Hi, I’m Luca.‘, I say.
He shakes my hand. ‘Oriol. Nice to meet you.’, he whispers before the teacher comes in and we turn to the front of the room.

The teacher is an easy-going Italian beta woman in her early thirties who starts to chatter away in Italian. She writes on the blackboard how to introduce yourself with your name and then tells us to use this phrase and then tell the class why we’re learning Italian.

The omega in the first row is wearing long, floaty clothes that hide his body. He says he doesn’t have a name.
He lives with a cousin from his original country who doesn’t have room for him and wants to give him to an Italian business partner as a gift, so he has to learn the language.

He sounds really, really young. His English is almost non-existent. He still manages to tell us that his religion doesn’t accept secondary genders, but it’s still a shame to have an omega son, so his family shipped him off as soon as he presented.

Next to me, Oriol is pulling in his scent. I concentrate on my bonding mark to not stink up the room with the distress of hearing about the nameless omega’s fate.

The other stories aren’t that bad, at least. One female omega’s alpha is Italian and wants her to learn the language so they can talk Italian to their children.

A male omega with dyed black hair and pale skin is called Mario. His alpha will be moving to Italy because of his Very Important Job, so Mario has to know the language to network with the locals.
Mario’s wearing a leather collar and various piercings. I saw that he was sitting down very carefully. I thought his sort of alpha only exist in porn.
I’m awfully glad Marco leaves his sexual preferences at home. Well, or in the car, at least.

Another female omega, who has a faded bond mark on her neck and is already in her fourties, tells us that she often serves Italians at her work in a bistro and her boss/alpha wants her to flirt with them for tips.

One female omega my age is promised to an Italian alpha and the young girl next to her wants to move to Italy with her beta mother after her parent’s divorce.
The court only lets her go when she speaks the language, otherwise her alpha father gets custody of her until she’s mated.

Oriol tells us that he isn’t allowed to finish high school because at 16 he’s an adult now. He continued going to normal school even after he presented two years ago.
He was trying to go to another high school or just skip to a further education but as soon as people knew he was omega, he got declined.

So, to be out of the house and just do something with his brain, he decided to go here.
He’s fascinating, talking about this just with the right mix of contempt and sarcasm in his voice that some of the other omegas seem shocked.

Well, let’s keep them shocked. ‘Ciao.’, I say. ‘Il mio nome è Luca. My alpha has Italian heritage as well. And I’d love to know what his horrible family says about me to him.’
The beta teacher hides a smile. Some of the other omegas look aghast. The girls that sit next to each other giggle. Oriol snickers next to me and I feel strangely proud.

We continue repeating the same couple of phrases again and again for this lesson. Afterwards, I need to go to the toilet.
There’s a mirror inside the stall, which is just weird. But I can’t resist looking at me without the danger of someone coming in and pull up my T-Shirt.

The pale, impalpable, but definitely noticeable rows of teats that started to form under my nipples down to my belly button just after my heat, are still there.
They are darker than last time I looked at them. I even imagine that my breasts are growing. Which is absolute bullshit. It’s way too soon.

I sigh, hit my head against the door, hard, once, and then leave the toilet.
I need chocolate. Like, right now. I can’t deal with this.
It’s like some genie granted me a wish. I round a corner on my way to the sewing class and there’s a small kiosk.

I make to purchase a chocolate bar.
The cashier looks at me sternly. ‘Do you have your alpha’s signature that your allowed chocolate?’

Great. ‘I- ehm. No? Ma’am.’, I stutter. I put the bar onto the counter and flee the scene, suddenly feeling close to tears.
I’m so stupid, of course I can’t just buy something sweet in a school full of omegas!

I stop in the next hallway and stare out the window into the yard, trying hard to breathe and not start to cry.
Somebody holds the chocolate bar I just wanted to buy into my line of sight. I turn and there’s Oriol.

‘For you.’, he tells me, after I make no move to grab the bar.
I must seem like an imbecile.
I take it. ‘Thanks. So, did you know about this rule? Or is it different when you’re not mated?’, I ask him.

Oriol moves his head to make his fringe fly out of his eyes and snorts.
‘Ha! Dude, it’s even worse. People keep asking me if I’m lost and need to call someone when I’m alone somewhere public for a second. Because clearly I must be looking for an alpha while staying under my current alpha’s gaze. What else should be my One Purpose in live?’

He rolls his eyes, then grins at me and speaks a little lower.
‘I forged my sister’s signature. They would never expect this of an omega so they’d never check it.’
I’m seriously impressed by his quick thinking.

‘You’re a genius.’, I tell him and he looks smug.
’Well. I’m glad I could impress you. I’m awfully impressed by you. Chin chin.’ He touches his chocolate bar to mine before biting into it.

He closes his eyes and makes an obscene noise that makes a passing female omega look at us, indignantly.
I start to laugh and we go to the sewing lesson together.

After the lesson, I hurry and walk into the wrong direction when I leave the school grounds. I walk into the pharmacy I already knew about, because I looked the vicinity of the school building up on a navigating app.

Lucky for me, the pharmacy is empty. I find what I’m searching for next to the condoms- classy- and go to the cashier.

‘Can I pay with cash please?’, I ask, after she tells me the price and immediately activates the debit card reader.
The young alpha pharmacist frowns at me over her glasses. ‘Does your alpha allow this?’

I wince and she flinches, clearly affected by the distressed noise. I try to appeal to her better nature. ‘I- I don’t want this to be a false alarm. If he sees the receipt and is happy and then the test is negative- I don’t want him to be disappointed. Please.’

The pharmacist’s eyes dart to my mating bite. She sighs, lets me pay in cash and I hide the pregnancy test in the depths of my bag.

Chapter Text

‘How was school?’, I ask Luca, as soon as he comes into our room. I’ve left uni early today, to be here when he arrives. He flinches hard when he sees me. Maybe I should have told him?

‘I- ehm, yes, good?’, he answers, clearly flustered.
I stand up to go to him, but before I’m finished, he murmurs ‘I have to use the bathroom.’, and leaves the room. Weird.

Maybe he’s one of those kids that can’t take a dump in school? It would explain why he wasn’t comfortable with using the en-suite while I’m in the bedroom. Huh.

I shrug and sit down again. Leaving uni early doesn’t mean I don’t have a lot to do.
When I look up next, 30 minutes have passed and my omega is nowhere to be seen. He didn’t even greet me with a kiss before. And his scent is barely there.

I decide to look for him.
The house is dark. Tom picked Luca up from school and let him out at home, but I know he immediately left again to meet some love interest.

Matty is trying to court Simon and treats him to dinner, somewhere.
Simon told me this, half asking for permission, excited about the aspect of finally eating a real burger at a real diner again after a lot of years.

I told him to have fun and be nice to poor Matty, which made him laugh.
I’m pretty sure he’s a decent human being, by now, but he’s just, really, really complicated.
Thank God he’s mostly Matty’s problem!

Luca isn’t in the kitchen, nor in the dining room. I pause in front of the bathroom.
Is he still in there? I don’t want to embarrass him by speaking to him through the toilet door. I always hated it when my grandmother did that when I lived with my father.

I silently move on. That’s when I hear the noise. As soon as I recognize it as a sob, I start to feel Luca’s devastation through the bond.
Holy shit! What did they do to him in that school? Is he hurt? Didn’t he want to be close to me because they did something to him and he feels like it’s his fault?

Without further thinking, I open the bathroom door.
Luca sits on the closed toilet, fully dressed, and cries, trying to muffle it with his hands.
There’s a towel on the floor in front of the door and now I know why I didn’t smell his distress sooner.

I open my mouth to ask him what’s wrong when I see the thing in his hands.
My brain needs a minute to recognise what it is. Then I take it from him.
He whines and flinches back. He has stopped crying abruptly, his face still swollen and his cheeks wet and now he stares at me, expressionless.

I look at it. There’s two stripes on it. I have no idea what this means.
‘Are you crying because it’s positive or because it’s negative?’, I ask him, more harshly than I wanted to.

He flinches again. ‘Positive.’, he whispers and then puts his hand in front of his mouth when he starts to sob again.
I go to my knees in front of him and take his face in my free hand. ‘Baby. Baby. Listen. It’s not the end of the world. I love you. You love me. We can do this.’

I have no idea how we do this, but I’m pretty sure we’ll find a way. I mean, we have nine months to prepare. I guess. And babies don’t eat that much. At first. They drink- oh.

I reach out and Luca freezes and watches me pull up is t-shirt. There’s dark patches of skin, looking like bruises or maybe insect bites, trailing in two neat rows from his nipples down. A nice, useless remain of the evolution.

‘Fuck, Luca. You have been worried for weeks.’, I realize and he sniffs and nods. I let his shirt fall again, put my hand on his knee and look up to him.
’Why didn’t you tell me?’, I ask.

He sniffs and shakes his head. ‘I- I’m, Mar- alpha, I- it could be the guard’s.’, he cries, barely understandable under the sobs.
‘Or’- he hiccups- ‘or Matty’s. I- I’m so sorry. Please don’t make me leave!’, the whites in his eyes are red from crying and make his eyes look greener than ever.

‘Darling, I’d never leave you. If you want this, then I want it.’
He pauses, mid-hiccup. ‘If?’, he asks. ‘Marco, it’s illegal to-‘, he trails off, staring at me, shocked.
I shrug. ‘I care about you. Fuck, I love you so much, Luca. If this isn’t bearable for you, I’ll help you in any way I can. I don’t want you to suffer, baby.’

Part of me is shocked, so, so shocked, that my partner could be pregnant from his rapist. Or by his best friend, from the one time he went full alpha and tried to bite him.
In hindsight, it’s a fucking miracle Luca isn’t totally traumatized.

Or it could be mine.
I mean, I didn’t lie. As long as it’s his, I’ll be happy about it. As long as he’s happy.
But, holy shit, it could be my child inside him!

But, how did this even happen?
‘It thought you were on birth control?’, I muse, partly to myself, while I stroke Luca’s back. Luca tenses, then shoots up, looking at me bewildered.

‘I told you I was running out.’, he says.
Yes, he did, and then- ‘And I told you it would be at the pharmacy a couple of days later.’

‘Yes.’, Luca says slowly. ‘You told me and then you never picked it up. And then all the other stuff happened.’
‘Oh.’, I say. ‘I thought you would be picking it up.’

Luca scoffs. ‘Yes, that’s completely reasonable. Because I leave the house on my own all the time.’, he says, completely sarcastic and angry all of the sudden. I didn’t even know he could sound like this.

‘Yeah, but you wanted-‘, he cuts me of: ‘Why the fuck is it always the person with the womb that needs to think about stuff like this?’, he tells me, agitated.

I raise my brows. ‘Because, clearly, you’re the one with the changing body who’s hiding in the bathroom, crying.’, I tell him, pissed off, and immediately regret it.

‘Darling, I-‘, I reach out to him but he’s out of the room faster than I can react.
I hear the main door slam shut.

I should follow him. An omega shouldn’t be out alone. Especially not in that state.
Instead, I lean against the wall and groan. I close my eyes for five minutes, suddenly exhausted and close to tears myself.
Then I stand up and follow my omega out of the house.

I find him on the swing on the deserted playground at the end of our street and sit down on the other swing.
‘I’m sorry.’, we say, simultaneously and then both have to chuckle.
Luca reaches out to me and I hold his hand.

‘Do you want me to quit school to save money?’, he asks.
I shake my head. ‘No. We will manage. I can work more hours for my father. And finally carpool with Matty. You can ask your fathers for old baby clothes. And I bet your dad would be fully involved in babysitting, like, eight nights a week.’ Luca snorts softly.

‘So, how was school?’, I ask him, in a desperate need to find some normality in our lives.
‘It was nice.’, Luca says softly. ‘I think I made a friend. His name is Oriol.’
He tells me about his day until it’s dark outside. I take his hand in mine, kiss him softly on the mouth and we go home.

We decide not to tell the others, especially Matty, yet and in bed I worship Luca’s nipples with my mouth until he’s a heavily breathing, sweaty mess before I start to fuck him more gently than I ever did and slowly, carefully knot Luca into a lazy, drawn-out orgasm that makes him cry a little, before we fall asleep, cuddled against each other.

When I come back from the toilet at night I can see that he has goosebumps, because it’s getting colder – finally- and I vow to lay out his PJs for him tomorrow. I love that he’s ready and approachable for me in bed, but I don’t want him to be cold. Especially not now.

I totally forgot that we invited Grandma over for cake a couple of days later. She and Matty developed some kind of totally confusing understanding when they got Luca out of the centre and me out of prison and he immediately told her about his new omega, whom she’s now dying to meet.

She arrives way too early, of course, and sits on the bench in front of the house when I drive into the driveway, after picking up Luca from college.
She looks him and his backpack up and down. Then her gaze sticks to his neck.
He starts playing with his hair, that I may have opened during the drive, self-consciously.

‘Finally. I told you to mate him ages ago.’, she tells me. Luca’s face almost makes me laughs out loud. ‘No, you didn’t, grandma.’, I answer, good-naturedly. ‘You told me to look for another omega before it’s too late.’
I can feel Luca struggle to decide if he’s indignant or amused.

Grandma scoffs and trails after us into the house. ‘Well, how was I supposed to know you were that serious about him?’
I roll my eyes while I press a kiss to Luca’s cheek. ‘Go and wait in the kitchen, baby.’
He nods and leaves.

I hang up my and Luca’s jacket and backpack and turn to her. ‘Why wouldn’t I be serious about him, grandma?’
She purses her mouth. ‘You’re so young. Both of you. And you haven’t known each other for long.’
I frown. I know that. I’m still sure about him. There are enough betas that marry young and make it work. And they don’t even have those whole biologic bonding and hormones stuff.

I shrug her comment off and lead her into the kitchen. Luca sits on the bench with his knees drawn in and his arms around his legs.
I put the kettle on while grandma sits down on a chair.
‘So, where did you just come from?’, she asked, nosily.

Luca tells her about his sewing and Italian classes haltingly and she even seems impressed and tells us both that it’s a good idea.
Funny, I’d always have thought she would find education wasted on omegas.

We drink some tea together and I’m even able to offer a package of biscuits, that hasn’t been found by my sweets-loving spouse before, when the rest of the pack stumbles in.

Tom grins and waves at grandma and is met with an unimpressed frown that has Luca giggle next to me. Matty smiles and says hello to her and she even smiles back before looking Simon, who was half-hidden behind Matty until now, up and down.

Simon’s face is completely neutral. He bows before Grandma before he sits primly and meekly next to Luca. Oh, yeah, he has people knowledge alright.

‘Now, at least this one looks like a proper omega!’, Grandma states.
Matty looks proud, which is ridiculous, because firstly, she just insulted Luca and he fucking loves Luca and secondly, Simon is still weirdly reluctant to accept him as an alpha instead of just a goofy pack member.

Luca winces and I can see Simon reach for his hand immediately, which touches my heart.
Matty reacts to Luca’s wince, at least, and stops looking proud.
‘That’s not a nice thing to say.’, he tells Grandma and to everybody’s – except his- utter surprise, she apologizes.

‘Why isn’t he collared?’, she asks Matty and Simon reaches for his neck, that’s still bandaged. It’s his turn to wince, now. It’s so quiet that only Luca and me can hear it, though.
Luca squeezes his hand and I put my arm on my omega’s shoulders and stroke Simon’s arm with the backside of my hand.

‘The centre’s collar hurt his neck and we wanted it to heal first.’, I tell grandma.
‘Let me look.’, she demands. Simon hesitates and looks to me for guidance. I shrug and nod at him. She’s worked in a doctor’s office for years.

He reaches for the bandage, then hesitates and stands up. He stands next to Matty, his gaze lowered and Matty positively beams as he starts to unwrap the bandage.

‘You know that it’s dangerous to wrap a bandage around somebody’s neck?’, she asks and I nod. ‘Look, it’s not too tight but can neither loosen up to catch somewhere. It’s as safe as a real collar would be. And he’s seldom alone.’
She watches the bandage being unwrapped and nods.

The bruises around Simon’s neck have faded into a yellowish blue. The scratches have mostly healed or are at least scabbed over. They won’t scar.
Grandma had her eyebrows drawn together. ‘The collar from the centre did that?’, she asks and I nod.

She pulls out a little notebook and starts writing in it. ‘I’m going to talk to the director. They need to change their collars.’
‘The brothel.’, Simon speaks up, hesitantly. Grandma pauses. ‘What did you say, omega?’

Simon inhales a little shakily. ‘The collar was from the brothel, not from the centre itself. Ma’am.’
Grandma frowns but doesn’t react to that shocking statement otherwise. ‘Who’s the brothel owner?’
‘My alpha’s name was Georg Snider.’, Simon says tonelessly.

Grandma crosses out whatever she had written down and scribbles something else under it.
‘Noted.’, she says. ’But don’t speak without being spoken to.’
Simon looks like he’s biting his tongue and bows his head.

‘His neck needs fresh air.’, Grandma tells Matty and me. ‘It would be better to collar him and let it heal like this instead of keeping it bandaged.’
There are no more open wounds and I suppose the bruises equally hurt, if he’s wearing a collar or a bandage, so I nod when Matty looks at me for guidance. ‘Now?’, he asks.

‘What do you say, Simon?’, I ask gently.
I noticed him start to tremble when the bandage was removed, even thought Matty had a firm grip on either his wrist or his neck. He’s falling apart.

‘Please, pack head.’, he says softly, without looking up.
‘You heard him.’, I tell Matty and he’s out the door immediately.

Simon’s legs seem to grow weak and I stand up to catch him, if he’s keeling over, just as he sinks to his knees. I look at Luca, but he seems calm enough, so I walk over to the other omega and stroke his neck, keeping my wrist near his face.

Grandma stands up. ‘This is an intimate moment for your pack. I should go.’
I look at her, ‘You don’t have to. You’re my family, so you’re also pack.’, I tell her.

She seems touched and smiles a genuine little smile. ‘That’s kind, Marco, but completely unnecessary. I don’t really approve of pack bonding. Or of allowing a whore into the family. But that’s your decision. I’ll let you young people alone now.’

The front door closes just as Matty comes back downstairs with the box that holds the collar.
I stop stroking Simon’s neck and make a step to the side. Simon’s hand shoots up and I take it into mine. Tom goes to Simon’s other side and takes his other hand. Luca kneels behind Simon and embraces him, smiling at me.

Matty clears his throat and I see his hands shake a little when he takes the collar out of the box.
He pauses and looks at me. ‘Are you sure that I should be doing this?’, he asks.
‘I’m sure.’, I say. ‘If you’re not sure, you should ask Si what he wants.’

‘Matty.’, Simon says clearly, before Matty even has time to react to my statement and he looks like a weigh is leaving his shoulders.
He gently strokes Simon’s jaw with his fingers and then makes him tilt his head.

‘That’s nice, omega, you’re doing so well.’, he says softly and Simon looks up to him with rare need in his eyes.
It takes my breath away and I can hear from Matty’s intake of breath that he’s equally touched.

He closes the collar after putting it around Simon’s neck. It fits perfectly and looks good. Unusual. Just like our pack.
Matty smiles at Simon and pulls him to his feet, leaning down to kiss him softly on the lips. Simon opens his lips a fraction and welcomes the kiss without further reaction.

Luca watches them, curiously, then his gaze meets mine and he mouths a kiss at me before he moves forward and also kisses Simon softly on the lips. This time, the omega moves his lips and smiles at my omega.

Then he turns to me, expectant. Matty growls as I lean in. I look up to him, unimpressed.
‘Really, you’re going to do this now?’, I ask and he has the grace to look sheepish.
Simon’s mouth curls up and then our mouths meet and I use a little tongue, just because I can. Luca feels amused through our bond, so that’s ok.

‘The best is last!’, Tom states and picks Simon up to turn him around. Simon laughs, startled and like that the tension in the room is broken.
Simon kisses Tom passionately, still laughing and Tom winks at Matty, who rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

Chapter Text

Marco comes home to find the house in utter chaos.
I didn’t even hear him arrive and flinch when he says ‘What’s happening?’, from the doorway of the living room.

Simon lets the shirt, he was just sorting into one of the piles of clothes, fly to the floor as he spins around to face our pack head.
‘We didn’t look at the time. We’re helping sorting old clothes for the omega charity.’, he explains to Marco and starts putting everything into boxes. ‘I will start dinner in a minute, Marco.’

I approach my alpha for a kiss just as he waves Simon’s comment aside.
‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll throw something in the pan, it should be ready in ten minutes. Take your time tidying up, please.’

‘And maybe take a shower.’, he adds, winking at me as I look at my dust-covered body in disgust. I didn’t even notice that I was becoming this dirty.
But, I also didn’t notice the time pass and haven’t spiralled into the fact that there is a person growing inside my body, and I’m so not ready for that, for hours. Which is a success.

Exactly ten minutes later I’m in the kitchen with still damp hair, already wearing my PJs.
Marco made a quick stir-fry from the last day’s leftovers. Matty and Tom must have come home just now and smile at me when I enter the room.

Simon is nowhere to be seen.
‘Where’s Si?’, Matty asks, mouth already full. I shrug while I lean into my alpha’s hand, that he put on my back while sitting down. ‘Probably still under the shower. I’m sure he’ll come down in an instant.’

We start eating and five minutes later Simon appears in the doorway. His scent is carefully hidden and his face is neutral and it’s exactly those things that make me think that something is wrong.

Matty seems to get the same feeling. He turns to the other omega with an extra kind expression in his face. ‘There you are. You coming?’
Simon lets his gaze swipe over us, then he gets his plate from the table. He fills it with a little food and carries it out the kitchen. The door slams shut behind him.

Tom sighs. ‘What’s up with the little bitch now?’
Matty growls at him and he puts his hands up in surrender. ‘I know we like him, Matty. But his behaviour sometimes-’

‘Should I go after him?’, I propose. I don’t specifically want to. It’s nice here. Alpha’s home and there’s food and I’m clean, but I feel sorry for Simon. Whatever problem he’s imagining this time.

Marco shakes his head and scratches between my shoulder blades. ‘No, baby. Let him get it- whatever it is- out of his system. He could have stayed here if he wanted company, after all.’

Matty looks torn, but decides to finish his meal with us before he hurries up the stairs.
We can hear his frustrated grown and Simon’s snappy, cold voice going back and forth for a while. Then it’s silent. After a while, Simon is moaning softly.

I have to giggle. Tom, who’s doing the dishes with Marco, snorts. Marco rolls his eyes and shakes his head but looks at me fondly.
He sighs when we’re in our room later.
‘I really need to have that talk with Matty. And Simon. He’s acting like a teenager and Matty is walking on eggshells around him and spoils him, even when he’s completely unreasonable.’

I sit down, stroking my stomach. Maybe yesterday’s leftovers weren’t good anymore? I decide to go to the downstairs toilet when my alpha is asleep and just endure the cramps until then.

‘You know, he was very young when they pushed him into this, ehm, work, so maybe he really is reliving his puberty?’, I propose to Marco.
I only feel a little dumb. I know by now that he wouldn’t laugh at me for theories that are wrong.

He smiles. ‘You’re such a darling.’, he tells me. ‘Always trying to put everybody in a good light. I think you’re partly right. He was used and traumatized from an early age for years. So of course he forgot how to act normally around people. But he has to learn- you know? You learnt to communicate with me and every time you do it, it helps, don’t you think so?’

I nod. I know what he means. It is hard to tell him what’s on my mind, sometimes. To share my stupid insecurities with him.
But it always helps. I had to learn that, still do, yes.
Maybe Simon does too.

‘He just needs time and trust then.’, I sigh. ‘We’ll be getting there.’
I smile at Marco and he kisses my forehead, then groans as he lies down. ‘Of course we will, baby. I’ll talk to them tomorrow. Let’s sleep.’

I cuddle against his side and nearly manage to fall asleep until my stomach is cramping again. I try to ignore it and just sleep, lest it goes away by itself, but of course it doesn’t.
I carefully untangle from Marco and creep down the stairs.

I sit on the toilet without putting the light on. But somehow it doesn’t feel like I have to take a dump.
And now that I’m naked, I feel that my legs are coated in a wet, drying substance. It can’t be slick. That feels different.
I reach up to flip on the light, look down on me, and scream.

Through the buzz in my head I dimly make out several people racing down the stairs and the door being forced open. Then Marco’s face is directly in front of mine. He’s on his knees before the toilet, grabbing my shoulders.
‘Oh baby. Baby, shhhhh. It’s going to be ok. We’ll get you to a doctor.’

I sob and barely get out ‘Not your father. Please. Please Marco. Not him.’
He nods sternly. ‘Whatever you want baby. We’ll find another omega doctor for you.’ He nods at Matty, who’s standing n the doorway. Matty leaves.

Marco starts cleaning the blood of my lap with some toilet paper. It’s surely not enough to could have been a human being. Right? Right?!
I’m cold.

He helps me stand up and pulls up my pants before carrying me to the car, that Tom already drove to the door. He makes me lie on the back seat, my head in his lap, frantically stroking my scent gland.

Matty tells Tom the address of the doctor he reached.
He’s pale as a sheet. Simon stands behind him in the doorway, looking worried.
I try to smile at him, but I notice that I cry instead.
I nuzzle my head into Marco’s thigh. It’s dark and safe there.

I manage to doze off, which is probably Marco’s doing as he continues touching my glands all the time. I come to when I’m in a doctor’s office, lying on a bench.
Marco is next to me, my hand in his.
I try to sit up and he shushes me. ‘Stay there, baby. Yes, like that. So good for me.’

His voice is incredibly kind. I whimper and he kisses my hand.
‘Can you get him ready, so I can look at him?’, a male voice asks and Marco nods. He slowly pulls down my pants and coaxes me to open my legs, so the doctor, a grey-haired beta, can have a look.

He touches me, a lot, and only Marco’s hand in mine is stopping me from jumping up and running away. It doesn’t hurt, it’s just very uncomfortable.
He makes Marco put my feet into stirrups and then starts pushing some medical instruments into me and does some things to my insides.

I whine and shiver and Marco sits up, concerned.
‘Do you have to do it that way?’, he asks.
The doctor sighs. ‘Young man, your omega needs to be fully cleaned, otherwise he risks infection.’, he tells Marco and Marco swallows and then nods, defeated.

He forces a smile at me and nibbles on my finger. I try to concentrate on him while it feels like the doctor is removing my organs with a spoon.
He talked about fully cleaning me. So this must mean- I let out a high whine and Marco leans over me, cupping my face and softly kissing my lips. ‘Shuuush, darling. It’s going to be ok.’
‘It is going to be ok, right?’, he asks the doctor.

The man hums. ‘Yes. He’s not defective. It was a very clean abortion. You can try again soon.’
He stops what he’s doing and his voice comes nearer. ‘It happens, son. You’re a pack, right? Is there a chance it wasn’t yours?’
Marco clears his throat. ‘There was, yes. But I didn’t care.’

The doctor seems to be cleaning up his office. ‘Well, the omega body often rejects the foetus that isn’t his alpha’s. Especially if he’s freshly mated.’, he explains.
‘So it was probably for the best.’, he tells us, detached.

I start to fight against the stirrups I’m still in. I need to be in control over my own body.
How dare he speak like this about my child, about Marco’s child, while he’s still able to look between my legs? It’s my alpha’s right to look there!

I trash around and Marco needs to put his hand on my neck and tell me to ‘stay still’, in a sharp voice to be able to detach me from the stirrups.
‘Feisty bitch.’, the beta man murmurs under his breath and Marco, who has been picking me up, turns to growl at him.

The man frowns at us.
‘You two need to pull yourself together. It’s not the end of the world.’, he dismisses us.
Marco shakes his head. ‘We’re leaving. Don’t you dare send me an invoice, you incompetent prick. How can you even study medicine without an ounce of empathy?’

‘Excuse me? I do-‘, the doctor begins, but is muffled from the slamming door as Marco carries me outside.
He stops in the hallway and helps me put on the PJ pants again. He nuzzles against my cheek and then picks me up and carries me outside the building.

Tom meets us outside and takes me from my alpha.
Marco growls when he tells Tom what just happened and I flinch. He’s completely focused on my neck immediately, licking and sniffing it.

‘My love.’, he tells me. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t want to startle you. I’m just very pissed at that so-called doctor. He was mean to you. Nobody gets to hurt you.’, he tells me and I keen and press my neck against his mouth.
He bites over the bonding mark and I feel a rush of calm and love through my body. The numbness recedes a little and like something broke inside my body, I start to cry.

Marco makes kind noises and stays at my side.
‘Everything will be ok, love. I’m here. I love you. I love you so much. I’m so sorry.’ I realize that he’s also crying when my neck starts getting wet. I don’t remember the ride home.

The next couple of days pass in a blur.
I stay in bed. Marco stays at home and makes sure that I eat and drink and stand up at least once a day.

After three days he makes me join them for meals again. They also pass in a blur.
Marco and Matty snap at each other, while Matty is very sweet to me, which always makes me cry.
Simon looks at me with wide eyes and touches me a lot.
Tom tries to act normal, if he’s even there, and I love him for it and even manage to smile at some of his shenanigans.

Oriol asks after me and I manage to tell him what’s wrong in a text.
His reaction is very sweet and he starts to send me his script and the homework.

I detect that I can concentrate best when I’m with Simon, so I start doing my homework in the attic, on the floor, while he’s applying make-up in front of his mirror or reading on his bed or trying on clothes and taking selfies.

I avoid Marco as best as I can without missing him too much. Seeing him makes it real. Feeling his concern, smelling his devastation. I don’t want this.

And do I even deserve to be soothed by his presence? I don’t think so!
If I were a better omega, none of this would have happened!

After a couple of days, my feelings change. I’m just so angry! At the guard. At Matty. At Simon, when he misbehaves.
Surely he has to know how to be an omega, for fuck’s sake? Doesn’t he know how good he has it with us?
I try my best here and I’m still unlucky. And he’s just being bitchy and bratty, even though he has nothing to complain about!

I know that I’m being unfair. I just can’t stop it.

I’m mostly angry at myself, though. I didn’t want this child. I refused to acknowledge it for weeks.
I hoped the problem would solve itself, especially after my Dad told me that I was his fourth try.

I deserved to lose it. Who even has thoughts like this about their pregnancy? What kind of omega does this even make me?

I love children! I should have been thrilled to enlarge our pack. And my alpha even accepted that it could be someone else’s.
But no- of course my stupid body refused to carry the foetus. It must have felt that I hoped it would go away. I ate the wrong things. I even drank coke once! I had a shitty sleep schedule. And all the stress from the alpha’s fighting must have taken their toll as well.

I remember what my dad told me. I vow to myself to be a better omega.
To take my birth control until I’m ready and then only sleep with my alpha if I just can keep the next baby.

To be good in school, make my pack proud and be able to earn money.
I even vow to be nicer to Simon and stop having these unfair thoughts.
I don’t think he wants children. He’s over the best age as well. It’s my burden to carry.

Chapter Text

After Luca miscarried, I didn’t really have time or the nerves to deal with Matty.
I just snapped at him when he was in a mood with me and otherwise ignored him.

After a particularly horrible dinner, where Luca just stood up and left, halfway through, after Matty and I snapped at each other and he seemed to ignore everything going on around him, Matty leaves the room, slamming the door.
I sigh and do the dishes in silence with a subdued Simon.

I decide to chill in the garden afterwards. There’s always stuff to do and I can’t handle being in a room with Luca. I feel the urge to protect him, to sooth him, to make him whole again, but I can’t and that feels like failure. I don’t particularly like failure.
And I can barely handle to feel the pain Luca feels in addition to my own mourning.

Thinking of devastated scents, I barely realise that I walk towards another devastated scent, until I’m almost on him:
Matty is sitting next to the fence at the side of the garden that’s farest away from the house. He sniffles and rubs his face when he sees me approaching.

I pause, hands in my pockets, feeling awkward.
‘What are you crying about?’, I ask him, sounding more unfriendly than I planned to.

He lifts his shoulders and sniffs.
‘It could have been mine, you know? I know you’re sad and it’s absolutely your right, but you don’t have the monopoly on it.’

Hm. I hadn’t thought about it, but he’s right. I was so fixated on everybody accommodating to Luca’s pain that I didn’t think about their feelings. That night was traumatizing for all of us.
I sigh and sit down next to Matty, who seems surprised but then lets his leg touch mine.

‘You know.’, he says softly. ‘I feel so bad about all of this. Luca could only be going through this because of me.’ He gesticulates wildly.

‘I mean, either way. I let him be taken to the centre! I fucked him in his heat!
I mean, I knew you were coming. I knew he missed you, he was constantly asking after you but no, I decided to “help” him. And that turned out utterly traumatizing for him as well, I’m sure of it. And then he was pregnant, which must have been a shock. And then he-‘, Matty bites his lip and his whole body is shaken by sobs.

I put my arm around him. ‘Oh, Matt. The doctor said it’s normal in a pack. But nobody talks about it. We couldn’t have known. Neither me nor you. Nor Luca. Nobody is at fault for anything here. It just happens.’

We’re silent for a minute then I have another thought. ‘Hell, we didn’t even know that he wasn’t on birth control at the time.’
Matty looks up, frowning. ‘He is now, though?’

I sigh. I feel a headache build. Again.
‘Not yet. I have to talk to him. I just- I don’t know how. I feel so – helpless.’
‘Well, at least that makes two of us.’

Matty stands up to gets two beers that Tom put in the pond to keep cool, before all of this happened. He hands me one.
We clink our bottles together. His shoulder brushes mine.

I take a sip, then decide to at least address another problem our pack has.
‘Matty?’
‘Hm?’

‘What is going on with you? I mean, you being a brat. I know it’s not like you. So, could you, maybe, just stop being like this?’
Matty whimpers and brings some distance between us. ‘I’m sorry. I try. Really. I don’t know why I act like this. I don’t want it to be like this, I swear! I have no idea why I keep challenging you. Hell, I’d never want to be packhead. All that responsibility-‘ he drifts off, sighing again.

‘I understand.’, I say and he tenses and looks at me.
I try to smile at him. ‘I mean, since I met Luca I can’t even begin to understand what my body went through. All those stupid alpha reactions. If the thing with Stephen hadn’t happened, I’d have thrown you out after you tried to mate him, Matty. But so, I kind of understood.’

Matty winces and covers his face with one hand. ‘God, Marco. I’m so sorry about that. Really.
I- I have no idea what’s going on. It’s like I’m more than one person at times. It’s- it’s scary, alpha.’ The last sentence was barely a whisper.

On instinct, I lean in and lick his neck. Matty flinches violently.
‘Ehm. Sorry.’, I say and make to stand up.
Matty’s hand lands on mine, stopping me. He looks at me, sheepishly and clears his throat.
‘Actually. That was kinda nice. Nobody did this to me before. Is that what it feels like for Luca?’

I settle down again and squeeze his hand while I shake my head.
‘No. I think omegas have much more intense bodily reactions. We can’t even imagine. I get a piece of it through the mating bond and it’s insane.
But I’m glad it feels nice for you. Has nobody ever calmed you that way, Matty? Not even as a child?’

I realize that I don’t know a lot about Matty, even though he is part of my pack. Shame on me!
Matty shakes his head, subdued again. ‘No. My mother was awfully strict and my father wasn’t really one for physical contact. I- ehm- could you-’, he breaks off, blushing.

His scent is giving me a vibe of loneliness and longing, which is kind off breaking my heart.
But at least I can help this pack member, if I can’t help my omega right now.
I lean in. ‘Do you want me to continue, Matthew?’
He swallows, then nods, his face flushing. ‘If- if that’s ok? Please, alpha?’

This is really not how I envisioned this evening, but I’m glad I can do this for my packmate. Sometimes, because Matty is an alpha, in addition to acting uncontrollably, I forget that he’s also my responsibility.

I lean in and softly lick his scent gland again. It’s weird, at first, but after a while he relaxes into it.
I hug him, for better access and after a while start to nibble on his neck, like I’d do for my omega.

Matty hums and moves closer. My hand slides down his body. I can smell his arousal.
I pause and he tenses, swiftly, then relaxes when I ignore it to start licking again.

He starts to pant and whines deep in his throat, baring his neck as far as he’s able to. It’s beautiful.
‘Matty, baby.’, I say softly. ‘Did you need your pack head to take care of you all this time? Why didn’t you say so?’
He whimpers. ‘Dunno. I didn’t know I needed this. I never had this. But- God, it feels so good. I feel so – safe. Please don’t stop, alpha.’

‘I won’t.’, I promise and hug him closer while nuzzling his neck with my nose, sometimes sniffing.
His arms find their way around me and he pulls me even closer.
I’m almost on his lap, his boner under my leg, his arms tight around me while his nose is pressed into my hair to scent me back as well as possible.

I lick directly over his scent gland. He tastes like sex. I hum and move a little apart to look at him. ‘Matty. Do you want me to fuck you? Need to be dominated by your alpha?’
His mouth is open as he fixes his eyes on me. He’s blushing, but his nod and voice is sincere.
‘Yes. Yes, please, alpha.’

I smile at him and move in to softly bite his neck. He goes rigid, then relaxes completely against the fence. I manhandle him to lie on his side in the grass and help him get rid of his clothes.
Then I cuss, because now I need to go back to the house to get lube.

Matty grabs my arm when I’m about to get up.
‘In my trouser pocket.’, he tells me.
I raise my brows at him and grab his trousers. Indeed, there is a small bottle of lube.

He can’t meet my gaze.
‘Simon likes it in the ass.’, he explains quietly. ‘and Tom and me- you know.’
Ah! I nod and lie down to spoon him, warming the lube in my hands before I start to apply it to him.

He lifts his head to watch what I’m doing and I take my hand and put it on his head to keep him on the ground. He sighs softly and settles down.
I can’t believe I missed the signs. His alpha personality clearly yearned to be dominated by me in bed. Well, in garden, in this case.

With the hand that’s not submitting my underling alpha I start to fuck into his ass gently, lubing him up. When he’s a little stretched I add a second finger and softly start to stretch him open.

Matty groans, very quietly and whimpers excitedly. He tries to thrust back into my fingers while staying in place.
I hush him. ‘Let me do the work. Just stay and submit and be good for me.’, I advise him. He makes a deep noise in his throat and nods.

‘So good.’, I praise and open him up further while he clearly tries to just take it.
When I’m fairly certain that he’s ready to take me, I open my trousers. I’ve been ignoring my hard-on for a while now and it’s getting uncomfortable.

His hand wanders to his dick, while my own is slowly broaching his entrance and I slap it away.
’That’s my job, Matty.’, I tell him. ‘I’m taking care of you.’
‘Yes, please.’, he moans.

I fuck into him and grab his dick at the same time. His moan is almost a yell, but he succeeds in not moving. I make shushing noises while pausing until he’s calmed down.

Then I pick up a rough speed, fucking into him while letting his dick glide into my lubed-up fist with my movements.
He pants and moans, now and then I can understand ‘alpha!’ and it’s hot on a completely different level than with an omega.

I mean- I knew that Matty is hot. I also knew that he must be a nice fuck, as Tom was practically glued to his side after they moved in and Luca seemed to be having a good time with him as well.

But somehow I never thought about sleeping with him. Maybe because he’s also an alpha?
Although I had hoped to be above such sexism.

Nevertheless, I’m glad I’m doing this now.
His ass isn’t different from other asses. He’s tight and hot and I love that he’s more than a beta and I can clearly smell his arousal and that he’s getting closer.

I love that he’s part of my pack and is submitting to me and how we both accept – hell, enjoy!- that as the natural order.

‘You’re mine, Matty.’, I whisper into his ear, while I fuck into him and lick his neck.
His head moves into an awkward, backward angle and he kisses me, moaning. I lick into his mouth.

‘My pack member.’, I make clear. ‘I’m your alpha.’
‘Alpha.’, he pants in agreement. I smile and softly suck his neck. ‘Exactly. I’m responsible for you. I’m going to take care of you.’

Matty nods. ‘So good.’, he whispers and bares his neck at me. I nibble at his scent gland.
‘Come for your alpha.’, I command and then suck his scent gland. Matty moans and ejaculates into my fist. His muscles spasm and take me with him.

We stay like this for a while, before I move out of him. I clean my dick and his thighs with my hand, then rub it clean on the lawn, before I hug him from behind.
The sun is starting to sink, it’s starting to get cold.

I kiss Matty’s neck one last time, then let him get up to dress again. His smile at me is open and honest. I hope this session stopped our problems.
I would of course be open to repeat the experience, if it helps our bonding. I wonder if Matty always just needed to be topped to feel balanced. Maybe he also has some stereotypes of how an alpha should behave?

‘With you and Tom.’, I ask him, suddenly curious. ‘Who’s topping?’
He pauses closing his trousers and frowns at me. ‘We switch. Why?’

Hm. I shake my head, smiling. ‘Just curious.’
He shrugs. ‘And you?’
‘Same.’

He helps me up and we go into the house together, before each going to use their own shower.
I’d love to say that we then each cuddle to our omega, but it’s not that easy.

Luca isn’t in our bed. Again. I can sniff him out in Si’s bed. Which means Matty and I sleep alone. Tom is staying with his current date.
I feel lonely, despite just having had a closeness like never before with a pack member, as I struggle to fall asleep.

A couple of days later, I manage to catch Simon on his own.
Luca is still sleeping with him and is weird, absent, sometimes downright aggressive, when I see him. He seems to want as well as want to avoid my closeness in equal measure.

‘Si.’, I call out to Simon when he passes my door on the way to the toilet, early morning. He pauses and comes over, with a straight back and hands clasped in front of him.
‘How- how is Luca? And, do you know what I can do to make it better?’

Simon glances up the stairs, then closes the door and leans against it. He sighs.
‘He’s angry- it’s one of the stages of grief, Marco. It’s normal. He’s mostly angry at himself.’

‘I know, I can feel that much through the bond. It’s completely unreasonable, though.’, I say, frustrated.
Simon shrugs and crosses his arms before him. ‘Just let him. He’ll come back. To change the topic: Did you sleep with my- with Matty?’
‘Ehm. Yes?’

Simon looks amused and tilts his head. ‘Did it help?’, he asks.
I shake my head. Matty has started acting up again the next morning, looking miserable and apologetic meanwhile. ‘Only shortly.’

‘Hmm.’, Simon looks subdued, but also- amused? ‘I think you really need to knot me, pack-head.’
My head hurts. I just want to sleep. I massage the point where my nose meets my forehead and look at Simon. ‘I know. But I can’t do this to Luca.’

Simon nods. ‘Yes, I know. I wouldn’t want you to knot me if you weren’t considerate like this. You have to sleep with him again, before you can have me. I’ll get him there. It’s only a short amount of time until his body will force him into after-pregnancy heat.’

Oh. Yes, those things exist to. My poor mate. Fucking biology! I fix my eyes on Simon. ‘How do you know all this?’
He shrugs again and opens the door.
‘You don’t really want to know, pack head.’, he replies over his shoulder and leaves.

Mentioning the after pregnancy heat makes talking about birth control an even higher point on my to do list.
I go pick it up- very belatedly- at the pharmacy.

In the evening, it’s only me and Luca during dinner. Simon and Matty have another date night and I forced them to go despite the state of our pack.

I put the package of pills in front of Luca. He looks at it, then at me, then back at the package without emotion.
His face can be emotionless at the best times. It is a useful feature for an omega to have.
But normally his eyes did betray him. Now they are just empty.

Or no- they aren’t. Tears are starting to spill from them and I’m next to him and pull his stiff body close to me in an instant.
He seems to melt into my arms and then moves to be closer to me, still sobbing. He presses his neck against my face and I comply and scent him, carefully, to not shock his system.

I also cry and we stay like this for a long time.
He detangles from me, looking down, after half an hour. He picks up the pills and leaves the room.
I sit up, looking at the door, unsure what to do.

Luca comes back after a couple of minutes. ‘I- I put them in the bathroom. And I took one. I- thank you for getting them, Marco. But- I don’t know when I’ll be ready for-‘, he makes a helpless, all-including gesture.

I nod. ‘Of course, love. Take all the time you need. Even when you’re in heat, I’ll wait if you want me to.’
He nods. ‘I know. That’s why I’m still-‘, he clears his throat. ‘I- I love you, Marco. And I don’t blame you. Well, mostly. I’m just-‘, he sighs and sits down next to me, leaving a distance between us.
‘I don’t know. I feel like I have to get through this without you. But you’re helping. Even if I don’t act like it. Please believe me.’

I nod at him. ‘I do, love. Please tell me when you need anything.’
Luca nods, looking sad, but not crushingly devastated. It’s a small step in the right direction.

I start to notice more of these small steps. Luca is slowly starting to eat more and more healthy again. He’s studying a lot and even wants to go back to school sooner than I thought would be wise.
I don’t discuss it with him.

I will be there if he needs to be picked up. I will be there if he has a breakdown on his way to school.
But I won’t stop him. If he says he has to try, he does.
It seems to be ok. He’s still subdued after coming home, but it’s better. He’s more lively. More like a person again.

He’s messaging this Oriol a lot when he’s home. He’s also snuggling with Simon a lot. He’s avoiding Matty completely and seems to endure me.
But sometimes he brushes against me when we pass in the hallway or sit next to each other at meals and I know that it’s going to be ok. I waited 19 years for him. I can wait a couple more for it to be good again.

Chapter Text

I’m grieving.
Well, I think. Honestly, I feel different every ten minutes or so. But I never feel good.

I start to notice things again, at least. For a while, I just didn’t care. I wasn’t aware of anything but my emotions. Was I eating? I have no idea? Was I sleeping? Ehm, I think so?

When I notice that I indeed am eating, I also notice that Matty is less bratty.
I should be glad about this. Or relieved at last. But I-well, it feels like an information about another pack. Like, “Hey, Matty is less bratty have you heard?” You save that info and then move on.

I start to care more, though. I realize that finally something else interests me again, when I stop in the hallway to hear Simon and Matty talk.
Well, talk might be the wrong word. They discuss. Almost fight.

‘Why should I let you fuck me, Matt?’, Simon is saying, vehemently, which makes me pause.
I don’t want him to be lonely or lack touches because of me. Am I dick-blocking by clinging to his bed?

‘We’ve done it before?’, Matty sounds startled and very unsure, poor thing.
I can just hear the shrug in Simon’s voice. ‘I’ve fucked many alphas. Doesn‘t mean I have to do it again.’

I almost wince when I hear him talk about his past so matter-of-factly. I don’t know how he manages. Here I am, so fucking weak because of some half-finished act with a guard and the death of the baby that nobody ever wanted. And I’m a wreck! And he suffered trauma for years and still knows what he wants and how he feels-

‘I didn’t mean-‘, Matty cuts himself off, then starts again. ‘But I thought we were good together?’
His voice is so hopeful. If I were able to feel for other people yet, I’d feel for him.

Simon sighs. ‘Maybe, yes. But this pack is also good together. And you’re destroying it by being a brat. If you can’t respect your pack head, I can’t accept your knot. I refuse to be the cause of distress. Luca saved me. I won’t do this to him.’

Matty whimpers. ‘I don’t know why I am like this.’
I hear steps approaching the door and quickly move up the stairs.

I pretend to be asleep when Simon comes in a couple of minutes later. He pretends to believe it.
He’s good like that. He kept talking to me in the beginning, when I didn’t listen at all. But it was nice to hear that I wasn’t alone.

He told me that I stink after I stopped showering for a while.
He didn’t try to stop me when everything was too much and I just needed to leave the room, whoever was in it with me and whatever we were doing.

Simon leans over the bed and kisses my forehead after rummaging for a while.
‘We’re going to take a bath tomorrow.’, he tells me. ‘Good night.’

He turns out the light and leaves the room.
As if I needed his approval, I fall asleep for real.

The next morning, well almost afternoon I wake up by having something wet thrown in my face. ‘Eeuuuuw.’, I cry and Simon snorts and grabs the blanket off me.

‘Get up, sleeping beauty. We have the house for us and I prepared a bath.’
I groan but let him pull me down the stairs into the bathroom. I have to confess, it’s nice. The room is warm and steamy and smells good. There are a lot of bubbles in the water.

Simon unceremoniously undresses me and shoves me in the direction of the bath. ‘Get in.’, he orders. I comply.
The water is on the perfect side of hot. Almost burning me, but still pleasant.

I start to relax and lie back. Simon left the bathroom for a while and I almost fall asleep.
A couple of days ago I’d consider just sinking into the water to never rise again. Simon wouldn’t have left me alone then. He’s has good instincts.

After Simon comes back, he undresses and climbs in between my legs, facing me. He takes the sponge he was throwing at me earlier and starts to gently clean me.

It’s nice. I haven’t been washed like this since I went to school. I remember my dad washing me with a sponge when I was really small.
As is common right now, tears start to spill from my eyes. I turn my head away. Simon clucks, somehow making it sound empathic, while he still washes me.

He leans in a licks my neck. A spike of arousal goes through me and I startle. Some water splashes out of the bath on the floor.
Simon tilts his head. ‘What was that?’, he asks.

I shrug. ‘No idea. I know you wanted to calm me, but somehow it felt good in a different way.’
He frowns. ‘Like what?’

I’m glad the water is so hot so I can’t blush any further. ‘Like when an alpha licks your neck.’, I mutter.
Simon raises his brows. ‘Oh.’
He continues washing me, this time my legs, and more roughly.

‘Ehm. Oh? Do you know what’s happening with my body? It’s not a normal reaction, Si. I know my heat is supposed to start in a couple of days. But not now. The app has never been off.’

Si sighs and puts the sponge down. ‘It’s normal. Your body will be trying to restart over the next couple of days. I made the water this hot to help your body with the heat. Do you take your birth control?’

I nod. Marco gave it to me a couple of days ago. I even let him close afterwards. It felt good. Too good.
I don’t deserve to feel that good. I didn’t want that baby. And then it was taken from me. The least I can do is suffer for it.

Simon sighs and leans in for another lick at my neck.
‘Come back here.’, he says softly. I press into his mouth and he chuckles. ‘There you are. Only one part to clean left. Do you want me to?’
I make a needy noise. ‘It’s ok, baby, I got you.’

He makes me kneel up and strokes the sponge over the parts between my leg and over my dick. I start to hump into it.
‘Don’t ruin my sponge.’, he tells me off and puts it away. He soaps his hand and grabs my dick. ‘There you are. That’s nice, yes?’

I hum and nod, panting. He looks at me and smiles at my face. ‘just enjoy. Let loose. Can you come like this?’
I nod. Can I come from jerking off? Please!

Simon’s mouth moves. ‘I’m jealous.’, he admits.
I frown. ‘You can’t?’ I put my hand on his to still it.

He looks at our hands, then at me. ‘No. They trained me to need penetration to come.’
I feel my eyes grow wide. ‘Shit, Si, I’m sorry.’

He shrugs. ‘Oh, don’t be. Matty has a nice cock. Tom, too. Even you, to be honest. You’re the biggest omega I’ve ever seen.’
I draw back.

Simon follows the movement. ‘Sorry, I didn’t want to make you self-conscious.’
He leans in and licks the head of my dick, keeping me in sight. I inhale sharply.

‘It’s been a while, yes?’, he asks. ‘I can smell it in the alphas.’
I whimper.
He shakes his head. ‘Oh, don’t be sorry. It’s absolutely ok that you needed time. Want me to prepare you for your alpha?’

His fingers tease my hole while he’s licking at my dick. ‘Simon.’, I pant.
He stops. ‘Too much?’

‘No, no, I- do you think it’s ok?’
‘Huh? Oh, us together? Of course it is. We’re pack, Luca.’

He goes on. It feels nice. I also feel guilty.

I lie in his bed afterwards, cuddled into the blankets, when I feel my alpha approach. He knocks on the doorframe and seems to think that I’m asleep.

I hear him sniff the air. ‘Did you sleep with Luca?’
Simon chuckles softly. ‘Yes. Or well, we made out. There wasn’t any penetration. I made him take a bath with me. It was time for him. Didn’t want him to be overwhelmed by his next heat.’

‘I’m glad you manage to take care of him. I feel like I’m doing a shitty job.’ Marco’s silent again, but still there.
‘Did it help?’ he asks.

Simon sighs. ‘Don’t think it helped you, no. I think, him- maybe a little? It’s a long way. I have no idea. He’s never really been well, emotions-wise, yes?’

His voice is so soft and concerned all of the sudden and what he’s saying is so true, that I almost start to cry. But somehow, I really, really don’t want Marco to know that I’m awake. I just want to be left alone.

My alpha sighs. ‘No, I don’t think so. But he was ok. Better, you know? I think he was really starting to be content in the pack. I just hope he’ll be ok again. Not even for me, you know? I can endure not being close to him. As long as it helps him. I just don’t want him to hurt.’

Simon is silent for a long time and I’d love to look at them but the movement would draw attention.
I almost flinch when he starts speaking, softly, in the vicinity of the door. ‘You’re quite exceptional, right? For a dickhead.’

‘Thanks?’, I can envision Marco frown and then peak up. ‘Oh! Dickhead is your way of saying alpha without using that word!’, he exclaims.
Simon shushes him and he talks on a lot quieter. ‘So you basically call Matty ‘alpha’ a lot?’

Si winces. ‘Don’t tell him, please.’
‘Your secret’s safe with me.’ I hear laughter in Marco’s voice and suddenly I miss him so, so much.
But I still pretend to be asleep. Everything is easier that way.

It doesn’t stay easy to pretend to be asleep. Sometimes I’m so angry, I just want to burn the house down. Hurt somebody. Or at least throw something.
Simon lets me rage in the safety of his room. He stays utterly calm. It’s infuriating. I hate him in times like these. Afterwards, when I’m exhausted and crying, I’m just glad he’s here.

I start to go back to school. Maybe, when I’m good, the next child won’t die. Also, my alpha is paying the fees for me. And I know I’m avoiding him, but I really don’t want to lose him.
Maybe, when I let life return to normal and try to be a better omega with fewer bad thoughts and fewer incidents, everything will be alright.

Some days after starting school, I have to stay home again. It starts out as being too tired to get up from the bed but develops into something resembling a heat.

Simon is looking after me. Matty is gone a lot, during the days, and I know that Marco is lounging around somewhere in the house but he’s doing his best to stay out of my way.
Tom is also gone a lot, but he doesn’t have that aggressive note the alpha scents have for me, so he wouldn’t be bothering me.

Simon is the best person for me to be around. His omega-smell is just safe and warm. Familiar.
Right now he noticed that I started to shiver and slid into bed with me, holding me close.

He kisses my cheeks. ‘You’re burning up.’, he murmurs. I whimper and he shushes me, then smells the air. ‘You’re ok, kiddo. It’s just a bout of after-pregnancy heat. Your body is getting rid of the pregnancy hormones and restarting your cycle.’

I already heard about it so it’s not such a huge shock. Still, could be better timing. Like, I could be in heat when I’m not depressed, how about that?
My body doesn’t care, though. I struggle out of the blankets I hid in because suddenly I’m too hot. I’m also wet and it starts being uncomfortable.

Somehow, my biggest concern is not to stain the bed sheet. But I can’t leave this nest.
I look at Simon and wince. He tilts his head. ‘You have to use words, Luca.’, he advises me.

‘I- I’m-‘, I gesture to my soaked-through underwear and the already moist sheet.
Simon lifts one brow and manages to look amused. ‘Do you want to get rid of your panties?’, he asks me. I nod, because I need to be naked and it’s not really pleasant, wearing wet underwear.

Simon undresses me, like a child, and I feel very taken care of. But when my bare ass touches the sheet, I wriggle and whimper.
Simon takes my face in both hands. ‘Shush, Luca. You’re ok. I’m here. Tell me what’s wrong.’

‘I’m messing up the sheet.’, I whisper and point to the slick that is running from my legs.
‘That’s your problem?’, Simon manages not to sound too amused, at least.

‘You want me to get rid of the slick?’
His request doesn’t make any sense, but I nod. Simon knows what he’s doing.

He pecks a short kiss on my mouth and then moves down my body.
I realize what he’s about to do when his tongue starts cleaning the slick from my thighs, wandering upwards slowly.

I cry out, startled and Simon looks up to me. ‘Hush. Everything is alright.’, he tells me. I nod and watch him lick me clean. His tongue, like everything about him, is very small and he makes little kitten licks over my body.

There’s more slick pooing out of me, but I don’t care right now. Simon is handling this. He’s taking care of me, until-
Until what? I’m not sure if Marco will even know that I’m in heat. And he swore he won’t bother me, even when it’s time. But I need him! I need my alpha. His presence. His smell. His warmth. His reassurance.

I make a distressed noise just as the door opens.
‘What’s happen-‘, Marco breaks off when he sees me. His pupils blow wide and he’s shifting his weigh.
Despite being clearly aroused, he clears his throat. ‘Sorry.’, he says and starts to leave.

I whimper. ’Alpha!’
He stops, focusing on me and the hope in his eyes is nearly killing me.
‘Yes, baby?’, he asks softly. He’s so careful with me. Like he’s not sure I want him. To be honest, I kinda get why he could form that opinion. I’m such a failure, but I plan to make up for it.

‘Please stay?’, I ask. I’m not sure he heard me, he’s taking that long to react.
I turn to Simon, who paused in his action to watch us and unconsciously moved up, to shield me with his body. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’

Simon smiles at me and makes room on the bed. ‘Please. I’m rooting for you.’, he says and gestures for Marco to come over. My alpha looks dumbstruck, but approaches me carefully, watching my reaction.

Simon makes to leave while Marco sits on the bed and I reach out to him.
‘Simon. Please stay!’, I say. He pauses and looks confused. ‘Are you sure? You want your alpha and me?’ I nod. I haven’t been that sure of anything in a while.

Marco climbs over me and spoons me from behind while Simon hugs me from the front. He starts kissing me and I join in while reaching back to touch Marco. He interlaces our fingers. I start to hump against him and he brings my hand back with his to open his trousers and pull them slightly down.

‘Are you sure, love?’, he whispers into my ear. I nod and break off the kiss with Simon.
‘Alpha, please.’ He hesitates. He needs to know he’s not just a random alpha to me. I can do at least that. ‘Marco.’, I say. He immediately relaxes. ‘Marco. I’m so sorry. I missed you. I need you. I’m sure.’

He starts kissing my neck and I press into the touch and croon. ’Missed you too, baby. I’m always here for you. No need to be sorry. I’m here. I love you.’, he whispers between kisses.

At the last statement, he slowly starts to enter me. I press into the movement and soon we rock together, carefully and without hurrying. It’s the strangest heat-sex I ever had. Simon is still in front of me, he softly strokes my dick and still kisses me from time to time.

When I’m nearing the edge and throw my head back, Simon leans over my shoulder. I can see him kiss Marco from the corner of my eye. It brings me over the edge.
Marco makes a hasty motion and changes position, but stays inside me. ‘Do you want me to knot you?’, he asks, his voice hoarse. I turn my head to look at his concerned, aroused face.

‘Of course.’, I say and he lights up. He changes position again and then I can feel his knot grow.
I rock against it and soon come another time.
Marco’s knot deflates and I feel sated with his seed inside me. I feel pleasantly tired. I didn’t even realize that I missed this until right now.

He’s still hard when he pulls out. I’m pulling Simon against me and kiss him. He’s aroused.
The smell of heat sex and my alpha in close proximity to him are a lot. And I know he’s not sleeping with Matty of lately.

I reach between his legs and softly finger him. Yes, he’s wet and pleasantly warm. ‘Luca, you don’t have to do anything.’, he pants, while he can’t stop rocking into my movement. Marco had frozen and watches us, hungrily but tame.

I grin at Simon. ‘Oh, I don’t intend to do much.’
I slip out from in between them and place myself behind Simon, pushing him against my alpha.

Marco looks startled. ‘Baby?’
‘You need to fuck Simon, alpha.’, I explain. I feel very calm all of the sudden. Very determined.
‘Look, he wants it. I’m right here. I also want it. And you deserve to make another knot today. I love you, Marco. I want our pack to work.’

He nods, determined, then leans in to kiss Simon. Simon is so small, even in comparison to Marco.
A couple of weeks ago that would have stabbed me into my heart but now I just enjoy watching them together. I also can feel Marco’s fondness of him, that, while sincere, pales in comparison to his feelings for me. Marco reaches next to the bed and gets a condom.

When he comes back up and is clothed in it, I reach over Simon and hug them both, locking Simon between us. Simon throws his head beck and licks my arm while Marco carefully breaches him. Another thing about the size difference.

‘Tell me when I hurt you.’, he tells Simon. Simon croons. ‘You won’t hurt me. But thank you. So much.’
Marco smiles at him. ‘Of course.’, he says and they kiss.

Marco gently rocks into him, more gentle then he ever was with me. ‘Good omega.’, he tells Simon and Simon moans and throws his head against my chest. I lean in to kiss him, stifling his moans while Marco groans. I think his knot is already growing. He’s been abstinent a long time. I’m sorry.

I look up and kiss him instead, my hand steadying Simon’s chest. I start to play with his nipple and he cries out softly and trembles. I pull my hand back but his shoots up and holds mine in place.
‘Don’t stop that.’, he pants. ‘Please don’t.’

Marco chuckles and licks a stripe along his neck. ‘Good boy. Telling us what you need.’
Simon moans again. ‘Fuck.’, he says. ‘How are you so sexy?’

Marco chuckles again. ‘Who are you talking to?’, he inquires while softly biting into his earlobe.
‘Both of you. All of you. The whole pack. Oh God, please, -Marco, don’t stop.’

If Marco notices the very slight hesitancy before Simon said his name, he doesn’t react on it. I shortly wonder if he wanted to say Matty or- God forbid!- alpha, but then I’m distracted by Simon’s moans when he finds completion.
Marco joins him, drawing Simon’s orgasm out until he’s a whimpering mess in our arms.

I smile at Marco and he mouths a kiss at me while softly licking Simon’s neck to reassure him. ‘Good job.’, he tells him. ‘So good.’
Simon hums content, eyes closed. It doesn’t take two minutes and he’s asleep. I nuzzle my cheek against Marco’s while we wait for his knot to go down.

Waking up the next morning is less weird than expected. Marco seems a little anxious when I open my eyes to his worried expression, but lights up when I smile at him.
‘Good morning, love.’, he whispers. Somewhere between us, Simon groans and wriggles in his sleep.
His head pops up from under the blanket.

‘You’re both too tall.’, he complains, making us chuckle. He pecks a kiss on my, then Marco’s lips and jumps out of bed.
Marco gets up, too, then holds his hand out. ‘Would- would you join us for breakfast?’

He looks awfully shy and afraid I’d say no. I can’t believe I did that to him.
I nod and stand up to walk into his arms. He’s startled but immediately wraps me in them and breaths against my neck.

‘Let’s get dressed, then.’, he says after a while. He makes me sit on the bed and helps me get dressed which makes me feel weirdly taken care of, again. I’m also glad that nobody witnesses it, though.

After, he dresses in his clothes from yesterday. He holds out his hand and I take it.
Simon is just leaving the bathroom when we walk down the stairs.

We enter the kitchen together.
Tom is standing at the stove, making scrambled eggs while Matty sits at the table, looking kinda forlorn.
He sits up straight when we enter, looks at Simon, then at Marco and inclines his head.

Marco nods at him and pulls me next to him onto the bench. I press against his side and his arm is a steady weight on my shoulder, while Tom serves us a plate of breakfast with raised brows. He winks at Marco who softly snorts into my ear.

While I open my mouth for Marco to feed me, I watch Simon make his own plate of breakfast and then look around the kitchen like he’s here for the first time. He seems to come to a conclusion when his shoulders suddenly tense and walks towards Matty.

Matty looks dumbstruck when Simon puts his plate down in front of him and then starts to climb on his lap.
‘Ehm’. He says. Simon rolls his eyes and takes Matty’s hand, forcing him to hold on to him.

‘Don’t make this a big thing.’, he says. Matty nods, shrugs and continues eating.
I supress a smile. Marco kisses my neck. Tom grins at each of us.
We’re going to be ok.

Chapter Text

After I slept with Simon, apparently the natural order is re-established.

I’m glad about it. For me. For Matty. For Luca, who seems to feel better.
He’s still withdrawing. He’s still sulking sometimes. He’s still angry, like, out of nowhere.
Throwing things around the house when something frustrates him. But it’s better.

I’m also glad for Simon. I saw his needy, omega side he normally supresses yesterday. Saw him react to my praise.
I smelled how his scent settled to something less restless when he decided to sit on Matty’s lap. He needed that stability. He’s a very complicated person and he has a huge pile of issues, but he’s still lovable and needs to be taken care of.

At the end of the breakfast, while Matty was holding Simon like a precious porcelain doll, barely daring to breathe, as it could cause Simon to change his mind or get hurt, he softly inclines his head and sniffs.
Simon goes still. Then he slowly leans into Matty, so he can scent him better. Matty looks delighted and drives his nose up and down Simon’s neck. Simon’s eyes light up before he closes them.

Tom silently gets up and leaves the room and I follow, leading my own omega.
When Matty passes our door to go to his room later, he’s carrying Simon, who has his arms slung around his neck. They are whispering and giggling. Matty inclines his head at me when he sees me looking. Luca snorts softly from where he’s cuddled into the blanket, reading.

We continue to get better after this. Our meals stop being forced and hostile, instead they slowly are full of laughter and teasing again. Simon lets Matty feed him sometimes, although he’s very keen to not draw comment from everybody.
You just have to look at him slightly wrong and he storms out. Well, baby steps.

We all continue to go to school, uni or work, while Simon does most of the household these days.
One day I don’t have much to do and the house is already shiny. It’s autumn and Matty and Simon are taking a walk in the forest before Matty leaves to go to a stag night of a beta with Tom. As pack head, I can’t participate such events. I’m kinda glad about that, to be honest.

Luca was feeling off and wanted to lie down, alone, so I find myself in the living room, ready for some brain-numbing amusement.

I switch on the TV. No matter which channel I switch to, the ‘royal wedding’ is the only news right now.
I sigh and settle down on a live feed. Might as well watch it then. It’s not like I have anything better to do. And I wanted to not think, after all.

It’s funny how the press called it a royal wedding. The Prince of Pop isn’t really a royal. He’s just a very popular singer. He had been on and off the news for a couple of years after he won a casting show and then skyrocketed to fame as an alpha that sings love songs.

Then there was drugs, crime and rehab. He now finished his 4^th rehab and his producer decided that he needs an omega to help bring him on the right path.
I’m disgusted with myself that I know all this. I should really stop reading the magazines at my father’s waiting room.

There was a casting show for the best omega while the singer was in rehab.
The public could vote on him. Now the question is if they like each other’s scents and if the bond will hold.

If we weren’t talking about human beings, it would be fascinating from a research aspect.
At least I don’t know who won the casting show. It probably doesn’t matter.
The omegas that join mating shows like that are all pretty similar. Superficial, traditional, tiny, thin, made-up, not very smart. Well, at least smart enough to not let it show if they are.
Nothing like my Luca. Thank God.

The winner doesn’t even know he won, yet. The five best omegas were put in quarantine.
The second to fifth place are being bonded to wealthy alphas that were bidding on them.

The TV shows the alpha waiting in the middle of the huge yard. Various camera teams surround him. They all have to keep their distance and wear scent-avoiding clothing, though.
In front of the hotel is a mass of fans and spectators, but they also have to keep their distance.

A limo halts in front of the entrance to the yard and a red carpet is rolled out.
The driver opens the door and helps the omega out of the limo. He walks the blindfolded young man in the flimsy white tunic into the entrance hall.
The omega kneels down and the driver expertly removes his blindfold before leaving.

The alpha slowly walks over to the omega. He says something. The omega looks up and smiles.
The Prince of Pop has a drone -of course!- bring him the collar, which looks heavy and uncomfortable and incredibly expensive.

He collars the young man, then attaches a leash. There’s a sort of bedroom made up behind a screen for the corporal part of the bonding ceremony to take place. The alpha guides the omega behind it. The omega crawls.

I feel my dick react to the image while feeling ashamed of myself and my whole species.

There are no cameras behind the screen, but we’re able to hear their moans. The moderators have the day of their lives, trying to lighten the mood, making crude jokes.
Thank God it’s over quickly. While they are having bonding-sex, a dining area is being built in the main room.

The omega crawls there after the alpha. He’s naked now. He makes to kneel next to the Prince of Pop, but the popstar pulls him on his lap. I think it’s a nice touch.

The moderator makes a crude joke about the omega being spoilt already.
I’m partly sick, but on the other hand aroused when I think about having the naked Luca on my lap.

The alpha starts feeding the omega and the moderator makes disgusting comments about the omega, that probably sound like compliments for most of the population: ‘Cute little man.’ ‘Starving sure suits him.’ ‘Look at his pink tongue.’ ‘So well-behaved.’

I hear Luca come down the stairs and switch off the TV, feeling guilty. He’s in the doorway and narrows his eyes, suspicious.
Of course, I was behaving like a 14-year old that jerked off and threw the blanket over himself when someone came in.

‘What are you doing?’, my omega asks, frowning slightly. I sigh and decide to tell the truth. ‘I was watching the royal wedding.’
His frown vanishes and I think he’s trying not to grin. ‘Oh. I didn’t think that would interest you.’

‘It- doesn’t. Not really. It’s just the only thing that’s on and once you start watching stuff like that… I mean, you understand, you watch that horrible dating show with Simon and Tom.’
Luca grins. ‘You should really join us. It’s hilarious.’

He comes over and switches the TV on again, squeezing on the sofa next to me.
It’s the first time since he lost the baby that he’s completely behaving like before, so I try my best not to fuck up with him.

Luca watches with a cocked head as the alpha feeds the omega and then leads him outside the hotel, still on a leash, the omega still crawling on the red carpet, to a waiting limousine under the gaze of millions of people and the applause of thousands.

After they drove off, he turns to me and slightly tilts his head.
‘You liked that, yes? It did something to your alpha.’, he states.
‘I- no!’, I feel my cheeks flush.

Luca cocks his head. ‘You did. It’s normal. You know, those procedures happen for a reason.’
He seems to be far away, his hand is stroking up my leg and I think he’s not even aware of it. He stops and looks at me, then down.
‘I- I liked it. With you, you know. I mean- I was terrified and half-starved and half out of my mind because of quarantine, but, well, kneeling for you and seeing you for the first time and calling you alpha, that was intense. And’, he chuckles. ‘I was so disappointed that you didn’t fuck me. But I understand why and it turned out so much better.’

Ehm. What? I sit up straighter.
‘You were? It did?’
Luca smiles. ‘I love you, Marco. As a person. And I love to submit to your alpha. We could- make up for it? To be sure the bond is secure?‘

I’m pretty sure the temperature in the room just doubled. Luca seems to feel it, too.
He starts to undress.
I reach out to him, not even sure what I’m about to do. ‚Luca.’

He pauses. ‘You don’t want to?’
I ignore the question. ‘Did you come find me because you’re horny?’
He blushes, but doesn’t look away. ‘Yes. I’m in pre-heat. It’s not really intense, because I was just in a mini-heat- but still- So, you do want to?’

‘God, baby, I always want to have you. Have you smelled yourself?’
‘I’m afraid that’s not possible. Alpha.’ He kneels down and opens his legs, staring at me. I let out my breath in a controlled, big exhale. ‘Let’s go into the bedroom.’

‘As you wish, alpha.’, Luca says with a twinkle in his eye and- God!- starts to crawl.
I lunge off the sofa and pin him to the floor while somehow getting rid of my pants.

He laughs and moans and I grab his collar which makes him cry out, but I can feel that it’s a good cry and then I’m inside him and he’s moaning and I’m moaning and there may be some really intense love confessions and a lot of bodily fluids.

Afterwards, Luca tilts his head to kiss my cheek.
‘You feel bonded now?’, I ask him and he chuckles, before lowering his eyes, flirtingly. ‘Yes, alpha. That was perfect. Thank you for welcoming me into your family.’
I scoff. ‘Welcoming. Darling, you are my family.’
He smiles softly and cuddles closer to me.

Simon comes in while we still lie on the floor.
‘Oh.’, he just says and steps over us to sit on the sofa and nibble on some crisps.
He’s watching the part where Luca and I are still connected through my knot with interest.

I raise my brows at him. ‘See something you like?’
‘Yes.’, he just says.
‘Come here, Si.’, Luca says and Simon lies down on the carpet next to us and lets my omega hug him.

Luca starts to kiss him. Simon looks to me, shortly, then reciprocates.
‘What a porny day.’, I say to myself and Luca snorts.
‘Sorry, Si.’, he says to Simon, who has drawn back with a disgusted expression.

Simon shrugs and leans back in. ‘See something you like, pack head?’, he asks me with the same tone I used earlier. I hum. My knot has deflated, but my dick is still hard. It slipped out of Luca’s hole when he moved, so I start to stroke myself while I watch them.

Simon’s gaze is fixed on my dick whenever he opens his eyes. He climbs over Luca, so he’s in between us and rubs his backside on my erection while still making out with my omega. Luca looks amused when I check his reaction.

Interesting.
I grab Simon’s hips and pull him to me. He moans.
‘You want me to knot you?’, I whisper into his ear in my deepest voice. He whimpers.

Luca perks up. ‘You’re not on birth control’, he states.
Simon laughs. ‘Don’t worry, kiddo. They destroyed my entire womb with all the heats they made me have and all the chemicals. I’m barren as hell.’

He smells upset for a second. Luca makes a keening noise and starts liking his neck. Simon relaxes and lifts his head for better access.
Luca looks at me and I join him. He moves down lower, sucks on Simon’s nipple and purrs while I lick the omega’s scent gland until he’s one pulsing piece of arousal.

We sleep in the huge bed in the attic that night.
Somehow in the early morning hours, Matty and Tom join us, so the whole main pack is reunited at last. Even if they make the whole room stink of alcohol.

A couple of days later it’s Luca’s birthday. He didn’t want anything special.
Apparently an omegas birthday is a bad thing as everyone is reminded that they get older.
Go figure. His stupid father’s doing again, I bet.

But he agreed on having cake, at least. And he told me to invite grandma. She hasn’t been here in ages.
She even gives him an orchid when she arrives.

‘Happy birthday, Luca.’, she says, emotionless. I roll my eyes, but Luca smiles.
‘Thank you. It’s beautiful.’

He puts the Orchid on the table and snuggles against me while Simon serves cake, coffee and tea.
It was his wish to act like the perfect omega host. He wants to impress my grandma, I think. She already likes Matty, so maybe he even has a chance.

But of course grandma criticizes various things he does. I’m glad for her beta sense of smell when Simon gets more and more pissed.
Luca just eats like three bites of the cake and then hides his face in my neck. I let him.

Grandma won’t have that of course. She raises her brow at me. ‘What is with him?’
I shrug. ‘Can’t he just be in love with me?’

She scoffs. ‘Oh, I know he is, but he’s normally not that needy in public. Are you pregnant, child?’
Luca flinches violently and buries his face even deeper in my neck, taking deep breaths.

I kiss his head and give grandmother the evil eye. ‘He’s not. But he was. He- he recently lost it. Please stop mentioning it.’
Grandmother sighs and shakes her head. ‘Oh, you are an unlucky creature, huh?’

I expect Luca to bolt or start screaming or crying, but he surprises me.
My omega straightens and moves a fraction to look at her.
‘I’m not.’, he clarifies. ‘After all, I met your grandson.’

Now I’d love to bury my face in his neck. I can feel my face grow hot while a stupid grin is fighting for  a way out.
‘Aww.’, Tom makes softly in the background.

Grandmother frowns and makes a disapproving noise, but I can see that she’s touched.
She doesn’t stay long after. Displays of affection or emotion or whatever aren’t really her cup of tea.

Tom gets the plant from the table and starts to water it while Simon sits down to eat his own cake. He immediately jumps up again and takes the plant from Tom.
‘Stop. You’re hurting her. That’s way too much water.’

Matty perks up. ‘It’s a female?’
Simon shrugs. ‘Somehow orchids have always been female for me. They aren’t a very good gift. They need a lot of care. The place has to be right. They only need to soak their roots in water now and then. Please, don’t ever water her. I’m going to take care of her. Just leave her alone.’

Matty looks amused. ‘How do you know such things?’
‘My parents had a flower shop.’, Simon says tonelessly.

You can almost see the curiosity about Simon’s upbringing in all of us, but he offers so little information by himself, that it would be unwise to start to interrogate him now.
Simon shakes his head softly and leaves with the plant. ‘I’m going to search for a good spot for her.’

When I’m lying in bed, snuggling to my omega, Luca seems far away. I kiss his forehead and watch his face. ‘What are you thinking about, baby?’

Luca focuses on me. ‘Simon’s hand is so small that he can grab Matty’s thumb and there’s still the tip looking out.’
I raise my brows at him. ‘That’s what you’re thinking about, really?’

Luca shrugs. ‘Well, you asked. I can’t have intelligent, interesting thoughts every time you ask that.’
I have to chuckle. ‘That’s fair.’

‘Oh look!’ I grab his hand. ‘Our hands fit perfectly together.’
He hums. ‘That’s because we were made for each other.’, he says, very, very quietly. I’m almost certain I start to glow, but the room is still dark, so, maybe not.

Chapter Text

I’m back to school full-time after my first real heat after – you know.
Oriol is a darling and behaves like normally. He even had me come over to his place a couple of times where his sister, who is an accountant, tutored us in accounting.

I’ve never met a female alpha before. She’s intimidating at first, but nice.
Her tutoring is the reason I even understand what Mario means, when he raises his hand and interrupts our teacher.

‘Excuse me, Sir.’, he says with his soft, always a little hoarse voice. ‘I think you made a mistake. This particular sum is supposed to be smaller.’
The teacher- a middle-aged beta man with barely any hair on his head- pauses and looks at Mario like he sees us students for the first time. Which is quite possible, considering his style of teaching.

His expression is cold. ‘What did you just say, omega?’, he asks and I shiver.
It’s exactly the tone of voice my father used when an omega did something they weren’t supposed to.
The result was seldom good.

Mario seems oblivious to his voice. Well, I’m sure his alpha is a lot more obvious about being displeased from the looks of the bruises he often has.
‘That sum there, at the right side of the board. You added the sum next to it, but that’s wrong, it needs to be added to the other numbers.’, he clarifies.

The teacher narrows his eyes. ‘I can’t remember seeing your hand raised, boy!’, he says coldly.
‘Oh, but I-‘, Mario starts and is interrupted.
‘Enough of this!’, the teacher says, louder now. A couple of us flinch. I just try to be smaller. And to think of being somewhere else. It doesn’t really work, as Oriol is grabbing my hand under the table and squeezes it.

‘Come with me!’, the teacher tells Mario. Mario pales. ‘But- Sir, I-’,
The teacher rushes to him and slaps his face. Oriol gasps next to me.
‘Shut your mouth, omega. I have enough of your impertinence! You’re going to follow me to the headmaster! The rest of you.’, he lets his gaze sweep over the classroom. ‘Stay were you are. And clean the board!’

He leaves the classroom, a very worried looking Mario hurrying after him.
The older woman stands up, sighing, and starts to clean the board. The girls that sit next to each other start to whisper.
Oriol almost crushes my hand before suddenly letting go.

I turn to him, keeping the door in my line of sight. He’s pale and trembling. I tilt my head, not trusting my voice right now.
Oriol catches my eyes and sighs. ‘What do you think will happen to him?’
I shrug and clear my throat.
‘Depends on what his alpha signed.’, I respond and I am so fucking glad about Marco and his laissez-faire attitude towards punishments right now.

Although if the school decided to punish me, what could he do, other than making me leave school afterwards? It’s not like I have rights. And legally, I’m his property.
Even hurting pets is punished more than hurting an Omega. Except if the omega is pregnant, of course. I mean, it could be an alpha child in there.
But that issue is off the table right now.

I come back to reality because Oriol is looking at me strangely. He opens his mouth, frowning, but then our teacher comes back in, alone.
He steps up to the board and continues telling us about T-accounts, this time without writing anything down. We struggle to keep up with writing.

The lesson is interrupted by the screeching of car wheels. The teacher is as fascinated as we are and steps to the window, so it’s ok for us to watch out of it, too.
A huge alpha is parking right in front of the entrance and storming into the school. Minutes later he comes out, dragging a tearful Mario after him, by his hair. He opens the trunk and throws him inside before forcefully shutting it and driving off with a very scary look in his face.

The teacher chuckles and then tells us that he’s finished for today. He’s in a disgustingly good mood.
Oriol still sits, while our classmates pack their stuff and go into the hallway.
His eyes are wide, he’s trembling and his breath comes out in tiny, quick puffs. I’m equally affected by this display of utter helplessness of one of our omega brothers, but I have to hold it together. Oriol is younger than me and he’s depending on me right now.

‘Calm down.’, I murmur. ‘Your sister would never do that to you.’
Oriol manages a shaky chuckle. ‘I know. But- Luca, I’m so afraid that some random alpha just scents and bites me. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to hide and mostly stay at home after all. I mean, there is a reason most omegas live like that.’

I snort. ‘Oh, come on, being randomly bitten isn’t that common anymore and you of all people know how to run away or hide or even defend yourself.’
Oriol shrugs awkwardly. ‘You know, Mario was mated that way. His alpha met his family at a restaurant, went into rut, bit him, tadaaaaa- a wasted life. I sat next to him while you were – sick.’

Hm. ‘Well, if you sat next to him you must have noticed that his scent is mostly happy. I think he mostly likes their dynamic.’
Oriol scoffs. ‘Well, must be the mating messing with his brain. Or would you like that?’

It’s my turn to shrug awkwardly. ‘To be honest, I- Well, I do like to be dominated sometimes. I like to- to please Marco, you know. To have him tell me what he wants. But the difference is that I really like him. Not just because of the bond. And he’s nice, even when he’s dominant. So it’s not the same, no. But there are enough people who are into that sort of thing, you know?’

‘Yes, I know. And I don’t judge them, I just- it’s ok if people like that, but Mario’s alpha is a controlling ass no matter if his omega is into that or not. And I really think that most alphas are like that.’
I sigh and pull him out of the classroom after me.

At home, I’m still feeling glum. Of course Marco immediately notices it. ‘What’s wrong baby?’
He opens his arms and I slide into them and sigh against his neck.
‘You know you can’t reject me, like, ever, right?’

Marco stiffs and seems to open his mouth, but I go on.
‘It would- destroy me. I would have been able to manage, you know, if my first alpha would be the typical alpha who expects me to kneel to his feet in public and so on. I mean, I was kinda raised for that. But you changed that part of me. If I ever get another alpha, I‘m just fucked.’

Marco’s mouth twitches at my crude language that surely would give me a spanking if he was like, any other alpha. He kisses my forehead.
‘Good thing I’m never getting rid of you, then.’

I lean back to smile at him. ‘You know. About me being an unlucky creature.’ He winces slightly. (Yes, his grandmother’s comment still stings).
‘I think, if it took all the luck I have for this life to meet you, it’s totally worth it. I don’t need anything more.’

He grins at me and softly kisses me. I feel happy. I’m so glad to have him. Like, I wasn’t kidding.
I wouldn’t survive having any other alpha. Thank God we’re mated. There’s not much that could break us apart. Except- I tense.

‘Marco. What if something happens to you?’
Marco snorts and shakes his head. ‘We have another alpha in the pack, baby. You’d become Matty’s.’
Well, at least he’s not saying that nothing will happen to him and telling me to stop worrying.

I nuzzle deeper into his neck and try not to think of how painful it would be if Marco just stopped existing. ‘But what if something happens to Matty?’
Marco sighs. ‘There’s still Tom. It’s a pack-bond.’

‘Yeah, but what if-?’
Marco leans in and softly licks my neck.
‘Luca.’, he softly says into my ear in his serious voice. ‘If something happens to all of us, then I guess you’re somehow involved and don’t have to worry about that anymore.’

Huh. That I strangely comforting. Of course I would prefer if nothing happened to our whole pack, though.
I look into his face. ‘Does the fire alarm work?’

Marco starts to grin. ‘I’m amazed how your mind works. Also a little scared.’
I immediately look down. ‘I’m sorry.’
He makes me lift my head, presses his lips against mine and looks into my eyes. ‘Don’t be sorry for being you, love. Never.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Huh. There it is again. Destroying me.’