Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I

“Come with me.”

The statement — demand, even — hit Percy like a brick wall.  He stared Luke down, Riptide poised between them and ready to strike.  Luke had lured Percy into the woods with the promise of a gift — Coca Cola, to be exact.  Now, he held his own sword, just as ready as Percy was to strike.  But his words conveyed a different message, a more tempting offer than Percy could comprehend.

Percy knew Luke was an alpha.  The fact had been clear the moment the sixteen year old arrived at camp.  Percy had always had a superior sense of smell, something he now knew he could attribute to his father’s lineage mixed with his mother’s ability to see through the mist.  What Luke hadn’t known was that Percy was an omega.  Percy tried hard to keep the fact secret, though he’d let it slip while on his quest with Annabeth and Grover.  He’d run out of suppressants on the quest as a result of their time at the Lotus Hotel, and he’d started to stink of sweet omegan pre-heat.  Now, with Luke so close and Percy’s suppressants not yet at their full strength, there was no doubt it was clear.

“Why would I do that?” Percy spat, tightening his grip on Riptide’s handle.

“I can smell it on you,” Luke smirked through his words, and Percy knew immediately what he meant.  “You’re almost in heat.  If you hadn’t come back when you did, you would already be in it.  You know I know.”

Percy took a trembling step back, shaking his head in wary defiance.  The winds shifted from Luke’s direction to Percy’s, and something immediately shifted within him.  A scent wafted closer to Percy, causing his nose to scrunch up and his brows to furrow.  With a sly smile, Luke reached into his front pocket and pulled out a handful of fresh herbs.  At the motion, the scent intensified, and Percy stumbled further back out of sheer instinct alone.

“Smell that?” Luke asked in a honey sweet tone.  Percy stumbled further back, tripping on a root and falling onto his behind gracelessly.  “It’s an ancient herb, long since outlawed by the gods themselves.  Its purpose?  To trigger a sedative type effect in omegas close to their heat.  What perfect timing.”

As Luke lumbered closer, Percy found himself struggling to focus.  At some point, he’d dropped his sword, as it was lying off to the side on the forest floor.  Luke kneeled down in front of Percy now, scattering the herbs over his chest.  As Percy heaved one more deep breath, he found himself slipping faster and harder, unable to move or focus or think.

“I’ll take good care of you…” was the last thing he heard before slipping into deep dark unconsciousness.

When Percy awoke, he knew immediately something was amiss within himself.  His stomach was a tumultuous mess.  There was a hazy ringing in his ears.  When he pried his eyes open, everything was just a bit fuzzy, edges smoothed out by the deep instinctual need within himself.  He was in heat; there was no denying it.

“Percy, are you awake?” a distant voice caught Percy’s wavering attention.  As Percy rolled his gaze over to where Luke was, he realized just how close they were.  They were in a room no larger than the Hermes cabin had been, which wasn’t saying much.  Percy was in the center, with Luke pushed back into a corner as far as he could go.

“Go ‘way,” Percy managed, swallowing thickly as he reached for what little willpower he had left.  “Don’t want you here.”

“I know,” Luke shifted as he spoke.  There was something off about him.  It was almost like he was afraid.  Afraid of what, Percy didn’t know.  “We’re on a cruise ship.  The Princess Andromeda.  Kronos makes sure we have nice things.  He takes care of us.”

Percy closed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to dispel the fog threatening to take over.  “Don’t believe you.”

“I know.”  A beat of terse silence.  “You will, though.”

Luke hoisted himself to his feet, the motion alerting to Percy that he was on the move.  Percy, in turn, opened his eyes and tracked Luke’s movements as he stalked closer to the omega near heat.

“Leave me alone,” Percy shuddered his words out, sitting fully now and pulling his knees to his chest with trembling arms.  He tried to hide his nose from Luke’s scent in his jean clad knees, though one step closer and it was for naught.

Luke’s scent was like warm campfire and aged leather and amber, all on a clean, cotton breeze.  Percy’s head jolted up to him involuntarily, nose scenting the air between them.

“Do you really want me to leave?” Luke asked, kneeling directly in front of Percy now.

“No,” Percy gasped as he nodded.  His mind was going into overdrive at the prospect of Luke.  Luke all over him.  Luke taking him.  Being Luke’s.  It was too enticing, too richly potent for the omega in heat.  Instead of fighting it further, Percy reached out lightning quick and grabbed behind Luke’s neck.  He dragged him down towards himself, open mouth and twitching nose going directly into the side of Luke’s throat.

“Like what you smell there, Perce?” Luke teased.  Percy was unable to respond, the potency of sheer scent taking over completely now.  Luke took the opportunity to reposition them, leaning forward and straddling Percy’s now laying form.  All the while, Percy stayed latched to Luke’s neck, particularly to the delicious smell there.

“Alpha?” Percy asked in a keening whine against Luke’s exposed throat.

“Hmm?” Luke’s response was oddly tentative.

“You’re going to take my virginity, aren’t you?”

Luke tensed at that, and Percy knew he’d said something wrong.  Unable to contain himself, tears sprang to his eyes, and he sobbed into the crook of Luke’s neck.

“Hey,” Luke hushed Percy gently once he broke out of his shock.  “You’re alright.  I’m not going anywhere.”

“So you are going to have sex with me,” Percy lamented, because he knew once the full force of his heat started, there would be no stopping him.  Luke could take advantage in any way he wanted.  Percy was both terrified and thrilled.

“No.”  The statement shocked Percy so much that he jolted away from Luke’s neck, glassy eyes trying to meet his.  “I want you to want me to be your alpha.  I already know you’re the omega for me, but…” Luke gently brushed the sweat soaked hairs from Percy’s face, where they were stuck down.  He sighed, smiling softly before sitting upright.

Percy skittered into Luke’s lap, arms thrown lazily around his neck and forcing him to look down.  “You’re working for Kronos.  You’re not supposed to be so nice to me.”

Luke’s gaze grew distant, his focus clearly somewhere else.  “Have I ever told you about my mother?”

“No,” Percy almost moaned the word as a pang of his heat broke through.

“Well, she was amazing.”  Luke smiled fondly, still playing idly with Percy’s hair as he allowed the omega to scent him once more for comfort.  “Brightest eyes you’ve ever seen.  Biggest smile.  Most catastrophic heats.”

“She’s an omega,” Percy spoke his realization into Luke’s neck.

“She is.”  Luke focused his attention back on Percy, rocking them both back and forth as Percy whimpered softly.  “Shh.  It’s ok.  I’ve got you.  I’m never going to hurt you when you’re like this.  I’ll never force you into anything, I swear on the river styx.”

Thunder rumbled off in the distance, and Percy swore a particularly large wave struck the side of the ship, causing it to sway harder than it had been.  Luke, having sensed Percy’s growing discomfort, raised a hand to his neck.  Right away, Percy’s heart rate spiked, and he felt the need to flee and never return.  But then, Luke pressed down on just the right spot, and Percy nearly went limp in his arms in contentment.

“There, relax,” Luke cooed as Percy nuzzled further against him.  Percy yawned against his throat, causing Luke to pull them just a touch apart.  Percy found himself growling at the move, which only caused Luke to laugh.  “It’s ok.  There’s a bed on that wall over there.  I just want us to get more comfortable.”

When Luke carried Percy over to the bed, he hardly had to hoist him up.  Percy nearly jumped into his arms at the prospect of lying down.  Luke set him down gently before climbing into the queen sized bed as well.  Percy grabbed at Luke, pulling him impossibly close as his heat continued to ravage his mind.

“It hurts,” Percy lamented, writhing closer to Luke.  “Luke, please.  Alpha.”

“Let me help,” Luke whispered, pressing his hand again into Percy’s throbbing scent gland.  Percy nearly went limp, only using his arms to stay linked with Luke.  “Get some sleep, Percy.  This is your first heat off your suppressants, yes?”  Percy whined an unintelligible response.  “Then it’ll be a nasty one.  But I’ll help you through this.  Then, you’ll see just how good we can work together.”

Chapter Text

II

When Percy awoke, he was wrapped in a thick blanket, which felt like it was burning off of his skin.  He tried desperately to throw it aside, but in his current condition, it was no use.

“Hey,” Luke’s voice came from near the door of the small room.  Percy looked at him with wild eyes, sweat threatening to fall into them.  “Calm down, it’s ok.  Let me help you.”

Percy squeezed his eyes shut as Luke slowly unwrapped him from the blanket.  He wasn’t quite able to comprehend where he was, or what he was doing there.  But he was able to comprehend one thing, and that was everything that was Luke.  How Luke brushed aside the damp hair from Percy’s face.  The way Luke cuddled Percy close, pressing the omega’s head securely into his scent gland.  It was intoxicating, and Percy could feel himself falling fully now into his heat.

“Alpha,” Percy crooned.  “Take me.  Mark me.  Fill me up with your pups.”

“No, Percy,” Luke’s voice was stern yet disappointed, as though he really didn’t want to say no.  “Not when you’re like this.  I want…”

“Want,” Percy growled into Luke’s neck, nipping lightly there.

“No, you don’t want me,” Luke sighed as he spoke.  “You think you need me.  There’s a difference.”

“Please,” Percy ground his entire body uselessly against Luke’s as he cried out.  “I need you, need alpha, please-please-please, it hurts.”

Percy could feel Luke chuckle more than hear it.  “Percy, I’ve never told you about the first day I met you.”

Percy, though reluctantly, tried to zero in on what alpha was telling him.  “At…” Percy worked hard to maintain his composure, “…camp.”

“Yes,” Luke smiled as he spoke, the act like sunlight in the windowless room.  “You were fifteen then, and it was before I turned nineteen.  You were so hurt by your mother’s loss, yet still so determined.  There was a spark in you, one I’ve only seen burn in Greek fire itself.”  Percy trained his green eyes on Luke’s blue ones as he spoke, watching as flecks of gold danced within.  The duo chrome there should’ve unnerved Percy, but instead he found himself succumbing to the power.

“But I’m an omega,” Percy whined, keened into the space between them.   “I’m not su— supposed to be determined, or burn bright.”

Luke’s eyes shone brighter than before.  “Exactly.  Male omegas are rare, not to mention an omega demigod of a big three god.  I found out your first night there.”

“What?” Percy tried to keep the worry from his voice.

“Hey, it’s ok,” Luke cooed, drawing Percy close once more so their faces were nuzzled close together.  “I found your stash of suppressants.  It was then I decided I was going to take you with me.  Make you mine, no matter what it takes.”

“Yours,” Percy crooned at the prospect of becoming one with alpha.  “Mark me.  Fuck me.  Please, alpha, Luke, please.”

Luke’s breath shuddered at Percy’s shameless begging.  “Things will get back to normal after your first heat.  You’re done with suppressants, though.  You don’t have to hide anymore.  You’re under my protection now.”

“Heat…hurts…” Percy begged once more.

“I know,” Luke smoothed the back of Percy’s hair down.  “Just make it through this, and I swear if you agree to it, I’ll help you through your next one.”

Percy then devolved into a mess of shuddering sobs, the things wracking his body as he cried into Luke’s firm hold.  He begged, pleaded, promised things he never would have just so Luke would do something, anything, to alleviate the pain.  Luke, of course, stayed headstrong and refused time and time again.  By the time Percy finally drifted back off to sleep, he was exhausted and defeated.

The final day of Percy’s heat wasn’t nearly as miserable as the second, or the first, for that matter.  When he woke up in Luke’s arms, he had enough clarity to realize this was not where he should be.  He jumped up and off of the bed so fast, he saw stars and swayed dangerously in front of the bed.

“Percy?  Percy!” Luke called out, rushing forward from his sleeping position to a standing one.  He grabbed Percy under the arms just as he was about to crumple to the floor.  “What’s going on?”

“Bring me back to camp, you traitor,” Percy hissed as menacingly as he could while being held up by Luke.

At his words, Luke’s face hardened.  He helped position Percy back onto the bed, where he sat groggily as the black stars faded from his vision.  “So your heat is almost done, then?” Luke questioned, tone devoid of any leading tones.

“Why, you want to keep me here forever?  Lock me up like some sick sex slave?”  Percy started shaking, grabbing his arms as he crossed them and hugged tightly.  “My mom warned me about you alphas.  She said it would be worse being a male omega, but boy, she couldn’t have predicted this.”

Luke bent down in front of Percy, bringing his gaze to meet his.  “I thought you might have trusted me by now.  But I suppose you don’t remember much of your heat yet, hmm?”

Percy’s brows furrowed as he tried hard to think of the last couple of days.  Slowly, like a trickle, a few memories of Luke and his sweet disposition came back to him.  Percy refocused his gaze on Luke, eyes having softened at the reminder.  “Why?”

Luke seemed to be taken aback by the question.  “What do you mean?”

“Why did you do all that, when you want me anyways?  I could be yours right now, but instead, you were…” Percy swallowed hard while looking pointedly away.  “You managed to get me through it without having sex.”  Heat rose to his cheeks.  “Why?”

“I’m not a monster.”  Luke grabbed at Percy’s hand, to which the omega pulled it away quickly.  “Well, I have some things to attend to now that you’re feeling better.  Someone will be in with some food and water shortly.”

Percy’s hand shot out and grabbed Luke by the wrist before he could get up to leave.  He finally looked back to the alpha, tears in his gaze as a result of his ebbing heat.  “Wait.”

When Percy didn’t speak, Luke seemed to grow impatient, ‘tsk’ing and trying to remove his arm from his grasp.  But Percy held on, pleading eyes giving Luke pause.  “What now, Jackson?”

“Will it be an alpha who brings me my food?” Percy’s voice was near silent, fear evident in it.  “Because I don’t think I could fight anyone off in this state.”

Luke’s own gaze softened now, his other hand eclipsing the one Percy was holding on to him with.  “I’d never put you in harms way.  Especially when your heat just ended.  I’m not evil, ok?  So please stop thinking of me like I am.”

With that, Luke stood and walked back towards the door.  Percy gazed on as Luke stopped before the exit, clearly thinking.  “Thank you,” Percy finally found the words to match his appreciation.  Luke nodded without looking back, and then he was gone, the door locked shut in his place.

Chapter Text

III

It took three entire days after his heat broke for Percy to be let out of the room he’d first awoken to.  As the details of his heat trickled back into his mind, they sizzled against his hot temper.  Luke could have been so much worse and yet…he’d been kind.  Gentle.  Caring.  It felt like maybe, just maybe, this whole lightning thief thing was all a dream, and the Luke that Percy first met at camp was the true one.  But he feared otherwise.

The first day after his heat, a monster came to the door, her slithering tail and hissing tongue signaling to Percy that there was danger even before the door opened.  Riptide, being magically bound to Percy, sliced right through her before she could even get through the opening.  A spray of sulfuric monster dust erupted around him, and down fell a metal tray with what appeared to be barbecue.  Of course, the food was inedible thanks to the powdered snake lady all over it.  Percy tried to sneak out, but another snake lady hissed at him and slammed the door closed with inhuman speed and strength.

Luke didn’t come until the second day, after Percy had eviscerated monster after monster that had tried to attend to him.  Finally, he’d caught the alpha’s attention, and he came in person first thing that morning instead of another snake lady or seal person.

“What the hell, Percy?” Luke seethed, narrowly missing the swing of Percy’s attack.

“What the hell to you, too,” Percy mumbled, whipping Riptide against the wall adjacent to Luke.

Luke, however, didn’t so much as flinch.  Instead, he stepped through the door and slammed it shut behind him.  “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean?” Percy asked, feigning ignorance.

“Oh, you know what I mean.”  Luke took a threatening step towards Percy, who only puffed out his chest in defiance further.  “Why won’t you just give in?  You haven’t eaten in days!  I’m just trying to help you here.”

Percy’s stomach, defiant as always, gave a large growl at the most inopportune moment.  He pretended not to hear it, despite Luke’s face twisting angrily at the faint sound.

“I don’t want food delivered by monsters,” Percy spat, harsh and cold.

Luke pinched the space between his brows, sighing and shaking his head.  “Why not?”

“Uh, do you even need to ask?” Percy snarked.

“Look,” Luke lowered his hand and took a step towards Percy, “let me level with you; most of this ship is monsters.  We only have a handful of demigods working with us, and I can’t guarantee it won’t be an alpha coming to bring you food.”

“Cool, then I guess you should let me out of here,” Percy tried to push past Luke.

“No.”  Luke grabbed Percy’s wrist before he could pass, holding on tight enough to effectively stop the omega.

“What do you want from me?!” Percy yelled, finally releasing his tight grip on his temper as he yanked his arm away from Luke.  A low, little growl emanated from his throat, nothing compared to an alpha’s growl but telling nonetheless.

“You already know what I want,” Luke sounded frustrated — dejected, even.

“Well you’re not going to get it,” Percy’s growl intensified through his words.

Luke sighed once more, turning to leave before looking back over his shoulder.  “I’ll have another omega come by tomorrow.  Just don’t be surprised if you recognize her.”

With that, Luke left again, and Percy felt cold all over.

The next morning, true to his word, Luke sent an omega.  And Percy did, indeed, recognize her.

“Silena?” Percy’s voice was sapped of energy.  He hadn’t had anything to eat since the onset of his heat, and the lack of nutrition was getting to him.  “What are you doing here?”

Silena smiled sadly, closing the door behind her with a definite ‘click’.  She set down the tray of breakfast food — eggs, bacon, pancakes, and an apple — on the bed and crouched next to where Percy was sitting against the far wall.

“Percy, you need to eat.”  Silena’s voice was so tentative and cautious.  Percy realized he hadn’t noticed he’d started whining lightly with each breath.  Something about the other omega’s presence was comforting, yet distressing.  The dichotomy was dizzying.

“Why?” Percy lamented, unable to keep in his tears any longer with Silena looking at him like that.  “What are you even doing here?  Did Luke take you from camp, too?”

A hand went to Silena’s necklace, the silver chain going under her high necked blouse and obscuring the charm on it.  “Not exactly…”

Percy shook his head, blinking more tears from his eyes.  “You’re with him.  On his side.  On Kronos’ side.  Why?”

“It’s not important now,” Silena hushed him, swiping tears from his face with soft, warm hands.  “You’ll go into a drop if you don’t start eating.  Now that you’re off your suppressants, you can’t regulate your body as well as before.  You need food.”

“I…” Percy glanced over at the food near him.  “It does smell good…”

“There you go,” Silena smiled the words out.  She stood from her spot and grabbed the tray, bringing it down to the ground between the two of them.

Immediately, Percy’s hunger won out.  He lunged forward, not even noticing the utensils on the tray and instead eating hungrily with his hands.  Silena’s laugh was somewhere in the back of his mind, but in his near feral state, all he could think about was food, food, and more food.  When he’d finished every scrap, even sucking on the apple core for a few moments, he looked back at a very amused Silena.

“You’re hungry,” she pointed out.

Percy nodded, though as he did he felt a bit of bile come up into his throat.  He coughed, the acid splashing against his soft pallet and causing more hacking and coughing.  Silena’s amusement fell away in lieu of concern as Percy turned to the side and vomited his breakfast.

“Hey, shh,” Silena hushed Percy, drawing him close when he’d stopped hacking and spitting onto the ground near them.  “Let’s get you out of this room, yeah?  It needs to be cleaned anyway.”

She lugged Percy to his feet, himself shaking as she supported under the right arm.  Together, they hobbled out of the room, Silena opening it with a small key card she’d had hidden away.  The moment they walked out, Percy hissed and squinted at the bright sunlit corridor.

“What is he doing out here?” a snake lady hissed off to Percy’s right, to which he turned and growled.  The low rumble only caused the monster to laugh, the hissing, spitting sound disgusting.

“We’re going to Luke’s quarters,” Silena spoke with an air of confidence that seemed to convince the slithering monster.  She slid away, leaving Silena and Percy to walk haphazardly down the hallway.

When they arrived at a large double doored room, Silena knocked hard and fast.

“Not now!” a very angry Luke responded through the door.

“It’s Percy!” Silena called out.

“What about him?” Luke called out.

“Get out here and I’ll tell you myself,” Percy managed to grind out, sweat beading at his forehead as his physical state became weaker and weaker.

Immediately after Percy’s words, Luke opened the doors and stared in shock at them.  Then, he covered his mouth and nose with a shaking hand, eyes wide and blue and distressed.

“Percy, what happened?  You reek of—“ Luke started.

“Right, I get it,” Percy coughed before he continued, “I smell like vomit.  You’re going to have to clean that room.”

Luke turned now to Silena, brows shooting up his forehead.  “He threw up?”

“Wait…” Percy wetted his lips, “…what do you smell, then?”

“It’s worse than I thought,” Silena muttered, swiping carefully the black bangs from Percy’s forehead.  He shuddered at the gentle touch, leaning in and sighing at the omega’s presence.  “I think he’s too close to a drop.  He needs medical attention.  Ambrosia, nectar, something.  He won’t make it through the night if he doesn’t.”

“What?” Percy snapped, trying and failing to twist within Silena’s firm grasp.  “Why?  What’s going on?”

“Fuck,” Luke growled, a true alpha’s growl.  At the sound, Percy flinched back as if he’d been hit.  Luke’s expression softened, and he finally removed his hand from his face.  He looked sad, and worried.  The scar etched across his face moved with the expression.  “I’m sorry, Percy.  I’m just concerned about you.  We’ll need to get someone from camp to sneak some ambrosia and nectar out.  Then, you’ll be feeling better.  I promise.”

Percy tried to nod, tried to do anything but shake and start crying, but it was to no avail.  Silena tightened her grip around him, holding him close and clearly emitting comforting omegan pheromones.

“Here, bring him in here,” Luke demanded, stepping out of the doorway and allowing Silena and Percy to pass.  He closed the door behind them just as Percy collapsed on the large king sized bed.  It smelled of Luke, of an alpha, and Percy couldn’t help feeling protected in the aroma.

“Go to camp,” Luke demanded, though Percy had started drifting at this point, eyes coming closed and breath fluttering quicker and softer.  “Get what we need.  And hurry.  Before it’s too late.”

Percy passed out, pain electrifying his psyche.