Chapter Text
A bullet hisses through the air. Something heavy thuds against the floor. People yell. Ben presses himself deeper into the wall. How the hell has his life come to this?
Three hours earlier
Leia Organa-Solo has always been many things: a distinguished lawyer, a human rights activist, a wife, a mother, but most importantly, a freaking terrifying Alpha, especially for someone her size. It’s a fact both her husband and son were intimately aware of.
“I said you need some father-son bonding,” she enunciated in her business tone.
Both men hunched in on themselves, too chicken to protest.
“Yes, Mom.”
“Yes, Princess.”
It’s not like they had a choice.
The problem was that Ben and Han couldn’t be more different. As the years went by, they had less and less in common aside of their shared love (and apprehension) of Leia. Han loved old cars, sports, and a bottle of beer in the company of his buddies. Ben loved calligraphy, opera, and never drank unless the occasion called for a single glass of Alderaanian wine. Han was a Beta, albeit cocky like an Alpha. Ben was an Alpha, albeit a very temperate one. Ben existed firmly on the right side of the law, Han cheerfully toed the line. Bonding was somewhat of a pointless attempt.
Alas, Leia Organa-Solo did not take no for an answer, so Ben found himself in his father’s car heading toward his honorary uncle Chewie’s for some guys’ time. Or not, as Han slowed down on the next turn.
“Hey, kid, I need to take care of something first, OK?”
Ben nodded absentmindedly. He came to regret it pretty soon.
His father was, unfortunately, intent on doing business, meaning an endeavour slightly less than legal. Ben, who’d never had as much as a speeding ticket, was less than thrilled. When they pulled up to a shabby warehouse, followed by a car that looked even more beaten up than Han’s Falcon, he suddenly had a really, really bad feeling about it. Leia would certainly find out about this, and yeah.…
His father jumped out of the car to greet the two newcomers who looked barely legal, a dark-skinned guy that could pass as anyone’s friendly neighbour, and a girl that resembled a particularly murderous cinnamon roll. A gust of wind carried faint traces of Omega scent and Ben groaned. Han should have known better than to involve young Omegas in his schemes.
Both kids looked at Ben, the guy curiously, the girl suspiciously. He refused to give them a wave.
Han went to get a crate of something out of the back, while the friendly guy approached the car.
“Hey, I’m Finn, I’m a big deal here, and this is Rey.”
The girl glared at him. Now it was clear that the scent was hers and wow, she was quite feral for an Omega.
“And you’re Ben, right? Your Dad is the best in his business, ya know?”
Now it was he who glared at the Big Deal. Han broke their staring contest by stepping between them with the crate.
“Kiddo, help me with this. Rey, stay with Ben.”
Both jerked, offended.
“I’m not a babysitter!”
“I don’t need a babysitter!”
Han rolled his eyes. “Ben, stay in the car. Rey, stay with Ben. Finn, with me.”
The girl glared at him until the two disappeared inside the warehouse.
“I’m not staying behind,” she announced, looking like a really irritated kitten.
Ben frowned. It was dangerous for her to get involved with whatever his father was doing. Protect Omega, his inner Alpha growled.
“Where do you think you’re going? Dad said to stay here.”
Rey stared him down. “Pussies can stay here, I have a job to do.”
With that she marched inside the building, leaving Ben cursing in her wake.
“Wait up!”
“I don’t need a babysitter!”
“Me neither!”
“Fine!”
“Fine!”
Who knew Omegas could be this frustrating? Then again, the last time he dated one was back in college and he had more interest in accounting than girls anyway.
The warehouse seemed bigger inside than out. It looked mostly out of use, with shelves half-empty and crates in disarray. Ben cautiously stepped over boxes, trying to figure out where his dad could have gone. Rey, on the other hand, seemed to know her way around better. She took a couple of sharp turns and found a staircase to the second floor. There was an area probably meant to be a management room or something; its doors were wide open and people inside were arguing.
“…not what we bought!”
“Liar!”
“…money?”
Ben looked at Rey with concern. It did not sound like proper business negotiations and he did not like the fact that his father was up there. She motioned him to stay silent.
“Your order…”
“…spice…”
“Police…”
“I’m leaving.”
The voice clearly belonged to Han. The man walked out of the room with Finn hot on his heels and then a person behind them lifted something that resembled a firearm. Ben gasped.
“Dad!”
Han turned. And then all hell broke loose.
Ben wasn’t sure what happened next, but it was like something out of the action movies he’d never liked. Some thugs turned on some other thugs. Han dragged Finn out of the way and they disappeared aside, probably rushing toward another exit. Someone drew a gun. Never in his life had Ben seen a real gun. He would have just stood there in terrified shock if Rey hadn’t dragged him away. Someone yelled. Someone fired. They dropped to their knees, climbing under shelves, away from the mayhem. His heart was beating in his throat. It couldn’t be real. Someone like Ben, a law-abiding good citizen who did other people’s taxes for living, shouldn’t end up like this, for fuck’s sake!
“Shit, shit, shit!” he cursed, panicking. “Who is that?!”
“The Hutts!” Rey whispered, not stopping her progress.
“The Hutts?!” The notorious criminal gang Leia was after? “What’s Dad doing with the Hutts?”
At the same moment a bullet flew too close for comfort and he squeaked. “Oh shit!”
Rey shot him a deeply disapproving look and crawled onward. Eventually they reached a quieter place, away from the insanity. There was a nook in the wall barely big enough for the two of them to stand at their full height, but secluded enough to keep them hidden. Rey ended up being pressed into his chest, her faint Omega scent teasing his nostrils. Apparently their blockers weren’t meant for this level of stress.
The nook was quiet, allowing their heartbeats to slow down. Ben wondered about his father, but knowing Han, he was probably halfway home already. He had a unique talent for getting out of trouble. Ben – not so much. Leia was so going to kill him. If he survived, that is.
And then he heard the sound of sirens. Thank God.
“Police,” Rey gasped in shock.
“Police?” Ben asked hopefully. Finally, the officers of the law would clean up this mess and save him. He could use that right now.
“No, not police,” she whispered in horror. “Please not police.”
“Why?” Ben frowned, bewildered. They were actually really lucky that the officers were there already, while they still were more or less safe and uninjured.
“I don’t want to get deported,” Rey hissed through gritted teeth, glaring at him with all her might. His brain halted its panicked process.
“But… you’re British.”
Admittedly, Ben didn’t know a lot about the UK, but his mind immediately pictured a five o’clock tea with Her Majesty, all proper etiquette and stuff. Actually, being deported to ye olde England sounded extremely appealing right now.
“I’m Mexican!” she growled in her BBC-worthy accent.
He blinked, confused. “Wait, what?”
She furiously whispered the most outlandish thing he’d heard in his entire life. “My junky UK parents left me as collateral with their drug dealer. I was smuggled into the US to get away from him.”
Ben opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. What? Was that for real? Somewhere doors banged. Rey tensed.
“Don’t breathe. I can’t get deported, I can’t…”
Her panic was contagious.
“Please shut up,” he begged as his anxiety choked him.
“Oh bite me,” she snapped at him, then froze, giving him a wide-eyed look. “Ben, bite me.”
“What?” Surprised out of his panic, he looked at her like she had grown a second head.
“Mated pairs can’t be separated,” she hissed urgently. “Bite me!”
It was the single most ridiculous suggestion he’d heard in his life.
“No!”
She had the audacity to roll her eyes.
“Come on, you’re an Alpha, I know your teeth are just itching to get into my gland.”
“I’m not a fucking vampire,” Ben retorted indignantly.
Rey huffed in irritation.
“Bite me.” And with that she dragged his head toward her neck. He wanted to protest and then…
It hit him. Ginger and cinnamon cookies Grandma Breha made on special occasions. Sunshine pouring between the leaves of the tree he loved to read beneath. Dust and old paper and quiet creaking of the flooring in the library. A cup of tea near the fireplace on a cold autumn night. Ben’s jaw unhinged only to lock onto that tantalizingly fragrant patch of her skin. His senses flooded with the taste of everything good and pure and home with an edge of copper.
In his arms Rey’s body went taut, then limp. Dazed, Ben let go of her neck. The little Omega relaxed in his arms, leaning on the wall behind her, eyes glazed, pupils blown wide, face flushed, breathing labored. She looked like someone completely blissed out. His eyes widened in shocked recognition.
“Did you just...?”
Rey smiled languidly.
“U-huh.”
“Like that?!”
Her flush deepened.
“Mhmm.”
Oh wow. Never before had he made a girl come without even touching her. His inner Alpha preened. Mate is satisfied. And then--
“Hands behind your head, drop your weapon!”
The police did come after all, when they were least needed. Something primal and ugly in Ben’s chest unfurled and roared to life, not liking the development one bit. The officer commanding them was a Beta, but also a fucking shifty Beta. He had no business looking at his Omega like that.
“Well-well-well, isn’t it M-miss Johnson?” The cop stammered with a smirk. “I have s-someone looking for you s-so badly.”
Rey’s distress hung in the air like a dark cloud. Ben’s Alpha clawed its way out from the inside.
“DJ, what are you..?”
Ben zeroed in on another officer, a terrified Omega, who looked at his partner worriedly. DJ turned to him just a smidge, keeping his eyes trained on Rey.
“She’s the r-runaway, you have n-no idea how much she c-costs.”
She whimpered in distress. That was the last straw. One second Ben, a good respectful citizen, was blocking his mate from view, the next he had the dirty cop by his neck up in the air, his weapon dropped and forgotten. Never before had Ben resorted to violence, but Uncle Luke’s martial arts lessons apparently kicked in. DJ’s face was rapidly turning a lovely blue shade. And then the world suddenly went dark.
He cuddled his mate closer.
“This is insane.”
In what kind of world would Ben be detained, locked up in an actual cell, and waiting for his lawyer?
“Totally,” Rey enthusiastically agreed from his lap.
Ben tightened his grip around her, the pain in his head lessening just from her mouth-watering scent. Protect Omega. Mine.
“Unnatural,” he muttered, lovingly nuzzling her hair. She hummed with satisfaction.
How on earth had this feral, young, adorable woman ended up in his lap? The last time Ben dated, back in college, the women, particularly Omegas, were too much trouble to bother with. Too sweet-scented, too clingy. But not Rey. She felt perfect.
“Agreed.”
Ben gently kissed the crown of her head.
“I don’t even like you that much.”
Rey paused nuzzling his gland. “Same.”
It was going to be a long day.
His headache abated further under his mate’s gentle ministrations. Apparently he was knocked out by the timid Omega officer who then had to endure Rey going all feral. When they were finally contained, it was decided to keep them together as protocol demanded. The dirty cop was detained as well, to Ben’s vicious satisfaction, along with Han, Finn, and all those scary thugs from before. Apparently it was an undercover operation or something he couldn’t care less about.
Finally, another officer came to take their statements. Inside the interrogation room were two more officers, a male Alpha and a female Omega, both mated and, if Ben’s nose was right, to each other. He sat on the offered chair but Rey pointedly ignored hers in favour of his lap. The officers shared a loaded look.
“I’m Captain Andor and this is Officer Erso-Andor,” the man introduced themselves. “Mr Solo, care to explain how you got entangled in this mess?”
“I… was going to get a drink with my father?” Ben said unsurely. It felt so long ago, although it was just a few hours.
“And you had no idea about his involvement in spice smuggling?” Captain Andor looked at him pointedly.
“Spice as in cinnamon and pepper?” Ben frowned, puzzled. In his lap Rey suppressed a giggle by burying her face in his neck. Mate is playful.
“And you, Miss Niima?” Officer Erso-Andor asked.
Rey straight away glared at her. “I’m not giving you anything.”
Ben suddenly was fiercely proud of his feisty mate.
The officers sighed.
Captain Andor cleared his throat. “Officer Mitaka informed us about the rather disturbing behaviour of Officer Jones, his actions will be investigated.”
“Trying to separate a mated couple is not just some inconvenience,” Rey said pointedly.
The officers shared another look. “About that. Tell us…”
The door suddenly opened and none other than Lando Calrissian waltzed in, meaning business. Practically a member of Ben’s family, Lando was a lawyer and a damn good one. He’d saved Han’s ass too many times to count so naturally Ben sighed in relief.
“Not another word,” he immediately jumped to their defense.
“I wondered when you’d appear, Mr. Calrissian,” Captain Andor sighed tiredly.
“Just cleaned up the mess with his father,” Lando huffed. “My clients did nothing wrong.”
Officer Erso-Andor snorted. “He tried to strangle an officer.”
“Who wedged himself between a mated couple. I stand by what I said,” Lando retorted calmly. “What did they do to warrant this treatment?”
“Miss Johnson was clearly illegal…”
Lando side-eyed her neck. “Doesn’t matter anymore. Next one.”
“The spice trade…”
“Has nothing to do with my clients. Next.”
“The crate in the car…”
“Canned peas. Next.”
The officers were getting desperate.
“Witness statements…”
“Can be taken later. I’m taking them home,” Lando stated.
Captain Andor pinched his lips, resigned.
“To Mrs. Organa? Please do.”
Leia yelled so loud and hard she almost lost her voice. Then she almost cried over Ben and Rey, because how could a girl representing every disadvantaged person Leia fought for so fiercely and her baby boy end up in such unfortunate circumstances? Then she yelled at Han some more. By the time she was finished, the extended family had had time to arrive.
Like Leia and Lando, Uncle Luke and Amilyn were lawyers, too. Ben’s mother even went so far as calling Poe Dameron, her aide and thorn in his side. Oddly enough, instead of joking about his career, Poe cuddled with Finn and the two behaved like they knew each other very well.
Ben claimed the large armchair that left enough space for Rey to climb into his lap since his mate deserved to be comfy. His family looked at them with various levels of shock and horror.
“Insanity,” Luke shook his head as the two cuddled to their hearts’ content.
Finn rubbed his forehead furiously. “My sister and him…”
“My baby boy,” Leia held a hand to her heart, then turned to her husband with fury. “What were you thinking?!”
Han shrugged. “Look, Princess, it was just a job.”
“You could have been killed!” she raised her voice.
“You could have been caught red-handed,” Lando pointed out.
Han being Han, only spewed some tale about how it was perfectly safe because he tipped the right people and then something about the peas.
“You could have gotten Ben in trouble,” Amilyn argued. “You have gotten him in trouble.”
Rey, who had mostly ignored the conversation, yawned. “I‘m tired.” Her stomach growled viciously.
“And hungry?” Ben asked with concern, completely ignoring his family.
“Mhmm.”
Take care of your Omega. He gently guided her off his lap, standing up himself. Leia zeroed in on them.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Food,” he answered shortly. His protective instincts would go haywire if he waited a second more.
Rey dealt with two massive sandwiches in a swift and savage manner that left Ben a bit hot around the collar. His mate was so feral and precious. The thought was startling but also… not. Judging from her wide eyes, she had the same conflicted feelings.
Ben arranged her a fruit plate with grapes and tangerines to keep her satisfied and returned to his previous position with Rey on top on his lap. Oblivious to the onlookers, he plucked a grape and brought it to her mouth. She promptly snatched the berry, her little pink tongue darting over her lips.
Ben’s family followed the movement with abject horror.
“This is deeply disturbing,” Poe announced loudly, voicing everyone’s feelings. Finn looked like he was going to be sick. So did Luke.
“Rey would never…”
“Ben would never.”
“Mating bite…”
“Are you two feeling quite all right?” Amilyn asked loudly.
Ben shrugged, unperturbed. “Yes, why?” He felt pretty good if he were being honest.
His godmother turned to Leia. “You do realize that this is not normal?”
Her eyes flashed. “Obviously. What country are we living in if an impoverished young Omega can only seek refuge in a mating bond?!”
Amilyn blinked. “I meant... These things happen during heat/rut for a reason; the hormonal change is incredibly taxing for the body, it needs to happen in an altered state, hence the hormones. And...”
Everyone eyed the two suspiciously.
“They’re not,” Han carefully said, like it was a bomb and not his son and his mate he was talking about.
“We should get them both checked out,” Leia swiftly decided.
Amilyn nodded. “I’ll call Harter.”
Harter Kalonia, her wife, was a doctor specializing in Alpha/Omega health if Ben remembered correctly. That was good, his mate should be safe and healthy. He peeled a tangerine for Rey to make sure she had enough to nibble upon.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she said sweetly, so unlike that feral sand goblin he met several hours ago.
Ben’s inner Alpha purred at his mate’s approval. “You like it? Good girl.”
In the background Poe Dameron dropped his face into his hands with a groan.
It was glaringly obvious that Rey would stay the night, new mates and all. Finn and Poe got her things for her and Leia prepared a guest bedroom just for this occasion. Ben was sent to his childhood bedroom, a decision that was logical, albeit frustrating. He wanted to be close to his mate, even though he had known the woman for less than a day. It wasn’t that he wanted to sleep with her (although Rey was attractive. Very attractive. Sinfully attractive), he wanted to make sure his Omega was safe and comfortable. As if his mother wouldn’t see to that.
Ben tossed and turned until his overly sensitive ears picked up light steps. His door creaked quietly and a familiar lithe figure slipped in.
“Hey. Are you asleep?” Rey whispered in the silent room.
“No,” Ben whispered back.
“Do you mind if I..?” He was already lifting the covers in invitation. “I know it’s weird,” his sweet Omega mumbled, acting oddly bashful for her spitfire self.
“It’s fine.” Ben meant it. Everything suddenly became more comfortable with her there. “Can you...?”
Immediately Rey snuggled into him like he had apparently been waiting for all along.
“So good.”
“Yeah,” he whispered into her hair, his arms instinctively tightening around her.
She smelled like home.
Ben didn’t even realize when he drifted off to sleep.