Lassitude

by arlynnfable

Summary:

Kenan was dying. Should have died. If not from the elements and hypothermia- then from being without a pack for as long as he has. He accepted his fate when he laid on the decaying forest floor and felt far too warm for the winter's day it was. But then they found them, and now Kenan has to prove that he's worth saving, not only to the pack- but to himself.

There's gonna be hurt, there's gonna be comfort, and a whole lot of pack feels. Poor Kenan deserves all the love coming his way- but he has to suffer first...

Excerpt:
“Shit,” the shadow gasped. “Oliver, get Malachi on the phone and tell him to prepare for a critical Omega,” it ordered.

Omega, the figure mentally screamed. This was bad bad bad bad. Omega was an old term- an ancient one. No self-respecting modern pack would use the term and follow the strict hierarchy it emerged from. No modern pack, but modern packs weren’t the only packs out there.

They let out a terrified whine once they realized exactly whose territory they staggered their way into. The shadow cursed again and bent over the shaking form. “Shh, little omega,” they cooed. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

Notes:

I've been feeling down lately so here's a teaser for a new story full of fluff and found family for all the other lonely souls.

Chapter 1: Teaser

It was cold. So cold.

 

The wet underbrush squished and squelched beneath their boots-releasing the dizzying scent of petrichor. The wetness found its way through the worn out soles of their boots and left their socks damp and chilly. Between the constant cold drizzle and the burs and branches slowly scratching their way through every meager piece of fabric they had on their person, it seemed as though every element of the forest was working to make them miserable.

 

It was succeeding.

 

A stray root caught the lone figure’s foot and they hit the rotting forest floor with a soft thud. They gasped as the ground pressed against the still healing wounds along their arms and sides. With a heave, they rolled themselves over-wincing as a few stray branches made themselves known against the fading bruises along their backs.

 

Maybe I should just rest here, they thought. They took a deep breath and whined as the movement caused their back to seize. It’s not like I’m in any shape to do anything else.

 

Not safe. Their instincts whispered. Strange scent. Pack scent. Not ours. Their instincts continued.

 

The figure groaned as their body did its best attempt to enter flight mode. It was a futile effort though. They were too tired, too injured, too weak . Running would only make things worse. It was much smarter to rest when they could- save their energy for more important things.

 

Like dying. A small part of them whispered from deep in their mind.

 

Yes. The figure thought back. They stared at the overcast and gray sky. Like dying.

 

The thought didn’t bother them like it should have- would have in the past. But there was no coming back from what happened. What they did. 

 

No. Death was a natural consequence for betraying their pack. It was only out of the kindness of their late alpha’s son that they were allowed to merely be banished rather than killed outright. Though at this point execution may have been kinder. 

 

They mentally shrugged. No matter. They thought. I would either die from the elements or from being packless regardless. Their body spasmed as a weak cough wracked through their body. Strange, they mumbled mentally . It seems like the cold’s not as bad as before.

 

Their consciousness ebbed and flowed along with the clouds as time kept its slow march forward. There were birds and rain and clouds and a strange warmth. The strange and ever present warmth. 

 

It was starting to get quite hot actually.

 

Their fingers twitched as they tried to start the arduous process of removing the unnecessary layers in an attempt to fight the slowly overbearing heat. They didn’t get far though, as the wind shifted directions slightly and brought with it a musky and rich scent far different from the forest’s normal petrichor.

 

The figure froze and their once slow heartbeat began racing once again. Danger. Their instincts cried. Danger, powerful, death, SUBMIT! Their instincts screamed as a shadow entered their periphery.

 

They arched their back as much as they could in an effort to offer their belly and neck. It was a feeble attempt at submission, but it was all they could muster in their current state.

 

The shadow’s answering growl shook the prone figure to their core. 

 

“Shit,” the shadow gasped. “Oliver, get Malachi on the phone and tell him to prepare for a critical Omega,” it ordered.

 

Omega, the figure mentally screamed. This was bad bad bad bad. Omega was an old term- an ancient one. No self-respecting modern pack would use the term and follow the strict hierarchy it emerged from. No modern pack, but modern packs weren’t the only packs out there.

 

They let out a terrified whine once they realized exactly whose territory they staggered their way into. The shadow cursed again and bent over the shaking form. “Shh, little omega,” they cooed. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

 

The omega let out another terrified whine and slammed their head back into the ground to offer their neck.

 

“Ezra,” another voice called out. “The poor thing’s too terrified to listen. Malachi said to scruff them so that they wouldn’t hurt themselves.”

 

The shadow growled again but stopped when the omega whimpered. “Fuck, fine,” they huffed out. “I hate scruffing without permission though,” they grumbled. The shadow, Ezra, reached out a hand and gently wedged it under the omega’s neck. “I’m gonna scruff you, okay little one.” Ezra soothed. “You’re too panicked and might hurt yourself, so we need to calm you down.” 

 

The omega didn’t have a chance to respond before they felt Ezra’s hand gently squeeze the base of their neck, and then everything went black.

Chapter 2: And So It Begins

It was warm. So, so warm. 

 

But this wasn’t the oppressive and suffocating warmth that Kenan remembered. No, this warmth was gentle- soothing. It wrapped around Kenan and settled that deep, instinctual part of his brain that craved safety.

 

But he wasn't safe- couldn’t be after what he had done. Had Geoffry changed his mind after all? Was he letting Kenan stay?

 

Kenan buried his nose in the soft sheets and sniffed. They smelled like lavender detergent and suspiciously lacked any of the normal scent marks Kenan associated with Geoffry, and by extension, the rest of the pack.

 

So if he wasn’t with the pack, where was he?

 

He burrowed even deeper into the sheets hoping to maybe catch a whiff of leftover scent. Something, anything to tell him where he was or who he was with. He wiggled around the bed and wrapped the sheets tighter around him. His instincts, though quieter than normal, still urged him to find the best configuration of blankets, sheets, and pillows as possible. It was quite a difficult feat to tackle with his eyes closed, but a part of him didn’t want to face the reality of his situation, so he kept them closed for now.

 

Kenan was midway through wiggling a pillow into just the right spot when they heard a low chuckle. His body froze on its own accord and his once dormant instincts surged up again when he smelled a familiar scent.

 

“Oh! I’m sorry,” the voice exclaimed. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

 

A panicked whine slipped out of Kenan when a large hand landed on his shoulder. His instincts were in full panic mode and everything in him screamed to show that he wasn’t a threat- to submit.

 

The hand left his shoulder as quickly as it landed. “Shit, sorry!” The voice rumbled again. “No more touching. I’ll remember that.” The owner of the voice shifted away from Kenan’s shaking form. “I’m going to get Malachi. He would know what to do.” The voice paused. “He’s an omega like you.” The voice quickly retreated out of the room, and Kenan was left with his own thoughts.

 

Omega? Like him? What did that even mean? And who used that term anyway? It was archaic and even seen as offensive in most modern packs. The only packs that used that term anymore were…

 

Oh.

 

Oh no.

 

The memories hit him all at once. The forest, the cold, the fall, the dying, and the person that stopped it from happening. The person who belonged to an Original pack.

 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

 

Kenan threw the covers off and stumbled out of the bed. His legs collapsed under him and he hit the floor with a loud thud. He hoisted himself up on shaky legs and looked around for an escape route. The door would be too obvious and would likely lead him into the heart of the pack. That meant the only other option would be…

 

He looked around the room and spotted a small, circular window near the top of the wall opposite the door. It would be a tight fit, but it was either that or the air conditioning vent, and Kenan wasn’t confident that he was small enough to fit through that.

 

It took far longer than he would have liked to drag one of the chairs by the door over to the window, but once he did, he didn’t hesitate to climb the chair with shaky legs and fumble with the window latch. Kenan managed to get the latch to release right when the door to the room swung open. He wasted no time in flinging his upper body out of the window and tried to wriggle his lower body the rest of the way out.

 

“Fuck! Malachi!” The voice from before shrieked. 

 

“I got him,” a gruff voice answered back.

 

A moment later, a set of strong hands grabbed Kenan by his hips and hauled him back and out of the window.

 

“No!” Kenan screamed as he weakly thrashed in the strangers hold. “Let me go!”

 

The stranger pushed Kenan stomach-first on the bed and pinned his hands with one hand and his neck with the other. Kenan attempted to kick back at the stranger with his legs, but the man simply pressed his thighs to Kenan’s and pinned them to the bed as well- effectively ending his weak protests.

 

“Calm yourself, Omega.” The stranger ordered. “You’re far too weak to be exerting this much energy.” The stranger lightly pressed his fingers into the muscles at the base of Kenan’s neck.

 

Kenan, against his wishes, fell limp under the combined order and pressure on his neck. If he was still in his old pack, he would balk and curse at such treatment. But this wasn’t his old pack, and a deep part of him knew that if he didn’t obey… 

 

Well. There was a reason the Original packs were only mentioned in hushed whispers.

 

It was too much. Kenan’s body hurt and his instincts were going haywire. Though he would berate himself later for it, he couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked through his body. 

 

“Oh little one,” the stranger cooed. He released Kenan’s hands and neck and somehow maneuvered him onto his lap. “I know you're terrified,” he continued while gently pressing Kenan’s face to his neck. “And the way we’ve been going about things has not helped.” Kenan couldn’t help but feel like the slight vitriol in the stranger’s voice wasn’t directed at him. “But I promise you that you are safe here. Whatever happened in the past at your old pack,” the stranger paused and sighed. “Well, I can’t promise that it won’t affect your life here, but we are not as closed minded as most modern packs seem to think.”

 

Kenan stiffened. They had to know. It didn’t escape him that the soft pajama set he was wearing wasn’t his. They must have seen it when they changed it. He whimpered at the thought of them seeing the mark- of them knowing.

 

The stranger hushed Kenan’s cries. “It’s okay, Omega. You’ll get your chance to share your side of the story.” He began to lightly pet Kenan’s hair. “And even if you aren’t accepted into the pack, our leader would still let you fully heal before sending you on your way.”

 

Kenan pushed against the stranger's chest and tried to separate himself from him. “What,” he sputtered. “What do you mean if I’m not accepted?” Kenan gave the man a confused look. He was in his early thirties with dark brown hair and a light stubble growing in on his cheeks. Handsome, if Kenan had enough energy to think about it. But right now all Kenan could think about were the words he heard come out of the handsome man’s mouth. “Your pack leader, he knows about the mark right?” Kenan questioned.

 

The man nodded. 

 

“Then,” Kenan licked his lips. “Then he knows what I did. Why would he let me join?” He turned his head and glanced towards the other man in the room- the one who found him in the forest. “Come to think about it,” Kenan took a deep breath, “Why did you save me in the first place?”

 

The man, definitely younger than the one whose lap Kenan was currently sitting in, gave Kenan a sad look. “I would be a poor excuse of an Alpha if I let an injured Omega die when I could save them.”

 

Kenan shook his head. “But after you saw the mark, you should of-”

 

The older man gently grasped Kenan’s chin and turned his head back towards him. “It would be a different story if you were a beta, or another Alpha,” the man told them. “But for an Omega to bear the mark you do,” the man sighed, “that generally means that there were special circumstances.” The man let go of Kenan’s chin and slid his hand around to the back of Kenan’s neck. “Omega’s like us,” he grimaced. “We don’t go against our Alpha’s- not unless the situation was drastic.”

 

Kenan looked down at his hands. He wasn’t going to admit to anything, but he did have some questions. “You keep calling me that.” He mumbled. 

 

“What?” The older man asked. “Omega?”

 

Kenan nodded. “It’s not-” He took a deep breath. “In the pack I come from, it was considered an insult.” He wrung his hands. “You only called someone that if they were weak. If they were a useless burden to the pack.”

 

The younger man growled. 

 

“Ezra,” the older man scolded when Kenan flinched. “The only reason you are allowed in here is because you have a claim on him, but if you can’t control yourself, I will have no problem banning you from this room.”

 

The younger man, Ezra, hunched his shoulders and gave the older man a sheepish look. “Sorry Malachi,” he replied. “But I hate that the title of Omega got twisted in such a way.”

 

The older man, or Malachi as Ezra called him. “I know,” he answered. “But growling is only going to make his instincts flare again, and I don’t like scruffing without consent anymore than you do.” He turned back towards Kenan and squeezed the back of his neck again. Kenan went limp, but his brain didn’t go quite as fuzzy around the edges as the first time.

 

“Originally,” Malachi started, “The term Omega was used to identify wolves whose instincts lended themselves to a more…” Malachi pursed his lips and paused. “To a more submissive orientation. Omegas are not weak,” he looked Kenan in the eye, “or useless or burdens to our packs.” He smiled softly. “Omegas are precious to the pack, and while we may need some more care and attention,” he rolled his eyes when Ezra snorted, “We are by no means weak.”

 

Kenan huffed. “Well that’s all well and good,” he muttered. “But that doesn’t explain why you say I’m an Omega.”

 

Malachi and Ezra exchanged a look. “Little one-” Malachi started.

 

“I have a name.” Kenan interrupted. “It’s Kenan. So you can stop,” he flushed a bit. “So, you can stop calling me little one- or Omega.”

 

Malachi nodded. “Of course, Kenan.” He replied. “We’ll make sure to let everyone know your preference.” 

 

“Thanks,” Kenan mumbled.

 

Malachi and Ezra smiled. “No need to thank us,” Malachi assured him. “But to answer your previous question,” he looked towards Ezra who shrugged. “When Ezra found you, you were injured to the point that your instincts were essentially in control of your actions.” He gave Kenan a calculated look. “An alpha at that point would have fought back, no matter how weak they were. A beta would have curled up and tried to protect themselves. An omega-”

 

“Let me guess,” Kenan huffed. “An omega would have shown their belly like an idiot.”

 

“While I wouldn’t use those words,” Malachi sighed, “Yes. They would submit. That’s exactly what an omega would have done. What you did.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but a knock on the door interrupted him. He sighed. “Looks like our time is up,” he muttered under his breath. He gently shifted Kenan off of his lap and stood up. Kenan bit back a whine at the loss of contact. “Come in,” he called to the door.

 

The door clicked open and a head peaked through the crack. “I tried to stall as long as I could,” the person, a young man around Ezra’s age but quite a bit shorter, answered. “But he heard that the Omega was awake and well enough for an audience.” The young man gave Kenan an apologetic smile. “I did try to give you as much time as possible, but he’s adamant that he talks with you as soon as possible.”

 

Kenan looked to Malachi. “Thanks Oliver,” Malachi replied. “You can tell Henry that we will be there in a couple of minutes. He’s still weak so it may take some time to walk to the audience chamber.” He glanced at Kenan before looking back at Oliver. “Has Henry decided on the type of audience?”

 

Oliver nodded. “Yes. He decided on a private meeting. Said it would be best considering,” he glanced at Kenan, “considering the situation.” He and Malachi exchanged a few words before he closed the door.

 

“Well,” Malachi turned towards Kenan and held out his hand. “Ready to meet our pack leader?”

 

Chapter 3: An Ultimatum

Notes:

This one took a bit to feel out. I'm trying to avoid the pitfalls I had with A Swing and a Miss and make sure that I'm sure about the direction I want to go for this story.

Also, my heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy in Itaewon yesterday night. There are no words that can describe the absolute horror and heartbreak that the tragedy has brought, and I wish that everyone affected may be given the time, space, and support they need to process and grieve.

Malachi was right. Kenan ended up being too weak to walk the whole way, so Ezra carried him the rest of the way to the audience chamber. He set him down before they entered the chamber in an attempt to let  Kenan save some of his pride and walk in on his own two feet.

 

“Before we go in,” Malachi said as Ezra helped Kenan find his balance. “What were your pack’s rules for interacting with your pack leader?”

 

Kenan glanced up at Malachi. “The usual, I assume?” He mumbled. “Kneel, don’t look them in the eyes, only speak when spoken too, and address them as pack leader or alpha.”

 

Malachi and Ezra exchanged a grim look. “And you came from a modern pack?” Malachi asked hesitantly. 

 

Kenan nodded.

 

A look that Kenan couldn’t quite catch flashed across Malachi’s face before he resumed his blank look. “Well,” he started. “In this pack, as an Omega, you would not be expected to kneel unless you wanted to. And Henry, our pack leader, doesn’t care if you look him in the eye.” He tilted his head to the side. “Though with how sensitive your instincts have been, he would understand if you didn’t want to.” He added gently.

 

Kenan nodded then looked to the door. “If that’s all,” he muttered, “then I would like to get this over with.”

 

The audience hall was just as intimidating as it sounded. It was a large room set up to look like a cross between a theater and a courtroom. There were several rows of benches lining one side of the room, with a stage and what appeared to be a throne on top of it. On said throne was, what Kenan could best describe, a mountain of a man. Even sitting, the man exuded raw power. Kenan’s instincts were close to his skin again and screaming at him to roll over and show his belly.

 

“Fuck,” he whimpered. He didn’t make it but a couple steps into the room before his knees gave out. “Fuck.’

 

Ezra rushed to his side and gently lifted Kenan from the floor. Malachi took one look at the shivering Omega and glared at his pack leader and Alpha. “Henry,” he warned. “You’re overdoing it. The poor man’s already terrified of us as it is,” he gestured towards Kenan who was still whimpering in Ezra’s arms. “So you can cut the high and mighty Alpha shit okay.”

 

The Alpha, Henry, huffed. “Is that how an Omega should speak to their Alpha?” He growled, though without the malice Kenan expected.

 

Malachi rolled his eyes and walked towards his Alpha. “It is when their Alpha is being an asshole and needless torturing an already terrified Omega.” He made his way to the muscled man and gracefully lowered himself into a kneeling position at his feet- an impressive feat considering his stature was only slightly smaller than his Alpha’s. He laid his head on the Alpha’s knee and looked up at him.

 

“Go easy on him, please.” He pleaded quietly. “You and I both know that an Omega only does what he did if they’re desperate.”

 

Henry grumbled, but once again there didn’t seem to be any malice behind it. “Your bleeding heart will be the death of you, my love.” He lifted his hand to Malachi’s head and started to gently scratch at the base of his neck. 

 

“That may be,” Malachi hummed, “but my bleeding heart hasn’t led the pack astray yet.”

 

“Not yet, but with your penchant for picking up strays,” Henry looked to Kenan who was peeking out from Ezra’s shoulder. “Well, that record may not last long.” He tightened his grip on Malachi’s hair for a beat before releasing it.

 

Ezra cleared his throat. “I hate to break up the moment, but I don’t think Kenan will last much longer if we don’t get this over with soon.” He looked down to the wide-eyed man in question. 

 

Kenan was shaking with the effort to hold himself back from rolling over in Ezra’s arms and present his belly to the Alphas. He couldn’t stop himself from throwing his head back and showing his neck. He panted as he watched the scene in front of him- one part amazed at Malachi’s brazenness and another part terrified for the consequences his actions might have. 

 

Henry’s eyes widened in shock for a moment before quickly schooling his features back to an impassive stare. “Bring him over here then.” He tapped his right thigh.

 

Ezra raised an eyebrow and looked at Malachi for confirmation. The older man shifted so that he was on the outside of Henry’s left leg and nodded.

 

Kenan’s shaking intensified the closer Ezra brought him to Henry. By the time the younger Alpha carefully deposited him on the older Alpha’s lap, Kenan’s high pitched cries echoed throughout the chamber.

 

“Oh little Omega,” Henry sighed- his eyes softened a tad. “Maybe my mate was right and I did come on a little too strong.” He wrapped an arm around Kenan’s back and pulled him closer to his chest. “Malachi, love, can you help me undress him. He’s gonna need skin-to-skin with how far gone he is.” Malachi nodded and stood to help peel the now sweat soaked shirt and pants from Kenan’s clammy skin. 

 

Henry looked back up to Ezra. “Go and get Oliver. You’ll probably find him on the training grounds with the younger pups.” He glanced down to the still shivering Kenan in his lap and at Malachi who was whispering soothing words to the terrified man. “I think we all need to be on the same page about this situation.”

 

Ezra bowed and left the room quickly. Henry slipped off his own shirt while Malachi finished stripping Kenan to his underwear. Henry nodded in thanks, wrapped his arms around the smaller Omega in his lap, and tugged him against his bare chest.

 

There was an internal battle going on in Kenan’s mind and body. One minute, his instincts demanded he lean into the soft warmth of the Alpha in front of him. The next minute, those same instincts also demanded that Kenan attempt to get as far away from the Alpha as possible. Both sets demanded he show his belly. 

 

Kenan’s trembling intensified, and once again a strong hand guided his nose into a stranger’s neck. Unconsciously, Kenan inhaled deeply through his nose. There was a deep, musky scent unlike anything or anyone he’s smelled before. It was raw and wild and powerful and… light? Kenan took another sniff. While the scent was deep, it lacked any of the bitterness that Kenan had come to associate with Alpha rage. His instincts must have agreed since the trembling in his body began to subside.

 

The same hand slid down to the back of Kenan’s neck and lightly pressed into the muscles at the base. “There you go little Omega,” the Alpha, Henry, soothed. “You are not in danger here. There’s no need to show me your belly.” The fingers at the base of Kenan’s neck dug a little deeper into the tense muscles. All at once, the tension left the Omega’s body and he slumped fully into the pack Alpha’s strong chest. Kenan’s instincts were finally appeased.

 

“There you go,” Henry rumbled softly. “Take as much time as you need. We won’t discuss things until you’re calm and your instincts are no longer in control.”

 

It took an embarrassing amount of time, Kenan will admit, for him to calm down enough to pull away from the Alpha’s chest and make his way back to the floor. His legs still weren’t quite strong enough to stand, so he settled for kneeling at the Alpha’s feet.

 

The floor was a cold, unforgiving thing beneath his knees. It helped sober him though. Gave him a sharp sensation for his consciousness to latch onto and keep his anxiety at bay. He vaguely registered some soft murmuring above him, but he kept his focus on the cold stone underneath him and the chilly air around him. The building must have been an old one that still struggled to insulate itself fully from the elements. It wasn’t uncomfortably cold, but the air had enough bite to coax his normally soft nipples to hardness. It was then that Kennan registered that he was shirtless, binderless, and pantless. The only thing preserving his modesty were a pair of soft boxer briefs that leaned towards a tad bit too big and slowly slid down his waist with each shift of his hips.

 

It shouldn’t have been a big deal. It was no secret that more traditional packs still saw nakedness as a neutral thing. There was nothing inherently sexual about bodies, and it was much more convient to shift into and out of werewolf forms without having to worry about clothes getting lost or destroyed, or trying to carry clothes with you for after you shift back. Kenan figured with how casual the pack leader and Malachi were about Kenan’s and the pack leader’s nudity that this pack held the same view. 

 

That realization didn’t stop unconscious shame and embarrassment from rearing their ugly heads. Kenan’s old pack held no such views, and there were many times that nakedness was used to humiliate the more subservient members of the pack- especially wolves like Kenan whose bodies and genders did not always match.

 

Kenan hunched his shoulders in habit. It was a poor attempt to lessen and hide the noticable swell of his chest- far bigger than most men's, his old Alpha liked to remind him.

 

The sound of the door swinging open echoed across the chamber just as Kenan felt himself teeter on the edge of another spiral.

 

“Sorry for the wait, Henry,” a clear voice rang out. It was vaguely familiar- probably the man that first alerted Malachi that the pack leader wanted to hold a meeting.

 

“You’re fine, Oliver,” Henry sighed. “It was probably for the best. Gave us time to calm down.”

 

The new man, Oliver, stopped beside Kenan and kneeled. “You okay man?” He whispered.

 

Kenan kept his gaze on the stone floor underneath him and nodded. 

 

Oliver sighed and shifted into a seated position beside Kenan. Ezra hesitated behind the two before walking past them and standing beside Henry. Malachi resumed his place kneeling beside Henry’s knees.

 

“I’ll make this quick, Kenan,” Henry started. His voice had resumed the neutral tone he took at the beginning. “We know you’re an Alpha Killer. We know that your pack chose to mark and banish you instead of executing you.” The Alpha didn’t pause when Kenan flinched. “What we don’t know,” he leaned forward in his chair, “is why you killed your alpha, and why your pack leader determined banishment a more suitable punishment than execution.” The alpha paused and looked down at Malachi. The older Omega looked up at his Alpha and nodded in understanding.

 

“Kenan,” Malachi coaxed. “In order for us to feel comfortable accepting you into the pack, we need to know those answers. We can’t in good conscience accept an Alpha Killer into this pack if we don’t know their story.” He gave Kenan a pitying look. “Omega or not, you’ve demonstrated that you have the ability to be a threat to this pack. And as much as I want to help you,” his voice hardened, “I will not allow you to hurt my pack.”

 

Kenan curled further into himself and nodded. He understood. He really did. One of the greatest sins in werewolf culture was to kill your pack leader or your den alpha. It was the ultimate betrayal against the wolf whose sole job was to provide and protect the den and the pack. To kill them put the whole pack at risk. And since Kenan has demonstrated he is either strong and/or intelligent enough to take down an Alpha, it was only logical that Malach and Henry saw him as a potential threat.

 

But Kenan didn’t want to kill his pack leader. He had to.

 

Geoffry either understood that and chose banishment to give Kenan a second chance, or he was just as angry as the rest of the pack and chose banishment because he knew that Kenan would suffer a longer and more painful death. As much as Kenan wanted to believe that the banishment was Geoffry’s final mercy, he couldn’t help but feel as if it was actually meant to be a greater punishment.

 

After all, Kenan did kill Geoffry’s father.

 

“I’m not,” Kenan started weakly, “I won’t be a threat to your pack.” He lifted his head slightly to meet Malachi’s eyes. “I don’t want to hurt anybody.” His voice caught in his throat. “I just want to rest.”

 

Malachi opened his mouth to answer, but Henry stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Then tell us why you killed your alpha. After that,” he squeezed Malachi’s shoulder. “We will let you rest.”

 

He said it like it was easy to confess your crimes. Like there was no reason to fear having the people who held your life in their hands potentially respond to your story with disgust or hatred. While Kenan could convince himself that he had no choice- that it was necessary to kill his old pack leader- he knew that most wolves would not agree. Kenan didn’t know if Henry and his pack were like most wolves, but if what Kenan had heard about Original packs was true, then there was a good chance that Henry would do what Geoffry could not.

 

Kenan stayed silent. 

 

Henry sighed. “Kenan,” he said with a warning laced in his voice. “It would be in your best interest to tell us why you killed your alpha. Your silence only exacerbates your perceived guilt.”

 

Kenan hunched further into himself. He still didn’t speak.

 

Henry grit his jaw. “Omega,” he growled menacingly. 

 

Immediately, Malachi shot up from where he was kneeling beside Henry and stood in front of him- blocking Kenan from his gaze. “Calm yourself, Alpha,” Malachi pleaded softly. “He may still be too scared to trust us. Give him some time and he may answer when he’s ready.”

 

There was a moment where the two men, Alpha and Omega, stared each other down in a wordless conversation. Oliver subtly moved slightly in front of Kenan and Ezra took a step closer to the two younger men on the floor.

 

After a couple tension-filled moments, Henry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Fine,” he gritted out. Malachi nodded and moved back to his place at Henry’s side. Henry leveled his gaze back at the trembling ball of Omega in front of him. “I won’t make you tell me now, but know this,” the Alpha’s lips curled up into a small sneer. “You won’t be able to join the pack until you tell us what happened. I will give you a month to settle in and heal. If you still refuse to tell us after that or harm any of my pack members,” he stood up from his chair and moved so that he was directly in front of Kenan. He bent over, took Kenan’s jaw in one hand, and forced the man to look at him. “I will personally escort you off of the pack grounds and ensure that you never step foot near my pack again.”

 

Kenan couldn’t stop the terrified whimper that escaped him at the pack leader’s promise. Something flashed across the alpha’s face at the sound and he quickly released the omega’s jaw. He turned and faced Malachi and Ezra. “Explain to him the rules of his probation period. We will be following all the standard rules.” He looked at the pile of clothes on the floor next to his chair. “That includes no clothes as well.”

 

Kenan’s head shot up. “What?” He gasped. “What do you mean no clothes?”

 

Malachi sighed and gave Kenan a pacifying look. “It’s an ancient tradition for new Omegas to not wear clothes for a period of time. It’s supposed to remind you and the pack of your vulnerability, as well as ensure that if you are harmed, that you cannot hide your injuries from us.”

 

“But I don’t,” Kenan crossed his arms in front of his chest. “But everyone will see-”

 

“It’s also to ensure that you can’t hide other things from the pack as well,” Henry added. He gave Kenan a cold glare. “Don’t you think that my pack has a right to know that an Alpha Killer is walking amongst them?”

 

Kenan’s eyes widened as he processed Henry’s words. He had only been thinking about the pack seeing that he was trans. He didn’t even think about the fact that everyone would see the mark that announced his sins. 

 

After all, it would be hard to miss the still blistered and inflamed skin on his right shoulder blade… and the letters A.K. burned deep into his skin.

Notes:

Don't be too hard on Henry. He's got a whole pack to protect.

Chapter 4: A Potential Ally

Notes:

I'm back. Thank y'all for your patience. I'm going through a lot of transitions and uncertainties in my life right now, so I don't have a lot of energy or time to write. Also thank you for your kind comments. Some of them made me cry (happy tears), and I truly appreciate all your support and kind words. It's a short chapter today and unedited, but I wanted to get something out for you all to enjoy.

Happy holidays if you celebrate any.

Kenan didn’t last long after Henry stormed out of the room. All it took was the scent of angry Alpha and the door slamming to push Kenan’s instincts into overdrive and have him sway in his spot. He was still weak from his injuries and weeks of little food and too much running, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when he saw the floor rushing towards him then nothing at all.

 

Once again, he woke up to unscented sheets in a room he didn’t recognize. It was larger than the last room he woke up in, and it was almost twice the size of the room in his old pack. The walls were a warm cream and there were littered with generic beige and pastel paintings. Two windows sat an equal distance apart on the east wall. White, gauzy curtains covered the large windows, and judging by the lack of sunlight, it was probably well into the evening. Hopefully the evening of the same day he fainted, but Kenan wasn’t too confident. 

 

Potential lost time aside, the room was actually pretty nice for a supposedly temporary dwelling. A desk and several book cases took up most of the wall space opposite the bed, and a dresser and vanity set filled in the space between the windows. Speaking of the bed, it wasn’t really a bed… technically. It was too low to the ground, and there wasn’t a headboard or bed frame to speak of. Kenan crawled towards the edge and inspected the plush area. He took in the simple, but elegant wood covering the sides of the large square mattress and the several pillows and blankets that lined the space where the mattress hit the wall. It was strange, but sort of familiar. It reminded him of what some of the wolves talked about whenever they visited Kenan’s old pack. The wolves mated to high ranked den alphas would always complain about the beds in the visitor quarters and gush on and on about how they missed their nests. Apparently they preferred the fluffy mattresses and lower drop that allowed them to build up the sides into-

 

Wait… this was a nest. They put him in a room with a fucking nest.

 

Kenan’s conscious brain reeled at the realization- even while his instincts purred in satisfaction. Nests were for weak wolves. Everyone knew that… at least in his old pack. Strong wolves had no need for building the soft structures. They already felt confident in their abilities to protect themselves and their pack that they didn’t need the added assurance of a nest. Did Henry and his pack find Kenan weak? Kenan mentally scoffed. Of course they found him weak. According to them, he was an Omega after all. And he couldn’t deny his weakness anymore. Not with his instincts begging him to arrange the pillows and blankets just so.

 

But that would have to wait. 

 

A knock on the door startled Kenan out of whatever instinct-driven spiral he was about to descend into. There was a pause, then another, louder knock sounded again. 

 

“Come in,” Kenan called out weakly. 

 

The door opened slowly and a familiar head peaked into the room. “How are you feeling?” a young man, Oliver if Kenan remembered correctly, asked. 

 

Kenan shrugged. “Fine, I guess.”

 

Oliver sighed. “Yeah, I’ll just take that as you’re absolutely freaking out.” He peered back at Kenan. “Can I come in?”

 

Kenan paused for a bit then nodded. It wasn’t like it was his room. Honestly Oliver probably had a better claim on it than him.

 

Oliver slowly inched the door open and took a couple steps in. He paused for a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. “So, uh,” he began. “It’s about six in the evening. Dinner will be served soon, but Malachi wanted to do a quick check up after what happened in the audience chamber this afternoon.”

 

Kenan blinked owlishly. “Oh,” was his only reply.

 

An awkward beat, then, “It’ll be real quick,” Oliver assured Kenan. “Mostly just your vitals and questions about your heat and stuff. You reacted pretty strongly to Henry’s anger,” Oliver paused as he gathered his thoughts. “Well, to be honest, your instincts are reacting pretty strongly to everything. ” Oliver shrugged. “Mal’s worried that you’re close to heat and we don’t have a plan.”

 

At the mention of his heat, Kenan stilled. “My heat?” He whispered in disbelief. “I don’t-, why would?” He took a deep breath to collect himself. Kenan hadn’t had a heat in years. He made sure of it. While his old pack was against heat suppressants and contraceptives- with few exceptions- Kenan and several other wolves who experienced heats found natural alternatives when they could, and smuggled prescriptions when they couldn’t. Kenan himself had gotten an IUD a couple years ago and got it changed every three years when he could. Much easier to hide than the pill, and the additional hormones helped the herbal heat suppressants work better. If his estimates were right, and if the pack left his bag untouched, Kenan had about two years left on his IUD and about a month's worth of the herb that acted as his heat suppressant.

 

But he wouldn’t be telling Malachi anything about that.

 

Oliver pressed his lips into a thin line at Kenan’s silence. “I can talk to Malachi about postponing that discussion. I know how personal those questions can get,” Oliver sympathized. “We do need your vitals though. While we expect you to be a bit faint with stress, we still want to make sure nothing is wrong.” He slowly edged closer to the nest. “Can I?” He gestured to the spot next to Kenan.

 

Kenan stared at Oliver in confusion before it hit him that Oliver was asking for permission to enter his nest. Why he needed permission, Kenan didn’t know, but he didn’t waste anymore time to shift over and give the other wolf a nod.

 

The beta perched carefully on the edge of the nest. “We also have some questions about your transition.” Oliver ducked his head down and peered at Kenan. “If you are transgender, that is. We figured with your binder and your clothes that you were a trans man, or trans masc at least. It didn’t occur to me until now that some heavy chested cis women wear binders too. And that many women wear masculine clothes.” He took a deep breath. “So are you…” the question trailed off on Oliver’s lips.

 

“I’m a trans man,” Kenan answered hesitantly, “I also use he/him pronouns.”

 

“Oh good,” Oliver sighed in relief before snapping to attention. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being a gender-non conforming cis women!” He backtracked frantically.

 

Kenan furrowed his brows in confusion as the poor man in front of him continued to babble. “Um,” Kenan murmured after a moment. Oliver paused at the slight sound and looked back over to Kenan.

 

“Yes?” Oliver replied with a tilt of his head.

 

Kenan ducked his head and pulled one of the loose sheets at the edge of the nest over his bare chest. “What,” he swallowed nervously, “What other questions did you have about my transition?”

 

Oliver stared at the smaller man in front of him. Even sitting, Kenan was a head shorter than Oliver. While Kenan’s current position curled in himself may have contributed to the perceived height difference, Oliver could still see that the man barely reached five feet. The skin on his back was littered with bruises- both old and new. His ribs were just starting to show, which to Oliver’s trained eye indicated that while the poor man wasn’t truly starved, he was definitely close. 

 

The underlying, and almost chronic, faint acidic scent of fear constantly permeating from the man told Oliver everything he needed to know about the wolf’s mental state.

 

Kenan tensed as the silence grew longer and Oliver’s stare grew more intense. He could only guess what Oliver was going to say. Maybe he would tell him that he couldn’t transition, or maybe what Kenan’s dead name was, or-

 

“Are you on testosterone?”

 

A moment passed as Kenan registered Oliver’s question. He lifted his head up and gave Oliver a confused look. “Huh?”

 

Oliver’s face softened. “Have you started hormones yet? Or is that something you would want to start in the future?”

 

Kenan’s look of confusion deepened. “I haven’t had a child yet,” he answered hesitantly. Oliver’s face morphed to mirror Kenan’s confused look. Maybe Oliver couldn’t understand how Kenan hadn’t had a child at his age. He was already 23, pushing 24. If he followed the normal progression of things, he should have already had a two, maybe three year old pup on his hip. Kenan shuddered internally. He didn’t hate kids, but just the thought of being pregnant triggered his dysphoria severely. He honestly didn’t think he would survive being pregnant, which is why he delayed it as much as possible- even if it delayed his ability to transition as well. 

 

“I…, okay,” Oliver started. “While that is good to know, what exactly does that have to do with you starting hormones?”

 

Kenan sighed. This pack must not have any transgender wolves. “Hormones might mess with my fertility levels, or maybe even harm the baby if I’m taking them and don’t know that I’m pregnant.” He sighed again as Oliver gave him a bewildered expression. “In order to make sure that the pup is safe,” Kenan explained slowly- as if he was talking to a pup, “I can’t be on hormones. That’s why I have to wait until I have a pup before medically transitioning.” He looked down at his chest and sighed. “That’s why I can’t have top surgery until after the pup is finished nursing too.” Kenan rolled his eyes. “Apparently I can’t deprive it of a potential food source- even if formula would work just as fine.” He muttered under his breath.

 

There was another moment of silence. It seemed like that was something Kenan would have to get used to. He didn’t know if he should appreciate it or be wary of it. Only time would give him the answer.

 

“I-” Oliver stopped himself. He looked conflicted for a moment before he took a deep breath. “Okay. So no hormones or any other medical transition stuff. Got it.” He bit the inside of his cheek before starting again. “How about any other medications?”

 

Kenan shook his head. None that the pack needed to know about.

 

Oliver nodded. “Okay. I’ll let Malachi finish up the questions during your check-up. He’s the nurse practitioner here.” Oliver smiled slightly. “You’re in good hands with him. I promise.” He held out his hand. “Ready to go? I don’t mind giving you a piggyback ride if you want?” He chuckled. “I’m afraid I’m not strong enough to carry you bridal style like Ezra, but at least on piggyback you can hide your front.”

 

That was… a kind offer. More than Kenan expected. He gripped the sheet hiding his body tighter before letting it slide out from his hands and leaving his front exposed. He took Oliver’s hand. “Okay.” He answered quietly.

 

Oliver smiled softly. “Okay.”

 

The walk towards the clinic made Kenan even more grateful for Oliver’s thoughtfulness. They passed quite a few people through the different halls and rooms of the pack house. Apparently the clinic was in the wing farthest away from the residential wing- which meant there was no shortage of opportunities for Kenan’s humiliation to be witnessed. Oliver must have taken pity on him, as after the duo passed the third person, he gently guided Kenan’s face into his neck. Kenan didn’t fight it. 

 

Once they got to the clinic, Oliver gently deposited Kenan into one of the chairs in the waiting room. “Wait here,” he ordered gently. “I need to speak with Malachi about a few things first.”

 

Kenan obeyed- he didn’t really have a choice or desire not to. The waiting room was empty so he didn’t fear having to face anybody. He was grateful for that too, since the room was still a bit chilly without clothes and his body was reacting accordingly. He would need to get used to the feeling soon, he knew, but it would be hard to fight the years of shame his body brought him.

 

“Kenan?”

 

Kenan jumped at the voice and turned to find Malachi at the door of one of the examination rooms. 

 

Malachi smiled gently and opened the door further. “Are you ready?”

 

The examination itself was normal. Malachi was good at his job and did his best to make Kenan comfortable. He stayed away from the topics of Kenan’s heat and transition entirely, and only asked the questions that were necessary. He took some blood, as well as documented Kenan’s vitals. After about 20 minutes, he declared Kenan to be as healthy as he could be under the circumstances, and the appointment ended. 

 

Oliver helped Kenan onto his back again, but much to Kenan’s surprise, stopped at the door. 

 

“What-” Kenan started before noticing Malachi taking off his shirt and pants, neatly folding them, and placing them in a bag followed by his socks and socks. He lifted the bag over his shoulder and nodded at Oliver. “I’m ready when you are.”

 

Kenan sputtered in shock as he took in the sight before him. Malachi stood naked except for his underwear like it was the most natural thing to do. Kenan couldn’t help as his heart stuttered at the sight. Malachi was the epitome of strength. If Kenan didn’t know better, he would have mistaken the large, muscular man for an alpha. To be honest, Kenan wasn’t completely convinced that the man was an Omega. Someone that strong couldn’t be submissive, right?

 

“Malachi!” Kenan squeaked. “What are you! Why are you-”

 

Malachi chuckled softly. “It’s been a while since I’ve done anything to satisfy my more submissive instincts.” He smiled. “I figured with a new Omega in the pack, now would be a great time to indulge them.” He walked towards Oliver and Kenan. Once he was close, he slowly reached out to Kenan’s head. He paused right in front of Kenan’s face and looked at him expectantly.

 

Before Kenan knew it, his instincts took hold of him and he craned his neck so that Malchi’s palm pressed against his head. By the time he registered it, Malachi’s hand slipped to the side of his head and his fingers were gently massaging the base of Kenan’s neck. 

 

Malachi chuckled. “You’re a sweet one under all that fear, aren’t you?” 

 

Kenan huffed and pulled his head away from Malachi’s hand. “I’m not sweet,” he mumbled. “I just haven’t been touched by anyone in a while and my instincts must be a little antsy.”

 

“Oh Kenan,” Malachi sighed as he pulled his hand back. “It’s okay to give into your instincts every now and then. It’s actually quite healthy.” He gave Kenan a pointed look. “Things like nesting, scenting, and skinship with your pack and other Omegas are actually vital for remaining healthy and balanced.” 

 

“No thanks,” Kenan looked away. “I don’t need stuff like that.”

 

Malachi pressed his lips together. “Allright,” he conceded. “I won’t push now, but-” he paused and gently guided Kenan’s face to look back at him. “I want you to know that my personal nest will always be open to you if you need it. No one can enter without my permission, so if you ever need a break from the alphas and betas, just come to me and we can hide away in the nest until you feel better.” He tilted Kenan’s head back and stared into his eyes. “Understand?”

 

Kenan tightened his jaw. “Yes.” He answered through gritted teeth. “I understand.”

 

“Good.” Malachi released Kenan’s jaw and turned towards the door. “Now let’s go,” he ordered. “We’re already late for dinner.” 

 

Oh right. Kenan buried his face into Oliver’s neck as the beta followed Malachi out. He still had to deal with dinner.

 

Fuck.

Chapter 5: A Walk to Forget

Notes:

I was gonna try to write the dinner scene in this chapter, but then I figured I might as well post what I have since it's been a while. Probably for the best, since I have a feeling the dinner scene is gonna be a lot longer since everyone apparently has a lot to say. As always, this is unbeta-ed.

Dinner time must have been a whole pack affair. At least, that was the only way Kenan could rationalize the sheer amount of people the trio passed on their way to the dinner. Kenan found himself desperately wishing he could go back to the time before his appointment where it was just him and Oliver. The dozen of people they passed during that time were nothing compared to the throngs of wolves that they maneuvered through now. Even burying his face as deep into Oliver’s neck as possible couldn’t mask the myriad of scents clouding the halls. It also didn’t help that their progress was slowed considerably thanks to the man walking with them.

 

Well…the now (mostly) naked man beside them. Kenan still couldn’t wrap his head around why Malachi would willingly participate in such a humiliation alongside Kenan. Grant it, they both got to keep their underwear, a hygiene thing Malachi so kindly explained, and Malachi didn’t have to worry about any extra volume in his chest like Kenan did, but still- why would Malachi alienate himself like that?

 

While Kenan couldn’t see anything, he could still hear the passing pack members exclamations, questions, and even low growls. His heart beat like a drum in his chest and breathing became quite a bit more difficult.

 

“You okay man?” Oliver whispered after a particularly violent flinch when a random Alpha growled. “Your scent has reeked of fear ever since we left the clinic- even more than when you faced Henry.”

 

Kenan stifled the annoyed growl that bubbled in his throat. It was rude to call attention to people’s scents. So what if Kenan was scared? Who wouldn’t be in these circumstances?

 

“If it makes you feel better,” Malachi interjected gently, “Most of them are probably more focused on me than you Kenan.” A large, warm hand cupped the back of Kenan’s neck- not pressing down, but simply resting. “It’s been a while since I’ve followed some of the submissive customs.” Malachi chuckled. “In fact, I think the last time was over a year ago and only because I got in trouble.”

 

In trouble? Kenan shifted his head so that he could see the older Omega and let out a questioning trill. Any attempt at words just got caught in his throat.

 

Malachi’s chuckle deepened. “I got injured during a solo hunt, but didn’t tell anyone.” He shook his head exasperatedly. “It was just a minor scratch on my abdomen. Didn’t even need stitches. When I got home, I cleaned and bandaged it without a second thought.” He looked back at Kenan. “I honestly forgot about it, but still,” Malachi sighed, “I broke the rule about not hiding any injuries, so Henry was well within his rights to invoke the custom.” Malachi’s face softened into a slight smile.

 

“Henry cares about all of us,” Oliver chimed. “But he cares about the pack’s Omegas especially so.” He stepped closer to Malachi and headbutted his forearm affectionately. “When I first heard about Henry’s traditional views when I joined the pack, I thought he would be like my old Alpha. You know the type,” Oliver huffed. “The ‘I'm better than you and all weaker wolves need to obey me no questions asked’.” He deftly danced away from Malachi when the larger wolf’s hand slipped off of Kenan’s neck and cuffed the backside of the beta’s head.

 

“What?” Oliver whined. “That’s really what I thought at first! It doesn’t help that the Original packs do nothing to dispel the rumors!”

 

Malachi rolled his eyes. “But you quickly figured out those rumors weren’t true, right?”

 

Oliver readjusted Kenan on his back and huffed again. “Of course. Kenan,” Oliver started. The Omega in question hummed in acknowledgment. Oliver continued after he was sure the smaller man was paying attention. “As someone who’s also originally from a so-called modern pack, I can confidently say that a majority of those rumors are false.” 

 

The beta stayed silent after his declaration and waited for Kenan’s response. It was an awkward couple of steps until Malachi seemed to understand that Kenan either didn’t want to speak or couldn’t speak. He sighed heavily before placing his hand on Oliver’s shoulder.

 

“Set him down, love,” Malachi ordered gently. “I need to check something real quick.” 

 

Oliver wasted no time in complying with Malachi’s orders. He slowly lowered Kenan to the ground, and the slightly dazed man stumbled backwards into Malachi’s arms.

 

“Kenan,” Malachi called as he shifted the man around to face him. “I need you to answer a few questions for me. Can you do that?”

 

Yes. No. Maybe? It was difficult to process the question. At some point during the walk, Kenan’s rational mind clouded over and the impulses he always worked so hard to suppress rushed to the surface. Thoughts gave way to feelings and Kenan had no way of controlling the flow. He was doing all he could just to keep himself from sinking too deeply.

 

“Kenan,” Malachi called out again- this time with an authoritative edge to his voice that had Kenan’s head tilting back on its own accord. “I need you to reply. Can you answer some questions for me?” He repeated.

 

Rational Kenan did try to reply, but once again, the words got stuck in his throat and all he could let out was a pathetic whine. That bit of authority was all it took for his consciousness to be consumed completely. The only thing he- or more accurately, his instincts- could focus on was doing everything in his power to please the wolf holding him.

 

“Oh Kenan,” Malachi cooed as he adjusted his hold on the now limp Omega. “Looks like you’re in your instincts again.” Kenan was too far down to process the worried edge in the older Omega’s voice.

 

The two older wolves above Kenan started talking to each other again. Kenan’s head was too fuzzy to fully comprehend what they were saying, and the nervous energy still buzzing under his skin reminded himself that he still had a task to complete. Appease the Omega, a faint voice cried in the back of his mind. Kenan leaned harder into Malachi and lifted up onto his tiptoes in an attempt to gently bump the top of his head on the underside of the older Omega’s jaw. A frustrated whine clawed its way out of his throat when his attempts failed. He needed to show the Omega that he knew his place in the hierarchy. Maybe then he wouldn’t be angry.

 

The voices went quiet for a bit, but Kenan didn’t worry since the Omega holding him shifted a bit and Kenan could finally reach his target. He let out a high-pitched trill as he finally was able to lightly press the crown of his head to the bottom of Malachi’s jaw. The trill morphed into a contented rumble as Malachi tightened his hold on Kenan and let out a deep trill of his own. 

 

Malachi maneuvered them both over to a blessedly empty side hallway and sat against the wall. He repositioned the lump of purring Omega in his lap so that they were pressed chest to chest and Kenan’s nose was safely tucked in the juncture of Malachi’s neck. Malachi resumed his low trill until Kenan melted completely into his chest and the sour scent in the air mellowed out.

 

“Uh,” Oliver stared at the two Omegas with wide eyes and a slack jaw. “What just happened?”

 

Malachi leaned his head back against the wall and sighed. “He’s down again, unfortunately. I don’t want him around many Alpha’s when he’s this far gone, so we’re just gonna have to ride this out before going to dinner.” He took one hand off of Kenan’s waist and rubbed his face with it. Kenan whined and bumped his head on the underside of Malachi’s jaw again.

 

Oliver sat down next to the pair of Omegas. “No, I get that,” he replied as started to pet Kenan’s head. “I’m talking about the bumping thingy. I’ve never seen anybody do that before-” he gave Malachi a pointed look. “Even when they’re deep in their instincts.” His lips quirked up into a smile when Kenan tilted his head back into Oliver’s hand.

 

“Probably because it’s an Omega thing,” Malachi replied. “We have our own little hierarchy as well- especially in packs and dens with multiple Omegas.” He pulled his bag over with his free hand and fished out his phone. “It’s similar to the dynamic between Henry and Ezra in our den. Both of them are dominant and at the top of the pack hierarchy, but in our den, Ezra is submissive to Henry.” He began typing into his phone. “I’m sure you’ve seen some of their displays and just didn’t realize that that’s what they were.”

 

Oliver removed his hand from Kenan’s hair and the Omega’s head fell forward back into Malachi’s neck. “So the jaw bumping thing… that’s an Omega to Omega submissive display?”

 

Malachi hummed an affirmative. “That’s Kenan’s way,” he paused, “or at least his instinct's way of saying that he recognizes that he is lower than me in the hierarchy.” His phone pinged and he growled lowly at the message. Kenan flinched a bit, but Malachi quickly soothed him with a hand to his scruffing point. “You’ve probably never seen it because you came after me and the other Omegas settled into the hierarchy.” He typed another message then locked his phone. “That and it’s generally only done between Omegas in a den.

 

Oliver shuffled his feet closer to his bottom and rested his chin on his knees. “Oh,” Oliver replied. “But Kenan’s not in our den?”

 

“I know,” Malachi sighed again. “Which is one of the numerous things that concern me about him.”

 

“But why-”

 

“There you are.”

 

Kenan perked up at the sound of the familiar voice. He turned his head slightly in Malachi’s neck to get a look at the visitor.

 

Ezra squatted down beside Kenan and Malachi. “Hey Kenan,” he greeted with a kind smile. He lifted out his hand and held it a couple inches away from Kenan’s face- almost like one would when greeting a dog for the first time. 

 

Except… 

 

“‘m not a dog.” Kenan mumbled into Malachi’s shoulder.

 

“I know,” Ezra chuckled as he lowered his hand. “But Malachi told us you were in your instincts again and I didn’t want to startle you.”

 

“Speaking of that,” Malachi gently pried Kenan off of his chest. “You’ve seemed to gain a bit of control. Do you feel up to dinner now? Or do you want to hold off until tomorrow?”

 

Kenan hunched his shoulders in a poor attempt to hide from Malachi’s questioning gaze. As much as he wanted to postpone the dinner- or better yet make sure it never happened- Kenan knew he would just get more anxious the longer it was put off.

 

“I’m fine with having it tonight,” he mumbled. He peeked up just in time to see Malachi and Ezra share a quick glance before looking back at Kenan.

 

“Okay Kenan,” Malachi smiled softly. “I’m sure you’re quite hungry anyways.” He gently shifted the younger Omega off of his lap and onto the cold stone floor. His smile turned ruefull as Kenan gave him a questioning look. “I’m afraid Henry wouldn’t like it if I carried you in. His instincts unfortunately still see you as a threat.” Malachi pushed himself to a kneeling position. “Which means your choices for chauffeur are either Oliver or Ezra.”

 

“Actually,” Ezra interrupted. “I think it would be best if I escorted Kenan in. Henry’s instincts were already starting to bubble up after he got your message.”

 

Malachi rubbed his face with his hand. “Of course,” he sighed. “At this point I’m starting to think he’s close to a rut. That’s the only explanation I can think of for why he’s being so hostile towards an Omega not even half his size.”

 

Ezra cupped the back of Malachi’s neck. “He means well,” he assured the exasperated Omega. “As much as he may want to be gentle with Kenan, he has a pack to protect.” He gave Kenan a pointed look. “It also doesn’t help that we don’t know a thing about the Omega other than the fact that he is capable of killing an Alpha.”

 

Kenan flinched at the semi-accusation.

 

Malachi huffed and knocked Ezra’s hand off of his neck. “Enough of that. Kenan will tell us when he is ready. You and Henry needling him will only scare him even more.”

 

Ezra held up his hands in surrender. “I know. I’m just trying to explain his reasoning.” He turned his attention to Kenan when Malachi merely continued his huffing. “All right Kenan,” he extended his hand. “Are you ready for dinner?”

 

Kenan looked up at the Alpha with wide eyes, took a deep breath, then took his hand.

 

Chapter 6: Dinner and Realizations

Notes:

Un-betaed as always

Also, I've updated all the chapter titles cause the numbers being off was messing with me. Sorry if y'all got a lot of notifications! The only thing that have changed are the titles.

The dining room was smaller than Kenan anticipated. In fact, it was quite… homey, in a way. One large dining room table took up most of the small room. A couple of knick-knack filled shelves lined the walls. One shelf held a bunch of photographs of various people- pack members if Kenan had to guess. He didn’t get a chance to look closer at the room as Malachi pushed forward ahead of the group.

 

Malachi made his way to the head of the table where Henry sat and whispered something into Henry’s ear. The Alpha’s face flickered a bit before resuming his usual stony expression. He whispered something back to Malachi then pushed his chair back slightly so the tall Omega could settle onto his lap.

 

Kenan’s eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Never before had he scene a wolf as strong as Malachi willingly subject himself to such a vulnerable position. It was unheard of in Kenan’s pack. Any public display of submissiveness or vulnerability were usually punishments earned. Kenan’s thought spiral continued until he felt a jolt when Ezra sat down with Kenan still clutched to his chest. He tore his gaze from Malachi and Henry and with wide eyes looked up at the Alpha who held him.

 

Ezra chuckled and cupped the back of Kenan’s neck. “I assume your pack never engaged in some of the dining traditions?” He smiled when Kenan slowly shook his head- the dumbfounded look still plastered on his face. “It’s all right,” he assured the small Omega. “We’ll teach you. And even then, we usually only follow them during holidays, formal events,” he looked over at Malachi and Henry with a grin, “and of course whenever our Omegas feel like it. You would normally get a choice of either kneeling or sitting in one of your denmates' laps,” He shifted Kenan in his lap so that he sat on one thigh and his legs lay on top of the other. “but we need to be able to talk with you right now, so lap it is.” 

 

Kenan, now perpendicular to Ezra’s body and better able to see the full table, tried to swallow down an anxious whimper. Along with the Pack Alpha's den, two other wolves that Kenan had never seen before sat across from him and Ezra. They were both around Ezra’s size and just as muscular. One, a shock of red hair adorning his head and freckles splattered across the bridge of his nose, smiled cheekily at Kenan and waved. The other, with dark hair twisted into tight, short strands and a pair of yellow, square-rimmed glasses perched on his face, eyed Kenan in an appraising way.

 

“Well,” Henry began. Everyone turned to look at the Alpha and the Omega in his lap. “Now that everyone is settled,” he looked to the red head, “Bo, can you tell Maggie that we’re ready? And let her know that she’ll be getting an extra set of hands tomorrow as an apology for the delay.”

 

The red head, Bo, nodded and immediately set off to fulfill Henry’s orders. Once he was out the door, Henry shifted his gaze back to Kenan. “Kenan,” Kenan tried and failed not to flinch at the authority in the Alpha’s voice. Henry eyed the movement but didn’t acknowledge it. “You haven’t been told the rules of your probation period yet, correct?”

 

Kenan shook his head.

 

“Well then,” Henry continued. “I will cover the important ones while we wait for Bo and Maggie to come back with our food.”

 

Unconsciously, Kenan pressed himself deeper into Ezra. “Yes, Alpha.” He mumbled into Ezra’s chest.

 

There was a pause, and an awkward cough sounded from the far end of the table where Bo and his friend sat. 

 

“You can raise your head, Omega.”

 

Thinking it an order, Kenan raised his head.

 

Henry gave him a strange look. It didn’t have the hard edge that Kenan had become used to, but it still wasn’t quite comfortable to be the subject of. After a moment, the Alpha sighed and lifted a hand to the back of Malachi’s neck. “As I’ve already told you, the most important rule is that you do not harm anyone in any capacity.” He stared into Kenan’s eyes. “If you hurt any of my pack in any way, I don’t care why, I will not hesitate to chase you out of my pack myself.”

 

Kenan inhaled sharply. Just the thought of an Alpha as strong as Henry hunting him sent adrenaline rushing through his veins. There was no way he would survive it. No way any normal wolf could.

 

Malachi, probably after scenting the sharp tang of Kenan’s distress, growled lowly at his Alpha. Ezra squeezed Kenan tighter into his chest and rubbed his cheek into Kenan’s hair. The gentling calmed him slightly, and slowly his scent mellowed out.

 

Hearing Malachi’s grumbling, Henry relaxed his glare and sunk back slightly. “You will also be required to have an escort at all times.” He continued. “This is Tristan,” Henry nodded to the man with glasses. “Boran, or Bo as you’ll hear everyone call him, was the one who left to get our food.”  Henry paused as Bo and an older wolf entered with a cart full of food. He nodded to the two and turned his focus back on Kenan. “During the weekdays, Bo and Tristen will be your escorts. They will go wherever you go, and their sole job will be to watch you.” 

 

Bo and the other wolf started setting down the platters of spaghetti and bowls of salad. One of the bowls hit the side of a platter right as Henry opened his mouth and a loud clang echoed throughout the room. Bo gave Henry a sheepish look and slowly slid the bowl away from the platter. Henry returned Bo’s look with a long-suffering sigh before continuing to his speech. “During the evenings and weekends, you will be with my den.” By then, Bo and the older wolf finished setting out the food and waited to be dismissed. The older wolf gave Kenan an appraising look, before looking back at Henry and Malachi and whispering something to them. Both Alpha and Omega nodded, and the older wolf hustled out of the dining room. Henry nodded at Bo and the red head resumed his place in between Tristan and Oliver. 

 

No one reached for the food.

 

Henry looked back at Kenan. “You’re already familiar with the no clothes rule, though to keep things hygienic we’ll give you boxers to wear.” He nodded towards Oliver. “For now, you can borrow Oliver’s, but we’ll get you a pack of your own sometime tomorrow.”

 

“Thank you, Alpha,” Kenan murmured.

 

“Like everyone in the pack,” Henry continued, “You will be required to work a couple shifts in one of the pack jobs. For now, you will work in the kitchens during the lunch shift on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. Tuesday and Thursdays you will have physical therapy with Oliver and a check-in with Malachi. You will also get two hours on those days to go outside and shift- under supervision of course. Other than that, you are free to do with your time as you please as long as it stays in the main building.” He gave Kenan a sharp look. “Any questions?”

 

At the mention of shifting, Kenan froze. Just as he was about to speak, the older wolf came back in with a bowl in her hands. She set it down on Ezra’s plate in front of Kenan. The small Omega stared at the bowl of soup in confusion.

 

“The pasta will be too rich for you,” the older woman explained. “Eating it would just make you sick, and there’s no point in eating food that will just come back up.”

 

“Thank you, Maggie,” Henry voiced for Kenan. He smiled at her. “As always, your foresight has saved us.”

 

Maggie smiled and shook her head. “Nothing to thank me for Alpha,” she teased lightly. “I just didn’t want my future dishwasher to be too sick to work tomorrow.”

 

“I should have known you would put two and two together,” he chuckled. “And that you wouldn’t help for altruistic reasons.” His chuckle petered out and his face morphed back into a serious expression. “You’ll make sure there isn’t a problem, right?”

 

Maggie matched his serious look. “You know that I run a tight ship, Alpha. Speaking of that, I should get going. May I take my leave?”

 

Henry nodded. “You’re dismissed. Once again, thank you Maggie. This pack couldn’t run without you.”

 

Maggie bowed slightly then hurried out of the room. The table lapsed into an awkward silence after Maggie left. The only sounds were the rustling of fabric as someone fidgeted and the faint clink of cutlery on ceramic as Henry heaped a portion of spaghetti onto his plate. He was the only one with food in front of him- besides Ezra and Kenan. In fact, now that Kenan was thinking about it, Malachi and him didn’t seem to have a plate at all. He lifted his head slightly so that he could double check his count. There were only five place settings, but seven people. Just like he originally thought, neither Malachi nor he had a plate, or even a chair.

 

Kenan sighed in defeat. Apparently, some things were universal across all packs. The weaker wolves not eating until the stronger or more dominant wolves must have been one of those things.

 

Ezra shifted his hold on Kenan and grabbed the spoon from beside his plate. He dipped it into the broth, then carefully brought the now full spoon to Kenan’s mouth. He lightly pressed the warm metal to the Omega’s lips. Kenan opened his mouth slightly to voice a question but got a mouthful of chicken soup for his troubles. A little dribbled down his chin and Ezra deftly wiped away the stray drops with a napkin. Kenan looked to Malachi with wide eyes hoping for an explanation, but Malachi was too busy eating the bites of spaghetti that Henry fed him. 

 

“Wait!” Kenan shot his hand out to stop Ezra from giving him another spoonful. He looked up at the Alpha with wide eyes. “What are you doing?” He exclaimed.

 

Bo, Tristan, and Oliver had yet to grab their own portions of spaghetti, and Henry and Ezra were too focused on feeding the Omega’s in their lap to eat anything themselves. What the hell was going on?

 

Ezra tilted his head. “We’re feeding you.” He explained like this was a normal thing. “Omegas always eat first. Is that not how it is in your old pack?”

 

“Probably not,” Oliver replied before Kenan could. He set his elbow on the table and laid his head in his hand. “Most modern packs don’t have hierarchical dining practices- or hand feeding for that matter.” He gave Kenan an understanding smile. “Poor guy’s probably used to grabbing food for himself.”

 

“No, that’s not it,” Kenan cried. “The stronger wolves are supposed to eat first. Us weaker wolves are supposed to get last pick!”

 

Everyone froze. Shock painted Bo and Tristan’s faces, while Oliver and Malachi exchanged grim looks.

 

Henry looked murderous.

 

“What pack did you come from?” He growled out.

 

Kenan’s heart started to beat rabbit quick.

 

“I’m not, I can’t,” he stuttered out. 

 

“You’re scaring him, Henry,” Malachi warned. “He’s not going to tell you if he’s scared.”

 

Henry stopped his growling, but his scent was still bitter with anger. That alone made both Kenan and his instincts uneasy.

 

Nothing good comes from an angry Alpha.

 

“I’m sorry,” Kenan whimpered. 

 

“It’s not your fault,” Malachi replied in a soothing tone. “It’s just,” he paused as he tried to find the right words. “Well-”

 

“To treat Omegas like that is an affront to the traditions of our ancestors.” Henry spat. He huffed as Malachi laid a placating hand on his shoulder. 

 

Kenan looked between the two with wide eyes. “Ancestors? What do you mean?”

 

“He’s talking about our origins,” Oliver piped up. “You know, how we’re technically fae but slowly evolved into something closer to a mix between a human and a beast? The whole reason why we have a power hierarchy even when actual wolves don’t?”

 

Kenan stared at Oliver in confusion.

 

Ezra hugged Kenan closer to his chest with one hand, and picked the spoon back up with the other. “I think it’s best that we table this conversation for later. I’m sure Kenan is hungry and tired. We can add history lessons to his schedule if we need to.”

 

Henry and Malachi both nodded. “That sounds like a good plan,” Malachi said as he settled back into Henry’s lap. Henry merely grunted in agreement and resumed feeding his Omega the pasta.

 

Once Malachi took a bite, Ezra resumed spoon feeding Kenan the chicken soup as well. Once both Kenan and Malachi finished eating, Henry excused the two so that Malachi could take Kenan back to bed. Kenan forced himself to stand on his own two feet. Malachi’s words from the hallway echoed in his head, and he didn’t want to do anything more to earn Henry’s ire. He did let the older Omega help support him during the walk back to his room though. Kenan wasn’t an idiot; he knew that he was too weak and unstable to walk on his own.

 

He grit his teeth. One month. If he didn’t get stronger in one month, the next time he had to roam the forest like he did before…

 

He wouldn’t survive.

Notes:

Tristan and Bo the whole dinner: *if we don't move, they won't see us*

I've joined a writing group and now have a dedicated six hours of writing time a month, so I hope to get at least one if not two chapters out a month. No promises though- life can throw a wrench in every plan.

One day Kenan will be happy. One day. Maybe.

Edit: I got a Twitter! If you want updates, polls for what I should write next, or just general shenanigans, follow me @arlynn_fable

Chapter 7: An Unpleasant Reminder

Notes:

Peep the tag changes. I've tried to keep everything vague and mostly implied since I know it can be triggering, but use your own discretion. If you feel you need to skip the chapter, I'll have a summary in the end notes. I promise I'll give Kenan some happy moments... at some point. As always, this chapter is un-betaed.

CW: vague references to implied sexual assault, non-detailed description of panic attack

Out of all the things that Kenan expected the next morning, finding his two escorts playing a card game on the floor of the hallway was not on the list. 

 

“Oh, you’re awake!” Bo chirped as he placed a card with a plus four into the center pile. Tristan scowled and drew four cards. 

 

“Uh…” Kenan blinked as he tried to process the scene in front of him. “Hello?”

 

“Hello!” Bo replied cheerily. “Do you want to join in the game?”

 

Kenan wrapped his arms around himself. “Um, no thank you,” he murmured. He watched as Tristan put down another card into the center pile. It was pretty tall already, and Kenan began to wonder how many rounds they already played. 

 

“How long did you have to wait for me?” If they managed to play a couple rounds of a card game, it must have been a while. A heavy ball of anxiety settled in Kenan’s stomach. Was he supposed to be up earlier? Henry didn’t mention a morning job, but it wouldn’t be the first time Kenan was assigned a duty and never told. 

 

He stiffened. Would Henry use it as an excuse to punish him? No. Malachi wouldn’t let him… maybe.

 

“Don’t worry,” Bo waved his hand dismissively. “We forgot to ask you when you would want to go to breakfast, so we decided to just camp outside your door until you came out.” Bo smiled. “Thank goodness you’re an early riser though. We haven’t had breakfast yet and the cafeteria closes in about 30ish minutes.”

 

Kenan didn’t get much time to panic at Bo’s admission before Tristan spoke. “Speaking of,” he interjected as he gathered up the cards. “I assume you’re quite hungry. Did you already wash up, or do you need some more time?” He looked up at Kenan and pressed his glasses closer to his face. 

 

“I’m good,” Kenan murmured. “Malachi showed me the en suite bathroom last night and I took a shower.”

 

“That’s good,” Tristan nodded. He stood up fully and offered an arm to Kenan. “Then shall we head to breakfast?”

 

Kenan regretted his body’s need for food the closer and closer they got to the cafeteria. The halls buzzed with conversation and the flurry of people starting their day. Several wolves took notice of the trio and made their displeasure for Kenan’s presence well known through growls and snide comments. Bo and Tristan managed to silence most of them with a well timed look, and several wolves fled the halls with bowed necks and frightened whimpers.

 

“Don’t mind them little buddy,” Bo clapped a hand on Kenan’s shoulder. “They’re normally super nice, but all they know about you now is that you’re an Alpha Killer.” His cheery expression turned into cold as another wolf growled threateningly at Kenan. The man stopped as soon as he saw Bo’s glare and bowed his head in submission. Bo eyed him until he turned the corner of the hall. “They don’t know about the hell hole you came from. I’m sure if they did- ow!” 

 

Bo pouted as he rubbed the back of his head. “What was that for?” He whined at Tristan.

 

Tristan pulled back the hand he just used to cuff the pack of Bo’s head and offered it to Kenan again. “Protecting you from yourself,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I’m sure you don’t want Ezra to find out that you’ve been going against his very explicit orders again, do you?”

 

Bo crossed his arms and harrumphed. “That was one time, and the only reason Ezzy caught me was because you,” he jabbed an accusatory finger at Tristan, “snitched on me.”

 

Tristan rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he grumbled. “But I’m serious about following what Ezra said. You remember what Malachi said too, don’t you?”

 

Kenan caught himself on Tristan’s arm as one of his knees gave out. Once he recovered, he looked up at Tristan and tilted his head to the side. “What did Ezra and Malachi say?”

 

Tristan and Bo looked down at the Omega in between them with wide eyes.

 

“Um, uh,” Bo stuttered and looked at Tristan for support.

 

Tristan looked equally as lost. “Well, you see,” he paused as the trio rounded the corner of the hall and a set of two, propped open double wide doors appeared. “Ah, we’re here!” 

 

There wasn’t much to say about the cafeteria, other than it looked like your standard cafeteria. Kenan had more important things to worry about anyways. He didn’t pay much attention to what Tristan and Bo piled on his plate as they guided him through the buffet line. The line of people behind them kept pushing into Kenan, and several times Kenan had to step forward into Bo’s back to avoid feeling the heat of the person behind him. Sure, he had seen quite a few people in the halls, but it didn’t click just how many people were actually in this pack. The cafeteria was the first time Kenan faced the reality that this pack was huge. His old one consisted of maybe fifty, sixty people max. 

 

There was double that in just this room alone. 

 

The ball of anxiety in Kenan’s gut grew heavier. His scent must have spiked at some point as several people looked over in concern at Kenan’s little group. Of course, that concern quickly morphed into hostility as soon as they realized the sour scent of fear came from Kenan.

 

“Hey little buddy,” Bo tried to soothe. “What’s got you all worked up?” They had made it to the end of the line and Tristan started steering the group towards an empty table tucked in the back corner of the vast room. 

 

“There’s a lot of people,” Kenan whispered. “And they all,” he flinched as a passing table growled lowly at him. “I don’t think they want me here.” He hunched his shoulders in and wrapped his arms around his body in a poor imitation of a hug.

 

Tristan and Bo exchanged a look. “How about we just focus on eating then get out of here,” Tristan suggested as he set their trays down on an empty table. “Then we can take you on a quick tour of the main building before your first shift.” He sat down and opened his arms for Kenan. 

 

Kenan, cheeks burning, let Tristan guide him into his lap. The Alpha wasted no time in scooping a little of the savory oatmeal onto a spoon and bringing it to the Omega’s lips.

 

“I’m sure some of your anxiety stems from you being in a foreign place that your instincts don’t recognize. Once you know your way around a bit, that feeling should settle.” Tristan spooned another bite of oatmeal as Kenan finished chewing the first. 

 

Bo put both of his forearms on the table and rested his chin on them. “And I’m sure everyone will open up once they learn more about you. It’s hard to stay hostile towards an Omega who reeks of fear as much as you do.”

 

Kenan choked on the bite of oatmeal at the mention of his scent. Tristan quickly removed the spoon from his mouth and wiped the mess from Kenan’s chin and chest as he finished clearing his throat.

 

“I don’t,” he wheezed. “I don’t reek of fear!”

 

Bo huffed and ignored Tristan’s hissed warning.

 

“Oh yes you do,” he declared. “Your scent is almost perpetually soured with it.”

 

Kenan’s body froze as an all too familiar voice mocked him in his head. You always smell so sour, it whispered. Maybe we should do something to fix that.

 

His body remembered even if his brain refused to.

 

Kenan didn’t realize he wasn’t breathing anymore until he heard Bo begging him to take deeper breaths. He looked up at the panicked Alpha with wide eyes and tried his best to force his body to obey. Tristan’s heavy grip on the back of his neck helped ground him somewhat, but it wasn’t enough to keep his instincts from punching out a terrified whine. 

 

Tristan cursed, hauled Kenan to his chest, and carried him out of the room with Bo hot on his heels. 

 

The two men flew down the halls muttering strained reassurances the entire. None of them registered in Kenan’s brain though, as the sudden shift and movement sent him even deeper into his panic spiral. All he could focus on was trying to force his lungs to breathe. 

 

At some point, broad, warm hands pried Kenan from Tristan’s grip and pulled him against a study chest. One hand guided Kenan’s face into neck and Kenan nearly keened at the scent. A gruff voice rumbled orders to breathe in Kenan’s ear, and Kenan melted as the gentle rumbling vibrated against his chest. Strong hands gripped him tighter against the warm body as Kenan obeyed the commands and breathed.

 

Kenan didn’t know how much time had passed as his thoughts and heart slowed down their racing. For a moment, he let himself melt fully into the warmth beneath him as he regained his bearings. 

 

Until he realized exactly whose body he was melting into.

 

He jerked his body back and let out a high-pitched cry of horror. The arms simply gripped him tighter and a hand massaged the back of his neck.

 

“None of that now,” Henry rumbled. “You’re not the only one with instincts to soothe, and mine aren’t quite ready to let you go yet.”

 

Kenan slumped back into Henry’s chest and tried not to flinch as Henry gently nosed his neck.

 

“Apologies Omega.” Henry’s nose stopped right on Kenan’s scent gland and the Alpha breathed in deep. “But I need to check something.”

 

A shiver wracked down Kenan’s spine as puffs of hot air warmed his neck. His head tilted back unbidden as his instincts bubbled to the surface and demanded he give the Alpha more of his neck. All too soon, the warmth left the side of his neck and Kenan’s rational mind gained back control.

 

The first thing that Kenan noticed was how dark the space was. It wasn’t pitch black, but Henry’s features were shrouded in darkness. Every now and then, gentle flashes of blue, green, purple, and other colors lit up his face. Kenan craned his neck to see the source of the multi-colored light, and found a tall bubble tube nestled in the corner. He could just make out the shapes of pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets surrounding the tube. In the opposite corner, a huge, fluffy mat sat nestled between cushion-covered walls.

 

Kenan sat up a bit to get a better look of the room. A chuckle sounded from behind him, and he whipped around in Henry’s lap to find out who it was.

 

Malachi sat perched on the edge of a cushioned rocking chair.

 

“Impressive, isn’t it,” he remarked. He hefted himself out of the rocking chair and walked towards Kenan and Henry. “Several of our members have autism, and everything we researched said a sensory room would be able to help them regulate.” He sat down next to Henry, and the Alpha lifted an arm from around Kenan and used it to tug Malachi closer. “It ended up being beneficial for a lot of our members though,” Malachi continued as he laid his head on Henry’s shoulder. “So we set one up in every community building and added another in the main building.” He tentatively raised a hand to Kenan’s hair, and looked at Kenan- waiting for permission.

 

Kenan leaned his head into Malachi’s hand. “I like it,” Kenan answered quietly. “It’s calming.”

 

“That’s good,” Malachi smiled. “You gave us quite a scare- Bo and Tristan especially.” Malachi’s smile morphed into a concerned look. “What happened sweetheart?”

 

Kenan shrugged. “I don’t know.” He mumbled. “I get these episodes sometimes, but it’s nothing to worry about. I promise.” He pushed up from Henry’s chest and looked at the Alpha’s face. “I’m fine to work still,” he assured the older man. “I wasn’t trying to get out of it. I promise.”

 

Though Kenan couldn’t get a good look at Henry's face, the growl that vibrated through his chest was answer enough.

 

“I’m sorry,” Kenan whimpered as he tried to pull away. “I’ll do better. I promise!”

 

“Hey, hey,” Malachi tried to soothe. “You’re fine sweetheart. Henry’s not mad at you.”

 

Henry punctuated Malachi’s statement by pulling Kenan back to his chest. “You’re fine,” he assured the Omega- his voice still laced with a growl. He gripped the back of Kenan’s neck even tighter and the man’s body went slack.

 

“You had a panic attack.” Henry explained. “It would be cruel to be angry at you over something that you have no control over.”

 

Kenan looked up at the Alpha with wide eyes. “Panic attack?” He questioned. “I can’t- that only happens to people with real trauma. Nothing bad has happened to me. I can’t have panic attacks.”

 

Henry and Malachi exchanged a grim look. 

 

“Oh Kenan,” Malachi sighed heavily. “Panic attacks can happen to anyone.” He ran his fingers through Kenan’s hair. “Just because you think you didn’t experience any ‘real trauma’, as you call it, doesn’t mean that you can’t have anxiety attacks.”

 

“No!” Kenan tore himself out of Malachi’s and Henry’s grip and tumbled out of Henry’s lap. “You’re wrong!” He scrambled to his feet. “I didn’t have a panic attack. I’m not weak. I’m fine.” He tried to persuade two men. “I can still work.’ He held up his hands. “See. No injuries. I can still work.”

 

“Kenan,” Malachi interrupted the younger Omega’s frantic babbles. “It’s okay. We believe that you can still work. We know you’re not trying to avoid doing your duties.” He slowly maneuvered himself into a squat and stood up. He held his elbows close to his side and let his palms face forward with his fingers pointing to the sides. “What do you need, Kenan? What can we do to help you?”

 

Kenan looked to the older Omega and let himself relax. They believed him. He wasn’t going to get in trouble because they thought he was avoiding work. “I need to do my job.” He pleaded. “Please let me do my job.”

 

Malachi looked to Henry, who had stayed seated the entire time with his eyes glued to the trembling Omega.

 

“Malachi will take you to the kitchens,” Henry stated. “You’ll work a two hour shift washing dishes. No more. No less.”

 

Kenan exhaled in relief. “Thank you. Thank you, Alpha.”

 

Henry merely nodded. “Malachi, go ahead and lead him out.”

 

“Yes, Alpha.” Malachi bowed slightly then started the process of gently corralling a still shaking Kenan out of the room.

 

Bo and Tristan leapt to attention as soon as the two made it out of the room. Bo bundled Kenan up into a hug and Tristan gave Malachi a questioning look.

 

“It’s bad,” Malachi whispered- thinking that Kenan couldn’t hear. Malachi glanced at Kenan then leaned back towards Tristan.

 

“And I have a feeling that it’s only going to get worse.”

Notes:

Summary: Kenan goes to breakfast with Bo and Tristan. Bo makes a remark of how Kenan always smells sour with fear and it triggers a auditory flashback that turns into a panic attack. Bo and Tristan run into Henry and Henry helps guide Kenan out of the panic attack. Malachi and Henry tell Kenan he had a panic attack, but Kenan refuses to believe them. He becomes agitated and really focused on making sure that Henry knows he can work and is not trying to get out of duties. Henry gives him orders to do dishes and Malachi escorts him out.

Chapter 8: A Brief Reprieve

Notes:

I gave Kenan a small break as promised. The chapter kind of got away from me, so it's a bit longer than my usual ones. I hope you enjoy! As always, this is un-betaed.

The walk to the kitchens was unsteady, but Kenan refused to let that interfere with his ability to work. Bo and Tristan hovered around him like rescue helicopters waiting to dive in at the slightest sign of trouble. Malachi, thankfully, seemed to understand that overprotective Alphas were the last thing that Kenan needed, and kept him close with one hand around his waist and the other firmly grasping Kenan’s hand. The two Alphas didn’t dare interfere with the Omega’s claim.

 

Bo held open the door to the kitchen and Malachi guided Kenan through. The kitchen was all stainless-steel appliances and counters on one side and sinks piled high with dirty dishes and cookware on the other. A conveyor belt station sat in the middle of the side wall fully equipped with water hoses and boxes of freshly washed plates beside it.

 

At the center of it all stood the woman from dinner last night- Maggie if Kenan remembered correctly. She stood at one of the stainless-steel counters rolling out a large sheet of dough and chatting with several other kitchen workers. The group went silent as Malachi and Kenan entered, and Malachi passed Kenan off to Tristan with a coaxing smile.

 

“Stay here for a bit,” he ordered gently. “I’m going to talk with Maggie a bit first.” He cupped the back of Kenan's neck briefly then walked towards the silent group of kitchen workers. Maggie said something to the group, and they dispersed amongst the prep stations to give Malachi and Maggie the illusion of privacy.

 

“Come on, little buddy,” Bo chirped as he stepped beside Tristan and Kenan. “I’ll give you a quick tour of your workstation while Maggie and Malachi chat.” He pulled Kenan out of Tristan’s grip and the Omega trailed after him like a lost puppy.

 

There were four industrial size sinks in total. Three of them were raised to standing height, but the one on the far end was low enough for somebody to sit and work at it. Bo marched Kenan to the lower sink and slapped the faucet. “This is Bertha,” Bo proclaimed proudly. “She is the most coveted sink amongst the kitchen workers. She’s got the best water pressure, always runs hot, and best of all,” he ducked under the sink and pulled out a foldable chair. “You can sit while working.” He unfolded the chair and plopped right in it. “See,” he gave a dramatic flourish. “Best sink in the kitchen. No doubt about it.”

 

“Sounds to me like someone is missing kitchen duty.”

 

Bo jumped out of the chair and whirled around to face Maggie and Malachi. “Nope, I’m good.” He squeaked. “I’ve had enough kitchen duty to last me a lifetime.”

 

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?” She hummed. “You say that, but I know the next time you get into trouble, your ass will end up back here again.” She crossed her arms and smirked. “And when that happens, I’ll make sure you never get assigned to Bertha again.”

 

Bo gave Maggie a scandalized expression. “You wouldn’t.” He gasped.

 

Maggie snorted. “Oh I would,” she replied. “But I might be persuaded otherwise if a certain someone took over as my sous-chef for lunch prep.”

 

Bo put his hand to his forehead. “Aye, aye Captain!” He gave Tristan and Kenan a thumbs up before dashing off to the group of kitchen workers at the prep tables. 

 

“Some things never change,” Malachi chuckled.

 

Maggie shook her head in exasperation. “I’ll never understand that boy, but I can’t deny that Ezra did good in choosing him to guard the Omega.” She looked back at Kenan and eyed him up and down. “Speaking of, Malachi said that you had an incident. Are you sure you’re up for work?”

 

Kenan nodded his head vigorously. “Yes. I’m good to work. I promise.”

 

Maggie looked back at Malachi. “You weren’t kidding,” she muttered lowly.

 

“I wish I was,” Malachi answered with a sigh.

 

Maggie turned back to Kenan. “All right,” she acquiesced. “I’ll set you up at Bertha. You’ll need rubber gloves and a brush kit.” She nodded at Tristan and the man raced off to find the items she mentioned. “Come.” She gestured to Bertha. “Sit. I’ll show you the basics.”

 

There was something entrancing about such dull, strenuous work. Kenan loved tasks like this. The repetition and monotony allowed him to slip into a quiet trance. The only thoughts he had were of the warmth of the water, the feel of the brush grip, and the image of grime leaving the ceramic and metal surfaces one swipe at a time. Before Kenan knew it, he was reaching into an empty bucket and the quiet ting of a timer was echoing throughout the room.

 

Kenan watched with wide eyes as Maggie turned the timer off and made her way over to him. He held his breath as she surveyed the neat stacks of dishes and pans on the prep table beside Bertha.

 

She nodded in approval. “Not bad,” she remarked- still looking at the dishes. “I expect you to be here Friday at 10:00 to work your full shift.”

 

Kenan couldn’t stop the small grin from forming on his face. “I’ll be there.” He promised.

 

Maggie nodded again and went back to work at the prep tables. Tristan stood up from his stool in the corner and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He gathered the gloves and brush bucket from Kenan and placed them in a basket near the door. Bo sauntered up to Kenan with a broad smile on his face.

 

“Maggie likes you.” He clapped Kenan on the back. “And everyone knows just how hard she is to please. Once word gets out, I’m sure people will be less hostile to you.”

 

Kenan ducked his head and rubbed his arm. “All I did was wash some dishes,” he mumbled. “She can’t be that impressed.”

 

“Oh little buddy,” Bo sighed dramatically. “You didn’t complain once while doing the dishes. If you’re not careful, Maggie will have you working in here full time, five days a week.”

 

Kenan shrugged, but couldn’t help it when the corners of his mouth twitched up. Bo’s grin widened.

 

“If we’re all done here,” Tristan called out as he walked back towards the duo. “How about we start the tour I was talking about?” 

 

“I’m okay with that,” Kenan replied. He jumped a bit when a loud rumbling sound echoed through the kitchen. His cheeks burned when he realized that his stomach was to blame.

 

Tristan pressed his lips together in a poor attempt at hiding his smile. “Bo?”

 

“Already on it.” The red head smirked at Kenan then headed off in the direction of the pantry.

 

Tristan turned back to Kenan and held out his arm. “He’ll be a minute, so why don’t we go ahead and start the tour.” He guided Kenan to the door. “Back when the pack first settled here, the main building was where everyone stayed. Of course, as centuries went by the pack expanded far beyond what the main building could accommodate, so houses were built and the main building was converted into a community center of sorts.” Tristan wrapped his arm around Kenan as he staggered. “Now, the rooms are either used as guest rooms for visiting packs, or different rooms for people to gather and indulge in different hobbies. We’ve got several game rooms, some reading rooms, two art rooms-”

 

“Art room?” Kenan whispered in awe. He looked up at Tristan with wide eyes. “You have an art room?”

 

Tristan smiled. “Looks like our first stop is decided.”

 

The art room was heaven.

 

Kenan had never seen so many supplies just sitting out- ripe for the taking. Pencils, charcoal, pastels, paints, papers, and a dozen of other tools Kenan never had the privilege of seeing before lined the walls in their little cubbies. He ran his fingers over the tops of the colored pencils and gasped. He recognized the little gold swirl on the sides of the pencils from the brief times he was allowed outside of pack grounds. Often Geoffry, then one of the more sympathetic matrons when Geoffry went to college, would let Kenan browse through the old art store when they had finished with their business. The art store catered to professionals, so often the brands came with a hefty price tag. The brand with the golden swirl for a logo was Kenan’s favorite- and a true pipe dream for him to ever own.

 

Now he was in front of a wall stacked full of that brand’s pencils in every color imaginable.

 

“Wow,” he exhaled. “This is incredible.”

 

“You know you can use it all, right?”

 

Kenan jerked his hand away from the pencils and snapped his head towards Tristan.

 

“No, I couldn’t,” he babbled. “This stuff is expensive, and I’m not pack, and-”

 

“Kenan,” Tristan interrupted. He took a pencil out of one of the cubbies and placed it in Kenan’s hand. “Ezra said to make you feel at home. Being in this room, seeing all this stuff is the first time you’ve looked even close to happy.” He closed his hand around Kenan’s so that he was forced to grip the pencil. “Please,” the Alpha begged softly. “Use everything in this room to your heart's content.”

 

Kenan looked down at his hand still in Tristan's. The top of the pencil peaked out of their grip. It was a dandelion yellow. Not Kenan’s favorite, but he was intimately familiar with the shade thanks to a certain someone. His chest tightened at the memory.

 

The Omega looked back up at Tristan. “Okay,” he whispered. “Can I start now?”

 

Tristan smiled warmly. “Of course.”

 

Tucked away in the back corner of the room, sat a little alcove with a large window and a padded bench under it. Kenan slowly made his way to the little alcove armed with a couple pieces of sketching paper, cup of pencils, and a lap desk. He hoisted himself onto the bench, shifted his legs so he could prop the lap desk up on his thighs, and began to draw.

 

It started out slowly. Kenan hadn’t been able to sit and draw for months, so it took a while for his hand to get reaccustomed to the grip of his pencil. But, line by line, shape by shape, it all began to take form. At some point, Kenan traded his graphite pencil for the same dandelion yellow that Tristan tucked into his hand. He held the pencil parallel to paper and began the laborious process of setting the base layer for a tangly mess of blond hair.

 

Something soft touched Kenan’s lips, and he looked up to find Bo sitting with a plate full of mini sandwiches in one hand, and the other holding one of said sandwiches in front of Kenan’s face.

 

Bo smiled brightly. “Don’t worry,” he beamed. “You can keep focusing on drawing and I’ll worry about getting you fed.”

 

Kenan blinked a bit as he processed the Alpha’s words. Even after being hand fed twice, it was still jarring to see the Alphas so… invested in Kenan’s well-being. It was very different from what he was used to, but it seemed like it was the norm in this pack. Even Malachi couldn’t escape it. Although, the older Omega didn’t seem to mind it. 

 

Maybe… maybe Kenan could learn not to mind it as well.

 

He opened his mouth slightly.

 

Bo’s smile faded a bit. “Are you sure little buddy?” He questioned. “You seem a bit hesitant. I know Ezzy and Tristan are a bit more traditional, but I’m not as die-hard about it all.”

 

“It’s fine, I promise.” Kenan assured him. While Bo seemed sincere, Kenan didn’t know him well enough to determine if it was a test or not. Henry could’ve asked Bo to test if Kenan would follow the rules. 

 

Bo sighed. “If you say so.” He pressed the sandwich to Kenan’s lips again and Kenan took the bite in between his teeth. It was good, though slightly bland. Kenan must have made a face though since Bo laughed quietly.

 

“Maggie got on to me when I got out my spices.” Bo explained. “She said that your stomach may not be able to handle anything stronger than salt and a bit of pepper.”

 

Kenan nodded in understanding. “Ah,” he voiced after he finished chewing. “It’s still good.”

 

Bo simply smiled and held up another bite. 

 

The two fell into a rhythm. Color, bite, color, bite. By the time Kenan finished shading the hair on one of the figures, Bo stood up and dusted off some stray crumbs from his pants. He handed Kenan a water bottle with a sports top and made an approving noise at the paper on Kenan’s lap. Kenan glanced at him as he dragged the chair he was sitting in back to the table that Tristan sat at. Another plate of sandwiches sat untouched in the middle of the table.

 

Tristan whispered something to Bo, who shook his head in reply. Once Bo sat down, both men reached for a sandwich.

 

Kenan refocused on his art. It felt good to get lost in it. To make the memory in his mind take form on paper- become something tangible. This particular memory warmed his heart. As time went on, the image of two young children laughing and running appeared.

 

“Knock knock.”

 

Kenan jerked his head up to see Ezra leaning against the edge of the alcove wall. The man smiled and nodded towards Kenan’s drawing. 

 

“Pretty,” he smiled. “You have a real talent for it.” Ezra tilted his head. “Mind if I join you?”

 

Kenan shook his head and shifted so that Ezra would have some room to sit. At some point, the bright sunlight had shifted to a softer golden hue that lit up Ezra’s face beautifully. Already, Kenan’s fingers itched to capture the beautiful gold streaks on paper. Ezra haphazardly gathered some supplies from around the room then shuffled back over to Kenan. During that time, Kenan noticed that the table Bo and Tristan sat at was now empty.

 

“I told them they could leave for the day,” Ezra explained as he sat on the other side of the bench. “Malachi, Henry, Oliver, and I all agreed you could benefit from some history lessons and lessons about our pack in general, so now on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons you’ll spend an hour with me.” He propped one knee up and balanced a clipboard on his thigh. “We can use the time to answer any questions you have as well, but for today I figured we could just chill.”

 

“Thank you,” Kenan replied. “I appreciate it.”

 

Ezra smiled and started on his drawing.

 

After a couple of minutes, Ezra proudly lifted up and displayed his finished work. It was, well, quite bad if Kenan was being honest. There were three stick figures with abnormally long arms and a round thing flying above them. Some obligatory circle trees framed the three figures and a round sun dominated the top right corner.

 

“How is it?” Ezra asked with a teasing lilt to his voice.

 

Kenan pressed his lips together. “Um,” he dragged out.

 

Ezra chuckled. “It’s terrible, I know. But I had a story in my mind and I wanted to get it down.”

 

Kenan tilted his head. “Story?”

 

Ezra’s smile turned indulgent. “Completely made up, of course, but I thought it was funny in my head and wanted a picture of it. Would you like to hear it?”

 

Kenan sat up and crossed his legs. “Yes please.” He answered. 

 

“Well,” Ezra pointed to the first figure. “We’ll call him Joe.” He pointed to the second figure. “We’ll call him Moe.” He pointed to the third figure. “And we’ll call him Bo- I mean Bob.” Ezra tapped the figure again. “Bob. Not Bo. He’s definitely not related to Bo at all because this is all made up.”

 

“Of course,” Kenan smiled. “His name is definitely Bob.”

 

“Perfect.” Ezra continued. “Now, moving on. Joe, Moe, and Bob were all friends. One day, when they were kids, the three found an old frisbee in Joe’s dad’s office. Bob suggested that they play frisbee with it, and the three did because they were kids and that’s what kids do. What they didn’t know was that the frisbee was Joe’s dad’s high school science fair experiment, and that he rigged it with a remote controlled plane kit so that it could fly.”

 

Kenan pressed his lips together again, but this time to hide his grin. That explained the freakishly long arms reaching up towards the round thing in the sky.

 

“So the three boys played with it for a while, until all of the sudden, when Moe threw it, the thing started flying on its own.” Ezra gave Kenan a pointed look. “Now of course, the only logical explanation the boys could think of was that the frisbee was haunted, and immediately started chasing after it while screaming in a poor attempt to scare the ghost.”

 

Kenan couldn’t help the snort of laughter he let out at the image. He’d spent enough time working in the pack day care to know that that would be a common response among most of the children. He could picture some of the kids he knew doing exactly the same thing.

 

Ezra rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he fake pouted. “It was stupid, but Bo- Bob convinced them that they could capture the ghost and train it to pull tricks on people.” He shook his head. “Of course, when Joe’s dad piloted the frisbee back to the house, all of the boys were very disappointed.”

 

“I can only imagine,” Kenan mused. “What did Joe’s dad say?”

 

Ezra put the paper back on the clipboard in his lap. “The usual. Don’t snoop in his office or you’ll get put on kitchen duty, and don’t touch things that aren’t yours.” Ezra smiled. “The boys didn’t listen, and ended up becoming very familiar with the kitchen. Bob especially.” Ezra leaned in to peer at Kenan’s work. “Does your picture have a story?”

 

Kenan inhaled sharply. He knew what Ezra was asking, and knew that he could use any information Kenan gave him to figure out which pack he belonged to. It would be safer to say no and keep the two kids a memory locked deep in his heart.

 

But…

 

If Ezra’s was made up…

 

“Like your story, this is totally made up.” Kenan flipped the picture so that Ezra could see it better. “This is Amy.” He pointed to the blonde girl with pigtails in light purple overalls. “And this is Benjamin.” He pointed to the younger boy with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair and royal blue overalls. “They’re from the same den, but different fathers. That’s why they look a bit alike.” Kenan smiled fondly at the memory of Amy proudly babbling that she was going to become a big sister.

 

“Do they like playing together?”

 

Kenan looked up at Ezra and smiled. “Oh immensely. Benjamin has Down syndrome, so Amy is quite protective of him. He would often get frustrated though when she tried to help him too much. He’s quite independent.” Kenan chuckled. “Though, those two love playing tag and red rover and all sorts of running and chasing games. Benjamin’s quite fast, and all the pups his age loved racing him.”

 

Ezra chuckled as well. “Sounds like those two have a lot of fun stories together. Much like Joe, Moe, and Bob.”

 

“Yeah,” Kenan grinned. “They do.”

 

And Kenan would never be a part of those stories again.

 

The thought hit him like a train. His smile slowly dropped and he clutched the picture close to his chest. The following silence hung heavy in the air.

 

A cough broke the tension. Ezra shifted so that he was sitting with his back towards the window. “You miss them, don’t you?” He asked softly.

 

Kenan curled his knees into his chest and nodded.

 

Ezra looked at Kenan with sad eyes and sighed. “There’s no tactful way for me to ask this, but Malachi told me about what happened this morning. About your… episode.”

 

Here it comes. Kenan squeezed his eyes shut and burrowed his face in his knees. Ezra came to tell him off for his episode. He should have controlled it better. Should have kept it from happening. Should have-

 

“Is there anything we can do to help you avoid them?”

 

Huh?

 

Kenan lifted his head and looked at Ezra. The Alpha looked completely sincere.

 

“You know,” he continued. “Anything we need to avoid or watch out for? Certain smells? Words? Noises?” A grimace flickered across his face. “Actions?”

 

Kenan looked up at him in awe. “I don’t-” His throat tightened painfully. He couldn’t tell him. Didn’t know what to him. It could be a trick and Ezra would use whatever Kenan said to test his ability to control himself. Or, or…

 

Maybe he could help. The voice whispered in the back of his mind.

 

The golden light faded from Ezra’s cheeks as the sun finally set. “You don’t have to answer now,” Ezra soothed. “Just, think about it. I know Henry may have been strict at first but,” he paused for a moment. “But the circumstances have changed a bit.” He sighed. “Just know that we really do want to help you. In any way we can.”

 

“I,” Kenan opened his mouth then closed it. He didn’t know what to say. Or even what to think. “Okay.”

 

Ezra pushed himself up off of the bench. “To awkwardly segue to a different topic,” he held out his hand to the Omega. “It’s around 5:30, and Bo told me you haven’t eaten anything since around 10:30ish. You must be starving.”

 

Kenan took the Alpha’s hand and stood. For the first, he felt the gnawing hunger in his belly. Normally, he would be hesitant to voice his hunger, but Ezra asked first, and all the Alphas seemed to really care about feeding him.

 

“I’m a little bit hungry,” Kenan answered quietly.

 

“Then how about an early dinner? We can stop by your room and drop off your drawing first too if you want.”

 

Kenan nodded at Ezra’s suggestion. “Yes, please.” It was one thing for Ezra to ask and pretend that it was all made up, but Kenan didn’t think the others would grant him the luxury of pretending the two kids in his drawing were mere figments of his imagination. It would be best if they never saw them.

 

“Well then,” Ezra said lightly. “Shall we head out?”

 

Kenan didn’t see any reason to object.

Notes:

Bo, Ezra, and Tristan were the three kids who needed to be constantly supervised because the moment you looked away, one would somehow be on the roof, one would have started a mini cult worshipping the kid on the roof, and the other would be collecting tithes from the unsuspecting kids now in the roof cult.

Chapter 9: A Secret Revealed

Notes:

Not gonna lie, I struggled with this chapter a bit. I'm not too happy with how it ended, but I didn't want to spend weeks agonizing over the "perfect" ending. I just have so many plot points I can't wait to get to, but I still have to write a couple scenes until we get there. As always, un-betaed.

CW: Breakdown? Minor panic attack? I'm not too sure what to call it, but it triggered some feelings in me while I was writing it, so I just wanted to give y'all a heads up. I'll put a summary in the end notes just in case.

“You okay man?”

 

Kenan looked up from his knees and looked at Oliver. The other man stood in front of the chair beside Kenan. His head was tilted to the side, and his face twisted in concern. Tristan and Bo, both seated across from Kenan in the waiting room, mirrored Oliver’s concern. There were a couple of other wolves scattered about the waiting room, and by the now odd silence that blanketed the room, they were probably listening in to Oliver and Kenan’s conversation.

 

“I’m fine,” he mumbled quietly. He hugged his knees tighter to his chest. “What are you doing here?”

 

Oliver plopped down in the seat beside Kenan. “Same as you. I’m waiting for my check-up with Malachi.” He nodded at Bo and Tristan in greeting.

 

Kenan blinked. “Oh.” He scooted to the side to give Oliver more room. “You have to get check-ups too?”

 

“Unfortunately,” Oliver sighed. “I have to go several times a year since I’m on medication, otherwise I would only have to go twice.”

 

The door to the back rooms clicked open before Kenan could reply. Malachi popped his head out and looked around the waiting room. “Oliver, Kenan,” he called.

 

“That’s us.” Oliver stood up and pulled Kenan with him. 

 

Kenan looked up at Oliver with wide eyes. “Wait, both of us? Are you sure that’s right?” He looked over to Malachi who was waiting with a gentle smile on his face.

 

“Yep,” Oliver replied nonchalantly. “Mal said both of our names, so both of us go back.” He guided Kenan towards the door.

 

Bo and Tristan started to get up from their seats as well, but Malachi stopped them with a stern smile.

 

“You two can stay out here.”

 

Bo and Tristan looked at each, then looked back to Malachi with a look Kenan couldn’t quite discern. After a moment, Tristan swallowed nervously. “I’m afraid Ezra and Henry said we weren’t allowed to let Kenan out of our sight.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “So we, uh, have to go back.”

 

Malachi’s raised an eyebrow. “You two can stay here.” He repeated sharply.

 

Bo and Tristan immediately plopped down in their seats. “Yes sir,” Bo answered in a shrill voice. “We’ll be here if you need us.”

 

Malachi turned back towards Oliver and Kenan with a satisfied grin and gestured for them to enter the doorway.

 

The first part of the visit was similar to all the few times Kenan went to a human doctor. Malachi took both Oliver’s and Kenan’s weight, then led them to an examination room to finish taking their vitals. Kenan paused in the doorway as Oliver hopped onto the cushioned examination table. He waited for Malachi to turn from the computer in the corner and lead him to his own room, but the older Omega never did.

 

“Um…” Kenan wrapped his arms around himself. “Which room should I go to?”

 

Malachi looked up from the computer. “Oh, here.” He nodded towards the extra seat across from him. “We’ll do Oliver’s appointment first, then we’ll do yours.” He pushed away from the computer and grabbed the oximeter and blood pressure cuff from the basket of medical instruments. “Does that work for you?”

 

Kenan looked to Oliver for help. Oliver smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “You’re fine man. We figured you probably don’t have much experience going to the doctors, so I offered to let you sit in on my appointment so that you would know what to expect.”

 

Oh. That was… kind of nice of them. Kenan would be lying if he said he didn’t feel any anxiety about this visit, but that wasn’t because he didn’t know what they would do. No. His anxiety centered around what they might find out.

 

He took one more look at Oliver and Malachi’s hopeful faces. Slowly, step by step, he made his way to the chair Malachi gestured too. Once he sat down, both Oliver and Malachi seemed to breath out sighs of relief.

 

“I’ll try to be quick,” Malachi smiled gently. “I’ll just do the normal routine today to help get you used to things. If you have any questions while I’m doing either Oliver or your evaluation, just let me know.” He made sure to look Kenan directly in the eyes. “I want you to feel as comfortable as possible.”

 

Kenan nodded and pulled his knees back up to his chest. He rested his head on his knees and watched the scene in front of him.

 

The routine was indeed normal, at least from Kenan’s limited experience. Malachi took Oliver’s vitals, discussed any concerns he had, asked about his current lifestyle, and of course, medication.

 

Fuck. Medication.

 

A picture of a little plastic bag full of unknown herbs hidden in a makeshift pocket of his bag drifted to the forefront of his mind. He hadn’t seen his bag in days, and quite frankly, was too afraid to ask for it. It could’ve been lost in the woods, or the pack could have taken it, or-

 

Kenan’s heart dropped. If the pack had his bag and searched it, they could have found the herbs he used to suppress his heat. If they knew what those herbs were for, then he was screwed.

 

His heart started beating rabbit quick as Oliver listed the meds he was on. They were all brands and words Kenan had never heard before. By the time Oliver finished his list, Kenan was all but hyperventilating.

 

“How’s your birth control been?”

 

Kenan’s heart stopped.

 

Oliver, however, looked completely unflustered by the question. “It’s been pretty good. I love the IUD better than the pill, and I don’t think I’ve had any side effects with this one.”

 

Malachi merely hummed in acknowledgement and typed something into the computer. “And what about your heat suppressant? I know you switched that one as well…” Malachi’s voice trailed off as Kenan’s mind went blank.

 

Heat suppressant. Oliver was on birth control and a heat suppressant? Oliver was allowed to be on birth control and a heat suppressant? Kenan jerked his head up and looked at the beta with wide eyes. 

 

Oliver met Kenan’s panicked stare with a look of concern. “You okay man?” You look a little confused.”

 

All of the sudden, the room felt suffocating. “You’re on birth control? And heat suppressants?” Kenan’s heart ached with how forceful it beat in his chest.

 

The two men exchanged a look. Oliver’s fingers trailed the hem of his shirt. Malachi, after noticing the movement, nodded. After crossing his arms to grab the hem of his shirt in both hands, Oliver pulled the shirt past his shoulders and over his head.

 

There, highlighted by the bright fluorescent lights, were two pink scars etched into Oliver’s skin just below his nipples.

 

Feet hit the floor and before Kenan knew it, he was standing. “You’re-”

 

“Trans.” Oliver smiled. “Yeah. I kind of skirted around it when I talked with you about hormones and stuff.” His smile turned regretful. “I don’t normally advertise it. I find some packs aren’t as accepting of it as this one is. It’s easier on Henry and Ezra when it comes to pack politics and diplomacy for other packs not to know.” He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Some might not take kindly to me being in Henry’s den.”

 

“Oliver,” Malachi scolded gently. “You know that we could care less what other packs say about you. Ezra brought you into the den and Henry and I are more than happy with having you.”

 

Unconsciously, Kenan’s hands crept up to his own chest. How many hours has he spent standing in front of the mirror and squishing down the two mounds of flesh on his chest. How many years has he spent debating if it would be worth it to just suck it and have a kid so he could just get the damn things off of him? But, Oliver- Oliver-

 

“You have a child?” Kenan questioned. Oliver would have had to, if he was allowed to medically transition. Kenan couldn’t think of any other way the pack would have let him transition and go on birth control and heat suppressants.

 

Both Oliver and Malachi looked at Kenan in confusion. After a moment, Oliver’s face lit up like he had a revelation.

 

“Oh Kenan,” Oliver exhaled sharply. “You don’t need to have a kid to transition, man. You can do it whenever you want and it’s safe for you too.”

 

The suffocating feeling intensified, and Kenan couldn’t help but stumble back towards the door.

 

“You don’t-” He whipped his head to look at Malachi. “But the birth control? Heat suppressants?”

 

Malachi slowly turned to fully face Kenan, tucked his elbows into his side, and let his hands open- just like he did when Kenan had his episode. Just like one would do with a cornered wild animal.

 

“We offer those options to all of our wolves who experience heats and are capable of getting pregnant,” he explained gently. “I was going to discuss your options today.” He pressed his lips together. “I would much rather you use a regulated suppressant rather than some strange, black market herbal concoction.”

 

Kenan’s world stopped.

 

They knew. They fucking knew.

 

Kenan’s heart leapt to his throat and his feet moved backwards before he could even process what had happened. He stumbled through the hallway and did his best to ignore Oliver and Malachi’s frantic calls. The rooms were too small, his instincts pushed against his skin frantically, they found his heat suppressants, and and and-

 

He needed to get out .

 

Bo and Tristan shot to their feet as Kenan frantically shoved the door to the waiting room open. They rushed towards him and grabbed him before he could run out of the waiting room.

 

“Out,” he pleaded frantically. “I need out!”

 

The two didn’t waste any time and Tristan hauled Kenan to his chest and once again, the two ran through the halls of the pack house. This time, however, they didn’t head towards the sensory room. No. They made their way to two large, wooden doors. Bo shoved the doors open and they shot with a resounding crack. 

 

And then there was cold air, the roar of the wind, the crunch of leaves under boots.

 

Kenan was out. Kenan was out.

 

Tristan stumbled as Kenan launched himself out of his arms and onto the dead grass and fallen leaves beneath him. He pushed himself to his feet and paced the lawn with shaky legs. His skin felt too tight for his body and his chest too small for the ache in his heart. His instincts roared at him to do something, anything, to stop the too small feeling. He wanted to run, wanted to be free. He was trapped in his own skin and everything-

 

“Shift.”

 

Kenan instincts sang at the deep, rumbled command, but Kenan couldn’t obey. He looked at Henry with wild, terrified eyes.

 

A snarl flickered across Henry’s face at the ignored order, but Malachi’s hand to his shoulder stopped him from doing anything drastic.

 

“Shift.” He ordered again with a growl. “You need to run the instincts off. Shift and we’ll follow.”

 

Once again, Kenan’s instincts sang and every atom in his body trembled with the need to obey.

 

But-

 

Kenan stumbled back as the small crowd of people on the lawn inched forward. Henry, Ezra, Malachi, Oliver, Bo, Tristan- everybody looked at him with expectant eyes. It was the same look, always the same look. Kenan’s breathing sped up. He was going to disappoint them. They were going to hate him even more.

 

This time, Henry let the snarl bleed through. “For the last time Omega. Shift-”

 

“I can’t!”

 

Everybody stilled. The only sound Kenan could hear was the rush of the wind. His knees hit the ground. “I can’t,” he repeated softly. A sob bubbled up from his chest. “I’m sorry.” His arms trembled as he leaned forward on his knees and dug his forehead into the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He continued to babble.

 

“Kenan-”

 

He didn’t try to stop the mournful whine at Malachi’s heartbroken voice. This pack may be nicer to weaker wolves, but that only applied to true werewolves. Not broken, shiftless wolves like Kenan. 

 

“Kenan!”

 

It was over. It was all fucking over.

 

“Omega!”

 

And there was nothing Kenan could do about it.

Notes:

This one was a bit difficult for me to write emotionally. I pulled from my own experiences, and it was a bit more taxing than I expected. This is by no means a perfect representation of someone processing trauma, and I recognize that. I hope you all have a great day, and stay safe throughout Spring Break season.

Summary: Kenan has his appointment with Malachi. Oliver goes with him and has his own appointment first. Kenan finds out that Oliver is trans, and that he is on birth control and heat suppressants as well. When Kenan asks how that could be, Oliver says that he doesn't need to have a kid to medically transition. Malachi mentions that he was going to offer Kenan the option of birth control and a heat suppressant, and revealed that the pack knew about Kenan's heat suppressants. Kenan has a breakdown at the clash between what he believed and reality, and runs away. Tristan and Bo take him outside and Henry orders him to shift. Kenan reveals that he can't, and has another breakdown.

Chapter 10: A Change in Tune

Notes:

I live! Sorry for the long wait. Two of my jobs are in busy mode and the BIG SAD paid a visit, but at least I was able to cobble together this chapter. Tbh I'm not too happy with it, but I'd rather just post it and move along than stress about editing it until it's "perfect". Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy after I (accidentally) left on a bit of a cliffhanger

As always, un-betaed

There was an old belief amongst most packs that the age a pup first shifted indicated their strength. The older a wolf was when they first shifted, the weaker they were said to be. A particularly strong wolf would shift around five or six, while most average wolves shifted around seven or eight. Pups that had their first shift around nine or ten often found themselves pushed into more domestic roles, and the unfortunate few that shifted around eleven or twelve were either coddled or sneered at depending on their birth pack’s view of their supposed weakness. Any age past twelve was deemed a lost cause.

 

Kenan’s position in his birth pack was unstable since he was born. His parents weren’t originally from the pack, and according to one of the pack elders, the only reason they were accepted into the pack was because Kenan’s mother was already pregnant with him. Kenan got two years with his parents before a hunting incident took them both from the world. Thankfully, an older couple took Kenan in. Their own pups left the pack as soon as they turned eighteen, so the two older wolves jumped at the chance to raise a child again- this time with the hopes of it staying.

 

But then Kenan’s birthdays kept passing year after year with no sign of him shifting. His only saving grace was the protection of a young Geoffry, who Kenan somehow miraculously befriended. No one dared belittle Kenan while the future alpha was around, but even Geoffry’s support couldn’t protect Kenan from the pack's derision forever. Once Kenan’s thirteenth birthday passed and he still hadn’t shifted, his role as the pack pariah was cemented.

 

Kenan lost his den once again, and from there he was bounced around from den to den- only staying as long as the wolves in the den could tolerate him. The longest was eight months. The shortest was eight days. This went on for six years until Kenan turned nineteen and Geoffry finally left for college after a year of begging his dad.

 

They should have known the normally immovable pack alpha conceded too quickly. They should have known he was planning something. But by the time Geoffry finally came back, it was too late.

 

The clearing was now eerily silent. Kenan didn’t know how long he kneeled there. A few stray rocks and branches dug uncomfortably in his hands and legs. His face felt swollen and his lips dry from the amount of tears he shed. His sobs had long since tapered off and he no longer trembled- if only because he was too exhausted to do much else than lay there.

 

 “Your old pack did a real fucking number on you, didn’t they?”

 

Kenan flinched as the deep voice echoed throughout the clearing. The crunch of leaves followed soon after, and a moment later, something warm enveloped Kenan. He grabbed the object responsible for the newfound warmth with shaky fingers. His nose twitched as he breathed in the familiar deep, woody scent of an Alpha. He sniffed again. Not just any Alpha. Kenan looked up from the ground.

 

There, in front of him, now shirtless and quickly working his pants from his hips, stood Henry.

 

Said Alpha noticed Kenan’s shocked look and raised an eyebrow. “Well?” He tossed the pants beside Kenan. “Go ahead and get dressed. It’s cold and you don’t have fur to keep you warm while we run.”

 

“Run?” Kenan exhaled shakily. “But I can’t, I don’t-“

 

Henry sighed. “Just because you can’t shift yet, doesn’t mean your instincts don’t push you to run.” He nodded towards the clothes again. “I’ll let you borrow them for now. I won’t need them as a wolf.”

 

Kenan stared at Henry with wide eyes and an open mouth.

 

Henry sighed. “Malachi dear, do you mind giving Kenan a hand?”

 

As if those words were a magic invitation, Malachi sprung to action and rushed over to Kenan. He gently maneuvered Kenan’s limbs through the shirt and cooed at the Omega’s bewildered expression and the way the shirt seemed to swallow him whole. Kenan’s bewildered look gave way to shock and mortification when Malachi hauled Kenan up to get the pants on. His new position gave Kenan a front row view of Henry in all his naked glory- a view Kenan was not at all prepared to see.

 

The Omega let out a strangled squeak and buried his face in Malachi’s back. He didn't have a chance to dwell on what he just saw before the near silent crunch of bones shifting and reforming signaled Henry’s shift. Malachi finished fastening the belt around Kenan’s waist and maneuvered the smaller man in front of him.

 

There, standing in front of Kenan, was an absolutely massive timber wolf. While most standard timber wolves topped out around one hundred ten pounds, Henry’s wolf form was almost double that size. It made sense, as Henry was a very large man and all that mass wouldn’t just magically disappear when he was a wolf, but it still didn’t stop Kenan from shaking in absolute terror at the realization that he was standing in front of a very large, very dangerous predator.

 

And that predator was stalking closer.

 

“Fuck,” Kenan whimpered and shut his eyes tight. His legs threatened to give out, but Malachi’s steel hold on his shoulders kept him upright. His instincts were screaming at him to run or submit or cry or-

 

A gentle weight rested on Kenan’s head. All at once, his instincts went silent. He opened his eyes to see a wall full of gray and white fur. Kenan tilted his head up slightly and followed the column of fur up to the source of the weight on his head. His eyes snapped back to the column of fur in front of him once he realized what it was.

 

Henry’s neck. Henry had given him his neck.

 

Kenan’s instincts started buzzing again- though this time not in fear. Henry, an Alpha, the Pack Alpha, just gave Kenan his neck. Gave an Alpha Killer his neck. All it would take would be Kenan baring his teeth and he could latch on to Henry’s jugular and spill his life blood. Sure, Kenan’s blunt human teeth wouldn’t do as much damage as a wolf's canine ones, but the danger was still there.

 

Kenan inhaled sharply at the implication. A wolf would only give their neck to their mate, or someone in their den, or someone in their pack-

 

His body acted before his mind could comprehend. The Omega surged forward and buried his face in Henry’s neck. His instincts sang. He rubbed his face into Henry’s thick fur in a clumsy attempt at scenting. Henry rewarded his paltry attempt with a satisfied rumble.

 

“Not so scary now, is he?”

 

Kenan jolted back from Henry and stumbled back into Malachi. He tilted his head up to see Malachi smile teasingly. Kenan couldn’t help the flush of embarrassment when he realized he scented the man’s Alpha and mate right in front of him.

 

Malachi chuckled. “It’s all right sweetheart.” He squeezed Kenan’s shoulders. “We all know how much you needed that.”

 

Kenan’s cheeks heated even more. “I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

 

Henry chuffed, or at least did the wolf variation of one, and nudged his snout against Kenan’s cheek. He backed up slightly and lowered his body to the ground.

 

“Come on, sweetheart,” Malachi gave Kenan a gentle push towards the huge wolf laying down. “Climb on. He won’t let you fall.” The older Omega smiled. “I promise.”

 

Kenan stumbled a bit as he tried to right himself on shaky legs. Once he was stable, he finally had the opportunity to fully take in the sight in front of him. Henry lay on the ground with his front paws tucked up under his jaw and his gaze looking up at Kenan with expectation- the far too human expression and Henry’s sheer size the only tells that the wolf in front of him could also take the form of a human. 

 

Kenan stiffened. Maybe, just maybe, he didn’t need to be so afraid. Maybe he got too caught up in the fact that there was the equivalent of a modern dire wolf in front of him to realize that the same wolf could also be human- was also human. And that human, while he did threaten Kenan, made sure he had food and a place to sleep, was letting him heal before sending him back out into the wilds, and even held him through a panic attack. 

 

Knowing all this, maybe there was a chance that Henry didn’t want to hurt Kenan- at least not too much. He definitely had the strength, ability, and right to, but, for some reason, the Alpha hadn’t yet. 

 

Kenan shuffled closer to the gray form and reached out a hand. Soft, warm fur met his fingertips. Then his palm. Then his forearm. Soon after, Kenan hoisted himself fully onto the wolf’s back and plastered himself to the sturdy body beneath him. He gasped when the muscles beneath him shifted against his skin. He hugged himself against Henry even tighter as the Alpha stood up. 

 

“You’ll be running our path, I presume?” Malachi’s voice echoed throughout the clearing.

 

Once again, Kenan felt the sturdy muscles under him shift as Henry nodded his head. Malachi uttered a word of farewell and then they were off.

 

It was absolutely terrifying.

 

Henry waited a couple of steps for Kenan to get acclimated to his gait before speeding up to a run. Kenan gripped Henry’s fur even tighter and buried his face into the Alpha’s pelt. They ran for what felt like hours. The wind whipped over Kenan’s head and pulled at his hair, while the cold nipped the few bits of skin not covered. 

 

While rational Kenan was terrified, his instincts were… weird. They weren’t screaming at him anymore, but they weren’t silent either. The buzzing was back, but this time it felt almost pleasant- giddy even. It was something Kenan had never felt before, and it fucking terrified him.

 

After far too long of a run, Henry slowed down to a slow canter. The wind died down enough that Kenan could finally register the crunch of leaves and branches beneath Henry’s paws. Soon, the crunching gave way to soft thuds that echoed softly around him. Kenan, curiosity winning out over fear, lifted his head from where it was buried between Henry’s shoulder blades.

 

They were in a cave. A huge cave, at least to Kenan, and one rather well lived in it seemed. A series of battery powered lanterns lit the bottom of the cave walls and illuminated the path. Just a couple yards away from the entrance, the path fanned out into a sizable cavern. There were several waterproof plastic bins stacked against the cavern walls, along with a raised metal fire pit full of logs in the center. Henry laid down next to the fire pit and tossed his head to the side. Following the alpha’s silent order, Kenan slipped off of Henry’s back and slumped against the packed dirt floor. Henry shuffled away from Kenan and towards the bins along the wall. His shoulders began to jut out at odd angles, and once again the tell-tale crunch of bones echoed throughout the chamber. Kenan quickly averted his eyes- not wanting to intrude on a particularly vulnerable moment.

 

A couple minutes later, the sound of plastic hitting plastic echoed throughout the cavern prompting Kenan to look back towards where he last saw the wolf. Henry, now very human and still very naked, rummaged through the bins. With a grunt, he pulled out a thick bundle from the bin and tossed it aside. He put the top back on that bin, then moved on to another. He repeated his actions until a pile of assorted objects formed close to the fire pit. 

 

“Malachi and I come here often,” Henry said as he picked up a robe from the top of the pile and put it on. “We first found the cave when we were teenagers and slowly built up our supplies.” He pulled a rolled-up tarp from the bottom of the pile and laid it out close to the wall. “We’ve got plenty of nesting materials, so feel free to set one up however you like.”

 

Kenan looked towards the pile of blankets and pillows still laying in the center of the room. They looked clean and fluffy, and the two long body pillows would make an excellent edging and he could use the smaller ones to pad the center and-

 

He jerked his hand away from the pile and held it close to his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, took a deep breath, then looked back at Henry. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “But I don’t nest.”

 

Henry raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. I think you’re the only Omega who doesn’t. Even Malachi took to it soon after we figured he was one.” The Alpha gathered up the remaining pillows in his arms and dumped them on the tarp. He shuffled them around a bit then sat down in the middle of the haphazard mess. “Come on then,” Henry held out his arms in invitation. “We have a lot to discuss.”

 

“Uh,” Kenan hesitated as he looked at the sad pillow arrangement in front of him. The two body pillows crossed over in a most inconvenient way and the blankets were bunched up uselessly in the center. He shuffled closer to the edge of the tarp and kicked a pillow into its proper place before sitting down. “So, uh,” he wrapped his arms around himself. “What do we need to talk about?”

 

Henry looked Kenan up and down appraisingly. “You’re not shiftless.”

 

“What?” Kenan looked at Henry in confusion. “But I’ve never shifted before. Doesn’t that mean-?”

 

Henry shook his head. “Your instincts are far too strong for a shiftless wolf. In fact, I would say that your instincts are actually stronger than most werewolves.” He gave Kenan a pointed look. “That would also explain why you haven’t shifted yet. You’re probably too scared to.”

 

Kenan reeled back in shock. “Too scared? I don’t- What does that-”

 

Henry held up his hand. “It’s more common than you think- especially for those with particularly strong instincts or in traumatic situations.” He sighed heavily. “And it seems like you had the misfortune of dealing with both.”

 

Kenan opened his mouth to retort, but bit back his response. After the last couple of days and his instincts being on a hair-pin trigger, he could see why Henry came to the conclusion that his instincts were too strong. But the so-called traumatic situation on the other hand…

 

“But I was fine at my old pack,” Kenan assured the Alpha. “I had a normal childhood and everything. I mean, things did change a bit when they figured out I was shiftless, but they didn’t kick me out.”

 

Henry raised an eyebrow. “Kenan, that’s the bare minimum of how they should have handled your case. I’ve had some dealings with other modern packs, and none of their rules and philosophies match your old pack’s. None of them had any rules about having to have children at least.”

 

Kenan… Kenan didn’t know how to process that revelation. His old pack was his whole world. Their rules were law and he just assumed that was how things were run everywhere. But to learn that they were not, to find out that he didn’t have to live that way…

 

“I know you may not believe me,” Henry continued when Kenan remained silent, “and I know that my pack is not the pinnacle of Omega rights, but we’re not going to treat you like your old pack Kenan.” He shuffled closer to the hunched Omega. “We won't force you to have kids, or work when you’re not well, or eat last, or any of those other asinine, bigoted rules they imposed on you. We’re not going to tell you that your value lies in what you can give us or in how strong you are.” He cradled Kenan’s cheek. “Kenan, pup,” he lifted Kenan’s head so that he could look him in the eyes, “You’re valuable because you’re you .”

 

A single tear made its way down Kenan’s cheek. Then another, and another, and another until they were falling in a silent stream down his face. Henry made to pull his hand away, but Kenan grabbed it and pushed it even harder against his cheek. He couldn’t believe Henry’s words- wouldn’t believe Henry’s words. They were probably nothing more than sweet nothings he cooed at all distressed pack members. He didn’t mean them. After all, Kenan would be leaving after a few weeks.

 

But for now he would allow himself to pretend that Henry meant every word.

Notes:

Guess what...

Now we can finally move on to the main plot! Woooooo!!!

Chapter 11: An Encounter

Notes:

I'm alive... barely. Life keeps throwing character development arcs at me and I'm so tired of it. I just want to settle down and be happy.

I ended up rewriting this chapter three times. I'm still not 100 percent happy with it, but I know if I don't post what I have now I won't post at all. I finished it in the wee hours of the morning, so the grammar may not be grammaring. Also languages are weird- something I figured out after trying to learn a second language and having to use it in everyday situations.

Okay I'll stop rambling and let y'all read. As always, unbetaed. I hope my story gives you a little escape from the crazy thing called life

“According to tradition, werewolves were originally a part of a fae species of animal shifters,” Ezra explained while opening up a bookmarked page and tapping a highlighted passage. “Sidheag and O’Connery theorized that a combination of the increase in the human population and interspecies fighting caused the shifter species to splinter into individual factions based on their animal shifts.” He pulled out another book from the stack on the table and flipped to another bookmarked page. “It was Mason that first suggested that werewolves became their own species after settling close to human civilizations and trying to integrate with them, thus leading to an increase in wolf shifter specific myths and the solidification of werewolves as a species separate from other animal shifters.” Ezra continued his rambling as he set the book next to the one already in front of Kenan.

 

The poor Omega’s mind reeled from the influx of information. He was already overwhelmed from the events of last Thursday. Three days was not nearly enough to process everything that happened in the cave as well as the aftermath. When Henry and Kenan got back to the pack house, they were met with the sight of dozens of people clustered around the clearing. Malachi, Ezra, and Oliver had stood at the center of the cluster and were the first to notice their entrance, but when they went silent everyone followed. Henry had pulled Kenan back into his chest and let loose a low growl that had Kenan’s instincts tilting his head back as far as it could go. Henry then wrapped his hand around Kenan’s throat in a gesture that had his instincts singing yet his mind racing. It meant something, he knew. What exactly, Kenan didn’t know. The only other time an Alpha held their hands around Kenan’s throat was as a threat, but the way Henry did it felt…different.

 

Kenan’s head throbbed as Ezra pulled out yet another book to show him. The Omega rubbed his temples in a poor attempt to ease the pressure.

 

“Now Sidheag and O’Connery were the first to suggest that werewolves' strict power hierarchy came from our fae ancestry, but Mason suggested that interactions with human settlements influenced how the hierarchies are formed.” Ezra turned to hand Kenan the book. “His apprentice-” Ezra stopped his rambling and set the book down. “Kenan, are you alright?” 

 

Kenan sighed heavily. “Yes, just a little overwhelmed.” He stared at the lines of color coded and highlighted text. “Everything’s just…” He trailed off. There were dozens of words he could use to describe all that had happened, but none of them seemed to fully encapsulate every single swirling emotion and thought he had.

 

Ezra smiled in understanding. “A lot?” He filled in. The Alpha placed his hand on the back of Kenan’s neck and gently squeezed. Kenan slumped in relief as his headache quickly abated. 

“You had a lot happen in the past couple of days. I’m sure it’s all been confusing.” He took his hand off of Kenan and started to put the books away. “We’ll stop here for the night. Unfortunately Henry, Malachi, and I have some business to take care of and Oliver is on border patrol duty tonight. Bo and Tristan offered to take care of you tonight though, so you’ll stick with them.” Ezra looked over to where the two men were sitting and snorted.

 

Kenan looked over to find the object of Ezra’s amusement. There, on one of the tables closest to the library door, Bo had arranged a rather impressive book tower that Tristan was using as a book stand. Kenan’s lips twitched in a slight grin. “I don’t mind,” he admitted shyly. “I like hanging out with them.”

 

Ezra’s smile widened. “That’s good to hear,” he replied. “I would be lying if I said the den and I weren’t worried about you after this weekend.” The Alpha’s grin morphed into something more akin to concern. “I know you’re scared, but holing up in your room isn’t going to help. It’s not healthy being that isolated.”

 

“I know,” Kenan murmured. He knew isolation wasn’t healthy, but the pack had made it very obvious that they did not appreciate his presence. History had taught him that any attempts to force himself into a pack’s good graces would only make things worse for him.

 

“Good.” Ezra stood up from the table and pushed his chair in. “I hate to leave you, but I do have a meeting to attend. I’ll check in on you later tonight though.”

 

“Okay,” Kenan replied as he stood up from his chair. “I’ll see you then.”

 

Ezra reached out a hand and curled it around the back of Kenan’s neck. He then leaned down and grazed Kenan’s cheek with his. It was a quick exchange, but it still had Kenan’s instincts purring in delight. The Omega stared up at Ezra with wide eyes. 

 

“What was- why did you-”

 

“Just a little scent mark, Omega,” Ezra assured. “It’s a little less subtle than others, but, well…” Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. “It just felt right.”

 

“Wow,” Bo whistled and threw his arm around Ezra’s shoulders. “Looks like someone’s starting to act on his claim, doesn’t it Tristan?”

 

Tristan gave Ezra an appraising look. “That couldn’t be it.” He drawled. The Alpha raised an eyebrow. “I highly doubt Henry would have approved things that quickly given the circumstances. And you and I both know Ezra wouldn’t disrespect his den Alpha’s decisions.”

 

Ezra shoved Bo’s arm off of his shoulders. “What happens in my den is none of your business. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he glanced at Kenan- his cheeks a tad bit redder, “I really do have a meeting.” The Alpha dodged another of Bo’s attempts to grapple him and darted out of the room. Bo went to follow him, but Tristan snatched him by the collar before he could get far.

 

Kenan blinked as he tried to process everything that just happened. Well, more specifically he was trying to process the meaning of one word. “Um,” he looked towards Tristan. “What did Bo mean by a claim?”

 

Both Alphas froze. Bo shot Tristan a pleading look, and the other Alpha answered with an exasperated look of his own. After a couple more seconds of a silent back and forth, Tristan sighed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. “It’s… complicated,” he began. “One of the many traditions Original packs maintain, but is often criticized by more modern packs. Although, that is mostly because they misunderstand it- which seems to be a common issue with modern packs,” Tristan grumbled. 

 

That definitely didn’t sound promising. Just the word claim has Kenan conjuring images of brutal subjugations and forced submission and other similar horrors. If modern packs, like Kenan’s, detested the practice, then it must be truly horrific. 

 

“According to historians,” Tristan continued, “the practice came about as a way to mitigate fights between Alphas when new Omegas were brought into the pack. A specific set of rules was developed to determine who was given first rights to court the Omegas. Things like the Alphas higher in the hierarchy got courting rights before those lower in the hierarchy, and lower ranking Alphas couldn’t court the Omegas until the Alphas above them waived their courting rights.” He explained. 

 

“Your situation falls under one of the special rules, though,” Bo piped up. “In your case, Ezra has a claim on you because he was the Alpha who first found and saved you. Rank doesn’t matter in that instance.” He grinned. “Which means that if Tristan and I found you, we would have the right to court you first instead of having to wait for Henry to for-,” Tristan slapped Bo upside the head to cut him off.

 

“None of that,” Tristan admonished. “Poor Kenan already has enough on his plate. He doesn’t need to worry about being courted into a den.” He looked down at his watch. “Now come on. It’s close to six and it’s barbecue night. If they run out of pulled chicken again you’re sleeping on the couch.”

 

Any questions Kenan might have had were forgotten as Bo grabbed Kenan’s hand and made a beeline for the cafeteria. Apparently barbecue night was a big deal in this pack, as by the time they go to the large room, there was already a line to the door of people waiting to be served. “Fuck,” Tristan swore. Two older women in front of him whipped around to face him. One of them opened her mouth and was about to say something, but once she saw Kenan squished between Tristan and Bo, she closed her mouth and turned back around. Her friend was not cowed by Kenan’s presence.

 

“You know better than to use such harsh language, Alpha Tristan,” the woman admonished. She glanced at Kenan. “Especially in the presence of an Omega.” Tristan sputtered out an apology, but the woman merely brushed it off before settling her attention back on Kenan. “Don’t let them walk over you, Omega. I would expect an Omega from a modern pack to demand more respect.” She huffed.

 

Kenan flinched at her reprimand. While her voice was new, he was intimately familiar with the tone. Years of conditioning had his body moving on the defensive- shoulders hunching up and head ducking down to make himself as small as possible while exposing the back of his neck. “Yes ma’am,” he whimpered. He knew better than to apologize. Apologies only earned him more ire.

 

Tristan stepped forward in front of Kenan while Bo pulled the shivering Omega into his side. “That was uncalled for, Beta Irene,” he growled. “Not only is it not your place to reprimand him, you know nothing of the pack he came from.”

 

The woman, Beta Irene, scoffed. “Well I know enough to assume his old pack Alpha was weak if a pitiful thing like him could kill them.”

 

Kenan flinched again.

 

“Enough, Beta,” Bo warned. “You are attacking a weaker wolf. You have no honor in this fight.”

 

“Honor?” Irene sneered. “Where was your concern about honor when our pack Alpha accepted an Alpha Killer into our pack instead of killing him like our laws dictate? He’s letting a criminal walk free in our pack and you want to lecture me about honor, Alpha?” She scrunched her nose in disgust. “Pathetic.”

 

The burnt, acrid scent of the Beta’s ire burned Kenan’s nose. The line for food had long since been abandoned. Instead, the bystanders formed a loose ring around the bickering wolves. The weight of their attention made his chest tight and his breathing became labored. Fear shot through his body like lightning. Kenan bit back a whine.

 

Bo tugged Kenan even further into his body. “Beta,” he snapped. “Any more disobedience will be taken as a challenge. Now stop-”

 

“What do we have here?”

 

Time seemed to freeze.

 

A large figure weaved its way through the crowd until it settled inside the loose circle of people.

 

Everyone turned to face the newcomer. Like many of the Alphas Kenan had seen in the pack, the new Alpha was broad and muscular. Something in the back of Kenan’s mind prickled at the sight of the Alpha. It felt… weird. Like Kenan should know who this man was, but he couldn’t find the memory.

 

“Is everything all right, Beta Irene?” The newcomer asked. “I couldn’t help but overhear your concerns about the Omega currently under our care.”

 

Irene bowed her head slightly. “My apologies, Alpha Micah. I didn't mean to cause a scene. I let my emotions get the best of me.”

 

Micah smiled. “I understand your concerns, Beta Irene. I’m sure many other people have similar concerns about having an Alpha Killer in the pack.” 

 

“I’m glad you understand,” Irene replied. “Omega or not, it's hard not to be wary of such a wolf.”

 

“Absolutely, Beta Irene. I agree with you wholeheartedly.”  Micah walked closer to the small group. “I myself have my reservations about keeping an Alpha Killer in the pack, but when I brought it to his attention, my dear cousin asked that I meet the wolf before passing judgment.” He stopped a few feet in front of Bo and Kenan. “Alpha Tristan. Alpha Bo,” he nodded in greeting. “Release the Omega.”

 

For a second, Kenan thought Bo was going to ignore the Alpha’s command. His grip on Kenan tightened for a moment, but a quick hiss of warning from Tristan forced him to release the Omega in his hold. Kenan stumbled a bit as his body readjusted to holding its own weight, and he grabbed onto Tristan to keep himself upright. 

 

Something flickered in Micah’s eyes. It was too fast for Kenan’s mind to comprehend, but it still made his stomach tighten in anxiety. 

 

“Come here, Omega,” the Alpha coaxed.

 

It was an order. Even veiled in a sweet voice, Kenan recognized it for what it was. He felt the truth in his bones. This was not a man to disobey.

 

On unsteady feet, Kenan edged closer to the Alpha. Time seemed to slow once Kenan was in front of the man. Micah’s gaze seemed to bore into him. The intensity of the Alpha’s stare had Kenan’s skin prickling- a stark reminder of his nakedness. Unconsciously, he bared his neck. Once again, something flashed in Micah’s eyes and his gaze transformed from appraising to something more… hungry.

 

Kenan couldn’t suppress the whimper.

 

“You’re a pitiful little thing aren’t you,” Micah cooed- soft enough that only Kenan and those close could here. He reached out and grasped Kenan’s jaw. “You don’t have the strength to hurt a fly, let alone an Alpha.” He lifted Kenan’s chin up so that his neck was fully bared.

 

Kenan didn’t even think about fighting him.

 

Micah released Kenan’s jaw and slowly dragged his hand down Kenan’s throat. It felt possessive in a way, and had enough pressure behind it to be deemed a threat.

 

“Malachi was right,” the Alpha mused. “You are a submissive little thing. Definitely no threat to us.” He paused his hand directly over Kenan’s Adam's apple, then squeezed. Kenan’s heart pounded and he fought hard to keep his hands from flying up and trying to pry the hand off his thought. 

 

After a moment, Micah pulled his hand off of Kenan’s throat and stepped away. He hummed in approval when Kenan didn’t move from the position he put him in. “Relax, Omega.” He ordered.

 

Immediately, Kenan dropped his head back down.

 

Micah smirked. “Now,” Micah addressed the crowd, “I understand your concerns about him being an Alpha Killer, but based on what we observed just now, I think we can all agree he is not a threat as he is now.” He gave Kenan a thoughtful look. “Perhaps there were special circumstances that led to his Alpha’s death. Is that correct, Omega?” 

 

“Yes Alpha,” Kenan answered meekly.

 

Micah turned to Irene. “Does that ease your concerns, Beta Irene? If not, I’ll be more than willing to speak with Henry on your behalf.” 

 

Irene waved her hand. “Oh no, what you did was more than enough. I don’t think I’ve even seen Omega Malachi put on such a submissive display as that one.”

 

“I agree,” Micah replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was that submissive with Betas,” he chuckled. Now then,” Micah gestured towards the food stations, “shall we resume waiting for the food? My work took me out of the territory for the last barbecue night, and I do miss Maggie’s pulled chicken.” He smiled charmingly before seamlessly blending into the line- ahead of everyone.

 

The rest of the crowd murmured in agreement and molded themselves back into a line behind Micah. Tristan gently guided Kenan out of the line and into his side. “Bo, go grab us something from the kitchen,” he ordered quietly. “We’ll just eat in a community room. I’ll text you which one” Bo nodded and made his way to the kitchen.

 

Tristan sighed and walked Kenan out of the cafeteria. They wandered the halls a bit before Tristan found an empty common room and flipped the occupied sign.

 

“Well,” he sighed as he plopped down on the plush couch in the middle of the room. “I’m going to send Ezra an update on what happened. Feel free to make yourself comfortable while we wait for Bo to bring us food.” He nodded towards a small chest of drawers in the corner of the room. “There’s some nesting materials in those drawers if you want them. They’re washed regularly with scent neutralizing detergent, so they shouldn’t have a scent on them. Let me know if you need any help.” He pulled out his phone and started typing.

 

Kenan stood there for a moment, still in a daze from all that happened. His hand trailed the same path as Micah’s had. A small part of his mind screamed at him in warning. Micah’s behavior and attitude, it all was intimately familiar. It seems that Kenan was right not to believe in Henry’s platitudes.

 

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Just three more weeks. He just had to get through three more weeks then he could run into the woods and leave it all behind. No matter how loud his instincts screamed at him to stay, Kenan knew better. 

 

Kenan lowered himself onto the couch opposite of Tristan and pulled his knees into his chest. 

 

And waited.

Chapter 12: The Same But Not

Notes:

Hey guys. Long time no see. I kind of lost my motivation for the story for a bit. I started this chapter at least five different times, but nothing felt right. But today I got a comment that made me want to try again, and the words just started flowing. It's taking a way different turn than I planned, but I kind of like it. I'm playing ping pong with Kenan's emotional state, but that should settle soon.

P.S. Please forgive the style and tone change. It has been a little under a year since I last sat down to right this story, so my style has changed a bit. Alas that is the plight of people who update as they write.

P.S.S. Thank you guys. I often forget that I exist outside of myself, but you all remind me that I do in fact exist in the world and inspire me to participate in it. Anyways, I'm sleep deprived and hungry, so I'm rambling. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

The cafeteria ran out of pulled chicken. The universe had a funny way of adding insult to injury, and Kenan couldn’t help but feel bad for Bo as he tiptoed into the room with a plate full of brisket and eyes brimming with apologies. Kenan couldn’t help but wince in sympathy at the look Tristan shot him. For a second, it seemed like Bo would really be sleeping on the couch that night, but fortunately for him Tristan seemed to be understanding of the other Alpha’s plight and accepted the offering with a heavy sigh.

“Micah’s faction was having a field day in the cafeteria,” Bo complained as he sunk into the couch cushion beside Tristan. “I wouldn’t be surprised if tonight’s event becomes the main gossip by tomorrow morning. He dropped his head on Tristan’s shoulder and looked at Kenan with pity. “You really can’t catch a break, little buddy.”

Something broke in Kenan at those words. Years of memories and feelings buried deep clawed their way to the surface, and a realization slammed into Kenan like a freight train. It came out as a strangled snort at first, but quickly morphed into sharp, bark-like laughs. Bo and Tristan both jumped at the sudden noise and looked at Kenan with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Kenan wheezed between laughs. “But that encounter with Micah was probably the most normal thing to happen since I came here.” His lungs spasmed at his effort and his laughs quickly devolved into coughs. Once his lungs settled, he looked back at the two Alpha’s gazing at him with shock and concern. He smiled ruefully. “I’m starting to think I’ve never had a break in my life.”

A beat of silence passed, then two, then three before finally Tristan and Bo seemed to shake from whatever stupor Kenan’s breakdown sent them into. They shot each other a look before looking back at Kenan. “So what Micah did, that is normal for you?” Tristan asked hesitantly.

Kenan took a deep breath and sank further back into the couch. “It didn’t happen everyday, but that level of submission is just… expected.” He closed his eyes. “Whatever was asked of me, I was expected to do. I did do. It was how you earned your place in the pack, at the dinner table, in the pack house.”

“Was that also expected of other wolves?” A new voice asked from the doorway.

Kenan opened his eyes to see Henry and the rest of his den at the door, then closed them again. His throat was already bared, so he felt no need to change his position. “We all had our jobs,” he murmured. “The stronger wolves hunted, or got permission to take jobs in the closest town or city. The women and weaker male wolves stayed on pack lands to take care of the children and the buildings. A non-shifter like me, well,” Kenan sighed. “I learned to do what I was told- whatever I was told.”

The cushions beside Kenan dipped down as Henry sat beside him- his scent filling his nose. “And that… philosophy. That extends to Micah?”

“He’s higher ranking than me, isn’t he?” Kenan tilted his head back even farther. “You all are.”

“So if I told you to get on your knees right now, you would do it?”

Kenan opened his eyes and looked Henry in the eyes. “Do you want me too? I could even suck your cock if you ordered me too.”

The room froze. Kenan looked around the room at everybody’s faces. Shock, horror, disgust- it was all there. He didn’t care anymore. Maybe he shouldn’t have cared at all.

“You’re being incredibly… forthcoming today.” Henry stated. “Did something change?”

Kenan tilted his head back again. “I just realized something, I guess.”

“And that is?”

“It’s all the same.” He answered simply. “I don’t have to be confused because you’re all the same.” He smiled softly. “I know what to expect now.”

It was just silence after that. The fear, his instincts, all of it was finally quiet. He knew this game, what was expected of him. He knew he could never win and accepted that. Maybe things would have been easier if he realized it earlier.

The silence drew on longer. For how long Kenan didn’t quite know, but eventually Henry shifted off the couch.

“Go ahead to your room and get some sleep,” he ordered. “You have to attend the council tomorrow morning, and you need all the energy you can get.” After that he left the room- his bitter, gasoline tinged scent fading behind him. Malachi, Ezra, and Oliver followed behind him, albeit more slowly, but soon enough Kenan was left alone with his two guards.

For once, it was Bo and Tristan who were lost for words. It was obvious in the way their mouths gaped like fish gasping for oxygen and in the way their eyes darted back and forth between Kenan and each. After a moment, they finally seemed to come to a conclusion. Bo and Tristan nodded at each other.

“Kenan,” Tristan began- his voice gentle like he was trying to coax a child, “Since your room doesn’t have a lock on it, Bo and I thought it would be safer for you to spend the night with us.” He paused and looked at Kenan- his gazed mixed with pity and another emotion Kenan couldn’t quite pinpoint. “Would that… would that be okay with you?”

Kenan, now understanding that any question was actually an order, looked closer at the two Alpha’s before him. “Yes,” he murmured. “That would be fine.”

The two Alpha’s quarters were similar to Kenan’s, though theirs had a lock, the nest was replaced with a real bed, and of course they had a small couch placed against the wall. It wasn’t long after Kenan took in this information that Tristan started stripping the bed and Bo rifled through the cabinets. A couple minutes later the bed had a fresh pair of sheets on it and the old sheets were arranged on the floor in between the door and the bed.

“You can take the bed,” Bo said as he laid some pillows on the ground. “The sheets are unscented, but I can go get yours if you would prefer those.”

Kenan shook his head. “These are fine, but I don’t mind sleeping on the floor instead. It is your bed after all.”

“I’m afraid that’s a non-negotiable.” Tristan responded. “We would be terrible Alpha’s if we forced an Omega to sleep on the floor.”

Kenan didn’t respond. He spent plenty of time on the floor so his Alpha could have the whole bed, but who was he to argue with an Alpha. They would always get what they wanted in the end.

Bo placed a hand on the Omega’s shoulder. “We have an ensuite like yours, so you can go ahead and wash up before bed. I’ll run and grab a fresh pair of boxers for you.” He squeezed Kenan’s shoulder then lightly pushed him in the direction of the bathroom. Kenan did as he was told, and in no time he was freshly showered and laying in the unscented bed with the snores of two Alpha’s lulling him to sleep.

The next morning came earlier than he would have liked, but it always did. Kenan woke up feeling detached from his body like he usually did after forced displays of submission. His limbs felt heavy and light at the same time and his head was stuffed with cotton. He floated through Bo and Tristan getting ready, through breakfast, through the halls, until he somehow landed in a conference room filled with people and that all too familiar bitter, gasoline tinged scent.

“I called this emergency meeting to update the council on the situation with the packless Omega we recently took in.” Henry glanced around the room. “It has also come to my attention that several of our pack’s members fear for their safety, and I would like to put those fears to rest.”

The murmurs started after his statement. Kenan floated in his chair as everyone’s attention turned towards him. A distant part of him felt fear prickle through him, but that part was muffled. He felt it, but not really.

Henry cleared his throat and all attention fell back on him. “Before I address individual concerns, I would like to explain how this all came to be.” He gestured towards Ezra. “Alpha Ezra , my second, found the Omega in the woods during a routine patrol. According to him, the Omega was near death and displaying intense submissive signals. After he discovered him…”

The longer Henry talked, the higher Kenan floated. He was no longer of his body and with each passing minute he felt himself slip away more and more. Sleep normally helped bring him down- along with time. Though sometimes that meant spending days or weeks with his mind detached from his body.

“You neglected to mention that he is an Alpha Killer,” Micah’s shrewd voice rang across the room. The fear prickling under his skin grew louder, but not loud enough for Kenan to care. He knew Micah’s type. He knew how to appease him.

“And you already demonstrated that he is not a threat,” Henry answered coolly. “In an arguably inappropriate manner may I add.”

Micah tilted his chin up in a silent challenge. “I was merely fulfilling my duty as a council member and reassuring my packmates that their Pack Alpha didn’t allow a dangerous killer to roam freely amongst the pack. But if that is not appropriate then I will leave them to cower in fear until their Pack Alpha deems it appropriate.” He answered- his voice dripping with condescension.

“You forget yourself,” Malachi snarled. Henry grabbed his mate’s shoulders as the Omega launched forward. “Those words are nearly a challenge.”

Micah held his hands up placatingly. “I meant no challenge,” he simpered. “Though I would advise you, Alpha Henry, to have better control of your Omega. His actions reflect you, and it does not speak well of your ability to lead the pack if you can’t even control your Omega.” He smirked.

Micah’s words stirred the previously silent councill. Murmurs of challenges and questions of Henry’s fitness to lead buzzed around the room as Malachi’s snarl grew even more feral and Henry was forced to use more force to keep him in place.

“Enough,” Henry’s command echoed through the room. “Alpha Micah, Malachi is correct in stating that your words are nearing a challenge. One more comment like that and we will meet on the Challenge Grounds.” Micah paled slightly, but his smirk remained. Henry glared at Micah for a second longer before turning his attention to the irate Omega beside him. ”Malachi, you are dismissed. We will discuss your behavior in private.” Malachi’s jaw clenched, but he ultimately conceded and excused himself from the table. With a nod from Henry, Ezra followed Malachi out the room.

Once the door clicked shut, all attention settled back on Henry. “I understand why some may be questioning my decision to delay a public display of submission from the Omega,” he started. “But I had my reasons. The first being the state of the Omega’s health upon discovery. He was extremely malnourished and had several concerning injuries. A display of submission then would have exacerbated those injuries. Alpha Killer or not, it is against pack law to knowingly let an Omega suffer.” Several of the council members nodded in agreement, though more still looked unconvinced. “Furthermore,” Henry continued, “his psychological state indicated he experienced severe trauma and stress. More often than not, he was in an instinct haze and Malachi and I were worried that his ability to understand his position would be compromised.” He gave the council members a meaningful look. “To push an Omega to publicly display submission without the understanding of why they must do so is also against our pack laws.” He looked at Micah pointedly. “Just in case anyone needs to be reminded.” Micah’s jaw tightened and he lowered his head. The people next to him gave him looks of disdain before turning back towards Henry.

Kenan was still floating, albeit not as high. The gentle buzz of Henry further explaining his reasoning for keeping Kenan instead of killing him filled the room. It was a lot, really, and the complex legal-like nature of Henry’s argument ensured that Kenan focused on everything but the Alpha’s speech. He didn’t really need to anyways. He would just do what he was told.

“Now that we are all on the same page about why I allowed the Omega to temporarily enter the pack, there is one more thing I would like to discuss.” Henry glanced at Kenan. “Recently, there has been some evidence that the Omega suffered at the hands of his old pack. It seems they did not take kindly to him not shifting before the age of twelve, and mistreated him severely because of that.” Henry looked away from Kenan. “Last night, it has also come to my attention that the mistreatment may have very well crossed into Omega abuse.”

Kenan slammed back into his body as the room erupted into murmurs of outrage. He opened his mouth to speak but the words dried in his throat. It wasn’t abuse. It was just the way things worked. Micah knew that. Henry knew that so why…

“Due to that possibility, I want to put forward an emergency vote that changes the Omegas status to a protected refugee and have my den given guardianship of him while the investigation of his old pack takes place.” Henry nodded towards an older gentleman close to him.

The man stood up and raised his hand. “All in favor of maintaining the Omega’s status as a guarded temporary guest, raise your hand.” A little over a quarter of the room raised their hands- Micah included. Once the man finished counting and Henry confirmed it, he ordered everyone to put their hands down. “Now, all in favor of changing the Omega’s status to a protected refugee and giving the Alpha Den custody over him, raise your hand.” Even without the exact numbers, it was clear what the decision was. Still, the older man finished his count and Henry finalized it.

“With a vote of nine to twenty-two, the council approves the Omega’s status and custody change.” Henry announced to the room. “My den will transfer him to our quarters today and we will alert the Westlands Shifter Federation of his case immediately. This meeting is adjourned.” With that, Henry stood from his chair and made his way towards Kenan.

And Kenan, well Kenan did the only thing he could when he was overwhelmed.

He fainted.

Notes:

Me as I was writing this chapter: Does any of this make sense? Like would Kenan breaking here make sense?

Also me: Remembers the exact moment and thought that completely changed my perspective of the world and my emotional state.

Well it makes sense for me *shrugs*

Chapter 13: An Impromptu Interview

Summary:

Kenan wakes up in a random room again and then has to answer some hard questions.

Notes:

It's been a wild couple of months y'all. I'm going to avoid processing everything and focus on actually delivering the comfort portion of the hurt/comfort tag. More for me than for Kenan but he still gets to benefit from it. As always, not beta read because that would mean someone I know personally would have to read this and that is WAYYYY too embarrassing.

Kenan was nineteen when it all went to hell. Before that too wasn’t great either, but he had Geoffry and the meager protection him being the Pack Alpha’s son offered. Geoffry’s mom died when he was young, so the two were able to bond over the shared trauma losing a parent caused. It wasn’t abnormal for Kenan to be at the Pack Alpha’s house. More often than not if he wasn’t there as Geoffry’s guest, he was there during the transition periods between dens. He had his own toothbrush and dresser drawer and spare sheets. Quite frankly, it was the closest thing Kenan had to a true home.

Then Geoffry went to college and the issue of Kenan being unmated was brought up.

And then he wished he never stepped foot in that house at all.

That lingering feeling of regret tinged Kenan’s consciousness as he woke. He slowly breathed in and out in a half-effort to soothe the anxiety bubbling up in him. It was then that he noticed the scent surrounding him, or more accurately, drowning him.

“You’re awake.”

Kenan blinked the blurriness from his vision and saw Oliver perched on the edge of the nest. The beta quickly typed something on his phone then placed the device on a side table before looking back at Kenan. “May I enter the nest?”

It took a moment for Kenan to process Oliver’s request. Between the overwhelming scent, the lingering fear, and the overwhelming instinct that this nest wasn’t his, Kenan had half a mind to throw himself off the mattress and into the nearest small enclosed space.

But Kenan woke up in a nest saturated in Alpha scent and his last memory before he lost consciousness was of Alphas shouting. The chances of an Alpha placing him in this nest were very high, and Kenan didn’t have the energy to face the consequences of being wrong.

So he ignored the voice in his head telling him to hide and instead let the Beta into the nest. Kenan sniffed traces of Oliver’s scent in the nest already, so he was pretty sure the man was allowed in. Even if he wasn’t, the Omega wasn’t in any position to deny his superiors.

“Malachi would have been here, but Henry needed him to help with filing the motion for investigation against your old pack,” Oliver ducked his head and looked away from Kenan as he slid onto the nest. “Apparently they need a lot of information before even starting to investigate.”

Kenan blinked owlishly. “They’re not going to find anything.” He replied quietly. “I wasn’t abused.”

Oliver looked at Kenan with pitying eyes. “Kenan buddy, I know it’s hard to believe when that’s all you know, but,” he inhaled raggedly, “I need you to understand that what you were forced to do is not normal.”

“But-”

“No,” Oliver repeated firmly, the pity quickly replaced with grim determination. “I went through something similar. My old pack was as misogynistic and bigoted as they come. If you weren’t a cis man and straight and masculine enough for them, you were treated like trash. I thought it was normal too.” He gripped Kenan’s hands even tighter. “But then Ezra came on a diplomatic visit and made me realize how NOT normal it was. I didn’t deserve to be scorned and humiliated just because some asshat of an Alpha thought I was weak. And Kenan you don’t either.”

“Okay.” Kenan whispered in reply. Oliver kept looking at him as if he expected Kenan to say more, but there was nothing left for him to say. It was obvious the beta truly believed what he said, but it made sense. Oliver could shift and fight and offer something of value to the pack. He didn’t need to be submissive to survive like Kenan did. He was worth something. Oliver couldn’t understand the differences in their positions. At the end of the day he solidly earned his place as a beta in this pack. Kenan, as much as he loathed to admit it, earned his spot as an Omega. Besides miraculously shifting, there was nothing he could do to change it.

Kenan was saved from having to explain when Oliver’s phone chirped from its place on the table. The Beta sighed as he released Kenan’s hands and went to check the message. “I’m sorry,” he muttered as he put his phone into his pocket. “But the federation’s agents want to speak with you before they make a decision about pursuing your case. Henry and Malachi need you in their office.”

It took a moment for Kenan to find his way out of the rather large nest. It was softer than he preferred and each step or shuffle had him sinking deeper into the cushions. One particularly ill-placed step ended up with Kenan face planting into the plush pillows. The scent hit him just as hard and he finally pieced together exactly whose nest he was in. He shot Oliver a panicked look, and Oliver, wise as he was, chuckled at Kenan’s expression.

“Malachi is quite fond of plush nests, even if they are difficult to get in and out of. You should see the one in his and Henry’s office. It’s basically all pillows and cushions.” Oliver remarked as he helped Kenan out of the nest. “Hopefully you’ll help him see reason when it comes to his nesting habits. He’s normally a stickler about us not messing with his nests, but he would definitely cave if you asked to change something.”

Kenan didn’t have time to process what Oliver said, as Henry and Malachi’s office was just a couple doors down. Just as Oliver described, a huge, plush nest took up one of the back corners of the room. A plethora of lamps were scattered throughout the room and a large double-sided desk sat in the center of the room. Henry and Malachi sat opposite each other at the desk and were talking to a speakerphone in the center of the desk.

“He’s here now,” Henry directed towards the person on the other end of the line. “I can’t guarantee he’ll be forthcoming, but I won’t deny you the chance to speak with him.”

“Thank you, Pack Alpha Henry.” A tinny voice answered through the speakerphone. “We do prefer to get our information directly from the source when possible.”

Henry rolled his eyes. “Of course, Agent Donnaway. You remind us every single time we talk.”

Kenan missed Agent Donnaway’s reply as Oliver quickly ushered him towards Malachi then sat in the chair next to Henry. The older Omega wasted no time gathering Kenan in his lap and nuzzled his nose into his hair. Kenan melted instantly into Malachi’s arms and the lingering anxiety abated.

“Henry,” Malachi called softly. “We should get this over quickly. It’s not good for him to be out of the nest for long.”

Henry paused mid-retort and looked up at Malachi and Kenan. Whatever he saw made his face soften. “I apologize, my love,” he directed towards Malachi. “It was rude of us to keep you and Kenan out of the nest after this morning’s events.” He shifted his gaze back towards the speakerphone. “Allright Agent Donnaway, you may begin.”

There was a pause before Agent Donnaway spoke again-this time with a noticeably kinder tone. “Hello Kenan,” she started.

“Hello,” he replied quietly.

“My name is Rebecca Donnaway. I’m with the Crimes Against Omegas Unit, and I just had some questions about your old pack.” Another pause. “Can you answer them as honestly as you can?”

Kenan heard the underlying order loud and clear. “Yes ma’am,” he replied.

Agent Donnaway let out a coo of approval. “Wonderful. Can you tell me the name of your pack?”

That… that was a hard one. Kenan didn’t think his pack even had a name, or at least he was never told it. “I don’t know ma’am.”

“Are you sure hun?”

“I really don’t know if we have one. Nobody ever told me.”

“Ah,” Agent Donnaway replied. “Then what about your pack alpha’s name?”

Kenan looked up at Henry nervously. “I, uh, killed him. And I don’t know who took his place.”

Malachi nuzzled deeper into Kenan’s hair. “What was his name, sweetheart? The old pack alpha?”

The younger Omega took a deep breath. “Richard Hughes,” he answered. “His name was Richard Hughes.”

The sound of Agent Donnaway typing echoed through the room. After a while, the typing stopped. “Are you sure hun? I don’t have a record of any pack alphas named Richard Hughes.”

Kenan’s face twisted in confusion. “I’m sure. I think I would know the name of my mate.” He did his best to ignore the alarmed look Henry and Oliver shot him. “His name was Richard Hughes. Kenan Hughes and Ryley Hughes should come up as his mates. Several other packs came to our ceremony.”

“Okay,” Agent Donnaway placated. “I’ll expand my search. Do you know his birthday? That would help me narrow things down. And your birthday as well, please.”

Kenan rattled off the requested dates with ease while doing his best to not make eye contact with anyone in the room. Alpha Hughes was old enough to be Kenan’s father. Hell, before they mated, Kenan considered the old Alpha a sort of father figure. It was an easy thing to do, since Kenan shadowed Geoffry almost everywhere and pretty much lived at the pack house. It was common knowledge in his old pack, which was why Alpha Hughes and Kenan’s mating raised more than a few eyebrows. But in the end what the pack alpha wanted he got, and as the years went by people forgot about their initial hesitations.

“Kenan, sweetheart,” Malachi gently shook him out of whatever stupor he had fallen into. Kenan looked up at Malachi-baring his neck to the rest of the room in the process. “There you are,” Malachi cooed. “Agent Donnaway has a couple more questions. Do you think you’ll be able to answer them? Or do you want to end here and go back to the nest?”

“I’m fine,” Kenan assured the older Omega. “I just got lost in my thoughts.”

“I just have two more questions,” Agent Donnaway confirmed. “And then I’ll have enough to determine if we need to open an investigation within my unit.” Kenan looked at the speakerphone as the agent took a deep breath. “Kenan, pup, did you want to mate Richard Hughes?”

Kenan blinked as he tried to process the question. He knew how he should answer it- how he had answered it whenever he was pulled aside by one of the older mothers in his old pack or the rare male who balked at the large age gap. But when Kenan opened up his mouth to answer, the word refused to come out. He didn’t want to lie anymore- couldn’t lie anymore.

“No,” Kenan choked out the word. The internal panic at the forbidden admission threatened to over take him, but Agent Donnaway had already moved onto the next question and he refused to break down before the interrogation was over.

“Did you ever fear for your life and safety during the years you were mated?”

“Yes,” Kenan answered. “Every day of my life.”

The office was largely silent except the distant sound of typing from the speakerphone and Kenan’s ragged breathing. Henry looked murderous and Malachi tightened his grip on Kenan’s midsection to an almost uncomfortable degree.

Finally, Agent Donnaway spoke up. “I’ll be down with a team in about two days. It sounds like this will be a multi-department case and coordinating will take some time. But Kenan,” Agent Donnaway softened her voice, “I’m saying this off the record and as an alpha. Not as an agent for the federation.” She took a deep breath. “I’m glad that you killed Alpha Hughes. And if anyone, and I mean anyone,” Henry bristled at the thinly-veiled call-out, “holds that over you and mistreats you because of that, let me know and I’ll find a better placement for you in a different pack. You shou-”

“We’ll see you in two days, Agent Donnaway.” Henry ended the call in the middle of Agent Donnaway’s protests. He growled at the speaker phone before turning back towards Kenan.

“Don’t trust her,” Henry huffed. “She’s very good at what she does, but it’s no secret her den and pack is looking for an Omega. She’s probably hoping you’ll come to her and she’ll have an excuse to place you in her pack.” His lips twisted into a small sneer. “She’s always had an issue with keeping her hands to herself and trying to take what’s not hers.”

Malachi sighed heavily. “She’s just trying to make sure Kenan feels safe,” Malachi assured. “She won’t try anything again. I’m sure she learned her lesson after she tried to court Oliver and ended up with a black eye.”

Henry’s sneer morphed into an almost thoughtful look. “Maybe we need to have Ezra teach Kenan how to throw a punch too,” he mused. “Getting socked by both a Beta and an Omega would be an effective lesson.”

“Please don’t bring that up around her again,” Oliver groaned.. “It was probably the worst punch I had ever thrown.”

Malachi chuckled as he slid Kenan off of his lap. “Maybe, but the look on her face when you made out with Ezra right after will forever be one of my favorite memories.”

Kenan didn’t have time to process Malachi’s words before the older Omega lifted him up and carried him out of the room and back to the nest he woke up in.

Chapter 14: Friends or Foes

Notes:

Long time no see. Things got super hectic, but the good news is I got into grad school (again). This time it's something I actually want to do, so I have high hopes.

It took me a bit to write this chapter. I think I wrote about five different versions before settling on this one. Things are beginning to ramp up though! I hope you enjoy it :)

Agent Donnaway didn’t look anything like Kenan expected. Every other Alpha that Kenan knew was large, muscular, and, well, male. Agent Donnaway was none of those things.

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Alpha Donnaway said softly, tucking a strand of curly brown hair behind her head. Kenan couldn’t help but stare as the female alpha reached out a hand in greeting. Her hand was warm and soft on his. She smelled like a warm spring day with a hint of alpha musk- a strangely wonderful mix that had Kenan leaning in closer ever so slightly. He wouldn’t mind having that scent in his nest, a fact that Agent Donnaway must have sensed as her scent bloomed even stronger and her grin widened. A tingling warmth settled in Kenan’s gut.

“That’s close enough,” Henry growled. Strong arms tugged Kenan back into a firm chest. Henry’s scent flooded his nose- chasing away the last vestiges of Agent Donnaway’s floral musk. “He’s still under my packs protection and I won’t have any strange Alphas sniffing around him.” He glared at the group of people behind her. Some were larger in stature, the Alphas Kenan assumed, while others had the familiar builds of Betas like Oliver. A pair of Betas in crisp office attire stood out from the rest of the group. They were the only ones not carrying bags.

Agent Donnaway rolled her eyes. Even though she was only a little bit taller than Kenan and looked more lean than muscular, she still held an aura of authority that had Kenan’s instincts buzzing under his skin urging him to keep her happy. “Good to see that some things never change,” she snarked. “How Malachi tolerates your possessive bullshit I’ll never know.”

“Easy,” Malachi said as he slid next to Kenan and snaked a hand behind Kenan’s neck. “I have quite a possessive streak myself.” He leaned down and nuzzled his cheek against Kenan’s cheek. Kenan couldn’t help but melt deeper in Henry’s embrace as the tingling warmth intensified. Much to his embarrassment, he felt a quiet trill vibrate in his chest.

“Well at least it seems to be reciprocated,” Agent Donnaway mused. She glanced at the two lone Betas. “Even though we still have to do the placement interviews for a paper trail, I don’t see anything that concerns me right now.” She stepped away from the group and the buzzing under Kenan’s skin calmed, but only slightly. “First I want to tackle the question of Kenan’s old pack.” She nodded towards the people laden with bags behind her. “I assume we’ll be in the same cabins as always? I expect this investigation will take a bit.”

Henry shifted behind Kenan. “The cabins should work,” the larger Alpha grunted. “I’ll have Bo and Tristan escort you there so you guys can settle in. You all can take your meals in the cafeteria, or ask the meal staff to pack go bags for you if you want to eat in privacy.”

Agent Donnaway raised an eyebrow. “Already trying to keep me away?” Her lips quirked in a bemused grin. “While my team and I would be fine with that, the two social workers assigned to Kenan have already stated they wished to see every detail of Kenan’s current life here.” She looked meaningfully at Kenan. “They don’t acknowledge the old laws like you do.” It wasn’t until then that Kenan fully registered his nakedness. Somehow in the last few days, he had grown relatively comfortable with it. No one batted an eye, and if they did, it was only at the sight of the brand on his back. But in front of all these new people? Kenan pushed himself even more into Henry’s chest.

“Should we get the challenge ground ready?” Malachi replied. His tone was joking, but his grip on Kenan’s neck tightened at his words.

Agent Donnaway shook her head. “No you should be okay. They’re better than some of the other social workers I’ve worked with. A little stuck up, but they know when to bend when needed. I’ll eat dinner with you guys to help run interference.” She eyed Henry and Malachi’s grip on Kenan. “They’re going to push, but even I can tell that your den is a good fit for him.”

Relaxing his grip on Kenan’s neck, Malachi grinned. “Thank you Rebecca. Things have been quite a bit better now that his here.” His hand lifted from Kenan’s neck to rustle his hair.

Henry only hugged Kenan tighter. “Dinner is at six o’clock sharp. Don’t be late.” And with that, Henry led Kenan back towards the pack house- complaining quietly under his breath the whole way there.

Despite Henry’s grumblings, there were four extra plates set up in the dining room for dinner. Henry sat at his customary spot at the head of the table with Malachi settled on his lap. Kenan went to climb into Ezra’s lap, but the Alpha blocked him. “You don’t have to anymore,” Ezra explained softly. “Bo let us know that you’re not really comfortable with us feeding you.” He gestured to the seat beside him. “You can sit here and Oliver will sit on your other side so you’re protected.”

Kenan blinked. “Why would I need protection?”

Ezra’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “Ah, you don’t, but just in case…” he trailed off while rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s more for us than for you,” Oliver plopped down in the seat next to Kenan. His hair was wet and the scent of freshly applied deodorant tickled Kenan’s nose. “I’m surprised neither Ezra nor Henry have scent marked you today.”

Kenan slid into the chair. The padding on the chair felt relatively thin compared to Ezra’s lap. “Why would they scent mark me?” Ezra scent marked him in the past, but Kenan had the feeling it was a more instinctual action than something Ezra actively thought about doing. And Henry? Well, Kenan didn’t even try to understand his actions. He was a Pack Alpha and Kenan had no right to judge him.

Oliver, however, must have thought differently. “Because they both like you.” He smoothed the cloth napkin in his lap. “You don’t think they’re touchy feely with every stray Malachi brings in?”

All of the sudden, the swirling design on the table cloth became very interesting. “I just assumed…” Kenan’s cheeks heated. “I mean it’s not…”

The dining room door swung open and Agent Donnaway walked through with a bottle of wine in each hand. The two Betas in business attire Kenan noticed before trailed in behind her. Up close they looked around the same height and possessed the same shade of strawberry blonde hair. “Good evening, everyone.” Agent Donnaway slid into the empty seat across from Ezra and set the two bottles of wine down with a clunk. “My mother drilled into me the importance of never showing up to dinner empty handed, so I got a bottle of red and white to share.” She grinned broadly at Ezra as she slid her chair back and the sound of wood scraping on wood echoed through the room. The two Betas slid their chairs out from under the table and sat on the not-so-cushioned seats across from Kenan and Oliver.

“Hello Kenan,” the female Beta smiled at him. “My name is Amanda Thompson, and this is my brother Randall Brent. We’re both social workers with the Crimes Against Omegas unit and here to make sure you settle well into a new pack.” Randall nodded at Kenan and gave him a broad grin of his own.

New pack? Were the two Betas insinuating that Kenan couldn’t stay in this pack? Were they threatening to take him from Malachi and the rest of his den? Would he not even be allowed to stay with Bo or Tristan? The warm tingling that had started in his gut this morning and simmered throughout the day turned to lead. Just the thought of leaving this pack had Kenan swallowing a whine and his instincts buzzing angrily beneath his skin. “Nice to meet you,” he mumbled before turning his attention back to the tablecloth. There were little green leaves stitched into the multi-colored paisley swirls. It was absolutely hideous.

A warm weight settled along Kenan’s back. “You okay?” Ezra’s breath tickled Kenan’s ear and neck. At some point during Kenan’s spiraling, The Alpha had moved his chair closer to Kenan’s so that their thighs pressed together.

This close, the Alpha’s familiar scent teased Kenan’s nose. The lump of lead in his gut melted back into the puddle of warmth it was originally. “Yeah,” Kenan sighed. He tried to lean in closer to bury his nose in Ezra’s neck, but the man pulled away before he could. This time Kenan didn’t suppress the whine.

Ezra stopped pulling back and Kenan didn’t waste any time diving his nose into the smooth skin of the Alpha’s neck. His head went fuzzy as Ezra’s scent enveloped him. The prickling under his skin turned into a low buzz as Kenan tasted the warm, musky scent on his tongue. His head and chest started vibrating and something rumbled in the room as he continued chasing the blooming scent on salty skin. It wasn’t until he started gnawing toothlessly on the spot that he felt large hands pushing his shoulders back gently.

The first thing Kenan noticed was the weight of everybody’s gazes on him. The second thing he noticed was the thin sheen of saliva on Ezra’s neck- his now extremely flushed neck. “I’m sorry,” Kenan squeaked. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never-”

“Kenan buddy, breathe.” The warm, solid weight of Ezra’s hand pressed against the back of Kenan’s neck and he went boneless as Ezra’s scent enveloped him once again. “It’s all right. You went under another instinct haze. No one can blame you for that.” Ezra guided Kenan’s head back to his neck. “Take what you need,” he ordered softly.

Kenan’s instincts practically purred in pleasure at the order. Before he knew it, the taste of Ezra’s skin burst under his tongue once again. He shifted back into that safe, comfortable feeling of when his instincts took control. Any thought he had came through slow and muffled as if he was under water. He registered the faint sound of conversation happening around him, but thought nothing of it as strong arms shifted him closer to the source of the intoxicating scent.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Ezra coaxed after what felt like forever. “It’s time for dinner and you need to eat.” He maneuvered Kenan in his lap so that the Omega’s back rested against his chest.

It took several blinks for Kenan’s eyes to readjust to the room’s lighting, but once they settled, he noticed that everyone’s eyes were on him. Mrs. Thompson and Mr. Brent’s faces were twisted into that familiar look of disdain. Agent Donnaway looked mildly amused while Henry’s face remained as stoic as ever. Malachi’s face, however, was the picture of smug delight.

“I would say with that display Kenan made it quite clear that he has already found his new pack.” Malachi grabbed the bottle of white wine and poured a glass for himself and then a glass for Henry. “I dare say if he didn’t, Ezra wouldn’t be positively covered in Kenan’s scent.”

Kenan felt a rumble vibrate against his back. “I’m honored that he feels safe enough to scent me,” Ezra preened and rubbed his cheek against Kenan’s hair.. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Mrs. Thompson and Mr. Brent, but an Omega will only scent members of their den if they feel safe with them. Right?”

The two strawberry-blonde social workers eyed Kenan and Ezra haughtily. “Why yes, Alpha Ezra.” Mrs. Thompson replied stiltedly. “But it could also be a sign that the Omega hasn’t been introduced to enough dens or packs, and feels pressured to make a decision.” She gave Kenan an appraising look. “If what he said about his old pack is true, he may think that this pack and your den are the only option.”

“Bullshit,” Oliver hissed under his breath. Mr. Brent shot him a disapproving glare and opened his mouth as if he was going to say something.

The pop of a cork echoed through the room. “Now Mrs. Thompson,” Agent Donnaway drawled as she poured some of the red wine into her glass. “Said Omega is right in front of you, and I’m sure he would appreciate it if you asked him his feelings on the matter instead of telling him how he should feel.”

Mrs. Thompson’s lips thinned. “I apologize,” she bit out. “But as you know, abused Omegas often aren’t capable of making their own decisions for a while after rescue, and it’s me and my brother’s job to find a placement that best suits the Omegas needs,” she turned her gaze back to Kenan. “Regardless of whether or not the Omega believes it to be or not.”

Anger buzzed beneath Kenan’s skin- his muscles tight with it. He was fully capable of making his own decisions, thank you very much. Even Alpha Hughes had trusted him to run the daily household affairs. Hell, Alpha Hughes even made Kenan responsible for organizing the pack festivals. Everything from the food to the decorations to the damn equipment rentals all had to be approved and signed off by Kenan. How dare Mrs. Thompson imply he was not able to make a decision?

A hand rubbed soothing circles along the back of Kenan’s neck. “Enough,” Malachi snapped. “If that’s the attitude you are going to bring, I must kindly request that you leave and send different caseworkers in your place.” He narrowed his eyes. “Preferably ones who do not harbor such disdain for the very people they say they protect.”

Mrs. Thompson’s cheeks puffed out like an angry squirrel’s tail. “Well I never-”

“I assure you,” Mr. Brent’s cool voice rolled across the table. “Both my sister and I are fully committed to helping Omegas prosper. What you may see as disdain,” his nose wrinkled as he said the word, “is actually a deep respect and admiration for you and other Omegas. We simply want to guide the ones who need it, just like Kenan here.” Ending the statement with a decisive nod, Mr. Brent turned his attention back to the tray of roast chicken in front of him.

“The Omegas eat first,” Henry said as Mr. Brent used the serving tongs to pick up the juiciest piece of chicken on the tray. The tongs froze in mid-air as Henry and Mr. Brent stared each other down. “Beta,” Henry’s tone was filled with warning, “you’re on my pack lands and will respect my pack’s rules.”

Slowly, Mr. Brent lowered the piece of chicken back into the tray and laid the serving tongs back down. “My apologies.” He interlaced his fingers and set his hands on the table in front off him. “I was unaware of such a custom. Most packs we visit don’t have such a rule, and if they do, it’s usually the Alphas and Betas eating first.” He sniffed derisively.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Agent Donnaway hid her face behind her wine glass as the two caseworkers and Henry’s den stared each other down. Once again Kenan found the patterned table cloth very interesting as Ezra’s grip tightened around his waist. Being stuck between staying invisible or saying something to relieve the tension was a familiar plight, though Kenan knew he would lose either way. He took a deep breath. “I’m-” A gurgling sound interrupted him as it echoed throughout the room. Apparently, Kenan’s appetite decided to make an ill-timed comeback after staying dormant for so long.

Ezra didn’t even bother to hide his chuckle. “Come on, little Omega,” he teased while slipping the piece of chicken Mr. Brent had eyed previously onto the plate in front of him and Kenan. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

That night in Malachi’s nest, Kenan laid in the pile of plush cushions and stared at the ceiling. Dinner had gone about as well as it could have under the circumstances. Agent Donnaway interrupted or covered any snide remarks Mr. Brent and Mrs. Thompson made with a segue into a lighter topic- mostly memories of hers and Henry’s childhood spats. Apparently, the two had known each through the many diplomatic visits both their parents took them on. Agent Donnaway was slated to become the next Pack Alpha of her pack, but gave it up to pursue a job at the Crimes Against Omegas unit instead. She wouldn’t say why, but the dark look on Henry’s face as he fed Malachi the last bites of chicken kept Kenan from prying any further. Besides, Agent Donnaway didn’t strike him as a Pack Alpha. Not because she was a woman, but because she was too… kind. She was nothing like the Pack Alphas Kenan knew. Not Alpha Hughes, the Pack Alphas that would visit his old pack on diplomatic trips, or even Henry and Ezra. Her stature, personality, and even scent differed wildly from the others. And to be honest, Kenan was quite fond of her scent. Grant it, the floral notes were more than likely the result of a perfume or essential oil, but even without it there was something about her scent that made Kenan feel things. Not in the way that Henry, Ezra, or even Malachi made him feel things, but it came close. Maybe Mrs. Thompson was right about Kenan’s instincts attaching themselves to the first stable den he came across. Maybe Kenan should start looking at other dens or even other packs.

A knock at the door pulled Kenan from his thoughts. He murmured a quick response and the door eased its way open. Malachi stepped through and gently closed the door behind him. “I’ve brought you clothes for tomorrow.” He held up the proof. “Henry, Ezra, and I agreed that with so many outsiders here, we didn’t want them to develop any inappropriate thoughts about you. Brent made it clear tonight that our traditions are not practiced in most other packs.” He set the pile of clothes down on the dresser beside the nest. “The shirt is from Henry, the pants from Ezra, the socks from me, and the binder from Oliver. He said you appeared to be about the same size he was before top surgery.”

Kenan blinked up at Malachi and tried to process his words. Between this and Ezra not making Kenan sit on his lap, there had to be something the den wanted. As Alpha Hughes always said, you didn’t give a dog a treat unless he did a trick. Kenan’s chest tightened. “Why?” It came out more like a whimper than he would have liked.

Malachi sighed. “Can I come in the nest?” His voice soft in the dim light. Kenan didn’t see any reason to object, though something told him if he wanted to, he could. “It’s alright,” he muttered. The cushions sagged underneath the older Omegas weight and Kenan scooted over to give Malachi more room. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He slid his shirt off and tucked it into the cushions near Kenan’s head.

Something warm settled at the bottom of Kenan’s abdomen. Between the thick haze of Malachi’s scent at his head and the warmth of the older Omegas skin on his, Kenan’s instincts practically purred. Before he even realized it, Kenan found his nose nested deep in the crook of Malachi’s neck.

“Bo gave us an earful about you.”

The sleepy haze Kenan fell under disappeared at Malachi’s words. “What do you mean?” Did Kenan do something wrong?

Malachi stroked Kenan’s hair. “Sweetheart, what does submission mean to you?”

Huh? Lifting his head from Malachi’s neck, Kenan pondered the older Omega’s question. What did submission mean to him? In his old pack, it meant doing everything that was asked of him without question regardless of what he wanted to do. It was simply an expectation. And here, in this pack? “It means I do what I’m told.”

Malachi’s fingers stilled in his hair. “Oh Kenan,” he sighed. “Has anyone told you that you can say no?” It was Kenan’s turn to still. “Has anyone told you that if you truly can’t or don’t want to do something, that you can tell them?” Malachi turned Kenan’s chin towards his face. Whatever he saw there must have disappointed him, for his face fell. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Didn’t being able to say no defeat the whole purpose of submission? Kenan was weak, so if he wanted protection, he had to submit to the stronger wolves. If he said no, that protection was forfeit.

Sighing, Malachi continued trailing his fingers through Kenan’s hair. “From now on, if you don’t want to do something that we tell you to, let us know.”

Kenan hummed noncommittally before burrowing his nose back into Malachi’s neck. He knew Malachi’s words were empty, but he was too comfy to care.

“You’ve been very cuddly today, haven’t you sweetheart?” Malachi’s breath felt warm on Kenan’s neck. “You scent marking Ezra like you did was… surprising.”

“Sorry,” Kenan mumbled into Malachi’s skin. He had a brief thought that he should pull back, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sheer pleasure of being completely and utterly surrounded by Malachi’s rich scent.

Malachi’s neck vibrated with a soothing trill. “Nothing to apologies for, Kenan. It was just an observation. Have you noticed any other new feelings lately?” He pulled Kenan’s body closer so that Kenan was half laying on Malachi’s side.

Had he? Everything was a new feeling lately. Not being dominated at every turn, not having orders barked at them, hell, even just the general care everyone had taken with him was new. Maybe the excessive clinginess was just his subconscious reacting to actually feeling… safe. Kenan voiced those thoughts to Malachi. Humming, Malachi smoothed a hand down Kenan’s bare back. The contact sent more pulses of soothing heat through Kenan’s belly. He became more aware of his skin on Malachi’s as his chest sank into the older Omega’s. Kenan’s instincts sang.

“Sweetheart,” Malachi rumbled. “Do you remember the last time you took your heat suppressant?”

Kenan shook his head. “Not really,” he slurred. “I think I took my last dose right before I ended up here.” He rubbed his nose along Malachi’s neck. He never had an attraction to a particular body part, but now all Kenan wanted was to bury himself in Malachi’s neck forever- and Ezra’s and Henry’s and even Oliver’s.

Malachi’s chest heaved as he sighed deeply. “You my dear, have a knack for bad timing.”

Kenan lifted his head up to look Malachi in the eye. “Bad timing?”

“Kenan love,” Malachi’s soothed. “I think you’re starting your heat.”