Chapter Text
Giovanni didn’t know what to think as he sat in the car. His dainty hands rested on his knees, feet planted on the ground, and his eyes were downcast. He stared through his legs trying to focus on the tan, pleather seat below him he couldn’t see. His body hummed with the gentle vibrations throughout the car, the New England roads were all bumpy as expected. Giovanni had no idea where Vernon was taking him, but it sure as hell felt like somewhere remote given the abundance of red and orange leaves he could see in his peripheral vision.
Music played in the car, a soft jazzy tune filled the car with lyrics that couldn’t be heard over the rumbling under the tires. Giovanni did his best to focus on that until Vernon’s voice cut through. “Why do you look sad, Vanny? Or are you just scared?”
Giovanni didn’t know how to respond. It would’ve been better if Vernon had told him where they were going and didn’t use that stupid nickname.
“Scared.” He decided on that.
“Well, don’t be,” Vernon said, clipped.
“Okay, sorry.”
That was the end of the conversation. Giovanni didn’t remember the last time he had a real conversation with Vernon. It was always a critique here or there. The alpha in the driver’s seat would tell Giovanni to stop feeling a certain way and Giovanni would.
Giovanni finally looked up and immediately his eyes went to the interior rearview mirror. He could see Vernon’s blue eyes that were fixed on the road, the slight crease between his brows. It made Giovanni uncertain if his alpha was already upset at him. Maybe Vernon already was, he’d been so upset at Giovanni as of late that it had become second nature for the omega to apologize for every little thing.
The drive was silent for the next twenty minutes save for the music that changed intermittently. Giovanni finally found it in him to stare outside the car window to watch everything go past him in a blur. It was Autumn, there were blotches of red and yellowing leaves amongst the evergreen trees. He always liked how colorful the trees got.
Suddenly, Giovanni heard the sound under the tires turn gravelly; the high-pitched crunching of the tiny rocks was unmistakable. He shifted in his seat to get a better view outside. Vernon drove through a gate, the walls made of red bricks with decorative, twisty metal sculptures scattered on the top. It gave the whole thing a near-Victorian vibe. A silver plaque adhered to the metal gate read ‘Mosebrook’ that was painted in black, engraved letters.
“We’re almost there,” Vernon said.
Now Giovanni’s heart skipped a beat. There? Where is ‘there’, exactly? Vernon had been so tightlipped the whole drive. Even before he never mentioned any sort of trip to Giovanni. What he did notice was how Vernon had only loaded enough luggage for one of them. At least that’s what it looked like. Maybe Vernon decided to go minimalistic for once.
“Where are we going?” Giovanni finally found it in him to ask. “What’s Mosebrook?”
Vernon sighed. Giovanni pushed himself into his seat. He could smell his alpha’s annoyed scent. It was tangy like a new board game box.
“A place I think you’d like,” Vernon replied vaguely.
A place he’d like. Was Vernon sending him away? Again? Giovanni went to look at the rearview mirror and met Vernon’s eyes. That blue sent a bolt of fear through him.
“Wh-What do you mean?” Giovanni hated it when his voice got small like that.
“I said what I said, Vanny. I think you'll like this place.”
That was Giovanni’s signal to shut up and stop talking.
He couldn’t see much from the backseat, other than a couple of lamp posts that lined the roadside. Most of the trees here were cleared out and he could see long, pavement walkways that led to several cottages and a couple much larger buildings. It was a change of pace from the city. Giovanni could see the parking lot loop for what he assumed to be the main building. It looked modern with a rustic touch. An overhang for the cars with brick pillars that had a tiny plot for flowers barely hanging in there at the base.
Despite not knowing where he was, Giovanni could appreciate the sight.
They approached the loop, Vernon parked the car under the overhang and turned off the engine. “I’m going to check in with the front desk. Stay here.” He said before unbuckling and stepping out of the car.
Giovanni just watched, Vernon was out before he could say anything in response. The alpha had shoved his hands in the pockets of his fuzzy coat. Giovanni fussed with the edge of his sweater sleeves, twisting the fabric in his hands to ease the anxiety that was building up. He found himself tapping his foot against the floor of the vehicle. Why was Vernon checking in? Checking in for what? What even is this place? Vernon entered through sliding doors. Well, that’s fancy. Giovanni thought.
Tap, tap, tap. Giovanni’s entire right leg was bouncing up and down now. He looked around for any hint as to where he was. It couldn't be a rehabilitation facility, could it? The last one Vernon sent him too… Giovanni didn’t even want to think about it. Any thought of that place made his stomach churn and filled him with nausea.
Vernon suddenly walked out of the building, running a hand through his blond hair as he always did. He came up to the passenger door and opened it. “Come on, I need you to meet someone.”
Giovanni was frozen, first from Vernon’s gaze and second from the chill that swept through the interior of the car.
“Giovanni, get out of the car.”
Alpha persuasion. Giovanni felt himself go lightheaded, his ears muffled for a split second and his body had moved automatically. He was at Vernon’s side with the alpha’s hand at his lower back walking through those automatic doors and into the building. He hated every moment that he couldn’t control his body. It reminded him of that place. Before Giovanni was sent there, he could think of telling Vernon off for using alpha persuasion on him. Now? He couldn’t even muster a whine against it.
Inside the strange building was surprisingly nice. The heat was running and the decor looked homely, but a touch rustic. Tiled floors with paintings on the walls were put together in a sequence to make the space seem bigger. It reminded Giovanni of a hotel lobby.
The front desk was off to the side, a man with wiry, brown hair tied in a short ponytail sat behind a computer screen. He looked up as the pair walked in, Vernon’s hand was against Giovanni’s lower back to guide him where he needed to go. The man at the desk put on a pair of glasses, they framed his face well, Giovanni noted. He also noted how he didn’t have a distinct scent. Was he a beta?
“Hello!” The man suddenly piped. “I assume you’re Giovanni? Welcome to Mosebrook Estate and Rehabilitation Center, I’m Henry.” He gave both Giovanni and Vernon a pleasant smile.
Giovanni was almost taken aback. A rehabilitation facility calling itself a center? Vernon couldn’t possibly send him to another one. He craned his neck to look up at the alpha who had his people-pleasing smile on display. “Vernon? You’re sending me away?”
He saw the way Vernon’s jaw clenched, just a twitch of his muscle and Giovanni already knew he crossed a line. “Vernon?” He asked again, memories of his last experience in an ORF were bubbling up. His heart suddenly started to race in his chest.
“Yes, you need it, baby.” Vernon simply said. “It’s for your own good, you haven’t been as happy at home as I would like. I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you’d panic like this.”
Giovanni stared back. He felt utterly betrayed. He glanced at Henry who looked at the couple with a hint of sympathy and then back to Vernon.
“But you didn’t tell me then either!” Giovanni said. It felt like too much information too fast even though it could be summed up in a single sentence.
Giovanni was going to an omega rehabilitation facility.
His legs felt weak and he leaned into Vernon. “Why are you sending me away again?”
“I said it’s because you need it.”
“But why?!”
“Calm down.”
Giovanni’s breathing slowed down, but his heart rate was still through the roof. He didn’t want to be calm, but the persuasion drilled its way into his brain anyway. After so many uses it felt like that specific phrase meant nothing to him. But his physical body relaxed and leaned even more heavily into Vernon, Giovanni’s nose drinking up his scent.
“Sorry about that.” He heard Vernon say, presumably to Henry. “He didn’t have a great experience at the last facility he went to.”
“It’s alright,” Henry said.
Giovanni didn’t know if that was comforting or disconcerting. Was it just that common for omegas to panic before getting dropped off? It must mean this Mosebrook place was another hell on Earth.
“Oh, and here he is!”
Through a side door, man came out. He had medium-length hair that was brown, but in the right light, it looked copper. Giovanni could tell he was an alpha before he got a look at home. His scent was strong, piney, and sappy with spices. It was easy for Giovanni to tell by the way the alpha's scent seemed to linger on his tongue and coat the lining of his throat.
Giovanni blinked his eyes, the brain fog from Vernon’s earlier persuasion was wearing off. He could clearly see the new alpha now. Tall and broad-shouldered, his eyes were green-blue with brown surrounding the pupils and his chestnut hair in the front stopped at his chin then got longer in the back. Giovanni could say he was attractive, there was a warmer, pleasant air about him he gave off. It didn’t seem as cold and distant like Vernon.
The long-haired alpha smiled and dimples appeared on his cheeks. “Good afternoon, I’m Jasper, Jasper Roche. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out a hand to Vernon who shook it professionally.
“Nice to meet you too,” Vernon replied.
Jasper looked at Giovanni, “Giovanni, right? Welcome to Mosebrook, I’ll be your alpha companion.”
Giovanni stared at Jasper in silence. His hands came up to curl into Vernon’s jacket. “No…” he whispered, he wanted to cry so badly. An alpha companion. He was going to get drugged again, fucked until he couldn’t think, until his mind was broken and shattered.
“Vanny, speak up. Don’t be rude.” Vernon said.
Giovanni shook his head vigorously, burying his face into the alpha’s jacket. “No…” Images of what Giovanni could remember flooded his mind. Cold floors, minimal food, endless heat from inducers. And Vernon wanted to put him through that hell again?!
He felt Vernon’s fingers dig into his lower back. “ Giovanni, introduce yourself.”
Giovanni let go of Vernon’s jacket and held out his right hand. “I’m Giovanni… it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said softly, but almost robotically.
Jasper shook Giovanni’s hand gently, the touch was tentative as if handling something fragile. Giovanni wanted to yank his hand away, but the alpha persuasion stopped him. He didn’t want this new alpha touching him. It was wrong. Vernon was wrong for leaving him again.
“He’s been... distant for a while now. It’s hard to get him to do things and think for himself. I’m worried for him. I’ve had to use alpha persuasion a lot.”
Giovanni watched Jasper nod, his face was unreadable. There was a mix of concern, fondness, and something else. Giovanni couldn’t place his finger on it.
“Alright, I’ll make note of that. Do you have Giovanni’s luggage? His residence is available.”
“It’s still in the car.”
“Great! Henry, you don’t mind getting it?” Jasper said, turning to the beta who still sat at the front desk.
“Yeah, I got it.” He stood up and walked around the side. Giovanni got to see that he was definitely a beta. He was average height, definitely shorter than Vernon or Jasper. A lean build that didn’t scream delicate like an omega. Henry walked through the automatic doors to grab the luggage that was in the trunk of the car.
His luggage was getting taken out of the car. There was an alpha here saying he was going to be Giovanni’s alpha companion. Giovanni was here. Too fast. He felt a gross bubbling in his chest, he wanted to throw up. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Vernon said he would be better the first time. Things were not better, they were worse. Giovanni suddenly felt like he knew what Vernon was doing all along–bringing him to his breaking point–and wanted to crumble to the ground. Vernon was getting rid of him because the first facility didn’t do its job - if the job were to turn him into a needy thing for cock.
“Giovanni, it's going to be okay.” He heard someone tell him.
Giovanni wanted to shrivel up and crawl away, to hide in Vernon’s jacket so he couldn’t be taken by a new alpha or gotten rid of by Vernon again. “‘s not okay,” he mumbled. His throat quivered with each syllable, he didn’t know if he should be mad at Vernon or mad at Jasper who was going to “help” him. He felt like his brain was shutting down and clinging to Vernon was the only thing he could do.
He felt hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Vernon scowling at him. Giovanni whined and sank to the floor. Hot, salty tears fell down his face. Why was Vernon mad? He didn’t like it when Giovanni made such scenes, he was told it was better if he kept himself composed and proper. It felt like torture when Giovanni couldn’t express himself how he wanted to, he’d get a back-handed comment telling him he was being “too dramatic.” He was probably being too dramatic right now by hanging onto Vernon’s pant leg sniffling and sobbing on the floor.
“Giovanni, calm down and stand up.”
Vernon’s persuasion cut through his swirling thoughts. It had been the third time in the span of what? Five, ten minutes? Giovanni heard the command, but he stayed on the ground even though he should’ve moved at his alpha’s words. “Can’t…” he hiccuped. He felt awful, his head was spinning and his body was wracked with newfound nausea.
Pressing his face into the side of Vernon’s leg, he could sense his agitation. What was just a little bit of frustration coming from the blond-haired alpha in the form of a citrusy tang was just sour . The pheromones coming from him smelled like the oils of lemons gone bad.
“He doesn’t usually get like this,” Vernon said above him.
“I can bring some staff to assist. I’m sure I can calm him down once he gets settled.” Jasper said.
Giovanni had forgotten Jasper was still in the room. He heard footsteps go past him and the uneven rumble of luggage bag wheels. Henry, he presumed.
“He’s been having mood swings, this must be one of them. And I’ve told him how much they can affect our image, it’s fairly important for my family. He just needs to get control over himself.” Vernon added.
Right. Giovanni was practically dishonoring Vernon’s family by having this emotional outburst. He’d been doing it from the start ever since he met Vernon. He was too excited, too sad, too childish even. And he knew he was certainly acting like a child.
“That’s certainly something we can work on while he’s here,” Jasper said, before kneeling to Giovanni’s level.
Giovanni still held onto Vernon’s slacks, they must be ruined from how hard Giovanni was gripping. He didn’t want to look up and kept his face against Vernon’s leg.
“Hey,” Jasper said. His voice was soft like he was talking to a scared puppy. “Can you stand up for me? I’m sure Vernon wants you to feel better, but you have to stand up to do that.”
Giovanni thought Jasper would use alpha persuasion on him or stick him with a tranquilizer. But he hadn’t seen the alpha come out with anything more than some casual clothing. It was… odd. Giovanni shook his head, smearing tears and a running nose against Vernon’s pants. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want this new alpha. He didn’t want to be left alone again.
“Giovanni, let Jasper help you.”
Again. The command felt like mental whiplash. Giovanni already felt like throwing up, now he really thought he was going to. He dry-heaved, his body physically not wanting or possessing the energy to carry out the command. God, it would be worse if he puked on Vernon. He was back to sobbing, his heart beat so fast in his chest he could feel the thumping against his sweater. His mind didn’t want to let Jasper touch him. Vernon’s persuasion was pulling at every cell in his brain to give in.
“Giovanni, you’re making this harder than it needs to be,” Vernon said. He shook his leg to yank it out of Giovanni’s grasp. Jasper had moved away.
“Sorry…”
Another yank. Giovanni felt his hands slipping.
“I’m sorry!”
“Giovanni, let go.”
“I’m sor-” Giovanni heaved. The effort made his body convulse and his fingers finally let go of Vernon’s pants. He knew Vernon moved away from him. Giovanni didn’t have the strength to push himself up from the cold, tiled floor. Vernon just wanted him fixed, why couldn’t Giovanni be a good omega and let himself be fixed?
“I think I’ve taken up more than enough of your time, uh… Mr. Roche,” Vernon said.
“No, no. Please don’t worry about me,” Jasper said.
Giovanni thought he sounded too lax for the situation.
“Alright, I’ll take my leave now. And, pet.” Vernon directed the name to Giovanni. “Be good for them.”
And just like that, Giovanni heard the clacking of footsteps heading towards the door. Panic arose in his chest. Vernon was leaving him in a strange place again. At least he got to see his alpha this time.
“Vernon! Vernon, wait!” Giovanni shrieked, he tried to push himself up with his arms, but the sudden movement made his head spin once again. He heaved for the third time and felt thick saliva fill his mouth.
Vernon was almost out of the lobby.
“Vernon! I’ll be good! D-Don’t leave! PLEASE!”
Vernon didn’t even look back as he walked through those automatic glass doors. Giovanni felt like mush—only capable of sobbing in a heap on the floor. He was panicking as he watched his alpha walk away without a second glance.