Chapter Text
Puffer knew it was going to be a shit day when he woke up to his parents (well, his mom and step-dad) pounding on his front door. At the time he thought it was one of his friends, so he'd reluctantly rolled out of his nest and trudged to the door. Opening it and seeing their faces made something akin to dread fill his stomach. He didn't let it show just yet, trying to avoid a fight.
“Mama… Papa… What a pleasure…” He mumbled as they pushed past him, into the house, giving his living space a snide look.
“Mmm. Hello dear… hmmm. Absolutely atrocious how you're living these days.” His mother snips, shaking her head.
“Still no alpha?” His step father comments, making Puffer want to toss them back out on the street already. But they're ‘family’ so he can't. Not yet…
“No… What do you guys want?” He asks, already angry, turning around and going to lean on a wall.
“Well, Chris darling, as I said we're very unhappy with how you've been living as of late…” his Mama starts out, Puffer already losing his interest with where this was headed. It's not the first time they've had this fight.
“Okay, and?” Puffer deadpans, crossing his arms. He hopes they finish up soon, because he wanted to get in vc and hang out with his friends. Smitty was going to be showing off some of the dumb steam games he'd found, and as one of the people rostered for that session, Puffer wanted to have a smidge of input.
“Do you remember that boy who used to captain the football team? Darren I think it is?” his Step dad asks, a smile on his face.
Oh, the guy who pushed people down the stairs for fun… I think his dad was on the school council board, so he was untouchable. Pretty sure he outed a gay couple as well? What an asshole. Absolute prick.
“I remember him… he was kind of a dick to some of my friends… He was also violent in sports…” Puffer mumbled, keeping the main part of his thoughts to himself.
His mother just ignores that part, walking over and frowning at a picture of him and his friends from their last meet-up. “Ah… Never mind all that nonsense. We ran into him the other day, gosh… what a lovely alpha he is now… and he also mentioned struggling in the love department.”
Puffer froze, immediately knowing where this was going. Fuck. He prayed it wasn't, but no way would he be willingly giving this guy a second of his time. “No.” he said firmly, eyes narrowing at his mother, who just continues.
His parents don't seem to hear him. “So we said to him, oh yeah, our Chris is an omega, and he's hopeless as well! What a coincidence!”
Puffer’s gritting his teeth now, scent souring as he holds in his hybrid traits. He can't be having that disrupt him now. He's just getting really worked up, it's stressing him out hearing about this shit again.
“Mama… please. I am not meeting him. I am over this.” he says, looking her in the eyes, anger on his face as she ignores him again.
“We got talking…. So basically, you're going to be going to live with him, and after your next heat you will be mated off to him. His parents have also offered us quite a bit of money.” his Stepdad explains, voice giddy.
Being sold off? What did they think this was? The 1800's?
Fucking vile.
“What? No? I'm not going to do that.” Puffer snorts, rolling his eyes as he continues. “Why the fuck would I care if you get money from it? I think it's time for you both to leave.” He growls, eyes narrowing.
His mother's happy expression grows colder, as she steps closer. Puffer’s a little concerned now… Does she have a needle?
What the fuck?
“Sorry son. This is no longer about what you want. We really need the money… and because we love you, we came here to get you to pack what you want to bring with you. You no longer have a say in it.”
“You can't do this, I-” Puffer gets cut off by his step dad's hand clamping on his shoulder.
“It's you or your younger sister.” He threatened, making Puffer look at them both, completely horrified.
“She's fucking 16? You're both fucking disgusting. I can't believe this!" He hisses, both of his parents not even hiding their disinterest in his own opinion.
Puffer closed his mouth, tears welling up slightly in frustration.
The only member of his family he actually somewhat cares about. And they then use that weakness to do this shit?
“You can't sell me.” He protests weakly, unable to come up with anything else.
His mother crosses her arms, a cruel smile developing. “Actually? Technically, we can. Where we live, this local area specifically, it still considers unmated omegas their parents property until they're thirty years old. And thus, we are taking control of the problem. You don't have a mate now, do you?”
“No- I-” Puffer stutters.
“Then there's nothing more to say.” She finishes, narrowing her eyes.
“I suggest you start packing.” His Stepdad says, voice cold.
Puffer's brain is just. Astounded.
How could this be legal? How could this even be happening to him? What the fuck?
His mother practically drags him to his room, packing his clothes up while he watches on, shellshocked. He goes to grab his laptop, when she tuts, shaking her head.
“You won't be needing any of that junk anymore.” She says firmly, placing it back on the bedside table.
“But… I have a job to do Mama…?” he replies, more subdued in his complaints now, trying to think of a way out of it.
She shakes her head quickly. “No. You're simply a stay at home omega now, sweetie. Your job is to take care of my wonderful grand-pups. Isn't that nice? He's going to supply everything for you! Money, food, friends!”
“Friends?” He questioned the last bit, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course! Some new friends will do you a load of good… not like those… ‘online friends’ you currently have… Absolutely disgusting, they are. You won't be seeing them again. Good riddance ” She snips, making his jaw drop.
“You can't..” He mumbles, voice almost whiny.
His mother rolled her eyes at his protest. “I can. And I have.”
“Can I just… have a minute to sit down? This is happening so fast, I feel a little dizzy..” He asks, and she narrows her eyes.
“Okay. Don't try to leave though. We will get a court order if we have to. I'm not above using this.”
Puffer's breathing speeds up as she flashes the needle, before leaving the room.
Losing his friends? His freedom?
He doesn't want to seem like a damsel in distress though… plus his sister…
Puffer grabs his laptop, quickly opening it up. He opened up the video software, carefully recording a voice message, in the event his friends came looking…
“If you are watching this, it probably means I've gone missing. My parents are literally fucking… selling me off to some stupid abusive Alpha I went to highschool with… his name is Darren, I think? I don't want this. Please, they threatened my sister, I… I don't have a choice. Help me. Um.. I think he lives somewhere less local now? Maybe in-
*bang bang bang*
“Chris? Hurry up! I'm going to bang this door down.”
“Fuck.. I… please. Find me. Save me. If you can. I… I need help guys I-”
Cutting the video, he quickly tries to send it to his group chat. It's going to take 3 minutes.
*bang bang bang*
“That's it, I'm breaking the door down.”
Puffer cancelled the upload, instead started typing in the group chat as the door shuddered, groaning at the kicks his step-dad was giving it.
[Gay frogs are real]
Puffer: Grz bday la key
Matt: You okay there buddy?
Pezzy: What even is that sentence?
Smii7y: lol
Puffer: m sorry. By
Grizzy: Puffer? What's wrong? Are you okay?
Matt: Bro?
Smii7y: you there? Puffer?
……
Finally, he attempted to resend the video, before closing the laptop, so it was easy to spot when opened.
Stashing his laptop under his pillow, Puffer quickly checks via his phone the messages sent. He doesn't have time to fix the spelling, but he hopes they understand.
Puffer locked his phone, as the door slammed open, goosebumps prickling on his skin, making eye contact with the two angry faces.
His mother's eyes narrowed at his phone, grabbing the device from him roughly.
“You won't be needing that anymore.” She snapped, dropping it to the ground and stepping on it, glass crunching.
“Last chance before I use the needle.” She said, Puffer simply nodding.
Puffer swallowed as he was led out the house to the car.
He could only hope his friends figured it all out.
……
“Guys, I'm ducking over to Puffer’s… I don't like the way that text was worded.” Grizzy mutters, Pezzy nodding from his spot on the couch.
“Did you want company?” He asks, eyes looking over.
Grizzy hesitates, before shaking his head, waving the oldest off. “No… I'll just pop over and check. You and Droid can decide what we're all going to get for dinner later, okay?”
Pezzy nods, waving goodbye to the alpha, as Droid simply nuzzles into his side more, tail wagging happily.
…
Grizzy drives over in silence, unable to keep the anxiety out of his chest, overthinking like crazy.
When he gets there, he uses the key Puffer gave him to get in, frowning at the lack of… anything or anyone.
It's quiet inside. Almost eerie.
“Puffer?” He calls out, looking around curiously, ears straining for sound.
No one seems to be home. That's… odd.
He sees something on the fridge. A note?
Very odd…
“Sorry I had to leave on such short notice! Something with my family came up and it's an emergency!!! Please, give me space.. it's a very hard time for us. All the best.”
Chris
Grizzy frowned, rereading the note as he sighed.
Family matters? Explained why Puffer’s messages were so frazzled he supposed.
Pulling out his phone, he quickly texts a picture of the message to their group chat, looking around the house quickly and not seeing any signs of Puffer.
When he arrives back home however, the young alpha can't help but feel like he's missed something.