#mob!james mace

[thezombieprostitute]

Sparks Fly - Part 3

Summary: After working as an engineer for Wilford & Gilliam Trust for several years you find evidence of seedy dealings and burned books. After turning in the evidence you find yourself in danger and seek help. You're taken into the protection of a mob family where you run into your high school best friend, Mace.

Word Count: ~2k

Warnings: Implied violence and attempted murder. Please let me know if I missed any.

Part 2 -- Part 4

Series Masterlist

Unsurprisingly you woke up several times during the night. Your stress from the past week or so isn’t going to disappear overnight, no matter how good Mace’s grilled cheese is. Each time you tiptoed out to the main area and were comforted at the site of Mace sleeping in front of the door, as he promised. You were able to calm yourself down each time and get some more sleep, thinking through all the different security measures Mace talked you through. 

At one point you wake up to the smell of bacon cooking in the kitchen. Your stomach rumbles so you get out of bed. Mace is cooking up bacon, eggs and toast for two. He looks up and smiles as he sees you, “coffee just started brewing. I’ll get you a mug when it’s ready.” You nod, still tired, and sit down at the table, watching him work.

He’s definitely bulked up since high school. He was kinda lanky back then but his arms have definitely gotten bigger and his shirt hints at some serious muscle underneath. Part of you wonders if he built that through work or exercise. The rest of you is wondering how it would feel to be held close in those muscly arms. 

He brings over a plate, “hope you don’t mind your eggs scrambled with cheese. Also got some strawberry jam for your toast, if you’d like.”

“Thanks, AC,” you smile, quickly digging into the food. He sets his own plate down and comes back with a couple mugs of coffee before eating. 

“We’re going to be getting some more food stuff delivered today,” he says between bites. “If you’d like to request anything specific let me know before noon or so.” You nod in understanding. “GBH will be regularly trading shifts with Barton, another one of the best in the security business. Again, you’re not likely to see him, but he’s definitely watching out for us. Probably both of them will be on task when it comes time for your testimony.”

You freeze at that. You’d been so busy trying to stay alive you hadn’t had time to think about the actual trial. Mace notices and starts gently rubbing the back of your hand. “Hey,” he whispers. “You’re gonna be okay. We’ll be there for you every step of the way, alright?”

“Can you be there with me,” you whisper back, voice strained with emotion.

“I’ll talk about it with the Bosses, okay?”

You nod and pick at the rest of your food, appetite suppressed by fear. Mace’s face goes from worried to slightly mischievous as he goes for his phone. “I know a few things to add to the grocery list,” he comments as he types. 

“What are you getting?”

“It’s gonna be a surprise. A good surprise, I promise.”

“As opposed to the surprise birthday gift you tried to get me by hacking the school grading systems and giving Pacifica all C’s and D’s?”

“In my defense, it was a great plan,” he argues. “Low grades meant more time with her tutors, which meant less time in her precious social circles. Maybe then she would’ve left you alone.”

“And, instead, you forgot that Pacifica’s parents were rich enough to correct your work,” you chuckle.

Mace sighs, “thus, your birthday surprise of Pacifica not being on the honor roll was thwarted.” He shakes his head as he smiles, “but I promise, this will actually be a good surprise.”

You’re both on the couch, watching reruns of Mythbusters, when Mace lets you know that the groceries have arrived. He encourages you to stay seated while he goes to the door, waiting for the knock. As he walks away you can’t help but think about smacking his ass, which has also “improved” since high school.

Mace heard the quiet knock and checked the peephole, confirming it was Curtis. He opened the door and started taking some of the bags. They walked them into the kitchen, Curtis confirming the door was closed and locked behind him. 

“This is all the food stuff that was on the list,” Curtis said. “Also got a bag of clothes for you.”

“Thanks,” Mace nodded. 

“Teach was the one to get the clothes,” Curtis admitted. “She’s got you at least a week’s worth of everything. Hope you don’t mind that she went through your clothes.”

“Nah, I trust her as much as I trust you,” Mace shook his head. “Thanks for agreeing to the personnel change for this.”

“Not much of a choice,” Curtis grumbled. “Between Teach and Rogers, I was clearly never gonna win. Good thing I already support you doing this.” Curtis patted Mace on the back. “You’ve got your regular jobs covered?”

“Yeah,” Mace nodded as he started putting away groceries. “Called in a favor or two, said it was a family emergency and they’d get paid the on-call level wages.” Curtis nods his approval. “Also,” Mace continued, “need to talk to someone about going to the courthouse with her.”

Curtis’s face snaps up at that, “you sure?”

“She’s requested it. Said it’ll help her keep calm. I’m inclined to believe her.”

“I’ll talk to the security team. See what they can do.” Curtis pauses a moment before asking, “you’re willing to do all of this for an old friend? Or is it the promise of bringing down Wilford & Gilliam?”

Mace considered. “A combination?”

“Have you thought about what’s going to happen after she testifies?”

“I haven’t let myself get that far,” Mace admitted.

“You’ll want to talk to her about her options,” Curtis confided. Mace nodded his agreement and they finished putting things away in silence before Curtis headed out.

You’d stayed on the couch, not wanting to interfere with their conversation and because you don’t want to ruin Mace’s surprise. But you heard the man’s comments about “after she testifies” and your brain starts going into panic mode again. What options did you have if things went well? What if they went bad? You can’t expect to be kept safe here forever. Do you have anywhere else to go? How far would Willford & Gilliam go to silence you? To make you pay for your testimony? 

Mace turns from the door after making sure it’s locked and sees you gently rocking on the couch. He slowly approaches, quietly calling your name until you stop to look at him. He’s shocked by how scared you look. “DC, what’s going on?”

You can only whisper, “what do I do after I testify? They’ve already tried to kill me. Will they keep trying? Where can I go? What options do I have?” 

You start rocking again and Mace starts rubbing the back of your hand making gentle shush sounds, trying to soothe you. When that doesn’t work he pulls you to him and holds you, gently running his hand up and down your back. You appreciate the touch and find yourself leaning into it, putting  your head on his shoulder. 

When he senses you’ve calmed down he asks, “how about I get to work on that surprise?” You give him a small smile and nod. He goes into the kitchen and gets to work. You try to follow him but he tells you to go back to watching Mythbusters so you don’t ruin the surprise. Chuckling at his earnestness you comply and go sit on the couch. 

A while later the apartment is filled with sounds and smells of Mace’s cooking. You’re pretty sure he’s cooking up burgers. Your mind goes back to a school play, some really bad, cheap knock off of Grease. You and Mace needed the credits and ended up playing the tertiary couple at the sock hop. It was the closest either of you had ever gotten to a date and you remember hoping it would have led to a real one. 

Mace calls out from the kitchen, “would you be willing to move to the table?”

“Of course,” you chirp as you get up to move. 

He starts bringing food over as you sit down. Sure enough, there’s cheeseburgers, and a giant pile of freshly baked french fries. You smile and he runs back to the kitchen and brings out a couple of chocolate malts. He sets yours down in front of you and looks at you, expectantly. 

Your smile grows, “this looks amazing.”

“And feel free to eat up all of the fries. I know they’re your favorite.”

“I’m not gonna eat all of them,” you argue. Mace raises an eyebrow and you chuckle. “Seriously, I’m not eating all of them. Just, maybe, 80% or so.” He laughs at your response and you both dig into the food. His cooking really is great. 

“I was thinking of that sock-hop knock off play from high school,” Mace says between bites. “It was a dumb play, but we had a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, that poodle skirt was something else,” you chuckle. “So glad I never had to wear it again.”

“It looked really cute on you.”

“Yeah, but it was so heavy and under those stage lights I got so hot so fast.”

“Fair. At least neither of us had to wear those leather jackets.”

“Mmm! Yes! I remember Donny almost got heat stroke or something!”

“I also really enjoyed, just…” Mace stops. You tilt your head, questioning. He sighs, “it’s nothing. How’s the food?”

“Oh no you don’t,” you correct him. “I’ve been telling you all of my feelings. You don’t get to hold back yours. That was never our friendship.”

“It was, actually,” he says quietly. 

“How do you mean? We told each other everything.”

Mace takes a deep sigh, “no. I didn’t tell you everything. Couldn’t tell you everything, because I was a dumb kid.”

“You can tell me now. We’re definitely not teenagers anymore.”

“I wanted to ask you out. On a real date,” he confesses. “That play was the closest I knew I’d ever get to the real thing. That’s why it’s burned into my brain. None of my lines, none of the other characters, just you and me, on a date.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Like I said, I was a dumb kid,” he gulps. “Knew you’d be on your way to bigger and better things. Knew you’d be able to do so much better than me. High school was a pain in the ass for my self-confidence, too. As much as I thought I could be good for you, I knew you’d be able to find someone better than me. That you shouldn’t be tied to me for no other reason than we were high school sweethearts.”

“Meanwhile I was just waiting for you to make a move,” you sigh. “I’m so sorry.”

He furrows his brow, “why are you apologizing?”

“If I’d felt more confident, maybe I could’ve asked you out instead. Then we wouldn’t have gotten separated and out of touch. And I probably wouldn’t be hiding for my life.”

“It’s not your fault. It takes two people to stop talking to each other. I could’ve tried harder.”

“Well, at least we get another chance,” you smile. “If you’re willing, that is.”

“I definitely don’t want to waste this chance,” he confesses. 

You get up from your seat and sit yourself on his lap, putting your arms around his neck. “Just friends, or more?”

Mace gulps, his eyes darkening, “more, please.”

You kiss him with more passion and want than you’ve ever kissed anyone before, enjoying the electricity at his touch as he returns the kiss. 

Part 2 -- Part 4

Series Masterlist

Tagging:

@chibijusstuff

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@rebekahdawkins

@texmexdarling

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

And many thanks to @krirebr for the inspiration for the surprise!

[navybrat817]

CYM as significant others of Chris Evans characters.

I'm going to cheat, nonnie, and give variations of characters to people. 😂 I'm also likely missing people. Sorry, lovelies! ❤️

Ari Levinson - @flordeamatista

Mob!Ari Levinson - @stargazingfangirl18

Trailer Park!Ari Levinson - @onsunnyside

Steve Rogers - @writing-for-marvel

Nomad Steve Rogers - @labella420

Alpha!Steve Rogers - @biteofcherry

Mob!Steve Rogers - @jtargaryen18

Andy Barber - @georgiapeach30513

College!Andy Barber - @sunshinebuckybarnes

Curtis Everett - @sweater-daddiesdumbdork

Coal Miner!Curtis Everett - @ghotifishreads

Jake Jensen - @tavners

Best Friend!Jake Jensen - @drabblewithfrannybarnes

Ransom Drysdale - @boxofbonesfic

Lloyd Hansen - @darkficsyouneveraskedfor

Mr. Freezy - @the-iceni-bitch

Frank Adler - @secretswiftymarvelfan

Cole Turner - @maroonsunrise83

James Mace - @sgt-seabass

*****

I may be missing characters. Love and thanks! ❤️

[zooterchet]

Baby Time (Cronos)

1985: Birth, Mondale loses.

1986: Dr. Spock, Gypsy assassin.

1987: Uncle Sam, Leibenschilitz alliance, "Lennox".

1988: Disney, Duvaliers; "Jack the Ripper" is black.

1989: Berlin Wall, INTERPOL; horse farts, Slovenia shut down.

1990: Lockerbie, Libyan kid porn deleted; "Dream Chair", Dr. Facilier.

1991: Mozart, Warren Buffet; CNN investment.

1992: Islamic Prophecy, Knightfall; daughter with Maces, "Bane", MI-6.

1993: South Park, Avenging Conseince; Detective-Sergeant Dave MacNeal, NORAD boot, author.

1994: Star Trek: TNG, Riker written; Mike Judge passed contract, INTERPOL, MTV.

1995: Cillian Murphy contract, Irish Mob, hired by White Wolf; convert to Satanism, Ba'athist form, "The Omen".

1996: Sexual molestation of Ted Blanchard, covered by Will Morgan, Jefferson Davis; Hopkinton Nordic Alliance begins, diner fund; first air of South Park, for Barack Obama.

1997: Lodge program to kill grandparents revealed, "Damn-Yankee" recruited to MI-6, as "Cypher", "The Matrix".

1998: GTA 3 camera, "all crime is now gay"; Gamespy, Quakeworlder Labs.

1999: Y2K bug, computer clock; Chinese circus shut down, by Mitnick, for kidnapping clowns.

2000: Death of Alice Charlebois nee O'Neill, by Thomas Menino, Canadian spy.

2001: David Charlebois, nominated as undercover cop, by Brett Mulvey, teacher's union; state police "outfits"' targeted, as Attleboro spies, against Massachusetts drug rights for children; death ensue for centuries, "Christ".

2002: Written description of Heath Ledger, as Batman; Heath Ledger accepts contract, from James Holmes and Christopher Nolan; Warner Brothers.

2003: Return to James Madison's law, against baby foot theft; first murder, invention of Narcodan.

2004: Unions replaced with business unions; John McCain against, declared racist by George W. Bush, for wanting free stuff.

2005: 7/7 bombings planned, though Green Berets; David Charlebois, swings summit, towards NYPD and IDF and USMC simultaneously, for War in Iraq.

2006: Hopkinton PD, uncovers labor slavery at Colella's Supermarket; Hamburg, indicted for Rice a Roni beet slavery, "Redneck Rampage".

2007: First print set of Assassin's Creed submitted, as French advertisement to Saint's Row; Catholicism, cool again, like with sack of Gauls.

2008: Staff mails collected, "Gotham City MUSH"; contract disputes, on "Law and Order: Gotham City", to return Masouz family to honor, to avenge Masouz family; IDF, suspects that America, isn't Canada; "Chet", David Charlebois, frames Batman, as Boston Strangler, hunting Harry Potter.

2009: Chemically castrated, for causing "Hard Candy"', teachers outed as terrorists for killing politicians, the jumping kid.

2010: FBI snitches ExSec, as 9/11, temp agencies; Trump is enraged, prints his television shows, and wrestles. Korean Northern logic; last name, is country of origin. Has sexually assaulted women.

2011: "Chet", is fired from M3, for siding against Metro-Terror, murders begin to tally, of spymasters, for Philip J. Morris. Offensive song, printed to heat, to avenge Sandra MacDonald, NSA, killed by Jeffrey Lange, over military service; Jeffrey, "Dr. Leo"', converted to German Neo-Nazi, Lutheran, by new wife, "Sarah Storm". Sarah Storm, had been rejected, by "Chet", for being online contact, instead of RL.

2012: Chet earns SSI, SSDI, Section 8 Housing, and EBT, from snitching Sony, to FBI. Obama, supports Chet, and airs "Gotham"', against his will; giving "Temple on the Mount", as a speech, over and over, from Chet's stolen college admissions essay. Chet continues to fake Islam, confusing "Reliant" at MCM, "Aquarius", former M3 staffer.

2013: Chet creates a hack account on Discord, and snitches the haze of an Arab, at a middle school; Iraqi refugees move to town, Dave stopping an armed robbery, set up by the Irgun. The culprit, the Grandville Mob, the Williamsons, go suicidal.

2014: Dave Charlebois arranges the collapse of Obama, through Rahm Emmanuel, at Furry MUCK, by coming out as gay, to Squal, a frat boy playing animal fucker games; straight, a fur coat man, and a vanilla sexual prostitute seeker.

2015: Chet, preps Trump for the Presidency, through a contact with Jenna Williamson, on Facebook. Recovered doctors, nurses, and social workers, clear Chet's marriage trap, the downfall of the German deputies union. Greg Hill, Lyndon Byers, and Spaz Parziale, come under indictment, for the connection between the NYPD, and the IRA.

2016: Comey, is fired, for refusing to side against morality, in favor of the code that doomed Trump, the individual interviewing.

2017: Chet checks into SNHU, the new ITT Tech. He begins compiling notes, amounting to thousands of pages at end of gather.

2018: Trump, during the midterms, establishes a Russian Mafia plan, to incarcerate Natives and Siberians. Flat tops, the Old Worlders, are incarcerated instead. Chet spent 8 years doing this, until South Park aired this, firing anyone that listens to South Park, as Cartman; the intent of Dave MacNeal's series, for Alice's mental health.

2019: Chet reveals the Unitarians, as transgender accountants, Totenkopf; war with Putin ensues.

2020: Chet removes medical, draft, and gay commitments as prison, from Israeli power.

2021: Chet institutes a buyout of the Canadian Freemasons, by free Iraq.

2022: The GOP is alerted, blacks are GOP, not Republican. Che Guevera is defeated.

2023: Present.

[sgt-seabass]

𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖

✧˚ · . 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘍𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘨𝘢 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘪𝘵.

main pairing — mob boss!alpha!nick fowler x omega!reader other featured characters — james mace, chris beck, steve kemp, charles blackwood, ransom drysdale, chase collins, lee bodecker, robert pronge, ari levinson, hal carter, lloyd hansen w/c — 14.8k this is a dark explicit fic. 18+ only. part of the Clockwork AU.

warnings — non-con (blowjobs, handjobs, unprotected sex), dub-con (unprotected sex, female orgasm), a/b/o dynamics, Nick Fowler being a cunt, misogyny/treating omegas as lesser, references to death, suicidal ideations, references to anxiety and depression, caging, manhandling/mild violence against reader, chase, mild injury to reader, pet names (pup, puppy, sweets, sunshine, little omega, ducky), degradation, use of stress positions, minor medical references (needles administered), gangbang, bukkake, neglect of reader (touch starving), mention of wanting to throw up (no actual vomit), mental torture and stress to the point of breakdown a/n — big big thank you to @sweeterthanthis and @dreamlessinparis for beta-ing this beast and dealing with my inability to stay in one tense lol. all mistakes and bullshit are mine. also big thank you to @navybrat817 for helping with the brainstorming. without you, this fic wouldn't have come to life

Depressed again Morning comes too fast and I'm tired of the routine Depressed again Let me sit alone in the tone that you crave Angry again No, I don't wanna have a conversation with you Angry again Let me sit alone with the kerosene I don't even care about you ↳ I don't even care about you by Missio

"Hey, doll.”

Your eyes fluttered open, the sunshine warm on your face as you gazed up at the man above you, a soft smile on his features as his hair hung down and eclipsed his face.

Was this heaven?

"James?" You questioned, disbelief flowing through you at the sight of him. He looked far different to the last time you saw him. No injuries marred him. He looked just as you had always known him. 

"Who else would it be, silly? You fell asleep while I was getting the rest of the stuff from the car," James chuckled as you sat up, your fingers running across the picnic mat below you. The feeling of the fabric was familiar, and it caused a smile to dance across your lips. You'd always loved the picnics you'd had with your alpha. It was playful and fun, the two of you snacking before cuddling beneath the sun's warmth.

And in the best moments, you'd get frisky under a padded blanket. It was in those moments you'd found true happiness. You'd found love. But the problem in finding love was that it was so easy to lose in a matter of moments. The truest sorrow of death was that love was proven more than anything.

James sat the picnic basket beside you before quickly tugging you into his lap.

You blinked, taking in the view of the park surrounding you. Only the two of you and the flowers blooming across the landscape, nothing more than a subtle breeze in the air.

Your eyes scanned over the flowers, looking at the different coloured petals. It was as if ink had infused them with their hues, providing life to something that would be otherwise dull. 

Oh, it felt good.

Warmth surrounded you, Jame's bulky frame providing you comfort as he nuzzled into your neck to scent you, his hand resting against your stomach.

He let out a low hum, the sound reverberating across your skin like your favourite song.

You let out a sigh as you relaxed against him, eyes fluttering closed as you just let yourself be in the moment.

"You're not gonna fall asleep again, are you?" James chided, poking at your side with his right arm, eliciting giggles from you.

You opened your eyes to face him. His deep azures gazed at you as you ran your hands through his hair, bringing your palms forward to cup his cheeks.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

It's too good to be true. This happiness, it was too perfect. Life had never allowed you much reprieve.

"Does it matter?" James pulled your leg around, so you were sitting in his lap, your face close before you allowed yourself to let go.

Your lips brushed over each other's, testing the waters before your hands brought his face to yours.

The kiss started slow, two souls connecting between planes. But the crushing weight of reality quickly turned you more passionate.

It felt so real. You didn't want this to end.

Time seemed to flow indiscriminately as you kissed James, your tears beginning to trickle down your cheeks after a few minutes with your alpha.

He pulled away with a coo. "Hey, hey, doll. You're alright,”

"He’s going to take me away from you. I don’t…I don’t want to wake up Jamie. I want to stay here with you,” You sniffled, and James brought up the arm of his sweatshirt to dry your tears.

“That’s not the way life works, sweetheart. You have to go back,”

You couldn’t. Not after the auction, not after seeing the beast that was your mate.

You huffed, resting your hands on his waist with a shake of your head. “That’s not fair,”

“I know. I know, love. But life isn’t meant to be fair. It’s a struggle against the odds, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change the course of your life,” James reassured, but it felt like a lie.

“I don’t see a way out of this, James. I’m mated to Nick. He can control me without even trying.”

James tilted his head, continuing to wipe away your tears. “Can he, though?”

“What?” Your brows furrowed, fingers clinging to James like he was your lifeline.

“You’re the strongest gal I’ve ever met,” He tapped your temple with a sad smile. “You just have to fight him.”

“I... but how?”

“Think of us, what we had, what we were destined to have. Even without me in the picture, you’ve lost everything. And that is exactly why you can fight back. He can’t control someone who has nothing to live for,” James’ words felt like a tonne of bricks in your stomach, a heavy pit forming. Because despite him being right, you did have nothing to live for. You’d lost everything, and you’d hit rock bottom. The concept of standing up against a prime alpha was almost too scary to comprehend.

It would be easier to just cease the fight. End the pain.

“Why don’t I just kill myself then?” You asked with beady eyes, and James let out a sad hum, contemplating his next words.

“Because then Nick Fowler wins. He would have destroyed both of us. You’ve got so much courage, doll. And the most courageous thing you can do is live,” James said softly, his words delivered gently despite their weight. “Plus, you have to find Steve. We’re all he had,”

Your gaze dropped to your hands, fiddling with the hem of James’ sweatshirt as you frowned. “And what if I lose? What if he breaks me?”

“Then you live happily the best you can. If you’re broken, you won’t know any better anymore,” James gently took your chin, tilting your head up so your eyes would meet his. 

His lips found yours again, the kiss melancholic as you knew this had to end. Nothing good ever lasted long for you.

Would this be the last time you’d see him?

Roses with thorned stalks rose from the ground, the petals a beautiful crimson, the flowers just like Nick’s tattoos. You could hear the ticking of a clock, the sound signalling that time was running out. With each tick, you held tighter onto James, the stems getting closer and closer with each passing second.

You pulled back with a hiccuped sob despite how much you just wanted to keep his lips on yours. When had you started crying again?

“James… I’m not ready to go back, please.”

James didn’t have anything to say this time. All he could offer was a woeful smile as the vines began to wind around your limbs, cutting into you and slicing around your flesh.

There wasn’t anything he could do to make this better.

After all, he wasn’t even real. The James you loved was dead.

Death was brutal and cruel, unforgiving in how it wrenches people from your existence. But he was safe, at least. James didn’t have to face any more horrors while you were consumed by the primitive evil that was Nick Fowler. 

The thorns cut into your skin, tearing across your torso and limbs as they wrapped around you like a snake ready to kill.

You began to be pulled away from James, and despite your hold on him, the roses were stronger. 

“I love you,” you wept as your body began to be dragged into the dirt below, the ground moving around you like quicksand.

“I love you too. We’ll see each other again one day, doll. It’ll be okay.”

You wanted to believe James, but as the earth began to swallow you up, you knew it was unlikely.

The chance of beating Nick Fowler is minuscule, but you’d still try. You’d try for James. For what you should have had, the life you lost.

Dirt began to fill your lungs as your head was pulled under, your blood mixing in with the brown soil, making a muddy mess.

The last thing you remember was hearing a wolf howl and the clock’s ticking stopped.

Consciousness came to you with fright, heart hammering in your chest and tears in your eyes. You whacked your head against the cage wall in your abrupt wake, pain radiating through your forehead from the impact. The thick, black steel bars clanged like they were laughing at your pain. 

A whimpered ouch left you as you lay back down. Your dress from the auction still filled most of the cage, the tulle scratching against your skin uncomfortably. The emerald made you look luxurious, but you doubted being shoved in a cage was doing you many favours in looking the part Nick wanted you to play. Or maybe that’s precisely the image he wanted. A shattered omega.

The diamond choker Nick had gifted you laid next to you. It must have broken off during the night when you tossed and turned, as it was already damaged when you went to sleep. 

You threw it out of the cage with a huff, watching it skid off the rug and across the hardwood. 

A bird in a gilded cage was still denied its freedom, no matter how embellished its captor made it.

The choker was a show of ownership, and the last thing you wanted was to be reminded of your mate. The rejection of your alpha had your bond throbbing, the scarred flesh on your neck hurting with each ebb of anger that flowed through you. You hoped Nick could feel it and that it was irritating for him.

You would rather Nick treated you like his auctioned omegas so there was no veil. At the end of the day, you were just another object for him.

Light bled through the curtains like a fresh wound, gnarly and grotesque, much like the maim to your soul. It illuminated the room, the light making you aware of the stark greys of the bedroom. Perhaps it was supposed to be chic, the way the walls and furniture matched a muted colour palette. But all it did was reflect the desolateness of the situation; the world reduced to nothing more than shades.

The plushness of the pink and blue blankets below you provided little comfort, but you ignored the soreness in your muscles as you stared at the ceiling, the dark grey paint obscured by the bars of your cage.

Time passed, the sun beginning to rise higher in the sky. It had to be at least mid-morning, and your stomach rumbled. You hadn’t eaten since before the auction yesterday, although the thought of eating anything made you feel sick. Everything about your situation made you nauseous.

You hoped that James would burst through the door with Steve by his side and that they would take you out of this hell hole and back to your everyday life. But when the door opened, you were met with the sight of Beck and Mace. You barely spared them a glance before returning to eyeing the ceiling like it was the most exciting thing in the world.

“Stop sulking. You brought this upon yourself,” Mace sighed, moving to unlock your cage. When you didn’t move to get out or acknowledge their presence, Mace clutched your ankle and began to drag you out.

“Get off me,” you snarled, trying to cling to the bars as the dress tulle scratched your skin, but Beck was one step ahead. He pried your fingers off the bars while Mace pulled, and you had no chance as you were dragged from the enclosure. While the cage kept you inside, it also kept others out, and now you had to face your nightmares.

“Don’t you want a shower and a piss? Why are you making this such a fucking chore?” Mace growled as you began flailing. You could feel Nick through your bond, his emotions egging you to calm down. But you didn’t want to calm down. You wanted to go home. To your real home, not this prison.

Beck picked up the discarded choker, lips pursed as he looked at it, examining if it could be fixed while Mace wrangled you to your feet despite your protests. “Fuck off, get the fuck off me!”

Mace’s lips ghosted by the shell of your ear as he pulled your hands behind you, leading you towards the bathroom, his voice scarily low. “Twenty minutes. Clean yourself up and get it together. If you come out a nice fucking omega, I won’t tell Nick about this. Although I’m sure he can already feel it all.”

With little grace, Mace pushed you into the bathroom, your feet stumbling over the tile until you steadied yourself on the marble sink counter. The door closed behind you, the locks clicking. You didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of doing as they said, but you really needed to relieve yourself and freshen up. Especially if you were going to have any chance of fighting them.

As you suspected, each drawer in the bathroom was locked with a fingerprint pad, the light flashing red and beeping at you when you tried to open it. Nick really had thought of everything. On the shower shelf sat everything you needed anyway. Begrudgingly, you moved through the motions. You didn’t allow your thoughts to wander. There was too much pain threatening to bleed in past the edges of your mind.

As you struggled to take the dress off and get the shower running, all you thought about was James. The way he’d hold you and love you. To Nick, it might appear you’re calming down with how your emotions turn to yearning as the water washed over you. But the desire wasn’t for your mated alpha. It’s for the alpha you lost. 

It wasn't until you got out of the shower that your determination became set. Nick Fowler would not win. Think of James, you told yourself. Just like he said in your dream. Perhaps it wasn’t a dream but a premonition. A communication with the dead.

As you began to work yourself up, your fists clenched by your sides, the adrenaline started to spike. They hadn’t left you any clothes, but that didn’t matter. You’d be faster without anything slowing you down anyway. You tore some of the fabric from the dress to pull your hair back so it wouldn’t get in the way.

“Times up,” Beck called, and you knew this was it. This was your chance. You got ready to bolt when he cracked the door open. And once he’d opened it enough for you to fit through, you pounced. The rush hit you all at once, and you quickly sprinted past Beck’s form and under the arm on the door.

“What the—” The alpha said, stunned as you dashed past him. Mace, distracted as he searched the closet for clothes, whipped his head around just in time to see you rush out the bedroom door.

“Omega! Stop!” Mace tried to command you. But he’s not your alpha; now that you’ve got a mate, his orders don’t work on you.

Without looking back, you ran into the hall, following the trail that Beck took you on when he walked you down the night before. There are rushed steps behind you, but it doesn’t deter you as your feet slapped against the floor in your sprint. You can feel Nick homing into your bond, his ire clear. And you know he’s close. He’s in the house. Stop. Enough. The bond tells you, but a flash of James’ face in your mind’s eye helps to eclipse the order.

You managed to reach the front door, throwing it open with a slam before running onto the gravelled front path. The rocks of the driveway tore into your feet, the cold air hitting your naked form like a tidal wave. There was a slight patter of rain beginning, the type you’d love to be curled in bed under the plush covers to listen to, but instead, you were running for your life.

“Omega. Stop right now,” Nick’s booming voice hit your ears, and your legs faltered for a second. No. No.

“’Til the end of the line, sweetheart,” James. This is the man who took James from you. He’s no alpha of yours.

You managed to get your legs moving, picking up into a sprint as your heart hammered like a panicked mouse in your chest.

“Stop running right now,” Nick yelled again, but you didn’t even register the command, James’ voice cooing to you in your head.

You could feel the trickle of blood as the bond opened into a fresh wound the more you rejected the commands of your alpha. You were denying your very physiology, and it wasn't without consequences. Everything hurt, and the throbbing in your neck felt like needles were being sharply stabbed where Nick’s teeth had dug in when he claimed you.

The way Nick felt didn't help. There was anger, disappointment, and hurt. Not that he’d admit to the last one. His omega was rejecting him. A prime alpha rejected by their omega was a pitiful sight and one that Nick would never want anyone else to see. For a man so powerful, in this moment, he was entirely weak to you.

That was until you heard the shot ring off and felt a sharp sting in your left ass cheek. You stumbled to the ground, palms and knees grazing over the gravelled surface as the rain hit your back. A yowl left you as you turned to look behind you, a tranquiliser dart sticking out of your skin, a little blue feathered frill on the end.

“You fucking tranqued me?” You screamed, looking back at Nick, who was slowly approaching with the rifle in his hand.

“You’re lucky I didn’t use my loaded gun, omega. I don’t even care about you. I should kill you,” The frustration was apparent, an edge of confusion in his tone, unsure as to why his commands weren’t working. If anything, they should be stronger now that you’re bonded. But why did he care anyway? What made you so special?

“Yeah, but you won’t, because you do fucking care, asshole. Otherwise I would have died with my lover,” You spat, fire in your eyes as he edged closer. Your entire lower half was becoming unusable, but you still tried to drag yourself over the ground despite how it cut into you.

”I can see why that useless waste of space you called an alpha never mated you. Did you act like a fucking brat with him too?” The words shouldn’t hurt. You shouldn’t care what Nick says. But they were like knives piercing your skin regardless, worse than the gravel below.

“He deserved my respect. You deserve nothing. You are nothing.”

The outrage was clear as day on Nick’s face as he crouched before you, and your arms began to get tingly as the weakness spread. You knew he was going to snap back hard, and he did. 

”Maybe your alpha would be alive if you behaved yourself and paid more attention to him.”

Your mouth dropped open in shock, a pained cry leaving you as the tears began. Yeah, that hurt. It planted a seed of doubt in your mind. Was it your fault? No. You weren’t going to take the blame for a male alpha with an inflated ego. For too long, omegas took the blame simply because their voice wasn’t as loud. But not now. You wouldn’t take it.

”Aww, pup. You lost all your bite, hm? I’m disappointed. I thought you’d fight better than this.”

If the jabs about James didn’t hurt enough, the thought of disappointing your alpha added to the anguish. And it made you mad. Really, really mad.

“Why bite when I can scratch, alpha?” You snapped before using your waning strength to slash at Nick. He laughed, easily dodging you, only one swipe brushing his cheek. Your nails left a red mark, and it spurred you on more.

”You can hit harder than that, little pup. C’mon, you’re letting me down. You wanna act like a wolf? Then hurt me, but you’ll have to put in some effort, cub. You’re just making this too easy.”

Nick’s words hit hard. You let out a roar and lunged. It took all your strength to propel your body, throwing yourself against the alpha. He seemed surprised for a millisecond, and it was all you needed to swipe your nails across Nick’s face. He hissed as your talons dug through flesh, leaving trickles of blood tracking down his face. Lucky for him, his eyelids were closed when you attacked, so his eyes remained undamaged while his cheek and lip bore some nasty cuts.

It’s all you hadleft in you before the sedative rendered you useless. But it was worth it to see Nick’s face as he processed it all. For once, he wasn't in control. How the mighty have fallen.

Nick took your head into his hands, cupping his palms on either side. You were forced to look into his eyes when his bond was at its strongest. Desperation was in his wild eyes, the facade of a prime alpha with it all cracking. “Bark for me, puppy.”

Your mind screamed at you to bark. To give in.

It would be easy to play the part the world wanted you to. But to do that would be denying your own human experience. You opened your mouth, turning to the side and biting down hard on Nick’s hand.

He slapped you, one hand holding your head steady, so the impact hurt even more. It makes your brain rattle, the world shaking for a moment. Your eyes fluttered, and suddenly you weren't on the mansion path anymore. Nick had picked you up and thrown you over his shoulder. Your limbs laid dormant, unable to move due to the dart still poking out of your ass. Given the omegas he had housed in his back barn, it should have been expected he’d have non-lethal ways to capture them.

You expected Nick to take you to the bedroom and cage you, but your brows furrowed as you were brought to the living room. He was silent now, and that was almost scarier than his anger. He was plotting something that surely wouldn’t be good for you.

Beck and Mace watched from the doorway as Nick dropped you like a sack of potatoes onto the ground against the far wall. He looked  down at you, jaw clenched and let out a huff. He gave your stomach a kick, earning a winded groan from you as you couldn't even curl in on yourself, your muscles relaxed against your will.

“She’s rejecting my commands,” Nick said matter-of-factly, his gaze turning to his men. “I intend to fix that.”

“How?” Mace asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorframe, eyes flicking from you to his boss.

“I’m going to talk to Kemp. He’ll know. And if he doesn’t, Hal will have an idea.”

“Hal is a softie,” Mace interjected with a dry chuckle.

“Yeah, but have you seen how Ari’s omegas listen to him? They dote on him,” Beck commented, running a hand through his short hair, his forehead creased from stress.

“I don’t want the soft route. Get her bound. I have some calls to make.”

Nick didn't look back at you as he exited the room, but you could feel the pain in your bond. The desolation. The anger. The myriad of emotions swirling in the both of you.

Asshole.

Mace and Beck did as commanded, moving around you to take the pictures down from the wall, replacing them with metal loops. Mace left for a few minutes while Beck finished up, and he took a moment to inspect your stomach, pressing around your ribs to ensure there’s nothing out of place. By now, the dogs had joined as well. Apollo, Icarus and Hermes sat a few feet away, just watching what was happening.

“She’s fine,” Beck murmured to the dogs, three sets of ears perking up at his words. “Yeah yeah, I know. But she brought this upon herself.”

Mace returned with rope, working with Beck to bind your arms and connect the cord through the newly installed loops. Your arms were brought above your head, suspending you uncomfortably so that your toes barely touched the floor. It put a lot of pressure on your shoulders, especially with your body's dead weight beneath you.

As their last step, Beck pulled the tranquiliser dart from you, and you tried to bite him when he was close enough. He gave you a look of disappointment before leaving with Mace, the dogs following once Mace whistled for them.

You were left in the living room, nothing more than the ticking of the old grandfather clock on the opposite side of the room to keep you company. It was almost maddening listening to the tick-tocks, your head filled with the repetitive sound. The blinds were drawn, the room dark, the only light source from the hallway outside. Shadows cast over the dark mahogany furniture, creating more demons for you to contest with. You never were a fan of the dark, and certainly not now.

Over time, you regained control of your body. Your muscles started to move, and you were able to shuffle to try and find a more comfortable position. Although no stance was relaxing as you struggled to stay steady on the balls of your feet.

Hours passed, and you started to hone in on the ticking rhythm of the clock, imagining it as a tempo for you and James to dance to. He always loved dancing. You’d been excited to take him to the local dance that was run every spring, but you never did get that chance. And you’d make sure Nick paid for that lost chance by being the unruliest omega possible.

With the curtains closed, it was impossible to tell the time, and the clock was too far away to make out, so you just waited for Nick’s eventual return.

You didn't know how long it had been, but the slamming of doors indicated that Nick had emerged from his office, clearly not happy with whatever ‘advice’ he had been given by his friends. After a few minutes, he walked into the living room, sharp daggers shooting from his gaze at you. If looks could've killed, you would have been long dead. 

In his hand was a bowl of porridge, steam wafting off the top. You still hadn’t eaten, and your stomach growled at the sight and smell of the food. Even though you hated the muggy texture, your body craved just about anything.

“Are you going to be good?” Nick said coolly, his mask of calmness back. “You’ll have to be punished, but it will be easier on you if you give in now.”

He approached slowly, watching the way your eyes flitted between the food and him. It was clear Nick thought you would give in as he approached, a smug look on his face.

When he was within range, you used all your strength to throw your legs out and kick the bowl from his grasp, the porcelain shattering to the ground with a smash. Beck came rushing in from the sound, stopping when Nick raised his hand to dismiss him. “Leave it.”

You felt a sense of triumph when Nick’s jaw clicked in annoyance. You weren’t going down that easy. Not with James in the forefront of your thoughts.

Nick’s fists clenched and unclenched like he was deciding whether to hit you or not before he seemingly remembered something. He didn’t touch you. Instead, wordlessly, he pivoted on his heel and left, leaving you and the discarded food without further consideration.

That was the last time you saw anyone for two days.

Or at least what you thought was two days. It was hard to approximate with the only indication of the time the chimes on the clock. Fatigued, with no more than an hour’s sleep due to the stress position and lack of food, you were second guessing how many chimes you’d counted.

Your heart leapt in your chest when Nick eventually re-emerged, his clothes different. You’d never seen him out of a suit, his muscly form adorning a plain blue t-shirt and black jeans. The clothes clung to him like you wished to. Your alpha. Your hindbrain was ecstatic at the sight of him. Pushing against your designation, you shoved all the feelings down deep. No, you could not desire the man who ruined your life. 

Nick’s signature smirk was back, his eyes twinkling as he looked at you. He wanted you, too. That much was clear. Why he cared for you so much, you’d never understand. With the ticks in the background sounding, you looked at the clock tattoo that stood out starkly against his skin, like the rest of his ink.

Your eyes narrowed as you focused on the time. Two am. Was that on purpose? Did that time hold some significance? Or was it simply chosen at random? Your sight dragged to the bowl of fruit in his hands. Melon, strawberries, and apples,all cut into bite-size pieces. The hunger you felt hurt, as if your stomach was ready to eat itself.

“I can hear your stomach, puppy. Hungry little thing, aren’t you?” Nick mocked, but he was right. You were ravenous. The sweet tang in the air from the fruit mixed in with Nick’s strong scent had your head swirling. 

It’d been days since you’d been touched. Usually, that would be enough for any omega to start getting touch starved, let alone a mated omega being denied by her alpha. A prime alpha. Your body yearned for Nick, and it had your anger rising. No, it wasn't fair. You shouldn’t want the man who killed your partner.

Like the first time Nick visited, you kicked the bowl from his hand, flinching at the shattering sound. As you did it, there was a flash of ire in Nick’s expression, but there was something else there too. Like he expected it from you.

“Have it your way,” Nick said simply, placing his hands in his pockets as he kicked the discarded fruit away from your feet. He was so close, you could feel his body heat, and it had you wanting to lean in. “Uh-uh. Bad dogs don’t get pats.”

Nick pulled away, pupils dilated as he took in your scent. It was a punishment for him as well. Although he could get touch elsewhere, all you got was the wall against your back and the floor beneath your toes.

This time when Nick left, tears started steadily streaming down your cheeks as anxiety clutched at your heart.

It started to get much worse.

The longer you were left untouched, the worse your mental state became. The anxiousness was quickly met with a deep depression that settled into your bones and brought upon an acute sadness that infected you like a disease. 

There were often tears, howls, and whimpers. Yet you still didn’t yield when Nick visited you. You were being pulled in two directions, a tear beginning to form down your middle. Your loyalty was to James, but your body called for your alpha. 

Every time someone would walk past the doorway, or you’d hear the pitter-patter of dog paws, your heart would nearly burst. A visitor? But you were almost always met with disappointment. 

Nick didn’t allow the dogs in the living room, and the only time you saw anyone else was when Beck came to inject you with medicine or help you use a bedpan. He didn’t look you in the eyes, touch you, or speak to you. It was like a ghost was administering the vitamins and minerals you needed to stay alive while you refused food.

The days passed in a blur. As soon as the sun would bleed in around the curtains, it would disappear as nightfall came. At first, you liked the quiet of the night, only you and the owls hooting outside awake. But it quickly became your personal nightmare. Alone, with nothing but your thoughts, unable to sleep for more than a few minutes due to the pressure on your arms and balls of your feet.

It was torture. A brutal tactic that was breaking you down with each tick of that fucking clock. You growled into the air. Oh, how you wanted to break that clock. Tear it to shreds and leave nothing but cogs behind. Because every time you tried to escape reality, the ticking would wrench you back. 

The same as the days before it, the sun began to fade, and darkness began to consume the room. You closed your eyes, hoping to get some sleep. Although it was unlikely with the throbbing pain in your shoulders. When you heard footsteps, you assumed they would merely pass by as they usually did, but your eyes fluttered open when the feet stopped in the doorway. Your eyes met Mace’s hardened gaze. It was the first time you’d seen him since you were put on the wall, and you instinctively wanted to hug him. Alpha’s best friend. Alpha’s best friend is your best friend. He watched the way your brows furrowed, and tears welled in your eyes before breaking away to begin lighting the candles that sat on the mantle. 

“Mace.. help me..”

Your voice was left ignored. The candles added a soft illumination to the room. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the flickering heat, a golden amber emanating from the flames. If you touched it, you would feel something. It would hurt. But you would have chosen it. A pain you choose to bear is freedom in itself.

“Mace, alpha, please. Let me go.”

Mace didnt spare you another glance as he moved around the room, dusting and cleaning up. He even vacuumed, and it was all very odd. Nick had a maid staff for this, although you supposed they would be uncomfortable seeing a bound omega crying against the wall.

Once he was done, he flicked on the wall sconces, and your eyes shut immediately. The room is filled with light for the first time in.. well, you weren't sure. But it had been a long while. There was a buzzing behind your eyes, spots flittering across your eyelids before you braved the light. 

Your eyes opened slowly, the brightness almost painful for your poor weakened body. You were growing accustomed to the darkness, feeling as if your body was becoming one with the plaster pressed against your back. There was no hiding in the light, and Mace took a deep breath at the sight of you. 

You were a mess. Naked, bruised, with cuts all over from your attempted escape. It was a sight to behold. Mace left without a word, but you were jostled. 

Why did he clean up? Why turn the lights on? It became more apparent when there was a new voice in the home. One you recognised from the night of the auction. 

Steve walked in with Nick by his side, his lips quirking at the sight of you. Your gaze turned to Nick, vexed still in how you looked at him. But your back arched too, begging to get closer to the scent wafting from him. When you closed your eyes, you were sitting by a flower bed of geraniums with a cup of earl grey tea, and Nick was there nuzzling into your neck.

“F-Fuck.. you..” You whined. It felt as if you would die if he didn’t touch you soon. Like you’d crumble into a pile of ash for Mace to sweep up.

“It’s good you booked this for tonight. I don’t think she’d last much longer otherwise,” You hated how Steve spoke as if you were not there, and a growl left you when you opened your eyes to see his hand on Nick’s shoulder. No, you needed that touch. It’s not fair. At the same time, you wanted to rip Nick’s throat out and force-feed him it. 

“This better work,” Nick’s voice was strained, the pain clear. He’d been starved of his omega for too long. But he couldn’t just let you off like nothing happened.

“It will. Trust me.”

“I trust you with my life, Steve. But I don’t know if I trust you with hers.”

Steve merely chuckled, and the men left the same way they came. You wriggled in your binds to no avail. Your body was so exhausted you could barely move. Before long, more footsteps and voices were chatting in the entryway. You recognised Lee, Charles, Ransom, Chase and Robert, all from the auction. But there were new ones too. Three voices you didn’t know that mingled in with the rest. What were they all doing here?

Beck walked in with finger food, little meatballs that looked fancy and well-presented. Mace followed, carrying a plate with different hors d’oeuvres. Some caviar looking thing. You didn’t know what it was, but your stomach grumbled nonetheless. The alphas stayed and watched as the waitstaff brought in drinks and even more food, a complete set-up on the living room table. Last brought in was a plate of natural oysters; the fishy smell had your head reeling. The food had too many scents for your brain to handle. You needed your alpha. You needed to nuzzle into him– No. You needed to kill him. You whimpered as your brain tried to figure out what it wanted.

“Now that’s a nice noise,” Ransom mocked as he entered, a glass of whisky in hand. “You want some company that bad, huh?”

“S’needy little ‘mega. Real cute too,” Lee joined him, hand on his belt that held up his uniformed slacks.

They both looked ravished at the sight of you, like you were the finest meal. Your sounds of distress began to rise. “Go away. Where’s Nick?”

“Now, now, that’s no way to talk to guests, is it? And you can’t even address your alpha correctly, tsk,” a new man entered with Charles and Chase close behind. His shades covered his eyes, but the way his thick moustache curved with his smirk told you all you needed to know. He wasn’t a good person.

“I think we can forgive her for being rude given the circumstances, don’t you think?” Yet another two men entered, and your head was beginning to swirl with the number of alpha scents in the room. The man looked rough and rugged as if he worked hard and was weathered by it.

“I think Hal is right, Lloyd. Give the omega a break for being flustered,” Hal’s companion said as he made his way to the table, taking one of the caviar toasts to snack on. The moment you heard the crunch, you opened your mouth instinctively, desperate to eat.

“Are you not feeding this thing, Fowler?” Charles called out as Nick and Steve entered together.

They were all speaking about you, not to you. And it had your blood boiling as the myriad of other emotions began to rise to the surface. “Fuck off! All of you! Leave me alone. You’re all fucking bastards. Stupid knotheaded bastards.”

Suddenly, all the attention was on you. No more chuckles or snide comments, just the piercing gaze of eleven alphas and the one beta, Steve. Your heart lurched, the intensity sudden.

“I’ll kill all of you. The moment I get out of here, you’re all dead,” you snarled as you looked at Nick. Since you’d last seen him, he’d changed into a black button-up and suit pants.

He looked like his role. A mob boss with the power of a prime alpha. But more than anything, he looked like a man sent to the point of desperation. He was holding himself with a mask of calm, but you could feel what lay beneath the surface, the same as he could for you.

“Drinks, anyone?” Hal’s companion broke the silence, and the men eased, tense shoulders releasing.

“Yeah, Ari. Good idea,” Chase kept his eyes on you as he made his way to the table. 

Small talk restarted amongst the men, but you kept your gaze on your alpha. No one else mattered anyway. What was the point of this party? Some chance to show off his defying omega?

Nick ignored you, but you could feel the red string between you two. He was still connected whether he wanted to give you attention or not. You watched as he went and whispered something to Mace and Beck, the duo’s faces hardening.

They both looked at Nick with concern, but he shrugged them off, returning to his conversation with Steve and Lloyd. Like a hawk surveying your surroundings, your breathing began to quicken when Mace and Beck approached.

“Please, don’t touch me. I- I’ll kill you. I can’t– I need–” You couldn’t bring yourself to say it. You needed your alpha.

“You should have thought of that before you acted up, omega,” Mace snapped, but his eyes had a sense of guilt to them. 

Beck wouldn’t look at you as he and Mace worked on getting you down. When the rope went lax, you fell into Beck’s arms, your legs too weak to hold yourself up. The sobs started. You were finally feeling touch, but it was wrong. Beck’s scent wasn’t foul, but it wasn’t right. It wasn’t what you needed. 

Mace came up behind you, and his presence was all wrong too. “No, no, no. Get off!” You couldn’t struggle even if you had wanted to. After God knows how long suspended on pressure points, your muscles were weakened to the point that they were practically useless. Every time you went to swipe at the men, it was no more than a weak slap, Mace and Back wholly unperturbed.

“Shh, shh. You’ll only make it worse for yourself,” Beck soothed into your ear, but you could hardly hear it with your heavy cries.

Mace picked you up from Beck’s arms, cradling you for the room to look at. And look they did.

The scent in the air spiked into something hazardous, and every omega instinct told you to run. Danger. Nick stayed at the back of the room, sitting in one of the velvet armchairs with a glass of what looked to be straight vodka, shooing away Steve when he tried to tell him something.

Mace placed you in the centre of the room, your back hitting the plush rug. It was a different sensation from the cold wall, and it was nice to feel something warm and fuzzy for a split second. But the reprieve was short lived as the other alphas in the room began to approach. 

You tried to crawl away, but your arms and legs didn’t move despite your mind begging them to do so.

Steve crouched before you, deft fingers gripping your chin, forcing you to look at him. “I want you to think of one thing, omega. This is happening because you denied your alpha.” 

The clock ticked in the background, timed with his words, your mouth dropping into a wail.

“This,” Tick. “Is,” Tick. “Happening,” Tick. “Because,” Tick. “Of,” Tick. “You,”

Like an odd hypnosis, you blinked as Steve pulled away. Wait. What is happening?

Whistles and howls filled the room, and it had you shivering in fear before you realised it. The scent in the room turned sickly sweet, dripping with arousal. Apart from Mace, Beck and Nick, all the men in the room were palming themselves, watching how your bare chest rose and fell with each breath.

They’re not here for a social visit.

Steve pulled down the fly to his black jeans, and your stomach twisted painfully. No. Hal and Ari joined him, the three of them taking out their hardening lengths.

It wasn't  real. It was just a bad dream. This was just a nightmare, right?

“Open up, omega. And I better not feel any teeth,” Steve guided his cock to your lips, smearing the head across them. His beta scent was as powerful as the alpha’s around him, making your head pound. It was far too real to be a dream.

“No,” You shook your head. No. No way. But with the way the ticking clock buzzed in your brain and touch starved sensory overload took over when Steve gripped your jaw and squeezed painfully, you started to lose your fight as your mouth opened.

Steve didn’t give you a chance for a snide comment before he pushed himself into your wet mouth, groaning under his breath at the feeling of your tongue gliding against him.

Betas typically weren’t as well endowed as alphas, but it seemed Steve was an exception with the way he filled your mouth to the brim. Your lips stretched painfully around him, and while you were tempted to bite, the repercussions scared you too much. 

While he began working himself in your mouth, Hal spat into your hand before resting his length into it. When you didn’t move to stroke him, he wrapped his hand over yours, directing you to move your hand up and down. His ridges and veins slid across your palm, and you couldn’t wrap your whole fist around him with how thick he was.

Ari gently raised your tired legs, spreading them open so he could look at your bare pussy. He let out a low whistle as he ran his fingers up and down your folds. You tried to shake your head, but you couldn’t with Steve holding you steady.

“That’s it, ‘mega. You’re crying, but you’re so wet,” Ari breathed out, testingly pressing a finger into your awaiting heat. He was right. Your body reacted to the attention it had denied for so long despite your want to escape.

“Jesus, just fuck her already,” Robert sniped, his impatience clear as Ari stretched you open, a second and third finger added to your core. 

“I’ll fuck her when I’m ready to fuck her,” Ari snapped back. The tension between the alpha’s made you feel even more uncomfortable.

Your distress was evident when you whimpered around Steve’s cock. Hal cooed to you, thrusting into your hand and gently brushing his fingers over your arm. “You’re alright. C’mon, that’s it, good girl. Good fucking girl.”

Ari prepped you, working you open with his fingers, but you hardly registered it as your head felt underwater, drowning in the mixed scents of all the men.

Going from touch starved to suddenly overwhelmed was a horrible, nauseating feeling that had you wanting to crawl to Nick and beg for him to make it stop. But when you managed to look at him, you were met with little help. Slouched in his chair, with the dogs by his side, sat Nick. Mace and Beck situated not far from him, all observing you. 

“Don’t look at him. Eyes on me, omega,” Steve commanded, tapping your cheek until you turned your attention back to him. His thrusts into your mouth were on the side of gentle, easing himself in and out without choking you. “Remember what I said. This is all because of you.”

The tears started streaming more heavily down your cheeks as Ari pressed the head of his cock between your folds. You tried to squirm your hips away, but he held you firm. “I have no intention of hurting you. If you stay still this will be easier.”

You didn’t listen, continuing to try to writhe away. What would James think if he saw this? He’d be horrified.

The scents of the three started getting headier, along with those still waiting their turn. You could cut the air with a knife, the atmosphere rigid and palpable.

You cried as Ari bottomed out, his cock stretching you. It wasn’t like the stretch of your alpha, and the mere fact that it wasn’t your alpha was enough to have your body clenching, your walls wanting to force him out. “Fuck. So fuckin’ tight,” Ari cursed under his breath, beginning languid movements that had you seeing stars.

Like a ragdoll, your body met the needs of the three alphas. Their moans filled the room while you wished for nothing more than to sink into oblivion.

“That’s it, good girl. Good little omega. Take it nice and deep. Feels good, doesn’t it? Yeah, yeah I know it does.”

You didn’t register the words of praise, but your attention snapped back to reality when you heard Nick speak.

“Stop praising her like she’s yours,” The prime alpha ground his teeth, jaw set tight.

Ari stopped his movements, stilling inside you while his length pulsed. “None of us want her. We know she’s yours. This is business.”

“I want my omega to smell like me. She smells like you,” Hal commented, keeping your hand moving while his eyes fluttered.

The response seemed to satisfy Nick, and they quickly resumed taking what they needed from you.

It wasn’t long before you could feel them getting close, their breaths heavier, sweat beading along their brows. But before their knots could swell, they all pulled away, leaving you flustered. What.. they weren’t going to finish? You were almost grateful. Perhaps that was it.

Beck came and gave you a once over before he nodded to the rest of the men, and another three stepped up. Lee, Chase and Charles approached, their cocks already red and leaking from watching you getting used by their friends and acquaintances.

It’s almost like a party, with the guests enjoying the food, drinks and the host's omega. In a way, you were no more than food on a platter, ready for the taking. Ready to be picked at by all the guests.

Lee was rough as he settled between your legs, taking the chance to grope at your flesh and feel every curve. “Cute lil’ thing. S’fucking soft too. I can see why she’s yours, Nick.”

You turned your head to look at your alpha, your free hand gripping the carpet to try and pull yourself closer to him. Maybe if you could get there, he’d end this. You managed to flip yourself onto your stomach, but all it did was give you carpet burn when you tried to drag yourself.

“Are we that scary that you’re trying to run?” Chase leant in close to the shell of your ear, playfully nipping at it. “Oh, I can be really frightening if you want.”

There was something else there. A supernatural sense that chilled you to the bone. You looked at him with wide eyes, but he merely looked smug with a quirk of his head. “Aren’t you curious to know what it is? Want to have a scare, little omega?”

“Stop it, Chase. Don’t fuck with her,” Mace interjected, cutting Chase off, who merely pouted in response.

“Fuck her, not fuck with her. Got it,” Chase gave a charismatic smile, leaning down to lick a stripe across your cheek before rubbing his cock over it, so his saliva smeared all over your skin. It was a sickly slimy feeling that made you want to throw up, not that your stomach had any contents at the moment.

He used the makeshift lube to easily slip between your swollen lips, pressing in hard and deep until he hit the back of your throat. You choked around him, but it provoked him to do it more.

Lee lifted you so you were on all fours, giving your ass a smack that left a red hand-shaped welt in its wake. Charles helped you steady yourself before taking your hand for his use. This time you got the message, beginning to stroke him while Lee started to thrust.

Maybe if you just played along, this would all be over quickly.

The strain on your body was paramount as Lee jolted you with each brutal snap of his hips, the fabric of his uniform scratching against your ass. His hands held on so tight to your hips that there would surely be bruises. “S’fucking good. Shit. I wanna try her mouth though.”

Chase pulled out of your mouth with a grunt, his length shining with your spit. You coughed, finally able to breathe properly, some of your saliva falling into the plush rug below. 

“Messy little thing,” Charles groaned, moving to your mouth along with Lee. “Think we’ll both fit?”

“No, but it’ll be amusing to see her tryin’,” Lee snickered before his and Charles’ cocks breached your mouth.

A frail scream left you from the stretch, your eyes scrunching closed from the intrusion. They didn't fit, but they fucked into your mouth regardless. When Lee pulled back, Charles thrusted forward, and when Charles pulled back, Lee pushed in. They worked in tandem, ignoring your broken pleads that were muffled by their dicks.

Chase wasted no time in burying himself to the hilt in you, his thrusts deep and rutted like an animal chasing a primal instinct. “God, fuck, so good. Can I bite her?”

“No,” Beck and Mace snapped in unison, arms crossed as they forced themselves to watch. 

Chase shrugged, the slaps of his hips getting louder as he started getting rougher. Your ass was burning from the impact, and your lips stretched and sore. Everything hurt. Emotionally and physically.

Every time you closed your eyes you saw flashes of James holding his hand out to you. Please. Please get me out of here. But he was no more than a ghost now. There was no one who could save you now.

“If you’re broken, you won’t know any better anymore.”

The picture of James began to warble, his face becoming obscured and replaced. Instead of your lover, it was your alpha. Nick. You needed him more than ever.

Your mind was becoming another for the world’s graveyard of broken souls. Discarded, crossed by everyone around them, unmet with mercy. But this meant you could let go. You would never move on, but you didn’t have to in order to be free. While you would never move from the loss and grief, you could let go. And perhaps that gave you a chance at a gilded freedom provided by your alpha.

Is it so bad to just want to be happy?

You were a bird with golden wings, feathers so bright it left others in awe, and song so sweet it had others listening intently. Your intentions were pure. All you ever wanted was to love and be loved, live a simple life and find some happiness. But that was rare in this world. Not many held the purity of joy that you did. And so, you’d become imprisoned. A bird fluttering, confined by the bars of your alpha.

Alphas had an incessant need to conquer, to clip the wings of those around them so they felt more powerful, even if they were the privileged ones in the first place. You never stood a chance.

For James, you’d waged a war you never could have vanquished. You’d done nothing more than bring a knife to a gunfight. And the lengths Nick Fowler would go to break you had you reaching a realisation.

Letting go of James meant that he was part of your history, not your destiny. And while that was painful, keeping his memory close was weighing you down like weights on your ankles, dragging you down to the watery depths where monsters lay in wait.

It was easy to hate Nick Fowler. To engrave the words ‘I hate you’ onto your heart. But to let go, to allow yourself to find whatever slither of happiness awaits you, you could not hate. It was simply too painful. A burden you could not bear. Not anymore.

The world was beginning to fracture at the sides, your mind hardening as the cracks started to form. You weren’t going to last like this. And that was okay.

“It’s okay. You’ll be okay. Let go, baby. Let go,” James’s voice rang in your head, and you howled louder than ever.

The dogs started barking and snarling at your distress, and Nick had to hold them back by their collars to stop them from trying to protect you.

Chase’s nails dug into your hips, Lee pulled at your hair, and Charles blocked your nose. The pain bloomed like a macabre rose for your mental funeral of James, and your eyes rolled back into your head as your arms gave way. Lee looped an arm under you to hold you up while they kept fucking your mouth, your spluttered breaths ignored. 

You didn’t see how Steve whispered to Nick or how the other alphas were entranced with how your body began to shake. The incessant barks fell on deaf ears before the dogs had to be ushered out of the room by Mace. They let out whines as they were denied saving you from shattering.

The way you viewed Nick began to rapidly change. The bitterness fled like animals fleeing a bushfire at pace. The past was the past, but your prime alpha was the future. Hormones took over, your hindbrain taking control. All that was left was an omega desperate for their alpha.

The convulsions didn’t stop as you began to run out of breath, Chase fucking you like a man unhinged until his knotted base started to swell and catch at the entrance to your cunt. Your body seized. You needed your alpha’s knot, not Chase’s.

Luckily, the alpha’s did what the men before had done, letting you go just before they reached their climax. Your body was dropped to the floor on your stomach with an ungraceful oof, vision hazy as you tried to lift yourself up. But you had no energy left, everything screaming to just get to your alpha.

“Alpha,” You whimpered, and when your eyes met Nick’s, he looked at you with veiled shock. You’d called for him. After all the fighting and pain, you were calling for him. “Alpha, please.”

“Not yet, omega. You’re almost done,” Steve intervened, not allowing Nick to speak for fear that he would give in now that you were breaking for him.

After Beck checked you over, his jaw set, Ransom, Robert and Lloyd descended upon you, and their gazes were by far the darkest. The aura that oozed off them was malice, and it had you shivering from your spot on the floor.

“Aw, sunshine. You’re shaking like a leaf,” Lloyd laughed, squatting before you, biting on the end of his sunglasses before he looped them through the front of his shirt. “I haven’t even touched you yet.”

“Please, I just want my alpha,” you cried, surprised you still had tears left after the amount you’d been sobbing.

“You’ll get him. But like Stevie said, you’ve got to make us happy first,” his fingers gripped your chin, tilting your head to examine you. 

“Dibs on fucking her mouth,” Ransom cut in, taking some food from the table onto a small plate. You watched him as he took two oysters and some salmon, confused as to why he was getting food as he neared you.

The others were helping themselves too. Although Lee and Hal turned their noses up at it, seemingly not keen on fancy food. They’re more homebodies, you guessed.

“I’ll take those pretty little hands,” Robert licked his lips, cock bobbing as it stood proud, released from his slacks.

You were lifted from your place on the ground, Lloyd sitting with his back to the couch seat and ass against the plush rug. He dragged you into his lap and directly against his hard cock, grinding himself against you.

“I don’t want this, please, stop,” you yowled, trying to wriggle away, but all it did was make Lloyd groan as he kept grinding against you.

“What you want doesn’t matter, sweets,” Robert sniggered, coming up close to whisper in your ear. “You’re at our mercy now.”

Despite having nothing left to lose, the fear was immobilising. You weren’t afraid of death, but living terrified you. The unrelenting pain it brought. The bleakness. All you had now was your alpha, the thing you craved most despite the circumstances. Wanting Nick Fowler was a horrifying feeling.

The three vultures that remained  between you and your alpha had you feeling like you were swimming, but when you tried to put your feet down on the sand, the water was far deeper than you thought, and there was nothing there to ground you.

Your brain felt like mush, a mess of emotion and need. Despite your protests, your pussy provided more than enough slickness for Lloyd to rub his cock between your folds before impatiently beginning to guide you down onto his cock. You cried out but couldn’t move with his grip on you, Ransom and Robert watching.

“Put those hands to use, c’mon, we don’t have all day,” Robert grabbed your wrists, a harsh grip that had your bones aching. There was no need for the use of force, but he seemed to find a sick thrill in the power of watching you in pain, just as Lloyd and Ransom did.

Lloyd pulled you down until you reached the scruffy hair at the base of his cock, using your body like a fleshlight up and down on his dick. Robert painfully clung to your wrists as he guided your wet palms over his rigid flesh, all while Ransom watched amusedly.

“You must be hungry, hm? I bet you’d love some salmon, ducky,” Ransom teased, eating the smoked salmon as he towered over you while your eyes fluttered from how Lloyd dragged his length along your walls.

You shook your head. You wanted none of it. You wanted to be in the arms of your alpha and nothing more. 

The stability of your mind was wavering, and you couldn’t even bring yourself to form words with the way everything hurt. Physically your body was fatigued and battered, and mentally you were a wilted rose, fragile petals torn.

“Hm. I don’t like being ignored, omega. Your alpha brought us here to teach you a lesson, one I intend to make sure you remember.” Ransom held up the fishy shells under your nose with nothing but oysters left on his plate.

You retched, stomach rolling in disgust from the salty sea smell coming from the slimy thing. You’d never had an oyster before, and you had no wish to try it now.

Ransom chuckled as Lloyd kept working you over his cock, with Robert using your hands to stroke himself.

For a moment, your eyes checked over the rest of the room's occupants. You searched for a reprieve, but no one was coming to your rescue. There was a gain in having you break like this, and you whined into the air as you tried to squirm towards your alpha but were held firm by Lloyd’s ring-covered fingers. “Uh-uh sunshine, no getting off my lap ‘til I’m done with you.”

“I want you fed before you take my cock, ducky. That way you don’t get nibbly on me. Who knows how far your hunger goes, isn’t that right?” He spoke to you like a child that’s being chastised, and it had a heat building in your cheeks. It was humiliating and had you spiralling further into the shell of an omega.

Ransom didn’t allow you to shy away. His fingers gripped your cheeks so your mouth opened in a forced pout. It took all your might to close your lips, refusing to let anything go into your mouth.

A strong arm looped around your neck, Lloyd’s bicep curling around your throat as he kept making you ride him. A strangled sound escaped you as the breath was knocked from your lungs, shock taking over.

Robert joined in, pulling your hair so your head tilted back into Lloyd’s tight hold. The world began spinning the more oxygen you lost, your lungs cut off from filling with air.

“P- Pl-“ You couldn’t get the words out, tingles all over your body with the way the world began to have a vignette at the edges.

Was this the final curtain call? Was the sick show finally coming to an end?

“Let her go, Lloyd,” Hal called, annoyance clear despite how his cock bobbed hard between his legs.

Mace and Beck stepped forward, ready to intervene, but Steve stopped them. “You want your friend to get the omega of his dreams? Then you need to let this happen.”

“They’re hurting her,” Mace snapped, and you reached out your free hand towards them despite the way your body was beginning to give way.

“A little pain is necessary. She will survive.”

Using your distracted state, Ransom opened your mouth and slid the raw oyster out of its shell and onto your tongue.

Your eyes went wide at the sudden movement. Before you could spit out the slimy food, Ransom clamped his hand over your mouth and nose. Your attempts to flail were fruitless, and the longer it lay in your mouth, the stronger the oyster’s taste became.

You cried against Ransom’s hand as you chewed, which was a mistake in itself, and swallowed the oyster.

“You’re not meant to chew it so much, silly ducky,” Ransom laughed heartily, amused at your disgust. “Here, let's try that again. Now, do as I say. Chew it twice, then swallow.”

Lloyd and Robert loosened their grips so you could breathe, and when Ransom moved his hand, you gulped in air greedily. “N-No. No more,” you begged to deaf ears.

The two alpha’s held you still as Ransom held the second oyster to your lips. You turned your head away despite the hold in the roots of your hair, but it was useless.

Ransom forced the second oyster into your mouth, and you wanted to throw up. You did as the alpha had told you. You gave two chews and swallowed. It was far less horrid, but still an experience that had you gagging when you were released.

Your clear distress had Lloyd’s cock twitching inside you, his breath hot against the back of your neck as he started fucking up into you again.

“You’d think I’d fed her a lemon. Stupid slut, I could buy an omega for the price of these,” Ransom sniped, throwing the plate aside.

“Watch it, Ransom,” Beck growled, Mace barely holding him back from approaching.

“What? She’s a stupid—”

“She isn’t yours to insult,” Beck spat, only backing down when Ransom raised his hands in concedement.

Like the others before them, the three alphas used you for their pleasure. Your brain started to check out, and dissociate, taking you to a better place.

But for some reason, every better place you could think of had Nick there. Your alpha. As long as his scent enveloped you, you were safe. It was a rapidly growing dependency.

When the alphas grabbed at you harshly, you wondered. Would Nick let you build a nest with his clothes? You didn’t want to be without him while he was busy.

If Ransom, Lloyd and Robert noticed you zoning out, they didn’t say anything. They just used you harder until their knots were beginning to swell.

Steve joined the scene, your eyes dazedly watching him as he helped the others lay you down on the rug. You turned your head to the side, the faintest waft of your alpha coming from the fabric. You rubbed your nose into it, a high whine coming from you.

“She’s fucked stupid,” Charles said, mostly in amazement at the scene of you nuzzling into the rug. There were a few laughs in response, words coming through one ear and out the other as you struggled to keep up with all the men surrounding you.

You couldn’t focus as they stood over you, your visuals overloaded. But when the first shooting string of warmth hit you, you realised what was happening. Your ears clued into the distinct groans of the alphas, but their salty-twinged scent covered your skin.

You gasped, wanting to escape it, but multiple hands held you down as more smells began mixing.

It was complete and utter sensory overload as the eight alphas (and one beta) stroked themselves until they came over you, their knots hot and heavy in their grips as sticky white covered you. You wailed, trying to get to your alpha.

It smelt wrong, like getting hit to the head with a sledgehammer as the scents covered you.

“Alpha! Help me! Make it stop, please,” you thrashed, and before long, the men were finished. You sobbed, completely drenched in their cum. 

Without realising it, your body began shaking, the touch starvation to complete overload from other scents sending you into a frenzy. The sobs that wracked through you were miserable, pathetic wails sounding as the anxiety hit you.

The men moved away to mingle, and your knight in shining armour arrived.

Nick’s face came into view, and you wailed with outstretched grabby hands.

He smiled at you. A genuine smile that had warmth flowing through your bond. He’d got what he wanted. You. Broken. And now his to put back together.

“Look at you, puppy. My beautiful girl,” he cooed to you, taking a soft towel Beck handed him to begin wiping away some of the cum from your skin.

“I can’t- I can’t- I can’t-“ Your teeth chattered as your heart raced in quick tandem. The panic was unrelenting, but your muscles were too spent to raise yourself and touch him.

Nick’s large palm cupped your cheek, and he leaned in close. His rings were cold against your hot flesh, which was a soothing feeling. “Tell me what you want. What you need, little pup.”

There was nothing left of you. The girl who was taken from her home was no more.

“Y-You. You. Alpha, help me, please. I can’t- Oh god- I can’t d-do this,” you cried between hiccuped sniffles, and Nick nuzzled his nose against yours.

“See? All you had to do was ask,” Nick gently jabbed, and the normal you would have snapped back. But you weren’t the same person anymore, not after what he’d put you through.

Without acknowledging the guests, Nick cleaned you up the best he could with the towel before he scooped you up bridal style. He began carrying you towards the bedroom, and it had some relief coming to your cluttered mind.

You wanted to be as far away from the other alphas as possible. The whole way up, Nick spoke to you like a new pet. “Such a pretty pup, aren’t you? My pretty pup. I can’t wait to give my sweet puppy a shower. Silly little thing, getting all dirty.”

He carried you to the bathroom and placed you on the cold tiled floor to prepare the shower.

But when he moved away from you, your brain just couldn’t handle it. He was too far, even though he was only a few steps away. “Alpha,” you whined, and Nick turned to look at your beady eyes staring up at you. 

“Say it again,” he rasped, fingers twitching at his sides.

“Alpha. Don’t leave me, please.”

“I’m not leaving you, pup. I’m trying to get the shower ready,” Nick smirked, the enjoyment of your attachment evident. He moved to pick you up, and this time he put you on his hip as he began running the water and getting all the things he’d need. 

“You’re a needy pup, aren’t you?” Nick said, but it wasn’t an insult. It was clear he was revelling in it. He manoeuvred you around while he undressed, and for the first time, you moved to touch him first.

You dragged your nose over his neck, inhaling his scent that had your heart fluttering and pussy clenching. Your fingers ran over his inked skin, feeling each chiselled muscle within reach. From biceps to abs, you felt all of it. This was.. yours? Could you call Nick yours?

The warm water hit your back as Nick walked you under the stream, both of you sighing in relief. It had been a long day.

“Are you going to get other omegas?” It wasn’t unheard of, alphas making a little harem for themselves. 

You felt the flash of anger through the bond, and Nick growled in offence. “No. I only want you, omega.”

“Why?” You couldn’t help yourself but ask. What made you so special? A small-town girl in a prime alpha’s world.

“Later you can ask all the questions you want. But for now, let me make you feel good,” Nick let your back rest against the shower wall, wrapping your legs around his waist so you were sandwiched.

The warm water covered you both, and your eyes fluttered closed. Nick took the body wash, using his hands to cover you in the suds. The distressing smell of the other men started to dissipate with each swipe of his hands, the scent replaced with something neutral before the strong smell of your alpha wafted over the top.

Nick rubbed the scent gland on his wrist across your body, allowing you to relax while his aura took over. It calmed you completely, your body going lax the more he touched you.

This was all you wanted now.

You shuddered when his fingers grazed your nipples, the nubs hardening the more he ran his fingers over them. He drew languid circles with his fingers around your areolas, the teasing causing you to whine, but you made no move to stop him. It felt too good.

Even if it tried, the water couldn’t wash away the slick forming between your folds. Your eyes fluttered open, and you gasped at the sight you were met with.

Dark, lustful eyes met yours, and you felt swallowed whole by the way Nick looked at you. “You want me to touch you, don’t you?” He whispered, and you nodded.

Nick licked your cheek as his hands travelled lower, resting on your stomach. “Here?”

You whined and wriggled your hips, feeling his hardening length pulse against your ass.

“Use your words, omega,” Nick’s fingers tickled your tummy, and you laughed. When was the last time you’d laughed?

“Lower,” you breathed out, still squirming for contact.

“Hm, how about here?” Nick’s fingers moved lower until they sat at the top of your cunt, teasing your mound.

You gripped his shoulders, shaking your head. “Lower, alpha, please.”

“That’s my girl,” Nick purred before his fingers dipped between your folds.

Your body became ignited the moment he breezed over your clit, your cunt throbbing for any contact. “Oh, oh,” you moaned. “Please, alpha, right there.”

“Right here? Well, since you used your manners and asked so nicely,” Nick rolled your clit between his fingers, causing you to howl in surprise as the pleasure shot through your entire body.

After being starved and tortured, this was heaven.

He didn’t stop, beginning to rub your clit as he ground his cock against you, his other hand palming at your soft mounds. The sounds pulled from you were obscene as your body was, for once, manipulated for your pleasure.

The heat in your core started to grow rapidly, and the connection in your bond meant that you were feeding off each other’s arousal, only heightening the experience. Just as he could feel you, you could feel the burning fire coming from Nick. It had goosebumps rising on your skin and your hair standing on end.

“That’s it, puppy. Let your alpha take care of you.” Nick’s words were entirely possessive, and it only further ingrained his hold over you. Your alpha. He saved you from the bad men. Right? He took you away. And now he’s taking care of you. That’s not so bad, right? 

Your sounds started to hit a higher pitch as Nick increased his pace, leaning forward to lick and nip at your neck as his fingers didn’t stop toying with your clit. “Does that feel good? Having your alpha play with your puppy pussy?”

It all started to become too much, your body buzzing with the electrical currents of pleasure. Your legs began to tense around Nick’s hips as your core tightened. “Alpha, I’m– I’m going to–”

“That’s it, pup. Come for your alpha. Give me everything,” Nick snarled into your ear, and his voice's lewd harshness had you reaching your peak.

You came with a yowl, body shuddering as the waves of pleasure washed over you. Your fingers gripped Nick’s shoulders so tightly that your nails dug into his skin, leaving crescents in his mix of black ink and pale flesh.

“Good girl, gushing against my cock. I didn’t even have to finger you,” Nick smiled, and the old you would have been cocky about how his fingers would never have been enough for you. But now, all you could do was give a small smile in return. Your alpha was cocky, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

Nick leaned forward to ghost his lips over the shell of your ear as he positioned himself against your clenching hole, and you could tell he was smiling in the way he spoke. “Are you ready for your treat, puppy?” 

Nick pushed his hips up without warning, burying his cock deep into your awaiting heat. You choked out a moan at the sudden feeling of fullness. Having Nick stretching you out around his length felt right. A cosy feeling of home made you feel safe and loved. Like the best nest you could ever build.

“A perfect fit, just for me,” Nick grunted as he held you tight so he could thrust up, massaging your walls with each groove and vein along his dick. 

You closed your eyes, allowing your head to fall forward into the crook of Nick’s neck. He rolled his hips in slow, languid movements that had you constantly whining. The air felt thick enough to cut with a knife, but you didn’t need air when you had your alpha. 

The movement of your bodies together was slow and passionate. Nick’s hands gently pulled your head back, so your forehead rested against his. You could feel the heat of his breath against your lips, and it had you leaning in closer until your lips met.

Both of you were drenched from the shower’s spray, making it easy to slide your lips together as Nick cupped your cheeks. He deepened the kiss, his hips grinding deep and hard as you bounced against the wall.

Nick bit your bottom lip, allowing blood to pool between you before he sucked it away, a hum mixing in with his groans. He didn’t break away from the kiss. Instead, he slid his tongue into your mouth, swirling it against yours and fucking your mouth with it. 

The action was vulgar, but it had your walls fluttering around Nick’s cock regardless. Nick’s pace started to quicken, and he had to pull away to let out a loud, whimpered moan. “So fucking good.”

His thrusts began to increase in rhythm, and Nick grabbed your hips to fuck harder into you. He tilted his head to the side so you could return to your spot on his neck as you clung to him. The pleasure was beyond intense, and it felt like there was nothing else in the world but you two. 

“Bite me,” Nick hissed, and you pulled back in shock. “You heard me. Bite me, omega. Right fucking now.”

Lost in the lust and the way it made your brain haze, your brows furrowed. Surely he didn’t mean his mating spot. You went to bite his shoulder, away from his mating gland, but Nick harshly slapped your ass in response, earning a squeak from you. “Don’t make me ask again, omega. Bite me.” 

Nervousness flittered between the arousal. It was common for omegas to bite their alphas. But there was nothing common about this companionship. If you bit Nick, it would only strengthen the bond you two share. The old you would want anything but making the bond stronger. But now, the idea of it was endearing.

Nick thrust upwards sharply, his cock brushing against your g-spot. You moaned before you let your hindbrain take over and lowered your teeth to Nick’s mating gland. Heart racing, you bit down.

“Fuck, yes, yes, that’s it omega. You’re doing so fucking good,” Nick howled, throwing his head back as he clung to you, his hips not faltering for a moment. His balls slapped against your ass, his demeanour growing more feral as the metallic taste of his ichor twanged against your tongue. 

You held your jaw firm, letting the bite take hold as the coils in your core began tightening again. The wash of arousal in the bond grew tenfold, the connection strengthening as the bite set. Just as he had bonded you, you had bonded Nick. There was no turning back now.

If there wasn’t water washing you clean, you’d both have been covered in a sheen of sweat as every nerve felt as if it was on fire. “M’c-close, fuck, you feel too good.” Nick’s thrusts began desperate and reckless, setting a merciless rhythm that had heat pooling in your lower back and blooming across the rest of your body.

“Alpha, oh, a-alpha,” you managed to get out as you pulled away, your back arching. You bit your lower lip, trying to hold back your sounds.

“Let me hear you, need to hear you,” Nick gripped your chin, your face millimetres away as his knot began to swell.

Abandoning any semblance of reservation, you let the moans run free. The more his knot started to catch at your entrance, the closer you got to your orgasm. Neither of you could speak as your stuttered groans mixed together. 

Nick held your gaze as his knot finally stuck, his dilated pupils baring his soul as you felt the first shoot of his cum inside you. He reached between you, swirling his finger around your clit until you came with a wail.

The way you clenched around him milked his cock, his seed filling your plugged pussy. “Take it all, omega. My omega.” 

“Yours,” you sighed, letting your body go lax against Nick. 

He held you up for a few minutes, neither of you speaking as you enjoyed the moment of peace.

Peace. That’s what this was. No fighting. No running. No pain. Just.. quiet. 

All you could hear was your panting breaths and the steady stream of water. It was as if you stood upon a bridge, looking down at the river's stream below. The wind whipped in your hair, and you sat upon the railing that stopped people from falling. Did you want to fall? You could admire the view as you flew like a bird to the rocks awaiting below. Perhaps it would be like the movies where it all happened in slow motion, or maybe it would be a fast plummet that quickly brought upon the darkness. You swung your feet, staring down at the water. James was down there. He was waiting.

“Let's get you dry before you get a chill,” a soft voice called to you, and you looked over your shoulder to see Nick behind you. You turned back to the ground kilometres below. But James was down there. “C’mon, I can’t have you getting sick.”

A towel wrapped around your shoulders, enveloping you in a warmth that had you moving away from the bannister.

You blinked, back in reality. Nick placed you on the counter, drying you with care. “There she is. Where’d you go?”

“Nowhere,” you lied, letting Nick take care of you and himself.

“You’re a bad liar, omega,” Nick quipped, but he didn’t push you on it. He seemed content enough to have you yearning for him. 

Nick carried you to the bedroom on his hip when he'd finished, where Mace and Beck were waiting with the dogs sitting at their feet. “The guests have left?” Nick asked, to which Mace nodded. “Good. Make sure to pay each of them accordingly.”

Apollo came up and sniffed at your hanging feet, tickling your toes when he licked at you. You giggled, and it had the dogs ears perking up. 

“Go on, you can pet him.” Nick lowered you so you could kneel on the floor and give Apollo some pats. Hermes and Icarus quickly joined, all revelling in the attention from you.

“I’ve never seen them so affectionate,” Beck commented, a smile on his lips. 

It was an uncharacteristically nice moment as you played with the dogs. You were distracted with the pets as Nick, Mace, and Beck set up the room. A teapot of earl grey tea was placed on the nightstand, and a tray of fruits and sandwiches was on the bed.

“Puppy, we’re going to have a high tea. I need to make sure we get some food in you,” Nick picked you back up, taking you away from the dogs and into the plushness of his bed. The covers rustled as Nick lay you down. Before joining you, he lifted the duvet and sheets so you could sit under them. He propped his back up against the pillows and pulled you close against his side. 

Mace and Beck left, taking the dogs with them after they knew you were alright. Nick held a chicken sandwich to your mouth, and you allowed him to feed you. As he did, you couldn’t stop staring at the clock piece on his hand.

“Why two am?” You asked, eyeing the time on his tattoo.

Nick stiffened and froze for a moment. You’d stuck a nerve. It was evident in the way his eyes seemed glossier than usual.

“It’s not a pretty story, puppy.”

“It never is. Doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be told.”

Nick let out a sigh, picking at the sandwich as he kept giving you small bites. He pulled you against his chest so you couldn’t see his expression. “I failed to save my mother and sister at two am.”

“From who?” You asked, shocked at the admittance of such a loss.

“My father,” Nick gritted out, and he held you so tight, it felt as if your bones would break.

The answer confused you. Nick was acting kindly towards you now and obviously cared about the women in his family. “But then... Why do the work you do? If you lost your family to violence?”

Nick stayed silent for a moment, contemplating his thoughts before he spoke. “Because the world is cruel and hopeless. It’s no more than a chorus of dead souls looking for meaning. When people speak to you, they don’t look at you. They look through you. There’s no connection. There’s no saviour. It’s an unrelenting emptiness you’re forced to find a fill for. And this business fills that gap for me. I’m a slave to no one. I’m selfish. I make all the money I need. And it brought me to you, my omega,” he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, and for a moment, you could swear you felt a tear drip into your hair. “Life is nothing more than sex and violence and a mix of resonance and quiet. But you bring me song, omega. A soft melody that warms my heart. The ends justify the means.”

“Why me?”

“My mother would have loved you. She always loved the smell of roses; you have that beautiful scent. She’d tend to our garden every day. It’s as if you sprouted from my memory of her. I knew from the moment I scented you that I had to have you. You make me happy.”

Nick pressed another kiss to your head before he returned to feeding you. You didn’t question him further. The one enquiry had unearthed enough. And you were tired. So tired.

It was hard to keep your eyes open, and Nick noticed with a soft chuckle. “It’s okay, omega. Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

He helped you lie down, pulling the covers up so you were snuggled tight. Nick spooned you, letting his lips rest against your shoulder.

You wondered if you’d dream. Perhaps you would dream of the sweet reprieve of death, something you’d thought about many times since you’d come to Nick Fowler's domain.

But as you thought about it, the idealism of perishing no longer seemed captivating. 

You wanted to wake up to your alpha, and continue to live with him. Live for him. For he was all you needed in this sick world.

Because Nick Fowler had broken you. He had won. And now he held your future in the palm of his hand.

Right as you drifted to a state of rest, Nick snuggled in close, pressing a kiss to your hair. “Fight me again, omega, and the consequences will be worse than your most horrifying nightmare. You’re mine. There’s no escaping that now. Sleep knowing your world is mine.”

To be updated on when I post please follow @sgt-seabass-library and turn on post notifications.

[outweek30]

AIDS Activists Storm Stock Exchange, Halting Trading High Price of Burroughs' AZT Under Fire

NEW YORK [September 24, 1989] — For the first time in history, trading at the New York Stock Exchange was interrupted by protesters last Thursday, when seven AIDS activists slipped past security guards and delayed the start of trading by five minutes with a loud and vibrant demonstration.

Shortly after the seven were arrested and taken into custody, at approximately 11:10 am, a crowd — at one point swelling to over 1500 people — began arriving for a raucous, ear-splitting demonstration in front of the Exchange at 30 Broad Street in Manhattan's Financial District.

The protest, organized by ACT UP, targeted the drug company Burroughs Wellcome, maker of Actified, Sudafed, Neosporin and a host of other over-the-counter drugs. Burroughs holds an exclusive patent on the anti-viral drug AZT, which costs individuals an average of $8000 per year, making it the most expensive drug in history. It remains the only federally-approved AIDS treatment proven significantly effective in slowing the progression of AIDS.

Activists demanded the drug be made available free to the millions of people in the U.S. who are now infected with HIV, the virus associated with AIDS.

"There is a myth out there that we're robber barons, ripping people off," David Barry, vice president, research development and medical affairs for Burroughs Wellcome told the Wall Street Journal. "It would be theoretically possible for us to give away all our drug," he continued. "Everyone would get it for a while, and then we'd go bankrupt."

Fake Name Tags

At approximately 9:25 a.m. seven men, all dressed in suits, entered the Stock Exchange using fake Bears Stearns name tags. According to former bond trader Peter Staley, who is the chair of ACT UP's fundraising committee, he and four others then quickly went up to the VIP balcony which overlooks the trading floor, immediately chaining themselves to a bannister and handcuffing themselves to each other. Staley says he looked at the clock at that moment and noticed that it was 9:29:45.

The Exchange opens precisely at 9:30 am, when there is usually a surge of trading. Staley said the five unfurled a banner which read "Sell Wellcome" and hung it from the balcony. They then used loud emergency marine fog horns, attempting to make hearing anything else impossible. Although the trading boards and ticker machines did not stop, it was impossible to verbally communicate and, therefore, most transactions were halted, according to several traders who were on the floor. The Stock Exchange, however, reported that trading was not interrupted.

Times: No Story

Two of the seven protestors had positioned themselves below the balcony and immediately began taking photographs (using cameras which they had smuggled in) when the banner was unfurled. They then quickly walked outside and gave the film to other activists who brought it to the Associated Press, which sent the photo and the story across the country. Reports of the demonstration appeared in all of New York's dailies, except The New York Times, which has come under attack recently for what activists have called its spotty, inaccurate AIDS coverage. The story ran on the front page of the Wall Street Journal; it was also covered by national television networks and most local network affiliates.

Staley said that the chained, hand-cuffed group on the balcony began throwing fake dollar bills out onto the floor, imitating a demonstration by Abbie Hoffman nearly 20 years ago (Hoffman had used real money). The bills were reportedly printed with the slogan, "Fuck your profiteering, we're dying while you play business."

While security guards tried to remove the protestors, traders and brokers surged toward the balcony in large numbers, booing and jeering, according to Staley. "They were angry. They were screaming things like 'Mace the faggots!' and they were throwing wads of paper at us," he told OutWeek.

"You've Seen Faggots Before"

Eva Andersen, a Swedish tourist who was on a tour of the Exchange, said there was a panic on the trading floor at that moment. "It was a bit frightening," she said. "They [the traders] were rushing at them [the protestors]." There was lots of anger and booing." Andersen said the visitors were immediately hurried out by guards. Robert Hilferty, one of the activists who had taken photographs and then walked back into the Exchange, described the traders as “an angry, mobilized mob."

"They were waving their fists, while one trader was yelling to the others: ‘you've seen faggots before, get back to trading!'"

The guards eventually removed the protesters from the Exchange. But at that point, a "witch hunt" ensued, according to Hilferty. "Some traders were looking on the floor for outsiders." Hilferty said a trader looked at him and yelled, "Who the fuck are you!" and ran for him. Within seconds, Hilferty claims, he was being chased by dozens of "blood-thirsty and violent" traders.

Hilferty, a filmmaker, and performance artist Richard Elovich, the other demonstrator who had remained on the Stock Exchange floor, were eventually arrested.

Ear Plugs and Cotton

The other five arrested were: Lee Arsenault, a clothing importer and a self-identified person with AIDS; Gregg Bordowitz, a video producer with the Gay Men's Health Crisis, who has AIDS Related Complex; Scott Robbe, a film producer; James McGrath, a bar owner; and Staley. They were each charged with a Class B misdemeanor for criminal trespass, a Class A misdemeanor for criminal possession of a forged instrument and Class A misdemeanor for criminal impersonation. The seven were held by police for several hours before being released.

About an hour after the men were taken away, a planned demonstration organized by ACT UP took place outside the Stock Exchange. The group, which grew from several hundred to over 1500, set off hundreds of fog horns which echoed through the narrow streets of lower Manhattan, drawing people as high up as the 30th floors of buildings to their windows. Protestors came prepared with ear plugs and cotton, which they also provided to members of the press.

Inside the Exchange, dozens of workers were pressed against the glass doors watching the activities. Some workers later said they didn't leave for lunch for fear that the crowd, which had taken up the entire street, might attack them.

The demonstration was planned to coincide with similar demonstrations in London, where Burroughs' parent company is based, and where the company's stock is traded, and in San Francisco, where the company's major U.S. warehouse is located.

— Michelangelo Signorile, OutWeek Magazine No. 14, September 24, 1989, p. 10.

[stopthatmyhandsaredirty]

Star Wars Cast Academy Award Nominations and Wins (Part 1 of 2)

Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Leading Role: The Lavender Hill Mob (1953)- Nominee

Leading Role: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1958)- Winner

Supporting Role: Star Wars (1978)- Nominee

Supporting Role: Little Dorrit (1989)- Nominee

James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader)

Leading Role: The Great White Hope (1971)- Nominee

Harrison Ford (Han Solo)

Leading Role: Witness (1986)- Nominee

Max Von Sydow (Lor San Tekka)

Leading Role: Pelle the Conqueror (1989)- Nominee

Supporting Role: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012)- Nominee

Laura Dern (Amilyn Holdo)

Leading Role: Rambling Rose (1991)- Nominee

Supporting Role: Wild (2015)- Nominee

Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn)

Leading Role: Schindler’s List (1994)- Nominee

Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu)

Supporting Role: Pulp Fiction (1995)- Nominee

Woody Harrelson (Tobias Beckett)

Leading Role: The People Vs. Larry Flynt (1997)- Nominee

Supporting Role: The Messenger (2010)- Nominee

Supporting Role: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2018) - Nominee

Benicio Del Toro (DJ)

Supporting Role: Traffic (2001)- Winner

Supporting Role: 21 Grams (2004)- Nominee

Natalie Portman (Padmè Amidala)

Supporting Role: Closer (2005)- Nominee

Leading Role: Black Swan (2011)- Winner

Leading Role: Jackie (2017)- Nominee

[loudlytransparenttrash]

Last Friday, LGBT activist waiters at the Red Hen in Lexington, appalled that White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was being served, had the chef call the owner. All the staff decided to ask Sanders’ party to leave. When news reached the left coast, Congresswoman Maxine Waters was ecstatic, yelling to a crowd “God is on our side! Let’s make sure we show up wherever ... you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.” Apparently, the left had issued marching orders.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was heckled and abused at a Mexican restaurant last week, and then hassled by a mob outside her home. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was driven from a movie theater. White House aide Steven Miller was called out as a “fascist” while dining in D.C. and his personal details were shared on social media by a journalist. 

Last June, James Hodgkinson, 66-year-old volunteer in Bernie Sanders’ campaign, opened fire on GOP congressmen practicing for their annual baseball game. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot and wounded and had it not been for Scalise’s security, there likely would have been a bunch of dead Republicans. 

We have Robert De Niro bringing a Hollywood crowd to its feet with chants of “Fuck Trump!” Peter Fonda says that 12-year-old Barron Trump should be locked up with pedophiles and Kristjen Nielsen stripped naked and sentenced to public lashings. Comedienne Kathy Griffin holds up a picture of the decapitated head of the president. Ex-CIA Director Michael Hayden along with the mainstream media and every talk show hosts sends the message that every Republican, conservative and Trump supporter are the new Nazis. 

It’s the Trump rallies, not the Bernie or Hillary rallies, where the provocateurs went to start the fights, throw bottles of piss, mace people, set things on fire. At almost every conservative event, every conservative speaker, they’re constantly being met with violent, twisted, enraged protestors who feel justified and empowered to assault, harass and threaten anyone who they disagree with as they’ve made it clear they’re fighting real Nazis, so who cares if Nazis are attacked, it’s a noble deed, right?

The left doesn’t acknowledge this as hate or violence as there’s nothing more hateful than illegal migrant kids and teenagers being fed burgers and playing video games in temporary day care centers rather than being locked up with hundreds of grown ass adults and criminals. Nope, this is instead “kidnapping” and Nazism and anyone who voted in this evil dictator or supports him in any way deserves a good flogging. 

Some say it’s time to go low, but it’s these callous and divisive tactics by the left that is waking a lot of people up and it’s why the silent majority already has and will again vote against it. Think about it, the left aren’t scared that conservatives will start whipping up their own political backlash, that’s exactly what they want. Democrats, the media and these radical’s professors who are teaching them this garbage are just waiting for conservatives to do anything that resembles what the left is getting away with. For now they have to invent it, please don’t gift them any credibility. Stick to modesty, civility and always the truth :) 

[thezombieprostitute]

Frayed - Part 2

Summary: There are so many new things happening in your life that the only two things you can count on are your boyfriend, Mace, and that your life is almost always in danger. 

A/N: Reader is female. No physical descriptors used.

Word Count: ~1.2k

Warnings: Implied death and violence. Please let me know if I missed any!

Part 1 -- Part 3

Series Masterlist

The heat wave hit hard and it affected your work almost as much as Mace's. The free clinic received an influx of people suffering heat sickness and it was all hands on deck. Your job priorities quickly changed to focusing on the machines that helped patients with temperature regulation and hydration.

You also found yourself helping out with some of the kids of patients. They were often scared about what was going on and rarely got answers. You and one of the nurses would provide or fix up toys to help soothe them a bit. You did enjoy showing the kids how you were fixing their electronic toys. Some of them would hold your arm tight as you showed them what you were doing. It broke your heart but there were a lot of people needing help and you had to do your part.

By the end of your shift, you're exhausted physically, emotionally and mentally. You just need to get home and collapse.

Mace's day hasn't been any better than yours. The heat wave was putting a lot of pressure on the power grid and a lot of residents were feeling it. There were a number of power blinks throughout the day, throwing off everyone's air conditioners, sometimes even circuit breakers. Some of the residents, whether out of desperation, idiocy, or anger, tried fixing things themselves, only making them worse.

He hated that he had to text you that he wouldn't be able to pick you up. The work was keeping all of his employees busy. When you read the text, you're disappointed. You didn't want to walk in the heat and humidity at all. But you recognize his work as important. Thinking about all the people that visited the clinic and how Mace is doing his part to keep more people from having to go.

You decide you're going to go ahead and treat yourself to some ice cream at one of the restaurants along the way. You've worked hard and you deserve a treat, dammit. The ice cream parlor is surprisingly, but thankfully, pretty empty. Just you, a few customers and some teens working behind the counter. The ice cream and quiet atmosphere really help you to feel better. You figure Mace could use some cheering up of some kind as well so you decide to send him a joke.

“Are you made of copper and tellurium? Because you're CuTe.” It's a dumb joke, but hopefully it'll help him smile.

As you wait for his reply, someone sits across from you. You try not to gape at the scars on his face. He's big and tall with dark hair and one blue eye. The other is white, likely a result from whatever scarred him so horribly. You set your hand on your purse where your taser is.

“Your testimony led to a friend of mine getting killed,” he says with an accusatory tone. “Tell me who killed him and your safety is guaranteed. You're just a pawn, after all.”

“No one got killed because of my testimony,” you state. You really don't know what he's talking about. Your testimony saved lives. Mace, Scott, Teach, none of them said anything about problems or killings while you were on the stand.

He leans forward and your hand goes into your purse, gripping your taser. “I suppose they wouldn't have told you,” he sighs. “Just tell me a name, someone who kept you safe, and I'll leave you be.”

“I was protected by the police, witness protection. Standard stuff,” you partially lie. It was Scott and his team at first. They didn't need The Family's help until it was discovered there was a mole.

He turns his head to the side a little, giving you a very good look at that bad eye. “I suggest you think over your loyalties. When you're ready to tell me something, come back here.”

He gets up and leaves and you finally let yourself breathe. It's all you really can do.

You know you're being watched. If you text or call Mace, he'll run over to get you but that would put him in danger. Possibly more than just him. You decide to text Teach. A call would be overheard and you want to keep this as contained as possible.

Well, what you really wanted was to cry and run home but the logical part of your brain was being put in charge. It's part and parcel with being employed by The Family. And that's what you had chosen all those months ago after the trial.

Message Teach, wait for instructions. You can do this.

Mace practically pounded the door to the apartment. Curtis had called and told him what happened and that you were being kept safe at their place. The second there'd been a lull in work orders he dropped everything to get to you.

As soon as Teach opened the door he pushed past her and grabbed you while you were getting up off the couch. He held you tight and you finally let yourself cry knowing you and Mace were safe.

“Why didn't you call me,” he gently chastises you.

“Because you'd be spotted and they'd know you were in on everything and then you'd be in danger and I didn't want to risk that.”

He chuckles, “even when you're scared you're thinking logically. I love that about you.” The hug is interrupted by Curtis giving a small cough. Mace turns to Teach, “sorry about rushing past you.”

“It's okay,” she assures. “I very much understand. And so does Curtis.” Teach smirks at Curtis as his glare towards Mace lessens with the accepted apology.

You and Mace sit down on the couch as Teach and Curtis pull up chairs.

Curtis starts, “from the description DC's given us, we know the man who approached her is August Walker. He was a lackey for Kent but must've recently had his leash loosened.”

“Makes sense,” Mace replies. “Kent's too busy working on his reputation and lawsuits to keep hold of everyone who works for him.”

“There's still something I need to know,” you speak up. “Walker said someone was killed because of my testimony?” Curtis, Mace and Teach exchange looks. Their silence speaks volumes and you filled with rage and horror. “What the hell? Why didn't you tell me?!” You pull yourself away from Mace and start pacing the living room.

“The less you knew about it, the less culpable you were,” Teach says as gently as she can.

“No,” you argue, “the less I know, the more open I am to surprise, the less capable I am!” You turn to Mace. “You knew about this, too, didn't you?”

“Yes,” he admits quietly.

“My testimony was supposed to help people, not get them killed!”

“If it helps,” Curtis cuts in, “the man who was killed was a bad man.”

“How do you know?”

“He was an assassin from Wilford & Gilliam. He and his brother killed my brother.” Teach gently rubs his hand in an attempt to comfort him. This isn't information he shares with just anyone.

You sniffle, still angry. Still scared. Still overwhelmed. You look at Mace, “I...I can understand why you didn't tell me any of this. But I'm going to be mad at you for some time.” Mace nods in agreement. You turn to Teach and Curtis, “so what do we do now?”

Part 1 -- Part 3

Series Masterlist

Tagging everyone who had asked to be tagged in Sparks Fly. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the list.

@alicedopey; @chibijusstuff; @delicatebarness; @fluxxdog; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @jamneuromain; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory; @rebekahdawkins; @ronearoundblindly; @texmexdarling

[casswrath]

I posted 7,351 times in 2021

8 posts created (0%)

7343 posts reblogged (100%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 917.9 posts.

I added 4,366 tags in 2021

#tumblr - 1097 posts

#supernatural - 713 posts

#batfamily - 687 posts

#harry potter - 477 posts

#grishaverse - 332 posts

#six of crows - 295 posts

#sandersides - 209 posts

#animals - 198 posts

#the old guard - 196 posts

#lucifer - 162 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#like ok. if it focuses on mary and her wrapping up some hunts or whatever like she said she did in the asa fox episode that’ll be like. fine

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

okay I saw your tags on the wicked casting post and I see your joke about casting James Corden as Fiyero but you are missing the obvious casting choices- James Corden as Boq 🧍🏼‍♀️

OH MY GOD that is mildly straightphobic and I AM HERE FOR IT I WOULD DIE

2 notes • Posted 2021-11-05 17:54:55 GMT

#4

FELLOW QUEER

HOW IS THOU THIS FINE DAY?

HELLO FELLOW GAY!! I AM JUST FINE THIS FINE MORNING!!! THE SUN IS SHINING THE BIRDS ARE SINGING AND I AM ABOUT TO EMOTIONALLY RUIN MYSELF WATCHING LES MIS AGAIN

2 notes • Posted 2021-02-05 16:06:55 GMT

#3

I am lost

I am vain

I will never be the same without you

Without you

I wont run

I wont fly

I will never make it by without you

Hey! Guess who has a song stuck in their head now THANKS

2 notes • Posted 2021-01-29 13:19:59 GMT

#2

january 6 is like november 5th 2.0 but minus the destiel. i mean think about it- kimye broke up, kanye apparently cheated on her with jeffree star, the us president literally attacked the capital of the united states while congress was is session, a shitton if people broke into the fucking capital building while it was being evacuated, almost nobody got arrested, a woman was killed, THEN AFTER THAT congress reconvened and officially ratified Joe Bidens election and im like 90% sure i missed some stuff

ETA: trumps twitter was suspended before they took away the nuclear launch codes and thats fucking terrifying, people are calling to enact the 25th amendment, apparently the insurgents attacked other government buildings accross the country, some republicans are trying to pass off the attack as an antifa thing, there still hasnt been any arrests, AGAIN THE PRESIDENT LITERALLY STARTED A MOB THAT COMMITED FUCKING TREASON, when asked to call them off the video trump posted essentially said that the attackers were in the right and that he loved them which is INSANE, apparently aids had to beg trump to release a video and activate the national guard (which somehow didnt actually do anything for 3-4 hours), apparently a fistfight almost broke out in the house chamber over the PA electoral votes objection

(not as important but a woman went viral for being upset about being maced "were storming the capital its a revolution" look up elizabeth from knoxville)

i swear to god america is fucking insane

2 notes • Posted 2021-01-07 16:09:51 GMT

#1

24 notes • Posted 2021-04-24 22:25:33 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[sgt-seabass]

𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕

✧˚ · . 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘣 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.

pairing —  mob boss!prime alpha!nick fowler x omega!reader w/c —  13.7k this is a dark explicit fic. 18+ only.  AU Masterlist.

warnings —  dark!fic, non-con (non-consenting intoxicated reader), a/b/o dynamics, non-major character death (but it’s still gonna hurt), murder, violence, blood, violence against reader (face slapping, hair pulling, manhandling), pet names (pup, puppy), human trafficking and auctioning, biting, suicidal ideations, forced alcohol use, forced intoxication, choking, caging. a/n —  the Mace referenced in this fic is James Mace from Sunshine, not Mace from the 355. A massive fucking thank you to @buckybarneschokeme​​ and @navybrat817​​, this fic wouldn’t exist without either of you. And thanks to everyone who let me scream at them about this idea. Beta read by @buckybarneschokeme​ but any mistakes are mine.

I want to hold you close, skin pressed against me tight Lie still, close your eyes, girl, so lovely, it feels so right I want to hold you close, soft breath, beating heart As I whisper in your ear, "I want to fucking tear you apart" ↳ Tear You Apart, She Wants Revenge

The blazing summer rays burned into your back as you walked down the cracked sidewalk, the concrete only further radiating the ardent heat as you struggled to keep a hold of your grocery bags.

They were heavy and overpacked, and your body feverish, but you were almost too tired to care. Your childcare shift in the town’s daycare had gone over, and so you were stuck out late with the week’s groceries in your grip.

The sweat trickling down your skin made you feel as if you’d gone into heat, but the distinct lack of slick coming from your core confirmed you were just boiling under the evening sun’s remaining beams of light.

You had no doubt your scent must be in full force. You’d already seen the way Sherriff Bodecker had eyed you as he passed in his police cruiser, window down and shameless leering gaze on you as he passed. Creep. He could have at least offered you some help.

As your tired feet continued to lead you down the street, passing by the small houses that adorned your wayward town, all similar in design and undeniably boring in architecture, you couldn’t help but notice a black SUV with tinted windows roll past you. Not once, but twice.

It sent an odd chill through you despite the scorching temperature, the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. And as your eyes caught sight of a missing poster on a nearby lamp post, an image of an Omega from a few towns over the presentiment of danger worsened. The image of the smiling girl felt as if it was peering into you, warning you as severe, cutting anxiety settling in the pit of your stomach, beginning to spread like rot through an old oak tree.

Your steps quickened, ignoring the sweat beading along your forehead and dripping down your face, before you dipped down a side street and into a nearby park, hiding yourself amongst some foliage. Time seemed to slow as you waited, wanting to see if the car would pass you again. But it never came.

As you hid you thought of James. Your boyfriend would be home by now, his appointment at the VA having finished at noon. He wasn’t the same after he returned from deployment, his left arm gone like a lot of his joy for life, but he was working on himself, and it made you so proud.

You knew the risks of having a partner in the Army, but you were lucky to have him. While neither of you were ready to bond, his presence was undoubtedly calming, the two of you like yin and yang, fitting in a perfect harmony. You didn’t have to try with James, he was a sweetheart through and through, just the mere thought of the Alpha put a smile on your face. He wasn’t there, but it was like you could feel his arms tight around you, whispering in your ear that you were safe.

“I’m never leaving again, doll. Never again. Just you and me ‘til our last breaths.”

“Don’t be so grim, Jamie. We have all the time in the world together. You and me. What is it you always say to Steve? ‘Til the end of the line, right?”

His breath fanned over your neck as he nuzzled into you. Comforting warmth washing over you, his hands ghosting over your flesh with a gentle touch.

“Yeah, sweetheart. ‘Til the end of the line.”

It was difficult for him integrating back into society, especially when in a small town all people do is gossip. But he’d found a nice group of friends he played social poker in the next township over. While you lost Wednesday nights with James, you were hoping he was finding himself again. One step at a time.

Once enough time had passed you crawled out of the park and back onto the path home, that nervous feeling still fluttering in your stomach. The sooner you got home to James and the comfort of the beefy man’s tenderness, the better.

It luckily wasn’t much longer until you were close to home, the sun beginning to reach its lowest point, red and gold hues filling the sky like flames beckoning home the oncoming darkness.

You stopped for a moment, right outside your house, distracted by the artistic colours that painted the horizon before you noticed it. The black SUV. Parked in your driveway in front of the house that was undeniably no more aesthetic than any other. But it was yours. Yours and James’.

James.

It felt as if you were moving in slow motion as you made your way to the ajar front door, each step getting heavier as you feared what you would witness on the other side.

But no amount of time could have prepared you for the sight awaiting you in your home.

As you passed the threshold of the doorway, you dropped the bags to the floor with a shrill scream. The fresh produce spilled across the carpet as you took in the situation before you, milk spilling from the carton around your feet.

In your living room was James, bloodied to a pulp, his face hardly recognisable as a group of six men surrounding him.

“James!” You exclaimed with a rush of tears, ignoring the suited men as you rushed to your Alpha’s side, cupping his face in your hands, your skin becoming tainted with his blood.

The other Alpha’s seemed wholly unperturbed by your entrance.

“Get out of here…” James mumbled, barely coherent through his puffed face, pulling more sobs from you as you glanced over his body.

Slashes and bruises covered him. He was a strong Alpha, but with a missing limb and far outnumbered, he’d been beaten within an inch of his life.

Rage burned through you as you turned to the men, eyes falling on the one with the most dominant presence in the room, his scent competing for dominance with your Alpha’s. Clean cut hair, piercing azure eyes, 6’4” hulking figure, and a tailored suit probably worth more than your yearly salary.

“Get. Out. Of. My. House,” your words came out dripping like venom from a snake’s fangs, a hiss rising from your throat.

The man just laughed at you, squatting so he was eye level with you as you cowered to protect James’ body.

“Feisty Omega.” You watched the way his eyes travelled to your exposed neck, his head tilting slightly, “feisty unmated Omega.”

Under the man’s leering gaze, you kept your body in front of James, blood covering every part of you that touched your Alpha as it spilled from him. But you could still hear his little wheezing breaths that told you he was alive.

‘Til our last breaths.

“Just leave us alone, please. I don’t know who you are or what you want, but we don’t have anything to give you.”

“Well, puppy, that’s the problem. Your boyfriend doesn’t have anything to give me. Including the money he owes me.”

You blinked in confusion, the lack of understanding clear on your face.

“Oh, he didn’t tell his Omega he was in debt from his little poker habit. And I thought communication was the most important part of a relationship. Although I guess being unmated, well, maybe he just didn’t think you were worth it, little puppy.”

He was mocking you, ridicule clear in his baritone tone, and it made you even more enraged.

“Nick… Leave her alone, please...” James’ weak voice sounded behind you, but all you saw was red.

Without thinking you leaned forward to push the man, Nick, backwards from his squat. But his hands easily latched onto your wrists, pulling you down on top of him. His deriding chuckle had you squirming to get off him, but he held you close, hand gripping the back of your neck and pinching the muscle that caused Omega’s to go limp.

Your body gave way with a cry, weight lying on top of his chest as he kept his fingers firm on the scruff of your neck. “Good puppy,” he mused, sitting up with you in his lap, taking the opportunity to nuzzle his nose into your scent gland with a deep inhale.

Through dazed eyes you watched as his eyes fluttered, pupils dilating before he scented you again. And again. As if he couldn’t get enough of your smell, mouth salivating. “Oh, I see why he likes you now.”

The other men simply stood by and watched as Nick licked a stripe up your neck, growling into your ear and nipping at the lobe. “But you still smell too much like him.”

“Boss,” one of the armed men caught Nick’s attention, nodding towards the body of James.

Nick stood, letting go of your scruff and gripping your forearm instead to have you rise with him. Tears streamed down your face as you looked at your Alpha, struggling to pull himself up with his right arm, looking up at you with pure desperation.

Shivers ran down your spine as Nick’s lips ghosted over the shell of your ear. “You really want a future with a broken Alpha like him, hm? Thought he was going to give you pups? Maybe buy an old home, fix it up together. Grow old in your rocking chairs. What a waste, a sweet puppy like you with a man like him.”

You watched as James managed to get to his feet, his form swaying as he could barely keep himself up.

You wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab him. Hug him. Help him.

But your intuition told you this wasn’t going to have a happy ending for either of you.

“James…” Whimpers left your lips at the sight of him, heart twisting as your pulse raced. “I love you, James.”

Nick’s grip on your forearm tightened, and you could sense the anger under his confident persona as his jaw clenched. Now he’d scented you, he wanted you all for himself.

James smiled at you, his glazed eyes boring into you.

He looked so tired.

And both of you knew how this was going to end.

“I love you too, doll. It’s okay.”

“Mace, hold her.” Nick ordered the man with a military style buzz cut, shoving you towards the Alpha who easily took you into his grip, his handgun held to your side as you couldn’t do anything but watch.

“Just let her go, Nick. Please. She has nothing to do with this. I can get you the money, I can work for you, anything but hurting her, please.”

“You really think I would fall for that? With the amount of money you owe, it’s impossible.”

“I-I can work for you. I used to be in the military.”

Nick glanced at James’ left shoulder, scoffing. “Well, I wonder why they didn’t want you anymore. What the fuck am I meant to do with a one-armed Alpha who can’t even mate an Omega?”

“Please, just leave her alone. She didn’t know. She’s innocent. Just leave her be, please.”

Hearing James plead, his blood dripping to the floor from where he stood, it was almost surreal.

How quickly your life had been turned upside down, what was a normal quiet existence becoming something macabre so quickly.

Time slowed as Nick looked James over, a twinge of a smirk on his lips.

And then he said the words that forever sealed your desolate fate.

“I’m good.”

Nick raised his handgun without reservation, not an ounce of hesitation as he began firing his entire clip into James, the man’s body jolting with every shot before collapsing to the ground.

“No!” The scream that ripped from you was inhuman as blood splattered over all of you, your ears ringing as the white of Nick’s shirt stained with your Alpha’s blood. Your legs gave way as you wailed, Mace letting you drop to your knees and crawl over to your Alpha, your James.

“Jamie. Don’t leave me please. James.” As you knelt before James’ body, the hardwoods turned crimson with the leaking ichor. You shook his body, as if this was all a bad dream and he would just wake up. “James. Baby. Wake up, please.”

All you could see was his lifeless eyes staring back at you, mouth agape and skin turning ashen. Every part of him you touched was getting cold, your tears dropping against his body as you sobbed, clinging to him. “James. Don’t go.”

“That’s enough, puppy. He’s dead.” Nick looped his forearm around your waist and hoisted you up, ignoring the way you thrashed and clawed at him as you shrieked, your nails clawing against his clothed arm.

“No! No! Let me touch him! Please, he needs me! I- I need to help him!”

And when he placed you down you turned and tried to go for his face, but another Alpha bodyguard was quick to grab your arms and hold them behind your back.

“Thank you, Beck.” Nick said coolly, straightening his crimson-stained suit before his attention was brought back to your struggling form. “You can do this the easy way, or the hard way. But no matter what you choose the result will be the same, puppy. You’re coming with me, and Jamesy here is dead.”

“Fuck you!” You spat, struggling against Beck, but like Mace his hold was strong. “You killed my Alpha. I’ll fucking kill you!”

“He’s not your Alpha anymore. I’m your Alpha now. And you will address me as such, pup,” Nick cupped your bloodied face with his palms, considering you for a moment. “Do you have any idea who I am? The things I could do to this shithole of a town if you don’t comply?”

You spat again, this time hitting Nick in the face with your saliva. He tutted, wiping his face before slapping you across the cheek, the impact immediately sending stings through your face with a sob. When you looked up, he slapped you again before gripping your chin tightly. “Would be a shame for something to happen to all the little angels you care for, hm?”

A prickling pain radiated in your cheek as shock coursed through your system. “You wouldn’t.”

“You have no idea how far I will go for what I want, Omega.”

Your fight started to die down, because you could tell he wasn’t lying. He’d just killed your lover in front of you, if that wasn’t evidence enough. You didn’t want to push this man to see how ruthless he truly is.

Taking advantage of your moment of stillness Nick picked you up, throwing your body over his shoulder with ease. Your fists pounded at his back with a keening cry to no avail as he started walking out of the house with his men in tow.

When you looked up, the last sight you got of your home was James. Dead on the floor surrounded by the memories you had made together.

This was the end of the line.

The car ride was silent, the only noise filling the SUV was your soft sniffles as you continued shedding tears. You hadn’t stopped crying since Nick had carried you from your home and shoved you into the leather back seat, wedged between him and Beck, Mace taking the driver’s seat. The other men taking another car that tailed yours.

When you’d tried to attack Nick, Beck had easily grabbed your scruff, immobilising you before zip tying your hands behind your back. The plastic cut into your wrists, stinging pain harmonising with the twinge still present in your cheek from where Nick slapped you. Partway into the drive, once you’d crossed state lines, Beck placed a blindfold over your eyes, ignoring the way your sobs worsened.

“How is she still crying?” Beck asked, mostly in amazement and slight concern as your tears wet the fabric around your face.

“She’ll run out of energy eventually,” the voice you recognised as Nick spoke, sounding unamused as you could hear the clicks of him typing on his phone, like he’d been doing for the whole journey.

You didn’t know how much time passed, but he was right, you started to run out of tears. Your body began to give way to fatigue as the adrenaline subsided.

Tiredness claimed you and your senses became dulled and all you could smell was the copper of dried blood. The dried blood of your Alpha. Well, your previous Alpha.

The bumps on the road caused your body to jolt, someone’s hand keeping you in place until finally, after what felt like forever, the car stopped.

You could hear as the car doors opened and Nick got out, leaving you with Beck, who picked you up and stood your shaky legs on the gravelled turf. When he took the blindfold off you were temporarily blinded by the sun, its shining rays hurting your dry, tired eyes. Had you been travelling all night?

“Going to be another hot one today,” Beck mused as he closed the car door while keeping a hold on your forearm, allowing you to take in the sight of the mansion before you.

It was the biggest home you’d ever seen. Incredibly modern with natural wood features meeting the minimalist undertones of the grey brick and concrete, large open windows sprawling across the structure to let in ample natural light, although the glass was tinted so you couldn’t see in.

To you, it didn’t look homely at all, instead clinical and exceedingly large, as if the structure was there for showing off instead of actual functionality.

Nick’s voice caught your attention as he was standing by the car on his phone, seemingly caught up in a conversation that Mace was paying close attention to. Neither of them were looking at you. And when your gaze turned back to Beck, he was distracted by a text on his phone, his grip at its weakest point.

Blood surged through you as without hesitation, knowing this would be your only chance, you ripped your arm out of Beck’s grasp and bolted. All three Alphas yelled after you and made chase. But they were no match for the speed of a fleeing Omega.

Not knowing where you were or where you were going, you barrelled past the home and into the backyard, quickly surveying your surroundings.

A pool, pool house, and barn further back on the property, all surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens and a forest edge.

You started sprinting towards the barn, hoping you could find a hiding spot amongst some hay or at least mask your scent with animal droppings if you had to.

As you reached the wooden building you ran around the back you took a moment to calm your panting breaths before you raised your arms behind you. Despite the pain radiating in your wrists, you repetitively slammed your arms down against your tailbone until the zip ties snapped, leaving your skin a bloody mess from where the ties had dug in deep.

You wondered how much untainted skin you had left, a mix of James’ blood and your own covering you.

With limbs freed, you tried to open the back door, letting out a huff when it didn’t budge with a keypad keeping it locked. Noticing an ajar window, you decided to go there instead, using a nearby log to get the height to be able to hoist yourself up and into the structure as you heard Nick and his men yelling your name outside.

Amongst the commotion you could hear their boyish laughs and howling calls.

“Come out, come out wherever you are, little puppy.”

They were enjoying this.

Fucking Alphas.

You fell with an ungracious ‘oof’ through the window, your back hitting the cement floor. The pain stunned you for a moment, expecting a softer fall, but as your eyes adjusted to the darkened room you became confused. It was modern, not like the barn exterior at all.

But then you realised what the barn contained.

It took everything in you not to scream as you scrambled to your feet, taking rushed steps backwards until your sore back hit the wall.

You couldn’t believe it.

Rows and rows of cages filled the barn, like a pound.

But instead of animals, there were Omegas.

Most of the cages were empty, but your eyes fell on one sleeping form, curled up against the back wall of her enclosure with tears streaked down her cheeks.

It was the girl from the missing poster.

It was a baffling realisation as you approached her cage, seeing a profile sheet on the outside of the cage. Everything about the Omega was recorded. Height, weight, mating status, virginity status, likes, dislikes. All of it. And below it all. Expected sale price.

You’d heard of Omega trafficking in the news, but never like this. You knew the man who took you wasn’t good, but this was something else.

As if he could sense your thoughts, Nick opened the main door to the barn, smirking as three Dobermans followed in tow. You wanted to move, but your body remained frozen in shock, standing in the centre of the cages.

“That’s enough now Omega. We’ve had our fun. It’s time to come with me.”

Nick wasn’t Alpha commanding you, playing his twisted game. He was testing you, seeing if you were ready to submit.

Your eyes glanced to the cages before turning back to him, muscles tightening in preparation to run again as he began making slow steps towards you with the dogs following.

"Don't worry, pup. Your place is in my bed, not here."

“Why?” Your voice was weak, vitality wavering as the exhaustion was starting to set in. Deep and painful in your body.

Nick chuckled as he started edging closer. You took steps back, but once you were stuck against the wall you had nowhere to go, the only open door on the other side of the barn.

“Because I want you,” he said simply, as if it answered all your questions with complete clarity. His eyes glanced at your bloodied wrists before returning to your face. “You’ve had a long day so I’m being lenient, but playtime is over. You’re bleeding, let me get Beck to have a look.”

Beside you the back door opened as Mace entered, and you didn’t hesitate to break out into a sprint again, Nick and Mace both trying to grab you but narrowly missing your darting form as you ran out into the forest that surrounded the property.

But this time you weren’t just being chased by the Alphas.

This time the dogs were quick to run after you too.

Every muscle in your body screamed at you to stop as you stumbled through the thick foliage of the forest, but the sound of barking dogs close behind you spurred you to keep going despite the branches cutting at you and leaves slapping against your body.

When the padding of the four-legged creatures got louder you chanced a quick glance over your shoulder, gasping at the sight of the Dobermans almost on your heel.

The distraction caused you to miss the thick branch laying over the forest floor, your ankle getting easily caught in it. There was no time to brace yourself as you fell hard, body slamming to the ground without an ounce of grace.

The impact winded you, your face smacking against the hard dirt and chest bouncing. Everything hurt, vociferous agony spreading through your battered form. Your nose leaked blood, small droplets hitting the ground below as you let out a pained whine.

A tearless sob left you as the dogs came bounding up to you. You closed your eyes, waiting for the feeling of teeth in flesh, for the pain to increase as the dogs attacked you. But the hurt never came.

A small shuffling next to you caused you to open your eyes, a sharp wheezy inhale sounding as you looked next to your body. One of the Doberman’s, with the name Apollo on his collar, was lying next to your body, beady eyes gazing at your face.

The other two, with the names Icarus and Hermes, sat attentively behind Apollo. Icarus looked at you while Hermes’ sight was on the path from where you came.

Apollo nudged your side with his nose until you rolled onto your back with a cough, looking up at the treetops. The sun was shining through the leaves, and you could feel the warmth on your skin.

For just a moment, the pain stopped, the world stopped, and it was just you gazing at the rustling leaves as you lay on your picnic blanket, waiting for James to bring the carefully crafted picnic basket from the car.

But that wasn’t your life anymore.

Your dream dissipated as quickly as it started, pain blooming in your chest as Nick put his tailored shoe on your chest, giving enough pressure for you to whimper. “Stupid puppy. If you didn’t want to get hurt, you shouldn’t have run,” he taunted, but you could see the way he was looking over your body, counting the injuries as Mace and Beck followed shortly behind him.

“Don’t move, pup.” Nick sighed, nodding his head at Beck for him to come over.

Nick’s foot lifted from your chest, allowing you to draw a deep breath as you watched him move to the side with Apollo, squatting down to give the dog a treat. “If only you were a good puppy like him, maybe you’d get my treats too.”

You ignored him, not letting out a sound apart from the occasional hiss as Beck checked over your body, the man asking if certain spots hurt or if you could move certain digits and toes. The urge to run had long left you, so you lay as Beck gently touched your face, inspecting your nose and the growing bruise from where you hit your head on the ground.

“She’s a little beat up, but she’ll be fine. Just need to get the dirt out of her cuts so it doesn’t get infected.” Beck looked to Nick, awaiting his next order.

It was odd seeing the way the two Alphas submitted to Nick, when they were Alphas themselves.

But then you smelt it. You’d been so distracted by the lasting scent of your dead Alpha that your body had shut out Nick, but as you lay on the forest floor the strongest Alpha scent you’d ever experienced invaded your senses.

A strikingly masculine scent that smelt nothing short of lavish entered your sinus, a mix of black tea, leather notes, and geranium flowing through you as you couldn’t help but be enthralled by it. Underneath it all, there was a hint of lavender. A softness that finished the scent from being too overwhelmingly bold. You couldn’t even smell Beck or Mace as Nick’s aura eluded from him, your eyes fluttering as you whined and hips writhed.

You hated how much you loved it.

Shit.

Nick was a prime Alpha. The head of his pack.

It made sense, seeing as the other Alphas were so quick to fall into line for him.

Hearing your whine Nick let out a teasing coo, shushing you as he reached under you to pick you up bridal style, your dirty body further staining the white of his shirt. A meld of red and brown ruined the pale fabric, his clothes becoming a canvas of your pain.

The yip you let out was pure Omega, hindbrain taking over as the primal urge to nuzzle against him took over. You would feel the rumble of his chest as he laughed at you, his grip tightening at little.

As he began to walk with you out of the forest you couldn’t help but close your eyes, allowing the pure exhaustion to pull you under into its endless depths.

When you woke you felt weightless and surrounded by a comforting warmth. Your lashes fluttered open, instantly landing on Nick’s face as he ran a lathered sponge over your bare body.

The bath was filled with bubbles, and his hands ran tenderly over your skin as all the dirt and blood was washed away, the water discoloured and muddy.

“You’re finally awake, puppy. The day was quite exciting, wasn’t it?”

You didn’t respond, but didn’t push him away either as your skin was cleared from the weight of dirt. You watched the way Nick carefully washed your cuts and abrasions, making sure not to irritate them further.

He was being caring, and it had you on edge. There had to be a catch, and there was.

Nick stripped himself of his clothes, and while you wanted to avert your gaze, you couldn’t help but be entranced by the Alpha as each patch of skin was revealed to you. Deep chiseled muscles adorned his broad frame, small nicked scars on his skin as if he held a battle scar for each rise of the rank to the top.

Your breath hitched and eyes widened at the sight of the intricate lines of black ink that flowed across his body. With no fabric covering him, you could discern the roses and thorns that stretched along his neck and down until it met his chest piece. The thorns flowed into a forest scene where on his pec a wolf bared its teeth, snarling ominously at the moon along the treetops. As your eyes moved lower you saw the way his left arm featured a smoky darkness, skulls decorating the limb as it melded in with the haze.

And then you saw his hand. On the back of it was a grandfather clock face, stylised to fit in perfectly with the rest of his pieces, his fingers blackened to look skeletal. Some of the tattoo was hard to see with the silver rings embellishing his fingers.

It was objectively a stunning piece of art. But knowing the creations sat on such a wicked man put a distaste in your mouth.

You wanted to read the time on the clock but he moved before you could, filtering out the old water and replacing it with fresh clear liquid as he maneuvered you so you were in his lap, his thick thighs either side of your legs.

You tried to wriggle away with protesful cries, but his grip was strong as he held film, the water splashing around you as he scented into your neck, the deep inhale against your skin causing you to shiver. “You smell so fuckin’ sweet, puppy. It’s a wonder that boyfriend of yours never claimed you.”

James. Just the thought of him had tears welling in your eyes, a reminder of Nick’s power.

A sob bubbled out of your throat. “I wasn’t ready—“

“Don’t worry, after you’ve had my knot you’ll be more than ready. That is,” he dragged his teeth along your skin, lapping his tongue against your mating gland, “if I can stop myself from taking you right here, puppy.”

“Don’t!” You cried out, unable to fight him in his unrelenting grip as he smirked against your neck, continuing to swirl his tongue along the sensitive patch.

“You know, good puppies care for their Alphas,” his lips moved against your skin as he spoke. “And you will care for me in every way.”

“You’re not my Alpha.” You protested as you tried to ignore how good it felt to have his lips on you.

“Not yet.”

His teeth grazed your gland as you keened, back arching against him as you felt the way his cock twitched between your cheeks.

Nick ground his cock against your ass, and you could feel the tension in his body as he held himself back from biting you. It was as if he was fighting himself from doing it.

With a growl he lost control and moved to your other shoulder, sinking his teeth into your supple flesh as his hands moved your hips against his cock.

A yowl left you as you squirmed, hands gripping the edges of the bathtub as your blood trickled into the water. Although Nick didn’t allow much to spill before he licked the wound, helping it to clot.

The scent in the room was completely overpowering, the lust of the prime Alpha like a thick smog that filled your lungs. It tried to pull you down into terrifying depths, where Omegas submitted to their Alphas and did as they were told without argument.

“Mm, bath time is over puppy. I want to claim my Omega.”

Your words got caught in your throat as Nick picked you up with ease, the water dripping down into the bathtub below. You looked down, almost wishing he would just drown you in it.

It would be more peaceful than what you knew was to come.

Harrowing thoughts swirled through your mind as you became pliant in Nick’s grip. He dried you, moving you around so he could move the towel against your skin as you considered your options.

You could drown yourself, but that was incredibly hard to do, and cited as one of the worst ways to die. You couldn’t set yourself on fire, another less than ideal option. If you could find something sharp. That could do the trick.

If Nick could just give you a moment alone, you could rummage the cabinets and surely find something that would work, something that would save you the reality of being mated to the mob boss.

But he wasn’t going to leave your side; you knew this. He wasn’t dumb and would see right through a ploy you put before him. But you didn’t want to be mated to him, you didn’t want this life. You wanted the simple happiness of James and the boringness of your home town.

You had no desire for lavishness, especially when it’s being funded by something as heart wrenching as what you had seen in the barn.

You couldn’t help but feel anger, hating whatever it was that Nick saw that made you special enough to mate. It felt like more of a prison sentence than being locked in a small cage and whisked away to the highest bidder.

Nick acknowledged your apathetic gaze with a roll of his eyes, picking you up like a ragdoll to bring you to his bedroom.

It was as luxe as you had expected given the mansion exterior. Lots of greys and blacks blended into a modern look. But to you it just had no character. No life. The hues of the room mirrored how your heart felt. Empty of feeling and desolate.

There was one thing that caught your eye. By the bed was a large dog crate, pink and blue blankets neatly folded along the base of it for bedding.

It was odd only seeing the one cage. Didn’t he have three dogs?

Nick placed you down on the floor by the bed, dropping you to your knees so you knelt before him. His fingers danced along your jawline, tilting your face up so you saw his towering form above you.

“There’s going to be new rules now, Omega. But I’ve made them nice and simple for that dumb puppy brain of yours.” Nick moved away from you to the small alcohol collection that sat atop of his dresser, pouring himself a caramel liquid in a crystalline glass with a harboured sigh. As if having to explain the rules to you was a taxing task for him.

“You do what I say, when I say. Don’t make me have to Alpha command you, it’s irritating. You’re permitted to speak, but never interrupt me or my guests. You are to be my good little Omega and if you do as you’re told your life will be easy. If you act up,” Nick moves back towards you, swirling the liquid in his glass as he looks down at you. “Well, there will be consequences.”

There was a beat of silence, the air in the room getting a twingle colder, your bare skin chilled under the Alpha’s icy glare. “Your antics today were one example of disappointing me. So, Let’s test your obedience now, puppy. Open your mouth.”

You stared at him as he looked expectantly at you. There was no thrall over you. He hadn’t commanded you. You didn’t want to do as he said, but the heavy burden of possible repercussions weighed heavy on your shoulders. Was fighting even worth it?

Hesitantly, you opened your mouth, your nails digging into your thighs as you presented to him. Nick hummed in approval, taking a swig of his drink before he reached down, thumb pressing down on your tongue so your mouth opened wider for him. It made your jaw ache, and you wanted to do nothing more than cower away.

You were preparing yourself to bite him, building up the courage to fight back against the bulky Alpha. The expectation of him using your mouth for pleasure had your lip turning up in disgust, your teeth baring to him.

Right as you’d built up the gall to do it, jaw ready to snap closed around his digit, Nick caught you off guard when he poured the contents of his drink straight into your awaiting mouth.

The sudden burn of the whiskey made you cough and splutter, momentarily drowning in the hard alcohol as your throat struggled to swallow without inhaling the drink straight into your lungs.

“You seemed thirsty, puppy.” Nick mused, removing his thumb so you could heave properly. You fell to your hands, wiping your mouth as you finally regained your breath.

As the burn started to satiate from your throat the warmth began blooming in your chest, the strength of the alcohol quickly invading your body and making you woozy. Your eyes scrunched closed as you sat back into your kneeling position. You never drank, so the feeling of lightheadedness was entirely foreign. And you hated it. You hated the way you could feel yourself losing control of your body.

Nick was taking everything from you. And you couldn’t stop him. It was a battle that was weighted against you from the start.

With a light chuckle, Nick refilled his glass, taking a sip before running his fingers over your whiskey stained lips. “Open, Omega.”

It felt like your stomach did a flip at the thought of more alcohol. “I- I’ll be sick. Please. I don’t want it.”

Nick’s expression hardened, a deep rumble coming from his chest. “First and last warning, puppy. I didn’t ask for your opinion. I told you to open your fucking mouth.”

Your teeth sunk into your lower lip, almost drawing blood as you whimpered. Nick growled as you kept your mouth closed, his hand gripping your chin in a painfully tight hold, the rings on his fingers cold against your face. “Fine. We’ll play this game. Open your mouth nice and wide for me, Omega. And say ahh like a good puppy.”

When his hand let go the Alpha command took hold, tears brimming and beginning to trickle down your cheeks as your jaw moved of its own volition, a force bigger than your own making your mouth open wide for the Alpha towering above you.

You hated the ‘ahh’ that was forced from your throat as your body complied with the Alpha’s wishes, the tears beginning to flow more steadily.

The laugh that came from Nick was pure sneer as he cupped your cheek, giving it a few gentle taps with his palm. “That’s better. Don’t make me ask like that again or you’ll be sleeping in the fucking crate.”

Your eyes glanced at the cage that sat at the foot of the bed. Oh. It wasn’t for the dogs. It was for you.

You didn’t have much time to think as more whiskey was poured into your mouth. Nick let it flow slower this time, using his free hand to plug your nose so you had to swallow it all, despite the fiery feeling in your throat that travelled all the way down to your stomach and bloomed through your body.

Nick smiled as he finished, downing the small amount of liquid left. “Good girl. You must be really thirsty for some water, right puppy?” He contemplated with a devious spark, picking up a bottle of water as you looked at it with a salivating mouth.

He was right. You were really fucking thirsty. The alcohol had your mouth dry and entire being parched.

Haziness that had started to overtake you had the room becoming a bit wonky and unstable, but at least the radiating pain of your sore muscles and cuts was starting to subside. The agony in your heart had even begun to ease as your body was forcibly calmed.

“Yes. M’want some wa— water, please.” You were still a little breathless as your words came out unintentionally slurred.

Nick tutted, holding the bottle of water right in front of you, swinging it nonchalantly. “What was that puppy? I couldn’t understand you.”

“C-Can I please have some- some water? I’m so— I’m so thirsty.” Somehow your words were even more inebriated as you swayed in your spot on the floor, Nick’s smirking face becoming a little more obscure in your vision.

“Mm, still can’t understand you, Omega. Sounds like you should address your Alpha and beg if you want his attention.” He was closer to you now. Squatting in front of your kneeling form with the water bottle in hand. “Put your hands up like a puppy too.”

“Alpha.. Can I please have— have some water, please?” No amount of alcohol could have stopped the pure humiliation you felt as you raised your hands in front of you, like a puppy raising its paws.

“Good girl. Yes you can. But I bet a dumb little puppy like you wouldn’t be able to drink from a bottle right now. You’d spill it everywhere and that would be such a waste. It’s a good thing your Alpha has just the idea for you.” His words flowed through your ears but you didn’t actually process what he was saying until he poured some of the water into his palm and held it to your mouth. “Drink up, pup.”

Any dignity you had was washed away by the buzzing in your system, your hindbrain controlling most of your decision making as you let out a soft whimper. You would be horrified to see yourself as you leant forward, hands holding onto Nick’s arm as you lapped the water from his palm.

You let out a sigh of relief when he refilled his hand, allowing you to drink more water from him. The clear liquid helped to ease some of the pain in your throat and stomach, the queasiness quelling a little with each run of your tongue through the aqua.

Nick continued until the bottle of water was finished, and you could see his cock hardening between his legs as you drank. You hiccuped as you felt brimming with liquid, your stomach swirling like a bilious storm.

“What do you say when your Alpha does something kind for you, Omega?” The anticipative smirk Nick gave you made your stomach turn over on itself again, knowing he was enjoying every moment of toying with you, seeing how far you’d go.

“Thank you.” Your voice was barely higher than a whisper, your breath turning bated as you waited for the Alpha’s next move.

Nick let out a disapproving croon, tipping the water bottle over your head so the last trickle of water drizzled into your hair and down your face. You looked at him with wide eyes, shocked at the water dribbled down and mixed with your fallen tears.

When you remained silent, Nick yanked your hair, tilting your head back as his face got close to yours with a snarl.

“Th-Thank you, Alpha.”

You were still rocking unstabily in your position, and when Nick picked you up from your armpits you had to rely on his strength to hold you up. Your legs had gone to sleep from sitting in the same position for so long, and painful pins and needles deep in your muscles, causing you to whine as he held you.

Nick hoisted your body onto the plush grey sheets with ease, lying you on your back as he admired your form. “It’s almost cruel how beautiful you are, Omega. Just look at you.”

His praise fell on deaf ears as the exhaustion threatened to take hold of you again, the comfort of the bed drawing you closer to peaceful doze. It felt like lying on clouds, but as Nick’s form settled between your legs, you realised you were far from heaven.

“No time for sleep, puppy. Not yet.” His hands roamed over your body, the coolness of his rings leaving goosebumps in their wake. He paid particular attention to your breasts, his dark orbs watching as he palmed them, kneading the supple flesh in his grip.

Nick licked his lips before he leaned down to press a wet kiss to the swell of your breasts, causing your breath to hitch as you couldn’t help but feel the anticipation rising in your core. The alcohol had dampened your anxiety and left you with just arousal as your nipples hardened under his teasing touches.

A moan spilled past your lips as his tongue ran across your hardened bud, swirling around it as his hand began tweaking your other hardened peak. Scorching desire started to build in you as Nick began sucking, seemingly taking great pleasure in making your hips squirm against the bed as you couldn’t help but make noises for him.

As he continued his ministrations, Nick angled his erection between your folds, slowly sliding himself along your wetness and up your stomach.

Nick swapped sides, giving both tits equal attention with his mouth and hands as he thrusted along your pussy lips. Your skin glistened with his spit as he started getting more and more animated, sucking and touching harder, gravelled groans coming from him as it almost started to hurt. The fine line between pleasure and pain was getting blurred as your wetness threatened to drip down onto the bed below.

You saw the same look on Nick’s face as before he lost control and bit you while in the bath, causing you to try and writhe away. His hands gripped at your waist, holding you in place as his erection lay hot and heavy on your glistening cunt. There was only a split second before Nick bared his teeth and bit the top of your left breast.

It hurt so good as his canines pierced your skin, the Alpha possessively marking you. The world was still groggy and when you tried to push Nick off your arms had no strength in them, the Alpha not budging at all when he finally let his jaw go slack.

“I just can’t control myself around you.” Nick husked as he moved his lips to your arm. You howled as he bit again, leaving another mark. The room became filled with your cries for him to stop as Nick moved his mouth all over your body, covering you with bites and nips.

Your heart began to hammer in your chest as he moved lower, dizziness overtaking you when you tried to sit up. Nick’s hand easily pushed you back down onto the bed before his teeth sunk into the soft flesh of your inner thigh. Despite all the pain your cunt clenched around nothing as your heady arousal grew.

It was wrong. You shouldn’t enjoy this. So why did being claimed by the Prime Alpha feel so fucking good? It was as if with each clench of his jaw pure dopamine was pumped into your system, your hindbrain finding comfort in knowing it was okay, your Alpha was there.

Your mating gland remained unmarked as Nick regained control of himself, his shoulders rising and falling with each deep breath as his cock stood proud between his legs.

The pure size and girth of it should have scared you, but your hindbrain replaced your fear with a lusted whine. “You like what you see, puppy? Want to be torn apart by your Alphas cock?”

An internal struggle began as you shook your head. No— You didn’t want it. But the pulsing need between your legs indicated otherwise as the intoxication warped your mind.

Nick smirked as his fingers dipped into your slit, collecting your juices on his fingers before holding them up in front of you. “If you don’t want it, then why are you so fucking wet?”

You could smell yourself on his fingers as he brought the digits to your face, nudging your lips open with a soft command, “suck them clean.”

Impatient, Nick let an Alpha command out, revelling in the way you opened your mouth to hungrily suck his fingers, not leaving a spot untouched by your tongue as you let out little uncontrollable yips. “Good puppy. You deserve a reward, and your Alpha can’t wait any longer.”

Nick lined his cock up to your entrance, giving his hard length a few pumps before breaching your tight hole. He let himself sink in at an excruciatingly slow space, letting out a long groan until he reached his hilt and he was fully sheathed by your wet walls.

It hurt, the stretch near unbearable, but the moment Nick started moving the pain quickly turned into overwhelming sparks of pleasure that travelled through your whole body and had your back arching.

The pleasure was like nothing you’d ever felt before as Nick speared into you, his scent just growing stronger in your senses as strings of moans sounded from you, mixing in with his animalistic groans.

“Fuck, oh god, that’s it Omega. Fuck, you’ve got such a tight little cunt. Such a dumb slut for my cock, aren’t you?”

You couldn’t respond as he started snapping his hips harder, your body jolting with each punishing thrust that had you gripping into the sheets below.

“Fucking dirty slut. Tell me I’m the best cock you’ve ever had,” Nick’s hand slid up your body to rest on your neck, beginning to put pressure down on your airways. “Tell me I’m better than James.”

The mention of his name had you quickly shedding tears with hiccuped sobs that mixed in with your mewls.

Nick didn’t slow his pace as his fingers tightened around your neck, and for a moment you considered not responding just to see if he’d choke you to death. But the logic in you knew he wouldn’t. He wanted you and there was no escaping that.

With each drag of his cock against your slick walls your resolve faltered more, the lack of oxygen making you feel euphoric. “Tell me.” You could barely make the words out between his growled huffs of breath.

And when Nick angled his cock to hit your g-spot you fell down the rabbit hole of pure pleasure.

“You— You’re the best cock I’ve ever had. B-Better… Better than James.” Anyone who knew you would know the voice that came from you wasn’t you. But Nick didn’t seem to care as he grinned proudly, his trusts moving even faster against your sweet spot.

Tears continued to stream down your cheeks as you gripped onto Nick’s arms hard enough to leave crescent marks on his skin as he just didn’t stop. His unrelenting pace had a tortuous pressure building in your abdomen.

“That’s it. Give yourself to me. Cum for me, Omega.” Nick pressed his hand onto your stomach so he could feel himself fucking you, making the pressure of him inside you even more intense.

Your entire body started to go taut as the raucous rapture had your cunt clenching around Nick, your mind allowing you sweet indulgence as you came with a cry. The release was like being on cloud nine, your pleasure and anguish melding into one as you let it all go, the pillow below you dampened with your tears.

“Shit, puppy, look at you creaming on my cock. Squeezing me like a fucking vice. Fuck, gonna make me fucking breed your cunt like a bitch in heat.” Nick’s words kept flowing as he flipped you onto all fours, pushing your face down into the mattress as he pounded in harder and harder until you could feel his knot beginning to catch at your entrance.

Just when you thought you couldn’t get any more full his knot just kept growing, stretching you further than you thought humanly possible as he locked himself in place. “Fuck, oh god, fuck I’m gonna to cum, I can’t hold it. My filthy slut, gonna stuff you full of me. Breed you so deep you’ll feel me dripping out for days.”

Nick collapsed over you as his hips stuttered and rolled, his cock buried deep. You felt him pulsate before his release started spilling inside you, the bulge at his base stopping any from leaking out as your eyes rolled back from the sensation of fullness.

“You’re mine. All of you. Give me it all.” You could feel his panting breaths against your neck as the cum finally seemed to stop, but there was no rest as Nick’s teeth grazed along your mating gland, rasped breaths against your ear that became silenced as Nick bit into your mating spot.

“No!” Your cry did nothing as you felt everything change.

Despite your intoxication, your vision cleared and your head became less clouded. Your senses heightened as Nick’s smell enveloped you like a warm hug, his presence alone calming you. Any thoughts of self-harm dissipated as you wouldn’t want to upset your Alpha, and the thought of James became less painful than before, you have an Alpha now, anyone else doesn’t matter. You felt a sense of adoration for Beck and Mace for taking such good care of your Alpha and you felt pure love for the three dogs that stood by your Alpha’s side.

The home that you hated didn’t feel lifeless anymore. Because Nick was there. And Nick made everything better. You’d live in a cardboard box if he told you, because he made everything okay.

Your entire being was overpowered by Nick. Your Alpha. As the bond took hold. And when Nick let your neck go and you glanced back you could see the way his gaze had changed for you too. The harshness was still there, but there was a hint of something new. He cared for you. And nothing could make a mob boss weaker than caring for someone.

It was dangerous territory for both of you, but you couldn’t find yourself caring as Nick moved you so you could lie on his inked chest, his knot holding you together.

You were deathly tired. You had been on a roller coaster since Nick entered your life, and now it was coming to a stop the exhaustion was severe.

Tears kept falling and you didn’t know why anymore. The sorrow in your heart was slowly being overtaken through your bond, leaving you with sadness you no longer understood.

You could feel Nick’s own fatigue through the bond, his emotions wrought as well. Your hand ran over his abs and rested on his chest by your head. You could feel the steady beating of his heart and the momentum lulled you closer and closer to the edge of sleep.

“Rest, Omega.” The richness to Nick’s voice had you relaxing further, snuggling against him as he pulled the covers over the both of you.

Your mind was still going through a whirlwind of changing emotions, but as you closed your eyes the blackness that filled your vision quickly pulled you into lethargic slumber.

When you woke up, the sweet smell of pancakes hit you. It was nice. Homely almost. Almost.

You knew Nick wasn’t there before you even opened your eyes, his warmth gone and the bond feeling further away. But you could still feel his presence with you, reminding you who owned you, his scent still forefront in your senses.

It’s okay. Alpha isn’t far.

You squeaked when you opened your eyes and saw Beck sitting at the foot of the bed, quickly making sure the covers were over your naked form.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already seen it all. Nick had me check your wounds while you were asleep,” Beck’s words came out softly, a plate of perfectly round pancakes topped with berries and maple syrup in his hands. Your stomach growled just at the sight of it, the sound bouncing off the walls.

Beck laughed, moving to put the pancakes and utensils in your lap, eyes lingering on your mating bite. “He got you pretty deep. That’ll scar nicely. I’m happy for him, finding an Omega of his own.”

It was as if he was thinking aloud rather than speaking to you, and when he pulled back you took the chance to thank him for the food before beginning to eat. Having only had whiskey and water the day prior, the spongy goodness was amazing.

Beck moved to the closet, disappearing for a few minutes as you ate all the food on your plate, enjoying the moment of solace where you couldn’t hear anything except the shuffling of hangers and birds chirping outside.

The bond had settled, the feeling of connection with Nick not as strong, and it allowed some of the harboured feelings towards the Alpha to resurface.

You placed the plate by the bedside, choosing to forgo modesty so you could gaze out the window. You could see the backyard, and it was nice, until you looked at the barn. It looked nondescript, but knowing what it contained put a pit in your stomach. You wondered if the Omegas in there were awake. Had they been given breakfast? Were they being treated nicely? You highly doubted they were treated to pancakes.

Beck returning to the room cut your thoughts short, your brows furrowing when you saw what was in his hands. A stunning dress and heels were placed on the bed, along with a modestly sized makeup bag. You remained wordless, simply looking at the items as if they would grow sentient. You felt entirely out of place.

“Boss wants you dressed and downstairs within thirty minutes. You’ve got an event to attend.”

“And if I say no?” Your words were sharp, an attitude coming from you despite the humiliation of standing naked in front of a man you didn’t know.

Beck sighed, crossing his arms. “You’re a smart woman. You know he won’t take disobedience lightly.”

You knew Nick would be able to feel your emotions through the bond, but you couldn’t help it. With a huff you brushed past Beck and moved to the bathroom so you could shower. It was even more enraging seeing all your favourite products already there. Although your hindbrain interpreted it as your Alpha caring for you, you knew he was a horrible person. That barn was evidence enough.

As you showered you thought about the night before. You were mad at yourself for not fighting back harder. But you knew you were in no position to. Nick had made sure of that when he forced whiskey down your throat.

With a groan you rested your head against the shower wall, letting the hot water flow over you.

Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t wash Nick’s hold away. You turned to look in the reflection of the glass door, lips pursing at the sight. Bites covered your entire body, small bruises and cuts joining the marks. You looked like a mess. And you were.

Your fingers idly ran over your wrists, the skin still irritated from where the zip ties had sliced your flesh.

A knock on the door told you’d been in the shower too long and so you made quick work of drying off and returning to the bedroom. The sun was reflecting golden hues into the room and it made you realise it was actually afternoon. You’d slept longer than you thought, not that time seemed to matter much anymore anyway. You had nowhere to be except for where Nick wanted you.

Beck held the dress out so you could step into it, gentle touches moving your hair out of the way so he could zip it up from the back. The lack of underwear had you frowning as the dress fitted around your body.

You tried to protest when Beck held out the shoes for you to slip into, but he just rolled his eyes and took your ankle to guide your foot in. The heels were higher than you’d ever worn before, and it felt like being drunk all over again as you found your balance in them.

When you made your way to the full length mirror you were speechless. The dress was stunning. A dark velvet emerald bodice showed off your curves, while the short sleeves sat off your shoulders, making your bitten skin visible to the whole room. The dress filtered out into an a-line figure, tulle flowing down your legs, but there was a distinct slit that would show your marked legs as you walked.

It seemed Nick intended on showing you off to anyone who so much as glanced your way.

Beck stood and watched as you put minimal makeup on. You never wore it before now, and you had no intention of actually trying to learn for the Alpha. He seemed to have no problem with it when he mated you anyway.

“One more thing.” Beck took a box out of his suit jacket, opening it to show you an opulent diamond collar that sparkled gorgeously in the afternoon light.

It was exquisite, and fit for a princess. But you didn’t want to be Nick’s princess. Not when your kingdom was built on the bodies of trafficked Omegas.

You watched in the mirror as Beck secured the jewels around your neck, the weight of gems a heavy burden you now bore.

When he’d finished, Beck held out his arm, but you shook your head and started walking behind him without his help. However, when you almost stacked it halfway out the bedroom door you decided to take him up on his offer.

Beck led you down the hallway until you reached the main staircase, walking you down with slow steps so you didn’t fall.

As you got to the bottom he left you there, allowing you to take in the sights of the large open plan living room and kitchen. It was immaculate. And part of you wanted to move one of the art pieces out of place just to see if Nick would even notice.

The sight of Apollo, Hermes and Icarus asleep together in the living room had the corners of your lips quirking up slightly. Alpha’s dogs. He loves them, like he loves you.

“Omega.”

Nick’s deep voice had you turning to look at him. You hated how attractive he looked in a dark velvet suit that matched the colour of your dress. He looked just as picture perfect as the rest of his home. Behind him you could see Mace and Beck coming out of the mansion’s enormous office, locking the door behind them.

“You look stunning, puppy.” Nick ran his hand down your back, resting at your lower back as he began guiding you towards the front door and outside towards his awaiting car.

“Thank you..” There wasn’t much sincerity in your words but Nick seemed too caught up looking at you in the dress and collar to care.

Mace opened the car door for you, giving you a small smirk as he helped you get your long dress into the car before he moved to get into the driver's seat.

Nick sat next to you, his hand running over your bare arm, admiring his work on your skin.

You felt wholly uncomfortable as Beck got in the passenger seat and the car started moving. You didn’t know where you were going, and you felt too emotionally exhausted to care.

Nick was happy, you could feel it through the bond, and that seemed to be enough for now. If he was happy maybe he’d leave you alone for the most part.

The drive wasn’t long, but Nick’s lingering touches and closeness as he replied to various messages on his phone made it feel like a century.

You watched out the window as you pulled into an estate, the car pulling up in front of an old Victorian style building where a valet service was waiting. It was easy to follow the motions as you were guided out of the car and had your arm looped together with Nick’s.

Just before you were due to enter Nick leant down to your ear, whispering, “be on your best behaviour puppy, or I will fucking tear you apart and show you how bad I can really be.”

Chills ran down your spine as you entered the building. The inside was even more impressive than the outside, every embellishment possible shown in the dimly lit space. There were at least a hundred people milling about socially, and nearly all of them turned to look at you and Nick upon your entrance.

Your breathing stopped under the leering gazes of a lot of Alphas, and some Betas. As you scanned the room you realised not only were you the only female. You were the only Omega. Anxiety shot through you and you were ready to bolt, but a soft coo in your ear had you coming back to reality. “You’re mine. Don’t worry, they’re not here for you.”

You didn’t understand but you couldn’t help but trust your Alpha as he led you into the room, a waiter bringing him a bourbon and when they tried to offer you champagne Nick turned them away with a smile. “I only want you drinking it when I can feed it to you. Plus, I need you sober to see my work.”

“Your work?” You frowned, letting Nick continue to guide you towards a small group of men.

“Since you’re my Omega it’s important to know what your Alpha does for work. That way when I rant to you after a stressful day you understand, and can help me relax. Think of this as a test of your obedience.”

You wanted to ask more but Nick brought you to the group of men who all recognised him with a grin.

“Nick! Well well well, I thought I’d never see an Omega on your arm. She’s beautiful.” The Alpha with caramel brown hair commented, his light blue suit standing out against the rest.

“Eyes off, Charles. She’s my mate, not just an Omega.” Nick spoke in jest, but you could hear the underlying threat.

“I can fucking see that, look at the marks on her.” Another Alpha, a brunette wearing a cable knit sweater spoke, eyeing your mating gland in particular.

“Like you can talk Ransom, have you seen some of the Omegas you’ve ripped into?” Your attention was turned again as a man with soft looking dark brown hair spoke. His smile was charismatic and you found yourself charmed by his presence. Maybe it was mostly his Beta scent that put you at ease.

“C’mon Steve. You literally cut into your Omegas so you can’t give me shit.” Ransom quipped, all the men laughing at a joke you obviously weren’t clued into.

Nick kept you close as they all kept talking, no one acknowledging your existence past the occasional glance in your direction.

It wasn’t long until the waiters returned, this time handing out numbered paddles to everyone except Nick.

You watched as Steve was given the number 7, Ransom was given 15, and Charles was given 45.

“What’s going on?” You whispered to Nick in a moment of quiet as the men we’re busy moving to another room.

“You’ll see, pup.”

Nick led you into the next room, your eyes adjusting to the darkness as it was even more dimly lit. There were chairs all facing a stage, the various men taking their seats as you wanted to do nothing more than run away.

Your feet moved as your mind screamed to run as Nick moved to the front seats that had reserved signs. When you sat next to Nick, Mace sat on your other side so you were boxed in with nowhere to go.

You waited with bated breath until a suited man stood at the podium on the side of the stage, various attendants standing around the room with tablets in their hands. Your brows furrowed in confusion before the dots started to connect, your jaw dropping in shock as you realised what was happening.

The first Omega was brought to the stage, clearly dazed and barely clothed. It was as if your body was frozen as you watched the bidding start. It was a whirlwind, and it wasn’t until the seventh girl that your heart started pumping again. She was the one from the missing poster, the one you’d seen in the cage.

Her blonde hair flowed down her back, skin barely covered by a navy camisole as she seemed like a deer in headlights. An attendant held her front and centre, and you could see the way she stood unsteady on her feet, as if she hadn’t been allowed to move for days.

You tried to stand, to stop the madness, but Nick and Mace held you down firmly to your seat with a hushed scowl.

“We’ve got quite the beauty here. She comes from a military family, so she knows authority. She’s a kind soul. Even offered up her food for the younger Omegas. A non-virgin, so we’ll start the bidding at $25,000.”

You watched in horror as paddles were raised by the men in the room bid in increasing increments, and as the price rose the bidding started to die down until there was one man left.

“Sold to gentleman 36 for $115,000.”

You looked over your shoulder as other Alpha’s were congratulating the winning bidder. A sickened whine bubbled from your throat at the sight of the winner, other Alpha’s turning their heads to look at you. But you didn’t pay them any attention. All you saw was Sheriff Bodecker, chuffed with a large grin.

That fucking bastard knew the whole time. He could have saved you. Saved these girls. But there he stood, erection clear through his uniform slacks as his dilated eyes watched as his omega was escorted off the stage.

Nick soothed you through the bond, your sounds dying down as he forced through a calming vibe that had your shoulders relaxing into the seat.

The soothing calmed you for a short while until the tenth Omega was brought to the stage. She was adorable, a small Omega that was sniffling as tears ran down her cheeks as she tried to cower to cover up her scantily clad figure, her only coverage a lavender lingerie set. The girl shivered with each hiccuped cry, her wispy black hair falling to cover some of her horrified expression. The poor girl.

“We’ve got a special Omega here as number ten. An international student from the Philippines. We acquired her and her roommate, number 18. She was studying medicine so she’s very intelligent, and this little one is a virgin. Bidding starts at $50,000.”

The room became animated with bids, and you could hear Ransom’s paddle, 15, being called out along with another man's. Number 51. The two of them battled out, the price getting higher and higher until Ransom relented.

“Sold to gentleman 51 for $240,000.”

You felt Mace chuckling next to you before he moved behind you to whisper to Nick. “So, Freezy finally brought an Omega.”

“About fucking time,” Nick muttered, fingers idly running along your neck as he checked the sale prices on his phone.

You wanted it to end. But there seemed to be no finale in sight as another Omega was brought out.

This poor girl was sobbing the most out of all the others. Her frame shook with each wail as an attendant held her up, the man moving her soft blonde hair out of her face so it was visible to the room.

“A real sweet treat we have here. She’s not a virgin, but she does have quite the innocence in those blue eyes, doesn’t she? An immigrant from Ireland, so she’s got a bit of spark. Bidding starts at $25,000.”

Nausea sat heavy in your throat as the bidding began once again. Your own tears started flowing, mascara running down your cheeks as you watched the girl sob in fear.

“Sold to gentleman 45 for $155,000.”

You’d been so focused on her you hadn’t paid attention. But you recognised that paddle number. Charles.

The girl was whisked away and replaced with another. This Omega was different though. She didn’t seem afraid, a stern look on her face. She seemed angry. It was a polar opposite to the Omega’s before her. Her black dress barely covered her body, but it showed off her amazing physique and lush coiled black hair. The Omega’s arms were tied behind her back, and she had two attendants with her instead of one.

“A bit of French fire for you gentleman. She’s a force to be reckoned with, but it will make the taming even more fun. A challenge, if you will. We haven’t been able to get close enough to determine sexual status, she’s a bit too violent. Bidding starts at $25,000.”

There were less voices when the bidding started, but it seemed that the parties that were interested wanted to fight for the Omega.

“Omega 13 sold to gentleman 66 for $190,000.”

Nick raised a brow, scoffing under his breath. “Of course Chase wants the violent one.”

When the next Omega came out you wanted to run and hug her. Taking small steps, the girl came out with her hands tied behind her back and a black muzzle fitted to her face like a feral animal.

“Nick, you can’t be serious.” You gasped, hissing in pain when Nick pulled your hair.

“What the fuck did you just call me? I don’t want to hear another word from you until the auction is finished,” Nick growled, and the command was quick to take effect, your lips closing as your voice was unable to come out.

“This one comes with a warning. She bites. This is the roommate for Omega 10, a Philippines student. But while the other one was quite the good little girl, this one thrives on a bit of trouble. And to make it better, she’s a virgin. Bidding starts at $50,000.”

Quite a few Alpha’s became interested in the Omega, a war starting for the girl. You wanted to open your mouth and scream, but your jaw reamined wired shut under the Alpha’s command, even when you strained your muscles painfully.

As the Omega was sold to Steve, the man you had seen earlier, Nick noticed your writhing as you kept trying to open your mouth.

“You really want to be disobedient, don’t you Omega?” Your focus bore heavy on Nick as the next Omega was brought out to the stage. If looks could kill, Nick would be dead. You huffed through your nose as you felt his irritation irk between the bond.

You stared right into his eyes, challenging him. The Alpha didn’t back down, his phone discarded in his lap as his lids narrowed.

“We’ve got a stunning Puerto Rican veterinary nurse here. She’s always caring, and will be great for someone requiring a lot of attention. Virgin, so the bidding starts at $50,000.” The voice of the auctioneer drawled on in the background as people began bidding again, but the staring match between you and Nick continued despite the events in the background.

Your chest seized with panic, the stress of the auction, the inability to speak, the exasperation you could feel through the bond - it was all becoming too much. The anxiety that began pumping through you had your breath quickening the room became hazy with your unshed tears. Pure shattering dread overtook you as you began to break out into a cold, shaky sweat. 

When the Omega was sold to the man in the sweater, Ransom, you broke the stare to flee from the room. Mace and Beck, distracted by the events of the auction, missed grabbing onto you as you fled, but it didn’t matter much as Nick was close enough to be breathing down your neck behind you.

“Omega, stop.” Nick commanded as you made it out of the auction room.

You could barely hear him over your hyperventilating breaths as your feet slid to a stop, your legs wobbling under the frailty of your heels.

“Fucking hell, did you have to work yourself up so much? I can feel it all. Alright, you can open your mouth.”

The moment your muscles relaxed a sob escaped you as your mouth opened, sharp pain in the sides of your face from the strain. “How could you? How could you think I would be okay with this?”

“You don’t have to be okay with it. But consider it a reminder.” Nick pointed to the closed doors, expression tight. “This was supposed to be your fate, but I changed that. I saved you from that destiny. You could have it a lot fucking worse. You should be thanking me it’s not you up on that stage tonight.”

A scoff fell past your lips, feet still unable to move as Nick circled you. “You may have control over my body, Nick. But you will never own me. And I will never be thankful to you. I’d rather be dead than be mated to you.”

Nick grabbed your scruff from behind, squeezing your skin so your legs gave way and you collapsed to the ground. With a sigh, he took out a clamp from his pocket, securing it to the back of your neck so you remained unable to move. “I appreciate your energy, Omega. But you’ll see, I own all of you. Bad puppies like you just need some weaning before they’re ready for training.”

Nick’s hand ran along your body, feeling the fabric of your dress as his hand cupped your bare cunt as you let out a distressed high whine. “I could take you right here. Wait until all the Alpha’s are coming out and fuck you right in front of them. And you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, puppy. I might even let them use that mouth of yours.”

Mace and Beck came out of the auction room, both looking with wide eyes at your crumpled form on the ground as Nick’s threats were cut off. “Ah, perfect. Take her back and put her in the crate. I need to finish here.” Nick glanced at them before grabbing your face with his hands. “I’ll see you at home puppy. You better be ready to apologise for your antics when I get back.”

A low mewl left you as Mace picked you up, tailing Beck as they brought you back to Nick’s car. They were gentle with you, but didn’t remove the clamp from your neck despite your woeful cries the whole car ride back. Mace turned the deep bass of the music up to drown out your sounds as you lay across the back seat.

It was hard to form words in this state, but you still managed a few desperate howls for help as the car got closer and closer to your personal prison, Nick’s home. Your mind wandered to the other Omegas. What would become of them now? You hated to admit it, but their chances of survival seemed much more slim than yours.

These Alphas, so desperate for control and power, you feared to think of the lengths they would go for an adrenaline rush. The things they would do to their Omegas were, daresay, unspeakable

It all seemed like a game. A game you and all of your peers were losing.

Beck took you out of the car, carrying you up the stairs, past the dogs who looked at you curiously, and into the master bedroom.

“You should just do what he says, Omega. It will be much easier for you.” Beck spoke softly as he navigated your body into the crate, lying you down on the blankets that covered the hard base and pushing the fabric of your dress into the confines. There was no real cushioning, and you could already imagine how sore your joints were going to be after a few hours of being cramped in the same position.

Beck took the clip off your neck and locked the cage door, giving you a sympathetic look as you just cried.

You mourned the loss of James, the loss of your life, the loss of everything you knew.

Beck turned the light off as he left the room, covering everything with a shroud of darkness, the only source of light from the moon.

You turned in the dress, tulle all around you as you cuddled into the foetal position on your side.

The room was silent, just the rustling of the trees outside audible.

Your eyes fluttered closed, fingers resting against the diamond collar and deep mating mark.

As the cold evening air settled over your skin, your resolve was set. Your Alpha would not break you.

Deft fingers danced over the collar, fiddling with the gems that embellished it. It had become looser after the clamp on your neck had damaged it slightly. Instinctually you pulled the collar tighter so you would feel its presence against your windpipe. It was comforting, as if Nick was there, giving you a comforting touch. Your tight chest eased just a little.

It was then you realised there was only one problem in your plan. Nick Fowler had already won.

To be updated on when I post please follow @sgt-seabass-library and turn on post notifications.

[sciencespies]

Curators Seek $25,000 to Repair Artworks Damaged in U.S. Capitol Attack

https://sciencespies.com/history/curators-seek-25000-to-repair-artworks-damaged-in-u-s-capitol-attack/

Curators Seek $25,000 to Repair Artworks Damaged in U.S. Capitol Attack

When a far-right insurrectionist mob stormed the United States Capitol on January 6, lawmakers abruptly ended their session and fled to secure locations, many in fear for their lives. Dozens were injured that day, and five people, including a police officer who was beaten by rioters, died as a result of the attack.

In the wake of the insurrection, stories both heroic and insidious have revealed new insights on how those six hours of chaos unfolded. Now, reports Cristina Marcos for the Hill, Farar Elliott, a curator in the House of Representative’s Office of History and Preservation, and Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton are shedding light on another aspect of the attack: namely, its toll on the building’s artworks.

As Elliott said in prepared testimony earlier this week, 535 of the 13,000 artifacts housed in the House’s art collections were on display throughout the Capitol complex on January 6.

“During the riot,” the curator told a House subcommittee, “courageous staffers saved several important artifacts.”

One quick-thinking clerk saved an 1819 silver inkstand, the oldest object in the legislative chamber. Staff also rescued the House’s ceremonial silver mace, which was created in 1841 to replace one destroyed when the British burned the Capitol in 1814—one of the only other times that the seat of government has faced violence of this magnitude, as Sarah Cascone points out for Artnet News.

All told, Elliott said, eight artworks—six sculptures and two paintings—were vandalized in the attack. Chemicals present in fire extinguishers, pepper spray, bear repellants, tear gas and other irritants used by rioters caused the majority of the damage. (Per Blanton’s testimony, staffers raced to the roof of the building to reverse airflows and try to limit the damage inflicted by these chemicals.) House curators have requested $25,000 in emergency funding to cover the costs of restoration and repair.

Assessing the damage

The morning after the riot, Capitol staff arrived on the scene to take stock of the damage. Per Blanton’s testimony, they found graffiti, shattered glass and debris from broken furniture, and blue paint tracked through the hallways, among other remnants of the violence. Two of the fourteen historic Frederick Law Olmsted lamps that decorate the Capitol grounds were “ripped from the ground,” Blanton said.

As Elliott testified, the artifacts featured in an ongoing exhibition about Joseph Rainey, the U.S.’ first black congressman, sustained no damage. The four giant John Trumbull paintings that grace the Capitol Rotunda and the fresco that decorates its ceiling, Apotheosis of Washington, also escaped the violence unscathed, reported Sarah Bahr for the New York Times in January.

Curators noted that some objects in the corridors adjacent to the House chamber doors were covered in a fine powder residue. The team collected samples of this powder from a marble bust of Speaker James Beauchamp “Champ” Clark and sent them to the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, which identified the material as discharge from a nearby fire extinguisher. The residue contains yellow dye, silicone oil and other chemicals that could wreak long-lasting damage on the fragile historic objects, according to Elliott’s testimony.

The eight artifacts damaged included a painting of President James Madison and a bust of House Speaker Joseph W. Martin.

(Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)

The artworks and their history

In a strange twist of fate, one of the damaged marble busts depicts a man involved in another violent incident at the Capitol: Speaker of the House Joseph W. Martin. The Massachusetts politician was on the House floor on March 1, 1954, when four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the public viewing galleries, wounding five people. Martin declared Congress in recess as he took cover behind a marble pillar on the rostrum.

“Bullets whistled through the chamber in the wildest scene in the entire history of Congress,” the speaker later recalled.

Other damaged works included marble busts of Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon and Speaker Thomas Reed, a bronze bust of Chippewa statesman Be sheekee, and a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Chemical traces also left residue on two painted portraits of presidents James Madison and John Quincy Adams, who is depicted in 1848, toward the end of his life. Curators placed all of the affected works beneath museum-grade plastic to prevent further damage.

Cannon, a Republican representative from Illinois known as “Uncle Joe,” wielded unprecedented power in the early 20th century as both chair of the Rules Committee and speaker. His influence was such that representative George Norris actually led a “revolt,” convincing members of both parties to strip Cannon of much of his power in 1910.

Be sheekee, a powerful Chippewa chief also called Buffalo or the Great Buffalo, is known for negotiating a land cessation treaty with the U.S. government. In 1855, he and 15 other Native Americans, including Aysh-ke-bah-ke-ko-zhay (or Flat Mouth), traveled from present-day Minnesota and Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. There, the leaders sat for Francis Vincenti, a little-known Italian sculptor. (The original Vincenti work resides in the U.S. Senate collections; this bust is an 1858 copy by Joseph Lasalle.)

Records show that Vincenti paid Be sheekee $5 for the sitting. Montgomery C. Meigs, an engineer who played a key role in the building and design of the Capitol Rotunda in the late 19th century, likely commissioned the portraits of the Native American men to send overseas as models for Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor working in Rome. Meigs had previously commissioned Crawford to sculpt the pediment for the Senate wing, The Progress of Civilization.

The Be sheekee bust numbers among the few representations of identifiable Native American figures on display in the Capitol. It also speaks to a fraught, painful history: During the era of Manifest Destiny, European colonizers continued to take land from Native groups through treaties or by force. At the same time, many European artists created likenesses of Native people according to their own fixed, racist stereotypes.

“[S]culptors of this period idealized Native Americans in their work and asserted that they were symbolic of the U.S. because they were uniquely American,” says Karen Lemmey, curator of sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), in an email. “Meigs likely arranged for this portrait not because he wanted to commemorate Be sheekee as a sovereign leader, one who traveled to Washington to negotiate important matters on behalf of his people, but rather for its supposed ethnographic value as a record of a ‘vanishing race.’”

Lemmey adds, “One might see the portrait of Be sheekee as satisfying Meigs’s penchant for decorating the Capitol with things he and others regarded as authentically American.”

A worker sweeps up the dust and debris left behind by a white supremacist mob in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building on January 7, 2021.

(Samuel Corum / Getty Images)

The road to recovery

As Blanton testified before the subcommittee on Wednesday, the “damage to our precious artwork and statues will require expert cleaning and conservation.”

But while the physical damage wrought by rioters will be fixed over time, the agency head added that the emotional damage will likely remain.

Overall, report Emily Cochrane and Luke Broadwater for the New York Times, Blanton said that the costs of increased mental health services for staff, reinforced security and building restorations will exceed $30 million.

In addition to damaging works of art, rioters left behind broken glass, blood, debris and enduring trauma for all involved. As Elvina Nawaguna and Kayla Epstein noted for Business Insider in January, a custodial staff comprised mostly of people of color was tasked with cleaning up the mess left behind by the overwhelmingly white rioters.

“One of the images that I’m haunted by is the black custodial staff cleaning up the mess left by that violent White supremacist mob. … That is a metaphor for America,” Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley told CNN’s Jake Tapper in early February. “We have been cleaning up after violent, white supremacist mobs for generations and it must end.”

#History

[thezombieprostitute]

Sparks Fly - Part 1

Summary:  After working as an engineer for Wilford & Gilliam Trust for several years you find evidence of seedy dealings and burned books. After turning in the evidence you find yourself in danger and seek help. You're taken into the protection of a mob family where you run into your high school best friend, Mace.

Word Count: ~1000

Warnings: Implied violence and attempted murder. Please let me know if I missed any.

A/N: Kind of a short chapter to get things started. At the moment Reader has no descriptors. This is part of the Garbage Men AU.

Part 2

Series Masterlist

Mace was enjoying his time at the bar. It wasn't often he and all the other guys got to go out together. Well, all except Curtis. Him and Teach were still in their Exciting New Relationship phase. He couldn't fault them, especially since he was able to prod Curtis on how he'd been right all those weeks ago.

He was enjoying watching Hal trying to teach Jake some pickup artist stuff when he got a text: Prep the guest suite. Mace put his phone away and paid his tab before letting the guys know what was happening.

The Guest Suite was the name given to one of the nicer apartments the family kept as safe houses. Mace was generally in charge of their upkeep, seeing as how he was handy with just about everything they needed. Furnaces, fuses, water heaters, even plumbing, he was really good at fixing and maintaining the apartments. It’s why he was officially in charge of the maintenance for the low-income housing that the Family funded. 

Several apartments were kept empty for specific reasons. The only one Mace didn’t touch was the Basement Studio, where Barnes and Fowler did their more intense interrogations. Curtis took responsibility for that one and Mace was happy to let him. Most of the others were Singles, kept open for victims of abuse or runaways in need of a safe space. There were a couple of Lofts for when Family members needed to lay low for a while. But the Guest Suite was something special, reserved solely for potential witnesses that the police were unable to keep safe. Its upkeep was focused on making it feel warm and welcoming and catered to witnesses, making them feel more inclined to testify, if only because they felt safe to do so. 

Part of prepping the Guest Suite was stocking the place with food. It was an off hour but Mace managed to gather up enough to last someone a couple of days, making a note to pick up more at a better time. He got to the apartment and set to work making the place ready. He stored the food, got the heater going and kept an ear out for any off noises while he did the rest of his work. He made sure the bed was made and even checked that the dishes and cooking supplies didn’t have a layer of dust.

While he was checking things he got another text, We’re here. Mace kept working and listened for the door to open. He made sure to keep himself where the guest would be able to see him immediately. It wouldn’t do to startle the guest. He was just double checking the security bars on the windows when he heard the door opening.

“Now this is where you’ll be staying,” he hears Huffman say. “Mace here has got the whole place secured and full of food. And if you need anything else, we can get it for you.”

“Mace?”

He turns around and sees you. It takes his brain a second to recognize you, “DC?”

You run up to Mace and hug him, “AC! God it’s been so long!”

“What kind of trouble are you in that brought you here, DC?”

“Umm…well..” you stutter.

“She’s got dirt on Wilford & Gilliam,” Huffman interrupts. “You two know each other?”

Mace looks at Huffman, “we went to high school together. We were really good friends, bonding over a shared interest in engineering.”

You giggle, “we were such nerds we even nicknamed each other after the AC and DC electrical currents. I was DC, Direct Current, because I had my life all planned out and was a straight shooter.”

Mace smiles shyly, rubbing his hand on the back of his head, “and I was AC, Alternating Current, because my plans were all over the place and my interests kept varying from month to month.” He turns to you, “you’re in trouble with Willford & Gilliam?”

“I…I was working for them and found some…irregularities in the finances. And the blueprints. And a few other things.” You start shaking at the memories of the past week and Mace pulls you in for a hug to steady you.

“They sent goons to kill her,” Huffman continued. “They’ve managed to find her at three different safe houses under my department's jurisdiction. I’m pretty sure I’ve got a mole or something. Barnes approved getting her set up here.”

Mace nods, “who do you have set for guard duty?”

Huffman gives Mace a once-over, “I’m thinking it should be you.” 

“Woah,” Mace argues, “I’m not guard duty material. I’m just maintenance and information!”

“Mace,” you whimper, “please? I’d really like to be protected by a friend, not a stranger.”

He looks into your eyes and sees how tired and stressed out you are. He knows you’d be safer with someone else but he can tell you need something familiar and safe or you’re going to be a nervous wreck.

“Okay,” he concedes. He turns to Huffman, “I’m still gonna want some back up or something.” Huffman nods in agreement. “And someone’s going to have to tell Curtis I’ve been commandeered for a little while.”

“I’ll make sure he agrees to the plan.”

“So you’re gonna talk to Teach?”

“Well, I do value my life, Mace.” Huffman heads out, leaving you and Mace alone together.

Part 2

Series Masterlist

Please let me know if you'd liked to be tagged in this series.

[thezombieprostitute]

Sparks fly - Part 2

Summary: After working as an engineer for Wilford & Gilliam Trust for several years you find evidence of seedy dealings and burned books. After turning in the evidence you find yourself in danger and seek help. You're taken into the protection of a mob family where you run into your high school best friend, Mace.

Word Count: ~1200

Warnings: Implied violence and attempted murder. Please let me know if I missed any.

Part 1 -- Part 3

Series Masterlist

After Huffman left you hugged Mace again, much tighter this time. You'd been hiding how scared and angry you were from Huffman but Mace was a familiar, trustworthy face. He hugged you back and you cried out your frustrations from the past week. Mace didn't say anything the entire time and you appreciated that.

When you felt a little better you gently pull yourself away and ask, "so how is this place different from the last three? Other than a familiar face. Why is this place deemed safer?"

"Because it's not an on-the-books safehouse," he starts. "That means any moles on the force won't know about it. And, because we know who to talk to and whose palms to grease, we can install security measures way more potent than the legitimate safehouses get away with."

"This... This isn't legal?" Your eyes widen as your voice lowers to a whisper, "Mace, what kind of people are you involved with?"

“Good people,” he assures. “People who look out for their communities first and foremost. People who take protection seriously.”

“Okay,” you nod. “I know it’s been a while, but I’ll trust you about the people.” You hesitate before asking, “can I see some of the security measures? For my own peace of mind?”

“Of course,” he confirmed. “Let’s start with the basics.” He takes you on a tour of the apartment, detailing all of the security measures. Bulletproof windows, motion sensors that turn on the lights when the front door is opened, even a solid steel headboard on the bed to protect from possible shots through the walls. It definitely felt safer than the last few places you were in. 

Mace was talking you through the setup when your stomach made an audible growl. Heat rushed to your face in mortification but Mace definitely heard it and asked when you had last eaten. 

“I…I think it was this morning? Maybe a granola bar?”

“Well that won’t do,” he says as he heads into the kitchen. “I wasn’t able to fully stock the place given the time, but I definitely got enough to cook us up some dinner.” 

“Since when can you cook,” you giggle. “Last time I saw you in a kitchen you were burning the instant ramen in the microwave!”

“I’ve changed a lot since high school,” he bantered. “I’ve picked up lots of skills since you last saw me.”

“Also a sense of style,” you tease. “I forgot to mention that I like the haircut. Buzzcut definitely suits you better than that mop you had back then.”

He laughs at that as he starts cooking. You’re so glad he agreed to stay. You haven’t felt this calm in days. Well, you haven’t felt this safe in days; you haven’t felt this relaxed in years. The two of you chat as he cooks up some grilled cheeses, making sure to cut yours diagonally. 

“You remembered,” you exclaim. 

“Kinda hard to forget your comfort foods when they’re also my comfort foods.”

“Yeah, but you don’t like yours cut diagonally, heathen.” 

He smiles, “it’s because you always made such a big deal about me not cutting my sandwiches that I remember.”

You eat the grilled cheese faster than you intend, finally realizing how hungry you are. You want to ask for another but he still hasn’t finished his so you wait. He sees you eyeing his sandwich, smiles, and heads back into the kitchen, cooking up another for you while eating his own. “Thanks AC,” you whisper. 

“You don’t need to be embarrassed about being hungry, DC,” he gently chides. 

“I know,” you concede. “I’ve gotten better about putting my needs first but…”

“It’s easy to fall back on old habits? Especially when you’ve been put through the wringer in terms of stress? Especially when you’ve been in survival mode for at least a week?”

You smile, “thank you for understanding.” He smiles as nods as he monitors his cooking. “Some days I really do miss having you to help me against bullies. Or other people who wanted me to do their homework for them. Having you around probably would’ve kept me from getting involved in all of this.”

“How so?”

“Helping everyone with their work let me see connections they couldn’t. I was able to pick up on a bunch of irregularities because I was doing second checking for other departments. Daryl from Chemical Engineering R&D needed me to take on some of his work so he could flirt with Jo from Accounting. Elaine from Bio-engineering asked me to help her with some equations so she could leave work early. Just, all these people from all of these different branches and that’s how I noticed things I probably shouldn’t have.”

“All because you wanted to be helpful, because you’re a good, nice person,” Mace comments as he hands you another sandwich, sliced diagonally. You nod your head as you start eating. “Might sound strange, but I’m glad.” You tilt your head in confusion. “I’m glad you’re still a good person. That you still want to be a good person. It can be incredibly tough to do.”

The moment is interrupted by Mace’s phone buzzing. He reads the text message and you can’t read the expression on his face.

“Backup has been found,” he tells you. “The guy’s methods are…a little off but he’s one of the best.”

“Will I be meeting him?”

“No, thankfully. GBH likes to keep as low a profile as he can while he’s working.”

“GBH?”

Mace sighs, “he…he calls himself God the Bounty Hunter.” Your eyes widen with shock. “I know, I know. Like I said, he’s weird but dammit if he isn’t great at protection. If they got someone that I didn’t think could keep you safe I’d argue for someone else.” His blue green eyes look deep into yours, “please trust me, DC?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. Now, we should probably get you some sleep. The bed is yours. Feel free to keep on whatever lights you want or need to help you sleep. If you need a fan or a white noise machine, I can get that set up for you.”

“Where are you sleeping?”

“I’ll be pushing that living room chair in front of the door. Make sure no one can open it and no one can try to open it without alerting me.”

“Mace! There’s no way you’re sleeping like that!”

“I’ve slept in worse scenarios, DC. Besides, I personally test all the chairs and couches in the safehouses so I know damn well how comfortable it is.”

“But…”

“No arguments. You’re tired. You’ve had a very long and very dangerous week. We’ve got backup watching over this apartment and I know I’ll sleep easier knowing I’m between you and the door.” He gently pushes you towards the bedroom, “so please let yourself get some sleep. If you need me, I’ll be right here. Don’t be afraid to wake me up for anything, okay?”

“Thank you,” you hummed. “Thanks for always looking out for me.”

Part 1 -- Part 3

Series Masterlist

Tagging:

@rebekahdawkins

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

[thezombieprostitute]

Mace? and a kiss...passionately?

🥹

Thank you, so much, for your patience! This ended up being the first installment of Mace x DC's second arc for the Garbage Men AU.

Frayed

Summary: There are so many new things happening in your life that the only two things you can count on are your boyfriend, Mace, and that your life is almost always in danger. 

A/N: Reader is female. No physical descriptors used.

Word Count: ~1k

Warnings: Implied violence, Talk of guns. Please let me know if I missed any!

Part 2

Series Masterlist

Mace hangs up the phone after Curtis tells him the news. He’d suspected Franco would be doing his own thing. After all, Wilford & Gilliam was crumbling from the lawsuits and they couldn’t afford to keep him paid, let alone under their thumb. At least there was one thing they could easily predict: he was targeting you. 

Even though Franco the Younger’s body had never been found, and never would be, he’d last been seen at your trial and the wrong people knew the Family was protecting you. Franco the Elder couldn’t do anything to the Garbage Men or their Family, but he could hurt you. As much as Jake had tried to hide your new job and address there was only so much he could do. It wasn’t likely Franco would find you, but it was still a possibility. And Mace was careful to do everything he could to help you hide. 

Part of that was dropping you off at work in the morning and picking you up in the evening. It wasn’t a long drive but he felt better keeping you out of the open air. He’d also helped you get some training with guns. You’d wanted a stun gun but you had to go through gun safety certification courses to get one. Mace had argued that practice with both wouldn’t be a bad thing. The giant brick of a stun gun was now safely secured in your purse, along with your license for it.

You and Mace had adopted the same check-in method as Curtis and Teach. It was nice to send and receive cute, loving text messages throughout the day. Especially when work was frustrating, which it often was. A text, heavy with heart emojis, from you has kept Mace from bashing a malfunctioning A/C unit. A pun from Mace made you laugh so hard you forgot what was angering you before reading it. 

By the end of your work day you are exhausted. You’ve been working on the machinery and helping admin with their terminology for grant proposals to get upgraded medical supplies. The work was tiring but at least it was also rewarding. Given the number of people the free clinic helped, you wonder if there should be at least one more in the area. Maybe you’ll bring it up with Mace or Teach. 

Mace’s work truck pulls up to the clinic and you enter the passenger seat. You smile at the bag of your favorite takeout.

“Working late I take it,” you comment.

“Unfortunately,” Mace nods. “But we got some suspicious activity from Franco and I wanted to make sure to relay it to you before going back to work.” You nod as you grab some comfort fries. Mace tells you about how they’ve confirmed Franco is stocking up on small arms munition. The current idea is that he’s going to be supplying a group to distract while he goes after his real target. 

“I know this is a lot,” Mace says. “But I also know you. The more information you have about a situation the better you’re able to process it.” 

You nod your thanks, your mind processing everything with the help of the french fries. “Thank you for that, by the way. You’re not trying to ‘protect’ me by withholding information. I’m really grateful for that.”

“Forewarned is forearmed, right?”

“I don’t know what my arms have to do with it,” you say innocently while giving him a grin.

He chuckles as he pulls the truck up to your apartment building. “If you need me before I get back you call me, okay?”

“Of course,” you say as you lean over the divider and kiss him on the cheek. You give him a wave as you enter the building. 

As soon as you’re out of sight Mace’s smile turns sad. He’s supposed to be making up for lost time but his work is getting in the way. The only solace he has is that work also keeps you safe. 

“I can’t thank you enough, Mr. Mace,” the resident says as Mace finishes up. “I feel kinda bad for calling you up for an emergency.”

“We’re looking at an upcoming heatwave and your A/C unit isn’t working,” Mace sums up. “Sounds like an emergency situation to me.”

“Thank you for seeing it like that,” she replies. “This has to be the best apartment complex I’ve ever lived in. And I’ve lived in a lot of them over the years.”

“I hear that a lot. I’m glad we can be so good for our residents.”

“Just promise me you’re keeping safe, Mr. Mace?”

“Always,” he affirms. 

“I’ve just been hearing such awful rumors from Mrs. Chen, at the corner-store?” Mace nods that he knows who she’s talking about and she continues. “She swears she’s been seeing more people in the area walking around with handguns. Whenever anyone asks they spout some ‘dangerous times’ nonsense. I mean, I know it’s not completely nonsense but still. It just feels like more guns equals more danger, you know?”

“That I do, ma’am.”

As Mace heads back to his truck and gets ready to go home to you, a thought hits him. He texts his idea to Curtis to see if there’s anything there. He’s not expecting an immediate answer so he focuses on getting back to you.

When Mace gets home he smiles at the sight before him. You’re on the couch, watching a show, wearing one of his favorite shirts and a pair of pajama shorts. You smile at him and sit up, holding out your arms, eager to hold him. 

As soon as he’s in reach, he grabs your arms, pulling you up, and gives you a most passionate kiss. It’s intense yet gentle in a way that makes your legs weak. His strong arms keep you pressed tight against his muscular chest and you manage to wrap your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He moans in pleasure as you return his kiss with the same fervor. 

Unfortunately, you need air so you break the kiss, chuckling as his face follows yours, seeking more kissing. 

“What brought that on,” you ask.

“Missed you,” he mumbles. “And you look so damn beautiful.”

“You’re completely whipped, you know that?”

“And?”

“And I missed you, too,” you admit before you kiss again.

Part 2

Series Masterlist

Tagging everyone who had asked to be tagged in Sparks Fly. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the list.

@alicedopey

@chibijusstuff

@fluxxdog

@icefrozendeadlyqueen

@jamneuromain

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@rebekahdawkins

@texmexdarling

[thezombieprostitute]

Sparks Fly - Epilogue

Summary: After working as an engineer for Wilford & Gilliam Trust for several years you find evidence of seedy dealings and burned books. After turning in the evidence you find yourself in danger and seek help. You're taken into the protection of a mob family where you run into your high school best friend, Mace.

Word Count: ~800

Warnings: Puns, Smut, Workplace stress

Part 6

Series Masterlist

The next couple of weeks are a complete blur. You and Mace end up moving into an apartment close to the free clinic where you’ll be working. It’s more of a drive for him but he insists it’s worth it for the days he can’t drive you to or from work. You don’t mind the extra time together and it is a lot safer considering the intel on Franco the Elder’s latest work for Wilford & Gilliam. Mace doesn’t tell you much other than “it’s bad” and you’re pretty sure you don’t want to know more.

Work at the free clinic is just as stressful as your last job but in different ways. Plus, it’s a lot more rewarding. A lot of the equipment needs serious upgrades and you find yourself helping with the grant requests by providing specs for what they need. Every penny at this place has to be accounted for and you’re having to adjust to a lack of near unlimited budgeting. You’re gonna have to talk to Mace, maybe Teach, about getting more funding from the Family for this place. It’s clearly needed in the community. 

You’re so focused on working on an ultrasound machine you don’t notice Mace is there until he taps your shoulder. You jump, surprised and he’s quick to apologize. “It’s time to clock out,” he comments. You stand up and stretch, not realizing how long you’d been hunkered over this machine. Mace caresses your cheek and you lean into his touch. 

“You gonna be okay, DC?”

“Yeah, yeah,” you assure him. “There’s just been so much changing so quickly. I was never as good at adapting as you. But I’ll find my rhythm again.”

“So long as you tell me what I can do to help you,” he soothes. 

“Of course, AC. And thank you. I know we haven’t been able to spend much time together lately but once I find my routine it’ll be better.”

“Just promise me you’re not stressing about it,” Mace pulls you closer. “The past month has been a lot, especially for you. Please don’t feel like you have to rush into a routine. Anytime you need a break, you ask, okay?”

“I promise,” you confirm as you kiss him. “How about some food and rest?”

“It’s my turn to cook, right?”

“Yes! And I’m really looking forward to tasting what you’ve got to offer,” you give him a suggestive wink, making him blush.

“Oh shit, DC,” Mace rasps as you ride him. “Feels so good.” His hands are fondling your breasts and he brings you in for a kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck and lean into his lips. You keep rolling your hips, helping his dick reach all the right places. 

“I needed this so bad, AC,” you whisper before kissing down his jaw line. You need to make sure he knows you appreciate everything he’s done, still doing, for you. Even small things like letting you take control in the bedroom, giving you something you have total say over in your life. “Squeeze my ass,” you moan, kissing appreciatively when he moves his hands where you want them. 

“Feels so good,” he groans. “Taste so good. Smell so good.” You grin and increase your pace, making him squeeze you harder. “Gonna come soon if you don’t stop.”

You move one of your hands to your clit, playing with it how you like. “Go ahead, AC. I’m almost there.” Mace starts fucking up into you and you gasp at the change in pace, but don’t stop your hips. He sucks on one of your nipples and you’re finally able to let go with a small yell, letting out a moan as you feel him coming inside you. 

He holds you as you both catch your breath, gently rubbing your back. You whisper “thank you” several times between gentle kisses. You chuckle and he gives you a curious look.

“My life has been so chaotic these past couple of months,” you tell him. “You’ve been the one steady, reliable thing. For an Alternating Current, you’re pretty grounding.” He blushes and chuckles with you. 

“I’m sure once you get you back to your Direct Current I’ll be back to my ways. Just with a rectifier to keep me focused while I rectify the mistake I made in high school.”

“You’re so damn sexy when you talk engineering,” you coo. 

He smiles at the sincerity in your eyes. “There’s more where that came from,” he promises. “You’re my amplidyne, keeping me on task.” He moves you so you’re on your back and he starts kissing you. 

You laugh, “just never refer to sex as a diode bridge, please.”

“No promises,” he smirks. 

Part 6

Series Masterlist

Tagging:

@alicedopey

@chibijusstuff

@icefrozendeadlyqueen

@jamneuromain

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@rebekahdawkins

@texmexdarling

[thezombieprostitute]

Sparks Fly - Part 6

Summary: After working as an engineer for Wilford & Gilliam Trust for several years you find evidence of seedy dealings and burned books. After turning in the evidence you find yourself in danger and seek help. You're taken into the protection of a mob family where you run into your high school best friend, Mace.

Word Count: ~2k

Warnings: Courtroom stress. Implied violence and murder. Please let me know if I missed any.

Part 5 -- Epilogue

Series Masterlist

During the recess Mace left the courtroom to get some sustenance. He needed something since his nerves had already eaten through his breakfast. He wasn’t allowed to check in on you. No contact with you or the people looking out for you to make sure there was no connection that might be used against your testimony. And it was killing him. 

He hit up the nearest vending machine. Not exactly the best option but he didn’t want to stray too far. He kept his eyes moving to his periphery as he watched the candy bar drop. Franco the Younger arriving at the courtroom? Franco the Elder was likely nearby. He knows the security guys are going to be on the alert as well. Maybe they’d already found him and took care of him. Maybe the brothers had both hightailed it. Maybe they were hiding, waiting for an opportunity. There were just too many ‘maybes’ and he needed to calm the hell down. 

He turns and tears into the candy bar, hoping the sugar doesn’t make things worse. He looks around and sees Nick coming out of a door labeled ‘Authorized Personnel Only’. Mace makes sure to not look directly at him or draw attention to him in any way but he felt reassured that Nick had done something about at least one of the Francos. 

As stressed as he was, he couldn’t imagine how draining this was for you. Having to deal with the barrage of questions, all of the attention focused on you. But damn you were doing an amazing job. He hadn’t had the education and experience you had but he was still able to follow along with your testimony really easily. He hoped that translated to being understandable to the judge and jury. 

He hurried back into the courtroom, not wanting to be late for your return. He checked his phone and saw a note from Teach saying she thinks she’s found a job for you but has to discuss the details to make sure it’s a fit. Mace smiles, hope alighting in his chest. He just got you back, finally got to confess his feelings, and there’s a chance he won’t lose you again!

As the trial resumed he hoped you’d be able to see his smile and know that something good was happening.

You wolf down the proffered food and drink. You haven’t had this kind of intense questioning since your Doctorate defense. And that was with people who spoke at your level on these topics! You didn’t have to pull double duty and think of, not just the answer, but how to put the answer in a more generally accessible wording. You’re extra grateful for Scott’s help on that front. 

As he’s going through his phone you can see some worry lines form on his brow. You want to ask, but at the same time you’re scared to. If something bad has or will happen, you don’t know that you want to put your tired brain to work trying to process that on top of everything else. It’s scary enough having to give your testimony. Having everyone looking at you. Knowing your every word is being scrutinized. 

Scott snaps his fingers in front of your face, startling you out of your panic spiral. “You okay there,” he asks. “Do you need anything?”

“Sorry,” you shake your head. “Just…just started spiraling.”

“For what it’s worth you’re doing an amazing job. I’m nowhere near smart enough for all the technical stuff and even I can follow what you’re saying.”

You smile appreciatively, “how much longer do we have?”

“We’ve got another 20 minutes if you want to stretch your legs or something.”

“More like pacing around the room,” you softly chuckle. They were keeping you in a small, windowless room. The only thing you liked about it was the private bathroom making sure you wouldn’t have to leave Scott’s protection for the public ones. 

“Yeah, I know,” he nods. “I’m a pretty active guy so this kind of thing is stifling to me, too. But it is necessary.”

“For my protection,” you concede. “Are there any chocolate chip cookies? I could use some comfort sweets.”

“Of course,” he pulls his phone out again. “I’ll have someone bring a few right now.”

“Thank you,” you say. It’s not as much comfort as being able to be with Mace would provide, but it’s something.

Mace spends the rest of the recess answering questions from his employees and renewing his thanks for them covering for him during the “family emergency”. He’d been so invested in the time spent with you he’d pretty much forgotten about work. That was unheard of since he started working for The Family. Mace chuckled at that thought. He’d been on Curtis to make schedules more consistent so everyone could have planned downtime and then he never actually used his time off. He’d just spend it on-call for the apartments he managed. From what you’d told him your life was pretty similar. Just with a big corporation instead of apartments and mafia intel gathering. Maybe this was a chance for the both of you. 

As he’s getting lost in the thought of waking up to you every morning he’s startled out of his daydreaming by the sounds of the trial getting back on. He makes sure to keep a smile on his face. It’s easy to do when he sees you and thinks about getting to spend his time off cuddled up with you. Thinking about getting to hear your laugh every day. Getting to feel your touch. Just getting to be with you without the fear of something or someone taking it away. 

You begin answering questions again and Mace spots Nick in his periphery. He’s not sure if that’s a good or bad sign. Is there another hitman here in the crowd? Is Nick just making sure there isn’t someone else? He can’t think about that now. He’s gotta focus on you, reassuring you with a smile if and when you need it. When Nick walks out he does find he can relax a bit more.

When your testimony is over Mace makes a beeline for his truck. On his way out he recognizes Hal in a repairman getup, flirting his way past the front desk. Nick must’ve taken out the younger Franco. Mace feels like he should be helping but he’s been ordered to take care of you first and foremost. You’re his mission.

In the safety of the apartment you let yourself collapse onto the couch. You are beyond exhausted. Mace sits next to you and pulls you in, snuggling you, gently kissing the top of your head, repeatedly telling you what an amazing job you did. You let yourself enjoy the sound of his voice, the feel of his arms holding you tight, the gentleness of his kisses. No concerns, no stress, for just a moment. 

“Have you heard anything from Teach,” you ask.

“She texted me earlier today saying she might have something.”

“Did she tell you what?”

“No, she still needs to meet with you and make sure it’s a good fit.”

“The sooner we can meet with her the better. As nice and safe as this apartment is, I know I can’t stay here forever.”

“I’ll ask her when she can stop by,” he kisses the top of your head again. His stomach growls loudly and he blushes, “in the meantime, maybe I should cook up some dinner.” You giggle and let him get to the kitchen. 

That night you ask him to sleep in your bed. No sex, you just need to be held. He’s happy to acquiesce.

You’re the first to wake up and the sight of Mace in bed with you makes you feel instantly safe. Remembering that you’re supposed to meet with Teach this morning you check the time. 

“Oh, shit,” you exclaim. “AC, wake up! AC, Mace! We slept in!” You start pushing on him and he grumbles awake. 

When the words register his eyes snap open, “what time is it?”

“We’ve got about 20 minutes before she’s supposed to be here,” you jump out of bed and go to change. 

“Shit,” Mace hisses and follows suit. 

You’re both scrambling to change out of your pajamas while also trying to sneak looks at each other. Mace’s build is so much more muscular than you were expecting. The strong arms were one thing but seeing how thick and firm his entire body seems to have become has you stifling a groan. 

Mace grabs his phone and sees the text from Teach that she and Curtis are almost there and they’re bringing breakfast. He lets out a sigh, thankful that he at least doesn’t have to worry about food. He’s catching glimpses of you getting dressed and has to keep himself in check. If he didn’t have to worry about timing he’d have already smacked your gorgeous ass and pinned you to the bed. 

The two of you manage to get dressed and brush your teeth just as Mace receives the text that Teach and Curtis are here, confirmed by the knock at the door. 

When everyone is settled in and eating, Teach tells you what she’s found. “It’s not a high paying job and it’s definitely not high profile like you’re used to, but the free clinics the Family sponsors, need someone to maintain their medical equipment. You’d be reporting directly to Dr. Chris Beck, the Family’s primary physician and the man in charge of keeping the clinics running smoothly. I’m pretty sure you’ll be asked to help with other daily operations, nothing that would violate HIPAA nor anything that would require an actual medical degree, nursing or otherwise.”

You nod as you eat. She’s not wrong that it would be quite the pay cut but she promises that, not only would you, unofficially, be on the Family’s payroll, but that there would be a lot of benefits. You also appreciated that you’d still be allowed, if not encouraged, to continue pursuing your engineering interests. Patents could be negotiated as they came up but those, and any papers you wrote, would all have your name on them. 

While you’re going over those details, Curtis and Mace are talking about their work. Mace has to get back to managing and intel gathering within a few days. Especially since it turns out Franco the Elder is on a bit of a rampage. The Wilford & Gilliam company is looking at major fines and payments to families hurt by their products so they’re tightening the grip on their resources. The elder Franco is going out and causing fear in their territory, reminding their people who is in charge. It’s a prime situation for a coup and the Family needs to keep all of their eyes and ears at work with this. 

By the time Teach and Curtis head out you’ve signed all of the required paperwork to start your new job. Hell, your new life. Looking over your things you realize, “I’m definitely not going to be able to keep my apartment. I wonder if there’s a studio near one of the clinics.”

“You could always move in with me,” Mace offers. “It’s only a one-bedroom but I can sleep on the couch.”

“Why would you sleep on the couch if it’s your apartment?”

“Because I’m a gentleman like that,” he retorts with a smile.

“Or, we could share the bed,” you tease. “Like last night. But maybe with a little less clothing. Or are you too much of a gentleman for that?”

In a blink Mace has you pinned with your back against the wall, his mouth on yours, his hands roaming and squeezing. You can’t help but moan into his mouth as you wrap your arms around his neck, urging him not to stop. 

He chuckles at your whine when he pulls away to catch his breath, “don’t worry, DC. I’ll make sure the sparks fly with every kiss.”

Part 5 -- Epilogue

Series Masterlist

Tagging:

@alicedopey

@chibijusstuff

@icefrozendeadlyqueen

@jamneuromain

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@rebekahdawkins

@texmexdarling

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged.