Chapter Text
Deckard never knew things would ever get to this point. He never thought he would end up dying in a disgusting, piss-smelling back alley where he would be found with the trash in who many days. Who would have ever predicted life would get this shitty?
Hissing in pain, Deckard leaned his head against the grime covered brick behind him and gripped his side as strongly as he could. But, considering how weak he felt, he knew his hand wasn’t having any affect on the sluggish wound in his side. He could feel hot blood pooling under his numb fingers and oddly making him feel warm.
However, his wound and the biting cold weren’t the worst part. No, it was the smells that surrounded Deckard.
His natural smell mixing with the rest of the world for the first time in years.
Ever since he decided to leave home and join the military, he had been taking suppressants that kept his natural smell hidden, along with his true second gender. Everyone who had ever met him since he joined the military would have smelled a boring beta; there was nothing special about his scent and that allowed him to pass without comment. But now, that neutral scent was gone and replaced with the sharp sent of his omega scent.
He had been hoping that replacing his suppressants would change his scent once again, and in the process fool the agents hunting him down. No such luck there as the agents kept coming, getting closer and closer each day that passed. Deckard had tried changing his scent to smell like different betas, and even alphas, but nothing had worked. So, he had tried one last ditch effort.
Finally showing the world that he was an omega.
So far, it had worked. The agents hadn’t found him in over a month.
But with that came many, many more problems.
Deckard was unmated, his scent extremely strong ever since coming off the suppressants, and now every alpha around him wanted him. Not only did he have to keep his head down in case MI6 caught sight of him again, now he was forced to fight off every single person who just wanted to rut into him. He had survived this long, but the last month had been the worst for him.
He could barely find anywhere that would let him check into a hotel without a mate, and when he did, people would always come knocking on his door. The receptionists always thought he was hooker, enticing clients to him and would tell the other guests about him. After the second time, Deckard had given up on sleeping in a real bed.
Which led him into this situation.
He had found a quiet place in a local park, curled up to sleep, but was woken up to three alphas and a beta panting over him, clearly excited. Deckard had been lucking to come away with only a light stab wound.
Now, panting, Deckard could feel the cold and hunger sucking the last of his strength away. He had been forced to leave his meager belongings back in the park, which included his water and small amount of food. There was no way he could walk into a store and steal anything; no doubt everyone in the vicinity would rush to help a poor, helpless, injured omega. They would call omega protective services in an instant. Then, he would be done for.
The only thing Deckard could do was wait for morning and try to pickpocket someone. But he knew he wouldn’t make it. Either his wound would take him or the cold. Who knew he would freeze to death in L.A. of all places. The thought caused him to let out a weak, humorless chuckle that turned into a whine as the motion upset his injury.
Deckard couldn’t express just how infuriating it was that he was going to die here.
He had been one of the most experienced agents and killers in his country, and this was how he was going to die? In some random back alley in a city, he had only spent three weeks in, hundreds of miles away from his own family and home?
Blinding rage rushed through him. This was all Brixton’s fault! The bastard had wanted to join a death cult with him, and when Deckard said no, like a sane person, he had turned around and ruined Deckard’s life. Had killed their entire team and framed Deckard so well, his own little sister thought he was a murderer. His baby sister, the one he had helped raise since she was born and he loved so dearly. Hearing her spit out venom at him had broken his heart more than knowing he had been declared a traitor. And hurt even more than shooting his own mate dead had hurt.
A single tear rolled down his cheek as he thought of that night. The night he had been forced to shoot Brixton. The alpha had been going on and on about Deckard finally being allowed to be himself, all he needed to do was give up his life- the one he had built by sacrificing so much for. Brixton had promised him a bonding mark and children. Everything an omega ever wanted. Only if Deckard joined Eteon.
Deckard still wasn’t sure how he had been able to pull the trigger.
Reaching up with the hand not holding his side, Deckard gentle touched his scent gland and couldn’t feel the raised scar Brixton had put there during his last heat. An alpha needed to bite an omega every so often to keep the mating mark clear to everyone, even if Deckard normally hid it. But, it had meant the world to Deckard knowing he belonged to someone who loved him so much. In the past, he would touch the scar in comfort and imagining the next time he would be able to be in Brixton’s arms.
Now, after being on the run for several months, the skin had healed over and didn’t show any signs that Deckard had been mated. No sign that he and Brixton ever had a past together, which Deckard couldn’t be happier about. He wished he had been able to spot the changes in Brixton sooner, but he had been so lost in the thought of finally bonding for life with the alpha.
When had Deckard gotten so optimistic?
Sighing, Deckard looked up at the dark sky and knew this was how he would die.
Alone.
Without a mate.
Without a family.
He should have known that was how he was going to die.
Pulling his jacket closed, Luke couldn’t understand when it had gotten chilly. Even at night, L.A. usually was quite humid, but that night the temperature had dropped significantly, and it only encouraged Luke to hurry home even more. In his other hand, he clutched at the plastic bag holding a few bottles of baby formula.
He knew he should have gone earlier in the day, but he had gotten so busy and Sam was so fussy, he had forgotten. Even though he was working at home, his boss thought it was a great opportunity to make Luke consult on every single case that entered the agency. Why they couldn’t make some other desk jockey do it, Luke didn’t know, but he made sure not to complain in fear they would force him to stop his paternity leave early. He needed to spend as much time with Sam as he could before he was forced to go back to work full time.
Which meant he needed to take care of her and not leave her alone at night while he rushed to do some last-minute shopping. He could already hear the scolding he would be getting for leaving Sam home alone from both his neighbor and Lisa. The beta was like a sister to him ever since he met her a college, but he could deal without her constant nagging about Sam. What was he supposed to do? It was only him taking care of her! And it wasn’t like he was neglecting her, he did have the baby monitor with him and knew it worked up to a mile away, which allowed him to go a block up to the small grocery store for her formula.
Lost in his thoughts about Sam and needing sleep, Luke almost didn’t catch the scent that came from the alley he was walking past. But, the coppery smell of blood was hard-wired in his mind and he knew someone was in trouble. Stopping in his tracks, Luke paused in front of the mouth of the alley and couldn’t see anyone. Squinting, Luke took another, deeper breath and tried to scent whatever was in the alley.
He could smell a bittersweet scent, and he was reminded of dark chocolate. Frowning, he stepped into the alley slowly and looked around. All he could see was graffiti on the walls and garbage packed high against the walls. He ignored all of this as the scent of fresh blood became stronger and the other scent tickled at Luke’s mind; he knew he hadn’t smelled it before, but he could recognize what was in it. There was a hurt omega.
A strong resolve to help flooded through Luke and he knew that was his alpha side telling him to help. Once he found the omega, he would call omega protective services and be on his way. He couldn’t spend much more time away from home. That thought alone had his alpha side growling in disapproval; Luke had received instructions on how to handle injured and scared omegas, even small trainings. He shouldn’t and couldn’t just leave an omega to strangers, even if he was a stranger to the omega.
Shaking his head, Luke knew he had to be stronger than his alpha side. It always wanted to overreact and protect, but that was not how the world worked anymore. There were programs and people specifically hired to take care of hurt and scared omegas, Luke not included. So, yes, he would need to leave the omega in the hands of strangers.
But, somehow that thought sounded wrong to him. Not this omega. He couldn’t do that to this one. Frowning, Luke had no idea why he felt that way. Shaking his head, he kept going.
Halfway down the alley, Luke was confused. The smell was the strongest here, where was the omega? Opening his mouth, Luke tried to call out.
“Hey. Anyone here- Fuck!”
Suddenly, something was slamming into him with an almost inhuman force and made him stumble back, dropping the formula as he grabbed onto whatever had attacked him. Strong muscles were wrapped around his neck, slowly strangling him as he clawed at the flesh surrounding him. Reaching up, he tried to find a good hold on his attacker and found an arm. Pulling as hard as he could, the weight fell off him and he heard a sharp yell of pain below him.
Panting, Luke looked down at his feet and saw his attacker, the weak light from a streetlight barely showing the figure. A thin man was laying at his feet, his clothes nearly in taters and Luke swore he saw shaking in his limbs. Before Luke could even think, the man was back on his feet and a fist flying straight for Luke’s face.
“Shit!”
Jerking back, Luke dodged the punches that were sent his way in rapid succession, but he noticed how each punch came slower and weaker after each one. Taking a chance, Luke grabbed the next punch and his hand completely engulfed the smaller man’s fist. Using the man’s momentum against him, Luke pulled him right into his chest and grabbed the other hand that came for his face. Holding two thin wrists in one hand. Luke wrapped an arm around the man’s waist and pulled him even closer, crushing him against his chest. A small whine escaped the smaller man as Luke ignored his struggling and kept him trapped.
But, all of a sudden, the struggling stopped and Luke was left with dead weight.
“What? Oh, no, you didn’t.” Luke hissed.
Nudging the man’s head off his arm, Luke could see that the smaller man had indeed passed out in his arms.
Groaning in frustration, Luke carefully lowered the man to the ground and laid him down. He felt impossibly light and that worried Luke. Nobody at that height should weigh almost nothing.
But, as Luke looked over the man, he took a deep breath and scented him.
His eyes grew wide.
The smell of blood was much stronger than it had been a minute ago and it was obvious it was coming from the man below him.
The man who was a very unmated omega.
“Fuck.”
Checking him over, Luke touched only where he needed to make sure the omega was fine. No broken bones, breathing was light but even, and no bumps on his head. But, even in the low light, Luke could see the large blood stain just above the man’s left hip. Cursing under his breath, Luke carefully pulled the man’s ruined sweater up and saw a shallow, but serious cut. He would need at least a few stitches.
Jaw clenched, Luke stared down at the omega’s sleeping face and saw the grimace of pain still etched into his body. How long had this omega been living like this? Was his family not able to take care of him? Why hadn’t he gone to some sort of program to help him? There were many groups set up around the city to help omegas.
Without thinking, Luke’s hand went to his jacket pocket to grab his phone when he stopped. He should call an ambulance for the omega, but a voice deep inside told him not to. It would be unsafe for the omega. But how?
Not understanding what his instincts were telling him, Luke could feel the way alarm bells went off in his head at the idea of not helping the omega himself. Looked like he had no choice. Sighing, Luke easily scooped the omega into his arms and picked up the formula he had dropped earlier.
With the city quiet around him, Luke made his way home with an unconscious omega in his arms and could only hope he was making a good decision.