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Chapter Text

Merle slid the blade into the Walker's skull with a satisfying squelch. Kicking the body to the ground he removed the knife from its head and wiped the blade clean on the pants of the corpse.

Lifting his eyes to the sky Merle spotted a large group of thunderheads on the horizon.

Sighing inwardly Merle knew he had to find his brother and get out of the woods before a torrential downpour that was to come happened.

Upon hearing a twig snap Merle whipped around, his right hand gripping the handle on his knife but relaxed as his brother came out from behind a copes of trees with about a dozen squirrels hanging from his belt, crossbow slung over his shoulder.

"Gotta to get a move on lil brother, storms comin".

Daryl adjusted his hold on the squirrels "find anything?".

Merle held up three rabbits "yep an' this guy" and pointed to the Walker lying dead upon the ground.

Daryl huffed a laugh "let's get outta here".

----&----

Making their way out of the woods and onto the road the brothers got back to their truck only to find the front left tire flat.

Daryl swore and kicked the tire. Merle chuckled as the two climbed inside the truck's cab and shut the doors where they waited for the storm to pass.

Settling into the interior of the truck's cab which was musty and smelled of cigarettes Merle leaned against the passenger side window and was about to drift off when Daryl spoke "do ya miss our life from before all this?".

Sitting up Merle's brow furrowed "ya mean before the dead started walkin'? No, not really but I do miss some stuff".

Daryl picked at a stray thread on the seat "like what?".

Merle racked his brain for an answer "oh I don't know, ma' job at the garage, ma' apartment, stupid shit like that. Why ya ask?".

Daryl signed "jus' reminiscing is all. I'll tell ya what I don't miss, our alcoholic Dad".

Merle nodded "I agree with you on that but ya know who I really miss?".

"Who?".

"Mom".

The two got teary eyed.

"You remember how she was always baking somethin' everytime we'd come visit?".

Merle smiled at the memory "yeah, house always smelt like her sugar cookies an' apple pie".

Daryl nodded "yeah cancer's a bitch".

Merle wiped his eyes "it is lil brother".

A silence spilled the truck while outside the rain fell at a steady pace.

Merle settled against the passenger window again "let's get some sleep, we ain't going anywhere tonight".

Daryl must have agreed because when Merle looked at the driver's side his brother was fast asleep.

----&----

Merle awoke to an aching back and a full bladder. Opening the door he stepped out of the truck and inhaled the crisp cool air of the early morning.

And as he smoked his morning cigarette Merle rubbed at the old scars that littered his inner forearms.

He wasn't afraid to admit he'd battled with depression, after six years in the army and losing part of his left leg it took all the love and support of his brother, momma and brother-in-law plus a few years of therapy to help him feel better.

Stubbing out of cigarette Merle opened the tailgate of the truck. Digging around in a crate he grabbed a toilet paper roll, shut the gate and headed into the woods.

Finding a private spot behind a live oak Merle squatted down low and peed. Reaching for the toilet paper roll he froze at the sound of footsteps close by.

Sniffing the air Merle relaxed and continued peeing. The familiar scent of pine forest, smoke and moonshine permeated his nose telling him his brother was nearby.

"Hey go find yer own tree".

Daryl chuckled "nope too late, already started".

Merle rolled his eyes "fine I'm done anyway, see ya back at the truck".

Zipping himself up Merle headed back.

----&----

Fixing the tire they made it back to Alexandria before sunset. After helping Daryl with the squirrels Merle retreated to his ground floor apartment for a shower and some much-needed sleep.

Stepping into his bedroom he removed the gun holster from around his waist followed by his boots, socks and shirt.

Once in the bathroom he stepped out of his jeans then carefully removed his prosthetic leg, leaning it against the wall within reach outside the shower.

Turning on the shower he didn't have to wait long before the water got hot. Once warm Merle stepped in carefully and sat down under the spray of water, washing away three days of dirt and grime.

----&----

Merle stepped out of the shower and into his bedroom feeling much better. Grabbing a pair of grey sweatpants and blue boxers he sat down on the bed and was about to put them on when he stopped.

Lifting his wrist to his nose he inhaled. Merle swore as he tossed the clothes aside.

His normal Omega scent of vanilla, motor oil and smoke was muddled with the scent of peaches, signaling he was about to go into heat soon.

Frustrated Merle figured now was a good time as any to let the tension he was now feeling out.

Locking his bedroom door Merle grabbed a bottle of lube from his bedside table along with a vibrator.

Lubing up the toy Merle spread his legs and put it up against his clit, turning it on. Moving his hips from side to side Merle shut his eyes and let himself relax.

Panting he rubbed the vibrator faster continuing to rock his hips until his orgasm took over, collapsing backwards onto the bed.

Satisfied for the time being Merle cleaned up, dressed and went to sleep.

----&----

The supply run turned into a complete disaster.

Having ran into an unknown Alpha male on the road and losing a truck full of supplies to a lake the three dragged themselves and the mysterious Alpha male back to Alexandria.

Merle hadn't been sure if you wanted to go with Rick and Daryl, even though his heat was a week away.

But with some reassurance from his brother-in-law it helped put him at ease.

Exhausted from the day Merle was just about to turn in when a noise from upstairs alerted him.

Grabbing his gun from atop a dresser Merle carefully made his way up the stairs.

Finding his nephew in the hall Merle made the sign for quiet and snuck up behind the man pointing the gun to the back of his head.

"Don't move. Turn around slowly".

The man froze. Doing as he was told, turning to face the Omega.

Merle's hazel eyes narrowed "the hell you doin' here Rovia?".

Paul held his hands up defensively "I can explain".

Merle held the guns steady "start talkin".

"I need to talk to Rick".

"Lil late fer that don't cha think? It's three in the morning".

It was at that moment a door opened and Rick stepped into the hallway.

Rick put a hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder "I got it from here".

Merle put the gun away.

Daryl appeared beside his brother. Helping him down the stairs Rick took hold of the rogue Alpha and led him out the door.

----&----

Paul Rovia considered himself a reasonable Alpha. But being thrown into a jail cell for accidentally sending a truck full of supplies into a lake ( in all honesty it really wasn't his fault, it was the parking break) was ridiculous.

His mood had become increasingly more tetchy as he sat alone in his cell. He'd tried to busy himself by twiddling his thumbs or concocting an elaborate escape plan, but all that seemed to dissipate into a puff of smoke when an Omega walked in.

He froze, almost as if he'd been splashed with ice water as the Omega grabbed a chair and sat down in front of the cell.

The Omega smirked "can't seem ta' stay outta trouble can ya Rovia".

Paul gave an exasperated sigh "look, I'll tell you what I told your brother and Rick, losing the truck was not my fault".

"Oh so yer saying the truck magically popped into gear an' rolled into the lake all by itself. That it?".

The Alpha gave him an incredulous look.

Getting up from the chair Merle approached the cell, leaning forwards against the bars his hazel eyes flecked with gold.

"I'm tired of yer games Rovia, ya know damn well sending that truck into the lake was your fault. Ma' people needed that food an' you took it upon yourself ta' steal it".

Paul took a deep measured breath as he attempted to keep his temper under control.

"My people needed those supplies too, your-".

"You can piss in ma' ear an' tell me it's raining, that don't mean I believe ya".

Paul growled and lunged forward at the bars of the cell causing Merle to stagger backward.

"Enough!" Yelled Paul, his eyes glowed crimson, Alpha's fangs bared. His temper having reached a boiling point.

Merle stood his ground. His eyes too turning crimson red in anger "or what asshole!? I ain't some meek Omega you can push around an' take advantage of. So when yer ready ta' talk like a civilized person, ya let me know".

Throwing the chair aside Merle left the room leaving Paul in the dark.

Chapter Text

It took Paul two tries before escaping his cell. On street level he made his way along the row of townhouses until he found the one he was looking for.

All the windows were dark which meant everyone was asleep or not at home. Picking the lock on the front door he silently entered the house.

He entered into a dark room. A staircase stood on his left, a small sitting room on the right.

Moving through the first floor Paul found nothing of importance, just a dining area, kitchen and living room.

Returning to the entry hall he was about to leave when he stopped. Pausing Paul glance to his right and spotted a door.

Curious he turned the knob and stepped inside.

----&----

Paul froze the doorway, surprised to find an entire apartment next to the main house.

To his left there was a full kitchen, dining table with four chairs and a door that hid a stackable washer and dryer.

To his right was a living room with a two person sofa, living chair and two end tables with matching lamps.

Next to the living chair was a door that led into a bedroom and bathroom where the sound of a shower piqued his curiosity.

Peeking through a crack in the bathroom door Paul saw Merle sitting on a shower bench lathering up his chest with a bar of soap.

Paul watched as Merle worked the lather from his chest down to his abdomen, legs (he was surprised to find Merle was missing part of one) and arms.

Rinsing off he stood with the help of a grab bar and put his right foot up on the shower bench.

With soap in hand Merle began washing between his legs. Oblivious to the man watching him behind the door.

----&----

Merle pretended not to notice the pair of blue eyes spying on him from behind the door (seriously what the hell was Rovia playing at?).

In complete and total honesty Merle wasn't the least bit surprised. He himself had occasionally been glanced at by random Alpha's at bars on Friday nights.

Sometimes he'd been drunk and at times not but he wasn't afraid to admit he'd stared at a guy or two.

But what Merle didn't understand (and he thought this as he pulled a tank top over his head) is why Rovia was in his house in the first place.

Was he looking for something?.
If so, what?.

Throwing on a cotton flannel Merle laced up his boots and headed out the door, determined to find Rovia.

----&----

Merle tracked Rovia down twenty miles outside Alexandria. Grabbing the man by the arm Merle dragged the startled scout into a potting shed where he slammed the door and bolted it.

"We gotta talk. Now".

"Now?" Squeaked Rovia still stunned from being thrown into a shed.

Merle nodded "yes. Now".

Paul took a seat on an overturned bucket while Merle remained standing, arms crossed over his chest.

Merle stared down at the man sitting in front of him. He was short, average build with long brown hair and blue eyes.

He wore a pair of black cargo pants, a thin dark blue long sleeve shirt with the sleeves pushed up and black steel toed work boots.

"What were you doin' in ma' house?".

Paul fidgeted on the bucket.

"Why were ya spying on me?".

Paul's eyes widened in shock "how did you-?".

"That's right, I saw ya Rovia don't chu think I didn't".

"I've never seen anyone like you before".

Merle quirked a brow "like what? Ya ain't never seen an Omega before?".

"I have but not like you. You're different".

Merle uncrossed his arms "that's cause I'm a variant".

"A variant? That can't be, those don't exist".

Merle shook his head "no they exist, they're jus' very rare"

A silence followed the conversation.

Merle turned and unlocked the shed "no more breaking an entering".

Paul got up from the bucket "I understand".

The two made to leave when Paul asked "is your brother a variant Omega?".

Merle paused midstep "that ain't for me ta say".

And does Merle walked away Paul could smell the scent of peaches.

----&----

Paul followed Merle out of the potting shed "Merle wait".

The man in question turned around.

"What are you doing out here when you're so close to your heat?".

The omega's eyes narrowed "that ain't any of yer concern".

"Please Merle" Paul pleaded "let me help you".

Merle was taken aback "I don't even know you an ya expect me to share yer bed? That ain't happening Rovia".

"Well at least let me court you".

Merle gave a sarcastic laugh "I wouldn't date you if ya danced in front of me naked".

Paul rolled his eyes "alright fine. Can I take you home then?".

"No thank you".

And with that Merle got on his bike and left.

Chapter Text

Merle pulled over on the side of the road having almost swerved his motorcycle as a cramp rippled through his lower abdomen.

He swore a blue streak as sweat dripped down his forehead. His heat was here and it had hit him like a slap in the face.

As he sat on the side of the road Merle had two choices. One, go back to Alexandria and beat back every Alpha there just so he could hide out in his apartment or two, drag his ass back to Hilltop and spend his heat with an Alpha he knew little about but then had offered to help.

Merle smirked as he thought of Rovia. Those slight muscular arms around his waist. His lips kissing in all the right places.

Realizing what he was doing Merle blushed. Just the thought of Rovia touching him made his pussy ache with need.

Horny and frustrated Merle started the bike and turned back toward Hilltop.

----&----

Paul was flabbergasted to see Merle riding through the gates of Hilltop on a chopped Triumph Bonneville.

Cutting the engine Merle marched up to the stunned scout, grabbed his arm and dragged him up the front steps of the large mansion.

Entering an empty bedroom Merle tossed Paul onto the bed and locked the door behind him.

"Merle are you okay?".

Merle panted heavily "I-I'm in h-heat. I n-need yer help".

Paul cautiously approached "I'm here Merle, tell me what you need".

Merle winced as another cramp rippled through "you Alpha p-p-please".

Slowly stripping off his clothes Paul takes a mental note of all the scars on Merle's body. A few dot his torso, arms and legs but one particular scar catches Paul's curiosity.

"Where's that scar from?" Paul asks as he points to a long thick scar just below what remains of Merle's calf and shin.

"IED explosion. Had ta' amputate cause of all the shrapnel damage".

"Were you in the military?".

Merle nods "yep, army".

As they finished undressing the smell of peaches became so overwhelming it was beginning to make Paul dizzy.

Looking at the man standing naked in front of him Paul takes a moment to really take in Merle's body.

He's tall, broad shouldered and ruggedly built. His normally hazel eyes are now a brilliant gold.

His eyes drifted to Merle's chest which was covered in a light layer of dirty blonde hair. Paul followed that hair from his chest down to his torso all the way to a thick patch of pubic hair, slick dripping from the soft folds between his legs.

Merle waved hand in front of Paul's face shaking him from his gaze "ya done starin'?".

"Sorry" apologizes Paul "you're so beautiful".

Merle blushes and lays down on the bed, spreading his legs "jus' get yer ass over here".

Wasting no time Paul got his ass over there where he laid his eyes on the most beautiful pussy he'd ever seen.

Paul licked and nibbled on his clit, Merle panting as he dug his nails into the mattress.

"A-A-Alpha p-p-please!".

Paul's eyes burned crimson as he began kissing along Merle's chest, licking and sucking on his nipples. Merle all the while swimming in a sea of pleasure.

----&----

The euphoria Merle felt was like waves crashing on a beach, an explosion of colorful lights like the galaxies of space.

His orgasm was wonderful but coming out of a heat induced sex fog was like a Mack truck hitting a brick wall.

Peeling his sweaty self off of an equally sweaty Alpha Merle headed into the bathroom to clean up.

Taking up a washcloth and a bar of soap Merle turns on the faucet running it under the warm water as he washes his arms, legs, torso and ass.

He washes his pussy last and shuts the water off drying himself as he catches sight of himself in the mirror.

A set of crescent shaped bond marks fresh on his clavicle and shoulder.

----&----

He enters the bedroom just as Paul is stirring. Merle lays down next to him and begins to play with his hair.

Paul smiles and looks up into Merle's beautiful hazel eyes. Merle smiles back but then it disappears when Paul asks a question.

"So what causes a Variant Omega?".

Merle pauses in his stroking of Paul's hair "it happens when one parent has a mutation called Alpha 1. Ma' Dad an Alpha, had the syndrome".

"What about your mom?".

"She was unaffected".

"So it's because of your dad's mutation you're a Variant Omega?".

Merle nods and rubs at the bond mark on his clavicle. He had not expected to bond with Paul, he'd only wanted relief from his heat.

A quick fuck and done. Not a mate.

Waiting until Paul fell asleep Merle gathered his clothes and left.

----&----

Merle didn't see Rovia again after their conversation in the potting shed. It wasn't until a few months later that one of his own was beaten to death by a man with a barbed wire bat that Merle entered the familiar gates of Hilltop once again.

The scout stood on the front porch of Barrington house, arms crossed over his chest. Blue eyes reddened slightly around the irises.

"Where were you?".

Merle walked right past him.

Grabbing Merle's bicep Paul turned the Omega around "don't walk away from me, what happened to you? Tell me".

Merle sighed "couldn't do it".

"Do what?".

"Be yer mate. I can't do it. Ain't cut out fer it".

"Is that why you left?".

Merle nodded "we should never have bonded Rovia, I know ya couldn't help it cause of yer being in a rut an' me in heat but we don't exactly make the best pair".

Paul let go of Merle's bicep "so you thought running away would help the situation?".

Merle hesitated before answering "yes..no.. oh I don't know!" And he threw his hands in the air and frustration.

Paul put a hand on Merle's shoulder "I understand this isn't the ideal situation having accidentally acquired a mate but don't you think we should try and make this work?".

"Besides our communities are allied now and taking down Negan so our groups got no choice but to work together. So why not use this time to get to know each other".

Merle gave an exasperated sigh "alright fine, but I ain't makin' any promises".

Chapter Text

Merle could feel his eyes growing heavy as he tried to concentrate on the road ahead.

After driving for five hours and with the
sun now behind them it became harder to see the darkening blacktop in front of him.

Carol leaned forward from her spot in the backseat "maybe we should stop for the night, rest up and then continue in the morning".

Maggie nodded then yawned in agreement "sounds like a plan".

Pulling over to check a map they continued on for another mile before parking their truck on a quiet, deserted street.

Cutting the engine the trio got out to come face to face with a large two-story brick building.

"Wow. What do you think could be in there?" Wondered Carol as she slung her backpack over one shoulder.

Maggie pulled a lock picking kit from her back pocket "only one way to find out".

----&----

The building turned out to be a library which had the all too familiar smell of dust and old books.

Splitting up they each took a section and began looking for anything to bring back.

Setting down his bag Merle cleared his throat "ya think you can help me in findin' some medical books?".

"Sure" said Carol "what about?".

Merle blushed "anything on Omega's an' Variants".

Carol poked her head out from behind a bookshelf labeled 'world history' " that shouldn't be too hard to find. Let's go look".

Five minutes later the three met back at a bank of computers. Backpacks full.

Making camp behind a large information desk toward the front of the library the three settled down for the night, each of them taking turns at watch.

----&----

Maggie sat atop a large U-shaped desk, knees drawn up to her chest, a knife sitting in her lap.

The library was quite, except for the sounds of Carol's slow, even breathing as she slept and the occasional rustling of pages from Merle's book.

Maggie glanced in Merle's direction "find anything interesting in there?".

"Lotta good info... but".

Merle's face turned a slight shade of pink in embarrassment "there's pictures. Detailed ones".

Maggie quirked a brow "of what?".

Merle flipped the book around for her to see.

"Oh." Said Maggie taking the book from him "I see what you mean".

In her ten years as a nurse midwife Maggie had seen her fair share of anatomy drawings and pictures of the human body. But these were different from anything she'd seen before.

Maggie handed Merle back the large book "I can see why ya wanted it. Do you think it'll help you any?".

Merle accepted the book and placed it in his backpack "I hope so, maybe it can help you an' Carol too".

The two glanced at Carol's sleeping form "yeah I think we can get some use out of it".

----&----

Merle found Paul sketching on the front steps of Barrington house when Merle walked up and grabbed the man by the back of his shirt.

Paul dropped his sketch pad as the older man pulled him into his arms "um, what's going on?".

"Jus' shut up an' kiss me Rovia".

Paul chuckled "okay".

And he did.

It was slow at first, but then grew more fervent as Paul's hands wondered their way under Merle's shirt.

Merle pulled away, breaking apart their kiss.

"I need ta' talk ta' you".

"About what?".

Reaching behind him Merle handed Paul a large and very thick book.

"Read this, then come find me when yer done".

----&----

Paul spent the next few days reading through the book Merle lent him.

At first glance the five-hundred and fifty page book seemed like any other anatomy book you'd get if you were a med student or even an artist studying the human form.

As a former artist and teacher himself, pictures of the nude form didn't phase him at all.

Even after reading through the thick volume for what seemed like the fifth time did he wonder why Merle handed him this book in the first place.

So once again Paul found himself sitting in a large armchair in the library of Barrington house with the heavy book in his lap trying to figure out what he was missing.

Scanning lazily at first, he passed over the sections he'd already read.

Halfway through the book he stopped. Pausing on a section he hadn't seen before.

Taking up an entire page was an anatomy drawing of an Omega male with all the major bodily systems laid out in extreme detail.

On an opposite page were two comparison drawings of fully nude Omega males with labels at the bottom of each drawing along with cut away views explaining the difference between the two.

Paul's brow furrowed. He didn't see anything unusual at first but upon closer inspection Paul suddenly found the differences between the two Omegas.

The drawing on the left was of a normal male, aside from the internal parts that made him an Omega.

The drawing on the right however, showed an Omega male with the usual internal parts but also showed the external female parts and a pair of testicles situated near the bladder.

The label below the drawing read...

Variant Omega Male.

----&----

Paul found Merle sitting on the front steps of Barrington house honing a bowie knife.

"Can we talk?".

Setting aside his knife and whetstone Merle gave the man his full attention.

"I read the book you gave me".

"Ya learn anything?".

"Your condition is very rare. Caused by a mutation of PMDS called Alpha One Syndrome. Doctors called it Alpha One because it's only found in Alpha males.".

"The Alpha One mutation of PMDS caused you to have both internal and external female parts which means you have XXXY chromosomes".

"One in ten thousand Alpha males will have the mutation, but only one in two hundred and fifty thousand Omega males will be a Variant".

"So needless to say it was a very eye-opening read".

Merle stared at the scout in astonishment "I gotta say Rovia, I'm impressed".

"Thank you Merle it was a very interesting book".

Merle shifted slightly on the step "so now that you are aware of what sorta Omega I am I took the liberty of gettin' ma' hands on these".

Reaching into his pocket Merle tossed a square package the size of a credit card onto Paul's lap.

Picking up the package Paul recognized the little pink and white pills immediately. He even noticed three pink ones missing.

Paul handed back the pills "I see you've come prepared".

Merle nodded "yep an' as long as ya wear a rubber we ain't got nothing to worry about".

Silence followed the conversation until Paul finally said "so, what do you wanna do now?".

Getting up from his spot on the steps Merle took Paul by the arm and led him into the house grinning.

----&----

Daryl was stunned.

"So let me get this straight, Rovia found out yer a Variant Omega all because you couldn't lock your door an' now he's your mate?".

Merle nodded, his face slightly pink in embarrassment.

Does he know I'm one too?".

Merle shook his head "no".

"Good. Rovia don't need to know there's two of us".

Daryl lit a cigarette "ya plan on havin' pups?".

Merle shrugged "maybe but not while we got an asshole with a bat ta' deal with".

Daryl blew smoke out his nose "I'm with ya there".

Merle huffed a laugh "yeah so long as I'm on the pill an' Rovia uses a rubber I think we'll be fine".

Daryl flicked away some stray ash "ya think that'll work?".

"I hope so lil brother".

Chapter Text

Daryl sat in a corner of the dimly lit cell. Scared and cold he wrapped his arms around himself, wincing at the gunshot wound in his shoulder.

He'd only been in the cell for little over a day but to him, it felt like forever.

Daryl was emotionally and physically drained.

Twenty-four hours earlier he was on his knees covered in blood as he stared up into the eyes of a sadistic man whose barbed wire bat killed two of his own people.

And just when he thought the torture was over two men grabbed him, threw him into a van then tossed him into a broom closet where he now sat in the dark.

Heavy footsteps came around the corner, echoing off the cinder block walls. Daryl curled himself, if it was possible, closer into the corner of his cell.

The door unlocked and swung open to reveal Dwight and two other men he didn't recognize force him to his feet. With a gun pointed to his head he was made to strip.

One of the unknown men laughed "what's wrong princess? You shy or something?".

The other unknown man chuckled "he's a pretty one ain't he? Not everyday you come across an Omega".

Daryl glared at the three men.

Dwight stepped forward and shoved one of the men aside "Dave, you and Joe plus every asshole Alpha in this place are not to lay a hand on him. Negan's orders".

Joe ran his fingers through Daryl's hair "if I swung the other way, I'd make you my bitch. Now be a good bitch and strip off those clothes".

Dwight couldn't say he blamed Daryl because the split second later he'd cold clocked Joe across his jaw, watching him as he slumped to the ground.

Dave who was about to grab Daryl's arm froze when Dwight shouted "don't touch him!".

"Get Negan. Now".

----&----

Negan didn't know what to expect as he was led through the halls of the Sanctuary.

The only thing he knew, from what an out of breath Dave told him was that Dwight needed help with their newest prisoner and to hurry.

Upon reaching the prison cells Negan was pulled aside by Dwight who whispered a few words in his ear.

Daryl watched from a safe distance.

Entering the cell Negan knelt down in front of Daryl "a little birdy told me that you're not following the rules. That true?".

Daryl kept his eyes on the floor.

Negan's eyes narrowed "look at me".

Daryl did.

Negan stood "now get up".

A moment past before Negan motioned for Dwight and Dave "boys, help him up".

Grabbing both his arms Dwight and Dave forced Daryl to his feet.

"Well that wasn't so hard" grinned Negan "now strip him".

With knives in hand Dave and Dwight ripped and tore off one clothing item at a time until Daryl stood before the three men trying to cover up, preserving what little modesty he had left.

"Looks like we got ourselves a Variant Omega boys".

----&----

Negan left him alone on the concrete floor of the cell.

To say Daryl was humiliated was an understatement. Truthfully he felt ill.

Now that his Variant status was known, Daryl feared with the Alpha's in this community could do to him.

Just those thoughts alone terrified him.

Rolling over he stared at the sliver of light coming from the bottom of the door.

Tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.

----&----

Seventy-two hours.

In the span of those hours Daryl had been stripped, barely fed and psychologically tortured.

Still, he refused to break no matter how much Dwight tried. No matter what Negan dangled in front of him.

Four days later while he sat in his cell starving and sleep deprived his luck suddenly changed.

The yellow piece of paper wasn't hard to miss. Picking the lock he slowly made his way through the Sanctuary.

Making it to a courtyard Daryl was just about to plug the key into his bike when a voice behind him made Daryl stop in his tracks.

The man promised he wouldn't say anything.

He said he wouldn't tell. But Daryl took no chances in beating in the man's skull.

Grabbing his husband's gun he was about to leave when a familiar Alpha popped out of nowhere.

----&----

"The fuck ya doin' here Rovia?".

Paul looked at the bloody crowbar in Daryl's hand.

"Daryl, hey put the crowbar down. I think you've done enough damage today".

Daryl dropped the crowbar, the weapon falling to the pavement with a clank.

"Let's get outta here".

----&----

The moment Rick walked through the gates of Hilltop a strange scent of tobacco, burnt sugar and blackberries filled the Alpha's nose.

Red flags and alarm bells going off in Rick's head.

It was at that juncture Paul Rovia came around the corner. His hands empty to show he wasn't armed. His scent unthreading.

Rick made contact with the other Alpha.

"Is he safe?".

Paul nodded "yes".

Daryl appeared from behind Rovia, his body trembling as he approached his husband.

The two needing no words as they embraced in the middle of the courtyard.

"are you alright? You look thin".

Daryl nuzzled against Rick's neck, inhaling his Alpha's scent.

"I will be now that I'm with you. With ma' pack".

Rick kissed Daryl's forehead did they hurt you?".

Daryl shook his head "no, Negan wouldn't let 'em lay a hand on me".

The two brought their foreheads together as a fresh wave of tears fell.

Rick wiped a tear from Daryl's cheek with his thumb "you're safe now".

Daryl nodded "yeah, fer now".

Rick nodded in agreement "for now".