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Wise didn’t plan on rushing into the Outer Ring because his sister got hurled into a Hollow and passed out, but apparently the universe had other plans.
He had hurried to pack everything; the HDD, clothes, any other gadgets that might be important. Fairy’s voice chimed every now and then, reminding him of things to bring, and he knew he had to take a moment to gather himself when he nearly forgot to strap Eous in.
“Second Assistant, it is not safe for you to drive in your state,” Fairy said matter-of-factly.
Wise took in a deep breath. “I know. I’m trying to gather myself.”
“I will choose the best route to reach Master Belle as soon as we can. Please don’t take too long.”
That drew in a laugh from him. In her own way, Fairy was worried about Belle, too. He took a deep breath, in, out. He wrinkled his nose.
It truly spoke of his state that he could smell the scent of his worry in the air. He normally didn’t need a patch, having a tight control over his own scent even when he was in the cusp of heat, but Belle had always been someone he would worry about. Omegas had always been family-oriented, and only having Belle as the other biological member of the pack only made Wise worry even more about her.
“You’d think Belle being a Beta would mean she gets into less trouble,” Wise muttered, mostly to himself.
“Would you like me to cross-reference non-secondary gender related incidents between each gender category to see the statistics?” Fairy offered.
Wise laughed softly. “No, thank you, Fairy. I don’t need it.” He took another deep breath. “Okay. Let me see the route you’ve chosen.”
The drive was quiet save for Eous’ excited exclamations, pointing at sights he never saw before. Fairy’s route was, as promised, a fast one; it seemed to take no time at all for the reddish, rocky plains of the Outer Ring to open up in front of Wise, dotted with so many hollows like black stars amongst red sky. If he wasn’t so worried about Belle, he’d be tempted to stop somewhere and take a few photos.
Still, Belle took priority. He would have the opportunity for photography later, when their job was done.
It took far too long to reach his destination, but he got there all the same. He was immediately treated to a… sight.
Billy greeted him first, assuring him that Belle was fine and offering his help to unload everything as Eous jumped up and down to greet him, but Wise was only half listening. Was this the group he and Belle had agreed to work with?
The most eyecatching thing was, without a doubt, the blonde woman casually slinging her flamethrowers about and spewing fire to the sky with seemingly no regard. Another blonde woman, shorter this time, wearing a helmet and a black leather jacket, yelling at the one playing with fire. There was another woman standing by the sofa that laid out right under the sun, a greenish tint in her hair, laughing at the two blonde’s antics.
Movement, in the sofa. Belle’s distinct dark hair came into view as she sat up.
Wise dashed to her immediately. He was only partly aware of how Billy’s words petered out - he’d have to apologize later - but Belle took priority.
“Belle!” Somehow, he managed to keep his voice steady. “How are you feeling? Are you hurt?”
The smile Belle gave him was reassuring, at least. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the woman standing by the sofa cut in.
“Sorry, sorry, we got a little carried away,” she said, perhaps the smallest hint of sheepishness in her voice. “Welcome to the Outer Ring! May you rise from the ashes.”
Wise’s eyes darted about, taking in the group. There was yet another blonde woman, casually lounging by a truck, and then there was the lone man of the group, with dark hair and eyes hidden behind sunglasses, casually playing with a lighter in his hand.
The man sniffed and tensed. All the relaxation that he seemed to exude evaporated in an instant, and even hidden behind sunglasses, Wise could tell he had locked in on him.
As the man started walking to him, heavy boots thudding loudly against the packed earth and sending clouds of dust trailing behind him, Wise finally caught the man’s scent - sharp lemon with the strong undertone of smoke, strong and heavy and hungry and reaching - and finally realized that this was an Alpha.
Instincts screamed and took over before he could even realize what was happening. He stumbled back, eyes glued at the Alpha even as he tried to create more distance, danger, mate?, danger, mate!, danger, his own scent wafting out as if in response to the Alpha’s, freshly ground coffee and bright mint reaching out tentatively. His back hit metal and he climbed up without even thinking about it, and the next thing he knew he was perched up on the store’s car like a cat, hands safely pressed on his shoes instead of the hot roof and staring down wide-eyed at the man, whose sunglasses had slipped down and sat crooked on his nose, revealing his eyes.
Deep green eyes stared at him in what seemed close to awe. His hand reached out, slowly, fingers trembling. Wise stared back into the green depths blankly and tried in vain to understand what the beating of his heart meant.
“Lighter!” a voice cut through the tension, and both of them jumped. Belatedly, Wise realized it was hard to hear anything beyond the rush of blood in his ears, but that voice had been heavy with an Alpha’s command trying to keep her pack together. It would have been near impossible not to notice it.
The man, Lighter, blinked. He turned to look at the group, then back at Wise. A dusting of pink bloomed in his face. “O-oh,” he stammered, taking a step away from the car as he nudged his sunglasses to sit properly on his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
The woman who had yelled out the man’s name skidded to a halt by him, eyes wide, her own scent wafting out as though frenzied. The sharp scent of the sun and motor oil was far less pleasant than the lemon-and-smoke.
“Sorry! I promise he’s usually better behaved than this!” she said, immediately locking Lighter in a light chokehold. The man let out a soft oof that was promptly ignored. “I’m Caesar, by the way! I’m the Pack Alpha. Lighter’s my champion. He might pound people to the ground on the regular, but he’s harmless, really!”
“It’s… fine,” Wise managed to say. It felt like his voice was lodged in his throat. His eyes were still glued to Lighter’s eyes. “It’s a bit of an inconvenient meeting, but… I’m Wise. Belle is my sister.”
“Ah… sorry we couldn’t keep her safe earlier,” Caesar said. “We drove as fast as we could, honest.”
“I don’t think any of you can predict she and Billy would end up falling into a Hollow. I’m just glad you managed to get her out in time.”
Confusion clouded Caesar’s gaze. “But… she passed out. She got hurt.”
“No, we’re just… really bad with being in a Hollow,” Wise explained. “It would have happened with any Hollow. That’s why we never go in ourselves.”
Someone loudly cleared her throat. Glancing, Wise realized it was the girl with the helmet. “I believe we should have this conversation somewhere more comfortable,” she said. Even from afar, her harried scent betrayed her calm composure. She was every bit the stereotypical prized Omega - small stature, elegant long hair, the sweet and disarming scent of apple blossoms and vanilla - if it wasn’t for the slight scowl in her face and the way she held herself. She looked about ready to kick whoever glanced at her wrong to the stratosphere.
“Right!” Caesar straightened, finally letting go of Lighter. “We can use the sofa. Come, then.”
Wise rose to his feet, then stared down uncertainly. He had scrambled up without thinking, but now he wasn’t sure how he should go down. Should he just jump down? Last time he jumped from anything higher than a chair he messed up his ankle, so that was probably a bad idea, but it was better than being stuck here.
Softly, Lighter tapped his fingernail to the car and offered a hand. “Do you need help getting down?” he asked. There was still that soft layer of apology in his voice.
Wise took in a breath. That sharp scent of lemon and smoke was calming, somehow. “Please,” he said, taking the offered hand.
Gently, Lighter led him to carefully slide to the hood of the car, and then hopping down to solid ground. His hand kept the hold all the while, keeping Wise balanced as he maneuvered down. And then they were face to face, still holding hands, deep green searching into ocean eyes.
“I’m sorry, again,” Lighter said, squeezing Wise’s hand gently.
Wise shook his head. “It’s alright. I don’t think either of us expected that.”
“No,” Lighter admitted with a small smile. “I’m Lighter Lorenz. I’ll make sure our partnership will run smoothly.”
“Ah… I’m Wise. And likewise.”
Lighter gave him a warm smile. The lemon-and-smoke scent flared again, and Lighter lifted Wise’s hand and quickly pressed a soft kiss upon his knuckles. “Let’s join the others before Her Highness yells at me,” he said, casually letting go of Wise’s hand and walking away. Wise stood frozen there, staring wide-eyed at the retreating back, until Belle tapped his shoulder and led him to join the group.
It was only later, much later, when the meeting had concluded and Wise and Belle had been given their rooms, that Belle rounded on him with a shine in her eyes that instantly made Wise wary.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you react this way to being courted!” she said, her voice an octave higher than usual. “Oooh, I’m so relieved! I thought you’d die sad and alone!”
Wise paused. “Okay, first of all, rude. Also… courted?”
Belle stared at him. “Lighter’s definitely into you, Bro.”
Wise blinked. He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes and groaned.
“Wait, are you telling me you didn’t realize?! You clearly reciprocated!”
“Shut up, Belle,” Wise grumbled weakly.
“He’s a strong, capable Alpha who backed down when he realized he made you uncomfortable!” Belle yanked his hands away from his face. “And you’d be blind to say he’s not good looking! I approve!”
“Belle,” Wise hissed. “We’ve only just met!”
“And he’s clearly already trying to court you! We all saw that kiss,” Belle pointed out. “You didn’t even try to get away, either. Cmon, give him your neck already.”
Wise slapped the top of Belle’s head lightly. “I’m not baring my neck to anyone I just met.”
“Fine, okay,” Belle sighed. “I’ll keep an eye out while he courts you. But this is the first time you’ve responded well to an Alpha courting you, so just so you know, I already know you’ll be mated by the time we leave.”
“How do you know for sure I’m responding well to his courting?”
“You’re telling me you wouldn’t have jumped down from the car yourself if it was Caesar who offered you help?” Belle asked pointedly. When Wise tellingly stayed silent, she shot him a smug grin. “Mmm, thought so.”
Wise sighed. “We had a long day and we’ll have another long day tomorrow, Belle. Let’s just sleep.”
“Yes, yes, the life of a Proxy is full of long days, we all need our beauty sleep and you definitely need to get rid of those Gucci bags underneath your eyes,” Belle said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll definitely kick Lighter’s ass if he doesn’t treat you right, though, just so you know.”
“Go to sleep, Belle!”
Any doubt on whether Lighter was truly trying to court him or not disappeared in the coming days. The Alpha always found the time to visit them at least once a day, flitting about and casually dropping food just as hunger began to creep in. When it wasn’t food, it was various drinks, and when it wasn’t a drink, then he brought snacks. Each time, Wise would fumble, trying to tell Lighter that he didn’t need to, only to be lightly brushed off as he insisted he wanted to.
Wise was no stranger to being courted. He was an unmated video store manager. His illegal job as Phaeton aside, he was used to working and being mobile, running errands here and there, and that always caught the attention of some Alphas. Every so often an Alpha would try to court him in his own store, and Belle would have to take over to make it clear that he wasn’t interested. Fellow business owners in Sixth Street had practically formed a neighborhood watch to make sure everyone there was safe. Wise had been approached by a few pushy Alphas himself, leading to several PubSec officers keeping an eye on him whenever he made his way to Lumina Square. Seth, Zhu Yuan, and Qingyi even went as far as walking him around Lumina Square whenever they could.
This was the first time he felt so… comfortable with it. Lighter never forced him to take the gifts he brought and took note of his preferences. Even Belle got a few things, too, clearly demonstating how well he understood how important she was to Wise. He didn’t think there was any Alpha who did that, before.
So it wasn’t a surprise to anyone when Wise grew comfortable in the Outer Ring. Comfortable enough to take up the request to bring Cheesetopia to its former glory, running errands to fix up the building and bringing in new menu, and spending even more time there than was strictly needed. It didn’t matter that his brain told him there was no way such a good looking, capable Alpha would even glance his way － his heart already basked in it even as he feared the possibility of a rejection.
“Tell me when the wedding will be, so I can pick up a dress for me and a suit for you,” Belle said when Wise told her he was using the HDD for another commission to help with the rebuilding.
Wise rolled his eyes. “Who’s even getting married, and to whom?”
“You’re accepting Lighter’s courting gifts! That’s basically declaration of true love for you! You hide so fast whenever Shepherd gets close to the store!”
Scrunching his nose, Wise squinted at Belle. “That’s because all that cologne he wears smells atrocious. It’s a crime against humanity, and I don’t want to know what his scent actually smells like if he has to mask his scent like that.”
Belle paused. “Okay, that’s fair. But my point stands!”
Wise decided he should focus on the commission instead of continuing the conversation.
Despite spending time in the Outer Ring, Wise didn’t actually spend any alone time with Lighter until much, much later, when Cheesetopia’s renovation finally finished and the subsequent party was finally over. The loud music and chatter had been a bit much, and when the crowd naturally dispersed as the night went on, Wise slipped away to get some much-needed alone time, riding the lift down and meandering away to stand by the big cactus.
Wise stared out at the massive Hollow looming in the distance. Even here, far enough away to be safe, it was a giant that inspired fear. Beautiful, with the multicolored sheen it exuded, but dangerous. Like a tiger crouching in the thicket.
Slowly, his eyes drifted up to the sky. The stars twinkled at him.
This far out in the Outer Ring, it was easy to see them. He thought he might even be able to recognize some constellations, even with his extremely limited knowledge of astronomy. In the city, the lights were too bright, overpowering the stars.
Wise took a deep breath and let it out. His breath left white, smoke-like steam that wafted up to the sky. He shivered; finally realizing how cold it was out in the desert at night. He hadn’t caught on before at Cheesetopia, around so many other people.
The wind changed course. He caught the scent of lemon and smoke, sharp and flared out as though to announce the arrival of the Alpha. Wise turned and saw Lighter making his way to him.
“I was wondering where you went,” Lighter said, settling by Wise’s side and handing him a warm mug of drink. “Here, Piper made some hot chocolate earlier for people who don’t want Burnice’s Nitro fuel.”
“Thank you,” Wise said, accepting the drink. Their fingers brushed, and Lighter frowned.
“I didn’t realize you were so cold,” Lighter commented, watching Wise wrap his fingers around the mug.
“I didn’t either,” Wise chuckled. “It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? I’ve been here a while, and the way night is so cold in here still takes me by surprise.”
Lighter shook his head. “I wouldn’t say it’s sad. You’re just not used to it.” Slowly, deliberately, he unzipped his jacket and took it off. Carefully, he approached, holding the jacket purposefully. “May I?”
Wise could have sworn his heart stuttered. He nodded mutely and stared at his mug while Lighter laid his jacket around his shoulders, carefully arranging it to wrap around Wise’s frame.
It was… nice. Warm. The leather jacket still carried Lighter’s residual body heat, and it enveloped Wise in the sharp lemon and smoke scent, the scent deeper and fuller, clinging to the jacket Lighter had worn all day. Without even meaning to, Wise’s own scent spiked in response.
Lighter smiled, looking just the tiniest bit smug. “There you go. Now we don’t have to worry about you catching a cold.”
Wise chuckled and tried to ignore the warmth on his cheeks. “What about you, though? Won’t you be cold?”
“Don’t worry about me, Manager. I run hot.” Lighter gently pressed his forearm to the back of Wise’s hand, letting him feel out the temperature. “Besides, I don’t get sick easily.”
“Must be nice,” Wise commented. “Both Belle and I get cold easily. Honestly, it’s also a blessing that we don’t get sick a lot, these days.”
“These days?”
“We used to get sick a lot more.” Wise stared at the hot chocolate in his mug, watching the steam waft out. “It… could be challenging.”
Everyone else in Sixth Street had apparently decided to take them under their wings when they moved in, though. Likely because they heard it was just an unmated Omega, an underage Beta, and their gaggle of Bangboos, no one else. General Chop had made it his personal mission to send free noodle soup whenever they fell ill. Asha, a fellow Omega, had offered her help during Wise’s heat multiple times. In the rare times both siblings fell sick, Enzo made a point to make sure the Bangboos were taken care of while Elfy, Asha, and Tin Master took turns checking in and helping them get better. Even Howl seemed to have decided to become a guard dog for the store. In more ways than one, the neighborhood had become somewhat of a pseudo pack.
Lighter’s hand settled gently on his wrist. “Was it hard?” he asked quietly.
Wise threw him a smile. “It’s okay. I have Belle. And our neighbors are kind. We’re a lot healthier, these days.” The sickness had probably been because of stress and overuse of the HDD, anyway. When they were just starting out as Phaeton, it was common for them to work deep into the night for commissions, Wise moreso than Belle.
“That’s good,” Lighter said. He rubbed his thumb against the back of Wise’s hand, contemplative. “You can call me if you get sick again, you know.”
“I’d be so far away in the city, though,” Wise pointed out.
“That’s fine. You know I can ride fast.” Lighter smiled at him, green eyes seemingly twinkling under the shine of the stars. “And I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I promise I’d be fine. We’ve been managing for a long time.”
“Still, if I can make it easier for you, I would.”
Wise stared. It felt like his voice was lodged in his throat. He smiled and swallowed, and tried not to think about why he sounded like he wanted to cry when he responded, “Thank you.”
Lighter smiled at him and finally withdrew his hand. “It’s late. If you don’t want to go back to the party, you should go to sleep.”
“Sleep sounds nice,” Wise admitted. “Ah, wait, Lighter! You can take back the jacket, my lodging isn’t far from here.”
“Oh, no, you need it more than I do,” Lighter insisted. He grinned. “You can give it back to me when it smells like you.”
Wise blinked owlishly at him, feeling heat in his cheeks. He swallowed, unable to find the words to reply Lighter with.
Lighter’s smile softened. “Good night, Wise. I hope you have the sweetest dream.” He patted Wise’s hand gently and left, just like that.
Wise was surprised to realize he wished Lighter would stay.
He should have known Lighter had his own stubborn streak. All Alphas do, and to an extent, everyone in Wise’s life regardless of secondary gender had that stubborn streak. Lighter’s just didn’t show up until much later, because he was normally pretty laid back.
But what else was Wise supposed to do? Let Lighter go in a Hollow and risk getting lost? Of course he’d lend his help.
He couldn’t help but stare in awe at how Lighter managed to mow through dozens of attackers, easily dodging them, parrying, and punching back even though his breaths grew heavy with exertion. It was like watching a dance. A deadly one, but a dance all the same.
When Lighter walked away in victory at last, easily swooping Eous into his arms to carry out of the Hollow, Wise looked up through Eous’ eyes to watch Lighter. From his angle, he seemed every bit the undefeated champion, with the reddening sun framing his sweat-soaked fringes and glinting off his sunglasses. He listened intently as Lighter opened his heart and poured it out for Wise to see, explaining his troubled past and why he would so readily walk into a Hollow to keep his pack safe.
That was the moment that Wise realized he was gone.
Eous didn’t have any olfactory receptor. He didn’t need to, and while Bangboos could be used as a means of communication, no one would expect them to be able to convey scents. And yet, here, watching Lighter bask in the sun as he rested after a fight well fought, Wise found himself imagining his scent and wanting to physically stand there by his side.
This was… dangerous.
Wise didn’t plan to be the one getting hurled into a Hollow following a vehicular accident this time, but hey, apparently the universe decided both Phaeton siblings needed to have their share of being stuck in a Hollow in the Outer Ring.
He looked up to the sky and silently cursed whatever higher being decided to throw him into the Hollow.
Well, no time to waste. With his Ether aptitude, it really wasn’t a good idea to hang around here too long. He didn’t have Fairy’s help, but he could still do things the old-fashioned way.
Measured footsteps approached him. Wise looked up in alarm, relaxing slightly when he realized it was Miss Miyabi who was with him. “Miss Miyabi? I didn’t realize you got thrown in as well. Did anyone else get thrown in, too?”
Miss Miyabi’s ear flicked. “I have not found anyone else. So far, it looks like it’s only us.”
“That’s good,” Wise sighed a sigh of relief. He ignored the way Miss Miyabi blinked at him, studying him like he was a book she couldn’t understand.
It took some back and forth, but she finally agreed to work together for the time being. Which was a relief, given Wise’s limited time. When he told her of it, her eyes widened in alarm before she nodded, grim and determined.
“We shall get out of here as soon as we can. I will bring us out,” she vowed. “Lead us to the nearest data pile.”
It was later, when Wise had started feeling like his head was slowly being weighed down by lead, that he caught a surprising whiff of something sweet and floral from Miss Miyabi. Blinking, he turned to the fox Thiren.
“I wasn’t aware you’re an Omega,” he noted, brushing his own scent gland to coax his scent so Miss Miyabi could tell he was a fellow Omega, if she hadn’t realized already.
She frowned, touching her scent gland and scowling. “My scent patch must have fallen during the last battle. I will have to train better.” She met his gaze. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
“I’m not sure I should ask,” Wise said carefully.
Miss Miyabi sighed. “I’ll get the common ones out of the way, then. Yes, I’m an Omega and I’m the leader of our squad. Yes, Yanagi is an Alpha and the second in command despite being the sole Alpha of the team. Yes, we are aware it is uncommon. Yanagi is simply much better at making sure things run smoothly; I am the powerhouse that charges in recklessly.”
“So Miss Yanagi keeps you all safe while you lead the charge,” Wise surmised. “It sounds like a good teamwork.”
Miss Miyabi hummed, ears drooping. “Our team is somewhat of a nontraditional pack,” she admitted. “But we know our roles.”
“If it works, then it works,” Wise said with a shrug. “Belle and I are a bit nontraditional, too, given that there’s only the two of us. We count our Bangboos in, too, but most people wouldn’t.”
“Only the two of you?”
“Only us.” Wise threw him a small, bitter smile. “We were orphans to begin with, but the fall of the Old Capital took nearly everything from us.”
Miss Miyabi stared as Wise fiddled with the current data pile. “Is that why you’re proxies, then? Because it’s the one skill you have?”
“Not exactly.” Wise scanned the data, hoping to get a clue on a fissure to lead them out. It was getting harder to parse through the information, with his head slowly pulsing independently from his heartbeat. “Yes, being proxies is a skill we have honed, but we also have a day job. To put it simply, there’s just something we have to do.”
“Such as?”
“Mmm. Ask me again when we’ve gotten out, and maybe I’ll answer.” Wise rose to his feet and did not sway. “Let’s go, the next data pile is this way.”
“Are you sure you should push yourself?” Miss Miyabi asked, apparently having caught his state.
“Staying here longer will only make it worse,” Wise pointed out. “My sister passed out after getting thrown into a Hollow, Miss Miyabi. I will probably end up similarly.”
“I see.” Miss Miyabi reached out and held his elbow. “Tell me if it becomes hard, then. I will carry you if I have to.”
“Thank you, Miss Miyabi. But I can still walk, for now.”
Getting through the Hollow was difficult. Visibility was low, and Miss Miyabi’s sword acting up only added to Wise’s unease. It wasn’t a hard decision to get data to patch the scabbard, since it would help them get out of the Hollow anyway. His steps grew heavier as they reached the last data pile, and Wise could only hope it was all they needed to reach their goals in one fell swoop.
The mercenary group crowding them was a problem, but Wise was able to get away so Miss Miyabi didn’t need to worry about him as she fought them off. Pure adrenaline was all he had to keep himself upright as he watched Miss Miyabi finally sheathe her blade and the last of the ice shards flicker away.
Miss Miyabi ran to him just as he lost all strength in his legs. The pounding in his head was worse than ever, and trying to breathe felt like whistling air through thorns.
“Proxy,” Miss Miyabi called, stern but concerned.
“Sorry, Miss Miyabi,” was all he managed to say before his body gave out and he slumped to the ground, Miss Miyabi’s alarmed voice calling after him.
Getting back to Sixth Street was a quiet affair after all that excitement. His lips were sore and breathing still felt like a chore - likely from the CPR, thanks to Nicole and Miss Miyabi both - but he was still too wired to rest more than the brief nap he took to recover. He brushed off Belle and Fairy’s concerns and convinced them he was alright and went straight into work.
Really, the sudden inspection was more of a fright than anything else, but maybe that was just him refusing to think of being thrown into a Hollow.
He could feel his body temperature rising as he helped guide Section 6 through Twin Ballet Hollow, but was quick to dismiss it as simply excitement from… everything that was going on. He especially didn’t think Miss Yanagi would so readily seemingly throw Miss Miyabi under the bus, and for Miss Miyabi to simply go along. The barrage of problems that came after didn’t help, either. Whatever his body was trying to do, Wise chalked it up as stress, drank more water and coffee, and locked back in on the problem at hand.
Belle glanced at him in worry. Her scent, typically near nonexistent, flared out in concern - roasted tea and milk wafting out. “Wise, your scent…”
“I’m fine,” he insisted. “It’s just stress. Come on, we need to focus.”
And focus they did. For a moment, something that was dangerously close to hope rose in his chest as he saw Bringer turn into the giant white hand that took Teacher away. It was dashed once more when Bringer all but self-destructed in front of Belle and him, and Wise bit into his lip and swallowed the bitter taste of frustration.
It was only much later, when they had revealed to Miss Miyabi about their true identity and received her hairpin in return, that she frowned and leaned into Wise’s space, sniffing lightly.
“Are you entering your heat?” she asked directly.
Wise stared at her blankly. “What?”
“Your scent is headier than before. I thought it was just because of all the adrenaline, but stress has been noted to be able to push Omegas into heat. You smell like you’re in pre-heat and about to really get into it soon.”
Belle glared at Wise. “I knew you weren’t okay! You’ve been staving this off since the time you fell into the Hollow, haven’t you?”
Miss Miyabi’s ears stood tall in alarm. “That is an unreasonably long time to stave off a heat. Do you have someone you can ask for help?”
“Um… not really, I usually just stay in my nest and cuddle with Belle and the Bangboos,” Wise answered.
“Not good enough. Stress-triggered heats are much more intense than usual.”
“The Sons of Calydon should still be around here,” Belle interjected. “We can ask Lighter’s help.”
“What? Lighter? Belle - “
“You still have his jacket in your nest, Wise!” Belle took his hand and all but yanked. “Come on, last I checked Burnice said they were staying around here…”
Belle took the lead at first, but soon Miss Miyabi strode in front of her, nose turning up to sniff the air. Apparently, her fox Thiren genes made her much more sensitive to scents and she was able to track them, to an extent. With her help, it didn’t take long for them to find the Sons of Calydon.
As soon as they were close enough to hear, Belle bellowed, “LIGHTER!” She ignored Miss Miyabi and Wise’s winces. “Lighter, come here!”
Even from afar, Wise could tell the Sons of Calydon were just relaxing, but they scrambled to their feet when Belle began yelling. Lighter weren’t with the girls outside. Instead, he rushed out of Steeltusk, hair mussed and sunglasses askew, looking around as if trying to find the source of danger.
Miss Miyabi dashed ahead. “Apologies for dropping by unannounced,” she said, “and for the alarm. I assure you there is no danger here. However, it seems that Wise is at the cusp of a stress-heat. I was informed that there is an Alpha here who might be able to help.”
Wise reached them just in time to catch Lighter stare blankly at Miss Miyabi and asked, “What.”
Something churned in his stomach. “I’m － I’ll be fine, really,” he insisted, even though he could already tell the heat was going to start any minute now. Maybe he should have considered Belle’s words about him liking Lighter much more carefully. The thought of the Alpha rejecting him now made him want to hurl.
That was probably in part the pre-heat, but still.
Lighter’s gaze finally landed on him. Fixing his sunglasses, Lighter swiftly stepped around Miss Miyabi to reach Wise. It felt like his knees were about ready to buckle the moment Lighter held his hands, but somehow Wise managed to stay upright.
“Stress heat, you said?” Lighter asked, though his eyes never left Wise.
“One that has been staved off for days. His heat will start any time,” Miss Miyabi confirmed. “Judging from his scent, I’d say the only reason he hasn’t started is because he’s not in his nest.”
Lighter squeezed his hands gently. “Wise, what do you need me to do?”
Panicked, Wise shook his head. “I… I don’t want to be a bother.”
“You’ll never be a bother to me,” Lighter countered instantly. He turned to Belle. “Should we move somewhere more comfortable, or does he only feel safe in his nest?”
“Nest,” Belle answered immediately. “It will take a while to drive home, though…”
“Not with us driving,” Piper chimed in. “Hop in, everyone. We’ll get Lighter’s Proxy home in a blink.”
Miss Miyabi’s ear flicked lazily. “Please be aware that I will not cover for you if you break any traffic law.”
“Noted!” Cheerful as ever, Burnice took Miss Miyabi’s hand and pulled her to her bike. “Come on, you can ride with me! Do you have a helmet? No, silly question, of course you don’t have one with you right now! You can have my spare one, don’t worry!”
“You all go with Piper to Sixth Street. Did you come here with your car, Belle?” Ceasar asked. When Belle nodded, she held out her hand. “Give us the keys, me and Lucy will figure out how to bring it back to the video store.”
The trip back to Sixth Street was a haze for Wise. At some point, the world had lost focus and all he could do was paw at the hands keeping him upright, trying to nuzzle in. Moments of clarity would burst in like shattering ice, and he would blink as though waking up, inching ever closer to Lighter.
His face felt hot with the incoming heat and embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
Lighter shushed him gently. “Don’t be. I’m here for you. Tell me what you need.”
Words locked themselves up at the gate of his lips, stuck at the tip of his tongue. He ducked, tried to breathe only to inhale a lungful of Lighter’s scent, and found himself fumbling again. It didn’t feel like he’d earned Lighter’s help.
“Proxy… no. Wise.” Lighter bent so he could meet Wise’s eyes at his level. “Please. What do you need?”
It felt like something was stuffing his chest, threatening to burst. “I don’t… deserve it.”
Lighter’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he lowered his gaze, and something in his eyes made Wise’s chest ache. He seemed hurt. He didn’t mean to hurt Lighter. He would never want to hurt him.
“Why do you believe you don’t deserve it?” Lighter asked, voice just above a whisper. “You helped my pack’s Alpha gain her title. You helped me keep my pack safe and asked nothing in return. You even spent all that time to help rebuild Cheesetopia, when you didn’t have to. If anything, I’m the one who don’t deserve you.”
“You’re…” Wise’s mouth was dry. Trying to talk was hard. He just wanted to curl up and let his scent speak, but this was too important not to put into words. He looked down to avoid Lighter’s eyes. It was easier to talk that way. “You’re a… capable Alpha. More than that, you’re a reliable Alpha. You deserve someone better than me.”
“There’s no one better than you.”
Wise jolted, looking up to meet Lighter’s gaze. “What?”
Lighter’s eyes burned with conviction. His scent was heavy with it, sharper and clinging. “There’s no one else, Wise. I want you.” He held Wise’s hands and squeezed gently. “You don’t understand, do you? You’re a stunning Omega, yourself, you know. You’re smart, and resilient, and you work hard for what you want, and pretty on top of all that. You deserve better than me. I have blood on my hands. I wouldn’t want to soil you with it.” He brought Wise’s hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to his fingers. “But I will give you anything you want. Anything. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give, as long as I can get it. Just tell me what it is.”
Wise stared at him. This felt too big, too much for him to hold in his hands.
The truck stopped. Belle and Piper shooed them out, and Belle all but herded them to Wise’s room. His face burned in embarrassment when he saw the messy nest on his bed. If he’d known someone was coming, he would tidy up a bit.
But it didn’t seem like that was what Lighter was noticing. Instead, as he helped Wise walk to his nest, he stopped and let out a soft oh. “You kept it here,” he said softly.
Wise looked at his nest and realized he had left Lighter’s loaned jacket right in the middle of his nest.
Lighter helped him sit down at the edge of his bed and reached out to the jacket. “Can I?”
“Of course. It’s yours,” Wise said.
With gentle hands, Lighter took the jacket, put it by his nose, and took a deep breath. He lowered it and smiled at Wise. “It smells like you now. Per our agreement, I’ll have it back.”
Wise’s throat caught. No, no, no. Not that jacket.
“In return, you can have the one I’m wearing right now,” Lighter said before Wise could spiral. He put the old jacket aside and took off the one he was wearing, revealing a dark green shirt underneath. He handed the jacket directly to Wise.
Heat addling his mind, Wise clutched the jacket tight and breathed in. Lighter’s scent, fresh and sharp, filled his nose and calmed something deep in his chest. Almost without his conscious input, he scooted deeper into his nest, shoes and all.
Lighter gave a soft chuckle and took off Wise’s shoes for him, placing them at the foot of the bed. “Please let me know if you need anything,” he said, kneeling by the bed.
His heat must be in full bloom now. Laying on his side, Wise watched as this capable, kind Alpha wait on his hands, as if ready to respond to his beck and call. He wondered if Lighter could pluck him the moon and the stars if he dared ask for them.
“Anything?” he whispered. His voice sounded breathless.
“Anything,” Lighter reassured.
Wise’s heart ached. “Even if I don’t deserve it?”
Lighter’s gaze softened even more. “How about you let me decide what I’m willing to give you, and forget about whether or not you deserve it?”
It sounded so easy. Maybe it was that easy.
Finally succumbing to his wants, Wise held out a hand to Lighter. “Please join me,” he said, voice soft and shy.
The joy in Lighter’s eyes could light Wise’s world for days. “Thank you for your trust, Wise.”
It took way too long for Lighter to undo the laces of his boots and take them off. When he finally, carefully, scooted inside the nest and maneuvered between the trinkets Wise kept inside, the Omega took his palm with trembling hands and nuzzled his face in.
“Oh,” Lighter said, sounding breathless. “Do you want me to scent you?”
“Later,” Wise managed to say. “Can you… hold me?”
“How do you want me to hold you?” Lighter asked back immediately.
Wise stared. Lighter was still sitting, bent awkwardly so he could allow Wise to nuzzle his hand comfortably. Emboldened by the heat hormones, Wise rose and climbed onto Lighter’s lap as gracefully as his limbs could manage. For a split second, dread gripped him as Lighter let out a gasp of surprise. It melted into relief when the Alpha’s arms circled around him.
Finally comfortable enough to let his inner Omega lead, Wise nuzzled into Lighter’s neck to breathe in. He grumbled unhappily at the scarf, pulling at it.
Lighter gave a soft chuckle and held his hands to still his prying fingers. “My scarf is important to me,” he said. “Let me do this instead.”
With swift hands, he took the golden pin keeping the scarf in place and put it on Wise’s bedside, safe from roaming hands, then held the scarf’s length to encircle both of them. “Is this okay?” he asked Wise as he secured the scarf in place with a simple loose knot, effectively trapping them close together.
Wise didn’t bother answering with words. He nuzzled into Lighter’s neck, breathing his lemon-and-smoke in, and purred contentedly.
“Oh,” Lighter choked. “Oh, Love. Oh, Precious. I don’t think I’ve heard you purr before. What did I do to deserve you...?”
“You’re the one… who said not to worry about deserving,” Wise mumbled before resuming purring.
“I did say that, yeah.” Lighter casually put his chin on top of WIse’s head. “Is this enough? I know not all Omegas need sex during heat, but the fox lady did say it’s stress heat.”
Wise shook his head. “I never really need sex during heat. But it’s… odd. I don’t want to be separated from you. I feel like if I can fuse myself into you and wear your skin right now, I would.”
“Weird how that could sound sweet,” Lighter muttered. “And really weird how hearing that makes me want to claim you.”
Wise purred louder at that.
“Hm? Do you like the sound of that, Precious?” Lighter listened as Wise’s purrs grew ever louder at that. He sounded extremely smug when he said, “Alright. When your heat’s done, let’s talk more about that.”
Wise whined. “What if I want it now?”
“I’m sorry, Love, but I’m not biting you when we haven’t even had a proper date.”
Grumbling, Wise buried his nose into Lighter’s neck. “You owe me a bowl of ramen,” he said, voice muffled by Lighter’s shirt.
“Yes, yes. Anything for my Omega.”
That, at least, appeased the heat-addled part of his brain. Wise all but melted into Lighter’s hold with a continuous purr spilling out of his lips. Gently, Lighter laid him down and trapped him within his arms, and Wise happily burrowed into his chest, purring all the while.
When slumber finally came, it was the best sleep Wise had had in years.
The heat subsided only two days after it bloomed fully, as expected of the typically intense but short stress-triggered heats. Wise led Lighter down the stairs, silently mourning the fact that the store didn’t have a proper living room or anywhere to receive guests.
It didn’t matter, though. When they reached the store, they found that Belle had kept the store closed. The rest of Lighter’s pack was there with Belle, and they had laid a large tablecloth on the floor and turned the store into some sort of makeshift picnic area. Various food items was scattered on the tablecloth, but it was clear that whoever got them had simply gotten them from the convenience store down the street, as well as takeout from Waterfall Soup.
“Wise!” Belle greeted. “You’re back! It’s a good thing we got a portion for you!”
“I did tell you that stress heats typically only last two to three days,” Lucy said smugly. “Here, here, come join us! Belle told us this one is your favorite.” She handed a steaming bowl of noodles to Wise.
“Oh, thank you.” Despite his surprise, Wise managed to hold the takeout bowl without risking it falling. “Everyone’s here… sorry I couldn’t greet you before.”
“Don’t worry about it! You were in heat!” Caesar immediately assured. “I apologize if Lighter didn’t treat you well, though.”
“Oh, no, he was wonderful,” Wise answered. “He was very kind and considerate, really.”
“I’m glad to know my services are up to your standards, Precious,” Lighter teased. He held Wise’s hand up and pressed a kiss. “Only the best for you.”
Belle’s jaw dropped. She jumped to her feet and pointed at Wise and Lighter. “You!”
Lighter blinked. “Me?”
“Yes, you! On behalf of Wise, I ask you to be the mate for my brother!”
If he wasn’t holding a piping hot bowl of noodles, Wise would have thrown something at Belle’s head. Probably a wadded up tissue or something. Instead, he had to settle for the next best thing, which was to screech “Belle!” on top of his lungs.
Unfortunately, it was drowned out by Burnice immediately squeeing at a pitch previously only heard by dogs, Ceasar roaring a loud “WHAT?!”, and Lucy immediately protesting about proper courting and vetting the Sons of Calydon’s mates. Piper didn’t say anything, but that was because she was too busy wheezing and laughing so hard she was basically silent.
For his part, Lighter only stared at Belle, then at Wise, then back at Belle. Calmly, he took the noodles from Wise’s trembling hands before Wise could drop the bowl. “Belle, there’s no need to jump the gun. Wise seems the type who wants to do things on his own pace.”
Belle’s eyes shone in excitement. “Wait, is that a yes?”
Lighter chuckled. “All I’m saying is, I will follow Wise’s lead.”
Belle whirled to Wise. “Bro! Is that a yes?!”
Wise groaned and plopped his face into his palm. “We’re taking things slow. Don’t rush me.”
Belle threw her hands up. “My brother’s got a mate!”
“No! We’re not mates yet, we’re still courting! Belle, listen to me!”
Too late. Belle was whooping and laughing, pretty much celebrating early despite Wise trying in vain to explain that they were still courting. The way Burnice and Ceasar immediately fell into a festive mood didn’t help either, as they immediately started shoving food and drinks to celebrate. Piper, having finally stopped wheezing, had joined in to pour soda and Nitro Fuel into plastic cups to be distributed. Even Lucy seemed to have given up trying to discuss about the logistics of one of their pack members being mated, swept away by the mood.
As Wise sighed in resignation, Lighter held out the ramen for him. “You okay?”
“I am. Thank you.” Wise took the bowl gingerly and started sipping the broth. It was still warm, though there was no doubt the noodles was growing soggy. “Sorry. I didn’t think Belle would put you on the spot like that.”
“It’s no problem. I like that she goes straight for what she wants,” Lighter answered, shrugging. He reached out to take a candy bar. He swapped it for a rice ball when Wise shot him a disapproving look. “But you do realize that if we’re going to be mates, our packs will pretty much merge, right? Will you be okay with that?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You seem the type to prefer calm, that’s all. You’ve seen how loud it can get with us.”
Wise glanced at their combined packs. The girls were chatting loudly, and they had pulled the Bangboos in to join their conversation. Warmth bloomed in his chest, and he smiled.
“It’s fine,” he said. “It’s lively, and that’s lovely. I like it.”