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A Little Time Away

By: FwuffyMouse

Maven 'Lefty' Rask held aloft their bottle of scent neutralizer, scowling at the yellow-cream colored liquid inside. For as expensive as this tiny amount was, it hadn't been working for around a week now and while they knew why It stopped helping, seventy dollars was more than Lefty'd ever wanted to accept from their alpha. What little money they had made since leaving Sparkster's had gone to basic home maintenance and the occasional treats that Lefty didn't want Gil to know about. Most of those treats ended up in their nest, tucked into the fabric and plucked out during particularly emotional evenings. Besides candy, their nest had grown to include various soft toys Lefty had made the mistake of pointing out to Gil, three of his old BDSM tools and about a dozen of his socks. It had also grown to engulf the entire area around Lefty's desk rather than just the space beneath it.

The desk itself was mostly as it had always been, but small things dotted it that Lefty's past self would have thrown at the face of anyone offering them. Besides boxes of various hygiene items the omega was still adjusting to using, they had a few fidget toys and some stickers they'd found particularly appealing. Simple things, images of coffee or cartoonish wolf characters that reminded them of Gil while they shot their way through their fellow gamers in online battles. An extraordinarily healthy miniature aloe plant sat nearby, eclipsing an extraordinarily dead mint plant that Lefty kept watering anyway. The rest of their house was as ordinary as any beta's home, but their kitchen lacked the variance most people would want in their diets. At least four different types of sugar took up space that their seasoning blends had occupied once upon a time and marshmallows had replaced the usual bag of chips they kept around. Lefty appreciated the sugar cravings more than most of the other things they had to deal with since presenting their secondary gender.

To Lefty's frustration, there were a lot more empty water bottles than soda cans piling up. Just another reminder of how unbearably hot the recent days had been. It wasn't only the outside world that was burning either. Lefty mopped their forehead with a cloth and sniffed it, reeling back and tossing it towards their laundry hamper. It reeked of vanilla almost to the point of being foul. As Gil had explained to them, their first heat would coincide with the coming of the full moon. A consequence of being a shifter bitten into a clan of wolves, but this didn't make Lefty part of the pack their alpha called his own. he'd assured the omega that they'd be allowed to join the pack some time after their first heat passed, so long as they attended a heat retreat at Dire and Volk LLC's private campground. They weren't looking forward to it but had agreed to go for the sake of forcing themself to adapt to their new status. For the most part their trepidation came from the expectation that Lefty and Gil would be having sex out in the open, potentially with an audience watching. That was a little too far beyond the pale for Lefty.

While they'd adapted to accepting and sometimes even enjoying intimacy with their alpha, Lefty was still at their core asexual. The pair had agreed to treat sex as play by the third time it became a biological imperative. Any actual penetration would always come at the end of extended periods of scratching, massage and light wrestling, and that worked well enough for both of them. Still, Lefty wished that their alpha would force the issue rather than dance around trying to get them to openly consent. They hoped that fact might change now that their heat was imminent, be it by their own body submitting itself or Gil's coinciding rut finally driving the alpha to take Lefty without first asking. 'I've got a really weird relationship with my ass,' mused Lefty, drumming their fingers on their desk. A knock at their door broke them free of their thoughts and they approached it to see (and smell) who had arrived.

“GIL!" exclaimed Lefty, peeling their face off the wood and quickly flicking open the locks on their door. They opened it up and held their arms wide, stepping back so that their alpha wouldn't think they wanted a hug.

“Hey hey, I grabbed your meds on my way here, do you have your stuff ready?" said Gil offering Lefty a paper bag with a receipt stapled to it.

The omega snatched the bag and tore it open, shoving the bottles it contained into their hoodie's pouch. “Yeah, extra snacks, wipes and water," said Lefty, taking their messenger bag off its hook. “I honestly thought you'd forget my pills," they added.

“What, you don't trust me?" asked Gil, looking hurt. He stepped aside so Lefty could leave their studio, falling into step beside them.

“My neck bleeds when I don't talk to you for more than two hours. You tell me if I should trust you," said Lefty, bouncing their bag higher onto their shoulder and banking down the stairwell.

Gil sighed and trailed behind the omega, eyeing the bonding mark he'd placed on their nape. It had almost completely healed by then, but jagged scars still showed in the places his teeth had broken Lefty's skin.

“Does it actually bleed?" asked Gil, reaching out and gently brushing the spot with his fingers.

He had to catch Lefty a moment later as everything below their chest seemed to go limp from the contact. The alpha hooked his arms under Lefty's pits and carried them down to a switchback, then let the omega right themself.

“Jesus, felt like you sent a bolt of lightning up my ass, Gil," said Lefty, rubbing their nape. “And yeah, it does. Usually when I'm trying not to think about you."

Gil waited a moment, then followed with his hands out in case Lefty fell again “Well, that's not…" he trailed off, thought for a moment and sighed as they neared the bottom step. “…yeah that's on me. I'll try and do better."

They made their way outside and found Gil's Bronco parked neatly between two compact cars. 'A big car for an alpha male, I guess!' thought Lefty, watching Gil reach past them and scowling.

“Well, you're off to a weird start," said Lefty, gently slapping Gil's hand aside and opening his passenger door. “I got it. I don't see why we couldn't handle my first heat more privately."

Gil circled the vehicle and seated himself, starting the oversized beast and guiding it out into the narrow streets of Harperville's south commons. He didn't speak again until he was safely underway.

“Normally I would have, the fact that I bit you while in half-shift complicates things," he said.

“You've yet to explain that half-shift thing to me. Or any of this, for that matter," sassed Lefty, leaning on their elbow as they watched their building disappear in the side view mirror.

“Half shift's when we still have two legs, full shift is when we get four," said Gil, signaling his next turn about a hundred feet too early.

Lefty laughed and picked some fluff off their ear. “I guess that makes sense. I did manage to find a few photos online but you'd be surprised how hard it is to find real pictures of shifters," they said. They scrolled through their phone some more and sighed.

“What's so complicated though?"

Gil thought for a long while, cursing under his breath as someone changed lanes too close to his bumper. “Idiot- not you. You know I work at Dire and Volk, right? Think I told you that once."

“You used to talk about it all the time during aftercare. Some financial thing?" asked Lefty, leaning back and spotting the silvery D&V tower above the walls of red brick and concrete nearby.

“Yeah. Financial firm, business law team, and the biggest pack in Harperville," he said, turning into a wider street and bringing the building fully into view.

Lefty put their phone away and turned their gaze towards the alpha. They looked as high on his body as they could, but between their hormonal fugue and the built in instinct to stay low they wound up spiking his crotch like an ametuer model would a camera lens.

“A pack, like a literal wolf pack?" they said, rubbing their eyes and opting to keep them covered for now.

“Yep, but we're the only one who're all wolf shifters. AOMA has bylaws for diversity in corporate packs, but D and V has been around since before the city was built," explained Gil, rolling to a stop and gesturing to a group of teens to cross.

“And your pack has a stake in how my body is handled?" snapped Lefty.

“No- well, kinda? They have a stake in who I bond with. Since you're a…" Gil trailed off and eased back onto the gas pedal, shaking his head and reaching over to pat Lefty on the leg. “…you're an outsider. Pack politics are tough, so the sooner you show up for them the better; my coworkers are already asking about you."

Gil signaled at the entrance to a parking garage, not far from the foot of the Dire and Volk offices.

“Great. You made me agree to let you pay my rent, and now you're having issues at work," grumbled Lefty, clenching their fists and releasing them with a deep sigh. “Gods this heat is unbearable, why'd I wear this stupid jacket?"

“I was wondering why you left your scarf at home," said Gil, turning slightly into a parking space, reversing a little, and trying again with more success.

“It smelled like cumin and made me want to eat my own feet," snipped Lefty, rapping their knuckles on their armrest. “Sorry, thinking about it didn't help."

They both hopped out of Gil's fancy shagwagon and joined up to leave the garage. “Well, I'm glad you decided to come. I think meeting the others will help you. Sorry that this'll end in- well, we'll get there when we get there."

“I'll accept your apology after the fact, not before," murmured Lefty, rounding the corner and stopping dead at the sight of several dozen strangers.

They were all waiting at a bus stop near the garage, at least thirty five people in total and almost comically stereotypical in their dress. Taller men and few women in black or navy business attire stood above the most disgustingly bright and creamy garden of pastels Lefty had ever seen. The omegas were mostly male-bodied as well, though a trio of pretty young women huddling around a tall female alpha stood out. Lefty was the only omega present who wore pants. Gil gestured for Lefty to follow him as he passed and Lefty fell into step beside him, though they maintained enough space not to be breathing their alpha's air like the other omegas. Around the fringes of the group stood a few 'strays' as the internet called them; Alphas and Omegas with no formal bond established. Even as separate entities there was plenty of flirtation being traded between them; alphas subtly showed off their chests or groins and omegas giggled and toyed with the hems of their skirts. Gil stopped near one of his colleagues and the two immediately began to speak of work, the latest advancements in law and finance, and what to do with unruly subordinates. It was dull enough that Lefty could ignore being openly insulted by the stranger.

It was more bothersome how swiftly they found themself surrounded as other omegas orbited their partners to see the new stranger up close. Lefty and Gil were absorbed into the crowd like bacteria into a white blood cell, and the mix of odors both natural and sweet sent their head spinning. Someone started playing with their hair, another commented on their clothing in a voice somehow both syrupy and painfully sarcastic. They could barely hear any of it through the cotton in their skull and they began to hyperventilate, looking for escape routes and shaking on the spot. Gil's hand fell on their back within moments of this starting and he started massaging Lefty between their shoulder blades in slow, gentle circles. Lefty glanced up, noted the faux pas in doing so and then opted to seek out his scent instead. They'd learned that quick, sharp inhalations were best for situations like this and found the familiar profile of old leather-bound books that had become so soothing.

So long as they focused on Gil, Lefty could tune out most of the hushed yapping around them. They even managed to shoot back a few half-hearted remarks when someone brought up how they'd 'dressed like a beta'. It was weak though, amounting to them saying they chose whatever smelled good. Their frustration was drowned out when the gossip changed tracks again, and Lefty kept to themself after that. They heard far more than they needed about the alphas and their habits, shuddering whenever anyone brought up how 'messy' so-and-such were when mating. They counted that at least seven out of ten topics in the rapidly changing conversation were about sex, and the remaining three were about rules they'd been given that they didn't feel like following. What few words Lefty offered were mostly small corrections about Gil, though they snapped at one person for implying that their alpha had a weak scent. The omega that said it giggled and thumped Lefty's shoulder, telling them how cool it was that they 'could get mad' like that.

'What's going on in their heads? Is that how I'll end up?' The thought looped through Lefty's mind until the bus finally arrived and gave them a reason to stop. Gil held Lefty back as the others filed on; the strays entered first and ended up together at the rear of the bus, followed by several betas that filled the middle rows. Gil kept his hold on them as he walked Lefty up and, having them sit in a seat near the front. He had his partner take the window seat, shielding them from as much of their surroundings as possible. It was a privately owned bus, luxurious in its own way, and dotted here and there with Dire and Volk iconography. There was enough space not to feel packed in and lefty could feel cool air flowing across their lap from well-concealed vents. It was hard to imagine a better designed vehicle for hauling dozens of hormonally charged pheromone-bombs from one place to another. Having clean air and their partner close certainly helped Lefty get a handle on their heart rate.

“There's more betas than I expected," mumbled Lefty, yawning and fidgeting with the lid of their pill bottle. “And strays too. Four and four? That can't be a coincidence."

Gil nodded and looked up from his phone. “We'd never be able to pull off the retreats without the beta team. Hell, even at the office, they get more stuff done than the rest of us do, sometimes. As for the strays…"

Gil looked back over his shoulder, and Lefty poked their head up over the bench to see what he was looking at. Four omegas, three male and one female, sat at the back yapping to one another about anyone that caught their eye and any topic that popped into their heads. The alphas across from them were similarly introspective, though the hungry looks on their faces were as clear as day. If Lefty squinted, they could even see the nervous sweat on the targets of their gaze. 'There's two conversations happening there,' mused Lefty.

“…They're pairing off this week. The board picks a few every quarter and sends them with us. they'll be doing a sort of 'mating hunt' I think," explained Gil.

Lefty shuddered and turned back around, huddling against Gil and breathing in his scent. Thanks to the climate control humming away around them, it was easy to single him out among the group.

“I'm glad I'm not part of that. Even if it's because I'm stuck with you," they said.

“Rude," sighed Gil, smiling. He patted Lefty on the head and turned his attention back to his news articles.

The ride itself was smooth and quiet, and Lefty found themself feeling both safe and quite tired as they left the city and rolled out onto the highway. Open fields and the occasional section of forest passed by outside as the omega relaxed against Gil's arm, and they drifted off before long.

Lefty awoke a couple hours later to a gentle shake of their shoulder, yawning and looking out at the grand red and yellow sign lazily spinning outside. The bus had stopped outside a Scurley's Truck stop, with its mascot proudly giving the world a thumbs up. Half the tourists visiting Harperville wore that damned squirrel on their shirts. Lefty rubbed their eyes as they followed Gil out, falling into step at the back of the pack. The strays took the lead this time, though the entire group was headed up by a single beta with a clipboard and a small spray bottle on a cord around his neck. Gil later explained these as 'deterrent sprays', something incredibly foul smelling that would make even the surliest alpha reconsider their next decision. Other patrons parted like the Red Sea or even fled entirely as the pack entered. Who could blame them? Lefty certainly felt the same way when they'd encountered the group at the bus stop, and they were invited.

It was all starting to feel like a field trip, and that feeling was made worse by another beta wearing the same 'behavioral adjustment talisman' stepping up to take roll call. It was only alphas that got called, and each one in turn called the name of their omega as if it were a given that they'd be together. 'Of course it's a given, Lefty. Don't be stupid, it's normal for pairs like this' thought the enby. All eyes were on them when their alpha's name was called and he snapped to attention with a shaky “Gilan Volk, with Maven Rask," before laying his arm on Lefty's shoulder and jostling them. Any murmuring the gathered pack members wanted to do was silenced as the betas carried on with their list. At the end all eight of the strays were called one by one, with each one sounding more confident than the last in some silly attempt at one-upping each other.

More 'camp counselor' types dipped through the crowd and slid their clipboards in between bonded pairs to coax them apart. This invariously caused much whimpering and complaining, and even Lefty felt pained when the same was done to Gil and themself. The alpha also nudged them away in order to ease the separation, but this did little to prevent a bolt of pain from crossing the inside of Lefty's head. 'No wonder they're crying. That fucking HURTS!' thought Lefty, seizing along their spine and clutching the side of their head. They rubbed their eyes as they joined a pastel-colored huddle of omegas at a different table. It looked and smelt as if they'd sat down in a garden in a hurricane of marshmallows, and they sat in silence while the other omegas chatted past them. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the happy scents combined with heated bodies began to infect Lefty's guarded ego before long.

“…then he flipped me on my back and put a blanket over my head like I'm some kind of parrot," chirped one of the omegas, a fellow in a glittery pink dress that barely covered his ass.

“Did it work?" asked Lefty, chuckling and shaking their head as they spoke before thinking.

The glitterpup rubbed his neck and sighed wistfully. “Nah, it was his blanket so it just made me need him more."

“So it definitely worked," said a (more) feminine voice nearby. She was wearing a sky-blue sweater and some plain shorts, and in the middle of having her hair brushed by someone else.

“You've got me there!" laughed the first omega.

Lefty started sinking comfortably into the chatter, even managing to slip in a few bits of gossip about their own relationship without feeling guilty for it. They could tell in the back of their mind that the cloud of pheromones around the table was acting as a sort of social flux. The entire group was more or less held together by this invisible binding agent, though Lefty suspected the betas patrolling the edge of the table also helped to keep things from getting too chaotic. The 'babysitters' did on several occasions make sharp gestures or flick the ears of anyone that got too loud or too overtly sexual in their commentary. Lefty themself also earned an ear flick for oversharing about their alpha's tendency to shove moist articles of clothing in their mouth during scenes. 'Save it for the campsite, hun' is what they were told. The gentleness of the admonishment was more insulting than the fact that it came at all.

After a nice meal and a nicer chat, the entire group filed back onto the bus and settled in for another hour or so of trundling along the freeway. Lefty hadn't seen the edge of Harperville in nearly a decade, and as the landscape transitioned from open freeway to towering firs the atmosphere inside the bus shifted to match. Chatter dropped to low whispering and snoring omegas woke up as anticipation snuck in under the otherwise strict climate controls. Gil's was like a sealed cigar box, the barest hints of tobacco beneath cedar wood. Lefty could pick out their own anxiety as well and found it rather like burnt sugar. Not quite caramel but close enough that they found it distasteful. Lefty hated caramel.

The driver eased them to a stop at the edge of a dense bank of trees, and the pack disembarked like toy soldiers sorting themselves into ranks. As they walked, Lefty noticed an alpha near the front chatting with the lead beta, gesturing with his hands in a strange manner. He'd fold and unfold them, putting one behind himself on occasion to and wiggling his fingers. The beta did the same with his free hand as the other held his clipboard.

“They're signing out ear and tail movements, to make sure they're on the same page," explained Gil, performing similar signals as he spoke.

“Using their hands to show emotion because the beta can't smell him, right?" asked Lefty. Gil nodded and pulled them closer, walking them through a couple simple gestures as they went.

The path opened up into a clearing at the entrance to a fenced off campground. Two buildings flanked the rolling gate, and between them sat a row of carts with multiple drawers for keeping belongings in. “Make sure you hold onto your meds though," he added with a wink. A beta in a black staff shirt orbited the group swinging a fairground noisemaker, calling attention to herself with the loud rhythmic clacking of wooden gears. It worked like a charm and all eyes were on her as she made her way to the head of the group.

“I'd like to wish a warm welcome to all Dire and Volk packmates and guests. Most of you have been here before, some of you are regulars, but for the benefits of the newbies I'm going to make an announcement," she says, flipping over a sheet on her clipboard and rattling her noisemaker again to keep everyone's attention.

“As this is a heat retreat, and most of you will be unmedicated, D&V has vested power in us betas to keep everyone safe and apply pack rules. We have puke buckets handy in case anyone decides to test their luck," she continued, holding up the bottle on her lanyard. A number of alphas shuddered at the sight of the tiny spritzer.

She went on to explain that omegas and alphas would be spending most of the retreat separated from one another, both to stoke desire as well as ensure that the best chance of any couples bearing fruit comes under the full moon. 'What are we, breeding stock?' thought Lefty.

The lead beta also explained that any alphas caught mounting omegas that don't belong to them will be faced with immediate discipline as well as potential write-ups upon returning to work.

“I don't care how high they're flagging. If it's not yours, don't touch it!" she said, slapping her clipboard and scowling.

Beyond that, she went over a few more simple rules that boiled down to things the “responsible alphas" should avoid doing. She framed these as things they ought to tell their omegas in order to keep the peace and avoid any slap fights. Against all odds she managed to make it through her speech just in time for the regulars to get impatient and peel their omegas out of their clothing. Lefty blushed as they watched the giggly, barely restrained submissives lift their arms or wiggle their hips to help their mates remove the clothing from their bodies. They felt like a voyeur, wiping the sweat from their face and uncomfortably aware of how the sight of so many soft, naked bodies was affecting them. When Lefty turned their attention back to Gil they saw him smirking down at them. They stared harshly at his neck and met his amusement with a scowl.

“Well?" they asked. Gil laughed and bent low, hooking his hands under the hem of Lefty's jacket.

“Wasn't sure you wanted my help," said Gil, rolling the garment up and easing it off Lefty's body.

The omega raised their arms and allowed Gil to disrobe them, shivering as they were cloaked in cold air that didn't reach more than skin deep. They'd been burning up all day, so getting out of their jacket was more of a relief than an embarrassment. Gil repeated the process with Lefty's jeans, unbuttoning and sliding them down as he knelt before them.

“Go ahead and step out of your sandals too. Fold it all as neat as you can," he said.

Lefty did as they were told… and that surprised them, to be sure. When they stood up with their belongings in a neat bundle, they felt their body warming again at the sight of Gil's skin. Tan, hairy in all the right places and having a bit of a belly, he was aesthetically attractive if nothing else. It almost extended to a desire for physical intimacy. Almost. Even with the man they had grown to adore, the scars on their nape and the campsite they were in both brought them back down out of the clouds. They wouldn't have ever ended up in this situation if not for him and his teeth. Trust alone couldn't have made the omega want to offer themself either. Nothing could, but Gil was a man they'd welcome to bed on a good day if only to deepen their bond. They handed their clothing over to the alpha and hugged his side, hanging on as long as they could before a staff beta came to pry them apart.

The omegas were led along one side of the carts, hurried away from their mates and towards a long cabin on one end of the campground. At the foot of the cabin, seated on a cooler and fanning himself with a magazine, sat a portly fellow that looked more like “someone's dad" than most actual dads. He stood up and shooed away the other staffer, then put his hands up defensively as several omegas huddled around him. Some whined and tugged at his shirt, others played with his hair and one of the female omegas even bit his arse. He had to roll up his magazine and pop each one on the head with it in order to get his personal space back. The jolly beta shooed them all away, then turned to face the few awkward omegas that hadn't joined the swarm.

“Inside, you lot! I'll work my magic in a minute; There's new faces this month and I want to introduce myself," he said, waving his book at them haphazardly and straightening his shirt.

“You five, c'mere," he said, laying down his arms on his cooler and planting a fist on his hip.

Lefty and the strays shuffled forwards, refreshingly awkward in their collective nudity compared to the more rowdy pups. 'At least the strays are as nervous as me, though they've got different reasons'

_ _

“Name's Dave. Officially, I'm the one in charge of the initial bonding activities between pack omegas," he said, sweeping his hand down his front to show off his staff shirt.

“Unofficially, I towel asses off while y'all gab about your mates. I see at least one of my new mail room pups here, so I certainly hope we get along," he said, belting out an infectious laugh that brought smiles to Lefty and the strays.

The others followed their noses inside, leaving Lefty behind to mentally prepare. They kept their hands over their privates and bounced on the balls of their feet, grinding their teeth as they watched the last bare ass disappear into the cabin.

Dave extended a hand towards Lefty, then looked down and thought better of it. “You must be the one Laura mentioned. Maven, wasn't it?"

Lefty startled at the sound of their name, and nodded. “Call me Lefty, it's nice to meet you."

“I'll be damned, it's true," said Dave with a wide smile. “The brass told me we had a special case coming. If there's anything I can do to ease you in, please let me know."

Lefty flexed their fingers, debating on whether they should expose themself long enough to clear the sweat from their eyes. “I'm honestly not sure. This is a lot," they said, keeping their hands in place.

“I know how you feel. Last year I was a park ranger, now I'm everyone's favorite," said Dave, opening his cooler and retrieving a sandwich bag with a towel in it.

“You're part of the pack? How'd that happen so fast?" asked Lefty, eyeing the bag suspiciously.

“The last guy got a little overwhelmed and transferred out right before a full moon. They couldn't find someone willing to manage that mess," he said, pointing over his shoulder at the cabin full of giddy omegas.

“So you jumped in and they just… let you join?" asked Lefty.

“Yep, it helped that the pups love me. They damn near tore the office apart to get me into the gang. I've been family ever since," he said, popping open the bag and flicking the towel a couple times to unfurl it before offering it to Lefty. “May I?"

Lefty wiped their face again and leaned away from the offered cloth. They could feel it drawing the warmth from their body and they glanced between it and the jolly fellow a few times before sighing and turning around.

“Go ahead," they said softly, rolling their shoulders and wincing at how sore they were. “How do you handle it?"

Dave pressed the towel between their shoulders and worked it in slow circles, drying Lefty's sweat and cooling them down at the same time. “I dunno. I suppose I must have good instincts."

“Instincts, huh? I feel like mine are trying to get me into trouble, these days," said Lefty, tensing up as Dave worked his way lower.

“I believe it. I won't tell you to trust me, but I can say it's hard to get in any real trouble here. I see you've gotten a bite, so you've got at least one person to protect you," he said, pausing his work just above Lefty's bum.

Lefty straightened their back, drew in a deep breath, and slumped over as they let it out. They shuffled their feet and let themself fall into a more submissive stance, then nodded over their shoulder.

“You can keep going. I get the feeling you weren't joking earlier," they said.

Dave simply chuckled and put pressure on the base of Lefty's spine, dabbing the towel gently into their crack and working downwards. 'I can't tell what's worse, how nasty this is or how much I needed it!'

_ _

“I wasn't. You'd be surprised how bad some of the pups get during their heat. You must either be pilled up or lucky," he said, tossing the sticky rag into a nearby bucket and pressing his thumbs into Lefty's shoulders.

“I'm medicated, but I think I left them in my jacket. Are you sure I'll be okay? I'm not even part of the pack," asked Lefty, leaning into the massage and shuddering.

“Well, you're a brave one I'll give you that. As for politics? Don't worry about it. You're here because you're going through some rough stuff. You have an alpha and a buncha sorry fools like me watching your back," said Dave.

Lefty sighed and looked up at the afternoon sky, smiling a pained little smile as they fought themself over whether to believe him.

“I'll hold you to that," said Lefty, twisting around to glance at the sweet-scented cabin behind them. “The others may be getting impatient though."

Dave nodded and stepped back, cocking his head towards the cabin. “Good point, can't have jealous omegas on our hands. C'mon."

They stepped into the cabin together and Dave was once again surrounded, but this time he disappeared beneath a sea of fur rather than naked skin. The cabin was full of bipedal wolves, slender and looking like works of art, Lefty counted nine distinct coats ranging from light grey to almost black and in patterns each as unique as their wearer. Lupine tails wagged, tongues lolled out of their muzzles, and Dave kept them at bay with gentle swats of his magazine. He quietly admonished them for swarming him when it was time for team building exercises, though judging by the giggling it seemed as if the omegas would rather be teaming up to smother him. The cabin was a warm, comfortable space cloaked in dark reds and natural hues. An electronic campfire crackled near a wide nest of pillows and generic-looking stuffed animals and there were even separate nesting spots dotted around the room for more intimate grooming sessions.

Little by little, the gaggle of oversized puppies calmed down and backed off to retrieve brushes and claw trimmers from around the room. Lefty watched from the sidelines, sheepishly rubbing their arm as they tried to make sense of what was happening. They sighed and gave up on trying to shove themself into the group, dropping themself onto a stool and resting their chin on their hand. Whatever common ground they'd managed to find seemed so far away now. It was a beautiful sight to take in, though they were even harder to tell apart than they were before. Both the male and female omegas had flat chests, curved backs and wide hips, though there was enough variance in body shapes to make them distinct. Lefty caught glimpses of the equipment they sported, but tore their gaze away as often as possible lest anyone think they wanted a closer look. Some dangled, some didn't, and that was all they needed to know.

“Hey, gals, the newbie's still in her skin," said one of a trio of female omegas that Lefty had seen fussing over each other's fur.

Lefty looked up, coming face to face with a lupine muzzle and nearly tumbling off their stool. They fell backwards into a warm, fluffy wall whose arms wrapped around their waist.

“Oh geez, sorry- hey, aren't you the gals who all shared the one alpha?" asked Lefty, somehow managing to recognize their scents. The last of the trio sat down beside them, completing the Great Wall of heat and thoroughly trapping the outsider.

“Miss Silvia," said all three of them in unison. Hands- paws? Roamed over Lefty's arms and chest, with pads far softer than Lefty expected on such animalistic bodies.

Lefty rubbed their eyes, putting a hand on their chest and struggling to take in a breath. Sweet cola, strawberry tarts and the general idea of a bakery snaked up around them and it took all of their focus to catch anything besides these scents.

“Silvia? That's a lovely name," slurred Lefty, shaking their head and reaching up to wipe some drool from their face. They found another hand instead, and someone else wiped Lefty's mouth for them.

“Oh she's suffocating, should we give her space?" said the one in front. Her pelt was dark grey and speckled with white, though it was hard to tell with Lefty's eyes stubbornly refusing to uncross.

“Space is the last thing she needs, Pepper," said the one behind Lefty.

“Shut up, Clover," snapped Pepper.

“Both of you shut up, you're making it worse!" Hissed the one at Lefty's side.

“All of you shut up for a second!" barked Lefty, shoving their fingers into their ears and shaking their head. “Gods my head hurts, I don't need space, but I do need help."

The outburst earned Lefty a moment's peace and far too few inches of personal space, but it was enough.

“You lot make this seem so easy. I don't even know how to shift," admitted Lefty, wiping more sweat from their eyes and trying to get a better look at the three ladies.

Pepper was appropriately named, looking like someone had generously seasoned her pelt. Clover was distinguishable by having the lightest fur of the three. Lefty pointed weakly at the last one, the one rubbing their leg and leaning against their side, and asked for her name.

“Oh yea, duh, you don't know us. I'm Ginger, the three of us are technically bond-mates by proxy," she said, sitting back on her haunches. The easiest distinguishing feature to spot on her was a streak of white that ran from her cheek to her shoulder. The other two confirmed their names as well, and Clover pressed the side of her head to Lefty's face.

“Wait, you don't know how to shift? Isn't your mate-" started Clover.

“Shush! Don't get them in trouble," snapped Pepper, cutting the other off. “We can definitely help. Miss Silvia taught all three of us, so we probably add up to an expert by now."

Pepper also sat back, leaving only Clover Invading Lefty's personal space. It might have been the dense, goopy feeling in their head but Lefty didn't mind her touch so long as her hands stayed off their crotch.

“Don't think of shifting like something you do," chirped Ginger, twirling her hand about as she recalled her alpha's advice. “It's more about what you don't do? Is that how she said it?"

“Jesus you're stupid, GiGi. Miss Silvia said it was something to do with behaving badly," said Clover, a little too loud for how close she was to Lefty's ear.

“You're both right, but you forgot the part about clenching up," mocked Pepper.

“Slow down, please. So am I supposed to hold my farts or push them out!?" snapped Lefty, rubbing their temples.

All three of them once again spoke in unison, letting a long drawn out “Eeeeeeewwwww" and laughing at the frustrated, furless omega between them.

“Listen, try to tighten every muscle in your body at once, hold it, and let them all go at the same time," said Pepper, flicking Ginger on the ear for the dirty look she gave her bondmate.

Clover laid her head on Lefty's shoulder while they concentrated. 'It's like something I don't do? Did they mean I'm meant to stop doing something?' they thought, feeling out the different muscles they could consciously flex and tensing as many as they could. It was rather unpleasant, all things considered, but vaguely reminiscent of a trick they'd learned in therapy. Whatever misbehavior Clover had meant was lost in translation as all Lefty could picture was her pushing a glass off a table to see if it would bounce. 'For all I know that's exactly what she meant'

“Now breathe in, and let it all go," said Pepper, placing a hand on Lefty's chest.

Lefty drew in a breath and released it, feeling absolutely no different than before. “I'm not sure it's working," they said.

“Don't forget not to- oh shit, I forgot again," mumbled Ginger, scratching the side of her muzzle.

“Honestly she's cooking. Try just not doing anything," said Clover. Lefty leaned away from her this time, but she was still far too loud.

“I think it's more of a metaphor. Going into this form isn't like putting on fur, it's like coming out of your skin," said Pepper, folding her arms across her chest. “I usually have to think of Miss Silvia to do it."

Lefty inhaled again, putting a hand over their face to filter some of the cloying scents out. They tightened up their body and let their mind settle on a memory of Gil, drifting back to that recent night where they felt the alpha across their back. He'd been shifted at that time, though they were in a deep subspace that kept them from noticing. Lefty curled their toes and recalled the feeling of Gil's claws at their ribs, and teeth in their nape, and shuddered involuntarily as their body rejected any attempts to hold tension. 'That won't work. It's all I can think about whenever he's around, but it's not exactly a relaxing thought'.

“I almost had it," said Lefty, taking Pepper's hand and squeezing it. “Is it gonna hurt? Knowing that might help."

“It hurts a little," admitted Pepper, returning the squeeze and smiling. It was more frightening than endearing, given her unnervingly sharp teeth and canine visage.

Lefty rolled their shoulders and sat up straight, methodically seeking out every little thing in their body that they could put to work from their neck down to their toes. They even flattened their abdominal muscles as if they meant to do a sit up, then cast their mind to a more comfortable place. They thought of their home. A desk surrounded by soft materials, their plants and their computer. Coffee would be brewing at all hours if they could defeat their laziness, and their bed would never be made if they could use it as often as they slept in their nest. The present and future states of their studio and the potential it still had or safety it promised? Those were the things Lefty really wanted to think of. When they exhaled and released the uncomfortable full-body squeezing, some amount of pressure remained in their joints. The same pressure built in their lungs and began to burn along their spine before exploding outwards like a dye-bag in hot water.

When they opened their eyes, they were looking at the top of Pepper's head through a narrower, slightly greyer field of view.

“Oh damn. This one's TALL!"

Lefty looked at Pepper, tried to speak, and let out a weird series of awoo-ing and awawawawa-ing noises that ended in them putting their face in their hands and holding a finger out in a 'one moment' gesture. They laid a palm on their larynx and tested out the movement of their facial and throat muscles for a couple of minutes, then took a deep breath and tried again.

“I smell so fucking strong now," they said, rubbing their nose and palming around their muzzle as they examined it.

Lefty looked down to inspect their hands, needing to turn their head to the side to see past their snout. They took a moment to check their claws and pads too, finding them annoyingly plush and fragile-feeling. Their fur was white and softer than some expensive blankets lefty had seen. Combing their fingertips along their arm brought a shudder to their spine and a whine to their throat. 'Sensitive too. All over. Is it the fur or my heat causing that?' Lefty looked around and saw that most of their new friends were still busy brushing, nipping at or otherwise tending to one another, and furry hands soon found their hips again.

“You smell great, hun. Wanna hang with us tonight?" asked Clover, poking her face through Lefty's armpit.

“We'll all get a time out for it, though," sighed Ginger, twisting around to grab a brush off of a nearby pillow.

“Then don't play with her naughty bits, you slut," said Pepper, taking Lefty's hand and inspecting their claws. “Oh these are nice. Do you mind getting my back?"

“I don't mind at all- oh?" Lefty straightened up as plastic bristles made contact with their shoulder. “Gods that's good." They rolled their shoulders and straightened up so Clover could brush them.

Lefty's right hand was taken by Ginger, who'd handed off the brush so she could tend their claws. They gently dug their other hand into Pepper's fur once she'd turned around, being extra careful now that they knew how sensitive her skin must be. Working in sections, they dragged their fingertips down and left rows of subtle indentations in that speckled grey pelt as the same was done to their own back. It hardly took any of their focus to do this, which was good as they were still sweating profusely and surrounded on all sides by heated, sugary scents and roaming paws. Tending to and being tended by omegas felt right. Lefty only startled a few times when Clover began to work around the base of their tail or nape, but even then it was easy to drift back into the slow pleasantness of grooming and being groomed by their new friends. 'If I were anyone else, I'd be over the moon. These gals- hell, all of us are pretty sexy.'

After brushing them for a couple minutes, Clover hugged Lefty from behind and wiggled her fingers, and Ginger pressed a buffing stone into their hands before pulling Lefty's tail into her lap. Pepper turned and got very close to Lefty's face with a small comb, using it to start fluffing out the fur on their cheeks. 'Okay now I'm melting,' they thought, keeping their snout as high as they could while still feeling for and scraping splinters off of Clover's claws. It wasn't something they'd been taught but Ginger had worked slow enough that they had a good idea what to do. Dave could be seen in their periphery, watching the entire group with a big silly smile on his face. He paused at times to offer a bag of sweets or small bottles of sports drinks to anyone he passed. When he reached Lefty and the gals, the drowning enby poked their head up over the group and flattened their ears.

“Please tell me you have chocolate," they whined. The gals giggled and poked at Lefty with their claws, and Dave shook his head.

“No chocolate. The last thing I need is a buncha sick fluffballs," said Dave, producing a dried mango slice and holding it under Lefty's nose.

Clover peeked up and tried to snatch it, earning a gentle flick to the snout and a 'wait your turn'. Lefty whimpered again and took the offered snack, struggling a little to chew it in their muzzle. It was just sweet enough and just different enough to perk them up and they got right back to work cleaning between Clover's pads. Ginger worked a boar-bristle brush along their tail and fussed over any knots she found. Pepper eventually released their face and set to work on picking bits of fluff off of their chest with ever-so-slightly more force than before. Clover pulled Lefty back as well, and someone's hands managed to find the enby's ankles and tip them onto their back without any of it seeming unusual. 'Oh- my turn for a paw massage?' they thought, chest rising and falling as they watched Ginger pick at the fur around their toes. They'd landed in Clover's lap and felt their entire body somehow get hotter as they were dunked directly into her pheromones. She was the one that smelled like strawberry tarts, it turns out. Lefty's eyes were on Pepper, though. They tracked her downwards as her snout dipped between their legs, flattening their ears and twisting them back in mild panic.

'Where is she going? I'm sticky down there, aren't I?' they thought. Their actual voice had left them somewhere between having their tail pulled for the fourth time and feeling Clover's claws tracing over their throat.

“Hey gals! Don't make me use this," huffed Dave, throwing himself to his feet from a nearby stool and waving a small squirt bottle about. Clover and Ginger flinched but Pepper didn't seem to hear him and earned herself several shots of cold water to the face.

Clover, Ginger and Lefty also got sprayed, and disentangled from one another with some difficulty. Lefty stood and rubbed their face dry on the back of their hands, feeling someone grab their tail and whipping their head around to growl at them. It was one of the strays.

“Woah, sorry. You're making a huge mess, I was just gonna…" he trailed off and lifted a damp towel in one hand. “…don't want you to embarrass yourself."

Lefty pinched the bridge of their snout and sighed. “Go ahead, sorry for snapping at you. I'm a little overwhelmed."

The stranger nodded and lifted their tail, dabbing the area beneath it dry and running the towel down over their inner thighs. “First heat?" he chirped.

“Yeah, it is. You're getting hunted tomorrow, aren't you?" Lefty asked, sniffing their wrists and gagging softly.

“Yep! But I already know who's gonna get me. I think the traditions are only an excuse to fuck outdoors, if you ask me," he said, standing and discarding the sticky rag. “Name's Gavin, by the way."

“Lefty, thanks for the hand- oh," said Lefty, glancing down and spotting the clean towel being offered. “Fair is fair, I guess."

The other omega laughed and turned to show off his rear end, allowing Lefty to get to work. They couldn't help but look at his hole while they worked, wincing and tipping their head to the side as they pressed the rag into his fur.

“Sheesh, it looks as bad as it feels," they said, cleaning their new friend's legs and tossing the towel away.

“Could be worse. I'm not formally bonded so I don't have the extra hormones that go with it," said Gavin, turning and placing his hands on Lefty's shoulders. “Damn, the gals were right, you are tall. No wonder they got so fired up," he said, looking Lefty up and down and then shaking his head.

Lefty shrugged and yawned, feeling Gavin shudder as they opened their maw. “Ah? Sorry for scaring you. Did you say heat's worse for bonded omegas?"

“Oh yeah. I'd think you were off your meds if I didn't notice your scars earlier. I bet you can't wait to raise your tail for your mate," said Gavin, swaying and grinding his thighs together.

“You'd think, but not really. I just want it to be over already," sighed Lefty. They wouldn't have admitted this if not for how damned tired they were.

“You are an odd one. I figure you're not dumb though," said Gavin, separating himself from Lefty as a look of understanding crossed his muzzle. “I've never met an ace omega."

Lefty put a finger to their lips and hissed him, then deflated slightly. “Geez, call me out harder, why don't you? No I'm not stupid, I know how this stupid field trip ends for me."

Gavin laid a hand on his hip and looked Lefty over, then shrugged. “It's none of my business, but I do hope things work out for you. You seem really put together for someone who'd rather not be here."

Gavin turned and found another omega to share space with, leaving Lefty to find themself a relatively safe place to curl up for some alone time. Some time later, a staff beta with a rattling noise maker called everyone out of the cabin and led them all back to the center of the campsite. Tables ringed a large bonfire, and the alphas filed into the area around the same time the omegas reached it; the instant they saw their partners, the large majority of them bolted across the grass. Lefty sniffed the air and picked out the scent of old leather books from a dark grey wolf with a silver undercoat. There was no doubt that this was Gil, and Lefty let their limbs carry them into his arms. They fell headfirst into his chest, sending the alpha back a step and sliding down until they remembered how their legs worked. As much as they hated having to use Gil as an anchor, it was still better than carrying on trying to squeeze meaningful companionship from other omegas.

“Holy FUCK my ass hurts," they said, pawing at him and whining as their knees shook. “You're- oh geez you're big, and you reek," they said, rubbing their face in his fur.

“Do I? I'll explain it over dinner, let's find a spot," said Gil, rubbing Lefty's back and guiding them to a table. He motioned at them like he was telling an unruly dog to sit, and left them there a moment.

Lefty fidgeted with their ears, watching the alpha as he loaded down a couple of plates, shaking their leg the entire time they were forced to wait.

“Oh thank god, I was gonna go crazy- hell, I am going crazy. This sucks!" said Lefty, shoveling a spoonful of macaroni into their face and wiping their eyes off on a napkin. 'I'm crying again?'

_ _

“You're doing better than I expected," quipped Gil, earning himself a growl from the enby.

“Damnit Gil, how are you so calm?" asked Lefty, flicking some food off their fur and grabbing for a bottle of water.

“Strong as hell suppressants and the threat of getting blasted with that nasty crap the mediators are carrying," answered Gil, wrapping an arm around Lefty's waist. “You smell like… everything, by the way."

“Well you smell like balls! And not even your own balls," said Lefty, nearly twisting their bottle in two trying to open it.

Gil took the mangled water bottle from them and opened it, handing it back with a nervous chuckle. “It's a pack thing. Been in the sauna with the guys and- well, there may have been a bit of bro-touching happening."

Lefty nearly choked on their water, sending a small put through their nose and rubbing their burning snout with a palm. “Bro touching? I'm not even gonna ask."

Gil nodded and yawned, finally taking a bite of his burger and washing it down with a sports drink. He was sweating hard and giving off stronger than usual musk, and he seemed to be acting out the most exaggerated hangover Lefty had ever seen.

“Ah hell," whispered Lefty, leaning against their alpha and exhaling sharply. “Sorry. I've been stuck in my own head all day."

“Same, bud. Did you have fun with the others?"

Lefty bit their tongue, holding back a jab about how Gil made it sound like they'd been left at a daycare. “I did. Made some friends, I think. I was worried I wouldn't fit in," they admitted.

“Figured you'd be more upset if you did," sighed Gil, gently scratching Lefty's scalp. “I'm glad though."

Lefty did the closest thing they could to purring, an odd growly whining sound that got their feelings across either way. “You're not wrong. Y'know, someone told me it's worse- that my heat's gonna be worse since I've been claimed."

“I hate that word. Claimed," said Gil, shuddering and tugging Lefty's ear. “But they weren't wrong. I'm sorry I've put you through this."

“When we get home, I want you to tell me everything. About the pack, about what I am, about you," said Lefty, counting off their fingers as they rolled through their list. “Even the stuff I shouldn't want to know, like how your body acts around me and what you see me as."

Gil pulled his omega hard against his side and nodded. “I'll answer anything you ask. I owe you a lot more than that," he said.

“We can start with answers. Anything more will have to wait. I really hope this is the worst thing your teeth have gotten me," said Lefty, letting their eyes fall closed and squirming in their seat. They were already due for another date with a cold towel, but Dave was nowhere to be found.

“It might not be. The pack might-"

“Save it until I'm sober," snipped Lefty, cutting their alpha off. “Please."

“Fair enough. You good- fuck. Sorry," said Gil, shaking his head and laying it atop Lefty's.

“I'm good, you big dummy. I actually love it when you ask me that," said Lefty. Merely hearing the words 'you good' made them relax even more and reminded them of every scene they'd ever done with the alpha.

“I'll keep asking then, I was worried it was getting old." said Gil, looking up at the waxing moon. “Do you still trust me?"

“No..."

Lefty spoke quickly, laying their head in their hands and poking at the pile of fries in front of them.

“…But I don't want to make the last few years worthless over a single mistake."

Gil shifted against the omega, wiping his eyes off on a napkin and running it over his snout as well. He masked it well, but his scent took on ashy notes that caused Lefty to tear in kind.

“I'll take it. I was worried I'd- well, Nevermind. Thank you for the second chance," said Gil.

“Were you gonna say you were worried you'd lose me?" asked Lefty, sitting up and disentangling themself from Gil's grasp. “Not happening. Own it, big guy. I'd take you over half the alphas I've met."

Gil looked down at Lefty (not looking far as they were nearly the same height) and smiled warmly. “I'll take that too."

After dinner the couples were again separated, and Lefty rejoined the other omegas at their cabin. Dave was there to give each one a flick on the snout and a cold towel to the tailpipe, but the omegas were left to their own devices once inside. Lefty stood at least two inches taller than any of them and was pulled to the middle of the group as they all shuffled to the central nest, feeling strange hands in stranger places pulling them down into the pillows. Shades of grey and black, fur matted with sweat and the sounds of canine snoring and whimpering surrounded them as the lanterns outside clicked off one by one. Lefty was too tired to care about the odd symphony or claustrophobic position they fell into, let alone try to process the soup of sweet pheromones they were laying in.

Beneath the sticky sugar fog was something more natural; everyone was tired, dirty and far too moist in too many ways. Paws brushed along their sides and belly, some finding their hands and getting slow meandering massages, others planting against their muzzle or groin and being lazily swatted away. It was almost soothing to be at the center of the tangle of slick-furred limbs, if not for how much weight they had to shift whenever they needed to change position. Sleep came easy, mercifully removing lefty's consciousness from the task of coping with their current reality.

The sun rose the next day, diffusing through the curtains as rattling noise makers outside the cabin called everyone out of slumber.

Almost everyone.

Lefty had trouble hearing the sound or even seeing the sun, as they were surrounded by soft, sticky and flowery-scented fur. Whatever was over their head was as fluffy as any of their stuffed toys, but the mass blocking their nose was much more substantial. As they peered through a mesh of grey fur and tried to inhale some fresh air, they sucked in a few flecks of something slimy and reeled back to cough it up. With one hand planted on the floor, their other found and wrapped around somebody's tail and Lefty was greeted with the sight of all of a stranger's asshole.

“Ah for fuck's sake," hissed Lefty, shoving themself off to the side and staggering up onto their feet. “No, nope. Nononono-"

Lefty licked their teeth, tasted potpourri and tried to spit. Lupine muzzles not being exactly equipped for spitting, they had to resort to biting into a clean towel to dry out their mouth. They used the same towel to scrub at the top and sides of their snout, dry heaving and thumping their chest a couple times to stop themself from losing their dinner. The omega whose butt they'd been huffing stood nearby, head cocked to the side and looking mildly offended.

“Uh, I thought you were enjoying yourself, sorry," he said.

Lefty looked at the stranger and grit their teeth, wishing their mind wasn't so busy committing the taste of their asshole to memory. They certainly wouldn't be forgetting this person any time soon.

“It's fine. Not your fault, I was asleep," said Lefty through gritted teeth.

All the omegas filed out into the yard, summoned by the sound of spinning fairground rattlers and the scent of sweet biscuits. Nearly every staff beta was present, either directing strays towards the north end of the campground, or counting heads and shoving snacks into the hands of whining omegas. Every sound and smell needed to reach Lefty through heavy layers of fog, and the sun was irresponsibly bright as far as they were concerned. They had to keep a hand over their eyes to even see at all, and the narrow slits between their fingers weren't enough for them to keep track of the beta leading their group. At some point they wandered after the wrong person and had to be tugged back by their ear, scolded by someone with a mouthful of marbles, and directed towards the center of camp. The entire time they stumbled about, the harem trio and the omega they'd gotten too personal with gabbed away nearby. 'I was wrong. THIS is the worst hangover I've ever had.'

As they entered the picnic area, Lefty managed to spot the three spiced wolf gals surrounding their alpha, as well as the fellow they'd met earlier face planting against his partner. Gil seemed nowhere to be found, but the overheating enby managed to catch his scent and face him just in time to have a pill bottle rattled at their face.

“Ow! Jesus, that's loud!" squeaked Lefty, slapping the bottle out of Gil's hand and taking in a deep breath. The muddiness in their skull seemed to water down as they focused on the alpha.

Gil picked up the medication and passed it off to a staff member, then cupped Lefty's face in a hand. He furrowed his brow and rubbed a thumb over their cheek as he inspected them. “You left your suppressants in your jacket, bud. Don't you need them?"

“And be the only sober one at the Christmas party?" slurred Lefty, squeezing Gil's hand and smiling. “I'll be fine if we stay together. Won't be anyone willing to snatch me up with y'all's HR team watching."

“Maven, that's a terrible idea. You already look awful," said Gil, having to hook an arm under Lefty's to keep them from sinking to the dirt.

“I feel awful, but I promise you I'll be okay. Hey, where'd they take all the strays?" asked Lefty, gesturing vaguely in the absolute wrong direction.

“The strays? They're going to the hunting grounds. There's a cabin with tv's set up to watch, are you sure-"

“I'm sure! So, how's today gonna work? They kinda threw me at you so I'm a little lost," said Lefty, yawning and sniffing their own wrist before leaning against Gil for support.

Gil rubbed Lefty's arm and started moving them out of the middle of the picnic area, stopping near a trail between the trees. “Easy does it. One paw in front of the other. Today's basically a freebie, kinda up to us to decide how we spend it."

Lefty watched their feet as Gil carried them, yawning and feeling as if they were floating due to the numbing warmth in their legs. “So, I guess the ball's in your court, alpha. Where are you taking me?"

The imposing black-and-silver wolfman looked down at Lefty wearing a scowl on his face that softened a moment later. “You're making this tough. There's private cabins open for folks to use, but I think what you need is fresh air."

Gil gently lifted Lefty back up and led them along a narrow hiking trail. He kept his head on a swivel as they traveled, scooping lefty over obstacles and keeping them from wandering off with tugs of their ears or tail.

“Oh, smells good. Dirt and grass and water," slurred Lefty, scenting the air and twisting their neck around like a broken puppet. They planted their snout in Gil's armpit and giggled, stumbling for balance in the awkward position.

“Sheesh, the guys were right. First heat's a bitch," growled Gil, clearing his throat and squeezing his omega's arm tight. “There's a lake here. Figure we'll be the only ones taking a walk today so it'll be quiet."

Lefty mumbled something, inhaling deeply and shuddering before pulling their muzzle free of its musty confines. “Quiet is good. Maybe you'll actually hear me if it's quiet."

The alpha's body tensed mightily at that, and Gil managed to relax only after multiple calming breaths. 'I'm not sure what I'm doing, but it's working' thought Lefty as their partner lifted them over some branches in the path.

“I can hear you fine. Are your ears working?" snapped Gil.

Lefty giggled again and yawned. “My ears feel like they're full of BUTTER!" they said, dropping their smile and snarling at Gil with teeth bared.

Gil flicked their snout, shook his head and softly apologized. “Almost there. I'll talk louder."

They emerged at a lakeside rest area with benches under the shade of both trees and permanent ramadas. Lefty was flopped unceremoniously onto a bench, as they didn't even try to make the transition elegant and Gil expected them to help. The omega settled in and hunched over with their arms against their stomach.

“Feels like my guts are eating themselves, and I'm leaking like a busted pipe," said Lefty, pawing at their face and whimpering open-mouthed as a powerful spasm shook their abdomen.

“It's natural, but I can tell it hurts," said Gil, settling in beside them and massaging Lefty's lower back. “I still have your pills."

“I told you NO!" shouted Lefty, snapping their jaws closed and putting their face in their hands. “I'm trying so hard, Gil. I don't know what I am anymore."

The alpha's hand tightened around Lefty's waist. “You're still you, right? You're going through changes-"

“Bull_shit_ Gil. I'm not Lefty the beta. I'm an omega now," said Lefty, shoving Gil's arm off themself and turning to punch his chest. “You don't get to tell me that I'm still the same person!"

“This is heat talking," said Gil, putting his hand out defensively and keeping his tone measured.

Even without being able to look him in the eye, Lefty could see the flashes of white in his maw. Burnt coffee wafted up from their scent glands, and Gil's profile took on subtle notes of vinegar. 'Good. Now we're both angry'

_ _

“Oh my god you're stupid! Just fucking LISTEN for once!" snapped Lefty. Gil reached out to try and pet the omega, but they whipped their head around and sunk their teeth into his hand.

“OW! Damn it," hissed Gil, grabbing the tip of Lefty's muzzle and pulling their lips back. “Shit that's deep, ease up, come on," he said, flicking Lefty on the snout several times.

Lefty winced and huffed but held on tight as they growled into his hand. They waited until the blood in their mouth became unbearable before letting go, then wiped their face.

“I'm sorry. I want to be good. I'm trying to be good," said Lefty, covering their face with their hands. “He said I'd be a good omega."

Gil straightened up, shook his head and looked down at the blood in his fur. “What are you talking about? Who said you'd be good?"

Lefty's ears shot straight up, and they looked at Gil with wide eyes. “Mister Mike. He was like a teacher. Church- gods you probably think I'm lying," they said, putting a hand on their chest and starting to hyperventilate.

Gil opened his mouth, then flattened his ears and growled instead of speaking. His fists clenched so tightly that fresh blood escaped his wounds and his knuckles would have whitened beneath his fur.

“God damn it.“

“He used to keep me in his lap and… he'd say such disgusting things. Joking about taking me home and keeping me like the freaks he shouted about over his bible," said Lefty, face in their hands and voice softening by the word.

“You don't have to tell me this," said Gil, his fur bristling. The vinegar scent around him grew stronger and clawed at Lefty's lungs.

“If I don't tell you now, I'll never be able to tell you," said Lefty, grabbing fistfuls of Gil's fur and pressing their face to his chest. “I'm trying to be good. I don't know who I am anymore and I'm trying to be good."

Lefty repeated themself several more times before devolving into wet, ugly sobs. Gil held them close, combing his claws down their back and massaging the muscles along their spine. The omega held their partner and ground their teeth as they stained his fur with tears. Despite their heated, emotionally devastated state they were still perfectly aware of the growling and heat building in their mate's chest. 'He's still holding back.' they thought, inhaling his scent and exhaling another fit of heaving and whimpering. The world was small, cramped and dark, encompassing only Lefty and Gil and the bench they were sharing. 'Damn you, you stupid oaf. Damn me too, for trying to have it both ways.' Lefty still craved the comfort of their safe and ignorant past. They craved the warmth and happiness that the other omegas had. Most of all they craved rest.

“I'm so tired," said Lefty.

They stayed like that for a long while, only speaking in short comforting words and more looped thoughts. Lefty eventually ran out of energy to cry, though they remained together a while longer before getting up to walk along the lakeside. As before, Gil set the pace and kept the curvy silver wolf on their feet as well as he could, but it was getting more and more difficult for both of them as the sun started to dip lower in the sky. The burning and cramping in Lefty's body intensified in tandem with the reddening of the clouds, and Gil's usual library-like scent grew muskier and more bodily at the same time. 'We're both really far gone,' mused Lefty. They'd been pawing at him and giggling at things that weren't jokes for nearly an hour now. For Gil's part, he'd been dropping words and leaving stinging marks on Lefty's skin any time he needed to correct their walking. 'Come on, big guy. Any minute now.'

Gil turned them away from the lakeside path and onto another hiking trail. Under the trees the darkening sky was blocked out even further and gave the air a cool stillness that only the occasional bird call cut through. Lefty couldn't hear anything beyond Gil's voice by then, however. It was getting more difficult to stay upright with every step, and minutes before the sun finally stopped giving the world its light, they slipped out of their alpha's grip and hit the ground with a thud.

“Maven?" asked Gil, kneeling beside them and putting a hand under Lefty's chest. “Hey, we're almost back at camp, just a little further."

Lefty whimpered, pushing themself up onto all fours and feeling their knees quaking. They felt as if a balloon were hooked to the base of their tail, rising arseward and digging their fingers into the earth. “My legs aren't cooperating," they huffed.

“I'll carry you," said Gil, wrapping an arm across Lefty's back and pulling on them. He made a weak attempt to flip Lefty into a bridal carry, but didn't make it beyond a light nudge.

Lefty gasped and moaned through their teeth, going tense along their spine as they tried to keep from releasing the embarrassing sound. “No, you won't. Please stop lying to me," they said.

Gil's efforts stilled and he brought his head close to Lefty's. “That's enough."

“Do you even want me?" they asked, snorting in an effort to clear some of the snot running out their nose. Tears rolled out from the corners of their eyes and dripped off the side of Lefty's muzzle.

Gil pressed his snout to Lefty's nape, causing the omega to arch their back and shoot their tail straight up. “You have no idea how badly I want you, but I'm not about to fuck things up again."

Lefty twisted one of their feet into the earth and shook their head. “You're so dense, Gil. I'm…" a sigh mixed with a whine whistled up from Lefty's throat. “…I'm being such a bitch."

Gil laughed at the choice of words, squeezing his partner tight and rubbing their sides. “You're gonna have to try and be more specific."

Lefty shuddered and tensed their body again, swaying their hips and letting out a low howl before shouting. “I'm being a stupid, manipulative bitch because I can't just beg you to fuck me like a normal person! I skipped my medication so I wouldn't have a choice!"

Gil sighed, then growled and cursed under his breath. Lefty shook in his arms, whimpering and hanging their head as they bared their dripping hole to the world. The alpha seemed defeated and his scent coiled around Lefty's shaking limbs as he held them close.

“I thought you don't like sex." huffed Gil, struggling to hold Lefty's body still.

“I don't!" shouted Lefty, sending some nearby birds scattering. “It's messy, it stinks and it makes me feel the bad kind of stupid. it makes me feel vulnerable and this bullshit omega… stuff makes having your dick in my ass feel like I'm dying!"

“then why-"

“I don't know! I hate every second of being in heat or dealing with these fucking withdrawals!" whined Lefty, hunching slightly and shuddering as beads of slick escaped from beneath their tail. “But I can't stand the thought of losing you because I can't make you happy. I want you to be happy! I like that you enjoy my body the way you do!"

“You think I'd leave?"

“No! I mean- I do," Lefty howl-whimpered and clawed the dirt, thrashing their head from side to side. Gil could barely keep them still and his hands kept finding their hips and squeezing tight. “I don't want you to think I hate you, though. I love having you around. I always have," they said.

Lefty's tail whipped Gil in the face one too many times for the alpha's rapidly fading patience. He grabbed it by the base and used it as a handle, though this caused them to dip their front half lower and shudder all over.

“Fuck this FUCKING HEAT! Just take me already, Gil. Don't worry about how much I want it. I want you." they asserted.

The alpha sighed, laid his head on Lefty's back, and combed his fingers down through their fur. He muttered something under his breath and gripped Lefty's tail tighter, shaking slightly as the angry vinegar-scent he'd been putting off began to fade.

Gil sighed and pushed Lefty's shoulders down as he moved over their back. “Alright, Maven. If you really mean that, I'll take that as a green light," he said.

“ Please do."

Gil pulled Lefty's back up, folding his arm across their chest and digging his feet into the dirt beside their knees. His other hand found purchase on a tree root near Lefty's own and he held it tight enough that his claws bit into its fibers. The warmth coming off of Gil's body drowned Lefty's fever and the alpha's fur was damp enough that they could easily imagine they were sinking into a hot bath. Perhaps even a jacuzzi, given the rumbling growl and rapid heartbeat that Lefty felt along their spine. 'This is it. This safety, feeling loved and protected… This is what I wanted,' thought Lefty. They could ignore the pressure in their loins or the burning sticky mess pressed against their backdoor if they had to. It was easy to pretend such things didn't matter, but for Gil? If it meant getting to feel that much closer, Lefty would try to enjoy themself. They would allow themself to enjoy it.

A pointed, leaking mass of flesh spread Lefty's hole gradually as it unsheathed from Gil's body. They hadn't cared to acknowledge the animalistic changes to their own anatomy but from sneaking glances at their partner they knew he was a wolf in nearly every way he could be. Lefty saw it in their mind, a red, bulbous shaft that had remained hidden beneath a protective layer of fur and skin. The omega shuddered every time Gil moved his hips, feeling each inch as it sank inside and gasping any time the alpha made any particularly sharp thrusts. For as patient as the big guy had been, Lefty could still feel the clock ticking down with each ragged breath Gil sent across their neck. The alpha stilled and curled his back, swaying as he held himself deep inside Lefty both to let them breathe and prepare himself for what was next.

Gil hung his head next to Lefty's, his dark fur eclipsing the enby's silver pelt like a shadow covering the moon. Lefty's eyes fluttered open, and a chill ran down their spine at the sight of the alpha's lips peeling back. Throaty, breathy growls resonated up from Gil's lungs and fogged the air. He pulled his hips back, digging his claws into Lefty's chest and using the extra grip to violently throw his body forwards. The omega cried out and bit their hand, arching their back and raising their hips into Gil's. The alpha carried on whipping his hips into his partner's body, driving his manhood in deep. 'Gods. I can feel my mind going. Don't even want to think about what he's doing to my insides,' thought Lefty, licking their teeth and letting their eyes roll back in their head.

Lefty sang a song of long, breathy, growly moans in concert with the grunting and snarling of the alpha on their back. They shuddered and clawed the dirt, digging a deep rut as their abdomen tightened and relaxed in rhythm with the flesh driving through their guts. Tension and release cycled faster and faster, and Lefty snapped their teeth together as they climbed towards a peak. Their lips twitched up into a smile and they curled up into Gil's back, seizing up and howling at the dirt as their core exploded into pleasurable waves and their sex twitched in its sheath. Lefty hadn't even tried to become erect, nor was there any need; it certainly didn't stop them from firing streaks of almost-clear fluid from the tip of their crimson canine rod. Gil sped his thrusts and lifted his head, biting down on Lefty's shoulder and burying himself as deep as he could. His knot inflated inside Lefty's body, pressing into sensitive nerves and pushing the tip of Gil's cock into their breeding pouch.

Heat flooded the omega's belly and they howled again, going limp beneath Gil and needing to be held up. Drooling, panting and shaking beneath the alpha, they drifted along in a blissful headspace that held them hostage even as the larger male came down from his rut. Gil pulled Lefty up against his chest and lowered them both onto his side, laying his head on one arm and hooking the other across the omega's front for support. Lefty huffed, whining softly and gnawing on their own wrist as their head swam with colorful stars and oxytocin. They shuddered and squirmed in Gil's grasp as their hole clamped and fluttered around the underside of his knot. Dirt and leaves built up in their fur as they fidgeted, fighting their body's instinct to bear down harder to draw out more sensations from within itself. They eventually stopped trying and allowed themself a moment's rest to come down from their high.

“You know, I think I'm ready to start letting you make decisions for me," said Lefty, finally releasing their arm from their maw.

“What do you mean?" asked Gil, shifting to allow Lefty to hold their nose up.

“I've made the mistakes I wanted to. I'm ready to let you take ownership of yours," they said. Lefty spoke softly, deliberately pushing the words through a dry mouth.

“My head's still a bit fuzzy, I'm sorry. Can you try that again?" huffed Gil, freeing his face from the crook of Lefty's neck.

“When you bit me, I was in the middle of learning who I was. I didn't even know the bite mattered until I saw you again," said Lefty, picking a small twig from their teeth.

Lefty yawned, inhaling a ladybug and coughing a few times to get rid of it.

“I hadn't even been an omega for a day. There were so many things I'll never get to experience for myself because of our bond," they said.

“I'm really sorry."

“It's okay. It'll be okay. but…" Lefty lifted their head and tried to figure out where they were, but it was far too dark to make out anything beyond the nearest trees.

“…you still need to take responsibility," they said, settling back down and wiggling their rump. “From now on I'll do my best to respect your decisions, but I want you to make those calls as my alpha, not my friend. You laid the marks on my nape, so you made me your problem."

Gil's heart rate spiked and a new scent flicked past Lefty's muzzle. Wine? Bitter herbs? They could only guess it was anxiety.

“I'll do that, and I'm genuinely hoping you make it hard for me," said Gil, grunting and shuddering as Lefty adjusted their position again.

“If you were any harder my pelvis would be broken," snipped Lefty, giggling into their paw and swishing their tail about. “I love you, Gilam."

“Love you too, Maven."

Lefty woke up on their back, staring up at the trees and feeling like death. They sat up and groaned, rubbing the back of their head and flicking a wad of dirt and dead leaves off their hand. Gil was busy picking litter from his own fur, which glistened in the sunlight that filtered through the edges of his silhouette. Using a nearby tree, Lefty clawed their way up onto their paws and pressed their hands to their back to stretch. Their alpha ceased tending his own mess and started fussing over them, flicking small insects off their shoulders and back and smearing dirt around in an effort to clear it off their pelt.

“Why didn't we just do that in a bed like normal people?" asked Lefty, rubbing their head and shivering in the cool morning air.

“Beats me. You're the one that raised your tail," said Gil, gently running his claws down Lefty's sides. The omega shivered and stuck their tongue out, licking a leaf off their muzzle and spitting it out.

“Got me there, big guy. I think I've got something in my sheath," muttered Lefty, pulling the flesh back and checking themself, then dry heaving as their own scent rammed into their lungs. “Oh goddamn it."

Gil whacked the omega a couple times to help them through a coughing fit, then pulled them close and started walking up the trail. “Best deal with that in a shower. How's your head, you need to nest or chew on anything?"

“I'm fine, no, and maybe. Where are we going?" asked Lefty, keeping their gaze down and matching the alpha's steps as they went. There was a gentle pulling sensation at their waist, as if their body were naturally drawn to stay close to the man that had tied them.

“Back to the bonfire. The bus is gonna grab us soon, but they'll want to show off the new couples too," said Gil. He hauled Lefty around a tight bend and towards a break in the trees.

The entirety of the retreat was more or less present by the time they arrived, though a few couples staggered in from behind cabins or other fixtures following betas waving noisemakers. Someone with a clipboard took a silent headcount, cracked a handsy omega on the paw, then took center stage near the large cabin the alphas had been using. Three familiar giggly omegas chased each other around a tall silver-gray alpha, who didn't seem to see any need to stop their fun. Another familiar omega sat at his alpha's feet with his hand on his belly and a droopy smile on his face. Lefty shuddered at the sight, both from recognizing the potpourri-scented one who's arse they'd made friends with, and the realization that he was probably cooking up a new pack member now.

“You brought my morning after pills, right?" said Lefty, raising an eyebrow at Gil.

“Yeah. They're in my bag. We've got time," he said.

Lefty nodded and watched the head of staff order several couples to stand in particular spots, make themselves presentable and other such things as the alpha assisting them stood by performing shifter sign language. Eventually the tired bunch managed an uneasy row with alphas standing behind their omegas. The beta still seemed deeply unsatisfied by the result, but turned and swung a noisemaker over their head to get everyone's eyes on them.

“Okay everyone, the bus is here and burning fuel so we have to move fast," shouted the head of staff. She pointed her rattler at the row of former strays and looked down at her clipboard, then back up.

“Alpha Nathan and his omega Gavin," she said, spinning her noisemaker once and moving down the row.

“Caldwell and Fay, Penny and Kent, and finally Dale and Vincent," she said, side-eying the alpha signing for her and shaking her head. “Miss Haley, I am not aroused, could you please mind your paws better?"

“Slip of the thumb, Laura. Thanks again for helping me run this show," said the alpha.

Gil leaned down and blocked his muzzle from view, whispering to Lefty. “Those two are an item, but don't tell anyone I told you. Hal's on the board," he said.

More rattling called everyone back to attention and Laura flipped a page over on her clipboard. “We also have one more couple to announce. Alpha Gilam and omega Maven," said Laura, pointing through the crowd and directly at Lefty. It felt like a personal attack.

“While Maven hasn't been formally inducted into Dire and Volk yet, we hope to see him bled in come springtime. Given the nature of their pairing, we should expect a few more little Volks at the office day care and plan accordingly," said Haley, laughing into her paw.

“That's an HR violation," muttered a nearby beta, and several others laughed. Lefty glared up at Gil and bared their teeth while the gossips spoke of reinforcing cribs and hiring bodyguards for the nannies.

Laura cleared her throat and rapped her knuckles on her clipboard. “Thank you, Miss Haley. In other news, AOMA sensitivity training is next week. Alphas, please keep your omegas from wandering off as we get everyone de-furred and reclothed, and we'll reconvene at the bus station within the hour.“

It was surprisingly simple for Lefty to drop back into a more socially acceptable form, though doing so gave them a cataclysmic headache. Losing their tail threw their balance off enough to make getting dressed awkward, but thankfully their belongings and medications were all still intact. Lefty threw back an abortive gel-cap with some water as the pair stepped onto the bus, positively bristling with rage and burnt-coffee pheromones. While the bus filled with the hushed tones of business chatter and omega gossip, Lefty was laying into their partner over what the 'camp counselors' had said. Gil explained that because he'd 'given away his blood' to Lefty they'd be expected to provide something to the pack in return for full membership. That something being children that bore Gil's genes, naturally.

“What about Dave? He's pack because he's willing to clean leaky butts," hissed Lefty, lightly punching Gil's arm.

“Dave's a beta and doesn't have a built in fursuit. The board of directors decides what people have to bring to get bled in," responded Gil, fending off a follow up punch and holding Lefty's fist down. “Quit hitting me, I don't want kids either!"

“Sounds like that doesn't matter," snipped Lefty, trying to tug their hand free but struggling to break Gil's grip.

“I'll ask the mediators to veto it, but we should try to come up with a plan in the meantime," he said, looking around and seeing that nobody else was paying attention. “If that doesn't work, they might end up taking you by force."

Lefty stopped fighting, staring daggers at Gil's left ear and blushing at their dramatic failure to meet his gaze. 'Stupid instincts,' they thought, grinding their teeth. If not for the incredible climate control system in place the entire bus might have smelt Lefty's anger.

“I could kill you."

“I believe it! I'm sure I can work this out-"

“Oh no, not this one. I'm not trusting my butthole to whatever hairbrained plan you've got," spat Lefty, yanking their hand free and rubbing their sore wrists.

“Didn't you say you'd let me handle things?"

“Do you really think something this crazy is on that list? THIS one's a team effort," said Lefty, turning their gaze away and staring out the window.

Gil shuffled in place, hesitating a moment before putting his arm around Lefty's shoulder. “Teamwork it is. Can't say I expected that- or the change of heart for that matter,“

“Get used to it, I'm your problem now, alpha," said Lefty, yawning and watching the trees fly past the window. “Find out what it'll take for your pack to recognize me and we can work out how to fuck things up from there."

“Sounds like a plan," said Gil, rubbing Lefty's arm and giving them some room to think.

It was a very uncomfortable ride home.

END.