Beanie

Fanfictions:

The Placebo Effect - An Omegaverse Poly!TF141 x OC Fanfiction

COD Characters:

Captain John 'Price'

Lieutenant Simon 'Ghost' Riley

Sargent John 'Soap' MacTavish

Sargent Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick

Task Force 141

Commander Phillip 'Graves'

Colonel 'König'

Writing Challenges:

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who, after meeting, you decide needs more a social life. Between field ops and paperwork, the man's idea of a night to himself is watching old war films on the dying common room TV.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who feels oddly flustered when you - the newest recruit of the 141 - invite him out with you to a rave of all things. You'd been perfectly pleasant with one another both on and off ops, but the invitation had admittedly come as a little bit of a surprise to the big guy. After all, he felt that you were way out of his league...

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who stares dumbly at himself in the mirror, taking in the outfit you'd 'specially arranged' for him. Loose black jeans with chains hanging from the belt-loops, a netted vest which did little to hide his figure. And, of course, you'd insisted he wear his skull mask. After all, the white of the mask would look phenomenal under the flashing lights at the rave.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who feels more than a little out of place amongst the younger crowd the rave had drawn in. Towering over most of the drunk, high and screaming rave-goers, looking like a deer in headlights more than anything.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who after his ears have gotten used to the thumping base, surprisingly finds himself having a good time with you hanging off his arm. Dancing and jumping together, shouting in one another's ears and downing drink after drink.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who stumbles into base alongside you at near 4am. Falling over one another with giddy, drunken laughs and chuckles, like the blind leading the blind as you tumble into his room.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who, oddly enough, feels more relaxed than he had in years with you now fast asleep in his arms. Cradling you like something precious as the sun began to rise, peeking through the crack in his drawn curtains.

Imagine Lieutenant Simon Riley who couldn't wait to do it all over again the following weekend.

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Stepping out of my parent's farmhouse, the screen door squeaking closed behind me, I shuddered as the cool morning air kissed my cheeks. My thoughts still lingering, as was a small smile, as I thought back to the evening before. Not the dinner, of course, but Johnny. The Delta cuddling me until my breaths had slowed after we... well, enjoyed one another.

When I'd awoke that morning, he'd already departed back to the guesthouse. Probably for the best, I told myself despite the small ache at waking up alone. If Dad had discovered of the the boys again... I don't think he'd have been as lenient a second time - Soap's first offense or not.

As I looked around the seemingly dormant farm, an odd sense of nostalgia hit me.

Before I'd called it quits with my ex, before I'd found the guts to enlist, I'd wake early and go for a run or jog; whichever one took my fancy depending on the weather and energy level I had. It was my time to just... be, I supposed. No parents, no siblings, no demanding Alpha - just me and the morning co-existing.

Now seemed like a better time than any to bring the old tradition back, and so I ran. Past the machinery sheds and along the dirt tracks bordering the crop fields. Feet pounding across the small footbridge spanning the stream my brothers and I used to play in as pups, splashing one another until we were soaked. I ran until my lungs pleasantly burned inside my chest. Each footfall seeming to shake loose another knot of tension I hadn't realised I'd been holding inside my shoulders.

By the time I looped back towards the farmhouse nearly forty minutes later, a fine sheen of sweat clung to me like a second skin despite the morning breeze rolling over the farm - from further up the valley - in gentle waves. Glad to have worn shorts instead of the joggers I'd been debating.

However, as I slowed my run to a jog, movement near the guesthouse caught my eye.

The converted stone building sat a little way from the main house. It had originally been built for seasonal farmhands decades ago, before my grandfather had renovated it to house guests once the farm was doing well enough. Then, when my dad took over, he'd had it all modernised; sometimes renting it out when they needed the extra cashflow.

Rounding the corner to the guesthouses entrance, I found Ghost sat on one of the only well-kept patches of grass my parents farm had to offer, working methodically through a series of light stretches. Every motion screaming controlled rehabilitation rather than exercise.

The Lieutenant voluntarily stretching? Now that was a rare sight. More so than Soap actually shutting up when told to.

"Mornin'" I called out quietly, changing direction and jogging across to him.

Simon looked up before I managed to reach him, having heard me long before I'd seen him. His eyes tracking my approach, expression as unreadable as ever beneath his skull-printed balaclava,

"Morning, Sergeant."

"You alright? Not like you to do stretches."

"Hm" he hummed. Which, translated from Simon Riley, meant 'not really but I'll survive'.

Coming to a halt beside him, I braced my hands against my knees as I caught my breath,

"You know, LT, you could have asked me to help you - I wouldn't have minded... that and you should still be snoozing."

"Couldn't settle... or switch my head off," Simon grumbled. "Anyway, your one to talk, what are you doing up so early? Still thinking about-?"

"Dinner, yeah," I nodded, finishing his sentence for him as I plopped down into the grass. "I'm sorry you guys got dragged into all that last night. It was mortifying... don't know how I'm gonna face Price today."

Ghost stopped stretching and sat up straight, his eyes finding my own with that unnervingly, steady intensity that always made me feel as though he could read the thoughts I didn't dare say aloud.

"You apologising for how they acted?" He asked with a questioning lilt.

"No."

"For yourself?"

"..Maybe," I shrugged half-heartedly, feeling my cheeks grow warm under his stare. "Could of handled it better than I did."

"Don't," the Apex Alpha's eyes crinkled at the edges as he frowned beneath his facial covering. "They might be your family but that doesn't mean they have the right to disrespect you like that, pup. If it makes you feel any better, you handled it better then I would have."

"Yeah, well, that ain't exactly hard now, is it, sir?" I can't help but snort, thinking on how Ghost's way of managing problems was usually scaring people or using his fists.

A breeze shifted between us and my brow furrowed as Simon went rigid beside me, turning to look yup at him, puzzled. His head tilting slightly to the side, almost imperceptibly. The Lieutenant inhaling deeply, nostrils flaring beneath his balaclava. 

"...Johnny."

"...huh?" I said, rather stupidly, though I already had a feeling I knew what he was referring to. Fucking hell, I'd thought I'd washed his scent off me fully before I'd come out for my run. But, apparently I hadn't managed to get it all off.

"You smell like MacTavish," Ghost commented, his eyes narrowing almost menacingly as he leaned closer. "So that's where my lad got off to last night, should have known."

"Y-You knew Soap slipped out?"

"My troublesome pup is many things, but inconspicuous isn't one of them," he huffed in amusement. "Course I heard him leave. You think I don't know what the members of my pack are up to? I just can't say I expected Miss goody-two-shoes to engage in such bad behaviour with him."

"It wasn't like that, Si," I mumbled, blush stretching up to my ears and down my neck as he teased me; bashfully averting my gaze while I picked at strands of grass to keep my hands busy. "I was just upset and Johnny came to check on me."

"Smells like you had a real good chat about everything" the Apex chuckled, earning himself a light shove.

"Simon Riley," I scold gently. "That better not be your way of asking if Soap and I had sex."

"Did you?" He pressed, gaze burning into my soul as he shuffled closer once more, nuzzling his masked face into the crook of my neck; seemingly savouring the faint smell of the Delta left on me, adding his own scent to the mix.

"No, no - we didn't," I confessed, begrudgingly. "We just... had some fun, that's all. Not that its any of your business or anything."

"Course its my business, both mine, ain't you?" The Lieutenant pointed out. "Not cross, Charlie. Just want to know if my lad made you feel better."

And there it was. Beneath the awkward wording and blunt delivery, there was concern. Simple, genuine concern. Whether it was because he fretted I'd felt rushed or hurried into things like that, or if it was just because he wasn't there to make sure I was alright - I wasn't sure. But the sentiment of his worry touched me nonetheless.

"...yeah," I admitted quietly, bumping my cheek against his own in reassurance. "He did."

He stared down at me for a moment, searching for any hint of deception or hesitation across my face. Eventually giving one slow nod when he felt satisfied that there wasn't any,

"Good, that's... good."

"Lieutenant..." I say hesitantly, hands wandering from the grass to my lap, fiddling with hem of my t-shirt instead. "Can I ask you something? Tell me to fuck off if-"

"Charlie," he stopped me before I could ramble myself into awkward territory. "Out with it, pup."

"If... if I wanted to, um," I struggle to get the words out, unable to look him in the eyes. "Well, if I wanted to pursue a more, um physical relationship with the pack as well as emotional, do you think the others would-?"

"Yes" the Apex cut me off before I could even finish the sentence. His answer adamant and final, spoken with a level of certainty that made me shudder.

"...yes?"

"Yes" Simon repeated, an almost amused look shining in his eyes. 

"...cool," I fought to keep the giddy smile off my face, heart pounding inside my chest as I cosied up to the Apex Alpha. Ghost's arm sliding around my waist and squeezing my waist appreciatively. Before leaning forward to help him bend his legs one-by-one. "That's awesome, actually."

"I can tell you for a fact that Garrick has been itching to get his hands on you, Price too," Simon mentioned off-hand, hissing as his muscles protested the light movements after weeks of bedrest after our injuries. "And, well, you already know how Johnny and I feel about you."

"I'll have to keep that in mind then," I nod, carefully massaging the muscles of his thigh to help them loosen up. "...I just didn't want to rush anything, you know?"

"We'd have waited however long you'd needed, Placebo - always."

As the rooster crowed from atop the cattle shed, I jumped slightly. The farm was beginning to wake up, meaning that soon everyone else would also. Our time, our peace, cut short by the day ahead approaching all too quick for my liking. 

"Hey, sir," I said, unable to keep the mischievous grin off my face as an idea dawned over me. "I don't suppose your feeling well enough to spar?"

Ghost growled approvingly, tugging me into him and placing a chaste kiss against my lips, through the material of his balaclava,

"Thought you'd never ask, pup."

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Guilt had settled inside my chest like wet concrete after dinner.

No matter how many times I replayed the evening inside my head, I just couldn't seem to untangle myself from them. Every single road, every fake scenario I ran in my head, always led to the same destination - my dad's tearful confession, my mum's devastated silence at my father's words, Michael storming out the front door, Matt and Sarah forced to play mediator between the people they loved. 

And the worst part was, there was a small, cruel piece inside me that wasn't even surprised. A small voice in the back of my head whispering 'I told you so'. 

Perhaps that was what hurt the most...

I had known coming home was a bad idea, known that my mother just couldn't help but push and that I'd inevitably push back. Three years apart hadn't magically erased years of disagreements. If anything, the distance had only preserved the argument, leaving it untouched and waiting - swelling - ready for my return.

Now, holed back up inside my old bedroom, the once familiar felt suffocating.

As the night grew colder, moonlight spilled through the gap in my curtains. Long shadows dancing in the corners of my vision as I stared up at the ceiling, trying not to look around the room that reflected a version of me I wasn't sure even existed anymore.

Pretty, perfect Charlotte Green... such a good Omega who obeyed her parents every word and was the glue that held her family together. What a joke that was now-

My thoughts were interrupted as a faint tap against my window jolted me ack to the present. Pushing myself up and onto my elbows atop my bed, I looked towards the window, brows furrowing into a soft frown; watching as another pebble hit my window, followed quickly by another.

"What on earth?" I murmured, throwing my legs over the edge of my bed and pushing myself up to stand, warily making my way towards the half-drawn curtains. Pulling them open, I peered into the darkness of the night and hesitantly opened the window. Before nearly jumping out of my skin when a pale face appeared from the deepened shadows of the apple tree. "Jesus Christ-!"

"Shhh!" The figure immediately waved both hands, gesturing for me to stay quiet, obviously wishing to remain under the radar.

I blinked.

"Johnny?"

"Hiya, hen" he whisper-shouted up, looking all-too pleased with himself as he dropped the arsenal of pebbles he'd been holding back onto the gravel below.

"What on earth are you doing down there? Do you not know what time it is?" I call down to him, gaze flickering around as if making sure there was no one else about. "If my dad catches you-"

"He's still in the garage," Soap excused his late night wandering away from the guesthouse, a wicked grin stretching wide across his face; recounting his mate's blunder earlier that day. "Dinnae fash yehsen, lass, 'm nae as new tah this Omega-romance stuff as Gaz is, the poor bastard. Price is never gonna let him live it down tha' your dad caught him under your bed-"

"Johnny," I interrupt him, shuddering as I opened the window a little further so I could lean out, making talking to the Delta easier. "Seriously, what are you doing here?"

"Ah came to check on yeh" he replied earnestly - no mocking or teasing lilt to his tone. My heart clenching inside my chest as his grin relaxed into something softer.

For all the Sergeant's bad jokes, endless chatter and the inability to sometimes take things as seriously as he should - Soap had always possessed an uncanny ability to know when someone he loved needed him. No dancing around uncomfortable truths or sugar-coating his words, not when it mattered anyway. Happy to lend a shoulder to cry on, an ear if you needed to vent, or just simply be there for you.

"I'm okay" I lied through my teeth.

"Aye, 'n LT smiles for our family photos" the Delta huffed, frowning.

"Johnny-"

"Charlie," he chided, the use of my name stopping me cold in my tracks. Not hen, not lass, not bonnie, not Mo ghràdh - Charlie. His eyes held mine from below, staring straight into my soul. Those baby blues almost unnaturally beautiful in the moonlight. "Ah watched yeh leave the dinner table lookin' like ah kicked puppy. Ah dinnae exactly call tha' 'okay', lass."

"Would you have preferred I sat there and continued being the source of everyone's problems?" I bit back without meaning to, little fangs bared in a moment of unresolved frustration.

However, my inner Omega very quickly shrunk back as the Scotsman's eyes narrowed. For a moment, silence settled between us, broken only by the faint sounds of the cattle in their shed and the rustle of crops in the breeze. 

"That's it" Johnny growled, reaching for the ivy, testing its strength where it had grown up the side of the house, before preparing to ascend.

"Johnny, what the hell are you doing?" I whisper-shouted, panic quickly swelling inside my chest as I watched him begin to scale the wall. Of course, it was nothing on some of the stuff we did in training - and out in the field - and yet, for some reason, the idea of him falling off the wall had me paling. "Get down, your going to hurt yourself-!"

As he grew closer to my window, the Delta fixed me with a hard look that had me shutting up quickly. Grabbing a hold of the window frame, Soap heaved himself up and onto the short lip, then - oddly-gracefully for him - slid into my childhood bedroom; his imposing figure towering over me.

"Now, would yeh mind  repeatin' wha' yeh just said for me again, lass?" He asked, making me step backwards for each step her took forward. His head tilted slightly to the side in a menacing kind of way, crowding me towards my bed. "Because the last time ah checked, mah bonnie girl ain't a problem."

"But, I-"

"Nah, yeh listen tah me now, Mo ghràdh," the Delta growled, playfully, enjoying my flustered reaction. His hand reaching up and gently capturing my jaw. "Ah may not throw mah weight around as much as Cap or Ghost, but am still ah Delta, am ah not?"

"A-And?" I growled back with an indignant sniff as the back of my legs hit the edge of my bed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Yeh so clever, yet so stupid at times, yeh know tha'?" He chuckled, pushing me down so I was looking up at him. "It means, tha' while am usually easy going-"

"-you get protective over pack the same as an Alpha would" I finish his sentence slowly as what he was getting at clicked inside my mind.

"Tha's right, bonnie," Johnny purred, slowly sinking down to his knees so we were more level once again, his hands falling to rest atop my thighs and giving them an appreciative squeeze. "An' what did you just do?"

"Johnny, this is-"

"Say it" he leaned forward, lips ghosting my own.

"...might have spoke ill of myself" I grumbled like a scolded pup, cheeks burning crimson as I struggled to maintain eye contact with him; growing oddly shy under his heated gaze.

"Knew you'd get there," my fellow Sergeant chuckled, rewarding me with a quick peck. Before his eyes trailed down to the nightie I wore. Something I'd owned for years, a little pale blue number that halted just above my knees with spaghetti straps holding up the soft material. I used to adore it before I'd left to enlist, not having taken it with me because it wasn't exactly appropriate to wear on base - private dorm or not. "Yeh where this for me?"

"No," I squeaked, turning my head to the side, only seeming to amuse the Delta more. "In fact, I wasn't hoping for any visitors tonight. I was very much looking forward to heading to bed-"

"Dinnae bullshit me, 'mega," he bumped his nose against my cheek, breathing in deeper as my scent began to turn sweeter. "Yeh lips are all red raw. Yeh've been whittling away again, thinkin' too damn hard... would have been here sooner but wanted tah wait till the others were down for the count."

"They don't know your here?"

"Can ah man not want his girlfriend to himself for five minutes?"

"...Technically I'm not your girlfriend-"

"You take that back" Soap growled, nipping at my jawline while I couldn't help myself but laugh. The flustered giggles I hated, yet he seemed to get high on. 

"What? It's true!" I defend myself. "None of you have asked me out formerly."

"Ah thought we'd been pretty clear about how we feel, Mo ghràdh" Johnny replied, trailing soft kisses down my jawline and to my neck, coaxing a breathless whine as his lips met the sensitive scent gland there. His lips curving upwards into a wicked grin again at the whimpered noise. 

"S-Still nice to be asked" I countered, fighting to keep that weak frown on my face while baring my neck to him openly, earning an approving purr from the Delta.

"Hm," he hummed against my skin, lips trailing lower. "Perhaps ah need to show yeh that yeh ours, is that it, bonnie?"

"What are you-?" I began to ask, a confused lilt to my voice. The question falling off into a surprised gasp as Johnny's hands slowly began to push up the skirt of my nightdress, all the while his lips continued their journey down my neck and across my chest. 

As the Scotsman's hands found my waist, nightie pooled at my hips now, revealing the less then sexy, plain black panties I wore beneath; I felt as if my heart was in my throat. The rosy flush which had painted my cheeks stretching up to my ears now as his gaze found mine.

"Is this alright, hen?" He checked in, and I almost swooned right then and there. "Can I touch you here?"

Not trusting my voice to answer him, I nodded, swallowing thickly as he smiled up at me.

I watched as Johnny leaned down, his hands moving to gently part my knees so he could worm himself between them. A humiliating squeak falling from my lips as his nose bumped against my clothed folds. Thank God I had showered before getting into my pyjamas.

"Smell as sweet here as ah remembered" he sighed, the rumbling in his chest growing along with his contentment. He looked as if he could die a happy man between my thighs...

"Don't be weird about it" I grumbled.

"Ain't bein' weird, am appreciating," Soap huffed, the hot fan of his breath against my panties making me shiver. The Delta grinning as he noticed - because of course he noticed - and tugged my panties to the side, eyeing me greedily. "Yanno, this is why ah still think yeh ah bit of a prude, hen."

"I am not a- ah!"

I had to bite down, hard, on to my lip to keep myself quiet as he dove in before I could ever finish my rebuttal. My hands flying to the Scotsman's hair to keep myself steady, his lips latched around my perked clit and suckling. His hands kneading the plush of my thighs as he lapped eagerly.

"Been dyin', tah get mah mouth on this sweet little cunt, hen" he moaned between slurps, the gravel of his accent making it very hard to stay cool about what was happening; inner Omega purring away happily.

"F-Fuck, Johnny," I whined quietly, hips unconsciously rolling up off the bed, lightly grinding myself up and against his mouth. "Oh, shit - I'm n-not gonna last long if you keep going like that-"

"Have we been neglectin' yeh, Mo ghràdh?" He growled, eyes flashing a startling shade of blue as his inner Delta surfaced at my mewling. "Poor Omega, been itching for us, haven't you? Bet yeh've been at that little vibrator yeh keep in yeh bedside table, haven't you?"

"Does everyone know about my vibrator?" I growled, though there was no heat to it. "G-Gonna have to find better hiding places for it-"

"Or yeh could come to me when yeh need to get off, bon, ah'd always be happy tah-"

"Less talking," I moaned, grinding a little harder into his face, driven by all my built up frustration. Soap, for the most part, didn't seem to mind. The Delta whimpering like a bitch in heat as he ate me out like a man starved, rutting the tent in his jeans at the air pitifully. "Oh my God, Johnny-"

I could have killed him when he pulled away, the noise that escaped me halfway between a desperate whine and an angry growl. Only to gasp as he manhandled me up, taking a seat on the edge of my childhood bed and placing me atop his lap so I was straddling him.

"This okay? Yeah?" He asked, breathless, hands guiding my hips to grind myself down against the delicious friction that was his jeans. "'M sorry, hen, just needed to see that pretty face when yeh cum all over my jeans. Can yeh do tha' for me?"

"F-Fuck, oh my god," I groaned, burying my face into his scent gland as I rocked against his prominent hard-on. "T-the boys are gonna smell me all over you-"

"Damn right they will," he growled, lapping at my uninjured scent gland as if it were ambrosia. "Wouldn't put it past them tah fist themselves tah meh jeans before breakfast tomorrow."

It was a dirty thought. The boys all sat together in various states of undress, groggy still from waking up, touching themselves over the scent of my-

"Johnny!" I smothered my whine in his neck as the knot in my abdomen finally snapped. The Scotsman having to take over, riding me through my orgasm as I feel apart atop him. His lips slanting over mine in a much needed kiss as he followed over the edge right after me, cumming in his boxers.

"'Atta girl," Johnny groaned as his face fell back to my neck, the curse that followed drawn out as he slowly came down from his high. "Fuck."

In the aftermath, I found my mind pleasantly quiet. No thoughts of work, my family, the missions just gone by - none of it mattered. Not when I'd just made one of the hottest men I knew creampie his own boxers from a bit of dryhumping.

Huh... maybe I should speak badly about myself more often if this is what it got me.

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Captain John Price - Elk Hybrid

It didn't take a genius to know that Price was extremely territorial over what he deemed his. His office space, certain training rooms, the bottle of nice bourbon Gaz had got his last Christmas which sat atop the fridge, his task force - it was safe to say that the Captain didn't mess about when it came to what he saw as his own. 

Lieutenant Simon 'Ghost' Riley - Bull Hybrid

Being a bull hybrid certainly came with its... challenges. Curled horns which demanded a certain level of grooming, blatant interest in those who tickled his fancy, protectiveness of those he deemed his herd. But, out of everything, the Lieutenant's bad habit was his restlessness. An itch beneath his skin whenever he sat still for too long between lulls in missions. Then, of course, when his restlessness kicked in, so did his tendency to accidentally fly the coop. He didn't mean to just... up and leave base, truly. One minute he'd be sat, forcing himself to do paperwork in his office. The next, he was getting into a fight at the local pub just off base, seeking that precious stimulation he craved so.

Sergeant Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick - Eagle Hybrid

As with most bird hybrids, Kyle was no exception to handling stress poorly. Unfortunately, it was his poor, beautiful wings that got the brunt of his attention whenever the eagle hybrid had something on his mind. The Sergeant sat atop his bunk, grooming away when he suddenly began to tug those pretty feathers free one-by-one, lost in his own thoughts.

Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish - Wolf Hybrid

Johnny's habit was perhaps the worst of the task force. He didn't mean to cause upset or distress, didn't mean to sink those sharp little teeth of his into something nice and squishy, it just kind of... happened. Somebody reached over him? Nip. Playing with one of his toys with Price, Ghost or Gaz? Nip. Getting pets and belly-rubs for behaving well on missions? Nip. His squad had tried everything - reprimands, punishments, firm talks, behaviour charts, fancy chew toys - but unfortunately for them, it was just part of Soap.

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Six

The dining room had always been the heart of my parents home.

Growing up, every important conversation had happened around the battered, old oak table my mother had found - years ago - at a yard sale and decided we absolutely needed it. To give the house some character, she'd said adamantly when my father had questioned if it was worth the fairly hefty price tag.

Birthdays were celebrated at the table, as was Christmas. Arguments often erupted there, more so than anywhere else in the house. School reports had been scrutinised over dinner, my brothers trying - and failing - to hide their less-then-desirable grades from our parents. Family game nights, forced upon us by mother when she felt we needed 'family bonding time'. Even power cuts during the worst of the winter storms - somehow everything always led back to us gathered around the table.

In three years, it had barely changed since the last time I'd sat at it.

The table itself bore the scars of a lifetime of use; knife marks carves into the surface, fair water stains hidden beneath layers of polish, initials scratched into the underside by mischievous pups who'd thought ourselves terribly clever at the time. Matt had carved his first as a dare when he'd had a friend over for dinner one night. Mikey adding his own not even a week later after he'd discovered his brothers. After all, as the eldest he couldn't let his younger sibling get away with something he hadn't done himself.

I tried to do my own, influenced by my brothers 'cool-ness', managing to get halfway through the carving when my dad caught me red-handed. 

Now, as I sat amongst my birth pack and my chosen pack, I found myself staring at those same imperfections beneath my mother's sheer white table cloth; whilst trying to ignore the overwhelming sensation of being observed from every conceivable angle.

The table was full. Perhaps a bit too much to be comfortable.

My mother sat proudly at one end, ladling stew into bowls and passing them down to the far end of the table, dad occupying his usual space beside her; eating quietly whilst occasionally interjecting with the odd comment. Matthew and Sarah sat opposite me, shoulder-to-shoulder in the easy way mated pairs often did, while Michael occupied the seat to my mother's right like some sort of visiting dignitary.

And then there was myself and the 141, huddled at the other end of the table.

The Captain sat as the other head of the table, discussing engines and machinery with Matt between mouthfuls of stew. Soap sat to one side of me, enthusiastically complimenting my mum's cooking to such an extent that he actually seemed to be winning her over, despite him being a chatterbox. Gaz sat to the other side of me, close enough so our knees brushed occasionally beneath the table. While Simon occupied the only spare seat beside Price, like a particularly intimidating gargoyle, his balaclava rolled up to just beneath his nose so he could eat.

Ghost hadn't spoken much since we'd sat down. Which, to be fair, wasn't exactly unusual for the Lieutenant. He had never been the most talkative of the pack, instead preferring to listen to conversations and observe whilst the rest of us filled every available gap with noise.

What was unusual, however, was how my family kept looking at him. Though, I supposed I couldn't blame them entirely...

An Apex Alpha was rare enough in most places. An Apex Alpha built like a brick wall, wearing a skull-printed balaclava and calmly eating what looked like the littlest bowl of stew in his hands was enough to short-circuit my birth pack.

"Oh for God's sake, will you knock it off?" I groaned, finally having enough and setting my spoon down to growl softly at Matt.

"Charlotte, you shall not take the Lord's name in vein under my roof-" my mother huffed, brow furrowing into a firm frown.

"What? I didn't do anything!" Matthew defended himself.

"Stop staring at him - all of you," I continue, eyes flickering around my suddenly sheepish-looking birth pack. "Honestly, you say I'm the one without manners while ogling a guest like a circus attraction."

"I wasn't staring" Michael scoffed.

"You absolutely were" I fire right back.

"I was just... looking!" "Oh, well done, genius!" I can't help but laugh. "You literally just defined the definition of staring-!"

"Tah be fair tah 'em, hen," Johnny cut in around a mouthful of bread, pointing his spoon towards his mate. "He is a wee bit scary lookin'."

Slowly, the Apex Alpha turned his head towards the Scotsman, eyes narrowing behind his facial covering. Used to such pointed looks from the Lieutenant, however, Soap didn't look the bit ashamed at his own comment.

"Yeh are and yeh know it!" He insisted. "Imagine some poor sod poppin' into Tesco for ah drink and seein' tha' face comin' round the corner, he'd shite himself-"

"Language" my mother growled from the head of the table, making the Sergeant wince where he sat.

"Sorry, Mrs Green."

My mother gave a single, sharp nod - seemingly satisfied with his apology - before turning her attention back to ladling seconds for those that offered their now-empty bowls.

For a few bless minutes, the conversation turned to safer territory - the farm, the weather, the endless roadworks apparently plaguing the village, the state of our local council. All subjects wonderfully boring enough that nobody could accidentally begin an argument.

"I hear your something of a businessman," Price changed the subject and I had never wished to throttle him more. Matthew and I sharing a nervous look across the table as our gaze flickered from the Captain, to Mikey, to our father. "How's that going for you?"

"Busy," Michael replied, chewings lower now. "We'll be expanding our territory again shortly, if the figures keep going the way they are."

My father grunted. That one sound somehow carrying an entire conversation's worth of disapproval, making Michael tense where he sat.

"Dad wanted Mikey to stay on at the farm with him and Matt, take over the business one day" I whispered to Gaz upon noticing the Beta's confused expression.

"We opened a third office a couple months back" Michael continued, having seemingly lost interest in his food as he set his spoon down and pushed his bowl away.

"Congrats, man," Kyle offered with a genuine smile. "Must of taken some hard work and dedication to manage that."

"Waste of his talents" my father muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from my mother who was ready to jump in to defend her favrioute pup, as she always was.

"Richard," she growled, her mate quickly falling silent, before she changed the subject once more; her eyes finding mine across the table. Uh oh. "So, Charlotte, you never mentioned how you met your... colleagues."

My inner Omega bristled, growling in my head at her choice of words.

"An old friend of mine called me while I was stationed in America, cashed in a favour I owed her, had a pack that was struggling to take on a new medic," I swallowed my growl and explained how we met. "Suppose I just proved myself from there." "Proved yourself?" Sarah repeated softly, looking a a little concerned.

"Well, I kind-of knocked that one on his ass my - what was it - second day with them?" I pointed at Ghost with a sweet smile, earning a playful growl in return from the Lieutenant, then to Johnny. "Then I saved this idiot's leg out in the field on a job gone botched."

"She were like an angel sent down from heaven to collect me," Soap cooed over me, earning himself an elbow to his side while the table chuckled. "Had my heart the moment I was lucid enough after surgery."

"...I still think you could do so much more with your life, Charlotte" my mother spoke up once more the moment silence settled.

"Ma-" Matthew sighed immediately, already recognising that particular tone in her voice. The one that meant she was about to dish out unsolicited advice whether anybody wanted to hear it or not."

"What?" She said innocently. "I'm only saying what everybody else at this table is thinking."

"I can assure you, Mrs Green, I'm not thinking that" Gaz countered, politely, as his knee brushed mine beneath the table; a small gesture of reassurance that I was grateful for as I felt my hackles rise. 

My mother simply waved him off dismissively,

"You boys don't count."

"Cheers, Ma," I deadpanned. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I'm just concerned about you, Charlotte," she continued as that familiar lump in my throat began to form. And this, right here, was the reason I hated coming home. Three whole years away and somehow we had still circled right back to the same exact argument we'd been having since I enlisted. "You've found yourself a... pack, now, I suppose. Strong Alphas, dependable Betas, even an Apex and a Delta! People who clearly care about you."

"And?" I growled.

"And," she stressed patiently, as if explaining something to a particularly slow pup. "Don't you think its time you settled down properly? You've spent years throwing yourself into dangerous situations, one after another and now look at you."

"Mum, that's enough-" Matthew tried to stop her once more.

"The military is no place for an Omega," my mother stated firmly, ignoring her second-eldest pup. "It never was... I just think that you've proven whatever it was you were trying to. You served your country, had your adventures-"

"Adventures?" The word came from the other end of the table - quiet, calm, dangerous. Every head turning towards John. "I don't mean any disrespect, Mrs Green, but Charlie hadn't spent the past years travelling the world on holiday."

"John-" I started, unsure if this would make the situation better or worse.

"No, sweetheart," the Alpha shook his head before returning his gaze to the other end of the table. "Your daughter has served in active combat zones-"

"I know that" my mother growled, trying to save face.

"Do you?" He retorted. "Because from where I'm sat, you make her sound like a rebellious pup whose spent a few years trying to find herself. When in reality, Placebo has treated injuries most people couldn't stomach looking at. Worked herself half to death taking care of my lot and keeping us in prime condition. She's saved lives - mine included - and, I'm sorry, but I can't just sit here and listen to you belittle her by calling her service to her country an 'adventure'."

"How dare you talk to me like that in my own house!" My mother snarled, refusing to back down as she rose from the table.

"Kathy, this is getting out of hand," my father tried to interject, trying to play peacemaker. "Why don't we all just take a deep breath and I'll go and pop the kettle on so we can retire to the lounge?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Mr Green-" Kyle nodded, prepared to go and help my dad makes the drinks.

"Charlotte, are you going to let them speak to Ma like that?" Michael growled, rising to stand beside my mother as a united front.

"Are you kidding me, Michael?" I spat back, also rising from my seat now, quickly followed by Soap and Ghost. "All those times I defended your career choices to Dad and your siding with Ma?"

"It's different! I'm not in danger in the office!" 

"You absolute hypocrite!" 

"Mikey, your not being fair-" Matt spoke up, my chest growing warm as at least one of my brothers seemed to be on my side.

"Enough!" The room quickly fell silent as my father's snarl echoed around the space, all eyes turning to him. Everyone had the decency to look shocked at his rare outburst, the older Beta near-trembling with upset. "That... is enough."

"Richard-" my mother spoke with concern, reaching to steady her mate, only for his to slap her hand away.

"This, right here, is why she left to begin with," he growled, tears in his eyes. "All those nights you cried in my arms, Kath, asking why our little girl had abandoned us and I couldn't give you an answer - it's because of this, because of you-"

"Dad..." my voice came out shakier than I'd have liked, feeling the burn of tears in my eyes as I watched him breakdown.

"Richard, how could you say something like that?" My mother whimpered, hand pressed to her heart as if it were breaking.

"Because its true, a-and I can't do it anymore, Kath," he sniffled, trying to muffle what could have been sobs. "I can't watch you tear our family apart anymore. I can't lose her again - I won't."

And for the first time in a long, long time, my mother had nothing left to say.

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Oh, you'd really done it this time...

Sat inside the CEO's office, on the top floor of 'Price Tactical Solutions', you twiddled your hands in your lap as you awaited your boss to say something - anything - to put you out of your misery.

Mr Price stood by the towering windows overlooking the city around his skyscraper, the sun setting on another long workday and streetlights slowly beginning to flicker on one by one beneath us. His suit jacket off, draped over the chair opposite you, and the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to just past his elbows. The ink of a few tattoos, from back in his military days - if the office rumours were anything to go off - peeking out from under his shirt.

You'd only met the CEO a handful of times. Mostly just seeing him in passing as your buzzed about your usual business, not including that one time he'd asked what floor you were heading to when you'd stepped into an elevator, your own hands too full of folders to press the button.

But you knew silence from a man like John was never a good sign...

"I assume you know why I called you in here today" Mr Price finally broke the tense silence, making you jolt where you sat, startled; the CEO still facing the window.

"...yes, sir" you replied after a beat, taking a moment to collect your quickly fraying nerves.

"Gotta say, haven't seen a fuck-up quite this bad in... well, ever," Mr Price nodded, the reflection you caught in the window showing a stormy look on his weary face, though his tone remained almost-scarily calm. "Think you can explain to me why one of our biggest investors just pulled their contract?"

"W-Well, Mr Price, t-there happened to be an... um, slight oversight on my part and-"

"A slight oversight?" The older man scoffed, finally turning to face towards you, his brow furrowed into a firm frown. "Fifty grand isn't an oversight, sweetheart. An oversight is forgetting to pack your lunch the night before. An oversight is realising you were supposed to be in a meeting five minutes ago. This wasn't an oversight, it was idiocy-"

"I'm not excusing my behaviour, sir, but if I could just-" 

"No, you listen here, and you listen well," Mr Price interrupted again, crossing the space with his gaze firmly fixed on the employee in his hot seat. "The only reason I haven't sent you to pack your belongings from your desk is because up until now your service and dedication to this company had been exemplary. That being said, after your performance today-"

"Sir, Mr Price, please," your tried again. "If I could just-"

"I'm placing you on a strict performance review for the next six months," John continued as if he hadn't even heard your interjection, stepping back around his desk to pick up the correct forms he required you to sign for the disciplinary action. "During which time your manager will monitor your performance-"

"Oh for Gods sake, will you just listen to me?" You rise from your seat, frustration bubbling beneath your skin, hands lightly trembling in your upset as the CEO slowly looked up from the paperwork in his. "Thank you, I... I know I messed up, sir - I'm not negating that and I take full responsibility for what happened today with the 'Dwindleboch' account. However, I feel like the big picture is being missed here."

Mr Price stared at me for a moment, obviously unused to having someone speak out against him. With narrowed eyes, he set the papers down and cross his arms.

"And what exactly is the big picture here?"

"I was never supposed to handle the 'Dwindleboch' account, sir," you confessed, averting your gaze in something akin to shame. "I'm not trained on the software they use, nor familiar with the client at all. It was Mr Heegan's project but-"

"But he's been off with the flu," Mr Price took you by surprise, scrubbing a hand down his face, as he seemed to actually know what was going on in your department. "And was your manger, Miss Poten, aware that-?" "I sent her an email the moment she CC'd me in when Mr Heegan called out, sir, stating I didn't have the necessary qualifications nor knowledge to handle the account," you continue, semi-relieved his anger seemed to be shifting elsewhere, even if you wished you didn't have to squeal to do so. After all, you liked your manager, even if she was a little airheaded at times. "Miss Poten never replied and the deadline was approaching, I panicked so did what I could but-"

"What I'm understanding is I'm chewing out the wrong person right now," the CEO huffed, shaking his head, reaching across his desk to dial his secretary; holding the phone up to his ear. "Shirley, get me Miss Poten in here, now."

The tense silence settled once more as he put the phone down, a silence you felt you had to fill somehow.

"I really am sorry, Mr Price, I should have taken the matter higher but I was scared to start office drama. I see now that I should have-"

"God, do you always ramble like this when your nervous?" The older man chuckled, reaching to rub his temples as if there was a headache brewing. "Listen, we lost a big client today, but - that being said - clients come and go. What I don't like is when my machine doesn't run properly. If all the gears don't turn the way their supposed to, then bigger issues then a measly fifty grand are going to arise in the future, hence why we need to sort it now, yeah?"

"I... I get that" you nod, shuffling awkwardly in your seat.

"Performance review stays, only because I want to see if we can help develop that backbone of yours, alright?" Mr Price explained, gesturing for me to get up. "Meant what I said before, your a good worker, but your no use to me if you can't speak up for yourself and/or others."

"Yes, sir," you replied, releasing a breath you hadn't realised you'd been holding. "Thank you, Mr Price. I'll work on that."

As you head for the door, hearing the click of Miss Poten's heels entering the CEO's personal waiting room beyond his private office, his voice stops you in your tracks,

"You know, Shirley's heading on maternity soon and I'm looking for a cover secretary - ever done anything like that?" "Uh, I used to answer the phone for my dad at his garage" you thought back, feeling a little foolish the moment the words tumbled from your lips.

"Hm," Mr Price chuckled, looking oddly thoughtful for a moment. "I look forward to your application for the role then."

"Oh, wait, but I wasn't going to-"

"I said, I look forward to your application."

"...yes, sir."

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Five

My parents farmhouse had always felt small growing up.

Not physically - there was plenty of room in that regard. There was a large kitchen, dining room, a generous living area, a family bathroom upstairs and three bedrooms; there was plenty of room to spread out comfortably. But, between my parents and their three pups - including myself - personal space was something of a luxury commodity.

However, if I'd thought the house busy in my youth, it was nothing compared to now.

The kitchen was a bustling hive, my mother the Queen bee, ensuring the preparation of supper was running smoothly; having roped both Soap and Gaz in to help her get everything ready. At least three pots of stew were bubbling away on the stovetop. Enough to feed a small army, which I supposed to her we were.

The Captain had somehow been roped by my dad into bringing in the extra chairs from the garage, despite being one of the guests. Making polite conversation about the old classic car in there my dad had won in an online sale. The Beta having been working on it for a good few years now, his passion project which he could never seem to get working...

And Ghost and I, well, we'd been sent to the living room to 'relax'. My mother having shoved mugs of tea in our hands before herding us to the sofas, mumbling something about our respective injuries under her breath as she did so.

"...I see why you were hesitant to come home" Simon spoke under his breath as he nursed his builder's brew, balaclava pulled up to just under his nose, revealing the blonde stubble on his jawline and plump lips. Honey brown eyes watching the controlled chaos through the doorways of the kitchen and dining room.

"Wait till my brothers get here," I huff, shaking my head. "Matt's not too bad, we keep in contact from time-to-time still. His mate, Sarah, is an Omega and I think she helped him see how the family dynamic towards me wasn't too great. Michael though... well, he takes after Ma."

"He's the business man, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," I nod, with a pleasantly surprised smile as I look up at the Apex Alpha. "I.. don't think I ever told you that, did I?"

"I'm observant," Ghost replied matter-of-factly, moving his mug into one hand only and slowly stretching his now-free arm over the back of the couch behind me. "I also do my own research before I go to new places."

"Did you stalk my family, LT?" I teased, leaning into his side, earning a gently nip to my cheek as the Lieutenant's gaze turned playful.

"I stalk you, pup," he corrected me. "That a problem?"

"You know, I've always had a thing for dark romance books, sir," I banter easily with him, earning a chuckle from him. "'specially ones with masked men."

"You think I stalk you and don't know what mischief you get up to in your spare time, Charlie?" Simon continued, a smirk tugging at one corner of his lips as a blush settled across my cheeks. "I also know all about that cute, little pink vibrator your so fond, Sergeant. You know, the one you keep in the top drawer of your nightstand back at base?"

"How do you-?"

"I'm observant," he repeated, smirk now victoriously vicious as he backed me into a corner. "If you ever grow tired of just that, pup, your always welcome to come to me-"

"Oh, the boys are here!" My mother called from the kitchen, saving me from my humiliation, as she hurried towards the front door while wiping her hands on a tea towel; having seen their cars pull up through the kitchen window.

Cold air swept into the farmhouse as she yanked open the door excitedly, her inner Alpha chuffing at having all her pups under one roof again.

"Sorry we're late, Ma," Matthew's rough voice came through the door first before he'd even stepped inside. "There was more traffic than we'd thought - must be something going on in town."

How three whole years had flown since the last time I saw my siblings...

Three years since I'd last seen them, since I'd last sat around a table with them, since I'd been anybody's little sister.

"Charlotte?" Matthew's voice turned quiet as his eyes flickered past our mother, prompting me to set my mug atop the coffee table and rise nervously from the sofa.

He'd always been the largest of my birth pack. Standing at a proud 6'2, Matt could probably hold his own with the 141 if he put his mind to it. Not that he ever would, the softy being a gentle giant. B-road shouldered and sturdy from years of working on and helping to manage my parents farm. His hair the same muddy brown as my own; curls damp from the pitiful downpour outside and cheeks flushed pink with the chill.

"Hey, Matt-" I greet him awkwardly, holding a hand up in an almost shy wave. Only to squeak as my second eldest brother crossed the space in three large, hurried strides and pulled me into a big bear hug, my feet lifting and dangling off the floor. "Easy, easy! Still recovering!"

"Oh, shit - sorry!"

The Beta loosened his holding, setting me back on to my feet, hugging me a little gentler.

"Missed you, doofus" he used his childhood nickname for me.

"Missed you too, moron" I sniffled, hugging him back, feeling my throat tighten as my inner Omega whined; happy to be reunited with her brothers.

When he finally released me, although albeit reluctantly, another figure stepped forward.

"Stop hogging my sister-in-law," Sarah gently scolded her mate, shooting him a playful scowl. Her gaze then settling on me as her hands fretted, cupping my cheeks. "Oh, look at you - you look so grown up, Char."

Her smile held all the softness and warmth I remembered. Auburn hair braided into a single plait which fell over her shoulder, freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. Sarah had always had a naturally calming presence to her. The kind of Omega that could walk into a room and bring world peace if she tried.

"I'm alright, I promise" I reassure her, or try to anyway, already aware of how her gaze lingered on the fading bruises on my face and marring the rest of me.

"Fibber" she huffed, shaking her head, but pulled me into a brief hug; as if she couldn't help herself.

That was the difference between Sarah and my mother. With my brother's mate, there was no accusation to her concern, just affection. The difference in tone between her and the female Alpha staggering.

As she relinquished her hold, my gaze landed on the final member of the trio - Michael.

My eldest brother stood, just inside the doorway, with his hand shoved into his expensive-looking coats pocket.

Where Matthew looked as if he'd walked straight out of a farming catalogue with his plaids and denim, Michael looked like something out of 'CEO Weekly'.

His slightly darker hair combed back neatly with a no nonsense attitude. Deeper bags under his eyes, showing the late nights he'd suffered in the office.

Yet, somehow, the Beta still carried himself with the same confidence he'd possessed since he was a pup. The same confidence my mother had installed upon her eldest, convincing him that he was the smartest person in the family.

His gaze settled in me and, for a moment, I saw something flicker there - relief. Not warmth. Not the open, obvious affection Matthew had shown. Not the easy concern Sarah had worn on her sleeve.

Just relief.

The kind a person got after something they'd been worrying about rights itself.

But as quick as it arrived, it was gone. Hidden away by years of professional curtesy.

"Charlotte" Michael said, flatly,

"Michael" I matched his energy, feeling myself bristle.

"Still alive then?"

"...do I look like a fuckin' ghost you?" I asked, gesturing down at myself.

"Hard to tell under those bandages" he shrugged dryly, though the corner of his lips twitched upwards.

"Hard to tell under those bandages," I repeated mockingly, making fun of him in a way only a little sister could get away with. "Nice to see you too, Mike."

"What? I'm just saying-"

"And who are these gentlemen, Char?" Sarah interjected, cutting through the growing tension between me and my eldest sibling like a hot knife through butter; redirecting the conversation before it could escalate further.

"These are-"

"Her pack," Johnny stepped into the hallway from the kitchen, reaching pleasantly for my brothers hands and shaking them. "Pleasure tah meet yeh, 'm Sergeant John MacTavish, but feel free tah call me Soap."

"A Delta-?" Michael's eyes narrowed.

"Soap? That's an odd nickname" Sarah's eyebrows raised with mild surprise. "How did you-?"

"Am afraid tha's classified, lass" he replied ruefully.

"I'm Sergeant Kyle Garrick, but everybody calls me Gaz," Kyle stepped forward next, smiling politely. That easy Beta charm helping to ease the way my shoulders had knitted together as his hand landed on the small of my back. "Lovely to be meeting you all."

"A Beta?" Matthew remarks, clasping Gaz's hand with interest.

"Someone has to keep this lot in order, yeah?" Gaz chuckled.

"And that someone certainly isn't you, Sergeant," Price growled playfully, nipping at his mate's cheek as he passed by while stepping forward to greet the rest of my family. "Captain John Price, at your service."

"Didn't know you had a thing for older men, Char" Sarah teased, whispering into my ear.

"Shut up!" I squeaked, cheeks flushing crimson.

"Evenin'" a deep voice made everyone jump as the floorboards creaked under Simon's weight. The Apex  Alpha stepping behind me, big arms encircling my plump waist all too easily and his chin resting on the top of my head as he leant down.

My brothers tensed at the masked man, Sarah's eyes going wide.

Sometimes I forgot just how rare Delta's and Apex Alpha's were outside our little pack...

"This big guy is Lieutenant Simon Riley," I introduce Ghost on his behalf, unconsciously leaning back into him. "I apologise in advance, the big lug's got about as many manners as a tree stump."

"Oi" he warned with a soft growl.

The silence that followed was neither comfortable nor entirely uncomfortable. Minds whirring away with how to fill the quietness that had taken hold, yet nobody committing to be the one to break it either.

Which is why I relaxed somewhat when my mothers clapped her hands together,

"Right, supper is ready - everybody to the table!"

This was going to be one long meal...

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

"We're back!" The Captain called out as he and the Lieutenant shuffled into the 141's private common room, kicking the door shut behind them; their arms much too preoccupied with cradling the bountiful feast they'd set out.  "Gaz, they were outta vegetable spring rolls, mate. Your just gonna have to cope without this occasion-"

However, the pair of commanding officers came to a screeching halt as they took in the scene before them. You - the Task Forces newest addition - quite clearly upset and your fellow Sergeants sat on either side of you. The old, worn brown leather couch sagging under yours, Soap and Gaz's weight.

"Didn't think no spring rolls would be such a big deal" Ghost murmured dryly as he took in your tears, his eyes crinkling into what might have been a confused scowl behind his skull-printed balaclava.

"What's going on?" John asked as he shuffled further into the room, setting the steaming bags of take-out down on to the counter of the kitchenette - the small kitchen space all but shoved into one corner of the common room. His brow furrowing into a soft frown as he tried to make sense of the situation.

He'd always been a bit of a softie when it came to his Sergeants, not that he'd ever admit it.

"Their partner-" Kyle began to explain before Johnny cut in with his own grumble, continuing to gently rub at your back.

"Ex."

"-just dumped them over text" Gaz continued, ignoring the Scotsman.

"How could they do this to me?" You whimpered between another choked sob.

The sudden break-up didn't exactly come as a surprise to the team, per say. It had been a long time in the making. Yet, unfortunately it appeared everyone but you had seemed to realise the decline of what once was a happy relationship.

The arguments, last minute cancelled plans, short periods of ghosting - you had simply chose to believe that you and your ex had just been going through a rough patch. After all, you'd been together a few years now and you'd thought you'd known them better than to just end things over text...  apparently you didn't.

"What a fuckin' idiot," Simon scoffed in his typical blunt fashion, taking the rest of the squad by surprise; your sobs quietening to upset sniffles as you blink at him. Setting his own bags of goodies down on the counter beside the Captain's and reaching for the plates up in the cupboard to begin dishing up the team's usual Friday Night takeaway. "Lettin' someone like you slip through their fingers."

"See, bonnie? Ah told yeh tha' yeh were too good for tha' wanker," Soap joined in, gesturing to the Lieutenant victoriously. "Has tah be true 'cause even LT agrees!"

"I just.. I just thought they were the one, yanno?" You shrugged, arms wrapping around yourself in a self-hug, shaking your head; reluctant to believe their reassurance. "I feel so stupid..."

"Oh, dove, got yourself into a right tizzy, haven't you?" John sighed sympathetically, abandoning the Chinese takeaway for the time being and padding across the room. Before slowly kneeling down in front of where you sat, his knees cracking as he did, large hands falling atop your knees and giving them a light squeeze. "If they couldn't be bothered to do the right thing and give you closure face-to-face then I'm afraid I have to agree with the lads. You deserved better than a bloody text after years spent together."

"And you not stupid," Kyle added, nudging you with his elbow and offering one of his most charming smiles. "See it this way - at least you know now before you wasted anymore time on that tosser, yeah?"

That earned the barest hint of a smile, the corners of your lips twitching upwards.

"Anyway," Soap grinned, seeing an opportunity as your distress began to waver. Playfully flexing his biceps and earning a real laugh from you. "Who needs them when yeh have us, aye?"

"If we're done with the dramatics," Ghost chimed in, drawing attention back to the now plated take-away. "Foods going cold."

And, as the 141 finally settled onto the sofas with their plates - turning on that film Johnny had been yapping on about wanting to watch for weeks, it didn't slip past you that the usually-brooding Lieutenant had given you his share of the prawn crackers.

Perhaps Price wasn't the only softie when it came to his teammates being upset...

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Hi there!

So 😅 at first I was like ‘oh, shit, did I make a mistake?’

But then upon re-reading chapter thirty-one, I do feel like I explained the situation well in the paragraph;

‘Then I remembered the hickies on Kyle's throat the night after John's outburst on the airfield. Of course, at the time, I'd thought it had been a one time thing in the heat of the moment after making up. Yet now, I wasn't so sure...’

So, yes 😅 the set up was intentional.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Slamming the door, to my childhood bedroom, shut behind me perhaps wasn't my best idea. The dull reminder of my head wound throbbing at the loud bang and making me hiss as I raised a hand to touch at the still-tender spot. Eye closing momentarily until the ache began to subside, before finding myself pausing at the familiar room staring back at me when I opened my eyes once more; my legs having carried me here on muscle memory.

To say I hadn't been here for three years, I had expected my parents to turn my old room into the home-gym my mother always mentioned wanting, or perhaps even just make it into a storage room. And yet, nothing had changed. Not one single thing.

The same pale green, floral wallpaper I'd begged my dad for as an adolescent - trying to make myself appear more grown up - still clung stubbornly to the walls despite beginning to peel ever so slightly at the corners. The same white-painted dresser sat across from my metal frame bed, my brother's old television set atop it. My old bookshelf remained crammed in the corner, beside my window seat overlooking the western fields, crammed with both diction and non-fiction books I'd poured over when I was younger; their pages weathered from over-use. Even the patchwork quilt my grandma had made me before she dies sat as a comforter at the foot of my old bed.

It was almost as if my old room had sat frozen in time since the day I left. The sight of it making my stomach twist in knots, my earlier anger fading to a contemplative sadness which took root in my chest.

The room was dirty or neglected. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

There wasn't a spec of dust anywhere - the surfaces gleaming, curtains without a wrinkle, hung photos and paintings sitting straighter than I could have ever gotten them.

Meaning that my mother must have been coming in here, regularly, to clean and maintain it. Probably waiting for the day I would come back. Waiting for me to realise she had been right all along and that the big world was too scary for an Omega on their own.

My jaw clenched as my anger returned, her voice still bouncing around my skull from moments ago.

"You didn't think to discuss this with me, Charlotte?"

No congratulations, no 'are they treating you well?', no 'are you happy?'. Just indignation. 

 The argument started the moment she realised, after my father pointed it out to her, that the 141 weren't just my brothers-in-arms. But, it wasn't over what might have been the more obvious reasons a parent was upset about a pairing.

She wasn't upset I was courting four men at once after years of swearing off dating, after how things ended with my ex; an Omega belonging to more than one person was quite normal. More bonds equalled more protection and more security, after all.

She wasn't upset because Ghost was an Apex Alpha, or because Soap and Gaz were 'lower-classed' secondary genders.

No, somehow those details barely registered compared to the fact that I hadn't informed my mother beforehand. That I'd 'kept her in the dark' and had failed to mention it to her.

Because apparently, despite being a fully grown Omega who had survived military service, countless deployments, being kidnapped, tortured and nearly forcefully bonded - I was still somehow expected to ring home and ask permission before developing feeling for somebody... or, in this case, four somebodies.

The conversation had deteriorated quickly after that, with years of frustration bubbling to the surface faster than either of us could contain.

I jumped, whirling around as the door suddenly opened behind me, just enough for Kyle's head to pop round the door. Before his expression brightened considerably as his gaze landed on me, quickly slipping completely into the room and shutting the door gently behind him.

"Kyle? What are you-?" I began to ask, brow furrowing as I placed my bags beside my bed.

"Came to check on you," he replied as if it were obvious, crossing the room towards me, his hands landing on my hips the moment he was close enough; leaning down to place a soft kiss to my lips. "You and your mum got into it down there... that normal for you two?"

"Unfortunately," I sighed, melting against the Beta, my earlier upset draining through the soles of my feet. I never could resist Gaz, the Sergeant always seeming to have this... way, of soothing me. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that-"

"Don't apologise, baby," Kyle shook his head, tugging me into a hug; my head resting against his chest so I could ground myself to the steady thumping of his heartbeat. "It wasn't your fault... with all due respect, I kinda see where you were coming from about your mum being..."

He trailed off, unsure of the right word to use.

"A crotchy hag? A bitch?" I suggest, trying to help him out, of course.

"Intense" he chuckled, his cheek settling against my hair.

"That's putting it mildly," I huffed, grumbling as my arms tighten around his waist. "Did, um, did dad show you guys to the guesthouse after I stormed off? You get settle okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Gaz reassured me as I pulled away slightly to look up at him again. "Soap tried chattering to your dad but it was like getting blood from a stone. He's a Beta, like me, right?"

"Yeah," I nod, wincing slightly. "He's always been quiet, ever since I was a pup. Hope Johnny didn't take it personally, that's just what he's like."

"You know Soap, was like water off a duck's back," he joked before his playful smile softened. "You sure your okay? Your scent is like burnt sugar... anything I can do to make it better?"

My heart fluttered inside my chest as one of the Beta's hands reached up and cupped my cheek.

"Well, there is something you could do..." I replied, shyly, batting my eyelashes up at him. Hands catching the front of his T-shirt and tugging him down towards me, my lips grazing his.

"Is that so?" Kyle growled. "I'm sure I could help with that."

The kiss wasn't rushed - it never was with Kyle. Even when everything else in my life felt as if it were spinning out of control, he and the boys were my one steady constant. 

He made a faint sound of amusement as I tugged on his T-shirt again, pulling him impossibly closer; the sound low and fond. Before he shifted just enough to guide me back and onto my childhood bed. The old metal frame creaking under the movement. His scent wrapping around me and making my inner Omega purr as she revelled in the attention.

However, before we could get nay further, the sound of footsteps coming down the hall made us pause. Making me pull back just as a knock sounded from the other side of the door.

"Charlotte?" My father called through the wood.

For a split second, the Beta and I simply stared at one another, the reality of what my dad was about to walk in on coming crashing down between us like a dropped plate. Panic hitting almost comically fast.

"Shit-" he mouthed.

"Gaz-" I whispered sharply, pushing him off of me.

There was no dignity in his movements as the Sergeant dropped to the floor beside my childhood bed and practically threw himself under it. His elbow catching on the metal frame with a muted thud that made me want to wince.

"Charlotte?" My father called again.

"Yeah!" I answered a little too quickly, voice cracking slightly as I rushed to smooth down my hair and clothes while I sat up. "Yeah, come in!"

The door opened slowly, just enough for my dad to step through without fully committing to the room, as if he was unsure he was allowed in any further. His gaze flickering across the space first - habit more than caution -taking in the unchanged furniture and the unpacked bags. Before his gaze finally settled where I sat atop the bed.

He looked... tired, more so than usual.

"Your mum's gone to put the kettle on," he said quietly. "She made some shortbread before you guys arrived, remembered how you used to try and smuggle them from the treat tin as a pup."

"Great," I nodded struggling to maintain eye contact with him. "I'll, um, let the boys know."

"...you alright, bug?"

"I'm fine" I lied automatically.

"She, um... she didn't mean it the way it sounded downstairs," he continued carefully, choosing each word as if it might explode in his mouth if he got it wrong. "She was just surprised... and worried, that's all."

"Worried about what exactly, dad?" I countered, feeling annoyance swell inside me at the constant excuses he made for her.

"About you," my father confessed after a moments hesitation. That brief moment telling me everything I needed to know. "We haven't heard from you in ages, bug, and suddenly you come home with four men on your arm? It was a bit of a shock."

We stared at one another, my firm frown not softening the way he had clearly hoped. The older Beta sighing and rubbing at the back of his neck.

"The Task Force seems solid - Scottish ones a bit yappy for my liking but," he half-joked, the corner of my lip threatening to waver upwards. "You've got a good group there, bug."

"They're not just a group, dad," I corrected him softly. "They're my pack."

"...yeah," he nodded reluctantly. "Your pack."

An awkward silence settled between us once more.

"So, um, did you need anything else or-?" I clear my throat.

"Uh, no, no - oh, actually yes," he seemed to remember something last minute. "Your brothers are coming for tea tonight so make sure you and your boys are downstairs for about five-thirty-ish."

"Will do, dad" I nod.

I almost sighed with relief as he turned around and began to head out the door. Until, my father paused, his hand on the door handle; ready to close it behind him.

"Son, if I ever catch you in my daughter's bedroom again you'll learn just why the call me the 'Hogtie King' around these parts, alright?"

"Yes, sir," Gaz's voice came out squeaky and flustered below my bed. "Understood, sir."

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Hi there! Thanks so much for your question ❤️

Unfortunately I don’t think I’m going to do it for this particular fanfiction just because ‘The Placebo Effect’ is slowly drawing to its conclusion - I won’t say how many chapters left 😅

Hi, everyone! Just wanted to clear a few things up 😅

Over the last few chapters of the fanfic, I’ve had a couple of people post something along the lines of telling me it’s too short. Some have meant it in a good way, as if they’re wanting more, and I have discovered as such upon asking for clarification.

However, as someone with Autism, I really struggle to decipher if people mean it in a good way or a bad way, and it leaves me quite disheartened 😓 all my chapters are somewhere are between 1,500 and 2,000 words, not to mention the planning I do before I even sit down to write. To then be told it’s short - whether in a good way or bad way, it makes me feel like the work I put in isn’t good enough

Chapter Fifty-Three

As the car rolled to a halt in front my birth pack's farmhouse, it gave one last concerning wheeze before Price killed the engine. The silence that followed oddly uncomfortable as I no longer had the spluttering of the exhaust or the rattling of the windows to focus on. Now, without the sounds of the car, I could hear the wheat swaying in the wind where they sat in the crop fields, and the low hum of the cattle grazing. Sounds that had comforted me once upon a time...

"Right then," John muttered, unclipping his seat beat and turning to look into the back seat. "Everyone still alive?"

"Barely" Kyle grumbled, stretching where he sat beside me.

"Seriously, Cap, I think you need a new set of wheels" I jested with an amused huff as I watched the Alpha's brow furrow into a soft frown.

"She got us here, didn't she?" He argued. "Anyway... she's a classic."

"She's a health hazard more like, Sir" I retorted, earning a half-hearted growl from the superior officer and chuckles from my fellow Sergeants.

I waited, patiently, for Gaz to collect himself - still coming round from the looks of things - and step out of the car; quickly following after him. Taking his hand to help me up with a gracious 'thank you'.

As I set foot back onto the land I was raised on, my boots sank slightly into the loose gravel; the cool breeze wrapping around me. God, it smelled exactly the same as I remembered. Damp earth, hay, livestock.

It all hit me a little harder than I'd expected it to, three years melting away in an instant.

The farmhouse stood before us exactly as it always had; large and worn with age, built from old grey stone darkened by decades of weather. Ivy crawling stubbornly across one side of the walls while flower boxes sat beneath the downstairs windows, overflowing with my mother's carefully maintained plants.

Johnny was right about one thing, it certainly was like something out of a postcard tourists bought from gift ships. So picturesque that it was almost too perfect...

Simon moved quietly around the car towards me, his posture tense despite the exhaustion clearly weighing him down; stopping close enough so that our shoulders brushed lightly as I plucked my bags from the boot. The journey having been obviously hard on him.

"You alight, pup?" he asked, voice low enough so the others didn't hear him.

It was such a simple question and yet, it nearly undid me. Because no, I wasn't really.

My chest felt too tight, as if someone were stepping on it. My skin felt too warm. My feelings felt too big for my body to handle. Every instinct within me screaming at me to get back into the rust bucket of a car and tell Price to drive away before this place swallowed me whole again.

But, instead, I nodded.

"Fine" I lied softly.

Ghost's gaze lingered on me for a second too long. He knew I was lying, I was sure of it.

However, before either of us could say anything further, the front door to the farmhouse suddenly flew open hard enough to slam against the stone wall beside it.

"Charlotte!" My mother's frantic cry echoed around us as she rushed from my childhood home, barrelling down the steps of the porch with the intensity of a woman whose pup had just returned from war. Which, admittedly - I had, but that didn't make the theatrics any less overwhelming.

"Brace yourselves" I mumbled to the 141 men, tensing as I waited for impact.

She descended the steps quickly, one hand reaching for me while the other clutched her cardigan at her chest. As if merely the sight of me was physically overwhelming for her.

It was all typical Ma, really. It seemed even in my absence she hadn't really changed after I'd left.

Standing at 5'6, my new pack dwarfed her, and yet that didn't make her any less daunting. The female Alpha had had intimidated me so much as a child, those eyes always narrowed with disapproval, now looked almost weary with her old age. Her blonde locks - now streaked with silver - were pinned back immaculately; not a hair on her head out of place. Nor a speck of dirt on the pale blue sundress she wore beneath the cardigan, a feat for someone who lived on a farm.

"My Charlotte, oh sweetheart," she gasped as she reached me, both hands flying up to cradle my cheeks as she looked me over. "God, look what they've done to my pup."

And there it was - no hello, no how are you, no I've missed you. Just straight to assessing the damage.

Her sharp gaze scanned over my still-healing bruises, Ghost tensing behind me at her handsiness, going straight to the lingering bruises atop my head and the ones peeking out from behind the bandage over my scent gland. Her expression crumpling on cue, horror and heartbreak etching across her face with the practiced precision of a woman who enjoyed an audience.

I'm sure there was truly a part of her worried about me, but that didn't outweigh her need to be the centre of attention.

"I knew I should have marched down the moment I got the call you were hurt," she began, a soft growl to her voice as she continued to fuss over me. "Your father and I should have fought harder, should have never let you enlist to begin with! War is no place for an Omega, Charlotte, this is proof-"

I fought the urge to wrench my head free of her hands. Not because she was hurting me or anything of the sort, though it was a tad embarrassing to be fretted over before my pack, but because she touched me with a possessiveness of a female Alpha still checking something was hers.

"Mama," I say, carefully, shouldering my bag and letting my hands settle around her wrists to tug them away from my cheeks; interrupting her rant. "I'm fine."

"You are absolutely not alright, Charlotte, don't be rediculous," she snapped instantly, making me flinch. "You were kidnapped - I don't call that fine."

Behind me, I felt the boys stiffen. I was somewhat relieved, actually, that they saw and heard it too now. The control beneath the concern. The way her panic immediately became about her and how she was feeling, rather than what I'd gone through.

Before I could answer, a slower figure came down the steps of the porch, my gaze flickering over her shoulder.

Dad...

Unlike my mother, he moved without urgency, yet I knew with the tightness of his limbs that he was doing his version of hurrying. Heavy boots thumping against the creaking wood of the porch, a rag slung over his shoulder, covered in grease - probably from tuning the tractor again.

Age had weathered his harshly over the years. More grey threaded through his dark brown hair, deep lines carved into his face from years of working under rain and sun alike.

However, his eyes were the same, quiet and observant.

"Hi, dad" I croaked, feeling a lump form in my throat, swallowing the pitiful whine from my inner Omega upon seeing her father again.

"...Hi, bug" he replied quietly, pulling me into a firm hug once close enough. Before reluctantly letting me go and shoving his hands into his pockets, like he was fighting the urge to reach for me again.

I didn't know what was worse, my mother's obvious disapproval of my career - well, life in general - od my father's quiet disapproval.

As I pulled back, composing myself as I cleared my throat and ran a hand through my already-disheveled locks, I watched as his gaze fell to the four men behind me. Prickly immediately as his gaze swept across the strangers his daughter was with - assessing, judging.

By Beta standards, sometimes he could be even scarier than Ma...

"When that Captain rang me, Charlotte... do you have any idea how terrified I was?" My mother continued, her hands falling onto my shoulder.

"I do apologise for causing you the distress, ma'am," the Captain spoke up, stepping forward and beside me, making my mother jump as if she was only just realising others were there. "Just knew that if it were my pup, I'd want to know."

"Mama, dad - I'd like to introduce you to my pack," I swallow thickly.. "This is Captain John Price, Lieutenant Simon Riley, Sergeant Kyle Garrick and Sergeant John MacTavish."

"Ah, right, your... squad," my mother nodded stiffly, looking over the men I served with, declining to use to word 'pack'. "Well, I thank you for ringing me, I know Charlotte wouldn't have if the decision was left to her."

"Mama-"

"Thank you for bringing her home to us" my father interrupted, hesitantly offering his hand for them to shake.

"Would have fought tah the ends o' the earth if it meant gettin' our hen back" Johnny offered a toothy grin, winking towards me as he shook my father's hand. My cheeks growing warm as I hastily looked away.

"She's a credit to you" Gaz shook his hand next, then John, then Simon.

"Oh, goodness, look at us keeping everyone outside. You must be exhausted after your journey," my mother said with a light laugh. "Come, I'll pop the kettle on."

"Would nae say nae tah ah cuppa" Soap chuffed, ready for a hot drink.

"It's always tea time in this house," she joked easily with him. "Oh, and Charlotte, once your settled back into your own room - perhaps we could have a sit down and talk about finally arranging that date with the Alpha from church I was telling you about the last time we spoke-"

"Mama-"

"Don't be difficult now, Charlotte, you said that when you were home, you'd-"

"I know what I said," I snapped without meaning to, taking a deep breath to steady myself once more as she looked taken aback. "I mean... I'm already seeing someone."

"What? Who? I haven't approved anybody-" she exclaimed, halting halfway up the steps of the porch.

"Kathy..." my father settled a hand onto her shoulder, prompting his wife to take a closer look between the dynamic of our pack.

"...oh."

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Two

"How long till we get there?" Simon asked, shuffling where he sat for the fifth time that hour.

"Is your side hurting?" I asked, softly, not wanting to draw the attention of Price and Johnny in the front of the car. Gaz not being too much of a concern as he slumbered away beside me. "Why don't we ask Cap to stop? Let you stretch your legs-"

"No, no," the Apex declined hastily. "'M fine - just wondered how much longer it was to your parents."

It was a lie, plain and simple.

Simon had been discharged from the medical wing early that morning and, the pack having already taken the liberty of packing up his necessary belongings, we hadn't wasted anytime getting out of there. Hitting the road in John's beat up, old car - how the thing was still running was beyond me with the noises it was making - and savouring our first tastes of freedom away from the stress of the job.

Of course, while both the Lieutenant and I had been discharged, that didn't exactly mean we were out of the woods just yet.

Therapy had proved... difficult to me. Often feeling as if whenever I took a step in the right direction, something unforeseen would make me take another two back. Nightmares, sudden panic attacks, irritable moods - the pack were saints to be putting up with everything I was putting them through, or so I thought so anyway.

Ghost, on the other hand, was more physically demanding; his side still not fully healed. Bandages needed to be changed once a day, a close eye kept on his sutures to make sure no infection seeped in. No strenuous activities, which for an Apex Alpha was obviously grating on the big guy.

But, we'd been released and reunited, and that was all that mattered to me. Both of us alive, safe, together - the pack complete once more.

"'bout another hour yet," I replied, brow furrowing as he shuffled once more. "My folks are farmers so-"

"You grew up on a farm?" He looked at me as if I'd grown a second head, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the way they did to tell me he was smirking.

"I did," I spoke carefully, eyes narrowing at his amusement. "Problem with that?"

"Suppose I just can't imagine you being a country girl - chasing chickens, herding cattle and all that," Simon shrugged. "You've always screamed 'big city' to me."

"I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment," I huffed, earning a chuckle from the Apex Alpha. The sound muffled through his skull-printed balaclava - having forgone his usual skull mask knowing he'd be meeting my family. "But, if you want to talk about upbringings, Johnny did mention you come Manchester, LT-"

"Don't start a fight you can't win, pup" he growled playfully, bumping the side of his face against my own; drawing a soft, contented sigh from my lips as I leaned into his side.

In moments like this I could almost forget everything that had happened...

"Are you really alright, Si?" I double-checked, looking up at him from where I'd nestled into his side.

"'m fine," he assured me, lips pressing against my cheek through the fabric of his headwear. "Just getting a little stiff is all... why don't you try and sleep, hm? Must be tired after last night."

Ugh, last night... don't think I'd slept more than an hour - if that! Stupid nightmares interrupting my beauty sleep.

"Okay," I caved, reluctantly. "But, you tell John if you need two minutes to get out and stretch your legs, yeah?"

"Promise, pup."

~

"Sweet girl," Kyle's voice brought me out of my half-asleep state, rousing me from whatever brief sleep I'd managed to catch. "Cap think's we're almost there now."

"Hm?" I hum, blinking groggily, trying to get my focus to vision.

Slowly sitting up, I find that we must have stopped at some point because Ghost was now sat up front with Price and Soap was sat on the other side of me. 

"Afternoon, hen" Johnny purred, one of his large hands finding the plush of my thigh and giving it a light squeeze. Earning himself a little grumble as I swatted him away, too groggy for his shenanigans and touchiness just yet.

Looking out the windscreen, I see the familiar sights of the English countryside I'd grown up in around us. Fields of wheat, potatoes and carrots. Not to mention the few continuing grazing cows and their calves, their moos soft compared to the old car bumbling down the dirt road.

...it was strange to be back where I'd spent so long trying to escape. 

"Yeah," I said, quietly, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "We're almost there now."

"You holding up okay, dove?" Price asked from behind the wheel, his eyes flicking towards me in the rear-view mirror as if sensing my shift in mood.

"Just weird to be back, sir" I confess.

The Alpha hummed softly at that, one weathered hand tapping idly against the steering wheel to the song playing quietly through the radio.

"Its understandable," he replied after a moment of thought. "Been a while since you've been home, hasn't it?" "Was workin' in America for two years," I sighed, reminded of all the guilt-trips my mother - in particular - had tried to pull to get me to come home to visit them. "But, has probably been about three since I last came home... visited once long after I'd passed boot camp and, well, I left a few days earlier then planned, let's put it that way."

Three years felt like a lifetime ago. Maybe it was, truth be told. I certainly wasn't the same girl who'd run away to join the British Military at eighteen after her proposed mate sought warmth elsewhere. Nor the girl who'd left days earlier than planned to escape her overbearing mother and distant father.

And, now, I was here again.

Not alone, however, this time - thankfully.

My gaze drifted across the inside of the car, settling on each member of the pack in turn as if silently reassuring myself they were truly there. Gaz looking half-asleep beside me, his cheek reddened slightly from where he had been squashed against the window while he'd dozed. Johnny sat broad and warm at my other side, one arm slung lazily over the back of my seat as if he couldn't bare to be too far apart from me. Up front, even Simon sat stiffly beside Price, gloved fingers drumming against his thigh before stilling once more as he caught me watching.

Even exhausted and injured, he was still watching me. Always watching me now.

"You nervous?" The Beta asked, angling himself towards me.

"A little."

"That bad, eh?" Soap teased, though held an undercurrent of concern to his playful lilt.

"You have no idea, Johnny" I sighed, fiddling with the frayed holes in my jeans.

"Well," the Captain said dryly. "If they give you any trouble, we'll simply have to set 'em straight then, won't we?"

Despite myself, a small laugh escaped me.

"Sir, please don't threaten my parents," I scoffed, playfully, shaking my head.

"No promises."

The car rounded another bend and there it was.

My childhood home came into view slowly beyond the bountiful fields - a large stone farmhouse sat atop a gentle rise, ivy creeping along portions of the walls. Several old barns sat further back, alongside rusting farm equipment and fenced paddocks. Smoke curling from the chimney of the main farmhouse, no doubt Ma having put on a pot of stew to simmer away so it was ready for supper that night.

Nothing had changed, and somehow, that was the strangest part.

After everything that had happened, after nearly dying, being nearly forcefully bonded and being dragged through hell itself, my old family home looked painfully normal... as if I'd never even been there at all.

"Bloody hell," the Delta gawked. "Yeh nae told us yeh grew up in ah place like this."

"I told you it was a farm" I repeated my earlier explanation.

"Aye, but ah expected chickens 'n' mud," he continued. "This place looks like sommat out o' ah postcard."

"It has chickens and mud" I deadpanned him.

I watched as the Lieutenant's gaze tracked carefully over the property as we drove up the path towards the house, his posture going imperceptibly rigid. Protective instincts perhaps. After all, this place was unknown to him. 

Even injured, even exhausted, Simon was still accessing exits, windows and advantage points - anywhere a threat could emerge from. Or, for that matter, anything the pack and I might need protecting from.

One thing was true though - for better, or for worse - I was home...

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G

Chapter Fifty-Two of ‘The Placebo Effect’ will still be released tomorrow but I am unsure about what time just yet 😅❤️

Chapter Fifty-One

(One week later)

I awoke with a scream already lodged halfway up my throat. My body jerking violently beneath the bedsheets, nails clawing uselessly at the fabric as panic ripped through me in suffocating waves.

"Charlie. Charlie, hey, come on, hen - your nae there, your safe, your home-" Johnny was beside me in an instant, roused from his light slumber in the armchair beside my bed. Large hands cupping my cheeks as he forced my gaze to his tired eyes, hurriedly climbing onto the bed beside me and coaxing my frantic thrashes to slowly still.

"N-No," I choked out, shaking my head adamantly as the bad dream lingered in the forefront of my mind. Violent shivers wracking down the length of my rigid form. "Si, they took Si! W-We have to-"

"They dinnae take him, Mo ghràdh," the Delta continued to soothe me, my desperate gasps hitching as Soap pulled me tightly against his chest, one hand cradling the back of my head carefully - mindful of the concussion I was still suffering from - while the other rubbed firmly up and down my back. His Scottish accent thicker with both worry and exhaustion. "Ah swear on meh mam's life, Simon's fine - he's with Gaz, yeah? Just like ah promised yeh before yeh went tah sleep."

Safe... the worst still didn't feel quite real yet after a week of being back at base.

Not after waking up each night, certain I could still feel Roman's breath fanning against my scent gland. Not when every time I closed my eyes, I saw the Lieutenant's blood splattering across those polished marble floors.

Sleep had become my enemy after that night at Carcofski's safehouse, eluding me at every turn.

Not because I didn't need it - God, I needed it. Every inch of my frame aching with a bone-deep tired, head throbbing from the concussion no matter how many painkillers the medics pushed through my system. But, the moment I shut my eyes for slightly too long, I was right back there...

Back in that dining room.

Back with Roman's hands on me.

Back with Simon yelling my name as they dragged him away.

The nightmares never came gently either. They'd tear through me, vivid enough that waking up never felt like a relief. Sometimes it was the Alpha sinking his teeth into my scent gland while I was stuck in that stupid chair. Sometimes it was the Lieutenant bleeding out in front of me while I was held helplessly in place, unable to get to him. Other times, the worst of them all, it was the echo of Simon pleading me not to bond with Roman.

Those were the ones that stayed with me long after waking, haunting me for the rest of the day. Just for the cycle to repeat again when night fell once more.

My fingers twisted desperately into Soap's shirt as I buried my face against him, trying to anchor myself to something real. Something warm. Something alive.

Johnny shifted further up the mattress, atop the medical wing bed, until he was practically sat around me entirely, broad chest pressed firmly against my back as he cocooned me into him. Like if he held me tightly enough, nothing in the world could touch me again.

His scent wrapping around me - gunpowder, cedarwood and something distinctly him beneath it all - comforting in a way that made my poor, battered inner Omega whine softly.

"Tha's it," he murmured against my hairline. "Breathe for me, lass. Slow breaths, good girl-"

"Soap! Placebo!" The voice of the Captain shouted from the hallway beyond my private room, along with the sound of hurried footsteps heading out way.

John burst in moments later, the Alpha's eyes quickly sweeping the room until they landed on Johnny and I; his shoulders sagging with relief at the sight of us together. Price, much like the rest of the pack, looked dishevelled. Bags under his eyes, hair unkept from how many times his hands had run through it.

It might have been Simon and I that were in the shit, but it had affected the others all the same. The scare of us being taken hostage, finding us in the states we were in... it couldn't have been easy over the past week for them, doing what they could to aid us while simultaneously trying to reassure themselves.

"S'alright, Cap," the Delta said, continuing to coddle me. "Just 'nother bad nightmare."

"Another one?" The older man sighed, shutting the door behind him and padding towards the bed, taking a seat beside us. Reaching a hand out to comb back some stray strands of hair from my face, his eyes gleaming with concern. "What are we gonna do with the two of you, hm, sweetheart?"

Shuffling to sit up against Johnny, I scrub the tears from my face with the back of my hoodie sleeve. Well, it was actually Kyle's hoodie. But, for now, it was mine.

"How's Si?" I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

It had become my first question every morning.

"Stubborn," he replied, dryly. "Which means he's improving."

Despite myself, a weak laugh escaped me. Yeah, that sounded about right for Ghost.

The Apex Alpha had survived surgery somehow through sheer spite alone according to the nurses. The claw lodged in his side having come frightening close to piercing a few of his vital organs, blood loss alone nearly killing him before the task force had even extracted him from the compound.

And yet, somehow, apparently the man had regained consciousness halfway through the flight solely to demand where I was.

"He keeps asking for you" John admitted, softly.

My gaze dropped from the Captain to the bunched up blanket still entangled around my legs.

"Are we still not allowed to see one another?"

"Not just yet, pup," Price patted my thigh. "Doc's are worried the pair of you will push yourselves too hard before your ready."

I knew it was a necessary evil, yet, that didn't make it any easier. Simon being Simon would have ripped his stitches to get to me if he thought I'd needed him. And I... well, I didn't like to think about how badly I wanted to be near him after waking from the nightmares.

"Maybe in the next couple o' days though, right, Cap?" Soap advocated for me, sensing my upset.

"Yeah, course," John agreed. "We can re-visit the question in a couple of days, see how your both doing then-"

The Alpha paused, really looking at me for a moment as my eyes lifted hopefully to meet his.

"-Charlie, love, there's something I'd actually like to discuss with you."

"If its about what happened while we were there, then I've already told you everything I can remember, John, I-" I assumed he wanted to press for more details for the written reports. The higher-ups probably still breathing down his neck as to why the individual they'd asked to be brought in alive was currently being autopsied with a bullet through his forehead.

"No - it's not that, pup," the Captain shook his head. "It's about your next of kin-"

"What about them?" I cut him off, tensing where I sat.

My next of kin... my family, my parents.

Despite my half-hearted promise to try and take some leave sometime soon, I hadn't actually spoken to my mother since the night the pack discovered I was an Omega. I know I probably should have at least called her with an update, but I'd just been so busy and life got so hectic between tracking down Roman's Omega smuggling ring and learning where I fit amongst the boys.

"We had tah contact them, hen," the Delta broke the news as gently as he could. "It were touch an' go for ah while and its policy tah-"

"You rang me parents?!"

"Charlie, we had to," Price said, a little firmer this time. "I didn't exactly enjoy getting chewed out by your mother for three hours for 'letting her baby get taken'. Truth be told, it's a bloody miracle I managed to convince her not to storm down here and all-"

"Captain, you don't understand - my relationship with my parents is... well, it's-"

"Strained. Aye, we ken," Johnny confessed, before hastily continuing upon seeing my confused expression. "Gaz told us what little he knew, what you'd told him before, while you were out o' it the first night you were back."

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. Struggling to find the right words to explain a lifetime of 'strained' relationships.

"You don't understand, it's not just that. I haven't had time to speak to her in months, she doesn't even know I've been seeing anyone" I confessed, a small flush rising across my cheeks, gaze dropping to where my fingers fiddled away with the hem of Kyle's hoodie.

"Oh, pup, is that what you're worried about, sweet girl?" The Alpha practically purred, melting at my bashful confession. Reaching forward and plucking me up from the bed, before settling me atop his lap; nuzzling his face into the side of me. "Don't fret, I didn't say a word about your new packs... 'inner' workings. You can still tell her yourself."

"Oh, goody, can't wait for that phone call" I huffed sarcastically. Soap tensing before a large, relieved grin split across his face at the first sass I'd given since coming home.

"There's my girl."

"About that phone call," John cleared his throat, making me look up at him. "I... did have to make a compromise with your parents so they didn't come down here."

"What do you mean?" I pressed, not liking where this was going already.

"After your Ghost and you are discharged from the medical wing, the doctors want you to go on an extended leave to have time to really recover. After speaking things through with Kyle and Soap, we've agreed it would be best if we all took some time off," he explained. "And, as a compromise for not storming down here, your parents have kindly offered to allow us all to stay with them while we're on leave."

"...excuse me?" I say after a moment of horrified silence, thinking surely I'd heard him wrong. "You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking?"

"I'm not," the Alpha shook his head softly. "It'll be good for us to have some time away from the job, Char. Not to mention I'd quite like to meet the family of the Omega my pack had fallen head over heels for."

"We wanna do this right, lass," Soap added, backing up his mate. "It were only ah matter o' time before they found out 'bout us anyway... unless yeh dinnae want us tah meet your-"

"No, no - it's not that, I promise. I do want you guys to meet them, I really do," I reassured him hastily, a panicked whine slipping from my inner omega and bubbling up my throat at rejecting them like that. "It's not that, I swear. It's just... complicated."

"Placebo," John's fingers caught my chin and gently coaxed my gaze up to his again from Johnny's, a fond look in his eyes. "If you think we'd let anything happen to our best girl after just getting her back, then you obviously don't know us very well, hm?"

"The last time I had someone to take home to my family, it didn't end well, John," I confessed, hesitantly. "I don't wanna jinx this."

"And you won't, we won't," Price shook his head adamantly. "We're not the absolute idiot that let a gem like you slip through their fingers."

"Far from it" I couldn't help but sigh, the smallest of purrs beginning to rumble through my chest as I nuzzled my face against his own.

---------------

Hi, all! Beanie here!

Incase you didn't know, I actually run a discord server named 'Beanie's Tea Room' ❤️ we host movie nights, gaming lobbies, art competitions and have so many fun people from all walks of life within the server.

I also post sneak peaks of my writings ahead of time 🤭

Link to Server: https://discord.gg/bVGMDzZC4G