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:

Chapter Sixty-One

The annual church gala had always been one of the biggest events of the year when I was growing up. Half a fundraiser to take care of the building and the team that kept it running, half the village's excuse to let loose of the day. It brought together just about everyone from the surrounding farm and villages, promoting a 'sense of community'.

Homemade craft stalls, raffles, children's games, live music, barbeque stands, and - my mother's favourite - a bale sale that somehow always managed to sell out before lunch had even arrived each year.

As a pup, I had adored the festivities.

As a teenager, I'd dreaded it.

Now... well, I wasn't exactly sure just yet.

Dad parked the pickup along the edge of the field, slotting into the line of other vehicles where he could get, before switching off the engine with a familiar cough from the ageing motor. My pack jolting slightly where they sat in the bed of the truck. Soap doing little to cover his laugh as Gaz almost tumbled over, earning a playful shove from the Beta. Johnny very quickly then putting his embarrassed mate at ease as he leaned in to kiss the rosiness blooming across Kyle's cheeks.

"Wow, it's..." I trailed off, struggling to find the right words for what I was feeling, eyes widening slightly as I took in the sight of the all the festivities laid out on the field beside the church.

"As if you never left?" My dad finished it for me, thankfully.

"Yeah" I nodded slowly.

Fairy lights were strung between the stalls, ready for when the sky changed and sun set later that day. Prizes hanging, proudly displayed, yet probably not worth the cost of the tickets to win them. Music flowed through the air, accompanying the bubbles floating all over the fair, from the stage set to one side - the churches own worship band, if their modernised gospel songs were anything to go by.

It was strange, really.

Obviously things had changed. The faces I recognised were older now, more weary-looking - the last harvest having taken a lot out of the town, I assumed. But, the decorations were the same. The games were the same. The fake sense of community was the same...

I snap out of my thoughts as the Captain opens the truck door for me, offering his hand out to me with a soft smile,

"My lady."

"You know, if I'd have known wearing pretty sundresses made you boys act like actual gentlemen, then I'd have started wearing them way sooner" I laughed, shaking my head at the older Alpha's antics as I accepted his hand, letting him help me down from the truck.

"Won't get any complaints from me, dovey," John chuckled, wrapping his arm around my waist as he closed the door behind me. "Beautiful doesn't quite seem enough for how you look today."

"Alright, creep - what are you after?" I raise an eyebrow at him, suspicion written across my face. 

"Can't I compliment my Omega?" Price asked in return, leaning down to nuzzle his scent gland against my own.

With a scandalized gasp, I leant away, slapping him lightly on his bicep. My cheeks flaming as I turned to check if my Dad had seen. Which, thankfully, he hadn't. Too preoccupied with helping my mother who'd just pulled up in her own car.

The female Alpha in a tizzy as she got out and hurried around the car to check on her cargo, having drove here separately upon insisting she needed all the space she could for her contribution to the bake sale. Containers of cookies, cakes and pie covering the backseat and taking up most of the car's boot. 

Well, all the space aside from the other front seat of the car, where Ghost was now slowly climbing out. The Apex Alpha still finding car rides a little much for his recovering side and so had opted for the safer vehicle rather than my dad's old truck and his erratic driving style.

"John, we are in public!" I whisper-scolded.

"And I have to make sure our girl smells like us," John replied with a wolfish grin, completely unashamed of his actions. "Can't have any pups getting the wrong idea your on the market."

"Are we scenting, Charlie?" Johnny grinned, having seemingly caught the tail end of the conversation as he and Gaz finally hopped down from the back of the truck. "Come here, hen-!"

"Johnny, no-!"

"Excuse me, strapping young men," my mother called, saving me from the approaching Scotsman as he advanced with open arms. "Future mother-in-law is in need of assistance!"

"Coming, Mrs Green!" Kyle laughed, grabbing his fellow Sergeant by the back of his shirt and tugging him backwards. 

"Traitor" the Delta accused over his shoulder, squirming against his mate. 

"I'd prefer not to have to explain why your tackling our missus in the church car park" Gaz snorted.

"Ah'd have been respectful 'bout it."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Ah'd have tried."

Their bickering faded into the background as they reached my mother's car. The boot already open and the woman fretting over the neatly stacked tins and cake carriers as though trying to decide which needed rescuing first.

"Oh, goodness," she muttered as the Sergeants. "Be careful with the Victoria sponge... and the lemon drizzle-  actually, just be careful with everything, boys."

"Understood, ma'am," Price nodded as we joined them, the faint twitch of his mutton chops betraying his amusement.

The Captain reached in first, lifting out an enormous tray covered with a cling form, fairy cakes sat in neat rows. Kyle following suit as he then lifted two cake tins and balanced them effortlessly in his hands. While Johnny attempted to up show the pair of them and precariously stacked cake carriers - each containing different types of sweet pies; his chin holding the top one steady.

"Steamin' Jesus, Mrs Green," he heezed dramatically. "Were yeh plannin' on feedin' the whole county?"

"Brownies alone could feed a platoon" Simon grumbled dryly as he came around the side of the car, retrieving the largest box.

"Kathy's baking is always first to sell at the stall" Dad boasted proudly, making his mate's cheek's turn pink.

"I just do my part to help the church, as all the other volunteers do" she excused, bashfully. Though I could tell she was pleased at the compliments.

I couldn't help but smile, finding the sight oddly... comforting? 

Watching as my pack fell instinctively into helping without being asked, seeing my parents actually getting along again. Things hadn't been perfect since the talk with my Mum but, then again, I hadn't expected them to be. It was a start, however, and I was grateful enough for that.

"Where are all these going then?" Gaz smiled at my mother, carefully adjusting the tins in his hold.

"The bake sale tent, over there," Mum replied, pointing towards a large white marquee near the centre of the field. The tent towering over the others, a beacon in the busy fun fair. "Thank you, boys."

As he, John and Soap set off for the marquee, I naturally reached for one of the smaller cake tins still sitting inside the boot. Yet, before my fingers could even touch the handle, Ghost's gloved hand lightly slapped mine away, taking it for himself.

"I've got it" he said, adding it atop his growing pile.

"I can carry one cake tin, Si" I huffed, snatching one up despite his protests.

"Stubborn pup" he shook his head.

"Grumpy man."

By the time we reached the tent, it was already a hive of activity.

Long folding tables stretched from one end of the tent to the other, draped in crisp, white table clothes. Rows upon rows of homemade treats already being arranged into tempting displays with neat, handwritten signs labelling everything. The very air itself smelled of butter, cinnamon and freshly brewed tea; drawing in hungry guests eager to take a break from the other activities the fun day had to offer. 

"Morning, Kathy!" One of mother's friends, Mrs Hargreaves called out cheerfully.

"Good Morning! I've brought what was asked - along with a few extra hands to help set up, I hope that's okay" she replied, gesturing to us.

"Yes, yes, the more the-" Mrs Hargreaves said, her words trailing off as she turned around to see four towering men holding the baked goodies.

"Oh, Kathy, you brought us a whole buffet" Mrs Ellis choked out, her eyes travelling the lengths of my pack appreciatively, obviously talking about them rather than the treats in hand; my inner Omega bristling.

"Sandra!" My mother scolded, earning giggles from the other volunteers, before turning to the boys. "Just set them down wherever, gentlemen, we'll take it from here seeing as my friends obviously can't act right."

"We're only teasing, Kath, don't be such a spoilsport-" Mrs Ellis sighed, shaking her head, eyes still roaming the pack. Then doing a double take on me. "Charlotte?"

The tent went so quiet that I wanted to flinch as all eyes suddenly turned towards us.

"Mrs Ellis," I greeted with a shaky smile, stepping forward to set my box down. "Mrs Hargreaves... nice to see you again."

For a heartbeat, nobody said anything. Both parties simply starring at one another.

Their gazes travelling slowly over me, lingering on details that certainly wouldn't have been there the last time we spoke. The faint white scar disappearing beneath the neckline of my dress, the strength in my arms from years of hauling heavy medkits and soldiers alike, the confidence in my posture that the military had carved into me.

Mrs Hargreaves was the first to blink.

"...Well," she said slowly. "Would you look at you."

"I almost didn't recognise you" Mrs Ellis added, clearing her throat.

"You're... so grown up" Mrs Hargreaves nodded along with her friend's comment and I felt my mother stiffen beside me.

"Hm, I suppose it has been a while" I agree, already sensing what was coming.

"You've certainly filled out," Mrs Ellis laughed awkwardly, gesturing towards me. "Look at all that... muscle."

It wasn't meant as a compliment and I recognised that tone from my childhood. The one adults used when they weren't quite sure how else to react to what they were seeing, disagreeing with ones choices but not quite wanting to air it out like dirty laundry.

I'd heard similar things while growing up:

Boisterous.

Stubborn.

Headstrong.

All different ways that were really a guise for what they wanted to say - that I didn't act like an Omega should.

Before I could muster a polite enough response, my mother stepped forward.

The movement wasn't aggressive, nor was there any of the brittle defensiveness I'd grown accustomed to over the years. Instead, she simply moved to stand in front of me - like a wolf protecting her pup...

"It suits her, doesn't it, Sandra? Eileen?" She said, barely concealing the low growl building in her throat.

"Kathy, we only meant-"

""I know what you meant and I'd prefer if you keep you opinions on my family to yourselves -  unless you're also willing to talk about why your thirty year old son is still living in your basement?"

I had to smother my laugh with a cough, catching Johnny's eye as he grinned at my mother's comeback.

Mrs Hargreaves and Mrs Ellis paled, Mrs Ellis shutting her mouth and taking her seat once more, turning towards re-adjusting the buns on the plate before her.

"...it's lovely to see you, Charlotte" Mrs Hargreaves mumbled with a small smile before also turning her attention elsewhere.

My mother relaxed as her 'friends' turned away, taking a deep breath to calm herself, growl dying in her throat. Turning around to smile at me, tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I should have done that a long time ago," she confessed, smile turning sad. But, as quick as it was there, it was gone. Replaced with a bravado of a woman who needed to get going. "Right, away with you all, I have to get things set up. Charlotte, your father and I have already pre-paid for some tickets for you and the boys, our treat."

"Right on, Mrs Green," Soap fist-pumped the air, slinging his arm around my shoulder to guide me out of the tent. "Come on, hen! Ah saw ah bear with your name on it."

"That... was hot" Dad chuffed, staring at my mother with an appreciative gaze.

"Oh, hush, Richard."

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

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, guys.

I genuinely didn't expect to be making this post but unfortunately there will be no new chapter tomorrow. I know, I know I said there would be but hold you horses and let me explain before you get upset...

Usually, I work on my original book during the week and work on my fanfiction at the weekend, kind of like a treat. Which is exactly what I have done this week.

However, what I wasn't expecting this weekend was to receive bad news.

A close friend of the family was on holiday this week (this lady basically having watched me grow up and help shape me into the person I am today) and has been in a very serious car wreck. Her husband died upon impact and she was air-lifted to the nearest hospital where she continues to fight for her life.

I have taken the news quite hard and have been taking this time with my family to process and grieve this horrific news. As such, there is no new chapter coming tomorrow as I haven't been able to sit and write without bursting into tears.

No, the fanfic isn't done and I do plan to keep working on it. I feel awful for promising you guys a chapter tomorrow and then not delivering but, under the circumstances, I hope you can understand my extended break from posting.

The Placebo Effect will be back on the 3rd of August (definitely) and, depending how I feel during this upcoming week, I might even post a random chapter to give you guys something to go off. Because I'm genuinely itching to keep writing this story for you all.

Thank you for all your continued support and I please ask you keep me and mine in your minds at this difficult time.

It was rare you got a night off and it was safe to say that you were making the most of it. No explosions, no shouting across gunfire, no barked orders, no paperwork that needed tending to into the late hours of the night. Instead, you'd traded your uniform for civvies that night, said fuck it and off to the pub you went.

Only the pub by base then turned into a mini bar crawl and, before you knew it, it was three in the morning and you were plonked on the curb trying to keep down those last shots you'd just known were a bad idea.

Head in your hands, the world spinning around you, you swayed where you sat. Goosebumps littering the bare skin of your arms as the nights chill fully set in. The music blaring out of the club behind you hurting your head now, rather than continuing to fuel your good time.

"Hol' on ah mo'," a familiar Scottish lilt had you sluggishly turning towards the doors of the club, finding none other than Sargeant John MacTavish leaving the club with a brooding-looking Lieutenant Simon Riley in toe; the latter having obviously been dragged out by his more socially outgoing friend. "Isn't tha' the rookie Cap wants ta bring on board the team?"

"Think so" the masked Lieutenant grumbled, following closely behind Johnny as they approached where you sat.

"Sargeant Mac-hiccup-Tavish," you greeted, shoulders jumping along with the rest of you at your hiccup, words slurred as you tiredly grinned up at him. "What a lovely surprise! A-And the big, scary Ghost too! I didn't think he knew how to leave base other than for -hiccup- missions."

"Yer fucked," the Scotsman chuckled, seemingly sporting a light buzz himself, squatting down beside you. His baby blue eyes flashing with mischief, accompanied by a lopsided smile. "Didn't know yeh'd be out tonight or yeh could have joined us."

"Oh, I didn't come out alone," you shook your head, almost toppling over in the process. Soap's large hands finding your shoulder to steady you while the Lieutenant huffed with what might have been amusement. "I have friends I came out with... well, I had friends - I don't know where they've gone anymore. We were dancing, then we went to the toilet, but then my song came on so I rushed back to dancing, but then I-"

"Fuckin' hell," Simon huffed, head tilting slightly to the side as he shuffled a step closer, looking down at you. "Who'd have thought you'd be a chatterbox once you got a bit of drink down you."

"Aye, they're usually quiet as ah church mouse," Johnny chuckled again, shrugging off his jacket and draping it around your shoulders. "Come on, yeh cannae stay out in the cold, let's get yeh back to base, aye?"

"No, no, I don't wanna go" you protest as he tries to help you to your feet, forcing your body limp and drunkenly giggling as the Sergeant struggled to hoist you up.

"Little help here, LT?"

"Nah, you got it, Johnny" Ghost smirked as he watched, rolling up his skull-printed balaclava as he pulled a packet of cigarettes from his jacket pocket alongside a lighter. Upon taking one out and lighting it, he took a lengthy drag before blowing out the smoke slowly.

"What are you two doing out anyway?" You slurred, head tipping back to meet the Scotsman's gaze.

"Same as yeh, ah bet," he replied, thankfully finding humour in your flopping about like a fish. "Lettin' off some steam."

"Oh, I get it," you nod understanding, actually allowing John to drag you up to your feet, placing a hand on his shoulder as if sympathetic. "It's okay, Sarg, your secrets safe with me."

"Oh aye? An' what secrets tha'?"

"That you're gay," you replied matter-of-factly, a bark of laughter sounding from the towering Lieutenant before you then continued. "And your-hiccup-in love with the big guy-"

Johnny's jaw was on the floor as Ghost choked on his own laugh, the pair stunned by what had just come out of your mouth. But, perhaps not for the reason you thought.

"Darlin'," the Scotsman grinned once he finally managed to compose himself. "Tha' ain't exactly ah secret."

"It isn't?" You asked, seemingly baffled by that answer as your eyebrows shot up and into your hairline.

"An' here I thought we'd been perfectly obvious," Simon chuckled, stepping into Johnny's space and wrapping an arm around his Sergeant. "Maybe I should make the hickies on your neck more prominent, Johnny. Can't have people not knowing who you belong to-"

"Behave," Soap bite back playfully before turning his attention back to you. "Come on, LT, help meh get thisun home before Cap has their hind for being tardy for curfew - they're still on probation."

The Lieutenant hummed as he ducked before you had chance to stumble away. One arm reaching around the back of your thighs, while the other pressed a warm palm to your lower back, taking you up and over his shoulder like a sack of spuds.

"Oi! Stop, I'm gonna be sick" you whined as you pushed yourself up somewhat, Soap stepping behind you and his boyfriend as Simon began to walk away with you; helping keep your hair out your face.

"We'll get yeh home and tucked in tah bed an' ye'll feel so much better, aye?" Soap smiled. The charming sort of smile that had people agreeing to whatever it was he said. "Yeh know, Si, they are pretty cute. Both when their timid an’ a wee chatterbox... ah think we put in ah good word for 'em."

Hi, my lovelies!

Due to some irl stuff going on this week I’ve unfortunately not been able to work on the next chapter of ‘The Placebo Effect’ as much as I’d have liked to.

As a result I’ve decided to just have a week off posting so they’ll be no new chapter tomorrow. I didn’t want to rush the chapter and then be unhappy with it so 😅 yeah.

Chapter Sixty

The shower I'd taken after my run, and sparring with the Lieutenant, had done little to ease the knot tightening inside my chest.

It had stripped away the mud clinging to my hands and calves, rinsed away the grass stains from my knees and soothed the ache blossoming across my shoulder where I'd hit the ground after Ghost had launched me across the lawn of the guesthouse. However it hadn't scrubbed away the uncomfortable awareness that, for the first time in years, I was about to be alone with my mother.

Dad had never been one to waste willing hands and, as such, promptly recruited the help of my pack after their breakfast had decorated the front steps of the porch instead of their stomachs. The boys accepting as they realised that my mother and I probably needed some time alone to talk things over, just the two of us. Though Kyle had insisted that I ring them if things went badly, kissing my forehead before trailing after the others.

He and Ghost sent to repair a section of the fence after one of the cattle had apparently damaged it over night. Price, whereas, was sent to pick up some more animal feed from the neighbouring farm, taking my dad's truck as a loan instead of his beat-up car. While Johnny had disappeared with my father towards the machinery sheds; loudly insisting he 'Ah ken tractor engines, Mr green - ah'll have her purrin' for ya in nae time'.

The look on my father's face was sceptical at that comment, to say the least, even if he didn't outwardly disagree with the Delta. That tractor had been one of the bane's of his entire existence for the past few years, after all. Bought real cheap from an auction, the only one Dad could really afford after our last packed in. It had gotten our family through some rough times, which is why he was hesitant now it was on its way out to trade it in for something newer.

The farmhouse felt strangely quiet as I padded down the stairs, my hair damp and hanging loose around my shoulders. Work-out gear exchanged for a pair of denim shorts and an oversize band T-shirt I'd stolen from Matthew when we were teenagers.  "...morning" I decided to be the bigger person as I entered the kitchen, finding my mum stood with her back to me, moving quietly between the stove and the countertop as she prepared yet another breakfast after dropping the first.

Gone was her sharpness form the night before. The rigid confidence that had fuelled our argument the night before seeming to have bled out of her entirely, the female Alpha appearing smaller - somehow - than I'd seen her in a long time. Her shoulders slumped beneath one of Dad's old cardigans as she mechanically buttered slices of toast while flipping the bacon sizzling away on the stovetop.

"Good morning, Charlotte" she replied, glancing over her shoulder momentarily before turning back to the task before her.

Silence settled between us again. It wasn't hostile, though that somehow made it was. Just... awkward, and I hated awkward.

"Need any help?" I asked softly, swallowing the lump quickly forming in my throat.

"That... would be nice," she accepted my offer hesitantly. "Thank you, dear."

We fell into a steady rhythm of preparing breakfast. She cooked while I plated, garnished and squeezed oranges to make fresh orange juice to wash everything down with. Neither of us discussing where anything belonged on the table as we set them down, the two of us working off muscle memory that had been buried somewhere deep inside.

It almost felt like old times, like normal - almost.

"...is your shoulder alright?" Mother spoke up after a moment, her eyes flickering towards me before she hastily looked away again as if I might scold her for daring to glance my way. "You hit the ground awfully hard out there."

"Oh, yeah, no - it's fine" I shook my head, rolling the shoulder in question to show her I still had full range of motion in the slightly achy joint; not that I'd tell her it did in fact ache a little. 

She watched the movement carefully, her brows knitting together as I rolled the shoulder. Though unconvinced, she didn't press the fact. instead, my mother reached for the frying pan, nudging another rasher of bacon onto the waiting plate before turning the heat down beneath the stove.

"You've always said you were fine when you aren't, even as a pup" she murmured quietly.

"I wonder where I possibly learnt that from, mum" I snipped back, a humourless smile tugging at the corner of my mouth., the words tumbling from my mouth before I could stop them.

She froze. The spatula in her hand hovering over the pan for a heartbeat before she slowly set it down on the counter.

"I deserved that."

I hadn't been prepared for her to say that. If anything, I'd been bracing myself for another argument - the familiar cycle of defensiveness and raised voices we'd perfected over the years. Yet, she'd simply accepted my jab, her shoulders sagging a fraction further as she wiped her hands on a tea-towel.

"...I'm sorry, wasn't trying to be cruel then, I just-"

"I know, Charlotte," she sighed, rubbing absent-mindedly at the wedding ring around her finger. "I've... well, I've been thinking a lot since..."

Mum didn't have to finish the sentence when I already knew what she was referring to. The dinner, Dad's outburst, everything our family had harboured for years finally spilling out and over the top.

"I never wanted you to think I wasn't proud of everything you've done, Charlotte."

"...what?" I stopped arranging toast onto the serving plate.

"I said," she repeated, more confident this time. "I never wanted you to think I'm not proud of you."

"Mum-"

"When Damien cheated on you, I was so humiliated to have been the one to set you up with him, but I never should have taken that out on you. It wasn't your fault, none of it was your fault," my mother held her hand up to stop me from speaking, needing to say her piece as her eyes turned watery. "And then when you left and we finally got word that you'd enlisted in the military of all things, your father was so happy you'd done something for yourself that he danced around this very kitchen."

"Dad did what?" I sniffled, a weak laugh escaping me as tears began to wet my lash-line also.

"Don't you dare tell him I told you that, I'll never hear the end of it," she laughed, wiping at her eyes. "He picked me clean off my feet and spun me around, said our little girl was going to serve her country."

"I.. I never knew."

"Only because I had to go and ruin it," my mother confessed, fiddling with the hem of the half-apron tied around her waist. "I was terrified for you... I wasn't angry you'd run off to join the military."

"You weren't?"

"I was angry because I knew that I couldn't stop you," she swallowed thickly. "You've always been so stubborn, just like me in that regard I suppose, and I was so scared that one day someone would knock on the front door and tell me that you weren't coming home again."

I opened my mouth, only to close it again. She'd never spoken to me about this before, never confided what really made her try and stop me from progressing my career. Why she was always so insistent that I give it all up and come home.

"I thought..." she laughed softly, though there wasn't any humour in it. "I thought that if I could convince you to stay.. if I argued enough... if I reminded you what you were giving up-"

"That I'd change my mind" I conclude for her.

"I hoped."

"...but I never wanted to change my mind, mum," I argued, shaking my head. "All I've ever wanted was for you to accept me as I am, to love me for me-"

"I do accept you, Charlotte-"

"I've spent years feeling like your biggest disappoint," I hold up my hand now to stop her from talking, needing to say my own piece about our strained relationship over the past years. "Ever since I presented as an Omega. You seemed to get this perfect picture in your head of how I should be, act - just because of my secondary gender. Be close to home, find a nice Alpha and settle down, raise pups and help on the farm. Someone gentle and sensible who didn't climb trees with her brothers or come home covered in mud after fighting the older boys at school."

A watery smile flickered across my mother's face at the memory, but it wilted almost ass quickly as it had appeared.

"I dated who you and your church friends thought were right for me, stayed her longer than I wanted to because I couldn't bear the thought of upsetting you," I continued, images resurfacing unbidden in my mind as I spoke. All the times I'd bitten my tongue instead of speaking my mind, letting others make decisions for me instead because it was easier than disappointing anyone with my own, convincing myself that if I just tried a little harder then eventually I'd become the Omega everyone seemed to expect me to be. "And, after a while, I started thinking that maybe the problem wasn't that I wasn't trying, Mama. But that maybe the problem was just me."

"Charlotte-" my mother whimpered as if it hurt to hear what I was saying, the female Alpha taking a step forward, obviously wanting to reach for me but unsure if I would accept her touch.

"I just wanted you to be proud of me, mama" a sob slipped from my lips, the sound very quickly muffled by my hand as I began to cry, shoulders shaking. 

One moment there was a sliver of distance between us and the next my mother's arms were around me as she closed the distance.

I stiffened on instinct, but then she broke. A soft, shuddering sob escaped her lips as she buried her face into my hair, clutching me with a desperation I'd never felt from her before.

"Oh, Charlotte," she cried. "Oh, my darling girl, I'm so so sorry."

The sound of her crying shattered whatever resolve I'd been clinging to.

I folded against her without meaning to, finger clutching the back of dad's cardigan on her as if years caught up with me all at once. Every birthday spent apart, every phone call which only ended in frustration, every letter I'd started writing and never had the balls to send, every visit I'd talked myself out of because I was too scared and hurt to come home.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered over and over again, her voice cracking against my temple. "I'm so sorry, I was wrong. I was so terribly, terribly, wrong."

Neither of us seemed to care that breakfast was growing cold around us, the kitchen all but disappearing in the moment. There was only my mother and I, the female Alpha holding me as if I might vanish if she loosened her grip.

"Mama-"

"You," she cupped my cheeks, forcing our gaze together. "Are my biggest accomplishment in life, my sweet girl. I am so, so proud of you and I am so sorry... I owe your boys an apology too, for how I treated them last night when they were only trying to protect you, as I should have been doing all these years."

For a long moment, i simply looked at her. My eyes flickering around her face as if I were seeing a glimpse of the mother I'd known before I presented as an Omega.

The woman who'd taught me how to ride a bike down the dirt track behind the farmhouse. Who had kissed every scraped knee when I'd come home from wrestling my brothers in the fields. Who used to braid my hair before church while humming softly to herself. The woman who had loved me so fiercely that somewhere along the way, she'd mistaken control for protection.

"I forgive you," I whispered eventually, my voice cracking. "I do."

Fresh tears welled in her eyes.

"But," I continued gently, my hands coming to rest over the top of hers, still cupping my cheeks. "I need you to understand that forgiving you isn't the same as everything being fixed."

"...I know" she replied, seemingly understanding my hesitance.

"I want to have a relationship again with you, Mama, I really do," I managed a watery smile. "I've missed you more than I've allowed myself to ever admit."

"I've missed you too, Charlotte."

"But we've spent years hurting each other," I swallowed around the lump in my throat, the damn thing refusing to budge. "That doesn't disappear because we've finally had one honest conversation."

"No, it doesn't," she agreed quietly. "I... I can be patient. If rebuilding your trust takes months, years, then I'll do it. I'll spend however long it takes, Charlotte... I've already contacted the doctors this morning and enquired about starting some therapy. I know it won't fix everything but I hope it can help me figure out how I've gone so wrong in trying to keep you safe."

Outside the farmhouse, the quiet rumble of the old tractor echoed from the machinery shed. Followed almost instantly with Soap's unmistakable, triumphant shout.

"Ah told yeh I ken tractors, Mr Green!"

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

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

I, personally, think Ghost would play as a rogue.

Think about it, he already has stealth down in real life, so why wouldn't that translate into DND also? 

I, personally, think Johnny would be a Barbarian all the way. 

I mean, think about it, growing up in Scotland I'm sure that Soap loved learning about the old ways of the great clans and how they survived in the highlands. By playing a Barbarian, I like to think that's his own special way of playing homage to his people's past.

That and he gets to rage out and destroy shit with his bare hands and/or his weapon of choice - which I think would be a great axe. I don't really have a specific reason I think it would be an axe, I just think he'd enjoying swinging it around and cleaving at people.

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

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-Nine

"Been a while since we've done this, aye, LT?" I grin viciously at the Lieutenant as we circle one another on the grass. Our gazes locked with one another as we waited eagerly to see who was willing to make the first move.

"Don't think I'll go easy on you just cause you bumped your head, Placebo" Ghost taunted, his eyes flashing with thrilled delight at the chance of being able to get back to basics and spare once again. 

I mean, technically, we weren't really supposed to be sparring just yet. Not when our injuries hadn't completely healed. But, that being said, I'd reckoned we were a pretty even match at this point and if it did prove to be too much, there was always the option of tapping out.

"I could say the same, big guy," I pout, mockingly. "Let's home that limp doesn't throw you off-balance, yeah-?"

Simon's fist skimmed past my jaw, close enough for the rush of displaced air to brush against my cheek, and the fight was on.

I twist on instinct, trainers digging furrows into the dew-soaked grass as I narrowly avoided the follow-up elbow aimed towards my shoulder. Retaliating instead with a low sweep of my leg, hoping to use his supposed lack of balance against him, as I'd teased already.

However, even half-healed, Simon Riley moved as if he was built for violence. Every strike economical, every movement deliberate - wasting not a single ounce of well-placed energy. 

He, unfortunately for me, anticipated the sweep. Because, of course he did.

The Apex Alpha hopping over the attempt - with an irritating ease - before driving forward, forcing me backwards across the lawn bordering the guesthouse; my trainers slipping slightly against the damp earth. He was on me the moment I staggered, one gloved hand shooting out to catch my wrist, preventing his prey from falling away.

"Too slow, pup," he rumbled, tugging me closer. "Come on, at least make it fun for me."

"Oh, shut up."

Planting my free hand on his forearm, I ducked beneath the arm he'd captured me with. The twist giving me enough momentum to shove his hand off me, wrenching my wrist free and putting some space between us again while I could ponder where to go from here.

"There she is," Ghost growled with unmistakable approval. "Was wondering where my little hellion went."

"Careful, Lieutenant," I replied, rubbing the tender spot on my wrist where his handprint had burned red into my skin. "Sounds like you'd like to get burned."

"Maybe I would" he shrugged.

"Kinky bastard."

Despite the banter, neither of us smiled. Not a real smile anyway. Sparring with masked Apex Alpha wasn't play fighting, like I did with Soap and Gaz. It never has been.

There were rules, of course - no strikes intender to seriously injure, no targeting wounds, no choking, no broken bones. Everything else was fair game, however.

We circled one another once more, slowly. Our breath measured and shoulders rising and falling evenly as the morning mist drifted lazily across the farmland surrounding us. The sound of the livestock stirring awake like white noise as it joined the sound of my own pulse thundering in my ears.

However, from somewhere behind us, a familiar Scottish whistle sounded.

"Oi, what's with all the racket-?" Soap grumbled, still rubbing the sleepy-dust from his eyes as he stepped out of the guesthouse, only to sigh at the sight before him; turning to shout back through the door. Neither Simon or I acknowledging him. "Cap, LT and Charlie are going at it!"

Price stepped out of the guesthouse shortly after he was summoned, already shaking his head, a mug of half-drank coffee in one hand. Behind him followed Kyle, his expression something in-between amusement and concern.

"I told you it wouldn't be long before they tried sparring one another again," Gaz huffed, crossing his arms. "They just can't help themselves."

"Aye, you did," John sighed, though there was no real scolding to his tone, only resigned acceptance; taking a long sip of his coffee. "Bloody mental pups."

"Suppose they're just havin' a wee bit o' fun, Sir" Johnny shrugged, seemingly coming around to the fact we actually felt well enough to try and spar. 

"...fiver says Ghost wins" Price said after a moment's silence.

"Captain!" Gaz laughed, slapping his mate lightly on the arm, earning a chuckle from the older Alpha, while Soap looked scandalised.

"Bettin' against our Charlie?" The Delta gasped dramatically. "Outta be ashamed o' yehself."

"I'm betting against a recovering, Omegan medic who's fighting against an Apex" John levelled him with a raised eyebrow, defending his bet.

"I would like to point out that Ghost is also recovering" Kyle pointed out.

"Ah'll take tha' bet" Johnny reached to shake John's hand, sealing the deal.

"You're serious?" Gaz asked, looking at Soap gone out.

"Always gonna back our girl," the Scottish Sergeant nodded adamantly. "Ah've doubted her before and she's always come out the other side."

"I'll remember that treachery the next time your beggin' for it, MacTavish" Simon growled, though his eyes didn't waver from my own. 

Then, the Lieutenant moved as the farmhouse door creaked open, my mother emerging out and onto the porch. In her hands she carried a large tray laden with bacon sandwiches, toast, some fresh cut-up fruit and freshly squeezed fruit juice - the 141's breakfast no doubt.

"Oh, good, your all awake-" She smiled, before her words caught in her throat at the sight before her. Face turning pale as the tray slipped from her grasp.

The world had tilted as Ghost managed to get a hold on me, no amount of squirming able to save me from his iron like grip as he lifted me high in the air like a conqueror and threw me. One second my feet had been beneath me, the next they weren't.  "Charlotte-!" My mother's horrified scream echoed around the fields, the 141's heads snapping towards the distraught female Alpha on the porch.

I hit the ground shoulder first before rolling with the impact, dirt and rain dew soaking through my top as I rolled to a halt a short distance away from where Ghost stood. 

"Mrs Green-" Price went to comfort my mother's concerns, but she was already storming off the porch. Her claws extended at the sight of one of her beloved pups, an Omega no less, being thrown around like a mutt's favrioute chew toy.

But, for the first time since the spar began, the Apex Alpha's attention broke. His head swivelled towards the shouting and oncoming angry woman. And, well... there wasn't a soldier who wouldn't have exploited such a moment of hesitation. 

I planted one foot beneath me and launched myself up. Years of military drills and training taking over before the conscious thought to seize the opportunity even had chance to accumulate.

My shoulder slammed squarely into the Lieutenant's chest, the masked man rocking backwards with a surprised grunt, still half-turned towards my mother. Wrapping both arms around his waist, I forced him down before he could recover his footing. 

"You sneaky little-!"

Now, while Ghost outweighed me significantly, surprise was definitely worth its weight in gold. As was the wet ground helping him slip down. Where I quickly scrambled atop my commanding officer, knees pressing down on his arms. His side no doubt protesting, considering the fact he didn't immediately attempt to buck me off.

"That fun enough for ya, Sir?" I ask, cheekily. My mother stopping in her tracks after seeing her daughter take down a man twice her size.

"That," he chuckled. My chest fluttering as I garnered a rare, full laugh from him. "Was a dirty trick, pup."

"Nah, that was fair and square," I protested. "You looked away."

"I was making sure your mum didn't have a coronary."

"Nah, that was definitely a skill issue."

"...fine," Simon groaned, letting his head fall back into the grass, seemingly tired now. "I yield, you little gremlin."

"YES!" Johnny whooped, fist-pumping the air before turning the Captain and reaching out his hand to take payment. "Pay up, Cap!"

John sighed the long-suffering sound of a man who had somehow ended up supervising overgrown children instead of elite soldiers.

"I hate gambling" he huffed as he reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet.

"Nae, yeh hate losin'" Soap retorted.

And all the while, Kathy Green stared towards me, frozen in her tracks and claws slowly sheathing themselves once more. Not because I'd won and was quite happily basking in my victory. Not because she'd ruined the breakfast she'd prepared in her panic. But because of the way the thought-to-be terrifying Apex Alpha was looking up at her daughter - content. Almost proud. As though he didn't mind being pinned by an Omega half his size and didn't find it humiliating at all.

It was, my mother realised with dawning disbelief, exactly where he wanted to be.

I wasn't just surviving amongst these men, despite being an Omega.

I belonged among them.

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

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

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