Ok, so ine thing that struck me while reading this latest chapter is how lonely it must be for Alphas without the old pack structures. They are basically in constant competition with other Alphas, even if they are not outwardly challenging each other. They can never be truly close to someone who understands all of their instincts, save for their sires maybe. And even that can be hit or miss like with Roy and Ollie
And maybe they believe they don’t need it, but then you see Clark and Dan sharing pack bonds and being in sync in ways that no other alphas are, there must be more than a few that start craving that closeness
Yes this!!!!! Just like how Alex emphasizes how omegas need to be around other omegas, the same thing is true for alphas. They help regulate each other’s instincts, which is critical for a healthy Pack, but also, as you recognized, for them as individuals too.
It must be very lonely when you can’t ever express affection and you’re constantly in competition with the people around you. Every now and then I write about how compelling Clark is to other alphas and how, when he finally decides to approve them as a Pack member, they damn near pass out from all the endorphins that follow. Roy keeps getting a bit of this here and there, and judging by his reaction to that, he might pass out when the full adoption goes through.
But yeah, we see a bunch of alpha characters with loneliness, though they express it in different ways: all the alphas that bothered Bruce and Lex at the gala in ASOH (except for one of those alphas’ sires who still greeted Lex the old fashioned / Pack way), the alpha that hit on Roy, Joker, the alpha that beat the shit out of Lex, etc. the common thread is bluster and challenges. They feel they need to prove their worth because that praise of respect isn’t coming from anywhere else. And then if it does work, they spend time convincing themselves that the small family life is what they want, and that the ruts/heats aren’t so bad, etc. when all of those things massively improve in a Pack environment.
There’s a lot of reciprocal and reflected instincts for the pack alphas. One concern is also another’s concern. Physical touch is so important, as is scent. Dan feels just as devoted to protecting Bruce while pregnant than he would with Lex. Clark is equally as frustrated and soft with Lex even though, in the outside world, Dan should’ve been at his throat if he even got close to Lex.
I think Roy’s POV has really emphasized that. He can clearly tell when/where Ollie was hurting or avoiding his instincts. But he hasn’t quite fully made that leap to “a Pack bond would help” because maybe the Wayne-Kent Pack is a fluke, but even if it isn’t, it’s not like he’ll ever have a place in it.
Ollie seems like the kind of person who would actually derive a lot of benefit from a pack environment, but that means admitting to his own instincts and fears, whatever trauma is holding him back from acknowledging anyone’s dynamic. Dan and Clark could regulate him, but it would take time. I don’t think he’d submit to Clark as Pack Alpha for a very, very long time. And if Roy is there? All those protective alpha instincts he’s pretending don’t exist come out twisted, and suddenly that’s HIS kid and don’t look at him like that, they don’t need anyone else, ROY doesn’t need anyone else…
