Chapter Text
Feet slapped against pavement in a continuous drumming that mirrored the frantic beating of his heart. One word echoed through his mind as he ran for all he was worth; home. He had to make it home. Sakura could feel the way that his mind was starting to fog with hormones, a more instinctual mindset settling in. He might as well have been running for his life considering what the alpha behind him might do if he caught up to him. Normally an omega wouldn’t be caught dead outside during heat, but Sakura was far from a normal omega.
He poured on speed as he started to smell the alpha gaining on him. Sakura twisted to the side violently as his pursuer reached out to snag the hem of his jacket. Ducking under scaffolding and jumping over dumpsters, Sakura ran towards home. If he’d had breathe to swear he would be cursing his irregular heats, his startling appearance, and alphas in general. Sakura had been taking a quick trip to the store to get some cheap groceries to stock his new apartment when he started to sweat like a fever was trapped under his skin. The store owner had given him a dirty look and pointedly looked to the door. Sakura was no fool so he dropped some money on the counter before leaving the store and the judgmental stare behind.
It had only taken a few minutes for Sakura to realize that someone was tailing him. On any other day he would have turned around and fought the guy on the spot. But on any other day, an alpha wouldn’t be following him because he smelled like an omega going into heat. By necessity Sakura had developed the ability to mask his natural scent to the point that most thought he was a beta. He’d never been able to afford patches or suppressants and after one too many close calls with an alpha who thought an omega scent meant yes, he’d suppressed nearly all of his omega traits.
This had left his secondary gender in chaos, leading to these sudden and irregular heats that couldn’t be planned for. It was a rather unfortunate consequence of shutting the whiny little voice in his head up for so many years. He hadn’t gone into heat in over a year so he really wasn’t expecting this. Especially considering he had just moved to the outskirts of Makochi and didn’t know the best route home yet.
“Aw come on omega, I know you like a chase but isn’t this excessive? Stop and come here.”
Sakura’s blood turned to ice as he felt his steps falter, his pace slowing down.
“Fuck.” Sakura cursed under his breath as he fought off the command and kept running.
Unfortunately, he had ran right into a tunnel underneath train tracks with a weird logo spray painted on the wall. The inside of the tunnel was dark and though he could see the light on the other side, he was no longer sure he was going in the right direction.
Sakura ran through the dark, air whooshing in and out of his lungs like knives. It was too dark for him to see the bottles that littered the ground and it only took one wrong step for him to face plant just a few feet from the other side of the tunnel. He heard a triumphant growl behind him as he struggled to get his hands and feet under him despite the shards of glass digging into his palm from his efforts.
This couldn’t be happening. Sakura had worked too hard to get out of his old hell hole of a town to end up here, his fresh start ruined by a fucking knot head who couldn’t keep it in his god damn pants. The alpha grabbed him by the roots of his hair and threw him against the cold brick wall of the tunnel. Through sheer force of will Sakura managed to keep his feet under him as the alpha stalked closer.
Between his own heat hormones, the adrenaline, and the absolute stench coming off of his assailant, Sakura felt his rational mind quietly slip away as his near feral omega came to the front. He bared his fangs, short but sharp enough to rip out someone’s throat if need be. In a heartbeat the alpha had closed the distance, one hand wrapped around his throat, squeezing against the sensitive glands on his neck. Lifted slightly off the ground, Sakura braced himself against the wall behind him and kicked out with all his might, aiming for the balls.
Unsurprisingly, the alpha crumpled to his knees at the pain. Surprisingly, his grip on Sakura’s neck didn’t let up and they ended up tangled on the ground. Hissing and spitting Sakura turned his head to the hand the alpha had planted nearby and lunged for his wrist.
There was a wet tearing sound and Sakura’s mouth filled with blood. His omega was running the show and didn’t care about how gross this was. It was thrilled to be spilling blood and in his excitement his jaws locked, rendering the alpha unable to pull away without tearing every blood vessel and tendon in his wrist.
“You fucking bitch!”
The alpha screamed and let go of Sakura’s throat in order to start punching him in the stomach to try and get him to release his hold. Knowing he didn’t have strength or leverage on his side right now, Sakura reached up and scratched at the guy’s eyes with zero restraint. By now their fight had left both covered in blood and Sakura’s pheromones were filling the entire tunnel screaming that there was a feral omega in heat present.
Just as he saw the alpha grab one of the broken glass bottles to brandish at him Sakura blinked and the alpha was across the tunnel, minus the bits of his wrist still clamped in his own teeth. Immediately going to all fours to assess for the new threat, he scented the air. The newcomer was another alpha and he smelled furious. He didn’t spare a glance for Sakura yet, entirely focused on the alpha writhing in pain on the ground, clutching his heavily bleeding wrist. As Sakura surveyed his work, his omega chanting for him to finish the job, he noticed that both alpha’s wore the same orange colored jacket. If he’d been in his right mind, he would have found it tacky looking but as it was he just slowly backed away from the two.
The new alpha stalked towards the one on the ground, his steps slow and his scent smelled like something was burning. While it might have been pleasant at other times, right now it smelled of death and fury.
“Togame, I-“ the cowering alpha started.
Before he could finish, the other alpha, Togame, slammed his shoe down on him furthering bloodying the face Sakura had damaged.
“Where did you find him?” Togame’s voice was low and sounded casual, but Sakura could hear the danger lurking underneath it.
“At the store! The bitch was walking around smelling like that, begging to be fucked-“ another kick to the face shut the alpha up again.
“Oh interesting. Which store?”
Sakura had no idea what was happening and honestly didn’t want to. It was time to escape while the two alphas were distracted with each other. The second his foot slid toward the edge of the tunnel Togame’s voice rang out.
“Omega. Sit and wait.”
Sakura crumpled to the ground before he knew what hit him. He’d never encountered an alpha command that strong and his omega was torn about having found a strong alpha and still wanting to get home to his nest. He watched in a daze as Togame grabbed the man by his hair, like he’d done to Sakura earlier, and spoke softly but clearly in his ear.
“To me, it seems like you were on the wrong side of the tracks and chased down an omega in heat from Furin territory.”
“No no, he was on the border, it’s not like that.”
“Idiot. You know as well as anyone that the tracks are the dividing line. There is no leniency for the border. I should deliver you right to Umemiya’s front door and let him handle you.”
Sakura watched as all of the blood drained out of the alpha’s face and wondered who the fuck this Umemiya was to scare this guy more than Togame.
“You know what, that’s what we’re going to do. I don’t recognize the omega and I don’t need Bofurin on my ass over your knot headed idiocy.” Togame sighed deeply and then slammed the guys head into the ground to knock him out. Standing up, he looked over at Sakura who tensed for a fight even from his position on the floor.
Togame strode closer and Sakura hissed and bared his bloody fangs for the second time that day. Stopping a few feet away, the alpha gave Sakura an appraising glance.
“Never seen an omega quite like you before.”
Sakura could only hiss in response.
“Alright we’ve got to get you somewhere safe. Ugh. What a drag.” Togame reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and dialed for help. “Captain, trouble at the bridge.” A pause. “Yeah obviously the guy’s knocked out.” Another pause, longer. “Because you’re an omega and I don’t feel like having my throat ripped out right now.”
Sakura stared warily as Togame ended the call and turned his attention back to him.
“I called a friend, he’s an omega. When he gets here, we’ll get you somewhere safe.” Moving slowly Togame settled down in front of the feral omega. Consciously trying to release calming pheromones he continued to speak quietly to Sakura, not releasing his command yet. Who knew what the omega would do in this state of mind.
Sakura wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, and his omega was curious at the new scent the alpha was putting out. It still smelled burnt but now it was more like a campfire than something rotten. His omega wanted more of that scent. Before Togame knew what happened he had a lap full of omega that shouldn’t have been able to move. He tried to pry the boy off of him when he felt the omega’s teeth close just shy of pain against his shoulder. With a deep sigh Togame brought his hand up to pull the omega into the bite, hoping he’d relax. Further letting out his scent he resigned himself to his fate and waited for Tomiyama.
When the captain of Shishitoren arrived, he laughed gleefully at the mess Togame had gotten into. There was broken glass scattered around, one of their own unconscious on the ground, and in the center of it all was Togame with the feral omega completely wound around him, fangs sunk into the meat of his shoulder.
Tomiyama bounced around the pair in excitement.
“Kame, Kame, who is that? Can we keep him? He seems fierce!”
“No,” Togame sighed deeply, “he came from Furin territory, we need to bring him back so he can nest.”
“Aww no fair. You never let me have any fun Togame!”
He bounced around to behind his vice captain to get a glimpse at the omega’s face. His eyes were dazed and Tomiyama wasn’t sure he even registered his presence. Ugh how boring. He walked over to the alpha in the orange jacket and hauled him up by the collar.
“Let’s go see Ume!”
Feeling much older and more tired than he was, Togame carefully climbed to his feet without jostling the omega who still had his shoulder in a bite. With his hands under the omega’s thighs he proceeded to carry him out of the tunnel and back towards Furin’s base.
Sakura was vaguely aware he was being moved but the scent surrounding him kept him calm. This alpha didn’t seem interested in him, or maybe he was still giving off distressed pheromones, because there was no arousal in the alpha’s scent. His tongue started lapping at the blood from the bite he was still holding and he felt the alpha jolt underneath him.
“We’re almost there little omega.” The alpha’s chest rumbled soothingly and Sakura chirped in response.
“Oh wow, Kame that guy is still feral. Do you think he’ll drop?”
“What do I look like, the omega expert? What do you think, you’re the omega.”
Tomiyama bounced on the balls of his feet as he walked backward to look at Togame.
“I dunno. Never happened to me. I wonder if Ume knows! Hurry up Kame!”
“Don’t take off in someone else’s territory you little idiot! Get back here!”
How he could move so fast while dragging the body of that alpha Togame would never understand. Of course he didn’t have to worry about losing a chunk of his shoulder if his tag along got upset. All the same, Tomiyama could be unpredictable and Togame didn’t want to risk a conflict just because his captain got over excited.
As Togame walked up to the school gates, he could see Tomiyama in the center of the courtyard, alpha in hand, and strangely a megaphone (where did he even get one- not important right now) calling out that he had something that belonged to Ume.
By the time the alpha of the Furin pack stepped outside, long coat fluttering behind him, Togame had reached his captain’s side. He tried to read the other alpha, but Umemiya was hard to read on a good day. And this was not a good day. Between Tomiyama’s yelling, and the pheromones still flooding out of the omega he had in his arms, most of Furin was looking out the windows or pouring into the courtyard.
“UME! Wanna fight?”
Togame would have dragged his hands down his face if they had been free, but unfortunately they were still full of feral omega.
“Tomiyama! Chill out man. We’re not here to fight, remember?”
Togame watched his captain cock his head in confusion before he looked down at the alpha he had dragged all the way here.
“Oh yeah! Catch, Ume!” and then the little idiot tossed an alpha twice his size at the fucking alpha of the neighboring pack.
Togame saw Umemiya’s second, Hiragi, step up beside his leader. He looked like he’d seen better days and Togame wondered briefly what pills exactly he was swallowing like his life depended on it right now. The pack alpha caught the body thrown at him and put it down on the floor before staring at the interlopers in confusion. Togame was trying to explain but every time he got too loud, the omega grumbled and bit down harder.
So, with a deep breath, Togame quietly explained the situation. If the Furin alphas had trouble hearing him, they didn’t mention it; their faces deep in concentration. Togame explained how he heard a commotion and smelt the rotten scent of a feral omega in distress and ran to track down the problem. When he described the state he’d found the omega in, both alphas growled lowly before catching themselves.
“The shit head admitted he’d chased the kid from your side of the tracks, so here we are.” Togame finished with another deep sigh. At this rate he was going to wind up looking as stressed as Hiragi did.
Umemiya took a deep breath before clapping his hands together with a bright smile.
“Well alright then. He must be new because I haven’t seen him around. Oof what an introduction to the town.” Then he turned a slightly amused glance on Togame. “You alright there? Looks like he might have gotten slightly…attached.”
“Ahem. Yeah. Well. He just kind of did this and I don’t know how to make him stop. So… any ideas would be great.” Togame wasn’t a fan of admitting weakness but if it got the little omega to release him without taking any of his shoulder with him, he’d take it.
Umemiya slowly approached the pair, and at a nod from Togame, he reached over and pet the back of the omega’s head. He brought his other wrist up to the boys face to let him get an idea of his scent and then he slowly rubbed it over his head, heavily scenting him. If the alpha’s pheromones being so strong near him bothered Togame, he didn’t show it. Slowly, the omega’s eyes closed and he seemed to fall asleep. His bite loosened and Umemiya gently grabbed the omega under his knees and back to lift him off of Togame.
With a massive sigh of relief, Togame rolled out his shoulder and straightened up. When he caught sight of the, now former, member of his pack he strode over and stripped him of his orange jacket.
“He attacked an omega under your protection and he’s not Shishitoren. Do what you want.”
With that farewell, he grabbed Tomiyama by the collar and urged him away from the other pack. Realizing that he wasn’t going to get the fight he wanted, he pouted, and then launched himself onto his Vice Captain’s back for a ride home. The last thing anyone from Furin heard from the pair before they left was another weary sigh leave Togame as they turned the corner.
Umemiya gently adjusted his hold on the omega so that he was closer to his scent gland, hoping he’d stay asleep while he figured this out. Tsubaki had materialized near them and was cooing at the omega in his arms.
“Tsubaki, go prepare the heat room and find a couple of betas around his age to help with supplies and food. Hiragi, check with the other captains and see if anyone has seen him around. Things will go better when he wakes if someone he knows is nearby.”
While Tsubaki ran off to follow instructions, Hiragi pulled out his phone to text the other captains.
“It shouldn’t be too hard to find out if someone knows him, he’s got a pretty memorable look about him.” All the same Hiragi was worrying at his lip with a sharp fang as he typed.
The pack alpha sat down on the steps as the omega dozed quietly. With any luck, the feral episode had cut his heat short and their only worry was keeping him from dropping. That was already going to require enough boundary pushing with a stranger without adding heat symptoms on top of it. While he was musing, all of the grade captains had wrangled their groups into calmly chilling in their classrooms while they came out to see if they recognized the omega.
Unfortunately, no one recognized him and the group dispersed as Umemiya got up to bring him inside. He pretended not to notice that a couple of Hiragi’s captains from year 1 and 2 were following. He could guess at their reasons after all. Kaji was an omega too, so not only did he probably feel kinship with the sleeping omega, but he could be a source of comfort. Ume probably would have sought him out eventually anyway.
He wasn’t as sure why the captain and vice captain from year 1 were here but he figured he could use them either way. The vice captain Nirei was a beta, which would be useful if the omega woke up sensitive to scents. On the other hand, Suo, the captain, was a surprise. Not only was Suo an alpha, but he wasn’t one that was prone to displays of emotion. That wasn’t to say he appeared emotional right now, but Ume knew him well enough to read the anger and worry pulling at the corner of his eye and mouth.
Actually, this was a good group to make a mini pack to help the omega avoid a drop. When he reached the heat room they kept in an empty classroom for situations just like this, he found that Tsubaki had already stocked it full of snacks and nesting materials. He watched proudly as his pack members quietly got to work. Something instinctual was driving them since the first years especially had never been through something like this.
Kaji, despite what many thought based on his prickly personality, was an omega. He got to work building a large nest in the corner of the room. The corner he’d picked had a canopy and gently twinkling lights plugged in above it. Nirei was sorting the food into piles and putting perishables away in the small fridge. Suo was pacing in the hallway, giving an icy smile to anyone who looked like they might approach the heat room. Ume attempted to put the omega down in the nest but he struggled, even in sleep, to stay close to the alpha.
“Suo.” Umemiya called the other alpha in to the room. “I have a few things to take care of” they both thought back to the alpha Hiragi was watching outside, “can you take over?”
At Suo’s blank look, he gestured with his chin toward the boy in his arms. Suo looked startled and took half a step forward before stopping.
“Umemiya, I don’t know how to help him, maybe you should stay. He seems to like your scent.”
“Nonsense, you’ll be great. Just go sit in the nest for a moment.”
Suo looked to Kaji for permission and then gingerly sat in the center. He looked so nervous looking up at him that Umemiya had to struggle to keep his amusement at bay. Based on the irritated look that flashed across the younger alpha’s face he hadn’t done a good enough job. Oh well.
He knelt down next to the nest close enough for Suo to reach.
“Just reach out and bring your wrist close to his face, let him get a feel for your scent and who you are.”
Suo wasn’t sure what this would tell the omega about him, but he did, slowly, bring his wrist up to the omega’s face. When the omega nuzzled sleepily into his hand his heart started pounding inside his chest. Based on what he’d heard, this omega was way tougher than he looks. And he looks… beautiful. Honestly, he might be the prettiest person Suo had ever seen. The pack alpha used his distraction to plop the omega in his arms and then turned to leave.
“Wait what am I supposed to do?” Suo called after Umemiya slightly desperate.
“Your alpha knows! Plus you’ve got Kaji and Nirei to help. You guys will be fine! Call Hiragi if you need something. I’ll be indisposed for a while.” The last bit was uttered so darkly that everyone in the room felt a chill down their spines. Whatever their leader had planned, it wasn’t anything compared to what the scummy alpha outside deserved.
Nirei grabbed some water bottles and snacks before settling into the nest. He pulled out his notebook muttering under his breath about feral omegas and drops and how he didn’t have enough notes on the subject. Kaji threw a blanket at Suo and stared at him blankly until Suo used his free hand to gently scent it before passing it back. While the omega slept, the two scented everything in the nest, creating a comfortable pack vibe.
As the afternoon waned and evening approached, Suo was starting to worry that the omega was still asleep. His alpha felt antsy in the back of his head and he wasn’t sure what it wanted him to do. He glanced over at Kaji who was sprawled in the next with his headphones blaring so loud that in the quiet room Suo could almost make out what he was listening to. Nirei had tired himself out crying earlier, the adrenaline of the day and the horror at what the omega had been through had been too much for him.
Deciding he had to do something, he grabbed a water bottle and a soft towel from the outside of the nest. In the fading golden light the omega looked ethereal, even with the blood covering his face. Suo knew it couldn’t be comfortable and gently started cleaning him up. With every stroke of the towel on his face, the other boys eyelids fluttered and Suo spent a good five minutes entranced by the flutter of white eyelashes that matched the hair on that side of his head. Shaking himself out of his trance, he removed the boys shoes and outer jacket. The jacket would need to be cleaned since their was blood on it.
As he was shifting the omega around to empty his pockets, he found his wallet. Jackpot, now they would know his name and where he lived! Using one hand since the other was still cradling the omega, he searched for his ID. It was half a success at least. The address was unreadable but he finally had a name to put to the face he’d been staring at.
Sakura Haruka.
Something about the delicate slope of his nose made Suo think that the name was extremely fitting. Suo gently traced Sakura’s features with his finger before covering them both with a blanket. His alpha was finally calmer with Sakura clean and comfortable. Following the lead of his classmates, he leans against the wall and holds Sakura close, eyes slowly closing.