Chapter Text
“Buggy…”
Buggy was sleeping on his stomach when a heavy body climbed over him. He ignored it, burying his face deeper into the pillow.
“Buggy…”
A burning hardness pressed between the curve of his ass.
Buggy grumbled. “Get off me. I told you I’m tired.” He was already drifting back toward sleep.
The movement didn’t stop. Buggy, half-asleep, only registered the annoying pressure behind him keep getting bigger, grinding against him… completely bare?
“What the hell, Shanks?” Buggy finally cracked his eyes open, vision still blurry with sleep.
“Buggy… it hurts,” Shanks murmured against his ear, nipping at it.
Buggy clicked his tongue, but his eyelids were too heavy, already dozing off again. He wanted to just ignore it, but Shanks only ground harder. His mind wavered between sleep and the rocking hard cock kept thrusting between his ass, separated only by the thin fabric of Buggy’s boxer.
Buggy tried to remember what he had been dreaming about, but it slipped further with Shanks’s groans growing louder. Hot breath and wet tongue licked all over his ear, making him squirm slightly. His ass felt even damper, with Shanks’s cock dripping precum all over it.
Buggy frowned. Shanks had always been needy, but he never ignored Buggy’s complaints. It was annoying, but the way Shanks whimpered like it actually hurt made Buggy hesitate. So he just hoped Shanks would finish soon.
When Shanks tugged his boxers a little too roughly, Buggy caught his wrist, murmuring softly.
“Don’t put it in… just use my thighs.”
Shanks immediately laced their fingers together, pressing Buggy’s hand over his head. He made a frustrated… growl, but Buggy was too asleep to notice.
Shanks leaned down to suck at Buggy’s neck, leaving damp trails behind. Buggy frowned again, Shanks usually liked licking him, but it had never been this wet. Buggy could actually feel the saliva dripping down his cheek.
Before Buggy could think better of it, Shanks had already pulled his boxer down, positioning his cock between Buggy’s ass. His grip on Buggy’s hips was a little too tight, enough to make Buggy want to protest, but Shanks already started slamming his hips down roughly.
Buggy pressed his lips together, the rhythm all off, but the heavy cock steadily sliding against Buggy was starting to make his head dizzy. Buggy hid his face in the pillow, but Shanks’s pounding only grew faster he couldn’t help the soft moan that slipped out. Shanks didn’t miss it.
“Are you hard?”
Shanks didn’t wait for Buggy’s answer. One hand on Buggy’s hip lifted him easily, before Buggy could even register it, Shanks had already shoved a pillow beneath him.
Buggy shivered, Shanks knew his body too well. The pillow angled Buggy just right, leaving him more exposed. Shanks’s cock pressed in deeper between his thighs. Buggy’s already half-hard length was simulated between the pillow and Shanks’s cock, the friction made the heat coil low in his stomach.
Buggy didn’t realize his hips were moving with Shanks until Shanks breathed heavily in his ear.
“Want to take my cock? Move faster.” Shanks let out a rough grunt. “Yes… just like that.”
Buggy couldn’t help the needy whine came out of him. Before he could bite his lips to stop it, Shanks had already caught him by the neck and pulled his face back into a kiss.
It was all messy tongue and teeth, something too sharp dragging against his lip, but Buggy could barely focus on it when Shank’s cock drove harder between Buggy’s and the pillow. He could feel it was soaked through from their precum mixing together. The only sound in the room was the heavy pounding of Shanks’s hips against him.
“Fuck… you feel so good,” Shanks grunted against his lips.
Buggy felt a sudden tension deep at his core, before he could process it, a shockwave shot through his body. His mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Shanks’s tongue only pushed deeper, sweeping through every corner of his mouth.
Shanks didn’t slow down through Buggy’s climax, his cock thrusting even more relentlessly, fully intending to milk every last drop of Buggy. Buggy’s vision blurred as he spilled the last drop against the pillow. Shanks’s lips were replaced by his three fingers shoving into Buggy’s mouth, toying with his tongue.
Shanks kissed down Buggy’s neck while he was still trembling from the aftershocks. Buggy went limp, sinking into the sheets when Shanks’s hand stopped supporting him. Shanks only bit down harder at his neck to keep him in place, Buggy could feel his cock twitching harder with each thrust between Buggy’s thighs.
Buggy bit hard at Shanks’s fingers when Shanks's cock kept stimulating his oversensitive length it started to hurt.
“Shanks… hurt,” he cried out.
That finally got through to Shanks, he stopped for a second, before biting down harder at Buggy’s neck, drawing a whimper from Buggy. His hands moved to lift Buggy’s hips, holding him in place as his cock continued thrusting between his shaking thighs.
Buggy lay face down on the pillow, too exhausted to even say a word, letting Shanks drag his body along. It felt like forever, his thighs going numb, until Shanks’s pace finally faltered and he came with a hoarse groan.
Buggy exhaled, finally letting his eyes fall shut, too tired to care about the mess between them. Shanks collapsed against him, teeth sunk deeper into his neck, his cock still hard where it rested between Buggy’s thighs.
Buggy let Shanks catch his breath, but after a long moment he couldn’t fall asleep with Shanks weighing him down, and his teeth still held his neck, the sting starting to get on his nerves.
“Get off me, you’re acting like a dog,” Buggy grumbled.
Shanks only made a low sound in his throat in response. Buggy lay there for a while, too lazy to fight it, but his body soon started to ache in the awkward, caged-in position Shanks kept him in.
“Hey, I already–” Buggy tried to squirm, but Shanks’s teeth held him firmly in place. Buggy stilled when he felt it as he moved. Shanks hadn’t gone down, if anything… he was getting bigger?
“...Shanks? Let go of my neck first.” Buggy reached back, searching for Shanks’s face where it was buried against his neck, his fingers came away… wet. Buggy jerked his hand back sharply. Blood.
“Shanks?! What are you doing?!” Buggy struggled, which only made Shanks’s grip tighten around him, a deep growl rumbling in his chest.
Buggy inhaled sharply. He stilled, forcing himself to even out his breathing. When Shanks’s growling quieted, Buggy slowly detached a hand and slid it down between Shanks’s legs.
Shanks let out a needy sound when Buggy’s hand brushed his cock, which was… far bigger than Buggy remembered, and at the base was… undoubtedly a knot.
“Omega… Mine!”
Shanks suddenly barked. Buggy didn’t have time to react before Shanks shifted, moving his leg to trap Buggy’s detached hand around his knot.
Buggy didn’t dare move, too stunned to speak. Shanks was fully aware he was a Beta, but he didn’t seem to be in his right mind right now. The knot in his hand was burning hot and impossibly hard.
“...Shanks,” Buggy said slowly after a moment. “Are you there? I think you just presented, and your Alpha is taking over.”
Shanks didn’t react. His fangs only dug deeper into Buggy’s skin, the pain spiking suddenly.
Buggy breathed out. “Shanks… you’re hurting me. I’m bleeding.”
That snapped Shanks out of it almost immediately. His fangs finally pulled away, drawing a soft gasp from Buggy. Buggy still couldn’t see him as he was still pinned down, but he felt Shanks lean in again, tongue brushing carefully over the wound on his neck.
Buggy waited, then slowly turned around. Shanks rumbled unhappily, but pulled back just enough to let Buggy settle onto his back, though his knot still rested heavily in Buggy’s hand.
Buggy finally remembered Alphas weren’t supposed to let their knot stay out like this, it would hurt them. He detached the other hand, then wrapped both hands fully around Shanks’s knot.
Shanks relaxed instantly and let out a soft… purring? Buggy watched him for a moment, then huffed at the puppy reaction.
“Are you feeling better now? Let me go find Roger–”
“Mine!”
Shanks suddenly snarled. Buggy stilled again as Shanks’s burning red eyes fixed on him, realizing he had mentioned another Alpha’s name.
“No one!” he said quickly. “I’m staying with you, alright?”
Shanks watched him closely. Buggy tried to give him a reassuring smile, it seemed to work. The red in his eyes slowly faded, Buggy could feel the knot easing as well. Buggy was about to say something when Shanks suddenly dropped down on him again, already snoring.
Buggy blinked. He stared at the ceiling, inhaling the intoxicating scent that filled their cabin. After a moment, he sighed, retrieving his hands and closing his eyes. He was already exhausted, and after all that… this could wait until tomorrow.
***
Shanks reached out blindly, searching for his Omega before even opening his eyes… but found nothing. He sat up abruptly, fully awake. His Ome–no, Beta, Buggy was a Beta, wasn’t next to him. He was still in their territory. Shanks could faintly catch his Beta’s scent, but there were too many other smells crowding it out.
“You’re finally awake.”
Shanks’s head snapped toward the voice. Too many in their territory. Too many Alphas. He immediately found his Beta, standing too far away in the corner.
“How are you feeling–”
Shanks growled as the Alpha had stepped between Shanks and his Beta. A strong Alpha. Danger. No… that was his captain. He was safe…
The whole room seemed to tense at his reaction, but Shanks didn’t care, he needed to get to his Beta. He was just about to stand when a heavy wave of Alpha pheromones pressed down on him.
“Shanks, I know you’re still out of it. But you’re not growling at your crewmates.” The strong Alpha–no, Roger, said firmly.
“Roger, he just presented…” another Alpha spoke up. His Beta was standing with that one. Why was his Beta so close to another Alpha–no, that was Rayleigh.
Shanks shook his head. It hurt, like something inside him was fighting for control. The heavy Alpha pheromones only made it worse. He needed his Beta…
“Buggy, don’t stand too close to Shanks now!”
Shanks’s head snapped up. His Beta was walking toward him. He dragged himself forward despite the Alpha pheromones still pressing him down.
“It’s okay,” his Beta said, looking straight into his eyes. “He won’t hurt me.”
The others in the room exchanged glances, but Shanks paid them no mind. He needed to protect his Beta. He reached out a hand…
His Beta smacked him hard on the head. Huh?
“Don’t act like those Alphas who can’t keep their hands to themselves. That’s embarrassing.” His Beta–no, Buggy snapped.
Shanks’s hand slowly came up to rub the spot. It didn’t hurt, never from Buggy. But his Alpha was deeply embarrassed that he had let his Beta down. Shanks lowered his head in shame, unable to stop a whine from slipping out.
“Huh, that’s easier than I thought.” The Alpha pheromones finally faded, and Shanks could breathe again.
Shanks looked up at Roger, his head finally clear. “I’m sorry, I–”
Roger just waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. When we stepped into this cabin, it reeked of strong Alpha pheromones. We even thought we needed to tie you down.” He watched Shanks carefully, then reached out and ruffled his hair. “Are you feeling okay now?”
Shanks leaned into the touch easily now. This strong Alpha was his captain… his father. No one was safer than him.
“My body aches everywhere. Besides that… I think I’m okay?”
Shanks glanced at Buggy, his instincts still pulling him toward his Beta. But he didn’t want to overwhelm him.
Buggy narrowed his eyes, then finally sat down on the bed next to Shanks. Shanks immediately leaned in, wrapping his arms around him.
“Hey! Others are still–”
“It’s okay, Buggy,” Rayleigh said calmly. “It’ll calm him down.”
Buggy scoffed when Shanks nudged his head closer to his neck, but then placed his hands on Shanks’s hair, fingers threading through it. His Alpha finally settled, a soft, contented sound slipping from him.
“So,” Roger huffed. “What should we do now?”
Crocus finally stepped in from the side. He was a Beta, so Shanks barely paid him any mind.
“He might be fine now, but when the rut comes in waves, it’ll only get more intense.” He closed his notes, glancing up at Shanks. “Unfortunately, you’ll just have to bear through it.”
“There’s no type of suppressants we can give him?” Rayleigh asked.
Crocus shook his head. “Not for the first rut. It’s always better to let your body adapt naturally. Then we can look into suppressants.”
Rayleigh frowned slightly. “I know that. But his scent… that was far more intense than I’ve ever seen. Is it normal?”
Crocus adjusted his glasses. “I haven’t seen one like it either, but his condition isn’t abnormal. It’s likely just that the stronger the Alpha, the stronger the rut.”
Shanks didn’t mind the adults talking about his rut so openly, but he could sense Buggy was growing uncomfortable. So he spoke up.
“I just didn’t know last night, but I can control it now.” Shanks’s hand patted gently on Buggy’s back, wanting to comfort his Beta.
All the adults exchanged glances. Then Roger spoke up.
“We don’t have many choices, just have to watch him closely for now.” He turned to Buggy. “For your safety, you can move to–”
“No!” Shanks growled again. He stilled right after, then lowered his voice in embarrassment. “I – Please don’t take Buggy away from me.”
Roger blinked at him, but Shanks couldn’t care less if he appeared clingy.
Rayleigh exhaled after a moment. “This is for Buggy, Shanks. You know last night you would’ve marked him without consent if he were an Omega, right?”
Shanks froze, a wave of shame washing over him. He had hurt his Beta, he…
“Hey, stop it.” Buggy pinched his cheek, forcing Shanks to look at him. “Even a Beta like me can smell it when your Alpha is acting up. It’s stinky. Let other people breathe.”
Shanks faltered when his Beta called his scent stinky. Only then did he notice how the other two Alphas in the cabin had grown uncomfortable. He forced it down, but when his eyes landed on the bandage around Buggy’s neck, his chest tightened all over again.
“And I’m fine, really.” Buggy turned his head toward Rayleigh. “Even when he was in rut last night, he still listened to me.” Then he glanced back at Shanks. “Just let me watch him.”
Shanks immediately lit up. His Beta forgave him, his Beta wanted to stay. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss on Buggy’s lips.
“Hey!” Buggy shoved his face away, face all red.
Roger chuckled, already turning and walking toward the door. “Guess we’ll have to get used to that too. We shouldn’t stay in a newly presented Alpha’s territory for long. Call us if you need anything, okay?”
Shanks only held onto Buggy while Crocus handed Buggy a few notes and all of them finally stepped out. When the door closed, he loosened completely. A strong wave of his scent spilled out all at once, heavy and possessive. He needed to rework their territory so it would hold only his scent and his Beta’s.
“Congrats, I guess,” Buggy clicked his tongue. “Of course your secondary gender is the strongest one too.”
Shanks couldn’t help the purr that slipped out of him, his Beta said he was strong. He took Buggy’s hand and pressed a long kiss to the scent glands on his wrist, trying to imprint his scent onto him fully. He let his fangs slide out slightly, he just had them yesterday but they had already become an instinct. He nipped lightly at Buggy’s glands, before coating the spot with his saliva.
“You’re disgusting!” Buggy jerked his hand back, but Shanks didn’t let him go. “Don’t lick me like a dog.”
Shanks let out a dissatisfied grunt, his hold tightening. The scent still wasn’t strong enough.
Buggy watched him for a moment before speaking again. “You do realize I’m a Beta, right? Your scent won’t stay on my skin.”
Shanks stilled, his head snapping up as the words sank in, his expression crumpling. He had never cared what Buggy was, as long as it was his Buggy. But this was the worst news he had ever heard.
***
Shanks stayed inside their cabin with Buggy for two days. It was the best time he had. He slept through most of it, exhausted from the waves of his rut, only waking for the food a crewmate left outside and mating with Buggy.
Buggy had presented as a Beta long ago, which meant he had less drive, and his body simply wasn’t built for mating with an Alpha. Because of that, Shanks had never pushed him. Even before presenting as an Alpha, Shanks had always been on the bigger side, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt Buggy.
But over the past two days, Buggy seemed to… allow more. He still complained, but when Shanks’s rut came, he never actually stopped him. They didn’t fully mate, Shanks was afraid he couldn’t control his Alpha during his rut and hurt Buggy. Still, Buggy made up for it in other ways, letting Shanks try things he had always been too embarrassed to do before.
So when Buggy insisted on going out on the third morning, Shanks grumbled in protest. But he knew his Beta was getting sick of being stuck inside, so Shanks let Buggy drag him out.
“Oh hey! Are you okay now–” Gaban turned to greet them on deck, but he immediately wrinkled his nose. “God, Roger said your scent is strong, but damn.”
Shanks had already wrapped his arms around Buggy from behind, glaring at the other Alpha.
Gaban raised his hands in peace. “Relax, I’m bonded. Remember?” He pointed to the permanent bite mark at the back of his neck.
Shanks hesitated. Right, Gaban had a mate in Elbaph, so this one was safe… No, everyone on the Roger Pirates was safe, they were his crew. Shanks had let his Alpha run too freely over the past two days, he needed to take control again.
Buggy scoffed when Shanks held him in place, but didn’t pull away. “Is there anyone in the bath?” he asked Gaban. “I need to properly clean all of this off.”
Shanks stiffened at that. He had spent the last two days scenting his Beta inside and out, but it only ever left a faint trace that would fade within the hour. He didn’t mind scenting his Beta over and over again, he loved it actually, but why would his Beta want to wash his scent away?
“No. Go ahead,” Gaban said. “I’ll tell the others to leave it to you two.”
Buggy nodded and moved to step forward, but Shanks’s arms still held him firmly in place.
“Hey, move. You need a bath too.”
Shanks didn’t even realize he was growling. “No!”
Gaban immediately stiffened on the other side, Shanks could sense the other Alpha releasing a sharp scent in response to his growl. Shanks knew he needed to calm down, but his Alpha couldn’t stand the thought of not scenting his Beta.
Buggy suddenly elbowed his stomach. Shanks let out a small grunt, his grip loosening, not because it hurt, but because he didn’t want to upset his Beta.
“If you don’t keep your Alpha in check, I’ll lock you in the cabin,” Buggy warned.
That had to be one of the worst threats he could make. There was no way Shanks would miss the chance to groom his Beta.
“No, I’m sorry! Don’t leave me.” Shanks immediately lowered his head toward Buggy.
Buggy rolled his eyes, then grabbed Shanks’s hand and pulled him toward the bath. As he passed, Shanks gave Gaban an apologetic nod. Gaban only stared after them with wide eyes.
In the bath, Shanks made it a mission to lick every spot Buggy had just cleaned, displeased whenever the soap washed away his scent from his Beta. When he leaned in to mouth at Buggy’s hair, Buggy finally snapped and yanked his ear.
“Stop it! I’ll cut your freaking tongue if you keep doing that!” Buggy was clearly pissed now.
Shanks immediately deflated, unable to understand why his Beta seemed to prefer that artificial scent over his.
Buggy watched him looking seconds away from tearing up, then exhaled slowly. “Alright. You can scent me or whatever after I finish showering.”
Shanks perked up instantly, leaning in and pulling Buggy into a wet kiss.
Buggy grumbled against his lips. “I swear when you’re done with this stupid rut…”
When they walked out of the bath, Shanks had fully scented Buggy again, at least, as much as a Beta could be scented. He had been fine the first two days since Buggy stayed inside their territory, covered in his scent. So Shanks hadn’t realized it would become a problem.
The moment they stepped onto the deck, now crowded with crew had already woken up, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his head. Shanks immediately lost scent of his Beta with too many Alphas around, something in him snapping as a voice deep in his instincts kept urging him to claim his Beta.
He might have fallen apart right there if Buggy hadn’t laced their fingers together, leaning into Shanks’s space.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Shanks looked up, catching the worry on Buggy’s face. That only made it worse, his Alpha recoiled at the thought of looking weak in front of his Beta. He forced it down and managed a weak smile.
“Yeah… maybe I shouldn’t take deck chores for now.”
Buggy still watched him carefully, not entirely convinced, but Shanks tightened his grip on his hand and pulled him toward the navigation room. At least Gaban was bonded, his scent wouldn’t bother Shanks as much.
***
“That’s it for today. Thanks for helping me.” Gaban stood up. “We should head for dinner, Roger said not to overwork Shanks these days.”
Buggy nodded and started wrapping things up. Shanks’s hand stilled where he had been tracing the map, his head still aching from having another Alpha so close to Buggy. It was manageable for now. But he didn’t know if he could handle it with even more Alphas.
Shanks had been scenting Buggy every half hour, which meant he hadn’t gotten much work done, though Gaban didn’t seem to mind. Still, no matter how hard he tried, the scent remained too faint. He could pick it up only because he had been with Buggy for years, but another Alpha wouldn’t know his Beta was claimed…
Shanks bit down hard on his tongue. No one on the Oro Jackson would take Buggy from him, he knew that. But his Alpha refused to listen. The taste of blood spread in his mouth as he bit harder, forcing himself not to growl.
“Shanks!”
He looked up. Buggy was waving a hand in front of his face.
“We’re heading to dinner. Are you even listening?” Buggy frowned.
Shanks wanted to tell him to stay, to let him lead them back to their territory, where he could keep Buggy close and protected. But he had seen how brighter Buggy looked when he was out here talking to the crew, compared to being shut inside the cabin with him.
So Shanks forced his Alpha down and nodded. “…Yeah. Let me finish up.”
He set the maps aside as slowly as he could, swallowing down the metallic taste in his mouth. When they stepped out, his grip on Buggy was tight, but Buggy didn’t comment on it. Shanks drilled it into himself. Even without a strong scent or a mark, his Beta had chosen to stay with him. It would be fine.
Shanks could barely eat during dinner. The moment he stepped into the dining room, surrounded by too many Alphas, his head pulsed with pain. He was honestly surprised he hadn’t snapped and destroyed everything, his Alpha had shifted from frustration to something more violent.
The only thing keeping him grounded was that he could feed his Beta. Shanks silently peeled another tangerine and placed a piece into Buggy’s mouth, his Alpha easing at the sight of Buggy chewing happily.
But Buggy was laughing and chatting excitedly with Roger and Rayleigh it made something twist in Shanks’s chest. Why was his Beta so comfortable around other Alphas? These Alphas were far stronger than him. Shanks wouldn’t be able to protect Buggy if they–no… These men had raised them. They would never hurt Buggy…
…but they were still strong. Too strong. And Buggy even started to smell like them…
“Shanks… Shanks.”
Shanks looked up, not realizing his claws had half slipped out, digging into his own skin. Roger was watching him with concern. “Are you alright? You haven’t eaten much.”
Shanks dragged his claws back, forcing the words out. “I’m just… not hungry. I think I’ll rest early.”
Buggy finally turned toward him, and that alone eased something tight in Shanks’s chest. “Don’t Alphas need to eat more during rut? You sure you’re done?”
His Beta still cared about him, still looking at him even with stronger Alphas around. That was good.
“Yeah…” Shanks swallowed. “Are you done? …Do you want to head back?”
Buggy hesitated, clearly still wanting to stay with the others.
Shanks forced himself to stay still, biting down on his tongue again. He shouldn’t pull his Beta away when he was happy…
“Alright. Let me finish this tangerine,” Buggy said at last, glancing at him.
Shanks took a deep breath. He could endure it a little longer for his Beta. His Alpha focused on the way Buggy ate each piece. His Beta was well-fed, Shanks was taking good care of him…
When they finally stood up to leave, Shanks caught the worried look on Roger’s face, but he was too busy keeping himself under control as he took Buggy’s hand and left as quickly as he could.
The moment they stepped inside their cabin, Shanks immediately pulled Buggy in and sank his fangs into his shoulder. By now, Shanks had learned the exact pressure to hold Buggy in place without hurting him.
Buggy only huffed. “Don’t act like you just came back from a battle.” His hand came up to wrap around Shanks.
Buggy had no idea, the pain in Shanks’s head had been no better than a fierce battle. But it started to ease now, with them surrounded by their safe space and their own scents.
Shanks lifted Buggy by the waist and carried him toward the bed. His Beta didn’t build nests, but this wasn’t so different. So right now, there was nothing Shanks wanted more than to stay in the nest with his Beta.
“Alright, I want a nap too.” Buggy yawned, curling into Shanks’s arms.
***
Over the next two days, Shanks found something that could ground the growing aggression of his Alpha. He threw all of his restless energy and frustration into sparring with the other Alphas. If he couldn’t soothe himself by burying his scent into his Beta, then he would make sure he was strong enough that no Alpha would ever dare to take Buggy from him.
“Shanks, come. I’m free,” Rayleigh called from across the deck.
Shanks nodded, leaning down to press a long kiss to Buggy’s lips before stepping away. Normally Buggy would have shoved him out of embarrassment, but ever since the rut started, the entire crew had grown used to how Shanks always needed to be touching him.
Rayleigh was one of the strongest Alphas aboard, which meant Shanks could go all out, even when his rut made him much more violent. They didn’t use weapons, not when Shanks couldn’t fully control his Alpha, so there hadn’t been any real harm done.
Rayleigh landed a hard blow on his stomach, forcing him back a step. Another heavy hit followed just as quickly, but this time Shanks managed to recover, striking back with everything he had. It didn’t do much, Rayleigh barely flinched. He was much stronger than Shanks…
Too strong.
A stronger Alpha.
An Alpha who could take Buggy from him.
Before Shanks knew it, he had already lunged forward, his claws driving into Rayleigh from behind.
“Shanks?!”
He could hear his Beta running toward him, his Beta had seen how strong he was. Shanks pulled his claws out of the flesh, ignoring the pained shout from behind him, already turning toward his Beta…only to be crushed under a wave of dominant Alpha pheromones.
“SHANKS!” A far stronger Alpha growled furiously. Shanks felt his ears ringing from the force of it.
His body hit the deck hard, head struck the wood with a loud crack, the world spinning as the heavy scent flooded his senses, drowning out everything else. He couldn’t smell his Beta anymore, all the panic he had been suppressing these past days rushed in at once.
“Roger, stop! You’re hurting him!”
“He’s bleeding…Help!”
His Alpha lashed out at the thought of losing, of being separated from his Beta. The voices grew distant, fading as he lost consciousness.