One positive pregnancy test later and Lisa knew her troubles were very real. She had a bond and a baby on the way but to an alpha who wanted ‘space’, not a relationship. Lisa genuinely loved Jennie, she had fallen in love with the lady since the moment she saw her during a fight, that Lisa's uncle had organized years ago. When Jennie was about to be put down, Lisa had reacted fast, unable to bear it. With a few words, she was able to convince the host to let Jennie live, and suggested to send the tigeress to a feral house instead. She didn't expect to meet Jennie after years at a bar but it was a pleasant surprise and from then, Lisa had been looking for ways to leave her pack, wanting desperately to be with Jennie. But she didn't expect the Alpha not to want her. She was lost on what to do. Not that she could blame Jennie but where did that leave her? Jennie's warning about pulling her own weight ringing in her ears, the Alpha had told Lisa she couldn't just laze around like she did in her previous pack. She would have to do something to contribute, that was how this pack works. Thus Lisa sought Baekhyun out– the only shifter she was very much comfortable around– and asked about what work she could do. The Omega hadn’t played ball at first, suggesting Lisa rest and settle in, but Lisa knew that without the protection of an alpha in this new pack, she needed to be seen to be useful, to want to work.
She was relieved when they told her she could clean. Cleaning was something doable, something non-threatening, something mindless to occupy her. So, when she wasn’t sleeping or eating, she
found some corner of the common space and scrubbed. There seemed to be no end to the number of people in the pack, most of whom lived in the bigger house but there seemed to be a dozen families who lived in nearby cottages. She couldn’t help but feel anxious around the pack alphas, Seulgi especially. With Jennie keeping her distance, there was no one there to ward them off. Most of them had mates, which was a relief, but how long until she caught the attention of one who didn’t? Thus, she kept her head down and cleaned. She was on her hands and knees, washing the floor of the corridor outside the kitchen, when Chanyeol arrived, his step-son racing down the corridor ahead of him and disappearing into the kitchen. Chanyeol strode after him, his expression full of fondness. Chanyeol scared Lisa; tall, broad-shouldered, and she wanted to shudder whenever the alpha’s gaze landed on her. He was also one of Sehun's– the pack leader right hand men. Sehun the only Omega Lisa was scared of. She ducked her head as the alpha neared. “Morning, Lalisa ,” Chanyeol said as he passed. “Morning,” she whispered back, not moving until the alpha was safely inside. Baekhyun arrived a few minutes later, and stopped to ask her how she’d slept before following his family into the kitchen. Lisa got back to work only for her friend to return a minute later, with two cups in his hands. “Why don’t you take a break,” he told her, “and come have some tea with me?” Lisa wasn’t sure she could say no, so she climbed to his feet and followed Baekhyun around the corner to a large window that looked out onto the woods at the back of the house. There was a long window seat and Baekhyun perched on it, gesturing for Lisa to sit next to him before handing her a cup of tea. She took a sip of the tea, surprised to find it hot and sweet. "So how's the baby?" Baekhyun gestured at her stomach. He was the only person Lisa had told about the baby. "Fine," she said, eyes darting to where Chanyeol was. "Chanyeol is a good guy, you know,” Baekhyun said out of nowhere, probably he noticed her gaze. “I know he looks a little scary, but he’s a teddy bear really. You should see him with Beomgyu. So gentle.” She wasn’t sure what to say to that. “I—” “Only, he thinks you’re scared of him. He says Kris said the same thing. Sehun has taken to avoiding the corridors you’re cleaning in because he says you tense up like a frightened rabbit any time he’s near.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be a bother.” she lowered her head. “That’s not it,” Baekhyun said slowly, hand resting on his belly “You’re not being a bother, they’re just being careful of you. They can tell you’re scared and uncomfortable, and they’re trying to make it easier for you. You know that they won’t hurt you, right? That no one here is going to hurt you.” Lisa tried to nod but found herself shaking her head instead. “I don’t understand,” Baekhyun said quietly. “Can you explain it to me?” “I don’t know what’s going to happen to me or to the baby without Jennie's protection. I’m scared all the time.” “What makes you think you don’t have protection here?” "Jennie hasn’t come near me. She said she wants space, not me. And if she won’t protect me then I’m anyone’s to take, aren’t I?” “Oh, Lisa.” Baekhyun rested a palm against her cheek. “No wonder you’re scared. No, that’s not how it works here. Maybe in other packs, but they take omega safety very seriously here. Come on.” The other omega got to his feet, and Lisa did the same.“Where are we going?” “To see Sehun and Yoongi. They'll know what to do.” Lisa was left sitting on a couch in Sehun's office while Yoongi and Sehun talked outside. She didn’t listen in, too tired and drained to do more than sit there and wait. It wasn’t long before Sehun and Yoongi returned. Pulling a chair over, Yoongi sat opposite Lisa. “My sister is an idiot,” Yoongi announced, “but a lovable one.” "Yes she is." Sehun said coming to sit next to Lisa. Lisa didn’t know what to say to that, so she kept quiet. Sehun was an enigma to her. He was clearly an omega, but he had power, real power. A whole pack at his beck and call. Whereas Lisa had known nothing but powerlessness all her life except when it came to entrapping alphas. "Does she know about the baby?" Sehun said, gesturing at her stomach and Lisa wasn't even surprised he knew without needing her to tell him. He was powerful mage after all. "No" She shook her head. "Yet." “Tell me about your pack,” Yoongi demanded, his smile kind. “What do you want to know?” she wrapped an arm around her stomach, not looking forward to an interrogation by Jennie's brother. “I want to know what they’re like, what your family are like. How it was growing up there.” Lisa contemplated that for a moment. “My mom was a human, while my dad was a shifter. They both died in a plane crash when I was six. My grandfather was the one who raised me. He loved my mother and he loved me. Until my uncle came back from abroad when I was fifteen." “He was the one that made you do those things? Luring Alphas." Sehun concluded. She nodded absentmindedly, her thoughts on how things were before. She found herself telling Yoongi and Sehun all about it, growing up the apple of her grandfather’s eye, knowing that she’d do everyone proud. How everything had changed when her uncle returned, her grandfather no longer cared about her. And he passed down the responsibility of the pack to his youngest son. Then her uncle formed a fight club and he used her to gather Alphas. At that time she had been so alone, drifting and purposeless, and thought her uncle had taken pity on her, to be useful to the pack. “You think it was pity?” Yoongi wondered. “The others would hardly look at me. But my Uncle made sure I had food and new clothes and his guards would keep an eye out for me when I was getting hassled.” “So, you felt you owed him?” “He didn’t have to take me under his wing.” “How long before he started asking you to do things?” “You mean… the alpha stuff?” “The alpha stuff,” Yoongi agreed, smiling wryly. “I don’t know… a couple of years after he's back.” Yoongi was nodding like that didn’t surprise him. “What?” Lisa asked carefully. “He manipulated you, waited until you were isolated and starved for affection and attention then gave it to you, alongside food, clothes, and the promise of safety. Lured you into thinking that he, and only he, gave a damn about you. Then he started to ask you for favors. Small ones, at first, things you didn’t mind doing, getting bigger and bigger until he had you doing things that terrified you. Classic grooming behavior.” “I… I don’t understand.” “Suffice it to say, your uncle is an abusive bastard. He’s colored your view of packs, of alphas. And My sister's stubbornness isn’t doing a damn thing to help that.” “I’m sorry?” Lisa offered, feeling an apology seemed appropriate. “I see that,” Sehun said quietly. “But this isn’t your fault. This is my pack, and you are safe here. No one is going to harm you, with or without Jennie's presence. When she gets back…” “She’s gone?” Lisa said, leaning forward, panic surging through her. "She left me here? No, no…” Yoongi arm caught her before she could pitch forward off the couch."She's not far, just on a supply run. She'll be back soon.” But Lisa body couldn’t seem to rationalize that. She started shaking and she just couldn’t stop.“I… please… I don’t.” “Shh, it’s fine. Lie down, Lisa. That’s it. Like that. Here.” A heavy weight settled down on top of her. A throw from the back of the couch. Lisa clutched it tightly and curled up under it, unable to stop her body shaking. "She'll be back soon,” Sehun promised, “and everything will be okay.” But nothing was okay, nothing. And Lisa couldn’t see how it ever would be. Sometime later she heard voices outside the door. Yoongi. Jennie and Sehun's. “You’re an idiot, Jennie. What part of settle her in did you take to mean ignore her?” Yoongi said. “I was giving her space.” Jennie said. "She's an omega, and she’s bonded to you. She doesn’t need space, she needs you, just as much as you need her. Don’t try and tell me you don’t feel as bad as she looks. And if it’s putting that much strain on her, just imagine what it’s doing to that baby inside her" the alpha continued. "She's pregnant?" Jennie asked shocked," I didn't know, and I thought I was doing the right thing.” Yoongi's voice softened.“That’s a real bond you have there. You can’t ignore it or neglect it, or both of you will suffer. And I think you’ve both suffered enough, don’t you?” The door creaked open, footsteps growing louder. Lisa kept her eyes closed, kept still, almost wishing she was invisible, so she could hide there forever. Hands slipped beneath her and lifted her up. She didn’t even need to open her eyes to know that she was in Jennie's arms, the alpha carrying her off into the darkness. *** Jennie hadn’t expected to be accosted by an angry Yoongi on her return. She listened to her brother’s concerns then went to see Lisa for herself. The omega was feigning sleep, pale and wan, and Jennie had no intention of calling her on it. She picked Lisa up instead, settling the omega against her and carried her back not to the impersonal guest wing but to Jennie's own rooms. Maybe Yoongi was right, and she’d gone about this whole thing the wrong way. Though they mated not by choice, but Jennie had accepted it, had accepted the bond between them. And now knowing Lisa was pregnant with her child, Jennie was even more resolute to make this work. Like every other alpha, she had hoped to start a family of her own. And now that it was happening, she was fine with it even if she doubted Lisa's love. Setting Lisa down on the bed, Jennie sat down on the edge next to her. Lisa's eyes were still closed but there was a tension in her frame that made it very clear she wasn’t asleep. “You’re not a prisoner here or a servant. You don’t have to spend all day on your knees, scrubbing floors. And you aren’t unprotected, either. Everyone in this pack is protected from those outside who might wish us harm.” Jennie softly said. Lisa's eyes did open then, avoiding her gaze. “But what about inside? Who’ll protect me from the other alphas?” “You don’t need to be protected from them," she insisted gently. “They’re mostly bonded even if they weren't, they’d never hurt an omega. If they did, they’d have me, Sehun, Yoongi, and everyone else to answer to.” “So, I am under your protection?” Lisa pressed. “Of course you are, you’re carrying my mating mark. But what I’m trying to say is that you don’t need to be worried here. This pack is a safe place. We respect each other, we work together. If someone, anyone, bothers you, and it won’t happen, but if it does, you tell me or Sehun, Yoongi or Kris and it will be sorted out.” Jennie leaned over, bracing herself on her arm as she angled her head to meet Lisa's  gaze.“Has someone bothered you? Seulgi perhaps? Has someone tried to hurt you? If they have, you need to tell me.” the thought of someone putting a hand on her mate, made her blood boiled. Lisa shook her head mutely, and Jennie felt a heavy sense of relief.“You were just scared they would.”The omega nodded, avoiding her gaze again. “I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you,” she promised. “And I’m sorry for how you’re feeling right now. Yoongi's right. I’m being an idiot and it’s hurting both of us.” “How do we fix it?” Lisa asked dully. She seemed listless, lifeless. Like a puppet with its strings cut. “We close the space between us,” Jennie said simply, knowing that physical contact was the only thing that would remedy this. She kicked off her shoes and stretched out next to Lisa.“Whenever you’re ready,” she encouraged, seeing the glances the omega kept throwing her way. That she’d been misunderstood was immediately apparent because Lisa's hands went to Jennie's jeans, tugging at the button. Jennie covered the lady's hands with her own. "No, Lisa. This isn’t about . It’s about… touch. Comfort, closeness. Healing. It’s about the bond.” Lisa pulled her hands away and started to sit up.“I don’t understand.” “We have a bond, that’s what the mark means. It’s pulling us together, and we’ve been fighting it, fighting each other, by keeping apart. It’s why I feel like crap right now and why you can’t be feeling much better. The bond wants us close. We should listen to it.” “But not ?” “We don’t need it,” Jennie said carefully. “And I don’t want it until you want it, if and when that is.” “I don’t mind it,” Lisa said, “not with you.” Jennie laughed. “Oh, I know. But my alpha ego needs you to want it, and I’m patient enough to wait however long it takes.” “We just… hug?” Lisa asked, she was clearly still confused about the whole ordeal. “As much physical contact as we can stand. Skin to skin would be best,” she added, though she wasn’t going to pressure Lisa over that point. The omega’s hands obediently went to her shirt, drawing it over her