Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Dick! Come grab the brat before I throw him off the balcony!"

"As if you would keep the hand you tried to touch me with, Drake."

"Listen here, you little -"

"Boys!" Bruce roars from where he hunched over the keyboard of the bat computer, running through last-minute details of a kidnapping case.

Dick sighs. Everyone's tense, as they always are, when a pup is missing. Jason had been wise to skip the before patrol meeting if this was how the night was starting. He and Bruce would have been snapping at each other before they even entered the cave. Dick wished he wasn't the only Beta in the Wayne Pack; it would be nice to hand off the peacekeeper role for one night. Hell, having an Omega, pack or not, would have fixed the tension before it became a problem.

He turns back to his locker and grabs his escrima sticks, letting them lock into place between his shoulders via magnets, and grabs his mask.

Waiting to put it on until he was leaving, he sticks it into his pocket and goes to deal with his brothers. He could already feel the headache building behind his eyes from where Damian and Tim were stressing the Pack bonds. He needed to nip this in the bud before it sent him into a migraine—or worse, another nosebleed.

Damian was releasing short puppy growls at Tim's back while the older pup ignored him. The preteen was due to present soon, and Dick was already seeing signs of another Alpha to manage. Damian would make four of them, but at least Bruce and Jason weren't as feral as the boy was proving to be.

Feral in their own way, sure; no one could look at Bruce in his kevlar furry suit and think that man was sane.

And Jason …. well…

Alfred would never behave like that. Maybe it was his old age or the fact that he was British, but their grandfather was the calmest Alpha Dick had ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Dick wishes that some of the Betas in the Bat Colony would join the Wayne Pack so that he wouldn't have to manage them on his own. But Barbara, Stephanie, and the Rows had taken one look at them and said, 'Hard Pass.' Duke was still trying to figure out his place with them, not ready to move from Colony to Pack, and Cass was currently staying in Hong Kong again. Even though she was Pack, there wasn't a way for her to help him on the other side of the world. Dick really couldn't blame them, either. If he hadn't been the firstborn, so to speak, he might have seen the craziness he'd be signing up for, said nope, and gone right back to Bludhaven. But he was stuck with this cluster fuck, even if he did love them. So were the woes of being the oldest.

Tim walked past him to grab his mask; a smirk and a rolling of his eyes at Damian's attempt to intimidate him caused Dick to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Not for the first time, he wished he could smell his little brother's emotions like he could everyone else.

Tim was… strange. His parents had both been Alphas, so, as tradition, Tim was expected to be an Alpha too, just as Damian was expected to be one, giving his sires. Of the babies that survived to be born to Alpha/Alpha couples, over 80% died of SIDs in the first six months. Almost every one of the surviving pups presented as an Alpha or Alpha-Prime.

Less than 1% is something else. Most people saw them as a burden to their Pack since they seldom presented as a secondary gender.

A genetic defect.

A changeling.

A forever-pup.

A Delta.

Tim.

Dick lets out a soft Beta trill in his throat, reaching to rub his scent on Tim's chin. The man, 19 and still smelling like a puppy, smiles and bumps his shoulder with Dick's, then leaves him to calm down their other pup.

Damian was pouting in true Damian fashion. The 12-year-old was sharpening his sword and muttering curses about Tim. Dick sighs, his headache worsening. Make the pup happy, relieve the strained bonds, and the headache disappears. It sounds almost too simple, especially for them. He wonders if it was that simple for other Colonies.

"What's going on, baby bat?" Dick pulls the pup to his chest, letting out a soothing rumble, and he smells Damian's frustration and unease. Whatever it was, it was making their puppy nervous.

"Drake is to patrol with Father."

"Yes, he is." Ah. Dick tries to be patient, already reassessing the frustration as jealousy. He grins, nudging the pup. "And you're with me tonight."

"I do not understand why we must let the abomination that is Drake on our patrols. Just because Father claimed him as Colony doesn't mean he's a part of our Pack." Damian sniffs, his lip curling up with another puppy growl.

"Hey." Dick's grin drops from his face, and he turns Damian to look at him, glaring at the pup until he meets his eyes. "Do not call Tim that. He's our brother, he's Colony, and he's been Pack longer than you have. I mean it, Damian. I hear you call him that again, and I'll tell B to bench you until you present."

"That's not fair!" Damian scowls.

"Just like it's not fair for you to call Tim names over something he can't control." Dick sighs through his nose, trying to breathe through the pounding in his head. "I mean it, Damian. You're Robin, and that means you have to honor the mantle. Robin protects people. How will you be able to do that if you think someone's less worthy because of their presentation?"

Damian glares at his feet, the tension draining from him. "I- I suppose."

 Dick sighs in relief as the pain in his head dulls to a normal ache. "I don't understand why you two can't get along."

"He smells wrong." Damian rubs his nose. That was always Damian's excuse; he didn't like Tim's smell. A puppy scent even though he wasn't.

 He smiles at the pup and ruffles his hair. He'd drop it before it started another argument. "Come on. If we start early, we can swing by the alley on Bellow Ave and check on the cat. Maybe she's had her kittens."

"What are we waiting for then?" Damian puts his sword away. "Father! We are heading out!"

The alley cat had not had her kittens.

And the kidnapped kid had been the latest victim of an Omegan trafficking ring, sold by his Beta mother because the kid hadn't turned out to be an Alpha. Dick was happy Jason was delayed because he was making his rounds with the working girls first; otherwise, they'd be dealing with a Rage Rut on top of the current situation.

Nightwing and Batman were dealing with the traffickers, while Robin and Spoiler had been tasked with freeing the Omega captives. Red Robin was accessing their network for Oracle to hack them and get leads on whether more warehouses are holding captive Omegas in the city. Then he was to provide backup for the others while Nightwing and Batman waited for Jason.

They were still checking out the upper floors when a loud, savage snarl came from below them. Bruce took off down the stairs, and Nightwing continued to check the last floor.

"Hey, O, ETA on Hood?"

"Should be there." She responds.

"Comin' in now," Jason replies. His voice was laced with anger, and his Park Row accent was more present, as it always was when he was upset. Babs had caught him up on the situation then.

"Cool. Meet me on the ground floor." Dick says. "Tops clear, we're heading to the basement to help free the Omegas. Something happened, and B went down already."

Jason comes striding in, gun drawn, as Dick heads towards the stairs to the lower level. The Alpha falls into step with his older brother. Dick eyes the gun, tasting the rage in the air like honey at the back of his throat.

"I swear if ya say somethin' about yer fuckin' moral code, when we got these assholes trappin' 'megas, Nightwing, Imma gonna-"

Dick holds up a hand and sends soothing ripples through their bond. He gives Jason a fanged grin, the only sign of his own anger at the situation. "Plausible deniability, Little Wing. I go first, and that means I see nothing."

Dick goes down the stairs with a little whistle as Jason sends surprise-pleased-gleeful anger back to him through the bond. Dick ignores the sound of gunfire and cries of pain as his little brother follows him.

"Boys." Oracle's voice was the closest he'd heard to panic in a long time. "Code Orange. Spoiler and Bats aren't answering their coms, and the Robins are offline. I can't find them."

Dick and Jason take off at a sprint down the stairs the traffickers left behind. The GCPD was already on their way, and if any of them got loose, Dick knew Jason would hunt them down and put the fear of the color red into them.

The basement was in shambles once they got there. Omegas in cages, some stacked on top of each other, lined the room. The heavy smell of arousal, fear, and heat inducers made him cough. The Omegas were loud, some crying, some moaning in pained pleasure, and some of the younger ones chirped in terror. Some of the more coherent Omegas were crooning or purring to try to calm each other.

"Hood!" One of the girls near the door reached out of the bars of her cage with a high keen. "Red Hood!"

Jason removes his helmet and grabs her hand, rubbing his cheek against her wrist and rumbling comfort to her. She sobs and tries to press closer. Nightwing grabs the lockpicks from his pockets and picks her cage, even as she tries to lean away from him. She didn't go far, the cage was small, and she didn't want to let go of Jason. The younger Alpha spoke to her in Spanish, calming her down while Dick picked the lock. Pulling it away, he steps back and lets Jason open it, pulling the girl into his arms and scenting her with protection-comfort.

Anywhere else, Dick would have cooed. This little Omega, a street kid who had been kidnapped and abused by Alphas and had been prepared to be sold to another one who would continue that abuse, was purring in his brother's arms, seeking comfort from the Alpha she knew would shoot anyone that tried to hurt her. And Jason knew her, if what little bit of their conversation he could hear told him. She trusted him. That was what Jason inspired in his people. His Little Wing was amazing.

Dick continued to pick cages while keeping an eye out for his Colony. Most of the Omegas stayed in their cages, afraid of him, but just as many recognized him as a Bat and thanked him. The ones that knew Jason came out with little prompting from him; a quick scenting from his wrist and rumbling comfort had them scrambling to their Bat protector and the comfort of their neighbors. Jason calls some of his men that had vans or trucks to come to get them and take them home. He walks them upstairs to wait for them to show up.

The freed Omegas started helping with opening cages or sitting outside the bars of the ones in heat and purring to them in sympathy. Dick vaguely recognizes the rest of the Colony coming in to help. Signal, Catwoman, and Black Canary were unlocking the cages to his left, while Bluebird, Batwing, and Batwoman corralled the Omegas together so they would be easier to get out.

"Nightwing!" Dick's head jerks up.

Spoiler.

The male Omega next to him takes the pick in his hands with a nod towards her voice and keeps unlocking the cage he was working on, the three Omegas inside relaxing as he leaves.

Dick rounds a corner and finds the purple-clad vigilante leaning over an unconscious Bruce, the scent of blood heavy in the air. He races over. Stephanie was wrapping up Bruce's hand, the blood already seeping through. He might need stitches, and one of his legs was swelling, so they would have to check for breaks. Stephanie had blood dripping down her face from a wound on her forehead. She probably had a concussion.

"What happened?" Dick asks, pulling out gauze to mop up her face. She blinks at him, her pupils two different sizes—definitely a concussion.

"Red-" she blinks again. "Robin was opening a cage. Red came down, said something, and one of the Omegas screamed. Something hit me. My head hurts."

"I know." Dick coos to her, his chest rumbling. "Where are the Robins?"

"Guy came around the corner." Spoiler kept talking as if she hadn't heard his question. "He hit Red. He grabbed Robin. Tim… there was so much blood."

Dick felt ice in his veins. One of his little brothers was hurt. Tim? Or Damian?

Jason's rumble comes from behind him, and he peers over his shoulder to see he is back downstairs. Further away, near a wall of empty cages, was a corner they hadn't checked yet. Jason was looking in with sick fascination and horror on his face.

"Damn." Jason swallows. "There are some guys, hired thugs or traffickers, but I can't tell how many."

"That many guys?" Dick asks, surprised.

"That many pieces. I see an ear and at least three thumbs. I think that's a dick." Jason clarifies with a laugh of morbid glee and bewilderment. "Red did this?"

Steph nods. "I didn't hear what the guy said, something about Robin, and Tim just- the sound… he just… the blood…."

She trails off, focusing what little she can on wrapping Bruce's hand. Dick gets up and stands by Jason, peeking in at the bloodbath. It pooled on the ground where he could make out at least one body. It didn't have a head. Dick swallows the extra saliva in his mouth and tries not to throw up.

"Spoils." He tries to stay calm. "Where are they? Where are Robin and Red Robin?"

"I don't know." She whispers. "They stopped screaming, and then glass- he was covered in blood. He just kept growling. Bats showed up. He couldn't get him to let go of Robin. Red bit him. They fought. It was really loud. My head hurts."

Stephanie whimpers, holding her head.

"The car's outside," Oracle says. "Get them to the cave before the cops show up."

Catwoman helps Spoiler up while Signal and Batwing grab Batman, taking them to the Batmobile. Jason and Dick stare at the mess of bodies, Dick noticing something metal in one of the puddles. Dick steps into it and picks up the handle of Damian's sword sticking to the ground. It was snapped in half, and it took him a second to find the other half sticking out of a leg under the one guy's missing head. He ignores the Alpha appendage shoved in its mouth, the two different skin tones quite telling.

Jason holds out a biohazard evidence bag for him to drop the pieces into. The Alpha was rumbling, and it took a second for Dick to pick up the hints of emotion tied to it and gag.

"Dude! Really?" Dick waves a hand to the mess. "Red doing this turns- he's our brother!"

Jason shrugs, his rumbling getting more profound as he keeps looking. He points to the head, "What can I say? It's art. If this had been intentional… I'm feeling pretty wooed right now."

Dick decides to ignore that comment, just as he had ignored the two of them flirting and dancing around a courtship for the last year. He'd acknowledge it was happening when they acknowledged it meant more than a fucked up game of chicken between them. He had a bet with Wally that he'd come home to find out they'd eloped with matching Bites before they'd announce that they were dating.

"As cute as that is," Dick pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'd like to remind you where we are and that the last thing we need is an Alpha smelling like that."

Jason at least had the decency to look ashamed, even as he adjusted his pants to relieve some pressure in the cup he was wearing. He clears his throat and watches the Omegas being released and led upstairs, killing his good mood. The basement was swarming with cops now as they cleared out the room.

"You know what this means, right?" He jerks a thumb at the mess behind them. "That Timmy did this, and he and the brat are nowhere to be found?"

"Yeah." Dick sighed, feeling a thumping through the bond that indicated an oncoming migraine. "We've got a Feral Alpha on our hands. And with a pup under his protection too."

"Jesus Christ!" They turned around to see Commissioner Gordon and two Detectives behind them, looking at the mess. One turned around and threw up. Gordon glared at them, one hand going to his gun. "Explain, NOW!"

Dick sighs as his nose starts to bleed, and he pulls out a gauze. He really wished he wasn't the only Beta in a pack of Alphas.

Damian remembers the warehouse full of Omegas.

He remembers listening to Brown as she tried to calm some of the Omegas down.

He remembers Drake coming downstairs and the older Omegas cowering away from him in disgust.

He remembers one of them screaming and Brown going down.

He remembers Drake and him fighting men as some of the traffickers came out of the back room.

He remembers two of them grabbing him, saying something about Alphas, Omegas, and a process called Bitching.

He remembers being surprised to learn Drake's bo staff had a knife when he saw it go through the Alpha's eye.

He remembers Drake grabbing him, pulling him away from the other men, and a sharp pinch to the back of his neck.

After that, everything was hazy. He'd heard about Scruffing and the effects it had on pups. But being raised in the League with only Alphas and the occasional Betas, and then coming to Gotham and living under his Father's and Grayson's leadership, he'd only rarely been Scruffed himself.

For an Alpha like his Grandfather, Mother, Father, or even Pennyworth, Scruffing meant obedience. It was to catch his attention and remind him to obey the rules or be punished. Todd had never tried to Scruff him before, so he could only assume he was the same. He kept his guard up just in case.

For Betas like Grayson, a Scruffing was meant to calm. It was a physical point to focus on, pressure to remind him to breathe. It was as comfortable as a weighted blanket when he needed it and a suffocating chain when he didn't.

And Omegas…

For Omegas, Scruffing was submission. It was a way for them to get their pups to behave or encouragement to stay hidden if they were in danger. It was to groom and nurture and to claim. It was to soothe a scared or fussy pup, to hold them while one was moving so the pup was still and you wouldn't drop them.

Damian was rarely around Omegas and had never been Scruffed by one. Not even in the League, where his nursemaid had been one, had he been allowed to be Scruffed by an Omega. His mother had killed the last one that tried.

Damian had never met a Delta before Drake. He didn't plan to let the man close enough to try it. Drake smelled wrong. Like nothingness. A gust of wind over dust on a humid day. No real smell, but it still makes your nose burn and feel itchy. A sneeze that never entirely comes. The promise of something, and only finding nothing.

Just… wrong. He didn't understand why the others couldn't smell it. He'd thought he imagined it and was going crazy until Jon Kent agreed. He said that Drake smelled of cold air. The kind you get on a mountaintop in winter when the air is still. Like snow.

Pups had more sensitive noses when it came to things like that, though he'd never been able to smell Drake's emotions. Drake's scent never lingered on anything in the manor, not even his own room. It was as if he was a ghost; everyone could see, but they couldn't feel his presence. It was unnerving to Damian, whose training had made it seem impossible for someone to sneak up on him. Even Cain's presence could be felt, though she was not always seen.

No, he would not have let the Delta Scruff him if he'd thought he would try to. He didn't know what he was expecting when Drake's teeth grabbed his Scruff, but it wasn't this all complete haze. His nose felt stopped up, his head fuzzy, and his eyes blurred. The men who had been holding him up try to pull the two of them apart, and Drake lets go with a snarl. He places Damian on the ground, one finger grazing the back of his neck, and he chirps. He tries to blink the blur away, scared as he hears himself chirp again. He did not believe he had ever made such a sound before. He didn't understand.

His frustration and fear grew, and the fuzzy feeling and blurred vision didn't go away. The louder his chirping got, the more red the blur became. The muffled sounds of a fight were getting quieter, and Damian whined at the thought of him losing his senses, surrounded by enemies. A loud purr responded to his whine, and he breathed a sigh of relief at not being alone.

Then the sharp scent of Father was there. A muffled yelling, and a startled deep yelp, followed by a bang and the scent of blood. Had Father Scruffed Drake? Would they be taken back to the cave to be lectured while the others freed the Omegas? The feeling of teeth at the back of his neck made him tremble as the haze grew. He didn't like it; he didn't like it at all.

Someone picked him up, teeth still in his Scruff, and he whined. The chest at his back vibrates with the force of the purr, and it rattles his spine and curls under his ribcage, making him feel boneless. It reminds him of Alfred, the cat, curling up on his chest and purring him to sleep. Why was he tired? He smelled nothingness; Drake must have picked him up then. He whines again and tries to wiggle out of the hold to grab his sword. If he stabs Drake, maybe the haze will go away.

His sword was gone, and he struggled to curl his fingers around one of the batarangs at his belt. It was frustrating; he felt drugged. His mother and Grandfather had made sure he was immune to the most deadly natural poisons in the world, and even the most commonly used drugs had minor effects on him. Those that did affect him, he had been taught to fight through the haze as it settled in his mind. This was something else, like the rogues' poisons. Something chemical and unnatural. He was mortified to feel tears gathering in his eyes. The teeth tighten, and his body goes limp even as he tries to fight it.

He alternates between chirps and whines as he's Scruffed and carried out of the building through a broken window. They move towards something red and metallic, Drake holding him closer as he climbs in and sets Damian in his lap. The pup tries once more to get free once the Delta's teeth let him go and is rewarded with something heavy being curled around his shoulders and a hand at the back of his neck. He wiggles and realizes it's Drake's cloak he has been wrapped up in. The nothingness smell was there, but so was something else. Anger and comfort-protection. The smell of boiling water and turmeric.

He whines and is pulled closer to Drake's chest with a purr as the vehicle starts moving. The Delta was holding him, so the car, Tim's Redbird, must have been on autopilot. Damian had no idea where he was being taken too, but he assumed it was the cave. Pennyworth would know what was going on. Damian focused on breathing through his mouth, the haze in his brain, and the scent of nothingness making his stomach nauseous. He hated Drake's lack of scent, his wrongness. He hated it. If he made Damian throw up, the pup would make sure he did so all over him. The rumbling from his purrs did the opposite of helping like it was supposed to. Still, Damian's mouth was full of cotton even as he swallowed the extra saliva and he couldn't tell him to stop.

He was emitting a constant loop of whines and chirps by the time the car stopped. Drake pulls him close again, rubbing his scent, the lack of smell, over him, and Damian almost sobs as his stomach recoils. He's hyperventilating as he's carried out of the car to an elevator, and it only registers as the doors close that he can't hear the waterfall or the echoes of the bats from the cave. He's surrounded by nothingness and can't smell Pack or even the scent of Batcow's stall. He's not in the cave; he's not going upstairs to the manor. Drake has taken him somewhere he doesn't know, and he's compromised.

Damian does what any pup does in that state of shock. He passes out.

Tim had made his peace with being expendable. A stand-in. A replacement and a placeholder. Most Deltas were only kept in Packs so the Omegas had something to practice caring for a baby with before they had their real pups. He'd struggled to become Colony to Batman and Nightwing after Jason's death, struggled to be Colony with his team, and struggled again to be Pack with the Waynes. Scents didn't stick to him well since he didn't have developed glands in his neck and wrist, which meant he'd make a horrible Beta. His own scent was almost nonexistent, and he was positive he didn't have Alpha or Omega anatomy.

He was defective. His parents had ensured he understood that he wasn't a real pup, a real person, a long time ago. He'd made peace with that and decided he'd do whatever he wanted because of it.

Only real pups needed a Pack. His parents spent most of his childhood in a different country.

Only real pups needed to learn. He'd skipped more school than he had attended, and if he wanted to know something, he went to the library or looked it up online.

Only real pups needed a balanced diet to grow properly. He'd survived on takeout, microwave meals, and coffee until he'd become a bat, and Alfred had put a stop to it.

Only real pups had a bedtime. He took a camera into the city and chased vigilantes from sundown to sunrise, most days of the week, just to feel like he belonged somewhere.

And only real pups presented.

"Look at the fangs on him." One of the men laughs. Two more held Robin between them, struggling to hold the boy still. The pup snarled at them, lunging to bite the hand that had poked at his mouth. Red Robin gets to his knees and reaches for his bo staff, shaking off the blow he'd taken to the head. He wasn't bleeding, so right now, it wasn't important.

"That one's definitely gonna be an Alpha." Another one grins. "Shame, ain't it? Ya'know how much he'd go for if he split a cunt?"

Tim froze, a snarl rumbling from his chest. That was his little brother; who the hell did these men think they were, talking about his little brother like that?

"That's why you have to catch them early." The third one, standing with his back to Tim as he looked Damian over, grinned. "Don't you boys know you can make an Omega? Ya just catch 'em 'fore they present, that's all. Even if he were gonna be an Alpha, the Omegan Robin would turn up a pretty penny after he's been Bitched."

Something breaks in Tim's mind when he sees the man's hand go for Damian's scruff. He and Damian got on like oil and water, and just because he loved his little brother didn't mean he liked the kid. But no one, NO ONE, talked about a pup like that. Especially not a pup of the Pack he was a part of. The sound that came from him rattled the cages and caused the Omegan captives to cry out in fear. He didn't realize he'd activated the blade in his bo staff until it was sticking out of the man's eyes, through his skull.

Tim was right behind it, ignoring the body that dropped and yanking Damian away from the other men. He needed to get him away from them. Once the pup was out of their arms, Tim pulled him to his chest, pushed his head down, and bit the loose skin at the nape of his neck. It was instinct to Scruff him; Tim didn't need Damian to run off or get in the way trying to fight these men before Tim was through with them. He sets the pup out of the way, touching his Scruff to keep him down.

One of the men tried to grab Damian and Tim broke his wrist, then his elbow, then dislocated his shoulder. Those men would only get their hands on his puppy brother again if they stepped over his dead body.

Or , a voice in his head spoke up, over theirs .

Yeah. Tim liked the sound of that. None of them would touch the pup. He fought each of the men off and more as they came out of the back, but when Damian started chirping, Tim's vision narrowed. The glands on his wrist and at his neck started to burn. He lost focus of what was happening, of how hard he was hitting, of who he was hitting. The only thing he could focus on was the frightened chirps of the pup calling for him and the voice in his head that told him to eliminate all threats in front of him.

Tim felt like he was floating, watching his body as it destroyed the Alphas and Betas, painting the room with their blood. He didn't know when he'd started removing body parts or why. He doesn't know where the Alpha in black came from, who yelled and spread his scent like he had any right to Tim or Damian, but he drops him the second he reaches for his pup.

It was only when his last target was on the ground in front of him, gasping his last breath, and nothing else came after him, that Tim felt like he was present in his own head. He was holding an Alphas bloody knot in one hand, and it took him a second to realize this was the one that had made the comment about Bitching his pup to make him an Omega. He looked at the severed head of the one that had started it and stuffed the knot in the head's mouth.

He turns back to soothe his pup now that the danger has passed. Purring, he scruffs his pup and finds an opening out of the damn building. Like hell, that was their den. It didn't smell like him and didn't have a nest for his pup to sleep in. Pathetic Alphas. He sniffs the air to find his scent and follows it to a red car. Opening the door and reclining the seat, he bundles his pup in his lap and starts it. Catching another scent besides his and his puppy's, he checks the car for what is giving off the smell. In the back seat was a jacket riddled with bullet holes and one sleeve almost severed from the rest of the jacket—the brown leather stank of an Alpha. The muscles in his inner thighs throbbed, and his gut gave a sudden lurch.

Baring his fangs at it, he left it in the other seat and put the car on autopilot. The car was his; it knew its way to his nest. He focuses on soothing his puppy and warming him up. The poor baby was shaking. Tim pulls his cloak closer around them and purrs, eying the jacket in the passenger seat. He rips the sleeve the rest of the way off and sniffs it. He knew this scent. His purrs rumbled deeper—the smell of a library, gunpowder, and tea leaves.

Alpha.

His Alpha.

His stupid Alpha wasn't with them. Tim huffs and focuses on his puppy. He'll deal with his Mate later; the baby came first. The car stops in the underground garage of his Theatre home, and he hums. This was the safe house with the best security and its own personal Batcave. Yeah, it made sense that his nest was here. He picks up his baby and heads upstairs, noticing that the puppy is still shaking and chirping. Tim frowns. The pup should know he was out of danger by now.

Ah, the blood.

Of course. His pup needed a bath and to be groomed. He'd get him cleaned up and settled in the nest, and then his baby would know he was okay again. He'd understand that his mama had kept him safe. Tim watches his pup fall asleep as they enter the elevator and coos. His baby had had a stressful day; he must have been exhausted. Tim would get everything set up and then let the pup rest.

The first stop was a bath.

They get off the elevator on the ground floor of his apartment, and he frowns at the stale smell of his scent, his glands pulsing, and his scent starts to spread from him to the room. He must have been staying with Pack recently. He pulls the pup closer and lets his scent dominate the room as he passes through it to get to the stairs. He'll need to re-scent his territory before napping with his pup, but first, he needs to check out his nest. If the apartment were stale, his nest would need to be thoroughly drenched before they went into it.

He gets to his Den and growls. The sight of the Nest with only a sheet on the mattress and the other materials nowhere in sight was troubling. He must have been out of the apartment for longer than he remembered if this was the state he had left his nest in. He goes to the bathroom attached and starts to fill the tub with warm water, stripping his pup out of the complicated clothes he was wearing but leaving him in his underwear and setting him in the water carefully.

He bathes the pup gently but thoroughly, ensuring no blood or dirt is left. At some point, he had woken up, whining in confusion. Tim purred to help settle the boy as he rinsed the soap from his hair, running his fingers through it to get out any knots. His baby tries to climb out, limbs shaking, but Tim rumbles and guides him back into the bathwater. He leaves the boy with the washcloth and soap to shed his boxers and finish washing himself off. Tim enters the other room and gets a clean pair of underwear, shorts, and one of his smaller hoodies for his pup to wear. He drops them off in the bathroom and gathers the clothes and weapons he'd pulled off the pup, and takes them out of the room. He rinses off in the sink of his ensuite bathroom and changes into sweats and an oversized zip-up hoodie. He rubs at his chest, which had started to ache, almost in time with the weird feeling in his lower abdomen. He ignores it and gathers all the nesting materials he can find. Every blanket, bed sheet, pillow, and sofa cushions end up in the Den.

Tim approaches the bed in the middle of the room and dumps his materials on the floor. The bed was circular with a frame that encased it, making it seem almost like a queen size bassinet. He frowns, looking from the bed to the door. It was in a vulnerable place, the windows and vent behind it, and you had to turn to see either the bathroom or the bedroom door. No, his pup would not be safe there. He hums and walks to the three corners the bed might fit to find the one that would allow him the best scope of the entire room. Decided, he pulls the hanging Papasan chair down from the far corner and instead hangs one set of the blackout curtains from his living room up to the hook. He then pushes the bed into the corner, with the steps facing the rest of the room. He adjusted the curtains to encase both the front and back parts of the bed, then looped fairy lights from the girls' room to the top and let them hang down into the center. Purring as the curtains cover the entire bed, Tim pulls them back and gets started on building the nest for himself and his pup.

He strips the bed of its stale sheets and flat pillows and puts down a mattress protector, then lays Cass's and Stephanie's yoga mats down. Next, he puts the sofa cushions and the memory foam liner from his bed down, then puts a plastic sheet and a second mattress protector over them, tucking the corners under the circular bed. He started building the walls of his nest up, making it up of body pillows and braided blankets and sheets until it was comfortable for him to lay down and rest his head on the edge without putting too much strain on his back or neck. He wraps them in more sheets to keep them from falling apart and lays down multiple blankets to cover the entire nest. Taking the rest of the blankets, he folds them and tucks them into the deep center of the bed to give it more cushion. Laying down the last of the blankets to cover the nest again, he lines the nest with pillows and lays his weighted blanket down on one side for them to curl up under.

Testing the nest, Tim purrs as he sinks into the bedding. He rubs his neck and wrist over the edges and pillows, scenting them. Pulling the ripped sleeve of the leather jacket from his pocket, he takes a deep breath of his Alpha's scent and purrs. He tucked it into the pillowcase closest to the opening of his nest so that he could breathe in the scent while he watched the room. He pulls the curtains mostly closed and turns on the fairy lights, and purrs again at the comfort and security his nest gives him. His pup would sleep comfortably while he could keep watch until his Alpha came back, and no one who came into the room could see him or his pup due to the curtains. It was almost perfect. He just needed his pup, his Alpha, and the scent of his Pack.

He hums and gets out of his nest, walking into the bathroom to check on his puppy. Opening the door, he lets out a soft rumble, then dodges as something metal comes straight at his face. His pup was right behind it, making a dash to the door on unsteady legs, tripping over the towel rack he'd thrown with a little puppy growl that Tim personally thought was more a whine.

Chuckling at his puppy's playfulness, he sighs in relief. It seems that the bath made his pup feel safe again. But now was not the time for playing; his pup needed to be groomed and get another nap in. He'd barely slept at all.

"Drake!" His pup snarled, baring his fangs at Tim. "What have you done to me?"

Tim purrs. His pup was pouting; how cute. He walks over, knocking away kicks and punches as he purrs to calm the pup. He'd be able to get him to calm down if he could just scent him and get him into the nest.

The pup dodges Tim's attempts to grab the pup, his brows coming together in confusion. "What is wrong with your eyes, Drake? Why are they gold? Were you hit with something while we were in the basement? We need to call Father, get to the cave, and run some tests. Pennyworth will fix it; he'll find out what's wrong with you."

Tim catches one of the pup's arms and pulls him close, lifting him and walking them over to turn off the bathroom light and close the door. He turns back to the nest and herds his pup inside.

"Drake, what is the meaning of this?" His pup growls as he sits in the nest. Tim watches him inspect the bedding, kneading the soft blanket under his hand and reaching out to trace his fingers over the pillows. His pup was scenting their nest. He purrs and climbs in too, pulling his pup to lie with him.

"I do not wish to be covered in your stench of nothingness, Drake. I -" Tim pulls the pup to his neck and starts rubbing his cheek against his head, his wrist against his back. The pup pushes closer, his nose demanding more area to scent his mama. Tim rumbles but lets him. "You- you have a scent. It is not the normal smell of nothingness I get from you."

Tim lets his puppy sniff him while he rubs his scent into the pup's hair as he detangles it. The throbbing in his glands had mainly gone away though the ache in his chest and abdomen worsened. He shifts as his pup inhales near his glands and whines at how the jacket rubs against his nipples. Sitting up, he removes the jacket and lays back down with his pup curled up with him. He sighed in relief at the cool air; he'd felt warm, almost too warm, considering the fan he had turned on and the cool autumn air. He hums as his baby lays his head above his heart, kneading his chest.

"Your heart rate is elevated." The pup murmurs. "Are you presenting, Drake?"

Tim purrs, reaching his hand around to Scruff him while he sniffs the pup. His baby was starting to smell like him again, and with them laying on the pillow with the Alpha's jacket in the pillowcase, he'd soon smell like his Mate. The pup whines at the Scruff but goes limp against him.

"I suppose there is no helping it." The pup states as he cuddles closer. "Richard always says that presentations are easiest when you have Pack with you. Until Father and the others find us, I suppose it is up to me, as a future Alpha of the Pack, to take care of you."

Silly pup. Didn't his baby know it was Tim's job to take care of him? Tim purrs as the feeling of the pup kneading his chest relieves some of the aches. The smell of milk and something sweet had the pup jerking away from him. "Have you been injured, Drake, or did you not dry off properly after your shower? Tch. You have the worst survival instincts in the family; you know without a spleen, you are more susceptible to illness if you do not take care of yourself. Fortunately, I have done the necessary research in preparation for my own presentation, so I can assist you." 

Tim sniffed the air. He could smell his own scent and his puppy's scent and something sweet and milky. The ache in his abdomen clenched, and he felt something wet between his legs. Had he been injured? No, the only blood he could smell was the dried blood in his hair from before, but nothing new. Was he sweating? Yes. That must be it. He usually just takes his pants off, but he had a pup with him. That was just too awkward. He'd deal with the sweat to continue cuddling his baby. His chest felt wet too, which was where the milk smell came from. He hadn't known Deltas could nurse.

He increases the pressure of his Scruffing, and his puppy goes limp against him with a content chirp. He moves the pup's head closer to his chest and nudges him towards his nipple, encouraging him to nurse from him. Mrs. Mac had often told him growing up that she'd had difficulty getting her pups to latch when they were young, so he'd hoped his baby would be easier.

His pup whined and tried to pull away a few times, but after some redirection and getting a little taste of the milk in his mouth had him latching with a small chirp. As his baby suckled from him, Tim rested his head on the edge of the nest, keeping guard. All he needed now was for his Alpha to come back.

Bruce rubs at the bandages on his hand and stares at the cast on his leg, deep in thought. Dick had been smacking the unhurt hand gently all night, then pulling it away so it wouldn't damage the stitches. Ten of them, from where Tim had bitten him.

"Are you sure?" Dick furrows his brow at the computer where he is talking with Barbara. "You have no clue where they went? How did they manage to avoid the cameras? Don't we have trackers in the Redbird? Of course, he disabled them. Shit."

Jason frowns at the screen he is leaning over, a list of safe houses being crossed off as the Colony checks them for the runaway Robins. Bruce shifts.

"Ass to seat ol' man," Jason calls, not even looking up as Signal calls in another cleared apartment, and Jason marks it down. "Yer benched 'til you outta the cast."

"You can do comms when the stitches come out, B, no worries." Dick grins at him.

Bruce narrows his eyes. "I'm your father and the Pack Alpha. I don't need your permission to work."

Stephanie snorts. Bruce tries to stand again.

"Master Bruce, I hope you are just repositioning yourself and not about to do something that would undo all my hard work." Alfred didn't look up from where he was cleaning up the bloody gauze he'd used, bandaging Stephanie's head.

Bruce sits back down. The boys snicker. Bruce sighs. He was the Pack Alpha; he was, damn it.

"Quit whinin' B." Jason stretches and pulls out his phone. "That's the last of the Colony safehouses. They must've gone to ground."

"None of the Teen Titans or Young Justice have heard from either of them since before patrol," Dick reports. "Connor and Jon both say they can't hear their heartbeats outside Gotham, so they must still be in the city. They're on standby, and the teams will keep an eye out for them popping up anywhere. They're going to check their safehouses and asked us to keep them updated."

"Hm." Bruce agrees.

"Roy said they'd help look, and Ma said she would check with her informants." Jason puts his phone away. "She doesn't think there's any League here, but ya'know Ra's ain't tellin' 'er shit these days."

Bruce made sure to keep his face as neutral as possible. Jason was still on the fence about rejoining the Pack, even though he'd accepted being part of the Colony years ago, but Bruce would never get used to his second oldest calling Talia mom. Best not to start that argument again tonight.

He rubs at the bandages on his hand again and checks on Stephanie, who is talking with Alfred. He'd woken up in the cave instead of the warehouse basement, surrounded by blood. And there was no doubt he would have woken up in a puddle of it. His stomach recoiled at the thought that Tim had gotten lucky. He'd be on the GCPD's most wanted list for the bodies he'd left tonight if the basement hadn't smelled so strongly of puppy fear and Feral hormones.

Gordon would leave it as a Rut Rage episode caused by hurt Packmates, one of which was a pup, as long as they found Red Robin before he attacked anyone else. They wouldn't press charges for Pack Defense in this situation. Bruce sighs and leans back, closing his eyes. They needed to find the boys. They had less than 48 hours before it would hit Tim fully.

He could see the basement behind closed eyelids. The cages with Omegas flinch back as he passes them. The squishy sound of armored fist hitting wet flesh. Spoiler and Robin laid out on the ground, the Beta unconscious and the pup releasing panicking chirps while he blinked rapidly. The growl that made his hackles rise when he'd gone to help his youngest son to his feet. Tim, standing over the man he'd just finished castrating. His eyes glowed in the dark with his presentation.

Bruce could see his son lunge for him, fangs first when he yelled at him to stand down and tried to release his scent to calm the Feral man. He sighs, rubbing his bandaged hand again.

"We need to check our individual safehouses to see if he went somewhere he thought he might find a Pack member," Dick says. "I'll check the ones I've got hidden around the city, Bruce's too. You'll need to check all of yours, Jason, just in case."

"I doubt he knows where all of mine are, but sure, I'll swing by them. We must also check abandoned buildings for an Alpha Den that Red could have made for them." Jason starts pulling up a map on the main screen. "Does he have any Red Robin safehouses? What are his normal patrol routes? It'll probably be something along-"

"No." Bruce sits up again. He sees Jason clench his teeth and glare at him, the boy's Alpha growl starting in his chest. Bruce doesn't rise to the bait but holds up the sim card from his suit. "Just double-check this first, son, please. We need to find them as soon as we can."

Alfred takes the sim card over to the boys, and Dick hooks it up to the computer to pull up the patrol footage while Jason fumes next to him. Dick sends soothing-calm through the bond, and Jason bares his fangs at him. Dick wipes his nose as he skips to Bruce getting down into the basement, his hand coming away red.

Bruce tries to lock down his emotions, hoping it'll ease the tension in the bond, even as the guilt hits him. This was the third nosebleed Dick had gotten tonight, and he'd already seen him ask Alfred for a headache medicine. Any more and Dick would be laid up in bed tomorrow, in too much pain to do much of anything. It took a toll on him, physically, being the only Beta in their Pack. Alfred passes him a Kleenex, and Jason takes a deep breath, forcing himself to relax as well, releasing an apologetic purr while rubbing Dick's neck. Dick trills at him and plays the clip.

They watch it in silence, the audio echoing around them.

Dick pauses it when Stephanie gets up and starts first aid.

He rewinds it.

Plays it again.

He pauses it when Tim climbs through the window, Damian in his arms.

Rewinds it.

Plays it again.

Pauses it.

The screen freezes on the image of Tim's face before he lunges at Bruce. The blood. The fangs. The mask was torn away from his face. His eyes…

"Holy shit." Jason breathes softly, eyes wide and his mouth dropping in awe.

"How is that even possible?" Dick whispers.

Bruce meets the eyes of his third son through the screen. Not Tim's ice-blue eyes that could stare into your soul. Not the maroon eyes of an enraged Alpha. No. Tim's eyes were black, with only a ring of molten gold at the edges.

"We're not looking for the den of an Alpha in Rage Rut, are we B?" Barbara asks quietly.

"No." Bruce agrees. "We need to find the nest of a Feral Prime Omega with a pup. And we have less than two days before he goes into a presentation heat. Damian isn't his pup, biologically, which puts him in danger. Tim could kill him if he doesn't recognize him as Pack." 

Damian was mentally freaking out. He had decided not to fight Drake about their current situation due to the older man not being in his right mind, but at the moment, he wished he still had his sword. Pretending to be asleep was easy, especially since Drake didn't have the brain capacity to understand he was faking it. He lies next to the man and tries to breathe through his mouth, ignoring the taste of thin, watered-down milk on his tongue.

 He had allowed Drake to tuck him into his nest and cuddle him, as he was used to such treatment from Richard. It had been strange when Drake had removed his jacket, and he was suddenly pressed against the man's bare chest, but they were both males and part of the same Pack. If it made Drake's presentation easier, then so be it. Damian could handle being a little uncomfortable. Finding out Drake was developing a scent, something he could actually pick up on and decipher the underlying emotions, was what led to his current situation.

He'd been taking in Drake's new scent, remembering it as Pack, and he'd been Scruffed again. The haze that had been steadily lifting from his mind was back in full force, and he whined. His vision blurred, sounds were muffled, and his nose burned. He whines again and lays his head on the pillow.

It was decided. The next time the Delta tried to Scruff him, he was getting stabbed. Damian just needed to find something he could use. The jacket zipper? Maybe. It would take time to make it sharp enough to cut flesh.

He was grabbed again, and he chirped in fear. Drake purrs, and he relaxes as the man pulls him close, his scent covering him. He hates being without his senses, but at least he was with Pack. He breathes in Drake's scent and calms down.

He releases his own purr, his teeth clenching at the dry feeling in his throat. He lets out a muffled cough and whimpers. He needed something to drink. He tries to get up to tell Drake what he wants, but it hurts to whine, let alone talk. It took him a minute to realize Tim was trying to give him something to drink. A squeeze bottle or straw, something full of milk. It tasted weird, like he had mixed almond milk with water, but it soothed his throat so he would not fuss too much.

He drank. Drake's scent was more apparent, still the same undertones as the nothingness of before, but different now. The smell of smoke from his Mother's incense, the desert of the Cradle, the cold air and snow of the mountains of Nada Parbat where he had spent most of his childhood, the turmeric and ginger tea Pennyworth would make him after a nightmare, the damp caves under the Manor. He smelled of Pack.

Damian was almost entirely asleep by the time the haze lifted again, and he realized that his drink should have run out before now. Lifting his head and realizing he'd been nursing from Drake's chest like a newborn had made him recoil in horror and disgust.

Stabbing wouldn't be enough. Perhaps Todd would allow him access to his guns, or Mother may be persuaded to allow him to use her more unethical poisons.

Drake was still lying where he'd been, keeping an eye on both him and the room beyond the nest. His purrs sounded deep and content, like that of a motor. Damian takes a second to check himself over mentally.

His stomach was full, and the nausea was gone. The burn of his nose was dulled to just being stuffed up. The bonds to his Pack and Colonies were still there, solid and reassuring. He had a slight headache, maybe a fever, and he stank of Drake so much he couldn't even smell his own puppy scent.

Being stuck in his clothing, laying in his nest, being scented by him, and nursing from him had managed to erase all other scents from his skin. He couldn't smell Richard, his Father, or his Mother. There was a faint hint of Todd. His head continues to ache.

Drake croons to entice him back to his side. Fearful and angry, he nips the hand that reaches for him. There was a sharp change in the Delta's scent, going from comfort-protection to a possible threat. Damian freezes.

Things start coming together, slowly, as his mind clears. Drake was presenting, but his fangs were the same size, he wasn't biting things, his eyes weren't red, and he wasn't rutting against the bed or, god forbid, him. He wasn't an Alpha.

He had dragged Damian, the Pack pup, into his bed to cuddle. He'd scented him and bathed him and groomed him. But his eyes had changed colors, his scent had changed, and male Betas didn't nurse pups. Not cisgender ones, at least.

Drake had made a Nest, in the best position to watch the entire room and all entrances. He was lactating and had nursed Damian, groomed, and scented him the entire time. He had already had to change his sweatpants because of the slick. He was trying to keep Damian in a Scruff haze, where the pup was reduced to his basic instincts. His eyes were gold, not just the regular yellow of a Feral Omega.

Drake was presenting as an Omega Prime. Damian's interests were piqued. It had been years since he'd been around an Omega. He knew some were in the caped community, but he only really interacted with the Colony and Pack in Gotham, and Jon.

He remembers what he was told about Omegas when he'd asked about what to expect during presentation. Todd's reminder came to the forefront. Omega's were territorial by nature. The best thing to do when confronted with an Omega in heat was to go along with them or get away from them. And never leave strange pups with an Omega when they are controlled by their instincts.

Damian was in danger. He was still feeling the effects of the Scruffing. He was with an Omega that was in heat, who possibly didn't recognize him. And he'd just made himself a threat by biting the Omega. An Omega he can now remember had murdered at least six men recently.

He whimpers, placing one hand on his Scruff, and cowers away from Drake when the Omega leans over him. The older man pauses, sniffs Damian, and croons. He pulls him closer and starts grooming his hair, purring at him. Damian forces his body to relax, feigning sleep, and lets Drake sniff him again. He waits until the Omega gets out of the nest and goes to the bathroom to take a shower before he sits up and tries to decide what to do.

He has three options. Drake was an Omega, and Damian knew he was designed to be an Alpha worthy of inheriting both his Father's and his Grandfather's kingdoms. But he had not presented yet, and Drake was, in his opinion, a horrible choice of a Mate.

The second option was to let Drake continue to baby him. He'd spend the next couple of days in a daze, nursing from his supposed older brother and being scented and groomed within an inch of his life.

The third option was to escape.

He climbs out of the nest, keeping one eye on the open bathroom door. He'd need to be quick; Drake never took long showers, and with him in heat with a pup, he's not inclined to be away from the nest for long. The bedroom door was locked. He didn't have anything to pick it and breaking it down would take too long, and would alert Drake of his escape attempt.

The windows. He knew Drake's safehouses would have security to keep people out. He checks for wires, and when he finds them, he disables the trap and lifts the window. He gets zapped before it moves more than an inch.

He yelps, more shocked that the trap had gone off after disabling it than from actual pain.

A snarl from behind him has him dropping to the floor, away from the window, with his hand cradled to his chest. Drake was there, in just his sweatpants and his hair still damp. The Omega was glaring at him, fangs bared. He had to decide quickly if he was going to try to continue his escape through the window and risk getting shocked again before Drake got to him, or to give in. Fighting was a definite no, not with the Omega in heat.

He sighs. If he was going to be treated as a baby by this man, he couldn't continue to address him so informally. Timothy steps forward, his scent screaming danger, and Damian decides.

He gives in.

Searching for the bond between him and Timothy, he sends shock-weary-hurt-scared-help me to the Omega and chirps. Timothy reaches out and pulls him to the man's chest, sniffing him. Crooning, he pulls the pup up and rests him on his hip. He scents him again as Damian locks his legs around his waist and holds on when he starts walking away. He takes them out of the room and goes to the kitchen downstairs, purring as he sets him on the countertop. He pulls out a water bottle from the fridge and gives it to him before grabbing a bag from the pantry and starts filling it with nonperishable snacks. Damian just watches him, taking sips of his water.

He had thought that Timothy lived off coffee and vending machine sandwiches from work or whatever Pennyworth could force-feed him. But his pantry was packed, and his cabinets actually held food. There were leftovers in his fridge, and the milk was new, with the same expiration date as the one in the Manor. Either someone had dropped groceries off for them, or Timothy had spent more time in this safehouse than they had thought.

Damian allowed himself to be picked up again and was prepared this time for the haze that came with being Scruffed. It was different. The haze over his mind was still there, but his nose and hearing were fine, and he felt present even if his vision was blurry. Maybe he'd build up a tolerance to it the more he was exposed to it—exposure therapy.

They end up back in the nest, and Damian sends bored-upset-help-not tired through the bond. Timothy chuckles, plugging his phone into a charger and pulling up a streaming app. He hands the phone over for Damian to pick something to watch and pulls him to his chest, grooming him again. Damian starts Pitbulls and Parolees and accepts the snacks the Omega hands him. It was nice.

They end up falling asleep like that, cuddled together. At some point, the phone is moved to the steps, with an instrumental playlist in the background. Damian had ended up nursing from Timothy again after being Scruffed, and while it was weird, it made his instincts feel at ease. It was during this nursing session, while Damian was half delirious with contentment and sleep, that he heard the window opening.

 He whines when Timothy tenses and pulls him away from his chest. As opposed to it he had been in the beginning, he found he did like the feeling of being able to just give in without worry of having to watch his back. Timothy had claimed responsibility for him and provided him with everything he needed.

"Shit. See man. I told you a 'mega was here." A man's voice laughs. Timothy growls. "Easy, baby. I got what you want. Alpha will give it to you all nice like, so'long as ya behave like a good bitch."

Damian looks out of the nest and sees two men coming in through the window he had tried to escape from earlier. How had they gotten in? The trap should have shocked them. No, it couldn't because he'd disabled it. And left the window open, causing Timothy's heat smell to be exposed. They were here, going to do something to hurt Timothy if what the man said meant what he thought it did, and it was his fault. He whines.

The second man pauses as he comes through the window. "Hey, man. I don't think the 'megas alone. He got a pup with 'im?"

"Ah, so what?" The first man says, already undoing his belt. "One fucks the bitch, one holds the kid. The whore will take it easier if it thinks its pup's in danger."

Damian lets out a growl, causing the arrogant one to laugh again. This was his fault. He glances at his brother, Tim; the Omega is staring at the men, fangs bared. He had a knife in his hands. He was tense but not moving.

Since he caused this mess, he'd fix it. His head was still hazy, so he would be fighting these men at a disadvantage. He chirps his frustration. Tim attacked.

The first man hadn't reached the steps to the nest before the Omega was on him, bringing the knife down. The Alpha yelled, sending his scent out as if to demand submission from the Omega. The second one gets closer to the nest, moving the curtains before he notices Damian.

He couldn't fight the Alpha off; he could barely see. His balance was nonexistent, and he had no weapon. He hadn't even heard the man getting closer. Damian chirps, pulling on the bond with Tim to call for help. The Omega was there, pulling the man away and throwing him across the room.

"Shit, I ain't dealing with a Feral Omega man. I ain't that desperate to get my dick wet. Let's go!" The smaller Alpha was back out the window.

"Fucking pussy." The other one growls. He was holding his bleeding hand. Tim must have stabbed him.

The Omega growls, taking the man by his hair and dragging him to the window. The Alpha curses, trying to get his feet under him while also grabbing at Tim's sweatpants, trying to pull them down. The Omega ignores him, even as he was exposed to the Alpha who reaches up to try to touch his newly split Omega vagina. He gets to the window and throws it open completely, dragging the Alpha away from where he'd been trying to lick the slick from his thighs. Lifting the Alpha by his hair and belt, he shoves him through. The Alpha screams in shock, and then there is the sound of something hitting the fire escape and another scream, this time of pain and fear. Tim sticks his head out of the window and snarls, the sound loud, deep, and savage. It echoed through the alley and out into the street, the rage of a territorial Omega overtaking the smell of heat.

He slammed the window closed, engaged the pitiful, flimsy lock that came with it, pulls his pants back up, and turned back to the nest. Damian prepared himself for punishment.

His Mother or Grandfather would have taken it out on him physically for such a mistake. Father or Richard would bench him and yell at him, lecturing him on being better, even if he was already giving his best.

Tim did neither of those things. He gets into the nest, pulls Damian to his chest, and croons. He runs his fingers through his hair and scents him. Damian could feel the bond between them light up.

Trust-pride-worry-relief-pleased-safe-protection.

Tears gathered in his eyes. Mother had always kept their bond strained, only a few emotions getting through. Father's emotions were always laced with worry, fear, or suspicion. Richard's love was given freely but it was tense, generally paired with frustration, irritation, or pity. Todd and Pennyworth kept their emotions close to their chest, though when they were felt, they were deep and open and free. They were without question or speculation.

Tim's emotions were like that now. Open and easy to read; easy to feel. Damian sighs and curls up under Tim's chin, nuzzling into the glands at his neck with a purr.

The Omega returns the purr, scenting the pup. Damian could feel his emotions change to safe-puppy mine-mother love-protection.

Oh.

Damian feels tears gathering in his eyes. It had been a long time since he'd felt such blatant love—no test, no misunderstanding, no underlying emotions that made him doubt its sincerity.

He felt loved unconditionally.

Not just needed but actually wanted.

Tim pulls him to his chest, and Damian latches on to nurse sleepily as the Omega, who loves and trusts him, begins grooming his hair again. He falls asleep to the sound of his mama's purrs.

"No, we haven't gotten anything new about their whereabouts." Dick sighs. "You haven't heard from him?"

"No," Cass says. "Little brother is tricky. Hard to find when he hides, even for me."

Yeah, Dick had to agree with that. Tim was hard to find if he decided to hide from them. The Beta had called Cass yesterday after they had seen the video, and she was currently on her way home. She was in London waiting on Alfred to pick her up in the bat-plane and fly her to the Manor. Bruce had wanted to be the one to get her, to do something while benched, but he'd been called to the Watchtower for a meeting. Taking the boom tube while injured was always something that worried Bruce. He had decided to fly in a spare bat-plane, with Duke and Stephanie going with him to keep an eye on him.

"Tim is smart and strong," Cass says. "He'll keep Damian safe. Damian is his."

"I know they're Pack Cass." Dick sighs, "But they're always fighting, and Damian's close to presenting as an Alpha. And if Tim's inner Omega sees him as a threat, he could hurt him."

"Little brother is a Prime." Cass's purr was full of pride. And Dick had to agree with a rumble of his own. Just the fact that Tim presented was amazing, but presenting as a Prime Omega was a medical miracle. "And Damian is a pup. He is safe with Tim, safer than he'll ever be. He is Tim's; he's in no danger."

"I wish I had your confidence, Cass." Dick sighs again.

"Confidence in me," Cass says firmly. "I don't lie."

"Ok." Dick chuckles. "I'll trust your instincts."

"Good. Alfred here. Boarding the plane and will be home soon. Give Pack my love." Cass's voice was husky. She must have been doing a lot of talking over there, and her throat must be hurting. She was doing better about speaking but too much made her lose her voice.

"Will do. Drink something, and text us when you land, ok? Love you, Cass."

"Yes. Love you too, big brother. Bye-bye." She hangs up and sends him a gif of kittens hugging. He smiles and goes into the kitchen, where Jason is making tea while texting someone.

"Anything?" Dick asks, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Nope." Jason sighs. "Ma doesn't know where he is, and Roy said that he got Tigress to watch Lian so he can take over my patrol area while we're looking for them."

"How are the Omegas you rescued? The ones from the East End that you pulled from the cages." Dick asks. "The others are doing ok. They found three more Packs outside Gotham that the Omegas belong to, and the last one is scheduled to be picked up tomorrow."

"Bat checked?" Jason narrowed his eyes.

"Oracle approved." Dick nods.

Jason hums. "They're doing alright. Most of them are back with family, and the street pups are sheltering with any Omega they can get into their nest. I've had a few calls from the people in Crime Alley and the Narrows to retrieve pups that broke in."

"Geeze." Dick frowns. "They just went through something traumatic and want comfort. I don't get why they'd kick them out."

"It's an Omega thing, Dick." Jason clears his throat and takes a sip from his mug, his hands shaking slightly.

"Did you have to grab one recently?" Dick asks.

"This morning. Sofia, the first girl we pulled out, got caught trying to sneak into a nest where the Omega already had a pup. Her Alpha Mate called me when she tried to attack Sofia." Jason grunts. He noticed Dick watching his hand, the tremors there, and clenched his grip. He bares his fangs at his older brother. "I'm fine, Dick."

"Ok." Dick pointedly looks away. "Just- you can talk about it."

"It was a long time ago. I'm fine." Jason huffs. So what if he sometimes couldn't go into an Omega's Den without it causing a panic attack? That was his business, not Dick's, not Bruce's, no one's but his.

He'd done what Sofia was doing, going into Omegan nests for comfort back when he'd lived on the streets. But he'd only gone to a few Omegas he'd trusted from back when his mom was alive, like neighbors, and some of the working Omegas that looked out for him once he was on his own. But he had presented early while sleeping off a nightmare in one of the nests when the Omega had gone into heat. Working Omegas learned one of the easier ways to get through heat was sex or cuddling a pup. When his scent had changed, hints of his first Rut overtaking his puppy smell, the Omega in heat had done what she would have for any Alpha she'd spent her heat with. Jason had woken out of one nightmare into another, and while he'd gotten out with his virginity intact, it had left him with a few scars. Both mentally and physically. Omegas didn't like being abandoned or teased by Alphas in heat, and typically attacked them if they tried to hang around the Omega's nest without touching them. Only their Packs and pups they'd nursed were safe, and even that wasn't a guarantee. Sometimes Omegas would attack other pups to keep their own safe, like the Omega that had attacked Sofia.

"Sofia will be ok; she's staying with Cherry," Jason says. "She just came out of her heat and is still sore from spending it alone, so a pup to cuddle is helping a lot. And Sofia won't wander if she's got an Omega willing to let her in their nest."

"Sounds like you got it handled then." Dick smiles. Jason hums and takes another sip of his drink while Dick heads out of the room. Seeing as it was close to noon, he opens the fridge, looking for anything he could make for lunch. His phone rings, and he picks it up.

"What?"

"Hey, Jay!" Roy was panting over the phone. "I think I found yer boys! Shit!"

Jason slams the fridge and runs to the study to get downstairs, calling over his shoulder. "Dick! Cave, now!"

He waits for him at the elevator, his phone on speaker. "Where are you, Roy?"

"Tim's apartment, the one in the East End." Roy was mumbling something under his breath before focusing on the phone again. Dick joins him in the elevator, and they head to the cave. "I didn't know he had a place in your territory, but it's on Batman's list of Red Robin's safehouses."

Dick turns and slams his head into the wall. "I'm a fucking idiot."

"Well, I thought that was a given, but we might need some context here." Jason snorts. Roy laughs.

Dick rubs his head as he turns back to him. "After Tim brought Bruce back from the time stream, he converted the old Monarch Theater into a brownstone condo for him to live in. We were working out of the penthouse instead of the Manor. He took all of Uptown since you were gone with the Outlaws, while the rest of us took Midtown and Downtown. He was creating some distance between himself and the Pack. He's got safe houses all over, but his main base was the Theater, which he called The Nest."

"Wow, really dropped the ball on that one, huh?" Roy says. "Why wasn't this the first place y'all looked?"

"He hasn't lived there full time in almost two years," Dick says. "Between staying at the penthouse, the Manor, and staying with the team in San Francisco, I think I've only heard about him coming back to the Nest a handful of times."

Roy curses again, this time angrily. Jason gets out of the elevator as it opens up, Dick following him. "You good man?"

"Tell Red that when he comes out of his funk, he owes me a new phone." Roy huffs. "Tried to get past the security on one of the windows, and it sent a virus to my phone and fried it."

"Yeah, don't try anything else, Roy," Dick says as they suit up. "The Nest security is a bastardized version of the every security system Tim has worked on. That's including the ones on the teams Tower, the Batcave, Wayne Industries, the Belfry, and the Watchtower. Even Barbara has lost a few computers trying to hack into it."

"Oh." Roy sounded weary and excited.

"Roy," Jason calls out as he finishes putting on his uniform. Dick was already waiting for him by the bikes. "Try the key fab I gave you for the security on my safehouses."

"Why?" Jason could almost hear the smirk in the Alpha's voice.

"Do it, asshole." Jason grunts, getting on his motorcycle. He switches the call over to their comms, and they start the bikes, heading out to the East End.

"Huh." Roy laughs. "It worked. The window is unlocked."

Amusement echoes through the bond as Dick wags his eyebrows at him. He flips him off. The sound of a window opening, an angry snarl, and the window slamming shut comes over the comms, and Jason floors it, Dick matching his pace. Roy was breathing heavily in his ear. "Oh fuck. Jay, Dick, you guys need to get here now. He's already in full heat. I'll wait for you on a nearby roof. I can't be here."

"Roy," Dick growls. Jason knew Roy wouldn't get handsy with Tim, even if the Omega were in heat, but he had to agree with Dick's tone. Tim was Pack, even if Jason wasn't entirely a Wayne again, and the idea of an Alpha that wasn't Pack around their only Omega and their only pup made his fangs ache.

"No, Dick, you don't understand." Jason startles when he hears Roy; the Alpha sounds close to tears. "I haven't been this tempted to crawl into an Omega's Den since I lived on the reserve with Brave Bow."

"Shit, ok, Roy." Dick sent calming waves down the Colony bond he shared with the man. "Wait for us; we're almost there."

"Did you smell any blood?" Jason asked, knowing Roy would accept a distraction.

"It's a day old, but yeah," Roy answers. "Tim probably isn't in his right mind to take a good enough shower to clean up. It mostly smells like heat and milk."

"Milk?" Dick asks, confused.

"That's good." Jason breathes.

"Why is it good that our brother smells of milk while in heat?" Dick asks.

"The room smelling of milk and not blood means we're probably going to find Damian alive." Jason grins. "Tim's adopted him."

"What." Dick's voice was flat. "Bruce and Talia are still alive; Tim can't adopt him."

"His instincts saw a pup that was Pack without an Omegan claim," Jason explains. "As far as Tim's Omega is concerned, he's fair game to take."

They pull up to the Nest and grapple to the next-door roof where Roy is waiting for them. The Alpha was sweating, little trembles shaking him as he took deep, measured breaths. Jason comes close enough to lay his hand on his shoulder, rumbling comfort to his friend.

"I'm good," Roy says. "I just wasn't prepared for his scent to be that strong. Fuck man, Timmy used to smell like nothing, you know? Just puppy, like Lian, but that-"

He takes another deep breath and shudders. "Dude, I was ready to crawl in his nest and just let him do whatever he wanted, man. I thought I would start chirping like a pup when I closed the window. He just smells like the ideal image of a mom- just comfort and like nothing could hurt me. And then he picked up my scent, and it was so quick, man; I felt so much fear. Like I was staring at Lian holding one of my old needles and-"

Jason pulls him to his chest, rumbling in safe-protection-comfort. Dick leans over to rub his scent into Roy's shoulder. They waited until the Alpha had calmed down some before pulling away.

"I think I need to go see Lian," Roy says. "I know I said I'd be here for backup, just in case, but…."

"I've got Wing," Jason reassures him. "Go to your pup. Make sure she's safe."

"I'll stay here and contact Babs; let her know what we found," Dick says. "If you need me, Jay, I'm right here, but I don't think I can leave Roy alone. We'll call Dinah to come to get you, ok?"

Roy nods, still doing his breathing exercises. Jason understood what Dick was saying, and he knew Roy needed someone right now, but he selfishly wished he didn't have to go in without backup. He steps back and gives himself a running start to jump to the next roof. Once there, he checks in with Dick and makes his way down the fire escape to the window Roy had marked with an arrow notch. Taking a deep breath, he opens the window, crawls in, and shuts it behind him.

"Holy shit." Dick gasps in his ear. "I got a whiff when you opened the window, and damn. We'll need to make sure his place is airtight if this is where he's going to spend his heat; otherwise, I think he'll end up with every street kid in the East End climbing into his nest. Little Wing, are you doing ok?"

Jason was shaking but replied tensely, "I'm in."

He closes his eyes, letting the scent roll over him. Cold, dry air, dust, a faint hint of pine, hot water, spice, smoke, and a faint smell of blood. It painted a picture in his mind, almost plucked from the few memories he had from his childhood. It reminded him of curling up on the couch in his old Crime Alley apartment with his mama, cuddling together because the heat was off over winter break. They watched Hallmark Christmas movies, drinking spiced apple cider, with candles burning to cover the smell of the bathroom where Catherine had puked until her throat bled due to her cancer and the heroine.

It overlapped with an image of Talia wrapping his wounds in their League chambers when he had been staying with her. The herbal salve she put on his cuts and bruises smelled of honey and tree sap. The incense she burned that blew smoke into the room from the hot desert air coming in from the window.

It even had the faint smell of the tea Alfred would make when he was Robin after a bad night of Patrol.

Jason could understand where Roy was coming from when he said Tim smelled like the ideal mother. Jason wanted to curl up under his chin and let him purr him to sleep. But his scent and the heat pheromones sang to his Alpha for another reason.

Mate . It purred. Strong. Gentle. Fertile. Pupped. Good mama. Perfect Mate.

Jason tried to breathe through his mouth. The helmet did nothing to filter the heat scent like it was supposed to. The smell coated his tongue, making his blood sing, and causing him to groan. Dick's voice catches his attention. "Jason, what's going on? Dinah is on her way."

"Dick." He gasps. "I think I'm going into a sympathy Rut. The filters in the mask must be broken or offline. Shit."

"Damn it." Dick curses. "Hang on, Jay, I'm coming."

"No, stay with Roy. I'll be ok." Jason gets up from his crouch, looking around the room. There was no nest, no angry Omega ready to fight him or try to tempt him. His money was on a fight if Damian was still alive. Both Robins' suits were left on the bed, and the room looked much like Tim's room at the Manor. This was his bedroom, but it wasn't his nest. He hides the uniforms and heads into the hall, sniffing out which room they are in.

"Jason, are you sure you can handle this?" Dick demands. "You haven't been in a heat nest since-"

"I know." Jason interrupts. "I know Wing. But it's Tim, and with everything that's happened to us this last year… I think I've got a good chance."

"I'm not leaving." Dick insists. "You need me, and I'm breaking in."

"Just remember you're in public if the comms start to sound like one of your late Saturday nights with your buddy Sandy." Jason grins.

"Fuck you, Jason." Dick laughs. "I don't need to watch others getting off to do the five-finger shuffle. I'm pretty enough to get someone else to do that."

"I'm puking in my helmet." Jason laughs. "Horrible mess, just all over the place. You owe me dinner for making me imagine that."

The sound of Dick blowing raspberries into the comms makes him laugh again. "Love you too, asshole."

Jason comes up to the last door in the hall, and an itch goes up his spine. They were in here. "I found the nest; I'm going in. Remember, don't barge in unless I call for you. Otherwise, stay with Roy and keep the others out of the building. If I go into a full Rut, along with Tim in heat, it's too dangerous for anyone else to come looking for us."

"Keep me updated when you can, and try not to traumatize Damian too much by hooking up with his other brother right in front of him."

"Well, there goes all of my plans." Jason sighs dramatically. "Guess I'll figure something else out."

Dick laughs while Jason opens the door. He takes a deep breath, Tim's scent was even stronger now. Walking in, he checks the corner closest to him. Finding nothing, he steps further in, noticing the nest in the other corner, and purrs. It was a good setup and very comfortable looking. He opens the bathroom door, noticing a stale water smell and clothing. He turns on the light and makes sure the tub was drained. Finding it empty, he backs out of the room, turning the vent on and the light off. It's only after the door is closed that he feels the presence behind him right before a weight lands on his back, an arm around his throat, and it pulls him backward.

Startled, he falls, bringing his arm up to block a knife coming towards his helmet, right between his eyes. The one around his throat starts to tighten, and he ducks his chin, making it harder for them to choke him. Rolling to his knees, he flips the other off him, knocking the knife entirely out of reach. He takes off his helmet as Tim rolls to his own knees on the other side of the room, fangs bare. He pulled one of his scent patches off before the Omega was on him again. He goes limp, neck exposed, and rumbles a greeting.

Tim tilts his head in confusion, sniffing at his neck. He narrowed his eyes and bared his fangs again, but Jason could smell the pleasure-mate-frustration-angry.

Tim had waited for him and was upset it took him so long to find them. Jason was still coming to terms with being able to smell the Omega's emotions, and it took him a second to whine his apology. Tim huffs but licks his glands in acceptance and gets off of him. A chirp came from the nest, and Tim was gone, climbing back in with a sweet croon. So Damian was still alive. Jason gets up and closes the door to the nesting room while he contacts Dick.

"Baby Bat is still alive." Jason says, "Red too. And holy fuck, I'm going to be doing my own five finger shuffle before this is over."

"Barf." Dick says.

Jason laughs. He scents the doors and the windows after smelling foreign Alphas so close to the nest. He growls, sending his scent throughout the room to eradicate the other Alpha smell, and mingle it with Tim's. He takes the opportunity to move the curtains in the window, so Dick knows which room they are in. Moving back to the nest, he steps carefully.

Tim was lying down, his head resting on the edge as he watched Jason pace around the room, marking their territory. There was no way they could move them if Tim was already in heat instead of just preheat. They would have to bear it here and move them to the cave once it was over. Tim might be willing to let Damian go now that Jason could take over Tim's Omega's attention, but he also didn't want to. If he and Tim were going to take the next step in this half-assed courtship they'd been doing, it wasn't going to be because of their instincts, without a proper conversation of consent.

Jason takes off his weapons, jacket, armor, and boots, leaving them at the bottom of the steps to the nest and off to one side. He'd be able to reach them, but Damian couldn't. Tim purrs in encouragement, and he leans down to rest his forehead against the Omega's with an answering purr of his own. Looking into the nest was a shock to him. He'd expected to see Damian scowling at him, demanding to know what had taken so long or even seeing the pup asleep. But seeing him curled up at Tim's chest, nursing and kneading at the flesh with little puppy purrs of contentment sent a wave of Pack-love through him. This was easily the most puppy-like he'd ever seen his baby brother. He pulls out his phone, takes a picture, and sends it to the family group chat.

...

🦇Gotham Colony🦇

RedDyingHood🧟🔫:

[image. attached]

Call off Code Orange. The Robins are secure. We'll need heat supplies at the safe house. Wing has the address.

The favorite 🩰🥊: 🤯🤯🤯😍🙏

SpoilerAlert: 😳 WTF did we miss?!

Narrows: B said we're leaving early. On our way back now. ~Duke

...

As weird as it was seeing Damian sucking milk from Tim's nipples, he simply purrs and climbs in to curl up at Tim's back. He lays one arm over his Mate and rests his head on the pillow to watch the room. He could feel his sympathy Rut coming on strong.

"Oh my god." Dick coos. "Look at them! Damian's nursing and Tim looks healthy, all things considered. Aw! I want to cuddle them too!"

"Sure, if you feel like getting your face clawed open." Jason snorts. "Tim came at me with a knife when I walked in. Hang on."

He reaches out of the nest to grab one of the surveillance cameras they used to spy from his belt, and sits up to hang it from one of the curtains that would give them the best view. "Can you see us?"

"We see you." That was Bruce.

"Can you move the lights a little to the left?" Babs asks. He does. "Perfect. We have a clear visual and audio."

"Aw! They're cuddling!" Stephanie giggles.

"Actually, Damian is nursing," Jason smirks at the camera. Tim ran his fingers through the pup's hair, crooning at him. Jason laid back down, this was easily the most comfortable thing he'd slept in, and he could already feel his eyes dropping. "And Tim's grooming him."

"No way!"

"And Tim hasn't tried to beat the hell out of him? Damn, ok."

"Aw!"

"Is this ok to watch you guys? Cause, like, you're both attractive, I have eyes, but I don't know if I want to watch you guys finally tie the knot- shut up, Steph!- ya'know what I mean?"

Jason chuckles. "Relax, Narrows. With Damian here, I doubt anything is going to happen. Watch this." Jason moved the arm from around Tim's waist to pet Damian's hair. Tim caught Jason's wrist with his fangs, giving him a slight growl but not breaking the skin. Jason gives a slight lick to his neck and moves his arm back. Tim eyes him over his shoulder and huffs, going back to grooming Damian.

"Aw!" Stephanie cackles. "Tim's such a good mama, putting the baby first over getting dicked down by his Mate."

Jason flips off the camera. Tim watches him, seems to realize what is happening, and pulls the blankets up to cover Damian, baring his fangs at the camera.

"Ooh, mama doesn't like having an audience." Kate laughs. The others must have turned into the video files to check on the boys themselves.

"I called the teams and let them know we're calling off the search cause we found them," Dick says. "I'm outside if you need anything, ok Jay?"

"We'll need to set up a rotation for the next couple of days while they're compromised," Bruce says. "I want eyes on the apartment at all times. And I'll need to contact Talia if you don't, Jay-lad."

"Look, B," Jason glares at the camera. "Yer gonna have'ta figure shit out 'cause we ain't doin' shit while he's like this."

"We have the patrols covered." Bruce agrees. "But I was thinking more about what happens when Ra's finds out Tim's presented as an Omega, given his obsession with him."

Green seeps into Jason's vision at the thought, and he tenses, looking at the window. Tim tenses next to him, pulling Damian closer while he watches Jason. He knew something had upset his mate but not what. Noticing that his gaze was outside the nest and not at him or his pup, he relaxed and continued to groom the pup's hair.

"No worries." Cass's voice comes through the coms. "Have backup."

"Heard little Red got himself into a situation without me." Another female voice, almost robotically, says over the comms.

"Who are you?" Bruce demands.

"Pru," Cass answers.

"Who's Pru?" Jason asks. At the name, Tim purrs and touches the scar on his abdomen where his spleen had been. "Welp, Tim knows her. I guess from one of his trips around the world?"

"Fucker broke my nose twice, but he also saved my life." The woman says. "I owe him a debt. If keeping him safe from the Master is how I repay him, then so be it."

"You're League." Dick says flatly.

"I was." Pru agrees, "Now I work freelance when I ain't working for Tim."

"I must say I find Miss Prudence quite charming. If she can remember to watch her language around the minors," Alfred says.

"Kin recognizes kin," Pru agrees. "And no worries, Mr. Pennyworth, I'll mind myself around the Yankees."

Jason listens to his grandfather chuckle and his family talking and starts to drift sleepily with the mixed smell of him, his Mate, and a nursing pup, and purrs. If this is what he has to look forward to with Tim, then he's relieved he already started picking a ring out. He'd need to talk to Bruce once this was done. Even if he was his dad, Bruce only had a legal claim over Tim as Pack since Jason was legally still dead. He'd need his dad's blessing to claim Tim. He decides to ignore the complications that would come of it later. Right now, he wanted to bask in the present, living a dream he'd never thought he'd be able to have after dying and coming back wrong.

"Incoming!" Dick curses. "Talia's coming up the side." 

Dick makes it into the room right after the Alpha, both of them freezing at Jason's warning growl. He was half kneeling in the nest, one foot resting on the steps with a gun leveled with them. He doesn't see Tim or Damian and checks his phone to see them on the camera. The Omega had Damian pulled into his lap on the other side of the nest, staring at Jason's back, continuing to nurse the pup on the other side of his chest. Damian was entirely at ease, not registering the threat of his Alpha mother and a hostile Beta at all. Dick had never seen the pup so at ease before. He trusted his brothers to keep him safe on an instinctual level. Dick wanted to coo, but first, they had to deal with Talia.

"Hello, Habibi." She smiles.

"Hi, mama." Jason didn't lower the gun. Dick gets ready to drag her from the room, a rumble setting up in his chest. Jason sends safe-protection-comfort to him, and he sends back love-protection and readies his stance.

"Enough of this posturing." Talia steps forward. "Have you found the boys?"

Dick and Jason snarl when she gets closer to the nest, and she stops, raising her hands. Another growl comes from the nest, and Tim comes out, stepping past Jason. The Alpha whines and tries to push the Omega back, but Tim sidesteps him and goes up to Talia. She freezes as she meets his eyes.

"Interesting." She says as Tim circles her. He pauses briefly to sniff Dick, purring and scenting him before going back to observing the female Alpha. "I didn't know two Alphas could produce an Omega Prime."

Jason snarls, his posture tense. He wanted to grab Tim, but with Damian in the nest behind him, he couldn't leave his guard position until Tim returned or another Pack member took over for him.

"My apologies Habibi," Talia soothes. "I was simply speaking out loud. I assume Damian is in the nest?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jason nods.

"Then your Mate," she looks at Tim, who meets her eyes without fear, "I'm assuming he has claimed my son as his own?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jason didn't lower the gun, but he relaxed his stance slightly. Talia breathes, and the tension leaves her. She folds her arms, almost like she is hugging herself.

"Is Damian… happy?" Her voice was small in a way Dick didn't think he'd ever heard from her.

"He hasn't even woken up." Dick turns his phone to show her the screen where Damian is asleep, curled up against Jason's leg. His puppy purrs were audible from where they stood. She graces the screen with a feather-like touch and then turns quickly, moving towards the window.

"Very well." She says. "I shall keep my father away as long as I can. Jason, love, take care of your Mate and his pup. Richard."

She nods to the Beta and goes to leave. She only gets halfway out of the window before Tim grabs her and pulls her back. Dick moves to the nest; the second his foot hits the step, Jason is on the other side of the room. He moves the curtains to see Damian asleep. He brushes his fingers across the pup's forehead and settles in to guard him. Talia was standing in front of the window, staring at Tim.

"Alpha Mother," he points at her. Dick hadn't known Tim could speak during his heat since he'd done nothing but growl or purr since they found the video on the SIM card. He points at himself, "Omega mama. Pup has both. Deal?"

He holds out his wrist glands, which mark Colony or Pack. Talia looks at him blankly. He bares his fangs, "Or leave, and pup is mine."

Talia chuckles and removes her gland patches. Dick could smell her Alpha scent, laced with amusement-grief-love-misery-hope at believing she had lost her only child. Tim rubs their glands together and then pulls her toward the nest. Dick steps away, letting them pass. He stops next to Jason, and they watch as Tim gestures to the opening. "Scent nest and pup. Both mothers' scents calm him. Help heat."

Dick pulls up the camera again, and he and Jason watch as Talia leans in to scent a few pillows and the blanket around Damian's shoulders. She leans down and kisses his temple, running her fingers through his hair and letting her wrist rub against his head. Damian nuzzles into her wrist, letting out a chirp before purring. He keeps sleeping. Talia comes back out, scenting Tim again.

"Keep our pup safe." Tim grins and climbs back into his nest to curl around Damian. Talia hugs Jason, scenting his hair as well, and Dick moves closer to the nest. Tim purrs encouragement, and he scents one of the pillows and then moves away so Jason can climb in. Talia was gone.

"I'll take the first watch." Dick smiles and moves to the window, climbing out and closing the window behind him. Smelling strange Alphas and blood on the fire escape, he rumbles threateningly and rubs the gland at his neck.

Betas had the largest scent glands, simply because they evolved with the purpose of being in a Pack. Marking territory for the Pack, with the entire Packs smell, was one of the many perks. He releases the scent of his entire Pack and multiple Colonies into the alley. It coated the entire side of the building with the scent of some of the strongest vigilantes in the universe. The building smelled of the Gotham Colony, the Titans, the Teen Titans, Young Justice, and most of the Justice League. He could even pick up subtle hints of Slade, Lex, and the Talons of the Court. He hums, climbing to the roof and blinking in surprise as the light doesn't set off a headache. He checks the Pack bonds and purrs at the feeling of contentment and ease that floods back to him. He gets started scenting the rest of the building, making the Nest smell like one of the most well protected places on Earth.

"Damian, Jason is patrolling with Tim tonight." Dick sighs. "They have a date afterward, remember?"

"But it's my night to patrol with mama." Damian scowls. "Jason doesn't patrol with him until the day after."

"Tim's heat starts this weekend, remember? Tonight is the last night he's patrolling before his preheat. He's not going to be patrolling until the middle of next week at the earliest. And we've already said you could patrol with him next week and the whole week after that."

Damian continues to pout. Dick had to chuckle at the pup. Damian was turning 13 next month and was already showing signs of presenting. The Beta had no doubts it'd be within the next few days, and with Tim already going into preheat, the pup was attached to his hip, trying to soak up as much attention as he could.

Dick watches Damian stomp away, heading toward where Tim and Jason are getting ready to head out. He pushes Jason away and latches onto Tim with a whine. The Omega chuckles and picks the boy up to rest on his hip. Jason laughs at the pup's display and helps Tim put his mask on since his hands are full. Dick could see the glint of gold and silver from the ring on his finger as he scented Tim's neck.

"Damian is still upset, huh?" Bruce comes up behind him, chuckling.

"He wants his mama." Dick grins. "I'm just happy they're not fighting anymore. It's been two weeks since I've even had a headache, let alone what I used to deal with after the two of them crossed paths. When will you tell him he can't join them because Jason's claiming Tim this weekend?" 

Bruce sighs, "I don't even know how everyone's relationships overlap anymore. But it's good that you're not in pain, and I don't know if I should tell him. He could be happy for them, or he could try to break in during his heat. He knows Tim will prioritize him, as his pup, over Jason, his Alpha."

"We're your sons, and we're Pack; I'd just leave it at that." Dick laughs. "And Tim's not producing milk for him anymore. Jason insisted that we keep Damian away. He doesn't want Tim's heat to trigger his presentation, and he has to fight either of them during this."

"I called Talia and Selina to talk to them about Talia nesting with Damian here while the two of them are at the Nest. Tim's already agreed to make him a nest in his room and scent it." Bruce sighs. "Hopefully, the scent of his moms and the rest of his Pack will be enough."

Dick laughs. When Bruce raises his eyebrow at him, it takes a minute for him to get his breath back. "You called Talia, your ex, to talk to her and Selina, your Mate, about nesting with your pup because his mama, who is also your son, is going to be spending the weekend getting dicked down by another of your sons, whose brothers with his Mate's pup. Which might end up with two of your sons giving you a grandchild. Or another one? Would Damian be both your son and your grandson 'cause Tim claimed him as his pup? Holy incest Batman."

Bruce opens his mouth, then closes it as he processes what Dick had said. Then he turns on his heel to collect Damian for patrol.

"No." Is thrown over his shoulder at his oldest.

Dick just continues to laugh.

               ~ To be continued ~

ABO Dynamics:

Alpha: Lycan male. The Pack's provider: they're responsible for making sure the Pack survives. Food, coverage from the elements, protection from outside forces. They make up 20% of the human population, and are the only subgender to have a knot and go into rut twice a year. (Every 6 months/ once in the summer and once in the winter) 

Omega: Lycan female. The Pack's nurturers: they're responsible for the Pack's development. Taking care of pups, teaching them the skills needed to grow and serve the Pack, and helping guard the territory. They make up 20% of the human population and go into heat twice a year unless they are pregnant or nursing. (every 6 months/ once in the summer and once in the winter) 

Beta: Sapien male/female. The Pack's peacekeepers: they are the stability of the Pack. They're responsible for keeping the peace between Packmates, diplomacy between Packs, and marking the Pack's territory. They make up 50% of the human population. While they have the largest scent glands, used to bond the Pack and mark territory, they do not have breeding cycles like Alphas or Omegas. This often leads to them guarding their Packmates, protecting the territory, and watching any pups during their seasons.

Delta: A chimaira. They exist to help the Pack by fulfilling rolls that are not present or have been depleted. When the Pack is lacking in a dynamic, or one of the dynamics is outnumbered, the Delta's biology changes to fill in to keep the balance of the Pack. (Ex: If a Pack does not have an Alpha, the Delta becomes an Alpha. If they don't have an Omega or enough Betas, the Delta becomes an Omega or Beta. If the Pack doesn't have pups and the bonds are straining between the dynamics, the Delta will start to smell like a pup, etc.) They have both Alpha and Omega reproductive systems and the enlarged scent glands of a Beta, though they are not active until the Delta presents into the corresponding dynamic.

ABO Biology:

Betas evolved from apes, while Alphas and Omegas evolved from canines. Betas became homosapiens, and Alphas and Omegas became lycanthropes. Over time the two species crossbred, and as they evolved, they took on the sapiens physique and the rest of the lycan biology. Their eyes changed colors, and their canines shrank except when threatened or angry, like how a dog’s hackles raised. It was why Alphas had ruts and Omegas went into heat. Alphas are lycan males, and Omegas are lycan females. Mixing that with sapiens biology was how second genders came to be. Alphas have a sex gene of XYY (Alpha males) /XXY (Alpha females). Omegas have XXX (Omega females) /XYX (Omega males). Betas only had two sex genes, XY (Beta males) /XX (Beta females). 

Deltas have XY(z) (Delta males) /XX(z) (Delta females). The (z) as the third sex chromosome is both an X and Y gene (the one that determines ABO dynamic). It cancels each other out, causing the glands to not fully develop as the body goes into a neutral state, similar to a Beta with disfigured glands, which causes them to smell like a pup. The (z) gene can develop into another dynamic sex gene to fill in gaps in the species, making a Delta present as either an Alpha or an Omega, as their environment requires.

Lycasapiens (people that present as Alphas/or Omegas) are a matriarchal society (Omegas are the head of house/ Leaders/ Alphas take the Omega's last name after mating/marriage). Packs follow the Omega's bloodline because it is considered more rational as it is easier to prove a child's relation to the Dame than to the Sire. An Omega in historical times could have relations with multiple partners, and it was hard to identify the pup's father but no one can doubt the relationship between the pup and the Omega that carry and birth them.

Homosapiens are Beta males/females and follow a patriarchal society, (like most countries do IRL). 

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PRESENTING: presenting is where a pup enters either a rut or heat for the first time; becoming an Alpha or an Omega. 

HEAT: Omegas produce slick in order to allow easier access during mating to prevent additional pain or tearing. An Omega’s heat is much like a woman’s period, although its purpose is considered the opposite. Where a period is the body’s way of getting rid of extra eggs and blood formed in a woman’s uterus in the case of a woman not becoming pregnant, Heat is the body’s way of letting a (potential) partner know the Omega is fertile and ABLE to become pregnant. Like before and after; heat to become pregnant, period to get rid of the extra nutrients in the uterus if they don’t. Like period cramps, the Heat can vary in severity. From nonexistent, and the Omega only feels slightly more horny than usual, to extreme, and the Omega has to be locked away either for medical help or for protection. The effects can be dilated with Suppressants, or more sensual with Enhancers. Omegas are constantly on the lookout from being roofied by Enhancers. 

SLICK: A natural discharge Omegas make to ease mating and/or express arousal. Think lube. 

RUT: The Alpha version of Heat. Alphas go into Rut to decrease the amount of testosterone they produce. Most Alphas will fight with each other, getting into physical altercations to blow off steam, or will mate with a rut partner. Others seek comfort in family members or friends, cuddling and scenting them to surround themselves with comfort. Many will seek out Omegas to scent through hugs and cuddling (or mating), the Omega’s scent calms them to the point of almost becoming high on the pheromones. 

KNOT: A knot is a muscle found at the base of an Alpha’s penis that locks them to their partners during mating. It’s used to keep semen inside and prevent it from spilling or being cleaned out to ensure the best chances of pregnancy. It’s also used to keep others from attempting to deposit their own semen inside another Alpha’s partner to ensure the pups will share the rightful Alpha’s DNA, instead of a challengers. 

SCENT GLANDS: A muscle found in the junction of the neck and shoulder that produces pheromones indicating the person’s health, stability (mentally, like whether the person’s dangerous), and second-gender. They are used as an important day to day sense, based on the sense of smell. They help find potential partners who would make the best offspring, and share a similar taste, or to mark a Pack's territory. 

SCRUFF: loose skin at the back of the neck. Children have more skin than adults do, because as they get older and present, the extra skin is used in the shoulders, back, and used as an extra barrier around the glands. 

CHIRPING: Chirping is the only known way to tell if a child is a Beta before they present. Where a Beta child would cry as they were born, an Alpha or Omega child would whine or chirp. Chirping is an A/O pup’s way of communicating with the world before they learn to speak. Pups will also chirp if they can't express an emotion. Some regular animals did it too; for example, cheetah pups would chirp for their parents to find them when they got lost, or when they were playing, even when they were eating. They did it in extreme bouts of joy, sadness, nervousness... and fear. If a pup was scared, they would chirp, a short high pitched yowl to alert their parents. As the child gets older and learns to use words, they stop chirping unless in extreme bouts of stress or other emotions. 

CHUFFING: A sound a mother would make to acknowledge their pups, or to call out to them if nearby. 

CROONING: a sound made to comfort, or question the mood of someone without having to ask questions. 

HOWLING: Alphas and Omegas will howl (like wolves do) to signal their location to Pack members and to their young over large distances. They also howl to express emotions and to call for help from other Packmates or even strangers in the area. 

PURRING: A sound made from a person’s chest to show pleasure, comfort, peace, or pride. 

RUMBLING: A low purr made in a person’s throat or chest to express anger, annoyance, worry, displeasure, comfort, or sadness.

ABO Terminology:

Pack: A family, a group of families, or a group of tightly formed friends, that share scent gland oils (pheromones) and follow the laws or rules set down by a common Alpha (referred to as the Pack Alpha) 

PACKMATES: A/B/Os that share a common Pack Alpha, and have a Pack Bond with each other. 

Colony: multiple Packs that share a territory under the same Pack Alpha. 

BREEDER: Some Omegas make a living as being a Breeder. They act as surrogates to couples, or even legal, government funded, prostitutes in Brothel institutions that cater to the needs of Alphas in Rut/Omegas in Heat, preventing thousands of cases of rape a year. A Breeder can only be an unmated Omega, for any claims would be dangerous to the Omegas and those using their services. 

BONDING : There are three types of Bonding; Colony, Pack, and Mate.

Colony Bonding is done when multiple Packs share a territory or alliance. They share gland oils, food, sleeping arrangements, and spread their scent on each of the Packs to acknowledge them as having importance. Many friend groups will be Colony, while staying in their own Packs.

Pack Bonding is where you’re bringing a new member into your Pack that does consist of family members. Parents will Pack Bond with newborns, adopted pups, new Pack members or the new Mate of a Pack member if they weren’t already part of the Colony.

Mate Bonding is claiming, plain and simple. You’re spreading your scent over your Mate so others know they are spoken for. Alphas are known for being obsessive when it comes to scenting their Mates, Beta claims smell the strongest and so have to be done less often, but the Omega is the most territorial. The scent of the Mate will stay soaked in the skin for months, even years later, depending on how often the pair scent each other. 

MATE: A Mate is someone who has bonded with another romantically and acknowledges the other as their equal; their wife/husband, their lover, their partner. Not all Mates continue their sexual relationship with each other after the bonding, and they can take other wives/husbands, or be in open relationships. 

MATING BITE: The Bite is placed upon the shoulder, where the scent glands are located. It mixes the Mates scents together to ease Heats/Ruts and provide extra pheromones if one gets pregnant to aid in the development of the fetus(es). It also acts as a claim to warn others that the Mates are taken, like a wedding ring. And like a wedding ring, the bite can be ignored by a rival. In this event the challenged Mate can use whatever means to defend their Mate when provoked, even killing the rival. (AND IT’S LEGAL) 

MATING: It’s sex. 

DEN: A den is basically the place a Pack/Colony goes to be around each other. The most common place to make a den outside of Pack member's houses, are churches, schools or pubs/bars. 

NEST(ING): Building a nest is something Omegas do for comfort or close to/in heat. It will consist of soft materials like bedding and clothes with Pack scents. It’s a place they can go to calm themselves and hide if needed; a place that is strictly the Omegas. If a Pack has multiple Omegas, they may build one large nest for all the Omegas, or build multiple small ones. It’s not uncommon to see Omegas sharing nests or nesting materials.

Omegas will build nests in their Alpha-to-be’s homes or the Pack Den to observe how the Alpha will handle them once they Mate. The conditions of the nest under an Alpha’s care will determine if the Omega will Mate or not. An Alpha that will leave the nest alone and lightly scents the ground around it occasionally, or brings the Omega clothing they scent for the Omega to add to the nest as they wish will gain an Omegas favor quickly, as it shows that the Alpha is considerate of the Omegas personal space and possessions, and will treat the Omega kindly. An Alpha that ignores the nest completely or moves things in the nest, scents the whole nest or takes the nest apart will have an Omega who will fight against Mating or will even attack the Alpha as the other has shown that they will treat the Omega as an Alpha’s possession or will ignore the Omega when it suits them. The Alpha will also pose a threat to any pups they may have, taking the pups from the nest without the mother’s permission could lead to fatal injury of the Alpha who shows no respect for the Omegas safe place. It could also result in the Omega leaving and rejecting the nest, and newborn pups, if it is messed with before the Omega is ready.

Most Omegas will build a nest in a confined place. Omegas that home birth would add extra padding to the nest and refuse to let others come close to it, outside of their Mates or doctors, as it would be where they would stay with the pup(s) for weeks after the actual birth itself. 

COURTING: An old fashion tradition of asking for another’s hand in marriage. You get permission from the Pack leaders of both Packs as well as the intendeds parents. With a Beta, you date them and woo them with gifts. When courting an Omega, you must prove yourself to them with a series of test, the biggest one being the nest. 

CHASING: The act of Chasing is usually the last step in the Courting process. It’s basically how it sounds; an Omega will invite the Alpha to run after them and the Alpha gives chase. When the Alpha catches the Omega, they spar/wrestle and the Alpha has to pin the Omega. The Omega can then accept them as a Mate or reject them. 

GROOMING: Cleaning or scenting between families, Mates and close friends. 

SCENTING : Scenting is the act of smelling another’s pheromones and imprinting them to memory. It’s also used as a way of comforting someone. The more a Pack scents each other and remembers each other’s smells, the stronger the Pack; they could use the smell to track one another if someone was hurt or in need of help or lost. They could also tell if a Pack member was in pain, or sick based on their smell.

SCENT DAMPENERS : A deodorant or perfume used to hide the smell of a person’s second gender.

SUPPRESSANTS : There are two types of Suppressants; Omega and Alpha. Omega Suppressants reduce the amount of pheromones they send out through their scent glands and dilate the effects of one’s Heat, making it easier to make decisions and function on a basic, self-help base. Alpha Suppressant reduces the amount of testosterone and pheromones produced, calming the Alpha to make more rational decisions. They also work to relax an Alpha during Rut, helping the Alphas get by with only needing a small amount of pheromones from others to calm them more.

BARE THE NECK : Baring the neck to anyone is the ultimate sign of submission and trust. Because the throat has major veins and one quick cut/bite/nip/etc could cause someone to bleed to death, baring it exposes them. Exposing the veins and the scent glands to someone is to LITERALLY hand them their life.

BFGPs: Bite Free Gland Protectors. They’re commonly used by Omegas who share their heats with others that don’t want to be Mated. It’s like leather and chainmail that goes over the neck and shoulders, protecting the glands from an Alpha’s teeth. Most people working in public services wear them; police, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, lawyers, anyone dealing with inmates or felons are required to use them even if they’re not Omega for protection. They sell them in most stores just for recreational or religious uses.