Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One

It started out like an itch. 

Then it became a siren, a beacon of light to a moth, attracting him with an overly alluring strength. 

Billy didn’t even really know where he was going. He just got into his car and drove, drove towards whatever the fuck it was that seemed to be screaming for him.

Once he parked just outside the arcade, however, he didn’t know why , but he was sure of the who . 

“Where is she?” Billy asked as soon as he saw Mike Wheeler, trying to look all tough and shit in front of the female’s bathroom door. Wheeler didn’t smell of anything, though, so Billy knew he hadn’t presented yet. Apparently the boy was pretty sure he was an alpha, though. “Is she there? What happened to her?” 

“We are calling her mom.” Was his only answer. 

“ Why? ” Billy insisted, and he didn’t know why, but that fluttering, desperate feeling was taking his chest. He had to see her, to know she was in one piece, that she was OK-

“I’m not sure I should say it to you.” Wheeler answered, and while Billy could admire his loyalty, he also didn’t have time for this. 

He pushed the Wheeler boy - almost gently - to the side and barged into the bathroom. Henderson, Byers and Harrington were there, the first had a bat in his hands, Byers a determined, even if scared, expression on him, and Harrington looked just… surprised. 

“Did her mom call you?” Harrington asked him. 

“We just called her! That’s impossible!” Henderson pointed that bat at him. “You’re an alpha, aren’t you?”

“No, Susan didn’t call me.” Billy answered, confused. “Yeah, I’m an alpha. What’s going on? Where’s Max?” 

“He’s trying to trick us!” Dustin exclaimed, looking terrified and suspicious. 

“Trick you into what? ” He was losing his patience. “Where is Max? Is she hurt?” 

“Dustin, look at him. His canines aren’t out, his pupils aren’t dilated, he’s not posturing.” He tried to argue with the other boy. “You can’t…” Harrington held Dustin’s bat for a second, stopping him from charging. “You can’t smell her?” 

Billy narrowed his eyes, trying to understand it. “I only smell distress.” He said. “I was home and suddenly I had this urge to come here. I know she’s in here, Harrington, is she hurt?” 

“ Billy ,” A soft voice came from a bathroom stall. 

Billy immediately passed the three boys, only just avoiding Henderson’s bat, to get to her. The stall door opened and he saw her, red in the face, sweaty, looking feverish and in pain. The smell of distress was all he could take in, despite something sweeter underlying it. 

“Max, are you OK?” He asked, and moved closer, touching her face. “Are you sick?” 

Fat tears were spilling from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know, I’m sorry-”

“What are you talking about?” Billy was confused, and her distress was making him ill. He turned to the three boys in the room. “What did you fuckers do to my sister?” 

“They-” Max’s voice stopped him from bashing their heads off, and he was instantly beside her again. She wavered and he steadied her with both hands on her shoulders. “They didn’t-”

“Of course they did! Something happened here!” He growled. 

“Dude, we didn’t do anything.” Henderson insisted from behind him. 

“Then why is she like this?” 

“Billy,” Harrington’s voice could snap him off of aggression again. His mind felt clouded with all the distress pheromones surrounding him. “Nobody did anything to her. Max is in heat.” 

“You really can’t smell her?” Byers asked him, looking amazed at the scene. And, by what they earned in biology classes, he probably should be. 

Biology isn’t stupid, neither is evolution. If two people are related, they shouldn’t attempt to procreate; hence why alphas and omegas from the same family can’t really smell each other’s heat or rut beyond the distress it may cause, just as a warning so their families know to feed and hydrate them from time to time. 

But those reactions usually only came as a consequence of being blood-related . Adopted siblings and family by marriage were able to control themselves better than most, but they were still affected by the smells, even though their bodies did try to fight it. 

And, right there, on Max’s first - and surprise - heat, Billy couldn’t smell anything but her distress. 

“I can’t.” He said, and it was no lie to say he looked relieved. “I only smell acidic distress.” Billy finally understood. “I gotta take her home.” 

“Yeah, you do.” Harrington agreed. 

Billy turned to pick her up gently, knowing she had to be in a lot of pain to be smelling that distressed - Max had always been a tough cookie. Henderson still stopped him once more to make sure he wasn’t trying to trick them into giving them an omega in heat to satiate his appetite, as Neil would say. 

Billy let him. He didn’t like it, but he let him, knowing that the boy was only trying to take care of her, to protect her. He hadn’t presented yet, just like Byers, and Harrington, from what he knew, was on the expensive suppressants. He was as good as a beta right now. 

He carried her to his car, snarling to anyone who dared look at his fourteen-year-old sister. He knew they couldn’t help it, but neither could he. She was his to protect, after all. 

Once the doors were closed, Billy pulled his wallet from his pocket. 

“No, man, you don’t gotta pay us-” Henderson tried to talk, but Billy stopped him. 

“My old man doesn’t allow for anything biology-related in the house.” He explained, feeling his own hands shaking as he pushed all his money into Harrington’s and Henderson’s hands. “But she needs stuff, and I don’t have the time to stop on the way home, and I can’t leave her home alone with Susan-” Susan was also just an omega, and Neil… he didn’t know if Neil wouldn’t smell Max’s heat. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen in that twisted head of his. “Can you do it? I know it’s a lot to ask, but-” 

“Don’t worry.” Harrington got his money from him, knowing refusing would only make Billy feel worse about the whole ordeal. “We got this.”

“Do you know which one is her window?” He asked, and Henderson nodded. “I’ll be outside her door. Leave the bag by her window and honk your car on the way out, I’ll get it for her.” I’m not leaving her alone with my dad was unsaid. 

Once he was into the car, though, he opened the window slightly. “Thank you.” He told the four before speeding up to their place. 

The first wave seemed to be done, but Billy still picked Max up when they got home, guiding her to her room. 

“What- what did you do to her? ” Neil was on his face as soon as he stepped into the house, and Max growled in his arms. But Billy could see it. Neil’s pupils had doubled their size, and he was definitely sniffing the air. 

“You know I didn’t do shit.” Was his answer, pushing through the man to lock Max up safely in her room. At least until Neil was out of the house to drink. Once she was in her bed and the window and door was closed, he got out again.

“YOU ARE AN ALPHA! SHE’S AN OMEGA IN HEAT! IF YOU-”

“Dad,” Billy leveled him with the most alpha looked he had. Neil stopped for a second. “You will get your car and go to a bar.” 

“I will do no such thing you scum -” Neil backhanded him. Billy felt the pain, spat the blood, but didn’t exactly react either. It was only Billy and the door between Neil and Max, and while he could see that his dad was trying , on his own way, to avoid it - avoid smelling her, projecting it on Billy, saying that he was the one who wanted a fourteen-year-old - it was still not enough. “You did something to her, didn’t you? You look satisfied, you little shit-”

“I can’t smell her.” Billy announced to his dad.

Once again, Neil stopped, disbelieving. “Bullshit.” 

“Look at me. Use your nose.” He tried to ground Neil on his senses. “Did she smell like me at all?” 

Billy’s dad shook his head again, “You did something-”

“Look, you can call me anything you want,” Billy took a step forward. “You can hit me, you can toss me around, you know that. Been doing it all these years.” Neil’s lip trembled. “But you cannot go around insinuating I’d ever touch Max this way.”

“You’re a piece of shit.” Neil spat on the floor right next to Billy. “If you lay a hand on her-”

“I told you. I can’t smell her.” He showed Neil his eyes, same size as always, his crotch, flat. 

“Where is Maxine? Her friends told me-” Susan barged from the front door, barely taking their stances into account. She was worried about her kid, it was only fair. 

“In her room. I brought her home.” Billy told her. 

“You-” Susan analyzed his posture, his smell. “How did you know?” 

“I’m not sure.” Billy admitted. “I can’t smell her, though. She’s fine. I’ll stay outside her room, you can be here every second, just-”

“I believe you.” She smiled, touching his hand. Her smile was soft and motherly. “If you wanna go, hang out with your friends, you can. I got this.” 

“You believe him?” Neil asked her, incredulous. 

“Neil,” She started, and her softness was steely, somehow. Billy had the urge to stand straighter at it, he saw his slightly-drunk dad actually do it. “What did we speak about before we got married?” 

He fumbled with his words. “This is my house-”

“Yes, but we had an agreement from the start.” She turned to him. “This is where I draw the line. Max’s heats are my responsibility.” Susan took off her apron. “Billy stays.” 

Neil grumbled something, grabbed his keys and took his leave. 

“Some of her friends are coming by.” Billy told Susan. “I asked them to buy some stuff for Max.” 

Her smiled brightened and she cupped his face with her hand for the second time in the whole time they had been living together. “Thank you. That’s lovely. I’ll pay you back as soon as-” 

“No need.” Billy shook his head. “Just lemme watch her door.” 

Susan stopped again, watching his face. “How did you know she was in trouble?” 

He shrugged. “Dunno. I was hanging around here and had the urge to go where she was. I knew she was in trouble as soon as I got there.” 

She nodded and smiled again. “You’re a good boy, Billy Hargrove. I am glad Max is in your pack.” And turned, entering Max’s room, and leaving him alone with that bomb. 

Max was pack . His pack. Which is why he knew she was in trouble, how he knew she needed help. Of course, not all pack members were immune to the other’s heat, but then again, his body apparently recognized her as his biological sister, or close enough to that that he couldn’t even smell her besides the waves of distress pain distress . And this urge to take care of her. He knew he would end up sleeping by her door, there was no way he would leave that spot. 

But Max… Max was pack. And now she knew . They knew .

How ‘bout that. 

Chapter Text

Chapter two

The second time was a lot weirder. 

“The fuck is going on here?” Billy asked, finding himself very suddenly on the school gym. He had been in calculus before, and had no idea how he had walked there. 

They were all gathered around the Byers boy, who was on the floor, holding his stomach, looking in pain. The teacher was covering his mouth with a dirty rag.

Billy knew immediately what that was.

“What are you doing out of class, Hargrove?” The coach barked at him, obviously trying to protect the presenting boy, but Billy ignored him. Henderson and Wheeler, who were there too, got the other classmates around Will - the first of his class to present, apparently - out of BIlly’s way. 

“Kid,” The urge , fucking hell. An urge to protect, to cocoon the boy on blankets and take him home and not leave his door until it was all over, to make sure no stupid walking alpha would try anything on him that he didn’t want. “Byers, I gotta take you to your mom, kid. Is she home today?” 

“She’s working.” Wheeler answered for him. He looked a bit queasy, but seemed to trust Bill enough. They probably researched what to look for in an out-of-control alpha after what happened to Max, which was a pretty smart thing to do, too. 

“Wheeler, can you go to the public phone call his mom’s work?” He asked, handing the boy a few quarters from his pocket. “If she doesn’t answer, try his brother.” 

Mike took one look at Henderson, who nodded, and nodded too, running to the phone. 

“Hargrove, the school requires us to take him to the infirmary and wait for his mother to arrive.” The coach informed him. 

“The fuck it is. I’m taking him home to his ‘ma, it’s quicker than waiting for her here.” He answered, not even caring if he would get detention. Will Byers was not leaving his eyes. 

“Hargrove-”

“Coach, please.” Henderson finally manifested himself. “You can see he won’t hurt Will. I’ll come with them.” 

Despite the lack of approval from the coach, he picked Byers gently up from the floor. 

The coach, still looking queasy, with the nerves and the pheromones and everything, looked at Billy. Really looked. 

“You’re pack, then?” He asked the boy, who shrugged. 

“Apparently.” Billy agreed. “Can’t smell shit on the kid. Came here without knowing what was going on.”

“Did that happen before?” The man demanded. 

“Last week, with Max.” Henderson provided helpfully. “His sister.” 

“Not blood related, though?” Coach insisted. 

“No.” Billy agreed again. 

Byers murmured something, looking in pain, and Wheeler came running in, completely breathless. 

“Steve’s outside!” He informed everyone. “Steve’s outside, and Mrs. Byers told me Will can go with Steve!”

“Harrington?” Coach asked. Looked at Billy. “You’re OK with that?” 

Billy really pondered on that, on what his instincts were telling him. “Yeah. Harrington can take him home.” 

There was another moment of pondering before the coach nodded. “I’ll talk to the director. Make sure Harrington takes him home.” 

“Yessir.” Billy answered, heading back to the entrance of the school, Henderson and Wheeler flanking him. Not that he needed them to, but Byers probably appreciated the comfort. A few alphas looked their way, but all it took for them to back off was Billy to show his teeth and snarl. He was so fucking glad he had a reputation now. 

Once he was out he saw Harrington already waiting for them, looking concerned. Billy walked straight to him, who opened the car so Billy could deposit the squirming boy on the backseat. 

“How did you know?” Billy asked Harrington simply. 

The other boy just shrugged. “I have no idea. You?” 

Billy shrugged back. “Dunno either. Ain’t nobody teaching these kids how to stay out of trouble?” 

Harrington just chuckled. “Man, you have no idea.” He started his car. “Wanna bet which of them is next?” 

“No need.” Billy pointed at Henderson, who was a bit away talking to Wheeler. 

“I think it’s Mike.” Harrington said, already driving off. “Twenty bucks on that!” 

Billy said nothing, just rubbed his forehead. “Byers is fine now. Get back inside.” He ordered, already walking towards them. 

“But we-” Henderson started. He should have known better. 

“Back inside. Now.” He put his mean face on and they scrambled to obey. On an afterthought, Billy fished a few more quarters from his pocket. “Call him during  lunch if you really need to check ‘im. But he’s with Harrington, you know he’s fine.”

They stared at the coins, and then nodded together, looking at him with something resembling reverence. He had no idea what the fuck was happening to those kids, but damn. They really needed a role model, or somethin’.

After lunch he stopped Henderson on the hallway. “So?” The other boy seemed confused. “Byers?” 

“He’s OK. His mom’s home taking care of him.” Wheeler popped from behind Henderson, who nodded solemnly. 

Billy nodded back. “Good. Now back to class.” He said, and they once again scrambled to obey. 

Huh. 

He could get used to that. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

“OK now, what the fuck.” Billy rolled his eyes. Apparently, he couldn’t stop. Had been walking around the diner when it took him by the gut again, the urge . And now he was staring as Mike Wheeler bared his teeth to another boy, sweat pouring from his temples. Henderson and Sinclair were trying to hold him, but it was no use. 

Wheeler was presenting, and it wasn’t as an omega like Byers and Max. 

He put himself between the other boy-alpha who had been growling at Mike without a thought. “Scram.” 

The kid, just a little older than Mike himself, growled at Billy too. 

Billy didn’t think twice. He took the three steps he needed to actually touch the boy, and pushed him to the ground. It was almost gentle, because of his age - he only fell on his ass, after all. 

“Scram.” 

He didn’t need to repeat himself this time. The kid turned and ran, but Wheeler was still snapping his teeth all around at his friends. 

Billy remembered how it felt, to present like this. It wasn’t easy. Not even a pack alpha would be able to completely put the boy down now. And Billy knew better than to try. 

“Henderson, Sinclair.” He called up both boys. “Let him off.” 

“No way!” Sinclair yelled, looking scared. “You’re gonna beat him!”

“I promise not to lay a finger on him.” He announced, planting his feet down. He had worse. “I promise on the Camaro, on Max, whatever the fuck you want. Let him come to me.” 

In the end, Sinclair didn’t have a choice, because Henderson - bless his soul, apparently he actually trusted Billy with this stuff, and the urge told him he better not let the kid down - and Sinclair alone wasn’t enough to hold Wheeler back. 

Mike came like a sack of rocks onto him, hitting him, scratching the bare skin his jacket didn’t cover, even biting his belly. There was a lot of fire there, but Billy let him come, only just managing to keep himself in place. 

It was nothing compared to what his father did. It was just a boy, going through something hard, and needing to flush it out. Billy could do that. 

He took about ten minutes of the mild beating, still standing. He would have bruises for sure, but no actual damage was done. 

Once he was tired out, Wheeler seemed to come back to himself. He looked at his friends, he looked at Billy, and then promptly fell to his knees crying. 

“I’m-” He started sobbing, confused and exhausted and probably in pain. “I-”

“Shush, kid.” Billy lowered himself in front of him, being immediately met with the sight of the boy’s bare neck. He was actually acknowledging Billy as the alpha, which was a little bit weird, and a little bit adorable. He cupped the boy’s face, just to check his eyes, see if he was alright now. 

“Mike! Are you OK?” Henderson came running then, Sinclair quick on his heels, looking suspicious still. 

“I-” Mike tried, but Billy remembered how confusing it all was. 

“He just presented, he won’t be able to be coherent for a bit now.” Billy explained to them. “After this he’ll go into shock.” 

“I’ll call Steve so he’ll take us home,” Henderson was apparently going to run into the diner when Billy stopped him. 

“No need.” He announced. “He’s already here.”

“Wha-?” Sinclair was frowning, but it didn’t take a whole three seconds for the Beamer to park right next to where they were. “How did you-?”

“Hey,” Harrington interrupted him, coming out of his car with a small smile. “You owe me twenty bucks, Hargrove.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He agreed. That stupid bet. He didn’t want to let go of Wheeler to get the money, though. 

“Why does he owe you money?” Henderson got closer and Billy surrendered to the urge , getting him under his arm too. Damn it, but touching that brat made the queasy part in him settle. 

He wondered what he smelled like now. 

“We made a bet.” Billy revealed to the boy. “I put my money on you, Henderson. My mistake.” 

“You… bet on me? ” Henderson looked weirdly touched, didn’t even fight Billy’s arm around his shoulders. “AND STEVE DIDN’T? STEVE!”

“I won, didn’t I?” Was his answer. Then he moved. “I’ll take him home. They have a good basement with a hitting sack there, he’ll be OK.” 

“‘m sorry I hit you.” Mike was finally back enough to manifest himself. “And scratched you. And bit you.” He flushed. 

Harrington’s eyebrows rose at each one of those, but Billy just shrugged. “Don’t sweat it, kid. You’re not strong enough to do me any damage. Yet. ” 

“You-” He tried again, and fuck, his voice sounded so small. There was none of the bravado now; the kid knew he had a responsibility to balance his aggression now. “Why do I wanna let you bite me?” He asked, confused. “Do alphas do that too?” 

He searched for Harrington’s eyes. He had no idea what to say to that. 

“I think we need to sit down and talk about that, one of these days.” Harrington saved him from having to speak. “But not now, OK?” He put one arm over Mike’s shoulder. “Now we gotta get you home.” 

Mike just nodded and let Steve pull him standing, guiding him towards his car. 

Billy, on his part, didn’t let go of Henderson. 

“Come on. One offer only, let’s go inside and grab some shakes. My treat.” He said, feeling queasy again. He knew Wheeler was safe, but Harrington smelled like nothing. He had no idea if the other boy even knew how to deal with something like that. 

He didn’t want to imagine Wheeler trying to beat Harrington up, too. That made something clash into Billy, and he didn’t really want to analyze that. 

“I’m gonna get you some ice.” Sinclair volunteered as they went in, looking somewhat softer. Subdued. 

Billy just kept his arm around Henderson’s shoulder, and didn’t complain when Sinclair scooched in to sit on his other side. 

He slurped on an overly sweet drink and said nothing. None of the boys demanded him to say anything, too, just talking quietly over him. 

It was fine. 

They were going to be fine.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

This time, he didn’t feel the call to go anywhere. 

He had been roaming around, sitting in the quarry by the hood of his car. He had yelled, screamed, punched trees. His knuckles were bleeding, but so was his face, his lip, his eyebrow. He probably had a few cracked ribs, too.

He felt like crying, and it made him all the more angry. 

“Guys! Guys, he’s here!” Henderson’s voice came from nowhere behind him. Billy had been so distracted by his thoughts and the pain that he hadn’t noticed Harrington’s car parking just a few meters away from the Camaro. 

“What the fuck-?” Billy was about to ask, but Henderson came running to him and hugged his middleside. He flinched in pain, but said nothing about that. 

“We were looking for you!” Was his answer. 

“What happened to you?” Wheeler looked worried, and angry. Once again, cute, despite the pheromones coming off of him saying that he wasn’t aiming for cute at all. 

“Neil happened.” Max’s voice cut them angrily. “He’s an asshole.” 

“Maxine.” Billy warned, but she just gave him the tongue. 

“Wait, your dad did this to you?” Sinclair asked, confused, and oh my God, just how many kids were there? “Why?” 

“Doesn’t matter, kid.” Billy stopped that line of questioning, looking at all of them. “How did you find me?” 

“Same way you found us.” Little Byers answered with a small shrug. 

“We knew you were in trouble.” Max revealed, sitting on the hood of his car. “We ended up all meeting on the way here. Steve picked us all up from there.” 

Billy once again looked around, disbelieving himself. How did it come to this? Why? 

“Sit down, I have a first aid kit with me.” Harrington made his way between the kids with the box in hand. He didn’t ask, simply pulled the door of the Camaro open and pushed Billy to sit, moving to stand between his legs. 

The kids were yapping behind him, but with Harrington between them, covering him from their eyes, he sagged. He didn’t feel that much of a need to keep it together, like that. 

Harrington said nothing as he worked on Billy’s face with a cotton ball and antiseptic. But he seemed to know, somehow; his steady strength enveloped Billy in a way he couldn’t understand. It felt like a steely softness, like something only the ocean was capable of. 

“Done and done.” He said, finally, once he had at least a band-aid on each cut. Harrington looked satisfied, but still felt somewhat sad to Billy. 

He couldn’t help it, at this point. Biology, stress, whatever it was, made him bow down his head, lean his forehead on Harrington’s stomach and shut his eyes. 

Harrington didn’t say anything - he just put his hand over Billy’s shoulders, keeping his face hidden from the kid’s eyes. Giving him permission to cry, if he wanted to. 

Billy didn’t. He just wanted to stay there, feeling another human being’s heartbeat for a few minutes. Harrington still smelled unnervingly like nothing, but Billy clung to it anyway. He felt soft and warm and comforting, and it was what Billy needed for now. 

“How do you figure we became pack?” Harrington asked him, carding his fingers through Billy’s hair in an absentmindedly way. It felt nice. 

Billy snorted. “No idea. I guess I already considered Max family, and she considers you bunch her family too. One thing probably led to another.” 

Harrington nodded, hand still moving on Billy’s scalp. “You’re good with them.” His voice was soft, a blanket during winter. 

“I was an asshole. To them and to you.” Billy shook his head. “No better than my father. I have no idea how my stupid hormones suddenly decided I’m a good choice for those guys.” 

Harrington chuckled. “You made quite the impression when Maxine got her heat.” He explained. “Dustin and Will were pretty impressed. Mike, too, afterwards.”

“Not you, pretty boy?” He blurted, and regretted it immediately. It was not his place at all. 

Harrington paused. “I thought that was clear.” He answered, and yeah. It was. ‘Course he wasn’t impressed by Billy Hargrove acting like a goddamn human being for once. 

He pulled his head from the other boy’s stomach, avoiding his eyes. “Yeah. Yeah it is.” And stood up, looking at all of the brats. “Why do I have this gut feeling that we’re missing one?” 

Wheeler and Sinclair exchanged a look, while Maxine just smiled smugly. “I told you guys.”

“What did you tell them?” Billy demanded. 

“I told them we’re pack.” She answered, still smiling. “And you’re the pack alpha, apparently.” 

He rubbed his eyes with his hands. “Yeah, apparently.” Billy agreed, feeling tired. “I feel like I’m not old enough for this.” 

“You’re doing great!” Henderson encouraged. Strangely enough, the boy became his favorite, after Max. 

“You… you’re all fine with that?” Billy was confused. And also sort of searching for who was the pack’s omega, if it had one already. Not that he would be mated with them, it didn’t work that way, but the responsibility became a shared weight when there were both figures in a pack. He couldn’t imagine, though, that either Max or Byers would fill up that post. None of them were stable enough yet. 

“Hell yeah!” Henderson exclaimed again. He had been there to every single one of the times Billy found them in trouble; he probably shed his suspicions at some point. 

“You may be an asshole, but you’re also a badass.” Wheeler looked a bit sheepish in admitting that. “Nobody will mess with us now.” 

Something in him flared again. “People messed with you-? ”

“Chill out, Billy, jeez,” Max roller her eyes. “You’re even worse than Steve.” 

“I can’t be worse than mama Harrington there.” He said, but there was a tone of joke in his voice. 

“Yes, you are.” Little Byers seemed delighted as he said it. “Steve would have smacked Mike in the head when he got into that fight while he was presenting.” 

“But you let him beat you.” Sinclair agreed. “It was nice. And badass too.” 

Billy couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, I didn’t let him beat me. He was presenting and needed to blow off some steam, that’s all.” 

“I didn’t hear about that!” Max yelled. “Why didn’t anybody tell me?”

They looked sheepish now, too. “We thought Billy would.” 

“He never tells me anything!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s not fair!” 

“Okay, that’s enough.” Harrington said from behind Billy. “Billy’s fine, everybody’s fine. We gotta go home, you have school tomorrow.” 

Max, Henderson and Sinclair promptly entered Billy’s car - they lived closer to the Hargrove residence, and the rest slipped into Harrington’s car. 

He looked at the other boy. Didn’t really know what to say. 

“Thanks.” He decided. 

Harrington nodded. “Don’t mention it.” 

They both went to their respective cars. 

Billy felt like ripping his skin with his own nails. He had no idea why. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

They started hanging out. 

Henderson hadn’t presented yet, and Sinclair came off as a beta a week after the ordeal with Wheeler. Billy was a little bit cautious, but he couldn’t feel bad for him and Max. They were a good match, he wasn’t worried. 

But Harrington? Billy still had no idea what he was, even though he had been slowly starting to smell of something . He wasn’t sure what yet, it was too faint for him to actually grasp it, but still.

They had been at the lake, Billy and Harrington stretched over a beach towel, the rest of the brats playing around on the water. 

“Can I ask you somethin’?” Billy blurted suddenly. Now or never, apparently. 

Harrington looked composed, always so composed. Billy felt like  messing him up. “Shoot.” 

“You going off your suppressants or somethin’?” He asked, going for direct . When he tried polite , he always made things worse. 

Harrington shook his head, looking down at his lap, as if he was ashamed. “They… they stopped working.” He explained hesitantly. “None of them work anymore.”

Billy never heard of anything like that. “Do they know why?” 

His laughter sounded so bitter. “I couldn’t exactly tell them that my pack’s last addition is an alpha, so they don’t have any answers that fit for me.” 

It clicked on his mind. Harrington was probably an alpha, and Billy being there triggered his body into a territorial response. “You think-”

“Yeah.” Harrington agreed, looking sad. 

Looking like somebody who was expecting to lose his pack. 

Billy felt his stomach sink. 

He didn’t want to lose that - that newfound closeness and belonging that being with those kids and with Harrington brought him. He could almost forget that he would get home to an alpha who beat him to a pulp just because he lost the reins of his own life. 

But if the price of him being there was another fight with Harrington, possibly kicking him out of the pack… he couldn’t bear it. And he knew the kids wouldn’t forgive him, either. 

Billy stood up. He had never felt so hollow before. 

“Can you take Max home when you’re done here?” He asked. Harrington looked confused, and then sort of disappointed. 

“Sure.” 

He felt their confusion while he walked away and entered his car. The distress was thick in the air, but he ignored it. 

Between him and Harrington, he knew who didn’t deserve to be there. 

He turned the Camaro on and left. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Billy avoided them. 

Max tried to talk to him, Henderson called. He didn’t know what to tell them. He didn’t want to make them choose, especially because he knew who they were going to choose and he couldn’t bear to hear it. 

So he went through his days, barely talking, mostly just driving around. His old man was worse than ever - probably caught up on his distress - and it all felt pretty much like shit. 

And then it was worse. 

The urge came to him during a fight with his dad. But it felt worse, somehow. It felt dire, and life-threatening, like the world was going to fucking end if he didn’t go right then . 

“WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FROM ME, BOY?” Neil was drunk and yelling from the front door. Billy paid him no mind. 

He had somewhere to be. 

He drove somewhere he didn’t know, a part of town he never went to. But he knew he was on the right place when he parked in front of Hawkins General Hospital. 

He passed the nurses, the doctors calling for him. He knew what button to press and which way to turn. Room 331, he saw, and immediately opened the door, knowing exactly what he was going to find inside. 

“What happened to him?” Billy demanded. They were all there, Harrington on the bed plugged to a bunch of machines and drips he didn’t even want to acknowledge. He knew he was sweating too much, canines showing, wafting distress all around himself. Nobody answered, all around surprised that he was there. “ What happened to him? ”

“Billy, your face-” Max took a step forward, but his focus was on the doctor. 

“Forget my face. What happened?” He demanded. 

The doctor looked sheepish. “Are you family?” 

“We are pack!” Henderson ran to his aid. “He’s the pack alpha!”

“We can only give medical information to family.” The doctor answered. 

“I know for a fact that that isn’t true.” Max crossed her arms. “When Will got hurt, you told us what happened. Why aren’t you saying anything now?” 

Billy smelled the fear. He could always smell it first, it’s how he knew who to subdue in order to stay on top of everything. “Because they screwed up.” He looked at Harrington. “You tried suppressants on him, didn’t you? Without checking his history.”

“T-there was no medical reason for him to-”

“Maybe, but you were too lazy to check.” He spat, feeling angry like never before. Not even Neil rose that much heat on his gut, ever. “Didn’t wait for the results. Just pumped him full of shit and called it a day.” 

“His mom will sue you for your life!” Henderson yelled at the doctor, who sputtered. 

“Security! Sec-!” He started, but Billy pushed him against the wall. 

“You know as well as I do what he needs.”

“His family is out, they can’t come here in time-” The doctor looked regretful. “I’m sorry, but there is nothing else I can do for him.” 

“Yes, there is .” Billy pushed him against the wall once more. “You are going outside, and you are going to tell those other goons that nobody is to come inside unless called.” His tone was dangerous and unmistakably alpha . 

“I can’t possibly-”

“Doc,” He insisted, forearm over the guy’s neck. “This is Harrington’s pack, and I’m the alpha. I can’t smell their ruts or heats, I know when they are in distress on the other side of town. I came here without anybody having to call me and give me directions.” He numbered. “Get the fuck out and lemme do what I gotta do. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, and nobody has to know.” He’ll be dead anyway . He shuddered at the thought. 

The doc, still looking sad and regretful, pondered. “You know what he is, then?” 

Billy looked back, to Harrington, and then to the kids, who shook their heads. “Yeah. I do.” An alpha. One that, out of that state, would probably try to fight Billy to death.

It was OK, though. He wouldn’t let Harrington die on the off-chance that he’d get a concussion or somethin’. He had worse. 

The doctor nodded solemnly and got out, and Billy locked the door behind him. 

The kids looked scared by the corner of the room. 

“Alright.” Billy turned to them. “I’ve never seen this, but I’ve read about this. He needs you to be close, and he needs skin contact with me.” He explained to them. “That will balance out the pheromones they pumped into him. We’ll both be a bit keyed up, and it’s up to you, except for Wheeler, to keep us from killing each other.” 

“Why would he attack you?” Henderson asked, looking confused again. 

“It’s about territory. You are the territory, specifically.” He answered, already taking his jacket and shirt off. “We’re not blood related, but I didn’t end up here on an accident. I knew he was in trouble.” 

“It’s gonna work, Billy.” Max assured him, a hand on his forearm. That alone already calmed him a few notches. 

Billy nodded and took off his pants. Somehow, with priorities in order, it didn’t seem weird. That was his pack . He was safe, and they were safe with him. 

They helped him take Harrington’s hospital gown, and Billy slid underneath the sheets, keeping all the skin contact with him that he could. 

The change, at least in himself, was gradual. He could feel the change in Harrington’s - Steve’s - temperature, how his breaths got longer, his heart rate synchronized with Billy’s own. And then… then the smell bloomed . 

It smelled of jasmine and tangerine and vanilla; it was the most delicious thing Billy had ever scented before. He didn’t get hard, no, but his skin felt prickly and numb, and he was sure his pupils doubled their size. 

“Billy, are you OK?” Max asked him, touching his forearm. He didn’t move. 

“I know you can’t… I know you can’t smell him like me, probably, but is he-?”

“He’s an omega.” Byers confirmed his suspicions. 

“I suppose we smell him like you smelled us, nothing else involved but recognition, but yeah.” Sinclair agreed. 

He shut his eyes. Everything felt way too bright. 

He had no idea how it happened, but, apparently, he fell asleep. Woke up to the kids scattered all around the room, sleeping on the floor; Harrington awake and staring at him intently. 

“How do you feel?” Billy asked. He felt a bit dizzy and tired, probably from having, too, processed the hormones the doctors pumped into Steve’s veins. Steve’s body would only share hormones like that with pack, and that had been what Billy had been counting on. 

“Tired. Sore.” He didn’t move. “I have an idea, but… what happened?” 

“I only know half of it.” Billy shook his head. “One moment my dad was beating me to a pulp, the other I was here. Doctors didn’t wait for your test results, they just pumped you full of drugs without checking.” He avoided Harrington’s eyes. “Your parents are out of the country. You were going to die .” 

Steve shut his eyes, nodded. “Tried another type of suppressants, they clashed with my hormones. I was with Max and Dustin, she drove me here, I suppose.” He answered. “I guess they tried to nullify the suppressants-”

“With more hormones, when you were already filled up with those. Yeah.” Billy agreed. “They said there was nothing else they could do for you.” He tried not to sound too choked up about it. 

Steve hummed. “Yeah. But you saved me.” He said, voice soft. 

“Doc almost didn’t let me.” Billy had to shut his eyes just for imagining it. “I think I would have killed any security guards he called here.” 

“Sure you would’a.” Harrington agreed. 

And despite the whole stressful ordeal, something clicked right with his smell now, with who Steve had been to them all this time. 

He was the omega of their pack. He was the omega of their pack . 

His omega . His . 

Alright, no. He knew it wasn’t like that, he knew Harrington was his own man and would pick and choose, but to this pack, he was the omega. Their omega, another leader and caretaker of the pack, along with Billy. Beside him. 

But every fiber of his being was screaming minemineminemine- and it was becoming hard to stop. 

“Billy?” Steve called him, looking a little concerned. “Are you OK?” 

“I-” He started, but the smell, fuck , he wanted to drown himself on Steve’s smell and never come back. “You’re better, right?” He asked, already standing up, fishing for his clothes. 

Harrington once again looked resigned. He just moved to sit himself in the middle of the bed. “Yes, I am, Billy.”

“Gotta go. Gotta deal with my dad.” He put out the excuse. It was true, yes  but still an excuse. He was dressed in seconds. “I’ll come back later, OK? Promise.” 

He moved silently as to avoid waking the kids. A nurse asked him where he was going, what was happening.

But Harrington didn’t want him, and certainly he didn’t need an asshole alpha trying to claim him after that whole ordeal. After all, if he wanted Billy to claim him, he would have told him before that he was an omega, and not let him think he was an alpha all along. 

Once again, Billy didn’t talk to anybody. He got into his car and left. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

Billy was going insane . 

Being away from the pack was maddening , not knowing where they were, if they were safe. He knew he would get a warning on his body if they were in trouble, but that was it. 

He was going insane . 

Steve’s sweet smell had clung to his clothes, and Billy hid them to avoid washing the pieces. He had to steal them from the hamper twice anyways. 

Max tried to talk to him, but he didn’t wanna listen. Steve Harrington didn’t just forget to tell him that he was an omega, he deliberately chose to do so. And that had clear meaning to Billy. 

Unlike Neil, he knew how to hear no .

He found himself in the middle of the woods, dazed and confused. It felt strong, overpowering, and he had no idea why it felt like he only had half of his mind.

Steve was already there, looking over a kid with short curly hair and a bleeding nose.

The missing piece. 

“What’s your name, girl?” Billy demanded, walking forward. 

She didn’t touch him, but her eyes actually felt like a slap in the face. 

“What’s your name, girl?” Billy repeated, spitting blood, taking more steps to her direction. 

Steve looked like he was going to say something, but Billy stopped him, raising a hand. Steve was an anchor to both, as the omega, but that was alpha business now. Like Wheeler, she had steam to blow off, and she’d never direct it to Steve. Her instincts were all blown off on that. 

 She groaned, and her head moved, and Billy was thrown to the side. 

He picked himself off of the ground, arm bleeding from falling on rocks and sticks. Paid it no mind. 

Two more steps and he was toe to toe with her. She looked angry, and sad, and scared, all at once.  

His brain felt like it was being shaken from the inside. It hurt, but that wasn’t the reason his voice dropped to a softer register. 

“What is your name, kid?” Billy asked. 

The tears were overflowing in her eyes. He could hear shuffling in the woods around him, probably having felt the same thing he and Harrington had, but not access to cars like they did. 

She burst into tears, sobbing. 

“What’s your name?” Billy insisted, placing his hands on her shoulders and letting her come to him. 

She was sobbing against his chest, but the feeling was collective. She was safe, she was home. She was with her pack. 

“My name is Eleven.” She sobbed almost incoherently. “My name is Eleven.” 

“Okay.” Billy caressed her hair, wishing to soothe her. “Eleven. We gotta get you home.” 

“NO!” She screamed, looking terrified. “No! Papa is there. I will hurt him, I will hurt him-” Eleven sobbed. “I left. I’m too dangerous, I’ll hurt him.” 

“Shh.” Billy carded his fingers through her locks again. “I won’t let you hurt anybody.”

“I will hurt you! I will-” She stopped. Seemed to feel something. Looked Billy directly in the eye. “You have to bite me.”

Billy understood, that, too. She could always choose to leave, but if she was scared of herself, she could give him the reins by letting him bite her - a gesture of submission to the pack alpha - and he would be able to help her keep a lid on it, even through rut. But only if she was bitten - and it was still big risk, with whatever the hell she could do with her mind. 

He looked at Harrington, who looked as uncertain as him. 

“We should probably talk to your dad first, kid.” He said, but she shook her head. 

“No. Papa understands.” She assured him, and, once again, with her mind only, got him to kneel in front of her, so they were of similar heights. 

She bared her throat to him, and it felt… humbling. To have that much power over someone else, even if it wasn’t a lot. Even if it wasn’t anything like what Neil had over him. 

“I’ll do it, but I won’t put a permanent mark on you, OK?” He explained to her. “We have to talk to your dad, and have a talk among ourselves, before I do anything even slightly closer to permanent.” 

“I trust you.” She said. “They trust you.” Eleven pointed to their pack, standing behind him. “So I trust you.” 

Billy nodded, the responsibility weighing his shoulders. “I will do my best to be worthy of that trust, kid. My very best. I promise.” 

She offered him a little smile. “I know.” She answered. “Friends don’t lie.” 

He nodded again and bent his head, nipping over her scent glands, effectively marking her up as his pack, with her permission. He didn’t go deep, only enough to last a week or so. Just what they needed. 

She fell to her knees, trembling, right into his arms. Billy held her close, feeling her distress slowly fade into something a little more settled. Tired, but comforted. Safe, safe, safe, his hormones told her, and she accepted. Fell asleep in his arms. 

“Will you take her home?” He asked Harrington, standing up with Eleven in his arms.

Steve nodded. “I’ll explain everything to Hopper. Don’t worry.” 

Billy nodded and handed her to him. He smelled proper now, and delicious . Still just as alluring as that day in the hospital; like heaven could be a single person. Billy knew it could. In any room, Harrington felt like a sun on his universe, the center of everything, the point around which everything in his life circled around. 

He never felt more settled, more content and safe and still , than the times he was around him. 

And yet, clearly, he was not the one to decide if Harrington got to be that to him or not. It was him. 

“Thanks.” He said back, and had them sort themselves who would go in which car. 

Time to go back home to reality. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight

Billy felt when Henderson presented, but there was no need for him there. On Monday he just sat beside Billy, showing that he smelled of beta.

“Congratulations, I guess.” Billy said, biting an apple. 

Henderson grabbed the scarf from around Billy’s neck. It was the only one he’d ever worn - it had been given to him by a ten-year-old Maxine, freshly after their parents were married and she still liked Billy. 

Henderson grabbed it anyway, and then smelled it. 

“Yeah, this will do.” He said to himself. 

“What the hell, kid?” He asked, confused. 

“Steve needs this!” He shouted as he ran away from Billy, taking the scarf with him. 

And he was left wondering just why the fuck would Steve rich Harrington need his oldest, most ridiculous scarf. 

It didn’t register because he wasn’t in trouble. Not really - it wasn’t Steve’s first or anything. But then in the middle of the night, that siren’s call got to him. 

It felt nothing like before.  

The smell was almost overwhelming. It was delicious and grabbed Billy by the nose as soon as he was by the front of the Harrington residence. 

None of the brats were there now. This wasn’t a matter for them. 

Billy strode inside, going straight for the source of the smell. He wasn’t on the throes of heat yet, but, maybe because of their connection , Billy was the only one there. 

Harrington was eating ice cream from the container, sitting on the counter of his kitchen. He looked fine, for now - wearing comfortable, soft clothes, having supplies all lined up to take upstairs with him just beside him. Steve knew how to take care of himself and his own heats, of course, he wasn’t a newbie at it. 

Billy was salivating, though. 

Steve didn’t looked surprised, scared or outraged by his presence there. He just looked at Billy as if he was expected there. 

“Hi.” 

“Hi.” Billy said back, quite awkwardly. 

“Want some?” He asked, offering Billy the ice cream. 

Billy shook his head. “Thanks.” 

He didn’t take any steps forward, waiting. This was his pack omega. Even his biology knew better than to disrespect him, his space, his home. Even his hormones knew better than that. 

Steve, too, knew it. And he seemed very smug for it. 

“So. You knew.” He said. “Caught up pretty quickly.” He slid from the counter. “I wasn’t sure you’d show up.” 

“You’re pack.” Billy answered lamely. 

“I am.” Steve agreed. “But this isn’t really pack matter, is it?” 

He bit his lower lip. “No.” Billy admitted. 

He waited. 

Harrington took another spoonful of ice cream. Put the lid back, stocked it into the freezer. Went to the sink, washed and dried the spoon, putting it back where it came from. He even took the time to dry the sink and put the rag to dry. 

Billy knew it was a test, and Steve deserved no less than than him passing it with flying colors. 

Once he was finished, he just walked to the stairs Billy saw by the back of the room. He had left all of his supplies back on the counter. 

Then, in this endless, timeless moment, Harrington stopped on the steps, turning his head to look at Billy. 

“Are you coming?” He asked. 

A simple question. A simple question, and Billy was on fire. 

He grabbed the bag of supplies diligently and walked to him as Steve finished going up the steps without a rush. 

Once again Billy followed him by the nose. He found Harrington’s room, seeing his nest already ready to go, toys at hand. He left the food and water supplies on the side, gathering them at arm's reach too. Harrington just watched from his bed. 

Nothing was a sure thing at this point. 

He was still waiting for a clear yes . And Harrington seemed to be pondering it over. 

Once he was done, Steve motioned him to sit on the floor, which he did. 

“I need to drink a glass of water every three hours or I’ll puke.” Steve started numbering. “I don’t like to have my cock touched. Room temperature should be about 21ºC or I’ll be way too hot.” He continued. “As any omega, I’ll take anything in the throes of it, but I especially like being scratched and slapped. I also really enjoy having my hair pulled, and kisses. A whole lot of kisses, everywhere.”

“Harrington.” He interrupted him, one hand up. 

“Steve.”

“- Steve .” Billy repeated. “You have to tell me what you want from me.” His pulse was racing now, the smell getting headier and headier. He wanted to bite him. 

“Am I not doing it?” The omega looked confused. 

“I need words .” He stood up. “I’m not doing anything without words .” 

He took a few steps forward, cupping Steve’s neck gently with one hand. “Tell me what you want. What you need.”

“What about you?” Steve asked, but Billy could feel him reacting to the touch too. Their smells mingling, just in that small point - and it already smelled better than anything Billy ever had in his life. 

He caressed Steve’s face with his thumb, gently. Reverently. “What I need is you.” 

Steve’s breath caught in his throat. The admission, heavy, lingered between them. He stayed put until his hand shot up, cupping Billy’s cheek with a soft, tangerine-scented hand. “What I need is you, too.” He licked his lips. “I sort of. I knew you’d come because I was thinking of you.” He showed the scarf Henderson stole from Billy, laying by his pillow.

That pulled the corners of Billy’s lips up. “Really?” He touched Steve’s hair gently. “Thinking of me, pretty boy?” 

“Yeah.” Steve admitted easily. “I think we misunderstood each other from the beginning.”

“How?” Billy asked. He didn’t feel like talking anymore, Steve’s smell getting stronger and stronger, but he knew it was important, so he forced himself to pay attention. 

“All the times we talked about it,” He continued. “I thought you knew I was an omega.” 

“What?” That stopped him at a halt. 

“Yeah.” Steve confirmed. “I thought you knew. At the quarry, and then after. I thought you were rejecting me. ”

“I thought you were an alpha and saying that nature wouldn’t allow us both to stay in the pack.” Billy rubbed his face. “Then I thought you didn’t tell me because you didn’t want me to know. That you rejected me.” 

Steve nodded. “I imagined so.” He caressed Billy’s cheek gently. “The kids miss you.” 

Billy ended up chuckling. “Weirdly enough, I miss them back.”

“You’re the pack alpha. You’d be a lame one if you didn’t miss them,” He pulled Billy closer, purposefully engulfing him in his smell. “And as the pack omega I’d never let a lame alpha any near my kids.” 

Billy understood that, he understood how fiercely Steve loved those children. Billy couldn’t say he loved them yet, but he’d certainly go nuts if something happened to any of them. And he was certainly willing to love each of them.  

But Steve? He was already halfway in love with Steve. 

“I commend your responsibility as the pack omega.” He agreed. “But we don’t gotta fuck to keep things the way they are. You know that, right?” He said. “I’d never resent you for that, never create problems with the kids.” 

“Shh, I know.” Steve carded his hand through Billy’s hair gently. “I wouldn’t think that of you. But it’s what I want.” He said, bringing him closer still, now with his legs. “I want to spend this heat with you. And after, I think we should go on a few dates, see how that goes.” 

Billy nodded, letting himself be guided to Steve, to the center of his universe. He let his forehead rest against Steve’s, breathing him in. 

“I agree.” Billy answered, eyes shut. Feeling like home . Horny, too; but safe, home, in his own body and beside Steve. “I’m going to blow your mind, pretty boy. Here and on our dates.” He kissed his forehead. “Prepare to have your world rocked.” 

Steve chuckled and finally reached out, kissing Billy. It was just a peck on the lips, but it was enough to steal his breath away. “Rock my world then, Billy.” He said against his lips, and kissed Billy properly.  

It was really all he needed to say. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight 

“So.” Henderson popped a small piece of popcorn into his mouth. “You two got your shit together, then?” 

Billy would allow it, but just because he really liked Henderson. “Yep.” 

They were all at the lake again, sitting on their big towel. Max and Sinclair were doing something with flowers, Will, Mike and Eleven were in the water. Just Henderson was there with them, in the shade, hogging all of their food. 

“You ever going to help Mike, El and Will figure things out?” Dustin asked, making Steve laugh. 

Billy just chuckled. “Nah. I’ll let them steam over a bit. ‘Til they both slept with Will once, at least.” He shrugged. “Then I’ll teach them the concept of sharing .” 

“Like you know what that means.” Steve rolled his eyes, making Dustin laugh. 

“I’m sharing my popcorn, am I not?” Billy reminded him, making Steve once again roll his eyes. 

Steve stood up and pecked him on the lips before running to the water, being cheered on by the three kids on the water. 

“Hey, Dustin,” He called out. “Remember that house we went through last week?”

“The white one with the blue door?” Billy nodded and he nodded back. “Yes, I remember it. What about it?”

Henderson had been with him when they went through a big house with many rooms, one for each of them - and one for him and Steve. He was there when Billy announced that one day he would live in a place like that.

 Billy took the little box out of his pocket, showing him the contents. A key. 

 “Think he’s gonna like it?” He couldn’t even stop the stupid thing he knew his face was doing at the prospect. 

“Holy SHIT-” Henderson looked shocked. That’s what Billy had been aiming for. 

That was gonna be plenty good.