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Ivory's POV

When I woke up the next morning, I was on my mattress again. The first thing I noticed was the excruciating pain shooting up my back and down my legs. Thankfully, I couldn't smell either my dad, or the alpha from last night, they must have left already. I moved to stand up, and shuddered at the pain. As slowly and gently as I could, I got dressed and pulled my backpack over my shoulder. If my stepdad had already left, that meant I would definitely be late for school.

Walking downstairs into the kitchen, the clock above the table told me I had missed first period and should be on my way to second. Without wasting anymore time, I made it out the front door, and started the walk to school.

As I walked, I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander back to Tyler. There was something about him, something right. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but he felt safe, like I somehow fit perfectly into his arms. This was dangerous though, I had never once known an alpha that treated me gently, I knew they were rough and heartless. But, somehow he seemed different.

Tyler's POV

Waiting patiently by Ivory's locker, Tyler was determined to see him today. He had been carefully considering the events of the last few days, and had decided that he needed to do something, anything, to help the poor omega, who was clearly struggling in some way.

The halls were clearing out for first period, and Tyler was almost ready to give up, when the boy finally appeared. Immediately, it was clear that something was wrong. Ivory's steps looked strained and painful, and he looked exhausted, overwhelmed, and scared. As the omega came closer, eyes still fixed worriedly on the ground, Tyler noticed something that made him straighten up. Ivory reeked of alpha.

The omega looked up at Tyler when his shoes came into view, and started at the sight of the alpha looking at him so steadily. Shaking his head and taking a few steps back, Ivory nearly whispered, "p-please not today, I-I just can't." Tyler didn't let him go this time, and instead replied, "Why? Why don't you want me to be around you?"

Ivory kept his eyes fixed on the ground, "I can't t-talk about it h-here." Tyler sighed, "Follow me then, I'm not going to give up this time." He turned, and Ivory followed him, as if pulled by an invisible string. When they reached the end of the hallway, Tyler opened the door to a deserted classroom, and shut it again after him as they entered.

Turning to face Ivory, Tyler took a deep breath and began, "Look, I know something is up. You're clearly hurt, and you're scared of anything that moves, plus, I can barely smell you. I know about the pills you take and I want to know why, you must know they're dangerous. I want to know who is hurting you, I want to know why you don't want to be around me."

Ivory shrunk away from Tyler as he talked, visibly trembling and trying to hide his face in his sweater paws. When Tyler didn't break the silence, he finally answered in a tiny, trembling voice, "I...I take the pills because everything will be s-so much worse if I-if I don't. And, and I can't be around you because-because I'll get in t-trouble."

Tyler's brow furrowed, Ivory's answer seemed to give him more questions than it answered. He was about to reply when the class bell rang shrilly through the halls. Almost immediately, the doors to either side of the hall banged open, and students filed out of their home rooms for first period. A stream of kids entered their classroom, and before he could catch him, Ivory was lost in the crowd.

~

As Tyler drove home from school that afternoon he silently cursed himself. He hadn't managed to see Ivory again at school, and then couldn't wait in the parking lot because of basketball practice. He pulled his red mustang into his driveway and turned it off, resting his head on the steering wheel. He had to do something, he just didn't know what yet.

Entering his house, the alpha picked up a not on the counter and skimmed it quickly. His parents were on call at the hospital, the emergency surgery would probably last all night. Sighing, he continued into the kitchen and made himself a quick dinner, eating it in front of the tv before heading up to his room.

Now showered, changed, and much more relaxed, Tyler laid on his bed playing video games as the moon rose outside his bedroom window. The house was still and quiet, and the alpha felt peaceful and calm as he relaxed in his room. Just as he was about to make the kill shot in his game, Tyler's phone buzzed next to him on the bed.

The phone vibrated with the phone call as Tyler cursed, finally picking it up to see a number he didn't recognize. Shrugging, he accepted the call, "Hello? This is Tyler..." The other end of the line was almost silent, but he could hear heavy breathing and finally, something that sounded like a whimper.

"Ivory, where are you? What happened? Are you okay?" Tyler rushed out, immediately knowing who was calling. The line was quiet again for a moment before finally, "T-Tyler please, I'm in the-in the school parking lot. Help." He sounded terrified, his voice barely above a whisper, and the alpha knew something was very wrong.

Running down the stairs, he stopped only to grab his keys from the counter before jumping in his car and heading in the direction of school. Not quite sure what to expect, Tyler feared the worst, and hoped he wouldn't be too late. Maybe now he would finally find out what was being done to the poor boy.

Tyler arrived in the school parking lot, jumping out of his car and looking around. At first he didn't see Ivory, and worried that someone else had gotten there first. Finally, he spotted the omega, lying on the concrete under the streetlight in the middle of the lot. Tyler ran to him, slowing down as he approached.

Ivory lay motionless on the ground, the scars and injuries on his skin almost glowing in the orange light from the lamp. He had blood on his cheek, and appeared to be passed out. Squatting down beside him, Tyler checked his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief, only passed out not... not dead.

For a moment, he pondered what to do. After a few seconds he had made up his mind, and bent down to scoop up the omega in his arms. The boy was freezing cold and limp in his arms as Tyler carried him back to the car, resting him gently in the passenger seat. He buckled the seatbelt, and brushed Ivory's hair behind his ear before closing the door, and rounding the car to start the drive back home.

When they arrived at Tyler's house, the driveway was still empty, and he didn't waste a second before picking the omega up again and carrying him into the house. As he opened the door to his bedroom, he felt Ivory stirring against his chest, and quickly laid him on the bed, hoping he would feel safer when he woke up.

Slowly, Ivory's eyes fluttered open. For a moment he looked confused, but then, almost instantly, his expression morphed into one of terror and pain. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he scrambled back towards the corner of the bed, trying to get as far away as possible. "P-please don't! No more, I-I can't, please!"

The alpha was stunned, unsure of what to do as Ivory begged him desperately, trembling with fear and clearly racked with pain. "Ivory it's okay, I swear, I'm not going to hurt you! I picked you up in the parking lot, do you remember calling me? You're here with me now, you're safe." The boy slowed down as he realized where he was. He grabbed Tyler's pillow, just as he had a few days before, and took deep, steadying breaths.

"Is it okay if I come closer, can I touch you?" He asked in a small voice. Ivory paused, looking warily at Tyler before finally nodding his head and releasing the pillow he had been holding onto for dear life. As slowly and gently as he could, Tyler eased himself across the bed, reaching out cautiously to touch the omega's arm.

Although he flinched away at first, Ivory seemed to be okay with the movement, and Tyler used his other hand to pull the boy close to his chest. The omega was stiff in his arms for a few minutes, but slowly began to relax as he pushed his nose into Tyler's neck. As his breathing evened out, and tears became more gentle, he even seemed to cuddle closer, seeking warmth and safety in the alpha's arms.

Tyler stroked his soft hair gently whispering in his ear, "You're alright, you're safe, I've got you." After they had sat for a while, gently rocking in the dim room, Tyler finally asked the question that had been burning him since he had picked up the call, "What happened, Ivory?"

Taking a deep breath, the omega started in a small, quivering voice, "I know I d-deserve it, but I just-I just couldn't t-take it again tonight. It s-still hurts so so much from yesterday. P-please, I'm s-sorry I ran away, please d-don't send me back!" He turned to hide his face in Tyler's chest, his hand grabbing fistfuls of his shirt as he cried silently.

Hoping that he was very, very wrong about his suspicions, Tyler pressed on, "I won't send you back, I promise. And I won't hurt you here either. What did they do to you baby, who are they?" There was a moment of silence before Ivory answered, "My s-stepdad, all the alphas...they...they do bad things to me. Bad, d-dirty things, they t-touch me, and it hurts, h-hurts so much."

Tyler was stunned as the boy broke down in his arms again, unsure of what to do other than hold him close and whisper that everything was okay now. Slowly, as Ivory's sobs slowed, the alpha decided on his plan, "Ivory, where's your phone?" When he had the phone, he found the contact for Ivory's stepdad, and copied the information onto his phone, just in case.

Setting aside both of their phones, Tyler looked down at the omega in his arms and spoke quietly, "You're not going back there tonight. You can stay here with me, I sleep on the couch if you'd feel more comfortable. There is no way I'm Letting you go back home, at least for now."