Ivory

Tyler is letting me stay, I can't believe this is actually happening. Here I am, on a bed, in a room with an alpha, and I feel safer than I have in years. There's something about his voice, his scent, the way he holds me. A few hours ago, back at home, dad's friend had come around again. One of them, the tall blonde with the gingery scent, cornered me on my mattress. My last corner of the world was no longer safe, I had nowhere to go.

Somehow, I managed to get out of the house. Dad and his guests passed out drunk, so I had an opportunity to sneak away. From the parking lot, I called the only person I thought might care about me. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I can remember, I was here, in the alpha's bed, scared out of my mind. I know lots of alphas, and all of them are terrible, what's to say Tyler won't turn on me too. Now though, I'm not so sure that will happen.

Tyler gently let me go, and stood up from the bed. At his absence, I crumpled down into the sheets, breathing in his comforting scent as he rummaged through a drawer. As he left for what I assumed must be the bathroom, I took a moment to once again marvel at his bedroom. All I have in the world, or had I suppose, was my mattress and my little corner, but Tyler gets a whole room, and a bathroom, and all of these things! If only I had been an alpha, maybe I would have this luxury as well.

Tyler returned, now wearing sweatpants and a white t shirt, and smiled softly at me. "Please, make yourself at home. If you want pajamas all of my clothes are over there, and if you need anything I'll be right downstairs." What? He's leaving me here, alone, in the dark, on a bed? "No! P-please, don't-don't leave me here alone." He took a step towards me and I flinched, hiding my face in the blanket below me. I had spoken out of turn, asked for something, I am not allowed to break the rules.

No hit landed though. Instead, I felt gentle hands on my back, rubbing circles into the sore muscles. I shivered, and his hands stopped. I wish he had kept going, but instead, I stood up. Going over to the chest of drawers, I found another t shirt, and turned nervously back to Tyler, "Is... is this al-alright?" "Yes, of course, anything you'd like." He said eagerly, almost excited to let me have something of his.

I entered his bathroom and took off the ragged old clothes I was wearing for the second time this week. I didn't have much to wear, but I was grateful for being allowed any clothes at all. Looking in the mirror, I saw the scars and wounds that littered my body, turning to see the angry stripes I still had on my back. On my hip, the letters PD were burned into the flesh, my stepdad's initials forever marking me as his.

Shivering at my own reflection, I pulled Tyler's shirt over my head, and felt it drop almost to my knees. As I stood alone in the bathroom, staring at my reflection, it suddenly occurred to me that without my hoodie and jeans, Tyler would see all of my injuries. I sunk to the floor, curling myself into a tiny anxious ball as I tried not to panic. What would he think if he saw? If he knew what I was, a whore, a dirty slut?

Footsteps approached the bathroom door, Tyler must have smelled my distress. "Ivory, are you okay? What's going on in there?" I was silent for a moment and he continued, "Please, just tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help." I knew better than to give in to his request, but something was still telling me this alpha was safe. "I...I'm afraid." He didn't reply at first, evidently confused by the short statement.

"Of what? What are you afraid of...I won't hurt you if that's it, I promise I won't." My words were muffled as I dropped my head into my hands, "I'm afraid for you t-to s-see me." Again, another pause before he answered, "Ivory listen, I'm not going to judge or make assumptions or anything. I want you to feel safe here, feel safe with me."

I still didn't move, but I raised my head to listen to him, "If you come out, you can get some rest, and you'll be safe here, how does that sound?" If he's telling the truth, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. If he's lying, then there was nothing he could do to me that hadn't already been done.

Slowly, still trembling, I stood. Turning the doorknob with a shaking hand, I opened the door to see Tyler standing only a few feet away. He looked at me, the scars and bruises, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. Embarrassed, I shrunk into myself, and kept my eyes fixed on the carpet. He said nothing, just simply looked at me.

Tyler

Tyler couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ivory stood in the doorway, lit by the bathroom light behind him. There were dark purple bruises around his wrists, ankles, and throat, as if he had been tied up. His arms and legs were peppered with scars and wounds. Tyler saw cuts from knives, cigarette burns, blue and brown bruises that looked awfully like hickies.

At first, he felt as if he couldn't speak, what was he supposed to say to someone that was clearly suffering terribly. Tyler's next reaction was one of protection. Wary of the omega's frightened posture, he spoke quietly, "Can I... can I hug you?"

Much to his surprise, Ivory gave a tiny nod, and Tyler approached slowly. Wrapping his arms gently around the boy's shivering frame, he did his best not to make him feel trapped. He was stiff in Tyler's arms at first, but eventually relaxed, actually moving closer to the warmth of the alpha's chest.

"Okay love, let's get some sleep now." Ivory hummed his approval, and allowed Tyler to unwrap his arms and move away. He watched as the omega looked around the room, and then made his way to the corner behind the desk. "What are you doing?" Immediately, the boy froze, turning to Tyler, "I d-don't mind, it d-doesn't have to b-be this corner."

For a moment, the alpha was confused, until he realized what Ivory meant. "No," he said resolutely, "you don't have to sleep on the floor here, you can sleep on the bed." He eyed the bed warily, the fear clearly evident in his eyes. Tyler approached again, gently reaching out to take his hand, "it's okay, I promise nothing bad will happen to you here."

Still holding his hand, Tyler led Ivory gently over to his bed, reminding him that he had been on it before, and nothing bad had happened then. He nodded, and slowly, carefully, climbed into the bed. Tyler tucked him in, pulling the covers up to his chin and handing him the pillow he reached for.

He watched silently as the omega snuggled into the blanket, breathing in Tyler's scent and getting comfortable. When he seemed to be settled, he turned away, and made his way to the door. As he was about to open it, he heard a stifled cry from the bed, and turned around to see Ivory bolt upright.

"No! P-please, don't-don't leave me here alone, in the d-dark, on a b-bed." Tyler sighed, wondering what to do, would he really be comfortable with him in the same bed? "Ivory...what would you like me to do?" He seemed stunned by the question, not used to being asked for his opinion. "I...stay with-stay with me. Here, please." He said, putting his hand on the other side of the bed.

Tyler nodded, a little surprised at Ivory's reply, "Okay, I'll stay, I'm going to turn the lights off, okay?" He had already nestled back down into the blankets and pillows, and nodded his assent. Tyler flicked the lights off, feeling his way through the dark to the far side of his bed.

Lifting the covers, he climbed into the bed, pulling the dark blue covers up to his chin. "Is this okay?" Tyler asked cautiously, and heard ivory hum his assent from the other side of the bed. As he lay in the dark, Tyler suddenly noticed something that made him freeze.

It was faint, but much stronger than he was used to, and getting more so by the minute. The smell of an omega, Ivory's scent blockers must have worn off. Tyler took a deep breath, the scent of honey and cream washed over his senses, and he marveled in it. All of the omegas he had met before Ivory had been sickly sweet, smelling like cheap perfume and roses. This though, this was different. Light and sweet, but with a sort of quiet delicateness.

The sense of protection he felt for Ivory seemed to increase with his scent. Taking a deep breath, Tyler turned to face the wall, willing himself to control his instincts, and keep his hands to himself. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to hold the omega close and keep him safe, protect him from anyone that wanted to hurt and torment him.

As Tyler lay perfectly still, staring up at the dark ceiling and letting the delicious scent of the omega next to him wash over his senses. Suddenly, it clicked. This was it. He was it. Ivory was his mate. That was the only way to explain the burning desire Tyler had to mark the boy, make him his, protect him from everything.

After exercising his greatest restraint for a half hour, Tyler dropped off into an uneasy sleep, his dreams full of bizarre images. He saw a bridge stretching across a wide river, on the other side, Ivory called out to him. Tyler stepped onto the bridge, but it swayed, and he crashed through the planks to fall down to the rushing water below.

Still falling down towards the river, Tyler looked up at Ivory and saw him reach out, opening his mouth to scream. But the scream that he heard was no dream. He bolted up, immediately on high alert to face whatever the threat was.

To his relief, Tyler was treated with his dark, empty bedroom. Beside him however, Ivory squirmed and whimpered in his sleep, muttering under his breath and shaking under the blanket. Quickly, Tyler reached out, gently resting his hand on the omega's shoulder. When nothing happened, he shook gently, and saw the boy's movements stop.

Ivory was still shaking as he blinked his wide eyes open. Immediately they were brimming with tears, and he was curling into himself, trying to make himself as small as possible. "P-please, I'm-I'm sorry, please d-don't hurt don't hurt m-me."

Tyler's heart nearly broke as he heard the terrified words. He reached out slowly, and pulled Ivory's trembling frame to his chest. As he held the boy close, he stroked his hair gently, cooing sweet words in his ear and rocking him gently.

"It's okay, I've got you now. It was just a dream. You're safe with me baby." Ivory seemed to calm slowly with his words, nuzzling his nose into Tyler's neck as his eyes dropped closed again. His breathing evened out, and the shaking subsided.

Sitting there, holding his sleeping mate close to his chest, Tyler felt a wave of emotion course through him. There was an intense desire to protect Ivory, to claim him, to hold him tight forever. From that came a deep pang of guilt. His mate had been right under his nose this whole time, and he had been too foolish to see it.

Tyler thought about all the things he should have noticed. The skittish behavior, the stuttering, the constant pleading for mercy. How could he have brushed it off? This poor, broken boy had been suffering for long enough. As he drifted off to sleep, Tyler decided he wouldn't waste anymore time.

He was going to save Ivory. He was going to claim his omega.