Chapter Text
Born to loving, God- fearing parents, John learned early on virtues such as patience, kindness, temperance. He learned about what his role would be as an alpha, to protect his family, to be willing to die for them, to make sacrifices. And he was okay with that. For a 12-year-old, the idea of being a hero and sacrificing yourself for someone you loved seemed good enough.
However, things changed after he presented. He was not expected to die for his family anymore, now he was expected to do whatever it was demanded of him, to be calm and meek and polite, to smile, to join his father in washing the dishes while the alphas sat back and drank beer and laughed a bit too loud. Had it not bothered him when he was on the other side? Was that what it meant to be an omega? To serve? To disappear?
He tried. God knows he tried to be a good omega. He spoke less, he didn’t argue, didn’t fight, not even when he wanted to curse at people for the bullshit they said. He tried. He even got a boyfriend, a pretty thing with bright green eyes that looked beautiful when he cried.
During high school, while some of his peers took pleasure in bullying those who were weaker than them, MacTavish discovered that nothing gave him more satisfaction than beating the hell out of the bullies themselves, the ones who could fight back, the ones full of arrogance. Something about a newly presented alpha crying and trashing around while they got their asses handed to them by an omega, it made John feel powerful, in control. And they deserved it anyways, so why should he feel bad?
Well, John tried to be a good omega. But the only times were he truly felt like himself were during his heats, when instead of rolling around in bed in the isolated cabin his parents sent him to during his heat, he grabbed his rifle and fucked off to the middle of the woods to hunt. During his heat, all his senses were sharper and John swore he could shoot a bullet between a buck’s eyes from 2 miles away. He was even better with his knives, too, he could skin a deer in a few minutes, make the best cuts for each part of the animal’s body to bring back to his family, to provide for them like he was taught to before presenting.
John didn’t hate being an omega, far from it. But he hated what it seemed to mean. He felt stronger since he presented, like his mind itself had changed, become sharper, more focused. He just couldn’t make sense of it; how could omegas be emotional when he could easily sway any alpha simply by using his scent instead of hiding it? He had power as an omega, why wasn’t he allowed to use it?
It was during his heat that he got his first kill, too, an old alpha who strayed too far from his camping site, too interested in the young omega’s scent to notice the knife in his hands or maybe too arrogant to think that such a small creature could be a danger to him.
John remembered looking in his eyes as he bled out, seeing his reflection in them, seeing the horror as the man realized he was going to die and, in the end, a human carcass wasn’t that different from a deer’s once you’ve finished butchering it. He felt bad for the bear that took the blame though, the poor thing only ate what Johnny left behind.
His parents weren’t exactly thrilled when he talked about joining the military and, sure, he lied to them about becoming a military nurse but finally he had some freedom and the world would definitely be a better place if he wasn’t in charge of keeping people alive.
MacTavish was that he wasn’t as hot-headed as he seemed to be, he kept a clear head most of the time and was bored to hell by most people, not because he felt that he was better than them (well, maybe better than a few of them) but because after a while he became good at knowing people’s intentions and being an omega in the military meant most people that approached him had only one intention. Which was boring when they couldn’t give John what he wanted, even the mightiest ones ended up scared when it got too intense.
Being severely sexually frustrated meant he wasn’t in a great mood usually but he still picked his fights carefully, all of them had a purpose, either to ease his frustration, to develop his fighting skills or simply because someone deserved a beating, but he never acted on impulse alone. John liked to observe people. He wasn’t especially friendly but also far from being closed off. He was focused, which made him a good soldier too, knew when to lock in and when to let loose. Had to. The last time he was allowed to interrogate a prisoner, he had to take a psych evaluation to make sure he was safe to be around. He was cleared, not a psychopath at least.
After that, well, he decided to lie low, and he would’ve stayed that way if it wasn’t for Ghost.
Ah, Ghost. He had pretty blue eyes and long eyelashes, Johnny just knew that tears must’ve rolled out of them like pearls when he cried. And he was an absolute asshole, just the way Johnny liked it, the type that he didn’t need to feel guilty after beating up. Acting all high and mighty saying that he wouldn’t fight an omega just to get beaten by Soap like it was nothing.
Disappointing.
And that should’ve been all, that night at parking lot. Like all the others that came before him, Simon should’ve walked away with his tail between his legs and never speak about it again to avoid being shamed for losing to an omega but he didn’t do that and, at first, Johnny didn’t really understand why. So, he observed the alpha quietly.
Ghost looked anxious when the omega was around and, surprisingly, it didn’t seem to be out of fear. More than that, Simon’s eyes carried curiosity, his eyes followed the omega around the pub and lit up every time he caught John looking his way. Simon was much like a puppy in that sense, Johnny had dealt with puppies before, he wouldn’t mind indulging one with pretty eyes like Ghost.
And then, Ghost put on a show, laid down his trap and Soap willingly walked into it. The omega allowed himself to get angry at the bullshit the alpha was saying and it felt good to stop holding back for once. This time, Simon wasn’t holding back either, using all the mean words in his dictionary as if it wasn’t obvious that he was lying. Why was he trying to provoke John? The omega wasn’t sure, but he was curious too.
‘Princess’ Was it? Same thing that old man called him before a 16-year-old omega stabbed him in the neck. The omega wished he had a knife now, but it was probably for the best that he didn’t. The memory of anger made him careless and so, Ghost got a hit on him, the people in the bar cheered, they loved to see a cocky omega being put in ‘’their place”. Johnny didn’t blame them; he would love to put that alpha in his place too.
Simon was smiling, blood painting his lips where the lifted mask exposed them, staining his teeth red, but his smile wasn’t cocky, arrogant, no. John knew those way too well. Simon’s smile was one of pure excitement, as if he were right where he wanted to be and that got Johnny thinking why did the alpha pick a fight with him in the first place? And why hesitate now?
As he pushed the alpha to the floor, he noticed it though, even in that dingy bar filled with cigarette smoke, that undistinguishable scent… So, the Lieutenant was a masochist. Great, as if Johnny didn’t have enough bullshit to deal with. A horny alpha wanting to indulge in some power play. The omega growled, wishing he had a knife now, he would’ve stabbed in right in the middle of the alpha’s legs. However, Simon had plans that not even Soap could predict. Being carried out of a bar like a sack of potatoes certainly wasn’t in his annual bingo card. Johnny wondered if killing a lieutenant would look too bad on his resumé.
However, he didn’t kill Simon that night. Instead, he got to watch that absolute unit of a man explain his newly discovered fetish like a teenager who stole their father’s porn magazine. And fuck, MacTavish was pissed, he really was. And disgusted, of course, he didn’t agree to participate in the fucker’s kinky scenario but…
Look, if you’d seen Simon the way Johnny saw him, you would’ve understood. The omega was pissed, yes, but he had that alpha begging to be his punching bag, how could he let that opportunity pass? The lieutenant made John mad, it was only far that he helped the omega calm down.
So, John indulged himself.
He punched the alpha again and again and observed the way his eyes darkened, his smile getting bloodier and bloodier. He punched the resistance right out of Simon when he decided he wanted to take a look at the alpha’s face under that mask and the alpha tried to stop him. And fuck, Ghost was a pretty thing. He looked at Johnny like he begging to be ruined and didn’t even understand why he wanted that.
But Simon hit back hard, too, the alpha didn’t hold back. Johnny admired how good at following rules the man was, it was boring to him when his partners didn’t put up a fight. It was much better like this, a fair fight, both men bloodied and breathless. Johnny couldn’t stop smiling and he wasn’t even sure why. It wasn’t like he had never fought an alpha before and it wasn’t even the first time he dealt with a masochistic one but there was something about Simon…
He sat there, on top of the alpha’s battered body, hands around his neck, fingertips pressing down on his arteries. Johnny wanted to kill that man, wanted to look into his eyes and see the light leaving them and he knew that Ghost could see that in the omega’s eyes, but the alpha didn’t panic nor did he accept it like some suicidal bloke, no, he looked into Johnny’s eyes and he searched for something other than death.
And Johnny had never wanted to claim someone before but that day he couldn’t keep his teeth away from Simon’s neck. Thinking about it now, Johnny still wished he had marked the alpha that night, but he stopped himself before doing something stupid and only gave Ghost an order before walking away. A test that the alpha passed, further consolidating Simon Riley image as an insane man in Johnny’s mind.
Once he got into Simon’s files though, things became much clearer. Usually, he would walk away from alphas with daddy issues, too much of a headache but… Well, with that background, Simon was just perfect for Soap, wasn’t he? He just needed to make sure the alpha was willing.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an easy task to kidnap a lieutenant inside a military base but lucky for Soap, Ghost was an obedient one. He made sure to scent the alpha all the way to the forest, even if that meant Johnny had to take pheromone enhancers that tasted like evil oranges. It didn’t matter, not when he had a confused alpha growling at him and making threats that both of them knew weren’t going anywhere.
To think that Simon accepted to be hunted even after Johnny waved every red flag under the sun… Fuck, he really was the perfect prey, wasn’t he? John could barely contain himself, but he tried not to smile too much like a psychopath.
But then, well, he shouldn’t have expected much from an alpha in heat. To find Simon touching himself when he should’ve been hiding in fear… It was disappointing and John didn’t like being disappointed so of course, he had to make Simon understand that they weren’t playing.
Of course, he wasn’t planning on actually castrating the alpha. Ghost was much more fun when his brain sat between his legs after all, but once again Simon surprised him by complying instead of begging for mercy. And, fuck, Johnny wanted to kiss him, he was sure Simon would make the sweetest sounds if Soap kissed him then, Johnny could wrap his fingers around his throat and… He was shaking, poor pup. And that thing between his legs was sure to be sore after a whole day of walking around.
It was tempting, it really was. Johnny wondered if it would taste as strong as the alpha’s blood did, wondered how long Simon would last in his hand, probably not much but the alpha had surprised him before. He thought about how sweet the alpha sounded when he called out the omega’s name, what was he thinking then? Did he imagine John’s hand around his cock just like Soap imagined now? What a filthy thing, Johnny would kill to know what was going on inside the alpha’s head.
Even so, John wouldn’t do it. He could find cocks by the dozen in the barracks if he wanted to fuck, but it was hard to find an alpha as perfect as Ghost and John wasn’t about to let him go to waste. If Simon could still hold an erection after Soap was done with him, then maybe he could indulge in a different kind of thrill.
It was really difficult to keep his thoughts in check when the alpha was that close, obeying \soap’s orders while denying having any trust on the omega when both of them knew that couldn’t be further from the truth. Simon trusted John as much as John trusted him. Their little games could’ve ended after that first punch in the parking lot, or after that fight behind the bar, it could’ve been ended by both of them and yet, there they were, in the middle of a forest, playing cat and mouse with guns and tactical knives.
Simon was angry, of course he was. He must’ve been so scared, poor thing. Soap felt bad, he truly did. Heat and rut cycles varied between people and Simon’s seemed to be the painful type by the way he seemed to have trouble standing up straight. Surely the speakers John spread around the perimeter to call out the alpha’s name every few minutes didn’t help him stay sane but, oh well, the only rule they had was keeping Simon alive.
Still, looking at the pitiful image of the alpha, leaking all over his clothes and the ground while trying to put on a brave face when John could see plain as day that the alpha wanted to kneel and beg Soap to take him. It was cute, Johnny had to admit it.
So, when he started covering Simonin his scent, he really didn’t do it consciously at first. It was stronger than him, the need to soothe the distressed alpha. And it was fun, too, seeing Simon struggle to stay in control while the dominant omega’s pheromones took over his senses and, when he finally stopped struggling, he was such a sweet thing, burying his nose into Johnny’s neck and whimpering like a wounded animal. Soap wanted to give him a merciful death but…
Fuck, he was just begging to be claimed, wasn’t he? John wanted nothing more than to push him against that tree and sink his teeth into the alpha’s soft flesh. The omega could feel his teeth aching to do so, but he tried to stay calm. He needed to control his own breathing to avoid getting caught up in Ghost’s scent, he tried not to think about it at all. It would be a path of no return if he did, if his heat was triggered too, he wouldn’t be able to keep Simon alive.
Though the alpha couldn’t see it, John was smiling. Maybe he had a soft spot even he was unaware of, but having that mountain of a man seeking refuge in his arms after he almost made him cut his dick off, it was an incredible sensation, a different kind of power trip. He wasn’t really planning on hurting the alpha, not at all, he actually wasn’t planning on doing anything but Simon… God, he was just so stubborn.
So yeah, maybe Soap lost his patience for a second, the knife was just there and Simon was straying away from his control so what other choice did he have, really? He knew where to stab and he got to see that betrayed look in his doll’s eyes as he realized what had happened. It wasn’t his fault, he just needed to be inside the alpha in some way and if Simon had stayed still a bit longer, it would be John’s fingers touching his exposed flesh instead of the cold metal.
Maybe it was for the best. ‘I don’t trust you’ The alpha had said, looking at Soap like he was a stranger offering him a ride. Johnny wondered if Simon realized that he was a fucking liar when he said that, because his eyes told the omega that he was far more hurt than what the knife had done to his insides. Johnny couldn’t help but smile because again and again Simon proved to be perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Not too obedient as to make John bored, not too dumb and therefore, less likely to be killed. He was just the perfect toy for the omega to play with and…
“Fuck...”
John cursed, watching the alpha’s figure getting further and further away as his own legs gave away and made him fall to his knees. His body must’ve been trembling as much as Simon’s as he crawled into the former’s shelter. The bag gone, the only thing left was a crumpled thermal blanket and a dirty jacket, which he pulled closer and buried his face in as he laid down.
John took a deep breath, the first one since he interrupted the alpha earlier, and he couldn’t help but moan as he let the man’s scent take over his senses like a riptide. His hand fumbled with his belt for a little while until he lost his patience and just used one of his knives to cut his pants open instead, careful not to waste the alpha’s blood by spilling it over his clothes until he could free his cock, quickly wrapping his bloodied fingers around his erection.
He laughed; the sound muffled by the alpha’s jacket. He could still feel the alpha’s trembling body against his own, could taste the iron in his tongue. The omega moaned again, the cooling blood making his fist perfectly slick to fuck into. If he closed his eyes, he could see the alpha’s expression playing in his head all over again. Those pretty blue eyes of his brimming with resentment, pain, betrayal, confusion.
The omega growled, biting into the rough fabric of the military jacket. It smelled like Simon and him. For a moment he pictured himself, teeth sinking into the back of Ghost’s neck, blood flooding into his mouth, the alpha’s body trembling under him.
What would his expression look like? Would he so sweetly offer his neck like a dog showing its belly for pets? Would he take the pain or flinch? Those beautiful muscles on his back straining to pull away from the omega’s grasp. Would he whimper and hold on to John with his shaky hands? Would he try to push John away or would he pull him closer? Was he able to crave those things as intensely as the omega did? That connection… Did Simon need it as badly as Johnny did? Soap didn’t believe in the bullshit about fated mates, he needed to be certain.
Because MacTavish had always known what he wanted. He had always been sure every time he pulled the trigger, no matter if the target was human or animal, but Ghost? Ghost filled his heart with doubt even now, as he used the man’s blood to touch himself, unsure in his fantasies if he wanted to destroy or care for that man. His mind flashed between his fingers running through the alpha’s light hair and his hands wrapping around his neck. Was Johnny allowed to have both?
The omega growled, the fabric between his teeth soaked through, his grip almost painful around his cock, he wasn’t sure if he should pleasure or punish himself. The only certainty that johnny had was that he needed to have Ghost, no matter what it took. He needed Simon to be his, willingly, like a firefighter who walks into a burning building knowing that death could be waiting for him on the other side of the flames. He wanted the alpha to realize just how fucked up MacTavish was and choose to indulge him either way. Simon wouldn’t be the first to try but, by God, John wanted him to be the last.
Soap’s orgasm brought anything but satisfaction, the omega’s scent quickly becoming stronger than the alpha’s and making him bury his face further into Simon’s dirty jacket. He could feel the sweet running down his back, could feel the cramped space beneath the tree roots becoming uncomfortably hot. Was that how Simon felt, too?
“Simon…”
He called, knowing that the alpha was too far away to hear it. The omega bit his lips, trying not to smile(why was he happy?). Looking down, he could see his own cum covering his fingers, mixing with the blood to create a weird shade of pink, together with bits of decaying leaves and dirt from the ground. He just stared at it as his mind cleared, blinking whenever his sight became hazy.
If he ran now, he could probably still catch Ghost… But then, what? Simon wouldn’t go down without a fight and John didn’t want to fight Ghost if he could avoid it. No, he needed a plan, he needed to go back to the car for supplies and another pair of pants. Simon was a lieutenant, he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, he had a knife now too and, while it would be stupid of him to pull it out, it was still a weapon he could use.
“Shit.”
He was careless, one impulsive action and now Simon had a way to defend himself. Johnny would need to lay some traps around, probably, follow the tracks the alpha left behind when he ran away. Ghost was wounded; it was unlikely that he would go very far, he couldn’t run for long and he would need stitches. He needed Simon to regain some sense of safety for now, enough for the rut to start acting up again. Johnny could circle the forest by car and catch the alpha on the other side. It sounded like cheating but, well, he never promised Simon that he would play fair.