Animal

5

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Chestibor fiddled with his keys, exhausted. He'd woken up early just outside the bar, vomited his guts half out, and then deemed himself sober enough to drive before coming home. A headache blazed behind his eyes, and he groaned as the warm air of the house hit him.

An expanse of pills found their place in the kitchen cabinet nearest to the door. He took as many as he was sure wouldn't kill him, swallowing them dry when he couldn't find the one empty water bottle he kept on the countertop, which he would fill with tap water. One of his children must have thrown it out. The brats.

He shuffled into his living room, hearing something play. The TV showed the remnants of some movie he'd forgotten he had, his son in his chair, an omega he'd never seen before curled in his lap. He raised a brow, his personal misery forgotten.

He tapped his son on the shoulder, watching as he grumbled and held the omega even tighter. A prod to the omega's head and he huffed, curling in even tighter to his son. He gave a slight smile.

"Vanya," he said, gruffly, "wake up."

Ivan opened one eye, before flinching back. The omega in his arms squeaked, looking around wildly before his gaze landed onto him. The omega shrunk away from him, and he felt for a moment that he recognized his face. It took him a second to realize that he did. The peacekeeper of the underground. And he'd believed a relationship between his son and the peacekeeper to be only rumors.

"Papa," he said, side eyeing the omega, who was quickly becoming less afraid; The peacekeeper bristled, his eyes studying every movement he made, "you're... home."

"Well," Chestibor raised a brow, "are you going to introduce me?"

The omega slipped out of his lap, "I am Alfred."

"No last name?" He gave a small smile.

"Stolen from my clan," he replied, "taken to the Bonnefoy-Kirkland home."

Chestibor hummed, "A shame when children get stolen away from their clans. I could try and find your true clan for you- free of cost, of course."

Alfred stared at him dumbly. He looked him up and down- muscular, wide hips, strong shoulders and neck. A good, strong omega. Ivan seemed to like him a whole bunch too- he was practically baring his teeth at his father. A glare set him straight.

"I-"

"You will become family of mine, da?" Chestibor said, stepping closer. Ivan bristled, his entire body on edge. He guessed he'd said he would protect Alfred if anything happened, but Alfred could obviously protect himself enough. He wasn't afraid of him, either.

Alfred's face shot red, he opened his mouth, and closed it, but it didn't matter. The evidence was etched into the very skin of his throat, and the clothes he didn't own but wore anyways.

"It would be wonderful to have someone so respected become the Consort of my clan," he said, "clanless or not, you have built yourself from the ground up. Both my mother and father had done that as well- I respect hard work, and you have done plenty of it."

He looked over at his son, "And pups from him, of course, would make him the Patriarch."

Ivan gaped at him, "You would let me-"

"It's tradition," Chestibor replied, "stop looking like a fish."

Alfred turned to shoot him a smile, reaching out to take his hand. Ivan stood up, slowly, seeming to fall onto him for comfort. The touch allowed him to look back at his father, whom he still perceived hostilely. Chestibor gav a small smile.