Runt [ManxMan]

Chapter Thirty-One

TW: same as last chapter, brief (mostly implied) sexual assault

A man loomed over Mason, sneering down at the tiny omega. He felt his instincts at war; the initial flight urge had driven him into a corner with no escape and the next one vying for control was a strong urge to submit, to allow the man to do what he'd come to do, but Mason had been fighting this particular instinct for most of his life and didn't intend to submit to it now.

So Mason, as always in such situations, chose to fight.

The wolfsbane may still prevent him from shifting fully, but it didn't prevent his partial shift, didn't stop his nails from lengthening and strengthening into claws, into weapons.

When the man drew too close, the omega swung for his face, claws striking thin lines down his cheek before Mason found his hands caught in a tight grip and pinned to the ground. Suddenly he was completely helpless, unable to fight back.

Panic swirled his thoughts together. Flight had failed, fight had failed. His throat burned as he yelled, but he wasn't conscious of the words, only the fear as the man turned him over, the feeling of helplessness only growing as he could no longer see what was happening. He struggled harder but it did him no good, he wasn't strong enough to get away, he wasn't safe, wasn't safe—

Mason jolted awake, breath coming in sharp, rasping gasps. There were arms around him, restraining him, and he cried out, trying to escape, but they were too strong and the wall at his back stopped him from pulling away.

"Shh, Mason, it's okay, it's just me," a familiar voice hushed him. The arms drew him closer, and he let them, confusion breaking his panic until he recognized the scent coming from the man holding him, strong and dominant and safe.

He relaxed and allowed himself to be tucked carefully against the alpha, nuzzling closer until his nose pressed against Dax's throat, filling his senses with the man until his breathing evened out and he was calm. Safe. Dax was safe.

One of the alpha's arms was under Mason's head, acting as his pillow, his elbow bent so his hand brushed the omega's back, rubbing soothing circles into his skin. His other hand was in Mason's hair, stroking it carefully away from his face and gently teasing the tangles out. It was soothing, and Mason closed his eyes and relaxed into the touch.

His own arms were bent between them, his hands folded against his chest. His wrists ached, and he knew without looking they were bruised. The thought made him flinch, remembering the man looming over him, the feeling of helplessness, of having his wrists pinned so he couldn't fight back.

"You're safe, Mason," Dax murmured, pressing his face against the omega's hair. "I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Mason hummed, letting himself be soothed by the alpha's words and gentle touch. They were still held captive by an enemy pack, completely outnumbered and weakened by wolfsbane. He knew there was only so much the alpha could do to protect him, and yet he'd never felt more safe in his life.

As if to mock him for the thought, the door at the top of the stairs opened. The sound made them both tense, Dax drawing the omega impossibly closer and shifting them so his body almost covered Mason's, blocking him from the rest of the room. The alpha glanced over his shoulder, watching as whoever it was came down the stairs, while Mason could only listen to the footsteps, every soft thump seeming to reverberate all the way up his spine.

Anxiety clawed at his insides, making him feel like he was going to be sick. Was the man back to finish what he started? Mason shuddered at the thought, hiding his face against Dax's chest. Safe, Dax is safe, he'll make sure nothing bad happens, he tried to remind himself but the safe feeling was gone and all he could think about was the stranger looming over him, intent on doing something the omega didn't understand but knew he didn't want.