Sean let Nathan guide him back to the Festival site. Taking him over to the row of food booths. The different smells filled Sean's noise and made his stomach growl. There were so many booths cooking varieties of meat or fried foods that Sean wanted a little of everything. Although, he didn't think his stomach could handle it all. A lot of people sat at the picnic benches to eat or drink as they watched the puppy games. As they passed though, a few of the locals gave Sean questionable looks. It made him uncomfortable to see their disapproving glares. Nathan didn't notice them though as he made his way up to one of the booths and began to bark orders to the large man that was grilling meat. The large man used tongs to put a few more giant turkey legs on the grill, then smothered them in what smelled like a tangy BBQ sauce. Sean smiled at how excited Nathan was to see the giant turkey leg and other meats. His smile faded though, when he saw Ethan and his friends were looking at him. They whispered and glanced at him with disgusted faces. Any joy Sean had was fading fast and the urge to go home was creeping back up on him.

Everyone here just seemed to disapprove of him. Beside him, Nathan accepted some drinks from someone behind the booth, while telling him without looking at him. "If you keep staring at them. They are going to keep staring at you." Sean turned to face Nathan, mumbling out guiltily. "I wasn't staring at them." Nathan snorted, handing him a cup of something as he said gently. "Sure." Sean used the straw to stir the drink absently, retorting a bit sourly from being called out. "Doesn't it bother you?" Nathan put his straw in Sean's drink, then took a swig of his own drink before honestly answering. "Nope. They can think what they want about me. I'm not changing myself for anyone. You either like me or you don't. I don't waste my time on the ones that don't. There is no pleasing them." Sean put one of the straws to his lips to sip his drink and coughed a little. He hadn't been expecting the alcohol in it. Nathan chuckled as he asked him with concern. "Too much for you?" Sean shook his head, taking another timid sip. The drink was sweet tasting like tea, and he liked it. He just wasn't expecting the burning aftertaste. He'd never had alcohol before, but he didn't want Nathan to know that.

After another sip, Sean asked him openly. "Does anything bother you?" Nathan accepted the paper plates with meat, gesturing Sean to follow him to a table as he replied swiftly. "Oh, sure. Plenty of things bother me. I just pick my battles. No point wasting energy on the little stuff." Sean sat down across from Nathan, hugging his drink a little, when he said timidly. "Must be easy for Alphas and Betas... To shut things out like that." Nathan's eyes looked up from the food to give Sean a guarded expression. Sean tensed a little, thinking he might have offended him. Only to watch Nathan pick up a leg and push the plate with the other toward him. Giving him a small smile, Nathan informed him seriously. "It's not about shutting out emotion. Live a day in my shoes. I get challenged daily by the young and old wolves that think they can go toe to toe with me. People that want nothing more than to knock me down. Make a reputation for themselves. Prove a point to their friends. If I accepted every challenge that was presented to me... What does that say about me? That I enjoy fighting? That my ego is so fragile that I have to fight to protect it? By picking my battles. I fight the ones that matter. Otherwise, I'm just wasting time that I could have spent doing other things. Things I enjoy."

Sean licked his lips, nervously asking him. "What are the fights that matter to you?" Nathan licked off some BBQ sauce that ran down his wrist, before grinning at him. Something about the grin made Sean blush and lower his eyes to his own turkey leg. Sean tore pieces of meat off the bone with his fingers to eat it like he always had. Which prompted Nathan to chuckle out. "You're killing me." Sean put a piece in his mouth, his eyes meeting Nathan with worry. Nathan was tearing meat off the bone with his teeth, smearing BBQ sauce across his mouth with every bite. Sean blushed a deeper red, mumbling out shyly. "We don't eat like that in the Valley..." Nathan shrugged, asking after he swallowed. "Why not?" Sean could only shrug. He'd never asked. Nathan pointed to the leg, coaxing him sweetly. "Try it." Sean's cheeks burned, until he had to look away from him. He couldn't do something like that... or could he? Nathan didn't give up, teasing out coolly. "Oh, I see. Afraid to get dirty? That is a shame." Locking eyes with Nathan, Sean lifted his chin and picked up the turkey leg. He hesitated to bite it but did it just to spite Nathan.

Chewing a mouthful of turkey, Sean struggled to eat it but couldn't help chuckling. It was fun to feel like a real wolf for a change. Nathan wiped his own mouth of BBQ sauce with his fingers, chuckling out to him. "See? I knew you were torturing the wolf within by eating like that. Try not to choke yourself." Sean managed to get it down and laughed heartily. Nathan then gestured to his face with a smile. Sean didn't get it at first, but Nathan leaned over the picnic table and beckoned him closer. Sean leaned in toward his hand to let him remove the sauce on his face. Nathan surprised him though by turning his chin with his hand and licking the sauce off his cheek. Sean shivered from the contact, blushing harder than he ever had in his life. All around them people were watching and holding their breath for his response. Nathan sat back down, telling him in a calm collected voice. "I couldn't resist." Sean straightened up, noticing the looks from the people around him. Should he be upset that Nathan had done that? He hadn't hurt him... but would other Alphas and Betas think that was ok to do to him later? He didn't know how to feel or act in response to it.

Nathan followed Sean's eyes to the people around them, causing them to frantically look away. Sean took a smaller bite of his turkey leg, trying to avoid everything for a bit. Until Nathan said to him coolly. "Looks like I upset your Alpha." Sean looked in the direction that Nathan was looking. Mark was making his way over to him with an expressionless face. Sean straightened up, expecting that he might have to separate them. He didn't want them to fight again. Before Mark even reached his table, Ethan shot off his seat to stop Mark. Putting his hands on Mark's chest, he leaned into him to whisper something, and Mark not only smiled but he laughed. Sean turned back to face Nathan with a heartbroken expression. Part of him had hoped that Ethan was lying, but there was no denying it in his mind now. Nathan met his eyes, asking very softly. "What is the story behind you two? Do you like him?" Sean opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself as a familiar scent blew over the table. Sean turned slowly to see Mark standing behind him and felt slightly saved from answering. Mark put a hand on Sean's shoulder, asking in a calm but tense tone of voice. "Sean, can I talk to you? Alone." Sean swallowed passed the lump forming in his throat.

Pointing to Nathan, Sean strained out. "I'm eating with Nathan. It would be rude." Mark took his hand off Sean, before bluntly asking Nathan. "Would you mind if I borrowed him?" Nathan shrugged carelessly, uttering out flatly. "He can do whatever he wants. I'm not stopping him." Mark reached out for Sean's hand, but Sean didn't move. Sean couldn't even bare to look him in the eyes. Nathan took a bite of his turkey leg, coolly uttering out. "I think that is a no." Mark growled at Nathan, before asking Sean more hopefully. "Sean? Please? It's important." Sean inhaled slowly, mumbling out as he picked at the turkey leg on his plate. "No. I don't feel like arguing with you right now." Mark moved Sean's plate away from him to put his hand down on the table in front of him. Leaning in closer, Mark brought his lips to his ear and whispered discreetly to him. "Sean. I'm not kidding. Give me a few minutes. Then I'll leave you alone." Mark sat up and Sean groaned in frustration. Slamming his hands down, he told Nathan reluctantly. "I'll be back." Getting up, he followed Mark out into the woods. Soft growls left Sean as they walked out of earshot from those in the festival.

Mark then whirled around and snapped out at him. "Stop growling at me and listen. Stay away from Nathan." Sean groaned, muttering out as he started to walk away. "You know. I'm getting really sick of Alphas and Betas telling me what to do. And for you to drag me out here just to-!" Mark grabbed his arm to stop him, interjecting sternly. "Sean, just listen to me!" Sean glared at Mark, giving Mark the opportunity to rush out. "He's not what you think. He's not just a Beta, he's a-" Sean cut Mark off to blurt out. "A lead Alpha? Ya, I know. He told me. The first Beta Alpha. Must really piss you off." Mark shoved Sean up against the nearest tree as gently as he could. Pinning him there, Mark added a little hurt. "No. I don't care about him. I care about what he plans to do with YOU." Sean exhaled heavily in response. Mark bowed his head, a soft whine leaving him before he collected himself enough to say. "Sean, he told me that he picked you because you are the strongest Omega. One to bare him strong pups. I don't think he loves you." Sean couldn't help growling out. "Oh? And YOU do?!"

Mark jerked back a bit from Sean's anger but answered in a gentle voice. "Yes. You know I do." Sean shoved Mark so hard that he fell back across the grass. Mark didn't growl or even respond as Sean snapped out at him with tears running down his face. "Do I?! Why does Ethan have your shirt, Mark?! I bought you that! If you didn't want it than you should have given it back to ME!" Mark blinked, sitting up a little as he cut in curtly. "What?! Sean, I lost that shirt in the Gym's locker room after your Nesting Period hit! I didn't give it away!" Sean shook his head, sniffling out. "I can't trust you. You and Ethan... you looked pretty fucking close to me!" Mark finally got to his feet, snapping back at Sean. "Ethan and I? Are you serious?! My mother is friends with his mother! I can't help that! I put up with his ass kissing, like I do with everyone else! When have you ever seen me act any different?!" Sean pointed a stern finger at him, yelling out darkly. "Don't turn this around on me! You have no idea what I've been through! How people have treated me! How YOU have treated ME!" Mark growled a little, upon retorting. "I told you why I did that! What else do you want me to say?!" Sean growled in frustration, yelling out. "I don't want you to say anything! I'm tired of being lied to! If I mean so fucking much to you... then stop crying like a sheep and SHOW ME!"

Mark growled back at him in a soft challenge. "HOW?! How am I supposed to get you to trust me, when you shut me out! What is it about HIM that you like so fucking much?!" The words flew from Sean's mouth before he could stop them. "HE HASN'T HURT ME!" Sean dropped to his knees, feeling both exhausted and ashamed of himself. Hugging himself, he told Mark in a pained voice. "I loved you... And when I needed you. You took their side! You abandoned me! You didn't even tell me that you came back... You don't get it, Mark. I am not ok! I wanna be strong and I can't be... I wanna be like the Omegas that are happy being who they are, but I'm not! I am alone... and I can't tell you how to fix me, when I don't know how to fix me!" All Mark's anger faded as he dropped to his own knees and crawled toward him. Sean leaned away, causing himself to sit down on his ass. Mark tried to wrap his arms around him, but Sean swatted his hands away. Mark let him knock his hands away to instead lean in to rest his head on his shoulder. Sean grabbed Mark's biceps to keep him from getting any closer. Mark stayed still, whispering close to his neck. "I screwed up... I'm sorry. I... I'm under so much pressure from dad... and if I win this fight, then the whole pack will be counting on me. I can't let him take this Valley. Or you'll be forced to obey THEIR rules. And they've never had Omegas... I'm trying so hard to keep you safe."

Mark sniffled a little, pressing his cheek to his when he added lovingly. "I'd give up everything for you. Broken or not. You don't need to be strong for me. I didn't fall in love with you because you are faster than me... I fell in love with you because you were the only one that made me believe that I could do this. The only strength I've ever had came from the way YOU believed in me." Sean dropped his forehead down on Mark's shoulder, mumbling out through sniffles. "Damn you, Mark... You can't just-" Mark shushed him so lightly that despite his better judgement, he stopped talking. Mark slid a hand up Sean's arm to hold his bicep as he told him in a deep voice filled with affection. "I'm begging you, Sean. When he shows interest in you tonight... don't present yourself to him. Please?" Sean lifted his head defiantly off Mark's shoulder, but Mark squeezed his arm and pleaded to him desperately. "I'm not asking you to present yourself to me either. I just... I want you to be sure that you picked someone who loves you. Not just someone who will treat you right until he has you. Please? Don't pick him over me just because he hasn't hurt you... yet."

Sean gently pushed Mark back. Mark sat down in front of him with teary eyes of his own. Seeing Mark so vulnerable made his heart ache. He hated when Mark was sad. Mark took Sean's hands in his, telling him seriously. "You don't have to choose anyone tonight. You can wait." Sean stared into his eyes, saying drying. "You just want to buy yourself more time..." Mark shook his head, cupping his face as he said honestly. "No! Sean... I couldn't bare it if you presented yourself to him and he claimed you... Only for you to realize that he isn't the person that you think he is. Prove me wrong. Wait." Sean pushed Mark's hands off, mumbling out. "All you ever want me to do it wait for you..." For the first time, Mark knocked Sean's hands away and placed his hands on his neck to hold him still. Shifting up onto his knees, Mark pressed his forehead to his and told him in a genuine powerful voice. "Don't do it for me. Do it for you. I'll wait for you this time. I'll leave you alone if that is what you want... but I'm begging you. Don't give yourself to him without getting to know him. You deserve someone that will make you feel strong... but doesn't need you to always be strong."

Sean closed his eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the way Mark made it all sound. He wanted to stay in his comforting embrace a bit longer. He liked feeling needed and wanted. Mark pulled his forehead away from Sean and started to lower his hands. Prompting Sean to do something that was unheard of for Omegas. Grabbing the front of Mark's shirt, he pulled him into his kiss. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it made Sean's heart flutter in his chest. Breaking the kiss, Sean released Mark and swallowed nervously. He was shaking a little from what he'd done. Until Mark licked his lips and told him with a warm smile. "You taste good." Sean chuckled and playfully shoved Mark back away from him. Quickly getting to his feet, he started walking back toward the festival, listening to Mark chuckle before warmly calling out behind him. "I meant what I said, Sean. I'd lose this fight if it would show you how much I care about you." Sean rolled his eyes, then stopped short as Nathan's words ran through his mind. Turning to look at Mark with fragile eyes, he realized what Mark was saying. He'd die for him. To Be Continued...