Sean snuggled into his bowl chair feeling discontent. His stomach was in knots and his heart felt so broken that he wanted to cry. Staring blankly into the void of his chair, he tried to hide from the world within his cold blanket. He heard people take Mark away but didn't even have the motivation to watch him leave. As the house returned to its normal sounds, Sean tried to relax but his body was just surging with too many thoughts and emotions. At the sound of something by his door, he rolled over to peek out from his blanket. His dad gave him a small smile, then slowly closed the door as he moved inside. Sean whined, pulling the blanket down to hide his face again. He heard his dad sit by the chair, before telling him in a light tone of voice. "You could have at least watched him leave. The poor guy broke a rib for you. And I know his father is going to scowled him good for losing to a Beta..." Sean curled himself up under the blanket, mumbling out grimly. "He shouldn't have come." His dad huffed a little, replying sweetly. "You certainly made him feel like shite. He likes you. Can't you see that?" Sean sniffled, growling out under his breath. "How I'm I just supposed to forgive him? He didn't even have the balls to stay in contact with me as my friend! He didn't care then. Why should I care about him now!"

His dad sighed, then answered warmly. "Sean. Alphas and Betas... they don't grow into their emotions as fast as Omegas. When our scent comes in, our emotions become a strong part of us. It's a blessing and a curse. We feel deeply, but we can get hurt deeply. Alphas and Betas, they have emotion... but they don't dwell on them as much as we do. They are told not to show emotion. They see it as a weakness. Since they fight to protect us and the pack... They don't focus on expressing emotion as much as suppressing it." His dad shifted a little and lifted the blanket just a bit to look at him as he added casually. "Mark was in a lot of pain, but he refused to show just how badly he was hurt. He was trying to be strong for you. So, you wouldn't worry or feel like it was your fault." Sean hugged the blanket close to his chest, before uncovering his head for his dad to see him more clearly. His dad looked him in the eyes, informing him coolly. "I know he hurt you. And I can see you are trying to hurt him to keep yourself from getting hurt again... But ask yourself this. If he moves on to another Omega... Will you be happy?" Sean tensed, but didn't answer.

His dad stared him down, before looking away and telling him seriously. "I knew an Omega that played a dangerous game with the hearts of Alphas and Betas. They would push them away to see how many times they would come back. Over and over. Until eventually, the Alpha or Beta would stop trying and move on to someone else. The idea of making them work harder and harder to win your heart... it just doesn't work. You have to meet them halfway if you want to get anywhere. You have to bend a little and open yourself up." Sean sat up, grumbling out. "That's how you get hurt." His dad inhaled deeply, then faced him to say firmly. "Getting hurt is apart of life. If you steel yourself off, you're hurting yourself. If you give too much of yourself to someone, you'll get hurt. You have to learn to open up just enough to connect with someone. You have to trust your instincts and take your time getting to know someone. If you like him, but you aren't sure about him... just hang out with him in different situations. Let his actions speak for themselves. Because in the end... you're the one who will have to live with him or deal with the condition he leaves you in."

Sean hugged himself, asking nervously. "Why are you telling me this now?" His dad gave him another small smile, replying in a calm fatherly voice. "I don't want to tell you what to do with your life. You are smart enough to make your own choices. However... As a parent, it's my job to help you think of the future. I want you to be happy with the choices you make. And I see things that maybe you don't... You're my puppy. And I want you to be safe. So, I'm going to ask you this. Do you like that City Wolf?" Sean blushed a little, answering without looking at him. "Dad... I'm not going to talk about sires with you." His dad propped his head up with his hand, leaning on the edge of the chair as he said bluntly. "Why not? I won't tell anyone what you think of them. And you don't have to worry about me trying to mate with them. Hell, I've got more experience with horny wolves than any Omega at your school." Sean blushed a deeper red as a smile pulled at his lips. He couldn't argue with that. His dad had never lied to him before. His dad reached out to brush his knuckles down his cheek, asking in an inviting voice. "Talk to me. It's what I'm here for. You used to trust me with everything."

Sean sniffled, asking under his breath. "What if you don't like things that I've said or done..." His dad smiled more brightly, answering without flinching. "I was a puppy once too, you know. I've done things I'm not proud of. All that matters is that you trust me enough to tell me what's going on. I can't help you if I don't know who you are anymore." Sean whined a little and slipped out of the chair to snuggle up against his dad. His dad wrapped his arms around him, petting his back to calm him. Sean couldn't remember the last time that he'd hugged his dad like this. Yet, his dad did. While running a hand through his hair, his dad whispered to him. "You haven't crawled into my arms since you were a little pup... and I told it you it was Sunday. So the mail wasn't coming." Sean chuckled, even as tears ran down his cheeks. His dad kissed his temple and pulled him closer. Sean closed his eyes, feeling himself finally settle down. There was just nothing that compared to being in his dad's arms. All his defenses crumbled against the strength he felt from his dad. For a while, they just sat together. Sean felt like he'd dozed off a few times, but he wasn't sure.

Finally shifting to sit beside him, Sean asked him timidly. "Do you not like Nathan?" His dad pulled Sean's legs over his lap as he propped his head up on the chair again, before telling him casually. "It's not that I don't like him. I'm weary of him. City Wolves are lone wolves. They live together like a pack... but they don't have the family structures that we have. They... They don't fight to wound. They fight to kill. They are territorial and... wild." Sean met his dad's eyes at his last word. Had his dad overheard his conversation with Mark? His dad raised his eyebrows with a shrug, upon telling him cautiously. "Nathan is probably a good guy who's gotten a bad lot in life... but you should still be careful. Wild always sounds fun... but it might not be your idea of a good time." Sean nodded, admitting to his dad through a shy blush. "I know. But I like Nathan. He's different... and I need different." His dad pet his leg, telling him seriously. "Ya... Well, he gave your mother some serious trust issues. I've seen her in a lot of fights... I've never seen anyone strong enough to knock her around like that." Sean bit his lip thinking about it, then asked curiously. "How did we transform without a moon? I thought that wasn't possible..."

His dad took a minute to think, then told him with a shrug. "It's not impossible. When I was a pup, people used to theorize that emotions triggered the change. Whenever you feel really scared, or angry it was said to bring out the beast within. It's why our eyes tend to change with our emotions. I've never seen it done successfully... but it is clear to me that there are a lot of emotions stirred up between the three of you. Which is why I'm concerned about you... and how you affect them. Sean, this is only the beginning. You have no idea what kind of rivalry you have started."

Across the Valley, Nathan leaned over the table in a cozy little arcade. His eyes stared down the pool cue as he lined up his shot. He smirked as someone brushed a pool stick up his inner thigh sexually to try and fuck with his shot. The girls around giggled, but Nate refused to let it distract him and hit the white cue ball. The white cue ball hit his last solid colored balls into a hole before bouncing off to knock the eight ball in. Winning him the game. The people watching cheered as Nate reached out to snatch the six hundred dollars that he won off the gullible Valley Wolf. The Valley Wolf tossed the pool cue across the table, snapping out bitterly. "You hustled me!" Nathan sat on the edge of the table, giving him a shrug as he told him sweetly. "And you learned a valuable lesson." The Valley Wolf snarled at Nathan in a challenging tone, but Nathan didn't respond to it. He just leaned on his pool cue like it was a staff and flashed the Valley Wolf a wicked grin. All around him, the City Wolves let out low growls in warning. The Valley Wolf straightened up, realizing he was outnumbered and left. After he left, Nathan stretched and asked one of his City Wolves with a curious smile. "Were you trying to get me to lose with that stunt?"

The burly man shrugged, telling him honestly. "Just thought you needed a challenge. He certainly wasn't giving you one." They chuckled, before Lexus asked him in a dry tone. "Speaking of challenges. Did you win the Omega or not?" Nathan rolled his eyes, telling them in a cool voice. "That's not how it works." Lexus snorted, moving closer so that she wasn't overheard by any eavesdropping Valley Wolves. "I thought we came here so you could become the new Alpha and lay claim to the Valley and its Omegas. Not focus on just one Omega!" Nathan turned his head to look into her eyes. His eyes flashing from human to wolf as his anger boiled. She bowed her head and turned away from him, uttering out quickly. "I'm sorry, Sir. I just don't want you getting distracted. We came here for the land and the Omegas. And if this Alpha's son is as strong as you say, then we may need to-" Nathan leaned closer to her shoulder, cutting her off to whisper to her in a firm tone. "Do I look worried?" Lexus glanced at him briefly, then shook her head. Giving her a smile, he told her casually. "If I'm not worried. You shouldn't worry. The Omega is not your concern."

Lexus locked softer eyes with him, discreetly telling him. "Do what you will. You are the one that the Zeta Alpha with eat alive if you fail to give him what you promised." Nathan straightened up, grinning confidently as he told her calmly. "Just do what you are told and stay out of my way." Nathan caught a familiar scent in the air as the door to the arcade opened. Turning to face the door, he watched Mark walk in and head straight toward him. Some of the City Wolves got up to move in front of him, but Nathan growled, and they parted to let Mark approach him. Leaning on the pool cue like a cane, Nathan purred out to him nicely. "Well, look at you. Up and about already. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mark glanced at the other wolves around Nathan, before telling him in a firm voice. "I'm not here to fight. I came here to warn you. Stay away from Sean." Lexus stepped forward, snapping out. "You going to make him?!" Nathan hefted his pool cue up, pressing it to Lexus's chest to push her back with it. Mark wasn't roused by Lexus and Nathan admired that in a Alpha. As tense as Mark was, he knew who his fight was with. Putting the pool cue back between his legs, he leaned on it and said with a shrug. "I have as much right to him as you. I've done nothing wrong." Mark's eyes flashed from human to wolf and back, before he growled out. "I don't know what your game is. But I won't let you hurt him!"

Nathan slid off the pool table to stand, telling Mark honestly. "I don't want to hurt him. I need a strong Omega. And I've chosen him. All he has to do is present himself to me at the festival." Nathan moved around the pool table to reset the billiard balls, adding a bit distracted now. "An Omega like him will produce strong and healthy pups. And if I'm going to restructure the City Wolves... I need a strong family to lead by example." Mark leaned on the pool table to glare at him, uttering out in a deep dark voice. "What makes you think you can restructure a bunch of banished and outcasted wolves?" Nathan lifted his head, retorting back simply. "What makes you think you can lead the Valley Wolves? I was born an outcast. I've killed werewolves bigger than you to avoid starvation and death. While you've lived behind your safe little fenced in Valley." Straightening up, Nathan told him seriously. "Experience is on my side. All I need is a mate. And Sean is perfect." Mark's fingers dug into the wood of the pool table as he growled out. "He's more than some bitch for you to mount!" Nathan raised an eyebrow, looking to his pack members as he asked. "Did I say anything like that?" They shook their heads, their eyes locked on Mark with guarded expressions.

Nathan kept himself as calm as possible when he corrected Mark openly. "I'm getting to know him because I want him to love me. If he lets me mount him, that will be his choice." Mark bared his teeth, sneering out. "He won't." Nathan shrugged, casually moving to line up his shot as he told Mark carelessly. "Maybe he will. Maybe he won't. The odds are in my favor though. He kissed me. What has he done to you lately?" Mark stopped growling as Nathan struck the white ball to break up the other balls clustered up in a pyramid. He couldn't deny that Nathan was right. He was already losing in the fight for Sean. Nathan straightened up as another City Wolf moved in to take a shot. For a moment they looked at each other, until Mark told him casually. "You're right. I'm wasting time talking to you." Nathan waved with a smug smile as Mark turned on his heel to leave. Mark shoved his way out of the door of the arcade and exhaled heavily. He needed to do something. Rubbing his bandaged ribs, he cursed. He needed to do something to buy himself more time. He started heading back to his car when he saw the parked motorcycles. Biting his lip, he whispered to himself. "Something wild..."

Climbing into his car, he floored it as he rushed off to meet with a friend of his family. Pulling into the parking lot of the dealership, Mark rushed inside and asked the Beta at the front desk in a rush. "Toby! Is Rosco in?" Toby held up a hand to a woman he was talking to and told him quickly. "He's in the back." Mark thanked him, then leapt over the counter to race into the back. Rushing in the back he heard Rosco singing to rock music as he worked under someone's car. Grabbing Rosco's leg, Mark pulled him out from under the car. Rosco raised his wrench like he was going to beat him with it, before dropping it and saying perplexed. "Mark? What the hell are you doing back here? You know just because you're the lead Alpha's son doesn't mean that you can just go-" Mark cut him off to ask abruptly. "Rosco, do you still have the Chief?" Rosco narrowed his eyes on Mark, answering suspiciously. "Yes...? Why?" Mark tossed Rosco the keys to his car, telling him hopefully. "I'll trade my car for it." Rosco scrambled up to his feet, asking completely horrified. "The Tesla? Are you insane! Chief isn't worth half the price of that car! Your father will kill you! Then kill me for accepting such a bad deal!"

Mark pointed to the closest, telling Rosco seriously. "I need your old leathers too." Rosco's shoulders sank, asking even more concerned. "Mark...? What have you gotten yourself into?" Mark chuckled, patting Rosco's shoulder as he told him honestly. "I'm competing against a City Wolf for Sean... and I need Chief." Rosco exhaled heavily, mumbling out. "Your father is going to kill me... but fine. Take what you need. Just don't yourself killed. I just got him fixed from the last time you got the urge to ride him." Mark ran into the closet to grab the black leather chaps to put on over his jeans. Taking down the silver leather vest, he put it on over his tight black T-shirt. Putting on the black boots and the full faced silver helmet, he rushed out into the parking garage. Rosco stood beside a covered vehicle, tossing him the keys as he told him seriously. "Ease up on turns this time. He's not a Crotch Rocket." Mark caught the keys and grinned as Rosco pulled the tarp off of a bright red cruiser motorcycle with tan leather seats and saddlebags. Written in gold lettering along the side of the tank was the name 'Chief.'

Only three people knew about this bike. His father, Rosco, and himself. It had been Rosco's baby when he was younger, but since he was getting on in years... it mostly just sat in the garage. Mark had ridden it once at the training camp ground, but had scratched the hell out of it. He hoped he'd do better on pavement roads. If Sean wanted something wild... he'd give it to him. To Be continued...