TITLE — PACK MENTALITY*

status: available
faceclaim: tyler posey (tw alpha era)
christian convery (sweet tooth)
dafne keen
oc: alfie hopper / xx / meg hopper
lab name: alpha / beta / omega
love interest: alfie hopper x steve harrington / meg hopper x tbd*
first appearance: stranger things season one
last appearance: stranger things season five

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THE PREDATOR WOULD ALWAYS OUTLIVE THE PREY. 

Jaws snapping, bones breaking, snarling like dogs starved, the predators hunted the weak and dominated the natural world. They were savage, ruthless and relentless. And that was why they would always come up on top. The prey, although often quick and agile to try and avoid the claws of the predator, would eventually fall into the arms of death to be consumed and fuel the power of the predator like a deadly machine. 

You had to be strong or you won't survive. You had to be the predator. The lab had taught them that.

They were created to be fierce, to bear their fangs and tear down all that stood in their path. But Alpha, Omega — and especially poor Beta — weren't like that. 

Beta was not formed like the others. He was not moulded with the instincts of a predator, but instead he was sculpted into prey. Perhaps that was why he did not last long. Predator would always outlive the prey. And young Omega, created with the power of a wolf, certainly outlasted her older and less ferocious brother. Alpha was the first of the trio to be made and his abilities too came from the vicious canine. For some reason the lab did not yet know, using the wolf — a predator — to fuse with human DNA was much more stable than using a Stag — a prey. And that was why Beta died. From the moment he entered the world, his entire body had started to crumble. It was honestly a miracle that he lasted as long as he did.

The Chimera Experiments weren't that important to Dr Brenner as his main focus was on psychic abilities that he was testing in children he called by numbers instead of Greek letters. In their eyes, once they realised that creating a human with half their DNA from an animal was possible, they were disposable. They weren't watched like the others, guarded like the others. Which was probably what allowed them to escape the moment the lab turned into chaos.

Alpha and Omega had no idea what was happening. They just knew they had to run.

In the distance they could hear the terrible screams, the snapping jaws of death. So they simply ran and didn't look back.

Now free in the local town of Hawkins, Indiana, Alpha must do his best to care for and protect his little Omega. All the while it seems the chaos and pain that originated in the lab has spread outwards like a plague into the neighbouring town. With the lab preoccupied and death on their doorstep, Alpha and Omega must try and keep themselves safe. All the while feeling somewhat duty-bound to help.

If you don't particularly like this summary, feel free to edit it to your liking.

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epigraph:

MY BOY WEREWOLF

"Our love lies in shadows on the moon
waxing and waning
in light of affection and cruelty.
My boy werewolf.
How we howl."

- kayleigh brookes

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quotes:

"Why are you not afraid of me, Steve?"

"Because, Alfie, you may see a monster, but I don't."

alfie hopper (alpha) and steve harrington

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about:

lab names: Alpha, Beta, Omega
adopted names: Alpha Hopper, n/a, Meg Hopper
ages: Alpha = same age as Steve
Beta = dead / forever 12
Omega = same age as the party

the chimera experiment

• The Chimera Experiment was a side-project of Hawkins lab which attempted to fuse human and animal DNA.

• Alpha was the very first and they made him with wolf DNA and the sequence stabilised. But when they tried to use another animal with Beta — a Stag — it didn't. Beta was slowly dying from the moment he was born. They then waited a few years and tried again with wolf (but this time, they arranged the DNA slightly differently to get a different outcome), making Omega who stabilised as well. Beta died when he was 12 so Meg remembers him even if she was young. 

• Alpha and Omega are basically werewolves but scientifically. And they're slightly different: like how Alpha's claws come from his nails and Omega's literally come from her hands. They're both slightly affected by the moon. They have enhanced healing, strength, senses and all sorts. They can also communicate by howling. 

• Beta was very agile and strong, had incredible vision and senses. He was also very fast. But his DNA didn't sync well together so he was slowly dying. 

• Alpha managed to learn to read, write and speak rather quickly. As their experiment was deemed less important, it didn't matter what he did as Alpha taught Beta and Omega everything he knew. He was basically their father figure despite being only a few years apart. 

• There was nothing either of them could do when Beta finally died. The lab just took his body away. Alfie and Meg are still haunted by him and occasionally see his ghost due to their grief which is why he's 'forever 12'. 

• Eleven and the others like her did meet the Chimera Experiments a few times so she does know them. 

If you would like to know any other details about Alpha (Alfie), Omega (Meg) or even Beta, please private message me and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions.

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notes:

• Alfie grew up in the lab where he wasn't taught about feelings. He also didn't know homophobia, sexism and racism were things so that's a shock to him and just doesn't understand it. It's really confusing for the poor boy. 

•  Meg doesn't currently have a love interest but I'm very open to whatever you'd like to do with that. 

• Also, if you wanted to include a major plot twist of Beta actually being alive somewhere, I would be down for that too.

• Alpha is the older and protective one. He's so really so sweet and kind but the lab made him feel like a monster, so he doesn't like to get close to people. Also, he doesn't really like hurting people but if you dare try and hurt someone he cares about, you're screwed. He'd kill anyone who would try and take him and Omega back to the lab.

• Beta was also an innocent and always tried to make Alpha and Omega smile.

• And Omega, she's feisty for someone so small. Killing bad guys isn't really a big deal in her eyes. Alpha, by teaching her new words and how to read, he accidentally helped her to become one incredibly sassy child. 

• Steve being repressed bi and Alfie being gay. They're both so worried they'll mess up their relationship and they're so nervous and giddy around each other. So cute. They're also so protective. Alpha would swoop in with his wolf traits any day to say Steve. 

• Basically, the lab sees Eleven as more important so they focus more on finding her. She's the cause behind the gate and is connected to the upside down unlike Alpha and Omega. And it was easier to make Alpha and Omega than it was Eleven so to the lab, Alfie and Meg are replaceable. This is why they end up letting them sort of free after Eleven's 'death'. They are allowed to remain in Hawkins as long as they submit to weekly tests and check-ups. 

• Alfie will get all the jokes thrown at him after the Teen Wolf movie comes out in 1985. Lol.

ACT ONE
stranger things season one

• Alpha and Omega free themselves during the distraction of El's escape. They spend most of this act in hiding where they bump into Steve more than once. Although in hiding, they do manage to keep up to date with important developments. Steve is the first to call him 'Alfie'. But when they catch El's scent when she leaves the group, they follow her and then help her save her friends. And then they're taken along with them to wherever that is. Omega stays with El and Alpha overhears Nancy and Jonathon and goes with them. In the end, Hopper takes them in.

ACT TWO
stranger things season two

• Because they're being watched, Alfie and Meg have to stay in Hop's caravan most of the time so the lab doesn't find El. They do know about her and visit her when they can. Alfie and Meg are enrolled in school with the last name 'Hopper'. Steve is helping Alfie adjust to normal modern life and the kids are helping Meg. And there are definitely feelings there. Alfie sticks with Steve and Meg sneaks off with El and meets Kali. They're the worried parents of the kids, co-parenting them together. At the end, Steve and Alfie are in an unofficial sort of relationship.

ACT THREE
stranger things season three

• Alfie and Steve have not quite yet made their relationship official. Robin and Alfie are gay besties. Alfie mainly stays with Steve's gang whilst Meg stays with El but he's always there to help his sisters when they really need it. Alfie doesn't tell Robin about what he is. But when they're captured by the Russians, they realise what Alfie is and test on him so she finds out because of that. And Steve gets really worried about Alfie. In the midst of battle, Steve asks Alfie to be his boyfriend. The Hopper kids are crushed by their Dad's death.

ACT FOUR
stranger things season four

• Alfie is a legal adult so he gained custody of Meg as they wanted to stay in Hawkins. Alfie and Steve are boyfriends and are the best. Robin is their platonic 'babe'. Alfie becomes very protective of Eddie as he sympathises with being 'the freak'. Vecna tries to go after Alfie and Meg due to Eleven being their sister and that they still carry grief for Beta and their Dad. Alfie so prepared to fight off all the monsters in the upside down. Meg remains with the party. Then they're reunited with their sister and are overjoyed with their Dad's return.

• When season 5 comes out, it needs to be added to this timeline. 

IMPORTANT — anything not mentioned in this timeline is up to you to develop, giving you space for your own ideas. Also, if you have any questions, please private message me, I'm more than happy to answer them.

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password — favourite stranger things season? and why?