My first A/B/O story. If that's not your thing, please leave. No one is forcing you to read it. If you've read any of my stories, you know that I love a story that takes a bit to develop.

Maddy looked around at all the boxes and remaining furniture and almost felt guilty for not being more upset about her mother's untimely passing. The phone call from the police informing her that her mother had died in a car accident had come at a precarious time, as her heat was not far off, but she had dutifully made arrangements and flown to Florida to take care of what was left behind. In the eight years since she had seen her mother, the older woman had obviously decided that empty whiskey bottles and overflowing ashtrays were a legitimate decorating decision, and it had taken two full days to clean the small apartment up enough to organize the piles.

"Miss?" The man from the church to whom she was donating all of her mother's things cleared his throat behind her. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to take with you? The guys and I can help load your car."

Shaking her head, Maddy gave a grimacing smile. "Nothing here that I want. We, uh. . . We weren't close, and your shelter needs the clothes and furniture more than I do."

"What about pictures? A special memento?"

Maddy shook her head softly, hoping to ease some of his obvious confusion. "She didn't take anything with her when she left us."

"Well," he nodded in sad understanding. "We'll get this all out of your way and let you get on with it then."

Maddy nodded before changing her mind. "Actually, I think I'll go grab some breakfast while you get this handled. I'd just try to help and end up being in your way if I stayed. I'll be back in about half an hour or so."

"Sounds like a good idea." His deeply tanned face split into a wide grin. "Probably do you some good to get out for a bit. Get some fresh air."

"Well, I've been sleeping at a hotel, but I think you may be right." Maddy shrugged on her light jacket and grabbed her purse. "How do you guys take your coffee? I'll bring you some back."

"That's not necessary, miss. But, if you insist, we're all good with just plain old black."

With a light laugh, Maddy skipped down the stairs and waved to the two men leaning against the side of their large moving truck before walking down to the little diner on the corner nearly two blocks away. It was a bright spring morning, but the real heat of the day seemed to be holding off for now. The humidity was already present, making her skin feel sticky and her breaths less automatic as she dodged the early morning joggers and moms headed for the park with kids in tow.

Cool air rushed out to meet her as she swung open the diner's door. Pausing for a moment, Maddy let the air conditioned room chill the fine sheen of moisture that seemed to cling to every person here in the city. The lady behind the counter motioned to the empty dining area and told her to pick any seat she wanted.

When the waitress – an older woman with hair dyed a deep red – fixed her with a shrewd glare, Maddy swallowed thickly and sank into a booth. "Yes?"

"Honey, I try not to pry in other females' business, but. . ."

She nodded. "I know. I had to come to town to take care of my mother's ashes. I'll be heading to Sheltering Pines tomorrow evening."

"I'm sorry about your mom," the waitress – her nametag identified her as Helen – patted her hand softly. "Breakfast is on the house. You just make sure you take care of yourself. You're too small to be running around unguarded when your time comes."

"I've heard that before." Maddy smirked and nodded once again before ordering a full stack of pancakes and extra sides of bacon and sausage.

Her small stature had been a bone of contention with her father's family her entire life. Populated entirely by Alphas, none of them knew what to do with an undersized female who had no interest in sports or sleeping around with as many potential mates as possible. She was largely ignored at family gatherings, which was a blessing in its own right, and no one – including her father – bothered to come to witness her receiving any of her academic awards. She spent her days reading, studying, and dreaming of the day she would turn eighteen.

Then, in the October of her senior year of high school, she turned eighteen and her Omega mark appeared on the front of her left shoulder.

"What's that?" Cindy, Maddy's half-sister had gestured with her cereal spoon. "Wearing dirty clothes to school again?"

Maddy blinked tiredly and shook her head. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"You've got a huge freakin' spot on your shirt!"

Having just looked in the mirror in order to tame her wild curls, Maddy snorted. "Nice try. There's nothing on my shirt."

"Then you got a tattoo!"

Maddy snorted. "I did not get a tattoo."

"Daddy!" Cindy's voice pierced the air and brought their father to the kitchen within seconds. "Madeline's got a tattoo! I can see it through her shirt!"

Spinning on his heel, Victor stopped suddenly. His eyes widened the barest fraction of an inch before whirling up to meet hers. He gave a hint of a chuckle before hushing Cindy and motioning Maddy into a chair at the table.

"That's not a tattoo." Waving his younger daughter's protests away, Maddy's father reached for the phone. "It's her Omega mark."

The entire family had gone to the physician's to watch the verification process, everyone saying how they'd known 'their Madeline' was special all along. The doctor had dutifully ignored their platitudes and conversation as he probed and explored the iridescent mark. After Victor related a clearly exaggerated story about his eldest daughter being the shining example of femininity and grace, Doctor Winston met her eyes with a disbelieving gaze. Nodding his head and meeting her fearful eyes, he gave his signature on all the correct forms and then asked everyone else to leave so that he could speak to the newly discovered Omega in private.

Victor had frowned and squared his shoulders. "My daughter is in a very fragile state right now, and I won't leave her alone."

The nurse who had accompanied the doctor gave an unladylike snort. "She's no more fragile now than she was yesterday or the day before."

"Nurse," the doctor shook his head just a bit and received an arched brow and pursed lips in response before he turned to Maddy's father. "Sir, there are things that I – as a doctor – am bound by law to relate to the individual themselves. What they do with that information is up to them."

"I believe that an exception can be made in this case, seeing as how my daughter is not yet a legal adult."

"There are no exceptions for anyone who gains a Mark after the age of sixteen unless they are somehow mentally unable to understand the ramifications. As your daughter is nearly eighteen and in perfect health – both mental and physical – there is no reason for familial involvement in the conversation."

"Sir," the taller man clenched his jaw and sniffed dangerously. "No one would have to know."

"I would know." Snapping his gloves free of his fingers, the doctor moved to hold the door. "And I am bound by law to disclose everything that happens in this office from the time an Omega enters until that individual leaves."

Victor scowled darkly and then turned to his daughter. "I'll be right out in the waiting room, Madeline. I expect to be fully informed before we leave."

"Miss Decker," Doctor Winston smiled as he turned from the closed door and motioned to the nurse. "Nurse June will be here as a witness and to make sure that I cover everything, okay?"

Maddy nodded and shifted her weight in a vain attempt to get more comfortable on the little paper-covered bench. "Okay."

"Now, you aren't quite eighteen yet, right?"

"Right. I'll be eighteen on the 30th."

Nurse June took a folder, thick with printouts and informative flyers from a tall filing cabinet in the corner. "Well, in this case, that doesn't make much of a difference."

Dr. Winston agreed with a small smile. "You are only the second Omega I've ever met, young lady. And with that title come certain . . . considerations."

"Like what?"

The doctor gestured toward the door. "You don't seem particularly close to your family. I have a feeling that the behavior they've exhibited today is not what you're used to seeing. Am I right?"

"It's not like it matters. I turn eighteen in a few weeks anyway." Maddy shrugged. "I just have to make it to the end of the month, and then I'll never have to see them again."

Nurse June smiled kindly. "You don't have to wait, you know."

"Really?" Maddy looked between the two of them before focusing on the doctor. "What do you mean?"

"Well," he reached for the folder and pulled out a thick sheaf of paper held together by a butterfly clip. "You no longer fall under the jurisdiction of parental care. As you're so close to turning eighteen, you wouldn't even have to name a trusted adult to foster you."

"Wait, really?!"

Nurse June gave a chuckle before unwrapping the thick bracelets from her right arm and holding it up for Maddy to see the symbol on the skin there. "I was one of the lucky ones. Daniel here had been a neighbor my whole life and we knew as soon as my mark appeared that we were to be together.

"But, it's not like it was decades or even only twenty years ago. You won't be forced into any marriage your father should arrange or held for ransom against your true mate. There are laws in place now that forbid families from holding an Omega against their will, places an unmated Omega can go when they need to be away from others, and even special programs to allow them to finish school without having to physically attend."

Doctor Winston patted his wife's shoulder before focusing on the young girl once again. "I threw them out because I get the feeling that they have never been very nice to you and thought you might like to think over your options. I've heard of individuals in your position losing everything by leaving their birth families, so I know it's a lot to consider."

Maddy was quiet for a moment, leafing through the folder they had given her and looking at the different options. "Do I have to tell them?"

"No, honey, of course not!" Nurse June smiled and wrapped her arm around her slim shoulders. "I will call for a car to take us to County Omega Relations. I'll remain with you until you're all settled in somewhere safe."

"And I," Doctor Winston chimed in, "will accompany the other officers from COR while they deal with your father."

Maddy sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"Hey," June smiled secretively. "We Omegas gotta stick together!"

True to their word, the Doctor and his wifemate/nurse had taken care of all the pertinent details, making sure Maddy was safe and that her father would be unable to bother her. The dorm she was placed in housed only one other girl – a spectacularly built African American girl named Shanelle – and the two were able to finish school from there. Their teachers traveled from their regular high schools in order to administer end-of-the-year exams, bringing cards and such from those friends who had been left behind.

Her father attempted to call so often that the center began blocking all numbers associated with him. When he resorted to stopping by, a judge was contacted and immediately served a restraining order against the entirety of Maddy's family. The State was all too happy to supply Maddy with a monthly stipend that she used to rent a small home in the wilds of western Pennsylvania hundreds of miles away from the family home in Philadelphia.

Forcing thoughts of the past away and eating quickly, Maddy ordered three coffees to go and walked back to the apartment. She would send the movers on their way with some coffee and the large assortment of boxes and the few pieces of furniture that her mother hadn't destroyed. After that, she could get some real cleaning done before turning in the keys and getting on her way to the sanctuary for unmated females in heat.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Baron Corbin woke early, staring at the off white ceiling of his apartment and wondering how long before he could kick the sleeping woman beside him out of bed. He had a flight to catch that afternoon and needed to get a few errands done before leaving for the European tour. Glancing at the clock, he sighed and nudged the tall brunette until her eyes blinked open and she gave a disgruntled huff.

"Need to get moving." Baron sat up, swinging his long legs out of bed to rest his feet on the floor. "Got a plane to catch and shit."

Brandy nodded with a pout. "Keep you company in the shower?"

Baron shook his head. "Nah, I got things to do."

There was a flash of annoyance before Brandy nodded and climbed from the bed, collecting her things and slipping back into her clothes from the night before. "You know, this is getting a bit old. It wouldn't kill you to let me stay for breakfast."

"We're not mates, Brandy." Baron shook his head and pulled a change of clothes from his drawers. "Thought you understood what was going on here."

"I understand that you're an asshole!"

Baron snorted a laugh. "No shit, I'm an asshole. But, you knew that when you started fucking me."

"It's not like every couple is made up of true mates, you know! Would it kill you to open yourself up to having feelings for someone, you son of a bitch?"

He was in her face before the insult had fully left her lips, crowding her out of his bedroom and into the hall. "Don't you ever say that shit again! My mom is ten times the woman you could ever pray to be. Now get the fuck out."

Seeing her opening, Brandy spun and ran for the door. She barely paused to grab her heels and the purse she'd left on the table there. Baron fought the need to go after the woman and teach her to show respect, controlling his breathing with an iron will and reigning in the instinct to shift. If there was one thing he would never stand for, it was for someone insulting anything about the woman who had given him life.

After showering and making sure his bags were packed, Baron walked out to meet Corey and his wifemate for a late breakfast. Eating with the mated pair was easier than dining with some of the other couples he was friends with or whom he was regularly around. Corey and Angie were affectionate and very attuned to each other, but they were not prone to overt displays most days.

"Hey, guys." Baron stowed his things in the trunk and folded himself into the backseat.

The married couple greeted him in return before Corey turned out of the apartment complex. "So, Brandy texted me a while ago."

Baron scoffed. "That woman needs to get over herself."

"She's just trying to figure out what's up with you." Angie turned so she could see both of the men clearly. "Not every couple is mated nowadays."

"But that's not what I want," Baron sighed and rubbed at the star on his left shoulder. "I just feel like there's something more out there for me."

Corey glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "More what?"

"More . . . real."

The subject of Baron's less-then-stellar love life was dropped as the group sat down to breakfast at a little open air café. The European tour was Baron's first, and he was excited to see Whitechapel. He had been obsessed with Jack the Ripper for most of his life, and walking the same streets as the infamous killer was an exciting prospect. Corey made him promise to take plenty of pictures, and Angie told him that he should try to visit Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum as well.

"Well, it's about that time." Corey slid out of the booth and then reached for Angie's hand to help her up as well. "Let's get you to your plane."

"Thanks for the ride, man." Baron put enough money down to cover his part of the meal plus a tip before turning to follow the couple. "I hate leaving my car in long – term park. . . ing."

Baron's sense of smell – very keen even when he wasn't shifted – caught something on the breeze. Something that smelled like warm and sweet and home and mine. It invaded his head like a drug and slid down his throat like Tennessee honey. His skin rippled in pleasure and he growled low in his throat for a moment before whipping around in search of the source.

Angie's nose twitched. "Do you guys smell-"

"Shhh," Corey hushed her gently and motioned to their friend. "Dude?"

"This way!" Baron turned into the wind and began running down the sidewalk, his friends struggling to keep up with his long strides.

Reaching the corner, the crosswind obliterated the trail. Whining low in his throat, Baron waved Corey and Angie in one direction while he turned the other. After a few minutes of whipping around and checking alleys to see if he could once again pick up the trail, he returned to the corner. Angie and Corey were both arriving at the same time, both shaking their heads at his unspoken question.

"I could smell her!" Turning, Baron struck the side of the building so hard a bit of cement broke and tumbled to the ground. "My mate was right fucking here!"

"Baron, man, you don't have time for this!" Corey took a step back and held his hands up in defense. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, man. Hear me out here."

"What?" Baron's voice was almost entirely a growl, people on the sidewalk skittered to give the large man a wide berth.

"If you miss this tour, especially this early in your career, the bosses won't forget it any time soon. Hell, skipping an overseas stint derailed RVD, and he was a star vet!"

"Like I give a fuck! My mate is out there, and close, and about to go into heat!"

Angie angled herself to slip between the arguing males. "And I'm sure she knows what to do. We'll keep looking for her, okay?"

Corey nodded and nudged his mate to the side so he could squeeze his friend's shoulder. "You can't just not go, man. You have to think of your mate, now that you know you have one and she's close. How would you provide for her if you fuck this up?"

Baron hated to admit it, but he knew his friend was right. "Okay, fine."

"You two go on," Angie waved them away. "I'll stay here and walk around. See if I can narrow it down or find her place."

Corey hugged Angie and pressed a kiss to her forehead before taking Baron by the elbow and leading him away. "C'mon, man. Ang might be a Beta, but she's one hell of a tracker."

Baron nodded and smirked at his friend across the roof of the car. "She'd have to be with your hell spawn!"

"Shut up and get in the car." Corey laughed and shook his head. "Smart ass."