Colored neon flashed through the city.
A towering building was full of drunk laughter.
An empty case of beer lay on a chair.
Half-full and empty cans and bottles littered the kitchen.
A tipsy, white-winged Omega trailed a wasted, antelope-horned Alpha.
Only Betas and an Alpha remained at the table.
"I love you so much..."
The antelope-horned Alpha purred in the Omega's ear, his cheeks red with whiskey.
"I love you too."
The Omega smirked, pressing a sloppy kiss to his boyfriend's cheek.
The Alpha giggled, then dragged the reluctant Omega into his room.
"John,"
The Omega whined.
"I gotta go to bed."
John growled softly as he forced his lips on the Omega.
Their clumsy kiss only lasted a few seconds before the Omega pushed the Alpha off of him.
"Seriously, I have a killer headache."
The Omega whispered into John's ear.
John let out another annoyed snarl, this time taking a step back.
"Fine. Go to sleep, Smitt."
Smitty gave John an appreciative peck on the cheek and trailed his wing down the Alpha's side as he slipped out of the door.
When the door closed, Smitty sighed.
He wasn't going to deal with drunk John trying to unbutton his clothes with clumsy fingers.
They could spend the night together when they were sober.
Smitty wobbled toward his room, turning the doorknob and flicking on the light.
When he turned to look at his bed, he froze.
"Evening, Smit."
Smitty blinked at the person in front of him, his mind taking a few moments longer to process who it was that had snuck into his room.
"Brian?"
The Alpha was sitting on his bed, his eyes boring into the Omega.
"How was your evenin'? Yer boyfriend trapped in any prisons?"
Smitty swallowed. A heavy weight filled his gut.
"I...I know it wasn't Brock..."
He managed to stutter, his eyes wide and wings tense.
Brian scoffed before standing up and taking a few steps toward Smitty.
"Good, then we're on the same page."
The Alpha continued his steps forward.
Smitty could sense the anger radiating off of Brian in viscous waves and cringed lower.
The Alpha's voice dipped to a growl,
"It was you, wasn't it?"
Smitty felt his heart stop for a second before resuming at double the speed.
His hands trembled and all traces of alcohol left his mind.
"Wh-wh...n-no!"
His lips refused to work with his panicked mind, his throat tightening as Brian's gaze narrowed.
"Evan might be too much of a coward to push for the truth, but I'm not Evan."
Brian took one last looming step over the quivering Omega. His bright eyes were sharpened to daggers and a smirk pulled devilishly at his lips.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Smit. Just admit it."
Smitty could feel a whine pulling at his throat. He attempted to hold it back, but it slipped through his words.
"I-I-I d-didn't at-tack J-Jonathan."
The whimper trembled with terror, and Brian snarled at him.
"Fine. Tell me the truth, Omega."
Smitty felt his body stiffen. The icy words stabbed his heart and tears leaked down his cheeks.
The feathers on his wings were the only thing that still quivered.
The words pulled themselves from his throat.
He had no control, no resistance.
"It wasn't me."
The words were so clear and calm, they felt vile to be coming from his own mouth.
But it was the truth all the same.
Brian glared at him for a moment longer, then let out a sigh.
"Relax."
Smitty crumpled to the floor. His breathing was ragged and his lungs heaved for breath as Brian took slow steps toward his vanity.
The Alpha picked up the propeller hat that sat on the smooth wood.
"Great. We're down to two."
Brain said softly.
Smitty glanced up at the Alpha, and slowly stumbled to his feet.
"Wh-what do w-we do n-now?"
Brian glanced at Smitty, then smiled while looking back at the hat.
"We?"
Brian took a step toward Smitty and shoved the hat into his chest.
There was a snap of muffled plastic.
"I am going to continue investigating all the damned Omegas until Evan knows for a fact that my Brocky is innocent. You,"
Brian shoved Smitty away and walked toward the door.
"Can do whatever the-"
"Brian!"
Smitty and Brian froze, their stares locked on the open door.
A Beta rounded the corner of the hallway at full speed, his brown hair ruffled and blue eyes wild.
"There was an attack on one of the piers! Get your stuff together!"
Smitty stared at Scotty for a moment before turning toward Brian.
The Alpha nodded, then glanced at Smitty one last time before hurrying toward the armory.
Scotty vanished further down the hall, opening doors to relay the message..
Smitty stared at his lucky hat.
The propeller had snapped in half, the sharpened blades of plastic hanging limp.
He slowly pulled the hat over his head and adjusted his 3D glasses before entering John's room, the light already on
They had to prepare.
***
Evan had blinked at the alarm on Anthony's screen, trying to ignore the clock in the corner of the screen that screamed 3:42 am.
The Beta had called him in after security camera footage showed a herd of Alphas swarming toward the pier, and from what Evan could guess, it was the Canaries again.
"Evan!"
The gang boss had turned to see Tyler panting, his hair ruffled and bags dark under his eyes.
"Scott woke me. How many?"
Evan had turned back toward the screen, Tyler coming up beside him. The gang boss had ignored the stench of beer on the Alpha's breath.
"Looks like twenty, maybe thirty."
Tyler had nodded.
"Who should I organize?"
Evan had chewed his top lip. His mind had been somewhat hazy, and his lack of sleep had been trying to catch up to him, but he had forced it away.
"We're going to need everyone who can fight. Tell Scott to wake the others."
Tyler had nodded, before dashing away.
Then, as Evan made his way downstairs, he could smell the alcohol that had tainted the breath of his men, and he could see the cans and bottles that were scattered across the kitchen.
He just hoped everyone could think clear enough to aim and shoot.
Everyone gathered in the armory quickly, and as Evan was strapping his bulletproof vest on, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
An almost sober Tyler pulled him to the side, his bright eyes scanning the guys to make sure most of them were sobering up.
"Everyone is awake and getting their things together except Jonathan,"
He reported after a moment. Evan paused.
"Why not Jonathan?"
Tyler glanced at the drowsy Omega standing in the farthest corner of the room. He rubbed his eyes as Smitty brushed him with a wing.
"We don't know if he can handle himself,"
Tyler reasoned, looking back at Evan. The gang boss faltered. He had forgotten Jonathan hadn't joined them on a mission yet.
"It's too dangerous to bring him. I say we leave him here and-"
Evan shook his head, silencing Tyler.
"I don't trust him alone with Brock."
Evan said, finishing the last strap on his vest.
"Let's bring Jon. Don't give him a weapon, but give him a vest, and keep him behind protection."
Tyler stared at him for a moment before nodding, then stepped away to greet the half-asleep Omega.
Evan stared at Jonathan for a moment, watching as Tyler helped him get a vest on as he listed instructions. Jonathan glanced at Evan, and the gang boss turned away.
He needed to focus.
Jonathan will be safe. He won't be near Brock.
Evan hesitated with his last thought.
He was reluctant to leave Brock at the base alone.
But Brock has never done anything irrational in the years we've known each other...
Until recently...
Evan shook the thoughts away. He wasn't dealing with this argument again.
His eyes caught on a pair of gray wings and he felt his shoulders relax.
"Ohm!"
The Omega turned his hazel gaze toward Evan and hurried over, finishing the straps to his own vest as he asked,
"What is it, Evan?"
"I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Brock. We can't risk him escaping."
The Omega's hands hovered over his last strap as he blinked, then nodded slowly. He seemed reluctant as he began to unstrapped the vest.
"Oh...of course. I'll protect the base."
Evan placed a hand on Ohm's shoulder and smiled. He could feel his eyelids attempting to force their way closed, but fought it harder.
"Thank you. If anything happens, call me. We'll come back immediately."
A small smile pulled at Ohm's lips and he nodded an affirmative.
Evan dismissed the Omega and grabbed his shotgun off the wall.
He checked his ammo, then ushered everyone to the vans.
It was time to take back their piers.