18 miles out

Rick and the others didn't get back until the next day, in the early afternoon. Carl runs up to his dad and throws his arms around him. Rick swings him up into his arms, scenting and being scented in return. The Flock gathers around as the other two Alphas get out of the car, the silhouette of extra body could be seen out of the window. Maggie runs past her father to Glenn, hugging him tight and scenting his neck. Glenn rubs his hand up and down her back, walking her away from the car. He scents her once he deems it enough of a distance.

"Is everyone okay? Is everyone here?" Rick throws his arm around T-Dog's shoulders, scenting him as well. Daryl comes outside, clean and in fresh clothes. Rick offers him his hand and he comes down, clasping it in a firm handshake.

Stiles walk over to his father as he scent his brother and father.

"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog points to the car.

"Randel." Glenn answers, "His Pack attacked us, he jumped off a roof and impaled his leg on a metal fence. Hershel tried to save him, but a Walker herd came through. Rick pulled him off the fence and we came back."

"You brought him here?!" Andrea exclaims, "We have Omegas and pups here and you brought an unknown... You thought you'd bring him here?!"

"What were we supposed to do? Let him bleed out on a fence, surround by Walkers?" Rick growls at her. Andrea was becoming a problem, even more now with Shane no longer as her Alpha.

"What do we do with him now?" Carol asked. Rick looked over to the RV, the door was open.

"Sophia came out of her Heat this morning." stiles grunts. "Carol, Carl and I stayed with her last night. She's taking a shower, been asking for ya."

Rick nods, patting his son on the shoulder. stiles scents him hand before moving out from under it. He starts pacing, eyes never leaving the boy inside. He was on guard, nervous, like he had been the first time Rick had gotten the Omega back.

"Why is he here? Alpha?" Shane speaks quiet, eyes lowered, pulling Rick from thought. "What are we going' to do with 'im?" The Packs had moved inside the farmhouse and were gathered around the dining table. The three Alphas had explained everything that happened, and why they were so late getting back.

"I fix his legs as best I can." Hershel says from the door. "He'll be out for hours."

"What happens when his Pack comes looking?" Shane pushes, meeting Rick's eyes, "What then?"

Rick rumbles in warning, causing Shane to lower them again, "His Pack is made up of Traditional Alphas and Betas. They left him for dead, skewered on a fence as Walker bait while they made their getaway; no one's gonna come lookin'. We give him water, take him to the main road and send him on his way."

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the Walkers?" Andrea scowls.

"He'll have a fighting chance." Rick counters.

"He knows where we are." Shane raises his voice.

"He was blindfolded the whole way." Glenn steps in, "He's not a threat."

"Not a threat?" Shane laughs, "How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, and took one hostage and you think they ain't gonna come lookin' for 'im?"

"They left him for dead!" Rick flashes his teeth at the Gamma, sending him to his knees, "No one will come looking."

"A guard?" T-Dog suggested, getting a look from his Prime, "If it will make people feel safe, we set up a watchman. Keep an eye on the area."

"We'll look at this, folks," Shane gets back to his feet, shakily, "we're back in fantasy land."

Hershel steps in this time, getting in the Gamma's face, "We still haven't talked about what you did to my barn. This is still my Pack's land, not yours. I wanted you gone, and my daughter did too. Glenn and Rick talked us out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Do all of us a favor and keep your mouth SHUT." He growls out the last word, causing a shiver to go up everyone's spines, even Rick's. This was an Alpha who had been in charge a long time; his words were powerful and had impact. Shane nods with a scuff, walking back to the campsite.

"Look, right now we're going to take this one step at a time." Rick tells the gathered Flock, "Hershel will fix his leg and we go from there."

Maggie pulls Glenn off to the side to talk about what had happened that they had left out. She could tell because of the way Rick and Glenn would exchange glances. While he told her of hiding and failing his Alpha, Maggie thought better of mentioning the conversation with Rick before they left. She prays that she never has to say goodbye to this kind Alpha; not until they're old and grey, matching Mating Marks fading together in their sleep, hand in hand.

"Rick." Lori comes up to the Alpha as he was talking to Stiles about what had happened while the three Alphas were gone. Beth still comatose; Lori trying to go after them and Shane stopping her by locking her in one of the spare rooms in the house; Stiles coming back before dark and staying close to Maggie or the RV and the almost fight he got into with Andrea while he was skinning dinner, broken up by Dale.

Rick ignores the Beta, who waits fuming, until Stiles has said his peace and left to get Sophia, who had yet to stop asking about Rick. Sighing, Rick turns to his ex-Mate, "What?"

"We need to talk about Shane."

"What's he done now?" Rick walks towards the barn, where others were cleaning up, forcing Lori to follow if she wanted to talk.

"He's delusional and dangerous. When I went to go get you guys, he told me you had taken one of the guest rooms and all the keys were in there. Then he locked the door. He wouldn't let me out until dinner, and then he followed me the whole time, hovering.... You saw what he did at the barn." Lori got in front of Rick, hopping this would get his attention, or at least stop him from walking away from her.

"He's threatened Dale, and Hershel. He's scaring people, and me." She wraps her arms around her stomach, the action of a mother protecting her child. She knew it would work; it had before when she was having Carl and wanted Rick's family to be distant. Rick saw the action and swallowed, he knew what the action was, and how she was expecting him to react.

"I think," She breathes shakily and whispers, "I think he killed Otis; sacrificed him to get away with the supplies."

"Did Dale or Hershel tell you this? Or are you..." Rick looks back at camp, where Shane was showing Carl knots with a piece of rope, and Stiles was making his way to then, dragged along by a little Omega with a blonde French braid and a bright smile. Sophia.

"Shane thinks you can't protect us as our Alpha; that you're going to get us killed." Rick looks at the Beta, "You told us earlier that you killed those men to protect what's your's; your son, your Pack. Shane's dangerous and he won't stop. His Alpha instincts rule him even as a Gamma. He's a threat; you need to do what you can to protect what's your's."

"Like kill him? Kill my brother, the one YOU turned against me, trying to play us against each other?" Lori swallows and tries to backtrack. Rick cuts her off with a rumble. "I'll talk to the others; if the Flock thinks he's a danger.... Then I'll deal with him."

Rick walks away from the Beta, from the barn, and heads towards the little girl in the leather and jean jacket, flying towards him with an angel's wings on her back. Stiles watches his Alpha swing the little girl into his arms with a smile, the new Omega buries her nose into his neck, scenting her new Alpha. Rick scents her back and walks her towards the Theta, Stiles's eyes never leaving the satisfied smirk on the pregnant Betas face. He'd watch her, Stiles thinks, He wouldn't fall for the woman's games.

....

Rick took Shane with him when they went to drop off Randel the next morning, to give the Flock a break from the Gamma. He had settled into his rank, and his hormones were balanced again, making it dangerous to leave him unattended. Him and Glenn had been taking turns watching him, not letting him out of their sight in case something happened for almost two weeks now. Glenn took this morning's shift, now it was Rick's turn. They went out to the main road, a crossroad, and were ready to let Randel, a young Beta, go.

It was the farthest Rick had been from his Pack since it formed. The two new bonds pulsed in his head, usually non-existent when right next to them. He would feel a small tug when Daryl or stiles went hunting, but until the Alpha and Omega scented him properly, and allowed Rick to do the same, their bond would never grow past that, like Merle's. Glenn's was the strongest, a steady heartbeat echoed in his brain. He could smell his emotions through their bond; something he was told no other Alpha could do. He could smell Shane's old Alpha scent, dormant in his glands. It was only times like this, when he did nothing but focusing on his nose that he could accomplish this level of scenting. Glenn was with Maggie, and Rick quickly focused on something else as spikes in the beating became faster. T-Dog was working with Dale, steady beats and boredom with slight interest and fondness. Carl was playing with Sophia; tag if the fast heartbeats and smell of excitement were correct. Carol was watching them, calm beats and joy and love thick. The two Omegas had joined the Pack properly after Sophia's Heat. Rick had scented them in the RV, away from the others, then they went and got scented by the others. The two smell strongest of Stiles, because he has spent the most time with them.

"I thought we were going further?" Shane asks.

"We are. 18 miles out."

"Then why are we stopping?" Shane growls. Rick turns around and pushes the Gamma to his knees.

"I was nice the last time. If I have to do it again, it will be done the Traditional way instead of the New-School way, do I make myself clear?" Shane whines and bares his neck. Rick leans down and scents him, allowing his own pheromones to mingle with Shane's. The Gamma could tell his Alpha was angry, because he didn't smell like comfort, the way he usually does. He smelled like the summer wind before a thunderstorm; like danger, a fierce wind and unforgiving cold that sank into his bones. But also comfort, like the smell of rain hitting dirt while you curled up in front of the fireplace, the thunder like a heartbeat, a soothing lullaby to rock you to sleep.

It was confusing and so.... Rick. Shane whines again, and the Prime helps him to his feet without looking at him.

"We need to talk." Rick sighs. "I've heard rumors about you. That you killed Otis; threatened Dale and Hershel, and yes, I've spoken to both and no Dale was not the one who told me about it. But it made me very curious as to why Dale seemed so scared of you that he tried to make me promise not to tell you. Even went as far as threatened to take the RV and leave if I couldn't promise to protect him against you. Mind filling me in? And handing over the gun you're white knuckling."

Shane passes his gun over to his Alpha, who swung it over his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting like a parent would while Shane gathered his words together. "It was him or me. One shot to the leg and Carl lives. I didn't hesitate."

"But you think I would?"

"I know you would man." Shane spits at the ground near the car, even turning so his Alpha wouldn't think he was being disrespectful. "You don't have it in ya to be that mean."

"You think I'm going to lead this Flock to their deaths? Heard a bit of that too. That I can't protect Stiles or Carl?" Shane backs up quick, hands spread in submission.

"I didn't say that! Not about Carl."

"But yes, to everything else." Rick gets closer, Shane averts his eyes. "Lori says you're a danger to the Pack. Not anymore. Not to the others, not to me, not anymore. How about you look at me." Rick growls, using his Alpha voice, something he hasn't done to Shane, ever.

"When everything started," Shane swallows, "It was just stories on the news. Then it was everywhere, happening so quick.... Two weeks go by and I'm with you in the hospital. Lori refused to bring Carl back after that first day, but I kept going before our shift ya know.... I wanted to be there when you woke up, I wanted to see my Alpha when he first woke up. Then one day I was there and man...." Shane sniffled, and Rick wiped some tears from his brother's eyes, "There was soldiers, shooting people in the halls. People, Rick, not Walkers. But then the Walkers came too and.... I tried to get you out, I did. But all those tubes and the machines went dead, and I couldn't hear a heartbeat. I couldn't carry your corpse out of there man, I couldn't. I closed the door up as tight as could, put a gurney in front of the door.... Tried to keep them out of the room as best I could. Then I left, before the Walkers or the soldiers could get me. I got to Lori and Carl and we left as soon as we could, heading to Atlanta."

"You put the gurney in front of my door?" Rick whispers, resting his forehead against Shane's.

"Figured they'd be too dumb to move it ya know? One last barrier between you and death. I couldn't stop you from being shot, but I could stop that." Shane's laugh was a poor cover for his sobs. The two men wrap their arms around each other and stay there until they calm down. No matter what happened, or would happen, Shane was still that little boy who had sat next to Rick on the bus so many years ago and claimed to be his Alpha to get away from little Roseanne. They still laugh about that day they became brothers, and Rick still teased Shane about the fact that Roseanne had grown up to be a beautiful Traditional/New-School Omega, who became a therapist and had married and Mated a Traditional Alpha cop from Atlanta. She would have been Shane's perfect match.

"Let's get going." Rick smiles, and the two of them pile into the car, Randel still tied up in the trunk.

Randel knew about the farm. He had gone to school with Maggie, even though the Alpha didn't remember him, meaning he also knew about the Greene's farm and where it was. To let him go as they had planned had ended in disaster. Shane had pulled a gun on the Beta as soon as he confirmed he knew the farm, Rick had knocked it from his hands, causing the bullet to hit the kids leg instead of his head. The two growl and attack, ripping bleeding gashes in each other, Rick comes out on top with a bruised jaw and a cut over his eye. Shane bleeds from a cut on his cheek that fills his mouth with blood, along with two missing teeth and a broken nose. Shane throws a wrench at the Alpha, with enough force to decapitate him. Rick realizes in that moment that Shane would kill him if he thought that would put him on top. The wrench goes through the window and Rick kills the first Walker that comes through, then drags it on top of him as the rest of the small herd give chance to Shane.

He gathers up Randel and Shane and they leave. Shane stays quiet and helps load the Beta in the back, then gets in the passenger side, staring out the window as Rick drives them back to the farm. The Flock gathers around the car as they pull up. Daryl comes up from behind, growling, something that shall forever fascinate Rick, "What the hell is he still doing in there?!"

"You guys didn't let him go?"

"I thought the plan was-"

"-There better be a damn good explanation for-"

"QUIET!" Rick roars. The group shuts up, glaring at the car. Some shoot those glares at Rick too.

"Why's he still in there?!" Daryl gets in Rick's face before he pushes past him, pacing.

"He knew about the farm." No one moved, no one breathed, "He named Maggie, Hershel, Beth and Shawn by name. Said he went to school with Maggie. He knew where he was and letting him go was more dangerous than having him here, locked up."

"How?" Andrea spat.

"He could lead his Pack to us if he found them. Traditional Alphas and Betas, all males, that outnumbers us three to one. I made a decision for the good of the Pack and I'm not taking it back." The others nod in agreement. Shane gets out and slams the door, earning a few looks at his busted-up face and slight limp. Rick might've stood on Shane's ankle while hitting him; it was most likely a sprain, if not broken. He shrugged it off; not his fault.

"What the hell?" Andrea and Lori crowd the Gamma, helping him walk and fussing over his injuries. Rick growled at them, getting louder and louder until they stepped away.

"We had a disagreement." Rick rumbles. The two Betas round on the Prime like they were going to yell at him, but Daryl shut all of them up by throwing Randel down in front of them. He rips the bag over his head away and the headphones out of his ears, leaving the whimpering Beta staring at the Flock in full for the first time. Rick hadn't even known it, the Alpha had moved and that was kneeling right in front of the downed Beta with a crossbow leveled with his eye.

"Daryl hold your fire but keep it on him." Rick says, coming up behind the archer and laying his hand on the back of his neck, squeezing lightly. Daryl rumbles in response but leans into it as he pulls away.

"So, what now Rick? Huh? We make him a nice bed, bring him some coco?!" Shane growls. The Gamma wouldn't learn, and Rick's fuse might be long, but right then was when it burned out as far as Shane was concerned. The Prime storms back over at him and drives his elbow into the already broken nose, making the man fall to his back, howling. Rick grabs him by the collar of his shirt and drags him up enough to choke him out.

As Shane claws at the Alpha's arm, Daryl watches as the fight drains from him, along with his consciousness. Rick was rumbling the whole time, flexing his arm to get a better grip and block the Gamma's airway faster. For some reason, Daryl felt satisfied. Felt it deep in his bones, a slight tingle down his spine at the display of power. He sees Carol shift too, a flush coming out on her cheeks. Maggie and Glenn both piped up in interest, even the Betas seemed pleased. Lori and Andrea flush as well, watching Shane fall to the ground, knocked out, and Rick standing tall as the victor. Daryl chalks it up to the Pack being pleased by their Prime's strength, though he might go to Carol later to double check. She was a fellow Omega who had been a part of Packs before, maybe she could help him with this.

Rick directs Dale and T-Dog to take Shane to the barn and tie him up, sending Maggie with them to drug Shane with sedatives and Suppressants. Shane had pushed Rick too far on their journey and now the Prime was Disowning him, he would be Dismissed from the Pack soon. Daryl was instructed to take Randel to the shed he had been staying in and locked up until Rick comes for him. Daryl bares his neck with a nod, Rick's eyes flashing in response. When Andrea smacks Rick in front of everyone, the Alpha presses down on a pressure point at the back of her neck, sending her down as well. He directs Glenn to lock her in the RV, then stares at the others, waiting. When no one else challenges him, Rick has Hershel hand out chores while he follows Daryl, and stiles ready to get some answers.

Stiles is in wolf form, they three thought it would scare the beta into talking if he though rick would let the wolf kill him.