Chapter 3

Everyone sat somewhat awkwardly at the table as they listened to Mitch's punishment.

Avi seemed comfortable enough, but Kirstin kept shifting in her seat. She'd gotten these kinds of punishments too.

They sat in silence while they heard smacks and Mitch counting the hits. Mitch didn't get punished often, so to hear him shouting and being spanked was quite odd for everyone who heard it. *****

Once Scott and Mitch finally emerged from their bedroom, the rest of the pack was already seated eating breakfast. Mitch had a bit of a limp, and the moment Avi saw it he smiled proudly at Scott. Scott practically began to glow under the approval. Mitch hobbled over to where Kevin had set a plate out for him, and handed it to Scott. "May I eat now, Alpha?" Mitch asked quietly. Scott smiled at him, and nodded. Mitch cringed when he took a seat next to Kirstie, as she was eating the meal Avi allowed her to. Scott set Mitch's plate down in front of him with a generous portion of food to accommodate for the harsh punishment he had taken. "Thank you very much, Sir." Mitch stated. Scott smiled and sat down next to him to eat his own food. The rest of the meal consisted of Mitch shifting in his chair to lessen the pain of his punishment, Scott grinning proudly every time he did so, and Avi silently congratulating Scott when this all happened. Kevin just sat silently eating after the lecture he'd received from the Alpha, while Kirstie sat happily chewing, glad that all the punishments were over. *****

Later that evening, Scott sat on the couch with Mitch on his lap. Kevin sat next to them while they all watched The Office. Mitch cuddled into Scott's chest while the taller boy subconsciously rubbed comforting circles into the Omega's arm. Mitch had only just closed his eyes, when Kirstie came flying out of her room with a smile on her face. "Mitch! Mitchie, come quick!" Kirstie called her fellow Omega. Scott immediately smelled something different when Kirstin ran into the room. Mitch stood up and ran towards her to try to match her excitement. Scott inhaled deeply to see if he could smell something on Kirstin, and tilted his head. "No way. Avi finally did it." Kevin looked back from Scott to Kirstie. "Did what?" Kirstie squealed and tipped her head to the side to show off her neck. Mitch looked closely and gasped. "He Marked you." See, 'Marking' is a kind of thing that Alphas to do their Omegas when they want to permanently bond. It's just a simple bite on the neck, but it means a lot more than it seems. A bond is kind of like a marriage, but allows more of an emotional connection than a typical couple.

For example, if Kirstie fell and got hurt, Avi would know even if he wasn't around. He would then be overwhelmed to protect her.

If Avi was upset, Kirstie would be able to see it on his face and immediately feel the urge to make him happy again. Mitch hesitantly reached out and touched the bite mark on Kirstin's neck. But as soon as he touched it, he pulled away quickly as if it had burned him. Kirstie squealed again and started to clap. "I am SO happy! God, I love him, Mitch. I really do." "That's so exciting Kirst. Y'all are so cute together!" Mitch said excitedly. Kirstin ran back into her bedroom to see Avi again, and Kevin shook his head fondly at her. Mitch watched her go, and then turned to look at Scott. 'Why hasn't Scott marked ME yet? I wonder if I did something wrong. Maybe that thing with Kevin.. Maybe Scott thinks I'm disobedient because I didn't tell him Kevin's secret..'

Suddenly Mitch noticed Scott standing in front of him snapping his fingers in his face. "Earth to Mitchell. You okay there, love?" Mitch shook his head to snap himself back from his thoughts. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I.. Can I talk to you a second, Sir?" Scott furrowed his eyebrows and nodded. "Always. Bedroom?" Mitch nodded and turned on his heel to walk into their room. Scott followed him after nodding at Kevin to say 'goodbye'. When Scott opened the door, Mitch was pacing back and forth while running a hand through his hair. Scott laughed and closed the door. "You seem stressed. Everything alright?" Mitch continued to pace, and didn't answer. Scott raised an eyebrow and walked in front of Mitch to get in his way. Also causing Mitch to meet his eyes. "I know you did not just ignore your Alpha." Scott said powerfully. Mitch scoffed. "You're not my Alpha. Avi is, technically."

Scott grabbed Mitch's shoulders. "Mitch. Don't. You never act out like this. What's wrong?" "Well I must do something wrong for you not to like me. If its not acting out, what is it?" Mitch asked. "What the Hell is this Mitchell? Explain this attitude immediately." Scott commanded as his Alpha eyes began to glow red. "I don't have to answer to you. Avi is my Alpha." Mitch snapped. "Don't make me punish you, Omega." Scott ground out through clenched teeth. That had Mitch squirming, but Scott kept a vice grip on his shoulders. "You better explain right the hell now Omega. I've just about had it with your attitude. Keep this up, and I'll ensure that you won't be able to walk for a week. I'll let Avi punish you afterwards too." Scott growled. Mitch whimpered and instantly bowed his head. "Oh God. Please forgive me, Alpha. Please don't punish me. Please." Scott's grip slid down from his shoulders and grabbed Mitch's forearms. "What. Is. Your. Problem. Omega?"

Mitch whined at the Alpha's angry tone. "Why won't you Mark me?" He whispered. Scott let his eyes change back to normal, and he loosened his grip on Mitch's arms. "Speak up, Omega." Scott demanded. "What do Kirstie and Avi have that we don't? Why haven't you Marked me yet?" Mitch spoke a little louder. Scott looked confused, as Mitch never spoke of this kind of thing before. Mitch looked up with tears in his eyes. "What's wrong with me? Don't..Don't you l-love me?" He sobbed after his sentence and covered his mouth when he did so. Scott instantly hugged the smaller boy, and regretted being so harsh on him. But he had to, to maintain order. To prove he possessed the same power that Avi did. Mitch cried into his shoulder as Scott rubbed his back. "You didn't deserve to be yelled at, darling. You're such a good boy. Always such a good boy." Scott praised, knowing it appealed to the Omega's instincts to please. Mitch let himself cry everything out, and allowed Scott's words to comfort him. Mitch cleared his throat, and kept his head burrowed into Scott's chest. Scott picked up Mitch's small body and gently placed him on the bed. He was about to hop in next to him, when Avi appeared in the doorway. "I can smell Mitch's sadness all the way from my room. What are you doing in here? You should be comforting him. I shouldn't smell that kind of despair for more than a second before you take care of it. Understand?" Avi ordered. "Understood. I'm taking care of it. Sorry to bother you. Is Kevin in bed yet?" Scott asked.

"Kevin is asleep, and Kirstie and I will be soon. Take care of him, Scott. He really needs an Alpha as strong as you in his life. Don't you dare let me down." Avi said forcefully. Scott nodded. Avi left and closed the door behind him. Scott thought for a moment, and then turned to face Mitch, who had his eyes on him from where he was lying on the bed. Scott took off his jeans and his shirt and ordered Mitch to do the same. Once they were both comfortable and lying down, Scott wrapped an arm around Mitch. Mitch turned around to face him, and Scott grazed his fingers up and down Mitch's arm. "Please tell me what's wrong. Please don't cry. Just talk to me, sweetheart." Scott spoke gently. "I'm.. I'm sorry I.. When Kirstin walked in with Avi's Mark on her neck.. I think I got jealous. I think I got worried that you would never Mark me.." Mitch confessed. "Oh Mitchie. Our time will come too. It just has to be right for both of us. I don't want to do it, just because Avi did. We aren't even a couple.. Do you even want to be my omega? It seems like whenever something happens, you go to Avi...Oh." Scott stopped himself, and his hand on Mitch's arm froze. "What?" "You want me, because you can't have Avi." Scott realized. Scott sat up, and let his thoughts run for a minute. "What? No. Absolutely not. I want you, because I don't want to be an Unmarked Omega anymore. I want Alphas to come near me and know that I belong to someone... I want that 'someone' to be you." Mitch sat up as well. "Then why do you always run to Avi? Why can't you trust me to take care of you? Why is Avi hyper aware of your sadness?" Scott began firing questions as his thoughts got worse. "Scott, it is way too late at night to be talking like this. Avi's job is to protect all of us. Including you. I know you think you're a big bad Alpha, but he's in charge of you too. Just like the rest of us. I go to Avi, because that's what I'm supposed to do. We are all his responsibilities." Mitch explained. Scott turned to glare at him. "Excuse you, Omega. I am a big bad Alpha. I'm not the leader, but I am the next in line. He's asked me to take better care of you. If you are ungrateful of my care, then I can just leave. I'll go sleep on the sofa. Maybe I'll send Avi in here, just to make you happy. Is that what you want?"

Scott stood from the bed and put his hands on his hips. Mitch let his eyes trail down to Scott's boxers, but quickly met his eyes. "No answer? Fine. Then that's exactly what I'll do. Have fun sleeping with Avi." Scott snapped.

Mitch started to argue. "No, Scott. That's not what I-" Scott turned around, and his eyes flashed red. "Did you just say 'No, Scott'?"

Mitch whimpered again. "I'm sorry, sir." Scott shook his head. "I'll be on the couch. Come get me if you need anyth-.. Actually. Why don't you go tell Avi if you need something? You clearly don't need me, so." Scott walked out and slammed the door behind him. *****