***PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING NOTES***
Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers or any recognisable characters. I only lay claim to my original characters in this story.
Warnings: angst, drama, violence, some bad language, mentions of sex, mpreg (not explicit, mainly mentioned so you can ignore that if you want), Alpha/Omega sort of dynamics (see below for details).
Pairings: Tony/Steve/Natasha/Bruce/Clint/Thor, Tony/T'Challa, Pepper/Happy/OC
Authors Note: Firstly, if you want a story that sticks to canon, keeps things in order and the characters as portrayed in the movies, DON'T read this one. This story twists and turns through the storylines so much even I'm not sure what happened. It sort of starts after Ultron, but it's not mentioned at all. There's also reference to CA:TWS but nothing explicit. It's a very alternate take on Civil War as well.
Seriously, I made up my own timeline and threw bits in that worked with my story. So it's best not to rely on this being accurate with the movies. I started writing this I think after seeing a trailer for one of the movies and I've been adding to it over time.
Also, SHIELD fell and then got back up, Fury didn't die, neither did JARVIS, everyone knows Coulson is alive, General Ross is an asshole, Wanda is crazy, lots of hand-wavey science (I basically make stuff up so don't judge me), hints at canon but not in the typical movie order so if some stuff is messed up just go with it. The Accords are also different to the movies as I wrote that part before seeing the movie. Instead of a bunch of countries going against the Avengers, it's basically just Ross stirring up trouble and trying to rule the world.
Terms you will come across in the story that I feel the need to clarify:
Alpha: the more dominant partner, not necessarily the stronger physically but generally they are larger in the male gender and aggressive in the female gender. Well, aggressive in both really but the girls are scary fierce. They sire the offspring.
Omega: the more submissive partner. The ones who give birth, even if they are male or female. They can have many babies at once. Also, they put mother grizzly bears to shame with how protective they are over their offspring.
Pups: the babies
Cosmos: the almighty deity thing that extracts unbreakable promises and vows. Not really a person, more like some unseen force that just is.
Pride: a group of aggregable Alphas and Omegas who can bond together in a marriage. The partners each bite the neck of the others and once it heals a sort of ring appears around the mark for every person within the Pride. Prides can be as little as three or as many as ten etc.
So, here's the first chapter, if there are other terms that you think need clarification feel free to mention them. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
It was official. Mondays were evil and should be outlawed or something. When he left this abysmal place, he was going to give some serious thought to getting rid of Mondays. There would be a petition and everything. He could probably get a lot of names on it too. Everyone hated Mondays, right? It really should be replaced by another weekend day. Maybe since he was the one who spear headed the exile of the dreaded Mondays, he would get to choose the name too.
"Are you listening to me?"
I'm trying not to because everything you say is as crazy as you, but since you've dragged me here on a Monday morning I suppose I'd better at least pretend.
"Sure." Tony drawled as he brought his focus back to General Ross. The Alpha stood before him, full military apparel and stance, ruined by the pouty/pissed off look upon his face.
"Stark, this is important." Ross turned and walked away, leaving Tony to follow. He wondered briefly what would happen if he didn't. Probably the armed minions around most corners would shoot him. At the very least he would never get out of this pathetic excuse for an evil villain lab.
Best to follow the madman for now.
He caught up to Ross in front of an elevator. The older held the door open and looked almost constipated about having to wait. Tony smirked gleefully as he sauntered into the elevator car. Ross pressed a button and they start descending.
"No elevator music?" Tony got a dark look from the General. Despite wanting to babble, he refrained and lapsed into silence. Instead he thought back to earlier in the day, when he had received the "request" for a meeting with Ross. The Alpha had crawled out of the woodwork now that Bruce had gone into hiding and had started to make waves concerning those who were enhanced, such as the Avengers.
Flashback
Tony was warm and happy in his blanket burrito. Steve wasn't here but his scent was. Tony inhaled deeply and then purred. Someone else was here too.
"Are you going to get up this morning or just get high on the Captain's scent?" the sarcastic but softly amused voice of Clint Barton made Tony peek one eye open. He found the Alpha peering down at him with soft eyes and a warm smile.
"You got coffee?" Tony whispered.
"You want some?"
Tony shot him a look of disgust. Did you seriously just ask if I want coffee? Clint laughed, not at all cowed. "I'll get you some coffee. Tasha will get you up and dressed. Pepper called earlier and said as soon as you were up you needed to call her back."
Tony groaned. "That settles it, I'm going back to sleep." He shut his eyes and burrowed back into the blankets.
A small delicate hand belonging to a different assassin, found its way between the blankets and Tony's skin. Tony groaned at the contact, wondering how she did it, how she managed to slip between the blanket layers every time.
"No fair," Tony pouted.
"Clint's getting your coffee, I'm getting your shower turned on then returning to get you. If you're not out of these blankets by the time I return, you're going under the water wrapped in them." With that, the lithe redhead climbed out of the bed, completely uncaring of her nudity.
Tony watched Natasha's ass and those awesome thighs disappear into the bathroom. When they were gone he gave a mournful sigh and started to untangle himself from the blankets. Finally free, he made his way into the bathroom to find a sinfully wet redhead waiting for him under the spray. She shot him a lascivious look and beckoned him closer with a crook of her finger.
Tony was a smart man. He didn't need to be told twice to move his ass.
After shower sex with an incredibly flexible assassin, Tony followed said assassin to the communal floor where Clint had prepared them not only plenty of coffee but some delightful smelling muffins.
"Aww, all this for little ol' me?" Tony cooed, "You shouldn't have. Especially since you can't cook."
Clint shot him a dry look. "Steve made the muffins before he left then froze them, you don't have to worry about food poisoning."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Have you heard from him?" There, that didn't sound needy at all.
He saw Clint and Natasha share a look before both shook their heads. Tony sighed. Steve had been going off for the last few months in search of the Winter Soldier, former Hydra assassin and brainwashed friend of Steve from the forties, also known as James Buchanan Barnes.
Wasn't that a mouthful.
There was also that tiny detail about the Winter Soldier being responsible for murdering Howard and Maria Stark. It had cost Tony a small fortune in therapy before he was okay with letting Steve go searching for his old buddy. In the end, he'd come to understand it was no point blaming the weapon instead of the one who wielded it. Barnes had been a gun and someone else had pulled the trigger. Only when he faced the man himself, would Tony truly know if he could forgive James Barnes, and not think of him as the Winter Solider. With the way the search was going, it would be some time before that happened anyway.
Tony knew Steve had been torn between staying with the Omega he was courting and searching out his long, lost soul brother. It was Tony's insistence that had made Steve go, but Tony himself wasn't all that happy about recent events. Tony already had a Pride of five Alphas courting him. Or he had before Bruce ran off in the dead of night after being tracked down by certain ghosts from his past, and Thor had returned to Asgard for a visit/getting permission from his sire to court an Omega from another planet. Apparently, negotiations weren't going well because Thor had been gone almost two months. Tony pretty much expected Thor to return and declare he couldn't court an Omega from Earth, or at least not Tony.
"Hey, stop with all of the morose thoughts this early in the morning and eat your breakfast." Clint's voice made Tony remember where he was and he smiled gratefully at the archer before tucking into the yummy breakfast laid out before him.
They shared general chatter about the plans for the day in between kisses and sips of coffee. Tony would settle whatever Pepper's problem was before making plans. Natasha and Clint were both going to SHIELD for a mission debrief. As much as Tony didn't want them to go, leaving him without any Alphas to keep him company, he knew he couldn't stop them. Just because his inner Omega had been triggered by the pre-bond and wanted the Alphas all close by, didn't mean Tony was going to give in to instinct and demand they wait on him hand and foot.
He was saving that for when – if – he ever had pups.
So, after saying goodbye and watching them leave, Tony made himself busy by calling Pepper. Whatever was wrong, it would be best to get it out of the way, so Tony could then relax/mope around until one of his courting Alphas returned home.
"Hey, Pepper, what's up?"
"Tony, finally, look there's an urgent meeting that you need to attend this morning."
Tony whined dramatically. "But I gave you the CEO position so I didn't have to go to so many of these meetings."
"This is not an SI issue, this came to your direct line and JARVIS fielded it to me because you weren't awake yet."
Tony frowned, "Who called?"
There was a sigh on the other end of the phone, then, "General Ross."
End Flashback
Tony had argued with Pepper, but his former assistant had been determined that Tony at least meet with Ross, to talk about whatever it was the General thought was so important. So, here Tony was, still trying to figure out what was so important the Alpha had dragged him to this weird little underground base/supervillain lair.
Apparently, those friends in high places that Ross claims to have on speed dial are happy to fork out money for a dungeon but not a skylight.
He wished he could scroll through Facebook or text Rhodey – just to further annoy Ross – but the Alpha had confiscated Tony's phone when he arrived. It was a good thing he hadn't brought the Iron Man bracelets because he hated to think what might happen to his tech in the hands of Ross' minions. He managed to sneak the courting gift that Steve had given him past the security though. It was disguised as an arm band on his forearm, and if anyone tried to remove it, Tony would have cited the nature of the gift. A courting gift was a sacred emblem, to remove it, or ask for someone to remove it, was a huge taboo. It helped that the gift linked straight to JARVIS because of Steve's paranoia. He hadn't had to use it yet but when dealing with General Ross, it was good policy to expect the unexpected.
They arrived at the floor Ross had chosen and Tony followed the General out into a hallway that looked identical to the one they had left. Only this one was shorter and had only one door at the end. Tony had an uneasy feeling the closer he got to that door. The purpose of this floor was clearly to have as little traffic as possible. Behind that door must be something worth keeping under wraps.
The door was a solid, steel barrier, inflexible and looking like it belonged in some high-security prison. Beside the door was a number pad and thumb-scanner. The door was only accessed by certain people with the right digits.
Huh, digits.
Inner pun aside, the door looked more foreboding up close. Tony subtly sniffed and received no odour. Scent neutraliser. He watched as Ross scanned his left thumb and entered the code. He memorised the numbers just in case. The door beeped, and Ross pushed it open before turning to look at Tony. He gestured inside, and Tony walked past the Alpha into a small room. Opposite the door he had just entered, was a large viewing window through which he saw another room, this one equipped with harsh, white lighting that revealed in full clarity what the room contained.
Pups.
Two, freaking tiny babies wrapped up snugly in white blankets, wearing white hats on their little heads, placed in plastic bassinets. The room lacked any kind of warmth or personal touches generally found in all baby rooms. The Omega nesting instinct to surround the pup's first living space with colour and texture was something that could not be denied. Yet these pups were in a room clearly not decorated by their mother. The sight was so unnatural and upsetting Tony almost whined in distress. He knew he was probably pumping out stress hormones and didn't much care.
"What the hell is this?" Tony rasped, too horrified to modulate himself. General Ross should never have babies. He should never, ever, under any circumstances, have any contact with impressionable infants.
"The new age." Ross sounded so proud of that, so sure. It was alarming.
"They're pups." Tony said, unable to take his eyes off the tiny wrapped bundles.
"Yes."
"Whose?" Tony had a sick feeling and it would not go away. "Whose pups are they?"
"They're yours."
Two words changed his whole life because he could not smell any deceit from Ross. The mad General was telling the truth.
They're yours.
Mondays were officially the worst.
"Mine?" How the hell did that happen?
Tony had not given birth, certainly not in the few days this pair of pups had been in the world. He had also never donated his eggs. Not knowingly at least. He tore his gaze away from the sleeping pups to look at the Alpha standing beside him watching Tony with cold eyes.
"How?" Tony growled because it was all he could do not to rip the smug smile off the other man's face when General Ross smiled triumphantly.
"We have our ways."
"How?" The demand was clear in Tony's Omega laced tone. The Alpha would be compelled to respond. No matter how nasty an Alpha, they were biologically bound to respond to an Omega's question when spoken in that tone.
Ross didn't look happy about it, but he answered anyway. "When you had the arc reactor removed from your chest, we also had some of your eggs harvested."
Tony swallowed the bile in his throat, fighting the urge to vomit. He felt so violated, so furious, but he had to rein it in. He had to find out what Ross wanted. His mind was in turmoil but the important part was getting answers, not needling the insane Alpha.
"So, you stole my eggs, you created these two…using whose sperm?" Please don't say yours!
Ross shrugged. "Various donors went into making the embryos."
"Whose?" Tony demanded, letting his inner Omega fury peek out a little. His harsh scent began to permeate the air. Ross flinched just a little, enough for Tony to know he had gotten to him, before the Alpha composed himself and erected a blank mask on his face.
"They were sired by Captain Rogers and a Hydra assassin known as the Winter soldier. Both of their samples were collected when they were thawed out recently. They were degraded by the rapid metabolism of the serum but we were able to create these two little soldiers from what was left."
Tony swallowed more bile. Soldiers?! He wasn't even going to touch the thought of the pups being sired by one of his courting Alphas and an on-the-run assassin. That particular can of worms could wait until he was alone.
He rubbed his neck, agitated and trying not to lash out. His bitter scent still lingered, making the General shift away not so subtly. He viciously hoped that the harsh scent was making Ross' inner Alpha writhe in discomfort.
"So, you stole me eggs, you stole sperm from two super soldiers, you made two pups, now you show them to me because…?"
Ross shot him another sick little grin. "Because they're yours and you're going to raise them."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "Just like that?" It's never that easy.
"Just like that."
"Why?"
"You don't want to raise them?"
Tony wanted to throat-punch the asshole for even suggesting that. He hadn't even scent bonded with the pups yet and he already felt protective of them. Something primal inside him had clicked when he saw them. They were his and he was not leaving this dark little hellhole without them.
"Why are you just giving them to me after going through all of the trouble of creating them in secret?" Tony asked through gritted teeth.
Ross sighed, looking put upon, "Because the surrogates can't raise them the way they need to be raised, and we have no other method of caring for young pups."
Tony snorted, "You've had what? Nine months? To figure out your master plan and you forgot about the part where someone must care for the infant pups? Or did you skip ahead to your plans of training them to be soldiers in your army?"
Ross looked constipated again, much to Tony's sick delight. "Regardless, we have no method of caring for them other than you, their mother. So, here you are."
"And what exactly do I have to do to get them?" Tony asked coolly, not giving any of his inner turmoil away.
"Well that's simple. I'm going to have you sign some forms, and then I'm going to have you disappear."
"Excuse me? I don't sign anything without my lawyers."
"You'll sign this if you want to leave here with your little bundles of joy."
Tony barely withheld a growl. "So, where are these forms?"
Ross led him away from the pups and into a conference-style room on the floor above. Tony hurried through the forms and paused in horror.
It was something called The Accords. It basically put every enhanced person on a very tight leash controlled by a certain Governmental body of which Ross was a founding member. It would give him and people like him control over people like the Avengers, telling them where to go and what to do. They would be nothing but attack dogs sent out to destroy the mad General's enemies.
Any enhanced person who refused to sign the Accords, would be labelled an enemy of America, and hunted down for capture or execution.
And Ross wanted him to sign this shit?
"If you want your pups to live, you'll sign it. I can always make more soldiers."
That thought froze the blood in his veins. Once again, he scented no deceit from the Alpha; Ross was not lying. He would kill the pups and start again in making the perfect soldiers. At this point, Tony recognised an unhealthy and unending obsession when he saw one. He had witnessed first-hand how the search for Captain America's body had consumed Howard. Ross would not stop until he succeeded, and he would take down anyone in his way. Even two defenceless pups.
With a shaking hand, Tony signed the evil document and pushed it away roughly, feeling sick to his stomach. He had sold out his friends, his potential mates, and many more. The Stark name held a lot of influence in certain circles, his name on this agreement would sway a lot of minds. But he had done it for his children. That was all he could focus on for now.
"Now, let me take my kids." Tony spoke firmly, making it clear he was done.
Ross looked smug as he led the way back to the pups. "Now I'll escort you to a place where you can hide away until my soldiers are ready for training. It wouldn't do to have you all discovered before it was time."
Tony bit his tongue. Like hell, asshole! He was already plotting where to run, and how to get there. The people he left behind would need protection but so long as he didn't contact them, that should give them plausible deniability and protection from the likes of Ross. He hoped.
Once again, they stood in front of the glass wall keeping Tony from his pups. Tony wanted to rush in and snatch them up.
"It's a shame only two of them were ideal candidates."
Tony froze. Something about that wording twigged in his brain. It made him realise, Ross would not have simply stolen two of his eggs. He could have stolen dozens of them, hundreds!
"How many of my eggs did you steal?" Tony rasped, not taking his eyes off his pups but being keenly aware of the Alpha beside him.
"I don't know the exact number. Most of them weren't viable. I suppose your younger years have consequences after all."
Tony's heart clenched. Nonviable eggs? It could be because of his exploits during his rebellious teen and early-twenties years. Or it might have simply been it wasn't the right time in his cycle for more eggs to be viable. He forced himself to ignore the urge to find out. It would have to wait.
"From the eggs that we harvested from you, we managed to create only ten viable embryos. Most with different sires."
Tony gulped. "Where are they?"
He expected to hear Ross describe how they hadn't made it to term. He would listen to the gory details because he had to know. He had to mourn his children, even if he had never known and never would.
Instead Ross shrugged and said, "They're here somewhere, I haven't decided how to dispose of them yet. They were defects." Such disgust in his tone. "I suppose subpar Alphas breeding with a subpar Omega can only lead to such offspring. These two luckily took after their sires."
If I'm so subpar why did you choose me in the first place? Tony didn't want the answer. Quite frankly he was more interested in getting his pups.
"I'm taking them with me." Tony said firmly. "All of them"
Ross looked surprised. "But they're defective."
"They're mine."
Ross looked at him for a long moment before shrugging. "Well, that's one way of getting rid of them I suppose. You understand that in total, there will be ten pups, and you will be raising them on your own. Your primary objective will be caring for these two," he gestured to the two in front of them, "but if you think you can handle it I see no reason why you can't have the others to entertain you as well."
Tony said nothing. Let the moron think what he wanted. So long as Tony left this place with all his children, he didn't care.
"Are there more on the way?"
"No. Like I said, you only had a few viable eggs. When we are better prepared, I will select a different Omega to donate eggs for the next batch."
Tony barely withheld a cry of relief instead he just nodded. In some deep, dark part of himself, he was already plotting how to take down the Alpha in front of him. Some day he would do it, he swore on all that he was, that he would one day end this man's life.
It was the least his pups deserved.