A/N: Someone asked for Mark POV? Ask and you shall receive ;)

Chapter 11: Licking at the Flames

As Mark trailed a few steps behind Jack down the stairs, right hand being tugged forward by the Omega, he couldn't believe that any of this was actually happening.

When he first met Jack in person at PAX East a couple years back, he'd had absolutely no idea how greatly the Omega would affect him. Jack was such a kind, caring, and delightfully funny person to be around, and Mark had immediately fallen head over heels. At first, he thought it was no more than just a crush, that it was just Mark latching onto the first Omega who was nice to him. Yet the way that Mark's heart would practically melt anytime Jack so much as smiled at him made him think differently.

And Mark had been close, so close to saying something to him. There were so many times that Mark wanted to confess and admit just how much he really liked Jack.

But that would have been selfish of him.

Jack was a young Omega in his prime. He still had so much time to go out and meet people, he shouldn't be settling down so quickly with someone like Mark of all people. What kind of Alpha would Mark be if he tried to court him over such a long distance? Considering how far they lived apart, and the whole 'long distance relationships never work out' stigma, Mark became more than a bit discouraged. So, he decided to remain friends with Jack. It seemed wrong, since he was secretly wanting more with the Omega, but Mark tried to at least show that he knew his boundaries. Mark tried to be a decent, respectable Alpha, but sometimes his emotions and possessiveness got the better of him.

Like his last Skype call with Jack.

Mark had just been so unexpectedly hurt that not only had Jack found an Alpha who wasn't Mark– which would have been fine, it didn't have to be Mark –but it was the fact that Jack hadn't even told Mark that an Alpha approached him to court him. Mark considered the two very close friends, and he'd been upset when Jack came out to his fans first about his new mate without even mentioning it to him.

Though as Jack showed up on his doorstep after not hearing from him for a while, injured and distraught, Mark immediately knew something was wrong. He'd had his suspicions of whoever Jack's mate was. When Jack arrived at his house, his normally sweet, enticing Omegan scent had been soured. Jack was tired and seemed to be holding something back, and there was a strange, thick Alpha scent masking his. There was also the underlying post-heat scent that Mark could pick up, and his heart ached sympathetically for whatever Jack had been up to prior to coming to LA.

So when Jack had admitted that the bond with his Alpha was forced, Mark knew he had to do something. He had to do something to the bastard that raped, marked, and bonded Jack against his will. He had to do something to the bastard that threw the Omega down a flight of stairs, earning him a concussion. He had to do something to the Alpha that took Jack's freedom away from him. However, what that something was, Mark had no idea.

In his spare time he poured over articles and forums online of Omegas who went through similar traumas. What he found seemed too good to be true.

Without thinking too hard about what could go wrong, Mark decided to share his findings with Jack. There was no guarantee that any of it would work, but Mark thought that the Omega deserved to know. But Jack had been so horribly upset for Mark, thinking only about how things could turn out wrong, or wondering why Mark would even consider going through such lengths for him.

And that broke Mark's heart to hear the Omega talk about himself in such a low way. Mark wanted Jack to know just how much he really meant to him, so he just couldn't help himself as he confessed to the Omega after that. How could he not?

The kiss afterwards completely blew him away as well.

Mark had had some sneaking suspicion that Jack had some form of feelings for him as well and had seemed to be holding back for the same reasons Mark was. The kiss helped Mark to solidify his thoughts and reserve to help Jack in absolutely any way he could. Mark simply loved him too much to just stand by and send him back to his abuser.

"It'll mean much more doing this with someone I love."

Jack's words stayed in his mind, repeating over and over as the two made their way to the living room where Matt and Ryan were seated.

If Mark were being perfectly honest with himself, he wasn't sure how Ryan would accept what they had to say.

Ryan was a rather traditional Alpha, raised to believe, like many others, that Alphas need not overstep their bounds or get too involved with already bonded Omegas. It was considered rude to do so, as it implied that the Omega's mate couldn't properly take care of them. And Mark knew that Ryan was uncomfortable on Jack's behalf for Mark's recent behavior. The other Alpha had told him so just the day before.

When Mark had tried to stay in line after lunch the day prior, Ryan had come into his recording space not moments after him. Mark picked up the serious scent the Alpha was putting out, and though he knew the reason it was there, Mark still tried to play innocent.

"What's up, Ryan?" he'd asked, voice strained.

Ryan had sighed, leaning up against the wall by the door and crossing his arms. His posture clearly said no leaving the room until I'm done speaking. "Look, I know you and Jack are close and all, but you really have to give him some space."

Mark tried not to bristle at the Alpha's commanding tone. He knew that Ryan only meant well, and didn't want Mark to make a fool of himself as he often had in the past by missing scent cues in the air. "I know," he'd gritted out.

Ryan raised a brow at that. "Clearly you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be acting like his fucking mate. News flash, Mark, he already has one."

Friend or no, Ryan's words had Mark growling lowly. "He's just a friend, Ryan."

"Yes, that's exactly what he is, Mark. Just a friend, no more. You missed that train already, bud," Ryan snorted, and Mark tried not to flinch at the harsh truth of his words. "I don't want to be repeating myself." And then Ryan had left, leaving a torn Mark, wondering if he truly had the right to be acting the way he was around Jack.

But now, things were different.

Now Mark knew that Jack had feelings for him as well, and he knew that Jack trusted him and loved him enough to try and form a new bond to try and override Jack's weak bond with Tom.

Mark could only pray that Ryan would understand.

"What's wrong, guys?" Matt asked, turning down the tv volume as Mark and Jack stood before them.

Mark tried to reign in his nervous scent to keep Jack and Ryan from knowing how truly anxious he was about the whole ordeal. This was going to be an important conversation, and he wanted to be strong for Jack.

Jack sighed. "We need to talk…"

Ryan sat up straighter. "If this is about Mark overstepping his bounds, then I can have another talk with him, Jack."

Matt raised a brow. Mark sucked in a breath as Jack stiffened.

"What do you mean 'another'?" Jack questioned, turning to Mark with furrowed, worried brows.

"I told him to step off yesterday," Ryan sighed, shaking his head. "I guess the message wasn't clear enough."

"No, the message was perfectly clear," Mark snapped, regretting his tone immediately as Jack flinched away from him in surprise and Ryan stood, growling.

"Jack, what's happening?" Matt asked desperately over the rising growls of the Alphas, a dull mix of fear and confusion emanating from the Beta.

Matt's small scent was quickly drowned out by Ryan's overpowering Alpha pheromones. Ryan was pissed, and Mark wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He'd been acting a bit too passive as of late when it came to Ryan, and Mark needed to stand up for himself. Mark lowered himself into a fighting stance as Ryan took a threatening step forward.

"Mark, you don't have to do this," Jack pleaded, moving away from them towards the scared Beta to comfort Matt during all the chaos. "Remember why we're here."

Matt practically leaped off the sofa towards Jack, latching onto the Omega in fear. The rage that was building within Mark died down a bit as he caught himself. What the fuck am I doing, Mark inwardly groaned. He wanted to have a reasonable discussion with Ryan and Matt, and here he was instigating a fight with the other Alpha in the house? What is wrong with me.

"Ryan, you don't have to keep Mark in check," Jack said seriously, speaking directly to the snarling Alpha. "We came to have a talk about something else."

Ryan stilled slightly at that. "What about?" he asked, voice gruff.

"It's about my bond, with my– uh, –my mate," Jack murmured, and it was such a change from his previous, commanding voice, his tone suddenly vulnerable, that had both Alphas pause with concern for the house Omega.

And that's when it really clicked with Mark.

He and Ryan were unused to having an Omega in their group dynamic, and they were all still figuring out how to make it work. Yet the moment Jack showed up, they all accepted him as part of their makeshift pack. Ryan already seemed protective enough of him, more than ready to fight Mark and have him back down if Mark was threatening Jack in some way. Even if they weren't quite used to the new group dynamics, it was clear that Jack mattered to them all and that he'd already been accepted by them in one way or another.

Mark cleared his throat awkwardly, returning to a casual, standing position after the stance he'd taken in preparation for a fight with Ryan. After seeing Mark step down, the other Alpha in the house straightened up as well.

"Jesus fucking Christ, what the hell was all of that about?" Matt questioned, exasperated. He was still holding onto Jack on the side. Fear still soured his scent.

"I don't know, care to explain, Mark?" Ryan said, some lingering sneer in words.

Mark bristled at that, but otherwise tried not to get too riled up again. It wouldn't do any of them any good for him and Ryan to fight.

"Sorry about that," he said, ignoring Ryan for the moment and speaking to Matt with an apologetic smile, knowing how much he had upset the Beta. And Jack, if the slight disappointment in his scent was anything to go by.

Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. "Alphas, I swear," he murmured quietly to Matt, who scoffed in agreement. The two seemed comfortable enough together, arms and hands intertwined for mutual comfort and protection in light of the Alpha tension. Mark hoped that they wouldn't be too upset with him after what he'd just done.

"Still waiting," Ryan reminded, words short and snippy.

Mark's eyes narrowed marginally at him, though he knew better than to feed into that Alpha behavior again. "This is something that Jack should say himself."

Jack, being put on the spot, stiffened at the mention of his name. He sighed again, raking a free hand through his green locks. "My bond is incomplete."

This had Ryan turning to him with surprise.

Matt glanced at him, brows drawn together. "What does that mean? Why wasn't it finished?"

Mark certainly didn't envy Jack for the position he was in as all attention in the room was entirely focused on him.

"It was forced."