Disclaimer and Warnings: Mentions Mpreg, Heats, violence, swearing, and Alpha Dominated Society!

Timelines and ages are slightly different from the original DBZ world.

Since I'm making up a lot of terms here I thought I'd drop some definitions.

Suitors:An Alpha who is courting a Omega. During the courting phase, they are Suitors, after the pair has mated they are referred to as Mates.

Pillage: When a crew goes off to claim planets in the name of Vegeta-sei. A first Pillage and how well a crew does on pillages is a status mark.

Ranks of the Saiyan Warriors: (from lowest to highest)

Third Class
Second Class
First Class- Also known as Elites
Captains

High Council:The High Council is a level between Captains and the King. They advise the King on troublesome planets and which troops should go to what planets. There are Six Council members total. Generally, the position is passed down from generation to generation, unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

In This Chapter: Trouble always finds Goten and Trunks.


Alpha Royal

Chapter Twenty-Four: Making A Difference


Goten pushed away the numb feeling of surprise at Telo's words. He shouldn't be surprised. He'd seen how the alpha looked at Telo, the jealous way he handled the Omega. Like the Saiyan wasn't even a person, but a thing. He shifted on the couch and opened his arms to his friend. Telo didn't hesitate at the offer. He flung himself at Goten. A muffled sound like a sob escaped his friend and Goten's heart broke. His fists clenched into the soft cushions of the couch, eager to plant themselves into Czar's face.

"I've been trying so hard, Goten. But I just can't do it."

"Do what?"

"Give Czar an heir," The Omega whimpered. "He picked me because I came from a good family. I should… I should be able to give him a cub."

Dread seeped into Goten's stomach at the news. He remembered the days back at school, the numerous lessons they received on what was expected of Omegas. Loyalty to their Alpha, submission, but most of all… the ability to produce heirs. He could only imagine how Czar was taking the news. Some Alpha's could be aggressive if the Omega didn't fulfill their role.

"I want to leave him." Telo announced, his small face set in determination, "I can't stay here. Once he realizes I can't give him what he wants he'll toss me to the side. I'll be serving drinks with the rest of the Omegas here. And I… I can't do that."

"He wouldn't do that, you're mated." Goten protested, but even he knew better than to believe that. Alphas had all the power in a relationship. If they didn't want to be mated anymore the law was on their side. It didn't affect them the same way it would an Omega.

Those stories were the worst. How Omegas could suffer from a broken bond. There came a mild physical pain that never truly left, along with the social ostracization. No doubt the label of "used goods" would hinder any ability for Telo to find another Alpha in the capital.

Either way, Telo would lose Czar. But doing it on his own terms would hurt the least.

Goten swallowed hard. Sometimes the reality of Omegas hit him like a punch in the gut. He'd gotten lucky with Trunks. Over the last couple months, he'd done so much to prove everyone wrong, but that didn't matter when his accomplishments were still a secret. "I'll help," he said, "In whatever way I can."

"Goten," Telo looked close to tears as he gave his friend a hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Goten smiled and cuddled the smaller Omega close. "Of course, I just need to talk to Trunks first, and then we'll need to get your things. Is Czar going to give us any trouble?" "

The reality of the situation snapped across Telo's face. He grew quiet. Wetness returned to his eyes. "No, he's focused on the Prince's party tonight."

Oh. Goten's heart grew heavy at the words, but he did his best to hide the emotions. It wouldn't do to let Telo see him upset. As He led Telo out of the private quarters, he realized the feeling simmering under his skin wasn't empathy, it wasn't the resolute pity Omegas were taught to feel for each other.

It was anger.

The power that fed the super saiyan inside of him thrummed to life. If he didn't keep himself in check he might really do something foolish. Like punch Czar's skull in. That would definitely upset Telo, but it might also cause a commotion large enough to catch the eye of the traitor.

He shook off the idea before it could fully form. No, Trunks didn't want him to be in the center of danger and with Telo by his side, that was a bad idea. Get the Omega's things and leave. That was his new mission.

Trunks was the only one standing by the door when they came out. A frown decorated his handsome face and the lack of guards led Goten to imagine someone got an earful. "Well?"

"Omega business," Goten answered with a wink, "Telo needs some assistance. If it's alright with you, mighty prince, I volunteered my help."

His honey-covered words weren't working. Trunks's frown deepened, "We don't have time for this, Goten. We have other matters to deal with."

"We can't just leave him." Goten implored, "You can go patrol the club. I'll help Telo gather his things and leave."

"Leave?" The lavender haired saiyan perked at the words. He even looked relieved at the idea of Goten leaving, but then his eyes fell back on Telo. "With him? You can't just take him like a stray puppy. He's the club owner's mate."

Telo grimaced at the words and Goten felt his spine straighten. "He doesn't belong to anyone. He's his own person. If he wants to leave, he can."

The Prince's lips thinned at the tone. "You're asking for trouble."

"Isn't that why we're here?" Goten tilted his head and gave a small smile. He was hyper-aware of Telo beside him, glancing back and forth between the Prince and the Omega, watching with rapt attention. There was only so much he could say in front of his friend but he hoped Trunks understood. "Look," he tried again, "You're the prince. You could have anyone in this club if you wanted them." He saw Trunks open his mouth to protest, but Goten was quick to cut in. "You can Trunks. Even if that Omega belongs to someone else."

Kami, those words tasted awful on his tongue. But it was the only way to get Telo out of this situation.

This was how Alphas worked. The strongest in the room got whatever they wanted.

Power, money, Omegas. That was the world they lived in. Even if Trunks didn't hold him to that standard, the other Alphas did. Goten had learned how to navigate the Alpha world and he was good at it. The look on his mate's face told him he was right.

With a sigh of frustration, Trunks turned his head towards Telo, "and what are you going to do when you leave?"

"Um…" The Omega lowered his gaze back to the floor as he fumbled for an answer.

"Whatever he wants," Goten said with an encouraging nudge. Telo's dark eyes snapped up to him, a thousand questions swirling in the gaze. "If you want to go back home, we'll send you there. Or if you want a job in the palace, I'm sure we could find one."

Trunks growled, "Fine, do what you want. I've never been able to change that hard head of yours."

"Thanks Trunks." Relief surged through him at the allowance. Once again, he was reminded of how his mate differed from all other Alphas. His mate trusted him. His mate allowed him the freedom to make his own decisions. Goten moved as close as he dared and brushed his fingers along Trunks's arm. "Seriously," he whispered, "Thank you."

Trunks nodded, though no emotion broke on his face. "You take care of your friend. I'll make sure our other guests are entertained." He shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze fixed on the swelling crowd around them. He was obviously grumpy that their moment of romance had been interrupted, but there were other things for him to concentrate on.

Goten nodded. "I'll meet you at the palace."

Trunks didn't even turn around. He just gave a lazy wave and disappeared towards the balcony where the rest of their crewmates sat. It might have hurt, not being able to kiss his mate goodbye the way he wanted. But even in front of Telo there was only so much Goten could do.

He pushed down his own trepidation. He'd found his perfect mate, now it was time to mate sure Telo could do the same. It wasn't hard to muster a smile for his friend, "Come on, let's get you out of here."


Telo led the way to an elevator in a darkened corner. Goten didn't even realize the club had an elevator, not when every Saiyan knew the basics of flight, but once he got in, its purpose was obvious. The elevator wasn't meant to go up; it went down. Telo pressed a button that read B2 and the metal jerked downward with efficient speed.

While the club grew more expensive and exclusive, the higher one flew, it became more secluded and isolated the deeper it descended. The noise from the club faded quickly, leaving just the whirling of the elevator's engine. When it stopped, they stepped out into a wide space of plush carpet and expensive finery. Food covered every surface, paintings of Vegeta-sei's red glow hung above the mantel along with a few overly large trophies.

It was a home, there was no doubt about it, but it was so different from the small cottage Goten had grown up in. There were no family pictures, no personal touches, nothing that showed Telo might live in such a space. Even Trunks's princely chambers had evidence of Goten's nesting habits.

Telo's shoulders stiffened as if it finally hit him what was happening. "I just need to get my things."

"Telo," Goten said softly, reaching out and giving the Omega an encouraging touch, "It's going to be ok. You're doing the right thing."

Something flickered across the other boy's face, tears welled in his eyes as he nodded. "It doesn't feel like it. I thought I had it all and now..."

"I'll help you." Goten offered, "Come on. Show me your room."

There was a hallway lined with pictures of Czar and a few closed doors, which Goten expected to be rooms. But Telo turned in the opposite direction, leading away from the living quarters and towards the kitchen. There the small saiyan stopped at a wooden door tucked in the corner. When it opened, there was nothing but a flimsy wooden staircase and blackness.

Goten's stomach clenched at the sight. His senses sharpened in quiet alarm. "Is this where you sleep?"

Telo exhaled a shaky breath. "Come on, my stuff is just down here." He flipped a switch, but it did little to illuminate the basement. The smell of water and earth filled the space, making it difficult to breathe as Goten followed suit, but there was something else in the air. His nerves tingled as he sniffed again. Yes, there was an Alpha downstairs.

Several.

Goten swallowed hard at the realization. It came just as his foot touched the floor and a bright light flicked on. An industrial spotlight focused on him, blurring the world in an intense white glare.

A harsh laugh rang out in the room. "Good job Telo, that didn't take long at all."

Goten saw the silhouettes postured in front of the spotlight. One, two… six large Alphas. He knew it. This was a trap.

He glanced to his side and saw Telo squinting against the harsh light as well.

"What do you want?" Goten called out, trying to pick out which Alpha was the club owner. He lowered his arms and did his best to stare down the men in front of him.

"I want a lot of things halfling," Czar's voice spat. "Right now, I want to break every bone in your body for even thinking you could take something that belongs to me. But tonight isn't about me, is it? It's about you and the Prince."

Fear cemented itself in Goten's veins at the words. This was it. The trouble they had been looking for, but Czar wasn't on the council. He wasn't the traitor they were looking for. Which meant, the real culprit had hired him. Just like Squral.

Disappointment pooled in his gut at the realization, but he pushed it aside. There was a way to turn this around and get the answers he was looking for.

"Who hired you?" Goten asked through gritted teeth, "They must have promised you the planet to convince you to attack royalty."

"Not the planet," Czar hummed, "But a seat on the council and some new real estate was promised. Besides, I've never liked the idea of a halfing ruler. Getting rid of that bloodline would do the planet a favor."

"Bastard," Goten growled. That was his mate the Alpha was talking about, his Prince. Hearing someone as weak and cowardly as Czar talk about Trunks in such a way was more than an insult. It was sacrilege. "Then why don't you act like a real Saiyan and challenge him in a fight instead of focusing on his crew?"

"Oh please, I'm not stupid. Fighting someone from the royal bloodline, even a halfling, would be risky. So my employer recommended focusing on you."

The words brought Goten up short. "Me?"

"Everyone knows the Prince has a special fondness for you. That's the only reason he would let a weak third class like you into the Elites. We may not be able to take on the Prince, but my men can win against an Elite fighter. That's the beauty of five on one fights." A chorus of agreement sounded at Czar's plan. "I'm sure the Prince would do anything to make sure his friend is returned to him in one piece."

"Ha," Goten snorted, "You think he'll bargain for me?"

"Of course! You are his crewmate!"

It was an absurd thought. Trunks wouldn't risk his reputation, his planet for just any crew member. His duty to the planet and his father was stronger than that. But his mate... Yeah, he would definitely act without a second thought. But there was no way Czar could guess that. If Czar knew, he would have thrown that in Goten's face by now.

He glanced at Telo standing next to him. The other boy was trembling under the light, but his attention wasn't on the Alphas in front of them. It was on Goten. His large black eyes were wet with shame but the one look confirmed Goten's suspicions.

Telo didn't tell him.

That was a relief. But someone did know. Whoever hired Czar knew Goten was worth more to Trunks than Leta or Beet.

Goten shook the thought from his head and focused on the situation in front of him. Wondering would get him nowhere, but punching Czar in the teeth might.

"Telo," he kept his voice low, dark eyes trained on the Alphas in front of him. "Did you mean everything you said before? Was it the truth?"

The Omega tensed, eyes darting between Goten and Czar in the corner. He could have returned to his mate at any time, but he didn't. In fact, he seemed to shrink farther into the corner, trying to distance himself from the fight. Like any good Omega would try to do. "I… uh…" He stumbled over the whispered words. "I… yes. Yes, everything was true."

Goten smiled to himself. "Good, then I won't have to go easy on them." He moved, placing his body protectively in front of the Omega. "I'll protect you."

"Goten…" the name shook with tears, "I'm so sorry. He made me."

"I know."

"Hey," Czar snapped, "Get away from him Telo, unless you want to find out what a real Saiyan fight is like."

Anger surged through Goten at the words. He barely recognized the growl in his own voice, "Threatening your mate? You really are a piece of shit."

Five of the shadows stepped forward, malicious energy coming off of them in waves. The self-assured calm from before was gone. When Czar spoke, his voice cracked like a whip. "You think you can tell me what to do with my Omega, you third class piece of shit?"

Goten's sharp eyes narrowed on the silhouette, committing it to memory as he moved into a crouching stance. It felt like forever since he'd had an actual fight, but his body still knew exactly what to do. I was born for this. The thought filled him to his very core and just like that his ki snapped to life, exploding in the small space and pushing against his enemies.

The Alphas staggered backward, grunting against the energy. Czar's body tensed and Goten's smile stretched even further.

"I'll do more than just tell you."


"You need to at least pretend like you're having a good time," Leta said, nudging another drink towards Trunks. "This is your party, after all."

"I am having a good time." Even to his own ears, it sounded like a lie. Trunks took a hearty gulp of his drink as if that would convince everyone else otherwise. But Leta was still staring at him while Axal wore a disapproving frown.

"You shouldn't let your mate go off by himself, not when we're on high alert," His bodyguard repeated. It was the same thing he'd said since Trunks' return from the private quarters without Goten. The fact that he would even risk mentioning his mate in a public space was enough to tell Trunks how unsettled the older Saiyan was. Even with Goten as an accepted member of the team, it seemed there were some things the old-school Alpha just couldn't accept.

Nella nudged her mate in the ribs in warning. "We know, dear, but maybe now isn't the time to reprimand His Highness."

"You can't really blame the guy," Beet interjected. "I mean, yeah, this is a great party but it's not like we can really enjoy it. Now Goten isn't even here and…"

"Shut up," Trunks growled. Since when had this become his life? His crewmates judging his relationship over cocktails, when they were supposed to be working. This hadn't even been his idea. It had been Goten's. It was always Goten, and now the Omega had run off.

He was pouting, he knew that. It was a bad habit that seemed to carry on to all the males in the royal line.

"Um… Your Highness…" Leta said quietly, inclining her head to the people around them.

His outburst had caused everyone to stare. Confusion and interest reflected in their eyes as they watched to see who had caused the Prince's ire.

Trunks bit the inside of his cheek. Goten owed him for this. When they got home…

A crackle in the air interrupted the thought. At first, he didn't know what the feeling was, only that his nerves were dancing and the hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. Then came the familiar touch of energy, one he would know anywhere.

Goten…

Trunks stood abruptly at the sensation, his heart pounding.

"Your Highness?" Axal asked.

He didn't feel it. None of them did. Not at first, but then the energy snapped and air pressure within the club changed. Every Saiyan in the building tensed, all conversation came to an abrupt halt. The music crackled with static before cutting out completely.

It did not build slowly. It hit them all like a comet, fast and hard. Trunks closed his eyes and focused, trying to figure out where the energy came from. Reaching out for Goten's ki was like grabbing a rope with his bare hands. It pulled back fiercely, burning his senses as it tried to lead him to its owner. Down… down past the dance floor and the bars. Down below the club. Gold energy sizzled in the air. He could feel the anger pushing the ki higher and higher until…

Trunks' eyes snapped open with a gasp. "Everyone get down!"

His warning came just as the ground of the dance floor shattered like glass. Golden light erupted from the debris, destroying everything it came into contact with. Screams broke out around them as Saiyans took to the air. Trunks did the opposite though, he flung himself over the railing, plummeting down to the source of the explosion. His crewmates called out after him, but their words were lost in the chaos. There was only one thing the Prince cared about.

Elite Saiyans blasted their way out of the building, making the entire building shudder. In a few minutes, it would all come crumbling down. Smoke and dust arose from the new hole in the ground, Trunks covered his face as he dove in following his instincts towards Goten.

As quickly as it came, the golden light disappeared, leaving only darkness. Blue eyes searched desperately for any sign of his mate. He could still feel Goten's aura, but the light was gone and it was impossible to find anything in the darkness.

He formed a ball of energy in his hand, using it to search the area. Debris surrounded him, along with the broken remains of someone's home. Trunks floated above it all as he looked for a familiar mob of black hair. "Goten!"

"Trunks!"

Relief hit him like a punch at the sound of his name. He launched forward towards a large rock that felt like Goten. The boulder shuddered and shifted before falling to the side, revealing two dust-covered Omegas.

Goten was crouched protectively over Telo. Soot marred his handsome face but besides that, there didn't appear to be a scratch on him. The moment Trunks was within reach he grabbed his Omega and pulled him close. His hands moved over every inch of the black-haired Saiyan, checking for injuries. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Goten reassured before turning to the other Omega. "Are you alright Telo?"

"Y-Yes…" Telo looked to be in a state of shock. His legs shook as he tried to stand.

Trunks felt his grip tighten on his mate. "Hey, don't worry about him. Worry about yourself. What happened?"

Coal-colored eyes blinked innocently back at him before turning to take in their surroundings. Slowly an embarrassed grin broke out on Goten's face, "Whoops, I might have gone a little overboard."

"Overboard?" Now that he knew Goten was safe and in one piece his relief quickly dissipated into hot anger. "Goten, the entire club is falling apart. What happened?" He repeated.

Despite the warning in the words, Goten didn't look at all alarmed. If Trunks didn't know better he would say the other Saiyan looked damn near proud about the destruction around them. "It was an ambush."

Trunks felt his stomach drop at the word. "An ambush?" Someone thought they could attack his crewmate? His mate. And he hadn't been there. Immediately he turned to Telo, who kept his gaze on the ground even as the world around them trembled.

Goten flicked his arm in reprimand. "Don't glare at Telo. It wasn't his fault."

"I'll be the judge of that." Trunks hissed, "Come on, we have to go. This place is going to come down on our heads."

Goten shook his head, "Wait. We need to find Czar, he knows who our enemy is Trunks. We have to question him."

Trunks's concern sharpened at the words. "Where is he?"

"You fucking halfling!"

They turned in time to see the Saiyan burst from the debris. Blood dripped down his chin and pure hatred darkened his features as he snarled at them. "You fucking blew up my club!"

"You thought you could take on a member of the Prince's crew," Goten shot back, "turns out I'm not as weak as you thought I was."

Slowly, Czar's focus fell on Trunks. All the color drained from his face, "Your… Your Majesty… I…"

"Save it," Trunks snapped. "You're lucky we need you alive. Otherwise, I would have killed you before you could utter a word."

A kaleidoscope of emotions shifted on Czar's face. Humiliation, dread, and finally… hatred. "Fuck it," he cursed, "What do I have to lose?" He lifted his arm, energy already gathering to his palm. When he let the ki blast go, Goten was ready for it. Czar wasn't a fighter, but that didn't mean the blast wouldn't kill if it hit its target.

The only problem was, Goten wasn't the target. Neither was Trunks. The blast shifted course at the last second, heading directly towards Telo.

"No!" Goten moved to put himself between the blast and his friend, but a blur of movement pushed the small omega out of the way first. The ki blast hit the wall, kicking up dirt and smoke. When it cleared, Beet stood beside his crewmates, holding Telo close.

"Whew, that was a close one," He sighed.

Leta and Axal descended into the room next, both landing on either side of Czar. The Saiyan tensed as they seized his arms and held him in place.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," Trunks growled, stepping forward. He cracked his knuckles against his left hand then threw a hard punch into Czar's stomach. The Alpha gagged, spitting up blood, as his eyes bulged out of their sockets. Trunks threw another punch, this time against Czar's sharp jaw. A horrible noise came from their captive and Goten could have sworn he saw a few teeth fall to the ground.

When Trunks pulled his fist back a third time Goten spoke up. "That's enough, Trunks. He can't talk if his jaw is broken."

That made his mate pause. He could see the tension coiled in every muscle of Trunks's back. Could hear the rapid beating of the Prince's heart, but still his words cut through it all. Slowly, Trunks lowered his fist. "Take him to the palace and throw him in the dungeon. We'll have to interrogate him soon."

"Yes sire," Leta and Axal both nodded before disappearing up to the surface.

The club was still falling down around them, but there was a clear hole now from the basement up to the dark night sky.

"Goten, let's go." Trunks spoke to him in the same distant tone he'd used before they were crewmates. Back when he was the Prince and Goten was just another fighter in the crowd. Hearing it was a shock, but there was no room for those feelings out in public, where everyone was watching them. Czar already knew they were close. Any show of tenderness might reveal more than they intended.

They all took to the sky. The higher they got, the easier it was to breathe and take in the fresh air. When they finally arrived at the surface level all the destruction was clear. The entire dance floor was no more, and the entire east side of the building was missing. Palace guards stood around the rubble, taking people's statements. Goten heaved a sigh of relief when it appeared no medical ships were called. He would have felt awful if someone was hurt.

Axal and Leta were gone, but Nella stood on the opposite side of the road, looking about nervously. When her eyes spotted them, she smiled and ran up. "There you are. What happened? Axal went to the palace with some injured Alpha. Did you catch who you were looking for?"

"Not exactly," Trunks answered. "As usual Goten found more trouble than we bargained for."

"I would say it was exactly the right amount of trouble," Goten offered with a soft smile, "I do feel bad about the club though. That was an unfortunate casualty."

"You're lucky no one else got hurt." Trunks said, his tone was clipped in a way that made Goten's muscles tense.

So, his mate was mad at him. Goten bit his bottom lip in an effort not to argue in public. But he saw the look exchanged between Nella and Beet. The two sensed something was off between them and they were just as lost as Goten with what to do about it.

Finally, Beet cleared his throat, "What do we do with him?" He inclined his head to Telo, who clung to Beet's side since his rescue.

Trunks glared at the Omega causing Telo to shrink closer to the Elite fighter. "He should go to the dungeon with his mate, for what he did."

"Trunks," Goten started before correcting himself, "Your Majesty. Please. He was doing what his alpha ordered."

"Are you saying all omegas must do the bidding of their Alphas with no responsibility?" Trunks' blue eyes held his gaze.

Goten swallowed. "Of course not, but the dungeon is no place for an Omega." At least Trunks made a sound of agreement to that. Goten pursed his lips, unsure of what to say next. Trunks was angry at him, and maybe he deserved some of that anger. But he needed his mate to understand Telo's situation. He needed to take care of his friend.

"I'll watch him," Nella said, breaking the tension. The three fighters turned to her in surprise and despite Trunks' obvious frustration, she raised her chin in defiance. "He's an Omega, right? I'll watch him until everything is sorted out."

"That's a great idea." Goten agreed. He'd only known Nella for a short while, but if there was anyone Goten could trust Telo with, it was her. Despite Axal's strictness, Nella seemed more understanding as far as the plight of Omegas went. Another Omega would keep Telo safe while they figured things out at the palace.

If his friend was serious about leaving his mate, Goten wanted to be there to support him.

Trunks didn't look so sure. "He tried to trick us once Goten."

"Telo is my friend." Goten moved closer to him, ensuring his words reached only the Prince as he said, "Please Trunks. He could have told Czar my secret, but he didn't. I think we can trust him."

"Giving second chances is a sign of weakness." Trunks whispered back.

"You gave me one, didn't you?"

"That was different."

Goten did not meet his mate's gaze, but it was impossible to keep the fondness out of his voice. "I think…" he said, "If Omegas were given more chances, we would surprise everyone."

He could practically hear Trunks roll his eyes. Any minute now the Prince was going to chide him for being too trusting. Too naive. But all that came was a resigned sigh, "Fine, but when things go sideways I get to say I told you so."

"And if I'm right?"

Trunks nudged him lightly, drawing Goten's attention up where he could see his mate's kind smile. The sight was all the reassurance he needed that Trunks' early anger was gone. They were okay. "Then you can tell a royal Saiyan he was wrong until the end of your days."

"Tempting."

"Gah, you guys are disgusting." Beet huffed from nearby.

Trunks shook his head, remembering where they were, and put on a mask of indifference. "Beet, why don't you escort Nella and this omega to their quarters. Goten and I will return to the palace."

Beet nodded and Goten turned to follow Trunks home before he heard his name called out. Telo stood between Nella and Beet, tears welling in his eyes. But for the first time all evening, he didn't look scared. "Goten! I'm so sorry, how… how can I ever thank you?"

Goten didn't know what to say at first. He opened his mouth once… twice… and finally, he managed a soft, "Just take care of yourself."

"I have to start all over." Telo whimpered, "No one is ever going to want me after this."

"That's not true." He urged, "That Saiyan does not get to ruin you. If you have to start over you'll do so, but this time you'll find someone a hundred times better. We'll find you someone who actually loves you. I promise."

It was a foolish thing to say. Love had no place on Vegeta-sei when it came to mated pairs. But hope ignited in Telo's eyes at Goten's promise.

Omegas usually didn't dare wish for such a thing. To have a second chance, to find love. But Goten wouldn't settle for less. He'd found his happy ending, and now he was determined to help his friend do the same.

His heart clenched as he watched Nella bring the younger omega in for a hug. He watched even as Beet hurried the two of them away down the street and watched still when they were gone.

"He'll be ok." Trunks said beside him, never once urging Goten to look away.

"I know," Goten said, swallowing hard. "He'll be ok, now."

And that was because of him. He and Trunks had made all the difference this time. He just hoped that would be true when it came time to take on their enemies.


Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm back (what!?) I've had a stressful month and as always I crawled back to this fic for comfort. I'm happy to tell you all that in my most stressed out I wrote nearly 10K words and have three chapters drafted right now. Hopefully, this chapter was worth the wait. I promise you, the next couple are going to hit us hard and fast. We're so close to the end. I think I can finish it this year! Maybe... hopefully... Yes? My goal is to release the next two chapters over the next two weeks.

As always, the grammar mistakes are my own as well as some minor changes in spelling. I was rereading some old chapters and...yesh, you guys are too nice not to call me out. I'll be doing an edit/rewrite sometime in the near future. But first, gotta finish this story! Leave a review to let me know what you think!

I'm still active in the dragonball fandom on twitter: ladykarasue and I love talking about truten!