From the carousel of random ideas comes some order - a subtle awareness of who I am under the flow of thoughts with their loose connections to my waking life. After a few moments more I begin to analyze them in a lazy way, perhaps these ideas are meant to be kept. Some are composed as if from a book I once read, some are just silly. In another moment they are gone leaving no trace. If they are still in my head there is no bread crumb trail back to them. My eyelids flicker open to the unlit room. No daylight. I close them again, willing the carousel to return, for my mind to tumble back to dreams, but it won't. Now the tasks of the day are demanding I think about them, find solutions, get jobs done by day's end. I am awake and there is no retreat. I steal a glance at the pointless alarm clock, glowing red, and reach out to turn off the buzzer. Once 6:30 am was a rude awakening, now it is an impossible target.

Forcing myself out of the comfort of my bed and husband's arms, I treaded to the restroom. After a short shower, I quickly changed before heading downstairs into the kitchen to begin breakfast. Not to my surprise, Peter was already at the breakfast bar awaiting my arrival.

"Morning Peter." Ruffing his morning hair knowing very well he hated when I did that. "What time did you come in?"

"10." He sent me an apologetic look. "I know you said 9, but the movie ran longer than I had thought it would. And then on our way back, there was this giant bug-looking man. Half bug-half man-no wait-half man half bug. I think...or he could have been half-"

"Peter!" I shot my hand out to his arm. "It's fine. You made it home and in one piece. MJ make it home?"

"Yeah." He chuckled scratching the back of his neck. "It still feels weird. Her being an Alpha and me a Beta."

"But she hasn't tried anything against you?" I knew MJ never would, but sometimes instincts took over.

Peter shook his head vigorously. "No! It's just weird knowing the power one holds over you. And not just her, but those around you."

"You two still haven't..."

A blush crept up his neck. "No."

"Well, on the bright side if you two do decide to uh-mate she will be the only one with that advantage." Taking his hand in mine, I offered him a small smile. "Besides you have nothing to worry about. It's not like you act like a beta anyways. When I first met you I thought you were an alpha, if it hadn't been because of your scent I wouldn't have trusted you."

"You don't act like an Omega either." He reached for one of the grapes popping it into his mouth.

I sighed. "It took me a while to get here. I wasn't always this lucky in life. Had Nat and you not saved me that day, who knows what I'd be like right now."

MJ walked into the kitchen with Ned trailing behind her. "Peter has told us a few things, but never the whole story about how you became family with them. Could you tell us?" Sensing the slight peak in the omega's scent, she flinched. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. You don't have to." Her eyes darted to the stairs, probably waiting for my mate to burst into the kitchen.

"He's asleep." I chuckled. "And I don't mind telling you my life story." Grabbing the plate of eggs and bacon from the stove she settled down on the kitchen table. "It all started back when I was 17 and I was set to be sold to the highest bidding alpha..."

July 23rd, 2021: Italy

Adhara sat stiffly in front of the mirror, staring blankly at herself. Two maids stood behind her, fussing over her hair. Wincing at the hard tug, she growled up at the two girls. Looking back down at the receiving snarl she got from the oldest maid.

"Must we really fuss over this omega?" Linda, the beta and younger one grumbled.

Giving the hair another tug, Victoria the oldest humph. "We were ordered by the alpha, besides after today we will no longer have to endure her retched smell."

"I can't even imagine the humiliation Alpha Shepherd must feel at having his first child present as an Omega." Linda spat. "The embarrassment he must have felt. But it's not all lost seeing the rest of his children have been presenting as Alphas."

"Not to mention even her animal is off." Victoria laughed mockingly. "In a house filled with powerful tigers, she turns into a weak-looking fox."

"Pathetic."

Trying to zone them out Adhara thought back to the event that have occurred. Five years ago, there had been a battle between the Avengers and Thanos as they called him. Half of the population was erased to nothing but dust. Adhara was one of the many that 'blipped' as they were all calling it now, she was 17 at the time. Something occurred at everyone's return. Biology had taken a step back or step forward, she still wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. People all over the world began to present as Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. Soon everyone could change into animals, usually connected to their personalities.

The most common genders to be presented were Alphas and Betas. Omegas were rarely heard of and most people went through life without encountering one. Most of the time an omega would keep themselves hidden from the world or if they were lucky to find a mate that would love them. Adhara knew of places that accepted omegas and cherished them, but here in her hometown, they did not. They were seen as nothing, but breeders to their clans.

In her town, the first omega to present had been her mother. At the time no one knew what the hell was going on, so no one knew the effect it had on them. Needless to say, it didn't go so well for her mother. Her father had presented as an alpha, of course, turning him into a Tyrant. The only alpha in the entire town to present. It drove him mad with power. Didn't help his animal was a fucken tiger. He mated her mother but he no longer wanted her by his side, so he kept her locked in a room a level below his. Visiting her once a month to sleep with her and four months later to remove the child she had birth for him. He had a group of beta nannies to care for and raise the children. Should any of them present as Omegas he had them sold off to the highest bidder looking for breeders. Didn't matter to him the fact that they were his sons and daughters.

"Get up." Victoria slapped her shoulder. "Your alpha is waiting for you."

Not wanting to do anything that would earn her a beating, she allowed herself to be hauled down the stairs. Her father was a giant compared to her, standing at 5'11 and pure muscles. Falling to her knees she placed her hands on her lap and kept her head bowed.

"When we get there, you will behave yourself." Max growled. "You will not make a scene. You will not cry. Is that understood?" Not getting a response quick enough, he gripped her jaw in a forceful hold and hauled her head up. "Is that understood?!"

His alpha voice compelled her to submit. "Y-yes, sir."

"Now because I knew you'd behave yourself and you are my daughter, regardless of being what you are." He moved to the side and beacon someone over. "I am allowing your mother to be with you in this moment."

"M-mom?" The urge to hug her was overpowering her, but she knew not to move unless told to. The omega in her yearned to be wrapped in her warms if only for a second. The need to feel that motherly love.

"Let go, they won't wait forever."

Much to her surprise, her father allowed them to ride in the same car. Adhara wasted no time in nuzzling into her mother's side. For once since she has come back, feeling safe and loved.

'Run.'

Looking up at her she was forced to look back down again. Her mother's arm held her tighter. 'What?' She had never had someone link their mind with hers, it was odd, to say the least.

'When I say run, you run. Do not hesitate and do not look back. You keep running.'

Adhara had no time to question her when suddenly she lunged herself against the driver. "Mom!"

"Run!"

Doing as she had been ordered to, Adhara kicked the door open and ran. She could hear her father yelling for her, ordering his men to go after her. Her mother yelled to keep running and not stop. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she knew to keep going. Turning at every other corner, she stopped to catch her breath for a moment.

"This way!" She recognized that tone. Her twin brother Aaron. "I can smell her stench."

Taking off once more she took a left slamming into a couple turning just as she did. Falling on her ass she groaned at the sharp pain. Shaking her head and peering up at the couple, she froze. Their scent was strong drowning everyone else's. The female was clearly an alpha, her scent a strong smell of leather and apples. The young boy next to her was a mixture of the alpha and wet soil, she was unable to detect what he was. "S-sorry."

"It's alright. Here let me help you up." The young boy held his hand out to her with a wide grin. Which slowly fell at seeing the fear in the girl's eyes. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

Hearing her brother getting closer she took his hand and made a run for it. Only she didn't get far seeing the boy had not let go of her hand. "P-please let me go." She hated herself for begging to this stranger, but she wouldn't go back. "Please."

"I can help you." He spoke gently. "What are you running from?"

"Adhara!" Aaron's alpha voice boomed through the streets. "Come out willingly and father will not punish you!"

"I have to go." Pulling her hand away she growled at not being able to free herself. "You don't let me go and my father will kill me!"

"What's your animal?" The woman suddenly spoke.

Adhara frowned at the suddenly of her question. "A fox."

"Shift."

"What?"

"Shift."

It had been months since she has shifted. Her father found her animal a disgrace to the family's name, therefore he prohibited her from showing it. "No."

The woman growled forcing the girl to submit. "Shift now."

Her body shifted against her own will. Curling into a ball she let out a whimper. 'This is how I die.'

"Nat!" The boy yelped picking the fox up and cradling her in his arms. "Did you have to force her?!"

"Put her in your backpack." Nat grabbed the backpack tossing the clothes inside on the ground. "Jump in." Seeing the fox back up she sighed. "Listen, the only way we will ever get past them is if you trust us. Your scent is all over the place right now. This will allow peter's scent and I's to cover yours."

Peter ran his hand over her tail gently. "Trust us."

Not seeing any other option, she jumped into the backpack. Curling at the bottom Adhara covered her face with her long tail. Seconds later a load of clothes fell over her. 'This will never work.'

"Okay." Nat took in a few breaths, waiting for Peter to put the backpack back on. "Stay close to me. Luckily Tony's scent still lingers on you. That should be enough to cover the omega."

Peter gaped at the ex-spy. "Omega?"

"You were too worried about helping her, you didn't stop and pay attention to her scent." Nat chuckled. "Come on. Hold on to my shirt." Once Peter had a grip on her shirt, she walked them into the crowded street. As they took a turn, she forced herself not to react to the group of males coming their way. Feeling the grip on her shirt tighten, she expanded her scent towards her pack mates. "Stay calm, they are just passing by." Spotting a Jewelry vendor on the sidewalk, she led them there. "Pete, why don't you pick something out for Tony and MJ?"

"Okay."

Nat watched the group run past them. The leader of the group ordered a handful of them to spilt. "Something big must be going down."

The old lady nodded, bagging the two necklaces Peter picked out. "Yes, alpha Shepherd's daughter is being handed to her alpha today. But it appears the child has run off."

"Handed?" Nat frowned.

A sad look crossed the old Beta. "She is an omega. A disgrace and insult as he would put it. I for one hope she leaves and never comes back. There is be nothing, but suffer for her here."

"Thank you." Leaning into Peter, she rushed them back to the airstrip. "We need to get her out of here quickly."

Tony huffed glancing at his watch once more. "Where the hell are they? We said 1 on the dot. Not 1:01. Not 1:05. On the dot."

"Relax Tony, I'm sure they have a good reason." Banner tried calming the alpha, although he himself was a bit worried.

"There they come." Wanda pointed to the duo running for the jet.

Nat allowed Peter to jump into the jet before her. "Let's get the hell out of here Tony." Wasting no time in explaining their rush, she took a seat beside Wanda. "Now Stark."

"Alright! No need to get all growly with me." Starting the jet up, he sat back and got it in the air. "Friday, take us home."

'Yes sir. We should be home in three hours.'

Spinning his chair to face the others, he clapped his hands. "Now, why the hasty exit? Who did you two piss off?"

Sharing a look with the teenager she nodded. "We have an extra passenger with us."

"I'm sorry?"

Peter opened his backpack, pulled the clothes out, and laid the bag on the ground. "You can come out. No one will hurt you here."

"Who the hell are you talking to ki-" His eyes widen at seeing movement inside the bag. "Nat wha-"

"Shhh." The female alpha snapped. "You're going to scare her."

All eyes were on the backpack waiting in anticipation. Taking a few deep breaths, Adhara crawled out of the bag. Looking up she froze at the new faces and smells. There was one more Alpha and two Betas. The strongest scent was coming from the male sitting across her. He was good-looking with short hair and a go-tee. There was a strange circle in the middle of his chest.

'Holy shit that's Tony Stark!'

"Who is that?" Tony yelped. "Did you kidnap her?!"

"No-Ye-I wouldn't call it kidnapping." Peter grinned, faltering at the glare he got from his alpha. "Mr. Stark we had to help her. They were going to sell her to an alpha! All because she's an omega."

"Omega?" Wanda frowned studying the young fox. She was unlike any color she'd seen before. The fox was all golden, very light yellow underbelly wth the tip of her tail white, almost as if someone had dipped it into paint. "She doesn't smell like one."

"I used my scent and Tony's lingering scent on Peter to block hers. Should wear off in a few hours." Nat explained. "Whoever her father is, he had a large number of men searching for her. He wouldn't have stopped."

"That was my brother." Adhara had taken their distraction to shift and change into Peter's clothes. "Aaron my twin brother."

"He looked older than you." Peter stated.

The omega nodded. "I blipped. He didn't."

"That makes sense." He chuckled.

"Why were they chasing after you?" Banner asked.

"Here we are worthless to society. Omegas are seen as breeders and nothing more. My father was planning on selling me to the alpha that offered the most. Like my mother, I was to spend my life locked away. My only job baring my mates' pups." She felt disgusted with herself. Why must she have presented as an omega? Why not a beta? She had always been the strongest and bravest out of her siblings. Always standing up for them and protecting them when needed. Now because of something she had no control over, they deemed her worse than trash. "I want to thank you for helping me."

Peter shot her a toothy grin. "No thanks needed. It's what we do."

"As soon as we land I will go my separate way." She bowed her head to Tony. "I will give you no problems."

"Separate way?" Tony chuckled. "You ain't going anywhere, kid." Seeing the fear creep into her eyes, he flinched. The alpha in him begged to hold her in his arms and warn off any dangers. But he was almost certain she'd have a panic attack if he tried. "Listen, you will be coming home with us for the meantime. Rest for a few days. We can worry about later, well later."

She was in awe with them. "T-thank you alpha."

A growl bubbled in the back of his throat at seeing her bow her head. They did a real number on this girl. She was willingly submitting her freedom to him. Giving him the right to do whatever he wanted. An omega was not meant to be broken like this. "Adhara?"

"Yes sir?" Her back went rigid at smelling his scent getting closer.

Tony reached out slowly gripping her chin and waited until she looked up at him. "Keep your head up high. Never bow down to anyone, no matter if it's a beta or an alpha. As of this moment you are free to make your own choices. Your life and free will belongs to you and only you. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes." A feeling she had never felt before filled her chest. It was warm, spreading throughout her body.

"Good." Wiping the single tear that had fallen off her, he walked back to his seat. "Now we saw you are a fox." She gave him a look that could only be described as pride. "Mine is a Doberman."

Nat waved her hand. "Not sure if you know my name, but it's Natasha. My other half is a lynx." She gestured to the woman next to her. "This is Wanda. Her animal is a red panda."

"I'm a wolf!" Peter exclaimed. "Nothing crazy, just a typical gray wolf."

Adhara glanced at Bruce. "May I ask what yours is?"

Banner chuckled. "The hulk."

Seeing the confusion on her face, Nat took pity. "Bruce for some reason didn't get an animal. Our theory being that he already had a second identity. Another half, being the hulk."

"Oh." She took in everything they have told her. "I suppose another being would have been too much for you."

"Perhaps." Banner nodded. "Although I doubt the hulk would have allowed another being."

"What about the other avengers? What are their animals?" Adhara wanted to be prepared in case they were to meet.

"Capsicle is a lion. Legolas, that's Clinton is a golden eagle. And Thor is a white elk." Tony numbered them out on his fingers. "Those are all the ones you'd probably meet. Well, there is also patches that's Fury. He's a German shepherd. Also Maria, his little sidekick she's a snowy owl."

"You forgot Dr. Strange!" Peter was quick to point out his favorite missing wizard.

"Right the wizard. Strange is a..." Tony paused ransacking his mind. "Huh, I don't think I have ever seen him shift. You guys?"

Nat shook her head. "Don't think we ever asked either."

"Is he an alpha?" Adhara asked.

Peter nodded. "Oh yeah! There is no way he can hide it."

Tony scoffed. "He's not that strong."

"No, Peter is right." Wanda jumped in knowing just how annoyed Tony got on the subject. "Between you, Rogers and Strange, the Doctor has a stronger scent."

"Whatever."

Adhara giggled at seeing Tony grumble under his breath. The man was acting like a child. It was weird yet refreshing to see it. Maybe just maybe she could be happy here.