This update came out so quick I was kinda surprised with myself. So excited about this story though, eager to keep writing it!
When Ben returned home dirty, tired and wearing the torn clothing Evie had made him, his parents had fussed and fussed over him like he was a child. The last time his mother had tried to fix his mussed hair with a licked palm Ben was nine years old and getting ready to attend his first ball. He politely moved her hands aside and smiled at the pair, assuring them that he was alright.
"They saved me." Ben offered, gesturing towards the VK's with a big grin, "As usual."
Mal chuckled and Carlos preened.
Belle and Beast thanked them all a hundred times over until his mother started on with old stories of Ben in his childhood, always getting himself into trouble. Ben was embarrassed and quickly set to get her on a new train of thought. He talked about the isle: how they'd gone to find Mal and about the other villain kids, how he had forgotten so many and held a duty to them. His father seemed a little less than excited that Ben wanted to invite over the kids that had kidnapped him, but they deserved their chance too.
When he came to telling them about his time aboard the ship, he paused. "Guys..." he began, glancing shyly at his friends before continuing, "Could you give me a minute alone with my parents?"
There was some worried hesitance, but they all agreed and shuffled out into the hallway. He caught Mal's concerned glance just before she shut the door behind them.
"Is everything alright?" Belle asked, taking a seat on the cushion bedroom bench that sat at the end of his bed.
His father followed, sitting beside his queen and placing his hand over the ones she held, clasped together in her lap.
"I'm fine." Ben promised, "But... on the Isle... something happened."
"You said you weren't hurt? You're not hurt, right?"
Ben smiled sweetly, trying to be reassuring, but he felt just as nervous as they looked, "I'm not hurt, mom. I... Well, I presented."
His father started to stand, smile a mile wide, "Ben, that's great!"
"As an Omega..."
And the room goes frightfully still.
Ben had always known what his father expected of him, the great king to follow in his footsteps. He wasn't sure how much being an Omega would change that. Would his dad be alright with him? Would he be angry? Ben knew his parents loved him, and that they always would, but would they be disappointed?
His mother was the first to speak, standing from her seat and reaching out to take Ben's hand in hers, "Are you alright? I know you... were not prepared for that. Did something happen on the Isle when you presented?" she paused, biting her lip, "You weren't... taken advantage of, were you?"
"No." Ben assured her, clenching his fingers around hers, "I'm okay mom."
"We'll need to make a change to your curriculum." His father added, rising to step beside them, "Ruling as an Omega will be different than how you would have ruled as an Alpha."
Ben smiled, relieved and trying hard not to let it show just how worried he was, "You're not upset?'
"Oh honey, how could we be? It's who you are." His mother brightened, raising one hand to cup Ben's cheek.
Beast clasped a palm over Ben's shoulder, "Biology isn't something you can help, son. I know you'll be an amazing king, no matter what."
They start to talk about what things will have to change, if Ben wants to rely on an Alpha mate to help him rule or rule without one. If he chooses to rule without, who he'll arrange to help him with his heats, etc. Fun, definitely family friendly conversations. They're going to get him some light suppressants to hold off his heat for a while, until he can make a decision about what he wants.
He leaves out what happened with Hook. There's no need to worry his parents any further and he's not exactly anxious to talk to them about his sexual experiences... It's not like he'll be seeing Hook any time soon anyway. It'll take a good few months before he can set up bringing over any more kids from the Isle, maybe longer. It's then and there that Ben decides to keep the incident to himself.
A week goes by in a blur of new preparations and changes to his schedule. Ben had dropped his court intimidation course and the class on Alpha pheromones and control before enrolling for the Omega equivalents. His mother told him that he would need to also attend a course on mates and courting rituals, a class he wasn't expecting to take for another year.
She also suggested a private tutoring session on self defence, but Ben had politely turned her down.
He was still doing very well with his swordplay lessons afterall, and Mal offered to teach him a little simple protection magic just in case.
Mal had been more than accepting when Ben revealed his Omega status to her, explaining that it didn't feel right to be with a beta now that he knew. She'd smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek before explaining that she'd never felt completely at ease with him either. It was nice to know she felt it too and that their breakup hadn't hurt her like he feared it might.
Besides that, there was no reason for Mal to run back to the isle if she would no longer have to face the pressure of the media to be a good princess for Ben.
The conversation shifted unexpectedly to Mal's long-time crush on Evie and Ben couldn't say he was all that surprised. They would made a beautiful couple, if she ever got around to confessing her feelings to Evie.
"Why haven't you told her?"
"She's 'an Auradon girl now' ." Mal had said, with only slight bitterness, "She's got Doug and she's really happy. I couldn't get in the way of that."
"So, you settled for me?" Ben asked, teasingly.
She smacked his arm and grinned, "You settled for me."
They parted as good friends, promising to still keep their connection close despite the change in their relationship.
For a few blissful days his presentation as an Omega had remained a secret from the public, then he'd been sniffed out in the hallway and cornered by a curious classmate and everything turned over. Word of his newfound Omega status spread quickly after that. He'd had to politely turn down quite a few offers from newly presented Alphas already, unsurprising in lieu of his royal status. People in royal families were often eager to pair off their young with other suitable youth, and you couldn't do much better than a future king.
Ben just hadn't been interested in any of them. None of the Alphas who propositioned him really held any sort of intrigue; no danger or excitement. Ben would fiddle with the necklace strung around his neck now and again and think of Harry, but never for too long. Harry was too far out of his reach for Ben to waste time dwelling on him. Ben didn't even know if Harry would be interested in him if he ever did manage to work up enough courage to ask... Besides that, it was normally the Alphas that asked to court the Omegas, not the other way around; and the likelihood of Harry Hook coming around with a bouquet of flowers, asking Ben if he'd like to be courted was just so impossible that Ben didn't bother to hold out any hope.
But he kept the necklace around his neck like he had promised. He never took it off at all. It wasn't uncomfortable to sleep with and Ben had found that the shower water didn't affect the string in any way, so there was never any reason to. He kept it hidden beneath his shirt most days; his strange gift remaining Ben's little secret, kept from the rest of world.
Many of Auradon Prep's students were supportive, coming up to Ben and offering their favor and/or undying loyalty. Many of the Omega students were especially excited for him (Jane most of all) and told him it was going to be good to have an Omega on the throne once again after so many years of Alpha rulers. Jane asked coyly if Ben planned on attending the Sandrona, an Alpha/Omega ball created centuries ago so that Omegas could meet suitable Alphas and vice versa. It was held only twice a year and the next would be coming up in just a few months.
He didn't have an answer for her... so he brushed her off with a lie of indecisiveness he barely managed to force out. Lying had never been Ben's strong point, and he disliked that he had been doing it so often since his short tryst with Hook.
Ben ran into Chad a few days later. He asked Ben about Alphas and Omegas and how he felt now that he was one. He asked about the Sandrona as well, hinting with a raised brow every now and then.
"I don't know if I'm going to go to this one..." Ben admitted, if for no other reason than to get Chad off his back.
Chad nodded once before eagerly continuing, "Do you think Audrey will go?"
Ben snorted. He'd feel bad for Chad and his hopelessly one sided love if he wasn't such a jerk. Chad never knew when to quit, was annoying and snobby, but he had still once been Ben's friend. Ben sighed and relaxed against the hallway lockers as he steeled himself for a conversation about Audrey. His ex-girlfriend too. "You should really try to get over her..."
"Get over Audrey ?!" Chad repeated, voice pitched high as if to say the very thought was absurd. "You can't just get over a woman like Audrey."
"You could at least try." Ben offered, "It's better than sitting around waiting for her to call you when she gets a flat tire..."
"That was only two times!"
Ben cocked his head with a disappointed look.
"Okay, okay." Chad relented, raising his hands, "Maybe it was three... or four- but what do you expect me to do?"
Ben shook his head, "You're going to have to try to get past her. Hanging onto a lost hope like that will just leave you heartbroken, Chad."
"I don't want to 'get past' her." he stated with a heavy sigh, "I love her."
Ben nodded in understanding, going through a situation somewhat similar himself, "I get it. It's hard. But I still think you can do it."
Charming smiled at him gratefully, deciding to reinstate an air of grand posterity, "You're an Omega, aren't I an amazing Alpha prospect?"
Bed snorted, leaning back against his locker comfortably, "You're not exactly what I would look for in an Alpha." he said; because you're not Harry Hook, he didn't say.
"Well, you never know." Chad tried again, offering a toothy grin that looked entirely too self-worshiping rather than charming, "We both liked Audrey, so we have a similar type." He reached forward towards Ben, and Ben felt a moment of inner panic as he realized Chad was about to try and take his hand, "Maybe if we gave it a shot-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Chad is flying backward, off his feet and in the air until the lockers on the opposite side of the hallway intercept him with a loud crash.
The students around them have stopped to see the strange turn of events, Chad is on the ground, whining with pain and yelling questions at Ben that he just can't answer. He doesn't know what happened any more than Chad does.
He spies the VK's pushing away from their lockers and making their way over to Ben, still breathing fast and staring at Chad with confusion as some girls help him up.
"Ben!" Evie yelped, rushing over to his side, the other three close on her tail, "Are you alright?"
"I... I'm fine." Ben breathed, near panting, looking wide eyed at the dent where Chad had hit the lockers, "I- I don't understand what happened..."
Carlos pointed to his neck with a startle, "Ben, you've got a warding charm."
"A what?" Ben asked, reaching down for his necklace with panic once he realized it was no longer tucked behind his shirt.
He didn't remember taking it out.
Carlos looked delightedly excited as he lifted a hand to his own neck to pull out a similar gem. Unlike Ben's, Carlos' jewel is red and rests on the end of a thin chain, and the movement inside his ruby blows like a sandstorm, swirling and twisting as if it held a windy dessert. Ben is holding his up beside Carlos' before he can stop himself, marveling at the contrast between his blue, crashing waves and Carlo's red, sandy winds.
Carlos was ecstatic, "That's amazing."
"What does it do?" Ben asked hesitantly, pulling his gem back to cradle against his chest protectively.
"When an Alpha curses one, it can ward off any unwanted attention from Alphas." Carlos offered, still grinning at Ben, "It makes this... barrier of some kind so that when they try to touch you they go flying back a few feet. It's pretty cool. My mother made me wear one after I presented." he punched Ben lightly in the shoulder, "I haven't ever met someone else who had one."
Ben looked at his necklace with a new understanding, amazed that Hook had given him something like this. Harry had been protecting him from all those Alphas on the ship; when he promised Ben that he'd be okay, he'd meant it. No one would be able to touch him unless he- "So no Alpha can touch me?" Ben asked, just to clarify.
"Well, it responds to emotions and compatibility. It kinda... gets to know you, in a way." he explained, "If you have an Alpha you want and they're compatible with you then it won't do anything. But if you don't want them to touch you then they can't."
Jay slinked up behind Carlos and slipped a hand around his waist with a cocky smirk, "So, you must've really wanted me, right? I never got blown away."
"Shut up. You know I love you." Carlos smiled, "Don't go getting an even bigger head."
Ben watched the two interact with interest. It was true, the charm didn't seem to care that Jay was all over Carlos, and it sat contently atop Carlos' clavicle as he cocked his head to the side for a kiss. He decided not to tell the others that his gem had been very okay with Hook putting his hands all over Ben, he was sure it wouldn't have gone down well. He himself didn't know what to think about it, their reactions could only be worse. Had it been because of his heat? Did he just want Harry Hook? If the jewel hadn't thrown Harry off of him then there must be some compatibility between them as well. That was what Carlos said...
The pieces start to slowly fall together in Ben's mind, remembering how Harry hadn't touched him until Ben made first contact. Maybe he was making sure that Ben wanted him, knowing the gem would force him away if he didn't. Maybe the sound of Hook hitting the ships wooden walls would have alerted Uma and then they'd have had a whole new problem. She would not have been happy with Harry if she'd known he'd given Ben a warding charm...
"You didn't know what it did?" Mal questioned, watching him curiously.
Ben shook his head, still fiddling with the pointed end of his jewel. Carlos gave him a questioning look before finally asking, "Where'd you get it? I woulda thought your parents gave it to you, but they would have explained what it was."
Ben briefly considered lying, unsure why, but he felt a sudden urge to keep the identity of his protector a secret. He clutched the gem tightly before answering, "Harry Hook... On the Isle he... he saved me before Uma found out. He was the first to find out I was going into heat."
Evie's mouth had dropped open a little and Carlos was wide eyed. Mal looked unimpressed, glaring as she crossed her arms with a huff while Jay looked downright upset. He didn't know what history the VK's had with Harry, and he was sure it differed by person, but they all had reacted negatively. Clearly, they unanimously disliked Harry Hook.
Evie was the first to break the silence, "Well... I guess it's.. lucky he was the one that found you?"
"At least we know you'll be safe." Mal suggested with a shrug, "I guess even Harry has his redeeming moments."
"...I want to invite him to Auradon soon." Ben confessed suddenly, before he could quiet his thoughts, "I don't know how long it will take, but I'd like to thank him for this."
"You're going to take him off the Isle for that?" Jay scoffed, pulling back from Carlos just a little with his outrage.
"He saved me." Ben replied easily, "If that doesn't prove that there's some good in him, I don't know what would."
"It was his fault you were there in the first place!"
Ben narrowed his eyes and tucked his necklace away again, "He was probably just following Uma's orders. Who knows? We should at least give him a chance."
Mal placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, "Ben, you can't save everyone."
Harry had saved him. Ben was sure that meant there was good in him. He wouldn't let insecurities get in the way of being able to help someone, especially Hook, "I can try. You were all given a second chance. Harry deserves one too." he said, slipping out of Mal's touch as he walked away, headed back to his room to sleep off the headache coming on. He didn't connect it to the itch spreading over his skin or the warmth that seemed to emanate from his very bones.
When he reached his quarters, Ben realized he was actually starting to feel a little ill. He figured he'd lie down, have a nap and maybe ask Mrs. Potts if she would fix him a cup of tea before returning to classes. If it was a cold coming on then he needed to combat it as soon as possible. Mother always said that rest was the key.
So, Ben dialed the line to the kitchens and asked about having a drink ready for when he woke up. When Mrs. Potts asked him if he was feeling unwell, he didn't see any point in lying to her. She promised to have something made up for him and brought up discreetly after voicing her concern.
He thanked her, hung up, unhooked the first few buttons of his shirt and kicked off his socks and shoes before settling atop his large bed.
It felt like he had only rested his eyes for a moment when he awoke to Mal and Evie fussing over him.
When he grumbled and sat up, Evie was there, holding out a teacup to him and encouraging him to take it. "Mrs. Potts told us you were sick." she said, in lieu of explanation.
"It was supposed to be a secret..." he grunted, taking the cup and forcing down a sip.
Ben felt hotter than he had when he'd gone down to sleep, "Did you turn up the thermostat in here?"
Evie frowned and gave Mal a quick glance before returning to Ben, "No?"
"It's really hot..."
Ben gave the tea back, suddenly in no mood for a warm drink. He needed ice water-an ice bath. It was entirely too hot in the room. He coughed, raising an arm to his forehead to wipe away some of the sweat that was starting to collect there and fell back onto the bed again when he found he had no energy. Apparently a little sleep hadn't helped him at all. He felt gross in his clothing and wanted very much to be rid of them, but the girls were present and staring at him... so that idea was out.
"Do you have a fever?" Mal asked, taking a step forward and Ben realized he could discern her scent easily from Evie's. That was new.
"The boys should be here any second." Evie said next, "I'll ask them to see if we can get Doc up here."
"No-" Ben protested, "I'm fine. I think I just need a cold drink-" when he tried to sit up he found he couldn't, falling right back against the pillow with a wince and just a little panic. Maybe he was sicker than he realized, if he couldn't even sit up.
Ben was just starting to realize that the heat he felt throughout his body was familiar when the door opened. He remembered a cool hand on the back of his neck, soothing the ache...
"Hey!" came a cheery voice from the doorway as Carlos and Jay came into the room.
Jay immediately stilled, hand darting out to catch Carlos' wrist and pull him back. Carlos made a curious squawk of surprise as Jay forced his face into the juncture of Carlos' neck, "Oh my God, can none of you smell that?!"
Mal frowned, "Smell, what?"
And then it clicked.
Ben was still going into heat. The suppressants he'd been given when he got home either hadn't done the job or he hadn't gotten them in time. That pesky need and feeling of emptiness were beginning to claw at him once again and he knew he was about to be in a very bad situation very soon. He could smell Jay, Alpha pheromones reacting to that of a needy Omega. It was a good thing Carlos was here, even better that Jay knew to distract himself with Carlos' scent.
"Ben's heat-" Jay tried, dragging Carlos backward with him as he started for the door, "We need to go. I can't be here."
"He's still going into heat?!" Mal exclaimed, panicky, "Carlos, you go with Jay, find Belle and tell her what's happening."
As soon as the boys had left, Mal and Evie began to bustle about him, Evie heading for the en suite bathroom to fetch a cold towel and Mal taking a seat beside him, offering reassurances and telling him that everything was going to be alright.
Her kind hand over his own felt wrong in a way he couldn't explain, and Ben hated that his body wanted him to push her away. He need an Alpha near him- he needed Harry. His mind began running rampant with thoughts of the pirate, calling to him, needing him, his body recognizing Harry as the Alpha that had protected him, that had wanted him, that had helped him when he had so desperately needed it. He gasped as a wave of slick overtook him and watched helplessly as Mal covered her nose with a hand and flinched.
He groaned, let his head fall back against the pillow and rumbled out a plea. "Alpha..."
"We will find you someone to help." His mother promised, gentle but decisive.
"He's got a warding necklace," Evie said, gesturing towards Ben's neck. "Alphas can't touch him."
"Well then, we take it off!" Beast crowed, hand stupidly coming forward to take away Ben's charm.
Ben was only a little sorry to watch him fly backward, because he really should have known better.
Belle tried for the necklace next, but Ben pushed her hand away with a whine, jerking out of reach and begging her not to. "I-I made a promise! I can't take it off."
"Honey, you'll need to if an alpha is going to help you through this." when Ben still refused, she surrendered and drew back, "Oh, dear..." she said, quick and worried, "Charming isn't mated. Or there's-"
"No... no, no, no." Ben fought, feeling a sickness in his stomach at the very thought of another Alpha putting their hands on him, "I... I need my Alpha."
The room seemed to still as Ben pleaded for his Alpha. He wasn't even sure where the urgent need came from, but he couldn't stop his mouth from forcing out calls one after another. His mother looked extremely worried, his father taken back, and the Evie and Mal didn't seem any better off. They all simply watched Ben with concern as he demanded that they bring him his Alpha. All Ben could think was Harry, wrapping him up in tender hands and cooling his heated skin.
If he could just get that now, if Harry could be there to soothe the ache again then he'd feel better. He needs Harry to come make him feel better.
Ben wasn't sure at what point his secret desire had become a thrumming need, when he'd started spilling this secret to all of the people in the room, but he couldn't shut up. The need that came from an Omega heat took over his brain, urging his mouth to beg and beg until someone brought them their Alpha.
"He... must have bonded..."
Beast balked, "With who?"
"Alpha... alpha, my alpha." Ben begged, tossing his head from side to side in desperation. Everything was so uncomfortable without Harry's cooling touch to calm him.
Mal paused, "Had to be someone from the isle..." she said, carefully watching Ben, "It's not... You didn't bond with Uma did you?"
At the mention of her name, the memory of Uma's putrid scent comes back to him with startling clarity and sends Ben's stomach into a panicked clench. He thinks he's going to puke, shaking his head desperately as his mother, Evie and Mal all try to help him calm down again. He's burning up already, feeling sick to his stomach isn't helpful. It takes a good few minutes of gentle petting and non-threatening pheromones before Ben's nausea finally subsides. When he's no longer afraid that opening his mouth to speak would risk heaving up breakfast, he speaks, "No." he shakes his head and whines, "No, no, no."
"The son of Gaston?" Beast posed, tone teething with an obvious bitterness.
Ben shook his head.
Mal looked hesitantly at Ben before she reached out her hand to hold his, "Ben..." she started, cautiously, "Did you bond with Harry?"
"Yes. Yes, Alpha, please!"
"Harry Hook?" Beast asked with a frown, "The son of Captain Hook?"
Evie offered him a bitter smile, "That's the one."
"Alpha." Ben tried again, frustratingly trying to convey how just urgently he needed them to find Harry. Because clearly they didn't get it. He needs Harry here now and they're all just standing there.
Belle looked worriedly to her husband as she rubbed Ben's leg, "Someone will have to-"
"I will go and find him myself." Beast stated, glowering from where he stood at the end of the bed.
"I should go with you-"
"Belle, you can't." Beast interrupted sternly, "Ben is unable to watch Auradon while I am away and I need you here. I'll be back before you know it."
Belle stood from her seat and gripped his arm, "You haven't been to the Isle since before the barrier was set. It won't be-"
"I'll go with you." Evie said, lifting up from her place at Ben's side, "I know that place like a hem of a dress. I know exactly where Hook will be and I can keep you safe."
Beasts nodded his approval and turned to give his queen a quick kiss before pulling away to follow Evie to the door, "We'll be back quickly. Look after Ben and Auradon."
"Stay safe!" She managed to yell just as the door closed.
After taking a moment to watch after them, she returned quickly to Ben's unoccupied side, pushing his sweat-soaked bangs from his head and promising, "You'll be alright Ben. You'll be alright, I swear it."
