Ben was decidedly fed up with being kidnapped like a helpless maiden just waiting for her prince to rescue her.

He was supposed to be the prince who rode in on a shining steed, for crying out loud.

Tied to the mast of Uma's ship once more, Ben took advantage of his first few moments of consciousness. Before anyone could tell that he was awake, he got a good look around himself, head kept down and eyes carefully lidded as he glanced to his left then his right. The last time he'd been aboard he'd been too occupied down in the brig to really get a look at the ship. Even the few moments he'd been above deck were occupied with Uma's insults, then her showdown with Mal.

Now he had the chance to watch the crew busy themselves with seemingly nothing important, some were betting over a game with dice in a cup, others simply kicked their feet about or climbed around on the vast ropes that were strung throughout the deck. It was then that Ben remembered this ship was stuck here. It hadn't sailed away from the Isle in years, if it ever had at all. The crew really had nothing to do except sit around and wait for something entertaining to happen. Ben wondered what kind of life that was, and how empty they must have all felt living it.

"You're not very good at subtlety." Uma chortled, and Ben sighed before looking up, caught. "Morning, sunshine."

She seemed unimpressed but amused, arms crossed over her chest and hip cocked to the side as she gave Ben a judging once over. She looked just as angry and falsely confident as she had the first time he'd been stuck in this position. For a moment, Ben wondered if kidnapping people made Uma feel more powerful. Maybe it was a favorite past time of hers. He let his head rest back against the wood before offering her a pleasant smile, going for casual as he said, "We've got to stop meeting like this."

She snorted, "Save it. We're not here for pleasantries."

"Then what are we here for?"

Uma's lip curled as she leaned in, one arm planted against the mast beside Ben's head, "You took my first mate. Seduced him with your stupid Omega pheromones." she spat, staring into Ben's eyes with something akin to hatred threatening to pop right out through her irises and strangle him, "I'd love to gut you, but the guy who usually does that seems to be unreachable at the moment."

Ben blinked.

"This is about Harry?" he gawked, disbelieving.

He'd thought for certain this would be about Auradon again-about breaking down the barrier.

"This is about pride." Uma retorted, pulling back to grin unpleasantly, "But I'm not entirely unreasonable. I'd like my first mate back, sure, that two-timing traitor has some things to answer for... but if you can't give me that, I'd settle for a kingdom instead."

Ben shut his eyes, "I'm sure you know I can't give you Auradon... and I can't give you anything I don't own."

Uma's eyes lit up as Ben finished. He realized too little too late that he'd just confessed that things weren't quite as peachy with Hook as they might have seemed.

She smiled, toothy and cruel, "So you're not mated yet. That's just perfect. Of course he couldn't do it," her eyes glazed, looking far off as she added in a muted tone, "probably doesn't want to wind up like his old man." Uma shook herself out of it quick enough. She clapped her hands together and pivoted on her heel to turn away, "Good! That means this will be easy."

"What do you mean?"

She smirked and turn to pat his cheek, "I'm not about to go spilling all my plans to you, beasty boy."

"No, I don't mean that..." Ben frowned, realizing that's definitely the part he should be caring about... but it wasn't, "I mean... Harry's father?"

Uma scoffed, "You mean, he didn't tell you?"

Ben kept his lips tightly pressed together, unwilling to make Uma feel any better about his failed relationship with Harry.

"Well, I'm not very interested in swapping stories right now. We'll just wait until Harry gets here," she tapped his face a couple times condescendingly before turning away. "He can tell you if he wants to."

Ben watched her intently and wondered why Harry's coming to Auradon meant so much to Uma; why she felt so betrayed. He remembered her telling him about how upset she'd been when Mal and the others had been chosen the first time, but if that was the case here then why did this time drive her to go the full mile and pluck Ben right out from the safety of Auradon for revenge? Maybe because she hadn't thought Harry would come back for her? Or that Ben would extend her the same courtesy? He'd already tried that. She was the one that said no. He would offer a free ride to Auradon to her again and again if she was really willing to truly try.

"He was going to come back, you know." Ben said lamely, trying his best to be understanding, "He only came to help me for a short time, and I planned to ask you again anyway-"

"That's not the point." she snarled, and Ben saw the anger draw her shoulders tight, "He left me for you. Left for the damn king that put us in this hellhole. That's the point."

"I'm not a... Why is that so important?" Ben asked, still confused.

Uma glared silently for a moment before turning her head and flicking a handful of braids over her shoulder, "It doesn't matter."

It could have just been the way she'd deflected his innocent question, but Ben thought he saw something familiar in the way she'd said it. A blatant lie really, because of course it mattered. It was apparently the whole reason that Ben was here; because it had angered her that Harry had left to help Ben.

Ben was suddenly reminded of the own fire that had grown in his chest when he'd thought Harry was going to abandon him in the middle of his heat to come back to Uma. That little flicker of jealousy he'd felt, the jab that made him feel like he wasn't good enough. With a new theory, Ben decided to try his luck and cautiously-ever so cautiously-asked, "Uma, are you... in love with him?"

She said nothing in reply, but when she didn't try to deny it either, Ben was pretty sure he'd hit the nail right on the head. "But... you're both Alphas..."

"Nobody asked for your opinion." she barked, never turning back to face him.

"You can't force him to love you back, Uma..."

She glared furiously, "I don't -" and cut herself off when Ben looked at her knowingly, because he, better than anyone, understood what one-sidedly loving Harry Hook was like, "Maybe not... but it doesn't matter. I can certainly make you unavailable. That's close enough."

She clicked her tongue and Gil popped up beside her, bright and cheery before waving at Ben. The action was a little awkward, maybe even shy, like he was going for flirty and charming rather than menacing. It might have been stupidly sweet if Ben wasn't so terrified, "What are you going to do?"

"Since Harry was stupid enough to leave you unmated, I figured Gil can take over for him, do what Harry was supposed to do in the first place."

Ben's eyes widened and Gil took a step closer, "Wait, you can't!"

"Gil can."

"Forced mating is beyond illegal that's-" Gil was barely a foot away from him now, smiling childishly as he scented the air, "Gil, why would you do something like this?"

The boy shrugged, then leaned forward to drop his nose into the space beside Ben's neck, "You smell really good... I smelled it the first time too."

"That doesn't mean that I'm your mate!"

"You could be. My dad thought that Belle was his, maybe this was why. Maybe we were supposed to be mates."

Gil's nose made contact with Ben's neck finally, gently nuzzling, and Ben came to the startling realization that Gil wasn't flying backward. The gem wasn't there to protect him from the unwanted advances of Alphas anymore. He'd dropped it in the bedroom during his tussle with Harry... Ben had wondered earlier how they'd taken him from Auradon if Alphas weren't supposed to be able to touch him, now he knew. Wouldn't have been hard to grab him if there was no gem to protect him.

"Gil- Please don't do this. I'm not your mate!"

"But you smell like..."

"Gil, no!" Ben yelled, growing angrier and trying to struggle against the layers of ropes around him the more afraid he became.

"Smell like the woods he used to take me hunting in." Gil said, and his hands came up to rest at Ben's hips, "Smell like... the fur of his favorite bearskin rug. It's like home."

"I'm part beast!" Ben yelled, "Of course I smell like-"

His nose brushed against Ben's neck once more and Ben whimpered, fighting back the urge to cry. If they went through with this it would break his bond with Harry, completely destroy it. If Gil bit him, his body would react for Gil-at least, it would try. Even if they weren't meant to be together... his body would try to accept it, like it was designed to. He'd read all about in his Omega History classes. Ben had almost angrily torn out the pages of his history book when he'd read about some of the documented cases-and those were only the documented ones. How many Omegas had been robbed from their rightful mates this way...? Fale bites had been something Ben resolved to change when he became king, but now he doubted if he would ever get the chance.

"Please, Gil... don't. Don't do this."

There was only a slight moment of pause, Gil's fingers tensing at his hips once before he shook his head and opened his mouth.

The bite hurt more than Ben had been expecting. He flinched and writhed under Gil's hands, held in place by the ropes and Gil's teeth digging into his flesh. It hurt. His body struggled with the instinct to relax and the need to fight it off. His muscles spasmed a few times as his brain tried to catch up, jumping from submission to war one second to the next. Back and forth, energy rushing in and out of him in waves to the point where he felt exhausted. He cried, and winced when Gil's teeth clenched around him as he tried to get away.

Finally he felt the change, and it killed him inside.

His entire world shifted. Color changed, dulled and took on a tint of muted browns and oranges. His knees buckled, no longer able to fight off the command from the Alpha gnawing on his neck, he had to submit, he had to please, he had to give in.

Ben's head slumped forward in a lull as all of the energy drained out of him, body sore and tired from trying to fight it off for as long as he did. "No..." he croaked, tears spilling out from his eyes before he could stop them.

He hadn't cried in ages. He could hardly even remember the last time he'd actually cried... Possibly at Grandpa Maurice's funeral, and that had been years ago...

Gil was purring against his chest happily as he retracted his teeth from Ben's neck, nuzzling the tender skin with his chin and tonguing at the little specks of blood that poked through. It was all wrong. His skin felt too tender and he hated the way Gil's face scraped against it. He whined, wanting to move his head away but finding he didn't have the energy to even bother trying.

"Ben!" came a call from somewhere distant.

The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it. He didn't have the motivation to strain his ears to try, he couldn't lift his head towards it, he was just too tired. Everything was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.


"Harry!" Uma cheered, planting herself firmly at the front of the ship, a very similar stand to what she'd taken only a few weeks before. "I knew you'd come back. Knew you wouldn't leave me here after all." she said with a sneer, a clear jibe at his faithfulness.

Harry growled, eyeing Ben across the deck, tied to that stupid post again with Gil shielding him from Harry's full view. He could see Ben's head slumped over against Gil's shoulder and immediately the worst scenarios came to his mind. If she'd hurt Ben- He bared his teeth at Uma, his once captain, and snarled, "Uma! Let 'em go. He's my-"

"Actually," Uma interjected, grinning at the other VK's littered around her former first mate (and a perky asian girl she recognized from their previous tiff with Mal) "he's Gil's mate now." she said plainly, simply, like it meant nothing at all.

She raised her chin proudly and crossed her arms, expression far too smug for Harry's liking. He glanced over at Ben and Gil once more, this time searching with a new purpose. Gil had his hands on Ben's face. On his mate's face. He was caressing Ben's hair and Ben just... let him. He was hardly moving. If Harry couldn't see the way his shoulders were shaking he might have thought Ben wasn't breathing. He couldn't see Ben's neck, but that was probably a good thing. If Harry could see the bite mark of another Alpha on his mate, he might have killed Uma, Gil- hell, the entire crew.

Harry felt more outrage than he'd ever felt in his entire life. More than when Mal had stuck her gum to the tip of his hook, more than when Jay had thrown it into the sea. Harry was even angrier than he'd been when Uma had stripped him of his status as first mate and given it to Gil. She seemed to like giving Harry's things away.

Harry was livid.

"You should've just bitten him sooner, Harry." Uma smirked, "Scared you might have turned out just as bad as dear old daddy?"

Something tore from Harry's chest, and came roaring up out of his throat. He gave something akin to a war cry and ripped his sword from its sheath, about to bring it down across Uma's shoulder, maybe take her arm off if she hadn't caught his blade with her own just in time. Her eyes were wide, mouth parted slightly in surprise, but she schooled the expression quickly in favor of a glare and a jeer.

"Bring it on." she glowered, "You were never able to beat me before, I'd love to see you lose again, Harry."

The VK's were quick to react, swords out and at the ready before Uma's crew even had the chance to swing across from the ship to the boardwalks. Jay and Lonnie were quick to take out the most of them, swinging left and right, Lonnie jumping and/or ducking over a few blades as inexperienced fighters charged at her.

Carlos wasn't quite as quick. He depended mostly on deception, faking a swing from above and waiting until his opponent had lifted his sword to block it before ducking down and crawling underneath his legs. He jerked upward halfway through, knocking the pirate off balance, tumbling off of the thin walk and into the water.

"How could ye do it Uma?" Hook growled, swinging once to her left and then her right when she caught his thrust. "Ya knew what Hook did. Ya knew, and ye still-"

"You were never rotten enough to understand how evil he really was." She bit right back, pushing forward and snapping her teeth once at him, "Our parents were evil geniuses! We could be just as powerful, Harry! If you weren't such a codfish."

Harry snarled. "Ya broke our code, Uma."

"You betrayed me!" She screamed, and gave a rough slash downward that Harry barely caught with his hook. The blade slid noisily along the metal as they got closer, nearly face to face, "You left me behind! You broke our code first!"

Harry growled and pushed her backward. She nearly tripped over the short step from the plank to the ship's deck, catching herself at the last minute, but not before he advanced, "I found my mate!" he roared, and knocked her over onto her back with the force of his next swing, taking full advantage of her lost balance.

She blanched, lifting her sword to fight even as she lay on the ground, and seared, "I'm your mate! You don't need some prissy prince! We're captain and first mate, forever, Harry! Say it! What's my name? Say my name!"

Harry lost his temper, crying out with a broken rage as he brought his sword down once more, and the swing broke Uma's blade in half.

He held the point to her neck, teeth bared in a show of aggression and power. He'd won this fight. He'd beat Uma and now she was below him.

"Shrimpy." he scowled, and when she snarled back he pressed the blade just an inch closer, "Surrender."

Uma's arm raised, and the rest of the crew stilled little by little, finally taking in the sight of their fallen captain and the Alpha that had beaten her down. By the law of dynamics, among pirates, that made Harry their new and rightful Alpha, the one to follow. It made Harry their new captain. Slowly but surely, they all began to drop their swords.

"Ta the brig with her." he called out, loud enough for his new company to hear, the tone deep and commanding, like a captain's should be. Like the top Alpha's should be.

He grabbed the broken blade from the floor and gave it a look over before slipping the half blade into his sheath. Traditionally, when a new captain was appointed, he'd take up the previous captain's sword in a display of new ownership. Harry would need to get it fixed, maybe strip it of the gawdy coral blue handle and replace it with a dark red-

"Harry." Mal said cautiously, coming up to his side with a terse look as two of Harry's crew pulled Uma up and off the floor. "Where's Ben?"

Harry snapped his eyes back to the post Ben had been tied too just moments ago, a sinking feeling coming to his gut when he realized they were no longer there. He hopped off from the ship in a heartbeat, calling over his shoulder to Mal and instructing her to meet the two of them at the car. He'd need to get Ben back to Auradon as soon as possible. If Uma hadn't been lying just to spur him on and Gil had really bitten him, he was going to need medical attention.

He ran through the crowds that made up Pirate's cove, pushed through the unfamiliar scents invading his nose and did his best to focus on Ben. He set his sights on that familiar scent. The path lit up in front of him as his senses honed in, guiding him through the busy trading booths of fabrics and spices, past the cold smell of weaponry and into an alley that Harry recognized. Gil was trying to take Ben home.

When he finally caught sight of Gil's unmistakable broad shoulders and Ben's limp form hanging off his shoulder, Harry saw red, "Gil!" he called out.

Gil startled, and turned slowly before smiling when he noticed who had called out to him, "Harry!"

"Gil you bumbling idiot, gimme back the prince."

Gil's smile slipped off his lips, "But- he's my mate."

"No, ya ignorant codfish." Harry snapped, coming closer and only stopping his assault when Gil backed up, arms wrapped tightly around Ben, "He's mine." Harry snarled.

"He smells like-"

"All Omegas smell bloody good." Harry drawled, raising a hand to his forehead frustratedly.

For as strong as Gil was, he lacked the brains to think for himself. Harry had no doubt Uma had planted the idea in his head; because Ben smelled good to him, it meant they were supposed to be together. Harry would have felt sorry for him if he wasn't so angry, "Ya've never smelled another Omega in yer life! Ya don't know what yer doin'. Let. Him. Go."

Gil gave Ben a considering glance, eyebrows drawing up in a pitiful look, "But... he's Belle's son..."

"Ya don't have to be like yer bloody father." Harry bit, and realized only after he'd said it that he wan being hypocritical.

That was advice Harry needed to follow himself.

There was more self hate in that line than he'd planned for, and the realization stung. He had been terrified to be with Ben because of what could have come from it. He was terrified of following the same route his father had and taking advantage of Ben and all his sweetness. If he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of Ben, if he'd charged back onto the Isle had fought Uma just to save him, then maybe Ben was right; maybe there was a chance for him.

Ben groaned, head lolling to the side before he finally caught sight of Harry. He whined and tried to reach out weakly, "Alpha..."

Hook took a step forward on instanct, about to swoop in and pull Ben back into his arms when Gil made a warning noise. He tugged Ben closer to his own chest. Ben struggled, pushing against Gil's shoulders in vain as he tried to get back to Harry.

"Don't put 'em through a false bite," Harry begged, "please Gil."

It was the please that caught Gil's attention. His head snapped back to Harry, an awed expression on his face as he fumbled with his words, "You... But it.. it's not a-"

"Alpha!" Ben tried again with a little more voice.

Gil finally caved, watching Harry's face contort with concern until he looked as if he might break if he couldn't get Ben back into his arms. Ben was fighting his hold, desperately trying to get over to Harry, and even Gil wasn't dumb enough to ignore what that meant. "I'm sorry." he said lamely, and helped Ben back over to Harry weakly, "I thought..."

As soon as Ben was in his grasp again Hook held fast and tight, dragging Ben as close as he could and letting the prince bury his face in Harry's neck as Harry ran a soothing hand through his hair and let out a sigh of relief, "Thank ye."

"How... how will I know when I find mine?" Gil asked, a pained shimmer in his eye as he watched Ben latch onto Harry.

Harry looked thoughtfully to Ben, then back to Gil before the corner of his lip upturned in a half-grin, "Yer whole world's gonna shift. For the better. Mates... they make ya want to be a better person."

Gil smiled, toothy and bright for a short moment before nodding to Harry and slipping past them to make his start back to the ship.

"Wait." Harry called, and pulled Uma's broken sword from his belt with his free hand, "'M gonna have ta return to Auradon for a while. I want ye to watch the ship while I'm gone."

When Gil's face lit up, Harry wondered just how much he and Uma had really ignored him over the years. He'd always had his eye on the prize, thinking he didn't need to pay attention to anyone but Uma to get where he wanted to be. Now, Harry was beginning to rethink all of his foolish priorities. "Don't let Uma fool ye again." he grunted as he passed it over, "I expect the ship ta still be in yer control when I get back."

"Aye eye, captain!" Gil grinned, and Harry, for the first time, felt what it was like to be called a captain.

He smiled, tipped his head to Gil, and headed for the car with Ben.


He couldn't get Ben back to the limousine quick enough, but Ben was making it extremely difficult to walk-trying to climb him like a tree.

He'd spent the first bit of their rush back just rubbing his cheek over whatever patch of Ben's neck he could reach, desperate to get his scent all over Ben again. Gil's burly, salty musk had tainted the naturally sweet perfume that usually called out to him from Ben's skin, and it was setting him on edge.

His first priority was to get Ben home safely, get him back on the other side of the Isle's barrier; back into Auradon and it's protection.

...and fairy care services.

Ben felt slick beneath his hands, sweaty and pale as his body fought to reject the deep mating bite that had been forced onto him. Hook knew he was fighting it, he could see all the signs and knew it would take a toll on Ben soon if he didn't get him back and fix it. False bites were difficult on Omega bodies, already designed to be a little weaker than usual, made to be protected and coveted by an Alpha. It was intended to be appealing, but Harry had always hated the thought of searching out a weaker mate.

But Ben wasn't weak...

He'd been upright when Harry found them, fighting it off like a champ. He might have been a little woozy, certainly, but most Omega's fainted or went into shock when they were given a false bite. Ben was strong and he'd fought hard-was still fighting hard-but if Gil had absolutely insisted on keeping Ben and kept biting him until the bond took, Ben's rebellious body would have eventually collapsed.

Most Omegas gave up quickly and resigned themselves to their fate, giving into the bite before their body could burn out... but Harry was sure that Ben would have kept fighting against it until he'd just... died, too weak to carry on.

That, or he'd have been driven mad.

Harry had seen it before. He'd had a first row seat as his mother went crazy, so lost to a bite she didn't want that it compelled her to make it stop. She's hated it enough to walk herself off of a tall pier and onto the sharp rocks and crashing waves. Harry had been ten at the time, and if his mother hadn't left him at the chip shop with an angry little Uma, he was sure she'd have pulled him down right along with her.

Harry would have never forgiven himself if the same had happened to Ben, and he'd never forgive Uma for what she'd almost done. What she'd convinced Gil to almost do.

"Ya bloody idiot." Harry said, but not unkindly, "Ye should've just waited for me."

Ben hummed, then whined into Harry's neck as he finally gave up and simply lifted Ben off the floor, deciding it would be quicker if he just carried him, "W's lookin' for you..." he mumbled.

"Should've waited."

"Thought you were leaving..." Ben sighed, and held on to Harry tighter, "Couldn't..."

And Harry's worries simply melted away. Ben's relationship with him was nothing like his mother and his father. Ben had chosen him. Ben wanted him. Ben cared enough about him to go looking for him when they'd fought, and Harry, he... he loved Ben. Or at least, he believed he did. Harry didn't know what love really felt like, if this was really it or not...

But whatever he felt, it was genuine and true. He cared very deeply for Ben, and wanted to stay by his side.

The squirmy Omega in his arms shifted again, trying to get closer to Harry, frustratingly attempting to get them chest to chest.

"Yer alright princess, I've got ye." he cooed gently, and ducked his head to press his cheek against Ben's forehead.

Ben nuzzled him sweetly and sighed. When Harry had ducked his head into the crook of Ben's neck it felt eons better than Gil's unwanted touch. The shape was perfect, the line of Harry's jaw almost designed to slot exactly into that spot. The slight stubble Harry could never quite get to scraped against his skin in a pleasant way, and the coarse chap of his lips was a much needed change from Gil's far too soft ones. Harry was perfect, and in his arms was where Ben belonged.

"It's you..." Ben said, decisively, "You're my mate... Even... even if you don' believe me."

Harry looked at him fondly, but never slowed his pace, "I believe ya."

Ben dug his fingers into the fabric of Harry's coat collar and frowned, "Wouldn't mate with me..."

"I was hoping y'd realize 'm not a good mate for ye, but ya seem to like trouble." Harry snorted.

Ben chuckled, and the pain in his stomach subsided just a little when Hook kissed his temple, "You can't get rid of me. I like villian kids."

"Hmm. Ya seem real popular with em'." Harry smirked, remembering how ready all of the VK's had been to jump to Ben's rescue, "M' I gonna have to fight off lots of rivals?"

He smiled against Harry's shoulder, "I only want you."

Harry stopped just outside of the clearing that Jay had parked in and set Ben down carefully. They were still just out of sight of the limo, and Harry was glad for it, not exactly ready for Mal and her crew to see him be anything other than ruthless just yet. He helped Ben lean against the alley wall before lifting his hands up to gently cup the prince's cheeks.

The pain Ben had been feeling ever since Gil bit him almost seemed to vanish when Harry kissed him. He let Hook's sea-heavy scent surround him as he lifted his arms to loop around Harry's shoulders with a smile. They kissed for a moment, Harry's fingers posessively combing over where Gil had grabbed him on the boat, like he was trying to erase every small touch that hadn't come from him.

When Ben pulled back with a chuckle, smiling like the very sun was caught in his eyes, Harry returned the gesture with an uncharacteristically shy grin of his own.

He slipped the charmed necklace from his pocket after pecking one last kiss on Ben's lips and slipped it over his head. When it was finally seated, hanging proudly around Ben's neck and the color began swirling like the very tides Harry promised himself he'd one day sail, he growled lowly, happily, "Don't ye dare take this off again."

"But I'll have you around to keep me safe now." Ben smiled, leaning in for just one more kiss, "I don't need this."

Harry groaned, excited by the sentiment, but shook his head, "Promise me princess."

Ben softly smiled, "I promise."

Hook ushered him back to the car with a hand on Ben's lower back to guide him, delighted that Ben had the strength to walk again, even if he grumbled about the nausea in his stomach again. The VK's worriedly looked over Ben again and again when they finally climbed in and took off, but Ben stayed in Harry's lap the entire ride home. He soaked up every healing touch and little nip to the back of his neck that Harry offered, and smiled shyly when the girls gave him giggly looks.