Chapter 6:

Please, God, no.

Sherlock opened his eyes at the strong sound of John´s voice inside his head. It was clear and loud, and the clever detective knew it had to come from inside his own brain, the doctor was nowhere to be seen after all. There was a strange pull on his chest, a feeling of uneasiness he couldn't place, but those were only feelings, it was his own mind.

The soldier has vanished from the crime scene after the shot. Lastrade has only limited himself to inform the black haired man that John had figure out where Sherlock was, but the Detective Inspector hasn't seen him after the flat incident.

The young Alpha was currently sited in the back of one of those expensive posh cars that Mycroft parade around the city from time to time. It was ridiculous, and he much prefer to move around in a cab, but his meddling older brother, with the infuriating combination of his own mother, ordered him to simply take the ride back to the Holmes Manor.

"Repeat to me again. Why do I need to stay home with the family this weekend?" Sherlock started, his voice heavy with boredom and indignation "I rather be on my own flat"

Mycroft only shifted in his seat.

"Probably has something to do with the fact that you were almost killed tonight"

"For God sake!" the detective replied "I had everything under control"

Mycroft only gave him a look. "I wouldn't say that"

Sherlock only turned to the other side, pretending to find the nocturne view of the streets of London a little more interesting than it actually was.

"Don't touch me. Let me go!"

The alpha winced at the sudden voice. It was definitely John. And it sounded angry, frustrated and for some reason desperate. The awful tug feeling in his chest reappeared with even more strength than before, and for a moment Sherlock swore to get breathless, the mind connection revolting and creating a sharp pain in his temple.

"Stop the car" the alpha simply ordered.

"What?" the government official asked.

"Stop the bloody car!"

The beta driver looked worried and send a quick look at Mycroft over the rearview, the older alpha only nodded absently, with a deep frown and a tight line on his lips. The black car immediately stopped.

"What on earth are you thinking now?" the older man accused.

"John…"Sherlock snapped "Where is him? What have you done with him?"

Mycroft almost looked baffled. "I have no idea what are you talking about"

Sherlock growl under his breath and the man in the suit raised his left eyebrow in mid amusement for such feral behavior.

"The only reason I allowed to be taken away like a scolded child is because I assumed that you have already taken John to the estate. Now, I can see that is not the case, so, I won´t repeat myself again. What did you do with John?"

Mycroft sighed with exhaustion. "I don't have the faintest idea what would you think that I did something to him, but, to clear your mind, brother mine, I didn't take him anywhere"

Sherlock froze. "What do you mean you didn't take him?" the detective shouted "you meddle in everything that had the remote excuse to be related with me, especially John"

Mycroft´s face suddenly was a little bit red, embarrassed for some reason, and the alpha suddenly looked away from the younger Holmes, gluing his eyes to the back of the front seat.

"Mycroft…" Sherlock warned with a low dangerous voice.

"Sherrinford" the bureaucrat muttered almost between teeth. "I was busy dealing with some emergency in the Middle East, and then you got yourself in danger, as always" there was a short pause and a deep breath of air "Sherrinford offered himself to take care of John"

Sherlock stared in silence for a couple of minutes, until another sharp prick of pain went through his head, reminding him that the Omega soldier was in possible danger.

"You let Sherrinford take care of my mate?" the words were spitted as if it was a snake spreading its venom. "Mycroft! What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Oh, now he is your mate…"

"That´s not the point at all"

"Sherrinford is completely capable of taking care of a simple surveillance task" Mycroft reassured "May I remind you that he is the head of MI6?"

"I can hear John inside my head. He is distressed"

Mycroft started to speak all over again when the sound of his blackberry distracted him from the conversation, the British government took the device from his pocket and suddenly his face went pale.

Sherlock quickly tensed, the pain in his head stopped but his concern was very much the same.

"What?!" the detective rushed the other alpha.

"It seems that John was in a bit of a predicament" the alpha announced "and alas our older brother couldn't get to him on time"

Sherlock face hardened and his eyes shone with fury, but before he could demanded more information from his brother or stormed out of the car, Mycroft raised a hand while suddenly looking back at the screen of his mobile.

"However, Anthea informs me that Sherrinford has located John"

Sherlock, who looks like it was about to burst with rage, relaxed just a little but looked at his brother with anger and searching for more information inside the clear grey eyes of his older brother.

"She said, that our dear doctor appears to be fine, and that Sherrinford is already taking him to the estate" Mycroft finished wearing back his usual expression, a calm unreadable face that Sherlock hated so much.

"Take me to him. Now."

The detective´s voice ordered still thick with anger and frustration, Mycroft only nodded to the driver and once again the car started to move swiftly into the middle of the night.

John was sited in front of the fire place, where he felt warm and safe after having a set of events that were most disturbing. All happened too fast. One day he was bored out of his mind, locked inside a posh mansion where he felt more useless that he has ever felt in his entire life, and the next he was solving crimes, running through the busy streets of London after a madman, killed a murderer and finally being kidnapped by some strangers on black suits to be dragged in a small unknown room and being cornered by a feral Alpha. The soldier couldn´t believe his own bad luck. A faint voice inside his head, was telling him that in certain way he has been looking for this. For danger. As if his own mind found some certain joy in punishing him for time to time, and John couldn't shake the feeling that his mind was right.

Please, God, no.

Everything seemed to slow down for a moment. The Alpha all over him was pulling at his arms, which were uselessly raised in front of his face and torso, in a defensive gesture, trying to keep the man´s mouth and teeth, specially the teeth, far away as possible from his neck.

In some way, John knew the fighting was over the minute the Alpha entered what it looks as a powerful rut and captured the smell of Omega on him. The brown haired man was almost as short as the soldier and even thinner than him, but was considerably stronger, after all, no matter your size or weight, once an Alpha went into rut they were fierce, violent and dominant, and John was a broken Omega recently shipped back from Afghanistan, supporting a terrible injury on his left shoulder, an injury that has only started to heal.

"Are you scared?" the Alpha teased. His voice was soft and almost too high pitched from being an Alpha´s but perhaps that was what made him even more terrifying, any other day this young man would have appeared to be harmless, but right that moment he was a predator.

"Don´t be." The man continued "Once I start your heat there will be nothing that you´ll want more than me" he swore, breathing in the sweet compelling smell that John was sure he must be segregating "God, you will be begging for it, like a good little Omega, taking everything I give you, taking it all".

The young doctor really try to fight back, he really did. Moving his arms around, trying to at least making it hard for the Alpha to submit him or hold him down, but overall, he tried not to breathe. He knew the minute that he smell the delicious calling of the Alpha scent, he would be gone. The powerful scent the Alpha was giving was one of the most attractive things he has ever smell, he only allowed himself to get a little taste, it was just a bit, barely something, but that little something was enough to enticed him to get drunk in it. Every time the Omega needed to take a little air, he turned his head away from the Alpha, keep fighting with his hands while he got a deep breath and then turn back to fight a little more again, it was difficult and for moments John felt like almost dying.

The Alpha reached the hem of his jumper, pulling it up, showing more of the doctor´s skin, and apparently, loving what he saw. "Chocolate eyes" as John has decide to call him, was licking his own lips, as if almost tasting the smell of John in his mouth, his hands, warm and soft, were touching and traveling dangerously up and down his chest, caressing his desert tanned skin. John felt sick.

This was the reason why he had run away in the first place. He hated all the disadvantages that being an Omega gave him, and how easy Alphas could pinned him down and turn him into a babbling thing that was desperate to be bred. "Why couldn't he have born a beta?" he thought. A peaceful, normal, casual beta that no one cared about. Someone who would grow up, study hard to get to be in a good university, get married and hopefully have a couple of kids, he never asked to be part of a dying breed or to be a valuable asset for the government and the population.

With one hard push, John got free of the strong embraced that the skinny Alpha got him into, and pathetically started to crawl away from him as much as he could, which was not much, his left shoulder quickly remind him that he was in no position to make demands of his own body, he was aching in every bit and piece of his body, and as fast as he tried to pull away from the bed with a straight direction to the door, he fell miserably over the white cold floor.

The Alpha didn't lose a beat, and as quickly as he saw the Omega crawling away from him, laying on the floor, trying to rise himself up with his arms, weakened by injuries and drugs, launched himself over the smaller man.

The soldier´s body slammed down on the floor, and groaned over his breath, feeling the weight of the feral Alpha on his back, with quick strong hands the man turn John around until his back was crushed against the floor, and chocolate eyes crawled over him once more, tugging and pulling at his clothes, getting rid of the blue jumper while he was at it.

"Don´t touch me. Let me go!" John yelled, finally finding his voice, which was raspy and almost too weak to sound angry. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he had made a terrible mistake.

Getting his voice out, meant that he needed more air and the moment John permitted his lungs to breathe in, he capture the powerful and enticing scent of Alpha in rut. Everything seemed blurry the next moment, the doctor felt how his blood started to rush through his veins, like a car on a highway, he got Goosebumps all over his skin, and the delicious taste of Alpha invaded his senses. It isn't that John hadn't smell a powerful Alpha scent before, he still remember vividly his heat with Sherlock, how good the detective has smelt, how enticing it was, even hypnotic, and how bad he had wanted the man all over him, marking him and filling him to the core, but this Alpha smell was all different, wasn't like Sherlock´s, whose smell was a strong combination of cinnamon, coffee and the fresh white and red roses of the Holmes estate garden, this Alpha´s was much more like lavender and dark chocolate. And he couldn't help himself.

Suddenly his hands felt to the floor, uselessly, and his body, once tense and fighting, was now willing and helpless, his eyes were half opened, the sight blurry with sudden lust. At the sight of the beautiful dark brown eyes of the Alpha on top of him, John couldn´t help to stick out his tongue to lick his own lips, savoring the smell like a child would a sweet.

He wanted. God, he wanted so badly.

The moment he raised his arms to reach for his Alpha, for that beautiful smell of his, the silent shut white door suddenly opened with a bang. John didn't pay attention, not really, he was too busy trying to lick and taste more of his Alpha; that was all that mattered. But before he could even touch him properly, a powerful strong arms pull him away from those brown eyes. The movement was so rash, that almost felt that he was going to snap his neck.

John fought, pulling, scratching and squirming, trying to get rid of the trapping hands that were holding him back from his Alpha. Didn´t they realize that this was what he wanted? That his Alpha needed him? The beautiful Alpha of a man was growling now, trying to get to John, who at seeing this, he raised his arms trying to reaching him senselessly but alas, the hands that were holding him back were stronger.

Three black suited man came rushing through the room, all of them big enough to be Alphas, they grabbed the feral Alpha by legs and arms, trying to carry him away from the room, away from John. The young doctor started to realize that his Alpha and his delicious intoxicating smell were fading away from the room and instinctively begin to fight the stranger´s hand more forcefully.

The mysterious hands turned him around so he could face him, but the first thing that the soldier noticed wasn't the man´s face, it was the scent. His Omega senses were confused and out of control, his own head was spinning around, and he could barely concentrate in something that wasn't just scents and smells. The fascinating taste of it and how much and how bad he needed it. This smells was just as wonderful and delectable as the Chocolate Eyes smell, it was like mint and pine, almost as comforting as Christmas, and he couldn't help himself any longer.

The minute that those hands, that were attempted to hold the soldier down, separated a little from the Omega´s shoulders and get a little too close to the man´s mouth, John bit.

Even an Omega was able to have a strong bite, and once an Omega went feral, that bite became considerably stronger than usual, designed to mark, just like an Alpha would in a middle of a rut. The stranger quickly tried to push John away, but the man´s jaw was firmly locked in the flesh and bone of his hand, curses, growling and even a yelp of pain could´ve been heard coming from the black suited man´s mouth but the young doctor wouldn't let go.

That until John finally opened his eyes, to recognize the man that he had just marked. Feeling weak and exhausted after the whole ordeal, at last letting go the hand that he was sure would be bloody by now. What he saw was not what he expected.

The man that was staring down at him, had the deep gray eyes that reminded him of Sherlock. His warm breath was hitting his face, and for a moment, everything slowed down in almost frames.

Those stormy eyes, and that sweet scent that John found so overly familiar, that reminded him of long summers and mint and pines and even Christmas.

Suddenly, stepping out of the fog of hormones and pheromones, John recognized the man that he has just ferociously bit, almost to the point of tearing the whole man´s hand. The stranger standing in front of him was Sherrinford Holmes.

Sherrinford Holmes was sitting in a comfortable leather chair in front of a nice fire in one of the old study rooms the estate has. It was barely used, so the tall Alpha thought it would be ideal to be alone for a while, of course, such peaceful loneliness could only last for so long.

The oak door that marked the entrance of the room suddenly swung open, Sherrinford didn't need to turn his head to peak at the intruder, he recognized the scent right away.

"What on earth were you thinking?" a powerful male voice demanded.

"Mycroft…" Sherrinford muttered.

"I agree to give you the thinnest of responsibilities, and you don't take more than five minutes to blow the whole thing up"

The accused man finally dignify himself to raise his grey eyes from the fire to see his younger brother standing by the door, looking ready to spit fire. It was a difficult thing to upset Mycroft, the man was known to be the iceman after all, but Sherrinford always knew how to push all his buttons.

"John is fine. He is going to be fine. Barely a scratch on him" the Alpha clarified, waving his brother´s concern away.

Mycroft only grew angrier.

"He shouldn't have even a single scratch on him in the first place" the man almost growl "I let you do one thing, just this once… should have known better"

Sherrinford was holding a glass of scotch in his left hand, the amber liquid swinging lightly in the glass "The Omega Services are cleverer than we like to think. By the time my men arrived into the area, John was already missing"

Mycroft took a beat to register the words, as if surprise the government itself was involved without his knowledge. Sherrinford only gave him a complaisance look.

"You may be the British government Mycroft, and I may be M from the mighty MI6, but we still part of the Holmes family and John still an Omega. The government is not going to stop to ask our opinion on the matter. The Omega Services does not concern itself with political games or the feelings of those who play it" he continued.

"I am very aware of the limits of my influence, Sherrinford. But next time I let you to do a job, if I ever let you again, please get it done" Mycroft finished, growling beneath his breath before starting to storming out of the silent study.

"He bit me, you know…" the older man mentioned before the ginger could leave.

Mycroft stop immediately, slowly turning to look at his older brother with a frozen expression on his face.

"Excuse me?"

Sherrinford sighed with contempt.

"I said, he bit me. John did"

It took only a couple of seconds before hell broke loose. "Why the bloody hell would you let that happen!?

Sherrinford only closed his eyes with a painful expression on his face, slowly, the Alpha placed the fine glass of scotch over the night table beside his seat, and raised to his feet to look back at his brother.

"I didn't plan it. I went to rescue John, he was under pheromones influence, I didn't want anybody else to touch him so I grab him myself, I didn't know John would be so feral, he bit my hand" the man concluded, but Mycroft was still fuming.

"How could you be so stupid…?" Mycroft whispered "Of all people, Sherrinford, it had to be you…"

Sherrinford raised his hand in front of Mycroft´s view, it was bandaged. "The little soldier seems to have quiet the bite, for a moment I thought he was going to rip my hand off"

"He might as well have…" the ginger haired Alpha bickered, Sherrinford almost smiled for the insolence.

"You know Sherlock will though…" Mycroft said in such a low voice that it was almost a whisper, Sherrinford only looked at him "…rip you apart, I mean"

Sherrinford narrowed his eyes at the mention of their younger brother.

"I was under the impression that our little brother wasn't really that interested in Dear John here"

Mycroft only snorted "He is an Alpha, Sherrinford" he muttered, as if the sole statement was self-explanatory "I am aware that both of them are sleeping together every now and then; even if it Sherlock didn't really want to bond with the soldier, he is an Alpha, he will register any approach from other Alphas as dangerous. Basic instinct."

"That explains why Sherly has been coming around the estate more and more these days. He used to avoid the place like the plague" Sherrinford pondered while raising a curious eyebrow.

A comfortable silence suddenly fell over them, and such peace could only be interrupted by a tiring sighed coming from Mycroft while the ginger raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, in a clear exasperating gesture.

"How we are going to proceed I have no idea…" the bureaucrat muttered more to himself than for his brother.

Sherrinford smirked. "That´s a first…" Mycroft only raised his eyes to look at him with intrigued suspicion "… you don't knowing what to do" the older man explained.

In the family, everybody knew that Mycroft weakness was Sherlock, but to the only person that the government official laid his guard down with was Sherrinford. The two of them grew so close together that could read each other perfectly, better than Sherlock ever could.

"One thing is clear" the ginger resumed "in a couple of days you will be entering a rather powerful rut, brother mine, I think it would be prudent for you to leave the estate"

"Oh, should I, now?"

Mycroft only gave him the look "Sherrinford, don't play games…"

"I was thinking…" the man started "all this mess would be clear out if our dear younger brother do his duty and bond with John, as quickly as possible…"

The look in the other Alpha´s face seem to indicate that he wasn't in a playing mood but after an angry glare the Alpha ending up giving in to Sherrinford bemused expression "And…?"

Sherrinford´s grin only stretched further "You´ve said it yourself, Myc. John bit me, my rut will start in two days top, and he will undoubtedly be attracted to me by the pheromones that I will be spreading by then… a little good old fashion jealousy never hurt nobody, I would say"

Mycroft looked pained at the mere idea "Sherrinford, don't play with fire, not this once, not with this…" he warned tiredly but the Alpha only laughed through his sharp teeth.

"Don't worry. Everything shall go smoothly" he promised before leaving his brother behind; a smirk painted over his face.

John was sitting by the fireplace, very still and wearing a stoic expressionless face by the time the grand wooden double doors opened softly. The soldier turned his head to got a view of the visitor in the room, and when he captured the figure of Sherrinford Holmes, he almost whimpered shamelessly, knowing that the delicious scent of the Alpha was still haunting him, and even worse, the horrible embarrassment he was going through after biting the man´s hand was still present inside his head.

"Hello, John" the man only said. He was still wearing the same suit, John noticed, black and neat, even after all the struggle in the Omega Services Center.

"Sherrinford…" the Omega wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a greeting or the start of an apology, but the words died on his mouth, too ashamed to even come out.

"Don't be embarrassed" the man assured "I think the faster we get over this, the better, don't you think?"

The doctor didn't know if the Alpha was mocking him, after what happened between them during John´s first heat and then today at the Center, the Omega didn't know if he was capable to look at the tall man the same way. It was hard to even smell his Alpha prime scent all over the room, the doctor found quiet difficult to look at his handsome face just as well.

Sherlock´s brother smirked that Holmes silly smile "John, I just wanted you to know that I understand…" Sherrinford reassured calmly.

"No" John suddenly spitted "I mean, I´m sorry… I´m actually very sorry…" the soldier tried to fix quickly, but couldn't really finish.

"There´s nothing to forgive" the Alpha dismissed with some negative movements of his head "Its fine. You were being induce by pheromones when I found you, I should have known better than just burst into the room and pulled you away from the Alpha, all like I owned the place" he said in a deep delicious voice that reminded the Omega to Sherrinford´s younger brother, Sherlock "I'm afraid it's a family trait" he finished with a smile.

John almost laughed at that. It certainly was.

"Well, I only wanted to address the situation, so it wouldn't make things even more awkward that I think already are"

John blushed by the thought that Sherrinford knew all this time about how miserably ashamed the doctor felt and how oddly attractive he found the man.

"I think it's obvious" the man continued, paying no mind to John´s thoughts "how attracted we are for each other, its biology really…"

John whimpered in surprise while the tall Alpha only smirked as he sat down in one of the chairs in the room.

"It´s not one sided, John…" he promised "There is almost a perfect chemistry between you and me, I can assured you that I can feel it just as well"

John wanted to say something, but the words coming from the tall Alpha didn't quiet sink in, it all seem almost comic.

"Don't worry…" Sherrinford calmed him while standing up "whatever happens, between you and Sherlock…" the deep voice of the man explained while it John almost froze at the mention of the younger Alpha "…or between you and me" he continued with a seductive tone present in his voice that cause the Omega to blushed from head to toe "is gonna be of your choice" he finished.

John snorted quietly.

"Yeah, like that´s gonna happen…"

Sherrinford raised a brow, intrigued.

"Oh, come on" the doctor complained "nothing really is of my choice, is it? Not since I was declared an Omega"

Sherrinford smiled passively, the same way that Violet used to do with John "We are willing to respect your wishes, John"

"Yes, in the type of clothes I wear or the food I eat, maybe, but not in whether I prefer or not to bond and breed, that´s not really up to me" the young soldier had armed himself with some kind of boldness that he didn't have since Afghanistan.

"It´s neither up to us" Sherrinford reminded him "Of course we are the direct benefactors of you bonding and breeding with a member of our family, but it's the government who decides of your use"

The Omega let out a huff of air, feeling heavy and tired, knowing that no matter what he said, at the end, it didn't really matter, the result was all the same. Sherrinford started to walk towards him with a serious face, and John took a couple of steps back, almost knocking himself over the fireplace, smelling the sweet terse scent of Alpha, so intense and so delicious that made John´s skin crawl and invite to jump the Alpha´s bones.

"You need not to be afraid" the man whispered so close to John´s face, that the Omega couldn't help but turn red.

Sherrinford´s lips were nothing like Sherlock´s. The young detective had those plump bow lips that made John´s get hypnotized almost immediately, but Sherrinford´s were thinner and pink, extremely masculine and attractive in its own way. They were barely open but they were calling him, inviting him in, and a part of John wanted so bad to punch him in the face, to stop this Alpha to use him like all the others have. But it was inevitable, John was doomed in the moment he bit the man. The soldier was imprinted on this Alpha, the same way that Sherrinford was attracted to him.

Suddenly his lips were mixed with Sherrinford´s. For all their thinnest, they were incredibly soft and warm. And damn if Sherrinford Holmes wasn't a good kisser, he was incredibly experienced, moving them just the right way, leaving John breathless. Even if the Omega stood frozen, with wide eyes open, almost in a terrifying manner, with both of his hands clenched into fists, John was enjoying it. The doctor surprised himself thinking how different the two brothers were, even at something as casual as kissing. When Sherlock was all passion and intensity, Sherrinford was taking its time, exploring the soldier´s mouth, caressing carefully with his tongue. And when Sherlock would had have him already crushed against the wall, with his desperate hands roaming over his body like a hungry beast, Sherrinford barely touch him, with one hand accommodating his shoulder and the other barely holding him on the hip.

Sherrinford was also fascinating by John´s taste. And God he wanted to touch much more. If he could have his way with the doctor, he would have thrown him down his bed by now, being busy getting rid of both of their clothes, Sherlock be damned. The soldier´s body was calling his own, telling him to come and have a taste; it was hard enough to hold himself back, only kissing John so lightly when all he wants was to rut against him and have him in all fours over a comfortable and large bed.

The Alpha moved his lips over John´s for a while, trying to introduce his tongue inside the warm wet cavity that was driving him insane. The only thought of possessing the Omega was good enough to not only invade his mind and consume him but to make him hard as a rock.

He could have continue his gentle ministrations but a loud whimper behind his back interrupted his train of thought and made both, Sherrinford and John, turn and look at the door.

There, in all its glory, was Sherlock Holmes. The man was frozen on the spot, almost as still as a statue would be, once unperturbed and now completely in shock: his eyes were wide open, and his mouth was trembling slightly, his white pale hands that were covered with black leather gloves suddenly clenched into fists of rage.

John was the first to move. The shorter man simply pull away from Sherrinford in a swift move and stepped away from the wall but Sherlock wasn't paying him any attention.

"What on earth do you think you´re doing?!" Sherlock yelled at his brother with a growling voice.

Sherrinford gave him a crooked smile. And John silently give a little prayer that the man wouldn't provoke the angry Alpha any further.

"What you can´t be bothered to do in the first place" he answered.

Next thing, there was a powerful growl coming from Sherlock´s direction and the tall man rushed in an incredible speed to launch himself over his older brother.

John sighed. Of course he would say that.

Sherlock was sitting on John´s bed, head turned to his left side, with John´s fingers fixing his broken lip. The detective let out a little huffs of air here and there when the ministrations giving to his face were painful, and John only glared at him every single time the Alpha dared to look into his eyes.

The black haired man let out a whimper when John pressed the blood stained piece of cotton over his inferior lip.

"Don't be such a baby" the blonde ordered him with a tight voice.

The brunette seemed ready to bicker but a dark look from the Omega it was all it took for the young man to keep quiet.

"And stay put" John continued.

After some minutes of stitching up, John took two steps back to appreciate his work, after a couple of hums of approval he started to pull the sleeves of his shirt down back again. Sherlock raised an eyebrow but sensed that the Omega had finished his labor and limited himself to observe how the young doctor got rid of the gauzes and empty alcohol bottle.

"So this is what you did" Sherlock muttered pretending not to have any interest in the matter, while John only turned with a confuse expression on his face.

"I did when?" John asked while threw the stuff into the dump.

"Back then" Sherlock clarify "When you were an army doctor"

John stared at him for a short while, trying to figure out what had bring it out such question, but after some seconds of silence and the detective staring back at him with honest curiosity, John sighed his answer.

"A little bloodier" the Omega explained "and less broken lips and more bullet to the chest type of thing"

Silently, Sherlock reached to touch his now fixed lip tentatively, feeling the slight burning sensation over his skin, and wincing at the pain. John took off his blue cardigan and tend it over the nearest chair, with a tired gesture on his face.

The young soldier gave Sherlock a quick look from the corner of his eyes, and furrowing his brow at the sight of the detective sitting over the big bed so quietly.

"I´m done" the blonde let the man know.

Sherlock stared at him indifferently "I know" he only muttered.

John pull a face of confusion.

"So you still here because…?"

Sherlock turn to look at the rug as if suddenly there was something interesting with it.

"Why were you kissing Sherrinford?"

Oh, God. This was the conversation that John was dreading and trying to avoid, he knew it was matter of time before the detective pop the question but he was hoping that he would deal with this in the morning, clearheaded and well rested, though it seems that he wouldn't have such pleasure.

"First of all, he was kissing me and second, I could be wrong, but I think that´s none of your business" John said while entering to the closet to take out his pajamas.

"It could be" the detective offered with a deep dangerous voice.

John turn to look at him with a strange gleam in his eyes "It really couldn't"

Both of them stare defiantly at each other for mere moments without saying a word, trying to win some kind of silent war between them.

"You were in danger tonight" Sherlock announced, it wasn't a question but more of a statement.

"I was" John confirmed tightly.

"I wasn't there" the detective whispered to himself, staring at the door absently.

"You weren't"

Sherlock turn to see him back again, with some strange look on his face. Some emotion that John hadn't seen in the Alpha ever.

"I´m sorry…"

John looked at him. "It wasn't your fault…"

"If I have bonded with you in the first place you wouldn't have been taken"

"Jesus, give me a break!" the doctor growled under his breath "It´s not your damn job to rescue me" John almost yelled.

"What am I supposed to do, then?" Sherlock questioned him, finally standing from his place on the bed.

"What you always do" John spat with anger.

Sherlock only mocked his expression and threw his hand in the air. "Oh, and what would that be, John? Enlighten me"

John calmed himself down a bit, with a pained expression on his face.

"Whatever you want" the blonde answered with some kind of sadness in the tone of his voice "You always do whatever you want, Sherlock"

Sherlock´s face paled out of the sudden and John only smuggle himself inside the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

It was early in the morning, just a day after the incident that occurred between John and the Omega Services, when Violet Holmes saw the punched face of his oldest son. Sherrinford usual hadsome face was black and blue and a little swollen after, what Mycroft refers as a "pitiful dogfight". She and the heir of the Holmes name were currently sited facing in each other inside one of the many studies of the manor, her son was nervously moving his right leg and staring shyly at her, not knowing what to say, which was good, fear was always a good start.

"So" Violet´s voice resonated in the room "you tell me that Sherlock left those bruises on your face…"

Sherrinford kept himself quiet, for a moment Violet thought that the pain on his face was making it hard for the Alpha to actually speak but after seeing the way her son tried not to maintain much eye contact with her, it was clear that he was mostly afraid to say something stupid.

Violet smiled at the thought.

"Sherrinford…" she said with a warning voice "I believe I asked you a question"

The young man stiffened in his seat with discomfort before answering.

"Yes" he simply said "Sherlock punched me after I provoked him"

Violet only nodded, thoughtfully. "So Mycroft was right, after all"she remembered her conversation with her other son right before he left the estate late at night; the woman stood and walked away to the nearest window, pretending to find something more interesting than the actual conversation.

"May I know why he suddenly felt the need to punch you in the face?" She remarked with a raised brow, still without looking at her son.

The young government official let out a soft giggle.

"Because I kissed John" the fear was clear out of Sherrinford´s face, and it was quickly replaced with childish amusement.

Violet blue eyes narrowed with suspicion and she quickly turned to look at Sherrinford with a straight face.

"And why would you do something so amazingly stupid?" the woman´s voice changed from a calm serious voice to a firm disapproving one, but the Alpha merely shrugged his shoulders with a light smirk on his face.

"It just happened" he informed with no much interest "We were talking and then suddenly that happened"

"You say it with such regret in your voice. It´s almost touching"

Sherrinford laughed at the sarcasm in such a way that Violet couldn´t help but see her own husband in their son.

"I don't. It happened, it was good"

"He is your brother´s betrothed"

The Alpha snorted with mockery, finally standing from his seat and walking around the chair to look at his mother with one of his witty looks.

"Mother, please, don´t be so boring" he requested with a little laugh "you sound almost prehistoric"

"It doesn't change the fact that you kissed the man that is to marry your own younger brother"

The Alpha crossed his right heel over his left foot with a silly smile on his face.

"But I guess that is expected" the woman continued, staring at the wooden floor "I don't know how I could have doubted Mycroft in the first place" she huffed a breath of air with resignation.

"Now, mother, you are just breaking my heart" her oldest son announced, pretending to be wounded by the words and putting a hand over his heart.

Violet stared at him with a side eye look.

"Don´t be preposterous"

The Alpha grinned back again.

"You almost make it sound so bad" the man replied "You make it sound as If I´m not your favorite one" Sherrinford finished with a little pout.

The older Omega crossed the room with her long skirt caressing the floor and leaving a soft noise of fabric until she found a seat behind the grand elegant desk of the room.

"Don´t be absurd" she warned again "You are not even close to be my favorite"

The grey eyed man laughed soundly.

"I wouldn´t even dare to imagine such thing" he confirmed, approaching his mother "We all know Sherry is your baby"

Violet gave him a bitter look.

Before any of them had time to speak again there was a couple of soft knocks at the door, both, Sherrinford and Violet, turned with confusion until there was the slight figure of Edward, the butler, on the entrance.

"Pardon me, madam, but there´s a guest asking for you"

Sherrinford furrowed his eyebrows together and turn to look at his mother with confusion; Violet ignored him and gave a soft nod to the butler.

"Does this guest have a name?" she inquired.

Edward suddenly seemed uncomfortable and bite his inferior lip before answered the question.

"I believe he comes on behalf of the Omega Services, madam"

Sherrinford paled at the mention of them, and Violet stood with tiredness; she pulled the dark golden fabric of her dress that moved heavily and fixed the belt that hold it together before start walking to the door, where Edward has already disappeared. Sherrinford straightened himself while looking at her mother walking away from him.

"I will take care of this, Sherrinford, don´t you dare to think on meddling" she said as she reached the wooden door, before crossing it and disappear down the corridor she turned to look at her son with a demanding grimace "Oh, and please do me the favor of leaving the estate before your rut starts, I don´t want any more trouble"

With that the double door fell shut.

The representative of the Omega Services turned out to be an Alpha male if his scent is anything to go by, when Violet entered the salon the man was standing by one of the tall windows with his hands folded behind his back, he was wearing a fitted elegant dark suit and his broad shoulders were almost intimidating.

"So you are…?" Violet started without bothering with frivolous false manners.

The man turned at the sound of her voice. He had short golden brown hair and glasses over his strange calculating shark like eyes.

"Oh, Violet Holmes, I assume" the tall man said with a kind voice while he stretched his hand to shake Violet´s.

"Yes" She answered without saying anything more.

"Excuse my manners, I´m Charles Augustus Magnussen, the head of the Omega Services Office" he said with a fake smile than didn't reach his eyes.

Violet almost froze on the spot, he knew the man very well, everyone did.

"Pleasure" The Omega said "And how can I help you?"

Magnussen smiled with slight mockery.

"I think you are already aware of the actions that transpired yesterday" the Alpha mentioned "with one John Hamish Watson, the Omega that is currently under your possession"

Violet almost cringed at the mention of the word possession but managed to held a cold expressionless smile to not insult the powerful man standing in front of her.

"Please, do make yourself comfortable" Violet insisted gesturing at the elegant sofas that were placed in the room "the tea will be ready very soon"

The Alpha gave a smirk before walking over the salon with heaviness, apparently amused by the change of subject, and analyzing the place carefully with his intelligent cold dead eyes until he decided to sit in one of the chairs close to the windows he was examining earlier.

"You have a nice place" he remarked while Edward entered the salon with a silver tray "I have had heard about the famous Holmes Manor but I never had the pleasure to visit" he reckoned with a slight smile "It´s nice."

Edward finished to serve the tea and a plate of biscuits on the coffee table between Magnussen and Violet before nodding and walking away from the room. Violet grabbed her cup with elegant parsimony while looking at the man across of her before saying:

"I´m glad you find it attractive, I can only hope it suits your aspirations" she commented while finally drinking a sip of the hot tea.

"This is the old home of the Holmes, if I remember correctly" he said while having a look at the front garden from the crystals of the windows. "I was quiet curious how it would look like" he mentioned without much emotion on his voice but with one of his dead smiles over his thin lips "I know your husband. I have encounter him a couple of times before, though I cannot say we are familiar with each other"

Violet raised her eyebrow. She wasn't overly surprised by the fact that Magnussen and Siger have met before, both men were extremely powerful in their own way, knowing each other wasn't really a surprise, but the sole fact to be in a room with the man was distasteful, she couldn´t imagine to shared event or even tables with the Alpha.

"He has the most interesting ideas" Magnussen continued with a soft chuckle "He seems quiet the combination of old school with new young ideas; I came here with the hope of finding him and have a nice chat, but alas, I heard he is out of the country"

Violet smiled at that.

"Yes" she confirmed "I´m afraid he´s been away for some time now; family business" she clarify lowering the cup on its place "but whatever you came here intending to discuss, you can discuss with me"

Magnussen assessed her with a glance.

"I´m well aware that you are an Omega of the highest class, Mrs. Bennet" the Alpha started with a playful smile when Violet almost jumped at the mention of her old surname "and that the circumstances of your union with Mr. Holmes were of the most scandalous nature"

Violet paled at the words of the man, but the Alpha continued without worrying of it.

"Oh, I know, everything was very hush hush" he added with a giggled that froze Violet to the bone "but… let´s say I have my ways. For your honor, and I suspect that for the honor of the old and respectable name of the Holmes as well, you and your family made it seem as if the union between your current husband and you was all planned, though, you and I know that all was an accidental bonding. How scandalous."

Magnussen finally paused to rise his own cup and take a long sip of his tea.

Violet rapidly gained his composure back and said "I don't know how do you know about that but I must say that hardly matters now"

The Alpha appeared to be intrigued by the words and at the same time partly amused by them.

"Is that so?"

"It´s been a long time, Mr. Magnussen" she added "I would suggest you to say whatever it is you came here to say and then simply leave" she concluded with a look that clearly suggested he wasn´t welcomed to the estate any longer.

"Very well, then" He agreed with a soft nod of his head "As I said before, you requested John Hamish Watson broodmare rights for one William Sherlock Scott Holmes, your youngest son. The Omega is currently on his middle twenties but there is not bonding certificate or children produce by the union." He comented with a dry emotionless voice "May I ask why?"

"That is because they haven't bonded" she answered with a serious face and a firm cold look to the man.

"Oh, don't bother" Magnussen waved a hand, dismissing the idea of Violet excuses "We, the Omega Services that is, are well aware of the situation revolving John Watson and your son. The Omega escaped his home the very day of his 18th birthday and even when the Omega task force looked out for him, he simply banished. Very sneaky"

Violent only stared silently at him. Inviting the man to make his point.

"Because of this event we consider that the Holmes family has being neglecting its duties. There are not enough Omegas to cover the decreasing population and we cannot afford the luxury to be wasting them on people who are clearly not interested in the breeding program currently stated for A.O.B. couples by the government" he finished.

"Make your point, Mr. Magnussen"

The Alpha smiled once again "We think is better than you hand over the Omega so we can find another suitable Alpha who will take care of things"

"Absolutely not"

Magnussen raised his eyebrow in a combination of amusement and false astonishment. But Violet only glared at him as if the man was the devil himself.

"We have a contract" she clarified.

"That you broke"

"We have our own reasons for delaying the union"

"As we have our reasons to think you are not a suitable family to fulfill the expectations that are prewritten in the contract, madam" he countered.

They both stared at each other in a silent battle. Violet was unease not only by the man, who was horribly rude, but with the whole perspective of the situation they, as a family, were actually getting into. But Magnussen seemed having the time of his life, enjoying every second of making her suffer.

"We have intentions to fulfill those… expectations" Violent spat with venom which caused the man to silently laugh "so there´s nothing to worry about"

Magnussen meditated the words a little longer with a slight twitching of his eyes, oscillating between refusing and accepting her words.

"Very well" he finally said "See that you do" he claimed while standing up of his comfortable place "In less than a week time there would be a citation sent to you, there it would specify the final date that you are allowed to register the bonding between the Omega John Watson and the Alpha Sherlock Holmes, or, if you prefer, any other of your Alpha sons, I don't really care which" he shrugged while grabbing a dark suitcase he had left reclined to his chair "The date would be not after the end of the month, I´m afraid, so make the arrangements necessary"

Magnussen started to walk to the exist of the salon to the great hall, that conduced to the main entrance; Violent, quick on her steps, followed him out, searching for any signs of treat from the man who had inevitably perturbed her day. When they reach the door, which was opened by Edward in a swift movement, the Alpha turned back to Violet to take his leave.

"I´m glad we have come to an agreement, Mrs. Bennet"

"It´s Mrs. Holmes, Mr. Magnussen" she corrected with a stern voice.

He smiled.

"Oh, yes, about that" he teased while taking something out from his coat "Here it is" he mocked with a singsong tone on his vocals and handed what appeared to be a photograph to her.

Violet took the picture with a confused face.

"What is this?"

Magnussen chuckled "What is busy doing in his… How did you call it? Oh, yes "Family business" trip"

Violet turned the photograph to see his husband, handsome and well dress as ever, in a restaurant with an elegant beautiful woman she recognized as Rebecca Adler, his husband old friend and first love.

The woman raised her head to look at the smug form of Magnussen, while the man only nodded and walked away "Have a nice day, ".

Suddenly, Violet could feel her legs shake.

John´s day was a boring one; it started the exactly same way that the past days have had, but to be fair, probably this kind of calm was the one he needed after all the scandal that elapsed yesterday. He was having what appeared to be "molletes" or something like that, it was some kind of Mexican breakfast –a couple of slices of bread with beans and cheese on it- and some orange juice. It was delicious but his fight with Sherlock made the food a little bit less enjoyable.

Suddenly a shadow fell upon the table where he was eating; John raised his eyes to see the tall form of Sherrinford, all dressed for a day in the office but with a bandage on his left cheek.

"Good Morning" he welcomed with a slight smile.

"Morning" John answered without much affection, and glancing back to his food.

"Mmm, Mexican food" the Alpha muttered walking to sit across the soldier with heaviness.

John didn't commented on it, and simply allowed the man to sit without question. Today, John decided to have his breakfast in one of the gardens, best avoid the presence of Sherlock for a while, he was in no humor to have any type of discussion over what happened yesterday, but one glance at Sherlock´s brother and he knew that it was going to be the case.

"Those are one of Mycroft favorites" the man promised "but don´t tell him I told you, he will deny the whole thing" Sherrinford remarks with mild amusement "the posh arse will tell you that he only eats gourmet food"

John dared to look at him but still without pronouncing a word, the silent rebellion seemed to be some kind of comic relief to Sherrinford since the man couldn´t help but smile with joy.

"Are you always this quiet?" he inquired "or is it just because of me?"

"Are you always this meddlesome?" John bickered back while taking a bite of one of the breads.

Sherrinford laughed soundly "Only with the ones I like" he promised "which let me tell you are not an awful lot"

John hummed in indifferent approval continuing to eat his breakfast without much passion, the sight of Sherrinford´s smirk in front of him unnerved him for some reason. Too similar to Sherlock´s.

"Are you still thinking about the kiss?" he questioned with a soft lifting of his eyebrows.

"Not really" John muttered without looking at him "Are you?"

The bureaucrat laughed with fondness.

"All the time" he exclaimed, calling John´s attention "moreover, I think I dreamed about it last night" the Alpha declared with a toothy smile.

"Don´t be so pretentious" John requested still chewing at his bread.

"Have you seen Sherlock, yet?"

John gave him a murderous look "None of your business"

"Oh, don't be so bitter. I must be the one who is afraid, another one of these…" he said, pointing his injured face, John almost smile at the memory of Sherlock´s fist punching his brother´s face "…and I think that I wouldn't be able to make it to work for at least a week"

John couldn´t stop himself in time and giggled at the thought, Sherrinford smile with disbelief and false indignation.

"Don´t you dare to laugh" he ordered with a little laugh "It hurts like a bitch"

"You deserve it"

"Maybe" the Alpha accepted "with takes me at why I´m still here…"

John raised an eyebrow.

"My rut will probably start tomorrow…" the brown haired man informed John with a more serious tone "and I need to know if I must stay or leave"

John stood silent for a while, not knowing what the man wanted out of him, until it clicked "…and you want me to tell you which option is the best?" the doctor snorted.

"I need you to tell me what you want"

"What I want hardly matters" John said, more confused than before.

"You´re wrong" Sherrinford corrects with an even more stern face than before "You´re all that matters here. Do you want or not for me to stay?"

John ponders the question as if he wasn't questioned at all. He is dead silent and even a little stunned; John was not stupid, the Alpha before him was actually asking him if he wanted to shared his rut, in which, to be fair, it was John´s fault that such rut was meant to happen since he was the one who bit him on the first place. But those stormy eyes so similar and so different from Sherlock´s assessed him in a way that creates a muddle inside his guts.

But the minute that John wonders what is wrong with accepting the invitation of the man who, unlike the rest of his family, truly seemed to care about him wanting this or not at all, the image of Sherlock comes running through his mind. He was upset with the tall man, vexed with the way he seemed to care with his own tune and his own concerns, leaving aside how John felt entirely with the situation at hand. Even then, though, he couldn't help to love his rare amused smile, or the sound of his deep baritone voice rumbling beside his ears.

Sherrinford was handsome as can be, tall with a thin but muscular body and a beautiful pale skin that was slightly tainted by the sun, his hair was straight with a slight curl at the ends and a dark shade of brown that wasn't the silky black of Sherlock but wasn't the ginger-ish soft brown of Mycroft either. And his eyes. Those piercing grey stormy eyes that he had inherited from his father and that shared with Sherlock, even though when they weren't quiet as beautiful as his brother´s, were dominating and demanding, fitting for a member of the Holmes family. Sherlock, on the other hand, was more than beautiful, was captivating in every way, even when he could be as obnoxious as a spoiled brat, he could be equally fascinating or even more and that enthralled John in a fashion than he couldn't found not even in his days with the army or the medical school. Sherlock was an icy fire that consumed him more than anything had ever has.

John smiled sadly at Sherlock´s brother, now clearing his head and finally understanding the implications of Sherrinford question, which was really a "Do you wanna bond with me?" He appreciated the gesture, the way that Sherrinford was giving him a way out from his commitment with his family the only way he could: by giving him a second option. Not a better one, but another one nonetheless. And John appreciate that.

"Thank you" the Omega started with some pity in his pitch "but I think is better for you to leave for the weekend"

Sherrinford huffed a little, seemly the rejection finally hitting home and hurting "all right" he said "If you are sure, though, you can change your mind any minute" he smiled mischievously.

"I´ll have that in mind" the young doctor promised.

"I know we don´t know each other very well" Sherrinford explained while standing from his seat "but I also know that you feel the same attraction that I feel between us"

John stared at his deep grey eyes for a minute with some level of concern, Sherrinford dedicated to him a soft sad smile.

"So, I want you to know that you are allowed to change your mind any minute" he told him with a voice with so little hope that John almost felt bad for him, at the end, though, he gave him a warm smile.

"I´ll keep it in mind"

Sherrinford smile a last time before nodding and starting to walk away from the doctor, the sight of the tall man with the broad shoulders fading away in the distance, as the chance to having someone else, someone who is not Sherlock Holmes, with him for the rest of his life slipped away with him too.

When John got back to his room, Sherlock was there, sitting on the mattress with a curious look at the sight of the doctor. He thought about Sherrinford and the things he had said before leaving him on the garden, and how he decided to stay with the Alpha that was already chosen for him. The Alpha who was currently sitting on his bed with a lost look on his face.

"John…" the man started with a shaky voice "…I´m…I just…"

John stared at his grey eyes, deeper than the ones he had stared at just twenty minutes ago, and raised an eyebrow at the words.

Sherlock bit his lower lip with indecision, clinging clumsy with the words that were still unsaid. John could see that some kind of battle was going inside the head of the detective, and just now he realize how nervous the Alpha was for whatever he was trying to say to him.

"…I´m sorry" he said with almost a whisper of a voice but he raised his eyes to look and stare directly to John´s blue eyes.

John swallowed still undecided, not knowing how to react, he couldn´t recall a situation when they were children in which Sherlock was as fidgety as he was now, playing wirily with his bare hands, as if this apology, completely unexpected and absolutely sincere, was all he could offered to him, and probably it was.

"For what?" the soldier asked equally nervously.

"For everything" the young Alpha said "for being a complete and utter prick" he finished.

John could feel himself smile sadly, as if the whole sentence was all he needed to hear for the man, and, taking in account who Sherlock was, it probably meant so much more.

"It´s fine" John forgave with a clear smile to him. Sherlock´s own lips curling up a bit at the edges with bright eyes than almost looked blue with the devotion of it.

"But… we still not okay" It wasn't a question. It was a declaration, and John found himself surprised that Sherlock could realize such thing by himself.

"No" John agreed "We still need to work on that field" he chuckled "but we are definitely better"

Sherlock nodded at him with a thoughtful glance, again lost in his own contemplations, but had seem to take John´s word at notice, which was a good change. Suddenly the detective raised his eyes to look back at John´s and with a deep serious voice said:

"About Sherrinford…"

John dismissed the mere mention of Sherlock´s brother away with a move of his hands "Forget about it. He kissed me, it happened, it´s done. I don't intent to let it happen again"

Sherlock looked at him suspiciously, making John wanting to roll his eyes in annoyance, but he knew that the Alpha couldn´t help it, it was in his nature to feel jealous of such things.

"All right" Sherlock promised.

"We should concentrate in where we will go from here…" John pointed out.

Sherlock raised his left eyebrow in confusion.

"I mean, how we are going to work this out…" John gesture between Sherlock and him with a comic look over his face "my heats, your ruts and your ridiculous family"

"Not to mention the Omega System" The detective added with clear disdain.

"Yeah, that too" John agreed.

They both giggled like little kids on primary school, like when they used to on those rare moment when they were younger and Sherlock made funny deductions about the people that used to attend to boring family parties on the gardens while they look at them from the windows of the summer residence of the mansion. Those quiet good times when there was no heats and not government to worry about, only to be together, John and Sherlock, either enjoying each other company or jumping each other´s throats.

"John…" Sherlock called him back again, taking John out of his deep thoughts.

"Mmm?" The soldier hummed.

"I´m sorry…"

John clicked his tongue against his teeth soundly, and frowning with confusion "I already told you that is all fine…"

"No" Sherlock insisted, more serious than before "This time, I´m sorry for the life that you would never have, the life that you´ve already lost"

John stared at him for a long while, not muttering a word but clearly analyzing the words in his head.

"It hardly matters, now" the Omega confessed, without the usual bitterness that he used to have about the whole thing as he did before "It´s done, Sherlock. It was good, but I guess that that part of my life is over and that´s fine, at least, now I´m starting to feel better about it" he smiled, honest and open.

Sherlock nodded dryly.

"I was a soldier and a doctor, and I will always be that, even now, but that is not what I want to be now"

"Why do you want to be then?" Sherlock inquired with some tone of concern on his voice.

"Well, not your bloody broodmare, that´s fairly obvious" the doctor joked.

"What then?" the brunette questioned so fast that the words were nearly nonsensical babbling.

John gave him a soft look, trying to make the Alpha feel better.

"Your friend"

Sherlock relaxed immediately, his shoulders finally going limp with relief. As if John´s answer wasn't a surprise but more of a gentle thought he had already had in his own mind.

"John" he started "you are my only friend"

Somewhere, deep inside of John, broke of how sad and how utterly wonderful those words sounded.

"As you are mine"