Sadness. Frustration. Compassion. Seething fury. Brandon was kicked back and forth between a mixture of emotions as he stayed close enough to intervene, observing Sean's every move.

Witnessing the smallest detail of expression, analyzing it properly so that, were the young Omega to be overwhelmed or frightened by the nearby Alphas and Betas, Brandon could step in.

Even now, there was a soft smile on the Alpha's lips as Brandon watched Sean be accepted by the rest of the pack. Word spread quickly and while the other humans, Deltas and few Omegas were spreading Sean's scent around, the shy Omega was still hesitant to make contact with the Betas and Alphas.

With Brandon and Gabriel being the only exceptions, none beside the Pack Alpha has successfully managed to come anywhere near Sean. At least not without inducing a deep seeded panic within the poor man.

Nostrils flaring, Brandon sighed with relief as he didn't detect a hint of that unique pheromone in the air. A pheromone that Omegas would only release when they were heavily distressed.

Yes, Sean was still trembling slightly and definitely avoiding eye contact with the Alphas and Betas.

But Brandon had a feeling that the mingling humans, Deltas and Omegas were proving time and time again to Sean that these Alphas and Betas were no threat. Even if it was unintendedly so.

With each interaction where a Delta laughed along with a Beta, an Omega swatting at the arm wrapped around her stomach from her Alpha friend, Brandon could see the surprise, disbelief and astonishment mount in Sean's gaze.

Especially so when the humans, even weaker than Omegas, darted through the crowd, roughhousing with the rest of the pack.

Where everyone was accepted, respected by the others. No matter their supposed ranking.

Brandon could tell the other Alphas were making a conscious effort to give Sean breathing room. To not approach the Omega until he approached them.

Hell, several of the Alphas had left to continue their chores, after inhaling Sean's scent and giving the shy, fearful Omega a gentle smile and a nod from across the field.

And with each Alpha that respected his boundaries, willingly leaving the same area where a new, unmated Omega stood, the confusion in Sean amplified.

Jasmine scent turning softer, blander as his head tilted the slightest bit. Watching the Alphas walk away without so much as a backwards glance.

It's as if he's anticipating the Alphas to drag him from the field, no matter his objections.

His wolf sneered at that, snapping with its teeth to shut down that thought. No real alpha would do such a thing. Immature pups, imposters would reach out and grab what wasn't theirs to touch in the first place.

Real Alphas respected the pack and would never force their desires, their needs onto another. They would be patient, wait and only approach if there was consent and shared mutual interest.

Which was why Brandon's Beast was already gloating, puffing out its chest and preening like a proud peacock. Because Sean willingly came to them.

Of course, Brandon's explanation that they were one of two Alphas present that Sean knew, went in one ear and out the other for the Beast. For his wolf, Sean trusted them, pure and simple.

He sighed before smiling gently when Sean caught his eye. Smile widening as Sean hesitated only a moment before shuffling closer to him, scent sweetening with a hint of curiosity.

"...a question?" Brandon managed to catch the soft murmur, making him lean closer to be able to fully catch Sean's soft voice.

"Hmm?"

The omega nervously licked his lips, eyes flitting to the few other Omegas in their vicinity. "I...don't want to be...rude but. H-how rare are Omegas?"

Brandon smiled in understanding, hiding his surprise about the fact that Sean didn't know this commonly shared bit of information.

"Very rare. It's already hard for Omegas to survive the transitioning phase still within the womb." Brandon started, explaining a bit of the physiology and genetic influence of their rankings. "Omegas that do survive their transition, still need to survive the full gestation and birth. It isn't unheard of that Omega children are often stillborn."

Motioning his jaw to the few Omegas mingling with the pack, Brandon continued, "We're lucky with our pack structure, the bonds we have developed. It lessens the stress on the pregnant mates and with the additional healthcare, more Omegas survive than in most packs."

Sean let out a curious hum, his own eyes flitting to a heavily pregnant Omega, held securely in the lap of her Alpha mate. The young couple was the poster child of a happy, flourishing mating.

"In our pack, we have 19 born Omegas out of the 385 pack members. A little less than 5% of the pack is Omegan." Brandon grinned as Sean's eyes widened, because he knew the Omega expected more.

And Brandon easily anticipated Sean's next question as the Omega turned towards him. "Then, how l-many-"

The young Alpha shrugged, rolling his shoulder to relieve some of the build up tension there. "It depends from pack to pack. Most are considered blessed if 1% of the pack is born Omegan."

Disbelief flooded Sean's gaze but Brandon knew it was a hard fact to swallow. During his own education, he too had been baffled when he was presented with the facts.

After all, most of the packs out there had such low viability where only once in 400.000 births, an Omega would be born, alive that is.

There was a lot of speculation as to why Omegas were so hard to come by, why their birth rates were affected so much.

Alpha Ryker had reasoned that, on an instinctual level, the Omegas mothers would sense if the pack would treat their young with the proper care.

Wild wolves living in harsh conditions could reabsorb their fetuses if need be. Where a normally large litter would be reduced to a few pups so that they could survive.

There wasn't any scientific proof behind Alpha Ryker's reasoning but the fact remained that in good, healthy ruled packs, Omega births seemed to thrive.

And their pack was proof. Even outside Omegas had chosen to emigrate, become a part of Alpha Ryker's pack, simply because of their treatment of Omegas.

Naturally, other packs followed the example that Alpha Ryker had set. All with better results regarding to pack mental health and Omegan births.

But of course, there were always packs who resented the very notion of bowing down to the whims of the weak. Who saw all of these facts and data, disregarding them and calling it false. All because they were clutching onto their ancient, crusty old ways.

And they could never accept the reason, the facts behind why their packs didn't produce any viable Omegas. No, instead they blamed it on the poor mothers, calling them utter failures for being incapable of producing a living Omega.

Completely ignoring the utter heartbreak of the parents, as they lost part of their litter with each pregnancy.

Of course, it were such packs that were placed under heavy scrutiny by the Ruling Lycans. A pack unlike any other, consisting of multiple Lycans, whose sole purpose was to keep the werewolf community in check.

The Lycan pack was extremely small compared to regular packs. They had no true Alpha in the sense of a regular pack besides being ruled by the Eldest Lycan.

And even that was saying something, as Lycans bowed to no one.

The Lycan pack was a whispered warning spread among Alphas. An always looming threat that could appear at your doorstep at any given time.

Because these Lycans had united on the grounds of a shared interest. A goal that had pushed them through Corruption and made them into what they are now.

Most, if not all members of this illusive pack held a vendetta against Alphas on the brink of Corruption, and the Corrupted themselves.

A simple yet undeniable hatred against Corrupted. These Lycans sought out the Corrupted with a vicious relentlessness , would sniff out their hiding spot.

And completely, utterly destroy them. Eviscerate them, tear them limb from limb and remove them from the face of the Earth.

The only ones spared by the Lycans, where those that could still be saved, still change into Lycans themselves. For those unfortunate souls that happened to lose their hold on humanity, no mercy was given.

It was why most packs tried their best to keep their Alphas in line, or leave to find a better suitable Pack Alpha.

Because at any given time, one of the Lycans could show up for an inspection. Without any warning, any sign that something was amiss, a Lycan could just wander into pack lands.

And there was little that the Alphas could do about it. For Lycans were the strongest beings of their kind. Brandon shuddered to even think of meeting such a creature.

A former Alpha, powerful enough to nearly succumb to Corruption and come out victorious. Forever marked, forever changed by the sheer battle of will it took to claw back from the abyss.

It was every Alphas worst nightmare and also their only hope, should they ever find themselves looking in the face of Corruption.

That was the reason why good packs, great packs like themselves were always vigilant. Alpha Ryker, their Pack Alpha, had taken it upon himself to make sure that none under his care would fall to Corruption.

And those that threatened to approach the abyss, were instantly gathered, counseled and taken into custody. To prevent them from losing an Alpha.

Preventing them from harming the pack.

That was the reason why Alphas were always scrutinized. Why, at the Alpha camps, it was drilled in their brains, forever etched as a reminder, a caution, a warning.

Corruption is a festering disease. Afflicting only Alphas, who's Beasts had the chance to overtake their host. And while the Corruption didn't make any victims in the other ranks, the rest of the pack was still at risk.

Collateral damage if a Corrupted were to emerge among their midst.

In front of him, Sean was attentively observing the rest of the pack. Still fearful, twitching whenever there was a sudden rise of volume, flinching whenever one of the lower ranked pack members playfully swatted, pushed or shrugged off an Alpha's hands.

Each gesture was always followed by a souring of Sean's scent. Sweet, delectable jasmine growing bitter to the point where it stung Brandon's nostrils for the split second the Omega released it.

The breeze blew it in Brandon's direction, forcing the young Alpha to close his eyes and grit his teeth for a moment. To fight for control on his Beast, to not snatch Sean and scent the Omega, as his instincts were telling him to do so.

Scenting the young man so the natural soothing pheromones in an Alpha's scent would calm down and soothe Sean's inner Omega.

As Brandon opened his eyes, there was a sharp gust of wind that whipped through the clearing. Sean's hair tangled and curled in the sudden shift, baring the back of his neck.

Yet suddenly Brandon had to fight his wolf for a whole different reason. The nape of Sean's neck, always hidden by his thick, lusciously long hair, was now revealed to Brandon's sight.

And the vicious claw marks, thick scars that crisscrossed his delicate nape, as if someone had dug in their claws and pushed down with tremendous force-

Brandon bit on the insides of his cheeks till he tasted blood, fighting back the urge to shift, the urge to run out in the woods and go out for a hunt.

His mind a broken record, recalling the words of his Beta teachers back at Alpha camp, the phrases he read during his studies.

"Above all else, Corrupted seek out those who are weaker than them. They are driven by pure instincts, a deep seeded, instinctual need to satisfy their deepest desires, to rule and dominate-"

"...-yet among the weakest of the pack are Omegas. Rarest of all the werewolves and considered a blessing among packs. For their natural submissive nature, their pheromones and instincts are everything any Alpha could wish in a mate."

A cold, sickening chill rushed over Brandon's spine, the sounds of the clearing drowned out by his racing heart and the cryptically whispered words that Jamie had uttered but a few weeks ago.

"Wolves usually tend to be kinder to Omegas."

Yes. Pack wolves were kind to Omegas. Most wolves would treasure an Omega and make sure no harm befalls them.

Most wolves would.

But not Corrupted.