"Daryl, please let me in." Rick called.

Daryl mumbled something and Rick came in. "I said go away, not come in."

"We didn't mean to upset you." Rick said softly. "Really 'mega we didn't."

Daryl eyed him, omega, he was being called omega now. He eyed the Alpha male, he wanted comfort and this wasn't comfort. "Will..will you let me scent you? Join your pack, since it seems my family betrayed me, tricked me and abused me. I just need comfort please."

Rick smiled and nodded, he lifted his neck exposing his scent glands, Daryl muttered in pleasure as he took in Rick's scent. He took a moment to take it all in but felt at peace as he knew he had been accepted. He continued scenting, he felt more slick between his legs but shook that off. Rick tilted Daryl's chin up taking his time scenting through the suppressants till he found his real scent. "Shit Daryl, it's strong." He smiled. "I promise we will protect you but let you live for yourself too, we won't force anything on you. You can still hunt and fish and help us and I would like to ask no more suppressants but I understand in some cases they will be safe to take. Daryl, being a male omega is the rarest placement, you really are a gift. What.. do you know if you have a working womb? Not all males do, it would be completely different if you did, not all males have one. Some male omegas just scent that way, not have a womb."

Daryl thought and rushed to his pack, he pulled out a notebook from Merles bag. He tossed it at Rick. "First page got my chart from the ring. I was checked by a doc for my price."

Rick opened it, he eyed the page.

Dixon, Daryl

Age: 15

Price: 5-10 mil

Placement : omega

Status: virgin

Womb: working, fertile

Age at which can be sold - 16

There was a picture of a young Daryl looking scared, a bruise and on his eye. "Daryl, this is sick."

Daryl lowered his head. "I'm..I'm not a curse?" He repeated again this time a question. "Not a curse?"

"No Daryl, you're a gift. On top of your skills you are quite literally the rarest omega known to man. Hardly any male omega is capable of reproduction, most omegas are docile and can't deny what an alpha says to them. You, on the other hand, are strong and tough. Capable of survival and while you're badass it seems you still have some omega goodness in you with the pups. I don't care if you're not a normal omega, this makes you more valuable to us."

Daryl eyed Rick, "More Valuable?"

"More valuable."

Daryl eyed him, this tent smelt like his brother and it was driving him nuts. He felt unsafe with Merle even though he was his brother, he had always been there but now he wondered if the man was just waiting for the right buyer to sell him off to. Why else would he have the chart. Rick was flipping through the notebook, names of men and what drugs they sold. Names of rings and their high prices, Merle is more dangerous than ever with the knowledge they have an omega.

"Daryl," Rick began noticing the unease of the omega. "Would you like to sleep in my tent I can sleep in here. Your brothers scents bothering you isn't it?"

Daryl shook his head. "Nah, I'm good." He was trying not to make himself look weak, he wasn't, being omega wouldn't change the worth he had. He needed to prove himself to this new Alpha.

"Offers always open, sleep then, I will see you in the morning Daryl."

Daryl nodded. He pocketed the suppressants, he would keep them for when he needed to hide his scent. Rolling into his pillow he sobbed, he hardly ever cried but his emotions were overwhelming.

Everyone woke the next morning to the strong scent of omega and cooking rabbit, Daryl was sitting on a stump cutting open a second rabbit. Beside him a fur was tanning. Sweat dripped down his muscled body, Rick watched him with want but shook his head trying to push it back. "Mornin," Daryl grunted, "breakfast."

They hadn't noticed the multiple cooked squirrels and rabbit already waiting to be eaten. Other skins tanning, hanging by his tent. He was a bit bloody but it was normal to see Daryl dirty, the pups chirped and yipped in excitement. They raced to eat, the others sat around trying to ignore his smell, they hadn't realized how strong it was, what his scent meant in other terms.

Rick sat beside the omega. "Daryl you didn't have to."

"Omegas serve their pack, cook." He replied. "I may not be a full fledged normal omega but it's the least I can do. Alpha." He eyed Rick, Rick felt a lump in his throat, Daryl was intoxicating, he tried to ignore the feelings taking over. Daryl ate last but his piece was larger then a few had taken. He watched them eat and talk happy about their meal, Daryl watched the alpha males talking. Shane and Rick had looked over the whole of Merles notebook that night and we're starting to worry.

There was a few things in the book they didn't think Daryl even knew.

"Seller meet up, still willing to buy now that dads gone. 20 million." Merle was planning on selling Daryl, for double his asking price. There were other things, drugs he was selling, drinks to buy, a picture of Daryl's back that sickened Rick more than he had expected. He wanted to see it in person but didn't want to pry.

Daryl was watching everyone carefully, a few things had changed already. The betas were more protective over him, asking if he needed anything, asking how he was doing. Asking if he was hungry or thirsty or too hot or too cold. He found it infuriating, but he accepted their questions and always answered with an "I'm fine."

Now that the pups didn't have to hide their admiration for the omega, not that they did a good job at it in the first place, they were constantly on top of him. Asking him for advice or help, asking him to play or read to him. Everyone love watching the omega with the pups, "I'm gonna take these monsters to the water. Put em to work and have em fish." Daryl called, the pups excitedly piled into the car, Dale gave Daryl a few extra rods for the pups.

—-

Dale watched them from the top of the RV. Daryl was a natural with them, the pups happily reeled and caught a few. Daryl was in the water helping with the fish when he scented death. "In the water, get in the water now." He yelped, the pups all turned their heads and saw four walkers. "Water now." Daryl snapped again, the pups raced to the water hiding behind rocks. Daryl nodded, splashing them, hiding their scent the best he could.

Dale had stopped watching them for the time being knowing they were safe with Daryl.

Daryl stepped out of the water, a rock in hand, his bow in the truck. "Shit..alright don't move pups." The pups nodded and he came close to the walkers. He was in protective mode, his one goal was to protect the pups. Daryl growled, catching the walkers attention. "Come on assholes." He yelled, they followed him, Daryl chucked the rock at the largest one's head. It dropped quickly the pups watched with wide eyes as Daryl looked for another one but nothing.

"Fuck."

Dale went to check on them again when his stomach dropped. "Rick! Shane!"

The alphas came running, Dale handed off the binoculars. The pups were hiding behind rocks while Daryl led three walkers away weaponless yelping and whining to keep their attention. Rick grabbed his gun and Shane raced after him. "What's wrong?" Lori yelled.

"Daryl's leading three walkers away from the pups." Rick snapped racing away towards the lake and Daryl.

Daryl tripped backwards over his own feet, the three walkers closing in. He growled, panic taking over, the pups were fine and out of range now. He kicked one off of him as he grabbed for a sharp rock in reach, he stabbed it blood spraying over him as it fell forward. He rolled out of its way, he was close to the truck now he could get the bow if he could just open the door. He opened the door as one reached for him, he kicked it away again, a whine escaping his lips. He managed to get to his bow shooting through both their heads just as Rick and Shane got down to them.

Daryl turned bloody and heaving seeing the Alphas. "Daryl!" Rick yelled as he raced to the omega. Daryl brushed him off walking around the walkers and towards the pups.

"Y'all can come out now pups." He yelped. The four pilled out wet but fine.

"You're awesome!!" Carl yelled.

"Thanks for saving our lives Mr. Dixon." Sophia called. Moralis's daughters nodded their thanks. He smiled and nodded, his back hurt like hell from tripping and he was coming down from the raged high. He just wanted to protect the pups, the pups rushed to his side but with the smell of blood and death coming off of him was enough to have them step back. "Are you okay Mr. Dixon?" Sophia asked.

"Just fine pups, just fine, as long as all of you are okay."

"We are fine, you killed them all by yourself! You were awesome, killing two with a rock and then two with one arrow! You're strong as an Alpha!" Carl yelled. Daryl smirked and shook his head.

"I was just protecting you." Daryl said with a smile.

Rick and Shane watched Daryl, the path of destruction around them was clear, Daryl was strong, and Daryl would protect the pack with his life, specifically the pups. "We got a few buckets of fish," Daryl said, trying to ignore the walkers around them. "The pups are a natural."

"Daryl, I think you need to sit down." Rick noticed the smell of fatigue.

"I'm fine Rick." Daryl muttered. "Promise."

The alpha didn't want to fight the omega but he wanted to ensure he was okay. "Please Daryl, sit."

Daryl grunted feeling a need to listen, his knees grew weak as he fought what Rick said but he finally was on the ground. He looked up with a grunt, "alright I'm sittin, what?"

"You just need to calm down, you just did a lot."

"Wasn't that much," Daryl snapped, "how come I have to listen to ya? I've never listened to an alpha before, why now?"

Shane looked between the two with wide eyes. The pups had taken the fish to the truck and Shane planned on driving them back. "Good luck courting that one," Shane said to Rick, "he won't be easy."

Daryl looked at Shane. "Courting?"

"You two have a connection, I think you like him, and he likes you."

Daryl flushed, Carl was smiling big, he would be more than happy to have Daryl as his mom. Rick tried to hide his excitement, the idea of having this omega as his mate was a dream. Daryl furrowed his brow after a minute. "What is courting?"

"Oh..it's uhm. I guess I should explain it so you know when I start doing it. It's when someone wants to be your mate, the one who takes the lead in the relationship so in this case alpha to omega will give gifts or do things for the one they want as their mate to try to win them over. So something I may do for you is give you more arrows for your bow, set up a new tent, help you through a heat if you ask me to. Feed you or offer you my portion of something."

Daryl looked at him wide eyed. "You'd want me to be your mate? What the hell is wrong with you? I don't want pups right now. I got these four." He pointed towards the pups watching him.

"Daryl mates and pups don't need to be the same. I can mate you and never have pups if you don't want them. I don't want you for pups Daryl," Rick stated, "I mean pups would be amazing with you as my mate but I don't expect it. Carl loves you. I would be happy if we only had Carl."

Shane smiled and managed to get the pups into the car without much fuss and started to drive off.

Daryl eyed him with question, he didn't understand, the point of an omega was to breed. "Alpha I don't understand, isn't the point of an omega to breed?"

Rick kneeled by Daryl. "No, Daryl the point of an omega is not to breed. You only have to breed if you desire to. I won't make you breed if we mate, I can always wear condoms or not knot. Who knows you may never catch, the amount of suppressants you've taken may even make it impossible to have a pup at all. The goal isn't to breed, the goal is to mate and make you feel safe and have someone you can turn to so you don't have to go through a heat alone. However I don't expect you to accept my courting right away, I expect you to give me a run for my money. Once I court you for a while we can start dating officially and then maybe one day you will let me mark you."

Daryl eyed him confused by the idea of dating and mating without pups. "Dating.."

"You don't know what dating is, do you?" Rick asked, Daryl shook his head. He felt embarrassed by not knowing things, not knowing what these clearly easy concepts were. "Dating is what couples do before they mate, when they are boyfriends and girlfriends, boyfriend and boyfriend, or girlfriend and girlfriends. Sometimes people don't end up mating when they date, before the world went to shit they'd go to movies or eat together. Go to sports games or aquariums, zoos, just going on drives or parks. Now that the world is like this, drives we can still do, but other dates will be harder, it just means I want to mate you when you're ready."

"Why does it matter when I'm ready? Why don't you just take it? That's what an alpha is supposed to do. Take an omega, breed them, use them."

"No Daryl, only bad alphas do that. Only evil alphas take without permission. If we become a couple, become mates, I would want you to give me the okay for each step."

Daryl looked him up and down. "So..you want to date me?"

"I'm going to court you first, I don't want this to be on my terms." Rick said holding out his hand, "let's get you back to the camp and clean you up."

Daryl hesitantly took his hand, Rick smiled looking him up and down. "Alright..maybe I'll let you try." He smiled. "But it won't be easy. I ain't easy."

Rick smiled, helping him into the car. "Thank you for saving my son."

"Of course, if I can do one thing it's protect the pups."

"You can do a lot more than that," Rick said smirking, "really you can."