Ivory looked up at Tyler as he spoke, disbelief clear in his eyes. Tyler seemed to have accomplished his goal, the omega was now completely focused on him again, out of the swirling fear in his head.

To Tyler's surprise, he shook his head, speaking softly, "N-no...that's not-that's not possible. I d-don't have a m-mate. I...I'm only g-good for a quick fuck." Tyler wrapped an arm around the shaking shoulders, pulling him closer as he answered, "I know that's what you've been told, and that's okay. I'm going to show you that you can be loved, that you are worth so much more than you know."

Tears pooled in the blue eyes as Ivory clutched Tyler's shirt for support, he said nothing, but nodded slowly. They sat quietly for a moment, Tyler rubbing his back, still rocking slowly.

"P-please... don't make me-don't make me g-go back there." The words were so quiet Tyler barely caught them, immediately, he wrapped his arms tighter around the boy and responded, "No. You won't ever have to go back there. Ever."

Once again, Ivory's eyes shot up to meet Tyler's. The look of disbelief was painted across his face just as it had been at the word 'mate.' "I've taken care of it. You're going to stay here, with me, and you won't ever have to be in that awful place again."

"N-no...he's the only one w-who will keep m-me. No one will want m-me. I'm-I'm useless without h-him." Tyler saw that he was beginning to spiral again, his words tumbling over each other as he cringed subconsciously away from Tyler's touch. His breathing was quick, and the tears came again, quickly reducing him to a crying wreck.

Tyler did his best to stay calm, reaching out with steady hands to gently grip his shoulders. "Ivory, I know this is scary. You're going to be okay, I need you to breathe with me okay. Just breathe...you can do this." His voice was firm, and Ivory seemed to listen as his shoulders rose and fell with purposeful, heavy, breaths.

As the omega calmed down slowly, Tyler continued to talk him through breathing. When he was finally calm enough to continue on his own, Tyler released him, and waited for anything that might help him figure out what to do next.

For a moment, Ivory sat quietly, apparently thinking deeply about something. "I'm...I'm staying h-here? I'm r-really staying?" He seemed to be in disbelief, reluctant to trust what Tyler had just said. When the alpha smiled and nodded at him, he hid his face in ragged sweater paws.

"Hey, what's wrong? Look at me Ivory...what's wrong?" As the omega lifted his head, Tyler saw tears in his eyes and, much to his surprise, a look of fear on his face. "If I-if I stay here d-does that m-mean...will I have to-have to..." he trailed off, but Tyler could guess what he meant and was quick to answer.

"No Ivory," he said firmly, "you will never have to do anything to earn your place here. You're going to stay here, if you would like to, because I want to keep you safe, not because I want or expect anything from you." There was a pause for a moment, before Ivory answered in a small, wavering voice, "But how will I-how will I be w-worth it if I don't-if I don't..."

With a deep breath, Tyler looked sadly down at the boy sitting curled on his bed. "You are worth so much more than you know Ivory, just by being alive." He knew the concept of unconditional love and a real mate would be difficult for Ivory to understand. He had spent so long without any kind of gentleness that it must seem crazy to expect it.

It would certainly be a long road, but Tyler was here for all of it. Now that he knew what was going on, and that he had a chance to help, there was no way he would let his mate into harm's way again.

Looking down at Ivory, who seemed to be lost in thought, it suddenly occurred to Tyler that the omega was probably exhausted. "Let's get you cleaned up, then you can get some rest. How does that sound?" He nodded slowly, looking skeptically down at his own body as if he wasn't sure it could be 'cleaned up.'

Tyler crossed the room, opening one of his drawers to pull out a t-shirt for Ivory to wear, like the one he had chosen the night before. Grabbing one, he turned around to see him still on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly to his chest as he stared at the floor.

"Ivory, how about a bath?" He looked up at the words, with the same questioning look on his face he had worn earlier. Tyler gestured to the bathroom door, "Come on, I'll show you." Ivory slid off the bed, following him into the bathroom with a painful limp.

Inside the bathroom, Tyler ran the water into the tub, testing it to make sure it wasn't too hot. As the tub filled, he looked at Ivory, who stood hugging his arms in the corner. "Can you do this by yourself, or would you like me to help?"

Ivory looked warily up at Tyler, "I...I don't know..." there was a pause while the omega thought it over. "I think-I think I n-need help." Tyler nodded, suddenly very aware of the intensity of his scent in the small bathroom. He pulled himself together. His mate needed him to be calm and gentle now, and he couldn't allow his instincts to get in the way.

First, Tyler helped pull Ivory's sweatshirt up over his head, revealing the ratty old shirt he wore underneath. Soon that was off too, and Ivory stood bare chested, shivering, on the tile floor. His collarbone was dotted with hickies, and there was a deep bruise blooming across his ribs.

When Tyler's eyes landed on the boy's hip he immediately felt sick to his stomach. There, burned into the pale, smooth skin, someone had marked their initials into him. Ivory seemed to feel the eyes upon him, shrinking into himself and trying to cover his wounds. Tyne alpha could do little more than stare.

Ivory

Disgusting. I am so disgusting. Tyler must hate me now, now that he knows how damaged-how used-I am. I can see him looking at my brand, the ugly letters seared into my skin. I can feel the burning heat of the iron, hear the sizzling of the metal on my skin.

A shiver ran up my spine at the memory of that night, and I tried to hide my body from Tyler as he just kept staring at me. When I finally worked up the courage to look up at him, I saw, not the disgust I was expecting, but rather sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Ivory... I wish I had found you sooner." Sorry? Why would he be sorry? This is what I deserved. I'm an omega, literally built to serve, I know my place. Tyler shut off the water behind him, and turned back to me. He helped me finish undressing until I stood naked in front of him, wishing I could just disappear into the floor.

Looking steadily into my eyes, he took my hand, making me flinch at first. His touch was gentle as he helped me into the tub. This was something I had never been allowed before, the water was warm and soapy, and my muscles relaxed as I sank into the water.

Tyler picked up a bottle and rubbed bubbles onto his hands. Before I knew what was happening, his fingers were in my hair, combing the long dark strands away from my face. Immediately my cheeks felt hot and flushed, I haven't had a chance to wash my hair in weeks, it's filthy.

He didn't say anything about it though, and he didn't gag or cringe away, so I slowly got used to the feeling of his hands in my hair. Soon, he gently tilted my head back, rinsing the soapy bubbles into the water. Next, Tyler picked up a puffy blue thing, he soon had that covered in bubbles too.

The blue thing turned out to be for my skin, scaring me at first with the strange texture. I was worried that it would be rough on my injuries, but Tyler's touch was so light I hardly felt it. I sat quietly in the water, letting him take care of me. It felt strange to have someone looking after me. For so long it was just me struggling along by myself, but now... now I was sitting in a bathtub letting someone else help me.

I was lost in thought when Tyler finally spoke, "All done. Are you ready to get out?" Nodding, I looked skeptically at the side of the tub, doubtful of my own ability to get out of it. Luckily, Tyler offered me his hand, and helped me balance on the slippery porcelain.

Pulling Tyler's shirt over my head, I turned to look at myself in the mirror. My face fell at what I saw, and my eyes dropped to the ground, exactly where I had been taught to keep them. Suddenly I felt Tyler's hand on my chin, guiding me to look up at him. "You did so well love." He said warmly.

Love, he keeps calling me love. But there's no way, no way he could love me, no way anyone could ever love me. He has been so kind to me, more gentle than anyone I have ever known. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes with all the bravery I could muster. In a tiny voice even I could barely hear, I whispered, "thank you."