ALPHA

Pool

Tony bought me a new wolfsbane ring immediately after we got out of that shop, not wanting anymore mishaps. He's on the phone with Clint now.

"Yeah, I think I talked some sense into him, either that or he didn't like the idea of an omega shooting him," he gives me a wink and I chuckle.

I can smell the alpha again, but the new ring helps to suppress the urge to drop to my knees. He's watching me, I know he is.

"Yeah we're gonna get her some new clothes then we'll head back," he says on the phone, "yep see ya soon."

He hangs up and put the phone in his pocket.

"So Natasha and Clint are taking the house to the pool," he says opening one of the doors for me, "and they thought you might need a swim suit."

"I haven't been swimming in years," I says, looking around the store, "so yeah I'd need a new suit."

We walk around in silence, Tony following me while I look at the clothes.

I find a cute crop top but pass it up.

"Hey ghost can I ask you something?" Tony says suddenly.

"Sure, what's up?" I keep looking at the clothes.

"The um- the scars on your arms..." He trails off.

"Not all of them are from me if that's what's got your balls in a knot," I pick up a cute pair of denim shorts, "I wanna try these on," I go back to the crop top, "and this."

"Who did that to you?" Tony asks as he leads me to the changing room.

"I think the list of 'who didn't' is a lot shorter," I say as I lock the changing room door.

I start to strip as Tony continues to talk.

"Damn, I knew thing were.... bad down there," I hear the cushion of the small chair as he takes a seat, "but I didn't realize they were that bad."

"I'm just lucky I got out of there before my presentation ceremony," I remember the deal my father made with one of those disgusting alphas.

"I'm sorry kid."

"Don't be," I open the door to let him see the outfit, "be sorry for the other omegas stuck there."

His eyes fall over my body and I know what he sees, and I can see the pity in his eyes.

I step in front of the mirror to look at the outfit.

It's cute, little inappropriate for an omega, but since when do I care. The only thing ruining it is me.

My body is covered in scares, all kinds, reaching from my neck all the way down to my feet. My face is the only thing unmarked.

"Wouldn't want to ruin a pretty face."

A phrase I've heard too many times to count.

"Is that why you wear so many layers?" Tony asks from his seat, "to cover all of those up?"

"No," I turn to him and shrug, "I've come to terms with them. They're stuck where they are and I can't change them. I only wear layers to hide my scent," I turn back to the mirror, "but with him following me, I'm not sure there's much point in it right now. At least not while I'm in the city."

I go back into the changing room and put my other clothes back on before coming back out.

We walk around some more as I pick out some more clothes.

By noon, I'm done with my shopping, having gotten a few new outfits and a new swimsuit.

"So would you like to go back to the house or just too the pool?" Tony asks as we walk.

"Pool," I smile at him.

"You know, it's a lot easier to be around you when you're not all tense," he nudges me with his shoulder.

"It's nice to not have to be tense for a bit," I chuckle as we make our way to the pool.

"Hey no fair!"

I hear Peter's laughter as we round the corner.

A sign is on the pool gate that reads 'closed for omega activities'.

At least no alphas or betas are gonna ruin the fun.

"Woah," Clint looks my way as we open the gate, "that's a new Aura."

I smile a bit as I walk up to him and a read headed, female alpha. She must be Natasha.

"Well hey there," she says, shielding the sun from her eyes with her hand, "you must be Ghost."

"Yep," I give her a nod.

"I would get up but Clint told me how you are about alphas," she gives me a small smile, "than and this chair is really comfy."

I chuckle a bit.
Maybe I can trust this alpha.

"You got a suit?" She asks.

"Yeah I gotta change into it," I take it out of one of the bags, "where's the restroom?"

"Over there," she points to the small building.

"Thanks."

"I'll take your bags back to the house for you," Tony says, taking the other shopping bags before leaving.

I thank him too and head to change.

I change into the black swimsuit, lacing up the tie section in the front, the color contrasting with my skin and showing my scars.

Like I told Tony, I've come to terms with them, they are a part of me.

I put my clothes into my backpack and head back out while tying my hair back into a ponytail.

I can feel eyes on me from every angle but I ignore them.

Woodsmoke and Gun powder.

Of course he's still following me.

I set my bag in one of the empty chairs  before turning to Clint and Natasha.

Clint quickly looks away but Natasha keep looking at my scarred body. I can see anger and pity flash through her eyes.

"I'm fine," I say softly, using my aura to calm her as I walk to the pool.

"Who did that to you?" She asks.

"A story for another time," I turn towards the pool, "for now, I'm swimming."

I dive in, swimming all the way to the bottom and sitting there for a few minutes.

Peter comes to me, tilting his head in confusion them pointing up towards the surface. I nod and push off the bottom of the pool.

I push all my hair back as I surface.

"What you want, Pete?" I ask.

"How did you stay down there that long?" He asks gasping for breath.

"Practice," I take a mouthful of.water and spit it at him, "I used it as a getaway a lot in Texas, it was the only place I was given a few minutes to myself."

"You grew up in Texas?" His gaze saddens.

"Yeah," I shrug, "I learned to accept it."

"Is that where you got all your scars?"

"Yep," I lift my arm to let him see them better, "it's a part of who I am. I could.have been like a lot of the omegas down there and killed myself," I put.my arm back down, "but I didn't."

"I'm glad you didn't," he gives me a small smile.

"Me too."