Mended Marks

Hunting Grounds

Westley smiled, feeling the expectant energy around him. He'd secured a visitation appointment at "Mended Marks". A rather cheesy name for an admittedly admirable facility.

It was, like Jenn mentioned, a rehabilitation facility of sorts. Omegas were emotionally fragile little things when it came to certain aspects...including their bonded Alphas. When an Omega's bonded Alpha died, it wasn't uncommon for them to go into a depressive or anxious spiral. Especially without a secure pack bond with others to rely on. At least with "widowed" Omegas, it was a clean separation. The usual aspects of grief and loss, just somewhat amplified.

Rejected Omegas, however, were a different matter, entirely. One thing Omegas were incredibly, devastatingly sensitive to was being rejected once bonded to an Alpha and/or pack. It was rare, since they all were biologically wired to want nothing but to protect Omegas, especially ones that you or your pack claim and bond with. Omegas generally feel most secure in a stronger sub-gender's care. Though rare, rejection from an Alpha, pack, or other bonded partner could happen.

When it did, it was devastating to an Omega. Depression, anxiety, self esteem issues, eating disorders, paranoia...really, their world shatters. It was normal for a rejected Omega to develop Agoraphobia, attatchment disorders, and even hallucinations of danger. Societally it was seen as taboo to purposefully abandon them, yet that didn't mean it didn't happen.

Mended Marks was founded by a widowed Omega and her Alpha about five years ago. She knew what it felt like to lose that security and love, and after she had found it anew, she wanted to help others in similar pain, wanting to help prevent the more...extreme measures that these lost Omega often resorted to if unsupported. From everything he'd read, they had been incredibly successful. Even having a program in place to allow Alphas and Deltas to come in and visit with Omegas who wanted to consider finding a new partner or pack. While it wasn't unheard of for Omegas to choose to bond with Betas or Gammas, traumatized ones had proven to maintain better mental and physical health when paired with Deltas or Alphas. Ideally there would be an entire pack to bond with in order to create security and avoid anxious attatchment to just one individual.

For today, he had only brought three of the pack, not wanting to overwhelm anyone. Fritz, his Delta, Rachel, his other Beta, and Sera. He figured that Fritz and Rachel would be helpful in gauging a good impression of how they reacted to multiple higher ranks in one space. Sera would hopefully be a calming presence.

Though she was a Gamma, she classified as what in recent sub-gender studies was called a "Pseudo-Omega". It simply meant that, generally because of upbringing or life events when younger, that psychologically she matched more closely to Omegan brain wave patterns than standard Gamma patterns. Which could influence some biological, hormonal factors. As a result, Sera was as close to an Omega as you could get without actually being one. Which explained her extreme rejection dysphoria and heightened sensitivity to his pheromones, growl, etcetera.

She was currently pouting slightly as they all stood in the parking lot of the admittedly lovely facility. Gardens filled every bit of green space, the facility itself further from the city and large enough to house dozens of Omegas at a first glance while also retaining a homey sort of charm.

"But it makes it harder for you to talk and breathe!" She fussed, looking at the muzzle Westley was currently untangling the straps of. "You're not in rut and aren't due for another few months! Even when you are in the throes of it you mostly just get in super protective mode and want to cuddle us all half to death!" He paused, arching an amused brow at her.

"Yes. But I also generally knot at least one of you during it. Usually more than one of you at different times. Which-" He paused, needing to take few deep breaths before continuing, having to project a bit more than normal in the open space. "Which keeps me content." Fritz put a hand on his arm, letting him know he could stop explaining before pulling Sera close. They'd all figured out physical affection tended to calm her pretty quickly. Despite the early days of her threatening to bite them if they touched her.