(Mason's tenth birthday)
Mason never liked his birthdays. His mom and dad could've bought him anything in the world, but they never got him a gift. Instead, they took the day away from home and left him with the maids, whom he hated greatly.
"Good morning, Mason!" a chirpy voice called from behind Mason's door.
He scowled and ignored the voice, covering himself with his blanket. No part of him wanted to interact with his maids; they were just stupid pawns hired by his parents so they didn't have to take care of him.
"Mason!" the voice called again. "Your parents are waiting! You're going with them to meet someone!"
That caught his attention. They never took him anywhere on his birthday. In fact, they shouldn't even be home; they left early in the morning and came back late to avoid him all day.
Mason asked his mom about it once and she sent him to his father and received a disheartening lecture where his father told him that he was supposed to have three siblings but they all died because the focus was on Mason due to him being the runt and having issues when he was born. So, they usually took the day away from him since he apparently reminded them of their lost pups that could've carried on his father's legacy.
He got dressed quickly, ordering the maid to stay out of his room while he was changing. Mason liked to think he was independent and hated when the maids tried to get him ready since it made him feel like he was helpless.
The pup refused to feel like the helpless Omega his parents claimed him to be.
"Come on, Mason," the maid outside his door said once he'd run out of his room. "They're waiting in their limo for you."
Mason didn't speak, but he allowed the maid to escort him to the limousine in front of their mansion and climbed in. He lowered his head and sat down on the seat nearest to him, glancing up slightly so he could see his mom and dad's feet to be sure they were there too.
"Happy birthday," Axel said, making Mason glance up in confusion.
In all of his years alive, he'd never, ever heard his dad tell him happy birthday.
Ever.
"Thank you," Mason said, trying to keep himself from looking confused and nervous.
Mason's mother, Christi, gave him a tight smile, almost as if she was just as nervous as he was.
Axel held a gift box out to Mason, confusing the pup. "This is for you," Axel confirmed, moving toward his son and setting the box on his lap. "Open it."
Trying not to look too eager, Mason opened the gift and found a thick, leather belt-looking thing inside. He glanced up at his parents curiously, hoping they'd explain what it was.
"That's the first part of your gift," Axel said, but he didn't bother explaining what it was. "We're on our way to the second part."
"Okay," Mason said, forcing a smile despite his confusion. "Thank you."
They arrived at a tall office building and were escorted to the highest level. It was exhilarating to Mason, especially since the elevator was glass and he could see how high they were rising. In fact, he'd be happy for his gift to be riding the elevator again.
However, that wasn't the plan. Once the elevator stopped, Christi took Mason's hand and squeezed it. It wasn't a friendly squeeze; it was the kind that was meant to warn Mason to keep quiet and behave, which he did.
They arrived at a sleek, wooden door with a name plate that said 'Ezra Connell.'
Axel knocked on the door and grabbed Mason's hand from Christi's and dragged him in front of the door as it opened.
A tall man with dark hair and even darker eyes who looked to be in his mid twenties opened it and smiled down at the group. He shook Axel's hand before ushering the group into the room.
"It's been a long time, Axel," the man, who Mason assumed to be Ezra, said as he nodded for the group to sit down. "This is your son? Did he get my gift?"
Mason glanced curiously at his father, as he was pulled to sit down in a seat on Christi's lap. Was the weird belt the gift from Ezra?
"Yes, he did," Axel responded, holding the box with the belt in his hand. "I figured you'd want to put it on him."
"Thank you," Ezra said, taking it from Axel and standing up. "Does he understand what it is?"
Mason shook his head before Axel could respond. "Who are you?" he asked Ezra, pulling his arm away when Christi squeezed it with her nails to shut him up. "Ow!"
"It's okay," Ezra said, looking at Mason hungrily. "He's curious."
"Yeah, and you're talking like I'm not even here!" Mason snapped, huffing and crossing his arms.
He didn't really talk to his parents and tried to stay on their good side, but the Omega had a temper and when his blood boiled, he didn't care who he was snapping at. Even if it was an Alpha much bigger and older than himself.
"I'm sorry, pup," Ezra said, though he didn't look sorry whatsoever. "I'm Ezra. Your future mate."
Mason wrinkled his nose in disgust. "No you're not," he said, sniffing the air. "You don't smell good and mates are supposed to smell good."
Ezra laughed, but Mason didn't understand why. "I'll have to get a new cologne," he said, leading Mason to his own chair beside Ezra's. "And yes, I am. Your mom and dad haven't told you?"
Shaking his head, Mason glanced at his parents for help.
"An Alpha is meant to take over our company when I retire," Axel said, as if his ten year old would understand it completely. "I don't have an Alpha child and your mother can't reproduce anymore."
Axel shot a glare at Christi and she hung her head in shame.
"So, we found an Alpha who runs a successful company to mate with you when you're an adult," Axel said, nodding toward Ezra. "He'll take care of the company and he's a strong Alpha, so it's possible that you could have strong, Alpha pups."
Mason grimaced, face contorted into a look of disgust. "That's gross! He's old!" he said, crossing his arms and sticking his tongue at Ezra.
Axel growled at his son whereas Ezra chuckled.
"It's okay, Axel," Ezra said, holding the box with Mason's present inside. "He's not offending me. Stand up, pup."
Mason groaned and stomped toward Ezra while the Alpha opened the box and took out the belt thing.
"Don't be a brat, Omega," Ezra said, showing the belt thing to Mason. "Do you know what this is?"
"No," Mason grumbled, glaring at Ezra. "If It's a belt it's too small and I don't even like belts."
Ezra laughed. "It's not a belt," he said, pushing Mason's chin so his head was tilted up. "It's a collar so everyone knows that you're claimed. I don't want to mark you until you're eighteen."
Before Mason could react, Ezra locked the collar around his neck. It wasn't too tight, but it felt snug and it had a tiny lock at the back so Mason couldn't take it off.
"Stop!" Mason snapped, pulling at it but he only ended up rubbing it against his skin and burning himself. "I don't like it!"
"Well, you're not taking it off," Ezra said, showing him a tiny key. He opened the window and dropped it out. "I'll make a new one and give it to you when you turn eighteen so you can take it off and we can mate."
Mason growled but stopped when a much more impressive growl from Ezra echoed in the room. He pulled once more at the collar before he was told to leave with his parents.
"If you take it off you'll be punished!" Ezra called as Mason left the room.
•••
(Seven and a half years later)
Mason skipped his classes a lot. He didn't like the stupid Omega classes that taught him how to be the perfect mate. He was smart enough to pass without them, but he didn't think he'd need to pass anyway, since in six months he'd be an adult and move in with Ezra.
He was able to convince his parents to let him stay with them until he was legally an adult so he didn't have to deal with Ezra much before then. There were weekly dinners he had to attend and he'd spent the night and even had sex with Ezra, but there was never any emotion attached.
Mason wished he could leave; he was tired of preparing to belong to an Alpha, tired of the cuts on his neck from the collar that had only been taken off once for a week when he got cut up so badly that he couldn't lay down without crying. He wanted to run, but he didn't have any friends to help him and he had no money.
As Mason sat in the bathroom skipping his class, his phone rang.
"Hello?" he said, not bothering to check the caller ID.
"Come home," Axel said, hanging up right after.
Mason listened and waited for a few minutes before his dad's car showed up to get him. As soon as he got back home, he entered his father's office and sat in the desk chair.
"Knocking is polite," Axel scolded.
"You sounded so frantic that I just had to rush," Mason said sarcastically. "What's up?"
Axel growled at his son's attitude. "Well, you haven't been going to class."
Mason shrugged. "Okay. It doesn't really matter."
"I know, so your mother, Ezra, and I decided that you can just move in with him now. You're close enough to bring an adult anyway and you don't really need an education since you won't be working."
Jaw dropped, Mason gaped at his father. "No way! You said I had time!"
"I changed my mind."
"That's stupid!" Mason yelled, standing up and slamming his fist on the desk. "I don't want to!"
Axel stood up, growling at Mason. "Too bad! Don't be a child and get over it! You're going to move in with him tomorrow and that's final!"
Mason glared at him, but he didn't talk back. He rushed to his room and started to sob, tired of the control over his life.
"I wish I could run," Mason whispered, before an idea formed in his mind. "...I could run."
As soon as his parents were asleep, Mason rushed to pack a bag of clothes and called a taxi to take him to the bank. He withdrew all of his college money, knowing that his parents didn't need it. In fact, he didn't even know why the account existed as a college savings account since he wouldn't have been allowed to go anyway.
With one duffle bag full of cash and the other full of clothes, Mason boarded a train to Massachusetts. He'd always wanted to go there, but he'd never been.
"Onto a new life," Mason mumbled, not looking out the window of the train and he rode toward a new life.
•••
(One month after Mason ran away)
It had been a terrible month.
Mason had bought a small space for himself, but it was damaged and always cold, but he was attempting to save money and take care of himself.
He was on his way to a store when he felt someone approach him and grab his backpack that he'd bought to carry money around when he needed to go shopping.
"Hey! Let go!" Mason shouted, trying to pull his bag away. "Fuck off!"
The Alpha attacking him snarled, but let go when someone else entered and told the attacker to back off.
"Are you okay, kid?" the Alpha that saved him asked, making Mason back away.
"I'm fine, leave me alone," Mason growled.
The Alpha scoffed. "Calm down, kid. I was trying to help."
"Thanks," Mason said, but he didn't sound like he meant it. "Bye."
"What's on your neck?"
Mason growled, instinctively tugging at the collar that he'd never been able to get off. It was made of thick leather that he couldn't get off on his own. He'd already cut his neck trying.
"Nothing."
The Alpha kept staring. "I can help you get it off," he said, narrowing his eyes. "It looks like it's hurting you."
Mason would've told him to go, but he was desperate to have the collar off. It always reminded him that Ezra could show up and attempt to drag him back to New York, and Mason didn't want that on his mind.
"Fine," Mason grumbled. "Get it off."
The Alpha held out his hand. "I'm Henry."
"Mason."
They ended up at Henry's apartment where the Alpha made quick work of sharpening a hunting knife and carefully slicing through the leather. It took a half an hour, but soon it fell to the floor and Mason felt free. He ran to a mirror and saw an angry, red ring around his neck, but it wasn't held by the collar so he was happy.
Mason surged toward Henry and hugged him as tears ran down his face. "Thank you so much," he cried, burying his face in Henry's shirt.
"Yeah, of course," Henry said, returning the hug.
When he stopped crying, Mason sat down on Henry's couch, realizing he was free to do what he pleased with his life.
"Henry?"
"Yes?"
Mason bit his lip. "Do you have a job?" he asked, and Henry shrugged.
"Yeah, but it's nothing special. I went to business school but the job I got was some office job and it's boring but it gets the money."
"Do you want to help me open a cafe? I have enough money to open up the shop and I have an apartment and I could buy the area below up because it's an old kitchen space thing and it's not used. The money will help us open and I'll still have enough to cover us both for the next year or so," Mason said, making Henry raise his eyebrows.
"You're serious?"
Mason nodded. "Yes. If you don't want to, I get it, but I'm doing it and it'd be great to have help."
Henry shook his hand. "Sounds like a plan, boss."
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