Chapter Text
“Why can’t I come with you!”
“You know why Omega,” Hunter placed her hat on top of her head, “Your help is needed here, harvesting is just as important as what I do.” He leaned forward whispering, “Besides, Echo’s getting old, you have to keep an eye on him.”
“I heard that,” Echo grumbled as he finished off his bitter coffee. “I bet I could still harvest circles around you, pup.”
Omega slid off the countertop crossing her arms over her chest, “I’ll have twice as many as you before lunch.” Hunter cocked his eyebrow at the challenge. That was a tall order, even for her.
“Oh yeah? Well, the loser has to do the dishes all week,” Echo smirked, his alpha sea mist scent flaring playfully against her neutral beta. Omega stared back at him her lips pressed tightly together as she thought about it. They knew doing the dishes was her least favorite chore.
Tech strolled in, his boots thumping against the hardwood floors, “They’re at this again?”
Hunter shrugged, “It moves the day along doesn’t it?” Tech pushed up his glasses and grabbed a biscuit off the stove before Wrecker could come in and take them all, “Is Rex back yet?”
Sighing Hunter prepared for another lecture for the second week in a row, “No, he isn’t. A transmission came through yesterday, he and Mayor Chuchi are going to be gone longer than expected.”
Their small town was in the middle of the Western Dune Sea on Tatooine. It took less than 15 minutes to walk from one end to the other yet it took at least a rotation for transmissions to get in and out of the secluded area. Mayor Chuchi and Sheriff Rex had left for a long trip to Mos Eisley to hopefully get better equipment. That left Hunter as the only enforcer in town. It was no big deal to him but to his brothers, it had them riled up like a Tusken after a successful hunt.
“You know we do not like you out there alone Hunter,” Tech told him for the hundredth time.
Being the only omega in the group, much more, being one of the few omegas in town they were protective. Even though they knew Hunter was more than capable of handling things for himself.
“And like I’ve told all of you I’m fine,” Hunter insisted making a particular show of placing his blaster in the holster around his thigh, “Who is showing up to Mos Hesperus anyway?”
Wrecker’s booming footsteps and strong gunsmoke cedarwood scent drew everyone’s attention before the conversation could continue, “What’s for breakfast? I’m starving!”
“Hunter made biscuits and coffee,” Omega chirped at the alpha holding up Wrecker’s favorite mug. He took it from her hands filling it up to the brim, “Haha yes! Hunter always makes it the best.”
Hunter hummed shoving the brim of Omega’s hat down as he made his way out of the kitchen.
“Hey!” She pouted pushing it back up. He grinned waving his hand, “I should be back in time for lunch. If I’m not then something came up.”
“I’d be careful with Freesia. She was a little cranky this morning,” Echo called after him as the door closed behind him.
Freesia was cranky with everyone but Hunter. The omega smiled petting the white and brown spotted horse, “That’s a good girl,” he murmured before saddling her up. She turned her strong neck and pressed her wet pink nose into Hunter’s hair, huffing into his ear.
He flinched away from her, rubbing his ear on his shoulder, “ Okay , maybe you are in a mood today girl.” Hunter fished around in his saddlebags and found a sugar cube.
Freesia took it from his hand and munched on it, her ears flicked happily. Hunter then mounted her after a few more praises, and they rode off into Mos Hesperus roughly ten minutes down the path.
Zander was the first to greet him that morning, his usual toolbox in hand as he made his way to the saloon, “Morning Hunter.” His blue head tails swayed as he walked, the smell of tobacco trailing behind him.
Hunter slowed Freesia down to match his pace, looking down at the tools he had, “What do they have you doing today?”
“Phee’s got a busted table, I was gonna fix it while I waited on some breakfast. Ms. Gladys is making flatcakes today,” He answered, “Moisture farm is coming up a bit dry today. I’m gonna wait until tomorrow to harvest.”
“Good thing our Black Melons are ready then,” Hunter hummed as they neared the Saloon, “Tell Phee I said hello, and Tech was going to stop by this evening.”
Zander saluted him before disappearing behind the saloon doors. Mos Hesperus was most lively in the morning, everyone scrambling to get what they needed for the day. The Jawa trading and shipments go fast here. They were self-sustaining for the most part but if you wanted something special you had to be up bright and early to get it. Hunter made his usual rounds, patrolling the town before stopping at the general store. He picked up some supplies for the house then settled into the sheriff’s office.
It was quiet and empty as to be expected.
He skimmed through the wanted posters posted on the wall. They were all at least five or so years old but he liked to keep them fresh in his mind. A town like this was perfect for lying low. Secluded, small, relatively unarmed, and basically deaf and blind to the rest of the planet.
Speaking of Hunter checked the transponder again for any more messages. There was nothing. Rex had already been gone a week. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could sit in the office with nothing to do.
Maybe he should have brought Omega along.
He kicked his feet up on the desk and opened up the drawer half full of reports. He began skimming through them. Of course, he was there for most of them. Usually, a stolen item or property damage. He could vividly remember a nasty bar fight that had his brothers spooked for a while. They rode into town every hour to make sure he was okay.
He had no business getting in between two raging drunken alphas but one of them got a lucky shot and punched him right in the eye. It hurt like hell but the other guy was worse off when they finally got Rex off of him. He left town soon after he sobered up, realizing what it would mean if his brothers ever got a hold of him.
Hunter smirked softly putting that file back into the drawer.
A soft knock at the door and an older woman stepped in not before throwing her cigarette into the sand.
“I thought I told you that those aren’t good for you Ms. Gladys,” Hunter hummed kicking the file cabinet closed. Her rosemary scent spread around the room mixing with his own. It became a warning to all others that this was an omega’s space, everyone else must get permission before entering.
“I thought I told you to find yourself a mate,” She retorted moving his feet so she could sit on the desk, “I came to tell you what happened the other night.”
Hunter smirked leaning forward in his seat, “Tech came home smelling like a damn fruit basket.”
“ You should have seen them . All up on each other like a couple of teenagers. I ‘bout had to close my eyes the way they were riled up. Had the whole saloon smelling like peaches and grapefruit,” She gossiped shaking her head, “I ain’t never seen that boy so red.”
He smiled imagining Tech all stiff in the omega’s arms, “I definitely wasn’t expecting it but good for him I guess.”
“Mmmh…” She hummed resting a hand on her hip, “It’s just been sooo long since I’ve seen any pups around here. A damn shame.” She finished staring pointedly at Hunter.
Hunter scrunched his nose, “You’re not getting any from me, Gladys. Omega is enough.”
“Oh well now you’re just plain lyin’” she griped before something caught her attention out the window. Hunter perked up turning to see what it was. He could see a couple silhouettes out in the distance, two horses an all-black one and an all-white one, a large man, and a kid. He couldn’t make out much else but it looked like they were packing heavy.
Hunter got up and helped Ms. Gladys off the desk, “Get back to the saloon and tell Phee we’ve got company.”
The woman nodded hurrying out of the sheriff’s office and down the street. He checked the time before he walked out, 10:24 am. His brothers would come soon if anything were to happen, even if they weren’t already alerted by the blaster fire.
Hunter hoped it wouldn’t come to that as he walked down the street with his hands resting on his holsters. The heat waves dissipated the closer he got. A clearer view of a Trogutan man and a Mandalorian boy came into sight. They looked run down and beat up but his heart started pounding in his chest when he could see they weren’t packing heavy.
A large man laid limp across the back of the boy’s horse.