<PAGE>






===============================================================================

         THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE
HEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED FOR SALE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR
SALE, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED UNLESS SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER IS
REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED PURSUANT TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ACT
AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR IS PRECEDED BY AN OPINION OF
COUNSEL ADDRESSED TO HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC. THAT SUCH SALE OR OTHER TRANSFER
IS EXEMPT FROM ALL SUCH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES
OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND
PROVISIONS SPECIFIED IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 14, 1999, BETWEEN HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC. AND McKESSON HBOC,
INC., AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME.

No. WR-5



                                WARRANT TO PURCHASE

                               SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

                                        OF

                              HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC.






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<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                    HEADING PAGE


<S>                <C>                                                                                           <C>
SECTION 1.         EXERCISE OF WARRANT............................................................................1

SECTION 2.         RESERVATION....................................................................................2

SECTION 3.         PROTECTION AGAINST DILUTION....................................................................2
         Section 3.1       Stock Dividends, Subdivisions and Combinations.........................................2
         Section 3.2       Issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock..........................................3
         Section 3.3       Issuance of Warrants or Other Rights, Convertible Securities...........................3
         Section 3.4       Other Provisions Applicable to Adjustments.............................................4
         Section 3.5       Extraordinary Dividends................................................................5
         Section 3.6       Adjustment of Number of Shares Purchasable.............................................6
         Section 3.7       Minimum Adjustment.....................................................................6
         Section 3.8       Notice of Adjustments..................................................................6

SECTION 4.         MERGERS, CONSOLIDATIONS, SALES.................................................................7

SECTION 5.         DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION.....................................................................8

SECTION 6.         NOTICE OF DIVIDENDS............................................................................8

SECTION 7.         FRACTIONAL SHARES..............................................................................8

SECTION 8.         FULLY PAID STOCK; TAXES........................................................................8

SECTION 9.         CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS......................................................................8

SECTION 10.        PARTIAL EXERCISE AND PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT........................................................9
         Section 10.1      Partial Exercise.......................................................................9
         Section 10.2      Assignment.............................................................................9

SECTION 11.        DEFINITIONS....................................................................................9

SECTION 12.        WARRANT HOLDER NOT SHAREHOLDER................................................................12

SECTION 13.        SEVERABILITY..................................................................................12

SECTION 14.        GOVERNING LAW.................................................................................12

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

No. WR-1

                               WARRANT TO PURCHASE

                             SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

                                       OF

                            HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC.

         THIS IS TO CERTIFY that, for value received and subject to the
provisions hereinafter set forth,

                               McKESSON HBOC, INC.

                            or its permitted assigns,

is entitled to purchase from HORIZON Pharmacies, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("COMPANY"), at any time and from time to time during the Exercise Period, up
to 10,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Company,
subject to the terms, provisions and conditions hereinafter set forth at a
price per share equal to $5.5625. The price per share is subject to adjustment
as hereinafter provided (such price, or such price as last adjusted, as the
case may be, being herein referred to as the "PER SHARE WARRANT PRICE"). The
said number of shares purchasable hereunder is likewise subject to adjustment
as hereinafter provided.

         The aggregate price of the Common Stock purchasable hereunder shall
at all times be equal to the price per share set forth in the preceding
paragraph multiplied by the number of shares initially purchasable hereunder.
The aggregate price is herein sometimes referred to as the "Aggregate Warrant
Price" and is not subject to adjustment.

         The terms which are capitalized herein shall have the meanings
specified in Section 11 unless the context shall otherwise require.

SECTION 1.  EXERCISE OF WARRANT.

         Subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, this Warrant may be
exercised in whole or in part at any time and from time to time during the
Exercise Period by the surrender of this Warrant (with the subscription form at
the end hereof duly executed) at the principal office of Company in Princeton,
Texas, and upon payment to Company of a sum equal to the per share Warrant Price
multiplied by the number of shares purchased in such exercise, which payment
shall be made by the wire transfer or other delivery to Company of one or more
types of Permitted Consideration.

         In the event that Notes shall be delivered to Company as payment of all
or any portion of the purchase price payable hereunder, the portion of such
purchase price to be paid by means of such delivery shall equal the principal
amount of Notes so delivered (or such lesser principal


                                      -1-
<PAGE>

amount as shall be designated by the holder hereof) and interest on such
principal amount and the like portion of principal and interest of the Notes
shall be deemed paid.

         In the event that Notes shall be delivered to Company as payment of all
or any portion of the purchase price payable hereunder and the principal amount
of said Notes shall be in excess of the amount of principal sought to be applied
by the holder of this Warrant in respect of the purchase price payable
hereunder, said holder shall provide Company with notice to such effect and
Company shall (without charge to the holder) issue to said holder a new Note or
Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess and dated the date
of such issue and shall pay the holder all accrued but unpaid interest on the
unapplied principal of the surrendered Note through such date.

         In the event that Warrants shall be delivered to Company as payment of
all or any portion of the purchase price payable hereunder, the amount of such
purchase price deemed to be paid by means of such delivery shall equal (a) the
aggregate number of shares of Underlying Shares related to any Warrants so
delivered, multiplied by (b) the result, not less than zero, equal to (i) the
Current Market Price then in effect (with the date of the exercise of the
Warrant being deemed to be the "Issuance Date" for purposes of making
determinations under the definition of "Current Market Price") MINUS (ii) the
per share Warrant Price then in effect.

         If this Warrant is exercised in respect of less than all of the shares
of Common Stock at the time purchasable hereunder, following such exercise this
Warrant shall be returned to the holder hereof and shall remain exercisable in
respect of such number of shares of Common Stock as may thereafter be determined
hereunder.

         This Warrant and all rights and options hereunder shall expire to the
extent that it has not been exercised on or before the Expiration Date.

         Company shall pay all reasonable expenses, stamp, documentary and
transfer taxes and other charges payable in connection with the preparation,
execution and delivery of stock certificates pursuant to this Section,
regardless of the name or names in which such stock certificates shall be
registered.

SECTION 2.  RESERVATION.

         Company will at all times reserve and keep available such number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issue upon the
exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant as herein provided for, as
may at any time be issuable (based upon the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding at any such time) upon the exercise of this Warrant.

SECTION 3.  PROTECTION AGAINST DILUTION.

         The per share Warrant Price and the number of shares deliverable
hereunder shall be adjusted from time to time as hereinafter set forth:

         SECTION 3.1 STOCK DIVIDENDS, SUBDIVISIONS AND COMBINATIONS. In case
after the date hereof Company shall:


                                      -2-
<PAGE>

                  (a) take a record of the holders of its Common Stock for the
         purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend and declared to be
         payable in, or other declared distribution of, Common Stock, or

                  (b) subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
         larger number of shares of Common Stock, or

                  (c) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
         smaller number of shares of Common Stock,

then the per share Warrant Price shall be adjusted to that price determined by
multiplying the per share Warrant Price in effect immediately prior to such
event by a fraction (i) the numerator of which shall be the total number of
outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately prior to such event, and (ii) the
denominator of which shall be the total number of outstanding shares of Common
Stock immediately after such event.

         SECTION 3.2 ISSUANCE OF ADDITIONAL SHARES OF COMMON STOCK. In case
after the date hereof Company shall (except as hereinafter provided) issue any
Additional Shares of Common Stock for a consideration less than the Current
Market Price per share, then the per share Warrant Price upon each such issuance
shall be adjusted to that price determined by multiplying the per share Warrant
Price in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction:

                  (a) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of
         Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of such
         Additional Shares of Common Stock plus the number of full shares of
         Common Stock which the aggregate consideration for the total number of
         such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at the
         Current Market Price per share, and

                  (b) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of
         Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of such
         Additional Shares of Common Stock plus the number of such Additional
         Shares of Common Stock so issued.

         The provisions of this Section 3.2 shall not apply to any Additional
Shares of Common Stock which are distributed to holders of Common Stock as a
stock dividend or subdivision, for which an adjustment is provided for under
Section 3.1. No adjustment of the per share Warrant Price shall be made under
this Section 3.2 upon the issuance of any Additional Shares of Common Stock
which are issued pursuant to the exercise of any warrants or other subscription
or purchase rights or pursuant to the exercise of any conversion or exchange
rights in any Convertible Securities, if any such adjustment shall previously
have been made upon the issuance of such warrants or other rights or upon the
issuance of such Convertible Securities (or upon the issuance of any warrants or
other rights therefor) pursuant to Section 3.3.

         SECTION 3.3 ISSUANCE OF WARRANTS OR OTHER RIGHTS, CONVERTIBLE
SECURITIES. In case Company shall issue any warrants or other rights to
subscribe for or purchase any Additional Shares of Common Stock or issue
Convertible Securities and the consideration per share for which Additional
Shares of Common Stock may at any time thereafter be issuable pursuant to such
warrants or other rights or pursuant to the terms of such Convertible Securities
shall be less


                                      -3-
<PAGE>

than the Current Market Price per share, then the per share Warrant Price shall
be adjusted as provided in Section 3.2 above on the basis that:

                  (a) the maximum number of Additional Shares of Common Stock
         issuable pursuant to all such warrants or other rights or necessary to
         effect the conversion or exchange of all such Convertible Securities
         shall be deemed to have been issued as of the earlier of: (i) the date
         on which Company shall enter a firm contract or commitment for the
         issuance of such warrants, other rights or Convertible Securities or
         (ii) the date of actual issuance of such warrants, other rights or
         Convertible Securities, and

                  (b) the aggregate consideration for such maximum number of
         Additional Shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to be the minimum
         consideration received and receivable by Company for the issuance of
         such Additional Shares of Common Stock pursuant to such warrants or
         other rights or pursuant to the terms of such Convertible Securities.

         No adjustment of the per share Warrant Price shall be made under this
Section 3.3 upon the issuance of any Convertible Securities which are issued
pursuant to the exercise of any warrants or other subscription or purchase
rights therefor, to the extent such adjustment shall previously have been made
upon the issuance of such warrants or other rights pursuant to this Section 3.3.

         SECTION 3.4 OTHER PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ADJUSTMENTS. The following
provisions shall be applicable to the making of adjustments in the per share
Warrant Price hereinbefore provided in this Section 3:

                  (a) COMPUTATION OF CONSIDERATION. To the extent that any
         Additional Shares of Common Stock or any Convertible Securities or any
         warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any Additional
         Shares of Common Stock or any Convertible Securities shall be issued
         for a cash consideration, the consideration received by Company
         therefor shall be deemed to be the amount of the cash received by
         Company therefor, or, if such Additional Shares of Common Stock or
         Convertible Securities or warrants or other rights are offered by
         Company for subscription, the subscription price, or, if such
         Additional Shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities or warrants
         or other rights are sold to underwriters or dealers for public offering
         without a subscription offering, the offering price, in any such case
         excluding any amounts paid or receivable for accrued interest or
         accrued dividends and without deduction of any compensation, discounts
         or expenses paid or incurred by Company for and in the underwriting
         thereof, or otherwise in connection with the issue thereof. To the
         extent that such issuance shall be for a consideration other than cash,
         then, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, the amount of such
         consideration shall be deemed to be the fair value of such
         consideration at the time of such issuance as determined in good faith
         by the Board of Directors of Company. The consideration for any
         Additional Shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to any warrants or
         other rights to subscribe for or purchase the same shall be the
         consideration received by Company for issuing such warrants or other
         rights plus the additional consideration payable to Company upon the
         exercise of such warrants or other rights. The consideration for any
         Additional Shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of any
         Convertible Securities shall be the consideration received by


                                      -4-
<PAGE>

         Company for issuing any warrants or other rights to subscribe for or
         purchase such Convertible Securities plus the consideration paid or
         payable to Company in respect of the subscription for or purchase of
         such Convertible Securities plus the additional consideration, if any,
         payable to Company upon the exercise of the right of conversion or
         exchange of such Convertible Securities. In case of the issuance at any
         time of any Additional Shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities
         in payment or satisfaction of any dividend upon any class of equity
         securities other than Common Stock, Company shall be deemed to have
         received for such Additional Shares of Common Stock or Convertible
         Securities a consideration equal to the amount of such dividend so paid
         or satisfied.

                  (b) READJUSTMENT OF PER SHARE WARRANT PRICE. Upon expiration
         of the right of exercise, conversion or exchange of any Convertible
         Securities, or upon the expiration of any rights, options or warrants,
         or upon the termination of any firm contract or commitment for the
         issuance of such rights, options, warrants or Convertible Securities,
         or upon any increase in the minimum consideration receivable by Company
         for the issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock pursuant to such
         Convertible Securities, rights, options or warrants, if any such
         Convertible Securities shall not have been exercised, converted or
         exchanged, or if any such rights, options or warrants shall not have
         been exercised, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be
         issued and outstanding by reason of the fact that they were issuable
         upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any such Convertible
         Securities or upon exercise of any such rights, options or warrants
         shall no longer be computed as set forth above, and the per share
         Warrant Price shall forthwith be readjusted and thereafter be the price
         which it would have been (but reflecting any other adjustments in the
         per share Warrant Price made pursuant to the provisions of this Section
         3 after the issuance of such Convertible Securities, rights, options or
         warrants) had the adjustment of the per share Warrant Price made upon
         the issuance or sale of such Convertible Securities or the issuance of
         such rights, options or warrants been made on the basis of the issuance
         only of the number of Additional Shares of Common Stock actually issued
         upon exercise, conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities or
         upon the exercise of such rights, options or warrants, or upon the
         basis of such increased minimum consideration, as the case may be, and
         thereupon only the number of Additional Shares of Common Stock actually
         so issued plus the number thereof then issuable upon the basis of such
         increased minimum consideration shall be deemed to have been issued and
         only the consideration actually received plus such increased minimum
         consideration receivable by Company (computed in accordance with
         Section 3.4(a)) shall be deemed to have been received by Company.

                  (c) ROUNDING OF PER SHARE WARRANT PRICE. Any determination of
         per share Warrant Price hereunder shall be expressed in United States
         Dollars, cents and portions of cents and shall be rounded to the
         nearest 1/1000 of one cent or, if there is no nearest 1/1000 of one
         cent, to the next highest 1/1000 of one cent.

         SECTION 3.5 EXTRAORDINARY DIVIDENDS. In case Company shall declare a
dividend upon its Common Stock (except a dividend payable in shares of Common
Stock referred to in Section 3.1(a) or a dividend payable in warrants, rights or
Convertible Securities referred to in Section 3.3) payable otherwise than out of
earnings or surplus (other than revaluation surplus or paid-in surplus), the


                                      -5-
<PAGE>

per share Warrant Price in effect immediately prior to the declaration of such
dividend shall be reduced by an amount equal, in the case of a dividend in cash,
to 10% of the amount thereof payable per share of Common Stock or, in the case
of any other dividend, to the fair value thereof per share of Common Stock as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of Company. For the purposes
of the foregoing, a dividend payable other than in cash shall be considered
payable out of earnings or surplus (other than revaluation surplus or paid-in
surplus) only to the extent that such earnings or surplus are charged an amount
equal to the fair value of such dividend as determined by the Board of Directors
of Company. If such dividend is paid or Company declares and becomes legally
liable to pay such dividend, such reduction shall take effect as of the date on
which a record is taken for the purpose of such dividend or, if a record is not
taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record entitled
to such dividend are to be determined. Appropriate readjustment of the per share
Warrant Price shall be made in the event that any dividend referred to in this
Section 3.5 shall be lawfully abandoned.

         SECTION 3.6 ADJUSTMENT OF NUMBER OF SHARES PURCHASABLE. Upon each
adjustment of the per share Warrant Price, the number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable hereunder shall be adjusted by multiplying the number of shares of
Common Stock purchasable hereunder immediately prior to such adjustment of the
per share Warrant Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the per
share Warrant Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment and the
denominator of which shall be the per share Warrant Price in effect immediately
following such adjustment.

         SECTION 3.7 MINIMUM ADJUSTMENT. Except as hereinafter provided, no
adjustment of the per share Warrant Price hereunder shall be made if such
adjustment results in a change of the per share Warrant Price then in effect of
less than 1%. Any adjustment of less than 1% shall be carried forward and shall
be made at the time of and together with any subsequent adjustment which,
together with the adjustment or adjustments so carried forward, amounts to 1% or
more of the per share Warrant Price then in effect. However, upon the exercise
of this Warrant, Company shall make all necessary adjustments not theretofore
made to the per share Warrant Price up to and including the date upon which this
Warrant is exercised.

         SECTION 3.8 NOTICE OF ADJUSTMENTS. (a) Whenever the per share Warrant
Price or number of shares deliverable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be
adjusted pursuant to this Section 3, Company shall promptly prepare a
certificate signed by the President or a Vice President and by the Treasurer of
Company setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring the adjustment,
the amount of the adjustment, the method by which such adjustment was calculated
(including a description of the basis on which the Board of Directors of Company
made any determination hereunder), and shall promptly cause copies of such
certificate to be mailed in the manner provided in Section 12.1 of the Warrant
Agreement to the holder of this Warrant.

                  (b) The adjustment set forth in the certificate furnished
         pursuant to Section 3.8(a) shall be final and binding unless, within 90
         days after receipt thereof, the Majority Holders of the Warrants
         deliver to Company a written statement of objection to such adjustment.

                           (i) In the event of any such statement of objection
                  by said Majority Holders, Company's accountants and a firm of
                  independent public accountants


                                      -6-
<PAGE>

                  selected by said Majority Holders shall attempt to prepare a
                  computation in which both accountants concur. Any such joint
                  computation shall be set forth in a joint certificate to each
                  holder of the Warrants and Company and shall be final and
                  binding.

                           (ii) If Company's accountants and said Majority
                  Holders' accountants are unable to resolve their differences
                  within 30 days after the receipt by Company of said Majority
                  Holders' statement of objection, they shall submit the matter
                  to a third firm of independent certified public accountants of
                  nationally recognized standing agreed upon by said Majority
                  Holders and Company or, if said Majority Holders and Company
                  are unable to agree within 10 days after the expiration of
                  said 30-day period, to such firm designated by the then
                  president of the state society of certified public accountants
                  for the state in which Company maintains its principal place
                  of business. Such third firm of accountants shall thereupon
                  compute the amount of the adjustment and, upon completion of
                  such computation, shall transmit its certificate to each
                  holder of the Warrants and Company setting forth such
                  computations, which shall be final and binding.

                           (iii) The fees and expenses of all accountants
                  referred to in this Section 3.8(b) shall be borne by Company.

SECTION 4.  MERGERS, CONSOLIDATIONS, SALES.

         In the case of any consolidation or merger of Company with another
entity, or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity,
or any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of the Common Stock
or other equity securities of Company, then, as a condition of such
consolidation, merger, sale, reorganization, recapitalization or
reclassification, lawful and adequate provision shall be made whereby the holder
of this Warrant shall thereafter have the right to receive upon the basis and
upon the terms and conditions specified herein and in lieu of the shares of
Common Stock immediately theretofore purchasable hereunder, such shares of
stock, securities or assets as may (by virtue of such consolidation, merger,
sale, reorganization or reclassification) be issued or payable with respect to
or in exchange for a number of outstanding shares of Common Stock equal to the
number of shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore so purchasable
hereunder had such consolidation, merger, sale, reorganization, recapitalization
or reclassification not taken place. In any such case, appropriate provisions
shall be made with respect to the rights and interests of the holder of this
Warrant to the end that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as
nearly as may be, in relation to any shares of stock, securities or assets
thereafter deliverable upon exercise of this Warrant. Company shall not effect
any such consolidation, merger or sale, unless prior to or simultaneously with
the consummation thereof, the successor entity (if other than Company) resulting
from such consolidation or merger or the entity purchasing such assets shall
assume by written instrument executed and mailed or delivered to the holder of
this Warrant, the obligation to deliver to such holder such shares of stock,
securities or assets as, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such
holder may be entitled to receive.


                                      -7-
<PAGE>

SECTION 5.  DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION.

         In the event of any proposed distribution of the assets of Company in
dissolution or liquidation except under circumstances when the foregoing Section
4 shall be applicable, Company shall mail notice thereof to the holder of this
Warrant and shall make no distribution to shareholders until the expiration of
30 days from the date of mailing of the aforesaid notice and, in any such case,
the holder of this Warrant may exercise the purchase rights with respect to this
Warrant within 30 days from the date of mailing such notice and all rights
herein granted not so exercised within such 30-day period shall thereafter
become null and void.

SECTION 6.  NOTICE OF DIVIDENDS.

         If the Board of Directors of Company proposes to declare any dividend
or other distribution on its Common Stock, except by way of a stock dividend
payable on its Common Stock, Company shall mail notice thereof to the holder of
this Warrant as soon as possible (such notice being referred to as the
"DISTRIBUTION NOTICE"). Company shall not fix a record date until the lapse of a
10-day period beginning on the date of delivery of the Distribution Notice. The
holder of this Warrant shall not participate in such dividend or other
distribution or be entitled to any rights on account or as a result thereof
unless and to the extent that this Warrant is exercised prior to such record
date. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to distributions made in
connection with transactions covered by Section 4.

SECTION 7.  FRACTIONAL SHARES.

         No fractional shares may be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant.
In the event that a Holder would otherwise be entitled to a fractional share
except for the operation of the previous sentence, in lieu of such fractional
share such Holder shall be paid a cash amount equal to (i) such fraction
multiplied by (ii) the Current Market Value of one full share of Common Stock on
the date of exercise.

SECTION 8.  FULLY PAID STOCK; TAXES.

         Company covenants and agrees that the shares of stock represented by
each and every certificate for its Common Stock to be delivered on the exercise
of the purchase rights and the payment of the applicable purchase price herein
provided for shall, at the time of such delivery, be validly issued and
outstanding and be fully paid and nonassessable. Company further covenants and
agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state taxes
(other than income taxes) which may be payable in respect of this Warrant or any
Common Stock or certificates therefor upon the exercise of the rights herein and
in the Warrant Agreement provided for pursuant to the provisions hereof and
thereof. Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax which may be
payable solely in respect of any transfer and delivery of stock certificates in
a name other than that of the holder exercising this Warrant, and any such tax
shall be paid by such holder at the time of presentation.

SECTION 9.  CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS.

         The right to exercise this Warrant shall not be suspended during any
period that the stock transfer books of Company for its Common Stock may be
closed. Company shall not be


                                      -8-
<PAGE>

required, however, to deliver certificates of its Common Stock upon such
exercise while such books are duly closed for any purpose, but Company may
postpone the delivery of the certificates for such Common Stock until the
opening of such books, and they shall, in such case, be delivered forthwith upon
the opening thereof, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

SECTION 10.  PARTIAL EXERCISE AND PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT.

         SECTION 10.1 PARTIAL EXERCISE. If this Warrant is exercised in part
only, the holder hereof shall surrender this Warrant upon such exercise for
endorsement thereon of the number of shares of Common Stock as to which it has
been exercised. No partial exercise of this Warrant shall be made in respect of
shares of Common Stock of Company representing less than 1% of Pro Forma Shares.

         SECTION 10.2 ASSIGNMENT (a) Subject to the conditions set forth in
Section 10.2(b) hereof, this Warrant may be assigned either in whole or in part
by surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of Company in Princeton,
Texas (with the assignment or, as the case may be, partial assignment form at
the end hereof duly executed). If this Warrant is being assigned in whole, the
assignee shall receive a new Warrant (registered in the name of such assignee or
its nominee) which new Warrant shall cover 100% of the number of shares of
Common Stock then purchasable hereunder and shall set forth the Aggregate
Warrant Price. If this Warrant is being assigned in part, the assignor and
assignee shall each receive a new Warrant (which, in the case of the assignee,
shall be registered in the name of the assignee or its nominee), which new
Warrants shall cover the number of shares of Common Stock then purchasable
hereunder not so assigned and so assigned, respectively, and shall set forth the
proportionate Aggregate Warrant Price applicable to such shares.

         (b) Neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares may be sold, assigned
or otherwise transferred unless such sale, assignment or transfer is registered
or qualified pursuant to the registration requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and all applicable state securities laws, or is preceded by an
opinion of counsel addressed to Company that such sale, assignment or other
transfer is exempt from all such registration requirements; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that no such opinion of counsel shall be required in connection with any such
sale, assignment or transfer to any affiliate of the holder of this Warrant or
any Warrant Shares issued in respect hereof. The fees and expenses of such
counsel incurred in respect of such sales, assignments or transfers shall be
paid by the holder of this Warrant or any Warrant Shares which are the subject
of such proposed sale, assignment or transfer. All certificates representing the
Warrant Shares shall be stamped or imprinted with an appropriate restrictive
legend, substantially as set forth on the cover page hereof.

SECTION 11.  DEFINITIONS.

         Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings
assigned thereto in the Warrant Agreement and the Credit Agreement. In addition
to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the
following respective meanings:

         "ADDITIONAL SHARES OF COMMON STOCK" shall mean all shares of Common
Stock issued by Company after the Closing Date, except:


                                      -9-
<PAGE>

                  (a) Common Stock issued upon exercise of the Warrants;

                  (b) Common Stock issued upon exercise of warrants issued under
         the Existing Warrant Agreements; and

                  (c) Common Stock issued to officers, directors or employees
         of, or consultants to, Company pursuant to any existing or future stock
         option, incentive, bonus or compensation plan or program approved by
         the Company's shareholders (no later than 12 months following adoption
         of the plan or program by the Company's Board of Directors).

         "AGGREGATE WARRANT PRICE" has the meaning specified on the first page
of this Warrant.

         "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of Company described in the Certificate of Incorporation.

         "CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES" shall mean evidences of indebtedness, equity,
rights, options, warrants or other securities which are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, either immediately or upon the arrival
of a specified date or the happening of a specified event, or otherwise.

         "CURRENT MARKET PRICE" shall mean, at the date of determination
thereof, an amount equal to the market price on the Business Day occurring most
recently prior to the subject issuance of such shares of Common Stock (the
"ISSUANCE DATE"). The market price for such Business Day shall be the last sale
price on such day on the American Stock Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not
then listed or admitted to trading on the American Stock Exchange, on such other
principal stock exchange on which such shares are then listed or admitted to
trading, or, if no sale takes place on such day on any such exchange, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as officially quoted on
any such exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not then listed or admitted to
trading on any stock exchange, the market price for each such Business Day shall
be the last reported sale price on such day on The Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market, as furnished by Nasdaq, or, if no sale takes place on such day
on such system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as
officially quoted by Nasdaq, or, if such price at the time is not available from
such system, the market price for such Business Day shall be the average of the
reported closing bid and asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter
market, as furnished by Nasdaq, or, if such price at the time is not available
from such system, such price shall be determined in good faith by Company's
Board of Directors, which shall be evidenced by a notice setting forth such
determination in reasonable detail (including computations and assumptions used)
(the "CMP COMPUTATION NOTICE") to each holder of the Warrants not later than 30
days after the issuance date of the Common Stock giving rise to such
determination (the "CMP COMPUTATION DATE") setting forth such determination and
setting forth in detail the rights and procedures the holders of the Warrants
may take in the event the Majority Holders do not agree with the valuation set
forth in the CMP Computation Notice, PROVIDED, that if the Majority Holders of
such Warrants shall object to the valuation contained in the CMP Computation
Notice in writing to Company within 15 days of the CMP Computation Date, an
Appraiser, the expenses of whom shall be paid by Company, shall be selected by
Company and said Majority Holders (on behalf of all of the holders of the
Warrants as a class),


                                      -10-
<PAGE>

or, if said Majority Holders and Company are unable to agree upon the selection
of an Appraiser within 10 days of the date of the written notice from said
Majority Holders to Company objecting to the CMP Computation Notice, by the
American Arbitration Association. Said Majority Holders and Company shall be
jointly responsible for engaging the Appraiser finally selected. In the event
that the Majority Holders do not object to the CMP Computation Notice within 15
days after receiving the CMP Computation Notice, then the value shall be that
which was determined solely by Company's Board of Directors. The Appraiser
appointed pursuant to the foregoing procedure shall be instructed to determine
such value within 15 days after the selection of such Appraiser, and any such
determination made by the Appraiser shall be final and binding upon the parties.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that, on the Issuance Date, shares
of Common Stock shall be offered for sale to the public in connection with an
underwritten public offering, the Current Market Price in respect of said
Issuance Date shall be deemed to be the price at which said shares are initially
sold to the public.

         "EXERCISE DATE" shall mean a date on which this Warrant is exercised.

         "EXPIRATION DATE" means from and after 5:00 p.m. Princeton, Texas time
on March 30, 2010.

         "MAJORITY HOLDERS" shall mean, at the time of any determination, the
holders of a majority of the Warrants (determined by the number of shares of
Common Stock represented by each such Warrant as if exercised).

         "NOTE" shall mean any of the Notes issued to McKesson pursuant to the
Credit Agreement.

         "PER SHARE WARRANT PRICE" is defined in the first paragraph of this
Warrant.

         "PERMITTED CONSIDERATION" shall mean each of the following (or any
combination thereof):

                  (a)      cash or other funds immediately available to Company;

                  (b)      any Note issued under the Credit Agreement; and

                  (c)      Warrants.

         "PRO FORMA SHARES" shall mean, as of the date of any determination
thereof, the sum of (i) the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock,
plus (ii) the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Warrants and any other warrants, options or other rights and upon the
exercise of any conversion or exchange rights with respect to Convertible
Securities.

         "UNDERLYING SHARES" shall mean the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of any of the Warrants and any references contained herein to a holder
or holders of any Underlying Shares shall be deemed to refer to the holder of
the Warrants relating thereto.


                                      -11-
<PAGE>

         "WARRANT AGREEMENT" shall mean that certain Amended and Restated
Warrant Purchase Agreement between Company and McKesson HBOC, Inc. dated as of
May 14, 1999.

         "WARRANT PRICE" - see the definition of "per share Warrant Price".

         "WARRANT SHARES" shall mean shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise
of the warrants.

         "WARRANTS" as used herein shall refer to, collectively, this Warrant
and all other warrants issued in exchange or substitution for this Warrant.

SECTION 12.  WARRANT HOLDER NOT SHAREHOLDER.

         This Warrant does not confer upon the holder hereof any right to vote
or to consent or to receive notice as a shareholder of Company, as such, in
respect of any matters whatsoever, or any other rights or liabilities as a
shareholder, prior to the exercise hereof as hereinbefore provided.

SECTION 13.  SEVERABILITY.

         Should any part of this Warrant for any reason be declared invalid or
unenforceable, such decision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of
any remaining portion, which remaining portion shall remain in force and effect
as if this Warrant had been executed with the invalid or unenforceable portion
thereof eliminated, and it is hereby declared the intention of the parties
hereto that they would have executed and accepted the remaining portion of this
Warrant without including therein any such part, parts or portion which may, for
any reason, be hereafter declared invalid or unenforceable.

SECTION 14.  GOVERNING LAW.

         This Warrant shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and
the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of
California excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such state that
would require the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such
state.

         In WITNESS WHEREOF, Company has caused this Warrant to be signed by a
duly authorized officer and to be dated this 30th day of March 2000.

                                      HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC.

                                      By: /s/ Ricky D. McCord
                                         --------------------------------------
                                     Its: President and Chief Executive Officer
                                         --------------------------------------


                                      -12-
<PAGE>

                                  SUBSCRIPTION

         HORIZON PHARMACIES, INC.

         The undersigned, ____________________, pursuant to the provisions of
the within Warrant, hereby elects to purchase ________ shares of Common Stock
pursuant to the attached Warrant.

                                      Signature
                                               --------------------------------
                                      Address
                                               --------------------------------

Dated:

<PAGE>

                                   ASSIGNMENT

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto ____________________ the within Warrant and all rights evidenced
thereby and does irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________,
attorney, to transfer the said Warrant on the books of HORIZON Pharmacies, Inc.

                                      Signature
                                               --------------------------------
                                      Address
                                               --------------------------------

Dated:

<PAGE>

                               PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto ____________________ that portion of the within Warrant and the
rights evidenced thereby which will on the date hereof entitle the holder to
purchase _________________ shares of Common Stock of HORIZON Pharmacies, Inc.
and irrevocably constitutes and appoints ________________________, attorney, to
transfer that part of the said Warrant on the books of HORIZON Pharmacies, Inc.

                                      Signature
                                               --------------------------------
                                      Address
                                               --------------------------------

Dated: