Episode 10

"Wait," Lukyan's voice halted him, and he paused to glance back over his shoulder. "Aren't you coming to have lunch with me?"

"I stink. Why would you want to have lunch with me?"

He saw Lukyan lift the bag containing his sweatshirt.

"If you put this on, you'll smell better."

"No, thanks. I don't want it."

He turned on his heel and started walking away. He ignored his name being called out again, as there was no point in staying by his side when he was only tolerated under the belief that he was a Beta. He knew that if his true nature was known, he would be casually insulted without a second thought.

He remembered all too clearly how Lukyan regarded Omegas as manipulative, a sentiment he didn't share. He had never thought of Omegas in such a way, but now he saw others held such dreadful opinions. He understood that Omegas sought an Alpha when in heat, but Alphas were just as bad, if not worse, subjugating Omegas to trigger their heat for their own desires. He thought that if Lukyan viewed them as needy, then Alphas were equally if not more so.

Upon arriving home, he shut himself in his room. He didn't come out for meals or anything else, merely watching time pass as he gazed at the ceiling.

The next day, he went to the university as usual. Lukyan was nowhere to be seen, so he just stuck with Cheng.

Wednesday dragged on a little longer. He was one of the first in the classroom, alone for a brief moment until Jerley walked in. He smiled as Jerley entered and sat beside him, slowly removing his jacket and running his hands through his hair.

"Hi, is everything alright?" he asked the Omega.

He wasn't feeling well, but he just nodded.

"I didn't sleep well, that's all."

"I see," he whispered softly.

For a moment, Eley tensed as he felt Jerley touch a lock of his hair to move it away from his face.

"You look paler than usual," Jerley observed.

He swallowed and shifted in his seat to distance himself a bit.

"Yeah, but it's alright, the day will be over soon. By the way, you didn't tell me why you didn't make it to the bar."

"Oh, yes, sorry about that. I got tied up with some issues with my parents and it took forever."

"I see. I waited for a while, as I mentioned in the message, but then I had to leave."

"Well, we can go out another day. How about today?"

He pondered the proposition, as Jerley watched him intently and then nodded in agreement. He wasn't used to socializing with Betas. In fact, Eley was the only Beta he conversed with, as he found them otherwise uninteresting. Betas didn't have anything that made them special and couldn't sense his pheromones, which he liked to use to his advantage.

"We can go to the same bar. I frequent it a lot; it's actually quite peaceful."

"Yeah, the short time I was there, it seemed like a good place."

Eley offered a small smile as more students dribbled in, chatting until the professor arrived and class began. The assignment was to create a portrait of a person, a landscape, or both.

Jerley chose the landscape and Eley the portrait. They discussed briefly what appealed to them to draw and after class, they left together.

"Going to grab breakfast?"

"Yes, but my friend just texted me that he's busy finishing up a project," Eley replied, checking a new message from Cheng.

"Oh, how about we go for breakfast together then?"

"Sure!" Eley responded.

They walked leisurely to the cafeteria, which was neither full nor empty. The few available seats could be counted on one hand, so they hurried to secure their spots.

The breakfast was neither rich nor poor. They chatted over trivial matters while eating. Most students sat in groups, talking and laughing. Eley found himself observing the Omegas, noting their attractiveness varied, and for the first time, he truly wished to be a Beta, not just pretend to be one. He lowered his gaze, feeling even worse than before. He'd tried to ignore his feelings, but it was becoming impossible.

Jerley noticed Eley's downcast demeanor and tilted his head to get a better look, wondering what caused such sadness. He reached out again to touch a strand of Eley's hair, and their eyes met for a moment before Eley quickly looked away.

"You look sad. Is something wrong?"

"Actually, no. I just don't feel well."

"Want to talk about it? We always talk, maybe I can help and..."

"Do you think Omegas are manipulative?" Eley blurted out.

Jerley blinked a few times, processing the question. He sensed desperation within it but didn't understand why when it shouldn't concern him. Still, he smiled gently before saying:

"Who said that?"

"I overheard it."

"Must've been an idiot. Omegas aren't like that at all. If they were, nobody would want them."

"But they can cause trouble when they go into their cycle."

"Alphas can cause just as much trouble when we go into rut."

Eley stared in surprise, finding that someone shared his views. He'd assumed Jerley would echo Lukyan's sentiments, but that wasn't the case. He watched as Jerley gave him a comforting smile, busying himself with a bite of his bread.

"Are you upset because someone said that about Omegas?"

"Kind of," Eley murmured softly.

"How sweet. But you shouldn't be bothered by things that ultimately don't concern you, right? You have no reason to be sad over others' issues. Let's head outside instead."

Eley nodded, and Jerley gathered their trays to clean up. They spent the entire break together, chatting and laughing, a departure from their usual classroom-only conversations. Feeling that talking a bit more wasn't so bad, they left the university together at the end of the day, heading to the bar. Jerley always drove, so they walked to the parking lot.

It was just as Eley was about to get in the car when he noticed Lukyan exiting with some guys and girls, presumably Betas judging by his relaxed demeanor and smile. Eley stood still, watching until Lukyan briefly caught his gaze and stopped upon seeing him. Their eyes locked, and then Eley got into the car.

They drove slowly to the bar and settled in. Daylight lingered, so they talked for hours. Jerley shared amusing stories, making Eley laugh and feel better.

"But, that's how things are, what can you do?"

"Maybe not drink until you forget your own name," Eley suggested, resting his chin on his hand and elbow on the table. Each nursed a glass of juice, as Jerley was conscious of driving later.

Jerley rarely drank to excess but admitted he wouldn't exceed five drinks, his self-imposed limit.

"Well, if you stop before you forget your name, then the night is just dull."

"That's what they say, but I don't see the fun in it. I always drink in moderation. I'm not a rebel like you."

Jerley smiled and gazed at him.

"How is it that you're so cute?" he suddenly asked.

Eley gave him a puzzled look, unsure if the question was an insult or a compliment.

"What do you mean?"

"Betas usually tend to be, for lack of a better word, plain, but you don't quite fit that mold."

"Sorry, they say I took after my mother's beauty."

"Is she a Beta?"

"No, she's an Omega."

The Alpha fell silent, finished his juice slowly, and then, without further ado, leaned closer and inhaled deeply. Eley watched him out of the corner of his eye, surprised by his action, as Jerley began to scent his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"Smelling you."

"You won't find a scent, no matter how hard you try."

"Yes, I noticed."

"Okay, I think it's time for me to go. It's eleven at night and my mom must be wondering where I am."

He stood up and Jerley followed suit. The night air was cool, perfect for a nighttime stroll. Eley was oblivious to the fact that right on the curb sat a parked car, and the person within, intently observing them, was none other than Lukyan.

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