Chapter 2: CHAPTER ONE
The school holidays had just begun. Elias stood in front of the full-length mirror in his room. He looked at his reflection and sighed before shaking his head. His reflection always disappointed him, but the mirror was there to remind him of what he was.
An abnormality.
His bedroom was average, simple with almost nothing inside. A bed sat to the side of the room near a window and next to it was a drawer. The walls were a pale yellow while the floor was comprised of wooden planks. A wardrobe stood on the other side of the room.
In the corner of his room was a system. A laptop and two screens that were connected to a large monitor which would blink red every now and then.
He glanced back at the mirror, he wore a white button-up shirt that was tucked into black slacks. It was formal. His hair was short and combed back, brown eyes stared back at him.
It was six o'clock in the evening, he'd agreed to meet with his boyfriend of two years. Today was their two year anniversary. He'd met him in university when he had just turned eighteen. Two years later and for the first time in his life Elias felt romantic love, his partner loved him.
Elias had differentiated late in his life, he had always thought he'd be an alpha or beta but he had been wrong. Although he had a leanly muscular body he differentiated into an omega. The second gender with the worst reputation.
Omegas were frowned upon by society because of their hyper-sexualization. The pheromones an omega released when in heat would drive all surrounding alphas crazy, sending them into a marking frenzy.
Many didn't look at the side of the omega. Most of the time an omega would go into an unexpected heat and in that condition be unable to speak for themselves. An unwanted mark, scorned by society, who could they turn to?
Most of the generation differentiated between thirteen and fifteen, that was not the case for Elias. His came later on.
An alarm on his phone beeped, reminding him of his date. The last thing he wanted was to be late. He grabbed the gift he'd bought for Ryce, his boyfriend. It had taken him forever to decide what to get. In the end, he'd settled on buying him the expensive cologne he's been eyeing the past few months.
Elias did not come from a rich family, in fact, they were just below the middle class. He was able to go to university because of his good grades. He'd managed to be awarded a full scholarship that included a dormitory. He was on his way to becoming a game programmer, not that that was all he could do but it was what he wanted to specialize in. In fact, he was good at almost anything that had to do with technology.
He closed the door behind himself softly before heading down the wooden stairs, just hoping that they wouldn't creek. The stairs lead directly into the lounge where a flatscreen television hung on the wall surrounded by a medium-length sofa.
His father Robert was seated in front of the television with a half-empty beer bottle in his hands. Both his parents were Betas and he was an only child. They were- they had their moments.
The stair creaked under his weight making his father turn to glare at him, "Where the hell arr you goin?"
"I'm going to see Ryce. I-It's our two year anniversary today." He silently cursed himself for the stutter that slipped through.
"That boy. I don' know whaths going on in his head." He slurred, "To wann a thing like you. Why couldn't you have been born smaller, cuter? Ain' no one wan an omega that looks like an alpha."
The beta laughed cynically, "You better hope he puts a ring on that finger so ya can- hic- flippin move outa here for once and fer all. Do ya hear me?"
"Yes, father." Elias gulped. His father turned back to watch television while Elias left the house. He took a deep breathe in to calm himself down.
Ryce loved him.
Elias hadn't wanted to take the next step in their relationship yet, but now he felt ready. Ready for his body to belong to Ryce together with his heart.
He pulled out his phone to hail a cab once he was a street away from home. The sky was a cozy orange colour as the sun began to set. The cab arrived, prior to entering Elias checked the number plate to make sure it matched with the numbers plate written on his phone.
"Good Evening, sir. Please confirm the drop-off location." The middle-aged cab driver greeted. He was a beta as were many other cab drivers as they weren't strongly affected by pheromones.
"Evening, 37 Wendleton Street," Elias replied from the back seat. The car moved forward soon after the location confirmation. He watched the scenery blur as the car traveled at a high speed. The trees from his perspective looked bent.
Within twenty-five minutes they had teacher the location. The street in fact was a well-known one with restaurants littered on either side of the road.
"Thank you," Elias said as he bid the driver goodbye. His hand excitedly connected around the gift in his palm. The restaurant he was going to was not an easy one to get into. It required a reservation a month in advance seeing as how popular it was.
Ryce was really going all out on him.
He made his way to the front desk and gave his name. Soon after, an usher came along to direct Elisa to the reserved table.
Elias spotted Ryce and smiled. He pulled his seat out and sat. Ryce was not necessarily extremely rich as he was the third child of a growing company but he still had money at his disposal. Ryce was a good Alpha.
"Elias... let's order first." Ryce smiled. A waitress wrote down their orders and left. It didn't take long for their meals to arrive. Elias sipped on the ice tea he'd ordered. Ryce looked down at his plate and remained silent.
"I wanted to tell you that I was thinking about making a game. I've been developing it for forever but didn't really have the... the courage to finish it. You've helped me so much these past two years Rye. It's been amazing and I hope the years to follow will be equally amazing." Elias gushed, turning his head away to avoid blushing.
Ryce nodded as he ate another forkful of steak. Elias just heard a hum in response and continued his meal. The gift he had was near the table leg.
"After this dinner, I'd like us to go for a walk. I'll drive us to the beach, it's not too far from here. If that's fine with you of course." Ryce asked. Ryce was a good-looking alpha. His light brown hair had golden streaks that complimented his eyes.
It had been unexpected of them to cross paths seeing as Ryce majored in business management while Elias did software engineering. The Alpha caught his heart, he was kind, respectful. Though going out to eat together had been difficult at first at least they made it there.
Elias was not a cute, short omega and he was reminded of it every time he looked at a mirror. He had to take extremely strong inhibitors to block the strong pheromones he emitted. Most people have mistaken him as an alpha and he didn't correct them.
"I'd like that." Elias sighed, it had been forever since he'd last gone to the beach. It was partially because wearing a bathing suit just didn't feel right. Before differentiating he loved it because he felt comfortable in his skin. He'd be invited to play volleyball, see giggling women and sometimes men.
"The food here is nice." Elias smiled as he set the fork and knife he was using down to take a sip of wine. The wrong flavour left his tongue tickling and his throat burning.
"I would expect it to be, it was expensive." Ryce muttered, "There's a long waiting list to book here."
Their waitress came back with a specifically dessert menu, "Would you like to order anything else sirs? We have a couple's specials tonight it includes a large heart-shaped chocolate brownie with two sides of vanilla ice-cream."
Ryce quickly corrected her, "We're not a couple. We're just friends."
Elias took another sip of wine to cover his wince. He knew Ryce was not ready to let the world see him. He was a poor, alpha-looking omega. No one wanted that.
"Oh, sorry sirs. You didn't look like a couple anyways. We are just required to let our customers know what we had available." The waitress brushed off, "So is there anything you'd like?"
"I'll have the Macaroons Haute Couture Delight," Ryce said as he gave the waitress the menu back then looked at Elias expectantly.
"I'm- I'm fine. I don't want any dessert thank you." Elias smiled, his hand gripped his thigh to stop the hurt he felt from showing on his face. Ryce nodded as Elias gave the menu to her.
"Elias you know why," Ryce whispered once the waitress was gone. Elias hummed in agreement then looked away. It hurt. For a second he thought Ryce had brought them to this place because he knew about the romantic special. At least he still had the walk to look forward to.
"I'd like a shutter glass of wine please," Elias asked looking down at the empty glass. He wanted to feel that uncanny burning sensation of liquid rolling down his throat. Ryce asked a passing waiter to fill Elias's glass.
While Ryce ate his dessert, Elias quietly sipped on wine. The bill was bought over and Elias's eyes widened. He couldn't afford it even if he used his life's savings.
Ryce pulled out a thin black card that was used to pay. It was about nine o'clock already when they left. Ryce's car was bought around by a valet. Elias held onto his gift, planning to give it to Ryce later after the walk.
Elias leaned his head on the passenger's window, staring outside. Ryce cleared his throat," Elias..."
"I'm fine Ryce, really I am."
It was a lie.
Ryce parked the car and got out but entire he could open the door for Elias, Elias was already out. There was neither car a distance away.
They walked to where pavement met beach sand. The area was fenced off by a small wooden platform and a wooden rail. Elias gazed out at the black waves carrying onto the shore. Ryce stood next to him staring at the ocean only to sigh. Elias looked at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Elias." Ryce's voice filled the air.
"Ryce." Elias sighed.
Silence.
"I thought that I could do this. That I could do us just ignore our differences. You're so different from anyone I've ever met before and I thought I could look past that. You're not dainty, frail, or cute you're slightly taller than me- heavens I need to wear shoes with a thicker sole whenever I'm around you. No one ever thinks we're an actual couple because we're not compatible.
I am an alpha while you are an omega but don't look like one. We can't go out in public people will only frown upon us as we walk. We'd be embarrassed, humiliated and it's just not normal because you're not normal.
We are of two very different social standings. My family owns a company that brings in more money than you could ever imagine. Never in you're wildest dreams. Do you think they'd accept us? Accept you? Money does a lot of talking and you have none. I can't picture bringing you in front of my family in the prospect of marriage. You're a wonderful person on the inside but the outside just doesn't match. Our creators were cruel to do that to you.
We- I tried I really did Elias. But then I met this woman and she's everything one could dream of inside and out. How could I have let her go? She's sweet, cute a manifestation of perfection. I asked her out on a date what's more she said yes. We've been seeing each other for four months now and it just feels right. She's the one that I want to spend the rest of my life with.
I proposed.'' Ryce made a hand gesture that signaled for a short female to get out of the car parked a short distance from Ryce's. She had short fluffy hair that fell into a bob.
What caught Elias's eye though was the glittering golden band with a large diamond that snagged light from every direction. His chest stung uncomfortably.
"She's the one Elias." It was as if Ryce was dreaming. To Elias, this was a nightmare that he would wake up from any minute now.
"Hi, I'm Mei." The young lady stuck her jeweled hand out for Elias to shake. Elias looked at the hand, he couldn't bring himself to shake it. He pinched himself.
"Ryce has told me about you and, well to be honest I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe that there could be an omega like you and if there was that he'd be in a relationship with it."
It.
He was an it.
"I don't get how this even started but I love Ryce and he really loves me. I know it's bound to be difficult, here's the truth though, you need to put this behind you. No jealous ex, no sabotaging, and certainly do not even think about stopping my wedding. Did you think this could work? That someone of his status could love you- of all people you?"
Kind.
Ryce said she was sweet, cute, and kind so how could such hurtful words leave the lips of someone said to be pure? In fact he recognised her, she was from the arts campus of the university they attended. A lady that was well known for her beauty and wealth. An influential woman from an influential family.
"He's already introduced me to his family, unsurprisingly they love me. I'm not going to sugarcoat my words because I need you to understand me. Let whatever you feel for him go, it will only hurt you. If you honestly want we can send you wedding invitations, they're almost ready. Just in case you need to reassure yourself that this is real and he's not going back to you." She turned to Ryce, "I love you."
He'd introduced her to a family he'd only ever heard about. A family he'd only seen in pictures. A family that apparently loved his boyfrien- Ryce's finance yet would surely scorn him.
Ryce smiled at her in a way he'd never smiled at Elias out in the open, "I love you too Mei."
"Are you kidding me?" Elias's voice was barely audible as he watched the loving couple with pained eyes, "Why lead me on Ryce, was she even the first-"
"I didn't lead you on. I tried to love you but I couldn't, you're not normal you know that. It was never meant to be I couldn't force myself to be in a romantic relationship with you." Ryce defended, squeezing Mei's hand.
"You had to force yourself to be with me...why?" His heart was cranking, jagged fissures slowly crawled out from within.
"Because you always looked so pitiful. Out of the goodness of my heart, I thought I could help but it was too much for me." Ryce evaded.
"What was the outcome you'd hoped for? If you never intended to go further with our relationship." Elias gulped, trying to keep his emotions at bay but they were slipping through.
"To be honest, I don't know. Why do you adopt a puppy?" Elias froze at Ryce's question. Was he a dog in the male's eyes? A puppy?
"I can see that.'' Mei agreed, "Times up."
"Ryce do you even know what today is," Elias asked looking down at the wooden planks, hoping they would break and let him fall. Maybe that fall would wake him up. Reality couldn't be so cruel.
"Today is the 28th of-" Ryce began.
"Wow." Elias wanted to scream, "I'm such an idiot. Ryce today is- was our two year anniversary. Why else did you take me to that restaurant?"
"I didn't know, I took you there to say goodbye."
"Here." Elias pulled the gift he'd prepared and stuffed it in Ryce's hands, "It was never meant to be mine. I wouldn't use it anyways but you've been wanting it for a while now. I don't see the need of holding onto something that I don't want."
"Cheap gifts but it's the thought that counts." Mei laughed looking at the gift in distaste.
"Um... thank you?" Ryce frowned, "Do you need me to drive you back to your parents' place?"
"No. Goodbye Ryce."
"But then how are you going to get home? I don't want something to happen to you then it'll be my fault because I left you out here all alone." Ryce offered to take him home again.
"No Ryce. I-" Elias paused, "I'll be fine here so please leave. Home is almost an hour's walk from here and I can always call for a cab."
"If you say so then goodbye Elias." Ryce turned his back on him. He was walking with Mei. He stopped at his car and watched her safely reach her own. Once her car was running he got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.
The only light left to show the path ahead was from a few dim yellow street lamps. Even with them there Elias couldn't see where to go. He was lost, perhaps forever.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone