“Hey, listen, I know it’s stupid, okay?” I tell the guys as I wait for them to get changed.
“Yeah, sure, but it’s still dumb as fuck,” Teddy says and the others laugh as he slams the locker closed.
“It was mine. She shouldn’t have taken it, no matter the reason.”
“Who gives a shot? It was some old plushie, right?” he adds. “What were you gonna do with it? Rut into it?”
The laughs are even louder. I offer them half a smile.
I’m the one who really thinks it’s stupid. Who could think it was more stupid than I did?
I want to laugh at it too. Had it been one of them in my situation, I would have laughed my ass off. It’s such a dumb thing.
Right now it isn’t funny though. I can’t explain why. I just feel ridiculously upset about it.
So fucking upset for no reason.
Teddy folds his arms in front of his chest and leans back against the locker unit across from me, his muscles clearly defined through the thin fabric of his tee. “Just let her have it. You’re an alpha. Omegas use all sorts of soft fabrics and whatnot when nesting. You’re twenty-five—”
“Twenty-seven.”
“—so let your ma have it. She’s gettin’ old. Just drop it.”
He’s absolutely right. I really should drop it. Of course I know that. I should definitively not whine about it in a locker room like some omega whose sweater was a little ripped when they have like twenty more equally soft.
“She just went into my room and took it. That wasn’t okay,” I argue, but I know how weak that argument is.
When was even the last time I stayed at home for more than five minutes? Of course, she would go into my old room, to clean up, to be reminded of her old pup’s scent from time to time. It’s all cool.
I know that.
And I haven’t even thought about that stupid thing for a good fifteen years. More, honestly. Maybe closer to twenty.
But the moment it wasn’t collecting dust, tossed into some forgotten corner of my childhood room, it just fucked me over worse than if I had ended up in the same room as rutting territorial alphas.
A locker room at the sports centre is practically that room, though. Just less active rutting.
“Let your old hag keep it. It’s probably super disgusting now anyway, if not completely destroys,” Geoffrey says with a jeer. “Who brings a stuffie into the bedroom, anyway? I wouldn’t allow it.”
“You son of a bitch,” I stand up, my temper flaring up, the bench clattering against the stone floor and locker units behind me. “She’s going through menopause. I don’t know if you are no brain, all brawn, knothead, but even I know heats are different from menopause.”
Am I mad about what he’s saying about my omega mother, or am I mad about something else? Don’t know. I’m not going to think too deeply about it. I’m just mad.
I must look ready to draw blood, because Seth moves between us.
“Chill, Leo. Don’t care about some random idiot. It’s normal for omegas to need familiar scents. It doesn’t make the toy disgusting. Your mum’s fine.” Seth places a hand on my shoulder. “Got it?”
I huff and back off.
“Sorry for being unreasonable, I guess,” I say sarcastically. To whom, I can’t really tell. I feel like the one I’m trying to convince is, in fact, myself.
“Nah, it’s Geoff being unreasonably bitter his relationship is going nowhere,” Dex chimes in. He’s usually pretty quiet, so I raise an eyebrow at him. I’m not the only one who does. Geoffrey does too.
“What the fuck are you talking about? What do you even know?”
“Since when do you ever go to the gym?” Dex asks with a shrug.
Man, he knows how to push buttons.
“I’m an alpha too. Of course I work out.”
“But at the gym?”
Good point, though.
“Got tossed onto the couch?” I ask. “Or dumped?”
“Don’t listen to the beta. It’s going fine. I chose to sleep on the couch because the bedroom stinks.”
“Stinks of what? Omega?” Teddy asks curiously. “Thought you liked the scent of your mate.”
“Pregnancy.”
“Ohhhh.”
We all get what’s actually going on. He really was kicked out of the bedroom. Good for him. Having pups is a big milestone. If he’s being an arse enough for his omega to lock him up, that’s on him, and only my problem if the omega turns up before me in keed of help.
But it doesn’t change that I’m honestly still mad.
Actually, more so now.
Son of a bitch is having the grandest time of his life and is acting like he’s the one who’s carrying pups.
At least I had something taken from me, not given to me.
“Piss all the way off,” I tell him. “Go back into the gym and rut against a dumbbell or something. You need a reality check, knothead.”
Seth and Dex both laugh while Teddy smirks. I know I’m right about this.
I add, “Who hates their own omega’s scent so bad they call it a stench to justify sleeping on the couch anyway?” which draws out a laugh from Teddy, too.
Geoffrey slams the locker shut as if that would scare me. He steps forward, so I do the same, already rolling up my sleeves.
Who isn’t aware just where this is going?
“You think you can beat me, runt?” he growls.
“Says the baby in the room. You go back and suck your mama’s tits for another twenty years. I think you were weened off too soon, knothead.”
Geoffrey and I are about the same size. I don’t doubt I could slam him into the floor with less than four moves. He? His only moves are in the bedroom, I bet. If he even has got any there. Doesn’t seem so to me if he’s sleeping on the couch.
“All right, boys. That’s enough of roughhousing like cubs. There’s a reason this place has a specific rule about alphas not fighting. Or did you forget?”
I turn to see Miguel step out from the shower room, a towel over his shoulder, covering up exactly nothing.
He’s got impeccable timing, I gotta say. As he approaches, I take several steps back.
Geoffrey? Sure, I’ll take him. He’s a little bitch of an alpha.
Miguel? I have better stuff to do than visit the emergency with a broken arm or something.
“I didn’t forget,” I lie.
I totally did. For like five seconds.
Seth gives me a look I’ve seen more than once since we met in middle school. Teddy isn’t missing it and raises an eyebrow at me, while Dex turns around but not fast enough for me to miss the bastard is smirking.
Geez, thanks, brother. You’re so helpful.
Miguel walks past me, so at least he doesn’t care about the lie if he even noticed. Instead, the taller, larger alpha walks over to Geoffrey and places his arm over his shoulder.
“Runt, what did you say about the puppy smell, hmm?”
Oh, right. Miguel is a cousin to Geoffrey’s omega or something.
“It stinks.”
Good job, Geoffrey. Anger the apex alpha now. I’ll hand over your omega to a pair of good, caring hands after you’re dead.
“Oh, really now?” Miguel smiles coldly and moves his hand to grab the back of Geoffrey’s neck.
Geoffrey tries to stay upright, but it doesn’t take long before he gives up and submits under the pressure, lowering his head.
He says, voice gruff, “The scent is fine.”
“Just fine?” Miguel asks.
“It’s perfect. I love it. I’m the one who stinks too much alpha. Happy now?” Geoffrey grumbles.
The larger alpha lets go. “Tell your omega that, not me. It’s got nothing to do with me, after all. Not my omega, not my house, not my pack. You do you.”
“Fine. Whatever. I still don’t like it,” Geoffrey mutters.
“Not my problem,” Miguel says without batting an eye. “Control your own scent more and don’t upset a pregnant omega. Simple.”
He turns to me. “So, what are we talking about?”
“Nothing,” I reply.
Dex, that quiet little observer, woke up today and apparently decided today is the day he’s joining the conversation at any opportunity to make things miserable for someone, because he immediately says, “Leo’s omega mother took his stuffed animal he happened to have left from his childhood to nest with, because she’s going through menopause.”
I will never speak with that guy ever again.
I’d beat his ass, but he’s the only beta in the group. Would make all alphas look bad if I gave him even the lightest of punches.
Fuck him, when I get the chance to give him what he deserves.
Gently.
But harshly.
Though not so hard that he’s actually hurt.
Still, do it rough enough that he gets the message.
“He’s pretty upset about it. Geoff then called his mum a hag,” Dex continues, making Miguel nod with a hum.
Okay, I’m a mess. I realise that too…
He finishes with, “He’s acting a bit like a volatile omega, basically.”
“I see,” Miguel replies, as he dries off. “That’s it?”
“Pretty much,” Dex says with a shrug.
Actually, never mind, I take that back. Fuck him in every way, all the way. I want to see Dexter submit to me and hear him beg me desperately.
“Your expression is a bit intense,” Seth murmurs next to me.
“Yeah, well, I’m mad. What about it?” I spit out as I turn to my childhood friend.
“It’s just a stuffed rabbit. What’s there to be so upset about? You told me you used to chew on it when you were in kindergarten, to the point everyone could already said you were going to present alpha. You wanted it more dead than intact.”
“So what if I chewed on it? I haven’t looked at it in decades.”
“That’s my point,” Seth said. “You have no use for it. Had it been a shirt, you wouldn’t even have batted an eye. It’s just a böbit odd to me.”
“I’m normal about this. I’m just upset she took it. Had it been a shirt, she would have asked.”
Not really. She would likely just have taken that, too. I hardly ever respond to her or dad’s calls and messages, at the miraculous occasion I get one. She wouldn’t have called me for something like a shirt. I also wouldn’t have given two shits about a lost shirt. Whatever is left in that room? She can just take it as she wishes, no asking required. I don’t live there anymore.
But she should have asked for that rabbit. Not for any particular reason. She just should have. Taking anything else would have been fine. Really.
“She can’t just take stuff. You know?”
“She’s an omega, though,” Teddy points out. “Like I said before, drop it. Mother or father, sister or brother, friend or partner, in any of these cases, it’s an honour to be safe enough to be included in a nest.” He cocks his chin toward Geoffrey. “Unless you’re that arsehole, that is.”
“Theodor, I am this close to grabbing you by the throat and dragging you out of here so I can beat you up,” Geoffrey growls deeply.
“Oh, you even used my name? Okay, sure. You’re welcome to try,” Teddy says as he straightens up and glowers. “I’ll even walk out willingly and tie my hands behind my back to give you a chance of winning. How about it?”
Seth gives me a look, and we both look at Miguel, who’s ignoring it to take his clothes out of the locker.
Well, I wouldn’t try my luck with Teddy either, although I might not break an arm, at least.
I notice Dex pressing his lips together, giving me a glance. Any anger towards him is gone with the wind.
Or draft, I suppose, since we’re indoors.
Either way, I can’t be mad when he looks worried, maybe even a little scared.
“Guys, stop it,” I say. “Look at you, acting like you’re fifteen and hormonal.”
“You weren’t any better,” Seth immediately points out.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t say I was. Besides, I’m a volatile omega apparently, so get off my back. You all should act like adult alphas, not pups who forgot how to tie your shoelaces and blame the world.”
I point at Geoffrey. “Especially you, Geoffrey. Listen, nnothead, your omega is pregnant. He’s gonna get upset about everything. It’s your job to make him feel safe and cared for so he can birth the pups. Don’t take it out on the rest of us, just because you haven’t figured out how to get your shit together when the rest of us have. If you’re so frustrated, go back to the gym and run on a treadmill to heavy metal for two hours. I don’t care. Just stop whatever you’re doing right now, because you’re doing it wrong. You’re alpha-ing it wrong, you hear me?”
“You’ve never had a long-term partner — what do you know?” Geoffrey starts.
I bristle and step forward again. “I have common sense, you son of a bitch. You wanna throw hands outside? Put on some pants before I fucking carry you over my shoulder and show you what a real alpha is like.” I jerk my chin at him. “Sorry excuse for an alpha, aren’t you? Wanna show your omega there are better option? I’m free, y’know.”
Free, my ass.
I’m not.
But who cares? I’m upset about a fucking toy, and this guy needs a punch in his very punchable face. I can’t always back down.
If I can’t be upset, I’ll just hit him.
“I said, ‘That’s enough,’ already.”
Okay, I won’t then…
“Sorry, I’m just in a bad headspace,” I say and grab my sports bag. “I’ll go out for some fresh air.”
Seth hums in approval and returns to his things to finish getting dressed. Teddy just nods. He’s already settled down to lean against the locker and doesn’t look like he’s leaving any time soon. Geoffrey bares his teeth while growling, but gives off the scent of someone who just won a fight.
Well, fuck him. Obviously, he didn’t win shit.
He has to put on pants, anyway. What is he so smug about, having his arse half-out for all to see? Does he think alphas wanna look at his sorry excuse for a backside?
Not even his omega wants his sorry arse.
Author’s Note
Because the site is finally out of maintenance, I figured I’d share this story as my first major content update.
I wrote the first draft of this back in December and published it between December and March on AO3. This is the first story with the Olivier family and the whole main story takes place within about twenty-four hours, not accounting for flashbacks.
I suggest checking the page of this series to check content warnings. There’s nothing too serious, but if you don’t like certain topics, you ought not to read these stories. Also, if you like a certain omegaverse dynamic, checking the page can give you an idea what to expect, because they’re not all alpha x omega or even relationship focused.
