Right now, I'm in the cafeteria with my best friend, Chris. He's also an Omega, like me, and he got into this school with the help of a scholarship. Unlike me, though, Chris has a family. He was raised by his single Omega mom, who had him when he was only 15. He was kicked out of his house when he got pregnant— as his family felt like having an Omega was embarrassing enough.
What makes Chris's situation so unique is that, in most cases like his, Omegas either decide to get an abortion or abandon their child at an orphanage, like mine did. Most Omegas who end up pregnant are either victims of rape or left behind by thier alpha partners too ashamed to admit to their relationship with an Omega.
I've always been a little envious of Chris. Even though he didn't have much, his mom worked hard to make sure he always had clothes, food, and a roof over his head.
We were chatting about random stuff when Chris suddenly asked me,
"So, Rion, is there anyone at school you have a crush on? Anyone you're into?"
I nearly choked on my chocolate milk. "Nooo!" I exclaimed, way louder than I meant to.
"Chill, dude! No need to scream! You almost spilled your drink all over me. I was just asking a simple question. Why are you so agitated? Is there someone you like?"
I thought about it for a second, trying not to blush. That's when Chris brushed his shoulder against mine, grinning.
"Uuuu, Rion, I didn't know you were so naughty!" he teased.
My face turned red, like, tomato red.
"How about you?" I shot back, trying to deflect. "Is there someone you like?"
Chris opened his mouth, about to answer, when the cafeteria suddenly went quiet.
Jeakyung and his friends had just walked in.
He was at the center of the group, hands in his pockets, that same cold, stoic expression on his face. They passed our table without even glancing at us and headed straight for another table.
The group sitting there immediately grabbed their stuff and left without a word, avoiding eye contact like their lives depended on it.
Even though those guys were Alphas too, they didn't put up a fight. I guess that's what being a dominant Alpha means. Especially those guys—Jeakyung and his friends. Just their presence is enough to make most Alphas, Betas, and definitely Omegas feel like falling to their knees.
"Those fucking assholes walking in here like the own the damn place." Chris snarled
Chris and I watched as a group of girls surrounded them the moment they sat down, like vultures circling their prey.
One girl, Veronica, climbed onto Jeakyung's lap, flipping her hair and practically shoving her b***s in his face. He didn't even flinch, keeping that same unreadable expression. Then she leaned in and kissed him.
For some reason, I dug my nails into the table. My grip tightened so much that veins popped out on my hands.
I knew exactly who she was. Veronica, the queen of mean girls, infamous for bullying anyone she thought was beneath her—especially Omegas. She used to pick on me back in middle school. If it weren't for Chris, I don't know how I would've survived.
Chris noticed my tension and waved his hand in front of my face.
"Hellooo? Rion? Earth to Rion!"
I snapped out of it and turned back to him.
"So, anyway," Chris said, "do you know what school you want to go to after high school?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "We still have two years left to decide, and even if I wanted to go, I probably couldn't afford it. The only reason I'm here is because of the scholarship. How about you?"
Chris leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his neck as he stared at the ceiling.
"Hah, I'm not sure either. My mom keeps saying I should go because he wants me to have opportunities he never had. But honestly, things are tough. Our landlord raised the rent without doing a single renovation. The place is so run-down, we even sleep in the same bed. And the neighborhood? Let's just say it's full of drug dealers and crackheads.
"But you know what? No matter how hard things get, my mom always smiles and tells me everything's gonna be okay. I was thinking maybe I should get a part-time job after school to help out. He doesn't know it yet but I know he's been working three jobs just to cover rent and buy my shoes and uniform. Honestly, he's a badass mom. I'm lucky to have him."
Chris's words hit me hard. He was right—his mom was incredible. I thought back to the first time I met him.
It was back in middle school. A group of Alpha kids was trying to steal my stuff. Chris stepped in and stood between me and them.
"If you lay a finger on him, you'll regret it," he said.
They laughed. "What can a small Omega like you do to us?"
Chris wasn't big—he was short and petite, with a beautiful, almost delicate appearance. But when one of the kids tried to punch him, Chris high-kicked him in the face. The kid dropped like a rock, holding his nose and crying.
"Who's next?" Chris said, cracking his knuckles and glaring at the others. "If I see you messing with him again…" he said pointing his finger at me before his eyes dropped to their crotches.
The kids froze, instinctively covering themselves at their crotch area before grabbing their friend and running off.
I was still sitting on the floor, completely stunned by what I'd just witnessed. Chris grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously.
"Hi! My name's Chris. I'm 10 years old. I love watching movies, playing video games, fashion, and doing my makeup. Wanna be friends with me?" he asked, grinning.
"Y-yes," I blurted out, still shaken by his strong handshake.
"So, wanna come over to my house? My mom makes the best food ever. You have to try it," Chris said enthusiastically.
I gladly accepted his invitation—no one had ever invited me to their house before. As we walked to his place, we made small talk. I learned he had always lived in this country with his mom, who had immigrated from another country after finding out he was pregnant. Chris had never known his father, but he said it never really bothered him.
In turn, I told him about being abandoned at an orphanage as a baby and never knowing my real parents. I explained how I had never been adopted because, well, no one wanted to take in an Omega child.
When we arrived at his building, I couldn't help but notice how rough the neighborhood was. There was dirt everywhere, sketchy people lingering around, and the building itself looked like it could collapse at any moment. Mold covered the walls, and the whole place felt unsafe.
To be fair, the orphanage I lived in wasn't much better. Actually, compared to that, his place seemed like a step up. Chris must've noticed my worried expression because he suddenly flashed me an eerie smile and grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the building.
When we got inside, a group of men approached us. I could tell just by looking at them that they were Alphas.
My heart raced with fear. Omegas—especially young ones—often went missing, kidnapped and sold to older Alphas who used them as sex slaves or worse. My palms were sweaty, and I could feel cold sweat forming on my forehead.
But then, to my surprise, Chris ran up to one of the men and punched him in the leg. The man, who was towering over Chris, picked him up and threw him gently onto the floor. He squatted down so their faces were level, raised his hand, and I braced myself for the worst.
Instead, he patted Chris's head.
"Hey, pipsqueak. What's up?" the man said, smirking.
"I'm not a pipsqueak!" Chris replied, pouting like a child.
"Sure, sure," the man teased. "So, how was your day?"
"It was great! I used that new move you showed me—and I made a new friend!" Chris said, pointing to me.
The man walked over, patted me on the head, then squatted so we were eye-level.
"Hey, kiddo. What's your name?"
"Rion…" I said softly, feeling shy.
"Rion, huh? That's a beautiful name," he said warmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Frank."
He extended his hand, and I hesitated for a moment. Chris gave me a reassuring look, so I shook Frank's hand.
"Anyways, I gotta head out and take care of something. You kids behave," Frank said, walking away with the group of men.
I couldn't stop staring as he disappeared into the distance. I had never met an Alpha with such a commanding presence, yet he seemed so kind and approachable.
"Hey, let's keep going, or you might burn a hole in the back of his head if you keep staring like that," Chris teased.
"Who is he?" I asked.
"He's like the leader of the neighborhood," Chris explained. "He owns a small bar and runs a local gang that keeps things under control around here. Nothing happens without him knowing. But unlike other Alphas, he doesn't use his power to oppress Omegas. He's been friends with my mom since he moved here, and he's looked after me ever since I was little. My mom sees him as a younger brother, and he sees him as an older one. He even teaches self-defense classes to Omegas so we can protect ourselves. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Yeah," I said, still lost in thought.
We made it to Chris's apartment, and as soon as we walked in, he shouted, "MOM! I'M HOME!"
The place was small but cozy. The living room had a couch, a tiny TV mounted on the wall, a cupboard with books and a baby picture of Chris, and a vase of fresh flowers.
Moments later, the most beautiful Omega I'd ever seen walked out of the kitchen. He was petite and feminine, with long, curly brown hair that cascaded down his back and the kind of delicate features that could stop traffic. I could tell just by looking at him where Chris got his looks from he looked exactly like his mom the only difference being that unlike his mom who had brown hair and green eyes, Chris had Blond hair and blue eyes. *He probably got that from his dad, bet he must be good looking too* I thought to myself.
"Welcome home, honey. Did you have a good day at school?" he asked, walking over to Chris and kissing his forehead.
"Mom, I'm not a baby anymore," Chris protested, trying to wriggle free.
"But you'll always be my baby," his mom said, smothering him with kisses while Chris giggled and squirmed.
Watching them, I felt a pang of longing. Their bond was so full of love and warmth—something I'd never experienced.
"And who might you be?" Chris's mom asked sweetly, turning his attention to me and gently cupping my face with his soft hands.
"My name's Rion," I said, feeling flustered.
"Rion," he repeated, smiling. "What a beautiful name."
"Thank you, Chris's mom," I replied shyly.
"Call me Peter—or Aunty Peter if you'd like," he said.
Chris pouted. "Hey! You said my name was the most beautiful!"
Peter chuckled, pinching Chris's nose. "Of course, both your names are beautiful."
Chris beamed. "Mom, you never told me where my name came from," he asked curiously.
Peter paused, a strange expression crossing his face. Then he smiled sweetly and said, "Hmm… it's a secret. Maybe I'll tell you when you're older. Now, let's eat! You boys must be starving after such a long day at school."
Chris and I washed our hands before sitting down to a spread of delicious food. Peter served us bowls of rice and udon stew. The first bite brought tears to my eyes—it was the most amazing thing I'd ever tasted.
"Oh, honey! Are you okay? Was it too spicy?" Peter asked, panicking.
"No, it's just… so good," I said, wiping my tears. "I've never had anything this delicious before."
Peter smiled warmly. "Well, you're welcome here anytime, Rion. I'll always make sure both of you guys are well-fed."
Tears welled up again, but this time, they were tears of gratitude. For the first time, I felt like I'd found a family—a place where I could belong.
A smile spread across my face as I reminisced about that distant memory.
"So, anyway," Chris said, snapping me back to the present, "my mom made these dumplings for both of us. He said we should eat them instead of buying cafeteria food since it's so expensive. That way, we can save our pocket money for other stuff."
He pulled out his lunchbox and placed a few dumplings on a plate before handing them to me.
I smiled, accepting them gratefully. "Thanks, Chris."
We spent the rest of lunch chatting about random things, laughing so loudly that people across the cafeteria could probably hear us. But honestly? We didn't care.