A Hidden Omega

With shaking hands, she held the papers while tears filled her eyes. She looked down and saw the little symbols that indicated what your second gender would be. One would be crossed, and that would mean that you were either an alpha, beta, or... an omega.

She scanned the papers, and her eyes landed on the little cross that was scribbled on the paper. She read the word that was written next to it over and over again.

Why her! She didn't even look like one. Her shoulder shook, and she let the test result process in her mind. She felt so disappointed.

OMEGA

No, she is not, she is not an Omega. She is Alpha, a Alpha woman!

And no one is going to change that, not even this stupid test result.

--

Adira gasped; her eyes blinked open. Yet again, the same dream she could feel that even her eyes were wet from unshed tears. She sat up on the bed and looked over at her alarm clock at 6.30 a.m. Sighing, she got up slowly, put her hands over her face, and wiped away the tears.

She wouldn't be able to sleep after this again, so she decided to get up, have an early breakfast, and go for a morning walk.

She needed it after yet another restless night.

She pulled his lanky, tall figure out of bed and headed to the bathroom, took a shower, and brushed her teeth. She opened the cabinet next to the mirror and pulled out the little bottle that was named suppressants and popped it open before taking one out. She sighed and swallowed it down with some water.

Just because she was an omega didn't mean she wanted to be one. She had lived the last 6 years as an alpha, and she was going to keep it that way.

Six years ago, when Adira got the results back from the doctors, she couldn't process what Omega said. Her mom was an omega, and she loved her dearly, but she also saw how omegas still got treated in this society and how it was hard for them to find a good job. They even had to watch out for alphas when they were in heat, or they could be attacked.

Adira had always thought she would be an alpha or a beta, at least. She was tall and didn't look like the omegas around her. So, it was a shock when she got to know she was one. From that moment on, she decided she wouldn't give in to her second gender. She would just act like an alpha! Simple as that.

Ever since then, she took suppressants and scent neutralizers so no one would know.

It did have side effects, though: headaches, itchy skin, and terrible mood swings.

But! Adira did a good job powering through them, and she was happy with the way she was living now. Alphas surely had an easier life.

She got into a good college, and she was in her last year of engineering. After this, she wanted to look for a good job to be able to live, provide for herself, and live a happy life. Maybe even find a handsome omega or beta and start a family.

Adira could hide being an omega for her whole life if she kept on being careful. Right now, she was living off her scholarship and part-time jobs, so she would still be able to afford her suppressants.

They were expensive, given how many she needed every time. Most omegas only took them for their heat if it would be really inconvenient for them, but she had been taking them for every heat she had so she wouldn't need to experience them. She heard they were very painful and uncomfortable, so she happily took them every month.

The scent neutralizers she took were also expensive because she put them on every day. She knew only Alphas could smell Omega scents, but she didn't want to risk people finding out she was an Omega, so she also needed money for that. It wasn't like she was poor; she just had enough to come by. She didn't complain about her life, and she was happy with the way she lived right now. Those few side effects couldn't keep her down.

When she finished her breakfast, she was supposed to go for a walk, but she was already running late for her morning lecture with all the thinking she had been doing. She grabbed her laptop and put it in her bag. She almost forgot the strip of new scent neutralizers and put them in the side pocket before heading out the door and jumping on her bike. Her college was only 15 minutes away from her apartment, so she didn't see why she needed a car, so she invested in a good bike.

When Adira arrived, a very cheerful Jack greeted her with both arms up, waving at her.

"Ad! Finally, you're here!"

He was way so happy this early in the morning. Adira smiled and locked her bike before she walked over to Jack and mumbled out a good morning and an apology for being a little late.

"Aaahhh... last day before the semester ends. I'm so in need of this vacation." He rambled on next to Adira as they walked to class. She had met Jack on the first day of college, and they had been friends ever since. How she kept up with her chattering and his cheerful personality, she didn't know. Jack himself was a beta, and he didn't know Adira was an omega. The only people who obviously knew were her parents, but she didn't tell them; she hid it when she went to college.

That made her think that today was indeed the last day before their break, and she would go home for the holidays. Her mother had asked her to come home after telling her how much she had missed her.

"Adira, are you even listening?

"uh..huh? What did you say?" Adira said, startled by Jack's sudden question. She had once again been in her own bubble.

"I asked if you had any plans for these holidays." Jack asked again. He knew how Adira could be.

"Yes, my parents asked me to go home, so I'm going back." She said it and smiled. She needed to focus; she didn't want to make Jack feel uncomfortable if she ignored his talking.

"Aahh, lucky you! I'm jealous. I have so much homework to catch up with. I have to stay here."He said it with a sad face.

Adira laughed. Jack was always so chaotic and always behind with his schoolwork. How he still managed to pass every class was a miracle. They walked over to their first class of the day. She would be done at 2 p.m. and head back to pack before leaving for her parents' home. She could feel a headache already starting, and just with that, she sighed. This would be a long day.

Jack kept on chatting beside her, and she listened and nodded to every other sentence as they walked into the class. They found a spot and sat down, pulling out their laptops to prepare for the lesson.

"You know... we really picked the wrong major." Jack said, looking into the distance.

Adira looked at him with questioning eyes. What was this idiot thinking? Oh, this man never seemed to think. While Adira loved letting every thought go and just being and not worrying or thinking about anything,

"What? Why?" Adira asked, wanting to know what he was thinking about now.

"You know. We are never going to find a cute beta or omega here!" Jack huffed.

"We have to go out more. When you come back from your parents, we go Omega hunting! We were 22; we are not getting younger here!" He yelled out and pushed a fist in the air, which got him some weird looks from the other classmates. Adira sent them an apologetic gaze and slapped Jack's shoulder.

"You can also just say it! Not everyone has to know!" Adira whispered and yelled out.

But she did give it some thought. She wanted to find a cute omega or beta too.

"You're an alpha. Haven't smelled the one yet?" Jack asked her suddenly. Adira froze a little. She had said that she was an alpha to Jack, and now she had to make up some kind of story and bullshit about alphas.

"Naah, not really into that kind of mate thing. I want to fall in love with the one I like, not someone that has been chosen for me." She said, pulling up her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Good! Then it's settled! After the holidays, we were going to find ourselves a lover!" Jack was way too excited. Adira just nodded and shushed him when the professor walked in.

She didn't really want to, and this made her think some more. Some omegas and alphas were destined to be together. It was rare, but it happened, and that frightened Adira. What if she had a mate?

She didn't want to think about it, and it made her throat tighten up. She would try to avoid alphas now; what if one came up to her and said he was her mate? She didn't want anyone to find out she was an omega.

Her eyes darted over the room, now even more aware of all the alphas in their major.

She shook off the thought. She shouldn't worry about such a thing now! She was a strong and tall woman! She would be able to defend herself.

The day seemed like it just wouldn't end; they had been huffing through their classes like some teenagers who hated the world. But finally, Adira slammed the door open on campus and strode off the front steps.

Jack was running after her, trying to keep up with Adira's long legs.

"wait! No goodbye?" Jack wheezed out behind her.

"It's not like I'm leaving for 3 years." Adira laughed at an out-of-breath Jack and stopped in front of her bike.

"Let's grab a coffee before you go! You need to give me your notes from last week!" He said it with wide eyes and was a bit panicky.

So that's why he wanted to keep her here some more, Adira thought. She laughed and grabbed her bag and rummaged around in it to find the papers from last week. She had already finished her assignments and homework, so she would have to worry about it when she went home. She found them and gave them to Jack, who happily grabbed them from her hands.

"You're an angel." Jack said this and slapped her shoulder.

"Not like any alpha I've ever met! Not secretly some omega traits in you? Hahaha!"

Adira swallowed hard at that. She felt her heart rate spike up, and her eyes darkened.

"just kidding! Just kidding!" Jack said it defensively when he saw the look in Adira's eyes.

"Don't say such stupid things." Adira murmured and swallowed away the heavy feeling. She forced a joking smile on her face as she kicked Jack in the butt and opened her lock on her bike.

"See you in 2 weeks!" she said while driving off and waving at Jack.

"byyee!! And thanks!!! Miss you already!" Jack waved enthusiastically and jumped up and down. Some people gave him strange looks, but Jack didn't give a care in the world. This was just the way he was. Adira looked back and grinned. Before she sped off to her apartment to pack,

When she got home, she got a call from her mother to confirm that she would come that day, and she reassured her that she would not be late for the bus that she had to take to get there. She grabbed her bag and pushed in some clothes and necessities before grabbing her jacket and looking at her watch. 30 minutes to spare. She checked everything, almost forgot her suppressants, and walked back into the bathroom.

It would be hell if she forgot those! She didn't want to think about what would happen if she ever forgot to take them. She had never experienced it, though, and she wanted to keep it that way. She took some painkillers for her headache before she walked to her front door.

Looking back, she checked if everything was in place and turned off the lights in her apartment before she locked her door behind her and pushed the keys in her pockets.

Let's go home!

After an exhausting 5 hours on the bus, Adira finally arrived in the familiar neighborhood. She had been in and out of sleep on the bus ride, and it made her even more exhausted with her head hitting the bus window every time. She had looked into her selfie camera to see if it hadn't left a bruise on her head because she felt like she got a concussion every time it happened.

The rest of the hours, she tried to sit up, not wanting another headbanger from the window.

Now they had finally arrived in front of her parents' house, and she paid the taxi driver, took her stuff from the trunk, and looked up. She saw the cozy white house standing tall between all the similar-styled houses. She didn't know she had missed it that much when a smile appeared on her face, and she noticed an excited figure waving at her from the window.

Her mom, of course.

Adira waved back and grinned while walking up the steps to the front door with her weekend back over her shoulder. Her mom was already there, holding the door open for her with a big smile on her face.

"Adira! You've grown so much!" She engulfed her in a tight hug, and Adira almost dropped her stuff from how tight she squeezed.

"I've missed you too. But really, I haven't grown that much." She answered, kissed her on the cheek, and smiled down at her.

"Well, definitely always taller than me," she joked and slapped her arm.

Adira looked around; everything still looked the same as always. Mom didn't like change, and she had always disliked it when Adira left to go to college and live on her own. She had begged her to go to college here, but she had refused.

"where's dad?" She asked, as she didn't see him when she looked around.

"He's in the kitchen making dinner. Your favorite this time!"

Adira walked behind her mother into the kitchen to greet her dad. He was cooking dinner and was murmuring over the stove, but as he looked up, his eyes widened with glee, and he put his spoon down and rushed to his daughter's side to pull Adira in a big hug.

"Girl! You're back! Wait till your sister sees you." He laughed and pulled away to look Adira up and down.

"Yes, still so pretty, but thin! Have you lost weight? Good thing I cooked a lot," he said with a sigh, patting his seemingly thinner upper arms.

"Stop that, dad," Adira huffed as her eyes darted away shyly.

Her dad would always say that when she visited. Of course, they knew she was an omega, and they were very proud of her. They had never shamed her for being an omega and had embraced her second nature. It was just Adira who couldn't live with it. She wished to have the same mentality as them.

"I've been working a lot; maybe that's why I've lost some weight," she said as she put her bag near the door before sitting down at the dinner table, not thinking much of it. Her dad looked at her and shook his head.

"You don't need to work part-time, baby; you get money from us monthly, right for your expenses?" He said it with a question in his voice. Adira looked up and felt like she had been found out. She worked to be able to afford those scent neutralizers. She couldn't say that, though, and she laughed a little nervously and thought about what to say now.

"You know, I also want to be able to pay for things myself. Not just your money," she said nonchalantly, like she wasn't just telling a blatant lie.

They didn't need to know she hid her second nature, and everyone had been thinking she was an alpha.

They both, luckily, didn't suspect anything and agreed.

"Well, it's your life; you should have more fun instead of working so much. How's the love life going? Any good-looking alpha around who swooned you off your feet?" Dad continued jokingly and winked at her. Adira darted her eyes around and gulped. What was she supposed to say about that?

She needed to get away from here because the questions were getting more and more personal.

"Okay, I'm going to my room to unpack; call me when dinner is ready!" Adira avoided the question and got up. She waved, grabbed his stuff, and ran up the stairs. She heard her dad chuckle and say something to her mom that she couldn't hear any more as she reached her old bedroom.

As she opened the door, she smiled, but it was still the same as always. Her bed is in the corner of the room next to her window. She always loved waking up to the chirping of the birds and the sunlight shining in. The old posters on the wall and the action figures she had collected over the years and hadn't taken with her to college still stood tall and proud on her dresser. The mirror with the crack on the left side from when she was so mad and found out she was an omega also wasn't replaced yet. Her parents didn't know why it was cracked, though. She dumped her bag on the floor, jumped on her bed face first, and sighed.

Adira was happy to be home and just relax and be herself for a while. She had been pretending and acting too much the last few years; she was exhausted from pretending to be that tough and stern alpha. She was way too soft to act like that all the time.

Her second nature was right.

She was way more of a cuddly person, and her personality was also way softer. She loved being taken care of, although she would never admit it. She wanted to feel someone arms wrap around her and kiss her neck softly.

That's what her heart wanted, but she hid that far away.

She could also be the one giving all that affection; she could try, at least!

She was deep in thought as the door to her room slammed open.

"Sister!!"

A high-pitched screech came from the opening. Adira sat up quickly with a yelp. Her sister stood in the doorway with a huge smile plastered on her face before she giddily ran into the room and jumped on top of her.

"I've missed you!" she yelled in her ear as she held her in a tight hug. Adira gasped and tried to pry her off of her.

Her rib cage was being crushed with her arms, and her lungs slowly lost all air.

"c-can't breathe. " She gasped out.

"Oh sorry"

Her sister let her go but still sat on top of her. Adira looked up and smiled, as her little sister was excited to see her. She was there after all this time apart.

"I've missed you too!" She said that and teasingly pushed her over onto the floor before she sat up. She grunted and quickly sa

t up again, wiping her long hair out of her face, and sat on the bed again, but not before punching Adira in return.

"How's school, how's everything?" she grinned and watched Adira winch from her payback.

"You know, just normal, doing great in school, and will be finished next year."

"ahh... Will you come back home then? It's so lonely without you here." She whined and gave her the biggest puppy eyes she could make.

Adira hadn't thought of what she wanted to do after she finished college. Maybe find a job in the city or move back here to find a job here. She would see what the next few months would bring her. She still wasn't sure what she wanted; that's why she also came back here to maybe find some answers and make a life plan.

Adira wrapped her arms around her sisters' shoulders and laid her head on them.

"hmm... I don't know yet; maybe I'll move back. But just for you then," she winked and grinned at her jokingly.

"you sap. Find a mate already!"

She slapped her on the head and stood up to jump back on her to fight her before they heard their mother calling them for dinner.

Adira was relieved; her sister was petite but could fight her well! She jumped up and sneaked past her to run downstairs before she would catch up to her.

As they stumbled down the stairs, with them both trying to be the first, their mother stopped them before someone would get seriously hurt.

"Come on, it's still the same after all these years! Next time, you'll both get hospitalized if you keep this up! Sit down," she said with a stern look, but they both knew she didn't mean it but still sat down obediently.

Dinner went by without a hitch, and they talked about all the things they had missed out on from Adira and her family. She ate a ton of her favorite food as her father still piled her plate up, constantly saying she was too thin, and she should eat.

With a heavy groan, Adira plopped down on her bed, wiping her hair after a much-needed shower. Her stomach was stuffed, and her eyes were droopy from dinner, and she wanted nothing more than to sleep now.

As she had dried her hair, she wanted to go lay down, but her phone rang. She saw, who could this be this late as she picked up?

"Adira, you're back!" Sam said on the other side of the line.

Sam was Adom's childhood friend, as they had grown up together in this little town.

"Sam! I haven't heard from you in a long time." Adira grinned and laid down on her bed.

"Yeah, sorry, I was really busy with work."

Sam worked at his father's shop here in town; he never really wanted to study, so this was the best way for him, and he loved it. He was going to take over his father's business later, so why "waste away those college years when you could learn from the best?" he had said.

"Let's catch up tomorrow and play some soccer with the other boys. They talked about you last time about wanting to see you again, so let play."

"Okay, that sounds good. Afternoon?"

"Yeah, I can ask dad if I can get off earlier."

"Okay, see you tomorrow! Goodnight." Adira said, and after Sam also wished her a goodnight, she hung up. She dropped her phone next to her pillow and connected it to the charger she had pulled out of her back. She dropped back down and pulled the covers over her before falling into a deep sleep soon after, exhausted from the long journey home.

The next day, she woke up early to go for a walk. She had always enjoyed nature, and here in town, it was easier to just go out and walk into the woods a few miles behind their house. She pulled on her sweatpants and a hoody before leaving the house and chewing on an apple.

She sniffed in the fresh smell and walked for a while, enjoying the rising sun and the chirping of the birds.

She was in her own words as she walked for an hour and suddenly saw a person approaching with a super cute dog.

The owner seemed to be some kind of elite because he was wearing a suit. Weird, who let their dog out in a suit.

She just shrugged, not her problem with how people like to dress. She greeted the alpha and squatted down to pet the dog. She barked and wiggled at her before sniffing her hand and leaning into her touch.

"He seems to like you. Not that usual," the man chuckled as he saw the dog enjoying Adira's caress.

"Haha, well, first, I like dogs, but dogs don't seem to always like me too." She smiled up at the man and stood back up.

"Sorry, I'm a bit rude. My name is Adira." She reached out her hand and greeted the man.

"I'm Seth." The suited man said, greeted her with a smile, and shook her hand.

"You live around here?" Seth said this and squinted his eyes.

"ah! Well, my parents live here; I'm back home for the holidays." Adira said it with a smile.

She had never seen this man here before, but she hadn't been home for a long time, so maybe she had moved here in the meantime.

"You live around here too?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, we moved here six months ago."

"Ah, okay, well, nice meeting you. And the cute dog!" She said this and looked at her watch. She saw that it was almost 9 a.m. and she had agreed to eat breakfast together with the family, so she need to hurry.

"I'm sorry I have to hurry; I'll be leaving now. See you around!"

"Yes, see you around..." Seth said that and waved her goodbye.

Adira hurried home and was just in time for breakfast when she slipped into her seat. Her sister had just woken up and yawned as she ate her breakfast, her hair sticking out from all sides. Her parents chatted away, and Adira could only think about the strange man with the dog. Good thing the man hadn't mentioned her scent because she forgot to put on her scent neutralizers this morning. She didn't mind much here because her family was used to her cinnamon apple scent and her heat was nowhere near, so most alphas wouldn't be able to smell it.

"Mom? Have there been new people moving to town in the last months?" Adira asked as they were seated around the table.

"Not that I know of, but people come and go here. What about it?"

"Nothing, just thinking," Adira mumbled, but found it strange.

So, the man wasn't known here, but he said he lived around here.

She let it go and ate her breakfast before she helped her dad clean out the garage.

When lunchtime hit, mom made them sandwiches, and Adira left right after that to meet up with her friends.

She took her old bike out of the garage and sprinted away. The court was only 5 minutes away, and as she arrived, she could already see some familiar faces. Her face lit up as she approached them after she had locked her bike.

"Hey!" they yelled in union as Adira hugged them and laughed.

"Hello to you too. It's been a while," Adira said, approaching Sam.

"Well, you left us! We meet up here every week to play; we have to become just as good as you," Sam joked and slapped Adira back.

"Okay, if you practiced so hard, let's play then! Show me if you've improved."Adira challenged them with a glint in her eyes as she grabbed the ball and walked to the middle of the field.

They made teams and started the game. Adira had missed this as she was passing the ball around. In college, she didn't have time to play, and most people she knew didn't play soccer either. They played around for some time, and just as Adira was about to score, she smelled it.

This scent. so enticing and so good. It smelled like sandalwood.

She completely forgot about the game as her mind drifted off. She had never really smelled other people, and this made her confused. If she smelled other alphas, it was never this strong. How was she able to smell something now? And who was it?

She passed the ball and looked around. She didn't register her friends calling her name as she was sniffing the air and trying to find out who this amazing smell belonged to. She felt her heart flutter and beat loudly in her chest. She had never felt something like this, and it made her scared. Her Omega yipped inside of her, something she had never registered before. How was this possible?

Adira had never been connecting with her omega side, and now it came out as if it were the first time she had presented. She had tried to hide the voices away, but now they were purring in her head as they smelled the air.

She felt her ears turn red and her knees weaken as she tried to follow the scent. Her omega had taken over, and she wanted nothing more than to follow it and wrap herself inside that person's arms.

Person! Adira came back to her senses when she registered what she had just done! She let her omega out! This can't be happening!

"Are you okay?" Sam touched Adira's shoulder.

Startled, Adira turned around as her friends looked at her with concern.

"ah... Yeah. It's nothing. I felt a little dizzy, that's it." She lied and smiled reassuringly at them after swallowing hard. She could feel her omega yipping and jump in hee, happy with the smell.

What could that mean?

She had never experienced something like this, and she had never learned about omegas, as she didn't plan on being one.

She shook her head. She could deal with this.

"Come one, let's play. You still haven't won from me." She said it jokingly and kicked the ball away.

As they were sweating and breathing hard after playing a few more rounds, they called it a day.

"You know what we should do!" Sam said it excitedly. "We should go out tonight to the bar to celebrate Adira's return!"

Everyone cheered, and Adira thought, Why not? It's been a while since she let loose, so she agreed, and they decided to meet up tonight at the local bar.

A few drinks would surely help calm her nerves and the unsettling feeling inside her.

She needed to calm her omega down, or things could get worse.