Jack didn't know Gabriel was an omega.
That was the first and really the only thought jumping around in his head the moment he opened the door to their shared room in barracks A on the SEP compound.
Of course, there was no way for him to have known.
Once admitted in the program anything related to their genders were thrown out the window. Everyone dressed in the same standard issue clothing; everyone was given the same standard issue items to wash with, same food to eat, same trials and medical attention.
You could disclose your gender, if you wanted to. But, it wasn't recommended, and other than the alpha, most like the anonymity. After all, those with the usual stigma against them were omega and beta. This gave everyone an even playing field.
There had been wagers and guesses; more of a game behind the back of some of the members when new people came in, and when they had all been initially paired. But, after the novelty of the program wore off those speculations were dropped. Not like anyone said much about it, and it didn't really matter at the end of the day.
They were a pack, bonded with the same goal, fighting the same war games, enduring the same medical trials and experiencing the same side effects.
The program didn't allow any other drugs than the ones given. No suppressants, no birth control, nothing to stave off what they truly were. Ruts and heats happened but they were all on a tight schedule, being pumped with the same chemicals, made it easy for them to be separated. They wore scent blockers on their pulse points, even the beta(whoever they were), to keep everyone smelling the exact same.
All the bets had been on Gabriel being an alpha.
The way he carried himself, how deep and commanding the tenure of his voice was, his severe expressions; even just the build of him, solid, square, strong. He was also a senior officer, was a commander before he was admitted into the SEP and became a grunt like everyone else. He could beat the shit out of just about everyone(did so in the little fighting ring they had in the basement level of the compound to relieve frustration).
When Jack first met him he had been the biggest asshole he had ever come in contact with.
But, since then, well, he'd become his best friend.
The only person in this place he truly trusted. They had their ups and downs, but their friendship was solid, and maybe—
Well, maybe Jack sort of thought about Gabe sometimes(a lot) when he was on his rut, or when he was just feeling horny(which was almost always thanks to the damn chemicals). Jack had never been with an alpha before, but he had been keeping his mind open because he truly felt he had fallen head over heels for his bunk mate.
It led him back to the present, standing in the doorway of their shared room; he had numbly shut the door behind him. He had fell back against the closed door, his palms flat against the cool metal, feeling his heartrate pick up.
The entire room smelled like spice, sex, and something uniquely Gabriel.
Omega, his inner alpha purred; unable to help it when he breathed in deep, inhaling the primal smell of him for the first time ever.
Gabriel was sitting on the edge of the bed, finishing packing it seemed, his duffel by his feet; his hair was damp, either freshly showered or he was sweating. Jack could see the tension on his face, clear in the lines of his neck; his brown skin a little shiny and fuck he smelled delicious.
"What're you staring for?" Gabriel's brown eyes met his and Jack felt like he was shaking, was he shaking? Jesus—
"S-sorry I—"
"Didn't know I was an omega." Wasn't a question, spoken in a sharp tone, closing himself off. Something Gabriel used to do, when they hadn't yet known each other; but hadn't done for a long time, not since they had gotten close. It stung, as if he thought Jack was going to judge him, accuse him—
"Well, yeah, but," Jack stammered, feeling like an idiot, probably looking like one. He felt flushed, way too warm in this room, was it always this warm here? He shakily reached up, tugging at the collar of his shirt, feeling suffocated, "Just, what's going on?"
Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Stop acting dense. My heat." He said, nearly bit out, "Gotta get downstairs. Hit early."
That wasn't usual; everything was regulated, on a timer, why would it hit early?
"Why?" Jack blurted before he could stop himself; Gabriel hadn't gotten up from the bed.
"Why what?" His tone was still too hard, too sharp, like there was a barrier here between them.
"Why do you think it hit early?" He asked, maybe straining for a way to keep Gabriel here. His instincts starting to stir; protect, keep, mine. Primal, stupid thoughts, swirling around in his head like a fog. This was their den; he wanted to keep Gabriel here.
Stupid, since Gabriel had already had at least four heats, if not more on base since he had known him. He just hadn't been aware they had been heats, hadn't been aware Gabriel was an omega, but why would that matter now? It shouldn't matter now, but it did, just biology fucking with his head in a different way.
Just yesterday he was thinking about how two alphas fucking worked; now his mind had latched onto fucking this omega, and he knew exactly how that was supposed to work.
Jack's mouth felt dry, his blue eyes roamed, blown wide and he couldn't take a breath without inhaling Gabriel, even at this distance.
Dangerous; the air felt like it had a static charge, that one move could either start or end something.
"Fuck if I know." Was Gabriel's guarded response.
Jack had nothing else to say, words failing him; his tongue felt ten sizes too big.
Gabriel's brow furrowed, his frown somehow getting worse. "Seriously," He snorted, growled, "Why do you keep looking at me like that? This is a problem for you?"
Clearly, the fact that he was an omega was a sore spot, obvious that Gabriel was on the defensive. But, it made sense now, just how alpha the other man seemed, maybe not entirely an act. Maybe just how Gabriel was, how he carried himself on purpose, how he got ahead in the world by keeping his gender a secret(as best he could). Vulnerable maybe about it, and that only provoked Jack's alpha side further, having an urge to touch, to scent, to claim to calm.
"Figured you were an omega," Gabriel said, his tone losing a little bit of the edge, not entirely conversational but better than before, "Beta maybe." Almost a grumble, he shifted on the bed, seeming uncomfortable. "Guess its door number three?"
"Yeah." Jack croaked, throat like a desert.
Whatever Gabriel wanted to say, he didn't.
Maybe that Jack didn't seem like it, opposite of an alpha, too complacent and submissive. Too by the book, followed all the rules, didn't cause a fuss. But, then he'd just be calling the kettle black, seemed they had surprised each other in this accidental reveal.
Gabriel's nostrils flared, but Jack was still wearing his scent blockers. Even if it had been subtle; the fact that Gabriel Reyes, the current star of all his wet dreams just tried to scent in his direction, well, it made his knees feel weak.
Finally, Gabriel got up from his sitting position, grabbing the bag and looping it over his shoulder. Standing, they were eye level now, nearly the same height. Almost the same build, but where Jack was broad in the shoulders, Gabriel was broad in the hips. Maybe that should have been a tell; but he had never even thought that hard about it, Gabriel has just been an alpha in his mind.
"You going to move?"
"Uh," Jack started intelligently, "Do you have to go?"
That had Gabriel coming close, right up in his face, but he didn't touch him. "What, you gonna help me through it Morrison? Is that what you're gonna say?" He said, aggressive.
Gabriel hadn't called him Morrison in a long time either, that caused him to flinch.
"Sorry, that's," He wet his lips, unable to look anywhere but at Gabriel, "That's not what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
'I like you. I want you to stay here. I want you safe.'
Jack didn't say anything, Gabriel finally nudged him to move and he did.
"See you in a few days." Jack said, trying to recover.
Gabriel just grunted and left.
Jack tried to calm his jitters, fought the ache he felt in his chest, the need to go after Gabriel and say something, to make things feel less awkward and stressed. Instead he found himself sitting on Gabriel's bed, his hands running over the rough fabric of the comforter as he leaned back a little.
Gabriel was an omega.
He had just went into heat.
He had just left; he wasn't going to be back for a few days.
Locked up down below with the scientists, under surveillance.
Jack usually felt the absence of Gabriel when he left before, but this felt different. Somehow knowing what he was, that his gender complimented his own. It just made it different.
Jack laid down, even though he shouldn't, he couldn't help it. He rolled over, burying his face into Gabriel's pillows, inhaling that thick heat scent. He had been hard the moment he stepped into the room, but now it felt painful.
He rolled onto his back, reaching down his body as he tilted his head back; imagining, as he often did. Popping the button on his fatigues, dragging the zipper down slow before he snuck his hand into his underwear and touched his aching self. He hissed between his teeth, thinking of Gabriel, of his strong body, how he'd feel straddling him, riding his cock.
Not a new fantasy, one he visited often.
Jack was pining, falling hard.
He knew it didn't matter that Gabriel was an omega; whatever he was, he wasn't interested. But, it didn't stop Jack from wanting him, wanting something else.
The tip of him leaked, slicking the way for his hand to continue the strong slow pumps as he parted his legs a little, not minding the constriction of his pants as he continued his fantasy.
Gabriel had smelled so good, his eyes had been so dark, his skin looked soft, his mouth plush and kissable.
Jack wanted to bite that corded neck, feel his nails rake down Gabriel's skin. He panted, his eyes closed, back arched as he rutted up into his hand. He felt his orgasm close, so tense from the morning drills coupled with what just happened making it easy. Just a few more good pulls and he was coming into his hand; spilling onto his t-shirt, left gasping Gabriel's name like the hopeless man he was.
Coming down from the high of release was the worst.
His blue eyes opened, staring at the ceiling; his body still trembling, his cum sticky and drying between his fingers. He knew he shouldn't be thinking of Gabe this way, was wrong of him to keep his affections a secret, should at least say something.
Especially when they shared a bed some days, cuddled, laughed and endured together.
They'd gotten so close already, but Jack was afraid of letting it all go.
The look Gabriel had given him still stuck in his mind; hard and aggressive as the other man had been. Almost accusing, like he had expected something negative to happen just because his gender had been revealed. Or maybe he had expected something negative because he had realized that Jack was an alpha.
Right, time to clean up.
He had a few days to mull over what he wanted to say before Gabriel would be back.