A/N: Hello all, happy new year! I've noticed that I've been lacking explanation of Omegaverse, and there are readers who are new to the concept. This chapter should help with that, as it delves into some of the social cues between the dynamics. This chappie should also help with the pacing a bit, as things were going rather fast.
In any case, please enjoy!
Chapter 7: Watch Me Drown
By the time Jack and Mark had finished scenting, Jack was practically a pile of goo. The way he had stumbled to his feet make Mark chuckle good-naturedly while Jack blushed profusely. They headed back out to meet the rest of the household, and Jack felt the rising heat to his ears again as Matt and Ryan gave them knowing looks. The tv was now playing some game show, and Jack opened his mouth to question it.
"We switched it over from Mario Kart," Ryan spoke up, sensing the Omega's confusion.
"Yeah, since you were taking so damn long," Matt scoffed, but his sly grin showed he meant no harm.
Jack rolled his eyes, fighting off his own embarrassment at the Beta's implications. Mark clapped him on the shoulder then, asking Jack what he wanted for lunch. Surprised, Jack glanced to the clock. Somehow, their whole morning was already gone. Had they really been scenting for that long?
Mark got to work in the kitchen immediately, insisting that Jack take his headache medicine and sit down for a bit. The Omega wanted to protest, but when a sharp pain shot through his body from his still-present concussion, Jack begrudgingly agreed. He popped his pills and then made for the couch to join Matt and Ryan, settling himself in the middle and pulling up his legs to sit criss-cross on the sofa. He stared at the screen in front of him, not really focusing on it as the sound of sizzling food sounded from the kitchen behind.
He fought to keep the grin from his face, realizing what Mark was doing. The Alpha was going into full-caretaker mode, insisting Jack take his medicine on time and making food for him and everything. It was part of an Apha's natural instinct to take care of and protect their Omega, but even with Jack having a different mate, Mark's instincts seemed inclined to override that. It was touching, and it made Jack's heart tighten yet again, wishing that he could have had Mark as his Alpha instead.
The thought was selfish and impractical, he realized.
Even with his own bond being forced, he could still feel the connection to Tom. It wasn't very strong, appearing to have weakened significantly over the distance and due to him being post-heat, but it was still very much present. Just in a much more weakened form, otherwise Jack wouldn't have even been able to scent with Mark earlier. The fact that he had accepted a 'foreign' Alpha, in other words, one who was not his mate, meant that the bond wasn't strong enough to prevent him from interacting with other Alphas as it might once have.
Which was, essentially, the entire point of bonds. Sure, it was great to understand one's mate on a deeper level and sense their feelings and emotions without being told so, but the purpose of the bond was a more primal one. It was to keep mates loyal to each other, paired off in order to boost population. Obviously, the human race was nowhere near in threat of being endangered, but that wasn't quite the point. Bonds also kept unmated Alphas and Omegas from interfering too much with an already mated pair. It was considered rude to intervene too much as it implied that someone wasn't properly taking care of their mate, and therefore would need assistance from outside help. A proper bond would instinctively have Alphas would care for their Omegas, and vice versa. The Alphas would cater to their mate's needs, and when the time came for the Omega to go into heat, the Alphas would help them through that as well. It lessened the pain of emptiness for the Omega, and with boosted fertility rates during that period, the chances of the Omega getting pregnant significantly increased, ergo the means of the population boost function of it.
A wave of alarm shot through Jack at that thought. Ryan turned to him questioningly, obviously scenting the change of emotion in the air that Jack was putting off. Matt continued to watch the tv unknowingly, since as a Beta, he was unable to scent such things as Alphas and Omegas could.
"You okay?" Ryan questioned after a beat of hesitation, drawing everyone's attention, even Mark's from the kitchen.
"Fine," Jack choked out, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Just, uh. Thought of something."
Ryan didn't seem placated by the answer, but it wasn't his place to intervene. While unmated Alphas could still interact and be friendly with mated Omegas, they could sense that the Omega was bonded, and therefore kept some means of a distance. It was a way of respecting boundaries, and Jack was only thankful for it as it kept Ryan from pressing the matter further.
Mark, curiously, did not seem to care for the boundary as Ryan did. "Everything okay? Do you need anything?" he asked, walking up behind them and causing Jack to turn to face the insistent Alpha.
"Yeah, um. I just thought of something I need to get at the store later," Jack said, purposely not meeting the Alpha's eyes.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence between them all. Ryan was looking at Mark with narrowed eyes, obviously noticing the Alpha overpassing his bounds. Mark was looking straight at Jack, ignoring the blatant disapproval from Ryan. Jack was looking pointedly at the floor, unable to meet Mark's eyes. And then there was Matt, the poor Beta glancing between them all with confusion, not able to catch the scent cues in the air.
Finally, Mark seemed to catch onto the tension. "I'm sorry," he said, as way of apologizing for stepping too far into the mated Omega's problems. That seemed to appease Ryan, who turned back to the tv with a huff. "I can take you to the store later, if you want."
Jack found himself nodding. "Sure, yeah. That'd be great."
And then Mark returned to the kitchen, Jack heaving a sigh of relief as he did so.
Ryan leaned over to Jack then, whispering so the other Alpha wouldn't hear. "I know you two are friends and all, but if Mark is overstepping his bounds then I can talk to him, if you want."
"No!" Jack said quickly, clamping a hand over his mouth at the volume. Both shot a look to Mark, who was dutifully at the stove, flipping what appeared to be a sandwich. "It's okay, really," he whispered back.
Ryan raised a brow. "Just let me know if he becomes too much to handle. Mark isn't very good with social cues." He then sat back against the sofa, retreating from Jack's personal space.
Jack gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it."
Ryan merely nodded, turning his attention back to the show.
"What the hell was that all about," Matt questioned, his own voice lowered in a whisper, as he leaned in from Jack's left.
Part of Jack felt bad for the Beta. Despite Betas being a large percentage of the population, around the upper ranges of 70%, there were certain attributes specific to Alphas and Omegas that the Betas just didn't have. Their sense of smell was much weaker, and they couldn't pick up on scents the way an Alpha or Omega could. Usually, it never really mattered, since they could pick up emotions clearly from a person's facial expression, regardless of the scent they were putting out.
A Beta's own scent, however, was something rather dull, to an Omega or Alpha, anyways. Whereas an Omega's scent was calming yet sharp, particularly inviting while in heat, and an Alpha's being strong and forceful, a Beta's smell was… dull. Neutral. Their scents, while not bad necessarily, weren't that appealing to an Alpha or Omega. Since Betas typically didn't mate outside their own gender, this was never a problem to them as they didn't have to try and entice their mate as Omegas often did.
And for Matt, it must be really confusing to the minority in a group such as this. Since he couldn't pick up on Jack's distressed scent as Ryan could, he had practically been ejected from the conversation from the start.
"Scent cues," Jack replied in a whisper, feeling another pang of remorse when the Beta's frown deepened.
The Beta shook his head, leaning back against the chair. "I'll never understand your crazy scent cues, and I don't think I want to," Matt said with a chuckle, but the way his eyebrow twitched showed his true discomfort.
Jack suppressed a rising whine. He didn't want to leave the Beta out, or act as though Matt was missing out on something important for presenting as a Beta. After all, being a Beta was considered normal. If anything, Jack and the others should be feeling conscious of their dynamic, being part of the population minority. But rather than feeling so, Jack just felt sympathetic. He wasn't sure if it was his instinct as Omega that made him so aware of others, feeling the need to care and tend to those around him or if it was just Jack himself being concerned for his friend, but either way he just felt bad.
Ryan patted him on his shoulder reassuringly, and Jack turned to his right with a start. "Don't feel too bad, Jack. That's just the way it is."
Reluctant as he was to admit it, Ryan was right. There was no sense in fretting over excluding Matt for some of their dynamic cues. Some things were just hard to explain to Betas, such as describing how they depicted a scent to associate it with an emotion. That wasn't something they thought about, really. It just happened.
Jack gave him a small smile, reigning back in his own scent of worry to pacify the Alpha. Ryan was a kind and attentive Alpha, picking up on Jack's exact train of thought through the Omega's scent. "Thanks, Ryan."
Ryan nodded again just as Mark announced the food being ready. The three eagerly got up from the couch and rushed to the kitchen, seating themselves at the table hungrily. Mark chuckled, setting down plates of grilled cheese and bowls of tomato soup. Jack rolled his eyes, fondly thinking to himself how American before digging in.
Matt moaned as he bit into his own grilled cheese. "Damn Mark. Why don't you cook for us more often?"
"He's just doing it for Jack," Ryan explained through a mouthful food. "Don't get used to it."
Matt laughed loudly at that and Jack chuckled to himself as he watched Mark's face redden slightly. He had picked up exactly what the Alpha was trying to do, and Jack found himself touched, not offended. Mark was acting how an Alpha would towards their mate, and despite the two not having that kind of relationship, it helped to relax Jack as he let himself be taken care of. Tom wasn't the type of Alpha to do such things.
Jack rubbed his free hand over his shoulder thoughtfully, stroking at his bond mark idly as he thought of Tom. He didn't miss the way Mark's eyes locked onto the movement, or the way Ryan's eyes narrowed at Mark slightly. He forced back a sigh.
While Ryan had good intentions, the Alpha did seem to be rather traditional. His actions and attitudes as of late proved as much to Jack. Unmated Alphas normally didn't interfere with the affairs of a mated Omega, as Mark had so obviously been doing. Ryan, an unmated Alpha himself, most likely felt inclined to remind Mark of his position to give Jack some space. Jack was, in Ryan's eyes, a mated and bonded Omega. A friend, perhaps, but someone who was not labeled as someone needing constant attention as one mate would towards their own. Even if Mark was Jack's friend, the way he was compensating to over provide for the Omega did raise some questions.
Sure, Mark scenting with him had defined his resolve to stay at the Omega's side, but providing food and assistance as such was crossing the border of 'concerned friend' territory into 'concerned mate' territory.
Jack would need to have another talk with him, later.
After lunch, Mark told them that he had some recording to do. He seemed reluctant to leave Jack alone, if his constant hovering of the Omega was anything to go by. One sour look from Ryan seemed to have something click for Mark, who blushed brightly when he realized his actions. Jack had merely smiled, and promised the Alpha if he needed anything, then Jack would come get him. This seemed to settle the hovering Alpha, if only slightly, who then retreated to his recording space to get some work done.
Ryan got up as well, offering the two a brief explanation of, "I've got some work to take care of," before he was heading off towards the hall.
That left Jack alone with Matt, who knew what he needed to do next.
Despite assuring Mark to come to him if he needed anything, Jack was a little more than reluctant to approach the Alpha for something of this nature. Actually, it was something that he'd rather avoid telling either Alpha of the house. With Matt being the only other option, Jack felt inclined to go to him. He just hoped the Beta wouldn't be as loud as he thought he might.
In any case, Matt would have to do.
"Hey, uh, Matt?" Jack started, cringing when his voice cracked slightly. At least with the other as a Beta, he wouldn't be able to smell the nervousness emitting from Jack.
"Yeah?" he replied, voice bright, not catching onto how much trouble Jack was in with his current predicament.
"Can you take me to the store?" he asked, quickly continuing with, "I don't want to bother Mark. He has a lot of recording to catch up on with me being here, and all."
"Oh, sure," Matt said with a shrug of indifference.
Jack heaved a sigh of relief. The two headed out to the garage, Matt and Jack buckling themselves into the car before Matt sped off down the road. Just when Jack thought he was in the clear, Matt spoke.
"What do you need to buy, anyways?"
Jack felt his heartbeat pick up, though he knew he had to get over it. There was no way he was going to lie to his friend. "A… um. A pregnancy test."
Matt, clearly not catching onto Jack's hesitance as he focused on the road, voiced loudly, "Oh, congratulations! I suppose that that's a little premature since we don't know for sure yet, huh? But that's great news! I know you just got your Alpha recently, right? He sure works quick…"
Jack stared out the window listlessly, tuning out the Beta's blabber. In any other instance, this would be great news. But since Tom was his mate through a forced bond, Jack found himself being very nervous about even the idea of him being pregnant. He didn't use condoms at all, Jack reminded himself with a frown, breath hitching slightly. He hadn't been on his suppressants at the time, having forced to be off them for his doctor, which functioned as both a heat suppressant and a form of birth control. Omegas became more fertile during their heats. And without Tom using protection…
He tightened his hands into fists, trying to focus on controlling his breathing. After what seemed like an eternity but in reality was probably only a few minutes, Matt and Jack arrived at the convenience store. Matt slipped the Omega some American cash, and Jack told the other he would be right back, to just wait in the car. The Beta agreed, to Jack's relief. This was something he needed to get done on his own.
Alone in the store, Jack halted at the entrance. It was just a simple convenience store, only a dozen or so people milling about, but he felt frozen in place. His mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities that the test might bring and Jack found his breathing picking up again, hands shaking slightly at his sides. One fist crumpled the twenty Matt had given him.
Just then a sweet scent flooded his senses, and Jack turned to see one of the female workers approach him. He scented the air again. Omega.
"Can I help you?" she asked, and the calming vanilla scent she gave off was enough for Jack to settle his breathing again.
He considered waving her off, but figured as an Omega herself, she could understand where he was coming from. Might as well get some help while she was there. "Can you tell me where the, uh, pregnancy tests are?"
Jack tried not to feel disappointed as her face positively lit up. "Of course! Right this way."
She talked on the way there, and Jack fought the urge to snap at her to shut the fuck up. Pregnancies were usually something exciting, obviously, the prospect of creating life something worth congratulating. But not for Jack. He wasn't sure what he would do if the test turned out positive. He had thought that the Omegan worker could pick up the sour trace in his scent, but she seemed annoyingly oblivious.
"You're so lucky. I can't wait to get my own Alpha," the worked sighed dreamily. She was still young, and Jack probably only had a few years or so on her. "I can smell your Alpha on you. He seems nice." And Jack knew she was talking about Mark, who he had been scenting with earlier that morning, and shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't wait to just buy the damn test and get the fuck out of there. The conversation was getting to be too much to handle.
Finally they got to the right aisle, and the woman gestured to the wide array of tests. Some were specific to Beta females, others to Omegas in general, and a few specific to Omega males. The worker picked up one for male Omegas, showing it off to Jack. "I recommend this one. It should do the trick."
Jack snatched it out of her hands, turning his heel and leaving quickly. He tried to ignore her call of, "Good luck!" as he sped away from her and her unknowing cheer, away from the aisle of pregnancy tests, away from everything that seemed to be bearing down on him at the moment.
He just wanted this to be over.
