Page 5 of The Feisty Omega
“But it is!” Tal’s eyebrows had climbed almost off the top of his head in surprise at this revelation.
“Yeah,Iknow that. But not everyone thinks that way. Why are you interested in it?”
“I’m going to be studying agriculture when I go to uni in a year’s time, so yeah, I’ll be studying science.” Tal’s voice was enthusiastic.
“…and business,” he added, the smile vanishing and a grimace replacing it. “I’m not a fan of rules and regulations and paperwork, but I need to do the double degree if I want to be successful with my own farm one day.”
He looked at me, a strange tension evident in the way he was carrying himself, his shoulders rigid and posture stiff. “Do you think that’s a weird thing for an alpha to do? Run a farm, I mean? Most alphas want to be lawyers or doctors or run large corporations, but I’ve never been interested in any of that. I love the country and I want to stay living like that… with a slower pace of life, fresh air, friendly people…”
“Why would that be weird?” I asked. “You like what you like. I like the country too, though I live in the city.”
And then because he looked so uncertain, and I didn’t like seeing that on his gorgeous face, I added, “I think it’s very alpha-y to do what you want to do rather than what other people say you have to, or what society expects from you.”
Tal looked relieved. He rolled over onto his back, reshuffling the pillows until just one was under his head. I noted how long his arms were as he stretched them up around his head.
I plopped down beside him, staring up at the ceiling. We were lying side by side and it felt like the easiest thing ever. I couldn’t really feel our age difference when we were talking companionably like this, we just seemed… natural together. Except for the fact we knew next to nothing about each other, it was almost like we’d been friends for years.
“Yeah… not everyone thinks that way. Some people think it’s not challenging enough. Not enough to aspire to.”
“Well, I do. If no-one was farming, we’d all have to do our own hunting, and nothing else would get done. Besides, I don’t know a lot about agriculture, but from what I’ve learnt in school, it’s not easy, is it? Like, you have to worry about weather conditions and market prices and everything’s affected by global events, and stuff like that, right?”
“And government regulations… and stupid laws that get passed by people who have no idea what they’re talking about, or that live in the city and don’t understand what it’s like in the country,” he added. “Yeah… it’s not gonna be easy, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I want the lifestyle, even if the work is hard and it’s even harder to make a living.”
“I think it’s great that you’re pursuing your dream,” I said softly, my hand bravely bumping the back of his in what I hoped was a supportive manner. “I hope you make it.”
“I will,” he said fiercely, sitting up on one elbow, and his entire body language just screamedalpha. It was way more attractive than it ought to be and I felt like screamingalphamyself but with a whole other meaning. I blinked and tried to shake the thought from my head. It was bizarre and inappropriate. WTF was wrong with me?
“What about you?” he asked, “what do you want to do once you have your degree?”
“I- I don’t know yet,” I was still a bit dazed. “M-maybe work in a lab? Or a university? I haven’t got that part figured out yet but a science degree opens up a lot of opportunities, so I figure I can decide later.”
“You’ve got plenty of time to decide,” Tal agreed.
“Thanks for taking me seriously,” I said softly. Tal inclined his head sideways, a frown piercing his brow.
“A lot of people don’t,” I told him in reply to the unasked question. “They tell me I should be concentrating on traditional omega skills… you know, cooking, keeping house, all that stuff.”
Tal’s eyebrows rose. “Rude! But I know what you mean. Our pack is really into traditional roles here too. But our omegas only seem to want that anyway. They seem happy with the way things are.”
“But would they speak up if they wanted something different?” I pressed on. “Or are they too afraid to?”
Tal frowned again. “I don’t honestly know. Most of the omegas I know are very submissive. I’m not sure if they would speak up. But I do have a few friends who are omegas and they’ve never said they’re unhappy with the way things are.”
“But if they’ve been conditioned from an early age to not fight the system, they won’t, will they?” I couldn’t help a testy tone from creeping into my voice. Maybe because I had been brought up with the parents I had, I had different expectations, my world was less confined than other omegas’. That liberal attitude didn’t apply to all aspects of life – my parents still had some pretty conservative views on how omegas could be used for cementing family alliances and were staunch supporters of arranged marriages or shifter unions for omegas as well, but I was too young to have brushed up against any of those barriers yet. When the time came, I’d do whatever I wanted. I was not the sort of omega who accepted being told what to do.
“I guess not.” And then to prove he’d been genuinely considering my point of view, this guy who was clearly more than just his good looks, added thoughtfully, “And specifically not to an alpha who represents the very thing they disagree with.”
“Right!” I exclaimed. “You see my point.”
“Yeah, I do,” Tal looked a bit crestfallen. Like being an alpha was somehow distasteful all of a sudden. “There are still some things that are good about being an omega, aren’t there?” he asked hopefully.
“Of course! I mean, who doesn’t love a dominant sexy guy? Or someone who makes you feel safe? And cooking – I love cooking, and no-one ever makes stupid comments because I enjoy that, because it’s in line with expectations. And I love caring for people and looking after them. So, yeah, still plenty of good things about being an omega. But I also want to be myself, y’know. I’m not just gonna lie down and let the world dictate to me…”
Tal laughed, a deep throaty laugh that shook the mattress, and cut me off before I really got started on my tirade. “No, I can absolutely say I cannot see you doing that.”
I pouted, but mostly in jest. He got me. It was a first.
The bed finally stopped shaking, as Tal’s whole-body laughter gradually eased. He turned to me.