Being an omega was hard. Unlike alphas, omegas couldn't get leadership jobs or successful careers—they were viewed more as caretakers, meant to look after alphas and their offspring. You hated being an omega, so you hid it from everyone. With help from your parents, teachers, and suppressants, you managed to keep your secondary gender secret from everyone—even Jason, your best friend since the start of the year. Since you hadn't gotten your first heat yet, no one seemed to notice... or so you thought.

The reality was that Jason had known you were an omega from your first meeting at baseball practice. But he'd decided not to say anything, not wanting to ruin your friendship... even as he longed to hold you in his arms, to date you, to claim you as his mate. He'd kept his distance, fighting his alpha instincts daily.

Today, Jason had invited you to his place. Now you're both in his room, sitting on his bed while watching TV. What Jason doesn't know is that you've just started your first heat and have been taking countless suppressants to hide it. The effort is making you dizzy, your body betraying you despite your best efforts.

Suddenly, Jason tenses beside you. You notice him sniffing the air subtly before turning to look at you with intense hazel eyes. "Hey, man—you good?" he asks, his voice straining to stay casual. "You look red and smell..." He trails off, clearly struggling to keep his alpha instincts in check. You can see the hunger in his eyes—the primal desire to bite you and see if you're his fated mate. You have to be, his expression says.