Chapter Text
For eleven years, Michael Wheeler lived in blissful ignorance and he felt like, during that time, he was better off for it.
He would turn a blind eye to the occasional newspaper headline and whenever something popped up in a comic or a movie, he’d sweep past that too. So what if that left gaping plot holes in a story? It wasn’t like those details needed to be included. It wasn’t like it had anything to do with him.
For a long time, that seemed to be true. His family never went out of their way to bring it up and when they did, Mike was always quick to duck out of the room. No one ever bothered him about it so he thought everything was fine. Whatever they were talking about, it didn’t matter. It didn’t involve him.
Things started to change when his older sister, Nancy, entered High School. Suddenly, words like Alpha, Beta, and Omega were mentioned at every family dinner, and Mike couldn’t excuse himself from every meal. Tuning out their conversations started to become an impossible task and even though he forced himself not to piece everything together—to make sense of what they were saying—he heard a lot.
He heard that his dad was an Alpha and that his mom was an Omega. He heard that that opened a lot of doors for Nancy; that she could wind up as anything really. And she’d wind up as something soon. She’d present.
Present. Another word that came up a lot. Another word that Mike tried to avoid like the plague.
It wasn’t all that surprising that when Nancy did present later in her freshman year Mike had no clue what was happening. Looking back on it, there were plenty of signs leading up to that odd day. Obvious signs. Mike just didn’t know how to interpret them at the time. About a week before it happened, she started having mood swings. One second she’d be telling a story about her and Barb, all smiles and bright eyes, and the next, she’d storm off to her room in a fit of rage. Every little thing seemed to get under her skin or affect her in some other strange way. She’d squint at lights like they were her enemies and scrunch up her nose anytime someone stepped into the same room as her.
The day she finally presented was the worst of it all.
She and Mike were out shopping with their mom at Melvald’s General Store when it happened. Mike was picking through the dinosaurs in the toy aisle with Nancy tapping her foot behind him. Her patience was already at its thinnest, so when he shot back a snide remark, her fingers wrapped around his wrist and she started dragging him over to Mom. Mike didn’t make it easy for her, but all of his struggling stopped the instant Nancy fell to her knees.
Her free hand curled into the fabric of her skirt as she folded in on herself, wailing in agony for all the store to hear. Terror bled into confusion into concern and back as Mike stared helpless at her side. Nancy’s fingers had become a vice grip around his wrist, her nails breaking through Mike’s skin. He winced from the pain there, but he could tell she was in so much more. He wanted to help her, to call out, to do something, but he just couldn’t. He was just stuck and then he knew.
This was what he’d been trying to ignore. This was what his parents kept talking about every night. This wasn’t some tiny detail that could be covered up and brushed aside. This was huge. This mattered. And he knew with a sinking feeling, that this was something that involved him after all.
By the time his mom reached them, Nancy had passed out and her fingers had to be forcefully pried off of him. Mike barely processed any of it. The ride home was a blur and so were the days that followed. It was almost like the three days Nancy spent locked away in her bedroom didn’t exist. Three days. That was how long it took for her body to complete the change. And that was how long she spent in excruciating pain.
When she came walking down the stairs on the fourth day, dark circles sat beneath her eyes. Her hair was a mess and she clearly needed a shower, but otherwise, she looked the exact same. Mike squinted and cocked his head while his parents embraced her at the foot of the stairs, cooing and congratulating her, but he couldn’t see what they could. Then he remembered what his mom told his dad on day one.
“I always thought she’d be one of the two, but I never imagined our little Nancy would be an Alpha. I was so surprised. I couldn’t believe what I was smelling, but there it was! Oh, she’s going to be such a good Alpha. She’s going to make us so proud!”
It wasn’t about what he could or couldn’t see. It was about what he could smell. But when Mike sniffed the air, the only thing he smelled was the lasagna cooking in the oven and somehow he doubted that it had anything to do with Alphas. Later, when he asked his parents about it, they told him that a heightened sense of smell was part of presenting and that he’d need to wait a few years for that. He shuddered at the thought.
At least Nancy was acting normal again. Every few months she’d be off for a few days with something called a rut, but that was the only noticeable change. Their parents treated her differently though. All of a sudden, she had a lot more freedom. She was always allowed to go out with friends and her curfew was changed to be more forgiving. Dad was always pestering her about taking up a sport of some kind and Mom would nose her way into Nancy’s love life. Nancy, to her credit, handled it in strides and didn’t alter her lifestyle despite their meddling.
When Mike turned thirteen, they started pestering him too.
“I hope you find an Omega faster than your sister,” Dad would say.
“Oh, I’m sure he will. He’s so tall and handsome already. He’s probably turning a lot of heads even now. When he presents, he’ll have a whole horde of admirers!” Mom would chime in.
“Maybe,” Dad would say, and then he’d point at Mike and add, “Have you figured out a sport yet? I may have let Nancy off easy but don’t go thinking I’ll do the same for you. You’ll be an Alpha and a man, and there are expectations...”
It was the same thing every time and they treated the matter of him presenting in a completely different light than they did with his sister. They never mentioned how his chances were split into three and they never reassured him about it. It was always “when you’re an Alpha this” and “when you’re an Alpha that.” Well, what if he wasn’t an Alpha? Then what?
Mike sort of knew the answer to that one already. He wasn’t living in blissful ignorance anymore. Thirteen and halfway through eighth grade, he was in his first health class. They started with a unit about sexes and then they jumped right into the secondary sexes. That’s when everything really clicked. All of the stuff he’d been ignoring seemed to come around full circle until it all made sense. Well, some sense anyway. There were still some things that didn’t.
The things that made sense were the biological explanations and the anatomical diagrams the teacher went over with them. Suddenly, the horrible pain Nancy had been in when she presented made a lot of sense. Long story short, she’d grown a dick. Except hers was able to form a knot at the base because she was an Alpha. It was super weird, but it made sense when the teacher explained it to them. Alphas weren’t usually girls though. Most of the time they were boys and the changes they went through were a lot less severe.
What didn’t make sense were the societal roles that each of the secondary sexes had. Alphas were basically at the top of the food chain. They were viewed as the smartest and the strongest. They were leaders. Most politicians, lawyers, doctors, police officers, and celebrities were Alphas. That’s just how it went. Meanwhile, Betas served as a kind of middle-man. They were the majority of the population and they filled in whatever working roles were available. Betas were all about balance. They didn’t have any ruts or heats to worry about. They were pretty much the same as they were before presenting.
Omegas though... They were at the bottom. Ten years ago, Omegas couldn’t work at all, but then a bill passed to change that. But it didn’t make it easy for them. The ones that worked mostly had low-income or part-time jobs, while the majority stayed unemployed. Omegas were meant to breed and take care of their home and pups. The teacher tried to justify it. She told them that Omegas were precious and adored. They needed to stay home where it was safe. They needed to be in a place where they could nurture and love.
The textbook told him that Omegas couldn’t survive without an Alpha’s claim. They were too vulnerable without one. Their heat would get too difficult if they stayed alone. Or their unclaimed scent would drive an Alpha into a rut and they’d be forcefully taken.
Omegas were weak. They were breeders. They were nothing.
Mike didn’t believe it. His mom was an Omega and she never seemed delicate. She didn’t seem like her brain was filled with fog. She never seemed like she couldn’t take care of herself. It wasn’t like Dad was home all of the time. He had to go on business trips every once and a while and when he was gone, Mom handled everything. Even if she didn’t have a job, she wasn’t just an Alpha’s trophy. She wasn’t some pet.
Sitting there, in class, he wondered what his peers were thinking. Did they agree with what they were being taught? Did they believe what she was saying? He glanced around the room, but his classmates just looked bored. No one was scowling like he was. No one seemed to be questioning any of it.
He shifted around when one of the girls in the front row raised her hand. Most of their sessions went with very little interaction from the class, so this was really something. But maybe she was just going to ask to use the bathroom. The teacher, Mrs. Smith, seemed as intrigued by the girl’s raised hand as he was, as she turned and called on her.
“Um, so what about Omegas that are boys? Does that happen?”
Why wouldn’t it happen? Didn’t she look at the textbook? Was he the only one reading ahead?
“Yes, that happens.” Mrs. Smith said, addressing the entire class. “Male Omegas are rare, more so even than female Alphas, but they do exist.”
“My dad says they’re completely useless. All they’re good for is a little fun.”
Mike’s scowl hardened as he looked over his shoulder at Troy Walsh. The boy was sitting in the back corner of the room wearing a shit-eating grin. Of course, he’d have something mean to say about all of this. Troy’s eyes slid his way just as Mrs. Smith spoke up again and Mike quickly returned his focus to her.
“I wouldn’t say they’re useless. Male and female Omegas share many traits and both can carry children. Males are more subject to fertility issues and miscarriages however. Because of that, they are protected under a different set of laws than females.”
“What does that mean?” the girl asked.
“Well, I don’t want to get into too many details here, but for one thing, they aren’t allowed to work. They are almost entirely confined to staying within their homes and serving their Alphas in whatever ways they are expected to. Honestly though, you’d be lucky to see one male Omega in your entire life.”
Mike’s mouth went dry by the time she finished and with another quick scan around the room, he found that once again, no one seemed to react the same way he did. Even the girl that asked the questions just gave a pleased little nod. Why wasn’t anyone else freaking out? Why was he freaking out?
Alright, so maybe Mike was panicking a little because he was under the impression that he had a one in three chance of presenting as an Omega. But if they were so rare then he was probably going off of some seriously bad stats. Maybe those were just Nancy’s chances when she presented? He didn’t know. Whatever. They hadn’t gone over genetics or anything here. They were saving that for biology in high school.
But there was still a chance, right? Even if it was just a sliver, there was a possibility that he could end up trapped in a house his whole life. He could end up stuck with an Alpha with probably nothing out there to save him, because let’s be real, it didn’t sound like they had any laws protecting them at all. And even if he didn’t present as an Omega, it still meant that other people were out there suffering. Heck, what if one of his friends ended up like that?
He thought of Will Byers. Sweet little Will. He fit the description of a stereotypical Omega to a T. He was small for his age and more sensitive. He was pretty for a boy and he got called a fairy every day. If he were an Omega, what would happen? Would someone like Troy claim him on sight? Would they sweep him away to never be seen again? There was fuck-all they could do about it if so.
Mike’s fingers curled over the edge of his desk at the thought. There he was, worrying about himself when Will was probably much more likely to turn out that way. After all, Mike didn’t look like an Omega much. He was tall and gangly and his personality wasn’t exactly docile. There was probably less than a 1% chance that he would end up as an Omega now that he thought about it.
When the bell rang, Mike wasted no time shoveling his books away and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He was one of the first people out the door as he rushed down the hall. That room had been suffocating and every one of his classmates felt like an enemy. Luckily, it was his last class of the day and that was great because all he wanted to do was pull his friends into a hug.
His rapid pace screeched to a halt when suddenly, he was tugged by his backpack. He yelped as he collided shoulder-first into a locker.
“What was with the look in class, Frogface? Thinking about what you have to look forward to?”
Mike glared at Troy, silently noting that he was alone. Normally, James Dante was never too far behind. Mike wasn’t sure if he should count his absence as a blessing or a curse.
“That’s not funny. How’d you like it if you were an Omega?”
Troy scoffed. “Me? Do I look like an Omega?”
No. He didn’t. Troy was the same age as him, but he was a head taller and filled out from years of whatever athletic program he was in. While Troy wasn’t bulging at the seams with muscle mass, Mike had been pushed around enough times to know Troy had something going for him.
“That doesn’t mean anything!” Mike said, exasperated. “You don’t have to look like one to be one.”
“How about you worry about yourself, Wheeler?”
“What do you mean worry abou-!?”
His spluttered retort cut off as Troy ran his hand down Mike’s cheek, his thumb coming to brush across his lips.
“With lips like these, you’re gonna make one hell of a bitch.”
The leer Troy gave him sent panic shooting up Mike’s spine. He wanted to throw up. Instead, he shoved his hands against Troy’s chest, sending the bully a few feet back.
“Shut up! Shut up!” Mike shouted. “And don’t touch me again, you piece of shit!”
Mike stormed down the hall before anything else could happen, rubbing his wrist over his mouth in a frenzy. Troy’s laughter still somehow reached him. If this was a glimpse into what their lives would soon become, Mike was less than thrilled. He was scared and angry and disgusted. No matter what Troy presented as there would always be some other asshole to take his place, Mike was sure of it.
But why the hell did Troy think Mike was going to be an Omega anyway? Mike had already established that he didn’t look or act like one. And even if his lips were... whatever it was Troy was implying... it didn’t mean a single thing. Troy was probably just saying all of that to mess with him. He was a jerk and as much of a homophobe as the rest of the people of Hawkins. So Troy talking to him like that—touching him like that—had to have been some sort of sick joke. And really, with as much as Troy insulted his appearance on a daily basis, there was no way Mike would ever need to worry about being marked or claimed by him of all people. Troy was all talk. And the occasional shove.
Mike shook his head. He wasn’t going to let this get to him. Will was the one to worry about. He didn’t want Troy touching Will like that. Ever.
Dustin, Lucas, and Will were already at the bike rack by the time Mike arrived.
“Oh, good. You’re finally here,” Dustin said and then checked his watch for effect.
“Sorry. Got held up in the hall.”
“Was it Troy?” Will asked.
Mike was torn between hiding it from them and venting, so he settled on a nod. Lucas and Dustin shared a concerned look and Will’s mouth opened to ask another question, but Mike walked past him to reach his own bike.
“It wasn’t a big deal though. He was being a jerk like always. It wasn’t anything new and I’m fine. Let’s just go to the arcade before all the good games are taken.”
***
Mike thought he could let everything slide after a few hours of playing games, but Mrs. Smith’s words kept ringing in his head. He could barely concentrate on what his friends were doing and it was pointless trying to play anything like this. He already embarrassed himself enough on his first try at Dig Dug, somehow dying on the first level much to Dustin’s amusement. He was only partially relieved by how distracted his friends were there. They didn’t pay him much attention at all even though Mike had hardly said a word since they arrived.
While he stood there watching them, Mike couldn’t help his thoughts from spiraling. He knew appearances didn’t mean much in the long run, but he couldn’t help himself. He needed to try to predict what his friends might present as.
Dustin was the biggest of them, probably the strongest if he knew how to carry himself better. He’d never been very graceful, but he had a good head on his shoulders. He was smart just like all of them were. He was funny and sweet, but not in the same way that Will was. Probably not Omega material. Dustin was loud and able to voice his opinions without any problem. He had leadership potential, but he never really used it. He always let Mike hold the reigns. Maybe he’d be a Beta.
Lucas was closer to Mike in height and weight, but much less scrawny. He could hold his own in a fight. Mike knew that from experience. They’d had a few arguments that ended up with them rolling around on the ground wrestling. Mike didn’t do too bad himself, but Lucas always wound up on top. Annoying as that was, Mike couldn’t help but feel proud of Lucas for it. The arguments were a good sign too maybe. As much as he hated them, it meant that Lucas liked to call him out and battle for control. Maybe he’d be an Alpha.
Mike sighed and turned to Will. In person, it seemed even more obvious that Will would be an Omega. He was a lot smaller than they were and his features were so soft. He was always the first to show concern and the last to back off when he wanted to help. Will had so much compassion and he cared so much about his friends. He treated them like family.
“Mike?”
Shit. He was staring at Will. Mike cleared his throat.
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
“I just keep thinking about school I guess.”
“School?”
“Yeah, well, health class actually,” Mike said, looking off to the side. “It’s just... a lot.”
Will’s confusion softened into something understanding as he stepped away from the game he was playing.
“It is,” he agreed. “I wish they would have told us everything when we were younger.”
Mike nodded, but he felt the opposite. He wished they wouldn’t have ever told him any of this. It was so much easier for him when he didn’t know anything about the secondary sexes and what they entailed.
For a while, he didn’t say anything else, but Will was waiting in front of him. Mike didn’t want to talk and he gave his friend a look to convey that, but Will pointedly ignored it. Sighing again, Mike looked up at the ceiling, crossed his arms, and then met Will’s stare head-on.
“Are you worried at all about it?”
“It?”
“Presenting.”
“Oh, uh, of course. Yeah. I think we all are,” Will answered, sounding somewhat surprised. “Are you? Is that what you’re thinking about?”
“Yeah, I guess. I just keep thinking about Omegas, you know?” Mike confessed and then immediately regretted it. He didn’t want to make Will more nervous if he thought he was going to present that way. “I just... I don’t think it’s fair. How society treats them. And Alphas shouldn’t be on top just because they smell a certain way. It’s just stupid. It’s stupid and I hate it.”
“I hate it too,” Will said and then paused for a moment. “Did Troy say something to you about this?”
Mike closed his eyes at the question, not wanting to revisit what happened in the hallway. It really didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t that deep.
“What did he say?” Will asked, determined to get an answer.
“He basically said that I was going to be an Omega.”
“How would he know? Nobody knows. It just happens. You know that. Why would he say that?”
“He was just trying to get to me. It doesn’t really matter.”
Will looked at him with a fire burning in his eyes. Mike could tell he was searching for more, and damn it if Mike didn’t give him it.
“We were talking about male Omegas in class today. I don’t know how much you know about them or whatever, but it isn’t great. It’s awful actually. Troy said something stupid during class and I looked at him a certain way, and that’s why he found me in the hall. He shoved me against a locker and told me I looked like an Omega, but I know that I don’t. I know that I’m not going to be one. It’s whatever. But I think that Troy or somebody else could be a real problem if one of us ends up that way. I think we should try to figure something out in case that happens because I-”
“Wait. He said you look like an Omega?”
Mike expected Will to lose his shit by now because surely, Will suspected that the most likely Omega in the Party was himself, but no, apparently this was the most alarming part of the whole story.
“Why would he say that?” Will asked and then he dragged his eyes up and down Mike’s body with a scrutiny never seen before.
Mike swallowed again and feeling a little lightheaded under the attention, gestured vaguely to his mouth. Will followed the motion of his hand and narrowed his eyes in further confusion. Mike had really hoped to avoid sharing this detail because it was embarrassing and he didn’t want to draw attention to himself more than he had to, but he ended up jabbing a finger into the corner of his mouth anyway.
“He was talking about my lips,” Mike whispered.
He had no idea a person could turn as red as Will did when he said that. His reaction had Mike’s face heating up too and he turned his head away when he noticed Will was staring wide-eyed at his mouth. And here he was hoping Will was innocent enough to not understand the implication of having Omega-esque lips. Damn.
Will the Wise indeed.
“Oh! Oh. I see,” Will exclaimed, voice a few octaves higher than usual. “I never really noticed. Not that I- Um, yeah, so okay. Alright...”
And Will wasn’t disagreeing with what Troy said. Mike sucked in his lips and wondered if he could melt into the floor if he tried hard enough. At least Dustin and Lucas weren’t around for this conversation. They were a row behind them last he checked. Maybe he should check again. Yeah.
Will caught his wrist as Mike went to turn around. His cheeks were still inflamed, but his eyes were narrowed with a new emotion. Something Mike wasn’t used to seeing in Will.
“Troy shouldn’t have said that to you,” he said. “He shouldn’t be looking at you at all. He’s a creep and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
All Mike could do was nod. Troy was a creep. No arguments there.
“And you’re right. We should figure something out just in case. I don’t think he’d try to claim one of us or anything, but that doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t. The thought of somebody forcing one of us into something like that is- It’s wrong. You should tell Dustin and Lucas about this too.”
“Uh, yeah. Sure. With way less details though, okay?”
“Okay. We can go to the library and try to find some books on this sort of thing. I’m sure that there’s something we can do.”
Mike smiled. It was exactly what he needed to hear.
“Yeah, you’re right. We’ll figure something out.”