Chapter 2

Sam

As Sam walked home from his first gender studies tutorial, he thought about how it had already woken his mind up to new concepts. He thought about the societal roles granted to alphas as he walked through the streets and parks to his dorm building. When he arrived, he headed to his room and grabbed his gym gear. He would work out before dinner, he’d decided, so he headed down to the university gym to lift weights. After a grueling lifting session, he felt the pleasant euphoric relaxation following a fruitful workout as he returned to the dorms. He felt pretty full from his protein shake, so he grabbed a pile of books and headed to the dorm library to study before making dinner.

The library was empty because it was dinner time, so Sam had the room to himself. He spread out his books on the desk. He studied physics that night for his engineering degree and had a lot to get through. After an hour, he was exhausted and started packing away his books. His gender studies textbook slipped out of his bag, reminding him of the attractive alpha in his tutorial. He seemed more intelligent than the other guys in their group, who all thought within the stereotypical alpha mindsets of dominance and breeding omegas. So what was it that made that particular alpha such a free thinker? He seemed young for a free thinker, too, but maybe he’d had a different upbringing in another place or something. Sam would ask him about it one day.

For now, he had to get back to his room. He was housed in the North tower of the dorms, where the older and postgraduate students lived. It was a great relief to be situated there because, in his earlier years, he had been stuck in the South Tower with all the rowdy first years, running up and down the corridors drunk at all hours of the night and having loud sex or partying at all hours.

Yawning, he entered his quiet room and waded through the mess of books and clothes on the floor to collapse on his bed. It was lucky it was a Friday; he’d be able to sleep in the next day.

***

A week later, Sam ate lunch with his friend Mike, whom he worked out with at the gym. It was a cheat day, so they enjoyed some greasy burgers at the student cafeteria. They’d chosen a table outside to take in the sunshine, and it had Sam in high spirits.

“Say, Sam,” Mike said after he’d swallowed a mouthful of chips, “what do you think of that omega who’s always checkin’ you out at the gym? She often wears purple tights – you know who I mean, right?”

“The blonde girl? Yeah, she’s pretty cute.”

Conventionally cute, Sam thought with an inward sigh. He was looking for something different – an exciting omega who would sweep him off his feet! Something like being struck by a lightning bolt. He’d had plenty of girlfriends, which had never lasted long because that spark had always been missing.

“You know I always dump them in the end, and it’d make things awkward at the gym after that,” he said. “Why don’t you go after her?”

“Hmm…” Mike said as he thought about it. “I like brunettes.”

“Okay, we can just agree that she’s pretty.”

“Heh. Yeah.”

“Oops, I gotta go to my gender studies tutorial. I’ll see ya tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, if I don’t go out tonight. I’ll let you know.”

They threw away their rubbish and separated ways. When Sam arrived at the tutorial classroom, the only spare seat left was next to the intelligent guy from the week before.

“Mind if I sit here?” Sam asked him.

“Go right ahead,” the slender alpha said with a smile.

“Where’s the tutor?” Sam asked.

“Oh, she had to get a projector or something. My name’s Toby, by the way.”

“I’m Sam.”

“What degree are you doing?” Toby asked.

“Civil engineering. What about you?” Sam replied.

“I’m still in my first year, but I’m liking this class! I might try a gender studies major!”

“That sounds great. This is just an elective for me, but I think I’m already learning a lot about society.”

“Yeah!” Toby agreed. “I’ve traveled a lot, and the norms are different everywhere; this class tests some of my observations!”

At that moment, the tutor arrived, wheeling in a projector so that she could show the class a short movie about gender in the 1950s. Sam was shocked at the assumed norms from that time and looked to the side to see Toby frowning at the screen. After the tutorial, Sam said goodbye to Toby and walked towards the dorms. Toby was walking up behind him when he stopped to wait at the traffic lights.

“Where are you heading?” Sam asked him.

“To the Thompson dorm.”

Thompson was one of the university founders that the dormitory was named after.

“I live there too!” Sam said excitedly, half wondering why he was so excited. “Which tower are you in?”

“I’m in the South tower,” Toby said.

Of course, he would be, Sam thought. He was a first year.

“I’m in North,” Sam said. “I was in the South for the first couple of years, though. Do ya like it?”

“It’s a little noisy,” Toby said ruefully.

“Hah. that it is,” Sam replied. You can come to visit me in the North tower if you need a break. I also study in the library in the North tower, where no one really goes.”

“There’s a library?”

“You really are new, aren’t you? I’ll show you around. What are you doin’ for dinner?”

“No plans.”

“Alright. Why don’t we meet in the dining area at six, and we can cook something together, and I’ll show you around.”

“Okay!” Toby said with what Sam found was the most adorable lopsided grin.

He waved his book over his shoulder and walked to the South tower.

“See ya, Sam!”

Sam watched Toby’s retreating figure curiously before turning and heading toward his room.

***

Three hours later, they met in the dining hall.

“Who’s cooking?” Toby asked.

“Me! I wanted to try a new grilled Thai meal. Sound good?”

“Yeah, for sure!” Toby said with a delighted grin as he followed Sam to his kitchenette.

Sam unlocked his fridge and took out the ingredients. They chatted as they skewered the meat and tossed a salad while it cooked under the griller.

“An alpha who can cook,” Toby said with a smile as they ate the delicious meal. “Now that’s rare.”

“I had to learn from living here,” Sam said proudly.

“Can’t wait to get better at it myself,” Toby said.

“You’ll get there,” Sam replied.

He couldn’t help admiring Toby’s dark blue eyes over their meal…they seemed bottomless. It almost felt like he was attracted to another alpha, which had never happened. He shrugged and put it to the back of his mind as they cleared up after their meal. Afterward, he showed Toby around the dorms, and they got along quite well. They laughed as they explored the building with its different secrets that Toby hadn’t known about – various facilities and lounges, tv rooms, and leisure rooms. After there was nothing left to show him, Sam left Toby with plans to study in the library over the weekend. They exchanged numbers and then went their separate ways.

When Sam reached his room, he whipped out his phone to message Mike.

Sam: Help! I think I’m attracted to another alpha!

Mike: Hah! Pull the other leg.

Sam: I’m serious! I just cooked dinner for him, and he lives in my dorm, and he’s so cute!

Mike: An alpha? Cute?

Sam: Well, he’s a first year.

Mike: Your cute first year will soon grow into a big hunk of man meat, you know?

Sam: I couldn’t bear that!

Mike: How can you not know that? He’s young and might seem friendly, but he’ll want to dominate you when he reaches maturity.

Sam: Okay, now that sounds bad.

Mike: I can’t believe you hadn’t thought about this. This has to be a joke.

Sam: It’s not! I just had to tell SOMEONE! Okay, I’ll think about it a little more. Maybe this is just a fleeting feeling. Sorry for being weird.

Mike: No problem, man. See ya at the gym tomorrow.

Sam: Yeah. Thanks!

Sam curled up on his bed to face the wall, where he looked at his posters of omega idols and models. How was it that he’d been curious about another alpha with all those beautiful women in the world? But, instead, he could only think about whether Toby would have soft lips if he kissed them. He sighed and closed his eyes briefly for a second, drifted off, and when he woke up, it was morning.

He checked the time and was running late, so he pulled on some athletic wear and jogged to the campus gym. Mike had already started on the weight machines. Sam sat down and began his routine, then had time to talk to Mike when he was spotting for him.

“He’s so adorable,” Sam said. “I MUST introduce you, and I bet you’ll say the same thing.”

“I highly doubt it,” Mike said. “Purple pants have just shown up with a brunette friend.”

Sam glanced sideways to see the girl talking to a younger guy and the brunette girl Mike had mentioned. When the boy turned in their direction, it was Toby! He smiled and waved when he saw Sam.

“Mike! That’s him!” Sam hissed.

“Oh?”

Mike studied Toby carefully so as not to be caught sizing him up.

“He’s not too big,” he said to Sam. “Maybe you could bitch him.”

“Bitch him?!” Sam replied in surprise.

He hadn’t thought of that and didn’t know what to make of that suggestion.