Important notes: So, against my better judgment and thanks to some serious enabling from Jordan (sanguinehero), she's convinced me to give a shot to the Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics – with the exception of mpreg. I don't know why I'm doing this – okay.

This Pretense

Prologue

Running away from home was easy. All you had to do was save up, and then just leave. Don't look back, don't second guess yourself, just completely immerse yourself into the culture and people of where you want to go. Don't regret.

But running away from yourself, that was something entirely different; something that Alfred struggled to do every day. He hated what he was, what he was born to be. He hated it and tried so hard to change himself and who he was, that one day he had simply picked everything up and left without a word. No one knew where he had gone, no one could get a hold of him, and no one was sure what to do.

Alfred didn't care – couldn't bring himself to care. He was so tired of being oppressed; at least that's what it felt like to him. Just because he was born as an Omega, they assumed he was supposed to be weak, small, and submissive. Alfred refused. Instead he ate protein meals, he worked out at the gym, he held tight-lipped conversations with Alphas who didn't care if he was better at basketball than all of them – he still couldn't sign up for the team because he was an Omega. Nothing was more frustrating and heartbreaking than that. So he left, and refused to look back.

It was easier to blend in this new city. He had saved enough money to open a modest flower shop in a small duplex downtown and he made his home in the floor above for a modest monthly rent. No one bothered to question him, in fact many greeted him heartily and he cemented himself in the belief that no one really cared what his genes said he was, as long as he never brought it up.

Over the years he became a regular part of the community, away from the tightly knit, sectional cul-de-sac housing filled with Alphas and their selected groups. Alfred was perfectly fine by himself, out of sight and out of competition from the female Alphas. It was difficult, and it was a massive transition from what he had been so used to, but after a long day at the gym or playing sports with the Alphas and Betas he always found himself in his cluttered apartment, relaxing on his bed and silently recharging for the next day.

Everything seemed to be going incredibly well for him. He was accepted as an Alpha (although no one knew better), and even though trying to be so aggressive and competitive all the time was draining emotionally, he was happy and satisfied with his life. Until the day he signed up for a soccer team at the local community center.

It was common for members of the community to participate in activities at the city's recreation center. The recreation center allowed Alpha's to let off steam, participate in healthy competition and keep fit. It also held many opportunities for Betas to be on sports teams and even pick up on the Omegas that flocked to watch the Alphas, swooning at their musky, sweaty scent in the air.

"Oh look, it's Alfred!" one of the younger Omegas exclaimed as he walked into the recreation center that day. They always gathered in the lobby, watching from the thick windows that gave a great view to the indoor track and pool. "Alfred, have you come to sign up for a sports team today?"

He recognized the young girl, her lower lip constantly catching between her teeth in nervousness as her large, expressive brown eyes always managed to slide from his face, no matter how excited she was. He always felt a lump of something – guilt, worry, fear? – that he was actually the same as her. "Michelle," he greeted calmly, smiling and adjusting the weight of his duffle bag on his shoulder. "I didn't know they were doing that today… ah… are there any requirements? Do I have to audition?"

They young Omega giggled at him, batting her eyelashes with a smile. He wanted to cringe at the obvious flirtation, wanted to tell her that not only was he not what she thought he was, but he very much batted for the other team. Francis told him the other Omegas liked him because he was unintimidating. Alfred wasn't so sure about that. "Oh no, everyone already knows you're… more than capable. Is all you have to do is pick what sport you want to play for this season and sign up! They assign teams based on how many Alphas and Betas sign up, you see."

"Oh. That's awesome! Hum…" It wasn't like he had much obligation to the flower shop – not since he hired Francis for extra help. He was pretty sure he could commit. "What sports are posted?"

Michelle took him by the arm, her chin to her chest as she giggled and led him to a small alcove by the lobby. "Right here. They have baseball, soccer, and football right now. I think you'd be great at all of them."

A sweet, thick odor had Alfred's nose wrinkling, and he recognized it as Michelle's Omega pheromones. Gently he pried her hands from his forearm and smiled plaintively. The smell was more invasive than it was arousing, just like most pheromones that he accidentally would get a strong whiff of. Alphas smelled unappealing enough, Omegas were much, much worse. "Thanks. I think I'll go for soccer. Try something new you know? I'm always up for a bit of competition!"

Alfred clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. Eager to prove himself in a field dominated by Alphas and Betas, Alfred hastily signed his name to the roster.

"Looking for a bit of fun, Jones?" A voice called out, interrupting his inner celebration. Alfred's hands dropped to his sides as an Alpha sidled up next to him, shoulders squared and smile sharp. He tried to keep his chest puffed out and his eyes straight ahead, uninitiated and very much not daunted, no matter how much his body told him he should tremble a little at the dominating presence of the other male, especially when they were so close.

"Just signing up for some soccer, Arthur," he growled as best as he could. Alfred hoped he was intimidating, or at the very least he seemed unaffected by the Alpha's presence.

The Alpha gave him a narrow glance before picking up the pen that Alfred had discarded previously. "Isn't that just bloody fantastic? As am I. Too bad you won't be much competition, boy."

Arthur's gaze was honed in on Alfred, intense and overbearing. Alfred did his best to match it, biting the inside of his cheek until his stomach flopped and he laughed boisterously to hide the fact that he had begun to look away instinctively. "Yeah right! We'll find out on the field! See you later loser."

And with that he pushed his way out of the recreation center, ignoring the fact that he had originally intended to lift weights and jogged back to his car, his heart pounding roughly in his chest and echoing in his ears. For some reason he just felt like he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Arthur frowned as the other blond fled the room, leaving him with the demure Omega, Michelle, toeing at the carpet nervously. "What a flippant asshole," he declared, mostly to himself. There was a musk in the air, fear-laden and somehow, defiant. Arthur rubbed at his nose and sent the small Omega a scowl. "What are doing here? I suggest you return to your little group before something happens to you."

"Right, yes." Michelle dipped her head and scuttled off to the gawking flock of mindless Omegas only looking for some tail.

He stood in the room a moment longer, wondering what exactly was making his nose twitch and hands jitter. He figured it was the blatant rejection from that Alpha, but either way, something about that man wasn't sitting well in the cradle of his stomach.

Perhaps these next few weeks would shed some light on his suspicions.

- End Prologue -

Unimportant Notes: I really, really don't know what I'm doing. Well, at least setting up this particular universe, I don't think. I hope I did well enough for it to make some sense. I hope. :I