At First Blush

Chapter 8

Ollie adjusted his face mask, leg vibrating anxiously. He was back at school after a solid week of being horny and sick. While he wasn't sick anymore, everything was still too much. Everything smelled. It wasn't like a bad smell, it was just overpowering. His family was being great with their Scent Blockers, and like most of the population would be on Scent Blockers, but even then, after a lifetime of watered-down scents, it was overwhelming.

Taking one last breath, he got out of his car, grabbing his bag. He shouldered it, and strode towards the Quad where his friends always hung out between classes. He saw Jax's bright hair first. He'd apparently dyed it a shocking electric blue in the time between when Ollie had last seen him.

"Oi! Ollie! Damn, man it's good to see you!" He shouted, standing up on the benches the group was gathered at.

Ollie smiled, remembered his mask, and opted for jazz hands instead. He slid onto the benches next to Avril, a pretty Alpha with purple hair and black clothes. She was built like an Amazonian warrior, and mixed with her fashion choices, she was downright intimidating. She smiled at him, reaching out to poke at the mask. "Damn, Omega, huh? Shit, guess I gotta pay up then," she grumbled good naturedly.

Her boyfriend Ty, an Omega, and Benji, also Omega, high-fived in capitalistic glee as she grudgingly pulled out her wallet, sliding money over the table. Benji grabbed the money, flipping through it, then passed half to Ty, who kissed it at Ollie.

"Thanks for making me a rich man. I got a lot of bets to collect today," Benji crowed, rubbing his hands together gleefully. Benji might be an Omega the size of a Keebler elf, but no one ever made the mistake of underestimating his deviousness twice.

Ollie snorted, shrugging his backpack off his shoulders. "Why is everyone betting on what I was going to be?"

"Honestly, felt like a scam. I mean, a skinny little twink like you? No way you're an Alpha," Benji scoffed.

Jax scowled, scoffing. "Excuse you. You can't Rank people based on body type."

Benji shot the long and lean Alpha a look, and smirked. "Sorry, Sir Twinksalot. You're an aberration. Sometimes I wonder if you say you're Alpha just to be cool."

Jax was up on the table, dragging Benji by the front of his shirt, his lips curled back in a snarl, his eyes flashing a deep red. "Try me, Omega slut, and we'll see who's on their knees," he growled.

Normally, Jax and Benji's antics were a source of wry amusement for the group. They'd disliked each other long before they were absorbed into the same friend group, and while they'd mostly gotten past most of their animosity, they still often stepped on each other's toes. Before his Heat, Ollie wouldn't have even paid much attention. But now, his skin itched, and he felt hot and jittery. His whole body started to shake and his stomach churned. He gasped a breath, trying to settle his stomach, but it was as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. The Alpha and Omega pheromones swirling around in the air made it thick and heavy and like breathing water vapor. He ripped the mask off, trying to get a lungful of air. In a panic, he reached out, grabbing Avril's hand. She looked at him, and her eyes went wide.

"Hey, hey guys-" she said, reaching out to tug on Jax's sleeve.

Ty glanced over at them from where he'd been ignoring Jax and Benji, and his eyes also went wide. He quickly stood, leaned forward and licked Jax's cheek.

Jax jerked away, letting Benji go as he reached up to wipe his face. "Jesus fuck man, that's gross," Jax whined, sending Ty a reproachful glare.

Ty raised a brow at him. "Ollie," he said shortly.