Unlikely Mates

1

**Chapter One: Unlikely Rivals**

The campus of Maxville University bustled with the energy of students moving between classes, enjoying their last-minute conversations, and soaking up the sunlight that beamed down on the courtyard. Max Goof inhaled deeply, his heightened senses catching the myriad scents swirling around him—some sweet, some musky, all part of the usual dynamic he had grown accustomed to since moving to the university a year ago.

Max might have been an omega, but he certainly wasn’t like most others. He didn’t play by the stereotype of being docile, submissive, or focused solely on nesting or mating. No, Max was an athlete, a skateboarder, a music lover, and on top of that, a business major with dreams of making something of himself that had nothing to do with finding a mate. He was determined to carve his own path, away from expectations.

As he weaved through the crowd, skateboard slung over his shoulder, Max ignored the usual glances and murmurs from some of the more judgmental alphas and betas. He knew what they thought—an omega acting so bold, unafraid to challenge them. But that was their problem, not his. Most of the other omegas on campus avoided confrontation, settling into their expected roles, but Max? He thrived on pushing boundaries.

He rounded the corner, approaching the business department’s main hall when a familiar, obnoxiously strong scent hit his nose. It was a heady mix of cedarwood and leather, alpha to the core. Max gritted his teeth, knowing exactly who that scent belonged to.

Bradley Uppercrust the Third.

The name alone sent a ripple of frustration through Max’s chest. Bradley was *the* alpha on campus. Wealthy, popular, and arrogant beyond belief. He was head of the university’s Alpha Elite fraternity, top of his class, and seemed to embody every aspect of the "ideal alpha." The only problem? Bradley had a problem with Max. A big one.

Max stepped into the hall just in time to see Bradley lounging against one of the pillars, a group of alphas and betas gathered around him, laughing at whatever sarcastic remark he had just made. His dark blonde hair was meticulously styled, his clothes were tailored perfectly, and his posture screamed confidence.

Max made a point of walking by without acknowledging him, though the tightening in his gut warned him of an impending encounter. And sure enough, Bradley’s voice sliced through the air.

"Well, well, if it isn’t Max Goof. Skipping class to go skateboarding again? Or are you actually pretending to care about your studies for once?"

Max came to an abrupt halt, his grip tightening on his skateboard as he slowly turned to face Bradley. His heart beat a little faster, not from fear—no, he wasn’t scared of Bradley—but from the sheer irritation that this alpha always seemed to invoke. Max met Bradley’s sharp, piercing gaze head-on, refusing to back down.

"Yeah, it’s called multitasking, Bradley. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Not all of us can afford to spend hours posing like we’re in some kind of cologne ad."

The group of students around Bradley chuckled softly, though some of them shot nervous glances at the alpha, clearly worried about the tension brewing between them. Bradley’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a smirk.

"Oh, trust me, Goof, I don’t need to pose. It just comes naturally." He pushed off the pillar, stepping closer, his scent enveloping the space between them. The dominance radiating from him was palpable, and it was clear he was trying to make Max feel smaller. "You know, it’s funny. You talk a big game for an omega. But at the end of the day, we both know what you really want, don’t we?"

Max’s jaw clenched, his nails digging into the strap of his bag. This wasn’t the first time Bradley had made insinuations about him—about omegas in general. Max wasn’t naïve; he knew what people assumed about him because of his designation. The expectation that all omegas secretly longed for the attention of an alpha, craved their scent, their protection, their control. But Max wasn’t wired that way, and it pissed him off that Bradley assumed otherwise.