Stigma

Chapter 2 - Expectations

"Everyone may not be good, but there's always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future" Oscar Wilde

(9 Months On)

Tae felt butterflies in his stomach as he loaded the last of his things into the taxi. It had been 9 months since that one fateful day at the clinic and Taehyung was finally doing it. He was leaving Daegu and heading for Seoul National University. To say he was terrified was the understatement of the century, he was honest to god dying inside. He knew little to no one except Yoongi who had moved there a few months back to start producing music for the entertainment company Big Hit. He had been left feeling empty and unsure when his hyung left, as the young beta was quite simply the only individual Taehyung had ever felt able to truly talk to about his life, not counting Jin who had also left Daegu and headed back to Seoul a few months into the new year. He had kept up with Taehyung through phone calls and face times ever since and Taehyungs fondness for the older omega had grown in abundance. When the said charming Omega found out Tae had got into one of the most prestigious universities in Korea Jin almost screamed his ear off on the phone demanding that he had to come and stay with him and his mate. Another reason for Taehyung's nervousness. Although warming instantly to the Omega, Tae had never maintained a true friendship with an alpha. And if he was honest with himself, he was scared shitless of alphas, still skeptical of Jin's recounts of them outside of his home town. Nonetheless, Taehyung tried to stay positive as he climbed into the taxi ignoring the judging stares of the alpha driver that were thrown his way.

"Where to?" the alpha all but growled leaving Tae to almost jump right out of his seat. By allowing to let his wolf have a bit more control in the last couple months, under Jin's helpful guidance, he had managed to be a little more forgiving to his omega side. However, the ultimate downside to his decision was his bodies reaction to alphas; which had become more than bothersome within the last few months. Before, Taehyung could ignore an alpha like they were nothing more than an inconvenient rock is his path, and his temptation to readopt the mindset was tempting. However, having accepted his omega, he knew that he would have to be open to the way alphas affected him, and that meant all alphas. Like this shitty one. Tae rolled his eyes.

"Omega I'm talking to you" he growled pulling rank. Tae felt himself shut down, the sooner he got out of here the better. Shaking off the rank calling, he shot an all but evil look at the alpha, releasing a heck tone of pissed of pheromones to distress the alpha. What Tae had learned, among many lessons from Jin, was that omegas can manipulate alphas just as easily as alphas can manipulate them. While alphas can command orders from omegas making their inner omega feel like they must submit, it is also in an alpha's nature to worry about omegas, if an omega lets off signs of distress an alpha will most likely feel guilty and be taken aback. Or as Jin put it 'feel like a dick of an alpha, as they should'. Taehyung saw how his pheromones worked their magic making the alpha back down slightly. Tae straitened up in power as he saw the alphas eyes flick away from him in submission.

"Seoul" was all the bright young boy replied to the driver as the now submitted alpha pulled the car into gear with his wolfs tale between his legs, at least content that he would get good money out of the drive.

The drive was generally uneventful considering Tae plugged in his headphones and ignored the brooding alpha in the front for most of the drive. Over hours and hours, the countryside, that had dominated the majority of the journey, finally started to turn into a city and before Tae knew it, the bright lights of Seoul illuminated the car in the darkening twilight.

"Kid whereabouts in Seoul am I taking you?" the taxi driver looked overwhelmed now, with all the speeding cars and busy people. Taehyung almost felt bad for him. Almost. He read out the address Jin had given him for the driver to follow before plugging his headphones back in to listen to his playlist. The city around him buzzed with life and new beginnings, a chance to be himself and let himself open to others. A chance to move on. Tae's whole body hummed in excitement. Before long, the taxi pulled up into a tight spot in front of a huge glass apartment complex. They were is Gangnam and Tae had to keep himself in check, trying not to die from excitement. Jin had told him his nest with Namjoon was fancy, but this was some next level shit. Throwing his money hastily at the alpha Tae jumped from the cab quickly grabbing his bags and throwing Jin a quick text to tell him he had arrived. The alpha sent him a final guilty look before closing his doors and speeding off into the Seoul skyscrapers. Thank god he's gone, the young boy thought, finally letting a smile set onto his features while looking up at the apartment once again. He seemed to be doing a lot of smiling lately.