Chapter Text
For all intents and purposes, Kim Dan is a beta. His ID says he’s a beta. His medical records say he’s a beta. He has no discernible scent and an inability to scent others. To the world at large, of which only a minuscule percentage of people even know of his existence, he’s a beta. He’s thankful that he’s an average height. Betas are typically average height and fairly plain. He’s thankful for his plain brown hair and brown eyes. It sets his teeth on edge when people tell him he’s handsome, or even pretty.
Because betas aren’t pretty.
Omegas are pretty.
And Dan can’t possibly be an omega.
He’s nine years old when he starts to have a distinct scent. His grandma, recognizing the precocious nature of his pheromones given the fact that he was presenting years too early, takes him to a small town doctor who she has known for years.
“He’s a dominant omega, Okja, no doubt about it,” the doctor says as he looked over Dan’s pheromone blood results, “Real dominant.” His eyes are sharp when he looks between the two of them. It’s an expression Dan doesn’t understand, but he doesn’t know if he even wants to.
“Dan, why don’t you do wait in the other room,” his grandma says softly. Her smile is warm, but her eyes are sad. “Grandma has to talk to the doctor.”
So he sits in the adjoining room with his ear pressed to the door. The voices within are muffled, but he catches a few things…
“With pheromones this strong, they’ll take him to repay the loan.” The loan sharks. Dan feels a chill come over his body, as if someone had dunked him in ice water. The loan sharks harass him and his grandma for payment all the time. Would they really take a dominant omega to settle the debt?
“What?!”
“I’ve seen it before, Okja. And he’s so young…”
“What can I do?” Grandma sounds panicked. It makes Dan’s own heart race in fear.
“There are ways to mask his scent completely, and when the screening comes, he will register as a beta. Here, let me see…” The voices trail off and Dan pulls himself away from the door. His hands feel shaky and his heart is thudding against his ribs. He doesn’t want to be taken away from Grandma. Why did he have to be an omega?
After a while, Grandma comes out of the exam room and smiles at him, but her eyes are sad. She extends her hand and he takes it quickly like always, casting a look up at her. She keeps her smile and they head home.
That night, she sits him down and tells him he will need to take a special medicine from now on. She tells him it will make him just like everyone else; a normal beta. As long as it will help him stay with Grandma, he knows he’d do it without complaint.
He’s fourteen when he’s registered as a beta. He barely sleeps the night before the screening, and the entire day his stomach is twisted in so many knots he’s sure he’s going to be sick. His palms are sweaty and his hands are shaky, but they pay that no mind as they take a sample of his blood. He figures they must see plenty of nervous kids. That’s what he tells himself over and over just to get through the day, but he still feels like he can barely breathe.
When they hand him his paperwork, he rips the seal open as soon as he’s outside.
Kim Dan.
Sex: Male.
Secondary sex: Beta.
All the breath in his lungs comes rushing out at once and he falls to his knees as he grips the paper. He’s a beta. The medicine worked and he’s a beta. For the rest of his life, he’s a beta.
The medication was marketed as Virotex: the end-all-be-all of omega suppressants. No more heats and their associated symptoms. No more pheromones that would bother alphas and omegas alike. For several years, it was on the market and it was heavily pushed by physicians and advertisers. Then reports came out on the devastating repercussions, the microscopic damage to an omega’s body that multiplied with time, and the side effects that were reported as rare started to become more and more prevalent with continual use. There were lawsuits and government hearings, and finally the drug was made illegal and manufacturing was stopped. For a few years after, the remaining supply was used up through less than legal circles of trade, and for those truly desperate to have something of the same effect they turned to the original source .
Dan is sixteen when he finally has the mind to do some investigating into what exactly he’s been taking for seven years. Virotex is gone, but the herb where the main chemical is harvested from is still cultivated by herbalists and folk healers. Virowort is an ugly weed that is dried, powdered, and packaged in capsules for those desperate enough to use it. Grandma picks up his supply from her herbalist friend every month and he takes it every night without fail. The effect only lasts twenty-four hours before wearing off, and after about forty-eight hours detox symptoms start to set in so Dan was always diligent to take it the same time every night.
Deep inside himself, he hates it.
As the years have gone on, the side effects have bothered him more and more. Some days the dizziness catches him off balance to the point where he nearly falls on the steps up to the house. Sometimes he rushes out of class to vomit violently in the bathroom.
He hates it, but it’s all he has. As he’s gotten older, closer to being an adult who can make money, the loan sharks have become more persistent. As long as the debt is hanging over him and Grandma, he knows he can’t stop.
When he was a child, he hadn’t truly understood what it meant when the doctor said he was a dominant omega. But he knows now. Dominant omegas are exceptionally rare. Where omegas are only about twenty percent of the population, truly dominant ones have been estimated to be less than ten percent of that total. A dominant omega and dominant alpha would be able to produce high quality offspring desired by wealthy families who care about that kind of thing.
Dan is terrified of the idea of it – being given to a wealthy family for the purpose of breeding. It’s horrifying and always makes nausea churn in his stomach. So he keeps taking the little capsules without fail. He takes them through high school, and college, and through his time training to be a physical therapist.
He takes them even as his physical therapy job is stolen from him and he’s forced to work menial jobs just to survive.
He takes them even when Grandma enters the hospital and the bills climb ever further.
He takes them with the taste of blood in his mouth after visits from the loan sharks. Even if he has to skip a meal to afford them, he keeps sourcing them from the herbalist and keeps taking them regardless.
It’s a good thing too because when his physical therapy mentor comes to him crying and begging for specifically a beta for a last minute PT job, he can agree to it.
Dan doesn’t have much experience with alphas. In general, he’s done what he can in life to avoid them. While betas generally can’t sense pheromones, powerful alpha scents can still cause a physiological fear response in anyone, other alphas included.
The hospital director who assaulted him had been an alpha. Even though Dan can’t make pheromones, the director had insisted he was too attractive to ignore. That was the closest he’d ever been to an alpha. It still gives him nightmares.
Joo Jaekyung is a highly dominant alpha. Everyone knows that. In the history of the MFC, there are omega and beta categories for fighting, the brunt of the league is made up of alphas. The world pays to see the strongest, most powerful people fight, and those people are alphas so they get the most press.
“Who’s this?” Joo Jaekyung barks as Coach Namwook leads Dan into the gym.
“This is the new physical therapist for today. His name is Kim Dan.” Namwook frowns, “And you better be nice to him. The last one quit with such short notice I could barely find one for today while we search for a permanent replacement.” Joo Jaekyung stares down at them from where he stands on the edge of the practice ring. His eyes are dark and narrowed as he glares at Dan. It’s an unnerving gaze, and even more unnerving when Jaekyung jumps down and strides over to them, his eyes never leaving Dan’s face.
“This guy is a beta?” Jaekyung asks, arching an eyebrow as his gaze flits over Dan’s body and settles on his face, “You sure?”
“Jaekyung, are you serious?” Namwook squawks, “You can’t just say that out of the blue! That’s incredible rude…”
“It’s an honest question,” Jaekyung growls, “This guy. He’s too…” He trials off and his frown deepens before he looks over at Namwook, “You’re totally sure?”
“Yes!” Namwook fumes, “Don’t you think I know your preferences? Seriously, the disrespect…” He looks over at Dan, scrubbing a hand over his face, “I apologize for him, Doc. Are you still alright to do a session?”
“O-of course!” Dan says quickly as he forces a weak smile onto his face, “I’m fine.”
“Come on then,” Jaekyung says. He strides towards a room for to the side that has a massage table and not much else. He strips off his shirt before Dan can even finish closing the door and lays down on the table. “Do your thing.”
“Y-yes, sir,” Dan stammers as he hurriedly takes out his supplies, “I will give you a full body sports oil massage if that’s alright.”
“Yeah. That’s fine.” Jaekyung’s eyes close and Dan takes that as his sign to proceed. He starts at his neck and shoulders, working his way down Jaekyung’s muscled arms and torso. He can’t help but appreciate his physique. Joo Jaekyung looks like the anatomy diagrams in textbooks. Every muscle is developed and used for his matches, and Dan can’t deny that he’s atratcive. Dominant alphas are almost always attractive. That has to be the reason that his nerves get the best off him during the treatment, and his oiled hands slip more times than he wishes they would. Either way, he finishes the treatment without much issue he hopes. He doesn’t want to be on Joo Jaekyung’s bad side.
“Do my shoulders again.” Dan freezes at the sound of his voice and looks over quickly. Joo Jaekyung’s dark eyes are on him as he wipes his hands on a towel. There’s a strange expression on his face, one that Dan really can’t seem to place, so he nods once, pumps a small amount of oil back on his hands, and rounds the head of the table. He repeats what he did before, working his hands against the muscles of Joo Jaekyung’s shoulders. As opposed to the first time, the fighter’s eyes are open and staring up at him. It’s unnerving to say the least. Seriously, why is he staring at him so intently?
Dan finishes the massage and pauses to make sure Joo Jaekyung is satisfied before he moves to wipe his hands again. The entire time he feels Jaekyung’s eyes on his back. He can’t tell whether it’s an alpha thing or a Joo Jaekyung thing, but either way it makes his skin crawl.
“Not bad.”
“Thank you, Sir. I-“ Dan’s words die in his throat when he turns and finds himself mere inches from Jaekyung. The alpha is staring down at him and takes a step forward, which causes Dan to stumble backwards, his back finding the wall behind him. Jaekyung crowds him against the wall, bracing himself there with a hand next to his head. He leans in close as Dan’s breath dies in his throat, his heart racing in his ears. Joo Jaekyung ducks down, angles his head to the side and-
-takes a long draw of breath against his neck.
Oh.
Was Joo Jaekyung… scenting him?
Suddenly, his knees feel weak. Something in his chest stirs, a long-dormant need loosening from the tight coil it’s been forced into, threatening to burst out if he only lets it.
No. That part of him is long dead. It was never allowed to be alive in the first place.
“Wh-what are you doing?” Dan gasps as his hands meet Jaekyung’s chest. He shoves him away and ducks out from beneath his shadow, “What was that?”
“Had to be sure,” Jaekyung shrugs.
“Sure of what?”
“That you’re not an omega.” Dan feels his body going cold, a tremor going through him at the very hint of an accusation.
“A-are you crazy? Of course I’m not an omega. I’m-!”
“You’re too pretty to be a beta,” Jaekyung says flatly as he crosses his arms, “So I had to check. I can’t stand omegas touching me. That’s why coach finds me only beta physical therapists.”
“And you just couldn’t take his word for it that he reviewed my credentials?” Dan huffs, eyes narrowing even as he feels his cheeks burn, “Of course I’m not an omega…” He reaches to stuff his supplies away and shoulders his bag, “Thank you for allowing me to treat you today, Mr. Joo. I better be going.”
Joo Jaekyung doesn’t say anything else as Dan slips past him and out the door. He speaks to Coach Namwook briefly about his deposit for payment, and then he flees to the stairs. The elevators will take too long and all he wants is to get out of that building.
Later, when he’s home and eating a small sandwich he treated himself too, he allows himself to relax. The chunk of money in his bank account is enough to make the loan interest payment and settle Grandma’s hospital bill for the month with a little leftover. He knows he’ll have to cash some of it and stash it to afford his medication, but that’s just a normal part of life now. Above everything, getting his monthly supply of Virowort is the most important.
As he mulls over the day, his mind flashes back to Joo Jaekyung. The alpha had towered over him so easily, both in height and muscle mass. A shiver goes through his body at the memory of having him so near; Joo Jaekyung ducking down close to his neck, the soft whoosh of air against his throat as the alpha scented him.
Dan feels his body flushing at the memory, a curious need spiraling up through his chest as his heart stutters. A soft whine leaves his throat before he gasps in horror, stopping himself all at once. He grabs his phone to check the time. He’s twenty minutes late to take his medicine.
He takes two just in case.
The last thing he expects is to hear from Joo Jaekyung again. It had been weeks since the physical therapy session and he had figured that once was enough.
But then Joo Jaekyung calls.
And he goes to him.
And when faced with the choice to earn five thousand dollars for the price of a night spent in bed with Joo Jaekyung, he swallows his pride and does it.
Because he has to in order to survive.
So he takes it and Joo Jaekyung fucks him to his heart’s content.
He hates that it aches in his chest even a week after it happened.
What does it matter? He’s a beta. He shouldn’t feel that way. It’s supposed to be unimportant who has him. It’s not like he was waiting for his perfect alpha to come along and court him. No one even knows his true self. Even he hardly knows what it’s like to be an omega. In truth, he was an omega for a few days as a child before he assumed his new identity as a beta. He can’t afford to give into his true nature. The repercussions are terrifying to think about. All he has to do is keep it together until he pays off the loan.
But would he ever pay off the loan?
The side effects of the herb have been getting worse lately. He wakes up with blood trickling from his nose at least once per week. He’s exhausted by noon most days. The bruises left from the loan sharks bloom larger than ever before. He figures twenty years taking a banned substance probably isn’t for the best, but he knows he can’t stop. Going to a doctor is out of the question. Even though they would never have the mind to test for Virowort since it’s been defunct for so long, he can’t afford the lab tests and the specialists he knows they would want to send him to in order to try and fix whatever damage he’s caused.
All he needs now is money coming in to pay off the interest, Grandma’s new bills, and hopefully start to pay off the principal on the loan as well. His health has to come last. Grandma is the one suffering the most, and it’s his fault. She’s done everything to raise him and keep him safe. He’s the one who didn’t push her harder to see a doctor. In this moment, he knows he has no right to complain.
So when Joo Jaekyung offers him a job, he haggles the price higher for Grandma’s sake in exchange for his body, and he accepts.
Joo Jaekyung hates omegas. He hates their sticky pheromones and their sickly sweet scents. He hates how they cloud his mind whenever they get near and how he can’t focus well when they’re around. If it were up to him, they would all be required to take suppressants.
Yoon-gu is the only omega allowed in Team Black only because he’s so recessive he might as well be a beta, and because he worships Jaekyung so much he would never miss a dose of his suppressants. Even with all that, Jaekyung can hardly stand to be near the kid.
He’s always hated omegas. After he presented, they would try to get close to him, and it’s no different now. The omegas that throw themselves at him are the worst. Desperate gold-diggers who see him as a cash cow and an alpha to breed them. It pissed him off then and still pisses him off today. Everyone who works with Team Black and Jaekyung’s management team know the rule: as few omegas as possible. It can’t really be helped if there is an omega reporter at an event, or an omega set decorator at a photo shoot for a magazine cover, but when it comes to his training it’s a hard stop. No omegas.
That’s true when it comes to his physical therapist, and who he decides to fuck.
He can’t deny that betas aren’t the most attractive, especially male betas. He gets bored of them quickly and moves from one partner to the next just to satisfy his jinx.
Kim Dan is different.
The first time he saw him, he was prepared to throw him out of the gym. How could a man who looks like that be a beta? He had gone as far as to fucking scent him, which was absolutely insane.
So far he had received a satisfactory treatment from him, scented him, fucked him and yet…
Jaekyung can’t figure it out.
Because Kim Dan doesn’t smell like anything.
Betas have a scent. Any living thing has a scent. Betas can’t produce pheromones, but they smell like something at least.
But not Kim Dan. Kim Dan smells like nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It intrigues him, but it also sets his teeth on edge. Something just isn’t right about someone who smells like nothing, even if that’s Jaekyung’s ideal partner.
An attractive beta with no scent who happens to be a physical therapist should be the best thing for him. And yet, when he allows himself to dwell on it, it still bothers him down to the pit of his stomach.
He knows he can’t question Namwook again. The coach would chew him out for who knows how long. Plus, he’s seen Dan’s paperwork and knows that he’s officially a registered beta. A beta with no definable scent and one who’s prettier than any male omega he’s ever seen. Dan has soft hair, plush lips, smooth skin… He’s the perfect height and he moans so prettily. And he’s a beta? How the fuck does that even happen?
Whatever. It doesn’t have to matter. All that matters is the next match up and defending his title. Dan is a good physical therapist and an even better fuck. And he’s money hungry enough to do whatever Jaekyung wants for a price. It’s a perfect situation.
Something about the whole thing still bothers him, like a strange gnawing nuisance deep in his gut, but he’s resolved himself to ignore it.