The world of alphas was a complicated world of love I didn't quite understand.

I knew that alpha males partnered with alpha females, beta males with beta females and omega males with omega females. There wasn't even a rebellion for it, demanding that the boundaries were taken away because there were no boundaries; it was in our nature to bond, marry and mate with those of the same type as ourselves. It was all simplified by the fact that there were levels of dominance within the three groups. For example, my father was the most dominant alpha I had ever come across (me coming second; I took great pride in that, although I would never admit it), and my mother the softest one, making them a great match. Since I was on league with my father, finding an alpha female more submissive than me would be an easy task. There wasn't really a shortage of ladies on the line for me. I was not worried.

But the relationship between my parents scared me. I knew and my mother knew that she had better leave our father. She didn't. Couldn't. I wasn't dumb; I knew there was a threat between them that involved me. But there was something else as well. Something else entirely. There was the fierce bond between alphas who chose each other, unseen of in the beta and the omega world. The divorce rate of alphas was zero do to their ability to find their perfect match. When an alpha fell in love, they fell head over heels, and that strong bond would never quaker, even if, of course, you could have arguments and whatnot with your partner.

I'd happened to come over my mothers research papers at the kitchen table as I had gone down for some Greek yoghurt and pineapple once. Nothing unusual about that; she often had her research lying about. But I had a feeling I wasn't supposed to see this yet. I only skimmed through the abstract, which explained the paper was about the endocrinological background of alphas finding their partner. My mother's research had begun to establish why it was that alphas could find their perfect match. A mixture of pheromones and hormones and endocrinological processes I wasn't educated in but understood anyway because I was smart. The abstract conclusion also stated that apparently, there were differences in pheromone molecular structures between alphas, omegas and betas, which caused them never to fall for anyone out of their groups, and also between females and males causing same-sex partnership never to form. This all had been suspected, but never before established. It didn't seem clear yet why the bond between alphas was so strong compared to the bond between betas and omegas, respectively, though, but the paper speculated about something hormonal as well.

Before I had time to think any further, I heard my mum come back from her jog with her friends, and I pulled back and went to sit on the countertop.

"I'm back, pumpkin! Oh, don't sit on that! You're so big you'll crush the stone.

I forgot about that research paper until he came round.

The best part was, I knew I would get away with it.

I had beaten him to pieces, yet I knew there would be no consequences. The freedom was so mouth-watering it made me insane. Who did he think he was, coming to me giving me his hand to shake? Where were his manners? He should know his place.

I couldn't shake my anger off as I was lifting weights in the university gym. I started with unweighted deadlifts as usual, then went on to work on my legs, doing everything to kill them so I couldn't walk tomorrow.

But I couldn't stop thinking about him. There was something about that boy that intimidated me, and I hated it. I only ever submitted to my father, so of course it wasn't that. That Izuna boy was an omega and I would never bow down to him. Yet he didn't bow down to me, either. Was it just me, or was he like that with everyone? In that case, there was something wrong with him, and that disgusted me.

I walked over to another machine, trying not to think as I loaded weights on it.

In a few weeks, my mother came to teach at the university, and on her first evening, she asked me if I wanted to come with her to her favorite restaurant.

"Of course, mum. Let's make it a date. You're on a date with me."

I put on a light blue shirt and black suit pants, dolling myself up for her in a way I never did for girls. I loved her so much and I knew she was touched when I made an effort, although really, she wouldn't have cared if I came wearing sweatpants. I put on my best cologne, put my coat on and went to meet her.

My mother was already waiting when I came, looking exceptional as always in a camel-coloured suit with a matching skirt, her shoulder-length, blonde hair perfect. She beamed when she saw me.

"Look at you! You become more handsome by the day! The girls must be all over you."

I kissed her on the cheek. "Only your opinion matters. I'm a real mother's boy."

She snorted dismissively, but I knew she liked it.

We had artichoke hearts with salmon for starters, with a white wine that went splendidly along with it.

"When do you start teaching?" I asked her.

"Monday", she said.

"Fun?"

"I'm curious about that omega boy."

I snorted. "Omegas have nothing to do in med school." But I was curious as to who the med student omega was. Although I would never admit that.

"You sound just like your father", my mother said, not sounding entirely pleased.

"I honestly think it's an alpha thing, mum."

"Does it have to be?" she asked.

I pretended to think about it for a while. "Yes, I think so, mum."

We went to our main, which was tuna served on a salad that was surprisingly filling. Usually, I considered a salad a side, not a meal.

"Mum, would you... Would you tell me about you and dad?"

She looked up at me in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"How you met. What about him makes you unable to leave."

"Oh, you know we've bonded. I can't leave him."

"Yes but how does it feel? Bonding?"

She looked at me for a long, long time. "Tobirama, is there someone-"

"No!" I interrupted, a little too quickly and forcefully for my own liking. "No. I'm just curious."

She looked at me sternly for a while, then apparently decided to drop it, which I was grateful for. She sighed, suddenly gettin a dreamy expression on her face as she looked somewhere far, far away.

"When some alphas meet the person they'll bond with, it hits them like a train", she begin. "You see them and you just know. But for some, it's more subtle. It's a bit hesitant at first, as if you're suspecting what's going on but don't want to let it on."

"For you and dad?"

"Oh, I loathed him at first!" she smiled. "Or, I thought I did. I had convinced myself I did. It took him three years to get under my skin. When you've bonded, you're done for. It's not worth fighting it because there's nothing worth fighting for other than the bond you have." She sighed. "It makes me feel terrible." She put a hand on mine. "If we were betas or omegas, I would leave him in a heartbeat. I would leave him in a heartbeat because of what he's doing to you. But I can't."

"You're just too in love."

She shook her head. "No, it's not that." I looked at her questioningly. Then what is it? "It's just not possible to leave. Just like it's not possible to leave your liver or your lungs on the ground and walk away. It has nothing to do with love. It's very, very hard to explain. But-"

"Don't say 'you'll experience it one day'", I interrupted.

"You'll experience it one day", my mum interrupted.

"Dessert?" The waiter was standing above us.

"Oh my God, yes", I said.

"No, thank you", my mother said.

"She's looking at the menu, too."

We ordered three desserts to share.

That night, I lay in my bed for hours, looking up into the ceiling, contemplating what my mother had told me.

I closed my eyes, trying to imagine someone I felt reluctance towards creeping into my skin slowly. Inevitably, it took me back to that time I had tried to pull my skin off. No, don't go there. Stay focussed. I shuddered, but forced my mind back to imagining falling in love. I imagined not only being reluctant, but actually hating someone, as my mother had thought she'd done with father. Then, slowly but steadily, starting to like them. Then love them.

I was taken aback by how easy it was, imagining all of that.

I lay still for a while, eyes closed, letting my mind go wherever it pleased. I heard the pathetic omega-boy coming home, unlocking his door then closing it behind him. I wondered what he'd been up to this late at night.

I wondered if he was okay.

Before I knew it, I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.