Chapter Text
She stood just past the entrance of a large open room. The blindfold prevented her from properly seeing the room or the current occupants. However, based on the smell, she counted at least a dozen alphas anxiously awaiting her choice. There were probably even more outside, hoping that she might reject the entire first group, that they might still have a chance at being her pick.
When an Omega decides to partake in a seeking ceremony, they have an entire month of extra classes to prepare them for this day. Father Coulson had explained all of it to her over the last few weeks. He was in the room with her now, overseeing the proceedings. For Jay, these classes were even more in-depth than for the male omegas. This was because Jay was a female omega, one of three in orphanages in New York. There was another in Hell's Kitchen and one in the institute near Central Park. They were separated since having more than one female omega in one institute was considered too dangerous. The chance of vandalism or break-ins increased by 70%, and the added security measures needed when housing a female omega could be very expensive.
Female omegas are extremely valuable since they are the only way to reproduce naturally. Males are similar in many ways to females, apart from the all-important fertility issue. It is mandatory by law for all omegas to be put under the protection of the orphanages after presentation, male or female, but since most females are sold almost immediately, it is rare for them to end up here. When a young girl presents as an omega, her family 'understands her value' and therefore sells her to the highest bidder as soon as she has finished presenting. The highest bidders range from politicians, business owners, mob bosses or omega traffickers. Of course, most legal transactions are with the ultra-rich but as much as the government wants you to believe traffickers are not an issue, they are relatively easy to sell to if you know the right people.
The Omega Rights Act of 1934 is the primary legal document for all rights connected to omegas, and very few additions have been made. More recent attempts were the right to abortion and the right to ownership of property, but both were denied. Every 'possession' an omega has is originally the property of the state and later the property of their chosen mate.
Mating an alpha is a choice made entirely by the omega. If they choose to stay in the orphanages for their entire life, that is their right. If every year after their 18th birthday, they decide to do a seeking ceremony but never find an appealing alpha, then they don't ever have to mate. The orphanages are decently well funded since omegas are a valued commodity, and life in one is comfortable and easy, at least for male omegas.
Females are put under strict rules 'for their own protection'. They get assigned security wherever they go and are only allowed visits on rare occasions when blood relatives come by. They require a separate room, monthly gynaecologist check-ups and mandatory suppressants and scent-blockers to avoid any 'incidents'.
It's more like a prison than the orphanage it is supposed to feel like. The shared classes are filled with hate and judgement by most of the boys due to the 'special treatment' given to the girls, and the isolated single room is lonely and under constant guard. For some, it is even worse; if the wrong security is hired, the constant isolation during doctor's visits or between classes can lead to much bigger problems. It should be impossible for babies to be conceived at the orphanages, the females are only ever supposed to be bred by their eventual mate, yet it happens almost every time a female omega is in residence.
Where Jay stands now, blindfolded in front of a semi-circle of alphas, is where she was forced to be. Her first offer of a seeking ceremony was accepted for her by the owner of the orphanage since it is seen as polite to relieve the orphanage from the pressure of 'protecting' a female omega. On top of that, the orphanage will be paid a certain percentage of the dowery, which is often very substantial and worth the previous years of extra expense. Jay would have accepted of her own right, but even that was taken from her.
She stands there, simply breathing in the different scents, preparing to get closer to the alphas sitting in front of her. She hears one of them cough impatiently, and she takes one more breath before stepping forward. She's wearing only the blindfold and a white linen shift, nothing beneath. She feels unsteady and exposed, and she's glad she doesn't have to speak after she enters the room. Seeking ceremonies are highly traditional, and neither alpha nor omega is allowed to communicate until after her choice is made. They are supposed to find their mate based on scent alone.
She was introduced after first walking in, but she was so overwhelmed she barely heard Father Coulson when he said:
"Omega Joanna Mary Parker"
She walked up to the first chair; already knowing where it was because she was shown the room previously when it was still devoid of alphas. The scent got so much stronger the closer she got, and she had to fight every instinct not to run away.
She fought to keep her feelings under control. She was taken off her suppressants and blockers a week before the ceremony so her scent would be clear to everyone nearby. This meant her feelings would be easy to read by every alpha in the room, and she did everything she could to stop them from knowing what was going through her head. Her breath was forcefully even, and all they would be able to scent on her was her natural scent mixed with the expected nervousness and nothing more.
The first alpha smelled strongly of tobacco, with his natural scent being burning wood and some kind of strong alcohol. It was intense and too strong for her to handle; she walked past after only a short sniff and heard him huff in annoyance. The next was less harsh but no less bitter, with a scent of something explosive like gunpowder and gasoline. She knew most alpha scents were deeper than omegas and betas, but she wasn't sure how she could ever choose if they were all like this. She knew she had to; there was no way she was staying here. She focused on her breathing, and moved on to the next one.
This alpha had a mellower scent, still deep but more earthy, like a rainforest after a storm. It was quite appealing, but after stepping closer, there were some things she couldn't identify. She thought the alpha might be foreign, it wasn't uncommon for people to travel to certain seeking ceremonies, but Jay wasn't prepared to travel too far, so she moved on.
The next two were also very intense and she tried not to get too close before noticing that the sixth had a more pleasing scent. She got closer and quickly determined he was too old so she moved on. The next was too young and smelled quite nervous and the one after seemed to be on some kind of strong medication. Jay started to get really worried and her distress spiked to higher levels. She barely registered the next two alphas before honing in on a very attractive scent further down the line.
The chair she passed on her way wasn't bad either, soft and more flowery but not too strong. A female alpha had come. It wasn't rare, but it was uncommon since most female omegas were expected to be used for breeding. Jay had considered picking a female alpha; if they were there, it meant they were most likely queer and searching for an omega they could love instead of a female beta or alpha. She wished she could make herself pick the woman; the alpha smelled nice and would probably treat her right, but Jay had a wish to have her own children someday, and she didn't want to lose that chance if the female alpha wasn't open to that. She stepped closer to the woman to inhale more of her scent and smiled at her before searching for the distracting scent she had caught earlier.
He sat only two seats further, a male alpha smelling like coffee and some kind of metal. It sounded like a strange combination but it was heavenly. After getting closer and inhaling more of him she realised his scent was muted, hidden under the smell of other omegas. He was already mated. Once again, this wasn't rare; alphas already mated to male omegas often mated a female so they could reproduce. Yet this alpha was different. Jay could smell at least two distinct omegas, and after getting closer, she smelled two more. He has mated to four omegas already and was here for yet another.
She didn't know what to think, but she was curious and got even closer, close enough to hear him breathe and fidget slightly. The omegas were all male and of varying ages. The man before her was close to middle-aged, most likely late 40s, and one of his omegas seemed to be of a similar age. This older omega smelled strangely chemical, unnatural but content. The others were younger and harder to distinguish; one smelled like vanilla and another more like peaches. The third had another unexpected scent, deeper than most omegas, smelling like cinnamon and cloves.
While Jay was attempting to distinguish the different scents, she suddenly felt his breath on her cheek and his hand next to hers as she leaned on his chair. She let go and took a few steps back immediately, the other alphas in the room chuckling and cooing at her behaviour.
There were a few more alphas down the line, three or more based on scents she could smell, but she stayed in front of the mated one. She stopped to think, ignoring the murmuring and huffs she heard around the room.
"Silence is required if this ceremony is to continue." Father Coulson suddenly said.
Jay stayed where she stood, thinking. Could she be the fifth omega? He is obviously here for her fertility since his other omegas can't give him that, but was she comfortable with that? The main issue could be that if he only mated her for breeding, would she still be a part of her children's lives? She didn't want to lose them to other omegas after they were born.
On the other hand, if this alpha already cared for four others, she might have more time to herself. The different omega scents she could smell seemed satisfied and content; there was proof that he treated the male omegas well. This wouldn't prove that he would treat her the same, but it was more evidence than the other alphas in the room.
After hearing another alpha clear their throat impatiently, she decided to take the risk. She stepped forward towards the alpha in front of her and put her hands on the arms of the chair as she leaned forward. After a nudge of her nose against his chin, he bent his neck to give her space. Before she could second guess herself, she found a spot that felt right, one slightly higher than is traditional, and bit down into his scent gland.