The Claimed Omega

The phone buzzes again but one look at the sender and Wonho ignores it. It is already dark so it can only be Minwoo telling him he is going back for the day, along with his usual goodnight wish.

Still finishing his project with the free software he installed a few weeks prior, the architectural student stretches a bit, satisfied when he hears the crack, and continues inserting the few details for the 3D model of the apartment he needs to submit the following week. Deciding to take a break after two hours, Wonho finally gets up to pour himself a glass of juice to quench his thirst.

Another buzz is heard and again, although still very much reluctant, he takes another look at the sender. It is Chansol, asking him about his progress on the task he is doing. They may be in the same year due to his break last year, but Wonho still considers it his responsibility to ensure this junior of his graduate on time. Unlocking his phone, Wonho curses as he mistakenly clicked on Minwoo's mail instead of his junior's due to his wet thumb.

'Tsk.' Now the alpha is going to see a small 'seen' notification beneath his messages. After all his efforts to ignore the hundreds of messages from the man…

Quickly pressing the home button, Wonho opens the mail he intended to read in the first place. Wait. He thought he just saw the word ducks in Minwoo's message. What about ducks?

…Since he technically already 'read' the messages, it would not make any difference he actually does read it anyway… so…

I think the ducks migrated :( Now there's only swans. Anyways, I'm going back now. Goodnight. - Minwoo

Owh, well, it's already autumn so that is a given right? Wondering about that random message, Wonho scrolls back up to read all the other messages, curious to see if there is anything else the man wrote. He never noticed because, he never opened even one of them. He just read them from the notification just to see who it was from, and the moment he sees the name, he would put his phone down.

It's raining. Today sucks. I'll be here as usual. - Minwoo

I made friends with the swan. I think it's the male one. I'm going back now. Goodnight. - Minwoo

Some cat just showed up and slept beside me :3 She's pregnant! Btw, I'm going back. Goodnight. - Minwoo

Cat? He never saw any cat around campus before. And just based on the texts, he never knew there are that many animals at the lake. He only ever saw ducks and frogs. Pregnant cat? That, he would like to see. But since the alpha will be there every day until nighttime, there is no way he will go anywhere near that place. Maybe, if he is lucky, he can see the cat around the cafes or restaurants? She needs to eat right? Which means, someone must be feeding her. And his best bet is the ladies working there.

God he is curious.

#####

'Aigoo!' Wonho feels someone threw a back hug over him, warming him up from the cold weather. He doesn't need to turn around to know it is Junjie, who has been complaining about his jacket not being warm enough. They argued about it, and Wonho chose to wear it every day to prove his point but Junjie is right, the jacket looks badass, but it is useless. But, there is no way he is going to admit that, because then, his friend will be right and will keep on mentioning it forever. Feeling something being inserted into his pockets, Wonho realizes it is hot packets. 'Just admit the jacket sucks.'

'It's warm.'

'Yeah. I thought you're a corpse.' And right after Junjie said that, Wonho receives three more heat packs - two from Chansol and another from Mengyao. All three of them suddenly comment on the jacket, attacking him mercilessly until he has to admit he made the wrong choice. Glaring at Junjie who gives him his silly grin, Wonho feels his phone buzzed and quickly looks at it.

I'm already here. It's cold so wear warm clothes :) - Minwoo

'He's still going there?' He lifts his head at Mengyao, nodding slightly, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Everybody knows about Minwoo waiting for him every single day at the exact spot even without Wonho having to tell them because they stumbled upon him a few times. But it seems, after he told them about what the alpha is doing, his friends decided to avoid going to the place, in case they would end up making things more complicated.

'It's been 2 months?'

'Yeah.'

'You should ask him to stop.' Mengyao continues. Though he hates what Minwoo did to his friends, he made it clear that he cannot stand how Wonho lets the alpha continue doing that without the intention of seeing the male either. Among his friends, the younger beta is the most emphatic towards other, no matter who, and he is not afraid to voice it out.

'I did.' Wonho did, the first time he got the message, the second time, the next week; he gave up after that. He thought ignoring the alpha would make him stop but apparently not. It is already December, and he thought the cold weather would break his spirit but again, he is wrong. So obviously, he is not the bad one here.

'He'll give up eventually. Come on.' Junjie places his arm over his junior's shoulder and gestures for them to keep walking. They are on the way to Mengyao's place for a gaming session.

Looking back towards the campus gate, Wonho stops, 'Guys. I think I'll get some rest. I don't feel so good.' He is not lying; he doesn't feel great. His stomach has been acting weird since noon and there is nothing he can do to make it feel better.

Bidding his goodbyes, Wonho jogs back inside, waiting for the campus bus to take him near his dormitory. Once inside the safety of his room, he takes off the jacket and quickly turns himself into a human burrito, sleeping a few moments later.

When he wakes up again, two hours has already passed but he isn't feeling any better.