Beta Complex

Ethanisahardworkinganddedicatedbetawhodroppedoutofcollegetohelphismother'srestaurantsucceed.Unabletosensepheromoneslikeanomegaoranalpha,he'ssettoliveanormallifewithnocomplaints.However,afterhelpingadominantalphanamedZandernotonce,buttwice,Ethanfindshimselfatthecenterofhisattention.Betweenaneedyalphaandtakingcareofhismother'srestaurant,Ethanfindshishandsfull.Itonlygetsworsewhenanillegaldrugemerges,transformingregularbetasintoadifferentdynamic.Associetybattlesthecontroversyofthisnew‘medicine’,allEthanwantstodoisgobacktohisnormallife,buthedoubtsZanderwilleverlethimgoashisobsessionreachesnewheights.*Ethancrouchesdownandliftshishandtotheman'sfaceonlyforhimtobeslappedaway.“Isaidfuckoff.”Ethanignoreshimandreachesforhisfaceagain.Whenthemangoestoslaphim,Ethanisprepared.Hegrabshisotherhand,andthengrabsafistfulofhissweatsoakedhairandyanksitup.Themangroans,eyesclenchedshut.“Dang,theyreallybeatyouhuh?”Ethanmurmurs.Hisleftcheekhasadeepcutthatbleeds,hisnoseisswollenandbruised,andblooddripsfromoutofhishair.ThemanopenshiseyeswithawinceandpausesasEthancontinuestoassesshisinjuries.“Probablyneedstitches.”Donewithhisexamination,Ethanfinallylookshimintheeyes.“Oh.”Hesaysinsurprise.Theman'seyesareabrightgreen,almostglowinginthedarkalleyway.Howpretty.“Youabeta?”Theguyasks,hisvoicehoarse,hisgazegluedtoEthan’sface.“Well,youcertainlyaren'tone.”Ethanfrownsatthepurpleringaroundthegreenofhisiris.He'sanalphaalright.Adominantalpha.“Youabeta?”Thealphaasksagain.Ethandropshishandfromtheman'shair,lettingitflopbackdownandcoveringhisdeepgreeneyes.“Yes,I'mabeta.”Ethananswers.