Chapter Text
Magnus was an Omega. And he hated it. Not the gender specifically but he hated being an Omega and the High Warlock of Brooklyn. He hated constantly needing to hide it after he’d learnt what people could do once they found out about his gender. He didn’t want to fear being taken advantage of, and he was too powerful to be at the mercy of an order. The High Warlock being so vulnerable that someone could take advantage of his power was not a good idea. He knew.
So he hid it and he hid it well. He hid many things from others. His eyes for one. No one would see his warlock mark. It only came out when he was feeling a strong emotion- anger, fear and sometimes pleasure. It scared people. It disgusted some. But no one had felt particularly good emotions whenever they came out… so he hid that part of himself.
There was another thing he now hated. Or feared. Experiencing pleasure with someone. Because well… his body reacted differently, apparently. More so than other Omegas. So it was difficult for him to be that intimate with someone and he hadn’t even been with anyone that way in over a hundred years. Being that vulnerable, especially as an omega, you want to feel loved. Cherished even. Taken care of. But he’d been made to feel ugly. Like there was something wrong with him.
And so, he hated being an Omega. Not just any Omega but one that was different. He wished he were any other gender really. It would be so much easier. But the universe had always thrown things back in his face.
It’s not that he looked down on his gender. He didn’t. Omegas were beautiful creatures. Without them, the world would be in disarray. Where alphas could go a little too hot, too demanding, Omegas were the calm that soothed the storm. They were the diplomats. Omegas could see what was needed to diffuse a situation quickly. So they were great in positions of power.
Many people knew and believed that of course. But of course there were some, more patriarchal ones, who thought that only Alphas could reign over Omegas and Betas. And that was bullshit.
Omegas, being more susceptible to an Alpha’s commands, knew exactly what it was like when someone tried to force you to do what you don’t want. And almost every Omega unfortunately, had at one point or another, learnt to fight off an Alpha’s command. But that dudn’t mean it didn’t affect them. That their whole body didn’t tense up as they fought with every fibre of their being to resist. Many didn’t. Many gave in. It was easier after all.
Betas on the other hand, were more neutral. They were lightly less susceptible to a command from an Alpha, but it did affect them. And unlike Omegas, they didn’t need to go through heats.
Magnus sighed as he took a sip of his whiskey.
Heats. He understood them. He did. His body gets into a haze full of need and passion, and his need to get filled was overpowering. Omegas produced slick at that time to make it easy for them and at the same time show how aroused they are. Their slick attracted Alphas, and made them yearn for one as well. Sure it worked. It could feel amazing with the right person. But he wouldn’t know.
If an Omega was with an Alpha or mated to one, their need could easily be satisfied by an Alphas knot. If they were with another Omega or a Beta, they found other ways to make up for that knot.
And then, there was the fact that most Omegas were female. Because it was being an Omega that enabled them to conceive. So male Omegas were essentially useless- or so he’d been told.
So he hid his gender, for a multitude of reasons and used his magic to mask his scent, making it into a more neutral one. So if people assumed he was a Beta- well, he never corrected them.
There were a few people who had known though. If they had been a mundane well, he had put a spell on them, making them forget his gender. But that wasn’t a problem now- since it had been so long since he’d been with one, they were all dead.
Then came the other’s he’d been with. The seelies, werewolves, vampires and even other warlocks. He’d been burnt so many times. Though some had been okay. Some had tried to hide their reactions-their disgust- after finding out how different Magnus was as an Omega compared to others. And Magnus, being more sensitive to their feelings, knew. So after the last straw, he’d done a spell. A spell to conceal his gender and make them forget if it were just a one night stand. For those he’d been with longer, like Camille, it was more complicated. He’d done a complex spell to make sure she could never hint, or reveal his gender to anyone, and that trying to do so would make sure she never spoke again.
So now, besides Ragnor, Catarina and Raphael. There was no one who knew or could speak about his gender. He went through his heats alone; he didn’t have sex with anyone. Overall, it was a lonely, lonely existence. Though he made all these choice by himself, it didn’t stop him for yearning for it. The love and acceptance that came with being with a mate. Or anyone who didn’t look at him with disgust or made him feel shame. Of being satisfied in that most basic and primal way.
He resolved to spend his existence that way, but yes, he yearned.
He made sure Cat and Ragnor took over his appointments whenever he went into heat and locked himself in his apartment. He’d make sure his room was filled with water and snacks within easy reach. It was hard, really but he did all he could to satisfy himself. In the throes of his heat, he forgot the other voices over the years, the ones that made him hate himself. He could only focus on giving himself what he needed. But once the heat was over, the voices came back and he only felt disgust over what he had had to do.
Because he was the High Warlock of Brooklyn. An Omega. A male Omega. And one whose body reacted differently.
Who the hell would want him?
Falling into a spell of self-loathing, Magnus jumped when his phone suddenly rang.
“Hello Catarina. What can I do for you?”
“Magnus. There’s a sign of increased demon activity over on Smith Street. I can’t get out of work,” Cat explained quickly.
“Don’t worry my dear. I’ll go take a look. I’ll let you know if I need back-up,” Magnus quickly said, snapping out of his mood instantly. Nothing like a good magical fight to help battle the inner demons.
Alec was the Head of the New York Institute, in fact the youngest head anyone had seen in a while. Growing up as the eldest Lightwood, he’d always had high expectations placed on him and he worked his ass of to meet every single one of them.
He was quick on his feet and had a sharp mind and together with being one of the best fighters in the institute, it was no surprise that he became the head so quickly.
He was an Alpha and there were many in the institute. So were Betas and Omegas. The leader of the institute had always been an Alpha because the clave always felt that Alphas were the best leaders, much to his disbelief.
He didn’t though. Anyone could be a leader. Take the downworld for example. Each faction had leaders from every gender and they led well. Though the clave looked down on them, they had much to learn from them.
Though Alec was an Alpha and deemed fit by the clave to lead, he made sure that no one bowed to him. And that had won him the respect of many. He never used his Alpha voice to force someone to do something against their will. He strongly believed in being given a choice, and hearing everyone’s opinion so he led by example.
He had to at times though. When someone had gone against him and that had resulted in others getting hurt- he’d used his Alpha voice then, and had stunned the entire room. He’d demanded that Raj tell him what really happened because he knew he was being lied to and he didn’t have time for it- he needed to see to the injured. That had won him even more respect. The people in his institute saw him as a fair leader, one who always listened to them but also as one who wasn’t afraid to use his Alpha voice when he had to. But he made sure that he didn’t. Most of the time.
The second time was when Cecelia had been sobbing badly after her brother had been poisoned by a demon, and was fighting for his life. He’d ordered her to stop crying and tell them what had happened to save her brother’s life. But after, among many witnesses, the Alpha and Head of the Institute had apologised and explained to her that he understood that she was upset and it was okay to feel that way but he needed her to calm down quick to save her brother’s life.
And that earned him more respect.
Overtime, he’d built a rather unique institute by example. Alphas at the New York Institute didn’t give out orders to force someone to their will. Everyone had a choice of whether they followed them or not.
At the start, there were people who resisted, who thought him to be a weak Alpha, but he’d shown them with Raj and in the midst of battle, when his team floundered. His Alpha voice rang out, helping those who needed to know what to do and made it easier for them.
And those who still resisted found themselves personally having a chat with the Head of the Institute or transferred elsewhere.
He had no time for arrogance and defiance.
His team was led by all genders and everyone’s opinion was listened to. And that was the way it was going to be.
Now that he had his institute working his way, he felt pressure from various people to settle down. His parents, his siblings, even others in the institute made casual comments about finding him a nice Omega to settle down with and give him children. A nice female Omega.
How the hell did he tell them that he liked men?
Alec, sitting at his desk with a glass of whiskey, thought deeply over it, wondering what would happen if he came out as the alarms signalling a demon attack rang out over the institute.