It was a slightly muggy morning for Zöurich. Lately, it had been unusually hot; the weather had changed in recent years.
Lucas had worked in advertising for years, like Valentina, but a year ago, he quit his agency to focus on his true dream: motorcycles. Since he was a child, he had fallen in love with the custom style. He remembered riding with his moms through the Älpez, taking in every town along the way.
After saving for nearly seven years, he was finally able to start his own business. His first clients were his mothers and a few close friends. Lucas's mom was a beta, while his other mother was a recessive alpha woman.
It was nearly noon when he remembered Valentina's meeting was approaching. He was worried about her, but he knew there wasn't much he could do except wait. Besides, he had things to do: pick up new tires and take photos to upload to his website. He thought that now that his best friend was unemployed, maybe she could help him manage his social media.
**
"Good afternoon, I'm here to pick up some tires I ordered."
"Good afternoon. What brand are they?"
"Metseler."
"You placed the order a month ago, right? Okay, I'll need your purchase code and ID."
It was a quiet day, and Lucas was happy. He had finally been able to buy one of the most requested tire models on the market. He had waited a full month, as the factory only produced limited quantities due to high demand.
"Here you go."
"Oh, are you a beta?"
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry, it's just... you didn't react to my pheromones. I'm just surprised a beta would order six sets of tires. Look, it's better if we refund your money. I doubt you'll make good use of them."
His day was ruined. Well, not completely. He was used to that kind of treatment. Because of his appearance, many assumed he was an alpha or at least an omega. But when they noticed he didn't react to subtle flirting pheromones, their expressions shifted to discomfort or disgust.
Lucas ignored the receptionist's words, picked up the three boxes, and left. He wasn't in the mood to argue. Even if he usually shrugged off such slights, he was still human. And each time someone judged him without knowing him, he felt a sting of pain in his chest.
**
Valentina was just a block away from the agency. After getting off the train, she ran into two former colleagues from post-production. They greeted her kindly and asked what had happened, but she, in a hurry, just said she'd explain later. Truthfully, she didn't want to explain anything. She didn't even want to be there. She wished they had just emailed her about the payment. But no. As always, they liked to hold meetings for things that could have been an email.
She greeted security and walked in. She went straight to the torture room; if it hadn't been for what happened the previous Friday, she'd still think it was just a regular meeting room.
Inside were Erick, Raffael, Miguel, the HR manager, and, to her surprise, Lorenzo, the head of Accounts.
"Perfect, now that we're all here, let's begin, Erick said. Valentina, we asked you to come in not just for your payment, but because your contract states you should receive a recommendation letter for future job opportunities."
"After working with us for almost eight years, we should pay you for unused vacation, extra days, and one month of sick leave. But after recalculating and deducting the days the agency closes in December, you'll only receive one month of sick leave. You quit without notice, and others are covering your projects," said the HR manager.
She felt disgusted. Furious. She wanted to jump on the table and rip their heads off—all of them. No exceptions. What humiliation. To have worked so many years and be treated like used trash. And seeing the satisfied look on Miguel's face made her boil inside.
She knew it wasn't fair. She was afraid to speak up, but something inside told her that even if she stayed silent, they'd still mock her. Furthermore, she took a deep breath:
"Sorry, but vacation days have nothing to do with agency closure dates. That's part of internal policy. And the extra days aren't equivalent to the remaining workload. I left everything fifty percent completed, so I should receive full pay."
The room fell silent. It wasn't common for someone to speak up. Especially not a beta. Everyone knew she was at a disadvantage. But then something else shifted the mood in the room:
"Well, as head of Accounts, I must admit Valentina did impeccable work. Only a few days have passed, so I'm not sure how this will affect future budgets and coordination. But it's true she was always up early," Lorenzo said.
"That was her job, Lorenzo," Miguel replied.
"That's YOUR job, Miguel! To make sure your team doesn't have to wake up at dawn!"
Valentina was stunned. She never thought Lorenzo would defend her. Something was off. He wanted something. Why else would he confront Miguel in front of everyone?
"Valentina, how about coming back to the agency? We'll give you a raise. Miguel is under a lot of stress," Erick said, glancing at Miguel, who looked panicked.
"I'm sorry, but I can't work with people who don't do their job. I appreciate the offer, but I have to decline. I just want full payment so we can part on good terms."
"Sorry, Valentina, but I can't pay you what you're asking. If you want, we can involve legal," Erick said.
She knew it. They wouldn't budge. They wouldn't be fair. She was a beta with no legal contacts, and if she pushed too hard, they might not even give her the recommendation letter, let alone her pay. What to do? Where to go? What to fight for? It all felt like a slap in the face. A mockery.
"Think about it. We'll give you another week to consider our offer," Raffael said with a sarcastic smile. "Also, the raise would be a hundred francs. Everyone could use a little extra money, right?"
She wanted to throw up. A hundred francs? That was nothing. What would it cover? A couple of lunches? Two movie nights? If the minimum wage was 3,000 francs a month, and she was being paid 3,500 like a junior, she was left with 400 francs after covering basic expenses. And those 400 were for emergencies… which she had already spent on her trip with Lucas.
**
(Phone Call)
"So, are you going back?" Lucas asked later.
"I don't know, Lucas. It's not like I can take them to court. I only have 4,000 francs saved. I don't know any lawyers, and I doubt the state would help. They'd probably assign me a beta lawyer with no connections."
"What if you hire an alpha?"
"WHAT!? Where would I find an alpha lawyer? There's no way they'd want to represent me."
"Hahaha, Valentina. Do you really think no alpha would want to take Erick Hardmeieres to court and drain him dry?"
Could it be possible? That an alpha might help her take the agency to court? She could already imagine the headlines, the gossip on Linkkedn and Instägräm. The problem wasn't the gossip, but that many people might turn their backs on her. If the case went public, she might never find work again, or suppliers might not want to collaborate. Or… it could be the opposite. Erick had a lot of enemies.
She had seen lovers—omegas and alphas alike—dragged out by security, screaming that Erick had dumped them and calling him arrogant. But the real issue was Raffael, the business director. Raffael was Erick's shadow. They went everywhere together. They were like henchmen. And whenever Erick got into trouble, Raffael magically "solved" it.
Rumor had it Raffael "ate up" all the omegas in Accounts. Insatiable, stubborn, with a weakness for androgynous people with light eyes, pale skin, and a soft attitude.
(Phone Call)
"What do you say we meet at your shop tomorrow and talk? I'm so frustrated."
"Sure, but let me remind you of something: you still haven't told me anything about Bastian!"
"He-he… I'll come before lunch. Bye."
Lucas really cared about Valentina. He knew she was having a hard time. Even if she seemed fragile or scared, she was the opposite. Maybe, sooner or later, this crisis was inevitable. What she needed was a distraction, a lover… something to help her forget. And first, he had to help her find a solution. But how?
The idea of an alpha lawyer was perfect. But where could they find one willing to support betas? Normally, an alpha lawyer wouldn't risk taking clients from another caste because of their reputation. Although… there was always a crazy one who would do it for revenge.
**
Chat
Lucas: Hey, quick question. Do you know any lawyers?
Andrea: What happened?
Lucas: Valentina isn't getting her paycheck. So… I had this wild idea of finding an alpha lawyer for her.
Andrea: Wow… you guys really care about caste, huh? Well, I'll ask someone. I don't know how things are over there, but I'll check.
Lucas: When you come visit, you'll see for yourself.
Lucas knew that Andrea, coming from a small town, wouldn't fully understand the caste issues. Maybe if he were from Milänö or another big city, he'd worry more. Still, something inside Lucas told him something was off. How could an omega not notice this tension? Possibly he was crazy, or maybe he'd just had bad luck with the people he'd met.
In the end, Lucas knew he'd do anything to help his best friend. And if the lawyer said no, he'd convince them. End of story.
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Glossary
Custom motorcycles — Motorcycles modified in style or structure based on the owner's taste.
RRSS — Abbreviation for social media: Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.
Süyza recommendation letter — A mandatory work document including responsibilities, time worked, and performance evaluation.
Süyza sick leave payment — The right to continue receiving a salary during medical leave, depending on contract or insurance.
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BETAS
Psychology Adaptable, calculating, and rational. They don't want to be alphas or omegas; they just want respect.