He grins. "I'll try not to ruin it by asking too many questions." He pulls out a pen, clicks it twice. "Fair warning, I tend to overthink consent theory."
I almost laugh.
“That’ll be a first.” The omega sitting in front of Tyler turns around and slants her eyes at him. “Tyler Vale staying quiet on the topic of consent theory.”
“New year resolution.” Tyler grins at her, and my pulse takes off like it’s aiming for the moon.
Calder. Tyler.What is wrong with me?I make a silent vow to read instead of watching Grandma’s reality shows when I go home for the holidays. Three days in, and the alphas here seem to have made a secret pact to distract as many first-year omegas as possible. I wonder if they’re taking bets on who will get the highest score.
“In September?” the omega asks.
“Why not?” He shrugs. “Who restricted it to January first?”
Her eyes slide my way. “Good luck.”
I study the back of her head, heat flooding my cheeks. She has red hair that glints like copper when it catches the light from the window. She’s wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and managing to make the outfit look effortlessly cool, and I wish I hadn’t worn a sweater because I’m too close to the window and the radiator underneath it..
The professor arrives then, and I drag my attention away from her. I’m not sure what she meant by good luck, but I don’t dwell on it.
Tyler listens attentively, occasionally jotting something down, occasionally leaning back with an expression that suggests he's given this subject some thought. A lot of thought.
At one point, the professor asks for examples ofconsent beyond words.
Tyler raises his hand.
"Leaving space," he says easily. "Not positioning yourself as the only option. Letting people choose you without pressure."
Something in my chest shifts.
The professor nods, thoughtful. "Good. Does anyone want to build on that?"
A beta near the front raises their hand. "But how do they know when you're leaving space versus just... not trying?"
"Intent," Tyler says immediately. Then he pauses, reconsidering. "Actually, no. Impact matters more than intent. You can mean well and still apply pressure to someone."
"So you measure by the other person's response?" another student asks.
"Partially," Tyler says. "But you also create conditions where refusal is easy. Where saying no doesn't require explanation or apology."
I find myself speaking before I think it through. "You make yes optional," I say quietly.
The room turns toward me. So much for blending into the background.
Tyler's gaze finds mine, something lighting up in his hazel eyes. "Exactly," he says. "Yes becomes meaningful when no is genuinely an option."
The professor smiles faintly. "Well put, both of you. That's the foundation we're building on this term: agency through structure, not restriction."
The discussion continues, but I feel Tyler's awareness beside me, warm and present. When class ends, he catches my eye as we gather our things. "Good point," he says.
"So was yours."
"Yeah, but you made it better." He grins. "That's the thing about consent theory. It works better when people actually talk to each other."
“Spoken like a pro.” The omega with red hair, Anna, stands up and hoists her bag over her shoulder.
Tyler blushes, and my heart melts for him. I know how it feels to reveal your emotions through your facial expressions; it’s like wearing a flashing sign thatsays:Okay, I’m embarrassed now.
“It was a compliment, Ty.” She hesitates, waiting for us to exit the lecture theater. “Are you coming?—”
