CHAPTER 1

“Well, what did they expect when they let them marry?” my aunt scoffed, taking a drag off her smelly cigar. “You don’t take chances with genetics.”

I scrunched my nose.

"Like father, like son." My father laughed at his and his sister’s remarks "Roberta should have listened to me, I have been vocal enough about how his son bringing an omega into her family would be its bane. There is a reason nobody mingles with them. Those are bad news"

"Please dad, you can’t say those" I pleaded "Can we not speak about these stuff during just one meal" Dinner always turned this way when my parents had friends or family over. Especially with aunt Rora over, she has this tendency of bringing the latest talk, rumor, and juicy news to judge everything about it – while this could be fun, when this goes for hours and the same discriminating topics were brought up, it was tiring.

"You have to admit this is entertaining - an omega baby in the Edward's household" my brother chimed in, nudging me.

"Roberta holding his omega grandson is indeed a funny sight" I conceded, it was surprising considering how she had been really discriminating before allowing his son to marry an omega. Once again, she probably was hoping for the baby to be an alpha or a beta. Statistically, this was possible but few if none took these risks "but Hollis seems nice and the baby is probably a cutie"

"How did you raise such a soft boy" my aunt joked softly to my parents

"Probably coming from his mom" My dad teased

"Certainly not," my mother laughed briefly and loudly "but Jove, don't tell me you're friend with him"

"Obviously not," I responded, I rolled my eyes. I needed not to be friends with him to not like the principle of bitching behind the guy’s back. What made it worse was how friendly they were towards Roberta and her family before the recent events. I had my fair share of joint dinners with them since my childhood, but then we didn’t attend either the wedding and didn’t go to see them since the baby's birth. They had become pariahs with the prominent families and the neighborhood.

"Don't be ridiculous Mariah" my father scoffed at my mother commentary

"I am just trying to be nice" I sighed, deciding on not discussing this anymore

"Don't worry mom, none of us will bring you an o at home » my brother reassured jokingly.

I looked at my plate intently and gripped my fork with more fervour.

"You better not, I am not Roberta. I love you both too much to let you ruin your life" she pinched my cheek. She likes to do that and she strangely started it when I was in high school « It is as easy to love alphas and betas ».

"I won't" I responded, a slight irritation slipping in my tone "No need to turn this into a lecture - I just wanted to be nice" I explained, once again, more quietly.