Chapter 1

The whole hall went silent.

Every relative who had been laughing a second earlier was too stunned by what I'd said to lift their heads.

Elena's smile faltered. "Aurora, it was only a joke. Don't take it to heart."

"Was it a funny joke?"

"Aurora, you know that isn't what I meant."

"How many other things could you have meant?"

She couldn't save face, and her eyes turned red.

My oldest brother, Lloyd, came over and wiped away her tears.

"Aurora, this is a good day. Don't take everything so seriously."

"I shouldn't take it seriously?"

I pointed at the seat Elena was in. "I just came home. As a Female Alpha, I belong next to my parents. An Omega walks up and takes my seat, then asks me whether I mind. And none of you think she did anything wrong?"

Lloyd frowned. "People sit wherever they sit. What's there to argue about?"

"Doesn't she have a seat of her own?"

"She's used to sitting there!"

"Does being used to it give her the right to take what's mine?"

That shut Lloyd up. My mother took my hand.

"Aurora, Elena has been close to us since she was little. She doesn't mean any harm."

"I didn't say anything about her. I'm making sure she understands something. The Omega sister has had all the love in this house to herself for years. It's time she made room for the me. Or does our pack not recognize that rule?"

My mother had no answer. Elena stood up. "I'll give the seat to Aurora.

"Aurora is your blood, and she's a Female Alpha.

"I'm only an Omega, barely a step above a human. Of course she looks down on me. I never should have sat here!"

She wiped her eyes.

She gave me one wounded look and started dragging her chair away.

She had barely taken two steps before my mother went after her and pulled her close. "Elena, you're not well. Don't work yourself up."

My second brother, William, stepped in front of her, and my third brother, Mason, turned to me. "Does bullying our youngest sister make you feel good?"

I looked at both of them. "Why would that make me happy? I'm talking about what happened, that's all.

"She took my seat. I asked her when she was giving it back. And somehow that turns into me bullying her?"

Mason's voice went cold. "You know she's ashamed of being an Omega and afraid we'll throw her out, yet you still rub her Omega status in her face?"

"Doesn't our pack care about rank more than anything else? Isn't it a fact that her rank is lower?

"Or does the Vance pack not follow its own rules? Is a Female Alpha supposed to bow her head to an Omega?"

Under the weight of that aura, Mason couldn't speak for a long moment.

Tears rolled down Elena's cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I never should have humiliated myself by coming to this dinner.

"Alphas don't give birth to Omegas! You're the real family. I'm leaving!"

She turned and walked out.

My mother and all three of my brothers went after her.

As if she were the one the evening was for.

My father sat at the head of the table, and the calm on his face was starting to slip.

"Aurora, you've been home four years. How have you still not learned how to talk to people? You can't read the room at all."

I watched them go. "Tonight's dinner is for me. Isn't it?"

"It is."

"Then why did every one of them chase after her?"

My father rubbed his forehead. "Elena isn't well.

"Your oldest brother is one of the best-known doctors in the pack. He should take a look at her.

"Your mother worries."

"And William and Mason? They worry too?"

He didn't answer, so I asked him another question. "She and I have a disagreement, and this entire family rushes out after the adopted daughter.

"So which one of us did you come here tonight to call your daughter?"

My father finally snapped. "Enough! Why can't you show a little common sense?"

I nodded. "All right."

That stopped him. In the four years I'd been home, it was the first time I hadn't kept pressing for an answer.