CHAPTER 31

Fuck it was hot.

It was so hot in the office, even though the AC was on. Wearing sweaters and long-sleeve shirts at the beginning of summer was not ideal, but you really had no choice. What were you going to tell people? 'Oh, yeah, that's a bite from my Alpha boyfriend, which by the way, did you know secondary genders might not be entirely extinct?'

Your wound was closed, but it still had scabs on it, and there were marks. You just thought that, if it healed a bit more, you could have the absolute excuse that Eddie just went overboard while having sex. Right now, it really did look like skin was torn off. It's only been a week since his first rut with you, and on Wednesday, after work, you both went to Murray's clinic.

Eddie explained what had happened, and the doctor took note of every single detail. It was important for him to know every last thing about what Eddie was feeling and what his body made him do in that state of euphoria. But he left out the part where he bit you. He was ashamed of hurting you. He didn't want people to think that he could ever hurt his mate in the way he did.

He was also angry at Murray because the bald man did say this time would be different for Eddie, but he still should have given him a stronger suppressant if he knew it would happen.

The wound was closing, healing, and you knew that if you were an Omega, it wouldn't close, at least not entirely, not the way it was now, and that broke your heart. Eddie's shoulder from your bite was completely healed by now, no red marks, no scars, but his bite on you was fierce. His fangs came out, enlarged, and you wished you could have seen that. You wished you could have seen what you were making him feel. How much control he lost, just by the simple need to mark you as his forever.

Yet, there was one conversation you had with Murray while Eddie was in the bathroom, and you were left alone with the doctor

"Murray…"

"Hmm?" He asked while he was looking at his tablet,

"Eddie, in his rut… He said something to me… Something that really stuck with me. I didn't tell him because I didn't want to make him uncomfortable…" He stopped for a second and looked your way.

"Did he do something?" You looked down, shaking your head.

"No… It's— He said he," You took a sharp intake of breath before continuing, feeling your cheeks heat up from embarrassment. "He said he couldn't wait to… See me pregnant. To have his kids… His… Pups?"

Murray almost looked flabbergasted at your information, nodding a little in understanding. It seemed that Eddie might have told him what happened to you, because regarding pregnancy and kids, he was very careful around you now.

"It was normal in the past for Alphas and Omegas to sync their heats and ruts together to conceive." He started explaining, his finger back to typing on the tablet. "It was a higher chance, and I'm sure Edward explained it to you, but in heats and ruts, your rationality wasn't your best friend."

"He did tell me that…" Murray nodded, looking back up at you.

"The Alpha part of him decided you are his mate, so it's normal for an Alpha to want to see their mate have their pups." You blinked a few times, looking up at him.

"And so… it was a heat-of-the-moment thing?" You asked, a little afraid of the answer. You didn't know why you were so scared, but he could sense it. He could sense everything.

"Alphas are very vocal during their ruts… Their desires show. And from old texts and research, when an Alpha mates with an Omega, it's for life, and that includes a family." Your eyes sparked with hope, looking up at him.

"I know it's impossible, but— He said, I'll make sure it takes." You finished talking, and Murray sighed, shaking his head.

"As I said, rationality is not your best friend in that moment. Edward knows about… your situation. His Alpha not so much."

You were taken out of your thoughts by a knock on your office door.

"Come in!" You yelled out, and you weren't expecting the person who was entering. Liana was holding onto her big belly as she walked your way, a smile on her face. You smiled widely, rushing around your desk to hug her, making sure not to smush the belly in between.

"Why are you wearing heavy clothes in this weather!?" She exclaimed, and you pulled away, trying to look for an excuse, any at all.

"Uh, well, the AC made me a bit sick the other day, so I bundled up! Just for good measure!" You forced a smile, and she laughed, shaking her head as she took a seat, grunting a bit as she plopped down.

"Maybe I'm overreacting. This baby just gives me waves of heat, and I have to remember that not everybody feels those." You smiled at her words, fascinated now as you sat next to her, looking down at her belly. She noticed your eyes and nodded at it. "Well, come on, you're in luck. He is dancing all over in there."

You bit your bottom lip, your hand reached forward and pressing on the soft belly, pressing your fingers a little bit so that the baby notices you. You waited for a few seconds, and suddenly, a kick. You jumped a bit, laughing as you looked at it with amazement. Then another, then another, and your smile turning into a wince.

"That must not be fun." Liana sighed and nodded.

"Not when you are trying to sleep, no. But hey, just two more months, and he is popping out!" You nodded, your eyes falling back down to your hand. A wave of anguish suddenly hit you, as if you needed to cry. But fuck, you shouldn't. You really shouldn't. "Sweetheart, you alright?"

"Oh, yeah… I— Just, I'm amazed, that's all."

"You wanna have your own?" She asked, and in all honesty, you never talked to Liana about your past or what you wanted in the future. You gulped, nodding, taking your hand away.

"I do… Very much."

"Well, is that boyfriend of yours looking good?" She asked, and you looked up at her, a bright smile on your face. Liana laughed, pointing at you. "That face tells me all I need to know!"

"He is amazing. He really is."

The relationship you had with your boss, you knew it wasn't traditional. Gladly, no one in the company thought that you got to be a CEO replacement just because you're in good terms with the lead. Everyone knew you worked hard, and they all knew about your accomplishments. But Liana was not only a good friend, but she also protected you whenever it was needed. Maybe she was the closest thing you had to a second mom. Maybe a cool aunt.

Which reminds you, you should call your mom.

"Oh, there was another reason I came here for—" Liana started, and you rolled your eyes.

"I knew it wasn't to visit me."

"Hush, you." She opened her phone, looking down at the screen, searching for an email. "I got contacted by the manager of a model who might do well for the Jean Paul Gaultier campaign. This is a big step in your career, and I would take it myself, but I think you should have this opportunity."

Your eyes widened, shaking your head as nerves filled up your stomach. Taking charge? With such a big client? And a model? You had done this before, even Billy with Dior, but this? This was actually kind of bigger, because you had met with the vice president of Gaultier. He knew you, he liked you, and he was trying to show off his designs in your magazine, with their own model.

"Me? Are you serious? This is way too much, I mean— Gaultier!? The whole account and the whole article?" You asked, and Liana's eyes widened, straightening up to calm you down.

"I will be with you in every step—"

"You will be with a child soon, I can't bother you with it! Oh god, what if I mess it up? What if the model doesn't like us? It's one thing to search for the model ourselves, but what if I mess it up completely with their model and their campaign?" You were rambling, the anxiety eating your stomach away.

"Okay, I need you to breathe, please." She took a deep breath, and you followed, and then held it for a few seconds before letting out. You repeated it five times until she saw you calming down. "I didn't think you would get this nervous…"

"Liana, it's a big client, like huge. We met with their VP, and because of that interaction, they decided to go forth with us. Not only that, but saving us the trouble of finding a model? Has this ever happened to you?" You asked, hopeful, seeing Liana wince a little bit.

"Yes and no. They brought in the model, and I didn't like them… And they broke the campaign completely… Chanel." Okay, that didn't help your nerves at all, sighing heavily as you put your face in your hands.

"Do I just pretend everything is okay? What if I lose this, Liana? It's a lot of money involved, like millions, and much more if it works out…" Liana patted your shoulder, nodding in understanding, a small reassuring smile forming on her lips.

"I made you my replacement for a reason. I care for you, but I also see your qualities and the way you work. You remind me of myself at a younger age. If it goes wrong, it just goes wrong. We move on."

That calmed you down a lot, looking at her as if she had just given you a fifteen-hour massage on your body. This meant that if it somehow ended up in shambles, Liana wasn't going to put it on you. She wasn't going to blame you for anything, and she will remain with the decision of putting you as her replacement in the future.

"Alright… I guess I'd better start knowing what I'm getting myself into. Send me the contract, the model's information, and the manager. I'm getting that goddamn campaign."

"Now, that's my girl."

You arrived home with heavy steps, your eyes heavy as you walked through your kitchen, opening the fridge to get some water out.

Gaultier had some interesting designs, and their model was interesting too, but you were worried the designs would not fit the model's body at all. You could try to make it work, but it would require a lot of stylists to get involved.

You grabbed your phone out of your pocket as you poured yourself a glass and checked your messages. You smiled as you saw Eddie sending you an emoji of puppy dog eyes, wondering when will you come to his place. Your smile faltered a bit, feeling your legs giving up on you. You didn't expect to get so tired from reading so much, but you felt drained.

You didn't want to cancel on Eddie. You never did, but today, you just didn't feel like making one more single step. You just wanted to crawl into your bed and lie there, looking at the ceiling. But you also wanted him. You wanted to be in his arms, and you wanted him to feed you pringles as you watched a movie.

Sighing, you texted him back,

'I wish I had the energy to drive, but I actually can't…'

'What's wrong?'

'I'm just so tired, I had a long day, and I think my brain is shutting down.'

You saw him type, then untype, then type again.

'I'm coming over, I'll even bring pizza 🫡' You giggled, shaking your head.

'Courting me again, Munson?'

'Never stopping.'

You hugged the phone to your chest, wondering just how much more you could love this man. You didn't know what you did to deserve him, or what you did for your dynamic to change into this, but you were beyond questioning it anymore.

You walked towards your room, getting yourself comfortable in your pajamas, taking your makeup off, with a skincare band pulled over your head, and pushing back your hair. Bunny ears and all.

Suddenly, your phone started ringing, and you looked down, smiling as you saw it was your mom. You put the phone against the vanity mirror, using the front camera, and sliding up to answer the phone. Your mom's face comes on screen, a smile on her face.

"Hello, how's my girl doing! I read your texts about work!" She exclaimed excitedly, and you sighed, shaking your head.

"I'm fucking tired, mom. I don't know how I'm going to handle it, because if I got this tired today, imagine the days the campaign actually starts to take shape." You said as you rubbed serum on your face with a roller. She hummed, shaking her head.

"It might or it might not! You don't know that. It might be smooth as hell, or…" She dragged on, not wanting to finish the sentence, and you raised your eyebrows at her.

"Impending doom?"

"I didn't say that."

"The replica of the big bang?"

"You're exaggerating." She laughed at you, and you smiled, feeling your nerves and the tension falling apart as you talked with your mom… who seemed giddy about something. You squinted at her, stopping from opening the face mask bag.

"Okay, you are hiding something…" She exaggerated her features with surprise, her head moving side to side.

"Nope, not at all."

"Mom…?" You tried again, and finally she sighed, a smile on her face.

"I may have, or may not have, booked a trip over there for this weekend."

Your mouth almost fell open at that. Seeing your mom? It's been a while since your last trip over there, but her coming over for you was something different. She would see your house for the first time, you had to make it look clean and tidy— Maybe buy more plants, or more paintings, or make it prettier.

"You're— coming here?"

"Yeah! What do you think?" She asked, and honestly, you were in shock. Too shocked. Suddenly, your smile broke on your lips, excitement finally showing on your features.

"Yes! Oh my god, I can take you to the office, even if it's a weekend, I have access— You can see my house—"

"And I will meet your friends… and your boyfriend."

And your blood ran cold.

You didn't think of that. You didn't think of Eddie. Of your mother meeting Eddie. Why hadn't you thought of that? Why hadn't you ever thought you would have to present Eddie to your mom? How couldn't that have crossed your mind?

"I… I—"

"Oh god, are you— Is he not—" Your mother asked worriedly, a frown on her face, and you snapped out of it, shaking your head.

"No! No, we are— We are still together, and we are great… I just… I think I'm nervous as fuck now…" Your mom nodded a bit, and you saw her chewing the inside of her cheek.

"Baby… After what you went through, I would really like to meet him and have a talk with him."

"Mom, you really don't have to—"

"I do. I really do." Oh god, oh no,

"Okay. Okay…" You tried to force a smile through your nerves, the weight of lying to your mom about yourself also starting to eat you away. She smiled your way, nodding for good measure.

"Alrighty then. I will see you in two days! Love you!" You responded automatically, still digesting what had just happened.

"Love you too," And then she hung up.

You were frozen on your vanity, looking at your screen as if a bomb had just been dropped on your shoulders. Your mom wants to meet Eddie, wants to make sure he will commit, but how do you tell her it's not necessary? How could you tell your mother that your boyfriend wants you forever? That your boyfriend is an Alpha and marked you as his, as if you were an Omega? How do you tell your mother that she doesn't have to worry without her asking questions?

Oh fuck, and you have never told her about your own condition, of what your insides had morphed into. You assumed you couldn't tell her, that there was probably no need whatsoever to do so, but now— How the hell were you supposed to keep calm?

"Honey, I'm home!" You jumped in your seat, rattling the table, and Eddie walked into your bedroom, a smile on his face, "I brought in some pizza, and also some beers— Wait, what's wrong?"

He didn't even see your face. He could just smell the distress, and he rushed to your side in an instant. You looked up at him with panic set in your face.

"Mom…" His eyes widened, kneeling next to you, grabbing your hand tightly.

"Is she okay? Did something happen to your mom?" You slowly shook your head, your eyes still wide with worry.

"No… She is coming to visit." His features turned into those of confusion, tilting his head in question.

"Wait, that's… good, right?"

"To meet you."

And now it was Eddie's turn to freeze up. He had never met the parents of a partner before. He had never been questioned, or he didn't have to worry about making a good impression. He actually forgot his mate's mother, and how, at some point, he would have to meet her.

And he paled over.

"Oh, fuck… Oh, shit, oh fuck, fuck, fuck—" He got up, starting to pace around the room as his thoughts kept running and running, and you watched, kind of figuring out that this was going to be his reaction.

"Eddie, we can do it, it's just— It's just meeting my mom!" You forced a smile, a nervous one at that. You were happy, you really were, but the nerves were completely overlapping that happiness. Eddie turned to look at you, panic in his face.

"I never had to do this. Wayne liked you instantly, and we weren't even together officially, but your mom— Fuck, I… I never met anyone's family before, and you are very important, and if your mom doesn't like me, I'm—"

"She will like you Eddie, nothing is gonna go wrong!" You got up from your seat, walking over to him, your hands coming to rub on his arms. He was burning up, and he had a frown just stuck in the middle of his forehead.

"No… If she doesn't like me… I will fight for you." He said without looking at you, and you tilted your head, wondering what that meant.

"I mean, I hope you do, but there will be no need to do that. If she doesn't, which I doubt, she—" But he interrupted you, his eyes sharp.

"I'm afraid I'll snap."

"That you'll snap?"

"If she tells me I'm not good enough for you… I can't leave you… And that is going to end up badly. I'm an Alpha, and you are my mate. I would fight anyone and anything who tries to take you away from me."

In a romance novel, this would have been the happiest comment you would receive from the main character. But in this reality, this comment scared you. You were sure your mom would never decide for you; she would never tell you that you couldn't date someone just because she didn't like them.

But Eddie's Alpha would not take any comment too kindly. And you could already feel the anger brewing, his eyes sharpening, his muscles tightening, as if there was any chance that would happen. As if there was any chance that someone could make you leave him.

You grabbed his face in between your hands, making him look at you.

"I would never leave you. No matter what. Nobody can make me leave you, not even my own mother." That comment made him untense, relaxing in your hold completely, his eyes closing with a wince.

"I'm sorry… It's just, everything is new and I…" You shook your head at him, pulling his face down to you so you could peck his lips. He sighed, his eyes opening again, and a smile finally formed on his lips.

"My mom isn't that scary. I promise."

"Well, you're scary sometimes, and that's hereditary." He joked, and you flicked his nose, making him wince. He then grabbed onto one of the ears of your headband and pulled it down to cover your eyes. You screamed, and you pinched both his cheeks, making him grunt, and finally, he tackled you into the bed, wrestling you.

The playfulness made you laugh and smile, and you hoped it stayed that way.

You really hoped.

"And here is my humble abode." You smiled widely, opening the door for your mother to walk in with her luggage.

She came in, mesmerized by everything, looking at your bookshelf, then your kitchen, and the couch. She looked at the pictures on the wall, pictures where your friends were, Liana, her, and also pictures you hung up with Eddie.

"These are cute." She worded out, and you sighed a bit in relief at that, but not chanting victory yet. Okay, she thought your pictures with Eddie were cute.

"Yeah, you can leave your bag in my room, and we can get ready to go to Jonathan's bar so you can meet everyone." You said trying not to let the nerves eat you away, or make them known. You weren't going to tell her you were shitting your pants about her meeting your friends and Eddie.

"Oh, I am so excited! I haven't gone out to a bar in years!" She rushed to your room and just started looking all around, commenting on the vanity, the little knick-knacks, and you followed her just to stand in front of your closet as she rambled on and on. You were looking through your clothes absentmindedly, trying to calm your thoughts.

You took off your shirt, leaving you in your bra, and grabbed a new one. Suddenly, your mom grabbed your elbow gently, making you turn to face her. She had a worried frown on her face, looking at you as if she had just seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?"

"What's that on your shoulder?"

You felt your body freeze over. The one person that should not have seen it, or at least, the last one that should have, was now looking at the bite mark, which was better, but still very noticeable on your shoulder.

"I uh… It's… a bite?" You didn't know what to say, or who to blame, the only thing on your eardrums was your heartbeat and the blood flowing all through your body.

"Did he do that to you?" She asked, and you grumbled, getting your arm away from her grasp.

"I really don't want to explain my intimacy with you." You tried to be snarky, jokingly even, but your mom didn't move an inch.

"Intimacy? That's— One thing is… that kinky biting, but this was brutal. There's scabs! He tore your flesh off!" She exclaimed, and you turned your head to face her again, wanting her to drop the subject.

"Maybe he got a little carried away, but it's fine! I'm fine! I'm okay with it!" You could see she was not happy with your answer, and you gulped as she turned towards her bag again without another word. You closed your eyes, cursing at yourself for not being more careful. Fuck, you hoped she would be nice to Eddie.

You got dressed in something simple. Short-sleeved, and enough to cover your wound, while your mom put herself in a dress. You weren't going to tell her that people didn't dress like that for bars anymore, but it seemed that your own mother wanted to make a good impression on your friends… and boyfriend. Hopefully.

"Okay, I'm ready." She finished applying some mascara, and you were fumbling with your fingers, gulping heavily.

"Mom? Can you… not mention what you saw to the others? We keep it private with Eddie…" And fuck, that did not help your case. Your mother looked at you through the mirror, squinting a little.

"That he hurts you?" Your eyes widened, shaking your head desperately.

"No! God no! He doesn't hurt me, but I don't want them to think wrongly, like the way you are probably doing right now." Every word that came out of your mouth just worsened the situation. You could see the displeasure in your mom's features, and you couldn't believe that you were being this stupid.

"Sure." She pointedly answered, and you sighed in relief, which didn't go unnoticed by her. It was a little bit awkward as you two got ready to go out, but it loosened up when she got into your car, and you drove her around towards the bar. She was looking at the city, at the small apartment buildings, at the shops, and at the park.

You parked the car and got out of it, your mom following right behind. You took a deep breath in before you both entered the bar, which thankfully was not crowded. Your mom looked around in awe, smiling at how well decorated it was. How retro it felt.

"Oh, this kind of setting brings back memories. He has a nice bar." She commented, and you nodded, spotting your friends at the biggest booth in the back. Even Jonathan was sitting, using his day off to meet your mother.

"Yeah. Come on, they're over there." You frowned as you didn't spot Eddie at all, walking towards the booth, feeling as if your knees were going to give out at any given moment. When you finally reached the table, they all stopped talking, getting up with a smile on their faces. The first one to talk, as always, was Argyle.

"Well! You said your mom was visiting brochacha, not your sister!" You rolled your eyes at his comment, but your mom giggled, waving him off.

"What a charmer. You must be Argyle." His eyes widened, smiling widely.

"Did my hair give me away?"

"The brochacha." She said with a laugh, and he gave her a nod, putting his hand behind Eden's back.

"This is my girlfriend, Eden, the coolest girl you will ever meet." Eden blushed, reaching over to shake your mother's hand.

"Your makeup is amazing!" Your mom said excitedly, and Eden beamed, smiling widely. This was going better than you thought, which was surprising.

"Thank you!" She sat back down with Argyle, and then Jonathan reached for your mother's hand, a smile on his face.

"I'm Jonathan. Nice to meet you." She shook his hand, nodding.

"Your bar is incredible, darling." He blushed at the praise, rubbing the back of his neck. You were surprised to see Jonathan looking so embarrassed, yet proud of himself.

"Thank you for that ma'am." Steve then followed, shaking your mother's hand as well.

"I'm Steve, Jonathan's boyfriend."

"Oh, this is the one you mentioned with the hair!" She pointed at him, and you sighed, rubbing your forehead in embarrassment.

"Mom." But Steve puffed his chest, a big smile showing on his lips.

"Great, isn't it?" Your mom nodded, laughing, and Nancy rounded the table to greet her.

"I'm Nancy, nice to finally meet you!"

"Same to you, sweetheart. My daughter tells me you are a reporter?"

"Very good one at that." Robin chimed in, standing next to your mom. She looked at your best friend, and Robin turned red, and you knew her mouth was going to start rambling. "I'm Robin! I work with your daughter, with your great daughter, who is an amazing friend, and she told me so much about you, and honestly, you sound amazing too, so I guess it's hereditary—"

"Of course you are Robin!" Your mom said with a big smile, giving her a hug. Your eyes widened at that, but your heart softened because she knew how much Robin meant to you. How if it weren't for Robin, you would not have the friends you have now… nor Eddie.

"Oh, wow, I didn't expect a hug." Your best friend hugged back nervously, and then she frowned, looking at you questioningly. "Wait, what did she mean 'Of course you're Robin'?"

Your eyes widened, shrugging. You would never tell Robin that you told your mom that she rambles on and on sometimes. Much more when she is nervous. You guided your mom to sit on the booth, next to Argyle, and you sat down next to her, right on the edge. You looked around, worryingly.

"Where's Eddie?" You asked, and Steve pulled out his phone, trying to check if he had any messages, frowning.

"Uh, not a clue. He didn't message us or anything." He didn't message you either. He just said he was going to show up, but he wasn't here. You started growing impatient as your mother engaged in conversation with Eden and Argyle.

Did Eddie bail on you? Did he get scared? Your mom wasn't that bad, but maybe he was afraid either way? He made it known how nervous he was about this situation, but he still promised to show up. He promised to meet your mom. You wanted him to meet your mom, even if—

Your eyes widened as you spotted him coming in… Not really looking like Eddie.

He was wearing a long-sleeved dress shirt, buttoned all the way up to his neck, covering all of his tattoos. He had it tucked inside his dress pants, looking as if he worked in an office. His hair was tied back, neatly, not a single strand falling off on his face. What the actual fuck.

You weren't the only one stunned; everyone stopped talking, including your mom as he walked over. You showed pictures of Eddie to your mom, and this was definitely not the same man.

"Uh—" Jonathan started, and Eddie cut in. His voice was a little higher than usual. Oh, he was fucking nervous, and you winced as you heard him talk.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm sorry I'm late, I was getting a little more presentable." He smiled nervously, looking at the entire table, finally landing on your mom, who was staring at him as if he were a ghost. You fumbled on your seat, getting up to stand next to Eddie, grabbing his arm.

"I um— Mom, this is Eddie, my boyfriend. You know that." You giggled a little choked up, because this entire situation was awkward. Way too awkward. No one was talking at all, and Eddie was choking himself with this shirt all up towards his neck. Your mom hummed, getting up from her seat to walk towards Eddie, and you braced yourself. Your smile faltered when you saw her put her hand out for him to shake.

Why didn't she hug him? Eddie is as important as Robin, so why—

"Nice to meet you, Edward." You heard Robin wince a bit, and you could feel your heart thrumming in your ears. Eddie gulped, shaking your mom's hand, and you noticed how his face twitched, falling for a second, and you knew he could smell your mother's scent… And it didn't seem like it was a good one.

"O-Okay! Let's order some drinks! On the house!" Jonathan almost screamed with a wide smile, forcing it all the way up to his eyes. Your mom sat back down again, and you looked at Eddie, frowning, pulling him down to press a kiss on his cheek, taking a moment to whisper.

"What are you doing?"

"Failing at making a good impression." He whispered back, and he pulled away from you, sitting down right in front of your seat, which was an action that caught your mom's attention. You knew he felt a bit defeated now, but the night was young, and he could still manage to salvage the situation. You sat next to your mom with a sigh, and you could see Eddie just pointedly looking at your mother talk.

And for the whole night, your mother didn't talk to him at all.

You were getting infuriated, and everyone noticed, even Eddie. His attention left your mom completely, focusing on you. You were his priority now, and your own family was making you feel bad. He didn't like that.

But you were willing to give it another try. Just one more. It seemed your mom really liked Nancy and Argyle, surprisingly, and you were stunned when she accepted weed offer from your friend. You could feel a foot reaching to touch yours underneath the table, and you looked up to see Eddie staring at you with worry.

You shook your head, waving him off, that everything was fine. But you knew that Eddie could smell you weren't.

Finally, it was time to leave, and after bidding everyone goodbye, it was just Eddie, your mom, and you, standing outside the bar. She looked at you, a smile on her face.

"Well, it was lovely. I enjoyed it very much, but I'm ready to head back and lie down—"

"Eddie is coming over." You pointedly say. Your boyfriend and your mom froze up, looking at you, but your face was determined, daggers shooting at your mother.

"I— Don't worry, I don't want to be in between you and your mom, Peach—" You shook your head at Eddie, making him close his mouth.

"I think you need to get to know my boyfriend better, privately. Don't you think so, Mom?"

Your mom was not a bad person. She really wasn't, so that's why you were angry. You were angry at everything. Eddie changing his appearance to be likable to your mom, but your mom not even giving him the time of day, even if he put that effort in. So you were going to make her.

"I mean, we can, but maybe tomorrow?" She tried, and you shook your head.

"Now. Eddie, follow us behind." With that, you walked to your car, your mom looking at Eddie once before she followed towards the passenger's seat. You turned to look at your boyfriend for a second, and he was confused, worried, giving you a single nod before he walked away to where he parked.

You got in, and your mother just looked at you worriedly as she buckled herself in her seat. You put the car on drive, and she noticed how you weren't talking, gulping a bit as the air inside the car was a little tense.

"Your friends are nice…" She said sweetly, with a smile, but your face was not changing, still looking forward onto the road.

"And what about my boyfriend?" Your mom's demeanor changed, souring just a tiny bit, looking away from you.

"He is okay."

"You didn't even talk to him. You didn't look his way."

"I was talking to other people, sorry for not prioritizing him." She replied snarkily, and you never saw your mom act this way. You never had a problem like this with her, and that was only putting log into the flames, because Eddie was it. Eddie was it for you.

"Great, that's why we are heading home, so you can get to know him privately." And the ride remained silent. This was not going to be a nice talk unless your mom put in the effort. Once you got to your apartment, you waited for Eddie before going up to your house.

You saw him park a few cars away, and you could see how he took a deep breath in before moving your way. You didn't know what to feel anymore. You didn't know how to act in this situation because you thought your mom would love Eddie. You always tell her about him through messages, and she responds with hearts and smiley faces.

Was she pretending?

"Well, let's go upstairs, and I'll make some coffee." You said flatly, walking inside first, and Eddie stepped away to let your mom through first. It felt as if you were about to yell at two toddlers for messing up. As if you were about to go crazy on them, because that's how you felt.

The elevator was silent, and the air was thick with tension and nerves. The awkwardness and embarrassment bouncing on the walls and mirrors. Your mom wasn't talking, Eddie wasn't talking, and you didn't know who to blame for this lack of communication.

Once inside your house, you guided them to sit on the couch, together, and they hesitated for a second, before Eddie let your mom take a seat first, then he sat a cushion away from her. Good enough.

"Alright. Get to know him." You commanded, turning around to start making some coffee, trying not to let your anger take over you. Everything was burning. Everything felt like a furnace in your body, and you couldn't quite pinpoint why this was happening.

"I… Okay… Um… Eddie, my daughter told me you are a mechanic?" She asked, looking at your boyfriend, who wasn't looking at her. His eyes were stuck on your back, worriedly. Your scent was spicy, pungent, with not an ounce of sweetness in it. "Edward?"

That snapped him out, looking at her, "I— Yes. I own a shop actually, and my home is right upstairs. It's an old fire department."

"That's great! Yeah… And um… She told me you play guitar?" Your mom heard the coffee maker make sounds, and she turned to look at you again, but you were still turned around, preparing cups. Eddie's eyes followed back, now stuck to your back again, feeling his chest warming more.

Your mom looked at Eddie, who wasn't answering her question. She tilted her head at how intensely he was looking at you, and his face looked angry. She frowned herself, now straightening up, her eyes squinting as she continued speaking,

"Edward, I asked you something." Your ears perked up at the tone your mom just gave Eddie. This was making you grip the cup in your hands, looking at the counter as you felt ringing in your drums. Eddie's resolution failed, feeling like he was getting choked up, opening the first few buttons of his shirt, before turning to look at her.

"Maybe we shouldn't have this conversation now." He sharply responded, taking your mom aback, as well as yourself.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. We should talk when your daughter doesn't feel distraught." Your head whipped over your shoulder, and you realized Eddie was getting worked up.

"My daughter wanted us to get to know one another, so that we shall."

"I will not." Eddie made a final statement, and your eyes widened, looking at how your own mother's eyes sharpened, and you felt your heart thrumming in your throat.

"Well, then I invite you to leave so I can talk with her—"

"Oh no. She is coming with me, ma'am." He gave your mother a humorless chuckle, as if your mom just told him the best joke alive, but she didn't know the reasoning behind his words. She didn't know why he was behaving like this, and from everything she saw, from everything she heard you say, your mother thought the worse.

"I won't let you hurt my daughter." Eddie's eyes widened, his chest reddened, because the audacity that your mother had, thinking that he would ever hurt you in any way, that he would cause you any harm, was fucking stupid.

"Hurt her? I believe you're doing that job now, ma'am." At that, your mother stood up, pointing at the door with an angered look on her face.

"Get out, now!" And you had enough. You slammed the cup on the counter, or rather, you threw it, shattering it into pieces. Their heads whipped to look at you, and you were breathing heavily, your eyes glaring at your mother.

"You don't get to kick him out. You don't know SHIT, mom! Why can't you fucking see he makes me happy!? Why can't you see beyond the first impression of today!?" You yelled, and you two never fought, but her getting in between you and Eddie was not an option. Not ever.

"I saw the bite mark! I saw the flesh torn off! You asked me not to say anything to your friends, and now he is going to take you away from me!? How the hell do you not want me to worry!?" Eddie sank on the couch, realizing now how the situation looked. Realizing that your mom was as protective as he was with you.

"Because I told you not to! I told you not to stick your fucking nose in it because this is my life, and I am not stupid!" At that, your mother's eyes grew, her teeth showing at you as she spoke through them, her voice raising in volume, and you wanted to cry. You really wanted to cry.

"What makes you think he will stay and give you what you want!? Two relationships promised that, and you ended up broken! Don't be so naive!"

You felt the tears streaming down your face, your heart feeling like it was about to burst, and you shook your head, the sobbing starting to form in your throat, and you rushed towards the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind you.

Your mom stood in the living room, breathing heavy, and Eddie was looking up at her. She smelled muddy, like grass on a rainy day. And then he saw the tears falling, like yours just did.

She sniffled, sitting back down on the couch, and his eyes never left her profile. She rubbed her fingers over her lap, the nerves, the anxiety, the sadness radiating off from her.

"I… I just want to protect my daughter. Don't think ill of me…" He blinked a few times, but nodded a few times.

"I understand." He softly spoke, and she finally turned to look at him, her eyes red from the tears, from the burning.

"I'm aware, hyper aware, of everything surrounding her, of everything that happens to her with her partners… I don't want to miss a single detail…" Her lip wobbled, and Eddie felt his heart sink, "My daughter went through so much… So much trauma, so much pain… And as a mother, I felt that… I missed red flags, signs that I should have noticed to protect my child…"

Eddie sat there next to her, sensing every emotion as she looked like she was going to break. He frowned as he looked towards the bathroom, and then back at her.

"I would never hurt your daughter." He stated, and she sighed, nodding, but she kept looking his way, eyes sharp and determined.

"That bite… I'm sorry, I can't overlook that…"

"I know, but I promise, it was just a heat of the moment where I didn't… measure myself intimately." He winced at his own words, a little ashamed, a little bit guilty, but most of all nervous.

"You know what my daughter wishes for… And she was mutilated with a fake contract, and then she had a boyfriend who also broke her… I'm sorry for doubting you, but please understand that it will take me some time to trust someone else in my daughter's life…"

And he could feel his blood flowing all over, his determination shining through as he saw how honest and how much your mother loved you… Just the way he loves you. And so, your mother has to know that you are his forever, and for her to understand—

"I'm an Alpha."

Silence fell in the room, and yet Eddie didn't feel nervous, nor was he afraid. He didn't feel like this was a mistake to say that this was and is what your mother needed to hear for her to understand everything.

"What?" She was in shock at the revelation, and her eyes never left his, finding truth, finding honesty, yet hard to believe, "Is this a joke?"

"No. I am an Alpha. I'm not a Beta." His voice was steady, not an ounce of trembling or fear. He could scent the uneasiness, the confusion, the mixed feelings brewing inside her mind.

"Alphas and Omegas are extinct, that is impossible—"

"If you need proof, I can give it. I can explain everything. What I am, how I found out, and where I get myself checked."

And there was silence again, your mother stuttering as she processed this new information she just received. She cleared her throat, blinking tears away.

"And what proof can you give me right now?" He took a sharp intake of breath, unbuttoning his shirt a bit more, and moving to reveal his left shoulder. She frowned as she looked at the tattoo, inching closer. Under the ink, she saw punctures, almost invisible, just little dots all over his shoulder.

"My mating gland. I have to inject myself with suppressants to appear Beta, to not lash out at any given moment…" He slid the sleeve back up and buttoned up once more, "I'm sure you know, but I lashed out once when I met your daughter's ex."

"Henry…" He nodded, feeling his fingertips sweat with the memory.

"I couldn't control myself. I wasn't even dating your daughter properly, but seeing him— I just saw red. Pure red. And just now, I saw it again, when you tried to… make me leave." He looked away from her in shame, closing his eyes. She sat still, her mouth open, not knowing what to say or how to act.

"Why?" And he remained quiet for a moment before looking back at your mom.

"Because I need her… Ma'am, I've chosen your daughter as my mate. My long life mate."

She froze over, her hands coming to cover her mouth in shock as tears welled up in her eyes once again. If this is true, if what he was saying was real, then she wouldn't have to worry about anything. She wouldn't have to worry about him leaving you at all, or him hurting you.

"The bite… Her left shoulder…" Your mother knew about the history, as everyone once learned in school. But it all made sense now. He was ultra protective of you because he had marked you, even if you were a Beta. He nodded, frowning as he looked down.

"I was in my rut, and I became blind by it. My body reacted on its own… I would never intentionally hurt your daughter. Ever." She was still stuck on the couch, looking at him as if she were seeing a ghost. As if what Eddie was saying was out of a complete fairytale.

"Does she know?" She asked, and he nodded, making her look at the bathroom door for a second before coming back to him.

"She even went to the clinic with me. She knows about my medicine, my doctor… She knows what I am, and still accepted me." He was rubbing his hands together, waiting for your mom's words, now feeling the nerves of what he just done.

"Do people know? I'm… It's just, I don't think you would be here if people did— I'm sorry, I am still trying to wrap my head around this, I'm a little all over the place…" He knew how confused she was, how uncertain this all sounded.

"No. The only ones that know are my doctor, Steve, your daughter… and now you." She frowned, tilting her head in question.

"Why tell me this?" And he paused for a second, a soft smile breaking on his lips.

"Because I want you to know just how much I love your daughter. How much I want her. How much I would protect her, defend her, and keep her by my side no matter what. I needed you to understand that I want the same things she does. She is my mate, forever, and I can only mate once for life."

She pressed her lips together, feeling her throat closing up, nodding as new tears started building up. She reached over to grab Eddie's hand, squeezing it tightly. And he smelled it, finally. Reassurance, relief, sweet scents coming from her. She was… content.

The door unlocked, and she pulled her hand away, turning to see you walking out of the bathroom, red eyes from crying, sniffling as you stood in the living room again. Eddie took a deep breath in, turning his head to look at you.

"Mom, I think you—" But Eddie cut you off, standing up.

"I think you both need to talk." You frowned, looking up at him as if he just said something crazy. You were going to tell your mom that she should leave tomorrow, but Eddie's eyes were staring into yours, giving you a nod. "I'll go home for the night, okay?"

"I…" You were a little speechless, but he didn't let you finish, leaning forward, giving you a soft kiss on the lips that lingered for more than two seconds, and pulling away. Your breath hitched, your eyebrows still met in the middle.

"I love you. I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright, Peach?" You doubted for a second, but nodded slowly in understanding.

"I love you too… I'll see you tomorrow…" He gave you a soft smile, completely different from the demeanor from a few minutes ago, before you broke down. He turned to face your mom, gave her a little wave, and was surprised when she reciprocated. He gave you a soft squeeze on your hand before walking to the front door, closing it behind him once he left.

Your heart was beating in your chest, wildly so, because everything looked different. Everything seemed tranquil, and you didn't know if you liked that. Your eyes caught on your mom getting up from the couch, walking over to face you. She took a deep breath in, gulping, a tear rolling down her face.

"I accept him." You frowned, standing straighter, your guard lowering as you looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

"What…? Why did you change your mind? Did you talk to him?" You asked, hopeful, and she nodded, before her bottom lip wobbled, rushing over to hug you tightly. You were stunned into the ground, now wondering what happened between them. What did Eddie do?

"I am so happy you found him. I know he will take care of you…" You hugged back, confused, and then you pulled away to face her, but not from the embrace.

"Mom, I'm confused… What happened?"

"He told me…" Told her?

"What did he tell you?" And her eyes fell to your left shoulder.

And everything clicked. Your blood ran cold, panic setting in. Nobody should know, Eddie told you that, so why did he tell your mom? Why did he do that?

"He told me what I needed to know to understand his commitment to you… And I do believe he is, isn't he?" Her hand caressed your cheek, softly, and now you understood.

Eddie did it for you. He told your mom so she would be relieved you were going to be okay. Your eyes welled up with happy tears as you nodded quickly, not being able to hold back on your emotions. You couldn't believe he did this for you. That he told something so secret, so private, just for you.

"I— He is my mate…" You finally whispered, and she sighed with a smile on her face, her thumb rubbing your cheek slowly. "And I am his…"

"I am so happy for you… You found him." And you finally crumbled into her arms, crying into her shoulder from pure happiness, from contentment, from calmness. The storm that was above your head cleared up in an instant, and your mom would not have to worry about your future anymore. About what could happen. What couldn't.

"I did… I did, mom… He wants kids with me, he really wants a family with me, and he wants me for me…" She sniffled against you, her hand caressing your head.

"I'm so relieved, I am so overjoyed," After a minute of holding each other, you two finally pull away, wiping tears away from each other. You smiled widely, sniffling as you felt your heart become whole once more. And then, you knew you had to have that talk now. That you could tell her everything.

"Mom… I need to tell you something too…" Now she frowned as worry settled in again. "When I went to that clinic for the first time, the doctor did studies on me…"

"Studies? Are you alright? Why didn't you tell me before?" She asked a little panicked, and you guided her to sit on the couch again, facing her.

"Because what I found out has to do with Eddie's condition, sort of…" You took a sharp intake of breath, feeling your heart coming back up to your throat as you held her hand. You felt a wave of heat rushing to your face as embarrassment made its presence. "Eddie as an Alpha… Let's say he is not… normal, down there…"

Her eyes widened a little, her body recoiling a bit at the information, but then it sank in as information and history flooded her mind. She squinted slightly, but then she squeezed your hand to make sure you felt comfortable.

"So he is…?"

"Big… Bigger than average." You could see your mom getting nervous; this information was not normally shared between you, so she knew she had to pay attention.

"Alright? Isn't that good?" And with that, you nodded, but then shook your head.

"For me, yes… But the normal would be that I shouldn't be able to take him." Your mom blinked, a bit confused, frowning at your words.

"Okay? You can… do that—"

"Mom, I don't think you are grasping the situation. Betas cannot take an Alpha's…" You let the sentence die, raising your eyebrows at her so she could make out the rest on her own. Your mom straightened up, eyes widening as she realized what you meant.

"Oh… Oh? I— But you can?" You slowly nodded, and your mother's posture tensed, and you saw how her eyes started filling with realization, with confusion, and worry. "How…?"

"Eddie's doctor asked me if I had trouble with intimacy. When I basically said I didn't, he ran tests because it is impossible for Betas to take an Alpha, not entirely."

"That doctor ran tests? Blood?" She asked, and you nodded, wincing a bit as you continued.

"Ultrasounds too…"

"… And what did he find?"

You felt your eyes start burning, the memory paining you as much as it brought joy.

"That physically, I'm an Omega." Your mother froze in her spot, stuttering as she struggled to get words out.

"Ph— What does it mean physically? You are not, you are a Beta, I…" She was rambling as she pressed her free hand on her forehead, trying to focus. You gulped, nodding.

"I am a Beta. But… My canals, my uterus, they're Omega." Your mother was confused, perplexed even, not knowing how to make sense out of anything you were saying. You looked up at her to see her gazing at nothing in particular, just thinking. "Mom?"

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm just… trying to understand… How— When? I don't even know what to ask…"

"The fertility treatments…" At that, her head snapped to look at you. Your eyes were red once more from the anger, the sadness, the pain that came back every time you remembered it. "I shouldn't have done them one after the other… It should have been once per year…"

"What!? No— No, because the centers would have told you! They can't do that to you! That's not—" She stood up, her anger boiling up, the rage of a mother who saw her daughter at her worst, coming back to the surface.

"They didn't… They only cared about the money, mom." Her head snapped to look at you, and she looked murderous, a tear slipping down her cheek. She erratically shook her head, and she started pacing in your living room.

"I'm going to kill them. I'm going to kill every single one of them! Starting with those two motherfuckers! How dare they do this to you!? To my child!?" You felt a sob in your throat, and you pressed your elbows on your knees, feeling the knot starting to appear, and the tears started to flow down. Your mom immediately rushed to sit next to you again, pressing her hand on your back, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"I got angry too… I'm still angry at that. I am— I am so mad, and so sad at the same time about it." You sighed, looking at your mom almost hopelessly. "It morphed me, but not entirely."

"What do you mean, not entirely?"

"I am physically an Omega, but I am not fertile. I don't have the qualities of an Omega except for the shape of my reproductive system." You sobbed into your throat as your mom tried to shush you softly, noticing you were beginning to have a breakdown once again.

"Sweetheart—"

"You don't understand! It's like I changed, but I didn't at the same time! If I had morphed into an Omega, completely, I wouldn't have to care for fertility treatments, and I would be able to mate Eddie properly, but I'm still this stupid fucking—" Finally, you broke down, your face burying into your mom's chest, sobbing as she held you close to her. She rocked back and forth as she tried to hold back tears, closing her eyes, feeling your pain through your cries, through the tremble of your shoulders.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here… I…" She couldn't even talk, and you shook your head into her chest.

"No, mom. No… I didn't tell you because…" You sniffled, pulling back as you tried to hold back on your crying, just so you would be able to speak. "Eddie's condition is secret, mine is too, and I am sorry, I couldn't say it, and now Eddie—"

"Shh, shh…" She pulled you back into her chest, as you kept crying, not realizing just how much you needed your mom. How much you had missed her. How much you needed to tell someone about this, especially your mom.

And so, you slept, cuddled up to her that night, like you once did as a child. She did little rubs on your back, causing goosebumps that made you relax, and after so long, after so many weeks, you felt a weight being lifted off your shoulders. It was so invisible that you didn't even feel it was there. Now, your heart is light, happy—

And you had Eddie to thank for it.

The next day, your eyes were puffy from crying, waking up later than your mom, and not realizing how much you slept. She wasn't in the bed, so you assumed she was in the kitchen. By the smell of food, you knew she was making you her special onion cream soup. It was your favorite as a child, and it still is, but only the one your mom makes.

You got up, stretching, popping your back and arms. You groaned at that, wincing a little at the sound of all the bones cracking. You slept like a log entirely. You were suddenly met with muffled voices, not just your mom's. You frowned, opening the door to your bedroom, walking out to find Eddie in front of the stove, his back towards you, and your mom was next to him, guiding him in something.

"Okay, now, sauteé the onions, slowly, in circular motions—"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, what is sauteé?"

"Edward, just stir the onions until they're golden brown so they caramelize."

Eddie's back perked up, nostrils flaring, and his head turned to see you standing there, frozen. He was back to wearing his own clothes. A black tank top with cut sleeves, and then some ripped pants. Your mom followed his gaze, about to greet you, but her face turned to Eddie once more, sternly.

"Keep stiring or they will burn!" He jumped in the spot, his arm now moving in circles erratically.

"YES MA'AM!" And he was moving quickly, making your mom panic as she tried to stop him from spilling the onions everywhere.

"Edward!"

You didn't even hear Eddie come into your house. That's how exhausted you were from the day before. You could see all the utensils on the counters, the spices, your mom with the apron on, and a small notepad on Eddie's side, and you realized your mom was teaching him her recipe. Her own secret recipe for your favorite soup.

"Peach, your mom is not letting me do this myself!"

"Because you are going to burn it all!"

And you almost cried as you took a sip of the almost burnt onion soup that Eddie made. Not because of disgust or the bitterness.

You were just…

Happy.

As your mom held your hand, and Eddie fought to try to pull you away from her, claiming she had you all day the day before, you figured that maybe things happened for a reason. Every wrong that was done to you led you to this moment, right here, in your living room.

Maybe things staying this way wasn't so bad after all.

end of chapter 31

a/n: im sorry if this was anticlimatic, but im building it up

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