Pack

Prologue

Nests were supposed to be made by omegas. They were supposed to be protected by alphas. That was how it worked. Omegas had instincts to make and maintain homes, while alphas had instincts to protect and lead them.

Edward was a beta. Betas were supposed to keep the peace. They didn't have as strong an urge to please and listen to alphas, nor to protect and comfort omegas. They were the glue that held both sides together.

But they tended to be rather... poor at taking care of themselves. They weren't supposed to need to. They had omegas to make their nests and keep them fed and teach them how to function within their pack. They had alphas to protect them and keep them safe and teach them to function in greater society.

Edward knew how to take care of himself fairly well. This was not a good thing.

His alpha father was what Edward needed protecting from, and his omega mother hadn't once bothered to make Edward a nest. He'd been making his own since his mother dubbed him too old to sleep in his parents' nest.

Betas didn't typically make nests. Edward thought he was pretty good at it. Sure, they tended to be a little lumpy and cold and came apart easily, but he was certain that was how most nests were — right?

Betas were not supposed to cook. Edward thought he was pretty good at it. Sure, most of what he made was either a little cold and soggy or far too black, but he was certain that most food that didn't come from restaurants was like that — right?

Betas were not supposed to fight. Edward thought he was pretty good at it. To be fair, modern society had decided that all designations could fight pretty well, if in different ways, and Edward was legitimately fairly tough considering his bad leg and generally scrawny-leaning build.

Betas were not supposed to take care of themselves. People were not supposed to be packless. Edward thought he was pretty good at living on his own. Sure, he tended to be rather sad and everything he did failed and he had somehow ended up a Supervillain, but surely that was the world's fault rather than his own — right?