Tristan walked into the living room to see his parents arguing in hushed tones.
This is the first time he was seeing them argue, which was unusual. But that wasn't the only unusual thing he has witnessed recently.
Just two days ago, his older sister had miraculously disappeared.
No explanation was given to him and just like an invisible member of the family he wasn't expecting one.
He passed beside them to his room without their notice, or that was what he thought until a gentle knock sounded on his door a little while later.
His mother walked inside with a downcast expression on her face.
"Are you okay?" Tristan asked in worry.
She shook her head and proceeded to sit on the small space beside him on his tiny bed.
The bed and the only reading table and chair by the bedside was a telltale sign of the tough times the family has passed through.
Adjusting his glasses on his nose to see her properly.
He waited patiently for her to talk.
Just in the first year of college and as a young adult, his parents never pay attention to his struggles or try to understand him. Hence her presence in his room made him quite uneasy.
"Your sister had left us" She began as she nervously wrung her fingers where she placed them on her laps.
"What happened?
Why did she leave?"
Tristan asked in a soft voice barely above a whisper.
"She doesn't want to—
Instead of completing the statement she broke down into tears.
Tristan awkwardly wiped at her tears, his heart tugging painfully watching her cry.
"Why don't you just tell him!" His father burst into the room suddenly and yelled at her.
Tristan shrank back in shock at his sudden entrance.
A crazed look on his face.
Tristan nervously looked between them, a feeling of bad omen struck him.
"Did something happen to her?" He asked nervously.
"See, we really don't care about that. But there is something you need to do in her stead.
I have raised you all your life without a complaint after your mother brought you into my house. Don't you think it's time you pay me back for all those years?" He asked loudly.
His mother gasped and turned a stern face at him.
"You certainly can't ask him to do it!" She argued back.
"Do what? Can you both explain what's going on to me?" Tristan's voice went high in frustration.
"Your sister, Jane, is supposed to get married to someone tomorrow.
Someone powerful enough to have us all wiped away from the face of earth with just a single word.
But since she disappeared, we need you to marry him instead" He explained his voice stuttering at the last words.
"Me?" Tristan points to himself in disbelief.
"Yes, since you are also an omega like her. It makes no difference. You have a small frame and looks like a female anyways he would not notice" His father continued, his eyes moving over Tristan's body like he was appraising a treasure.
"No," Tristan replied without a second thought.
His mother let out a sigh after his refusal, she was hoping he would agree without much stress.
"Have you failed to understand my words?
This Alpha will certainly not take a NO for an answer!
Our lives are at stake you moron!" He yelled again.
Tristan shifts back from him in fear while shaking his head.
In a world where the highest ranks of the people are Alphas and the lowest ranks are Omegas, betas are in between and have no appealing features or quality.
When an Alpha words are law, Betas makes sure those laws are dutifully followed.
While the Omegas have no choice but to obey.
They are not gender specific and they tend to be weak, timid and gentle.
The society has grown to the extent that Omegas are seen as the weakness of the race while the Alphas are the strongest.
But above the Alphas, there are a few Alpha kings.
With large and insurmountable territories, their wealth also cannot be counted.
Being born as an Omega is what Tristan sees as his misfortune.
When he found out that he was omega, his passive step-father began to show his hatred but avoided him most of the time.
His sister also won't talk to him, she was older than him but also an Omega. She made it clear to him on several occasions that she finds it hard to relate with him, making their relationship restrained as siblings.
And at school, he has only female friends because his male classmates all bully and tease him for his feminine features and weakness since most of them are betas and Alphas.
"Tomorrow is the wedding, you have to get ready for it". His father concluded before he left angrily.
Tristan looked down with his legs pulled up to his chest as tears clouded his eyes, waiting to spill.
His mother followed him quietly a few minutes after and the tears finally fell freely.
He had thought he would be able to achieve his dreams despite how difficult it was to study in a society full of oppression from everyone.
Tristan held back a sob as sadness and anger overwhelmed him.
He lay down on his side on the bed, hoping that the following morning everything would be fine and what just happened would be a nightmare and he would wake up.
But as things don't always happen as he wished.
He woke up to the beginning of his problems.