Omega's Truth - Nora Phoenix Page 0,5
blocker but a medicine to ameliorate the effects of the gene on the heat.”
The man remembered that conversation they’d had the first time they’d met? Huh. Interesting. Maybe he had been right about the professor knowing who Maz was, but he’d asked the wrong question because he’d been distracted.
“That is good news, Professor. How do the meds work?”
“By comparing samples from gene carriers and noncarriers, both before and after their heats, we’ve isolated four proteins that might be crucial. I believe that administering these proteins to a gene carrier before the first heat will induce a normal heat and that gene carriers who have already had heats will see the effects lessen over time.”
Over the next fifteen minutes, Melloni explained the working of the gene and the proposed medicine in more detail, and Maz asked questions until he understood as much as he could. This was not his specialty after all. And not once did Melloni act confused or had he gotten details mixed up. It eased Maz’s worry over his supposed memory issues, though he couldn’t shake off Sando’s fear for his father. The omega wasn’t prone to overreacting or theatrical dramatics, so where did that fear come from? What side was Melloni not showing Maz?
“The biggest challenge is setting up a clinical trial. Palani won’t let me ask for volunteers without one, but with the current uprisings all over the country, organizing a formal clinical trial is impossible. If we have to wait for things to return to normal, it could be years before the gene carriers can use this medicine.”
Now that passive-aggressive attempt at getting Maz to overrule Palani sounded more like Professor Melloni as Maz had gotten to know him. “I’m not comfortable going against a decision Palani made, considering he’s second-in-command of the pack.”
Melloni waved dismissively. “He’s not a doctor, not a scientist. How could he understand?”
“You’d be surprised at what he understands. He’s one of the smartest men I know.”
“Sure, sure. But he’s not a doctor.”
“Neither are you,” Maz said calmly. Hell if he was letting Melloni manipulate him by appealing to his supposed higher rank as a doctor.
Melloni’s eyes darkened. “Not a medical doctor, but I do have a PhD in my field. Two, actually. That gives me the right to call myself a doctor.”
“Absolutely, and no one is disputing your credits, Professor, but it doesn’t give you the right to pretend your kind of doctor and mine are the same. They’re not. Your knowledge of all this far surpasses mine…and my knowledge and experience as an ob/gyn outweigh yours. We’re not the same, you and me, so let’s not pretend we are.”
Melloni leaned back in his chair, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “You call Palani smart, but you’re pretty sharp yourself.”
Maz said nothing. That backhanded compliment wasn’t one he was willing to acknowledge. Melloni waited a few beats, then apparently realized Maz wasn’t gonna react, and said, “But regardless of the differences between you and me, we can agree that Palani lacks the knowledge and expertise to fully comprehend how groundbreaking this research is. If he had, he would’ve understood that insisting on a medical trial in this case is harmful to all the poor omegas we could help by releasing this medicine.”
Maz resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Melloni might be smart, but his attempts at emotional manipulation were laughable. Did he really think Maz would fall for that line of reasoning? If so—and judging by the serious expression on the man’s face, Maz was coming to the conclusion that he did—it spoke volumes about the kind of alphas he’d encountered so far. Or maybe the kind of doctors.
“Professor Melloni, can I be frank with you? It would make things so much easier than all this pretending and game playing.”
Melloni’s eyes widened, but then he caught himself. “Of course, Maz. I’d appreciate that.”
Hell, even the man’s use of his first name was a subtle way to position himself above Maz, who always referred to Melloni by his title. Fuck that. “Good. Can I call you Ricardo, by the way?”
“I prefer to be addressed as Professor,” the man said stiffly. “I think I have earned that right.”
“If you insist on formalities, I’d prefer you address me as Doctor Ahadi because I damn well know I’ve earned that right.”
Oh, that got a reaction out of the professor, his eyes spewing fire now. Gone was the polite, slightly condescending attitude, and in its place had come anger.
“I see I