Page 22 of The Beta's Bargain

Silas waits a few minutes and disappears, too. I putter around but end up grabbing my tablet and finding my way to the office. I set up my desktop with the security feeds and actually do some work for a while before I find myself watching the beta’s twin. She’s up late in the piano lounge with a pack, and she is flirting heavily. The entire pack is captivated. She’s going to do well for herself.

Without intention, I flick the camera to his private suite. They’re both sitting on the couch, side by side. He’d got his feet on the coffee table…but he’s not watching the movie, he’s watching her.

Why? What is it about her?

She stood up to three alphas to protect him. That takes guts. More than guts, it borders on suicidal.

She’s funny and smart. Caring and nurturing. Diligent and hard working.

I jerk myself out of my thoughts. What am I thinking, listing her merits? I squint at the screen. She’s beautiful, too, in her own way, though too skinny and exhausted. Slate coloured intelligent eyes with black hair and lashes. Her lips are thin, but she’s expressive. She can’t hide her feelings, though she tries. She’s not obviously curvy, but she’s all feminine.

What does he see in her?

She jumps and buries her face in his arm. Her fingers curl on his wrist. It hurts to see her touching what only my pack should be touching. But now I’m also a little intrigued.

I shouldn’t be.

We agreed as a pack. For our own sanity. Just the four of us.

But he’s looking at her like that.

And it’s hot. And intriguing. My cock is half hard, and I fight to ignore it. But his eyes are burning, and she hasn’t even noticed. She flinches and bites her lip, Dylan and I both stare at the spot her teeth hold skin. My heart beat sounds deafening in my ears. What does she taste like?

“What the fuck am I doing?” I shut the computer screen off and lean back in my chair.

Images flood my mind, but I replay the way he stormed into our employee meeting. The blaze in his eyes. I imagine slamming him up against the wall, our lips clashing together. Lemon sorbet. I reach into my pants and stroke myself. It’s not long before I’m hard. I rub my thumb over the tip of my cock, spreading the pre-cum around, imagining it's Dylan’s hand. He’d open his mouth, dragging his lower lip up my cock and flick his tongue around the head. I fist my cock, moving into a steady rhythm. I’d grip his hair and thrust into his open mouth, listening to his greedy slurps. I feel a tingle in the base of my spine. My groan is loud in my office as my muscles tighten. Right before I come; I see her on her knees, her mouth open as I slip between those perfect lips.

I come hard, moaning, and reach for a tissue, cleaning myself up.

Shit. I throw an arm over my eyes and lean back in the office chair.

For days now, I’ve been trying to ignore this mild obsession. I’ve been fighting it off. But night after night, she appears in my fantasies.

Over and over.

I’m sick. I know I am.

I need my omega.

I wake up, courtesy of my own scream, thrashing around violently in the bed as I fight off memories. My door bursts open, and Silas flings himself onto the bed and wraps himself around me. His naked skin against mine is a blanket of warmth and safety dragging me out of hell. I shudder in his hold as reality slowly comes back to me. First the feel of Silas, then the scent, then the rest of the room.

I’m not in that basement, and I’m not missing. I’m safe with my pack. The words repeat until I almost believe them.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now.” Silas murmurs into my ear. He kisses a path down to the bite he put on my skin and sucks hard on the spot.

It’s not to arouse, it’s just to remind me of where we are. I ignore my throbbing dick and hold him close until he pulls back and rolls so I’m laying with my head on his shoulder. My heart beat slams against my chest, but I’m safe in Silas' arms. I turn and throw an arm and leg over his body, needing to be closer.

“Same dream?”

“Yes.” I say hoarsely. “The basement. I was trying to protect Haze, but I couldn’t.”

“You haven’t had one of those for a while,” Silas points out and wraps his arms tighter around me.

“I haven’t been feeling this crappy about life for a while,” I say in exhaustion.

I miss the affection and intimacy of sex, but since Dylan left us, we have, by silent agreement, stopped being intimate with each other. It’s unspoken, but the truth is that nothing feels right without him.

But tonight, I need Silas.

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