Page 48 of The Safest Place She Knows

“I... oh. Yeah,I guess I am a legal beta.”

Oren smiled.“We do love this system. You have the right to inherit, whereasyour friend Tonlya does not. She’s a known omega. Amazingtechnicalities.”

“Oh. I shouldcall her.”

Oren smiled.“Wait until tomorrow. They will probably try and give her what theycan considering her injured state. It isn’t as effective, but itwill give a diminished result. Still, a result is a result.”

She grabbed herclothes and pulled them on, piece by piece. When she had her shoeson, she looked at Ymer. “So, should one of us leave some money onthe table?”

He narrowed hiseyes. “I might not bother taking you over my knee. A light swat isall it would take, I think.”

“Naw. Painisn’t my thing. You will just have to make sure your tongue keepsup.”

Delight lit hiseyes. “Ah, that I can do.”

“Balls.”

“Sixty-nine itis.” He winked, and they left with Oren laughing and the two dogsgetting snuggles and pets for leading the dark elf right toher.

Brexel wasgoing to be upset, but then, she was a little upset. It had beenfar too easy to fall into Ymer’s arms, and she was feeling a bit ofguilt for it. She wanted Brexel but didn’t think she would have toassert herself soon. She didn’t want to offend Oren, but Brexel wasthe one she had been idly fantasizing about, going back to when shewas the nanny. It was hard not to. He was beautiful, and now, hewas hers.

Chapter Nine

Lya woke up when herbed began flicking at a tablet. She swatted at the tablet with herleft hand, and her bed laughed. A hand stroked her hair, and Nohsaid, “Ready to wake up?”

She paused.“Have you been here the whole time?”

“Of course. Itwill be easier for you to absorb our strength with skin-to-skincontact until more enjoyable means are available. How do youfeel?”

Thick slabs ofmuscle under skin moved and flexed under her. “Hungry.” She snappedher jaw shut as soon as the word emerged.

“Then, we willget you something to eat.”

She glanceddown. “Where did my shirt go?”

“Skin to skinis better. Venka gave me a hand so your arm wasn’t jostled.”

“Oh.”

“You are moretop-heavy than I would have guessed.” He smiled. “Sports bras?”

“Almostexclusively. Where did it go?”

“Venka tookeverything to wash so that we will all smell the same.”

Lya blushed.“Ah. That explains why I am naked.”

“The room iswarm, and Tamara is picking out her school uniform. She has two anda half years before she goes to alpha school for self-control anddetails of what she needs to know. For now, private school with herpeers.”

“Right. I havesavings for that.”

“Why didn’t youuse them for survival?”

“Because I amnot going to sacrifice her future for my present, no matter howuncomfortable it is.”

Noh ran a handdown her back. “Mothering instincts.”

“I guess. Theyare the only ones I have.”

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