Page 33 of Consider The Lilies

“Has changed.” Jack finally tears his eyes off Bear, looking up at Lucy. She immediately drops her gaze, not wanting tochallenge the alpha. “You’ll watch over the omega,” he says, acting like I’m not sitting next to him.

Lucy’s eyes flicker to me. She’s trying to look happy, but I can see the apprehension in her blue eyes—she doesn’t want to watch over me. And I can’t blame her. She seems to have some kind of important job, taking care of the alphas. Watching me probably feels like a demotion.

“What should I do with him?” Lucy asks as her worried gaze bounces between me and Bear.

Jack’s face screws up at her question. “Feed him. Make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. Entertain him until I decide what I want to do with him.”

Bear sets down his knife and fork. “Can I talk to you?”

Jack’s brown eyes narrow as he thinks it over. “Fine.” He lets out an angry huff and stands. The two alphas march into the hallway, speaking in hushed tones.

“I’m sorry about this,” I say to Lucy. “I know you don’t want to be stuck with me.”

“That’s not it.” Lucy smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “The thing is,” she cuts a wary look into the hallway, making sure the two alphas aren’t listening, “I don’t want to be Bear’s keeper,” she whispers. “I’m abeta. I’ve got no business telling any alpha what he can do with his omega.” Her eyes go comically wide. “One wrong word, and he could crush me with his thumbs.”

I have to agree. While I thought Jack was massive, Bear is even bigger. He’s at least four or five inches taller than Jack and easily twice his size. His navy polo struggles to contain his big barrel chest, and his hands look like they could strangle a bear.Maybe that’s how he got his name.

“My word is final.” Jack walks away from the bearded alpha, leaving him in the hallway.

Bear pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated, but he doesn’t yell or growl. It’s weird. He stands there, breathing slowly, as if to calm himself.What an unusual pack.They go against everything Mari taught me about alphas. They aren’t the vicious beasts she warned me about—they all seem to have so much self-control.

It’s a wonderful surprise.

“I have a full day,” Jack says to Lucy. “Stay with Stefan at all times, and then tonight, make sure he’s bathed and in my bed at a decent hour.”

…in my bed.

I guess I’m sleeping with Jack again tonight, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

It’s true that last night wasn’t terrible, but I was also exhausted and very loopy. Tonight I’ll be fully aware, and I’m scared he’ll want to touch me again.

I really don’t want that. I like girls. Not boys.

Dropping my gaze, I rest my hands against my protruding ribs, thinking about my skinny legs and arms. It’s not likely a girl will ever want me. I’m too small and feminine. Female alphas and betas want male alphas. They want strength and power. They want to be protected.

I wish I were bigger and stronger, but I’m weak and pathetic. I can’t even stop myself from trembling every time an alpha glances my way.

I guess I should get used to being a mate for a man.

Closing my eyes, I think about the look in Jack’s eyes as he pinned my hands over my head. It was a hungry look. Possessive. Like he wanted to eat me alive.

A shiver makes me tense, and a weird heat grows in my belly.

I definitely don’t like this.

Standing in the Hallway

Bear

Ipinch the bridge of my nose, thinking about what Stanley just said to me:“You will act as if that beta has the power to destroy you because she does. Don’t fucking touch Stefan, or you’ll be out on your ass with no pack, no omega, and a bounty on your head.”

Stanley won’t kill me.

I know that for a fact.

He’s just trying to hammer home how serious this is. And I get it. I fucked up, and this is my penance. But it’s taking everything in me not to smile like a fool.I get to spend all damn day with him.Even if I can’t touch him, I can still see him. Talk to him. Make sure he’s okay.

A hard hand slaps my back. “Don’t disappoint me,” Stanley growls low in his chest.

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