Page 44 of Consider The Lilies

“Bath or a shower?” Lucy asks as she grabs a puffy white towel from a cabinet next to the shower. I stare at the closet not far behind her, allowing myself to really look at the shoes this time. They’re all so shiny and expensive-looking. I bet everything else in that closet is just as nice. Jack seems to love fancy things…well, everything but me. I’m definitely not fancy.

“Stefan?” Lucy says my name, and I realize I’ve spaced out.

“A bath would be nice.” I look at the two bathtubs on the other side of the room.

“Of course.” Lucy smiles wide. She walks past me and turns on the water in the smaller tub. I want to sit in the really big one, but I’m not brave enough to ask. “Come and feel the temperature.” She sticks her hand under the faucet.

I shimmy to her as fast as I can, but the sheet is twisted around my legs, keeping me from walking properly. “That feels good,” I say before my hand even touches the water, but it’s too warm, and I’m too embarrassed to say it now.

Lucy smiles as if pleased, then she glances around the room, clearly looking for something. “You need scentless shampoo,”she says to herself, thinking out loud. “I’ll be right back.” She touches my arm, and it takes everything in me not to snuggle up against her. She just has the best energy.

The second Lucy steps out of the bathroom, I move as fast as I can. I jerk the sheet off me, then climb into the bathtub. I hiss when my feet touch the hot water, but I ignore it, forcing myself to sit. My skin burns, and I fumble as I reach for the faucet. I quickly turn one of the knobs, praying I won’t make it too cold. Then I hug my knees up to my chest, waiting for Lucy to return.

“Do you want bubbles?” The pretty beta walks into the room with two bottles—one is white, and the other is a soft baby pink—and a plastic cup.

“Like a bubble bath?” I hope that’s what she means.

“Yes.” She holds the pink bottle up.

I should say no. Grown men don’t take bubble baths. “I haven’t had a bubble bath since I was a kid.”

“Well, then let’s do it.” Lucy gives me a vibrant smile, making the choice for me. I smile back at her, thrilled when she adds the pink liquid to the water. It instantly foams and grows, surrounding me in puffy white clouds of soap.

“I can’t believe Jack has a bubble bath…I mean, Mr. Stanley,” I quickly correct myself and Lucy smiles. I have a feeling she doesn’t care what I call my alphas. “It’s funny to think he’d enjoy this.” I scoop up a handful of frothy white bubbles, blowing them. They float for a second before falling back into the water.

Lucy leans in and whispers, “You'd be surprised what alphas do when they think no one is looking.” She giggles, and I can’t help but laugh too. It’s such a funny thing to imagine. The thought of Jack or Bear—or even Yuki—soaking in a tub full of bubbles is just beyond funny.

They’re all so serious.

“How long have you worked here?” I ask, relaxing my legs when the water reaches my chest. My privates are hidden by the bubbles, keeping me from feeling overly exposed.

“Almost three years.” Lucy sits on the edge of the tub, turning off the water. Her dress rides up slightly, flashing the top of her tights…but they’re not tights. They’re stockings. “I started working in the kitchens,” she says while I stare at the small strip of smooth, creamy skin. She looks like she’d be so soft.

My dick jerks, growing hard.What the heck?I quickly push my hand over it, making sure it’s hidden under the bubbles.

“Tip your head back,” Lucy instructs as she fills the plastic cup with water, then she pours it over my hair. I concentrate hard on the feel of water droplets trickling over my ears, praying my problem will quickly go away.

Maybe talking about something else with help.

“Do you have a mate?” I look up at Lucy’s face, and I swear the freckles on her nose deepen in color.

“I don’t,” she says simply, and I realize I don’t know much about betas. My family didn’t have a beta. I only had three alpha fathers and an omega mother. And then all I had was Mari.

And just like that, the swelling in my privates goes away.

“Betas have mates. Right?” I ask, determined not to dwell on that horrible time in my life.

“Some betas do have mates.” Lucy pours a bit of shampoo into her hand. “But a lot marry other betas. They’re not considered mates because there’s no mating bite.” She lathers up my hair, scratching my scalp in the most wonderful way.

“So only alphas can mate someone?” I ask, and she nods. “That seems unfair.”

Lucy laughs, but it doesn’t feel mean. She’s not making fun of me. “Well,matingis a medical term,” she says. “The process of mating is piercing the gland under the ear.” She taps my neck, and something tingles in my chest. “Omegas have a much largergland compared to betas—and some betas don’t have one at all,” she quickly adds, “and our glands don’t function the same way as an omega’s,” she says. “But tomate, you have to bite that gland, and only alphas have fangs that go deep enough to safely reach it.”

I nod, taking it all in. “Do you want to get married or be mated one day?”

Lucy pulls in a deep breath. I can’t tell if she’s processing what I just asked, or if she’s offended. I immediately regret asking. It is a really personal question.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble. “You don’t have to answer that.”

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