Page 13 of Beta and the Beast
"Where did you say Sarah was going tonight?" I ask Sam as I duck back into the coffee shop's small storage closet to help Gabe set up the new filtration system.
Gabe's been on cloud nine since Sarah's pretty beta friend asked for his number. My cousin is a good guy, and I wouldn't have him or his guys working in the bakery or Sarah's shop and home if they weren't. That doesn't mean they're not idiots. I can't believe one of his guys was trying to mark the whole coffee shop because he thought Hazel was attractive. I don't hold it against him, considering Romulus and I want to fill the air with our scent whenever we see Sarah, but that's different. We want her forever.
"She didn't tell me, and not to be an ass, but it's none of your business." Sam is being gentle with me. A lot more gentle than I deserve since his sister felt it safer to call him and have him babysit me than she did to allow me in here on my own or even with her watching. I'm hoping it's because she already had plans and not because she feels threatened by me.
She was aroused. If anything, you're wasting our opportunities by not pinning her against something and rutting her.
Classy.
She doesn't need classy. She needs a good alpha fuck.
I close my eyes and rub my temples. Thankfully, there's work to be done to keep my mind off of Romulus lusting after Sarah all the time.
"You know anything about her friend?" Gabe calls out, earning him a short growl from me.
I don't want anyone to know anything about Sarah and, by extension, anything about her friends. It's a weird possessive quirk I will not let get out of control. Gabe only snorts at me, not taking my growl seriously because Romulus hasn't shown up, and he also knows we hate fighting.
"Hazel?" Sam calls. "She's best friends with my sister, works at some alpha club, and isn't afraid to tell someone to go fuck themselves regardless of dynamic. Why?"
"No reason," Gabe says right as I respond with, "She asked for his number."
Sam's quiet for a long moment as Gabe shoots me a glare that tells me he would murder me if he could. We finish setting up the ventilation system in the coffee shop, and I turn it on to check to make sure it's working. By the time we leave the closet, Sam's checking his texts. He looks up at us with a stupid smile on his face.
"Sarah says that Hazel was serious about wanting your number," Sam says before returning his attention to his phone.
"What?" Gabe shouts the question. "Did you ask her? I'm not trying to look like some insecure child."
"Well, I figured you weren't sure if she was serious after I told you she worked at a club." Sam shrugs, not seeing fault in his logic.
I let Gabe blabber on about how it makes him look pathetic for a bit longer while I grab the second ventilation system. When I bring it inside, Gabe is pink-cheeked and still looking embarrassed to be read so easily by Sam.
"You ready to take us upstairs?" I ask.
Sam gives me a short nod before locking up the front entrance to the coffee shop. He shows us the back way into the alley behind the store to a locked gate that leads to the apartment stairwell for the apartments for the coffee shop and the bakery. Technically, we own the apartment above the bakery, too, but there's no reason for us to use it.
Yes, there is.
No good reason.
It's the best reason. Don't you want to be as close to her as possible right now? What if she has an emergency? Don't you want to be the first to offer her comfort and safety?
Don't pretend like you care about her comfort and safety.
Romulus growls inside of us.Safety and comfort are important. I wish to care for her. And yes, those cares are also of a sexual nature, but all the others as well. You feel it, too. Don't deny it.
"No stinking up my sister's home." Sam gives me a pointed look as he inserts the key into the door.
"I make no promises," I tell him, holding my hands out to show I'm not trying to cause issues. I don't know if I can containmyself when I'm in her space. "There's a good chance Romulus comes out as soon as we're inside."
"And there's no way you'll just let Gabe go in alone?" Sam asks, his voice resigned already.
Romulus is out and snarling at the idea of another alpha in our beta's home. "Mine." He bites out the word, directing it at Sam and then to Gabe, who's already looking at the ground and offering his neck.
"I can't believe you've been able to stay away as long as you have," Sam mutters as he pushes the door open. "Between you and Fenrir, you're showing that beasts have some pretty good self-control."
"Have to so I can bend the little beta in half. She's not ready for me yet, but she will be."
I groan inwardly at Romulus's crude remark and wait for Sam to swing on us for talking about his sister that way. Instead, he's typing away on his phone as he stands in the doorway. It's almost like he's trying his best to ignore Romulus. Smart. Nothing Sam does is going to make Romulus not want Sarah.
