Page 18 of Beta and the Beast
"We're eating some of it, and hopefully, we're making enough to give to our neighbors," I tell them, earning me a groan of disappointment. I press my lips together as I look at the two teenagers through the rearview mirror. "I don't know why you guys are groaning about it. We're the ones encroaching on their space."
"Yeah, so they probably already hate us," Jace moans as he tosses his head dramatically enough for his red curls to fluff up before settling again.
As a growl bubbles up in his throat, he squeezes his eyes shut. He was an early presenter, showing signs of being an alpha at sixteen, and shortly after, his beast showed up. From what he's told us, he's kept the beast a secret from his family. His dad had one that wasn't the kindest, and his mom's boyfriend won't want him around if he knows. Jace is seventeen now, so I can't imagine keeping a beast a secret for that long.
He stays at the community center during the day and tells us he's going home at night. We could offer him a permanent room at the center if he were eighteen already, but he still has six months until then.
I'm working on getting foster certified so I can house some of the displaced boys if any of them are younger, like Jace, but even that's taking time. I've reached out to a few friends, trying to get my paperwork through faster so he can stay with me because I don't like the idea of him not having a bed at night.
"They don't hate us," I tell them. I also shoot Sam a look that tells him he needs to text his sister right now and make sure she knows we're coming with emotional teenage boys who are one scowl away from tucking tails and never even attempting to help me in the bakery again if today doesn't go well.
Thankfully, Sam is one step ahead of me and typing away on his phone screen. For someone who's overprotective of his little sister, he's been fine with me being in her space and trying to pursue her. I thought he'd be more upset about Romulus and me being interested in her, but if anything, he doesn't seem to care at all. He'd probably care a hell of a lot more if Sarah told him about the come pillow.
"We're here to work and, hopefully, bring some happiness to people who enjoy sweets and learn to be productive members of society," I tell the teenagers sulking in the back seat. "Even if they don't like us now, we can always prove to them that we're different."
"Why do we have to prove anything?" Jace asks, his eyes flickering gold as he loses control to his beast.
He hasn't named him yet. They don't get along. It's fairly standard, especially for an alpha like Jace, who feels like he's lost his entire life because his beast showed up. There's an animosity there we're trying to mend, and as he learns to be confident inhimself and his place in the world, he'll be more comfortable with his beast.
"A lot of alphas do a lot of bad things," I say as we pull into a parking space near the bakery. If we were hoping to have customers or the strip looked busy, I'd move us further away so the good spots were left open, but there aren't many people out here.
I turn to face Jace, locking eyes with him as Romulus emerges. "Beasts do even worse. Especially ones who don't get along with their alphas."
Romulus gives me control after making his point. He doesn't wait to watch as Jace's beast snarls and snaps his teeth at us. He doesn't need to because he already knew it would happen. Between Jace's therapy sessions with an alpha therapist at the center and the mentoring Romulus and I are attempting with him, he's gotten much less feral, but he still doesn't like being told why he's considered "bad."
Jace's body jerks as his beast gives him back control. A few weeks ago, he'd be freaking out, asking what happened or what he did. He used to keep his beast trapped in the dark of their mind, not sharing the world with him. So when the beast could take over, he did the same. Now they've both been told that's a dick move and at least let the other watch when they're not in control of the body.
"Still not fair that I have to prove to them I'm not bad." Jace crosses his arms over his chest.
"You don't have to prove you're not bad," I tell him. "You're just showing them that you won't hurt them. That's why they act the way they do. They've been hurt or have known someone who was hurt by an alpha."
"It's not fair."
"No, it's not," I respond, turning the ignition off. "But that's life. Now you can either keep sulking about it or meet the neighbors and show them how respectful alphas can be."
I hop out of the car, not waiting for more whining from Jace. He's not wrong to feel the way he does, but he needs to take that anger at those who would fear him and redirect it to either being upset at all the shitty alphas out there or being better than people expect him to be.
The bar is low. He could step over it if he wanted. I just need to show him it's a better way of living than always being upset.
Before turning toward the strip of businesses, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Romulus and I need to be on our best behavior in front of Aiden and Jace and, really, any of the other alphas who will come up here to help. We can't intentionally coat the air with our pheromones in the hopes of coating Sarah in our scent, especially not in front of her brother. He might be chill about me going after Sarah, but I don't need to rub his nose in all my pheromones.
When I open my eyes and turn around, Jace and Aiden are getting out of the car, but Sam's already shaking his head, smiling. I lean my nose to my shoulder and take a whiff of myself to make sure I don't smell too strongly. I'm doing fine so far, so I don't know why he's laughing at me.
"You good?" I ask.
He probably thinks we look like a dork. What would such a beautiful beta like his sister want with a soft alpha?
Name one person who has ever complained about us being soft.
It's because I fuck them good enough to make up for it.
I snort.
Sam holds his phone up and shakes it a little. "My sister was asking about you. Any idea why that is?"
Stake your claim now.
Not a claim, Romulus. We can't say that to her brother.
