Page 23 of Beta and the Beast
"Tell me what I'm thinking of doing," Romulus commands, taking another step closer to her.
Her eyes dart around to the other people on the patio with us. We should care about them being out here, but we can't. Not when Sarah is flushed and needy. She's been needy for us since we flooded her apartment with our pheromones and haven't let the place air out. She's nonstop hot for us, and no amount of her toys or her fingers is going to do her any good. No, she needs the real thing, but I don't think she's at the point where she's going to ask for it yet.
Even worse, I think she's partially a masochist because she's doing this to herself. She could've aired out her apartment, asked her brother to make me fix it, or asked me to fix it. I would've. I had every intention of fixing it as soon as she asked, but she still hasn't, and it's because she likes being surrounded by my scent, being needy and achy and empty for me.
You mean me. She wants me to fuck her.
"If you're not thinking of giving Henry control of your body again, I'll be disappointed. So figure out if what you want is worth that."
"I'd never hurt you," Romulus says through clenched teeth as though Sarah is implying he might. It's clear to me and everyone else in this backyard that she's proving she hasRomulus wrapped around her little finger and willing to do her bidding without fuss.
Why fuss? I'd like to be wrapped around her. If she needs to feel in control in front of everyone, fine. She'll let me be in control where it matters.
Romulus lets me take over, and I'm left to fix whatever mess this display has caused. I rub the back of my neck, keeping my eyes on Sarah for a moment longer, so she understands just how good Romulus is willing to be for her. She steps up to me, her hand resting on my sweatered chest.
"I know Romulus would never hurt me," she says just loud enough for me to hear. Then she walks past me and shakes her head. "I need wine."
Fenrir is leaning against the house. His arms crossed over his chest as he watches me watch his sister walk away. He frowns, but then Scott is in control of their body when he pushes off the wall.
"My turn for pot roast," he tells me with a wiggle of his brows. "Plus, I don't think we've ever even talked to one another."
He slaps me on the shoulder before finding his seat at the table next to his mate. I take my time sitting down, trying to keep Romulus and myself calm. It doesn't take much to get us worked up. Not when it comes to Sarah.
"You haven't talked with him because Fenrir likes to get all big, bad alpha around him," Sarah says with a mocking tone in her voice.
I sit beside her, not hiding how I slide my chair closer until I'm invading her space. Her lips flatten in the adorable way they do when she's pretending to be irritated with me, but she returns her attention to the rest of the table when I start piling food onto my plate.
"Fenrir thought he just wanted to fu–"
I grind my teeth together as I shoot Scott a warning glare, and he doesn't finish saying what he's about to say. It's clear to everyone at the table what Fenrir thought my intentions were with Sarah. Most alphas only want betas for a little bit of fun.
At this point, I think it's obvious to everyone except for Sarah that this isn't some quick infatuation. I'm not looking to get my dick wet and then leave. Romulus has known it since he laid eyes on her. I've known it and been denying it just as long because I didn't want to strain any of these relationships.
Sarah. I don't think Sarah realizes we've scent-matched her, that we want our teeth in her neck and her in our nest every night.
"So, how's business at the coffee shop going?" Lilah asks, trying to change the subject before Scott or another alpha can try to say something else that alludes to the fact that I'm all in with Sarah while she's still thinking this isn't anything of substance.
And whose fault is that? You should let me do the courting. She already likes everything I've done so far.
Wanting to fuck us doesn't mean she wants a relationship with us.
First, she wants to fuck me. Second, she won't want to leave the nest after I'm done with her.
I roll my eyes, ignoring the knowing look Lucas is giving me. He's asked me so many times if I still live at the apartment with him. As though I don't show up every morning to grab clean clothes before heading off to work. He's always sitting at the kitchen table, reading, eating cereal, and judging me like I've been out all night, getting into the same kind of trouble I used to get into when I was younger.
"Business could be better," Sarah says with a tight smile, finally answering Lilah's question.
I've been so caught up in talking with Romulus and ignoring Lucas's observations that I didn't realize how long it took herto answer. I add a roll to the pile of food on the plate before grabbing Sarah's empty one and placing the filled one in front of her.
"What are you?" Sarah doesn't finish asking as her eyes fall on the food.
I can see the wheels in her head spinning. I might have to laugh if this is what gets her to realize how serious we are. It makes sense, considering she's seen her brothers ensure their mates are fed before themselves. It's standard alpha behavior, one she'll have seen since she was young if her father was as good an alpha as Sam says he was.
She casts me a wary glance before picking up her fork and scooping up some potatoes. My purr is soft as it fills the silence around us. As far as I'm concerned, it's just Sarah and me here while she tries to reason through my actions. There's only one reason, and it's because she's mine.
But, if there's one thing I've realized about Sarah in the time I've gotten to know her, watch her, attempt to learn everything about her that I can, I know she's stubborn. So, I'm not surprised when she sits up a little straighter and continues talking about the coffee shop as though I haven't shown her my intentions.
"I'm starting to worry about the sustainability of my coffee shop now that the bakery's next door," Sarah says, and it has my purr stuttering out and my brows drawing tight together.
