Page 40 of Beta and the Beast
I've thought about calling her up on my own, even before Jace told me all of this, so I could tell her that we're working on having a place where young alphas can stay, but it's not fully certified yet. I always stopped myself because I didn't want to make things more difficult for Jace if his mother didn't know where he spent his days. Now that he's an unhoused minor, I'll have to report it, even if I want more than anything for my paperwork to go through so he can move into the apartment across the hall with me.
"She just told me that if I tried to go over there, they'd have the cops come pick me up." He shrugs like he's not taking it personally, but he has to wipe away even more moisture from his eyes.
"Okay, well, we'll get it figured out," I tell him, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze.
Alphas aren't the best at receiving affection from anyone who isn't an omega, and we don't show it to one another unless we're packed up. Not for any biological or instinctual reasons, but because we're raised to think we're tough and feeling emotionsisn't. So when Jace throws himself into me, allowing me to comfort him with a hug, I'm a little surprised. He buries his face in my shoulder, quieting his distress.
Sarah finishes the dishes while Jace cries, and when she finishes, she comes to stand beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder and giving me a small smile. She's upset. I can see it in her eyes, but she's going to pretend that everything's okay because she cares about others. She might not have ever thought she'd care about alphas of all the dynamics, but here she is, seething over the mistreatment of one and wishing to make it better.
"Hey, I have some ice cream I need to get through. Would you mind helping me with that while we watch a movie?" Sarah asks when Jace finally pulls away from me, wiping at his eyes and trying not to make eye contact with us in case he sees judgment in our eyes.
"I like ice cream," Jace says before swallowing hard. "I mean, if you need the help."
"I do," Sarah says with a chuckle, shooting me a wink as she goes to grab it from the freezer. "The remote is on the coffee table. Can you find something for us to watch, alpha?"
My heart squeezes when she says it like a term of endearment. What I wouldn't give to hear it from her every day. I find an action movie that should keep Jace's mind off how terrible his day has been. When Sarah joins us on the couch, I pull her into my lap this time, not caring about her trying to escape.
"Calm, beta. Alphas are openly affectionate to their mates," I purr in her ear, loving how she melts into my arms when I refer to her as my mate again. "It's good for him to see healthy relationships."
"Fine, but only because you're warm and technically in my favorite spot."
Jace barely pays us any attention, and the ventilation system in the apartment is doing its job because no matter how much I'm trying to scent mark Sarah, the pheromones are whisked away within seconds.
Sarah falls asleep before the halfway point of the first movie, and when it ends, I turn on the sequel because Jace is still awake. His eyelids grow heavy as he curls into himself and leans against the arm on his side of the couch. When his eyes stay closed after a few minutes, I turn the television off and lie in the darkness, watching over them.
I'll find sleep, too, but right now, I want to enjoy being the one they trust enough to keep them safe while they sleep. We can't do this every night, but for tonight, something about it feels right.
17
Sarah
Waking up in the arms of a purring alpha is not something I thought would ever happen to me. Honestly, I'm surprised I fell asleep as easily as I did last night. One second, I'm awake and trying not to roll my eyes at the absurdity of the action movie Henry put on. The next, I'm waking up in his arms, safe and warm.
"Good morning, beta," Romulus purrs as his hands tighten their grip around me.
A soft sound of contentment escapes my lips, and I cuddle deeper into him. His purring grows louder, signaling he likes it when I use him as my body pillow.
"What time is it?" I ask. It has to be early because the sun still isn't out, and I usually head to the coffee shop around five-thirty to make sure everything's all set up.
"Five," Romulus rumbles. "I know you wake up around now, and I didn't want you to oversleep."
"How considerate," I say with a yawn, stretching out and startling myself when my foot connects with another body.
My eyes flash open, but it's Jace passed out on the other end of the couch. Oh, I'd forgotten about him for a minute there. I'm glad he could sleep, though I wish he'd gone to an actual bed. The couch isn't the comfiest.
"I'm heading up to the Young Alpha Center this morning, and I'll take Jace with me," Henry says, taking over now that Romulus has had the honor of waking me up. "Sorry, we crashed out over here. Maybe I should've taken him over to my apartment."
My brows furrow, and I jerk to get enough space to stare at Henry. "You're always welcome over here. So is Jace and any of the other kids, so long as they're respectful."
Henry's lip twitches in the corner. "You mean that, don't you?" He shakes his head before I can answer, placing his lips against my temple. "Such a sweet beta."
I preen at the praise, wishing we were alone to see how much more I can get out of him. But we're not alone, and the alpha asleep on the couch next to us might not stay that way long. Reluctantly, I push off Henry and stretch. I feel Henry's heated gaze traveling over my body even though I'm not wearing anything remotely seductive. I didn't even have time to change into my pajamas last night before falling asleep against him.
"There's cereal and milk if you want breakfast," I tell him. "I can leave you with my keys if you'll lock up when you leave."
"You trust me here alone?" Henry asks, following behind me and whispering low so he doesn't wake Jace.
I turn the water on and wet my toothbrush as Henry watches me from the bathroom doorway, leaning against it and crossinghis arms over his chest. It all feels so domestic, like we've skipped a few steps and have already moved on to family life.
