Page 63 of Beta and the Beast
"Some stuff to numb my neck so Henry can bite me, so you can both–"
"If he goes anywhere near your neck, I will end him myself. I will tear us apart until we are a bleeding husk," Romulus growls, pacing the small area of the porch until Sarah gets her hands on him, touching him, bringing him back down from freaking out. He gives me control because he's a little lost for the time being.
"Sarah, I love you so much, and I appreciate that you're willing to find a way for me to bite you, but I'm never going to do that, baby. I could never hurt you like that again. Not just because it would upset Romulus, but it would also upset me."
"I just thought, since beasts and alphas both need to claim their mate…" Sarah starts shaking her head as her words trail off.
"I've claimed you," I tell her, tilting her chin up so she can look into my eyes when I tell her the truth. "I've claimed you already, and you don't need a second bite in your neck to prove that. I promise."
"If you're sure." Sarah bites down on her lower lip and steps back toward the door. "I don't really want it either, but I thought you might feel left out."
"I promise I feel so very mated to you," I tell her, stepping back down the stairs because Romulus is about to want out now that he knows no one is ever biting Sarah again.
"I love you," she tells me, her voice sweet and the rosiness in her cheeks reappearing.
"Such a perfect beta," Romulus purrs.
"Your perfect beta." Before Romulus can decide that's an invitation to fuck her out here on the stairs, she steps back into my apartment. "And you're my perfect alpha. Now hurry."
"Anything for you," Romulus promises, and we all know he's not just talking about pizza.
No, we'll provide anything Sarah needs or anything she wants. It's our honor, and we'll never give her a reason to doubt how happy we are that she was willing to give an alpha a chance.
26
Sarah's Epilogue
One and a Half Years Later
When Henry asked me to marry him, I told him I wanted it to be just for the family. He was more than willing to accommodate, especially since he wasn't asking me to marry him to show me off. He did convince me to buy the perfect dress. He even paid for it when I looked at the price tag and almost choked on my spit and died on the spot.
Henry's marrying me because he wants to honor this part of our relationship. Even though I know his bite is permanent, that he wants to be with me forever, I don't feel its importance likehe does. When he asked me if getting married was something I wanted, something I'd thought about when I was younger, or fantasized about doing when I found the right beta, I didn't lie to him.
Of course, I wanted those things. We're raised to want those things, and I wasn't about to lie and say I hadn't imagined walking down the aisle to my future husband and committing my life to him as he did the same to me.
The conversation wasn't even in-depth, just a quick thing he asked me about, and a week later, he was down on one knee at family dinner asking me if I'd make him the happiest alpha in the world. How was I supposed to say no to that when his eyes were flickering brown and gold a mile a minute because they both wanted to be there for the answer?
"Dad says he's intimidated by all the beasts in the house now," Scott tells me, leaning against the wall beside me as our father talks to Henry by the bar.
We made our way to a bar that Lucas recommended. It's owned by one of his friends, who gave us a sectioned-off area after the wedding so we could all socialize. The wedding was short and to the point. Our hanging out at the bar, not so much.
"He's not the only one," Sam says, frowning as he shoots a look around our small gathering of people.
Some of the guys from the Young Alpha Center came to the wedding, but they weren't allowed into the bar, no matter how many times some of them tried to tell us they had fake IDs.
Jace was bummed, but he went back home without much of a fight. He stays in my old apartment now that he's an adult and technically doesn't need to be under our roof. The landlord said no to combining the two apartments into one giant apartment. No surprise there. It's for the best. This way, Jace has his own space without being too far from us.
We house unhoused alphas often. Most are frequent fliers at the Young Alpha Center and usually only need a place to stay for a week or two until things calm down at home. It's quickly gotten me over my aversion to alphas.
"At least we know Fenrir has learned to behave himself around other beasts," Janie says, leaning against Sam, her eyes heavy, her hand on her abdomen. I narrow my eyes on that movement, unsure if I'm reading too much into things or if she's been drinking soda all night.
Sam looks at me, his head giving me the most imperceptible shake, and my mouth pops open. My excitement is too much to bear. Thankfully, Henry comes over, wraps his arms around me, and purrs into my ear, giving me something else to be excited about other than the fact that Janie could be pregnant. I'll have to pester her about it the next time we hang out because they aren't shouting the news from the rooftops just yet.
"Want to leave, beta?" Henry asks, pulling me closer to him, swaying with me as my brothers make some excuse to either leave or be anywhere else besides around me and my new husband now that we're getting a little touchy-feely.
"Depends, where are we going?" I ask, fluttering my lashes up at him, even though he doesn't notice because he's entirely Romulus right now, and Romulus is busy staring down at my cleavage. My dress does make my breasts look good.
I clear my throat, not that Romulus cares just how obscene he is in his ogling, but he does slowly drag his gaze away, his smile all teeth as he scoops me up and tosses me over his shoulder.
