Page 103 of The Beta: Part Two
“And now I feel stupid for being upset. I don't even know why I'm upset. Everything has upset me today. I hate this omega bullshit.”
I don't think all of it is omega bullshit, and one look at Reid tells me he agrees. “Come on. You need some Corso, then some Alex. I'll get Nathan and we'll take care of Jasper and Devon. And if they get handsy with each other, we'll make them stay in the bed where it's safe. Let's go.”
I pull her to her feet and walk her into her own room.
Reid follows and shuts the door behind him. “I'll go get the others. Better yet, let's get you dried off and take you to them.” Reid always sounds so calm and soothing, even I feel better when he's talking.
I pick out a loose tee shirt and a pair of my boxers that I find in her drawer and put them next to her on the bed. “I've been looking for these,” I tease.
She sniffs again but gives me a watery smile, “no you haven't. I've had them for weeks. And you can't have them back.”
I wouldn't take them if she tried to make me. In fact, I'm going to sneak another pair into her stash.
After she's dressed, Reid carts her off to Corso's bedroom and I go back to yell at everyone in Jasper's room. Even Jasper. When I get in there everybody's having a grand time on the bed, smiling and relaxing like Talia didn't just fall apart.
“You're all assholes.”
That sobers everybody up pretty quick.
“Why are we assholes?” Kaleb asks, still lounging against Jasper's headboard.
“Because you made Talia cry.”
Jasper pales a little. “Oh. I thought she was just saying it to make me feel better when Devon was still in the hospital. But she was right, she fell apart. And it’s my fault. I didn’t think a water mess would be the tipping point. I’ll go talk to her.”
“No, she’s with Corso and Alex. They’ve got her,” I tell him, Talia is right where she needs to be right now. “What do you mean? What did she say when Devon was in the hospital?”
“I said I wished could be strong like her, you know, to handle everything without shutting down or breaking down. She told me that she would fall apart as soon as everyone was safe.”
Well, that’s something. It’s a pretty huge thing if Talia feels like we’re all safe enough for her to fall apart.
Chapter thirty-five
Talia
There's no sex, but there's snuggling; and that's what I needed. I'm laying across Corso's bed with my head in his lap, with Alex using me for a body pillow. Corso is reading to us from a book written in his family’s language from before they immigrated. I have no idea what he's saying, but it's beautiful. He could be reading an instruction manual and it would be gorgeous, though. In any language.
I think I'm going to go into heat again soon. I remember being very emotional in the weeks leading up to my first heat, and this feels like that. If the doctors know what they're talking about I'll have another heat in anywhere from a few days to a little over a week. I'm so excited I could just puke. The thought of another heat fills me with anything but pleasure. The first one was a fucking disaster. It started out awkward, but alright. I only remember bits and flashes from the middle, but the end was a shit sandwich that I can't even be mad about.
Corso didn't mean to mark me. He was as lost to his instincts as I was. And it's actually working out alright, even if it wasn't planned. I just don't want to go into heat every few weeks for the rest of my life. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
Alex is purring. It's every bit as soothing as Corso reading. I lose myself in the sounds and startle when that soft, humming, omega purr starts in my throat. It isn't that I mind the sound, it is an involuntary sound that happy omegas make, and Iaman omega. It's just a little jarring when I hear and feel myself making it. I feel like that's a completely reasonable response, considering I've been a purr-less beta my whole life.
“I love it when you make that sound,” Corso grumbles out around his purr, “most of the time, it wraps right around my heart and I almost can't contain how happy it makes me feel. Other times it wraps around other parts of me.” He gives me a wink, and I reach up to touch the dimple that pops out when he smiles.
“You're very handsome, Corso.”
“Don't make Alex jealous, bella. If he thinks you don't consider him handsome you know he'll pout.”
“I don't pout,” Alex says, sounding very much like he's pouting.
“Ready for bed?” Corso asks, putting his book on the nightstand.
“Can I stay with you? Alex, too?”
“Of course, stellina mia. Let's get under the blankets.”
I fall asleep cuddled between Corso and Alex and it's glorious. I wake up once in the night when Nathan crawls into the bed with us. He lays between my legs and rests his head on my stomach. “I'm sorry you cried earlier.”
