Page 38 of The Beta: Part Two
What a perfect explanation. Talia even looks like she's going to begrudgingly accept it.
She opens and closes her mouth a few times before finally looking up at the ceiling and sighing, “I can't argue with that. I wouldn't want you there, and I don't like any of them going, either. But I hate it.” Then she glares at each of us in turn, “I will not be a prisoner, though. Get all barefoot and pregnant thoughts out of your head.”
Alex snorts, “honey, that's probably all I've been thinking about.”
Trent wholeheartedly agrees and Talia rolls her eyes at both of them, “I wouldn't hold my breath.”
I do like thinking about a very pregnant Talia, and it's a fun thought, but it is firmly in the land of eventually and nowhere near the near future.
I am curious about how we will all go about marking her, though. I'm confident none of us is entertaining the idea of all of us doing it in one night. I wanted it to be special for her, especially when I marked her, but Devon is right. This thing with Seth is more time-sensitive than I'd like and unless she takes one of us every night this week, considering Corso, Alex, and Reid will remain here until it's done, it isn't going to happen before we ascend upon the compound. Unfortunately, planned and scheduled things tend to not be special; much like knowing what you'll be getting for your birthday. It's still nice, but some of the magic just isn't there.
“I don't want to put a damper on an otherwise magnificent thing,” I begin, trying not to sound stiff or awkward, “but, have you given any thought to how you'd like to be officially accepted as our omega in this newly formed pack?”
It's suddenly so quiet that I hear a clock that I didn't know we actually owned ticking somewhere in the house.
“Oh. I thought we'd have a big orgy and you could all take turns going at me tonight. I can only hope to stay conscious for the whole thing,” Talia deadpans, and Devon chokes.
I twist up one corner of my mouth, “we could, if that's what you want. Omega.”
She giggles, actually giggles, and says, “not even a little bit. The only time I think I can take more than one, maybe two of you at a time is when I'm in heat. And you fuckers better figure out a schedule for that because I should not be trusted with those types of decisions when I'm in heat. I'd just want all of you and I don't know if I'd be able to walk afterwards.”
Fuckers, indeed.
“Let's go in alphabetical order,” Alex suggests.
“I'm sure you'd like that, A-A Alex,” Trent grumbles.
Alex laughs and says, “you just don't like your placement, T-T Trent.”
Children. They're children.
“And now both of you can go last,” Talia says, but then makes a face when she realizes she may have suggested giving herself over to both of them at the same time. “No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm removing myself from this conversation. We'll figure it out.”
Then she walks off muttering about the two hundred loads of laundry she needs to get done.
I expect Jasper to follow after her but he doesn't. “Corso, what are you going to do? Combining packs and resources is insanely unexpected and you probably have so many preparations to get through. Talia doesn't get it yet, but you can't leave her here without you for more than a couple days; and if any of my pack marks her she won't be able to leave them for more than a couple days. Being separated from our alphas is too painful to deal with for very long, physically and emotionally. Maybe she could go back with you for a few days and get things started on your end, then you bring her back here for a few days?”
“No. Fuck that. No,” Nathan barks, “last time she left, you almost died. She almost died. No. We're not doing that.”
He isn't wrong. That was one of the worst things we've ever been through.
“It won't be like that this time, though,” Jasper tells him, “last time, I didn't know where she was. I didn't think I was ever going to see her again, I thought she was gone from me. She left to keep me safe and had no intentions of coming back no matter how much it killed her. This time, I'll know where she is, she'll know she's coming back, and we will still be able to communicate with each other. We will know it's short term. We might mope around a bit but it'll be okay.”
Nathan doesn't look happy about it, but Jasper's explanation placated him enough to quiet his concern.
“Actually, I don't think that's a bad idea,” Reid agrees, “there's not all that much to get ready, but rooms will need to be done and supplies brought in. We're used to three, and now we'll be nine. That will make us the biggest pack on this coast. The question is, will that make us a bigger target or deterrent?”
I smile, “both. Definitely both. I'd like to keep it to ourselves for now, if no one objects. The element of surprise, and all.”
Devon nods, “yeah, I thought about that, too. If Derek thinks it's just us he won't know to look for you guys. If he has any plans to sabotage us or sell us out he won't expect us to have any back up. We also can't all go, at least two of us have to stay here. Omega or not, Talia is good at killing people, Jasper's just as good at it as she is. Ideally they won't need those skills, but if something happens two of us and the two of them should be enough to deal with it.”
Everyone is satisfied enough to break up the unofficial pack meeting.
Alex and Reid insist on getting a complete rundown of our security system and related gadgets and tools, and Nathan is more than happy to show off his work. The last I heard, they were gathering a small army of drones and were going to go play, I meanpractice, with them in the woods. Trent and Devon have disappeared into the garage, and Corso went to find Talia to convince her that leaving with them to prepare the distillery is a good idea.
I snatched up Jasper and hauled him into my bedroom for a nap.
I like my room in this house, and I love the property; but relocating to Corso's place is the right thing to do. For one, it isn't a modest farmhouse surrounded by open fields and woods. For two, it's huge and one of those places that is easy to defend. Nathan is already working out how to utilize all his security skills, he's practically buzzing with excitement. And for three, it doesn't matter where we are; we are one pack and wherever we are will be home so long as we are together.
