Page 41 of The Beta: Part Two
When I realize, I laugh softly.
I am never little spoon. Even now, if she were to cuddle against me from behind I would still have Jasper tucked into me from the front. But the temptation is too much, I will get to be in the middle. Whenever Devon and I, or any of us, share Jasper he is always in the middle, obviously. I have never been in the middle, and I am never little spoon. Part of me is terrified I'll like it so much that nothing else will ever be good enough, but it's worth the risk if she's offering.
“Little spoon,” I say firmly, and she grins at me.
She gets up and rounds the bed, grabbing the sheet that was forgotten on the floor, and lays behind me. She presses her body against mine, and I can feel exactly where her feet come to on my calves. I expected it to feel ridiculous or silly, overrated maybe, but all it feels is wonderful. Her breasts and stomach are warm against my back and her arm is tucked around my waist, I was right to be afraid of this. I'm going to sleep between them every chance I get from now on. It feels so good that I begin purring, which lulls Talia to sleep almost immediately; but not before I hear the dainty little breathy purr she makes in answer.
Jasper doesn't do that, he might purr or growl, but this is a sound only female omegas can make. They make this sound when they are utterly content, or when they are comforting their young or their alpha. I've only ever heard it from mothering omegas, and I've not spent very much time with female omegas who weren't my own mother. I've certainly not had the type of intimate relationship with one that I would have heard this sound. I wish Jasper was awake to hear it, he'd love it as much as I do. That's the last thing I think before sleep claims me, still locked together with Jasper and nestled between both my omegas.
Chapter fifteen
Talia
I know I need to go back with Corso, Reid, and Alex, back to get things ready for our whole pack to live there together once everyone is officially marked. I knowwhyI need to go. I know how difficult it would be to be that separated from Corso, for both of us. Knowing it doesn't make it feel less like a piece of me, the best piece, is leaning against Nathan on the porch watching this truck drive me down the driveway. Knowing it doesn't do anything for the way I feel like I can't breathe.
Reid is driving and he looks back at me through the rear view mirror, “it's going to be okay, Talia. We'll be back down in just a few days. You'll have him back before you know it.”
I try to give him the smile he wants, but I'm sure it comes out as watery as I feel. I woke up this morning with my leg wrapped around Kaleb's and mine and Jasper's hands joined over his chest. I can still almost feel Kaleb's strong heartbeat under my fingertips, can still feel Jasper's ankle hooked with mine between Kaleb's legs. I honestly don't know how he could sleep with the way Jasper and I wrapped ourselves around him, but he was terribly happy about it when he woke up. He was even happier when Jasper and I took turns kissing his cheeks, chest, and neck until he fought his way from between us, declaring we didn't have enough time for another round this morning.
Leaving Jasper is as horrible as I expected it to be, but I didn't know how terrible it would feel to leave the rest of them. I'm not even wearing their marks yet, but it was all I could do to keep myself from crying when they lined up on the porch for different versions of goodbye kisses as I was leaving. Even Devon wrapped me in his arms and kissed my forehead, which was almost as bad as Jasper nearly breaking me when he clung to my fingers as hard as he could as I was walking away.
I hate this. I hate feeling so goddamned fragile.
“Text him,” Corso orders. Yes, fucking orders. He's taking this very well, considering every other alpha who has a freshly claimed omega wouldn't share remotely as well as he is.
He's sitting in the seat in front of me staring out the passenger window and our bond feels...sulky. He isn't exactly pouting, Corso is far too regal to pout, but this might be as close as he gets. He sighs, “just text him, stellina mia. You will feel better.”
I think I might feel a little silly texting him. I've only been gone for about four minutes. I can still see the mail box, for fuck sake.
“We're barely out of the driveway. I'm fine,” I say.
Alex sticks out his finger and firmly pokes me in the arm, “text him, sweetheart. Call him. What we've asked you and Jasper to do is a really hard thing. If the situation was less time-sensitive it wouldn't be happening. But you have Corso and us, and he has the rest of our pack and it’s going to be alright. Text him. He's probably as pitiful as you are.”
I twitch my mouth to one side and consider it, Jasper probably is as pitiful as I am. I think the only thing stopping me is the fact that I already feel prickly and I donotwant to cry right now.
Alex leans against his side of the cab and lifts his big stupid foot and playfully pushes me against my side, “do it.”
I huff at him, but pull out my phone and tap out the text,Hey. I know I just left but I miss you.
Alex, the nosy-ass, leans over to look at my phone. “You call him princess? And he doesn't mind?” he asks. I can tell from his voice how difficult it must be for him to keep from laughing at Jasper's contact name.
“Yes,” I sniff, turning my nose up, “Jasper is a princess. Shut the fuck up. I'll call him whatever I want.”
Then Alex does laugh, in fact, he howls with joyous amusement. “Do I get to call him princess, too?” he asks once he can control himself.
“Absolutely not,” I say without a hint of laughter. I don't know why, but apparently I am the only one who can call him that.
“Fine, fine. What does he call you?”
That stops me. I haven’t really noticed. “Um, I'm not really sure. Mostly my name,” that's the best answer I have right now. He calls me all sorts of nice things when he's fucking me or I'm fucking him, but I'm not sure what he calls me other than my name when we've got our clothes on.
I'm saved from further nonsense from Alex when my phone dings with Jasper's reply,I was about to text you, but I felt ridiculous. I miss you so much. We all do.
I smile at the phone like an idiot for a second before another reply comes through,We’re going to be okay. Take a nap. Call me when you get there. I want a virtual tour. I love you, Talia.
I text him back before putting my phone in my bag,I love you, princess.
I take off my shoes and pull my feet under me and watch the fields roll by. I don't think I'll be taking a nap, but I don't really know what to do with myself. I don't really feel awkward, but there is a distinctly different dynamic between myself and the men in this truck now than we had years ago.
