Page 58 of The Beta: Part Two
He isn't jumping on the bed, but he is already laying in it when I walk into my room. “You sure about this, sweetheart?”
I have never been called so many pet names in my entire life. I don't mind. At least, I don't think I do. I think it's one of those things that I'm going to have to get used to. Alex called me all kinds of pet names before, though. But the rest of them, excluding Corso – he always called me some form of endearment, have been heavy on the pet names since I came home from the hospital.
“Alex, can I ask you something potentially stupid?”
“You can ask me something completely stupid.”
“Since I left the hospital I've been called a lot more honeys and darlins.”
He waits for me to elaborate, but when I don't he says, “that isn't a question. You don't like us calling you sweet names? If you don't want it we won't do it. I won't let anybody call you anything but your name.”
“No, that's not it. I don't mind. It's just not something I'm used to. When I was here before, you three called me sweet names, but not as much as now. I think I'm just noting a difference out loud. Fuck, I'll be glad when I'm less unstable. How do they live like this? I feel like I'm going insane.”
“They being omegas?”
I nod.
“Well, I can't speak for omegas, but for me, myself, it feels natural to say sweet things to you. I need you to know how valuable you are to me, and calling you nice names makes me feel like I'm doing that. I need to know that you're happy and content. When you were a beta I wanted you happy, and that hasn't changed.”
His brows draw together and he looks at me for a long moment. “Actually, Talia, nothing has changed. I have always felt the need to keep you as safe and happy as I can get you. I can smell a difference in your scent, it’s richer, and the slick is an obvious difference, but other than those two things you feel the same to me. I think I always knew you were an omega, at a subconscious level, at least.”
That makes sense. But my scent and the overabundance of slick aren't the only changes I feel in myself. I am far more emotional than I was before.
“Do you know that we love you?”
I blink at him. I wasn't expecting this conversation from him, especially right now.
“I know Corso told you he loved you before, and I'm pretty sure Reid is obsessed with you, or some shit. But I never told you that I love you. I do, Talia. I've loved you for so long. I couldn't stand watching you with the other packs, especially the bad ones. The only reason I let it go on is because I knew you'd hate me for interfering with what you thought was the right thing to do. We never would have taken an omega. We loved you too much.”
Of all the things he could have said, that isn't what I expected.
“I'm sorry.” I don't know what else to say.
“Don't be sorry. Never. You left us because you love us. That was a bullshit thing to deal with, and don't ever do it again; but we understood why. We just hoped you would find your way back. Then you landed in Jasper's lap. We mourned, Talia. Mourned. Me and Reid couldn't stand seeing you with him. We left the auction. Corso stayed so he could see for himself that you were alright. Then Pratchett and Crane showed their asses and we were so afraid for you. We didn't know about what happened to you with the rogues until we were already at the farmhouse when you were in heat.”
He takes a breath and blows it out, “if I ever find those motherfuckers I'll tear them apart with my bare hands. Corso is keeping it together, but he is having a difficult time coming to terms with how bad it was for you and all the shit with Devon. There's no goddamn way those pricks didn't know you were having heat spikes. And now I have to be nice to the fuckers because we're going to be one big happy family.”
“Alex,Ididn't even know. I knew weird shit was happening to me, but I really did think it was because me and Jasper are...the way we are. And I knew what would happen when the rogues caught me. I couldn't let them take Jasper. I'm alright. I really am. I just have to get used to the omega stuff. That's harder than anything else.”
Alex reaches for me and I go to him. “And I get the distinct feeling that between Corso and Devon I'll never be allowed out of the house again, much less out on my own. I don't know how to be kept. I know how to take care of people, and how to support a pack. I don't know how to be smothered by one. I really do wish you would all just treat me like a beta until I go into heat. It would be so much easier.”
“I don't think we can, toots. Me and the boys tried our best to take care of you before but you wouldn't let us. It's happening this time. You've been marked by two of us, you can feel how much they need to take care of you, and I'm sure they can feel your needs through their bond with you. I can't wait to feel you, to be connected to you. I'll never have to go without you again.”
What do you say to that kind of declaration? What else could you possibly do but wrap yourself around the person saying it to you and try to show them what it means to you?
Alex is usually full of so much shit that I'm pretty floored by what he just handed me. I thought we'd come up here, talk a little shit, have really hot sex, get me marked, and then have a great big sleep over. I didn't expect to have a heartfelt confession. I don't really know what to do with this version of Alex.
I needn't have worried. Even in the midst of a confession like this, Alex is ridiculous. He's perfectly capable of spilling his guts one second, and flipping us around until he's pinning me to the mattress in the next. Then his mouth is on mine and I'm hitching my leg over his hip.
Alex's hands are everywhere at once. Gripping my thigh. Kneading my breast. Lifting my ass to meet his hips pressing into me. He licks a path down my neck and stops to suck on Reid's mark. That really is an unfair advantage.
I arch my neck and sink my fingers into his hair to hold his mouth there. “Bite me, Alex. Do it.”
His breath brushes warm over my skin as he softly laughs, “not yet, sweetheart. You need my knot first. Then I'll bite you wherever you want.”
“Promise?” I give a growly purr and pull his head back so he has to look at me.
“Yes. Here,” he nips my chin, “or here,” he nibbles my jaw, “or here,” he licks my collarbone before he scrapes his teeth across it. He has me moaning for him before I'm even naked. This is ridiculous. I can't believe how sensitive and needy I am. But I can't fight my instincts. I don't want to right now.
