Page 92 of The Beta: Part Two
“I'm going, too,” Nathan says, “I won't let them fall. I want to jump, too.” He's grinning like a kid.
“Talia, keep hold of them,” Corso orders.
“Yes, Alpha.”
Chapter thirty-one
Alex
You know, I was more than willing and ready to give Talia and Jasper a show with Trent just to watch them combust; but it never once occurred to me that I might end up wanting Jasper. Hell, I might even want Trent at this point. After today, I'm so glad we're all still alive and walking away with all our bits and pieces that I'd put us all in a conga line circle jerk to celebrate.
I'm watching Talia lead Jasper and Nathan, all bare-assed naked, up the scrubby little path back to the top of the cliffs and I should be worried about them falling, but I'm not. I know she's showing the boys where to step and I can see the death grip she's got on Jasper's hand. She won't let them fall. I'll let Corso and Reid do all the worrying. Shit, Kaleb's probably a worrier, too. They can all sit around and worry together. I'm going to sit and watch our omegas climb a hill and laugh when they jump off a cliff they have no business jumping off into water that's too cold for them to swim in.
I can feel how happy Talia is right now. Sure, she's a little anxious. Understandably since Devon is still in such bad shape. But she's full of so much excitement and joy right now that even I feel bubbly with it. That's another thing that never occurred to me. I'd never guess that serious, sour, sarcastic Talia would have it in her to feel bubbly. “Feel that?” I ask the others. We're all sitting on the rock ledge now to watch the ascent.
“The happy?” Trent asks, and I nod.
“Yeah, the happy. I know she's worried about Devon, but she's so fucking happy right now.”
I couldn't pry the smile off Corso's face with a crowbar. He feels bubbly, too. He hasn't been truly happy in three years. Since she left us. Reid isn't bubbly, but Reid would never allow himself to be bubbly. He is extremely content, though. Which reminds me...
“You motherfucker.”
They all look at me.
“You,” I point at Reid, “you've got both of them. How's that working out?”
He starts to answer, but I interrupt. “More importantly, how was it fucking Jasper?”
All he will give me in answer is a crooked smile and says, “I have never felt this full or cared for in my entire life.”
I can't even give him shit for it.
Corso and I love Reid. We care for him, always have. But if having one omega fills up so many dark spaces up inside you, I can't imagine what he must be feeling with two of them. Having a bond with just Talia is a little overwhelming, and to be perfectly honest, just a bit terrifying. What if I fuck up? When she was holding that gun to her head,just a week ago, I felt his horror, his absolute terror, and enough regret to make me choke on it. And that was just his emotions, I didn't catch any of hers. If I ever fuck up with her like that I don't know what I'll do. If anybody can handle it, though, it's Reid.
“Are we going to talk about fucking them?” Trent asks, “I mean, I don't think they'd mind. Talia doesn't give much of a shit about anything, so long as it's good for Jasper. But if we're going to talk about it, I want to talk about it. And before they get back.”
That's not completely fair to Talia, though. She's never been in a position to actually consider herself as a priority. Me and the others tried damn hard to make her feel like she was our world, because she fucking was...is...but she still broke her own heart and left us because she wanted better for us than herself. There was never going to be anyone better for us than her. Never. But she still left because she wanted the best for us that she could possibly make happen, and she knew if she was in the picture no omega would touch us.
“I know you want to talk about fucking them, but we're going to talk about Talia instead.” I look at both Trent and Kaleb. I don't need to say this to Corso or Reid, they already know; they lived it. “Talia has never once, in her entire life, felt important. There has never been a time that she felt like she was special, or worth more than any other hired help. All those other packs never made her see that she was more.
“She felt like a failure to her family for being a beta, even though they couldn’t be more proud of her if they tried. I want to give part of the blame for that to her mother, but Elizabet was really doing what she thought would be most beneficial, even if it made things worse for Talia. Talia never considered herself a priority. She will put all of us, especially Jasper, before her every fucking chance she gets. I won't have it.
“I let her get by with it before because she's a stubborn asshole and she wouldn't let herself be more than a beta no matter what I, or any of us, said or did. That's fucking over. I know you've had Jasper. I know he's been your omega, and your priority, fuck knows he's been hers. But now she's just as important. Like she always has been.”
“I know,” Kaleb says solemnly, “we know. Jasper knows. After you guys left with her, he lined us out. He told us that taking her as our omega was going to be the hardest thing we've ever done. He said she was going to be the most important thing in our world, and she was going to fight every second of it because she's a bigger asshole than any of us, and her balls are bigger. I'm inclined to agree with that point. Don't worry, Alex. We're going to find a way to make her understand how important and precious she is. We also have quite a lot to make up for.”
Trent agrees, “I'm probably going to feel like shit for the rest of my life over so many things. I don't know how Devon's going to handle it. He's already carrying so much guilt over everything when she first got there, then everything that sent her to the hospital and the shit show of all that. And now this. He's going to kill us when he finds out we let them climb through fucking air vents in a rogue compound to save our asses. Oh my god, and letting them walk into that fight. Jesus. He's going to kill us.”
“No, he isn't,” Corso says, and puts an arm around Trent's shoulders. “I won't allow it. Jasper and Talia were amazing today, and vicious. I knew Talia was skilled, but I had no idea Jasper was so savage. I loved watching them fight as much as I hated it. Devon will be as proud and as in awe of them as the rest of us are.”
“No,” Trent says, “he won't be. He's going to be pissed. But you're right, you're the one who let them do it. So you can deal with him.”
I don't blame Trent. Devon's anger is legendary.
“I'll handle Devon,” Kaleb offers.
I'm starting to think it's pretty hilarious that they're so worried about Devon's temper.
