Page 11 of The Beta: Part Three
“I’m just cleaning it. Do you want me to make you something?”
“It was clean before you started cleaning it, sweet pea. How about I make you something?”
“Sure. I’ll get some plates. Is anybody else coming in?” If they are, I’ll probably take over. I don’t need the mess that would happen if Alex cooked for everyone.
“I don’t think so. And if they do, they can figure out their own food. You’re not a short order cook. And you’re not a maid. I don’t like you acting like one. I don’t generally put my foot down about anything, but I’ve had just about enough of you cleaning up after everyone and cooking every bite of food we eat.” He’s speaking into the cabinet, and the ingredients for psycho sandwiches start appearing on the counter.
“You guys make a mess.”
“And we’re more than capable of cleaning it up. Spoon.”
I hand over a spoon, and a fork for pickle retrieval.
“When are you going to let Devon out of the box?”
“I don’t know what that means, Alex. What box?”
“He won’t heal if you don’t let him. You need to let him out of the sick bay.” He twists the lid off the peanut butter and starts spreading it across the bread on the plates. Only Alex could make spreading peanut butter erotic.
“He walked to the distillery with Corso yesterday.”
“Hmmm,” Alex hums, and dips his finger into the jar of marshmallow fluff, “he could have come in at the end, you know.” He holds his finger in front of my mouth so I can lick it.
“What are you talking about?”
“The tail end of your heat. He’s well enough that he would have been fine. Jasper would have kept you from being too rough with him.”
That gives me pause. Alex is probably right. Devon could probably handle sex right now. Gentle sex. Jasper has even told me that getting off doesn't bother Devon like it did a few days ago. Why didn’t I let him come into the nest at the end? I remember wanting him, especially at the start of my heat. I wanted him in the nest at the end, too. I kind of remember yelling for him. Why was I so bothered by the thought of fucking him last night when Jasper suggested it?
“You’re mad at him.” Alex spreads the chips out on the peanut butter and mashes the marshmallow half of the sandwich on top. The muffled crunch might be my favorite part of the whole process.
“My dad, Thaddeous, puts lettuce on his peanut butter sandwiches.”
“That’s disgusting. And you’re deflecting.”
I blow out a sigh. I am definitely deflecting. “I don’t think I’m mad at Devon. I don’t know what I am. My pussy wants him, but there’s some kind of block when I start down that path. I want him, but… I don’t know. It feels like I need to wait for something first before I lethimhaveme.It’s weird.”
Alex takes a bite and considers me while he chews, then, with his mouth still full, he says, “you’re waiting for him to prove himself to you.” That’s actually ridiculous. That couldn’t possibly be it.
“Devon doesn’t need to prove himself to me.”
“Well, he sure as shit needs to prove himself to me, sweet pea. Trent, Nathan, and even Kaleb are in the clear with you, but they’re still in the shit with me. The fact that Devon is still in the shit with both of us is telling. What are you most worried about where Devon is concerned?”
I’m worried about a lot of things, but mostly about his physical condition. He keeps saying he’s healed up, but he’s slow when he walks up the stairs and I’ve seen him holding a hand over his lower abdomen.
Alex hums again, “looks like you’ve thought of something. I hope it’s groveling. I hope you need Devon to beg you to forgive him before you’ll accept him.”
“You’re terrible. I don’t want to see Devon grovel or beg. I don’t want to see any of you do it. I would hate that.” If Devon gets on his knees for me it won’t be for that reason.
“That’s too bad. I was looking forward to seeing that. It’ll come to you, don’t worry. You’ll figure out what you need from him and then he can do whatever it is and everything will be right as rain. I, however, still think he needs to prove himself worthy of you.”
I put the uneaten half of my sandwich on his plate and stand up, “why wouldn’t he be worthy? He’s always been a good alpha.”
“Honey,” Alex reaches out and pulls a strand of my hair, “none of us are worthy.”
I don’t have anything to say to that, so I kiss his cheek and leave for the laundry room. I think I might feel a lot better if I can stress-fold some sheets or whatever else there is to fold.
There is a glorious amount of laundry waiting to be washed, dried, and folded when I get to the laundry room. I put in my ear buds and get to it. I don’t know how long I’m at it, probably a couple hours. I’ve got three stacks going when Nathan comes in and scares the shit out of me. “I’m going to put a bell on you.”
