Page 12 of The Beta: Part Three
He laughs and says, “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just came to check on you, you’ve been missing for a while, and your dad’s been texting me. He wants me to draft plans for production of those omega earbuds. He hasn’t told me everything, but it’s starting to sound like some of the rogues we detained are talking. I think he wants every omega to have access to the ear buds. I think he’s planning a shake-up of the registry, the alpha training center, and the omega institute. I think a lot of things are about to change.”
Something that feels like nervousness is trembling along my bond with him. “What’s wrong, Nathan?”
He shrugs, “I feel like something really big is happening. Like, it’s been happening for years. And I’m anxious about the Dennison pack. I know they were there at the compound, and they’re supposed to be following up on a few leads, but I don’t think I trust them. And their omega is a…”
“Shit,” I finish for him, “Danielle is a shit. I grew up with her. She’s never been a very good person.”
Nathan nods, “I didn’t want to say it, but yeah. She used to be after me and Trent when we were younger and had plenty to say about it when we turned her down.”
Now,thatI didn’t know. Growing up, I knew who Devon was because our fathers were on the council together, I knew of Jasper because he was a prodigy at the institute. I didn’t know Kaleb, and if I was ever around Trent or Nathan it wasn’t memorable. I was a beta, so I tended to steer clear of the alphas and leave the omegas to do whatever they were doing with the alphas. None of it affected me and I liked it that way. I don’t feel exactly jealous about knowing Danielle was after Nathan and Trent, but I certainly feel something. And that something is causing a sheepish smile and a little blush spread across Nathan’s face.
“We never entertained her. She eventually got the hint and started going after older guys.”
“Good,” I say flatly. I’m sure my distaste is loud and clear on my face.
“How big do you think this thing with the rogues is? Has your mom or your dads mentioned anything?”
I shake my head, “they haven’t said anything to me. But I agree with my father, those earbuds are amazing and you are a genius. I think it would be a really good thing for omegas to have access to them. Especially if you’re right and things start getting worse. I’m really bothered that nobody’s come up with anything to find the omegas that were being held at the compound.” I hate mentioning them. Nathan still has nightmares about those omegas.
He reaches out and pulls me into his chest, it’s all for his comfort and I rub his back and let the soft purr that always fights to escape when one of them is upset sound from the back of my throat. I didn’t know I was capable of making this sound until a few weeks ago, and sometimes I can’t keep it contained. I haven’t decided if it’s a perk or not, but it’s hard not to be glad for it when I can feel Nathan’s anxiety start to clear from the bond. “Do you need kisses, Nathan?”
He nods and lifts me up onto the dryer. Then I give him his kisses.
I kiss his closed eyelids and his forehead and the tip of his nose. I kiss both cheeks and his chin. Then I put my hands on either side of his face and press several little kisses onto his lips. “It’s going to work out. My dads, Devon’s dad, and some others are all working on finding them and figuring out what’s going on. And they have you to help them. We would never have been able to get you guys out of there if you weren’t so damn smart. Everything will be alright. You’ll see.”
He leans in for more kisses and pulls my legs around his waist so he can scoot me closer to the edge of the dryer. “I like holding you,” he sighs.
“I like it, too. I like doing a lot of things with you.”
“Will you brush my hair again tonight? We don’t have to have sex, I just want to pet you and be petted.”
“Okay,” I say, “we don’t always have to have sex. I want you for more than your dick. You know that, right?”
He laughs softly, “I know. But it doesn’t hurt.” It definitely doesn’t.
I hold Nathan for a few quiet minutes, rubbing his back and combing my fingers through his hair. His hair is almost always loose. Sometimes he wears a backwards ballcap, and even more infrequently he wears it in a bun. The bun is sexy, but the backwards cap is hot. It’s hot when I braid it, too.
“Hey Talia?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m pretty sure I love you. Trent does, too. He probably won’t tell you, though. I’m the only one of us who really announces things like that.”
“I might love you back,” I pull his face up to kiss him again, “probably Trent, too. I don’t announce things like that, either.” The way his eyes light up makes it worth the small awkwardness that usually plagues me whenever I talk about big emotions. I have only told Jasper that I love him a small handful of times; the same with Corso, Reid, and Alex. They know, though. All of them know. I can feel it now that I have bonds with them.
“Do you think you’ll be able to love all of us?”
“Of course I will.”
“Even Devon?”
I sigh. Everyone is suddenly so interested in making me talk about Devon. “Why wouldn’t I love Devon? I’m sure I will eventually. Whether he wants me to or not. I can’t see a reason why I wouldn’t.”
“I can,” Nathan says, “he made you leave Jasper. And he didn’t fight for you. And he left you alone.”
Irritation crackles through me and I have to put genuine effort into fighting it back. “What was he supposed to do, Nathan? He was doing what he thought was right.”
“He was supposed to fight for you. I love Devon, but he has a hard time pulling his head out of his ass. The second we knew you were Jasper’s, you were ours, too. And he didn’t fight for you. I couldn’t do much, and I’m ashamed of that, but I at least questioned him. Kaleb did, too. Trent has been angry for months. Devon was the lead alpha in our pack, when he decides something, it’s hard to make him change his mind. Especially if he thinks he’s doing the right thing. It’s just bullshit that it took almost losing you for him to finally understand what he was doing to you, and to us.”
