Page 31 of The Beta: Part Three
“Talia, I think we've gone past every camera. They're all where they're supposed to be. Are you finished checking them, or are you still avoiding something? Either is fine, but if we're avoiding something I'd like to know what it is.”
She looks back over her shoulder and smiles at me. Every time she does that my breath catches. I'm sure I'll always have that reaction to her smiling at me like that. “I wasn't very stealthy about it, was I?”
“No. Were you trying to be?”
Talia reaches back and pinches the inside of my arm. “Of course I was trying to.”
“What are we avoiding, beautiful?”
She wrinkles her nose at the compliment, but she doesn't argue with it. “I don't know what to do about Devon.”
“Neither does he.”
“I know. It's very obvious. He says he's afraid of me.”
“He's terrified. What are you waiting for? He's yours if you want him.” He's made that very obvious, as well.
“I'm worried that he isn't properly healed and strong like he was before. And I don't like that he's afraid of me. He kissed me on the table a few weeks ago and I thought everything would just fall into place, but then I went into heat, and when I came out of it everything was awkward. I don't know why. Probably omega bullshit.”
This is the one time I'll ever agree that it is omega bullshit. I've been brushing up on my omega knowledge base. My hypothesis is that Talia subconsciously feels that Devon is too weak to take care of and provide for both her and Jasper, so she's taking herself out of the equation without realizing she's doing it. It is most definitely omega bullshit, because Devon is as strong as he ever was, is fully healed, and is perfectly capable and willing to take care of both of them. Best not to tell her that, though. It's never good to try to tell a woman what she thinks, my mother taught me well. “Talia,” I pause to look at another tiny camera wedged into the vee of a pine tree, “I know the premise is that the alpha is to claim and mark the omega, but when have you ever done what makes sense?”
I watch realization and understanding settle over her in stages. “Do you think that would help? If I went after him?”
I shrug, I don't know for sure, but at this point it couldn't hurt.
“I think Jasper should help. He keeps saying he gets to pick the place where Devon will put his mark.”
I try to keep the grin from my face when I tell her that I think Jasper would very much enjoy helping her claim Devon.
I know the moment Talia and Jasper discuss the matter of Devon. We've just cleaned up dinner and she and Jasper have disappeared upstairs. There is raw, primal excitement and lust flowing freely down the bond. Trent and Nathan are still in the kitchen with me and we all exchange a smirk.
“Are they going after Devon?” Trent asks.
I nod.
“Does he know?”
I shake my head.
Then we make a very calm and collected mad dash to Nathan's room so we can watch the security feed.
Chapter eleven
Devon
I'm laying across my bed with my ankles crossed, trying to decide if I want to go down and get a snack before I go to bed, when Jasper slinks into my room and leans against the door frame.
“Getting ready for bed?” Jasper asks.
I've felt a buzzing along my bond with him since this afternoon. I assumed it was the same energy that comes along with him working up to going into heat. It feels almost the same. But the look he's giving me is predatory. He generally saves those looks for Talia.
“I, well, I was thinking about it.” Why the hell am I stuttering? “Are you getting ready for bed?”
“Nope.”
Talia, dressed in dark leggings, a snug thermal, and running shoes, prowls into the room. There's no other way to describe her movement. She is prowling around my room, touching and rearranging my things on top of the dresser. I take another look at Jasper. He's dressed to go for a run, too. It's too fucking dark for them to go for a run. I open my mouth to inform them of that, but Talia tilts her head to the side and asks Jasper, “he's good? You're sure?”
“I'm sure.”
