Page 36 of The Beta: Part Three
The doctor looks at each of them in turn, then glances down at her paperwork. “Who had the idea to combine packs?” I can’t decide if she’s angry with us or if something might be wrong.
“I did.” Reid waves.
“I see. And Talia and Jasper are mates? Surely you’d know. You’d feel it in your bonds with them.”
Jasper steps forward, in front of me and everyone else. “Talia is my mate. They don’t need to feel it because I do. Is there a problem we need to be made aware of?”
“No, Mister Nattier. There’s no problem. I’m happy you and Talia have found each other. It’s rare to find one’s true mate. Even more rare for an omega to find her mate in another omega. How’s that going? Within the pack dynamic, I mean.”
Jasper shrugs. “It seems to be going very well. Devon? Corso?” He and Talia both reference Devon and I equally as lead alpha.
I open my mouth to answer, but Devon clears his throat. “We’re very happy with our dynamic. I realize my pack was completely irresponsible and disrespectful of Talia when she first came under your care, but we are trying to make up for that.”
“So she says,” Doctor Cortez hums. “She and Jasper are on equal ground as omegas in your pack.”
I start to answer again, but this time Jasper interrupts. “Of course not. I may be an omega, but Talia is my mate. Her needs come before mine.” He gestures toward Devon. “They’ve already adjusted their actions and reactions accordingly. I don’t think they even realize they’ve done it.”
Kaleb’s head jerks to the side. “What do you mean, Jasper? We would never put either of you to the side in preference of the other. Is that what you think is happening?”
“It’s natural, Kaleb. And it’s what I’d ask you to do even if you weren’t already doing it. And I’m glad Talia isn't here to hear this conversation. Honestly, what do you learn in your alpha classes? Don’t they teach you anything about omegas? Beyond the most basic basics.” Nobody has an answer for that, but we all have the grace to look at the floor. The only reason my pack knows as much about omegas as we do is because we sought the information when Jasper chose us. None of our teachers or trainers taught us about the more minute needs and mannerisms of omegas, we learned on our own. But maybe we need to go back and reeducate ourselves on female omegas.
Jasper continues his scolding, with the doctor nodding from her side of the screen. “In an all male alpha pack like ours with two omegas, if one of the omegas is female she is the priority. She will grow our pack, I’ll just help her do it. She is my priority, and because of that she’s your priority. Your instincts know that even if your minds don’t.”
“You are a priority, Jasper,” Kaleb says, but Jasper waves him off.
“I know that. And I love you for it. But she’s the bigger priority and we all know it. That’s how it’s supposed to be and how I want it. Look at how much things have already changed for us. I know I’m your omega, nothing’s going to change that or lessen it. But Talia isouromega.”
“That’s a good way to explain that,” Doctor Cortez breaks in. “Now, I have another question before I get to the business of telling you all off.” She looks at each of us in turn again. “Talia would like to have a baby. I’m going to assume you all have implants, with the exception of Jasper, of course; you know omegas can’t get implants, the hormonal cocktail is disastrous to an omega’s system. Don’t tell me if you don’t, that’s your business; but keep in mind that if you don’t have an implant you will likely get her pregnant now that her system is clear from the suppressants she took before. Since alphas are notoriously under-educated about omegas, I would like to remind you of some omega reproduction facts. Omegas are only fertile when they’re in heat, both male and female. It is incredibly rare that two omegas come together in the first place, but I want you to be mindful that their heats will sync up and they will both be fertile during that time.”
“We’re aware of that, Doctor Cortez. Thank you. I think we’re ready to be told off, now, if you don’t mind.” I know about synced heats and when omegas are fertile, but I don’t know why we need to be told off by a doctor on a laptop. We’ve been doing everything we can to take care of Talia and make sure she’s alright.
“Talia Graves is an omega, there is no denying that. But an omega designation changes her physically, and possibly, on some level, mentally. You need to remember that she has been a beta for too long to change too many things. She has always considered herself a beta, and it will take more than a new designation to change that. She isn’t going to start thinking like an omega just because her designation has changed.” She waits until we all acknowledge what she said, then she continues. “You can’t expect her to have an omega reaction to trauma when she’s been thinking like a beta for her whole life.”
Nathan raises his hand. “That’s not what we expect from her. It isn’t about designation. Talia has been through so much horrible shit, Doctor Cortez. She hasn’t had much of a reaction to all of it. The most she did is freak out about Jonas fucking Pratchett trying to talk to her at a restaurant. Even Seth is doing a bunch of counseling at the facility he’s at.”
“Why do you need her to have a reaction?” Now she’s looking at him over her glasses.
He opens and closes his mouth a few times, but manages a response. “I don’tneedher to have a reaction. I don’t want her to have one, either. It was horrible when she had a panic attack. I don’t want that for her.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad you don’t want her to feel that way. So why are you all so bothered by her lack of measurable negative response to her trauma?”
Trent answers this time. “She can’t really be okay after everything she’s been through. Hell, a whole lot of it happened because of us. She’s walking around here like she’s unaffected. It’s not normal.”
“And you’re the pinnacle of normalcy, Mister Lancaster?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Did you know, any of you, that people are completely capable of handling their trauma and stress differently than they’re expected to? It doesn’t matter that Talia’s coping mechanisms, which are some of the most successful I’ve seen, by the way, are not the same as yours or the same as what you’ve seen from others. Talia is very structured. She handles things very objectively and she is very capable of reaching out for help if she needs it. She is also a very good judge of whether or not she needs that help. I don’t mean to speak about stereotypes, and there are always exceptions, but betas are better at working through trauma than either omegas or alphas because they think differently. They work through things step by step and process their reactions quietly and move on. They don’t tend to dwell on things once they’ve finished processing them. Talia is also very strong willed. She decides what she’s going to do, then she does it.”
I tuck my hair behind my ear and meet the doctor’s eyes. “What are you getting at, Doctor Cortez?”
“Leave her alone. She’s not going to be a nervous, timid, trembling wreck just because you expect her to be. She’s stronger than you are. Be careful of her, obviously, and don’t be stupid, but don’t treat her like she’s broken or fragile. It’s one of those situations where you prepare yourself for a potential outcome without expecting to have to experience it. Does that make sense?”
I look around at my pack, exchanging a nod with each of them. “Yes, Doctor Cortez. It makes sense. Thank you.”
“Good, good. Talia has an appointment to check in with me every month until and unless that needs to change. Do any of you have any questions?”
We don’t have any questions, and we end the call with polite goodbyes. We’re all awkwardly silent, then Reid breaks it with a sigh. “So, we just let her be and help her if she needs help.”
