Page 89 of The Beta: Part Three
I hear one of the babies crying in the background. Dutch. He's very dramatic about things, I don't know who he could have possibly inherited that trait from, insert sarcasm as I cut my eyes at his father. "She's worried sick, but holding it together. She'll be glad to hear from you. Let me get her."
"No, don't," I say. I know exactly how disappointed and disgusted I sound, and I don't want to upset or worry her any more than she already is. "Just tell her I called and that me and Trent are alright."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure. I know I sound like someone kicked my puppy. I'm going to see about an early flight home."
I listen to him shush Dutch for a minute, and even though the baby's screaming and I'm so far away, just hearing home makes me feel a little better. I catch Trent's eye, then flick my gaze to the door. He nods and glances at the phone I'm holding to my ear. I give him a nod of my own, our silent conversation concluded. We're leaving as soon as fucking possible, and everything is okay at home; and I couldn't be happier.
“How are the omegas?” Jasper asks, his tone stiff and cautious.
“Exhausted. Anxious. Angry. There’s one I’d like for you to meet, when he’s ready. I think you’d like him, and I think it would help him to meet you.”
I hear the distinct sound of baby butt pats and Dutch finally quiets. Jasper lowers his voice to just a bit more than a whisper. “Whenever he’s ready. If I can help, you know I will. I’m going to go put this little boy down with his sisters. I’m glad you’re coming home early. Be safe.”
Thaddeus arranges for a car to take us to the airfield so we can catch the flight he also arranged. I questioned a few more of the omegas while we wait, but none of them had any more information than the male, whose name is Aiden. I gave him my number and told him when he's ready, I'd like for him to meet Jasper. Apparently, he's already heard of Jasper and his entire attitude toward me changed once he found out I was Jasper's alpha. Then he really had a change of heart when he found out I was also Talia's alpha. It's a little jarring for me to be the possession, the acquired party. I'm so used to thinking of them in terms of being my omegas, but the opposite is just as true. I do belong to them. We all do, and that might be more accurate than saying they belong to us.
Trent let it slip in front of Aiden that we had babies, and Aiden had a less positive reaction to that information. "Are they yours, or theirs?" he whispered, glancing around the room to see if anyone was listening. I tried to answer, but he stopped me. "Don't tell me. Don't tell anyone. Especially if they're not yours. Nobody can ever know, not until we're safe. That's why they were so interested in Maddie and Ashe. Their parents are both omegas." I open my mouth to say something else, but he shuts me up again. "Don't. Just don't. Not here, anyway. You gave me your number. I'll be in touch as soon as I can. You need to know, but not here. We can't trust these people."
The fact that he included me in theweactually made me feel less at ease, and now that I'm watching the airfield markings grow smaller and smaller through my tiny window I feel even better. I can't wait to get home. I'll need to start digging and searching for the twins, Maddie and Ashe, but for now I'm going to be glad for the omegas I did save. That's big, it isn't enough, but it's more of a win than it could be.
"You'll find them," Trent assures me. "You found the others, and you'll find those girls. We're not going to tell anyone about ours, though. Not until it's safe. As far as the world knows, we only have a son. I hate it but protecting them is more important than making sure every person on the planet sees how beautiful they are."
"I don't know if we can keep Elizabet quiet about it." I don't know how she's managed not to tell everyone she sees about her three newest grandchildren, to be perfectly honest; but she hasn't. So far, I don't think Elizabet has told a single person about any of the babies, and it's very curious. Curious enough to call her and find out.
"What are you doing?" Trent asks when I take out my phone.
"Calling Talia's mother. Hang on."
She answers on the fourth ring, and I rudely don't give her time to be chipper and polite. "Why aren't you screaming about them from the rooftops?"
"The omegas? They'll be screaming soon enough themselves. I don't need to."
"No, not them. The set of heated blankets Obi delivered."
It becomes suddenly apparent that I've caught her driving when she starts cussing whatever ‘slow piece of shit’ that ‘won't get the hell out of the fast lane if they're going to drive like it's Sunday’. I've never been in the car with Talia driving, but between her parents' temperaments, I don't think I want to. Kaleb and Reid do most of the driving, anyway.
"Sorry, honey. Some people shouldn't be on the road," she chirps, and I snort to keep from laughing. She might be the people that shouldn't be on the road, but I won't be the one to tell her that. "I don't think we should mention the blankets. Not until some other things get sorted. Maybe the blue one, but not the others. If it was me, I probably wouldn't tell anybody who made them if word does slip out, you never know how people will react, you know?"
"Yeah, I think so, too. Thanks, Elizabet. We just left Marcus and Thaddeus, they're good. We're going home. And I've got a new thing to look for… another set of blankets."
"Shit. Really?"
"Yes. So, if you have any leads on any manufacturers." God, I hope we're both smart enough to talk in this type of code, "I'd like their information." I don't know if there's anyone in first-class that might be listening, but it's safe to assume that anyone is a potential threat at this point.
"Will do, honey. Hug my daughter for me when you get home, okay?"
"I will. Bye, Elizabet."
Trent smirks at me, "I would have said burritos."
The house is dark when we get home, and the first thing I do is march straight up to Corso's room where I know Talia will be. She's on the bed between Jasper and Corso, with the cradle pulled up close to the side. Soon we're going to have to find a bigger place for them to sleep, or at maybe another cradle or cot or something. They're getting so big so fast; it's incredible.
I don't want to wake anyone, I just want to check on them, but Corso touches my arm when I'm bent over the cradle. "Get in on the other side of Jasper. Trent can come too, if he wants, but he'll have to squeeze in. They've been very worried."
Trent pokes his head in the door, and I motion for him to come in and be quiet, then I point at the bed and start undressing down to my boxers. He takes the hint and soon we're both snuggled in the bed. Trent somehow manages to wriggle between Jasper and Talia without waking either of them; and that's how we stay for the night. When the babies wake up for their middle-of-the-night meal, Talia and Jasper are completely horrified that they didn't wake up when we got home but are otherwise very happy to see us.
Trent and I help juggle the babies around until they're all fed and happy again, then we go right back to sleep, all cuddled together in the middle of Corso's bed.
