Page 39 of The Alpha: Part Two
“Listen,” he looks directly at Jasper as he steps partially in front of Seth, causing several other alphas to stiffen. “I don’t know what the fuck you are, but I’m going to need you to tone that shit down a little bit. Seth and Talia need support right now, not your bullshit.”
“He’s an omega,” Desie snips. “A rude one.”
“Omega, my ass.” I look at Jasper more closely. No way is that guy an omega. Omegas don’t feel or smell like him. He might be physically small, but he’s probably got more pull and rank than anyone here.
Seth leans further into Desie and wraps a hand around her ankle. “Jasper is an omega. Don’t fuss at him. He has every right to hate me. He’s her mate.”
Now I’m gawking. “Omega mates don’t happen.”
“Obviously, they do,” Devon says, attempting to link his fingers with Jasper.
It takes a moment, but Jasper eventually looks down at Devon’s hand and takes it. The dynamics in their pack must be a roller coaster ride. “It’s fine. Desir’ee is right, I am being rude. I’m going to need time to process this. Why didn’t you say anything, Pratchett? I’d still be angry, but I wouldn’t have spent the last few years trying not to hate you. Plotting ways to kill you that wouldn’t upset Talia. If we had known…”
“You wouldn’t have believed him, Jasper. You know you wouldn’t have. Even if it was obvious that he was telling the truth.” Talia reaches over for Jasper’s other hand and he grips it tightly.
“I’ll need to apologize,” Jasper grumbles. “Eventually.”
“Please don’t. I don’t deserve an apology. I still did it, it’s just not the way you thought. Can we be finished with this part, for today at least? Please?” Seth’s anxiety might be worse now with the prospect of Jasper apologizing than it was when he was talking about what happened. Which is saying something because what was flowing through our freshly solid bond was enough to make me sick and I can feel that it’s the same for Michael and Desie.
Kaleb clears his throat. “Well, we can talk about apologies and what you think you deserve some other time. Nathan booked us an appointment with the West Coast Council for this afternoon. Are you feeling up to that, Desir’ee?”
Desie nods, but Seth’s head snaps up. “Where is the meeting? We can’t meet at the council building. It’s not safe.”
“Actually,” Nathan says gently. “We can. This meeting needs to happen in front of a lot of witnesses who like to wag their tongues to the right people. We have news to intentionally spread. We have a private meeting with Minos penciled in for tomorrow night at a bowling alley, of all places.”
“Hell yeah,” Trent grins. “I love bowling. We’ll let the kids use that ramp thing.”
There’s a collective eye roll.
“Wait. Not to berude,” Jasper gives Desie a small smile, “but will that work for you? Talia said you’re going into heat at any time. Are you comfortable storming that meeting with us? I don’t know if I have the mental capacity to march in there with one very pregnant omega, one omega about to go into heat, and three toddlers.”
Desie clicks her tongue. “Yeah, that’s a lot. Seth and the twins have to go, but I could stay here with the kids. I know you just met me, but I’ll take care of them.”
“Negative, baby,” I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “One of us will stay with you wherever you are. Probably me. I think the more assholes on our side at the WCC the better, and we both know Michael is the bigger asshole.”
Reid, who has been still and silent this whole time, speaks up. “Alex will stay here. And Trent.”
“Bossy ass,” Trent mumbles. “Why do I have to stay?”
“Because Jasper and Talia need to go, and I need to be there with them. Devon needs to be there because he’s a sitting councilman, as does Seth and Corso. Nathan needs to go for obvious reasons. Kaleb will help keep things calm, one way or the other. Alex hates meetings and you like giving the kids candy.” Reid crosses his arms, waiting for Trent to argue.
Trent rocks back on his heels and clucks his tongue. “Well, I didn’t mean for you to break it down like that. And I didn’t get any candy to give the kids.”
“A technical truth.” Reid’s mouth twitches with an almost-smile.
Chapter twenty-two
Michael
Fuck these people. All of them. Even Talia’s pack. Not Talia herself, and not Nathan and Kaleb or Reid, but the rest of them are lacking. Definitely fuck every member of the WCC spread out around this douchy table.
“What’s this all about?” the pompous asshole in a honest to fuck green suit asks. He said his name, but I didn’t retain it and I don’t intend to. None of these people really matter. “I thought Alpha Pratchett went back to the East Coast where he belongs.” Maybe I should have remembered his name. He sounds just like the kind of guy I’d like to run into in a dark alley.
“Alpha Pratchett is here at my request, Robert.” Alpha Minos leans back in his chair, making a point to visibly relax into his seat.
Robert sneers. “What’s the point, Alphonse? We all saw his file. It’s an insult that they sent someone like him as a representative in the first place.”
It’s going to be much more difficult to keep myself in check than I thought. Maybe Ben should have come instead.
