Page 37 of The Beta: Part One

Trent agrees, and I can’t stop the bark of laughter that escapes me even though I’m completely mortified. “I’ve had the windows open for three days. I’m about to make brownies, too. That should help with the scent. I can’t help it, listening to all that in there is a lot. Sorry.”

Trent scrubs down his face and takes a sip of his coffee. “It’s fine,” he says over the rim of his cup, “I’m just going to have to go back in sooner than I thought. Jasper can smell you, too. He keeps asking for you. I’m half tempted to drag you in there just so I can see what he does with you in his state. Swear to fuck, I almost came in my pants when I saw how he had you pinned to the wall.”

Are they so exhausted that they don’t realize what they’re saying, or maybe they don’t care at this point? “So, we’re just going to be all comfy talking about Jasper fucking my mouth in the hallway and you wanting to watch him fuck everything else? I mean, I can totally roll with that, I just need to know nobody’s going to bite my head off for having an opinion about it,” I say, and give him a piece of toast slathered with blackberry jam that I actually made for myself.

“Talia, are you aware that words have meanings, and that you’re talking to two alphas who are barely coming out of rut about their omega fucking your mouth?” Nathan asks, eyeballing the other piece of toast in my hand that I just took a bite of.

I roll my eyes and give it to him, “You started it.”

He shoves half the piece into his mouth and hums in pleasure.

“What’s your opinion about it, then?” Trent asks, still nursing the coffee with his eyes mostly closed.

What is my opinion? I think I’d likely let Jasper fuck whichever part of me he liked best at this point. I think I like joking with Trent and Nathan about it. And I think Devon wouldn’t like either of those things.

“Well,” I sigh, “I think Jasper just had his first female experience, so that’s on his mind, and it shouldn’t be a lingering issue once it’s not so fresh for him. I do enjoy joking with you about it. Sometimes I feel welcome here and sometimes I don’t. I know better than to think I’m here long-term, but I am here now and it’s pretty nice to feel less on edge about it. I think Devon would prefer that I don’t joke with you, especially about letting Jasper fuck me however he wants, and that he would also prefer it if I stayed on edge while I’m here, so long as it doesn’t overly interfere with my tasks.”

They both look like they’re thinking that over pretty hard for a few minutes. Then Nathan heaves a big breath and gives me a long look, “Devon isn’t as awful as he presents himself to be. Since I met him, everything he does is to make us better, and after we claimed Jasper he worked even harder to make sure we’re strong. Everything he does is to keep Jasper safe and happy. He wasn’t thrilled when his dad asked us to take you in, none of us were, really. We liked things the way they were. But Jasper likes you, so much. I feel like you get a different version of him than we do, and I think Devon,” he pauses to find the right words, “He isn’t exactly jealous, I don’t think he is, anyway. I think he might feel a little bit threatened by the things you bring out in Jasper that he can’t. I can also say with one hundred percent certainty that I want to be able to joke with you. I don’t like feeling like I have to hold myself so tight all the time. And I’m tired of getting up so goddamned early.”

“I’m sorry?” I say, what does he mean he’s tired of getting up so early?

Trent groans, “Oh god. Yes. I’m so tired of getting up at four in the fucking morning to prove that we’re hard asses. That shit has to stop.”

The. Fuck.

“Excuse me? You’re making yourselves get up before the sun rises to be dicks? To me? Seriously?”

They suddenly realize they let something slip that was supposed to remain this big secret.

“I get up that early most days, anyway. Before I came here I got up early to run or train before it was time to start work for the day. So you can either have an intervention and decide to let yourselves sleep until you like to get up, or you can keep letting Devon think he’s making me miserable. Either way, I’m usually up by five am at the latest.”

Nathan busts out laughing, “Oh, we’ll let Devon keep getting up at the ass crack of dawn. Twenty bucks says he doesn’t make it another month before he caves and changes the schedule.”

I make my own bet, because Devon strikes me as the type to cut off his nose to spite his face, “Thirty says he makes it two months, and makes it my fault.”

He laughs again and shakes my hand.

The heat lifts for the most part by the next day. Jasper will still need his alphas for a bit longer, for emotional support as the waves become fewer and fewer. Some omegas have a complete emotional crash after their heat lifts, I hope it isn’t like that for him. I offer to help him wash the bedding, but he says he’ll wash it himself when he’s ready so I let it go.

He’s covered in marks and smells like happiness. He’s also exhausted, and he keeps watching all of us with the strangest little expression.

I finally ask him what he’s thinking about. He looks a little bashful when he answers, “I don’t know how to hold all of you at once. Even if I had enough arms and hands I think it might be awkward for you.”

So I do the only logical thing and give him the longest, sweetest hug I can and kiss his chin, “I won’t let it be awkward. You can hold me whenever you like, nobody will mind giving you what you need.”

And he smiles because he knows I’m right.

That evening he retreats back to his nest with all his alphas but Devon. Devon liingers, looking at me like he’s trying to decide what to say to me. He can’t possibly feel awkward. I don’t know what he’d want to tell me so I derail whatever thought process he’s twirling around in, “So, if you guys are back to normal, I think I’d like to go out for the evening. Just get out of here for a bit and give you guys some time since you won’t need me to keep watch.”

I wish it was because I wanted to be a good beta and give my omega time alone with his alphas without the insanity of heat pressing down on him, but I have a much more selfish reason for wanting to go. After listening to Jasper getting railed for a few days straight and imagining all the possible scenarios that could produce the delicious sounds that have been coming from that room, I need to go get railed. Not literally, I just want to find an acceptable male and work out a few orgasms to take the edge off of the intense level of fucking horny I am.

“That should be fine. We’re good now. Happy hunting.” He knows exactly what I’m after tonight.

I salute him like a good little beta and go up to my room to get dressed in fresh clothes to go out in, hopefully Jasper’s scent didn’t make it all the way up to my room, I definitely do not want to go looking for a hook up smelling like an omega in heat.

I end up choosing a pair of jeans that make my ass look glorious and a black tank top. I wear my usual boots and I braid my hair into two dutch braids. I want to look nice and fuckable, but not in an outfit that I can’t move in. Besides, most males are more concerned with getting you out of your clothes rather than what the clothes actually look like.

The bar I looked up is called Danny’s Bar and Grill. It looks like a no-fuss place with amazing bar food. The pictures make it look clean, not shady, and comfortable. It’s in the next town over and I shoot Devon a quick text letting him know I’m leaving as I’m walking out the door.

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