The Beta: Part Two (The Beta, #2)

by Avanne Michaels

Then he sits down and he looks so defeated, so weary, that I'd feel bad for him if he hadn't just told me he treated Talia the way almost every other asshole has treated her.

Mates. He thinks Talia is Jasper's mate.

I can't give her up any more than you could give up Jasper,” I'm going for rational neutrality, but if anyone suggests I break my bond with her, neither rational or neutral will rule me

I don't like that, “Talia is not and never will be my property. If anything, it is the opposite.” Trent has no idea how I've ached and longed for her.

In the end, it's Reid who finds the solution just as the sky starts turning pink. We’re going to join our two packs together. There’s no better way to see to both omegas and everything that comes with them.

We couldn’t possibly separate them, it would likely kill them. Joining together is the only logical way we can make this work.

None of us like it, but we don't hate it. We decide to talk it through with Talia and Jasper before they have any more time to dwell on how dark everything looks right now. We’ll just have to make co...

Jasper is tied to four of them, how can he fucking stand it? All I want is to march into that kitchen and drown Corso in the goddamned sink. Trent and Nathan, too, for letting this fucking happen.

He hums and brushes a kiss against my hair, “I know we are. You're mine. I don't give a fuck about Corso or any other alpha in that kitchen. You're mine, Talia. I will not allow Corso to take you from me. I can’t let you sever that bond, though. Cutting a bond with your alpha is a pain that I don't think either of us can fully grasp. You've been through enough hurt, we'll find a way for this to work. It will be alright.”

“What the fuck were you thinking about just now?” I say, not bothering to keep the growl from my voice.

“He isn't allowed to take you from me. He can't take this,” Jasper says and flips me onto my back.

“I would never, ever ask this of you under normal circumstances, but these aren't really normal. I think we have a solid idea for how to deal with this, but I don't think Corso is handling this,” he wags a finger between me and Jasper, “as well as he's trying to have us believe.

But maybe try to remember all the times you said Corso was a good man and a good alpha and give him a little time to come to terms with himself. He's really struggling right now. I'm sorry to ask this of you, I know you're struggling, too, both of you.” Nathan, as always, is noble and sweet. He's one of those people who never says very much, but when he does, he drops things like that and changes your entire perspective.

I was an ass just now, I knew Corso would feel what you felt; but I don't want to share you any more than he does. I'll have to apologize for my pettiness.”

I was so angry that I had to feel him through the bond that I didn't think about it going both ways.

I did love Corso, I will always love Corso. I loved him enough to walk away from him because I wasn’t what he needed, and I love him enough to push through this turmoil to give him what he needs now. Back then, if I’m really honest with myself, I was afraid that I would always love him more than he could ever love me.

I didn’t want him to settle for me when I wasn’t able to give him everything he deserved. But now I can; I can give him all the things I wanted for him when I left him. The epiphany thunders through me, making my heart beat louder in my chest and I gasp.

If I love you now, I will always love you. You will always be my heart. Understand, princess?” I ask, I need him to know that his place will never be usurped, that I will love him in the face of any other thing that happens.

He cried, Jasper, he actually cried. For me. I didn't even cry for me. I stayed with him for a few months, but I had to leave when he started talking about our future again. “He wanted years and years with me, and I couldn't let him waste his life like that. Alex and Reid were just as bad, they had a whole life planned with me and it would have been wrong for me to rob them of something better.

I don't want to sound like a spoiled brat, but I love having you and my alphas so much, it's such a perfect balance. Do you think you could handle that? Sharing like that?” I do. Fuck me, but I do.

You pretty much wrecked Trent and Nathan. Hell, you went through three alphas plus me like we were water. I think you need more than the four alphas in my pack. I think you might need all seven of the alphas in this house, especially if they're going to be able to walk afterwards.

“Oh my god, Jasper. You make me sound like a raging slut,” I hiss, covering my face, and he laughs at me. “You're an omega, you're supposed to be a raging slut. I am, without doubt, a raging slut.”

That might work, though. I don't think I want to juggle any more alphas than I already am. You could be like a link between the two packs. I think they might even go for something like that.” They might. I don't think I want to deal with seven fucking alphas all the time, though. Just handling the four that don't belong to me yet is irritating sometimes.

You can be mad at Corso all you want, but he needs to see his mark on you. Don't be surprised if he starts tending it in front of anyone. Our instincts are stronger than we are, try to give him the grace he needs to work through this. He will take care of you, don't doubt that. And if he doesn't I'll kill him. You'll be fine, cupcake.”

Kaleb and I have never shared a kiss, not a real one. He deserves one, though.

I have already made up my mind to do better than I have so far. Corso would never have taken this choice from me if he hadn't been a victim to his own instincts, and it isn't fair for me to hold him to a higher standard than I hold myself.

Walking slowly so that my intentions are clear, I move toward Corso and step between his knees. He doesn't reach for me, so I pull his arms around my waist and wait until I feel his thumbs hook into the loops on the back of my shorts. He's looking up at me with his gorgeous honey colored eyes and I give him the sweetest smile I can convince my face to make.

We'll figure it out,” I say, and tuck a few strands of golden brown hair behind his ear. He leans into me, wrapping his arms tightly around me, and presses his face against my chest.

If they were relieved before, they're positively at peace now. Did they think we were going to come in here like a couple of bombs and blow them all to hell? I guess they did, considering how poorly I've handled everything so far.

Corso is very reluctant to let me out of his arms, but I manage to turn so that I'm sitting snugly on one of his thighs. He does exactly what Kaleb said he would and begins tenderly licking the exposed bite mark he left on my shoulder.

I shiver at the attention, I didn't want it to, but something about his mouth on it makes it feel so much better. It was feeling so raw and achy, but after just a minute of his ca...

He is part of me, and I am part of him. I don't actually think I can live without him. Actually, I know I can’t live without Jasper. And now there's you. I loved you before this, but now I don't think I can live without you, either. I know it wasn't your intention, but there's no going back. You're my alpha and you will be from now until forever. We would like to talk about what that might look like, sharing between your pack and his.”

Then it hits me. I’ve never told him that I love him. I thought it would complicate things too much for both of us. Hearing me say it has apparently thrown him into a spiral of happiness, hope, and shock. I’ll have to make up for that, he deserves to hear me tell him I love him so often that it makes up for years of not hearing it.

“well thank fuck for that, and thank fuck we're joining forces. Talia, you're a delectable fucking peach, but if you're going to have a heat cycle every goddamn month it's going to take every man in this room to survive it.

I close my eyes and find the thread that ties me to Corso and try to give it a little tug the way all the omega training says to. Corso's hold on me tightens just a bit and he begins a low, warm purr against my back. Can I juggle six more of those threads? Ultimately, it's an easy choice. I can juggle whatever I need to in order to keep Jasper.

Reid immediately finds where I wove his shirt into the structure and grins at me. He also starts a deep purr that makes a shiver crawl up my spine. I think that's going to be one of the better perks of having an alpha; the purrs are glorious.

She hands me a cup of coffee like any other day. Like she didn't sit in Corso Zaphir's lap in the very chair I'm sitting in and agree to become the link that will join my pack to his. Like she didn't agree to be my omega.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a life that would allow me to have two omegas. I halfway expected her to be flighty, or to look harried with the weight of the situation, but she looks nothing less than radiant.

I can't see the mark Corso put on her shoulder, but I can tell exactly where it is beca...

I wonder where she's going to wear all the other claiming marks she's agreed to take? I've been thinking about where I want to put mine for weeks, but Talia and I haven't shared very much physi...

Talia isn't going to let a pesky little thing like being claimed by seven alphas stop her from doing a single fucking thing.

Then she drops her eyes, and I don't like that even a little bit, “are you alright with it? You don't have to if you don't want to. There will probably be enough bonds between the rest of us to carry it without you having to mark me. Don't think you have to, it's alright.”

Seth doesn't deserve saving. I wouldn't put my neck on the line for him anyway, but after seeing the picture proof of what he did to Talia, what he did to my soon-to-be omega...Yes, he can get fucked just like she said.

“no. We'll save him. We will rescue him from that compound because if anyone kills Seth Pratchett, it will be me.” Jasper nods at him, a vicious grin spreading across his face. “Fucking finally. Bring him here. I've been dying to get my hands on him for months.”

Tearing a man's skin off while he's still alive enough to feel it sounds like Trent's idea of a great evening.

Devon smiles at her, a smile that is usually reserved for Jasper.

She is not going to like this part of being an omega. “You will not be walking onto a rogue compound, Talia. You simply will not,” Corso says flatly. I wish I had popcorn. Jasper's dark expression has morphed into one of pure amusement, “welcome to being an omega, toots. You don't get to do anything dangerous or risky. Or fun. And there will be a solid wall of alpha around you at all times.”

“Oh, I thought we'd have a big orgy and you could all take turns going at me tonight. I can only hope to stay conscious for the whole thing,” Talia deadpans, and Devon chokes. I twist up one corner of my mouth, “we could, if that's what you want. Omega.” She giggles, actually giggles, and says, “not even a little bit.

I can feel him smiling against my chest and he squeezes my waist, “it feels so right. I don't know how else to explain it. We all get what we want and, most importantly, what we need.

I could look at them for a long time; and I don't think I'm alone in that. Both Reid and Corso are watching them with expressions of wonder.