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

by Avanne Michaels

“I'm going to call Obi and see if he can come over and get that taken care of. The first baby is Jasper's. Then Corso. Then you can all draw straws, but it will be planned.”

I don’t bother to shut the door behind me, I never did. They are a close pack. If Reid or Alex want to watch, or join, they’re more than welcome to.

Which reminds me, I’ll need Nathan to install cameras in every single room in the manor. We just may, or may not, tell anyone else about them.

I lean over him and rasp into his ear, “I need you, alpha.” He puts his hands on my hips and when his amber eyes open they're practically glowing. A rumbling purr starts in his chest and I can feel warm satisfaction pouring into me through our bond.

His fingers grip my hips just a bit tighter and he says softly, “I’ve been waiting to hear you say that to me for years, bella.”

but I will never be sorry that I claimed you. I knew you were meant to be mine from the first moment I saw you.” I’m not even slightly upset with Corso for claiming me anymore. It has created a way for us to have a bigger, stronger pack.

I’ve never felt so consciously needy. Hearing him say such things makes me throb and pulse.

Until Jasper, Corso is the only man who has ever, ever, kissed me like this, touched me like this. Like I’m something precious, something he needs.

I ride it out in a tingling haze of satisfied pleasure until Corso growls. It’s an alpha growl meant only for their omega and I am immediately affected.

“Would you like my knot, Talia?” he asks, as if I would ever say no. “I will always want it,” I purr, and then, because I’m a brat, I add on, “give it to me, alpha.” The sound that rips out of Corso’s chest startles me. It doesn’t scare me, but I wasn’t expecting it.

It’s such an odd thing to crave something so deeply, and yet have to fight yourself to get it.

Little mewling sounds are escaping my throat the longer I try, unsuccessfully, to get him the rest of the way inside. It isn't supposed to be this hard for me to take him.

I can feel my body pulling him deeper and deeper, and the relief I feel is so intense that I laugh. “I didn't think I could do it. I told you I was going to be a terrible omega.” “You're going to be a perfect omega,” Corso says, and pulls me down onto his chest.

This is how I wanted it to be with him. I remember a few tender moments with him from my heat, before it was a disaster, but they don't compare to this.

I didn't have a bond with him, though. Being knotted by an alpha who I have a bond with is one of the most intensely wonderful things I've ever felt.

I'm probably going to fall asleep soon. I can't help it. This feels so good, Corso.” I can almost feel him smiling through our bond, “you're supposed to fall asleep. That's what happy, satisfied omegas are supposed to do after their alphas take care of them.”

One of the very best things about Talia is her ability to roll with things and give them two hundred percent of herself. We all know how uncomfortable and anxious she is about her newly awakened omega designation; but there she is, sitting at the desk in the office like she's always done it and placing orders for furniture and additional supplies for our newly formed pack.

The things she ordered for Jasper are...abundant. I'm not actually bothered by that, I want Jasper to have all those things. Even if I never directly claim him as my omega, he will still carry my mark and he will be my omega.

The working plan right now is for Corso, Alex and I to mark him as pack, much like betas are marked; but my instincts don't like that. Being with a man in a sexual sense has never been a blip on my radar, but I'm not entirely opposed. I could see myself having sex with and falling for the right man. And that may end up being Jasper. His masculine matches Talia's feminine in an almost painfully beautiful way.

I doubt Corso will ever want Jasper in that way. Alex wants everyone in any and every way he thinks will get him the most attention, so it won't surprise me at all if he goes after Jasper.

He's already made noises about having a matching set of omegas to play with. I don't think he realizes what these two particular omegas will do to...

All three of us had separate and combined relationships with Talia before she left us. I can't speak for what happened in the others' individual relationships with her, but the relationship she and I built for ourselves was unique; and based on a few of my own, very personal, very private needs. I have no trouble imaginin...

but I held back. Sometimes I want and need things from a lover that no good alpha should want. I was afraid that Talia wouldn't understand; or that she would and handle it poorly. I needn't have worried. Talia dove into being my lover the same way she dives into anything else she decides to do, with her whole heart.

She never made me feel embarrassed or lessened by the things I need, and she never spoke about it outside of our time together. I'm sure Corso and Alex have a few curious guesses, but they would never ask and they would never intrude.

I have always been the biggest. The strongest. The one expected to carry most of the physical weight. The one who everyone expects to be the most dominant asshole in the room. I certainly look the part. But sometimes, when I'm alone or with someone I absolutely trust, I don't wan...

From the moment Talia walked into my life I knew she was mine and I was hers; and to see her body bruised and torn cut me to my soul. I couldn't look at the pictures Nathan and Kaleb were sent. I could barely tolerate hearing how broken she was when Devon found her on their porch after the rogues took her.

Corso loves Talia. Utterly, truly, deeply loves her. We all do. But my love is different from theirs. I adore Talia as a woman, but the love I have for her is the love reserved for a goddess. My love is the same as the love and reverence priests have for their gods. I give Talia the same devotion.

I haven't touched a woman in all the time she was gone from me. I couldn't tolerate even the thought of it.

I belong to Talia. I have belonged to her since that first night in my bedroom when I got on my knees at her feet and...

The dynamic of her relationship with me has never left my bedroom. Not even a hint of it.

She does what I ask, she follows my lead, she treats me like the alpha I am, but there are small things she does, or did, that have a way of reminding me of my place on my knees. A strategically placed touch, a phrase or word that only has meaning for us, sprinkled throughout the day. She gives me what I need without anyone being the wiser.

She's been away for so long, I'm anxious that she will hav...

Who would have thought a bunch of marshmallow goo and spicy pickles would have such a big impact on our pack. Eating those things feels like home, no matter the potential for cavities.

We kept her door shut for as long as we could to try to hang onto her scent as long as possible. I don't think she had, or has, any idea how much the three of us care for her. I'd like to think that if she'd known she would have stayed.

None of us cared that she was registered as a beta. It didn't matter. Corso held firm to the idea all along that she was an omega, and he was right. Now she's ours. Finally.

Talia will sleep in a bed two doors down from my own room. She will be at the table with me every morning. I will get to kiss her goodnight every night for the rest ...

Corso sent a field's worth of flowers when he got the call to help Talia through her first heat if she needed him. He sent that as well as weapons for both her and Jasper. H...

Corso wanted Talia so badly, he was ecstatic when Jasper called for aid.

He wanted to make triple sure that it wouldn't hurt our pack for him to be the only one of us to help care for her. He didn't have any reason to worry, we were happy to keep watch over them.

None of us spoke aloud our hope that this wouldn’t be a one-time occurrence. I can't believe she's ours. Mine.

My mind keeps picturing her nest after her heat, and the place where she wove my shirt into it. My heart clenched so hard when I found out that's why Jasper had asked for our shirts. I had to walk away from the others for a moment to collect myself. I hav...

I am genuinely glad she's with Corso right now; but I still need to see her. I need to see her in his bed to further cement the fact that she's really ours.

He motions me over and says quietly through his purr, “rest with us. Like we used to.” My eyes close, and I couldn't stop my smile if I wanted to.

but our pack enjoys a nice pile-on; especially if it comes with a nap. All of us love a good nap, Alex in particular. It was nothing for all of us to cuddle around Talia for an afternoon or a whole night. I slept so well those nights.

He must have slipped out of her, and she must not like that at all.

She rolls off of Corso and directly into me. I pull her into me so hard that she actually squeaks. I haven't touched her more than in passing since we got her back, and I need to hold her. She's so completely perfect. “Hi,” I whisper, and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Hi,” she responds with a little smile. She reaches up and tugs on my earlobe.

That was one of the ways she touched me before to let me know that she was with me, that she would take care of me. I bury my face into her neck and just breathe her in. Finally, she's home. For good.

The working idea of Jasper I have in my head has changed so many times in the past couple weeks. He has gone from a spoiled brat, to a man doing anything he can to help his love, to a lovesick teenager, and now to what would be a creep if I didn't know better. I have every intention of asking her for pictures myself, so I can't blame him for asking for them.

Just then her phone lights up with more than a text. Jasper is requesting a video call. I'm not sure why, but a nervousness crawls up from my stomach at the thought of being a participant in this phone call.

“You can't send me something like that when I'm so far away. God, that's a beautiful picture. Are you fucking Reid right now? Can I see?” Jasper sounds equal parts pouty and hopeful. Rotten. He is absolutely rotten. Talia and Jasper are going to be a lot to handle.