“It’s perfect.” I step up to the alpha, slipping my hand up his back. I feel the grooved muscle along his spine and up his shoulders. “I’m sure Beth will be very impressed.”
A nervous smile pulls at Basil’s lips. “She’s been through a lot,” he says, squeezing his hands together. “I want her to know that we’ll take care of her.”
I lean in, pressing my forehead against his. “She knows.”
Basil’s smile lifts, genuine happiness making his eyes crinkle around the edges. But then his energy shifts, a little more serious. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course,” I encourage him. I always welcome my pack’s questions and opinions.
“Are you going to rut Beth tonight?” He looks hopeful.
“I’m not sure,” I say honestly.
“For some omegas, it’s the only way to settle them,” he says. “Plus, it’ll help her bond with the whole pack faster.”
“I know,” I say, making it clear that I’m well aware.
Thankfully, Basil doesn’t say anything else, dropping it.
His desire makes sense. He wants us to bond quickly so Beth can accept her new life faster. But I’m worried about her physical injuries. She’s still hurt, and I’m honestly not sure if her body can handle being rutted by an alpha right now. She’s a virgin in that sense.
“Alright.” Tristan’s voice arrives before he does. “Is this okay?” He breezes around the corner, having dressed in record time. He’s wearing a pair of black slacks and a white T-shirt with short sleeves, allowing the tattoos that cover his upper arms topeek out. The ones on his chest are barely visible through the thin fabric.
“You always look good in a V-neck.” Basil lets out a breathy rumble, staring at the edge of the tattoos around the alpha’s collar.
“You look perfect,” I tell Tristan, and he stands a little taller.
With the table set and my pack dressed and presentable, I’m suddenly very restless. Not sure what to do with myself, I make my way to the head of the table and pull out my chair. But not two seconds after I sit down, Jeremy and Beth appear. I instantly jump up, thrilled to see the pair standing close to one another.
Omegas thrive when they bond with their betas.
“We’re clean and hungry.” Jeremy clasps his hands together. While alphas and betas don’t have the intense mental bond that alphas and omegas do, I can still feel my mate’s faint emotions when we’re near one another. And right now, Jeremy is nervous with a touch of fear and disappointment.
I wonder what happened.
Beth’s dark eyes sweep the room as she walks through the space between the kitchen and living room. We don’t have a very big home. The shared living space is pretty much just one giant room. While we do have a small gym with a few machines and a pretty decent hot tub, most everything in this house was built with second-hand supplies or at repossessed auctions.
But the view outside makes up for a lot.
“Wow,” Beth whispers under her breath as she stares out the floor-to-ceiling window. The sunset does look stunning tonight. Pink and orange light erupts from behind the mountain’s peak, making the valley below appear to shimmer.
It’s my favorite time of day.
“Oh my.” Jeremy’s mouth falls open with pleasant surprise as he steps up to the table. “Basil.” He looks up at the alpha as if in awe. “You set the table.” He places his hand over his heart.
Tristan presses his lips together, fighting an obvious joke. He frequently teases Basil for being the “good alpha” out of the three of us, but it’s obvious he doesn’t want to do that tonight in front of Beth.
“You were busy, so I thought I’d help.” Basil gives his signature boyish smile. He’s such a considerate mate, always trying to give Jeremy a hand when he can.
Beth watches the pair’s interaction carefully. I can’t help but notice the suspicious look on her face. I’m quickly realizing she comes from a completely shit family. The fear, the trust issues, and those fucking bruises. I’ll never get over the fact that her own father put those marks on her.
But I’m determined to show her what a good pack is.
“You look lovely.” I greet the omega with a bow of my head, pleased when she looks me up and down. She takes in my pressed white dress shirt and relaxed jeans. I swear her pupils dilate as they land on my belt buckle, but she jerks and quickly looks away. “Please, sit.” I pull out her chair.
Beth’s gaze darts away from me, sliding over the food, then her chair. She almost looks like she’s not sure what to do. “Um. Thank you.” Her tone is flat. Guarded. Then she moves slowly, inching forward, until she finally sits down. It’s almost like she’s expecting one of us to attack her.
It’s gutting.
