Page 10 of Beta and the Beast (Beastverse #2)

Sarah

I 'm already regretting my decision to bring a guy back to my apartment.

It's not even Trace's fault. He was a nice guy, bought me a drink, asked questions about me, and didn't give me the creeps.

He even kept his hands in appropriate places when we danced.

It made sense for him to be the one I brought back to my place.

I'm not drunk by any stretch. I was sipping on a club soda and lime until I found someone who might be interested in a night of fun. Trace only had one beer, too, at least while he was talking to me.

"Okay, it might be kind of messy," I tell him as we climb the stairs in the back alley to my apartment.

I don't like how I can smell hints of Henry and Romulus from the bakery next door. I thought the new filtration system would work better than this, but the closer I get to my apartment, the more peppermint I smell.

"I had a new filtration system put in this evening, and who knows how my brother left the place."

Trace's brows pull together as his nostrils flare. Okay, so it's not just my hypersensitivity to Henry's scent. There's a lot out here. Trace wrinkles his nose before placing his hand on the small of my back, getting closer to me.

"I thought you said this was a beta-only unit?" He keeps his body close to mine, his eyes scanning around the small landing I share with the vacant apartment next door.

"It is. There must have been a mistake with the ventilators that were installed earlier.

An alpha is opening a bakery below. That's him you're smelling.

" I keep my voice even, trying not to make it obvious that it's an alpha who also might be obsessed with me.

That won't make Trace feel any better about this situation.

If anything, he'll leave me high and dry, and I really don't want that now.

It has to be the scent in the air, but moisture is pooling in my panties, and I'm aching for someone to fill me like never before. If the filtration system doesn't get fixed soon, I might die of overt horniness.

"I don't think tonight's a good night," Trace says. He's still close to me, looking around like he might be able to stop the perceived threat he thinks is near.

I whimper at the idea of being left alone without anyone to help me deal with this burning need inside of me as I grind my backside into him, trying to get him back to being all in like he was the whole ride over here.

He was talking a big game, too. Usually, I stay away from betas who talk about wanting to give it rough because most of them just wish they were alphas and end up being disrespectful.

Trace seemed like a decent enough guy, though, and I need someone to pin me down and fuck me hard right now.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" I ask, turning my head just enough to flutter my eyelashes at him.

His lids grow heavy as lust reinvigorates him.

I could squeal with how into it he seems to be, but then I turn the key in the lock, and my front door swings open.

Peppermint, so abrasive and obscene, rushes out, coating us in Henry's pheromones.

It's heavy in the air and doing terrible, wicked, bad things to me.

I mewl like an omega in heat as I arch my back to wiggle my butt against Trace's groin.

He staggers back, though, coughing, his eyes going wide.

He might be hard, but he's also terrified.

"Fuck me. Are you trying to get me killed?

" He stumbles backward even more, one of his hands reaching out for the handrail of the stairs before descending them slowly.

"Tell your alpha I didn't know you were claimed.

Fuck." His eyes dart around like an alpha's going to come out of nowhere and beat him up.

"He's not my alpha," I whine, my voice so much more needy than is socially respectable. "He's the idiot next door running me out of business."

"Okay, yeah, whatever." Trace makes it to the bottom of the stairs, not even offering me a goodbye before he sprints down the alley and back to where we parked his car in front of the shop. I stare wide-eyed at the empty staircase until I hear his car start up and drive away.

I let out an unflattering wailing sound before kicking at the ground like a child not getting her way. I just wanted to get laid. Was that too much to ask for? Now, I'm alone in my apartment that smells so strongly of Henry and Romulus that it has my pussy throbbing.

I've never been this horny in my life. I don't even think betas are supposed to get this horny. He's done something to me, some weird alpha magic, and this is why alphas are never to be trusted.

The vacant apartment door creaks open, and I let out a scream so loud that I won't be surprised if the other apartment owners call the cops on me. It's not too late, and it's Friday night, but a woman screaming is never a good thing, especially now that alphas have started to invade our space.

I scramble to get into my apartment, not knowing who's in the vacant apartment since, as far as I know, no one lives there.

I don't even make it into the threshold of my doorway before there's a hand wrapped over my mouth and another around my waist as I'm hauled backward and plastered to the front of a huge, strong body.

I flail around in his hold until the soft fabric of his clothes has something clicking in my brain.

I whip my head around fast, glaring daggers at Romulus.

He's smiling down at me like a cat who just caught a mouse.

" Calm, little beta, " Romulus purrs, the sound coming through him easily, unlike Fenrir, who sounded like a broken motor for the first few weeks of being mated to Lilah.

As far as I'm aware, beasts don't enjoy purring, but here's Romulus doing it without even thinking about it.

It makes me wonder who else he's purred for.

That thought has me snarling behind his hand.

I get my teeth around the fatty part of his palm before biting down hard.

Romulus's purr turns into a growl in an instant, his muscles flexing as he lifts me off the ground and carries me into my apartment.

" I heard a commotion outside. I came to check to make sure you're safe, and my thanks is a bite to my hand? " Romulus snarls in my ear, but his voice is more taunting than anything.

It has my stomach swooping and twisting. I don't know if I want him to be angry with me or go back to purring. They both do different things to me. Things that shouldn't be happening due to my dynamic.

" Silly beta, " he says as he spins me around, his hand still clamped over my mouth, his blood a sharp metallic taste in my mouth. " You should know I'll take your mark anywhere. Should I repay the favor? "

His eyes glow something fierce as he asks, and involuntarily, I tilt my head to the side. I don't know where the instinct comes from, but it happens quickly. Before Romulus can get the wrong idea, my eyes widen, and I straighten my head.

He studies me for a long moment before narrowing his eyes on me. " Are you going to behave? "

I don't give him a response. I just glare at him.

" Good enough, " he says with a shrug before releasing my mouth and standing up to his full height.

He looks around my apartment, his eyes bouncing around like it's the first time he's been here. It's not. I can smell just how much he was already in here.

"Why are you here, Romulus?" I ask, hoping my voice sounds more exasperated than needy. I can't help the low thrum of pleasure rippling out from my lower abdomen and causing my thighs to rub together as discreetly as possible underneath my shiny metallic skirt.

" You were out late. I wanted to make sure you made it home safe, " he says, not looking at me.

I cross my arms over my chest, accidentally lifting my breasts in the process.

Okay, so maybe he was looking at me in his peripheral vision, and when he saw my breasts plumping up, he decided he wanted to give me his full attention.

I roll my eyes as his cheeks heat at being caught.

I doubt it's Romulus's embarrassment since he's still ogling me, but Henry seems to be embarrassed enough for the two of them.

"I was out with a friend," I tell him. "And you don't need to watch out for me. I don't know what you think is happening, but it's not."

Romulus lifts his eyes to mine, tilting his head to the side in a way that makes him look even more predatory.

" What do I think is happening? " He pauses, his gaze falling down my body and then back up, making more pleasure bubble up inside of me.

" I think your beta cunt is dripping and hungry for its alpha.

I think you need me, but you're too scared to admit it.

I think you like that I scared off that beta because we both know he can't give you what you need. "

He takes two large steps until he's right in front of me, his chest brushing against mine, making me aware of the hard pebbling of my nipples and just how sensitive they are. Romulus grabs my chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face so we're staring at one another.

" Do you know who can give you what you need, little beta? "

Am I more horny than I've ever been in my life?

Without a doubt. But I'm not about to tell Romulus that.

No, he can think he knows I'm hot for him, and in my head, I'm banging him in all kinds of ways, but I'm not going to admit it.

Not when he cock blocked me, manhandled me, and now wants me to tell him I want him. Nuh-uh. Not going to happen.

"I need you to leave," I tell him, my voice even and controlled. Mentally, I give myself the biggest high five.

Romulus's lips pull back in a snarl, but he keeps purring.

He's trying to keep me calm, keep me loose and easy for him, so I'll admit I want him.

Joke's on him. Yeah, it relaxes me, and his scent has me going almost feral, but I'm still not an omega—definitely not his omega—and he can't just boss me around.

He steps away from me, his hand lingering for a moment longer on my chin until he steps back against the door. He closes his eyes, his chest expanding big and wide as he takes the longest, deepest inhale. When he opens his eyes again, he looks feral.

" I'll leave, little beta, but just know I know you're going to come thinking of me tonight. "

He doesn't give me a chance to respond before he rips the door open and stalks back to the apartment across the hall. I scamper after him, staying firmly planted in my apartment as he manhandles his door.

"What are you doing?" I ask. "You can't live here."

Romulus turns to face me, his smile wicked and beautiful. " I live here now. I decided I wanted to be close enough to smell your need for me every moment of every day. "

"Smell my…" My voice trails off as I think about the moisture in my panties and the need growing inside of me. Oh my, can he smell me? My eyes go wide, my face warming so fast.

Romulus tilts his head, humor sparkling in his golden eyes. " You're a horny little beta. Did you think I wouldn't know? "

My toes curl in my heels before I slam the door.

I can't even look at him right now. I won't be able to look at anyone the same way again.

I knew alphas and omegas could smell each other, and I know I can smell them when they're all worked up and trying to stink up the place.

I didn't think—and never had reason to believe—that any of them could smell me.

Romulus chuckles on the other side of the door, and then his apartment door clicks shut.

Not only am I still unbelievably aroused, but now, Romulus knows I get aroused by him and his scent. This is the worst. I groan pathetically as I march to my room, kicking my heels off to the corner of the room.

I start to get undressed, my skirt falling to the ground, my shirt up and over me. It's not until I'm in my bra and panties that I realize the smell in my apartment is too strong. If I have to stay in it while it smells like this, I won't even find relief with any of my toys.

The new air filtration system is supposed to be top-of-the-line. If anything, I shouldn't smell anything in here. Instead, I'm coated in peppermint, and it's not fading at all. When I check the settings—or attempt to—I'm stopped by a lock screen, and everything starts clicking into place.

Romulus, the jerk, did install my new filtration system. He also turned it off and locked it, so I can't turn it on. I'll be trapped in his smell until I get the code from him or call someone to reset it. Neither of which is happening tonight.

I grab my phone off my nightstand and text him, letting him know how displeased I am with how my night is going.

Sarah: I hate you

Henry/Romulus: For the ventilation system or for coming on your pillow?

I stare at my phone, blinking once, twice, three times until another text comes through.

Henry/Romulus: If you grind that sweet beta pussy all over your pillow tonight, let me know. I'm jerking off thinking about it.

My eyes move from the messages on my phone to my pillow.

I don't know how I missed it earlier, considering there's a massive stain on the dark fabric where Romulus spilled himself on it.

It must have been a while ago because it's all dried, probably seeped into my pillow.

I make a pitiful whining sound, mostly to cover the fact that I'm more than a little turned on by it.

No, I refuse. I will not tuck the pillow between my legs, rub myself against it, pretending it's Romulus and Henry to get off. I won't.

At least, that's what I tell myself as I grab the pillow off my bed. I say I'm going to toss it in the trash. I'll strip the sheets from my whole bed, wash them, and forget that this happened.

I'm not positioning the pillow in the center of my bed, removing my panties, and crawling on top of it. Nope. And if anyone ever accuses me of it, I'll deny it. I'll also deny that I have the best orgasm of my life, humping my pillow and pretending I'm riding Henry.