Page 110 of Knot Your Average Beta

I mean, swoon, am I right?

Claudia stares at him with her pink mouth hanging open in her pretty matching lacy pajama set. Her scent turns acrid and bitter, like a cherry pie that’s bubbled over and is burning on the floor of the oven.

I don’t particularly like her—in fact, I might hate her—but Swift looks like he’s about one wrong breath away from ripping her head off, and I don’t want blood in my nest. So I step forward, moving into the space with confidence, because I did just claim it as mine in my head. And then I step between them. One hand presses against Swift’s abdomen and I try not to caress all those ridges that I traced with my tongue last night, while the other I extend toward Claudia in a bid for peace.

“Claudia, we can move you into a bedroom downstairs,” I offer like I have a right. I’m not sure why I do. Beyond that, if our positions were reversed, I’d want someone to care about where I ended up.

Of course, if they decided they didn’t want me, had told me multiple times that I wasn’t their pick, I would have fled in the middle of the night and disappeared for good. In a way, I admire Claudia for that, for her fight, her courage to stand up for what she wants.

But, at the same time, take a hint, girl.

Her blue eyes narrow on me. “I’m not fucking going anywhere. This is my nest and my pack, and you can’t take them from me.” A wary sigh blows from between my lips as she drags her hateful gaze over me, from my messy hair down Swift’s too big shirt, to my bare legs. “You’re not even that fucking pretty, and you act like a slut with my mates. That’s the only reason they think they want you. Because you fucked Luca and Ethan the very first time you met them. And now you come into my nest smelling like slick and cum, smelling like my mates and try to force me to leave? You’re nothing but a worthless whore. ”

Swift’s fingers curl over mine, pressing them into his flesh like that’s going to help the absolute rage I can feel radiating from him so hard he’s literally shaking from it.

“What the hell is this?”

Maddox’s voice cuts through the room like a shot.

The rage Claudia had just been shooting at me with her eyes melts as tears well and her face crumples, shoulders curling in, as she turns to the prime alpha of the pack.

“She’s kicking me out!” Claudia wails, hands coming to her face like she’s trying to catch her tears. She’s the pinnacle of distressed omega right now, pumping out omegamones that tell the alphas present she needs comfort and care.

Swift doesn’t fall for it—our new bond keeps him more in control of his instincts with other omegas—and imagine my surprise when Maddox doesn’t either. Oh, he strides into the room looking delicious in his black athletic shorts, a fine sheen of sweat on his tattooed chest, but rather than taking Claudia in his arms to comfort her, he slides a big arm around my waist and tugs me into his damp body.

I blink up at him, startled, but he just smiles at me, and drops a kiss on the tip of my nose. “I’m not kicking her out,” I say quickly, because I know if I don’t, Claudia will continue twisting the events until I’m the bad guy.

“I am,” Swift says easily, happily. “I’m ready for Sadie to have her nest, and we need to get it cleaned out before she can move into it.” Swift’s mouth presses into the back of my head. “Cherrybomb was nice enough to offer Claudia a room downstairs. Claudia called her a slut and a whore in thanks.”

Maddox turns his head slowly toward the blond woman, dark brows raised in question. “Is that so?” His voice is deceptively soft.

I can feel Swift’s glee through our bond, the anger he’d felt melting like snow during spring. I imagine if I could feel Maddox, his side of the bond would be incandescent with fury, even if none of it shows on his face.

“Did you call my omega a whore, Claudia?” He asks, sounding perfectly pleasant.

She swallows thickly and then shakes her head. “I didn’t. I called the woman who stole you from your omega, from me, a whore. It’s not the same thing.”

Girl’s got guts, I’ll give her that.

“I see,” Maddox says softly, thumb stroking over the curve of my hip. “Well, thank you for the clarification.” She beams at him, not understanding that she’s just made everything worse for herself. Where before she might have been allowed to stay, there is no chance of that now.

My suspicions are confirmed when he says, “finish packing your things. I want you out of the penthouse by the time we get back from our errand today.”

By errand he means going to find the false Dr. Schwab, who Ethan has discovered is actually a man named Jason Funkle, and beating the crap out of him until he spills all his secrets. They haven’t said as much, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be lucky if he’s still breathing when they’re done with him.

“Dox,” Claudia starts, taking one step forward, hand reaching out like she might touch him. Quick as a whip, I snap my hand out and curl my fingers tight around her wrist, keeping her from making contact.

“Do not touch my mate,” I say in a perfectly level voice, just like Maddox had used.

She whimpers like I’m hurting her, which I’m definitely not. “Not your mate,” she sobs. “They’re mine.”

I use my grip on her wrist to push her back a step, then release her. “No, Claudia. They’re mine. I’m sorry that means that you don’t have a place here, but you’ll find somewhere else. You’re gorgeous. Another pack will want you.”

She sniffs and wipes at her cheeks. “They haven’t wanted me yet. I’ve been an omega for years and not one pack has…” she lets out a shuddering breath that almost has me melting toward her. Haven’t I felt the same way? That no one will fight for me, no one wants me?

But then she lets out a mean, humorless laugh. “Meanwhile, you literally turned into an omega while fucking my alpha and bonded immediately. How is that fair?”

“Its not fair,” Maddox concedes. “But it’s the truth of what happened. Sadie’s right. You’ll find another pack.”

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