Page 174 of Caged Between the Beta & Alpha
He smiled in amusement before his gaze fell to my lips as he licked his own lush ones. I wrapped my mouth around his thumb, taking it fully into my mouth and letting my tongue stroke it as I sucked on it for a moment, my eyes watching him seductively. My core throbbed with a need only he could satiate.
“Fuck, love,” he growled huskily, pulling me close and kissing me hard.
This was the life.
Liam
Much later, everyonehad eaten and drunk a lot. I had gone easy on the drinks, having two, and that was it. With the darkness looking for any chance to seep out, I needed to be in my right fucking mind.
We were seated at a table; Zack, Taylor, Damon, Raven, and I were all playing spin the bottle, a game that Taylor insisted we play.
“Okay, okay, how old were you Zack when you lost your virginity?” Taylor asked, smiling goofily. The dude sure was drunk.
“Thirteen,” Zack said, making Taylor pout.
“That’s early!”
“You asked, babe,” Zack replied, kissing him hard. Taylor pulled him close, although there wasn’t much space left between them. The rest of us exchanged looks as Raven giggled, watching them.
“How old are you?” I asked her, standing up. Her reply was only to whistle and giggle again. Damon chuckled.
“Go home, guys,” he teased.
The three of us went over to the side. The party was still going strong, and I knew it would continue for another few hours.
“Aunty seems happier lately,” Raven said, looking over at Monica, who was sitting with Mom and Dad as Mom hugged her.
“Yeah, I think having more people around her has really helped…” Damon said guiltily. I knew he was probably feeling awful that he had to leave her often.
“You have work, don’t feel bad. No one realised we could have done more… I’m sure we can make sure Aunty always has someone around her,” I said, frowning thoughtfully.
“She’s aware that Dad isn’t here... but she’s coping,” Damon whispered, his eyes on his mother.
“Yeah, losing a mate isn’t easy,” Raven said quietly. All eyes were on Aunty Monica, but I wouldn’t deny that we were all thinking of our situation.
I realised Damon only had his mother… and Raven… she only had us. Her family was gone.
“Ooo, they are cutting the cake!”
I smiled, watching her. Dad had cut the cake, and Mom had fed him a piece a while ago, but it hadn’t been cut up for the rest until now. Trust Raven to want some, but in the process, she left Damon and me alone with that mate comment hanging in the air. I decided to ask him the question that was on my mind.
“Why didn’t you tell me you two had rejected each other? I swear I didn’t know, or I wouldn’t have said-”
“I know you didn’t. You’re not a sly person, Liam. You’re straight up. I knew you didn’t know, and Raven confirmed that. We did what was best, for all of us…” he said quietly, looking up at the sky, sighing deeply.
“It takes a lot. Thank you,” I said quietly, looking at him.
“It does, but that’s the difference between us… you’re an alpha, and I’m a beta.” He smiled despite the pain in his voice, but his words hit home. “We won’t ever be equal, no matter how much we say it.”
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I was an alpha, and it was in my blood to be possessive, but in the process, I had made him feel inferior. That was never the intention.
“That’s not true, Damon. My behaviour does not mean-”
“I love you, Liam. You are my Alpha, but don’t use that line. We both know we aren’t equal,” he said quietly, his eyes full of hurt, hurt that he usually masked so well.
“Guys, come here!” Raven shouted.
“Come on,” Damon said, patting my shoulder.
