The Flavor of Us (Beta Accepted)

11. TATI

Chapter eleven

TATI

I slam the door behind me, leaning against it like I can somehow barricade myself from the chaos outside. My heart’s still racing, my breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps as I stare at the empty space of my room like it’s suddenly supposed to give me answers.

It doesn’t.

Instead, all I can think about is them—Ryder with his sharp blue eyes, Ashton with his wicked smirk, and Carleen with her amused little grin as she let them toy with me.

I groan, letting my head thunk back against the door as I slide down until I’m sitting on the floor. My whole body feels like it’s vibrating—every nerve ending on fire, my scent still sweet and thick in the air. I can smell myself, and if I can smell myself, then they definitely can too.

Goddess, this is a disaster .

I pull my knees up to my chest, the glass discarded, resting my forehead on them as I try to slow my breathing. I’m not due at Euphoria until tonight, which means I’ve got hours to sit here and stew in my own embarrassment and frustration .

I briefly consider texting Ellie again. She’d have something wise and comforting to say, probably in between changing diapers and fending off Macon’s insistence that she “rest.” But she’s not ready for visitors, and honestly? I’m not ready to face her either.

My eyes flick to the corner of my room, where a few of my unpacked bags are still slumped against the wall. I sigh, pushing myself up and wandering over. Might as well make myself useful, right?

I spend the next hour or so fussing around my room—hanging up clothes, shoving shoes into the closet, and setting up little knick-knacks on my nightstand. A framed photo of Ellie and me at some forgotten summer fair. A tiny glass snow globe I bought on a whim during a weekend trip.

It’s all so… normal.

But normal doesn’t feel right right now.

Because every few minutes, I catch myself pausing—staring blankly at the floor as my body buzzes with this low, insistent heat curling deep in my belly.

I know what it wants.

I know who it wants.

And I hate it.

With a frustrated sigh, I turn away from the mess of half-unpacked bags and head for the closet. My nest is still tucked neatly in the corner, piled high with soft blankets, pillows, and one of Carleen’s sweatshirts buried somewhere in the middle.

I hesitate for half a second before I cave, crawling into the space and wrapping one of the heavier blankets around me as I sink into the cozy warmth. The scent of fresh rain and peaches clings to one of the pillows and I bury my face into it with a groan.

I thought I had everything figured out when I came back here. I thought Carleen and I would take things slow, build something real . And now Ryder and Ashton St. James are in our kitchen and my body is acting like it’s already decided they’re part of this.

Part of us .

I can’t stop thinking about Ashton’s smirk, the way his lips curved around those wicked words as he called me a pretty little doe . And Ryder… those sharp, ice-blue eyes watching me like he was trying to read me. Like he could see every little thought flitting through my mind and was just waiting for me to crack. I let out a soft whimper into the pillow, my thighs pressing together as another wave of heat rolls through me.

It's not just physical—it’s deeper than that. It’s in the way their scents linger in my head, in the way my chest aches when I think about being near them again.

My Omega friends used to talk about this. About how sometimes their body knows before their mind does. About how scents can wrap around them like chains, binding them to people they can’t escape even if they wanted to.

But I’m not an Omega.

I’m a Beta.

This shouldn’t be happening to me.

I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing my face deeper into Carleen’s pillow as I try to focus on the scent—the one that feels safe. The one that feels like home. But instead, all I can think about is how good Ryder smelled when he leaned in to pull Ashton back. That faint hint of bourbon and something sharp, earthy, and citrusy.

I groan again, rolling onto my side and pulling the blanket tighter around me. This is ridiculous .

I need to get out of my own head. I need to do something . But my body feels heavy, my limbs useless as I curl tighter into myself, sinking further into the plush nest I’ve built. I resist the urge to pleasure myself, to stick two fingers deep into my pussy and let myself fall apart to my fantasies. Mostly because I don’t believe how fast this is happening and also because then every goddamn Alpha would be able to smell me throughout the entire apartment if they can’t already.

I don’t remember falling asleep. One minute, I’m tangled in a mess of blankets, my body still thrumming with the weight of scents and instincts I don’t know how to process, and the next, there’s warmth against my cheek. A thumb, maybe. Stroking gently along my jaw, brushing over the faint curve of my bottom lip.

My eyes flutter open and the first thing I see is Carleen—her warm brown eyes watching me. She’s crouched next to my nest, her knees pressed into the edge of the blankets, a steaming bowl in one hand. “Morning again, sleepyhead,” she murmurs.

I blink up at her, still half tangled in the haze of sleep and them before my stomach makes a decidedly loud noise.

Carleen grins, holding up the bowl. “Thought you might be hungry.”

I sit up, my nest shifting around me as I push myself into a more upright position. Carleen hands me the bowl, and the smell hits me first—tomato soup . Rich, tangy, with hints of herbs and something creamy swirling through it.

I don’t even hesitate. I scoop a spoonful into my mouth and—oh.

Oh.

I moan, the sound muffled around the spoon, as the flavors hit my tongue. It’s perfect . Smooth and velvety, just the right balance of acidity and warmth. Carleen chuckles, leaning back slightly as she watches me devour another spoonful. “Good?” she asks, her lips twitching upward.

“Are you kidding me?” I manage around a mouthful. “This might be the single best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Her grin softens and she reaches over to hand me something else—a grilled cheese sandwich, perfectly golden and cut into two triangles. I practically snatch it from her hand, dipping one corner into the soup before taking a bite. It’s heaven. Warm, cheesy, buttery heaven. The moan I let out is borderline indecent, Carleen raising an eyebrow, her smile turning sly.

“Careful, sweetheart,” she teases. “Keep making noises like that and Ryder and Ashton are going to come running.”

I choke slightly on my bite, glaring at her over the sandwich. “Carleen!”

But she just laughs, leaning back on her heels and watching me eat. For a few minutes, it’s quiet—comfortable, even. Just the sound of me enjoying the world’s most perfect comfort food and Carleen’s soft, amused presence beside me. Eventually, though, the silence stretches just long enough to feel… heavy.

Carleen tilts her head slightly, her voice softer now. “You okay, Tati?”

I pause, my sandwich halfway to my mouth, before setting it carefully back on the plate. She must see something on my face because she sighs, running a hand through her hair as her brows draw together. “I want to apologize for earlier. Did I read the moment wrong?”

I blush, staring down at the last bit of soup in my bowl. “Yeah, I mean no! It wasn’t—Ashton was fine. My scent gave me away, didn’t it?”

Carleen leans forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she watches me carefully. “Sweetheart, they didn’t even know you were here until your scent thickened. It hit them like a freight train and I could tell they were trying to keep their distance before Ashton gave in.”

I groan, setting the bowl aside and burying my face in my hands. “Oh, Goddess, it was that obvious?”

Carleen laughs softly, reaching out to gently pull my hands away from my face. “It was pretty obvious, yeah.”

I drop my head back against the nest, groaning again as my face heats up. “This is too fast , right? Like… this isn’t normal . ”

Carleen shrugs one shoulder, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Things work as fast as you let them, Tati. There’s no timeline, no rules. If it feels right, it feels right. If it doesn’t, then we step back. Simple as that. We could’ve had this months ago, you and me. If I hadn’t been so scared, so caught up in my own head, we could’ve been building this all along.”

She’s right. We could’ve had this—this warmth, this safety, this something —so much sooner if Carleen hadn’t pulled away—if I hadn’t so easily left. But at the same time, maybe we needed that time apart. Maybe we needed to grow into who we are now before we could make this work.

I nod slowly, reaching for my sandwich again. But as I chew, my eyes keep flicking back to Carleen—her warm brown eyes, the faint smile tugging at her lips, the way she’s still crouched beside my nest like she belongs there. The words slip out before I can stop them. “Alpha, will you come in here with me?”

Her eyebrows shoot up slightly, her lips parting just a little in surprise. “Into your nest?”

I nod, chewing on my bottom lip as I wait for her answer.

For a moment, she doesn’t say anything. Then Carleen shifts into my nest and the world feels smaller, quieter—like it’s just us and nothing else matters. She moves carefully, like she’s aware of every crinkle of the blankets, every pillow she displaces. Her warm brown eyes flick to mine briefly, her lips curling into the faintest of smiles as she settles herself beside me.

And then—oh goddess —she pulls me into her lap.

Her strong arms wrap around my waist as she guides me into place. My back fits snug against her chest, my head resting just under her chin. I’m giddy. Like, full-body butterflies, face-flushed, can’t-stop-smiling giddy. I can’t help the little hum of contentment that escapes me as I snuggle closer into her arms, feeling her warmth seep into me through the soft fabric of my hoodie.

But it’s not just her scent wrapping around me now—it’s theirs .

Ryder and Ashton.

Bourbon and citrus—it’s all there, tangled together with Carleen’s sharp rain and ripe peaches. It’s like some unfairly perfect perfume that I want to bottle up and keep in my nest forever. I don’t even realize I’m sighing into her shoulder until Carleen chuckles softly, her chest vibrating against my back. Her arms tighten around me briefly and I swear I can feel the smile pressed against the top of my head.

For a few minutes, we just exist like this—me eating, her holding me. It’s so easy, so natural, like this is exactly where we’re supposed to be. When I finish the soup, Carleen carefully takes the bowl and sets it aside before picking up the grilled cheese sandwich. “Here,” she murmurs, holding up a bite-sized piece to my lips.

I hesitate, my face flushing with heat as I glance back at her. This is the first time anyone has held me in my nest and seen me the way I need them to. Sure, Carleen held me last night but being awake, sharing this moment is everything to me. I hum softly as I chew, Carleen’s eyes focused on me the entire time.

She feeds me another bite, and then another, until the sandwich is gone and my stomach feels full in the best possible way. I let out a happy sigh, leaning back against her and tilting my head so I can look up at her properly. She brushes her thumb across my cheek, ever so softly, almost as if it isn’t even there.

I don’t know who leans in first—her or me—but suddenly, our lips meet in the softest, sweetest kiss. It’s gentle . Like the slow unfolding of a flower in the morning sun. Her lips are warm against mine and they move against mine with such care, such purpose, that it makes my chest ache.

When we pull away, I’m breathless, my eyes fluttering open to meet hers.

For a long moment, neither of us says anything.

Then Carleen clears her throat softly, her voice low and warm. “I still have a few things to handle with Ryder and Ashton, but…” Her thumb brushes over my bottom lip, her eyes lingering there for half a second before flicking back up to mine. “You’re welcome to come out and meet them properly, sweetheart.”

Panic shoots through me and I sit up a little straighter in her lap. Especially when I look down at my sweatshirt and realize the state I was in this morning. I hadn’t even washed up or done anything with my hair. The St. James’ pack saw me like that and Ashton still called me ‘doe’? Oh, I might die of shame. “Yeah, no. I have some errands today. It’s fine.”

Carleen raises an eyebrow, her lips tugging upward in amusement. “Errands?” She knows I’m full of shit and all of those ‘errands’ could wait for another day.

“Yep!” I nod way too quickly, trying to scramble out of her lap. “So many errands. Very busy Beta over here.”

Carleen’s arms drop away from me as I wiggle free, but she doesn’t let me go easily. She catches my wrist, holding me just long enough for me to meet her gaze again. She grants me another quick kiss before I rush toward the bathroom and shut the door behind me so that I can gather my thoughts.

My reflection stares back at me from the mirror—flushed cheeks, bright hazel eyes, lips still pink from Carleen’s kiss. My chest rises and falls rapidly, my hands gripping the edge of the sink as I try to process the mess in my head. It hasn’t even been that long since I teased Carleen about a large pack and babies running around and now there are two Alphas in the kitchen that my heart and my Beta so desperately want.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this fast.

And yet my attraction to Carleen was unsuspected and felt like it happened overnight.

Just let it happen, I tell myself.

But that’s going to be hard when I now have three Alphas who can look at me and turn me into a puddle. And yet, it’s kind of exactly the thing I’ve always wanted. To be the center of a small pack, to feel cherished and nourished and loved.

And then my brain throws another fantasy at me with all three of the Alphas taking me apart in my nest, my pussy constricting, telling me that it wants to be filled. Stuffed. Stretched.

Great. Just great.