Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series - By Suzanne Wright Page 0,131
you don’t know anything about. Not like Jaime. No. Our Beta female could wipe the floor with you any day.”
Jaime exchanged a stunned look with Taryn, who was on the reclining end of the sofa, chuckling silently. “Thanks, Greta.”
“No problem, sweetheart.”
“She’ll be vile to me again when Bitch Face is gone,” Jaime whispered to Dante.
“Yep,” he agreed with a smile before reading the text message he’d just received from Ryan, who was guarding the gate. “They’re here.”
Wanting to give Shaya a warning so that she could be as prepared as possible, Jaime looked over to where she was seated next to Taryn and gave her a subtle nod. She responded with a tiny, but grateful, smile.
A few minutes later, Don entered the living area with Tia, Nick, and Nick’s Beta behind him.
Their eyes ran over everyone in the room as they smiled, and everyone exchanged polite greetings—
other than Nick and Shaya.
“Where’s my nephew?” Don gave Taryn a gentle kiss on her cheek and peered down at the sleeping baby in Shaya’s arms. His smile was filled with pride. “Look at the little guy. He’s so tiny.
Can I have a hold?”
“Sure.” Shaya carefully handed him to Taryn’s uncle.
“Meet Kye River Coleman,” Taryn told Don.
“His name suits him. I like it.”
“Give him here,” said Tia excitedly. Disgruntled, Don handed the baby to his mate. “Aw, he’s so gorgeous.”
“Don’t you be getting broody,” Don told Tia. “The girls are hard enough to deal with.” Nick shook Trey’s hand and gave Taryn a smile. “Congratulations.” Peeking at Kye, his brows arched. “Wow, he’s just Trey with Taryn’s hair.”
Tia nodded in agreement. “Want a hold?”
“Um—” But Tia was already placing Kye in his arms. A little awkwardly, Nick cradled the baby and a little smile surfaced.
He peered over at Shaya, and what passed between them was a longing so deep and so primal that it made Jaime hitch in a breath, bringing back a lot of memories. It had been pain and pleasure.
She had no idea how they’d both ignored it for so long. Jaime wondered if this moment might do to him what it had done to her and Dante: strip him of his defenses and doubts and give him a moment of pure clarity.
Apparently it did, because quickly Nick looked away and handed Kye over to Grace, who was waiting impatiently for her turn. “Um, I have some things I need to get done. Don, I’ll send an enforcer to pick you and Tia up in a couple of hours.” In other words, he needed to get out of there and away from Shaya fast.
Looking confused, Don said, “Okay.” Then the Alpha and his Beta were gone.
Tears immediately pooled in Shaya’s eyes, and it was a blow to Jaime’s gut. Using the distraction that Kye created, Shaya stealthily left the room.
“I need to go see she’s okay,” Jaime told Dante, who nodded and allowed her to stand.
When she found Shaya sitting on the edge of her bed sobbing her heart out, Jaime sat beside her and curled an arm around her. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not entirely surprised that he left again without speaking a single word to me,” said Shaya through her tears. “I know why he can’t claim me. Nick’s in high demand with the females—I’d be challenged by a different one every five minutes if I tried to hold a position as Alpha female. I guess I just hoped that if fate had matched me up with an Alpha, then there was a reason for it, a way to still be bonded to him.”
“There still could be.”
“Yes, if he gave up his position as Alpha. I know that’s selfish for me to want that.” Jaime tightened her arm around her. “Hey, you have a right to be selfish when it concerns your mate.”
She sighed. “I guess I just thought that I’d be more important. It’s clear that I’m not.” Jaime was about to speak again when Taryn suddenly walked in. “Shaya? Shaya, what is it?” When her best friend didn’t respond, she crouched in front of her. “Shaya, talk.” Taking in a preparatory breath, she admitted, “I found my mate.” First Taryn looked relieved, thinking this should be good news. Then, expectedly, confusion crossed her face when she realized that it clearly wasn’t good for Shaya. “I don’t understand.”
“I found him, but I can’t have him.”
“You can’t have him? Why? And who is he?”
Shaya shook her head as if unable to speak the name.