Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
“That’s a little messed up,” she offered.
“Yeah. It was. But we were destined to be mates” I quickly came up with a small lie. “Because of the confusion about everything, though, I ended up umm…well, it’s all confusing, but basically, I ended up in Stillwood because of that mess.”
“So…Xander is Stella’s father?” Quinn asked, shaking her head and looking amazed.
“Yes.”
She thumped one fist into her other palm. “I knew it! I knew that baby looked too much like Mason not to be related to him! By the Moon, Katie…I mean Lanie.. I’m surprised Xander didn’t kill Mason for touching you! And now you’re all mates? And they’re friends?”
“Well, Friendly” I corrected her. “They’ve managed to find a way to get around their differences.
I didn’t mention their father had been killed by the ancient vampire, Malachi-who happened to be my grandfather. I hated lying to my friend, but there was only so much I could reveal without putting her in danger.
Quinn blew out a breath. “Phew. I think I need something a lot stronger than coffee after hearing all of that. I can’t even begin to imagine how you must feel. So..you went back to be with Xander and his Beta?”
“Mason asked me to go with him to Constantine to figure out the family umm…dynamics,” I said. Tm really sorry we didn’t give you a heads-up or anything. It was all so crazy and sudden. I really should have been in touch, though.”
“Water under the bridge,” Quinn said. “I can’t say I blame you. Sounds like you had a ton going on.”
Asense of doom hit me suddenly, and I sat straight up.
“I need to go home. Now.”
Zane–
My body ached from the hours I’d spent with the ax. We had enough firewood to heat the entire house for a dozen winters by the time Xander came out and told me that we were giving our wolves a run. Now my muscles ached with a different kind of soreness.
Xander stretched, naked, next to the small stream. He bent to cup the water and drink deeply. I admired the strong lines of his back and shoulders. When he turned around to see me staring, he shot me a wide, arrogant grin.
“Like what you see?”
“Always,” I admitted. “Just thinking how much you’ve changed over the years.
His smile faded and softened. His eyes lit with a glow from his wolf that mine immediately answered. “We both have.”
“Did you ever wonder what it would’ve been like if you’d had a different Beta?” I joined him by the side of the stream and bent to scoop up my own drink The water, ice-cold and delicious, dripped down my chin and chest. I splashed some on my face and then over each shoulder to stream down my bare back. The water wasn’t deep enough to swim in, or I felt like I’d have plunged in as deep as I could. Let it close over my head to shut out the world for a few minutes. Just float for a little while.
Xander sat and put his feet in the water. He tugged my wrist until I sat next to him. All at once I was wondering if the urge to dive in had been my own, or if it had come to me through the mind link, with me feeling Xander’s feelings more strongly than my own.
“There could be no better Beta for me than you.” He nudged my shoulder with his.
We sat for a few minutes, shoulder to shoulder, our feet in the water. It ran over our calves. I curled my toes into the cold and looked over to see my Alpha doing the same.
“know that. I was born to be your Beta. But what if someone else had been?”
Xander twisted to look at me with a frown. “What’s going on with you, dude? The Moon Goddess gave you to me the same way she gave Lanie to us. What’s the point in worrying about things that didn’t happen?”
“Yeah, you’re right. I just…” I kicked at the water a bit and pulled my feet up to the edge of the stream. “You have a brother now.
You have another Alpha. What do you even need a Beta for?”
For a moment, Xander didn’t answer. Then he mirrored my position, grasping one of his wrists while his arms linked around his knees. He stared out over the stream to the trees beyond. A deer had come out of the woods and stood staring at us, her ears twitching. When heither of us moved, she bent to crop at the grass.
“An Alpha needs a Beta. Yeah, Mason’s part of our lives now, and there doesn’t seem to be much we can do about that. But he could never replace you, Zane. You are my Beta. You are my best friend. And I love you,”
I knew he was telling me the truth because, just like it had been since we were pups, I could feel it. I rubbed at my eyes, pressing the heels of my hands into them. “Since that night, I’ve just felt..off.”
He didn’t have to ask me what night I meant. “I know I just don’t know what to do for you.”
“I don’t know what you can do for me, either,” I admitted. “I feel like I betrayed you. All of you.”
“Sneaking around on us, that would be a betrayal. We don’t love what you had to do…1 f ucking hate the thought of you being with her but you did not betray us. You got that?” Xander’s voice rumbled, and his wolf snarled.
“I keep telling myself that, but I can’t stop myself from feeling it, I retorted, my voice too harsh. I got up. “S hit. Sorry, man. I’m not trying to be an as s hole to you.”
Xander got to his feet. He grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look at him. He was my Alpha, there was no way I was going to disobey him…but I definitely didn’t want to look him in the eyes. He shook me a little bit until I did.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you,” he said finally. “Something I think, if you agree, will prove to you that there’s no betrayal. That nobody could take your place, that having another Alpha doesn’t mean your place has been made any less.”
I moved closer to him so his grip didn’t need to be so tight, like he was trying to keep me from running. away. No matter how I felt, I knew I was never going to run from Xander.
His eyes flared. “I want you to be known as Zane Constantine.”
“Huh? What?” Stunned, I had no idea how to answer that.
“Instead of Allister, I want you to take the Constantine name.” He grinned at me. “Will it make the Elders heads spin around? F
uck yeah. But will it show everyone that we are a family? All of us, me, you, Lanie, the pups, Mason? Also, f uck yeah.”
A heavy weight felt like it lifted off me. We laughed together, our voices full of joy.
“Okay,” I said. “F uck yeah. I’ll take your name.”
Lanie–
“Wait!” Quinn cried. “You can’t just run off like that! What’s wrong, Lanie? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”
The urge to cra ck a joke rose to my lips. A ghost? More like a vampire, a witch, and a werewolf walked into a bar. I shook my head with a burst of nervous laughter that hurt my throat.
The feeling of desperation and that something was very wrong at home was only getting worse. I could tell Quinn was worried for me. I felt like I probably looked like sh it.
“You went the color of that milk,” she said, pointing to the bottle on the table next to us. “Are you going to pass out? Take a breath. Do you need something cold to drink?”
I breathed slowly. “I’m okay. I think maybe something I ate disagreed with me. I should really just get going.
I could tell she did not believe me. “I wish you wouldn’t just run off again, I want to hear more about Stella. I miss her. I could go home with you. We could hang out longer?”
“I really don’t feel good, Quinn. I’m sorry. It’s my stomach.” I wasn’t lying. I really did feel like I might puke right there, but I knew it had nothing to do with anything I’d eaten.
Something was very wrong at home. I had to get there right away. I couldn’t tell if it was real danger, or something simpler than that, but whatever it was, my stomach churned and twisted and chill dripping down my spine. Then heat flashed over me. I had to grit my jaws to keep my teeth eat was tering Quinn frowned. “Yeah, you really don’t look very good at all. Are you going to be able to could take you.”
“No, I’m okay to drive. I really just need some fresh air. I’m sorry to rush out on you. Let’s get soon, okay?” Without waiting for an answer, I pushed away from the table and hurried out the front coffee shop Wildly, I searched for the car. I couldn’t remember where I’d parked it. On the street? In the lot? My ni was whirling as fever waves of hot and cold ripped through me over and over. My legs were shaking.
“Hey, Katie Lanie, wait a second!” Quinn had followed me out of the coffee shop. Tm having a birthday party on Saturday, and I’d love it if you came. Bring Stella, Umm bring Mason, too. And I guess bring Xander and Zane. I’d really like to get the chance to get to know them. And don’t worry about Asher, he’ll get over it all. Say you’ll be there?”
I spotted my car in the lot by the book store I turned, doing my best not to show how sick I was really feeling I even managed a smile. “That sounds awesome of course I’ll be there. I can’t promise everyone else will come, but I’ll bring Stella. What time?”
“Starts at three. You don’t have to let me know if you’re all coming or anything. There will be plenty of town is enough of a present. Oh, Goddess, I’m so happy to see that you’re doing okay!”
Before I could stop her, she had me in a long, hard hug that I had to return, I closed my over to a few seconds, taking in strength from the force of her friendship. Strangely, I felt steadier when we stepped apart.
Quinn, on the other hand, frowned and looked a little confused. She blinked rapidly before focusing on me. Her smile returned.
“Yeah, so see you Saturday. You sure you don’t need a ride home?”
“No, I’m fine.” I was. The feverish chills had faded, and the churning in my stomach now felt more like a hunger rumble that nausea. My clothes were damp from sweat, but my legs were steady. “I’ll see you.”
“Byel”
She waved, and I shot a wave over my shoulder as I hurried to my car. I didn’t bother calling home on the way, just drove as fast as I dared without risking ending up in a ditch. I pulled up the drive and threw the car in park in front of the house. I took the porch steps two at a time and burst through the front door.
Everyone was in the living room. They all turned toward me with matching startled looks.
I scanned them for anything that looked out of the ordinary. I scented the air.
Fresh water. Pine needles. Sweat. Xander and Zane had been running. Carrot cake? My stomach rumbled.
“I came home as soon as I felt it,” I told them. “Something is wrong.”
“But how…?” Zane started.
Xander took a step toward me. “Don’t get freaked out…”
“By what?” I cried. “Tell me!”
t’s Stellarak said quietly. “She’s talking.”
Lanie–
“What do you mean, talking?” I turned in confusion toward the playpen where the pups had all been happily playing when I left. It was empty.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?