Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
Mason slid me a sideways glance. “The f uck did you just…? Did you….Beta me?”
“Yeah, I guess I did. I didn’t think about it. I just did it. Sorry?”
“We’ll have to talk about this later. Thanks.”
www “I don’t want us to be at each other’s throats,” Mason said now to Asher, who only gave him a strong, steady glare.
After another few seconds, though, Asher finally gave him a grudging nod. “You think I want that?”
“I hope not. Look, let’s just go in and enjoy the rest of the party, okay? We can meet up for coffee in town tomorrow. I have so much to tell you.” Mason’s voice rose, eager, and it was easy for me to hear the desire in his voice to connect with his friend.
I tried not to let jealousy rear up in me at Mason’s tone. He and Asher had been friends for a lot longer than I’d known him. Hell, from what Lanie had said, Asher was as good as Mason’s Beta.
Except. I was the one who’d calmed him down. I was the one who’d been able to sense just what he needed to stop from totally blowing up. That wasn’t his oldest friend, his potential Beta.
That had been me.
I felt the heavy weight of Xander’s gaze. When I met it, I expected to see his wolf snarling, or at least a twisted expression. Instead, he wore a faint smile that disappeared when he caught my eye.
So he wasn’t mad about it. That was good. The last thing in the world I wanted to do was pis s off Xander–
“I think I’m just gonna head out,” Asher said stiffly.
He didn’t sound like he was ready to launch himself or his wolf-at either one of us. That was good, too. He looked like a guy who’s been punched in the n utsack, though, and I had kind of an idea of how that had to “I’d never do that, and you know it,” Xander thought at me.
I turned toward him. “Did you hear me think that?”
“No. I could just tell by the look on your face. Is everything cool? Is that other dude gonna wolf out?”
I shook my head. Xander put an arm around Lanie’s shoulders. She looked worried for a few seconds, then nodded as Xander–
must’ve sent her something through the link.
him.
“Tomorrow. Hank’s place. Three?” Mason asked. He was smart, didn’t press the guy by moving toward After a a moment, Asher nodded. Without another word, he stalked away. We both watched him go.
Lanie came over to us and slipped her hand in Mason’s. I could feel her love radiating off her. Mason–
must’ve been able to feel it, too, because he turned to pull her into his arms for a hug.
“He’ll come around,” she told him in a low voice.
“I hope so.”
“He was wrong,” I said to Mason’s back.
He let go of Lanie and turned to me. “Huh?”
“What he said about you being a s hitty Alpha. He was wrong.
“F uck yeah, he was wrong,” Xander said as he joined us.
Mason snorted. “I thought you’d agree with him.”
“The only person only person who’s allowed to call your Alpha skills into question is me, bro.” Xander grinned and punched Mason lightly on the arm.
Well, lightly for Xander. His brother sta ggered back a step or two before catching himself. Mason–
pretended to make a threatening gesture. The two of them squared off, tapping fists before Xander tossed up his hands and backed away.
“Truce, truce.” He glanced around. “We don’t need to gather an audience. Everyone already thinks you’re still just waiting for the right chance to kill me.”
The faint sound of singing rose to us from the backyard.
Lanie grimaced. “They’re starting karaoke. Are you sure you all want to stay?”
We all looked at each other and grinned.
Lanie–
“Hearing Zane sing “Hard Candy Christmas” was one thing,” I said around another flurry of laughter at the memory. Once Mason’s argument with Asher had dissipated, Quinn’s party had ended up being really fun. “But when Mason and Xander dueted with ‘Greased Lightning Gabriela, I swear to the Moon, I almost peed my pants.
“Hey,” Mason said mildly, “Your rendition of “Baby Got Back was truly inspired, Lanie.”
“No Eddie Grayfur classics? Gabriela chuckled softly and set the match to one of the candles on the mantelpiece.
She’d had a fire going for us when we got home, and now she was adding the candles. She shook her head at her enormous son, bent over and shaking with laughter on the couch.
“You and your human music. Xander always did like to listen to it.” She put the matchbox on the mantel and her hands on her hips. “All four of you smell like a brewery. Do I need to bring you some coffee?”
“We’re all good, Ma. Thanks for watching the kids.” Xander straightened with a grin.
“Yes,” I echoed. “I didn’t realize how much I really needed to just do something…normal.”
“I would not call that duet normal,” Zane said, but his voice was rich with suppressed laughter.
“You all deserved a night out, and I had a good time here with the pups. They did wear me out, though I’m off to bed. Unless you need me for something? Should I wear earplugs to bed in case you all decide to start singing again?” Gabriela raised an eyebrow at us all.
We assured her we were all fine. Once she left, I propped my feet up on the coffee table and let my bod sink into the couch next to Xander. It wasn’t big enough for all four of us, really, but we managed to squeeze by me ending up half on Mason’s lap and half on Xander’s.
There hadn’t been much discussion about the fight between Mason and Asher, or what had happened when Zane stepped in, but I knew we’d all been thinking about it. It wasn’t really my place to bring up the subject, though. I belonged to all of them.
Xander belonged to me and also to Zane. Mason belonged to me.
Zane belonged to me, but also..who else?
Gently, Xander pushed me off his lap so he could poke the fire to keep it going. That was his role, to make sure all of us were taken care of. That we had what we needed to be warm.
We all had our places in this family, and I was so grateful for it.
“So,” Xander said quietly and then said nothing else for so long the cr ackles and pops of the fire began to sound like a song.
Finally, he finished, “I sensed what happened earlier.”
Mason and Zane nodded, but neither one of them said anything. Sitting between them, I could feel their awkwardness. Like it was Xander’s job to keep the fire going, it was mine to soothe our troubled emotions.
had to be said.
Zane–
“I hope you didn’t think I overstepped.” I had to speak up first, when it was obvious Mason wasn’t going to say anything. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and tried to choose my words carefully. The heat from the fire flared as Xander poked it again. “I apologize if it bothered you.”
“Nah. You were good. I needed that. Needed you,” Mason added casually, like an afterthought.
“I saw things getting out of control, and I knew you wouldn’t want that. Didn’t think it, didn’t suspect it,” I said with emphasis to make sure he understood my full meaning. “I knew it.”
I looked up, and Mason met my gaze.
He nodded. “You were right.”
“Was it instinct?” Xander put in, sounding curious. “Like, you’ve done that for me so many times. Walked me back from the edge.
Redirected me when it was necessary.”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “It felt instinctual. But that’s what being a Beta means. Acting on instinct to do the things your Alpha needs.”
There. I’d said it out loud. That Mason didn’t just share his Alpha status and his Luna mate with Xander, but maybe…he might share me, too.
“I’ve been thinking about it all day since it happened, Mason admitted. He got up to pace, and Xander stood back, out of the way.
That small action of courtesy, giving his brother the room to move, said more than words could. Lan and I shared a look. She was bearing I wasn’t sure what or how to feel.
Whatever I said was going to change the way things were.
Did I want to be the one to do that?
Mason–
The party had been a great time, but I’d spent the rest of it unable to stop thinking about how easily 2
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?