Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
“Or what?” she demanded with a quirk of her eyebrow. “Will you…sp ank me?”
“This is no time for jokes,” I warned her, but her Luna light pulsed out around her, joined by Zane’s Betal energy.
It was almost like I couldn’t stand against the two of them. My irritation eased away. I was still upset, but not enraged.
ht sight of M
I caught of Mason’s expression, looking a little confused. Then admiring. He shook his head but didn’t say anything.
Lanie pushed against me again. “You need to get dressed. I’ll tell you everything.”
Quickly, I pulled on a pair of jeans, a flannel, and my boots. The four of us gathered again on the front porch. My mother hovered inside, peeking out the windows until I turned and gave her a look. Then she backed off, but I knew she was as worried as I was.
This has nothing to do with homeschooling, right?” confronted my Luna, and she shook her head “No, love. And I’m sorry I was hiding the truth from you while I worked on all of this.” Lanie took a deep breath and shared a glance with Zane.
“Hea sounded.
already knows?” Mason asked in a low voice that sounded. hell, I couldn’t tell how my brother Zane moved forward to put a hand on Mason’s shoulder, but my brother stepped neatly away from it before the touch landed. He stayed focused on Lanie and took her hands in his to kiss the knuckles, one at a time, on each hand.
“You’re all my mates, equally.” Lanie replied in an even tone. “So yes, Zane knows.”
zel Zane’s Beta strength tougioune genitly back to….well, not neutral, but definitely not infuriated. It was ustrating. I wanted to shout and pound my fists, but he was keeping me as calm as he could.
When I shot a look at mybrother who was pacing the porch as Lanie told us everything she’d been up t nd discovered, I could see Mascosanneer practically vibrating around him. With each pulse of Zone’s energy oward him, he flinched, and his intactangoner, until finally, Mason sagged against the porch railing with hiss ack toward us.
“I’m going with you, I told y una with mocow She nodded. “Yes. Not because you’regioernanding it, though.”
I frowned, and she took my hand tedinkoupenogers “Mason needs Zane right now,” she whisper-thoughtcone. He’s raw frorn his meeting with Asher, and the vo of them need to learn how to accept what cecounters the other. You and I will go to the human city.”
“I’m not staying wherever the f uck that source add you I had to stay, I warned her through the link. “F uck lat noise. I’m not “You’ll have to,” she cut in. Her eyes bore into name as dengers tightened. This isn’t about your ego.”
“No. It’s about keeping you safe.”
“It’s about the safety of our daughter, Lanie shot back. We need to find out what this source, this arkLuna, can tell me about hybrids. Because war is coming, Endocrinether we like it or not, and we need to e prepared. So that means, also whether or not you like it, that tweingya cocollow those instructions. I will not sk my daughter.”
Goddess, she was powerful. I didn’t agree with her, but I knew there was no way I was going to be able to tand against her.
All of this is f ucked,” I said aloud.
But we have no choice,” Lanie added quietly.
Her gaze flicked over my shoulder to my brother, leaning on the railing. Zano sconto eren’t saying anything out loud, but I could catch a hint of them communicating through priva me, when Zane put a hand on Mason’s shoulder, my brother didn’t shrug it away.
When do we have to leave?” I asked my Luna.
vive to meet the source at midnight,” she confirmed with a glance at her watch Whichhmmenns we ave to leave right now”
Lanie–
I tried again to mind link with Xander, and again, nothing. The fries arrived, and I thanked the waitress, who gave me a sympathetic look. I must’ve looked like I was desperately waiting for someone.
But how long was I going to keep waiting?
Five more her if she was that long.
as I told myself grimly. Then I was out of here, and DarkLuna better hope I never found have to wait even simply having me jump through hoops for her enjoyment. Turns out, I didn’t A figure in a dark hoodie, face obscured by the hood, slipped into the booth across from me. As the waitress approached, the figure simply held up a hand with two fingers raised and made a small, silent gesture. The waitress withdrew without speaking to us.
“That’s a neat trick,” I said.
The person sitting across from me tugged the hoodie off to expose a fall of long, dark hair tied at the nape of her neck. It showed off her slender neck and sharp jawline, as well as the crimson slash of her lipstick. That wasn’t what forced a small gasp of surprise out of me, though.
“You’re I”
She looked at me, amusement clear in her expression, but didn’t say anything. She looked…young. My age, maybe even younger, so eighteen or nineteen, tops. But how could this be DarkLuna, if she was my age? The posts I’d found on the dark web were at least a few years old. My body tensed as I got ready to flee if this stranger pulled something shady.
“This has to be some kind of trick,” I said aloud but under my breath. How could this pers ny kind of super-knowledgeable contact? She didn’t even look old enough to be allowed inside a hum faked license, same as me.
The young woman leaned over to grab a handful of my fries. She tucked one into her mouth slowly as she studied me. Her eyes flashed a low, bright violet. So, not human, at least.
“Look, I Know wolves age differently than humans, but…
outa “I look too young? You were expecting someone older. Wizened, perhaps?” She grinned and popped another fry into her mouth.
She chewed and swallowed, then pulled my beer across the table toward her lifted that to her lips next. “Mmm. That’s good. I’d have ordered something lighter, a lager, maybe. Not a sto “I wasn’t going to drink it. I just got it because you know what, never mind” I shook my head. “You are… her. Right?”
“Oh, I’m her, all right. At your service.” Her grin widened.
I scowled at her. “I don’t appreciate you making light of this”
dark.” DarkLuna shrugged and sat back against the seat. “That’s what Lunas do, isn’t it? Make light. That’s what you’re going to have to do.”
I sat back, too. “That isn’t what I was talking about, and you know it. And aren’t you worried about being overheard? Talking about Lunas that way. We’re in a human bar.”
My voice dipped way down low, but I kept my eyes fixed on hers. Another small flare of violet flashed in them. She leaned across the table toward me.
“I wouldn’t have met you here if I was worried about anyone listening in. I’ve got this place covered. Don’t you worry, little Luna.”
“Don’t call me that. Or honey. I didn’t come here for games.” I couldn’t stop the small growl from filtering through my voice, but f uck, if she wasn’t worried about being overheard, I guess that meant I wouldn’t be, either.
She sighed and waved a hand. “Settle down. I’ve been around a lot longer than you have. I know you won’t believe it, but I’ll be two-hundred and fifty on my next birthday.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Clearly, it’s not,” she shot back. “And if I were you, sweet cheeks, I’d start being a little more respectful to your elders. Because one day, this could be you sitting across a table, trying to help out someone who’s young and dumb and thinks the world owes them a favor.”
Stung, I crossed my arms over my chest. “The only reason I think you owe me anything at all is because I’ve done everything you requested. I’m here: I promised to trade you information for yours.”
I paused to study her.
“What do you mean, one day, this could be me?”
I already had a sneaking suspicion, but I was here for answers, and I was going to get some.
“I mean that you and me are the same.”
“Hybrids,” I whispered.
DarkLuna nodded sharply. “Yes. But you knew that already.”
“And you think, I mean, you believe, that I’ll age…?”
“The sarne as me? Slower than everyone you love? Getting older year by year but never really changing. while they all leave you behind?” Her voice hitched and caught in her throat, and her gaze burned into mine. “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”
Lanie–
At first, I wasn’t sure what I could even say. The thought of it was horrible. Xander, Zane, and Mason were already a number of years older than I was. I’d always imagined us growing old together. To find out now that they’d get older and eventually die while I stayed the same…1 shuddered.
“So, I won’t age beyond this point?” I asked her.
DarkLuna waved a hand as though she could read my mind. At this point, I wouldn’t have been shocked if I found out she could.
“Maybe by a few years or so. But your hair won’t go gray. Your face won’t get lines. Not until you’re far older than I am, at any rate.”
“It sounds awful,” I whispered.
Her brows knit. “There’s an advantage to keeping your physical youth and beauty. The world is kinder to a pretty person than an old crone. There’s a reason why everyone thinks of witches as being ancient, withered, and ugly..or that ancient, withered, and ugly women are witches.”
I thought of Rhiannon. “The only witch I know personally is not old and definitely not ugly,”
I hated thinking of Zane being with the witch, of having had to go to bed with her. Did this woman know about that, too? I wasn’t going to say anything about it, if she didn’t bring it up.
“Not a relative, is she?” DarkLuna sounded concerned.
“No.”
Although if she had a child with my mate, wouldn’t that make her family, of a sort? I shoved the thoughts out of my mind.
Rhiannon was not going to have a baby with Zane. We’d done everything we could to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Don’t worry about keeping that pretty face, then. It’s not like you don’t grow and mature with experience Age is more than a number, either in years or in lines on your forehead,” DarkLuna said.
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?