Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
The pair of them had… Okay, I wasn’t sure it could be called a relationship history, exactly, but you don’t let a vampire feed off you without creating some kind of bond.
Clearly, she was still feeling it with him.
I smoothed my frown. “So sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Lanie shook her head. She was glowing. Some of it was Luna energy, but some of it was a pulsing shine. that came from an entirely different source. It was faintly red and softer than the Luna glow. Almost hidden.. Almost…sly.
“No, no, we were just talking. Catching up,” she said, That sounded like maybe a little bit of a guilt. I bit back my frown and kept my distance, adding a little light chuckle to my reply.
“I had so much free time on my hands without the babies that I thought I’d explore the place a bit. I was looking for somewhere to sit and do a little reading.”
I held up one of the paperbacks I’d pulled from the common library. It was a thick human novel about werewolves that I’d heard was hilariously inaccurate.
“I can find another place, if you two need some privacy.”
“Not necessary,” Braden said. “I actually have a meeting I need to get to. Lanie, would you like to walk with me? I can introduce you to Delilah. She’s one of the mentors you could be working with.”
“Mentor?” I asked.
Lanie nodded. “Yes. To help me learn more about my vampire skills. Malachi wants me to learn more about how to access and use them.”
Of course, he did.
That was the extra glow. I should’ve known by the crimson shade. Her vampire self was rising the way her wolf could. Only, unlike her wolf self, the vampire part of her would never be something wholly different.
Vampires were always fully vampires and never anything else.
But Lanie was a hybrid…
I shook myself, aware they were both staring at me forced a smile and held up the book. “Have fun. I’ll cua inclairy “Dinner’s an event tonight,” Braden said. “A big welcome for you all. See you there. C’mon, Lanie.”
They both left, and I watched carefully to see if they were holding hands or anything like that. They didn’t, but the image of them embracing left a lingering bad taste in my mouth. I settled into a comfortable chair, but I couldn’t concentrate on my book.
them.
We were supposed to be safe here.
Safe enough that I could leave the babies I loved so much in the care of others who didn’t even know Safe enough that my son and his Beta could go off and run and take the son of my husband’s mistress.
with them.
Safe enough that I could finally, after so long, let my mind dwell on everything I’d been pushing out of my thoughts.
The words of the book ran together as I tried to focus Finally, I put it aside and simply let myself relax into the chair. The sun overhead was bright but dim at the same time. I smelled magic underneath the scents of the different exotic flowers. The cool tinkle of the fountain should have been soothing.
Why was I suddenly so anxious?
Tears clogged my throat and burned in my eyes. I pressed my fingertips to my eyes hard enough that colored lights flashed in my vision. I swallowed hard, again and again, each swallow like a razor blade.
I didn’t want to cry over Orion.
My mate had betrayed me. Stolen from me the honor of being the only mother of his pup. He’d lied to me for years. Everything we’d had together was false.
And now he was dead.
I would never get to confront him. Never have closure. He was gone and would never have to face the consequences of his actions…but I would.
My wolf howled inside me.
She circled, trying to draw close enough to comfort me. But with the grief ripping at my heart. It felt like she was too far away I couldn’t call on my powers, the gifts of the Moon Goddess, my strengths. I would never truly lose them, of course, but I was no longer the Luna. That role had been taken over by Lanie Was she going to betray my son the way his father had done to me?
Worse did that vampire part of her mean she was destined to betray us all?
Lanie–
I was going to like Delilah a lot, which was a relief.
In the short hour we’d spent together, she’d been so cheerful and helpful that I couldn’t help but feel like all of this was going to be okay.
“Of course, it will,” Delilah said with a look of surprise when I said that out loud. She tilted her head to look. at me with wide eyes.
Her irises were fully black with a red ring around them, which I’d found startling at first, but she’d explained that it wasn’t something every vampire had.
It was a sign of her empathic abilities, which went beyond being able to compel someone, a skill most vampires could easily wield.
“You are feeling so much better; I can sense it,” she added. “I didn’t want to say anything about it before, since it’s rude to talk about someone’s feelings unless they mention them first.”
“I have so. Much. To. Learn.” I emphasized each word and laughed a little. “I didn’t think it would be so tiring, either! I communicate with my wolf all the time, and when I draw on my Luna gifts, it leaves me energized. Not drained.”
Delilah smiled. “It’s a journey, Lanie. Because you are a hybrid, you are not going to have the same reactions as a pureblood vampire. But because your bloodline comes from an Ancient…well, to be honest, I can feel a lot coming off of you. Though I’m not entirely sure what awaits you. We’ll have to learn together.”
“I look forward to it.” From somewhere far off, I heard what sounded like a bell or a gong.
Delilah turned toward it. “Oh, that’s the announcement bell. It’s time for us to get ready for the big dinner tonight. Did you have any more questions before we go?”
She held up a hand before I could answer.
“Never mind,” she said. “I know you have many questions. Anything I can help you with in less than a minute?”
“Nope.” I shook my head, and we both laughed.
“Can you find your way back to your quarters?”
“I hope so. I need to start learning how, anyway. I can’t expect a tour guide every time I need to go from one place to the next.”
“If you get lost, I’m sure someone will be around to help.”
We hugged and parted ways.
l impressed myself with how well I was able to navigate my way back to the quarters. By the time I got 0
“Everything okay?” I asked, concerned, as Stella ran to me right away. I smoothed a hand over her hair.
“Hello, my precious. Did you have fun today?”
“The boys aren’t back yet, Gabriela said.
I frowned and bent to hug Alaina and Isaac, who’d taken a bit longer to toddle to me. I kissed and then straightened. “They’ve been gone this whole time?”
“Can you link with them? See where they are?” Her voice had an edge to it that made me feel a litt anxious.
I sent out a query through the mate link and got nothing at first. Then Xander’s voice drifted to me, very soft. I had to concentrate really hard to hear it.
“Shielding…interferes…” he thought.
I looked at her. I think he’s trying to tell me that the security shields here are blocking the mind links.”
She frowned. “I don’t like that.”
“Are wolves the only supernaturals that have mind links?” I hefted Alaina onto my hip and nodded as she babbled at me. “Yes, that sounds like so much fun.”
I kissed her chubby little cheek and squeezed her, then set her down to do the same to her twin. All three pups were vying for my attention, and it was a little overwhelming.
“Gabriela, could you take Stella and help her get a bath? I’ll take care of the twins.”
“Of course I can.” She said this with more of that same edge in her tone.
It made me look up. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. Fine. They’ve been away from us all day, that’s all. I’m not used to it. Maybe I should stay here. tonight while you four go to the dinner.”
“You can if you want to, I’m sure, but Braden told me that they’ll send someone from the school to stay with them. They’ll be in bed before we have to leave.” I studied her, sensing waves of irritation and nervousness rolling off of her, but not sure exactly why. “I think it would be good for you to go to the dinner, though. Didn’t you say you had friends here?
Did you get to spend any time with them today?”
“Oh, yes, old friends,” she said crisply. “I guess I’m not the only one who was able to spend time with people from the past today.”
Before I could ask her what she was getting at, the door flew open. Three sweaty, laughing and clearly exhausted men stumbled into the room When I looked back to check on Gabriela, she’d gone into her rooms and closed the door behind her.
Gabriela–
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?