Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
Which left me, once again, on my own.
“You work hard.” Greyson sounded admiring as he clapped me on my sweaty, bare shoulder. “You almost beat me.”
With a guffaw, I swatted away his hand and made like I was going to go after him. He backed up, also laughing. I shook my head.
“You’re f ucking strong, man. But you could also shift and just, like, literally gobble me up in a single bite. I there ever really was a battle here or anywhere, why wouldn’t you just do that?”
Greyson tipped his chin toward a few of the others who’d been training with us and waited until they’d passed us before he answered.
“Becoming the dragon isn’t the same as it is for you wolves, or even other shifters. The difference in mass means my transformation takes such a significant amount of energy that I have to have a recovery period afterward. In ideal situations, once I am the dragon, I stay that way for a long time before returning to my human self.”
I accepted the bottle of water he handed me and drained half of it. My muscles ached, and I was grateful for it. It meant I’d worked myself hard.
“Before I met Charlotte, I spent most of my time as the dragon,” Greyson said.
This surprised me. “Get out.”
He laughed. “It’s true. There aren’t many of us left, and we’ve become adept at hiding deep underground, so for the most part, we’re solitary. And well, we can hibernate for a long time, if necessary. But I can’t live with Charlotte as the dragon Certainly can’t make love to her in that form And, since I love her, I’m happy to maintain this shape for the most part. Want to head for a beer?”
“Yeah. Xander and Mason won’t be finished with Malichi’s special training until later this afternoon. I heard the slight edge in my voice even though I didn’t mean for it to be there Greyson heard it, too I could tell by the way his expression shifted But he didn’t say anything about it und we’d settled into the back booth in a pub, not on Eighty Seven, but a much smaller place located on a residential wing. It was mostly empty, and I got the idea that was why he’d brought me here.
They always have something you can’t share,” he said without preamble once the frosty points of ale had been put in front of us, along with a platter of ribo I rubbed the spot between my eyes and gave him a sheepish look “Was that obvious?”
“Not at all. I just think you and I are more alike than it might seem on the surface. I think…rather, I feel, ‘ane, that we both share a certain…” Greyson leaned across the table, lowering his voice. “Propensity for service.”
I took a pull off my beer while I tried to think about how to answer that. “Not sure I’m getting you.
“You are a Beta. Your role, your purpose, is to serve your Alpha. Right?”
“Well…yeah. I mean, he’s my best friend. And my mate. They both are. But yes, I guess it’s my job to keep my Alpha happy.
Even-keeled. If he’s upset or something, need to get him calmed down.” I wasn’t sure why my heart pounded as I admitted this.
It wasn’t something to be embarrassed about, but I felt a heat rise in my face.
“You anticipate your Alpha’s needs.
“I try to. Yeah.”
He grinned. “I anticipate my mistress’s needs. I’m happiest when I’m serving Charlotte. Keeping her happy. Whatever that takes.”
I was getting it now, and I grinned. “Ah, you mean like a sex thing.”
“Yes, but it’s more than that, too.” He dug into the ribs and chewed heartily.
I was quiet for a minute, thinking. “Xander is kind of kinky in the bedroom.”
“And you enjoy that.”
“Yeah. I guess I do.”
Greyson shrugged. “But it bothers you that he’s got Mason at his side now. It shouldn’t. His brother is never going to take your place. Mason is also an Alpha, first of all. He’ll never be able to serve the way you can as their Beta.”
I wasn’t going to pretend it didn’t bother me, not when Greyson clearly could see it. “They hated each other, but the closer they get, the more I wonder if there will still be a place for me.”
“There will be. I’m sure of it. But Zane…there’s something you should know about your Alphas.”
Lanie–
“Are you sure it wasn’t low blood sugar or something ridiculous like that? You were working extremely hard this morning, and I know you wolves need all that protein and whatnot. Perhaps your body needs. nourishment. I’ll ring for something.” My grandfather shrugged as though he wasn’t at all concerned, Well, if he wasn’t, why should I get worked up about it?
“That might’ve been it,” I admitted. “It passed, anyway. And I had some kebabs with Charlotte, so I’m not really hungry right now.
What did you want to talk to me about?”
Malachi smiled. “I wanted to spend some time getting to know you better. I know you have many questions, some of which Charlotte can answer but many she cannot.”
“I thought maybe you had more information for me about Stella,” I said, a little disappointed.
My grandfather’s mouth turned down at the corners, and he shook his head. Sadly, I have nothing new to share. Trust me, as soon as I know something, Ill be certain to let you know at once. I might be very good at keeping secrets, but this is not one I’m eager to maintain.”
“You said only Ancients could Summon. How do you become an Ancient, anyway?” I made myself more comfortable on his couch.
“By ly getting old,” Malachi said with a snort of laughter “How else?”
I rolled my eyes. “I guess I walked right into that one “You have great strength, Lanie. In many if not most cases, mingling the bloodlines leads to each trait becoming lessened Hybrids are special in their own ways, but rarely in all ways in your case, though, it seems to be the opposite Both your wolf and vampire selves are so strong, I wouldn’t be surprised if you one day became an Ancient yourself Of course I may finally be long gone by then. Malachi looked pensive, What exactly does it take to Itrated off, wondering of my question was rude Malants or one.
to his Jung uger for off as added property it will destroy us in nude & plake trough the ear code was nie to yet close enough to use on That lady was tappana As you can images we protection of ours My sabes c Lage soldered for choral wow port to give theaters to Why Age whose at “I’m not sure I want to live that long. My throat closed, making my voice h oa rse and scratchy. “I don’t want to leave my mates behind.”
“Ah yes. Your mates.” He nodded solemnly. “Your three mates. Do you fear that you’ve had your allotment That once they are gone, you’ll have to spend the rest of your years alone?”
“Hey!” I said sharply. “That’s pretty rude and presumptuous of you. No, I’m not afraid of being alone because I used up my allotment. I love them all, and the thought of losing them breaks my heart.”
Malachi made a soothing noise. “Forgive me, granddaughter. Wolves are so much more fiercely emotiona than vampire-kind. We are more practical.
Capable of great love, yes, but we mourn and move on.”
crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t want to mourn and move on. I don’t even want to think about having to do that!”
He laughed, annoying me. “So don’t think about it.”
“Let’s talk about something else.”
“Your training,” he said smoothly and immediately.
“It’s going so well. I must admit, I was a bit surprised at how your talents are manifesting, but I’m quite pleased and impressed. In fact, your talent for compelling is so uniquely strong, I would not be at all surprised if you did eventually gain the ability to Summon.”
I’d been grouchy, but his words warmed me. “The first time I was able to compel someone was Orion, and it happened so fast, and I was so upset, I couldn’t be really sure I was even doing it on purpose.”
“Oh, you’d been compelling before that,” he told me.
“Probably since childhood.”
I tried to remember any times when I’d made someone do something I wanted them to do. I frowned “1. thought my hybridness didn’t show up until I was of age My heat coughed lightly, very aware that not only was this my grandfather, Malachi was also, for all appearances, a white and handsome middle-aged man Not the sort of person I’d normally be talking to about my heat “Ah, well, here it is What I ought to have been around for your whole life, what your mother should have been while to do for you and could not “What’s that?” asked outtle alarmed Matach’s fangs lengthened sightly as he grinned Xander–
I was used to the boring parts of being the Alpha.
Meetings, s hit like that. There was more to running a pack than leading its warriors into battle. Honestly, most of running a pack was more about delegating small tasks and s hit like annual reports than anything else.
Mason hadn’t grown up with an Alpha dad, and although he had the Alpha powers, he’d never had the chance yet to actually, like…lead, Man, was he eating it up.
I got a real kick out of watching my brother on the other side of the big table, leaning in to offer his suggestions to the other Brightsky bigwigs Malachi had h oo ked us up with. Me? I’d been doodling on the notepad we’d each been given when we walked through the door. I didn’t really care much about the requisitions and acquisitions and storehouse inventories and who was going to set up a new trust to pay for the infrastructure and blah, blah, blah…
Yeah, all important stuff, but I hadn’t even been put on a committee for anything, and I wasn’t used to being part of a…well. A
team.
Alphas ruled. Usually alone, with the support of a Luna and a Beta. It was hard enough for me to adjust to sharing my pack with another Alpha, and so far, all of that had only been an idea. Mason and I had never actually had to do it.
“Dude, this sh it is so boring.” I sent my complaint to Zane through the link, careful to keep my expression from giving away my real feelings.
It took him a few minutes to reply. “What’s going on?
“Boring Alpha s hit. You’re lucky you’re out there getting to pound on some s hit.”
“Boring Alpha sh it is your job i thought you didn’t really like that being an Alpha didn’t mean much here? Sounds like they’re trying to give you a chance to fit in”
Zane sounded annoyed?
What the f uck?
“Dude, you okay? I thought to him Unlike you. Im not bored right now in the middle of conversation.”
Hip clipped response shocked me enough that I dug my pen into the paper hard enough to tear through to the next layer Apson shot me a look, but I was glad to see that nobody else seemed to notice I didn’t think anything to Zane again, but it bothered the hell out of me that he’d been so snippy I kind of felt like he was a little bothered when i told him Malachi was sending me and Mason into this meeting but “Bro, get your sh it together,” Mason thought to me.
“They’re asking what you did in Constantine about hiring outside human contractors to handle work tha couldn’t be done with our own kind.”
Blinking, I sat up straight, suddenly aware that everyone at the table was staring. F uck. I looked like a re douche.
“Can’t say that we ever really ran into that problem,”
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?