Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
For the first time in many moons, thinking of Orion didn’t immediately churn my stomach. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to find my way totally to forgiveness-he’d never have the chance to ask for it, anyway. But I could find a way to let my mind help ease the pain he’d caused in my heart.
“After we were finished, Xander cracked some smarta ss comment about being the only Alpha. It really rubbed me the wrong way.”
“I can see why,” I said. “He’s my son, but even I can see that Xander sometimes speaks without fully thinking his words through.”
Mason sighed. “He wasn’t even saying it to me, or about me. It was a joke that didn’t hit, I guess. Maybe I overreacted. But then, the next thing I knew, we were about to get into a beatdown with each other, and Zane stepped in to break it up.”
“He is your Beta,” I said, but it was easy to see that Mason didn’t need the reminder.
“We both turned on him.”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “That’s no good at all.”
Mason again scraped his hands through his hair. “I don’t even know what to do about all of this. I’ve even been thinking….I don’t even want to say it out loud.”
Gently, I patted his shoulder. “Mason, I know I’m not your mother, but…I’d like to be something like a mother to y 0 you, if you’d let me. And you should be able to tell your mother anything. Okay?”
His shoulders heaved with a sigh. Whatever was on his mind was weighing heavily. When he finally s his voice was so soft that I couldn’t believe I’d heard him correctly.
“No,” I said. “You can’t be serious.”
Mason–
I didn’t want to repeat myself. Even saying it one time instead of only thinking it left a sour taste in my mouth. Gabriela was taking her head.
“Leaving won’t make anything better for you. It would be so much worse. You’d be breaking your mate bond… And aside from the repercussions of that, you’d be so sad, Mason.”
“What if I wasn’t really meant to be a part of them?” I hate even asking, but who else can I talk to about this?n’s power only passed to me because he died. He didn’t give it to me. I just…got it. What if it was by accident?”
“The Moon Goddess doesn’t do accidents,” Gabriela said kindly. “If you four are bound it is because she meant for it to happen that way.”
“I feel like an outsider. More than I ever did even when I was growing up, knowing I didn’t belong.”
There. I had admitted it.
All of the thoughts and feelings that had been haunting me since I first discovered that the woman I loved was in fact my brother’s mate.
I’d spent my life fighting the fact my own father had abandoned me, focused my energy and efforts on destroying his other, more prized son. I couldn’t regret discovering that leading alongside my brother was better than sI aughtering him to take his place….but I also couldn’t completely shake the worry that I might always be on the outside looking in.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. That can’t be good.” Gabriela’s brow creased between her eyes as her mou curved down. “I know there’s nothing I can do that can change how you feel, but I hope I can help you understand that none of that is true. You and your brother might butt heads. You’ll have to face some resentments. Both of you are strong men with big personalities.. just like your father. You might not have known him growing up, but you inherited a lot from him.”
She chuckled and pursed her lips. I had to laugh a little, too. The situation wasn’t humorous, but laughin was better than screaming.
“When I found out that Orion’s death had passed you the Alpha role, I won’t lie. I was extremely concerned for Xander, but also for you. I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to get along, first of all, I didn’t know if your inheritance would manifest itself with full Alpha powers, or if there’d be some kind of restrictions.
“I worried that perhaps your gain would mean my son’s loss. Not because I didn’t feel you deserved it,” she added. “But because, of course, no mother wants to see her child in pain or come to harm. But, as I saw the two of you managing to put aside the past and work beyond the damage your father had done, I became so very proud of you both.
“I know I had no hand in raising you, Mason, so I can take no credit. I’m still proud of you.
1. You’ve overcome a lot. More than I think many others could have done. I’d hate to see you and Xander at odds with I nodded. “Yeah…he might be a giant pain in my as s sometimes, but no, I don’t want us fighting, either.”
“And you don’t really want to leave,” Gabriela said softly. “Not in your heart.”
I grumbled. “No. Even if I think it would be easier to run away with Lanie….but I couldn’t leave the pups behind. She’d never allow it, and my brother would never allow his children to be taken from him.”
“You are both exemplary fathers, which also makes me very proud.” Gabriela beamed, even though a faint. shadow remained in her gaze. “Your relationship with your brother is complicated, but that’s how families work. Being part of a pack means negotiation and compromise. You’re a strong leader, Mason. You’ll find way.”
“Thanks,” I said. I almost called her “Mom,” but at the last second decided against it. I didn’t want to dishonor my mother..
“You said you both turned on Zane when he tried to Beta you?”
I made a disgusted noise at myself. “Yeah. Tempers were flaring.”
your She looked thoughtful. “Xander and Zane have always had each other. They’ve been bonded, oh, since they were pups. I’ve known them to get on each other’s nerves on occasion, but it sounds like the fight you all had was worse than that.”
“Yeah. Like I said, tempers were flaring. To be honest, Zane tried to Beta us into calming down, but when we didn’t, he got pi ssed off at us and ran off. I’m not saying he didn’t have a right,” I added hastily at Gabriela’s stern look. “I know we were acting like as sholes, but he just up and left.”
She shook her head, looking solemn. “You two better get your act together, or else he might do more than leave to cool off. He might up and quit you both entirely.”
Gabriela–
“Can he do that?” Mason looked so taken aback that I let out a laugh.
Not at his expense, or at least I didn’t mean for it to be.
“It’s not unheard of. Betas pushed too far by their Alphas, Betas who haven’t been respected or cared for. They absolutely can sever their bond with their Alpha, if pushed to it.”
“I don’t want that,” Mason said.
I shook my head. “I’m sure you don’t. Neither does Xander, and I’m sure Lanie would have something to say about it, too.”
“Oh, she’s going to have a lot to say to all three of us, I bet.” Mason shoved a couple of potato chips into his mouth and crunched.
“As she should. The two of you would do well to pay closer attention to what your Beta has been going through. I know it’s easy to get caught up in everything you’re experiencing, and everything your Luna is learning. But don’t forget about your Beta in all of that. He’s the reason why you’re all coping as well as you are.
I finally dug into my cake. The rich chocolate and cre amy frosting was sweet enough to make my teeth ache, but I’d been craving dessert. This was just right.
Mason squirmed with discomfort in his chair. “It’s not like I haven’t told him that I appreciate him.”
“But have you?” I asked, pointing my fork at him. “Actually told him. Better yet, have you shown him?”
“…think so.”
“If you only think so, then maybe you need to do a better job of being sure you have. Think of how hard must be for Zane over these past months. His role was to support his Alpha no matter what. First, they were mated to someone they didn’t want-
“They love Lanie!” Mason cut in.
Calmly, I took another bite of cake. I was used to dealing with men who were quick to react. When he settled back in his seat, I kept going.
“Xander and Zane loved Alice and believed she would be their mate. They didn’t know what she was doing or who she was doing it with When they were forced to take Lanie as their mate, Zane had to be there for Xander even as he had to face his own disappointment. Then to become a father to children that are not biologically his “To face the betrayal of the woman they loved, to find love with someone else, and also to watch his Alpha have to share his role with a stranger. It’s been a lot” I said. “And as the Beta, Zane’s got to be feeling all of that even more than you or Xander. How could he help it? Any time one or both of you is in any kind of “Calms us down,” Mason admitted, sounding reluctant.
“He takes on your bad feelings and replaces them with better ones. He’s your strength when yours falters,” I point out. “And he does it without expectation of ever being fully in charge of anything. He willingly takes on the role of second place, ready to step aside at any second, should his Alpha require it. Whether it’s waiting in line at a buffet or in bed with their mate.”
I said the last part with deliberate harshness, trying to drive my point home.
Mason’s lip curled. “Xander has never made Zane wait on him or like, walk behind him or bow, or wait his turn with anything.
Neither have I!”
“But you would, if it was important. If your pack needed you to step up as Alpha and that meant Zane had to stand behind you, then you would expect it of him. Perhaps even demand. And he would do it, because he loves you. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t struggle.”
“F uck,” Mason bit out. “You’re right. I haven’t thought of it at all. lm such an as shole.”
“If it’s any comfort to you, I’m sure Xander probably hasn’t spent much time considering it, either.” I took another bite of cake, relishing the dark chocolate. “But you really both need to. Remember what I said about Lanie.”
Mason looked stricken. “Three mates. She needs three of us because she’s so strong.”
“Blessed by the Moon Goddess.” I can’t quite keep the grim tone out of my voice. “I’m worried about that strength, I won’t pretend otherwise. But I’m more worried about what could happen to her….or what she might do…if that bond breaks.”
“Without the three of us, she might not be able to control all of her powers,” Mason said, pressing his lips together in thought.
shook my head, my expression deadly serious. “No, Mason. I’m afraid that Lanie might be able to co every one of her powers….but without the three of you to temper her, I’m terrified that nobody will be able t control her.”
Mason–
There was real fear in Gabriela’s voice. I wanted to immediately spring to my Luna’s defense and deny everything Xander’s mother was saying, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew that she had a point.
“Lanie wouldn’t want that,” I said.
“She wouldn’t want to lose you. Any of you. The rest of it…” Gabriela’s mouth thinned, and her gaze went a little strained. “Great power corrupts. That’s all I’m going to say about it.”
Again, I wanted to defend my Luna, but I had to admit that I’d had similar fears. I didn’t worry that Lanie would ever deliberately do anything to let herself get corrupted. But I’d seen how she’d been able to compel Greyson, and how she’d reacted to it, after.
er even power, “It made her feel good,” I said in a low voice. “Compelling Greyson, I mean. Using that imperfectly, gave her like…a high, I guess is the only way to really describe it. She got high off it.”
Gabriela closed her eyes briefly. Then nodded. She looked at me again, this time with a steely gaze.
“I’ve grown to love Lanie as though she were my own daughter. Just as I’ve come to think of you and Zane as mine. But a mother who doesn’t look at her children with an honest gaze doesn’t do them any favors.”
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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?