Filed to story: Mated to the Alpha and His Beta Novel Free >>???
“Of course. Standard and its proximity to Brightsky did not seem to have much importance to Lanie’s training.”
But it sure would be important to the overall security of the entire enclave, which Charlotte had asked us to help with.
“Looks like good old DarkLuna didn’t tell anyone else she was recruiting us,” Mason thought to me.
By the look on her face, I had to agree with him. She shot a quick glance around the rest of the room before looking down at the table, not meeting my eyes.
“Looks to me like she doesn’t want us to mention it, either,” I thought to Mason.
Both he and his wolf rumbled out a silent chuckle.
“Standard is the town everyone passes through on their way here,” Malachi said.
“We didn’t,” I point out.
He shrugged. “You were brought here in a rather different manner than is the norm. My granddaughter and her family are allowed to bypa ss the general restrictions.”
“Not everyone in the town is there to come to Brightsky,” Charlotte said hastily. “It is the point of first entry, yes, where they can be vetted by our sources there. But others live there as well.”
“So, how do you know that these new folks aren’t there seeking sanctuary?” Mason asked.
Malachi waved a hand. “Because we haven’t been petitioned for it.”
“So that automatically means they’re a threat?” I focused my attention on Malachi, but I was very aware of the others, muttering.
Charlotte wasn’t saying anything, but she did stare at me hard. Melina, on her right, leaned to whisper something in Charlotte’s ear. On Melina’s other side, her husband narrowed his eyes and looked back and forth from me to Malachi.
“What other reason would anyone have to show up there?” the vampire asked in an accusing tone.
“People with ties to residents of the town. Families.
Friends. New employees,” I added.
Melina leaned toward me. “Xander, what you should know about Standard is that only some who live there know about Brightsky. We trust them to let us know of anything strange at once. We consider them to be our first warning, and we take anything out of the ordinary very seriously. You sound as though you think Malachi might be overreacting.”
I rolled my eyes. “I would never accuse a vampire of being dramatic or anything like that. Goddess forbid.”
Mason laughed out loud this time.
Malachi scowled. “You should show respect to your elders, boy. For someone who brags about being so concerned about safety, you seem to be playing fast and loose with ours!”
“But all they’ve told you is that some new people have come to town,” I replied. “Correct?”
Melina and Charlotte shared a glance. Melina nodded.
“Yes. It was part of their regular reporting.”
3
“So, nobody there said anything about these new folks seeming to be out of the ordinary,” Mason–
confirmed.
“No,” Melina admitted.
Malachi stood, pressing his curled fists against the table’s polished wood. “Nevertheless, we must take action.”
“What kind of action?” I wanted to know.
“We supply Standard with its power, which we’ll cut in half, and then again. We can cut them off completely,” Malachi declared triumphantly. “We’ll strangle them before they have the chance to retaliate!”
Zane–
When our food arrived, Lanie invited Greyson to stay, but he excused himself.
“Thank you, but no. Dragons don’t need to eat as often as wolves do,” he told us. He chucked Isaac under the chin, making him giggle. “Especially little wolves.”
While my Luna was setting out the meal, I walked Greyson to the door. We both stepped into the hallway beyond. I closed the door most of the way behind me. I could still hear my Luna murmuring to our children, and their laughter. It was a good sound.
“I hope I didn’t overstep by coming here,” Greyson said. “It’s just that you ran out so fast. I could tell your mates had messaged you about something important.”
I shook my head. He’d given us an explanation for why the lights had been acting weird. It was a good one, even if I did still have my suspicions that it was something more than a simple power surge.
“Nah. It’s cool,” I said. “Thanks for checking up on me. It’s…good. To have a friend.”
Our eyes met and held for a few long, tense seconds The instant I said anything negative about Xander or Mason, I knew things would change forever, so again I bit my tongue. I wasn’t ready for things to change, even if it felt like every day we got closer and closer to something being permanently different.
Greyson looked solemn. “Good friends are a real gift.
I hope you know that you can rely on me, Zane. I realize you have your pack-”
“Not anymore.” I shook my head and frowned, wondering if we’d ever make it back to Constantine…
and if we did, would they even accept us? We’d all be as likely to be thrown into prison as return to the way things had been. Another thing that was forever changed.
“Maybe not the one you grew up expecting to help your Alpha lead, but you, Xander, Mason, and Lanie.
Your children. Xander’s mother. Those are all your pack.” Greyson looked thoughtful. “Because it’s not simply who you’re born to, is it? Its who you make a family with. Who you allow into your life.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way before, but he was right. “If that’s what makes up a pack, then I’d say it includes you, too.”
He grinned and put a hand over his heart. “I’m honored.”
Greyson held out his hand for me to shake. When I grabbed it, he pulled me close for a hug. We slapped each other on the backs and parted, both of us laughing. He gave me a little salute as he walked off down the hallway.
It did feel good to have a friend. Someone I could count on. How long had it been since I’d had a real, true friend other than Xander? I wasn’t even as close with Mason as I was to my first Alpha.
Had I ever been that close with anyone else?
Still thinking about this, I went back inside. All three of the children were seated at the table, digging into the plates Lanie had filled for them. She’d set a place for me, too. She’d even poured us both glasses of wine.
For a single second, the entire scene imprinted itself on my mind, like a flash photo. So bright it stung my eyes. I actually flinched.
I could imagine me and Lanie and our children just like this for the rest of our lives. Around a table, sharing a meal, comfy and cozy and domestic.
Just us.
Blinking, horrified, I shoved the thoughts down deep.
Blade paced and huffed, letting out a low growl I had to press my lips together to repress. I couldn’t tell if he was angry at the way those thoughts betrayed my mates, or if he was agreeing with me.
“Zane? Sweetheart?” Lanie’s brow furrowed in concern. “Everything okay?”
I strode to her and took her in my arms for a long, slow kiss that drifted apart rather than broke. I pressed our forehead’s together. Her arms went around me.
We breathed in together. Out. I took her hand and put it on my heart, and I put mine on hers. They were beating in the same rhythm. Perfectly synced.
“My love, what’s going on?” She thought to me, and only to me.
Lanie and I had been through more together than anyone else. She’d never shoved me aside for anyone else. Never ignored me. Never made me feel less than I was worth. Was it really so wrong of me to think abou what it might be like if we were together without the others?
The pain stabbing in my gut and my heart told me that yes, it was. I shoved the thoughts away again.
Harder this time.
Without an Alpha, there was no Luna, and Lanie could never stop being what she was. The same way I’d never be anything more than what I was. Always a Beta.
Nothing more.
Xander–
“Bro, I thought wolves were ruthless,” Mason thought to me. “Vamps are even more brutal. Dam n.”
“Tell that to the High Council. And our father, “I thought back grimly.
My brother’s faint smile faded right away. “F uck.
Yeah, I guess you’re right. But we aren’t them.”
“No,” I agreed through the mind link. “We need to be cautious. Strong. But also careful not to jump into anything without all the details. I don’t want to be responsible for innocents getting hurt…or worse.”
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?