Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

“My” heart pounded in Philips’s broad chest, but it was my mind and thoughts that whirled with what I'd Just discovered. | wanted to run in and grab Alaina and Isaac immediately, but | knew | didn’t dare. | might be desperate to get those babies out of here, but | had to do it the right way, or else everything would be lost.

Instead, | focused, concentrating until | could open up the mind link with Zane. For a few terrifying seconds, | thought | wasn’t going to be able to. The overhead fluorescents were too bright, this uniform was so heavy, and | was sweating under the unaccustomed weight of Philips’s body. Then, sweet relief rushed over

me when | heard Zane’s voice in my head.

“Are you all right, love?”

“| made it inside. | found them. I’ve been- | mean, Philips has been posted outside their door. But, Zane.... they’re sending people to give more protection to the High Council. A higher-ranking guard told me there’s talk

of the vampires killing the Alphas.”

The silence in reply went on so long | started to be afraid the mind link had broken. They could use silver to keep us from shifting. | guess it wouldn't be such a stretch to think they could somehow shield the building,

to stop us from linking our minds, too.

“Zane?”

” here, love hard to hear you....

“| think they might be blocking us somehow!”

More silence. Then, finally, “...see what | can find out about the Council. Just get the babies...”

The connection...well, it didn’t break, exactly, but it faded to the point where | couldn’t sense Zane any longer. | was on my own. | stood up straighter, my thoughts whirling. | could do this.

I'd have to

My ears strained for any sound from inside the room. In my own form, | could call on Lily's wolf hearing to help me out, but somehow, with Philips ears, she felt blocked off from me. A shudder of unease rippled through me. Maybe the mind links weren't the only things that were being blocked...what if they found a way to disconnect us from our wolves, even without silver?

“Stop it,” | muttered to myself.

Paranoia wasn’t going to help me. | had to think about how | was going to get inside that room, get both babies, and get out and away from this place without anyone seeing. | scanned the hallways for cameras, but if they had security cams set up, they were well-hidden,

| might just have to risk running.

“Well hi there. | didn’t know you were on duty today. Lucky me.” The warm female voice burbled into a 1/2

The woman approaching wore a set of neat scrubs patterned with cartoon characters. It took me a second to realize that the way her eyes flashed and she kept smiling meant she was flirting with me.

Well, with Philips. Flirting hard.

“Haven't seen you in awhile,” she continued. “I thought maybe you were blowing me off.”

Oh, sh it. Da mmit, Philips, | thought with an internal sigh. To the woman, | gave a big, broad grin.

“Never,” | said. “I was hoping I’d see you today, as a matter of fact.”

Her entire face lit up, and | felt bad. Clearly, she was super into him, and he didn’t seem to feel the same. My guilt lasted only a few seconds. She might be on the road to heartbreak, but she was clearly okay working here in a place where terrible things happened, and she stood between me and the twins. I'd do whatever it

took

The door behind me opened, and a woman poked her head out. She wore similar scrubs, but she looked

tired. “There you are. I’ve been waiting. | need to pee, so get in here.”

The new nurse made a face. “I was going to grab a shack from my locker real quick...”

“| need to go!” the other one said.

“Ladies, ladies,” | said in my best “I’m a man and I’ve got you covered” tone. “Why don’t you go ahead the restroom, and you grab your snacks. So long as you promise to share,” | added in a low voice as flirty as could make it. “I'll be right outside the door. Nobody’s going to get past me.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“| can’t wait, and you're late, so if they come to write us up, I’m totally throwing you under the bus!” She

scurried down the hall, calling out over her shoulder.

“Go on,” | urged the flirty nurse. | couldn’t believe my luck, but | had to be careful not to give away my

eagerness.

She hurried to the end of the hall and turned the corner. The second she got out of sight, | flew into the

room. Oh, dear Goddess, there they were, both babies asleep in their cribs. | checked as quickly as | could, but they both seemed fine

Yanking the baby sling | had stuffed into my uniform, | managed to get both twins into it. It wasn’t meant

for two,

but Philips’s chest was a lot broader than mine, so | was able to bind them both against me. His arms were longer, too, which was great since | could cradle them with one arm.

us!”

Breathing hard, | sent out a last desperate mind link, hoping Zane would get it. “Found them! Be ready for

| checked to make sure the coast was clear. Nobody was in the hallway. | held the babies close to me...

And | ran.