Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

“| wouldn’t dream of going up against you,” Mason said as his thumb rubbed over the back of my hand. “Not when you get that look.”

“No man or wolf would dare,” Zane put in with a grin as he sat.

ch hot, s exy men...

| didn’t think a woman could be as lucky as | was. Cared for so deeply by three such hot, mother to a gorgeous baby girl and also healthy, beautiful twins. I’d never imagined on my mating day that I’d end up here, but now that | had, there was no place | would rather be.

| squeezed Mason's fingers as Zane slid bowls of mashed potatoes and a basket of bread onto the table. | wasn’t sure where the bounty of food had come from, but he and Xander had insisted on cooking for all of us,

a skill | hadn’t even known they had.

The two of them had been sending each other secret glances since we got back...sharing emotions they didn’t know | could sense. Their dynamic had changed ever-so-slightly, and | wondered what that would mean

for the three of us.

What would all of this mean?

Xander slid a platter of seared steaks onto the table and took his seat next to his Beta. “One grandmother, one mama, three daddies, and three babies. Sounds like all we need’s a white picket fence.”

| loved them all so much, it was like a flame that had been kindled into an inferno inside me. Emotion

my throat as | looked at all of them. In my arms, Stella cooed like she understood exactly what was

going on.

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“She's right,” Gabriela said. “Of course, the Luna is always right.”

| laughed with a little choke in my voice and met Mason’s eyes. Then Xander’s. Two Alphas, but only one me. We were going to have figure out what that meant for all of us.

“I'm not sure | even feel like I’m ready to be a Luna,” | said around the lump in my throat.

“Well, that’s just silly, because you definitely acted like one,” Zane put in fiercely. “You all should have seen her. She was beyond anything | could’ve imagined. So strong and brave. Lanie, I’m so insanely proud of you.

Never let me hear you say you're not ready.”

“Being the Luna is more than household chores and planning parties, Lanie. A Luna is a warrior who stands by her Alpha’s side, and if not at his side, she fights to protect him however she can. You did something none of the rest of us could do. Because of you, we have these two precious little ones returned to

us safe and sound.”

Gabriela’s soft voice was so full of love and pride it made me miss my own mother. Xander’s mom had intimidated me when we first met, but that was back when | hadn’t known that, eventually, I’d be mated to her son for real. We weren’t what I'd call close, but | could see us getting there, and | certainly held her up as a

1/2

“Thank you,” | told her sincerely. “That means a lot, especially from you.”

I snuggled Stella closer to me, breathing in the sweet fragrance of her soft baby-fine hair. She was my pup, my daughter, but Alaina and Isaac were also mine in a way | would never have expected | could feel about them. They might've been the children of a woman who'd been my rival, but | was the only mother they would

ever know.

“Zane, | can never thank you enough for bringing my pups back safely. Anything you ever need from me, you have it.” Mason’s rough voice cracked with his emotion. He shot a quirked grin toward Xander. “I might have to go toe-to-toe with this as shole now and then just to remind him he’s not the only top wolf, but I’ve got your back, no matter what,”

“Hey, man. No need to thank me. | love those babies Zane said firmly, making sure Mason looked toward him. “As far as I’m concerned, Alaina and Isaac are as much my pups as Stella is. It doesn’t matter what the biology says. They're all mine, and | will fight to the death to protect them.”

My heart swelled with love again. | knew what Gabriela had said was true, no matter how | still felt about. my abilities. ..or not. But | did agree with Zane about the pups. I’d risked my life for them, and | would do it

again in a heartbeat.

“Me too. And for each and every one of you,” | added.

“That’s what makes a family” Xander said roughly, and | was shocked to see the glint of tears in his eyes.

Mason coughed into his fist. “P ussy.”

| braced myself for Xander to explode, but to my surprise and relief, he simply rolled his eyes and grinned.

“Sphincter,” he shot back and slapped a steak onto Mason’s plate.

“Boys,” Gabriela murmured, but with a smile.

Zane scoffed, helping himself to a steak. “Watch out. With d icks that big, there won’t be room in the bed

for all four of us.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Every head turned his way.

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