Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

“That wasn’t the deal-” Mason started, but then he cut himself off so abruptly his teeth clicked together.

His canines had dropped. His eyes flashed. His wolf was really close to the surface. | sent out another slow, rolling wave of calm to him and the other two as well. We all needed it.

Mason’s wolf retreated.

| already knew what he'd stopped himself from saying. | could feel his thoughts and feelings pouring out of him in waves. | could hear him in my mind, even the thoughts he hadn’t been able to fully articulate.

My love for him grew as | watched his struggle. He could’ve run out of here, but he stayed because he loved me. | would never have to doubt that.

“Mason, my love,” | was aware of Xander’s burning gaze, but kept talking without looking at him. Xander was going to have to get used to this. “I know it wasn’t the deal, and | hope you know | would never deliberately try to get around a promise we made to each other. But | don’t want to, and | can’t keep lying to myself...or any of you.”

Zane shook his head, and his voice was fierce. “| never want you to lie to me.”

Mason

Xander let out a gruff noise from low in his throat. The link between us sent a feeling, more than words. He didn’t want her to lie, either, but he also wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the truth.

“| feel you, brother,” | sent him.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. Then nodded sharply. We understood each other.

“I'd rather be honest and risk losing any of you than continue to hide how | feel. It’s been eating me up inside.” Her voice cracked.

The thought that she was in pain sent an equal agony all through me. | ran my thumb gently over the back of her hand. “I know. | can feel what's in your heart, more now even than | could before. | don’t know how all of this works, but you’re inside me, Lanie. | love you too much to risk losing you. If that means | have to make nice with Xander, then that’s what I’ll do. Whatever It takes.” “Xander?” She turned to him.

At first, | thought he was going to refuse. This was so much bigger than simply agreeing to a truce. But after a moment, Xander nodded.

“I've held grudges against you for a long time, brother,” | said. “Hell, | held grudges against you before |

knew who you were, before | even knew you existed. | feel like | was born with a chip on my shoulder and a grudge against you. But that’s not your fault, and I’m done hanging onto the past.”

1/2© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

His eyes had flashed at the start of my little speech, but now his wolf retreated. His expression remained grim and distant, but that didn’t matter. Our connection meant he'd have to actively be shielding his emotions from me, and he wasn't.

We weren't best friends by any means, but it was a start.

“You didn’t actually do any of the things | hated you for, and I’m done holding you accountable for things you didn’t have any control over,” | told him, determined to get it all out in the open, no matter how hard it felt.

The only way to heal these old wounds was to rip off all those scabs. Yeah, there’d be some scars left behind, but they’d only be reminders of everything we’d gone to in order to end up where we were.

“| also had no idea you existed,” Xander said. “Me and my old man had our issues, but believe me, if I'd

known | had a brother, | would have done my best to find you, Mason. I’m ashamed of what my father did to

your mother and to mine. To you. To our family.”

her.

We reached across the bed and clasped each others forearms, our fingers circling our wrists.

“When | met Lanie, it was like having a door that had been locked inside me swing wide open.” | looked at

She shook with so bs | could feel were a mix of relief and joy. | kissed the back of her hand. She cupped

my face.

“| can’t ever give that up. But this isn’t a game, and I’m not going to look at this as losing. I’m choosing to think of this as me gaining something. Lanie.” | turned my face to kiss the palm cupping my cheek. | looked at

Xander. “A brother.” At Zane. “A friend.”

“Kiss me,” Lanie ordered. “All of you. One at a time, and then start over and do it all again.”

212