Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

| had Stella by the hand as we walked throuun ith door into an enormous courtyard with the rest of our mily following.

Gabriela carried Isaac, and Zane held Alama

Xander and Mason brought up the rear.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Although they didn’t say it aloud or even send them thoughts through the mind link, | knew it was because ey were flanking us in case some threat came up on us frontechidd

The Moon Goddess moved inside and all around meslecting coinotney had nothing to worry about. | as glad for their alertness, though. My two Alphas were straboccoootesand ready to take on anything that

e our

me

way

Charlotte moved ahead, past us, with Greyson at her side:

She looked over her shoulder at me with a wide grin. | hadn’t knowwnerseridong, but it was the first time seen her look happy and genuinely at peace. Her satisfaction tobeo of herinromalbouises or energy that dn’t really mingle with mine...but | was glad to feel them.

Itd accepted this path because the Moon Goddess had comforted me but seeriga Ghadotte solat ease

fereally cemented to me that we were all going to be all right..

wasn’t sure what I'd been expecting, but it wasn’t this. Lush gardens beneath aaroooorsskyn this

more? | could hear the tinkling of a fountain but couldn't see it. Birds chirpeddSoftigarssswasihned with

ng stones making a few different paths leading to several separate area ss

Obi Mara,it’s so pretty!” Stella tugged my hand toward one of the winding stone pathss

her

Toulon,sweetheart. Let’s just be patient, okay?” | shot Xander a look.

He seemed

pressed as | was, but a swirling pulse of his Alpha energy reached the. Het vo

in cose cornething went down

Stelladdockddatt him Cooddy, it’s okay. This is a good place.”

He bent to scoopd her up and kissed her chubby unnm

without Maan coronatus You promise mustle cheek. “Let's just stick together, Stella. N

She looked disapppoited but the nodded “Yes, Daddy, | promise.”

Slowly, a group hadantennalized in front of us, one by one, from behind the trees and flowerbeds.

Men and wonten treseada nothing more appropriate to tropical temperatures than what I'd have pected from an Alaskan ecotuthored in semi-circle. Most of them were smiling at us in welcome, but

ew hung back as though they were reserving judgment

However ponéfantitat face stood out to me, and | gave a happy gasp.

“Malachi

Xander

“If Malachi’s hanging putitihare it must be safe enough,” Zane thought to me as soon as the Ancient vampire stepped out of the crowd that was greeting us. “How are you feeling about this? I’m getting conflict.”

| shifted Stella fromone eantac the other as | replied via the link. “I keep getting waves of reassurance from our Luna. Not sure she’s swaddoing it on purpose, or if that’s the reason I’m actually pretty cool right now. But | do know that if Malachin shealthis place has to be safe as hell.”

Mason's voice slipped into any vidro how are you so cool? | gotta be honest, I’m not sure I’m okay. being surrounded by all these vampes

“We're all here together Feel Lenis Sheertruits Maladi. So should we,” Zane put in.

| could tell by the look on Meson’s face that he still wasn’t convinced. That was fine. Some healthy wariness would serve us well, so long as itididioned his so tense he went off without warning or

provocation.

Lanie must've been feeling it, too, because she turned

It even lifted the ends of her hair, and | swore could see

almost at once in the golden tight of the courtyard.

him, her smile still wide. A glow surrounded her.

all sparkles glittering all around her. They faded

“| mean, look at this f ucking place,” Meson thoughhtapne and Zane. “We're in Alaska, and this is like

something out of the Bahamas or some s hiti This stinks opmagic Xander. Do vamps control the weather?”

“Daddy,” Stella said with a frown. She put a tiny hand on my check to turn my face toward her. “Tell him

not to worry so much?”

“Did you hear me thinking to your Daddy?” Meson asked dna dowodice.

She paused before answering. “I can just see your eyes am scared”

“There’s no need to be afraid, Mason.” A woman in a flowing green dres her blonde hair c

her shoulders and back, stepped closer to us. She held out a delicate handdawnld my brother. A

tittle one might not be reading your mind..but | am”

212