Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

“Where is she?!” | screamed. “Where’s my baby?”

I spun in a circle around the room, and my eyes landed on him.

Braden, across the room, holding Stella. My mind went blank. What the hell was going on?

Next to me, | heard a low, dangerous growl, but | couldn’t rip my eyes away. Braden had lowered his head,

and his nostrils were flaring.

Was he sniffing her?

Any second, | thought his fangs might drop. | had to stop this.

“What are you doing?!” | cried. My voice sounded high and distant. My heart was pounding so hard that | felt nauseous, | was afraid of what might happen if | made any sudden moves.

Braden looked up and locked eyes with me. His face softened.

He spoke calmly and evenly. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but | had to-”

“PUT HER DOWN!” Mason roared behind me.

The boom of his voice made me jump. | whipped around, and another wave of nausea crashed over me. Mason's claws were out, and his canines had dropped.

He couldn't lose it on Braden again, not after what happened the first time.

Braden glanced from me to Mason, a curious expression on his face.

“You're not going to bite me again, are you Mason?” Braden asked, moving toward him. “Not while I’m

holding Stella, | hope.

was.

NOW

Another furious growl ripped from Mason’s chest.

D amn Braden for being so cheeky. He was pushing Mason’s buttons. He should’ve known how deadly that

“| said, Put. Her. DOWN,” Mason snarled through clenched teeth. “Before | make you.”

“No!” | cried, jumping between the two of them and holding my hands out. “Braden, explain yourself.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Braden?” Mindy asked. | had honestly forgotten she was there. She walked over to us. “Hold up Is that the guy you were seeing before? He’s cuuuuute.”

Not the time, Mindy

Mason raised his eyebrows so high they practically disappeared into his hairline. “Seeing?!” he said

Perfect. Just perfect.

Before | could respond, Braden was running his mouth again. “Don’t worry, Mase. The timing wasn’t right

for us.”

Mason's fists clenched at his side. F uck. He was really about to blow his lid now.

“It was before we met,” | said quickly. “And nothing more than a kiss.”

Not entirely true, but not the time to go into detail.

“Now, can we get back to why I’m really here?” Braden asked. He took a step toward me, and | moved back instinctively. But then he held Stella out to me. “I'll hand her over if you promise to leash your dog.”

“He’s not gonna bite,” | said, rolling my eyes. “Isn’t that right?” | turned to Mason.

Mason took a few deep breaths and, finally, his wolf retreated. He nodded reluctantly.

| reached out for Stella, and Braden let her go. | held her close to my chest, relief filling my insides with

warmth.

“Now... why the f uck did you take my pup?” | asked Braden.

“You need to get out of here and hide immediately.” Braden warned. “You and Stella both.”

Mason threw his hands out. “Nope. Not until you answer the f ucking question.”

“Fine,” Braden said. “I was scenting her. | thought she could be, but | wasn’t sure at first.....

My mouth went dry. | somehow knew what he was about to say, and part of me wanted to lunge at him

and throw my hand over his mouth.

“She has vampire in her blood,” Braden said. “I can smell it already.”

| swallowed hard, but | was suddenly weak and unsteady. Mason came up behind me and held me by the

arms while | clutched onto Stella for dear life.

“No hybrids are safe,” Braden said. “Especially not one whose scent is already so strong. And especially

not when her mother’s is, too.”

“We know this already,” Mason said icily. “We all heard Rhiannon. So why are you back here scaring Lanie again? | thought you were going back to your coven.”

Braden shook his head. | couldn't tell you what | was really doing. It would’ve been too dangerous.

“I’m gonna need you to be a little more specific,” Mason spat. Thank the go ds for him.

“Let's just say that me being in Constantine was never totally about Lanie,” he said darkly. “The Council is planning something, something they’ve been keeping a secret from the whole pack. And it’s going to destroy the peace we've kept for years. 2/2