Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

“Something went wrong with the spell, and it didn’t get passed down to you.”

The first thing | thought of was Selena.

“And what about my sister?” | asked. “Did the spell work for her?”

Aldon shook his head. “Impossible to tell until she comes of age.”

“But | still don’t understand why you've brought me to this awful place.”

Aldon sighed and scrubbed a bony hand down his wrinkled face.

“When a wolf hybrid turns eighteen and goes into heat, every vampire and wolf shifter within miles can smell it. It draws them in like flies to honey.”

Great.

| was basically a f ucking siren call for every supernatural being in the region.

“You're safe to do as you wish with your mates inside the confines of the Constantine mansion. Your scent can’t escape within those walls. Not to mention, there isn’t a wolf in this pack who would dare to even glance at the Alpha and Beta’s mate. That’s the only reason you've been safe.”

His eyes darkened.

“But outside like you were with Braden...you’re asking for your scent to be detected. Any unwanted suitor could approach, drawn in by that irresistible smell. Someone wandering by just by chance who doesn’t know you belong to the Alpha and Beta? It's a recipe for disaster.”

“Is that how you found me?” | co cked my eyebrow.

Gag.

| felt a shiver go down my spine at the thought.

He cleared his throat and changed the subject.

Gross. So that’s a yes.

“You're safer here where you can’t escape, and where there are no...male distractions.”

Oh go ds, | just wanted this conversation to end.

“Fine,” | said. “I’m tired. I'd like to rest.”

He narrowed his eyes, looking me up and down. Like | was a piece of meat.

Bile rose up my throat.

“As you wish,” he finally said.

When the door shut behind him, | let out a huge breath of air

| had to get out of here.

Aldon had me chained up here...how long would it be before he took advantage of that?

And even if he didn’t plan to, who knew what other creatures were lurking outside of this place waiting to get their own taste?

Aldon was old and certainly not as strong as he used to be.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Who's to say some particularly hungry vampire wouldn't stumble upon this place and take him down to get to me?

| had to try to call out to Xander and Zane through our bond.

But then a pang of paranoia shot through me.

Aldon said my mating heat was like a siren call... what if whatever it was they thought they felt for me was nothing more than that?

What if, now that | was far away from them, they finally had clarity?

What if they realized that Alice was who they wanted all along?

| shut my eyes tight and spoke through my mind.

| still had to try.

Xander

We were all gathered in my office when | heard it.

I'd called in Maxim and Monroe to give them the rundown on our plan to track down Lanie.

“If we go at nightfall, we'll have an easier time sneaking up on Aldon,” Monroe suggested. “Which means we should leave at But | missed the rest of his sentence because | heard another voice inside my head.

It sounded distant but achingly familiar.

Lanie.

| locked eyes with Zane and my own shock was reflected in his face.

“Did you just hear that, or am | going crazy?” l’'asked silently.

“If you are, then | am, too.”

Suddenly, | heard it again.

“Xander, Zane, can you hear me?”

It was louder this time. Unmistakable.

“Everybody out!” | yelled suddenly, sweeping my arms toward the door.

My parents were looking at me like | was crazy, but | didn’t give a f uck. Lanie was trying to reach us, and we needed silence. We needed her to know we were here.

“Fine,” my father said gruffly. “We'll come up with the actual plan out here, while you two are doing...whatever it is you do.” He marched out, and my mother, Maxim, and Monroe followed.

“As shole,” | muttered under my breath.

We both turned to the fire and closed our eyes tightly, concentrating on hearing her voice again.

“Lanie, it's Xander and Zane,” | called to her.

Zane reached out, too. “We want to know you're safe.”

“I'm here, I’m okay,” Lanie answered.

Relief washed over me with an intensity that took my breath away.

“But | might not be for long, and | don’t know where | am.”

“We think we might,” | reassured her. “You can’t be too far if we can hear you.”

Zane shot me a confused look and | shrugged.

| didn’t know if that was true-the rules never seemed to apply to us and Lanie-but | wanted to believe it, and | knew she did, too.

“We're going to find you, Lanie,” Zane told her.

“Oh go ds, please...” Her voice sounded higher, more distressed. “Come quickly.”

And then she was gone.