Rogue. Beta

1. MASON

“Are you nervous about going back?” The blonde bombshell wrapped around me questioned, letting her fingers tinker on my chest. “You’re even more silent than usual.”

“Yeah, ” I answered truthfully. I was nervous. More nervous than I wanted or expected to be.

“Why? Aren’t you happy that you’re going home?” She propped up on her elbow, wide green eyes questioning me.

Home. A year later and my free time had finally come to an end.

I wasn't nervous about going home though. No. That was not the complete reason.

“Is it because of her? It’s been a year, Mase. I’m sure things have changed. I mean, you’ve not spoken to her for a year and you’ve met others. I’m sure someone else must have caught your fancy, ”The blonde purred, climbing up on me.

It was not the first red flag that I’ve kept her for longer than I should have. Longer than I’ve kept the others but her eyes... She had startling green eyes that pulled you in whether you wanted them to or not.

It had been almost a week since the night I followed her home from one of those werewolf bars that Black Blood Pack have in abundance. Black Blood Pack was well... Unconventional. Their alpha wore more piercings than anyone I ever met. Their beta smoked pot seasoned with wolf’s bane in random corners. I’m also certain that they own the only werewolf bars.

The girl, Bailey, she rubbed my chest in a slow, seductive manner that was supposed to get me excited. But I was too nervous to feel anything. Her pouty red lips did nothing for me as her teeth continued to rip into them. A few hours ago, I would have given into the invitation in her eyes but not then.

My six-hour flight was less than five hours away. The flight that was to take me home. They say, ‘Home is where the heart is,’ and my heart was home. So why was I so nervous? Why did I dread going back to Silver Day Pack?

“I’ve got to move, doll. My flight is by two and I haven’t even packed yet.” I lifted her off me without stress. At barely five feet with less than a hundred and twenty pounds, it didn’t take much strength to move Bailey.

“Come on, love. You can spare me a quickie, can’t you?” She purred. I’m not going to lie, the way she batted her thick lashes was sexy as hell. But my emotions were all over the place. My mind couldn’t decide on which to run.

Her hands gripped my shoulders with a strength that did not show in her physique and I was reminded not all is as it seems on the surface. She might be a beta like me and look like an omega, but alpha blood ran in her veins. She was the Alpha’s sister, after all.

“Come on, Bails, you know I have stuff to do.” I groaned as she pulled my head down to meet hers.

I didn’t know how to feel about our proximity. Her hands tangled in my hair, gripping them as I liked. Her tongue pushed into my mouth with practised ease. It made me cautious that she found a way to push all my buttons – and she should not have been able to.

Bailey was my bed mate. A bedmate that lasted longer than any but still a bed mate. She knew this. I was never one to lie and string people along; never saw the point in hurting others with lies. Bailey knew this. She had been my longest fling since I left home a year ago, lasting for six days. She knew this too.

All these make me sound like a playboy – having flings and the longest being for six days. Yet, I’m the last person one would tag as a playboy. Up until a year ago, I didn’t know what the curves of a lady felt like. I had been waiting for her. I shook the thought away.

“Bails, I have to bail,” I gently pried her off me, still halfway in and out of bed. “Hey, that rhymed,” I chuckled quietly.

She smiled at my bland joke and it almost looked... sad. Yet, it shouldn’t have been. We were wolves. If we weren’t destined then we couldn’t last. I didn't spend much time talking on the six nights that we saw each other. We had been too busy tearing our clothes off but she knew why I was away from my pack.

As the beta of the strongest pack in the world, I happened to be quite a celebrity among werewolves. Everyone knew Mason Hanson. They all knew I was unmated at twenty freakin' three.

Everyone knew that I was on a once in a lifetime search for my mate. Two hundred and thirty-nine packs later, I wasn't sure my mate still existed.

“It was nice knowing you, Bails,” I said, gathering my clothes off the ground.

“We’re not dying, Mase,” She rolled her big eyes. “You don’t know who might pop into Silver Day one of these days,” She grinned salaciously and I fought back a groan.

I used to think we were on the same page all along. Maybe it’s because I stayed the night after what was supposed to be intense goodbye s*x. I’m not sure but all morning, she had been dropping hints about continuation. Continuation of this ... thing. Whatever it was.

I made it clear right from the first night. Spelt it out with words rather than signs. She knew that night wasn’t supposed to be more than one night. It had extended to six and I didn’t want her believing she could make me break more of my rules for her.

“If you’re in Silver Day then it wouldn’t be because of me,” I replied. She wasn't daft. She feigned ignorance half the time but behind her cute and senseless giggles lay a sharp mind. She knew exactly what I was alluding to.

She rolled her eyes and pulled me in. I let her, knowing it was the last time it would ever happen. “Bye, Mase. I hope you find her and stop pining after your best friend's girl,” She called out. I nodded in thanks then shut her door softly behind me.

Her. My mate. I left my pack a year ago, right after graduation. I left to find my mate because, at twenty-two, my wolf had become tired of being without one. It hurt seeing my friends with their mates. It especially hurt seeing my alpha with his mate.

The only person that could put me at ease, erase my unwelcome feeling for my friend’s girl was my mate but she may have died already. What other explanation existed?

I wasn’t lying about packing. Clothes were strewn across my hotel room and I didn't know how to fit them all into a single suitcase. My younger sister was supposed to meet up with me and help me pack but she bailed at the last minute.

I swiped my ID against the panel and the sight of chaos greeted me. I’ve always been organised but not when it came to packing. As my pack’s beta, it was something I needed to learn.

Ignoring the mess I had made trying to pack before Bailey called me up the previous night, I entered my kitchenette to make myself a cup of strong coffee. The coffee had no effect but I found the scalding liquid woke me fully. I hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night thanks to Bailey and her insatiable desires.

I’m not sure how I did it, but I managed to fit all my clothes and shoes into my black suitcase. I didn’t collect anything in all my travels but my suitcase was bursting when I finished. Clothes and shoes were pushed together, some clothes making it into some shoes to create space.

°°

"Can I get you anything else, Sir?” The hostess purred, handing me the bottle of water, making sure to graze my knuckles.

'Some space would be nice.' I wanted to snarl but I didn't.

She was the third one to get too friendly with me and the first wolf. Her two friends were humans. I wanted to get some shut eyes but they wanted attention. They wanted attention and they wanted it from me.

“No, thank you,” I answered with gritted politeness.

“Okay, Beta Mason. I’m just a call away if you need anything,” She whispered with a wink. It was all very annoying and the twitch of her eyes made me cringe.

It went on like that for a while. Alternating between herself and her giggling friends.

“Do you want a drink, sir? Or... Something else?” The redhead’s tone was airy yet suggestive. The man closest to me sighed in annoyance, tired of the disturbance. If he was pissed at the fluttering of girls around me then imagine how I felt.

“No, thank you,” I answered politely again, wanting nothing more than to bark at her.

“Alright,” She twirled her dyed hair between her index and middle finger. “Call me if you need anything. Maybe more water or...” She trailed off with a provocative smirk. The man on the aisle beside me muttered something about children these days.

I didn’t realise she had slipped me her number. When I did, I noticed the man staring at me with curious eyes. I balled up the paper.

I wasn’t on official business so I couldn’t take the pack’s jet. Yeah, we have one of those. Two actually. Courtesy of the merger with Green Day pack, we have a lot of luxury.

The plane ride was terrible and I was officially sleep deprived. I could ask for coffee but I didn’t want to curse myself with the presence of those girls.

I suddenly wished I had begged my alpha to send the private jet for me. I was being tortured with unwanted attention from air hostesses!

The six hours could not go by faster. The next time one of the ladies came to offer me something ridiculous – sparkling water this time, I pretended to be deep asleep. From pretence, I got the real deal.

I made out the blurry outline of a blue outfit as the words fasten your seatbelts blared around me. Opening my eyes, I thanked the hostess who grinned like I had offered her a sure lottery ticket before she skipped away.

The plane landed and I was the first one out of it. I almost ran out as the stairs lowered. I wanted nothing more than to be far away from those vixens.

I didn’t need a sign to locate my driver. At least the pack sent a car for me.

“Welcome, Beta Mason.” Delta Collins greeted while holding the black car door open for me.

“Thank you. How have you been?” I asked, ducking into the car. He didn’t answer until he was settled into the driver’s seat.

“I’m fine. My mate just had our second baby,” He smiled and I ached.

“Congratulations!” I exclaim, happy yet jealous.

Delta Collins was barely twenty-six but he found his happiness on time. When he was due to. At eighteen when all wolves become eligible to shift and mate.

As for me, I was slowly resigning myself to the reality of not having a mate. My mate had to be dead. That or my destiny was different. I mean, travelling all six continents, over two hundred packs in a year and still not finding the one, the possibility of ever finding her were slim to none.

“I’m sorry. I hope she comes to you,” My driver said and I thanked him.

I would travel widely during my years as beta but never on a personal trip anymore. Never on a full year break like I had just done. I had duties that couldn't be put aside. I was bound by my word under the full moon to serve my pack and I would serve.

Dylan warned me his mate was planning a surprise party. A welcome back party. I dreaded it as much as I dreaded seeing her.

Delta Collins drove me straight to the packhouse. Where I lived and where the party was at. I saw her as I stepped out of the car. The only person I ever wanted.