The Missing Beta

Chapter 7

I scoot my chair back, trying to come up with the best way to bolt from the room. “I can show you.” I turn to Eddison and watch him stand up behind his chair. He starts to strip his clothes, and I'm ready to fight. I just got pulled into some type of s.ex games. What a fu.cking i***t I am!

Before I can get up and run, Eddison changes on the spot. One minute, a man is standing there, and the next is a giant, dark gray wolf staring at me. When I say huge, I cannot stress just how big it is. If I had to guess, I'd say that it stands at 6 or 7 feet tall. What wolf has anyone ever seen that was that damn tall?

The crazy thing is my body isn't going through the typical fight or flight response. I'm actually pretty calm. There's a pull in me that is pushing me to get closer. This is the craziest thing, but I can't fight it. I stand up and slowly walk toward the massive wolf. I reach my hand out and watch the wolf slowly lower his head.

I let my hand touch the top of his head, and I'm pleasantly surprised. This wolf has the softest fur in the world. Now, I'm not one who can compare fur texture, but I don't think anyone would anticipate that the fur of a giant, scary creature would be so soft.

The wolf’s eyes close, and he pushes his head into my hand. I scratch his head through the fur, earning me a well-placed purr. I thought only feline’s purr, but I guess that was wrong. “His name is Jett.” I turn to Shawna, and she has a slight smile on her face.

“The wolf has a name?” Are we acting like the wolf is its own person or something? Is that really a thing?

“Yes, our wolves are a part of us. They are our other half. They have their own names and personalities.”

“What’s your wolf’s name?” Shawna’s smile grows as Jett’s purring continues.

“Her name is Sable. I… I have to say… she is so glad to have you here.” This is wild, to say the least. I have no idea what world I just stepped into, nor do I understand why I’m so comfortable. I should be running for my life at this point.

“So were you bitten by a wolf or something?” Shawna throws her head back and laughs. Jett lifts his head and rolls his eyes. His tongue hangs out of his mouth. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he understood what I said and finds it just as funny.

“Yes, he understood what you said, and no, no one was bitten. That isn’t how things work, though I know in the human world, that’s how this is portrayed. We are born this way. You are able to shift into your wolf at the age of 18, and your wolf consciousness comes to you between the ages of 13 and 16. You can communicate with your wolf and they can communicate with each other.” I pull my hand back and shake my head. This is a lot to come to terms with. I hear cracking and snapping, and when I look up, I see Eddison, not Jett. He quickly puts his clothes on and takes a seat.

“I know it’s a lot to learn, but we want you to understand what you really are.” I take a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

“What else is there?”

~Katarina~

GIRL!! I swear, Tatiana is so loud, even through the mind link. I often have to tell her to bring it down a few notches.

Titi…

Girl, I’m sorry, but I have tea and it’s pipping hot. I can’t help but laugh at how extra Tatiana is most of the time, but she’s my girl and has always been there for me.

I will meet you in the garden. Give me about 10 minutes. I close the mind link and put in my last hoop earring. I take a step back and look in the mirror, admiring my outfit. I usually dress simply, but I try to make it look good. I’m not really into designer brands, so I make it work in my favor.

Today, I opted for a dark denim-colored romper that buttons up the front and barely goes mid-thigh. It has a tie to it that I have in a loose bow. I paired it with flat, dark denim sandals with straps across the top of the foot and just around the big toe. I’m not big on jewelry, but I usually wear a white gold locket, hoop earrings, and a ring. I pretty much look the same as I did in high school, with the addition of tattoos.

Big, thick arms snake around my body, and lips press to my temple. I close my eyes and sigh in contentment. “Beautiful as ever.” I turn in his arms and press my lips to his jaw. Future Alpha King Jamison is my boyfr- no, he’s my fiancée. I know it’s crazy, and we really don’t get married in the werewolf world. He’s my fiancée because I’m his chosen mate, but I won’t let him mark me… not yet. I want us to wait until the Luna ceremony before we mark each other. Not only have I held off on him marking me, but we aren’t being intimate either.

I’m no prude, so let’s put that out there. I just want to be sure and my first time to be special. What could be more special than having my first time the night I’m made the official Luna? King isn’t my fated mate, but it’s fine. We figure my mate died young. I’ve been to a lot of mating balls and have found nothing. King has done the same and has had the same results. That’s another reason to hold off on the mating and marking; what if our fated mates come along? I don’t want that drama, so waiting is best. “You look handsome as always.” He truly does.

Many girls in this pack are jealous of me because of my relationship with King. Besides being next in line for Alpha, he’s a damn good-looking man. He’s 6’6, light-skinned, and ridiculously muscular. He keeps his hair cut short and tapered. He has dark brown eyes and long lashes. His lips aren’t that thick, but he sure can kiss. King and I started dating when I left high school, and it was crazy to me. He’s two years older than me and told me he’d had a crush on me for a while. We kept it casual at first until we decided to choose each other. “What are your plans for today, baby?”

“I think I will meet with Tatiana for a while, then go find your mom. We have more Luna training to get through.” We kiss each other a few times before King turns and walks out of my room. Did I mention he has a tight ass? He has a really tight ass.

I leave my room with the garden as my destination. Tatiana and I spend a lot of time here. The garden is a beautiful place that brings peace. I find Tatiana at our bench and wrap my arms around her as I walk up to her back. I kiss her on the cheek and sit next to her. “Girl, I thought you’d never get here.”

“What’s the tea?”

“Childe! Girl… wait until you hear this, girl.” I sigh internally, ready for her to get to the point. I clear my throat and wiggle my eyebrows. Tatiana blushes a bit. We’ve been friends long enough that she knows what that means. “I hear talk that he’s back… he’s been found.”

“Who the hell are you talking about?” Tatiana places her hands on both sides of my face.

“Aston is back.” The air rushes out of my lungs, and I slump in Tatiana’s arms, letting the darkness take over.