Promised to the Beta

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

"Sit, Mia," Ezra commands, and I obey, muscles tensing.

I've fought tooth and claw to rise through the ranks, to prove myself more than just a rebellious teen with a penchant for trouble. But Ezra... he's always been this impenetrable force, the epitome of what it means to lead the Ironfur pack.

"Your progress has not gone unnoticed," he begins, fingers steepled before him. "Your strength as a gamma fighter—it's exceptional."

A surge of pride swells within me, but I keep my face impassive, schooled in the art of neutrality. This is no time for ego; Ezra doesn't dole out praise without purpose.

"Thank you, Alpha," I say, voice steady. My mind races—what does he want?

"There's a situation," he continues, his eyes locking onto mine. "Delicate. It requires someone with your... particular set of skills."

Curiosity piques, and my senses heighten. A task from Ezra could mean anything—tracking rogues, enforcing pack law. But his tone speaks of shadows and secrets, and I lean forward ever so slightly.

"You need me to be your enforcer?" I ask, ready for the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush of a challenge.

"No," he says, and the word slices through my expectations. "This task is one of protection."

"Protection?" The word feels foreign on my tongue. We protect our own, always, but Ezra's implication suggests something else entirely.

He nods. "You'll be safeguarding a human."

Human? My thoughts stumble, falter. Why would the Alpha concern himself with a single human life amidst the chaos of the city around us?

"Is this... usual?" I manage, grappling for understanding. Protecting a human isn't just unusual—it's unheard of. We live alongside them, yes, but we don't mingle our worlds more than necessary.

"Usual? No." Ezra leans back, the chair creaking under his weight. "But necessary. And before you ask, I can't offer you details. Not now. This remains confidential."

"Confidential," I echo, the word heavy like a stone in my mouth.

"Can I count on you, Mia?" His question hangs between us, an unspoken test of loyalty and obedience.

My mind races—why me, why a human, why secrecy? But I push away the questions, knowing they won't find answers here and now. Ezra watches me, waiting, the air thick with tension.

"Always, Alpha," I reply, my voice ringing with conviction I'm not entirely sure I feel. But I am Ironfur, through and through. And when the Alpha calls, I answer. Always.

The door swings open, a gust of familiar scents rushing in — leather, pine, and something startlingly human. He steps into the room, the blonde man from the pizzeria, his presence instantly commanding my full attention.

He doesn't belong here, not in Ezra's office, which is a sanctuary of power and secrets. Yet he moves with a casual ease that contradicts my expectations, as if crossing the threshold into a world of teeth and claw is nothing out of the ordinary for him. I can't help but study him as he walks, taking in the confident stride, the way his jeans conform to his lean legs, and how his jacket hangs open just enough to give a glimpse of the cotton shirt hugging his torso.

"Henry," Ezra greets him with a nod, an informality that tightens my chest.

"Alpha," Henry responds, and my ears twitch at the sound of his voice — a melody woven into the low rumble of authority that fills the room. He nods to me too, a flash of recognition sparking in his blue eyes that are as clear as the midday sky.

"Henry?" The name tastes unfamiliar on my tongue, laced with curiosity and something else — a pull I can't quite place. It's unnerving, this attraction, this... interest. It's not just his looks that have captured my attention; it's the audacity of his presence here, in the heart of Ironfur territory.

I shift uncomfortably, trying to reconcile the memory of him handing me a slice of pizza with the reality of him standing before the Alpha — our worlds colliding in a way I've been trained to avoid. Our pack lives hidden within the city's shadows, and yet here he is, a human radiating sunlight in our midst.

"Surprised, Mia?" Ezra's voice cuts through my thoughts, his tone unreadable.

"Surprised doesn't begin to cover it," I admit, forcing my gaze away from Henry and back to my Alpha. "What's happening here?"

"Let's just say, Henry has a role to play," Ezra replies cryptically, and my instincts scream that there's more beneath the surface — layers of truth wrapped in enigma.

"Role to play..." My words trail off as I look at Henry again, studying his face for clues, for any hint of what draws Ezra's attention to him so intensely. But there's only a calm, almost serene expression looking back at me, as if he's exactly where he's meant to be.

And suddenly, I realize with a jolt that protecting Henry isn't going to be just another assignment. This is personal, somehow intertwined with the fate of the Ironfur — with my own destiny. The weight of responsibility settles on my shoulders, heavy and demanding. Protecting him means more than just keeping him safe from harm; it feels like protecting a piece of the puzzle that is our secretive existence within the endless sprawl of the city around us.

"Understood, Alpha," I say, finally breaking the silence that had stretched between us. My reply is steady, but inside, my wolf stirs, sensing the change in the air, the shift in the currents of power. Henry stands there, a human enigma, his very presence challenging everything I know about my place in the pack, in the city, in the unseen world we navigate every day.

"Good." Ezra's approval is succinct, a seal on whatever unspoken agreement binds him to this human. Henry’s blue eyes meet mine once more, a silent acknowledgment passing between us.

This is happening. I'm protecting a human, and not just any human — Henry, the attractive blonde man from the pizzeria who somehow holds a key to a door I didn't even know existed. And I am ready, despite the storm of questions raging in my mind.

"Very well," I say, my voice a whispered promise to the unknown. "I'll protect him."