My Young Beta [cover and first 4 chapters only]

3| Taken

| Dana |

I swayed on my feet. Even with our faster metabolism, I was wasted. Going out with Ada always ended this way- I hadn't learnt my lesson that I couldn't hold as much liquor as her- but really I wanted to drown it all away.

It was Ada’s idea to come to the human dance club. We knew the owner, John. He was human, but he knew about our kind. We’d hooked up a couple of times, and he was currently exclusively servicing us and letting his other staff handle all other customers. We weren't worried about any threat or risk of exposing our kind to humans. We were mature and capable wolves, though our stumbling about as Ada bought us another round- three shots of tequila each- seemed to contradict that.

Noel and I were both struggling to keep up, the younger woman seemingly excited to be drinking with the pack Beta and trying not to seem too wasted already. I wasn’t disguising how trashed I was.

I wanted that sweet oblivion to forget about Jordan. Turns out his mate is our Alpha's baby sister. She had come to the pack just for a casual visit. She'd shifted only a few months earlier, so hadn't even branched out to look for her mate outside of known single Alphas and heirs. Ada hadn't said, but I had assumed they'd already marked and mated.

We slammed them back, my face twisting on the third one. Okay, I thought to myself, holding onto the bar to keep myself steady. That was a mistake.

“It's all a mistake,” Aurora hiccuped in my mind. I didn’t think that Aurora was specifically unhappy that we had missed out on a chosen, more that here we were again- seeing others finding their fated, and we were all alone again. I just felt empty. After my initial cry up in Ada’s Beta suite, I had just laid there feeling numb. That was the second time in my life I had been in that situation. I had had many s****l partners that had found their fated mates, but only twice where we had such a connection- and right in front of me.

I looked at Ada. She was so fierce and awesome. She wasn’t mated yet either.

“Maybe we could be each other's chosen,” I suggested drunkenly.

Ada chuckled, “Dana, I know it’s hard to see the light, but it’s there. Just take some time, focus on yourself for a while.”

“f**k that,” I quipped, “I’m getting laid!” I squinted and looked around at the options.

John tilted forward over the bar to catch my eye and raised an eyebrow. I sighed. I guess. He was good looking, but he might start messaging me again.

Ada tutted and gave John a strong glare. She pulled me back onto the small dance floor, me grabbing Noel to complete the chain of drunken she-wolves. Their arms were the only thing keeping me up by the final moments of the song.

“Come on, sexy lady,” Ada huffed. “I think we need to get you home.”

I just mumbled and snuggled into her side, suddenly very sleepy.

I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings as Ada and Noel, with me firmly wedged between them, walked us out of the club.

“Such a lightweight,” Ada laughed good naturedly. She was a good half foot taller than me at 6’2” and had the body of a swimmer- broad shouldered and narrowed waist. Her raven hair was kept in a bob- it was askew from our revelry but she looked as beautiful as always.

I was petite by comparison, at 5’7” but a lot slighter. My face pulled into a drunken scowl. “Compared to you, the behemoth.”

She roared with laughter, holding the car door open, so Noel could tuck me inside. She had organised for a pack driver for the night, knowing none of us would be in a fit state drive back.

“Well, tiny woman,” she said as she got her laughter under control. “You should-”

Her head whipped around, stopping herself mid sentence.

Noel stiffened, straightening up.

It took me a second longer, but then I smelt it too. Rogues.

The driver quickly started the car, “Beta, we better go.”

My heart started to hammer, my inebriation lessening. Ada was still standing stock still, making no move to get into the car. Fear sobered me enough that I was about to climb back out of the car- intent on keeping my Beta safe.

Ada pushed Noel towards the open car door. “You two, get out of here.”

“What?” I cried out incredulously.

Ada turned to face me, her wolf's almost black eyes meeting mine, obliterating even a hint of her natural blue eyes. She had the oddest look on her face, one I knew. Had only just seen it.

Noel nodded tightly to our superior, “Yes, sir,” and pushed me further into the car.

“Ada!” I called out, fear lacing my voice. What the f**k is she doing?

Aurora remained stony silent inside me. She knew. I didn't want to connect the dots.

Noel blocked my exit. I spun around trying to go for the other door, but she locked my arms in place, telling our driver to go. The central locking came in place, both locking me in and all others out.

“Noel!” I screamed. “We can't leave her!”

I was sounding hysterical. The car started moving, taking me away from my best friend. I twisted my head, just in time to see a man come out of the shadows. He towered over Ada, despite her height and size.

“Ada,” I whimpered.

“He’s her mate, Dana,” Noel said softly, obviously as worried as I was.

We turned a corner and I could no longer see them. “But he’s a rogue…”

~*~

We called for backup immediately. We traced every clue we could find, but Ada had disappeared.

Alpha Caleb stood beside me, where I had last seen her, less than an hour ago. I felt stone sober now and terribly hungover.

We’d been able to trace her scent to a motel not far from here, but she must have gotten into a vehicle. We were using our contacts in human law enforcement to obtain CCTV, but it would take a few days before we could even get it, let alone then use the information to look for her.

“I shouldn't have left her,” I said for about the millionth time.

Alpha Caleb placed a hand on my shoulder. He calmed me with his presence. “She wouldn't have taken no for an answer. You and Noel may have been hurt if you'd stayed.”

He was right. I had smelt at least a dozen rogues. It didn't make me feel any better. I turned to him. “I should have made her come.”

He smiled sadly. “Dana, you're a formidable warrior. But there is no way you could have made my Beta do anything she didn't want to.”

Tears sprung to my eyes with gratitude. That knowledge was the only thing holding my guilt from completely consuming me.

Ada and Alpha Caleb had been friends their whole lives. She'd been his first choice to be his Beta when he took over as Alpha of the Winding River Pack. Caleb had come to our pack, the fated mate of our pack Lunas- the twin daughters of the previous Alpha. Ada and I had become quick friends, for almost eight years now.

“Rogue or not, he's likely not wanting to hurt her.”

I pursed my lips. “If she'd left completely on her own she would have found a way to get in contact.”

He looked away. He couldn't dispute my statement. “We’ll find her.”

~*~