The Beta’s Alpha Mate

Five

Grayson’s POV

Julien had knocked on my door a few minutes after Daniel left, and we’d spent the night hanging out alone.

Then he started asking questions about what to do if he gets a male mate, and I couldn’t help laughing at him. Julien has never been interested in guys, and I would know. I spent much of middle school crushing on him before realizing I could have my pick of the non-straight guys at school. And before I fully understood how pack hierarchy worked, and what it would mean to date an Alpha male. No thanks.

But he had been part of my close friend group; someone I hung out with nearly daily. Even back then, he'd had the same hairstyle -- straight brown strands that neatly framed his face, bangs falling in his dark blue eyes. His eyes, so serious all the time, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and his emotions were swirling around inside those ocean-blue orbs.

And now that I was older and knew more about being a part of pack leadership, I guess I could see why Julien had felt that way. He'd always had a close relationship with his parents when it came to pack business. They didn't hide things from him, no matter how gruesome or difficult. So while I was stressing about football tryouts or math midterms, he was also worrying about rogue attacks and pack finances.

Over time, he started dating random girls, and I started dating random guys, and I truthfully haven't thought about Julien in that way in years.

But now that he asked me how it feels to be with a man, I couldn’t help sneaking a few sidelong glances at him as we play another round of Madden.

He had stretched his long legs out in front of him, slouching casually against the headboard of the bed. Every time he got excited about a play, he leaned forward, scrunching his face up in concentration and biting his lower lip. It was pretty cute, the way he switched between relaxed and hyperfocused. I wondered what those lips felt like. Hmm.

“So, got any special guys in mind for your trial sessions?” I teased him, returning to our conversation.

He blushed. “It was just a hypothetical question, really. Not exactly something I’ve put a lot of thought into.”

“Well, I’ll make a deal with you,” I said, gesturing to the game we were playing. “You win against me, I’ll be your test subject if you decide to go through with it. I win, and… you owe me dinner. No shitty pizza, though, you owe me a whole steak.” I laughed.

His eyes widened and for a second I thought he was going to tell me to get the f**k out of my own room. But all he did was nervously stutter, “Y-Yeah? Y-You’d d-do that? If I decide to try it, I mean?”

“Sure, no harm for me!” I chuckled. Hell, I was always hooking up with guys anyway. And f**k whoever my mate was, they deserved the pain when they felt me with someone else.

Julien nodded and turned back to the game, almost instantly scoring against me. “I don’t wanna have to go to dinner with you, so, I better win,” he joked.

“d**k. Who said I was even going to invite you? You just have to pay,” I retorted.

Half an hour later, the game was over. “Oops, guess you didn’t want me badly enough, Juls,” I fluttered my eyelashes at him, messing around. “I’ll take that dinner, though. Tomorrow?”

Julien laughed and rolled his eyes. “Tomorrow works.” He hopped up, striding to the door. “I’m going to bed, see ya later, Grays.”

Once he closed the door behind him, I put away the controllers and straightened the blankets on the bed where we’d been sitting. It was nice to see Julien acting flustered, for once. I think he had really been let down by not finding his mate at Clear Lake.

I wish I could say the same, I thought, as I stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over me. Stupid mate bond. Bennett and Daniel were good distractions, but I knew Fang was unhappy without our mate, even though he’d left us for dead with those rogues. I would have to keep attending mating balls and looking for him.

I allowed myself to drift off into daydreams about my mystery mate, imagining what it would have felt like to feel the sparks once we had marked each other. Because of the curse, we can only recognize each other under the full moon in our wolf form, unless we mark each other. Some couples, like Helix and Olivia or Marcos and Sierra, are eager to mate and mark immediately so they never lose the sensation of the bond. Others, like Kade and Brea, find their mate and date for a while before completing the marking, even though they will ultimately end up together. But Kade and Brea won’t feel any of the sparks again until the marking takes place.

With a sigh, I dry off and dress in pajama pants before crawling into bed. I’ll find my mate again, and maybe I’ll see what the bond feels like before I reject him, but there’s no way I can be with someone so selfish.

Julien’s POV

“Hey, sweetheart,” my mom greeted me as I entered dad’s office. Soon it would be my office, but that was a few weeks away.

“Hey, momma.” I kissed her on the cheek. “Dad, how are you?”

My father looked up from his messy desk, running a hand through his jet black hair in frustration. “I’d be better if we could get a handle on either these damn rogues or the omega issue.” He paused. “Welcome back, by the way. I heard you had no luck at Clear Lake?”

I bit my lip. “Ah, no, I didn’t. And then Grayson got attacked by rogues, and I’d stupidly put up a block, but luckily Kade and Helix bailed him out. Kade found a mate, did you hear?”

“Oh, she’s a doll!” My mom chimed in. “Brea is just gorgeous. We’re going shopping next week. I heard Grayson found a mate, too.”

“Yeah, I heard that POS is the reason he got attacked in the first place,” my dad growled. “What kind of ungrateful bastard turns down a gift from the Goddess so easily? Grays is a good kid.”

Time to change the subject, I thought, swallowing nervously. “Alpha Helix found his Luna, too, so that was nice. Anyway, tell me more about the omegas.”

My dad sighed. “We got word Friday of five more bodies found in the woods just west of the packlands. Emaciated, beaten, signs of long-term abuse. All probably around 18. No identification. We’re trying to identify them, but so far, no clear leads. This brings it up to 43 dead in the last six months.”

I made a horrified expression, briefly, but quickly masked it. Alphas don’t act horrified; they stay in control, I mentally chanted to myself. Instead, I tell my parents what Sierra shared about Clear Lake omegas.

“Basically, she recalls a handful of people disappearing hear and there over the years, but never a significant amount, and no increase in the last year. Her brother was one of the ones who disappeared suddenly, but we found out he was alive and well right here in our pack. She also doesn’t recall a sudden increase in new Omegas. It sounds more like chronic mistreatment - underpayment, overwork, physical and mental abuse. So, Clear Lake could be involved, but I doubt they’re our best lead,” I sum up.

“Good work, son. Hopefully once this is all over, the council will take our recommendations for changes seriously. Testimony like Sierra’s will be important,” my dad said, sounding pleased.

“Is there anything I can do to help with the situation now?” I asked.

“Not yet, but I’m handing the rogue situation over to you, Grayson, and Kade. Find out why they’re so hellbent on attacking big packs when they can’t win, and what exactly they want. Take over managing the patrol schedules. Search the forests for more rogues and capture them if you can. I have faith in you to solve this while I focus on the other issue,” he told me.

I nodded. I could do that. My dad had been a great Alpha for years, and I was eager to get started on running the pack just like he had.

Giving my mom a hug goodbye, I slipped out the door to prepare for my date with Grayson. Well, dinner with Grayson. I was the only one thinking of it as a date, probably.

I showered and towel-dried my hair, running my fingers through it to brush it. Even though he thought I was just paying back a bet, I wanted to make an impression on him. So I selected a short-sleeve grey plaid button-up shirt and a pair of jeans, and nervously checked my reflection in the mirror for the fifteenth time before heading downstairs to meet him out in front of the packhouse.

“Hey, Juls, how’s it going?” Grayson nodded at me from where he was leaning against the side of his car, waiting on me to come outside. He had on an olive-colored hoodie and grey jeans, and he looked… he looked…

Sexy, my wolf supplied.

I blushed at my own thoughts. Yeah, I mean… yeah. It was true. The way those clothes fit him made me curious about seeing him without those clothes more often.

“I thought I was the one taking you for dinner,” I joked. “But I guess you can drive, if you insist.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you buy me drinks, too,” he teased as we got in the SUV.

Well, I guess Day 2 of our plan to win Grayson over starts now, I told my wolf, who nodded in agreement.