The Betas Forbidden mate

mate

My name is Xia Black. I am the Beta of the Stone Mountain pack. I was adopted by the former alpha of this pack and raised alongside his son, Ash. Now, Ash is the current alpha and my best friend. The previous beta died during a rogue attack, and I was asked to fill his position.

I live on the third floor of the pack house, which is reserved for the beta. Since I'm mateless and the old beta's widow moved to the edge of the territory, I am the only one occupying the floor. It's pretty quiet most days. I spend most of my time alone, but I've never confused solitude with loneliness.

Whenever I'm done with my beta duties, I usually retreat to my room and lose myself in whatever book catches my interest. Despite my position in the pack, I've never been particularly social. Going out isn't really my thing unless Ash drags me to a bar to play wingman while he searches for some she-wolf to warm his bed, or convinces me to join him for a run.

Xia POV

I roll out of bed feeling restless. My wolf, Onyx, has been pacing nonstop inside my head all night, and it's driving me insane. He's been at it for the last two days ever since we went on a run near the northern border.

Honestly, he is never this anxious, and it's putting me on edge. Forty-eight hours in, I'm sleep-deprived, irritated, and running on fumes. Maybe a run will clear my head.

I step into the shower, letting the hot water cascade down my body. Some of the tension eases from my muscles, but not enough to dull my frustration. To make matters worse, I've been restless in more ways than one. No matter what I do, I can't seem to shake the feeling.

What the hell is wrong with me?

At six-foot-six and two hundred ten pounds of lean muscle, I've never had trouble attracting attention. My dark brown curls brush my shoulders, emerald-green eyes stand out against my olive skin, and my quiet nature tends to draw people in.

The problem is, no one has ever truly interested me.

At twenty years old, I've never been with anyone.

Not because I couldn't be.

Because I never wanted to.

The idea of sharing that part of myself with someone who meant nothing never appealed to me. I've always known that when I gave my heart to someone, it would be completely. Maybe that's why the thought of finding my mate has been on my mind so much lately.

Finishing my shower, I dry off quickly and throw on an old pair of basketball shorts. I skip the shirt since I'll be shifting for a run anyway.

I jog through the pack house, ignoring the lingering looks from a few unmated she-wolves. I don't need that kind of distraction right now.

The moment I step outside, Onyx all but takes over.

He forces the shift before I can protest.

Bones c***k. Muscles stretch. Claws extend from my fingers as dark brown fur bursts through my skin. Emerald eyes sharpen, and suddenly we're airborne, completing the transformation mid-jump.

I start to complain, but Onyx's mood has changed completely. The anxiety that had plagued him for days is gone, replaced by excitement so intense I can practically feel it.

Maybe he just needed to get out for a while.

Onyx barrels toward the northern border, power surging through his limbs with every stride. It's as if he's running toward something.

Or someone.

I can't deny my curiosity.

As we approach the stream, he slows to a cautious walk, nose twitching as he sniffs the air. He's clearly searching for something.

Then his head snaps sharply to the right.

Without warning, he takes off again, even faster than before.

The waterfall comes into view.

Moments later, he skids to a halt so abruptly that we nearly tumble into the water.

Onyx lowers his head until only inches separate us from the surface. He stares into the water without moving a muscle, completely transfixed.

I've had enough of the strange behavior.

What is going on with you, Onyx?

His answer comes immediately.

"Mate."

The single word freezes me.

I take back control and shift into my human form, irritation battling with disbelief. I feel for him, I really do. Wolves need their mates in a way humans never could.

"Hey, buddy," I mutter. "I want to meet our mate too, but there's nobody here except us."

"Look closer."

Sympathetic to his desperation, I decide to humor him.

I lean over the water.

At first, I see nothing.

Then a face appears beneath the surface.

The world stops.

She is, without question, the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.

As her face breaks through the water, the scent of fresh rain and honey crashes into me like a tidal wave.

Time slows.

My heart stutters.

The only word I can manage to force past my lips is—

"Mate."