Page 42 of The Beta's Heart

Few hundred feet,Alpha Cole told him.Betas, stay close to Lark. Do not leave her side.

Like we needed to be told that. We’d already formed a circle around her, and the alphas formed a circle around us. Alpha Cole, who was best at man-to-wolf combat, shifted back to human and grabbed a pair of shorts out Cove’s saddlebags, tugging them on right as twenty or so shifters slipped out of the treeline.

We all knew they could only be Tall Pines wolves, and they didn’t come alone. The leader, a rough-looking brute, dragged a brown-haired girl by her elbow. She was in bad shape, with several visible wounds, and I figured she was the witch.

Although I doubt she’s helping them willingly, I thought.

Then River giggled as Bay, Crew’s wolf, had the brilliant idea to nudge Lark under my wolf’s belly. She was so small that she could literally stand up under him, and his long fluff hid her perfectly.

It’ll also keep her from seeing what’s about to happen,Crew linked me.

The Tall Pines leader finally noticed us. Growling, he wrapped the fingers of his free hand around the brunette’s throat, and she clawed at his hand, but he only tightened his hold.

“You had one job in exchange for your life, witch. Alpha told you to hide our scent and take us to her,notto the alphas of Five Fangs!”

Throwing her to the forest floor, he kicked her unconscious, and something twanged in the air, releasing the smell of Tall Pines wolves and a witch of the light.

Heh. Told dem so, River snorted, but I was paying attention to Creek, Tristan’s wolf, who was howling that the witch was his mate.

The Tall Pines leader threatened the queen and had his men chuck two huge duffle bags across the border. Alpha Cole unzipped them to reveal the beaten faces of twin brothers who smelled of beta blood, and we all reckoned that they were related to Queen Lilah.

That’s when Quartz leaped forward and ripped the leader’s throat out.

The fight that followed was intense, but short, and our alphas killed any wolf that didn’t submit and secured the rest to transport back to our cells. While they dealt with the situation at the border, they ordered us betas to go with Tristan, and we wasted no time getting his new mate to the pack’s medical clinic. We stayed with him in silent support until the alphas sent us to guard the new queen and Luna Posy while they and the king interrogated our prisoners.

Before I knew it, I was standing around the pool at the alpha house, chatting and killing time as we waited for any updates. Then luna cutely manipulated me into taking Alpha Jay’s SUV and going over to the Barlow house to pick up Peri, and my heart skipped around like crazy at the thought of talking to her one-on-one again.

When I arrived, she was standing in the driveway, and it might have been wishful thinking, but I swore her face lit up when she saw me in the driver’s seat. That made happiness bubble up inside me, even though I scolded myself for it.

“Hey, Peri,” I greeted her, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Hey, Ty,” she replied with a smile, sliding into the passenger seat. “Thanks for picking me up.”

“No problem,” I said, pulling away from her house and heading back towards the alpha house. “How have you been?”

“Good,” she said, glancing out the window. “Trying to stay out of trouble. My birthday’s next Wednesday, you know.”

“I remember,” I said, a bittersweet feeling settling in my chest. “You excited?”

“Definitely! I really hope I find my mate soon. Even if it’s not that same day, it would be the best birthday present ever.”

I sighed, wishingIcould be the one she was waiting for.

“Well, I hope you find him, then, and he’s all you’re dreaming of,” I said, forcing a smile. “You deserve the best.”

“Thanks, Ty. That means a lot. What about you? Your birthday’s only eight days later.”

“It’ll be nice to officially become an adult,” I glossed over the mate business. “River’s looking forward to the ice cream.”

“Speaking of River, I realized something the other day. I’ve never met him!”

“Um, okay? Did… Did youwantto?”

“Of course I do. I’ve heard so many stories about him—”

“Hopefully none of the bad ones!” I interrupted with a groan.

“—and he sounds like so much fun!”

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