Page 16 of The Beta's Heart

Although I had my doubts about his capability and my own, I decided to accept the position. It paid well, came with a house once I found my mate, and brought instant respect. Even more importantly, it was a privilege to serve our luna, and it made my chest swell with pride to know my alphas trusted me with that honor.

“Then I accept,” I said finally. “Thank you. I’ll do my very best.”

“Of course you will,” Alpha Ash chuckled and ruffled his hand through my hair. “You don’t know how to do anything else.”

“We’re so glad, Ty,” Alpha Jay said and gave me a hug. “You’ll need to work closely with the other four betas, especially once we find our luna, so it’s crucial that you get to know them.”

I nodded, thinking about Tristan Harrington, who was in a couple of my classes at school, and Emerson Jones, who often sparred with me at fighter practice. I wouldn’t have a problem getting along with those two, but I’d never really met Crew Myers or Matthew Rose, and I was concerned about how they’d receive me, especially Matthew, who had been Everett’s best friend.

And I quickly found out I was right to be concerned.

#

When I joined the other betas on the training field the next day, Matthew didn’t waste any time jumping down my throat.

“So you think you’re good enough to take Ev’s place?” he spat, his eyes blazing with anger. “As if a boy like you could replace one of the best fighters in the pack!”

“I’m not here to fill his shoes,” I said, my voice shaking with the effort to keep myself calm. If I lost it, River would slip into berserker mode and everything would escalate even quicker. “I’m here to fill the vacant beta position.”

“A poor little orphan isn’t fit for that position! What did you do,begthe alphas for it like a spoiled brat?”

And that was all it took for River to kick off. He let out a mighty roar that made the trees around us shiver, and I had to take a knee as I focused on holding him back, knowing my eyes were flaring gold as he fought to ascend.

“Calm down, buddy,” I whispered. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

He meanie! He say mean tings ’bout Ty-Ty!

“Riv, we’re going to run into mean people from time to time. You can’t kill them all.”

That was the wrong thing to say. He pushed harder for control and roared even louder, sending a few branches crashing to the ground now.

Mecan! Me can killanyting! Me show you! Me kill meanie boyright now!

“Uh, Ty? Anything we can do to help himnotkill meanie boy right now?” Crew asked as he and Tristan hunkered down on either side of me.

“Getting meanie boy out of his sight might help,” Tris muttered when I shook my head, too focused on leashing River to answer.

“Come on,meanie boy,” Emerson growled, putting an arm around Matthew’s shoulders and towing him away. “We’re taking a break.”

Matthew might have struggled, but Emerson Jones was a very large man. As tall as Alpha Mase and as wide as Alpha Cole, and those boys were Kodiak bears. Unless he wanted to throw down with Em for real and bring out the claws and fangs, Matthew didn’t have a choice but to let the big guy drag him along.

“Baby, you can’t kill Matthew. He’s a beta, and he’s going to be our teammate,” I murmured soothingly to River. “Look, I’ll make you a deal. You let him live, and I’ll get you your favorite treat after dinner. How does that sound?”

For a long, tense moment, I waited with Tris and Crew to see if my crazy-behind wolf would accept the offer.

Then,Me have boo-bee dis time?River asked in his sweet, baby voice, and I blew out a heavy sigh of relief. Thank the Goddess, he was back to normal and, surprisingly, no one had been maimed.

“Boobie? Your wolf plays withboobies?!” Tris cracked up so hard, he had to clutch his stomach as he wheezed.

“What do you have? Some fake tits that you jack off with?” Crew tilted his head to the side, and that made Tris laugh harder.

Rolling my eyes at both of them, I told River, “Yeah, buddy.Blueberryice cream just for you.”

Me let meanie boy live, me gets boo-bee ice cream?

“I promise.”

Otay, Ty-Ty! Deals, deals, deals!

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