Page 26 of Awakened
“My dad’s a beta.” She flicked a mosquito off her knee. “So, while a woman had never been beta, I thought maybehe’d have my back.” She held her beer to her lips and muttered, “Fucking delusional.”
I wiped the lake water off my sunglasses and frowned as I looked out at the pack members splashing around in the water. It had never occurred to me that I would be beta. As soon as Brandon was born, the pack felt a sense of relief, a settling in the hierarchy. They had the next in line.
“I shifted, and they didn’t start my training. But then Dominic shifted, and suddenly, it was time to train the future. They let me tag along but made it clear who was going to lead the pack.”
A discomfort sat heavy in my gut. Bonnie put words to feelings I’d never allowed myself to acknowledge.
“As much as I wanted to be there for my brother, I couldn’t do it. Despite me being older, stronger, and a better fit for the job, he was being handed the position. Add to that my family having an issue with me being gay, and I moved here. I met the Amazons about six months later, and here I am.” She held her arms wide.
“It’s freaky how similar our stories are.”
She slouched back down, sliding her legs out in front of her. “Yeah?”
I nodded and shifted in my seat, but the canvas still cut into my thighs, just from a different angle. “My little brother is the beta of the Blue Moon Pack. I don’t think anyone ever even considered me.” I let out a humorless laugh. “Only difference is they made me gamma.”
“Wow.” Bonnie looked at me over her shades. “A female gamma.”
“Says one of the two female betas.”
She chuckled and dipped her chin. “Actually, Taylor’s nonbinary. But your point stands. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill pack. It only makes sense that we’d have female and nonbinary leadership.”
“I’ve never seen a pack quite like this one.”
Bonnie smiled softly at me. “The Amazons is the firstplace that I’ve ever felt like being a queer woman is something to celebrate—that there is power in it.” She rolled her eyes and shoved up her sunglasses. “Jeez, I sound like a freaking commercial for the pack and feminism.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I get what you mean. I was lucky to have a strong female group in my pack. When I was made a gamma, I took over and changed the training program. Emily, my ex’s sister, and Sarah helped update a lot of outdated bylaws. Our pack valued female contributions, but I get the sense that this pack offers more room to grow. Y’all have something special here.”
“You know you guys are welcome to join, right? We would love to have you.”
“After today, I’m tempted. I have all my paperwork to leave Blue Moon done. I just need to send it back with my friends this weekend. After a break, I could really see myself here.”
“Excellent,” she said, tenting her fingers like a movie villain. Our plan is working then.”
“You’re real weird, Bonnie.”
“You know it, Les.”
We tapped the bottom of our beers together, downing the warming brew as we sat in companionable silence.
“I’m out. Do you need another?” I asked as I stood.
“Nah. I have to head out. I’m watching Mimi’s nephew tonight, and her sister will kick my ass if I’m late. It was good hanging out though. Let me get your number.”
I put it in her phone, then we hugged.
“I better see you around,” she said as she folded up her lawn chair and somehow put it in the bag without struggling.
“Absolutely, I’ll see you soon.”
Bonnie walked toward the parked cars, and I went inside. My arms were a bit pink, so it was probably best to get out of the sun before I burned. I didn’t need the Amazons to see me looking like a lobster.
Going through the sliding glass door into the kitchen, I heard Marie say, “I won’t be pulled into another territory disputebecause two big boys want to compare dick size. They should already know my dick is the biggest.”
All the women in the kitchen were laughing so hard that only Marie noticed me come in. She winked and patted the empty stool next to her at the breakfast bar. I slid into the seat, and Marie patted me on the back. “You having a good time, kid?”
“Yeah. This is the best pack meeting I’ve ever been to,” I said as a member handed me a beer.
“We aim to please. We were just talking about a little spat between two packs in southern Missouri. Both are looking for Amazon support, but we don’t make it a habit to stick our nose where it doesn’t belong, especially over a few miles of land. It doesn’t help that one of them is my jerk of an ex-husband.”
