Page 33 of Beta Hybrid

My mind spins at the possibilities. I love when Cai sinks those teeth into me during sex, but I’d never thought about returning the favour. Would he be into that? Or would it seem too much like I’m taking control? The thoughts tumble through my mind.

Divina and Jana walk close by me. They exchange a look. ‘This beta stuff is as much up to you as anything else,’ Divina says. ‘As with asserting yourself as an equal mate, this decision is yours, too. Don’t do it for him. Do it for you, if and when you’re ready.’

‘Do you know what the ritual entails?’

Even Divina averts her gaze. ‘I haven’t, uh, had the pleasure of witnessing it, but I believe it has to do with him, uh, claiming you… in front of his pack.’

‘What?’ I squawk.

Jana looses a cackle, then tries to smother it, failing miserably.

‘You’re kidding! Like, having sex and him biting me, the whole thing?’

Divina offers a sympathetic smile.

‘Oh, my goddess.’ No wonder he was embarrassed!

Are you girls okay back there? Cai asks.

Shut up! I mean, yes, we’re fine. I slam a wall up between us. He glances at us over his shoulder, but respects the boundary. I glare at my friends, wide-eyed. ‘How can I do that?’

‘Oh, come on, haven’t you ever fantasised about someone watching you have sex?’ Jana says.

I widen my eyes at her. ‘No. I haven’t. Have you?’

She gives a non-committal shrug. ‘I don’t know.’ Her gaze is on Vale. ‘I think is sounds pretty hot.’

Divina gives an amused chuckle. ‘You’re adventurous, aren’t you?’

Jana smiles, throwing her shoulders back. ‘Yup.’ After a moment, she finally looks between us. ‘Do you think Vale—’

‘Yes, he likes you,’ I say.

Divina nods.

Jana smiles. ‘Great.’ She turns and waggles her brows at me. ‘Maybe we’ll join you at this ritual thing.’

I blush and thwack her away. ‘You. Are. Not. Helping.’

The afternoon fades into evening, and we have to find a place to make camp. We settle into a clearing close to a little stream that trickles down between two large trees. Vale and Cai set up the tents, leaving Reagan to insist on starting the fire by himself. He even gathers leaves, kindling, and logs, setting stones around it in a protective circle.

‘Did your dad teach you that?’ I watch him work deftly.

‘Hmm-hmmm.’ He looks up at me. ‘Didn’t yours teach you?’

‘I, uh. I never knew my parents.’ We all sit around the campfire, pulling food out of our packs. Cai wordlessly hands over a sandwich to the kid.

‘Oh.’ He frowns. ‘How does that happen?’

‘Well,’ I admit. ‘They left me. With my coven.’ I nod at Cai. ‘Our pack-coven. One of the witches raised me like a mother.’

Reagan gives a thoughtful ‘hmm’, holding the sandwich, unopened. ‘Did something happen to your parents? Why would they leave you?’

I shrug. Everyone watches the exchange silently. I fiddle with the edge of my own food. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never met them.’

Reagan’s eyes widen. ‘That’s sad. I’m sorry.’ He opens the sandwich, biting down. ‘Do you have any siblings?’

I shake my head. ‘Not that I know of.’ I’d never really thought about it.

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