In the Alpha’s Arms

Get Your Mind Right

Lita leaned her head against the window, watching the world pass her in a blu. Her mind was cluttered and she couldn’t seem to settle the feeling in her chest. Nothing would ever be the same as it was before she knew werewolyes were real. As miserable as life tied to Brian and her mother, Diane, had been, it was at least routine. Yes, they controlled every second of her life, but she knew how to navigate them and their world.

She understood their buttons and how to avoid them. She understood her place in the hierarchy of her life. She wasn’t at the top, and she accepted that. And on the off chance she would forget, apparently they’d been using their Alpha tones to correct her. That was scary but also comfortable because it was predictable. Part of her hated that pain was more comfortable duan anything else. She’d spent more time with it than any other emotion, which only added to her depression.

She paused that line of difficult thoughts for a moment. Lita didn’t know why she’d assumed that only men could be Alphas, but there she was, faced with the obvious fact that her mother could have led her own park. How’d she end up playing second fiddle to Lita’s father, Rali, a Beta? Had she rejected her destined mate in favor of Lita’s father? Had Rafi done the same?

Any time she’d ever seen them hosting a party or entertaining guests, they were in prototypical gender roles. Her mother didn’t have a say in anything. The only place she had any power was within her own company and with Lita. At home, she was just Rafi’s wife and the mother of his children. That brought up more questions than answers, and she made a mental note to ask someone more about how wolf genealogy worked.

At almost the worst time imaginable, in the silence of a compact car, Lita’s stomach let out a monstrous growl. Brody didn’t even pretend to hide his amusement like a gentleman would. And the sound surprised Lita. First breakfast this morning and now she was hungry again? After months with no appetite, she couldn’t figure it out. She’d lost nearly half her body weight since James left for the west coast and yet now she found herself hungry all the time.

“Dunn, that’s a grown man’s stomach right there. Strange for such a small he laughed, “Don’t worry, dinner will be on the table by the time we tet back home.”

Home. It was such a simple thing to say. Something he probably said all the time without ever really thinking twice. But for Lita, she hadn’t been anywhere that truly felt like home since James left. And the day he died, her only home died with him. But it was nice to hear someone talk about home and include her in it. It felt like a spark of lightning in her darkness. Maybe Stace had been right, this sense of belonging, of being important, was what she’d secretly been craving all along.

“Oh but, um listen, I should warn you,” Brody looked out of the windshield, completely avoiding Lita’s stare, “Sometimes Erica comes by for dinner. mean I don’t know if she’ll be there tonight but… you know… she doesn’t war anyone first, just shows up even when she and Alpha are on another of their infamous breaks…

“Okay… should I know her? I don’t think I’ve met an Erica… Is she another pack member?” Lita straightened up in her seat, flipping her new bank card absentmindedly in her hands. Why did she feel fidgety all over again? She was just looking for something to occupy her during the drive, she reasoned to herself.

“Shit, Alpha didn’t mention her to you when he said he was rejecting you?” Lida gave him a wide–eyed stare and Brody scratched his neck. “Look, I really shouldn’t have said anything I thought he would have told you already so you wouldn’t be upset. But, I guess either way, the wolf’s out of the bag now, She’s from his birth pack, moved out here a few years ago. Anyway, she and Alpha… uh… well before he knew about you…”

There it was. There was the unconscious reason for her nerves. She knew the second she heard the woman’s name that it wasn’t going to be good news. Lita felt her heart drop. Why the hell did she even care what he did? Her stomach twisted, robbing her of every hunger pain. She suddenly didn’t want dinner at all.

They weren’t married. Hell, they weren’t even dating. He didn’t want her as a mate, or whatever either. She shouldn’t have cared at all, but she did, it’s Just an irrational biological response, she told herself. Brody was still snapping his eyes back and forth from the road to her. Old fears climbed up her spine and she reacted.

“Keep your eyes on the fucking road, Brody!” He jumped, hands white knuckling the wheel. “Sorry, It’s just–nevermind. Just say it, I’m not fragile,” Lita huffed, pretending to be stronger than she was, knowing in reality she was actually as fragile as glass, barely holding together after being Shattered. “They were fuck buddies or something? Friends with benefits?”

“Nah, they’re the whole shebang, you know? Well, let me not say that, they’ve been on and off for a long time. She’s a pain in the ass and between you and me, I don’t like her. But they had been on for like a month straight this last time. I think they split like a week ager so the odds are good that she’ll invite herself over.”

1/4

Get Your Mind Right

himself? She wanted to scream. Brian was her ex–And

could he?

herself. This was why he was going to reject her. Hadn’t he said as much? That mates could come in a ruin whatever relationship was already there? God,

road so he couldn’t see her misting with unshed tears. It was stupid to feel so rejected. So hurt. Shouldn’t she have been numb to

they are that you’re here, since he still hasn’t

was, putting enough context clues together to know it was probably the wolf equivalent of a wife. Again, why did she care? Why did she feel so disappointed? Was

as he wanted. He didn’t owe her anything. But somehow, since the moment she’d understood what mates were, Lita couldn’t get the thought of him being her perfect piece out of her head. What did that

“And anyway, you two are mates, so telling you is just the right thing to do. We have already blindsided you enough today, I didn’t want that to make you feel worse, you know? I know

you know

but I’m sure it hit you even worse. I don’t

that

I’m

their

cars would still pick up

later they were entering the industrial building behind the gym. Lita hadn’t paid much attention to it on the way out, but now she could see it was taller than the gym, likely made up of three floors and a basement. It was all cement blocks and very little curb appeal, but for this group, external appearances didn’t seem to be the most important thing. Inside, the furniture was nice and

way they cared for the equipment. In the way they

Lita followed him in, trying not to let her emotions get the

seat on her right and Andres sat on her left, in between her and faz. It was a large farmhouse table with matching benches and a weathered black exterior and worn in slopes at each seat. The head of the table was the only sput for a chair. She glanced at

dinner Lita had hardly taken a breath before Cole was sitting at the head

again,

any times can

man make the same

among the others kept Lita from feeling completely ill, but it still stung to see someone so perfect and put together. She made Lita look like a bruised

character. He’d only ever been charming, happy, and flirty. -Lita had never seen him make that face before, but she couldn’t ignore what Brody said earlier. Did the pack not like

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Get Your Mind Right

know you can’t enak for shit. Alphas got a lifetime of ready made takeout menus in his

quietly, a word of caution but not a

around rough fake women in her life to recognize one at first sight. And if she hadn’t been sure, Erica’s next words

She leaned in to kiss him, but at the last second Cole turned so she grazed his cheek. The conversations around the table completely stopped. Stace’s mouth hung open