Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Chapter 263

Xander

“Just so you know…most of these people will be surprised to see you here,” Mason thought to me and Zane “Because…well…they know that I wanted to..”

“Kill me?” I thought in reply. My chuckle had an edge to it.

He grinned. “Yeah. That. So do me a favor, bro, and hold it together. Okay? These are good people. They’re going to want some explanations, but let me handle it. They’re going to be on my side.”

“Like what, ready to throw down?” Zane thought at us both. Blade rose a bit with a growl.

Mason shook his head. “Nah, nothing like that. I mean, they might be shocked, but they’re not going to come after you two. Unless I give the word, I mean then all bets are off.”

I considered giving him a bit more of a hard time but decided against it. We were here to give Lanie a good time, not to get into a brawl over old fights. Sure, me and Zane would be ready to defend ourselves if necessary, but we didn’t need to have an attitude about all of it.

“Sure, thing, bro,” I sent through the link. “I trust you to keep everyone settled.”

Mason’s eyebrows lifted, but then he nodded. We shared a smile. He reminded me a lot of my father in some ways. In the good ways, I realized. I had a lot of resentment toward my old man that I wasn’t sure I was ever going to fully work through. But I had good memories of him, too, which was more than my brother’d ever

had.

“Hey, there.”

Cautiously, I turned at the sound of a male voice that sounded familiar. “Hank.”

Zane and I had met the older guy the first time we came to Stillwood so I could find out more about the brother I hadn’t known I had. Hank ran the cafe in Stillwood, but he’d also been the go-between when me and Zane showed up to confront Mason.

I hesitated, not sure if he’d want to shake with me-the Alpha of another pack who’d disrupted the peace

in their rogue town. But Hank grinned and moved forward to clasp my forearm with his.

“Glad to see y

boys found a way to get along. From

it’s good

clasped forearms. “Hank. Good to see you,

I kept my back straight and didn’t look toward any of

explanations, and I was going to trust him to do

he thought to

and forth, then

he put his hands on

1/2

going to have to toss you out of here?” Hank said to all three

and I don’t need to tell you that family is more important than old

“Mason?”

brother turned to face a guy about our age. The new dude bristled with faint aggression, and I put a hand on Zane’s chest to stop him taking a step forward. Mason greeted the

“Steven, this is-

who they are. Dude,” Steven

I

thought to Zane as we both watched Mason

he needed us, but Mason stepped up with a grin that seemed to

wanted to annihilate this guy,” Steven said under his breath with

his head. “Yeah, well. Things change. Turns out I didn’t have all

make an informed decision.”

Zane’s chuckle through the link. This was not the hothead who’d tried to tear us apart right in the street the first

a teasing tone that had Mason shooting daggers at

it’s better than having to kick Steven’s a

brother, I took a step toward Steven, my arm extended. The

of my brother’s,” I said, emphasizing

and

gaze shifted toward the house. His grin faded. “Excuse me, there’s someone I need

to watch

“Oh, that