The Beta

LX

*Rian*

The switch flipped the moment Faye walked into the room. I could smell another, unfamiliar wolf all over her. My feet were planted on the bedroom floor in the blink of an eye. All of the feelings I'd been drowning in were suddenly flushed away. Like magic.

"Somebody's here to see you," she told me, wide eyes scanning me cautiously. "He said—"

"Who is it?" My voice was hoarse and beyond recognition. "Who's here?"

"He didn't give me his name."

I started for the bedroom door, but she caught my arm as I brushed past. Her brows were pulled down in worry.

"He's not alone," she whispered.

My eyes dropped to where her hand was squeezing me. Warmth buzzed all over my body from the contact. I felt somewhat alive again, no longer a soulless body. I bent down to kiss her temple before marching out of the room, down the hall, and out of the front door.

What I saw made my heart rate skyrocket. Rogues filled the street and rushed between houses, banging on doors until my wolves answered. My wolves. The Alpha instinct was kicking in.

"He's the one over there," Faye told me.

"Go back inside," I ordered. "Faye, go."

Her lips pursed in irritation. "Why?"

"These are Rogues and they will kill you. Now get inside or I'll drag you there myself."

She angrily spun on her heel and stormed back into the house. I couldn't be distracted by her while my enemy was invading my territory. I headed into the street towards the man Faye had pointed out.

The Rogue leader was tall, stout, and wiry with a red beard. I recognized him from the one time I'd seen him years ago as a kid. From what I remembered, he hadn't changed at all. A slimy grin stretched across his face when he noticed my approach.

"Rian, correct?" he asked.

"What're you doing here?" I shot back tersely.

He stuck his bottom lip out poutily. "You should really learn how to talk to guests."

"You were not invited," I snarled. "If you are not off this street in—"

"Rian," called a calm voice. Keaton strolled out from behind a minivan. "I brought them here."

"Why?" My temper had spiked and I was two seconds away from snapping a neck or two.

The doctor eyes flickered between me and Maxen, the devil with green eyes. "They have the only treatment for Faye and perhaps Titus, too."

"Treatment?" I demanded.

"We have a special doc," Maxen explained with his infamous smirk. "The kind who can heal Alpha wounds. By the way, not cool, dude. You scratched your anima? Not cool."

A threatening snarl ripped out of my throat.

"Look, do you want us to treat your girl or not?" he asked. "'Cause if you do, you should be nicer to me."

"What do you want in exchange?" I knew he wouldn't come here without some demands of his own.

Maxen flashed me a grin. "Nothing terribly difficult, I promise. But first, do you have any beer? It was a long drive, to say the least."

I took a deep breath to cool my nerves. The sooner I got him what he wanted, the sooner he would be gone. As long as I kept my temper in check, this could pass quickly.