A Mate for the Beta: (4 page)

Adam grunted a hello at Alec before lowering his eyes to
Liv’s curvy little body.  He grinned wolfishly.

He gently raised his hand toward her. 
“Adam Grey, Alpha.” He said smoulderingly. 
Cocky bastard
.

She smiled timidly
shaking his massive paw.  “I know, I’ve seen you around.  I’m Livia Briers, please call me Liv, I live at the boarding house with my aunt Emerald.”

The Alpha’s eyes flickered for a second at the mention of her aunt, but his smile remained intact.

“It’s very nice to meet you.  Sadly I don’t think I’ve seen you around town, I’m sure I would have remembered.”  He gave her an appraising look and winked at her.

Alec simmered with rage watching the Alpha
.  Alec’s wolf snarled and demanded release,
this other wolf must be challenged!  How dare he?  How dare he touch our mate?  How dare he talk to her that way?

No, no
, no! Adam just didn’t know who she was.  Once he explained Adam would back off. 
He better...

But what about
Liv?  Would she throw herself at him like so many others had?  The Alpha was a bit taller than him, six years younger and definitely better looking.  Alec hadn’t cared before today but suddenly those facts grated on him.

Liv
blinked at the powerful Alpha stood in front of her.  He was gorgeous, like a Greek god brought to life.  She knew that women practically lay down at his feet, enchanted by his good looks, easy going personality and obvious strength of will.  But he did nothing for her.  He couldn’t compare to her Alec, who was better in every way possible. 
Damn, she had to stop thinking of him as hers...

She pulled her hand away
.  “I really better get going.”  Turning back to Alec she said, “it was nice to meet you.”  She held her breath hopefully, waiting for a response.

Alec
mumbled a response but refused to even look at her.  After being so aloof earlier she had thought that he was finally warming to her. 
She must have been mistaken
.  She tried not to let her disappointment show.

Adam opened the door smiling widely at her.  “Bye
Liv.”  He placed his hand on her back, much as Alec had done earlier, to guide her through.  She tensed a little at his touch but he didn’t seem to notice.  

She walked out quickly,
a couple of tears falling down her cheeks. All she could hear was a low rumbling sound as she left.

*

Alec stared at the clock adorning the wall of his office.  It was 11.30pm.  His shift ended an hour and a half ago. 

The thought of going home to his empty house made him agitated.  More agitated than he already was.  It had never felt empty before today. 
Before he met Liv.

He should go for a run.  He was restless.  His wolf was restless too, prowling through his mind howling at him.  The edginess he felt within worried him.  He didn
’t want to lose control again...

Alec had fought hard to get where he was.  His parents had been murdered when he was
13.  Killed by reckless hunters whilst they were running in their wolf forms.  Alec had gone wild, leaving his pack to hunt the men who had taken his family from him.  After he had killed them his pack had refused to allow him back.  He was on his own. 
He had become a rogue
.

He had drifted from town to town bec
oming increasingly violent, spending more and more time as his wolf.  His humanity slowly started to slip away.

Eventually age
19 he had ended up in the town of Rose.  He had tried to attack a human but had been stopped by the Alpha, Gideon.  Gideon had seen potential in him, taking him in hand and teaching him discipline, training him as a Beta.  Alec had learnt how to control his considerable anger. 
He became a model of restrained rage. 

Alec had been content with his life and everything he had achieved in the pack until that moment.  He was proud to be Adam’s Beta.  The two of them were like brothers.  The old Alpha, Gideon, was more like a dictator than a brother.  He ruled with an iron fist.  As grateful as he was to Gideon for taking him on and training him as a Beta it was a good day when Adam took over. 

Gideon was too prejudiced to be a great leader, he allowed his hatred over anyone different to himself to fester and infect the rest of the pack.  Things in the town had been improving since Gideon’s death.  The human leaders of this town now had a healthy respect for the pack and their abilities, one of the reasons that the job of Sheriff had been offered to him – a wolf.  They were finally making inroads with the humans and, to a lesser degree, the witches in this town.

Speaking of
...  His thoughts turned back to Liv.  He was embarrassed by the way he had acted when he met her.  He had barely been able to restrain his wolf and so had been detached and cold, then when he finally managed to be a bit more friendly he had let his jealousy over his Alpha take over and had almost shifted in front of her.  As she said goodbye to him his wolf had clawed so much control from him that he could barely form words. 

He groaned and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. 
She was the prettiest creature he’d ever laid eyes on.  Petite but curvy, with milky skin, deep blue eyes and lush pink lips.  He’d felt like a teenage boy who’d just seen a naked woman for the first time.  He only prayed she hadn’t noticed his obvious arousal.

She was his mate.  He was certain of that.
  There could be no doubt. 
She belonged to him
.  He knew it from the moment he realised that scent belonged to her. He had been rock hard since that moment, and thinking of her again was making the swelling downright unbearable. 

What was he thinking?
  She was fourteen years younger than him; she was only just old enough to drink.  She was young and vibrant, what would she want with an old wolf like him? 

After all the things he had done did he even deserve a mate?  He had never even considered taking a mate before today.  Since the age of
13 he had lived alone and found that he preferred it that way.

He had no problem cooking, cleaning,
doing laundry.  When he needed sexual release he went to the bar and found a willing partner.  There were no end of women keen to take him to bed.  He’d been around, that was for sure, but none of them lasted for more than a couple of months.  If he found them becoming clingy or worse trying to tell him they loved him he ended things.  He preferred to be alone. 
Or at least he thought he did.

He picked up his pen and tried to concentrate on the mountain of paperwork before him, but found that his thoughts kept returning to her.  Maybe he should take a cold shower in the locker room.  Maybe he should ring
Liv and ask her to join him.  She could kneel in front of him and slip his arousal between her full pink lips, he could enjoy taking her lush body against the shower wall.  She would wrap her legs around him and he would push his thick shaft into her sheath.  She was a tiny little thing, he imagined that she would be tight and the feeling of being inside her would be glorious.  He pushed his palm against his shaft to try and move it to a more comfortable position. 
He really ought to stop thinking about her.

He didn’t know for sure but he suspected
from her scent that Liv was a virgin.  The thought that he could be her first and her last lover made him swell with pride, and the fact that she would be the mother of his pups even more so.  Then again she might not be a virgin, it wouldn’t change his feelings for her of course.  A beautiful woman like her, there was any amount of young men in this town who would happily have took her to bed, and sunk their dicks into her beautiful...  His hands shook with rage and he snapped the pen he was holding. 
He’d kill anyone who had dared touch her!

The all too familiar feelings of white hot rage returned.  Feelings he had managed to repress for years.  He felt them earlier that day too, almost challenging his Alpha.

He was ashamed at how after Liv had left he had almost attacked Adam, thankfully he had reined himself in before it was too late. 
But how on earth was he supposed to react to another wolf flirting his mate?

He knew Adam had only done it
out of instinct, he didn’t have any real interest in Liv.  He wondered if other wolves felt the same way toward their mates. 
Crazily possessive. 
When they met he had done little other than stare at Liv, he must have looked like a loon.

Thankfully Adam hadn’t taken offence at his outburst.  But would Adam be able to ignore it if he
truly lost control?  All of his energy had been spent stopping himself from dragging Liv down to the floor and mating with her right then and there.  He had nothing left to make sure his rage was kept in check.  What if he did something worse next time?

For a brief moment he panicked.  What if she did something to anger him, would he able to stop himself from hurting her?  His wolf snarled at the idea.  He calmed himself.  No he could never hurt her.  She was probably the only person in town he wouldn’t hurt. 
Not physically anyway...

He shook his head. 
How could he even consider trying to bind that beautiful young woman to him?  She deserved so much more.

He should deny her.  He shouldn’t claim her.  He should leave town and let her get on with her life.  The thought of her being with anyone before she met him tore him up - could he really allow her to be with someone else now that he knew what she was to him? 
No, he knew he couldn’t
. 

He knew what he should do, but was well aware that his nature would never allow it.  His wolf was determined to tie her to him
no matter what. And the man certainly wouldn’t argue. 
He was a selfish bastard.
 

Uneasiness stirred within him.  This was all reliant on her actually accepting him as her mate.  It wasn’t a full blown conclusion that she would. 
He could tell she had felt aroused by him but that didn’t mean she wanted to bond with him.  She was a witch not a wolf, the idea of having a true mate might not mean as much to her.  Could Liv have actually felt the connection between them?
Maybe
. 

She wasn’t
just any witch either.  She was the niece of the high priestess wolf hating Emerald Cole herself.  Although he had a hard time imagining the two of them actually being related.  Liv had been polite but bashful toward him.  The other witch was vicious and condescending.  He wasn’t happy at her returning to the boarding house.  The thought of his sweet Liv being there with that spiteful Emerald woman made his wolf snarl.  No, no she wasn’t his. 
Not yet, but soon.

Liv
hadn’t really given him any encouragement but she hadn’t dismissed him completely.  His confidence slowly started to seep back.  He had no doubt about his sexual prowess, he’d been with dozens of women.  Surely he could win Liv over just as easily.

His wolf growled at the comparison between his mate and the other women.

None of them had ever gotten him this excited.  None of them were as beautiful as her.  None of them smelled as good.  None of them had those sweet alluring curves.  All the other women paled due to the fact that none of them were
her
.

The sooner she was officially
his
the better.  Would his pack accept a witch as a member? 
He didn’t give a fuck really
.  He would fight and beat any member who sought to challenge her joining.  He doubted Adam would deny his request, he was much more progressive than the previous Alpha.  And if she didn’t want to join the pack he would leave to be with her.  There was no question of that.

His main
worry should be the disappearance of Iris Bennett.  If someone was randomly abducting witches it meant Liv was a potential target.  Whoever it may be might think twice about a witch if she was mated to a wolf. 
He hoped
.  How soon was too soon to ask her to mate with him?  Should he go to her now?  He could ask her to move in with him.  He could ask her to marry him. 
Nervous excitement swelled within him
.

By this time tomorrow they could be mated, married and living together!
  In no time at all she could be pregnant with his pup, his seed growing within her belly.  No, no, no, he was moving too fast.  God he needed to get rid of some of this energy.

His clothes were too restrictive.  He needed to get out of them.  Hell
, his skin felt too tight at that moment.  He needed to shift and go for a run.  He ran out of office and out through the back door that led straight to the woods.  Everyone on night duty must have thought he was possessed.

He shed his clothes as he ran, quickly turning into his giant grey wolf.

Chapter Five

13
th
September

Alec sat on the steps of the library yawning deeply.

“Morning Sheriff, rough night?”  He hadn’t even heard Terri arrive.  He wondered if there were any cat shifter genes in her family tree.  Or maybe it was a side effect of being a librarian.

She walked past him and unlocked the door, flipping the sign to open as she went in.  He followed her.

Alec had spent half the night running and the other half hunting.  Neither of which left him satiated.

He had come to make very gentle enquiries about
Liv.  Such as whether she had a boyfriend, who the boyfriend was, where he could find said boyfriend so that he could kill him... that kind of thing.  He had discovered from Gabe, that Liv and Terri often had lunch together, so he guessed they were friends. 

Terri was a
charming woman of Chinese heritage in her late twenties, her wide almond eyes and glowing skin made her very pretty.  She had casually dated a few younger men in town, including one or two shifters, but was quick to halt things if it looked like they were becoming serious.

Alec wanted to dislike her
for this but logically he knew her relaxed attitude towards sex was no different than his own. 
Of course that had all changed for him now
.  At least Terri was always direct and honest about what she expected from the men she dated, it was just unfortunate that young shifters tended toward the possessive. 
Not that he could talk...

Given that she worked with an older human
, and motor mouth, called Mrs Martin Terri was a good source of gossip.  But whilst Mrs Martin was completely indiscreet about who she told what to, Terri was a little more sensitive, and if he asked her a few questions it wouldn’t be broadcast to the entire town within six minutes.

After switching the lights on she went and made herself comfortable in her round central desk.  A few patrons started to filter in and they called out greetings to both Alec and
Terri.

“What brings you here Sheriff?”

He leaned on the counter.  “I was wondering if you could help me.”

“Sure if I can.”

Her attention was briefly drawn away and Alec saw her smile at a young wolf called Mal Tanner who was hovering around periodicals.  Mal winked and leered back at her but yelped and retreated further into the library when Alec glowered at him.  Terri blushed.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“I know what you’re thinking...”

“It’s none of my business.”

“Mmm hmm.  I know he’s a few years younger than me, more than a few in fact...”

Not as many as
Liv is to him though. 
“Really Terri, it’s none of my business.”  Alec cleared his throat.  “I just wanted to talk to you about Emerald Cole.”

She looked puzzled and cocked her head to the side.  “
I’m not sure how much I can tell you about
her
.”  Clearly Terri wasn’t her biggest fan.

“I’m trying to get a handle on
how to deal with her.”  He decided to take a roundabout route in order to get information on his mate.  Just asking about Liv outright would be suspicious.

“
I can’t tell you much really, her highness rarely graces us with her presence.  I think the only time
I
ever saw her in here was about two years ago.  It was my first week here and the queen bee came stalking in screaming the place down.  She was looking for Liv.”  Terri blew out a breath trying not to get angry at the memory.

Alec stiffened.  “What was the problem?”

“I only found out a few days later.  At the time she was just screeching about how Liv was a wicked girl and pushing and pulling her out of here.   I tried to stop her but Liv begged me to not to do anything.  Old Mr Greenwood, bless him, tried to intercede and almost got his eyes scratched out.”  He was the librarian before Terri and must have been about eighty at the time.

“Why didn’t anyone call the Sheriff?”

She snorted.  “We did.  No offence to your predecessor but Sheriff Barnes was as useful a Sheriff as a wet fish!  He heard Emerald Cole was involved and didn’t even bother to get off his butt to come over.  He told us he wasn’t suicidal!”

Alec tapped his foot impatiently.

“It was pretty horrible.  But when I finally got hold of Liv she was all smiles like nothing had happened.  I asked her if she was okay after what had happened.  She said it was just the way her Aunt Emerald was.  I pressed her and Liv admitted that her Aunt was mad at her because Liv had been giving healing potions to a wolf.  Emerald was apparently livid that her niece had been ‘consorting with the enemy’ and helping to heal them.”

Alec stared at her.  Terri said quickly, “
Liv was just trying to be nice, that wolf was in pain, if Liv hadn’t helped who knows what would have happened.  And no, Liv never actually told me their name so you can’t punish them for it.”  Heat had risen to her face.

Alec held up his hands in a placating gesture and said softly, “I would never punish
any wolf for that, just like I would never punish any witch for that either.  I’m just surprised that Liv would be brave enough to go against her aunt.”

Terri
smiled.  “Liv’s pretty brave, not to mention sweet natured. Liv doesn’t complain but I can tell she isn’t treated well.  Liv’s mother Sapphire was Emerald’s sister and was even more powerful than she is.  Emerald worshipped her, and she can’t get over the fact that Liv isn’t like her.”

“
Liv told you this?”

“Not all of it, some of it I gleaned from the other witches from the boarding house.  FYI they’re not as loyal to
Emerald as she likes to think.”

Terri
was interrupted when Gwen Lucas a young wolf shifter and pack member came to check out a book.  She looked at Alec with interest and tried to linger to listen to their conversation but a hard look from Alec had her scuttling away.

“Anyway,
Sapphire died protecting Liv from a, err, rogue werewolf.”  Terri looked embarrassed but Alec remained impassive.  “The rogue attacked the family and her mother and father fought it so Liv could get away.  Liv felt guilty over her parents dying and Emerald has made it clear that she wished Liv had died instead of her sister.”

“That bitch!”  Everyone in the library looked round startled at Alec’s outburst but
Terri didn’t seem perturbed.

“I know right!  Woman’s a nasty piece of work.  I’ve been telling
Liv to move out for years, but she’s never been able to hold down a job.  Emerald always talks to her managers and gets her fired.  I tried to have Liv move in with me but every time she tries to leave Emerald suddenly becomes ill and needs Liv’s help.  Emerald’s a control freak, she wants to keep Liv under her thumb.”

“Doesn’t she have a boyfriend who can help?”  Alec asked holding his breath, fearing the answer.

“No.  Most men are too afraid of Emerald to ask her out and recently any that have she’s turned them down.  Although I get this feeling there is someone she’s crushing on but she denies it, she’s been kind of moony for the last few months.”

His wolf growled.
Was Liv already in love with another man?
 

Terri looked at him quizzically. 
“Did you get the information you needed?”

“Yes.”  If
Terri thought it was odd that Alec had asked her so many questions about Liv she didn’t say anything.

She shrugged.  “You know,
Liv’s a wonderful person.  If anything could be done to, umm, help her out with Emerald... that would be great.  I worry about her.”

Hearing of her affection for
Liv warmed him, he found himself liking Terri more and more.  He smiled and nodded at her.  “Thanks Terri, take care.”

“You too Sheriff.”

Alec left the library his head swimming with thoughts about Emerald Cole.  She was poison, he had to get Liv away from her.  Then there was Liv’s mystery crush, he had to get Liv away from
him
.

Alec stared absently at his surroundings thinking about his next move.  He froze as he noticed
Liv sitting in the Honeypot Diner across the road.  Thankfully she was alone.  His legs started moving towards her before he could even engage his brain.

Yes, an early lunch with his mate is what he needed.  His wolf yipped in happiness.

*

“Mind if I join you?”

Liv started at the sound of his deep voice and dropped her book.  It slipped to the floor.  Alec chuckled and bent down to retrieve it.  Kneeling next to her he handed it back to her.  “Sorry didn’t mean to startle you.”

She
reached out to take it but he didn’t let go.

“So...?”  The corners of his mouth turned up.

“Hmmm?”  His beautiful honeyed brown eyes sparkled.

“May I join you
?”

“Oh!  Yes, of course.  I’m sorry.”  She looked away from him in embarrassment.

“Nothing to be sorry for.”  He smiled reassuringly before settling into the chair opposite her.

She looked around wondering if perhaps the diner was busy and that was why he had sat with her.  Nope, there were lots of spare tables. 
Her heart thudded in her chest. 
He wants to sit with me, he wants to spend time with me. 
No, a nasty little voice said, he probably just wants to talk to you about Iris.

She breathed in and out
slowly trying to calm her heartbeat.

He studied the menu, despite knowing it inside out, sneaking
quick glances at her.  Her blonde curly hair framed her heart shaped face.  She wore no makeup, she was a natural beauty. 
She was an angel.

He cleared his throat.  “What are you having?”

She examined her own menu biting her lip.  He felt his trousers tighten as blood rushed to his groin.  He shifted uncomfortably.

“I think the chicken
kiev and an iced tea.”

“Me too.”
  He said quickly.  Both were the last things he would normally order but part of him thought that she might take to him more quickly if he liked the same things as her. 
He desperately needed her to like him
.

“So... is
there any news about Iris?”

He looked at her directly, his eyes were piercing.  She wavered under his gaze and felt heat pooling in her womb.
  “No, I’m sorry.  Nothing yet.”

A young bobcat called Dennis came over to take their order.  He was training to
be an EMT and working at the Diner part time.

“Hey
Liv,“ he called cheerfully looking her up and down appraisingly, a whiff of arousal hit Alec and his wolf grumbled. 

Liv
returned the greeting.  Dennis noticed Alec and cringed.  Alec had arrested him for underage drinking, more than once.  “And hey Sheriff... nice to see you.”

“Dennis.” 
Growled Alec.

Dennis looked between the two of them with interest but dare not say anything.  “What can I get you both?”

Alec ordered for both of them.  An ice tea for each of them, one chicken kiev for Liv and two for him.  Liv was surprised at the double order, she’d probably never eaten around wolves before. 
They eat a hell of a lot.

Dennis
jotted down the order and before leaving his eyes settled on Liv’s generous breasts, widening in lust.  Alec stared at the young man unflinchingly.  Sensing the Beta’s dominant nature Dennis unconsciously bared his neck in a show of submission and backed away.

Dennis was the same age as
Liv.  He was probably the kind of boy she was dating, a silly, young boy. 
What if it was Dennis? 
Would Liv degrade herself by being with a pervy little cat like Dennis?  She needed someone better than that damnit. 
She needed him!

Alec banged his fist on the table
, startling a few of the other diners.  He stared at them until they looked away.  Turning back to Liv there was a look of curiosity on her face but she didn’t say anything.

Absently s
he tapped her fingers on the book she had dropped earlier.

“Good book?”
  He asked.

“Hmmm, don’t know yet.
  It’s a murder mystery, they’re my favourites.  But the murder hasn’t happened yet, there’s just lots of long winded exposition about the characters.  I’m hoping things will pick up once someone dies.”  She blushed.  “That sounds really callous doesn’t it?”

He laughed.  “It’s just fiction
, better to read about it than have it happen.  You enjoy reading?”

He felt her warm to the subject.
  “Oh yes, ever since I was a little girl.  My mother wouldn’t allow a TV in the house, so it’s always been books for me.  I go to the library practically every day.  Did you know you can see right into.... erm, the station from the second floor window.”  She felt herself pale, she was about to tell him she could see into his office, she was about to admit that she had been watching him, she was about to admit that she was a crazy stalker! 
Thank god she managed to catch herself
.