Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Lanie

| woke up suddenly, my heart pounding out of my chest.

Xander and Zane were still on either side of me, fast asleep.

We'd all collapsed in exhaustion after hours of desperate, passionate love-making.

It was a satisfying, uncomplicated whirlwind of a night.....

So why did | feel so off?

And then it hit me.

My mother and Gabriela were waiting downstairs.

Today was the day the spell would be cast.

This moment might be the last time | ever saw Xander and Zane.

For a second, | considered waking them, kissing them, going for one more quick round, but it would only make things more complicated.

And maybe they wouldn't let me leave...

| crept up off the floor and tiptoed out of their quarters and into my own, dressing quickly and rushing downstairs.

My mother and Gabriela ushered me out of the mansion and into a car without a word.

No one else knew what we were doing and if we were caught leaving, there was no good excuse.

| placed my hand on the window as we drove away, wondering if I'd ever be back there again.

“Why are we in human territory?” | asked a little while later, suddenly realizing we'd just crossed the border

into the nearest human city

“Witches aren’t welcome in ours anymore,” Gabriela explained. “They need to hide in plain sight.”

She parked in front of what looked like a regular human doctor's office.

I'd never been to one myself. We only had pack healers, but I'd heard of them and seen photos.

Now that | thought about it, I’d never actually spent time in human territory before, there wasn’t any need

“How do you know about this place?” | asked

Gabriela waved her hand in the air. “Don’t worry about it, Lanie. | promise they'll take care of you here.”

uncomfortable-looking seat.

The room was cold and sterile, and | had the overwhelming desire to shift right there and run all the way back to the Constantine mansion.

Gabriela and my mother had only been sitting with me for a second when an older woman called my name. We all followed her to a back room.

More white tiles, papery surfaces, and a strong chemical smell in the air.

| couldn't wait to get the f uck out of here.

Once the door shut behind us, the doctor gave me a warm smile and extended her hand. | shook it warily.

“lm Isolde,” she said.

Her hair was long and straight and streaked with gray. Her face wrinkled slightly when she smiled, but something told me she was a lot older than she looked.

“Lanie,” | said in a shaky voice.

“No need to be nervous, Lanie,” she reassured me. “The spell involves ingesting a potion, so I’m just going to run a few tests to see exactly what measure of ingredients will work best for you.”

“| didn’t realize this was so scientific,” | said as she stuck a needle into my arm and drew blood.

The p rick of the needle was surprising, but not particularly painful,

Shifters had thick skin.

“It wasn’t very scientific back in my day,” my mother said darkly.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Gabriela patted her on the arm. “Isolde is very careful with her magic, Julia.”

“Yes,” Isolde said. “As such, | would recommend Lanie’s mates take a similar potion. It can easily be slipped into food or drink, and it will help break any bonds between you that might prevent your memories from disappating. It’s a way to make sure the spell really sticks.”

“| can get them to they take it,” Gabriela offered.

She seemed eager, perhaps too eager.

Erasing Xander’s and Zane’s memories of me would erase their memory of vampires, too, wouldn’t it? Was

that what Gabriela wanted? To go back to the old ways?

you.”

Isolde slipped out of the room to run the tests, and | turned to Gabriela.

I

“Does this mean the next time | see Xander and Zane, they won't remember me, either?”

The thought made my stomach turn over.

“Yes,” Gabriela gave me a sad smile. “It’s best if you stay away until the potion has done its job for all of

Isolde entered the room again, a strange look on her face.

“Isn't that right, Isolde?” my mother asked. “Lanie’s better off staying away from her mates until the spell is confirmed to have worked

Isolde looked up at my mother and her eyes were full of worry.

| felt a lump forming in my throat.

Something was wrong.

“lm not so concerned with that now,” Isolde said in a somber tone.

“What I’m more worried about is the fact that Lanie is pregnant.”