BETA FEMALE MINDY.But the moment I saw him arrive carrying a cooler, my heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t help but get out of the water so he would see me. I forgot there were other men around. Or maybe because I never once saw anyone lingering their gaze on me. Amber wasn’t lying that the others’ attention would only be fixated on their mates. Even Catherine, with her stomach already swelling, I saw how Beta Tyler kept looking at her and licking his lips. I wanted to see if Arlo would have the same reaction. So I was excited and nervous at the same time. I kept telling myself that if Arlo didn’t show the same reaction as the others, I would not be disappointed. As he had already told me how he loved every part of my body. That was already enough. “Can you give me five minutes? I just need five minutes….” I heard him say it, and my eyes locked with his. He was walking toward the river, directly where I was standing, while taking off his shirt. My eyes widened. I didn’t want him
AMBER. I walked up to him, and once I was standing before him, I bent and cupped his jaw. We gazed at each other’s eyes as I let a warm smile curl on my lips. “Thank you for this cabin, my love. And thank you for suggesting that we share this day with them here.”“You’re welcome, Little Rose. You know I will give you the world if I can.” He said before he leaned his head closer and pecked my lips. Simple words, but I knew they had deeper meaning. “Me, too, Zach. I would, if I could.” I mumbled back.“Hey, lovebirds! Enough of that…” Cassidy’s voice rang in the air, and when I spun around, I saw her with her hands on her hips at the center of the living room. I thought she was referring to us, but looking around, everyone was attached to their mates. “We need to set this straight now. This is a friendship camp, not a lover’s lane.” She continued, tapping her foot on the wooden floor. “Yes, ma’am,” Jace answered. “Which means that room…” She pointed at our bedroom, the only bedroom
AMBER. The dinner went well, and so did the rest of the night. I was wrong to think that convincing Zach to let Catherine touch his legs would be difficult. Although I could feel his hesitation, he agreed. But he made me promise that whatever the outcome, I would not be disappointed or disheartened. I agreed almost immediately because he took the words out of my mouth. I wanted him to promise me the same thing, but with him saying it first, it was way better.I couldn’t believe the presence of our friends would help his mood. With all the things going on around us, I almost forgot how it felt to have friends. And I was grateful the others reminded us how much we needed them at this point. The next morning came, and we told everyone what Zach and I decided last night.We invited them to the cabin by the brook, and we could spend the whole day there. And later at dusk, when everything is serene, Catherine could try to heal Zach.The girls and I being excited was an understatement. W
AMBER.I wanted to tell him about Catherine’s offer, but the girls and I decided that I should tell him in private and not put him on the spot. We didn’t want him to feel pressured about it. Catherine already had a notion Zach would decline, as he had been declining the offer from his friends. But they wanted me to try talking to him about it. So I would later, before we go to sleep. The dinner was a joyous one. We talked about everything except his condition and the blood contract. I couldn’t help but remember the happier times when we had no worries, and the only problem we had was whether the men we loved would eventually set their eyes on us. Amara ended up with Jace. And Catherine with Tyler. They didn’t have it easy either, but I could tell they were already done with the hard part and were starting to live the best days of their lives. I wanted to believe I would end up in the same place as they were. I hope so soon, but if not, I will be fine as long as I have Zach with me.
AMBER.The girls and I walked around after Catherine was able to rest for a while. She wanted to walk so it’d make it easier for her once she delivered her pup. By the time we arrived back at the packhouse, it was dinner time. So we headed directly to the main dining room. I hadn’t seen Zach since our last encounter, and although we didn’t have a full-blown argument, we still had a disagreement, so I wasn’t sure how I would face him because I didn’t tell the girls about it. But I guess they could sense it because, like Cassidy said, I wasn’t talking too much about him. I just told them I was tired, but I didn’t think they bought that excuse. “Amber, can you come here, please?” Zach spoke as soon as I entered. I saw him when I entered the dining room. He was at the far end of the dining room, close to the entrance of the main kitchen.“Is there something wrong? Or, do you need anything?” I asked, my brows furrowing.“I need you…”My eyes widened at his words because what did I just
ZACH. “Can I talk to you without our Betas?” Jace asked. “Sure.”He then looked at Tyler and Arlo and nodded at them. The two nodded back before they walked toward the door. But before they could leave, I was not able to stop myself. “Tyler…” I waited for him to turn around before I continued. “I apologize for what I did at your union. I was…”“No harm done, Alpha.” He smiled at me and nodded his head. “I was not upset, and neither was Catherine.”“Congratulations on the Claiming and your union,” I added.His smile grew wider before he bowed his head, letting it stay down for a while before he spoke. “Thank you, Alpha. We will leave you and Alpha Jace now.”I watched as both Betas left and closed the door. My eyes remained on it until Jace spoke. “Three weeks, right?”I nodded.“What are your plans?”“Just waiting to step down.”“Are you staying here after?” He asked, and my eyes darted to him. I didn’t expect the conversation to go this way. I thought it’d be another repeat of what