Mates With Benefits

Renzo’s POV

Saoirse stepped out of the car and quickly clasped her mother’s hand. Her long red hair caught the wind, glowing like fire under the midday sun. While her parents spoke with mine, her gaze locked on me. It took me longer than it should have to look away from that mesmerizing hair, but when I did, I nearly forgot how to breathe.

Her eyes—gods, her eyes. They were large and framed by perfectly arched brows and lashes so long they brushed her cheeks. One glimmered emerald green, the other was half green, half brown. I’d read about that condition before, but seeing it in person was entirely different.

My mom, Luna Helen, gently touched my shoulder.

“Why don’t you show Saoirse around, honey, while your dad and I take Healer Colin and Healer Aela to their new home and the hospital?”

I nodded, stretching out my hand toward the little girl. Her porcelain-pale skin had been kissed pink by the sun. She slipped her delicate hand into mine and smiled. My heart stuttered, and I couldn’t help smiling back.

“I’m Renzo. Would you like to see the lake and the school, Saoirse?”

She nodded happily and hurried a few steps ahead toward the buildings. Mom reminded us to be back in an hour for lunch.

That hour vanished too quickly. People stared at her everywhere we went—mostly at her hair, a living flame with every shade of red woven into its strands.

“Do you like the Pack, Saoirse?” I asked.

She hesitated, then answered cheerfully, though her voice carried a trace of longing. “It’s beautiful. The forest is so big, and the lake is amazing. I want to swim in it one day. Did you know I can swim? I learned back at home when…” Her words trailed off, her expression soft with nostalgia.

“It’s okay to miss your home and your friends,” I told her. “But you’ll make new ones here. You can count me as your first.”

Her whole face lit up at that, and warmth rushed through me.

“But promise me something,” I added, more serious now. “Never go to the lake or the forest alone—not even after you get your wolf.”

My father’s security around the Pack was tight, but rogues still wandered too close at times.

“Come on,” I said, forcing myself to let her hand go. “They’ll be waiting for us to eat.”

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Saoirse’s POV

Renzo is so kind to me. He says he’s my friend already, and even though I was still aching over leaving my best friend Deirdre behind, he managed to lift my spirits in just an hour. I think I’m going to love it here. His smile is so bright that it feels like sunshine, making me feel safe. His eyes are light brown but speckled with green and blue, like sunlight glinting off water. He’s much taller than me, and his messy black hair makes him look boyish and… cute.

The dining room of the mansion was enormous and elegant. After we washed our hands, we stepped inside where everyone was already seated.

Beta Max and his mate, Lottie, were there, with their son Shane sitting beside them. I knew their names because Beta Max had proudly talked about Shane the entire drive from the airport.

At the head of the table sat Alpha Lorenzo. He was massive, with the same olive-toned skin as Renzo. Beside him was Luna Helen, her warm blue eyes glowing as she smiled at us. Her brown hair was styled in an elegant updo, making her look refined and kind. Renzo slid into the chair at his father’s right, and I sat beside my mother.

“You’re just in time, my dears,” Luna Helen said warmly. “I hope you like it here, Saoirse. Soon you’ll make plenty of friends. This is Shane, the son of our Beta couple—and he’ll be Beta himself one day, when Renzo takes his place as Alpha.”

Shane blushed at the introduction. “Nice to meet you, Saoirse.”

“Nice to meet you, Shane,” I replied politely.

I glanced at Renzo, but he didn’t look pleased. Maybe he was just hungry.

The helpers bustled about, setting steaming platters of food before us while the adults spoke with my parents. My dad answered most of their questions, while Mom stayed quiet. She usually did—partly because Dad hated it when men spoke to her. He got jealous so easily.

My mother is small and delicate, with striking green eyes and dark red hair. People stare at her wherever we go. My dad is blond, and somehow, my hair became a fiery blend of theirs. He promised he would be different here—that things would be better. He was the one who asked for the transfer, after all. But back in our old Pack, he’d been madly jealous of one of the doctors.

Mom can’t help being beautiful, and men can’t help noticing her. But when I’m older? I won’t settle for a jealous, possessive mate. Not me.