Page 56 of Overcoming the Beta

“Yeah, we all got knocked around a bit. I’m going to go shower.” Ian states. His mood is getting worse by the second.

“I’ll have to talk with Kelsey about hurting my mate.” I turn and face him.

“I don’t need you to talk to anyone on my behalf.” Ian snaps, then walks away.

I’m left standing in the kitchen, not too sure what I did wrong. This summer has been so wonderful. Ian has learned to juggle being mated while preserving his friendships with Zane and Kelsey. I have also learned how to make time for Jessi and a few of my other friends.

Only recently have things changed. Ian is moodier than normal. He snaps at me easier and he’s always so defensive. He says there’s a lot of stress coming from his father. We don’t talk about it because he doesn’t want to worry me. I know his father can be tough on him. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes, but maybe he wouldn’t be so stressed if he’d just talk to me about it.

We don’t have a dining room here in the cottage, so I set up a table and chairs under a cypress tree in the backyard. I strung up lights and set the table with mixed matched dishes. I love the way everything came together. It’s so artistic.

I put the last bit of food in covered serving dishes, and I pull two bottles of wine from the refrigerator, carefully placing them in the wine chillers, then covering them with ice. Looking around, I’m so proud that I pulled this small dinner party off with an hour to spare. I hate how Ian is being so moody. Is he going to be like this when we move away?

Needing something sweet, I head into the large walk-in pantry. I’ve always thought it was odd that the cottage has such a big pantry, but not a dining room. Looking on the shelves, I spot what I’m after: peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. Reaching for the bag, I sense Ian behind me and I freeze. I want to turn and wrap my arms around him, but I don’t. Not too sure what kind of mood he’s in now and not wanting to provoke him anymore, I stand perfectly still. A moment later, I feel Ian’s body pressed against mine, his member grinding into my ass.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you, angel.” Ian whispers into my ear. He presses his face against my neck and ear. His hot breath teases my skin as he kisses my cheek and neck. My mind is quickly overcome by lust as every bit of hurt feelings are washed away in an instant.

“We have to stop,” I breathe out heavily.

“Why?” He lifts my hair and kisses the back of my neck. I love the way the tingles and sparks radiate when his lips touch my skin.

“Our parents…” I try to turn and face him, but he stops me by grabbing my hands and holding them firm on the shelf in front of me. A surge of electricity bolts through my body to my core, dampening my panties. “Five minutes, angel. I need you so bad right now.” I can’t deny him, not when I need him too. He pushes his hand into my shorts and past my panties, running his fingers up and down my slit. “So wet for me already.” He sucks his mark on my neck.

He slips my shorts off my hips, then my panties. I can feel the smooth skin of his shaft rubbing my ass. He tilts my hips up, lining his member up to my entrance, and with one thrust, he pushes completely inside me. We both gasp and moan as he enters me. He doesn’t waste any time moving in and out of me. My hips match his rhythm. I feel him unlatch my bra and both his hands move to my breasts. I throw my head back in ecstasy as he nips the tender skin on my neck.

“Oh Ian,” I moan as I run my fingers through his hair. I love the way my core is perfectly molded around him, and the way he fills me completely.

“You like that, angel? You like the way my dick feels inside you?” Ian groans in my ear.

“Yes,” I moan from the pure pleasure of being connected with him. He withdraws and spins me around, quickly lifting my leg and plunging back deep inside me. His strokes are short and fast as the pressure builds inside me. I take off my shirt and bra, dropping them both to the ground next to me. He growls, watching my breast bounce up and down with each thrust. I tug on the hem of his tee-shirt and he quickly pulls it over his head. One at a time, he takes one of my hard nipples in his mouth, sucking and licking them, savoring their taste before switching to the other. My moans get louder as I run my nails up and down his back.

“I fucking love you,” he pushes his tongue into my mouth, claiming it as his own. Our kiss is rough and demanding as our tongues battle for dominance. My core pulsates around his member and my body shakes as I fall off the edge, lost in my euphoric high of pleasure. Soon Ian follows. He continues to move in and out while he grunts and groans as he fills me completely.

After we both come down, we stand holding each other, completely sated and in love. We don’t speak… we don’t need to.

“Kate!” I hear my mom’s voice shout.

“They’re early,” I gasp.

“Shit,” Ian frustratingly says while pulling out of me. I can’t help but to giggle as we both frantically put our clothes back on.

**September 2001**

Ian and I drive to the royal palace for the Autumn Moon Ball in silence. Silence is our new normal and keeps us from arguing. We’ve been at school for a month now and share a townhouse off campus with Kelsey and Zane. The first night we were there, I answered the door to a human woman looking for Ian. Her name was Cindy, and she claimed to be his girlfriend for over a year. She was shocked to find out that I’m his fiancée. Ian wasn’t home at the time, but said that she was crazy and had been stalking him. He told me to stay away from her because she might be a danger to me. There were a couple of times she chased me, claiming she wanted to talk. Afraid for my life, I’d run away fast.

The stress of it all came crashing down on me and the pains in my chest started again… at least twice a week. Every time I’d try to talk with Ian about it, he’d always dismiss my feelings and tells me that this is what being an adult is... to just deal with it. The past month has not been fun. I’m isolated from women my age and most of the time, I feel like I’m going crazy. Ian and I are more like strangers that share a bed.I miss home.

We are traveling in a twenty SUV convoy. As we drive through the palace gates, I sigh, preparing myself mentally to put on a fake smile and pretend that Ian and I are a happily mated couple. As I’ve led others to think for months now. Ian ignores me.What’s new?If I wasn’t required to be here as Ian’s mate and future Beta female, I would have just stayed home. We exit our vehicles and as I wait my turn to be greeted by the royal council; I see a group of twelve being led around the receiving line.

‘Mom, why are they skipping the receiving line?’I mindlink.

‘They are unranked unmated males and females. Only ranked wolves go through the receiving line.’Mom mindlinks back.

‘Why are they here?’I scan the group of faces, stopping when I come across Nikki. Her face is full of hatred and disgust.What did I ever do to her?

‘Each pack always brings a group of unranked and unmated members to big functions like this. That’s how I met your dad.’Mom mindlinks back. I sometimes forget about my mom’s humble beginnings. Both her parents were school teachers before they retired, and my mom figured she’d follow in their footsteps.

After we get through the receiving line, we head to the tent in the garden for a formal six-course meal. Everything is very fancy and formal. I didn’t recognize half of what I was eating, but still found everything palatable. Watching my dad eat was funny. His facial expressions as he tasted the food in front of him were priceless. This meal is completely out of his comfort zone. He’s very much a meat and potato kind of werewolf.

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