BETA LANCASTER

PART 13 - THE ALPHA'S PA

TAYLOR

Every time I watch my little mate laugh or smile at one of Kit's stories or jokes, I have to fight the urge to not stab myself in the heart with my own fork. She has no idea how pissed I am starting to get, in fact she's oblivious to fucking everything and anything since my big brother smiled at her. I've been dreading them meeting, I'm not an idiot, as much as we're mated and the mark is having us pull together, the real reason Harper Conway is actually here on our territory is because she wanted Kit not me. I'm just the guy she met in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Every so often, I forget that this isn't real. That us being together isn't based on genuine feelings, that really, we're no more than strangers. That it's the mates mark pulling us together, making me crave her like no other, but fuck me, if she's not getting under my skin. At times I swear there seems to be moments, real genuine moments where this shit truly feels real... and I'm happy. She makes me happy.

Then I have to go and watch how she acts around Kit, and everything unravels. The spell breaks. Reality kicks in. That we were never supposed to be together.

None-of-this-is-real.

What's worse is watching Kit and Harper together because they'd actually make a good couple. If she'd met him first, I've no doubt Kit would have snatched her up as his. I know he's long given up waiting for his wolf to pull towards another she-wolf. That ship has long since sailed. My brother has very little patience for females and rarely engages in more than passing polite conversations at parties. But tonight, he's not shut up. His fucking perfect smile has reached all the way to his eyes as he's hanged on every single word my golden-haired mate has spoken and it's driving me to the brink.

The only other person at the dining room table who looks to be in a darker mood than me is Jenson who looks to be suffering from a post party hangover and has barely muttered a single word after Kit commanded we all sit down for this awful family dinner. All I wanna do is whisk her away back home to our little cabin where she can't be tempted by everything here.

The house, the money... my fucking brother.

Another loud laugh from the end of the table where my mate and brother are sitting giggling together results in me digging my steak knife aggressively into my filet and knocking half the contents of my plate onto the table from the action as I snarl which goes unnoticed. I only snap my eyes up from the plate when I hear Jenson abruptly stand to leave.

"I've not seen you for months brother, surely you can stay till the end of dinner?" Kit frowns at Jenson who just yawns then throws his hood up over his head.

"I'm done. I came, I eat, now I'm fucking off." Jenson says coolly before grabbing up the bottle of red wine off the table and starts walking away as I catch his arm.

"You ok, man?" I question as I look up at him with concern.

Jenson's always liked to party, but even for him he kinda looks like shit.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? The fucking Alphas back." He sarcastically smiles as Kit crosses his arms over levelling him a hard stare.

"Jenson, we have company." Kit reprimands as I see Harper shuffle in her seat looking uncomfortable.

"Well fucking forgive me for not wearing my tux." Jenson scoffs before turning to look at Harper. "But I'm sure Lady Harper Lancaster doesn't give a damn if I'm here or not. Right blondie?"

Harper rolls her eyes not even looking up at my brother before she takes a sip of her wine ignoring his presence completely.

"Exactly." Mutters Jenson, before he turns, striding out of the dining room making the atmosphere even fucking worse.