Beta

Chapter 1

The view of the pack house loomed over me as I looked out the bus window. The wordless reminder that my day had only just begun, even though it was mid-afternoon. I wasn't going to escape this place for hours, and as frustrating as it sounded, I knew it wouldn't be boring. It was a fun-filled afternoon of my Betas constantly asking questions about the meat market weekend I'd just attended at Midland Peak.

Mick pulled up in the driveway of the pack house and then turned to look at me. He offered a plain-faced stare that was about to become a frown and chiding words.

"Shouldn't we deliver everyone to their homes first?"

"No. You and I are going into a meeting. Alec will ensure that everyone gets home safely. Now come and get your bags."

With a huff, I got up from the seat.

"I guess I'll see you when you get back."

"Yeah, lucky me. It will be a slow ride around town because I'm almost positive I've forgotten how to drive a bus."

"Well, good luck with that one. Jojo, you got life insurance, bud?"

His lips pressed tight as he narrowed an eye, trying not to laugh.

"I'll be fine, drama queen."

With a waggle of my fingers, I walked down the steps and left them to their heated conversation about the door remaining open for air flow.

"Your bus may not return in the same shape," I said, dragging my bags out from the cargo bay.

Mick shrugged and closed the door.

"Alec will be fine. Besides, I can't change anything that's about to happen. Your Betas want to discuss the issues, and we are limited to an extremely short amount of time to give the council our answer. So with that in mind, go inside and be nice. They've been stressing over it ever since they found out."

I had five Betas, Mick being one of them. They were the male elders of the pack that placed themselves as Betas after I became Alpha. With no mate, children or siblings, I had no other choice.

Gus and Frank were at the bar when we walked in. With a cheery smile, Gus pushed a drink over to me. It was a fizzy drink which wasn't what I needed before entering a Beta meeting.

"How did the mate meet-up go? Anything you want to tell us before we go into the meeting?"

"Like you lot don't already know," I muttered. "But yes, I saw Konrad there, and things might have changed."

"Changed as in what exactly?"

"He offered to be a subservient Beta to me."

Frank's eyebrows raised as he slowly turned to look at Gus.

"Was that in our information?"

"No."

"What information are you talking about?"

"We received certain pieces of information that told us things were moving well for you."

"What Frank means to say is that when the council representative rang and said that you were at the center of a mating rights ritual fight between two pack members, we started to ask questions. The representative answered our questions in detail because the hotel manager submitted a report as to how the incident began and what happened during and after. Everything that goes on at that hotel during the mate meet-up is reported to the council. It's why we know as much as we do. So, when will Konrad be coming here to make his formal offer of subservience?"

"I don't know. He was ordered into bed rest by his Beta. As it stands, all pack matters are on hold because Ezra refused to take on a temporary leadership."