by Cara Wylde
THE BETA’S UNLIKELY MATE
A VALENTINE’S DAY NOVELLA
Copyright © 2017 by Cara Wylde
All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover design by Emma Griffin
E-mail: [email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
MORE VALENTINE’S DAY NOVELLAS
THE ALMA VENUS UNIVERSE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER ONE
The whole flight, all Jocelyn Blackmane could think about was what she expected the place to look like. She had heard that the island was a sight to behold, and that the palace was an even better experience for anyone who was interested in medieval architecture. The only thing that took away some of her excitement was the silence that had fallen between her and Ryan, her trusted Beta, since the moment they had boarded the private jet. The tall, dark haired man had been acting very strange the whole flight. He was more silent than usual, and his grumpy ways were even more evident than what she was accustomed to.
Jocelyn had to keep looking outside her window to avoid the palpitations she felt every time Ryan looked at her. At one point, his green eyes had looked so deep and mesmerizing, it felt like she was being enchanted. When she had the impression he was looking in her direction, she would pretend she was lost in thought, or attending urgent pack business on her phone.
Ryan could not get his eyes off Jocelyn; a few times, he almost got caught staring at her, but he quickly put on one of his famous blank expressions and looked away. He did not know how much longer he could keep up this obvious lie to himself and to everybody else in the pack. His first responsibility was to be her Beta, and he had no business even thinking about Josie in that manner. He wished he had never tapped into those stupid feelings during the Battle at Alma Venus, when he thought he would die if something happened to his Alpha.
The feelings came rushing back when he remembered how he had felt when he thought she had been wounded too badly for her body to heal. He remembered how limp her body had been that day, as he carried her away from the battle field in his strong arms. He had never felt so committed to her in his life, and Ryan knew that it wasn’t his loyalty as a Beta that drove him to protect her. It was his feelings that had made him want to risk his own life to be with her. Even now, he couldn’t bear to imagine what his world would be like if he ever lost her.
He watched as her eyes flickered with excitement from something she had seen out the window. Her joy was evident and, naturally, Ryan wanted to know what it was that had made her eyes sparkle. She uncrossed her legs and put her hands on the window. She looked like an excited young wolf on her first hunt. He followed her gaze, and couldn’t believe his eyes when he was met with the most amazing sight. He was not one to be sentimental, but the island over which they were flying took it out of him. The pilot brought the plane to a hum, as if he knew they were taking their time enjoying the view.
Svartvinge was the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago, which belonged to Norway. Sure, it might have been because one of the wealthiest, most ancient clan of dragon-shifters owned it, but both Ryan and Jocelyn knew the simple fact that not too many people lived there played a huge role. Nature could do wonders where humans weren’t around to spoil its beauty.
They landed, and as they got off the jet, Ryan and Jocelyn felt free. There was just something about this place that screamed freedom and lack of responsibility or worry. It felt like the island itself was telling them to take deep breaths, let the cold, fresh air fill their lungs, and relax. They had both mastered the art of controlling their inner wolves a long time ago, but the island had a way of making them want to set their beasts loose.
The water sparkled with each tiny wave. It was as if stars fell from the sky and decided to land all around the Svartvinge Island. A shiver caused Jocelyn to get goosebumps up and down her arms. She could see dragon-shifters fly in the sky without a single worry. Both she and Ryan were glad they didn’t have to hide their true selves when they went about their daily activities. It liberated them to be true to the world that had accepted them only a century ago, when the peace treaty between humans and shifters was signed.
They moved away from the jet and walked towards the palace. If she had had her way, Jocelyn would have loved to come here on other matters that were not business. She imagined being able to relax while she read a book by the water and watched the sights the island had to offer. For a minute, she had even forgotten about the handsome man who was walking beside her.
Ryan stood tall; he always looked like a mountain compared to Jocelyn. He walked briskly and scrunched up his nose every time a breeze hit him. He was taking in the scents around him to familiarize himself with the place, but Josie had never seen something that cute in her life. She had seen hundreds of wolves do the exact same thing, but with Ryan it felt different.
As she saw the palace grow taller ahead of them, Josie looked to her right, where she was able to spot the glacier inside which Eric, the Alpha of Clan Drekinn, had hibernated for a little over seven hundred years. That was more than a lifetime for her own kind, and Josie respected the dragons for that, if not for anything. Their two families were very close, and even though she never said it, Jocelyn felt a strange sort of pride envelop her every time she thought about it
“What do you think?” Jocelyn turned towards Ryan just enough to catch his gaze. “We should check it out later, if we have time.”
Ryan suppressed a smile, and simply nodded.
“It would be a shame to leave the island without taking a peek up there, in the mountains. It would be something to see the cave Eric slept in.”
Josie could already imagine shifting into her wolf form and breathing in the icy air at that high altitude, running free and wild, enjoying all the scents, and feeling the soft snow under her paws. She had heard rumors that some parts of the glacier were made of ice so clear that one could see the sun pour through the glass. There was a forest of thick trees that surrounded the glacier, and that could provide great exercise for her and her Beta after their long flight.
They finally arrived at the palace. It was impressive beyond words. It beat Schloss Blackmane, their own home back in Germany, in grandeur, and they could estimate it had roughly around 200 rooms. The outside of the building was quite breathtaking because, other than the intricate stone design that had been used to build the palace up, there was what looked like dragon scales in patches on the exterior of the walls. Josie promised herself to find out before she left whether those were real dragon scales or just replicas. Either way, it would make for an interesting discovery because… how would they take the scales off the dragons, and where would they get replicas for scales which looked so real and life-like?
When they reached the gates, Jocelyn and Ryan looked up to admire the stone dragons guarding it.
“Eric and Viggo?” asked Ryan.
Jocelyn tried to ignore the butterflies his voice alone awakened deep in her stomach.
“I’m not sure, but why not?”
She had not yet met Eric, but she had met Viggo, his Beta, during the Battle at Alma Venus. He was the one who helped them win. Without a dr
agon on their side, Clan Blackmane would have never gotten out of there alive, and Jocelyn’s brother, Max, would have surely lost his wife and his unborn child.
“Dragon-shifters have a big enough ego to decorate their homes with their own statues.”
As Ryan and Josie were taking in every detail, two young dragons landed in front of them. A wing almost touched Josie, and she instinctively took a step back.
The two dragons reveled in the moment, taking their time to plant their feet firmly on the ground and regain their balance. Their movements created a mini earthquake around their feet, making Josie cringe at the unexpected thud. One was black and the other silver. Their wings flapped, creating huge waves of air. They were young, but still big enough for the two werewolves to have to tilt their heads slightly to look into their golden eyes.
In a matter of seconds, they changed into their human form, and in front of Ryan and Jocelyn stood two naked young boys, roughly seven years of age. They introduced themselves as Jax and Carr.
“Boy, you’re a grumpy one,” Carr said as he nudged his brother in the ribs while pointing at Ryan.
“Careful there, boys,” chuckled Jocelyn. “He’s not the kind of guy you want to joke around.”
The Beta did his best to keep a straight face. “No wonder Eric Drekinn has to renovate half of his palace,” he thought. “His sons are a handful.”
The boys were having quite a good time poking fun at Ryan that they didn’t hear their father approach the gate.
“I see you’ve already met the two knuckleheads responsible for your impromptu visit,” Eric said.
“I swear it was an accident, and it was entirely Jax’s fault! He pushed me before I was ready.” Carr said for the thousandth time that past week.
“I’m sure it’s all part of the learning process,” Jocelyn encouraged him. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
Carr smiled, but Eric didn’t look as amused. He turned to his son:
“I’m still trying to figure out if things had gone differently if you had been ready when Jax pushed you. Would you have crashed into one of these statues, maybe?”
Jax snickered, and Carr punched him in the shoulder.
Eric sighed and shooed them both in the direction of the palace.
“Go put some clothes on. If your mother finds out you welcomed our guests like this…”
That seemed to calm the boys down. They exchanged a worried glance, then turned around and raced each other to the part of the palace that was still standing.
“Welcome to our lovely home!” Eric said with a hint of sarcasm.
Jocelyn smiled, while Ryan merely raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll show you to the left wing later, so you can assess the damage and see what can be done.”
“Absolutely,” said Josie.
They followed Eric, both eager to see exactly how bad it was. From where they were standing, not much of the left wing was visible.
As they went up the stone stairs, Jocelyn couldn’t help but notice how handsome the dragon-shifter was. Eric Drekinn was so old that no one knew his age anymore, but he looked like he was in his thirties. His raven black hair was tied in a low ponytail, and the elegant suit he was wearing fit perfectly over his bulging muscles. He stood effortlessly at the same height as Ryan, which said a lot, because Ryan was a mountain of a man in his human form.
As they ascended the top of the stairs, a frail woman with blonde hair that fell down to her waist appeared. She was dressed in a long white dress which made her look even more delicate and vulnerable. Her fair skin glowed, and her blue eyes looked like they were always smiling. When she came closer, Josie recognized Delyse. She had met her at the Alma Venus Boarding School, but that was so long ago, and they had interacted so little, that Josie wasn’t even sure she would have recognized the woman in other circumstances. Seeing Eric wrap his arm around her thin waist, it only made sense that she was his bride.
Delyse had been a human once, but now she was a hybrid. That was why her eyes weren’t golden like all dragons’ eyes, but of an enchanting light blue. As Eric introduced them, Delyse shook their hands firmly, smiling and telling them how grateful she was Clan Blackmane had accepted to help them. She acted so much like a lady that, for a split second, Josie wished she had been as feminine and delightful as Delyse.
“I’m sorry we have to do this in such a rush,” Delyse said. “But yeah… February, you know. Winter is not very pleasant in Norway at this time of the year, and even though the cold doesn’t affect us, the snow and wind do affect the structure of the palace.”
Eric kissed the top of her head and nodded towards Jocelyn and Ryan.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go get Viggo.”
Delyse watched him disappear in what looked like an enormous living room.
“Let me show you to your rooms,” she said. “Viggo will find us.”
The two werewolves followed her up the stairs to the second floor.
“How is Avelyn?” Delyse asked.
Avelyn was Jocelyn’s sister-in-law, and Delyse’s best friend. With their new duties as mothers and Alpha brides, the two didn’t get to see each other that often.
“She’s fine. Back home at Schloss Blackmane, taking care of the pups. If you think Jax and Carr are rumbustious, you should see Nick, Luke, and Jake. They break stuff all the time.”
Delyse laughed. “Did they destroy half of the castle, too?”
“Well, not yet. Thank God wolves can’t fly!”
They both laughed, and even Ryan let out a chuckle. Was it weird that he rather enjoyed this light chat about children? He would never have pups of his own; not if he followed his heart. Of course, he could always choose a human mate who could bear his children, but he had no interest in human women. Or shifter women, for that matter. If he was to be completely honest with himself, he had no interest in any woman who was not… the tall, slender she-wolf who was ascending the stairs in front of him, giving him a nice view of her long legs and strong hips. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it before these most unwelcomed thoughts gave him an erection he could not hide.
They reached the second floor, and Delyse guided them down a large, well-lit corridor. As they stopped in front of a tall door, Viggo caught up with them.
“Hey there! Thanks for coming! How was your flight?”
“Oh, it was great,” said Jocelyn. “Especially the part where we flew over the island.”
Viggo was the complete opposite of Eric. He was just as tall and well-built, but his hair was dark blond, messy enough to stick into his beautiful golden eyes, and his whole demeanor was laid-back and carefree. Unlike Eric, who took his Alpha status seriously, Viggo preferred to wear plain T-shirts and tattered jeans. It had a lot to do with the fact that he had never hibernated, so he was up to date with the world and modern fashion, which focused on comfort. After seven hundred years of hibernation, Eric still had trouble getting used to the new order of things, and clothes gave him a hard time.
“I can’t wait for you to see the left wing,” Viggo continued. “When we saw what the kids had done, we thought Blackmane Constructions was the only company that could save us.” He laughed.
“Aww… we’re pretty good, yes,” said Jocelyn. “At least that’s what our clients say.”
“You do need to rest, first.” Delyse opened the door. “This is your room, Josie. I hope you like it.”
The she-wolf stepped inside and went straight to the huge windows.
“That’s a nice view of the glacier. I love it! Ryan, come check this out!”
The Beta’s heart skipped a beat. He peeked his head inside and took in the large room and the soft bed. “Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.”
Josie turned to him, a big smile on her face. She caught him staring at her bed, and a wave of heat started in her lower belly and spread up to her chest, neck, and cheeks. What was it with her that every time she looked at Ryan, images of his big, strong body covering hers flooded her mind? T
his had to stop. It was getting embarrassing.
“Well, your room is a couple of doors down the corridor,” said Delyse, pointing to another door. “I’ll let you two set in.”
“How about we meet for lunch in an hour?” suggested Viggo.
Ryan cleared his throat. “Sounds great.”
“See you downstairs.” Viggo took Delyse’s hand, and they started back towards the stairs.
Josie crossed the room and leaned on the open door.
“Isn’t this strange?” she whispered. “Delyse was promised to Eric, and she ended up being mated to him and his Beta. Seeing two dragons share really is something.”
“Yes. I can’t quite wrap my mind around it, to be honest.” Ryan made sure to put some distance between himself and his Alpha. “If I ever got a bride, I don’t know if I’d be able to share.”
Josie laughed. “Thinking of my brothers, they wouldn’t, either. Apparently, werewolves are more selfish that weredragons.”
“When it comes to love…”
“Huh. When it comes to love.”
Silence fell between them, and Ryan decided it was time to check out his own room.
***
Ryan was very impressed with the way the palace had been built. The room was filled with depictions which appeared inhumanly detailed. He scanned the art and quickly found the trademark of the eagle-shifters. Their keen eyes and attention to detail made the eagles fantastic artists.
Jocelyn wandered around her room and took in all the gorgeous decorations, but soon decided to go see if Ryan’s room was quite as marvelous as hers was.
She knocked on the door, and a raspy “Come in!” was soon heard. He had his massive back turned towards her. He seemed quite huge, and it did not help that he had taken off his shirt.
In werewolf form, he was probably the largest wolf in Clan Blackmane. He had fought in many wars, and his scars could tell his story. The scar that drew people’s attention the most when they met him was the deep white line that ran from his jaw, all the way to the corner of his right eye. That made him even more attractive in Josie’s eyes. One could tell he had a certain air about him – he could probably get out of any kind of trouble. The sheer idea that he was so strong, almost unbreakable, was so attractive to Josie, that lately she had found it very hard not to jump his bones every time they were in the same room.
