Protected by the Beta

by Bethany Shaw

  “Haven,” a man said from behind her.

  Haven twisted and stumbled. She tried to catch herself but ended up on her butt. The rock she landed on jabbed the back of her leg, and she grunted from the pain.

  This wasn’t the same man from earlier. It was someone different. He wore a long black coat that almost seemed to float around him. His long black hair was slicked back, and his beard went all the way down to his chest.

  He held out his hands, as if gesturing to her that he meant her no harm. Yeah, right. People who didn’t mean you harm didn’t pop up in the middle of the woods like a creeper.

  “Relax, Haven. I don’t want to hurt you.” He took a few steps forward, but stopped when she scooted backward across the ground.

  The action caused the rock to rub against her leg, scratching it. If her leggings weren’t ripped yet, they were now. Pain exploded over her leg, causing her to whimper.

  She kept her gaze on the man, watching, waiting for him to do something. If he tried anything, she was going to... What? What would she do? She didn’t have control of her magic. The first chance she got she was learning every spell, incantation, and anything else to help her use her active magic.

  “Haven, do you know who I am?” the man asked.

  She narrowed her eyes.

  “The man that is trying to kill me,” she said with a growl.

  He frowned and took a step forward. She shot her hands up and glared. “Don’t come any closer.”

  The man froze. “Haven,” he said, his voice dropping low. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, right.”

  “Please, Haven, come with me. I just want to talk to you. I want to help you.”

  Temptation to give in and follow him pressed against her conscience. She shook her head, forcing the thought away. There was no way in hell she was going anywhere with him.

  “Haven.” He said her name again as he reached out to touch her.

  “No!” she screamed. She thrust her hands out. Energy raced through them, sending the man flying backward. His back hit a tree. The trunk crackled and the tree swayed violently but stayed upright, even as the man slipped to the ground.

  Howls bellowed in the distance. Haven didn’t wait to see what the man would do; she shoved herself to her feet and took off through the woods.

  Her heart beat frantically in her chest, her breath coming in uneven pants while her thighs burned. Still, she pressed on, forcing her aching limbs and lungs to keep moving. She had no plans to die today. All she had to do was make it back to Essex. He would keep her safe. She couldn’t explain why she felt that way, but it was an overwhelming feeling that she couldn’t shake.

  The howls grew louder. It was more than just Essex looking for her. A lot more than just him. She didn’t know how many wolves there were, but there were a lot. Their barks grew louder.

  “Essex,” she cried out. She gasped and drew in a deep breath and called out again. “Over here.” She wheezed and coughed, but still continued to run.

  A wolf was in the distance. She waved her arms in the air. It must have seen her, because it howled and made a beeline for her.

  The wolf sniffed her and rubbed its head against her leg before darting off into the woods in the direction of her second attacker.

  More wolves followed after him. Haven put her hand over her heart, it was still beating a mile a minute, and she collapsed on a fallen log.

  She was safe. Her eyes trailed over the path to where the wolves had gone. Would they be okay? Would the man hurt any of them? She swallowed hard. If they were injured because of her, she’d never forgive herself.

  Angry tears pricked her eyes. She’d been tricked. There had never been a child in the woods. The bastards had lured her out there. She was such an idiot.

  She swiped a stray tear away and stood up, glancing around. A woman was marching up the trail. Her auburn hair was swept up and her blue eyes landed on Haven.

  The woman offered a smile and a wave. “Hi.”

  Haven drew in a deep breath and went to meet the woman. “Hi.”

  “I didn’t get to meet you yesterday, I’m Maggie, Lucas’ wife and mate.”

  “Haven,” she said lamely.

  The woman held out her hand and Haven took it, shaking it before letting it go. She looked over her shoulder to the woods where the wolves had disappeared.

  “Don’t worry about them. They’re fine.”

  Haven frowned at the woman. “How can you be sure?”

  “They’d howl if there was a problem. My guess is they’ve just scared off whoever was out there.”

  “I didn’t mean to stray off the trail. I thought I heard a child crying.” It sounded lame now that she was saying it out loud.

  “Don’t beat yourself up. It could’ve happened to anyone.” Maggie put a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you walk back with me? Essex and Lucas will join us once they finish sweeping the woods.”

  “Essex is out there?” Her heart skipped a beat. The men were after him, too.

  Maggie patted her shoulder. “Essex is a skilled fighter, and the other wolves won’t let anyone get the slip on him. He’ll be fine. Promise.”

  Haven stared at the trees for a long moment, but eventually gave in when Maggie put her hand on her elbow and tugged her along.

  “You don’t seem surprised by the wolves. I’m guessing Essex spoke with you.” Maggie glanced Haven’s way. When Haven only nodded, she continued, “It’s a lot to take in, I remember how overwhelming it was when I first learned about it.”

  “It answered some questions I’ve had for a long time. I guess I’ve always suspected there was something more in the world,” Haven admitted.

  “Well, at least you have that. I’m human. I grew up blissfully unaware until a vampire started stalking me.”

  “You were stalked by a vampire?” Haven asked.

  Maggie nodded. “My sister fell in with the wrong crowd. She started dating a guy... a vampire. He got rough with her, so she left and came home to our town. He found her and killed her on accident, or so he said. When he found out she had a twin sister, he became fixated on me... like it was his second chance with my sister.” She shuddered and hugged herself.

  “I’m sorry. That sounds horrible.”

  Maggie nodded. “It was. I was terrified. Thankfully MYTHS found me and brought me here.”

  “MYTHS?” she asked.

  “It’s a super secret magical society, more or less.” Maggie shrugged.

  “And Emerick is a protected town,” she said, remembering what Essex had told her.

  “Exactly. By the time MYTHS hunted down and detained my stalker, I’d fallen in love with Lucas. I can’t imagine leaving here. I never thought true love was real, but the moment I saw Lucas, I knew I was a goner.”

  “So, he’s your mate? What does that mean?”

  “I’m sure someone else could probably give you a better explanation, but it’s just a feeling that starts the second you meet the other person. The more you’re around them, the more you crave their touch and affection, the more you want to get to know them. Once the mating is completed... I’m not sure I could describe it to you. A hundred good looking men could be in a room, but the only one who would matter would be Lucas. The two of us have a connection, too. I can sense his feelings and know when he’s happy, sad, scared. He’s the love of my life.”

  “That sounds nice.” It was too bad she didn’t believe in all that nonsense. Some of it even reminded her of the butterflies she got around Essex, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think it was real. It was just the craziness of the past few days playing with her.

  “It is. I can’t imagine being with anyone else or living anywhere else. I’m truly happy here.” Maggie stopped and grasped Haven’s hand. “I hope you’ll be happy here, too.”

  Haven smiled at the young woman. It wasn’t until she looked over Maggie’s shoulder that she noticed they were back in town and standing in front of Essex�
��s house.

  “I have an appointment in a few minutes, or I’d stay and chat. If you ever want anyone to talk to or have questions, stop by my place. I’d be happy to talk with you. Oh, and tomorrow night is the first full moon of summer. We have a huge bonfire and celebration. You should come out and join us.”

  “Thanks. I’ll do that.” She wasn’t much of a social person, but from what she’d seen of the town, it was tiny. If she didn’t do something, she might go crazy.

  Maggie waved to a woman who was standing on the front porch of Maggie’s home. “I’m the town’s doctor.”

  “Really?” Haven asked. Maggie looked really young. She had to be fresh out of med school.

  Maggie nodded. “So I’ll see you tomorrow night, right?” She shuffled backward toward her house with a smile.

  “Sure,” Haven said.

  Maggie clapped her hands once and then hurried to her house and greeted the waiting woman with open arms. The two spoke for a few moments before disappearing inside.

  Haven went to Essex’s, sighing as she opened the door. The house was empty, not that she should expect him back anyway. How long would she have to wait for him to return? She wasn’t sure she could rest until he was back safe and sound.

  The need to see him safe for herself was overwhelming. It was more than wanting to make sure he was okay because he’d chased a psychopath into the woods. It was... well, she didn’t know what it was.

  She plopped down on the couch and tucked her knees to her chest. She hoped Essex showed up soon.

  Chapter Six

  Essex padded up the stairs and opened the door to his home. He’d borrowed a pair of shorts from Lucas to wear home. Nudity was a part of pack life and didn’t bother anyone here, but Haven wasn’t used to it, so he wasn’t sure how she would react to him strolling in naked.

  It was a good thing he had covered up, because she was sitting at the kitchen table with a spoon in hand and a tub of his mint chip in front of her.

  She’d changed clothes, too. Now she wore a form-fitting tank and short shorts that made his cock ache.

  “Are you okay?” Haven asked. She set her spoon in the tub and stood up, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m sorry. I should have known better.”

  “It’s my fault. I should have warned you The Hags might try to distract you. I should have gone with you, actually.” He took a few steps toward her and put his hands on her shoulders, wanting to comfort her. “This wasn’t your fault.”

  “That’s what Maggie said,” Haven said. She let her chin fall to her chest before she slumped back in her chair.

  “Maggie’s a smart woman. You should listen to her.” He wiggled his fingers, instantly missing the warmth of her skin.

  Shaking his head, he went to the silverware drawer and drew out a spoon. “Mind if I join you? Mint chip is my favorite.”

  Haven cracked a smile. It lit up her eyes, making her even more mesmerizing. She scooted the tub toward him, and he took a seat in the chair next to her. “It’s your ice cream.”

  “You seem to be enjoying it.” Half the tub was already gone, and he didn’t remember opening it. “I’m glad we both like the same thing. I’d hate to have to taint my freezer with butter pecan or rocky road.”

  Haven laughed out loud. “I don’t know... butter pecan is pretty good.”

  He shrugged. “If you say so.”

  Haven sobered and looked around the room before meeting his gaze again. “Everyone else is okay too, right?”

  “No one was hurt except one of the guys who tried to attack you. There were two of them. The one in the black jacket teleported out before we could get him, but the vampire has been taken care of.”

  “Taken care of?” She said the words slowly. The smile fell from her face, like she didn’t approve.

  Essex nodded. “He was a bad man that wouldn’t have stopped until we were both dead. He’s killed others. The human court system doesn’t work for people like us.”

  “I’m guessing there are a whole different set of rules for people like us,” she said.

  “Yeah. The laws you know don’t pertain to us in Emerick.”

  Haven shook her head. “There is still so much I don’t know or understand.” She sighed and licked her lips. “I used my powers today. I didn’t even know I could do that.”

  “They must have manifested because you were in danger,” Essex said. “That’s a good thing. You protected yourself.”

  She looked at her hands. “I don’t even know what I can do. What if I hurt someone?”

  “We’ll work on your magic. I’m a little familiar with witches’ magic. I could help.”

  “You would?” she asked, her voice sounding hopeful.

  “Of course.” He couldn’t have his mate unprotected. Haven needed to know how to defend herself. There was no way she’d get lucky multiple times if she got cornered again. And now that The Hags knew where Emerick was, they would most likely be sending more. Depending on how many they sent, the wards around the town might not be enough.

  “So is teleporting a big one for witches?” Haven asked, drawing him from his thoughts.

  “Teleporting?” he asked with a frown.

  “Yeah. You said the guy in the woods did it. I did it, too, when the vampire came at me. One second he was right in front of me, and then poof, I was gone and somewhere else.” She shrugged and picked up her spoon again taking a big bite.

  He hadn’t heard of any witches teleporting before. That was more of a demonic power. Astral projection and moving things with their mind was more for witches. They had some other active powers, but nothing like teleporting. Some mixed-breeds had the ability, but Haven wasn’t a mixed breed, she was a Goode.

  It didn’t make any sense. It shouldn’t be possible. He’d have to ask Lucas to do some digging in the morning.

  He cleared his throat. “A witch’s powers will vary from person to person. Some are better at spells and incantations. Others are better at potions and such. Active powers vary as well. I have a few books that we can look at in the morning.”

  They were books that he’d picked up, knowing that if he and Haven were ever reconnected, he’d want to know more about her. It was too bad she didn’t know about wolves. He could already imagine how hard it was going to be to explain wolves and their mating habits to her, or the rules of the pack.

  It’d be best if they tackled one thing at a time. Since she was a witch, it made sense to talk about her heritage first. The more she knew, the better she could protect herself against The Hags.

  “Why don’t you tell me more about my family? What were my parents like?” Haven asked.

  “You know nothing at all? Do you have any pictures or anything?” he asked.

  Haven dipped her spoon into the tub and took a big bite before shaking her head. “I have flashes of a woman every now and again, but it’s not enough to make out her face. I know you said they were liked and respected, but I’m hoping maybe you could tell me a little bit more about who they were?”

  “Sure.” He couldn’t imagine not remembering his mom and dad. They had been so kind and loving. Everyone in his family had been close. Not a day that went by that he didn’t think of them. If he tried hard enough, sometimes he could still catch his mother’s scent in the wind. Haven didn’t have that luxury. Her parents had died when she was an infant.

  He cleared his throat. “Your mom was very beautiful. You have her eyes. She was very kind and was helping to broker a peace treaty between my family and the Montrose demons before her death. A lot of people thought it was noble of her. It was a job that no one else wanted. Our two families have a long-standing feud that has stretched on for many generations.”

  “Did the peace treaty fall through because of her death?” Haven asked.

  “No. Not exactly. The Hags attacked and murdered my family before the deal was completed. Your mother was a good soul who truly seemed to care for everyone. I don’t think there is anyone on this earth who coul
d replace her.”

  She smiled at his compliment, and he continued, “Your dad was one of the most powerful witches ever. He excelled in everything he did.”

  “They sound pretty great. What about your parents? What were they like?” Haven asked locking gazes with him.

  “My family?” he asked surprised by the change of topic. He thought of his mother and father, of his aunts, uncles, and grandparents. “They weren’t as outgoing as your family by any means. Wolves are all about family, about being together. We have the pack mentality, if you will. Family first, everything else second.”

  “I’m not sure there is anything wrong with that.” Haven shifted in her seat, causing her knee to brush against his. She sucked in a breath and let it out, but didn’t move her knee.

  He relished in the feel of it before he continued, “I don’t think so, either. My parents always put us first.”

  “You had siblings?” Haven asked. She touched his hand, letting her fingers linger over his. “I didn’t know.”

  “It’s okay.” He swallowed hard. “I had three brothers and two sisters. We were my parent’s world. They’d be there when we woke up in the morning and then we always read a story before going to bed. Sometimes they’d make up a story, or sometimes they’d read us something. It was always something different every night.”

  “That sounds amazing.”

  “It was one of those things that you never know how precious it is until it is gone,” he said. At eleven, he’d thought it kind of silly even though his younger siblings had enjoyed it. Now, he’d do just about anything to hear one more of his parents’ tales.

  “I’m so sorry, Essex.” Haven squeezed his hand.

  He curled his fingers around hers. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago. I can find a little comfort knowing that they are at peace now.”

  “I sometimes think my parents are looking down on me. Is that silly?” she asked.

  “Of course not.” He felt the same way. If his mom and dad could see him, he was sure they’d be proud of the man he’d become. He’d had to earn his title of Beta. It wasn’t just given to him because he’d been raised by the Alpha. He’d had to prove himself to everyone that he was the strongest warrior and capable of protecting the pack.