Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 269

Chapter 269
Lanie
“Hearing Zane sing “Hard Candy Christmas” was one thing,” I said around another flurry of laughter at the memory. Once Mason’s argument with Asher had dissipated, Quinn’s party had ended up being really fun. “But when Mason and Xander dueted with ‘Greased Lightning Gabriela, I swear to the Moon, I almost peed my pants.
“Hey,” Mason said mildly, “Your rendition of “Baby Got Back was truly inspired, Lanie.”
“No Eddie Grayfur classics? Gabriela chuckled softly and set the match to one of the candles on the
mantelpiece.
She’d had a fire going for us when we got home, and now she was adding the candles. She shook her head at her enormous son, bent over and shaking with laughter on the couch.
“You and your human music. Xander always did like to listen to it.” She put the matchbox on the mantel and her hands on her hips. “All four of you smell like a brewery. Do I need to bring you some coffee?”
“We’re all good, Ma. Thanks for watching the kids.” Xander straightened with a grin.
“Yes,” | echoed. “I didn’t realize how much I really needed to just do something…normal.”
“I would not call that duet normal,” Zane said, but his voice was rich with suppressed laughter.
“You all deserved a night out, and I had a good time here with the pups. They did wear me out, though I’m off to bed. Unless you need me for something? Should I wear earplugs to bed in case you all decide to start singing again?” Gabriela raised an eyebrow at us all.
We assured her we were all fine. Once she left, I propped my feet up on the coffee table and let my bod sink into the couch next to Xander. It wasn’t big enough for all four of us, really, but we managed to squeeze by me ending up half on Mason’s lap and half on Xander’s.
There hadn’t been much discussion about the fight between Mason and Asher, or what had happened when Zane stepped in, but I knew we’d all been thinking about it. It wasn’t really my place to bring up the subject, though. I belonged to all of them. Xander belonged to me and also to Zane. Mason belonged to me.
Zane belonged to me, but also..who else?
Gently, Xander pushed me off his lap so he could poke the fire to keep it going. That was his role, to make
sure all of us were taken care of. That we had what we needed to be warm.
I
We all had our places in this family, and I was so grateful for it.
“So,” Xander said quietly and then said nothing else for so long the cr ackles and pops of the fire began to sound like a song. Finally, he finished, “I sensed what happened earlier.”
Mason and Zane nodded, but neither one of them said anything. Sitting between them, I could feel their awkwardness. Like it was Xander’s job to keep the fire going, it was mine to soothe our troubled emotions.
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had to be said.
Zane
“I hope you didn’t think I overstepped.” I had to speak up first, when it was obvious Mason wasn’t going to say anything. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and tried to choose my words carefully. The heat from the fire flared as Xander poked it again. “I apologize if it bothered you.”
“Nah. You were good. I needed that. Needed you,” Mason added casually, like an afterthought.
“I saw things getting out of control, and I knew you wouldn’t want that. Didn’t think it, didn’t suspect it,” | said with emphasis to make sure he understood my full meaning. “I knew it.”
I looked up, and Mason met my gaze.
He nodded. “You were right.”
“Was it instinct?” Xander put in, sounding curious. “Like, you’ve done that for me so many times. Walked me back from the edge. Redirected me when it was necessary.”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “It felt instinctual. But that’s what being a Beta means. Acting on instinct to do the things your Alpha needs.”
There. I’d said it out loud. That Mason didn’t just share his Alpha status and his Luna mate with Xander, but maybe…he might share me, too.
“I’ve been thinking about it all day since it happened, Mason admitted. He got up to pace, and Xander stood back, out of the way.
That small action of courtesy, giving his brother the room to move, said more than words could. Lan and I shared a look. She was bearing
I wasn’t sure what or how to feel.
Whatever I said was going to change the way things were.
Did I want to be the one to do that?
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