Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 431

Chapter 431

Gabriela

I hadn’t had this much spring in my step since long before Orion and I had been mated and had Xander. It was like I was looking at the world through brand-new eyes. Colors were brighter. Crisper, bolder, fresher.

I stopped short with a small cry of surprise as the realization hit me.

That’s just what I needed. A fresh start. My own life. The chance to pursue new friendships…or more, if the chance came up. Of course I loved my family, but Stella was now an adult. The twins were going to full-time school. My grandchildren didn’t need me, and my grownup children might simply have to adjust to living on their own, too.

Wasn’t it time I lived my own life? Yes, there were still trials and tribulations ahead of us, but I could still be there for my family without living in the same space. It was long past time for my son and his three mates to have their own as well. Our living quarters were luxurious and four times the size of the cabin we’d all managed to survive, but that didn’t mean we had to keep living this way forever.

I stopped by the Housing and Responsibilities office to check for possible openings. Malachi had simply provided us with our original quarters, so I’d never been here before. The elderly witch at the desk waved a small wand over a parchment to reveal words that looked like they’d been typed with an old-fashioned typewriter. Such a strange combination of magic and technology…only in Brightsky, I thought with a laugh.

“Something small. A studio would be fine,” I told her. “I don’t even need a stove. I’m looking forward to having all my meals cooked by someone else. But…ahem…I’d like a queen-sized bed.”

The witch slanted me a knowing gaze. She chuckled. “I think we have something coming open at the end of the week. It’s on a high level, though. Above ground. Those are usually our less desirable units. Would that be all right?”

“If that’s what’s available, that will be fine. Are you able to look up the list of open responsibilities for me, too? I’d like to start giving back to the community.” I took a deep breath, thinking about how I’d tell the rest of the family of my plans to move out and take work in Brightsky.

“I can help you with that.” Again, she waved her wand, this time to reveal a different list. “We’ve got many open positions, depending on your qualifications.”

She waved the wand again, this time turning the words to face me so I’d be able to read them without twisting my head. For a moment, a flash obscured the words. My head ached. I took a step back from the desk, blinking. The words had gone blurry.