Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 471

Chapter 471
Stella

“What are you two up to?”

I turned toward my mom’s voice as she approached us with a smile. She looked so much more relaxed here in Constantine than she did when we were living in Brightsky. My Abba and I shared a quick look of mutual understanding before he got up off the bench to greet her with a hug and a kiss.

I watched them wistfully, but with some hope brewing inside me. My father’s suggestion that I use my shapeshifting skills to change my appearance was a wild idea…but one that I really hoped would work.

It was also something I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell my mom about. I figured she’d worry about me. And I definitely knew that Dad would lose his mind over the idea of me going out into the world. Papa might be okay with it, but for now, Abba and I shared another look that said he was going to help me keep my secret.

After all, it was just a small one.

Right?

“Mason? Stella?” Mom frowned, looking from him to me and back again. “What’s up? Everything okay?”

The edge of worry in her voice made me sad. I didn’t want her to fret, especially not here in the packlands, where we were all supposed to be happy. I stood up to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Everything’s great, Mama. We’re just getting used to being settled. That’s all. And Abba says he stayed up too late last night.”

He hadn’t actually said that aloud, but I’d sensed it in him.

Abba laughed and slipped his arm around my mom’s waist. “I must be getting old. Can’t party like I used to back in the olden days at Stillwood, when I was a young, single, rogue wolf…”

Mom smacked his arm playfully. “Uh huh. Keep talking about how it was back when you were young and single, and you might find yourself single again!”

He laughed and pulled her close for another kiss. “Never.”

They hugged and kissed before my mom turned back to me again. “The twins are still sleeping, but I thought after they woke up that we could all take a little trip downtown? They need new shoes, and honestly, we could all use a bit of a new wardrobe, don’t you think?”

We’d brought hardly anything with us from Brightsky, and although I figured my mom probably had some clothes and personal belongings here in the Alpha’s mansion, she’d also been a very different person when she left here. Hardly more than a kid, I realized now with a start. Sure, she’d been mated to my dad and papa…pregnant with me…

“Little star?”

My mom chuckled. “Sounds like it’s back to work for all of us. Stella, I’ll see you in a bit.”

When she’d left us alone again, Abba turned to me. “You don’t want to tell your mom about my idea?”

“I want to see what it’s really like today when we go to town. Maybe I won’t even have to do what you suggested.” I sounded hopeful, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the case. “But, can we plan it out anyway?”

He grinned. “Of course.”

We spoke quickly, in hushed tones. Abba had the best idea—that I should say I was a rogue wolf who’d arrived in Constantine because I heard that it was becoming a sanctuary. I’d be just one of many new faces joining the pack, so I wouldn’t stand out. I could get to know the current pack members and anyone else who showed up, too.

I picked the name Elleah Whitehaven because it sounded pretty to me, and Abba assured me it was a fine name for a rogue because it didn’t tie to any current packs.

Now, all I had to do was decide what I was going to look like.