Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,130

news. "What?" I asked.

Gabby nodded. "I heard her do it. I just didn't think that the Alpha Mate got betas. Then again, what happens if one alpha mates another? Do the betas kinda merge?"

"No," I said. "Usually, the Pack Alpha's betas stay 'on the job' and the others eventually fade back to their own lives. Kinda like how Dad's betas have moved on now that he's not leading."

"That would suck," Gabby grumbled.

But I was still stuck on what she said. Grabbing my cup, I made some excuse about needing to check something, and headed for the den. There, I grabbed the land line and dialed Ashley's cell. It took all of four rings before she answered.

"What's wrong?" she answered.

"Nothing," I said. "At least I hope not."

She sighed in relief. "Why are you calling me from the house and not your own phone?"

"Because I'm still wearing pajamas and don't want to walk upstairs. Ash, what's this about you being Elena's beta?"

She groaned, but there was something about it that sounded amused as well as annoyed. "Who told you that?"

"Gabby, actually. So what's going on? You know Alpha Mates don't get betas."

She scoffed. "Fuck the rules, Ian. Fuck traditions. You know what that shit has gotten us? My mate ran off with my beta. Your mate's daughter should be taught that she's not good enough to be your heir, and our father should be dead because one of us had to kill him. Every time we say screw it and just follow our guts, things work better. So, that's what I'm doing."

"And what does your gut say?" I asked, making it clear I expected her to answer.

It took just a little too long for her to answer. In the background, I heard her moving, sounding like she was getting comfortable in a chair. Next, there was a sip - probably coffee - and then a sigh.

"My gut says that Gabby's going to be the Pack Alpha that we need. It says that there's something about both her and Elena that we've never seen before. Nothing too big, mind you. I mean, they aren't going to start throwing magic or sucking blood. It's just..." She murmured, clearly searching for words.

"You don't have to be official," I told her. "I just want to know where your mind is, Ash."

"Ok, look." She pulled in a breath. "If the pack is like a family, you're in the position of being the father. You're the one who sets the rules and protects us from everything outside and each other, right?"

"Right."

"But Elena? She's the mother. She nurtures us. She makes us feel just a little special, guides us to be better, and feels like a safe place where we know we'll be taken care of. It's not just me, either. Those foxes? They adore her. The Sisterhood? We're basically her backup. If she needs an extra set of hands, she calls us. That's like her betas, right? And we have bears, and tigers, and will probably get more. We both know it. Never mind the size of this pack. Ian, you can't run this on your own. Not even with your betas. You're going to need a hell of a lot more than just the five of you to deal with all these people. And yes, I said people, because we're not just wolves anymore."

"But we're still a pack," I reminded her.

"Exactly," she said. "We're a pack because Elena found some common ground and Gabby's reinforcing it. Those two? They transcend the lines we've always known. Now, I can't tell you if it's because they're converts, but I don't think so. Seth's a convert. David's a convert. So what is it about them that makes them feel so damned safe and easy?"

I had to pause to think about that, because I knew what she meant. I wouldn't have picked those words myself, because Gabby wasn't safe. She was a little hellion, and more than willing to pick a fight, it seemed. She led the way my father had shown me: by example. She was also willing to put her foot down and set boundaries, but they were always fair ones.

What was different about them? I agreed that there was something, but I couldn't quite put it into words.

"Is it just because she's nice?" I asked.

"No," Ashley said. "I promise that nice doesn't make me want to follow anyone else's orders. And Ian? I follow Elena's. I don't even think about it. It's not a conscious decision. I simply