Mated to the Alpha and His Beta

Chapter 53

Xander

“A vampire what?”

Since when was this something | even needed to be worried about? When my father handed over the Alpha title and responsibilities, he never once mentioned | might be dealing with the undead.

“| know, not ideal given how much is already on your plate with your two mates.” He smirked.

Was this guy f ucking with me?

There weren’t vampires in our region. In fact, until this very moment, | wasn’t sure | believed they existed at all.

“Don’t worry, we're not blaming you,” Gustav reassured. “At least not yet. Given who your mother and father are, I’m not surprised one came sniffing around our territory.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It was bound to happen at some point.” Wait... What the hell did my mother and father have to do with a vampire skulking around my land? And why would | be blamed for it?

No one ever told me border security was an issue | needed to concern myself with. | was led to believe it wasn’t necessary after the Great Wars...

My confusion must've registered on my face because Gustav narrowed his eyes and a wicked smile crept across his lips. “You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

Go dda mn my father for leaving me in the dark like this. | was supposed to be in control of the situation. | was supposed to have the Elders and the Council in my back pocket, but why the hell would they respect me if | looked like a total dum ba ss? then.”

“|...l don’t believe my father has relayed this information to me” | finally admitted.

Gustav scrubbed a bony hand over his face and puffed out a full breath of air. “Maybe we’ve done our jobs a little too well, | knew these guys were hiding sh it from us, but vampires?

“Are they a threat?”

The stories I’d heard about vampires made them sound bloodthirsty and unpredictable. They didn’t seem like creatures who'd get along with our kind.

“We've only located a single vampire, and his intentions remain unclear. But | believe he should be treated as one.”

His face was stony, his voice ice-cold.

“Meaning...?” | asked.

“Meaning if he is seen again, he will be killed on the spot.”

My mind raced. | wasn’t even sure how you killed a vampire. Was it stakes and holy water like the stories?

“| don’t understand...” | said. “Are my parents and the Elders the only ones who know about this?”

If that were the case, then how many of us had no idea that we shifters weren’t the only supernatural beings?

1/2

How were we supposed to look out for vampire invaders if we didn’t even know they existed?

“They are some of the few people who know. They vowed to keep the existence of the others a secret. One that they’d take to their grave.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

He rested his chin in his hand, eyes still glued to me.

“But still, I’m surprised they didn’t at least tell their only son, the Alpha of the Constantine pack. Especially considering your mate’s involvement...”

My mate?

Suddenly, | felt a jolt of familiarity and thought back to what Lanie had said when she first struck her deal with us.

“I'll disappear into the ether, like a vampire or witch or something.”

Did she know about vampires? But how could she know when didn’t?

And then | remembered.

Braden.

| knew there was something off about that mo th erf uc ker the second | smelled him. And Lanie had run off earlier, possibly to see him again.

F uck.

| needed to find out more about vampires, and more importantly, how to kill them.

Because the next time | saw Lanie with that bloodsucking as shole, | was going to turn him into dust.

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