The Mark of a Beta

seven

"It was fine. We learned some interesting things about the layout of covens," I reply.

For an hour I rehash the information learned from the Lunar pack. Grayson points out some topics we haven't touched on yet, so I make sure to note those down so I remember to bring them up tomorrow.

At the end of my explanation, Grayson sighs. I can imagine that he's running a hand through his hair and rubbing at his eyes. I know he must be working harder than ever with me gone.

"You would be less stressed if I was there to help," I can't help but add. He did force me to come to this pack. Not that I'm complaining anymore. I wouldn't have met Cooper.

"I know, Ax. I just wanted you to take a small break. You've been working too much. You need to shake up your life," he chuckles.

"That won't be a problem anymore," I add, stretching my arms above my head. I need to get to bed soon. My schedule demands consistency, and I always wake up at 5:30 in the morning to go for a run and workout.

"What do you mean?" Grayson asks curiously.

"I met my mate tonight," I say nonchalantly.

"WHAT!?" Grayson all but screams into the phone. I wince at the volume of his reaction. There is a reason that I am so casual about the fact that I met my mate. Grayson talks all the time about his mate he has yet to meet. He fantasizes about what she will look like, what her hobbies and interests are, and the kinds of dates he would take her on.

The problem with this is that both of us are twenty years old. Most werewolves meet their mates before they turn eighteen, and after that each year lowers the chance of meeting your mate until the odds are that you will never meet them. The two of us are pushing the line.

I never thought I had a mate out there waiting for me. The thought never even crossed my mind, in all honesty. I always considered myself too broken, too uncontrollable to have a mate to call mine.

I don't want to rub this in Grayson's face. I love him like a brother. I don't want to force jealousy onto him when it isn't necessary. Instead, I want to act casual about the whole thing instead of treating the situation realistically- which would be admitting that I'm freaking the fuck out and that I'm so utterly lost and amazed and so lucky to call Cooper mine.

"You met your mate? What's his or her name? What are they like? How did you meet? Fuck, Axel! This is amazing!" Grayson aggressively shoots out questions and I immediately regret telling him. He wants me to gush about my mate, but I'm not typically the sharing type.

"His name is Cooper," I tell him. I can't help the small smile that spreads across my face. I'm alone, so I don't mind.

"And? C'mon, you have to tell me more than just his name! What is he like? What did you talk about? Shit, is he there? Can I say hi, or is that weird?" Grayson is very excited about my mate. I'm sure he's excitedly pacing his office as he tries to control his joy. I chuckle softly at my friend's support.

"I don't really know that much, to be honest." There, I shared something.

"What does that mean?"

"He, um," I scratch the back of my neck, unsure of what to tell him. "He came into the room in the middle of my meeting with Lunar Pack."

"Wow, their Alpha and Beta must have been pretty surprised," Grayson laughs.

"They don't know," I say.

"The fuck does that mean? Didn't you run up to him and... kiss the shit out of him or something?"

I feel like I'm about to get yelled at.