Page 21 of Just a Beta (Betas in Waiting)
“The safe house wasn’t safe, and I hurt all over, so I walked to the place in my mind.This place.I didn’t know it was Samsor until he stopped and picked me up.I don’t know about his good sense picking up strange women on the side of the road.”
Samsor laughed.“You are welcome.”
She smiled at him, and his eyes looked warm, and his posture relaxed in that moment.Duran and Echel were looking at him and scowling.
Mateo looked at them and blinked.“Ah.I see.”
“What do you think you see?”She yawned and covered her face with her sleeve.“If it’s the clothing thing, I was caught in a downpour a few hours ago and had all the appeal of a soaked rat.Apparently, Samsor likes vermin.”
Mateo looked at her and cocked his head.“You look like you have the ferocity of a hamster.”
“Dude, I never want to hear you mentioning hamsters.Your hobbies are well known.”
He paused, and his cheeks darkened.“All of my hobbies are now restricted to exercising them within my pack.”
“Oh, I hope Persephone likes dangling from the ceiling.”
Mateo smacked a hand across his eyes.“If you weren’t my sister...”
Em looked at him.“You would do nothing because I would not consent.”
He jolted and inclined his head.“Just so.”
She beamed.“There we go.I didn’t meet shadow whips before.”
The man smiled with a quirk of his lips.“I am Thanatos.Persephone’s primary.”
“Why are you here?”
“Because she made me come.”
Em sighed.“Oh, the jokes.”
Thanatos paused and groaned.“I get it.”He paused.“I also have to ask you if you want a cat.”
“As soon as I have a place to live, I will go looking for one.Well, as soon as I have income.Don’t have that yet either.”
Mateo frowned.“What about your trust?”
“Ah.They stole it.”
“Does Dad know?”
“He stopped answering my calls when I was twelve.”
Mateo paused.“I didn’t know that.”
“Why would you?There is no reason for you to.I don’t follow any family lines, so there isn’t a reason for anyone to know anything.”She smiled softly.“Don’t worry about it.”
He cocked his head.“What do you see when you look at me?”
“The same big brother I remember from when I was eight, and Dad brought me over for a visit.Boy, your mom hated that.The travelling bastard.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.“What happened when you returned home?”
“More travelling bastard jokes.More working to make sure Augusta always looked perfect.”She shrugged.
“Wait.When you were eight?”
