A Ridge Mountain Pack 1: The Beta's Daughter

SERENA

“So, are you going to the Winter Festival?” Sean asks Serena as they spar. “It’s in November at Black Moon Pack’s land.”

It’s too early in the morning for idle chat.

Serena just wants to get through training so she can go home and get back to sleep. All this training and schoolwork is kicking her butt. Heaving, she says, “Seriously, Sean, can we just fight? I don’t want to talk about any festival. I don’t even know what it is.”

He feigns innocence. “What? Just trying to have a friendly conversation with a fellow warrior. I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

She aims a sweeping head kick at him, and he ducks.

Serena knows that Sean is starting to recognize her tricks, but she is still fast. She has beaten him twice now while he has only beaten her once. Most of their matches end in a draw, so he’s clearly trying to distract her long enough to win again.

“I think you should go,” Sean continues. “I heard you don’t get out much down in Colorado. Kind of out in the middle of nowhere, just ignoring the rest of the world. It’s a wonder anyone from your pack ever finds their mates.”

He throws a right hook that catches Serena’s jaw, and she takes a step back, rubbing it. “Honestly, Sean, you talk too much. Anyone ever tell you that?”

Serena goes in for the sweep and takes her opponent off his feet. Sean quickly rolls left to avoid her foot kicking him in the stomach, then jumps back up. He grins. “Maybe, maybe not. I enjoy talking to you, though.”

Serena squares off with him, ready to end this. She throws a right hook, knowing Sean will lean left as usual, and kicks up, catching him in his flank. He grunts and takes a step back, almost falling over. A quick sweep of his feet, and he is down.

Serena jumps on top of Sean, straddles his chest, grabs both his arms, and tries to pin her hands over his. He is much stronger than her, but he doesn’t really try to fight her. He lets her sit on his chest, not moving.

Serena looks down at him. “Are you going to tap out?”

Sean shakes his head and stares up at her. While she’s still holding his wrists, he takes a deep breath, bucks his hips, and tosses her over his head. He twists around and promptly jumps on her, pinning her down. He smirks.

“Well, Serena, looks like I finally have you,” Sean says.

Serena growls in frustration, wishing they were allowed to shift, but Milo says they save shifting for the afternoon training sessions, and she hasn’t been to any of those because of school. “Fine,” she mutters. “I will tap out. But it doesn’t mean you have won. We are tied now.”

Sean grins and hops up, then gives Serena his hand. He pulls her up a little bit harder than necessary, and she stumbles into his chest. He wraps his arms around her waist and sniffs her neck.

Serena stands stock still. “Um…Sean, what are you doing?”

Sean steps back. “Oh, sorry.” They both shuffle their feet uncomfortably, and Serena turns to walk away. “No, Serena, wait.” She turns toward him, an eyebrow raised. “I actually wanted to ask if you would go to the Winter Festival with me.”

Serena is stunned, uncertain how to answer. Sean is a good-looking guy but not really her type. She doesn’t want to hurt his feelings—after all, he is her sparring partner—but she isn’t interested in him that way.

“Um…Sean, I don’t know what that is, for one. Also, I have school and exams to study for. I don’t think I can go.”

Serena turns to walk away, but Sean catches her wrist. She stops and looks at him.

“Serena, it’s not till November. It’s over the holiday break. You know, for Thanksgiving. You won’t be bogged down with schoolwork then. Come on, we can go as friends.”

Serena stands there, thinking about it. What could it hurt? He did say just as friends. But would Damien get mad if she went to a festival with some guy from another pack?

They had dated in high school, against their parents’ advice. They’d shared some kisses, held hands, even made out occasionally, but she always made it clear that it wouldn’t go any further—not till she knew he was her mate.

But who is Serena kidding? She hasn’t talked to him in three years. Damien may have been on dates or found his mate in that time. She has no idea, but she’s been holding out for him, waiting till her birthday to find out for sure if he is her mate.

Serena takes a deep breath. “Okay, Sean. As friends.”

Sean beams at her. “You won’t be sorry. It’s an amazing event. The Black Moon Pack does a great job every year. Several packs in the area attend. Thank you for saying ‘yes.’” He squeezes her hand and then jogs away to the locker room.

Serena shakes her head. Forget the locker room, she wants to head back to the little cottage she shares with Amanda to shower and take a nap. But as she turns around, she bumps into a wall.

Not a wall—a person.

Serena looks up into the alpha’s green eyes. He doesn’t look happy. “Oh…um…sorry, Alpha. I didn’t know you were standing there. I apologize.” She goes to step around him. “Excuse me.”

As she walks past him, Sebastian reaches out and grabs her arm. Serena looks at his hand and then up into his eyes again. He seems angry.

Serena gulps, “Um…is there something wrong, Alpha?”

After an interminably long minute, Sebastian lets go. “I was watching you spar this morning. You are very good. Maybe we can train together sometime. I would like to know some of your techniques that I haven’t seen before.”

“Oh, uh…okay. Although I don’t know what I can teach an alpha, sir. You would probably kick my ass.” Serena laughs nervously. She isn’t sure why this gorgeous man is even talking to her, let alone asking to train with her.

“Oh, I’m sure you can teach me some things, Serena. I have not a doubt.” Sebastian pauses. “So, tell me what you and Sean were talking about when I walked up? I overheard him mention the Winter Festival. Were you planning to attend?”

Serena isn’t sure why he cares, but she answers anyway. “To be honest, I don’t even know what it is. We don’t have anything like that in my pack, but it sounds interesting. Sean asked me to go with him—as friends, you know.”

She watches as the alpha scrunches up his nose. The expression goes away as quickly as it comes, and then Sebastian nods like he is thinking. Finally, he gives her a disapproving look.

“Friends, huh? I’ve never known Sean to befriend any girl. He kind of likes to play the field, from what I have seen and heard. Just be careful.”

With that, Sebastian turns and walks toward the pack house, leaving Serena dumbfounded.

***

“I don’t know, Serena,” Amanda says as she and Serena lie on the foot of her bed. “I think Sean has a thing for you. My brothers have told me a thousand times to stay away from him, so maybe you shouldn’t go to the Winter Festival together. It’s a formal event; it would look like you’re his date. That doesn’t seem like just ‘friends’ to me.” She puts air quotes around the word “friends.”

Serena twists her hair around her finger, contemplating what her cousin has just said. “Yeah, the alpha kind of hinted at that too.”

Amanda’s eyes widen with shock, and then she slaps Serena’s arm.

“What?”

When Serena just shrugs, Amanda inches closer and whispers, “What do you mean the alpha hinted at that? Why would he be talking to you about it in the first place? Like seriously, Serena, the alpha has hardly said five sentences to me, and I grew up in this pack. You’re having in-depth conversations with him about your dating life?”

“Why are you whispering? We are alone, in our house, crazy.” Serena swats Amanda on her knee. “I wouldn’t say we had an ‘in-depth conversation.’ He happened to overhear our conversation, that’s all. He asked me about it, and I told him Sean asked me to go as friends. But he seemed to think Sean wasn’t capable of having female friends.”

“Um, that is because he isn’t, Serena. Sean has tried to hook up with most of the females in this pack that are over the age of eighteen. He usually attends these functions outside of our pack just because he knows that most of our females are aware of his intentions and stay clear of him. But forget that…” She scoots closer to Serena. “Why is the alpha stalking you? He has shown up at school a couple times too, like for no reason whatsoever. I have seen him leaning by his car in the parking lot, watching when we leave campus. He also watches training way more than he ever has in the past. You don’t find it odd?”

“I don’t know… Maybe he’s keeping an eye on me because my alpha asked him to.” Serena shrugs again. “It’s not like he has gone out of his way to talk to me or anything. He doesn’t even know me, Amanda, so I don’t know what you’re insinuating.”

“Okay, Serena, you really are a small-town girl, aren’t you? He definitely is not just keeping an eye on you. But I will let you think what you want for now.” Amanda jumps off the bed and heads to her closet to grab some shorts and a T-shirt. “Let’s go for a run in the woods—my wolf needs to stretch. Meet me out front in five.”