The Assistant (sequel to The Beta's Mate)

The next morning started just like all of her other days working with Royce. She showed up around eight in the morning. It went quickly down hill from there. Royce was sitting at his desk when someone knocked. She watched Royce lift his nose and sniff out of habit and instinct, trying to identify the person knocking. Elizabeth was standing next to him, about to hand him some documents. The door to the office opened and in walked a large, muscular and handsome man. That’s when everything went down the toilet.

They stared at each other and Elizabeth watched in fascinated horror as a muscle jumped in Royce’s face, just at his temple. He was growling constantly, when he suddenly grabbed her hard around the waist and shouted, “MINE!”

Elizabeth had been around enough wolves to understand what was going on. This was another powerful alpha. One who was not mated. He smirked at Elizabeth as Royce’s claws elongated. She could feel their sharp tips digging into her side. She knew that Royce would never hurt her intentionally, but she had to say something.

“Royce! That’s enough. Your claws are hurting me. You have to clam down. If you wolf out, you are going to destroy this office. Not to mention all of the hard work I put into getting this place organized.” Elizabeth tried to admonish him, but it didn’t work. He was still growling.

“What’s the matter, Royce. Afraid I’m going to steal your little human? Don’t worry. She’s not my type. Not leggy enough. Also, she’s not wolf. I’m sure my mate will be wolf, and not human.” The man definitely feeling superior, and his he didn’t bother to hide it.

Royce squeezed her tightly before letting her go. As he did, his claws, which he had unknowingly sank deep into to her side, withdrew. The burning in her side was beyond anything she had ever felt. The pain was so great that she screamed and then collapsed. Royce rushed to pick his mate up, realizing what he had done to her. He quickly mind-linked his son and his beta. His beta to take care of the visiting alpha. His son, to meet him at the infirmary.

Elizabeth wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious, when she heard Royce’s voice speaking to her. He was talking urgently to her in a low voice. He was telling her how sorry he was. How he would cut his arm off before he would deliberately hurt her. Having hurt her, he couldn’t apologize enough. Elizabeth felt something warm and wet fall on her hand.

She realized that Royce, her powerful, strong and resilient alpha, was crying. Crying because he had injured the one person that he was supposed to protect and love above all.

“I’m so sorry, my love. I tried to calm down. The harder I tried, the more my wolf became agitated. He knows that we belong together and his pain at your offhanded rejection of him is causing him to act out. I would never hurt you. Never in a million years. I would cut off my right arm before I would intentionally hurt you or put you in harms way.” Royce paused, raising his head and looking Elizabeth in the eye, he continued, “I love you. In the short time that I have known you, you have taken up all of the space in my heart. Diana, Dylan’s mom, was a beautiful woman. But, in my eyes, wolf or not, she couldn’t hold a candle to you. You ARE everything that I want in my life. You’re good, and compassionate. Your heart is full and you give of yourself and you hold nothing back. The pack already calls you Luna behind your back. They love you almost as much as I do. Elizabeth, when Diana died, I thought my world was coming to an end, as well. Even though she was not my mate, I loved her. A great deal. I didn’t think that I could go on without her. The kids pushed me to my limits. They made me step up out of my grief and deal with it. Having said all of this, let me say this. What I feel for you is nothing like what I felt for Diana.”

Elizabeth didn’t know what to say. Her heart was breaking. She had, almost against her will, come to love this giant powerful wolf. Now, he was sitting here telling her that he would never love her like he had loved a she-wolf that was not his mate. She felt like her world was spinning out of control. Before she could stop herself, she started crying violently.

Royce, realizing how his beloved mate had interpreted what he was saying, leaned over to hush her. “No, Elizabeth. You misunderstand me. I was about to say that what I felt for Diana cannot and will not ever measure up to what I feel for you. In just a short time, you have taken up all of the room in my heart. We belong together, my love. And because of this, you will never get away from me.”

At his words, Elizabeth felt great joy at his words, and her heart leaped in her chest. “Royce, I want to tell you something.” Royce waited patiently. He sensed that what she was about to tell him would shape his world for the rest of his life. “When Daniel died, I wanted to as well. I felt like the world I lived in was a cold and lonely place. It didn’t welcome me with beauty and color anymore. I felt completely alone. Even Miranda couldn’t draw me back. I hovered in that place for a year or so, until Dylan called me and told me that you needed an assistant. He knew, somehow, that you and I belong to each other. When I met you that night at the hospital, my world began to get warm and have color again. I was no longer alone. I had someone that would care for me. I love you so much more than I ever loved Daniel, and I wanted to hate you for that. In my heart, I felt like I was betraying him. In reality, I knew better. Daniel would be the first one to tell me to go find someone to love. Not to live in my grief forever. I’m sorry, Royce. Sorry that I hurt you, hurt your wolf, and caused you and I more pain. I accept you as my mate. I want a mating ceremony soon. I don't think that I can be away from you for long, now.

Royce wanted to shout. It was everything that he had wanted to hear from her lips and never thought that he would. Yet, here she was accepting him as her mate and alpha. Telling him that she loved him more than she had thought possible. This he understood. He never would have thought that anyone could take Diana’s place in his heart. But Elizabeth had, and Royce was so very glad that she had. Suddenly, and without warning, Royce let out a very loud, long and drawn out howl. The entire pack heard it and began planning. The Luna had accepted their Alpha. When Stephanie, Colton, Dylan and Miranda looked at each other and smiled, realizing what it meant. On the top floor of the pack house, the unmated alpha that had entered Royce’s office, smirked. His job here was done. The omega that came to bring him his dinner found an empty room.

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Well, what do you think? Should I tack on one more chapter. I am open to suggestions. I have a few ideas, but I would love to hear your input. It’s important to me.