Filed To Story: Secret with Betas Daughter: Skylar Story Series
Osiston advises over the link. “Why does that feel like a double edged sword?” I ask. “Because you are already super awkward when you flirt, no we can all hear how awkward you are.”
Mina so helpfully informs me. “Thank you for that Now it is going to be weird. How about Mina leaves her link open and I will just report in?’ “Not a chance, I want first person POV on this train.”
“Now I really am shutting you out, jackass.”
I laugh at Mina.
“Alright you two knock it off. If it will be distracting Sky just report in, but you will have to figure this out. Keeping a mindlink open, no matter what you are doing, can be vital to an op.”
Osiston stops us and brings us back to serious game planning.
“Understood, but Mina is right and this whole flirting with a boy thing is hard enough and I don’t want her or anyone else in my ear about it.”
I say as we pull close enough to see the fitness center up ahead. “We are about two minutes out.”
“We are all in place. Two warriors are currently following you and will monitor the building and your car while you are gone. Alyssa is northeast of you, close to the bonfire sight We followed them In and watched the set up, so far no signs of anything off. I am to the west of you and will be running parallel the whole time. Nickolas will be doing the same to the east of your position. We won’t be more than five minutes away from you at any time. Let us know if anything makes you feel uncomfortable, we will get you out no matter what.”
“Got it.”
Mina and I say together. We pull in next to a big truck. It’s not new, but it’s well taken care of and the smell coming from it is from Tyler and Mike. There are days that I do really appreciate my very distinct sense of smell. “Tyler and Mike are here for sure. Mike drove them here in his truck.”
I tell the group. “How do you know it’s Mike’s truck? I just smell them both here.”
“Let’s just say I have a unique sense of smell and can pick out different scents, even blended together like this. Mike’s scent is stronger on the drivers side.”
We walk around the truck to the side of the building where more cars are parked and I can hear a low murmur of voices. “Hey! You made it! I was wondering if you were going to stand me up.”
Tyler comes running over to us. “We are right on time, unless you lied to me to try and make us late. Were you trying to avoid introducing us to your friends?’ I look at him seriously but smile, hopefully it came off as teasing, but I’m interested in getting this party started and I need names for the team to run later.
“Would you be mad if I said maybe?’ He bumps me with his elbow as he leads us overto the group milling about. He hasnt even acknowledged Mina, something is going on for sure. “You brought more girls? There’s already too many.”
“A voice whines from the left of the crowd. A platinum blonde bigger than me, but smaller than Mina steps out of the crowd. Clearly the queen bee here in this group. “Janice, this is Skylar and Mina. They are new and I thought they could use a group to run with, so yes I invited them.”
“Are you so quick to get bored with the other girls here Tyler?” She’s questioning him, but it feels like reprimanding too, maybe a sly way to let me know he’s a player.
The problem is, I already know he’s a player, she’s the idiot not me. “Not bored, just being friendly.”
“Whatever. Just don’t get in our way. We take this run seriously. The last girl he brought couldn’t keep up for even a mlle. Don’t be a little b*tch and stay out of the way, got it?” “Yep.”
I responded, popping the “Sky, you keep your head on straight. Don’t let her bait you into a competition. She’s trying to see what you’ll do.”
Nickolas chimes in. “Thank you captain, I have never been in any form of competition before where people try to get in your head. I never would have thought of that. This is actually the part I am good at guys. I appreciate the vote of confidence, really.”
“Maybe, but this is your first op. and a little close to home. I just want to make sure you’re thinking clearly, now stop acting like a petulant teenager.”
“You do realize that is exactly what I am, right? Like literally a teenager.”
“Shut up, smart ass. Go run and show us all how wonderful you are at it.”
“Now who’s the smartass?”
The run was just as expected, we ran on foot as humans for five miles and I discovered I wasn’t as out of running shape as I thought. I was able to run with Tyler and keep up a decent conversation as we went. I found out that they do this jog a few times a week, but only shift and do an extra long run on Thursdays. This way it just looks like they are big on working out and like to party like the athletes on campus who are in season and have restrictions on crappy food and alcohol. Actually some of these guys play football or hockey, which I found interesting since our strength, stamina and healing is so much different than a human. Mina and I decided to ask about that when we got to the bonfire. It’s really pretty here. The trees and the trails haven’t started to come alive yet, but the evergreens dispersed within the bare tree trunks give enough color to the drab shades of brown and yellow of last year’s vegetation to make the scene pleasant. I also love the smell of the damp leaves and earth as we run.
There’s just something about the early sunset sending streams of light through the bare branches of the trees that is calming. My wolf purrs in my chest as we go. The darkness that falls pretty quickly doesn’t bother even our human eyes, we just keep moving like the light hasn’t changed at all.
In the forty minutes it took us to run the five miles the sun is almost completely set and the twilight gives a consuming vibe. Tyler, Mike, Mina and I were running in the middle of the pack. Mina and I slow as the boys do, at this point we have no idea what is going to happen and our latest fan club member looks like someone who would stab you in the throat and then go play dress up. I’m sticking close to the guys for now, I don’t need her trouble too. “We’ll change and shift here, remember where the new cameras are and stay out of range. Someone is looking for something and I don’t want to be on anyone’s radar cause someone here decided to be a dumbass, got it?” She looks around at everyone, but lingers a little longer on Mina and l. which this time makes sense if she’s worried about being seen. I’d look at the new people too, but I would take it a step further and make the new people run with me so I could watch them and guarantee they don’t mess up. She clearly doesn’t care about us that much or assumes Tyler will take care of us, cause she turns her back on us and starts to strip, which is the cue for everyone else to do the same. I can feel my cheeks instantly flame and I try to look away, but no matter where I look there are butt naked people everywhere. “Don’t be shy new girls, we don’t have all night.”
Some guy next to Janice sneers at us and then licks his lips. I have to hold back the bile that wants to rise in my stomach. That guy gives me the creeps. “Hey, you okay? We do have to move. TheVlI leave without us. I can block you if that would make you feel better.”
Tyler’s concern is cute, but I can’t tell if he’s being genuine or not and that bugs me. I usually have a good read on people and he just seems to be all gray area for me. “Nope, we’re good, just waiting on everyone else to be ready to shift, that’s all.”
I give him a small smile. “Do you plan on ripping through your clothes?” “No!” Mina laughs and he just looks at us confused. don’t have to change, you’ll see.”
She winks at him and he still looks confused, but shrugs. He and Mike strip down to nothing, stowing their clothes in the backpack Tyler brought. I am doing everything possible to not look at either of them. Naked guys are not new to me, but I just can’t get past it making me uncomfortable. I hope I’m not this weird about it when I do find my mate.
“Do I make you nervous?” Tyler moves close behind me and I am frozen. He is way too close to me for this to be considered anything less than flirting or maybe even marking territory. “Nope. The whole ‘naked guy’ thing is still just not a norm for me. We don’t have to change to shift.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.