Chapter 392: Chapter 392

Xander Zane basically kicked my a ss during the workout session. I’d never seen my Beta go so hard. Toward the end, | really thought he might injure himself. | had my share of aches and pains, for sure. They told me |

needed to make more of an effort at getting to the training fields. | was getting too soft.

There was something else | needed to make an effort with, too. My Beta hadn’t said anything, but we’d been friends too long for me not to notice that he’d been quieter than usual.

We were all taking advantage of the locker rooms attached to the training fields rather than going back to our quarters. Our bathroom at home was great, and the shower was huge, but it wasn’t big enough for all of us at the same time. It didn’t have a steam room, cither, and the three of us were headed there.

As we took our spots on the tiled benches, thick steam wreathed all around us. It made it hard to see Zane’s face. Maybe that would make it easier for him to open up to me. | thought about asking my brother if he’d give us some privacy, but then | decided against it.

Zane was Beta to both of us.

“Great workout,” | said to Zane. Our shoulders bumped and for a moment, he tensed like he was going to pull away.

Then he settled with his back to the wall. “Yeah. | really needed it.”

“| really need this steam room. Maybe even a massage,” | said.

Mason sat across from us, silently enjoying the steam. | could sense his interest, though. | knew he’d jump in if he had to. | appreciated that, and also his willingness to let me talk first.

“Zane,” | said and paused, not sure how to bring up the subject. Finally, | just went with blunt honesty.

“What's going on with you lately?”

“What do you mean?”

| should’ve guessed my Beta wouldn’t be as upfront with me. | chuckled in a low voice and nudged him harder with my shoulder. “Don’t play dumb.”

“Maybe he’s not playing,” Mason teased.

Zane grumbled. “Nice one.”

“Seriously, dude. | can tell that something’s on your mind. | know we’ve been busy lately-”

“Exactly,” Zane said.

| took a second to answer, not sure if we were going to fight, or what. “You’re pis sed off because Mason 113 and | have been busy?”

“Busy.” Zane snorted. “Doing s hit that has nothing to do with me, right?”

“... That’s not...” | stumbled on my words.

Mason spoke up again. “They asked us to go to the leadership council meeting because we’re Alphas it wasn’t anything against you.”

“If it was a pack meeting, I'd have been there.”

It was a good thing the room was hot as an oven, because our Beta’s voice was colder than ice.

“But it wasn’t a pack meeting,” | told him in a firm voice. “Your duty as Beta is to support your Alpha.

Alphas,” | emphasized the “s.”

“And I’m supposed to do that how, when you two are off in secret meetings that I’m not invited to?” He shrugged away from me. “It’s f ucked up, Xander.”

“They didn’t invite you because you...” Mason started but then let his voice fade.

“Even if they didn’t invite me,” Zane cut in, “either one of you should have. Both of you should have insisted that | be there.”

“It was f u cking boring, mostly,” | told him.

Zane’s face loomed toward mine through the steam.

“Bu Ilsh it. | know s hit’s going down, and | know the two of you are all up in that business. You didn’t come home and tell me about it. It’s like | don’t f ucking matter.”

“You matter,” Mason said.

“F uck, dude,” | said. “He’s right. And you're right.”

Silence filled the steam room.

“F uck,” Zane said. “I don’t want to be a little b itch about it.”

A light cough turned our attentions toward the doorway. | couldn’t see who was standing in it. | didn’t sense danger, though.

“Yeah?” | called out.

“Umm...sir, Xander, sir, | mean. It’s me. Goldie?”

Oh, right. The young wolf who’d volunteered to go to Standard and check things out for us.

“You can come in,” | told her.

“Are you leaving soon?” Mason asked.

213 “Pl fill you in as soon as she leaves,” | promised Zane through the mind link.

A form materialized in the fog. “Oh, I’ve been there and back again. | took some pictures.”

“Of everyone?”

“Only one of the newcomers, I’m afraid,” Goldie said almost apologetically. “Something went wrong with the phone before | could take more. | thought I'd come back, grab a new one.”

A light appeared in the shadowy hand. A phone screen. She brought it closer and | leaned over to take it. |

swiped through some of the photos, stopping at one.

“Sh it,” | said aloud and reached to take the phone from her. | showed it to Zane.

“Do you know him?” Goldie asked.

| nodded grimly. “Yeah. We do.”

The man in the pictures Goldie had brought back from Standard was Elder Aldon of the wolf Council.