Page 9 of Last Resort (Betas in Waiting #29)

E strya clapped her hands and got all of the eyes on her. Ladies and gentlemen, alphas, betas, and omegas, oh, and one delta. There you are, you little dickens. One of the Tiberia team blushed. We have gathered here tonight to applaud you for your efforts today and hope you can keep it up tomorrow. For tonight, enjoy dinner and some lovely local music with a few clips from previous days of the competition.

The sun was barely setting when a huge screen was set up for projection. Poppy felt something in the air, and then she heard, Poppop!

Oh, shit. Poppy stood up and looked around when she heard the slap of little feet and caught the small projectile. Hey, Terro.

She looked around and saw Amby. She mouthed, Call Jane .

Amby grabbed a phone and started dialling. A thumbs-up made Poppy relax. Well, Terro, you came so far.

He scrunched his shoulders and giggled. Amby brought over a glass of something with a straw in it. Here you go, Terro. Coconut water.

The sudden slurping through the straw was cute, and Terro s eyes got wide as Myro and Breen stood up. Myro smiled. A challenge for your affections?

No, he was first in my heart. I used to babysit him when Orla wasn t available. We all took turns with this little guy, and he was a fun challenge. Jane referred to him as a training baby for us. She didn t know about the pasty-skin thing; she just thought I was a beta, but this little fella can see the truth of things.

He finished his drink with a smack of his lips and smiled. Done.

Amby smiled and took the cup back. His dad will be here in a few minutes. He had to get dressed.

Poppy laughed. I had heard Jane found him at long last.

She did. And when his grandparents warned us he was gone, she asked me to get him. The voice belonged to a man with tousled hair and a mask of discoloured skin around his eyes, just like his son.

I don t know why he came here.

I was editing some of the afternoon footage earlier, and he kept bouncing and yelling Poppop. I gather it is you, Poppy?

Yes. I used this face to keep him entertained when I babysat for him. He liked the ears. She jostled him. Right, Terro?

The toddler sighed and leaned against her. Poppop.

Breen chuckled. I understand the fascination, little guy, but you have to give her up to bigger alphas. We need her more.

Terro s face collapsed in tragedy, and he hung onto Poppy while he wailed. She turned her head to him and wailed in return. Terro snuffled and then smiled shyly. Yeah, you don t fool me, buster. I didn t fall for it then, and I didn t fall for it now.

He scrunched his shoulders, and his father extended his arms. Come on, Terro.

Terro launched himself into his father s arms, announcing, Dah!

The tenderness on the man s face as he held his son made Poppy smile. You have taken to fatherhood.

Oh, yes. Jane and Terro make it a complete joy. He smiled, and Terro put a sleepy head down on his shoulder. I am going to take him back and calm my parents. They were babysitting when he started screaming your name and disappeared.

Sew trackers into all his clothing. Violet can help you with that. Stop when he starts dating. Poppy winked.

He chuckled and bowed. Thank you for catching him. He just seems to be getting faster. Are you in the islands for a while?

Ten more days. Breen smiled.

Poppy looked at him. Really?

Really. Four more on the show, and seven after that.

He blinked. Oh, right. We will see you soon. Very soon. Terro will be so helpful.

Terro was rubbing his eyes.

Poppy touched his cheek. Time for bed, little dude. You will see me soon.

Terro held her hand for a moment, and then he patted his father and said, Mama.

His dad smiled. That is a good idea. Poppy, gentlemen, we will see you soon.

He flicked out of view in a heartbeat.

Poppy looked at Breen. Do elf kids teleport?

Myro answered. It is an advanced skill learned after adulthood.

Oh, thank goodness.

Myro asked, How did you learn it?

The Elite weren t good about guarding grimoires. I stole a primer and committed it to memory. It came in handy. She smiled.

Breen frowned. You escaped, but you went back.

Yes, but when I went back, I wasn t alone. We were all there to free the captured women and get you guys out from under the binding. We did both, and we did it fast.

What of the Elite?

Poppy smiled. They may have been busted down to standard alpha. The ones that survived. Win was irritated.

Breen blinked. Win. Wait, she s the blood witch?

Yeah, I guess so. She makes her weapons out of blood. Not hers, though.

Oh. Myro looked around.

Don t worry. She isn t here. She s meeting with her parents on one of the Breakridge Islands. It turns out her dad is an Elite who ran from the Stronghold, and her mom has lived out here with him since they had to leave her in the hospital. She wasn t a strong baby.

How do you know that?

We chatted for a few minutes when we arrived, and right before the attack on the Stronghold, we chatted then, too. She smiled and returned to the loveseat with the wide back and small table in front of it.

Breen and Myro settled next to her, the light faded, and servers brought more food to them. The screen lit up, and they started snacking and watching snippets of video that had been taken from the time they landed on Wonder. Of course, the first footage was of Team Alpha.

The waving from the ferry and the standing on the shore with images that Win had taken. Myro and Breen had a lot of energy curling around them, but Poppy had silvery twists that formed an hourglass.

She smiled at the picture. I think I want that file.

Sorry, it will be the property of the production.

Dang.

Myro patted her hand. I am sure they will allow you a copy for your own uses.

Good. I look badass.

The images went to the other teams getting their instruction and learning to surf. Then they showed Team Alpha. Poppy watched Breen learn to surf, Myro took to it with ease, and Poppy dropped twice before she was able to remain on the board.

She watched clips of them with the scuba and her ridiculous attempts to dive. The scuba was better, but she ended up the wrong side up and staring at a grouper.

The catamaran was better. She was on a small individual one and doing well, but then she had to switch to the larger one, and her lack of physical capabilities compared to them was apparent again.

The next clip was dance practice, and the guys were really good moving together, and she had to admit that she leaned forward to watch. Then it came to her turn, and she danced, rocked her hips, and twisted as the music rolled over her. Illu adjusted her posture a few times but then just watched and smiled.

Breen and Myro were tense on either side of her. The view changed to them climbing the cliff face, a long shot with them on the bridge, and then her playing with the butterflies and spinning into the black outfit that was covered with butterflies until she spun and the cloud of colour fluttered away from her, leaving her with waves of butterflies in her hair.

Myro said, I am getting all kinds of gaming ideas right now.

I just want that image on my wall.

She snorted.

The last images were of them on the boat and her pinching Myro s lips and scowling at him.

The group laughed. Poppy reached up and stroked Myro s cheek.

Mickey walked over and said, Poppy, can you show me how to dance like that?

Sort of. I can show you how to dance like you. But Illu is the perfect person to teach you. It is literally what she does.

Mickey smiled. But you know how to move a body this size.

Yeah, but you need to come to it on your own. Don t worry. Girls get separate lessons from boys.

So, you won t show me?

It would ruin the spirit of the games, plus you are likely a better dancer than me. Your talents are more on the physical end of things. Mine are not. She smiled. Besides, you want to dance like you, not like me.

It is easier to copy someone.

I know. But being yourself gives you a certain freedom.

So, I can just leap around?

Do a version of the male dance if you like.

Mickey grinned and said, Will Illu let me?

I think she believes that the dance suits the dancer.

Cool. I will go talk to her. You looked amazing, and I am hoping for your team to win. Kisses!

Mickey skipped back to the gathering, and she headed off to the dance studio. She went to find Illu.

Breen murmured, She s a lot. She s also a wildling. That s an interesting combination. Dell is really calm at all times. She has to be. The folks around her have that frenetic energy.

Mickey is only calm when she has to be.

Estrya came over and smiled. Technically, you guys are done. There is just some local colour tomorrow, but that is a boat ride or a helicopter arrival. Your choice.

Poppy leaned forward. Do we need to fly the helicopter?

No. We are going to deliver you there. No transport issues. This is going to be a manual labour versus an industry skills day. That will be your final day of challenges. Then, you can just explore the island.

Wait. Why is it so short? Myro asked.

You are single-minded and went through the challenges rapidly. Estrya smiled. More time to goof off and see the islands. So, tomorrow, you report for early duty, and when your tasks are done for the day, you can certainly go for a swim or just get some rest.

Uh-huh. How are you doing with the serpent migration?

Estrya chuckled. Pretty good. Certainly different. It was unexpected but makes a certain sense.

Do they obey rules?

They are snakes; they go around them. Estrya rolled her eyes.

Poppy chuckled. Do you think Mickey is in any trouble?

No, no one of her sort is in the islands. Besides, Mickey needs permission from The Wildling .

Have you seen her recently? Estrya frowned.

Nope. I work days; she works nights. I can ask Nora if she has seen her, or...

She turned to Breen and Myro. Which dark Elite hang around at strip joints? Nice ones. Clean poles.

Myro nodded. Ymer is an accountant for one. What do you want me to ask?

She looked to Estrya. What do you want me to say?

There is a young wildling in the islands who could use guidance.

Poppy said, You are looking for a woman who is early thirties, five eight, wearing a glittery chest piece, who does a lot of pole work. Her audience will look like guys who rip other guys apart for fun.

Myro got his phone out and went to work texting. Breen did the same. When Poppy saw what they were typing in a different language, she gasped, Did you make a group chat?

Breen grinned. It was more efficient. Your description led to several specific names in our heads.

A lot of scary guys who look like they are cannibals?

Myro shrugged. We were confined for a very long time. Everyone had thoughts.

Breen laughed at the shock in her mind. He s kidding. We had enforcers and assassins just like any other court. The physique she was describing was the enforcers. They also tended to have the sigils.

Oh, the vines.

Yes, Poppy, the vines. Myro chuckled. They went back and forth for a few minutes, and then someone said, I know her. What is the message?

Breen looked. Oh. Him. Well, that explains a few things. A wildling in the islands needs a mentor.

Poppy leaned over and read, She s the mentor? Fucking hell. I will pass on the message.

Breen smiled. There. Message sent. Your friend will be pissed, but she will get the message.

Myro muttered, And probably have a heart attack.

Poppy shrugged. She s made of stern stuff. She tore the throats out of three of the Elite during the attack. She was the first wave, and she was fucking effective.

The guys looked at her and blinked. Oh, right. Myro said, So, when you said you wanted a mentor for Mickey, you wanted a mentor for Mickey.

Yeah. She s really young, and her powers are still growing. Exposure to a mentor would help stabilize her. Her shapeshifting is a little concerning.

The other woman is older?

By five years and a thousand all at once. She has the wisdom of the earth in her eyes and the soul of an imp. Hence the pole dancing. She smiled. We only shared basic information so that someone could find our families if we died in the Stronghold. Just in case.

Breen asked, Why not her name?

Because names could be used by the Elite. They were looking for some of our group, and a name on the wind would come to them. So, by telling us where she worked, she knew we would get the notification where it needed to be. Poppy smiled. We all did it for each other. Sityr would have gotten the notification, and there was no next of kin for me.

Myro nodded and rubbed her shoulder. But you were successful as you were always destined to be, and now the twelve, the guardian, and the queen all have destinies.

Poppy blinked. Wow. Was your incarceration just one big gossip session?

Breen smiled. When we weren t considering cannibalism, yes.

She chuckled and watched more of the clips from the other teams. She looked at her cuff. So, shall we grab some dessert and head to the bed and breakfast? There are plenty of little shops around.

Well then, Poppy. Please show us what you like. Myro grinned.

She stood up, paid for the meal, and walked toward the little stands and kiosks that had plenty of snacks specific to the island.

Breen murmured, We would have paid for the meal.

I am used to taking care of myself. You know, before I had perpetual shadows with me.

Myro snorted. He asked, What kind of an adjustment will it be for you to let us take care of you a little?

That is going to be a very difficult task. If you ever manage it, you should get extra points.

Breen snorted. We will manage it. Promise.

They walked to the row of snack stalls, and she said, Fine, you guys are on your own here. I am getting my favourites and heading back to the bed and breakfast for a snack orgy.

Myro called out, Just snacks?

She laughed brightly and happily, amused when alphas and betas turned to look at her with awe. She ignored them and went for a shredded pastry, fresh fruit, a cream-filled tart, and just anything sweet that made her smile. Someone offered her a tray, and she took it and walked for the bed and breakfast with a bounce in her steps.

Myro and Breen were next to her and looking at the panorama of sugar that she was taking with her. She settled at one of the tables and went to get herself some coffee from the coffeemaker.

She hummed to herself and walked back to the table with her coffee. So, what do you think our task will be tomorrow.

Myro paused. I think it has something to do with that friend of yours. Terro. His father seemed to know where we would be.

Ah, right. I can t remember what his family does.

Breen looked at her tray. What is that one?

She smirked. Mine.

She scooted her favourites toward her and shared the others with them. She started eating and enjoyed herself. She had to ask, Why did they look so tired?

Breen mumbled around one of the pastries. What?

The teams. They looked wiped out.

Myro smiled. They only did the diving and surfing today. It is tiring if you haven t done it before.

Huh? It is? I mean, I was sore but not exhausted.

Breen smiled and cleared dessert off his lower lip with his thumb. That is an interesting sentence. Last night, you were exhausted but not sore.

She blushed. Funny.

Myro grinned. I wouldn t mind trying again. In fact, I am determined to try again.

Uh. Do I get a vote?

Of course. But we would like to share your bed regardless if we play games or not.

She looked at them and nodded. I do sleep better with you two around.

They grinned, and dessert disappeared in minutes. After that, it was bedrooms, brushing teeth, and getting ready for bed. She snuggled between them, and there was an arm around her waist and a large hand on her hip. It was warm, she was safe, and she relaxed and slept.