Page 7 of Second Shooter (Betas in Waiting #28)

Win woke up as the tree bent, and she was slid into warm arms.

Wellyn held her, and Draven released the tree. Atil stroked her hair, and Cori spoke. “Is she okay?”

Wellyn said, “She’s a little cold but not too bad.”

“If she’s cold, she’s hungry.” Cori was walking with them.

“Thank you, little sister. You are good to stay here?”

“Yes. Megan has spoken with her parents, and they are urging her to stay where it’s safe. The Elite have hired people to keep an eye on their house.”

Win opened her eyes and looked at Wellyn. “Where are we going?”

“Atil’s place. It is quiet, in the woods, and has a large gym. You and Draven can get on your feet there.”

Atil said, “It is also easy to secure.”

Cori was walking next to them. “Iris and the guys have breakfast ready. Me and Megan and May will stay here until other accommodations are arranged. Keres is going to teach us a projected glamour that will let us return to school or even go to college if we want.”

“Good. How long was I up there?”

“Fourteen hours. Your guys kept an eye on you. Are they going to be my brothers-in-law?”

Win looked at her. “I don’t know how much law will be involved.”

Cori chuckled. “Cool. I am willing to be bribed to tell you what she likes, eats, and wears. Also, what her dream camera is, the type of computer she needs to work with photographs, and her favourite kind of hard drive.”

Win looked at her. “Cori.”

“What? We have been talking all night, and Wellyn has already said he will design a motorcycle for me.”

Win looked at Wellyn. He grinned. “As long as she can provide me with a valid license and sit through endless safety lectures and checks.”

Cori nodded. “That, too.”

“Why did you give her that?”

“So she would tell us where you were hiding. You go up high.”

“It is easy to make that spot safe. Fewer birds, no foot traffic, and few look up.”

There was a truck approaching the house, and it made Win smile. “Oh, look. Erik is here.”

Cori turned bright pink. “Erik? Like the dragon Erik?”

“The very same. I guess we will meet him inside.”

There was a low black vehicle that glided up behind the truck, and Win cocked her head. “I don’t know who that is.”

Wellyn walked into the house, and Cori was sort of hiding behind them while looking around them.

Erik was talking to Brexel with a folder in his hand. He looked at her. “Miss Win, I have a genetic match for a parent for you, and I had to get here first because your great-grandmother is aggressive. Here.” He shoved the paperwork at her, and Wellyn moved her close so she could take it.

She grumbled, “I didn’t want to do this.”

Erik nodded. “I understand, but you look remarkably like one of the local families. They took samples from the blood you were dripping and lost hairs. The sampling was a rush, but they were insistent.”

Win looked at Atil and said, “Can you help Oren stall them at the door, please?”

He nodded and went. She pulled the documents out and sighed. She nodded and said, “That is what I thought.”

Wellyn asked, “Who are you related to?”

A shrill voice snapped from around the corner. “Get out of my way, you enormous brick!”

Win pointed at the tiny omega who stormed around the corner. “Oh. My little granddaughter.”

“Good morning, Lady Fen. Wellyn, please set me on my feet.”

He sighed and put her down.

She stood and walked toward Lady Fen. “Hello. I have not been little since I was six. I accept that one of your granddaughters was my mother.”

“I called her. She broke into sobs. I will deal with her later.”

Win was outraged. “Lady Fen, shut your mouth. Whether consent was engaged, and I doubt it was, my birth would have been traumatic, and she was alone in a strange city having a baby that she knew her family wouldn’t want. She was a beta and not an omega, and she was alone.”

Lady Fen opened her mouth, and regret surged into her expression. “I need to make another call. Quickly.”

Win took her hand and pulled her outside onto the patio. “Here. Less prying eyes. Call her.”

Lady Fen lifted her phone to her ear and said, “I am sorry, little treasure. I was surprised. I did not mean what I said.”

Win sat and watched.

There was a pause, and Lady Fen teared up. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

There was another pause, and Fen’s expression turned to horror.

Win walked to the edge of the stone and looked out over the yard as Lady Fen gave her granddaughter an outlet that she had never had before.

“The baby? Oh, she’s a woman now. A very powerful woman.”

Win turned to meet Lady Fen’s gaze.

Lady Fen said, “Yes, I have met her. No, she didn’t seek us out. Feng noticed the resemblance to his mother and grandmother. He got samples and sent them for testing. You were the only child out of sight thirty-two years ago.”

Win nodded. Their research had gotten the age right. Her parents must have been forthcoming with details.

“No. She is here with me now. She pointed out the error in my temper. I am sorry you were alone.”

Win smiled. That was the right phrasing.

Lady Fen whispered, “Come home, Jia. We have missed you.”

Win cocked her head and frowned. She had always assumed her mother had returned to her family.

Lady Fen looked up and saw the frown. “Just a moment, Jia. Win looks irritated.”

There was a shriek that Win could hear from several feet away. Lady Fen flinched and held her phone away, saying, “Yes, she’s here. Compose yourself.”

Lady Fen looked at Win and said, “She would like a video call.”

Win nodded and gestured to the loveseat. “Sure.”

They sat together, and a lovely woman filled the screen with a hesitant smile. “ They named you Win? ”

“They did. They got your note.”

Her mother pressed shaking fingers to her lips. “ Oh, your father is going to be amazed. They said you weren’t going to make it, and since I couldn’t afford treatment for you, I should put you into the system. ” The words came out in a rush, and Win could see the issues. Young mother. Father unlisted and definite Elite interference.

Jia looked over her shoulder, and she whistled sharply. Thudding of feet happened behind her, and Win saw something she hadn’t counted on. An Elite in an open shirt and loose slacks walked up and kissed Jia on the cheek before he looked at the screen in astonishment. “ That isn’t... ”

Win’s head reeled. This wasn’t a scenario she had ever imagined. “Is he...”

Jia had tears in her eyes and nodded.

“I never considered that he was still with you.”

“ He had to fake his death, and I had to disappear for a number of years after you were born. When I got in touch with my family again a few years later, they were furious. ”

Win swallowed. “Do you have other kids?”

Jia shook her head. “ You were a one-off, but I knew that you were in the universe, and that made me happy. ”

“Does he have a name?”

The Elite, with tears in his red eyes, choked out, “ Alwin. ”

“Oh. Right. Win.” She smiled. In the background, she saw tropical plants and bright flowers. “You are in the islands?”

Jia smiled. “ We are. Alwin can’t be there. The Elite are watching for him and others. ”

“Oh. Well, you two are in love?”

Jia grinned. “ I wouldn’t put up with his pasty ass if we weren’t .”

Alwin chuckled and kissed her temple. “ Yes, we are .”

Win was still dazed. Everything she thought she knew about her origin was gone in an instant. “I had holiday time at my workplace, but I think I just got my last check coming to me. I don’t think I can do my regular job anymore.” She swallowed. “Would you mind a visit?”

Jia and Alwin both started sobbing. Jia squeaked a frantic nod. They smiled and said, “ Please .”

She smiled. “It will take a few weeks, and then I will get Lady Fen to give me your number.”

Lady Fen muttered, “I am giving you the number today.”

Win sighed. “I met my mates last night, but our union is complicated, so I want a few weeks to sort things out.”

Jia paused and looked at her expression. “ Take the number, but contact us as soon as you are ready. We will get our guesthouse ready. Um, how many mates? ”

“Two dark Elite and one light. So, four of us.”

Jia blinked. “ We are going to have a discussion about moderation, Win.”

Win started laughing. “I am a little bit extra. I am very happy to have talked to you, Jia, Alwin. I will leave you to your grandmother now. I haven’t had breakfast yet. I spent the night in a tree.”

Alwin’s eyes lit up at that, but he nodded and waved.

Win waved again and then walked into the kitchen. Wellyn and Atil were looking at her, and Draven held his hand out. She took his hand and sighed. “I was not expecting that.”

Draven pulled her against him and stroked her back. “Was it horrible?”

“No. I have a dad who loves my mom, but I was sick, and they had to give me up,” Win mumbled. “That is not what I had anticipated or imagined.”

She was turned to Wellyn, and he stroked her back and hugged her gently. Atil was next with a hug.

Atil sighed, “So, happy news?”

“Yes, but I care for the parents who raised me, but knowing what I learned, they were on assignment.” She thumped her head against his chest. “I have parents.”

“Most people do, Win.” Wellyn chuckled.

“But you don’t get it. We were told that we were handed over. That the Elite got our moms pregnant and left them for dead. The fact that he had to hide from the Stronghold is confirming one thing.”

Atil asked, “What?”

She looked around at the elves in the room. “Sooner rather than later, the Stronghold is coming down.”

She thumped her head against Atil again. “Now I have to figure out where to get clothes that fit a nearly seven-foot woman.”

Lady Fen returned. “I can help you there. You will be coming with me.”

Wellyn said, “She will not.”

“She is my great-granddaughter, and my nose is telling me that you have not mated yet. It is also telling me that she is an omega.”

Win paused. “I don’t want to go without them. They will probably keep me from killing someone. I don’t have a lot of self-control in this form. But wait. Omegas have a smell?”

Everyone in the room stared at her. She looked around and grumped. “What? I have no sense of smell or taste. We have established it.”

Lady Fen paused. “That is rare.”

“It happens in multiple alpha marks being scrubbed. Or in omegas taking suppressants. I don’t have to do that.”

Lady Fen touched her cheek. “We will get you sorted out, Win. Do you have another form? I know some of the others do.”

“I do, but it was painful and hard to be in. I haven’t tried to get back to it since I grew.” She leaned into Atil and exhaled slowly. She closed her eyes and tried to resume her normal shape.

She held her dress against her and opened her eyes. Cori grinned at her from her extra inch in height. “Hey, shorty. Why didn’t you do this after the fight?”

She looked eye to eye with Lady Fen. “Because this height next to a dark Elite has some unfortunate connotations, but it might save my knees.”

Wellyn stared at her and laughed. Atil gripped her arms, and Draven gasped. She was five-five in her beta shape. She kept her dress covering her breasts. “Yeah, yeah. Laugh yourself silly. I don’t care. But, now, I still don’t have clothes.”

Lady Fen smiled, and tears started streaming. “You look just like your grandmother.”

She blinked as she realized Fen meant her own daughter. “Oh, right. I forgot. You must have a bunch of kids.”

“I have indeed, and everyone is an aunt, uncle, or cousin of yours. Jia went missing three decades ago and only contacted us to tell us she was alive. None of us could find her. If you go to visit her, I would like to come along.” Lady Fen reached out and hugged her, murmuring, “Finally, a lady in the family who is my size.”

“There might be two of us. I have a friend who looks a lot like me, but I think, in her case, one of your male offspring had a weekend at play.”

Lady Fen blinked. “Do you have a picture?”

“Yes. I photographed her at a wedding last weekend, but you can also turn around and look behind you. Hi, Lyric.”

Lyric was grinning and said, “I got your address and grabbed some clothing for your stubby form. Who is that?”

“My great-grandmother. Lady Fen. She looks really familiar.” She grabbed the omega and turned her to face Lyric.

Lyric got shorter, and she looked at the other woman. She blinked and grinned. “Now that is a face I see in the mirror or will in a few decades.”

Lady Fen stared at her and blinked. “Will you submit to genetic testing?”

Lyric nodded. “I will. In case you wonder, my parents were swingers, and they swung a little too hard. Condoms broke. Genetic scans didn’t exist, and I am my father’s beloved little bastard. I had a good life and never lacked for love and care. My brother’s mate is over, so I am making myself scarce today. They get loud and shock the grapes.”

Lady Fen smiled. “Excellent. I will call my daughters, and they will get something prepared for you. We will go, and I will take you to one of your aunties’ salons and get your split ends sorted.”

Draven stepped forward. “Not until Win has something to eat. She has metabolic weaknesses. She needs to eat.”

He picked her up and set her down on a chair where a plate of waffles and sausage was waiting with a side of strawberries. He waved his hand over her plate, and steam began to rise.

“You know how you just picked me up?”

“Yeah.”

“That is why I was staying tall.”

He grinned and kissed the top of her head. “You are adorable at any height.”

Atil and Wellyn seemed to realize they were being left out and came over to touch her arm and back. With all three of them in contact with her, something strange happened.

The scent of strawberries came to her, and she tried to hide it. She drenched everything in sweet-smelling syrup, and the moment one of her mates let go of her, the smell disappeared.

At least she knew how it worked now, but it meant her first time with consent was going to be a doozy. She hoped they could find an extremely big bed. It was going to be one weird game of twister.