Between Alpha and Beta

chapter 20

The bookstore door closed behind Nate and me with finality.

I stood frozen on the sidewalk, still reeling from what I'd witnessed—Nate admitting his feelings so plainly, laying his cards on Lily's table without flinching.

He'd never been that direct with me, never allowed such naked honesty to escape.

‘He told her what he can't tell you,’ Elsie observed.

I shoved the thought away, burying it deep where it couldn't detonate.

"Wait!" Lily burst through the door, catching it before it closed. "Tomorrow night. Concert. Non-negotiable."

"Lily, we have plans—"

"Ash & Echo." She grinned at my stunned expression. "Remember when we were seventeen? Sneaking out, dying our hair black, pretending we understood existential angst?"

"That was a lifetime ago."

"That was yesterday." She grabbed my shoulders. "They're playing one show. Tomorrow. We're going."

"I can't just—"

"You can and you will." She looked past me to Nate. "You'll bring her. Eight o'clock. The Velvet Underground."

Nate's expression shifted—curiosity replacing caution. "You two used to rebel together?"

"Katherine was magnificent," Lily said. "Crowd-surfing at eighteen, screaming lyrics about burning down the establishment."

"Interesting." His eyes found mine. "I'd like to see that Katherine."

Something warm unfurled in my chest—gratitude that he wanted to know every version of me, not just the one that fit his expectations.

We slid into Nate’s car; the engine’s low growl filled the silence we didn’t touch. The ride back to the hotel crackled with unspoken anticipation.

In the suite, Nate turned all business.

"Tomorrow. Noon. Aurelia." He handed me a card—elegant script on cream paper. "It's where the city's elite make their deals."

"Neutral territory."

"Evelyn's territory. She chose it." He moved closer. "You need to dress for war. Not your mother's version—sweet and unthreatening. You meet Evelyn as an equal. Sharp. Dangerous. Unforgettable."

"I know how to dress for battle."

"I know you do." His voice dropped. "I'll be there. Whatever happens, whatever she says—you're not alone."

"Thank you. For everything. For doing this behind Gabriel's back, for—"

"Anything for you, princess."

The word landed differently now. Not mockery. Not challenge. Something reverent, almost tender. Princess—what he called me when his guard dropped.

I fled to my room before the moment could detonate.

‘Coward,’ Elsie accused.

I locked the door, killed the lights, and lay stiff as a blade while my pulse refused to settle. Eventually exhaustion dragged me under.

Sleep brought no peace. Gabriel's face twisted with betrayal. "You challenged my authority. You acted without permission. You're just like your father."

The scene shifted. My mother is sobbing in an empty apartment. "Cast out again. Because of you. Always because of you."

Barrett's voice, though I'd never heard it: "Did you really think you were worthy? An exile's daughter playing at being Luna?"

I woke up gasping, sheets soaked with sweat.

4 AM glowed on the clock. No more sleep. Only preparation.

I stood before the mirror, assembling my armor piece by piece. The dress—black, severe, cut to kill. Heels that added three inches of authority. Makeup that transformed my features from soft to sharp—cheekbones that could cut glass, lips the color of fresh blood.

‘Not the gentle Luna. Not the sweet Katherine. This is who we really are,’ Elsie purred.

I emerged from my room at 11:30, ready for war.

Nate stood in the hallway, adjusting his cuffs. His head lifted. His entire body went rigid.

"Jesus Christ." The words escaped before he could stop them.

"Too much?"

"You look—" His eyes traveled from my face to my heels and back, pupils dilating. "Incredible. You're always incredible, but right now—"

"Stop." The word cracked between us. "Before you say too much."

‘He wants us,’ Elsie howled, pleased by his naked hunger.

"Right." Nate's hands clenched at his sides. "We should go."

"Yes."

But neither of us moved. The space between us compressed, heavy with everything we couldn't say. His eyes held mine—dark, desperate, full of words that would destroy everything if spoken.

"Nate—"

"I know." He stepped back, shattering the moment. "Evelyn's waiting."

The elevator ride stretched in taut silence. His reflection watched mine in the mirrored doors. My reflection watched back.

"You're going to destroy her," he said quietly.

"That's the plan."

"No, I mean—" He turned to face me properly. "She's beautiful, ruthless, trained from birth to be an Alpha's perfect mate. And you're about to walk in there and make her look ordinary."

"Flattery won't help my nerves."

"It's not flattery." The elevator dinged. "It's a warning. When she sees you like this—sees what Gabriel chose over her—she's going to want blood."

"Then she'll get it."

We stepped into the lobby. Heads turned. Conversations died. The concierge actually dropped his pen.

"Ready?" Nate asked.

"Born ready."

"That's my princess." The pride in his voice nearly undid me. "Let's go ruin Evelyn Barrett's day."