A True Alpha Christmas by Alisa Woods Page B

Colin clearly wanted a mate so badly. “There’s a new female shifter in the office, just started, but she’s really a beta. I don’t think he’s even interested in her.” Mia scanned the party, but she didn’t see the new intern, Rebecca. “But he’s not looking for a human girlfriend, Jeeter.” Shifters were notoriously hot in bed, but Mia knew better than anyone that they only took shifters for mates.
    “What makes you think I’m looking for a boyfriend?” Jupiter adjusted her dress to show a little more cleavage. Mia rolled her eyes and gave up—her friend was amazing and awesome, but she was clearly focused on one thing.
    “Just be safe.” Mia didn’t want Jeeter coming home with scars.
    She wrinkled up her face in horror. “Oh my god, you’ve turned into my mother.”
    Mia smirked. “I’m just saying. Shifters can be a little… intense. Especially in bed.”
    But that just made Jeeter’s eyes light up more. “You’re going to be okay here without me, right?” she asked, flicking hungry looks in Colin’s direction.
    “Go,” Mia said, shaking her head. “I’ll find Lucas, and everything will be fine.” Which was the truth. Whenever she was with her alpha, the world could be on fire, and she wouldn’t feel it—being with him, especially since they mated, created this incredible sense of safety. Belonging. And the amazing thing was that it grew stronger every day. Her wolf was completely satisfied—only her human side wished for something a little more public to show for their love.
    Jupiter scampered away. As she approached the trio, Colin’s gaze immediately swept up and down Jeeter’s revealing dress. He took her hand and brought her into their tight little conversation cluster. The look on Llyr’s face was classic—the disapproval could be seen across the room—but somehow Colin was able to ignore it, which Mia found intriguing. Going against your alpha’s wishes was something that was hard on any wolf, male or female. But Mia had heard the rumors—Colin was on a wild streak that even his alpha couldn’t stop, sleeping his way through the human female population of Seattle after Mia had turned him down. Lucas had done something similar after he lost his mate and before he met Mia—maybe that paved the way. Llyr and Sampson soon drifted away, leaving Colin to his wolfish looks for Jeeter.
    Her ex-roomie was eating it up with a spoon.
    “Well, aren’t they the charming couple?”
    Mia was startled by the voice at her side, but only momentarily: it was Lev, Lucas’s younger brother and his beta, as well as one of her favorite people on the planet.
    She smiled wide. “Charming isn’t the word I would use. Disastrous, maybe.”
    Lev turned his big brown eyes on her, full puppy dog mode. “Oh, please, please, New Girl, tell me to go rescue your roommate. You have no idea how much I’d like to sink my teeth into Colin’s throat.”
    Mia chuckled. “I don’t think that’s the kind of entertainment your father had in mind for the party tonight.”
    Lev’s shoulders slumped, but he turned a heated glare on Colin. Lev still hadn’t forgiven him for coming between her and Lucas, but he really wasn’t the fighting kind. Lev himself told her once: there were two kinds of betas, alphas-in-waiting like Colin and sweet, adorable ones like Lev. And as hot as Colin could be, Lev was the one Mia would protect with her life. And the one who truly deserved to find an amazing female shifter for a mate.
    “You know I’m not the New Girl anymore, right?” Mia flicked her gaze around the room. “Where’s Rebecca, and why are you wasting time with me? You should be charming her into an after-party date.”
    “Yeah, well, Rebecca’s not my type.” Lev looked away and sipped at his drink.
    Mia gave him a skeptical look. “She’s gorgeous, smart, and here explicitly to find a mate. And she’s a beta. In what way is that not your type?”
    Lev just shook his head. “Let me get you a