Rubbing His Scales (Betas in Waiting 6) Read online

  Roane hates being backed into a corner, but when she’s forced to dress as a game character and her friends introduce her to the male she’s adapted for, she really wants to start biting.

  Roane lived a slightly traumatic but normal life until six months ago. A simple touch of the hand from one of the investors started a cellular cascade that culminated in her wearing scales where there had been skin.

  At a conference, she is introduced to him again, and the contact is electric. After a few short conversations, they get to know each other, and two and a half days later, she answers her phone to a horrible message.

  She disappears from his circle for two weeks; by then, she’s certain of a few things. The first was that he was a nice guy, and the second was that that jerk hadn’t used a condom. She doesn’t even have his number to let him know of the result.

  When they reconnect, he starts to make plans, but there is just one problem—his father has put a hit out on her so that his son will not suffer a broken heart.

  She calls her friends for help, and they get in touch with him. This is where things get weird.

  Will Roane’s life ever settle down, or will the extra two mates who want her for her brain be the final straw?

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Rubbing His Scales

  Copyright © 2022 by Viola Grace

  ISBN: 978-1-990635-16-8

  ©Cover art by Angela Waters

  All rights reserved. With the exception of review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher.

  Published by Viola Grace

  Look for me online at violagrace.com.

  Rubbing His Scales

  Betas in Waiting Book 6

  By

  Viola Grace

  Chapter One

  Roane Zegg gathered the stack of promotional materials and headed for the boardroom. One of the investors was coming by, and she needed to be out of the way in case Mr. Rassan showed up again. Once was enough.

  She laid out the materials and arranged the pens and large swag package that was being given away at the next conference. Roane checked her watch and got back to her office, verifying the supplies and arrival dates, and then she shut everything down, grabbed her purse, and made a run for it. She had to get to her mom’s place before the sun set so she could finish setting up the driveway markers. Any small task was a good excuse to get away from the status meeting.

  Roane was nearly to the exit when a huge and familiar silhouette approached via the sidewalk outside. The Guardian Hunt pack had arrived. Roane darted into the ladies’ room, and she waited. She heard them crossing the lobby and held her breath until she heard the doors to the internal office open and close.

  She opened the door, and an amused female looked back at her. “Hello, Ms. Brendel.”

  “I have told you that it’s Dell. Why are you hiding in the ladies’ room?”

  “Because hiding in the men’s room gets me an appointment with HR.”

  Dell chuckled and hauled her into the lobby. “Today’s the big status meeting. Why aren’t you in there fussing away?”

  “I have to go winterize my mom’s driveway so I can get in and plow when I need to this winter. I already did the service on the snowblower here.”

  “But... the meeting. Everyone will be here.”

  “Frank has all my notes about marketing. It will be fine.”

  More vehicles were pulling into the lot. “Uh, Sorry, Dell. I have to go.”

  “What’s the rush?”

  “Well, placing markers is best done during daylight. I have had this afternoon booked off for at least two weeks.” She gave Dell a quick hug and was thumped by the round belly. “Have a good day, baby Brendel.”

  Dell looked at her with narrowed eyes. “You are running.”

  “Absolutely not; I am escaping.” She hugged Dell again and then slipped outside and into her truck. She saw the window-tinted SUV enter the lot with the SCALES license plate, and she dropped to the side and lay flat in her truck.

  She used her mirrors to verify that he had his driver park and had gone inside, and then she sat up, buckled up, and got out of there. One handshake from Mr. Rassan had started a transformation that Dell had explained to her. Enough time with the book club had helped her get through the worst aspects of the change. She still couldn’t put on swimwear or wear shorts, but she had gotten used to the alteration in her body. It was fine, as long as she didn’t show any skin below the knee.

  She headed out of town and watched the city fade away and the countryside rise to greet her. Roane pulled up at her parents’ house, got the mallet and the marker stakes, and started to mark the driveway and sidewalks. Her mother popped out and said, “Roane, dear. Why don’t you change into something else? You don’t want to ruin that nice suit.”

  “It’s fine, Mom. I won’t be long, and I can get this suit cleaned.” She nodded and got ten more stakes from the back of her truck. She pounded them into the ground at ten-foot intervals and got a wide path to all the outbuildings and the barn, where the tractor with the box blade was waiting. She had already done the maintenance on the tractor, so everything was ready for the first heavy snowfall.

  She dusted her hands off and headed inside. Her mother had a cup of coffee and cookies waiting. After she washed her hands, she sat across from her mother and nibbled.

  “Thanks, Roane. Adam Marks is going to be doing our plowing this year, so you don’t have to come out here. He will be thankful for the markers.”

  “Oh. So, you don’t need me to come out here after every snowfall?”

  Her mother smiled. “No. I have taken measures to make myself a little more independent. You have been great these last few years since your father passed, but I have finally decided to step up and take an interest in life again. I even have a plan for my spring planting and have joined some local women’s groups, so I have holiday plans.”

  Roane blinked. “You never said.”

  “I liked having you come by every week or so, but you look stressed, baby. Are you having any fun?”

  Roane smoothed a hand down her abdomen. “Not yet. I am still trying to find a way to make things work.”

  “Have you seen a dermatologist yet?”

  “Three of them, Mom. They don’t have anything to say about my situation. They can’t figure it out and keep referring me for second opinions. I am giving up on fixing it and struggling to find a balance with what changes have happened.”

  “How is that book club?”

  “Helpful, very helpful.” She stroked her ribs and belly and finished her cookies.

  “Right, now how is it that you are here in the middle of the afternoon?”

  “I booked time off work.”

  “Honey, are you using your vacation time on me?” Her mother’s face was contorted.

  “I wouldn’t want to spend it anywhere else. Especially not today.”

  “Why not today?”

  “Oh, big status meeting with people who want to know how my department is planning to make the next conference something to remember.”

  “You don’t need to be there for that?”

  “No. I have a good rep stepping into my shoes for the day, and all the documentation is ready. The meeting will be fine, or I will be fired tomorrow. Either way, I am good.”

  Her mother’s face got steely. “You put your job at r
isk to come here?”

  “Not really.”

  “Are you avoiding someone? Oh, my. You are, aren’t you?”

  “To be frank. Yes. One of the silent partners. He and I don’t get along.” It was true as much as they had never had a conversation. He had been introduced to her six months ago after he had assumed she was the administrative assistant. Their handshake had been quick, but the side effects were still ongoing. Dell had explained that if they met an alpha that woke their recessive genes, it turned them into a heightened beta with omega characteristics for some betas. Roane had no interest in finding out if Mr. Rassan’s scent kicked her into a heat. Distance was the best cure for that threat.

  * * * *

  Adil Rassan sat at the boardroom table, and his nostrils were teased with the scent of desert flowers and sunlight. He looked at Antonio. “What the hell is that scent?”

  Dell snorted. “It’s on the paper, pens, and the gamer gift basket, right?”

  Adil flicked his tongue out. “Yes. What is that?”

  Antonio looked at his mate. “Is it...”

  “Yup.”

  “Since when?”

  “Six months.” Dell was smiling.

  “Really? How did I not notice that?”

  Dell laughed. “Because you always wear me into the office.”

  Adil asked, “Is there a name associated with the scent?”

  Antonio stated, “Roane.”

  Adil blinked. “The mouse in marketing?”

  Dell got offended. “She’s not a mouse! She’s a whip-smart woman who has managed to increase the market share and entice female gamers in record numbers.”

  Adil chuckled. “I call her mouse for the same reason Antonio calls you bunny.”

  Antonio clarified. “He wants her in his mouth.”

  Adil watched Antonio’s mate turn a hot shade of pink. “Where is she?”

  Dell chuckled. “She got the afternoon off. That’s why Frank did the presentation.”

  Antonio huffed and lifted her hand to his lips. “I wondered. She wasn’t unwell?”

  “No, she’s hiding.”

  “What does your club say about her?”

  “I am not telling you that. Her body is her business.”

  Antonio pulled Dell onto his lap. “You are going to tell your alpha, aren’t you? Adil, come back in three minutes.”

  Adil got up and left the room, curious, but when the moaning started, he grinned and went down the hall to get some corn chips from the machine. When he returned to the boardroom, Dell was flushed, and Antonio had all the marks of arousal.

  Antonio smiled and said, “Does this clarify things for you?”

  The large screen on the wall showed some of the green screen work, and a woman with her face masked by a green scarf was wearing a sports bra and low-slung skirt that showed a swath of her abdomen with a very familiar pattern. Adil stared. That was his pattern.

  She had two sabres and went through a fight sequence. When she turned, the pattern was also on her back.

  “Why is she wearing a mask?” He wanted to see her features as she swayed and struck.

  His friend said, “The serpent queen has sharper features than she does. She looks too sweet.”

  Adil took in her musculature, the way she swayed, and the speed at which she moved. She was lovely. “She’s the marketing director?”

  “Yes.”

  “She’s important to the company?”

  Antonio nodded. “Vital.”

  Adil frowned. “Will she be at the conference?”

  “Probably. She’s usually getting everything lined up behind the scenes.”

  Dell’s voice was husky. “Are you going to be at the conference?”

  Adil looked at the pregnant beta in her alpha’s lap. “I believe I might stay in town for that.” He smirked. “Does she wear the serpent queen costume?”

  Dell shook her head. “No, she wears her suit. She never dresses like any of the characters in public.”

  He smirked. “Could she?”

  Antonio shook his head. “No, as she points out frequently, that is not in her job description.”

  “Could it be?” He knew his tone was cajoling.

  Dell shrugged. “Sure. If you want her to quit on the spot. She gets offers from other game companies weekly. At this point, she is on the fine edge of bolting because of you.”

  Antonio nodded. “She’s not wrong. We are lucky to have gotten Roane, and she has increased profits on the latest version of the game by thirty percent. She has made us forty times more than her annual salary. She’s an important company asset.”

  Adil frowned. “Now, I wish I had taken a more active role in the company aside from start-up money. Dell, have you seen the changes?”

  “Yes.”

  “How extensive are they?”

  Dell looked down and tangled her fingers. Antonio started to slide his hand under her skirt. “About fifty percent of her body. All of her torso, thighs, and biceps.”

  “Is there any other alteration that she has mentioned?”

  Dell looked to her mate, turned her body toward Adil, and held up two fingers.

  Lust surged through him. “Where is she now?”

  Antonio shrugged. “She has the afternoon off. She used her holidays. Come to think of it, she has taken time off every time you were in town.”

  Dell snickered, and Antonio patted her rounded belly.

  Adil grimaced. “So, she knew of her connection to me, and she ran?”

  “Roane would never do something so tacky as to run. She avoids.”

  “Where can I find her?”

  Dell smiled. “The next time she is available is this weekend at the conference. If you can catch up with her. She is going to be busy as hell starting tomorrow morning.”

  Antonio sighed. “Yeah, it is going to be hard for us. Since the elf queen is expecting, she can’t be the focal point of the photo ops.”

  Adil chuckled. “So, having Roane there as the serpent queen would be handy?”

  Antonio nodded. “It would, but she won’t do it.”

  Dell paused and said, “She is going to hate me for this, but have the costume brought along. I can get her into it.”

  Adil cocked his head. “How?”

  Dell shrugged. “I will ask her. She owes me one.”

  Adil watched the video of the clips of the serpent queen in action. “Is she a villain or a hero?”

  Antonio smiled. “It depends on if you tick her off. If she quits, you are going to have to pay, Adil.”

  “Understood. I look forward to finding out how good of a match we are.” He also wanted to know how well they would fit together. If Dell’s indication was accurate, he would finally be able to fuck someone properly. That was a worthy goal in and of itself. He just needed his serpent queen.

  * * * *

  She got into her truck and headed back to the city. There were a thousand things to do before the conference prep the next morning, and she needed to meet with the hotel staff for a briefing before all of the deliveries started in the morning.

  Roane pulled into the hotel parkade and headed inside to speak to the event coordinator. Leanne smiled when she saw her, and they hugged. “Roane, you have some colour to your cheeks.”

  “Just working at my mom’s place. I came back into town just for you.”

  “Excellent. Well, I got your company a really sweet spot.”

  “It isn’t my company.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I do. Now, show me where my guys will be pitching a tent for the weekend.” Roane giggled.

  “Wardrobe has already sent over the outfits for the booth attendants and hosts. So, no problem with someone trying to oust you from the prime spot.”

  “You are too good to me.”

  “Well, anything for another book club member. There are going to be a few others here as well, by the way. Lil
lian and Beth, for sure. You can all get together and hide in the restaurant. Let me know if you do, so I can join you.”

  Roane laughed and checked out the space, and she brought out her phone and made notes. Power bars and surge protectors with power supplies were essential to keep things running. She would head back to the office and make sure everything was lined up for delivery in the morning.

  Leanne grinned, and they looked over the Aenocyon Game booth. It was a prime spot, and they had amazing posters and swag. Roane had faith in the expansion pack for the game, where the serpent queen was featured. She was also intensely grateful that it was only her body and not her face on display. It had also been early in her transformation, so no one knew how far the marks went except for members of the book club. During a few pool parties during the summer where a bikini was the best option, she lay out in the sun and felt relaxed and comfortable for the first time since accidental contact with Mr. Rassan. Since that moment, she regularly spent time in saunas.

  “How about the hospitality suites and the rooms for management?”

  “All arranged. Even the last-minute addition was able to be accommodated.”

  Roane paused. “Last-minute addition?”

  “Yes. It was an upper-level request, away from the action so fairly easy to take care of.” She chuckled. “The secure floors still had extra space. Everyone wants to be in on the action.”

  “Right. Is there a name on the booking?”

  “Just the company account.”

  “Ah. Okay.” She felt a little better. Maybe Antonio and Dell wanted some privacy.

  They checked the rooms, and the extra room didn’t have a connecting door. “No connecting door was requested?”

  “No. Just a deck with plenty of sunlight and a heat lamp.”

  Roane froze. “Heat lamp?”

  “Yeah. Not the weirdest thing I have been asked for.”

  “I think I am feeling a bit unwell.”

  Leanne looked at her. “He’s the guy?”