Beyond Beta's Rejection

(Harper’s POV)

“I can’t!” I said, shaking my head as I backed away from Elias. He stood up from the bed, and I held my hand out to stop him from coming closer.

“Harper, please,” he pleaded. “I don’t understand,”

“You were going to mark me,” I cried. “I mean, come on, it’s been less than twelve hours, and you think you can lay claim on me just like that” Elias looked shocked and then horrified. He stepped forward, and I shook my head.

“Harper, please listen to me,” he held his hands out, as if he was trying to talk me off a cliff edge or something, “I swear, I had no intention to mark you. I wouldn’t, not without your consent,”

“Well, don’t expect that, ever!” I spat. I could feel tears burning my eyes. I knew I was overreacting, but I couldn’t seem to get a grasp on myself.

Elias stopped and looked at me. His expression shifted to something unreadable.

“What do you mean, ever?” he said in a slow tone that was edged with danger. I shook my head again.

“I’m not completing the mate bond, not with Colton and not with you!” I wiped away the tears that had begun to stream down my face.

“But we are fated. The goddess paired us for a reason. The mate bond is a sacred gift,” a hysterical laugh escaped my lips.

“A gift!” I exclaimed, “It’s a curse, a heavy weight that will drag you down and drown you,”

“Why would you say that?” he asked. I had started edging around the room towards the door. If I could get out the door, I could get out of the forsaken place.

“Why?” I looked at him like he was crazy. “How about my mother, who is slowly going insane because her mate is dead?” I cried, “Or my sister who suffered years of abuse and pain at the hands of her fated mate. Or even my uncle, whose mate you happen to have locked up in your cells right now!” Elias’ eyes widened.

“Wait, what, who?” he asked.

“Or if that isn’t enough, how about this!” I held up my left hand, showing the damn engagement ring that was still on my finger after ten years. Elias rushed forward and grabbed my wrist before I had a chance to move away. He glared at the ring with hate.

“Is this… Why the hell are you still wearing it?” he snarled, his eyes switching red. I tried to pull my arm away, but his grip was ironclad. He reached up and pulled on the ring. I screamed as pain shot through my body, overwhelming all my senses. I felt like I was on fire and was being stripped raw. It was different from when I did it to chase the pleasure. I had the control, but this, this was unbearable.

I vaguely felt as my arm was released and the floor rushed forward, as I fell face first. The pain continued to rush through my body in waves. I felt something cold against my skin and heard shouting as the pain became too much, and I slipped into darkness.

***

“Seriously, dude, what were you thinking? You can’t go grabbing s**t off people. I’d told you he was gloating about it,” I heard an angry whisper.

“Yeah, I know, I saw red. I’m a d**k,” another voice.

“Yeah, well, it’s one thing to kick the s**t out of me to prove a f*****g point, but she’s your mate. You need to learn some respect,”

I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, and it took a couple of tries until I managed it. I was laid in a bed, and by the looks, I was in the room I had passed out in. I could just about see two figures through the blur and the darkened room. They were standing at the end of the bed, arguing. Or one was telling the other off. My eyes cleared, and I saw it was Elias and Marcus. Shockingly it was Marcus telling Elias off. I tried to lift my hand to get their attention, but my body felt like it was about six times heavier or something.

I finally croaked a cough out, and they both turned and looked at me. Elias rushed to the side of the bed and placed a hand on my forehead, and smiled at me. His hand felt cold and soothing against my hot skin.

Marcus stood at the end of the bed and grinned.

“Gee,z princess, you gave us quite the scare there,” he said with forced cheer.

“What happened?” I asked. I remember that Elias had flipped over the ring and tried to take it off, but it didn’t make sense. I had never felt pain like that. Well, I had, but that was almost ten years ago.

“It was my fault,” Elias said, bowing his head. “Stokes had been gloating over the fact that you were wearing his ring. I guess I saw it and lost my temper. You tried to pull away and I dunno, I should have let go,” the look of guilt was all over his face. “I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand. But the doc said that you had gone into shock from the pain.”

“It’s commanded,” I croaked, “Colton commanded me to keep it on. He said if I or anyone tried to take it off, I would feel immense pain, or something like that,” to be honest, it had been ten years, and I had worked to block that time out. I had also tried several ways to get the ring off my finger, but all had resulted in pain. I looked up at Elias, and his eyes shone with fury.

“I want him found and thrown in the cells now!” he hissed. Marcus grimaced and looked at me before looking at Elias.

“Boss, don’t get me wrong, I agree, but you know…” he glanced at me again. “I mean, if you want to….” Elias sighed and rubbed his eyes. He cursed under his breath before looking at me again and forcing a smile on his face.

“The doc gave you something for the pain,” I blinked at the sudden change of topic. I guess we’d finished that one then, “Get some rest, and we can talk in the morning” he leaned in and kissed my forehead before moving away again. He stood up from the bed and smiled again before heading for the door. Marcus grinned at me before turning to follow Elias. He stopped at the door and looked back at me.

“Don’t worry, princess, as Gamma, it’s my duty to protect you. And I take my duty deadly serious,”

“I can protect myself,” I said defiantly, and he grinned.

“Sure, I believe you,” he said, “well, then call me back up” with a wink, and I smiled. He closed the door, and the room fell into darkness apart from one dim lamp on a chest of drawers.

I lay there for several moments, not sure what I should do. Eventually, my eyes started to close again, heavy with tiredness, and I shuffled onto my side, wincing at the pain, and clutched my pillow and allowed myself to drift off to a dreamless sleep.

The next morning I woke up feeling like an elephant had trampled me. My whole body hurt, and I g*****d as I tried to pull myself to a sitting position. I managed it on the fourth attempt and looked around the room. It was still dark, but the clock on the bedside table announced it a little after 7 am. I would have gone back to sleep, but my bladder had other ideas, and I dragged myself out of bed towards the only other door in the room, hoping it was the bathroom.

While there, I decided to shower and otherwise get ready for the day. I knew yesterday was tiring, and I had found myself in the pack house of hell once more, but I had to look at this as a positive. Despite my dislike of the mate bond, it could really help me right now. Elias would have his guard down around me more, which could afford me more ease when trying to find the evidence I needed. I felt a pang of guilt at the idea of investigating my mate but quickly shoved it to the side. It wasn’t my fault that he was a criminal mastermind. That was on him, and he had to deal with the consequences of his actions.

I was back in the bedroom towel drying my hair when I remembered I had heard Maia yesterday. I stopped and closed my eyes.

“Maia!” I called in my head, and I felt something shift, but there was no response. I wondered if the issue with my ring last night had weakened her again. But at least now I knew she was still here, which was more than I knew twenty-four hours ago. I finished getting ready and then turned and looked at the door. I walked over, half expecting it to be locked, but it opened up easily, and I looked out into the hallway. I was surprised to see Marcus sitting in a chair a little further down. He looked up and grinned as I poked my head out.

“About time, princess,” he said, getting up and stretching. “I’m starving.” I gave him a confused look.

“What are you talking about?” I asked

“Told you, I take my role seriously,” he said, and I remembered what he said last night.

“You were waiting for me?” I asked, my eyes widening, and he nodded.

“Of course. A gamma protects the Luna,” I went to speak, and he raised his hand. “Or in this case, backs up his Luna,”

“But I’m not your Luna,” I state, and he rolls his eyes.

“Sorry princess, you are fated to my Alpha, and until such time as you break that bond by rejection or some other means, in my eyes, you are Luna,” he stood proud as he said so, and I smiled at his determination.

“Well, okay, but I’m not the Luna,” I said, “but I am hungry, so where can a girl get some breakfast around here?” Marcus grinned.

“Now you’re talking sense this way, princess” he made a sweeping motion, and I laughed and followed him down the hallway.

I realised barely steps before we reached the doorway that we were headed to the shared named rank dining room. I hesitated at the hum of conversation inside, and Marcus turned and looked at me and pointed to himself.

“Back up, remember,” and I smiled at him, suddenly very grateful for his presence. He opened the door, and I walked into the room to see it was pretty full. The former Luna and Caroline Stokes sat in the middle of the table. The twins were giggling opposite them, and Jamie was reading a book next to the twins. Sitting down at one end of the table where the Alpha sat was Elias, and right up at the other end, in the Beta’s seat, was Colton.

I noticed they had been glaring at each other, but as I entered the room, they both stood up and watched me expectantly. I stood in the doorway as everyone went quiet.

I felt Marcus lean down behind me and could tell he was grinning.

“It’s showtime!” he whispered with glee. I sighed and closed my eyes.

Oh yeah, I thought sarcastically, this was going to be real fun.