Beyond Beta's Rejection

(Harper’s POV)

I once again woke up in darkness, only this time, it wasn’t completely dark. I felt a hand stroking my head and lifted my hand to bat it away. I heard an indignant huff and smiled as Louise moved off the bed. She fumbled with something beside the bed, and the room lit up. I winced against the light.

“Crap, sorry,” she said. “Is it too much?”

“No, it’s okay, I just need to adjust,” I shook my head and immediately regretted it, as the world seemed to roll around, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I lifted my arm and scowled at the cuff on my wrist.

“Damn thing,” I muttered as I pushed myself slowly up to a sitting position. I looked around at the unfamiliar room. I didn’t recognise where I was, but I did recognise my suitcase next to the drawers. The room had an arch that separated the living area from the bedroom area, and I vaguely remembered Nathaniel saying Louise and I could have a suite.

“We are in one of the guest suites,” Louise said as she watched me looking around.

“On the second floor?” I asked excitedly, and she grinned and shook her head.

“Yes, but don’t get too excited,” she said. “I was told to tell you that there are warriors at the door and all the windows. And to remind you that you are practically human, so it would be unwise to attempt to jump,” she rolled her eyes as she said it.

“Damn it!” I exclaimed, and she chuckled.

“I guess this Nathaniel knows you well.” It wasn’t a question, but I knew she wanted to know more.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “He was my mentor at the Council for the last eight years.” I looked up at Louise. “I was a mess when I met him. Aaron was getting regular reports of Colton tearing apart packs, and my nerves were shot. Then Nathaniel showed up, and he took me under his wing. Taught me how to deal with my fear, how to take my anger and channel it into strength.” I felt the sting of tears against my eyes. “He was right, he treated me like a daughter, and he was like a father to me.” I shook my head again and wiped at the tears. Now wasn’t the time to mourn over the loss of an illusion. I needed answers.

I got out of bed and headed over to my suitcase. I didn’t need to check that my blade roll had already been taken out of the top lining. It was really annoying when the enemy was the one who taught you pretty much everything you knew. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a black top, as well as fresh underwear, and headed to the bathroom. I quickly showered and got ready in the bathroom before walking back into the bedroom.

“What are you doing?” Louise asked as I searched in my suitcase for a hairbrush.

“Get ready. I need to see my mother,” I said, and she shook her head.

“Your mother?” she exclaimed, and I nodded.

“Nathaniel said he promised my father he would save my life or something,” I looked at her as she stared at me like I had gone crazy, “I need answers, Louise. I feel like every answer I get creates two more questions,” she nodded her head and headed into the bathroom. I had finished putting my hair up in a high ponytail just as she came back out. She was still dressed in the same clothes but looked like she had splashed water on her face and such. I handed her my hairbrush, and she neatened up her hair.

“I need to get some of my stuff,” she commented. “I didn’t know what was happening when I was pulled out of the cells and brought here.”

“Louise?” I asked, and she stopped and looked at me. “How is everyone?” Louise looked down at the floor.

“Tommy is annoyed. Marcus is trying to joke his way out of his anger. Most of the others in there are angry or scared.” I knew she was leaving him out on purpose. I could tell that there was something wrong.

“And Elias?” I asked. She looked up at me, something in her eyes that I couldn’t figure out.

“He’s not there,” she said quietly.

“What?” I exclaimed. “What do you mean he’s not there?”

“I mean, Elias was in a separate cell away from the rest of us. But close enough to hear.” She looked at me again, and I figured the look this time. It was fear.

“There’s something in that cell, but it’s not Elias.” She shuddered. “I guess it would have been worse if I didn’t know. Tommy said that he had been like that since he was taken in. But the raw screams of anger and the threats of violence.” She looked back down at the floor. I knew what she was saying. Elias’ demon side had taken over and was out of control,” I was worried. I wasn’t sure how he had contained him for so long, but I needed to find out so that I could get him contained again. I closed my eyes and nodded.

But before then, I needed answers. I opened my eyes again and offered Louise a weak smile.

“Are we ready?” I asked, and she shrugged with a dubious look on her face.

“Sure,” she said, “But I don’t know how you plan to actually get out of here,” I grinned at her.

“I’m going to ask very nicely,” I said, and I banged on the outer room door. I heard the door unlock and watched as it was opened. I inwardly g*****d as I saw Paul on the other side.

“Hey Harper,” he said with a smile, and I smiled back.

“Hey Paul, I’m really sorry.” His face barely had a chance to register surprise as I jammed my hand into his nose. I jumped and grabbed hold of around his neck and used the moment to smash his head into the wall. He dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap, and I checked quickly to confirm he was still breathing but unconscious. I turned towards Louise, who was staring at me in shock.

“How, what?” she exclaimed, and I shrugged.

“I used his strength against him,” I said, and she shook her head and pointed to my wrist. I looked down at the cuff and shrugged. Huh? I had forgotten about that. I wasn’t feeling my own strength, but I wasn’t feeling as weak as I had been.

“I dunno, maybe I’m building a tolerance?” I asked, and Louise shook her head and laughed. It had a slight edge to it like the stress was getting to her. I shot her a sympathetic look. She wasn’t used to this kind of stress that I knew for sure.

“Come on,” I said. “In a house full of werewolves, I am surprised that no one has come running already,”

We headed down the hallway and passed the games room. I moved quickly, checking that Louise was still behind me. I knew that there was no way that no one had heard that, but nonetheless, the place seemed deserted. I looked down the stairs and frowned.

“I don’t like this,” I announced. “Where is everyone?”

“Maybe they are at lunch,” Louise shrugged, and I chuckled. We made it down both flights of stairs onto the ground floor without seeing a single person. I looked into the main entrance. There should have been at least two warriors on guard at the entrance by default, but again it was empty. I sent a worried glance to Louise, who shrugged again.

“Staff meeting?” she asked, and a giggle escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Maybe I wasn’t holding up so well, either. I grabbed Louise’s hand and ran across the entrance towards the main entrance. I kept a lookout in case of ambush, but again, nothing. Finally, I grabbed the handle to the main door and pulled it open. Light flooded in, blinding me until my eyes adjusted. I looked down the steps into the courtyard and g*****d. Right in front of me, leaning against a black sports car, was Colton. His arms were crossed, and he had a smug look on his face. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, and his smug grin just widened.

“What? Did you think that I wouldn’t know you were going to try to make an escape?” he asked, and Louise stiffened behind me. “Harper, I know you better than you think, just like I know where you are planning on going.”

“So, are you planning on trying to stop me?” I asked, getting into a fight stance, ready for combat.

“Nope,” he said. “I’m giving you a lift. Get in.” Then he opened the driver’s side door and climbed into the car, “Come on, if we are going to see your mother before Nathaniel finds out,” he called from the car. I turned to look at Louise, and she shook her head. I glanced back at the car and to a waiting Colton and then back to Louise. Louise sighed, and I smiled, and we both headed to the car and got in. I was sitting in the front next to Colton, and he turned and grinned at me and then set off down the drive.

“How did you know? I asked, and Colton glanced at me before returning his eyes to the road.

“I told you, I know you better than you think,” he said.

“Colton!” I demanded, and he grinned.

“I saw the look on your face when Nate mentioned your father.” He glanced at me again. “I knew you would need answers.”

I sighed as he drove. Of course, he was right, and I didn’t like that he knew me as well as he did. We drove in silence the rest of the way, and it wasn’t long before we pulled up outside my childhood home. I got out of the car and knocked on the door. I saw that both Louise and Colton had followed, too.

It was Susie that opened the door, and she looked shocked to see me standing there. “Oh my goddess, Harper,” she exclaimed. “Mum and I have been worried sick about you, what with the Council being here. Come in.”

I walked into the living room and saw two of the three kids playing. I saw my mum through the arch into the kitchen and headed in.

“Look, mum,” Susie said. “Harper is here.” My mum turned around to look with a smile on her face, but I saw her glance down at my cuff, and her smile froze in place.

“Oh my goddess,” she cried as she broke down in floods of tears. “No, please, no. Not my baby, please.”