Beyond Beta's Rejection

(Colton’s POV)

I was dragged from the cells by two or three warriors, still hearing the painful screams of the woman I loved. I tried to fight, but I heard Nathaniel instruct them to drag me back to the pack house. I was thrown into the Alpha’s office as Nathaniel strode in, instructing various warriors to surround the house and be on guard. Louise was in the corner crying, her makeup streaming down her face. I glanced over, and she looked up at me. Despite all the hatred, all that I had done to her, I knew that at this moment, we were both mourning someone we loved. I saw that acknowledgement in her eyes.

Nathaniel sat at the desk and began to speak, but he was interrupted by the sound of a mournful howl, one so powerful it could be heard all the way from the cells to where we were now. One so painful that it meant only one thing. Immediately, the sound made my heart break as I knew two things. One, that the woman I loved was dead. And two, that I didn’t feel her die, which confirmed that our mate bond really had long since been dead. It didn’t matter though because she was dead and the man in front of me was the one who killed her. I felt something inside me stir as the anger took over. I growled deep in my throat and flew over the desk at a surprised Nathaniel.

“You killed her,” I snarled as I laid into him, punching him over and over in the face. “You killed her.” I felt Nathaniel tense, and then I was thrown back across the room at speed and crashed into the wall opposite. I heard Louise scream in surprise as I slid down to the floor and lay in a crumpled mess.

“You killed her,” I mumbled through the tears.

“Watch your place, boy,” Nathaniel sneered at me as he watched me from across the room, “Don’t be stupid now. You will still get the Alpha title.” I looked up at him, not believing what I was hearing.

“I don’t give a s**t about the Alpha title,” I spat as I sat up and glared at him. “I don’t want to be Alpha. I want Harper!”

Nathaniel growled as he rounded the desk and was in front of me, and before I knew it, I was lifted and slammed against the wall by my shirt.

“Now listen here, boy,” Nathaniel hissed. “Do not go soft on me now.” He dragged me across the room and threw me back into the chair.

“Once we have exterminated the council problem, you will become the Alpha of this pack, and you will produce an heir with my bloodline,” he said, sitting back behind the desk.

“An heir?” I exclaimed. “What are you talking about?” Nathaniel looked over at Louise, who was still sitting on the floor in the corner.

“It turns out that our Mrs. Chambers’ little child is more special than your run-of-the-mill guardian.” Louise’s eyes widened, and her hands went protectively to her stomach.

“Oh, don’t worry, my dear,” Nathaniel said softly to Louise. “You and your baby are safe, for now at least. I have reason to believe that you could be carrying our next Divine Warrior right there, young lady.” He smiled at her and Louise shook her head.

“No, it’s not possible,” she said. “Even if Harper is de-” she stopped before she could finish the word and closed her eyes as the emotional grief swept through her.

“Even if she is no longer here, she was still here when I conceived. You can’t have two divine warriors. That was what we were told.”

“That’s not entirely true.” I turned towards the voice at the door to see Susie standing there holding one of the old books from the library.

“You!” Louise hissed. “You traitorous b***h!” and Susie sneered at her.

“Oh, get off your high horse, you stuck up w***e!” Susie spat. “I’m not the one who was all comfortable in the pack house as the future Luna and still went sleeping around.”

“Sleep around!” Louise shouted. “I was forced into a mating and taken away from my own mate. Your own family, if you remember. Oh, but of course, family means nothing to you now, does it,” Louise was standing now, and the two women were inches away from each other.

“You’re just jealous, now that you know that I was a higher rank than you all along,” Susie spat.

“I don’t give a flying f**k what your rank is, or was,” Louise screamed. “I care about the fact that my best friend is dead, and now it appears you are the reason why. And here you are trying to gold-dig your way in without a single remorse that your own sister is dead. I bet your mother is real proud.”

“Well, at least I know where my mother is,” Susie screamed back. Louise slapped her across the face. I jumped up and grabbed Susie’s arm as it began to rise.

“Whoa!” I said, and she turned and looked at me. Susie bowed her head and smiled sweetly.

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” she said and then turned on her heel; and walked over to Nathaniel. I watched Louise, who looked to be on the verge of tears again, and she shook her head and moved back to the wall.

“You see this passage here?” Susie asked, and I turned to see both her and Nathaniel were pouring over a book. “It specifies that the number of divine warriors is proportional to the number of demons,” Susie looked up at Louise and then at Nathaniel.

“I knew the glow on her was different from my son, so I’m sure that bringing your demons to Midnight Moon is giving us another Divine Warrior. And the fact that we now have two guardians, Tommy, and my son, that glow preempted my sister’s demise.”

“Pretty sure,” Nathaniel growled. “Or certain?” he glowered at Susie, and she shrunk back.

“I’m certain, sir,” she said and looked at me. “So it’s just a matter of time. Once the child is born, you raise it in your influence, and then you can rip that seal right open.”

“You are not raising my child,” Louise spat, and I saw the black demon pass through Nathaniel’s eyes as he looked over at Louise.

“You have no choice in the matter, my dear,” he said. “I will wait until the child is born, and then I will take charge, and if you want to be even alive to be involved in the little angel’s life, then you will cooperate. Do you understand?”

“Go to hell,” Louise hissed, and Nathaniel laughed.

“Oh no, my dear, I plan on bringing hell here.”

***

A few hours later, I slouched in my chair, the memory of Harper’s screams running through my head while my uncle and Susie poured over various texts. There was a knock at the door, and I looked up to see my mum standing there.

“Mum!” I exclaimed and heard Nathaniel growl.

“What are you doing here, Caroline?” he said. “I thought I made it clear that I would deal with you later.” My mum smiled first at Louise and then at me before turning to my uncle and frowning.

“I told you, I did what I did because it needed to be done.” Nathaniel sighed.

“Since apparently, that was weaponising someone against me, then I think you should have thought about that course of action.” He looked up at her over his glasses. “Make note, dear sister, it is with a heavy heart that once this is done, you will find yourself, living out your days in a cell.”

“What?” I exclaimed, sitting up. “You’ll do no such thing.” I stood up in front of my mum. The hell, I was going to let him hurt her. I felt my mum’s hand on my arm.

“Don’t worry, my misguided baby boy,” she whispered in my ear. “I heard from the angels, and they forgive me for my sins.” I look at her, but she is already looking at Nathaniel,

“You, however, you have been found guilty, and the light of the blade will punish you.” Nathaniel looked up at my mum, and I moved to block his view. I didn’t want one of my mum’s crazy rants to anger Nathaniel right now.

“Shh!” my mum said. “Can you hear that? It’s time for the reckoning.”

“Caroline,” Nathaniel snapped.

“Five,” my mum sang.

“My patience…” Nathaniel growled.

“Four.”

“Is wearing…” I could see Nathaniel getting more agitated.

“Three.”

“Very thin…” his eyes switched to black, and I adjusted my stance, ready to protect my mum.

“Two.”

“That’s it!” he said and jumped over the desk. I felt him advance on us. Then there was a knock at the door, breaking the tension in the air. Nathaniel looked at the door, and I turned to see one of his warriors standing there looking nervous.

“Sir, there is a gathering outside the pack house. They have called to see you,” the warrior squawked, and I rolled my eyes at his cowardice. I looked around at Nathaniel and saw the anger on his face as he growled.

“Fine, let’s get this over with,” he snapped. He looked at me. “Colton, my side now.” I glared at him.

“My mother is not to be harmed.”

He growled. “We will discuss it later,” he said, but I knew he had no intention of discussing anything with me.

“Susie, watch our expectant mother,” he said. “Ensure she doesn’t go anywhere.” Susie nodded. Nathaniel moved towards the door, and I made sure I stayed between him and my mother.

“Now, Colton,” he called back without looking. I glanced at Louise, who looked terrified but tired. I pulled my mum into a hug.

“Get her out of here, get her back to her mate,” I whispered, and my mum kissed my cheek. I let her go and nodded to Louise and then inclined my head to my mum, hoping she got the hint. I turned to walk out the door when I heard my mum’s voice.

“One.”

I headed after my uncle down the stairs and into the entrance filled with warriors. They parted as we walked up to the doorway. I followed closely behind and stepped out onto the steps. I looked out to see a line of warriors across the courtyard. At the centre, I saw Tommy and Elias, their faces set in blank determination.

I knew at that moment my mum was right. The reckoning had arrived, and we were about to go to war.