Beyond Beta's Rejection

Elias

I stood on the cliff and watched the sun set. Everything was a beautiful calm, like the day after a storm. The air was fresh, and I felt less heavy than usual.

I had travelled to my parents’ home yesterday. I got in late last night and my mum and dad were waiting with plenty of food and a ready-made bed. We didn’t talk much although I knew my mum had questions. We made small talk about nothing important. All while the knowledge that my sister was still alive, burned inside me. My parents lived in a remote seaside town, much like the one we had found Brianna in, only a lot smaller. There weren’t any piers and shops here. In fact, when me and my parents moved here it was just us. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that over the years former members of our old pack, the ones who had survived the attack that destroyed it, had moved close by. Now it was a small town. Although my dad was very strict on the fact that it wasn’t a pack, I could tell from my brief interactions that they still looked to him as their Alpha.

I felt a presence behind me and a cautious sniff told me that it was my mother. I smiled as she laid a hand on my arm.

“Good evening,” she said with a smile. My mum was shorter than me, and when I looked at her, I could see Lily in her features. I felt a pang of guilt for not telling her that her daughter was alive.

“Evening mum,” I said.

“You’re up late,” she said, and I smiled. Last night I slept so well. I didn’t know if it was the sea air or the quiet, but I woke up feeling fresh and early this morning.

“It’s been a while since I have seen this view,” I said. My mum chuckled, and I smiled. I hated moving here. I was a teenager and a pigheaded Alpha one at that. My parents were trying to grieve their losses, and I was focused on revenge. I had been fifteen when the attack happened. My dad had sent me to the Council to train to be a good Alpha. At the time I thought he was being a d**k. Being an Alpha was in my b***d, I didn’t need to train. Of course I didn’t know what else was in my b***d either. I hated the Council and all the rules. The only good side was that I met Marcus there, and we had become fast friends since. I had no idea of The Order, or my family’s connection to it.

One day I got annoyed at one of the mentors. I was restless and wasn’t paying attention in training. He had ripped me a new one because of it. My desire to go home was bad enough, but that just sealed the deal and I told Marcus I was leaving. I didn’t know at the time but my wolf Jax had sensed danger around the pack. He wanted to go home to protect it. I made my way home just as the attack happened. I watched in horror as the other wolves descended on our pack and decimated it. I rushed to help but was less than useless. I remember seeing Nathaniel standing over my mum and ran to defend her. It was later that I found out that my sister, along with some other female wolves had been taken. The attack not only wiped out the pack but also the loss of my sister was too much for my mum and she became depressed. She blamed herself for everything, although I couldn’t understand why. My dad had moved us here so he could focus on looking after my mum. He used the mate bond to help heal her. That was when I saw the beauty of the mate bond, and what it could do. He managed to pull my mum from crippling depression and nurture her back to being the woman she was.

I looked at my mum now; she was older but I could tell she was happy. I was sure that deep down that losing Lily was still there, but she managed to live her life. She glanced sideways at me and smiled.

“What?” she asked. And I leaned over and wrapped her in a half hug.

“I missed you,” I said, and she smiled.

“We’ve missed you too,” she said. “And don’t think that I haven’t forgotten that I have yet to meet your beautiful mate.” I chuckled, but the guilt hit me again. We had been so busy chasing the Circle that we hadn’t stopped. I knew Harper was a little scared to meet my parents, partly because we didn’t know how much they knew about the Order, but also because she was still unsure on family itself. But I knew that she and my mum would get along so well.

“She is dealing with a few things in her old pack right now,” I said. “A friend of hers is due to have pups at any moment.” My mum beamed.

“Oh how lovely,” she said. “Maybe you and Harper could be next.” There was a hopeful lilt in her eyes and I hated to crush it. Harper and I had talked about having a family, but to be honest it wasn’t something that either of us desired. Sure there was the inherent need to have an heir but with her part angel b***d and my part demon b***d and we thought it might be more than complicated. But nothing got past my mum and she sighed.

“Or maybe not,” she said.

“Things are just complicated right now,” I said, and she sighed again.

“Elias James Owens,” she said, and I didn’t need the scolding tone to know she wasn’t happy, my full name was enough. “You know full well that life is always going to be complicated. If the world waited for it to be simple, then we would have gone extinct years ago.”

“I know mum,” I said, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

“How much more complicated?” she asked, and I sighed. I was hoping to not have this conversation just yet. At least wait a day or so.

“It’s okay mum,” I said, and she smacked my arm.

“Ow!” I exclaimed and my mum glared at me.

“Don’t give me, it can wait,” she scolded. “Don’t think that I don’t know that there is a reason why you are here to visit, I may be old, but I’m not stupid.”

“Mum you aren’t old,” I protested, and she growled.

“Well then, stop treating me like something you have to protect and tell me what is going on,” she demanded. Yep, she and Harper would get along swimmingly. I nodded.

“Okay,” I said, “But let’s go inside. I have a feeling that this could involve both you and dad.”

***

Twenty minutes later we were sitting in the conservatory with fresh tea in the pot. Both my parents were sitting and watching me expectantly. I was trying to figure out where to start. I looked at my father and grimaced.

“The Order,” I finally said, and I saw the startled look on his face. “I know our pack was some part of it.” My father glanced at my mother and then back at me.

“How much do you know about the Order, son?” he asked, and I shrugged.

“Probably more than you,” I said, and he huffed.

“I doubt that, boy,” he said.

“Harper is one of the Divine Warriors,” I said and both of their mouths dropped open in shock.

“What?” my dad asked after he got his senses back.

“No, that’s not possible,” my mum said, shaking her head. She looked at my father and I could tell there was a hint of fear in her.

“Why not?” I asked, and she shook her head again.

“That would make your girl from the Midnight Moon pack,” my dad said, and I nodded.

“That’s right,” I said. “I took it over just under a year ago. I killed their old Alpha.” My mum started shaking her head, and I saw tears in her eyes.

“Oh no Elias,” she cried. “What have you done? Don’t you understand how much danger you are in?” My dad reached out his hand and took my mum’s hand. I could see as she visibly calmed down.

“Oh James,” she said to my father. “What about Nathaniel?” I quirked my head at the name. I knew that my mother had been a part of Nathaniel’s rogues before I was born. I thought that was why she blamed herself for the later attack. My mum had switched sides after meeting my father and finding out he was her fated mate. It meant that the attack before I was born was lost and my father got the upper hand.

“Nathaniel is dead,” I said, and I saw my mum’s eyes widen.

“Are you sure?” she asked, and I nodded.

“Harper killed him, herself,” I said, and I saw relief in my mum’s eyes. I fidgeted a little because I had a feeling who I needed to speak to about the next part.

“Mum,” I said, and she looked at me. “How much did you know about Nathaniel?” I asked. I saw a conflicted look cross her face and then she sighed.

“Please don’t tell me,” she said. “Please Elias, don’t tell me that you got caught in all this.” My dad squeezed her hand, and I grimaced.

“Mum, are you a demon b***d?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“No,” she said standing up, “I refuse to accept that I infected both of my children.”

“What?” My eyes widened at what I just heard. “What do you mean, both of your children?”

“Maybe we should take a break for a bit,” my dad said. I could see that my mum was getting upset.

“No,” I said, “This is important.” I looked at my mum. “Mum, I am a demon b***d.” She sobbed as I said it. “But Lily, she’s not.” My mum stopped and stared at me and my dad narrowed his eyes.

“What do you mean she’s not,” he asked carefully. “How would you know that, your sister died when you were young?” It was my turn to be guilty again. I knew I had slipped up.

“No dad,” I said, “Lily is alive. I tried to get her to come with me, but she wasn’t ready. She has been held captive by the Circle all this time.” My mum shook her head and my dad swore under his breath.

“No, no no,” my mum said. My dad stood up and pulled her into a hug. He held her tight as she sobbed in his arms.

“This is good though,” I said, “I mean I know there will be some healing. But she’s alive.” My mum pulled out of my dad’s arms and shook her head.

“No Elias, it isn’t good,” she said. “Lily was the reason the attack happened in the first place.”

“What?” I asked.

“If she is alive, then things are worse than you think,” she said. “And if she is telling you she isn’t a demon b***d, then she is lying to you. Lily is the child of two demon b***d parents.” My eyes widened, and I looked at my father.

“You’re a demon b***d too?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“No Elias, your father isn’t Lily’s father,” my mum said. “Nathaniel is.”