Rise of the Underdogs: (Book 1) COLTON

Chapter 13

Sitting in the Alpha’s office, I waited for his usual routine of asking us if we wanted a candy from the dish on his desk. He never offered, and I never asked.

“So, Colt,” Henry started, voice steady but kind. “I know things’ve been a bit upside down lately, but I want you to know the Beta title’s still yours. It’s no small thing, lad. But you’ve got a strong heart, and you came through what’d break most.”

I said nothing.

Did I want to talk? Not really.

“Uncle Henry, those feelings you told me about? I’ve been having them more often lately. I think we somehow linked emotionally and mentally. Colt’s tired, aren’t you, babe?”

I nodded, swallowed hard. She was right. I felt it whenever she cried herself to sleep over me. That promise I made not to hurt her? It was shattered, and now I didn’t understand how she was still able to sit beside me. “Sir, is there an importance to this meeting?”

Alpha Henry nodded. “Aye, well—due to everything that's happened lately, I’m gonna have to scatter the pack for now. Neil’s not in the shape to lead, not after fallin’ in with that eejit at school. Before folks head off, I wanted to make sure your place is firm in this, Colt. Neil?”

Clearing his throat, Neil pushed off the wall. “As the recently-named Alpha of the Shadow Storm pack, I, Neil James Dane, offer you, Colton Heath Brake, the position of Beta. Do you accept?”

I wanted to tell him to shove the title where the sun doesn’t shine.

But one look at the woman beside me told me everything I needed to know. She wanted peace. She wanted healing. Even if I wasn’t ready for it yet.

I nodded again. “Yes, of course. It was offered to me as a child, and I’ve always been there to help Neil through the worst. I’m just sorry he couldn’t do the same for me until it was almost too late.”

I turned to him, voice lower now. “Why, Neil? Why didn’t you tell your dad that Daisy was my Mate? I know I could’ve, yeah—but as the Alpha, it was your job to update the files, Neil.”

Guilt showed all over his face. “I can’t apologize enough for the s**t I put you through, Colt. I was afraid you’d hurt her.”

Daisy rose to her feet, her hand connecting solidly with the side of his face in a sharp slap that echoed across the office.

“So what? You’d rather risk your friend’s life than pull me aside and just tell me the truth?” Her voice trembled with anger. “You’re an Alpha wolf, a leader, but I didn’t see much leading these last few years, Neil. Nope, I saw a hell of a lot of following. I might be your mother’s niece, but if I’d lost Colton because of you, I would have walked away from all of this.”

Neil paled, shrinking under her glare. I didn’t have to say a word. Daisy had been giving him hell long before I left the hospital. That much was clear.

Alpha Henry looked over at me with a concerned expression. “I know it’s a lot bein’ thrown on your plate right now, lad, but we’ve got your back. Daisy’s finished school, and she’s offered to stay with you and your folks while you find your footing again. Has she said anything about her own family?”

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “It’s kind of sad they’d cut her off like that. She’s a good person. She deserves better.”

He nodded slowly. “Aye, she does. And I’m glad she landed with you, Colt. Your folks raised you right when it comes to how a man treats his Mate. Proper values, that.”

Then his tone shifted—gentler, with a deeper weight behind it. “Now tell me… why’d you do it, lad?”

“I felt like I didn’t have any other way out, Sir. I was still hurting from the attack that took Luna Andrea from us. I lost my cousin and his parents that same night.” The words came out rough. I didn’t look up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daisy glaring hard at her cousin. My chest warmed.

Proud didn’t even cover it.

“Neil stopped listening,” I went on. “To me. To the rest of our friends. That’s when John showed up. I think Neil wanted something to blame, a distraction maybe—but he didn’t need to hit me after Mira spread that rumor. I’d already talked to Daisy. We’d worked it out between us.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Henry said, turning to Daisy. “Sweetheart, anything you’d like to add to what Colton’s said there?”

“Just this,” she snapped. “Neil should’ve told me where Colt was. I had to hear it from Kaden Cage that he was being loyal to me and that Colt was in the psych ward because of his depression.”

“I was looking out for—”

“For me or yourself, Neil?” Her voice cracked but didn’t falter. “When are you going to realize you’re not the only one who suffered? Yeah, you lost your mom. I also lost my Aunt, and half the pack lost people they loved. You need to stop walking around with your nose in the air and realize you need subjects to be a king. Things you’re going to lose if you don’t grow up and get help for your own issues.”

I watched him curl into himself like her words hit harder than anything I ever said. Honestly, it was nice to see someone finally bring him to his knees. I couldn’t wait until he found his Mate.

“Daisy, I..” Neil tried again, but she cut him off.

“You could have told me he was hurting because he thought I was going to reject him. You could have been the Alpha in the situation and put your people before yourself, but no. Little Mr. I-Gotta-Have-My-Own-Way had to learn the hard way! Mira lied, and you didn’t do a damn thing to back Colton up,” Daisy snapped, dropping back into her chair like she hadn’t just cracked open years of frustration.

I looked at him as he dropped to the floor. Really looked. I didn’t feel satisfaction. I didn’t feel hate. I didn’t feel the burn of old anger like I thought I would. All I felt was pity for the guy I grew up with.

Standing slowly, I crossed the office and crouched beside him. “Get up, Alpha. Look, I was born with Omega status, and you saw past it. Daisy, that was uncalled for, babe. I know he needed to hear it, but there was a better way. He’s not… bad. Just… misguided.”

Alpha Henry chuckled from behind his desk, not mocking, just genuinely amused by how raw things had gotten. “And that right there’s why I never took the Beta title off ye, Colton. You’ve got fire, sure—but you’re a good soul. Got compassion. You’ve always put others before yourself, even when your own world’s falling apart. That’s the kind of backbone a proper Beta needs.”

I nodded, running a hand through my hair. “I need rest, Sir. Are we done here?”

He nodded, pushing a short stack of papers across the desk. “Just scribble your name down, lad, and you’re free to head off.”