Hiding from the Beta

Chapter Six

Paul’s pov

We drove for two hours and we were finally there, Soda Springs. “Come on Bridgette, we need to go collect our pack member. Remember these aren’t wolves, these are humans and they know nothing of us.”

She nodded her head, “I know. You’re going to do all the talking, right?” She asked slightly nervous.

“Yes, I will do all the talking, you don’t need to say anything.” We climbed out of the van, I opened the back doors and pulled out the gurney with our own black bag already strapped down. I had my badge on that all the hospital staff have just in case of this exact issue. I looked at Bridgette after closing the doors, her face was white. “Take a breath, you will be just fine.” I told her.

She shook her head, “I am picking up someone that I went to school with, he was a great person, he is my age, we graduated together.” She said, a tear slipped down her cheek.

I sighed and rubbed her back, “I know how you feel. I delivered him, his parents were so happy to have him in the world. They tried so hard to get pregnant, when they did they were exatic.” I said, feeling my lips curve into a smile.

“Okay, let’s go.” She said then started to push the gurney. We walked up to the double doors and pushed the big red button that was off to the side.

A person came running down the hallway, “are you here for the John Doe?” The man asked.

“Yes, I am Doctor Aimes and this is my assistant Miss Carolson.” I told him.

“Oh good. Come on, this way.” He said pushing a button and the doors opened wide. “He’s just down this way, sad really, he was so young.”

“Quite sad.” I said, not wanting to talk to him more than I had to.

“Makes you really think about your life, doesn’t it?” He said trying to make conversation.

“It does, it makes you think about all the things you would miss if you’re not careful.” Bridgette said sadly.

I took a glance at her and saw that she had a tear in her eye. “You okay?” The man asked.

She nodded her head, “umm, yeah.” She said, quickly wiping it away.

“I heard they learned who he was, I just don’t get paid enough for that privileged information.” He said.

I sighed, “his name is Andy, we are here to take him home.” He pointed us through a set of double doors.

“Good, every parent has the right to some closure. I just hope the cops find who did it.” He said.

I looked at Bridgette and she looked just as confused as I was. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“I will show you.” He said opened a square silver door, cold air slid out through the opening. He pulled out a tray, Andy’s body was in poor shape. He turned him onto his left side, “this is what I am talking about.”

I looked at his back and there was a five inch stab wound. The skin around it was black and you could see the veins had turned black under the skin. “Oh my.” I whispered.

“Yeah, we figured out that it was poison but we haven’t figured out what kind. There isn’t any poison that we know of that does that to a body.” He said as he gently placed the body back down on the tray.

“Well, I will run toxicology and do a complete autopsy. I have talked with the authorities and they have transferred the case over to our local police.” I told him.

He looked at me skeptically, “I am surprised, normally they hand it over to the state police.” He said.

“We live in a pretty tight community, our men in blue are pretty certain that they can solve this. If they can’t then they will call in the next level.” He nodded his head. “Come on Bridgette, let’s not keep Mr. Lotus waiting any longer.” I said, I looked down sadly at Andy’s body.

She nodded her head and we quickly finished our business. Once we were walking out we walked up to the door and pushed the button to open the doors wide. We pushed Andy out and went back to the van. We situated him in the van and used all the tie downs to make sure he wouldn’t move around as we drove.

I climbed into the driver’s seat and put my seat belt on. Bridgette did the same in the passenger seat. “Do you know what caused that?” She asked quietly.

“Mhmm, a lethal combination for wolves. Silver and wolfsbane, based on the way it looks, it was not just a silver blade. Andy was murdered, probably by someone in our pack.” I told her.

Her eyes widened in fear, “why?” She asked.

I shook my head, “I don’t have all the information, but I bet I know someone who does.”

“Who?” She asked.

“The alpha, I bet he knows what’s going on.” I said, then put the van in drive and started our journey back to the pack.

Cullen Jameson pov (Alpha of Night Shadows pack)

I stood there watching this young woman sob on the floor. I had no idea what to do, I can guess what had happened to cause her to react this way. “Andy was her mate.” My wolf Ryder said.

“That is what probably happened. Do you think we can trust her? Do you think she is acting?” I asked him.

He was silent for a few minutes, “I don’t think she is acting, she hasn’t looked in our direction once, she is completely broken down. Her wolf is hardly noticeable, we wouldn’t have even noticed her presence if we hadn’t heard her and Doris talking.” He said.

I knew he was right, she seemed weak. I looked back at the letter from one of my least favorite Alpha’s. In all honesty Alpha Raylan wasn’t a bad guy, but he allowed his Beta to step up and make decisions far too many times. “I think we should take her back to the pack, I think we should offer her a safe haven.” I said to my wolf.

“I agree, I think she should come back with us. We are probably the last pack they would think she ran off to.” Ryder said.

“Tahlia?” I said quietly as I took a step towards her.

She didn’t move, “please, just kill me already. I just want to die.” She said between sobs.

I shook my head, my heart ached for her, I knew what she was feeling, it’s why I am as fierce as an alpha as I am. I wasn’t much older than her when I lost my first mate and our unborn child. Jean is my second chance mate, I was lucky I found her. She is the whole reason I let those mangy mutts run around. “I know how you feel.” I started to say.

“So you lost your mate?” She growled, her eyes turning a pale black.

“Her wolf is really sick.” Ryder said.

“I did, during a rogue attack, and she was pregnant with our first child.” I told her, shivers ran down my spine at the memories. “I felt horrible, I couldn’t get to her in time. I have felt what you are feeling right now before, I had prayed to the moon goddess that she would let me die. I wanted the mate mark to kill me, I wanted to be with her. Instead she had other plans for me. Then I had found my current mate, Jean, and she was my second chance mate. Finding her was like taking a breath of fresh air.”

She glared at me, “you lost your mate in a rogue attack. My mate was murdered by my father.” I looked at her shocked but she didn’t stop talking. “What’s the best part, he isn’t even my father, just the damn beta. Yet he betrothed me to Alpha Nathaniel Heep, for what reason? All because my mother couldn’t keep her legs closed prior to finding her damn mate.” She growled.

“I knew there was a reason we didn’t like that guy.” Ryder said in triumph.

I ignored him, “Tahlia, will you allow me to help you?” I asked her.

She pulled her knees to her chest and shook her head, “why?” She asked.

“Why what?” I asked her back.

“Why would you want to help me, it’s common knowledge that you despise rogues.” She said as a hiccup escaped her lips.

I sighed, “you are right, I don’t like rogues. However, you’re technically not a rogue, are you?” I said as I held up the papers from Raylan.

She looked at me confused, “I would rather just take off and keep going, I would want to get as far away from here as I possibly can.” She said, her voice barely a whisper, her wolf was growing weaker by the minute.

“I think that would be a bad decision.” I said and she rolled her eyes. I ignored that and continued to talk. “I think it would be best if I accepted you into my pack.” I said with a soft smile.

She shook her head, “no, I couldn’t do that to your pack. My fa- Anthony can be very vengeful. He won’t stop trying to find me until he has me in his grasp. If Nathaniel Heep wants me to be his Luna then he may come after me too.”

“So what? You’re just going to live the rest of your life on the run?” I asked her.

“I guess so.” She responded confidently.

“Hey, offer her that old house, just outside of the territory, the abandoned one.” Ryder said.

“I have a proposition for you.” I told her with a smile, “actually it was my wolf's idea.” She looked at me confused, her eyes blotchy from crying. “I have an old abandoned house just outside of my territory, it sits just between my territory and the town. I would be willing to offer it to you, all you have to do is fix it up.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, “what’s the catch?” She asked.

“Since you don’t want to be part of my pack, and you obviously don’t want to go back to your pack, why don’t you become a rogue. Except you’ll be a rogue under my protection.” She bit her lip and buried her face into her knees. “Why don’t you take a few days to think about it. Here is the number to my cell phone and the pack house. Feel free to call me.” She took my card and I took the envelope, but left the cash. “We will talk soon.”

I walked out of her room and Doris was standing there with her arms crossed, I looked at her with a smile. “You should know you did a damn good job covering your witch essence. I have known you for nearly fifteen years, yet never realized you were a witch.”

She looked at me, “I don’t like people knowing who I am.” She said sternly in her thick southern accent.

“Keep an eye on her, don’t let her take off.” She nodded her head and I walked back to the bank where I was supposed to be having our monthly financial meeting.

I walked in and straight into the office, my beta was already there waiting for me. I pulled up a chair and he looked at me confused. “What’s going on?” He linked me, “Did you figure out what was going on?”

“I did, I will discuss this with you after our meeting.” I told him as I tucked the envelope into my inside suit pocket.

It took nearly an hour to go over everything, I was thankful that it was done. “Do you have any questions for me sir?” The head of the bank, Mr. Jones, asked me.

I shook my head, “I don’t believe so, everything looks great.” I told him, I took the folder he offered, “see you next month.” I said in a business tone.

“Yes, next month. Thank you for coming in.” He said with a smile as he straightened his suit jacket.

My beta held the door open for me and I walked out of the conference room. We walked out of the bank and into the warm summer air. I loosened my tie and climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV.

My beta climbed into the driver seat and put his seat belt on. He turned to look at me, “okay, spill. What was that all about?” He asked me.

I sighed, knowing I was now talking to my best friend, not just my beta. I pulled out the letter and handed it to him. He quickly read it and then looked at me. “He wants us to take in his pack members?” He asked.

I nodded my head, “yes, however she refused.” I told him.

He furrowed his brow in confusion, “well that doesn’t make sense.”

“It does when her mate is dead. This was planned for the two of them to run away together and start their lives away from the threat that hung over their heads.” I told him.

“So do we need to be worried about this threat coming here?” He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, “honestly, I don’t know. We should probably assume that will happen at some point. On the other hand I highly doubt that they would track her here.”

He looked back down at the paper in his hand, “so Andy was her mate and he is dead?” I nodded my head, “are you sure she isn’t playing you?” He asked.

“I highly doubt that she is faking. With the way she reacted it would have been really hard to fake.” I told him, involuntary shivers ran up my spine. I knew what that pain felt like. It’s dull now with my second chance mate, but those beginning years were the worst.

“How is she still alive?” He asked hesitantly. He was there when I lost my first mate. I survived because of my mate’s best friend. She was a witch, so she removed the mark. I begged her not to, but she knew the pack needed me.

“He never marked her, I don’t think they knew they were mates for too long before he died. I didn’t want to press the issue.” I said as I leaned back into my seat.

“What’s the plan then?” He asked as he put the car in drive and pulled out onto the road.

“I will give her the old house just outside of the territory.” I told him.

“Huh, really?” He asked, sounding quite bewildered.

“Yes, I had bought that house only because Hannah loved it.” I had planned to make it part of our territory and we would raise our family there. After she had passed I ignored it. It’s now falling apart and she is in desperate need of some tender love and care.

“Keeps her out of the territory yet in an area where we could keep an eye on her. Sounds perfect.” He said.

I looked out the window and watched the fields fly by as we made our way back to the pack house.

I looked at my watch and climbed out of the car, Jean walked up and wrapped her arms around me. She smelled me and pulled away. “Whose scent is on you?” She growled.

I sighed, Jean was always a very jealous woman. “I will explain inside, come on.” I said softly as I entwined my hand with hers. “Where is our future alpha?” I asked.

She sighed, “Grey Moon called, they decided to take them this week instead of next week. The storms next week are supposed to be pretty intense, tomorrow’s storm is supposed to be as well. They left about an hour ago.” She said sadly.

I sighed, “he’s gone already?” I asked her.

She nodded her head, the sound of sniffles filled the room. “Yeah, they will be gone for the next three years. However, Grey Moon said that they will allow him to come back for his sister’s mating ceremony. If she finds her mate while they are still there.”

I sighed, “very well, sit on the bed and I will explain everything.” I told her as I opened our bedroom door and allowed her to walk in first.

I spent the next thirty minutes explaining what happened, then the next twenty minutes consoling her. I am also her second chance mate, her mate was just an a*s and rejected her. Once she was calmed down I explained to her what I was planning on doing.

“Do you think that’s a good idea? Wouldn’t it be better if you just took her into our pack?” She asked as she wiped her nose with the tissue in her hand.

“no, I would rather bring her into the pack and keep her safe. However, I can’t do something she doesn’t want me to do.” I said as I pulled her into my arms.

There was a knock on the door and Camila cracked the door. “Is it safe to enter?” She asked.

I laughed, “yes, it’s safe.”

She walked in with her hands over her eyes, “are you absolutely positive?” She asked, as she ran into the side table near the door. “Ow, damn it.” She growled while rubbing her knee.

“Yes, you can open your eyes.” My mate said through her fits of laughter.

Camila cracked her fingers apart and peeked out. “Whew, good. What’s this I hear about a new rogue in town?” She asked and she plopped down on the bed next to Jean, the bed bounced and Jean slid over into Camila.

They both laughed, “that would be accurate, you are to leave her be. As of right now her wolf is very sick, she needs help.”

Camila looked at me shocked, it was the first time she had ever heard me talk about a rogue that way. “What did she do to deserve special treatment from you?” She asked me.

I sighed, instead of repeating all the information I handed her the letter. She quickly read it. “Tell me how I can help?” She said sitting up straight.

I smiled at her, “for now, you can help by just keeping your distance. Wait for her to come to you. Just go to town regularly starting next week, make your presence known.”

She nodded her head and leaned into her mother, “what of her mate?” She asked, sounding quite hopeful.

I shook my head, “from what I understand, he didn’t get the chance to make the journey.” She knew what that meant, she didn't know how hard it could be to lose a mate. I prayed every single day to the Goddess above that she never has to.