Hiding from the Beta

Chapter 2

Anothony’s pov

I stormed from her room and headed straight for my office. I walked in, slammed the door and went straight to the liquor cabinet. I grabbed a crystal glass and poured myself some whiskey. I took a sip, the door opened and closed behind me. I turned around and was surprised to see Apollo standing there.

He stood in front of me with his arms crossed. “What the hell was that about?” He growled.

I narrowed my eyes at him, “don’t even think for a second that you can get an attitude with me. I am still the beta and your father.” I growled at him.

“You’re her father too!” He shouted back at me.

If only he knew the truth, “that’s right, and since she is MY daughter I will decide what is best for her. Living the life of a warrior is not a suitable life for her. She will be mated to the alpha I choose.” I yelled at him.

“You will be punished by the Goddess herself. You know it’s wrong to go against her bonds. She bonds people together for a reason, you really want to go against that right now?” He said firmly as he leaned against the wall.

“I will, she will marry the alpha I choose for her.” Little do they know I already know who she is going to marry. I have had this planned since she was a young child, she was roughly ten when I picked out her mate. I was furious when I learned the truth about her. I almost left my mate, but she was pregnant before we had learned that we were mates. So when she offered to ensure that she would marry an alpha I decided to raise her as my own. Even though I never could get close to her.

“She will hate you forever if you force her into this.” He said, his voice showed how disappointed he was.

“I don’t care, she can hate me until the day I die. She will marry Alpha Nathaniel Heep, no matter what she wants.” I motioned for him to leave and he did, reluctantly.

It wasn’t long later that there was a knock on the door. It opened to reveal alpha Raylan. He slammed the door, “what the hell was that?” He growled at me.

“What, you mean me handling a situation?” I asked him, taking another sip of whiskey.

“You weren’t handling a situation, you were denying your daughter her rightful mate.” He said, his voice rose slightly in anger.

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back in my desk chair. “What’s it to you? Do you want your son to mate with my daughter instead of the gamma daughter? I know for a fact that my daughter would make a better Luna, by far.” I said to him, quite harshly.

He looked at me shocked, “absolutely not, I would never ask anyone to give up their chosen mate. You shouldn’t either!” He growled. “For the record I care because she is part of my pack and she is friends with both of my boys.”

I stood up and looked him in the eyes. “She will marry Alpha Heep. The marriage will take place in two weeks.” I said, he looked at me confused.

His eyes grew wide. “Two weeks? How long have you been planning this?” He asked, I could see how shocked he was.

I smirked at him, “long enough.” I said, I knew it wasn’t good to go against the mate bond. But her mother did just that and I refuse to allow her daughter happiness.

“This is wrong, and I know for a fact you will regret it.” He said in a growl.

“No, I don’t think I will.” I said matching his tone.

He stood up and shook his head, “you are being a terrible person and an even worse father.” He turned and walked towards the door, “this will be a mistake, a mistake you will come to regret.”

“There is still time if you’d like to have Ray mate with her.” I said mockingly.

He grabbed the door knob and threw the door open so hard that it rammed into the wall. I could hear his angry footsteps as he stormed down the stairs and out the door. I could feel my wolf’s uneasiness, but he wanted this just as much as I did, we also depended on this. When we learned that our mate was pregnant with another male’s child we shifted and killed that damn wolf. He had no right to sleep with her when she had yet to find her mate.

A growl escaped my lips at the thought of it. Soon that girl would no longer be our problem. She is to be mated to the Alpha of Graystone Pack, in the far northern part of Alaska. They are a very cruel pack from what I have heard. The alpha is now thirty and has yet to find his second chance mate after his first was killed by a rival.

I wanted to get her as far away from here as possible. I can’t wait to get rid of her. Once she is gone maybe then I can move on from this business and actually start to truly care about my own mate. In actuality I am hoping that she would also be killed by said rival. The idea of her existence has been eating away at me ever since I learned my mate was pregnant with another man's child.

I sat down in my chair to work when there was a soft knock on the door. I looked up to see my mate walk in. “What do you want?” I growled at her.

She fidgeted with her fingers and kept her gaze to the floor, “I think you should let her and Andy mate. Just force them to leave, go to a different pack.” She said softly.

I stood up and marched over to her. “That is not what we agreed. Do you want me to reject you, I have been itching to do so for years.” I said as she backed into the wall behind her.

She shook her head, “no, I just thought maybe you would be willing to look beyond the past.” She whispered.

I wrapped my hand around her throat, “you don’t get to tell me when to look beyond the past. You of all people don’t get to tell me what to do. You were the one who betrayed me as a mate first.” I growled.

The tingles from where my hand made contact with her skin weren’t nearly as strong as they used to be. She looked down and a whimper escaped her lips, “I am sorry.” She gasped out.

I released her from my grip and straightened my shirt, “go put something up over her door and clean up the mess. I expect it to be done before bed, also I will have my dinner in the office.” I told her. She nodded her head and hurried from the room clutching her throat with her hand.

I moved back over to my desk and sat down again. I worked on some things at my desk while I ate the stuffed peppers the cook had prepared. I yawned, then looked at the clock. I was a little surprised that it said it was two in the morning. I sighed, turned off the desk lamp and got up from my desk. I walked over to the door and was about to open it when I heard hushed whispers from down the hall.

I gently cracked the door open and heard Andy’s voice along with Tahlia’s. I laughed internally, they thought they could be so sneaky. I listened closely, they were talking so quietly I couldn’t really catch anything. I did catch a couple words though, leave, tonight, pack.

I closed the door, well they thought they could take off? We would just see about that.

Tahlia’s pov

I looked at the clock on my end table. Nearly two in the morning, no matter what I couldn’t sleep. The tears just kept coming, my eyes hurt and my throat was on fire from the constant lump in it.

Why did my father always treat me so harshly? No matter what I did it was never good enough. Even Apollo notices the difference in how he treats me. I sighed as tingles worked through my body. The tingles made me think of Andy. “Oh, Andy, I wish you were here.”

I wrapped my arms around myself and sighed agian, then I felt a hand on the side of my head as the bed dipped behind me. My heart leapt into my throat as I turned around. Andy was laying next to me in the bed. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head into his chest. “Calm down, love.” He said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.

I looked up and smiled at him, “what are you doing here?” I asked him excitedly.

He sighed and pulled me closer, “well I am here to take you away. I need to be with you, you’re my mate. So we are going to leave, we will start over in a new pack far away from here. What happened to your door” He said calmly as he pointed at the hot pink curtains that were hanging over half the doorway.

I looked at the door and had to suppress a growl, “my father is what happened. What about your parents?” I asked him.

“I have already talked to them, they understand the situation and they completely support us.” He said with a big smile.

“When do we leave?” I asked, excitement growing in my chest.

“Now, we need to leave tonight. Do you have your bag in here?” He asked me quietly.

I nodded my head and jumped up. “Here it is.” I said as I pulled it out of my closet.

“Good, pack a few shirts, some pants, just essentials.” I nodded my head and hurried around my room. I grabbed a few simple outfits and threw my toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush and my stash of hair ties into the bag. I quickly changed into a pair of running pants, sports b*a, running shirt, and a black sweatshirt.

I nodded at him and he started to climb out of the window, I walked over to my bed and set my phone down on it. Apollo would be the one to find that, he would understand why I left. I was about to follow when I saw a picture of me and everyone here I cared about. I grabbed it and stuffed it inside my bag before climbing out the window myself. Once I was out I slowly made my way towards the edge.

I looked at Andy and he nodded his head, we both jumped at the same time. We landed smoothly on the grass. We took off running into the forest, he was so much faster than I was now. Last time we ran we were about even in pace.

“We are almost to the border.” Andy whispered to me. I nodded and kept my focus on running through the forest. Andy pulled me to a stop, I looked around but didn’t see anything. Andy pulled me behind him, he stood in front of me in a protective stance.

A twig snapped somewhere ahead of us, I narrowed my eyes to see if I could make the person out. But I didn’t have to, as soon as he spoke I knew who it was. “Did you really think you would get away from this? I have had you betrothed to the alpha of my choosing for nearly a decade.” My blood ran cold as he spoke.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, sounding far more confident than I felt.

He laughed, “because, you are nothing to me.”

Anger rose up in my chest. “Tell her why then.” Andy growled. “The real reason.” I looked at the back of Andy’s head in shock. What did he know that I didn’t?

He turned his attention to Andy, “she doesn’t need to know that.” He growled. I looked at him and realized he has been keeping something from me. My own father, did my mother know something too?

“I think she does, she has the right to know exactly why you are punishing her.” Andy pushed me further behind him. “She has the right to know why you won’t allow her to be with a destined mate.” He growled as his grip on me tightened.

“She will know when I want her to know.” He growled.

Andy shook his head, “he isn’t your father.” He said, not once taking his eyes off of the man in front of us. I looked between the two of them and my father laughed.

“How did you find out?” He asked angrily.

“That’s my business.” Andy growled back.

He chuckled, and I felt a trickle of fear run down my spine. “Doesn’t matter, you’re coming back home with me. In two weeks you will be married to Alpha Nathaniel Heep.” He growled.

“Over my dead body.” Andy growled. He lunged at the man I grew up knowing as my father. I watched them fight, Andy was definitely the better fighter. Andy had caught him across the face with his half shifted claws. Andy backed away from him as he laid on the ground bleeding. “You will stay away from my mate.” Andy growled and a shiver ran up my body.

I looked at Andy, he started to walk towards me when I saw the beta stand up. My chest filled with dread when I saw something shine in the moonlight. “NO!” I screamed and ran forward, but it was too late. The beta had shoved the silver blade into Andy’s back. He fell to the ground in front of me and I collapsed next to him.

“No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening!” I shrieked in panic. I heard evil laughter behind me. I turned to see Beta Anthony walking towards me, the blade still in his hand. I threw myself over Andy, “you will not touch him again.” I growled at him.

He laughed, “that’s fine. I don’t need to, I have been saving this one for a special occasion.” He said waving the blade in front of him. I looked up at him confused, “he will be dead in a matter of minutes, this knife was dipped in silver powder that was infused with wolfsbane.”

I felt the color drain from my face, I turned back to my mate and looked into his gorgeous eyes. “I am so sorry.” I cried. “This is all my fault.”

I leaned down so our foreheads were touching. “It’s okay,” he looked me in the eyes, the sparkle slowly fading. “Go, my love, run and don’t turn back.” He whispered as he handed me an envelope. “Go.” He whispered. I could hear the man that I no longer knew walk towards me. I ignored his footsteps as Andy’s grip on my hand suddenly disappeared and the light in his eyes was completely gone.

“Time to go home.” He growled. I kissed my mate’s hand and stood up. I clutched the envelope to my chest. I took off the backpack and placed the envelope inside. “I said it’s time to go home.” He growled again.

“I will never go anywhere with you.” I growled at him. I whipped around to look at him and he looked at me shocked. I pushed my wolf forward and we shifted into our pitch black wolf.

He jumped towards me but I ducked away from him. I grabbed the bag in my mouth and took off running. I ran using all of my pain to push me away from this pack. There was no reason for me to be here anymore. My mate was murdered here, the man I once knew killed him. A man that I trusted, a man that I thought to be my father.

I could hear pounding steps behind me but I pushed forward. I ran and ran, eventually the steps behind me faded. I was leaving just like Andy wanted, I would never go back no matter what. I ran until I came across a river. I jumped in and let it carry me south a little bit. After twenty minutes I swam to the edge and climbed out. I shook off the water and took off running again. This time I ran northeast, I didn’t know where I was going, but I wasn’t going to make it easy for him to find me.

After another few hours of running I was satisfied that I could lay down and rest. I looked around and realized I had no idea where I was. I could hear cars nearby so I crouched down and inched towards the direction the sound was coming from. I knew if I could find a road I could figure out where I was.

I sighed in relief when there was a sign that said, ‘Now Entering Montana’ from here I could catch a bus to anywhere. I stayed inside the forest and ran parallel to the highway. Soon we came to a small town, but they had a bus station.

I shifted and pulled clothes out of my bag. I quickly dressed and threw my hair into a ponytail, after I had pulled a few twigs and leaves from it. I looked into my bag and saw the envelope that Andy had left me. I pulled it open and looked inside. A gasp escaped my lips when I saw a thick wad of hundred dollar bills. There were also papers, but I would look at those once I got on the bus. I grabbed a hundred dollar bill and shoved it in my front jean pocket.

I ran up to the window, I looked up and saw that the only bus leaving within the next twenty minutes was going to Bemidji, Minnesota. “I need one ticket to Bemidji.” I said quickly.

The guy at the window looked at me curiously. “Do you have an ID?” He asked.

I sighed and shook my head, “no, I don’t.” He narrowed his eyes, “please, I really need to get there. We don’t know if my grandmother is going to make it through another week.” I lied.

He sighed and looked back and forth. “It’s fine, that’s going to be thirty-eight dollars.” He said. I handed him a bill and he looked at me suspiciously. But he handed me the change and the ticket. “Hurry up, they leave in fifteen minutes, you’re on bus one ninety six.”

I smiled at him, “thank you.” He nodded his head and I took off for the buses. I passed by four different buses before I found the right one. I ran up to the line of people that were boarding. An older gentleman reached for my bag, “that’s okay, I will keep it with me.” I said softly.

He nodded his head and walked past me. I took a deep breath and could smell wolves. I looked around nervously, wishing the people in front of me would hurry up. Finally it was my turn, I handed the guy my ticket. He clipped it then handed it back. “You are lucky, you don’t have to switch buses.” He said with a smile.

I smiled and nodded my head. I ran up the stairs to the bus and rushed to find a seat. I collapsed into it and sighed in relief. I looked at the clock at the front of the bus and saw that the bus would be leaving in five minutes. I sat up and looked out the window. Fear trickled down my spine. Beta Anthony was walking up to the ticket booth.

“How did they find me?” I asked myself.

I peaked out the window again and saw Jonathan and Ray walking around the buses. I bent down into my seat, hoping they wouldn’t see me. “Excuse me, may I sit here?” I looked up to see a man, probably old enough to be my father.

“Oh, sorry.” I said and quickly sat up. I turned and looked out the window, I saw Jonathan and Ray looking at me. I put my finger to my mouth as tears slipped down my cheeks. They both nodded their heads in understanding. Suddenly the bus started to move, I looked back and saw them walking away in opposite directions. Like they were still looking for me. I sighed in relief and leaned back in my chair. Maybe I could get some sleep.

“Maybe we will sleep and never wake.” My wolf added. I sighed, I know how she feelt. It would be wishful thinking that we would die so quickly.