The Beta's Arrival

Chapter 18

James’ POV

“Where is she?” I questioned, trying to keep my tone even when I saw that Holand appeared nervous when he opened the door for me.

“She is cleaning up in the bathroom,” he responded, seeming to fumble over his words.

“Let me in,” I commanded, waiting a mere few seconds for him to step aside and let me in.

He appeared slightly worried but allowed me to pass by him. When I stepped inside the house, I could spell her. Her scent was stronger the closer I went toward the bathroom. However, something was wrong. It smelled as though she were gone. I knocked on the door, but no one responded. The shower was off. She should have heard the knock. I tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

“Open the door,” I ordered Holand.

“But Future Alpha, she could be changing,” he responded shakily. When I first met him, he was tough, but now he seemed almost like a beaten pup.

“OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!” I growled at him.

“Right away,” he mumbled as he reached for the door. He jiggled it a little and then was able to push it open.

I was right. She was gone. The window had been opened, although she had attempted to close it behind herself, but failed. “Find her!” I hissed at him.

“Right away!” he jumped and then rushed out the door.

I tried hard to calm myself. Why would she run away? What happened between this morning and this afternoon? She was practically putty in my hands. Now she was running. I watched Holand race into the woods, but he wasn’t moving fast enough. I needed to be the one to get her. I was out the door in seconds, struggling not to shift, struggling to keep my temper at bay.

Her scent was all over the trees, it was easy to tell where she had been. She was heading back toward the border, slowly. Luckily, slower than she normally would have been able to if she had had access to her wolf. As I ran, I linked a few trusted warriors to join me on my hunt for my mate. They were at my side in a matter of minutes, shifted and ready to go.

They raced off in front of me, heading toward the border. They would find her. I followed close behind them. The tree branches had been broken either by her or by the warriors who had just passed through them. Soon I neared the border and someone was carrying her over it. I watched as the warriors went after them, but were struck down by the Shadowlands warriors. I started toward them without giving it a second thought and was met by Diane.

“Move,” I ordered her as I went to step around her.

“No,” she growled at me as she raised the gun she had been holding. “You will never see my sister again.” I watched as she began to squeeze the trigger.

Quickly, I struck her arm, redirecting the bullet to the tree behind me. “Diane, I was going to let you live for her sake, but you clearly do not desire to live,” I whispered as I slammed my fist into her chest and tore out her heart.

“You will never have her...” she responded with a small hint of pride before she hit the ground. I dropped her heart next to her, wiped her blood off on my shirt and began walking toward the border.

Before I could reach it, my warriors were trying to pull me away from it. “Future Alpha, you can’t go. They have crossed the border. She is out of reach for now,” one of the warriors linked me.

“They took her. She is my mate. I have a right to go and get her back!” I growled back at the warrior and those around me.

They all took a few steps back, nervous. “Please, Future Alpha, we don’t want to start a war...” another warrior tried to reason with me.

“War? Do you think I care about war?” I hissed at them.

I pushed passed the warriors standing in my way, but as I neared the border, I felt a hand on my shoulder. It pulled me back. I was about to s*******r whoever it was until I saw my father. “What the hell are you doing?” he growled at me.

“I am getting my mate back,” I growled back at him.

“I have told you to back down. I have told you that I will take care of it,” he hissed. “But you just won’t listen and since you won’t, you will no longer be allowed to move around as you please. I will be assigning a detail to you. They will be given the authority to stop you from doing anything that will put the pack at risk. They can use any force they deem necessary.”

“You can’t be serious. You have your mate. You know how it feels. You know how much you need mother, but you are willing to stop me from having that as well?” I asked as I shoved his hand from my shoulder and took a step back from him.

“If you were her mate, then she would not run from you. If she were your mate, you would not have murdered her sister,” he tried to reason with me as he motioned to Diane, who lay motionless on the grass with blood pulling around her.

“She got in the way...” I muttered, quickly pulling my gaze away from her. It wasn’t one of my most well-thought-out moments. I could recognize that.

“I would never have harmed your mother’s family. I would have tried to win them over,” he snapped at me. “Now, get back to the packhouse.”

I was given no time to try and argue with him because I was being pulled back to the packhouse by warriors under his order. “Let me go!” I commanded, but they didn’t stop. My father’s command outranked my own.

Helen’s POV

“How is she?” I heard someone ask the doctor. They were standing just outside the tent.

“She was dosed with wolfsbane. However, we were able to get the antidote to her rather quickly. She should be fine after a few hours,” the doctor responded.

“Are visitors allowed or should I wait?” His voice was so familiar, but my mind was so foggy that I wasn’t sure who it was exactly.

The doctor glanced back at me for a moment before answering him. “I think it best she has some time to rest. However, we should move her back to the hospital, so I can give her better care.”

“I can help with that,” he jumped on the opportunity she was trying to give him.

“Then I will inform the Alpha that we are ready to move Helen back to the hospital,” she said as she looked down at her clipboard, appearing to search for something on it.

Before she could leave, I pushed my voice to work. “Diane,” I whispered. I needed to know what happened to her before they took me to the hospital.

She opened her mouth to respond a few times but then closed it. “Please, you have to tell me what’s happened. I just need to know,” I pleaded with her.

“I’ll tell her,” the wolf outside the tent offered.

“Are you sure?” she worried.

“Yes, I think it might be better that she hear it from me.”

“Did my assistant tell you?” she asked, confused.

“Yes,” he answered shortly.

“Okay, come in. I will be nearby if I’m needed,” she told him as she stepped outside the tent and he came inside.

His scent filled the tent, calming my nerves. “Vincent?” I asked, finally able to recognize him.

“Yes,” he answered with a sad smile as he came closer to me.

He sat down on the cot with me. “You asked about your sister...” he began and then stopped. He seemed to be searching for the right words.

“Is she okay?” I asked, but by his expression, I already knew the answer.

“She is now with the Moon Goddess,” he answered.

I felt tears stream down my cheeks as he pulled me into his embrace. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, his arms tightened around me.