Saving My Mate From The Rogue Alpha

Chapter 5 - Beth

It’s a fresh start of sorts. I’m not leaving the pack for good. I’m not wanting to join a new pack, but I can’t be in this pack right now. I’m not cross at Will for what he did anymore. In a way I’m more relieved that it happened. I had fallen into hoping and believing in the fairytale. The Alpha’s son and the Beta’s daughter. The brother’s best friend. It had it all and I had been swept up in it for far too long. The whole Billy, Beth and Brody, the 3 musketeers, inseparable. But I don’t know if that’s what I really want. Do I want to be scented out at 18 by a mate who doesn’t have a faithful bone in his body? I have seen the effects of cheating pains before on members of the pack and I never want to experience them myself, but I don’t know if I can reject my goddess gifted mate either. I’m not sure if Lara, my wolf, will even let me. Lara really likes Roan, Will’s wolf, I know that she would be thrilled to be his mate. There are just too many things I don’t know right now and I can’t think straight here, it’s suffocating. ‘He probably isn’t even my mate anyway’ I tell myself hopefully. Although the way Lara has been looking at Roan during training over the last couple of weeks I’d actually be surprised if we aren’t mates.

I am staying with my Aunt Helen and Uncle Henry in the Black Moon pack for a few weeks. I haven’t decided exactly how long yet, I’m just going to see how things go. I feel extremely guilty about leaving Brody alone on our birthday but it has always been our birthday, this year it can just be his birthday without having to share the celebration with me for once. It had been emotionally draining leaving my family. I have never spent a night away from them before, but I know deep down it’s for the best. ‘Do not cry.’ I scold myself as my eyes well up at the thought of being away from home. I quickly blink them away so I can keep a clear view of the road ahead. I’m almost at the Black Moon pack and my nerves are building. I slow down so I don’t miss the almost completely hidden turning onto the road to the pack. The dirt track that leads from the main road to the pack winds it’s way through the trees until I am stopped at a barrier to the pack territory. Two guards walk towards the drivers side of the car as I roll down the window.

“Hi. I’m Elizabeth Carlton. Luna Helen’s niece. You should be expecting me.” I say brightly before they can say anything, Aunt Helen always calls me Elizabeth, therefore that is who they will be expecting. Both guards are young and incredibly good looking. The older one is maybe early twenties with longish blonde hair and pale blue eyes, but the younger one looks to be a similar age to me with short dark hair and short dark stubble. He winks at me with his deep rich chocolate brown eyes and waves me through as the barrier is lifted.

“Easy there.” Lara laughs as she can feel my heart rate increase at the two gorgeous werewolves.

“Nothing wrong with admiring a view.” I reply leaving the window down so I can smell the trees as I slowly pull onto pack lands.

“The Luna’s niece. You have no f*****g chance.” I can just about make out the words of one of the guards talking to the other one as I drive down the road to the car park. ‘Maybe I will be far too busy this trip to miss my brother and my family too much after all.’ I think to myself with a smile.

***

“Elizabeth darling, it’s so good to see you.” My Aunt shouts across the car park as I open the door and step out of the car. The guards must have notified her straight away. There is no way that my Aunt was just casually strolling around the car park.

“Aunt Helen. Thank you so much for letting me visit.” I say to the best dressed she-wolf I have ever seen. She oozes the class and sophistication that is to be expected of a Luna of a large and powerful pack. I have never seen her without perfect hair, perfect make up and a very expensive looking outfit.

“Nonsense, I have always said you can visit anytime and stay for as long as you like. Although I am surprised you didn’t want to stay at home until after your birthday party, but that’s your decision not mine. I just never could resist a party when I was your age.” She says beaming at me as she places her hands on my cheeks. “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want me to throw you a small party here? Just a few of the pack members that are around your age, nothing too extravagant.” She offers.

“Well when you put it like that, it does sound tempting but just not a birthday party please, more like a ‘getting to meet the pack’ party.”

“That sounds perfect, thank the goddess. You will not be disappointed.”

***

The morning of my 18th birthday I wake up early, who am I kidding, I always wake up early. I have never been able to sleep in. It’s in my nature to be up with the light and getting on with something. Aunt Helen had offered me a room in the Alpha suite but I had graciously declined and i was now staying in one of the guest rooms downstairs close to the warrior dorms. I didn’t want to impose too much on my Aunt Helen and Uncle Henry considering I don’t have a clear idea on how long I am staying. They also have four children between the ages of 14 and 6 and they are loud with a capital L. I am more than happy with the relative peace and quiet of the guest room even if it doesn’t have as many luxuries as the Alpha suite. The only thing I am really missing is some way to make coffee on a morning in my room. I quickly get dressed and head to the dining hall to the coffee machines. I grab a cup and head back to my room with it, but before I even get out of the room someone runs into me spilling the boiling hot coffee all over my arm.

“Oh s**t, I’m so sorry.” He apologises as his friends catch up to him. “There’s never anyone here at this time, but I should have been looking where I’m going. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok. Don’t worry about it.” I say surveying what little is left of the spilled drink. I look at the perpetrator of my spilt drink, he looks familiar. His beautiful deep dark eyes are looking from me to my arm and back again. The guard from when I arrived I suddenly remember.

“You’re scalded you need to run it under cold water.” He insists looking at the red burn starting to form on my arm.

“It’ll be fine. It will heal. It won’t even be visible tomorrow.” I say reassuringly.

“You don’t want a burn on your arm for your party tonight.” He says taking my elbow and walking me towards the sinks in the kitchen and placing my arm under the cold water.

“Are you burnt?” I ask looking at the large coffee stain where the drink has spilled onto his white T-shirt.

“No, I think your arm took the majority of the heat out of the coffee.” He replies with a smile.

“This isn’t necessary.” I argue looking at my arm still under the cold water.

“Please it will make me feel better, I feel so bad for spilling your drink.”

“Yes you did. It will take a lot for me to forgive you for spilling my coffee.” I reply, disappointed that I am not drinking said coffee right now.

“I will go get you another one if you promise to keep your arm under the water until I get back.”

“I promise.” I say defeatedly.

He returns 2 minutes later with a cup. I look at the ridiculously milky and frothy looking drink.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Your coffee.” He answers holding the cup out to me.

“That does not look like my coffee.” I indicate the different colours between the black coffee that had been in my cup and is now on his shirt and the pale milky drink that he is offering.

“It’s nice like that and not too hot if you spill it again.” He replies with a grin.

“I don’t normally spill my drinks. Only when someone runs into me.” I reason, but I take the offered drink anyway and take a sip. It’s not too bad but tomorrow I will be having my coffee black. “I think I can take my arm out now.” I say lifting it out of the now tepid water.

“It doesn’t look too bad.” He says surveying the damage. “So it’s your birthday today. What a fantastic start to the day.” He says sarcastically.

“I don’t know. I could get used to having my coffee made for me. Just without the milk next time.”

“I will remember that, for next time.” He says winking.

“You’re planning to run into me again?” I ask with a mock shocked expression on my face.

“Maybe, or I could just make you a coffee sometime without scalding you first.” The cocky grin on his face as he speaks is adorable. “I’ll see you tonight, enjoy your day.” He adds whilst backing up out of the room and almost colliding with a server carrying a tray of empty plates. I snicker and almost choke on a mouthful of coffee at the sight. He is one good looking wolf but clumsy as heck. I let the water out of the sink and finish my coffee, then return to my room to shower and change to remove any trace of my spilt coffee. When I am coffee-free I open my laptop to video call with Brody to wish him happy birthday and to let him know where I hid his present before I left.

***

I walk into the pack ball room for the small get together of the packs older teens and instantly realise that Aunt Helen has absolutely no idea what a small gathering is. The room is set up with dozens of dining chairs arranged around small round tables that are sophisticatedly decorated with vases of white flowers and white candles. It’s nothing like the parties I am used to in my pack. The parties where everyone crowds onto sofas and tries to get as pissed as possible on s**t spirits and dances terribly to music videos playing on YouTube. I suppose this is a gathering for an adult, as I’m not a pup anymore, but I now feel ridiculously underdressed in my skinny jeans and halter neck top. At least I decided to wear heels tonight though.

“This place looks amazing.” I say as I walk up to Aunt Helen and Uncle Henry.

“Thank you sweetheart.” Aunt Helen replies giving me a cuddle.

“We are only able to stay here long enough to introduce you to a few people then we have to get back to the pups. We left Toby babysitting and to be perfectly honest we don’t trust him.” She says mentioning my 14 year old cousin who will one day be the Alpha of this pack but right now is the moodiest teenager I have ever met.

“You can party as long as you want but the bar staff are only here until 11.” Uncle Henry adds.

“Great. Thank you so much for this.” I reply giving them both a hug.

As if on cue a large group of young pack members walk into the hall and straight over to us.

“Everyone this is Elizabeth. My wonderful niece.” Aunt Helen says gesturing to me and then introducing each one of them with a brief description about their lives, their rank, their role or future role in the pack. Aunt Helen takes her role as Luna very seriously and seems to know everything about all of the pack members that are here. She finally makes the introductions to a beautiful, tall, dark haired she-wolf in a short navy blue dress.

“This is Marie, she is 19. She is the Gamma’s daughter and she is mated to Tom one of our best warriors, who should be around here somewhere.” She says as she looks around the room trying to locate Tom, before giving up and continuing to fill me in on Marie’s life story. “She doesn’t live in the pack house anymore but she is close by if you need anything. She works in the pack nursery and she knows everyone just about as well as I do. I also trust her completely, so I will leave you in her very capable hands as we really must get back before Toby does any lasting damage to himself or the suite.” Aunt Helen and Uncle Henry then excuse themselves to a few others and leave to go back to their pups. Marie takes over the hostessing duties pointing out some other pack members as they arrive. There are so many new people and different names that I struggle to remember who is who and what they do in the pack. I’m following her gaze as she points out a pair of incredibly good looking wolves that have walked in. I quickly realise it’s the two that were on guard duty when I first arrived.

“The taller guy is Dustin. He’s a warrior like Tom, he’s 21, and a total player, stay away from him at all costs, unless you want your heart breaking. The other guy.” She says pausing as he turns to face us and his chocolate brown eyes meet mine. “Is my baby brother Beck, he’s 18, also a bit of a player, but he has a good heart. Although I’m a bit biased.”

“I’ve met him before.” I say still staring into his beautiful dark eyes.

“Yes I’m not surprised. He does guard duty quite a bit. Did he try to chat you up already?” She asks with a small disapproving shake of her head.

“No he ran into me and spilled my coffee all over me this morning.” I confess remembering the incident more fondly than I should.

“Smooth.” She giggles.

“Totally. So he’s a player?” I say uneasily.

“Yes, he’s not as bad as some here, especially Dustin, but I wouldn’t recommend planning your future with him.”

“Luckily the whole reason I am here right now is to avoid thinking too much about my future.”

“Hey Elizabeth, how’s your arm?” Beck says as he reaches us.

“Great, no mark.” I say waving my arm in front of his face like an i***t.

“I told you the cold water would work. You look amazing by the way.”

“Player.” Marie mouths behind her brothers back.

“Yes it worked great, thanks.”

“Are most people here unmated?” I ask Marie, surveying the number of young people here, most of whom don’t appear to be coupled up.

“Some are. Me and Tom, Lois and Brad, Hannah are Dan.” She says indicating different couples dotted around the room. “A lot here aren’t quite 18 yet though, so will probably find their mate shortly. You never know Beck your mate might well be here waiting to turn 18 and be scented out by you.”

“Hey you want to grab a drink.” Beck asks me obviously not wanting to be drawn into a conversation about mates with his sister.

“Sure.” I say confidently as the three of us start walking towards the crowded bar.

“I better go check on Tom. You just shout if you need anything. Beck look after Elizabeth don’t let Dustin anywhere near her.” She says with a wink which Beck acknowledges with a salute.

“So you’re here to escape your future.” Beck asks raising his eyebrows questioningly.

“Yep.” I hadn't meant for him to hear that but it was the truth, so I might as well admit it.

“What’s in your future that you are escaping from?” He asks.

“My mate.” I reply without going into any details, and hoping that he won’t ask anymore questions about it.

“You found him before you are 18?” He asks not taking the hint that I want to discuss this topic just as much as he does.

“No, I just don’t want to find him yet.” I shake my head as I answer. “So anyway, your sister is the Gamma’s daughter, making you the Gamma’s son. Are you going to be Toby’s Gamma one day?” Quick topic change. He should like talking about this. Most ranked wolves love to talk about their role in their pack.

“I hope so. We get on well, we train together and my dad is the Gamma, but ultimately it will be down to Toby, he might want someone closer to his age.”

“What would you do then?”

“Warrior, hopefully elite. What do you want to drink?” He asks as the bar maid turns to us.

“Whatever?” I reply dismissively. I’m not sure what drinks Aunt Helen will have arranged for the gathering but I’m not too fussy.

“Two beers please.” He orders and when they are placed on the bar we take the bottles and walk away from the bar.

Most of the people at the party had separated into their own friendship groups, some more had paired up and I could see Marie sitting on the lap of a wolf I hoped was Tom. His hands around her stomach and his face nuzzling into her neck.

“You don’t want that?” Beck asks following my gaze, knowing I am watching his sister with her mate.

“You don’t have to be mates to do that.” I retort with what I hope is a sexy smile. Beck returns my smile with an incredibly sexy smile of his own. We look at each other lustfully for a moment before he grabs my hand and walks me out of the room.

“Where are we going?” I ask as he pushes open a door and leads me into a room I have never been in before. It’s a small office space with a desk and a small sofa. He doesn’t answer but pulls me tight to him as my lips meet his hungrily. My arms naturally reach up and wrap around his neck as his hands grasp my arse pulling me tight against his body. What the hell am I doing? I know he isn’t my mate but it feels so good. I break the kiss and lead him to the sofa pushing him down and straddling his lap. He pulls me down so I am sat over him and our lips meet again. I slowly untuck his shirt from his jeans and start to unbutton it, my lips still stuck to his. He lets out a low powerful growl as I remove his shirt from his shoulders pushing it down his muscular arms. I lean back slowly, our lips the last part of our bodies to part and I look over his perfectly sculpted torso tracing his muscles slowly with my fingers as we take in some desperate breaths. My fingers run over a sore red area of skin over his abs and I can’t stop the frown that is forcing it’s way onto my face.

“I knew you got burnt.” I challenge, disappointed that he has lied to me about it.

“It’s not that bad and it’s almost healed now.” He says leaning forward to greet my pouting lips with his, but I can’t help but still feel disappointed in him.

“You lied to me.” I scold but I can tell he isn’t listening to me. His eyes have glazed over and I presume he is being mind linked by someone.

“We better head back.” He finally says before giving me a chaste kiss. “You are being missed.” I kiss him back and stand up from his lap then pull him to his feet and give him another hungry kiss placing my hands on his chest.

“We have to go back.” He says again, pulling away.

“Oh.” I sigh as he puts his shirt back on and fastens the buttons leaving the top few open and rolling the sleeves half way up his arms.

“So whose office is this?” I ask as we walk out of the room.

“One day, hopefully, it will be mine.”