What Lurks Beneath

Chapter 3

 Brone POV 

    It’s been such a horribly long and grueling day. Father has been Harping about pack duties. He wants me start taking everything more seriously. No more fooling around. No more life. It’s time to buckle down, as he would put it. Normally I would have already taken over this year, but being matless has put a stopper to that. Dad is real old school. No mate, No title. Not that I care much, I don't want to find my mate, I want Claudia. I don't want to be in charge of a whole pack either, not yet at least. I have so much to do still, things that require freedom to go and do whatever, whenever.  

    I’m already in a foul mood when I walk toward the pack kitchen. I need a drink. Something cold and with alcohol. Scratch that. Just alcohol would be enough. After Dinner I have another meeting with father and I have a strong feeling it's not going to be something I want to hear. As I near the kitchen I hear people talking. I hear Claudia’s voice and she sounds annoyed. Who could have gotten on her nerves? Everyone knows she's MINE... 

    No. she’s not. 

    Yes. she is. Why can’t you accept that. She is perfect for us. 

    Our MATE is perfect for us. The goddess has made it so. You’ll see it when you finally meet her and you're going to regret everything you’ve done with that nasty she wolf. 

    NO, no I am not. Claudia is perfect for us. She must be our second chance or something. Maybe our mate will die and then we’ll finally be together. 

Alastor growls menacingly in my head, causing a shiver to run down even my back 

    You take that back. NEVER WISH OUR MATE DEAD. 

    She is the only thing standing between us and Claudia 

    Say another thing and I won’t shift with you for a month. This discussion is OVER.  

    I scoff at my wolf but don’t say anything further. I’ve learned not to push him too far. He always holds true to his words. I’m pulled back to the situation at hand when I hear that nasty slave’s voice 

    “What do you want Claudia? I need to get to the kitchen” 

It’s this runt again? She dares to anger Claudia? HER FUTER LUNA? 

    She's NOT our Luna 

    “I thought I taught you your lesson yesterday, you disgusting slave” 

She looks confused and scared. Good.  

    “Alpha I learned, I swear” 

    She starts shrinking into submission, baring her neck to me, as if that’s going to be enough to appease my anger. She has insulted Claudia. She didn’t show her the respect she deserves. 

    “THEN WHY HAVEN’T YOU ADRESSED YOUR LUNA PROPERLY” I roar, using my Alpha voice. A few bystander wolves shrink into submission, but the slave seems to be unaffected. She seems more distracted in her own head then scared and this only fuels my anger further. She opens her mouth to answer but I won’t give her the chance. I punch her square in the nose and it audibly cracks. 

    “Well?” I snarl ““You think just because you get released today you can do whatever you like? Do you really think I'd let you go without a goodbye present?”  

    She has done nothing wrong. Claudia is not Luna. Besides, she will be gone and out of your hair after tonight. Just let the child go. She does not Deserve your cruelty. 

    She murdered our beta. She murdered our best friend. She deserves all my cruelty 

    My wolf's words make me realize something though. She really will be gone after tonight and she hasn’t suffered nearly enough. There’s no way she’s getting off so easy despite her crimes. I will make sure of that. I crouch down to her ear so that only she can hear what I'm about to say next. 

    “I may not be able to kill you now slave but the moment the moon reaches its peak. The moment you shift and turn rogue I will be free to hunt you down. And believe me when I tell you this Slave. I WILL be there  for your first shift and I WILL hunt you down. There. There’s your present.” 

    You are a disgrace, I'm so ashamed to be bound to you 

    What is your problem. She is an Omega. A slave. A murderer. You should NOT be defending her. 

    She is pack, you are Alpha. Your job is to protect your pack... ALL of your pack. Besides, what sane wolf would intentionally murder their own family? We’re pack oriented. Protective and Loyal by nature. She was a child. Use your brain for once in your life. As Alpha you should have the wisdom to see that there has to be more to it. 

    I block my wolf out, not wanting to hear any more of his nonsense. By his rational there would be no rogues, no chosen mates. Wolves act out of nature all the time. Nothing would excuse her actions. Beta Duncan, and his son Jax were good people. They were like family to me. She had been family too at one point but that’s all changed now. She made her bed, she must lie in it too now.  

    Agitated I grab Claudia by the waist and lead her upstairs. I need to vent some anger and she’s always ready and willing. When we inter my room I waste no time throwing her on the bed, hungry for what she has to offer. 

    “what’s the rush darling” she purrs, looking up through her eyelashes, her hands stroking my arms “I want to take it slow tonight” 

    “Can’t” I say, nipping at her neck while ripping her clothes off “have pack business. No time.” 

    My mind and body want only one thing right now, to let out frustration. I'm so consumed by my desire that I fail to notice the annoyance rising in her eyes. 

    “Pack business? You mean that meeting with your father...that’s after dinner? That's at least a few hours from now?” 

    “Yeah, well I have to shower beforehand, I can’t go in smelling like you” 

The anger is so evident now that not even I can miss it 

    “What’s so wrong about smelling like me, I am your mate” she shouts pointedly 

    “Come on babe, you know how my father is...” 

    “So! You chose me. You are going to be alpha. This is your decision, not his. MAN UP” 

My anger flares, she may be my mate but she does not talk to me like that. No one talks to me like that 

    “That is right I am Alpha” I growl... except it's not me, it’s Alastor, he’s taken over, fueled by his hate for Claudia and her blatant disrespect 

    “You best remember that you harlot. Leave before I tear into your neck” He’s using his Alpha tone and Claudia can’t help but submit and comply with his demand but the hurt and disappointment is evident. This is definitely going to lead to a bigger argument latter on. 

    Good. Maybe she won’t come back 

    I really can’t stand you sometimes 

    Nor I you, but we’re stuck together. So deal with it. 

    I roll my eyes. Can this day get any worse. 

    The day’s not over yet my human 

    I lay on my bed contemplating what I'm going to do until it's time for the meeting. Napping is out of the question, I'd just fall asleep and not wake up until day break. I don’t really want to go down for dinner with the rest of the pack. I’d run the risk of having to see that slave again and I really don’t want to see her ugly mug until it’s time to kill her. I decide to mind link one of the omegas and inform her to bring my supper up tonight. After about an hour Clara walks in the room carrying a plate of pasta. She looks conflicted. Her head is lowered, and she’s fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. 

    “Spit it out. What’s wrong.” 

    “Alpha... its Kaida...” 

    “Slave” I growl “She has no name here. What about her” 

    “She hasn’t returned...” 

    “Hasn’t returned. What do you mean hasn’t returned” my anger is growing and the omega begins to cower under the pressure 

    “she.. She went out to the garden... for more ingredients.. Wh..when she didn’t come back I went outside to check on her...she wasn't there.. That was over an hour ago...” 

I let out a loud snarl, shaking the widows and walls around me. I run out the pack house heading straight for the forest and shift, not caring about shredding my clothes. She won’t get away.