The Beta Series: The Redeemed Beta

~Unknown~ I run through the woods, trying to be as quick as I can. It’s hard because I have a child with me and have to be mindful of his pace. I hold him tighter against me and duck under a tree branch. I hear paw steps in the distance. I know they are getting closer, but I have to try to get out of here. We’ve been in danger and suffering ever since we came across this group, and I can’t take it anymore. I duck behind a big tree trunk and place him down on the ground in front of me. “Khalid, Khalid, look at me.” There are tears in his eyes, but he focuses his sights on me. “You have to run.” “NO!” He whisper-yells, but I quickly cover his mouth with my hand. I have no idea how far out they are, and I can’t risk them catching us before I set Khalid free. Khalid shakes his head, trying to remove my hand. I use my free hand to grab his arm tightly. “Listen to me!” I look around us, noticing that the running is getting closer. “You have to go. I will keep them off your trail, but you have to get out of here!” “No.” A sob escapes his lips, and it breaks my heart. “I can’t leave. We have to stay together, please.” I pull him into my body and hold him tight. I whisper soothing words in his ear, hoping that he sees the logic in what I’m asking him to do. I squeeze him once, twice, and push him away from my body. “Go, now, okay? I love you so much.” I stand up and run away from the tree, leaving him alone. I’m tempted to look back, but I know that if I do, I won’t be able to leave him. I pump my legs harder, making sure to run toward the sounds that have been chasing us. If they catch me, they might forget about him. It doesn’t take me long to run into a few of the men who were sent after us. “Well, well, look at what we have here.” He grabs my arm and pulls me against him. He pushes his nose into my neck and takes a big sniff. “Usually they run away from us, not toward.” Laughter erupts as some men shift back into their human forms. “Maybe she missed us.” The vile man who has a hold of me turns me so I can face him. He licks his chapped lips and smiles, showing all of his rotten teeth. “Is that it, sugar? Did you miss us already? Did you want to come back to us?” I shut my mouth tightly and look away. I refuse to engage with them, no matter what they say. “Let’s go, men. The boss wants her back.” He reaches down and wraps his arms around my legs. When he stands on his feet, I’m thrown over his shoulder. I don’t like this view, but there’s nothing I can do about it. As long as Khalid is safe, I will deal with whatever is thrown at me. ~Brackston~ I pace back and forth, impatiently waiting for my men to return. As much as I can’t believe that little b***h ran, I’m not at all surprised. I knew that she would be a wildcard, and she would be the one to test my resolve. If I didn’t need her, I would kill her. I’m still debating if it would be worth it to break her in before I end her. Conversation breaks out beyond the tent, and I hurry out to see what the fuss is. My face relaxes as I see what my men have brought me. “We have her, sir,” I smirk and watch them bring her closer to me. They make her kneel in front of me, and she keeps her head down. “So, you thought you could get away from me, hmm?” She doesn’t respond or react. I keep my anger in, waiting until it's worth it. “Where were you planning to go? What place do you think would take you in?” She still doesn’t answer me. I walk over to her and grip her chin tightly. I tilt it up, making her look at me. There’s a fire in her eyes that I enjoy seeing. “You will answer me when I speak to you!” I didn’t see it coming, but I should have. She spits in my face, my cheek becoming damp with her saliva. I use my shoulder to wipe my face off as his face morphs into a smirk. I grip her chin tighter and am about to tell her something when I hear more men come closer. “Sir.” I look behind her and see my men push the little boy toward us. I chuckle and let go of her chin. She looks at me with surprise, but says nothing. I stand tall and motion them forward. The moment he gets close, I grab his arm and pull him to stand in front of me, making sure to move out of arm's length. The smug look on her face immediately changes to one of fear and desperation. I rub the boy’s head, enjoying the emotions journeying across her face. “Did you honestly think that I wouldn’t catch him? Come now, you should know me better than that.” I let my hand drop to his shoulder. I keep my eyes on her and apply pressure to him. I use so much pressure that he winces, and his knees buckle under him. “STOP!” There are tears streaming down her face, and I can’t hold the laugh that escapes. “Please, let him go.” I push the boy to the side, and my men scramble to hold on to him. He’s whimpering, but I don’t care. “Let him go? No, no darling. I won’t be letting him go.” I drop to one knee so that I can see her better. “I won’t be letting him go, but if you don’t do as I tell you, he will pay the price. I know you will fight me tooth and nail, but you won’t fight when your brother’s life is on the line. Go against anything I say, and you will see how ruthless I can be.” I search her eyes for any sign that she plans to do anything other than what I say. There’s nothing but defeat in her eyes, and I love it. She nods her head, and my smile grows. I stand up and dust off my pants. “Good. I’m glad we can get on the same page. Now, let’s talk about what you will be doing.” I hold out my hand, and a roll of paper is placed in it. “These are rough plans of the border of the BlackPaw Pack. Study them, learn them. You will infiltrate and get close to the Luna. You will be how I get her here where she belongs.”