The Beta Series: The Redeemed Beta

Chapter22

I’m led to a conference room on the second floor of the packhouse. Alpha Aston stands at the door until we all make our way inside. His office is nice, I mean, it’s an office. I’m really not interested in how it looks, if I’m being honest. I’m more concerned with getting an explanation about what just happened.

Luna Katarina leads me to a couch, and I tentatively sit down. I’m looking around the room, anxiety in every cell of my body. It’s almost like I’m waiting for something to happen. Who knows? Maybe someone will pop out of nowhere and drag me into darkness.

I close my eyes and take a moment. I have no idea what’s going on in my mind right now. I sound ridiculous, and the only bright spot is that no one else can hear me.

The Alpha and Luna sit around me, and another woman gets settled on the couch next to me. This must be the Elder they were talking about. She doesn’t look that old, but what do I know? Maybe the term Elder has less to do with age and more to do with experience.

I have to be honest that I don’t have much knowledge or experience with pack life. I’m really at a loss and have no idea how to conduct myself properly. On top of this mess with Brackston, I’m worried about misstepping and looking foolish. “Danny?” I’m broken out of my thoughts to find all eyes on me. Skye is sitting on her father’s lap, looking at me with a toothy grin.

“Uh, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.” Luna Katarina smiles at me, and Alpha Aston sits back and gets comfortable. It’s the Elder who speaks to me.

“I was hoping you could tell me exactly what happened. Maybe I can get some sense of what’s going on from your account.” I nod slightly and launch into the incident that I just experienced. I have to admit that saying it out loud isn’t making it make any more sense than it did when it happened. I’m still completely confused and wondering if we are all having the same hallucination.

When I finish speaking, silence takes over the room. Everyone seems lost in thought, and that can’t bode well. If no one has anything to say, who will have the answer that explains whatever we are dealing with right now? The Elder clears her throat before speaking.

“Honestly, I’ve never heard of anything like this before. No accounts that I’ve come across have indicated anything like this. Were you like this growing up, Luna?” I turn to look at Luna Katarina. Her eyes are on Skye, and there’s a bit of fear there.

“I’m not aware of going through anything like that. My aunt and uncle never said anything. I wasn’t able to do anything until Aston marked me.” Elder Nadia nods and takes notes on her tablet. I’m taking in the scene, but I feel very removed from it all.

My mind is going back to the job I was sent here to do. I keep thinking about that little girl growing up away from those who love her and who would do anything to keep her safe. If I hand her over to Brackston, what kind of life would she have?

If I know him like I think I do, he will use her for his own benefit. He will raise her into someone who most probably wouldn’t like. I can’t let that happen to such a sweet little girl. I can’t let her life be taken from her before she even gets to live.

I think that, but my heart hurts as that flashes through my mind. If I save Skye, I will be condemning Khalid to a life of misery or worse. If I do what I can to keep that little angel safe, I’m killing my own brother.

An arm wraps around my shoulders, and the heat from it breaks me out of my thoughts. I look up to find Luna Katarina next to me. I swallow the lump in my throat and try to change my facial expression, hoping that it looks like I’m doing okay and not facing the biggest test of my life. “You seem really out of it. I’m sure what happened could be concerning, but I swear Skye will be okay.” If I go through with what I was sent here to do, that child will never be okay.

“I know. I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It’s all a bit much.” Luna Katarina stares into my eyes as if she’s searching for something. I can feel my heart beating harder and a bit faster. I hope that she can’t see what’s really going on inside of me. I have no idea how far her powers could go.

The door opens and closes, causing my head to snap up. I probably shouldn’t have done that because now my emotions are in a tailspin, and Mona is whimpering in my mind. I quickly look away, wishing that little angel could make me disappear again. “What’s going on? Why is she here?”

~Dominic~

When I got the mindlink that something had happened with Skye, I rushed over to the office to make sure my girl was okay. Aston told me enough of what happened to have me sufficiently worried. All I wanted to do was put eyes on her and make sure she’s okay.

I didn’t expect to find my mate sitting in the office. I had no idea that she had left my apartment, and I definitely don’t agree with her being here. “What’s going on? Why is she here?”

“She is the Beta female, Dom. It makes sense that sh-” I shake my head and walk over to my little bestie.

“She shouldn’t be here. We don’t know enough.” I ignore Gideon’s whimpering in my mind, not wanting to hear his usual argument. I get where he’s coming from, but I don’t want to keep having the same back-and-forth.

“Uh, is everything okay?” I turn to look at Elder Nadia. I didn’t realize she was in here before. I don’t really want all of my business known by the pack yet.

“Everything is fine, Elder Nadia. What’s going on with my bestie?” She’s already jumped into my arms and is cuddling against me.

Do you have to act like that toward your mate?

You shouldn’t have brought her in here, Aston. I have no idea why she’s here. She hasn’t told me anything yet.

She’s your mate and the Beta female. Why wouldn’t she be included? Besides, the incident happened with her. I forget all about Elder Nadia and focus on Aston. When he told me that something happened with Skye, he didn’t tell me that my mate was involved. This isn’t good at all. I have no idea why she’s here or what she’s here for. What if she’s here to do harm to us?

She’s our mate! She would never hurt us!

You don’t know that, Gideon. I can’t take that risk right now. I block him out and focus on Aston again.

After everything we went through with King, I can’t just assume that everything will work out. I was too complicit before, and things could have been a lot worse. I need to be better, and I need to make sure that those close to me will never experience any pain like that again. She may be my mate, but something tells me that there’s something more there. I need to find out what that is so I can keep my family safe.

Danny stands to her feet, pulling my concentration. “I should go. This seems to be pack business.” Aston rushes to me and takes Skye from my arms. She would fight him, but she fell asleep pretty quickly.

Talk to her. Don’t let her leave like that. I’m prepared to argue, but the look on Aston’s face stops me before I can even form a word. I look past him and see Danny walking through the open door. I sigh and hurry after her. This is not what I expected when I thought about having my mate. At most, I thought my mate would hate me for my past. Now I have to worry about trusting my mate with those closest to me. I guess I’m still paying for the mistakes I made before. I may never be able to make things right.