The Beta's Blood: Rewritten

Chapter Nine

Felix eased the car to a stop in front of the lodge, and for a moment Ace forgot to breathe. The Winter Moon pack house didn’t look like anything from Red Forest. It didn’t even look like something an Alpha would live in. It looked… enchanted.

The building rose from the trees like it belonged there, carved of pale timber and smooth river stone, its high front lined with massive glass panes that caught the morning light. A warm golden glow spilled through the windows, setting the polished wood floors inside alight.

Frost still clung to the roof, a thin and stubborn veil that refused to surrender to summer. It sparkled over the deep green pines, turning the wilderness into something regal. “This is… stunning,” Ace breathed.

Felix slipped out of the driver’s seat and came around to her side, opening the door with a quiet, practiced sort of grace. He offered his hand like she was royalty and he was some courtly knight, and despite everything. Despite her shame, despite the exhaustion of five days on the road, her heart fluttered just the smallest bit.

“Ready?” he asked, studying her face. No. Yes. Maybe. “Yeah,” she breathed. “Though… I’m a little nervous.”

His lips tilted in reassurance. “It’s going to be fine. I’m sure he’s a good man.” But the way his jaw tightened, just for a second, told her he wasn’t fully sure of that at all. She caught it. And he knew she caught it. Still, she took his hand and stepped out.

The heavy glass doors parted before they could reach them. And there, like a beacon cutting through all her fear, stood her grandmother.

“Ah, there she is,” the older woman said, eyes brightening, arms opening wide. Ace all but fell into her. Her grandmother’s scent of lavender, wool, and something warm like baked sugar, wrapped around her and unraveled the tension from her shoulders.

“We’re just waiting to be called back,” her grandmother said, gesturing toward a leather loveseat by the huge window. “He’s busy at the moment.” Ace nodded and sat, Felix beside her; one arm draped casually along the back of the seat behind her shoulders.

She tried to sit still, but her knee bounced. Her fingers toyed with the hem of her shirt. The pack house was too beautiful, too polished. It made her painfully aware of her plain jeans, Felix’s travel-worn sweater, and the simple braid over her shoulder.

Then movement near the entrance drew her gaze. A woman swept into the lobby like she owned it. Tall. Regal. Every inch of her styled to perfection.

Her heels clicked against the marble, long dark hair pinned in soft waves, golden jewelry catching the chandelier’s glow. Two attendants followed, carrying a tablet and a handbag like she was royalty. Behind her walked a man in a perfectly tailored suit. Perhaps a Beta or staff, Ace couldn’t tell, but his expression was schooled, unreadable.

Ace’s heart sank. She tugged at her shirt, wishing she’d worn something else. Something elegant. Something worthy of an Alpha’s house.

Felix, sensing the shift in her, slid his arm down and squeezed her shoulder. His breath brushed her hair. “You look perfect. Stop,” he whispered. Her grandmother huffed softly. “Don’t fret about such things, sweetheart. She’s the only one who dresses like that here.”

Ace blinked. “Who is she?” “That’s Amelia,” her grandmother said, voice lowering just slightly. “Our Alpha’s mate.” Felix’s brows lifted. “Oh? He found her recently?”

“No,” her grandmother replied, smoothing a wrinkle from her slacks with deliberate calm. “She’s been here three years.” Felix’s frown was small but unmistakable. Ace felt her own curiosity prickle. “So… she’s the Luna?” Ace asked.

Her grandmother hesitated. Just for a beat. “No, dear. Alpha Kai has not appointed her to Luna.” Ace’s brows knit. Why not? A mate of three years and not Luna? That wasn’t just unusual... it was political. Intentional. Before she could probe, a woman in a fitted navy dress appeared from behind the reception desk. “Alpha Kai will see you now.”

Felix was on his feet instantly. Ace followed, pulse quickening. Her grandmother gave her a reassuring pat on the hand before leading the way. They were taken past the lobby, into an elevator, then down a quiet corridor where sound seemed to dim. The walls were paneled in warm wood, lined with framed photos of pack celebrations, hunts, and winter festivals. Joy lived on these walls. Not fear. Not brutality. Not like home.

The woman stopped at a pair of open double doors and gestured them inside. Sunlight poured into the office from towering windows, spilling across a polished desk and bookshelves lined with ledgers and leather-bound volumes. Behind the desk sat a man, young, broad-shouldered, posture relaxed but commanding.

When he lifted his head, Ace’s breath stalled. He was younger than she’d expected. Mid-twenties, maybe. His hair was dark, thick, cut neatly. His features were sharp, but not hard. And his eyes… his eyes were the pale blue of frozen lakes. Calm. Assessing. Too observant.

“Jean,” he said, rising with fluid ease and coming around the desk. Her grandmother grinned like she was greeting an old friend. “Kai.” He bent down to hug her and Ace stared.

An Alpha letting a woman his senior hug him, laughing about bread, touching him freely? At Red Forest, Alpha Kaine would have snarled. At Red Forest, Alphas were obeyed, not embraced.

“It’s good to see you,” Alpha Kai said warmly, hand lingering on her grandmother’s shoulder. “No banana bread for me today?” “Not today,” her grandmother chuckled. “But now that my granddaughter’s here, I’ll make a few loaves.”

Kai’s gaze flicked to Ace. For a moment, his eyes sharpened, like he was reading her the way he might read a battlefield. “Alpha,” her grandmother said, taking Ace’s hand and tugging her closer, pride swelling her voice, “I’d like you to meet my beautiful granddaughter, Ace Harbor.”

The word beautiful slipped out and Felix’s grip on Ace’s hand tightened almost imperceptibly, possessive and protective at once. Her grandmother only laughed at him, unbothered. Kai extended his hand. Ace took it, steadying her expression. “Welcome to Winter Moon,” he said, voice deep, smooth. “It’s an honor.”

Felix stepped forward when introduced as her special friend and future Beta of Red Forest. Kai’s gaze lingered on that title, filing it away. “Wonderful to meet you both,” Kai said. “How was your journey?” “It was… much needed,” Ace said, mustering a small smile. “Your pack house is stunning.”

“Thank you.” His eyes rested on her longer than necessary. “Your grandmother doesn’t often get visitors. I was surprised.” Guilt pricked at Ace. She’d stayed away all these years not because she didn’t love her grandmother but because Alpha Kaine didn’t allow head families to travel freely.

Felix stepped in, voice even. “Our Alpha doesn’t allow head families to leave pack grounds without authorization. That includes their children.” Alpha Kai’s jaw ticked. “Is that so.”

“Do you have permission now?” he asked, eyes narrowing. Not in suspicion, but in scrutiny. Assessing the political weight of her presence here. “Yes, Alpha. We do,” Felix said, voice firm. “So.” Kai rounded his desk again, but didn’t sit right away. “Your grandmother has shared a little of your situation.”

Oh Goddess. Ace’s stomach swooped. “If you don’t mind,” Kai continued, “I’d like to speak with Ace alone.” His eyes flicked to Felix. “I understand she will be staying for the foreseeable future. And you’ll be returning home in a few days?” “That’s correct,” Felix said, but there was steel underneath it. “However, I can speak with you on Ace’s behalf.”

Kai’s gaze dropped to their hands, still linked. “Is there some reason,” he said, cool curiosity in his tone, “she can’t speak with me herself?” All eyes turned to Ace. She swallowed. “No, Alpha. I can.”

“Then it’s settled.” Kai smiled, but there was Alpha command behind it. “If you’ll excuse us.” Felix didn’t move. Her grandmother placed a gentle hand on his arm. “It’s only for a moment, young Beta. The Alpha is already mated,” she whispered, as if that should calm him.

Felix exhaled through his nose, reluctant but obedient. “I’ll be right outside,” he murmured to Ace, his gaze lingering. Worried, warning and loyal, until the doors closed behind him.

The room went quiet. Kai sat, finally. The formality eased from his posture as he steepled his fingers, regarding her with a gaze that was suddenly less Alpha and more… human. “Are you sure,” he said, an amused quirk at the corner of his mouth, “that man isn’t your mate?”

Ace flushed. “As much as I wish he were… he’s not my Goddess-given mate.” Kai’s expression shifted, a shadow passing over it. “Don’t give Goddess-given mates too much credit,” he said, his voice dropping. “They’re not always what they’re cracked up to be.”

Ace’s brows lifted. So he did know. And not just about her... about loss. About disappointment. “I heard about you,” he added more gently. “Forced to renounce a bond with Alpha Kaine’s son. I’m sorry. That must’ve been painful.”

A breathy, humorless laugh slipped from her. “It was. But… it was best for everyone.” “Was it?” He asked quietly. The question hit harder than she expected. Because what if it wasn’t?

What if “best for everyone” was just code for “what hurts you the most”? What if she’d traded her own happiness for everyone else’s safety and still wasn’t safe? “Do you think the situation can be resolved?” Kai pressed, but there was no impatience in it, only a leader calculating risk.

Ace’s chest tightened. Images flashed. Jameson biting Emily’s neck, a golden ceremony light, Ace far away but still feeling it. Still feeling him. “If the bond doesn’t fade,” she whispered, “it could ruin everything. For him. For me. For… them.” She didn’t say Emily. She didn’t have to.

“Don’t force it,” Kai said, and there was unexpected kindness there. “You don’t have to figure everything out now. Take your time. You’re welcome here as long as you need.” Her eyes stung. “Thank you, Alpha. I appreciate you for allowing me to stay.”

She dipped her head out of habit, out of years under a harsher Alpha. “Lift your head,” he said with a soft laugh. “You don’t need to censor yourself here. This isn’t a dictatorship. Speak and act freely. Within reason, of course.”

“This is… very different from what I’m used to,” she admitted. “I imagine so,” he said dryly. “Your Alpha rules with fear. I prefer loyalty. Your grandmother is one of mine. Her family is under my protection.” Something unfurled in Ace’s chest. Safety. Real safety. The kind she hadn’t felt before.

“Thank you,” she said again, voice steadier. Kai nodded once. “That will be all for now. Send Felix back in, would you? I’d like to wish him well on his journey. And, Ace…” His eyes met hers, clear and sharp. “If you need someone to talk to, about bonds, about politics, about whatever Alpha Kaine has tangled you in, my door is open.” She rose, gave a respectful nod, and slipped out.

Felix was on his feet the moment she appeared. “You okay?” he asked, eyes scanning her face for distress. “I’m okay,” she said. “He’s… different.” Her grandmother beamed. “He’s a great Alpha, isn’t he?” “Yes,” Ace said slowly. “Almost… too nice.” Her grandmother laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

Felix disappeared into the office then, the doors closing softly behind him. Ace waited with her grandmother, fingers twisting together, mind still whirling with everything Kai had said. You’re welcome here as long as you need. What did “as long as you need” even mean? Weeks? Months? Until Emily was marked? Until Alpha Kaine calmed down? Until Jameson forgot? Could he forget? Could she?

The doors opened again. Felix stepped out, expression neutral but eyes thoughtful. “Ready to go?” he asked, voice gentler now. “Yes,” Ace said, forcing a small smile. “Then to your grandmother’s house we go,” Felix murmured, a hint of warmth in his tone.

And as they walked out of the grand, glowing pack house into the crisp mountain air, Ace couldn’t shake the feeling that Winter Moon was not just a sanctuary... It was a turning point.