The Beta's Blood: Rewritten

Chapter Ten

Felix’s car wound along the mountain road, the tires crunching over patches of melting wet earth and gravel. Mist clung to the trees like whispers of old ghosts, curling through pines that stood tall and silent against the morning light. The air was sharp, clean enough to sting her lungs, but it carried the sweet scent of sap and frost.

Ahead, the road curved, revealing a rustic log cabin nestled in a clearing. Smoke rose from its stone chimney, drifting lazily into the sky. Sunlight spilled over the mountainside, brushing the cabin in gold. The place looked like something plucked from an old storybook. Quaint, weatherworn, but alive with warmth and memory.

As Felix eased to a stop, Ace stepped out, her boots sinking into the slush. Her breath fogged in the chill air, and she couldn’t help but smile. “It’s perfect,” she whispered. From inside came a voice brimming with joy. “Come right in, kids!”

The front door swung open before they reached it, and there stood Jean, Ace’s grandmother, wrapped in a thick wool cardigan, cheeks rosy from the warm fire. Her eyes shone like polished jade as she pulled Ace into her arms again. “Oh, my girl. You’re home.”

Inside, warmth greeted them like an embrace. A low fire crackled in the stone hearth, its light dancing across the room. The scent of burning wood filled the air. A massive bearskin rug sprawled across the floor, its glossy fur shimmering in the fire light.

“Is that real?” Ace asked, crouching to touch it. The pelt was thick and soft beneath her fingertips. Jean grinned. “It is! One of my hunts from the old days.” Felix gave a low whistle, running his hand along the edge. “That’s incredible craftsmanship.”

Jean’s laughter rumbled deep and warm. “Oh, it wasn’t all me. I had help from a few pack hunters back then.” Her gaze gleamed with mischief. “Now, come. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”

The hallway smelled faintly of sugary baked goods. Two doors stood opposite each other, their handles carved from antler. Jean stopped at the first, pushing it open to reveal a small but inviting room.

The scent of cedarwood hung in the air. Quilts of deep burgundy and forest green covered the bed, and carved wooden bears stood sentinel on the shelves. The window framed a view of the mist covered forest, sunlight catching on the frost that clung to the eaves.

“It’s not much, but it’s cozy,” Jean said. “It’s the farthest from the fire, so it gets chilly at night. I’ve tucked extra blankets in the closet.” Ace turned and hugged her grandmother tightly. “Thank you. For letting us stay. For everything.”

Jean brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. “Oh, honey. You don’t have to thank me. If it were up to me, you’d stay here forever.” Felix smiled faintly, standing in the doorway. “Thank you, Mrs. Jean. But I’ll take the couch, if that’s alright.”

Jean arched a brow, clearly amused. “The couch? I just assumed you two were together.” Both froze. Felix rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah... no, ma’am, we’re not...”

Jean waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, hush. You’re young. There’s time for whatever you’ll be. For now, take the spare room across the hall.” Her grin softened. “And call me Grandma, dear boy.”

Felix chuckled awkwardly, nodding. “Yes, ma’am... uh, Grandma.” “Good. Now, get settled,” Jean said briskly, hands on her hips. “Then we’ll go for a run. The mountain has been waiting for you. I’ll show you both around.”

The shift was effortless.

The moment her paws hit the earth, Ace felt the world expand. Her senses exploded with color and sound. The rustle of leaves, the cold bite of air, the sharp tang of pine sap. The forest was alive beneath her feet, and her wolf rejoiced in it.

She ran beside Felix, his russet-hued wolf a flash of fire in the snow. Ahead of them, Jean’s sleek black wolf led the way, darting between trees with youthful energy that defied her years. Ace’s heart swelled. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this, running without purpose, without fear. Here, her past couldn’t reach her. Here, she could simply be.

‘It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?’ She linked to Felix as they leapt over a fallen log. ‘It is,’ came his smooth reply. ‘Though I still prefer the warmth of home.’ ‘Home feels like a cage,’ she countered, pushing forward through the snow. ‘This... this feels free.’ She could almost hear his soft chuckle in her mind.

Ace inhaled deeply, the icy air burning sweet in her lungs. Her paws landed on a slick patch of dark earth, scattering shining droplets into the air. She imagined this place in winter. Deep drifts, white silence, wolves moving like ghosts through the frost. She laughed through the link, joyous and unguarded, and without noticing, surged far ahead. But her laughter died with the growl that followed.

The sound was deep, guttural, and close. Two massive wolves stepped out from the trees, their fur thick and bristling, eyes hard as amber stone. Patrol wolves. Not Jean. Not Felix. They were nowhere in sight.

Shit.

Ace froze. Instinct screamed at her to run, but running meant danger. Submission was safer. She sank low, belly to the ground, ears pressed flat. The wolves circled, hackles raised, linking with someone unseen.

Then the forest went still. From between the pines emerged a shape so blindingly white it hurt to look at. A wolf larger than any she’d ever seen, his coat pure as snow, his eyes glacial blue. Power rolled off him in waves, cold and commanding. Her heart stuttered.

‘Ace?’ The voice boomed inside her mind, deep and familiar. Relief and panic collided. ‘Yes, Alpha,’ she managed, her mind-voice trembling. ‘You’re far from the trail.’ His tone was calm, but the authority beneath it was unmistakable.

‘I’m sorry, I got separated. I didn’t mean-’ ‘Relax,’ he said, amusement threading through his mental tone. ‘My men only wanted to verify who you were... Lost on your first day, little wolf?’ Despite her embarrassment, warmth flickered in her chest. ‘Yes, Alpha. Seems I have a talent for getting into trouble.’

His low growl felt like laughter. ‘Come, then. I’ll show you around until your escort catches up.’ Before she could answer, he bolted forward, white fur flashing like lightning. Instinct took over. She lunged after him, matching his speed. Dark earth scattered beneath them, branches breaking as they passed, the forest melting into a haze of motion and breath.

For a fleeting heartbeat, she pulled ahead. Triumph flooded her. Then Kai surged past, brushing her flank with deliberate ease. A playful nip caught her tail, sending her tumbling headfirst into a bush. When she lifted her head, the Alpha’s wolf stood waiting, tongue lolling, eyes alight with mischief.

‘Sorry, Alpha,’ she said through the link, half-laughing. ‘I lost my footing.’ ‘Why is it,’ his voice slid into her mind, velvet-smooth, ‘that every conversation with you begins with an apology?’ ‘Because I seem to keep embarrassing myself around you,’ she shot back.

‘You’re fast little wolf,’ he said simply. ‘But I’m faster.’ ‘You cheated!’ She exclaimed. He gave a low, rumbling growl that was almost a laugh. ‘Careful. That tone could get you eaten.’ ‘You’d have to actually catch me first!’

He lunged, and she twisted, dodging just out of reach. Laughter... real, wild laughter... echoed through the link as they darted through the trees again. For a few shining minutes, Ace forgot everything else. There was no past, no pain, only earth, breath, and the exhilarating freedom of being alive.

Finally, Kai slowed, stopping beneath a massive evergreen. His breath came out in puffs of steam. ‘You’ve got spirit,’ he said, his tone almost proud. ‘I like that. You’ll do fine here. Just… don’t wander too far next time.’ Ace dipped her head. ‘Yes, Alpha.’ ‘Good girl,’ he murmured, then turned as a new voice crackled through her link.

‘Ace!’ Felix’s tone was sharp, frayed with worry. ‘Where are you? We’ve been searching everywhere!’ She glanced at Kai. ‘I’m fine. I’m with Alpha Kai. He’s showing me around.’ ‘Stay put. I’m coming.’

Moments later, Felix and Jean broke through the treeline, their wolves breathless, pelts shimmering with a fine mist. Relief and exasperation rolled off them in waves. Kai’s wolf turned, eyes glinting. ‘Looks like our little race is over,’ he teased. ‘Though, for the record, I still won.’

Ace’s laughter echoed faintly in his mind. ‘Thank you, Alpha. I had fun.’ ‘As did I,’ he said, dipping his head before vanishing into the pines. Felix’s gaze was thundercloud dark as he came to stand beside her. ‘You shouldn’t be so friendly with him,’ his voice echoed through the link. ‘This isn’t your pack, and he isn’t your Alpha.’ ‘I know,’ she replied softly.

But as they followed Jean back toward the cabin, her heart was still racing. Not from fear, but from something else entirely. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel hunted. She felt seen.