The Beta's Blood: Rewritten

Chapter Nineteen

The house smelled like home. Warm, rich with coffee and old wood polish, sunlight spilling through lace curtains in a way that made the room glow. “Grandma!” Ace called, toeing off her boots at the door. “Yes, dear!” came the muffled reply from the kitchen.

She followed the voice to find her grandmother perched at the table, glasses sliding down her nose, a pencil tapping thoughtfully against a crossword. The domestic quiet, the steady tick of the wall clock, the hum of the old heater soothed Ace’s nerves, if only a little.

Snagging a bottle of water from the fridge, she plopped into the seat beside her. “We need to go to the pack house tonight,” she said between sips. “Alpha said to dress in something nice.”

Jean’s pencil froze midair. “Oh? What for?” Ace smiled, her chest swelling with quiet pride. “I’m swearing into the pack.” Jean’s eyes went wide, sparkling like she’d been waiting years for that sentence. “You are?”

Before Ace could answer, her grandmother was already out of her chair, wrapping her arms around her from behind, laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep and youthful. “Oh, my girl!”

“Easy, Grandma! I still have to breathe,” Ace laughed. Jean pulled back, still beaming. “This calls for celebration. I’ll finish my puzzle later and go shower.” “I’ll do the chores.” Ace told her patting her arm. “It’ll take you half the evening to do that hair the way you like it.” “Deal,” Her grandmother said, smiling into the warmth of it all.

By the time Ace stepped outside to feed the hens and gather eggs, the world had turned gold. The late afternoon sunlight stretched long over the yard, glinting off frost and feathers. The scent of hay and cold earth mixed with pine.

She worked quietly, the rhythm of it grounding her. The scrape of feed, the soft clucking of hens, the whisper of wind through the trees. It was all so simple, so alive. And for the first time, she felt like she truly belonged to it.

When she returned inside, Jean had transformed. Hair pinned in elegant curls, pearl earrings gleaming against her sweater. “Time to get ready,” she said proudly.

Ace showered quickly, her nerves simmering just beneath her skin. The hot water did little to chase them away. When she stepped out and dressed, the mirror didn’t quite show the same girl who’d arrived in Winter Moon months ago.

The black lace dress fit her like it had been waiting for tonight. One sleeve draping down her arm, the other shoulder bare, her pale skin glowing under the soft lamplight. The hem brushed her knees, delicate but strong, and her red stilettos added just the right spark of defiance. The black lace choker around her throat was her grandmother’s.

When she stepped into the kitchen, Jean’s eyes went wide. “You look breathtaking. I didn’t even know there was such a beautiful young lady hiding under those training clothes.” Ace blushed. “Guess I clean up all right.”

Jean linked her arm through Ace’s, and they stepped out into the crisp evening air. As the car bumped along the dirt road toward the pack house, the sinking sun painted the world in amber and rose, every tree and rooftop gilded by light. Destiny waited at the end of that drive.

The pack house loomed tall and warm against the night, its windows glowing like a beacon. Inside, the receptionist greeted them with a too-bright smile. “Alpha said to send you up the moment you arrived.”

“Thank you, Alice,” Ace murmured, following her to the elevator. The mirrored walls reflected her careful posture, and that nervous flutter she couldn’t quite calm.

When the doors opened, the low hum of conversation spilled out. Inside Kai’s office stood an older man in a crisp tailored suit and a striking woman beside him. Poised, radiant, and sharp-eyed. They were mid-conversation with Kai, who looked perfectly composed as always.

“Beta Nick!” Jean gasped, her face lighting up as she hurried forward. “And Jeannie! Oh, what a surprise! It’s been too long.” Ace froze in the doorway until Kai’s gaze caught hers.

He didn’t just look at her, he saw her. The way his eyes moved from her heels to the lace at her shoulder sent a flush creeping up her neck. His smile softened, warm and wordless. Then he gestured for her to come closer.

“Ace,” he said evenly, “meet Beta Nick and his wife Jeannie. They’ve been managing our city affairs these past few years.”

Nick’s handshake was firm, his presence radiating old authority. Jeannie, however, skipped formalities entirely. She swept Ace into a hug that smelled faintly of citrus and sage.

“Your mate had better find you soon, little wolf,” Jeannie teased, her voice velvet over steel. “Or you’ll be eaten alive by this pack of handsome devils.” Ace blinked, caught off guard. “I’ll… keep that in mind,” she said, forcing a polite laugh.

Jean chuckled, oblivious to the tension simmering beneath the small talk. “What brings you back so late, Beta?” Nick sighed with mock weariness. “I’m here to hand over my title to your granddaughter. Been trying to retire for seven years now.”

Jean turned on Ace, mock scolding. “You didn’t tell me that part!” She swatted her arm lightly. “Hey!” Ace laughed. “I was too busy doing your chores!” Jean’s laughter melted into something soft. “You’ll be an excellent Beta, my dear.”

“I’ll try to live up to that blind confidence,” Ace said, half under her breath. “Let’s get this show started,” Nick said, clapping his hands. “I’d like to clean out my office before she changes her mind.”

Kai grinned. “So eager to leave me, old friend?” Nick’s eyes softened. He rested a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “You’re a good man, Kai. Serving you, and your father, was an honor.”

The mood shifted. The easy banter melted into quiet reverence. Kai crossed to his desk, unlocking the drawer. He pulled out a small leather-bound box and set it on the table. Inside, resting on black velvet, was a thin stone tablet etched with ancient symbols.

It pulsed faintly, like moonlight trapped in stone. Ace leaned closer, unable to help herself. Something about it called to her, the curves of the symbols, the hum in the air, the faint tug beneath her ribs.

“May I?” she asked softly. Kai hesitated but turned the box toward her. Her fingertips brushed the stone, and words slipped from her tongue before she could stop them. Soft, melodic, and hauntingly familiar:

“My children born of Winter Moon,

I pray thy hearts stay true,

Be thee strong and be thee brave

Against trials passing through.

The Goddess grants her blessing here,

And gives all strength to be.

Remember, children, to be wise,

And the Goddess shall stay with thee.”

The room went utterly silent.

Ace’s voice trembled into stillness. She looked up and found every eye fixed on her. Kai’s gaze burned through the quiet. “You can read that?” His voice was almost a whisper. She blinked. “You… can’t?”

He shook his head slowly. “That language is older than most bloodlines. No one alive should be able to speak it.” “Could you read it again?” Jeannie asked, her tone gentle but curious. Ace did, the syllables spilling easily, glowing faintly as she spoke. The air shimmered faintly around the stone.

“That’s remarkable,” Jeannie murmured. But her tone carried something. Unease, maybe even fear. Nick exhaled sharply. “You’ll have to report her to the Lycan Kingdom,” he said, half-grim, half-resigned. “So much for retirement.”

Ace froze. “Report me?” she whispered, her heart plunging. Jean reached for her hand, whispering, “Don’t fret, darling. It’s fine.” But it wasn’t. It never was when someone said that.

Kai said nothing. His jaw was tight, his gaze fixed on the tablet like it could explain everything. The walls started to close in. The warmth drained from her skin. “If you’ll excuse me,” she choked out, backing away.

“Ace...” Kai’s voice snapped across the room, but she was already gone. She pushed through the hall, down the stairs, until her legs gave out halfway down the stairwell. Her breath came in sharp gasps. Report me? The words clawed through her chest. Everything she’d built here, this home, these people, it all felt like it was slipping.

She pressed her hands over her face, trembling. Then a shadow fell across the steps. “Ace.” She looked up. Kai stood a few feet away, his voice soft, hands tucked into his pockets like he was afraid to reach out too quickly.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said gently. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing.” She kept her eyes on the floor. “Then why would he say to report me?” He crouched, lowering himself until he was eye level. “It’s not what you think,” he said, his voice quiet and earnest.

“Reading the Old Language isn’t a crime, it’s considered a blessing. Those who can are brought to the Lycan Kingdom, honored. But I didn’t get a chance to tell you that before you thought the worst.”

“I don’t want honor,” she whispered, tears burning the backs of her eyes. “I just found a home here.” “Then stay,” he said simply. “I didn’t report you. I never would. Not without your say.”

Her eyes flicked up, disbelief warring with relief. “You… didn’t?” He shook his head. “Never. You belong here, Ace. Not in some royal court full of strangers. You belong with us. With me.”

The words hung in the air like a vow. Ace exhaled shakily. “I don’t even know what it means to be blessed.” “It means the Goddess favors you,” Kai said slowly. “It means you have power that even you don’t understand yet. But it doesn’t define you unless you let it.”

She looked down at her hands, still trembling, then nodded. “Then I won’t let it. I want this life. I want to stay.” Kai’s mouth softened into the faintest smile. “Then we’ll handle it together. Whatever comes.”

Their eyes met, blue meeting an easy green, and for a heartbeat the world was still. “Thank you,” she whispered. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his voice low. “We’re in this together, Ace.”

Then he stood and offered his hand. “Come on. We’ve got a ceremony to finish.” She hesitated, just long enough to breathe, then took his hand.

As they climbed the stairs side by side, she felt it settle inside her, sure and unshakable. She wasn’t running anymore. She was finally home.