The Beta’s Alpha Mate

Nineteen

Julien’s POV

Eight days. Eight days since the attack on Moonstone. Eight days since I’ve seen Grayson. Eight goddamn days.

I was slowly losing my mind.

Olivia kept telling me she was certain Helix was alive, because she hadn’t felt their bond break. He’d been missing since that day, too, and while she had felt some pain through their bond, at least she knew he was alive.

I had no idea about Grayson, because I was a complete fool. I thought we had all the time in the world and never considered how important it was for us to be marked by each other. Not being able to feel the bond was killing me. I just had to trust that Grayson and Helix were alive and taking care of each other, wherever they were.

I still didn’t understand the rogues' and vampires' end game. They wanted the Omega, but why take two others instead, if not to use them as bargaining chips? And if they were bargaining chips, why wait so long to make contact with us? What did they even want Daniel for in the first place?

Every day I got more and more furious, and Kade spent half his time trying to keep me from breaking Daniel’s neck. This was all his fault. That skinny little bastard lied to Grayson, lied to Kade, lied to everyone about who he was. If he had just told us sooner, we could have had a plan. We could have protected him and kept our packs safe. But now we were playing from behind, and that left us at a disadvantage.

My parents called the day after the attack and insisted we come back to the pack to strategize and regroup, but I refused. My dad was still the Alpha of Red Oaks, and Helix’s pack needed an Alpha presence in his absence - and most of all, I wasn’t leaving until I found my damn mate. Of course, explaining that to my parents required confessing that Grayson and I had been mates all along. Thankfully, my little sister is my hero, so I just handed Keely the phone and she explained everything to Mom and Dad for me. I couldn’t talk about him, not without wanting to break something. I couldn’t stop obsessing about how I failed him at every turn.

No matter how much I blamed Daniel, I knew it was really my fault. I should have accepted Grayson sooner. I should have realized who the Omega was. I should have fought the vamps faster. I should never have let him go off on his own to heal Cory. So many things I could have done differently, better, if only I had known. But instead I failed, and Grayson and Helix were paying for my mistakes.

Every day, the ranked members of both packs met to strategize. Scouts and trackers were searching for any clue as to where Helix and Grayson might be, giving us reports hourly. The warriors and guards were working on a strategy to protect Daniel and Sierra, along with the rest of the packs.

Every night, I headed back to my room, alone. I had promised Grayson we would spend the night together the last time we had seen each other, and I broke that promise when I let a damn vampire take him away from me. If I ever saw him again, if we rescued them, I’d do anything to make it up to him. How could I have let him be taken from me?

My heart ached every time I thought about him, about the moment I realized I was irrevocably in love with him. When I saw him spring up out of bed to shift and run straight to Keely the moment she called for help, I realized the truth: I loved Grayson Blackstone. He was so selfless, always ready and willing to do anything for the pack or the people he loved. He didn’t ask Keely any questions or consider the risks, just ran to her rescue, the same as I did, as if she were his own sister. Then I watched him fight, fiercely, fearlessly, protecting our allies from the rogues and vampires. He was so strong, so brave. His wolf was beautiful and deadly.

My mate, my best friend, was an amazing person. I was completely in love with him. And I couldn’t even f*****g tell if he was alive, because I had been a selfish bastard too scared to let everyone know my mate was a man. I didn’t deserve Grayson, but if he was still willing to love me after we rescued him, I would wear his mark so damn proudly.

I swiped at my eyes, brushing away the tears. It was already almost nine in the morning, and this was about as late as I could stay in bed with my nose buried in the pillow he had slept on before Keely would come to check on me. I stumbled out of bed and over to our bags. I had moved Grayson’s belongings into my room a few nights ago. I pulled on one of his t-shirts, wanting to be surrounded by his scent today, hoping no one would comment on how pathetic I was becoming. I headed to the conference room, where we met to go over the same information every day. No one ever knew anything new.

So I was surprised to find Keely with her hands on her hips, glaring at Daniel, who was trying to look brave despite the fact that Marcos had him pinned to the wall by his throat.

“And you’re JUST NOW telling us this?” Marcos growled out.

Kade was beside him, looking absolutely furious. Cory had his arm around Sierra, comforting her as she cried.

“What’s going on?” I asked, my eyes darting between the various scenes on the room.

“Julien,” Kade said calmly. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“No. Tell me what’s going on,” I demanded.

“I’ll tell you, but not here, because I don’t want you to kill anyone,” was his blunt reply.

I growled. “Daniel, I swear to the Goddess you better start talking…” I stalked toward him, but Keely and Sierra both jumped up to stand in my way.

“Brother,” Keely tried to calm me. “Daniel is the wolf they want, you know that. Apparently they contacted him three days ago to set up a meeting.”

Juno raged in my head.

“You,” I growled at Daniel. “Why didn’t you say anything? How did they contact you?”

Daniel bowed his head. “My goal in leaving Clear Lake was to keep Sierra safe, and I thought I had left a clear trail that would direct them to me alone. I’ve had no training on these powers, so I don’t entirely understand why they’re so interested in getting their hands on me. I never meant for Grayson or Helix or anyone else to get hurt. I got a phone call three nights ago arranging a meeting for tonight. They said if I met them, they would trade Helix and Grayson for me. So I agreed. Marcos and Kade caught me trying to sneak out this morning.”

I shook my head. How could one wolf be so stupid? His poor judgement before had gotten both my mate and our allies’ Alpha kidnapped. Had he learned nothing from his first set of lies? I could understand how it would be confusing and frightening to be an orphaned teenager with a mysterious gift, but surely at some point Daniel should be able to comprehend that we were able to help him better than he could help himself.

A sob from behind me caught my attention.

“Alpha, please, spare my brother,” Sierra said, her voice trembling. I turned to look at her. She was kneeling, her head bowed, with tears flowing down her face. Keely stood behind her with one hand resting on Sierra’s shoulder as the two girls clasped their hands together. “Please, Daniel and I never knew kindness from our Alpha at Clear Lake, and it’s difficult to trust the words of people in power when they offer protection and aid. He didn’t mean to hurt anyone. He only wanted to secure the safe return of Beta Grayson and Alpha Helix, at any cost to himself.”

“I’m not going to hurt Daniel, Sierra,” I told her, speaking a little more gently when I saw how shaken up she was. I shot a glare at him for causing her so much distress. “Not yet. However, we are all going to sit down right now and I want the full truth with all of the details. If I find out Daniel has lied from this point forward, I make no promises.”

Marcos had let go of the Omega, who was rubbing his throat and wisely avoiding eye contact with any of us. Finally, Daniel nodded and took a seat at the table, with Keely and Sierra flanking him on either side and the rest of us facing them.

“Speak now, Daniel, because I am holding back my wolf on behalf of Helix and Grayson, who are both better people than me and wouldn’t want you hurt. But if you hesitate or lie again, you’re going to meet a side of me you won’t like. I won’t feel bad about beating the information I need out of you.” It was the truth. Juno was even more desperate for revenge than I was, and he would’ve been pleased to rip the Omega to shreds if I let him.

Daniel nodded. “Okay. I got a call from a blocked number three nights ago. They said they were willing to trade if I would meet them outside of the packlands at midnight tonight. I agreed. They’re supposed to release Grayson and Helix at the same time.”

“And what makes you so sure they won’t just kill them both once they have you?” I asked, hating the question even as I said it.

The Omega paled. “They said it would be a trade.”

Cory laughed. “News flash, kid, the bad guys can lie. If you don’t trust us, why trust them?”

Daniel glared angrily at us, his eyes watery. “Look! I just want them back, okay? Grayson is my friend, and Helix has been kind to my sister. I know you all think I’m a monster, but I care about them both and thought if I could give the vamps what they wanted, they’d give your friends back.” His shoulders slumped defeatedly, and Keely immediately wrapped him in a hug. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I messed everything up. I’m so sorry.”

He let out a sob before burying his face in Keely’s shirt, shaking as he cried. Sierra stroked his hair soothingly, as both girls whispered quietly to him, comforting him. For the first time since this started, I felt sorry for him.