A New Start (original version)

Chapter 17

Rowena

After the warriors and Beau headed out, I took a little stroll around the massive yard of the packhouse. Aria didn't want me going far because of my injuries, and I didn't feel like going away from the packhouse. I wanted to be here when they return. Naturally, they left some warriors behind to protect the pack in their absence, as well as the Beta. He was still here. I went and met his son and stayed at their house for maybe 20 minutes before going back to the packhouse. When I got home, I started heading to the kitchen to make lunch when I suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream come from upstairs. I knew it was Aria, so I raced up to their bedroom. When I got there, she was on her knees on the floor. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest, and her body was bent forward with her forehead touching the floor.

I lifted her torso so that she was in a better sitting position, and that's when I saw my worse fear. She had steadily flowing tears streaming down her face like rivers, and when her eyes opened and looked at me, they were no longer bright and crystal clear. They were a dull blue filled with pure pain. The mate bond severed. 'But, that would mean...' I heard Lyall before a horrible pained howl erupted throughout the house and didn't realize that the sound came from me as I held a distraught Aria.

Jaylen

I waited about 10 minutes before following them. I made sure to stay far enough behind that they wouldn't smell me but stayed on their trail as well. When I reached a cabin in the middle of nowhere, there were wolves fighting wolves, and I could smell Beau's scent inside the cabin. I went inside and began following his scent to locate him. It was surprisingly big for a cabin in the middle of the woods.

I turned down one hall and saw Beau's wolf fighting a black wolf that was equal to his size. An Alpha. I think he caught a whiff of my scent because he turned his big wolf head in my direction. I felt him open his mind link. I went to warn him when I saw the movement above him. "Beau, watch..." But it was too late. The black wolf jumped on Beau's back and clamped his jaw around his neck before swiftly twisting. There was a sickening crunch sound before a resounding thud before a link severed within the pack's mind link. Beau's body turned into its human form, and his eyes were open but unseeing.

I let out a whimper before turning tail and running out of the cabin and back to the pack. I used my natural speed and let my body do as it wished. What have I done? If only I had listened and stayed home, maybe he would still be alive. This is all my fault. Suddenly, I saw the packhouse through the trees. I guessed that my pain and guilt and sorrow paired with adrenaline made me faster than I usually am. I shifted in my human form, ran inside, and went straight to my bedroom before locking the door. I didn't want to see anyone. I just wanted to curl up and lose myself to this despair.

Jesse

I saw Micah's wolf kill Beau, and a second later saw a flash of sandy red run out of the cabin. I told everyone to get out of the cabin and had Shaun take Zane. I barreled right at the black wolf and shoved him away from Beau before grabbing said lifeless body and dashing out of the cabin. I pushed my way into Rowena's mind using the link. I could tell that she already knew what just happened.

'Sweetheart, we're bringing him back for a funeral. I know that you girls are going to want to give him one. And Shaun has your brother. They are both on their way.' I told her softly.

'Thank you, Jesse,' Was all she said before she closed the link.

'What are we going to do, Jess? This won't be easy for either of them, and Aria will...' My wolf began.

He couldn't finish that last sentence, though. Because everyone knows that once a wolf dies, their mate isn't far to follow. 'I don't know, Hem. I don't know. For now, let's just take this one day at a time.' I tell him. We continued to race through the woods to the house, me carrying our now dead Alpha on my back.