Beyond Fate

The truth

(Mitchel pov)

I sat back in my chair not believing the report in front of me. It gave a detailed account from both Rose and Alisha’s series of events that day. Looking over the documents again and again I could see that both stories matched. I felt my chest tighten as the sudden wave of nausea hit me hard. I almost vomited. The realisation of what I’d done hit me like a punch to the chest.

Alisha hadn’t hurt Rose, nor had she failed to protect her, nor had she lured her into the forest to be attacked. She had protected her future Luna and friend with her life. She had been injured herself; she could have died from her injuries and the warriors had just left her there in the forest, uncaring of what would happen to her. What If the rouges had come back.

“ Who were the warriors?” I asked coldly not looking up. If I looked up my parents would see the tears in my eyes.

“What?” My father asked shocked

“ The warriors that turned up after Alisha saved Rose?” This time looking at him. My father nodded.

“ Their names are in the back, along with their statements, of course their account of events were quite different to Rose and Alisha’s”.my father nodded towards the file in my hands.

He wasn’t kidding; the warriors claimed that they had been the ones to save Rose from the rogues. There was no mention of Alisha or her injury or the knife that was used to try and kill them both they had painted themselves as the f*****g hero’s.

“ You allowed the story to be pack knowledge” I almost growled looking at them both, it wasn’t a question I knew what everyone was saying, the stories were convincing too, hell I had been convinced by it all without question when I’d come home.

“ We never allowed anything son, you of all people know how influencing gossip is” dad shot accusingly at me, his arms still folded across his chest. He had a point. I dipped my head back to the paperwork feeling ashamed because I had believed the lies the pack had told me, I’d shamefully made facts out of their lies without proof, what kind of Alpha was I. I hung my head shamefully.

I looked to the back of the documents in front of me seeing the names of the warriors who had undoubtedly spread the original lies.

Pack warriors:

Danvor Morris

Kyle wells

Mike Holmes

Louisa Johnson

I knew of Louisa. She was Nathan’s female Kelly’s friend. These wolves would be on my list of people to question about that day but I had no doubts they had already practiced a well written story about what had happened.

“ So what happened after?” I whispered, my heart breaking even as the words came out of my mouth. My parents must have sensed my anguish because my fathers tone suddenly changed and he spoke ever so gently.

“ You know what happened son, the shock sent Rose into premature labour and she gave birth to Mina, she seemed to be healing for the first day but her leg wound became infected and with the amount of blood loss and her already suffering anaemia it was just too much for her body to take and...”

She died. Tears rolled down my face, unable to stop.

I still felt the pain like it was fresh this morning. I'd heard of the attack and Rose being in labour but I was a two day drive away because I couldn’t get a flight. Rose had called me on route to tell me we had a baby girl I remember that first day being so overwhelmed and happy I couldn’t wait to get home to my girls, then my mother had called to tell me Rose was sick, I’d spoke to Rose hearing the pup cooing in the background she’d told me we she was fine and not to worry but I could hear her struggling.

I’d been an hour from the pack territory when I’d felt it. The agony, the dispar, the crippling pain. My wolf felt my mate leave this world and I roared in agony startling the driver making him pull over before rushing into the forest, shredding my skin to my fur pushing my human self to the back of my mind unable to deal with the reality that I’d never hold my mate again.

“ Rose was very clear in her wishes; she seemed to understand that the grief would take over and you wouldn’t be able to return for a while so...” my mother faltered, her own grief evident in her eyes as she recalled that terrible day. Mom choked on her words, shaking her head to my father who was at her side within an instant holding her to him.

“ so she asked Alisha to be Mina’s guardian, to raise her until the time came when you’d be able to step up and be a father” dad finished my mothers sentence as he held his sobbing mate to his chest.

“ Alisha did of course, without question because she adored Rose and has loved her child, always reminding Mina of her mother and the person she was every single day,that girl has given your pup all of her love and devotion whilst asking nothing in return we didn’t even know how badly she was being treated by the pack” my father all but shouted at me.

“ Then we hear of your awful treatment and humiliation of her, Forbidding her from ever seeing Mina again” this time he didn’t hold back on shouting I was greatful the alphas office was sound proof.

“ How could you Mitchell” my mother peered out from my fathers chest.

“ I...I...” I had no words. I knew I was in the wrong here. I was giving them a hard time for not protecting Alisha and making sure her story was heard when I was the one who had been the true monster. If only they knew.

“ You believed all the rumours and lies, did you even give Alisha a chance to defend herself before you past your despicable sentence on her and don’t try to deny it, we’ve seen the video on social media” my father shouted, shaking my mother from the vibrations on his chest. There was nothing I could say, my wolf was growling in my head hating submitting when he was the alpha now but I deserved this. Why hadn’t I just listened to Lucas.

“You forget the most important job of the alpha...to pass fair judgment with evidence and data to back it up, not just blindly execute without logic or reason and especially not when it’s on the words of gossiping pack members” my father continued to scowled me like I was a child again and why not I certainly acted like one.

“ it wasn’t...” I stuttered. But my father interrupted.

“ it wasn’t?….. very well what evidence did you have to the crime? What reason did you have to pass such a sentence other than your personal feelings on the matter?” My father spoke as if I was six years old and he was giving me a lesson on how to be a good alpha.

I remained silent, my head hanging in shame, he was right I’d had nothing to back up my decision, only that of a pathetic made up file that had been pulled together. It was after Lucas had made that comment about the file Nathan had given me did I go back to it scanning through it merticulassy looking for anything different to the story. My first clue that it was bullshit was that I found it in the office bin, second there was barely a file there to look over it was one scrap of paper with the same story from the warriors point of view,I knew back then something wasn't right about it but I had still been too damn stubborn in my resolve that Alisha was guilty to admit I was wrong.

I’d just come down on Alisha in front of the entire pack no less, it was nothing more than a popularity contest. I cringed at the memory of her shrinking form as I passed judgment on her just so I had someone to blame for what happened to Rose.

I’d come down on her in front of the pack so they would see that unlike their old apha I would take action. I knew before I came back I’d need to prove myself as their leader, they didn’t have that trust you’d expect in an alpha. I’d been away too long and they had expected me to pass judgement and make an example of Alisha. I'd given them what they wanted, letting them lead me down the garden path all because I needed an enemy, someone to unleash on to ease my own guilt if not being there when my mate needed me.

An alpha that did that was no Alpha at all.

“ your right.... I had no evidence, only that of the word of the pack, I’ll correct my mistake” I sighed unease settling in the pit of my stomach I had already failed as an alpha now I needed to accept my mistake and apologise.

“ Maybe I expected too much of you I shouldn’t have forced you to come back and take the title had I known and you hadn’t taken the title behind my back then I wouldn’t have” I looked at him in shock, he couldn’t be suggesting what I think. He was trying to take the pack back. Was he for real, after years of pestering me to ‘take my rightful place’ he wanted it back, my reputation would never recover I’d lose what little respect I had from this pack.

“ Felix what’s done is done he is alpha now the best we can do is guide him you will do him no favours taking the title back” my mother interjected concerned. She touched his shoulder, calming him instantly. I'd always admired that about the mate bond your mate was your calm when you felt like you were dancing in a hurricane. My father sighed, sounding exhausted by the whole ordeal.

“ yes your right my love, but I want this matter with Alisha settled, if not for her sake then for your pups, no one loves Mina more and Mina isn’t the same without her” he frowned at me but something he said made me think.

“ I get that you two like the omega but you haven’t been here. How could you know what Mina’s been like” I said, getting rather pissed off at their accusations.

My parents gave each other a look, before my mother took out her smartphone, flipping through it. I didn't even know mom had a smartphone. It wasn't an essential bit of equipment like with humans, though I had noticed most wolves did unnecessarily have them. we only really used them when we left the pack territory and it was too far to mind link.

My mother held up the phone to me and on her screen I saw a clear picture of mina’s nursery. It was a live feed from inside my daughters play room. My mother flicked the screen showing different angles and then the same in minas bedroom, the only place it didn’t seem to have them was the bathroom.

“ They record as well, you can access the past 24 hours on the device but the rest is archived onto a laptop Alisha keeps in the nursery, in case you want to go back and see the rest..” I looked up at my parents sheepishly thinking about the omegas words before.

“ did you..” I cringed inwardly at the thought of what my parents had seen, no wonder they looked at me with such utter disappointment. As answering they both scowled, my mother shaking her head as she pulled her phone back fiddling with the screen her cheeks slightly flushed and I hated that she couldn’t even meet my eye.

“ yes we saw your little interaction with the omega that night” my father looked at me with utter disgust. I didn’t blame him. I had felt disgusted with myself since.

“ not everything....when we realised we switched it off your father and I make a habit of going through the footage at the end of the day” my mother was rambling embarrassed looking everywhere but me addressing the floor when she spoke. I’ll admit it wasn’t my finest moment, I’d gone to the nursery to check on Mina after the incident with Alisha at the Alpha ceremony but she had just screamed at me that I was a ‘bad daddy’ it had crushed me the omega had attempted to comfort me, I’d been under the influence of that s**t I used to get a buzz so I hadn’t been in my right mind and one thing had led to another, I’d regretted it the moment it happened. I’d been avoiding her since but I should have shut it down instead, I’d given her time to spread lies about becoming the next Luna. My father rolled his eyes and just shook his head knowing I wouldn’t give him excuses for my behaviour. I was wrong.

“ Let's deal with the first incident” my mother suggested moving slightly forward so she was between my father and I. She flicked through the footage on her phone, quite expertly I might add, for a pack that seemed to live in the dark ages when it came to technology. she obviously wasn’t lying when she said they checked the footage every night.

She held up the screen for the last hour. The footage showed the omega in question with Mina as they sat at Mina’s little table and chairs. The omega was only half focused as she was deep into something on her phone ‘I swear to goddess f*****g phones turn people into mindless zombies’ Mina was eating breakfast but then she stopped eating, trying to get the omegas attention but the omega was ignoring her. Mina kept trying and each time the omegas response became more irritated, Mina then reached up to grab her arm but as she did she accidentally caught her bowel and knocked the Cereal on the table sending it flying to the floor, that was when the omega finally looked up, she was beyond angry screaming at Mina who started crying yet still the omega screamed and then slapped Mina across the face ordering her to pick up the mess. She was ordering a three year old to clean up the mess like a servant, Mina cried hysterically clutching her cheek, my heart hurt to see her like that, yet she obediently went to the floor on her little hands and knees and started picking up the food, moments later my father came storming into the room but instead of bowing her head the omega folded her arms looking my father straight in the eye as an utter lack of respect. She had clearly been completely delusional in her resolve believing she was to be my Luna.

My blood boiled. It was only when I saw my mother shove the omega out the way and scooped Mina up into her arms did I calm down. I had to remind myself this had already happened and that Mina was safe. I wanted to go and rip the omegas head off but I needed to be calm. I had already jumped the gun on this before I needed to be collected and authoritative when I passed the omegas punishment.

But first thing was first I had to put right what I’d done wrong.

I mind linked Nathan and he came to my office. As soon as he came in he could tell something was wrong. I spoke before he could start asking questions.

“ Gather the staff for a meeting in the grand hall after lunch. I want all the omegas that care for Mina in a line at the front, make sure the one sat outside is centre” Nathan frowned at me and for a second. I questioned if any of what I said was unclear.

“ What omega sat outside?” Nathan asked, confused. I frowned back at him looking at dad who’d just rolled his eyes. I went to the door and sure enough the omega had gone. she’d disobeyed a direct order from her Alpha this was worse than I thought.

Now I was mad, my wolf was ready to hunt the little b***h down. I calmed him enough to remind him there was more than one pressing matter I needed to handle.

“ Where did you reassign Alisha Clayton?” Nate looked taken back for a moment, I wasn’t sure why but at the mention of Alisha suddenly had him looking sheepish as he wouldn’t meet my eye, he shoved his hands in his pockets looking down.

“ she...she... she’s working the harvest” he wouldn’t meet my eye with good reason. As my own eyes widened.

“ what the f**k!!! why would you send her there?” I demanded an answer.

“ you said send her as far away as possible” he answered as if it was my fault obviously my Beta needed specific instructions, Nathan had been one of my best friends as a child but we had grown apart since I’d lost my mate.

I couldn’t just assume the relationship would be like dads had been with his Beta. Adam had been an amazing beta. It was as if he could read my fathers mind when he received orders.

I had wanted Alisha away from me but I didn’t tell Nate to assign her to the harvest. I'd never send a female to do a harvest this time of year. It was hard grafting work even for the strongest male. Nathan had to know that, we’d worked the harvest as young teens. My father had said it would build character I wasn’t sure, it had certainly built muscle though just the memory of it made my bones ache. How could Nathan send Alisha there? I couldn't understand it, was her reputation really that bad.

“ clearly I gave you too much responsibility in the task Nathan, I’ll be sure to give more specific instructions when a task is given in future, I expect everyone in the pack house to be in the great hall by 1 pm, no exceptions don’t worry about the omega in question I’ll make sure she gets there” I watched Nathan’s jaw click at me specific instructions he clicked that I was explaining it to him like an i***t but he didn’t say anything just slowly nodded and left.

I turned back to my father and mother. They both knew how bad this looked, a Beta that was making up his own rules, an omega that had disobeyed a direct order from the alpha, it all meant I was in danger of being challenged by pack members for my alpha position. I needed to make an example of the omega not just because she had disobeyed me but she had struck an alpha pup. No omega was that bold ever.

“ Do you still have the test law in place?” I asked my father, still staring at the wooden door in front of me.

Remembering my fathers stupid trial course he had in place to force wolves to fight for their rank it’s how I ended up with a gamma blood as a beta.

“ yes of course” I heard him say behind me.

“ the omega that struck Mina, was she a higher rank before her trials?” I looked back over my shoulder at him. Maybe that’s why she was disobedient if she had been a higher rank before.

“ I don’t think so son, as far as I’m aware she was always an omega both her parents were omega’s” that made things worse, even the omegas were going against me I needed to regain control of my pack.

“ I need to speak with Alisha '' as I headed to the door my fathers words stopped me.

“ don’t expect an easy talk there son, the girl may be an omega but she’s Adam’s daughter she’s a beta blood” I inwardly groaned, s**t this really was bad how the f**k was a beta’s daughter an omega probably the same reason Johnny wasn’t my beta.

“ she also has access to the nanny cams so unless you took her phone and laptop from her when you banished her from this house she will have been keeping an eye on Mina..... she will have seen the footage”I wasn’t sure why but the thought of Alisha seeing the footage made me more ashamed than my parents seeing it.

“ I’ll talk to her” I signed, already exhausted I opened the door to my office.

“ Just make sure you find that omega before Alisha does I’d hate to have to see Alisha face charges of murder” with that I left I needed to find her before this pack descended into more chaos.

I Left the office descending the stairs passing the living room. Before I left I saw Mina sitting eating a cookie staring intently at the tv. Some animated girl was singing in the snow. I went and sat on the sofa next to her. Mina was so engrossed that she didn’t even acknowledge me. I took the moment to really study my pup for the first time. She looked so much like Rose but she had my dark hair. I hated myself for not being here for those first years. I’d missed so much of her already, she wasn’t a baby or a toddler finding her feet she was already a little person with her own personality and I had hurt her by taking away the one person she loved more than anyone, the guilt was overwhelming. I kissed the top of her head gently taking in her scent, no surprise she smelt like cookies and cream most pups smelled sweet until they reached adulthood it wasn’t her permanent scent she would get that over time.

“ I’m sorry sweetheart daddy’s going to bring Alisha back to you” Mina stopped eating and looked up at me, the hope and happiness evident in her tiny blue eyes she smiled crawling into my lap her tiny arms wrapped around my neck as I held her close.

“ I keep Ali now, yes daddy?” She whispered into my neck.

“ yes I promise you keep Alisha now” she squeezed my neck tighter before she pulled away smiling, she went back to eating her cookies as if she hadn’t just made my entire year with one hug.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I walked out of the pack house, that was the first time Mina had ever hugged me. I wasn’t sure how I was going to react coming back to being a father I knew Mina was being cared for but I’d never taken any interest beyond her general well being. In truth I had been too consumed by my grief to think about anyone else. I didn’t know what her favourite food was or film, did she like princess stuff and dressing up like girls her age did or did she like boy things like football or playing in the mud. I didn’t know my own daughter. It was only now I was here with her that I realised how sad that made me, for the first time since the day I’d lost Rose I wanted to know my daughter. There was only one person that could help me with that and I had treated her so terribly she probably hated me.

I reached the clearing walking over the vast fields on the far side of the pack towards the omegas housing. We grew our own vegetables on pack lands but for some reason never live stock I never knew why, maybe it was in case a wolf went feral the animals would be the first to be slaughtered but we did well growing considering we didn’t always have the best weather it was hard to grow crops when there was hardly any sun though, the amount of rain helped to keep the crops well quenched but sometimes too much could be even worse.

I walked through the fields noticing it was surprisingly quiet. It was unusual this time of year during a harvest it was all hands on deck. A feeling of dread filled me straight away. something felt off.

As I neared the far end by the barns I could see a group of people gathered in a huddle shouting, some of the females screaming, what the hell my wolf growled, already feeling unsettled. It sounded like a boxing match.

I ran over to the group as fast as I could, as I got to them I could see exactly what was happening. The wolves had created a circle and inside they were watching on as several wolves were beating someone laying on the ground.

My stomach dropped hoping I was wrong but knowing in my heart I wasn’t. I let out an almighty ROAR! The crowd instantly halted and dispersed. People bowed their heads in submission. It was nice to see some wolves knew their place but I couldn’t think about that now. I rushed to the centre seeing a body lay on the ground as I watched at least six men backing away their hands all bloody, most of them were looked at me with pride and satisfaction like I’d be happy to see what they were doing, their expressions disgusted me.

I went to the body smelling the metallic tinge of blood, it almost made me gag at the amount that now stained the ground, rolling the body over the dread filling my every cell. I was horrified at the sight of a badly beaten Alisha on the ground.

Blood spilled from every open wound on her tiny body, her eyes were black and had already swollen Shut, her head had a nasty gash that was pissing blood she was black and blue all over. I could tell from the type of wounds inflicted they hadn’t just been using their fists; the gashes littering her body had been caused by weapons of some kind. Not even checking to see if she was breathing I scooped her up in my arms the smell of blood so strong I struggled not to gag, they had meant to kill her. I took note of all the faces in the group. They still wore proud smiles on their faces for what they had done there was no remorse from any of them.

“ you will all receive lashes for this disgusting act” I shouted at them. If I hadn’t had a dying Alisha in my arms I’d have taken their heads clean off right now. One of the younger men stepped forward his expression was one of confusion.

“ but sir...” he protested, my wolf growled and he took a step back.

I glared at the wolf that had dared to speak back to me. My eyes went black as night. I may be new to the alpha title but I was no weak wolf he was a big guy but he would not win against me he didn’t know the terrible things I’d done while gone, how feral I’d become.

“Daz back away now!!” An older man shouted behind him they looked vaguely similar, possibly his father the young wolf called daz looked at the old man like he wanted to argue but in the end took a step back tipping his head. Wise choice.

I stormed away at superhuman speed racing to the pack hospital, luckily it was this end of the pack. I didn’t have to go far. I didn't know what kind of condition Alisha was in but she already looked dead. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.

“ I’m sorry Alisha this is all my fault just hold on” Lucas was right I had made a terrible mistake and she had paid the price.