True Beta

Blackwood's way

James’ POV

I had moved Brea to bed a few hours after making sure I had at least one guard around the house. Gray was never this protective. There must be something about Brea that has his instincts going haywire. I laid down on the couch trying to a few hours of sleep.

I never slept well. Not since I was a kid. I was unlucky enough to remember my family. Dylan had found me in the middle of the forest, my pack in flames. I had some pretty bad burns and, since my family was dead, he just kept me there. I remember when Delilah came and even at that point, I hadn’t gotten my wolf, but Gray came a few years later. Now I know that I got my wolf at the same time Delilah did. Since she was a True Alpha, her blood was strong enough to save even the worst of us. Her blood had created a blood bond, and every time she howled in pain, Gray went ballistic. For at least a year, anytime Dylan would experiment on Lilah, he would sedate me. I had killed countless guards trying to protect my Alpha even if I was an Alpha myself. Her blood saved me and brought Gray forward. He would serve her until he couldn’t anymore. I finally just let myself drift into a dreamless sleep.

I awoke to the sounds of someone digging through the kitchen. I jolted up into a standing position. I didn’t want to go on the defensive if it was someone who needed help. Brea squeaked, dropping the pan that was in her hand. As it clanked to the floor she squeaked again, jumping a little bit at the noise.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you!” She dropped to the floor, grabbing the pan.

“It’s fine. What are you doing?”

“I wanted to make you breakfast. You have been so kind to me. I don’t know how else to repay you.” Her eyes were still on the ground, her body trembling.

I slowly walked to her, “Brea, you don’t have to be afraid of me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She looked up at me, I hadn’t noticed that her eyes were a deep hazel, almost all brown. Her face was small, and her high cheekbones were more prominent than they should be. She was shorter too, probably only five feet tall. She had gotten a sweatshirt that went to just below her knees and the sleeves were pulled up to show her hands. I grabbed the pan from her hand and put it back on the stove.

“You don’t have to cook for me,” I said. “You need to rest. I will make breakfast and you go sit on the couch.”

“Oh, I can make breakfast! It’s the least I can do.”

I looked down at her small frame, her hazel eyes pleading with me. I nodded and went to stand on the porch. I did this frequently. My house was the first to be seen in the forest to protect the rest of my pack. Usually, rogues were killed on sight, but in storms like this, wolves would come in from anywhere they could to protect themselves from the cold. I was also known to allow rogues to stay on my territory. I had been given a grant from the council to build enough houses for any rogues willing to stay in a pack, and I had been gifted my former pack’s bank account. It wasn’t large like Deacon and Delilah’s, but it was enough to start building a proper packhouse and even a few more small houses. I would give my house to someone else and stay in the packhouse until I could establish enough funds to build my own house.

I would spend most mornings on the porch keeping an eye out for anyone that needed help. I could still hear Brea puttering around the house just as I could smell someone entering my territory. They were probably ranked at a Gamma level. I stood taller and kept my face neutral as they came into view.

“Who are you, why are you on my territory?” I growled, my Alpha aura coming into my voice.

“Apologies Alpha. I am Gamma Leo Langston of Blackwood. We are looking for a runaway. I tracked her scent through the storm.”

“The storm was pretty bad last night. Are you sure you tracked her scent here?”

He sniffed the air as he took a defensive stance, “She is our pack member. She must be returned.”

“If she ran away, then she would become a rogue. I’ve been granted by the council to accept rogues as pack members.”

“She did not break her bond with our pack, so she is not a rogue.”

“She is still free to do so wherever she may.” I shrugged.

“She is pregnant. With an Alpha pup, meaning she must become Luna, as are the laws.” The gamma growled back at me.

I snarled, Gray pushing himself forward, “She is unmated! Her pup is illegitimate, meaning the right to Luna is her choice. Since she has run from your pack, I have all rights to accept her into mine. If she wishes to stay, she will be allowed.” His Alpha command could not be ignored by someone beneath him and he dared this Gamma to try.

He growled but turned on his heel, immediately shifting and running back. I quickly went into the house, double-locking the doors and checking the windows. I hadn’t sensed any other wolves besides the Gamma, but he might have had them just on the territory line. Brea was frozen in her spot, a plate of bacon sausage, and eggs still in her hand. I put the plate on the table and pulled her to the couch. I sat next to her.

“You’re from Blackwood.”

She nodded.

“The pup, is it your Alpha’s?” I whispered gently.

She looked up at me, her eyes heavy with unshed tears. She shook her head.

“It is an Alpha pup?”

She nodded.

“For the safety of not just you or your pup, but my pack as well, I have to ask if the father of the pup will come looking.” I looked down at her, “Or your family?”

Her tears rolled down her cheeks before she took a deep breath, “My dad didn’t want a girl. He was the Gamma before my brother took over. Since I was useless to him, I was whatever the Alpha wanted me to be. A housekeeper, someone to…” She exhaled shakily. “Alpha Raymond didn’t allow his pack members to sleep with a lot of she-wolves, there were about 6 of us for them to…He said letting his pack members sleep around would cause too much drama. I was also given to visiting Alphas. A couple of months ago, the Alpha from Blackstone was visiting, and I went into heat. He was unmated.” She put her hand on her belly, “My father wanted to send me to him because I was now pregnant with an Alpha pup, and I would finally be out of his hair. The Alpha found his mate and refuses to acknowledge the pup. My father got worse. I wasn’t allowed home or in the packhouse, except to clean. No one wanted me since I was pregnant. I figured if I was going to be forced to live as a rogue within a pack, then I should just go become a rogue and live on my own.”

I was shaking trying to keep Gray down. Not only was this girl abandoned by her family, but the Alpha would not even recognize his pup. She was completely alone. I would protect her. I wasn’t sure Gray would let her leave. He was never this protective, even as an Alpha wolf, but this was different. He was drawn to her. He was growling and scratching at the back of my mind.

I will rip his heart out.

Which one? The bastard who got her pregnant and abandoned her or the asshole called her father who was more than likely selling his daughter to unmated males? Her brother who is calling her a piece of property?

All of them. They defiled her. They are no better than Dylan. He snarled at the name before cutting the link.

I could not look at her. For fear that the tears in her eyes would bring Gray back to the surface, I wasn’t sure I would be able to fight him back this time. He would be out for blood. I tried keeping my breathing even as I put a finger under her chin to wipe her tears. Gray whimpered as we looked at her. He thought she was beautiful. He could not sense her wolf, but it did not matter to him. After everything we had been through with Dylan, he did not agree with anyone throwing people away. We had no family, no pack. When I decided to leave Delilah, he ignored me for a month. When he finally understood what I was trying to accomplish, he agreed, and we had found at least fifteen pack members in the first month. We are now up to 100.

She was whimpering as I wiped her tears, “Do I have to go back to my father?”

“Not if you don’t want to, Brea. You do not have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“I want to stay with you.”

“Then stay with me. You can have the spare room. Once the storm passes, I will go and get your stuff from your family.”

Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head violently, “Please! No! They will kill you.”

I just laughed, “Would it make you feel better if I brought a few more Alphas with me? I have a few friends not far from here.”

She nodded, a small smile playing on her face. I cupped her small face in my hand, as she leaned into it. Gray was purring. I had never seen him so relaxed. It made me wonder.

Is she our mate?

Her wolf has receded so I cannot tell. Gray was rolling on his back at her smile. But she is special.

I rolled my eyes, Giant puppy.

Brea had closed her eyes. I wanted to pull her closer to me and wrap my arms around her, but my stomach growled, reminding me that we hadn’t eaten. I laughed as my stomach roared at her. I told her to stay and brought the plate of food to her. I turned something on the TV. We ate in silence. Soon Brea leaned her head on my shoulder and quickly fell asleep. I gathered her up and went to put her in the large poster bed in the spare room.

I pulled my phone out and called Delilah.

“Alpha.” Even if I wasn’t bonded to her, I would still respect her.

“Hey, James! How are you?!”

“I’m good actually. How are my pack members doing? I hope they aren’t causing too much trouble?”

“Oh, they’re just fine! I think a few of them are headed back today.”

I nodded, “Alpha-“

“Delilah, James. You aren’t a member of my pack.” She laughed.

I chuckled, “Delilah, I was wondering if I could ask a favor. Well, another favor.”

“Of course! What do you need?” She went serious. When she had heard that my packhouse wasn’t finished yet, she had almost commanded me to ask her for help. Not because it was a power thing, but because she didn’t want the pack members to suffer the worst storm of the decade. She was, after all, a Luna, even if it was just in name.

“I have a new pack member who ran away from a really bad situation. I was wondering-“

“Brea?” She asked. “The Gamma came barreling through a few days ago. Dec had to hold me back from ripping his arms off.”

I laughed. Delilah didn’t take well to disrespect. Not only was she a Luna to one of the strongest packs in the North, but she was a born True Alpha. An Alpha to Alphas. Her wolf, Athena, had the shortest fuse.

“Yes. Brea. She has requested to stay in my territory, but I wanted to go get her things. Just so she doesn’t have to start over.”

Delilah laughed, “When do you want to go? The storm is mostly gone, but we have to get the grandparents to watch the twins. We could meet up on the edge of my territory in a few hours?”

I was grateful for her willingness to help. She had been incredibly supportive of me and everything I was doing. A lot of Alphas had agreed that I was doing good in the world.

“That’s great. Uhm, is Axel still there?” I asked. I missed Axel and, since he was built like a tank, things would be less likely to end in a fight.

“Yeah. I’ll let him know. So, we’ll see you then!” She hung up the phone just as she was yelling at Deacon.

I was very envious of their relationship. At 26, I was unmated. It wasn’t too strange since I had only been out of the lab for almost two years. A few she-wolves that had passed through my pack had kept me company, but Gray wasn’t as protective of any of them. I went to double-check on Brea. She was curled into a ball on the bed, her breathing even.

I went back to the porch. Keeping my senses sharp. I could hear the wolf pacing the border of my territory, but until they crossed, I couldn’t do anything. I got a mind link from a few pack members that they were going to be leaving Delilah and Deacon’s land. I warned them of the wolf on the edge. I also sent a pack-wide link letting them know I would be leaving the pack for a while. I had yet to appoint a Beta or Gamma, but I had a few prospects. I wanted Axel to be my Beta, even though he was an Alpha himself, he had mated with their Gamma’s little sister. She was hesitant to leave her family and I could understand that. I couldn’t ask her to give up her family when I had lost mine.

I sat on the swing for a while, when I heard Brea waking up from her nap. She had put on my jacket and sat on the swing next to me. I put my arm over her shoulder and drew her closer. Even in a large jacket and sweatshirt, I would be able to keep her warm from just my body heat. I looked down at her after a few minutes, her button nose was tinged pink.

“You should go inside.” I stood up. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Some friends of mine are going to help me get your belongings.”

She froze, her eyes were saucers. I pulled her up into my chest, “I promise, we’ll be okay. Even if I wasn’t taking a True Alpha, I’m taking two other Alphas and a Luna. We should be more than capable of getting your things.”

“Can… Do..” She sighed and looked down at her hands.

“Do you want to come with us?” I asked.

She nodded, “I don’t want to be alone.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I smiled down at her, “We can take my truck.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around her belly. I grabbed my keys and helped her into my truck. She looked so much smaller in the large seat.

“Brea, no one is going to hurt you, or the pup,” I said.

She smiled at me, looking out the window.

She is ours.