The Alpha & Beta's Regret
The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 147

Rafe POV

He was standing outside the packhouse with Jack and lan, looking at the destruction Luci had wrought upon the ground when she had blipped herself from her room in a full Triune fury. Had landed with the perfect accuracy of Hannah and her sisters, who he knew and had experienced many times, could just put themselves directly in front of whomever they wanted to speak with.

Luci had barely tapped into her bloodline but now was fully realised. Hannah had told them both before she had walked away up to the first floor. He knew where she was going, to have words with Jo-anne herself. Their coven leader.

The ground out here where Luci had landed showed the force of the impact. It was a full half a foot deep where her feet had been and a full circle of grass and dirt had been blown out around her, nearly a full metre in diameter. If she’d landed any closer to the shaming post, it likely would have killed Melissa on impact.

The ground was hollowed out, scorched around the edges, it was almost as if shed appeared in a bubble and it had destroyed the ground around her. He looked at the two lifeless she wolves still hanging on his shaming posts, their bodies said it all. Luci had stated she would pop Orien’s pathetic brain inside his skull, and shed been asked if she could actually do that. She had told everyone yes, and without hesitation. Now here it was for all to see; the evidence of her statement. She could indeed explode a brain inside a person’s head

Wondered for a moment if he should take a photograph of it, then shook it off, he didn’t need to. It was likely that the cameras had caught it all anyway. Not that he was going to watch it, likely to be very gruesome. Much like watching anyone attack Allen, he thought, though in this particular case only their heads had vaporised into a bloodied red mist.

She had unleased her Siren’s call from Jack’s statement of what he’d seen, on Melissa first and then Maria before just turning and stalking off into the eastern woods. Heard she’d not even gotten covered in b***d or brain matter either. Had stopped that with a simple hand gesture, or that was what it had looked like to Jack.

Though no one really knew, only Luci herself would understand what shed done. He had kept a feel for her tether and she had not bolted away from the pack. She was moving with a purpose though, he could feel it, even knew what direction she was headed in; to the lake.

Knew she was off on her own mission to end that horrid pack herself, and had been told again not to interfere. It was bloody hard not to do so, he wanted nothing more than to take war to that pack himself, kill that Alpha and whoever was involved in the plan that had kept them away from Luci all these years. He wanted to be the one to go and destroy it.

Couldn’t interfere, he’d been told. Hannah and her sisters were going to maintain it or something, keep an eye on Luci. He didn’t know, not really

Rafe found Hannah right next to him with Jo-anne as well.

“Sweet Goddess.” He heard Jo-anne murmur “How did I not know about this?” she asked a moment later.

Rafe looked right at her, that was a very good question, considering the entire packhouse had shaken to its core and it was likely that not only those within the packhouse but out in the pack had heard Luci roar. Jo-anne was attuned to Luci, his and Jack’s pain. It was Hannah who answered her.

“Selena was with you. Time moves differently for those with her, she probably also stopped you from feeling it.”

He heard Jo-anne huff “Where is Luci now?”

“Going to extract revenge on those two she-wolves home pack.” Hannah stated simply.

Rafe sighed “One against 200, I don’t like it.” And he didn’t, not at all.

“Not one. A True Triune.” Hannah stated, “and not against 200 either, just those involved in this mess.”

“How does she know who those are?” Rafe asked.

“We’ll manage and save the innocent,” Hannah stated softly, sounded a little sad to his ear.

“Hannah?” it was Jo-anne.

“Sacrifices will be made..” there was more sadness to be heard. “One of us for the lives of the innocents… we are aware only two of us will return.”

Rafe was staring right at her now, he understood what she was talking about. “Allen?” he questioned. He had wondered why the man wasn’t here with the rest of them.

Considering what Luci was going to be to this pack, his job.

“Is asleep, will remain that way. Till one of us wakes him.”

“You’re not powerful enough to stop her.” Jo-anne sighed.

“No…” he watched as Hannah shook her head, “her siren bloodline is too strong and keeps her deadly, she also has an old and powerful witch bloodline, that…also learned many powers from our own brother.”

“Is anyone powerful enough to do what you need to do, to save those innocents and yourselves?” Rafe asked. He did not want Allen waking up to one less Mate or Hannah or one of her…thought about that and looked right at her. She was the strongest of the three, the one all their power was given to, knew it was going to be Hannah who was not coming back alive. Just knew it. “Hannah?”

“It is how it has to be. Only a full coven could push and pull that much power, enough needed to contain and save so very many as well as the one used to protect them. We are just three, strong but not like her.”

“Is there another way?” Jo-anne asked.

“No, we’re simply not strong enough to handle a true Triune, we tried to move her to our home, a place that is imbued to create calmness within any that come to us. She learned how to blip herself just from feeling us try to blip her to our home. She also didn’t like it when we tried to do it a second time. Told us don’t do it again. We didn’t attempt it a third time.”

“You could be stronger,” Jo-anne muttered. “How long do you have before your death awaits you?”

“Your highness, we, your disciples, do not ask that of you.

Know what you were created for, and it is abhorrent to us.”

“It is Hannah.” He heard Jo-anne state “but could that give you all the power you need to save everyone and yourselves as well?”

“It is likely, but I’d have to look into it.

She’ll swim furiously

to the most northern part of the lake, then race in wolfen form. She can’t, I don’t think blip herself that far yet. But the minute she can, I imagine she will do just that.”

“You could from here, I bet.” Rafe stated.

“Yes I can.” Hannah nodded “Anywhere in the world or kingdom, for that matter. No need for a portal anymore.”

“Hannah?” it was Jo-anne.

“We never take b***d from those not willing to give it freely.

Will never forcibly take b***d from a living creature. We are not like your father or Hendrick either, who was your father’s disciple for many years. It is how he knew about creating one like you.”

Rafe stood watching, listening to the two of them openly discussing what he could only fathom was them trying to figure out how to come to some sort of agreement on Jo-anne helping them. He got the impression neither of them liked Jo-anne’s birth father at all, nor Hendrick, the former Wolfen kingdoms’ warlock

He didn’t really understand all that was going on. Those two were talking about something to do with magic and he knew it, also knew it was b***d magic, not something he thought would be taken lightly.

“Hannah, I don’t want Allen losing you. I also don’t want Luci coming home realising she was the reason you died. I don’t think that will go over well with either of them. Please, if there is a way to save yourself. Another way,” he stated.

“If she destroys all those innocents, she will be lost to us all, unable to cope with it. The guilt will eat her alive and that darkness she fears will swallow her. My life given to save those innocents, and in return also saves Luci, then this is simply what must be done. One life for 190 innocent souls and Luci staying good and light. This is worth it in my world. I was once a royal princess of the light witches’ Kingdom, Alpha Rafe, and turned my back on everything due to pain. Now it is time to come into the light once more, do what all royal witches of the light do.. Die to protect the innocent, it is my duty and.” He watched her turn and look at Jo-anne. “My Queen, she wants for us all to come back into the light.” She bowed to Jo-anne “This is how one redeems themselves, and comes back into the light.”

He sighed “Perhaps Hannah, you are all better not in the light. Staying in the grey area of Magic.”

“Yes.” Jo-anne agreed with him. “Perhaps you should take me with you, all of us together, to help you.”

“That would require you admitting who you are, accepting your official title and being our Queen.”

“Hmm, I’ve already done that to help Titan and Piper.” She shrugged a little.

“Thank you for that. A great weight was lifted from us for the help you granted Piper and her kin. We can not thank you enough.”

“What’s going on?” Rafe asked, interrupting them.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Hannah stated simply, turning back to Jo-anne, “If you can be ready in one hour, your highness. I’ll come and get you. The night will be long I fear.”

Then she was just gone blipped herself away like she always did. He looked at Jo-anne and she sighed “Could you send your pack doctor to my room. I’d rather not get bit by three witches tonight.” She stated and then just turned and walked away.

Rafe watched her go, didn’t really understand at all, but did get the impression it was her b***d that his witches needed to boost their power. Shook it off, witches were cryptic and he wasn’t about to go asking a million questions, they’d only answer what they wanted to anyway. Mind-linked to his pack doctor with Jo-anne’s request, got an affirmative.

He turned and looked at the bloodied mess that was still here before him. He couldn’t have Hannah and her sister clean it up, they had more important things to do.

Preventing Luci from turning to the darkness as well as trying to save themselves in the process.

He didn’t want to lose Luci, she’d just come home to them, he’d just remembered how much he loved her. He didn’t want her to feel responsible for Hannah’s death either.

Didn’t want Allen having to lose a Mate and feel it was also Luci’s fault. Didn’t want the twins waking up and replaceing out their mother was lost to the darkness. Or had just fled and not come back. He had no idea if losing her to the darkness meant that she would disappear from their pack, from their lives. Didn’t know what the twins would do if she suddenly wasn’t here either.

There were just too many unanswered questions rolling around inside his mind and there was apparently absolutely nothing he could do about it. He had to just stay out of it and let one of his pack members sacrifice her life for others. He didn’t like it.

Looked at Jack. He was awfully quiet, hadn’t said a single word the entire time they were out here listening to that conversation, “‘m not losing her, I won’t. One life for 190. If it was this pack, we’d sacrifice one for the greater good, if that was all we could do and there were no other options available to us. All packs would.”

Rafe sighed heavily now “Jack, you say that, but if the one to be sacrificed was to be yourself or Luci, would you really do that?”

“Myself for Luci, Yes.” He nodded without hesitation. “But I would not sacrifice her for the world.”

“It’s not an easy decision for anyone to make, Jack. To ask us to do that, allow that, knowing Allen is losing a mate.”

“The choice has already been made.” lan sighed heavily, making both of them look right at him “Hannah has already made the decision, herself for Luci.”

“It’s not fair to Allen, or her sisters either.” He muttered, ” How do you think Luci will feel when she’s told that Hannah sacrificed herself to save her from turning to the darkness and becoming evil?”

He looked from one to the other and saw Jack huff,

“None

of us know.” He turned and walked away.

Rafe looked at lan and sighed “I hate being the Alpha sometimes, you know.”

“Yes, I imagine all Alpha’s hate it at some point, trying to make the right decisions for all within the pack all the time.

Can’t please everyone..Can’t save everyone either.” His eyes moved to the headless she wolves. “Go, ‘Il get this cleaned up.”