The Alpha & Beta's Regret
The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 32

Rafe POV

Holding his son for the first time made his heart swell with both joy and pride. His small son had taken on a fully grown Alpha today and won. Protected not just his twin, but his mother as well. Had shifted for the first time, and without any hesitation, he had done what all Alpha’s do. Assert themselves and fight for their loved ones, protect those that they love with all they have.

His wolf, Solar, was very happy and had been excited to see his son in Siren-Wolf form, so very unique and so very protective. Astral had ripped right out of little Rafe to defend his Grammy, as Addi had called herself to them. He’d not been there for Alari, had stood directly next to Addi, as had Spark; they knew their mother didn’t need them.

Solar couldn’t be prouder of his young pup, so very strong already, and to hear him howl, there had been no stopping Solar joining in on that family moment.

It seemed that their boy was willing to accept him, though he watched as both little Rafe and little Jack turned and looked right at Kali, at the exact same time. And even he knew something was wrong, he’d seen it before, the way they were connected to their mother.

Kali did not attempt to shift back to Luci at all, seems they did not want to; around him and Jack. Had nearly sighed out loud. But he went inside when he was asked to by Addi. She wasn’t likely going to shift around them, didn’t want to be naked around them. Not something she’d ever had a problem with before.

Heard her state she couldn’t live here and felt Solar’s agitation right away. He didn’t want his child taken away from him. ‘Perhaps she just meant the packhouse.’ He told Solar, and he himself was hoping that was all it was. What she had meant, he also didn’t like the idea of losing his son, when he’d just found out about him.

He could feel Jack’s eyes on him, looked at him, he knew Jack didn’t want Luci to leave at all, neither would Flare for that matter. He’d already voiced his wolf’s interest in them ‘We can’t let her leave, Rafe.’ Jacks voice came down the mind-link.

‘She is more powerful than Solar, Jack. It’s unlikely we can stop her. Do you really want a full-on fight over it? That’s what will happen, I believe.” Knew that Jack would never want that, would never lay a hand on Luci, Kali or Alari, like that. ‘Let’s just wait and see what she really meant.’

Neither he nor Jack went far with the boys, just inside the mudroom itself, where they could hear what was going on, but gave her the privacy to shift and dress by herself. They’d never had to do that before, not once in all the time they’d known her, she’d never been one to be shy around them.

Her gym clothes had left little to the imagination. He’d seen how she was now all lean muscle, while he’d assessed her unconscious body and then, when Alari had walked ahead of them, she was much thinner herself than she used to be. Didn’t look unhealthy, just all lean muscle now, there was no softness to her curves where there had once used to be.

He wondered if that was because of Alari, or because they did not eat enough to sustain being a double shifter. He was going to have to go out and look at the place they lived, it had been so small. He didn’t think he had any rooms here that were even that small.

Saw her step into the mudroom with Addi. “We should get you all something to eat.” He told her, it had been nearly midday by the time they had gotten back to the pack after retrieving Luci and the boys. Then they had run about and played for over an hour, before even heading back to the packhouse.

It was now mid-afternoon and he knew none of them had eaten since breakfast, though he noted none of them complained about being hungry. The boys had to be famished after their first shifts today and Jack’s healing as well. There was no longer any bruising on his face. He walked with all of them to the packhouse dining room and put little Rafe down, little Jack ran right over to him as they looked at all the food.

It seemed the two of them were completely amazed by all of the food on display. That hurt more than a little, knew right away just from their reaction to all the food that they didn’t eat much.

Luci stayed with Addi, her eyes were on her boys the whole time; couldn’t even look at him or Jack. They had hurt her, broken her, he realised. She’d once been a very lively and outgoing, expressive young woman, always smiling, always laughing and had no fear of defying anyone. So very stubborn, hadn’t really cared who she looked at or how for that matter. Now her eyes were down and unable, it seemed, to meet his or Jacks at all.

She had to be worried about what he and Jack were going to do where the twins were concerned, likely very concerned about the Luna’s reaction as well as Jack’s Mate’s reaction too. Not even he knew how that was going to go down. Didn’t see it going over well at all. But it would have to be discussed and dealt with when those two came back to the pack.

Melissa and Maria usually only stayed away for a week and that was today, so they should be home later this afternoon. He’d not heard from her, and didn’t expect to either. She’d never once called him when she went home, and he didn’t call her anymore. He might love her, but their relationship was broken at the best of times. Loved her only because he was bonded to her and knew it. It’s what the Mate bond did.

He didn’t even know what to do about it anymore, had tried many times to make her understand his needs, Jack’s needs at that. Both Solar and Flare’s needs, as well. Not that she’d even tried to understand, wouldn’t even give it a chance, to see if she would like it, not even once allowed it.

He sat down after getting food and found Ian next to him, mind-linked him and Jack ‘Alpha, that Beta is dead, bled out. No one got to question him, never woke up, killed by his injuries.’

Rafe sighed ‘Thank you, Ian. Is there any information?’

‘Yes, we pulled some sort of electronic device from his pocket when he was searched. Looked to be some sort of hearing protection.’

‘Put them in my office please.’

‘Already there.’ Ian told him ‘Luci is different.’ He commented.

‘She is, in more ways than you know. After we’ve settled her and the twins. I’ll want to talk with you and Allen in my office privately. Jack and I will explain everything.’

‘Alright Alpha.’ The man turned and walked away.

‘So much for interrogating that bastard.’ Jack’s hard voice came down the mind-link.

‘Sorry Jack. I know you wanted answers about what Victor is up to.’

‘I know what he wants. What I want is to know a way into that man’s pack, so I can beat the hell out of him till there’s nothing left of him. I don’t want to question him, I want him dead for hitting my boy. Trying to kidnap Luci and force her to be his Luna.’

‘Agreed, we need that information.’

Rafe’s eyes moved right to Addi. She’d told Luci she would sever ties with Victor, which likely meant that she would be willing to give up details on that man and his pack. Whether Orien was going to be happy about this was another matter altogether. He was going to have to wait and see on what happened between Luci and her family.

Though from where he sat and all he’d seen yesterday and then today, it was pretty damn clear that Addi was still furiously mad with her Mate. Whatever had been said between them earlier had led her to slap her own Mate, and that man had felt the full force of Addison and Fallon.

All her Alpha strength, likely not something he had ever felt before, had come as more than a shock to him, and the way he’d reeled back, that wasn’t just shock, she held real Alpha power and strength. It was also clear that Alari was having none of Orien’s or his wolf’s aggression aimed at her mother.

She could take that man on now, was much stronger than he was, and Orien had found out the hard way that the daughter he’d tossed aside would have been his best asset. The daughter he’d insulted so many times, and tried to forcibly Mate off to a man that she did not want. Would have been the best choice as the Heir to his Pack. Strong even then, but now with Alari, deadly as well.

She would be the key to winning any battle brought to any pack she was in. If he’d kept her as his heir, treated her right and loved and protected her, it was likely that he wouldn’t need as many allies. Word would get around quickly just how powerful she was and once it did and she was seen displaying that power, not many would attack or raid their pack.

Orien had lost the power of a double shifter and an Alpha female. One that would have the pick of any Alpha for a Mate, no forced mating would be needed. She would have been desired not just for her beauty, but the rarity of what she truly was.

She would be able to have children of either species or combined, as the twins seemed to be, a hybrid species of Siren and Wolf. Every unmated Alpha out there would want her for themselves.

He sighed internally, she still could have that, and if Orien accepted her back and Luci actually wanted to go to her home pack, to the Nightfall Pack once again. He was dead certain Orien would be doing just that. Letting everyone know what she was.

Trying to replace her a suitable Mate, one she could see herself Mated to. Wouldn’t be able to force her into any mating alliance. But he would be able to give her many options to choose from, and she was going to take the boys with her, would never leave them here, was to closely bonded to them.

Rafe did not see the twins wanting to stay here either, if their mother wasn’t here, didn’t even see them visiting without her. Siren families had extremely strong connections to each other, he’d seen it already for himself today. Those boys knew when their mother was upset, they would go wherever she went without hesitation.

The question now was, could he and Jack convince her to stay here, in the Black Forest Pack? They would be safer here, than at Nightfall. Their pack was 5 times larger, had good defences and their warrior count matched more than the entirety of Nightfall’s in total.

Though he doubted defending her would be needed, she would understand that here was the safer option, between the two packs. It was also not as close to Victor’s home pack, or allied to him as was Nightfall.

Victor had rendered her unconscious and easily so, it appeared, which meant she was still vulnerable, as were the boys. She had also come back to the pack willingly, likely for this very reason, was vulnerable and now she knew it.

Though she’d not done that until Alari had given up control. The Siren they needed to connect with. If he and Jack could connect with Alari, they would have a better chance of getting them to stay here inside this pack, rather than go home to Nightfall with her mother.

He sat quietly and just watched her and the boys, on her plate was all fruit and both boys, though they had looked at everything, had chosen fresh fruit as well. He’d actually watched them look at the array of sweets and then at their mother, almost hopefully he thought.

She’d shaken her head ‘no’ at them. He wondered why the sugar would help with the energy they needed to sate some of their hunger needs after today’s events. He had no idea if she didn’t allow them to eat sweets or if they had allergies? That could be triggered by the sweets themselves. Or if their Siren genes only allowed them to eat certain foods.

He had a lot to learn. Jack would likely already have some of this knowledge. He could ask him later. He didn’t want to overwhelm Luci right now. He just needed her to settle inside the pack once more. Then they could ask her questions about things that they wanted to know.

He was going to have to follow Jack’s lead on this one, didn’t much like that he was going to have to do that, but Jack, it seemed, just knew what she needed. Had done his research on Sirens because he’d thought that thing in the lake was Luci.

He’d been right as well, hadn’t let it go. Unlike Rafe, he had latched onto the idea and not let it go. They’d both always wanted to replace and bring Luci back, but Jack had made sure to study up on Sirens in case she was the creature in the lake.

Didn’t believe Rafe’s thoughts on the creature in the lake was what had killed Luci. Not when he’d seen the resemblance, he’d seen Alari and all he saw was Luci. His first thought had been Luci, and he had never let it go, there had been no swaying him. He’d been right as well, his instincts were still good where she was concerned.