Betrayed by My Beta Mate

29 One Down

John POV

I left the hospital to run home and shower. My mother was busting my a** that I was starting to stink. I’m so glad she seems to be getting back to her happy self. I reach the cottage with a million thoughts running through my mind. Once I’m finished in the shower, I dry heading into my bedroom. I throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before I head downstairs. I grab an energy bar with something to drink and get ready to head back to the hospital. I’m still haunted by the way we found my mother in those cells. I can only imagine the torture she endured at that ba**ard’s hands. I try to push those thoughts from my mind and focus on the fact that she is safe. Now we just need to help my aunt. I know I did the right thing going with Lily and protecting her but it doesn’t take away the guilt that I wasn’t there for my mom or to protect my aunt. I’m glad Lily took his powers from him. She is absolutely right that it is a fate worse than death for a man like him. I’m just about to head out the door when I hear a knock. I open the door to find a smiling Clarissa. I had hoped to have this conversation with her when I wasn’t in a rush, but I guess it is going to have to happen now. “Hi John, how have you been” she says as she tries to wrap her arms around my neck. I stop her and she looks confused. I place her hands at her side.

she is doing better now.” As we start to walk down the path toward the eastern border Lily’s words repeat in my mind. I hate that this might hurt Clarissa, but it’s not fair to either of our mates to continue being together. “John, I already know what you’re going to say.” “It really isn’t necessary.” “I would like to say it anyway.” “I really like you, Clarissa.” “Your beautiful and someone is going to be very lucky to have you as a mate.” “John,

“There are wolves near that do not belong to the pack.” “Something isn’t right about their scents.” She starts to walk faster and I grab her arm. “Clarissa wait” I say and cast a spell to make us invisible. I have no idea what we are walking into. We continue to walk to the edge of the forest and I feel in my gut something is very wrong. The road is visible from where we are and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Wolves are fighting that I have never seen before. It appears that four of the wolves are larger than average. They look like Alphas, but what packs could they belong too? I realize that I do know one of the wolves. It’s that ba**ard Max. How the f**k is here if Elder Thomas took him to the Elder’s territory? Just as I realize it’s him, I watch him attack a large gray wolf. He is holding the wolf down by his throat while another wolf bites his leg. “What do we do, there are too many for us to handle” Clarissa says. “Clarissa link the Alpha that we need help”, I

Lincoln POV

and takes a seat on the couch near the window. “Amelia, I think we should have your Luna ceremony tomorrow.” She smiles “I would love that.” “I want to be yours in every way possible.” She comes over and kisses me before she sits in my lap. I love this woman and I will kill anyone who tries to take her from me. I start to get a link and I allow it to come through expecting it to be a patrol guard telling me the Elders have arrived. “Alpha, we need help”, I hear a female voice come through the link. “What’s happening” I say as I stand setting Amelia on her feet. “There are wolves fighting outside the eastern border and one of them is Max.” I growl and cut the link. “What is going on Lincoln” Amelia asks. “There are wolves fighting near the Eastern border.” I turn to Michael, “one of them is Max.” “Son of a b**ch” Michael growls. We both head for the door and I stop immediately, remembering that I don’t want Amelia here alone. I link Lily and within seconds she is standing in my office with concern written all over her face. “Please stay with Amelia, I

I roar. The wolves turn looking at Talon . I’m shocked to see Max’s wolf lying on the ground not moving. As we approach, John appears with Clarissa in front of us. Four wolves are dead and four are standing just staring at Talon. He is much larger than their wolves and despite not being their pack Alpha, the wolves recognize my authority. I shift walking forward until I’m just feet from them. “Shift now”, I give Alpha command. The four wolves have no choice but to give into my command. “You will be taken into custody by the Nightfire pack.” “We have not breached your territory, you have no authority to imprison us” one of the men say. John rushes to the gray wolf that is not moving. The remaining two wolves, who were not affected by my command shift, and the Elders are standing before us. I realize that one of the dead wolves is an Elder. I feel sick to my stomach that he perished fighting these ba**ards right outside my pack. The remaining two of them are injured but they will heal. “You have attacked the Elder wolves and killed Elder Brandon.” “We grant the authority to imprison and carry out your punishments to the Nightfire pack and Alpha Lincoln Thomas”, Elder Marcus says. More patrol guards arrive and they take the four wolves away. That’s when I realize the gray wolf must be Elder James. I am at his side in an instant. Elder James’s wolf is barely breathing and his neck is bleeding. John stands and before I can say a word he is gone. What the hell? I start barking orders for