Betrayed by My Beta Mate

51 To Accept or Not Accept

Larisa POV

“He is our mate” Ara says with a growl. “Calm down Ara, they care about us. They were scared when we were taken and they don’t know that Magnum let us go.” She recedes in my mind and I look back at my dad. I can feel the rage rolling off of him and Eli. “I think we need to give Larisa some time to rest. She just woke up and she is safe” my mother says. “No, I want to talk about this now.” She takes my hand and I’m glad to have at least her support. “I’m going to go let everyone know that your home safe” Lily says and leaves. “Larisa, I know the mate bond can cloud your judgement. You can’t really believe that you should accept a man that took you against your will” my father says. “Dad, I love you and I understand that you are angry, but I’m not a child anymore. I need you to hear me and not treat me like a little girl.” “Larisa, you’re talking about a man that kidnaped you so he could kill our father”, Eli says, and I flinch at his words. I know he is right, but Magnum isn’t the same man that took me a few days ago. My mother stands and looks at my brother and father. “Eli and Lincoln, take a seat and listen to Larisa. She deserves to be listened to and you are not giving her that respect. I know you are angry and scared but we need to know exactly what happened.” She turns and sits back down by my bed. “Larisa, tell us about your mate.” Both men growl low and my mother turns shooting daggers at them. I look at my father and Eli. “You are right. My mate took me because he wanted to hurt dad. He lost his way because he is in pain about losing his own parents. His parents were taken from him even if it was justified. Anger can make good people do bad things.” I take a moment to compose myself as my heart aches for Magnum. A little boy who learned to hate the man who took his family from him.

The growls that echo through the room nearly shake the walls. “Enough, let her finish” my mother says. “He didn’t succeed. You have taught me well how to defend myself. I kicked him in the balls hard enough that they were in his throat.” I see pride in Eli and my father’s eyes. “Magnum came to the room. I don’t know if he felt something was wrong or if it was just pure luck. He killed the vampire and the witch that set it up. When he came back to the room, he walked me outside of the coven. He told me to leave and that the coven was no longer a threat to the Nightfire pack.” There is a long stretch of silence and I’m not sure what else to say. “Larisa, do you want to be with Magnum” my mother asks me. I don’t even have to think about my answer. “Yes, he is my mate and I believe that the goddess chose me to heal him. I believe that he deserves to be happy.” She turns to my father and Eli. “I love you both but this is not your decision to make. There will be no attack on the coven for what is now in the past. Larisa is safe and has come to no harm. If Larisa and Magnum decide

right, everything will work out. We were so scared that it’s hard to see past that, but we

Magnum POV

her bed. “She is a beautiful young lady” my mother says. “Yes, she is.” “Magnum, I know that you have carried this anger since you found out what happened to your father and me, but

look back at the woman who has made me feel things I never thought were possible. When I hear the woman that I assume is her mother ask her if she wants to be my mate, everything stops. When she says yes, I can’t believe she wants to be with me after everything that happened. My mother reaches up and puts her hands on my cheeks. “You have a choice to make Magnum. The goddess has given you this gift and you can accept it or you can continue to hold on to the hurts of the past. I want you to be happy and so does the goddess.” I watch as my beloved cries and a man that I assume is her brother holds her close. Her tears gut me and I want nothing more than to take his place. Letting her go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but what if my mother’s right and I don’t have to? Can we really accept the bond? I turn to look back at my mother and she smiles. “You