Chapter 10 Chapter 10
POV Liberty
Jess pulled me to a group and sat down, she patted the ground next to her encouraging me to sit with her.
There was a girl there I recognised from my initiation that Jess sent away, I smiled at her and she responded instantly.
“How are you Liberty?“, she asked quickly.
“I’m good, I am sorry I do not know your name?“, I questioned.
“Oh! Where are my manners!!!… This is Crystal, that is Billy (She points to the boy sitting next to Crystal. He just nods to me and I nod back), this is Matthew and this is Ellie and Belle, “Jess says with such warmth.
I could tell instantly that these people were her people, that they were her closest friends.
“Nice to meet you all,” I said, smiling warmly at them all.
“How are you finding the packhouse?, “Matthew asked, winking at me as if there was a hidden meaning.
“Stop that Matthew!“Jess snapped.
Her tone was still warm but it was stern and her aura was strongly rippled through me, sending shivers up my spine.
“What Jess???, I didn’t say anything wrong“, He laughed.
The stern look from Jess cracked them all up, suddenly the ice was broken and the chatter began. The evening wore on and we all became comfortable with each other. I found myself forgetting where I was, no one questioned me and it felt good.
Milo came over and sat with us, I saw the look of pain flicker across Jess face, it was gone in an instant but I felt the need to squeeze her arm but didn’t. The atmosphere that was once lively had suddenly gone cold and awkward.
In chorus they greeted him,” Hey Beta Milo“.
Milo nodded at them as he opened his bottled beer and took a swig.
“Hey Liberty, do you want to come to the lake with us? Billy does a great cannon ball,” Matthew said as he punched Billy’s shoulder.
Billy not saying a word but rubbed where Matthew just hit.
Milo coughed and instantly Jess said, “Not tonight boys, Lib has a busy day tomorrow,” she said squeezing my arm.
I didn’t question her, I felt that I needed to agree well until an outburst of laughter behind me distracted me. We all looked up and saw Alpha Jake with Lisa, she was so close to him, I felt Carissa slow growl rumble in my chest, “Quiet“, I snapped at her.
“Oh Alpha you are the best,” Lisa called out stroking his arm.
I could feel Carissa pace in my mind and I wondered what had got into her.
Beta Milo was the first to stand and call out,” Alpha“.
Jake looked at our group scanning them, scanning me, we locked eyes but I couldn’t sense what it was that twinkled in his eye. He suddenly leaned in to Lisa and nuzzled her neck, “Oh Alpha“, she groaned.
Was this a display for me? What did I care about anyways? I felt the anger ripple through me as their bodies twisted around each other. I felt bile rise in my throat. Was I imagining it, did he look at me then, did he want me to come to him but I was angry. This wasn’t how an Alpha behaved, he was a monster!
“Actually Matthew, I think I will come“, I blurted out.
I turned and looped my arm around his and Ellie, “it’s okay Jess you stay“, I said glancing between her and Milo.
Belle ran over to Elle and looped her arm around hers and Billy shuffled behind us as we marched into the forest, I felt bad for Jess but I couldn’t control my anger, I knew that my outburst would be aimed at her and she didn’t deserve that.
This was a great way to search for that house that was out of bounds from us, I should be scared I should worry.
I mean it wasn’t that long ago that the Alpha was palpable with anger aimed at ine. It had scared me so much that I thought I would be obedient but when I saw Lisa with
Jake something happened inside of me, a swirl of emotions were sparking inside of me and I didn’t know how to control it. I didn’t even know what it was that I was meant to control. I didn’t understand it.
“Penny for your thoughts?“Belle asked.
Pulled from my thoughts I looked at her and smiled, “I’m fine“, I said. –
“I saw how you reacted“, she said.
Matthew, Elle both glanced at each other and said, “We all did“.
“I just wanted to give Jess and Milo space,” I said, tugging them forward.
They thought I didn’t notice the glances between them but I just rolled my eyes.
“Milo and Jess aren’t a thing“, Matthew suddenly said.
I smiled grateful for any conversation other than about that stupid Alpha.
“How come?“I asked, remembering the flicker of pain I saw in Jess‘ face. “Well,” Belle started to speak.
“Shush Belle“, Elle said, tugging at her.
“Jess loves Lib, surely it would be good for her to know?“Belle hissed at her.
“Come on guys I am right here,” I said laughing.
Belle walked over to a tree stump and sat down and then she patted the area next to her saying, ” Come on Lib, come sit next to me“.
I let Matthew go and went and sat with her, she ignored the looks she was getting from the others and she rolled her eyes at them.
“Jess and Milo turned 18 a couple of years ago, they found each other through different packs. They loved each other so much, it was a typical fairy story of love. The problem was that the Alpha at the time,” Belle said.
“Her father,” I interrupted.
Belle nodded.
“Yeah that areshole“, Billy spat.
My eyes grew wide at the venom in Billy’s voice, the fact he spoke for the first time but with so much hate.
“Yes, What Billy said, Well he didn’t want Jess with Milo. She was forced to reject him in front of the pack. He beat Milo to an inch of his life in front of Jess. He burned his torso in wolfsbane and his cries could be heard for miles. Jess broke watching her love being in pain, she was held to the ground to watch by his then Beta. Alpha commanded her to reject him and as her tears flowed they locked eyes. They
wanted to be mates in death if not in life. But the pain he was in was too much for Jess and as they held his head back with a knife to his throat the scream from Jess rang out, I REJECT YOU MILO, I REJECT YOU AS MY MATE!“, Belle said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. I gasped and felt the pain that tugged at my heart for Jess. “How?“, I whispered.
“How are they still here?“Matthew asked.
He shrugged, “She rejected him but he didn’t reject her. Even though the old Alpha is gone, Milo held a grudge I suppose. He can’t forgive her for letting him go so easy,” Matthew said.
“That is awful“, I said.
“Yeah well she didn’t know did she! Milo shouldn’t have ever held that against her“, Elle said shrugging.
“Didn’t know what?“, I asked.
“That was the night Alpha Jake killed his father!“, Ellie said.
