Caged Between The Beta & Alpha
Chapter 71

SCARLETT

I had just opened the kitchen window when the sound of a vicious growl r!pped through the air, making my heart thunder, seeing the flock of birds erupt from the trees and the unease that seemed to swirl around me. It took me a split second to recognise the voice that was barely recognisable.

Liam. That was Liam!

I rushed out of the house, telling the guards to watch Azura and Monica as I raced in the dírection of the commotion, faltering when the sound of Raven’s scream pierced the air.

No. Goddess no!

What has he done?!

“‘Elijah, it’s Liam and Raven!’ I called through the link to Elijah.

I’m on my way.’ His soothing voice came despite the worry that was consuming me.

‘Raven! Liam?!

Nothing.

I was hitting a wall. F**k!

The wind was rushing through my hair as I broke though the trees, the smell of b***d seeping into my nose. The sheer blanket of something dark and evil that hung in the air made my b***d run cold. I took in the horrifying scene before me, Damon was holding Raven, who was bleeding profusely, her heart beating far too fast as she choked on the b***d that was pouring out of her neck and mouth. She was grasping at her neck, b***d running down her fingers, making my stomach churn sickeningly. Worry and fear for her whirled around me, my heart beating fast.

My eyes snapped to Liam, who was advancing on Damon as he was placing Raven down.

That darkness..It was him, it was coming from him. His normal aura was completely gone…

Replaced by this horrible, sinister darkness…

“HOW COULD YOU?!” Damon shouted, sounding angrier than I had ever heard him. He blocked Liam, who had just lunged at him, his canines out and anger clear on his face. Damon jumped to his feet, meeting him mid-strike.It was clear both were ready to r!p each other to pieces, I was about to intervene when Damon’s next words made me freeze.

“YOU MARKED HER!”

Reality came crashing down on me as the realisation settled in.

Her neck… Her neck…

Fear washed over me like a bucket of ice-cold knives, piercing into every inch of my body.

Marked.

F**k…

Memories from long ago flashed to the forefront of my mind, the pain with them making it hard to breathe. History cannot repeat itself.

“No… NO!” I cried, staring at the blond male before me… His blond hair was matted with b***d so similar to his…

I walked towards them, willing every fibre of my shaking body to move. Just as Elijah ran past me, a menacing growl r!pped from his l!ps. In a flash, he was next to the two boys who were tearing into each other, ready to kill one another.

Elijah slammed Liam to the floor, pinning him down, only for Liam to flip them as both men growled with all they had. The surge of their Alpha power and that darkness enveloped the area like a blanket, their growls making it feel like the ground was vibrating at the intensity of the sound.

Raven’s whimper made me come out of my thốughts and I rushed closer, not even realising I was trembling excessively.

She needs a doctor!

But before I could even reach her, Damon got there first, tears in his eyes as he scooped her up as if she was the most fragile thing on the planet.

She was.. F**k Liam had done this.. Guilt and anguish enveloped me as our eyes met for a second. I had failed them… Failed… He turned, rushing from the scene, his only wish clear… To save his mate…

Suddenly, I felt something snap inside of me and my mind seemed to become clear.

This was not Zidane.. My eyes blazed as I spun around just as I felt a searing pain through the bond and turned to see Liam had r!pped through Elijah’s side, clearly winning this battle.

No one hurts my mate.

I growled menacingly, rushing over in a flash and r!pping Liam off Elijah. I pushed him to the ground, staring into those frightening black pits of the man before me. This was not my son… He had let his jealousy and anger fuel the darkness..

Let it take over him completely.

“LIAM!” I growled, striking him across the face, letting my claws dig into his face.

He hissed, attacking back, but I didn’t care.

“Liam, what are you doing?!”I shouted as my back hit the ground, growling asI flipped us over, pinning him to the ground.

Nothing but b***d, pain and agony. It was all I could see, smell, and feel.

My only thoughts were that I did not raise a monster… I did not raise a monster… I did not raise a monster….

“Scarlett!” Elijah’s voice came, and I felt myself being pulled away.

I gasped coming to, my heart was thundering as I stared at Liam who lay on the ground breathing heavily, his eyes now his usual cerulean blue. A bloody mess, I had wounded him badly. I could see the wounds that I had made weren’t healing.

They wouldn’t, because of my ability to slow down the healing of any wound I inflict upon anyone…

“He’s back… Calm down.” Elijah murmured, rubbing my arms as he buried his face in my neck.

“He marked her! He marked her against her will!

“I screamed, pulling out of Elijah’s hold.

How dare he?! Did he think this was ok?! Yes, he was cursed, but… He had let his own emotions fuel that darkness.. He had let the curse take over… Tears blurred my eyes and I didn’t even realise I was crying until now, the pain r!pping me to pieces.

My son, my son had done this… The pain of the entire f*****g situation hurt.

Zidane’s b***d would forever run through my veins… in the veins of my children… He was gone, but his shadow hadn’t.

Elijah held my arms tightly, staring down into my eyes with sadness in his blue ones.

“I know baby… He made a mistake and”

“MISTAKE?! HE RUINED HER LIFE!” I screamed.

Was just marking someone a ‘mistake? It was so much more… I still awoke with the nightmares of that man…

“What hap…” Liam whispered coughing up b***d, rolling to his side as he tried to sit up. He was losing a lot of b***d.

“Kitten.. Calm down, I know-“

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I shouted, hitting Eljah’s ch3st.

History was repeating itself. History was- Elijah’s l!ps crashed against me, k!ssing me hard.

I struggled for a bit, but he held me in place, one hand in my hair and the other around my wa!st, until I finally began to calm down. The sparks of the bond coursed through me, soothing the storm within me slightly. Just a little..

“I’ll handle this.” Elijah said quietly when I stopped struggling.

I could see the pain in his eyes, as he let go of me and walked over to Liam, who was getting to his feet. I was shocked he still could, considering the injuries, but he was a strong Alpha.

My son.. I had hurt my son… he had committed an unforgivable crime… but it didn’t stop a mother from feeling that pain. The pain of his injuries, but more than that, the pain of his sins … and the pain that he had no idea what he had just done…

You marked Raven without her consent.” Elijah said, his voice ice cold, laced with sadness, regret and burning anger that he was doing his best to control.

The look of horror and shock that crossed Liam’s face made my stomach twist and my heartbreak.

He didn’t know… This was going to break him…

“What? No… No..” He looked around, as if trying to see where he was, or what had happened.”

F**k… No. No. No!” He staggered back, staring at the b***d on the ground, swallowing hard. B***d that belonged to all five of us…

He must have caught sight of the scent, staring at the b***d that belonged to Raven. Any colour he had left in him was gone, his ashen gaze turning to Elijah, who nodded gravely.

“I know the curse has given birth to this darkness, that you have lost to it… allowed your emotions to let it consume you… I am your father Liam, and I will help you. You are not alone, you will never be alone, but you have committed a heinous crime and for it, you will be punished. I love you and I will be there for you, but you need to pay for what you have done.”

I watched the anguish in Liam’s eyes, watched his entire world come crashing down around him … And it was at that moment that I realised what this curse had cost. Not only had Liam become unhinged… he had committed a crime that was equal to r*pe in our community.. One that Raven may one day forgive him for… but one he himself never would…

His gaze flicked to me, looking over my body before his gaze snapped to his father’s bloody body.

I watched my son crumble before me, that young boy who had nothing but love for others… who would hide his own pain and give away everything he loved for others… My smiling, little Liam…

“I understand and I agree…” He swallowed; his breathing was ragged. “I Liam Westwood, renounce my claim as Alpha of the B***d Moon Pack to my father, Alpha Elijah Westwood, and am ready to pay for the crimes I have committed under the laws of this pack and the council.”

Liam said, falling to his knees as the surge of power shifted. I felt the power of becoming the Luna once more course through my veins.

Neither of us was expecting this. My heart pounded as I realised that he was giving up, on himself and life.

“Liam…” Elijah said, shocked.

“I have one request…” Liam said, his ch3st heaving as he tried to breathe. He was losing too much b***d…

My vision was blurred with tears, the urge to comfort him… The pain he had caused both clashed against one another inside of me, but he still needed someone.. Before I could even move, he tumbled sideways, losing consciousness.

I rushed over, mny heart pounding. Yes, I wanted him to pay for his crime, but he was still my son, cursed by the wretched gods for his ancestors’ crimes.

“He needs a doctor.” I said, my voice shaking.

Elijah looked at me, his eyes pained before he sighed heavily.

“His final request, he mind linked me it.”

“What is it?” I asked, my heart thundering as I pressed my hands to the long gashes that I had made through his ch3st trying to stem the b***d loss.

‘No one is to heal him, he made me take an oath upon you… I won’t break it.” Elijah said, pain and sadness in his eyes.

My heart squeezed in pain. He was punishing himself…

I pulled my shirt off and pressed it to the wounds.

Then at least get somé bandages!” I screamed.

I stared down at my son, my heart pounding. The image of Raven’s neck flashed to the forefront of my mind… A brutal bite that had almost killed her. Was she ok?

“And get someone to call Kiara, we need her!”

What have you done, Liam? There’s no going back…

I kept my hand firmly on his stomach and ch3st, but my shirt was already drenched.

I knew my son was deep down in there somewhere… and I knew that he would never be able to forgive himself. Ever.