The Alpha & Beta's Regret
The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 39

Luci POV

Luci sat watching her boys as they slept, despite being in a three-bedroom house, both her boys had still climbed into her bed with her when it was time to go to sleep. They were still there with her when she had woken up in the morning.

She was used to having to get up at the c***k of dawn to organise breakfast and get not only herself but both boys ready for the long walk to school in the human town. Now it was likely that wouldn’t take all that long, she had a fully stocked kitchen with electricity.

She knew there would be no school for them today. It was also likely that she nor the boys would be allowed to go back to the human town for her work or their schooling, both Rafe and Jack were likely to flat out refuse it, after yesterday.

It was also highly likely that Rafe and Jack would take it upon themselves to enrol both the boys into the pack’s school here. Just a matter of time, she thought absently, seeing as they were their children. Not that they had done or said anything at this point to her about it.

But she did know they would be protective of the boys, likely her as their mother as well. They were good leaders to their pack, protected everyone in it with all they had. She did not think they would approve them going to the human school anymore, not with Victor knowing about them, it would be considered too dangerous.

Even she was not particularly comfortable with the boys being out in the human world right now. She knew she couldn’t go back to her job either. Not with Victor knowing where she was and him telling her she belonged to him. No, she didn’t belong to him, had never belonged to him and would never either.

That man had seen both her boys now and so knew they existed too, likely what they were, who’s children they were as well. She looked right at both her boys sleeping so peacefully. Little Rafe alone had made that man run away, or so she thought. It might have been an accumulation of things; she had no real idea. Had been unconscious, but coming too, there had been many pack members in that town. Not just her Alpha and Beta, but warriors and teens she knew with wolves.

There had been several pack members always in town since Victor’s last attack on the pack, so it was possible they’d stepped in and helped out. She really didn’t know, was going to have to ask more questions than she had of the boys, if she wanted all the answers from everyone. But didn’t know if she was ready to talk to them.

Her head turned at the sound of movement outside her room, knew it was her mother, the door was ajar, and she could smell her. Got up out of bed, leaving the boys to sleep. They’d had a big day yesterday. Though didn’t seem all that upset about it, kind of like Alari just let it go once it was over. Had been more excited about being here and their Siren-Wolves ripping out of them to run about, all excitedly for the first time not just in the woods, but in their own pack.

Her mother was in the kitchen making coffee “Morning Luci. Coffee?”

“Morning mum, I can make it.” Luci offered.

“So can I. I do know how to turn a kettle on.” She smiled at Luci, “Though Orien is already insisting I go and have breakfast with him and Thatcher, his Mate.”

“Thatcher is here?” Luci asked, a smile touched her face. She hadn’t seen her little brother in a very long time.

“Yes, along with his Mate Cathy, he met her at Alpha college apparently.”

“That’s nice.” She was happy for him to replace his Mate. The next generation of Nightfall pack was safely secured then, “Is she nice?”

“I don’t know to be honest, I haven’t had much to do with her, Orien and I, have not been getting alone since he stopped me from coming here.” Heard her mother sigh heavily and looked right at her left hand.

Only now did Luci realise it was scarred, she’d been too preoccupied yesterday to notice it, stepped over and took her mother’s hand in hers, “What happened to you?”

“Orien put me in lockdown, much like he used to do to you. In the Alpha Suite, bound me with a silver cuff.” She turned her hand over and looked at it. “I removed it, took a lot of my skin with it. Fallon has done all she can to heal it, this is as good as it will get.”

Luci could see where the skin had been ripped away from her mother’s hand, from the wrist down over her thumb, and the back of her hand, across the meatiest part of her palm, looked almost like she’d skinned herself alive in an attempt to get it off, some of the skin had been put back but it was never going to be perfect. A full permanent reminder of what her own Mate had done to her, for the rest of her life and they led long lives.

Luci POV

Luci sot wotching her boys os they slept, despite being in o three-bedroom house, both her boys hod still climbed into her bed with her when it wos time to go to sleep. They were still there with her when she hod woken up in the morning.

She wos used to hoving to get up ot the c***k of down to orgonise breokfost ond get not only herself but both boys reody for the long wolk to school in the humon town. Now it wos likely thot wouldn’t toke oll thot long, she hod o fully stocked kitchen with electricity.

She knew there would be no school for them todoy. It wos olso likely thot she nor the boys would be ollowed to go bock to the humon town for her work or their schooling, both Rofe ond Jock were likely to flot out refuse it, ofter yesterdoy.

It wos olso highly likely thot Rofe ond Jock would toke it upon themselves to enrol both the boys into the pock’s school here. Just o motter of time, she thought obsently, seeing os they were their children. Not thot they hod done or soid onything ot this point to her obout it.

But she did know they would be protective of the boys, likely her os their mother os well. They were good leoders to their pock, protected everyone in it with oll they hod. She did not think they would opprove them going to the humon school onymore, not with Victor knowing obout them, it would be considered too dongerous.

Even she wos not porticulorly comfortoble with the boys being out in the humon world right now. She knew she couldn’t go bock to her job either. Not with Victor knowing where she wos ond him telling her she belonged to him. No, she didn’t belong to him, hod never belonged to him ond would never either.

Thot mon hod seen both her boys now ond so knew they existed too, likely whot they were, who’s children they were os well. She looked right ot both her boys sleeping so peocefully. Little Rofe olone hod mode thot mon run owoy, or so she thought. It might hove been on occumulotion of things; she hod no reol ideo. Hod been unconscious, but coming too, there hod been mony pock members in thot town. Not just her Alpho ond Beto, but worriors ond teens she knew with wolves.

There hod been severol pock members olwoys in town since Victor’s lost ottock on the pock, so it wos possible they’d stepped in ond helped out. She reolly didn’t know, wos going to hove to osk more questions thon she hod of the boys, if she wonted oll the onswers from everyone. But didn’t know if she wos reody to tolk to them.

Her heod turned ot the sound of movement outside her room, knew it wos her mother, the door wos ojor, ond she could smell her. Got up out of bed, leoving the boys to sleep. They’d hod o big doy yesterdoy. Though didn’t seem oll thot upset obout it, kind of like Alori just let it go once it wos over. Hod been more excited obout being here ond their Siren-Wolves ripping out of them to run obout, oll excitedly for the first time not just in the woods, but in their own pock.

Her mother wos in the kitchen moking coffee “Morning Luci. Coffee?”

“Morning mum, I con moke it.” Luci offered.

“So con I. I do know how to turn o kettle on.” She smiled ot Luci, “Though Orien is olreody insisting I go ond hove breokfost with him ond Thotcher, his Mote.”

“Thotcher is here?” Luci osked, o smile touched her foce. She hodn’t seen her little brother in o very long time.

“Yes, olong with his Mote Cothy, he met her ot Alpho college opporently.”

“Thot’s nice.” She wos hoppy for him to replace his Mote. The next generotion of Nightfoll pock wos sofely secured then, “Is she nice?”

“I don’t know to be honest, I hoven’t hod much to do with her, Orien ond I, hove not been getting olone since he stopped me from coming here.” Heord her mother sigh heovily ond looked right ot her left hond.

Only now did Luci reolise it wos scorred, she’d been too preoccupied yesterdoy to notice it, stepped over ond took her mother’s hond in hers, “Whot hoppened to you?”

“Orien put me in lockdown, much like he used to do to you. In the Alpho Suite, bound me with o silver cuff.” She turned her hond over ond looked ot it. “I removed it, took o lot of my skin with it. Follon hos done oll she con to heol it, this is os good os it will get.”

Luci could see where the skin hod been ripped owoy from her mother’s hond, from the wrist down over her thumb, ond the bock of her hond, ocross the meotiest port of her polm, looked olmost like she’d skinned herself olive in on ottempt to get it off, some of the skin hod been put bock but it wos never going to be perfect. A full permonent reminder of whot her own Mote hod done to her, for the rest of her life ond they led long lives.

“I’m so sorry mum.”

“It’s not your fault Luci. He had no right to stop me from coming here to help look for you. He did it solely because he…” she sounded a bit on the angry side, but stopped herself from stating the rest of her sentence.

“Wants Thatcher as his heir.” Luci finished for her “and my coming back threatens that.” Luci sighed herself now. She knew how it was. The same as it had always been, she was not his, though she had not known that at the time, he always had, now she realised.

“Yes, he thinks that…So does Thatcher as well, I believe.” Saw her mother sigh once more.

“I’m no threat, never was. He was never going to instate me as the Heir, played at it a lot, but I always knew Thatcher was his choice, his son.”

“Luci he’s.”

“I don’t care and I’m not a threat any more than I would have been back then. Thatcher can still have the Nightfall pack, I don’t want it.” and she didn’t. Had learned even before coming here it was never going to be hers, that it was all a game and a show from Orien to her mother.

“He might think differently now. Luci.”

“And I don’t care.” She took her mother’s hand and looked at it properly, only a week-old scar, “Why did he think it was necessary to do this?” she needed all the information, wanted to know the reason behind it, before she went and confronted him and she was likely too. No Mate should bind their own Mate with silver, disconnecting them from their wolf, it burned the skin and caused pain. He would know any wounds inflicted by silver would never heal completely, would leave one scarred for life.

“I tried to leave the pack, to come here and he had the border patrol stop me, and then came for me himself, brought his entire unit plus others. He was not having me leave to come look for you. Was against it right away. Pack members died when they tried to contain Fallon. My own Gamma was badly injured, as was the Delta. He tranquilised me in the end, and I woke up bound by silver in the Alpha Suite.”

Luci was just staring at her own mother near horrified at the tale she was hearing, it was so very wrong, “mum!”

“Fallon and I are not affected by Silver like normal wolves, our linage.” She shrugged “Stops that.”

“Only part wolf.” Luci nodded “What is the other part?”

Saw her mother blink in surprise that she would ask that so easily, smiled at her “Your eyes would glow sometimes when you got really mad. I’ve seen that before, not a wolfen trait.”

“Oh.”

“It’s alright, I was never afraid of you or it.”

Saw her own mother smiling now. “I’m half witch, half wolf.” Her mother told her without hesitation. “Fallon and I used all of her strength to rip that cuff off of us and then I stalked down and threw it right at his head. A full warning that if he dared to try it again…” she shrugged “Then I moved out of the Alpha Suite,” snorted, “right into your room and have been there ever since. He put a guard detail on me instead.”

Luci sank down onto a chair, she could hardly believe Orien’s behaviour, and over something so stupid as her coming home. “What did he think was going to happen, by not letting you come here?”

“I believe he thought that you would get away and not be found…but I had my suspicions, where you were concerned.”

“You knew what I really was.”

“Of course I did. My first Mate Lucian was a Siren.”

“Lucian the water Deity?” had been told she’d been named after a water Deity all her life.

Saw her mother sit and smile at her a little sadly “Sorry, a little lie on my part. He was an Alpha Siren and he was killed while I was pregnant with you. Made me run away and not look back, not come back.”

“He was your Goddess Gifted Mate, and then you found Orien? That would have been quickly done.”

“Lucian was not my Goddess Gifted so to speak, but he truly loved me, and I loved him. Siren’s are very different to others. He knew what I was. Also didn’t care that I was a rogue or a half breed. He couldn’t wait to meet you Luci, he was so very happy and excited about you.”

“Never got to meet me.”

“No,” her mother sighed “I met Orien only a few weeks after that and he was my Goddess Gifted Wolfen Mate. Though I did not know what to do, was still grieving and at a loss at the time. We did know and understand being inside a pack would be safer for us, for you. He told me he would accept you as his own, and only then did Fallon and I agree to accept him. We have never stopped loving Lucian. I also never let Orien bleed you to him. He wanted to, to show me he meant that he would take you as his own…I just couldn’t. Though I let him Mark me before you were born so you would be part of the pack, this is likely why the two of you don’t get along though.”

“I’m not his is why he was the way he was with me.”

“Yes, it is likely the real reason. The more like a Siren you became in nature, the more he didn’t like it.”

“Like a Siren?” Luci frowned at her.

“Mm, Siren’s by nature are headstrong, and…” she looked right at Luci “s****l creatures.”

“Oh, that probably explains a lot.” She shook her head, she’d always been looking to sate her needs, bloody couldn’t half the time. Not till Rafe and Jack had come along.

“It’s why I never admonished you and pretty much support your behaviour. I knew what you were and that you would want to explore your s****l needs and desires. Also knew you being Alpha Blooded on my side and Lucian’s side, that you would need to be, crave it essentially.”

“Orien hated that about me.”

“He did.” Her mother nodded. “We argued a lot about it behind closed doors.”

“I bet he didn’t care when Thatcher started having s*x.” Luci muttered.

“He did not. Smiled right at him, congratulated him.” her mother shook her head “Two very distinct rules for you and Thatcher.”

“Chauvinistic pig.” Luci stated flatly, a full double standard.

“Agreed.”

“So, what now?” Luci asked her. “I don’t think I can stay here, and I don’t want to go back to Nightfall.”

“You’ll be staying here Luci, at least for now. I know it may be uncomfortable right this minute. But you’re safe here from Victor, much more so than in Nightfall.”

“The Luna is not going to want me here.”

“That is her problem, she’s not here anyway, often just up and leaves to go to her home pack, she and her twin sister…” saw her mother shake her head “I don’t know why. but you’ve seen Rafe and Jack, are thinner now.”

“Weaker is how Kali put it, how is that possible, for them to be weaker?” she didn’t understand that at all.

“I personally think that there is more going on here than even Rafe and Jack let on. They never come to Nightfall with either of their Mates. I heard that both their Mates also go back to their pack a lot.”

“Why?” she couldn’t understand that. No one wanted to be away from their Mate, you were drawn to them, relished being in one’s company, or at least that’s what she’d heard. She herself was not so lucky on that front. Never would be.

“I don’t know. It is odd, I don’t know many Luna’s that are willing to be separated from their Mate’s by choice many times a year. Just to go home to their home pack and visit their parents, practically unheard of, your Mate would go with you.”

It did not make any sense to Luci either. She frowned at this news, but it was not something she had a say in, or could help deal with, but knowing that woman wasn’t here, at this very moment, was a bit of a weight off her shoulders. It meant no one banging down on her door with accusations or threats against her children. Not that she would be standing for that, Alari certainly wouldn’t be. That was a given.

It was a concern how and when it would happen, what her or Alari’s response to it would be. She was a deadly creature, and protecting her boys from any threat, verbal or physical, would be something Luci knew she would get no say in it. Could well end badly.

Both the boys walked into the kitchen and smiled right at her, “Mamma.”

She smiled right back at them, happy as they always were “Hungry?” she asked them.

They both nodded “Sit down, I’ll make you some breakfast.”

“Let me.” Her mother smiled “I would love to cook for my grandbabies.”

Luci let her, it was nice to sit and have breakfast for the first time in years that she didn’t have to make. Sit just the four of them and chat to the boys during breakfast. She did see her mother’s eyes glaze over more than once, she looked annoyed by the third time. It was likely it was Orien trying to talk to her and she either didn’t want to or wouldn’t.