The Alpha & Beta's Regret
The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 76

Addison POV

Feeling herself being severed from her entire pack, Nightfall, hurt a lot. More this time than the first time she’d ever severed herself from her home pack. Was more connected to Nightfall, loved them and they loved her, unlike her original home-pack who had hated her, all bar her mother anyway.

It had not been a nice feeling when she’d left her home-pack at 18, but it was for the best back then. She had done it to save herself. But this time? She honestly didn’t know if it was for the best.

Knew that she was not going to pledge her loyalty to the current Luna, she couldn’t do that. Not when she saw how much Rafe and Jack had lost weight, and knew that their connection to each other wasn’t being met. She’d also noticed in just a few short days of Luci and the twins here, that they looked better, kind of more alive, she thought absently. Kind of sensed that with her witch powers more than anything else.

Rafe didn’t even argue it, that in itself spoke volumes to her. No Alpha would agree to that condition unless he was unhappy with his Mate Bond himself. She’d also seen the way Jack was itching to be around Luci. She’d seen that before in the man. Though a long time ago, it wasn’t just guilt, she didn’t think, not with the way his eyes lingered on her daughter.

Returned to her suite on the first floor after leaving the Alpha’s office and packed her things. Not that she had many things. A single suitcase was all. One she’d not really unpacked either.

Looked at her phone when it rang, ‘Orien.’ Flashed on the screen, he’d felt her sever from the pack. He couldn’t miss that. But she was not severed from him. Her Mark was still intact, he knew she’d left the pack, as any Alpha would if any of his pack members had been disconnected from the pack tether to him.

But it had been a day and a half now and he’d not called, had promised her that he would, but he hadn’t. She sat down and stared at his name. She didn’t know if she could talk to him right this minute, she might just burst into tears knowing they were well on their way to being over.

It finally stopped ringing, he didn’t leave a voice message for her, but she got a text message a minute later ‘I’m sorry Addi, it’s very complicated. I don’t want to lose you. Please just wait, I can fix this. Please, remember I love you. Please wait for me.”

‘Fix it?” She thought, it’s not that hard a decision, her or Victor. An allied pack or his own Mate and Luna. She felt tears burn down her face, knew that he was choosing Victor, had from what she’d just read, already chosen him.

Her phone was ringing a few minutes later, Tracey flashed on the screen at her. Their Beta’s Mate and her closest friend, she sighed and brushed her tears away, took a breath in and answered “Hi Trace.”

“Is it really over, Addi? I know you’ve fought before, over Luci.”

“He doesn’t believe it was Victor who tried to kidnap Luci and hurt her son.”

“Her son?”

“Yes, Luci has two sons,” she told Tracey, “One to Rafe and one to Jack, twins. Victor nearly killed little Jack, and Orien doesn’t believe it. Though he wants to bring Luci home, and in his words, Trace, Mate her off. I can’t do this with him anymore. I have given him everything. You yourself know this, saw me forgive him, time and time again, where Luci was concerned.”

“I know. You’ve nearly left him before, over Luci. I understand I do…But Addi, to severe yourself from the pack.”

“I know.” She sighed “But what else can I do, Trace? He does not care for Luci, even now, only wants her back to make a deal for himself. Not even Thatcher believes Orien has good intentions for my daughter.” She sighed again “So it’s with regret, that I sever myself, to show him I mean it. It is me or Victor. He has to choose. Has chosen Victor. It’s been a day and a half, and he’s not called once.”

“Addi…it’s not that, things here are not good…are you alone?” she asked, sounding a little nervous to Addi, that was not like the woman.

“I am, are you?” she asked right back.

“Yes, in my suite…War is coming Addison, Orien and his unit are prepping for an invasion.”

“From who?” Addi frowned.

“Victor, I believe.”

“What?” now she was very confused.

“I don’t think anything is as simple as you or I think…Milton called me yesterday and told me to get the children out of the pack. Send them to my mother’s pack over in Nightshade, not to argue…Half the pack is gone, Addi. They sent all the children to family packs. It was an order to be done within an hour of the phone call. Happened well before they got home.”

“Did Orien sever ties with Victor?” she asked with a deep frown.

“Not as far as I know, but…” the line clicked closed, and Addison knew that Tracy was no longer alone in her suite, Milton had likely stepped into the room.

She stared at her phone, what the hell was going on back at Nightfall? Looked at Orien’s text message once more. He’d said many times, it was complicated. Perhaps now she thought that it was, and she just didn’t understand it completely. She was going to need answers.

She was informed that Melissa and Maria were back within the pack and thought ‘just great.’ Though at least this time Rafe had informed Luci, she was over in that cottage, could have to see the two of them, the main road went right past it. She didn’t know how that was going to go.

Texted Thatcher “What is happing in Nightfall?” needed those answers. Luci could actually defend herself if push came to shove. Alari would take no insults or threats to herself or her boys.

“Nothing.” She got right back, “You severed yourself from Nightfall, everyone is wondering about their Alpha and Luna, as would be expected.”

She knew that Tracey wouldn’t lie to her. Thatcher had just told her nothing was going on, that there was nothing wrong. Two contradicting stories. She thought about that for a full minute. They didn’t want her to know what was going on, it seemed, and that decision had been made long before she’d severed herself from the pack. Yesterday, before Orien had even gotten home.

He had cleared the pack of all the children, which meant that the women were all gone as well. She frowned and texted Thatcher “The Luna and her sister are back, just arrived. I can’t come.”

“Don’t come. Stay there, be with Luci and the twins. It’s probably for the best. I love you.” he sent right back.

“I love you too, Thatcher.” She sent right back.

Looking right at those words, her son was not really one to state that, sighed heavily. The pack was scattering and they would all have felt her sever from them. If they were not inside the pack, they would likely think that she had just died. Only her own family bond would still be intact at this point.

She stared right at her phone, was going to have to call Orien and replace out what the hell was going on down there. It was going to have to wait until Luci was away from the packhouse. Grabbed her things and headed for the cottage. Luci had to come first. Thatcher was right, protect her and the twins.

But now she also had to worry about her pack, which she had just cut herself off from, wondered why Orien hadn’t called or text her and told her that war was coming? It was odd… the pack would need her as the Luna.

Headed down to be with Luci and the boys, only to get called into Rafe’s office before she, Luci and the boys could even move into their new home. Sent Luci on ahead of her, and made her way to Rafe and Jack’s office. To see Melissa and Maria getting into the elevator to go upstairs. Neither looked at her, were busy texting furiously on their phones.

She was waved into the office by a rather large man: “Luna Addison, it’s a real pleasure to see you again.” He smiled right at her and then closed the door behind her, stepping into the office himself. “How is young Luci? She looks well.”

“Is well.” Addison nodded as she tried to place the man. “You saw her?”

“I did, as did the Luna and Beta’s Mates for a brief second or two, but they did not know who she was until now.”

“You are?”

“My apologies, Titan, it has been a while.”

“Ah, yes I recall the name.” she nodded, an elite warrior “trouble?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Rafe acknowledged. “Addi, Titan is one of our most loyal Elite Warriors. Jack had him go with Melissa and Maria to their home-pack.”

“Under the guise of protection due to Victor’s attack,” Jack stated.

“Guise?” she looked at Jack.

“Mm, I want to know what goes on over there.” He nodded simply.

“Then why do you simply not just accompany them?” She asked right back.

“They always decline that, have never wanted us to go there.”

“Ever?” she raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Not ever.” Rafe answered. “Jack sent Titan, to see what they actually get up to in their home pack.”

Her eyes moved to Titan. “And?”

“Sit please, Addi.” It was Jack. “He’s been Luna Ordered not to tell anyone inside this pack what he saw up there.”

She looked at each of them in turn and sighed “Oh, I see. I wasn’t a pack member. Titan just saw a Luna from another pack.”

“I did.” Titan nodded “You are now though.”

“I am.” She nodded.

“Addison, will you help us and sever yourself from the pack, question Titan or chat freely with him for us?”

“Hmm, I understand…” and she did. “But he might not be able to talk if anyone is in the room, that is a pack member.” She thought about it a little and looked at Titan, knew that man was not going to be able to state even the order put on him “Depending on the wording of the Luna’s Order of course. To keep her secrets.” She looked at Rafe and Jack. “If it was me…my order wouldn’t be just not to tell you, but not to speak of it in front of any pack member…if I was wanting to hide something from you, that was. Though a Mate should never do that. Certainly not a Luna to her Alpha.”

Rafe simply nodded, as did Jack when she looked right at him and she just knew, things were not as they appeared to be here in the Black Forest Pack. This, whatever it was, was likely why the two of them were becoming weaker, dying slowly.

Addison felt a hand on her arm. “Luna Addison,” she looked to Titan. “You are so very beautiful and just as intelligent.”

She smiled at him, “Hmm, Not so dumb yourself.” She nodded he’d found away around his Luna’s Order, had likely been looking for one the moment it was put on him. “Sit young man.” She turned to face Rafe “I’ll sever my ties to the pack.” She kept the words about being reinstated off the table, might still invoke that Luna’s order otherwise.

“Thank you Addi.” Rafe smiled at her.

“We truly do appreciate this,” Jack smiled at her as well. He tapped his desk and she saw his phone there open and already recording.

‘Take it with you, could still be considered listening’ she mind-linked right to him.

‘We need it.’

‘No, you won’t.’ she shook her head, then stated out loud “I Alpha Addison reject the Black Forest Pack, and it’s Alpha, Alpha Rafe. I am rogue now.” Gritted her teeth against the pain and looked right at them “You can leave now. Take that with you Jack.” She looked at him pointedly.

Saw him sigh and nod, but, just smiled at him, had a plan of her own formulating, waited until they both left and closed the door. “Please sit Titan,” she smiled at the warrior before her, “You don’t mind if I make a quick call to my son Thatcher in Nightfall now do you. I just severed from them and he’ll be worried.”

“I don’t mind Addison, you seem like a nice rogue, got that distinct smell about you too now.”

“Mm, it wouldn’t be the first time. You’re not going to attack me now are you, for rejecting your Alpha and his pack?”

“No, I like rogues. Most of them are quite chatty, got some friends here that were once rogues. I love listening to their tales. Please go ahead and ease your sons’ mind. I’ll go over there and pour myself a drink while you call him.”

She smiled right at him as he walked away to the bar cart over by the far wall to pour himself a drink, likely bloody needed it she thought. Was curious herself now as to what he saw.

Dialled Jack’s number, seeing as Titan couldn’t see who she was calling, it had been her intention all along. Before the man could say a word, she spoke the moment the line connected “Hi Thatcher, sorry I didn’t call earlier. I just wanted to let you know I am fine, you don’t need to say anything.” She placed the phone down on the chair next to her. Knew both Rafe and Jack would be listening, hearing every word that was about to be said inside this office.

Titan walked back over and pulled up a chair to her right, so not even he could see where her phone was from there. He was also working to get around his Luna’s order. He was loyal to his Alpha and Beta, not the Luna and her sister.

She made polite small talk with him for a solid 5 minutes which would allow Rafe and Jack to replace somewhere private to listen to the conversation that was about to be held.

She didn’t exactly know where to start or what questions she should be asking. She looked right at Titan. He was smiling at her, sipping on his glass of what she could smell was vodka. His eyes were on her directly she smiled and shook her head just a little, he couldn’t start the conversation or help her out either.

“You’re a happy fellow, I see. Did you have a good trip? I hear you were away for over a week.”

“I was, and I wouldn’t say it was a good trip,” he stated.

“Oh, that’s sad to hear. Would you like to tell me about how it went? Get it off your chest.”

“You know, Addison, I really would like to do that.” He nodded and sipped his vodka.