Dimitri

I punched the tree to my right and watched the bark splinter as my wolf snarled. Beta Richard remained rooted to the spot.

"I have had my suspicions since the first day they entered our lands. If this is real then our whole perception on Bloodstones defeat could be an entire fabrication"

Looking towards our children playing a few yards in front of us he whispered

"We cannot afford to slip up". He said.

"Agreed" I said.

"The child's reaction to the shewolf in your office was all too telling Alpha. Not to mention the fact that the child will not step within one inch of her 'brothers'. The false crocodile tears dont work on me either. That child is in danger".

My fist creased around Peggy's drawing which was in my palm as I tried to calm myself. It was so obvious now that I looked deeper into her behaviour. A thought struck me. An unwanted thought considering my anger towards him.

"What is your honest opinion about Beta Alec. Do you think him a guilty conspirator? And what extent do these new comers have with the Rogues"?

He shook his head.

"I have no idea Alpha. But I feel we should keep an open mind. Not alert the siblings of our findings and increase security. I would speak with the Beta directly but keep your discussion with him a secret so as not to alert the enemy just incase". He said.

"I want you to personally tail them. Keep an eye on their movements and keep your mind link open to me always".

He nodded and went to turn..

I placed my hand upon his shoulder.

"I have been unfair to you lately Beta Richard. My father had a good right hand man in you and if he trusted you, then I will do the same". I said.

"I have many regrets in this life Dimitri, the worst one of all was encouraging the split between yourself and Violet. I hope you can forgive me".

I gave him a small smile and asked him to bring Peggy to me without causing suspicion. Leaving the Beta I stuffed Peggy's drawing into my shorts pocket and made my way to our packs dungeon. It was located on the west side of our pack and I found myself getting angrier the closer I got to the Beta. I wanted nothing more than to put my fist through his face for daring to touch or even think about my Luna.

My Violet.

His words in the woods a while ago seemed to plague my mind however.

"How does it feel knowing your destined mate found comfort in a lowly Beta".

Clentching my jaw I stared at the door to our cells and mind linked my men to stand guard in the area. They nodded and opened the door for me. Stepping down into the bunker style jails which were created for our pack almost 70 years ago I realised that I had never stepped one foot in this cell in my entire life. They were used by my father previously but I myself swore I would never have a need to put anyone down here. I swore that our pack would never know the pains and bloodshed of war so long as I was Alpha.

Maybe this Beta was right.

Maybe I was arrogant.

Arrogant and naive.

Squaring my shoulders I followed the dimly lit hall and rounded the corner.

In his cell lying down was Alec. Our pack doctor was bandaging his shoulder which was injured during our fight. Upon seeing me the doctor bowed before collecting his bag and leaving.

Without looking in my direction the Beta said..

"Come to gloat some more have we"?

I opened the cell doors and stepped inside. He kept his eyes closed however.

"Why did you come here"? I asked. Genuinely curious. No malice in my voice at all.

He opened his eyes and stared towards the ceiling.

"I wasn't supposed the come here. I was supposed to be protecting Violet" he then turned to look at me.

Trying my hardest not to growl I asked..

"And why are you not there with her now"?

"Because I told your Beta Matthew to find her and protect her. That I was in no position to protect her after the torture I endured when my pack was attacked".

"You've met Matthew"? I asked incredulously.

He nodded and closed his eyes as a wave of pain hit him.

"I planned on telling you the whole story, but then this happened". He pointed to his shoulder and I looked around the cell awkwardly.

"Your Beta informed me that you had sent him to protect Violet. Why would you do that if you rejected her"? His eyebrows furrowed.

Leaning my back against the cells wall I slid down until I was sested on the same level as the Beta. He sat up and we looked at each other.

"I do not need to explain myself to you". I said

He smiled.

"You love her".

I bit my cheek.

"Tell me, Beta Alec... are you in love with my mate"?

His eyes stopped smiling and he looked down towards his lap. I felt a burning in my chest. It hurt. Changing the subject I said..

"We have your pup in our pack. Peggy. Her tongue was cut out during the uprising and she came here with those who claimed to be her brethren though they have no similarities between them. She also drew this..."

I took out the picture and opened it for the Beta to see.

His eyes glazed over.

"What happened to your pack Alec". I asked.

He then told me his account of the battle Alpha liam and his warriors had faced. The trial by combat Luna Anya was subjected to and the truth about Miriam's part in mutilating Peggy. I held up my hand to stop him from continuing. Completely appalled. Standing up from the floor I tried to process his tale. It was unimaginable.

"That's why Violet needs to stay well away from this pack. The Rogue King wants her. He wants every Luna.". He said. His eyes were pleading with me.

"Well the good thing about that is the fact that no one outside of my pack is aware that Milly is not my mate apart from the Alpha's that is. That should buy us some time". When I heard nothing in response to that statement I swiveled on my heel to look at the Beta.

His face was solemn.

"No one knows who she is do they Alec"? I reiterated desperately.

"Violet is an Alpha Female and she displayed tendencies of being such whilst the siblings were living in my pack"

"They know"?

He bit his lip.

God.

She was in even more danger than I initially thought.

"Leave this with me. I'll find a way of neutralising the threat they pose and bring them to the council for justice. Remain here for a while. I do not wish to cause any suspicion just yet. Not until I have come up with a plan".

"Then you'll have to move quickly Alpha Dimitri. Now they know that I am here they will put their plans in motion alot quicker. Beta Matthew is also due to bring Violet back to RedFang soon".

As I turned to leave the cell with the weight and knowledge I had not known before entering I felt almost ten years my senior.

"The answer to your question is yes Alpha".

I turned.

"I do love her".

As I looked into his eyes I could see the truth in his words.

Looking to the cell floor I said..

"If she returns your love, then I will relinquish my hold on her".

I heard him gasp.

"Why,.....why would you that"? He asked in shock at my words.

"Because loving someone, sometimes means having to let them go".

He didn't say anything else in response as I left the cell. As I came out into the light I took in a massive breath into my lungs. I felt trapped and almost as if I were suffocating. When I collected my thoughts together I turned on my heel and bumped into another wolf. I growled at them and noticed that one of the male 'Siblings' was standing there. Putting on my Alpha voice I said...

"Is there a reason you're here"? I asked. Making a mental note to beat the crap out of my warriors. When I said 'stand guard' I meant it!

He smiled.

"I noticed you dropped something Alpha and I just wanted to return it to you".

I huffed and looked down to his hands which revealed Peggy's picture.

Fully open and face up. Touching my pocket instinctively I scolded myself for my negligence.

Looking up slowly towards the wolf whom I think was named 'Will' I sent him a growl. A threat. Without warning I grabbed his neck on instinct and snapped it sharply to the right watching him fall to the ground limply. Shouting out towards my warriors to berate their incompetence they rushed out of the woods to be greeted by Will's body. He'll recover again soon so had limited time.

The surprised look on his face satisfied the hell out me. My warriors kept their heads low. Not paying them much attention I said...

"Hide him so no one finds out and if anyone asks, tell them he went on a jog". They nodded and dragged his body away.

Now I had to hope that he didn't have an opportunity to mind link his Rogue friends right before I incapacitated him. I had no time to play games. Not when my pack and mates life was in jeopardy. It was time to finish the job before the Alpha's came to my lands for the meeting tomorrow. It was clear now that they were watching me. I started my ascent up the path towards my house when I stopped dead.

"My warriors were not incompetent. And why had I never seen the ones who dragged Will's body away before"?

"

My heart beat painfully in my chest as I ran down to the entrance of the cells again. I scanned the area.

Nothing.

Mind linking Beta Richard I said..

Nothing.

I tried linking with our other warriors too and found them fighting other rogue wolves.

Shit! That only meant one thing.

Ripping the dungeon doors off its hinges I ran down to where I had left Beta Alec. He stood up at my entrance.

"Wer'e under attack and I need your help".

***********