Chapter 47: C44.P2. Loyal Beta
Ethan's POV:
It wasn't hard to find out where Alpha Camren had disappeared to. I found myself outside of where the balconies were. Henley's kind suggestion lead me here. It was only moments ago when a scream came from this direction in a woman's voice.
I could hear whispers from nearby about a girl fainting. Nothing to worry me for it wasn't the reason I had come. I spotted a clear sign of where Camren was. Guards were posted outside of one of the balconies. One of the guards straightened his back as he noticed me coming. The guards that had been posted outside for the king were knocked to the ground like I had missed something. It was clear they did not do their jobs properly.
I could hear whispering about the female who had fainted coming this way before the scream could be heard. The crowd by the doors were connecting the two together.
"Down here! Someone jumped from the balcony!" I heard someone yell further down the hall where the stairwell was. I spotted Nathalie running past me with the crowd. I could hear them whispering about a girl jumping off from one of the balconies. My eyes scanned to the door in worry. I had just heard a scream from this direction too. The rumors were adding up. Someone jumped off?
"What has happened here?" I growled out quickly when I reached the guards. "Someone speak, or I will cut your balls off." I was fuming in anger. Of course no one would accuse the king of pushing someone- but there was still the possibility.
"Sir, she went in without our permission. She just walked past us," one of the guards said.
"Who? What is going on here?" I sniffed the air. There were mixed scents and it was too complicated to distinguish them and figure out who was inside. The only one I could make out clearly was the king's scent.
"A girl with black hair- we do not know her name." No way... could it have been Josephine? Black hair is rare enough as-is for the north.
"Are you stupid?" I asked. How could they just continue to stand here? I walked past them and shoved them back towards the ground. I stuck my head through the entrance to hear what was going on. I recognized Alpha Camren's voice and saw him on a balcony with a very familiar girl. It was Josephine. Of course! What a relief it wasn't her down below. How did she manage to find the king before me? No- I'm more relieved she's not the girl dead outside.
"Are you crying?" Alpha Camren asked her suddenly when he turned to notice that she was cowering. King Camren for once in his life held a look of worry for another being. His eyes were tinted with emotions I knew were forbidden from the outside world. He had kept these locked away for only her to see.
Josephine was frightened. I could tell as her body trembled from the sight of him. She had her back towards me and could not see that I was here. She was slowly moving my way. Camren wasn't fazed at all. His eyes met mine and I froze out of fear as he spotted me. I felt instantly guilty. I knew this was not the place for me to be. I was invading his chance to strike. He would take this private chance to mark this pack's Luna.
'Get out and shut the door,' Camren's voice demanded. 'Take care of my cousin downstairs for me.' His voice was sharp and instructive in my head. It was orders I couldn't refuse. I would never refuse him.
'Yes sir. I will do as you order.' I made sure to make eye contact with him in confirmation that I heard. I bowed my head before shutting the door. I even locked them from the outside. Just in case she tried to escape. Was he talking about Artyom? He's the only one I can think of at the moment that would be causing trouble.
"Do not open these doors unless the Alpha comes forward first," I instructed the stupid guards. I glared at them. I would fire them later tonight for their insolence. For now- I will keep them on to save me the trouble of finding last minute replacements. "Listen in but do not repeat what you hear to anyone but me. I want a full report later tonight on what occurs in that room." I would not want to miss out, after all. Odds are... he will mark and mate with her while I clear up things downstairs.
I moved my way down the stairs as I walked out to the gardens just under the balconies. I found a crowd being held back by the guards as the manor's doctor was overseeing a woman on the ground. As I moved closer I remembered it was the same dress Juliette was wearing. When I was closer I could clarify it was her distorted face that told me she was unconscious. The blank stare even suggested she was dead.
Camren didn't tell me he planned to kill her this way... It must have been a last second decision. He probably had to. He had originally planned to expose her in front of everyone. This just seemed like his patience had run thin with her. Perhaps Josephine even saw them together? That would make him immediately want Juliette dead. Camren was a devoted lover. He's waited this long for a girl like Josephine to come along- he will not take any chances of loosing her.
A gentleman I recognized as cousin Artyom was hovering over Juliette's body. His frantic hands were eager to help the manor's doctor any way he see fit. I looked towards the crowd. There was no good in having an audience. I held my hands up. It was time they were ordered what to do. I did not like having to step in as a leader- but it was my duty as beta.
"Everyone... please give the lady some space to breath. Everyone go back inside. We will take this from here," I insisted. I looked above my head to see the king's balcony just above. The noise down here was too high to tell what was happening up above. He would be safe from gossip for one night. "Move along," I growled. My authority became absolute and they went back inside to leave me alone with cousin Artyom and Dr. Campbell. "Is she alive?" I asked quickly. My head turned to glance over my shoulder at them.
Cousin Artyom rushed to his feet as his anger bested him. He tackled me suddenly. His hand pushed my face into the concrete beneath me as he growled into my ear. "She's dead! All because of your shitty Alpha," he hissed into my ear. I suppose a fall like that will do it. Did cousin Camren shove her off to her death? I wouldn't put it past him. Even if he did kill her he will not suffer any consequences. He is a strong leader. His victim will be overlooked as a freak accident. "I saw it. I saw him shove her off." I couldn't help but look at the doctor tensing up from what he said.
"You there... take that girl's body to the morgue," I ordered the doctor. "Get help if you have to." The doctor smelled like a worthless omega. He was probably too shy to help me. Dr. Campbell was ignoring what was happening behind his back now. He only shrieked away. He picked her up slowly- to be careful but I could hear his hands breaking more bones at every movement. Shattering brittle ones as if they were twigs. She suffered, she must had.
When I was certain he was out of earshot I quickly flipped my cousin off my back. There was no need in making the doctor whiteness this. "You might be an alpha-" I choked up as I rubbed my sore cheek. "-Of the weakest pack in the werewolf kingdom."
I could easily take on Artyom in any fight- and I was sure to win. He growled and suddenly started to take his tailored coat off. I laughed viciously as I started to take mine off. So, he's looking for a fight? Alpha Camren didn't say what exactly I should do to take care of dear cousin Artyom. As long as I kept Artyom busy for now- I was free to do as I please. The voices above us was suddenly clear as we grew silent. I could hear Josephine's gasp.
"She's alive?!"
"For now. I plan on taking her back to Rabidcrest pack as a surprise gift. I plan to execute her for her crimes. I will also announce you're my queen to them. We will do whatever you wish to that foul pack. Chop them up if you wish. It will be up to your decision."
"Who is that up there with him?" Artyom asked aloud. He looked at me before tackling me back to the ground and stuck his knee on top of my head. He pushed down as he held my hands behind me in a tight lock. He was different from my last fight with him. He almost seemed to not be holding back. "Who?"
"Owwww-" I groaned quietly. I didn't want to distract them from mating after all. I wanted my Alpha to finally get the girl of his dreams. His soul mate of course. "That's Josephine Cromwell."
"Who is that?"
"Josephine is the eldest daughter of Alpha and Luna Rabidcrest. She's Juliette's twin."
"Juliette..." he trailed off. He must recognize her name and face to be the girl he was just overseeing her death. "You mean the girl he pushed over the balcony?"
"Watch out. I might have to kill you if you accuse him of murder once more," I told him angrily. There is no way I would agree that's what happened.
"Ethan," Artyom growled out in anger as he pushed more weight down on my head. "Who is he taking back to Rabidcrest pack, exactly?"
"Josephine's mother."
"Why? What did she do?" He pressed down more weight and I swear I thought my head was going to pop. Instead I felt my skull cracking. It was terrifying to my ear. My heart raced as my survival skills fought to think.
"To prosecute her in front of her pack," I gasped out in pain. "She was working with Juliette. They were going to-" I gasped for air. My voice pleading for relief. He pressed harder. "Trick the king with a love potion. Juliette was trying to become queen."
"And- now he's going to make Josephine his queen?" He asked.
"Yes! They're the ones actually fated by the gods." He pulled his knee back and I could feel my skull mending its way back in survival. My fast healing abilities were kicking in. I looked up at him as he still held my arms.
"Show me where he's keeping their mother," he said in a low voice. I frowned as I shook my head. No fucking way was I going to do that- I would get in trouble!
"Are you insane or just stupid? If I show you where she is, Camren will have both our heads!" I should deal with Artyom now before he tries anything on me.
As if seeing what I was thinking he squeezed my arms tighter. His voice was low as he leaned down in my ear to try to keep it between us, "Don't warn our cousin. We should keep him out of this. If you do bring him into this... I will end you."
I felt a knife being held up to my throat suddenly as his hands let go of me. He eased up off the ground. He motioned with the knife- dragging it upwards and I was forced to follow. I stepped towards the entrance of the ball room. I could feel the blade slice gently across my throat as he tsked in warning toward me.
"Avoid the crowd," he insisted.
"What do you want with her? She's a monster- trust me."
"What has she done?"
Artyom lowered the knife to a vital spot against my back. I lead him around the side of the manor to enter through a more discreate door. Would it be alright to lay out all of Rabidcrest's dirty laundry? I should probably not- but if it stops my cousin from making an irrational decision? Of course Artyom would free her without thinking twice to cause problems for Camren. I cannot let this go further. It's better if Artyom stays in the dark about all of these affairs. My quiet response must have irritated him because he dug the knife into my skin.
"What's going on here?" He growled out for answers.
I once said I would kill for Camren.
I still hold up to that saying.
I now know what he wants me to do with Artyom. I cannot let this go any further. Artyom has been too nosy in Camren's affairs. I have to put a stop to this before it starts. We walked around the back-half of the manor and ended up on a side not being watched. It was my perfect chance to strike. I was positive he still believed I was taking him to the side entrance. When I was sure nobody could see us I stopped walking. He stopped behind me in surprise.
"Ethan," he growled out. "You better give me some answers!"
I swirled around on him, his movement was just as fast as he sliced into my skin. I grabbed his hand holding the blade and squeezed until he dropped the blade. I trembled as the wound he delivered across my skin stung. I growled loudly when I was positive I won. I shoved him up against the manor's wall. I would not call for back-up. He widened his eyes as it was apparel to me now- he had no original intentions to hurt me. It was all for show to begin with.
"Artyom, get lost," I growled. "You don't want to cause him any trouble tonight. Not on the night he finishes his mating ritual with his mate."
"He just killed mine," Artyom said under his breath.
Not that there was much emotions to his words... He just looked lost entirely. Like his whole purpose for being here tonight had been destroyed. He was here after all to make peace with Camren and sign a treaty. A treaty that my cousin had to intentions of signing. Why would we want to align ourselves with the likes of Artyom? Not after hearing rumors he's the one that killed his family for his title. Artyom and Camren have never gotten along- simply because Camren was hard to get along with period.
This was news indeed.
"Juliette?" I asked and laughed. "She was your fated mate?" I wonder if Camren knew? Is that why he left Artyom to be the only whiteness? Artyom looked slightly ashamed of himself. He must have all sorts of emotions building up inside. Not that he really felt sorrow for her death. Just empty emotions. "Why do you care so much?" I asked in a daring tone.
Surely he didn't only view her as a chance to have a strong alpha family for his pack? He's not like Camren- Camren doesn't have to have a strong mate by his side in order to have an alpha family.
"Are you seriously asking me that? One day you will have a fated mate of your own and I pray that she is also destroyed before your very eyes. I'm done being patient here. It was a clear sign he has no intentions for our packs to have a treaty. You tell him if its war he wants then its war he shall have!"
So sad that Juliette really was just a figurine to his collection in the end. Artyom might be truly sick in the head.
Artyom pulled away from me violently as he pushed me towards the ground. I could see it in his eyes he had no chance at getting anything out of me. I was too good at stalling for time. He'd only be caught trying to threaten me.
"I will come back with my pack ready for war."
I chuckled as I let him go and watched him running towards the woods. I couldn't help but find it silly to see an Alpha running away from me. It was smart- and stupid at the same time.
It was too amusing.
No... I can't let him go that easily.
I started towards him while taking off my clothes. I would transform into my wolf as I neared the edge of the forest. My wolf coming alive as he was startled awake. His excitement beamed in me as I hunted down my cousin's scent. I can't let him just leave without a warning bite. That's not what we do here.
I howled to alert the pack mates in the woods that we were on a hunt tonight for blood. The royal guards of the manor were always on duty outside and in the manor's forest. They'll hear my call. Maybe I'll just give him a good scare and only chase him into his pack's territory.
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