Beyond Beta's Rejection

(Harper’s POV)

I saw Tommy shrug through the gap in the door.

“Dunno what you are talking about, man,” he said. “I’m alone here.” I heard Greg sigh. He obviously didn’t believe Tommy.

“One, I’m not stupid. There is nowhere else she could go,” Greg said. I could tell from his voice he was getting impatient.

“Two, I can smell that she’s here. And three, Colton knows. He was all ready to come storming down himself, and he will if I don’t return with her. And you know that’s going to end very badly for you.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Tell him to bring it on, the arrogant little prick,” Tommy snarled.

“Tommy, just be reasonable, please!” Greg pleaded.

“Reasonable!” Tommy growled, “Do you know what he did to her?”

“No, and it’s not my place to know. My place is to ensure she is safely brought back home.” Greg pushed the door open and stormed into the apartment. I watched as he looked around until his eyes settled on the door and then met mine.

“Come on, Harper,” he said, slowly walking towards the door. “No one needs to get hurt, but they will if you don’t come with me now.”

“Greg!” Tommy stood in front of the bedroom door, blocking my sight. “We are friends, and we grew up together, don’t do this.”

“I am doing this because you are my friend. Otherwise, you’d be unconscious now. I was given orders, any means necessary.”

“Then use them because I’m not letting my niece go back to that monster,” Tommy spat.

But I knew Greg was right. Colton wouldn’t give up, and people would get hurt. I opened the door and stepped out around Tommy.

“Harper,” Tommy exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Stopping you from getting hurt,” I snapped. I looked at Greg and took a deep breath. “Tommy is kept out of this,” I stated, and he nodded.

“You come now, and Colton doesn’t go all homicidal on the town.”

I nodded. I gave Tommy a hug, and he just stood there stiff, his hands clenched.

Eventually, he hugged me back and whispered in my ear, “Be ready. When I got everything sorted, I’m coming for you.”

I nodded again.

Greg had moved to the door, patiently waiting for me. I walked over, still dressed in the oversized t-shirt and bare feet, and gestured for him to lead the way. He took hold of my arm, and we headed out of the apartment. We got to a black SUV, and he opened the back door for me to get in. I climbed in, and the door closed and locked at the same time. Greg got into the driver’s seat and glanced at me in the rear-view mirror.

“Seatbelt,” he said while buckling his own.

“What’s the point?” I snapped. “Maybe I’ll get lucky, and we’ll crash.”

He just stared at me in the rearview until I rolled my eyes and then pulled on the seatbelt. I watched as his eyes glazed over for a couple of seconds and then cleared as he started the engine.

“Who did you link? Colton?” I asked, and he ignored me and started to drive back in the direction of the pack house.

Ten minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of the pack house. The first person I saw standing in the doorway was Colton. He watched as the car pulled up and pulled on the back door handle before Greg had even turned the engine off. The car door opened, and he met my eyes and growled. His eyes flashed gold, letting me know that his wolf was also angry. He undid my seat belt and pulled me out of the car. He then pulled me into a tight hug.

“Thank the goddess, Harper,” he exclaimed out loud. “I’m so happy you are safe.” Then, under his breath, “You have been a very, very naughty girl.” I scrunched my eyes shut, and my stomach felt like it dropped, and there was now a dark lump of fear in its place.

He picked me up bridal style and turned and walked into the pack house. The Luna and Colton’s mum were standing in the entrance, and both smiled at me as Colton walked past. And Alex was standing a little way back by the stairs. His arm was in a sling, and he had fading bruises all over the parts where his skin was uncovered. He was looking at the floor when we came in but glanced up at me briefly before I heard Colton growl, and his eyes returned to the floor. Colton made his way up the stairs, and I noticed when I looked over his shoulder that Alex was following us.

He took me straight to my room and walked in, slamming the door shut behind him. He dropped me unceremoniously onto the bed before switching on the lights. I shrunk back when he turned to look at me. His eyes glowed the gold of his wolf as he stalked slowly towards the bed. I backed up until I was against the high wooden headboard and had nowhere else to go.

“Please,” I begged. “Please don’t hurt me.” He sneered at my comment and climbed up the end of the bed. He stopped just short of me and grinned.

“Why, Strawberries, why would you think that I would hurt you?” he asked, a smirk growing on his face. “I’m just so happy that you return home to me safe and sound.”

His hand shot out and wrapped around my ankle, and yanked me down onto the bed. I yelped as he pounced on top of me and pinned my arms above my head. His lips crashed down onto mine as he roughly kissed me, forcing his tongue to explore my mouth. I tried to resist, to pull away, but he held me firm underneath him. Colton growled when I didn’t reciprocate his k**s, and one hand let go of my arms to graze down my body. He found the edge of the T-shirt and ran his hand back up underneath, and palmed my breast briefly before squeezing my n****e between his fingers. I yelped at the pain, and he grinned into the k**s and did it again. This time, my yelp became more of a m**n as I started to feel heat rise in my lower regions. My own body was betraying me again. Maya was excited at the touch of our mate, and soon Colton chuckled as the scent of excitement started to fill the room from me. He grinded his body against me, and I gasped as he worked his legs between mine, pushing them apart.

“You need to understand, baby girl, that you are my mate, you are mine. And I will always know where your buttons are. I will know where to press to make you do exactly what I want you to do.” He grinned down and let go of my arms to move some stray hair from my face. I glared at him and struggled to push him off me. I was shocked that he had let me. I jump off the bed, away from him.

“Well. I’m sure that would be true if you didn’t have to use your Beta command on me,” I spat, and his face dropped.

I grinned, suddenly feeling confident. “Didn’t realise that I knew?” I said, “Like how I can’t seem to take this damn ring off my finger.” I waved my hand around. “Well, I broke out of it last night, and I will again, and I’ll find some other way to get this damn band off my finger, I promise you.”

Colton moved like lightning, and I felt the sting across my face before I realised that he had backhanded me hard enough to send me flying to the floor.

He smirked down at me as I rubbed my burning cheek and glared up at him. He kneeled down, and I went to move away when he grabbed my hair and yanked my head back. I cried out at the pain, and he yanked again. I saw his wolf shining in his eyes as he got in my face and growled low in his throat.

“So Strawberries has claws, do we?” he smirked. “That’s fine, baby girl, you can scratch all you like but remember, I like the pain. It gets me off.” He licked up the side of my neck and nuzzled it into my neck. He then yanked my hair again and twisted until we had eye contact.

“If you think you have even had a taste of my command over you, then you have another thing coming.” His other hand grabbed my wrist, and he pulled it up. “Clever girl might have figured it out, but let’s up the stakes.” He fingered the ring and smirked. “This ring does not leave your finger ever. I am telling you how much pain you would feel if it did. Do you understand me?”

I found myself nodding before I felt the command this time. The last times he had used it had been subtle, but this time wasn’t. The full weight of his command felt like it forced its way into my mind and rewired everything it needed. He smiled and tugged on the ring. Immediately, a sharp pain ran through my head, and I cried out and clenched my fist so he couldn’t move the ring. He grinned as I felt the horror of what he had done.

“Also, dear sweet mate of mine,” he said, letting go of my hair and standing up. “If you think that this is anything to go by, just wait until we complete the bond. I will own you: mind, body, and soul.” I started to shake. I had underestimated him, and now I could tell he wouldn’t play nice anymore. He held out his hand to me, and I glared at it. He tutted, leaned down, grabbed my arm, and yanked me to my feet.

He pulled me in closer and whispered, “This can go one of two way’s Strawberries, you can comply and be the good little mate and do everything I say and reap the rewards, and being the Beta’s mate has many rewards of you allow it.” He ran his finger down my arm. I shuddered, knowing he was talking about his arrangement with Damien. “Or I can make you comply, and there will be punishments.” He bit my earlobe before sucking it into his mouth. I cried out and then couldn’t help the m**n that followed. “And even if I can’t hurt you directly, there are plenty of people in your life that could suddenly get accident-prone. And I have already ensured that your wolf is too weak to do anything against me for the next few days, but by then, we will have completed the mate bond ritual.” Use my wolf against him. He meant to accept his rejection. After he had s*x with someone last night, Maia was once again too weak to do much of anything, let alone break the mate bond, not without risking her dying altogether.

He let go of me, and I stumbled back, tears in my eyes. He held everything over me, and I was trapped. He stood staring at me, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

“You shall remain in this room until Saturday evening,” he said. “All your meals will be delivered here. Alex or Greg will be standing guard on your door, so don’t even think about trying to unlock it.” He crossed the room to me and stood right in front of me again, and ran his finger down my cheek.

“Then Saturday evening, you will attend our engagement party with me. You will smile and accept all congratulations with great joy and excitement. And then after the party, we will move into our suite together, and I will take you to our new bed. I will mate you, and then I will mark you as my property. And you will willingly and enthusiastically enjoy it. And you will be mine.” I stared in horror as he detailed the exact scenario I wanted to avoid. I shook my head, unable to form words.

“Oh, baby girl,” he said, his face suddenly softening, and he pulled me into his chest. ”I don’t want to have to hurt you, but don’t you realise I only do it because I care about you” I felt as he kissed the top of my head, and I couldn’t help but clutch his shirt as his scent felt like home. I closed my eyes, and tears once again fell down my face.