Chapter 13

(Kaeleigh’s POV)

“What the hell!” I exclaimed as I glared at Chase. I saw him glance at his father briefly before he looked back at me.

“Kae,” I heard Elaina’s voice and glared over at her. She flinched under my look and I immediately felt guilty. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe out the sudden anger that was rising in me. 

“Kae,” I opened my eyes to Jeremy, who was watching me with concern.

“Is what they are saying true?” he asked. “Are you fated to this man?” I glared over at Chase again and shook my head.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “We are leaving soon,” I heard Jeremy sigh.

“Kae, the fated bond is the most sacred and powerful of bonds,” he said. This was exactly why I didn’t want to tell them that I had met my fated mate. 

“Jeremy,” I turned to him pleading, “Please,” and he shook his head.

“Kaeleigh, Alpha Stone has petitioned for you to transfer to his pack,” he said “And as acting Alpha of our pack, I think it would be a good idea.”

“What?” I gasped “No! I don’t want to join their pack,” 

The Alpha’s eyes snapped to me, a glint of anger flashing through them briefly. He walked around from the other side of the dining table, never taking his eyes from me. He sat on the edge of the dining table, still silently watching me. I returned his gaze with a glare. 

“Kaeleigh!” Jeremy hissed. “Bow your head. Show some respect.” 

I looked over to him glaring at me while Elaina pleaded with me with her eyes. They both looked concerned and tired. I let out a defeated sigh and bowed my head, my eyes on the floor. I couldn’t stand to see them hurt and what was I going to do, go up against the Alpha of the biggest pack in Europe? I would be slaughtered in minutes. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek and watched as it dropped to the floor at my feet. 

“What would you have me do, child?” I looked up at the Alpha again. “You have no Alpha and no heir.” I closed my eyes to try to stop the tears from flowing out as he carried on. “The two of you are the only ones left of the Scarlet Circle pack.” 

“What the hell!” I snapped, glaring back up at the Alpha. 

“How dare you discount our Luna as a member of the pack while you stand in her home?” I felt rage building up in me again, and instinct took over and I leapt at the Alpha without thinking. But I didn’t reach him before something restrained me around the waist, holding me in the air from behind as I tried to kick and punch whoever had grabbed me. Panic set in as flashbacks from that night 18 years ago flashed through my mind, as I was once again helpless and unable to get free. One of my kicks must have hit somewhere though, as I vaguely heard a grunt before I was released and dropped unceremoniously to the floor. 

“Fuck, that hurt,” I heard as I pulled myself to the nearest wall and wrapped my arms around my knees. 

“ENOUGH!”

The power of the Alpha filled the room,and I involuntarily whimpered at the pain from the pressure to submit to it. The room went quiet. 

“You have no Alpha, no heir,” he repeated in short, sharp tones. “All that is left of this pack is two wolves and a bunch of humans.” He spat, glaring at me. “And one of those wolves holds no respect for authority. And who is not much more than a pup, so traumatised by her past that she can’t even access her wolf.” I looked up in shock to see his eyes on me once more, this time with what looked like pity in his eyes. “And no, I do not consider your humans as part of the pack.” 

I glanced over to Chase, who was standing there looking at me in shock. I didn’t know how the Alpha knew I didn’t have a wolf, but clearly Chase didn’t know that. Maybe now that he knew he wouldn’t want me after all.

Alpha Stone crossed the room again and leaned against the edge of the dining table, looking around at each of us, his eyes resting on me last. “You have lived among humans, lived like humans for too long,” he sighed. 

“You have been unprotected for too long. It’s time I do what I should have done all those years ago.” He looked at me again with regret in his eyes before looking at Elaina and Jeremy. 

“Maybe then this child could have got help sooner.” 

He stood up straight and looked at me before turning to Jeremy.

“I think it is time,” and Jeremy looked at me and nodded slowly. I realised what was happening and jumped up.

“No!” I exclaimed, “Jeremy, please don’t do this,” Jeremy just looked away, avoiding eye contact.

“Please Kaeleigh,” Chase said, and I turned on him with a glare.

“This is what it comes down to, you self righteous prick,” I snarled. “I say no to you and you run to daddy and get him to fix your problems. You are really proving to be just like the others.” Chase looked hurt at my words, but I didn’t care.

“I swear, I’m just trying to protect you,” he insisted, and I felt anger beginning to boil inside me again.

“Protect me!” I snarled, “Is that what you were doing when you had your warriors try to drag me into a car last night?” Chase’s eyes widened in shock.

“What the hell, what warriors?” Jeremy demanded. “Alpha Stone, I agreed to talk about this, but not if you are going to attack my pack beforehand,” 

“I did no such thing,” The Alpha growled and turned towards Chase, “Son?” That single word held so much weight, but Chase was already shaking his head, the look of anger on his face.

“I swear it wasn’t our men,” he growled, “I went to the bar with Jensen, but it was just the two of us,” his eyes widened again and he looked at his father again, “I got into a fight with some werewolves, they were from Crimson Shadow,” I saw similar reactions on Alpha’s, Jeremy’s and Elaina’s faces and looked between them. 

“You see now,” the Alpha turned to Jeremy, “You see why this can’t wait,” and Jeremy nodded.

Alpha Stone turned back to Jeremy.

“I, Daniel Stone of the Dark Moon pack, request that you, Beta Jeremy Maxwell, acting Alpha of the Scarlet Circle pack, relinquish control of pack member Kaeleigh Buckley to my pack,” 

“What, no!” I screamed and charged towards the Alpha, but once again the blond wolf had me around my waist and off the ground before I could take two steps. I kicked at him and punched and screamed for him to let me go.

The blond wolf tightened his hold on me as he leaned into my ear and whispered, 

“Stop.” 

But it wasn’t the word that stopped me, it was the power that rolled off him, that paralysed me instantly. Shit. I realised that I was messing with the Beta of likely one of the biggest packs in the world, not just another pack warrior. When he saw that I had stopped struggling, he lowered me to my feet and let me go, stepping back. 

Alpha Stone turned back to Jeremy, who looked at me with an apologetic look and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Kae, I really am,” he said before turning back to the Alpha.

“I, Beta Jeremy Maxwell, accept your request and relinquish control of Kaeleigh Buckley to the Dark Moon pack.” Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt a snap in my body. I didn’t need confirmation that the feeling was the bond with my birth pack breaking. Even though we were technically rogues, I still felt the bond, until now.

I glared at Jeremy. How could he do this to me? He knew that I didn’t ever want to be in a traditional pack, and certainly not one that would likely be as strict as Dark Moon. I felt angry, I felt empty, and I felt betrayed. Most of all, though, I felt powerless, which is what I was. Or was I? I looked over at Chase, who was watching me with concern and grimaced. If I was going to be rejected from my pack, then I would be part of no pack, a true lone wolf.

“I Kaeleigh Buckley, declare myself a true rogue and reject Alpha Chase Stone as my-” 

“NOOOOOOO!” Chase screamed and Alpha Stone roared. He stalked towards me and stood in front of me, the look of fury on his face.

“Submit to me now!” he roared, and I glared at him.

“No,” I whispered, and I saw something that looked like regret flash across his face before the anger came back.

“I really did not want it to come to this,” he growled. And then I felt it, the full force of his Alpha power forcing down on me. I screamed as the power ripped through me in painful waves.

“Submit!” he growled again as I fell to my knees.

“NOOO!” I screamed, part in pain, part in fear and part in anger. I could vaguely hear shouting and saw through the tears in my eyes that Tatum was in the room and screaming, although being held back by Jeremy. And Chase was fighting against their Beta. The power suddenly stopped, and I collapsed to the floor, panting.

Everything went quiet, and I felt a hand on my head. The pain disappeared and I looked up to see the Alpha kneeling in front of me.

 “I know it seems wrong now, but I swear to you, child, that it is vitally important that you join with us,” he whispered. 

“I’m not a child,” I muttered under my breath, glaring at him and I looked up to see the Beta chuckling. I shot him a dirty look, and he held up his hands in defence, clearly still amused. 

The Alpha glanced up at his beta before looking back at me. “I swear to you now, if you submit to me, I will ensure we will find an answer for your absent wolf, and I will do everything I can to help you reunite with her.” 

I blinked at him. He could see the pain that my lack of wolf caused me, more than anyone else had before. 

“I have to protect my pack,” I whispered, and he shook his head.

“What use are you to them without your wolf?” he asked, and I sobbed, because I knew he was right. I was less than useless against our enemies, against the ones who had chased us most of my life.

“I swear I will help you to be strong,” he said, and I looked into his eyes. They looked just like Chase’s, right down to the gold star in the middle. I looked over at Chase, who was on his knees across the room. He was watching me with a desperate look in his eyes.

A cough from the other side of the room drew my attention. I looked over at Jeremy and he smiled at me. “Please Kaeleigh, be safe and I promise I will look after our other people. You have my word on that.” 

I looked at Chase again and then back at Alpha Stone.

“I’m not agreeing to mate with anyone,” I said, and the Alpha chuckled.

“That’s acceptable,” he replied.

“What!” Chase exclaimed, and the Alpha held up his hand to him.

“You said you wanted to earn her love, well now you have the chance,” he said.

“Good luck man,” the Beta chuckled, and I glanced up at him and he winked at me. I couldn’t help a small smile. I could see so much Jensen in him. 

“Kaeleigh?” the Alpha asked, drawing my attention back to him. “As a rogue joining our pack you will join as an Omega. Do you understand that?” 

“Dad, no!” Chase exclaimed, which earned him a glare from his father. I looked at Chase and nodded before looking back at the Alpha.

“I understand,“ I said. Even losing my Gamma rank would be better than being tied to and controlled by an Alpha mate.

“Then I ask you again, will you submit to me as your new Alpha?” 

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I nodded again and whispered, “I submit.”