Bren Foster as Alpha Darric Grey

Humph! That fall hurt like hell. Wait till I get my hands on that witch. I'm going to tear her limb from limb and feed her to the coyotes. So, I punished my mate on No Man's Land, that's no reason to disrespect me. First my mate must be punished and then that witch.

Who knew that the mouthwatering scent I followed immediately after my coronation will lead me to one of the pack's wimpiest wolf? All I want is a strong and compatible Luna to help me keep our stand in the werewolf world but no, I get a whinny Omega. And he wanted to reject me? No one rejects this Alpha, no one!

Thank Goddess I stopped his acceptance of my rejection. As much as I don't want him, my body craves him. And until I figure out what or who I want, no one is accepting anyone's rejection.

"You okay?" I walked over to my brother who's on the floor with reddish looking marks all over his body, groaning.

"Give me a minute and I'll be okay. I know this is No Man's Land, but that witch went a little overboard, don't you think? Why would she care about a wolf?"

"Head back to the house and have those three omegas locked up and ready for interrogation. Something is going on in my pack with the witch and I don't like it. Someone must pay."

I walked to the edge of our land, looked in the direction the witch disappeared to. My brother shifted and ran back to the pack house.

"Inflict a little pain on them before I get there, will you? I think that will make them more compliant." I mind linked him.

"Will do" he replied, laughing.

I needed to think. What do I know about my mate? I know he's no longer in school. He's a few months or so older than me. His sister is one of my Gammas and a damn good fighter. His friends are the other three omegas. His mother died a while after his birth. So, what's his relationship with that witch? Those omegas better have answers or else.

Shifting, I trotted back to the pack house, giving Ronan a little pain filled time with those omegas. More time with them should loosen their lips by the time I get there.

I reached the pack house and shifted. The pups were out playing. Pack members that lived in pack lands were going about their business. My pack has members both on land and in town. We reside in the city of Bryn Mawr, South Dakota. We do not insist that every member live on pack land. You may live where you wish but it must be in the same vicinity for longevity and most importantly for protection.

I put on my clothes and was greeted with 'Alpha' by some as I walked by. I hurried to my office and linked my Betas, Deltas, and Gammas to meet in my office as soon as possible. I sat in my chair and waited.

"Alpha" Cole walked in followed by the other Beta, Deltas and Gammas. Ronan arrived last.

"I found my mate" I blurted out. Everyone looked happy for me except Ronan and Cole.

"Alpha that's wonderful news, so who's the lucky lady," asked Rick my third Beta.

"It's Cal, the omega."

"My brother Cal, that wimp, that loser?" Minerva shouted. "There must be a mistake, we need a strong Luna not some pathetic wolf. Are you sure Alpha, my father is going to go ballistic. Cal of all...?"

"The Goddess doesn't make mistakes, she gives us our mates to make us better, stronger, happier," Cole interrupted Minerva.

"This time she made a big mistake" I confirmed looking Cole straight in the eyes and daring him to contradict me. "Ronan, are they ready?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"Good let's go. Betas follow me, the rest of you, I want extra protection for the pack. We have a witch on the loose, and I don't like it." And an incredibly powerful one, I thought to myself.

"Yes Alpha" they answered, and I headed to the dungeon with my three Betas. I smelled reluctance from Cole, acceptance from Rick and eagerness from Ronan. We walked to the only bungalow house on park land. To the untrained eye, it is simply the house where Betas, Deltas and Gammas hang out. The first floor is set up like an apartment, but a door leads to the three-level basement with the highest security available.

The 'dungeon', as we call it, is divided into three levels: first level is where we house pack members that are being disciplined, second level for prisoners and hunters for deprogramming, and the third and deepest level is reserved for rogues. My newest warriors guard the first level, intermediate ones guard the second, and my toughest warriors whose wolves need some physical release guard the third level.

I walked past the guards and smelled the omegas immediately. The fear, anger and hatred rolled off them like waves. I walked up to their cell. All three are chained to the wall and it looked like Ronan had gotten to a head start with them. The girls, I don't remember their names, looked bloody whipped. So did the boy.

"Where is my mate?" They looked at me with glares, I growled at them in return and they lowered their eyes and tilted their heads in submission. I'm met with silence. "I guess you are ready for round two. Whoever tells me where to find my mate will be released. Again, I ask you, Where. Is. My. Mate?"

"We don't know Alpha' cried one of the girls. I nodded to Ronan and he hit the boy in the ribs. He groaned but remained silent.

"One of two things will stop your pain; my mate shows up or you talk. Ronan they're all yours."

I left. I sensed my mate and hurried to my office. There, walking up and down and muttering to himself was my mate, looking so radiant and gorgeous. I just wanted to hold him and kiss him. Whoa wait, what?

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Titan purrs.

"Not now, Titan, first the witch okay?"

"Ronan, layoff those omegas. Take them back to their room, my mate has shown up," I mind linked Ronan.

"Where are they? Where are my friends?" my mate screamed at me.

"You will not shout at your Alpha, mate. Good to see you too. Where's the witch?" I strolled to my desk and sat down looking at my irate mate.

"Where are my friends? What have you done to them?"

"They're back in their room. I did nothing that they didn't deserve. And you will move to my room tonight. Mates should be together now, shouldn't they?"

I got up, walked over to him, ran my fingers down his hand and pulled him closer to me with my other hand. Why do I want him close to me? Why do I want him? I just love the scent of him. He shivered, and Titan purred in delight.

"I want to see my friends," he whispered, shivering deliciously. I gently lifted his head, looked into his eyes and I swear I saw tears in them. The sight of his tears hurt me, but I'm not going to let down my guard and accept some useless, dumb omega as my Luna.

"Leave" I pushed him away. "They're in your room. And I expect you to be in my suite tonight, understood?"

"Yes, Alpha." He ran out of my office. What is going on with me? Why is this little omega messing with my head? Everything is so messed up now. I need some release and I need it now.

"Where are you?" I mind linked my preferred Luna, Suzie. Now that's a strong and beautiful woman. Blonde, slim, tough, and a damn good fuck any day.

"I'm home. Do you want me to come over, my Alpha? " She drawled.

"Meet me in my room in five minutes."

"Yes, Alpha."

I walked into my room ten minutes later and there she was sitting on the edge of my bed beautifully naked. She leaned back on her arms with her legs crossed and breasts perky and so very inviting.

"You said meet you in five, Darric, but you're late" she purred. She sat up and slowly uncrossed her legs, giving me a bird's eye view of her wet pussy. I felt nothing. The pussy I used to pound mercilessly to no end just a few days ago did nothing for me. My cock didn't even twitch. Even my wolf Titan was not interested. What the hell is going on?

"You know what? I changed my mind. I have a lot of paperwork to get through as the new Alpha. Show yourself out."

I walked out and went back to my office. The mouthwatering scent of my mate was still in the air and my cock harden like never before. Titan purred in delight.

Moon Goddess, what have you done to me?

I ran out of the Alpha's office to my room worried about what has happened to my friends. In my haste, I ran smack into my sister Minerva and Katreena, the Alpha's sister.

"Watch it, loser" Minerva pushed me off her and I fell to the ground. I seriously do not need this now.

"Sorry, Gamma Minerva" I replied. She's tall, statuesque, has nice body, and that's what the men in the pack say anyway. She always dresses in black and rarely smiles. She has red hair like mine but dyes the roots of her hair black. She gets off on her status, just like our father. The first time I called her Minerva without the gamma, she hit me. And not the first time. Sorry excuse of a sister.

"Are you okay" Gamma Katreena asked. She helped me off the floor to Minerva's annoyance. Katreena Grey on the other hand is slightly shorter, with shiny black curly long hair. She's slim with amazing curves, always smiling and she's nice to everyone. I would trade her for Minerva in a New York minute.

"I'm fine, thank you." and then to myself, "Why aren't you my sister instead of that excuse of a wolf."

"Did you say something, maggot?" Minerva yelped.

I am not one to advocate calling another wolf derogatory name like mutt, dog, but with Minerva, I'll gladly make that exception. So, yes, she yelped like a dog.

"No, gamma. Excuse me please." I hightailed it out of there. I ran down the stairs, towards the back of the first floor that houses our room. I reached our room and slowly touched the door handle.

Goddess please let them be alive, I pray. I turned the knob and pushed the door open, scared of what I might see.

NO, NO, NO! I screamed silently. They all had whip marks over their visible body parts. Their clothes were torn. Roland was on the floor and looked like he's coughing up blood. His face was swollen and bruised. Raven was holding onto her left side and her body had bloody lashes all over, and Serena looked like she's passed out cold on the floor.

It looked like a war zone and I don't know who to help first. I walked over to Roland since he's coughing up blood and sat him up, so he won't choke on his blood. I started to move like a deranged machine, talking to myself the whole time. I went into our closet and grabbed all my healing medicines: creams, liquids, lotions, everything I had in there. I gently tapped Serena on the face and she moaned, thank Goddess she's alive. Back to Roland, I gently rubbed some cream on his chest, abdomen, ribs and back, I tore my bedsheet and wrapped it around his middle. I set our pillows on either side of him to hold him up against the bed. If I were stronger, I could help him to the bed. Best I could do was prop him so he's not lying down till I'm sure he's through coughing.

Next, I moved over to Raven, and did the same with the cream and lotions on her side, on the red lashes all over her body. I took her clothes off to put more cream on her. She's groaning throughout. I laid her down and covered her with her blanket.

Serena was still resting. If you call moaning in your sleep, resting. I don't know what to do for her other than rubbing the healing creams and lotions all over her too. I also covered her with her blanket.

I sat back on my knees frustrated, exhausted and sad. I started to cry, and cry and cry. The tears wouldn't stop running down my face, soaking my shirt. They didn't deserve this. All my fault. Why did I think I could make our lives better in this pack? Goddess how can you sit by and let this happen again and again to the ones that need your help the most? What kind of creator are you?I couldn't stop crying. I cried louder, sniveling and hiccupping.

"You're too loud," Raven said softly. I looked up and she's awake. I rushed over to her side, afraid to touch her, for fear that I'd hurt her more.

"Are you okay? Where does it hurt? I'm so sorry Raven. I shouldn't have left you guys alone."

"Come on Cal, it's not your fault, stop crying. You'll wake Roland. He needs the rest; he got the brunt of the beating." She sat up slowly, and I could see the bruises are already fading.

I lay my head on her lap and continued crying murmuring my apologies. She rubbed my hair gently.

"I found us a pack" I hiccupped.

"Where?"

"Crimson River Pack, with Alpha Salim." Her hand stilled for a second, and I anxiously wait for her to reject living with Werecats.

"Can't be worse than living here, so when do we leave?"

I sighed in relief, I know I cannot and will not leave them alone in this pack if they refuse to leave.

"I'm meeting with Alpha Salim in a few days and hopefully after the meeting, we'll get accepted into his pack. I just hope Roland and Serena will agree."

"I'm sure they will." She yawned.

"Sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

I have just a few hours before I move into the Alpha's suite. I'm not about to give her that information till morning. For now, they needed their rest to heal. I walked to my bed and set my alarm to wake me in a few hours. I tried to figure out how I'm going to endure the next two weeks in the same bed with my mate.

Today's the day. I can feel the excitement, energy, and anxiety in my bones. I get to leave this hideous pack. Will I miss my mate? Yes. Will I hunger for him? Maybe. Just because I'm mated to the twerp, doesn't mean I'm blind to his faults, so yes, I want out of this hellhole.

I did meet Alpha Salim more than a week ago in Esme's house and after much debate and what we are to expect as werewolves in a werecat pack, we agreed to move into his pack. We have no choice really and a good thing that his pack is in North Dakota, a state away from this one. I let him know that Alpha Darric is my mate, but he rejected me, and I plan to do the same. I want to be upfront from the get-go. Alpha Salim was visibly angry. I guess as someone looking high and low for his mate, he couldn't comprehend mates rejecting each other.

These last two weeks, I didn't have to worry about sleeping with my mate. I moved into Alpha's suite as ordered but it's a strange situation. I go about my omega duties during the day and at night I sleep in Alpha quarters in his second bedroom. Darric does not speak to me much or even acknowledge me but insist that I sleep in the second bedroom. Weirdo!

Anyway, I tell the omegas to get ready that today is the day. They are eager, anxious, and scared all at once. We're hoping the devil we don't know is better than the one we know. We had packed our meager belongings and clothes and taken them to Esme's a little at a time throughout the week. Nothing to move now but ourselves. We decide to leave during our daily break time, so we shift, clothes in our mouths, and race through pack lands into No Man's Land. Remembering what happened the last time, I run faster, and we finally cross pack land. We run some more and make it to the town borders. We shift back and put on our clothes.

"Give me a minute, I need to do one more thing."

Facing the direction of the pack land, I recite what I have been ready to say these last two weeks.

"I, Callum Yorke reject you Alpha Darric Grey as my mate and your Luna." A deafening growl rumbles through the woods, I recognize as Titan's. My body feels like needles were poking at every inch of it. The pain is horrible, and I fall to the ground. Roland helps me up, supporting me as we head for town. My wolf Sköll and I didn't look back.

In a meeting with my Betas, Deltas and Gammas, I feel the pangs of rejection from my mate. I lurch up from my chair, banging my hands on the table. I roar in pain as my body aches all over. My heart is beating erratically, and my body feels like it's on fire. I growl in pain and anger. No, mate, I will not accept your rejection.

"Alpha, you okay?" Cole asks.

"Find my mate now, I don't care what you do, tear this town, this state, this whole fucking country apart but FIND. MY. MATE. And bring him back."

"Yes, Alpha." Cole replies.

Oh no, I am not accepting your rejection, Mate. So, buckle up because I will find you and bring your ass back.

"The guard just linked me that Alpha Salim Taylor of Crimson River Pack is here to see you," says Rick, "and he's here about your mate?" he repeats slowly, looking at me cautiously.

I run out of my office, straight into the yard where Salim is waiting with his brother Joaquim, and four of his soldiers.

I charge straight up to him and ask "what about my mate? Where is he? If you have so much as touched a hair on his body, I will skin you alive, Salim."

"Good to see you too, Darric. Yes, I have your mate, but he came―"

I punch him in his smug face, and he staggers back. He punches me back and I feel the hit in my bones but hold my stand.

"Stay back," I order my Betas.

"You heard the man, stay back," Salim orders his soldiers.

I growl, he roars, we jump at each other and all hell breaks loose.

Two strong Alphas going head to head, who comes out ahead? Who are you rooting for? As for me, I'm rooting for......😊

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