Chapter 2: Xander

To say that Emlyn’s 18^th birthday was a shitshow would be the understatement of the millennium. I had come home from school to see my brother finally announce that he found his mate, Emlyn. Only he didn’t. He called some Beta his mate.

Now, no one knows what the fuck is going on, but this is a huge problem. Our three families, the leaders of the Shadow Falls Pack, the Canyon Ridge Pack and the Safe Haven Pack have been in the strongest alliance ever created in the history of the werewolves. That is because each of those packs has been run by an Alpha mated to a Guardian. The three Guardians, of which my mother is one, created a friendship so strong, that nothing could break it.

At least, I thought nothing could break it. My brother Rich, the Alpha of Shadow Falls pack, not recognizing Emlyn, the oldest Alpha female and Guardian in the Safe Haven pack as his mate, is going to put a serious strain on our packs’ alliance. My Aunt Grace is Emlyn's mother. She's not really my aunt, but we all call each other by familial names. She and I had taken control of the situation, but there was no resolution. I have to give Emlyn credit though, like the Alpha and Guardian that she is, she raised her head and got through her party, even though those of us who know her, knew she was hurting.

Gwen, the Beta Rich called his mate, stayed glued to Rich, clinging to him. He hates clingy women, and the scent of this Beta is burning my nose. I don’t know how he can stand being around her, much less say that she’s his mate. Thankfully, he agreed to put off completing their mate bond until we figure things out.

My brother Cayd approached me during the party. My parents had seven children, three of us are boys, Rich is the oldest, then me, then Cayden. My sister Leana is actually the second child in birth order and there wasn’t another girl until my mother had my twin sisters Malin and Quinn, after Cayd. Then there is the baby of the family, my sister Reagan.

Cayd and I will take over our father’s business, me as CEO and Cayd as CFO one day. It’s a good plan. Rich gets the pack, we get the business and it all stays in the family.

“What the fuck is going on, Xander?” Cayd asks, coming up to me and snarling at what happened to Emlyn, his usual easy-going nature gone, the Alpha showing in full force. Our friendships with the other children of the original Guardians are mostly based on age. Lily and Leana, me and Emerson, and Cayd and Emlyn. Their friendship group also includes Cohen and Clint, the Alphas from Canyon Ridge, but Cayd and Emlyn have always been very close. I was actually shocked when Rich told me that Emlyn was his mate. I had always assumed that she and Cayd would be mates. So, I’m not surprised that Cayd is feeling angry and extremely protective of Emlyn right now.

“I don’t know Cayd, but I’ll figure it out.”

He snorts. “Aren’t you going back to school soon?” He asks me.

I look at him. “Not unless I figure this out. This could impact our alliances, Cayd.”

“Fuck the alliances. This IS impacting Emlyn, my best friend.”

“I know, and we’ll be here for her. We’ll support her in whatever way she needs.”

When Rich leaves the next day, I hope that will give me some time to figure things out. However, it doesn’t even take a day before he’s being intimate with his ‘mate’ and I’m having to clean up his fucking mess.

Thankfully, Cayd and Leana help me get Emlyn away from the pack before anyone notices that something is wrong. Once we have Emlyn settled, Leana drops another bomb. Apparently, Rich is in some serious shit. The council thinks that he lied about his mate bond to Emlyn to try and take a Guardian as a mate. It’s ridiculous, we all know it, but the council doesn’t. And the council takes that sort of thing very seriously.

“I don’t know, Xander. Something was off with the council. It was like the assumed that Rich was guilty without even having the facts.” Leana says. She is scheduled to take my mother’s place on the council, so I believe her when she says this isn’t usual. She’s been sitting in on council meetings for the last couple of years preparing for her role.

When Emlyn finally falls asleep, Cayd and I leave Leana to stay with her.

“He better have a good fucking excuse for hurting Emlyn like this.” Cayd says to me.

“It’s possible that he doesn’t know.” I say, trying to give Rich every possible benefit of doubt.

“Bull fucking shit. He’s an Alpha. He knows.” Cayd says.

He’s right. Of everyone in the pack, Rich should have realized that Emlyn, feeling a mate bond, would know if he was cheating on her.

“I’m going to kill him.” Cayd snarls.

Beta Trevor POV

What the fuck has my daughter gotten herself into now? Usually, I just get the damn witch to cast a spell or make a potion and I give it to my Alpha and it all goes away. Now, however, she’s messed with the Guardians. And I know exactly who helped her.

I arrive at the store and the windows are dark. I begin banging on the door.

“Maeve, get down here!” I shout at her.

I hear whispers upstairs but no footsteps.

“Maeve, I fucking know you’re in there. Don’t make me break this door down.” I shout at her.

I hear her footsteps coming down the back stairs before the lights flip on and I see her walking toward me, a bathrobe wrapped tightly around her, as if she thinks I’d touch her. As if I’d ever touch a human, much less a human that’s a witch.

“Beta Trevor, what can I do for you?” She asks without opening the door.

I lean in. “Open this fucking door now. If I have to break in, I’ll kill your brother and sister.” I say quietly, knowing the threat will work. It’s not like I don’t mean it. These witchy brats should all die, and they would have if I didn’t need them.

I hear the lock flip and a moment later, Maeve opens the door a crack. I slam my fist on the door, opening it wider, pushing her back and letting myself in.

“What the fuck did you do?” I snarl at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She says. She lifts her chin, facing me head on.

I lean over, getting into her face. “My fucking daughter. What did you do?”

“I did what she asked of me. Oh wait, let me rephrase, I did what she demanded of me.” She growls right back at me. The girl’s got balls, that’s for damn sure.

“And why didn’t you come to me. You know she’s not supposed to be using your services.” I say the word exactly as I mean it, contemptuously. Their ‘services’ are vile, but necessary.

She scoffs at me. “Beta Trevor, your daughter learned from the best. She threatened my family, so I gave her what she wanted. I warned her several times that she was making a mistake and she shouldn’t go against the Guardians, but she wouldn’t listen to me. She wants to be a Luna.”

I scrub my hands over my face. “Is there a way to counteract what she’s done?” I ask, knowing witches sometimes do that.

“No, your daughter was very clear. In fact, I had to set the spell so that it could possibly work in two different ways, making the Alpha think that she’s his mate. She made sure that if he didn’t accept her or if she died, that he’d never find another mate.” She tells me.

“FUCK!” I yell, swiping my hand over one of their counters, sending their products flying across the room.

She stands there, watching me, not saying anything.

“Is there anything you can do?” I ask her.

“I’m sorry, Beta. There is nothing.”

I wrap my hand around her throat. “What if I threaten your sister and brother? Is there anything you can do then?”

“As I said, Beta. You’ve trained your daughter well. She made sure there were no loopholes in the spell. You can kill me, but I still can’t change it now that it is set into motion.”

“FUCK!” I say, releasing her and stomping out of the store, slamming the door behind me.