Beta (15 page)

He
separated my legs with his knee and panic set in. I couldn't just
roll over and let him have me. I was better than that!

I tried
pushing him off but he was simply too strong. He pinned my wrists
above my head with one hand. I felt every muscle in my body tense
and contort but I tried to stop myself from shifting. That would be
the worst thing I could do in this situation. I would kill him and
still have to face an entire coven as well as wolves. I would never
make it out alive but it was probably my only option.

"It's not
my destiny!"

His free
hand squeezed my neck to the point I thought he might rip my throat
out. I wiggled, trying to get free, to breathe but he held me
tightly to the bed.

"If you
think I'm above killing that bastard child you love so much, think
again. In fact," he trailed as he removed his hand from my neck to
reach in his jacket pocket.

He pulled
out a phone and pressed a number. Someone answered on the other
end.

"Kill the
boy and send me proof," he said.

"Yes,
Master," the male voice said.

Something
in me snapped at the mention of killing Christian. I only saw red
and allowed my bones to break and reform. Light gray fur covered my
shifted body as I kicked Andre, sending him through the steel door.
I jumped to all fours and stalked towards him, snarling and
growling. I could practically taste his fear and it only pushed me
to kill him faster.

"Shift
back, Elizabeth," he commanded but backed into the far
wall.

I lunged
forward as he side stepped my bite.

"Shift
back or I'll kill Titus as well!" He threatened.

I knocked
him to the ground but he kicked me in the stomach, sending me down
the hall. I whimpered in pain, knowing I had broken ribs but I
wasn't going to let that stop me. My wolf had taken full control
and all I could think of was to protect my family.

I knew if
I went after him again, he would have the advantage so I went on
the defensive. I waited for him to come at me. I knew he would but
I didn't know with what. He could still easily kill me, even though
I had shifted. He was thousands of years old and I was born without
a rank. I was smaller than most wolves but he had underestimated my
rage. I had repressed so many things my entire life. I repressed my
resentment towards my parents and brother. I repressed my hate for
the Order. I controlled everything I ever did and I was tired of
controlling myself. I wanted to act on impulse for once in my
life.

"I will
give you one last chance, ma chérie. Get on your back like you were
intended," he spat out.

A feral
snarl ripped through my chest but I stayed where I was. He was
trying to get me to charge but I wasn't going to do it.

To my
surprise, two other wolves, twice the size of me ran up behind me.
I instantly knew it was Titus and Zac. The giant black wolves came
up on either side of me and for the first time, I saw terror in
Andre's eyes. Titus stepped in front of me, blocking me from the
fight but I needed to kill Andre myself. I wanted to because of
what he had put me through. He ruined my brother's family. If my
parents had never been involved, my brother wouldn't hate me. He
wouldn't blame me for their deaths. In fact, they wouldn't be dead
if it wasn't for Andre.

Andre
sped towards us nearly to fast for my eyes but I jumped over Titus
and into Andre mid air. Before he could react, I sank my teeth into
his neck. I severed everything my teeth could reach and kept
digging until I couldn't.

"Elizabeth," Titus said softly from behind me, "Liz, he's
dead. Come on, love, shift back," he encouraged.

I took
one step back and looked down at what I had done. I had decapitated
him. I was covered in his black blood and only then did I notice
the taste of vampire blood in my mouth.

I let my
bones and muscles shift back to human form. I stood, naked and
trembling and covered in blood in front of Titus. He wrapped a
blanket from the bed around us as he held me closer than he ever
had. It was like he thought I would disappear on him.

"Are you
okay? Did they hurt you?"

I shook
my head, "I'm fine."

"Are you
sure?" He asked as he examined my face.

"Where's
Christian?"

"He's
with my parents. He's safe."

I shook
my head violently, "No we need to go get him now. Andre gave the
order to kill him."

He
wrapped me tightly in the blanket and started pulling me along. Zac
tossed him a pair of shorts that he slipped on before swooping me
into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he ran with me
up the stairs and out the front door. I saw an army of our pack
members outside with a few coven members as prisoners.

Titus put
me in the car and Zac jumped in the back seat next to Rachel and we
took off. Titus called his parents a few times but they didn't
answer.

Finally,
they called him back when we were about ten minutes
away.

"Where's
Christian," Titus asked quickly.

"He's
right here," Aria said lightly.

"Take him
to the pack house now and don't let anyone in. I'll be there in
five minutes."

"What's
going on," she asked.

"Just go.
You don't have time to ask questions."

"Okay.
We'll meet you there."

He hung
up and set his phone back in the cup holder as usual.

"Are you
okay?" Rachel asked.

I turned
to look at her with a weak smile, "I'm fine. How are you
feeling?"

She
looked to Zac and partially smiled, "I'm okay. Zac has been taking
care of me."

"Good."

Titus
didn't say a word the entire time we drove. He didn't touch me or
look at me. He seemed angry and I wasn't convinced his anger wasn't
directed at me. Maybe he never thought he would see me kill someone
and he wouldn't want to be with me anymore. Perhaps he thought I
was too violent to be around Christian. I prayed that wasn't what
caused his silence but I didn't know.

*********

We pulled
up to the pack house; anticipation hung thick in the air. I don't
think Titus and I could have ran any faster into the house looking
for Christian. I had tried to get most of the blood off my face so
Christian wouldn't be afraid but there was some caked
on.

"Christian," Titus called as we entered the house. I knew he
was afraid something horrible happened to Christian but he was
holding himself together well as he always did.

Christian
rounded the corner and ran to me instantly. Titus's relief was
instant and apparent at our son's safety and I could finally
breathe a sigh of relief as well. He wrapped his arms around me as
best he could but to my surprise, he didn't cry. I thought he would
be afraid of my appearance but he just seemed happy to see
me.

"Are you
okay," he asked though his voice was muffled by the sheet I was
wrapped in.

"I'm
fine. I'm just happy to be home with you."

"Are you
going with that man again?"

"Never
again," I promised.

"Good. He
was mean."

"Did he
hurt you?" I asked tightly.

"No," he
admitted quietly, "But he hurt you."

Leave it
to Christian to be compassionate. He was beyond his years in his
emotional maturity. He understood things most ten year olds
wouldn't. I was proud that he was so advanced because he wouldn't
be fooled by anything.

"Let's go
home," Titus suggested.

I nodded
and let Titus pick up Christian and we all went out to the car. Zac
and Rachel had already left without even letting me thank them. I
would have to show my gratitude somehow but I needed a shower,
sleep, and food before anything. Also, a very long discussion with
Titus. I wanted to know how he found me within a day. I had
expected it to take him awhile but I was home within twenty-four
hours.

We drove
in total silence to our house and again, he didn't touch me, talk
to me, or look at me. I wasn't sure why he was avoiding me but I
wasn't going to bring it up with Christian in the car.

I noticed
pack warriors surrounding every corner of the house which was
expected after something like this. Titus was going to be
overprotective after his world was turned upside down. Serious harm
could have come to both Christian and myself but thankfully, it was
only me.

Once
inside, Christian wouldn't release my hand. He held on tight as we
made our way upstairs to his room. He seemed a little afraid of the
room but I knew he would be fine.

"Are you
going to be okay alone?" I asked just to make sure.

He nodded
in agreement so I put him in bed and kissed his forehead. Titus
stayed at the door and made no move to enter the room. He was
acting really strange which put me on edge. I couldn't figure out
the reason behind his silence but I couldn't help but wonder where
Claire was.

I didn't
put too much thought into it. I simply walked past Titus and into
our room, heading straight for the bathroom. My mind flashed to the
last time we were together and I wanted to return to that blissful
state but that clearly wasn't happening.

I stepped
inside the giant shower and watched as the black blood washed away
to reveal my usual soft, light skin. I felt like the water couldn't
be hot enough. I couldn't feel clean enough even though I had spent
a good half hour in the shower, soaping, shampoo, everything but I
could still feel his blood, taste it in my mouth. Eventually, I had
to get out. I doubted I would ever feel totally rid of the crime I
committed but it needed to happen. I killed him in a fit of rage
but if I had tried to do it when I was calm, I would have been
killed. I just prayed the Order ended with him but I doubted it.
Andre was just the beginning.

I wrapped
a towel around my body and blow dried my hair. I examined myself in
the mirror, looking for something physically different about myself
but there was nothing. I was the same Elizabeth but something
inside of me had changed. I wasn't as secure as I once was. I was
hardened slightly, somehow more and less emotional.

I went
into the bedroom to see Titus sitting at the edge of the bed,
already expecting me. I stopped dead in my tracks as he looked over
at me. His expression may have been stoic but I could feel his
regret almost like it was my own. I felt my stomach drop. It wasn't
just regret; he felt guilt beyond anything I had ever seen from
him. What could have possibly caused such a deep emotional
response?

"Did he
touch you?" He asked though his voice lacked any
emotion.

"No," I
responded quietly.

"Then why
are there bite marks on your neck?"

"He drank
from me but that was it."

"He
didn't lay a hand on you," he asked but I had a feeling he already
knew the answer to that.

"He hit
me," I said as I touched my lightly bruised jaw.

"Elizabeth, I need to tell you something."

Oh God.
My heart stopped and raced within a second. Had he cheated on
me?

"Okay," I
said carefully.

How would
I react if he told me he was with Claire? Would I flip out? Would I
leave him? Could I leave him? I couldn't leave Christian but what
if he forced me to?

I
cautiously sat next to him at the edge of the bed. He gripped my
hand tightly and kissed my knuckles before taking a
breath.

"I know
just about everything."

I was
caught off guard, "What?"

"About
the way you grew up, why you were even born, your brother...I know
it all. I am so sorry I never tried to learn more about you. And
I'm sorry for not listening to you about Claire. I should have
banned her from the start but I honestly did not think she had this
in her."

I looked
at the ground. I had planned on telling him about everything but I
hadn't planned on when. I knew it was wrong of me to keep my past
so hidden but it was shameful. I had never been wanted by anyone
except a vampire that only wanted to use me for breeding. I needed
to tell him everything. He thought he knew everything but he
didn't. There were things only my parents, Andre, and I
knew.