Neo

The summit ended, the party started, and still no sign of Beckham. We hadn’t seen him since he caused the scene at the beginning of the Summit. Nate was still shaken by the encounter, he hadn’t been expecting Beckham to react the way he had…but it cemented the claims everyone had against Beckham as the truth. We were packing up when I heard a knock on our door; Nate’s dad had gone to get the car, and Malcolm was in our room with us. I opened the door cautiously and relaxed when I saw it was Alpha Jefferson…and his beta.

“Hello Sir.”

“We’re both Alphas, no need for such formalities. May we come in? We have some rather sensitive information to discuss with you.”

I opened the door wider and let them inside, Nate looked up when he heard our company enter the sitting room. His eyes brightened in recognition before he was rushing forward,

“Alpha Jefferson! It’s so good to see you!” Nate pulled the older man in for a hug, and then Christopher as well.

“Nate, sit down.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Beckham escaped our hotel room on the first day of the Summit. We thought we could track him down, but we haven’t had any luck. We wanted to warn you.”

“Is Bree with him?”

“We got a call from Ms. Hammonds…she hasn’t seen Bree in two weeks. Beck told me she was busy training and that’s why she couldn’t come to the Summit but with the call from her mom, and the fact that Ms. Hammonds had no knowledge of this training. I'm led to believe that Beckham has done something to Bree.”

Nate was silent, his face frozen in shock. He was processing all this new information, so I took his hand and asked the question I knew he was dying to ask,

“If you knew Beckham was dangerous, why let him walk around freely? Why keep him as your heir?”

“Beckham’s younger brother isn’t ready for this kind of responsibility.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. You obviously knew Beckham was a danger to Nate, and to the pack. Why allow him to walk around freely? Why not have him committed? Arrest him for the murder of Sam?”

“He’s my son…I thought it would go away.”

“Mental illness doesn’t just go away. Beckham is sick. He is disturbed. He needs professional help.” 

“What do you want us to do?” Nate asked, his gold eyes fierce with determination.

“Keep an eye out for him. If he tries to contact you, alert me immediately.”

I heard the hotel room door unlock and Nate’s dad appeared. He looked panicked, I watched him do a silent headcount before his eyes settled on Alpha Jefferson. His eyes narrowed into angry slits before he was charging across the room, his hands covering the older man’s throat,

“YOU PUT MY SON IN DANGER! YOU KNEW YOUR SON WAS DANGEROUS AND YOU ALLOWED HIM TO STILL COME NEAR MY BOY! HOW COULD YOU BE SO CARELESS AND SELFISH? I TRUSTED YOU!”

I stood and dragged Mr. O’Rourke away from Alpha Jefferson, the alpha in question rubbed his neck before looking up at the still seething warrior wolf,

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry, don't bring back the dead! Beckham could’ve snapped at any time and killed Nate.”

“I realized that. It's why I had your family transferred.”

“Dad, you looked panicked when you came into the room, what’s wrong?”

“The car, it’s gone.”

“Our car is gone?” Malcolm asked, “But I still have the keys.”

“Beck knows how to hotwire cars. He learned in middle school so he could jack Alpha Jefferson’s car.”

“Beckham stole a car? Where is he going?”

“Home?”

“If he was going back to Purple Moon, he would have taken my keys and left. No, he has a destination in mind.”

“He took a car so we couldn’t track his scent. He probably dumped it as soon as he realized it was ours. He could be anywhere.”

“If I’m his target…wouldn’t his destination be halfway between here and Pacifica?” Nate asked,

He knew Beckham better than any of us. He could probably track him down quickly, if given the chance.

“Yes, that would be logical; but is Beckham manic right now or deep inside his delusion?”

“What should we do then? Go about our lives like everything is normal?” Nate asked, he had stood up abruptly, dislodging my hand from his. He was angry…and confused, and he was worried about this Bree girl.

“Are we sure Beckham did something to Bree? Isn’t she his destined mate?”

“To Beckham she is in the way of the mate and life he wants.”

“Why is he fixated on me? He’s always came across as straight…why didn’t he tell me his feelings before I left? Why did he hide this from me?”

“I don’t know the logic my son lives by. I only know that he believes that Nate is his mate. Just be careful. I would hate for something to happen to you.”

***

Nate was uncharacteristically silent on the drive home, he wasn’t even this quiet while he slept. I knew that he was processing this information the only way he knew how…which was shutting down. He had just learned his best friend murdered his other friend, who possibly was more than a friend? Nate never said if he was in love with Sam, only that Sam had been in love with him. We pulled into the pack just as the sun was setting; when the ignition cut off Nate came out of his stupor.

“We’re home already?”

“Yes love, it doesn’t take all that long to get back. Especially when your dad drives like an extra from Fast and Furious.”

That got a chuckle out of him, and a grunt from the driver in question. Mr. O’Rourke shoved Malcolm awake; and that was always fun to watch. When Malcolm is forced to wake up, he jumps and flings his arms around him wildly. 

“Whatcha doin’? I was sleepin’ man.”

“We know, time to get up.” I said between bursts of laughter.

“Aight, I gotta woman to go see.”

Malcolm stumbled from the car and made his way into the Pack House without falling on his face, an amazing feat in itself. Once Mr. O’Rourke was gone, walking back to his house I turned to Nate,

“Are you okay? You’ve been really quiet.”

“I still can’t wrap my head around Beck’s true nature…I just--I don’t know.”

“Hey, we’re going to find Bree, and we’re going to find Beckham.”

“What if he finds me first?”

“You are not going to leave the inner Packlands for the time being. I know you’re more than capable of protecting yourself…but Beckham is a natural born Alpha, with just as much training as you. Plus, he’s crazy. Please, for my peace of mind…stay within the perimeter of the Pack House.”

“Of course I will. I'm Luna afterall. I need to put the Pack first.”

Somehow I didn’t quite believe that Nate would stay put. If he got a text or call from Beckham, I had no doubt he would go and meet him. To hear him out and get his side of the story. I couldn’t say I blamed him, if I was being told by various people that the person I called my best friend for most of my life was actually a murderer and was now suspected of kidnapping or killing their mate…I’d want to find my own answers too. 

I just hoped it wouldn’t end with me losing Nate.

Nate

It had been a little over a week since the Summit; and I hadn’t heard anything from Beckham. I kept checking my phone, answering every phone call…but nothing from Beckham. I was starting to think everyone was wrong about Beckham being obsessed with me. Maybe he just ran off with Bree to escape the pressures of being an Alpha. It was not an easy job, poor Neo was up to his neck in paperwork and transfer requests even now. A lot of packs weren’t willing to take in homophobic wolves so finding them new packs was an issue and a lengthy process. I was going over paperwork for Blessings and Mating Ceremonies, as was my new job when there was a knock on my office door,

“Come in.” I called out, not looking up from the proposal in my hand,

“Alpha Neo requested that I come get you for dinner.”

“Thank you Nora.”

I stamped the proposal with ‘APPROVED’ in red ink before standing and walking down the hall to Neo’s office. We’d been working non-stop since coming home; and we’d barely had the extra time to move into our new place. Tonight would be our official first night in the Alpha’s Suite, and Neo was cooking us dinner…but first I had to drag him away from his work. I walked into the office without knocking, because why would I have to? 

Neo was on the phone, his brows furrowed and his lips were set in a thin line; whatever was being told to him, he didn’t like. He saw me and put the call on speaker, Alpha Jefferson’s familiar gruff voice filled the room,

“--found an empty syringe on a service road that borders our land. After analyzing it, it's a heavy dose of wolfsbane, liquid silver, and sedatives. Whoever took Bree knew how to lure her to a secluded area and then get her to the drop off site. Beckham also hasn’t been sighted anywhere near Purple Moon or the human towns surrounding us. Our allies by the Summit haven’t seen him either but a pair of male rogues have been seen at a convenience store in Silver Crescent territory…it’s possible they’re working for Beckham so we’re keeping an eye on them.”

“He hasn’t contacted me either.”

“It’s only a matter of time. I’ll call back when I have more information.”

The line went dead, and Neo let out a long, defeated sigh. I waited for him to speak and when he did; my heart broke a little;

“How am I supposed to protect you, when I don’t even know where the threat is? I feel like you could disappear at any moment.”

“Baby, I’m not leaving the inner Pack just like you asked, I pretend not to notice the guard you have on me at all times, even though I’m probably better trained than him, and I moved into the Alpha Suite with you. You’ve made the Pack House a fortress, the only way Beckham can get me is if he lures me away from the pack.”

“That’s what worries me. You’re going to meet him when he asks so you can get his side of the story. It’s just who you are.”

“As much as I want to know why he is the way he is from him, I’m not stupid or selfish enough to sacrifice myself and put you through that.”

Neo didn’t look one hundred percent convinced, but he did look somewhat satisfied with my answer. He stood from his desk and took my hand, 

“Come on, I have dinner to make for us.”

***

I’ve decided that I could watch Neo cook for the rest of my life. He only wore a wife beater, and it did little to hide the physique that I knew he had. I didn’t think cooking could be sensual but I was wrong. I seemed to be wrong an awful lot lately. Neo set a plate of pasta in front of me and a mocktail. We might be the Alpha and Luna respectively of this pack, but we were still underage so we couldn’t have the werewolf grade alcohol just yet. The human grade would have to do for now. It would take at least twenty of these standard sized mocktails to really make us tipsy.

“This looks amazing, babe! When did you learn to cook?”

“My grandmother taught me before she died.”

“Oh…uh.”

“It’s fine, babe. She died ten years ago.”

Neo sat across from me, and we enjoyed each-other’s company by candlelight. Talking about everything but the current crisis we were facing. It was perfect, I loved this man…and that didn’t scare me like I thought it would.

“I love you.” I blurted out, my eyes widened in horror…what if he didn’t love me? Wait, didn’t we already say we loved each-other? 

“I love you too Nate, why do you look so scared?”

“I forgot we already said ‘I love you’ to each-other.” 

Neo laughed, and it was a beautiful sound, he hadn’t laughed so freely in a long time. I took his free hand and then laughed with him, because it was pretty funny.

***

The next day, it was surreal to just walk down a flight of stairs to work. I was still rubbing sleep from my eyes when my phone rang, I didn’t even check the caller ID before answering.

“Hello mate.”

A chill went down my spine, this didn’t sound like the Beckham I grew up with. I took a deep, calming breath before answering;

“Beck, I’m not your mate. I have a mate and I’m very happy with him.”

“NO! You were forced to say that…he’s there with you right now, isn’t he?”

“No Beck, I’m alone. I’m telling you of my own free will, that I am in love with my mate and I am happy where I am. Now, where is Bree?”

“Bree? You care about Bree but not me?”

“Bree is missing, she was kidnapped. Did you have something to do with it?”

“She was in the way. She needs to disappear so we can be together.”

“Will you let her go if I agree to meet with you?”

Silence. Neo was going to flip his shit when I told him what I just offered. But if I could possibly save Bree…then it would be worth it, wouldn’t it?

“I’ll consider it. If you meet me alone; if I sense you have backup or you bring that farce of a mate, Bree dies.”

“When do you want to meet?”

“I’m at a lake on your territory. Didn’t take me long to get to it from a human service road.”

“It’ll take me twenty minutes to get there.”

“See you soon.”

The line went dead, and I almost decided not to go…but then I thought of Sam; how much he loved his sister. Bree didn’t deserve to be used as a pawn like this. It wasn’t her fault she was mated to this psycho. I stood, wrote out a quick note on a post-it and walked out of the Pack House, escaping my guard wouldn’t be hard; but I didn’t think they’d stay gone for very long. Shifting, I was immediately accosted by Dixon. He was not happy with me.

You promised Deaton and Neo you wouldn’t meet him alone! How STUPID can you be?

I have to, I have to save Bree.

Who’s to say she isn’t already dead? What if he kills her anyway?

It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I owe this to Sam.

I ran into the woods, going as fast as I could. I was the fastest wolf in the pack, beating out even all of the Hunter Wolves. It wouldn’t take long to lose Nolan, I did feel a little guilty about it, Neo was going to be furious. I made it to the edge of the Lake, I could only sense Beckham, so I shifted and pulled on a pair of shorts that was hidden in the hollow of a tree.

I walked onto the sunny shore, and Beckham smiled at me. But it wasn’t warm like it used to be. This smile was cold, almost a sneer. It promised pain. I wanted to run back to Neo, have him engulf me in his arms and make me forget about this stranger before me. 

“My mate. You came.”

“I said I would.” It would be easier, and safer to not correct him about the mate comment. 

“You aren’t alone! I told you to come alone!”

“I did come alone! I can’t help it if they follow their Luna!”

“You aren’t theirs! You belong to Purple Moon!”

“I don’t belong to anyone. I’m a free man and I choose to be with my Goddess given mate.”

Beckham lunged forward and plunged a syringe into the side of my neck, I had forgotten he was so fast. I didn’t even have time to react. This must be the stuff he used on Bree. My eyelids were so heavy, I felt myself falling forward and being caught in the arms of a man that was definitely not my mate.

“Shh, it's okay Nate. I have you now, we’ll be together forever.”