The Beta

XXX

*Rian*

The thudding of several different hearts filled my ears as I roused from unconsciousness. I took a deep breath and winced. My brain was throbbing behind my ear. I never got headaches.

"He's awake," noted a weak voice.

A moment later, the blinding sunlight was blocked by three figures. I blinked until my eyes adjusted. Their faces were concealed by shadows, but I somehow recognized them.

"How's that head of yours?" the man on my left quipped. His voice registered in my mind almost immediately.

"Titus?" My own voice was spotty and unstable.

I flinched when a hand clapped onto my shoulder. Only one person ever did that, so I was now doubtless my closest friend was here. I was glad we were together again; his camaraderie was missed while I was in Tidy Heights. But then I realized that if Titus was with me, I wasn't in Tidy Heights anymore. Then I remembered my incident with Michael.

The men hovering around choked in surprise as I launched myself off the couch I was on. My muscles were tensed while I searched for the idiot who'd knocked me out. Yet Michael wasn't here.

Titus, Rosco, and my father were the three figures. Rosco was in a wheelchair, looking much worse than the last time we'd seen each other. My father and Titus were staring at me through concerned eyes.

"Where is he?" I demanded. "Where is Michael?"

"Breathe, Rian," Rosco ordered.

Although taking orders was the last thing I felt like doing, my body was already responding. My chest expanded with a deep breath. The nice thing about being away was not dealing with Alpha's orders. Rarely did I have a choice when it came to his commands.

"Michael did as he was told," my uncle continued once I'd calmed down. "He said you were becoming a menace. After your first outburst with Thea, I decided you needed to return to the pack immediately."

"I'm not a menace," I muttered.

"What do you call terrorizing a young girl?"

My jaw clenched. "Faye is my anima. I wasn't terrorizing her."

"Your call log suggests otherwise."

"What?" A growl rose from within me. "You were reading my call logs? How did you even get that information?"

Rosco sighed and shook his head. "That is beside the point. If this girl was your anima, she would be helping you improve. From the evidence we have, she wasn't—"

"Evidence? You think a call log proves anything?"

I was nearing the edge of control. My temper was slipping, I could sense it. Once it was gone, there was nothing my Alpha could say to shut it down. So I bolted for the door. If I didn't cool off, I would tear this place apart. Or worse. I would tear someone apart.

"Rian, wait!" Titus hollered after me.

It was no use. My body transitioned the moment I escaped the house. Before I'd even charged into the forest, a whiff of familiarity infiltrated my body. This place once felt like home. Without Faye, it felt like anything but that.

I needed her. I would have to find a way back to her.