The Beta's Mate Returns

Preview to The Beta's Mate Returns

Ever since I was a young child I had a particular obsession with flowers. It wasn't so much the flower's themselves, but the power within them.

It started with the whisper of a breeze calling to me. I followed that whisper and found that I could hear the flower's voice lulling me in.

I was in complete control.

From the moment I placed those little seedlings in the earth with my bare hands I was enmeshed in their future. They would obey my every command like leafy little soldiers as they worshipped my power.

I watered them everyday, whispering sweet incantations to the seedlings to rise from the ground, and The flower's would follow my invocations without question as they rose from the ground obediently and spread open their petals eagerly.

I thought I had an amazing gift being able to communicate with the earth. But one day I showed my mother these powers, and she was horrified. A werewolf must not play with magic she warned me. I was never to touch the flower's again. 

I didn't believe her, and then she died that summer. I used my magic everyday. At least for a short while, the whispering song of the flower's filament would serenade my haunted soul with their sweet honey music.

But then winter came, and the sunlight would shift away, and the woeful timbre of the flower's song would begin. The flower's would endlessly beg me to spare them from their suffering as the cold air blew onto their delicate petals.

I learned that my magic came with a price. I would always have to kill them or be tortured by their words.

And so, I would place a kiss on their petals, or touch their stems and watch helplessly as they died.

Their buds would close, the song that came from their filament would disappear into nothingness, and the flower's would return to the safety of the earth.

As the season's shifted, and the warmth of the sun returned, those same flower's would beg me for sunlight and water yet again.

I refused. If I let them grow, I knew they would latch onto my essence and drain my inner peace.

The flower's were angry but eventually their song grew quiet, until only the faint sound of music would reach my ear. If I wanted to hear them now, I would need to lean into their petals very closely and listen.

But, I was not like those flowers. I was never going to be beg for freedom from my pain ever again. No matter how many times I bathed in the darkness, I would never beg for the light. My petals were permanently torn off and my stem ripped from the ground so violently it would never find a place to grow ever again.

I brushed the dirt off my knees with my left hand, as I remained fascinated by this garden.

"Mom,", said the voice of my thirteen year old son from my side.

Matthias stood, with those emerald eyes glistening as the sun kissed down onto his tanned skin, with that bright smile brightening his face.

"How long are we going to be stuck out here gardening?", my son asked as he tossed the dirt aside with a frown marring his innocent face.

I loved Matthias. Even though Matthias was born into my darkness, he managed to radiate light from his inner soul. He was untouched by everything that had haunted my life; those day's on the mountainside were erased from his mind. I had a certain deplorable creature to thank for helping him forget that I was a warm blooded killer.

"Oh stop complaining, you love it here", I said as I ruffled my finger's through his wispy blond curls affectionately. His smile widened making the dimples on his cheek more prominent.

"I know, I just have some plans", Matthias said as he stepped out of my embrace gently.

I could see the question on his face as he looked at me with that pouting face. He knew that look in his eyes was my weakness. It reminded me of his pale body, nearly frozen to death, and my deal with that dainty demon.

"Fine, just tell Chase and his mom that I say hello", I said with a smile.

I turned to face the garden with a wistfulness, my sweet little baby boy was almost ready to bloom, and I needed to protect him from the darkness that was always near.

"Thanks mom. I'll be back home in a few hours", Matthias said as he enveloped me in his wide arms.

"I love you", I said as I pressed a kiss on his forehead.

I wanted him to be my precious little boy forever, but his future was drawing nearer everyday. I wanted to enjoy these special moments because it wouldn't be long now.

Something was coming.

"I love you too mom", Matthias said as he pulled away from me.

I watched him run down the garden path and I knew we would be safe.... for now.

I looked back at the garden with its' array of blooming flowers. The chrysanthemums were ready to be plucked.

Ah yes, I could use the yellow chrysanthemum to make a fine pot of sweet tea later this week.

I thanked the flower for their offering as I plucked it carefully so the stem remained intact.

As I was placing the flower's in a jar to be dried out for tea, I was interrupted yet again.

This time, it was the sound of my cellular phone ringing quite loudly that distracted me.

I dusted off the dirt by rubbing my hands quickly onto my faded blue overalls. I reached into the pocket of the overalls to grab the phone.

Matthias had convinced me I needed one of these things last year.

He was right, as always.