" Beta family has never been interesting as much as they are now. First, Ava's mate turns out to be the Coach then Aston hooks up with Anna who I think is a substitute for Ava to him and lastly, Sophia is humiliated by Ava and her mother," Ava heard a cheerleader member talking to her friends who are well aware Ava can hear them.
" What is your problem, Vicky?" Ava confronts the girl who smirks back at her.
" I am talking about the hot gossip," Vicky answered.
" Mind your own freaking business," Ava warns as she glared at Vicky with anger.
" What will you do, Ava? You are not my future Luna but a future sigma... Who will leave this pack after her eighteenth birthday. So don't bother messing with me as no one will support you since you won't be a member of Howler Pack," Vicky pats Ava's shoulder to which, Ava shrugged off.
" Don't think too much about the future, you never know what will happen... Think about the present where I am the daughter of the Beta and my status is higher than you so that means people will support me... The power I hold because of my status is something you don't know and hope you don't see as I can easily ruin your whole life in this pack," Ava smirks seeing the visible fear on all the girls and then orders,
" Now, you all will be practising for fifteen minutes without a beak,"
" What?" The girls gasped while Ava states,
" I am the captain and don't test my patience," The girls whine hearing Ava and following her order without any objections.
" Ava, come to my office," Sebastian immediately went towards his office while Ava followed him.
Sebastian opens the door for Ava and locks it once both of them are inside. He walks towards Ava and strokes her cheek with his hand. Making Ava close her eyes as she enjoys the sparkly feeling.
" Why is Aston's scent coming from you? It's strong," Sebastian calmly questions and explains the reason behind the question.
" Before coming here, I met him and we talk... I was talking and crying while he comfort me with a hug," Ava's honestly made Sebastian smile while his wolf, Sean purrs.
" Sebby, Aston is the closest person in my life that I can't cut him off completely," Ava mutters looking at her mate who had an expression of amusement rather than anger like she expected.
" Sebby," Sebastian spoke waiting for Ava's explanation behind the nickname.
" Yeah, Sebby... Sebastian is too long. You don't mind that right?" Ava asked nervously even though his expression answered.
" Not at all, giving me a nickname shows you are accepting me as your mate," Sebastian then kiss Ava.
" I am here for you, Ava. And I will always be... I get that you have a bond with Aston but remember he won't be with you like I will," Sebastian's statement made Ava weird but she shake the feeling off thinking it was his possessiveness that was talking.
" So what are you going to wear at the lunch?" Ava asked as she made a plan to introduce Sebastian to her parents during lunchtime when they will go to a nearby restaurant.
" I am already wearing it," Sebastian answers thinking it's ridiculous to question but keeping his opinion to himself. Ava snored in shock to know Sebastian will be in his Coach uniform.
" You are going to meet my parents for the first time. You have to look the best, Sebby," Ava frowns as she speaks while Sebastian chuckled.
" I don't care about your parent's opinion of me. They have to accept me since we are mates and they can't do a thing," Sebastian pulls Ava to smell her scent knowing this action helps to calm Ava down. But it didn't work as Ava push him so she can talk while making eye contact.
" It does matter to me, Sabby,"
" You are really stressing yourself out about this," Ava nodded to Sebastian's observation.
" I know a way that will make you relax," Sebastian said making Ava ask,
" What is it?"
Sebastian lean to her ear and whispered,
" Making you come," Then he licks Ava's ear area making her shiver.
Meanwhile, Katie is hearing a conversation between Liam's wolf, Tommy and Sophia.
" Katie, leave them alone... This behaviour of yours has to change," Susan advised while she takes the headphones from Katie's head.
" I have to hear what nonsense she will say to manipulate....," Susan didn't let Katie finish her sentence.
" Sophia is a nice girl. Caring, forgiving, humble person and you know it. She won't separate you from Liam,"
" What if my earlier behaviour...," Again Susan interrupted as she knew what Katie was about to say,
" Than apologise to her sincerely... We have known her since she was a child and believe me when I am saying. She is perfect for Liam and the position of Female Beta,"
" I truly regret my actions... I don't know what I was thinking. I always was scared to think of Liam's mate and I kept on hearing Ben's mom's words that she told me...I will be the worst mother, Female Beta and mate," Katie confessed as her eyes filled with tears.
" She was a horrible mother to Ben and a bad example of a Female Beta. She never accepted you because she can't handle Ben giving you time and love," Susan said and advised,
" Don't let history repeat itself," Katie nodded as she took a deep breath.
" Looks like you convinced her," Luna Carol said as soon as she saw them.
" Well, I am talented after all," Susan said proudly making Katie and Carol chuckle.
" Let's see when you will be in my shoe," Katie said.
" I will be in the seven heavens for Oliver. His mate will straighten him up," Susan spoke with a little bit of sadness.
" Is everything okay with him?" Carol asked as she sits on the bed while Katie and Susan joins her.
" Aiden and I tried to talk to Oliver but he is avoiding us and communicating through messages. He just needs time and space to accept so Aiden said to give him that," Susan shares her situation with them looking worried.
" He is a smart boy so don't overthink. He will come through," Katie comforted Susan but she shakes her head,
" It actually depends on how he found out about the adoption... I am scared that he will think he is a replacement for Aisan. Aiden and I couldn't bring ourselves to reveal about her, and his adoption because of that red blood moon night...," Susan couldn't control her cries thinking about the night. The mention of the red blood moon night cause Carol and Katie to shiver in fear along with tears falling out.
The sudden sound of gasping made Katie and Susan look at Carol in alarm.
" Nick's son... What if it's Alexander behind the dead bodies?" Luna Carol questions hoping her friends to object but their silence gave another answer.
" If he is behind this then our children's lives are in great danger," Katie spoke and immediately all three women walked out of the room.
" They are in the pack's cell," Susan muttered as they walked through the garage to use a car as the pack's cell is far from the pack house.
Soon, they arrived at the pack's cell and entered the CCTV room as there is no cameras and only a room other than the storeroom to talk with their mates.
" Tell the Alpha, we have come to talk about an urgent matter and tell him to bring Beta Ben and Gamma Aiden here as well," Luna Carol orders the men in the CCTV room who bowed to her as she entered the room and obeyed her orders.
The three women could see from the screen that their mates are beating rogues as they interrogate the matter of the dead bodies. The same man appeared on the screen to whom Luna Carol gave the order. The women notice the stiffness of their mates and felt fear through mate bonds when the man informed them about their arrival.
" Are they hiding something from us?" Female Beta Katie questions.
" What if they know it's Alexander?" Gamma Susan followed.
" We will ask once they are here," Luna Carol mumbled.
When the men came inside the room, Luna Carol tested them by asking, " It's Alexander, isn't it?"
This made the men surprise and Alpha Chris answered," It's a doubt and we don't have any proof... Did you find anything?"
" He is the only enemy we didn't kill knowing well he is and will be the threat... How stupid we were? We forgot about him," Luna Carol roars in anger as she ignores her mate's question.
" He is a mystery, how can we find him?" Gamma Susan looks at the men hoping they have answers but was disappointed.
" We have to protect our children first," Luna Carol announced and everyone in the room agreed except for Alpha Chris.
" Aston is the future Alpha and protecting him could....," Luna Carol interrupted her mate questioning him in anger,
" Did you forget about the curse? Our children have to leave this pack and hid until Alexander is killed,"
" We are not sure if it's him, Luna," Gamma Aiden said.
" My instincts are saying it's him and a mother's instinct is never wrong, " Luna Carol spoke. Alpha Chris was about to against Luna Carol's statement but was interrupted by Female Beta Katie,
" I agree with Luna here as I am feeling the same,"
" Me too," Female Gamma Susan also joined making the men accept in silence.
" We don't have a way to find him than through the spy which now I think isn't there in our pack," Alpha Chris confessed.
" We consider and strategies everything through but we don't have enough resources to find him or any information on him," Gamma Aiden shared as he went to hold his mate as her eyes are swollen from crying.
" We have allies that will lend their resources," Female Beta Katie suggested immediately as it's an easy matter.
" Still it won't be enough... Only the council and the royal pack have the strong and sufficient resources that we need. We are not dealing with the Unknown so neither of them will help us," Beta Ben points out.
" Then make them believe we are dealing with the Unknown then. After all, we all were thinking the same until Aunt Gi was found," Female Gamma Susan suggested.
Everyone was tempted to agree with her but they could face the consequences if they were caught.
" To make that happen, we have to declare Aunt Gi's death as an act of revenge than as an act of threat to the pack," Gamma Aiden suggested an idea to support his mate.
" I don't have an issue with that," Female Gamma Susan said as she was determined to find Alexander as she is confident Alexander have kill her Aunt.
" I like the plan," Alpha Chris comments while others nodded their head in agreement.
" Then we have to spread the lie behind the cause of Aunt Gi's death. Saying the Alpha of a pack took care of the murder and served justice. People will ask you two questions on that matter and to avoid that you two have to show you are grieving. Have the funeral tomorrow," Alpha Chris instructed the Gamma couple who nodded back.
" Beta Ben, keep on contacting the council now... We have to look desperate,"
" Yes, Alpha," Beta Ben
" Female Beta, you will be supervising the warriors that are trying to find the spy. Carol, you have to take my position until tomorrow night. Because I think it's better to go to our nearby allies to seek help and protection from the Unknown. This will make our story more realistic," Alpha Chris planned out.
" Wow... How did you think about this so soon?" Luna Carol questioned looking amazed matching others' expressions.
" That was my plan when I thought our pack is in danger from the Unknown. I just added the part about the funeral," Alpha Chris spoke looking happy since he finally found a way after a few days.
Then everyone was about to go to do their work, the Beta couple got a message from Ava.
Ava: Stop your work! Get ready so you two can reach on time.
Ben: Thanks for the reminder, sweetie.
" Let's get ready to meet him," Katie said before the couple take leaves from Alpha Chris who laugh and said,
" Don't kill him without getting to know him, Ben"
" I will, Chris," Ben said and went to the pack house with his mate.
Beta Ben wore a black shirt which he rolled the sleeve and black pants to look intimidating so he has the upper hand on Sebastian. Which he can use to make Sebastian shift into the pack and Ava could be around him.
" You are going to scare him, aren't you?" Katie said the rhetorical question while coming from the closet wearing a semi-formal outfit.
" It's good if he is scared so he will treat Ava right and don't takes advantage," Ben growls as he remembers the recording he heard from Ava's room.
" Let's meet him and get to know him before any judgment," Katie advised Ben before leaving the pack house.
The Beta couple arrived at the restaurant and soon saw Ava with her mate waiting for them.
" Okay, Mom, Dad meet Sebastian," Ava formally introduce her parents to Sebastian who was a casual dark blue t-shirt and jeans.
" It's my pleasure to meet you," Sebastian lied easily that his heartbeat was stable as lying can trigger the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. In reality, Sebastian has thought of ten ways to kill the beta couple within three minutes.
" Same here, " Katie said and Ben said while keeping eye contact with Sebastian,
" I feel the same and I hope you don't change that,"
" I can't guarantee that," Sebastian spoke immediately without breaking eye contact. Ava and Katie laugh thinking as a joke soon the men joined as well.
" So Sebastian, tell us about yourself?" Ben immediately started his inquiry to see if Sebastian is lying.
" Well, there isn't much... After my mom's death, Dad has been mourning ever since so occupy himself with work and that's why he mostly is busy... I had to take care of myself at the early stage by focusing on my studies and career," Sebastian answered.
" That must be hard," Katie commented.
" Well, the thought of mate helped me through, " Sebastian hold Ava's thigh as he spoke. This action made Ben angry as he felt it was an act to show territory. Sebastian could feel Ben's anger so he started to draw patterns on Ava's thigh. Instantly, Ava's arousal could be smelled which had a calming effect on Sebastian while it had the opposite on her parents.
" Let's not ignore the age difference between you two. Even though it's just a number and it does show the maturity level of a person has... Ava is just seventeenth and she is innocent about the outside world....," Sebastian interrupted Katie as he figure out what she was trying to indicate.
" I agree that Ava is innocent about the outside but that won't last long as I am planning to make her explore the whole world. Starting from a weekend trip outside the state," Ava was surprised to hear Sebastian's plan.
" You must be joking," Ava spoke in disbelief and before Sebastian could say, Ben spoke,
" You can't take Ava to another state. She is a kid,"
" Ava will always be a kid in your eyes after all she is your daughter. I understand your protectiveness towards her... You have to accept she is my mate and I have claimed her," Sebastian restricted himself from attacking Ben.
" Legally, she is a minor," Ben growls.
" According to human law, yes she is. But we don't follow that law. According to the law, the King has set after my claim I have more rights on Ava than both of you. With all due respect," Sebastian smiles genuinely seeing the Beta couple in frustration.
" You are right, Sebastian but the thing is... there is a threat to Ava's life and it isn't safe for her to travel outside the state," Katie holds Ben's hand and spoke with a tight smile.
" Don't worry, I will protect Ava no matter what. And be ensured, Ava will be safe with me during our trip," Sebastian spoke after sniffing Ava's neck where her mark will be.
" I will not allow you to take Ava for this trip," Ben closes his eyes as he spoke.
" I think you forgot about one thing here. I am Ava's mate and I don't need anyone's permission to take her," Sebastian lets a small growl in the end shocking everyone couple as his growl was a strong one that people nearby them submitted to him.
" Sebastian, please don't misunderstand us... it's just we thought Aston will be Ava's mate and suddenly it turn out to be you... it's a huge change that we all are adjusting to. I am sure, you don't mind giving Ava time for adjusting," Katie spoke trying to calm the tension at the table.
" I am giving her the time and space she needs... thinking I am rushing and being unreasonable is a joke. After all, I am letting her stay with you when being a member of this pack causes her life to be in danger," Sebastian said.
" What?" Katie roars at Sebastian who didn't look scared or had any effect while Ava was panicking seeing their interactions.
" Mom, please," Ava pleaded helplessly.
" Don't beg, Ava... I am taking her with me to my place and she will be staying with me... seeing both of your control on your wolves shows your inability. No wonder you haven't found the guy who threatened...." Ben interrupted Sebastian speaking.
" We know the person behind it... it's Alexander...," Ben stopped himself as he realised he reveal the confidential information.
" Sebby, I am okay for the trip but I don't want to leave my parents right now... After my eighteenth birthday, I will live with you," Ava quickly changed the subject after a few moments of silence.
Sebastian nodded to Ava after recovering from the shock that Ben gave. He then pulled Ava's head to kiss her which cause Ben and Katie to growl in warning.