The Four Beta Brothers
Chapter 124

JUNIPER

We spent hours eating and chatting and drinking in celebration of the new roles of the pack. Usually this part was done as a big party with the entire pack to celebrate their new alpha, but I enjoyed the intimacy of the small group. "It's a little weird to think that these boys are running this pack now," Alpha Williams said. "The stories I could tell about them when they were younger."

"Alpha Williams, do you have a*s about my mother?" I asked. Normally, it was difficult to bring up my mother in casual conversation, but with a few drinks in my system, it came naturally.

"Please, call me Elijah. I'm no longer the alpha," he said with an easy smile. "And I'm not sure what kind of stories you're looking for."

Asher draped his arm around my shoulders, and I got the sense he was a little worried about the topic. I leaned into Asher's touch, feeling comforted.

"I don't really know, honestly. Moira's parents knew my parents but barely. We hadn't lived in her pack for very long before my parents died. I just thought it would be nice to talk to someone who knew her. She worked for you for years. Surely there's something you can tell me."

The entire room fell silent as I spoke, and I became hyper-aware that the party mood had died as I brought up the topic of my deceased mother.

"I... I didn't know her that well. Sorry, kiddo," Elijah said. "I'm sure there's someone in the pack who knew her better than me. I can ask around and set you up with someone, if you want."

My body sank into Asher's side as disappointment flushed through my system. "Yeah. Sure."

Heline stood up suddenly. She glared at me and then abruptly walked away without a word, making me feel like I had done something wrong. I just didn't know what.

Elijah pushed his chair back and said, "Guess that's my cue to leave. Don't stay up too late tonight. Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day."

Kalli looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. Maybe you were right. I don't think Heline likes you.

I jumped, hearing Kalli's voice in my head. It was the first time she had linked me since I officially joined the pack. I didn't know what to say. It was one thing to think that the former luna was cold with everyone, but if Kalli thought she was being especially cold to me, I had no doubt she didn't like me. I just didn't understand why.

"Let's have another round of drinks!" Winston said, holding up his cup.

Kalli grabbed his arm. "Actually, I think it may be time for bed. Like your father said, tomorrow is going to be a busy day." She gave me a sympathetic smile before dragging Winston away.

"Shall we go to bed too?" Asher asked. He ran his hand down my back, distracting me from my concerns about Heline.

I nodded and stood up, feeling a little wobbly from the drinks. It had been a while since I had drunk that much, and my body didn't understand what was going on. Axel and Asher grabbed my arms at the same time to keep me steady. "I'm okay," I tried to insist.

"Sure you are," Axel said in a way that made it obvious he didn't believe me.

I looked at Asher. "Tell your brother I'm not that drunk."

"I would if I believed it," Asher said.

I glared at him, frustrated neither of the twins were listening to me. I turned to Ethan, who was still sitting at the table. "What about you? Are you on their side, too?"

Ethan put up his hands. "I'm not getting involved in this."

I narrowed my eyes, knowing it was three against one. "Fine. Let's just go to bed then." I started walking away with Asher and Axel still clinging to my arms. I paused, realizing Ethan wasn't following. I looked over my shoulder and asked, "Are you coming?" "In a bit. I want to go over the plan one last time," he said.

Asher frowned. "We've been over the plan about a hundred times. You know it backwards and forwards now. Take it easy for tonight and just relax."

Ethan forced a smile. "I'll be up soon. I promise."

You've done everything you could to prepare for tomorrow, I linked him. I felt his turmoil stirring as he sat there. Part of him still blamed himself for losing Nathan, and until Nathan was safely home, I wasn't sure if Ethan would ever give himself a proper break. I know. I just want to be sure we haven't missed anything for tomorrow. Go to bed. I'll only be a few minutes.

I nodded, suddenly wondering if I would see him before I fell asleep tonight.

I grabbed my toothbrush as Axel and Asher prepared the room. The pack house didn't have proper accommodation for someone with three mates, so we were assigned two different guest rooms with queen-sized beds in each. None of the brothers had been able to decide who I would sleep with, but we settled with the twins sharing a room and Ethan and me sharing a room.

However, now that it was time to sleep, Axel took the blankets and pillows from their room and started setting up a makeshift bed on the floor, and I knew the twins weren't going anywhere tonight.

I started walking out the door when Asher asked, "Where are you going?"

I gestured to my toothbrush. "To brush my teeth."

"I'll come with you," he said.

"I can go to the bathroom by myself," I insisted. I had hardly had a moment alone to breathe since arriving in Vinly City. I knew the brothers were extra worried about their father attempting an ambush attack here, but I felt safer in this pack house than I ever felt at the school.

"I don't mind," Asher said.

"There are warriors at every entrance to the house, and even more stationed inside. This place is practically a bunker. I'm only going down the hall. I'll be fine for a few minutes." I didn't back down, knowing I didn't need a babysitter for this small task. If Anthony managed to get into the pack house and grab me in the few minutes it took to freshen up for bed, then this pack had bigger problems to worry about.

"If you're not back in five minutes, I hope you know we're going to come looking for you," Axel said.

I waved my hand at him, brushing off the comment. I did my best to walk in a straight line as I left. The alcohol was still flooding my system, making the floor seem wobbly. I was almost to the bathroom, when I heard a hushed argument floating down the hallway. Between my lack of inhibition and my curiosity, I found myself wandering towards the sound of the voices.

As I got closer, I recognized that the voices belonged to Elijah and Heline.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Elijah asked. He was exasperated, which seemed unlike him.

"Send her home!"

I knew I was listening to a private conversation, but I couldn't pull myself away. Something told me I needed to know what this argument was about. "You know I can't do that. She's Ethan's mate."

This conversation was definitely about me. My heart raced, and I couldn't decide if I wanted to run away or turn the corner to expose them.

"Send them both away then. Winston can choose a different beta. I refuse to live in a pack where I have to see your love child every day." "Keep your voice down. What if someone hears you?"

"Let them hear me. I don't care. I can't do this, Elijah. I don't want to keep your big secret anymore."

"Heline, please. I thought we were past this. We have been good for so long."

"We haven't been good in a long time. Do you even love me or do you just keep me around as a trophy?"

"Of course, I love you."

"But not like her."

"That's not fair. That was different, and I chose you."

"You wanted to choose her. If she wasn't an omega, you would've chosen her."

I couldn't take it anymore. I flipped around the corner where I saw Elijah and Heline standing at the top of the stairs. "Who? Who would you have chosen?"

I knew who they were talking about already. It didn't take a genius to figure it out, but I wanted him to say it out loud.

Heline shut her mouth, her lips turning into a tight line. Elijah's eyes bugged from the shock.

"You weren't meant to hear this conversation," he said.

"Maybe next time don't talk about secrets where anyone can stumble upon you then," I said. "Who are the two of you talking about? My mother, right?"

Elijah took a deep breath. "We should probably talk about this somewhere else."

"You two have fun with that. I'm leaving." Heline tried to walk away, but Elijah grabbed her arm.

"Please don't leave like this."

Heline's shoulders sank. "This is none of my business. You made that clear to me over twenty years ago when you had an affair." She ripped her arm out of his grip and stormed down the stairs.

"What's going on here?" Asher and Axel appeared behind me, and both of them placed a hand on my back protectively.

I stared at the man in front of me in a whole new light. Elijah looked nothing like me. I must've misheard something, because there was no way I was the alpha's daughter. Except his ears. His ears looked just like mine. "I think Alpha Williams is my father."