The Four Beta Brothers
Chapter 129

JUNIPER

I started rushing into the crowd, but Asher grabbed me before I got very far.

"Let go!" I shouted, yanking my arm to try to get away from Asher. I was frantically trying to go after Nathan.

"June! What has gotten into you?" Asher grabbed me with his other hand and forced me to look at him. "I can't let you go out there. You're one of the biggest targets here."

"I don't care. Nathan is out there! I saw him." I knew I wasn't thinking, but seeing Nathan threw me off.

"Are you sure it was him?" Asher asked. He didn't loosen his grip on me, but he looked out into the crowd, trying to verify my statement.

"He linked me," I said, my voice cracking. "He's here, and I have to go after him. Please let me go."

"No," Asher said firmly. "We will get Nathan back, but you are not trained. If you go out there, you'll fall right into my father's trap." "I don't care. Let me go."

"I care!" Asher snapped. "I refuse to lose you again, got it? I just got you back, and I'm not going to let my father touch you again."

"But what about Nathan?" I asked. My whole body shook. The need to go after Nathan filled every cell, and I couldn't shake it.

"I will go after him, after I get you to a safe place," Asher said.

"I don't want to go anywhere." I dug my heels and protested.

"I know, but this is for your own good." Asher grabbed my waist and threw me over his shoulder, ignoring my protests. He rushed inside the pack house, where other guests were being ushered for their own safety. He pushed through the panic, not stopping until he reached the room we had stayed in. He set me down on the bed and knelt in front of me.

Asher cupped my face, and for a moment, I was able to focus on him.

"I know you don't like this and want to be involved, but it's too dangerous. My brothers and I need to know you're safe, or we won't be able to focus out there," Asher said.

"But what about Nathan?" I asked. I had no doubt he was here, and I couldn't stand the idea of losing him again when he was finally in reach.

"I will find Nathan and bring him to safety," Asher said, "But only if you promise to stay in here with the door locked. Don't leave this room until I assure you personally it's safe. Promise me that, and I promise I will bring Nathan home."

I studied Asher's eyes. I didn't want to make that promise, but I knew it was the only logical option. I didn't have any warrior experience, and I would be useless out there. The least I could do was make sure I wasn't another distraction for the brothers. "I promise," I whispered, tears spilling out of my eyes.

Asher pulled me into a kiss, lingering longer than he should've. "I love you, June. Don't forget that."

"I love you, too," I said.

"Lock the door behind me, and link me if anything even feels wrong, okay?"

I nodded, following him to the door. He slipped outside, and he glanced back at me before running down the hallway. I shut the door and locked it, just as I promised. Then I rushed to the window and peeked outside.

The backyard was in chaos. The archway was broken into several pieces as everyone stomped over it in their hurry to get away. People were screaming and running, but I couldn't tell from what. Wolves snarled and dashed through the crowd, ready to protect as many people as possible. Bodies were scattered on the ground, covered in blood, but the enemy still didn't seem obvious.

Then I saw them. They blended in with the regular crowd, because they looked almost like humans. Their speed was the first giveaway. Their eyes were the second.

Vampires dispersed through the crowd, slashing the throats of the innocent before their victims could see it coming. My hands shook as I watched the scene unfold below me. I was safe in this room because I was mated to some of the most powerful werewolves, while others didn't have that same level of protection.

I clenched my fists, hating every second in this room. I wanted to help but felt helpless, knowing there was nothing I could do. I swore to myself that when all of this was over, I would change that. I would train and learn how to fight, so I would never have to hide behind locked doors again.

I wanted to step away from the window, since watching the scene unfold did nothing for my mentality, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. It was a bloodbath of the worst kind, and I just wanted it to stop.

Juny, where are you? Nathan's voice filled my head, and I stopped breathing.

I wanted to link him back and tell him exactly where I was, but my chest tightened, and something felt wrong.

Juny, please. I need your help.

My wolf twisted under the surface of my skin. I wanted to reach out to Nathan, tell him exactly where I was, but my wolf was frozen. Something about Nathan didn't feel right anymore. I could feel his presence, and I knew it was Nathan. He was still my mate, but there was something about him that wasn't the Nathan I knew.

***

ETHAN

I lunged at a vampire, snapping my jaws around her neck and tearing her head off her body. The moment the first scream echoed through the crowd, I had shifted into my wolf form, ready to attack and defend. Winston and Kalli shifted seconds after me, and as I stood by my alpha's side in wolf form for the first time, I felt a surge of power running through my veins.

I was the official beta of all werewolves, and I was born to defend and protect my alpha and his pack. I felt the power of the Moon Goddess flowing through me, and I knew she was by my side, giving me the strength I needed to kill the vampires attacking my pack. I tore through vampire after vampire without a thought. Every life I saved from these monsters only fueled me more.

Where did they all come from? Winston linked to me as he took down his fair share of vampires.

Anthony. My eyes landed on my father as I linked his name. He walked through the entrance of the backyard with two vampires on either side of him and a woman who smelled neither like a werewolf nor a vampire. She had to be the witch who hid Craig Clandestine's scent.

Where do you need me? Asher linked. He bounded through the crowd, and I felt his presence draw closer.

What are you doing? Where's Juniper? I demanded. If my mate wasn't safe, then I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on the immediate problem in front of me.

She's safe in the pack house, he said, but it didn't make me feel better. I wanted Asher to stay by Juniper's side.

Go back to her. We can't risk Anthony getting his hands on her. I ordered. I didn't hesitate to use my beta authority, even though he was my brother. Juniper saw Nathan. I promised I'd go after him. Asher said. Besides, you need me out here more.

Go protect our mate! I snapped.

Kalli jumped between us and growled. I will go look after Juniper. The two of you need to stop fighting and take down your father before it's too late.

My body tensed as my luna gave me an order. I didn't like it, but she was right, and now was not the time to start a debate. Okay, I linked back. Asher, Axel, let's take down our father.

***

JUNIPER

Juny, just tell me you're okay. I know you're here. I can feel you. Nathan hadn't stopped trying to link me, and I didn't know what to do. I hated ignoring him, but something told me not to give in. Help! This rang through my head like a cry of pain, and my chest ached.

Nathan was in real trouble.

But I had to think logically.

Asher, I think Nathan needs help, I linked. I waited for Asher to respond. I promised him I would stay here and let him know if anything suspicious happened.

When Asher didn't respond, my heart began to race. I had to remind myself that if something had happened to him or the others, I would've felt it through our mate bond.

Asher, please respond.

Still nothing. Asher wouldn't ignore me without a good reason, but it only made me feel more on edge. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I had to think logically. If I got myself in trouble again, it would only cause issues for everyone else. A sharp pain ripped through my chest, and I couldn't breathe. It felt like my mate was being ripped away from me. It had to be a trick. If I left this room to go after my missing mate, I knew I would be falling into the trap Anthony set for me.

I refused to be the helpless one again. I counted to ten slowly, taking deep breaths. It was the only thing I could do to keep myself calm.

Nathan needed me, but so did Ethan, Axel, and Asher. I couldn't afford to be reckless, even though I felt myself pulled to that option.

Someone knocked on the door, and I let out a scream from the sudden noise.

Juniper, it's me, Kalli. Asher sent me to look after you. Let me in.

I jumped to my feet, comforted to know the person outside of my door was someone I could trust. I opened the door, and relief washed through me as I saw Kalli's face on the other side.

"Kalli," I said, feeling a weight lifted from my chest. She would know what to do about Nathan.

Kalli opened her mouth to say something, but a glass vase smashed against her head, interrupting her words. She collapsed to the floor. I tried to catch her, but before I could step outside of the room, Nathan stepped in front of her, blocking me inside. His eyes were dark, like the unexplored depths of the ocean, and I knew this wasn't the same Nathan I had kissed in the basement of the library. "Juny. I've been looking for you. You're surprisingly hard to find."