The Four Beta Brothers
Chapter 131

AXEL

I fought off the remaining vampires who tried to storm the ceremony. I had been standing guard, waiting for any suspicious signs. It was silent with no signs of trouble, but I never let my guard down. Everything was going smoothly one moment, but then the next, vampires had appeared from thin air. We had expected some sort of fight, but we thought we would've seen them coming.

Asher, Axel, let's take down our father, Ethan suddenly linked.

I hadn't seen my father arrive, but he must've used the same magic to get into the backyard that the vampires were using to suddenly appear.

Do you have this under control? I linked the nearest warrior. Ethan wouldn't have linked us unless he needed our help, but I didn't want to leave my position unprotected.

The warrior nodded, and I took off to find Ethan, taking down any vampire I saw on the way.

When I arrived, Ethan, Winston, and Asher were already closing in on my father. I flanked him from the back, glancing at Asher. He shouldn't have been here.

Is Juniper safe? I linked. I knew Ethan called us to help him, but he was supposed to be protecting our mate. I didn't like knowing he wasn't by Juniper's side. Kalli is with her, Asher said.

I didn't say anything, turning my attention back to our father. I didn't like not knowing exactly what was going on with Juniper, but I couldn't afford to let myself be distracted. Kalli was a capable warrior-likely more skilled than both Asher and myself. If she was with Juniper, she would be okay.

Ethan shifted to his human form and faced our father. We had Anthony surrounded, and there was no way he'd be able to slip past Asher, Ethan, Winston and myself. It still made me nervous when Ethan shifted. He was stronger in his wolf form. "Stop this now, Anthony," Ethan said. "There's no way out of this."

Our father looked around at all of the bloodshed and laughed. "You say that like you've already won, but look how many members of your pack were taken down. Look at how many vampires have been killed in your slaughter. I don't think the vampire king will appreciate you breaking the treaty like this."

Winston snarled, and the sound echoed through the forest. The vampires standing next to our father covered their ears as they felt the strength of a true alpha ripple through them.

"This was in self-defense. King Claude wouldn't wage war on us because of this little trick of yours," Ethan said, verbalizing what Winston wanted to say. "The treaty with the vampires hasn't been broken on our end."

"Perhaps not this time. But what about the next attack on the vampires on their own territory? I don't think Claude will look too kindly upon that," Anthony said.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to start a war between werewolves and vampires?" Ethan asked. "What could you possibly gain from that?"

"Are you really that naive, Ethan? I'm doing this for one thing and one thing only. Power."

"You have power."

Anthony chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't understand it now because you haven't lived through what I have. Always being second to the greatest werewolf alive. I had to follow Elijah's orders. I did all of the work, while he took all of the credit. I want my own power. I want everyone to answer to me. I don't just want to be the alpha. I want to be the emperor of all, including vampires and sorcerers."

Another roar, one weaker than Winston's, shook the ground around us. A large, gray wolf bounded over us, landing in front of us.

"You never were satisfied being just my beta," Elijah said, after shifting out of his wolf form. He had several bite marks along his skin. "I should've removed you from your position sooner, Anthony. But you always got the job done, and I couldn't deny the power of your bloodline. I've been a fool all of these years, too busy wanting to believe the best in you."

"Don't try to persuade me with that sentimental crap," Anthony said. "Especially not while you spent your life pining for your true mate while your wife took comfort in my arms."

There was too much talking going on, and my wolf stirred beneath the surface. My father was a master manipulator, which meant he was trying to stall us with conversation. I looked around, taking in all of the details around me. Most of the vampires were already taken down, and now my father stood in the center of the most powerful wolves in the territory with only two vampires and a sorcerer by his side. It was almost too easy.

Either our preparations paid off, or he meant for it to be this easy.

Elijah snarled as Anthony's words got to him. "You were supposed to be on my side, and instead you betrayed me on every level you possibly could. You even took advantage of my wife."

Anthony chuckled. "I didn't take advantage of her. She came to me willingly, because you neglected her. You think you are this amazing alpha, but you're weak. Your first mistake was rejecting your true mate, and the mistakes haven't stopped. That's why I'm going to win today."

Elijah snarled and shifted into his wolf form. He lunged at Anthony, but the vampires jumped forward, knocking the former alpha out of the air. Winston dashed to help his father, leaving the rest of us to deal with our father.

"This ends now, Anthony," Ethan said. He shifted into his wolf form and prepared to attack.

"Does it? Because I have something you haven't even seemed to consider," Anthony said.

This made Ethan pause. I knew it was too easy.

"Attack me, and your mate dies," Anthony said. "It was foolish to leave her with that weak future luna of yours."

Asher made eye contact with me, and I saw the panic on his face. Kalli was supposed to be with Juniper.

Kalli, are you and Juniper safe? I linked, keeping my brothers in the loop.

She didn't respond, and Asher and I shared a look again.

Juniper, where are you? This time I kept the link between Juniper and myself.

Still no response. Something was wrong.

"You're starting to realize something happened to your mate, aren't you?" our father continued when none of us moved.

Ethan snarled in response, but he didn't move. Asher, go after Juniper. We can handle Anthony.

Asher started moving towards the pack house, but he stopped.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Anthony said. "If you go after her, she won't be alive when you reach her. Nathan will make sure of that."

Nathan.

Ethan shifted back to his human form. His chest heaved up and down as he faced our father. "What did you do to Nathan?"

"I only made him see his true potential," Anthony said. "I thought you would be my prodigy, but you've disappointed me, Ethan. You could've had so much more if you had just continued on the path I set out for you." Ethan clenched his fists. "I'm not like you. I don't care about having power. I have come to realize that happiness is more important."

Anthony scoffed. "What is happiness? It's just a fleeting feeling. Just like love. It fades over time, and before you know it, you'll just end up miserable with someone who doesn't appreciate what you've done for them."

"I would rather live a life for love than for power," Ethan said.

I looked at the witch standing next to our father. Her fingers looked like they were playing a miniature piano. A spark emitted from her palm, and I couldn't look away. She was casting some sort of spell, and Anthony was using his words to distract us to let her finish. Asher, the woman, I said. Ethan was too distracted by our father to be of help. Plus, we needed him to keep our father's attention in return.

Asher looked over at her with only his eyes. He showed no signs of seeing what I did, but I felt the shift in his thoughts.

If we take her down, he'll be defenseless, Asher said.

She won't be able to handle us at the same time. I kept my eyes on her, but she couldn't see me from where I was standing. Her eyes were focused on the pack house. More sparks flew from her hand. We didn't have much time to stop her. Let's do this while we can, Asher linked.

Asher and I moved at the same time, both lunging for the woman. Her attention turned to Asher, and she held her hand out towards him, ready to attack. She didn't notice me as I flew through the air. I clasped my jaw around her arm and twisted, yanking her arm off in the process.

She screamed, and my father shifted suddenly. He snapped at my side, but Ethan was on top of him before he could reach me. Asher landed next to me, sinking his teeth in the woman's side, helping me rip her to shreds.

Time blurred as screams and snarls danced in my ears and blood filled my mouth. Then silence washed over us. My chest heaved as I stood over her dead body, and when I looked at Ethan, he stood over our father, blood dripping down his chin. Anthony was no longer moving.

It was over.

It was finally over.

Then my body convulsed as a sharp pain radiated through my body, starting at the same place Juniper marked me as hers. My brothers yelped, gritting their teeth in a similar manner.

None of us had to say anything for us to know what was going on.

Juniper was in trouble.