Beta

by Edugardo Gilbert X

  I quickly grabbed my bag from my office and called Titus on my way to my car. I didn't want to admit that I was actually terrified of Claire and what she was capable of. If she was willing to kidnap a child, enroll them in school, and pretend to be someone else just so I would admit to being Titus's wife, there's not much she wouldn't be willing to do.

  "Hey, Lizzy," he answered.

  "Hey. Christian is with you, right?"

  "Yeah he's right here. Why?"

  "Brittany isn't Claire's daughter. She kidnapped her and enrolled her in Christian's class to get close."

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm positive. Zac found a girl on patrol and brought her to me because she was hurt bad. When she woke up she told us she was here trying to get her sister back and it all came out."

  "This is getting out of hand," he muttered more to himself.

  "Couldn't agree more. I don't want him in school while she is on a rampage. There's no telling what she will do."

  "Okay. I'll call the school and let them know what is going on."

  "Do you know where to find her?" I asked.

  "I think so. I'll try to find her again and see if I can get the kid back."

  I hated that he wanted to go find her on his own. As much as he assured me he only love me, I couldn't help but be jealous. It was in my nature to be territorial and Claire was just bringing every repressed emotion to the surface.

  "Okay."

  "Where are you?"

  "Leaving work. I'll get Christian so you can go find her."

  "Okay. I'll see you in a minute. Bye," he said.

  "Bye."

  I slipped my phone into the outer pocket of my bag and started back towards Titus's office. It wasn't far from my own which I liked for situations like this where I could just run and grab Christian.

  I thought about this entire situation but something didn't feel entirely right. How ironic was it that Brittany and Rachel belonged to the Order? It was odd that Claire's mate must have as well. I felt like I was missing a connection somewhere but I wasn't going to harp on it because my main focus was to keep Christian away from her. If she was willing to kidnap someone else's kid, she would have no moral qualms in taking mine. Then again, I had a strong feeling it wasn't really Christian she was after. Her ultimate goal was to have Titus back but that was never going to happen naturally. No one in their right mind would ever reject their mate because it was so rare to actually find them in the first place. Marriages usually ended if one party found their mate. I would imagine that would be a rough situation but it wasn't unheard of. How could she honestly expect Titus to leave me for her? I would rather die than ever see them together because the pain of him rejecting me after all this time would be unbearable anyway. I would be better off dead if he ever decided to leave me and take Christian back to her but she didn't really want Christian back; she wanted the security that came with being the wife of the Beta. It was a status symbol that I couldn't care less about but to her, it was everything. She wanted Titus for his power and his money, not for him and Christian. I couldn't believe this was the woman he had a child with. Just the thought of it made me angry. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got and I needed to stop. I couldn't change the past and the fact that he had a son with another woman, a crazy one at that but I could choose how I wanted to spend my future with him. I wanted, needed, to let it go and not second him or myself because if this situation hasn't broken us yet, I seriously doubted anything would. He was my mate, that was all there was to it.

  I parked and made my way up to Titus's office once again. Amy waved at me, on the phone as usual so I politely waved back. She was a nice girl and she had worked for Titus for years, since before I met him, and she was quite loyal. I never felt threatened by her even though from time to time I did catch her admiring him. It was only natural for her to do so though. Titus was an extremely attractive man and I think he knew it. He wasn't overly cocky about it but he certainly knew how physically attracted I was to him and used it to his advantage more often than not.

  Christian sat behind Titus's desk and waved at me as I walked in the room but I didn't see Titus anywhere. I could here him on the phone though.

  "Where's Dad?" I asked.

  He pointed to the balcony just outside his office where I could see him absently walking back an forth on the phone. He looked frustrated but still remained calm in typical Titus fashion.

  "Are we going home?" Christian asked.

  "Do you want to go home?"

  "No. I wanna see a movie."

  I thought for a moment. A movie might not be a bad idea. It was a nice public place and until I found the missing link in this insanity that was quickly falling on us, I didn't want to be home without Titus. I wasn't sure how far Claire was willing to go but I wouldn't put it past her to stalk our home.

  "Okay," I agreed.

  "Really?! You'll take me on a school night?"

  "Yep. Get your stuff ready," I prompted.

  He started packing his backpack as Titus walked back inside and closed the French door behind him.

  "I'm meeting her here in twenty minutes."

  "How did you get her to come?"

  "I told her I wanted to talk about everything and to bring her daughter to meet Christian."

  I held back the irritation because I knew it was just an act but I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep my cool with this situation. I felt myself starting to lose my carefully composed grip and just become a feral wolf in Claire's presence but that wouldn't do anyone any good.

  He ran his hands over my hips and linked his fingers together on the small of my back, pulling me as close as possible.

  "You are so sexy when you're jealous," he whispered in my ear.

  I rolled my eyes and pushed on his chest but he wasn't releasing me any time soon. He nipped at my ear, effectively sending a shiver down my spine. That man certainly knew how to win me over.

  "I'm not letting you out of our room from the second I step through the front door," he said as he kissed me lightly and released me.

  I tossed him a pointed look but his smug grin let me know he wasn't buying my indifference. He knew the affect he had on me, especially when he made promises like that.

  "I love you, Lizzy. I'll see you in a bit," he said.

  "I love you too."

  Christian started pulling my hand, excitedly trying to get me to leave.

  "Aren't you going to say bye to Dad?"

  He released my hand and jumped up for Titus to pick him up. He hugged him but quickly came back to me in an attempt to get me to leave. I shook my head lightly and told Titus we would be at the movies for a bit but we would be home right after.

  I loaded Christian into my car just as I noticed Claire pulling up with Brittany. I didn't want her to see Christian and blow the entire thing so I quickly shut the door. She looked over at me and smirked like she had won some prize but little did she know she was being set up. She thought Titus would cheat on me with her or something and then divorce me but that would never happen. If he didn't want to be with me, he would never cheat on me. He would simply tell me and divorce me whether I liked it or not. One thing I could always count on Titus for was brutal honesty.

  ********

  Titus:

  I watched Lizzy leave my office with Christian and couldn't help but think about what a great woman she is. She accepted everything life threw at her and just rolled with it. I never understood how she was able to accept things and deal with them. It was a trait I wished I had but lacked. I could only handle so much, like any other person but Elizabeth, she had this uncanny ability to just accept. She accepted Christian, she accepted the fact that she had to raise herself, even more amazing, she accepted me and my faults which I thought would be an impossible task. I thought Claire coming back would finally be Elizabeth's breaking point but she still seemed to keep her cool; however, I needed to resolve this now because letting it drag on wasn't fair to anyone, especially not
Elizabeth.

  I sat behind my desk and started in on a couple things I put off earlier to spend time with Christian. He rarely came to work with me so it was nice to be able to put a couple things aside and be with my son.

  Amy knocked on the already open door, pulling my attention from my paperwork.

  "Claire is waiting for you," she said. I would have been an idiot if I didn't catch the disapproval in her voice. To be fair, it did look bad to have had Liz and Christian leave and ten minutes later, Claire shows up with a kid.

  I wasn't stupid. I knew what the situation looked like but I wasn't going to give Elizabeth any reason to be suspicious by arguing with her. It was better to stay as calm as possible with her to keep her from reacting. My wife was never one to be over emotional but a threat to her family would set her over the edge.

  "Send her in," I said.

  Her expression turned to one of disappointment. She surprised me by stepping into my office and closing the door.

  "Look, Titus, I know this may be out of line but I don't think Elizabeth would appreciate you meeting up with your ex fiancé."

  I nodded a little, "I'm sure Elizabeth would appreciate your concern but you have the wrong idea. I want nothing to do with Claire."

  "You've met her twice without your wife. You should really talk to Elizabeth about this. She should be here."

  I sighed, "Do you have any idea what putting them in the same room would do? Claire would pick at Elizabeth until Liz blew up and then she could say Liz is unstable. Trust me, I know what I'm doing," I said.

  She nodded but she was far from okay with it. I appreciated her concern for Lizzy but I knew what I was doing. I wasn't Beta because I was quick to make decisions. I always thought through all options before making a decision and this was something I pondered for a long time. Of course I wanted Lizzy with me to confront Claire but until I knew exactly what Claire was after, I wasn't going to put my wife in the middle of this. It was my mess and I needed to handle it without stressing her out.

  "Hi, Titus," Claire said as she ignored Amy on her way in.

  I spotted the girl she had with her. She had to be at least six and she was clearly not Claire's daughter. She looked nothing like Claire at all. The girl was a redhead with light, nearly translucent skin and Claire was blonde and tan. I had no idea why I was ever attracted to Claire but then again, it was one drunken night that damn near ruined my life. If I had married Claire and met Elizabeth later, this situation would be even worse. I couldn't imagine my life without Elizabeth and I didn't want to. She was perfect- emotionally and physically.

  "Hello," I said.

  "This is Brittany," she said as she pulled the girl in front of her.

  I half smiled at the girl and knelt down, "Hi, Brittany. How old are you?"

  "Six," she said shyly.

  I nodded and looked to Claire's panicked expression, "Six, huh?"

  "Um, well she's Daniel's, not exactly mine. He had her with someone else," she said quickly, "Where's Christian?"

  I stood up and walked towards the girl. I put my hand on her shoulder, pushing Claire's hand off her shoulders.

  "The lady that brought you in will take you to get some ice cream," I said as I walked her to the door, "Amy, will you take Brittany to the lunch room and get her some ice cream?"

  Amy smiled at the girl and nodded, "Come on. What flavor do you want?"

  I closed the door before I could hear Brittany's response. I turned back to Claire to end this once and for all.

  "Where's Christian?" She asked again.

  "He's with his mother. Kidnapping your dead mate's sister is a new low, even for you," I said.

  She glared at me, "I didn't kidnap her."

  "Then why is her sister on my territory looking for the two of you?"

  She scoffed, "What did she tell you? That I'm some raging lunatic?"

  "No. I haven't talked to her yet. They found her at the edge of the territory, beaten and near dead. What is this really about?"

  "I love you, Titus. I made a horrible mistake when I left you but I realize that now and I want to make things right with you and Christian. He needs to know who his real mother is."

  "The only woman my son will ever look up to is Elizabeth. She took on a newborn and a mate without a second thought. When you abandoned him, she loved him and raised him like her own. She may not have contributed genetically but the bond she shares with Christian runs deeper than any genetic bond. She will always be his mother, Claire. Accept it."

  She nodded, "Maybe you're right. Christian needs Elizabeth. She spends more time with him than you do anyway. Maybe she is all he needs."

  The way she said that confused me but I didn't want to show it. I knew she wasn't giving up so quickly but what did she have planned?

  "We could give Christian the chance to be raised by her. You are just as absent so why would you need to stick around?"

  "Are you saying I should leave my wife and son?" I had to ask, just to make sure I had it right.

  "She cares more about Christian than either of us ever could. We could start over new-"

  "Are you insane?! I would never leave my wife! I most certainly wouldn't leave her for you."

  "Think about it Titus. What was she like when you first met her? You can be overbearing and demanding. You set these ridiculous double standards. Do you really think she wants that?"

  While I may hate Claire, genuinely hate her, she made me realize something. I had been a shit mate since this started happening. I hadn't taken Elizabeth into account because I just assumed she would handle it like everything else but what if I was wrong? What if she wasn't handling it well and I just hadn't realized. Maybe she was hurt but not showing it.

  "If I ever hear something like that from you again, I will ban you. I don't care if it will be considered treason or not. I don't want to see you again and if you go near my wife and son, I'll kill you myself."

  She looked shocked that I would react violently since I usually was more diplomatic but with the threat of harm to my family whether it was physical or not, I was willing to do anything.

  "Fine. Where's Brittany?"

  "You're not getting her back."

  "What," she yelled. Her face tinged with red anger.

  "It's not happening, Claire. Leave."

  "Titus, think about all the great times we had together," she begged.

  "They were few and far between."

  "But they were there," she reasoned.

  "I don't love you and I never will. Nothing you could do would change that. Now leave," I demanded in the tone I knew would have her trembling. It even made Elizabeth stop for a second but she was my mate, it didn't affect her in the same way.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks but I didn't feel bad in the least. If I wasn't clear, I wouldn't be rid of her. With one last look, she turned and ran from my office. I sighed in relief but I knew this wasn't the last I heard from her. She wanted something and Claire wouldn't stop until she got it. I would just have to keep an eye on her until she left completely.

  ********

  I sat on the couch waiting for Titus to come home. He was taking forever and I slowly felt my nerves creeping up. What if something happened to him? What if-

  No.

  I wouldn't think that way about him. He assured me he wanted nothing to do with Claire and I had to believe him. What was the point of being in this marriage if I didn't trust him? I trusted him and believed him wholeheartedly before Claire came in the picture so why was this different? Why was I letting her get to me now? Titus was a trustworthy man. He would never betray me and in my heart, I knew that. I just had to convince my head of that.

  I continued to read my book as I also listened to Christian's steady breathing upstairs. We had arrived home at about seven and after his bath and dinner, he was tired enough for bed.

  A rustling out back caught my attention. We didn't have any animals and our property was too large for it to be a neighbor. I listened closely
to try to hear what caused the sound but everything was silent except for Christian's breathing.

  Must have just been a breeze or something.

  I went back to reading but I heard it again and I was instantly on alert. I could smell something slightly off but I couldn't quite place my finger on it.

  I went to the back of the house to look out of the wall of windows overlooking the pool. My eyes scanned the back of the property, looking for anything out of the ordinary. I spotted a shadow slinking against the house and my heart dropped to my stomach. I ran up the stairs to get Christian, my heart pounding every step of the way. I knew whatever was outside wasn't human so until I knew what it was, I assumed it was stronger than me. I wasn't taking any chances, especially with Christian.

  Thankfully, he was still fast asleep in his bed but I wasn't going to risk just locking us in his room.

  "Christian," I said in a hurried whisper as I picked him up.

  He groaned, just like when Titus woke up suddenly, and threw his arms around me, falling back to sleep. I ran us into Christian's giant closet and into the hidden panic room in the back. I shut the bullet and fire proof door as quietly as possible, locked it thoroughly, and set Christian on the small couch. I took a breath and looked at the monitors but my breathing quickly stopped when I saw at least ten people surrounding the house. I grabbed the land line and dialed Titus's number. With each ring, I started to panic a little more. I didn't know what these people wanted but it was clear their intentions were not pure.

  "Hey," Titus answered.

  "Elizabeth," someone outside the panic room sang my name.

  Shit. They knew where we were.

  "Someone is in the house," I whispered, afraid.

  I tried not to panic but I was terrified.

  "What?" Titus asked, instantly on high alert.

  "Please, Titus, someone is here for me. I don't know what to do," I started to cry as quietly as possible.

  A loud crash against the door caused Christian to jump up.

  "Mom," Christian cried.

  "Are you in the panic room?" Titus asked quickly.