The Mark of a Beta

seven

It's still Saturday for me, so I posted on time! Sorry it's later than usual, I was at a (socially distanced) wedding!

Axel's POV

I walk back to the pack house with my mate's backpack in hand. I spend the time thinking of creative ways to punish him. Overstimulation. Edging. I could handcuff him to the bed and leave him to think about his actions. I'm sure I can be more creative than that, but I'm so angry now that I can barely think straight.

The first meeting with my mate, and he just leaves.

I'm going to go back to the bedroom that the Lunar Pack has provided for me, speak with Grayson about the information gathered about covens, and then I'll track Cooper's scent to his house. I won't go in, though. I'll just check to make sure he's okay, and then I'll leave.

I will have a talk with him tomorrow. We did just meet, so I can partially understand that he doesn't comprehend the severity of what he has done. We have to set rules and boundaries first, and then I can blame him for his actions. I won't be too hard on him for this first infraction.

When I reach the pack house, a few Lunar members stare at me as I head up the stairs. I pay them no notice as I completely ignore their hushed and non-secretive whispers. My room is stationed on the end of the hall and next to Cole's, one of the leading pack warriors for Dark Wood. He hears my footsteps that I don't bother to make silent and he opens his door. I'm too frustrated- mentally and sexually- to bother with being quiet.

"Everything okay, Beta Axel?" Cole asks, rubbing a cautious hand over the hair closely shaved to his head. He eyes the backpack in my hand curiously, but he knows not to question me.

"Fine," I nod, schooling my features to maintain a neutral facade. "You, Serena, and Alric have the morning off. Spend it however you wish."

Cole grins and nods. "Thank you. Have a good night."

I nod again, then walk past him and enter my room. I pull out the phone that I rarely use and dial Grayson's number. He is expecting a call from me to update him on our findings. We could mindlink, but for longer periods of time it is easier and less of a strain if we simply call using a cell phone.

Before I call him, however, I unzip Cooper's backpack and search through it. If I'm going to learn more about him before I see him tomorrow, I need to use every piece of information I have at my disposal. He shouldn't have given me his backpack if he didn't want me to go through it. Or, he should have explicitly told me not to instead of running off like a little brat.

Inside I finger through two binders and a few folders. There is also a thick laptop that has seen better days. I'll make sure to buy him a better one if he behaves.

It is obvious that he is still in high school.

Each folder and binder has words written in sharpie across them to specify the class it is for. The only curious thing is that each folder does not have a simple subject name written on it. My mate had to write his own creative titles for each class. One folder reads "Fuck Larry" and another reads "Die in a hole." I'm not quite sure who Larry is or who or what should die in a hole, but I have to admit that I'm amused.

There are various pencils and pens in the front pocket- I counted seven pens and three pencils. I don't know why Cooper would need this many writing utensils, but I place them back in the backpack and zip it up as I found it, ignoring the chocolatey crumbs at the bottom of his bag. I would have gone through his computer, but it was password protected and I don't know how to get around that by myself.

I place the bag off to the side and grab my phone, finally calling Grayson. He answers within a couple of rings.

"Hey, how was the meeting?" he asks. I can hear the rustling of some papers, so I know he's most likely in his office pushing away some of the papers he was working on. Grayson is a notetaker.