The Mark of a Beta

thirty

After saying goodbye to Cole, Madelyn, Grayson, and the dozens of other wolves I've interacted with this weekend, I get into Axel's car and head home. Axel hesitates before getting in the car, and he makes me swear that I didn't put any more glitter into the vents.

I didn't, but it's good to know that he's cautious of my pranks. It will be that much sweeter when he falls for the next one. Pranking Axel will be difficult because he's so observant. I'll have to think of something good for next weekend when he comes to stay on Lunar territory.

The drive back is entertaining and filled with laughter (mine) and short to-the-point conversation (Axel's). Opposites really do attract, because Axel and I are so different in so many ways. He hates talking, relaxing, poptarts, and pranks- all things I love!

When I begin to recognize trees and shops on the outskirts of Lunar territory, my heart begins to drop. After leaping so far in our relationship in just one weekend together, it's going to be so hard to be away from him. However, I know that we can do it.

I tell Axel to drop me off at Larry's house, but he ignores my request and heads straight for my old house. Is this guy deaf?

"Ax, I said Larry's house! I don't live here anymore," I hiss as he pulls into the driveway of what I used to consider my home. Now it's a reminder of the shitty life I used to have before I stopped letting others walk all over me.

"I have something I need to take care of. Stay in the car," he says, slamming the car door shut. If he fucking thinks I'm letting him walk into that house alone, then he's not as smart as I thought he was.

"Idiot," I whisper to myself as I unbuckle my seatbelt and follow him to the front door.

Strangely enough, Axel doesn't kick the door down or force his way into the house. He only politely knocks on the door. Weird. I thought he would be all aggressive and beat the shit out of them with the amount of tension filling his body. The way he holds himself so stiffly, along with the coiled up tension through our bond, shows me he's angry.

My mom answers the door, and all thoughts of a polite conversation evaporate.

The dark, feral smile on Axel's face as he stares at my mom will remain with me forever. I have never seen him like that before, and it honestly scares me. He looks like the fucking psycho in a horror movie that enjoys chopping people up.

In a flash of movement that even my eyes can't follow, Axel has his hand around my mother's throat. He forces his way into the house, me scrambling behind him, unsure of what to do.

"Mom? Who was at the door- What the hell?" Sarah screams from the kitchen as she sees our mother fly into the wall, cracking one of Sarah's graduation pictures. The sound of glass shattering disturbs my father enough that he comes out of another room in the house to check the disruption.

Axel ignores my sister's cries of outrage, and Nik comes into the room and holds her back. She's vulnerable and pregnant, but usually she's the first to jump into a fight. I can tell that she's aching to defend our mother.

Why couldn't she have defended me?

Being back in this house reminds me of the vile things my family said to me before I was kicked out.

I can't even look at that disgusting mark on your neck.

Go live like a faggot for all I care, but no son of mine will live under my roof, bring a MAN into this house, and act like it is acceptable!

I'll try to talk to her, but you know how she is. She's done so much for me and Nik and the baby, and I just- I can't risk anything-

My dad didn't even speak a word to me that day. He just watched as our family fell apart and didn't seem to care either way how things ended.