Alpha Ultima

Chapter 12

Everything began to happen so quickly that it felt like I couldn't keep up and it hit me like whiplash. I could feel Sam's energy rushing through the trees towards us at breakneck speeds.

"He must have really been worried about us." I linked Lupin guiltily.

I shouldn't have taken off without telling anyone where I was going. Sam was my Beta and best friend. I felt horrible as I thought about how he would have felt all of my emotions over the past few hours and how he waited around for me to just show up again.

Great job, Carter. You make such a good queen. Always putting your people before yourself, making sure their wants and needs are taken care of. You're just the fucking best.

"Enough, My Carter! You're too hard on yourself." Lupin's sharp reprimand shakes me back to what's going on around me.

Sam broke through the trees looking like a mad man. He looked right at Tyler, his eyes wide and confused. I watched with furrowed brows as Sam's nose flared as his head fell back slightly as he inhaled deeply.

Panic filled me to the core. I didn't think about how the Lycan's would feel having Tyler on our land. It was his fathers fault they were turned. Not a single one of them chose to become a Lycan, they were kidnapped and experimented on. I'm such an idiot.

How could I not have realized all of the repercussions that bringing Tyler here would have? I'm so fucking selfish. I should have mind-linked Quinn and Xander and brought them to the clearing to figure this out. I never should have sprung a surprise like this on my people. Good Goddess, what have I done?

"This can't fucking be happening. You're not my mate. The Goddess made a mistake. I'm not gay." Tyler's monotone voice broke the silence.

I watched as Sam physically flinched and hurt flashed through his eyes before Tyler's words registered in my muddled mind. He's not gay? Well obviously not otherwise he wouldn't have slept with me, nor would he have been mated to that horrible bitc- Wait just a fucking second.

"What the actual fuck did you just say?" I snarled at him.

Tyler's green iris's snapped to look over at my white ones. Lupin had come forward and her anger was coming off my body in waves at the disrespect he just showed our Beta. He looked at me with fear as he lifted his hands in surrender.

"Listen, Sweet Stuff. That's not important." Sam flinched again and began to step back away from us, before he suddenly turned and ran back to the pack house. Sharp pain filled my chest as I watched his figure receding further and further away.

Poor Sammy. He's been waiting so long for his mate, only to be slapped in the face by fate when Tyler reacted to him in that manor. I looked over to see that Tyler was watching Sam leave, his brows furrowed and a look I couldn't decipher on his face. Regret? Sorrow?

Before I could figure it out, the look was gone in a flash and he turned his attention back to me. Gone was any sort of emotion as he looked at me with his vacant stare.

"You sir, are damn lucky that I just released you from that fucking bond because had I not, I would have made you kick your own ass as you groveled on your knees for that man to forgive you."

I'm not sure what freaked him out more, the fact that my voice came out eerily calm, or the seriousness of my facial expressions but he faltered in his attempt of an emotionless state.

"I know you better than that, sweet stuff. You'd never abuse your power like that." He smirked down at me.

Damn him all to bloody hell. He's right; I would never take someone's free will away from them, even if it wasn't intentional. I don't need to add any more fuel to the fire of the cockiness that was that of Tyler Evans, so I bared my teeth at him and snarled as I shoved my shoulder into his chest and stomped past him.

"Sammy?" I whisper softly through the link.

The only response I get is a slight whimper before the mental connection between us slams shut.

I turn to look at Tyler once more just to bare my teeth and snarl at him. Stupid man. He meets my eyes and a look flashes through his own, try as he might to remain impassive. It's gone before I can detect it, but I had a gut feeling it was his guilt shining through.

We made our way back to the pack house in silence. I can't get Sam's heart broken features out of my mind. My poor Beta has been waiting for his mate for so long now, just to be slapped down when he figures out it's Tyler.

Ever since the first Lycan in my pack found their true mate, Sam has waiting patiently with bated breath as the years have gone by and no one has claimed him. He has put on a brave face, and tried not to show how upset he is as the time has past, but there isn't a lot he can hide from me.

There has to be a reason Tyler doesn't want a second chance mate. Maybe he doesn't want someone else to hold the power to break his heart again. Either way, as much as I want to give Tyler the benefit of the doubt, all I want is for my Beta to be happy, and if Tyler cannot do that, then he needs to sever the bond and leave. We can figure this war out without him.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

We break through the tree line and the pack house comes into view. My heart sinks to my stomach as I see my mates standing at the bottom of the stairs, bodies strained with tension and their arms crossed tightly across their chests.

Their eyes never once stray towards me, as they remain locked onto my guest. I try to contain the grimace on my face but fail miserably. We continue walking up slowly but Tyler falters as the weight of my mates aura comes crashing down around us.

Tyler struggles to remain upright, tripping over his feet as he steps. The overwhelming need to submit overcomes me, but while I can push through, Tyler can no longer hold out and he drops to his knees in front of Quinn and Xander.

I refuse to look back at him as I close the final distance to my mates. It isn't until I am standing in front of them, do they shift their eyes to look down at me.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, mate." Their voices ring out in one synchronized sound.

Xander's voice low and gravelly, while Quinn's is a guttural snarl. I wince at the severity of the latter's anger.

"I know, my loves. Please, trust me." I whisper and place one palm on each of their chests.

Their eyes shift back to Tyler so I turn back to look at him as well. My mates aura of submission has not lessened even slightly and Tyler is crumbling under the weight of it.

He remains on his knees, his head tilted to the side to show his throat. His jaw is clenched tight and his eyes don't move from staring to the ground before him.

"Very well, mate." Quinn says and turns to walk into the house.

Xander leans down and places his lips by my ear before whispering, "We will discuss your punishment later, love."

Shivers run straight down my spine as I shudder with not fear, but excitement and anticipation. He places a small kiss under my jaw and turns to follow Quinn.

The moment Xander turns around, Tyler lets out a gasp for breath as his body sags in relief. I wait for him to rise off the ground before following behind my Alpha's.