His Guardian (MxM)

Chapter 15

Jackson

My anxiety grew as more and more days passed. I felt like I was running out of time to get to Ben. Though I wasn't certain of the exact amount of time that had passed, I knew it wouldn't be long before Ben started showing, if he wasn't already. This only increased my anxiety. Father couldn't find out. He had been waiting for mine and Beth's relationship to blossom as mates. This wouldn't happen, because we weren't mates. Not even the Alpha can make that happen.

His most recent visit came with a beating. He's starting to lose patience with me. Father is expecting Beth to fall pregnant with my heir any day now. This confirmed to me that he is, indeed, deranged. To expect me to have a child with someone who is not my mate is completely unhinged.

I had shielded Beth's body with my own to protect her when he took his anger out on us. I received every blow, and she remained unharmed. As the heir to an Alpha, I healed faster than most. So I wasn't worried about it. But Ben... if he received a beating like I had, he wouldn't be able to heal near as quickly as I could. As an omega, his abilities were slightly lessened compared to others.

Currently, I sat on the cot with Beth seated behind me. She was nursing my wounds with my shirt that was damp with water. She felt guilty that I had protected her the way I did. But her guilt couldn't compare to mine when I thought of how she shouldn't even be involved in this.

"Jackson..." she started. I looked back at her over my shoulder. "Do you think.. if we could convince him, he would let you be Alpha?"

I knew what she was getting at. Once I became Alpha, I would be more powerful than my father. At this point, I'm not sure there is any convincing him about Beth and I as long as she is not pregnant. That seems to be his top priority as of late.

Before I could respond to her, I could feel my father's pheromone getting stronger. I knew he was close. It held enough of a grip on me at all times that I was too weak to get myself out of this, or to even fight back. As his footsteps approached, Beth and I stood. I stepped in front of her, shielding her from my father. He stopped on the other side of the iron bars, with his hands in his pockets.

"You thought I wouldn't find out about your little secret?" he spoke directly to me. I hoped he didn't mean what I thought he meant. "This is why your mate remains barren, isn't it? You think you can have an heir from that?" he shook his head. My heart felt like it dropped into the pit of my stomach. He finally realized.

"Father, please," I whispered.

"Jackson, that fucking disgrace is not your mate! Beth will bear your child, not him!" he yelled at me.

"Father, please. Please, not my baby," I begged him. Beth's heartbeat quickened behind me as she realized what was happening.

"I've already taken care of your little problem, son." My blood boiled from his words. Atlas came close to the surface, ready to risk it all just to kill this murderous bastard. 

"Oh, and... in case you think you can keep putting this off..." he glanced at Beth for a second as he spoke before pulling something out of his pocket and throwing it through the bars. I couldn't make out what the tiny object was as it rolled across the floor and stopped at my feet. "There's plenty more where this came from."

I kneeled, and my eyes widened as I lifted the small object. It was bloody, and curved. Beth gasped as she saw it in my hand. The blood smelled all too familiar

Ben's toenail.

This monster not only killed my child, but had tortured my mate in an unthinkable way.

Atlas immediately took control of my body at the realization, and surged forward across the cell. He gripped the bars while growling loudly at my father. All he and I could think about was tearing this fucker to shreds. How dare he lay a hand on our mate? On our unborn child?

The stinging immediately seized my body as my bones locked up from the incredible pain. I came back to the surface as I looked at my father.

"Fight me... like... a real Alpha, you fucker," I growled at him through the pain he was putting me through. My teeth gritted as I breathed heavily. I want his blood. I want to follow through on my previous promise to him and rip his fucking throat out. He laughed.

"That pathetic excuse for an omega is such a weakling, it practically fell off. You will thank me for this one day, son," he told me before walking away. The pheromone still held a heavy influence on me as I stood there, seething with rage.

After what felt like hours of murderous thoughts racing through my head, I had a realization. What Beth had said before. She was right. We have to convince him. For Ben. As much as I hate to admit it, I cannot take my father on in my current state. I have to convince him that I've accepted Beth as my mate, so he will let up. I will gain my strength back, and succeed him as Alpha. I looked over at Beth, and I knew from her facial expression that she shared my thoughts exactly. She nodded at me. We just have to convince him.

But once we do, his head is mine.