The Alpha's Tiger

Chapter Thirteen - May the Best Child Win

Song - Human by Christina Perry

Easton

The gala.

The night we would claim the world.

The night I will get my mate back, no matter who's head I have to rip off.

"Such sweet thoughts." Kiera chuckles. She flips her flaming hair behind her shoulder. "Honestly, Easton. Sweet as sugar."

"Shut up Grey." I say while running a hand through my hair. This plan has to work. If it doesn't, Lizzy will never come back to me.

Kiera smiles in reply. "Remember, I'm in this for my brother. Maybe Elizabeth. That's it."

"Yeah, you said that." I say. She shrugs and leaves my office with a flick of her hair. Ugh, women.

"Alpha, the beta needs you." A guard informs me. I nod and leave my office. What does Carson want now?

'Shut up, Easton, his mate is dead, their is a lot the guy could want.' Blake says.

'Harsh.' I say.

'Not really.' He shrugs.

I reach Carson's room. I open the door. He's standing in front of a floor length mirror on a black suit. His hair is neatly combed, and I kept but feel like he's slowly falling apart. Desperately trying to pick up the broken pieces.

I know how he feels.

"Carson?" I ask. He turns to face me, tears shining in his crystal eyes.

"Sorry for bothering you Easton," He says. His voice sounds cracked and weak, not anything like the strong beta voice that I've known all my life. "I-I I'm trying to cope with this but it just hurts. Damn it! It hurts." Then he starts sobbing.

"It's okay, Carson, I know it hurts." I say. I pull him into a hug, and he sobs. Sobs like I've never heard before wrack his body. How could I let this happen? How could I be so careless? I made my best friend's mate die. How cruel is that?

"I-I c-can't." He cries. Carson pushes me away. In my confusion, I stumble and hit the wall. He ushers a quick apology as his limbs crack and reform. His wolf is in control now.

'Easton, you need to leave.' Blake says. It hurts to leave my friend, my best friend, but I do. He needs his space. If anything, he needs to run. Run like there is no tomorrow, because for him, their might not be a tomorrow. I don't know how his wolf is handling losing Corinne, but I can only imagine his agony.

"You take your space Carson. As much as you need." I spin on my heel and leave the room, guilt swimming in my chest.

"Easton, dear." A voice calls from down the hallway. I turn and see... No. Not her.

"Mom?" I breathe. She grins with her makeup caked face and walks over to me. She squeezes me into a tense hug, but I don't hug her back.

"Easton I'm home." She says. I finally get over my shock and push her away from me.

"What," I growl. "Do you want?"

Despite me hating her for years, she still looks exactly the same as when I last saw her when I was fourteen. I guess five years doesn't do much to a retired Luna. Her dark brown hair is pulled away from her face in a tight bun, her thin rimmed glasses balanced perfectly on her sharp nose. Those eyes, which are an exact replica of Cassia's, still bottle green and piercing as ever. Her makeup caked face is sharp and angular, making her appear older than she is.

"Do I need a reason to see my son?" She says while putting a hand on my face. I take a step back so her hand falls.

"If you wanted to see your son, you should have gone to Ryder, because I am NOT your son. Not anymore." I say. Anger floods through my body as I stare at the woman who spoiled my siblings rotten, but never loved me. Who gave them everything, and could never give me a kiss goodnight.

"Easton Kai Crescent that is no way to speak to your mother." She says.

"Shut the fuck up, Eleanor." I growl. "You are not welcome here."

I mind link my guards. Get her off our pack territory. A chorus of 'yes alpha's' fill my head, causing me to shut off the mind link.

"Oh now, now, son let's not be hasty I just want to chat, maybe tell you a little something about Cassia and how to defeat her." She says nonchalantly. This grabs my attention.

"How?"

"Well, if you want to know that I suggest you brew a kettle of tea and we sit down." She says, placing a wrinkled hand into her old lady sweater.

"Fine." I sigh as my guards turn the corner. "Leave us. And get us some tea while you're at it." The guards nod and hurry off. I lead my mother to the sitting room. I sit on the expensive white leather armchair, while she sits across from me on the matching couch. An omega wheels a cart of tea in, and hands us each a cup before leaving.

"Now, talk." I say. My mother sips her tea tantalizingly slow.

"Now you know how Cassia got her powers, yes?" She says.

"Mostly."

"Well," she sighs. "Mostly isn't going to cut it so I will explain everything to you."

"Cassia was special to me. My only daughter needed a way to protect herself. Of course she would be an alpha's daughter but I knew she needed more. I had a friend who was a witch that owed me a favour. Her name was Gianna. Anyways, Gianna did a spell on Cassia that would give Cassia powers. Cassia has more power than she knows, than I ever let her know."

"The spell had a catch, though." She continues after taking a sip of tea. "If Cassia were to ever have her wrists cut with a silver dagger, whoever wielded the dagger could control her every move. That is why I always kept a silver dagger with me, in case she lost it."

"So all I need to do is cut her wrists with a dagger?" I ask. My mother nods and takes another sip. "Why are you telling me this?"

"By the time you will need to use it, it will be to late. And you will have to choose. This might make the choice easier." My mother smiles sadly.

"Stop with the riddles." I say. She laughs and sips her tea.

"They are not riddles per say." She says.

"You need to leave." I say while standing up.

"Ah dear, let us not be hasty after all, Ryder already knows how to defeat you." She grins. "This gala is going to be one hell of a ride."

"Mother." I say. Her face lifts in contempt that I called her 'mother'. "Why are you telling us each how to defeat one another?"

"Let's just say I'm tired of choosing my favourites." She says. I snort a little, earning me a glare. "I decided to level the playing field."

"May the best child win." I smirk.

A/N

Hey guys! How was this chapter? I like the idea of the three of them battling it out as siblings. I just realized, I'm kind of describing myself and my brothers... Anyways, please vote and comment so I know what you guys are thinkin'.

QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER: Which character do you most relate with?

-Courtney :)