Becoming Beta

Chapter 14

Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) was not a stupid woman. She did not have a Dark Mark on her arm, unlike her simpering sister and her principled husband. Nor did she want to have a Dark Mark on her arm. Narcissa Malfoy played things closer to the chest than that. The number one priority in Narcissa's life was her son, Draco. Number two was her family: Lucius and the extended Black family. But Draco always came first. Every decision Narcissa made was with Draco in mind.

She sat drinking tea with the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, smiling like a love-struck fool. Narcissa Malfoy was not a love-struck fool. She was nobility, according to wizarding standards. She was raised on political intrigue, and she knew how to play within those rules and constructs.

Narcissa always got what she wanted.

She smiled demurely at Greyback, noting that he was dressed decently and no longer stinking. Her son's influence, she was told. She was proud that her son was able to have influence over his Alpha to such a degree. It spoke to the way Draco was raised. Narcissa wouldn't need her furniture cleaned after this visit, like she had after the wolf's first visit to her solar. She batted her eyelashes and looked up through them, like a schoolgirl on a date with her intended. Narcissa Malfoy played the game.

"Fenrir, darling, I am so happy you have been there for dear Draco. He needs a strong, male influence in his life," she cooed. She knew werewolves typically weren't the fastest brooms in the shed, but the way Greyback was lapping this up surprised even her. How had he become Alpha if he was so easy to fool?

As a woman in pureblood society, she only had so many tools in her arsenal to use, and her beauty and mild flirtations were some of them. She wielded those tools the way a warrior witch would have wielded her wand: with power, finesse, and ruthlessness.

She could see Greyback puff up at her compliment, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. A well-heeled witch never rolled her eyes. All men, even werewolves, were typical.

"He will be my Beta, Narcissa. I would do anything for my pack, and more for my Beta," Fenrir boasted, as he clumsily patted her hand.

I'll need a bath after this, Narcissa thought, as she forced herself to conceal the shudder of revulsion that rolled through her.

When Greyback stood to leave, Narcissa stood with him and followed him to the door.

"Do come back and see me soon, Fenrir. It does get lonely up here with just my sister for company and Draco away at school," Narcissa pouted up at the hulking man and lightly laid her hand upon his forearm.

"The pup will be home soon, Narcissa. Full moon is just a week away," Greyback leered down at her. Narcissa smiled up at him in response.

"Of course, I'll be fetching him in a few days. It will be so good to see him again," Narcissa said.

Greyback grasped her hand and gave it a lingering kiss, gently pressing his tongue on her skin. As he lumbered out of the room, Narcissa pulled her wand and cast a strong Scourgify at her hand.

Werewolf saliva, she grimaced to herself. She called for an elf to take away the tea and decided she could do with a bath after all.

When Lucius arrived at Malfoy Manor after his incarceration at Azkaban, he was dressed in the rags he had been given in prison. Narcissa was not allowed to go to the Ministry to collect him, so her dear sister Bella had that honor.

Bella pranced through the door, tugging on the sleeve of Lucius' tattered grey prison robes. Lucius staggered in behind her, looming in the doorway - he was a large man, despite the time he had spent in prison. His long, blonde hair was no longer sleek and shiny, but a ratted mess at the back of his head. Every centimeter of skin that Narcissa could see looked filthy, and he had open sores oozing on his knees and elbows.