Becoming Beta

Chapter 22

Fenrir Greyback was worried. The Dark Lord had manipulated him and he had been forced to kill his Beta's father. Fenrir was not used to worrying. He hadn't ever needed to worry about anything since his mate had died all of those years ago. He was worried about his Beta, his pack, and his place with the Dark Lord.

His Beta was proving extremely worrisome. Fenrir had met with Draco last week and Draco had shown complete loyalty to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord's cause. Prior to Draco taking the Dark Mark, Fenrir had been sure that Draco would be most loyal to the pack.

Fenrir didn't know what to think about the fact that his Beta was suddenly a Dark Lord loyalist. He wasn't pleased. Fenrir's long-game had never been to support the Dark Lord. He was using the Dark Lord to get what he wanted: to first consolidate the werewolves and packs of Britain, then to create a collective that spanned all of Europe. That's what Fenrir wanted: power over the werewolves. The rest of magical Europe could go hang as far as he was concerned.

Fenrir had been pacing the dueling court. The full moon was coming up tomorrow, and he had plans to spend it with his Beta as usual. For all he was worried and unhappy with his Beta, Draco was still just a pup. Both in human and werewolf terms. He wasn't even of age, and both Fenrir and the Dark Lord were placing heavy burdens on him. He needed to win back Draco's trust and affection, but he had no idea how to go about doing that.

Maybe through his mother? Fenrir had been very friendly with Narcissa Malfoy prior to her husband's release from prison. That closeness had faltered after Lucius' death for obvious reasons. Narcissa was a smart woman, surely she would realize that he had no choice in the matter?

Draco acted like he knew that, but Fenrir wasn't convinced. He heard Draco screaming at him in his nightmares not to touch him after Fenrir killed Lucius. He should have expected such a reaction, but it had felt horrifying to know that his Beta reviled him so much. That was not supposed to be how and Alpha/Beta relationship worked. The Beta was meant to be the Alpha's right hand man, his number two. And right now, Fenrir wasn't sure he could even trust his number two wolf.

Fenrir made a decision to visit Narcissa in her solar. He hadn't been there in weeks, not since before he killed Lucius. He hoped she would receive him.

He knocked on the door and heard Narcissa bid him entrance. When he walked through the door Narcissa gasped. It was clear she hadn't expected him.

"Fenrir, hello," her voice stiff as she beckoned him into the room.

Fenrir could feel the animosity as he stepped into her solar. She did not want him here. But Fenrir needed her, without Narcissa he was sure he would lose Draco entirely. Draco's position in the pack was too high to lose him now. He would need to be his most charming to woo Narcissa back to his side. Or it might take more than charm to convince the woman to stand by her husband's murderer.

"Narcissa, I hope you can accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your husband. And my humblest apology for my part in it," Fenrir added quietly as he sat on the settee next to her. She had tea brought in and they were both quiet as she poured them each a cuppa.

"Fenrir, Lucius was a complicated man. I am saddened at his loss, but he hasn't been the man I married for several years now," her eyes were downcast and she wouldn't meet his gaze. Fenrir felt hope flutter through his chest. Maybe Narcissa wasn't a lost cause, he thought.

He didn't want to scare her off, so he knelt in front of her, took her hands into his, and tried to catch her eye. When she finally pinned him down with her deep blue eyes, he spoke.

"Narcissa, I vow to do anything in my power to protect both you and Draco. Without Lucius and with Draco at school, I know you're in a precarious situation. Let me be your champion," he pleaded with her, the magic of the vow swirled around the pair of them. He hadn't planned on a magical vow with her, but he meant it.