Not the Alpha

05 Accepting The Truth

I wake up to pain. Unimaginable pain and the voice of a friend.

"Carson! Come on man wake up!" Mason says.

"Mason." I mumble barley able to move.

"Carson! You've hardly healed at all. I'm surprised you're alive!" He says.

"Wolfsbane." I say.

"That bastard!" He curses "Where's the key?"

"Here sir." The omega says still in his spot. "I can't unlock him without an Alpha command."

"Unlock him!" Mason commands. The Omega springs into action.

"I'm so sorry Carson! I wanted to help!" He sobs as he frees my wrists.

"Not your fault... leave before my father returns." I tell him. He nods and runs off.

"Take your own advice Carson. Run away. You have a place in my pack I promise you." Mason says.

"I appreciate it but..." I start.

"But what!" He growls "you can't stand against him he'll kill you!"

"I have a mate, Mason. I can't leave her." I say trying to stand.

"If you change your mind." He offers.

"You're where I'll go... you're my brother Mason." I tell him.

"Okay... go get your mate... I wish you the best." With those words he was gone. I'm guessing he did not have permission to be on our land.

I stumble to Anna's parent's house hoping she is there. I'm bleeding more the more I move. Finally I get to her door and knock before collapsing.

"Get up Carson!" Her beautiful voice wakes me but she sounds angry. She's mad at me.

"Anna, love, we can't stay here! We need to leave! I have a pack we can run to! Run away with me my beautiful mate!" I beg her and she laughs.

"No." She says.

"But you're my mate!" I argue.

"I'm not leaving with you Carson." She states.

"Please! Mates stick together! My father will kill me! If I die it will hurt you as my mate! I can't hurt my mate." I tell her and she scoffs.

"You were never my mate Carson. I wanted an Alpha and you are weak. Leave now and never come back." She hisses at me.

No! I loved her! She's my mate! She lied?! But we... she... I waited for my mate!

"No..." I gasp. "You said... we did..." I stop unable to say the words.

"I lied and we had fun... you're good I'll give you that, but you're not an Alpha... just run away little boy. Run from daddy." She laughs at me and I can't take it any more.

I stumble out the door and make my way to the border slowly. Blood coats my path as I fall over my feet crawling much of the way when I can't stand any more. Eventually I am in the clearing where I met Mason before.

"Mason!" I called to him my voice raspy and barely audible as I break the tree line. I crawl to the middle and try again "Mason! Help!"  My voice only slightly louder as I pull myself through the mud. "Please Mason!" I call out as the last of my strength leaves me and I collapse again.

"Holy crap!" I hear as I close my eyes.

"David! Call the Alpha!" Another voice yells.

"This the guy he told us to watch for?"

"Got ta be."

"Take him to the infirmary... you Carson?" One asks and I grunt in response. "Alpha said you'd be coming. Stay awake for me. We got ya pup." With that I succumb to darkness once again.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

"Errrmmm" I'm pulled awake in a room saturated in chemical odor and bright light. The beeping in my ear is driving me nuts!

"Morning Carson." I hear as I open my eyes.

"Where am I?" I rasp out hurting my throat.

"Here drink." Mason says as he offers me some water. "You're at the Red River pack house in the infirmary."

"Can I stay... just until I'm healed then I'm getting as far away from Midnight Moon as possible." I ask him.

"Stay as long as you want Carson... you know I could use you. You're strong... a good man. I need a Beta, Carson." He tells me.

"Do I look like a Beta to you Mason?! I can't even sit up straight! It would be a compliment to call me an Omega! I am weak! My father and Anna see it why cant you?!" I scream.

"You're hurt not weak. You will recover. You were trained as an Alpha with Alpha blood! You have a big heart and you see people others ignore. It would be an Honor to call you my Beta." Mason tells me. I can feel water threatening to spill from my eyes so I turn away from him. "Just think about it Carson."

"Daddy!" A little girl about six runs in bounding for him.

"Lilly!" He yells as he picks her up spinning the small girl around. "What are you doing here little wolf?"

"Momma said Suppers ready so I came to find you... sniffed you out just like you taught me!" She grins.

"My little bloodhound. Good sniffing pup... I got someone I want you to meet." He says sitting next to me with the child on his lap. "Lilly this is my friend Carson."

"Why do you look like a mummy?" She asks tilting her head to the side.

"Well Lilly... I got in some trouble and your daddy is helping me out." I tell her.

"Are you a bad guy? Bad guys get in trouble." She asks making me laugh.

"No... I'm not a bad guy just related to one." I say.

"Mmmmm kay.... Daddy its its supper time can we go now?" She asks Mason.

"Run along ahead of me little wolf. I'll meet you at home." He says setting her on the ground.

"Hurry daddy!" She smiles at me then runs off.

"I'll see you in the morning Carson." Mason says and goes to leave. He stops at the door to ask one more question.

"What happened with your mate?"

"It was a lie... she's not my mate... I'm alone." I tell him.

"In sorry Carson." He says hanging his head.

"It's fine Mason... it's just hard Accepting the truth."