The Beast (Alpha Trilogy #1)

Bonus Chapter - How It Was Supposed To End

Beast

I pack a small bag, taking only necessary things for both me and Hunter, who keeps watching me like a hawk. He's playing with his toy robot, jumping on the bed, clearly excited at the prospect of seeing his father. I've told him about Leo, explained everything to him, including why he can't see him yet and why it's so important to stay away from werewolves and the pack for a while. He can't control his strength yet, so he could hurt someone if he's not careful, since we're stronger than them. Despite him being almost 5, he is half-werewolf, half-Undead, so he's way stronger than if he was just a werewolf. I don't even remember how many times he's unintentionally hurt someone while hugging or playing with them.

"Mommy, does daddy know about me?" Hunter's worried voice reaches me, as I put his favorite plushie in the bag.

"I haven't told him about you because I haven't seen him for 5 years." I crouch in front of him as he sits on the edge of the bed. "I left him before I even knew I had you in my belly. I wasn't ready to go back to him, not after what happened. – I see his eyes widen a little – I know uncle Aiden told you about it." I finish with a teasing tone. "It's fine, baby, I'm not angry. I just wanted you to be a little older when you hear about this. You're still my little baby, I didn't want to burden you with it." I stroke his hair as I speak, and I can tell he understands what I mean.

We leave my bedroom a while later. Hunter keeps a death grip on my hand, only now showing how scared he is of meeting his father. I get it though, we don't know how Leo will react. I'm not worried about him recognizing Hunter as his, since he inherited both of our eyes. His left eye is golden, like his dad's, and his right is silver, like mine. He's his father's spitting image, and that's basically why I managed to forgive Leo. Just looking at Hunter reminded me of Leo, of the great time we had together, of my love for him.

I still love that man. I love him so much it hurts to stay away. I closed the mind link between us, blocking him out, but I want to open it once again, to tell him that I'm coming back to him, that I love him, that I want to see him.

But I don't.

I can't.

I decide to take Aiden and Asher with me, so they can watch over Hunter while I speak to Leo, if he'll even want to talk to me. The pack will stay at the mansion to rest after the journey, and I don't want them to witness whatever is going to happen.

Hunter rides Ash, Shane's wolf, while my brothers and I walk beside them. It takes hours to reach Leo's house, but we have walk for even longer, since it's nighttime and Hunter fell asleep.

I get on Ash's back, cradling sleeping Hunter in my arms as we continue our trip. Everyone's quiet, anxious about what's going to happen.

Once we enter the clearing, the memories of my time with Leo flow through my mind. Everything here reminds me of him. The short grass which almost never touched my feet as Leo carried me everywhere, the fallen log near his house that I used to sit on with Leo's wolf form lying beneath my feet, the rocking chair where Leo cradled me in his arms during the full moon, the bushes at the edge of the woods, where we used to kiss in secret, avoiding pack's teasing looks. Each and every thing holds some sentimental meaning for me and just being here again after so long almost makes me cry.

"I'll see him alone. I'm leaving Hunter to you." I give my sleeping son to Aiden, who nods and takes him to another pack house, Shane and Asher following right behind.

Taking a deep breath, I head towards Leo's house. I soundlessly open the front door and go inside, slightly apprehensive. I have no idea what to expect.

As I slowly walk through the open area, I suddenly fall to my knees as the most agonizing pain hits my body. It's worse than anything I've ever experienced. Not even the torture at the facility can compare to this. It didn't even hurt this much when the boss poured acid on my wounds to stop them from healing.

I can't breathe. I feel like something is gripping my heart and crushing it with unimaginable force.

The pain is so intense I can't even stop the anguished scream that rips through my throat.

"Angel?!" I can barely hear the voice as I keep coughing up blood on Leo's hardwood floor. Everything hurts.

I manage to push through the pain and raise my head to look at him. I don't know what I look like in front of him, but I can tell it's not good by the shocked and pained look he gives me. His bare chest is covered in a sheen of sweat, his jeans are hanging lowly on his hips, not even buttoned up, as if he just threw them on after hearing me.

"BEAST!!!" Aiden rushes to me, wiping off the blood tears off my cheeks with his thumbs, but they just keep falling as I struggle to breathe.

"YOU MATED HER?!?!?!?!" Shane explodes, getting in Leo's face, furious.

I feel small hands caress my face, but I can't see my son through the red haze caused by the blood dripping from my eyes. I just crush Hunter's small body to mine as it trembles.

"Angel, you're..." Leo doesn't finish, receiving a hard punch from Shane, who keeps yelling at him, while the grey-haired bitch watches everything with wide eyes.

"Daddy?" Hunter turns to Leo, but I don't let him get any closer to that man.

"He is not your father. He betrayed me. Again." I seethe, giving Leo the hardest glare I can muster, despite not being able to see properly, before I turn to Aiden.

"Take Hunter away. Keep him safe, raise him well and don't let him get hurt." I plead, pushing Hunter to him.

"MOMMY?!" My son always knew when something's wrong.

"Take him away! I don't want him to see this!!!" I wail, barely able to stay upright.

"He is-" I hear Leo's confused voice.

"Mine. You will never deserve him!" I snarl, while Aiden tries to take crying Hunter out of the house, who keeps calling out to me.

I cough up blood again as the pain becomes unbearable. Using my last ounce of strength, I plunge my hand into my chest, and staring straight at Leo,

I pull it out.