Consequences Series
Author
Hyun Ji
Reads
846K
Chapters
140
Chapter 1
HUNTER
âGet up and fight me, you little shit!â I kicked Drew in the stomach when he didnât get up from the floor, where he lay on his side, groaning. âStop moaning, you weakling! How do you have beta blood in you when you are this weak?â
I couldnât tolerate weak people. Especially when they were going to be my beta, and even more so when they didnât even want to train like a normal wolf. This shit spent his time with that idiot Elliot, the pack doctorâs son, instead of getting stronger. He just made me so angry.
I looked at his bony, muscleless form and wondered how the hell he was going to be my right-hand man when he couldnât even carry his own bag without falling over. Have I somehow angered the Goddess? I thought.
My father, the current alpha, made it clear that in the coming future, I had to stay alongside Drew at all times for my own safety. That he would protect his alpha at all costs.
I reached down, gripped his silky golden hair, and pulled his head and torso up, forcing his body into an awkward side bend. I scanned his face for any signs of strength. But there was just pain and resignation. He wasnât even trying to support his weight with his arms.
Releasing him, I let him fall back to the floor. Protect his alpha? As if. This shithead canât even protect himself. How the hell is he going to guard me?
I stepped around him, placed my foot on his back, then pressed him flat on the floor. âThatâs where you belong, in the dirt, you boy lover,â I said and spat on the carpet, putting more weight onto his back.
Drew came from a long line of exceptional beta werewolves who were blessed with unique gifts from the Goddess in order to protect their alphas. These gifts were given solely to the betas of his bloodline, making them more precious than any other wolf in any other pack.
Drewâs father, David, received the gift of superior sight. Not only could he see through objects, but he could also see into minds and through emotions. He could read anyone like the many books on his shelves.
Drewâs uncle, who lived with his mate, the alpha of our neighboring pack, had the gift of superior hearing. He could hear what was happening outside the borders of his packâs territory, miles and miles away.
Drew got the superior gift of foresight. No other beta before him had received this gift. The Goddess gave him this blessing, though the visions were just glimpses and fragments and werenât always accurate. And that made Drew special.
But looking down at him under my foot, I didnât see anyone special. I saw what I had seen ever since I was old enough to perceive him: a wimp, a runt, a weak link. I hated him for it. And I hated him more after he got his gift.
Why was that kind of power in such a weak little body? As the next alpha, I deserved to have that gift, and Charles, Henry, and I didnât let him forget that. My boys and I beat him up and humiliated him every chance we got.
For years, Drew had spent his time with Elliot, but lately their interactions had looked more intimate, which created an even greater storm of anger in my chest. But as soon as heâd leave Elliotâs side, weâd get him and wouldnât stop until my anger subsided.
I lifted my foot off him and put it under his ribs, flipping him onto his back. His eyes snapped open, and their blueness mixed with fear pierced my heart, causing it to clench.
What was that? I thought. Was that guilt? Do I actually feel bad for him? I shook away the foolish thought and reset my face, then reached down and gripped the front of his shirt with one hand.
I again pulled his head and torso off the floor. âGet up and fight me!â I balled my other fist.
His eyes were full of fear, but beneath that was a look of something deeper, a knowing, or something.
Did he have a premonition about this? I thought. Then anger flooded me once more. Then why is he just letting it happen? I clenched my jaw and let the anger flow through my fist as I slammed it into the center of his chest, directly into his sternum.
He fell to the ground and choked for air, then held his chest and started hyperventilating. His whole body shook.
âWhat the hellâs wrong with him?â Charles asked.
We watched for a moment, but then the front door of Drewâs house opened, and a voice called out his name. Henry and Charles had already jumped out the window by the time I got to it.
I told them to run but stayed behind to see who had come and if they could help Drew. He was still my beta, and I couldnât just let him die. I peeked into the window as Elliot walked into view, tugging at his tank top, fanning himself, on his way to Drewâs room.
Once inside, he saw Drew and gasped. âDrew!â he said, running to his side.
Drew was now on his hands and knees, struggling to stand and breathe.
Elliot knelt and grabbed Drewâs arm, helping him sit back on his heels. âDrew, what happened?â He ran a hand through his jet-black hair, pushing it off his dripping forehead.
I gritted my teeth at how striking Elliotâs features were. He was tall and fit, and his black hair made his sapphire-blue eyes stand out all the more.
Drew, still hyperventilating, clawed at his chest and made a hand motion near his mouth.
A look of realization crossed Elliotâs face, then he began searching Drewâs pockets. âWhere is it?â he asked when he found nothing.
Drew pointed at his bag.
Elliot stood and grabbed it, then dug his hand into it and pulled out an inhaler.
Of course, he has asthma, I thought. Looking at Drewâs small stature, soft body, and slightly feminine face made my blood boil again. Why is he always acting like a damsel in distress, waiting for Elliot to come save him?
Elliot knelt again, shaking the inhaler as he went, and wrapped one hand behind Drewâs head while bringing the inhaler to his mouth with the other.
I gripped the edge of the window as I watched their interaction.
Elliot was holding Drew like heâd break into tiny pieces at any second, his hand caressing Drewâs head and neck. He looked at Drew like he was a precious treasure that heâd almost lost.
Both of Drewâs hands covered Elliotâs hand, holding it and the inhaler to his mouth. Then Drew pulled one hand away, trailing his fingers a bit up his forearm and resting the hand there. Drew was staring at him like a lovestruck puppy, eyes full of innocence.
Innocent, my ass, I thought, blood boiling inside me. I dug my nails into the wood as their unspoken conversation continued.
Drew took a few moments to get his air back and breathing under control. He took the inhaler from Elliotâs hand and gave him a smile. âThank you, Elliot.â
Elliotâs body relaxed, and he also sat back on his heels. âWhy donât you carry it in your pocket like I told you?â He sighed.
Instead of answering, Drew put a hand on a nearby chair and used it to help him stand, but Elliot rose and helped him up the rest of the way. Drew was shaky on his feet and needed a few breaths before he could stand on his own.
âWhat happened?â Elliot asked as Drew grabbed the backpack from the floor.
I held my breath and waited for Drewâs answer, knowing Iâd get in trouble for this. My mind filled with the ways Iâd pay him back for his snitching.
Drew shrugged. âI must have pushed myself too far in training.â
I turned away from the window and leaned against the house. He lied. Why didnât he say anything?
I breathed out the breath I was holding, but my next inhale brought with it an increasingly familiar feeling. Was it guilt? Regret? I couldnât pin it down entirely, but I knew a part of it was a sense of failure. And I hated failing. Alphas donât fail.
I rallied against the feeling and gave myself a pep talk. Youâre the future alpha of this pack! Itâs your duty to make sure your pack members can do their duties. Youâre helping Drew become stronger. You donât need to be sorry for anything!
