Rejected by Alpha, Claimed by Beast

04. Report…

The entrance into the council headquarters was organized and busy as always.

“Lord and Lady Layton, the director and council are awaiting you in conference room three.” Front reception, Mindy Breach stated as they advanced to the desk.

Smiling, Lady Layton nodded and thanked her. The Lord and Lady followed the hall towards the directed conference room. Neither was sure of the reason for the abrupt request for a meeting. Although both were silent council members and have assisted in many of the challenge cases, they were seldom summoned without cause.

Knock, knock

Lord Layton led their way into the room, taking inventory of who awaited them. It wasn’t as though he distrusted the council, but this was his second chance, mate, and they had been to hell and back to be together, so she never entered a room first.

The director and head council members all stood at Lord Layton's entrance, their eyes shifted towards Lady Layton as soon as she stood at her mates' side.

“Welcome, Lord and Lady Layton. We appreciate your speedy acceptance of this rushed request and meeting. I assure you, it is of the highest importance, and we figured you two would wish to lead the investigation of this particular matter brought to our attention.”

Lord Layton, a hybrid, always had a powerful dark aura that naturally surrounded him. Even Director John McNally was wary of the Layton clan, regardless of his higher social rank. Lady Layton kept her mate's beast in check, so they were always called into council meetings as a pair.

“Director McNally, it’s nice to see you again.” Lady Layton extended and received the Director's handshake.

Lady Layton was the one with the people skills; her mate was the strength and action guy of the pair. The Layton brothers are hybrids and tend to be more beasts than men, especially without their mates to balance them and keep them calm.

“Please,” Director McNally gestured to the table with the other council members awaiting. “Have a seat. We’ll get to the point of this abrupt request.”

“Hell, Councilman Thomas, Councilman Raids and Councilwoman Price; it’s lovely to see you all again.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Director McNally slides a folder towards the Lord and Lady.

“The council members in attendance today have already been briefed on the matter. Please understand that this is a delicate matter as there isn’t evidence, only a few reports.”

Lord Layton opens the folder and does quick work to read through the information and the complaint reports submitted. He hands the case pack name to his mate and waits for her reaction.

“Mountain Run?” Lady Layton was taken aback. “What does my son’s pack have to do with this meeting?” Lady Layton's back was up immediately, ready to charge forward for her son.

“Please, Lady Layton.” Director McNally raised his hand to calm the woman. “Your son is not in any danger. Quite the opposite. He is reported to be endangering others.”

Although Lord Layton was listening intently, he remained silent. His mate, however, was ready to lash out. Although her son and her had a fragmented relationship due to her divorcing his father for her true mate, she loved him unconditionally.

“There have been reports coming in of your son torturing her beyond necessity. Reports state that he relishes the pleasure of torturing the rogue female, in particular. There have been consistent reports of one rogue female. She has been held in the dungeons for months and, according to the reports, she is wolfless and tortured daily.” Director McNally stated while his eyes were focused on the Lord and Lady pair.

“Some people have come forward and stated that she's been repetitively assaulted in the most inhumane ways. She is apparently dubbed the Alphas' toy around the pack.” Councilwoman Price adds.

Lady Laytons was enraged. “Do you have evidence of these horrid allegations?”

Councilman Raids leans forward and slides forward another folder. “We have seven consistent reports from Pack Warriors; they all state the same. Evidence, no. These allegations warrant an investigation.”

“We are offering you the case. We trust you will remain objective in this matter, but we also thought-“ Director McNally started, but Lord Layton finally spoke, cutting him off.

“You thought by sending my mate that his guard would be down and not suspect the gravity of the matter. Isn’t that right?” His tone was sharp and to the point.

“Yes! I won’t beat around the bush. It’s a delicate matter, but we don’t want him to be alarmed. If these allegations are true, it’s alarming and needs to be handled the best way possible.”

Lady Layton went to jump in, but her mate placed his hand on her arm, pausing for her maternal defense.

“I agree. If these reports are true, this matter needs to be handled delicately. We will go. I’ll be taking my brother. He’s the best tracker in the country. If there is a wolfless rogue hidden away and being tortured, he’ll be the one to know. If we find nothing, you owe my mate an apology. Clear!” It wasn’t a question.

The council members and director nodded without hesitation.

Without waiting for dismissal, Lord and Lady Layton stood and departed from the room and, shortly after, the headquarters building. Lord Layton knew his mate was fuming. She was a very protective mother. They had three children at home together, and although he didn't much care for how Jacob ran things, his arrogance or sense of entitlement, he would support his mate. If that meant standing for a bully like her firstborn son with her ex-chosen mate, then he would.

First, he needed to get in touch with his brother. Colton wasn't a man easily in touch with. Without his mate, he was becoming more beast than man, and keeping him within the core of a pack wasn't always wise. Colton tends to stay in his cabin just on the outskirts or run missions for the council.

Once the pair reached their awaiting car, Lady Layton released a stream of curses on the Director and council members. How dare they even entertain this story?

"My love, we must remain objective." Lord Layton tried to coax his mate, but she snapped to face him.

"You believe this bullshit? You think that my Jacob is capable of something so-- horrid?"

"I disagree with the reports, but seven members are reporting the same version... that is warranted for investigation. It would be no different from any other pack if they received these complaints. You know this."

"It's not any other pack. It is my son. My Jacob. He wouldn't do something like that. His father was a good man and a great alpha. Jacob was taught to be a great alpha."

Lord Layton growled a warning at the kind words his mate said about another man—her ex.

"There were a few years after the divorce that your beloved ex wasn't so great. Or have you forgotten the damage he caused to many of his allies?" Lord Layton shot back.

"A brief period. You and I both know the divorce was hard for him; he had a momentary slip."

"Stop making excuses. If you can't remain objective, Colton and I will go, and you will remain at the manor."

Their driver, Denis, was stunned by the sound of the slap Lady Layton gave across her mate's face. "How dare you!" She snapped fiercely.

"I am not your enemy, mate. Don't make me one." Lord Layton growled. "If it were not Jacob, you would not behave like this. You would be preparing to save an innocent woman potentially. Remove the attachment and do the f*****g job."

It wasn't often Lord Layton asserted himself with his mate. When he did, it almost always involved Jacob or her ex-mate. Although her defense and blindness hurt him and his beast, he masks it and stones his expressions. He knows she means well, but she can't compute the possibility right now, not when it concerns her son.

"He wouldn't do that."

"No, we don't know that yet. You are hoping he hasn't done that. The reports are very similar and detailed, which merits concern and proper investigation. Remove the attachment, my love. I need you to support me when we go into Mountain Run. Colton will know if there is any truth, if it is a falsified report. You know that. Trust the process as you always have before."

After an eternity of silence between them, Lady Layton sighed and turned back to her mate. "You're right. I am sorry. I just-"

Cupping his mate's cheek tenderly, he said, "You want to protect your son. You still feel like you failed him after the divorce, but only he can choose his path. You need to see the truth if he has done these horrible things. You can't protect someone who takes pleasure in hurting the innocent. Please, don't make me the enemy. Don't let this get in between us. You are my mate, and I love you."

Leaning into her mate's palm, she closes her eyes and breathes in his calming scent.

"I am sorry, my love. You are right. I pray he hasn't done that."

"I know. I hope so, too, but we have to remain objective. If we can't, the council will go in themselves. They will cause an all-out war either way. It is best that we investigate."

"Colton won't find anything. I know it." Lord Layton smiled at his determined mate.

"I hope you are right."

"I love you, Richard."

"I love you too, my beautiful Anne-Marie."

After his mate nestles into his shoulder and drifts to sleep during their flight back home, Lord Layton sends a quick text to his brother.

Richard: Mission assigned. Be ready in three hours to head out.

Moments later, Lord Layton's cell phone dinged.

Colton: Where's the mission?

Richard: Mountain Run

Colton: ??

Richard: Sending attachment now.

A few minutes later, the attachment was sent.

Colton: I believe it.

Richard: So do I, but we must keep this to ourselves. She isn't ready to accept this yet.

Colton: I've been itching for a good fight, and that b***h of a Beta has had it coming for a while.

Richard: We need to be professional, Colt. Remember, this is her son. It's her ex-husband's legacy and pack.

Colton: I'm tired of the coddling, bro. That punk is a whiny b***h who needs to be put in his place. He isn't at the top of the pecking order.

Richard: Just...

Colton: Professional until no one is looking, got it! *devil emoji*

Sighing, Lord Layton put his phone away. His brother is a loaded gun at times. He is the best, but one day, Colton will snap. He is too far gone. Colton would never have listened to him if they didn't have such a tight bond. He was the only one to keep Colton in check those days.

Colton needs a mate, but after his true mate brutally betrayed and rejected him, he won't trust a woman again. That's the problem. Too much testosterone or too much time in the gym? Lord Layton wasn't sure, but he needed his brother to stay the course and remember that his mate loved her son, unconditionally, and this could cause problems for him if Colton acted out.