Rejected Alpha

Chapter Three

Elijah and I made our way up to his office and I was trying to find a way to tell him what happened. I didn’t want to be that person. The one who snitches, or the one who made things harder. But Blaze and his friends had to learn, they had to understand that what they’re doing was wrong and me telling them wouldn’t be enough. But maybe Elijah telling them would work.

“Now Seraphina, tell me what happened.” Elijah said as he sat behind his desk and looked up to me.

I sighed and dropped into the chair in front of him. “Elijah, I don’t want to be that person. I really, really don’t but I couldn’t stand by and watch as they beat her. Well technically only one was hitting her, but the others stood by and watched, smiling, they were smiling Elijah, as if watching another person in pain was pleasurable.”

Elijah’s eyes darkened and a fierce expression settled in his features. “Who?”

“Please don’t hate me.” I whispered. “But the only person I know the name of is Blaze. There were two other guys with him, and a blonde girl. The girl was the one beating on Hope while Blaze and his friends watched.”

If I thought Elijah’s face was dark before it was nothing compared to what it was now. Elijah looked down right scary. His hazel eyes turned black and a look of utter rage turned his face to stone. I never wanted to have that look directed at me. Even me being an alpha, the look in his eyes right now was pure rage. I did see disappointment in his eyes too though and I hated that I was the one to put it there.

“I’m sorry Elijah. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. Hope was scared to. Not because of you but because of Blaze. She said she didn’t tell you because it would only make things harder for her when Blaze took over.”

“It’s not your fault Seraphina. You did the right thing by telling me. Blaze knows better than to act in such a way.”

“Even still. I may not know you very well but I do know I never wanted to be the cause of the disappointment I see in your eyes right now.”

“You’re not the cause dear one. That pleasure would go to my son.” The way his voice darkened to match the look on his face was bone chilling. I honestly felt for Blaze, he was in for a world of hurt if Elijah’s face was anything to go by.

“I’m sorry I skipped school. It was never my intention to do so, but I felt Hope should come first in a situation like that. I’ve always been protective, especially of those weaker. There is no honor in beating those smaller and weaker than you. There is nothing to gain from it.”

“And what of war?” Elijah asked me, steepling his hands in front of him and resting his chin on top of them.

“I don’t personally like the idea of war, but should war befall us then all bets are off. You, we should do everything within our power to protect those we love, to protect our pack. Despite me not being a part of this pack yet I have already come to see that all a pack is, is one big family and family is to be protected, cherished, loved. But I also think that woman and children should be off limits. Unless they fight against us as well.”

“You are wise for your age Seraphina. Any pack would be very lucky to have you as a Luna or an Alpha.”

“I don’t think I want to be either.” I admitted. “I love fighting, I want to be a warrior. I want to be on the front lines should we be attacked.”

“That is exactly what an Alpha is Seraphina. An alpha is a warrior, the first to meet the enemy and the last to leave the battle. An alpha is a protector, a leader and a constant anchor for the pack.”

“But how can I be an alpha? I have no pack to lead. You lead here, then Blaze. I have no pack of my own.”

“That’s not true. Have your parents not told you where you are from? Where you were born? The pack you were born into?”

“No.” I shook my head. “What pack? Where?” I leaned forward and asked almost desperate to know where I came from.

“You were born into the Death Valley pack. One of the largest and strongest packs in North America. Your parents were considered the king and queen of our world. Until they ran. No one ever knew why. Only I did. Your family and mine has always been close like family, and when your father called and told me they were running I staged their deaths. People were after them. Normally they would have fought to the end, but you had just been born and their rival was formidable. They didn’t want to take the risk with your life at stake.”

I was stunned. My parents left their entire pack for me. Turned their life upside down just to keep me safe. But was it worth it? Was hiding me away and keeping the truth of my life a secret for my own good? Was it worth it to keep what I am from me? I wasn’t so sure, but I couldn’t blame them. Not when their first instinct was to protect me.

“So, I have a pack?” I murmured. “Do I have any family left? Do you know?”

“I am sorry Seraphina. I don’t know what happened to your pack after the attack. Once your parents left, we lost all contact with the Death Valley pack.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been the one to tell you.” Elijah shook his head sadly.

“No, don’t apologize. I am glad you told me, thank you. I’m not sure if my parents ever would. They are too protective and they know I would look for answers.”

“Seraphina promise me you will not go looking. Not right now. You are not battle trained, you are still a young woman, still in school. Promise me you won’t go to that pack, no one knows what’s become of it.”

It touched my heart he was so worried about me. It also made me realize that he was right. I couldn’t just go looking for trouble in an unknown situation. It would not only possibly hurt me but my parents and Elijah as well and I couldn’t do that. “I promise I won’t go. Not until I am trained and not until I have someone to go with me. But if someone refuses to go, and I can not find anyone to go, I can not promise I won’t go alone. Not because I want to be reckless, but because I need to know.”

There was a knock at the door and before Elijah could grant permission for them to enter, Blaze burst in the door with the others from earlier trailing behind him. The look in his eye said he was on a mission, but the look he found in Elijah’s eyes cut that look short. He looked between his father and I a few times before something akin to fear clouded his expression. I wasn’t surprised, Elijah looked deadly.

“Ah, just the group I was looking for.” Elijah spoke calmly. Way too damn calmly. You ever hear someone mad when they speak in such a calm voice it was eerie. Yeah, that’s how Elijah sounded. “Blaze, Riley, Emmett, Blair. Please tell me what happened today?”

Blaze’s eyes blazed with his anger as he looked at me before turning his eyes to his father. “Nothing father, just Blair punishing that runt of an omega for bumping into her.”

“And did she apologize? Or did Blair?” Elijah asked Blaze with a raised brow.

“Yes, father the omega apologized.”

“And you just stood by while your friend here put Hope in the medical wing with broken ribs, where we discovered she has had many other breaks in the past that didn’t properly heal? Bruises that have turned her stomach purple? She even had a small amount of internal bleedning.”

“Yes.” Blaze growled under his breath and I froze readying myself Elijah’s reaction. Elijah calmly stood and crossed his desk to stand in front of Blaze. His friends slunk away to hide themselves in the background. Blaze looked at his father for a minute before looking down to his feet.

“Look at me son.” Elijah growled.

Blaze shook his head ashamed. “I can’t father.”

“You are an alpha, my son. You should be able to look me in the eye without backing down, without casting your eyes away, without submitting.”

“Yes, I know father.” Blaze answered, a twinge of regret and shame leaking into his voice. I never wanted to embarrass him in front of his friends, in front of me. It wasn’t my intention to make him feel less than. I could tell by looking at him he had the potential to be a great alpha, he just needed to change his mindset. He needed to know and believe that no one is worth less than another no matter their ranking within the pack.

Elijah stalked closer to Blaze, his eyes blazing with his anger. Fear entered Blaze’s eyes and his body froze as his eyes widened. I could see Elijah wanted punishment; I just didn’t know what it would be. Shock rippled through me though as the sound of skin on skin filled the room, the crunch of bone breaking along side it. Elijah meant to beat him. No, this isn’t right.

“Elijah don’t.” I shouted, jumping from my seat and placing myself between him and Blaze. “I’m sorry I am not trying to defy you but please, don’t hurt him. He never touched Hope. If anyone deserves the physical punishment it’s the one you called Blair. Yes, maybe he stood by and watched, maybe he didn’t stop what happened, but he never lay a hand on her. Even when I showed up, he didn’t stop me. Even when I called him out, called him pathetic he never lost composure. Anyway, two wrongs don’t make a right. Punishment does not have to be a physical one. Not physical like this. He trains right? He has to, he is the future alpha. Make him train harder, put him through more, whatever just please. Don’t beat him.”

“You defend him even after what he’s done?” Elijah looked down at me.

I looked behind me to a very surprised Blaze, his amber eyes boring into mine in confusion. I shook my head and turned back to Elijah. “Yes. Despite what he’s done he is still the future alpha and he is still part of this pack. Pack is family. Though family may be irritating at times and even piss you off, but that doesn’t mean they deserve to be beat.”

Elijah hummed, his thumb and forefinger rubbed his chin as he thought my words over. I didn’t know what he was thinking about, but I am more than happy I at least gave Blaze a reprieve, and possibly stopped him from getting a beating he didn’t deserve. Blaze may be a conceited asshole but even he didn’t deserve this. At least not right now.

“You’re right Seraphina, he does not deserve my ire, he does however deserve my anger. It is as you said he stood by and watched as one of his pack members beat another.”

“Maybe so and yes maybe he needs taught a lesson in the proper way to care for a lower ranking pack member, but not this.”

“Why defend him? Your anger exceeded my own when you came in here to speak with me.” Elijah said curiously.

“Yes, and I am still angry. Him nor the others with him shouldn’t thrive on another person’s pain. It is cruel and barbaric. And yet despite all of that it would make you no better by punishing him physically.”

“How dare you speak to our alpha so candidly.” One of the men spoke up as he strides forward.

I turned and pierced the guy with a hard glare making him stop in his tracks. “You. You are of lower rank and you speak to me in such a way.” I pointed out. “According to everything I have learned I am of higher rank than you, meaning you are not allowed to speak to me so candidly and yet you do.”

Elijah laughed from behind me as his hand fell on my shoulder and squeezed. “She is right Riley. A fact of which you already know.”

“Yes alpha.” The guy named Riley bowed his head towards him.

“Elijah, omegas. What is their job within the pack?” I asked turning to him.

“They are to serve. They clean and cook. They serve the higher ranks their meals. Other than that, they are here to do as they wish, they are not our slaves. Some of the higher rank only want one omega so he or she is the only one allowed to serve that person.”

“Very well. I request Hope be appointed to me. I can keep watch over her, keep her safe from bullies while she helps me when and if needed. I also think Blair here may need to spend some time as an omega. Maybe then she will learn a lesson.”

“Granted Seraphina, Hope shall only serve you.” His eyes rose to Blair, hardening again. “Blair, she is right. You are hereby demoted to an omegas rank until I feel you have learned your lesson.” A proud smile spread across Elijah’s face as he looked down on me. I still wasn’t sure why he took to me the way he did. I didn’t understand why he was doing what he did. Welcoming us here, telling me the truth on more than one topic. He helped buy me a car even though my parents were loaded and didn’t need any help. And even now he is looking down on me like a proud father. I wasn’t complaining, but I was still curious as to why.

“You four, go get ready and meet me on the training field.” Elijah commanded the group of teens behind me.

They all bowed their heads at him, their eyes skimming over me briefly before opening the door and walking out. Something tells me I just either made permanent enemies or curious bystanders. Either way I didn’t like it at all. As the doors closed my nerves from the day started making me jittery. I needed to get some of this nervous energy out before I hurt someone. It’s happened before, more than once, and I didn’t want it happening here.

“I’ll go change into some training clothes and meet you down there as well.” I told Elijah with a tight smile.

“Are you sure you want to start so quickly?”

“Yes.” I nodded hard. “I need to get rid of this energy growing inside me. I’ve hurt people before by letting it bubble up, I refuse to let it happen here.”

“Very well. Meet me downstairs and I’ll lead you to where we need to go.”

I nodded and took off out the door at a sprint. In my room I changed with my head going a million miles a minute. I didn’t know what to expect, and I didn’t know what kind of training they did, but I was ready. I also knew that the four I had caught beating Hope would be in training and that they would be gunning for me. Not that I cared, I was pretty confidant I could beat them in hand-to-hand combat. Either way I knew this was my chance to show my strength, to show I am and will be a capable warrior, a formidable opponent should anything befall he pack. I want to show them I was capable of protecting them, and this was the best way to do so.