Chapter 38: Relax.

Bella’s pov.

“You want to know the horrible things that have happened to them?!” I cried out to John, my tears smeared on his shoulder along with my snot as I took it over as my own personal shoulder to cry on.

He sighed, rubbing the back of my head with his warm hand.

“What happened to them?” He asked, knowing I needed to tell someone what I knew.

“Alpha Ethan was making his lower members live in poverty! The one family I helped earlier, the one with the three kids,” I said, looking up to make sure he was listening.

He nodded his head at me, urging me to go on.

“They all lived together in a one bedroom house! Since the day their first pup was born! And they barely ever had food to eat! When Talia opened the fridge, every single one of them gasped. Because… they’ve apparently never seen a fridge so full before,” I whispered while tears rolled out of my eyes, feeling so terrible that they had to live that way.

“Are you serious?” He said quietly, anger etched onto his face.

“I’m dead serious,” I whispered back, nodding my head, knowing they weren’t lying.

The way the pups were so timid, so skinny. Even as wolves they should’ve been healthier, bigger. But they looked like tiny human children. Because they were starving their entire lives.

“Debra said they tried their best. They worked every single day and night. But it was never enough… the more they made the more Ethan would take from them. They learned it was better to still spend some time with their pups then work themselves to death for nothing,” I mumbled, my heart clenching in my chest at the thought of it all.

“I’m glad we won. That they will be a part of our pack now… they’ll never have to live that way again,” he said, a softer look in his eyes now.

“How were the other members? When you are elder Elian took them to their suites and rooms… were they happy?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the pain I felt for those poor children.

“They were about the same…” he mumbled, playing with my hair, “they didn’t say much. Just how grateful they were to have their own bed and food. I didn’t think much of it till now… I still need to speak with elder Elian about the rest of them. He helped about ten people, situating them in some of the houses on the outside of the pack. The beta, and warriors aren’t happy to be here, some have taken camp in the woods… wanting to be away from the pack house. Gemma must be with Ethan somewhere, I just don’t know where they were taken to after the challenge was over.”

I thought about it for a few minutes.

Garrett took them somewhere, so Ethan could heal but where?

He has connections, yes. Lots of them actually.

So it’s hard to tell which pack he went to…

“It's unfortunate that those members feel that way. Maybe we should try learning their names and positions. We could never have enough warriors so that won’t be a problem… What about their beta? Do they have a gamma?” I asked curiously, knowing most packs have a gamma, some even have a delta. We don’t though, just John, our beta.

“Why?” He asked teasingly, a sparkle in his eyes as he pulled away from me to sit up, “you trying to replace me?”

I opened my mouth, about to answer when he started to tickle me fiercely, uncontrollable laughter bubbling up my throat.

“John!” I gasped, pushing at his hands, desperately trying to get him away from me, “please- please stop! You’re going to make me pee!”

I hissed as he pinched me one last time, chuckling at the dirty looks I shot towards him.

“What! I’m just teasing you. The beta is nowhere to be found. It’s like they didn’t even have one. No delta, no gamma. Just the warriors and high maids. The ones who… did what Ethan wanted,” he said, clearing his throat at the end, looking anywhere but at me.

“What he wanted?” I pressed, knowing they must’ve been his omega mistresses.

“Yup,” he sighed while rubbing a hand down his face, looking utterly exhausted, “he used them for what he wanted. Especially when Gemma couldn’t always give him what he wanted… she had been pregnant once… he was too rough with her and they lost it. She refuses to do anything with him now, but allows him to do what he wants with other she-wolfs.”

He visibly cringed as he looked at my expression.

The anger I felt obviously on display.

“That’s disgusting,” I muttered while a shiver ran through my body, “how could she agree to that?”

“Don’t ask me!” He chuckled with his hands held up in mock surrender, “my cousin is something else. No one knows why she does half of the things she does. Including her accepting Ethan in the first place.”

“Why did you never tell me about her being your cousin?” I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me, “even when you told me about the challenge. You never mentioned his mate was your cousin… why?”

He sighed while he looked at me, guilt in his eyes.

“I didn’t think it mattered… or that it was important. All I was worried about was you. And making sure you won,” he mumbled, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I blushed, tucking my feet under myself as I looked out of the balcony door.

The moon had risen to its highest point, shining brightly down on the pack lands.

I smiled again, for what felt like the millionth time lately.

“I’m… I’m really starting to like you John,” I mumbled, more to myself than him, “but I’m scared… I’m scared to lose you.”

He grabbed my hand, resting it on his heart.

“I promise you, that you’ll never lose me. Ever. No matter how bad a thing, or how brutal the rumour…. I will always be here, as whatever you need me to be… I’d do anything for you,” he said softly, a gentle smile on his face.

My body scooted towards him on its own.

Wanting to be as close as possible.

Tundra purred in my mind…

Actually purred.

Also wanting nothing more than to be basically glued to John's side.

Searching for his wolf.

“How can you make such promises, John?” I asked, laying my head on his shoulder once again.

“Because…” he mumbled, “you’re worth everything.”