BETA OR NOT

CHAPTER 71: BETA OR NOT, I’LL KILL YOU
~Harper’s POV~

I was in the dining hall when I heard the loud hum from Gabriel’s truck driving up and entering the garage. My heart rate accelerated, and Mia was purring in my head. I thought I was ready to talk to Gabriel, but I just realized that I’m not. I started sweating, and I felt like running to my room to avoid him. He is okay, that is all I wanted to know. I turned to walk up the stairs when I heard the front packhouse door open. I froze in place, not turning to look behind me. His scent of cedar and pine was begging me to run to him, but I refused. I am not going to throw myself at a man who has been kissing another WOMAN! My anger returned and felt new at that moment. I heard Kai talking with pack members who were welcoming him home. Tanner must have entered the dining hall to welcome them home.
“Kai, it’s good to see you, man. Looks like you didn’t die.” I heard Tanner say to Kai.
“Yeah, well… I can say I almost did a few times.” Kai replied to Tanner. To my surprise I heard Tanner speak to Gabriel in an agitated tone. I turned around, worried about the tone in his voice. I knew Gabe wouldn’t like the way his Beta was speaking to him.
“Did you really kiss another woman Gabe?” Tanner asked him. Gabe looked toward me.
“I did.” He said. My heart stopped beating at that moment. I felt sick to my stomach. Before I knew it, Tanner pulled back and punched Gabriel hard in the side of the face. Gabriel didn’t even stumble. His eyes turned black, and he stepped forward shoving Tanner hard against a wall, while getting up in his face.
“Beta or not I’ll fucking kill you, Tanner!” Tanner didn’t back down.
“You are a low life piece of shit Gabe, you know that?” Tanner pointed toward me. “What the hell could be better than what you have standing over there right now, huh?” I felt tears flood my eyes again. I tried to hold them back. Gabe looked toward me. His eyes softened. Guilt was written all over his face.
“I’m sorry, Harper.” He said. His eyes begged me for forgiveness.

I turned and ran up the stairs to my room. I heard quick footsteps behind me the entire way, but I didn’t slow down. I pulled my door open and slammed it shut, locking it behind me.
“HARPER, LET ME IN!” My cries grew louder. I pulled out a bag and started throwing clothes into it. “Harper, please! Let me explain.” His pleading became whispers. “I love you so much, I would never do anything to hurt you.” I quickly wiped my tears away. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I am leaving this place. I can’t stay with him after that. I love this pack, but I am not living here with him.

~Gabriel’s POV~

“Harper please!” I begged her. It wasn’t my fault.
“You wanted it, Gabriel!” She yelled through the door. “You wanted to kiss her! If you didn’t, I wouldn’t have felt it. I hope you are happy now.” She pulled her door open. I looked her in the eyes. She has been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. I hate myself right now.
“Harper, I love you. I don’t want anyone else.” She looks angry, and rightfully so. She pulled a bag over her shoulder. “Where are you going?!” I asked her. She stepped past me and entered the hallway.
“I am leaving Gabriel. You are back with your pack now. I love them, but I am not staying with you. I hope she was worth it,” She said to me. I grabbed her arm and shoved her against the wall. The force I used took both me and her by surprise. “DON’T TOUCH ME, GABRIEL!” She pulled her hand up and slapped me hard across the face… I have been punched so many times and nothing has ever hurt me that bad.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rough with you. Please… Just, don’t leave.” I begged her.
“Tell me why I should stay after what you did Gabriel! I am not that kind of woman. I won’t stay with an unfaithful man. Mate or not, I know my worth.” She raised her voice at me.
“Because I love you, Harper! Because kissing her wasn’t my fault!” She started back down the hallway. I raised my voice louder. “The fucking witch tricked me! She put a spell on me that made me want her! I pulled her close to me. I kissed her, I did! It makes me sick to think about it. But I killed the bitch for what she did. I won’t let something like that come in between us Harper.” She stopped walking.
“The original witch?” She whispered.
“Yes, the fucking original witch!” She turned to look at me. Kai ran up to us.
“I can confirm his story, Harper. Gabe didn’t have any control over what he was doing. Mika brought him back to his senses. Gabe isn’t lying, He did kill her. He cut her throat, then burned her body.” Harper looked pale. “She’s going to pass out!” Kai yelled. I rushed to her side before she hit the floor and grabbed her up into my arms. I walked with her back to my room.

I placed her down on my bed and grabbed a cool cloth to wipe her face. Giving her a moment to come to, I looked around my room. I could tell she has been sleeping in here. I brought her hand up and kissed it.
“Forgive me Harper, I love you so much. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.” I whispered.
“You should have let me kill her.” I raised my eyes to meet hers. She was serious.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take that from you.” I said with a grin.
“I forgive you, Gabriel. If it wasn’t your fault, I can’t hold that against you.” She smiled at me and sat up on the bed. “Gabriel, I missed you so much! Why did you leave me here?” She threw her arms around my neck and cried into my chest.
“That letter I received; the one Kelly gave me in the dining hall. It was from the witch. She told me that the journey would be dangerous. I didn’t want you to get hurt, so I did the only thing I could think of. No, I didn’t go to Russia. It turns out the witch was working with someone. They needed a certain weapon to remove the stone from Thane’s chest. They also wanted me out of the way so they could get to you.” I growled lowly, getting angry just thinking about it.
“Who else was she working with?” I shook my head.
“I don’t know, but I am going to find out.” Harper’s eyes got big, seeming like she realized something.
“I bet it was Chad! While you were gone, he insisted that I meet him to go over the ally blood contract. I went, knowing that we needed his help in the coming war.” WHAT!?
“Harper, you left the packhouse?”
“Yes, I did.” She continued to tell me what happened while I was away. I also told her about all the things that Kai and I went through. I was so angry after Harper told me about what Chad had attempted to do. The fact that Harper took on Thane alone and won made me so proud of her. She is so strong, and capable, though I never want her to be without me again.
“The dagger must be used to separate the stone from Thane. That is the only way to defeat him. He is in the process of raising Hades from hell, and we can’t let that happen.” Harper only nodded her head at me. The sun had started to set. I looked at my beautiful mate. I had been away from her too long, and I have a lot of making up to do. Tonight, I am going to hold her. Tomorrow, I will satisfy my beast.


~Harper’s POV~

Gabriel held me all night. It felt good to be wrapped up in his arms again. He gave me passionate kisses and kept apologizing for what happened with the witch. I don’t understand her. I thought she was supposed to be good. Gabriel said she was about to die, and she wanted Hades's help to become immortal. Hmmm. I pull my arms above my head and stretch out of Gabriel’s grasp. He groaned and pulled me closer into him. I giggled…
“I have to take a shower.” He refused to let me up. I looked down at him, he was grinning at me.
“Stay with me.” He said. I shook my head.
“No! I have to have a shower. Plus, I have morning breath. I need to brush my teeth.” He moaned again before releasing me from his grip.
“Fine, but I get to watch you undress.” I smiled at him. I could tell he is as sexually frustrated as I am. I can’t help the side of me that loves to tease him. So, I slid out of bed, making sure to let my hand slide over his hardened length in the process. I heard a sexy rumble coming from his chest. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back down on top of him. “Keep teasing me little Luna, and I’ll have to show you right now just how bad I want you.” I was straddling his waist. He slid his hands behind grabbing my ass and squeezed it while also pushing his rock-hard cock into my most sensitive spot. I couldn’t help but grind on him a little. His eyes darkened and I could tell that Mika was ready to come out. I quickly jumped up and ran into the bathroom then shut and locked the door behind me.