Chapter 52: Busted

**Elliot’s Point of view**


"I'm going." Alice says as she stood up.
"Wait for me."
I try to pull out all the tubes and wires but immediately three people tackle me to my bed. 
"What do you think you're doing?" Alice asks in an icy tone.
"I'm coming with you."
She huffs. "That's right." She turns to Owen and Simon. "Make sure he doesn't leave this bed."
She storms out, without so much as a glance at me.
I feel the familiar pain in my chest caused by her indifference.
"Hey, don't worry, she'll be fine." Simon tells me.
"No, it's not that. I can't believe that after everything that has happened to us, she still doesn't care."
Owen tilts his head to the side. "On the contrary. Do you realize what she has done for you? She showed up alone at our border. It's a miracle our guards didn't kill her. Then she fought against your father to inject you with the cure. Twice. And that's no small thing."
Simon nods. "She wouldn't have done all of this if she didn't care about you."
I sigh. "That's the problem. She is just starting to like me when I am madly in love with her."
But they don't listen to me. Their eyes are glassy and their foreheads are wrinkled.
"What's going on?"
Owen swallows. "Alice just arrived. She explained that she came willingly to help you, and now her father is even angrier. Her grandfather is here, too. Sam and Melanie are trying to support her but it's made their fathers angry too."
Simon heads for the door.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"I'm going to join Melanie. We don't know how this whole thing is going to end so I'd rather be near her, just in case." 
He runs off, promising to update us.
"Help me get up and get dress." I ask Owen.
While I put on my shoes, Simon mind-links us.
*"Uh, guys? It's a mess. A huge mess."*
*"What? What's wrong?"* I ask, panicked.
*"Alpha Mark just kicked Alice off our land but her father and grandfather won't let her in anymore. She's mad as hell. I think they are going to banish her and Sam and Melanie don't want to leave her."*
We rush out of the house, running as fast as we can.
I hear a snarling voice in the distance. "I figured as much anyway. Lately, you've been defending the Reds all the time, saying they were innocent. We should have known you were a traitor! I'll bet you anything you get fucked by Reds!"
Leo growls as we finally arrive. Our two packs face each other, with Alice, Sam and Melanie in the middle.
She stands tall, facing her pack who look at her doubtfully. They don't seem to know who to believe or what to think.
"I am not a traitor. The pack is always my priority. And the King himself said they are innocent. Unlike you, old man, I have been able to see past the hate and because of that we are still here." She says, chin up.
My father turns to our pack and uses his Alpha tone. "Is anyone getting laid with her?" 
Everyone puts their heads down in submission and says no in unison.
He then turns to Alpha John. 
"The one thing our two packs have always agreed on is that we should not mix. I think it's time to take more severe measures for those who break that rule."
Alpha John chuckles. "Finally a sensible word. From now on, any relationship will be sanctioned by an immediate banishment. What do you think Alpha Mark?"
My father nods and turns to our pack again and yells in his Alpha tone. "Who here has a relationship with a Blue?"
All remain silent. All except Simon.
"Me."
Everyone gasps and turns to face him. His head is down and he grits his teeth, fighting against the aura of his Alpha who is slowly approaching him.
"With who?"
Simon grits his teeth and closes his eyes, sweating profusely. He won't betray Melanie.
"WITH WHOM?"
He swallows again and clenches his fists.
My father screams in rage and pulls out his claws, grabbing Simon by the neck and lifting him off the ground. I don't even have time to realize what's going on when Melanie rushes in and pushes my father back, surprised.
She stands in front of him and as my father gets up to attack them, Sam, who is the closest, steps in. But he is not fast enough and my father sends him against a tree where he collapses unconscious.
"SAM!" 
Owen runs through the crowd and rushes towards him. 
"What are you doing Owen?" Asks his father. "Get away from him."
Owen gets up, carrying Sam in his arms. 
"He needs medical attention. I'll take him to the hospital."
"Not so fast." My father says. "No Blue will enter my territory."
Sam then turns to the Blues.
"If you think you're going to set foot here, you're wrong." Says Alpha John.
Owen then tries to give Sam to Melanie and Alice but they are no longer allowed to go home.
"Simon, Owen. Be reasonable. You are the future Beta and Gamma of this pack. Promise to have no more ties to the Blues and you will be welcome back."
Simon looks at Melanie and then back at Owen. They seem to be talking through mind-link and eventually nodded. 
Simon speaks up. "Unfortunately that's not possible. Melanie is my mate and Sam is Owen's." 
His statement is greeted by a stunned silence and then everyone starts yelling at the same time. A sharp order from my father and Alpha John brings back the silence, except for Alice's grandfather who laughs like a crazy person.
"It's perfect! Finally, the Reds' downfall has arrived!" He turns to his son who seems as lost as the rest of us. "Don't you understand? They lost their future Beta and Gamma!"
"So have we." Alpha John replies.
"Maybe, but when the real Alpha of this pack comes, and he will have Alpha blood in his veins for sure, he will bring his Beta and Gamma! We haven't lost anything, just the opposite!" He says, ecstatic.
I am shocked. I turn to Melanie's parents, Sam's, Simon's, and Owen's, but none of them seem to react. Their kids are getting banished and they say absolutely nothing.
Alice giggles and glares at me. I can see that she is angry at her family and wants to hurt them, especially her grandfather.
I know from one look what she wants to do. 
I walk towards her and stop beside her.
I expect her to immediately taunt her grandfather, but she surprises me by saying two words I've been hoping to hear for way too long.
"Mine. Mate."