by Anya Byrne
"A Sidhe hybrid," Elena corrected. "Truth be told, it's the only reason why the man is still alive. The Folk really pushed for this."
Elena sounded disgruntled, and Argent guessed one of the reasons was because his Alpha was holding his own against the hybrid. It was quite a feat, since Sidhe hybrids, while rare, were known to have additional abilities that could give Dean's opponent quite an edge in battle.
At the other side of the amphitheater, Argent spotted Will Orwell. The human's gaze was fixed on the fight, and both he and Argent winced at the same time when Dean finally faltered.
It all happened so fast. Dean seemed to drop his guard, and the ferocious attack that followed incapacitated his leg. Argent tasted bile as he realized his Alpha might be seconds away from death, but he then realized he'd underestimated the older werewolf.
Suddenly, Dean was turning the tables on his opponent. He leaped forward with such strength the hybrid was propelled back. The advantage wouldn't last, Argent knew, but Dean didn't need a lot of time. In seconds, he was on top of his challenger and tearing into his throat.
What followed wasn't pretty. The other wolf tried to fight back, but he didn't manage to free himself. If anything, his frantic motions seemed to make everything worse. It finally ended when Dean let go—apparently not wanting to kill his foe—and his challenger turned into human form, proceeding to collapse on the ground.
Argent would have cheered, but Dean's victory was partially irrelevant given the fact that he was still meant to die. And then, an unfamiliar figure stepped into the amphitheater, a man Argent hadn't spotted before. Every muscle in Argent's body seized as he finally realized the source of the strange feeling that had been guiding him.
His mate was here. What... Why.... How could this be? How had Argent's wolf even sensed it? There were so many questions and so few answers. Story of his life, really.
Argent was so dazed by this new development that he was completely shocked when Boris Maximoff's men came into view, ready to take out the Alpha despite his victory. With Dean's mate captive, there was nothing Dean could do to prevent disaster. But Argent could and would act. His mate's presence had struck him hard, but it also gave him strength.
Straightening his shoulders, Argent stepped forward, into the main grounds of the amphitheater. He heard Elena release a growl of anger, but she didn't stop him, so he ignored her. Perhaps she thought he'd attempt to physically set Dean free. Argent wasn't that stupid. It was clearly impossible, and such an action would just lead to all of them—even Will—getting killed. Maybe that was her play, to use Argent's loyalty against his Alpha. Well, Argent had no intention of letting her win. Once everyone's attention was on him, he started to speak. "This has to stop. I lost two Alphas in a handful of days, and I lost them because I was stupid. Because we were stupid." His voice didn't tremble despite all the gazes on him. "I see you all here, passing judgment, but did anyone ever wonder about the effects your decisions have upon the rest of our kind? My pack, the only family I've ever known, is gone, scattered. I cannot blame my Alphas for the decisions they made. I betrayed them. I realize that now. But because I betrayed them, I can't have this happening again, not to anyone else."
He kept speaking, letting it all out, revealing everything in his heart even if he was uncomfortable with the scrutiny. Not even Boris Maximoff could make him falter. Argent knew better than to think his voice would have been enough, but unexpectedly, as he approached, his mate finally stood his ground.
"He's right. This has been more than enough. We have no right to blame Alpha Simmons for something we would have done ourselves had we been in his position."
It was then that Argent learned the identity of his mate. Sasha Maximoff, Boris and Elena's eldest son. Argent had heard of him in passing, largely during conversations between Dean and his sons. Naturally, none of it had prepared him for the moment when he actually stood in front of the man, and watched Sasha confront his father about the very same issue Argent had come here to fight.
Sasha was magnificent in his anger. Despite his awareness of the seriousness of the situation, Argent couldn't help but admire Sasha's broad shoulders, his fierce stance, the way his blue eyes flared with conviction and challenge. Tall and well-muscled, Sasha was all Alpha, and Argent was not surprised when his mate's father was taken aback by Sasha's rebellion. Having someone like Sasha suddenly against him couldn't be pleasant.
Argent shook himself from his trance when he realized his words, and Sasha's had reached the hearts and minds of their audience. Slowly, but surely, the other Alphas began to grasp the message Argent had come here to convey. Despite Boris's spluttering and increasing anger, one of them actually uttered the blessed words, "You're free."
The phrase echoed over the amphitheater, simple, yet so very powerful. Argent watched as Dean reunited with his human mate, and suppressed a small smile. He'd risked everything to come here, but apparently, it had been worth it.
Moon be blessed, it would have been even if it hadn't helped him find his mate. As it was, this meeting had stopped being just about Dean and Will.
Argent's heart raced as he took in his mate's aristocratic profile. He itched to touch, to get closer, to bury himself into the man's embrace. It was an irrational urge, since by all accounts, they were still strangers. Even so, Argent still found himself taking one single step forward.
Sasha immediately turned toward him and narrowed his eyes. "Argent Hull," he said, his voice low. "You're either very brave, or very stupid. Make sure you're not so careless from now on."
His blue gaze was so cold it literally froze Argent on the spot. He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. His vocal cords simply refused to work. It was as if through those simple phrases, Sasha had sabotaged Argent's entire train of thought.
It shouldn't have hurt him as much as it did. He barely even knew Sasha. Just the same, when Sasha pushed past him and headed toward Alpha Simmons, Argent felt like his world had twisted into a pale mockery of what it had been.
The bitter taste of self-disgust and loss filled his mouth. Of course. Of course his mate would reject him. It was only fair. He was a traitor, and he'd stabbed his own Alphas in the back for following their hearts. Even if he'd tried to fix things, that didn't mean he was automatically absolved of his original crime.
How could Argent even think he had the right to a mate of his own? Choices always came back to bite him in the ass, and this time around was no different.
A hand like a claw gripped his elbow and Argent was forcibly turned to face Elena Maximoff. Her eyes, so much like Sasha's, yet so different, nonetheless held that very same ice Argent had seen in his mate. "Follow me," she said.
Her voice wasn't angry, not really—simply dead. Argent wished he could look at his mate one more time, but kept himself from doing so. Instead, he followed Elena out of the amphitheater and wondered how karma would lash out at him next.
Chapter Two
Surprisingly, Elena didn't give him too much attention that day. In fact, once they left the amphitheater, she seemed to realize she had more serious things to worry about—such as her family crashing down like a castle of cards. Argent was told to stay within the mansion and wait for further instruction, and then he was abandoned—by everyone.
Or so it seemed, until that evening, when Dean Simmons came to visit. It took Argent by surprise, since he had expected his Alpha to have more important things to worry about. Dean, however, had his reasons for approaching him.
"I want you to come back with me to the States," he offered without preamble. "I heard how you convinced Elena to bring you along, and I don't think you're safe here."
Argent was touched by his Alpha's concern, but he also knew that his place was no longer at Dean's side. "Thank you, Alpha, but I will be fine. I know this seems like a bad situation for me, but I wouldn't stay if I didn't have a good reason."
It was almost even true. Despite Sasha's rejection of him, Argent couldn't bring himself to leave.
Besides, his Alpha was unlikely to return to the former Simmons pack, and Argent doubted he'd be welcome among the people he'd once betrayed.
"Are you sure?" Dean frowned. "You must know that no matter what happened, I care about you, Argent, and I owe you for what you did. You saved both me and Will. You have a home with us if you want it."
Argent shook his head. "My home is here now."
Dean gave him a look full of doubt, but didn't press further. Argent was thankful for it, since he suspected that Dean's attempt to assist him would only draw negative attention to him once more.
Despite that knowledge, Dean and Will's eventual departure still hurt. The only people he could consider his allies were now gone. Over the next few days, his mate didn't approach him at all, so for the most part, Argent was stuck in a limbo.
It grated on him, especially since he couldn't even leave the house to set his wolf free and simply run in the wild. He felt trapped, a captive to his thoughts and to people who simply didn't care. He'd expected Elena and Boris to have enacted their revenge on him by now, and the uncertainty was more unbearable than anything else.
He was almost relieved when, almost a week after the Gathering, Elena burst into his room without bothering to knock. "Mr. Hull," she said coldly. "My mate has decided to speak with you. Come with me."
She pivoted on her heel without giving him a second look, obviously expecting Argent to follow. Of course, he did, if only because he couldn't stand the damn room for much longer. He half-hoped he'd catch a glimpse of Sasha on the corridors, but no such luck. Sasha's scent was always there, tantalizing him, teasing him, but also hurting him with the promise of something and someone he could never have.
Elena led him to a large office that probably belonged to Boris. "Wait here."
Argent opened his mouth to ask what this was all about, but she didn't seem to have any interest in speaking with him. Once again, she turned and left, and this time, she shut the door behind her, thus reaffirming the command she'd given him through words.
And so, Argent waited. At first, he tried being patient, but as the minutes passed, he started getting nervous—or better said, even more nervous. He paced, the wolf inside him stirring restlessly. Half an hour into the wait, he stopped and reached for the doorknob, but in the end refrained from touching it. He cursed under his breath and returned to his pacing. Fuck. As unsettled as he might be, he couldn't leave and couldn't go against Elena again. Things were already bad enough without that.
Argent was so agitated he nearly jumped when he heard footsteps outside the door. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to calm his racing heart. He'd had a great deal of experience supporting the Simmons family in all their affairs. He could handle this too.
The door opened and Boris Maximoff entered the office. "Ah, Argent Hull. So you are here. Excellent. I see you're not completely incapable of following instructions."
Argent straightened his back and did his best not to cower in front of the Alpha's glare. "You wished to speak to me?"
"Quite so," Boris replied. "My mate tells me you want to join our pack."
Argent suppressed a wince. That had been the excuse he'd used to get here, but he had never had any real interest in actually going through with what he'd said. Recent developments had done little to change his mind, and he hadn't thought it was even an option after his little display at the Gathering.
"I was considering it, yes," he said tentatively. "But I am not sure you would accept me. Not to mention that this doesn't seem like the best time."
Boris's expression darkened, and Argent berated himself for not taking a more tactful approach. "You're referring to my son. Well, you needn't worry about Sasha. His rebellion will be squashed soon enough."
The wolf inside Argent reared up in anxiousness at the words. He'd seen what Boris Maximoff had been capable of when he'd set his mind on destroying Dean Simmons—and that had been just a petty vendetta fueled by the Maximoff family's general dislike towards both humans and homosexuals. Sasha... He was a threat, one that any Alpha would not let stand.
But Boris had no reason to tell Argent about it. Why in the world had he even summoned Argent here? What did the Alpha want with him?
Apparently, Boris had every intention of answering this question, even if Argent hadn't asked it. "No Alpha in this Gathering is willing to take a beta who betrayed his Alphas—twice—and then showed great disregard for authority by lying to the mate of a third one. If you leave this place, you will do so as a lone wolf, exiled—and you know lone wolves never last long."
Argent arched a brow. "I'm ready for that."
"Charming. But it won't be necessary, as long as you prove your loyalty to me."
Argent eyed Boris in confusion. "And what exactly would you have me do? Why would you trust me given my earlier behavior?" He doubted he could prove his loyalty by the method Elena had originally suggested.
Boris smirked lightly. "Because you will take care of the very same problem we were discussing earlier. You will destroy Sasha for me."
Argent instinctively recoiled and took a step back. "What?" he croaked out. "No. Absolutely not."
Sasha might have broken Argent's heart without even trying, but he was still Argent's mate. Nothing would ever come of it, but despite that, Argent could never do anything against the man. Moon be blessed, he'd have probably wanted to support Sasha even if the other werewolf hadn't been his mate. He'd seen courage and strength in Sasha, every quality a pack Alpha needed. Beyond Argent's natural draw toward the man, a part of him also felt a hefty dose of admiration—which was one of the reasons why the rejection had been so hard on him.
In any case, Boris didn't seem inclined to take no for an answer. In fact, Argent's reply almost seemed to amuse him—no, to satisfy him. His smirk widened, gaining a wicked edge. "Oh, I think you will. Not to worry. This won't hurt. Much."
That was the only warning Argent received before Boris retrieved a syringe and pressed it to Argent's arm. Argent shoved the Alpha away and stumbled back, trying to protect himself. It was too late. He could already feel the heavy sedative settling over his body, turning his muscles into jelly.
"W-What?" he tried to ask, swaying. "Why?"
Boris tsked. "Come now. Surely one such as you must know our physiology can be affected by sedatives—if they're in a high enough dosage. As for why... You'll see soon enough."
That was the last thing Argent registered before he crumbled to the floor and the world went black.
****
"This has the potential to become the biggest disaster in pack history." Vanya scowled at Sasha. "Do you really think you can beat Father in a challenge?"
"The issue is not the challenge itself," Sasha replied. "It's actually getting to the challenge. You know that, Vanya, and so do I. Father will try to do something against me. He knows I'm stronger than he is. I'm just not sure what he's planning."
And he needed to find out, as soon as possible, because he had more to lose than ever. In fact, he had a very distinctive weak point, one that his father wouldn't delay in exploiting if he found out about it.
Vanya narrowed his eyes at him. "You have an idea, don't you?"
Sasha clenched his fists and looked away from his brother's face. He couldn't... He couldn't say it. He didn't know how his brother would take it. If Vanya refused to help him, the battle was all but lost.
Dean Simmons had been deprived of his power as Alpha because he loved a human man. Sasha hadn't fallen for a human—but his mate was a man, one Sasha was already impossibly drawn to. In his family, that was almost as bad as what Dean had done.
Sasha wasn't ashamed of how he felt, but he wished he could be sure his brother would be of the same mind. Vanya was a good man, and had stood by Sasha ever since they'd been pups. Despite the two of them being born Alphas, the natural sibling rivalry that should have existed between them had never manifested. Would it appear now?
"Sasha?" Vanya prodded. "What's wrong?"
Sasha thought about the handsome beta who'd stepped so fearlessly into the center of the Alpha Gathering. Sasha's wolf had immediately identified the man as his mate. He would have well and truly panicked if he hadn't realized he needed to stay calm if he wanted the man in question to live.
"Look, I need a favor," he told his brother. "The beta from the Gathering... I want you to find him and keep him safe."
Vanya's scowl deepened. "What? Why? I hardly think he's important right now."
Sasha bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a growl. "He's drawn a lot of attention. It's not safe."
"Fair enough. I can understand that, and I respect him for what he did. But, Sasha, we have other priorities. How is this in any way connected to..."
He trailed off and his eyes widened. Fuck. Vanya had always been too clever for his own good. Sasha said nothing, waiting to see how his brother would react to what he'd already guessed.
"Very well," Vanya finished after a long pause. "I will find the beta and make sure he's not in any danger. You don't have to worry about that."
Sasha didn't even bother to hide his relief. "Thank you, Vanya. I knew I could count on you."
"Of course, brother. As always." Vanya smiled. "Now go. I believe you had to see Father about a certain challenge."
They left Vanya's quarters together, with Vanya heading toward the guest rooms while Sasha tracked down his father. If he wanted to be perfectly honest, Sasha would have much preferred to find Argent himself, but if he tried that, he'd draw attention to the beta, something which would make an already bad situation worse.
Sasha simply didn't know what to do. The Maximoff pack direly needed a change in leadership, but they were set in their old ways, much like Sasha's father. The pack would respect the change in leaders if Sasha beat his father in fair combat, but the question was... What would happen after that? What would happen when everyone learned Sasha's mate was a man?
It was these questions that had made Sasha keep his distance from Argent when everything inside him told him to claim the man, to bind them together for all time. His restraint had made this week a lesson in torture. He felt like he was betraying his own heart for putting his duty first, but what else could he do? He simply saw no way out of this situation.