The Mark of a Beta

nine

"They know, Cooper."

"What the fuck? How do they-"

"They know you're gay. It's pretty obvious to anyone with eyes," Thomas grins.

"Are you sure? I thought they may have an idea, but they don't know for sure-"

"I think the middle school talent show fiasco speaks for itself."

My cheeks heat as I think back to that traumatic event. I performed a dance number to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," and wanted to have fireworks go off inside the auditorium. It was safe to say that everyone blamed me when the building caught on fire. I got in so much trouble with the Alpha.

Through this entire interaction, Axel remains still as a fucking boulder. He asks no questions, he just studies Thomas carefully.

"I won't say anything if you don't want me to," Thomas says gently. I look at him and see sincerity in his eyes.

"Not even to Alicia?" I ask because mates are insanely close. If one knows something, it is always assumed the other knows as well. In this case, his mate is the Beta of our pack. I don't want Alicia telling the Alpha who could accidentally spill the news prematurely to my parents.

"Cooper, you know I don't like keeping anything from Alicia..."

Axel begins growling very softly, but it picks up volume the more he glares at Thomas.

"Okay! I can keep this secret from her for a little while. Please tell them soon. They deserve to know. You deserve to be openly happy with your scary as hell mate."

I laugh, glad to have Thomas on my side. Things will be much easier now that I at least have someone to talk to.

Axel walks up closely to Thomas as he levels their gazes.

"You tell anyone, I will rip out each of your ribs, stab you with them, and then use the final one to go straight through your heart."

Even I got chills.

Isn't Axel just the sweetest?

~

Once Axel calms down enough to where he is acting like his typical brooding self, Thomas tells him that he is supposed to follow him to the meeting room. Ax doesn't seem to want to leave me before I've told him who hurt me. Actually, he doesn't want to leave me in general. However, I put up a fight and miraculously convince him to let me be on my own.

Thankfully, Axel allows me to not be attached to his hip, but he orders me to stay in the pack house while he assigns Cole to keep me company. One: he can't fucking order me to do anything because I'm his mate, not his bitch. Two: I have no idea who Cole is and I'm not about to be babysat by some boring as hell pack guard.

Axel knows better than to bring up the topic of who hurt me- he fucking knows that Thomas has no idea I was even injured in the first place. Instead, Axel just glares at me with a look that screams I'll punish you later for this.

I'm a bit scared and a bit thrilled.

I don't even have time to agree or disagree with his orders before he leaves the room with a baffled Thomas scrambling after him.

Not even thirty seconds later, the man who I'm assuming is named Cole casually appears in the doorway. He leans against the doorframe and I'm instantly caught off-guard. Cole seems to be a few years older than me, but I can't read him at first.

His dark hair is shaved close to his scalp, his dark eyes look me up and down, but not in a condescending manner. It's also not in the same way Axel does it when he is cataloguing my every strength and weakness with a single terrifying look. Cole just looks casual, a bit curious.