Beyond Beta's Rejection

(Harper’s POV)

My eyes flew open as I woke up in the cells. I sat up and looked around, allowing my eyes to adjust to the low light after the brightness of the Neverplain. I looked down to see the angel blade still in my stomach. I inclined my head at it curiously. Was I meant to pull it out myself? Everything was beginning to blur for me. The Neverplain and my angel and the visit from Drake. Did Drake really visit? Or was that just my perverted imagination putting him there? And was he really also a Divine Warrior? A million questions were running through my mind, some repeated, some serious, some stupid. It was like my mind was in overdrive, and I couldn’t focus on one thing.

I heard a chuckle to one side of me and looked towards the source.

“Hello darling,” Marcus said from his perch on one of the desks at the back of the room. “Glad to see you have joined us back in the land of the living.” I smiled back at him.

“Hello Marcus,” I said, “What are you doing here?”

“Well, it appears that I have a bigger role to play in all of this,” he said. “Valcoin told me to come here and wait for you. At first, I thought he was crazy. Still, then he explained that if his pep talk worked, the blade would be glowing.” He pointed to the blade in my stomach. “So when I got here and saw the blade glowing, I sat and waited.” He looked down at his watch. “Took your time, though. I was getting bored. You’re lucky I couldn’t find a pen. Otherwise, you might have woken up with a moustache.” He shrugged and then winked at me.

“d**k,” I shot back, and he laughed.

“That’s the Harper I like to hear,” he said. “What took you so long?”

“I was upset about dying painfully and all,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, that looked like it sucked,” he said, and I glared at him. “Are you over it now?”

“Yeah,” I said, looking down at the blade again. “I think I am.”

“Good because there is a battle going on, and I, for one, would like to get my hands bloody on some traitorous b***d,” he said, standing up. He walked over and held out his hand to me. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up to stand. The blade ripped on the dress, and I sighed. I reached down and grabbed the hilt, and it glowed as I touched it. I pulled out with one swift movement and was hit by an awesome rush of power through my body. The aches that I was feeling eased, and the wound the blade had made healed, leaving perfect skin. I looked at the glowing blade and swirled it around like I saw Drake doing in the Neverplain. Just like with his blade, it made a light show in the air.

“Neat,” I said, looked down at my tattered dress, and sighed. I didn’t have time for a costume change, but I kicked off the broken heels. I looked up at Marcus expectantly.

“Lead the way,” I said, and he grinned.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Let’s do this.”

We headed out of the empty cells. Obviously, it was all hands on deck at the main fight. As soon as we made it out into the night, I heard the evidence of the fight going on at the pack house. We headed quickly in that direction. I could already see the effects of accepting my angel. My eyesight was clearer. Even in the dark night, I could see everything in such a sharp focus—so much clearer than my werewolf eyes. In fact, it was like all my senses were heightened as well as my sense of presence.

I stopped mid-run and stood still. I scanned the surrounding woods, and Marcus turned back, confusion on his face. I signalled to be quiet as I sent out. Well, I didn’t know what it was, but it was like a radar feeler in my surrounding area. I recognised Marcus as I felt him and saw him react to this new touch. Then I felt something else, someone was following us. I turned towards the person and smiled.

“Come out now,” I said, staring at the exact spot where I knew they were. I listened as the woods rustled, and finally, I saw a figure appear with its hands raised. Another step, and I recognised Paul, one of the warriors from the Council.

“Hi Paul,” I said as I eyed the sword in his hand. “What you doing there?” He let out a sarcastic laugh.

“So you really do remember my name then?” he asked, and I smiled.

“Oh, I remember everyone,” I said and tilted my head. “Marcus, three behind you,” I called and heard a scuffle behind me. “f**k!” I heard Marcus exclaim as he hit the floor.

“You just need to come quietly, Harper,” Paul said. “And maybe we can catch up on that later you promised on back in the closet at the council.”

“I doubt it, cupcake,” I said. “For one, I have no intentions of coming with you. I mean, let’s face it, even when you tried, I had trouble cumming with you back in that closet.” I heard a snigger behind me, and Paul growled at me. “And two, you’ll all be dead in the next sixty seconds.”

“Erm, darling,” Marcus said as I felt him move up behind me, so his back was to me, and we had all four warriors in our sights. “I’m good, but I’m not sure I can do four in under a minute.”

“Don’t worry, Marcus, sweetie,” I said, pulling the angel blade out from the one sleeve of my dress. It instantly glowed lightly up the woods. “You can sit this one out.” I swirled the blade around and watched Paul’s cocky attitude begin to melt in uncertainty.

“In fact, Marcus,” I said.

“Yeah, darling?”

“Sit. Now!”

Marcus dropped to the floor, and at the same time, I swung the blade around and let go. I watched as it flew quickly towards the first of the three warriors behind me. I jumped over Marcus and rushed to the blade, meeting it as it entered the first warrior. The second my hand was on the hilt, it lit back up again, and the warrior screamed in pain as the blade burned right through him. He hadn’t dropped to the floor yet when I pulled the blade out and used it to slice the throat of the second warrior. I saw as, in slow motion, the wound erupted in blue flames, killing the second warrior instantly. The third warrior had a chance to grab his weapon from his holster, and I sliced down at the wrist, taking his hand. He dropped to the floor screaming, and I plunged the blade into his chest, hitting his heart.

I swung around to see Paul heading towards me, his face in a state of rage. And Marcus’ a*s only just hitting the ground. I threw the blade again at Paul and met it again. I paused for a second to see Paul register. I was now back in front of him and smiled as I plunged the sword into his abdomen and up through his chest.

“You feel that burn?” I asked as his eyes widened. “That is the burn of your demon b***d coming in contact with the pure divine power of my angel b***d.” I twisted the blade, and he howled, “Sorry, Paul,” I said. “You never stood a chance.” I watched as the blade purified the demon’s b***d and burned what was left of his corrupted soul, and he dropped to the floor with his eyes wide.

I turned back to Marcus, who was staring at me, his jaw practically on the floor.

“Look at that,” I grinned. “I have super speed now.” I walked over to him and held out my hand. He hesitated before taking it, and I rolled my eyes as I pulled him up.

“Erm, what the f**k was that?” Marcus asked, and I grinned.

“Hell, if I know,” I said and then realised what I said. I burst out laughing. “Hell if I know,” I repeated, tears streaming down my face. It wasn’t even funny, but with the day I was having, then I think my sanity was wearing a little thin. I finally stopped laughing and looked up at Marcus, who didn’t look amused.

“Ouch!” I said, “tough room.”

“Harper!” he exclaimed, “How did you know to do, well, this.” He waved his arm around at the four bodies on the floor. I shrugged.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” I said. “It’s like I have this knowledge that isn’t mine or can’t access it until I need it. Or like muscle memory, I just knew what to do.” Marcus rubbed the back of his neck and blew out a breath.

“Damn girl,” he said. “I don’t know who’s protecting who right now.” I set off towards the pack house.

“Told you I could look after myself,” I said as I turned back to him and winked. Marcus laughed in response as he jogged to catch up with me.

“Oh, I’m convinced, darling, I always was. But damn, you impress me.”

“Oh, I suspect we haven’t seen anything yet,” I said, and he chuckled.

We were close enough to the pack house by this point that I could see warriors fighting against one another. We headed towards it, and I was about to step out into the battlefield when I heard a frightened voice.

“Jax,” Maia called from inside me, “Harper, he and Elias are dying.”

“What, where?” I asked back in my head.

“The other side of the pack house,” she cried. “They have given up.” I turned to Marcus in fear.

“I have to get to Elias,” I said. “He’s being stupid. You try to find Louise.” He nodded and rushed off towards the pack house. I headed around the fringe of the battle so that I didn’t draw attention to myself. I could feel the pull of the bond with Elias and allowed it to guide me to where he was. I finally entered a clearing, realising it was the one I shifted in not so long ago. It was still bathed in the moonlight, but this time, I saw Nathaniel leaning over Elias, his hands around his throat. I pulled out the blade bathing the clearing in the light, and I rushed him, knocking him across the clearing. I stalked Nathaniel across the clearing and saw the exact moment he realised that it was me.

“No!” he exclaimed. “You died. I saw you burn.” I smiled down at him.

“Yeah, didn’t take,” I said. I heard a cough and looked over to see Elias looking up at me.

“Harper!” he exclaimed, and I ran to him just as his eyes closed again. I felt for a pulse and sighed when I felt relief sweep through me.

I felt Nathaniel advancing on me and swung around, swiping my leg, taking his out from under him. I jumped to my feet and stood over him.

“You can’t beat me now, Nathaniel,” I said. “You may have taught me everything I knew. It appears now I have a new, more divine mentor.”

His eyes widened as he eyed the blade in my hand. “No,” he cried. “You shouldn’t have that. I made sure of it.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, ready to ask what he meant by that. But he took my confusion to his advantaged and kicked out at me, hitting me in the chest with force. I flew back out of the clearing and into the main battleground.

“Son of a b***h,” I exclaimed as I saw him rushing at me. I jumped up to my feet and sidestepped as he came close. He anticipated my move and adjusted, slamming his fist into my face. It knocked my head back and hurt like a b***h, but I recovered quickly and twisted and slammed my hand into his neck. He dropped to the floor, and I took the angel blade and slid it straight into his stomach. He cried out as his skin sizzled. The very strength of his demon b***d was his own undoing, incapacitating him, attacking the angel blade, and his own body at the same. I leaned into him, blade still held in his stomach.

“Nathaniel Bethrinton, this is your reckoning,” I said, and his eyes widened as if I had said something important to him, “You have been found guilty in the eyes of the Divine Order.” I didn’t need to know how I knew this, just that I knew it. “Your punishment is served,” and I pulled upward, slicing with ease through his body, bones, and muscle. I watched the light die from his eyes as the warmth of his b***d-splattered and sizzled against my skin. He dropped to the floor an empty husk of himself. I looked down at the now dead body and laughed.

“Go to hell.”