FOUR

"Why does MY mate bear TWO MARKS?!" James had asked, well more so screamed. Xander released his arms from around me and stepped up to his dad.

"If you so much as think she'll ever love you, nor consider you her mate then you're wrong. And she was mine first!" He said and I could hear Alistair had taken over a little bit because his voice was deeper, sexier, made me feel a little- 'Whoa Veronica calm down.' I thought to myself before looking up at the two who were now on top of each other, in the middle of the damn hospital bedroom. I reached down, trying to rip Xander off of him but it didn't work. They both outweighed me by a ton, and no doubt were stronger than me.

"I, Veronica Malia Snow, reject you, Alpha James, as my mate." I growled and they both immediately stopped and looked at me. Our pack was different than others, like I stated before. If someone rejected their mate, that was it. You weren't allowed to fight for them, kinda like if a human wants to get a divorce, you can't stay married to them, you get a divorce. I felt my connection to James break away which I was perfectly fine with.

"Fine, but we'll see what happens from that one little sentence. Veronica." He said before shoving Xander off him and leaving.

_______

Since Xander was the alphas son, we still had the right to stay in the pack house. I had to be on my game when hiding Claire and Lincoln because after his reaction to me, I'm not taking ANY chances on what he'll do to my kids.

I was laying down in my bed, and had just woken up from a very peaceful nap. When I rolled over Xander was laying beside me on his back still passed out. I got off the bed and my mind link started going like crazy, almost giving me a headache.

'Pack meeting today. Now. Everyone meet at the fighting grounds near the cells.' James said in his "alpha" tone. I groaned before changing into a tank top and one of Xander's gym shorts.

"We're not going to that damn meeting." Xander said with a groggy voice.

"Yes, we are. Now get up and let's go. And we're bringing Claire and Lincoln, I don't know how much longer we can possibly hide them."

I said and heard Xander sigh and then the bed springs popped back up when Xander got off the bed and started getting dressed. I picked up the brush and glided it through my hair till it was all detangled. Xander came up behind me after getting dressed and pulled my hand along with him till we were out of our room. Alexi and Becca met us with Claire and Lincoln before handing them over to us. We all then walked to the fighting grounds and our group was the first one to get there then everyone else started gathering in till the whole area was filled.

"Thank you for coming everyone." James said and not even a peep came from anyone.

"As you all can see, I'm not dead and will proceed as Alpha and not Xander." He sneered before smirking at Xander and a conjoined 'boo' echoed in the crowd and my mates jaw clenched and Claire cuddled her small head against me and Lincoln looked up at his dad and landed a hand on his cheek which had calmed Xander.

"My first order as Alpha again, will be to get rid of all rebels. Starting with Veronica Snow." He said and my heart stopped. Xander was frozen in place from his dads words and Claire as well as Lincoln looked up at me with fear in their eyes.

"Mommy no..." Claire said and I had looked over my shoulder at two of the pack guards walking towards me. I felt my eyes flooding with tears and everyone else in the crowd was trying to cut off the guards.

"What the fuck did our Luna do to deserve this?!" Someone screamed out.

"She's nothing but a gentle soul!" Another chimed in.

"You can't have our Luna!" The crowd cheered out.

"She's not your Luna! She's a traitor and she will be executed! By tonight." James said growling and Xander jolted his head away from me and up at his dad. I could see Alistair was fighting for control and the crowd was radiating anger. When the guards finally shoved past everyone and reached for me, Xander's arms wrapped around me protectively and pulled me towards his body.

"Remember your god damn place Lenny. Lay a hand on her and I'll rip it off." He growled and I could hear Alistair finally won the battle.

"You're not the alpha anymore." The guard said before laying his eyes on me.

"I can't wait to see what you can do little girl." He sneered at me and then I remembered one of the rules for those to be executed. They could be used by any guard of the alphas choosing and then- well, the moon goddess will retrieve a new soul. I looked up at Xander who then dropped Lincoln into my arms.

"Xander no!" I tried to yell out but it was too late. He was on top of the guard, beating the shit out of him. I looked around the crowd and caught Aarons gaze and was then spun around to face Becca.

"Give me the kids and I'll get them out of here ok V?" She said before pulling me into a hug and taking the kids. Claire was fighting it and tried to wiggle out of Becca's arms. I turned to Xander and tried to take his arm and pull him off.

"Xander please!" I begged and when Xander pulled his arm forward I came down with it. He caught my pleading eyes and Lenny wrapped his hands around my neck, picking me up and started to choke me. Then James voice rang out;

"I could execute her right now Xander! Right before your eyes." he said and Xander looked up at his dad after standing up.

"FINE. Just...." he paused.

"Give me time with her before... That.." He said, his voice laced with pain.

"Xander are you kidding me?!" Aaron said.

"You can't let him take her!" he continued.

"Aaron dammit, just shut up for a second!" Xander said and Lennys hand had gotten tighter around my neck.

"Guys..." I said, my voice just barely over a whisper as I was losing air. It didn't help. The boys continued arguing back and forth and James looked over at me then Lenny.

"Let her go." He said and I felt my body drop, numb. I still had consciousness, and my chest was heaving trying to take in breaths. When Xander turned around, he got down on a knee, and picked me up.

"Hand her over Xander." James said as he was now standing before the both of us. Xander looked down at me and his eyes were filled with apologies. I reached my hand up and rested it on his cheek.

"Hey, I'll be fine. We'll get through this just like everything else baby..." I said and watched his eyes tear up before handing me over to his dad and I could hear Aaron growling. James' arms held my body against his and hands wondered my body before I glared up at him and launched my hand across his face.

"If you're gonna be an asshole and decide to kill me for rejecting your sorry excuse of an ass, then at least have the decency to refrain from being a pervert!" I yelled out.

"Why you little..." He said while winding a hand back then Aaron cleared his throat and James looked up.

"Ahem... Xander, you quite the little ferocious woman here." He said through gritted teeth.

"Too bad she'll be dead by midnight." He said with his frown quickly becoming a grin while yanking me behind me.

_______

I was thrown into one of the cells and my body hit one of the bars, bathed with wolfsbane.

"Ah!" I screamed out, shoving away from the bars. There were four marks down my arms and the skin had split open, blood slowly draining out of it, and even with the short time I was against the bars, it still burned.

"Why are you doing this to me..." I said, my voice barely going over a whisper, and tears had finally fallen down my face.

"You rejected me, pet." He said through gritted teeth before reaching has hand through the open gap of the cell door, yanking me towards him by my hair.

"And guess what sweetheart, I'll give you a bonus punishment, three men. One tiny little girl. Maybe they'll kill you and that fragile little body of yours before even being killed. And I have a special, fun way to kill you my dear." He said, and when I saw him smiling down at me my fear had only risen.

"Abel and Marie will certainly.... Get their fun."