Page 82 of The Beta: Part Two

After the revelations we just uncovered, it might be a little unfair to let Nathan slaughter him. I don't like Seth any more than I did an hour ago, but I understand why he did what he did. He's already suffered here, there's no reason for him to die. And, if I'm truly honest with myself, I don't want his death.

I flick a glance at Trent, then toward Seth. Trent seems to understand that I want him to be ready to move fast because he slightly adjusts his position and stance.

“Open it,” I whisper, and take out one of my earbuds.

The moment Jasper’'s wrist turns and the lock clicks, Nathan wrenches the door open. Less than a second later Nathan, sweet, kind, patient Nathan, has taken Seth to the ground. He's crouched over Seth with his hands around his neck, using his body weight to hold him down.

Trent takes a step closer, but the sound that roars out of Nathan has him hesitating.

I look at Nathan's hands and see that he isn't just choking the life out of Seth, he is digging his fingers into the flesh around his esophagus. He's going to rip out Seth's throat.

And Seth is going to let him.

I take a slow step forward. Trent's hand snaps out and grabs at my shoulder but I shrug him off. “Nathan,” I say in the softest voice I have.

He doesn't respond. He doesn't even twitch.

“Nathan,” I say again, a little louder.

He blinks, but he doesn't ease up on Seth's throat.

I step another step closer. I'm almost close enough to touch him. “Nathan,” I say more firmly. “I need you to come back. I need you to hear me. I need you to listen to your pack. We are here. Come back to us, Nathan.”

His grip relaxes slightly, and he blinks a few more times.

“Nathan, listen to me. Don't kill Seth. You can hate him, but don't kill him,” I reason. Killing Seth won't actually help the situation; and frankly, we don't have time.

“He hurt you,” Nathan growls.

I take a breath. Seth did hurt me, but Nathan doesn't know how much worse it would have been if Seth hadn't taken me from Derek and Jay. Especially Jay. “He did. And he has suffered for it. Come back to me so I can help you understand.”

Nathan shakes his head, “no. He dies.”

I don't mind begging. I'm not begging for Seth's life at this point, I'm just begging Nathan not to take it. Seth could die a thousand deaths right now and it wouldn't phase me at all, but watching Nathan take those lives would.

“Please don't,” I whisper.

His grip relaxes just a fraction more.

“Nathan, please listen. Seth did hurt me, but he also saved me. Derek and Jay were doing so much worse to me. Seth took me from them.”

He shakes his head several times like he's clearing it. “But he still hurt you.”

I can tell from his voice that he's starting to come back. I'm not naive enough to think that his rage won't need blood to fully dissipate, though. That's alright, I can give him blood.

“Remember that picture they sent Kaleb,” I pause to give him time to think.

I can hear Seth taking small, wheezing sips of air. He'll be fine for a while longer.

“You know which one. That wasn't Seth's dick ripping me apart. It was Jay's. Seth came in right after Derek took the picture. He took me from them. He got me away from them.”

I watch the darkness begin to rebuild itself in Nathan's eyes. I need to redirect that rage. “Kaleb, bring Jay.”

“This is a terrible idea,” Kaleb whispers, “we don't have time. They need us outside.”

“It's a wonderful idea,” Trent says brightly, and I can see Jasper nodding in agreement in my peripheral. “We can make time for this. It's going to be glorious.”

The sound of shuffling and scuffing comes from behind me.