Page 72 of Star-crossed Betas

I choke on a sob when I open the bedroom door.

Archie is lying on the bed. His head is at such an angle that his neck is clearly broken.

I promised to keep him safe. I let him down.

He’s the first and only member of our pack, and I didn’t keep him safe. I dig the heel of my palms into my stinging eyes, trying to keep my tears at bay until I’ve done what needs to be done.

Stepping closer, I spot the half-read paperback I’d loaned to him. My anguish quickly turns to fury as I ask myself who could possibly have wanted to harm a man as kind and gentle as Archie. The man who wouldn’t even get up to fetch himself a drink of water if Magnus was curled up asleep on him. The man who came over every single week with a tray of baked goods just because. He’d obviously been dealt some shitty cards growing up, but he was making progress. Damn it, he was healing! Each time I saw him, he’d come out of his shell a tiny bit more.

“I promise I’ll find out who did this to you, Archie. I’m so sorry,” I whisper to his lifeless body.

I take a moment to gather myself before heading back to the entryway.

“I’m sorry, Mrs Jones, but I’m going to have to call the police. I found Archie in his room, but it looks like he passed away a few days ago,” I explain as calmly as I can manage. She gasps and looks at me in total shock. I press my hand to her back, gently guiding her back towards her house. “Do you think you could make us both a cup of tea, and I’ll contact the police?” I’mhoping if I give her something to do, she won’t go into shock or anything. I also don’t want her to overhear me on the phone.

“Oh god. I can’t believe it. ” She stumbles over her words but makes her way towards her kitchen.

“I’m just going to pop outside to make some phone calls,” I tell her before ducking out.

“Did you find him?” Fee asks when he answers the call.

“Yes. He’s gone, Fee. Someone’s killed him.” I can’t even believe the words I’m saying are true.

“What? What the fuck? Why? Shit, I’m leaving work now. What can I do?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t call the police, but his landlady knows, so it needs to at leastlookas if the police have been around to investigate. I could ask my da maybe, he'll have contact details for higher-ups at the police who know about us.”

“Alice’s cousin Oliver is a police detective in the North East. I’ll try him first. Do you think it was someone from his pack?”

“Okay, yeah. Good idea. I don’t see who else it could be. How long will you be?”

“Around forty minutes. Should I meet you there?”

“Yes, please. I love you,” I add, needing him to know so badly right now.

“I love you too, baby. I’ll be there with you soon.”

I step back inside Mrs Jones’ house. She’s sitting at a small round table in her kitchen with a pot of tea and two tea cups in front of her. She looks up as I walk in and tries to pour the tea, but her frail hands keep shaking.

“Here, let me,” I say, taking over. I add a big splash of milk to both cups, “Do you take any sugar?” I ask softly.

“Just one, please,” she says barely above a whisper, sounding stunned. Using the little metal tongs in the pot, I pick up a sugar lump and stir it into her cup. We sit at the table in silence until my phone vibrates, alerting me to a new message.

Fee:Spoken to Oliver. He’ll be at Archie’s flat in a few hours. I’m 30 minutes away xxx

Phoenix Campbell

Cee and I are in my car outside Archie’s place after dropping Mrs Jones at her daughter's house about twenty minutes away. We're sitting in stunned silence as we wait for Oliver to arrive. Cee's head rests on my shoulder, and his hand is encased in mine. I haven’t been in the flat; it might be selfish of me, but I don’t want to remember Archie that way. He was quiet and kind, with a dry sense of humour once he was comfortable around you.

When Oliver shows up a few hours later in a BMW with blacked-out windows, I’m surprised to see Noah getting out of the passenger side. Cee and I make our way out of the car to greet them both.

“Hey, thanks for coming,” I say to Oliver and introduce him to Cee. Noah steps forward and pulls his cousin into a hug.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Cee mumbles into Noah’s shoulder.

“Nina’s away, so I’m minding her shop. Oliver explained what’d happened, so…” He gestures to himself as though his joining was the only forgone conclusion.

“In here?” Oliver asks, and Cee nods his head.

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