Beauty and The Beta (Bailey)

Chapter 0122

I sat back into the curve of the sofa as Bailey answered her phone, giving me an awkward smile as if to apologize, but I simply smiled in return, showing her I did not mind. I realized she was likely waiting for news from her pack, so taking a phone call was not an issue. Nobody would be expecting her to be sitting with me at this time of night, so that could well be why they had called…

It was only as her eyes widened, and I looked across to her and saw her hands shaking, that I began to pay better attention. I could hear the words being said at the end of the phone, simply because she was sitting so close, and because of the fact that our hearing is so enhanced as werewolves. And I did not like what I was hearing and, needless to say, neither did Zion…

“So, thought you’d got away from me did you?” a voice hissed nastily at her, and I could see the fear in Bailey’s eyes at that moment. She looked absolutely terrified, and I realized in that moment, I hated seeing her scared. “I may be away from pack for now bitch, but I will be back, and when I am, I will make you pay for the shit you have caused Bailey. Mark my words. Difference will be, I will have a new mate by my side, and you will be all alone.”

Zion was suddenly more than alert, and he was snarling within my head. He did not like what he was hearing. I knew he would not shift while inside of my home, but I could feel his presence rippling beneath my skin. He was angry. He did not like what he was hearing. Though, neither did I. Who the fuck was talking to this sweet girl that way? I clenched my fists in anger, so desperate to grab the phone from her and yell at the person at the other end of the phone. Was this her former mate? Or was this someone else bullying her? Either way, I wanted to rip them limb from limb…

My eyes fell on Bailey, and I could see she was fighting tears, so I knew I needed to stay calm. I did not need to scare her with my anger. She needed support. Reassurance. She needed a friend right now. I would find out who this was and help her with dealing with them. Speak with Eden about it too. That would be the right thing to do, right? That is what a good friend would do, right? Hell, I don’t know, I don’t have many she-wolves for friends…

As I moved to place my arm upon her back to ask if she was okay, the voice at the other end of the phone came again, sounding just as nasty. “What is wrong, Bailey? Cat got your tongue?” he asked sarcastically. His voice sounded venomous and so nasty. Whoever he was, I hated him already, and wanted to make him pay for scaring Bailey. She did not deserve this. “Not like you not to have something clever to say, that is your thing, isn’t it, being the all intelligent girl? Well, your intelligence won’t be saving you this time.” Suddenly the line went dead, and I saw the phone slip from Bailey’s hands to the floor, clattering as it hit the wooden floor under our feet. But Bailey sat like she was frozen in time, staring ahead of her, and I knew in that moment she didn’t know what to do.

I quickly moved across the sofa to her, placing my hand upon her back, as she dropped her head into her hands. “Bailey, this is going to be the most stupid of questions, but I don’t know what else to say.” I warned her. “But, are you okay?” I gently ran my hand up and down her back, in what I hoped was a reassuring gesture. I am so not good at this sort of thing.

Zion was pacing my mind, angry, and desperate to protect the new she-wolf to our pack. My senses now turned upon their head. All I can feel from him is this overpowering urge to protect the she-wolf sitting next to me. Where has that come from? I barely even know her…

Bailey slowly turned her head to look at me. And I could see tears in her eyes. “I think I should go, Asher.” She whispered, and my heart dropped at her words. She was going to push me away now? I wanted to help her, and she wasn’t going to let me? I knew that Zion wouldn’t settle with that scenario either… she needed to let us help… I felt desperate…

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. “Bailey, please, let me help?” I tried, but she simply shook her head.

“I am fine. It is just a misunderstanding.” She said, chewing her lower lip anxiously, going to stand, but despite her words, I could see she was visibly shaken. Telling me she was anything but fine.

I stood up alongside her as she made her way toward the door. I quickly grabbed her hand, trying to stop her as she did, but she pulled it away. Gone was the carefree atmosphere that had been between us moments earlier. She seemed tense and on edge. She was nervous and anxious about something, but whatever it was, she did not seem willing to share it, and that was not just bothering me, but it was seriously affecting Zion too. He was whimpering loudly now.

“Bailey, please?” I tried once more, as she moved down the hallway of my home.

“Asher, thank you for tonight, I had fun. But, really, I should go. I need to go now.” She said, and despite her trying to hide it, I could hear the wobble to her voice.

“Bailey, I opened up to you earlier. I haven’t done that with anyone for a long time. I haven’t trusted anyone like that for a long time. Maybe you could do the same with me? Try talking to me? Maybe I could help you?” I suggested, hoping that me admitting to her that I hadn’t trusted anyone the way I had her in opening up the way I had might allow her to see that she could talk to me.

Yet she tilted her head slightly as she leant against the front door. “I never asked you to do that, Asher.” She said quietly, and I can’t explain why, but her words sting. They hurt me more than I expected them to.

“Fine, just go if that is what you want to do. I am sorry I overstepped the mark.” I snapped, opening the front door for her, closing it a little harder than was likely necessary as she left…