Beauty and The Beta (Bailey)

66

Chapter 66 - Asher After what can only be considered very little sleep once again, | was awake. Though my lack

of sleep had not been purely down to my recurrent thoughts of Isla. Reliving the pain of losing her. Last night my

thoughts had been riddled with concerns about Bailey too. Something that had takenby surprise, | have to

say... But, she had looked hurt when she walked away fromin the library. | still never got my answer as to

why she was down there so late. Other than that, she couldn’t sleep. Hell, | know that feeling, but still, surely she

wouldn't cwandering the corridors of somewhere she is still unfamiliar with. But, | suppose, common sense

tellsthe obvious answer would be to find a book, but I hate the thought of her sitting alone struggling with

her thoughts because of something | had said in the heat of the moment. And, for sreason, | could not

shake the thought that that was what she was likely doing. Yes, | was a jacka** at the best of times, but | would

like to think | was still a decent guy deep down. Sometimes, you have to dig pretty deep to find the decent guy,

because he got hidden or lost in the s**t that was going on in the mess that was my mind, but I like to think he

is still there or still capable of being there when | need him to be. And, | do not like the thought of a perfectly

innocent woman hurting because of my words. That is not how | was brought up, and that was not the sort of

guy | wanted to be either. Nor did | want Bailey thinking that of me. She had been here a matter of days, and

already her opinion ofwas probably already scraping the barrel. Can’t say | was doing well... 1 still hadn't

apologized to her properly last night either. It had been a half-a**d attempt at an apology, but she had rushed.

out before | managed to finish, so | planned to find her at spoint today and apologize properly. That was the

right thing to do. No matter how difficult that might be for me. “Wow. Personal growth.” Zion chuckled to himself

as | got dressed, and my thoughts were running

through my mind. “Seriously man, do not start withtoday.’ | rolled my eyes, my bl**dy wolf was dead set on

givinga hard time! And | hadn't. even had my coffee yet... “Well, the poor girl deserves an apology.’ He told

me, and | know. | done bad if my wolf, the animalistic side of me, was tellingright from wrong... | walked out

of my suite, and onto the landing, looking around to see if | could see Bailey, knowing that she, may well be

around early too, heading out for her first day at her new job. | had even contemplated calling for her to go to

breakfast together, but then reconsidered, thinking it would maybe look a little. presumptuous, not to mention a

little over-friendly. And, | don’t think she considers us friends. | noticed with slight disappointment, there was no

sight of her, so instead of going to the dining hall for my coffee, | figured | would make my way to the office

instead and grab a coffee there, before going to the hospital to see how Eden was doing. Hopefully that little one

would decide it was cooked enough and hop right on out of its mama's belly, so his Daddy could get back to

work, because all this extra work was beginning to take its toll on my poor brain. Not that would ever tell Caleb

that, he [] didn’t need the additional stress. knew he was worried enough about Eden and the little one, without

being made to feel guilty about piling the additional workload on me. | reached my office quickly, doing my best

to avoid any interaction with the many pack members beginning to arrive. The corridors beginning to become

busier as more pack. members made their way to the dining hall, and to various other areas of the packhouse

that were used during the day. Such a stark difference to the eerie silence of the nighttime. Though, I have to

say it was a peace | craved by the end of the day... | softly closed my door behind me, moving straight to my

coffee machine, glad that supplies had been topped up. As | began to make my coffee, my phone began to ring,

and | answered. “Hey Ash” Eden greetedcheerfully. “Good morning Eden.” | smiled. “How are you doing

sweetheart?”

“Still fat. Still uncomfortable. Still pregnant. Thanks for asking.” She grumbled. “You?” “Erm, would you hate me

if | said not fat, not uncomfortable, not pregnant?” | teased. | heard her almost hiss down the phone at me, only

makinglaugh, tellingmy teasing had worked. She was always so easy to wind up, and had brought a lot

of amusement to Caleb andover the years. “Not uncomfortable?” she questioned. “Aren't you uncomfortable

in most situations that involve other people?” she said sarcastically, and | cannot help but smile, as she got me

good on that one. 51.836 “Haha.” | responded. “Difference is Eden, | am on my own right. now, enjoying my

morning coffee. So not uncomfortable in the slightest.” *Asher Alcott! | will cover there, albeit | will have to

waddle to get there and kick your a** Why are you not at the school?” Eden yelled down the phone at me. Was |

supposed to be at the school? “Huh?” | answered in confusion. “Bailey begins her new job today, and you are

sitting on your sorry behind in your office enjoying one of your luxury coffees, feeling far from uncomfortable.”

Eden snarled down the phone at me, and at that moment | truly wish | hadn’t even bothered answering my

phone to her... she gavemore of a hard tthan my own mother! “And why does the fact she starts her job

mean | need to be at school?” | asked. “I know you like to think. am***d, but | am pretty sure | am past needing

teaching.” Eden made the hissing noise again, makingseriously wonder if she was not the werewolf she was

meant to be, and perhaps a snake or a cat... because that hissing sure sounded along those lines... “Because the

decent thing for her new employers would be to be there to greet her.” “Didn't | do that when I stayed up until

s**id o'clock to greet her and her far too happy Daddy?” | asked sarcastically, only to be answered with a snarl

from Eden, which toldall | needed to know. It also toldwhere | would be spending my morning... G**+d

d*k+t, Seemed | was heading to the school to pretend to 11:10 1

be cheerful again, and welcBailey into her new job... sure she would be over the moon to see me!