Beauty

Chapter 66 – Asher

After what can only be considered very little sleep once again, I 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 taken me by surprise, I have to

say…

But, she had looked hurt when she walked away from me in the library. I still never got my answer as to why she was down there so late. Other than that, she couldn’t sleep. Hell, I know that feeling, but still, surely she wouldn’t come wandering the corridors of somewhere she is still unfamiliar with. But, I suppose, common sense tells me the obvious answer would be to find a book, but I hate the thought of her sitting alone struggling with her thoughts because of something I had said in the heat of the moment. And, for some reason, I could not shake the thought that that was what she was likely doing.

Yes, I was a jacka** at the best of times, but I would like to think I 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 I need him to be. And, I do not like the thought of a perfectly innocent woman hurting because of my words.

That is not how I was brought up, and that was not the sort of guy I wanted to be either. Nor did I want Bailey thinking that of me. She had been here a matter of days, and already her opinion of me was probably already scraping the barrel. Can’t

say I 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 I managed to finish, so I planned to find her at some point 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 I got dressed, and my thoughts were running through my mind.

“Seriously man, do not start with me today.’ I rolled my eyes, my bl**dy wolf was dead set on giving me a hard time! And I hadn’t. even had my coffee yet…

“Well, the poor girl deserves an apology.’ He told me, and I know. I done bad if my wolf, the animalistic side of me, was telling me right from wrong…

I walked out of my suite, and onto the landing, looking around to see if I could see Bailey, knowing that she, may well be around early too, heading out for her first day at her new job. I 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, I don’t think she considers us friends.

I noticed with slight disappointment, there was no sight of her, so instead of going to the dining hall for my coffee, I figured I 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

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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.

I 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 I craved by the end of the day…

I softly closed my door behind me, moving straight to my coffee machine, glad that supplies had been topped up. As I began to make my coffee, my phone began to ring, and I answered.

“Hey Ash” Eden greeted me cheerfully.

“Good morning Eden.” I smiled. “How are you doing sweetheart?”

“Still fat. Still uncomfortable. Still pregnant. Thanks for asking.” She grumbled. “You?”

“Erm, would you hate me if I said not fat, not uncomfortable, not pregnant?” I teased.

I heard her almost hiss down the phone at me, only making me laugh, telling me my teasing had worked. She was always so easy to wind up, and had brought a lot of amusement to Caleb and me over the years. “Not uncomfortable?” she questioned. “Aren’t you uncomfortable in most situations that involve other people?” she said sarcastically, and I cannot help but smile, as she got me good on that one.

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“Haha.” I responded. “Difference is Eden, I am on my own right. now, enjoying my morning coffee. So not uncomfortable in the slightest.”

*Asher Alcott! I will come over there, albeit I 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 I supposed to be at the school?

“Huh?” I 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 I truly wish I hadn’t even bothered answering my phone to her… she gave me more of a hard time than my own mother!

“And why does the fact she starts her job mean I need to be at school?” I asked. “I know you like to think.I am***d, but I am pretty sure I am past needing teaching.”

Eden made the hissing noise again, making me seriously 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 I do that when I stayed up until s**id o’clock to greet her and her far too happy Daddy?” I asked sarcastically, only to be answered with a snarl from Eden, which told me all I needed to know. It also told me where I would be spending my morning…

G***d d****t. Seemed I was heading to the school to pretend to

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be cheerful again, and welcome Bailey into her new job… sure she would be over the moon to see me!