Beauty and The Beta (Bailey)

Chapter 0114

I had headed to the dining hall for my dinner, looking forward to going back to my room and relaxing for the evening. So, I was more than a little surprised to have seen Marc, the warrior who had saved me from getting lost as I queued up. He had waved as he came into the hall with some other warriors, and came across to see me, a big smile upon his face.

“Well hello, hello.” He winked. “You didn’t get lost on your way here then?” he teased, gaining some curious gazes from the men with him.

I shook my head and gave him a disparaging look. “Ooooh, funny. You left your sense of humor out there then?” I asked, and he grinned.

“So, come on then Miss Bailey, how did your first day go, I have been thinking of you all day…” he paused momentarily. “That sounded bad didn’t it?”

One of the other warriors with him looked at him with a grin and nodded. “Was that why Wes could bring you down?”

Marc gave him a sarcastic grin. “Funny. Bailey knew what I meant, she is working with my Mum. Mum has been on about her working there for the last few days, so I was wondering how she got on, is all.” He explained and the guys with him, all dressed in the black cargos and black t-shirts and heavy black boots, that seemed to be the uniform for the warriors, nodded as if they agreed.

“Well, thank you for asking, whether you were being weird or not. My first day was good, thanks.” I told him, and he winked.

“No problem princess.” He said as we moved along in the queue. “These are some of the guys from the team I work in, Wes, Aziz, and Felix.” He introduced his friends and I smiled at each of them, while they nodded at me in greeting.

We waited a little while longer within the queue and I stood awkwardly as the four of them joked around. So, as soon as I had the opportunity, I sorted my food, and said my goodbyes to Marc and his friends. Feeling it was better to give them their space, and to be honest, I was craving peace again, so I went to find a quiet place at a table in the corner of the dining hall where I tended to go and eat on my own each evening. I was surprised when I looked up to find Marc had come to sit with me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “You don’t have to sit with me, go sit with your friends.” I told him, really unsure why he would choose to come and sit with me when he barely knew me.

“And have the lady sit on her own?” he said with a smile. “What sort of gentleman would that make me?”

“One, that I assume from how Beta Asher reacted isn’t much of gentleman.” I teased, and he chuckled.

“Hmmm. Is that right? You want to remember I saved you. So, I am some form of a gentleman." he playfully grinned. "And there was me thinking you were a sweet girl.”

I smiled, with a shake of my head. “I don’t think I said that.”

“Oooh. Now, this sounds fun.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively, and I felt myself blushing, completely not meaning it the way he seemed to be now implying.

“That is not what I meant.”

“Aww, you spoilsport, getting a boy excited.” He winked at me, before eating his food.

I laughed. He seemed to be so easy-going and funny. Carefree, and liking to tease. In some ways, he reminded me a little of Harley.

“Did you have a good day at work?” I asked him.

And soon I found myself lost in his tales of his warrior training sessions he had endured during the day, but, I found myself laughing at the way he told them. Again, in this way, he reminded so much of Harley, always able to make a story sound amusing. He sounded like he was a pretty senior warrior within the pack from the way he spoke, and the way he spoke of his training and his team, I could see that being a warrior meant a lot to him.

“I bet your Mum is proud of you.” I told him with a smile.

“I think so, maybe a little. Though scared too, after losing Dad through being a warrior.” He says, looking down at his hands, and I realized he felt a little uncomfortable.

“I am sorry.” I told him, unsure what else to say in such an awkward situation. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Why are you sorry, princess? Not your fault. A risk of the job. We all know that when we do it. Doesn’t stop us doing it.” He says with a sad smile before looking up. As he looked up, so did I, and it was only as I did that I realized that the dining hall was almost empty now. We must have been chatting for ages. The conversation had been so easy and free-flowing.

“Wow, I think I have been boring you for long enough, Bailey. Go back to your room, have a soak in the bath and relax. I think you earned it today.” He winked at me. “I am off to the gym.”

“Really?” I asked, shocked he would be going to the gym after training all day and after just eating.

“Hey, I didn’t become this perfect without putting some hard work in.” he said with a grin as he walked away. “See you soon Bailey. Have a good night, sweet cheeks.”

The nickname he gave me just then was a serious reminder of Harley, and I struggled to fight the tears that were threatening, yet I smiled at him, giving him a wave as he walked away. Memories of Harley seem fresh in my mind because of the way he reminded me so much of him. I dropped my

head into my hands, as I picked up my phone, looking at the photographs I had of him, and I felt the tears prickling in my eyes as I did. I hated how things had turned out...

I quickly stood up, knowing I didn't want to be seen crying in the dining hall, so I made my way out of the hall, needing desperately to get back to my room. But, my fingers lingered over Harley's contact details, contemplating messaging him or even calling him, as I walked back toward my room, but, I quickly shoved my phone back into my bag, fighting the threatening tears.

My head was all over right now. So distracted with too many thoughts of him. Yet, I know I needed to allow him this time to adjust to life with his new mate. I needed to let him go. He had never really been mine, and I should have known that...

It was only as I got to the top of the stairs onto the landing I crashed into the toned body of someone, face first… all because I had been distracted. With a heavy thud as I impacted them, I stumbled a little, and there was nothing I could do… I began to fall backwards... my heart racing at the fear of me falling. My arms flailing desperate to grip onto something... my eyes tight shut, fearful of the fall to the bottom of the stairs... but suddenly two strong arms grabbed me and pulled me upward... as I was pulled into the embrace of someone... as I pried my eyes open, my gaze met the eyes of Asher…