Chapter Thirteen
I was one big bruise . I was exhausted, physically and mentally.
My neck looked like I’d been attacked after Atlas bit every inch of skin he could reach, apparently trying to appease my own need I was sending him through our new bond to be bit.
My thighs and core were so sore that sitting hurt.
Rolling over hurt. Standing hurt. Squatting was impossible.
I was so sore and covered in so many bruises and red marks that Everett had refused to go back into work once the heat broke. I didn’t mind. I’d liked having Everett as company, even if I was in pain. Although I didn’t like that I couldn’t work.
I’d tried that first day and when I’d squatted down to grab something, I literally couldn’t get back up. Sitting around and doing nothing wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time, which was why I’d started getting my sister’s anniversary event settled.
I wanted to be able to pace as I spoke on the phone, but walking was painful.
Honestly, I was pretty surprised that Everett didn’t force me to go to the doctor after the heat had finally ended.
The thought had crossed my mind a time or two, except I knew I wasn’t irrevocably broken. Just brutally fucked.
I flicked my hand, waving off Everett as he came back from the kitchen with our lunches.
I was still on hold with the event planner for the Monarch ballroom which I’d been trying to book for my sister’s bonding anniversary.
Considering it was nearing the end of summer, I was sure these rooms were going to start booking soon in preparation for holiday parties and such.
Everett was determined that he would eat with me, despite telling him that he could eat in peace in the dining room, so he didn’t have to listen to me on the phone. It didn’t help that he sat down and repositioned my feet on his lap, making it even harder for him to eat around me.
He gently shoved a bowl he’d made for me in my lap, giving me a pointed look that he wanted me to eat it.
Before I could tell him that I would just eat later, the woman came back on the phone saying, “Thank you so much for waiting. I just checked our bookings for the date you requested, and it looks like we don’t have anything available.
I even checked out the week before and after, but we’re all full. ”
I ignored the look from Everett as I leaned precariously over the edge of the couch to set my bowl of chili on the little table. I needed to focus, and I couldn’t do that if I was half concentrating on not spilling food.
“You need to eat,” he mouthed.
The woman on the other end of the phone continued, “I hope you understand that demand for the Monarch ballroom is very high, especially that time of year. Holiday parties and end-of-year events, that kind of thing. Maybe something after the new year would work for you?”
“Would it be possible for you to check the availabilities for the other ballrooms? Either Grayling or Brimstone?”
“Of course. I would just like to remind you that the Grayling ballroom occupancy is two hundred people, including the staff. Brimstone has half the space with only one hundred people including staff. Do you have a preference?”
“Grayling, please.”
Two hundred people, including staff? I could save some space by doing most of the setup myself. Or asking my parents to help, maybe even my own pack—a smile pulled at my lips that I couldn’t hide as the woman placed me back on hold.
“What?” Everett whispered.
I didn’t know how to explain to him that I was just happy because I’d remembered I was a part of pack Wilder. Instead, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“You need to eat, Babygirl. You won’t get better without lots of fats and proteins.”
“I know. I just need to finish this call.”
“I thought your sister’s mates hadn’t picked a date yet?”
I sighed, hoping it didn’t sound as frustrated as I felt.
“They haven’t. But the Monarch ballroom is already booked, if we wait any longer, we won’t get this location at all.
The Botanicals Hotel is gorgeous. It has multiple gardens, a fountain made of marble, and it’s just far enough outside the city to see the night sky without people thinking the drive is too far. It helps that the prestige—”
“Okay,” the woman from the hotel returned, her voice chipper with good news.
“We can do the Grayling ballroom on the day you’ve requested.
I will need a deposit to book it, and of course, the whole fee will need to be paid, at minimum, a week before the event.
All vendors will need to be approved through our event manager two weeks before the event.
I can email you over a list of instructions for the vendors regarding parking and set-up.
Would you like to schedule a tour of the ballroom now or closer to your event? ”
“Oh, the sooner the better.”
Beside me, Everett cleared his throat in dramatic defiance.
“Or, something in a few weeks would be perfect. That way I have enough time to speak with my sister’s pack. Create a small vision board before I see the space.”
The woman hummed. “You seem very experienced. Do you plan a lot of events for your family?”
“Most of them, yes.”
“Let me guess. The only beta?”
I hesitated, not quite understanding. “Excuse me?”
“You’re an only beta from a pack family, right? You’d be surprised how common it is.”
How common what was? “Right, yes. I imagine.”
Everett started to rub his hand up and down my shin, comforting me as I gave the woman all the information, scheduled my own visit, and even gave her my own card to put the deposit on. It would be fine. My sister’s pack would pay me back.
Before she could hang up, I asked, “Is there any way we could be put on a waiting list for the Monarch ballroom? Just in case one of the events is forced to cancel or reschedule?”
She made a sort of humming noise. “You said this was for a bonding anniversary?”
“Yes.”
“All right, then. I can add you to the list. Just know that the list does not guarantee you a spot. And in the event that we do have a cancellation to fill, you’ll be required to pay the deposit within twelve hours of us reaching out to you.
If you don’t, then we’ll be forced to reach out to the next person on the list. The deposit on the Grayling won’t be refunded or be considered for a different event space, just so you’re aware. ”
“Yes, yes, of course. Thank you so much for your help. I truly appreciate it. And I’m so sorry to ask, but what was your name again? I didn’t catch it before.”
“Margaret.”
“Well, thank you, Margaret. You’ve been a great help.”
“Have a nice rest of your day.”
I hung up, blowing out a breath, wishing my frustrations would go with it.
The Grayling ballroom wasn’t bad. Sure, it was small, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
It was intimate. Personal. Like a celebration of a pack bonding should be.
Except packs were big, which meant immediate friends and family were big.
It would be fine. I’d just need to cull the guest list. “I need to call Rosalie, let her know the Monarch isn’t an option anymore. ”
“You need to eat,” Everett said, repeating his four new favorite words.
“I will. I’ll just call Rosalie to let her know the situation regarding the ballrooms and what that means for the guest list.”
“You can do that after you eat. Atlas and Oaks will be home soon and aren’t going to let you be because you’re on the phone. Best to take a break now.”
It was lunchtime already. Why weren’t Atlas and Oaks already home?
Everett read the question on my face before I managed the words.
“They tried to work through lunch, wanting to come home early. I told them the same as I’m telling you.
We don’t skip meals in this house. Now eat.
” He reached over me, handing the bowl back to me and giving me a pointed look that told me he wouldn’t be accepting any more delays.
Even as I ate, my thoughts continued to whirl, plans beginning to form of what else I could do for my sister’s event.
I wasn’t sure how much longer Everett was going to force me to miss work, but I imagined a few more days.
At least until I could bend and stretch for pans and ingredients without feeling like my body was going to break.
That made me think of Atlas. My Atlas. My bonded packmate.
He loved the bruises on me. Loved how marked up my skin was from him, shedding any doubts that I was his.
He never admitted the words aloud, but I knew how much he enjoyed how my body ached from him.
His gaze was constantly focused on all the bruising, a proud smirk pulling at his lips each time, like he was admiring a trophy.
Knowing about the bond on a literal level was much different than experiencing it.
It was a constant knowing that Atlas was alive.
His soul and mine were bound together irrevocably.
Unlike the bond between alphas and omegas, I couldn’t feel Atlas’s emotions, but surprisingly, he felt mine.
Usually, only alphas felt the emotions of their bondmates since their sense of smell wasn’t as strong as an omega’s.
It was an evolutionary trait to ensure happy and safe packs.
But my apparent lack of perfuming meant that my omega was given a way to ensure my care.
I wasn’t sure what that would mean for my bonding with the alphas. So few betas truly ever bonded into packs that I wasn’t even sure our bond was normal.
Feeling how important the bond—how important Atlas was to me—was made me feel even worse about not being able to help my sister’s alphas provide the perfect bonding anniversary.
Maybe if I called the Botanicals Hotel back they would let me get in contact with the event holders for my preferred date and I could convince them to change?
Unless it was another anniversary or bonding ceremony, any sort of work event should be amenable to change. And truly, I should at least try.