Chapter 66
BETA DOMINIC.
Ihad just gotten out of the shower and put on fresh clothes when I heard movements in the living room of the suite the Alpha and I shared. I went out to see Alpha Riley slumped on the couch, his head leaning on the headrest with his eyes closed.
“How was your night?” I asked him as I walked to the adjacent kitchen and started operating the coffee machine. “Coffee?”
“Yes, strong one,” he answered. “Check flights back to Harley within the day. We’re going home.”
A smile crept onto my lips as I turned around to look at him. “So you talked with her? Three tickets then?”
“Just two. She’s not coming home with us.” He answered coldly.
“What? She said no and you’re just giving up and fucking off? What the fuck, man!”
“Shut the fuck up!”
“What exactly did you tell her?”
“I didn’t talk with her. Heck, I didn’t even go near her.”
“What? Fuck, you’re really fucked up! You spent weeks looking for her relentlessly and now that she’s just a few feet away from you, you’re cowering?”
“I’m done. Just do what I said. Two tickets as soon as possible.” He didn’t even give me time to explain as he stormed out of the living room and headed for his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
I stopped the car at the entrance of the airport terminal before handing the Alpha the printout of the flight details.
“Hold it,” he said as he unbuckled his seat belt.
“No. It’s yours. It’s just one ticket.”
His forehead creased, and confusion was written on his face.
“I’m staying behind.” I finally told him.
“What game are you playing at, Beta?”
“I’ll stay here for a while. I just want to remind you that in the face of danger, as your Beta, my primary duty is to protect my Luna. And I’m not sure about the danger in this place. Until I can be assured that Luna Nadia is safe, I will stay. Give me at least a week.”
His hand coiled into a tight fist as he nodded his head before he looked at me. I saw his eyes were a bit watery, but he blinked them back before he smiled.
“Do what you need to do. I appreciate it. I will have to organize a security team and send them here to watch over her before you go back home.”
I nodded my head. I wish the Alpha would tell me more about what was going on in his head. But then he was Riley, like always, he would keep everything to himself.
“Thank you, Dominic, for doing things I couldn’t do.”
“More than a Beta, I’m your friend. I hope you’d trust me more, Riley.
At the end of the day, after a hard day’s work, aside from our females, if ever we’ll be lucky to end up with one,” I chuckled before I continued.
“... it’ll always be you and me. So let me in your head so I can understand you better. ”
He just let out a deep sigh. “When you’re too damaged, you don’t trust people that easily. I know I can trust you, but everything is just too much. I just want Nadia to be happy.”
“Then take her home with us.”
“I made that mistake once with Andrea. I won’t force myself on anyone anymore. Especially not Nadia. She deserves more.”
“Then tell her. So she can decide for herself.”
He shook his head and smiled weakly. “I don’t want to hear another rejection. There’s only so much a man can take. I have my fair share of it.”
“You’re too big to be a coward, Alpha.”
“I am. That’s why I don’t want anyone in my head. They will see how big of a lie I am, pretending to be a great Alpha but weaker than a child.”
No one said a word after that. I wanted to say many things, but I couldn’t find the right word to tell him anything.
He kept his heart and mind shut off for years. I watched him all these years and despite the glory that he had as an Alpha, he still didn’t see himself as good enough. And I fucking had no idea how to help him.
I felt I was failing as a Beta and as a friend.
“If by any chance you will be able to talk to her, tell her I said sorry,” he added.
“That’s all?”
“And I wish her a good and happy life,” he said before reaching for the door handle and pulling it open. “Thanks, Dominic. See you then.”
He stepped out of the door but leaned down again, his eyes sending me a warning, and I almost choked on his next words.
“And fucking make sure you don’t take advantage of Nadia.
If I find out you touched her in an inappropriate way, I’ll fucking castrate you and make you eat your own dick. And tie you up until you fucking die.”
“Whoah!” I chuckled. “That’s a fucking warning! But you know me. I don’t do things like that.”
“Just making sure.” He smiled weakly before shutting the car door.
My eyes followed him as he entered the airport terminal. I didn’t drive away. I was giving him a few minutes just in case he changed his mind.