My Father's Beta

The Ugly Tree?

It’s why I wanted to travel, I thought by taking on the world on my own it would force me to grow up and be independent, to see things and feel things and make memories of my own for my own. I thought that in some ways it would make me a better person, it would make me less ignorant of the world that to me had never existed outside of where I happened to be at the time. I thought it would make me less ignorant of myself, it would challenge me and I'd make mistakes and that within all that I’d learn things.

I know I should’ve talked to Jim about this last night... but then maybe it’s something I need to figure out for myself. I love Jim but I don’t trust him to tell me the complete truth, he’d probably tell me what would make me happier and I don’t want that, not this time.

Around five minutes later the sound of thunderous footfalls on the wooden stairs and yelling roused my attention until Jim ran to me and crashed to his knees on the floor in front of my chair.

Panting like a mad man, Jim took my face firmly in his hands. “Beth, you can’t do that to me”. 

I turned my head in his hands and kissed his palm gently. “Do what to you”?

“Leave me like that without telling me”.

“I didn’t want to wake you, it’s really early – like a quarter to six, go back to bed silly” I laughed a little at his still shocked face.

“No, not out without you. What’s wrong? Why are you up so early”?

“I couldn’t sleep, do you have any ginger ale”?

Jim nodded. “Yeah, we bought some yesterday. Still feelin’ queasy”?

“Mm, it’s this damn Alpha female crap, I’d rather take the bone crushing shift over this... but I guess it’s good to have an eye on Mason and Lilly in any case”.

Jim took a hand off of my face and stroked his fingers gently through my hair. “I’m not sure I like this, you’re a little pale... I’ll go get you that ginger ale ok”?

“Ok”.

I watched him leave the room and go into the kitchen, watched him open the fridge door and scan the contents before he pulled out a can of ginger ale, my Grandma would always give me ginger ale when I felt sick, ginger naturally settles the stomach. I'm just glad I thought of it yesterday. When he came back Jim handed me the can that he’d opened for me already and I took a big swig before settling back into the chair, trying to ignore Jim’s worried stare and failing miserably at it.

“Jim, go back to bed” I sighed, looking out of the window.

“No... would you mind if I called the pack doctor”? My eyes snapped to him immdiately.

“Yes I would, very much”.

“Baby, you’re sick”.

“No I’m not, I told you already it’s this new installation of my wolf inheritance, I’ll be fine in a couple days”.

“I want you to talk to the pack Doctor, if your Mom were here it would be different because you could ask her about it, I want you to see the Doctor”. I stared at him specuatively, watching as his concern was being taken over by his 'dominerring' side.

“If it’s assurance you want call the pack historian, he’ll know better”.

“Beth –“

“No Doctors”.

Jim was in a mood with me but silent treatment wasn’t his strong point, he still hovered around me and would accidently kiss me or go to hold me before he realised he was still mad. I’d had a shower since then and wound up in more of Jim’s clothes but I wasn’t complaining today because they’re comfy and God knows that comfort is what I need right now. I was hoping to just fall into oblivion soon so that I didn't have to suffer for a little while.