Beauty and The Beta (Bailey)
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Chapter 59-Asher My heart would not stop racing the moment I left Bailey. The thought of Isla was fresh within mymind. It tore at my very core. All my efforts at pushing thoughts of Isla back were failing somiserably. I did not know what to do. All I had known was that I needed to get away from Baileybefore she saw me fall apart. She was new to the pack… I was to be her Beta, and I was expectedto be strong and composed. Her father was a Beta, she knew what was expected of a Beta and Idid not need her to see any weakness in me. There would be no hope of sleep replaceing me tonight. No. Perhaps it was more a case of there was no way I wanted sleep to replace me tonight. I knew thatdreams of Isla would be too overpowering. Too painful. All from a conversation about replaceing yourfated mate. Maybe avoiding the new girl was a better idea. I returned to my office without the coffee I needed so badly and continued with the work that Ineeded to do. Processing all the files that Caleb had given me to do on his behalf. Never mind thembeing glad when that new baby arrived, I would be too, so that my additional duties would be gone. Iwould have that extra time to be out running, allowing Zion his extra freedom he so frequentlycraves to escape the day-to-day stresses and to take his pain out on some unsuspecting rogues… Hour after hour passed as I sat focused on the work in front of me. Determined not to allow myselfto fall asleep. Determined not to allow the thoughts of Isla take over my mind. Despite. that, hername was not far from my thoughts. And the 0.00% persistent pain within my chest reminded me of why I was here. Why i could not go to sleep. I couldnot witness the pain of losing her all over again. Suddenly, the office door opened and I looked up, irritated that whoever it was had not bothered toknock. One of my major bug bears. This was my office. Would it hurt them to knock? However, Caleb walked in, looking bright and breezy. Something I felt so far from it was unreal… “Morning Ash.” He greeted me with a smile, then as he looked at me, he frowned. “**it bro, you look

like you haven’t slept, are you okay?!”Hmmm… I wonder… little did my friend know I hadn’t slept, but he also didn’t need to know that. Ididn’t need him to have anything else to worry about on top of his wife being in the hospital. I knowhe worried about me and my m**l state sometimes, and I don’t need to be an extra cause ofconcern for him right now. That was the last thing he needed right now. “I am fine. A lot of work is all.” I said with a shrug. “Been up early.” “Early? It is 7 now, what time you get up?” Caleb questions, a suspicious look upon his face. F**k…did he know? “Not sure. I was awake early, so I thought I was best getting a head start.” I lied. I “You sure about that? Because I am pretty sure they are the clothes I saw you in yesterday.” Calebsays with a frown. ” You haven’t been to bed again, have you, Asher?” This time he sounded angry. 09.401 “Caleb I a fine. Give it a rest.” I snapped. 288 Wouchers “No. This is not okay, Ash. Things are difficult enough as they are right now. With Eden laid up, Idon’t need you burning yourself out. You know you need to be careful. What is wrong? I thoughtthings were okay? Are you struggling again?” Caleb’s face was full of concern and I hated myself foradding more pressure and worries to the shoulders of my friend. He does not need this right nowand I know it “Caleb, I said I was fine, so will you just take my f**g word for it for a change?!” I said bluntly. “Youknow ever since I lost Isla my sleep has been knackered. It was a bad night is all, so I decided tomake use of the fact I couldn’t sleep and do some work, okay? I do it fairly often. It is of no majorissue, so stop making it one. It definitely isn’t something you need to be concerned about.” “It isn’t healthy, Asher.” He snapped. “Well I ain’t dead yet Caleb.” I snarled. “Should I ask your Dad to take over your duties for a little while, so you can take a break?” Calebsuggested, and instantly Zion was rippling beneath the surface, anger pulsating through my body.

How dare he imply I am not capable of doing my Beta role because I struggle with the loss of mymate: Because I struggle with sleep. Yet the cheeky f**k**r was quite happy to offload all themediocre tasks he couldn’t be bothered to do himself… “Are you for real?!” I found myself roaring, knowing then Zion was involved now too. This was notgoing to end well if Caleb got angry. Caleb raised his brows at me, “Really?” he snarled. “Do I not 440 Chapter 59-Asher 288 Wouters have the right to be concerned for my friend and if I think your aren’t able to do your job, then toof**g right I am for real, Asher.” I pushed my chair back angrily, so I was standing. Zion was so close to shifting now, but I knew themoment he did that Thor, Caleb’s wolf would be shifting too, and all hell would break loose. Myoffice would be destroyed and the two of us would be seriously injured. Like the last time wefought… Caleb was needed right now… he did not have time to recover from a full- on fight… asmuch as I wanted to kick his a**, I fought hard to push Zion back. + “Why am I not able to do my job, Caleb? Have I not been doing everything expected of me andmore?” I said a little more calmly this time, so he could see I was not as angry, I needed him to seemy anger was under control… “But this not sleeping and being on edge all the time isn’t normal, Ash. Can you not see that? Didyou see the pack doctor like I asked? Or the therapist?” Caleb asked softly. I know he wasdesperate for me to seek grief counseling after the loss of my mate. Why he thought that would helpme I don’t know. Sitting in a room with some randomer discussing how much it hurt to lose mymate, and analyzing all the things that came with it… no that was not for me… I would rather stabmyself in my f**g eyes with a needle. It was not going to help me. Not in the slightest. “Sleeping tablets were the treatment option from the doctor.” I told him. “And I am not relying onmedication.” Besides, it isn’t that I can’t sleep, I added silently within my mind, knowing I cannot

share this with my friend… It is just that my sleep is plagued with visions of my mate. Losing her.Reliving the pain Chapter 59-Asher 288 Wouchers as she leaves me. Waking me in floods of tears… or sweating, desperate to try to save her… yetcan’t… having to relive her loss all over again… all on repeat… “Therapy could work though, and you know it could, Asher.” Caleb began, but I gave him a darklook. “Not going over this again. Not happening. Was there something you came in here for? If not, then Ihave work to do, you know, the work you should be doing, but I am doing for you. because I am agood Beta?” I snapped, knowing I am being a d**k, but he had irritated me that much I couldn’t helpmyself. Caleb sighs, dropping himself on the sofa. “Eden wanted me to replace out how the induction went isall.” “Well, the new girl is still alive if that is what she needs to know. I didn’t eat her or lose her.” I smiledsarcastically at my friend. Caleb chuckled. “I don’t think she thought you would. But, I may tell her you did just to see herreaction…” I see him thinking, so I can only imagine where his mind has gone. “On your head be it, if you do.” I warned him, as Eden was grumpy at the best of times in a morning,even more so during her pregnancy. “Seriously though, did the induction go okay? Bailey know all she needs about pack? You show heraround all the pack? Please tell me you were nice to her?” I rolled my eyes. Did they think I was incapable of being nice? I think I was nice… wasn’t I? I evengave her some sympathy… or tried… oh I don’t f**g know. I tried, that was the best she was goingto get. It was the best I could do. Chapter 59- Asher “Yes. It went fine. She had a full tour of the pack. Full induction. Seemed happy enough. Starts

Monday.” I explained, and Caleb nods. “Eden is glad to have her here, she says she should be good for the school. New teacher, with newideas. She seemed nice too, right?” Caleb looked at me, as if he waited for an answer. What the hell did he expect me to say? She was a she-wolf I didn’t even know. Sure, she seemedokay… can’t say I even knew her, other than she seemed to have one hell of a messed- up past…