Beauty and The Beta (Bailey) novel Chapter 204

Image was everything to my Alpha and my father. I have tried so hard over the years to keep my family happy. Keep maintaining the vision of a happy and perfect Beta family for our pack members and beyond. Even when things had become tough with Miles, and I had thought about leaving, I had chosen to stay for the sake of my family. Not wanting to make my parents look bad. Knowing the best way for me to officially leave my pack with no hope of finding a fated mate, and bringing no humiliation to my parents, or the family, would be to find a job offer at another pack, and then move. Give them a reason to be proud of what I have done, and what I have achieved.

The same reasons I had kept quiet for so long because of the messes Miles had caused, because I did not want to bring shame on the families that I tried so hard to please. Deep down I knew I needed to speak out, but I knew if I did, it would be dismissed. Miles was their next Alpha. He was idolized and could do no wrong. I would be the one to be chastised for speaking out, and it would be seen as me going against the pack. Against the senior families, and that was not something that would be looked upon in a good light. So, of course, I had kept quiet. Not wanting to cause issues.

All I wanted was to feel I was important to them. I didn’t want to let them down. Maybe that made me weak, but we were always told that you do everything for your family. Protecting our image so as not to taint my father’s reputation had been something that had been enforced as we grew up, and something expected of us. As the pack Beta, it was important he was seen as strong and dependable. He did not need any family issues or drama bringing his name into question. So, we were always taught to put our family above all else. Even ourselves. And that was what I was trying to do… though I doubted Asher would see it like that.

Akira whimpered within my mind. She was angry at me for walking away. Desperate for me to allow him a chance to explain, but right now, I needed time to myself. What had happened between Asher and I had been truly amazing, and I hoped we could fix things, because there was something about him that drew me to him. He made me feel special, in a way I didn't know was possible. Made me feel I was enough, and that was not something to be tossed away...

But, right now, I need to process my thoughts. Focus and prepare myself for what could await me when I arrive in the pack. I could only hope that Miles might be more bearable now he had chosen this new mate himself. He had decided to marry, and maybe that meant he had decided to move on. Marriage and a chosen mate had not been something I had previously envisioned for him, so I clung to the hope this was a step forward. Morgan had said he continued therapy, so again, I held onto the hope he may be growing up, and may be allowing himself to move on.

In the last few days, his messages were certainly ending. Though I had blocked the number, not that it had stopped him before when I had done this, he just found alternate numbers to use. Yet this time, with his number blocked, there had been no alternate number used. No additional messages or mystery calls. There had been nothing. It was odd, I have to say. But, it had given me a desperate hope that this wedding, and this new mate, may have meant Miles was allowing me a chance to finally move on… he may even be letting me and our past go.