Lessons in Love

Chapter 13: Awkward Glances

POV: Beta Ben Westlake

I’d managed to avoid seeking out Riley the whole next day and had paid dearly for it. I was edgy, tired, and frustrated. Not to mention the pain I felt in my chest from knowing that she had avoided me too. My father was on his way over soon, and we’d be kicking off the harvest festival shortly thereafter.

It was a long-standing tradition for the Alpha to make a speech to the pack to open the festival. It felt different this year, ugly and manipulative. Or maybe it was just because my father was to give the speech. I was already pacing my office when Rick knocked twice on my office door and let himself in. He was dressed well for the occasion, but he looked as tired as I felt.

“How are you doing?” He asked.

“She tossed and turned all night.” I grumbled.

“What?”

“I said I tossed and turned all night.” I repeated louder.

“No, you said she tossed and turned.” He corrected me.

“Whatever,” I raked my hands through my hair. “Can we focus please?”

I took a seat at my desk and handed Rick a copy of the itinerary. With my father assuming the role of acting Alpha, he was dragging my mother into the spotlight as acting Luna. He had a full day of activities, fit for a queen, planned out for her.

“It’s unlikely he’ll let me spend any time with my mother. You’ll probably be assigned.” I said blandly.

“We could suggest splitting the duties.” Rick suggested with a shrug. “It would be a good opportunity for the two of us to get better acquainted.” He added sarcastically.

“We’ll try.” I shrugged.

“What about the speech?” Rick asked.

“No idea, you’ll have to wait and be horrified along with the rest of us.” I rolled my eyes.

Rick laughed at that. He pulled something from his pocket. He put the folded page on my desk and slid it toward me with a gentle smile. “Sam and Katherine are adopting Riley for the day. It’s a list of the things I remember them talking about yesterday during training.”

I picked up the piece of paper, but I didn’t unfold it. “I don’t know if I want to see this.” I said honestly. “It could tell me how to avoid coming in contact with her, but it also …” I sighed and shook my head.

“It also tells you where to go looking for her.” Rick finished. “You can’t avoid her forever. She’s probably going to be in the crowd for the speech.”

“Not now,” I said firmly and tucked the paper in my pocket. “Not until we deal with my father.”

Rick gave me an understanding smile, but I knew he disagreed with me avoiding her. We focused on splitting up the itinerary and finished just as the door to my office swung open. My father sauntered in like he owned the place.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” he beamed. I smelled whiskey and knew he had a flask in his pocket. Mom had dressed him, I thought. No way he put a shirt and tie on willingly. Mom followed him in quietly and sat on the sofa demurely. She was wearing make-up and a good amount of it around her eyes. It had been quite the fight to get my father dressed this morning, I realized furiously.

I stifled the growl in my chest. “Good morning, sir.” I replied. “Here are the draft itineraries for the four of us today.” I said, all business, no pleasure.

Rick got up to hand one to my mother, but my father waved him off. “She doesn’t need one of those. She’ll go where she’s told.” He said without looking up. Rick looked at me as he sat back down and saw my rage boiling to the surface.

“Is it not the Beta’s job to ensure the security of his Alpha?” My father pinned me with one of his glares.

“Yes sir, but as you and Alpha Marcus are planning to promote both of us, we felt it was important to give you time to work with the future Beta of this pack.” I managed to say evenly.

My father’s face twisted in anger. It was usually with that expression I would be yelled at, or blasted by his aura, or just plain hit in the face. I braced myself for whichever he chose. It took him a full second to reign in his anger, but he did it.

“Very well,” he said through clenched teeth. “But this is way too much time with the Luna. I’ll let you pick three of these soft-headed activities to do with her.”

I suddenly wished I had looked at the paper Rick had handed me. “The greenhouse, Sarah’s Place, and …” I looked at my mother with a rueful smile. “Rusty’s.”

Rusty’s was my favorite thing to do as a kid. Mom took me every year. It was an old barn that the owner, Rusty, converted into a carnival with games and prizes. There was a kid’s play area and crafting stations. It was a child’s haven. It had certainly been mine.

My father let out a disgruntled noise and nodded. “Well, shall we? The pack is waiting!” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together with excitement. I managed not to flinch at the sound of his hands coming together like that, but I noticed my mother did.

The four of us got up and headed out. My father led us down the staircase, with Rick right behind him. It gave me a chance to take my mother’s arm and guide her down the stairs. “He hit you this morning.” I mind-linked her. I felt her stiffen next to me. “I swear I’m …”

“No,” she cut me off quietly. “Don’t make any promises right now. Just be my brave boy.” She said back through the link. She looked up at me then, and I saw she wasn’t just asking; she was pleading with me. He’d said something this morning that had scared her.

I handed my mother off to my father’s waiting arm as we reached the front door. My stomach tied in knots as I watched him grab her hand roughly and loop it through his arm impatiently. The speech would take place on a stage set up like an extension of the veranda, and then we’d be off. It was a busy day, and I didn’t believe for a second we’d get through all the things on his list. It was one day, I kept reminding myself.

After today, we could ditch my father and set our own plans in motion. More importantly, we’d be free to help the people of this pack. We’d had a hard year, and my father was only going to make their lives harder. I followed behind him and stood to the right of the podium; to the right of my father as he started to address the crowd.

A gentle breeze wafted up from the crowd, and I smelled Riley like she was standing out there alone. I desperately wanted to look out at the crowd and see her, but I didn’t dare. If I made eye contact with her, the bond would become real. I stared out past the crowd in a vain attempt not to notice her. I knew she was looking at me. I felt her eyes burning into me, despite knowing hundreds of others were looking at me.

I felt a spark inside me, but it wasn’t from me. Did she find me attractive? Is that what that was? My palms felt sweaty, and I felt incredibly nervous standing there on display for her. My cheeks got hot, and I knew I was blushing. I instantly felt her embarrassment, and then she looked away. It was strange, as uncomfortable as her gaze had made me, I felt almost lonely once she stopped.

My heart squeezed suddenly, a pain like I’ve never felt ripped through my chest. I had to close my eyes for a moment and breathe through it. Her eyes were on me in an instant. I opened my eyes and met hers without having to search the crowd for her. It was like I knew exactly where she was standing. Her eyes were the most stunning, golden-brown color I had ever seen. But they were filling with emotions that were bombarding me; notably regret.

I tried to refocus on my father’s speech, and that’s when the crowd collectively gasped. A smattering of awkward applause rang out through the courtyard. I felt as much as I saw Riley’s rage as it inundated me. I tried to block her out before she accidently set off my aura.