The Beta Who Bought Me

Chapter 12 - Benjamin

“Let me just get my bag, and I’ll be out of your hair!” She called over her shoulder to Charles. Wendy was even more confused now. This woman had acted like they had a very close relationship but now she's leaving?

“She doesn’t live here?” Wendy lowered her voice to whisper in Charles’s ear.

“What?!” He looked back at her in shock. “Why would she?”

“She’s not your mate?” She looked timidly at his chocolate eyes as she quivered before the man in front of her.

“Wendy,” he narrowed his eyes at her and relaxed his facial gestures. “I think you have misunderstood something. Addie is my neighbor, nothing more.” He said firmly while taking her small hands in his larger ones again.

“Why did she call you her ‘mate’ then?” She raised her eyebrows inquisitively at him.

Charles broke up at her question. “Did you not hear her accent? She’s from Australia! ‘Mate’ is another word for ‘friend’ to them,” he tried to respectfully rein in his laughter as he brushed a fallen lock of black hair back behind Wendy’s ear.

Wendy felt like a complete i***t now. She had totally misjudged the situation. Everything that had happened was normal to someone from another country. She had gotten jealous of people she didn’t know, and it just proved to her that she was still very much a naïve child inside at times. She looked down at her feet while her cheeks burned in disgust with herself.

“Hey,” he brought his hand to her face and cupped her cheek. “No need to be embarrassed. I probably should have warned you about Addie. She’s kind of a trip, even on one of her good days.” His understanding eyes and gentle, tingling touch made her release the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Sorry…” she muttered sheepishly.

Addie cleared her throat loudly, and they both flushed as they realized she had seen a bit of the previous exchange.

“Well, I hate to interrupt your sweet moment, but I have a warm bed and a man with my name on both of them. Have a good night!” She winked and waved as she waddled off of the porch and headed across the lawn to the house next door.

“Night, Addie! Tell Hiro I said sorry for keeping his lady extra late!” Charles waved at her and watched to make sure she got into her house safely before taking Wendy inside.

Wendy got a good look at the house as they stood in the foyer. The house wasn’t overly large, but it felt warm and inviting. The décor was all very traditional but looked to be in great shape. There were matching red-based oriental rugs in the entrance as well as the living room that split off to the left. Directly in front of her was a set of carpeted stairs that led to the second story of the house.

“I know it's late, but do you want a tour?” He asked.

She looked at the tall polished wood grandfather clock by the entrance and noticed that it was nearly 1am. “Oh, it’s okay. It can wait until morning,” she replied.

“Then let me get you settled in your room, okay? All the bedrooms are upstairs, so follow me,” he said as he ascended the stairs.

There were several pictures on the walls as they went upward. A few were of Charles with people who were probably his parents and grandparents. She stopped suddenly in front of a picture of a boy that looked just like Charles but around 1 year old.

“Is this you?“ she smiled and pointed at the little boy in the photograph.

“No, not me. My son,” he smiled back proudly at her.

“Your son?” She asked as her jaw went slack.

“Why did you think my neighbor was here?” He raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk. “She doesn’t just hang out here while I’m gone. She babysits for me.”

Wendy didn’t know what to think about the curveball he had just thrown at her. First, she thought he might already have a mate, and now he for sure does have a child? She didn’t want to ask anymore stupid questions tonight, so she just furrowed her brow in thought.

“Here,” he reached his hand down to her, coaxing her forward. He didn’t speak as they came to the top of the stairs and immediately turned right to face a white door. He put his finger to his lips as he cracked the door slightly. Inside, there was a small boy, the exact one from the picture, but maybe closer to four years old now. He was sleeping peacefully with a brown teddy bear tucked in his arms.

Charles looked adoringly at the boy before shutting the door and addressing Wendy quietly. “His name is Benjamin. Let me take you to your room, and I’ll explain.”