Betrayed by the Beta

Chapter 9 - Homecoming

Cassie -

After spending another 3 long, peaceful hours in the hospital, Dr Thorne finally came around with my discharge papers. He had Thomas come into the room to hear about the aftercare I needed, so I had "no excuse" as he put it, but to follow the regime, which he delightfully told me with an impish grin on his face. I rolled my eyes at this but listened carefully as I wanted to get better quickly, he told me I needed to eat little and often, and nothing heavy to help me gain some weight back. He also gave me a prescription of vitamins to help me and my wolf get stronger again. Once he finished, he brandished the discharge papers under my nose, I signed and was handed a bag of clothes.

I glanced in the bag and then sharply up at Dr Thorne who blushed slightly and said he had run out to a nearby shop on his break to buy me some new clothes since the clothes I came in wearing were covered in oatmeal and he didn't want to invade my privacy by sending someone to my room. I was moved by his confession and his thoughtfulness, he could have no idea how much it meant to me that he respected my privacy that way but still considered my needs. I got up from bed slowly and much to his surprise, wrapped my arms around his waist in a hug I sincerely meant. After a moment of hesitation, his arms came around my back and he hugged me, rubbing my back a little in comfort.

“Look after yourself Cassie,” he whispers, then he leans back and looks me in the eye, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you before, I wanted to, things beyond our control stopped me but please know I am here for you now and forever more, I won’t let what happened to you continue, and nor will Alpha and Luna, they will get to the bottom of this and put a stop to it I assure you.”

With a lump in my throat preventing me from speaking, I lean in and give him another hug, then hung my head and turned to the bag of clothes, which I carried up and carried into the ensuite toilet so I could change.

Exiting the small bathroom in clothes exactly the right size for my smaller frame, I spotted Thomas perched on the bed flicking through a pamphlet the Dr had left for me regarding some effects of eating too much too quickly. When I cleared my throat, he jumped up from his position, sending the pamphlet flying across the room as if he had done something wrong.

"Forgive me Cassie, I was, um, well I was being nosey," he admits, shyly rubbing the back of his neck.

"No worries, why are you still here if I am free to go?" I asked curiously, completely unbuffered by him reading the pamphlet.

"Oh, I am to be your guard until Luna or Alpha say otherwise. You are stuck with me, I'm afraid" he says, grinning while picking up the discarded papers. There is nothing I can really say to that, so I say nothing, and head towards the exit.

Thomas chats almost non stop on the walk from the hospital to a car that is parked at the end of the driveway, where he holds open the passenger door for me. I look from him to the car and then shrug, why not, everything else has been different the last few days. What's one more thing? So I climb into the car, buckled my seatbelt and wait for Thomas to get in the driver’s seat.

We pulled up to the packhouse and park. Thomas gets out, circles the vehicle and opens my door, but I don’t move, I can’t. If I go in there, everything will return to the way it was before. I know it. So I sat there. Thomas seems to know what is happening to me, he squats by my side and rests a hand gently on my thigh.

“Cassie, come on love, let's get you inside” he says, “Luna won’t let things go backwards. I don’t know what it was like for you for the last 6 months, but I know it won’t be that way anymore, she won’t allow it.”

He leans over me and unbuckles my seatbelt, then takes my hand and guides me from the car. I stumble a little on the way up to the entrance, I can’t bring myself to think too much about what will happen once I cross the threshold, if I do, I won’t be able to move. So, putting one foot in front of the other, I made my way forward with Thomas’ guiding hand on the small of my back.

Before I am ready to admit it, I am standing in the entryway, frozen, but the crowd inside don’t seem to notice me, they continue on with their everyday lives as though nothing unusual is happening. I breathed a small sigh of relief and allowed Thomas to continue urging me towards the stairs.

We climbed to the very top where I figured Luna Lily was waiting for me to have that meeting she mentioned in the hospital. But to my surprise, Thomas walks me to a door which I knew was a bedroom on the Alpha floor. He doesn’t break his stride as he pushes the door open and pushes me through into the room, then he puts my bag of clothes on the bed and turns to face me where I stand just inside the doorway.

“Come on Cassie, this is your room now. The Luna wanted you close to her so she could be sure of your safety and care once you were discharged from the hospital, so she had someone clean it up for your arrival.” He says and my jaw hits the floor. She had someone else clean this room especially for me?

“Tha…Thank you Thomas, is Luna waiting for me?” I asked.

“No, no, for now she wants you to get settled and suggested I hang about so we can get to know one another a little more, since I will be watching over you that is.” He replies, then he lays back on the bed using the headboard as a back rest.

We spent the rest of the day getting to know each other more. I like Thomas, he seems almost like a big brother to me now. I know his mate was a rogue who died in the same attack that killed my parents, as they were not marked he was able to survive her death. He is 25 years old and he became a guard for the Luna after his own injuries from that battle healed. The Alpha was impressed with his fighting ability.

I consider confiding in him that Ace is my mate, but something holds me back, so we talk about him and about my parents mostly. What we haven’t discussed is my life for the last 6 months. I’m sure we will, but I’m not ready yet, and I know I will need to talk to Luna Lily about it soon enough.

Thomas -

Having guarded Cassie in the hospital I was relieved when Luna Lily told me she was going to be placed in the spare room of the Alpha suite, it is much more secure and I don't think she is safe here. I don't know exactly what happened, but I do know it was bad, and I know it isn't over for her yet.

Call it a gut instinct, but my gut is rarely wrong. They are currently in the Luna's office discussing who knows what, so I am in the kitchen preparing some food for cassie, I heard Dr Thorne when he told her she needs to eat little and often to regain her weight, so I am putting together a tray of food that can be snacked upon, sliced carrots and cucumber, tomatoes, apples, grapes, and then to mix it up a bit I have some crisps and chocolate bars, high in protein, incase she has a sweet tooth.

I vowed to Luna that I would protect Cassie with my life, it is my duty as a warrior, but it is also a privilege to be trusted this way by the Alpha, he would only have chosen me if he felt I was up to the job.