Fierce Nervous Beta

Are you happy?

It's been 3 and a bit years since I first arrived her in paradise. Wow I'm 21 now. I haven't been back since the day we got drunk and left. My dad comes to visit every few months. Kade came to visit me after a few months and tried to convince me to move back but I didn't and I do t regret that one bit. I'm now part of this amazing pack, not officially but spiritually. I work at JayJay's driving boats, leading dives and working reception. Were now partners in the shop, 50/50. I've taken up a roll in the pack rankings as trainer. Carmela is amazing. She is funny and sassy and I love her. Having her and being here has made my anxiety vanish which makes me so happy. I can tell she wants her mate but she understands why we're here. I run The Love Shack on the weekends like Bee used to. It's become so much more now, a safe haven for whoever needs it. After shipping Bee's stuff to her, I turned her room into a spare room for whoever needed it. I've made a life for myself. I'm happy here.

I drive the buggy to the shop to grab the boat keys for the sunrise launch. The wind whips at my face viciously. I'm debating weather it'll be safe enough to launch with these winds so lost in my own thoughts that I don't really register the person at the shop door until I'm walking up to it to unlock. That smell is so familiar but I can't place it. It smells like my childhood.

"Morning. The shop won't be open for a few more hours but if it's urgent I can help now quickly." I say while fumbling with my keys.

"You've grown up KitKat." A strong authoritative sweet voice says. Oh my god. I snap my head up to see Alpha Cohen in all his glory. His smell of leather and cigars jogs ill of my childhood memories of him and my dad looking after us kids. He opens his arms and I walk straight into his hug. It's warm and fatherly like I always remember them. He pulls away and hold me at arms length to get a better look at me.

"You look good Kat." He says with pride in his voice.

"So do you. How have you been? How's everyone been?" I say while starting to open the door. I hold it open and stand back so he can go in. Once he's in I close the door and flick the lights on.

"Good. We've all been good. Connor and Leila are expecting their 2nd baby and Matt and Gina have decided to try for a baby. Gavin and Bee moved into the Greyers house. Lizzy managed to reject her 1st mate with little problems and her and Kade are ow happily mated. Your brother decided to move back home and take over as Beta." My heart aches at the last point but I don't regret my choice I'm just a bit nostalgic about the time in my life when becoming Beta was everything to me. "Luna Dawn is an amazing grandmother and she is loving every minute of it. Your dad found his second chance mate who you've met." He pauses before telling me about who I dread and long to hear about. "Oliver is okay enough. He moved into The McCullugh's house."

"Didn't Lizzy want to be in her parents house?" I interrupt.

"No and Oliver knew how much you loved that house so he look it when the McCullugh's decided to travel the world and move out."

"So everyone's good." I smile a soft sad smile at him.

"Everyone misses you." He says wearily.

"Can't miss me that much. I've been gone for 3 years now." I say and wrap my arms around myself. "I actually have to get going, work. But I'm pretty sure you came here to talk to me so why don't you go back to my house and I will bring back breakfast when I'm done?"

"That sounds good. I'll see you then." He opens the door for me. I grab the boat keys and leave behind him.

"So if you take that road…" I start rattling of directions but he cuts me off.

"Gavin and Kade knows where it is. I'm sure we can find it." He says softly to me.

"I'll see you just after 7 or maybe closer to 8. That is if we launch. The winds hectic today." I say while climbing in the buggy and wave as I head down the road towards the launch spot.

~

"No it was amazing. The winds started out really rough this morning but settled down for launching. We saw dolphins and turtles. The vis was awesome. Everyone enjoyed it. We had an extra person that just showed up but we had space so it was fine. Listen I have guests so I'll call you later okay? It's Wednesday so I have dinner with Misa and Kendrick. Oh okay then I'll see you then. Okay. Love you bye." I end my call with JayJay while balancing pastry boxes and shopping bags while trying to open my front door. When I manage to open the door there are a lot more people in my house than I expected. Good thing a bought a lot of food. I walk straight to the kitchen counter and set everything down. Alpha Cohen is pouring a cup of coffee and all his minions are scattered around me house.

"How was work?" He asks while sipping his coffee like this was an everyday occurrence but it wasn't. This was weird.

"Work was fine." I say to him before turning to the rest of the room. "BREAKFAST." I shout to everyone. They all come running and dive in. I jump up and sit on the edge of the one counter. Gavin walks over with 2 cinnamon rolls and leans next to me. He hands me a cinnamon roll that I nibble at still in disbelief at the sight infront of me.

"Like the new tat." He gestures to the infinity sign with Peter Pan and the kids flying on my wrist.

"Thanks." I mumble back still not totally with it. Kade walks over to chat with us.

"You dyed your hair." He doesn't sound happy.

"Mhmm." I say absently.

"Earth to Kat. Come in Kat." Kade jokes and waves his hand infront of my face.

"Sorry what?" That brings me back to reality.

"You dyed your hair." He repeats.

"It was for the business and it kinda stuck. Platinum Grey with sea green and blue streaks has been my new normal for about 2 and a half years now. I love it so it stays." I say and shrug.

"I like." Gavin says. "It suits you and so does that wrist tattoo."

"Thanks. JayJay, my business partner, he did it for me. He also did the one on my back. And KC, my boyfriend, he did the Disney castle heart beat one around my ankle." I look down at my wrist while talking.

"Let's see." Kade grabs my ankle nearly flipping my into the sink.

"Ah. You dickhead. Careful." I should and slap him across the head.

"There she is." Gavin laughs.

"It's cool. I wanna see the one on your back." Kade asks.

"You'll have to let my ankle go for that one." I say to him and then stand. I untie the bottom strap of my bikini and hold it in place while moving my hair away from my back to show the stingray across my shoulders and down my back.

"Fuck." Gavin says under his breath and runs his hands down the intricate details of the tattoo.

"It's stunning Kat." Kade says in awe. I let my hair fall down my back and retie my bikini top.

"Thanks. It's actually the latest addition to my collection. I got it about a year ago as a rememberance thing. JayJay did it perfectly." I say with a sad smile at its reasoning. "But anyway. To what do I owe this amazing surprise?" I shake off the memory.

"Alpha." Gavin calls Alpha Cohen over.

"Why don't we go somewhere a little more private to talk?" Alpha Cohen suggests. I nod and lead him upstairs to my room. We sit in my 2 wicker chairs across from each other with the small table between them. Alpha Cohen sighs deeply. He looks troubled. He then looks directly into my eyes with a serious look.

"It's time for you to come home Katerina. You've had your time away like we all did but it's time to come home and take over as Beta and mate with Oliver. It's time to accept your fate." He says sternly. I laugh a humorless laugh.

"You're not serious are you?" I look at him in disbelief. "I am home. This is home." I gesture to my house. "As for Beta you said earlier Chris wants it. And if Oliver wanted me so badly maybe I would've heard from him in the past 3 years. From the sounds of it you don't need me. I'm happy here. I don't have anxiety anymore. I haven't had an panick attack in over 3 years. I fit here. It's not hard here. I've made a home here, one that I'm not going to give up." I pause. "I was so young when I left. I have grown up and I'm not KitKat anymore. I'm not the little girl you raised and remember."

"You've found yourself like all of us did when we were your age. You are who you're supposed to be. You are the young women we all raised you to be. You've found you're fire and that makes you ready to come home and take up your responsibilities." He says to me with pride in his voice. I shake my head at him. "Let me tell you a story KitKat. When I was 18 I decided I didn't want to Alpha, I wanted to be an engineer and I was adamant that I would own a bar as well. So I went to university on the other side of the world, as far away from the pack as possible. I got a job as a bartender and a student loan. I graduated top of my doctorate class. I got a job and found Luna Dawn. I was away from the pack for 7 years before my dad came to find me. He gave me a talk similar to this one and it made me realise my obligations and duties. I realized I had to go home. So I did and I lived a good life.

You're dad joined a band when he was 16. He toured the world with them and finished high school on the road. His band had probably 20 songs that hit number 1 on charts world wide. They won countless awards and they deserved it. Then he found your mom and he realized he couldn't start a family with his lifestyle so he came home and had you and your brother.

Your mom had postpartum depression just after you were born. She left for 4 years because she couldn't take the pressure. She sailed around the world and found herself. She then came home and was an amazing mother after that.

Gamma James couldn't take the pressure of being Gamma so he moved away for a while and fell into a spiral of d**g addiction. He almost lost his wolf because of it. He came home when Luna Dawn gave birth to Connor and he realized that nothing was as important as family so he moved home and hasn't taken drugs since.

Luna Dawn is the exception to the rule. She always knew who she was and what she wanted.

But do you see KitKat? Everyone went through this, it's normal and it will make you a better leader. But it's time to come home now because we need you. Connor needs you as Beta; Oliver needs you as a mate and everyone needs you as a leader. Pack your things because we are leaving tonight." He says in his Alpha tone which has no effect on me with my moms alpha blood. He rises from his chair and starts to walk towards the door leaving me in a thoughtful state.

"Are you happy?" I look up from my hands to his retreating figure for the answer. He stops walking but doesn't look back at me.

"Yes." He lies and walks out the door.