Fierce Nervous Beta

Peanut Gallery

I can hear footsteps down the hall and people speaking through my closed door.

"No. No. I don't care. I just have to see her. I think I've waited long enough."

"We just want to check and make sure she's fine."

"I'm going to f*****g kill her."

"I think we all just need to calm down."

"Ready for the peanut gallery?" Kade flops back down. I laugh at his comment. Then the whole clan piles into my room followed by curses and comments of relief and everyone ending up on my queen sized bed. Oliver's holding me tightly while Gina squishes herself between me and Kade and everyone else skatters around me.

"Oooo Cookies." Kimmy dug in with everyone inhaling my cookies.

"Not that I don't love you all but boundaries." I try to wiggle out of bed.

"We're all just worried about you." Jackson doesn't even look up from the cookies. I manage to stand and inch towards the door.

"No! We are all pissed at you, you b***h. Where were you?" Lizzy stands dramatically.

"Doesn't matter." Kade says for me and rolls over on my bed.

"Of course it matters." She snaps at him and everyone starts speaking over each other. I can feel Oliver's eyes on me.

"Oh gee look at the time." I point outside and start grabbing at people to get them up and out of my room. Even Kade takes a hint and leaves. I shut my bedroom door behind everyone and lean my back against it as I look at Oliver.

"What was this about?" He stands but keeps his distance.

"Leila. And Lizzy. And Gina. And even a bit about Kimmy." I sigh and he walks towards me protecting me in a hug.

"We can fix it. I can fix it. Let me fix it." His last words are a whisper.

"You can't fix the problem. I'm the problem." I start sobbing. "I'm sorry I'm the problem." He picks me up and we sit on the bed. I bury myself closer to him.

"You are not a problem. I don't even know what you think is a problem. Please just talk to me." His voice hold so much concern.

"It's my stupid anxiety. I just want to protect you from it for as long as I can." He tucked me impossibly closer to him.

"I can deal with it."

"It's not that easy. I've had years to learn how to function with anxiety and still can't deal with it all the time. And the panick attacks, if you don't know what it is it's so scary because it feels like you're dying. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy so why would I willingly dump it on you? I just can't. Not yet. I love you too much."

"You love me?" Those gorgeous eyes look down at me but before I can answer there's a knock at the door. Oliver let's out a ground shaking growl. But another, harder knock comes.

"Go away!" Oliver growls out. And another knock comes. I stand up and kiss him softly on his lips.

"Of course I love you." I manage to run out of his grasp for me. Lizzy is standing in the door and pushes past me.

"Out lover boy. You're holding up the cue." She flops on the bed. Oliver grumbles as he stands and kisses me possessively before leaving which leaves me on shakey legs. I compose myself and turn my attention to Lizzy.

"Let's see." I move towards her and gesture to her neck. She pulls her hair away to reveal her mates mark. But she doesn't look happy.

"What's wrong?" I immediately sit next to her and she throws her arms around me. I squeeze her tightly. We're quiet for what feels like forever.

"I can't help if you don't tell me."

"He's not what I thought he would be, Kit! He's so possessive, it's suffocating. I had to sneak out of my own room to join the search party for you. He wants me to have pups now and move into a house in his pack. He wants me to be a… HOUSEWIFE!" She cries as she shouts the last word. "There was no talking or discussion about it. He just decided my future for me. I tried talking to him but he just ignores me. Honestly, I'm a bit scared of him."

"Elizabeth St. James!" I pull her into a sitting position and I stand. "You are a brave warrior! You will cower to no man, I don't care if he is your mate. This is not okay and I give you my word to sort this out, okay. This man will not take you anywhere. Have you officially mated?"

"Yes." She looks slightly traumatized at the thought.

"That will be a bit tougher to deal with but I'll fix it."

"Oh gods. What if I have to reject him?"

"Let's see if we can fix it first okay."

"I can't go back there Kat, not yet."

"You can stay in the guest room Lizzy. You don't have to be scared about anything." A knock at the door halts the conversation. Jackson doesn't even wait for a response to come in and sit next to Lizzy.

"My turn." He pushes Lizzy off the bed. Lizzy sniffles but still manages to pull the finger at him while she walks out. She mumbles something that resembles d**k on her way out.

"What am I supposed to do about Kimmy?" Jackson jumps right to the point.

"No pleasentries?"

"I have 5 minutes before it's someone else's turn."

"The fact that you have a roster for my time…"

"You've been gone for over 24 hours. We're all falling apart. Focus."

"Fine. What happened at the party?"

"We kissed but nothing more. We also got to know each other really well. She got drunk so I took her home and her parents now know we're mates."

"What did her parents say?"

"Wait till she's 16 to tell her."

"That's fair. Respect that. Have you spoken to Kimmy since?"

"She's been avoiding me."

"Give her some space okay. She'll come to you when she's ready. When she does don't make it awkward."

"Thank you." He stands and hugs me. A knock at the door signals the next slot.

"Come in." Jackson gives me one last squeeze before walking towards the door. Gina and Matt walk in.

"We just wanted to check on you." Gina says.

"Thanks but I'm okay." Jackson slowly closes the door.

"Okay now that he's gone and you're cool what up with Leila?" Matt asks.

"I literally found her in the woods. She's a rouge and I don't know much about her. Why?"

"She's gonna be Luna and none of us know anything about her." Gina says.

"Yeah but she doesn't want to be Luna and I think she's okay." Matt pipes in.

"I get a weird feeling about her especially since she said she doesn't like you." Gina points towards me. Matt and I look at each other and grin from ear to ear. "What a b***h. You took her in, fed her, clothed her, looked after her and she has the audacity to be ungrateful and hate you? I don't like her. You two stop it, this is serious." She slaps Matt on the arm which sends us into a laughing fit.

"Why'd she hate you?" Matt asks

"I shouted at her because she was being a p***y. Toughen up buttercup."

"If she hates you because of that then she shouldn't be Luna." Gina says under her breath. "I'm glad you're back KitKat." She hugs me.

"All of us are." Matt comes in for a hug too.

"My turn." Kimmy bursts through the door. Everyone laughs while Gina and Matt head out. Kimmy grabs me and pulls me onto the bed.

"I'm so sorry but I kissed Jackson."

"Why are you sorry?"

"You two were a thing and I didn't know the rules."

"We broke up and I have a mate. You and Jackson can kiss to your hearts content." I cup her cheek in my hand.

"I think I like him but the age gap is weird."

"Then don't rush things. Maybe you can try when you get older? I would suggest you go talk to Jackson though." She nods and hugs me.

"Times up." Gavin shouts through the door.

"Then come in." I shout back. When Kimmy starts walking out I snuggle onto my one egg chair and Gavin sits in the other one. Our normal talking spot. I put my feet on his lap and he tucks his next to me on my egg chair.

"You the last one?"

"I made sure of it." We smile at each other and just watch the ocean from my open patio doors.

"Like the hair by the way." He doesn't look at me when he say it.

"Thanks. You're the only person who noticed."

"Then I'm guessing I'm the only person to notice the tats too?" He shakes my foot which moves my whole leg.

"You like it?"

"I do. It's very you." I look at him and smile.

"I got another one too." I untie the sarong and show him my color bone.

"I know that. Where's it from?" He leans closer to look at it.

"My moms boat."

"I think it suits you."

"Thank you Gavin." It's a thank you for so much more than just the compliment.

We sit like that and watch the sun go down above the glistening sea. Eventually both of us fall asleep to the calming sound of the waves and the comfort of each other.