Charlie & Her Beta

Five

‘How can she be so unaffected?’ Donavan thinks to himself, still sitting on the swing in the middle of the park, where she left him 30 mins ago. He was struggling with the loss of her presence, but the guilt of having Sara in the back of his mind was too much for him to bear. He could tell that she knew something was wrong without ever having said a word.

No matter how badly he wanted to he couldn’t just throw his relationship with Sara to the side, and yet he can’t bring himself to even consider the possibility of rejecting his mate. He wanted so badly to follow Charli home but knew that he couldn’t in his current state and wasn’t ready to say anything to his mate about Sara.

“Damn it!” Donavan says out loud frustrated. Just the thought of Sara is now making him sick to his stomach, not to mention his wolf is trying to block any thoughts of another woman and telling him to reconsider the plans he had already made. Could he even live without his mate now that he had found her. ‘No, we can’t.’ his wolf was quick to confirm. Donavan couldn’t have imagined that the mate bond was all consuming like this. His mother tried to tell him, and he refused to listen.

Donavan makes his way over to his SUV and jumps in, turning the heat all the way up. He hadn't realized how cold it had gotten as he sat in the darkness thinking everything over. He wanted so badly to drive to the Beta’s house and see her again. He swallowed hard as his thoughts once again became consumed with her. ‘I’ll just drive to her house and make sure she made it there safely.’ he thought to himself pulling out of the park drive.

Donavan parked in an inconspicuous spot near Charli’s house and realized how incredibly stupid it was of him to even drive over this way, as Charli had most likely already made it home, and he didn’t go knock on her door.

‘I still see the potential of my and Sara’s union for the pack, but I now realize I never loved her, not even for a moment, not even for a fraction of a moment, and I don’t think I can ever love her now.’ Donavan thinks to himself as his mind begins to wander again.

Car lights flooded the inside of his SUV from someone passing by, and it was enough to startle him from his internal monologue.

He had just now come to realize how incredibly hot it had gotten inside the SUV and turned the air off completely. He glanced one last time over at Charli’s house then decided to drive back to the pack house and give himself some time to think everything over before making any serious decisions.

“Hey sweety, you’re just in time for dinner.” Luna Lydia’s melodic voice called out from the kitchen when Donavan stepped off the elevator into the open living space. He let the warmth of the fireplace settle into his bones. “It’s pretty cold outside tonight,’ he thought. Then it immediately hit him that he selfishly didn’t offer Charli a ride and made her walk home in the cold.

“What a complete asshole.” He mumbles to himself, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket to write her a text to apologize and that’s when he realizes he never even got her number. He throws his phone across the room pissed off at himself and when he looks over, he, see's his mother standing there astonished by his behavior.

“I’m sorry mom.” He says, walking over to pick up his now broken phone off the floor. “Is everything alright?” She asks him tentatively, and he nods, “Yes, I’m just . . . It’s nothing.” He tells her moving into the kitchen to sit down at the dinner table which is already perfectly set. Under different circumstances, the food would be appetizing.

Donavan gives up on eating after a few forced bites to appease his mother’s worried glances. Donavan's younger brother Heath weaves the tale of his day, and he watches as his mother seems caught up in his every word, just as she was with Donavan at that age. ‘She really is the best mom,’ Donavan thinks to himself. ‘I wonder if Charli would do the same for our pups.’

Just the thought of having a family with Charli is so addictive for him that he easily gets wrapped up in them. Donavan hear the clatter of silverware against the table as if it was dropped and his mind is brough back to the present. He looks around the table and realizes his brother has at some point left, and it is only his mother and father remaining.

“So, Donavan did something happen today?” The Alpha begins, his eyes studying his son's every expression. “I . . . found my mate.” He replies to his father. He never intended to find his mate, and even though he has, he already has a plan in place and his mind is currently at war as to whether he stays the course or make a different choice. Donavan decides it best to lay it all out in the open with his parents so they could help him work through all his confusion.

“Needless to say, the conversation did not go over well with the Luna, as she was appalled by the very notion of taking a woman, beside the one the goddess has given, as her sons mate. She issued her son one last warning before retiring to her room, emotionally exhausted from trying to convince him,

“Charli is a wonderful girl, she would be a loving mate, an amazing mother and would make an excellent Goddess given Luna. If you are not willing to make a new plan or see past her not having a wolf, then you honestly don’t deserve her Donavan. My heart is already breaking for you. Clearly, I am unable to convey just how important being with the other half of your soul is, so all I can do is pray for you.” she said before slamming her bedroom door shut behind her.

After the Luna stormed away, Alpha Desmond leaned back in his chair allowing the mood to neutralize before speaking. “Son, you are one day going to be Alpha, which means that you will be responsible for every man, woman and pup in this pack regardless of rank or status.

I didn’t decide to give you this title based off age; I am bestowing it to you because I believe you are capable, and I see the potential in you. Not just to maintain this pack as it has been, but to build it into something new.” Alpha Desmond pauses a moment and looks at his son with a serious expression.

“With that said, I am your father. Like most fathers I want to see you happy, in love with your partner and with life. This position takes, and you will need someone who gives back what you are putting into your work throughout your days. I don’t know Sara personally, but I’m sure she is lovely, but so is Charli.” He takes a deep breath before he continues speaking, “This is your life, I can’t tell you how to live it, you must live it the way you see fit. All I ask is that you don’t drag this out and cause unnecessary pain to those involved.”

Saying all he feels he needed to say Alpha Desmond stands and pats his son on the shoulder as he makes his way out of the room, leaving Donavan to his thoughts.