BETA'S FATE

Chapter 6

Pearl's POV

"Can I talk to him alone?" I ask particularly no one but they sure will get their message for sure.

"Definitely" Nova says.

And I wait for a minute. But I can still sense the scent of spice. Ryan is here. So I wait for another minute. But he is still there.

I turn around to see him still smiling and gesturing something towards Conrad. I see Conrad and he is signalling something to Ryan too. Now these both men are getting on my nerves together!

"What part of alone did you not understand Ryan?" I scream and he quickly rushes out muttering jeez woman!

"Now you. What was that earlier?" I ask him with my arms folded over my chest.

He is just laying on bed. Avoiding my eyes. I stand there waiting for him to see me. He so casually looks around and he looks at me. But when he catches my eye, he suddenly pretends to be sleeping.

"And here I thought that you are an Alpha!" I scoff only to hear him faking snores.

"I am a patient. I need rest. Go away" he mumbles as if he is talking in his sleep.

"f**k you and your whole drama. Sit up!!" I scream at him.

"Sit up!!!!!" I scream again and this time, he sits on the bed and looks at me.

I just glare at him and he is still not meeting my eye. This man is unbelievable. I almost had a heart attack and I thought Moon Goddess hates me. Which she obviously does, by pairing me up with this man of every werewolf out there.

He finally looks at me and sighs. When I glare harder, he throws his hands in air as if he is surrendering and I can just say that his ass is the most dramatic I have ever seen.

"Cancer?" I ask him and he shakes his head like a two year old who got caught stealing candies from the fridge.

"Last day of you being alive?" I ask him again and he shakes his head.

"And you want to spend the day with me?" I ask him and he smirks looking at me but when I glare again, he stops smirking and shakes his head.

"Seriously, Conrad? I almost had a cardiac arrest looking at you that way. You should know that.. this is not how matebond works. You are an Alpha. You are older than me. You should know all of this" I say but he is silent.

"I like it" he says and I look at him in confusion.

"I like it when you call me by my name" he smiles and I sigh because the way he is looking at me now, I don't think staying angry will be an easy task.

But I cannot say I am not angry though. I was devastated. I was having panic attack. I was at the edge of another curse session with Moon Goddess for letting such thing happen in my life again.

I look at Conrad and he is smiling again.

"And I know that the chocolate had peanut in it. I still ate because that is the first thing ever that you offered me without me asking" he says and I just stare at him.

"Conrad" I whisper walking to him and sitting on the bed with him. He still has the red spots on his skin but he looks better than before. His entire body just an hour ago is still a nightmare.

"Conrad please don't do this. We can still be friends. But.. but we can never be mates. I have had my quota of heartbreaks and I am just not ready for another" I tell him and watch his eyes get softer.

"What makes you think that I would lead you to another heartbreak?" He asks me.

"I don't know. But my heart and mind says so. We would be a great couple if we were each other's first choice. But between my first choice and now you, so much happened. So much that.. now I even think twice before talking to someone about something personal. I am not the same Pearl anymore" I tell him and I am telling him this only because he should understand that doing this is for my own good.

"Your heart and mind" he whispers and holds my face with his hand,"says that I would break your heart again?" He asks

And all I can focus on, are the sparks. They are making it impossible to even think of what we are talking about.

"This is us, Pea! Mates. That's who we are. We are supposed to be together. And I don't care why a punk rejected you. I don't care why Trevor doesn't see you the way I do now. But me.. I would not even let anyone hurt you let alone me" he says and this matebond is really working it's way.

I pull away from his grip and his face falls. I feel a little bad but I cannot do anything.

"How long does this take? For you to become normal again?" I ask him.

"Two days maximum" he says and I nod.

"Stay here for two days" I say and when I see his face all excited like a kid, I recall what I just said and mentally slap myself.

"I meant in this pack. Stay in this pack for two days. Shane and his brother are at your pack, right? They can take care of this for two days" I say and he nods again with a frown.

"Now, go to sleep here. I need to go get my son. Anymore longer with Ryan, he will be using curse words at the age of two" I say and Conrad smirks.

"Seriously?" He asks.

"Just last week he was screaming at the robot toy" I say and try mimicking my son,"s**t s**t. So s**t"

Conrad and I share a laugh and it feels nice. It gives me a feeling that we can both be friends and forget about the whole mates thing. At least until we both are comfortable with the rejection. I can do it right now, but he needs time.

So maybe if we both establish a strong friendship, he will understand. He can reject me and we can still continue being friends.

"We still have time for rejection by the way" I say and he looks at me.

"Because you are not ready" I say again and he nods this time.

"So, how about we both stay friends until then? Then, even if we reject each other it wouldn't be awkward because we would be friends" I say and he glares at me.

"I see where you are taking this to. But I am not ready to be friends with someone I want to share my whole life with" he says and that just threw me off guard.

What?

He looks like even he did not expect that. He is just staring at me and I am staring at him too. Wow this escalated pretty quick.

"You see being friends is not that bad. Even after rejection we can still be good" I shrug.

"So you say, you will be fine if I treated you as my friend?" He asks and I nod.

"Are you sure?" He asks again and I nod again.

"Well, you asked for it" he smirks and falls on the bed again.

I look at him confused but I let it slide. I switch on the ceiling fan and close the door behind. I lean on the closed door and give my heart a minute to calm down. Damn you mate bond!

I quickly walk out and towards the pack house. The pack members bow to me as I walk by and I smile at them. I can hear my son's laughter as I enter the pack house.

"No no. You are not supposed to do it like that" I hear Ryan's voice.

I slowly walk in and I see Ryan and Vincent play with the shape toy thing. Ryan bought it for Vincent few weeks ago. There are these pole like sticks in the form of circle, rectangles, squares and all. And then small plastic blocks in all those shapes but with holes so those poles can fit. It's upto Vincent to find out what fits where. It's a brain game according to Ryan.

I hear rustle from the kitchen and I walk there. I see Nova trying to make herself a cup of coffee.

"Ryan!!!" I scream and he runs to the kitchen.

"Why? What happened?" He asks in panic.

"You are panicking about your child's birth. But your mate is here pregnant and five weeks away from her delivery date, making herself some coffee. Why can't you do that for her?" I ask him.

"I am sorry, I'll do it" he says and Nova smiles.

We both sit in the living room and Vincent jumps into my arms. I kiss both his cheeks and he tries explaining me how he was playing with the shapes with his uncle Ryan. His vocabulary is doing lot better now a days.

I ask him to go play again and he runs to his room. Yes, he has a room here. And brings out Lego. He tries to figure it out with his little hands. This boy is literally the cutest I have ever seen.

"So, is everything fine? Between you and Conrad?" Nova asks and I finally look at her.

"Yeah. Yes we are fine. We decided on being friends until we are comfortable rejecting each other" I say.

"Rejecting each other? You both agreed on it?" She asks again.

"I guess so" I say though I am still not sure what might be running on Conrad's mind. He tried to convince me just couple minutes before he smirked and said he wants to be friends with me.

Ryan comes to us and gives Nova her coffee. By the looks of it, I can see it must be so bad. But Nova doesn't say a word. She smiles at him and tells him that it tastes the best.

Ryan smiles with pride and smirks at me. I roll my eyes but show him two thumbs up.

"Where is he by the way?" Nova asks me again.

"At my place. Sleeping" I say and she nods.

Just as I said that, I feel the scent of pine. I know he is coming here.

"Or not" I whisper and he walks in at the same time. He looks around and spots us in the living room. He walks to us.

For the first time, I can see his Alpha authority in every step. This is The Sundown Pack but he is walking as if this is The Silver Salt Pack and we are his pack members.

He sits on the chair before us and takes the coffee cup from Nova's hand. He takes a sip of it and spits the very next second.

"Who the f**k created this s**t drink?" He scoffs and looks at us. I see Ryan's face slowly falling as he looks at Nova.

This man really has no filter to his mouth!

"I did. Why? It doesn't taste good?" I ask him and suddenly, his posture is stern again.

"Oh" he whispers and places the cup back on the table.

Ryan walks away and Nova follows him. I feel bad for Ryan. For the first time he did something and he was happy about it. Nova lied, true but Ryan was happy. He was proud. Now he must be upset.

"Don't you have any filter?" I ask and Conrad looks confused.

"To your mouth!" I say and he scoffs

"What? Am I not allowed to say something that it tastes terrible? Not just terrible, it tastes beyond that. You wanna try?" He asks and I roll my eyes.

We both sit in silence until Selena walks in. She bows to Conrad and Conrad just nods his head. Now he is a different person. His face is straight and his posture is stiff.

"Can I take Vincent with me? I made lunch for him" Selena asks and I nod.

Thanks to the heart attack Conrad gave me earlier, I did not even cook. Both for me and my son. Selena takes Vincent away and he is smiling wide. He likes Selena so much.

Once Selena is out of the pack house, Conrad lets himself loose again and sits like a normal person.

"You are an Alpha. But this is not your pack" I whisper.

"I am also the Alpha of The Silver Salt Pack. The strongest" he says and I nod.

I don't understand but I just nod. I still remember people shivering at the mention of Alpha of Silver Salt Pack when I was a warrior in The Light Ridge Pack. Then I came here, and this pack is second strongest but still afraid of The Silver Salt. So maybe I can just guess why he should be the way he is.

I wish someone can tell him that it's okay to let himself loosen a little bit.

"Now maybe you have something to do" I say and he raises his eyebrow at me.

"Apologise someone" I say and tilt my head towards the room Ryan and Nova are in.

"I don't apologise to someone or anyone!" He shakes his head and I just stare at him.

Okay. This is new.

"And why is that?" I ask him again and this time, he smirks at me.

"I don't do what my friends say" he smirks making me roll my eyes.

This guy is testing my patience now. But I still keep my calm and think of some other way we can both do this without ego getting on our way. But he just stands up and turns around to walk away.

"What? That is it?" I scoff and he turns around.

"What am I supposed to do here anyway? My wolf can use a run" he shrugs.

"Mind if I join you?" I ask and he nods.

But I stop again and tell him that I am not coming. The last time his wolf and mine met, I remember how it ended. They didn't want to be separated.

Recalling that, he decided not to shift on this pack lands too. Alan's scent will only attract Mist more. She would be uncontrollable if that happens.

"Nova!!" He screams for his sister.

"What?" She walks out and she seems pretty pissed about his brother.

"I'll be on my way then" Conrad says and I don't know why, but it feels different.

"What? Why?" Both Nova and I ask in unison and he just stares at me before answering.

"Well, I don't have anything to do here anyway. Intentions made clear and I don't think I can mingle with my friends enough" he says.

And I don't know if this is his game or whatever, but I don't like this. Nova nods and shrugs, and just like that Conrad is all set to go.

What? He is leaving? Already? How? Why? He is not even fine from his peanut allergic reaction. He needs rest. And why am I wishing for him to stay a little longer?

Nova walks into her room again and now, Conrad and I are alone.

"Okay then. I guess this is it" he says and I nod.

"I don't know when we both will meet again, Pea. But I guess that you will remember me till then" he says and holds my hand.

"Promise me, that you will take care. Promise me, that years later when we meet again, you will still be my friend" he says and I nod fighting with my own tears.

He smiles and smirks at me before walking out. I wonder where his clothes and bags are. Maybe Shane took his bag away with him because Conrad was actually set to leave today.

"Until then" he whispers and sighs, and walks out without turning back.

He left. He just left. We don't know when we are going to meet each other again. I asked him to treat me as his friend and he is now treating me as nobody.

I sit on the couch and drown in my own thoughts. How did he leave just like that? I was the one who wants a rejection but I am already falling apart. How is he so strong mentally?

Nova walks out with Ryan this time. I just look at them and they look at me first and then look at each other next.

"Why are you so sad? He left! I thought that was what you always wanted" Ryan says and I nod.

"Yes. But he just.. just.. ugh! I did not think he meant this when he said we could be just friends. He just left. And he told me that years later, if we meet again I will still be his friend" I whisper with my voice cracking.

Ryan rolls his eyes and Nova just smirks at me. Now what?

"You are a fool to trust his bluff again" Ryan says and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"We are visiting The Silver Salt Pack next week. The unmated party. They are hosting it for the first time and we are going there. Just like how Trevor and I came to your pack two and half years ago. Of course Alpha Conrad knows it. He is just pulling your emotional leg" Ryan says and this time, I roll my eyes.

Another bluff. Another stupid acting move. Classic Conrad game.