The Missing Beta

Chapter 12

~Katarina~

It's been almost a week since Aston has been back at the pack, and it's been a bit awkward. The problem isn't because he's been weird with people. To be honest, not too many people have seen him. He's been keeping to his parents and the house.

I have caught a glimpse of him once or twice, but it was always really quick. I haven't had a chance to talk to him or anything. King and I have discussed him, but it has always been in the context of being worried for him. King has been beyond eager to see him again, while I'm not sure how to feel.

When I was in school, I always dreamed that Aston would be my fated mate. It was a dream that I had, and I really wanted it to come true. Aston was more than a friend to me; I would have been ecstatic if he had become mine.

Of course, by the time I turned 18, he had been gone for two years. I guess that's why I'm nervous. What if I run into him and realize he's my fated mate? How do King and I handle that? Would we still be together? If Aston doesn't remember anything, would it be wrong if I were to reject him?

This has been going back and forth in my mind since I found out he was back. I've come no closer to coming up with an answer to these questions, and it's frustrating. I'm not sure what I should do except to wait and see what will happen.

“Is everything okay, darling?” I look up to see my aunt standing in the doorway. I sit in the living room, but the TV isn't on. My aunt and uncle have been checking on me regularly since all this happened.

I've lived with my aunt and uncle as long as I can remember. My father died before I was born, defending our pack. From what I'm told, he was a pack warrior and loved his job. My mom died when I was a toddler. She was involved in a rogue attack out in the woods.

I'm here because I can't really be around the other pack members. Well, I should clarify: I can't shift in front of the other pack members. No one has seen me shift other than my aunt and uncle. My wolf is very rare. I have a gold wolf and can't tell anyone about it.

My wolf is why I don't live with King. My wolf is the biggest reason King and I won't mark each other before the ceremony. I know King will protect me, but my family wants me to keep my wolf a secret for now. “Katarina?”

I look at my aunt and smile. “I'm fine, really. I'm just thinking about things.” My aunt smiles and nods.

“Don't stress yourself out too much. Once you and Alpha King join together, things will be better.” I nod and smile.

“I'm going to go for a walk.” I place my sandals on and walk out of our house. I've been taking a lot of walks lately. I've been trying to clear my head and figure out what I'm going to do about all this mess.

My mind goes a mile a minute, and it's hard to keep up with. I have so many worries and questions, but I have no answers. I have unresolved feelings from when I was younger that are coming up as well. I don't really have anyone to talk to about this stuff, so I'm just stuck. My wolf, Hope, is as stuck as I am.

I don't notice the branch on the ground until my toes hit it, and I stumble forward. I just know I'm going to hit the ground, and I'm sure it's going to hurt. I brace myself for impact, but it never comes. Strong arms wrap around my upper body, pulling me against a tight chest. It's the heat I feel that alerts me that I was caught by someone. I look up to thank them, and my heart stops. “A…Aston?” He clears his throat and helps me stand upright. He drops his arms and puts his hands in his pockets.

“You almost fell.” He puts a hand out for me to grab. “I'm ‘A’. Do you know me?” I look at his hand and hesitate before taking it. I finally put my hand in his, and we shake. His hand is as warm as it's always been, but disappointment floods my system. There are no sparks or anything. I guess I can let my childhood dream go because he's not my mate.

“Uh, I'm sorry, ‘A’. Thank you for saving me. My name is Katarina. We…. we used to be friends.”

~‘A’~

It's been almost a week here, and I'm no closer to knowing who I used to be than I was before I got here. I've been spending a lot of time talking to Shawna and Eddison. They have tried to fill in the gaps of my childhood, but nothing is registering.

I've seen pictures, heard stories, and explored the room from top to bottom. There’s nothing that's sparking any type of memory for me. They believe that when the witches come, they will be able to help. They should be here in a day or so.

I decided to take a walk in the woods. I've been doing this a lot lately because sitting in a house that's supposed to mean a lot to me is suffocating without my memories. I'm trying to keep positive, but this entire situation is frustrating.

As I walk in the woods, I see a figure ahead. It's a woman, but I don't think I've seen her before. Honestly, if I had seen her before, I wouldn't remember. There are so many people here, it's crazy.

I'm walking toward her, and I see she's not paying attention, and she trips over a branch. I catch her quickly, not wanting her to fall. We introduce ourselves, but her name sparks no memory. She says we were friends, and I have no reason not to believe her. “We were friends?”

“Yes, we've known each other most of our lives.” I nod and take her in. I have to say she's gorgeous, but damn near everyone here looks like they have stepped off a runway. I don't know what that's about, but it must be nice.

“I was just going for a walk to get some fresh air. Do you, maybe, want to go with me?” She looks around as if she's waiting for something. “You don't have to.”

“No. Let's walk, I want to.” I nod, and we turn to walk deeper into the woods.