Beauty

Chapter 22 Bailey

I strolled through the rest of the pack while trying not to think of Miles. He was nothing if not persistent. I could think of no reason why he kept me here, other than the fact he gained some sick pleasure from seeing me suffer. And, the way he has changed in recent years, I would not be surprised if he had turned into some sort of masochist.

I hated that things between Harley and I were likely now ruined. The way he had looked at me had hurt. He had believed the words coming from his upcoming Alpha. But, then who wouldn’t? He was the next Alpha. Most, if not all, would believe him. Why would they doubt him? He was the golden child of the pack. Ha. Little did they know the only thing golden about him was the reflection of his glowing satanic eyes.

I knew I had been naïve to think there could be anything between Harley and I. Harley had a fated mate out there. He would have believed I did too. Obviously I knew better. But, I have been enjoying our time together. He made me feel good. And perhaps, st*pidly, a tiny part of me had considered that if things continued then a chosen matebond one day could be something to contemplate, couldn’t it? A chosen mate bond is sometimes thought to be stronger than a fated one, because it is one that is chosen. Your heart and soul pick it. The connection is already there before the bond is created.

Not that it would even matter, we had barely been seeing one another. We have been on a few dates. And he had taken the word of Miles over me anyway. My eyes drifted to the warrior training field as I walked past toward my home. I could see them working hard under the rays of the sunshine. Some in human form, some shifted into their wolf form. Rather them than me in this heat, that is for sure.

“Bailey!” I heard Harley’s voice, as I continued walking, and turned around, to find him jogging across the field, and he suddenly leans on the wall separating the field and the path.

I was so unsure of what to say, so I simply smiled in greeting. He looked a little sweaty after training, and no doubt the run from the training field. He was wearing training shorts and hist chest was bare, revealing his toned chest and upper arms. I did my best to avert my gaze from his body, which I have to say was quite difficult when there was quite a lot to admire! You can definitely see why he was a warrior…

“Having fun there, Bai?” Harley’s voice was light and playful, which took me by surprise considering the way he had walked away from me earlier.

I met his gaze with a frown. “Hmm?”

“I am sorry about earlier. Not that it likely means much. But, why didn’t you tell me?” he questions, and I can sense irritation in his voice, despite the fact he is trying hard to stay calm.

“He told me nobody could know.” I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

“How long have you known?” Harley tilts his head to look at me curiously, and I can see his mind working overtime. “Bailey, you and he have known each other forever. Was this since he first shifted?”

Miles had sworn me to secrecy. Never to say a word to anybody. Yet, here I was being confronted

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+5 Pearls

by someone who had worked it all out because of Miles yelling at me. Would that be considered. my fault? I don’t know what to do. I just looked at Harley, my eyes meeting his, as I chewed my lip nervously.

“I will take that as a yes.” Harley says with a sigh. “All that time and you have not said a word? He has dated since then too. Not to mention all the times he slept around. You have had to suffer the pain of him cheating?”

I shrugged. My own family had barely noticed. I became good at hiding it. Feigning injuries. Or illness. Anything to cover up what was truly happening. Anything to stop the truth being revealed. Because I was terrified of what Miles would be capable of if the truth was revealed. The first time it happened I was terrified, and genuinely thought I was dying. Until I realized what it was. I didn’t even have my wolf at that point either. I cried myself to sleep. But I lied to my Mum, and said I wasn’t feeling too good, put my TV on loud to cover up my cries of pain, until I dropped off in so bs of pain.

“It was only a year.” I whispered. “He decided to reject me then.”

“A year of making you suffer though, Bailey.” Harley growled. “And he still treats you like sh it. He has done for as long as I can remember.”

“It is better not to get involved, Harley.” I whispered. “He could make your life hell.”

“Not if I go to his Dad, he won’t.”

My heart felt like it fell through the floor at those words. No. That cannot happen. Uncle Marshall cannot know. Nobody else can know now. No. Miles would go on a f**king rampage!

“Harley, no!” I begged. “Please, do not do that!”

Harley simply frowns. “He needs to be made to pay for what he has done, Bailey.”

“I am fine with it. It doesn’t matter. Don’t get yourself involved, or he could come after you. There is no reason for you to be doing that to yourself over this.” I told him, looking at him with

fear.

“I care for you, isn’t that reason enough?” Harley reached for my hand, and I could feel butterflies in my belly, though they are far from pleasant when added to the heavy churning of nerves that is already residing there. “Miles is a f**king idiot for not seeing how lucky he is for being blessed with

you as a fated mate. Why the f**k would he reject you?!”

“It doesn’t matter. I am not Luna material. Not the sort of woman he or most guys want. I get that. Having your head stuck in a book isn’t appealing. But, please, Harley, do not get yourself involved.” I removed my hand from his. Suddenly aware of many of the warriors on the training. field watching us in curiosity.

“Trust me, you are the type of woman most guys would be proud to call theirs. And having your head in a book is irrelevant, Bai, maybe it is to Miles because your intelligence intimidates him, because he is as thick as two short planks. But, a decent guy would see your intelligence, again, ast something to be proud of. I think it is f**king awesome you got your degree. And if Miles was any proper sort of man he would too.” Harley says with a smile, and I feel my heart fluttering. Why couldn’t the moon anddess have blessed me with someone like Harley for a mate? He

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“Difference is Harley, he is the Alpha. And he had made his choice. So, we have to go with that. So, please do not make this harder than it is.” I begged him and he rolled his eyes.

“Fine, but you should know I don’t agree with it, Bailey. It is for you, I am keeping quiet, not him. At least tell me your interview went well?”

I sighed. “It went really well.”

“That’s my girl!” Harley grinned proudly at me. “I knew you would smash it. So, when do start?”

I slowly shook my head. “I can’t.”

His face changed in an instant. “This is him again, isn’t it?”

I avoided his gaze as I spoke. “It isn’t that simple, Harley.”

“You are a f**king fool, Bailey.” He says, before turning away to walk to the training field.

you

Again, intensely aware of the many warriors glancing in our direction, I did not want to call hist name to try to get him to come back. So, I went for mindlink instead. ‘Harley! Please. Try to understand. He scares me.”

‘Well why do you think I am saying his Dad needs to know?’ he responds, but he doesn’t turn back, he continues to walk toward his training session, so I assume our talk was over.

‘He has told me if I do anything he will make me regret it. Making me lose my degree was one threat. The other threats have been he would find ways to make me regret my decisions. I dare not think what he could do. Harley, you all see him as the wonderful upcoming Alpha. I have seen him as a lot worse, trust me. I can’t tell you it all. Please take my word. I tried to find a way to stay away after my degree, but he wouldn’t allow it. And now it seems he won’t allow this job either. He said I belong to the pack.’ I blurt through the link, not sure why I was telling Harley everything. Because I know if someone else knew, then he could do something. He could well confront Miles and I would be in serious trouble.

‘Sh it Bai. You need to get away.”

‘I know, but every time I try, he blocks it. My only way out would be a mate, but as you know, that won’t happen because he was my mate. I told him.

“What if I took you as a chosen mate?’ he suggests, and my heart feels like it is going to burst from my chest. Butterflies flutter through my tummy while goosebumps spread over my skin. Did he really just suggest that?

“You don’t need to do that.’ I tell him, though the idea sounds amazing.

“I am being serious. I think you are awesome. I think we make a f**king amazing couple. I could request a move to my Mum’s pack to be a warrior there, and you could come with me. Get your away from him. My heart soars at his suggestion. That would be truly amazing. I had the

sikilim of catting aUME

‘You would do all of that for me?” I can barely link, and even my wolf, Akira, is almost purring at the man she had begun to become fond of.

‘Well, it would kind of benefit me too. He teases. ‘I would get to call the most beautiful geeky girl alive my mate. What do you say?”

‘I say, I think you are amazing!’

‘I will call around to yours once I am done with training, and we can discuss it all properly. But I can’t wait to make all of that official baby doll!’ he links playfully, making me giggle.

‘Me either!”

‘Right, I best get back to training, or I am going to get an a*s-who oping. Start thinking of all the things you want as a couple beautiful, because I plan to make sure you are forever walking around with the biggest smile on your face!’ Harley tells me before cutting the link, leaving me walking the remainder of the way home with the biggest smile on my face. Could the sweetest guy in pack have found me a solution? And, I think he would likely support me in working too! He was truly the best….