Beauty and The Beta (Bailey)

additional duties would be gone. | would have that extra tto be out running, allowing Zion his extra freedom

he so frequently craves to escape the day-to-day stresses and to take his pain out on sunsuspecting

rogues... Hour after hour passed as | sat focused on the work in front of me. Determined not to allow myself to

fall asleep. Determined not to allow the thoughts of Isla take over my mind. Despite. that, her nwas not far

from my thoughts. And the 0.00% persistent pain within my chest remindedof why | was here. Why i could

not go to sleep. | could not witness the pain of losing her all over again. Suddenly, the office door opened and |

looked up, irritated that whoever it was had not bothered to knock. One of my major bug bears. This was my

office. Would it hurt them to knock? However, Caleb walked in, looking bright and breezy. Something | felt so far

from it was unreal... “Morning Ash.” He greetedwith a smile, then as he looked at me, he frowned. “**it bro,

you look

like you haven't slept, are you okay?!” Hmmm... | wonder... little did my friend know | hadn't slept, but he also

didn’t need to know that. | didn’t need him to have anything else to worry about on top of his wife being in the

hospital. | know he worried aboutand my m**| state sometimes, and | don’t need to be an extra cause of

concern for him right now. That was the last thing he needed right now. “I am fine. A lot of work is all.” | said with

a shrug. “Been up early.” “Early? It is 7 now, what tyou get up?” Caleb questions, a suspicious look upon his

face. F**k... did he know? “Not sure. | was awake early, so | thought | was best getting a head start.” | lied. | “You

sure about that? Because | am pretty sure they are the clothes | saw you in yesterday.” Caleb says with a frown.

” You haven't been to bed again, have you, Asher?” This the sounded angry. 09.401 “Caleb | a fine. Give it a

rest.” | snapped. 288 Wouchers “No. This is not okay, Ash. Things are difficult enough as they are right now. With

Eden laid up, | don’t need you burning yourself out. You know you need to be careful. What is wrong? | thought

things were okay? Are you struggling again?” Caleb’s face was full of concern and | hated myself for adding more

pressure and worries to the shoulders of my friend. He does not need this right now and | know it “Caleb, | said |

was fine, so will you just take my f**g word for it for a change?!” | said bluntly. “You know ever since | lost Isla my

sleep has been knackered. It was a bad night is all, so | decided to make use of the fact | couldn't sleep and do

swork, okay? | do it fairly often. It is of no major issue, so stop making it one. It definitely isn’t something

you need to be concerned about.” “It isn’t healthy, Asher.” He snapped. “Well | ain't dead yet Caleb.” | snarled.

“Should | ask your Dad to take over your duties for a little while, so you can take a break?” Caleb suggested, and

instantly Zion was rippling beneath the surface, anger pulsating through my body.

How dare he imply | am not capable of doing my Beta role because | struggle with the loss of my mate: Because

| struggle with sleep. Yet the cheeky f**k**r was quite happy to offload all the mediocre tasks he couldn't be

bothered to do himself... “Are you for real?!” | found myself roaring, knowing then Zion was involved now too.

This was not going to end well if Caleb got angry. Caleb raised his brows at me, “Really?” he snarled. “Do | not

440 Chapter 59-Asher 288 Wouters have the right to be concerned for my friend and if | think your aren't able to

do your job, then too f**g right | am for real, Asher.” | pushed my chair back angrily, so | was standing. Zion was

so close to shifting now, but | knew the moment he did that Thor, Caleb’s wolf would be shifting too, and all hell

would break loose. My office would be destroyed and the two of us would be seriously injured. Like the last time

we fought... Caleb was needed right now... he did not have tto recover from a full- on fight... as much as |

wanted to kick his a**, | fought hard to push Zion back. + “Why am | not able to do my job, Caleb? Have I not

been doing everything expected ofand more?” | said a little more calmly this time, so he could see | was not

as angry, | needed him to see my anger was under control... “But this not sleeping and being on edge all the

tisn’t normal, Ash. Can you not see that? Did you see the pack doctor like | asked? Or the therapist?” Caleb

asked softly. | know he was desperate forto seek grief counseling after the loss of my mate. Why he thought

that would help| don’t know. Sitting in a room with srandomer discussing how much it hurt to lose my

mate, and analyzing all the things that cwith it... no that was not for me... | would rather stab myself in my

f**g eyes with a needle. It was not going to help me. Not in the slightest. “Sleeping tablets were the treatment

option from the doctor.” | told him. “And | am not relying on medication.” Besides, it isn’t that | can’t sleep, |

added silently within my mind, knowing I cannot

share this with my friend... It is just that my sleep is plagued with visions of my mate. Losing her. Reliving the

pain Chapter 59-Asher 288 Wouchers as she leaves me. Wakingin floods of tears... or sweating, desperate to

try to save her... yet can’t... having to relive her loss all over again... all on repeat... “Therapy could work

though, and you know it could, Asher.” Caleb began, but | gave him a dark look. “Not going over this again. Not

happening. Was there something you cin here for? If not, then | have work to do, you know, the work you

should be doing, but | am doing for you. because | am a good Beta?” | snapped, knowing | am being a d**k, but

he had irritatedthat much I couldn't help myself. Caleb sighs, dropping himself on the sofa. “Eden wanted