The Beta’s Regret

Authur’s question made me look up at hirn with wide eyes. Olivia too tilted her head, apparently interested in my answer

Uhm, not much really. It was just like the usual.” I mumbled, trying to focus on the soup.

Arthur didn’t seem convinced “Come on, there must have been something different. I missed being around you for your first shift. At least, tell me your experience and how you felt

For the first time. I hoped Arthur would stop talking to me. I tried to force some food down my throat and thought of an

Inswer.

Uh, the Alphas and Betas were all in a big meeting yesterday so Beauty helped me to get dressed. Then I shortly joined the meeting and left to get some open air.” I answered and forced some more food down my throat.

“That’s it. You just went outside and suddenly turned into your woll?” Arthur asked and I had the urge to just poke him with my fork

I didn’t dare look at Eros who was staring at the two of us with an amused expression. Olivia tried to divert his attention from

45. 45.

“I am sorry I took so much of your time. I think you should get some rest. You look tired.” She said and Eros merely grunter. He was busy chewing on the piece of meat.

“No, I..I’d felt that I may be able to awaken my wolf. I struggled a bit to be honest. For some time, it felt to be selfish.

Arthur smiled, “Though it was good that you had the King around you, right?” I hastily put a small piece of meat in my mouth to keep myself from answering directly.

“Yeah.” I managed to answer.

“Eros really goes a long way to ensure that first time shifters have it easy. I am sure he made you comfortable.”

Oh, you have no idea, Arthur.

I nodded, feeling that I didn’t have the mental capacity to form the words. Arthur, who seemed oblivious to my plight…..

From the corner of my eye, I saw a hint of a smirk return on somebody’s face. Eros, the King seemed to enjoy seeing me squirm and struggle to explain everything.

Arrghh.

“Y–yes” I managed, hoping that he was done with the interrogation but apparently not. Olivia too wanted to know more about

1. it.

So she jumped in. “So, were you able to shift completely in the first attempt? Or did you require more time?”

Okay, this was a question I could answer.

“Not really. As I said, I struggled a bit. First I felt something and told Eros, I mean the King and he advised me to stand directly below the moonlight amidst the clearing. But then-”

She abruptly cut me “Clearing? What clearing? Didn’t you not shift like I don’t know, in the huge backyard of this mansion?”

Eros almost sprawled on the chair, letting me fight for my life. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Um, no. I was just feeling claustrophobic so, so Lwent outside for some fresh air.”

Arthur’s voice grew hysterical Outside? As in outside the mansion? Do you know how risky it is?

There could be rogues lurking in the forest and you simply ran off outside.”

No, your King drove me outside in his car. I also kissed him at the meeting hall and he kissed me back. And no, we just didn’t stop at that.

My gaze flicked to Eros but it didn’t look like he would support my claims. Not that I was daring enough to admit to others

hat I begged him to sate my heat.

“maybe” I offered, letting them arrive at their own conclusions

Olivia’s gaze narrowed. “So, you ran outside the security of the mansion and Eros had to run behind you to ensure you stayed

sale.”

Her words were simple but her tone implied I made her precious Eros run behind me, instead of herself.

“Well, I didn’t want to be around people in case I failed to shift again, I answered in a lame attempt all the while Eros pretended to eat.

Glinda came around to serve the second round of helpings and I hoped the discussion would steer in some other direction.

My hands were beginning to get sweaty. “Your wolf, did she ask just immediately launch into a run?”

I smiled at that memory.

“I understand. The pain is overwhelming. You have to loosen your muscles to help ease the tension” Arthur offered while sipping on his apple smoothie.

The smirk disappeared from his face and his gaze flicked to me for the first time he sat on that awfully big chair of his. “That is great. So what did you finally name your wolf?”

I looked at Eros and his eyes seem to glare at me. I looked at Arthur and answered innocently.

I was too confused with the choices.”

I suppressed a laugh as I saw Eros almost stab the potato with a fork “Yeah. Tiara.”

Eros got up from the table, apparently done with lunch and walked away mumbling that he had work to do,

Arthur nodded politely and Olivia tailed him, hastily finishing the last few bits from her plate and drinking water from a glass. “Hey, wait for me” In her haste, Olivia stabbed her toe and tripped. She would have almost smacked her face on the floor if not for Eros turning around and interrupting her fall in time.

And I saw the way his hands grazed her skin when helping her back on her feet. And I felt a hot wave of jealousy course through me. It was unlike the short pangs I had felt before.

This one was much more intense, much more deeper. My nails scraped the tablecloth as they walked away and I saw him put a hand on the small of her back when she swayed again.

She had probably sprained an ankle. But why was I suddenly feeling so jealous?

“So, what’s your wolf name, Rose?” Arthur asked.

“It… it was confusing as well as magical. I waited for almost an hour to feel something, but there was nothing. And then, all of a sudden a rush of energy overwhelmed my senses. Was that how you felt at your first shifting asked Arthur, tilting my head to gauge his expression.