Chapter 22

As soon as I wake up the next morning, I take a shower, and put on my internet geek uniform. To complete my look, I throw my hair up in a messy bun and top it with a uniform ball cap. As you can see, it is not a girly outfit, however I am not here to impress anyone. It is beautiful to see the flowers in the planters just outside each older wood home that line the path to town. As I take in a big whiff of the many incredible scents of spring, I am struck by the beauty of it all.

Catherine enjoys the night, but I enjoy the morning more, when the sun shines upon the many creatures on Earth, giving us the fresh start of a new day. Twirling in giddy joy, for once I feel free, able to walk amongst the leaves without worrying that my brothers have spies hiding in them.

The little town seemed to sneak up on me in my giddy state. My inner little girl has now come to life as I laughed out loud to myself. The air fills my lungs with joy; it dances all around me as I make my way into the warehouse. I say my goodbyes to the wind, as well as saying hello to the guys that I work with every day.

In some ways, I feel guilty for my happiness, as I know my brothers are worried about me. It was worth it to me to have this feeling of freedom. The only thing I need to do now is to find my little girl within and help her grow into the woman I am meant to be. I will go home when my heart knows it's time.

I walk into the office to punch my timecard and I notice Alpha Jason, with a mess on his desk, and his head laying on the desk, his hands in his hair, his stress is filling the surrounding room, and everyone jump as he snarls. It is clear to see the alpha is not having a good day. I go to get him a coffee and smile as I reach my gloved hand touching his shoulder. "Alpha, here have some coffee, what is the matter?" I ask with concern in my voice.

The Alpha looks up with dark circles around his eyes like a raccoon, one would think he has been in a fight, this however is due totally to a lack of sleep. I smile softly as he looks up at me, "Come on Alpha you cannot work like this. Could I ask you to go home and try to get some sleep?"

The Alpha just stares at me blankly and gets up, thanking me for my kindness, and heading out the door. I sigh, hoping he takes my suggestion about getting some sleep.

Upon the Alpha leaving his beta, Michael walks up to me, "Hey sexy, ready for your rounds today?" This time it is my turn to snarl, "What did you call me?"

Surely the beta looks confused; I am sure girls usually giggle when he calls them sexy. But do not be mistaken, I am not his girlfriend or his mate.

The beta realizes his mistake and raises his hands in the air, showing surrender. I laugh at his dismay and asked, "What is wrong with the Alpha today?"

The Beta looks down at his feet, and a frown makes its way across his once smiling face. "Someone special they Alpha loved passed away about five years ago. Each year, on the anniversary of the loved one's death, he is like what you saw today.

Clare, aka Ann, is thinking to herself and she is unaware that she is verbally inquiring about something. "Why doesn't he stay home on this day every year?"

In reply, Beta Michael smiles kindly at me and says, "I do not know, ask the Alpha".

It is clear the beta wants to ask me something else, as he seems nervous while scratching the back of his head.

My feet are tapping, and patience may be a virtue, but I have little of it to spare. What I lack is patience, because that is lacking in me, since I have the virtue completely.

Beta Michael -

I'm not sure why, but Ann scares the crap out of me. Her Alpha-like ways have caused some guys to turn away from her. It is said that she is difficult to work with; she takes charge and expects everyone to obey her. Nobody wants to work with her, and she seems to enjoy it. As a result, we need everyone to work in pairs, so that they can work more efficiently.

I need to get this over with, "Ann, I…"

Clair -

"I hope you are not trying to ask me out!"

Beta Michael -

I choke, shaking my head no. "No, seriously, I am not asking you out. Not unless you want me to. If that's the case, then I'd be all for it. Do you want me to ask you out?" I look at Ann, furious at what I just said. I must not be very smart to ask an ice queen out. I retract what I said.

"I was just joking about asking you out. I can't seem to get any of the guys to work with you. It seems you intimidate them, thus today I am riding with you on your appointments."

Clair -

Catherine is chuckling in her head at the thought of our intimidating nature. I am in full agreement with Catherine, for we are alphas by nature. Unfortunately, I did not notice I was emanating a certain aura. As I look at the beta, I now understand that even he is taking notice of my aura and is wary of my aura. I laugh at the beta, and he looks slightly offended at my humor.

I soften the aura around me and gently place a hand on the beta's shoulder. "I would love for you to be my partner today. I have Alpha blood, which I will not try to explain. I sometimes forget about my aura, which I understand can be a bit much for others. If I am getting too overbearing, let me know, and I can rein it in."

Beta Michael -

"Your aura almost seems stronger than a normal Alpha, I have never been around a royal, but you aura is what I would imagine a royal's aura feels like."

Clair -

I almost react offensively when I say, "One thing I'm not is a royal!". Suddenly, I realize that once the moon goddess has selected me as the future king's mate, I might, in fact, now possess the aura of royalty. I feel frightened by that, as I need to remain hidden.

"I am not a fan of the royals, sorry for being so offensive. Come on, beta, let's get to work."

There is a curious look on Michael's face. I believe he is trying to figure out who I am. As I watch him shake his head, he appears to be a touch more relaxed. In fact, I feel relieved that his aura has become more normal.

Beta Michael -

Upon realizing who she is, I realize she looks nothing like Clair, but that is who she is. Since she is the mate of the future king, her aura is one of royalty. My role as a beta makes me think about the fact that she is the future Luna of all werewolves, making the attachment to protect her even stronger.

"Luna, I have now realized who you are, but do not worry, I will not reveal your identity. Because I am a beta, it is in my nature to serve you. In my hands, your secret is safe. However, I will have to have my wolf by your side all the time to offer protection.

This is because you are in danger all the time when you are not surrounded by your pack. I'm sure people will wonder why I am constantly around you, if you don't mind. Let's just say that I have become your boyfriend, so I can play this off as a romantic relationship. By doing this, no one will doubt my protectiveness towards you."

Clair -

I am shocked at how quickly he can figure out my disguise at first. I guess I do not have a choice but to trust him even though I do not know whether I can trust him. The time has come for me to look at my beta and to nod my head yes in agreement with all his suggestions.

He puts his arm around my waist and looks at me with a wry smile like a cat who caught a mouse in a trap. He looks as if he is smiling and winking at me at the same time.

I smile and kiss him on the cheek, giving the illusion of a romantic relationship between beta Michael and I.