Page 25 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

25

KAYDEN

A fter a long day at the district committee meeting with Sebastian, I write up notes in Jaxon’s office before creating a new schedule for the pack with all the information from today.

A new pack has joined the district and desperately needs donations of all kinds. I don’t know exactly where they came from, but from what I can gather, they’ve been through hell and back. It’s our job to help them feel welcome—we’re allies, after all, and we agreed to look after one another.

We’ve already got a list of volunteers to help their pack integrate, and now we need to gather any resources to help out. The Goddess knows we were treated with kindness by this district when we moved here after being shunned from our previous district; we owe them everything.

Sebastian calls a training session, and I stand back to watch with my arms folded over my chest. I have to admit he’s been doing an incredible job switching up the sessions, including tackling personal weaknesses to grow as a group in both their human and wolf forms.

The sound of shouting has me stepping forward until Sebastian runs forward, and I join him. A loud cry of pain enters my ear as I stare down at Evan as he clutches his ankle and groans. “Oh, shit. I think I’ve broken it.”

“Let me see,” I say as I bend down and study his ankle. It’s already purple and red. I internally wince when he clutches the ground when I tilt it slowly. “Yeah, we need to get this checked out.”

Sebastian glances down at me. “You okay to take him?”

I nod. I slip my arms beneath Evan’s body as he wraps his arms around my neck. When I stand, he groans through his teeth again as his ankle falls limp. “I knew this was going to happen,” he cries.

“The pack doctors will have you healed before you know it,” I tell him as I draw him away from the clearing towards the infirmary. “Just hold in there a little longer, Evan.”

I drop him off at the infirmary as the pack doctors rush to examine his ankle. I stand back as he presses a hand to his forehead and glances in my direction. “I’m so weak,” he groans. “Why am I not improving with training?”

“It takes time, and you’re still young.”

“I’m eighteen! I should be stronger than this. But something always pushes me back.” His eyes turn glossy.

I wince at the sadness in Evan’s voice. He was brought to us after Jaxon destroyed the rest of his pack for hurting Ava. But we all know Evan is different; he’s a lost soul who proved his worth to Jaxon when it came to saving Ava’s life.

“I want to be like you,” he rasps. “I want to be strong.”

“Then we’ll work on it,” I tell him. “We’ll get you in different training programs. But it’s not just physical strength; it’s mental strength.”

Evan’s throat tenses, and he tugs down his sleeves. “I guess I’m screwed then.”

“That’s not the mentality to have.”

He sniffles and averts his gaze. “I wonder if things would be better if I found my mate, you know?”

“In what way?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Moral support. It’s tough feeling so alone.”

My heart weeps for him because I can relate. Before Kayleigh, I was merely accepting having to watch everyone settle down with their fated mates, start families, and get married.

“I get that,” I tell him.

Evan’s hollow eyes flick up to meet mine. “Do you?”

“Yes. But finding happiness in yourself is something you should be achieving, too,” I say sincerely. “You shouldn’t rely on someone for that. You need to find your own peace.”

“I guess,” he takes a big breath, “thank you.”

“You can talk to me, you know?”

Evan nods slowly.

“And the therapy doctors. If you’re serious about getting stronger and becoming more resilient, I can organise a small training session to help you and others who feel the same. Would you be into something like that?”

His face lights up a little, and he nods. “Really?”

“Of course. We’re family, and we help each other out. It’ll be outside the timetable, and you’ll still have to complete Bash’s training.”

“I want to.” He blinks away the tears in his eyes. “I want to try everything. Thank you.”

“All good. I’ll come check on you later.”

When I leave the infirmary, I head to the kitchen where I stare out of the window at the rest of the training session—Jaxon has asked me to make notes from my observations, so I grab myself a coffee and try to keep my mind active.

“Hey, brother,” Jaxon’s voice snaps me back into the room at the same second I’ve overpoured my coffee, and it spills across the counter. I curse under my breath as I feel his eyes burn into the back of my head. “You better clean that up.”

I shoot him a glance of annoyance. “Yeah, I’m cleaning it up. No need to jump on my back. How’s the little one?”

“Good. Ava’s with her. Sebastian said you were a little distracted at the meeting today. Again, ” he comments.

A short laugh escapes my throat. Of course, Sebastian is up Jaxon’s ass. “What else did he say about me?”

“Not much.” He leans on the counter behind me and folds his arms over his chest. “Just that you didn’t seem as switched on. That your eyes were wandering. What’s going on with you?”

My lips part, but I freeze for a second. I’ve seen what bottling up your thoughts and emotions can do—Jaxon was in one of the worst states I’ve seen two years ago. I know it’s better to voice your problems to people you trust.

My head shakes, not wanting to remember the night that could have ended very differently. “I took Kayleigh out for dinner on the weekend,” I start. “We were pulled over by this cop, and–”

I take a moment to gather my thoughts before I lose my temper, thinking it through again. Jaxon turns to look at me with worry.

“He was drunk, and he was making these awful comments to Kayleigh and tried to touch her, then he pulled a gun on us and pointed it at her.” I run my finger along the edge of my hairline. “I managed to get the gun off him, but he pulled the trigger, and for a second, I thought he might have hit her.”

Jaxon’s mouth presses into a thin line, his forehead creasing as I continue.

“Kayleigh was fine. She called the police, and they came and arrested him. But she was really shaken up. The whole thing was a fucking mess.”

“Holy fuck, Kayden. Why didn’t you mindlink the pack or me?”

I shake my head. “I wasn’t thinking straight, all I knew was at that moment in time, I needed the gun away from Kayleigh. Besides, you have a family to think about now.”

“Kayden, you’re my family,” he states harshly. “Regardless if I have a daughter now. We could have helped. We could have done something.”

A heavy sigh rumbles from my chest. “I know. I know.”

The kitchen turns silent for a long moment. “I didn’t know you and Kayleigh were getting that close,” he says suspiciously.

I close my eyes and turn towards the window. “If you’re going to lecture me on what I do in my personal life, now really isn’t the time I want to hear it.”

Because Kayleigh is ignoring me, and it isn’t what I need right now.

Jaxon holds up his hands. “I’m not saying anything.”

“Ava probably told you,” I mutter.

“Yeah.” He nods. “Ava tells me everything.”

“Then you know your answer,” I say before raising the mug to my lips.

“If you can hear her thoughts, then why haven’t you done anything about it?”

My brows crease. “I’ve planned to go and see the elders multiple times, but the journey is long, and you need me here. I can’t bail on my role as the Beta. It will have to wait, and maybe I’ll have more clarity the closer I get to Kayleigh.”

He hums once but doesn’t say anything more.

Footsteps echo around me until Jaxon slaps a hand down on my shoulder. I glance at him as he flicks his blue eyes between mine. “I’m glad you’re both okay,” he says wholeheartedly. “I wish we could have been there to help.”

“I’m just glad she’s okay.” I drop my tone as I picture any other outcome.

Gunshots. Blood. Crying.

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head. It’s not the case. Kayleigh is unharmed. I could have shifted. I could have called the pack, but then I would have had to explain everything to Kayleigh.

If we keep seeing each other the way we are, I know I have to tell her.

She deserves to know. I can’t keep this from her.

“Do you need time off?” Jaxon asks.

“No,” I say immediately. That’s the last thing I need. “I’m fine. Just had a rough few days. I need to keep busy. I like running the pack. I’ve got donations and things ready to be sorted. Lucy and Evan said they’d help me later.”

Jaxon hums. “Alright.”

“I’ve also completed those territory reports,” I murmur. “They’re on your desk if you want to look through them before we submit them to the district.”

“Already?” He blinks in surprise.

I nod once. “And everything’s looking good. We haven’t had a threat in months or a false alarm. Our security has really stepped up.”

Jaxon tilts his head at me. “Thanks. If you need anything, let me know. I became a father, not a slob.”

“Give it a few months when the sleepless nights start to kick in.” I chuckle.

“Yeah.” He exhales a long breath. “I can’t wait.”

I slip my phone out of my pocket and swipe to my messages with Kayleigh. Every single one of them since I left her the other day has gone unanswered. Why is she ignoring me?

Kayden:

Hey, how are you feeling?

I really didn’t want to leave you.

Please call me.

Kayleigh, I’m starting to get worried. Please tell me that you’re okay?

I stare at the messages and groan silently to myself.

Why is she pushing me away?

When Jaxon leaves the kitchen, I call her phone again, but this time, it goes straight to voicemail. I curse to myself and rest my fist on the counter. My heart thumps in my throat, and suddenly, I’m imagining the worst.