Beauty and the Supernatural Beast

Chapter 17-"What Now?!"

Alana's POV

The day was dragging like crazy. I was exhausted. No, it wasn't because I was up all last night having wild and crazy sex with my man. That was the night before. It was because of those stupid dreams. They started out only happening one night a week, then escalated from there. Now I was having them every night. It was starting to make me restless. I thought about talking to Leo or even Sara about them, but I just figured I needed to lay off the chocolate before falling asleep.

The diner wasn't all that busy today due to the rainstorm we'd been having. I was taking up the task to wash the coffee mugs in the back when Betty waltzed in. "So I've been meaning to ask you, how are things with your scary boyfriend?" She got right to the point. She was quickly becoming my least favorite person. "They're great actually. And he's not scary. It's just how he looks." If she only knew how sweet and sensitive he was, she would think better of him. But in all honesty, no one saw that side of him except for me. Even his pack was somewhat scared of him.

She grabbed some things out of the cooler and began preparing salad. "If you say so. If you ask me, all those boys are frightening. Did you ever figure out what bad things they do?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes. This was not a conversation I wanted to have. "They don't do anything bad Betty. It's all just rumors. The whole pa.....group. They're actually really nice people. I wish this town would stop judging them so much." I was sure my annoyance was coming through. She just huffed. "Yeah I bet they are. But honestly, I don't know how you do it. Men like that seem all sorts of wrong. If I were you, I'd be worried a guy like that was banging another chick on the side when you're not around." That was it.

Her words angered me beyond belief. The image of Leo secretly with someone else while I was standing there doing dishes in the back of a shitty ass diner, with mediocre food and sluggie coffee mind you, filled my brain. I could feel a heat rise within me. One I had never felt before. I wanted to kill someone in that instance. Then I felt it.....pain. But it wasn't coming from the inside, it was coming from....my hand?

"Shit girl! What did you just do?!" My thoughts were interrupted by Betty's loud voice. What did I do? I looked down and saw dark blood coming from my hand, dripping down into the sink. Oh look. I broke a mug. The glass was shattered, and shards were stuck inside the palm of my hand. Ummm OW!!!!! I hadn't even noticed I did it. "We need to get that glass out! I'll go get the first aid kit." Betty ran farther back into the employee bathroom. I had broken a thick coffee mug. In my hand. Without realizing it. And it was all Bitchy Betty's fault. Her and her words. She put false images in my head. Ones that made me go crazy clearly.

She came back out and began to take the shards of glass out of my hand. She then wrapped it tightly. "It's dead here hun. Go home. Or to the ER. You may need stitches." I didn't say a word. Just nodded. I grabbed my things and walked out the back to my car. Sitting there I finally let myself breathe.

Me: I need you. Can you come get me?
Leo: what's wrong?!
Me: I apparently broke a coffee mug in my hand. I think I need stitches and I don't feel up to driving myself.

A few moments passed...

Leo: on my way

Sitting there letting my mind rest, I didn't realize how quickly the time passed.  Leo startled me when opening my car door.  He led to sit in the passenger side of his truck, then turned to me, grabbing my hand. "How the hell did you do this?" He asked, almost angry. "It's a long story. Can we just go?" I pleaded. He sighed and began to drive towards the house.

We sat there in silence as we made our way. I could feel his eyes burning into me every now and then. "I really need to know how that happened." He managed to finally get out. I glanced over at him, not wanting to relive it. But did anyway. "Betty was talking her shit when I was washing dishes. She put the image in my head of you sleeping around behind my back.  I guess I got angry and didn't realize I crushed a coffee mug in my hand." And that was all it took for him to pull over and stop driving.

He quickly turned to me and grabbed my chin to look at him. "Don't listen to her. She's like everyone else here. They don't exactly like our kind, even though, they don't even know what we are. I would never be with anyone but you. Since the moment I laid eyes on you, you were it. The mate bond helps with that, sure, but even without it, I would never do that to you. I couldn't even if I wanted to, which I don't.  The bond ensures that on its own.  You're going to feel the same way.  The opposite sexy for mated couples are just people now. Nothing special. Nothing stands out.  Because it's just you and me. From now on." His explanation eased my brain.  He was right. The moment I met him, other men weren't attractive to me. Men who I probably would have found attractive before him. But now, all I saw was him.

I smiled and leaned in and kissed him, almost as a thank you for clarifying. He smiled back. "And as far as Betty goes. I don't think you should be working at that diner anymore." His words shocked me. "What? Why?!" I was not about to give up without a fight on this one. "Clearly, it makes you upset. And honestly, you don't need to. I get you want something to do and have your own money and all of that. But it's my job to take care of you. In all ways. The decision is obviously up to you. But I'm letting you know how I feel and letting you know that you have options. There's plenty of things you can do around the pack if you need something." Take care of me? I hadn't let anyone take care of me since before I was 16. The moment I was old enough, I got a job.  Saved my money to buy things that I wanted. Never allowing my parents to do anymore than they already were. I would even pay for my own food when I'd go on dates. The idea of anyone, let alone a guy, wanting to take care of me was a little foreign to me. I didn't know how that would make me feel.

After not saying a word, Leo began to drive again.  I started to notice the scenery was unfamiliar. "Where are we going?" I asked looking out the window. Leo sighed. "Going to see an elder. He's sort of our unofficial doctor. Also our historian in a way. He'll be able to fix your hand." Oh yeah. That's right. My hand. I had almost forgotten about it. But once he mentioned it, it started to hurt again. Maybe he can also tell me how to control my new found anger that I  apparently had building up.