What It Means To Be Me

You Are My Beta

Hello, Cole. I am writing to you again to ask if you would be interested in visiting me at one of my concerts. I'm sure you've heard of my band by now. I've attached an electronic ticket to this message to print out. We are playing in Greensdale tonight, hope to see you there.

-Tanner

"Cole, you've been staring at your phone for a good hour and completely ignoring your favorite team on TV. Is that another email from Tanner? Why haven't you just gone to one of his concerts?"

I glanced up at Rowin and frowned.

"I'm a teacher, I need to be at the university," I replied, knowing that it was a stupid excuse. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Normally that gesture would make my inner wolf stir, but I didn't want to bother reprimanding him right then.

"His concerts have all been on Friday or Saturday nights, and I'm pretty sure the university doesn't hold any English or Lit classes on Saturday."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a finger and quickly continued, "And? Your classes are all done for the day. You would even have three hours to get ready before driving to Greensdale since I happened to notice his band was playing there tonight."

Dammit. I should never have told him about the messages.

"Come on, man, you know you want to go see him, even if it's just to make sure he's doing okay. You've watched like, every single one of his concerts online and were smiling like an idiot each time."

I glared at him, but he just raised a brow in response, daring me to argue. Maybe I should just go. It's not like I had to talk to him, and we definitely weren't going to fight in the middle of a huge stadium of people. I just couldn't believe how far he had come in the past fourteen months. He'd learned how to talk, obviously, and he was becoming a famous singer. The day he left, I had honestly been worried sick. Most of my time between teaching classes was spent in the forest looking for him. I knew it sounded odd since we hadn't known each other long, but he'd still felt like a son to me.

"I guess I'll just stand in the back, until he starts. Then I'll be satisfied," I mumbled to myself quietly, knowing that Rowin could hear anyway. He chuckled but nodded, evidently satisfied with my decision.

"Best go get ready then, Alpha. After your workout earlier, you could use a good shower and some deodorant."

I felt my wolf nudge at my mind to discipline the obviously unneeded jab, but again, I found myself not bothering. Instead, I got up and sauntered down the hall and into the bathroom. After tossing off my clothing, I sniffed my arm, then winced. Err, yeah, definitely need a shower.

~Tanner~

"Dude, stop pacing. You know he's not gonna show," Warren said with a dull tone. The music was already pumping as our opening act warmed up behind the curtains, so it was hard to hear anything beside their instruments and the cheering of the crowd. It was almost funny how he knew it wasn't nerves but the obvious lack of Cole that was getting me all stressed out. This would be the sixth show I'd invited him to, but he had never even replied to any of the emails. I'd even used his university email address, so I knew he had to at least have read them.

"Tanner, we need to start warming up," Macon shouted from where he stood near the edge of the curtain with his guitar already strapped around his shoulder. I started walking toward him and Warren, but my mind just wouldn't let my thoughts rest.

Bah, like he'd come anyway. I tried to kill him. Why would he waste his time with me again after that? Maybe I'll just go fi—hnn? My wolf's senses snapped to attention as I sniffed the air after catching something on an inhale.