The Beta's Daughter

Chapter Six: The Bear

I ducked my head. Jacob's lips brushed my forehead as I moved, and he let out a small whimper. My heart clenched for him, but I wasn't ready.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I held onto him tightly, not wanting him to move away. "Please, Jake," I said. "After the ball. It's not that long away. I just – I can't. Not until then. I have to know."

"But why?" He asked, his voice pained. I tried to meet his eyes, but he averted his gaze. "Why am I not enough for you? Really, Ari, please just think about this," he begged. "What is a mate going to give you that I can't?"

I gulped. I didn't have an answer for him. I knew that I loved him, and I was certain that I would be happy with him. We could mate and live as mates, but part of me would always wonder if there was someone better suited to me out there.

"Please," I said again. I didn't have anything more to offer him.

He nodded mutely, and then moved away from me and tucked himself under the covers. I got up to turn out the light, and felt my way back to the bed. I clambered in beside him silently, and faced away from him.

As I was dozing off I felt him pulling me towards him. I lifted my head so that his arm could slip underneath, and he pulled me flush against his front. "Are we okay?" I whispered, my voice laced with sleep.

"Of course we are," he whispered back, his lips tickling my air. Warm and content, safe in his arms, I fell asleep.

I awoke blearily to the alarm on my phone chirping. I groaned and rolled over blindly, feeling for it to turn it off. I frowned when I realised my previously occupied bed was empty, and that the alarm had somehow stopped on its own. I paused. Those two things must be connected.

I squinted into the darkness. Jacob was stood beside the bed, holding his index finger to his lips. "Go back to sleep," he murmured. "I've got to go to training. There's no way you can."

I was confused by his words, and then I felt it. My arm, throat, and chest throbbed with pain, which grew sharper with every passing second. I moaned, pressing my face into the pillow to muffle the sound. Jacob started rubbing soothing circles onto my back, but it did nothing to numb the pain. I tried to take a deep breath, but it caught in my throat.

"Wait here," he said, as if I had plans to leave. I grumbled something incoherent into my pillow, and then listened to the sound of his quick, light footsteps as they left the room.

I was still laying flat on my front when he returned. He shook me gently, and said "Painkillers, okay?"

I dragged myself upright. The morning sun was glowing through my thin curtains, giving Jacob a softly glowing backlight. He looked handsome, his hair tousled from sleep and his eyes droopy and fond. He passed me a glass of water and four tablets. "The doc prescribed them for you. Your body heat will burn two up too quickly for you to feel the effects. She gave them to your mum, and then she gave them to me. I guess she knew you'd want me here," he said, and punctuated his words with a smug smile. I didn't have the strength or energy to laugh, but I hoped that he could see my amusement in my eyes. I took the pills in quick succession, one after the other, desperate for the throbbing pain to go away.

When I awoke next the sun was streaming through my curtains, the whole room aglow with golden light. Jacob was nowhere to be seen, and I frowned. I caught sight of the white wolf on my table, though, and I pulled myself upright.

The pain from earlier had gone, thankfully, but I could feel the shadow of it, hovering at the sidelines. Next to the carving was a note, along with a large cup of water and more painkillers. Jacob had written out how often I had to take them, even though the doctor had done that and attached it to the meds, too. I smiled. He was sweet.