Chapter 183 Alpha And His Beta
Calhoun's POV
The silvery good from the moonlight reflects on the serene lake as I first emerge from the water, and then Bruce follows.
The cool breeze carries the scent of damp earth as we advance towards the shore, with droplets of water rolling from our bodies and our wet skin reflecting on the moon's radiance.
We're at the lake a mile away from home.
Picking up my clothes, I put them on since I was just in my briefs earlier. And dampness clings to my skin as I fumble with my clothes for some seconds until I eventually wear them on.
"Feels like we're teenagers again, sneaking out to the lake," I smirk while slicking back my wet hair.
While Bruce chuckles and shakes water from his disheveled hair.
"Yeah, Nana Joyce was so strict," He reminds me. And it's a good thing to see he's not in the foul mood from earlier when he stormed off from the dining hall and I went out to look for him. Only to find him at the lakeshore, throwing pebbles into the water.
"Remember how she used to make you train all the time because you were the one in line to be Alpha and she wanted you to grow up so fast and become powerful?" Bruce adds.
And I nod, with a nostalgic feeling enveloping me.
"I never thought we'd be back here after all these years," I do the last of my buttons after making this known to my beta.
"Do you remember the time we got caught? Your grandmother nearly threw a fit," Bruce chuckles, clearly enjoying himself from recollecting these memories.
Upon recalling the mischievous time of my teenagehood, I snort.
"Those were the good times," I say, before putting on a straight face, "What made you storm off from the dining hall?" I ask at last.
Bruce is yet to respond. He takes a seat on the ground and tosses a pebble into the lake, with a thoughtful expression.
"Just needed some air, I guess. Things are
complicated," he shrugs lightly, and I can sense he doesn't want to talk about Sapphire now.
Bruce Wilson is my beta and he's always been by my side, even though he gives the wrong advice at times. And tonight, he's not the man I know. The news of Sapphire's pregnancy has his like he has a weight of responsibility pressing on him and he on the other hand seems to be contemplating on the best action he should take.
I join him on the ground, after cautioning myself that I would talk to him nicely and in a non-threatening manner. Because 70 out of 100 times, I am yelling at him.
"How long has it been with you and Sapphire?" I question him after a short pause.
Sighing heavily, Bruce starts narrating his tangled tale of involvement with Sapphire, Kristen's best
friend.
"It started at the bar four months ago. She had this douchebag with her and he wanted to sleep with her in the club's restroom. I thought she was down with it until I started hearing her protests, and upon realizing she needed help, I went to her rescue. So, we ended up in bed, and well, it became a habit," My beta scratches the back of his head.
Although it's dark, but I can feel concern etching on my face as Bruce delves into the details.
"So, the feelings you have for her enthrall only sex?"
"It's not the same with you and Kristen, Calhoun. Sapphire is a slut. She's blunt about it, and I knew quite well before I got involved with her in the first. place," Bruce stops speaking as if recollecting some memories, and then he continues.
"The thing is, her attitude grates on me. But the sex... it's addictive. I couldn't break away." He confesses at
last.
"I see,"
"We did our best to keep our affair hidden from everyone because it was just sex and fun, nothing deep. And now she claims she's pregnant for me? Come on," Bruce still thinks Sapphire is telling lies about the pregnancy.
And it doesn't sit well with me because Kristen has somehow squeezed herself into this. She set up that feast not only for her pregnancy announcement but also for Sapphire, so Sapphire could as well tell Bruce. that a baby was already on its way.
"Sapphire is a slut."
"Enough," I interject with a firm tone this time
And Bruce seems taken aback at this.
"You can't avoid her now. My wife is friends with her,
so you can't just cut her off," I tell him.
"I don't think I'm the father, Calhoun. Everyone knows she sleeps around, so I'm not the only one,"
Bruce's frustration is evident as he scowls.
"Jumping into conclusions won't help either. Talk to her, Bruce. Find out the truth before making any decisions," I speak calmly while trying to reason with my beta.
But an agitated Bruce gets up and paces asking the Lakeshore.
"You can't understand, Calhoun. Pardon me, but
Kristen wasn't a slut when you met her, and she didn't keep any sexual partners. Now Sapphire is the opposite," he points out when he stops pacing
aimlessly.
"Don't bring Kristen into this," I snap, feeling my
temper flare. Because he has no right to compare my wife with anyone when no one can measure up to her.
"My apologies, Alpha Calhoun," Bruce puts his head down.
"Things aren't as bad as you think, Bruce. You're just beating yourself over something you should calm down and rethink over," It's getting late and I need to
return to Kristen and our son, but I'm not done talking some senses into my beta.
"Maybe I should avoid her, it's the only way out
because I can't deal with this," Bruce suddenly drops this, looking determined.
"As your Alpha, you will do as I say," I am already losing my patience from my Beta's persistence. "Are you trying to order me now?" Bruce walks until
he's standing in front of me.
"Yes. You will face Sapphire, have a conversation with
her, and then figure this out with her," I say, because I am doing this more for Kristen since she wouldn't
want to see her friend hurt. She already went through so much just to set up the feast and invite sixty guests over, only to have it ruined by an upset Bruce. "What if I don't want to talk with Sapphire?" Bruce puts his hands on his waist.
"You have no choice, neither did you when you
touched her on the very first night. When you
could've been a gentleman and turned her down when she approached you for sex," Too bad it's dark on this side and he can't see the glare I am sending his way.
Bruce swallows hand and scratches the back of his head because he knows I'm right. He's at fault too. "You have until two days to man up," I rise to my feet, shift, and start running back home to my wife and son, leaving Bruce alone to his thoughts, like the way he was before when I arrived at the Lakeshore
earlier.