Beloved (The Playlist BOOK 2)

Song - Misery Business By Paramour

“What the fuck is he doing here?”

I turn to my confused parents like they have the answer.

“I had the guards hold him. Want me to send him away?” Asher asks, his all-business Alpha voice taking over.

“No, don’t send him away,” I say quietly.

“Bea, do you want me to go get him?” Dad asks.

“Can I come?”

Dad stands and puts his arm around me, leading me to the door.

“Come on, I’ll explain,” I hear mom telling Ash as the door closes.

We walk quietly down to the well-guarded front gate. I can smell him before I see him. I can’t believe he’s here. How did he know where to go?

He’s inside the security office, sitting against the wall. He stands when he sees me. My head feels foggy, jeans and a white tshirt, how does he look so good?

I see his eyes widen when he looks me up and down but he quickly regains composure.

“What are you doing here?” My dads Alpha voice is booming and intimidating but he doesn’t falter.

“I need to see her. I went to the packlands she stays at but they told me she went home.”

“You went to Porter?”

“Yes.”

Dad links Beta Julian to call him up, now. I’m sure he’s furious that they didn’t call him when a vampire showed up asking about me.

“How did you find me here?” I barely whisper.

“My mom knows a lot of people. She made some calls.” He looks... nervous?

“Are you asking to stay here?” My dad cuts in.

“I assumed that would be out of the question. I have a hotel.”

“Nonsense,” dad pats his shoulder roughly, “we’re very hospitable. Plus, you’re my daughter’s mate.”

That should have sounded like a nice exchange but dad’s tone was clear. Leo definitely knows that I told them everything.

“Come on in,” dad tells him but he steps in front of him before he can step out of the office.

“You start trouble here? I rip your head off.

You disrespect this pack? I rip your head off.

You make my daughter cry? I will rip.your.fucking.head.off.” he growls lowly.

Leo nods his head somberly.

“I have to go to my office to make a call, are you going to be alright?” Dad turns to me, his voice soft.

“I will, thanks, Dad.” I smile up at him before he turns to leave, not without shooting Leo one final murderous glare.

Dad links the pack that there is a vampire on the property and that he will be accompanied by a member of our family at all times. I hear the buzz of several people linking acknowledgements and questions. I block out the link and gesture to him to follow me toward the path in the woods.

We walk silently for a moment, I’m trying to get a read on him but I can only feel agitation. He’s clenching and unclenching his fists as we walk.

Suddenly, his hands are on me, I yelp in surprise as he pulls me off the path and pins me against a tree, immediately pushing his face into my neck.

“What are you wearing? Those shorts look like they were made for a toddler,” he growls while gripping my waist tightly.

I roll my eyes. How does someone hate you and simultaneously feel possessive over you?

“Leo, why are you here,” it’s hard to think with his body pressed against mine.

“We need to work something out,” his hoarse, strained voice warms my neck,“I don’t know why we are paired, I thought I could fight it but I can’t. I’m starting to lose control.”

“Work something out? What does that mean?”

“I don’t know...” he groans as I push him away from me.

“Why do you hate wolves? I know our kind hasn’t always been best of friends but there is relative peace. Why do you hate us so much that you would be willing to put yourself through so much pain just to stay away from me?”

He runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Just... I just do...”

I turn and start walking again, “that’s not an answer.”

“Don’t walk away from me.”

“Stop hiding from me! I can feel your rage every time you mention wolves. Tell me the truth!”

“Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Because whatever ‘it’ is, it’s keeping us apart. You don’t want me because you hate what I am. Why?”

We’re both standing on the path in the middle of the woods screaming at each other.

“What do you want? Me to open up to you?” He sneers.

“Well, actually, yes!”

“Opening up to you isn’t going to fix anything!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Drop it” he’s seething now.

“Why the fuck are you here?”

“Because I need to be near you!”

“So you flew all the way out here to be near me but not to try to be with me?” My mind is reeling.

“I can never trust you! Wolves are manipulative and deceitful!”

My wolf growls loudly and my canines release.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” I take an angry step toward him.

“Coming here was a mistake. I don’t know what I was thinking,” he turns and starts walking down the path toward the gate.

“Fine, leave, you coward!”

He freezes and turns around slowly, his eyes glowing red.

My body shakes as I try to control myself and keep from shifting.

“I’m a coward? Your kind lies then attack a family while they’re sleeping!”

“W-What are you talking about?”

Instead of answering he turns around and uses his unnatural speed to bolt down the path. I run after him but he’s through the gate and gone when I reach it.

I shift angrily and run toward dad’s office. I need answers and I will get them with or without him.