Her Forever

Rosalie

After Jack went to the security room and chewed everyone out for letting Noel in, I decided to run some new diagnostics on the security system I had in place for all of Jack’s businesses. Unfortunately, that meant I needed to be in the security room after a brutal verbal beating for the team. I couldn’t help but feel awkward about the whole thing, but the three sitting by the monitors gave me a smile and a wave and continued to do their job.

Sitting down and letting out a heavy sigh, I started connecting networks. It was amazing how Jack owned so many businesses and tried to keep up with security in each of their buildings. He had 6 different high-profile companies that he owned. Being able to control that, plus running a packhouse, must be tiring.

After merging the security systems, I was able to pick up on a few anomalies that weren’t making sense. Jack told me I didn’t have to put any security measures on the accounting department since he had people he truly trusted. Still, I was bored and did it anyway. He gave me complete access to everything, which I find weird. Being mates must seriously be a big deal.

As I looked at Storm Incorporated, I noticed several areas weren’t making sense. There were too many withdrawals coming out just before the monthly paychecks went out. It started 7 months ago and has slowly doubled, even tripled. How much money was being withdrawn? To an untrained eye of looking at patterns and rhythms of companies, it would look like it was just paychecks coming out being cashed, but this was different.

Once I added up the numbers, over 1.2 million dollars had gone missing over the past few months.. I’m no accountant, only looking at security and patterns within a company, so I will have to bring this up to Jack. Clicking a few buttons here and there, I also found that a particular username had been making the withdrawal, which shocked me… it was Keith.

It was Keith’s username and password on the screen.

I let out a small gasp, and the others looked over at me. I gave a small smile and told them I lost at a game of Candy Crush. They laughed, and I continued my search. It didn’t make sense at all; why would Keith want to steal money? Trying to cover myself and doing the morally incorrect thing to do, I hacked his computer. I had long come to terms with trusting my gut, and my heart told me this was a setup.

Keith’s computer was always on in his room upstairs, which he shared with his mate, so I quickly hacked his laptop with ease. Neither of them was home, so they couldn’t see anything I was doing. His computer was clean. Keith usually works here at the packhouse, with Jack only going to the city once a month to check on all 6 businesses. The computer login he used had been traced back to in the town on completely different computers.

This was getting juicy.

Before I could dig anymore, I heard my stomach growl in protest. I went from a pack of ramen a day to gourmet food. The packhouse kitchen had started to spoil me; there were so many pre-made dinners and lunches from the chefs that I was having 3 large meals a day. I was finally filling out and not looking as gaunt as I had.

Sliding out of my chair, I headed to the kitchen to see what the chefs had prepared for today’s lunch. Grilled chicken parmesan with asparagus tips and linguine. Just smelling it made my mouth water, and I hadn’t even popped it in the microwave yet.

No one was around, so taking off my air-pods, I hit play on my phone to listen to some tunes. Ever since listening to Benjamin playing songs from The Greatest Showman, I had been hooked. The past few days had been nothing but playing them over and over in my head. Sitting down all day, believe it or not, could be exhausting, but when it came to the song, “This is Me,” I wanted to jump, sing and dance. It was such a freeing song that almost captured who I was. I was broken, but this was me. Accept it or not.

As I started jumping around the kitchen, waving a dish towel around, I was abruptly stopped by a large muscular wall. “Umph!

“Looks like we have a tiny dancer in here, huh?” Benjamin looked down at me with his hands on his h**s.

“I’m so sorry, Benjamin! I wasn’t paying attention!” I blushed at just being caught. “I just got too carried away, I guess.” I took my phone and turned it off.

“You know,” he started, “I want to take you somewhere.” Benjamin grabbed my hand and led me out of the kitchen. After going down several halls and a few twists and turns, he led me to a large room with light-colored wood, floors, tall mirrors for walls, and a large sound system in the corner. It was the perfect place for a ballerina or dancer to work out in.

“This place is amazing,” I whispered.

“Yeah, Jack had it installed for the little pups that wanted to start taking dance. Everyone in the pack can use it, though.” He looked around the room with pride.

“Do you dance?” I asked.

“I do and quite enjoy it. You have to be pretty strong to lift some of the ladies and gents,” he laughed.

I had a feeling that Benjamin was gay, but I didn’t ask. Whatever he desired was his business, and I would support him in any fashion he wanted. Benjamin grabbed a few pairs of clothes and threw them at me.

“And no, I’m not gay,” he laughed. I raised my eyebrow. “I know that look; just because I enjoy musicals and dance doesn’t make me gay. Straight guys can enjoy them too,” he winked.

“Here, go change and meet me back in here,” he ordered. With lunch forgotten, I grabbed the clothes and headed to the changing room. Benjamin gave me a black sports bra, black booty shorts with pale pink leg warmers, and ballet flats. The outfit was so open, and I felt completely naked. My scars were out for all to see. I let out a little grunt looking in the mirror. I wasn’t pleased about the outfit choice. As if he heard me from afar, Benjamin threw over an oversized black sweater.

“Figured you might want this, but you shouldn’t need it. We love you all the same.” He blew a k**s and waited for me to come outside. It was an oversized sweater, one that you would see on professional dancers that hung off the side. It would show some of my wrecked body, but not all of it. I threw it on with a huff and came out. Benjamin was dressed up in a male leotard with tight black shorts and his own male flats. His tight top was showing off his muscles as he was drying his hands with a towel. He was handsome but not as handsome as Jack. Speaking of which…

“Benjamin, have you seen Jack? I actually need to talk to him.” Benjamin went to the stereo to find a CD to put in and looked back at me, “Oh, he is out on patrol. One male patroller’s wife went into labor with their pup. Jack is filling in until the end of the shift. I nodded my head while watching Benjamin.

The song I was blaring in the kitchen came on immediately,

“I am not a stranger to the dark

Hideaway, they say

‘Cause we don’t want your broken parts

I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars

Runaway, they say

No one’ll love you as you are”

My thoughts immediately went to hearing Derek hearing those hateful words. “No one will want you, no one will love you, be ashamed of your scars,” he would say. My breath hitched, and Benjamin noticed. Derek was getting inside my head again. He took my hand and led me to the middle of the room. Turning me around, he had me look in the mirror.

“You are not broken, Rosalie. You have a family here that loves you, especially Jack. You should let your feelings go, do it through dance. That’s what I’ve learned to do.” I remember when I first met Benjamin, dancing to the exact same song in his room. I chuckled, remembering that day. He had become such a great friend.

“But I won’t let them break me down to dust

I know that there’s a place for us

For we are glorious.”

Then I started to let go; Benjamin did his own interpretive dance while I watched how he gracefully danced across the room. He was so elegant, delicate, and refined, not one of his feet made a sound. How could a strong, burly man like him look so graceful? Trying to listen to Benjamin’s words, I began to move. It was so much easier with the clothes I had changed into.

Gonno drown ’em out

Oh

This is me.”

“When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I’m meant to be; this is me

Look out ’cause here I come

And I’m marching on to the beat I drum

I’m not scared to be seen

I make no apologies; this is me.”

My movements became more fluid as I continued my assault on the floor. My arms are turning, twisting, and flowing with the beat of the music. My h**s gently poured against the rhythm of the music.

“And I know that I deserve your love

(Oh-oh-oh-oh) There’s nothing I’m not worthy of

(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out

This is brave; this is bruised

This is who I’m meant to be; this is me.”

Benjamin had the song on repeat, and we continued to dance for a long time. I lost track of time, but I never lost energy. We continued beating on both of our bodies as we realized that we may be broken either physically or mentally; we both deserved love and affection. We were meant for something more, and no one or anything should stand in our way for happiness.

Benjamin lifted me up in the air like I was a feather and tossed me around a few times. We both laughed and watched our sweat start dampening the floor. The slight wetness of the floor only made me concentrate more on the song as it continued on replay. I had become immersed in the music, starting to believe every word of it as if it was meant for me.

“Look out ’cause here I come (look out ’cause here I come)

And I’m marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on)

I’m not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out

I’m gonna send a flood

Gonna drown ’em out

Oh

This is me.”

As the last bit of the song started to end, my mind went to another world. I became more comfortable with who I was as I lifted myself from the muddy ground I had put myself in. I lifted the heavily drenched sweater and lifted it from my body. I slung the sweater to the far side of the room, feeling freer than I had ever been. The wind flowing across my skin as I continued to twist and contort my body in positions I never thought possible. My eyes were closed, knowing the exact areas of the room to stay clear of.

My heart was light, and for once, it was going to stay that way. I should be proud of who I was and who I had become. I had become stronger, independent and I had finally found love. Yes, as crazy as it sounds, I think I am in love with Jack Storm, and I shouldn’t be afraid.

The song was coming close to ending, and I began to slow, placing myself in front of the mirror. Ready to look at my scars, head-on with no longer the crying and fear I always had looking at myself. Fluttering my eyes open, I then felt a pair of hands on my h**s and sparks flying through his fingertips. For the first time, I was looking at my scars without crying, without shame; for once, I opened them to see not just me but Jack. He held me close to his body, both of us a sweating mess.

Jack had just come back from patrolling; we were both panting from the running, the dancing. I turned to him and looked up to see his smiling face. He lifted up my chin with his finger and whispered, “I am so very proud of you.”

Jack gave me a slow k**s on my lips. “So beautiful.”