Page 109 of Caged Between the Beta & Alpha
“Tay! In here!” He called out.
I quickly went to the kitchen, placing the food on the worktop and entered the living room. It was warm and cosy, decorated in browns and navy. Channing was on the sofa, remote in hand and holding a bottle of J2O orange.
“Grab yourself a drink and come join me. I was going to watch the replay of last night’s boxing match.”
“Right!” I said. Going to the kitchen and opening the fridge, I took a bottle for myself and returned to the living room.
I looked at Channing. That smile that he always had on his face was still there, his scruffy stubble, and his hair that reached his shoulders. My hero.
“What is it? I know something’s on your mind,” he said, his eyes crinkling as he smiled at me. I gave him a small smile, looking down.
“The kids out?” I asked, trying to stall a little.
“Yes, they are making the most of being out during the day, thanks to this curfew. I’m not complaining. I’d be happy if they came home on time every night. Would at least make me feel better and at ease.”
“Remember how we used to sneak out after Mom and Dad went to bed?” I chuckled.
“Oh, don’t remind me about the shit we got up to.” He grinned.
I remembered how we used to always sneak out and go for a swim, or a run, or just spend some time alone, even leaving pack grounds. Unlike me, Channing was able to talk to everyone. I liked to be alone and was more of an introvert. I hated socialising, being super awkward and shy in large groups, so he never used to invite anyone extra on our brother time. Just the way I liked it.
“Fun times, huh?” I said quietly.
“Yeah, one hundred percent fun times!” He said, glancing at the screen as he took a swig of his drink.
“Yeah… they were...” I murmured.
Since the battle, I had taken Channing out a few times. I would shift and he’d hold on to me as we went for a run, but the pain in his eyes after killed me so I stopped asking to take him. I thought it would help, but it had only seemed to remind him of what he was missing out on. However, even then, not once did he refuse me… but slowly, slowly, our brothers’ nights out stopped.
“Channing… there’s something I need to tell you,” I said, my voice soft as I stared up at him.
“Tell me, kid. I’m a big guy, and I know it’s eating up at you,” he said, placing a large hand on my shoulder. I nodded, looking at his tattoos that climbed up one arm as I took a deep breath.
“I found my mate…but he didn’t seem to want to accept me,” I began quietly. Channing’s eyes flashed, and he growled.
“Tell me his name, and I’ll show him what happens when someone messes with my brother!” I smiled slightly. Maybe he’d want to kill Zack after I told him the rest, too…
I didn’t want to associate the two together because I wanted to tell him about Anna cheating as completely separate first. I didn’t want him to accept everything because Zack was my mate. I knew Channing enough to know how selfless he could be.
“We’ll see what happens. This is why I didn’t tell you, you’d rip the guy to pieces,” I joked. Channing chuckled.
“You bet I would. No one fucks around with my brother. That is unless you want them to,” he said, making my cheeks heat up a little, only making him roar in laughter. “Ah, you are too easy to tease!”
“Yeah, I guess I am. There’s something else I wanted to tell you, too,” I said, biting off the metal cap to my bottle and taking a gulp.
“You can tell me anything, you know that, Tay,” Channing said warmly.
Yeah… I know.
“It’s about Anna,” I said quietly, looking up at him. I looked into his warm blue eyes determinedly. “Anna has been cheating on you over the last few years.”
There, I said it…I watched him, preparing for the worst, my heart thundering loudly, but his reaction wasn’t what I expected. He nodded, sighing heavily.
“Yeah, I know. I know,” he said, making me stare at him in shock. He patted my shoulder and nodded.
“What? Then, how… like, why are you still…”
“For the kids… and the fact that I clearly am not enough anymore. I let it go… but I think she didn’t realise that no matter how many showers you take, another man’s scent stays behind,” he said, staring unseeing at the TV. I felt so fucking bad, but the fact that he knew…
