A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 20

*Chapter 20*

*Josh's POV*

My phone buzzed sending it spinning in a small circle on the table. I tilted my head to the side as my chin rested on my arms. I could feel the vibrations faintly crawling up the bottoms of my arm through the table. It stopped after the third time. The plan was normally to let it ring. Listen to the message. Call back if needed.

This time it stopped then immediately started again. Odd. But no voicemail to listen to yet so I just stared. On the third ring I sighed and pushed the green button followed up with the speaker microphone.

"Hello." I hated how monotone I sounded. Then again, I had just let my phone ring three times to avoid having to talk to the person on the other end of the call.

"You have to come to the hospital. You know it's your duty."

"Is it though?" I could almost feel the growl that he swallowed.

"She made her choice to leave and faced consequences for it. We have a place in this pack, and it's your job to be ready to take my place. This isn't about one person. It's about hundreds. I am leaving now and expect you to be waiting when I arrive."

The line went dead, and I made no attempt to move.

"He's right you know. Harsh way of putting it, but not altogether wrong." I jumped slightly, but it was a Saturday, and you could smell Adam from a mile away. It was no surprise he was in the house, but he doesn't normally eavesdrop.

"How can you of all people say that?" Adam shrugged and sat down in one of the chairs. He pushed the phone slightly, so it slid on the table closer to me.

"She knew at that point she wasn't under the protection of your pack..." I straightened up slightly ready to protest, but he raised his hand. "Yes, I know that you were protecting her and feel guilty, but technically she had left the protection of your pack and not yet entered the protection of ours. She made herself vulnerable to someone she already knew was an enemy."

I huffed and stood up. I didn't like the direction of this conversation. How dare someone blame her for her own attack, and her mate. "It wasn't her fault some idiot that you brought right on her doorstep kidnapped her!"

"I'm not saying it's her fault. I'm saying you have not accepted the role as her official protector in my pack. You are the next Beta in line for the pack of your family. A pack of hundreds of other people as your father has pointed out. One of those has just been born, and it is your duty to be there. Until you make the decision to renounce your role, you need to live it."

"Pot calling the kettle black there aren't we?" He looked out the sliding door as I reached for my keys. I knew he was longing to go search for her so I might as well go to the hospital.

***

I arrived just as my dad was pulling himself out of the car. For most people who were going through a tragic event you say they look older. Their face droops in a permanent sadness. Having a child suddenly stop coming home and having to comfort their best friend for the idea that they would never see their child again would age a beta. Or that's what I thought.

He stepped out of the car looking younger somehow. His shoulders were straighter. His face was shaved clean with his hair cut short all the way around. His dark wash jeans had no tears or frays, and he wore a plain blue button up with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. I parked beside his Ford and gave him a nod. It had been weeks since I had stood in front of him.

His eyes were dark with disappointment, and he looked me over. "Didn't try to hard to dress for the occasion did ya?" His southern draw stuck on to the last word of his sentence even though no other words had it.