The Boy and his Beast

26. Like an excited dog

(Benjamin's POV)

"Say that again." Kell looks like he thinks I'm crazy.  

"I have a fortune buried in the woods" I repeat quietly. There is a minor Chernobyl going on inside my head but I have to tell him. 

"Wh... where did you get this money from?" he wants to know. How do I explain this? I stole all of the Hellhounds' stored chash when I ran. 

"... from people who shouldn't have it." Great, that sounds so stupid. 

Kell looks like he thinks so too. He's leaning against the kitchen sink looking like a greek god. A confused greek god. 

"Can you elaborate?" he asks. Thinking feels like chewing gravel but I try my best. 

"It's just an hour away" I tell him as a distraction but he's got his eyes on the ball. 

"You stole it? Isn't that what you're trying to say?" he claims. I nod in defeat. "From who then?"  

"Does it matter? They aren't entitled to the money!" I sigh, frustrated and embaressed and so sluggish I might acctually transform into a snail. My hands reach up to hide my face. 

"If it's as much as a fortune it matters. Tell me... please, baby" he pleads and takes my hand. It's such a soft touch that I blush. He leans down and our faces align. A lonely fish strives through the slime that's filled my head. Maybe I shouldn't tell him? 

"It's from the them... I took it from them" I mumble and he understands right away. Anger flashes over the amber of his eyes. 

"Was that why they kidnapped you last week?!" he demands and I nod again, avoiding his eyes. 

"I think so" I answer. Kellan looks perplexed. I just want to go back to sleep. 

"God damn it, Ben!" He sighs. "Well we obviously won't return it. How about donating it?" he suggests and I shake my head. 

"It's not your money!" I bite at him and feel the fear of losing what I risked my life for. "I earned that! I have a right to claim it, as compensation!" I hiss at him feeling my heart pounding faster. 

"Of course you have. It's your money" he agrees softly and smiles sadly. 

"I want to give it to Alpha, to the pack" I inform him. I've thought  about this a lot but I'm nervous about what he will think. Maybe it's not appropriate. 

"Do you really want to give it to the pack?" he qestiones me. 

"They are my family, right?" I remind him. The smile he gives me is the best one ever. It's like I've made him truly happy. 

Fifty minutes later we are far into the woods and Kellan is butt naked. I stare at his muscular curves. A second later he's only two feet tall and covered in greyish brown fur. I point to a pice of dirt in front of a small tree and he starts digging like an excited dog. 

His brown paws get muddy from the wet soil but he soon hooks one of his claws in the plastic bag. Gently he scrapes a hole around it and pull it up. 

"Holy shit" he growls and I look at his yellow eyes as they take in the view. It's a lot of money. When he turns back Kellan catches me staring at him but he just smiles as I redden with embarresment. 

Fifty minutes later again we knock on Eric's door. 

"If it's about Winter I don't want to hear it!" he yells from inside so Kell has to knock again. 

"It's not" he chuckles when Eric opens. "We come with happy news" he explains and I smile awkwardy behind him. Will Eric accept it? 

"What's happened with Winter?" Kellan asks as he closes the door behind us. 

"Don't ask" Eric grumbles and sigs. "What's the happy news?" 

"OK, here's the deal: Ben has a shit ton of money that he... acquiered from the Hellhounds, and he wants to give it to the pack" Kellan explains and I nod at Eric when he gives me the same look as Kell did this morning. 

"What? How do you mean acquiered?" he asks and look at me. 

I open the bag full of money. 

"It's mine" I say and hope he will accept it. 

 "So why are you just giving it to us? I mean the pack should take care of each other but this is too much" Eric says with confused face. I can tell we caught him by surprise. 

"I want to take care of my family. I want to be here, so I want to contribute and this is all I have" I point out. Eric's face falls and is replaced by a mask of disgust. 

"Is that what they taught you? Because it's not true. The pack is supposed to take care of you, not the other way around. And you have so much more than your money. I value you for you, so I can't accept it. I'm sorry" Eric confesses. 

"What? No! You have to! Why? Is it because of where it comes from, from them?" I ask with my heart in my throat, about to vomit it out. This can't be happening! 

"No. No, of course not. It's just that I can't take this as a payment for your place here. You are one of us; you don't need to give us this. We want you anyway" Eric assures me. My heart drops. Why?! 

"Ben really wants a library or a book shop. Isn't there a big part of the bottom floor in that building you thought of buying?" Kellan suddenly brings up. I look at him with embarresment. Eric doesn't need to know my stupid dreams! 

"Yes, but... still" Eric complains. Kellan grabs his arm and gives him a long stare. 

"Fine. Fine! Now I have three brothers playing me. I am still the alpha, you know" Eric sighs and smiles in defeat. 

"You are too kind for your own good" Kellan tells him. Eric gives me a warm smile. 

"I was thinking of buying another building close by. The pack is getting bigger. It would be perfect if you and Kellan could live there and manage it. And as he said, there is a whole bottom floor that would be suited as a book store. Want to see the blueprints?" Eric asks and points to his computor. 

"Does this mean you accept it?" I ask again. 

"Yes, thank you Benjamin" Eric says with a warm smile. 

"Thank you! ...but I like the idea of a library or maybe and antiquarian even more" I mumble and come over to look at the screen. 

"That does sound wonderful, and we would probably be the first pack ever to own one" Eric laughs. It's a wonderful heartwarming laugh.