Benzy’s reaction was instantaneous. He spun on his heel, stepping directly into Ben’s path, his fury radiating in palpable waves. Apollo surged to the surface, and for a moment, Bella thought Benzy was going to lash out. Her breath caught as his Beta aura rippled through the room, forcing Ben to take several involuntary steps back.
“This is private,” Benzy grated, his voice low and dangerous.
Bella exhaled with relief. Benzy’s control, tenuous as it was, held. Tyler, sensing the Beta’s restraint, receded slightly in her mind.
“It’s alright, Ben,” Bella said, her tone calm and steady. “I’m fine. Can you give us a few minutes?”
Ben didn’t take his eyes off Benzy, but after a moment, he nodded. “Five minutes,” he said flatly, his voice carrying only a trace of the fear he must have felt. “Then I’m calling security.” He turned and exited, his steps deliberate.
The door barely closed before Benzy slammed it shut behind him, turning on Bella. His gray eyes were sharp, and Apollo still lingered, just beneath the surface. “I asked what pack, Bella,” he snapped, his Beta aura crashing over her like a tidal wave. “And I expect an answer.”
Bella braced herself, steeling against his dominance. Her voice was calm but firm. “I’m not giving you one. I have the right to protect myself.”
“Yes, you do,” Macky interjected, his tone far more even than Benzy’s. His focus remained on the Beta, trying to defuse the situation. Bella could see he was attempting to rein Benzy in, though she doubted he’d succeed. Benzy outranked Macky, and if things escalated into a fight, her money was on the Beta. She’d trained with them both—Benzy’s strength and precision made him nearly unbeatable. Only Luke could take him down.
“It’s fine, Benzy,” Macky said smoothly. “She’s not going anywhere today. She has dinner Friday night and court Monday to Wednesday. Calm down. Also, I don’t think her grandmother would mean her any harm. The offer is likely genuine.”
Bella’s eyes narrowed. How did he know about her court schedule? They weren’t just watching her—they were spying on her professional life, too. Her anger simmered beneath the surface. Bastards.
Benzy seemed to regain some composure, the intensity in his gaze dimming as Apollo receded. “Fine,” he muttered, his tone gruff. “Then we’ll discuss why we came here in the first place.” He glanced at Macky, adding with a touch of dark humor, “If I lose it, blame the she-wolf.”
Bella sighed, her patience wearing thin. She-wolf. She had a name, and he damn well knew it.
She turned to Macky, her tone clipped. “What did you come for?”
“There was an incident at the triplets’ school,” Macky replied evenly. “Young Karis pushed over another boy and threatened him.”
Bella folded her arms, her irritation flaring. “So? He was protecting his sisters, that’s all.”
“The school called you, then?” Macky asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Yes,” Bella replied, her voice steady but defensive. “I apologized to them and explained that he’s just… sensitive right now. With everything that’s happened—the recent killing, the attack—he needs time to adjust.”
Macky nodded, his expression understanding. Benzy, however, looked less convinced. “That’s not the point,” Benzy said, his tone firm. “He’s showing aggression that will need to be curbed. You know how this works, Bella. If he keeps this up in the human world, it’ll draw the wrong kind of attention.”
Bella’s eyes flashed with defiance. “He’s a boy who’s just been through trauma, and he’s doing what an Alpha male does—protecting his family. Don’t make this more than it is.”
Benzy opened his mouth to retort, but Macky held up a hand. “We’re not here to argue,” he said calmly, his Gamma aura subtly keeping the peace. “We’re here because we’re concerned. That’s all.”
Bella’s lips pressed into a thin line, her irritation still simmering. “Noted. Now, if you’re done, I’d like my office back.”
Benzy frowned but didn’t argue further. With a nod from Macky, the two turned and left, leaving Bella to lean against her desk, exhaling deeply. They might be concerned, but they were walking a very fine line. Too much interference, and they’d risk driving her further away.
The school had decided to let the incident slide this time, but they had made it clear that such behavior wouldn’t be tolerated again. Bella had promised them she’d talk to her son, and she had—though the conversation hadn’t gone quite as she expected.
When she’d confronted him, her young Alpha had folded his arms defiantly across his chest, declaring firmly that he would protect his sisters no matter what. Bella couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride at his innate instincts, even as she recognized the need to temper them. His Alpha genes were undeniable.
She’d knelt to his level, her voice calm but serious as she explained that his strength was far greater than the average human’s. “You have to remember, sweetheart,” she said gently, “you can hurt someone without meaning to if you’re not careful.” She went on to explain the difference between an accident and intentional harm, emphasizing that not every bump or mishap was a deliberate threat to his sisters.
“You’re going to be like me one day,” she told him, her tone soft but firm. “You’ll have a wolf, and with that comes enormous strength. But with that strength comes responsibility. You need to think before you act and not let your anger control you.”
Her son had huffed, clearly still indignant, but she had remained patient. “Breathe,” she reminded him. “Count to ten before you react. Think about what will happen if you let your anger decide for you.”
She’d added one final note, a quiet plea that came from the depths of her heart. “I don’t want you to end up like your father, filled with rage over every little thing.”
Back in her office, Macky’s voice cut through the room like a whip. “That’s it? You’re not going to do anything about it?” His tone was loaded with disbelief, perhaps even frustration.
Bella’s patience snapped. “What’s it to you how I deal with my son?” she spat, her green eyes narrowing dangerously.
“The Alpha is concerned about the aggression that’s been reported, that’s all,” Macky replied, his voice careful but insistent.
