raiden

As I drive the car, my eyes briefly travel to Cloud's sleeping figure. It doesn't surprise that he's tired seeing as he's been stressing out all day. Hopefully, he'll be a little calmer when he wakes up.

The ride to the Dark Woods pack wasn't going to be a long one — a few hours at most, but that was still more time than I want to spend with Beta Reo and the feeling is clearly mutual. Unlike Cloud, the beta is awake and sitting in the back of the car with a seemingly permanent scowl on his face. His arms are crossed over his chest as he stares out of the window.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he snaps, turning his head to stare at me.

The anger that apparently never leaves him is focused on me. Honestly, it was surprising how much he had changed since childhood. Whereas the Reo of today was always angry and standoffish, the Reo from my childhood was always smiling and happy. He used to actually hang out, play with us, and have actual friends other than just Alpha Tatum. Then one day he just changed. It wasn't a gradual change either — one day he was happy and smiling, the next he was full of anger.

I remember the pack members talking about it and trying to find out what was wrong with him, but they never did. Eventually, we got used to the change — the happy Reo was gone and was replaced with the permanently angry Beta Reo. Rather than actually talk to the pack, he locked himself away only allowing Alpha Tatum and Maia to talk to him.

"What happened to you?" I can't help but ask. "You used to be so nice and now you're—"

"I'm what?" The beta raises an eyebrow.

"An asshole," I admit. "You used to be fun to be around and now I can barely stand to drive in a car with you for a few hours. Hell, are you gonna act like this once you meet your mate?"

My eyes meet his through the mirror and they seem to harden. "Shut the fuck up," is all he says, turning his gaze away from me.

"That doesn't seem like good beta behavior," I can't help but tease.

"Have I ever had 'good beta behavior'?" He raises a brow.

"In the past you did."

The beta says nothing else, letting the conversation die and silence fills the car once again. Cloud still remains passed out beside me causing me to sigh quietly. I've never been the biggest fan of silence, it almost felt overwhelming — leaving you with nothing but your thoughts.

"Seriously though, do you ever plan on going to find your mate?" I ask Beta Reo again, trying to revive the conversation.

Beta Reo briefly glances at me before he returns to ignoring me.

"You're what? Twenty-three? Dude, you're still young why not—"

"Do you ever shut the hell up?!" Beta Reo growls out. "Just focus on driving, I'm not talking to you about my nonexistent mate. You should be worrying about your own."

A tense silence falls over us and I stop talking. Though he looks mad, there also seems to be another emotion mixed into the beta's eyes.

"Do you think you don't have a mate because you're a hybrid?" I can't help but ask. When he doesn't reply, I continue. "I bet you have a mate out there somewhere, but being cooped up in our tiny pack and being an asshat to everyone you come across isn't going to help you find them."

Beta Reo doesn't bother looking at me, his expression morphs back into his cold one and he returns his gaze to the window as the trees we pass by blur together.

"Shut up," he sighs, but there's no anger or conviction behind his words. But instead of ignoring his statement and continuing to talk, I send him one last glance before shutting my mouth. This time I do shut up and leave him to the silence of his own thoughts.