A Drink Before Potential Disaster

                                    

                                          

Henry and I talked for a while longer after discussing a weekly appointment plan where we would have sessions of healing every few days. He began to speak more about his mate and I could see that it hurt him greatly at times but then also brought him joy. I listened patiently and honestly the more I heard him say, the more joy filled my heart.
 Henry's words of love for this woman made me hope more and more that Cain would soon feel hopefully even a fraction of those same feelings towards me. What made Cain so indifferent to our bond? What made him this way? I wanted to find out but I feared pushing him for answers would cause him to abandon whatever this was all together.
"Got a lot on your mind?" I hadn't realized that Henry had moved away from our spot by the fire. He was back in his chair and I was in a recliner. At some point he had gone to the Keurig in the corner and returned with a coffee for me. It was  a light brown color meaning he had added creamer already.
"Thank you, you don't want one?" His face scrunched up.
"I don't like coffee much, I'm more of a tea person." He reached towards a nearby table and grabbed a mug of now cooled down tea. I smiled and sipped at the coffee, it helped. "Now I won't ask again, what's on your mind?" I looked down into my drink and imagined myself diving into it. I could swim endlessly in coffee and let all my problems float away.
"I'm not sure how to handle this whole... mated to an alpha thing. Are they all like this? Busy? Isolated? Domineering? I care for him I do and I know we are meant to be together but... how do I get him to open up? How do you men tick?" I laughed bitterly with my last question and Henry showed no sympathy in his expression but understanding.
"Cain has been through a lot, I'll tell you that. He was handed the title of Alpha sooner than him or his father could hope but it was what had to be done at the time, he was the only one capable of leading. He wasn't always like this. He was always more of the serious type but he did have some give. He used to be more social and more involved and even used to hope for a mate." Henry sighed at this point. "Life changes people in different ways. If you are his mate..." he gave me another pointed look. I didn't respond. "...then maybe you can help him become his old self again." Henry began wheeling himself away towards a corner with an elevator.
"You're leaving?" I felt slightly sad at the lack of his presence. He seemed so knowledgeable, there was so much more I wished to ask him, so much more advice I hoped to receive. 
"Yeah kid! I got places to see, people to meet. I'll catch you around, don't worry." He didn't look back but put his hand in the air as if in a slight waving motion. I looked back down into my drink in thought. "Oh!" His voice captured my eyes attention again. "He has a sweet tooth and is a sucker for a nice girl. You seem friendly enough now let's see if you can bake!" The elevator doors closed and I hurried off to the baking section of the library.
I was nose deep in a book of various types of cupcakes when Beatrice came to check on me. "Beatrice!" I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice and it seemed to worry her.
"What's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?" Beatrice scanned the room in a protective manner and I wanted to laugh but I feel as if that may have hurt her pride as a pack member. She was only trying to protect her future Luna, she had long ago earned my respect.
"Thank you for your concern but I'm fine I just need your help with something." I suddenly felt embarrassed asking. The idea of baking to try and win my mate's affection suddenly sounded ridiculously childish.
"What is it?" Beatrice examined me for a minute and then her eyes fell to the book in my hand and then the many more that surrounded me. "Do you need help baking?" Beatrice grinned and I gave a bashful smile of my own and nodded.