For Their Happiness by Jayton Young

down.
    “Ryan.”  I called softly.  I knew he would hear me without me yelling, and I didn’t want to draw too much attention from others.
    “What’s wrong?”  He aske d after coming in and taking a look at me.  I must have looked kind of bad ; judging by the look he gave me .
    “Can you get me four aspirin, please?  I’m not feeling well this morning.”
    He came over and felt my cheek before heading to get the pills for me.
    “You feel like you’re running a fever, are you hurting again?”  He asked as he sat on the side of my bed.
    “No, not really.  I’m just tired and cold.  I could barely make it through the shower.”  I answered.
    “Maybe one of us should lay with you and share our body heat?”  Bolton asked from the door.
    I had forgotten that he was staying in our rooms.   I nodded to him.  “Anything to get rid of these chills.”
    “Do you mind?”  Ryan asked Bolton.  “I’m going to talk to Billy and let him know to inform the Alpha that we’ll be in here for most of the day.”
    “I forgot that I was supposed to be going out with the females today, can you ask Bethany to stop in here?” 
    He nodded as he left.
    Bolton made his way over to the bed.  My teeth were chattering with the chills running through my body.  It was almost worse that when I had gotten the flu last year.
    Before Bolton could climb in beside me, I stopped him.  “Please wait until Bethany comes and leaves.  I really don’t want anyone getting the wrong impression.”
    He looked disappointed, but nodded as he went and sat in the chair Ryan had sat in the night before.
    “Bolton…”  I tried to think of a way to say what was on my mind without hurting him.  I knew he had already been through so much.
    “There’s no need to say anything.”  He said quietly.  “I really wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did walk into the suit last night when you were talking with Ryan.”
    Realization hit me.  He knew!
    “Don’t worry!”  He rushed when he saw the look on my face.  “I would never tell anyone your secrets.  But at least I know now that we will never have a shot, huh?”
    “I’m sorry, Bolton.”  I regretted making him feel like we did, though I hadn’t meant to.  “You are a good friend, and I didn’t mean…”
    “You didn’t.”  He said cutting me off.  “It was just wishful thinking on my part, and I knew that.  I mean, even if you hadn’t already found your mate, then that’s what you would’ve been out here to do.  You would have eventually, so I knew I didn’t have a real shot.  If friends are all we can be, then that is more than enough.”
    “Thank you.”  I said as someone knocked on the suite door.
    I heard voices and realized that Jerry must have been in the sitting room.  That meant he heard the conversation, too.  I would have to ask him about it later.  Right then Bethany, Becca, and Billy , carrying Jazzy, walked into my bedroom.
    “Wow!”  Bethany said as she looked at me.  “I’ve never heard of a sick werewolf.  I was offended at what I had perceived as a lie, but I see it wasn’t.  Please accept my apologies.”
    “No need, Alpha.”  I said.
    “Please leave off with the formalities and just call me Bethany.  If you feel better when you wake, then please come find me, and we’ll still do something.”
    “Thank you.  I will.”
    She left and as soon as she shut the door Becca rushed over to the bed.  I knew she would over react when she found out.  She had not been around humans enough to know that not every
illness brought death.
    “I’m alright, Becca.  I’m just going to sleep a little more and then I’ll be good as new.”  I reassured her.  “Go ahead and tell the girls that we’ll go with Bethany later, okay?”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes, I’ll come and get you as soon as I wake up.”  I said, scooting back down in the bed to go to sleep.
    “I spoke with Alpha Jackson, and he was livid.”  Billy said