Page 16 of Wanted Beta

I pick up a red cup and let Annie pour for me, only looking up when I hear Chelsea’s abrasive laughter just before Rourke steps into the room.

The butterflies in my stomach race back, batting their wings even harder.

He doesn’t have his arm around her.

And his gaze goes straight to me now that he’s back.

I know in that moment. I don’t care how unlikely it is. Any chance I get with this guy, I’m going to grab hold of with both hands.

Chapter Six

Beth

Two Years Ago

The party gets rolling within a half hour, with Rourke basically spending all his time in the front hall, answering the door. I’ve had a couple drinks by the time he’s back, just enough to feel pleasantly buzzed, and Annie’s outside getting chatty with the stoners she was talking about avoiding before.

I’m not completely surprised. She’s had a love-hate thing with one of them for a while now.

Carla’s sitting at one of the patio tables talking to a couple of her friends from the debate team.

I’m pouring myself a third drink, just a soda this time, and I’m wondering if I’m only attracted to Rourke because he’s an Alpha. I’ve noticed how some of the other girls have been reacting to his company, and most of them are visibly affected by his presence.

There’s a magnetic pull there that I can’t deny.

It’s possible that’s only because he’s an Alpha, I guess.

God, I hate to think I’m going to be chasing Alphas for the rest of my life, just because they can make me feel like this, but I can’t lie. If this is how it feels to be around an Alpha, then I definitely want to be around them.

I don’t know what that says about me.

Right now, I don’t care.

Chelsea steps back into the kitchen from outside, and I catch her looking toward the hallway before she comes back toward the table and glances at me. It’s obvious she’s just noticing me for the first time, and her gaze is as derisive as ever.

Oh great. Here it comes.

“Liz! What a surprise! I didn’t know you were here!” Chelsea exclaims as she moves toward me.

“It’s Beth, actually,” I tell her, as I set my cup down and pick up a fresh bottle of cola. “And we got in right before you did.”

“Oh … Would you mind pouring one of those for me?” She flashes her two-inch long baby pink nails and I wonder how the hell she gets anything done when she’s wearing those things. “I just had new acrylics done and I don’t want to ruin them.”

“Of course,” I murmur, as I hold the bottle close to my body. I’m having trouble removing the cap, but I’m not ready to give up on it.

“What a lovely dress,” Chelsea tells me, now that she’s had more than a second to study what I’m wearing. “Very … vintage.”

So, the school’s queen bee thinks my dress is old and ugly.

I knew she’d have something to say if I ran into her.

She never misses a chance to make someone else feel bad.

“Well, I prefer the classics,” I tell her. “They never go out of style.”

“Hm.” She raises an eyebrow at me, and the look she gives makes me wonder if the dress really is as ugly as she seems to think it is.

I thought I looked pretty good in it, but maybe I was wrong.

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