Page 190 of Wanted Beta

“They’re a power couple,” Catherine says. “His father’s in the business world, and his mother was a model and an actress who quit while she was still young and beautiful. Beyond their regular business, they supply a lot of funding to colleges, along with a bunch of other extremely wealthy friends of theirs. Places like Cressidan City College.”

“Oh my God,” I murmur, remembering what Rourke said to Chelsea at his party.

He said he could make sure she didn't get into any college, anywhere.

“Well, there have always been rumors that they manipulate these colleges to make sure their kids get the best grades, or the rules get bent for them, whatever. They understand that a good education can give most people a leg up in this world and they’ll use their influence over these places to make sure their kids are the top students.”

“I spoke to his mother once,” I admit. “She asked what I planned to do after high school. I told her my plans. I didn’t think anything of it.”

“How did she react?” Catherine asks.

“I don’t know. She kind of didn’t. It was like my answer bored her, so she tuned out.”

“Sounds lovely,” Jack jokes.

“Rourke told me she was a narcissist.”

“Narcissists like to manipulate people,” Catherine says.

“I thought … When he broke up with me, I thought he’d been playing me all along. I thought the way he treated me before that was the lie. I didn’t for one minute think the breakup might be the lie.”

“I’m not saying it definitely is,” Catherine says. “But maybe if he’s been looking to explain things to you, it wouldn’t hurt to let him do that?”

Wouldn’t hurt? I’m already aching inside that we might have broken up over a threat his mother made to him, because she decided she didn’t approve of his Beta girlfriend.

It makes way too much sense.

That woman hurt him for years, making him jump through hoops and never once showing any sign of affection toward him. He told me when he was a kid, he used to ask God why his mother didn’t like him. It broke my fucking heart.

Why the fuck didn’t I see it was her?

I feel like an idiot.

“Are you okay?” Jack asks, raising his one visible eyebrow at me.

“Not really, but I will be.”

Just as soon as I get the truth out of my ex.

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Rourke

Idon’t know what I’m doing anymore. Climbing up fire escapes to spy on people instead of trying to talk to them is pretty fucking creepy. I’ve been lingering around the pack’s apartment windows for long enough to know Beth has accepted at least two of them as her mates.

The chef carried her to bed, naked and sleeping, while his Beta trailed behind them with her clothes in his arms. I didn’t need to see more, but I had no place else to be. I fell back into waiting around for Beth to leave, not sure she would.

This is it now. She’s found a pack.

She doesn’t need me.

I should go home and try to forget all of this.

She’s safe with them. They won’t let her down.

This is what I wanted her to find. Well, she found it.

Now, you have to move on.

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