Page 161 of Bonding with the Beta

“No,” the other girl says, stepping forward to meet me. “You don’t get to do this to her. Please do everyone a favour and go away.”

I blink at her sudden outburst and raise my hands in defence. “I just want to talk.”

“You had your chance. Now, leave her alone,” she snaps.

Kayleigh’s eyes begin to fill with tears, and she doesn’t look away from me. “Please,” I whisper towards her.

She nods and twists to face her friend. “It’s okay, Evie,” she murmurs. “I just want to hear what he has to say.”

Relief wracks my lungs, and my shoulders slump forward.

Evie studies me for a long moment, shooting daggers directly at me. “Okay,” she says after a few moments. “I’ll wait downstairs for you if you need me.”

Kayleigh gives her a nod and moves to open her dorm room. I quietly follow her inside and shut the door. Her room is a mess. Everything iseverywhere.

When she turns around to face me, her arms are firmly crossed. I flick my gaze across her stone-cold face, and I know this isn’t going to be easy. I’m going to have to work my ass off for this—and I’m ready.

“Why are you here, Kayden?”

My brows crease. “Why am I here?”

“You have a new girlfriend, so I don’t really understan?—”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I cut over her. “Youare my girlfriend.”

“Not anymore.”

Someone might as well have stabbed me through the heart.

“I’m sorry.” I step forward, but she eyes me carefully with a warning. “I did what I had to do so we could be together. Please believe that.”

“And it took you a few days to realise I’m what you want?”

I shake my head adamantly. “I never wanted her, Kayleigh. I’ve been calling and texting you, but you haven’t replied to anything. I would have explained everything, but I wasn’t with her to get to know her. I was with her to clear things up.”

My entire body almost drops to the floor like someone has tied concrete slabs to my stomach. A tear rolls down her cheek, and I despise knowing it’s because of me.

“Kayleigh—” I reach out for her, but she moves away. “I can’t watch you cry and not be able to comfort you.”

She aggressively wipes at her face, leaving her cheeks clear of any tears. “I’ve never felt so worthless,” she starts. “I told you about everything in my life, including my darkest secrets. I toldyou I wasn’t stable and that I needed help. Then you broke my heart by telling me you’d choose me and that I had nothing to worry about, and then you did the opposite.”

“I went to find out why I can hear your thoughts,” I state loudly. “And I found out that you’re my?—”

“I don’t care, Kayden,” she says through gritted teeth.

I close my eyes for a brief second. “I don’t expect you to understand, but I had to go and find out the truth for us. I had to spend those days with her for my wolf. He needed her to know?—”

“And don’t you think that I needed you, too?” she chokes.

“Kayleigh, please.”

“You hurt me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I never meant to.”

Kayleigh sniffles and stares right through my soul. “What happened with her?”

“We rejected each other. We found out that we’re not true fated mates. But us, Kayleigh, we’re?—”

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