Page 64 of Defiant Beta

I’m sitting in the dark with a bowl of stone-cold soup on the bed beside me, and I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

My knees tremble when I climb off the bed and slowly walk over to turn the light on.

It’s night outside. Or maybe late evening. There’s a hint of dark blue in the distance, a sign the sun set not all that long ago.

I return to my bed and pick up the tray of soup.

My belly is tight and hollow, grumbling slightly when I sniff the delicate fragrance of onions, garlic, and savory chicken soup.

I pick up the spoon. Nothing in me wants to eat even a spoonful.

I put the spoon down, set the tray on the bed, and get up.

There are four doors in my room. A door leads to the hallway, another to the balcony, an empty walk-in closet, and the bathroom, which is all hard edges, glass, and white marble.

When I glimpse my hollow cheeks and ashen skin, I turn away from my reflection in the mirror and return to my bed to pick up the tray. I feel like I’ve aged twenty years.

The soup goes down the toilet. I flush and wait for everything to disappear. For a brief moment, I see my face in the water’s reflection and it’s like I’m drowning along with the pieces of chicken, diced carrots, and celery. I pour the water down the sink, and when I’ve finished emptying both, I carry the tray back through my room and leave it on the floor outside my door, locking it behind me.

I’d kill anyone who tried to get into my room, and I don’t think Professor Vincent would, but I’m not stupid. Spontaneous at times, reckless more than I’d like to admit, but I’m not stupid. I lock my damn door because I’m sharing a house with a stranger.

Professor Vincent is here. I could sneak into Haven Academy and convince the omegas to leave, and he wouldn’t be there tostop me. But I slide into bed, pulling the covers over myself and turning to stare out through the wall of glass.

I never want to move from this bed ever again.

Chapter 21

Levi

Head down,I sort through the foils, ready for my next fencing lesson.

A bang sounds from the next room, and I lift my head, angling it toward the closed door. No one should be in the wellness center this afternoon.

“Hello!”

Silence.

I wait a couple of seconds, then return to my task.

A burst of female laughter and a door slamming make me drop my basket, and I curse as I scatter neatly organized foils all over the mat.

“For fuck’s sake,” I grumble.

Leaving the mess to deal with whatever girls are playing hide and fucking seek, I walk out of the fitness center. Della Jackson was the menace in Haven Academy. It looks like she inspired others to pick up where she left off.

The entrance to the wellness center is silent—no sign of Ms. Huffman or any student. A door slams, and more female laughter drifts from the sauna.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” I mutter.

In the sauna, there are wooden seats, a pit in the center with coals, a bucket of water, and a large wooden ladle.

I spot the body face down in the corner.

I bolt across the room, grab the body, and flip it to start CPR.

“The fuck…”

Bang.

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