Page 23 of Defiant Beta

She swings away, already forgetting I exist. “Get those doors open. We’ll have a school meeting and get to the bottom of this mischief.”

With the opportunity to snoop ruined by a beta super-gluing doors shut, I make a quick trip to the gardener's shed to gather bags so I can dispose of my raked leaves.

“I take it from the commotion that Delilah is not right this second preparing for a date with you?” Levi’s voice comes from the tree beside me.

I subtly glance over my shoulder.

He stands with his back to me, arms folded, leaning against the tree as if he’s taking a break to enjoy nature.

I resume bagging leaves. “She glued the teachers' office doors shut.”

Silence.

I can feel his confusion from here.

“Why?”

I sigh. “I have no fucking idea. She wasn’t interested in a date. Wasn’t even interested in Paris.”

“Paris?”

“She wasn’t taking the bait. I had to make it juicier. She patted my arm, said it was sweet, but she had class. Oh, and that I wasn’t her type.”

A muffled snort of laughter drifts from around the tree. “She patted your arm?”

“That she did.”

“What class did she drop you for?” he asks.

“Didn’t ask. I was afraid she’d say science or something dry and boring. I had my ego bruised already. I wasn’t looking to have it stamped on.”

“It’s the beard.”

“The what?”

“You look like a hobo. No wonder she dumped your grizzly bear ass for class.”

“Grizzly ass,ha!” I scratch it. “It’s itchy.”

“So, shave it and you won’t have girls choose science lessons over a trip to Paris.”

“It’s a disguise and a good one. And I wouldn’t have actually taken her to Paris, you know.” I finish stuffing leaves into sacks and pick up my rake to return it to the tool shed.

“I was cruel to her,” Levi admits. “I thought it would be enough to chase her away.”

“But?”

“I found her practicing in the gym. Instead of chasing her away, I watched her spend thirty minutes practicing all the moves I used to humiliate her in front of her peers.”

I close the shed door and think about Delilah.

Vincent tried to get her to leave by making her feel small.

Instead, she has dug her heels in.

Why?

Why is a beta so determined to stayhere?

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