Beta Complex

Chapter 73: From Different Worlds

"It’s nice right?" Roxanne asks as Ethan takes in the large and empty space.

It’s a new building that his mother found on the market. Thanks to the investor, it’s now possible for her to move the restaurant into a bigger venue with better surroundings. Which means no stinky back alley with hobos, and better customer traffic. At least, he hopes.

If he’s honest, everything feels too good to be true.

"It’s huge," Ethan breathes as he stares up at the high ceiling. A silver chandelier dangles on a thick chain, with crystals dangling from its arches. It’s the first thing that caught his attention when Roxanne unlocked the doors.

The tile flooring isn’t chipped and the walls have no stains. There’s a half wall that separates a part of the front room, and a step-up platform near a ceiling to floor window that overlooks a river. The kitchen is completely separate from the seating area, with a swinging door for easier access. In all, it’s amazing compared to their current location.

"Are you sure we can afford this?" Ethan asks with furrowed eyebrows. He glances down at his mother, his hands shoved into his sweater pockets.

His hair is a mess on his head, and there are dark circles beneath his eyes. Next to Roxanne, he wears a flower blouse and ankle length skirt, he looks disheveled, as if he just rolled out of bed.

Ethan doesn’t want to rain on her parade. She looks thrilled with her brown eyes twinkling in a way he hasn’t seen in a while. He can count on one hand the amount of times she’s looked like this.

One was when they both went out to dinner with Zander and Beau, the latter flirting up a storm with her. The second was when she told him of the investor.

The still anonymous investor.

It doesn’t sit right with him that they know little to nothing about them, but if his mother thinks it’s fine then he’ll let it go for now.

The place looks expensive, and even though Ethan hasn’t been working at the restaurant recently, he isn’t sure if their profit is higher than the restaurant’s needs. He’s not doubting his mother’s capabilities of management, he’s only worried.

Roxanne hums as she stares at the interior with a dreamy look, "Our sales have increased significantly." She answers. She presses her lips together and turns to look at her son.

She grabs the waist of his sweater and tilts her head up at him, "We’ve been putting out ads and upgrading our menu. Moving in here will definitely add some class, too." She ends with a giggle. "I feel like our luck is just starting. Especially after your accident. You look brand new."

Her eyes grow red with tears and she sniffles, "I’m so happy you’re okay. You have no idea how worried I was." She pulls him close and rubs her face into his chest.

Ethan frowns and wraps his arms around her shoulders. Though he has no reason to feel it, guilt chips away at his heart. When she pulls away and wipes her tears, Ethan sighs.

"I feel like our luck will eventually run out." He murmurs as he rubs the back of his neck. "I could have-" he cuts himself off and clears his throat, but she seems to know what he was going to say anyway.

"But you didn’t!" Roxanne pulls him into another hug. "You didn’t. So please stop fixating on that. Take this as a sign to live the life you want."

Live the life I want. Ethan smiles and pulls away. In all honesty, he’s trying too. He starts classes soon, and the restaurant is doing great without him. The only thing that doesn’t seem to be going right is his relationship with Zander. Or the lack of one. He doesn’t know in all honesty what was happening between them.

The alpha changed his number. Despite how much Ethan tries to reach him, the alpha seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

And the more he thinks about Zander the more he starts to wonder if maybe this is all for the best. They come from different worlds after all.

Zander is the son of a rich CEO, not to mention he’s a dominant alpha. An alpha is meant to be with an omega, which Ethan is not. He didn’t think he was anything special to Zander, but after being treated by his family doctor, he started to think that just maybe, he was.

He sighs and pushes the thought of the alpha away. He should be focusing on his mother right now.

After the results of the dynamic test came out, which showed that Ethan was still a beta, he was discharged from the hospital. With none of his belongings, he called his mother from a hospital phone, and she came with a change of clothes and his cellphone.

Things went on as normal after that, as if the accident never happened. And now a week later, Zander and Ethan have yet to talk. The beta has many questions about what exactly happened. With Chris, with the alpha himself.

"When are you moving?" Ethan asks as he pushes his thoughts away. Roxanne and Jessie, along with the help of some other staff, have been packing up everything in the restaurant to get ready. Ethan offered to help them, but Roxanne told him to focus on studying like he was before.

"Next week." Roxanne grabs his hand and together they walk out. She locks up the place and calls for a taxi back home. "The day before your classes start."

"So soon." Ethan murmurs. It feels like everything is changing, and quickly. He’s sure they’re for the better, but it also feels like he’s leaving a lot behind.

Leo comes over a lot less, though he did stay an entire day when he found out Ethan was discharged from the hospital. However now that he and Max are dating, his time is being spent elsewhere. Ethan doesn’t blame him, in fact he’s happy for him.

He just doesn’t know what to do with himself. Beck, feeling guilty about what happened, has become awkward around him. It doesn’t matter how many times Ethan tells him it’s not his fault, the other beta just can’t move past it.