Beta Complex

Chapter 74: Sabotage

The space inside of the car is quiet, save for the rhythmic tapping of long fingers against the leather of the steering wheel and the noise of the bustling street outside. Beau stares at Zander’s finger tips, his neat eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

Just how long have they been parked in the same spot? Too long, he thinks.

The windows are blacked out, preventing anyone from identifying the two figures inside. And he suspects that if anyone knew they were in there, someone would have called the police on them.

He glances at the time on the dashboard and sighs. Forty five minutes. They’ve been in the car, waiting, for nearly an hour. Beau leans forward to flick the radio on but Zander smacks his hand away. The alpha glares at his friend, pulling his hand to his chest. Apparently not even music is allowed, which is totally unfair.

"This is boring." Beau mutters as he kicks his feet up on the dashboard. He tilts his head to the side to stare out of the passenger window, observing a woman walking her large Labrador dog.

"I never asked you to tag along." Zander mutters from next to him in the driver’s seat. He leans forward on the steering wheel, his fingers curling over the top of it. He rests his chin between his hands, his green eyes glued to one spot across the street.

There’s scruff along his jaw, dark circles beneath his eyes, and his skin is pale. His long sleeve shirt is wrinkled and the grey sweats on his bottom half has a food stain. In short, he looks terrible. Beau already told him this but the dominant alpha couldn’t find it in himself to care.

Zander stiffens when the door to the restaurant opens and the target of his longing steps out. Ethan puffs out his cheeks as he runs a hand through his ruffled brown hair. He wears an apron, and Zander can’t help the nostalgia at seeing him in it.

The beta looks just like how he did when he found him in the back alley. Exhausted but dedicated.

"He looks a lot better." Zander murmurs. He releases a heavy breath, his green eyes glued to the unaware beta. His phone weighs heavy in his pocket and he pulls it out. He opens up his camera and snaps a few pictures, zooming in on Ethan’s face.

"Why won’t you go talk to him?" Beau asks softly, glancing from the beta across the street to his friend.

"How could I?" The dominant alpha sighs. He puts his phone away and rests his chin on the steering wheel once more. "After everything that’s happened." Shame and guilt bubbles up in his chest, making it difficult to swallow.

Things could have gone terribly wrong when he went feral. He could have harmed more than just that damned omega. He could have hurt his sister, or Beau. Worst of all, he could have hurt Ethan. It was only sheer luck that he recognized him thanks to imprinting.

"It’s not your fault that Chris did what he did-" Beau begins but his friend cuts him off.

"If we never went to their restaurant that night, none of this would have happened." Zander clenches his jaw. Zander should’ve chosen a different place to meet and reject Chris. He’d rather be roofied than have Chris meet Ethan back then. "Chris wouldn’t have set his sights on him and-"

"Wow, he’s really done a number on you." Beau scoffs at him. He drops his feet from the dashboard and shifts in the passenger seat. "If this had been anyone else, you wouldn’t even be like this. If you never went to his mother’s restaurant, you also would never have met him-"

"It would’ve been for the best." Zander says, his voice firm. "He almost died, Beau." Zander exclaims, smacking his palm against the divider of their seats. "He almost died." He whispers harshly. He closes his eyes and takes a deep, shuddering breath.

"But he didn’t." Beau murmurs, waving a head towards the windshield in Ethan’s general direction. "He’s in perfect health. Look at him." Beau continues to gesture to the beta who seems to be setting up an ad stand.

Zander’s gaze finds itself on Ethan’s back. Memories of him immobile, with a cast around his neck and arm makes him cringe. It had hurt Zander to see him like that. It’s a relief knowing that he doesn’t need them anymore.

"He probably thinks I’m a beast." Zander murmurs, his lips puckering in a pout. He picks at a stitch on the leather steering wheel.

Beau rolls his eyes. "Words of a coward, I think. You two haven’t even sat down to have a proper talk. You have no idea what he thinks of you."

Zander blinks, his green eyes glued to the way Ethan shuffles around. As if he could sense his eyes on him, the beta glances up and looks around with a frown.

"This is for the best." Zander murmurs, his eyebrows furrowing. He’s already made up his mind. He can’t change it now.

"The best?" Beau raises an eyebrow in disbelief, "You’re going to spend the rest of your life watching him from afar?"

"So what if I will." Zander glares at him.

"You’ll only torture yourself, Zan." Beau scratches the side of his head and sighs. "Are you also going to give into your parents’ wishes and marry an omega? Despite already imprinting on someone else?"

"Maybe I will." Zander snaps back. "They’d never accept Ethan anyway. He’s- He’s only a beta."

"You’re self sabotaging yourself." Beau scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. He leans back against his seat and shakes his head, strands of red hair falling into his forehead. "You’re sabotaging him by not giving him a choice. Besides, Chris is no longer in the picture. He’ll spend the next seven years behind bars-"

"Should’ve ended him when I had the chance." Zander growls out.

"Jeez, it’s like talking to a wall." Beau mutters. "Whatever," He waves a hand in the air, "It’s none of my business. Now that you’ve seen him, can we go now? I’m starving."

"Go by yourself." Zander glares at him.