Saving Bennett Reid (Book 3)

Apology

(Carter)

It hadn't even gotten to nine in the morning and there was a spring in my step. My parents knew something was up since they discreetly exchanged glances at the breakfast table as if asking the other what was wrong with me.

Nothing was wrong with me.

I was super happy this morning after being severely crushed when I swung by the Reid residence Thursday after school. It had been all I could think about much of the day.

I needed to apologize. Wipe the slate clean to move forward. But that jubilant, ecstatic spirit was stomped down when Beckett Reid opened the door and told me that his nephew had gone to Valley Heights for the weekend and would only return in time for school.

I was crushed, and had spent all of yesterday moping, thinking about and crafting the perfect apology. I needed his forgiveness. Simply put, I felt horrible.

I knew that laughing with my 'popular' friends about his condition was terrible. But at the time, I welcomed any distraction from the turmoil that was my beta hormones mingling with my broken bond. I welcomed any distraction once I didn't think about me and feelings.

For four months straight, those two things didn't mingle so well, and I was a total asshole to my family and closest friends.

Even Blake Dalton was turning his nose up at me. This same dude who was my ex's brother. The same dude who was once an asshole too, and a bully, and Brent Harper's notorious sidekick. Suddenly he was too proud to be associated with me.

Truth is, I don't blame them. Sky, Dale, Asher. I don't even blame Blake. Because they were right. Kelly didn't love me, and still I couldn't seem to get that through my thick skull. Instead, I turned to despise the guy who unknowingly stole her from me. And when news of his stay at rehab circulated the school, of course I laughed. It felt justified.

I just wished karma hadn't turned around so quickly and bitch slapped the shit out of me. The same guy I wanted to hate, to laugh at, turned out to be my new mate.

That simple fact made me feel like a complete asshole. And a bigger jackass for believing he slept with Kelly.

Our lunch 'date' on Wednesday had made me realize I'd been too quick with jumping to conclusions and accepting his words as they were. It was a clear taunt to get me angry. And since Tuesday night, I'd been thinking about the thing between us. Things I concluded right off the bat were not what they appeared when I really thought about it.

Illogical of me and unacceptable. I was the next beta, and smarter than that. Yet I fell to despair and pride.

I now knew he didn't sleep with Kelly. Something about his tone, words, and just the manner he conducted himself. Sex wasn't something that plagued the mind of Bennett Reid. Strange for a teenage boy but I had no complaints.

I had become impatient throughout most of yesterday finding the wait to be tasking. I didn't want to prolong until Monday. It ate at my conscious like termites and I was desperate to get it out. My apology, and hopefully, a chance if he was willing to look past my misconduct.

It was wrong of me. My behavior toward him and his condition. He was right. It wasn't a laughing matter and I should've been in a roughly right mind frame to tell when jokes and harmless fun crossed the line.

When I had come home from school yesterday, I received news that had me jumping for joy. In my room of course.

Plans for security upgrades were permitted by the alpha, and Kosta Kabanov of Black Rock was leading a team of workers to upgrade Marcana's security. His project right hand was none other than Bennett Reid.