The Mark of a Beta

thirty- two

"Okay," I say, hesitant to believe him. "I'm sorry," I mumble again. I don't want him to think that he's not important to me just because I get distracted easily.

"I said it's fine, Cooper. I understand," his deep voice sounds through the phone.

"Okay," I say again.

"Are you ready for your tests today?" he asks, and I smile that he cares enough to ask.

"Yeah, I'm gonna nail these metabolic sequences," I tell him, knowing that I really did study a lot for this test. This is our last test of the year, and we still have one final project for this Biology class and then I can finally say 'good riddance' to this class!

"Good boy," Axel says, and my fucking heart stutters. Did he just...? Yeah, I guess he did say that. It takes me a few moments to collect my breath and calm down my racing heart. I love when he says that shit to me.

"Uh, wow. T-thanks," I reply, knowing that Axel is smirking on the other side of the phone from my breathless tone of voice.

Axel says something else, but I feel someone's gaze burning into the back of my head. Turning, I see the person I hate the most at this school.

Brenden.

Ugh. I can't believe we ever fucked. Looking at him now, he's just a cheap, knock-off version of Axel with his pale blonde hair and icy blue eyes. He was always attractive to me, but nobody compares to Axel now.

I haven't spoken to Brenden since I turned him down again. He's been staring at me in the hallways, but since I've walked into school early every morning with Larry, he hasn't approached me. Since we got to school late today, I didn't have time to go to my locker when no one else was in the hallways.

Brenden and his shitty friends all walk up to me, and despite the fact that there's only three minutes until first period, they look like they don't have a care in the world about getting to class on time. I, on the other hand, have to make it to this test on time or else my grades will suffer.

When Brenden and his friends keep coming closer, I know I won't be able to avoid them. It's either run away and have them catch me, or face them and hope that some of my training with the Dark Wood pack will be enough to defend myself. No one in the hallways ever said anything when they used to see me get picked on. I don't see why things would be any different now.

Axel has rubbed off on me- yes, in the sexual way but also in the mental way- and I realize that I don't want to back away from this possible fight. I've trained with strong pack members and defeated some. Axel has trained me himself multiple times. I've gained muscle and stamina and speed. I've gained confidence in my abilities.

Brenden doesn't scare me anymore. He's just a bully, and I won't let him walk all over me.

"Gotta go, bye!" I say into the phone, then hang up on my mate. Will he be angry with me for hanging up on him? Hell yeah. But he's not meeting Brenden while I have to talk shit to him. He can punish me later.

Oh, no! Hint the sarcasm.

Brenden approaches me with his posse close behind, and I roll my eyes. This high school musical bullshit is getting really fucking old.

"Matthews!" I grin, trying to hide the nerves I feel from being cornered at my locker. I can feel my phone buzzing in my hand, but I send it straight to voicemail. Axel cannot know about this.

"It's been a while. How's Vagina? I mean, Virginia? Well, same thing I guess, and the answer should be the same- fucking uninteresting."

Brenden cocks his head to the side ignoring the sneers and muted laughter of his friends. Brenden is all about his image. That's why he always fucked me in a supply closet away from prying eyes and ears. No one would suspect that the school's golden boy was a closeted psycho. If I trash his image, especially in front of his friends, that will surely piss him off.