My Alpha, My Beta(boyxboy)

Chapter 26

(A/N) 

Unedited 

Isaac's P.O.V.

Anxiety gnawed at my insides as I fretted over Tyler's situation with his parents. The least he could do was send me a text or something, considering how much I worried. I deftly avoided my friends earlier, but now, during lunch, my phone incessantly buzzed with their messages, questioning my whereabouts and why I had been avoiding them. I roamed the school halls, waiting for Tyler, whom I had texted to meet me before lunch, but there was still no reply. Lost in my thoughts, I rounded a corner and collided with someone.

"I'm so sorry," she immediately apologized, and my heart skipped a beat. It was Kate—I recognized her voice instantly, as our previous interactions played over and over in my mind.

"Kate," I said, my voice firm, my lips forming a tight line. I didn't mean to come across as rude, but the jealousy surged within me every time I saw her, a reminder of her beauty and the likability she effortlessly exuded. I resented her for it, knowing that Tyler was going mate her, and they had been intimate before. It wasn't her fault, yet I couldn't help but hold some blame.

She smiled and greeted me with a small voice, her uneasiness evident in her tone as she spoke.

Frowning in confusion, I asked, "Is everything okay?" Her gaze met mine, and I noticed her red, teary eyes.

She nodded a bit too quickly, and I instantly realized that things were far from okay. I chastised myself for moments like this—I should have been able to take her answer at face value and move on. Most wolves wouldn't have allowed someone who slept with their mate to live, but here I was, struggling against my morality, fighting the urge to console her for whatever had happened.

Sighing, I knew that my values would prevail over my thoughts. "What's wrong?" I asked, my tone softening.

She looked down, contemplating whether or not to share. Secretly, I hoped she wouldn't, so I could end this encounter swiftly. Unfortunately, she spoke up, and my hopes crumbled. "I just talked to Tyler," she began, and my jaw clenched as she uttered my mate's name. I despised hearing her say it, as it only reminded me of her beneath Tyler, in a way I wished didn't exist.

Questions raced through my mind—why was Tyler speaking to her? Why was he going to her instead of responding to my texts? Before I could ponder further, she continued, her words flowing in a cascade of emotional turmoil. "He ended things with me, without telling me why. And this morning, I had to drive my grandma to the ER, so I missed my Math exam, and Mr. Kelly doesn't do makeups... I just feel like this day couldn't get worse." She divulged her troubles, her burdens pouring out. Tyler had mentioned that Kate had been taking care of her sick grandmother. I genuinely felt sorry for her, yet I struggled to conceal a hint of satisfaction at the fact that Tyler had ended their relationship. I let her vent, occasionally offering a nod or an "mhm" to acknowledge her words.

As she finished recounting the pressures weighing on her and the attachment issues caused by abandonment, she sighed and apologized for rambling, especially to someone she barely knew.

"It's okay," I assured her. "Do you feel any better?"

She nodded, expressing gratitude for my listening ear, and we went our separate ways.

Checking my phone, I discovered a text from Tyler, saying he had gone straight to the cafeteria. I roll my eyes at his inability to listen to clear instructions before going there myself. I find Tyler and our friends at our normal table. Tyler didn't look any more scruffed up than he was this morning so I assume he and his parents had a civil conversation rather than what I suspected.