Chasing the Beta

by Jessica Edwards

  “Dressed like that?”

  I look down at myself and nod. “Yeah.”

  “Alice, your mum’s just passed away. Anyone would understand that you’d need some time off.”

  I shake my head. “Being here and doing nothing makes me actually think about her more than I’d like to. I need a distraction and going to school will give me that.”

  Kellan scoffs. “You’re such a terrible liar.”

  I look back at him where he holds a steaming cup of tea in his hands.

  How does he know I’m lying? “What?”

  He half smiles. “You’re not going to school because you miss going to class. I know exactly what you’re

  doing.”

  “And that is?”

  He sighs. “You’re gonna confront Mr. Edmund about where he was the night of the murder. Am I wrong?”

  How the hell does he know that!?

  “Ryder told us everything. He’s not one to keep secrets.”

  “Don’t tell him where I’m going.”

  Kellan doesn’t say anything for a while. “I’m not one to keep secrets either.”

  “Kellan, please!”

  “I don’t like to keep things from people, especially Ryder because he’s like a brother to me.”

  I sigh in frustration. “I need answers. Answers that only he has for me that could help me find out the truth about my mother’s death.”

  “Yesterday, you thought he was the one that murdered your mum.”

  “I still do think that.”

  He comes to stand in front of me. “Then, what are you doing? Why go to him if you know he’s responsible? What if he hurts you?”

  I stay silent for a moment. “Then, you’ll know where

  I am if I do get hurt.”

  He contorts his face like he’s in pain. “Don’t say things like that. I don’t want to hear it.”

  I place my hand on his arm. “Please Kellan, I have to go.”

  He stares at me for a long while, then he closes his eyes. “Then, what are you still doing here? Confront Mr. Edmund before Ryder figures out where you’ve gone, but if you’re not back by noon, I’ll come and find you myself.”

  He walks away, leaving me to wonder if going to school is a good idea.

  ********************

  The drive to school was long and quiet. Normally, I’d take Sam to school and she’d usually do the same for me, and the drive to school would be the complete opposite as to what it is right now. The music would be blaring and the two of us would talk non-stop about random things, but that’s not the case today.

  It’s weird not having Sam around because I’m so used to her company all the time, but I’m here today for one reason, and one reason only. I won’t be leaving the school until I have somewhat of an

  understanding of what’s happening in this town. I can feel it in my gut that Mr. Edmund has got to be involved in it somehow, and that’s why I’m going to figure it out by myself, without the help of Tom and Ryder.

  When I reach the school’s parking lot, I see students already arriving and rushing to their first class of the day. The news of my mother’s death has surely been revealed by now, but the last thing I need is people apologizing for my loss and offering their condolences, because that’s not going to bring back my mother. I’d rather if people didn’t know I’m in school today, so I do the only thing I can think of. I put my hair in a low ponytail and pull the hood of the hoodie over my head. It might not help me in any way, but it’s the only thing I can think of to not be recognizable.

  I keep my head down as I enter the school’s entrance where hundreds of students are gathered; some talking to their friends by their lockers, couples spending quality time together, jocks being jocks and even teachers bitching about other teachers.

  When the bell rings to signal the first class will begin shortly, all the students gathered in the hall start to leave, including me.

  I follow my classmates to English with my head low, but when I start to think that I won’t be recognizable

  to anyone, I hear my name being called. “Alice?”

  I stop dead in my tracks, recognizing a voice I wasn’t expecting to hear ever again. ‘Is that you?’

  Ugh…why am I seeing everyone today?

  Something stops me from turning around to face him because I have nothing to say, but if I run away, it’ll make me look even more suspicious, so with a sigh, I turn around, take off the hood and stare at Max.

  Well there goes that plan to not being seen. He scoffs and half smiles. “It is you.”

  I just look at him without a word. “How have you been?”

  Huh.

  I don’t respond.

  “I hope you’re okay.”

  Is he talking about what happened to my mother?

  “Classes have been really boring, especially Biology.” He chuckles nervously.

  Does he not know? It looks like he doesn’t.

  “We had a test yesterday which was surprisingly easy. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

  It’s very unlikely that I’ll be coming back to school.

  We stand opposite each other in silence, but it doesn’t last long.

  “It’s really good to see you, even though we had that missun...”

  I interrupt him. “I thought we hated each other.”

  He frowns. “What? No, I don’t hate you Alice.”

  The last time we spoke, my friendship with Max ended on the same day Sam was unexpectedly attacked.

  “I still don’t think we should be talking to each other after what happened between us.” I go to leave but Max stops me by putting his hand on my arm, I stare at the arm holding me, then glare at him. “What are you doing?”

  “It’s just, I can’t go on like this, us not being friends.”

  I do miss being friends with Max, but I can’t be friends with someone who lies.

  “Then, why did you lie?”

  “I don’t know. I just did and I’m so sorry.”

  I remove his hold on me and shake my head. “That’s not good enough.”

  “Alice, I’m sorry!”

  “It’s too late, Max.” I snap. A pause.

  He sighs. “Is there anything I can do to not make this is so awkward between us?”

  I scoff. “Yeah, there’s something you can do, but it won’t be because I want to be friends with you. It’ll be because I want an explanation on why you lied to my face.”

  Max looks down at the floor. “Then, I’ll tell you.” He slowly looks back at me. “I’ll tell you everything.”

  I stare motionless at him.

  “Meet me tomorrow at the diner at noon, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Please Alice. I beg you.” He looks pleadingly at me.

  He better not waste my time.

  “Fine, but I want the truth this time because if you lie to me, I’ll never speak to you again, Max.”

  I don’t let him respond because I’m already walking away.

  Walking to English didn’t take me long, but what did take long, was to wait for Mr. Edmund’s class to finish. I wonder what he’s thinking about right now, there’s at least six of his students missing from his class, and five of them are wolves. Maybe he doesn’t

  give a damn that none of us are there, he’s probably glad that he doesn’t have to put up with us anymore.

  I wonder if he knows that I’m outside waiting for him to finish, and if he also knows that he’s got one hell of a shit-storm coming his way. I want every single question I have for him answered, but if he doesn’t, I won’t be held responsible for what I’ll do to him.

  When the bell rings to signal the end of the lesson, I turn my back to the classroom door so that I won’t be seen by my classmates. The last thing I need is to be kept longer than necessary.

  “I knew you’d come.”

  My blood immediately boils from hearing his voice, and as I turn to face him, I can’t help but let out a growl when I see him casually stan
ding in the doorway of his classroom.

  “How?” I snarl.

  Mr. Edmund raises his brow in question. “How what?’ How did I know that you’d be coming today, or how did I manage to avoid going to jail after I supposedly committed a crime I wasn’t even aware of?”

  “The second one.”

  He smirks. “The answer to that is simple. I didn't do it.”

  I shake my head. “You're lying.”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “I am? How?”

  I point at him. “Who else would've done it, if not you?”

  He merely shrugs. “'You're asking the wrong person.” “Bullshit!” I seethe.

  He might be my teacher but I couldn't care less. I've gone past the stage of caring about what I say anymore.

  I needed answers.

  Mr. Edmund's head tilts to the side. “You really think I did it, don’t you?”

  “I know you did it! You hate my family more than anyone!”

  “And that's a reason to kill your mother?” He looks at me with pity, but it's not sincere.

  “Yes!” I shriek.

  He puts his hands in his pockets and looks down both sides of the corridor, then looks back at me with a smile on his face. “You couldn't be more wrong.”

  Why is he smiling!? This isn't the time!

  I clench both of my fists.

  I'm getting angrier by the second, and the last thing I need right now is to lose control, especially in school.

  “I didn't kill your mother, Alice.” “Then, where were you!?”

  He cuts me off. “That's none of your concern. It's not like I owe an explanation to anybody about my whereabouts.”

  “You were obviously with someone considering they gave you an alibi. So who was it?” I grit out.

  He smiles evilly. “Wouldn't you like to know?” “Fucking tell me!”

  “No. Telling you that would raise more questions.” He grows serious. “Now, are we done here because I have far more important things to do than waste my time explaining myself to a failing student?”

  “You have no idea who you're talking to.”

  He takes a couple of steps forward towards me until he stands right in front of me. “I know that I'm talking to the daughter whose father made me lose my family, and I know that I can easily get rid of you considering I created you.”

  “You've ruined my whole life.”

  “Now you know how I felt when your father ruined my life.” He turns to go back to his classroom.

  I'm not done yet.

  “Why did you do it?” My voice trembles. “Do what?” He asks without turning back. “Why did you bite me that night?'”

  He faces me and shrugs. “Why not?”

  “You had no right to do that to me! Why me when it could’ve been somebody else?”

  He frowns. “Why go for somebody else, when my target of that night was you? I’d been watching you for weeks and you had no idea. I knew where you lived, and the place where you worked, and when the full moon finally came, I knew exactly where to look for you.” He sighs. “Speaking of the full moon, it's in a couple of days. Take my advice and keep out of trouble.”

  “Why? Why should I listen to you?”

  He smirks. “If you don’t listen to me, things will unexpectedly happen, and nobody wants that.”

  With that he walks into his classroom, where the door slams shut, leaving me standing alone in the corridor.

  What does he mean by that?

  Chapter 8

  Later that night, I was left alone again.

  I left school immediately after my confrontation with Mr. Edmund, and drove back to Ryder’s house. I didn’t feel like I’d gained anything from seeing my teacher about the murder of my mother, and now I can’t begin to understand that if it wasn’t Mr.

  Edmund that did it, then who did? Even though I didn’t get answers about my mother’s murder, I had the answer of why he bit me that night at the diner.

  The thought of him watching me at home and at work makes me sick to my stomach, and I had absolutely no idea that I was being followed. I was oblivious to the fact that I would become the target of the man who lost his family because of my own family.

  Why at that moment was I so vulnerable for him to get me, and turn me into a monster like him?

  I came home around noon to an empty house, which left me feeling relived because it meant that I wouldn’t have had to explain myself to Ryder about where I’d been.

  The wolves were gone for hours, and when six o’clock came I knew they wouldn’t be returning

  anytime soon.

  I prepared myself beans on toast with a hot cup of tea and took it upstairs with me to eat in the bed, and it didn’t take me long until sleep followed soon after.

  When morning came, a feeling of dread coursed through my entire body. Today’s the day I would meet up with Max to talk about his reasons for lying to me. It’s the last thing I want to do right now, but it’s still something that’s been bothering me, so I hope Max realizes today that everything he says, I’ll be listening to every single word.

  I take a quick shower and dress in a pair of blue jeans, a plain white vest and white converse. I make my way down the stairs and wonder to myself if anybody’s awake.

  I can't hear anything, so does that mean I'm the only person up?

  I rummage through the kitchen draws for a piece of paper and pen. It’s obvious that I don’t live here considering I don’t know where anything is in this house.

  Where could they be?

  I look around the kitchen and notice a small whiteboard on the fridge with a marker pen neatly placed next to it.

  A-ha!

  I run towards it, take the pen and write a message for the wolves.

  Gone out for the day, don’t come looking for me, A

  Immediately after that, I take an apple from the dish placed on the dining table, grab my car keys and head to the diner; the place who lost a good person.

  The drive to the diner makes me think about my friend, who was taken away from me a couple of days ago. Terry had always looked after me since I started working there, and he never, not even once raised his voice towards me. Even when I got the order wrong, he never did because that’s just not the kind of thing he’d do. I wonder how things at the diner’s been like since he’s been gone, because the place will never be the same without Terry. It’s most likely Terry died because of me, it’s like everyone who I associate with, gets either hurt or killed. Maybe I should quit working at the diner, because maybe, just maybe it might save a couple of lives.

  When I pull up to the diner, it surprisingly isn’t as empty like I thought it would be. Maybe after what happened to Terry, people might have decided to come and pay their respects, but then again, Terry didn’t know a lot of people.

  I park into the nearest empty space, stop the car and

  make my way into the diner, I immediately see Max already sitting at a table next to the window.

  I take my phone out of my pocket and frown at what I see.

  What? It’s not even ten o’clock yet.

  He wears black jeans, black and white vans, and a white t- shirt worn underneath a denim jacket. He wears a grey beanie over his golden untamed hair, worn low enough so that his grey eyes stand out.

  Watching Max as he looks out the window fills me with a feeling of loneliness. I do miss being friends with Max, even though we weren’t friends for that long, but being around him was a like a breath of fresh air.

  Looking back at our brief time together, Max never questioned me all the time like Ryder does, and Max gives me space when Ryder doesn’t, so thinking about that makes me wonder that perhaps I didn’t give enough time for Max to explain himself.

  Was I too harsh on him?

  It’s like he can hear my thoughts because his head turns in my direction, our eyes meet and I can’t help but half smile when he grins at me. I walk to sit opposite him and wait for him to talk, but he instead picks up the
diner menu. “Hey, Alice.”

  “Hi.”'

  “Do you want something to drink?” “No thanks.” I murmur.

  “Something to eat?” He skims over the menu. I shake my head.

  He nods in agreement. “Same. I ate a bacon and egg sandwich before you came, and it was really nice.”

  I sigh. “Can we just talk about why we’re here today?”

  He frowns and looks behind him at the clock. “Why are you here so early anyway?”

  I cross my arms over the table and stare at him. “I could ask you the same thing.”

  He merely shrugs. “I always come for food here. The new chef who works here is good, but not as good as the chef before, but I haven’t seen him in a long time. Speaking of which, I actually haven’t seen you working here at all.” He looks all around the diner. “This is where you work, right? The diner by the forest?”

  Hearing that a new chef’s working here saddens me, but at least his cooking doesn’t compare to Terry’s. Nobody’s cooking will ever beat his.

  “That’s actually why I came here today, to quit.”

  Max’s eyes widen. “What? Why?”

  I look away from him. “I just don’t want to work here anymore.”

  He scoffs. “There won’t be any point in me coming here anymore, then.” I look back at Max to see him looking quite sad.

  I don’t say anything to that because what exactly do I say to something like that?

  “Do you know what happened to the chef that previously worked here?” I wanted to know what they were saying about Terry.

  He shakes his head. “I don’t know much. All I know was that he disappeared, and that nobody knows where he is.”