The Beta’s Regret

She grabbed my hand and whispered. “I told you he doesn’t like lazy people”

Had she just called me lazy? 1 worked like a slave all day in my pack and barely survived on crumbs, yet never failed to perform my duties.

Eros walked away and headed towards the inside of his mansion while Olivia began dragging me to wherever they were going

Eros soon entered a huge, spacious room that I found out to be gym.

“Ooh, are we going to train here today, King?” Olivia asked excitedly.

Eros looked at her and replied, “Yes, if some persons can keep up with me”

I felt somehow that the snide remark was for me. Olivia suppressed a chuckle at the way he was behaving and then urged me to get going.

But I was too busy staring at the huge place. It seemed never ending. There were machines and equipment, all looking shiny and brand new, while a soft carpet covered the gigantic space.

There was a floor length mirror on one of the walls that ran along the length of it and a separate section in a corner was where all the dumbbells and other accessories were kept.

This is Eros’s personal training space. You better start moving” She whispered, but I clearly did not feel her excitement. He was the King so wasn’t he supposed to have all the luxuries? What was so special about it?

I looked around, spotted a treadmill, and hopped on it.

Olivia’s mischievous grin was barely detectable as she leaned in close to me, her voice a low murmur that dripped with challenge.

“Hey, Eden, bet you can’t outlast me on the treadmill.”

I arched an eyebrow, locking my eyes with Olivia.

Seriously this girl was being super weird today.

“I agree” I replied and hopped on the treadmill.

Though in my head I said, “Go wag your tail in front of your arrogant hybrid king instead of talking to me. And, though it hurt to admit it, that was the truth. She had a wolf, I didn’t.”

She was supposed to be stronger and tougher than me.

Olivia might have said something but I did not hear the words as the sound of the music system turning on distracted me. And I was thankful for that.

While I fumbled with the numerous buttons and figured out how to get the treadmill working, she walked around merrily and turned the music systein on.

My gaze drifted to Eros while trying to turn on the stupid machine, I think he noticed I was having troubles but he did not try to help. In fact, he looked away when our gazes inet.

“Oh come on, girl. I will not use iny wolf strength, I promise. Just want to give you some motivation

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Olivia came near me and pushed a few buttons, making the machine come to life. She cocked her head to the side, looking eagerly at me.

We never spoke about the ball and her friends ganging up against me because I had faced such bullies in both lives of mine. I learned to ignore them.

She lowered her voice and added, “Didn’t you hear him say he doesn’t want weaklings in lus pack? I am trying to help you.”

Though I had no doubt Eros could hear her despite being a few feet away from us. Had I not been annoyed at him. my gaze would have wanted to admire the grace with which he moved and the way his posture never slumped as he began to

exercise.

He had just called me weak and I wanted to show him I was not, More than to him, I wanted to show it to myself.

I had been called weak all my life so the word hurt even more coming from him. And even if I lost, the worst would happen is they would laugh at me, which I thought they did anyway. I did not mind that.

“You’re on.” I retorted, a fire flickering in my eyes.

“Oh nice, you got back your motivation” Olivia chirped as she go on the treadmill beside me.

“Hey King, would you watch over us and decide who did the best? She asked but Eros merely shrugged.

“I have my own training to do. Just try not to pass out” He said, again while looking at me instead of her. My skin prickled with heat at his gaze but my mind was focused on the words that left his mouth.

Olivia’s response was casual, a dismissive shrug accompanied by a sly smile. Just a friendly competition, Eros. Testing our endurance. We won’t kill each other.”

Eros did not respond and he walked towards the section where the dumbbells were kept. Sliding two big ones across a rod he got it over a bench.

I saw the way he relaxed his muscles first and loosened his body before going forward and beginning to lift that thing. The weight he had thrown in was definitely not something I would be able to pull off but he began to do it quite easily.

Meanwhile, Olivia touched a few buttons on both our treadmill screens and said, “Watch out

I couldn’t let my racing heart show because it was so damn hard to tear my gaze off that handsome man.

“Hey” She waved her hand in front of me, “Focus,” She said sternly and I shook

my head

It was an opportunity, a risky one, but an opportunity to finally shatter Olivia’s perception of me as the weaker one.

We began running and it was slow and leisurely at first but soon Olivia subtly pressed a button on my treadmill, increasing

pace just enough to throw me off.

the

“Push your limits” She whispered and I nodded my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. My legs felt-a–little sore after I had run almost two or three laps before she showed up but it did not matter.

She had a wolf and I did not, so I would have to work hard if I wanted to re–awaken–my wolf by the next full moon.

My urge to meet Tiara, and shift completely fueled me as my heart pounded in rhythm with my footsteps. “You can do this. It’s just running. Just a silly challenge. But it’s for standing up for myself.. maybe this will show him I’m not some delicate flower.” I told myself.

I was beginning to feel the heat in my body due to the running and sweat was trickling down my forehead but beside me, Olivia was having no tough time at all.

She would occasionally look at Eros and I could clearly see the way she gawked at him as her eyes darkened with pure lust..

“Doesn’t he look sexy when he is working out?” She giggled as if sharing her thoughts about her crush with her close friend. When did I become her close friend?

I did not answer and neither did look his way.

Eros finished his set of bench presses and got up from his bench The moment he did, Olivia’s wicked whisper cut through my thoughts, aimed like a dagger at my determination. Come on, Eden. Is that the best you’ve

got

I was literally wheezing and my legs were beginning to give up.

“Let her go. She will probably pass out in the next five minutes Eros said and I saw the way Olivia tried suppressing a chuckle.

What did he think of himself? He’s oblivious more experienced and stricter in this life, but I was just finding my bearing.

It wasn’t fair.

None of my lives had been fair.

My teeth gritted against the effort, sweat beading at my hairline. With each step. I felt Olivia’s challenge like a weight on my shoulders, pushing me to prove myself.

Olivia’s grin stretched a little wider, a predator reveling in its prey’s struggle. My legs were turning to lead, but I clenched my fists, vowing not to falter.

My internal voice rose above the whir of the machines. “I won’t give in. Not to Olivia. Not in front of Eros. I have to show them both that Im stronger than this. I have to meet my wolf”

My chest was heaving up and down while Olivia was running as if she was taking a stroll in the park. And I hated this, hated. myself for being this weak,

Olivia’s taunting voice was a persistent mosquito in my car, pushing me to the brink.

“Eden, you’re falling behind. I thought you had more fight in you. But if you are tired, let us stop. I did not answer but just shook my head.

My face was red and I closed my eyes as the effort to keep moving

was too

much for me to bear.

The burn in my muscles intensified, my breath coming in ragged gasps. But amidst the struggle, a fierce determination ignited within me.

And when I opened my eyes, I saw a pair of eyes glued to me. Seeing that I was not willing to stop, Eros looked at me intently. He had opened his mouth, probably to pass another crude remark or something but I did not care.

I would not let either of them think of me as a

weakling. I wouldn’t let Olivia’s mind games break my resolve. Not now, not ever.

My focus zeroed in on the treadmill’s display, my world reduced to the numbers ticking by.

The race was no longer against Olivia, it was against my own limitations. I pushed harder, gritting my teeth against the pain. Olivia’s astonishment was evident as I put in every last bit of energy inside of me to match her pace and then surpassed it.

And the moment I did that, it was as if my legs could not move anymore. I would fall on the treadmill, probably hit my head on the machine, and sprain an ankle but my body just couldn’t bey my brain’s commands to push the stop button went limp and felt disoriented as the world around me began to swin

色

I fell but not on the maching or the carpet.

I fell into a pair of strong arms that broke my fall. I think I even heard somebody scream unhappily when that wall of muscle not only held me close but then picked me up and begant carrying me.

I was too exhausted to even respond but through a blurred eyesight, I saw Olivia blabber something.

Eros turned to look at her and glared, “I told you both to stop. Now, stay right here.“”

Seeing his gaze, Olivia stopped screaming but I could see the disappointed look on her face as Eros carried me to my room, bridal style.

The last thing I remembered was being wrapped in his arms and I knew I was safe.

Thus, my mind blanked out the next second when I felt his hands around me.