Page 149 of A Second Chance for the Beta

Ella glares at the garbage bin. “I will never cook again,” she grumbles.

*CHARLIE*

The talk with the alpha is the one thing I dreaded the most. I knew he wouldn’t let it pass that we snuck off the pack grounds to our liking. It seems like he talked to all the kids involved. Unfortunately for me, I’m part of the troublemaker group, which is why we don’t get away with just a talking to. Technically, he offered for me to skip this as I was new to the pack and didn’t know better. But Ty, Austen, and Gisela are my friends, and I’m not going to leave them hanging.

I’m not sure what to expect from his punishment, but I’m surprised once he has told us. It doesn’t even feel like he is punishing us. This is actually going to be fun!

“A fundraiser?” Gisela repeats once we are out of Alpha Liam’s office and can discuss everything.

“He wants us to lead the school fundraiser at the end of the year,” Austen groans. “This will take so much time.”

“At least I have an excuse to leave home for it,” Ty says. “I’m not complaining. Every hour I don’t need to spend with my father is a good one.”

“Still so shit at your place?” Gisela asks.

Ty shrugs. “It’s not particularly great. I mean, I did fuck up majorly.”

“It for sure is going to get better after we put up an amazing fundraiser,” I say.

“I love your optimism.” Austen chuckles.

“Why are you even hanging in there with us?” Ty asks. “The alpha clearly said you wouldn’t be involved.”

“Yeah, we totally dragged you into this,” Austen agrees.

I blink at them. “Because we are friends,” I say. “Duh. And I am clearly too cool to chicken out of this.”

Austen and Ty exchange a gaze. I don’t know what their gaze means, but it seems they have come to a weird understanding. Boys.

Gisela and I link our arms. “Boys are so stupid sometimes,” she says.

“They are like their own species,” I agree. “At least these two aren’t Rob The Slob.”

Gisela giggles.

Austen just rolls his eyes. “You know that Ty and I are right next to you.”

“We do,” Gisela says lazily.

I grin. “Come, I have some great ideas for this fundraiser. And I promise that once we are done, Ty and his dad will have made up too.”

“If the plan is so good,” Austen says. “Maybe you can get my mom on board too. She’s still not particularly happy either.”

“Yes, my plan involves her as well,” I say.

I lead my friends to the beta suite. Fortunately, Ella and Dante are out for work, so we can occupy the living room and talk without getting interrupted.

“The plan?” Gisela wants to know.

“Okay, so I have heard that Alpha Liam’s brother runs a shelter for homeless teens,” I say. “Right?”

“Yes,” Ty says. “I heard my parents talk about it a while ago. He also built one for victims of abuse who want to hide from their abuser.”

“And Gisela, doesn’t your mom own a charity shop with clothes?”

“Yes, they are for low-income households,” she says.

“We could use the fundraiser to collect money for these projects,” I say. “That way, we will do something for—maybe not directly the pack—but the community of wolves. We do something for the alpha’s brother and an allied pack. We could put together a huge fashion show featuring the clothes from—”