Page 59 of A Second Chance for the Beta

“Is that bad?” I ask.

“No, just unusual,” he says.

“Maybe it’s the genes?” Ella asks.

“It could be,” Dante says to her. “You never had real training either, Ella, but you caught up very fast once you had. You were a natural too. Maybe it’s in your blood.”

I like the thought of Ella and me having superhero blood. I need to incorporate that into my comic. I could actually center it around a niece and her aunt. The uncle can make an appearance too… occasionally.

“By the way,” Dante adds. “Charlie met the twins. Liam’s brothers.”

“Oh.” Ella smiles. “Dario and Felix?”

“Right, they were pretty cool,” I admit.

“That’s good to hear because they are staying for a few days, and we thought maybe you could finally start your training,” Ella says.

“Wait, are you for real?”

“Yes, Dante already talked to Livia, and she is excited to work with you. The twins will join her to learn how to lead a training.”

“Liam wanted me to ask you if that’s okay with you,” Dante says.

“Sure,” I say. “The more the merrier.”

“So, they are cute, huh?” Ella says while smirking at me.

I feel my cheeks heat up while Dante looks horrified. “I don’t think Charlie is at the age to date,” he says, a truly terrified look in his eyes. “I mean, she is so young, and teenage boys are assholes!”

Ella looks like she is close to dying by suppressing her laugh. “Are you saying that the alpha’s teenage brothers are assholes?”

“They are fine, but they are teenagers,” he grumbles. “They clearly have only one thing in mind.”

I decide to play along with Ella’s teasing, but for a moment I feel annoyed he wants to prevent me from dating—I’m not a kid anymore!—but this is too funny. “And what’s that?” I ask, looking at him innocently.

Dante looks seriously shocked at having to answer that question while Ella grins. “I’m all ears too,” she says to Dante.

He mutters something under his breath about bees and flowers. It’s the most hilarious thing I’ve ever heard. “Uncle Dante,” I say. “Are you aware that I’ve had access to the internet ever since I was a child? I’m very well aware of how babies are made. Besides, in the orphanage they made sure to teach us about our bodies and how to take precautions. We had a nice nurse there, and she always told us about how the right to our body belongs to us and how to watch out for groomers.”

“It’s good that she did that,” Ella says quietly. “But it’s sad that it’s necessary.”

“Some people are just assholes,” I shrug. “Apparently being orphans makes us particularly vulnerable to those who want to exploit us. To kindness, you know? Kindness that isn’t kindness.”

“Did it ever happen to you?” Ella asks. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to answer this,” she adds hastily.

I’m surprised I don’t feel awkward talking to them about it, not even to Dante. “Once,” I admit. “An older guy in his late twenties tried to hit on me over an online video game. Then he found out where I go to school.” I shrug. “When he found me and tried to invite me out, I kicked him in his balls. Never heard from him again.”

Dante looks very content at my answer. “That ball-kicking move, remember it, just in case.”

“Please don’t kick Felix and Dario just because they want to show you some self-defense moves,” Ella says with a chuckle.

“I think that’s exactly the time to kick around,” Dante mutters. “Charlie said she finds them cute.”

“Not like that,” I hurry to say. “I’m done with boys for now. Rob, the loser, was enough for me.”

“What about Austen?” Ella asks casually.

“Austen? It was cool how he defended me,” I say. “But he is my best friend.