The Rejected Alpha (Book 1 of the Rejected Series)

Chapter 23

I wanted to pull my hair out. There was no way in hell that I could describe what I felt while I stared at the computer screen in front of me with a blank look on my face.

Anxiety filled my body with each passing second that ticked down from the timed test I was taking, and I had no idea why I had decided to take the test now and not later.

Cold sweat pricked the back of my neck, and my heart started to pound faster and faster in my chest while I stared at the clock that symbolizes my doom.

Why did I decide to go to the party and not study?

Because you wanted to be with him.

Panic and dread filled my body, and I knew that I was going to fail. I only had five out of thirty questions answered and almost an hour and thirty minutes left.

There was a knock on my door, and it opened without my permission. His scent filled my nose, but it didn't do anything to settle my nerves. "Why did y-"

"Shhhhh," I said, interrupting him. My voice shook, and I had no idea why. I cleared my throat and moved a hand through my hair before I grabbed it. "I am taking a test, so leave me alone."

The door shut behind Levi, and he walked over to my desk until he came up behind me. The male lowered his head near mine and stared at the computer screen before him. "The hell?" he asked after reading the question that I was stuck on.

I let out a breathless chuckle. "Ya," I said. I took a shuddering breath and moved my hands across my face. "I should not have gone to Nike's birthday party yesterday. I am so underprepared for this test."

He snorted, and I had a feeling that he didn't believe I was underprepared for this test. "Can you print it out?" he asked.

"What?"

"Can you print out the test?" he asked again, not even fazed that he had to repeat himself to me. "Is it the time that is bugging you or the fact that you have to take it on the computer?"

"Both."

"Then..." He pushed me away from my desk and got in front of me.

I scowled and folded my arms across my chest while I waited for him to do whatever he wanted to do. "You better be glad that this isn't a proctored exam, Alpha," I said. "You could end up failing me."

Levi paused and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Huh?" he asked.

I held back an eye roll and sighed. "It's an exam where a person stares back at you while you take the course. I already took one this semester."

He raised an eyebrow before he turned back to what he was doing. "And?"

"And I passed." I shrugged. "I got a B."

"Then why are you worried?"

"I always worry about tests, Alpha, even back in grade school when I was allowed to go. He knows."

Levi didn't say a word, and the sound printing filled my ears. He grabbed the papers and handed them to me before he turned my laptop facing the other way. "Do this and then write the answers down on the computer. He said that you were good at taking tests when you can't see the time."

I gave him a weird look while I took the pieces of paper from him. I was still anxious, but I was a little less anxious now that I couldn't see the clock. "Thanks..."

He nodded. "Get an A." He stood, pushed me back to my desk, grabbed a pen, and handed it to me before he walked away from me with my gaze still on him.

The controlled Alpha stopped at the door and turned to look at me. "I mean it," he said.

And with that, he left and left me in stunned silence before I shook my head and started to do the test again, praying that I could make the A and make him proud.

***

I walked out of my office an hour and thirty minutes, numb. I had no idea how I had done on that test, but after Levi had printed out the test, I flew through the questions and was not focused on the time as I had been.

I had no idea what my score was, but I hoped that whatever it was, Levi would be proud of me.

I paused and pursed my lips, not knowing why that thought came about. Why did I want him to be proud of me, especially when he is controlled?

Because you still love him.

I shook my head and huffed before I looked around and noticed Levi sitting on the floor with his head back against the wall with his eyes closed.

He looked peaceful while he sat there with no care in the world. His whole body was relaxed, and he had his arms slung across his legs, clutching them.

"Hmph." I nudged my foot against his foot, and the controlled Alpha opened his eyes and stared with something in his eyes that I couldn't understand.

He furrowed his brows and cocked his head before he rubbed his eyes, breaking eye contact. "Well?" he asked when he stopped rubbing his eyes. "How did you do?"

I shrugged and stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Don't know," I replied and started to walk to the kitchen.

Levi got up and followed me. "What do you mean you don't know?" he asked. "I thought y-"

"There were some parts that are not electronically graded, and he has to grade them by hand," I replied. I shrugged and grimaced. "Right now, my grade is a C, but that can, and should, change."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then it either brought my grade down a couple of points, or my grade stayed the same." I sighed and moved a hand through my hair, grimacing. "I am so ready for this semester to be finished with," I muttered under my breath.

"When will it be?" Levi asked, and I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

"Final is in two weeks," I replied. I shrugged and grimaced, not ready for the final at all. "But I have a project due before that, so my time will be spent doing both of those things." And making sure that everything is fine with the pack, I added, silently, pursing my lips.

Levi chuckled darkly. "Then I guess us coming here was bad on you," he said. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and slumped forward, looking grumpy. His whole body was tense, and I couldn't help but wonder as to which side of him was in control for him to care about my grades.

Did I care that he showed up when my semester was about to end?

No, because I now knew where he was and knew that he was alive. Whatever was going on with him could be changed now that he was in a place where I was, and I had the tools that could help him.

"No," I mused out loud, and Levi glanced at me from the corner of his eye. I turned my head until I was facing him and cocked my head, studying him. "Now, I know where you are at and have something else to focus on instead of... other stuff."

The controlled Alpha studied me with those blue eyes of his before he nodded his head as if agreeing with what my Alpha had told him. He didn't say a word but turned to look towards the front, leaving me studying him with narrowed eyes.

What was he thinking? Was he fighting their control or what?

What do I do now that he is here, fighting them alone in a way that I do not know about?