Beta Complex-Chapter 62: Terrible Things Come In Three’s

Chapter 62: Terrible Things Come In Three’s
"An accident?" Ethan blinks as he tries to recall what happened. He remembers crossing the street with Beck, the little green man blinking on the light pole. They were almost there when there was a loud screech.
His ears ache just by the memory. And then the vehicle flipped over before crashing into another. His head pounds from behind his eyes and he winces.
"Where’s Beck?" Ethan rasps out. Beck was with him. Did he get hurt too? Did he, it hurts when Ethan swallows, like there’s gravel in his throat. Did Beck. . ? The doctor only mentioned the driver passing away, but what about the other beta? Surely he isn’t - "Is he okay?"
His chest begins to ache as his mind thinks of the worst possible outcome. If Ethan almost lost his head then, did Beck - the heart monitor connected to him picks up pace as his anxiety gets the better of him. Is this all his fault? He just wanted to go to the library to study-
Roxanne sobs beside him, pulling him out of his self depreciating thoughts. Her hand is tightening over his uninjured one so firmly that she pops a knuckle. "Beck is okay." She sniffles and wipes at her eyes, but it does little to help when her tears are steadily escaping. Her cheeks are stained with salt tracks, her make up smudged beneath her wrinkled eyes. Ethan lets out a breath, his eyes closing in relief. "If he hadn’t called the ambulance when he did, you wouldn’t be here right now."
Ethan clenches his eyes even tighter, his memories are a bit of a blur, but all the important parts are there. He got lucky. He doesn’t think he would’ve been able to bear the thought of Beck being hurt, or worse, if he died. Thanks to Ethan, Beck could’ve gotten hurt. And thanks to Beck, Ethan is alive.
"He’s at home." Roxanne continues, and Ethan stares up the ceiling. "I’ll let him know you’re awake when I go back home later."
"And the driver," Ethan starts, shifting his eyes to stare at the doctor, who stands not so patiently as he taps his pen against his clip board, "He died? Was -" he coughs, groaning at how badly it hurts to even do that. "Was he drunk or-"
"No." The older man cuts him off, "I don’t know any details other than that. I’m guessing it was a car problem." The doctor shrugs. "There are no officers here to take your statement, so, I don’t think they’ll make a case out of it. Unless you want to sue the man’s family-"
"No." Ethan says. "No. That’s just," He lets out a soft sigh as exhaustion takes over him, "That would be cruel." He blinks up at the ceiling as the doctor continues to speak about his injuries, but his words go in through one ear and out of the other. He almost died. He’s severely injured. He can’t even move his head thanks to the cast on his neck, and everything hurts.
He almost died. Tears prick at the corners of his eyes, why does the universe seem like it’s out to get him? Things are finally starting to look up, his mother’s restaurant is starting to thrive, and he’s finally able to go back to college. Was it too much? Is he just destined to stay where he is and never climb the latter to higher places?
Terrible things always come in three’s. It’s been a while since he’s thought of that phrase. What is the first terrible thing that happened?
His fingers twitch in his mother’s grip
Ethan misunderstood the relationship between Zander and Chris. Which caused him to lose . . . Whatever it was they had between them. Maybe it’s a good thing, now. With his bad luck, there was bound for something to mess it up anyway. A dominant alpha can never be with a beta. Zander doesn’t even acknowledge him anymore, anyway. Not at the fashion show, and not to his recently sent text, asking if they could talk.
He blinks, hating the way warm tears spill down the side of his face. He hopes his mother thinks it’s from the trauma of what just happened, which, it probably is too. He’s still processing it all, if he’s honest. He almost died.
The second must be the car accident. That’s only two though. Something else is bound to happen now. However, what can be worse than this?
Roxanne stays until visiting hours are over, promising to contact Beck, and to come back tomorrow with him. Ethan tries to convince her to stay at the restaurant. She just started building more of a reputation, and closing it for so long will only do more harm than good. Roxanne had none of that however, saying Ethan is more important than some restaurant. While it warmed his heart, the guilt didn’t go away.
If her restaurant doesn’t do well because of him, is he any better than his father? His answer is no.
Ethan has a nightmare about the accident that night. Only instead of a random man in the driver’s seat, Zander is the one behind the wheel. And instead of Ethan being the one injured, it’s Beck. Only the car does swerve a few inches to the left and Beck’s head is severed from his body, landing on Ethan’s lap with a bloody splat.
Ethan’s hands shake as he stares down the betas lifeless brown eyes, his face growing ashy as death clings to the air around him. Vomit rises to the back of his throat, his stomach clenching with nausea.
Why didn’t you save me? Beck’s cracked purple lips form the words but there’s no sound. Just the high pitched ringing from the screech of metal scraping against asphalt. It’s all your fault.
Ethan lifts his head to the smashed car a few inches away, and finds Zander staring at him. Blood leaks out from his hair line, and for a moment, he’s reminded of when he found him in the back alley of his mother’s restaurant.
"I will never settle for a beta."
Ethan wakes up in a cold sweat and blinks up at the moving ceiling.