Chapter 2

414words2026-01-19 03:52

Back in our small town, my grades had been excellent, but they were barely average by elite prep school standards. Still, after jumping through countless hoops, I finally got an acceptance letter from St. Mary's Preparatory Academy in Boston. The place was famous for sending kids to Harvard and MIT, charged tuition that would make most people faint, and catered almost exclusively to prominent Alpha families.

On my first day, I stood before the imposing red brick building, gazing up at ancient walls draped with ivy. Every blade of grass was perfectly manicured, and the air was thick with Alpha pheromones—making me, a Beta, feel both intimidated and strangely thrilled.

"Welcome to St. Mary's," the admissions director said with practiced enthusiasm as she shook my hand. "We're very pleased to have... promising students like you joining us."

There was that slight pause in her words. Though she tried to mask it, I caught that subtle hesitation—clearly, small-town Betas weren't exactly what they had in mind.

Walking through campus, I watched groups of students chatting, their confident auras making me shrink into myself. Everyone here seemed born to belong, while I... I had to prove I deserved to even breathe the same air.

"This is your fresh start," I whispered to myself.

Mrs. Harrison, our homeroom teacher, led me to the front of the class.

"Everyone, this is our new classmate Lily Thompson. She's transferred from... a school elsewhere. Please make her feel welcome."

Her words carried that same loaded pause as the admissions director, as if "elsewhere" needed special emphasis. I stood there, skin crawling with discomfort.

A voice immediately piped up from the back—a blonde Alpha girl with a practiced sneer: "Where are you from? Does your family own any businesses in Boston?"

I answered honestly: "I'm from a small town in Oregon. My mom sells lamb, and our family... we're not from any distinguished Alpha lineage."

"Oh my God," the girl laughed, not bothering to hide her disdain. "A Beta actually thinks she belongs in our school? Do you really think someone with your background can handle real education?"

Mrs. Harrison cleared her throat: "Madison, watch your tone. Lily is a properly enrolled student who has paid her tuition."

Madison rolled her eyes and muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear: "Great, now any random nobody can buy their way in. Does a Beta even deserve to breathe our air?"

I said nothing, just walked quietly to the only empty seat.