Page 28 of Psycho Shifters

The bearded beta didn’t look away from me for three straight hours. Every time I glanced across the room, he was staring at me.

Hatred wafted off him in tangible waves, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he wanted to harm me.

He wasn’t the only one.

All twelve beta women were glaring at me with disdain.

When Jax had pulled the chair out next to him and told me to sit down, the first female had glared at me.

When Ascher had given me a pen and said, “You better return it,” every female in the room had glared.

When Cobra had scoffed and told me I was pathetic for forgetting my notebook, everyone in the room had gaped at me.

Men and women alike.

I was confused because the men were literally not being nice to me. Shifters made no sense.

When class was finally over, I got stuck behind a group of beta women gossiping. They had at least half a foot of height on me and didn’t even notice that I was trying to discreetly get by.

I might have shoved past them, but my self-preservation kicked in and I waited for an opening.

“Did you see that Cobra talked to her? He never talks to women, like ever.” The beta woman scowled like I had committed an atrocity.

Of course, the frosty bastard would refuse to talk to women. He seemed like the asshole type.

Another woman sighed dramatically with longing. “The things I would let that alpha do to me. He’s literally perfect, like a pale god. But there is no way he would ever go for the new alpha. She’s pathetic and weak. Everyone knows he likes strength.”

“She did fight pretty well today, for being so small,” the other beta said.

I swallowed down a scoff. I fought amazingly when numb.

Also, while Cobra was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen, he was also the most terrifying.

Hatred wafted off of him in palpable waves, and my skin smarted with phantom pain where beta knuckles had pummeled me.

My gut told me I wouldn’t recover if he ever punched me.

There was nothing romantic or swoon-worthy about Cobra. He was a predator and should be treated as such.

He 100 percent broke his weird rule about not talking to women because he wanted to beat the shit out of me.

The other beta said dramatically, “Whatever, she’s still small. Cobra’s so gorgeous, but Ascher is also hot. I prefer his tattoos and horns. Plus, rumor has it he’s tattooed everywhere, like everywhere. I also heard he comes from money and, unlike Cobra, he loves women.”

All the women laughed like it was hilarious. I didn’t get the joke.

“Ugh, who doesn’t love the horns? The man’s a beast. Although, I still can’t get over how gorgeous Cobra is.”

Finally, the betas turned to the side, and I was able to slip by them.

Hurrying down the hall, I made it to the alpha dining room without running into more gossipers.

That night, dinner with the alphas was a silent affair.

Jax wrote up a report while he ate. Cobra glared at me, and Ascher glanced over every couple of seconds like he wanted to say something to me, but then thought better of it.

Studying the three men while I scarfed down four steaks and a small mountain of potatoes, I couldn’t understand why none of the betas had mentioned Jax.

Jax was just as handsome as the other two men, and his mountains of muscles were physically impressive.