Paul woke up in a really good mood. He kept dreaming of walking with Linda around a lake, or along the beach. He was really beginning to thank God that her family moved to Rockway. 

After showering, dressing and eating, he was like a kid at Christmas. He just couldn't wait for the bus to arrive. He was looking at the clock on the table so often, he swore it stopped. But finally, he heard the familiar roar. And out the door he flew.

Upon entering the bus, he didn't see John in his usual seat. Maybe he called out sick. He made his way to Linda. But something was terribly wrong. She looked upset, almost on the verge of tears.

Upon reaching her seat, he asked her what was wrong. She subtly moved her head to indicate to look towards the back of the bus. 

Paul froze. He understood what she was hinting at. MOTHER FUCKER!!! He wanted to scream it at the top of his lungs. He glanced at Alice and her friends, and saw John being passed from lap to lap like a newborn. John was being humiliated to send him a message. He had enough. It was going to end now.

He put his backpack down next to Linda, and walked with pace and purpose towards the back. He was eyeing Alice the whole time. And when he reached her area, stopped, never once taking his eyes off of her.

Even seated, he didn't come up to her breasts, but he didn't care. Alice finally acknowledged his presence, and as she started to speak, Paul cut her off.

He told her that when she talked to him yesterday, he said he understood what she demanded. He was willing to accept her terms. But this was ridiculous. John wasn't even involved with the situation. There was no reason to do this. 

Alice was going to respond, but Paul kept going. He told her that her issue was with him, not any of his friends. If she had something to say, or wanted to prove a point, she should do it with him. He wasn't going to stand by and watch his friends being punished for his actions. He asked her if she understood.

Alice started getting an annoyed look on her face, but Paul ignored it. He told her that he was going to abide by her demands. He expected her to honor her agreement. If not, he would go back to trying to help people, and let the chips fall where they may.

He asked her to release John. He told her that her reputation was that she honored her word, and John had nothing to do with anything. 

Alice was quiet, but her look was menacing. What started off as humoring a pathetic Beta’s dramatic scene was turning into something she didn't expect.

She told her friend to release John. Her friend was going to say something, but Alice said to do it now. And the girl put John back on the floor, and they watched him go back to his seat.

Alice leaned forward, and her face was still higher than Paul's. But if she expected him to flinch, she was disappointed. Paul told her that if she wanted him to obey her demands, he had a couple of his own. He didn't want Todd, John, or Linda bothered by an Alpha. It was a fair trade to him.

Alice sat back up, considering what Paul said. She thought for a moment, then agreed, but lowering her face to his, told him that if he disobeyed her orders, his friends would pay the price. Paul told her he understood.

Alice sat back up, but Paul had one more request. He didn't want any Alpha intentionally trying to goad him into a reaction that might cause her to take action. Alice agreed. And with that, Paul thanked her, turned, and headed back towards Linda. 

Paul never noticed that every pair of eyes on the bus were staring at him. Betas, tweeners, other Alphas were stunned that he did something they couldn't do, stood up to Alice and her friends. 

He checked on John. He saw that his friend had been crying at being humiliated like that. Paul apologized for putting him in harm's way.

Then he made his way to Linda and sat down. She noticed that he was shaking. But she put her arm around him to comfort him and calm him. She could feel his heart beating at seemed like 1000 beats per minute. 

And when he calmed down enough, he kept thinking of the incident with Alice yesterday. The more he thought, the more he disliked the alternatives. And he thought to himself that if life hands you fucking lemons, you are going to eat those fucking lemons, and you are going to fucking like it!

He was extremely disappointed in himself for agreeing to sacrifice a core principle, but compromises were sometimes required. It was the only way he could be sure that Todd, John, and especially Linda, would be safe.

And he understood what had really happened. He knew Alice “allowed” him to win that moment, because she had the upper hand where the safety of his friends were concerned. He knew all about strategic retreats by superior forces that would lull their enemy into a false sense of security. Then they could pounce and destroy them with no problem. He wasn't going to give her the chance.

Alice, meanwhile, was a little impressed by Paul. No one, not even fellow Alphas, had ever showed the balls this Beta showed when talking to her. He had guts, and showed no fear. She would grant his request concerning his friends, because they were her true leverage over him. She was very curious to see if he would keep his word. And she sensed he would.