Scum (Book 1)

42. Suspicious

Liam’s POV

Despite starting off testy, last night was a blast, and I’m glad we decided to go. Unfortunately, Chey and I stayed out far too late, drank a little bit too much, and had to rush to fully pack this morning.

We missed the free breakfast, but that was the last thing on anyone’s mind, because no meal is worth the amount of money we’ll have to pay if we miss our flight.

Chey isn’t an irresponsible girl, so she’s panicking right now, and her worry has me driving down the freeway at a speed that could really get us in a lot of trouble.

Luckily, we didn’t get pulled over, but right now, the attendant at the rental car place is being a d*ck, and he’s taking his time to inspect the car, likely because we’re all young, and presumably, dumb kids.

“Sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but if you don’t hurry up, and you make me miss this flight, the only scent of ‘blood’ you’ll be picking up is your own.” I have never heard a sexier threat, and neither has the man who’s inspecting the vehicle, but he jots down his signature like a robot, and hands me the paperwork.

Wolves who work in the human world tend to be overzealous. Not all the time are they trying to be asses about it, but sometimes they are.

The interior of the car is all black leather, and yes, Chey may have gotten blood somewhere when she was injured, but while she was recovering, Jenna and Royce used expensive leather wipes to make sure that it was clean.

The scent is still there, but a human wouldn’t notice, and by the time the company does its professional cleaning, not even a wolf would be able to tell.

“Thank you,” Chey adds, pulling my arm so that we can catch up to Jenna and Royce.

They went to print out boarding passes, and oddly enough, once we had them in our hands, an airline worker stopped everything she was doing to assist us.

We checked our bags, got through security, and were seated in front of our gate with time to spare, and confused expressions.

“Um, Liam, what’s going on?” I wish I could answer my sister, but I don’t have one for her.

Only Chey seems unperturbed because, as she put it, no one would be dumb enough to attack us in a crowded airport, and if they were, they wouldn’t live to brag about it.

Sometimes, I admire that quality of hers, finding it extremely refreshing at the least, but right now, I’m seriously worried.

“Ms. Cheyenne Lively?” A stewardess calls Chey’s name over the intercom, likely because she’s an unaccompanied minor, but after a few minutes, she’s ushered through the doors by someone trying to coax her.

Shortly after, Jenna’s name is called, then Royce’s, and eventually mine. I don’t mind being last, in fact, my only regret is that I don’t know what’s going on with Chey, but when I see her, I’m relieved.

The council really outdid themselves by upgrading us to first class, and suddenly, it occurs to me that the humans in this airport might think we’re some sort of celebrities.

The way they keep looking at us is a little off putting, but when they start bringing us gifts, I begin to feel extremely guilty.

“Sir, this is not complimentary of the airline. This was personally paid for by a member of the board of directors.”

That’s what I love about our species. There’s no telling where one of us will turn up or what we can grow to be, and right now, this is like a very welcome surprise.

“We hope you enjoy your first-class experience. If there’s anything you need, please press this button, and…” The woman continues, mostly talking to Cheyenne, who’s clearly still afraid of flying.

When the stewardess leaves, I ask Chey to open her gift bag, wanting to distract her because she’s beginning to sweat. This is a much larger plane than the first, and our seats aren’t directly next to each other, which must not be helping.

“I got a Lamborghini wine set, want to see it?” Chey looks over at me, nodding at the gift, and to my surprise, Jenna places her own gift in the aisle.

She’s seated behind Chey, so the girl has to look back to see the thing my sister claims is an eye massaging mask. Following Jenna, Royce does the same thing, but his gift isn’t as grand as mine, making me wonder what Chey got.

“My box was bigger than yours. Opening it won’t be easy.”

“Oh, come on Chey, don’t make us wait.” I mind-link Royce and Jenna, wanting them to help me continue to distract her, which they do with a few jokes that Cheyenne can’t help but to laugh at.

She finally caves and opens her box, but her reaction makes us stand, wanting to see what in it for ourselves.

The first thing we can see is a new phone; it’s the newest model from that brand, better than mine, and directly underneath it is a stack of cash.

That reminds me that I have Cheyenne’s cashiers check, and not wanting to hold onto it any longer, I pull it out and give it to the girl.

“I think there’s something else in there,” Jenna says, cautiously moving Chey’s money to the side. In fact, she has everything we have in our gift boxes.

There’s also a jewelry box, one that Jenna picks up and opens with Chey’s permission.

Inside are a pair of diamond studs that make me feel like the backpack I got Cheyenne is nothing.

“Those will look beautiful on my mother.” That small phrase reminds me that Chey isn’t like any other girl I know, and suddenly, my backpack seems priceless.

She’s using it right now, and I know that if she had the intention to give it away, she wouldn’t be, so in my mind, my gift is worth more than diamonds to her.

We all sit when the stewardess returns, and although we’re in our own little cubicle-like spaces, I reach my hand the furthest it can go, wanting to hold Cheyenne’s hand.

“You’re going to be a great father,” Jenna mind-links, a compliment I gladly accept.

All I care about right now though is calming my friend, and once I sense that she is, I release her hand, and allow her to enjoy first class in peace.

Chey’s POV

I don’t like flying, but alpha Liam is good at comforting me, so the return flight wasn’t as scary as the first.

We just arrived on territory, and I can’t help but to break into a full sprint as I take in the sight of my waiting brother.

He lifts me into a tight hug, and I’m so happy to see him that I don’t even feel like trying to sneak attack him right now.

“You got tanned!” I’ve always been kind of pale for a girl who spends a lot of her time outdoors, but I think part of the problem was that I was kind of worn out, but I feel fully rested right now.

“Dallas, I wish you were there. I went to an amusement park, I met members of the werewolf council, oh, and I got clawed by a girl nearly as big as you!”

“What?” Dallas’s smile is gone, but I’m not done with my story.

“Yes, she ripped open my leg pretty badly, but then Morgan gave me a healing potion, and look… I lift the hem of my sundress, the only clean thing I had left, and show my brother my thigh. “It’s barely visible now.”

Dallas isn’t paying attention to me anymore, and it’s clear that he’s mind-linking Liam as the men pull the bags out of the car and start loading them into the waiting golf cart.

I don’t even care, I keep rambling on and on about how much fun I had, only stopping when Nora shouts and starts running toward me.

She’s never been fast, so I try to close the distance between us by running too, but Dallas grabs my arm, warning me to be gentle.

“She’s my best friend, you dope.” I shrug away from my brother, and allow the woman to crash into me, keeping his warning in mind.

“Oh, Chey, I missed you so much! How did everything go? Did you have fun?” I recite the same story to Nora, and unlike my brother, she’s actually enjoying my tale. “But you aren’t hurt, right?”

“Nope!” I lift my dress to show the woman my thigh is fully healed, and in the time we’re standing there, some of my other friends gather around.

I start rummaging through my luggage, handing each person a small trinket, including my brother and best friend.

Soon though, the attention is fully on Alpha Liam, and I’m free to focus on my parents, who just came to the front of the packhouse.

“How was your trip princess? Did you come back the same way you left?”

“Jacob,” my mother whispers, confusing me until I remember that Dallas might have mind-linked them about my fight.

“I have no new scars, see.” I show my father the skin on my thigh, and he frowns deeply at the action.

“What was wrong with your leg?” Maybe I was wrong, and Dallas didn’t tell them, so I recite the story again, but my parents are just staring at me with pale faces and open mouths.

“Cheyenne, you should have called us before taking anything magical.”

“I know, I know, but I was seen by a doctor, and I’m fine.” Wanting to change the subject, I pull out the box of Lamborghini wine and give it to my father.

“Where did you get this?” My father likes wine, so his mood has somewhat improved.

“It was gifted to me by the werewolf council. Like I told you, that Alpha Arlon person made a big mistake.” While I’m speaking, I hand the diamond earrings to my mother, who immediately double takes.

“Are you sure all that happened was a fight?”

“Can you believe it? You would think that I lost.” My father winks at me, but my mother looks really put off by the grandeur of the gifts, so I mention declining money.

“Good girl,” my father says, making me smile brightly.

I was going to show them the cashier’s check, but decided against it, seeing that mom’s very suspicious of something right now.

“Let’s go home,” I say, pushing my father’s wheelchair toward the house.

I wish I could mind-link Dallas because I feel like I’ll need his help.