Scum (Book 1)

45. Amicable

Chey's POV

There was a small attack last night, and because Alpha Liam fell asleep on duty, someone was injured, so he's in even more trouble now.

I feel for the man because his father purposefully assigned him to something that doesn’t suit his nature, but I don't feel bad enough to speak up for him

Recently, my brother, his mate, and Kelvin were outed as 'co-conspirators,' so they've been given punishments too, but Nora was spared because she's pregnant. However, she was suspended from work for four days, meaning her paycheck this week won't stretch far.

Fortunately, my friend is very opportunistic, so she's using the time to see a doctor, and to shop for the nursery.

The pack delivers babies, but we don’t have the tools for prenatal care, so she has to travel to make sure everything is normal, and since Dallas’s shift starts from midafternoon, he can accompany his mate without conflict.

Sadly, giving my brother and Kelvin kitchen duty was more of a punishment for everyone else, but our alpha must have anticipated that because both men have gone from being among the most popular, to two of the most disliked in a matter of days.

As for me, I can confidently watch one infant; just one. Young toddlers are out of the question, but three- and four-year-olds are easy, especially since I have the energy to run them to exhaustion.

Still, I think that these punishments are good for everyone because now Liam and the golden boys will understand the sacrifices pack members make.

On the downside of things, I overheard my mother talking to our Luna, and they were plotting to have me permanently placed in childcare, but I will literally run away before I allow that to happen, so right now, I’m on my way to complain, and possibly beg our alpha to intervene before I do something drastic.

“Here to mock me?” I have to pass the area where Alpha Liam is balancing on two raised wooden slabs wearing acupuncture sandals.

I’m not here to gloat, nor am I here to see him, but since he called out to me, I stick my tongue out at the man, and make a mocking face, knowing that he can’t come after me or he’ll have to start all over again.

Outside of the alpha’s office, I knock, and because he can probably smell that it’s me, the man comes to the door personally.

“The answer is no. A punishment is a punishment, and you will serve out the remainder of your time.”

“I understand Alpha, I just wanted to remind you that my orientation is in two days.” That is not why I came, but it allows me entry to Alpha Lucas’s office, where I sit with a smile.

“Do you need anything?”

“No sir, but I am concerned. I overheard my mother talking to Luna Nancy, and they seem to think it’s best for me to abandon my previous posts to become a full-time nanny.” Again, that’s not exactly true, but it’s true enough. “I’m just worried because-”

“Cheyenne,” the man interrupts, lounging back in his chair with a raised brow. “Like your father, you’re no good at lying; just tell me what the problem is.”

“I don’t want to be a nanny,” I whine, making the man shrill in laughter as I petulantly cross my arms and look away

“Had I known this was the best way to get to you, I would have done this years ago.”

“Alpha! I’m not that bad…”

“No Chey, you are not, but you are stubborn, headstrong, impulsive, reckless and-”

“You know all those words mean the same thing, right?” Again, my alpha laughs, and this time I have to laugh with him. “Alpha Lucas, I’m really sorry about what I did, but you know my family situation. I really didn’t think; I just agreed because I knew it would help, but thinking back, I know what my mistake was.” Now I’m being truthful.

I’m not the only person in the pack who works hard, and if anyone else knew that I was planning to misuse resources to boost Alpha Liam’s ego, they’d be extremely disappointed with me. I don’t like that thought, and I don’t want that kind of negativity following me around, especially since there’s no telling when I will meet my fated partner.

“I wish Liam could be as honest as you, but no, he’s dumb, stubborn, and careless enough to actually sleep while he should be protecting his fellow pack members.” Suddenly, a sinister and self-serving idea comes to mind, so I sit up wearing my best smile.

Liam’s POV

Cheyenne came sprinting past me at a speed that almost made me run after her, but if I move, I’m stuck here for another twelve hours, and these damn sandals are the worst form of torture.

They’re classified as a health tool, but we use them as a torture device, and right now, I really, really regret resting my eyes for just long enough for a random scout to trespass on the area.

He was good, and he got away, but the most disturbing thing is that he was clearly looking for someone.

My father believes that it’s Chey, but Morgan Donovan is visiting soon, and I don’t doubt that her father sent someone ahead to make sure that she would be safe.

“What’s going on?” My father is carrying a chair, and when he sets it down to sit and stare at me, I start to get nervous. “What?”

“If you survive the next twenty minutes, I’ll let you off, and take you off of patrol duty.”

“Deal.” I probably should have asked more questions, because Chey comes back carrying a bin that I can smell from here. “Dad…?”

“Fifteen minutes left, and Chey, remember only four throws per minute.”

“Four throws per minute? Four throws of what?” Chey ties something over her nose and mouth, but not before she gives me a sinister smirk that tells me that I’m not going to like this.

The first dirty diaper to wiz past me made my eyes go wide, and fifteen seconds later, the second diaper nearly hit my head, almost making me fall.

“Chey… you better stop it right now.”

“Alpha Liam, I’m doing this for the good of the pack.” An especially soggy diaper hits my leg, and it’s then that I realize that Chey is dragging this out. She’s not missing, she’s messing with my head, likely trying to get me to react.

“Dad… stop her.”

“Why? She’s just following her alpha’s orders.” I’m absolutely livid, but all I have to do is stand here and wait until the time is up.

I don’t know how my father managed it, but there was no foot traffic in this area, so I’m not as humiliated as I would be, but I hear what Chey is saying as she throws the diapers at me, and she’s just as angry as I am, if not more.

“TIME!” My father shouts, and in an instant, I kick off the acupuncture shoes and rush my ‘attacker.’

She may have made a deal with my father, but I’m about to kick her ass, only she looks like she’s been waiting for this moment, so she assumes a defensive posture.

However, as soon as my fist goes to connect with her chest, my father links an arm undermine and holds me still, allowing Chey to punch me several times before she flees.

I’ll ask my father about that later, but for right now, I need to catch up to Cheyenne. I can hear her laughing hysterically as she runs, but all it does is make me want to go after her more.

“You hurt her, and I’ll kill you myself.”

“I’m your son,” I say to the man, shocked because he’s still holding me.

“And Chey starts school in two days. She hasn’t laughed like this in a long time. You owe it to her.” Saying it like that makes me calm down, but I’m going to make Chey pay for this, I just don’t know how yet.

Cheyenne’s POV

Orientation starts today, but Alpha Liam is dragging his feet, making me nervous because he knows that I hate being late.

He is my escort, odd because, he holds a higher rank than I do, but this is part of his punishment as well.

“Alpha Liam please… I don’t want to miss anything.” In response the man yawns, so I take a deep breath and climb into his car, almost crying from the level of frustration I feel.

This is my career, my future, and the key to my family’s comfort, and while I know it’s none of Alpha Liam’s concern, I thought he would have a little sympathy for me.

“Sorry Chey, my feet still hurt, and I’ve not been able to sleep well because I’ve been having nightmares about dirty diapers. We’ll get there on time, I promise.” That was a bogus promise, I can hear the sarcasm in Liam’s tone, but the fact is that I’m on my own right now.

All I can do is hope that he speeds, but it’s likely that he’s going to get even with me for what I did, so taking a hint from Jenna, I switch gears.

“I understand, the opening of orientation is always boring anyway, so I wouldn’t be missing much. I don’t mind.”

“Horrible liar,” Liam says, glancing over at me while starting the car.

“Why does everyone say that?”

“Just think of it as a compliment. You don’t need to learn how to lie anyway.” I shrug, and after a while, Liam and I are on the road, and although he isn’t really speeding, we’re making good time, and the GPS says that we’ll arrive fifteen minutes early.

“So, Cheyenne the man is finally going to college.”

“Were-nursing, not college. We only learn one thing.” Liam knows that the were-nursing program is an intense, two-month course that’s concluded with a series of exams.

To qualify, you need to be a registered nurse, and I just so happened to go to a high school with a unique dual credit program that allowed me to graduate with my diploma and my nursing degree.

“Same thing if you ask me.”

“I don’t know… Jenna says that college is like a giant party with homework. This program is literally all homework.”

“You nervous?”

“About failing?” Liam nods, but I have no worries in that department. “Alpha Liam, this career path is literally all I have thought about since I was fourteen. Failing isn’t an option.” It’s good that we’re talking normally right now, and for the sake of peace, I hope that we remain amicable.