Scum (Book 1)

9. Livid

Cheyenne’s POV

After speaking to Luna Nancy, I feel better about how I look, but her words have put another worry into me. She said that people will treat me differently now, and while she spoke with a smile, I was instantly made fearful.

Dallas hasn’t stopped making me feel like an alien, and beta Royce’s reaction didn’t help at all. They are really acting like I look foolish, and I find myself feeling depressed at my first party ever.

“You look sad.”

“Only just a little bit, and kind of annoyed too,” I admit, turning to the voice that I know belongs to Alpha Liam.

“I’ve never seen you sad or annoyed,” he says, making me shake my head. I’m always a combination of the two feelings, but I’m careful not to let it show, knowing that no matter what, I have to push on for the sake of my family.

The alpha doesn’t stick around for long, which is good because I just want to shovel my food into my mouth in peace, but as I’m eating, a girl from my age group brings me a drink. She makes a comment about cheering up, and adds a bit about alpha Liam, giving me the impression that he sent the drink over, so I take it without question.

Fifteen minutes later, and I feel like a prisoner in my mind. I’m laughing too much, touching people a little too casually, and when asked to dance, I actually said yes. However, as soon as Jeremy wrapped his arms around me, I felt sick, and ended up darting into the woods to vomit.

“What’s wrong with you?” Once again, it's alpha Liam. I wipe my mouth and try to stand, but I get so dizzy that I nearly fall. “Sh*t Cheyenne, I think someone put something in your drink.” My head is spinning, so while I can hear the man speaking, he’s making little sense. “Let’s get you home.” It's an offer I can’t refuse but when he lifts me in his arms, I stiffen uncomfortably.

I’ve never been carried by anyone other than Dallas, and that’s usually because he’s about to throw me. This… feels weird, and the fact that I have to wrap my arms around the man’s neck to keep my balance makes it even weirder.

“Put me down. I’ll be fine with some water.”

“No, you won’t. You’ll pass out before you finish it, and your brother will go on a killing spree if anyone touches you. Before you forget, what did you drink?”

“I thought it was juice, and Candice gave it to me.” I moan, and bury my face into Liam’s chest, embarrassed by my weakness right now, but the man doesn’t seem all that bothered. “Don’t tell your luna about this.” I plead, but before he can reply; I faint.

Liam’s POV

I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off Cheyenne, who I didn’t realize was pretty until tonight. I mean, I never thought of her as ugly, but she was always Dallas’s little sister, but now, she’s herself.

I wonder if she’s interested in someone, so I keep following her around, wanting to threaten whoever may have caught her eye, but the more I watch, the less likely that seems. So many males have flirted with her, but she’s too dense to realize it, and eventually, she self-isolates, giving me an opportunity to make sure that my mother didn’t say anything too mean.

Chey doesn’t give me specifics, but hearing that she’s sad and annoyed made me feel something strange, and I embarrassingly told her that I’ve never seen her display those emotions, which earns me her silence in response.

I feel like an i***t for practically telling the girl that I’m happy she’s upset, so I walk away, but eventually, I see Dallas flare up, so I scan the area and see Cheyenne being grinded against for all of five seconds before she sprints into the woods.

Dallas has his back to the scene, nodding as his mate talks to him, and sensing that his sister’s in trouble, I make my way into the trees, where she’s clearly been sick.

I know that she’s been drugged, it's obvious by the way she’s having trouble standing, and the lack of the stench of alcohol coming from her solidifies my belief. She’s so naive that she thinks she can just drink some water and be fine, but if I’m right, she’ll be passed out within a few minutes from now.

I pick the girl up, gently carrying her toward her family’s home, which I know makes her uncomfortable, but she doesn’t protest for long. She’s in pain, and she buries her face into my chest before fainting.

I use the opportunity to study her features up close, trailing my eyes over every inch of her face until I’m disturbed by my phone ringing, and based on the tune playing, it’s Porsha. She never calls me first, so I put Chey on the ground, and quickly answer her call.

“Hello.”

“Baby; I’m sorry I left you today. I was angry that your father didn’t like me, and I just needed to get away.” This is the first time my girlfriend has ever admitted fault, and it has my heart racing. I forget all about Cheyenne and sink into the conversation.

The girl keeps moaning in pain, and I know Porsha can hear it, so I tell her what happened, and she tells me that I should’ve allowed ‘nature’ to take its course, which rubs me the wrong way.

Cheyenne may have been foolish by accepting a drink she didn’t see being prepared, but she is still Dallas’s sister. When I let Porsha know that her comment wasn’t cool, she hung up on me, but I have no intention of calling her back.

This is one situation that I won’t see in any other light because I have a sister, and I would hate for anyone to violate her in any way, and if my girlfriend brings it up again, I may actually have to end things with her.

I can deal with rankism, I can deal with short temperedness, but what I will never accept is the unwanted contact between a man and woman. It happens far too often in our community, which is terrible because for every one woman who wants to wait for their mate, there are probably three who don’t give a f*ck.

For anyone to target a woman who isn’t willing is a disgusting and cowardly act, one I will never look the other way on.

Before I can get Cheyenne home, my gamma makes himself visible, and he takes one look at the scene and assumes the worst.

“She can’t consent,” he says. My eyes narrow, but I don’t get to respond because I can hear and smell Dallas sprinting up to us. He huffs angrily as he looks between me, Kelvin, and his unconscious sister, who is slightly dirty from when I put her on the ground.

“She didn’t drink,” he says, moving closer to scoop Cheyenne out of my arms.

“I know. I’m pretty sure someone slipped her something.” Dallas is fuming, and I know that if he goes back to the party, someone will die. “You need to get her home and take care of her. She seems to be in pain.” As if on cue, Cheyenne moans again, and Nora gently tugs on her mate’s shirt, mouthing the word ‘thank you’ to me.

It’s as clear to me as it is to her that D was about to go on an unhinged rampage, and I in no way want to see one of my best friends executed because he was defending his little sister.

“Thank you for helping her, bro. You don’t know how scared I was.” I can’t help but to notice that where Kelvin was quick to accuse, Dallas knew better.

D and Nora start making their way home with Cheyenne, but they are still close enough to hear, so I mind-link Kelvin, letting him know how angry I am about his assumption. He claims to be drunk, and based on his scent, he might be telling the truth, so I forgive him.

Cheyenne’s POV

I spent hours in front of the toilet, completely embarrassed as Nora and Dallas helped me by either bringing me bread and water or holding back my hair.

My brother hasn’t woken our parents, which I appreciate, but he is scolding me with every heave, and it’s not helping.

“I told you not to accept a drink from any male.”

“I didn’t,” I grunt, spilling my insides, yet again. My brother seems to take the hint that I’m in no condition to speak, and he stops complaining long enough to help Nora help me into the shower.

I wake hours later with a splitting headache and I know that I can’t make it to school today. Fortunately, our grades are mostly in, and graduation is just around the corner, so I’m not worried.

“You’re off today,” Dallas says, sitting up from the floor. Nora slept next to me, and I vaguely remember the couple taking care of me at various times during the night.

I flop back in bed, moaning as my temples pulsate, and Dallas brings me water while Nora goes to cook for us.

“How did I get here?” My brother curses loudly, obviously pissed that I can’t remember. “Did something happen?” I sit up, noting that my clothes are changed, and I smell like soap. “No!” I whimper, making my brother hug me tightly.

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down. Liam found you and helped you, Nora helped you shower, and you changed yourself.”

“I’m going to kill someone,” I whisper, still thinking the worst even though my brother has dispelled my worry. “Do you know who it was yet?”

“I don’t, but it was definitely something that you drank.” I nod, standing to change into something more murder friendly, but then I remember Luna Nancy’s words, so I pull out the outfit I was saving for my first workout after I turned eighteen.

I’m livid, but I want to look my best; so I shower, wash my hair, and start calmly styling it as my brother looks on in horror.

“Chey, you’re scaring me right now.”

“Good,” I reply, pulling back my hair and carefully lining my eyes. Minutes later, Nora walks in and sees what I’m wearing. She can sense my mood, and I'm not happy.

“Stop her,” she says, but I hold up a hand at my friend.

“Luna Nancy warned me that this would happen. It’s better that I make a statement now, otherwise, someone else will be at risk.”