Scum (Book 2)

Chey’s POV It’s only been three months since I was exiled, but the pain of that experience is slowly being drowned in the stress of my new job. The director doesn't like me for some reason, so she keeps giving me the worst assignments, even though there are other people available. According to her, without experience, I'm little more than a glorified assistant, which sounds odd considering that, for my species, an assistant nurse is someone who works directly under a doctor. Unfortunately, it's not the same for humans, but I really need the money, so I don't complain, just like I used to do at ‘home.’ "Hey Alpha Chey! Sorry we’re late. Have you been waiting long?" "No, I just got off. How'd the appointment go?" Marissa is twenty-seven weeks into her pregnancy, and it’s super obvious that she’s carrying. Through work, I found out about a clinic that ‘low income’ humans use, so she’s finally been able to see a doctor, and based on the smile the couple is wearing, they got good news. “It’s a girl!” Marisa says, handing me sonogram photos that remind me of Nora and Dallas. I promised myself that I wouldn't reach out to them unless I was forced to, but if they even sent me so much as an email, I would quickly respond. “You look sad.” “Just thinking about my family.” “No word from them yet?” I shake my head, but truthfully, I’m not entirely disappointed. I still plan to succeed in killing Liam, but if I fail, my family can’t be tried for treason since they’ve literally had no contact with me. They don’t even have my new number, and I haven’t been on social media despite buying a smartphone. “Maybe they’re trying to keep you safe?” It’s possible, but now, I’m thinking about the likelihood that they may be in danger simply because we’re related. “I hope that’s all it is.” “Come on Alpha, seeing you sad makes me sad. What can I do to cheer you up?” Marissa is in an incredibly good mood, and her mate just mind-linked me to tell me that she’s been praying to have a little girl, so I don’t want to spoil this moment for her. “Want to stop and get something? My treat.” I don’t have much cash left, but I recently deposited my cashier's check, so I’ll be okay for a while. “You know me so well,” the woman says, taking back her sonogram image to admire it once again. “What does it feel like?” I suddenly ask, catching myself off-guard because I didn’t mean to ask that. “Being hungry?” “No… Being pregnant.” I shift my body so that I can look into the back seat, the safest place for a pregnant woman, and just wait for Marissa to respond. “Sometimes, it's hard, but I’m so happy that nothing seems bad.” “Assuming I’m un-fated, do you think that a baby will make me happy too?” “I don’t really know, Alpha. You still have a lot of unfinished business with your previous pack, and they may be after you.” Marissa is referring to the fact that I was dropped from the were-nursing program by ‘my Luna.’ It was a spiteful move that threw my life off course and that could indicate that Liam still has something to prove to his chosen. “I mean, Jett and I only made it this far by chance.” “Thanks for being honest.” “Anytime Alpha.” I chuckle, finding it odd that there was once a time I would have panicked if anyone even hinted at the possibility of me being an alpha, but now… I just don’t care. “Let’s get steak,” I add, somehow knowing that Marrisa is craving red meat. “I can’t wait until we expand our pack,” she randomly says, making my eyebrows arch. “I know you suggested that for me. You’re really the kindest alpha in the world and I…” I have to struggle not to laugh as the woman becomes emotional and breaks down, seemingly for no reason. "Sorry, it's the hormones." “It's okay, and trust me, I’m not that nice; you just haven’t gotten to see what I’m capable of.” “When can I?” She curiously asks, her tears drying up completely. “Um…” I shrug, and despite trying his hardest not to, Jett finally loses his composure and laughs. “Don’t mind her. She’s really into sport fighting, and clearly, she misses going to matches.” “Are there places like that around here?” Truthfully speaking, I might enjoy it too. Sparring with Jett is okay, but we’re limited in what we can do in the presence of humans, so we can’t go all out. “I can look around, but it’s probably not safe for us.” I haven't forgotten that Marrisa and Jett have enemies, but we’re in a different state, and I don’t think they have anything to worry about. “Trust me to protect you?” I know that I’m not being fair to the man by asking him to just blindly follow me into what could be a dangerous situation, but I’m confident in myself. “Okay,” he timidly replies, making his mate clap. “I’m so excited,” the woman squeals. Liam’s POV I’m no longer the man I used to be, in part because I’ve literally withdrawn into myself and focused solely on becoming the Alpha I know Chey wanted me to become. I’ve taken a hands-on approach to pack issues, and, remembering some of the things Cheyenne complained about, I’ve made changes that I hope she will return and praise me for. “Alpha Liam, may I please have a word with you?” Lillian returned to the pack yesterday, and finding out about Chey was a blow she wasn’t expecting. This is the first time she’s speaking to me since her return, but I know that she has a lot to say, so I ask her to follow me to my office before she lets loose. “What is it?” “Why did you do it, really?” I don’t know what ‘it’ Lillian is referring to, so I stay quiet. “Was it really for Porsha?” “It was a mistake and I regret it.” The woman slowly nods, but I can tell she has more to say. “You know, Riker told me about how you fought him for her.” “We were young and-” “It wasn't that long ago,” she interjects, glaring at me with an attitude. “Still, I guess I should be thankful to you. He told me that he would have marked her if they stayed together.” “They were never together,” I correct, not entirely sure why semantics matter. “Yes, they were. She broke up with him when she turned eighteen. Didn’t you know that?” Without words, I take out my cell and call Riker, wanting to hear that from him myself. “Why are you asking me this? I don’t give a sh*t about Porsha anymore. I’m very, very happy with the women I have.” I didn’t need or want that imagery, but the truth is that Phoebe is probably Riker’s mate too; he just can’t feel it because Lillian isn’t eighteen, and she’s their common link. “I just need to know… Please.” “For the record, I didn’t keep the information secret for your sake. She asked me not to say anything, and out of respect, I didn’t.” “Did you have s*x?" Riker is extremely quiet, likely because he thinks I’m trying to set him up, but I don’t need him to answer, his silence is enough. Hanging up, I walk past a scared looking Lillian and go straight to where Porsha is being housed. She was at first happy to see me, but once she realizes that I’m not smiling, she panics and runs inside her home. I can easily break the door down, but Lillian is hanging onto my waist, stopping me from killing the woman who manipulated me the entire time we were together. “Porsha, I swear to you that if you don’t open this door, I will kill you slowly.” “Alpha Liam, please stop. People are only just starting to trust you again.” Lillian is strong, but she’s not stronger than me, so I literally pry her hands off my body, pick her up, and carry her far enough away that she won’t be made an accessory to the crime I’m knowingly about to commit. “Stay here.” I’ve given the girl a command not to move, but she can still shout, and I find myself surrounded by pack members who are trying their best to distract me until someone stronger arrives, but Kelvin’s presence doesn’t help. I can smell Porsha’s scent on him; it’s faint, so it's probably old, but it means that they were close. “Alpha Liam, if this is about my visit this morning, I want to clarify that it was official business, and only related to the pack’s overall health.” I don’t believe Kelvin at all. He’s been spending a lot of time with Porsha, more time than he spends with me, or Royce combined, and while it's always in a public setting, it’s becoming suspicious. “I told you before, she just wants to help the man she loves,” Kelvin adds. “The man she loves, or the man she made a fool out of?” “You mean… like the way you did with Chey?” I’m literally silenced. For as much as I hate to admit it, Porsha only did to me exactly what I did with Cheyenne, and just like me, somewhere along the lines, she actually fell in love, but the major difference is that we are not fated mates. “Tell that woman that if she wants to live, she better find another place to go.” “Liam, with all due respect, you cannot do that. You’ve already broken the law once, don’t be a fool by doing it again.” In that respect, Kelvin is right, but the law is on my side in Porsha’s case. She’s still in the probationary period for would-be pack members, and she’s already done enough to warrant immediate removal. “You’re right,” I say, struggling to seem level-headed. “However, I would like you to compose an assessment of Porsha’s stay on territory thus far. You know the protocol. Make sure it's followed.” I walk away, stopping in front of a still crying Lillian who hugs me so tight that I feel bad for scaring her. Sadly, the interaction is misread by Royce, who arrived on scene to find me and his little sister embracing, which gives him a strong negative reaction. “It wasn’t what it looked like.” “I know, you i***t,” he mind-links, making my head tilt in confusion. “People are talking,” he continues before speaking out loud. “Liam, I love you, but I'd appreciate it if you would stay away from my sister,” Royce continues.