Scum (Book 2)

107. Leniency

Chey’s POV



Bruno somehow has it in his mind that his mate, a woman who told him that she didn’t like pack life, and wasn’t interested in a mate, will somehow have a change of heart when I ‘confront’ her for being in ‘my area.’

I’m not a very territorial alpha, and everyone around here knows that I don’t go around looking for trouble, which is why the werewolves who already lived in my building aren’t afraid of me, and if I’m being honest, they seem like they want to join my pack.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t know anyone who lives in my neighborhood because I do, but Bruno’s mate sounds like she’s been purposefully keeping her distance.

“How’d you find her again?”

“My uncle asked me to check in on you, and I ran into her while walking toward your building.” Parking in my area is terrible, and I’ve once had to walk ten minutes to get home, so I can buy that story.

“So… I’m just gonna approach her, get aggressive, and you’re going to swoop in and save her?”

“That simple.” I nod, pretending that I’m actually going to go through with that terrible plan. “She should be getting home any minute now. I’ll text you when I see her.” Stepping away from the man, I walk to the nearest place for me to ‘hide,’ somewhat kicking myself for taking time out of my day for this.

I won’t hurt Bruno’s mate, but I’m going to beat the crap out of him in front of her. It may help to humble him since he clearly took my kindness toward him as a sign of weakness, then he took it a step further by trying to manipulate my emotions.

[It’s her. The one with the pink hair.] With a heavy sigh, I step in front of the woman, but the pure terror on her face makes me reconsider.

It's clear from just this one interaction that her dislike for our species is based on more than a broken heart, so if I beat up her mate in front of her, she’s just going to be further traumatized.

“I’m not going to hurt you, but someone I know asked me to scare you.”

“W-who?”

“Who do you think?”

“My mate?” I shrug, not wanting to tell the woman the man’s name if he hasn’t already done it himself. “Is he that upset about me wanting a rejection?” I don’t think Bruno heard his mate correctly.

She doesn't sound like someone who would ‘rather’ be rejected, but someone who feels like they ‘have’ to be rejected.

I know that feeling because, lately, I’ve been wondering if I should drag an innocent person into my drama.

I’ve really tried, but I’m struggling to get over what Liam did to me because it indirectly showed me how unimportant I am to my relatives and to the people I once considered friends.

Not having Dallas to run to when I’m afraid, and not having Nora to talk to when I’m confused is still difficult for me.

Don’t get me wrong, Marissa is absolutely amazing, but Nora and I had a connection that I just haven’t been able to make with anyone else, nor do I want to.

It’s only been a few minutes since I approached Bruno’s mate, but he’s clearly impatient because he’s already approaching.

“He’s coming to save you now.” Again, the woman’s expression looks terrified, so I raise my hand to Bruno, wanting him to keep his distance. “Are you in hiding?” When I first met Marissa and Jett, they often wore terrified expressions, specifically because they’re technically on the run.

“People like me don’t fit into pack life, and the ones who do are almost always worked to death.” I’ve heard of this; some packs treat wiccans as cash cows.

Wiccans can’t really use magic the way a witch can, but they can create potions and gemstones that are rooted in nature. Thus, they’re safe for most species, and expensive to buy.

“Which is why you avoid packs, and don’t want a mate.” I know Bruno can hear what the woman is saying, which leads me to believe that he hasn’t actually spoken to her for an extended period.

“I'm a danger to anyone I'm near, including him." The woman points back, not even looking at poor Bruno.

"I once harbored two pack fugitives. If you want, you can join us. All you have to do is pay taxes and follow the rules." As soon as I registered my pack, Marissa and Jett could no longer be held accountable for their past ‘crimes.’

"But he will-"

"Join her pack too," Bruno interjects, making my face recoil.

He is no doubt an alpha male, and I know he's in line to inherit his own pack.

"You would really give up your title for me?”

"To be fair to your mate, I have a friend who gave up his title for a woman who might not even be his,” I add, wondering if Lillian, Phoebe and Riker are still happy being together.

"Yes, I would, and I didn't approach you because of your species, nor was I following you." So that's the Wiccan's problem; she thinks Bruno was in the area to find her, but…

"It's true. He was actually coming to check on me."

"Are you two a-"

"No!" He and I interject at the same time. "Nothing like that." Now is probably time for me to walk away, but Bruno stops me.

"Please stay close. I don't want my mate to feel uncomfortable." Now I'm jealous.

The man is kind, handsome, tall, and considerate, all qualities I would have liked in a mate. It helps that he looks nothing like Liam, with dark skin and deep brown hair.

His eyes are also dark, but they have a beautiful shape that complements his facial structure.

I haven't left because I was asked not to, but I’m extremely uncomfortable being used as a negotiating factor in a conversation I have no business being a part of.

“And when you’re tired of taking orders from her, what then?”

“That is not how being an alpha works,” I interject. “Still, I don’t think your mate is being entirely truthful with you.” Something is wrong with or going on with Bruno that he may be embarrassed about, but I don’t want to put him on the spot by telling his mate that his family sent him to meet me in the hopes that he and I would become ‘closer.’

Even then, he seemed less intentional than the other males, and to me it kind of seemed like…

“I don’t think he wants to be an alpha. I think it’s being pushed on him and he’s using you as an excuse to run away.”

“Alphas don’t give up anything or anyone.” I just have to look at Bruno, communicating to him with my eyes that whatever his mate grew up learning about our species won’t be erased by a five-minute conversation.

“Okay, this is a little too much for me, and I’m not qualified to help. I was always taught that mates were souls who complete one another, but in your case, I can’t even find common ground. It should be easy to just reject each other.”

“What are you saying, Chey? You promised to help me.”

“I did, but I won’t make assurances on your behalf because I don’t really know you, and your mate seems determined not to be swayed.” Bruno either can’t or doesn’t want to respond, so I go to walk away, hoping that they figure things out on their own, but a nagging within me can’t just leave without adding one last thing.

“Your mate has my number. My building isn’t far from here, so if you need anything, you can call me. If I can help, I will.” Now I can leave, but a sense of unease starts gnawing at my chest, prompting me to run home instead of driving.

I get there just in time to see Marissa being dragged out by her hair, and I’m blinded by fury.

I didn’t even check for humans before I started swinging like a mad woman, breaking the first two jaws I connected with before I’m able to check in on my pregnant friend.

Her face is badly beaten, probably because she was protecting her belly, and the woman who was pulling her hair is now trying to rouse the men who are in agony, desperate to get away.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I say, still trying to comfort the trembling Marissa as I speak. “I was going to look for you, but it seems you wanted to save me the trouble.”

“Cheyenne, be careful.” The only man standing right now is the only one smart enough to back away from me, so I’m not afraid.

“Stay out of this little girl. That woman-”

“Stop talking.” The intruder gasps, probably shocked by the fact that I’m an alpha, and I’ve given her an effective command. “Come closer.”

“Alpha Chey, don’t do it. You’re already-” I glare at Bruno, who must have followed me, and coming up the street behind him is the mate who claimed to want a rejection.

“You can serve as a council witness, right?” The man nods, making the woman who I intuitively know is Jett’s ex-lover whimper.

She already knows where I’m going with this, but before I can even issue a challenge, she concedes.

That’s fine by me, a win is a win, but…

“Who did that to my friend's face?” The woman tries to blame one of the men she came with, but he isn’t one who’s jaw I’ve broken, so he’s able to turn the blame to its rightful source. “I see…” I pause, angry that the people who are supposed to be protecting this pack aren’t better trained.

Jett is at work, and Miguel and Dyson are on job placement duty, which means that my territory was infiltrated. I caught the trespassers, and as an alpha, I can do what I want with them.

“If you want to make it back home, you’re going to let him do to your face what you did to hers.” I point from the man to Jett’s ex, then to Marissa, hoping that the woman says no so that I can use it as an excuse to kill her, but she accepts the punishment. “Inside if you will.”

I have absolutely no sympathy for the woman, and by the time her face is bruised and bloody enough, her consciousness is out the window.

“Bring her back to her father and tell him of my leniency. This is the last time I will show such restraint.”