Scum (Book 2)

135. Leaving

I skipped an entire chapter when porting. Please clear your cache and see chapter 124.

Liam’s POV

Chey is really leaving me, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

“Are you even paying attention to anything we’re saying?” I’ve just been told that, because of serious mistakes in my personal life, Alpine’s leadership will not be endorsing me.

That’s not to say that my father can’t go against their advice and make me the alpha anyway, but we’re a diplomatic pack, so he won’t.

“We do pity you though,” the elder says, frowning much more deeply than what’s real. “Which is why we will give you another year to prepare yourself worthy of the title.” What the old man actually means is that, with Dallas leaving, and Royce flat out unwilling to go up against me, there are no viable options in the pack, at least for another year or so.

I wonder who they think will be a better fit, because it can’t be Kelvin, and I’ll kill Porsha before I let her take on any leadership role within the pack.

“Liam?!” I know the elders think I’m ignoring them, but I’m not.

It’s just that every train of thought I have somehow lands on Chey, so I’m too distracted.

“Did you know that my mate left Alpine with just a bag of clothes and a cheap car?”

“What does that have to do with anything I just said?” Whispering is all I hear until, I’m assuming, the men switch to mind-linking.

I remember when my mate would awkwardly sit by and wait for someone to fill her in on whatever conversation was being had without her.

I never really got to experience it for myself because I was away at college, and all of my friends came into their wolves around about the same time, so as soon as we could, we were always in each other's heads.

That gets me to thinking about what my mate is doing right now, and without warning I stand.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m done with this.” I leave the conference room, blocking out my shocked father, who’s mind-linking me to come back, but the elders have made up their minds, and the only person who deserves to hear me beg right now is my mate.

Chey’s POV

Luna Nancy isn’t a bad person, but I definitely think she’s a people pleaser in the worst way.

My father protected her mate and lost his ability to walk over twenty-years ago, but out of nowhere, she now wants to recognize ‘his sacrifices,’ by honoring him with some sort of sendoff party.

When the woman first suggested it, my mother and I flat out rejected the idea, but Alpha Lucas and my father were always good friends, so after a private conversation between the two, we’re suddenly staying at least until after the event is over.

“Come on Chey. You don’t have to look so miserable. This is an important lesson for the pack’s youth.”

“Huh?” I’m confused because the only thing I ever learned at a party was not to accept drinks from anyone ever.

“I’m the perfect example of one day you could be at the very top of the pyramid, and the next, you could be underneath it…” I don’t like what my father just said, so I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek.

“You aren’t underneath anyone, Daddy. Without your sacrifice, there’s no telling where this pack would be. You are their foundation.”

“And yet, not even the respect that should have earned me was enough to stop my family from suffering.”

“Who’s suffering?” My mother questions, slowly placing folded clothes in a suitcase.

“Not me,” Dallas says, bringing some of him and Nora’s things into the living room so that my mother can strategically fit them into our luggage. “What about you, babe?”

“I’m good, and Kaleb is fine too. What about you, Chey?”

“I’ll feel better once we leave this place,” I quip, messing up the flow for only a second. “Still though, the only thing I’m suffering from is hunger.” My father chuckles a little, but he doesn’t tell me to grab something from the cafeteria because Liam has been standing outside for hours.

The worst part is that I don’t just see him every time I look out the window, but I can smell him from any room I’m in.

Dallas has asked him to leave twice, but each time he does, he ends up right back where he started, and I’m not entirely sure it’s by choice.

“He won’t attack us when we leave, will he?” Nora hands my nephew and a bottle over to me, making me wonder how Sophia and Marissa are doing. “He looks broken.”

“He’ll get better when I’m gone,” I reply, repeating what I read somewhere probably years ago. “The bond doesn’t transcend distance.”

“So, you're really going through with a rejection?”

“It's the next best thing to killing him.” Nora does not believe in rejections. She knows they exist, and she knows that they happen, but like humans who shun the idea of divorce, my friend believes that counseling can solve most issues.

I, too, used to believe that, but my mate isn’t someone I have minor issues with.

I loved Liam without reason, but he was in love with another woman and her title.

“I'll ask him to leave again,” Dallas interjects, making me realize that I'm staring at the window.

I can't see where Liam is standing, but his scent is strongest in that direction.

“Don't bother, he'll just come back.” Stepping closer to the window, I spot what I can smell is Liam in his wolf form.

It's not normal or healthy for any werewolf to shift for no reason and stay shifted, but there he is.

“It'll rain soon,” my mother says, snapping my eyes away from the sorry sight. “He’ll leave when it does.”

About half an hour later, I'm only just putting my nephew in his bassinet when I hear the crackling of thunder.

I haven't been able to enjoy rain storms since the time I almost died trying to protect Alpine, and those thoughts push me into somewhat of a panic.

I end up patrolling the house, checking the doors and windows to make sure that they're locked, but I get more than I bargained for.

Liam is still in the same spot. He's no longer in his wolf form, but he's totally nude, and shivering as he gets soaked.

“Dallas,” I whisper, knowing that my brother will hear me.

“You need something?”

“Can you mind-link Royce or Kelvin for me?” I can't stop staring at Liam, who’s shaking so badly now that my medical instincts start to kick in. “Their alpha is going to become hypothermic if he continues this nonsense.” I didn't see anything, but I could feel my brother's judgment. “What?” I ask with just a hint of a command.

“Liam and I are still partially bonded. I don't want to feel sorry for him, but I do.”

“He threw me away, Dallas, you were there for that.”

“And I was here for every day he went without you. The amount of regret pouring from him was sometimes unbearable, and no Chey, I'm not asking you to forgive or accept him.” My brother's words bounce around in my head for a long time before I see two figures approaching with umbrellas and what looks like a blanket.

I force myself to look away, feeling like I'm going to become emotional, not because I want Liam, but because of the situation as a whole.

“So, what’s the plan once we’re on the outside?”

“I'll probably start by begging to get my job back.”

“What were you working as?” Dallas cautiously questions.

“Unlike what you’ve been told, I was a care assistant in a nursing home.”

“Think they'll have a place for me?” I laugh at the thought, but my brother is patient enough for the job.

“I can always ask for you.” We go quiet for a long time, but then my stomach growls.

It's been a long time since I felt hunger pains like this, and my brother had to remind me that there's food in the fridge.

I didn't want to burden my family by messing up their rations, but since they're coming with me, I might as well.

“Chey?”

“Yes?”

“If Liam hadn't expelled you from the pack, would you have forgiven him?” I've thought about it, but I haven't actually settled on an answer.

“That depends.”

“On?”

“Should I really believe that he didn't know I was his mate?” My brother simply shakes his head, unable to respond. “I get why you sympathize with him, but Liam didn't want me because at the time, I was nothing but a pack helper, and now that I'm my own alpha, he suddenly can't live without me.”

“Can I just say one more thing before I stop defending him?” I know Dallas means well; empathy is just in his nature. “I think you may be wrong about-”

“Dallas, stop.” I didn't say that my mother did, and it's the first time that I've ever seen her look disgusted by my brother. “That boy used your sister, and he still wants to use her now. End of story.”

“But what if it was really a mistake? I mean, you saw how many hoops he was willing to jump through in order to-”

“And so what?” My mother asks, but the conversation never gets to continue because there's a commotion outside.

“Is he fighting them?” I never thought I'd see the day when Liam and Royce would exchange blows.

“I’ve got to break this up,” Dallas adds, taking off his shirt for whatever reason.

Sadly, he's unable to pull the grappling men apart because of the rain, and Kelvin seems too afraid to do anything.

“Idiots,” my mother whispers while rubbing her temples. “Chey, you stop them,” she adds, pointing toward the door.

I'm not rushing because it doesn't look like they're really trying to hurt each other, but I don't want my brother mixed up in any of Alpine’s drama because my family's transfer request hasn't been approved yet.

“Everyone, stop!” I'm getting soaked in the rain, which seems to be too much for the still naked Liam, who scrambles to my side.

“Why are you out here, sweety? It's too cold, please go back inside.”

“You go back first. You need to rest unless you're trying to get sicker.”

“Okay, I'll go back. I just want to see you get out of the rain first.”

“I'm serious, Liam. No fighting Royce, Kelvin, or anyone else who's trying to help you, got it?” Liam nods, waits, then actually leaves as soon as I step back inside the house.