05. Fall

The way I walked faster than ever, It seemed like someone was chasing me and was planning to kill me.

I didn't even glance to check if someone was tailing me or not. All I wanted was to get away from the club. Especially Alpha Lennox. 

Did I regret coming here?

Partly yes. Partly not. 

Hugging the jacket to my chest, I dived into the crowd of patrons who were still enjoying the women dancing on the dance floor. They shouted and whistled, loving every moment of the performance.

“I bet he is also enjoying it,” I muttered to myself.

I staggered, momentarily realizing what I just said. 

No. That was not jealousy I was feeling there. It was something else. Embarrassment? But not longingness for him. The chapter of our book was already closed when he rejected me just because I was an omega of the pack.

The smell of smoke wafted through the air which made me feel sick.

I forced my feet to walk again. 

Must get out. 

Never a fan of cigarettes and alcohol because of the fact that I could never afford one.

I sighed in relief when I saw the bouncer guarding the exit and just as I stepped outside, someone yanked me in my arms and turned my body one hundred eighty degrees. 

Out of habit, I prepared my palm to slap that bastard, but before my palm landed on someone’s cheeks, the man already stopped me.

A gasp escaped from my lips when I saw it was none other than Alpha Lennox.

“What the fuck? I thought we already talked?”

“Unfortunately, we haven’t,” he answered, giving me his smoldering gaze. Fishing out something in his pocket, he brought out his wallet. It was thick with cash.

My mouth salivated at the sight.

It was natural for alphas to have this much, but I couldn't help but feel envious of it. 

He never experienced the harsh reality of the human world while I had to do everything…almost everything to pay my bills. 

"How much is it again?" he asked, counting his dollars. 

I also had no idea. I didn't even know if someone would pay me after I left without saying goodbye. Probably I won't be even receiving a dime.

Shrugging, I answered, "Depends on you."

Alpha Lenno's brows furrowed. "I hope I never see you again in a strip club, Keira."

My blood boils.

"Why? Up with your discrimination bullshit?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "I just don't want to kill someone because he disrespected you."

I scoffed. "It's too late to act as your care for me, Alpha. Give me the money and go away."

"You don't dictate your alpha, Keira."

The corner of my mouth lifted. "I can because you are no longer my alpha. I am a rogue."

"Don't be too proud about it. I know who you are running to these past seven months."

"Shut up!" I hissed. 

Alpha Lennox grabbed a lot of dollars from his wallet, and just gave me almost all of his money. 

“Here. Your tip for giving me some fun. Do you want some more? Give me your bank account and I will transfer the money.”

"Don't treat me as if I was your whore."

I hate the feeling that I had to depend on him even up to this point. 

Alpha Lennox saw my hesitancy and added, “Consider this my payment for being a bastard before.”

As much as I hated him and what he did, the image of the old man—my beloved landlord came into view. If I haven’t collected any cash tonight, he will kick me out of my rented house.

Blocking my thought from feeling guilty, my hands found their way to the thick cash. 

“After what you did before, this cash is not enough.” Alpha Lennox’s eyes narrowed at me. “What? You will deny that you just stood while your precious women bullied me?”

“I don’t have any women.”

“Ah. Friends… with benefits.” I pulled the cash from his hands, smelled it, and said, “Thank you for this, by the way. A great help for me.”

Alpha Lennox folded his arms in front of his chest. “What kind of trouble had you run into, Keira?”

I gave him a half-shrug. “You stay out of my personal life, Alpha and I will do the same to you. Thank you for the cash anyways. I hope you will continue becoming more generous to me.”

"Men are tailing you. You are living a dangerous life."

"It is no longer your concern. If I die, you can throw my body into the river," I joked. 

"That's not funny."

"Nothing is funny to you. You rarely smile. Do you even know how to smile? Forget it. It's not my business anymore."

After smelling the money, I pocketed it. "You just saved my life, Alpha. I did not know I would be indebted to you like this."

"You want money? I can give it to you as long as you go back with me to our pack."

"Correction. Your pack. No longer mine."

He heaved a sigh. "My pack," he corrected.  "Tell me anything you want, Keira. Anything. As long as you agree to go back to our pack to meet Father. You want me to protect you against the bastard after you? I can give that kind of protection."

Alpha Lennox seemed desperate enough to do anything, but I wasn't in the mood to help him. He wished. 

How did he find out someone was after my life? I also did not know. 

Waving my hand, I muttered. "I'm good. Hope we will not cross paths again."

I left Alpha Lennox like that. 

My heels clicked along the cemented floor. Hugging his jacket even more, I waited for some taxi. The show was only getting started. More and more patrons were beginning to pour in, bringing their friends with them.

A shiver ran down my spine when I remembered what I had done. Closing my eyes, I tried to forget what I had done for the sake of having a few pennies. 

I slapped my forehead. 

I am the biggest idiot ever in the werewolf community, I muttered to myself. 

First, I was expecting Alpha Lennox to want me again in hope that he regretted his decision, and second? I had accepted a thousand dollars he had given me.

Brazen, I knew. 

The cash was still hot under my pocket. 

The money that he had given me was enough to survive in the human world for a couple of days. Or even weeks and pay my bills. 

I hope I will never stumble upon Alpha Lennox. If there was one thing I hated about this day, it was about meeting him this evening. 

Dammit.

Still no taxi. 

The road was not busy. Only a few taxis would pass by. I wanted to take a cab and go home. Had a good sleep. 

"Yeah. That woman who is wearing a jacket. She's the one."

I stilled. 

A jacket? 

From the corner of my eyes, I glanced around and silently watched anyone wearing a jacket, but I was the only one wearing it. 

My enhanced hearing helped me hear voices even from a distance.

My chest pounded loudly as I moved into where there was a lampost. 

Did he find out I was here? Did he locate me? Would it be better if I went inside and asked someone to get a ride for me?

Not wanting to show my fear, I walked slowly, even if I wanted to run and hide. A werewolf hiding from a human? Yeah. That was me.

"Go! Go! Go! We are not allowed to let her slip away!"

I even made my pace faster. 

Was it Arturo?

Until a car pulled over and two men wearing masks came out and then dragged me inside the car forcefully. 

I panicked and threw my fists in whatever direction. “Where are you taking me?” I asked them. 

Panic kicked in.

Did Arthuro hire them?

"Fuck you! Don't ever touch me. Who hired you?"

The men did not listen. Nor wanted to answer me. 

Shit! Arturo will kill me if he caught me.

Then, something hit the back of my head, but before darkness swallowed me whole, I was able to hear Arturo's name.

—----------------

I sniffed the air.

I smelled the smell of the rainforest and the cold breeze of winter from where I was. I opened my eyes and saw no one except the dusty floor and dilapidated building in the middle of nowhere. 

Images of what had happened earlier resurfaced. The masked men when they pulled over their car in front of me. 

Arturo. 

Damn that man. He wouldn't stop, would he?

I bolted upright as pain washed over me. Especially on the back of my head. 

Shit.

Where the heck was I? 

Scratch that. I did not care where I was. I had to get out of here. Fool. They left me with my unbound feet and hands. They did not know I was part wolf and human. 

With careful steps, I moved and walked towards the entrance. No one. Good. Regardless of the reason why they took me (which I still believed Arturo wanted me dead), I had to get out of there.

All I did was run and run against the thick forest refusing to let wariness and fear overcome me. 

I thought I had already gotten away from them when I heard the rustling of the branches.

“Fuck! That woman must never escape!” a man’s voice said. “The alpha will kill us! Hurry! Move your ass, fuckers!”

Alpha? Not Arturo? Who was the alpha he was pertaining to? Alpha Lennox? Did that man want me dead? 

Dammit! I thought we were good. Did he want to take back his money? 

I forced my feet to move even more. Must never be captured. 

I had evaded Arturo for a couple of months.

Droplets of sweat rolled down from my forehead while my lungs were aching for some air. My feet were starting to go numb, and the only thing that made me go was my desire to attain the freedom I  badly wanted since I became a slave in his pack. 

Was this the threat Alpha Lennox was talking about?

My feet had a lot of cuts. Shifting to my wolf was out of the problem. I was too tired. I wanted to stop running, but if I did it, I would die. Running away was punishable by death itself.

“Move! Move! She has not gone far! We have to catch that bitch or else, the alpha will kill us!” one of the pursuers barked. The urgency to find me was evident in his voice. 

I swam in the forest. The wolves were howling at the moon in the background as if they had sensed my presence. The dried twigs snapped as she stepped on them. The cold seeped into my skin.

All I had to do was to get out of this forest until I reached the human world. Again. After that…my pursuers will have a lot of time to catch me.

Run, Keira!

I could no longer shift. My ample energy was not enough for that. 

A gasp escaped from my lips when I lost my footing and fell into the cliff.