O-TFW Ch. 02

Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye

I have nothing, but pain and anger. Pain at loosing Nessa and pack members, and anger at the rogues and at my mate. Ex-mate.

The attack was two nights ago. I had snuck out while packs members were being let out of the shelters. I knew that if noticed by the wrong people, I would be in a lot of trouble. Which is how I have an ex-mate. Yesterday, after trying and failing to find all of the Document's Nessa gave me, I was on my way back for my shift at the stables when I overheard that we lost two other people beside Nessa and were holding their funerals that night. I was going. I would try my best to not be seen, but if so I would handle the consequences. I needed to say my final goodbyes.

Everything was fine until my wolf smelt the most amazing scent and it led us to Garrick Benson, son of Alpha Benson and the new Alpha is three days.

We looked into each others eyes with love and a few seconds later--when we realized who our mate was, his' filled with anger and disgust and mine, sadness. He wasn't my first pick either, but the moon goddess gives us the mate's we have for a reason. And although this boy has tormented me my whole life, I was willing to move forward and make it work. We're only given one true mate in this life. I turned around and started walking deep into the forest. I knew he was following me. I sensed him doing so and gaining speed on me. When I got to a clearing far away that no one would be able to hear us, I turned away as he joined me.

We didn't say anything for a long time. We just looked at each other. Him in disdained and me with no emotion; I had turned off my emotions again.

When I notice he wasn't going to say anything, I decided to break the ice, "So--"

"You're not going be my Luna. I do not accept."

"I kinda figured. I was just trying to see if we were gonna reject each other now or later because I would really like to get back to the funeral and say bye to our fallen."

If I had my emotions, I would have laughed at Garrick's face. It was red with anger and one of his eyes was glowing that golden Alpha color that alphas have when their wolves are on the surface and or want to come out. He looks like he is trying to fight himself on if he wanted to hit me or not.

'Thats because he is. Although his wolf thinks you're weak, not Luna material, and needs to know your place, he doesn't think you should be slapped unless on the ass... what a dick!!!'

'One, ouch that his wolf thinks those things and two, how the hell do you know that, did he tell you? He knows about you?!'

'No, but all mates can read each other's minds and our's has his wide open.'

Before I can say anything, she adds, 'Don't worry, they can't hear us. I have your mental barriers up tight and plus you've been hiding your aura since yesterday.'

I mentally nod my head in understanding, but then I realize that his wolf views us as less. And despite the fact that he doesn't know about Mina, he doesn't think we are a good enough to be his mate.

'I'm so sorry Aminatu. I know you were hoping to let our mate know you existed and share in the mate-tial bliss.'

I feel warmth in my chest from her.

'It's okay O. I'm sad like you, but we will prevail. Hell, you never know, we might find someone else.'

I don't get to say much more because Garrick starts to reject me, "I, Garrick Benson, member and Future Alpha of Black Claw, reject you, Omega Riley, outcasted, omega wolf of Black Claw Pack."

I feel a small dull ache in my chest that I suspect would have been a lot more painful if I didn't shut my emotions off.

With a sigh, "I, Omega Riley, outcasted, Amethyst Omega of Black Claw Pack accept your rejection."

I watch as Garrick struggles to stay upright. His face turns extremely red as he struggles not to scream in pain.

"H-hhow aren't you in pain?"

I shrug my shoulders, "Maybe because I don't have my wolf. I can feel a dull ache, but you and your friends have given me more pain then that."

When the pain is finally bearable for him, he walks up to me and seized my neck in his hand, "Listen bitch, you will not say anything to anyone about this."

Suddenly he smirks, "In fact," Using his alpha voice, "I command you to never speak of this again and you are not allowed at the funeral. Lastly, You have 24 hours to leave this pack for you are now, hereby banished."

He pushes me away, but I catch myself before hitting the ground.

He turns to leave and before he is lost from view, he gives me his final parting words, "If you are not gone by this time tomorrow, you will be treated as a rogue and hunted and killed onsite."

I stood there in anger at not being able to go to my friend's funeral, but also surprised as each second ticked on by and I didn't feel the alpha command settle in place.

'Thats because we are stronger and soon, we will be strong enough to withstand all alphas' commands.'

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I stand in front of her grave with my bleeding hand over it and tears flow down my cheek. Nessa told me that all warriors deserve a Warrior's Funeral and that she wanted to have one when she died. I know they didn't do one last night. None of them would know what that is because its a King's guard tradition. She taught me it because, "You never know when you might have to use it."

I never wanted to do one, but here I am, having to say goodbye to my friend.

I feel a presence behind me getting closer. I know my time is up. With one final goodbye to Nessa, I turn around as her mate comes into view.

I look at his haunted eyes. And before I could say anything, he beats me to it.

"You know, we had arguments over you."

What?!

"I found out what she was doing about three months in and I forbade her from seeing you again." He chuckles humorlessly, "That didn't go over so well and she kept taking you under her wing. I tried everything to get her to, but she never stopped. I couldn't understand why she was risking everything for you."

Ouch! Tell me how you really feel.

He pauses for a long second. I thought he was done and I was going to say my piece, when he continues, "I wished like hell, you both were training closer to the cabin."

"We would've still heard it and came back."

He nods, "Yeah, but it would've taken yall longer."

Once again we both fall into silence. I don't know how long we stood there, but the sound of keys dropping at my feet gets my attention.

I pick them up, looking at Beta Clark with confusion.

"She would've wanted you to have it and knowing her, she would have bent over backwards to make sure you survived out there. That you would survive him."

I feel like I've gone through a rainbow of emotions these past 24 hours. From happy to fear, to Angry at Garrick, in pain for Nessa, happy and sad that I get to say goodbye to her, and now, in shock. That one is new. I look into Beta Clark's eyes and I can see it.

He knows.

"Did he tell you? I kinda got the impression he was gonna take that to his grave."

Gesturing to the keys in my hand, "I was gonna give them to you last night."

Oh.

He followed us and heard him rejecting me.

I watch as he walks back to the tree line that would submerge in him the forest. When he gets to the edge of the clearing, he stops. Grunting, "The truck is by the cottage and it has full power. Take care of yourself and good luck Amethyst."

I'm two for two in the shock department this morning. He knows I'm an Amethyst wolf. I wonder if Nessa told him. She was the only one to know of my wolf and our gifts. I wanted to say thank you, but I must of been in my head for too long because when I look at the spot he was last in, he's gone. Sighing, I look at Nessa's grave one last time and head towards the cottage.

Once I reach the cottage, I grab my go bag from the livingroom and then lock up. I place the key underneath the pot by the door. Rounding the side of the cottage, I find Freya, Nessa's pride and joy. Freya is a limited- edition matte black F-150 Lightning. She never let me drive her baby. Hell, she rented a car to let me practice driving in it and I had to use one for my drivers test. No one drove Freya, but Nessa, not even Beta Clark. Which is why I'm finding myself holding back tears. This was all that I had left of her.

Walking up to the beauty, I run my hands over her hood, "Its just you and me now. I promise to cherish you the same way she did. I will make her proud."

Reaching the driver's side, I unlock the door, hop in, and start the truck to warm her up. I look around at the interior. I've always loved the smell and look of the leather in here. My eyes move to the passenger seat and the tears I was holding back earlier, come falling down my face. In my view was a stack of papers with a manila folder on the bottom, but my birth certificate on top is what confirms that he somehow found all of my documents.

Now knowing he knows my secret, I do my final act as a member of this pack and mindlink him.

"Thank you."

All I get is a grunt in reply.

Putting the truck into drive, I ease her onto the road, heading for the packs boarder. As I cross it, I denounce myself as a member of the pack and much like my mate bond, the bond snaps apart, but like a much weaker rubberband.

"That's because the bond has always been weak. Part of our gift is that we are resistant to high ranking power and is not privy to alpha commands. We decide who we submit to. Even if you had been born to a caring pack; loving parents and had a supportive alpha, the bond would have still been weak because it was not a submission to the pack that we've chosen for ourselves, but one given to us from birth until we came into our gifts."

I nod my head in understanding.

"Well, we have six months until New Recruit Training. I say we head that way, but we take our time and take the scenic routes. Plus, we're gonna run out of cash after two months. We need to figure out how to make some"

"You know I'm with you O."

I feel the warm from Mina spread in my chest.

"I love you Mina."

"I love you too, O."