Why can’t I just be left alone ?

Why must he look for me ?

I just want to decide for myself what I want.

I just -

Ring ring.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and read the caller ID before answering it monotonously,” Father, I don’t imagine Evan gave you my phone number because I didn’t give it to him, did you force Alpha Tyler to tell you ?” I hiss.

" That is of no consequence.” He says,” What matters is that you come home.”

" I won’t.” I say through clenched teeth,” I’m never going back.”

" That is not your choice to make.” He says.

" No, I know it isn’t, because you believe my life and what becomes of it is not up to me. You’re a control freak who has commitment issues.” I say.

" Don’t speak to your Father that way!” He rumbles,” I would have expected Tyler to have taught you better by now.”

" Fuck you.” I say mostly in reaction to his insult of Alpha Wild.

" You insolent -” he is interrupted by the call of a little boy,” Daddy, daddy, look I made this in art today!” Followed by the sickly sweet laughter of a woman.

I fight the urge to barf,” Father, don’t tell me that bitch is living with you.”

I hear the phone shuffle,” If you mean my wife, then yes.” He says calmly.

" If you expect me to come home with that bitch in the house, then you’re dreaming. Kick her out, and I might consider it.” I pause,” But Benjamin can stay.”

There is a long pause,” You are not in a position to be negotiating here. Three weeks, I expect you back before the last night of the third week is over.” The line suddenly goes dead and I throw my phone into the grass.

" UGH! Damn it, why is he so unreasonable!” I pause and turn to the bushes as I hear a rustle,” Come on out, Evan.”

Evan’s face pops out of a bush and he slowly walks up to me,” You don’t have to be so mean to him.”

I glare at him and he swallows harshly.

" What I meant is, you knew you were going to be forced to come home eventually. Your youngest brother - although he is cute and male - is illegitimate. He won’t be accepted as -”

I snap,” Does that matter ? Do you honestly think I care ? Huh ?” I huff,” Because I don’t.”

" Somewhere deep deep . . . deep,” Evan smiles,” Deep . . . deep down, you know you care.”

I laugh dryly,” Oh Evan, even you don’t believe what you just said.” I pause, ” You know I hated it there.”

" I even have the scars to prove it.” He smiles.

I glare at him.

" Look, coming back won’t be that bad.” He says.

" Yes, it will.” I say,” And do you know why ?” I sarcastically ask.

He presses his lips into a thin line,” I may have an inkling of an idea.”

" Because when I go back, father dearest is going to make me go through with that mating ceremony. I’ll be betrothed to you forever and always and I’d rather sit in a bath of poisonous snakes for the next fifty years. I ran away for a reason.”

" It won’t be that bad, I didn’t think I was that terrible.” He mutters,” Not to mention the fact that I won’t -”

" You’re right. You didn’t think.” I sigh,” But it’s not just having to marry you that bothers me the most. It’s the way he treats my other four siblings.”

" If you take over, you can have everyone treat your siblings respectfully.” He says.

" I’m not doing anything of the sort. I shouldn’t have to remind people to act decent.” I hiss.

" But it’s just how they’re told to act, they’re scared of breaking tradition.” He says,” You can’t blame them for that, I know you were terrified.”

" That and this are two different things, I was scared, but I still went through with it because I truly believed that what I wanted was the right thing to do.” I say.

" Yes, but now you’ll only cause more people pain if you don’t go back. You know the what the right thing to do now is.” He says.

" Evan . . . ” I trail off.

" What ?” He asks in a hopeful tone.

I walk closer and pull him forward by his collar,” If I hear you say something that stupid again, the moment I’m back, I will have you castrated and thrown out of the pack.”

" You won’t, you’re just a coward who changed her name and ran away. You really are just like your father.” He mutters.

" Never compare me to that scumbag again!” I shake him,” You hear me, I’m nothing like him! I’m not like -”

" Then prove me wrong! Stop pretending to be someone you’re not and come back to us, we need you!” Evan yells,” You aren’t allowed to just abandon us.”

" Watch me.” I hiss.

" This isn’t you, please, Ol -”

" Lucy ?” A velvet voice interrupts Evan.

I turn to face Greg. My heart begins to thump loudly as I drop Evan.

" Is everything okay ?” He asks.

I press my lips into a thin line as I cross my arms,” Everything is just peachy.”

" No, it isn’t. What were you talking about with him ?” He points to Evan on the ground as Evan glares back at him,

" Nothing important.” I say.

" What’s that supposed to mean ?” Greg asks.

I turn around and growl,” It means that this is none of your business, and once you bring me back to my college, I want you to stay out of my life!”

I look from Greg’s shocked face to Evan, who is sitting on the ground where I pushed him down to, before huffing and running back towards the pack house.

The moment I got to my room, I collapsed onto my bed and cried quietly into my pillow until I fell asleep.

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