Chapter 3

(Kaeleigh’s POV)

I applied the last of my makeup in the mirror while Tatum sat on my bed watching me. I glanced over at her and frowned.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” I asked, and she grinned.

“Nope,” she said, “So when will we get to meet this guy?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows. 

“Why would you meet him?” I asked, “I told you, it’s nothing serious. And even less serious now that we will be moving pretty soon,” Tatum pulled a face. She hated moving around more than the rest of us.

“Tell me about it, I just want to put down some good roots you know,” she said with a sad look on her face, “I’m just hoping dad finds somewhere with a garden this time, my plants are dying out on that balcony,” Tatum was such a green thumb, she had been since we were young. The apartment was filled with plants, each one cared for by Tatum. 

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed,” I said, and she smiled. 

“So back to the Beta babe,” she said, and I groaned, “do you think he will ask this time?” she asked and I pulled a face.

“I sure as hell hope not,” I replied. Whilst I had been spending time with Jensen over the last few months, I was very aware that he seemed to have changed somewhat. He seemed more demanding for my time and quick to defend me when that bitch friend of his started with her shit talk.

“He said he wanted to talk to me about something important,” I said with a frown, and Tatum scrunched her face up.

“Yeah, that sounds like it won’t be fun,” then she perked up. “But what if he did ask you and then you could put down some roots yourself?” I shook my head. I had a strong feeling that Jensen wanted more than the arrangement we had, and he had alluded to me joining the Dark Moon pack before. I, of course, had no intention of doing that. 

I hated packs and their structures, and wanted absolutely no part in them. Whilst we still considered ourselves the Scarlet Circle pack, our pack was long since dead. You can be the biggest pack in the world, but if you don’t have your own territory, then you were a rogue pack, and they were considered less than the omega rank in an established pack. The standard on rogues is that were we all loners, thieves, murderers and traitors. It wasn’t true. Some were, but some of us just didn’t want to be ruled, but one small group of people who seemed to inherit their rank and not earn it. 

I sighed. I knew that the conversation was coming with Jensen, and when he brought it up, well, then I would have to permanently end things with him. I was kinda just hoping that it would be after Ezra found us somewhere new. Or at least I was in the last day or so. Telling Jensen that I was leaving town would have been way better than outrightly turning him down. But in true sod’s law fashion, he would want that conversation today. I was seconds away from cancelling on him, but I knew he would then attempt to come and see me at home, and I really couldn’t have that happen.

I looked at Tatum and smiled weakly. 

“Aw don’t worry about it,” she said and jumped up and gave me a hug. “I mean, what’s the worst that can happen, right?” I hugged her back, and I guessed she was right. I had been mentally preparing myself for this for weeks. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care about Jensen, but I had to keep myself at a distance. It was better for everyone. There was a knock at my bedroom door and I looked over to see Luke standing in the frame. Luke was as big as Tatum was tiny. The fact that they were twins was crazy.

“Hey,” Luke said with a smile, “I’m heading down to the pool to do some laps. Do you want a lift to your friends?” I smiled back at him. 

“That would be great, thank you,” I replied and picked up my back from my desk. 

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Tatum called after me.

“Yeah, like that would cut much out,” Luke said with a laugh,

“Hey!” Tatum exclaimed from my room and he just laughed harder. 

Luke and I headed down to the underground parking lot. I had my own car but rarely used it since I didn’t really go anywhere that wasn’t within walking distance. But Luke had to drive further a field for the good pool. I jumped into the passenger side of his car and pulled on my seat belt. Luke pulled himself into the driver’s seat and began cursing to himself while trying to adjust his seat. He shared the car with Tatum and they constantly bickered about each other messing with the seats and stuff. They had begged their parents for their own cars, but the only response was to get a job and earn the money for one. That was the only reason why I had my own car, because I bought her. Luke finally started the car once he was settled and began to pull out of the garage. 

“What do you think of moving again?” he asked as he drove up the ramp. I shrugged in my seat and looked over at him. I could tell from his expression that he wasn’t so happy.

“It doesn’t affect me much, there are plenty of bars in places,” I said, “But I’m guessing you aren’t so happy about it,” Luke glanced my way and sighed.

“I’m just tired, Kae. I don’t know if I am actually happy or not. But we haven’t had a home since I was two years old. I barely even remember the old place, just snapshots. But I’m afraid to make friends, especially if they are going to be ripped away after a year or so,” I nodded. I could understand what he was saying. It was hard to make connections. I thought about Jensen and what he meant to me. Would I really be upset to leave him behind? I think I would. 

Luke and I sat in silence for the next few minutes as he navigated his way through the streets towards Jensens apartment. He had dropped me off more than once, so he knew it well. He pulled into a side street nearby and parked up.

“Do you need picking up later?” he asked, and I smiled and shook my head. 

“No I will be okay,” I said. “I can walk if needed,” and Luke nodded. He acted like such a big brother despite being three years younger than me, but I loved him for it. I reached over and gave him a hug. 

“Go swim, little fish,” I said, and he grinned at the old nickname. He had always been attracted to swimming and at one point, you couldn’t get him out of the pool.

“I like to think of myself as more of a shark now,” he said, puffing out his chest, and I laughed. 

“Yeah, but little fish is cute,” I replied, and he scoffed.

“Away with your insults, woman,” he said, and I laughed again. I unbuckled myself and jumped out of the car, closing the door. I waved as he drove away and waited until he was out of sight before I headed round the corner and to the front entrance to Jensen’s place. 

The door was already opening as I walked up and I saw Jensen poking his head out. He smiled when he saw me, and I couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Hey beautiful,” he said, running down the steps and kissing me on the cheek, “Glad you made it. I was sure you were going to cancel on me.” 

“I said I would come, didn’t I?” I said with a smile, even though I was actually debating whether I would actually come or not less than an hour ago. Jensen took my hand and led me up the stairs into the main apartment building. I knew for the most part that it would be empty, with it being owned by the pack, but I was still wary about other pack members being here while I was here.

Jensen led me to the apartment on the top floor, which, of course, was the biggest, and took the whole of the top floor. The building was an old Victorian one, but the inside had been renovated in a full modern look, and was fresh and bright white everywhere. I dropped my bag by the door and headed into the living room. While Jensen headed to the kitchen. The first thing I noticed was the two wine glasses and the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc chilling in an ice bucket on the coffee table. I arched my eyebrows at Jensen as he walked into the room holding a plate of mini cheese pizzas. 

“My favourite wine and my favourite snacks?” I asked, and he grinned.

“I like to think that I know you pretty well by now,” he said with a wink. He placed the plate on the table and sat down next to me on the sofa. 

“Kae, I wanted to talk to you about something important,” he said, taking my hand. Oh shit! This was it. Well, best to get it over with quickly and put us both out of our misery.

“We’ve been together for a while now,” he said 

“Well, we’ve been friends,” I corrected, and he frowned.

“I think you and I both know that we are more than friends,” he said, his voice losing the charming tone a little. Last month he had asked me to be his girlfriend, and I had tried to be nice when I said that I wanted to keep things casual, but he had still taken offence and then I didn’t see him for a week. 

“Jensen please,” I said and moved in closer to him. If I could distract him enough so that he would forget the topic, then we could have a good evening. I leaned in and began to lay little kisses on his neck. I felt him react as I pushed my body against his. But then he groaned. “No Kae,” he said and pushed me away, “I need to get this off my chest.” I sighed at the determined look in his eyes. There was no getting around this.

“Fine,” I said, “Just say it,” he frowned at my tone again, but then shook his head. 

“I want to petition Alpha Daniel for you to join the pack,” he said. And there it was. I knew this was coming, but I didn’t think that seeing the excited look in his eyes was going to be so hard. I sighed again. I really didn’t want to do this. But I knew I had to, because there was no way in hell that I planned to join the Dark Moon, or any pack for that matter.

“No,” I said with a firm tone. Jensen frowned again and huffed.

“What do you mean no?” he demanded, and I stood up, pulling my hand out of his.

“You know what I mean, Jensen,” I said, “You know that I don’t like packs or all the stupid rules you all have,”

“What stupid rules?” I could see he was getting annoyed.

“Oh, how about having to petition for me to join for one,” I snapped, “Or my favourite one. If you did petition him and for some reason your almighty Alpha allowed a rogue to sully the presence of his pack, then what would happen?” He knew what I was talking about, but just stood there, scowling at me.

“Yeah exactly, Jensen, I would be a lowly Omega, and I know what you pack people think of Omegas. You think they are there to clean your toilets and all your other shit,” I shouted. “Well no thank you. I have no plans to be yours or anyone elses servant.” I could tell I was getting angry, and I hated it. 

“Well, it’s still better than being a rogue,” he snapped, and my jaw dropped. I stared at him, unable to believe what he just said. I turned around and walked out of the room, heading towards the door before I started crying. 

“Hey where are you going?” he called, chasing me into the hall. He managed to get in front of me and stood, blocking the door.

“Let me out Jen,” I snapped, “I don’t want to bring you down by being near a dirty rogue now, do I?” 

“Kae,” he said, his voice pleading, “Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” 

“No Jensen,” I said. “That’s the problem, you did mean it. You all think such crap about rogues, and lump us all in together, but you don’t even know why we are rogues. Why don’t we just join a pack or why do we cling to the remnants of our old pack, despite it not being real anymore.” I pushed at him, the tears streaming down my face, “You just think we are all thieves and murderers, and something to step on.” I fling my bag back on the floor, “You don’t even get that my Gamma rank is the only connection that I have left to my parents, or that the Scarlet Circle pack is the only pack that I ever wanted to belong to because it was the one where all my family was.” Jensen gets a funny look on his face when I mention the name of my old pack and for a brief second I worry I’ve said too much. But then I guess it didn’t matter. We would be out of here soon enough.

“You’re from the Scarlet Circle pack?” he asked, his eyes widening, and I step back away from him. 

“You know it?” I asked, and he nodded his head.

“Yeah, of course, I was almost ten when…” he trailed off and I nodded, knowing what he didn’t want to say.

“But I heard that nobody survived,” he said, and I lowered my head and kicked my feet in the air.

“That was the plan,” I said. “We wanted whoever did that to us to think they had won,” I sighed and looked up at him and shrugged.

“But I guess it doesn’t matter because it didn’t work,” he quirked his head to one side, with an unspoken question.

“They are still looking for us. That’s why we move around so much. Whatever those bastards want, apparently we still have and they are still coming after us for it.” I looked him in the eye. I guessed this was the best time to tell him.

“That’s why we will probably be leaving in the next couple of days,”