Chapter 4

Brooklyn-

Finally, I was free. As soon as the bell had rung, I ran to my locker and grabbed my bookbag, then shoved the folder that held all of my final grades for each class in it. Without closing the locker door, I made a beeline for the closest exit. As soon as I was outside, I ran in the direction of the tree line that would lead me to my freedom.

Just a couple more hundred yards and I could be across the border and renounce the pack as mine. I heard the sound of yelling behind me, but I didn’t slow my pace, if anything I ran faster. I couldn’t make out what the yelling was about over the sound of my pulse thumping loudly against my eardrums.

I was a fast runner, so whatever it was, I was fast enough to get away before it was too late. Or so I thought as just as my feet crossed the territory line, I felt something crash into me and I was flung forward and landed face first in the dirt. In no time at all, before I could even catch the breath that had been slammed out of me, I was rolled onto my back and felt pain explode over my face.

I wasn’t able to see who was currently pinning me down and punching me, but I was sure that it was none other than Chad. He swung his fists repeatedly at my face and I tried to move my arms up to shield myself but they were being held down by his knees.

“Where the fuck do you think you are going?” I heard Chad roar as he continued to hit me in the face.

“Just let me leave! You will never have to see me again!” I cried out.

“The only way you are leaving is through death's door.”

I started to feel like I was getting kicked repeatedly in both of my sides and my legs. I don’t know how many were surrounding me, but I felt pain everywhere as I was beaten. With all the strength I had, I rolled over to my side and was able to get Chad to lose his balance and get off me. I tried to get up, but I wasn’t able to move.

Laying on my side, I curled into a fetal position as more kicks landed all over me. I coughed up some blood and couldn’t stop myself from crying. They continued to kick my stomach, my back, the back of my head, and my legs. Maybe if they continued I would still get my peace, even if it was through death.

As the minutes ticked by, I felt like I was losing consciousness. The thought of dying was starting to sound better and better at this point. Then I could be free of the pack and no longer deal with the pain of losing my father and the constant reminder that I was nothing. Dying, just seemed like a good way to escape.

The pain in my body started to ease, as every inch of me started to become numb. Is this what death is supposed to feel like? I heard many others start laughing and urging whoever had joined in on beating me and I tried to tune them out. Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I felt my wolf come forward.

“Stop!” I heard Chad yell and the beating ceased.

Still, I laid where I was and didn’t move. I felt someone grip my arm and roll me onto my back and I thought I was about to be beaten again, but instead, I felt like someone was pressing into me and sniffing me.

“Fuck me. The bitch does have a wolf.” I heard Chad say, between the ringing in my head and the sobs coming from me, it sounded muffled.

“I don’t sense anything.” I heard someone else say.

“I do because she is my fucking mate.” Chad growled.

I wanted to die right then and there. There was no way he could be my mate. It wasn’t possible. He hated my guts and made sure to remind me every day. I didn’t feel the mate pull towards him though, I had heard what it was supposed to feel like, but I felt nothing.

Not the static that one was supposed to feel when being touched by their mate, nor the instant need to be close to them. I felt absolutely nothing for him as he hovered over me, with his hands pinning my wrists above my head.

“Get up!” Chad said and yanked me to a sitting position.

“Dude. Are you really going to be mated to an Omega? Her no less? What would the pack think?” I heard Kyle say.

“Hell no!” Chad replied.

I felt his hand grip my chin, at first it felt gentle like he didn’t want to cause me pain. It passed quickly though, as I felt his grip tighten.

“I, Chad Kershaw, future Alpha of Lunar Eclipse, Reject you, Brooklyn Blakley, as my mate.” Chad ground out, through clenched teeth.

“Renounce the pack and then accept his rejection. If you don’t renounce the pack first the rejection won’t work. He didn’t state your rank and even if he did, it still wouldn’t matter, because, by blood right, you are not an Omega.” Skye spoke in my head, her voice sounding urgent.

I didn’t question it, I just took a deep breath and ignored the pain as I spoke the words needed to reject both him and the pack.

“I, Brooklyn Blakley, renounce Lunar Eclipse as my pack.” I felt the bond to the pack break and I felt as if a weight was lifted from me. “I, Brooklyn Blakley, accept the rejection of Chad Kershaw, future Alpha of Lunar Eclipse, as my mate.” I finished.

Chad released me and I heard him scream out in pain, as the bond that links a mate was broken. Falling back to the ground, feeling weak, I expected to feel more pain as the link to the bond broke. Yet all I felt was a sharp sting that signified the thread between the mate bond being severed.

“Why don’t I feel the pain?” I asked my wolf as I laid on the ground, unable to move.

“Because I am taking the pain for myself. The instant I came forward, I felt the bond but did my best to keep you from experiencing it. You don’t need to suffer anymore.” Skye replied and I could hear the gut-wrenching pain in her voice.

The sounds of Chad’s screaming went on for a few more minutes until all I heard was his deep breathing.

“What do we do with her?” I heard Kyle ask.

No one said anything for a while and I wondered if maybe I just couldn’t hear them as I felt myself being pulled into the darkness. The sound of my heart slowing with each passing second. I was no longer tied to a pack and I would be able to finally be at peace. It wasn’t the kind of freedom I had hoped for, but if this is all I get, I will take it.

“Leave her. She won’t survive much longer.” I heard Chad speak up and he sounded like he was in pain.

Good. Knowing I was able to cause him pain, made my head feel light. I could die happy knowing that the last thing I ever did, was hurt him. Especially after everything he has put me through. I swore I felt a smile form on my lips just as the darkness that had been surrounding me, took hold and pulled me under.