Chapter 6

I took a drag. Zayle sounded nice. It fit him. Him and the frown on his face. This really was the worst. Why the hell did my mate show up out of the blue? I’d already lost all feeling towards life. Him smelling like a field of flowers and looking like a sinful god himself wasn’t going to change that. It fact, it solidified that I really should just jump.

From the way he was acting, Zayle believed in the mate bond or fated mates. Whatever. Then he’d get paired with me? Some used up, barely making it, male Omega? Poor wolf. Selene should have known better.

I was broken. Everything in me was broken. I’d been broken and then just never bothered to put the pieces back together because at some point, you get broken too many times and there aren’t any pieces left to put back together.

“Don’t go to work tonight.”

I raised my eyebrow at him. “How the hell am I supposed to feed myself?”

“I’ll be by in the morning, four am, to pick you up.”

Snorting, I shook my head. “I’m not waiting on you. You got some nice ass clothes. You’re probably an actual Alpha of some nice pack. You think someone like me would ever been accepted? Some rogue Omega without a wolf? Not to mention the brand…”

He stood up, but I could feel the anger coming off him in waves. Pulling my knee up to my chest, I put out the cigarette I finished.

“Brand?”

“Born and raised, buddy. Got it when I was born. Not that it’s active anymore. Son of a bitch died over sixteen years ago. No one wants a damn branded Omega.”

His touch was electrifying as his fingers grabbed my chin and moved my head to look at him. Goddess, he really was beautiful. That was so fucking rude of Selene to do.

“I’m not your buddy. I’m your fated.” His eyes looked deep into me and I found myself unable to tear myself away. “All I see are scars of your past that you’ve let take over. I’m not going to let you fall further, Riley. You are mine. Don’t wait for me anywhere. I will come here, wake you up, and we will leave. You don’t need to believe me. Not now. But you will not work a shift there. I don’t give a shit what you tell them.”

Zayle was pissed. I could see the flicker of his wolf but he was trying to keep control. Shoving something in my hands, he stormed off and the door down the steps slammed shut. Wincing, it almost sounded like he broke the hinge on the door. Looking down at my hand, my eyes widened. Five hundred dollars was in my hand, folded up neatly.

This was more than anything I had. Pursing my lips, I looked back over the town. The sun was just starting to lighten the edges of the horizon. Maybe I could wait for this once. What would it do? Hurt? I didn’t feel hurt anymore. I used to feel disappointed in myself for hoping but even that ebbed away.

Shivering for a second, I headed back inside and noticed that the door was definitely broken at one of the hinges. Going down the steps, I ran into Tristan.

“Hey Rye, what you up to? Seems early for you to be on the roof.”

I shrugged. “Never too early or late. You smoke when you feel like you gotta smoke.”

“Touché.” He started to walk away before I called out his name. “What up?”

“You got a cell on you?”

He snorted like it was obvious but then he realized that I wasn’t joking. “Yeah. You don’t?”

Shaking my head, I leaned against my door. “Can I borrow it? I want to call into work.”

Handing it over, I dialed the club’s number that I knew by heart. Evan answered, though he seemed pissed. It was the business line and no one ever called there except us employees.

“What?”

“I’m not coming in tonight.”

He snorted. “Bull. You’ll be in.”

“I mean it, Evan. I’m not coming in. Find a replacement. I’m fucking tired. I need a night.”

Evan didn’t say anything for a moment. “Whatever Riley. I’m docking your pay.”

“What pay? I haven’t seen shit in months. Fuck off.” Hanging up on him, I shoved the phone back into Tristan’s shocked hands. “Thanks man. Appreciate it.”

“Yeah, of course. Any time. See yeah.” He scurried off and I slipped into my room.

I opened up one of the packet of food I’d gotten yesterday that I didn’t eat, finished it, and then curled up under my desk. A shower seemed nice but I had to wait for the whole building to go to work. I’d usually take one at the motel but I wasn’t going in now. At least I’d have a day off. I couldn’t remember the last I didn’t work for an entire day.

My eyes closed, only to open a couple hours later to what sounded like the whole building coming down. Nope. Just the two humans in apartment 201 fucking it out like rabbits. Because what else could you do in this town if you had a night job or an off day?

Getting up, I stretched and pulled out a bottle of water. Downing it, I figured I’d try my luck at the communal bathroom. I didn’t get lucky. Hue was there and he fucked me before tossing a few gift cards at me through the mail window of my room. What the hell was I supposed to do with a gift card to a department store, a grocery store and some restaurant? None of these places were even in town.

Growling, I went for another quick jog and shift in the woods. I was embarrassed to shift out in the open when I turned into this measly lanky grey fluff ball that I was. Plus, while there were a few rogues in the city, the majority of them were humans. So it didn’t always go well when a wolf just bounded down the street.

Running to the edge of the northern ranches, I didn’t like going further unless I wanted the smell of cow manure in my head for the week. Turning back, I got dressed and walked a few blocks over to Ginny’s place.

“The fuck you want? It’s like…”

“One in the afternoon?”

She sighed loudly. “Riley. Really? Did you just get off?”

I shook my head. “Got off at four. Dougie forced Evan to let me go.”

“Shit. You finally suck Dougie off?”

Laughing, I shook my head. “If I don’t have tits with the name Heather tattooed on them, he’s not coming near me.”

“What you want, sweets? I’ll see you tonight.”

Shaking my head, I flexed the top of my shoe so that my bare toe hit the sidewalk. “Nah. Taking tonight off.”

Her eyebrows rose. “What? Seriously? You okay?”

“Yeah. Haven’t taken one in a while. Need some me time. Paul tried to get a free fuck and then Hue threw some gift cards at me. Been a shit day. I’m tired.”

“Al-alright. If you say so. What’s up then?”

I held out my hand. She looked from me to it before holding hers out. I deposited the five hundred in her hands. Ginny let her hand cover her mouth as she stared at the bills.

“The fuck is this, Riley?”

“Take it. Your kiddo needs it.”

I’d been funneling some money to her every now and again. Ginny was currently staying in a house with her son. Except that house was always a mess. There were twelve people crammed into it. Everyone on this goddess forsaken town was struggling save for the ranchers but they didn’t even bother coming into town.

Ginny had to do a lot to get her kiddo the formula he needed. Especially since the Dad was some rich guy passing through. He didn’t stay. Didn’t leave his number but left her with the responsibility of a kid. So, I did what I could to help.

“Absolutely not. I don’t want to know what you did to get this, but I’m not taking it.”

I shook my head, getting my bare toes to touch the sidewalk again. “Nothing illegal, Ginny. Don’t worry. It’s all good. You need it. I got my rent covered by my ass and I don’t need a lot to eat.”

She reached out and tried to put the money back in my hand but I stepped back and shoved my hands in my pocket.

“Don’t let it go to waste, Gin. It’s enough for a bus to the city.”

Turning, I left her standing in the doorway, stunned. Could I have bought new clothes, new shoes, food, and maybe even a hair cut? Sure. But Ginny was a friend and she needed it more. I could make my way. But if she got the chance to fuck off out of here, she deserved it. Her and her kiddo.