Intimacy | ✔️ {Wattys 2017}

All of Me

"He's at the door," my mother informs, leaning against the doorway as I still sit on the floor where Flynn left just hours ago. Every ten minutes or so I'll find myself walks around the room, only to find myself back in the same location. Flynn left and he never told me where he went. Not because he's afraid I would tell, but because he knows that if I know the location, I would try and find him. Or that it's just best that I don't know. Don't know even though I have no idea how long he will be gone for. "He's enraged."

I expected that. I expected Alpha Cade to show up at our house and demand to speak with me. "Is Luna Willow with him?" I ask softly, watching as my mother nods her head. As long as Luna Willow is with the Alpha, I am okay with standing before the Alpha. I know what they will ask, how Alpha Cade will demand answers and say words that no Alpha should ever say to a pack member. Luna Willow will ask me calmly and politely, balancing out her husband as I know that I cannot give them the answers that they want. That I cannot because I do not know where Flynn has gone to. Gone to because he needs the escape, the peace, to make sure no more harm is done as he has become rogue.

Soon I will have to join him as well. As a rogue. As someone without their pack. Tradition says that the strength of the wolf is their pack, and no longer will that traditional belief apply to me. But then again, traditional beliefs have not always gone in my favor, as I have rejected my own mate and fallen in love with someone not my mate. Flynn's not my mate, there's no surprise involved in that, but the mate bond is merely a glue stick.

Getting to my feet, I grab a jacket, throwing it over my cold shoulders as I follow my mother out of the room and down the stairs. Already I can sense the tense atmosphere below in the living room, the silence as everyone has take their seats quietly, glares and glances the only form of communication as I find my vision beginning to blur. "Amory," Luna Willow greets, a forced smile upon her lips as I know she is dead worried. She holds nothing against me, but she wants my help to find her son and only child. She has already lost one child, and now, she has just lost another. Not lost like he will never return, but lost that he is now a rogue and stepping foot in our packs territory could mean severe punishment. "When did you last see Flynn?" She asks politely, watching as I take my seat, my parents leaving the room as Alpha Cade instructs them to do so. This is a conversation between the Alpha, Luna, and an average pack member who no one would ever think could be in this serious of a situation. Hell, in the yearbook I was voted most average. High school means everything to wolves, as it displays the foot chain for our kind, how the stronger become warriors or friends of the future Alpha, how they will hold higher ranks, and the nerds will most likely remain omegas or go off to college and never return back home.

"Four hours ago," I respond, trying to calm my nerves as I find my body not relaxed whatsoever. If anything, I feel like I'm being questioned in a police station for a murder. "He was here and left. He didn't tell me where he was going or doing," I inform, watching as Alpha Cade gets to his feet.

He shakes his head. "You're his whore, of course he would tell you," he snaps, only for Luna Willow to get to her feet, shaking her head as they hold a strong glare with one another. "He would tell her because he knows she will come when he wants to use her."

My throat becomes dry as I can feel my canines growing, pricking the surface of my lips as they wants to barge out and rip through his flesh. He has respected me too much already. "And you think treating her this way will get us closer to our son?!" Luna Willow snaps, her tone filled with sadness as I know she is suffering. "You are the one that has caused Flynn to do this, to run off. He is our only child, Cade. He is our only damn child and all you do is treat him like shit thinking he will stay!" Flynn doesn't want to be Alpha because he looks at his father everyday and does not want to become like him. He's told me this before, how he sees the Alpha position as a 'sign me up' for mental insanity. He's watched his family crumble and still have to be together, sewed together, just to put on a mask to the pack.

"It all started when Amory came along. The second he stood up to me was all because of her," Alpha Cade growls, his eyes turning black as I find mine as well becoming the dark color.

"Because he found someone worth sticking up for. Because he found someone who was beside him and not pressuring him, allowing him to be himself and pursue what he wants," I snap. "I didn't make your son stick up for himself, he made that decision, and I was there for moral support because no one else ever was."

I rise to my feet, eyes fixed upon the Alpha as I find my wolf coming closer to shifting. "Your son doesn't want to be Alpha because of me, because I came along, no! He doesn't want to be Alpha because not only does he have no want or dreams to be Alpha, but because he watches you. He sees you as a path he does not want to follow at all."

"Cade," Luna Willow snaps. "We are here to find our son, not argue about his decisions."

"What did he do last night?" Alpha Cade asks me, a small growl present as he is trying to contain his beast. "What did he say to you before he ran?"

"I would know," I snap, watching as Luna Willow raises an eyebrow. "Because the second he got here he passed out because you decided to beat the living shit out of him!"

Luna Willow looks to her husband, rage filling her eyes. "You did what?" She's mad. "You said you were taking care of business with a rogue last night. That was your response to the bloody knuckles."

I watch.

I watch as the Luna lands a hard punch to the Alpha's cheek, their marriage falling over like an unstable tower of Jenga blocks. She lands another hit to her husband, Alpha Cade not doing anything as I take a step back. Unstable. Sewed together. Their marriage is held together by a single string as two tons weigh gown upon it.

The Luna takes a step back, her hand covered in a bit of blood as I see she's broken her husband's nose. Taking in a deep breath, she looks back at her husband.

"The moment that we have Flynn back, Cade, I am going to reject you and let the whole pack know what a monster you are. I should of done this year's ago, I am only sad that I did not watch you walk out of my family's lift years ago."

The Luna heads for the door, leaving me speechless as I see her husband fuming mad. "If you dare lay a hand on Amory, Cade, I will send a hunter out on you."

Everything seems to happen so fast, how the head family of this pack has left my house, broken as I know that the pack will soon learn of what has been going on behind closed doors.

My parents are beside me in seconds, trying to have me listen to them, to explain things, but I don't. I head for the kitchen, grabbing my keys as I rush out of the house. I enter my car, making the engine come to life as I know I just need to get out of here. I just need some space and fresh hair. I need a place to think. I want Flynn by me, comforting me, hearing me out on how horrible I feel to have watched his whole family turn to a broken system.

I pick my destination, not knowing what to expect as I head for the front door. Knocking twice, I hear movement as I take in a shaky deep breath, tears forming as I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. All I can think about is how the Luna punched her mate, how she told him she would reject him, how she looked broken as the truth finally was set free. I understand Flynn even more now on the basis of not wanting to be Alpha, how not only the Alpha is faced with pressures, but the Luna is too. The Luna is faced with the pressures of holding the family together even when it's broken. Even when it is a dead family until the string breaks and all must be unleashed to the people who looked up to them.

As the door opens, my vision blurs and the sounds are muffled. Someone says my name but I just stay focused on those bright green eyes. They ask me what I am doing here. I'm led up to the second floor, entering a room where the walls are pained a pastel purple. I'm given a place to sit as they hand me a glass of water. Months ago I would of never dreamed of coming here.

"Amory, are you okay?" Molly asks, concern filling her face as I meet her gaze. With my head held high, I know that I can no longer play the strong person. I have to let that mask drop.

"No," I whisper, my voice weak as I drop my chin and look to my fingers. "No I'm not."