Rejected By the Alpha (Forbidden Alpha Kings #5)

4. Kaylee

4

Kaylee

“David said we have room in our trailer for a bed for you. Do you want us to take yours apart?” Miss Amelia walks in as I finish taping up the last box, startling me and making me drop the tape gun. She apologizes and rushes to pick it up for me.

“No. I don’t want my bed. It is too small for me now,” I manage to mumble as I take the tape gun back. She nods, looking around the now empty room, until her eyes land on my parents’ bed. I haven’t laid on top of it since their death, too afraid to lose their scent for good.

“How about we bring theirs then? Add another piece of them to your new life,” she states, giving me a wink and a wide grin. I grin back, looking at the sturdy wooden frame that is older than I am. I like this idea and agree right away, before we walk through the house one last time, until we end up in the garage. My mother was a gardener, and I note that her things—including her many seeds—are packed away. I know that wherever I end up, I will want to plant a garden with her seeds.

“I loaded her potted plants into the bed of your pickup truck. I told David he has to dig up her lilac bush before we leave because I refuse to leave that beautiful bush for these goddess-forsaken wolves.” I laugh at Miss Amelia’s grumbling, doubling over as my laughter takes over. I have never seen Miss Amelia so ruffled before, but I have a feeling she is done with her younger brother’s bullshit. She stares at me for a moment, her eyes not hiding the fact she is wondering if I’ve lost my mind and honestly, I think I have. The last twenty-four hours have taken their toll on me. Laughing is better than crying, at least.

“We will not let them have your parents’ hard work,” David’s voice sounds from the open garage doorway and brings me from my laughing fit. Two of his pups, Lace and Henry, peek out from behind him and I smile, opening my arms for the pups to rush in and give me a hug.

“Daddy told us what happened. You deserve better,” eight-year-old Lace states. I smile, thanking her as the two pull away, and Henry tells me he is excited for this new adventure. Adam stands beside his father, the fourteen-year-old staring at me before he nods a greeting.

“So, are we all packed?” David asks, coming to hug his wife.

“We are. Kaylee and I did a final count of what we are taking, so I will show you what to move.” With Miss Amelia’s confirmation, the six of us get to work loading my things into the trailer that is hooked to my truck. David told me that while Miss Amelia was taking care of my wounds while I was unconscious, he took care of hooking my dad’s trailer to my pickup truck.

It takes us another three hours to pack away my belongings, the last item being my mother’s wedding dress that I stowed carefully in the cabin of my truck. With time to spare, I think of my best friend and sworn brother, Simon.

Simon and I grew up together with Lucas. He will be next in line as beta when I leave. Deciding I need to leave him an explanation, I write a letter for Simon to find, knowing that my best friend will understand why I left when I did, and telling him the house is his if he wants it, leaving the deed inside the letter. I know he is looking for his own place for himself, and will appreciate this gesture. I also know he will take good care of my childhood home.

“We have three hours left before the deadline. Do you want to say goodbye to anyone?” David asks as I close the door to my childhood house. I leave it unlocked, as this will be the last time I stand in front of this building.

“No. As far as I am concerned, the pack turned their backs on me. I left a letter for Simon, and told him I will contact him when I get a new phone number,” I answer, turning to look at David and his family. The pack turned their backs on me when I became an orphan last year. Only the five wolves leaving with me—and Simon—cared for me in my darkest hour. Even Lucas was too busy with Marilyn to check in and see if I was okay.

“Good. Let’s go.” With that, we load into our vehicles. Lace asks if she can ride with me, and I say yes. I can use the company, and distraction from the pain of the rejection and expulsion from the pack. After making sure Lace is buckled in, I climb into the driver seat and turn on the pickup truck—a 2018 Ford F150.

“Any music requests?” I ask Lace as I pull up my Spotify. She thinks for a moment, before asking for pop music to sing to, and I oblige. With music picked and both of us settled, I honk to David, signaling we are ready. He honks back before his own truck begins to move, his trailer being pulled behind him. The drive through the pack is bittersweet. With my house being placed near the back, farthest away from the exit, I am forced to see all the places I spent my days at.

Lace is great at keeping me from breaking down and crying, the eight-year-old babbling on about the new adventure. In no time, the pack line comes into view, and we cross it. We are all rogues now, with no place to call home. Maybe one day, a kind alpha will take us in.

For now, we learn to survive.