10. Leaving

Lilith Pov

I didn’t want to bring Eric here. It was embarrassing. My home was gross and falling apart. My guess was the penthouse Eric took us to cost more than the price of my whole house. We stood in my living room. I never used this room, Jim and Missy used it and I never wanted to be around them. Jim instantly looked at Eric and me. I noticed Missy was with him on the broken-down couch. I caught sight of the liquor bottle on the table. Fuck, I said in my mind.

“Who is your friend?” Missy asked looking way to interested in my mate. I knew he was attractive, but I didn’t like her looking at him like he was some kind of meal. I ignored her grabbing his arm and trying to pull him further into the house. The stairs were in the back of by the kitchen. Jim stood swaying a little. “You can’t bring your Johns here, Lilith this isn’t a whore house.” I was mortified he had said that. I never had prostituted myself. I knew Eric, was about to say something, but I held up my hand. “Fuck you, Jim. You know I don’t do that.”

I tried to pull Eric along again, but Jim moved in my way. Missy stood from the couch coming over to us. “Get out of my way Jim.” I said firmly. Kali began to stir, telling me “Go on, let’s finally teach him a lesson.” She had wanted Jim’s blood for way too long. But I pushed her down like I always had. As much as I hated Missy, I knew she loved Jim, despite him being a drunk lazy asshole. She despised me for my fathers actions but I understood she still birthed me despite trying to abort me. So, for that fact alone, I refrained from hurting Jim.

I noticed that Eric was clenching his fists. He wanted to step in, that was clear. Missy spoke “Lilith you know the rules you can’t bring men here.” “Missy I am just getting my shit and then I will be gone. You will finally get what you want, I will be out of your life.” I saw the sides of her lips turn up. Jim still stood in front of me examining me and Eric. “Oh Jim move.” Missy said. He glared at her. I knew he wanted me trapped her forever, he wanted to continue to leer at me whenever he wanted. Who knows, maybe one day he planned to do more than just look. But this was it. I was out of here finally.

Jim finally moved. I tugged Eric to the stairs. We reached my room and I shut the door. He looked around the room. I felt embarrassment course through me at the state I had been living in. I began to pack everything stuffing them in a few worn duffle bags I had. “So that is Jim and Missy, I can see why you are happy to get out of here.” I didn’t respond. Still aggravated, he had to witness that interaction. “Is that normally how he talks to you?” Eric asked. I stopped packing to look at him. “Look, I don’t like them, and they hate me. Just please don’t do anything or say anything to them. I just want to get out of here. And to be honest I don’t want to talk about it.”

I was serious, I never wanted to discuss this. I didn’t even talk to Juliet about it. She knew that I had been in foster care and how I met Rob. She had met him a few times, but I had made sure she never had to have an encounter with Missy, or Jim. Nor had she ever been here. I didn’t like to talk about how much my own mother hated me. Or about the fact that her husband was a predator. The only one who knew was Rob, but we didn’t talk about it thank God. Kali knew too, obviously as she was my wolf and sometimes, I would talk to her about my family but mostly this subject I avoided.

“Alright Lilith.” Eric said. “Thank you, just please help me pack up, so we can get the fuck out of here.” Eric nodded and began to shuffle things into my bags. I grabbed the few pictures I had. One of me and Juliet smiling, I had one of Rob and I the day after I shifted. For some reason I had a picture of my Missy holding me as a baby. I don’t know why I had it, but I did. I thought about leaving it but couldn’t. She didn’t look full of hatred, but it was not love on her face either, she looked hollow. I stuffed it into my bag. Grabbing the envelope I had, it held all the information I needed for after graduation.

Lastly, I knelt and lifted one of the wooden planks, revealing my stash of money. I had a few grand saved, I figured it would come in handy if I ever needed it. I stuffed it into my bookbag with the money from the night prior. I looked at the room one last time. Eric had left my scratchy wool blanket and crappy pillow on my bed. I didn’t say anything as I left with Eric behind me. We had a few bags filled with stuff. I moved to the coffee table and put my key for the house on it. I turned to Missy and Jim. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I couldn’t even bring myself to say goodbye.

I closed my mouth and turned to the left with Eric. I closed the door behind us. I felt relief fall over me. I was finally out of that house. The feeling was so freeing and as Eric and I tossed my stuff into the bed of the truck I wished I had left the day I turned 18. We got into the truck and Eric took my hand in his. He looked at me, I knew he was going to say something, and I just shook my head. He knew what I meant and said nothing about what happened. Once we began to drive, I said. “We need to stop at Rob’s Gym. He will be there now, and I want to tell him where we are going. You can tell him the location, right?”

Eric face scrunched. “I don’t think that is a good idea Lilith.” I didn’t know why he thought that. Rob was the only family I really had. “Eric, we need to stop by the gym, I am not leaving the city without telling him.” I encouraged and I saw Eric’s resolve crumble. “Fine” Eric growled out. Eric drove with his hands fisting into the steering wheel. His knuckles were white. We made good time and the two of us went straight into Robs office. He was there looking at some paperwork. He noticed us and his head lifted.

“Lilith I was wondering when you would come by” He looked at Eric and said, “Nice to see you again.” I knew he was just being polite. His eyes caught my neck and a blaze lit in his eyes. But I ignored his disappointment in me. I had chosen this. He would come around to it. Rob always did. “I just wanted to let you know I am moving out of the city, but I will be back, I am still going to school here so don’t worry I will still be by, but I think you may want someone else to do the collections. Seeing as I will be a little over an hour away.”

Rob glared at Eric. “What Pack are you joining?” Eric answered. “Grey Crest, but you cannot come unless invited.” He said it so sternly, I could feel the tension between Rob and Eric, and I didn’t get it. Was there something I was missing? “Can I speak to you alone Lilith?” Rob asked. “Of course.” I looked at Eric to ask him to give Rob and I some privacy. “Lilith, I don’t want you alone with him.” “Eric he is like a parent. He won’t harm me, please just give us a minuet.” Eric hesitated and left the office.

“Lilith this is a horrible idea. You should stay in the city.” “Rob, I am mated to Eric, Kali is mated to his wolf Axel. We can’t be apart for too long. I know you said to be wary of the bond, but I don’t know, it feels right. Which you know, relationships are not easy for me. And Kali wanted Axel, so it was an easy choice really. I get what you said.” I shrugged. Rob looked at me seriously “What are you going to do when Kali has her urges?” I bit my lip. “Rob I will still be in the city. Monday through Friday for school. I don’t see why I can’t stay a few hours extra for Kali either after sports or when I don’t have them. Not every day but a few times a week.”

Rob nodded and said “I assume you will still come see me. And catch some jobs here and there.” I smiled “Rob of course I will, you are my family. Well, the only one that matters.” He smiled, holding his arms out for me. I ran into them. “I am going to miss you.” “I am not disappearing on you Rob.” “You know you are always welcome here; I am proud of you for leaving that house though. I wish you had done it earlier I would have let you stay with me.” I pulled away from our embrace. “I know Rob.” I said with a small smile. “Remember Lilith you want to come back to the city, you have a home. You have my number, call me whenever you want and know I will be there the second you need me. No matter what your mate says.”

I cracked a smile. “Thanks Rob” He smiled and nodded. I left the office to see Eric leaning against the wall. “Ready Mate?” I nodded. Eric took my hand and led me back to the truck. I had so many questions about the pack and what that really was. I watched the city pass by until we were on a highway and away so far, I couldn’t see it anymore. “So, I want to know everything about Grey Crest Pack. Whatever you can tell me about well everything. I don’t want to be the only one who knows nothing.” Eric looked at me. “It is not too much to know really. But, beside the short discussion of packs, we should probably get to know one another.”