I watch him, how his chest rises and falls peacefully as I run a stressful hand through my hair. With his blood cleaned up, his busted lip healing, his gashes still looking rough, black eye still making me worried, and his once dislocated shoulder back in place, I want to know what happened. What he meant by him finally being free. Placing my head down on the side of the bed, I lace my fingers with his, tears still forming as I still replay an hour ago in my head. My phone rings once more, my body too emotionally drained to even think about a social conversation as I just want to know if Flynn is okay. If he will wake up soon? Looking up, I rest my chin upon my hand, watching his hunter green eyes still shut as I just want to see them open. I just want to see him opening his eyes and a smile grace his face.

As the sun is gone, the moon out and bright tonight, I wipe away another tear, taking in every detail of his face. Taking ahold of my nerves, I gather myself to my feet, taking in a shaky deep breath as I become light-headed. "What are you free from?" I ask myself, thinking of all the possibilities. He's either a rogue because he told his father he did not want to be an Alpha, or he told his father he doesn't want to be Alpha and his father beat the shit out of him. "What are you free from?"

For the next two hours I sit beside Flynn, stressed beyond belief as my parents are just down the hall. They know of Flynn being here, of the bad state he is in, and how he does not want to be Alpha. My eyelids are heavier than ever, hard to stay awake as the hours take forever to go by. "Flynn," I whisper, my voice shaky as I rest my chin on my hand, close to his face as my eyes water. "Please be okay. I love you," I whisper, shutting my eyes as I find myself drifting off into a much needed sleep that I have tried to prolong. The moment I take in one last deep breath, I sense something. A movement.

My eyes peel open to see his fingers twitch, his pointer curl as his thumb does as well. He's waking up. Instantly I lace my fingers with his, jolting upright to meet his eyes that are barely open.

"Amory," he barely even is able to whisper, meeting my stare. I move fast, my hands cupping his face as I plant a soft kiss upon those lips. My heart fills with joy to see him awake. "Amory?" I nod, pulling back as he tries to sit up.

"What is it?" I ask, knowing that he's using much of his energy to just stay awake.

"I told my father that I love you..." He whispers, offering my a lopsided smile as I know he is in pain. "I told him he could fuck off and he listened as I told him I have no interests to be the next Alpha." That's why he's beaten. "He wants to make me a rogue and my mother has threatened to leave him if he does that."

I nod, watching as Flynn lays back down, grabbing my hand as he lightly tugs me closer. Once second I'm sitting beside him and shortly after I am beside Flynn, my face in a pillow as I close my eyes. He's asleep, needing his rest as I think of what is in store for Flynn. I cannot drift off into the awaiting arms of sleep, but rather my mind is filed with thoughts that act like a caffeine to my body. My tired body with a mind that is unable to calm itself down.

The sun rises as it will everyday, the sky filled with vibrant blues as I stretch out my arms. Knowing the bags under my eyes are present, they do not even compare to the signs of torment upon Flynn's body. As his chest rises and falls, my heart clenches as I see his torso bruised black and purple, small scabs now where the claw marks wounded him greatly. His face is busied and some dry blood still present as I push my self up into my elbows, looking at Flynn as I wonder what to do. Taking in a deep breath, I get out of bed, preparing for the day as I take a long shower, changing into old and comfy clothes as I still hear no movement from where Flynn lays. The second I step out of my bathroom, I'm surprised to find him sitting up, hissing in pain.

Instantly I run over to him, helping him sit up as my hands are careful where to press. "Advil?" I ask, taking his face in my hands as those beautiful green eyes connect with mine and my wolf does backflips. He doesn't say anything, rather pushing himself off of my bed as he towers over me. "Flynn?"

He shakes his head, heading for the bathroom I just exited, barely shutting the door as I let out a sigh. He's in pain. Hearing a cabinet open, I listen to the faucet run and a pill bottle being opened. I guess he found the Advil on his own. For another two minutes his is in there, leaving me isolated in the dead silence of my room as I worry what is running through his mind. "Flynn?" I call out, walking towards the door as I hear no movement.

He stands by the sink, fists white as he clenches the sink counter, his eyes turning black as he meets my gaze, and his whole body tended to the max. "Hey-

"My world is falling apart all around me, Amory," he interrupts, his tone sharp as he looks back to his reflection in the mirror. "I am watching my world fall to shit as my family faces a civil war and I know that no matter what happens, nothing can change the hate that is present in our family." My throat runs dry as Flynn shakes his head. "I've had my mind set on college since Olive died, knowing that I could be free from their presence as I was free to do whatever the hell I choose."

Flynn lets go of the counter, sliding down to the floor as he rests his back against the cold tile walls. "It's inevitable that my family is becoming just a show to the pack. The second my father declares me a rogue, my mother will leave him, and the pack will fall apart." Flynn has no desire to be Alpha, he hasn't for years. Olive was to be the Alpha and she died in a way that caused his father to become distant as he knew his son could never be enough. Alpha blood is strongest in the oldest child.

"You said you were free last night," I whisper, taking a seat on the floor across from Flynn. "What are you free from?"

He shakes his head, running a stressful hand through his hair. "I-" he pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose as my heartbeat speeds up faster than ever. "I made myself a rogue."

How? You have to be rejected by the Alpha to become a rogue. At least, that's the traditional way.

"How did you do that? I don't smell rogue on you," I input, raising an eyebrow as he lifts his left arm, right to where below his elbow, there's a small marking.

"After my father beat me, I ran, not because I was afraid, but because I knew how to settle the score." Where did he go? "Witches are not hard to find, and one happens to be in the area close by at a college." He takes in a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing. "The witch, Shay, simply helped me remove my ties to the pack." My eyes widen. "By the end of the day my scent will change." It means that by the end of the day, Flynn had better get his ass out of this town or the pack will kick him out of here. The Alpha will want him out of here and not even my parents will be able to disrespect him that much unless they too wis to leave the pack.

I shake my head. "Where are you going to go?" I ask, taking in a shaky deep breath. "We have three weeks till we leave for university. Where will you go?" I ask, my heart beginning to shatter as I know that where he goes, I cannot. I cannot just leave my family and pack behind, not because I am scared for going with Flynn, but because if I leave with him, I will be declared a rogue and that means Alpha Cade may even make my parents rogue.

Flynn scoots forward, grabbing my arms lightly as he pulls me into his embrace. With his chin resting atop of my head, his arms are wrapped around my small frame, holding me as if he has not done so for eons. "I love you, Amory," he whispers, placing a kiss upon my forehead as I nod. "I'm going go away for a little, Amory, just to get some space from everything." He needs space because of everything that has taken. Because he's decided to make himself rogue. Make himself rogue and he knows things will not go badly if he stays here in the territory of my pack. "I'm going to go away just to clear my mind."

I nod, pulling away a bit as my let a hand of my rest upon his face, cupping his cheek as his five o-clock shadow is present. What do I even say to that? "Where? What if I need you, Flynn. What if something happens?" I ask, meeting his dark green eyes, his stare intense as my wolf slowly falls in submission to. It's the Alpha blood in his veins. I'm pushed lightly back to the wall, Flynn following as he leans in, his face buried in my neck as I close my eyes.

He's broken. He's in pain. Pain because every fiber of the pack is being stripped from him piece by piece. Flynn is needing me right now, for me to be beside him to pace the pain. To face the future actions as well of leaving to clear his mind.

I'm lifted up, arms wrapped around his neck as he carries me out of the room, holding me close as I can sense the weakness of his body still from last night. His arms shake every so often, trying hard to not drop me as his body is weak.

Set down upon bed, Flynn places his lips upon my own. Soft and slow, his kiss makes my world feel slow as time seems like nothing but an idea. As his hands travel to my shoulders, lightly pushing away as he parts with me. With my eyes still shut, I don't dare open them as I can feel his presence leave. I can hear the window open, Flynn leave as my eyes begin to water. I fall down to the floor, cold beneath me as I know Flynn needs to leave. Flynn needs to go before anything more can happen. His father will come looking for him, and he will come here first. Alpha Cade will be here soon, asking and bombarding me with questions as for where Flynn has gone.

And the second Alpha Cade sets foot into this house, all hell will break loose.