Outcast

Chapter 2

Despite not alerting a single person of her ditching, Serenity's slender body lent against a battered pickup truck, silky, auburn hair matching the peeling rust of the vehicle. Her counterpart, Morgan, lay sprawled on the roof of the cab, dark skin soaking up the pale light that drifted through the dreary clouds that painted the sky.

Bubble-gum snapped loudly against the silence, eerie green eyes peering over a pair of tan aviators, "Didn't think of alerting us of your departure?"

Taliyah glanced off to the side, avoiding her friend's gaze as the other girl propped herself up on her elbows to stare down at the new arrival.

"Yeah, Tal, didn't want to tell your besties the shit that went down during second period?" Mor's gravelly voice added.

"I didn't think it was of the utmost importance to you losers, since when did we care about my pack life?"

The red head pushed her sunglasses up on to her head, allowing her toxic eyes to stare directly at Tal, "Since Richards came back to English Lit redder than a cherry tomato," two silvery fangs glittered from within her smile as she spoke, "And seeing as he smelt like a particular friend of ours, we thought you might have been pissed."

"Did you finally tell him off about the pack's treatment of you?" Mor interrupted, her grin cutting dimples into her round cheeks, her sweet face unmatched to the damaged voice that emerged from her throat, "I smelt anger, and not just his."

Ser threw the young witch an annoyed glance, before focusing her attention back to the rebellious half-breed that refused to meet her gaze.

"Well?" she questioned.

"It's just dumb pack politics, it doesn't matter."

Those green eyes rolled in annoyance, "It does matter, because if you're moving back to the pack house out of spite, I may just slap you."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?" she snapped back.

The blonde sighed wearily, adjusting her shoulder strap, "Richards rejected me as his mate, and I may have called him a pussy."

"Taliyah!" the witch sat up quickly, heels thumping loudly against the window as Ser howled with laughter, tears creeping into the corners of her eyes, "Why on earth would you say that?"

A sheepish grin played on her lips, "Well I couldn't let that idiot have the last laugh."

"I knew there was a reason we kept you around, kid," Ser threw her arm over Tal's shoulder, towering over the half-breed, "Calling the soon-to-be alpha a pussy, truly golden."

The witch pouted, dropping from the roof, "Don't encourage her, she'll end getting herself killed."

"Knowing her wolf, she doesn't need any assistance from me to get herself into trouble," Ser chuckled, her laugh as sweet as stream in spring.

Tal smiled, wrapping her arm around her friend's waist, "At this rate I'll be dead by twenty-five."

"Oh my god," Mor whined, "Why are you two always so negative?"

"The truth of the matter is," the tall girl raised her finger, "That the Moon Goddess is a piece of trash, so we are just embracing whatever hell she throws at our spiteful little half-breed," she stopped to ruffle Tal's hair, the bleached strands becoming a straw like mess.

The smile fell from Tal's face, "The Moon Goddess..." her voice trailed off, lost in her thought.

"What is it?"

Taliyah's brows furrowed in confusion, "Why would the Moon Goddess place me and Richards together, we've hated each other from childhood and the pack would never benefit from me as Luna."

"Isn't a power-based thing or whatever? Like pairs are matched on how strong the individuals are?" Mor tilted her head, watching the half-breed with interest.

"Yeah, but I'm an omega, he's an alpha, or soon to be alpha or whatever the fuck it is. Our dynamics is completely off balanced."

Ser and Mor glanced at each other.

"Okay," the red head held her hands up in defeat, "So maybe the Moon Goddess fucked up for once. Why do we care? You didn't want the bitch anyway."

Chuckling, Tal adjusted her bag, "You're right, it's stupid. Who needs a mate anyway?"

"That's my girl! Now let's bundle up and have a movie night. We can watch shitty 80s films and eat until we feel sick!" Mor jumped forward, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl.

Tal's eyes fell upon her house, a yellow light glowing from within the kitchen. Despite the daylight still burning bright, the house had a cold darkness surrounding it, as if the energy was raw and inhuman.

"Can't," Tal huffed, "Looks like mom's home."