Author's Note

This is a long one so I hope you guys are enjoying it.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Speech_error

Chapter 32

"I love this one" Cassidy exclaims as she tilts the laptop towards me.

The screen displays a shimmering floor length black evening gown that would be perfect for a night out. My eyes flick to the price and my hopes of buying it diminishes immediately.

"It's out of my price range Cass" I say sorrowfully as I show her the price.

"Flicker you keep forgetting that your mated to the Alpha's of the largest pack in America, they're swimming with gold". She adds it to the basket.

"I feel guilty though" The amount flashes through my mind followed by a small wave of nausea. It's too much money for one dress.

"My brothers want to spoil you Flicker. Let them" She says trying to persuade me.

"I'll think about it", is all I mutter

"We should actually go shopping in the city. I hate buying online, it always takes ages to arrive and half of it never fits me right"

"That's not a bad idea" I agreed, scrolling through more clothes, it would actually be nice to try the clothes on. "There's just one problem, asking my mates"

I cast a sideward glance at Cassidy, it would be highly unlikely that the Alpha's would allow us to go. They were still stressed about finding the mole in the pack.

I couldn't wait for the time when we had no problems or neighbouring threats, and going to the city was just as simple as hopping in the car and travelling there.

"We could try asking" Cassidy asks, her whole face brimming with hope.

I shake my head, watching as her hope slowly disappears. "I don't want to start an argument with them, when I already know what there response is. Maybe when they find their betrayer and not stretched thin with paperwork, we could ask"

"Maybe" she says, her voice dubious. She doesn't make eye contact with me instead concentrating on laptop like it will somehow answer her prayers.

We continue like this for the next few minutes, I keep sneaking glances at Cassidy. I don't know why this was such a big deal. Had she not been out of the pack for that long.

"Flicker can I tell you something" Cassidy says fiddling with the edge of the sheets, she's still not looking at me.

"Sure, you can tell me anything" I tell her honestly

"Actually, don't worry it was probably a bad idea anyway". She stares down at the blanket refusing to meet my gaze

"Cassidy" I state. "You can trust me, I won't tell the Alpha's if that's what your worried about"

"But there your mates" She tells me. "Don't you share everything"

"And your my friend, this is your secret not mine"

She finally looks up at me, her eyes hooded in worry but also fear. What had happened in the space of five minutes, what the hell had she been thinking.

"I found my mate Flicker"

"Cassidy that's great" I squeal enveloping her in a hug, but she doesn't hug me back.

"What's wrong, this is great news, why are you so worried" I ask, she looks at me, worry still clearly etched on her face that she'd soon start forming wrinkles.

"Is he from another pack" I probe "I'm sure the Alpha's would allow him to stay here"

"It's not that" she mutters getting off the bed. A sigh escapes her as she opens her closet searching through it.

"Look can you just try and get Jake and Connor to allow us to go shopping. I'm meeting him there"

"Your mate?"

"Yes"

"Are you going to run away with him?" I ask, I didn't want her to leave me, she was my only friend here. I loved my mates, but I equally valued my girl time with Cassidy.

"I'm not sure yet, I don't want to leave here, but......"

"But what"

"I don't think the Alpha's will like him, he's been on there to kill list for awhile"

"Oh Cass" I say pulling her into another hug. This wasn't good, this was not good at all.

"Please just try and get them to let us go shopping, I really want to see him again"

"Okay, I'll try" I say calmly, but my insides are quivering mess, this was not going to be fun.

...

I knock on the door of the war room, one of the maids had told me that they were currently stooped up in there working on the gaps in the border.

Someone opens the door revealing a room filled with other men.

Damn

The maid must've also forgot to mention that they was meeting with a team of other pack members to discuss their plans.

"Flicker" Connor says shocked, I didn't normally interrupt them during the day.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had company, I'll come back later"

"No it's all good" Jake says and I step into the room

"Leave us" Connor barks, all the men scurry out of the room bowing at me quickly before they exit.

"You didn't have to do that" I state, peering at the map of the pack.

"We needed a break anyway, what did you want to discuss" Connor asks getting straight to the point.

"Ummm" I state my body overflowing with nerves. "I was wondering if you would let Cassidy and I go shopping tomorrow"

"I don't think its a good idea" Jake says looking at me directly. "We still don't know who helped Kyle escape, so your still in danger Flicker"

"But, I wouldn't be alone, I'd be with Cassidy" I try to argue but I know my point is useless. They'd already made up their mind.

"Flicker" Connor says walking around and lacing his hand through mine. "We adore you so much, but your safety is the most important thing to us and we can't risk it for a shopping trip to the city"

"Here take this instead" Jake compromises

He fishes his wallet out of his back pocket and hands me his credit

"Buy as much as you want online, we honestly don't mind how much you spend, we just need you safe at home"

"Okay" I say defeatedly grabbing the credit card. It feels meaningless in my hands. As I walk out the door, all I can think about is what am I going to tell Cassidy.

I walk out of the room, feeling worse than when I entered. I didn't have the guts to speak to Cassidy, if only she could talk to her brothers.

...

The sun was just kissing the earth as I sat down on the barstool for dinner. I had told Cassidy about how the meeting went, she was upset but told me it wasn't my fault, she'd figure another way to meet him.

She went to bed early, leaving me feeling awful.

I slowly turn the pasta Marilyn served me, watching as the heat seeped out. I wasn't hungry.

"Hey" Jake announces entering the room followed by Connor. He places a kiss on my forehead before grabbing his bowl.

"Hey" I mumble, still thinking about Flicker's situation.

Connor sits on the other side and they both immediately start eating. I continue to stir my pasta letting my thoughts occupy me.

"You should eat something" Connor says

"I'm not really hungry" I mutter not meeting their gaze

Jake stops eating and I feel his gaze on me,

"Is this about what happened this morning"

"No" I lie

"Flicker, you know why we can't let you go"

"I know, but this is really important for me". I assert meeting Jake's eyes. "What if you came with us" I try to negotiate. "Plus a handful of guards. Nothing could happen to me and Cassidy with both of you there" Desperation leaks into my voice but I needed to try, for Cassidy at least. "Nothing would make me happier than if you let Cassidy and I go shopping tomorrow"

The kitchen is silent for a moment and I know that my mates are silently communicating with each other, but unfortunately they've blocked me out of the communication.

As I wait, I take a small bite of pasta. If this didn't work there was nothing else that I could try.

"Okay" Jake relents shattering the silence. "You can go, but only with the conditions you've mentioned"

"Thank you" I squeal. "Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to me"

"Your welcome Flicker"

...

Cassidy's up before me the next day, by the time I come down to breakfast I'm still wearing my spotty pj's, she's already dressed and waiting.

"Eat quickly" Is all she mutters to me as Marilyn pushes the bowl of porridge towards me. I scoop it up quickly before running upstairs to get changed. As I chuck some clothes on I try to think who Cassidy's mate is.

The whole car trip to the shops is quiet but I can feel Cassidy's nerves begin to rub off on me. My mates sit unsuspecting in the front seat, they still assume that this is just an ordinary shopping trip.

Behind us are a fleet of cars filled with pack members, my mates followed through on our deal by bringing half of the pack warriors with us to the shopping centre.

"Where are we meeting him" I lean over whispering to Cassidy

"Just follow my lead" Is all she says before turning back to look out the window.

The car pulls smoothly into a space, once the ignition is turned off Cassidy bolts out like the car has just been set on fire.

"I need to go to the bathroom and Flicker's coming with me" Cassidy demands dragging me out by the arm. "Once we're back you can get one of your bodyguards to escort us around the shops". She slams the door shut as she gets me out of the car.

"Cassidy slow down" I say as we enter the shopping centre.

My mates were a good ten metres behind us, I couldn't believe they had just let us go.

"I'm late, I told him that I'd meet him ten minutes ago and I also really need to use the bathroom"

She rushes off to the bathroom and I dutifully follow behind her, by now we had actually lost track of the Alpha's.

Standing outside the stall waiting for Cassidy, I look in the mirror. The marks on my neck are still prominent, they look like flashing neon signs alerting anyone in the near vicinity that I've been taken.

The entry door opens and I glance sideways expecting another female to walk into the room but instead it's the last person I expected to see again.

"Kyle" I breathe, "What are you doing here"

He waltzes into the bathroom like he hasn't just stepped into the female toilets

"It's nice to see you too Flicker" he responds ignoring my question, his eyes zero in on my neck. "I see that they've marked you"

"They're my mates Kyle"

He steps towards me,

"Don't, I can't have your scent on me, the Alpha's will have the wrong idea"

"Don't they trust you?"

I don't answer his question, instead fiddling with the edge of my sleeve.

I was still repairing my trust with the Alpha's and talking to Kyle wasn't helping. Using the silence I mind-link the Alpha's.

"Kyle's at the mall"

"What". Their response is immediate. "Where is he"

"Promise you won't hurt him"

There's a two second delay before Jake's voice fills my mind again.

"Where is he Flicker"

I shut off the mind connection, if he wasn't going to promise then I wasn't going to tell them where we were.

"Your communicating with them aren't you". Kyle states

"They don't know where you are, but I would leave soon"

I can hear the Alpha's still trying to get through to me but I continue to block them.

"I wish we could meet under better circumstances" he states sadly

"Me too" I say "But I'm mated Kyle"

"Are you happy?"

I take a moment to answer, "Yes, I am happy"

He smiles at me in response before turning to leave.

"Wait Kyle, who helped you escape"

"I did" a feminine voice says stepping out of the toilets. My eyes go wide in shock as I look to see the last person who I thought would ever betray the pack.

Cassidy.

"Cassidy you betrayed..." I stumble over my words not able to complete my sentence.

I watch as she lovingly wraps her arms around Kyle, while he kisses her forehead. It takes me a moment but the pieces slowly fit together in my head.

"He's your mate" I say still astonished.

"Yep" Cassidy's states happily

"But how"

"My wolf was restless the night that Kyle was in the cells and I didn't understand how the prisoner could allow you to cheat on my brother. So I managed to sneak in and find him, and when I saw him I just knew that he was my mate. I gave him my number and we've been talking secretly on the phone ever since".

I'm about to open my mouth to say something but a hand snakes around my arm pulling me back and before I realise I'm standing protectively behind Jake and Connor. I didn't even hear them enter.

I try grabbing their attention to explain everything but they refuse to meet my gaze.

"Cassidy get away from him" Jake demands, sending his threatening glare towards Kyle

"No" Cassidy shouts clinging to Kyle.

"This isn't up for discussion"

"He's my mate, I love him"

Her words act like a blow to Jake and Connor's heart leaving silence in its wake.

"He can't be your mate Cassidy" Connor finally says

"Why not. This is who the moon goddess chose and I couldn't be happier" She throws her hands up in the air frustrated.

"But how did you get out?" Connor asks directing his question towards Kyle.

He's about to answer but Cassidy opens her mouth and interrupts him.

"I helped him escape, I went down to the cells that night and saw Kyle. Don't ask me how I did it, I'm not saying"

"Cass you betrayed us" Jake stutters, clearly shocked

"You would do the same for Flicker". Connor and Jake turn towards me, its the first time they've fully acknowledged me since they entered.

"Look I know you hate Kyle, which is why we're leaving. We've decided to head to Flicker's old pack"

"No" Connor states stepping in front of Jake. "Your not leaving us Cassidy"

"Kyle can't live in your pack"

"Yes he can, for a little while at least" I can hear the struggle in Connor's words, and I know that he's only doing this for his sister.

"We won't hurt Kyle" Jake states his tone icy but I know that he'll keep his word. "You guys can stay with us until we get things sorted, just don't leave us Cass"

"Okay" she whispers lacing her hand through Kyle's. "We'll go back with you".

Thoughts and comments please.

Are you guys happy that Cassidy had ended up with Kyle?