I had everything I needed, clothes, my transfer papers, pictures of my mother and my father, none of Jeremiah though. There is nothing else I wanted to remember I shrugged off my dirty shirt and was about to put on a fresh one when my door was knocked, I sighed and went to answer it. I opened it and there stood Autumn. She was fidgeting with her fingers. Her blonde hair was pinned back. She was staring at my bare chest, it's nice to know she isn't repulsed by my appearance.

"Yes?" I mumbled. She looked at me, her green eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"Don't go. I'm begging you please don't leave, you do not understand what it will do to my wolf." She begged; her brief speech made me scoff.

"Are you serious? I do not understand what it will do to your wolf! My wolf almost completely shut down. You severed our bond so you can continue to screw my brother!" I retorted. My nostrils flared, and I glared at her. She looked at me, sadness swimming in her eyes.

"Look, Jerome, I can't help who I fall for." She tried to reason with me. I almost laughed at her pathetic attempt.

"Really Autumn? I would have given you everything! I was the one who you were supposed to love, supposed to grow with, supposed to start a family with! Me, not him. If you wanted the Luna title you wanted, I could have challenged him. I would have won! But no, you had to crush my soul for three years I waited for you." I yelled, she glared at me and pushed me into the room and slammed the door behind her.

"I didn't ask you to wait for me. I didn't want you to! Did you even consider that?" she yelled back. I shook my head.

"No, because I loved you! I loved you with all my heart and you fucked me over, I felt it every single time you and him-" I couldn't say it. It hurt too much. "It felt like thousands of silver knives being plunged into my heart all at once. Do you know what that is like? What that does to a person's mind? What it has done to my mind?!" I growled. She looked away, knowledge swimming in her eyes... she knew! She knew what it would do to me.

"But you knew that, didn't you? Of course you did, why? Why? Why do you keep finding alternative ways to crush me?" I said, my anger dispersing into sadness as she walked over and sat next to me, lacing our fingers together.

"I'm sorry, Jerome. I wish it could be different really I do." She mumbled. I jumped up, pulling her with me.

"It still can be if you left him, we-we could-"

"No, we can't Jerome." She said dismissively I groaned.

"Why the hell not? Please, just please accept me." I said desperately trying to get her to see reason. She went to leave, but I grabbed her wrist and pulled her into me, that's when I tipped her head back and kissed her. Pouring every emotion I could into the kiss, she didn't deny me, she kissed me back and even pulled me closer. My heart picked up its pace, but she ripped herself from my grip and staggered backwards. Then she slapped me hard, I felt the sting like hundreds of tiny little pins pricking me, it almost tickled. I mustered up every ounce of courage I had, every amount of bravery, and hardened myself.

"I Jerome Morton accept your rejection as your mate." I said, my voice emotionless as I felt the link between us break, like it was a rope of emotion and it had been cut by scissors of pain and rejection. Pain swam in her eyes. "Now you can leave." I growled, not feeling as tortured by her presence as I once did. I shoved on a shirt. And grabbed my bags. She walked out slowly, almost as if she regretted rejecting me. As I left Autumn was nowhere to be seen. I bumped into my brother. I glared at him. "Have you seen Autumn?" He asked awkwardly. I stared at him and rolled my shoulders before I punched him in the face.

"Not since she walked out of my room, but when you find her, thank her for the kiss." I smirked.

"Jerome!" he snapped I turned to him myself-control as limited as it ever is when I'm around him. "travel safely." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Like you care." I growled, he responded with an angry snarl.

"Stop disrespecting me, I'm your Alpha." He growled, and I doubled over in laugher.

"You were never or will ever be my Alpha. I bet you expected me to fold the first year to kill myself."

"What happened to you-"

"Was entirely your fault!" I spat cutting him off "you're a coward and you always will be Jeremiah!" I snarled, pushing him. I spat at his feet before I made my way to the garage so I could make my way to my new life. Without the weight of the bond ripping me down to the floor.

"Son!" I turned to see my parents rushing over to me I smiled at them. My mom hugged me tightly, I hugged her back.

"I'll call you when I get settled, okay?" I said as I hugged my dad. My mom sniffled, and I chuckled "mother I'll be fine, trust me this is for the best, you guys can always visit if you miss me." I said chuckling. They hugged me one last time before letting me go. I waved my goodbye once I had gotten into the car. They refused to let me go until I promised to call them regularly. Despite everything I asked them to look after Autumn, to make sure she's well the baby too. As much as she hurt me, I'd still wish her well and I wouldn't want anything happening to her.

Three hours later

The drive to the Indigo Paw Pack was long and melancholy, I was wrapped in my thoughts about Autumn even though I've let go of the bond by accepting her rejection she still occupied my thoughts frequently, her smile, her eyes, the way she fiddles with her blonde hair every time she gets nervous. It's maddening, not to mention confusing. I still have feelings for her strong ones but ever since I accepted the rejection, I no longer feel the connection that binds our souls were no longer bonded, it's weird. I spent so much time wanting her to accept me, wanting her to see me for who I am, her mate but now that I'm not bonded to her anymore I feel like I have no purpose it's like I do not exist without her. Though she doesn't feel as I do, I know that now the only reason she wanted me around was to keep her wolf sane. I growled, how can she feel nothing! She shouldn't be affecting me like this, not anymore. I wish I had never met her; I wish she wasn't my mate because then I wouldn't have had to leave, I'd still be my brother's most loyal supporter, I'd still respect him. We would still be brothers.

I know deep down I'll never forgive him for what he has done to me. Never. His knife of betrayal had cut too deep for me to heal every time I think about them together, I physically hurt, and this hurt radiates throughout my entire body a sickly reminder that I'm not enough for her. I shook my head, ridding myself of these thoughts as I pulled into a gas station. I needed to stretch my legs. I got out and walked into the store and grabbed a bottle of water and a sandwich I paid and walked out on my way and someone bumped into me. She let out a pained yelp. My hands shot out to steady her. She pulled back her black hair covered her face. She looked up her face with embarrassment.

"Oh, err, I'm sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." She rushed out I shrugged giving her a slight smile.

"No biggie," I said, releasing her. She bent down and picked up my bag and handed it to me.

"Thanks," I mumbled when I took in her appearance her clothes were ruffled, her hair was messed up but what caught my attention was the large bruise that surrounded her face the shoddy makeup job that she had done to hide it, her eye was swollen slightly. "Are you okay?" I asked, looking into her eyes. Her face dropped, and I heard her heart speed up slightly. She looked away slightly.

"I-I'm fine I just err need to go get some things from the store, excuse me." She rushed out as she stepped around me, but froze when we heard a voice yell.

"Adley, what do you think you are doing?" I looked around, there was a guy mid twenty's making his way over to us. Adley as I now know stiffened as he threw his arm around her shoulder, she winced in pain. "Is she bothering you?" he asked, giving her a pointed stare. I shook my head.

"No, I bumped into her. I wasn't looking where I was going." I said covering for her. She was obviously scared of him, and I didn't want to cause her any trouble. Her eyes met mine as a silent thank you was passed between us.

"Well, then you should watch where your going next time ass." He spat, causing me to raise a brow at him. Is this dude for real? He grabbed her wrist she flinched. I grew angry. I hate men who prey on vulnerable people.

"You will loosen your grip and let her go, you're hurting her." I said staring him down he scoffed.

"Who are you to tell me what to do with my girlfriend?" He spat.

"Just let her go!" I growled. My tone was low and menacing. The guy laughed.

"What did she tell you? I can assure you I haven't laid a finger on her if that's what she said." He said forcefully. He was glaring at her the entire time.

"Jake I-I-I didn't s-say anything I promise he just bumped into me and asked me if I was okay." Her voice was timid, small even. It reminded me of a scared child.

"I wasn't talking to you bitch, now shut up." He spat. I had, had enough of this I shoved him back whist I pulled her hand forward slightly, gently as I could he stumbled backwards but he regained his balance and sent a hard punch to my face I dodged his hit and sent out a punch of my own I had clipped the side of his left temple he dropped to the ground but he was up in a couple of seconds he charged at me and rammed his body into mine I brought my elbow down onto his back he grunted and stumbled backwards I swung and punched him in his face and caught him on the bridge of his nose his eyes rolled backwards and he dropped to the floor. I turned to Adley and grabbed his keys from his pocket. I tossed them to her.

"Go get out of here. Before he wakes up," I blurted out. "And I'd call the police if I was you." I walked up to my car and got in. I continued on my journey.