Chapter 2

Juan Pablo Galavis once said, In life, you have to take the pace that love goes. You don't force it. You just don't force love, you don't force falling in love, you don't force being in love – you just become.

Ezekiel loved Kennedy. He really did.

He loved that girl so much that he almost had to do what he did. Like he didn't even have the choice.

This girl had so much potential to be more- more than him- more than this crappy old town. She needed to be bigger than someone who was destined to be at his side. He needed to feel honored at her side not be okay with it.

So he did what a wolf did best.

The pack had decided to jump into a joyous celebration at the news that their Alpha finding his mate and better yet it is Kennedy. They loved her, she would be the most caring motherly Luna. At the thought of that, Ezekiel would scoff and groan. Kennedy is better than us, she has to be.

The girl was basically groomed to serve him.

Mates were equal. He knew that but, did they?

He walked outside to the campsite where the celebration took place. His long blonde hair fell messily against his face with half up in a bun and the other half down, taking the opportunity to shave and groom his eyebrows to look neat and presentable. Dressed fully in white he took careful steps making sure to miss any puddles- in hindsight he thought the idea that people wearing all white outside at a campsite while dancing was stupid but he would never give up the opportunity to see Kennedy in a white dress that fit her body perfectly.

Actually, he would. In fact, he did.

At first, he erased the idea from his head- it would be dumb of him to run away from the love of his life just because things were a little lame right now. But then as they ran out of things to talk about he started to ask himself the question. Who am I without Kennedy?

He found himself at loss for an answer. Ezekiel Murphy without Kennedy was just a lazy inexperienced alpha with two friends.

The girl herself seemed oblivious to the fact of just how much of their lives that they shared. Somewhere along the line, they both lost their personalities- they were just one.

"Where's your other half, Kennedy?" The girl turned hastily looking all over the campsite before she spotted her cleaned up mate. Their eyes met and they shared a smile before he turned away and started talking to his dad.

Feeling happy Kennedy turned to the guy who asked, Joshua the future Beta of the pack. "Use your eyes Josh he's right over there."

The man chuckled rolling his eyes. "You better keep a close eye on him."

She shot him a strange look. "And why is that?"

"A hot blonde man with glowing blue eyes- a man bun and a perfectly shaped jaw? Girl, you better keep hands-on before one of the girls here try to sum." Joshua was a young gay black man and a very close friend of the couple.

They became friends when they spotted him holding hands with Kennedy's brother who had moved away to college not too long after. "I respect your taste Joshua but that man only has eyes for me."

"That he does- but men are trouble, a straight cis-gendered white one at that." Kennedy laughed knowing Joshua was just laughing.

She grabbed his hand pulling him closer to the rest of her people dancing around the fire of the campsite. From a distance, her mate smiled at the girl laughing while Joshua tried keeping up with her dancing. Kennedy had a heart of gold, she had the ability to make people smile even on their worse day.

He appreciated and loved that about her but what else did he love other than her beauty and heart of gold? Her personality? There was barely anything to it. They were too alike. They were too close and too big a part of each other.

"She's amazing son! She's gonna make a great Luna!" His father yelled over the music even though his hearing abilities would still hear him.

He groaned and shook his head. "She's amazing and she's gonna make a great woman."

Kennedy was only seventeen and hadn't even met the best part of herself- there was no way he was gonna let being his Luna become part of her personality trait.

"She is gonna make a great Luna." His father reinforced earning a hard glare from his son. "The pack before yourself son. The pack is always first! Remember that."

"Whatever father." He rolled his eyes turning away to wave at a pack member he called his name.

His father hit hand roughly to his left shoulder forcing his attention. "THE PACK IS ALWAYS FIRST."

Shocked at the aggression he pushed away from him and made sure no one else had seen it. "Father calm down."

"If you can't put this pack first then maybe I'll have to get another man to take over."

"Wanna bet?" He chuckles making his father who just rolled his eyes walk away from his son's childish behavior.

This was when he told himself it had to happen. He had to run- it was the only way that she'd get everything she deserves out of life.

Kicking at some sand Ezekiel turned away taking a deep breath the calm down when two skinny arms wrapped themselves around his waist. "Hey, honey."

He immediately calmed down but tensed knowing soon enough he wouldn't feel this way. He was shocked when his wolf didn't fight him on the decision- maybe he knew that they needed this. "Hey, beautiful."

"Are you gonna dance with me? Or are you gonna keep standing hear being too god damn handsome." She smiled giggling a little showing off her dimples.

He laughed along with her sliding her to his front and pressed her head flat against her chest which was easy due to her shortness. "What? Scared someone is gonna snatch me up? Not a chance!"

The joke was funny before he realized that there was a chance and that he was snatching himself up.

"Come dance with me, my love." She breathed in his smell before turning her head against his chest to give him her best puppy eyes.

"You know I don't dance sweetheart." He felt old calling her that but somehow it fits.

"It's a slow one just let me lead!" And before he knew it she was dragging him closer to the fire where they would soon be swaying to falling by Harry Styles.

She laughed every time he stepped on her foot instead of arguing because she was just that patient. She felt her heart rate go up as he began to sing along to Harry.

She didn't know that behind him singing was him relating to the lyrics.

What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? His eye filled with tears but she couldn't see it.

What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? By now people had started to let them dance alone.

And I get the feelin' that you'll never need me again, he sang louder and his pack members watch as the two swayed to his own singing.

She tipped toed mid-dance to give him a kiss on the cheek before singing the last few words of the song herself. I'm fallin' again, I'm fallin' again, I'm fallin'

"I love you so much Keny." She smiled taking him for a hug.

"I love you too Ezekiel."

They stood there for a few minutes just enjoying the feeling of being loved for which Kennedy didn't know, was gonna be the last time for a long while.

He laughed rubbing his eyes and turning before she could see his watery eyes. "I'm gonna check on my mom okay?"

She let him go and turned back to her friends he pretended like they weren't watching the moment between the two.

For another hour everything was fine she was happily celebrating with her friends.

Meanwhile one of them, Joshua was called to Ezekiel's office so he escaped the party for a quick second and ran to his office. "I thought you were calling me for a drink and I'm not seeing any, my friend!"

A small smile crept on his face by Joshua's words. "No, not at all."

Joshua watched as the eighteen-year-old boy reached the top of a shelf behind his chair and pulled out a small black box. "That doesn't look like a bottle Ezi."

"It's not." He popped open the box. "It's two untraceable phones."

The beta in training raised an eyebrow. "Why do you have two-burner phones?"

Ezekiel just looked at him somehow telling him what he was asking with just a look.

"No! You can't do this Ezi!" He yelled instantly understanding.

The man sighed. "My mind is already made up Joshua!"

Joshua shook his head and slammed his hands down on the desk of the office. "THIS WILL BREAK HER EZEKIEL!"

"Never raise your voice at me again." He hated using his alpha voice on one of his friends.

Joshua groaned but calmed himself. "Why are you doing this Ezi?"

Ezekiel lost sight of his friend for a second looking anywhere but him as shame consumed him.

"You're the only person I trust other than Keny. So I need you to trust me when I say I have to do this Joshua."

Joshua sighed knowing he wasn't gonna get anywhere with his stubborn alpha. "what do you want me to do?"

He pushed the box towards Joshua letting him pick up the small black Nokia phone that laid inside.

"Take this phone and use it whenever she's in trouble. But only when she's in trouble."

"This is really selfish Ezekiel, I hope you know that." He said frustrated.

He didn't respond knowing that Joshua would never understand. "Keep her safe."

Josh held back a snarky comment and just nodded leaving the room.

With that Ezekiel turned in his chair and started writing letters that he would give to omega and order they give it to his people on specific days.

He couldn't leave without saying anything. He needed to make sure that his father wouldn't send people looking for him so he used his old trusty pal called blackmail.

Then without looking back he packed a bag, took as much money as he could find in the house, and left because looking back always comes with regret.