Bay

The next morning I woke up early. It was still dark outside. I lay in bed trying to decide how to keep myself busy so I wouldn't allow Flynn to consume my thoughts. He would be leaving the compound today but he would remain in the area.

I rested the back of my hand on my forehead as I tried to persuade myself that I didn't care. Whether he was here or not, it didn't make any difference.

We had both already agreed that we didn't want any part in our destiny. Our plan of action was to avoid each other but I bet it would be easier said than done.

A quick check to my phone revealed it was just a few minutes after five in the morning. I sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed. There was no point in staying in bed when I couldn't sleep.

Still attempting to divert my thoughts from Flynn, I went for a shower. Inside the small cubicle, I soaped my body. My fingers trailed over my birthmark on my hip. It was two circles intertwined, which looked similar to an infinity sign. To think the same mark adorned Flynn made me feel a possessiveness I wanted no part in.

Why did it have to be so hard? I let myself feel the anger and the hurt. Leaning my head against the cool tiles, I closed my eyes. For a few minutes I stood unmoving while I wrestled with the emotions tightening in my chest. I exhaled a deep emotional breath, trying to expel the negative feelings so I could carry on without feeling them weighing me down.

This isn't the first time life didn't work out the way you wanted, I told myself. I'd overcome a lot in my life and I wouldn't allow this to make me give up hope that one day I would find someone who could give me the love I was missing.

I let out one last breath and straightened up. I finished up in the shower and got ready for the day ahead.

I decided to go and do some training to pass the time until Flynn left. It would also be a way of trying to work through some of my emotions. I reminded myself to keep my distance for fear of other pack members discovering our secret. I had no idea how people would react if they discovered Flynn was my mate, but I knew there would be some who would find it difficult to embrace. Like my brother.

Even trying to imagine how my overprotective brother would take it increased my nervous anticipation.

The sun was rising, lighting up the sky. If I had been in a better mood I would have thought it was beautiful but I had only one mission and that was to lay low until the Keepers left. And after that, I would figure a way to move forward without a mate.

The gym was well lit so I wasn't surprised when I entered and saw someone already busy lifting weights.

At the sound of my entrance the person who had been in the middle of training stopped.

"Dean," I greeted. He nodded.

I knew him well and we both had dysfunctional families. But his was worse and that was saying a lot. He had left the pack to escape and he had been captured by the Keepers. From what I had gathered, the Keepers were only allowed to eliminate rogues who posed a threat or broke the rules. Apparently defending oneself against a Keeper had broken one of their rules. When Crystal had been taken in by the Keepers, she had rescued him before he had been harmed.

"You want to train together?" I asked, walking to him.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Sure," he said breathlessly. He looked like he'd been at it for a while already.

He was big but I needed the distraction. Besides, I felt more comfortable around him than other members of the pack. Maybe it was because we had similar issues so I was more at ease with him.

He reminded me of my brother. He had the same warm brown eyes as my brother had. But that's where the similarities ended. He was blond with short hair.

I moved onto the sparring mat opposite him. He was only dressed in a pair of sweat pants, the upper half of his body gleaming with sweat. Most girls would swoon at the sight of him but it did nothing for me.

Frustrated that the only person who could send my pulse racing was off limits, I stepped forward and swung for Dean. He was too fast for me and leaned out of the way. I backed off to decide on my next move.

"You're up early," he said conversationally.

"So are you." I didn't want to reveal why I couldn't sleep.

"You want to talk about it?" he offered.

This time he swung his fist and I shifted out of the way. He wasn't fighting at full strength and speed, otherwise I would have already been flat on my back.

"No." I shot forward again, leveling a quick kick to his stomach.

"You're getting good," he said with a surprised smile.

I lifted one shoulder and dropped it. I was here to keep myself occupied, nothing else.

We spent another half hour at it before I dropped down onto the mat, chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. My muscles ached and the sweat poured off me.

"You okay?" Dean asked from above me.

I nodded.

He sat down beside me. I stayed on the floor on my back, looking up to the ceiling. Outside I could hear sounds of pack members waking up and starting their day. I wasn't ready to move and face the world. But our little bubble of quiet was going to be disrupted soon.

"How did it feel?" I asked, glancing at him.

"What?" He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"When you left the pack?" I asked.

He pressed his lips together briefly and shrugged. "Lonely."

I sat up. "I feel lonely here."

There was understanding in his eyes. My inability to fit in was compounded by my issues with the people who had raised me.

"Running away doesn't solve anything." His tone was level and sympathetic. "And being a rogue with Keepers around isn't a good idea at all. Trust me, I had to find out the hard way."

"I know." Just because I wanted to leave didn't mean I would. Besides, my brother and Kyle would probably miss me.

But is it enough? The thought made me feel unsure.

And what about Flynn? He would do his job and then leave. It wasn't like we could be together even if we wanted to. So there was no point in thinking about it.

There had been countless times when I had felt so hopeless that the thought of running away and starting over somewhere where no one knew me had been almost impossible to resist.

It was the reason I had put so much hope into finding my mate. I had hoped it would settle me and help me find a purpose within a pack.

"Had enough?" Dean asked, pulling me out of my heavy thoughts.

"Nope." Still aching and sore, I got back up.

I liked being around him and our sparring had kept me from thinking about the Keepers. I wanted just a few more minutes of solace.

I lasted another fifteen minutes before I gave in.

"I'm done." I bent down slightly, resting my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

"Good. I'm exhausted," he said with a grin.

It made me feel good and a rare smile tugged at my lips.

There was a sound at the entrance and I turned to see who it was.

Dark eyes met mine. My skin sizzled to life under the intense gaze and for a moment I felt like my heart skipped a beat.

He stood in the doorway. His eyes went to Dean. It was difficult to read him but I could tell it wasn't good. Dean gave him a challenging look.

"Don't." I stepped between them, hoping to diffuse the growing tension. I had no idea what Flynn's problem was.

For a moment his eyes rested back on me and I saw anger brewing in the depths of his gaze. It took me by surprise. He usually had such control over his emotions and now he was acting like some jealous lover.

I don't know what I expected but when Flynn stepped forward, his focus was Dean, and the growing unease in my stomach made me take a step closer to him. He looked dangerous and I had no idea what he would do.

"Flynn," I said, hoping to distract his attention from Dean.

He frowned at me slightly before he stopped, like the sound of his name had distracted him from his target.

"Dean, I need you to leave," I instructed without breaking my gaze from Flynn as I spoke. I was trying my best to avoid a confrontation that would bring unwanted attention.

"There's no way I'm leaving you alone with him."

Why wouldn't he just listen to me? What was it with guys? Was it a testosterone thing?

Flynn's threatening presence thickened the air with tension and Dean stiffened behind me. They were both spoiling for a fight and if I didn't get a handle on them the situation would spiral out of control.