Page 122 of The Forgotten

I wish that I was on better terms with him, but he’s too judgmental for me. Cerenity told me to hit him with something heavy to reprogram him. I thought she was kidding, but apparently they’ve been pranking, beating, and fucking each other into bliss over the last nine months.

They have a really odd relationship. As long as their pack is happy, that’s all that matters.

The phone lights up with a video call and I ignore it when I see that it’s Tommy. I don’t need him to see my puffy eyes and the fact that I haven’t showered in two days.

Making a face at myself, I attack the rest of the boxes. I finish packing, tape the shit out of them, and then walk them out tothe car on a collapsible cart. It’s not perfect, but I manage to get everything inside that needs to be.

“At least it’s not winter,” I mutter under my breath as I gaze up at the sky. There’s still a lot of light out, but that’ll change soon.

I don’t have a plan outside of driving to Minneapolis. It’s about a five and a half hour drive, and I plan to sleep in my car tonight. Afterward, I’ll probably begin looking for a hostel or something.

Does it count as being homeless if I technically have a perfectly good apartment that I’m ending my lease on?

Heading back inside, I skirt past my landlord while he’s not looking to avoid small talk, and sneak into my apartment. Locking up, I grab the last bag left and walk to the bathroom. I don’t know when I’ll be able to figure out another shower outside of a public one, so I take my time.

Everything gets washed, shaved, and scrubbed until I feel like a new omega. Drying off, I decide to leave the towel and dig in the bag for moisturizer for my body and face, and then pull on a pair of leggings that make my ass look good and my favorite long sleeved shirt. It saysYou missed onewith the date that they burned women who had a little too much medical knowledge.

Based on my current experience, it makes me feel a little better. Drying my hair, I braid it so it’ll stay out of my face and then pull on a pair of my favorite socks and boots. Just because Chicago is sporting warmer weather, doesn’t mean it’ll hold once I get to Minneapolis. I have a sweatshirt for tonight already on the passenger seat of the car. It’ll be a miracle if I can see out of the rear window once I get going.

“Let’s go fake it till we make it,” I mutter under my breath, packing everything back up into my duffle bag.

This is the first time in my entire life that I don’t have a plan. I did everything right. I worked my ass off through school,repaid my student loans in record time, and even helped my brother with whatever bullshit situation he called me in for.

Ugh, David is really going to hate not having a nurse to call whenever he needs one. He took over for Tommy once my brother left Chicago for Cerenity, but at least he pays me for my time.

Lifting my bag to my shoulder, I leave the bathroom and check the apartment one last time. I lived here all through college, but it never really felt like home. Maybe it’s because I lived alone all this time, or the fact that I insisted on working so much that I was rarely here.

Whatever it is, I’m not sure that I’ll miss it.

Walking out the door for the last time, I lock up and see the landlord leaning against the wall. He’s overweight, smells funny, but for the most part was decent as long as I paid the rent on time.

“You’re really leaving,” he says, his hand held up for me to drop the key into it.

“Yes,” I say with a nod. “Thanks for everything.”

I hate goodbyes, which may be why after living for so long in Chicago, I have no one to really say it to. I don’t have any friends that will miss me. They’ll simply move on once I’m gone.

Truthfully, Tommy and his goons did a pretty decent job of isolating me. If I wanted to get laid, I was always cock blocked. It got to the point that I finally hired an escort service to lose my virginity at twenty-three years old. Now, I’m a regular guest at the heat clinics when I have my heat.

There’s no strings attached, it scratches the itch I have to be adored with knots and cum, and then it’s over. It’s worked well for the past seven years since I lost my virginity, but it’s beginning to feel stagnant and tired.

I want some kind of connection. It’s been almost worse since Tommy moved to Minneapolis, and he’ll occasionally suggestthat I make the move. Now, I don’t know how to feel since there’s no other options for me.

Leaving the apartment building behind, I hustle to the car and get in. Checking everything over, I grimace as I see that there’s a very small gap of visibility in my back window. Hoping it won’t be a problem, I start the car and begin driving after I set my GPS to take me to a camping ground in Minneapolis.

As I was sitting here, it occurred to me that there’s at least toilets and water fountains there. It also means I won’t be trying to sleep on a random street. I know the world isn’t kind to omegas.

I’ve been both an emergency medicine and intensive care nurse, and found I enjoyed both. I’ve seen all kinds of awful things come through those doors, and domestic violence has been a large factor.

As I drive, I promise to never allow my brother to mistreat me again. He’s been bullying me because he’s older by eight years. While I was in college, I managed to see less of him by claiming I was busy.

After that, he somehow always knew what my schedule was. He’s got to have an asshole on his payroll that can hack into the computer system. I have no privacy, and it’s chafed for a long time.

The hours fly by until I’m on a lonely stretch of road. There’s very few cars, and the exits have miles in between them. Fuck, the worst part is that after this, I’ll be only a half hour out from my destination. Universe, I don’t need this shit!

Chewing on my bottom lip nervously, I flick my gaze up to the rearview mirror where several motorcycles come up behind me.

“Go away,” I breathe, reaching into the cupholder to make sure I have the stun gun that Cerenity sent me.