Deator storms out the door. I get up, tugging on the ends of my club cut and follow him and some of the other men out.
But it’s not what I’m expecting. I almost fall over as I look at her.
I recognize her even though she’s not a teenage kid anymore. She’s older now, curvy, sexy. Looking at her now, I know if I knew what was good for me I’d get my ass back in the clubhouse or anywhere that was away from her. Mona. Fuck, just her name is sexy.
I feel Ronan walk up to me and ever so quietly, he whispers to me, “Don’t do anything stupid. Stay away from the wolf shifter.”
I look at my older brother and give him my signature fuck you look. All those years ago, he could have had my back and he didn’t. I’ll never forget that.
Deator walks straight up to Mona but she doesn’t back down. It’s a mistake. She should leave because I know my father. He’s a chauvinist asshole.
Mona just lifts her chin. “How much?”
Deator laughs. “New Law wouldn’t help you for a million dollars.” He growls at her. “Last Omens left with their tails between their legs when they were faced with the Eaters. We don’t work with or for cowards. Get out of our territory before I serve you up on a platter for the men to use and throw away.”
I want to go to her, to tell her it’s not a good idea she’s here, she needs to be as far from New Law territory as she can get. But I don’t. I stand there next to my brother like a punk and just wait.
Finally, Mona nods her head. And to my surprise, she looks directly at me before she gets on her motorcycle. I see the recognition in her eyes and it burns me up. She remembers me. I’ve often wondered if she would or not.
I feel like she’s able to see straight through me and I feel like a fucking asshole for not stepping forward to fight for her or at least stand up for her.
She drives away and never looks back.
“She’s not even a bear shifter. We’re not on good terms with the Last Omens either. It would be a disgrace to help her.” Ronan starts barking at me the moment Mona leaves.
I grind my teeth. “I didn’t make a move, did I?” And even I can hear the guilt in my voice.
I walk back toward the clubhouse, fighting temptation to go find the wolf shifter, to go find Mona.
Klaus
New Law MC
Chapter 1
Mona
I strap the bag with clothes, money and weapons onto the cheap motorcycle I drive. It’s old and a little rusty, but it gets me where I need to go. I look back at the shitty clubhouse, hoping that my father and brothers are going to at least come out and tell me bye or wish me well. But deep down I know they won’t. They all hate me. Everyone in my family, except my sister, even the rest of the club, they all despise me, and I can’t say I blame them. I’m the reason they lost their territory. I’m the reason they all had to uproot their families and move to the other side of the mountain. None of them can look me in the face. Most of them won’t even acknowledge I’m in the same room, much less in the same family, the same club.
I hold my hand up to shade my eyes from the glaring sun. The rundown clubhouse is nothing like the one we came from. Back home, in the Klamath Mountains, we had a huge plot of land, beautiful scenery. I don’t know how to describe it really except to say it was like we were living in color. Now everything seems black and white. The clubhouse shutters are coming off and with a little bit of paint and work, it could look brand new. But none of the men care. It’s like they’re all just existing, trying to get to the next day. I know I’m to blame, but there’s a small part of me that doesn’t understand why they don’t pull it together. With a little work, this place could be something.
I keep eyeing the door, waiting on my family to at least say something to me, even if it’s good riddance.
The door swings open and I can’t lie. I’m hoping that it’s my father coming to tell me not to leave, that he doesn’t blame me for everything that happened five years ago when I was only sixteen. But it’s not him that comes through the door. It’s my younger sister, Millie - the only one who seems to care anything about me.
I can’t help but wonder if things would be different if my mother was still around. She died after giving birth to Millie and my father hasn’t been the same since. I know if she were around she wouldn’t let my father or my brothers react this way. No, she would have made the best of it. She would have pushed my father into making this little plot of land into something big and prosperous. She would have made me feel welcome and wouldn’t have let any of them treat me the way they’ve been treating me. Instead, since we got here, it’s like my father is barely living. I don’t know how his club, all the men, still look up to him, because he’s just a shell of the man that he used to be.