Night Shift Windfall: My Partner's Last Message

LUKE

Six months.

It's been six months since I rolled my bike out of Jay's driveway.

Six months into my retirement and I'm already sick of this place.

I was sick of the unit. Sick of the kids. Now, I'm sick of Alpha Sam Jackson. My dad.

My dad has been on my case about being reasonable and taking over the pack. I don't want this hell hole.

Fuck. My sister, Lucy, would make a better Alpha. I don't want to be tied down. Be responsible for the garbage this town brings in. Let her have it.

I will admit, since the Alliance took our Border Unit, things have gotten a little out of hand.

Which was the reason why I originally came home in the first place.

The Lycans. A biker gang. Rolled in six months ago and has the town on its knees. My dad can't seem to do a damn thing about it and he expects me to clean up his mess? No way.

This is my last night in this dump and I'm out of this town and this area. I think I'll check out the Weat Coast. I hear the she wolves are hotter than hot out there.

"Luke, be smarter than this." My sister is sitting on my bed, cross-legged, going through her social media.

I look in the mirror on my dresser. Running a comb through my dark brown hair. I give myself a wink and a smirk. "Swift. You do it. I don't want this shithole."

"I can't be Alpha, doofus. I'm a chick. Dad can't do it anymore. You can't leave us like this," She drops her phone into her lap. Pulling her golden-brown hair into a bun. "Come on, Luke. Don't do me like this."

I turn around. Grabbing my leather jacket. "No." I stuff my thick arms into it and check myself again.

"You're an asshole, you know that? What happened to you?" Lucy scowled at me. Folding her arms across her chest.

I shake my head. "Nothing happened to me. I've always been an asshole. It's your problem you can't accept it."

She groans. "No. Luke. There was a time when you actually cared about us. About this town. Then you left us and..."

I throw on my boots. "Swift, don't waste your breath, alright. I don't care. Tomorrow, I'm on my bike and I'm outta here. Not going to talk about it anymore." I grab my wallet and my keys and head out my bedroom door. Lucy is right on my ass.

"Luke! You can't!" She chases me downstairs.

"I can and I will." I spin around and face her. "Nothing short of a goddamn miracle will keep me in this dump."

"Red Rock is not a dump, young man." I put my hands on my hips and look up at the ceiling, groaning. I look at my sister. "I blame you."

I turn to face my dad. "Don't start." I head to the bar on the other side of the common room. I open the bar fridge and pull out a beer. Cracking it open. I glare at my dad. "This is your problem, not mine." I tip the bottle back and down half of it.

He leaned on the bar. He looks at me with my sister's face. He looks exactly like her. Hair, eyes, everything. He's much older than us and the stress of this town hasn't done him any favors in the aging department. The guy looks strung out. He runs his thick fingers through his golden-brown hair. "This is your legacy. It's time you accepted that."

I snort. "Not a chance, old man." I down the other half of my beer and slam the bottle on the bar. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"I swear, if I was 20 years younger, I'd knock some sense into you." He got right up in my space.

I look him dead in the face. "If you were 20 years younger, you'd clean up your own shit." I growl at him.

"Luke!!" Lucy yells. "Dad, he doesn't mean it." She grabs my father's arm.

I smirk at Lucy. "Yes, I do." I push past them both, headed for the door. Lucy runs and jumps in my way.

"Swift, I don't want to put my hands on you, but I will. Fucking move." I warn her.

"No." She says smugly. Crossing her arms. "You aren't leaving again. I won't allow it." She stood like she owns the place.

I scrub a hand down my face and shake my head. I grab her by the arms and shove her out of the way. I open the door and turn around. "Don't wait up." I slam the door behind me.

I jog down the front steps and head to my bike.

"Luke!"

I turn around. My friend, Bobby, comes from the side of the house. Bobby Sloan. You might remember his brother, Blade. Bobby's smaller, but has same type of biker look his brother has. Long, black hair. Dark, menacing complexion. Loves to fight. Just a really cool guy. The Sloans are the Betas of the place. If I ever took over, Bobby would become my Beta and that's cool with me. I really don't trust anyone else.

I eye him. He's walking in bare feet and just trackpants. "Where were you?"

He threw his thumb over his shoulder. "Out for a run. You going out?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

I pull out my keys looking through them for my bike key. "Yep. One last bash before I head out west for some California Dreaming." I grin.

He starts to back up to the house. "Well, hold on. I'll come with you. Just need to shower."

"Dude. I got to go." I hold my arms out to the side.

He points to me. "You aren't leaving without me saying a proper good bye. Nice try."

"Ugh. Fine." I hang my head and walk back to the house. "Hurry up." I say as I walk in. Bobby runs to his room.

My other friend, Gavin Peters, walks in from the hallway where his room is. He's my dad's Gamma. He's also dressed in comfort clothing. "Where ya going?" He adjusts his ball cap over his red orange hair. This guy is the only shifter I know that has silver laced piercings and tribal ink made from silver flakes. Fucking psycho. It doesn't burn, but it's enough to prevent healing in those areas. He says it's to keep him grounded, which I think is a load of shit. I think he just begs for attention.

I groan. "I'm trying to get to the bar to get drunk before I head out west." I flop down on the couch.

"You're leaving?" He raises his brow. He has four piercings there. I always wonder why he doesn't jingle when he walks.

"Trying to, but you people are so damn clingy." I thump my boots on the coffee table.

Gavin chuckles. "It's because we love you so much."

I roll my head to him. "Bullshit."

He laughs. "Alright. I'm going to hop in the shower and I'll be ready to go."

He was already gone when I started to protest. "What? Awe, come on!"

Just then my phone dings. I pull it out and swipe it. It's Jay. He sent me a picture. I open it up.

"New Edition" The label says. I click the link and it's a baby in a pink blanket.

You: Oh God. You cloned yourself?

Jayson: Shut up, dick. She's beautiful.

You: Yeah. I can't believe she came from your ugly ass.

Jayson: You're lucky you're not here.

You: I'm just messing with ya. How's Sarah?

Jayson: Over the moon. Her mother and my mother are going insane. There's so much pink. Can I live with you?

You: Sorry, dude. As of tomorrow, I'm partying in Cali. If you weren't a baby daddy, you could come with me.

Jayson: Geez, six months must be a record. Everything alright at home?

You: Nope. But it's not my problem.

Jayson: Luke. It's your pack. It is your problem.

You: Sorry, Jay. I can't hear you....

Jayson: What?

You: I'm....going.... into....a ...tunnel.......Bye.

I toss my phone on the couch. Pfft, Babies. God, who'd want one of those. All dirty and smelly all the time. I certainly wouldn't.

The front door opens. "Hey, Luke." Evan Dane. The youngest of my friends. Great kid. He wants to be my Beta, but he's too young for that. He tries though. At 18, he certainly has a lot of gumption.

He sits the bags he has at the bar. "Just stocking up" He says thumbing at the wall of booze. "Where you going?"

"You don't have to shower do you?" I squint my eyes at him.

He looks down at himself and then back to me. "No."

"Good. I'm going out. Getting shit face drunk before I head to California tomorrow." I smile.

He sits on the couch. "You're leaving? You just got here."

"Sorry, kid. I got places to be and women to bone. You know how it is." I pick at my nails.

He sat back. "What about the town? Your dad?" He's starting to sound like Lucy.

"Not my problem. Tell you what. You become Alpha and fix it yourself." I get up and walk to the bags on the bar. I rummage through them and find the beer. I pull out a bottle and crack it open. I pound it back. "Ugh. Warm." I shrug and drink it anyway.

I walk back to Evan and sit back down. "Kid, if I were you, I'd pack my shit and leave too. This place has gone to the dogs and if you wait for my father to fix it...Well, you'll be waiting a long fucking time."

I downed the beer I had and went back to the bar to crack another one. I just finished downing the half of that one when my mother came downstairs. Luna Krystal Jackson. Fuck, here we go. My mother. A taller woman. She's where I get my hair and hazel eyes from. She's also where I got most of my attitude. I love my mother, but rich bitch doesn't even begin to describe her.

"God. You're drinking again. Is there one day where you're sober." She rolls her eyes in disgust.

I down the rest of my beer and burp loud. "Nope." I drop the bottle on the bar.

She shakes her head. "I know I've raised you better than that." She folds her arms.

I walk over and kiss her cheek. "Mom, you never raised me. The nanny did." I tap her shoulder and sit back down.

She groans. "Luke, this attitude of yours is really crude. When are you going to grow up?" She sits on the couch.

I snort. "I'll grow up when you do." I say under my breath. Sinking into the couch.

"What was that?" She demanded,

I smile. "Nothing." I pick up my phone and start surfing.

Evan gets up and starts to empty the bags. "He's leaving tomorrow, so he's a little on edge, Luna."

"Where are you going now?"

I lean my head back on the couch to Evan. "Thanks......so fucking much." I groan and go back to my phone.

"Luke, answer me." My mother demands.

I drop my phone. "Out west, I have to get out of this place........It bugs me."

She stands over me. "So, you're leaving us. With murderous bikers. Again."

I point to her. "Hey, you guys wanted me to join the unit to fix my 'Anger Issues' Me leaving was your fault."

"A lot of good that did." She scowls. "Looks like you came out being even more of a jackass than you did going in."

"Love you too, Mom." I make an air kiss to her.

She waves me off and stomps away. Evan sits back down. "You should be nice to her. She really loves you know."

"Kid. The only thing that woman loves is my father's money and herself. Trust me, she doesn't really care about me." I look at the time.

I yell to the room. "LET'S GO!!!"

Evan gets his coat. "Dude, you really have no clue."

Finally, after fucking ever, Gavin and Bobby show up. "Are you princesses ready?"

Bobby shoves me. "Let's go, asshole." Gavin chuckles.

They all climb into Gavins RAM and I jump on my bike.

Headed for a night of drinking booze and riding women. Perfect send off.