The Wolf’s Whisper: The Complete Series

47. Caleb

L ife was strange lately.

After the scolding we’d gotten from Zach once we returned to Camp Maplewood, I was sure I was about to get booted out again, or at least put under restriction. The last thing I expected, once we ran off into the woods, was for Zach to ask me to be his second if Tayen issued an alpha challenge.

It wasn’t that they were entirely unheard of, but they were a specter of the past, not too dissimilar from human duels. However, I agreed, shocked as I was. What I didn’t know was that meant spending several hours in the morning and at least one hour late at night training with Zach to learn his fighting style.

It bit into my Emily time, which my wolf resented. Hell, I resented it, too. But I soothed my savage beast, reminding myself we needed to keep Emily safe, and preventing a coup was part of that process.

I just hadn’t expected to end up rescuing Zach’s son in the middle of everything. We’d been pretty far from the camp when I thought I heard something strange. I put it out of my mind until the bond, the one with Emily, tugged in my chest, and I was flooded with feelings of fear and terror. That was all it’d taken for me to stop our sparring and rush back towards camp. Once we were close enough to hear the emergency call of several wolves, it was like all my conscious thoughts fell by the wayside. Next thing I knew, I was in the water with Simon on my back, the young boy far too cold.

When someone eventually got a raft over so Zach, Simon, and I could be hauled onto shore, I was pretty exhausted. I wasn’t the best swimmer as a human, and worse as a wolf. Besides, I hated it when my coat got soaked. It was different from going out for a run in stormy weather and enjoying how precipitation ran off my fur. I couldn’t exactly drown in the rain.

I was wobbly once I got on dry land. That didn’t stop Emily from throwing her arms around my neck and plastering kisses all over my face. I wanted to stay in that moment longer, but the three of us got carted off to medical, where I let everyone fuss over my condition. I figured that was that, and since Simon was alright, the event would blow over.

But it hadn’t ended up that way.

In the day and a half since the railing gave way and pitched both boys over the side, I felt like everyone was looking at me. I told myself it was just in my head, paranoia brought on by not belonging anywhere for so long. But then, none other than Wakwi presented me with fresh-baked pizza.

“For you, my dear!” she gushed. “As a thank you from my family. Keanu is one of my nephews. I don’t know what I’d have done if something happened to him!”

I wasn’t the one who helped Keanu, but I gratefully accepted the pizza. This turned out to be the wrong move. I now found myself in the same position as Emily at her party, with scores of people approaching me during our walk to the training area.

For what it was worth, Zach was incredibly amused, and at least he treated me normally. I’d saved his son, but I didn’t do it because Simon was our head alpha’s son. I did it because a kid was in trouble.

I just hoped all the extra attention would fade in time, and I did my best to lie low, but after a whole day and a half, I recognized a pathetic truth.

I missed Emily.

Naturally, I found myself marching towards Zach’s house after a break in our morning training, dodging any well-wishers who came my way. It wasn’t that I didn’t like them, but too much praise made me uncomfortable, like I was tricking them somehow. It was nice to be liked, but dangerous as well. I simply preferred everyone ignoring me.

Well, everyone but Emily, and there she was, wrapped in a cozy blanket while rocking on the porch swing. I could smell the mug of coffee in her hand and just watched for a moment as she dutifully studied the book in her lap.

I was sure I could sing her praises for all eternity and still never come close to vocalizing how incredible I found her. She was a one-of-a-kind woman and wolf.

“I see the warmth is kicking in?” I asked, approaching her once more.

Her head lifted instantly, and the smile she gave was the stuff of which poets wrote entire odes. “Seems so. It’s nice not to have my fingers fall off whenever it drops below sixty degrees.”

“I can imagine.” Already, my mood felt lighter thanks to her. She had a greater effect on me than any drug, and instead of turning me into a greedy, desperate shell, she made me a better person.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” she asked. “Are you off on another illicit adventure or did you just swing by to chat?”

I chuckled at her impish grin. “I think no more adventures of any sort for a little bit. Let everyone recover after the week we’ve had.”

“To think just a few days ago, I was complaining about being bored.”

“Were you?”

Emily put her book to the side and stood up. “Well, you know how I am. I’ve never been particularly good at doing nothing.”

“That’s true,” I said. I knew Emily like the back of my hand. We hadn’t been in each other’s lives for long, yet sometimes I felt I’d actually known her all my life. “But if your schedule isn’t too busy, I could show you something.”

“Something good or bad?”

“Bit of both,” I said honestly, never wanting to lie to her again. “But I hope the good far outweighs the bad.”

Emily considered a moment before giving me a nod. “Alright, then. I trust you.”

I trust you.

It was just three simple words, but they rested right here, in my chest, because I knew she genuinely meant them. Despite everything, Emily trusted me , Caleb the fuck-up, the one who’d gotten her lost.

Regardless, she didn’t see any of that when she looked at me. She just saw someone she relied on, and I’d never, ever violate that trust again.

“Do you wanna tell Daphne you’re headed out before we go?” I suggested, imagining Daphne’s frayed nerves after Emily disappearing for a day and a half, then her son almost drowning. It would rattle even the most composed woman.

“Absolutely. I’ll be right back.”

Emily disappeared inside, and I took the time to fold up the blanket she’d left and place her book on top of it. When I got called back to training, I had no doubt she’d end up back on that bench, dutifully expanding her mind once more. That was my Emily, after all.

She came back shortly afterward, and the two of us headed towards one of the projects I’d worked on in my scant free time. It wasn’t quite where I wanted it to be, but with the Black Hawk Pack meeting looming, I figured it was best to show Emily now.

I wanted to reach out and hold hands as we walked, but something gave me pause. I couldn’t put my finger on it. We’d been plenty intimate, but I’d soon reach a precipice unlike any of the others we’d already passed. If I wanted to ever have a chance of getting over Emily, and letting her live her own life, I needed to pull back.

Easier said than done.

Thankfully, Emily didn’t notice my inner turmoil and gave me a full rundown of Simon’s recovery since I’d last seen him. The boy felt shaken up, but would be fine. I wasn’t surprised. He was made of tough stuff, but I was glad I’d been there to help, even if it meant I received far too much attention.

It wasn’t a long stroll to our destination—shorter than the distance to my grandfather’s old land that should’ve been mine. But I’d lost any right to it long ago. Nevertheless, I tried to keep the mood light. I had no way of knowing how Emily would react to my small surprise, yet it was worth the risk.

In less than ten minutes, we’d headed down a winding path leading to a handful of small but beautiful garden cottages. They were each spaced the length of a soccer field apart, and most were occupied by retired elders, their parents having passed the home down, just as their parents did before them.

Except for one: a house in the middle, overrun with weeds, while its interior and exterior indicated years of neglect.

“It’s so pretty,” Emily said as we stood in front of the newly painted door. I thought I’d need to replace it entirely, but these houses were built when things got made with quality: no cardboard, no cheap plastic, but real wood and metal. The material was meant to last. One of the frustrating things about being a long-lived shifter was how we were built for a long shelf life, yet our materials weren’t. “What is this place?” she asked.

“This,” I said cautiously, “is the Garrick family home.”

Emily didn’t say anything for a long time. I tried to be patient, but it wasn’t easy. Anticipation and panic both grew in equal parts within my stomach, fighting for dominance.

“This was where I was born?” she asked finally, her voice small.

“Yes. This house has belonged to the Garrick bloodline for at least five generations.”

“It’s mine?” The voice was small. I desperately wanted to hug her, but I didn’t dare bridge the gap between us.

“It is. I’ve been cleaning it up in my spare time since we arrived. It’s nowhere near habitable, but I figured if you planned to split your time between here and college, you’d want someplace to come back to that was just yours. Plus, it’s a nice place for your family to visit.”

“You did all that for me?” Her voice was so vulnerable, and I swore I heard tears in her voice. I stopped resisting the urge to hug Emily and embraced her, hoping she could feel just how cherished she was.

“I did, and I’d do it all over again,” I said. “You deserve happiness, Emily. You deserve peace.”

I felt the front of my shirt grow warm and wet, but I didn’t comment on it. If Emily needed to cry, that was perfectly fine. I knew she still struggled to connect with the parents she’d never known. I hoped giving her this little slice of what was, and what could be, got her on more solid ground.

“You do take care of me,” she said as she pulled away, wiping her eyes.

“Of course. That’s what I’m here for.” I took her hand and put it to my lips before gently tugging her along. “Here, there’s something I wanted to show you.”

It was something I’d never replaced, something I hadn’t realized existed, but once I saw it, I was flooded with a special nostalgia that was difficult to replicate.

“Look,” I said, stepping in and pointing to the main arch of the entryway, where the cottage opened up from its narrow foyer into the rest of the house.

Emily’s gaze followed my pointed finger, and I knew the exact moment her eyes landed on the pen marks etched into the paint. She let go of my hand and drew closer, barely even breathing.

Once more, I let her have whatever time she needed. There was no rushing this kind of healing, and after a minute or two, she stood and regarded me with watery eyes.

“These are height measurements,” she said.

“They are,” I said, standing alongside her.

“For Kaia and… and for Caleb.”

I nodded. “I know you don’t remember this place, but I spent a lot of time here growing up. It means a lot to me to share it with you. I don’t think there’s anyone in this world more important to me than you.”

“Not even Keller?”

“Not even Keller,” I said resolutely.

Then Emily was kissing me.

I hadn’t expected it at all, but I returned it with equal passion. This was more than lust, more than desire. We shared an aching understanding—both of us had lost so much, and despite all odds, we’d found each other again.

My arms wrapped around her waist, hers around my shoulders, and the two of us clung to each other. I knew in that moment that there was no point in hiding behind my formal connection with her. I needed to be fully and completely honest.

“I love you,” I said when we pulled apart, barely able to breathe as I looked down at that beautiful face of hers.

“W-what?”

I felt self-conscious at how her eyes widened and how her breath stopped in her throat. “I love you, Emily. As more than just a guardian, and it’s okay if you don’t feel the same. I know I’m not worthy, but I want you to know, anyway.”

It was the wrong time and the wrong place, but I couldn’t imagine anywhere better to be open with Emily. The cottage we stood inside was where our story started, and if it was where it needed to end, well… that was alright.

“You love me?” Emily whispered as if I was speaking a different language.

“I do. I have for a while now, and I have no right to ask anything of you, but I just wanted you to know.”

She didn’t say anything once more, and I heard her heart hammering against her chest. I was already thinking of ways to reverse everything if she got scared, but that was the whole point of a confession: there was no going back.

But just when the silence felt like it’d swallow me up, she kissed me.

Oh.

That was a good thing, right? How could a kiss be bad in this situation?

I kissed her back just as hard, and I let her kiss me for as long as she wanted, holding her inside the childhood home she was supposed to have, the one I’d lost along with her. Yet, as stranded as the two of us once were, we’d finally been found.

When Emily at last broke off the kiss, I only stared at her, drinking in the details of her face. She’d kissed me, but that wasn’t the same as saying what I needed to hear.

“I love you, too, Caleb. God, I’ve been so ashamed. I was sure you were only helping me out. Do you… are you sure? You love me? Really love me? This isn’t out of obligation?”

“Obligation? No! Emily, you’re the most captivating person I’ve ever met. You’ve faced impossible odds, and you’ve come out a kind, intelligent, amazing woman.”

“I don’t know about all that,” she said, blushing.

“ I do!” I gripped her even tighter and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the cute little tip of her nose. I was so in love with her. Was I hallucinating? Because I swore she just said she loved me right back. “I’m happy if it takes my whole life to convince you.”

“I…” Emily breathed, and now her tears were coming in earnest, so I kissed those away, too. “So, are we…” her voice dropped to where it was barely audible. “ …mates? ”

I was surprised my heart didn’t just explode out of my chest right then and there. But somehow, I persevered, and instead of spontaneously combusting, I picked Emily up and spun her around.

“If you’d like,” I said after I set her down. “We can be whatever you want, as long as you never make me leave your side.”

“Deal!”

With that, we kissed again, and again, and a few more times. I even lost count, but that was alright. I was the luckiest man in the entire world, and I’d never take it for granted.

Naturally, as our lips locked together, our hands roamed free, and I could feel the heat building between us. I wanted nothing more than to lay Emily down right there on the floor and fully claim her, sinking my teeth into the side of her neck and her doing the same to me. But before I could even so much as start a single well-placed hickey, the rarely used church bell chimed, one peeling ring after another.

“What's that all about?” Emily sounded somewhere between bewildered and frustrated. “Please tell me nobody else fell into the river.”

“No,” I said, the moment broken. “That means the Black Hawks are here.”

“What?” Emily blurted out. I didn’t blame her one bit for the shock and anxiety in her voice. “But I thought the investigation was still going. They weren’t supposed to be here for another few days!”

“I thought so, too. Come on, let’s see what’s going on.”