Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
When I wake up the next morning, Caleb’s side of the bed is cold and empty.
I find him lying face down on the living room floor, his arms sprawled to the sides. When I step into the room, he rolls onto his back.
I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “You good?”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
Caleb lolls his head to the side. “I haven’t shifted into my animal form since my injury.”
“Why not?”
Caleb typically finds an excuse to shift daily.
He gets antsy quickly, quicker than most, thanks to his wolf’s heightened emotions.
I didn’t involve myself with it before, mainly because it wasn’t important to me.
I evaluated his animal form that one time, and I didn’t feel I needed to see it again. I had everything I needed for HPAW.
Then I tried to kill him, and everything went to shit.
I regret not spending more time with his animal side. I know they share one singular mind, but Caleb has mentioned that his wolf has his own set of emotions. I wonder if he likes me.
“Is your wolf angry with me for trying to kill you?” I ask.
“No.” Caleb answers quickly, but there is a brief moment of hesitation. I latch on to it.
“What is it?” I pry. Caleb remains silent. I push further. “What is it? Tell me.”
I step closer to Caleb’s sprawled form. He shuts his eyes, and his chest rises with a deep inhale. He looks pitiful. I jab my toe into his ribs.
“Tell me right now,” I order.
Caleb’s eyes fly open, his lips curling into a teasing smile. “Or what?” he asks. “What are you possibly going to do if I refuse to answer you?”
“I don’t know…” I poke him with my toe again. “I’ll slit your throat.”
Silence.
I clear my throat. “That wasn’t funny. I’m sorry.”
Caleb furrows his brows. I feel awkward. I’m trying to be myself, but I’m still not sure who exactly I am. I had a few weeks of self-discovery while Caleb and I were separated, but that’s not enough time. I’m twenty-four years old with no sense of self-identity. It’s pathetic.
“What do you plan to do with the humans?” I ask, changing the subject. “I don’t think they’ll be happy to be here.”
Caleb sighs, shoving his hair out of his face. “We have a database where unmarked wolves can upload pictures of their marks, and a computerized program scans and searches for matches. I’m hoping we’ll find their mates through that.”
I chew on my bottom lip.
“Don’t you think that will cause conflict?” I ask. “I doubt any humans we take from an HPAW facility will want to meet their mates. They’ll be scared of you, and they won’t be receptive to hearing what you have to say. They’ll view our intervention as abduction, and they’ll act accordingly.”
Caleb takes a minute to respond. “Then we’ll convince them otherwise. They’ll want space and time, and I’ll give it to them. We’ll provide them with housing and try our best to acclimate them, but I won’t hold anybody hostage. If they’re dead set on returning to America, I won’t stop them.”
There isn’t much else to do. We won’t treat these women as prisoners.
“Will a shifter accept a mate who has kids by other men?”
Caleb’s brows pull together. “Yes. I am confident they will.”
I brush my bare foot against Caleb’s knee. His lips twitch, and I take great pleasure in watching them curl into a breathtaking smile a second later. He’s addicting. Maybe it will be good for the marked humans to meet their mates. Caleb is good for me.
Adam would be good for Bells, if she ever accepted their bond. I hope she does.
Caleb groans, then stretches so hard that his limbs tremble. I step back, giving him space.
“Why aren’t you shifting?” I ask.
“Shifting isn’t the problem,” Caleb admits. “I need to exercise. To run. Fight. Play. Anything to burn my extra energy.”
I glance at the back door. His wolf needs freedom, but Caleb doesn’t want to leave my side. If I’m honest with myself, I don’t really want him to leave, either. Even if it’s only for an hour.
“If it helps, I’ll play tug of war with your wolf.”
I’m joking, but Caleb seems to contemplate my suggestion. He purses his lips, his gaze flickering between my face and my hands. I hope he knows that by agreeing, he’s signing up for a lifetime of dog jokes.
“How would you feel about a game of chase?” Caleb eventually asks.
I blink. Is he serious?
“Is that going to turn you on?” I ask. “I’m willing to play, but not if it ends with you trying to hump me.”
If looks could kill, I’d be long dead. Caleb glares at me through his dark lashes, pretending to be annoyed, but I see through the cracks. He enjoys my teasing.
“We’ve already gone over this,” Caleb says. “My wolf isn’t sexually attracted to you.” A brief pause, then… “So, can I chase you or not?”
What has my life become?
I take off, my legs pumping hard as I sprint upstairs. The sound of tearing clothing isn’t far behind, I suspect from Caleb transforming into his animal form.
My legs burn as I take the steps two at a time. Caleb isn’t far behind me, his heavy paws thundering. I’m surprised when I make it to the top step, and I can’t help but shriek as I sprint into his home office. I understand that this isn’t real, but it’s still an adrenaline rush.
Caleb pounces on me, and my knees immediately buckle underneath his heavy weight.
I gasp, landing on my stomach. “Caleb!”
Something damp and cold presses against my neck, then exhales warmth. A nose.
I haven’t spent much time around Caleb’s wolf form, and I mentally prepare myself as I roll onto my back.
Caleb stands enormous on all fours, his muscles rippling as he peers down his nose at me. He shakes out his fur before stepping back and lowering, a low growl rumbling out from his chest. It’s arguably a terrifying noise, but I’m not afraid. He’d never hurt me.
Besides, it’s hard to be afraid of Caleb when his ass is sticking straight into the air and his long, painfully fluffy tail is swishing behind him.
I shift into a crouch position.
Caleb’s ass wiggles.
I lunge.
Caleb darts out of the way at the last moment, his threatening growl shifting into a softer purr as he realizes I’m playing along. It’s been so long since I heard his purr—sorry, murmur. I missed it.
Caleb darts downstairs. He’s so damned fast, and I take a moment to enjoy the sight of his half-trot, half-run. He can’t go his full speed inside the house, not if he wants to keep it in one piece, but it’s too cold to play outside.
I chase Caleb down the stairs, through the living room, and around the dining table three and a half times before finally cornering him in the kitchen. He backs up against the fridge, his jaw snapping in my direction.
My gaze falls to his teeth. They’re made to kill. I’ve seen them rip through humans with ease. When he snaps them again, I flinch.
I don’t mean to. We’re only playing.
Caleb ducks his head, his ears flattening to his skull. He feels bad. I feel bad for making him feel bad. I shove my fear aside as I step closer, closing the distance between us. Caleb will never hurt me. I’m certain of that.
I touch his head, scratching behind his ears. His murmuring resumes.
I smirk. “Now that’s a good boy.”
Caleb snorts, a hot puff of air hitting my wrist as he shakes me off. He saunters back into the living room, and the look he shoots me over his shoulder is a clear order to follow him.
I expect him to shift out of his animal form, but he plops into the center of the living room instead. I doubt he’s burned all his energy, but it’s enough for now. Hopefully I’ve helped take some of the edge off.
His tail thumps against the ground as I join him, sitting cross-legged beside his hip. His ears are as large as my hand, and I can’t resist touching them. The fur is soft, and I enjoy rubbing the skin between my thumb and pointer finger.
I try not to think about the last time I saw his animal form. He’s healed, all signs of injury gone. You’d never guess that he was shot with a rubber bullet just a few days ago, or that his eye was bulging out of his head.
Silence stretches between us. It’s comfortable.
Caleb spins and lifts his leg, exposing his belly. I falter. Is he looking for me to rub his stomach? I enjoy teasing him about being a dog, but this seems a little extreme. An awkward second passes before I reach for his stomach.
Caleb jerks away, his eyes narrowing as he avoids my pets. Is this not what he wants?
He lifts his leg even higher, and my cheeks turn a thousand shades of red as I notice the vibrating phone beneath him. I snatch it up, avoiding eye contact as I check the screen.
“It’s Logan,” I say.
Bones snap as Caleb transforms out of his animal form. I avoid looking at the gruesome sight, choosing instead to stare at the ground until Caleb stands naked before me. He takes his phone, and his voice is gruff as he answers Logan’s call.
“Yes?” A long pause, then, “Are you sure?”
I wait.
“Fucking Everett.” Caleb drags a hand through his hair. “All right. We’ll be there in twenty.”