27. Caleb
27
CALEB
S omething jolted Caleb from his peaceful slumber. His eyes snapped open, scanning the darkened bedroom. Beside him, Fiona's warm presence and steady breathing provided a momentary comfort. The digital clock on his nightstand read 2:37 AM.
A breeze drifted through the cracked window, carrying with it the unmistakable scent that made his hackles rise. Nightfang. At least five of them, prowling around his property.
"Those idiots never learn," he muttered, sitting up carefully. His movement stirred Fiona, her red hair splayed across his pillow.
"What's wrong?" she asked, voice thick with sleep.
"We've got unwanted visitors." Caleb reached for his phone. "Victor's people decided to crash our post-victory celebration."
Fiona bolted upright, instantly alert. "Are you serious? After you just kicked their alpha's tail?"
"Apparently, they're slow learners." He dialed Wade's number while keeping his senses trained on the movements outside. The Nightfang members were circling, getting closer. "Or really fast healers."
"Want me to light up their night?" Fiona's hands already glowed with a warm orange light.
"Hold that thought." Wade picked up on the second ring. "Wade, we've got company. Get some fighters and get to my place. Now."
"On it, boss. Ten minutes."
Caleb ended the call and turned to Fiona. "They're trying to surround the house."
"Good thing I sleep in proper pajamas now." Fiona swung her legs out of bed, wearing flannel pants and a tank top. "Unlike someone who insists on just boxers."
"Hey, wolves run hot." He grabbed a pair of sweatpants from a nearby chair. "And I didn't hear you complaining earlier."
"Focus, alpha." But she was smiling as she tied her hair back. "How many?"
"Five, maybe six." Caleb cocked his head, listening. "They're being careful. Too careful for a random attack."
"You think this is planned?"
"Has to be." He moved to the window, keeping to the shadows. "Victor wouldn't risk sending his people here without a strategy. Not after today."
"Great." Fiona joined him, her bare feet silent on the hardwood floor. "So much for our quiet night in."
"Welcome to pack life." Caleb wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Never boring."
"You promised me boring about six hours ago."
"I promised you alive. Boring was never part of the deal."
The front door splintered inward with a crash that made Caleb wince. So much for his newly installed security system. Victor strode in like he owned the place, flanked by Rachelle and four other Nightfang members. Their boots tracked mud across his hardwood floors.
"You really couldn't wait until morning?" Caleb positioned himself between the intruders and Fiona, though he knew she could handle herself. "Some of us actually enjoy sleeping."
Victor's lips curled into a sneer. "You made a mistake today, Rivers. Letting me live was weak."
"Letting you live was mercy," Caleb countered, tracking each Nightfang member's position. The scent of their aggression filled the room, mixed with Fiona's distinctive fire magic. "Though I'm starting to regret that decision."
"Always with the witty comebacks." Rachelle prowled forward, her eyes fixed on Fiona. "Your little witch won't save you this time."
A ball of fire materialized above Fiona's palm. "Want to test that theory?"
Caleb fought back a smile. God, he loved her spirit. Even outnumbered and caught off guard, she showed no fear. His wolf itched to protect her, but he knew better than to underestimate her abilities.
"You're both pathetic," Victor spat. "An alpha who can't finish what he starts and his pet witch."
"Says the man who got his ass handed to him today." Caleb's muscles tensed, ready to shift at a moment's notice. "And needed backup to confront me in my own home. At night. In my underwear, I might add."
"You should have killed me when you had the chance."
"Yeah, yeah." Caleb rolled his eyes. "I'm weak, you're destined for greatness, blah blah blah. Can we speed this up? I've got plans tomorrow."
The other Nightfang members spread out, forming a loose circle. Victor's face reddened with rage. "Your mockery ends tonight."
"Actually," Fiona chimed in, "I think it's just getting started. Nice bruise, by the way. Really brings out your eyes."
Chaos erupted in Caleb's living room. Victor lunged first, his movements slower than usual from their earlier fight. Caleb dodged, rolling across his coffee table as Rachelle and two others converged on him.
"Duck!" Fiona's voice rang out.
Caleb dropped flat as a wall of fire swept over him, forcing the Nightfang members back. The heat singed his bare shoulders, but he'd take that over claws any day.
"You're paying for any burn marks on my furniture," he called out to Fiona, who was holding her own against two wolves with impressive fire whips.
"Bill me later, tough guy." She sent one attacker flying into his entertainment center. "Little busy right now."
Victor charged again. Caleb met him halfway, their bodies colliding with enough force to crack the drywall. The rival alpha's breath wheezed from his earlier injuries - a weakness Caleb intended to exploit.
They crashed through the kitchen, sending dishes shattering across the floor. Caleb slammed Victor's head into the granite countertop. "You know what your problem is, Victor? You never learned when to quit."
"And you never learned how to be a real alpha," Victor snarled, blood trickling from his temple.
A yelp from the living room drew Caleb's attention. Fiona had trapped Rachelle in a ring of fire, but another Nightfang member was circling behind her.
"Neither did you." Caleb drove his knee into Victor's wounded side from their earlier fight. The rival alpha buckled, giving Caleb the opening he needed. He grabbed Victor's head and twisted sharply, ending the threat once and for all.
Caleb watched in horror as Rachelle lunged at Fiona, claws extended. His muscles screamed in protest as he tried to reach them, but Victor's remaining followers blocked his path.
"You should have stayed out of pack business, witch," Rachelle snarled.
Fiona's response was a tight smile. "And you should have learned some manners."
Fire erupted between them, but Rachelle dodged with frightening speed. Caleb's heart nearly stopped as the wolf's claws grazed Fiona's arm. Blood trickled down her pale skin.
"Getting tired?" Rachelle taunted, circling closer.
"Just warming up." Fiona's hands glowed orange. "Unlike you wolves, I don't need a full moon to be dangerous."
Caleb knocked another Nightfang member aside, desperate to reach them. The scent of Fiona's blood made his wolf howl with rage.
Rachelle pounced again, but this time Fiona was ready. A column of fire engulfed the wolf mid-leap. Rachelle's howl of pain cut off abruptly as she crashed to the floor, her body still smoking.
"Told you I was just warming up," Fiona muttered, swaying slightly.
Pride and worry warred in Caleb's chest. She'd taken down Victor's second, but the effort had clearly drained her. More Nightfang members poured through his broken door, and exhaustion pulled at his own limbs.
"This is getting ridiculous," he growled, backing toward Fiona. "Did they invite the whole pack?"
"Next time," Fiona panted, "we're having date night at my place."
"Deal." He caught her as she stumbled. "Though your place is a lot smaller."
"Less to break."
Just then, Wade's familiar howl split the air. Backup crashed through the windows, catching the Nightfang members by surprise. Caleb had never been so happy to see his second's terrible timing.
"Took you long enough!" Caleb called out as Wade tackled two wolves at once.
Wade shifted just long enough to reply, "Traffic was hell. Also, your house is on fire."
"That would be me," Fiona admitted, leaning against Caleb. "Sorry about the curtains."
Caleb pulled her closer, watching as his pack made short work of the remaining Nightfang members. "Though we might need to discuss your definition of 'controlled' fire."
"Hey, I controlled it exactly where I wanted it to go - right at the bad guys."
"And my coffee table."
"Collateral damage."
Caleb surveyed the wreckage of his living room, stepping over unconscious Nightfang members and bits of shattered furniture. The scent of smoke and blood hung heavy in the air, mixing with the familiar scent of Fiona's magic. His pack members were securing the survivors, while Wade coordinated cleanup efforts.
"Well," Caleb said, "looks like I'll be taking over Nightfang after all. Though I have to say, this wasn't exactly how I planned it."
Caleb stared down at Victor's lifeless body, a strange mix of regret and relief washing over him. The weight of taking a life - even one as twisted as Victor's - settled heavy in his chest. Sometimes being an alpha meant making the hard calls.
"You did what you had to do," Fiona said softly, her hand finding his. Her touch grounded him, pulling him back from the darker corners of his mind. "The Nightfang needed this. They needed someone to break Victor's cycle of violence."
"Doesn't make it easier." He traced his thumb over her knuckles, drawing comfort from the simple contact. "I meant what I said earlier about mercy. I really thought he'd back down after the challenge."
"Some people can't let go of power." Fiona's green eyes met his, fierce and understanding all at once. "But you can show them a better way."
Caleb pulled her close, careful of her injured arm. The wolf in him still bristled at the sight of her wound, but pride won out. She'd more than proven herself tonight.
"You'll be the leader they finally deserve," she murmured against his chest.
"We'll be the leaders they deserve," he corrected, tilting her chin up. "I'm not doing this without you."
"Smooth talker." Her lips curved into a smile.
Caleb leaned down and kissed her, tasting smoke and victory on her lips. His wolf hummed with contentment, finally at peace with both his mate and his territory secure. When they broke apart, he couldn't help but grin. "Though maybe we should work on your aim. My curtains were innocent bystanders."
"Your curtains were hideous and you know it."
"Fair point."