Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Every inch of Caleb’s body is wrapped around mine when I wake up, his chest pressed against my back and his thigh hooked over my hip. His thigh is heavy, sinking me into the mattress, but I don’t mind. He’s trying to keep me close, his sleep state desperate to hold me tight.
I love it, and I smile into my pillow as I realize I can finally feel our bond.
Everywhere we touch is electrifying. It’s incredible, and I wiggle against Caleb with a contented sigh.
He breathes into my hair, his arm tightening around me.
“Morning,” he says. His voice is rough with sleep. I’ll never tire of it.
I roll over, facing him. “Morning.” I pause, then continue. “How’d you sleep?”
Caleb’s eye looks significantly better. The swelling is gone, and the bruising has faded to a light yellow. I wait, watching his eye shut in a full blink. When it re-opens, I’m pleased to see his eye is damp with its own moisture. He won’t need any more drops.
“This was the best sleep I’ve had in weeks,” Caleb admits. “I missed having you in our bed.”
He drops a heavy hand onto my hip, gently rubbing the bone as I pry his eyelids apart, desperate to get a closer look. Caleb almost immediately swats me away.
“Did they wake you up?” he asks.
I frown, cocking my head to the side. “Who?”
“Adam, Sash, and Logan.”
Why on Earth would they have woken me up? I grow quiet, taking a moment to listen. I’m expecting to hear knocking on the front door, or maybe a howl outside. I’m met with the sound of clanging dishes instead.
“Are they…” I pause, lowering my voice. “Are they inside?”
Caleb nods, frowning. “Unfortunately.” He doesn’t bother lowering his voice. “They invited themselves inside about an hour ago.”
An hour? Have they been waiting around while I slept? Why didn’t Caleb wake me up?
“Why?” I ask.
Caleb shrugs. “I thought it would be best to work from home for a day or two. I’m still healing, and you need rest. I told them not to come until the afternoon, though. I wanted you to sleep in.”
I slip out of bed, shooting Caleb a panicked look as I disappear into the closet. My clothing is still at the apartment in town. It gives me a great excuse to wear Caleb’s sweatpants and one of his T-shirts.
He steps into the closet, leaning against the doorframe as I dress. He’s still naked from last night, and he makes no attempt to pretend he isn’t watching my every move.
Caleb looks good, all long limbs and defined muscles, and he knows it.
I grab a second pair of sweatpants and toss them at him.
“Get dressed,” I order.
He chuckles. “Yes, ma’am.”
I haven’t seen Sash or Logan since the attack, and I wasn’t in my right state of mind then. I thought Caleb was dead, and they let me believe it. I fought against them, and I spoke very poorly of them to the poor shifter who was assigned to drive Bells and me back to the pack.
Did he tell them the things I said? I faintly remember using the words ‘traitor,’ ‘liar,’ ‘disgrace,’ and several other creative declarations.
Caleb steps in front of me when I move to leave the closet.
“Wait,” he says. He presses our foreheads together, breathes, then turns and brushes his cheek against mine. “They’re here to discuss HPAW. I want you to be a part of these discussions, Ev. You deserve to be here.”
I pause, then give a timid nod. I’m not sure that I deserve to be here, but I want to be. HPAW has taken so much from me. I want to help Caleb however I can.
“I love you,” I whisper. Then I turn and rub my cheek against his, trying to convey just how much he means to me. I know this action is important to the shifters.
When I pull away, Caleb’s cheeks are slightly flushed.
“I love you, too,” he says, taking my hand.
We head downstairs, following the clattering of dishes and loud voices into the kitchen. Sash and Logan stand by the stove, with Sash in front holding a spatula. Logan hugs her from behind.
Adam is standing several feet away, his arms crossed over his chest and his face tipped upward. He’s tense, and he doesn’t look over as Caleb and I enter the room.
“I told you that I wanted Ev to sleep in,” Caleb says, stepping slightly in front of me. “Why are you here?”
Adam finally looks over. His arms remained crossed over his chest, and when he determines I’m no longer on the cusp of dying or having a mental breakdown, he returns his stare to the ceiling.
There’s a tense silence before Sash clears her throat and gestures to the kitchen island. It’s covered in breakfast food—from pancakes and sausage to cut-up fruit and eggs. There’s an empty plate set aside, where I assume the bacon she’s currently cooking will go.
“I came early to make you breakfast,” she tells Caleb. “Logan followed me, and Adam is looking for any excuse not to be around his mate.”
Adam hums. “Thanks for that, Sasha.”
My stomach growls.
“Can I speak with Evelyn?” Sash continues, cutting Caleb a sharp look. “Privately.”
Why? I shift my weight from foot to foot, trying not to let my discomfort show. Sash and I aren’t exactly in a great place. The last time we spoke—excluding at my almost-execution—she smacked the shit out of me and told me that she hopes I feel pain when Caleb fucks somebody else.
I’m not holding a grudge—I tried to murder her brother, after all—but that doesn’t mean I’m at ease around her.
“Evelyn doesn’t want to speak with you,” Caleb says.
Sash presses her lips together, her eyes falling to the floor. It’s just pitiful enough for me to speak up.
“Don’t be rude,” I tell Caleb. Sash looks back up, and we make eye contact. “Sash is right. We should talk.”
I should apologize to her, too. I’m conflicted on whether or not I should feel obligated to do so, considering my issues are between her brother and me, but I’m willing to set aside my pride in the name of making peace.
I like Sash. She went out of her way to make me feel welcome within the pack, and I appreciate that. I don’t want animosity between us.
Caleb grunts. “Fine, but I’ll be listening to every word.”
He leaves the room, with Logan and Adam quick to follow. I’m sure all three are listening.
“Evelyn…” Sash starts. She clears her throat, then gestures again to the food on the kitchen island. “This is apology food because, well, I’m sorry.”
I fist the fabric of my shirt while Sash rubs the back of her neck.
“I let my emotions get the better of me,” she continues. “I should have never hit you.”
There’s a clatter from the living room. I step back, peering into the room just in time to see both Adam and Logan dragging Caleb out the front door. He fights them, but he’s still weak from his injuries. They ignore his threats as they force him outside, the door slamming shut behind them.
I suppose Caleb didn’t know that his sister hit me. He was drunk when it happened.
I turn back to Sash, my throat dry. “It’s okay. I’m not without fault, either. I don’t blame you for being upset with me. I know how much you love Caleb, and I imagine I would have reacted similarly had I been in your position. I’m sorry, too.”
Sash shrugs. I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth.
Now what?
Eventually, Sash slides an empty plate in my direction. “You should eat.”
There’s a loud bang as the back door bursts open. I don’t look, already knowing who the angry shifter behind me is. Caleb storms inside with several curse words on the tip of his tongue, and he lets them spew as I load my plate with food.
It looks good.
Sash takes Caleb’s anger in stride. We all know his threats are empty.
I’m ready for this to be over. I believe Sash is, too. Even if she doesn’t entirely forgive me, I think she’s ready to make peace for the sake of maintaining a good relationship with her brother.
A hard body presses against my back, and fingers curl around my hips as Caleb peers over my filled plate. He’s grabbing a plate of his own a second later, continuing to spew occasional nonsense at Sash as he eats.
I hate to admit that I’m enjoying it. Things are far from okay, but this moment feels normal.
I’m at home with Caleb. He’s arguing with his sister.
Logan and Adam are lingering on the far side of the room looking uncomfortable.
I think I’d freeze this moment if I could. I know it’s not going to last.
As if on cue, Logan clears his throat. “Are we ready to discuss HPAW?”