Chapter 11 Caleb
CALEB
There’s a knock at my office door that stirs me away from my workload. “Come in,” I call out.
Zara steps inside with a small smile. “Jaxon’s pack is here to help out.”
“Okay. I’ll be down in a second.”
Once I’ve finished up my reports, I head downstairs. Ever since Jaxon’s pack members have come over to help, Cole’s old pack have started to settle, and things have been a lot better. They might not trust me yet, but they’re definitely beginning to soften at the thought.
I gave them a choice; if they want to leave, they can. They’re not my prisoners and never will be. I haven’t taken away any of their rights or privileges. All I ask is that they stand by me and remain loyal. Some are sceptical, others are adapting, but it’s a work in progress.
The house is full, and conversations are in full swing. I walk past the kitchen towards the back door into the garden. My eyes immediately snag on Evan as he perches on the patio step with two women and two children.
His scent lingers in my chest—fresh cotton and sweet cherries.
My nails dig into my palms as the smell invades me without permission. It’s stronger today and chips away at my soul.
Evan’s eyes light up as he says something to one of the women, and they laugh. It’s light and airy. Then a child points to the grass with daisies sprouting. Before I know it, he’s sitting on the ground, making daisy chains with the kids.
My hand raises, and I rub my chest at a sudden feeling forming. Not one of pain, one of admiration. The ease on their faces isn’t surprising. Evan made an effort with Cole’s pack when he was still their Alpha, and they enjoy his company.
Jaxon made sure they had a strong alliance, and it shows. They find Evan comforting, and as much as I dislike him being here for my own sanity, he brings calmness and peace to those who are still a little wary.
He glances in my direction, blinking when he finds me staring. His curly blond hair gently blows in the wind, strands tickling his forehead as his blue eyes remain on mine. I grind my teeth together as the bond draws me in so deeply that I can’t tear my gaze away.
He’s a trance—a trance I cannot snap out of, no matter how hard I try.
His bruises have only started to heal, which has more questions buzzing around my head. Why does he take so long to heal? That’s not normal for a wolf.
“Oh, they love Evan,” Zara says as she creeps up beside me. “He’s such a wonderful person.”
I grunt in response.
Zara turns to stand in front of me. “Did you just grunt? He’s doing the Goddesses’ work here. All of them are. You should be grateful.”
“I am,” I mumble.
With integrated training, I knew seeing him once a week would be fine, but having him here every few days is fucking torture.
“Join them,” Zara encourages. “It’ll do you some good to show you’re also trying.”
I release a long sigh. “What’s that going to solve?”
“Proving that you might be a grumpy ass, but you’re not a bad guy.”
I’ve grown up being cold and blunt to stop my father from getting inside my head with his powers. When I was younger, I realised the more emotion I showed, the easier it was for him to manipulate me.
Meaning now, it’s easy to keep my face blank and my mind clear. It was the only way to survive growing up with him. Mind control isn’t something to mess with—especially when you’re the victim. Now I find it hard to snap out of it, but I do it to protect myself and others.
It’s how I’ve been programmed.
She narrows her eyes at me as I stare back at her. “Go.”
My eyes close for a brief second before I head towards them. Both of the women look up at me and immediately straighten their spines.
“Alpha.” They nod respectfully.
“How are you ladies today?”
One of them blinks, and I know it’s bad that I don’t know their names, but I’ve had to learn hundreds, and it’s still a skill I’m yet to perfect. I sense Evan’s eyes in the side of my head as I swallow at the warmth it gives me. I glance at him as he remains silent.
What are their names? I ask Evan through our mindlink.
He flinches. Not expecting my voice.
Evan narrows his eyes. You’re their Alpha. You should know.
The tingles that hit my sternum are completely unexpected. To hear his voice in my head. To feel it wrap around every last nerve ending. My nostrils flare, and I resist the urge to scratch my head to rid myself of the imprint he’s left.
Unfortunately, learning everyone's names within weeks isn’t my strong point.
He sighs silently. The blonde lady is Emily, and the brunette is Louisa.
I inhale a quick breath as my eyes soften at his help.
“Good,” Emily exhales apprehensively. “It’s a lovely day.”
“You’re right, it’s a good day to get out.”
“Mummy,” the kid says as he comes running over. “Look at this chain Evan helped me make. It’s the longest one I’ve ever made!”
Louisa glances at him and grins. “Oh, wow. Look at that!”
Evan stands up and dusts himself off. “He did it mostly by himself. I just taught him the best way to do it.”
“I want to make a crown,” the little girl says as she follows him.
“Then we’ll make you a crown, Izzie.”
Izzie glances at me and blinks. “Caleb, do you want to help?”
Everyone turns silent, and I stare down at the girl with rosy cheeks. She looks up at me with big brown eyes, and despite never making a daisy chain in my life, I don’t have it in me to decline her offer.
“Izzie, Alpha Caleb is probably very busy, he—”
“Let’s do it.”
The women blink at me in surprise. Evan looks even more shocked.
Izzie claps. “Yay!”
Then she takes my hand, guiding me to the grass. Evan sits beside me, watching me with stunned eyes. He almost looks scared.
After a few minutes, he shows me how to make chains because I’m clueless, but with my thick fingers, I destroy most of them by ripping the stems.
“I’m not very good at this,” I murmur heavily.
“You don’t need to do it so forcefully,” Evan says as I pluck a fresh daisy. “Do it like this.”
My chest constricts when he places his hands over mine, and I’m sure I get some kind of electric shock. We both feel it because he raises his eyes to mine, and we’re frozen still.
He clears his throat, quickly breaking the trance, and gets back to the task at hand.
“Use the corner of your nail,” he says as I watch him do it to the stem, his fingers still over mine.
I study them for a long moment. “Sometimes, the skinnier stems will rip, so try to pick ones with thicker stems.”
“Okay,” I rasp.
We sit there for another twenty minutes making daisy chains until they’re coming out of my ears. I almost laugh to myself because if my father saw me now, he’d be rioting.
But he’s not here, and I know this is a good way to get myself involved. I could easily tuck myself away in my office and not show my face, but that’s not going to help my situation.
When the kids run off to show their mothers their creation, I’m left with Evan. I remain seated as neither of us says anything until I have to break the silence.
“How are you healing?” I ask.
“Fine.”
“We caught the rest of them,” I blurt, subconsciously wanting him to know I did something about it.
Evan blinks at me blankly.
“The wolf hunters,” I clarify. “They were camping out at the old derelict house near the district centre, off the radar. They’re gone now.”
“You killed them?”
“To protect my people? Yes.”
He sucks in a breath but doesn’t say anything more; instead, he leans back on his palm and brushes a hand through his curls. I’m drawn to the action and the way his pink lips part. My stomach tightens as sensations wash through my body.
The sun is shining through the trees and hits him directly in the face.
Those blue eyes are nearly ghostly in the light as his fair lashes brush his cheek when he blinks.
A sprinkle of freckles litters his nose and cheeks.
They’re almost unnoticeable, but in this close proximity, I can see each and every one.
My chest quakes from the pull of our bond, and how it makes me feel when I look at him and his stupidly handsome face.
“Please stop looking at me like that,” Evan grumbles.
It’s then I realise I’ve been admiring him like nobody's business, and it’s dangerous.
I clear my throat and frown. “Like what?”
He turns to face me with vacant eyes. “Like you want to murder me.”
I’m taken aback because that’s the last thing I thought I looked like. But when I find my hands clenched, maybe I did. Unintentionally. Although not for the reason he probably thinks. He’s not the one I want to murder; he’s the one I want to protect.
“If you don’t want me helping with your pack, tell Jaxon. I don’t need him on my case.”
I open my mouth to respond, but instead I hear, “Caleb, I need to talk to you.”
My head twists, and I find Felix standing on the patio. I nod and push myself up from the ground without looking back at Evan.
“Thanks for the crown, Caleb.” Izzie flashes me her daisy crown. “I’m going to wear it all day.”
“Alpha, Izzie. He’s—”
“Caleb is fine,” I reassure Louisa. “And it was my pleasure, Izzie. Have a good afternoon, guys.”
Louisa’s mouth parts. “Thank you.”
When I make it inside with Felix, he’s watching me.
“Daisy chains?”
“Don’t start.”
Felix chuckles. “Now that’s one way to win them over.”