by J. A. Saare
“I won’t have people die because of me.”
“People will die regardless, Emmaline,” Dad interrupted. “There is no other with a vendetta against you. We all know where this animosity has derived from, and he will not cease in whatever plans he has set into motion. There are two options at our disposal. We can sit and do nothing, biding our time until he gets to you. Or we can take this to him and have the advantage of surprise.”
“I like option number two.” Caleb glanced at Chris and lifted his chin. “Dad?”
Chris took his time, thinking carefully before he spoke. “I think it’s time you give Sam what he’s been waiting for. Ascend, take your place as alpha, and bring the packs together to take the son of a bitch down.”
“Stop!” Panic overrode my sense of calm. “Would you listen to yourselves? This isn’t some match in the Pit we’re talking about. People will die.”
“Emma,” Chris snapped and glared at me. “Caleb has been extremely lenient with you because you haven’t accepted the change or been brought into the fold. But this nonsense will stop—right now. Our strength lies in our solidarity, it always has. Unless you want him to be weak you will always, no matter what, stand behind his decisions.”
“Not when they involve me,” I retorted weakly. “I have as much right to decide what happens as anyone else.”
“And what about my son?” Chris was losing control of his temper. His eyes glowed from within, becoming different hues of blue. “How do you feel about him losing his life? Because that’s what we’re talking about. That’s what’s on the line.”
“I don’t understand—”
Caleb leaned over, cutting me short, and spoke softly although everyone in the room heard him just the same. “We mate for life, Emma.” He reached for my hand, took it in his, and gave my fingers a gentle squeeze. “When one goes, the other is sure to follow.”
I sat dumbfounded, eyes unfocused as I processed the information. I blinked to clear my vision and turned to Chris, understanding his anger for the first time. That night on the porch he wasn’t simply talking to me. He was trying to tell me something.
I visualized Caleb’s room at Haven’s cabin, the total disregard for anything, the complete despair and chaos. I had thought to myself then that the person responsible couldn’t be my Caleb—and it wasn’t. It was the version of Caleb he would become without me, fighting every night and sleeping all day. And that had only been after we’d spent a couple of months apart.
My eyes met Caleb’s and his indigo irises were dark, expecting nothing, seeking to solidify the truth of his words. His lips curved in a comforting smile and he squeezed my hand again, lifted it into the air, and kissed the back of my fingers. When I looked at Chris, he nodded at me, as if acknowledging I finally understood the importance of our earlier discussion. He had potentially lost one child. He wouldn’t lose another. Not if he could prevent it.
“What would it mean if you became alpha?” I asked. My voice was trembling, even though I tried to keep it steady.
“It would mean no more nights spent in the Pit, for one thing.” Caleb gave me his mischievous smile, the one that always eased my tension.
“That’s reason enough for me,” Beverly muttered and apologized when everyone turned their attention to her.
Dad cleared his throat. “You should know ahead of time that Decimus will amass a legion to come here if you openly challenge him. He won’t take the threat idly.”
“That won’t be a problem, we will too.” Caleb spoke with a confidence I wish I had. He looked at Chris. “I’ll call Sam and set things into motion.”
“When you do, tell him I’m coming back in.”
Beverly’s eyes widened in alarm. “But—”
“I won’t have him going into this alone, Bev.” He looked at Caleb. “Who do you have in line as your beta?”
“Aidan.”
“He’s a good choice.” Chris nodded in approval. “He’ll be able to keep the pack in line if something happens.”
“So that’s it? You’re really going to challenge him?” Dad asked and shifted in the love seat. I glanced over at him and Mom. He seemed tense, yet somehow relieved, while she looked ready to unravel.
“I don’t really see any other way around it.”
As Caleb answered an involuntary shudder coursed over me. He released my hand, wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and urged me closer.
Dad looked at Caleb, speaking directly to him. “None of the houses will stand behind Decimus unless forced to, you should know that. As with anything, idle gossip spreads quickly in close circles. Everyone knows he was humiliated when he yielded to you, and we are all aware of what the prince is capable of.”
Caleb rose to his feet. “I need to speak to Emma privately. Please excuse us.”
He looked down at me and extended his hand. Attempting to conceal my anxiety and confusion, I smiled at my parents and slid my fingers past his, allowing him to assist me to my feet.
He led me out of the room, down the hall and past the stairs, toward the basement. My nervousness increased with each step, heart pounding loudly in my ears as we walked down the stairs and he crossed the darkened room to turn on the lamp. He pulled me over to the couch and sat down. I took the empty spot next to him.
“What’s going on?”
“Before I call Sam, I have to see if this is what you want.” He reached for my hand as he spoke, gently brushing his thumb across the back of my knuckles. “When I ascend, things will have to change.”
I took a steadying breath before I asked, “How do you mean?”
“For one”—his eyes met mine as he moved off the couch and went to his knees—“I want to make this completely official.”
He reached into his pocket and cursed when his fingers snagged on denim. Struggling for a moment, he finally pulled something free. He lifted a tiny velvet box and held it in front of him, his head bowed so that all I could see was his dark hair.
“I wanted to do this in Colorado. I had it all planned. I was going to make you breakfast in bed and hide the ring on the tray.”
I stopped breathing as the world seemed to stop and everything went quiet. I had seen this scenario played out on the television with Grandma while we watched sappy romantic movies on the weekends.
He lifted his head and met my eyes.
“I love you. Marry me, Emma,” he whispered, opening the lid and revealing a ring. It was made of a white precious metal, the diamond in the middle sparkling in the light.
My mouth was gaping, my heart was pounding, and time seemed to stand still. I couldn’t think rationally or formulate words. Everything seemed to freeze in time. My fingers were drawn toward the box and the ring nestled inside. I reached out, touched the top of the stone and felt the firm coolness, and knew I wasn’t dreaming. I drew my head up slowly, gazing into Caleb’s expectant face.
“Will you marry me?”
I brought my hands past the box, to his face, and touched the contours I knew and loved so well. Trailing my fingers behind his ears, I wrapped them in his hair and brought his face to mine. My gaze melted into his, blocking out everything in the room.
“I will.”
He positively beamed as he kissed me. After he removed the ring from the box, he slipped it onto my finger where it nestled comfortably. I stared down at the ring and a pang of misery settled in my chest, taking away from a day I had always dreamed of. The image of white blond hair and heartbroken aqua eyes flashed in my mind.
“Emma?” Caleb frowned, scooting closer on his knees. “What’s wrong?”
Tearing my eyes from my hand, I gazed into the face of the one person I wanted above all others.
“Nothing.” I smiled and pulled him close, lowering my face to whisper, “I love you.”
Chapter 17—Kitchen Faux Pas
Caleb contacted Sam first thing the next morning, calling him over to discuss official pack business. When he arrived, he brought Caleb’s choice for beta with him. The minute the
enormous werewolf squeezed past the door, my eyes widened and I moved closer to Caleb, remaining glued to his side.
If I thought Caleb was an imposing figure, Aidan was a terrifying one. He stood a good two inches taller, and was twice as broad. His arms were thick and ripped, tanned muscles bulged beneath his black cotton T-shirt. His thick sandy blond hair was trimmed closely to his head, and his light blue eyes took in everything.
He would have been gorgeous if he wasn’t so intimidating.
I was afraid ascending to alpha would entail Caleb engaging in a bloody row in the Pit, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. The dominant trait is either there or it isn’t. Caleb had shown himself to be an alpha the very first night he entered Haven’s with his father.
After Caleb started working for Sam, it became clear who Sam wanted to take over when he stepped down and became an elder of the pack as Billy had done when he relinquished his spot as beta to Caleb. But Caleb had held out, refusing to commit and give in to Sam’s request—until now.
Sam’s relief was obvious to all of us.
Now it was a matter of getting the pack acclimated to their new alpha, as well as Caleb flexing his muscles to let them know he meant business. He also had to make a vital decision regarding one important factor that was directly linked to what was going on—protecting the blood relatives of vampires.
If Caleb decided to continue on task, he would have to map out and plan monthly checks, as well as communicate directly with one person who absolutely wouldn’t want to speak with him—Trent. When the topic came up I remained purposefully quiet, listening as they spoke and finally decided to leave it alone until the royal houses did something to dictate otherwise. Sam had already laid out orders through the New Year, so at the present moment, it wasn’t a problem.
I decided to slip away when the conversation got too involved, sneaking out the back door to retreat to the picnic table. It had been quiet without Sarah and Derek around. They had left the day my parents arrived, needing the time alone. I was sure they had a lot to discuss and even more to figure out. I decided to wait to tell Sarah about Caleb’s proposal until I saw her again.
It was news I wanted to share in person.
Staring at my left hand, I studied the ring sparkling in the sun that had managed to shine through a thin part in the clouds. It was lovely, dainty, and understated, which was exactly what I wanted. But each time I looked at the piece of jewelry, I thought of Trent, and I couldn’t understand why.
I wanted to be with Caleb. I wanted to marry him, settle down with him, and spend the rest of my life with him. But another part of me refused to let go. What I had once associated with friendship between Trent and I went much deeper, only I had no idea how far it reached, or for what reasons those feelings remained.
Wrapping my arms around my legs and gazing up at the sky, I scowled when the sun disappeared again. It had snowed during the night, but the temperature had melted away the evidence. For now, it was just cold and wet. For all intents and purposes, it was a dreary winter day.
I heard the back door open and close, followed by the stomping of heavy footsteps. I didn’t turn around, figuring Caleb had come outside to take a breather with me.
“Shouldn’t you have a coat on?”
Aidan’s deep voice startled me and I spun around, nearly falling off the table. He snorted at my clumsiness, undoubtedly knowing it was brought on by him, and shook his head. He came around the side of the table and stopped, standing imposingly next to me, massive arms folded across his chest. Leaning back on his heels, he gazed up at the sky.
“Caleb tells me you’re special or some shit.” He tilted his head to stare at me. “Is that because you actually are, or because he’s the sentimental type?”
“What are you doing out here?” I moved away from him as I asked, unnerved by his overwhelming presence. He was about as enticing as a rabid Doberman.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, I should have a jacket on,” I snapped, edgy at his brashness. I had forgotten to grab one off the coat rack, but surprisingly, I wasn’t that cold anyway. “You didn’t answer mine.”
“I’m out here to meet my future alpha’s bonded mate. Since you’re not like us, I’ll be responsible for your little ass when Caleb’s not around.” He smiled in amusement. “How’s about answering that other question of mine?”
“Are you always so rude?” I retorted, anger and annoyance increasing with each passing second. “I thought Derek was candidate for asshole of the year, but I think he’s got competition.”
“I’m just asking a question.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Don’t get all pissy because you don’t have the answers.”
My newfound temper got the best of me, and I decided to shut him up once and for all.
“Give me your hand.” I reached out to him, palm up, fingers extended.
“What?” He kept his arms crossed and looked at me as if I’d lost my mind.
“Don’t get all pissy because you don’t understand English. Give me your hand.”
He narrowed his eyes, uncrossed his arms, and held out his hand. I didn’t have to place my hand around his, touching the tips of his fingers sufficed.
“Call your wolf.”
He yanked his hand back as if I’d burned him. “You’re not special, you’re fucking insane. Do you want to be lunch, sweetheart?”
Impatient now, I asked, “Do you want to see or not?”
Staring at me skeptically, he extended his hand and allowed me to brush the back of his knuckles with my fingers. The hum was already there, the flow of power that emitted when the wolf started to rise to the surface to take control. It felt different this time, as if the energy was reacting to something inside of me, and I pulled my hand away.
“That’s it?” His eyebrows creased as he frowned. He was clearly disappointed.
“Not only are you rude, you’re impatient too.”
I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and scanned the area for something I could manipulate. I didn’t see anything decent until I swiveled around. I focused on the black sunglasses perched on Aidan’s head, extending my fingers and willing the energy to bring them to me.
Then something odd happened.
They came off his head in a flash, scratching along the surface of his head, and flew into my hand painfully. I winced at the sharp sting, yanking my hand back in pain, and watched in alarm as the glasses dropped into my lap.
“Jesus!” Aidan snapped. He brought his hand up and combed it through his short hair, rubbing against the area the glasses had scraped.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized in a rush and thrust the glasses at him.
“So you can move things with your mind?” he asked, accepting the glasses with hands the size of my head.
“Something like that,” I answered and moved past his bulk to rush to the back door. My feet flew up the stairs as I hurried inside. I was desperate to speak to my father. Something strange was going on.
Caleb came out of the kitchen as I started past and I collided into his much larger body. He spun around, hands wrapping around my waist, and held me close.
“What’s the matter?”
I sagged against him, allowing him to keep me upright. The back door slammed and footsteps echoed from behind us. I felt Caleb’s anger rise as he shifted his body and spoke past my head.
“Do you mind explaining yourself?”
“I didn’t do anything.” Aidan wasn’t apologetic in the least. I couldn’t see him, but I imagined he was striking an imposing pose—arms crossed, shoulders straight, chest out.
“Don’t make me regret my decision.” Caleb’s voice had shifted; the tone now deep and menacing.
“He didn’t do anything,” I murmured against his chest.
Aidan’s footsteps pounded on the floor behind me. Somehow, he managed to maneuver his huge frame in the hallway to pass us. He walked down the hall to the other end of the house without another word.
“Sarah isn’t the only one who has been acting off lately, so have you.” Caleb pushed me away to peer into my face. “What’s going on, Emma?”
“I need to talk to my dad.”
“I thought we were going to be open with each other.”
I brought my right hand from his back to his face and touched the dark shadow that had appeared. Lines of tension were visible around the edge of his mouth, and I attempted to smooth them away with my fingers.
“We are,” I said softly. “As soon as I get some answers, I’ll share them with you.”
“Caleb?” Sam called from the dining room.
“Go ahead.” I took a step back. “Find me when you’re done.”
He paused in uncertainty before he kissed the top of my head and let me go. I followed him as far as the stairs. As I grasped the banister to go upstairs, he placed his hand over mine. I looked up and his deep blue eyes moved across my face, as if he could detect what was bothering me.
“You’ll tell me if something is wrong. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I promise.”
He pulled his hand away slowly, allowing his fingers to drift across my skin, before turning around and walking to the dining room. I took a deep breath and started up the stairs. I reached the top and went toward the bedroom. When I reached the door, I knocked softly.
“Come in.” My mother’s voice flittered through the wall, elegant even when muffled by wood.
I hesitated for a moment, knowing I would be walking into the guest bedroom. Sadly, I realized this would have been something I would have turned to Trent for. The person I wanted to talk to most wouldn’t be there to comfort me this time.
I turned the handle and opened the door. My gloomy mood brightened considerably at the sight before me. My parents were sitting with backs braced on the mattress, books in hand, reading together like an old married couple. Both were dressed casually in jeans and sweaters.
“Hello, Emmaline.” Dad closed his book, looked up, and smiled.
I closed the door behind me, walked inside, and sank to the floor in front of them. “I need to talk to you.”
