six.
Light streamed through the living room windows when I woke up. Dust motes swirled in the air like tiny orbs of rainbows. Despite sleeping on a narrow couch, next to a very large Caeden, I had never slept better. I knew that I would be content to spend the rest of my life in his arms. While he was still sleeping I reached out and traced first his eyebrows, then his nose, chin, and finally his perfect lips. His lips cracked a smile and he let out a happy sigh in his sleep.
“Caeden,” I whispered and shook his arm. “Wake up.”
“Hmm,” he mumbled in his sleep.
“Wake up, sleepy head.”
He cracked his eye open and upon seeing me broke out in a smile. “Hey,” he said.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Never felt better,” he said.
“Yeah right,” I said and pulled back the blanket.
The cuts were no longer an angry red but a whitish color. Tentatively, I traced them.
“See, I’ve never been better. Unfortunately though, I am forever marred. An Alpha’s attack leaves a scar… That is if it doesn’t kill you.”
“Lucky for you,” I said running my fingers lightly down the scars. “I like scars. They add character.”
He smiled and lightly kissed my nose.
“Lovebirds,” Gram called from the kitchen. “Come get some breakfast.”
We both laughed and Caeden unwound his arms from around me.
“Caeden,” Gram said appearing in the doorway of the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel. “I found some of Garrett’s old clothes. They’re in the hall bathroom. I’m sure you’ll want to take a shower to get rid of the blood.”
“Thanks,” he said and disappeared.
“I’m going to go get dressed,” I said to Gram.
I spent a lot more time in picking out my clothes than I normally would but then scolded myself for being silly. Was I seriously going to dress differently for a guy? So, instead of the heather gray sweater dress I had pulled out, I put on jeans and a sweatshirt. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and applied some lip gloss, my only concession. After all, if Caeden was my mate I should be able to wear a sack and he’d still think I looked good.
I must have taken a while to get ready because Caeden was already showered and sitting in the kitchen. His hair was wet and little droplets of water dripped onto the shirt he was wearing. Gram had found him some navy sweatpants, that were slightly too short, and a gray shirt that said NAVY on it. I smiled and he beamed back at me.
Last night had changed a lot of things. For one, I was now ready to embrace the fact that I was a shifter. Maybe it was the Alpha in my blood but I had the deep yearning to protect what was mine. Not just Caeden but my pack. Second, I no longer wanted to run from my feelings for Caeden. Last night had made me realize that life was short; you never knew when the end would come. I had thought I was going to lose Caeden. I never wanted to have that feeling again. I wanted to live, be a part of my pack, and be Caeden’s mate.
Only a week ago my life had been completely transformed. It seemed like so much longer. It felt like years ago. But I was ready to take my rightful place. Be the female Alpha and whatever that entailed.
I sat down across from Caeden and Gram set a plate down in front of each of us before sitting down herself. Caeden had enough food to feed three people but he acted like it was normal and speared a piece of egg. I shook my head and took a bite.
“I can’t believe Peter did this,” Gram said. “It’s appalling.”
The thought of whomever this Peter was made the wolf in my blood howl. How dare he attack what’s mine. A growl ripped through my body. Startled, I eyed the other two who stared back at me wide eyed.
“How did I do that?” I asked.
Caeden smiled. “You’ve accepted what you are, haven’t you?”
I blushed. “Maybe,” I mumbled.
He smiled. “The wolf will become more prominent now. Your instincts will start to take over now.”
I buried my face in my hands. “I’m not sure I’m ready.”
“Don’t worry,” said Caeden and I felt his large hand stroke my back. “I’ll be here to help you every step of the way.”
“Ugh,” I groaned and looked up, meeting his cool blue gaze and Gram’s warm brown one. “I feel so… protective. The thought of anyone hurting you… or the others…” I blushed and said, “It makes me want to rip their throat out.”
Caeden smiled and looked at Gram. Gram shook her head. “I always knew you’d be a feisty one.”
“Just wait until she shifts,” said Caeden with a wide grin. “With that attitude she’ll be unstoppable.”
“I don’t want to be unstoppable. I want to be me.”
Caeden’s hand stroked my back reassuringly. “Don’t worry, babe, you’ll still be you. Just a little stronger.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Babe?” I asked.
He blushed and removed his hand from my back. He sat back in the chair and tried to avoid eye contact. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
“No,” I said and smiled. “I like it.”
“Yuck,” said Gram. “I’m not sure my old soul can handle all this lovey-doveyness.”
“Aww, Gram you were young and in love once too,” I said and then blushed when I realized I had said love.
Caeden looked over at me and I blushed even redder. “I didn’t mean… Just ignore me,” I mumbled.
“Well,” said Gram. “Why don’t you two do something today? Go on a real date,” she said with a wink. “And try not to get yourselves killed.”
Caeden smiled and said, “Sophie is that okay with you?”
“Of course,” I said. “Especially the part about not getting killed. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle you almost dying again.”
Caeden looked down at the table. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I was being stupid.”
“Yes, you were,” said Gram sternly. “You know you aren’t supposed to engage alone with rival shifters. And you may be the Alpha of this pack but you’re young and inexperienced. Peter has led the Grimm Pack for many years now and knows many things that you do not. You can’t be cocky when you’re the Alpha, you have to be smart and diligent, in order to care for your pack. Your pack is your responsibility. You must think of them before you do something rash.”
Caeden hung his head. “I’ve learned my lesson, Lucinda. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not. Especially if you’re, my Sophie’s, mate. You have to be able to protect her.”
Caeden looked up at me. “I will,” he said. “Till my dying breath.”
“Oh, stop with all the melodramatics you two. This is ridiculous.” I looked at Caeden. “Let’s go before she starts reciting the shifter laws to us.”
“You’ll have to hear them eventually,” Gram said.
“There’s really shifter laws?” I asked. “Because I was just being sarcastic.”
“Of course we have laws,” she said.
I deposited my plate in the sink and shook my head. “Another time, then. I’m really not in the mood to be lectured on how to be a good non-human.”
“Sophie,” she said. “Being a shifter doesn’t make you less of a human being.”
“Doesn’t it? Being a shifter means I’m not human.”
Gram groaned and looked at Caeden. Throwing her hands in the air Gram said, “She’s all yours. Maybe you can get her to understand.”
“I’ll try,” he said standing.
I narrowed my eyes. “Can we go now?” I snapped. “I feel like I’m suffocating.”
Caeden cleaned his plate and said, “Let’s go.”
“Have fun you two,” said Gram.
Caeden smiled. “I’ll make sure she has fun.”
I crossed my arms. “Are you suggesting I don’t know how to have fun?”
“No,” he started and upon seeing my look said, “okay maybe. You need to smile more. I’ve hardly seen you smile at all this last week.”
&nbs
p; “My whole world’s turned out to be a lie. Therefore, I find that I don’t have much to smile about.”
He came over to me and with his fingers tweaked the corners of my lips so it looked like I was smiling. “Ah, there it is,” he said when I finally smiled at his antics. I swatted his hand away.
“I plan on seeing that smile a lot more today. I have a whole day of fun planned,” he said walking out the door.
“Should I be afraid?” I asked.
“Terrified,” he said with a grin, the dimple appearing in his chin.
Outside I looked around and said, “Where’s your bike?”
He gave me a look and I said, “Oh, right.”
We got in my car and he said, “If you don’t mind too much I’d like to stop by my house to change.”
“Oh, sure.” I said. “Just give me the directions.”
Caeden gave me directions and it took about fifteen minutes to get to his house. We came to a gate and Caeden had to slide a card through a slot in order for the gate to open. The gate opened and I had to turn down a narrow, almost completely obscured, dirt road and follow it. Driving through here I felt one with nature. The trees created a natural green canopy and the smell of dirt, rain, and decaying leaves filled the air. It wasn’t an entirely unpleasant smell. Squirrels continually jumped in front of the car so I had to keep hitting the breaks to avoid them. I didn’t want to have a little squirrel death on my hands. Finally, the trees receded and a large white, plantation style, house appeared. “Wow,” I said. “It’s beautiful.”
The house looked like something out of the civil war era. Bright green vines clung to the side of the house. I could see a large garage in the back that was obviously an addition. I came to a stop in front of the house on the circular driveway. Despite it being autumn everything here was still green. I felt like I had stepped into another world, like I was in some kind of enchanted green planet. For all I knew maybe I was. After all, if shifters, werewolves, vampires, and fairies could exist, then so could paradise.
“You like it?” Caeden asked.
“It’s amazing,” I said. “I always did have a thing for old homes. They seem so majestic.” I shrugged my shoulders, “Old homes have a history and because I moved a lot I never felt like I had one.”
He took my hand. “We can make a history together.” I blushed and he unbuckled his seatbelt and said, “Come on in. My mom’s dying to meet you.”
I grimaced, “She knows.”
He knew what I was talking about and said, “Yeah, she knows we’re mates and she’s ecstatic. So is my whole family. We’re the first mates in a long time.”
“But that’s not true,” I said. “Gram said my parents were mates. And what if they don’t like me? What if I don’t meet their expectations?”
“First off it’s just my mom and annoying brother, whom you’ve already met, not my entire family. Yet,” he added. “And I never knew that your parents were mates.”
“Well, according to Gram they are. My mom was from the Grimm Pack and you already know about my dad. They risked everything to be together.”
“Wow,” he said. “I’ll have to talk to Lucinda about it some more. I wonder why them and why us?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I guess we’re just special.”
Caeden grinned, “Alright enough stalling. Time to meet my mom.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “I’m perfectly comfortable right here,” I said and patted the leather seat to punctuate my point.
Caeden smirked. “You could be sitting on a bed of nails and you’d be comfortable right now wouldn’t you?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” I said.
He laughed. “It’s just my mom.”
“Fine,” I said grumpily.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “She only bites sometimes.”
“Sometimes,” I gulped and he winked. I got out of the car and stalked around to Caeden’s side. “Does she know what happened?”
“No,” he said.
“Then isn’t she going to be wondering where you’ve been?” I asked.
“Maybe,” he said. “I’m gone a lot doing shifter stuff. Roaming the woods, chasing squirrels,” he said with a grin.
I smacked his arm. “So, what’s with the security gate?” I asked.
“That,” he said, “is to keep the Grimm’s out.”
“Oh,” was all I said.
He opened the front door and we were greeted first by a large sweeping staircase and then by the biggest dog I had ever seen, it resembled a horse more than a dog.
It tried to make a jump for me but Caeden grabbed the dog by the collar and said, “Bad, Murphy. Sit.”
The dog sat and even sitting it almost reached my eye level.
“That’s a huge dog,” I said stating the obvious.
Caeden petted the dog affectionately on the head. “This is my dog. He’s an Irish wolf hound. His name’s Murphy.”
“Hi Murphy,” I said and tentatively stuck out a hand for him to sniff me. I must have passed the test because he gave my hand a quick lick.
Just then another dog came trotting in followed by Bryce. “I see you’ve met Murphy,” said Bryce. “I myself prefer smaller dogs. This lady here is my Bella,” he said petting the beagle that had stopped in front of him.
A voice sounded from our left. “Caeden Henry Williams where have you been? And don’t tell me you were on duty because I know for a fact that you weren’t.”
Caeden groaned and turned to face the woman standing in the doorway to what looked like the kitchen. She was short with straight brown hair. Her hands were perched on her hips. She wore khaki pants and a white t-shirt.
“Hi, to you to mom,” said Caeden.
“Caeden-,” she started again before Caeden threw a hand in the air.
“Mom, before you give me the third degree, this is Sophie.”
“Oh,” she said and a huge smile appeared on her face. I noticed that like Caeden she had a dimple in her cheek when she smiled. “I’m Amy,” she said and came forward pulling me into a hug.
I hugged her back. Her hug reminded me of my mom. A surge of sadness rolled through me. I missed my mommy.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook,” she said over my shoulder.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” muttered Caeden from behind me.
She pulled away and smiled at me with the same bright blue eyes that her son had, “I’m so happy my Caeden found you.”
I blushed and Caeden warningly said, “Mom.”
“Are you hungry?” she asked me.
“No,” I said. “I just ate but thanks anyway.”
“Now where were you?” she demanded, turning to glare at Caeden.
“At Sophie’s,” he mumbled.
“All night?” she asked him.
“Yes,” he whispered.
“Alright, man!” said Bryce and Caeden punched his younger brother in the shoulder.
“It wasn’t like that,” he said. “I just spent the night.”
“Why did you ‘just spend the night’ and not call me? I’ve been worried sick,” she said.
“She has,” said Bryce, “She even wore a hole in the rug.”
“Bryce, go do something productive,” Amy said.
Bryce picked up his dog, Bella, and sauntered into the kitchen.
“Caeden,” I said. “Just tell her. She’s your mom. She’ll find out anyway. Mom’s always do.”
Caeden sent me a betrayed look and said, “I don’t want to worry her.”
“I was worried all night anyway so tell me what happened,” she said waving her hand impatiently.
“Peter attacked me,” said Caeden. “That’s why I went to Sophie’s house. I hoped Lucinda would be there but she wasn’t. Luckily, despite her fear of blood, Sophie helped me.”
“What did he do to you?” shrieked Amy.
Bryce came back into the foyer. A line of worry puckered his forehead.
Caeden looked at me pleadingly. “S
how them,” I said.
He shrugged out of his shirt and turned so that his mom and brother could see the five white scars.
Breath hissed through their teeth and then Amy growled. She came forward to touch her son’s scars. “He tried to kill you,” she stated.
“He almost did,” I said.
Amy looked over at me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. “You saved my son.”
“Hardly,” I said. “He had to tell me how to do everything.”
“Mom,” Caeden whined pulling his shirt back down, “let her go. You’re crushing her.”
“It’s okay,” I said. Caeden shook his head.
“I’m going to go change and then Sophie and I are leaving,” said Caeden. “So, please don’t crush her to death while I’m gone.”
Amy let me go and patted my hand. She smiled at me. “Sophie will be just fine,” she said.
“Sure, she will,” said Caeden going up the stairs.
Amy smiled and pulled me into the kitchen.
The kitchen was large with white cabinets and white marble countertops. The floors were a black and white checkered pattern. There was a large island with three chairs, Bryce was sitting in one feeding Bella pieces of bacon, and then against the far wall was a large bay window with a table and chairs that served as the breakfast nook. The kitchen reminded me of a restaurant with its industrial size refrigerator, large stovetop, and double ovens.
Noticing my perusal of the room Amy supplied, “The pack eats here a lot and with that many hungry wolves you need a lot of food. One wolf is bad enough,” she said. She shook her head, “They can eat enough to feed a small army in one sitting.” She giggled and pointed to herself, “Me included.”
I laughed, “Will I get like that?”
“Once you change, yes. It’ll happen earlier if you start working out with the rest of the pack, which might be a good idea.” She felt my arm and said, “Yes, you definitely need to bulk up.”
“Bulk up?” I croaked.
Caeden came into the kitchen and said, “Your arms are fine don’t listen to her.” He had changed into a longs-sleeved blue shirt and dark jeans. The blue of the shirt brought out his eyes.
Amy let go of my arm and put her hands on her hips, “The girl should be able to protect herself. What if the Grimm’s find out who she really is? Hmm? What then, Caeden?”
Outsider (Outsider Series) Page 7
