Insider (Outsider Series)

by Micalea Smeltzer

  Mom smiled and sat down beside me with her own cup. It was white with a sunflower.

  “It was always your favorite and I just never had the heart to get rid of it.”

  “I’m glad,” I stared into the pale brown depth of the hot chocolate. A mini marshmallow floated at the top. I watched it float around the top before sinking a bit below the surface.

  Footsteps sounded behind us and I turned to see Caeden standing there in only a white towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets dripped down his bronze chest and disappeared into the band of the towel. I wanted to lick all those water droplets off of his delectable chest. But then my gaze ventured up from his stomach and chest to meet his eyes.

  “Caeden,” I said and worry coated my words. “What’s wrong?”

  He held his cellphone in one hand the look on his face could only be described as something between confusion and pain. In moments like this, his dimple completely disappeared.

  “Bentley and Logan just discovered Peter Grimm’s body,” he said.

  My mom made a strangled, half-painful, sound behind me. I could hear my dad coming out of his office.

  “His body? He’s dead?”

  “Murdered, apparently it’s pretty gruesome.”

  Mom made a choking, gasping, sound. I could hear my dad come into the kitchen and speak to my mom in soothing tones.

  “What does this mean?” I asked Caeden. I knew my eyes were wide with disbelief and my eyebrows had probably completely disappeared.

  “It means that Travis is now Alpha and we can expect war.”

  * * *

  After Caeden’s loaded statement we all just sort of stared at one another for a while.

  Finally I stood and said, “We need to go home.”

  “Yeah,” Caeden rubbed his face. “We do.”

  “Get dressed and I’ll start packing my stuff. Dad can you call the airport and try to get us a flight out? I know you have some major finagling abilities.”

  “Yeah, I can do that,” he said.

  “Mom, please don’t cry. I hate to see you cry,” I hugged her.

  She wiped her eyes and turned to my dad. “I’m fine honey, really,” she patted his hand. “Call the airport and I’ll make some sandwiches for you to eat on the plane.”

  “Thanks mom,” I said and hugged her again. I wanted to argue with her on the whole sandwich making thing but I knew she just needed the distraction.

  I pulled away and headed down the hallway to the guest room across from Caeden’s. Even though we had been sleeping in the same room I had left my bags in the other one. I just hadn’t felt like moving them.

  I closed the door and quickly changed into regular clothes. Jeans and a white t-shirt. Archie was lying on the bed and snored softly. I swear that dog slept as often as a cat.

  “Come on bud we’re going home,” I nudged him. He instantly became alert. I stuffed the last of my items in the suitcase and zipped it closed. I trudged out into the hallway and left it by the door. Dad was on the phone arguing with the airport and mom was sliding sandwiches into Ziploc baggies. Her eyes were red and puffy and she kept rubbing incessantly at them.

  Archie scampered around my feet making yipping noises.

  I didn’t know what to say to comfort her so I just wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on her shoulder.

  Caeden came down the hallway with his bag and Murphy.

  “Did your dad get the airport?” he asked.

  I shrugged my shoulders and rubbed my mom’s back as she sobbed. Caeden picked up his bag and went in search of my dad. Murphy followed behind him like an overgrown shadow.

  “Mom,” I pulled away and took in her tear stained cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

  She wiped her face and moaned, “I’m a horrible person. I’m not crying because my brother’s dead I’m crying because I’m relieved. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

  I stood, flabbergasted, because what did one say to a comment like that and because Travis was just as much as a threat to us as Peter had been.

  Luckily, I was saved from making a comment, by my dad entering the kitchen. He leaned his hip against the counter and rubbed his face. He looked tired. “Your flight leaves in two hours. You’ll have to leave now to make it in time.”

  “Thank you daddy. I’m sorry that our time got cut short.” It suddenly hit me that I would be leaving my parents sooner than I had planned and tears misted my eyes. Three days. Only three was the time I had had with them. That just didn’t seem fair. Who knew when I’d get to see them again? Even in death, Peter Grimm was causing me problems.

  “We’ll see you again soon, baby girl,” he said and slung his arm over my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around his middle and leaned my head against his chest. He kissed the top of my head before ruffling my hair. “I’ll miss you squirt.”

  “I’m going to miss you guys so much,” I said. I had said goodbye to my parents in August but now I had to go through it all again and for some reason this time felt more difficult.

  “I need to make some calls, so I called for a cab to take you to the airport,” he said.

  I took a deep breath and pulled away before hugging my mom again. She squeezed me tight. So tight, that the air rushed out of my lungs in a gush.

  “You’re squishing me,” I choked.

  “Sorry,” she pulled away. She patted my cheeks and stared into my eyes. Hers were the same chocolatey brown color. “I love you Sophie. So much,” she hugged me quickly before letting go.

  A horn honked outside. “That’s the cab,” dad said a bit forlornly. He patted Caeden on the back and my mom hugged him.

  “I’m so sorry ya’ll have to leave so soon. It just breaks my heart,” she said and my dad slung his arm around her shoulder.

  “Me too,” Caeden said, “but we need to get back to our pack.”

  “We understand,” dad said.

  “Love you guys,” I said and blew a kiss as I walked to the door. Mom held her hand out and caught it, our ritual since I was a child. Caeden went on out with our bags and then returned for Murphy’s flattened crate. By the time I made it outside he already had everything loaded in the taxi.

  “Do you have everything?” he asked while his hands rested on the open trunk.

  “Yeah,” I said sadly as I looked back at the house and my parents where they stood on the front stoop.

  He closed the trunk with a loud thwack.

  “Come on, Sophie. It’s time to go home,” he took my hand and guided me into the back seat. Archie jumped into the car and onto my lap. Caeden slid in beside me and closed the door. He told the driver to take us to the airport and then took my hand in his as the car started to pull away.

  I waved to my parents and they waved back. It seemed like it had only taken a matter of minutes for us to leave and I had no clue how long it would be before I saw them again. One month? Six? A year?

  Caeden’s thumb gently stroked my hand in circles.

  “I’m sorry Sophie but we have to go home. Our pack needs us.”

  “I know,” I turned around to watch the house and my parents disappear. “It’s just hard to say goodbye. You’d think I’d be used to it. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”

  “You’ve been saying goodbye to friends not your parents. There’s a difference.”

  “Goodbye is goodbye, Caeden, it doesn’t matter who you’re saying it to,” I turned around and sat down. Archie glared at me for disturbing him and Murphy sat in between us on the seat, his head almost touching the ceiling.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and soaked in my last sights of Germany. Rain splattered the windows and the wipers swung back and forth as fast as they could.

  The taxi pulled up to the airport and Caeden went to fetch a cart. He set up Murphy’s crate and coaxed the reluctant dog into it. I slung my suitcase on top of the cage and then Caeden’s.

  Archie pawed at my legs so I scooped him up into my arms and then followed Caeden to the check in and then through
security. Once we were through that nightmare we collapsed outside the gate.

  Caeden’s knee bounced up and down with restlessness. Finally he stood and said, “I’m going to get some coffee, you want anything?”

  “No,” I shook my head.

  “Alright,” he said and shoved his hands through his hair before stretching his back. The movement caused his shirt to lift and show off his taut stomach but I was too upset for it to get me excited. “I’ll be right back.”

  I watched him weave through the crowd, and every woman he passed eyed him. Normally that made the wolf in me insane but I was too numb for it to matter.

  Peter Grimm was dead and that meant Travis was Alpha. I knew he’d continue his father’s pursuit to kill us. I was so new to this life. How would I be able to defend my pack? Caeden? Myself? I knew nothing of fighting in my wolf or human form like the others. I couldn’t be a weak link for them. I was going to have to prepare myself. There was no way I was going to let Travis Grimm hurt anyone in my pack. Not Charlotte. Not Bentley. Not their parents or Gram. It was time for me to step up to the plate and take my position as Alpha by Caeden’s side. He needed me. They needed me.

  Caeden came back with a small coffee and sat down beside me. He was extremely jittery but I knew it wasn’t a byproduct of the coffee. He was simply anxious to be back with the pack. In a time like this they needed their Alpha. Both of their Alphas, even though I’m not sure I could be included in that terminology. I knew nothing of being a leader whereas Caeden was a natural.

  “Caeden?” I asked and put a hand on his bouncing knee to stop him.

  “Yeah?” he said and placed his coffee cup on the empty seat beside him. A girl, probably sixteen or so, had been slowly creeping towards it. I couldn’t hide my smile.

  “When we get home I want you to teach me to fight. As a…” I looked around and hissed, “wolf and as a human.”

  “Sophie,” he rubbed his face and then turned his blue eyes to me, “I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Then get Bryce and Bentley to teach me. Please, Caeden, I need to know how to defend not only myself but the pack as well. You know I’m right,” I argued.

  He groaned. “It’s just that the thought of you getting hurt makes me sick, Sophie, sick,” he repeated.

  “Caeden,” I said softly and looked at him beneath my lashes, “I’ve already been hurt. Wouldn’t you rather I know how to defend myself?”

  He smacked his hands against the hard plastic airport seat. It left a dent. I did a quick scan to see if anyone had noticed. Nope, old man picking his nose, two girls giggling as they pointed at Caeden and they were looking at his face so there was no way they saw the dent, and then there was a guy yelling angrily into his phone. I let out a sigh of relief.

  He squished his eyes closed and then pressed his fists against them. “Fine,” he said after several minutes of silence. “You’re right, you need to learn. I’m sure they won’t mind helping you.”

  I smiled. “Thank you,” I threaded my fingers through his and then leaned my head on his shoulder.

  “I don’t like this,” he said. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “A few little bruises aren’t the end of the world Caeden. I’ve had worse,” I said and thought of my scar.

  “Yeah, I know,” he rubbed his face. He hadn’t shaved and scruff shaded his cheeks and jaw. He had been right when he said I loved him scruffy. It only served to make him more handsome.

  They called our flight and we boarded the plane. Caeden took the window seat again and I settled beside him. We buckled our belts and Archie settled into my lap to sleep. Man, I wish I could fall asleep that fast. The flight attendants went over safety measures and then told us to prepare for takeoff.

  My fingers dug into the leather seat as the plane taxied to the runway. Caeden took my chin in his hand and tilted my face towards his. “Remember when I said I’d have to distract you with my lips?”

  I nodded.

  He grinned. “Good,” and then his mouth was on mine, searing into me, like he wanted to melt into me. Oh dear God he was going to make me pass out. His tongue flicked out and licked my bottom lip and I gasped in surprise. I think someone laughed behind us but I was so occupied with kissing Caeden that I didn’t care to be embarrassed. My fingers tangled in his hair. He kissed me a few moments longer before pulling away. His thumb caressed my bottom lip. “Was that a sufficient distraction?”

  “Oh yeah,” I said breathlessly.

  His husky laugh filled the cabin. “Just wait until we descent.”

  five.

  It was nighttime a day later when we arrived in Dulles. I was utterly exhausted and we still had to make the hour drive home. I yawned and leaned against Caeden’s car for support. If I didn’t, I was sure to fall over.

  “Sorry Murphy,” he said to the dog. “You’ve gotta stay in the crate until we get home.”

  The dog whimpered and I felt so bad for him being stuck in that cage. He couldn’t even turn around.

  Stifling yet another yawn I said to Caeden, “Does Gram know we’re coming home? I don’t want to scare her half to death.”

  “Yeah, she knows.” Caeden’s arms flexed as he reached up to close the trunk. It clicked shut and he poked at his face. “I’m so freakin’ sleepy. You’ll have to make sure I don’t fall asleep behind the wheel.”

  “I’m not making any promises,” I climbed in the car. Archie sat in my lap.

  Caeden slid in and started the car. The headlights flicked on, highlighting the parking lot.

  Gold eyes flashed in the darkness and I sat forward.

  “Did you see that?” I asked Caeden.

  “What?” he asked as he backed out.

  “I thought I saw… eyes. But… it must just be my imagination.”

  Caeden’s blue eyes flicked through the lot. “I don’t see anything.”

  But I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was there.

  * * *

  Caeden parked on the street in front of Gram’s house. With a yawn he said, “Let’s just go to bed. We can unpack in the morning.”

  “That sounds like an excellent plan to me,” I opened the door. “Go pee Archie,” I coaxed as I sat the dog down in the grass.

  Caeden opened the trunk and let Murphy out of his cage. The dog stretched and rubbed affectionately at his master’s legs.

  I rubbed my jeans as I pulled my keys out of my pocket. I looked at the little yellow house that had become my home these past months.

  “Hey Caeden,” I said.

  “Yeah?” he replied as he stretched his stiff back and a few joints popped.

  “Since we’re home early… and after we take care of pack business… maybe you could help me decorate my room? Like paint it and stuff?”

  He winced. “Paint? Gosh, I don’t know…” he pretended to deliberate. Finally he shrugged. “I’ll do it cause I love ya,” he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me with a loud smack of his lips.

  “If we don’t get in bed soon I’m going to fall asleep in your arms.”

  He laughed and nuzzled my neck. “That wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

  I pulled away and headed to the door. After the third try it clicked and the door swung open. I let the dogs go first before I stepped inside. The dogs headed straight for my room.

  “They’re going to totally hog the bed,” I said to Caeden as I closed and locked the door.

  Grinning, he whispered, “You’re right.”

  We tiptoed quietly down the hallway and into my room. Sure enough the two dogs were on the bed snoozing.

  “Murph, Arch, off the bed,” commanded Caeden.

  Murphy immediately obliged but Archie opened his eyes and quirked his brow before going back to sleep. Caeden threw his arms in the air and looked at me.

  “Well, I tried.” He hooked his thumbs into the back of his shirt and yanked it off.

  I giggled and grabbed some pajamas from my dress
er before slipping into my closet to change. Caeden may have seen everything but that didn’t mean I was comfortable giving him a strip tease every time the opportunity presented itself.

  I pulled on the flannel bottoms and a pale green cami top. I bundled up my dirty clothes and exited the closet. I tossed the clothes in the hamper. “She shoots, she scores!” I staged whispered.

  Caeden laughed from my bed. His jeans and shirt were on the floor so he wore nothing but his boxer briefs. Oh dear lord, was he trying to kill me? Normally he at least wore pajama bottoms. I swallowed thickly before climbing into the bed beside him. He put his arm around me and pulled me against his very warm, very naked chest. I was also very aware of the fact that there were only a few pieces of clothing separating us. My heart stuttered.