Published: June 10th 2023, 2:01:00 pm
Caleb’s already in the safe house when Cole and I arrive. He’s showered, shaved, and dressed, and I hope I’m sly in the way I scan him for any signs of injuries.
Cole found it entertaining to tell me all about how wolves love to fight and wrestle in their wolf forms, and he especially found pleasure in informing me that they also like to gang up and attack who they perceive to be the strongest among them.
He called it a fun game, but I don’t see the humor in it. Caleb’s larger than all the other wolves he traveled with, but they were all Alphas. I’m worried they’ve hurt him.
Cole’s chatting quickly turned me into a nervous wreck, especially considering how injured Caleb was just a few days ago. Caleb’s promised me countless times that he’s all healed and I have nothing to worry about, but that’s easier said than done.
I’m a worrier. I can’t help it.
“How was the drive?” Caleb asks, pulling me into his arms the moment I step into the house.
It’s smaller than the one we just left, but the one-story brick building is set back into the woods and surrounded by trees, making it harder to see from the sky. Our old home had a pretty sizable yard immediately surrounding the house, a feature I’m sure Caleb was excited to have when he learned I was a human.
“It was fine,” I say, pulling out of Caleb’s arms so I can look around the interior.
This place has a rustic feel, but it’s cozy. The front door opens immediately to the living room, and the kitchen and dining room are all one open space. There’s a hallway connected to the dining room that I’m sure leads to bedrooms and bathrooms, and I scan over them before turning back to the living area.
A long conference table has been set in the center of the room, complete with office chairs and giant monitors. Adam and Sash sit there, along with Maverick.
I’m surprised to see the Alpha here. I assumed he’d remain in his pack after coordinating the necessary medical care Everett’s and King’s warriors would be taking with them. He must have returned immediately after finishing.
Sash and Adam sit next to one another at the far end of the table, both tapping away on their respective computers. Adam’s wearing his usual lounge outfit, which is unsurprising, but I’m shocked to see Sash’s similar clothing.
She’s usually quite put together, but her hair’s been thrown into a high bun and her lounge clothing is all rumpled. How long has she been here?
Too long, by the looks of it.
None of them pay me any attention, and I scan over the room once more before glancing at the large TV mounted on the wall. It’s lit up, and covering the screen is a map of the routes Everett and King intend to take to reach the HPAW facilities.
It’s not precisely the living room setup I’m accustomed to, but it’s more practical. Our old dining room was too small to fit all the people we had coming in and out, but this living room is about the size of one of the conference rooms at Caleb’s office building.
“Everett and King have reached out to let us know their men are en-route,” Caleb explains, pulling me toward the head of the table.
Cole hurries through the house with our bags, and Maverick finally looks up to make brief eye contact with me before dipping his chin and rising from his chair. I forget how huge he is until he’s standing directly in front of me, his covered bicep easily the size of my head, and I hold my breath as I wait to see what he’s going to do.
Caleb mindlessly runs a hand down my back before leaning to the side to tap at his computer, and a quick glance in that direction confirms my suspicion that his computer’s being reflected on the TV screen.
He doesn’t seem concerned about Maverick, which I’m taking as a good sign. The two seem friendly, but that was before Caleb publicly called me the female Alpha. I’m still pissed about it, even if I’ve been holding in my anger for the sake of focusing on HPAW.
Maverick doesn’t look the least bit upset, though, as he begins bundling up his laptop and the bowl of cereal he must have been eating before my arrival.
Where’s he going?
“Caleb told me I have to move seats when you get here,” he says, sensing my confusion.
I stifle a gasp, my annoyance with Caleb ever-growing. I appreciate his persistence in making it clear to the wolves who I am to him, but he can’t be bullying his people for me. There’s an open seat on the other side of him that I’m more than happy sitting in.
Caleb starts tapping away on his computer, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I turn back to Maverick.
“You don’t have to move,” I tell him.
Caleb smoothly grabs the chair Maverick once sat in and slides it next to his.
“Yes, he does,” he says.
For fuck’s sake.
To my complete relief, Maverick only laughs and sits further down the table by Sash and Adam. I press my lips together to prevent from yelling at Caleb as I stiffly walk around him and take poor Maverick’s seat.
Cole carries in the last of our bags before slamming the door shut and beelining it straight for Sash.
She hasn’t looked up once since we arrived, the woman’s focus entirely locked in on whatever she’s doing on her computer. I’m not sure if she’s even aware I’m here and standing at the table, and I stifle a laugh when Cole tries to pull her into a hug and she angrily huffs and dodges his outstretched arms.
“King’s less than ten miles away,” she says.
Caleb pulls the tab with the map back up on his computer.
At a closer look, I notice a moving black dot on each of the routes. I assume it’s some tracker the wolves are using to monitor where each vehicle of wolves is located. One vehicle is close to the northernmost facility, and I chew at my bottom lip as I watch the car pull off the highway and make its way down a random road.
“Where are they going?” I ask.
It’s Sash who answers. “We don’t want to stagger our attacks, so they’ll wait nearby until the other vehicles are in place. It should only be for a few hours.”
That makes sense. The wolves had a small window to get onto the human lands in the first place, so they all had to leave simultaneously despite the HPAW facilities being located at varying distances. It will take Everett’s warriors another three hours to reach the furthest facility.
Maverick’s phone begins to ring, and he picks it up with a curt, “Yes?”
Caleb’s, Sash’s, and Cole’s heads all snap in his direction, the three not bothering to hide that they’re eavesdropping on the conversation. It must be nice to be able to do that, and I muster up all my patience as I wait for somebody to explain what’s going on.
“Good, thanks for letting me know,” Maverick says into his phone. “We’ll let you know when the wolves are en route, and I’ll be there shortly.”
He ends the call before returning his focus to the computer. I turn to Caleb.
“We’re sending several doctors to the southernmost pack. It’s the closest point to all three of the facilities, and it’s where the wolves will be returning,” Caleb explains. “HPAW will be aware of our attack well before our men have returned to our lands, so there’s no use trying to sneak back in. I’ve got several hundred wolves stationed at the border, and they’ll keep HPAW at bay and the borders open while our wolves return with the marked humans.”
I nod, shifting my focus to the TV where Caleb’s computer screen is reflected.
The black dots move at a painfully slow pace, and I can already tell these next few hours will be dreadful.
“I need to hop on a quick video call,” Caleb says, disconnecting his computer from the TV.
Adam quickly takes over sharing his screen, and within seconds, the map is back up for us all to see. Despite Adam’s insistence that he has no interest in being Alpha, I can tell he’d be good at it. He’s been stepping up since we returned, putting aside his ‘passion’ for teaching to help with HPAW.
It’s a morbid thought, one I hate that flashes through my mind, but if something ever happens to Caleb and me, it’s comforting to know the wolves would still be in good hands.
“Would you like to join me?” Caleb asks me, bundling up his computer. “It’s a conference call with several Alphas. I need to provide an update on our plans.”
A conference call? My heart pounds, and I lick my lips as I debate whether I want to sit in. If I join, I’m scared that Caleb will try to call me the female Alpha again. He promised he wouldn’t before, but he resorted to it the moment he felt I was disrespected.
“Ev’s busy with me,” Sash says, answering for me.
Caleb’s movements slow, and he glances in her direction before turning to me. I wait, wanting to know what he will do, before realizing he’s doing the same to me. Sash made an effort to apologize the other day, but we haven’t spoken since then.
With everything else going on, it’s been relatively easy to be in the same room as her but not actually engage with one another. Sometimes I catch her looking at me, but I almost always pretend not to notice. I don’t really know what else to do.
Sash clears her throat, and I smooth my palms down the sides of my pants before giving Caleb a tentative nod.
He continues to stare at me, clearly not believing my response, but I don’t back down. I can’t hide from Sash forever, and we both know it.
Besides, I’d like to think she doesn’t still intend to kill me.
Caleb’s phone buzzes, the device vibrating against the table, and he seems to take that as his cue to leave as he finally looks away from me and finishes grabbing his things. He approaches and kisses the side of my head before disappearing down the hallway.
I turn toward Sash.
“I’m working on finding secure housing for the marked humans we bring back to the pack,” she explains. “That’s typically a job that would fall on the female Alpha, so I thought you’d like me to show you want I’m doing.”
My heart pounds, and I cast a nervous glance at Maverick. He’s not paying us any attention, although I’m sure he’s aware of every word we’re saying.
“He doesn’t care,” Sash says, sensing my thoughts.
Maverick still doesn’t react, and I run a hand through my hair before pulling up a chair next to Sash. She pushes her computer in my direction, showing me her screen, before quietly walking me through what she’s been working on.
I force myself to pay attention. I’m not surprised Sash has been doing much of the work I’m typically meant to do, but I’d like to take it over someday. I want to be a good female Alpha, both for myself and for Caleb.
Sash is surprisingly patient as she explains everything to me, and I find my tense muscles slowly relaxing. Sash and I have never been best friends, but we got along well enough before everything happened between Caleb and me.
I miss it.
“This building is ideal,” Sash says, pulling up a map and pointing to a large converted warehouse on the outskirts of Caleb’s pack. “It’s not as central as Caleb would like, but it’s the only place with enough units to fit the humans. We want to keep them together, so it takes fewer resources to keep an eye on them, but if the wolves return with more than thirty humans, we will have an issue.”
“This is hard when we have no idea how many humans the wolves will be returning with,” I say.
Sash nods. “You’re telling me,” she quietly agrees. “I will be heading to the meeting point in an hour or so. I can be there when the wolves and marked humans arrive. I’ll oversee their care once they’re inside the pack lands, and I want to get them away from the warriors and in a secure location as soon as possible.”
I should be helping with that. Setting aside the fact that it’s technically something the female Alpha, or future female Alpha, should be doing, I understand what the humans have gone through more than anybody else. They will be scared and angry, and it might be comforting to hear from somebody who’s gone through a similar experience.
I know what HPAW’s told them, and I know it’s a lie.
A door creaks open from the hallway Caleb disappeared into to take his call, and a second later, I hear his heavy footfalls as he returns to the dining room.
“How far is the pack?” I ask Sash. “By car.”
Sash presses her lips together to hide a smile. “It takes about five hours to get there, but Caleb’s made it quite clear that you’re to stay here. He thinks it’s too dangerous for you.”
I immediately realize what’s happened here, and I roll my shoulders back as the man in question makes a gruff noise in the back of his throat. He’s unhappy, but that’s fine. I spin around to face Caleb, silently relieved to see the quiet resignation already written on his face.
“We should go,” I say.
Caleb shoots Sash a frosty glare. I have a feeling she’s smiling at him.
“Caleb…” I continue. “It will be good for you to be there, too.”
It’s true, and we both know it.
“You stay by my side,” Caleb finally says, turning back to me. “And don’t think for a second that I won’t handcuff us together if you wander off.”
Caleb’s on the phone the entire drive. He switches between talking with Adam, who’s still at the safe house, and Cole, who’s been tasked with keeping everything running while Caleb focuses his efforts on HPAW.
I sit quietly in the passenger’s seat and listen to the conversations, desperate to take everything in.
It feels like most conversations go over my head, Caleb discussing intricacies and plans I’m not privy to, but I know I just need time. This is all new to me, and learning about Caleb’s work in the middle of a fight against HPAW isn’t precisely the best time.
Caleb doesn’t have time to explain anything to me, not that I fault him. I wouldn’t either if I were him.
“King’s men are in,” Adam says, his voice deceptively calm.
He’s been keeping Caleb updated on the progress of the rescue missions. The last unit reached the furthest facility thirty minutes ago, and after some coordination with the few wolves who HPAW employs, the units have gone inside.
Two of the facilities are fortunate enough to have wolves stationed by a back entrance and the front gates, giving the wolves easy access, but the third isn’t so lucky. King’s men will need to find a back way in, making the rescue more time-consuming and complicated than we’d like.
Caleb was able to secure sewage blueprints, and the unit will have to travel underground through an unused sewage canal until reaching a manhole just inside the HPAW gates.
There’s a high likelihood they’ll be caught during their transition from the manhole to the facility, but if they move quickly, they should be able to get inside before HPAW sounds the alarm.
“Good. Keep me updated,” Caleb says, speeding up the car.
We’re the only ones on the road, typical in the wolf lands, so Caleb’s been setting the speed limit by his heart. Thankfully the snow has just about melted, leaving the roads clear and easy to drive on.
I’m surprised Caleb didn’t want to shift and run with Sash and Maverick to the pack, but I have a feeling it has something to do with remaining near me. He felt safe separating inside his pack, but it’s clear he’s anxious about being apart outside of it.
I don’t blame him, and I’m secretly glad he decided to drive me despite the risk.
It would be easy for HPAW to spot him through the windshield, especially when we’re the only car for miles.
Adam ends the call, and I slowly reach across the center console and take Caleb’s hand. He doesn’t hesitate to flip his wrist and clasp his fingers around mine, and I give him a tight squeeze as I scan the sky for anything that looks out of place.
HPAW loves their drones, and they’re good at disguising them.
“We’re almost there,” Caleb promises. “About twenty minutes out.”
He speeds up even further. He wanted to be at the pack by the time the wolves entered the facility, and I know it puts him on edge to have to rely on phone calls to know what’s going on.
At this point, though, it’s just a lot of waiting.
There’s no way to communicate with the wolves once they’re inside, the drastic change in their size and shape between their human and wolf forms making it impossible to carry any devices. It’s terrifying knowing they’re inside the facility but having no idea what’s going on, but I hope it doesn’t take too long for them to find the marked humans and get out.
It would be helpful if the humans were all kept in the same place, but HPAW’s insistence on keeping them separate and unaware of one another makes that impossible. The wolves will have to split into small groups inside the facility, which is never ideal.
We also have to hope HPAW’s new auditory attack doesn’t cause too many issues. The warriors have all been informed of the ear-piercing noise HPAW has begun using, but Caleb says it’s impossible to prepare for something like that.
My ears don’t detect it, but Caleb’s said it’s agonizing. He’s described it as his head being split open, and it makes it damn near impossible to shift into his wolf form. The pain is only worsened in that state, and it renders the wolves unable to communicate with one another.
I’m beyond stressed.
Caleb and I sit in silence until I finally begin to see the telltale signs of life surrounding us, and my heart thumps painfully in my chest as we make our way into the pack and I see the chaos that’s become of it. There’s not a child, teenager, or woman to be seen, and the wolves out and about look absolutely fucking terrifying.
About half of them are in their wolf forms, and those in their human ones are in varying states of undress. I spot a man in black slacks and a tucked-in shirt walking alongside a fully naked man, the two seemingly engaged in a serious discussion as they make their way toward a large brick building.
It looks like it might’ve been a city hall once upon a time, and I’m willing to bet it’s where the pack’s Alpha closes to work. Caleb’s got an entire office building, mainly because he needs so many employees to oversee all the wolves, but I’m sure he’d have chosen something like this if he didn’t need all the room.
The building is well-kept, and it seems to be where most of the activity is happening. Dozens of men are hurrying across the expansive stone steps leading to a set of wide double doors, some on their way in but most on their way out.
Sash and Maverick are nowhere to be seen, but I’m sure they’re inside somewhere.
Clearing my throat, I feel my face turn red as I accidentally make eye contact with a man. He stares like he sees directly into my soul, and it’s beyond unnerving. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if he were wearing a shred of clothing, and I’m the first to break eye contact as I turn toward Caleb.
“Are all the pack members still here?” I ask.
It’s safe to assume most of these warriors belong to other packs.
Caleb clears his throat, and I wonder if he saw the uncomfortable interaction between me and the wolf. I want to keep him as calm as possible while we’re here, primarily out of fear of him getting angry and publicly calling me the female Alpha.
“Children, nursing mothers, and volunteer caretakers were sent to a pack up north,” he says.
That’s good. If the wolves are planning for a fight with HPAW and an unknown number of marked, angry humans to arrive, it’s probably best to have the children sent away. Young wolves are vulnerable, and they also like to think they’re invincible.
It’s not a good combo.
Things fall silent between Caleb and me, and I hold my breath as he turns right and parks the car in the spot closest to the city hall building. There are no other vehicles to be seen, so I’m sure we stick out like a sore thumb.
Still, most wolves hardly pay us attention as they smoothly maneuver around the vehicle.
All I can hear is the blood rushing through my ears as Caleb kills the engine. A few wolves look in our direction, but they don’t linger. Sash and Maverick would have arrived before us, and I’m sure they told the wolves to expect our arrival within a few hours.
Caleb’s out of the car in a flash, and his car door slams shut at what feels like the exact moment mine is pulled open.
My breath hitches, nerves skyrocketing through me, but I do my best to remain calm as I accept Caleb’s outstretched hand and step out of the car. My palms are sweaty, but I know Caleb won’t react to it. He never has before.
He keeps a firm grip on my hand as he leads me up the front steps of the building. His pace is fast, and I pant as I rush to keep up. It’s not good for Caleb to be outside for too long, especially on the HPAW borders.
I’m sure HPAW’s realized what’s happening by now, and if they aren’t already preparing their men and working on getting intel as to what’s happening over here, they will soon.
Wolves smoothly part for Caleb as we approach the building. If we weren’t in such a serious situation, I’d find it comedic how quickly they move out of his way.
Caleb continues to hold my hand, his grip tightening every time mine loosens. I knew he wasn’t joking when he said I was to stay by his side, but I didn’t realize he’d enforce that by physically holding onto me and refusing to let go.
Somebody pulls open one of the doors as we approach, and Caleb gently tugs me in front of him and urges me to step inside first.
“Evelyn,” a wolf I’ve never met before greets me. He looks young, maybe about eighteen or so, and in his arms are two tablets. “Alpha,” he continues as Caleb steps inside behind me.
The young man’s throat visibly bobs as he gulps, and he adjusts the tablets before awkwardly holding them out. I can’t help but notice how his hands shake, and a sharp pang of pity rushes through me as I smile and accept my tablet.
I figure he’s a warrior, but judging by his age and nerves, he’s probably still new.
Caleb seems to notice the poor boy’s shaking as he forces his stoic face into a softer expression.
“Thanks, Josh,” he says, taking his tablet from the young man.
My breath hitches. He knows the guy’s name? My eyes fill with tears, and I look up at Caleb in shock. I can tell by Josh’s mannerisms that he thinks it’s a big deal to meet the Alpha, so I figure it’s safe to assume that he doesn’t necessarily have much rank.
Still, Caleb knows who he is. My chest fills with adoration, and I press my lips together to stop their quivering before I look away, blink back my tears, and give Caleb’s hand a tight squeeze.
He squeezes me right back.
“Are Maverick and Sash here?” he asks.
Josh nods and steps aside. “Yes, they arrived a few hours ago. I’ll show you to their office.”
Josh takes off at a breakneck speed, and I let out a tiny gasp as I begin to follow. Caleb, still holding my hand, walks just a step behind me, sandwiching me between him and Josh.
This building is swarming with wolves, so many that I have no choice but to brush shoulders with a few as we make our way down narrow hallway after narrow hallway. I wish I knew what the current perception of me was right now, but I’m assuming by Caleb’s borderline panicked grip on my hand that it’s not good.
Still, I hold my chin high as I follow Josh to Maverick and Sash.
It doesn’t take us long to reach a large wooden door, the only one around that’s not propped open, and Josh comes to a halt before raising his fist and knocking. Caleb makes an odd noise in the back of his throat before reaching around both Josh and me to open the door for himself.
Maverick’s standing in the center of the room, and he looks pissed as he spins around to see who’s just barged into the room. His anger softens when he sees it’s just Caleb and me, and he quickly returns to his conversation as Josh hurries aside so Caleb and I can enter.
“Thanks, Josh,” Caleb says, ushering me inside.
Josh mumbles something, his cheeks a bright red, before he turns around and disappears into the crowd of wolves.
Caleb doesn’t hesitate to shut the door.
“HPAW’s locked down all their facilities,” Sash says the moment the door latches. She’s sitting in the far corner of the room with three laptops and two monitors in front of her. “Both of Everett’s units were able to secure the marked humans and get out. They’re en route to the pack now, and the first should be arriving in about an hour.”
Caleb releases my hand and walks toward Sash. She stands, offering him her chair while he looks over her multiple screens.
“What about King?” he asks.
It’s Maverick who answers. “They’re still inside the facility. We have intel that they successfully got inside, but we haven’t heard anything since then. Both the unit and the wolves working within the facility have gone dark.”
What? I run a hand through my hair, hesitating, before rushing toward Caleb and Sash so I can also see what’s on the computers.
The route map from before is up, now with two vehicles flying toward the pack, but King’s is still stationary by the facility. What could be happening in there that it’s taking them so long to get out? Even in a worst-case scenario, there’s no way HPAW would have the means to kill all the wolves.
Some would get out and return.
“I’ve been in contact with Everett, and both his units were successful. We’ve got four injured wolves, and my doctors think three will be able to pull through,” he explains.
“And the humans?” I ask.
Maverick shoves his phone into his pocket and sits at a desk across from Sash.
“HPAW killed six inside the facility, but nineteen were safely removed. We’ve got four of the deceased bodies, so we can check their marks and alert their mates once they return,” he says.
I nod, quickly checking the stationary black dot on the screen once more. We knew King’s retrieval would be more complex than the others, especially since there wasn’t an easy way into the facility, but the tunnels should be straightforward and safe.
What if they got lost or were unable to reach the facility from underground? Surely they would have found a way to reach out by now if that were the case.
A sharp knock on the door cuts through the room, and I turn just as the door is pushed open to reveal a naked wolf. He’s giant, probably an Alpha, and he quickly scans the room before locking eyes with Caleb.
“HPAW was spotted on the border.”
Maverick is out of the room a second later, the giant man’s clothing ripping as he transforms into his wolf and vanishes out the door.
I turn to Caleb, wanting his direction, only to see he’s already looking at me.
He’s half out of the chair he was sitting in just moments prior, and his fingers curl tightly around the edge of the desk. The messenger in the doorway disappears, probably following Maverick, and Caleb gives a rough shake of his head before standing upright and approaching me.
“Evelyn,” he breathes.
He looks nervous, like he’s afraid I’m not going to like what he says next, but I have a feeling I already know what it is. Caleb’s not one to sit back and watch his people fight, and I can tell by his expression alone that he needs to leave.
I don’t blame him, and I won’t make him feel bad for wanting to fight alongside his people.
The thought of him getting hurt is terrifying, so fucking terrifying it twists my insides until I feel I can’t breathe, but that’s my issue to work past. I’m sure the warriors’ mates feel the same way.
Caleb opens his mouth to speak, but I jump in before he has the opportunity to say anything.
“Go,” I say. “I know you need to.”
Caleb snaps his jaw shut with a quiet click before brushing my hair out of my face and cupping my cheeks. Tingles immediately erupt where we touch, the calming sensation causing my tense muscles to soften and my racing heart to slow.
“I can’t leave you,” Caleb says. “It’s not safe for—.”
“I’m here,” Sash interrupts.
Caleb’s nose crinkles, the reaction brief before it’s gone. I know he’s scared of HPAW getting their hands on me again, especially knowing they’d likely kill me the first opportunity they get. Anything to hurt Caleb.
“I’ll stay with Sash,” I promise, grabbing Caleb’s wrists and gently removing his hands from my cheeks.
His hands flex as they’re pulled away, like he’s fighting the urge to reach back out, before he drops them to his sides and turns to Sash. He glares at her like she’s done something wrong, but she hardly looks surprised. I’m sure she’s received his angry stares hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
“Don’t let Ev out of your sight,” he says.
It sounds more like a threat than anything else, and I’m glad Cole isn’t here to hear it. I have a feeling he wouldn’t be a fan, despite knowing Caleb would never hurt Sash.
Sash nods, no hint of jest on her face, and Caleb sighs before pulling me in for a quick kiss and disappearing out the door. I watch his retreating figure, waiting until he’s entirely out of sight before turning to Sash.
She’s back on her computer, her eyes flickering from screen to screen. I want to know what’s going on with HPAW and the border, but I trust Caleb and the wolves have it handled. Caleb knew HPAW would react violently to our invasion, and he prepared. There are hundreds of warriors here, each prepped and ready for a fight, and I’m willing to bet all the other border packs have received protection.
I walk around Sash’s desk until I see the map tracking the rescue vehicles. The two full of Everett’s men are still barreling down the highway, probably breaking dozens of traffic laws along the way. There’s no way for us to see what the traffic surrounding them looks like, but I assume the roads are being cleared.
The human government won’t risk innocent humans getting caught in the crossfire.
I doubt there’ll be any intervention until the wolves are closer to the pack, HPAW likely wanting to avoid a fight in the center of human territory.
There’s strength in numbers, and widespread public support is what gives HPAW so much power. If they begin making decisions that put humans in harm’s way, that support will evaporate quickly. We know it, and they know it, too.
“Once the wolves have arrived,” Sash starts, drawing my attention. “The marked humans will be brought to an emptied gymnasium just down the street. I assume they aren’t going to be happy with us, and we’ve got fourteen volunteers to help keep everybody calm.”
I step away from her desk and plop into a nearby chair.
“It’s going to be chaos,” I warn her.
I’m sure she already knows, but I feel I should say it anyway. No amount of explanation will get through to the humans, especially not right away.
“The volunteers should be women,” I continue.
While HPAW believes all wolves should be hated equally, most of their anti-wolf propaganda is geared toward men. It’s what they pushed in me, too.
I was taught that male wolves were the ones to be feared. HPAW believes they’re the most violent, and while women are to be avoided, they aren’t nearly as dangerous as men.
After living here and learning about the wolves, though, I’d say it’s the opposite.
Assuming you aren’t a direct threat, the male wolves don’t care about anybody who isn’t their mate or children. They’ll be polite and speak to you, but you can tell all they’re really thinking about is how soon they can get away.
The female wolves are different.
They’re more social, and they take an active interest in everybody they encounter. It’s much easier for them to perceive you as a threat, and the moment they do, you’re as good as dead.
The wolves don’t shy away from a fight.
“Women?” Sash asks.
I nod. “HPAW focuses on making us hate male wolves,” I say. “The marked humans will feel better being around women. It’ll seem less hostile.”
Sash furrows her brow, looking genuinely confused.
“A female wolf can kill a human just as easily as a male,” she points out. “You’re small and weak, and your bones are brittle.”
I frown, hesitating, before shooting Sash a pointed glare. The corners of her lips twitch as she realizes what she just said, and I huff and wave her away when I notice she’s holding back laughter. The wolves seem to find a lot of humor in talking about what they perceive to be my brittle bones, but it’s not nearly as funny as they think.
Sash lifts her hands in surrender. “Women, it is. Is there anything else I should know?”
I pause, debating, before shaking my head. It’s hard to prepare when we don’t even know what we will be dealing with.
If we can get even one or two women to listen to us today, I’ll consider that a win.
Sash returns her attention to her computer, and I grab the tablet the young warrior, Josh, gave me when Caleb and I arrived. I didn’t pay it attention before, and I’m relieved to see there’s no password as I settle back in my chair and flip through it.
HPAW didn’t give me much access to technology, but I’ve learned a lot over the past few months. Caleb was too happy to teach me how to use a computer when he realized I was confused, and the tablet has a similar setup.
After only a minor struggle, I find the downloaded files.
They’re all neatly labeled, unsurprising, and I mindlessly scan through them before clicking on a folder labeled HPAW - interceptions. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but it’s not for the file to be filled with HPAW reports.
Most of them are pretty random, incident reports and vehicle maintenance receipts the wolves managed to get their hands on, but there’s a section of starred ones that look interesting. Many are emails shared between one HPAW member to another, usually with something about the wolves discussed.
I scan through several of them, but I don’t find anything interesting.
“Oh, thank god,” Sash gasps.
Her sudden noise makes me jolt, and I peer up at her through my lashes as she clutches her hand to her chest. She looks beyond relieved, and she shuts her eyes in a slow blink before meeting my gaze.
“King’s vehicle is moving,” she says, spinning around one of her screens so I can see.
The block dot that’s been painfully stationary since the attack was launched is finally in motion. A knot I’ve been holding in the back of my neck relaxes as I watch it turn onto the highway and begin heading toward the pack.
The delay put them severely behind the others, but it’s better late than never.
I’m just relieved to see that dot finally fucking start to move.
“Should we tell Caleb?” I ask, preparing to stand and seek my mate out.
We haven’t heard a peep from him since he and Maverick left, and I’m struggling not to let thoughts and worries about him consume me. He’s busy dealing with HPAW, and he’ll check in when he can.
“I’m sure he already knows,” Sash says. “We’ll have to wait until he’s back to get answers, though.”
She pouts, clearly displeased with being the odd man out. I’ve always enjoyed being kept in the loop, too, so I know exactly how she feels. It’s agonizing sitting on half information.
A few seconds of silence pass between us before I return my focus to my tablet. I don’t know what to do while we wait, and I don’t want to bother Sash by asking when I know she’s busy, so I end up flipping through all the files already downloaded.
Eventually, I reach for the tablet Caleb was given upon our arrival, wanting to see if he was given access to information I wasn’t.
To my complete surprise, the files loaded into our tablets are identical.
It makes me feel better than it should, and I press my lips together to hide a smile as I return to my reading. I’m unsure how much time passes before Sash stands and clears her throat.
“The first of the humans should be arriving soon. It’s time to head to the gym,” she says.
My heart pounds, and I rise slowly before locking my tablet and setting it on Caleb’s.
“Should we tell somebody where we’re going?” I ask.
I’d hate for Caleb to come looking for us later, only to panic when he realizes we’re no longer here. I have a feeling he’d go on a rampage looking for us, and neither of us needs that distraction right now.
“Trust me, Ev,” Sash says, laughing quietly. “Caleb is being alerted to every step we make. He knows exactly where we are, where we’re going, and what we’re doing.”
I chew at my bottom lip, still nervous. If I’m honest, that does sound like something Caleb would demand. Plus, I don’t think Sash would lie to me about this. She loves Caleb, and I know she doesn’t want to upset him.
Making my decision, I straighten my spine and follow Sash out of the room.
Three wolves immediately stop what they’re doing and follow us. It makes me nervous at first, a small part of me scared they intend to hurt us, but I soon realize Caleb probably ordered them to watch Sash and me. It was silly to think he’d leave us without any protection.
I do my best to avoid all the looks I’m receiving from the wolves as we step outside the building and hurry down the street. If I thought things were chaotic before, it’s absolute pandemonium now.
Men run up and down the street, some shouting orders while most hurry to obey and complete whatever task they’ve been given. I’m sure my eyes are comically wide as I look around, desperate to understand what’s happening.
When Caleb and I arrived, I’d have said the split between naked and clothed men was about 50/50, but now almost everybody is entirely naked.
Is Caleb running around naked, too? Probably.
I don’t see or hear any fighting, but I’m sure it’s happening nearby.
This part of the pack is probably purposefully set away from the border. I doubt Caleb would agree to bring me within range of the fighting, which a small part of me is relieved about. I don’t think I’d fare well seeing or hearing the wolves fight.
“Let’s hurry,” Sash says, glancing nervously around.
If she looks nervous, I’m certain things are more tense than they seem. The three giant wolves from inside continue to follow Sash and me, and I practically jump out of my skin when one lightly places a hand on the small of my back in a silent command to stop looking around and hurry my pace.
I listen.
A commotion breaks out behind us, but before I can turn around to see what’s happening, an arm is wrapped around my waist and pulling me into a sweaty chest. I spot a wolf doing the same to Sash, quickly lifting her into the air before hurrying forward.
The wolf carrying me moves faster than I’d ever be able to, and we’re ushered down the street and around a corner before I can process what’s happening.
Eventually, their pace slows, and I mumble out an awkward ‘thank you’ when I’m returned to my feet. I turn to glance at the man who just carried me, but I hurriedly look away when I realize he’s naked. Why are they always naked?
“The first vehicle has arrived,” Sash says, looping her arm through mine and directing me into a large, one-story building. This must be the gymnasium the marked humans will be brought to. “Let’s get inside.”
The volunteers are already here, thankfully all women, and Sash only has a minute to quickly introduce me before the front doors are flung open and two wolves come barreling in. Their fur is covered in blood, and behind them is a man in his human form carrying a young girl.
She looks about three years old, with curly red hair that sticks out at all angles and a HPAW uniform hanging off her tiny frame. Her right leg is wrapped in gauze, probably due to an injury from the rescue, but it looks like one of Maverick’s doctors took care of her along the way.
It’s clear the wolf carrying her is trying his best to be gentle as he awkwardly shuffles into the room with his arm wrapped around her midsection, but she screams bloody fucking murder as she scratches and bites at his forearm.
“She won’t stop,” he grunts, passing her off to one of the volunteers who rush forward to help.
Sash places a hand on my shoulder, keeping me still as soldiers and screaming humans are brought into the room a second later. They pile in, eight in total, all varying from young teens to middle age adults. One of the more daring of the group runs forward and snatches the young girl out of the volunteer’s arms before rushing back to the others.
Three of the humans are in HPAW uniforms. One appears to be a nurse, like Bells, and the other two are in the garb the scientists wear.
“Don’t get too close, Ev,” Sash whispers, her voice low. “I can smell their hatred, and I don’t like how they’re looking at you.”
I’m sure I stand out among the volunteers. Besides the fact that I’m a good head shorter than the female wolves, most humans have probably seen images of me. HPAW frequently showed me whatever photos of Caleb and other high-ranking wolves they could capture footage of. They were almost always grainy and low quality, but it’s a safe bet to assume that HPAW has millions of high-def ones of me.
I lived there long enough for them to build up quite a collection.
The eight women shout and scream over one another, and a bold few go as far as to try and attack the wolves who attempt to calm them.
My hands shake, and I clasp them behind my back to hide the physical signs of fear. I don’t want either the wolves or humans to think I’m afraid. It doesn’t look good.
To my left, a few volunteers are unpacking water bottles and wrapped food, and I rush over to help. They smoothly move over to make room for me, and I grab and set a handful of bottles on the table. Two male warriors rush over to steal some food and drink, but one of the volunteers roughly smacks their hands away.
“Why are they so angry?” one of the women whispers to the others. Her brown hair is pulled back into a messy bun, and she tucks one of the loose strands behind her ear before turning to me. “Everybody said you were docile when you were found.”
I press my lips together, mildly offended, even if I know she doesn’t mean anything by it. I don’t like to think of myself as docile, but I know what she means.
“The wolves didn’t take me from HPAW,” I admit. “I knew I was being brought to the wolves, and the mate bond helped.”
It’s not the whole truth, but I’m hesitant to admit I was calm because I was plotting ways to murder Caleb. I was on a mission, unlike these humans, but I have a feeling that answer won’t paint me in the best light.
A small part of me feels bad for lying, but not bad enough to tell the truth. Everybody knows what happened between Caleb and me, and there’s no point in bringing it up.
“Do you think they’re hungry?” the woman asks, changing the subject as she glances at the humans.
A few of them eye the table and packaged food, but they make no moves to break free from their huddled group and investigate.
“I doubt they’re going to trust anything we give them,” I say. “But it doesn’t hurt to give the option. Hopefully, if we leave it out, a few people will grab something.”
It’s a long shot, but if a few eat the food and the others see it’s safe, that could mean all of them eat.
Most of the warriors who brought the humans in are quick to leave, but three remain. They linger in the corners in their wolf form, their large calculating eyes cautiously darting around the room. Everybody’s on edge, and I’m starting to think putting all the marked humans together was a mistake.
They cluster together, screaming and shouting at the wolves who try to soothe them. It would’ve been better to try and speak to them individually, but we can work on that once everybody has arrived.
I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants as I make my way over to Sash. She’s in deep conversation with one of the men who brought the females in, and she looks pissed as she plants her hands on her hips and shakes her head. The poor man looks uncomfortable, and he shoots me a relieved look as he sees me approaching.
He probably thinks I’m going to save him from Sash’s rage.
“We should try to speak to them,” I say.
Sash runs a hand through her hair before gesturing to the frenzied group. The youngest and smallest humans have been pushed into the middle of the pile, and the two marked men who have been brought in stand on the outside.
They’re muscular, confirmation HPAW has trained them to fight, but we all know they’re no competition to the wolves. If they were, they wouldn’t be here right now.
“You can sure try,” Sash huffs. “The warriors spent the past hour trying to explain what’s happening, but they aren’t willing to listen. I’m waiting for them to tire themselves out before trying again, and I’ve ordered several cots to be brought in for them to rest on while we wait for the others to show.”
The shouts from the humans grow, and I turn just in time to see a slim, blonde-haired woman being grabbed by a warrior. He wasn’t in the room a moment ago, and my lungs constrict painfully as I see the look of pure terror on the woman’s face. It’s shown plainly in her wide eyes, and the humans surrounding her are quick to try and separate her from the wolf.
“Mine,” the warrior grunts, the word sharp and piercing as it vibrates through the room.
Thick tears stream down the woman’s cheeks, pooling into her collarbones as she tries to yank herself out of his hold.
Three wolves rush forward, their figures blurry as they shift mid-run and tackle the warrior onto the floor. He releases the woman the minute his body is hit, preventing her from being yanked or tugged too abruptly. A small part of me is relieved by his decision not to cause her any unnecessary pain, but anger quickly overshadows it.
What the fuck does he think he’s doing?
“Let me go,” the man screams, shoving at the men who pin him to the floor.
He’s a large warrior, his long limbs covered in thick muscle that flex with every movement. Still, despite his size, he’s no match to the three others who hold him down.
“Fuck,” Sash breathes, rushing forward.
I’m quick to follow.
“She’s mine,” the man shouts, his eyes locking in on the blonde. She must be his mate, and she refuses to look at him as she hurries into the center of the human huddle. This is a clusterfuck.
“Get him out of here,” Sash orders, pointing to the door. She looks furious as she grabs a chair and climbs onto it, capturing the room’s attention.
The humans quiet slightly as they wait to hear what she says, but her attention is focused solely on the wolves. “No mates will be claimed today. If any unmated wolves step foot in here, they’ll be stripped of their status and removed from the matching database for four months.”
Her tone leaves no room for argument, and a couple of humans visibly relax.
The wolf trying to claim the blonde continues fighting the three wolves attempting to remove him from the room.
“You’re in no position to make that decision,” he shouts, freeing his right arm.
It’s immediately snatched up again, but not before he throws a wolf to the ground and kicks out the knee of another. It pops with a sickening snap, and I fight back a gag as the injured wolf smoothly straightens up and shoves his knee back into place.
The wolves heal quickly, but they still feel pain. I know that fucking hurt.
The warrior hardly seems to notice the damage he’s inflicting as he continues to fight, making me wonder how much of this is him versus his wolf. I’ve never seen somebody lose complete control before, and my pulse races in fear that this warrior will.
I’m sure having his mate physically torn from him is testing his limits, but all he’s doing is scaring her.
“You’re not our female Alpha,” he continues, leveling his gaze with Sash.
It then travels to me, and I can practically feel all the eyes in the room shift in my direction. Even the humans seem to know where to look, and they finally begin to truly quiet as they watch the scene unfold.
The three wolves attempting to remove the warrior from the room momentarily halt. They continue holding him still, refusing to let him go after the woman his eyes are darting toward every other second, but they stop trying to drag him toward the exit while they wait to hear what I have to say.
I hesitate, unsure how the fuck I’m supposed to respond to that.
Caleb’s made it quite clear he has no issues with me being the female Alpha, but I can’t help but feel this is some test. I didn’t want to address this, or even think about it until everything with HPAW had settled.
Why did he bring it up?
Does he think I’ll get nervous and contradict Sash’s statement? I agree with the punishment she’s settled on, so there’s no chance of that happening. The last thing the humans need right now are wolves claiming and dragging them away.
They’re scared enough.
We intend to scan their marks to see if we can find our mate, but that’s not happening today. They need a few days to settle. This is overwhelming to them, and to start splitting them up will only cause more chaos.
Besides, the warrior was way too rough.
I refuse to let the wolves claim and steal away the marked humans, even if they’re mates. They need to take things slow, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
I clear my throat, hoping my voice doesn’t come out croaky.
“I agree with Sash,” I say, avoiding the female Alpha thing. “Unmated wolves need to keep away from the humans.”
That seems to be enough for the three wolves as they continue trying to drag the warrior from the room, but he’s putting up a hell of a fight. At least two more knees are kicked in before the front doors are shoved open and Caleb comes barreling inside. He roughly yanks a pair of underwear up his hips as he scans my figure, probably ensuring I’m not hurt, before turning and doing the same to Sash.
All the while, he storms toward the warrior.
I can see when the man realizes what’s happening, and his attempts to break free from the three wolves holding him turn frantic.
“She’s my fucking mate,” he grunts.
Caleb curls his hand around the front of the warrior’s throat, and the three holding him immediately let go as Caleb forcibly drags him toward the door. The warrior continues trying to fight, but it doesn’t seem to affect Caleb in the slightest.
I press my lips together, still trying to ignore all the stares I’m receiving as Caleb smoothly throws the man into the arms of several wolves standing just outside the doors. They quickly grab and pull him away, and Caleb slams the doors shut to block the view.
Even the humans have gone silent, not so much as a peep to be heard as Caleb locks eyes with them. He takes his time scanning over each and every one before turning to Sash and me.
“We need to talk,” he says.
Sash doesn’t hesitate to jump off her chair, and I practically trip over my feet in my mad dash toward Caleb. He’s covered in a thin layer of sweat, and I spot a speck of smeared blood on his torso when I get close. It steals my breath, and I smoothly wipe it away.
I don’t want to see it.
“What’s going on?” Sash asks.
I’m pretty sure every wolf in this room is eavesdropping on us, but Caleb doesn’t seem to mind as he pulls us into a corner away from the marked humans. They pick up their shouting as they realize Caleb’s attention isn’t on them, a few of the louder ones demanding answers.
Answers I’m sure they’ve been given dozens of times already and refuse to believe.
“I heard from King,” Caleb starts, his voice hushed. “There were issues with the rescue.”
I hold my breath, anxiously waiting for him to continue. Sash seems to be doing something similar.
“I can’t believe my men missed this, but there were infants,” he explains. “King and his warriors were able to rescue eleven of them, and they tried to interrogate the caregivers in hopes of finding information on the parents, but nobody would talk.”
I’m not surprised. Most HPAW employees would rather die than give information to the wolves.
“When you say infants…” Sash asks, trailing off.
Caleb sinks his teeth into his bottom lip before giving a curt, confirming nod.
“Infants, Sash,” he says. “King’s men were able to secure plenty of HPAWs milk supply for the drive back, and the nearest hospital is preparing their pediatric wing.”
I curl my fingers around Caleb’s wrist, struggling to take everything in.
I knew it was a possibility that the wolves would rescue one or two babies, but eleven is beyond anything I could ever imagine. Humans are rarely born with a mate mark, and having eleven so close in age is unheard of.
“How?” I ask, tightening my grip on Caleb’s wrist. “That’s so many.”
Sash furrows her eyebrows as she contemplates my answer, and all the blood vanishes from her face as she turns to Caleb. I want to know what conclusion she’s come to, and I anxiously peer between the two while waiting for one to speak up. What is it?
“No,” she gasps, her voice cracking.
Caleb shuts his eyes and pulls me into his chest, his actions borderline rough as he buries his face into the top of my head and breathes me in.
“Wolves can only have children with their mate, but marked humans aren’t limited in that capacity. They can procreate with others, and they almost always have marked children,” he whispers into my hair. “The facility had an intricate fertility and maternity ward, and the few humans they managed to rescue are… distant. King said they’re like zombies, and they didn’t put up a fight like the others.”
I can’t breathe.
“We think HPAW was forcibly breeding the humans.”
Everything is chaos.
The marked humans scream on one side of the room, and Sash and I rush to set up cots on the other. Too much is happening in the pack and at the border to transport them to Caleb’s pack tonight as planned, so they’ll have to spend the night here.
It’s not ideal, and the infants have thrown an even larger wrench into our plans. Who knows when it will be safe enough to transport them. They’ll all need complete exams to ensure they’re healthy, and our vehicles aren’t equipped to transport infants.
I don’t even want to think about how the warriors are doing it now. I know for a fact they didn’t travel with car seats, and I have a feeling they’re probably cradling the infants to their sweaty, bloody chests. It’s the only way to ensure they don’t get jostled and hurt their necks.
I glance at the clock, checking the time.
Caleb rushed out of here with the promise he’d return when King and the infants arrived, and that should be any minute now.
The remainder of Everett’s warriors returned a few hours ago, along with the eleven additional humans they managed to rescue. I thought the first batch of humans that arrived was loud and hectic, but things reached levels I didn’t even realize were possible when the second came.
I’m pretty sure my ears are going to explode, and I don’t even want to imagine how the wolves are holding up. Their hearing is so sensitive.
Still, nineteen is a good number, and I’m beyond pleased with how many humans Everett rescued. It sounds like King lost several adults due to the wolves prioritizing the infants.
Eleven infants were rescued, so I knew there must have been at least that number of adults in the facility at some point, but only three made it out alive.
“I’m going to stay behind with the humans,” Sash says, smoothly pulling open another cot.
The damn things are nearly impossible to pry open, but Sash is doing it easily. I’ll probably be embarrassed about my struggle when I have time to sit back and relax later. The wolves love to make jokes about how weak they find me, and this is undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire.
“Are you sure?” I ask Sash.
I thought she’d want to see the infants.
She sets the cot on the ground before reaching for mine. I hand it over with a huff, my face warming as I turn and grab the bag of pillows instead. Ripping it open, I pull one out and drop it onto the cot Sash just opened.
Two other women are making their way down the row with blankets and sheets, so they’ll make the makeshift bed pretty once they get down here.
“I can hear fighting outside the doors,” Sash admits, glancing at them. “Unmated wolves are swarming, and I have a feeling they’ll fight to get inside if they get word that both of us are gone. They’re desperate to know if one of the humans could be their mate, and they lack patience.”
I turn toward the doors, my heart racing. Both are firmly shut, and four wolves stand guard directly in front of them. We’re already on thin ice with the humans, and only negative will come from wolves forcing their way in here and pawing at them.
We already know one wolf has found his mate, and I’m sure that’s served as encouragement for the other unmated ones.
Sash huffs and returns to opening the cots, but I continue to stare at the doors. What is she hearing out there? I thought the wolves would scamper after Caleb so roughly dragged the one warrior out, but it seems their fear of angering their Alpha is less than their desire to find their mate.
I shouldn’t be nearly as surprised as I am.
They’ll happily risk being stripped of their title if it means they have the potential to find their mate. It probably wouldn’t take them too long to earn it back, a year at most. I suppose, to them, it’s an easy decision.
Running a hand through my hair, I turn away from the doors and resume tossing a pillow onto each bed. I make quick work, especially now that Sash has taken over opening all the cots. We save a lot of time when she isn’t forced to stop every few seconds and watch me struggle to rip one open.
By the way her eyes narrowed in on my hands, I have a feeling she was afraid they would snap shut and pinch my fingers. I was scared of that, too, but thankfully it never happened.
Still, the quiet concern is a drastic change from how she looked at me just a few months ago. Before Caleb banished her for announcing his search for a wife, her eyes were filled with nothing less than complete hatred for me.
I have a feeling Caleb has something to do with the change. He probably spoke to her, maybe even threatened to send her away again if she continued acting cold toward me.
“Caleb is outside,” Sash says, taking the bag of pillows from my hand. “I can hear him arguing with the warriors lingering by the doors.”
Of course, he is.
Despite today’s stress, my lips threaten to curl into a soft smile as I clasp my hands together and turn toward the doors. After spending the past hours stressed about what’s happening at the border, I’m giddy to see him.
Sash and the other volunteers have been tight-lipped about it, pretending to be confused when I try and pry for information, but I can see the lies reflected in their nervous shifting and tense muscles. They have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fucking owl. I know they’ve captured bits and pieces I haven’t.
I know Caleb will tell me, though.
He emerges a second later, the man quite dramatic in his entrance as the door bounces off the wall with a loud bang. It successfully manages to draw the attention of everybody in the room, but Caleb hardly seems to notice as his eyes immediately land on me.
It’s like he can sense where I am, and he seeks me out with complete ease. I fucking love it, but my excitement fades as I trail my eyes down his mostly naked frame.
He’s got a pair of underwear on, but they’re different from those he wore earlier. I have an inkling he’s only putting them on when he’s about to see me, probably in an attempt to trick me into believing he isn’t running around the pack naked.
I know he is.
That’s not what causes my heart to thump painfully in my chest, though. It’s the still-healing wound on his shoulder, the one that I watch shrink and heal before my very eyes. I know what a bullet wound looks like when I see one, and I stare at the spot until it disappears.
If I get close enough, I’m sure I’ll find a tiny scar left behind, but the skin looks smooth from this distance.
Caleb’s throat bobs, and he does a good job pretending he doesn’t know the direction my thoughts have taken me as he approaches. I force my feet to move, too, meeting him halfway.
“You were shot,” I say.
My gaze wants to linger on his chest and scan him for any other new scars that may have formed during his absence, but now’s not the time for that.
Caleb nods—a quick, curt nod. “Yes.”
“I suppose it’s safe to say HPAW saw you, then,” I continue.
It was only a matter of time before HPAW realized he was alive, and I suppose he decided today was the day to step out into the open. The whole point of him pretending to be dead was so HPAW would let their guard down and open the opportunity for the wolves to infiltrate the facilities.
Now that that’s been completed, there isn’t much reason to keep it hidden. HPAW is going to be on guard regardless.
“They did,” Caleb confirms before brushing a piece of my hair behind my ear.
I can feel the heavy stares on me, both from the humans huddled together on the far side of the room and the wolves scattered throughout.
“Are you ready to go?” Caleb continues, uncaring who watches him fawn over me. “King has just arrived, and the babies are being brought to the hospital now.”
His hand slides down my arm before his fingers curl around my wrist, and I find myself holding my breath as he gently leads me toward the doors. The chatter and occasional yelling from inside the room pick up as we leave, the volume steadily growing until it’s just as deafening as before.
I didn’t realize before now just how silent everything grew when Caleb arrived.
The wolves guarding the entrance move aside as we approach, and Caleb nudges open one of the doors before pulling me into his side.
A few wolves are lingering outside the doors, their angry eyes boring holes into the side of Caleb’s face. Most unmated wolves are young, but the ones who remain are older. The youngest appears to be in his mid to late thirties, which I suppose is an agonizingly long time to go without a mate.
Caleb hardly seems concerned as he leads me down the steps.
I’m sure it’d be considered cruel to force them away, and as long as they aren’t trying to force their way beyond the doors, I suppose they aren’t a huge threat. They’re probably lingering in the hopes of catching a whiff of their mate inside.
Caleb laces our fingers together and pulls me in the opposite direction.
“How many were out here before?” I ask.
Caleb clears his throat. “More than I’d care to admit,” he says before letting out a little annoyed puff of air. “About forty.”
Forty wolves? That many could easily overpower the few guarding the doors, and a sharp bolt of anxiety rushes up my spine at the thought of them forcing their way into the gymnasium. I’m surprised they didn’t.
Caleb walks quickly, his eyes darting in every direction as he leads me toward the hospital. If I turn around, I’m sure I’ll spot several wolves trailing quietly behind us. Caleb thinks I don’t know that I almost always have a guard assigned to me.
I don’t love it, but I haven’t said anything about it. It clearly brings him peace of mind, and I’m terrified to ever draw out the scared and desperate side of him he showed that night after my rescue. The way he dropped to his knees before me and cried was horrible, and I never want him to feel that again.
If letting Caleb force giant, overqualified warriors to follow me around makes him feel better, I won’t stop him.
“Do you like babies?” Caleb asks, drawing me from my thoughts.
The question feels almost too casual for the severity of the situation, and it catches me off guard. Do I like babies?
“I’ve never been around one,” I admit.
There weren’t exactly a lot of children running around the HPAW facility. Very occasionally, an employee would bring in his child if they were sick or school was out, but I wasn’t allowed around them. I failed to see it back then, but they’ve always treated me as a threat.
I was too much of a risk even to be let around an employee’s child. Heaven forbid I lost my cool, not that I ever did, and tried to snap their neck or something.
“Do you like babies?” I ask.
I look at Caleb, noting how his lips curl into a cheesy smile. It gives me my answer before he even speaks, and the sight absolutely fucking breaks my heart. We don’t talk about that night, that time I teased him with the potential for a family and asked him to finish inside me, but I’m sure he thinks about it.
He has to.
I know I would if I were him.
“Do you think about it?” The question is out of my mouth before I permit it to escape. “Are you still angry?”
Caleb’s smile falls just as quickly as it arrived. He knows what I’m talking about. He’s too smart and perceptive not to.
I remain silent as I wait for his response, but I’m sure he can hear how fast my heart beats in my chest. I should’ve never asked him to cum inside of me. At the time, I thought I was doing him a favor. I thought I was giving him a good night before he died.
Now I just feel like a fucking an idiot.
“I do,” Caleb quietly says. “I think about it frequently, but I’m not angry. Not really. I suppose I feel more embarrassed than anything else.”
Embarrassed? Of all the emotions I expected him to give, that one is far down on the list. He has absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about.
“Caleb…” My words are cut off by a quiet yelp as Caleb abruptly pulls us to the right. He refuses to meet my eye, which I hate. I want him to look at me and see how absolutely horrible I feel.
“Let’s discuss this another time, Ev,” Caleb says before I righten my train of thought. “The hospital is just up ahead.”
I chew at my bottom lip, mindlessly gnawing at the skin as I fight back the millions of apologies that threaten to tear out of my throat. We need to talk about this eventually, but as I glance around the busy streets full of warriors, I agree that maybe this isn’t the best time.
Caleb and I continue forward in silence, heading toward a large building just ahead. It’s recognizably a hospital, probably one built before the wolves took over the land, and I eye the large red emergency sign and the enormous SUVs parked in front of the doors before quickening my pace.
King is here.
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I'm beyond ready for a cute Caleb + babies scene