Land of Wolves

Chapter 70

Caleb crouches and snatches my ankle, and I jolt as he makes quick work removing my shoe. A shiver works its way down my spine as he sets my leg on the ground and reaches for my other foot, and I hold my breath as he takes his time removing my other shoe.

The house isn't nearly as messy as he led me to believe it would be, and I peer around the familiar space as Caleb straightens back up and kicks off his own shoes.

The living room looks exactly the same as when I was last here, and the cup of water I hurriedly drank before we left for the party still sits on the coffee table. It doesn't look like Caleb has stepped so much as a foot into the room since I left.

"Are you hungry?" Caleb asks, drawing my attention.

I turn away from the living room, my pulse racing as I loop my arm around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. His hands find my hips as his mouth meets mine, and I bury my other hand into the short hair on the back of his head to hold him close.

I don't want to be away from him ever again.

Caleb sighs against my lips before pulling me into his chest. A second later I'm being picked up, and I wrap my legs around his hips without hesitation. I missed this, missed the feel of him in my arms, and I let myself enjoy it as Caleb spins around and carries us upstairs.

It's only once he pushes open the bedroom door that I see the mess he was talking about, and I peer at the sheer amount of clothing scattered about as he brings me to the unmade bed. Most of the clothing looks dirty, and there's a clear path from the bedroom door to the bathroom.

"What happened in here?" I ask.

Caleb lays me back on the mattress, his hair tickling my cheeks as it falls into my face.

"I've been falling asleep at my office most nights, and only stopping at home to shower and change," he admits, peering at the fabric path. "Stripping on my way to the bathroom saved time."

I touch Caleb's stubble, enjoying the feeling of it against my fingertips.

"Did it actually save you time?" I ask.

Caleb turns back to me, a smile toying at the corners of his lips.

"I like to think it did."

He blinks, and I trail my fingers to his bad eye. The skin is still so swollen, and I carefully feel the tender skin before smoothing my thumb over his eyebrow. I'll never forget what it felt like to see him so hurt, to think he was dead, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I peer at the black stitches where the bullet was removed from his head.

"I hardly remember killing Dan," I say.

I know I stabbed him in the dick and then the femoral artery in his thigh. He would have bled out within minutes, and I know he's dead even if I didn't watch it happen. I ran to Caleb the moment Dan fell.

He was all I could focus on.

"I heard about that," Caleb admits, clearing his throat. "Are you okay? I understand if you're sad."

I lick my lips, debating, before shaking my head.

"I'm not sad."

It's the truth, even if I know it's fucked up to say. Dan was the closest thing I ever had to a father—at least that I remember—but he wasn't a good man. My body is littered with scars from injuries he gave me in the name of 'training.' He might have loved me in his own weird way, as evidenced by his decision to reach out to the wolves to save my life, but I didn't feel that affection in return.

"I'm happy he's dead," I say. "Do you think that makes me a bad person?"

Caleb shakes his head. "No. He abused you, Ev, even if it was under the disguise of helping."