It's been at least 2 months since Freya's been inside the Barrier.
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The last person I thought that would make me this smiley was Callum. The last person that I thought would make me feel this way was Callum. The last person I thought that I would ever want to dance forever with was Callum.
I couldn't stop smiling, and I had to stop. We were still dancing, swaying gently at the background instrumental music still was heard in the dark night. Surrounded by less and less people as the night was coming to an end.
Noticing my smiles, Callum returned mine with his own full dimpled, heart stopping one. Really, he never gave one genuine smile to me the whole time I've known him. "I wish I had a camera," I said under my breath.
"Why do you say that?" Callum asked, sounding amused.
I bite my lip, trying to stop myself from smiling at him. Feeling like my heart was swelling by just being with him. Him looking at me like that. His gaze had softened considerably on me. Seriously, I was delusional. Light headed. But I hoped that this bubbly feeling inside of me never went away.
It all had to due to Callum's arms around me, his hold on my hips felt like he didn't want to let me go. I didn't want him to let go either.
"You're just perfect," I sighed. Callum laughed lowly, deep in his chest causing a flutter of butterflies to erupt again. That sound was beautiful. He's never laughed before, and this was new territory that I was experiencing with him. I thought about if I ever laughed in front of him. I didn't think so. Callum literally only saw me at my worst which bought out the nickname Swamp Thing, yet he still thought good things about me.
I added, "Add a recording device to that too."
His smile was brilliant, directed right at me. Dimples at full force, making him look both boyish and wolfish that made me ache of how insanely hot it was. Heat crept up my neck, and to my cheeks at his attention to me. All for me.
I ducked back to his chest, to hide my sudden blush. "Not fair to hide that face you're making," Callum said, tightening his hold just a little. "Now I wish I had the camera."
I closed my eyes, savoring this moment. The security that Callum gave me. For once this whole time, I didn't feel so alone.
As soon as the music stop, everyone made their ways back to the tents. Callum and I stayed where we were. Both of us might be thinking the same thing: we don't want to leave.
Willing every ounce of my willpower to pull away from him, I had to help clean up with Lorraine. Something I stupidly volunteered to do while I was setting up the dance. I thought Callum was going to leave, but he said he'd stay to help- with the putting away the chairs and tables which Lorraine was grateful for.
Lorraine had to shoo away the last stragglers that were making out on the tables. She was on duty to clean up, and added Flora and Adrienne to it. Opal and Ara were one of the first to leave the dance, saying they'd rather sleep early than be with people. Opal probably wanted to get away from Catoria which I understood.
Flora was giving away the flower center pieces, and she pulled me to her as soon as Callum disappeared to put away the stacks of tables he was able to carry with those strong arms. She exclaimed, "You guys were so cozy!"
"Were we?" I asked, acting innocent. Pulling down my sleeves of my dress so the bracelets don't appear. "Adrienne seemed to stop being crappy."
"He had his reasons, Freya. You have to believe me." Flora turned serious then. She forgave him for his treatment, but I wouldn't.
"I believe you, but I don't know about Adrienne..." I trailed off as soon as he stepped quietly next to Flora.
"Freya," he started, but I shook my head. Unable to make nice with him. I can't wrap my head around what exactly his reasons for almost killing me is.
"Not now, Adrienne." Daisuke appeared suddenly, in front of me. "We don't deal with Liam's minions."
"I'm not his minion, Daisuke. You don't have a clue what you're talking about."
"Don't I?" Daisuke asked testily. "I do know Liam's been the one running the Fighter Pack and not Daria like everyone believes. You included."
Adrienne looked around, like he was scared someone might be listening. "He has ears everywhere," he hissed at Daisuke.
Daisuke rolled his eyes, "I'm so scared."
"Are you scared?" I had to ask Adrienne. Trying to wrap my head around what information Daisuke just said. Daria was the Beta, not Liam. Did Liam think he was due to be a Beta? I think about those burly Viking wolves that always seem to be around Liam, always seem to be listening to him.
The people missing were Daria and Trey tonight.
Unease crawled it's way up my skin. Adrienne did look scared.
XXXX
"I'm going to the Fighter Pack."
I was sleepless all night, thinking about Callum for the most part, but the feeling of something being wrong didn't leave me.
"Way to dodge the question." Ara asked about all the details about last night. "I've been living through books all my life, and for once, your romance with Callum since you got here has been a real life treat."
"Oh yeah it was. That chemistry you always had. His intensity. Whew," Flora fanned herself.
"Guys, we have more pressing issues than my romance-"
"You didn't deny!" Ara shouted, getting up from the table.
I cringed, hoping no one was around at breakfast this time. Hint: hoping Callum wasn't. Usually, all the girls woke up late and had to hurry to eat breakfast. We were the last ones to get breakfast which meant usually everything was cold. Everyone here had the life motto of the early bird getting the worm.
Opal was the one who was quiet the whole time, but she said, "I'll go with you."
All of us looked at her.
"Remember Julian has to give us permission," Ara reminded us.
I brushed it off. "Yeah, yeah. Got that covered. Callum won't say no to me."
"How can you be so sure?" a new voice asked. Daisuke sat next to us, sipping his coffee casually. "Callum never takes orders from anyone- not even Julian."
"Well, for one-" I was interrupted.
"Callum likes her," Ara said.
"Callum can't stay away from her," Flora added.
"Callum is very protective of her" Opal chipped in softly, almost to herself.
Daisuke peered over his cup at me. "Interesting."
"It's not easy being me." I shrugged, but dug in the rest of my oatmeal.
"Count me in coming with you guys. No one would look into it anyways if it wasn't for me."
"Hopefully it's nothing," Flora said hastily. I had a deep feeling Daisuke might have been right.
XXXX
Seeking out Callum was easy enough. Turned out, he was looking for me. Waiting in front of my tent. He blushed when he saw me. I walked slowly toward him.
We didn't get a chance to say our proper good night because of Flora and Adrienne coming between us. In my case, I personally was craving more of his touch. Last night, he walked with us, hanging in the back with Adrienne as Flora chattered away.
"Hi," he said, lifting his hand up in a wave. That shyness of his endearing.
"Come to the Fighter Pack with me," I blurted out because I was an idiot. Couldn't look too long at his beauty because it almost blinded me. Somehow, I got closer to him.
Callum blinked his surprise, "Why do you want to go there?"
"Daisuke mentioned something weird going on there, and I want to do some recon."
"You almost died there." Callum was scowling now.
I batted my eyelashes at him. "Great thing you're coming though."
"Freya," he warned, but his tone wasn't threatening, it was more of a low growl that sounded really hot.
"Please?" I asked, taking his hand. Callum didn't' say anything- he just stared at our intertwined hands. My sleeve rode up a little, showcasing the dreaded bracelet I wanted to conceal from everyone so bad. The long sleeves only worked so much. "For me?"
Quicker than I thought, the air was charged between us.
Callum used my hand to crush me to him, and he dropped his forehead to mine. The intensity of emotions between us startled me, and the same was reflected across his face. "What are you doing to me? Ever since I saw you, I can't stop thinking about you. If you're okay, if you've eaten, if you even think of me like I do you."
"You think about me?" came out my blubbering response.
Callum shuddered a breath, skimming his nose to my neck, burying his face there. "All the time."
My mind was blank. I was unable to think about anything except the feel of Callum on me, so strong, so sure, so secure. My voice came out breathless as I remembered my goal, "Come on, say yes. You're breaking my heart, Callum."
He leaned away, and lifted my hand, kissing my inner palm and then to my wrist. Meeting my gaze with his eyes that were now pitch black for only a second before going back to its amber. Oh shoot. He was on the verge of shifting- which means his usual calm, controlled emotions were going haywire.
"Yes."
I beamed at him, going on my tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. It felt so natural to do it, I couldn't feel embarrassed. Callum's face was awestruck, and his eyes flashed black again. Emotions churning deep within those eyes.
XXXX
Finding Julian to ask him permission to go for the girls was easy enough. It seemed like the rock was also his spot too.
Julian looked serious for once, and the way he observes the water makes me think he wanted to be alone.
"Freya how are you?" he called over to me.
I meekly make my way to him, sitting down. "Just fine. What about you? You seem kind of deep in thought."
"Nothing really. I think about what I've told you and what it means in general." Julian shook his head.
"Like Callum dying?" I voiced out my biggest fears.
"Callum being the one connected to the Barrier so that it's slowly killing him. You know why he's holding it up so much? Levi and his old mage enemy, Halstead Creed promised to kill our whole pack, to kill us one by one. That's why I don't want anyone to go outside the Barrier where they're defenseless. Callum doesn't listen to me when I tell him not to. It's hard because he's holding in this great weight on his shoulders, and I try to help but he never wants to talk about it. I know that the guilt of not protecting his family eats at him every single day."
I think about that burnt forest near the Fighter Pack that Liam said was pure destruction. Death. The outward emotions of what Callum felt when he was so young- just a little kid. How could I even manage to help Callum with that? When he's with me, it doesn't seem like anything is weighing on his shoulders.
Julian let out a shaky laugh. "I think about it all the time with Callum. How young I was when I just lost my mate, taking on the responsibility of the pack for Callum."
"For Callum?" I asked, confused.
"I'm just the stand in, Callum is the true Alpha of this pack."
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Don't be a silent reader and thanks to everyone else that are better and more deserving to read this story.