To uFiona for making the perfect cover for me. Thank you, dear! ♥
∞ 7 ∞
CALLIE
Staring at the white tiles below my bare feet, I could hear scraping of metal nearby which was soon followed by a surge of falling water. As coldness trickled from the floor to the skin of my sole, dozen of questions bombarded my mind.
Why am I here? Why was I on my best friend's bathroom, which was twice the size of my room, and sitting on a ceramic stool at the corner?
Did I lose consciousness again? Did I puke or something?
All I can remember was standing at the center of Zeke's room, staring at his moving mouth while he told me something that my oh-so-useful-brain wouldn't even try comprehending. It was stuck at thinking if the person in front of me was really my missing friend.
Is he Zeke? Was he really alive? Or was all of this just part of a dream?
I recalled when, in a blink of an eye, he was suddenly in front of me, stooping, until he was at my eye-level. Before I could react, he grabbed the duvet I was clutching and tugged it forcefully from my body.
In an instant, my underwear-clad and bandages-wrapped body was exposed to his sharp eyes. I screamed, trying to cover any part of the body I could reach. A moment after, I found myself inside the bathroom, not knowing if he had dragged me, carried me or even hypnotized me to walk.
The only thing I can remember from all that screaming was his irritated and frowning look.... that dominating look confirming that he was really 'the always almighty Zeke' who I used to know.
But still, there was a question left on my mind.
"Why did you leave?" I asked out loud, my voice cracking from the dryness of my mouth. "Why didn't you return to the cliff?"
I looked up and saw Zeke in front of a transparent cubicle, his arms outstretched to catch some droplets of water coming out from a large round metal above. The mysterious rain-producing metal looked the same as the one on my bathroom, but this time, there was steam forming around the cubicle, making the glass hazy.
"It's already warm. Go in," he said, lowering his hands and grabbing a small towel from a hook on the adjacent wall.
Didn't he hear what I asked him?
I swallowed first before speaking again, "Why didn't you go back?"
Wiping his hands, he glanced at me briefly before throwing off the towel on a sink. "Shower first before we do something about that," he said, motioning to something on my stomach.
I looked down and blushed slightly. I totally forgot that I was in front of him in my undies. But when I noticed a red patch on the left side of my bandage, who would care now actually?
I stood up and reached for my back. When I looked at my hand, it was filled with blood. The wound in my back must be opening again and blood was spreading to the front of my bandages. But why couldn't I feel any pain?
"Don't move."
My breath hitched as I heard his voice directly on my ear. I was too focused on trying to see my back, I didn't realize that he was already in front of me. He was too near, his warmth was already radiating to my skin.
It was nostalgic.
He is Zeke, alright. He was the only one that could provide me with this warmth and calm feeling.
I stepped back before facing him. Looking up at his sapphire eyes, an image flashed on my mind. Images from the times we were talking with each other, face-to-face, our heights not far from each other. But now, he had grown so much, I had to crane my neck to see his face clearly. He was exuding an unfamiliar masculine aura that made my heart falter.
He extended his arms and I felt his fingers brush on my shoulder, trying to reach for something on my back. Tingles crawled my skin, which had always been normal whenever Zeke touches me, but something was different now. It was stronger, along with a warm feeling, enveloping my heart.
As I stared ahead, anywhere but not on his chest or neck, he grabbed something at my back, tugging at it. I cringed as I feel more blood gushing out from my wound.
Was he trying to bleed me to death?
When he straightened up, he raised up his left hand, showing me two small clips. I stared at them with curiosity, but the question in my head was answered when my bandages started loosening up from my body.
I gasped as I held them in place. "You could have warned me."
He didn't respond to me. Again. He just placed the clips on a sink and walked towards the door.
"I've been waiting for you," I whispered. It might be due to the haziness building up on my head or, probably, the panic sinking on my heart as I saw him leave... But nevertheless, it was what I wanted to let out all this time.
The ache on my heart I've been feeling whenever I look at Zeke the whole evening was the possibility that he didn't even bother thinking that someone might be longing for his return, that he really planned to leave me behind.... that he didn't want to see me again.
He stopped in the middle of opening the door, but his hands stayed on the door knob. With his back turned against me, I noticed how he took in a deep breath before he spoke in a cold, tight voice, "I didn't ask you to wait."
▀ ▣ ▀ ▣ ▀
ISAIAH
"Five."
Squinting my eyes to the strong gust of wind slapping my face, I watched the dim streets turning to thin lines as my top down dashed across the road in its full speed.
"Sorry, it's six."
I glanced at Chester, who was on the passenger seat beside me. His hair was almost standing up from the force of wind and, most probably, my hair as well. His feet was on the seat while he scrolled madly at his phone. If my mind wasn't too preoccupied, I would already be pissed at him for soiling my seat cover.
Looking back on the long stretch of the street ahead, I made a sharp turn after spotting a narrow, dark pathway leading to the heart of the woods. I cussed as we hit the bumpy road with overgrown trees overhead. Jumping on the seat only intensified my overwhelming anger tonight.
"In a matter of two hours, he already killed six rogues. And for those who were injured... I think, they are on a separate count," Chester continued on.
I gripped the wheels hard, turning my knuckles white. "It's a surprise that he spared some lives."
Chester shrugged. "Isn't it great, though? He's doing all the work instead of us."
I scoffed. Yeah, right. Killing for the purpose of helping... that was too impossible for that asshole. His reason was far worse than that.
"Are you sure on what you've heard?" I asked, peering at the rear-view mirror. The light from where we entered was almost close to none. Even on the sides, every part of the forest appeared to be devoid with light. Only the headlights were our sole guide to this isolated path.
He offered me a gum before speaking, "Yeah. It's been almost three hours since it was reported. No signs of him yet from anywhere. And of her."
Gritting my teeth, I felt a large nerve pounding on my head. I should have followed my instinct. I knew something was going on when I sensed uneasiness earlier this night. Something was tugging me to go somewhere for someone.
But the idiot me didn't do anything. It didn't even cross my mind that there was a chance that Callie could be involved.
Something happened. I'm sure of it. It took half-an hour before I heard the news that a human was unfortunately injured on a rogue-killing scheme of that bastard.
After driving for awhile, a house--- no, a mansion loomed up ahead. Its two corners were not even visible as they both ran an endless course on each side. It would hurt to say but, in terms of wealth of the pack, mine was far behind than theirs. Actually, almost all packs were behind them. They were the richest in the whole America, at the first place.
What should I expect though? Basing from their Alpha's 'secret' job, it was already a huge wonder that they didn't bother buying the whole land of this town.
After a moment, I skidded to a stop, making mud splatter on the olive-painted gate of the mansion.
"Oops," Chester mumbled but with laughter on his voice.
Pulling the keys from the ignition immediately, I stamped out of the car and without bothering to ring or anything, I kicked the giant gate, making its sides burst out from their screws. Loud creaking sound was followed by a large blast when the metal gate fell inwards towards the lawn.
"Please remind me again that we're here to talk and not to start a war," Chester whispered beside me before raising up the hood of his jacket. He took off his foggy glasses and wiped it on his pants before putting it back on.
As I started walking, a muscular guy appeared, marching down the steps with plenty of guys behind him.
He growled the moment he saw us. "What the fuck you're doing here, Cosher! You're not---!"
He was suddenly in front of me, obstructing my way to the door. However, I didn't stop walking. I shoved him out of the way, making him stumble to the side. Deep growls immediately filled the air but before they could lunge at me, Chester grabbed the back of my collar, preventing me to move any further.
"Easy, easy," he said, rapidly putting himself between me and the muscular guy. In an instant, his hands were up in the air in total surrender. "We're not here to fight. He just wants to see your Alpha alone... Kinda gay, in my opinion, honestly."
He laughed afterwards but everyone just looked at him strangely. As much as I'm proud of my Beta's obvious cleverness, I couldn't deny that he undoubtedly had a dry humor.
The muscular guy didn't try to make a move but he spoke in a low voice, obviously warning me from what might happen, "He isn't expecting you."
"I doubt that," I murmured and headed towards the door without another word.
As I stepped on their elegant hallway, shouts and loud voices hit my ears mixed with laughter and hooting. Children kept popping from nowhere and running to every side of the house, their parents frantically running after them.
Who would believe that a heartless Alpha like him could have a lively pack?
When I reached the foot of a staircase, some stopped talking and stared at me. But few of them smiled. I nodded as a sign of respect and proceeded in ascending the flight of stairs.
I'd been to this house twice. It was only two times but it already created a large imprint on my mind, turning out to be one of the worst nights in my life. But now, on my third time, I had a feeling that this would be much worse.
I reached a hall on the top floor, lighted up with orange bulbs. The thudding of my shoes against the floor was the only sound I could hear, bringing up an ominous feeling in my stomach.
Spotting the only room on the hall, I hurried to reach it, my anger coming back again. I pushed the double door open, straining my eyes for any sign of that bastard.
As it slowly unveiled the large room, my heart began pounding loudly. It was supposed to be due to the anxiety that something might have happened to her. But oddly, it was not.
It was pure excitement.
My wolf had been stirring so badly to the idea that there would be a fight between the two strongest wolves in North America. I felt my canines elongating together with my claws. My wolf had been waiting for this. He'd been waiting for a reason to spill blood with the other Alpha.
He wanted war.
After a moment, I studied the large bedroom which was the exact opposite of what I'd seen from the previous rooms. It was so simple and barren, it seemed to be out-of-the-world from the entire house. But, just like the usual, it was spotless. He was a meticulous person, I'd give him that.
As I crossed the doorway, I spotted him, picking up a duvet from the floor near the bed. A second later, a familiar scent hit me.
At that moment, everything went black as my wolf roared inside me. I crouched, my pupils dilating, preparing to lunge at the person standing at the center of the room.
"You fucking--!"
I was about to pounce at him when I halted on my tracks as if my body hit a large wall and a great vine wrapped itself around me. Stepping back, I growled as I remembered that I was in his territory, that my chance against him was diminished in half.
"Someone doesn't know how to knock," he said and straightened up, collecting the duvet on his arms.
I gritted my teeth. No matter the situation was, he was always so calm. And me? I was the hot-tempered one. Everyone knew that we didn't get along. But it was not because of the pack rivalry, it was because of our personality. We would always end up going for each other's throats and no one could change that.
I clenched my fist, feeling my claws digging in my palms. My wolf was shouting at me to take a risk and attack him. But I had a more important thing to do.
She is in the bathroom, showering. All I could hear was her steady breathing and splashing of water. But her scent was all over the room.
"What did you do to her?"
He threw the duvet on his bed which, for the first time, I saw unkempt. "Who?"
I calmed myself and through my tight lips, I muttered, "Callie... My mate."
On his eternally stone-cold eyes, an incomprehensible expression passed by. It was probably the first emotion I'd seen on his face ever since I met him.
"She was just an unlucky bystander when I killed a rogue."
I growled and seized him by the collar of his shirt, "Don't give me that bullshit!"
His eyes looked down at my hands before traveling back at me. "Take your hands off, Cosher, or you'll regret this."
I squinted my eyes. "What? You're gonna pull out my heart?"
He grabbed my wrists and swatted it off. "I didn't know you're into redheads."
"A pretty one, isn't she?"
"Yeah, exactly my type."
My blood instantly boiled. This asshole is taunting me. He was obviously very irritated. I didn't expect I would be seeing him so pissed off this soon.
I composed myself and joined his wordplays. "She's actually looking for someone... Ezekiel Hawksworth... Does that ring a bell, huh, Keenan?"
He stared at me, his jaw tight. "No. Haven't heard of him before."
"Oh, I thought you knew him well."
One corner of his lips lifted. "Maybe he was her boyfriend or something."
I hissed and stepped closer to him until we were almost a few inches from each other. "She's not just someone to you, right, Ezekiel?" I whispered, my pupils darkening as anger started building up again inside me. "Tell me. What is Callie on your life? Who. Is. She."
"No one," he said, not hesitating for a bit. "I told you, she was just an unfortunate bystander, that's all."
"Don't you ever touch her. You get me?"
He scoffed. "Why would I?... You already made her yours, remember?"
On that one moment, his eyes showed me the answer to my question. The rage displayed on them which, by this time, he didn't try hiding uncovered the whole truth.
Callie was not just 'someone'. She is very special to him.
And for the first time, I learned Keenan's weakness.
◉ E N D o f C H A P T E R ◉