Caleb's POV
"We have to go after her!" Kai rambled for the fifth time.
"For the last time, she will be fine!" I replied back as I rolled my eyes and flayed out on the couch.
'you know that's not true' the voice in my head whined and pulled at my heart strings.
"I think you are just saying that to try and convince yourself that its true" he roughly rubbed his face out of frustration as I played with the hem of my shirt.
She will be fine.
She will be fine.
She will be fine.
"Caleb, you don't know her, I do" I locked yes with him, anger filling me as he spoke "her wolf is so weak, she hasn't been allowed to be in her wolf form for years and years, she's gonna die out there!" He had begun to pace back and forth.
I twitched in my spot as worry began to build within me.
"What do you mean she hasn't been allowed to be in wolf form for years?" I asked, confusion filling me.
"Her old pack never let anyone shift. They were forced to stay in there human forms and received public punishments if they were caught shifting" he answered as he shot daggers at me with his eyes.
I shook my head and let out a gruff cough, trying to push away the feelings that started to build up.
"Well... What am I suppose to do? I can't drop everything and go looking for her! What would Ruby think? I can't just chase after her no matter how much it's killing me not to!" I screamed. anger boiling within me.
I stood from my spot and started to pace through the room. Low growls filling the silence around us.
"wait, you want to go find her?" He asked, confused.
"obviously I do, its clear that we are connected and my wolf goes crazy at the thought of harm coming to her, I just...how would I explain this to Ruby? I cant, so I'm not going after her!"now it was my time to throw my head in my hands.
"Caleb, she could die" Kai took a seat next to me and rested a hand on my back.
"Someone needs to do something and father wants it to be you" His voice was full of worry.
I really wanted to be the one to go after her... to be her knight in shinning armour... to protect her... but I cant just throw Ruby away like that.
Ruby is my mate.
End of story.
"Look, if you don't go after her, I will" Kai abruptly stood up, anger filling his voice. He made his way to the door "she has been gone for 2 days Caleb, she wont survive much longer, who knows if shes even still alive!" he added as he gripped the door and practically threw it open.
"you will not take her from me!" I called out as I launched myself at my older brother.
We both fell to the ground in a mess of flying fist and growls.
"what is going on here?!" I could hear Ruby call out from a distance.
I pinned Kai to the ground and whispered harshly in his ear "not a single word from you" and slowly stood to meet the worried eyes of my mate.
"Nothing Rubes, just a little brothers disagreement" I reached out to draped my arm over her shoulder as she looked between myself and Kai with a confused expression.
The faint sliver of a spark ran through my skin as it made contact with hers... bunching my eyebrows forward I looked down at her, noticing that she was looking a little nervous, I pulled away confused.
"Ruby... Where is your mark?" I stopped dead in my tracks as I looked at the spot on her neck where my scar should be proudly displayed, that was bare of any mark at all.
I could hear her heart rate increase as she felt the area of her neck that was bare.
She furiously rubbed at the skin as she stumbled with her words, making my confusion grow.
"I... what do you mean... maybe it... maybe it healed?! you know that we heal fast" she started to quickly walk away from me as she brushed off the fact that my mark was gone.
"No!" I grabbed her hand and stopped her from taking another step "we all know that the mark of a mate, doesn't heal" I was beyond confused and starting to feel angry as she tried to dodge my questions.
Ruby was desperately trying to explain things to me as my parents made their way out of the pack house.
"Caleb whats going on?" they questioned as they took in my red face and Ruby's tears.
"Ruby's mark is healed" I replied in disbelief.
"That't not possible" Kai spoke up slowly, adding to all of our confusion...
"oh my goddess..." My mothers voice gasped as the pin dropped.
"Caleb please just let me expla..." Ruby was cut off by a loud growl. My growl.
"What did you do!?" I roared as Kai took a hold of Ruby's arm and pulled her away from me.
I looked at the girl before me... a girl that I had once been smitten over... a girl I had once felt a connection too... but now... I looked at her and felt nothing...
"What did you do?!?!" I roared as I began charging at her, only to be stopped by my best friend, Kent, and my father.
I looked around slowly to see a crowd had begun to form around us.
"Kai we have to go!" I screamed as I wriggled myself free from Kent's grip, but I wasn't heading towards Ruby... no... I was heading towards the forrest...
To find Sophia...
Sophia's POV
It had been an entire week... 7 days... 168 hours...
and I was finally feeling like myself again... well like Grace at least...
It had been tough trying to get used to my middle name now being my first name. I just needed a clean slate. I had promised myself that whenever I found a place to feel safe I would no longer exist, and now, Sophia no longer exists.
I had grown so close to Abi over the past few days and Auntie was an angel sent from the goddess herself.
They kept me calm and made me feel at home.
Oh and there was also Eric...
Otherwise known as Mr. Brown Eyes.
We had become close as well, he made me feel... safe.
I was currently sitting across from Abi at Aunties Diner as she stuffed a handful of fries in her mouth.
"Your'e beautiful" I giggled as she rolled her eyes in response.
I slowly took a sip of water as I locked eyes with Eric who was sat proudly in his usual spot, three seats behind us.
He sent me a signature wink and I smiled in return.
Abi must have caught on to what was happening because her next words had me choking on my water.
"so when are you going to kiss him?"
"I'm sorry what?" I replied when I could breath again.
"You heard me" she replied smugly as she grabbed another fry to throw down her throat.
"I don't know what you are talking about" I sat back in my seat with a small shrug of my shoulders.
Sure, Eric was dreamy...
Sure, I had thought about what it would feel like to kiss him...
Sure, the tension between us could be cut with a knife...
That doesn't mean I'm going to act on it.
I still had feelings for a man that I couldn't stop thinking about.
A man that I couldn't have.
I slowly shook my head to try and rid myself of those thoughts that were surfacing.
"sorry, did I cross a line?" Abi asked as she took in my defeated attitude.
"No, you are fine, its just... past stuff" I replied softly as I grabbed an onion ring and forced it into my mouth.
"Are you ever going to tell me anything about your past Grace?" she asked as she gave me nog sad eyes.
It made my heart hurt every time she called me that... I felt horrible for lying to them all but I just panicked and now I regret it so much...
"Actually I really want to tell you all about it... but not here... lets go for a walk, I'm starting to feel a little hot" I suggested as I held my hand out for her to take.
She slowly took a hold of it and we made our way outside into the cool night air.
"Where do I begin?" I huffed out as Abi squeezed my hand reassuringly... she could tell this was hard for me to do.
"from the beginning" she said softly "no matter what it is, I'm here for you Grace" she added with a reassuring smile.
"Well for starters... My name is actually Sophia..."
And for a while, we walked, we talked, we hugged and we made our way back to where we started.
I told her all about the ways of my pack and why we had to meet with the Storm Pack, to Caleb being my mate but already having mated someone else, to us both going through withdrawals when we are apart, to bonding with Kai, then to the test and my journey here.
"oh my goddess..." she replied as we sat back in our regular spot "and I thought my life was crazy" she added with a sigh.
I shrugged "it is what it is" I fanned my face a little as I started to heat up again.
"I just cant believe you have been through all of that in such a short period of time, and you have withdrawals from each other but he always pushes you away... like obviously something is going on!" She started to ramble on and I couldn't help but feel slightly happy that someone was finally on my side.
I let her rant on with her feelings as I ordered a drink of cold water, for some reason I had grown incredibly hot.
"Oh darl, are you ok?" Abi halted her rant as she looked over me.
I swatted my sweaty forehead and started to fan my face really quickly"I think the withdrawal of being away from Caleb is setting in... I just need fresh air" I said as I rose from my seat, a little too quickly.
I felt myself become dizzy and I had to clutch onto the booth chair before I fell.
"oh goddess Sophia" Abi gasped as she took in a large breath "I think... I think..." she couldnt quite get the words out...
"you're in heat" Eric's voice broke the sound of my pulse in my ears as he scooped my up and jogged me outside.
Abi followed behind us as Eric marched me down the street toards Aunties house.
Abi had shifted and ran ahead of us and by the time we got there, Auntie was waiting outside for us and Abi had thrown on a large jumper.
"Come inside quickly dear, lets get you settled" Auntie started to guide us inside and as soon as Eric reached the first step, a loud growl erupted around us...
"get your filthy paws away from her Ryder" it was Kai...
"Let go of her before I tear you apart!" and Caleb...
I could feel Eric stiffen as he slowly placed me on the ground near Aunties feet and turned towards the Storm brothers.
"Boys... Now is not the time..." he replied as he knelt down in front of me protectively.
I grabbed his arm softly as I locked yes with Caleb, wincing at the wave of heat and pain that surged through me.
"it's ok Eric... they're here for me" I winced as I tried to sit up.
"what do you mean? how could you know the Storm Brothers?!" He asked in disbelief as he refused to take his eyes off the two men infront of us.
"we dont have time for this!" Auntie roared as she knelt down to my level.
"We need to focus on Sophia" Abi added as she mimicked Aunties actions.
"Who is Sophia?!" Eric asked confused as he locked eyes with me.
"Sophia you're... you're in heat" Caleb's demeanour shifted as he took a sniff of the air...
He closed his eyes and rolled his shoulders back as my scent hot his senses. Kai looked at me with a worried expression as he grabbed a hold of his brothers shirt.
"Its ok, I am in control" Caleb barked as he ripped his brothers hands away and took slow steps towards me.
"Eric, let him pass" Abi warned and very hesitantly Eric moved to the side.
I locked eyes with Caleb and I felt my entire body ache. I just felt so drawn to him... I craved him...
I forgot about everything in that moment.
I forgot about Ruby...
I forgot about the Test...
I reached out to him and in a quick motion, he scooped me up in his arms and I finally felt a moment of bliss.
A/N:
Thank you all so much for the support! xoxo