CALIFF
“Are you sure you wanna do this?”
She was sitting on the passenger seat, focused on her phone, and hadn’t answered my question.
“Shadow, I’m talking to you.” I put my hand on her thigh, squeezing to get her attention.
“I heard you, Califf. And yes. If you’re concerned that I might snap his neck. No, forget about it. I won’t do that. You just have to trust me.”
“I trust you. You know that.”
Dad was already at home, resting. His disease was like cancer in humans. I’d never heard of a werewolf catching a disease like him. How would I fund research like this without exposing us? It was hard to accept his fate, but maybe he was paying for what he’d done as his way to repent all his sins.
“Then why do you keep asking me if I wanna do this? Of course, I want to do this. I won’t lay a hand on your father and look at these two behind us. They will break my jaw before I can raise my hand.”
“Where did you go when you woke up, Luna?” Zack asked.
“I should also report my errands to you?” She looked over her shoulder where Zack and Lyon joined us to visit my father.
“Sorry. It came out wrong.”
“I was kidding. I called Zarah, and then I went to the archive.” She touched my thigh. “I can’t believe you have a huge library in the compound.”
“I can see you as a nerd in high school.”
She turned to me. “Me? A nerd? Nuh. I like to create a fight, so maybe Kent was tired of going to the principal’s office. I went to school to pass the subjects, not to impress or Kent won’t send me to college.”
“You have a bad record? Why wouldn’t I be surprised?” Lyon chuckled.
“Yeah. I changed when I was a junior in college. I didn’t date, though. I think I scared guys.”
“Male human. They hate being intimidated by women. They like to be the big guys, the big boss.”
“True,” Lyon agreed with me.
“Not only humans, so as werewolves. They think they are superior because they have dicks. No offense, guys.”
Lyon and Zack just laughed behind us.
“Stop saying dick, Luna.”
“They won’t say to anyone I said that, right?” She looked at them through the rare view.
“Your secrets are safe with us, Luna.”
“Great, because I’m going to enjoy cutting dicks if you share my secrets with everyone. So, Lyon. You haven’t found your mate?”
“No, ma’am.”
“And you, too, Zack.”
“I don’t wanna be whipped. When I looked at everyone with mates, they were like crazy for each other, like everyone didn’t exist around them. Just them and their own little bubbles.”
“That’s not true. And it’s the bond you can’t deny and control over,” I told him. I didn’t want him to reject if he found his mate.”Really?” There was a funny look on her face. “I don’t feel that. I just like you. That’s why I am with you, but I don’t do crazy things like possessive-”
“That’s a lie. Remember when you said to ban Everlee.”
“Oh, I heard that last night.” Lyon laughed out loud.
Zack joined him. “What did you say? Ah, something like, You are nothing compared to Shadow. You can wear a pretty dress, but you still look cheap.”
“Expensive dress,” Lyon corrected Zack.”
“Right.”
Shadow looked away as she tried to hide her smile from us.”
“She won’t probably come back.”
“That would be a relief, Lyon. What I did was a mistake in the first place.”
“She believed you’re her mate. Maybe you two really have connections more than just sex.” I could feel her anger radiating through her.
“You don’t filter, do you?” I squeezed her knee.
“I’m sure it’s not a secret around here.” She rolled her eyes.
“I already made myself clear. It was just-”
“Just shut up already.” When she said it, the guys looked away.
“Okay, and I don’t like talking about her either or anything that upsets you, and this is not just about our bond. This is for our relationship.”
“I understand, and I’d rather focus on giving back and doing something good for the pack. I owe that to everyone.”
“Jealousy is a useless emotion when I am wearing your mark, my Luna.”
“Well, that’s cute.” Shadow snorted.
“I thought, Alpha, you’re not interested in finding your mate. For years, you have worked hard on business and the pack. Good to know that you have something to focus on more than us and business.”
“You know, Zack, I need to work hard because everyone depends on me. We have underprivileged families that need my support.”
“And also, you have kids to send to school. You’re paying their tuition.”
“How did you know?” I stole a glance at her.
“Archives. I saw your yearbook. You look cute in your picture. You kinda have a playboy bad boy face.” She creased her nose.
“I dated a lot in high school and college. Mostly humans.” I held her hand before I parked the car. “Ancient history. Sorry.”
Mom met us at the entrance. “Come on in, Luna.” She looked behind us. “Boys, there’s pie in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
“Just Shadow, please. And thank you for allowing me to see Elder Waylon on such short notice.” She looked around. My parents’ house was big, not as big as the pack house, but it was a lovely home.
“I’m still in the pack, honey. You are my Luna now and are always welcome to come over.”
“Is he awake?”
“Yeah. He’s ready to see you.” Mom assisted Shadow upstairs.
I followed them. “I smell cookies.”
“Chicken pot pies and cookies. Do you like chicken pot pie, Shadow?”
“Yeah.”
“We’ll have it at dinner.”
“Thanks.”
“Waylon is in the room.” Mom pushed the door open. “My love, Shadow and Cal are here.”
“Welcome, Shadow, to our humble home.” Dad was sitting on the couch with his cane and a wheelchair next to him. When he was in pain, he could barely walk. He stayed at home, in bed, most of the time.
“Thanks.”
“I like this kind of house, modern country,” she expressed.
“Should I change the design?” I put my hand on her lower back.
“That was pretty cool. I like it already.”
“Please, take a seat,” Mom said to Shadow.
She sat next to me, across from my father.