CALIFF
“What?” I ignored the pang in my chest at how she answered my call. I understood she hadn’t forgiven me, but it was hard to bear being away from her.
“Baby, I need you here.”
“I was there until this afternoon, Califf.”
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. “I know, baby, but it’s been a week. Your responsibility is not only for the pack but also for me as my mate. I need you, please. My wolf needs you.”
“Do you think it’s been easy for me? I hope this teaches you a lesson, Califf. I’d rather watch you from afar than watch you die because you think you need to save me. I don’t want you to do something reckless on my account. Your pack needs you more than they need me.”
“Everyone needs us, Shadow, especially me. Please, come back. I barely slept at night for the past week. When you came here, you barely talked to me. You barely looked at me. What do you want me to do for you to come back?”
“Time. I need time.”
“Then that might be a problem?”
“Why is that?” I could hear the challenging tone in her voice.
“There’s been an attack outside the college campus. This has happened twice now in a few months. There was a party, and one of ours almost died.”
“What? When? Why didn’t you call me sooner?”
“Have you checked my missed calls and messages, my love?”
There was a long pause, and I heard Zarah in the background.
“You should go. Your sabbatical here is over, Shadow. You are always free to come, but the pack needs you more than anything, and you have to forgive your mate. You know werewolves- they are territorial.”
“I could have handled my father, but he always treated me as a weak female wolf below him.”
“That’s not true, Shadow. You are my equal. Fuck, you are even better and stronger than me, sometimes you intimidate me and make me feel less, but in my heart, I couldn’t be any more prouder.”
“When werewolves sense threats towards their mates, they risk their lives to protect them. It’s part of them, part of you. You can’t change that. And this shouldn’t have been an issue. I didn’t expect you to make this far to be away from your mate.”
“Then he should know I’m also protective of him.”
“You have to set aside whatever anger and issues you have with him. Pack comes first, Shadow. You should know that by now. Did you ever ask yourself why he did what he did?”
“Zarah, can you send her here? I don’t think it would be safe for her to travel, and it would take hours for me to come to her and travel back.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem, Alpha. I’d love to help, and I’m sick of her anyway.”
“Thanks, Zarah.”
“Anytime.”
“Shadow, I see you soon.” I hung up the call when Duke came into my office. The look on his face alone, I knew he had bad news.
“I’m sorry, Alpha.” He shook his head. “I wish I had good news. He didn’t make it.”
I nodded. I felt like I had lost all my courage. Since I became an alpha, I hadn’t lost anyone until today. The threats out there were real. It was only a matter of time before it would bring to our own backyard.
“Thank you. Please inform his family and arrange a funeral. I have to call someone.”
“Will do, Alpha. I’m so sorry for our loss.”
“We will let them pay. Whoever did this will pay. Did Raiden find something?” Raiden was an excellent tracker, almost as good as Shadow. Her only advantage was her Lycan blood, but with experience, she would be one of the best.
“There was definitely more than one werewolf in that party. Those kids were just lucky no one got hurt but John. He surely targeted.”
“Our pack members are being hunted, Duke. This is just the beginning.” My jaw clenched hard as I dialed Alpha Mason.
“I’ll leave you to yourself. Just let me know if you need anything.”
I nodded. The moment Duke left the office, Alpha Mason picked up the call.
“I wish what I heard wasn’t true, Alpha Mason.”
“You’re weak, Alpha Califf. That’s the reason why I cut all ties with your pack. I need a strong ally, not someone whose actions are controlled by his mate.”
“Are you sure this has nothing to do with your daughter? What’s next in your plan? Mating your daughter with Keane?”
There was a silence before he spoke. “You broke her heart for some rogue. You used my daughter and then left her for a nobody.”
I almost smirked. He didn’t know who Shadow was, making it to my advantage. If he didn’t realize it, Keane probably didn’t know either, or the truth was intended to be kept from him to take this bastard’s side, but it wouldn’t be my problem anymore.
“You’re making a big mistake, Alpha Mason. You don’t know what kind of man he is and certainly don’t know what you walk yourself into.”
“Alpha Keane has more allies than you think. In a few days, he will have more. He has connections with powerful people.”
“Did you meet them? Did he and his allies involve you in all his plans? Because I have a feeling there will be slaughter about to happen.”
“Like what your father did to that pack?”
“How did you know that?”
“You know who can stab you in the back? He’s just closer to you than your nose to your mouth, Alpha. If I were you, you should be very careful who you give your trust. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.” He hung up on me. That son of a bitch. He was going to regret this.
I set a conference video call with other allied packs. They appeared on the screen.
“I’m sorry for this urgent meeting. I will cut to the chase. Are you still my friends? Can I still count on all of you?”
“What do you mean, Alpha Califf?” Alpha Grayson of Roadside Pack asked.
“If you are not my ally anymore, and you’ve decided to change sides, I would understand, and I’d rather know it now than hear it from other people because I hate surprises. Alpha Mason Ross of Midnight Storm Pack has sided with Black Arrow Pack. Here comes the challenge to our loyalty. I wouldn’t ask you all once again. Do you still have my support?”
“Of course. You don’t have to ask me, but yes, Alpha Califf. Crimson Heart Pack has your support all the way, and I know you won’t leave us alone during tough times.”
“Thank you, Alpha Ryder.” Thank Goddess, he still had my support. He had roughly thirty-five werewolves in his pack.
“So as the White Moon Pack,” said Alpha Knight, one of the youngest Alpha I’d met, but he was tough as a nail.
“How about you, Alpha Grayson?”
“Roadside is behind you in the battles, Alpha Califf. Your father is a good friend of mine, and no matter what happens, the entire pack has always got your back.”
“Thank you, all of you.” I drew a breath. “I just lost a pack member tonight. A pup has been attacked outside the campus. My tracker has smelled werewolves. I’m a target of an alpha. It’s only a matter of time before he’s taking my pack members one by one, but I won’t let this one go without a fight. I may ask for your help when that day comes. I hope I can count on all of you.”
“Who’s this alpha?”
“Keane of Black Arrow.”
They nodded behind the screen.
“So you’ve heard of him.”
They agreed in unison.
“You should be very careful. He will kill everyone standing in his way. He had already slaughtered a pack from the south. I have refugees of what’s left of his doing. Just to let you know, my mate was once a member of his pack when he appointed himself Alpha, but my mate went rogue because of his action. He came after her a few months ago, trying to kidnap her, but my enforcers were there on time to save her. Now he knows where Shadow is. So, he’s starting to hunt my pack.”
“Thank you for letting us know so we can be careful,” Alpha Knight said.
“Thank you all for your loyalty. I will give you updates. Just be alert. If you need my help, let me know.”
When the call ended, a portal appeared in my office, and Shadow walked through it, and the portal disappeared.
“I’m so sorry, Califf.” She wrapped her arms around me for a hug. “Kindra called me.”
“I’m just glad you’re home.” I sighed in her arms. “You don’t know how relieved I am now you are here.”
“I wish I could tell you everything will be okay, but it’s not. I feel your pain and anger.”
I pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. “We’re going to be fine, but we have more pressing matters. I think someone betrayed me, leaking what’s supposed to be for our pack only.”
“What do you mean?” She dropped her suitcase.
I picked it up from the floor and took her hand. “Let’s talk in the room.”
“What’s wrong in the office?”
“I’m not going to force myself on you, Shadow. You’re my mate, not my slave.”
“Sex slave?” Her voice had humor, but I knew what she was doing, trying to lift me up. “Does it involve kneeling, tying at the back, blindfolding, and spanking?”
“Do you want me to spank you, Shadow? Have you misbehaved while you were with Zarah?”
“Or I could spank you instead.”
I chuckled as I opened the door and placed her suitcase on the floor.
“Why here, Califf?”
“I’m sorry I lied.”
“About what?” Her face contorted with confusion.
“About this.” I cupped her head and kissed her lips. The primitive hunger hit me the second she pulled me in her arms.
Her gasp gave me a chance to plunge my tongue into her mouth. Goddess, I missed her taste, her kiss, her touch, everything about her. The last time I kissed her, she gave me blue balls, and we never discussed it again.
She quickly melted around me, kissing me back, making my hopes up that we were going to the right place. Her kiss was nothing like dominant or possessive. It was pure passion and sweetness that made me breathless.
When she tore away, I expected a slap or a scream of anger, and I waited for it to happen, but it didn’t come. When I opened my eyes, her eyes narrowed, but part annoyed and amused.
“You brought me here to kiss me. Can’t you kiss me in your office?”
“This is our room. I was hoping maybe a kiss could lead somewhere.”
“Really?” Now she was pissed.
“Just kidding. I just brought your bag here. I know you’re still angry, but I want you to stay here instead of going to another room.”
“Tell me what’s bothering you, Califf. I feel the tension in your body. I wish it were sexual, but not.”
A smile curved up my lips as I took her hand and let her feel my cock. “It is, but this can wait. Alpha Mason is not my ally anymore. He chose to side with Keane.”
“Because of that bitch.”
“Yeah, and he knows what my father did to your pack and thinks I am weak.”
“We have a traitor?”
“Yes?”
“No. We don’t. Everyone heard what I said, including his daughter.”
“Shit. I completely forgot that she was here when it happened.” I scratched my head. “And I banned and threatened her in front of everyone.”
“But we have an advantage.”
“What is that?”
“Witches and my father.”