CALIFF
Shadow and I rushed downstairs. I spotted Everlee in the middle of the receiving area. She was shaking, pacing, and looking like she had been crying.
“Califf, Shadow, you have to help me.” She ran towards us. Her eyes were red, and her hands were shaking. “Please, I’m begging you.”
“Calm down, tell us what happened.” Shadow helped her to the couch and turned to Zack. “Please, bring her some water to drink.”
“Right away.”
I sat across them, but my heart was already in my throat. I had a strong feeling it had something to do with my brother. “You drove all the way here alone, in your condition?”
“Yeah.” Everlee let out a sob.
I was glad Shadow had completely forgiven her. Right now, I only saw a woman helping a friend in need.
Zack came back with a bottled water.
Shadow opened it before she gave it to Everlee. “Drink this, then tell us what’s going on?”
She didn’t hesitate. She drank the water and breathed. Then she met my gaze. “Calder is my mate.”
I put on a small smile as I nodded. “I had a feeling last night. I saw how he was starstruck at you. Then what happened?”
She showed the fresh mark on her neck. Everlee and I may have had a history, and it didn’t end well, but I respected her. Despite her father’s betrayal, she was worthy of a second chance, and I protected her and her pack.
“He forced himself on you?” My voice thundered. My jaw locked.
“No. Never.” A single tear rolled down her cheek. “He was so gentle.”
I heard Shadow sigh.
“After the party, I asked him to stay,” she added.
“Yeah. He said he wanted to stay for a while and spend time with you.”
“Then we kissed and led to another. I asked him if he wanted to mark me. Then we did it. I did the same, and we completed the mating. Then we talked something about ourselves. I said I had a boyfriend in college, and he said he had a two-year relationship, and it didn’t end well. Then-” She swallowed hard, sighing heavily. “I kind of mentioned our past. I just want to be honest with him before he finds it out from someone else.”
“He got mad,” Shadow said.
I shifted my gaze to Shadow. She wasn’t upset or something but terrified.
“Yes. He said I’m going to kill my brother. I thought he was joking until-” She burst into tears, sobbing on Shadow’s shoulder.
“It’s okay.” She rubbed her back. “Califf will never hurt his brother. Where is he now, Everlee? You have to tell us what happened after that.”
She wiped her tears and took the box of tissues Zack offered. “Something is wrong with him. I was so scared I thought he was going to hurt me. We were supposed to go for a run together after that, but when he got mad, his eyes turned red.”
Shadow gasped, swallowing hard, meeting my gaze. Fear appeared on her face, and she didn’t get scared easily. I had a feeling she knew something she hadn’t told me. And I could feel it in her thoughts.
“What’s wrong with him, Cal?” Everlee asked, but that was the question I didn’t have the answer.
“I don’t know. I met him twice. We had dinner in his apartment. As far as I know, his mother was human. He met my parents almost two months ago, I think. Then he came to visit me, which shocked me at first, but we’re okay now. I even asked him to join the pack because it’s not good for him to be a rogue. He never shifted. He’s also a late bloomer, but I know he didn’t want to be a werewolf.”
“He was talking Wolfsbane essence and stopped after meeting his father,” Shadow followed me up.
“Who would take Wolfsbane?” Her eyes widened in shock. “It could kill him.”
“Just a drop, a small amount enough to keep his wolf dormant. I have no idea about the side effects of withdrawal, and we haven’t gotten to that part of the conversation last night. Every dangerous drug withdrawal has a significant side effect, which could be what is happening to him right now.”
“He’s coming for you. He just put his clothes on and took off. I was so scared of him that he might hurt me, but he didn’t. It didn’t look like Calder, Cal. I swear it wasn’t my mate.” She leaned against Shadow as she shook to cry.
I knew Everlee could be dramatic and emotional, but she was in real pain and distraught right now.
“Can you feel him?”
When she shook her head, and tears streamed down her cheeks, I couldn’t watch her anymore. I rose from the chair and talked to Zack.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“Call anyone not on patrol duty last night. Take a tranq gun with you. Consider Calder dangerous. Don’t come closer to him. He may be watching your every move. Let me know right away if any of you spotted him. Tranq him and make sure he’s down.”
“Don’t hurt him, please?” Everlee stood up. I’d never seen her so lost and fragile, even during the battle. I felt and saw her pain, and I was also worried about my brother.
“I won’t if he won’t hurt me.” Zack nodded at me before he left.
“Baby, do you have your phone?”
“Yes.”
I took it from her and sent a short message to my parents. “I let my parents know.”
“Did you feel the bond after the mating?”
“Yes.” She looked at Shadow. “It was strong and beautiful. I swear I thought everything was gonna be perfect. I should have-”
“Hey. Don’t go there. We will find Calder and see what’s wrong with him. I promise,” Shadow said. It was a strong word to make a promise for something we didn’t know anything about, but I would be with her on this for my brother.
“We will figure it out together.” I squeezed her hand. “He’s my brother, Everlee, and I will not give up on him.”
An hour later, I heard nothing. Everlee’s patience was running thin.
“What took them so long?” She stopped crying but still paced in the receiving area.
“Calder knows what he’s doing.” I walked out of the pack house and heard them following behind me.
“Califf, what are you doing?”
“He was pissed at me and took off, baby. He will come looking for me. Unless I come out, he won’t show up.”
“You can’t be serious right now.” Shadow rounded and stopped before me. “You’re using yourself as bait?”
“Yes. He’s my brother, Shadow.” I looked at her. “Please, don’t stop me. I need to do this before someone gets hurt.”
“You’re unbelievable. We don’t know what we’re up against. I know he’s your brother, but maybe he’s not in control anymore.”
“Remember what we talked about? Maybe you’re right, and he needs help. And we don’t give up on family.”
Pissed off, she shook her head in annoyance but didn’t stop me.
“I don’t want you getting hurt, Cal. Maybe Calder is not himself and won’t recognize you.”
“His wolf is sick, Everlee. Prepare yourself for the worst, but I will do everything I can to get him help. We will find a cure for him. That’s a promise.”
“Alpha?” Lyon called me. “You’re going out there unarmed?”
I caught the tranq he threw.
He gave one to Shadow and another to Everlee. “Don’t worry. Just the hangover is worse, but it won’t hurt him. A little like bee stung, maybe.”
We marched towards the woods, but all I could hear was Everlee’s fast heartbeat.
“Everlee, relax. Your heartbeat is obstructing my hearing,” Shadow said. “It would be hard to find him if you’re distressed.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about him.”
“We all are.”
Shadow took a deep breath. “Let me do my mojo.”
It made me chuckle. “Go ahead, infant witch. Do your thing.”
“Shut up, macho man.” She took a deep breath and shut her eyes. “Wow. I don’t hear anything other than insects and wind. I think your brother is a pathfinder.”
“What do you mean?” Everlee asked.
“I heard about it but never knew it was real. I never met one. Where did you hear that from, baby?”
“There’s a book at Zarah’s-”
“The witch?” Everlee inquired.
“Yeah. I’d been learning my witch side, practicing control of my ability. And she has a book about werewolves-”
“But you’re not a werewolf.”
“Yes, and also about Lycans. I came across werewolves and their gifts. One that caught my attention is Pathfinder. It’s one of a kind. Rare. It comes only in one hundred years, or if the Pathfinder dies, one with a good heart will be rewarded with that gift.”
“Wow. And it’s your brother, Alpha.” Lyon turned to me.
“Pathfinder can camouflage in the crowd with enhanced stealth, and in the woods, of course. He can also sense the truth from lies-”
“A living lie detector. That’s awesome,” Lyon said excitedly.
“And he’s good at giving solutions to the crisis, but he can also be a great liar, a deceiver.”
“What the fuck?” I met her gaze.
“He’s a walking cartographer. Maybe that is the reason why he studied history. Those signs have always been there. He only needs guidance. We’ll see if his eyes glow yellow. Then it’s him. With proper training, he can become very useful to the pack.”
“Then we should find him,” I told them.
“Oh, Goddess. He’s closed.” Shadow sniffed the air, and I did the same. I picked up the horrible smell right away. He found us without even noticing it. He was that good and still without training.
My pulse accelerated. I aimed my tranq gun forward and followed where the smell got stronger.
“It’s okay. He may recognize his mate.” Everlee went ahead.
“Everlee, it’s not a good idea.” I hissed at her, but she was already showing herself.
One moment, I was talking to her, then I heard a feral growl, and I was on the ground pinned by a black wolf. His bony limbs were like a steel cage, digging against my arms.
My wolf reacted and was quick to take over impulsively. My clothes shredded, and I shifted fully. With my energy spent blocking his claws and bite, hoping they had enough time to shoot him, all I could see was red-threats. He was lethal- dangerous.
My skin crawled. My anger stirred.
An aggravated growl erupted from me as I tried communicating with him, but dark rage filled his crimson eyes. And I was too caught between making him submit to me, surrendering, or hurting him. But the look in those eyes was nothing empty and distant space.
What shocked me the most was this wolf- he had hair loss and patches, fur was falling off on his eroding skin, and it smelled like a rotten corpse and dead from the inside like no soul was left in it. But each growl was filled with blistering anger and fueled rage.
Before I could throw him, he snarled, showed off his fangs, drooled down at me, and was ready to sink his fangs with deadly, feral, and vicious bite and wanted nothing but death. And there was no way I could get through Calder.
My brother was gone. He wasn’t in control anymore.