Chapter 13
Callum backed me up against a tree where he proceeded to press his muscular body into my own.
He may be the one with fire powers but I felt my insides light up in flames from the pure passion that passed between our lips.
"You taste like chocolate." He whispered against my lips before plunging back into our very heated make-out session.
I, on the other hand, was enjoying this way more than I probably should be.
With my heart thumping a mile a minute and my head feeling light from our contact, I didn't know how the hell we ended up in this position but I wasn't complaining.
With a small finish peck, Callum ended our kiss as I shifted my hands from his hair to his shoulders.
It was hot out here, and it wasn't just the small fire or global warming.
As I pulled back and tried to control my racing heart, I looked up into his eyes to see the green flames dying.
"That was-"
"The best kiss you've ever had?" He smirked.
I rolled my eyes at him, "Unexpected."
He sighed as he leaned his forehead against my own, "I didn't plan to."
"But you did. Why?" I tilted my head in confusion.
His eyes pierced my own as shifted his head back and turned serious, "My gut. My entire being says that I should hate you but..."
"But?" I asked with trepidation.
"But this feeling inside of me has been eating at me since I met you and it's messing with all of my logic. Everything that I've worked for my entire life just wants to cease to exist. I want to protect you when I should be loathing you and your pack and trying to get home..."
"So why don't you?" I dared to ask.
He sighed before he answered me, "I can't. You've managed to draw yourself into my life with a permanent sharpie."
"Seems like something I'd do," I whispered.
The corner of his lips tilted up, "Also, you mentioned that bastard."
"And you got jealous?" I asked with a grin.
"Princess, I don't get jealous."
"Uh-huh." I looked at him wearily, "Are you sure the rogues didn't hit you because I swear you have a case of OSD."
"What's OSD?" He asked with a raised brow.
"Oddly Sweet Disorder." I grinned.
He chuckled before he loosened his hold on me and stepped back a fraction of an inch as I removed my hands from his shoulders.
"Is that right? When then what are the symptoms doc?"
"An oddly sweet Callum Cain," I stated.
He mused, "Well being sweet is bizarre to me."
"Knew you were hit on the head," I concluded before my own brain went haywire and asked, "Did you regretted it?"
He seemed taken back by my sudden question but quickly recovered, "No princess. I just think I should have probably let us build that 'trust' thing first." He then ruined the mood by saying, "But now that I started it, I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon."
I leaned back onto the tree and crossed my arms over my chest, "And what if I told you that I didn't exactly fancy that kiss?"
Callum reached his hand out and propped an arm on the tree, next to my head, "I'd say judging by your reaction that you fancied it a lot."
He wasn't wrong... just don't tell him to inflate that ego of his.
"And judging by the burnt rope, your statement about a lack of jealousy begs to differ," I smirked before eying the burnt edges.
He turned to look at where my eyes were trained, "Please tell me how the hell that happened?"
"Fire manipulation," I stated and he turned to me with a confused expression.
"Fire what now?"
I gave him a sheepish laugh, "Remember how I told you that all the Lunas had powers?"
"And lied to me that I could heal others? Yes, I remember that very clearly since you only told me the truth today." He gave me an unimpressed look.
"Well..." I paused dramatically as I pushed off the tree, "I wasn't completely lying. Every Luna before you had either healing, earth manipulation, air manipulation, water manipulation or fire manipulation."
He blinked at me in confusion, "So what I'm hearing is that the Lunas were from avatar?"
"The one with the big smurfs?"
"The big smurfs?" He looked at me oddly.
"You know, the one with the blue alien people."
He looked at me as if I were the alien as he chuckled, "I meant avatar the last Airbender."
"You're speaking words but they're not exactly making sense." I waved my hands for him to elaborate.
"Not the point. Just explain to me why fire just escaped my hands." He settled as he looked at his palms.
I sighed, "Well it means that you can control the element that you have. So you can create fires without fuel and stop them. Basically, you're a walking matchstick."
"A walking matchstick..." He said slowly as his eyes traveled from the rope, the small fire and then back to his hands. "You've really made me weird but I can't believe you're only telling me this now."
"I wasn't sure if you'd light up my entire pack."
His eyes looked at me in horror, "What if I had accidentally burnt you since we met?"
"You needed someone to rile you up for it to be unlocked. Fire usually burns from your anger but with practice, you'll be able to control it without going into gorilla mode."Â I explained.
"Everette, we're in the middle of the forest! It seems like a bad place to start a fire." He pointed to the little campfire.
"Hey, you started it." I shrugged but walked knew he was right so I started to walk over to the fire before he grabbed my arm to stop me.
"Explain to me how to extinguish it." He took me by surprise by asking.
"I don't know the exact science but try closing your eyes," I suggested.
When he followed my instructions he asked, "Now what?"
I took both his hands in both of my own before lifting them so that is palms aimed at the fire.
"Picture the fire in your mind and focus all of your energy towards the source of the flame."
"If you expect me to concentrate, then I think it would be best if you release my hands." He smirked. I immediately dropped his hands from my hold and he peeked through one of his eyes at me, "The blush suits you."
I used my elbow to poke him in the rib and after a quick yelp of pain from him, he finally closed his eyes at aimed at the fire.
"Once you're completely focused, open your eyes and imagine the flames slowly going out," I whispered to him.
I watched with bated breath as his eyebrows drew together in intense concentration. His eyes flashed open but I knew from his eyes that he wasn't ready.
We both watched as the fire continued to burn.
After a good minute of him staring intently at the fire with his palms held towards it, he turned to me with a disbelieving expression.
"Were you telling me the truth about putting out fires or were you joking."
I smirked, "I wished I was lying just to see your reaction but I'm telling the truth. You just need practice."
"Well, I look like a damn fool standing here." He grumbled.
I gave it a thought before an idea popped into my head, "Think about as if you're using your gun. Imagine your hands as the gun and the flame as your target."
"Guns are instinctual to me, magical fires, not so much." He stated.
"Just try it."
"Fine. But if the trees catch on fire, I'm blaming you." He said before turning back to the flame.
This time, I saw the immense concentration and determination he had. As he opened his eyes, the fire slowly danced before dwindling into smoke and ashes.
He turned to me with wide eyes and a smirk. One of those egotistical smirks.
"Knew I could do it."
"With my help of course." I reminded him with a sassy hair flip.
"Well..." He mussed, "I'd say it was more the help of my voodoo magic."
"And you only have that voodoo magic because you're my mate." I pointed out.
"You mean that you're my mate." He countered.
I threw my hands up, "No I'm the werewolf, therefore I'm the mate-r and you're the mate-e."
He rose an unimpressed brow, "Pretty sure you just made up those terms."
Shrugging I said, "I'm the Alpha so my word is law."
"As the Máni, I refute that statement."
"I will fight you." I playfully glared at him.
His eyes sparkled with humor, "Bring it on princess."
"You asked for it." I shrugged unapologetically but before we could get to our wrestle match, I heard some footsteps approaching.
Their scents followed soon after as I turned towards the direction of the pack. Then one by one Penelope, Charlotte and Finn appeared.
Penelope had a confused expression, Charlotte had a worried expression and Finn was definitely furious.
"Talk about the bastard and he shall appear," Callum grumbled under his breath.
As Pen and Char both stopped they immediately grabbed Finn's arms as his eyes were set on Callum as if he was murdering him with his eyes.
Callum was immediately at my sight and I went on high alert as Finn tried to escape both girls.
"Woah Finn, what's wrong?" I asked as I took a step closer.
He didn't even bat an eye at me as he kept his focus on Callum, "Why don't you ask your mate?"
"Callum? What did he do now?" I asked confused.
"Now? So much for your faith in me princess." Callum grumbled.
Finn's eyes, on the other hand, flashed to my own and I could see the pure rage in them, "I'm talking about the man you let into our pack. The son of the man that killed my father. A Cain."
I froze as I processed what he said.
"You know." I faltered before my eyes caught Charlotte's.
"It was your fault, not mine." She squeaked.
"That's not the point because I'm going to kill him." Finn seethed as he tried and failed to escape my Beta and Gamma.
"Look, Finn, whatever you think you know is not true." I tried as I went to take another step closer but Callum held out his arm in front of me as a silent indication to not approach Finn.
"Isn't it? You let him waltz right into our territory after what his father did." Finn glared at Callum.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Callum moved to intervene between the two girls and my best friend but that was not a good idea.
"Stop Callum," I whispered to him as I grabbed his arm.
He stopped in his tracks but looked at Finn cautiously as he gaged his actions.
"Finn you need to calm down," I said to him with caution as I looked at Callum and gave him a warning glance.
He knew exactly what I was communicating to him as he shook his head 'no' but as I nodded and released his arm, he let me go to Finn.
I sensed the tension in Callum as I walked over to Finn.
Finn the nerd who's been immensely angry every Callum arrived. And within reason. Except for wanting to kill him.
If anyone was killing Callum Cain, it was going to be me.
"You honestly expect that Everette? After you brought the son of the devil here? I've never met my father because of him! My mother cries herself to sleep every night because of him!" Finn shouted hysterically.
"He didn't do anything, it was all his father."
"And that's supposed to make things better?" He growled.
"No." I placed my hands on his arms to try to calm him down. "But's it's supposed to make you see that Callum had no part in what happened to your father or anything else from twenty years ago," I explained.
He scoffed, "So what? You're believing him now? After everything that we've been told, you're just going to let this go?"
I gripped his arm tighter as his accusations made my blood boil, "You know I value the pack first Finnick."
"If you did then you would have rejected him." He sneered before trying to get out of my grips.
"Stop fighting." I Alpha command him and his body went rigid as he froze.
I saw the betrayal washed over his face as I used the command on him. As I mentioned before, I'd never used it on my friends.
But I knew Finn wasn't going to let this go. The loss of his father was a wound that would never heal for him and he saw Callum and his family as the ones to blame.
The girls and I released him and saw as he struggled with trying to go against my command and attack Callum.
But after feeling the pressure of my power, he gave up and glared at me.
Ouch, that was a first from Finn.
"I knew that once you found a mate that you wouldn't care anymore." He said dejectedly.
"How dare you even say that?" I questioned. "He's only been here for two days and he needs me more than the pack does at the moment, but don't you ever question my loyalty to our pack. You know better than anyone that I do care. But he isn't his father. Callum lost both his parents because of that war."
Finn shook his head, "That doesn't mean that he's innocent. He's a hunter, Everette. Just like his father. He tried to shoot you with a silver bullet, handcuffed you with silver, drugged you and tried to escape. I don't believe for a second that he's innocent."
"It doesn't really matter what you believe now does it?" Callum cut in. "I didn't even know who exactly my father was until yesterday."
"But you're still the son of Jake Cain," Finn growled.
"Our parents all have demons and if you choose to judge me based on what a man I never knew did, then that's on you. But if you think I'd bring harm to Everette or anyone that she cares about, then you're mistaken."
Finn scoffed, "Don't act all high and mighty now human. Only hours ago you tried running away from the same woman you want to protect now. Seems a bit suspicious about your sudden change of heart."
Callum's jaw clenched as he stuffed both his fisted hands in his pockets, "What I did is between her and I. So lover boy, why don't you just run along before you get yourself heartbroken."
I turned to him in astonishment, "Callum, stop."
But it was too late, I saw the embarrassment, heartbroken, betrayed expression on Finn.
"I may not be her mate or the one she chooses but I'll always have her best interest at heart, unlike you. And I swear, I don't care who you are in this pack, but I serve the Blood Moon pack and my Alpha. You'll know exactly how we all feel about you when you get back to the packhouse."
With a last scold Callum's way, Finn stiffly turned and shifted into his wolf before running off.
I wanted to chase after him to make sure he was okay but the last thing he seemed like he needed was my company. My best friend was hurting and I couldn't do anything but alpha command him.
As his grey wolf disappeared into the trees, I turned to my second and third in command.
"What did he mean by 'when you get back to the packhouse'?" I asked with caution.
Charlotte grimaced, "He meant as in... the entire pack knows who Callum is."
"You mean who my father was," Callum said with a tinge of anger.
"They still wouldn't care if you're a saint. The fact is, the war hurt everyone here. They don't like the fact that another hunter is in our land." Charlotte explained.
"And how exactly did they find out Char?" I asked pointedly since she was the only person besides my parents to know.
She lifted her arms in surrender, "Don't look at me, you were the one to announce his name."
My eyebrows drew together in confusion, "I did?"
Penelope nodded, "When you told Callum to reject you in the forest, you said his last name. How many Cains do you think the pack knows?"
The fact that I said that brushed over my entire brain.
Fuck this wasn't good.
This wasn't good at all.
I turned to Callum but he was already staring at me.
"Your pack is going to kill me now, aren't they?" He asked with a poker face but through his eyes, I could see determination.
"Most likely," I admitted with a grimace.
"Don't worry, you've got a family here and I'm pretty sure grandma will take on the pack for you." Pen pipped in as Callum looked at her as if she grew horns.
"Sorry, come again? Grandma who?"
"Well considering your father's Jake and my aunt Abigail was pregnant, I'd say you're her son. That means we're cousins." Penelope explained.
But before Callum could say anything, I did, "You knew that Jake was with a werewolf?"
She gave me a guilty smile, "My mom told me about Abigail a few years ago but she made me swore not to tell anyone since your parents forbade it."
"Pen," I sighed, "promise me you'll tell me everything that my parents 'forbade' next time okay?"
Sure she knew but she innocent in this as much as any of us kids are. The adults really played us by keeping all this buried.
"I promise. Especially now that you're my cousin's mate." She grinned.
"Sisters before misters," Charlotte said giving her a pointed look.
"Okay okay, stop." Callum waved his hands, "Family? Cousins? What?"
"You remember my mom telling you that Abigail was adopted by another family when she younger since her biological parents died?" I asked him and he nodded, "Well that family had another daughter, Bailey, who is Penelope's mom. That makes you two cousins I suppose and well her grandma is now your grandma. But that old hag doesn't really me much."
"Everette." Penelope scolded me when I called her grandma a hag.
It was true, the woman despised my family and I. Especially my mom.
Beats me as to what's her problem is.
Then again, after getting to know about Abigail, she might blame my parents for making her daughter a rogue.
Now she has a grandson who's my mate. Oh joy, she's about to bust my metaphorical balls.
"Why do you look so uneasy?" Char asked.
"Thinking about the old hag sucker-punching me for being mates with her grandson already has me feeling woozy," I said as Pen stifled her laughter and Callum looked as sick as I felt.
"I've only ever known my grandpa. Now I have an entire family..." He trailed off.
"Well, this is your cousin Penelope, my beta. And this here is Charlotte, my third in command." I introduced them since I don't think I did before.
"All females. I like it." Cal said with a hint of pride, "Now please tell me the three of you can actually stop the pack from passing me around as their chew toy?"
"Uhh." I said, "It won't be easy. You'll definitely have to face some angry faces."
"But if you really like Everette, you'll try to earn our trust,"Â Char smirked my way and I inconspicuously elbowed her.
"You just need to show us that you don't plan on shooting our Alpha again or running away. Because trust me, if you hurt Everette, Charlotte and I will kill you first. Cousin and all." Penelope promised.
I bit my lip to prevent a smirk from appearing as Callum took a step back, "Remind me not to mess with you three."
"That would be a smart thing to do." Pen said before turning to me, "Now, what do you want to do next Alpha?"
"Tell the pack that we would have a meeting in the training field tonight. I'll officially introduce Cal. As for the wolves in the packhouse, leave them. I think he'll need to get through a few before he meets them all."
"Wait, you're planning on introducing me to a pack full of wolves that hate me? Not that I'm questioning you princess, but that seems like a suicide mission to me."
"They already know, so the sooner we do this, the sooner we will all get to know you. It isn't just my trust you need to earn. It's all ours."
He looked worried, "If the Moon Goddess or whatever her name is exists, we'll be having words."
"Trust me, the entire Blood Moon pack and her will be having words after what she's done," I added before leading us out of the forest and back to the car.
Pen and Char took off as Callum and I took my car back.
The closer we got to the packhouse, the more nervous Callum seemed to get.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine." I tried to assure him and when he rolled his eyes, I decided to get his mind off it, "Tell me about your grandfather."
"Grandpa? Why?" He asked curiously.
"When you mentioned him, you speak with pride and I get the sense you both are really close," I noted.
He sighed before leaning his head back against the headrest, "Yeah, he was the only family I had. Until I came here, I didn't know that my mother had any family since grandpa didn't know much about her. He thought me everything I know, raised me like his son and never complained. Grandpa didn't want me to join the hunters believe it or not." He chuckled and I found that surprising.
"Why didn't he?" I asked.
"He never believed in this whole 'beast' nonsense. He said it was just some wild animal that wanted to be left alone and after my father died chasing it down, he wanted that to be the last thing my fate came to. But I joined anyway since they seemed to be the only ones who had answers on what you guys really were. Werewolves. The hunters lived in the forest outside of Fairbairn as well. We were still apart of the town but they thought the beast would come back for them so that's why they stayed hidden with my grandfather."
"So your grandfather never knew that we're werewolves?"
"He did, but he refused to tell me. When I joined the hunters he came clean about knowing but claimed that it was only some myth that I shouldn't dedicate my life to. He told me to grow up and leave this town since he wanted to retire and move to the beach."
I smiled as Callum recalled the memories, "Seems like a good man."
"He's the best..." Callum trailed off and I could tell he had more to say so I stayed quiet until he built some courage, "He was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's."
I immediately reached one of my hand out and gripped his, "I'm sorry to hear that."
He simply shrugged and looked out his window, "It happens, but I'm the only one he has. I don't want to think about what will happen to him now that I'm not there. And it may be selfish of me to say, but I rather let him forget everything than forget about me."
I squeezed his hand in comfort as I pulled up to the house, "It's not. I put you in this situation. So if anyone is selfish, I think it would be me for keeping you here."
"Can't you write your own rules as Alpha?" He asked with hopeful eyes.
I put the car in park before switching it off and turning to him, "I wish I could."
Honestly, I wish I knew the real answer. I wish the hunters and the werewolves weren't at each others' throats. And I wish Callum could visit his grandpa.
"Then I guess we're stuck with each other then." He said with a fake smile.
I felt my heart squeezing in my chest as Callum got out of the car with a hidden sad expression.
As I followed behind him, I felt the nervousness come back to him.
"Do you want me to hold your hand?" I playfully asked.
"Not really."
"Okay."
But he grabbed my hand and entwined our fingers anyways. And despite our situation, that made me feel better.
A/N
Chapter Update: Sunday (But do I really stick with these dates ð)
So that kiss huh... you guys really weren't expecting it last chapter :D Also please blame Finn for me taking this long to update because his little hissy fit was hard to write for some reason... Also Cal about to meet the pack, yikes ð¶
Sorry about the late update again, clearly Wednesday's aren't good days for me. So how about I try for Thursday's and Sunday's instead? Also disregard 12 am and 12 pm, that wouldn't work out lol.
Chapter dedicated to: tonevastefanovashe know's why â¤ð¥°
Thank you again everyone for sticking with me despite my shitty schedule. But you know I come through with that quality content 𤣠Also two chapters will always be out each week! They might just be on weird days lol.
Song: Covenhoven - Young at heart
Instagram: @1fandombookgirl
I hoped you enjoyed the chapter!
If you did then please consider:
Voting + Commenting
Read on wolfies, ðº
-Shania. ð¾