E I G H T

Callum and I’s relationship was going strength to strength. My parents visited over Christmas and fell in love with him. I was so happy. Over the months, I had got the pack accounts fully sorted and Callum was doing great work with the warriors and has introduced training for all, starting from the age of eight. Pups needed to know some self-defence, so that help could get to them if they found themselves in danger.

Thankfully we don’t get many issues, a few rouge attacks here and there, but no one has got seriously hurt.

Younger she-wolves were taking more of an interest in becoming trackers and warriors and this was encouraged. There had always been she-wolves in the warrior teams, but now that there was regular training, it was becoming popular.

Callum had arranged for a visit of a warrior Alpha female to provide training for his team to cascade down to the team leaders. She-wolves were generally smaller and using different technics was advisable in training. The Alpha she-wolf was someone Callum met at his training camp and came recommended.

I was coming out the packhouse, when I saw Callum and some of the warriors standing around with a few unknown females. I felt uneasy, Iris was snarling inside me head when she noticed the taller of the women touch Callum’s arm.

I walked over with a smile fixed on my face, the guys parted to let me past. Callum must have scented me as he turned and smiled, moving his arm that had her hand on it, bringing me in closer to him.

“Tonya, this is my mate Elsie. She looks after a lot of the admin for the pack and helps negotiation deals for the Alpha.”

The she-wolf looks down her nose at me, she must be about six foot tall, giving me a condescending smirk.

“Lovely to meet you, Elsa,” she fake smiles.

“Elsie,” I correct her giving her hand one shake before releasing it.

“I’ll see you back at the cabin,” I turn to Callum, going on tippy toes to kiss his cheek. He smiles down at me.

“Yeah, I’ll get the ladies here settled in their guest accommodation, then be home,” he confirms.

An hour and a half later, I’m sitting at kitchen counter raging. I had heated up lasagne in the oven for tea, which was ready over 45 minutes ago. I had tried to link Callum and phone him, but didn’t get an answer.

I try linking him again, this time he answers me. “Yeah Elsie, what’s up?” I can tell he’s been drinking. It takes a lot for a wolf to get drunk, but it happens, especially if you have Wolf Whisky.

“Where are you? Tea was ready 45 minutes ago!” I growl out.

I can tell he’s not really listening.

“I’m on my way babe,” he laughs before cutting off the link.

Babe! Since when did he call me fucking babe. 10 minutes later, Callum comes through the door, all dishevelled. He stinks of whisky, sweat and that she-wolf. I know he hasn’t cheated as I would have felt it, but they have obviously been sitting close.

“Sorry, we got reminiscing about the training camp and I lost track of time,” laughs. He comes over to embrace me, but I sidestep him.

“You stink of that she-wolf, until you shower, don’t come near me,” I growl out.

He looks surprised and a little upset. “What, no I don’t,” he sniffs himself.

“Callum, I am your mate and I know what you smell like and this,” pointing up and down at him, “is not it.”

I turn on my heel and walk out the cabin. Iris needs a run. I strip and take off round one of the trails. Half and hour later, I walk into the silent cabin. Locking up, I head to our bed, where Callum is sound asleep, still not washed.

Swearing to myself, I grab one of his clean t-shirts and head to the spare room. It was not a great night.

I wake with a start when I hear my name being shouted.

“In here,” I yell. Callum comes storming into the room looking worried, relief as he sees me.

“Why are you sleeping in here. We haven’t slept apart since we mated,” he asks, kneeling down at the side of the bed, closest to me.

“Cause you’re a fucking arsehole, that’s why.” I push him away as he still hasn’t showered. I can feel the tears in my eyes.

“You tell me you’ll be home soon, then end up partying with the visiting female warriors. When you finally answer my mind-link you’ve been drinking wolf whisky, then come home smelling like her,” I yell out.

I can see the regret in his eyes as tears fall down my face.

He goes to reach for me, but stops, realising about his smell. “I’m going to shower real quick my love, please don’t cry, I’ll be a few minutes.”

He rushes out the room, returning quickly with his robe on, his hair still dripping. I can smell his musky scent that is him. He sits on the bed, picking me up and sitting me on his lap.

“Elsie I’m so sorry my goddess, I was a fool. I got carried away seeing everyone again, but nothing happened I swear on my life. Please forgive me, I hate seeing you cry,” he begs.

“Do you find her more attractive?” I whisper.

“Goddess, no Elsie. You are my everything, you have the most amazing eyes, you are beautiful inside and out.”

He kisses me deeply, lying me back on the bed. “Let me show you how much I love and adore you my goddess.”

And he does, Callum shows me exactly how he feels about me, multiple times.

****

I was a complete arse last night; I don’t know what got into me. I got carried away and now Elsie was upset.

The training is only planned for a couple of days, so they will be out of my hair soon. Head down, get the training done and that’s it.

I was actually getting annoyed with Tonya as the day went on, she kept trying to use me as an example to show the moves, but I had one of the senior she-wolves, who would be adapting the training for ours step in. There was no need for me to be the student and I wasn’t going to open myself to unnecessary touching.

Guthrie had been catching my eye all day, noticing what she was trying to do, shaking his head at her. I asked him to make sure she wasn’t alone with me as at this point, I didn’t trust her. During breaks she would refer to Elsie as Elsa, even though I corrected her each time.

After training had finished, a few of the unmated were having a campout and invited the visiting she-wolved. Tonya came over to me, put her arm on mine, that I shrugged off.

“Are you coming too Callum,” she purred.

“No, I’m heading home to my mate, have a goodnight.”

“You’re going back to that short arsed, wild haired bitch, when you could have me?” she laughed out.

Apollo roared in my head at this she-wolf’s disrespect. I rounded to her, grabbing her by the neck. “DO NOT speak about my beautiful mate in that way. This is your only warning, I will not hesitate to break your neck next time.”

I let her fall to the ground and stomped away, Guthrie by my side.

“That was fucking ace, bro,” he nudged. “I even caught it on my phone,” he grinned.

I was raging as I got home. Elsie was working late tonight as she had calls to make to packs in Europe, so I was heading over to Heather’s and Cameron’s for tea and catch up.

They were shocked about what I told them. Cameron advised we should put a report in to the training facilities as the Were Council HQ would not like this type of attitude.

After a tiring day, I ended up falling a sleep at my brothers. I woke on the sofa to the smell of bacon. Always one way to raise a wolf from sleep.

As I walked into the kitchen, I was greeted by the smile of my mate. I quickly walked over to her, taking in her scent, kissing her soundly.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” she purred. “You looked so cute sleeping on the sofa when I arrived, I took a picture.” She showed me her phone and I couldn’t help at laugh.

“Sorry I fell asleep last night here.”

“Don’t worry, Heather linked me and invited me over for breakfast, so I stayed at the packhouse last night and headed over. I missed you though.”

I grinned at her. Just then my phone pinged and a picture message came in. I growled in anger as I opened it, Heather and Elsie raising their brows.

I turned my phone and showed it them both. It was a picture of Tonya on our bed back at our cabin, using a sheet to barely cover her with the text “Had a great night Callum, can’t wait to have you again.”

I-was-fucking-raging. I was fighting with Apollo for control.

“Callum my love, look at me,” Elsie was holding my hands.

“I know that nothing happened, I trust you and know you have not been intimate with this woman.”

I could feel Apollo calm slightly.

“She is in our home and has desecrated our private sanctuary, she needed to be punished through the correct channels. Heather has already linked Cameron and he will arrest her. Let’s do this right way and get her the help she desperately needs.”

I had no idea how my mate was being so calm, I don’t think I would have been able to do that