Chapter 31 Too Personal

Ashleigh was walking around a fountain, just taking a little free time to explore while Caleb was stuck in meetings all morning. She found herself hoping he would be done early; she was sure that today she would be able to beat him in sparring. So far, they had come out even.

Caleb and Ashleigh had spent the last several days fighting for dominance in the sparring rooms, their competitive natures keeping them entertained and pushing them both to work harder than ever.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

So long as they focused on their duty, they got along perfectly with little to no arguments.

They even found that they enjoyed their time together, without the awkwardness of the bond to distract them.

The only real problem they had was Caleb’s schedule. He was constantly being pulled away for meetings, reports, and general duties as the Alpha. But Ashleigh understood and took the time to either train or see more of Summer.

Exploring Summer had been something of an eye-opener for her. She had always known that Winter was more secluded than the other packs, partially due to the environment, but largely due to their traditions. It hadn’t bothered her before, not enough to feel uneasy.

But now.

As she rounded the corner of the building she walked along, she was surprised to see a group of children on a playground. They danced and played, laughing, and smiling. She sat down at a bench and watched them for a short time.

“Watching children is often seen as a warning sign.”

Ashleigh glanced back over her shoulder to a smiling Galen.

“Hello,” she smiled, turning back to observe the children.

“Seriously, should I be concerned?” Galen laughed, moving to stand beside the bench she sat on.

“Don’t be dumb,” she sighed. “I was just taking it in. It’s different than I am used to.”

“How so?” Galen asked, looking at the children.

She glanced back at him, and then back to the children..

“I am learning that Winter is very different from the other packs, in many fundamental ways.”

Ashleigh sighed, watching as a boy pushed a girl on a swing. “What was your childhood like Galen?”

“Well, that’s a very personal question.” Galen laughed awkwardly. “But I guess it was fairly average.”

“What is average?” Ashleigh sighed, “Did you play? Did you train? Did you learn about the world?”

“A little of everything,” Galen replied.

“And what about the shifting,” Ashleigh asked, watching a girl about eight years old laughing on the playground.

“Now, that,” Galen replied seriously. “Is too personal.”

He felt his father’s hand gripping his shoulder, he heard the whispers of condolences rattling around in his memory. He shook it away and focused back on Ashleigh.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I know it is.”

Galen watched her carefully. They were not close. He had sort of avoided her since the night of the full moon. He had been left with questions and some hard feelings towards her after he had seen Caleb the next day. But in his heart, she was still his Luna, and he felt a deep loyalty to her.

“I have found in my life that it helps to talk about the things that scratch at our minds. Questions that won’t go away, observations that prickle our curiosity. I can’t promise all the answers, but I can promise to listen.”

Ashleigh looked up at Galen, she couldn’t help but smile. Bell had been right; he truly was like a big puppy. Sweet, kind, and loyal to a fault.

“What?” he asked with a smile, sensing the shift in her mood.

“I was just thinking of something Bell said about you,” she laughed.

His eyes lit up and she could almost imagine big pointy ears and a shaggy tail wagging happily.

“She mentioned me?” he asked, trying to keep his voice casual.

“In passing,” Ashleigh replied, holding back a chuckle.

Galen licked his lips before sitting down beside her. He tried his best to appear relaxed as his insides did flips.

“How is she?” he asked.

“Last I saw she was doing well.”

“Good, glad to hear it,” Galen nodded, “she seemed like a very nice person.”

Ashleigh couldn’t hold it back anymore, she let out a loud laugh. Galen smiled awkwardly as the flush settled over him.

“My, oh my,” the playful and ever-smiling voice of Alice came from their left. “What kind of fun is happening here?”

“Nothing special, we were just having a chat,” Ashleigh replied simply.

“But the scarlet on the face of this delicious hunk of man seems to suggest a bit more fun than all that,” Alice smiled suggestively.

“Please, don’t stop on my account, I do love to see a handsome man blush.”

Galen groaned quietly beside her, and Ashleigh couldn’t help but feel for him. Alice had not been subtle about her interest in him.

“I need to get back to the training arena.” Ashleigh sighed as she got up from the bench.

“Oh poo, I ruined the fun,” Alice pouted, “Maybe next time I see such fun, I shouldn’t announce my presence.”

The smile on her lips was mischievous.

“I thought you weren’t a spy,” Galen replied, a hint of irritation in his tone.

“I’m not,” Alice grinned, “scout’s honor.”

Ashleigh smirked walking towards her, as she got closer, she whispered so only Alice could hear her words.

“A scout is only a face the spy shows to the world.”

Ashleigh did not stop, continuing her stride without so much as a glance in Alice’s direction.

Alice’s grin grew even wider, she watched as Ashleigh walked away.

“I like her,” she said out loud, turning back to Galen with a smile, “I really do.”

For once, the words she said were exactly what she meant.

***

“Our friendship has become something precious to me.” Holden smiled while handing a bottle of water to Granger.

Granger took the water with a heavy sigh. They had finished the daily scouting sessions more than an hour earlier. He had decided to get in a workout, but he had forgotten his water bottle.

Holden had a habit of appearing whenever Granger needed something. If it wasn’t for the fact that he usually also brought some form of bad or disturbing news, he might have liked him.

“And why is that?” Granger asked, opening the bottle, and taking a drink.

Holden only smiled in response.

Granger hated that Cheshire Cat grin, it usually meant that Holden was about to ‘accidentally’ reveal something irritating.

“What is it now?” Granger growled.

“No fooling you, I see,” Holden laughed, “then let us set aside the pretense.”

Holden handed Granger the large envelope he had been holding behind his back.

“As I said, I consider our friendship precious. I do make a habit of being a good friend, in every way I can.”

Granger opened the envelope, before he saw them, he already knew it would be pictures, and he already suspected who would be in the pictures.

He wasn’t wrong.

Image after image of Ashleigh and Caleb. In some they were mid-spar, in others they were laughing. In all of them, they were alone.

Granger threw the pictures to the ground.

“And in what way is this being a good friend!” Granger shouted with an angry snarl, standing to look down at Holden.

Holden only smiled.

“Better to know, than to wonder, or be lied to later.”

“She wouldn’t!” Granger growled. “It’s impossible.”

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” Holden giggled, staring at Granger in expectation.

“What the hell are you on about?” Granger replied, his irritation growing by the second.

“It’s a quote, Alice in Wonderland.” Holden smiled happily. “I’m quite fond of it.”

“Never would have guessed,” Granger grumbled sarcastically, thinking of Holden’s stupid grin as he took another drink from the water bottle.

“Yes, I think if you examine the books and even the movies or games inspired by them, there is much to learn from many of the characters.” Holden’s words were said aloud, but Granger felt he was talking more to himself than anyone else.

“It’s how I chose her name,” he said these words so quietly, even Granger did not hear.

Holden’s smile widened suddenly, and he looked back at Granger.

“The point remains. Impossible, you say, that she would lie to you. Yet, you didn’t know she had gone to Summer until I told you,” Holden replied.

Granger gritted his teeth and kicked the pictures before dropping back down onto the bench he had been sitting in before Holden’s arrival.

“They are sparring. That is why she is there. What is the point of these pictures?” he grumbled angrily.

Holden reached down into the dirt, shuffling through the pictures until he found the one he sought.

“Is this some new sparring method? I admit I am not up to date on the latest fighting tactics myself.” Holden chuckled as he handed the picture to Granger.

It was a shot that featured Ashleigh looking up at Caleb, and he down at her, as his hand rested at the side of her face.

Granger seethed with a deep rage as his hands clenched into fists, crushing the sides of the picture.