“That doesn’t make any sense. The warlock said he was just passing through town. Why would they stay until next week?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’m meeting with the Elders later this morning to see what they know. Markus will stay here and keep an eye on you.”
“Thanks, but I can take care of myself.” I pulled my hands away and tucked them into my apron pockets. I didn’t need one of my chaperones keeping tabs on me whenever Kaleb wasn’t around. Didn’t he realize I spent more time with Markus than with him?
Kaleb rubbed his face, studying me intently. “So, how’d the kris go last night? Anything I need to know?”
“It was fine.” I looked at him, realizing he must have heard what happened. “I guess you heard about Ethan’s mom? She asked for the daro back, so I made up a lie. You don’t really think I’d marry Ethan, do you?”
“I had to ask.” He cleared his throat. “Dating me isn’t easy, and if you married a guy like Ethan, your life would be better. You wouldn’t have to worry about the wolves or the Romanies accepting us. The witches wouldn’t have bothered you last night, and there would be no need for you to work at the café.”
I didn’t like where this conversation was going. “Life wouldn’t be better without you.”
“You know what I’m saying. If you’re having second thoughts about us, that’s okay. I want you to be honest. I need to know what you’re thinking.”
I bit my lip, not sure if I was ready to be completely honest. The truth was, I did have doubts about us getting married. How could I not? Kaleb was the future Norwood alpha. And I was just a Romani girl who worked at the café. Kaleb had seemed so sure about the two of us being together that I’d never had the nerve to question it. I’d hoped any doubts would fade when we got engaged.
“You need to be honest too,” I finally said.
“I can be honest if that’s what you want.” He leaned back a little, putting some space between us. “I’ll admit, being with you hasn’t been easy. The Norwood wolves aren’t happy, but I love you, and I’m willing to try to make this work. But, if you’ve changed your mind, you need to tell me. I promise I won’t be mad.”
Damn. Being with me hadn’t been easy? That’s not what I’d expected him to say.
“You’re right. Dating you hasn’t been easy for me either.” I folded my arms and took a deep breath. “You’re the next pack alpha, and I’m just a Romani girl. I’m not an olden like you. What if a wolf attacks you? I might not be strong enough to kill another wolf. We haven’t even discussed having children. Do you want to have kids with me?”
Kaleb’s eyebrow shot up. “I—”
The front door opened and Sheriff Johnson walked in.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” the sheriff said as he shook Kaleb’s hand. He looked at me. “Is Bill around?”
“He’ll be back soon. He wanted you to wait in his office. Can I get you something to drink?” I asked, even though I wanted to tell the sheriff to go away.
“No, I’m fine, thanks.” He looked at Kaleb again. “Can we talk? I wanted to go over the checkpoints you’ve set up.”
“Sure,” Kaleb replied. “Let me finish talking to Sienna.”
The sheriff nodded and headed toward Bill’s office, leaving Kaleb and me alone.
I sighed. Life with a pack alpha would always be filled with interruptions. “I haven’t changed my mind, Kaleb. You think if I married someone like Ethan, my life would be easier. The truth is, your life would be easier if your mate were an olden.”
“You’re right.”
A sob caught in my throat. I hadn’t expected him to agree so readily. This whole honesty thing made me feel crappy. “What does that mean?”
“It means we’d be better off apart, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” He stood, folding his arms. “And it’s not your job to protect me if a wolf attacks me. You’d need to—”
“Don’t tell me to stay out of it. If another wolf gets the upper hand on you in a fight, I will jump in. You can’t stop me.” I shook my head, furious he thought I was helpless.
“Bill’s on his way.” He got to his feet.
I groaned, hating how he never made our relationship a priority. We needed to finish this discussion. “Can you come by the house tonight? It’s only Mom and me.”
“I can’t.”
My heart sank. I couldn’t let him leave like this, not until we’d sorted things out between us. “Are we okay? I didn’t mean—”
“We’re fine. I asked you to be honest and you were,” he replied. “Why don’t we finish this discussion at Wendy’s farewell party?”
“Okay,” I mumbled.
Several customers followed Bill into the café. He and Kaleb walked to his office, and I grabbed menus and cheerfully greeted the customers, forcing myself to pretend everything was fine.
Had I ruined things with Kaleb? He’d asked me to be honest, but had I been too honest?
Chapter 9
“You know the rules.” Victor stopped his car in front of Wendy’s house and unlocked the doors. “No alcohol and no sex.”
“I know the rules, but thanks for the reminder, Dad.” I stifled a laugh. Sometimes Victor took his chaperone duties way too seriously.
“I’m not sure I approve of your outfit.” He narrowed his eyes, looking me over.
I glanced down at my black shorts and red off-the-shoulder peasant blouse. Drina and I both thought I looked cute, and I wanted to look cute tonight. I’d even worn my hair down—long and curly, exactly how Kaleb liked it. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”
“Never mind. Just follow the rules and have fun,” he replied. “I’ll be back at eleven. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.” I got out of the car and waved to him as he pulled away.
Did he really think Kaleb and I would have sex tonight? I wanted my first time to be special, not at a party with a bunch of people around. Plus, after our honest conversation yesterday, I was sure having sex with me was the last thing on Kaleb’s mind. We needed to finish our talk, so I could explain I didn’t want to give up on us either.
Several teenagers got out of a car across the street and made their way to Wendy’s house. Loud laughter and music drifted from the backyard as I followed the path to the front door, which was propped open with a lion statue made of cement.
The party was well underway, with a crowd of people talking and drinking inside, and loud music coming from somewhere upstairs. I walked down the long hallway, admiring framed photos taken of Wendy over the years. She and her mom shared the same friendly smile, black hair, and dark eyes.
A group of teenage boys played video games in the living room, cheering as they tossed the game controllers to each other. They must be from Woodlake High School, or maybe they’d graduated with Wendy last month. A few of them looked familiar, but I didn’t actually know them.
“You’re the wolf girl from the café,” a teenage boy in blue swimming trunks said.
“What did you say?” I crossed my arms, irritated by the nickname. Is that what the locals called me?
“We know who Kaleb is.” The short guy lowered his voice, seductively. “If you ever want to date a real—”
“No flirting with Sienna.” Wendy appeared next to me, looping her arm through mine. “She already has a boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” The short guy glanced at his friends, looking confused. “Aren’t you engaged to Kaleb?”
“What?” Wendy lifted my left hand, searching for an engagement ring. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
The boys stared at me, waiting for my reply.
“Let’s get some air,” I mumbled, pulling Wendy to the back door. I didn’t need strangers asking why I didn’t have a ring on my finger. My love life wasn’t any of their business even if they did know who Kaleb was.
Wendy and I walked around the crowded pool to a large hexagonal gazebo near the woods on the left-hand side of the yard. A tan
canopy covered the top of the gazebo and inside, wicker outdoor furniture with blue cushions sat around a glass coffee table.
I glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone from Norwood Isle, but could only see a group of people playing lawn darts to our right.
“Was there any truth in what those guys said?” Wendy asked as we sat on one of the couches. She crossed her legs and clasped her hands together in her lap. “I know the Romanies marry young, but you’ve only been dating Kaleb for a few months. Has he proposed?”
“No. And don’t worry, I’m not getting married anytime soon,” I replied, determined to change the subject before she asked me a question I’d have to answer with a lie. “What time’s your flight tomorrow?”
“Two o’clock, but I’m leaving Woodlake early in the morning. Mom’s taking me to the mall in Dover before we drive to the airport.”
I sighed, wishing I’d spent more time with Wendy these past few weeks. “I can’t believe you’re leaving. Things won’t be the same at the café.”
“Tessa doesn’t seem so bad.”
I scoffed. “She doesn’t like Romanies.”
“Give her time. She’ll come around.” Wendy waved to someone who called out to her. “It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. I’ll be home for Christmas, and you can call me whenever you want. Promise me you’ll stay in touch.”
“I promise.” I hugged Wendy, squeezing her tight. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Me too.” She pulled away and looked over my shoulder. “Looks like the Norwood staff are here.”
Filled with excitement, I turned around. A knot immediately forming in my stomach when I saw Carmel walking toward us while four guys from Norwood Isle joined the people playing lawn darts. Where the hell was Kaleb?
“Looks like a great party,” Carmel said as she approached Wendy and held out her hand. “You must be Wendy. I’m Carmel, Kaleb’s sister. I don’t think we’ve formally met. I hope you don’t mind me crashing your party.”
“Of course not. The Norwood staff is always welcome at our house.” Wendy shook Carmel’s hand, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow. “I can’t believe we’ve never met.”
“I’m not a fan of leaving Norwood Isle unless I have to.” Carmel sat in one of the chairs and leaned back against the blue cushion. “I hear you’re going hiking in California. Make sure you buy some pepper spray. The wolves in that state aren’t very friendly.”
“That’s weird.” Wendy laughed. “My stepfather said the same thing.”
“The sheriff’s a smart man. You should listen to him,” Carmel said.
Wendy glanced over her shoulder as someone called out to her again. “I better go spend some time with my other guests. There’s food inside if you’re hungry.” She looked at me. “Make sure you and Kaleb come find me tonight. I want a proper goodbye.”
“We will,” I replied.
Wendy walked over to the pool to join a group of girls in bikinis. Soon, she was laughing and stripping down to her swimsuit. They sat on the edge of the pool with their legs in the water.
I folded my arms and scanned the woods for Kaleb. Talking to Carmel was not how I wanted to spend my evening. “Where is he?”
“He’s busy running an errand,” Carmel said.
“So he sent you to give me the message?” I tried to hide my disappointment. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten all dressed up for nothing.
“Well, someone has to babysit you.” She smirked at me.
“I don’t need a babysitter.” I narrowed my eyes. “Is he even coming to the party?”
“You know my brother; he does as he pleases. If he wanted to see you, he’d be here right now. Clearly, he doesn’t care—”
“What’s your problem?” I snapped, not liking how pleased she looked that Kaleb wasn’t here. Had he said something to her? I stood, deciding I’d rather wait inside. Maybe I’d chat to a few of the other girls. I was definitely not going to sit around talking to Carmel. “I don’t need you or anyone else babysitting me. You can leave.”
“We’re not done yet.” She jumped to her feet and grabbed my arm.
“Don’t touch me.” I pulled my arm away, trying to keep my voice low so no one would hear us. Well, no one except the other Norwood wolves. No doubt they’d find it amusing that Carmel and I didn’t get along. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“Oh, we have plenty to talk about.” Her eyes flickered bright yellow for a second, and she uttered a low growl as she folded her arms. “Look, I know you’re not a bad person. You’re probably fun to hang out with, and if the situation were different, we might be friends. Maybe even good friends. Markus tells me you’re nice. He thinks you’re worth protecting, and maybe that’s true, but I don’t want you marrying my brother. He made a huge mistake when he claimed you.”
I noticed the Norwood staff glancing our way as I let her words sink in. “Because he deserves someone better? You want your brother with someone who’s more like him, an equal?”
“Kaleb has no equal.” She shook her head. “He deserves to be with someone who won’t start a war. Someone who’s not selfish and who wants to make him happy. It’s not fair of you to ask him to sacrifice everything.”
“I never asked him to do anything.” I tried to keep my voice level. This was my future sister-in-law whether I liked it or not. “I’d do anything to make Kaleb happy. He knows that.”
“If that were true, you would’ve said no.”
I sighed, not sure I wanted to admit the truth. She had no idea what was going on. “He hasn’t asked me to marry him.”
“You’re expecting him to ask you?” She laughed. “That’s not how he operates. He’s already claimed you, so you belong to him unless you say no. Anyhow, you’ve completed the bond. Why would you need a ring on your finger?”
I looked away. She thought Kaleb and I had already had sex. There was no way I’d tell her the truth. Not with the guys from Norwood Isle listening in on our conversation. “I’m not discussing my sex life with you.”
“Trust me. That’s the last thing I want to talk about.” She placed her hands on her hips and glanced around the party. “Fine. Let’s talk about the witches. Why are they in town?”
“I don’t know.”
“You must know something. Are they here because of you and Kaleb?”
“Of course not. My uncle says they’re looking for something, and when they find it, they’ll leave. It’s got nothing to do with me and your brother.” I folded my arms, fuming. If Kaleb’s father and sister were against our relationship, I could only imagine how his mom must feel. “You need to tell your father to stop sending Kaleb on errands. I know he’s trying to keep us apart, and it won’t work. Tell him to send someone else.”
“Are you crazy? You never tell an alpha pack leader what to do.” Carmel ran a hand through her hair. “Wait, has Kaleb told you my daddy has him running errands? Because that’s a lie. Kaleb’s the one who’s trying to convince the other packs not to kill you.”
“What?” I gasped, placing a hand on the scar on my shoulder. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would they want to kill me? Lexi joined the Norwood Pack. There’s no reason for the other packs to come after me.”
“That might be true.” She glanced at a group of girls who’d joined the Norwood staff and were flirting with them. “But you’re not just some girl who killed a wolf from another pack. You’re a Romani. I warned you there’d be repercussions.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Kaleb had lied to me—he said there wasn’t an issue with the other packs or with me being his mate. Is that why he hadn’t shown up tonight? We’d agreed to be honest, and if we continued our conversation, he’d have to come clean. Or maybe he planned on never telling me.
I opened my eyes and stared at the Norwood staff. What I was about to say would get back to Kaleb, but I couldn’t worry about that. I needed to know the truth from someone who had no reason to lie. “What happens if I tell him no?”
> Carmel looked at me, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. “Have you changed your mind?”
“That’s not what I said. You keep telling me to say no, and I know your father isn’t crazy about me. I bet the entire Norwood Pack would be happier if I didn’t accept your brother’s claim. I need to know what happens if I walk away. What happens to Kaleb?”
My heart twisted at the thought of not saying yes, of walking away from Kaleb and never seeing him again. How could I even suggest it?
“You know my brother—he’d be mad,” she replied. “Although he’d be hurt at first, he’d get over it. It might take him a while, but in the end, he’d follow his destiny of marrying an alpha wolf and leading the pack. He’d keep the pack safe, even keep you safe, and you wouldn’t have to worry about the Norwood wolves. They’d protect you no matter what.”
“I don’t care about being protected.” I sucked in air, trying to block out images of my life without Kaleb. How could I say no when he meant everything to me? “How do the Norwood wolves feel about me and Kaleb?”
“Well, Markus adores you.”
My heart dropped. Only Markus? That couldn’t be true. “What about the rest of the pack?”
“Some of the wolves are loyal to Kaleb. They’ll do anything for him, including accepting you as his mate. But the others…My brother gave them two choices. If they can’t accept you, they need to leave the pack. If they stay, they protect you or face death.”
“What?” I swallowed hard. So a few of the wolves accepted me. That didn’t sound too bad. But Kaleb giving the other wolves an ultimatum was a mistake. A big mistake that needed rectifying. “Have any of the wolves left?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
She sighed. “Twenty.”
“Twenty?” I took a deep breath to keep from screaming. That was a lot of wolves. How could Kaleb not have told me this?
“It might be more. I don’t know. He’s been recruiting more wolves to join us, so we’re still a large pack.”
I stared at Carmel with wide eyes. No wonder Kaleb never had any time for me. He’d been too busy building an army of wolves. “Is there anything else I need to know?”
Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2) Page 6