He turned to me and Wes, who’d been standing behind him this whole time. The rest of the McCoy siblings were spread around the patio as well, save for Callie, who was inside the lodge with Mom. At the alpha’s signal, the sliding glass door opened and they both walked out to join us. Abraham took my mom’s hand and pulled her to stand next to him.
“This is Nora Carter. She’s Wyatt and Wes’ mom and she’s been living here with them. What may surprise you, is Nora’s human. We typically wouldn’t allow a human to live on pack lands but seeing how she’s raised two wolves of her own, I think she’s earned a place with us.”
He was quiet for a moment as he looked around again. I was doing the same, eyeing every single pack member for any signs of agitation or hostility. When I found none, I breathed the first real breath I’d taken in a while.
“I expect every single one of you to welcome Nora into our pack the same way you’ve welcomed her sons. She belongs here. She’s a part of us. And I won’t allow her to be treated in any other way. Are we all clear?”
Every wolf in the clearing nodded, their eyes darting from Abraham to Mom and back again.
“Does anyone have an issue with living alongside Nora?” he asked, an edge to his tone.
The people down below glanced at the wolves standing next to them before looking back up at Abraham and shaking their heads.
“Does anyone have anything they’d like to say?”
The gathering was quiet for a long minute before someone cleared their throat and said, “Yeah, welcome to the chaos.” The other wolves laughed as my shoulders slumped and my lungs deflated.
A small nudge in my ribs caught my attention and I turned to find Callie smiling up at me, looking so pretty in that instant, I had to fist my hands to stop from touching her.
“See? I told you it would be fine. Your mom’s safe here.”
She had a wild lock of hair curling away from her face, and before I could stop myself, I reached out and tucked it behind her ear. My fingers tingled where they’d touched her skin and I clenched them by my sides.
“Thanks, Callie. I wouldn’t have done this without you,” I said softly.
Her smile got wider as my heart picked up its pace. I needed to get that thing under control before the whole pack figured out how crazy I was about her.
“Nora, do you have anything you’d like to say?” Abraham asked Mom, redirecting my attention to them again.
She cleared her throat and clasped her hands to her chest. “I’m so happy to be here with you all and can’t wait to get to know you each individually. Please, feel free to stop by for tea anytime. I’d love to have you.”
I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing out loud. My mom really thought tea was the answer to every problem. It was kind of adorable.
Abraham gave Mom’s shoulders a squeeze before walking her over to Wes and me. We stood with her sandwiched between us as the alpha turned back to his pack.
“Unfortunately, that’s the last bit of good news I have for you, folks.” He looked down at his hands that were gripping the railing and sighed heavily. “The other thing I have to tell all of you isn’t so pleasant. In fact, it’s disturbing and dangerous.”
Whispers picked up from below as the rest of the pack anxiously awaited the news.
“For the past nine months, the enforcers and I have been diligently working to solve a problem we’ve come across, but the solution doesn’t seem to be in sight. It’s clear this news should be shared with the rest of you, so you all can keep yourselves safe.”
The whispers were turning into outright talking as the tension ramped up.
“There is a wolf killing human women in our woods. We’ve found four bodies so far and I’m afraid that’s just the beginning.”
Gasps rang through the crowd as loud as gunshots in the quiet clearing.
“Our enforcers are running constant patrols as usual, and we’ve cooperated with local human authorities, but none of us are any closer to finding or stopping this wolf.”
“How do you know it’s a wolf?” someone called out.
Abraham sighed, his shoulders drooping with the weight of the question. “The women we’ve found are all partially shifted. It seems they’re dying during the full moon and he’s leaving them in our woods for us to find.”
“Why would someone want to frame our pack?” someone else asked.
“We don’t know. Unfortunately, there’s a lot we don’t know. All we can do for now is protect ourselves and continue to monitor the situation.”
“But he’s attacking humans, not wolves,” another person said.
“I know, but who knows if that could change? I’d rather you all know what’s going on and protect yourselves than risk your safety. That means, try to keep closer to pack lands during the full moon. That means don’t venture out alone. I want you all in groups of two or three at least. Let’s not give this wolf the opportunity to hurt our pack any more than he already has.”
A few other wolves called out questions, but the alpha raised his hand and they quieted down.
“I know you all must have a ton of questions, but I assure you, I’ve given you all the information you need. If any of you would like to come talk to me about this, you can make an appointment for some time this week.” He pushed off the railing and clapped his hands once. “Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, let’s try to enjoy our meal before the sun sets.”
The pack stood silent and still for a moment before the one named Jimmy shook his head and started toward the stairs. “I don’t know about y’all but I’m hungry.”
“Of course you are, Jimmy,” someone else yelled.
The tense moment seemed broken for the time being, but now my shoulders were as rigid as ever. I stood there with Mom between Wes and me and the McCoy’s nearby as wolf after wolf came over to welcome Mom to the pack.
A few shook her hand, but most pushed past those boundaries and wrapped her in big hugs instead. Even as the line dwindled, my mother’s smile never wavered. Honestly, it was so gratifying to see her accepted like this. So easily. So seamlessly.
“See? Everything’s okay,” Callie said softly from next to me.
I turned to find that pretty smile on her face again and all I could think about was kissing it.
“Thanks to you.”
She shook her head as the last of the pack filed into the lodge and Mom walked off with Wes. “I think it was a joint effort.”
“I wouldn’t have agreed to this if you hadn’t said yes the other night.”
She frowned. “Why did my opinion matter that much?”
Because you’re the most important person in my life.
Because I’d do anything you said.
Because I’m falling in love with you.
I cleared my throat and went with a safer answer. “Because you’re the smartest person I know.”
Her smile got brighter, and I swore my heart stopped for a second. “I think you’re pretty smart too, Wyatt.”
She grabbed my arm and started walking toward the back door. Little did she know I didn’t need her to pull me along. I’d follow her anywhere.
“Let’s get in there and get a plate before the good stuff’s gone.”
I bumped her with my shoulder. “I thought it was Ms. Elsie’s cooking, and that means it’s all good.”
She laughed, and my heart squeezed in my chest. “Well, that’s true, but I still want to get some of her fried chicken before all the good pieces are taken.”
We got in line for food and eventually found the rest of our families sitting together at a table. When we arrived, there were only two seats side by side, and I swallowed hard once before sitting down next to her.
Spending time with Callie was getting more difficult by the minute.
Actually, it wasn’t spending time with her that was the problem, it was the fact that I couldn’t touch her that was proving so hard.
It was stupid because this had all been my id
ea. I’d wanted us to be friends, but now, that was the furthest thing from my mind. Now, all I wanted was to be hers and for her to be mine. Not my friend, but mine. I wanted her in every sense of the word, and the only thing in my way was me.
“So, which one of you gets to spend the full moon with me?” Wes asked from across the table, breaking my train of thought.
When he was answered only with silence, he began to pout.
“I’d rather chew glass, but thanks for the offer,” Del finally piped up.
I snorted into my macaroni salad as Callie stiffened beside me.
“Don’t say things like that, Delilah,” she admonished.
Del shrugged as she picked apart a dinner roll. “Why? It’s the truth.” She turned to my mom and winced. “No offense, Mrs. Carter.”
Mom waved a hand, a wide smile on her face. “That’s all right, dear. My son could use a hit or two to that ego every now and again.”
Del and Evey giggled as Callie settled down next to me again.
“And for the record, ma’am, I like humans,” Del added.
“We know you do,” Evey murmured from next to her. “But it’s really just human men.”
Del shot a glare her way before sitting up straighter and looking at my mom again. “It’s all humans, Mrs. Carter.”
Mom laughed as she dug into her corn casserole. “Call me Nora, dear.”
“Hear that?” Del asked Evey. “The human said I get to call her Nora.”
Evey rolled her eyes. “And by referring to her as the human you’ve just lost that privilege.”
“Did not.”
“Did too.”
“Did not.”
“Did too and I can do this all day, Delilah.”
“Ladies!” Callie interrupted. “Can we please go one meal without a fight? You’re probably bothering Nora with your nonsense.”
Mom just laughed again. “That’s okay, Callie, I don’t mind. You should hear my boys when they fight. They’re much worse and use awful language to boot. Besides, I always wanted daughters, so this is a treat for me.”
“You mean you weren’t happy with the perfect sons you got, Ma?” Wes asked, his hand gripping the shirt over his heart.
She cupped his face and pinched his cheek. “Of course, I was, honey.” Then she looked away and winked at the rest of the table, sending the McCoy ladies into a fit of laughter.
When the giggles subsided, Callie grabbed her plate and stood. “I’m gonna grab some pie. Anyone want anything?”
“I’ll come with you,” I said as I rose too.
She smiled at me and my heart thudded once, so loud I knew the whole table had to have heard it, but it was getting harder and harder for me to care about hiding how I felt.
We walked quietly up to the kitchen island still packed with food.
“Speaking of the full moon,” I said as I cut her a piece of pie. “I’m off tonight. Did you want to spend it together?”
I held my breath as I waited for her answer. Which was ridiculous. We’d spent tons of time together in the past month. This shouldn’t be any different, but it was. Maybe because I was regretting my decision to be friends. Maybe because I was sick of keeping my distance from her. Maybe because I was ready to ask her to reconsider me as something more.
“You mean you want me to beat your butt to the river again?”
My head fell back with a loud laugh. “I don’t think that’s how it happened last time.”
“Then there must be something wrong with your memory because all you saw was my backside as I beat you to the river.”
“Ah, maybe that’s the problem. I must have been distracted by the view.”
She rolled her eyes and bumped me with her hip. “I was talking about when I was a wolf, not a human.”
“Were you?” I leaned back so I could check out her tight little ass. “Sorry, the view must have distracted me again.”
Her face turned the prettiest shade of pink as she rolled her eyes and backhanded my chest. “You’re absurd.” She spun around fast and her fork slid off her plate, clattering on the tiled floor. “Dang it,” she muttered as she bent over to pick it up.
Yeah. It was safe to say I was distracted by the view.
“Go on back to the table. I’m gonna drop this off at the sink and get a new one.”
I gave her a nod and turned to leave, but moments later, another voice stopped me in my tracks.
“I thought you weren’t interested in the Carter boys.”
I peeked over my shoulder and found Aubrey facing Callie down with her hands on her hips.
Callie shook her head and dropped the fork in the sink. “I’m not. We’re friends.”
“That’s not what it looked like to me.”
“I don’t care what it looked like to you.”
“Don’t forget I called dibs. They’re hot, even if they are half-human.”
I turned around the rest of the way just in time to see Callie nodding her head and my stomach fell like a hundred-pound lead ball. I spun back around as my guts churned.
It had been so easy to forget the differences between us when I was with Callie. She’d never made it seem like she cared I wasn’t all wolf, but clearly, I’d been fooling myself. It was time I accepted that no one would look past where I came from to see who I really was. I’d always be the half-breed. The partial wolf. The human. It was stupid to think things could ever be different for me.
Chapter 22
Callie
“You know, Aubrey, I used to feel bad for you. I used to think ‘maybe she fills her bed with so many men because there’s something missing in her life’ but now I know you’re just vain and superficial. You sleep around because you like the attention as long as it’s focused on you. Now you’ve made it clear that you’re also prejudiced, and that’s not something I can overlook.”
She rolled her eyes so hard all I could see were the whites. “Come on. Don’t tell me the sister of the alpha doesn’t care there are half-breeds in our pack.”
My eyes narrowed as my hands began to tremble and I took a calculated step forward. “No. I don’t care that their mom is human. And it’s disgusting that you do. Guess you’ll have to be easy somewhere else with someone else.”
“Oh, I didn’t say it would stop me. It’s just good to know they’re not all wolf before I get them in bed. That way my standards aren’t too high.”
“Wyatt wouldn’t sleep with you even if you begged.”
Aubrey smirked and propped her hip against the counter. “And you think he’d sleep with you? Mousey Callie? The woman who’d rather read a book than comb her hair? Not likely.”
“I–we–no. We’re just friends.”
Aubrey snorted, the stupid smile still on her face. “Of course you are.”
My blood pressure rose as the trembling in my hands worsened. I needed to walk away, or I was going to lose my temper completely. “Whatever, Aubrey. Believe what you want but keep your backwards ideas away from my friends.”
“It’s not my ideas that’ll be touching them, so don’t worry.”
A low growl escaped my throat before I could stop it. With every ounce of restraint I had, I turned around and stomped away from her.
Her ignorance, her presumptuousness, her… bull crap was one thing, and honestly, not too surprising. A lot of wolves felt the way she did, although most were less vocal about it. I just never expected that kind of talk in our pack.
As I walked back to our table, a little whisper of doubt popped into my head, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t shake it.
Was Aubrey right?
Was the reason Wyatt and I were just friends because he found me mousey too?
I shook my head, but the thoughts wouldn’t leave. Maybe this was why he didn’t want to be in a relationship with me. Maybe this was what was holding him back.
But that was ridiculous.
He’d been the one that kissed me first and I hadn’t done anything different that day.
I was always the same Callie. Wild hair, baggy flannel and a pair of jeans. I didn’t care if that wasn’t enough for Aubrey because I wasn’t looking to impress her.
But could I really say the same for Wyatt?
I’d slowed down in the middle of the kitchen but started to pick up my pace again. I needed to see him. To look in his eyes and feel that crazy feeling again. The one that let me know that, despite what anyone said, we had a connection. Something deeper than the friendship we wore like armor. As soon as I saw him, I’d be able to push Aubrey’s nasty words aside and forget them.
I was so used to relying on that pull deep in my stomach that let me know he was near, but it was absent and when I got to our table, he wasn’t there.
I sat down slowly, my eyes raking the kitchen to see if he was anywhere else, but that feeling in the pit of my stomach let me know I was wasting my time. When I was sure he wasn’t there, I finally voiced my concern. “Do you guys know where Wyatt went?”
Evey and Del glanced at me curiously, but I ignored them.
“I think he went back to the house, dear,” Nora finally answered. “Said he had something to do there before the full moon.”
“Oh.”
My shoulders slumped with the news and I started to pick at my pie half-heartedly. I’d just have to wait until later to see him. Thankfully, the sun would be setting in a few hours and I’d be able to get these doubts out of my head for good.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way.
The sun set and the moon rose as the magic that came along with it transformed me and the rest of my pack into our other forms, but Wyatt was nowhere to be found. I trotted around the field, noticing my packmates were sticking closer to the lodge than usual. And when I finally spotted a brown wolf with a bit of black mixed in, I raced over to him. As I got closer, the wind shifted, and I realized it was cedar and not leather I was smelling, and that meant this was Wes.
“Hey, Wes, do you know where Wyatt is?”
“He decided to keep watch over the house tonight.”
Chasing Callie (Southern Werewolf Sisters Book 1) Page 18