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“Now I’m…okay. My wolf was the one who went nuts. After…after Walker found me, my wolf has been silent. He’s still there but weak, and that’s how I’m keeping him. I won’t ever risk going feral again, and that part of me…”
I inclined my head with understanding but thought it was so sad that to survive what had happened, Caleb sort of had to kill a part of himself. Choking back tears, I found a smile and tipped my head towards the door.
“Cookies and milk or coffee?” I asked, hope blooming within me when Caleb sighed loudly and gave me a small smile.
“Milk. I’m a growing shifter.”
Yes, he was. My growing shifter friend.
My first friend.
Chapter 6 Caleb
Iwas sitting at the table with my stomach growling, my mouth watering, and my eyes firmly fixed on Ren’s ass as she bent over by the oven when the back door slammed open, and Cole rushed in, his eyes frantic.
“You’re not staying for dinner.” I snarled my plans to convince Ren to stay looking grim, when my brother sniffed loudly and seemed entranced before he shook his head hard.
“I’m not here for that. Although Goddamn. Ren that smells amazing.” He whined, smiling at her.
“There’s a lot. I was just finishing up before I left. You can stay. He can stay.” Ren huffed at me, giving me a narrow-eyed look and then glancing at the fridge where the list of rules hung.
Scowling, I read number four of the million rules she’d added and sighed because ‘Be nice to your brothers’ was written in bold black Sharpie. Fuck.
“Can’t stay. I’m here for help.” Cole said, looking at me with a pleading that had me immediately shaking my head. “Four-year-old little boy named Tully is missing, and with this storm approaching…”
I went still, my eyes going to the window to take in the black clouds looming out there as the wind picked up. It was going to be a shredder if the smell of the storm was anything to go by. Strong. And I hated that there was a kid out there. I really did. But I couldn’t do what he wanted. He wanted me tracking, wanted both of my animals in the forefront, and that I couldn’t do. If it were just my bear, I’d do it, but I was already feeling stirrings and hearing the whine of my wolf, albeit it was weak.
“Can’t. Don’t do that anymore.” I growled, tamping down a surge of guilt.
All I needed was to go hunting and for my wolf to decide it was done laying low. Just thinking about it reemerging made me break out in a cold sweat, and I returned to old fears I’d had right after I came back and started trying to live again. My wolf scared the shit out of me, and for a good reason. The bastard almost killed me once. There was no way I was letting it free again and risking what little was left of my sanity. Not ever again.
“But—”
“I said no, Cole! My bear won’t scent as well as your wolf can, and besides, you probably have most of the Enforcers and half the pack out there. Too much interference.” I said, avoiding his eyes.
Unfortunately, I looked right into Ren’s and what I saw there made me squirm. Accusation, disappointment, and something else I wouldn’t even begin to think about shone in the sweet depths and pleaded with me to be someone I couldn’t be.
“But it’s a little boy, Caleb. He’s probably terrified and, and this storm…” Ren whispered, her eyes already filling with tears and sparking an eerie blue. “Shifter children are strong, but he’ll get hurt, and then he’ll…and it’s just…you’re doing this!” She pleaded.
Swallowing, I tried to scowl but failed because now that we were friends, I’d seen a side to Ren Sheppard that was just plain scary. Goddammit, I was still her boss.
“Ren—”
“Don’t you ‘Ren’ me. We had a deal, remember? I’m going to be more assertive and less weird, which by the way, wasn’t nice of you to say. And you, you’re going to try harder with people. This is your chance, Caleb. Please?” she pleaded, her voice softening. “It’s a little boy, and he’s probably terrified. I’ve heard all about what a great tracker you are. You’re the best.”
“Goddammit,” I muttered, closing my eyes to hide from the hopeful, expectant look in her eyes. “Two hours. I’ll try for two hours, but that’s it.”
“Let’s go!” Cole yelled, leaning over to plant a loud kiss on Ren’s cheeks, his lips ticking when I growled.
“I want you to go home now. This storm is about to hit, and I don’t want you driving that shitty piece of crap you call a car in this.” I grumbled, rising to follow Cole out before I said something else.
Like, stay here. Snuggle up in bed. My bed. Where I can find you when I come home.
Ren
I was running, my breath burning through my lungs as I tried to get home before the storm broke. With no car, because that piece of junk was useless and refused to start this morning, I had to sneak out the front before Caleb realized I didn’t drive this morning.
Stopping for a minute to catch my breath, I muffled a scream when lightning and thunder boomed around me and forced me to start running again. I hated storms, was terrified of them ever since the night of Shane’s death, and all I wanted was to get home and cower under the covers.
