I lingered in my seat, gripping the worn armrest like it was my last line of defense against the storm brewing outside the car. Through the windshield, my father's steely glare pierced me, even though my mother's frame blocked most of him. I could feel it—sharp and cold like a winter draft, slicing right through my reluctant resolve. I'd grown up with that glare, the one that spoke volumes without him needing to utter a single word. Disapproval was his first language, and I was his favorite conversational target.
Nothing's changed, I thought bitterly. If anything, it's worse. The tension in his stance, the way his mouth curved into that perpetual frown... it was hatred intensified. No doubt amplified by my very public suicide attempt, the scandal he probably considers his burden rather than mine.
With no miracle escape plan revealing itself, I groaned and unclipped my seatbelt. As much as I didn't want to step foot outside the safety of this SUV, delaying the inevitable wouldn't make it any less painful. But just as I opened the door a hand clamped around my arm and yanked me out of the car with all the force of a determined hurricane.
The next thing I knew, I was wrapped in a crushing embrace, the scent of crisp apples and roses flooding my senses. My mom. She hugged the breath out of me, her trembling body against mine as she buried her face in my shoulder and cried. My resolve cracked. Guilt gnawed at the edges of my composure, a slow and unforgiving beast. My mom... the one person in this pack who'd genuinely cared about me. The one person I never meant to hurt. And yet, I had.
Her nails suddenly dug into my side, sharp enough to make me wince. "Don't you ever do that to me again. Do you hear me?" Her voice was soft but laced with steel, her words like daggers aimed at my already bleeding conscience. She pulled back enough to level me with a glare so potent, that even my father couldn't rival it.
"It was selfish of you," she said quietly, her voice breaking. "No mother wants to bury their child. Do you have any idea what that would've done to me?"
"I..." Words failed me, caught somewhere between apology and defensiveness. What could I possibly say to her?
She shook her head, brushing away a stray tear as her hand cupped my cheek. Her touch was warm, a stark contrast to the chill of her words. "I can understand why you did it." Her voice softened. "But I'm grateful you failed. I love you, Caleb. And I hope, with everything in me, that your new mate will help heal whatever is broken inside you."
Her words made me flinch. Mate. That damn word made my stomach churn. A scoff escaped my lips before I could stop it. "I highly doubt that," I muttered. "You know I don't take well to being controlled—especially not by an arrogant alpha who marked me against my will." My glare flicked toward Justin, and he flinched under its weight. "I'm not going to roll over like some obedient dog just because he thinks he owns me now."
The air tensed immediately, thick with the weight of unspoken threats. My father decided to wade in, his footsteps deliberate as he strutted toward us like the goddamn king of the world. A low growl laced his lips as he spoke. "Well, you'll just have to learn to deal with it." He grinned savagely. "You can run, boy, but no matter where you go, your mate will always be able to find you." His voice dropped, dark and taunting. "And trust me, son. If you misbehave, he'll be the one to reign you in."
That was it. I snapped, a snarl ripping from my throat as I lunged forward, fists clenched. "If you think, for one second, that I'm going to turn into his bitch, you can go fuck yourself!"
Before I could close the gap, the Enforcer grabbed my shoulder, holding me back with a strength that made my muscles ache. I yanked against his grip, snarling, "He'll learn quickly enough that my bite's worse than my bark. And he'll regret the day he ever put his filthy mouth on my neck!"
"That's enough!" Justin's voice cut through the chaos as he rushed over, planting himself between my father and me. His sharp glare flicked between us, and I could see the effort he took to rein in his temper. "This isn't the time or place. Let's get you settled in, and we'll talk like the adults we pretend to be."
I ripped my shoulder from the Enforcer's grip, baring my teeth as I snarled at him, "Touch me again, and I'll make sure you lose that arm."
The Enforcer raised an eyebrow, his smirk infuriatingly calm. "Careful, pup. I've dealt with worse mongrels than you."
Justin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck like a parent on the verge of losing patience. "Come on, Caleb. Fighting him won't get you anywhere. He's only here to ensure your transfer goes smoothly when your mate arrives."
"And where exactly am I staying until that joyous reunion? A dungeon? Chained to a tree in the backyard?"
Justin barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable. No. Now shut up and follow me, wise ass."
**********
I slumped onto the bed's edge, its plush surface sinking under my weight. A sigh escaped my lips, and my gaze wandered around the room again—this ridiculously perfect room. It looked like something yanked out of one of those luxury vacation commercials, complete with impossibly soft lighting and staged decor that felt too curated. The bed itself felt sinful, piled high with pristine white pillows accented by deep ocean blues. Honestly, who needs this many pillows? One? Sure. Two? Maybe. But ten? What were they trying to accomplish—a fortress? I grabbed one and hugged it out of spite, its immaculate scent of lavender and something freshly laundered assaulting my nose.
The walls were blindingly white—so spotless it seemed like even dust feared stepping foot here. Across the room, a massive window stretched from floor to ceiling, flaunting a view so breathtaking it could've been a painting. The ocean sparkled like diamonds under the setting sun, with waves gently breaking against the shore as if the sea itself knew it was being watched. The entire scene looked fake, and I hated how hard it was to hate. A faint breeze trickled in, carrying that salty tang of the ocean, but even that couldn't drown out my rising frustration. Everything here was designed to impress, but all it did was make me feel like an interloper.
A pretentious piece of art—waves, of course—hung above the bed, just in case you somehow forgot the beach was right there. And as if the windows and painting weren't overkill already, some decorator thought, Why not throw in a miniature palm tree? The thing sat in the corner like it was proud to be part of this lavish nightmare. Oh, and the rug beneath my feet? Fluffier than anything I'd ever owned—easily softer than my last mattress. Why any pack would spend this kind of money on guest quarters was beyond me.
Orion's amused growl broke through my musing, snapping me back to reality. "You bellyaching again? The room's pretty damn nice—could've been a dungeon."
I groaned inwardly. Great, just what I needed. A lecture from my wolf. Hugging the pillow tighter, I mumbled, "The pack's been acting weird since the moment we stepped foot here. They don't feel... normal."
He chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with amusement. "What did you expect? A welcome parade? Maybe a marching band to herald the return of their prodigal son?"
I buried my face deeper into the pillow. "Mixed signals are worse. At least a fight would've been straightforward. The older wolves glared at me as if I'd spat on their tradition and the younger ones... Staring like I'm a damn sideshow attraction."
"You might've earned their curiosity," Orion offered with a low rumble. "Not many go toe-to-toe with tradition and live to talk about it."
A sharp knock snapped me out of our little argument, echoing through the room with an infuriating lack of urgency. My annoyance climbed a notch, and I pressed my palms to my face, rubbing away an incoming headache. Could I not get five minutes to myself?
Before I could invite whoever it was to kindly fuck off, the door swung open without so much as a warning. I shot an icy glare at the intruder. It was the enforcer, strutting in with all the arrogance you'd expect from someone drunk on their authority.
"Who the fuck gave you permission to waltz in here?" My tone was flat and cold, but every word came with enough weight to make most people take a step back.
He just smirked, that self-satisfied kind of grin that makes you want to punch someone. "Don't need permission. You're under my custody until your mate comes to haul you back to his pack like the unruly bitch you are."
And that's when my temper snapped. Before he even could continue his rant, I lunged forward, fist connecting with his throat. He stumbled backward, crashing onto the stupidly expensive rug while clutching his neck, choking on his arrogance.
"What the hell is going on here?" Justin's sharp voice cut through the tension as he stormed in, looking every bit the disapproving parent catching their kids fighting.
I turned toward him, scowling. "I taught the Council's lapdog what happens when he bites the wrong wolf."
The enforcer struggled back to his feet, wheezing and rubbing his throat, and glared at me like he was considering round two. "Attacking an enforcer carries heavy consequences, brat."
"And you think I care?" I sneered.
"Enough!" Justin snapped, cutting the tension like a knife. "Your actions, Caleb, will reflect on you and your mate from here on out. He's taken a big risk on you, whether you like it or not."
I snorted and returned to my seat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't ask for his help."
Justin sighed, motioning for the enforcer to leave. The door shut behind him, and Justin glanced back at me, his expression softening just enough to catch me off guard. "All I'm saying is, give him a chance. He might surprise you."
"Why should I?" I bit back, irritation bleeding through.
He smirked, clearly holding back something. "Because he's perfect for you."
Rolling my eyes, I turned away. "Highly doubt that."
Justin's smirk widened, and he chuckled under his breath. "Let's just say the last time you met, you left an impression on him—so much so, that I may or may not have caught you pleasuring yourself while thinking about him."
The heat in my face was instant, spreading like wildfire down my neck. My heart slammed against my ribs, and sweat prickled at the back of my neck despite the room's chilled air. "You... what!?" My hand shot up to the mating mark on my neck as realization sucker-punched me in the gut. No... not him. Anyone but him.