赤裸裸的滑稽故事

After the memorial, Caleb returned to his room with a drink in hand.

He stood on his patio, letting the warm breeze rush over his skin. The air was filled with smoke from the funeral pyres. They would burn all night long, and the families of each of the wolves that died would stay beside the fire until the last ember went out.

He leaned forward on the railing. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep and weighted sigh.

Caleb thought of Ashleigh. He missed her, just being near her gave him energy. Even without the stress and loss of the last two weeks, being away from her was draining on him.

Seeing her again, he needed it. Even if it was indeed the last time, he needed it.

There was a knock on his door.

“Come in,” he called into the room. He pushed himself off the railing and walked back inside just as Fiona closed the door behind her.

“Mother,” he said, a soft greeting as he set down the yet untouched glass of whiskey.

“Son,” she smiled back.

He chuckled and led her to the small sitting area of his room.

“What brings you here this evening?” he asked.

“I wanted to check in on you. I know tonight was hard.”

“Harder on the families.”

“Caleb, don’t play the stoic leader for me,” Fiona said. “I was by your father’s side even before he became Alpha. I know the toll it takes on you to lose even one member of this pack.”

Caleb looked away, his eyes falling on the glass he had put down earlier._.

“You won’t find the relief you need there,” Fiona stated.

Caleb chuckled and closed his eyes, running his fingers through his hair.

“And where will I find it?” he asked casually.

“I suspect Winter,” she stated plainly.

Caleb’s eyes shot open, he turned to her, and she gave him a knowing and playful grin.

“Damn it, Galen,” he sighed as he rolled his eyes.

“Oh, don’t blame him,” Fiona laughed, “I have other sources, namely my moping child.”

“What?” Caleb asked, sitting up straight.

“Ever since the Blood Moon, you have acted strange. Then you suddenly decided to attend the birthday party in Winter. Finally, when that girl arrived, oh my, the tension….” Fiona brought her hand to her mouth in a dramatic chef’s kiss.

Caleb sunk in his chair. He wondered how he could have been so easy to read?

“I got confirmation out of Galen only after I pushed all the evidence at him. So you can’t blame him.”

“I can,” Caleb growled lazily.

“You better not!” Fiona replied, hitting his leg playfully. “He’s a good boy.”

“Yea, yea, I know. Your precious boy.”

“You are both my precious boys,” Fiona laughed.

Caleb smiled and leaned back in his chair. It wasn’t so bad that she knew about Ashleigh. It made her happy. However, he would need to clarify to her that Ashleigh would never be his.

Fiona cleared her throat.

“What?” Caleb sighed.

“Well?” she asked.

“Well…? What?” he laughed, sitting up.

Fiona rolled her eyes.

“What are you still doing here?”

“It’s my room…?”

“Don’t play dumb!” Fiona growled.

Caleb sat up. He sighed as he looked up at her.

“Mom… you need to know something.”

“No,” she said, “I don’t.”

“Yes, you do,” he said firmly, “Yes, Ashleigh is my mate–”

“Good, go get her,” Fiona said.

“But, it’s–“ Caleb began.

“I know, I know. It’s complicated. Galen said as much,” Fiona sighed. “But that doesn’t make it impossible.”

Fiona stood up suddenly and walked over to his undrunk whiskey.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“You won’t be needing this,” she said.

He watched in surprise as she picked up the whiskey and tipped it back in one gulp.

“Aah!” she hissed at the satisfying burn that traveled down her throat.

Fiona walked back over to Caleb, leaning over to kiss him on the head.

“Have a safe drive, my precious boy,” she said sweetly before walking to the door and leaving Caleb in his empty room.

He stared at the door for a moment before he let out a stunned laugh. Within the hour, he was speeding down the highway leading to Winter.

***

Galen had a hard time that night. A lot was going on in his mind, leaving little room for sleep to settle over him. He still hadn’t worked through the feelings of jealousy he had experienced over Bell or the emotions stirred by the memorial. The fight with Granger was the least of his concerns, but a concern still.

He left his dorm as soon as the sun began to rise. Opting to go for a run to clear his head.

Upon returning, he was surprised by a voice calling out to him.

“Galen!” she shouted, “Hey!”

He turned around to find the root of his sleepless night running toward him. But, as she caught up to him, she was out of breath.

“Hey…” she huffed. “You’re fast,” With her hands on her hips, she bent over, trying to catch her breath.

Galen did not respond.

Bell looked up at him. Her face was flushed from the effort of chasing after him.

“Not in a talking mood?” she asked.

“Alpha Caleb will be arriving tonight; I have a lot to prepare,” he replied. “If there is nothing else, I should go.”

He moved to turn away from her, she reached out to stop him.

“Hey!” she shouted, moving in his path. “What exactly is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem,” he grumbled, “I told you, I have things to do.”

“Right, right. Too busy to get treated,” Bell said, quickly reaching out and flicking him where she knew his shirt hid the arrow wound. He groaned painfully.

“It’s fine, Bell,” he grunted, “no need for you to worry about it.”

“Of course, I’m worried about it,” she said, “you were stabbed, and then you didn’t get it healed properly!”

She reached for the wound again. This time Galen stopped her hand, holding it at the wrist.

“It’s really unnecessary for you to worry about. I have been trained in basic wound care. It’s being handled.”

He dropped her hand and once more moved to walk past her.

“What did I do, Galen?” she called out sadly. “Why are you suddenly so cold to me?”

He stopped; it was agonizing to hear the sadness in her voice. He was about to turn, to offer her comfort. But the image of her wrapped in Axel’s arms came to the forefront of his mind. He was unable to hold back the jealousy he felt anymore.

“If you’re looking for warmth, maybe you should go find Axel,” Galen growled as he continued to walk away from her.

Bell stopped walking. She watched him, her head and heart swirling with different thoughts and feelings. Anger, sadness, disappointment. The swirling emotions jumbled into a chaotic shout screaming in her mind.

Galen was too angry now to feel the guilt over his words. His rational thoughts were being completely ignored by his current state of mind.

‘You have no right to be so angry!’

‘She owes you nothing!’

‘She doesn’t deserve this!’

Slowly the thoughts were breaking through his anger. Then, right as he was considering his hasty action, he was stunned by the cold, wet slush of a snowball hitting the back of his head and sliding down his shirt.

He turned around, only to receive a fresh snowball straight to the face.

“You big, dumb, baby!” Bell screamed as she pulled her arm back to launch yet another snowball towards Galen’s shocked face.