赤裸裸的滑稽故事

The morning after they had met in her office Bell had sent a message to Caleb letting him know that Ashleigh was being discharged from the hospital.

“I’m just curious,” Galen said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I mean, isn’t it normal to reach out to the Beta to get a message to the Alpha? It’s not like you two are close, right?”

“I don’t know, Galen. Why don’t you ask her?” Caleb sighed.

Ever since Galen had found out that Bell sent Caleb a message, he had brought the subject up in many different ‘subtle’ ways.

“Oh, that’s a good idea. Why didn’t I think of that?” Galen asked with sarcastic enthusiasm. Then, reaching for his phone, he suddenly stopped and snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right, she doesn’t answer my messages!”

Caleb did his best to suppress the laughter he felt rising in him. He had never once seen Galen show interest in a woman, and now it seemed he was pretty far gone.

There was a knock at the door.

“Maybe that’s a message for you now,” Caleb smiled.

Galen threw a shirt at him before leaving to answer the door.

Caleb poured himself a glass of water while waiting for Galen to return. He took a drink and looked up as Galen entered the room again. A strange look on his face.

“What is it?” Caleb asked, concerned.

“The message wasn’t for me,” Galen said, extending his hand with a letter in it.

Caleb took the note and read it. His initial reaction was disbelief, shock, confusion, finally landing on anger.

“What the hell is this!” Caleb shouted. “Where did it come from?!”_.

“It was sent directly from Alpha Wyatt,” Galen replied with a deep sigh.

Caleb’s only response was a low growl and a snarl before leaving the building.

***

“You can’t just–!” a voice was interrupted by a loud crash.

Axel jumped up from his place on the couch. Alpha Wyatt did not move as the door burst open.

“What the hell are you doing!” Axel shouted at Caleb, who stood huffing in the doorway, snarling in Alpha Wyatt’s direction.

“What is this!” Caleb shouted, walking into the room and slamming the note down on the table in front of Wyatt.

“Show some respect!” Axel snarled at Caleb.

“Respect is earned!” Caleb snarled back.

The two men held each other’s glares, growling angrily.

“Axel, you can go now,” Wyatt stated.

“But I–“ Axel turned to his father, objecting.

“It wasn’t a request,” Wyatt stated, looking his son in the eye.

Begrudgingly Axel bowed his head slightly.

“Yes, my Alpha.”

Axel turned to leave, casting a glare and low growl in Caleb’s direction.

“Go!” Wyatt shouted.

Caleb observed Wyatt as he waited for Axel to leave the room. Finally, after the door had shut, Wyatt looked up at Caleb.

“I expect you to show me respect while you are in my territory,” Wyatt growled.

“As I said,” Caleb replied, “respect is earned.”

Wyatt and Caleb stared at each other, neither willing to look away.

“Ashleigh is an unmarried woman with a mate. It is inappropriate for her to be spending so much time alone with an unmated wolf.”

“It didn’t seem to be an issue when I trained her in Summer,” Caleb countered.

“There have been concerns raised that were not considered before,” Wyatt answered. Then, standing from his chair, he moved a set of papers to his desk.

“What does that mean?” Caleb asked, holding back his anger.

“I didn’t have all of the information when we made this arrangement.”

“What information?” Caleb asked. His irritation only rose with each comment.

“The shameless way you and your wolves have been raised,” Wyatt spat.

“Be careful, Alpha Wyatt. I might think you are insulting my parents,” Caleb growled.

“It is because of your parents that I didn’t heed the concerns before!” Wyatt shouted, his anger masking a deep sadness. “I don’t know where you got your morals from, but based on what I have seen, your beta shares them.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean!” Caleb shouted.

“It means that you and your wolf have been playing around with someone precious to me!” Wyatt shouted, turning to face Caleb once more. “That child has been through enough in her life. She doesn’t need two wolves sniffing around her like a piece of meat.”

Confused at first, it finally clicked who Wyatt was talking about. Unfortunately, the revelation only served to fuel Caleb’s anger.

“Your words are insulting. Not just to Galen and me, but to Bell as well!” he shouted. “You claim she is precious to you while in the same breath you cheapen her character!”

“How dare you!” Wyatt snarled.

“Galen nor I have done anything dishonorable towards Bell, and she is someone I respect and consider a friend. I won’t let you imply anything different,” Caleb stated firmly. “She is a strong and beautiful woman with whom Galen has found a connection. If they wish to pursue that connection, that is between them!”

“It does her no good to be confused by the two of you. If you truly care for her as you claim, then you will stay away from her,” Wyatt demanded. “That is what is in her best interest!”

“As I said, it is between them,” Caleb said, “I am only here to discuss our agreement.”

“And I will honor that agreement,” Wyatt stated. “But not with my daughter.”

Caleb growled.

“Don’t test me, boy!” Wyatt shouted at Caleb.

“I am no boy!” Caleb shouted back, his tone reverberating in the room.

“No!” Wyatt howled back, “when you were a boy, you knew how to show respect!”

“That boy lost all respect for you when you betrayed him,” Caleb chuckled bitterly, “and his father.”

The two men stared angrily at each other.

“I will not allow my daughter to grow any closer to you!” Wyatt shouted.

Caleb was surprised, not at Wyatt’s reaction or even his words. No, he was surprised by the pain he felt from them.

“That’s not really up to you, is it?” Caleb said coldly.

Wyatt snarled and grabbed the chair that sat between them. He threw it against the wall with a force that shattered the arms and legs, sending splinters of wood all over the room.

Silence passed between them as Wyatt huffed furiously.

Caleb took a deep breath. He cleared himself of the child that had worshipped Alpha Wyatt. He let go of the man that loved Ashleigh. Focusing only on the man he needed to be here. The Alpha of Summer.

“When we made this agreement,” Caleb spoke calmly, “we agreed that our people would accept no less.”

Wyatt did not answer, but his eyes told Caleb he heard him.

“I have honored my end. I personally trained Ashleigh. I, the Alpha of Summer, in front of all my people, devoted two weeks to a Winter wolf.”

Caleb took a step closer to Wyatt.

“Now I have come to Winter, while my people still mourn the losses of our last battles, to honor our commitment to this exchange.”

Wyatt’s eyes closed, and he took a deep breath.

“I have returned to be insulted and to find my Beta injured by one of your people. But, even still, you now expect me to willingly accept less.”

Caleb took another step closer to Wyatt. They now stood only inches apart from each other. Wyatt kept his eyes closed. His jaw was clenched, his nose wrinkled, and his brows crumpled together as he listened to the words that Caleb spoke.

“I don’t care if she is your daughter or who she chooses to be with. Is Ashleigh your best Berserker or not?”

Wyatt once again took a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and looked directly at Caleb.

“Yes.”

“Then regardless of this conversation or any other words you or anyone else may have whispered into her ear. She is duty-bound to train me. And if you have any shred of honor left in you, you won’t stand in her way. Keep your word,” Caleb turned away from Wyatt. He added, “This time.”

Without another word, Caleb left the room.

Wyatt slumped down on the couch. Dropping his head into one of his hands while the other reached up to his throat, grabbing hold of that precious item just underneath his shirt.

“The closer they get to you…” he whispered sadly, “the more danger they’re in.”