赤裸裸的滑稽故事

When Luna Corrine came to the door, Caleb felt his heart stop.

Was she coming to try and make him leave? Would she tell him where Ashleigh was?

She held his life in her hands. Did she even realize it?

“Ashleigh will be back soon. In the next few hours,” Corrine said in a gentle voice.

Caleb felt the tension in his body ease. The weight on his chest lessening. He could breathe again.

“Before she gets back, I want to ask you something,” Corrine continued.

His attention went back to her.

“What is it?”

“Did you…” she began. Corrine visibly clenched her jaw, and her eyes moved to her feet. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Granger… did he….”

Caleb let out a low growl.

“He hurt her,” Caleb spoke between gritted teeth, “but he didn’t get the chance to destroy her.”

Corrine nodded. “She said as much, but I was worried she was holding back.”

An awkwardness hung between them, a pang of shared silent guilt.

“Do you know,” she asked, “was this… the first time?”_.

He squeezed his hand into a fist until he felt the sting of his nails digging into the flesh of his palm.

“I don’t know,” he replied, “but… my feeling is that this was the worst of it.”

“You don’t think he has forced her into further acts, but you do think he has pushed her.”

Ashleigh’s voice crept into his thoughts.

‘We have…’ Her voice trailed off as the tears fell from her eyes. ‘…done things.’

The look of guilt and pain in her eyes, the way she avoided his gaze. Caleb had no doubt that Granger had pushed her beyond her willingness. She was young, and her heart was not strong enough for a man that would willingly manipulate her.

Caleb felt his rage growing.

“Luna Corrine,” Caleb said, his voice strained. “I apologize, but this conversation threatens what little tolerance I have left.”

“I understand,” she said. “Even I… have reached my limit.”

Corrine turned to leave but stopped.

“Caleb,” she called, keeping her back to him.

“Yes, Luna,” he answered.

“No matter what happens next, I want to thank you for protecting her, for the care you have shown her.”

Her voice was gentle. Caleb could hear these words were heartfelt.

“There is nothing to thank me for,” Caleb replied. “I will always do my best for her.”

Corrine heard his words with a heaviness.

“You are a good man, Caleb; I wish the circumstances were different,” Corrine sighed.

“Will you stand in the way?” Caleb asked flatly.

Corrine turned back, and their eyes met. There was no anger or resentment. He was asking her honestly. Yet, somehow, she knew, no matter what she answered, his resolve would not change. That thought made her want to smile and cry all at the same time.

“No matter which way it goes, whatever Ashleigh tells us, I can tell you one thing for sure,” she smiled, “I will be paying much closer attention to my daughter and the people around her.”

Caleb smiled and then let out a soft gasp. He brought his hand to his chest as though he felt pain.

Corrine turned back, taking a step towards him.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

He smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

The feeling in his chest, like that of a warm kitten curled up as it purrs in its sleep, the feeling that was very distinctly related to his bond with Ashleigh, was back.

“I’m better than alright,” he smiled, “wherever she was, she’s back now.”

Corrine’s eyes widened.

“You feel her already?” she asked.

“Yes,” he smiled, still holding his hand to his heart. “The past few days, I felt empty, but now, I can feel her again.”

Corrine thought back to the day more than eighteen years ago when she had visited the Priestess. When she returned, Wyatt waited in the same spot he had left her with the wolf that guided her. His face was pale and tired. He looked haggard. When he laid eyes on her, tears fell. He scooped her into a tight embrace and sobbed.

Later he told her that from the moment she had stepped into the trees with the other wolf until the moment she returned, he had lost her. He could no longer feel her, their bond. He was empty.

Now Corrine looked at Caleb. The relief on his face, the joy of feeling his bond to Ashleigh restored.

‘He really is her mate…’ she thought to herself as she turned away from Caleb. Her heart ached. ‘I don’t know if I can keep them apart, Wyatt. Or if I want to.’

***

It was another two hours before Caleb received word that Ashleigh was home. He had showered, cleaned himself up, and gotten dressed multiple times. He regretted not taking the time to pack a nicer shirt. He checked his hair in the mirror, again and again, adjusting it this way and that way, wondering what she would prefer.

He even practiced how he would say hello to her.

“Hey…no… hi Ashleigh…” He sighed. “What am I doing?”

Caleb left the bathroom and grabbed his coat. On his way to her house, he continued to practice how he would greet her.

When he arrived, Axel came to the door.

‘Great,’ they thought simultaneously.

“Let him through,” Corrine called from somewhere inside.

Axel grunted in response and moved so that Caleb could enter the room.

As Caleb stepped inside, he looked around the room. His eyes went to the top of the stairs. He knew she was in her room.

Corrine sat on the couch; Axel moved to stand behind her. Caleb could hear movement in the kitchen. He assumed it was Alpha Wyatt. A light sniff of the air told him that Granger was also in there.

“This is pointless,” Axel grumbled to his mother. “We already know who her mate is.”

“Only the Goddess knows, Axel,” Corrine replied calmly from her seat on the couch.

“Even if–” Axel began.

“That’s enough,” Wyatt interrupted. Entering from the kitchen, followed closely by Granger.

“It’s ok, Axel,” Granger smiled. “We’re all here to support Ashleigh, whatever happens.”

Caleb clenched his jaw and looked away; he didn’t trust his ability to control himself if he looked into Granger’s eyes.

Her scent suddenly became potent. Caleb’s eyes moved to the top of the stairs.

She wore jeans and an extra-large, long pink sweater. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun at the top of her head. A few strands had escaped and fell softly around her face.

Their eyes met, and his heart threatened to leap from his chest. A blush crept over her face. He felt like he could almost touch her. Hold her, kiss her.

She licked her lips, and he had to use every ounce of his will to suppress the feeling. He pulled back on their bond, as he had so many times before. Then, finally, he saw the relief. She took tiny but deep breaths and looked at him with a question in her eyes.

‘I guess she hasn’t realized what I’ve been doing,’ he thought.

From the moment she had told him who she was, about her other mate. Caleb had done his best to temper the extreme nature of their bond. Being an alpha allowed him a certain measure of control over how others felt. Usually, it was an intimidation control. But he found he could keep back some of the intense emotion between them.

It was all he could do for her, until now.

“Come on down, sweetheart,” Corrine called up to Ashleigh.

Granger moved to the bottom of the stairs, waiting for her. Caleb saw her swallow nervously. He took a step forward, but his action was interceded by Corrine’s voice.

“Have a seat, Granger,” she said coldly.

Granger looked back at her. Caleb could see he was irritated, but he smiled and sat down on the small two-person loveseat.

Axel remained behind his mother while Alpha Wyatt took his place on the couch beside Corrine.

There was a spot beside Wyatt or one beside Granger. There was another chair, but its placement suggested it was reserved for Ashleigh. Caleb glanced around and found a place against the wall to lean. Corrine nodded in acknowledgment.

Ashleigh came down the stairs. She moved to the empty chair and sat down. Playing with her sleeve nervously as everyone focused their attention on her.

“Ashleigh, let’s just get right to it, ok?” Corrine smiled. She looked up at Caleb and briefly Granger. “As we all now know, Ashleigh has felt the mate bond with the both of you.”

Neither of them reacted.

“The thing you don’t know is that I sent her to the wolves that could help her sort through what has happened. Those that have a better understanding of the Goddess and her blessing.

“Are you ready to share what you learned, Ashleigh?”