赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Ashleigh nodded and took a deep breath. She told them what she remembered of her time with the Priestess.

Wyatt held Corrine as they heard about the daughter they had lost.

“I knew something was wrong,” whispered Corrine through quiet tears. Wyatt kissed the top of her head. “Why didn’t they tell me?”

“They didn’t tell you,” Ashleigh said, “because of how rare and dangerous twin pregnancies are in werewolves. There was a chance that if you knew you lost her, you would lose me too. Just from the

weight of your emotions.”

“I am grateful for that,” Corrine said, “but I feel like I have mistreated her by not mourning her all these years.”

Ashleigh shook her head.

“No,” she said, “she is a part of me. You have loved her every day that you have loved me.”

Ashleigh reached her hand out, Corrine took it. For a moment, it was just them. Corrine kissed Ashleigh’s hand and thanked her silently.

Sitting back in her chair, Ashleigh glanced up at her father.

“No wonder your heart is so big. It beats for two,” he said with a warm smile.

The room was quiet again. It was Axel that broke the silence.

“So, the bond you feel… one is yours, and one was hers?” he asked.

Ashleigh nodded.

“But they,” he said, indicating both Granger and Caleb, “both feel it towards you because she is a part of you?”

Ashleigh nodded again.

“That’s confusing… but ok, so… which one is actually your mate?” he asked.

Caleb had remained quiet, unmoving. He had questions. He wanted to offer words of comfort to the family and Ashleigh herself on the news of her twin. But it wasn’t his place. So now, he waited for her to look up at him.

Ashleigh hesitated. She played with her sleeve and looked at the floor._.

“Ashleigh?” Corrine called to her.

“It’s…” she started, her voice barely audible. She looked away from them all and took another breath.

Caleb wanted so badly to reach out, hold her hand and tell her to take her time.

“Ashleigh,” Granger chimed in, “it’s ok, baby, just tell them.”

Caleb held in the growl, but the stupid smile on that idiot’s face was risking every bit of composure he had.

“We already know the truth Ash, just confirm it,” he said.

“Granger,” Corrine called his attention. “I appreciate your interest in this situation, but it is for Ashleigh to share the truth she learned.”

“Of course, my Luna,” he said, looking back at Ashleigh. “Ashleigh knows better than anyone the truth of the situation. I just meant to encourage her to share it with us, is all.”

Granger nodded to Corrine, giving her a smile that his eyes did not match.

Ashleigh raised her head, she looked at Granger, and Caleb felt a grip on his heart.

‘Look back at me,’ Caleb pleaded in his mind.

But she didn’t.

“My true mate,” Ashleigh began, shifting her eyes to the floor. “Is…”

She hesitated.

Granger’s words came back into her mind. Choosing Caleb could mean war, but not choosing Caleb…

Her breathing became unsteady, and her heart throbbed in her ears. A cold numbness was spreading through her body.

She tried to calm down and remind herself to breathe, but she couldn’t.

“Say it, Ash,” Granger called out. “Just tell everyone the truth.”

“Granger,” Corrine growled, “I already told you to let her speak.”

“Mom, he’s just trying to–” Axel attempted to defend Granger.

“I know what he is trying to do,” Corrine replied.

Their voices got louder and louder, but they also seemed to fade away as Ashleigh continued her struggle to breathe, to feel, to calm her senses.

“Breathe,” Caleb whispered in her ear.

Ashleigh was confused, but she tried to listen.

“Breathe,” he said again.

Ashleigh lifted her eyes, expecting to see him beside her. Honestly, hoping he was, just to be close to him once more. But he wasn’t.

He was still standing at the door, still in the same position.

Only now, his eyes were concentrated on her with a meaningful look. A concerned and loving gaze.

She took a deep breath in, her heart breaking as the words left her lips.

“My mate… is Granger.”

Caleb felt the floor beneath him fall away. Then, everything went silent, and all he could hear was that name, over and over.

‘Granger.’

Corrine sat forward quickly.

“Are you sure?” she demanded. “Is that what the Priestess told you?”

“Of course it is!” Axel shouted excitedly. Not bothering to mask his relief. He went to Granger and offered his hand. “I had no doubt, man.”

“Neither did I,” Granger smiled, shaking Axel’s hand.

“It is good that we have a firm answer,” Alpha Wyatt said, standing from his place on the couch. “This is a strange situation, but we should all be grateful it has been resolved as it should be.”

“Ashleigh?” Corrine said, trying to draw her daughter’s attention.

Ashleigh still did not look up.

“Ashleigh,” Caleb called out softly.

She squeezed her eyes closed at the sound of his shaky voice. He swallowed down his shock, his fear.

“Is that true?” he asked.

She had never heard his voice sound so feeble before.

“Is it true?” he asked again.

She looked up; their eyes met. Both filled with tears. She looked away.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Excuse me, I…I have to go,” Caleb said quickly; turning to the door, he struggled to open it. He finally was able to turn the knob and rushed out the open door as soon as he could, slamming the door behind him.

The cold air crashed against his skin like a million tiny knives stabbing at his sensitive flesh. His lungs stopped working; the world was spinning. He stumbled, tried to get back up, but he slipped again.

The pressure was building inside of him, his chest feeling as though a lead weight sat atop it while simultaneously feeling as though it would explode at any moment.

He gasped a shallow breath. The air wasn’t getting to his lungs; he gasped again. Then, finally, he reached his hand to his throat, clawing at the material of his jacket. He was gasping again and again, but his lungs weren’t working. They were dying. They needed air desperately.

“Caleb?” a familiar voice called out in the distance.

Caleb could think of nothing but the air that wasn’t reaching him, the fire growing in his lungs, and the world spinning around him.

“Caleb!”

Galen ran to him, falling to his knees in the powdery snow. He grabbed Caleb by the shoulders, shaking him as he called his name repeatedly. Finally, Caleb looked up at him. His eyes were red and swollen, his face was purple, all from the strain of his hyperventilation.

“Caleb, breathe!” Galen shouted.

Caleb finally took a hard deep breath, coughing from its force. Galen patted his back and held him as he slowly regained his breathing pattern.

“What happened?” Galen asked.

Caleb did something unexpected. He laid his head against Galen’s shoulder and cried. Galen was surprised but only held him tighter.

Even after Alpha Cain, Caleb had held it in.

The few times that Galen had seen Caleb cry, there had been tears, but only a few and only for a short time. He sobbed, his shoulders sagged, and his body rocked as the waves of crushing emotion rolled over him.

“I got you,” Galen whispered as he gently patted his brother’s back.

***

Ashleigh heard the door slam shut behind him.

Granger and Axel chatted happily; Wyatt looked out the window. Corrine was the only one that was paying attention.

“Excuse me,” Ashleigh said, jumping up from her chair. She ran up the stairs and into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

She barely managed to open the lid of the toilet bowl before the bile that had been threatening to rise finally made its escape.

Her stomach muscles clenched and heaved until nothing was left to come out.

Her throat burned, and she felt exhausted. Ashleigh flushed the toilet and sat down on the cool floor, leaning back against the cupboards below the sink. Then, bringing her knees up to her chest, she cried softly against them.

‘I’m so sorry, Caleb,’ she thought to herself. ‘I’m so sorry.’

She wasn’t sure how long she had stayed there, but it wasn’t a short time.

There was a knock at the door.

“Ashleigh?” Corrine called.

Ashleigh sniffed and wiped her tears before answering.

“Yea?”

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, just about to take a shower.”

“Ok,” Corrine replied, a feeling of sorrow in her tone.

Ashleigh thought she had left when her voice came through the door once more.

“You should know,” she said. “We got word that Alpha Caleb and Beta Galen have decided to return to Summer.”

“Oh?” Ashleigh replied. “When?”

Quickly covered her mouth with her hand to muffle the sound of the cry that followed.

“They have already left.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and cried silently, biting her fist to keep from making a sound. A painful pressure pulled at her chest.

“Ok,” she called back, barely keeping steady.

“Your father and I have some business to attend to,” Corrine said, then adding quietly, “I have asked Axel to keep Granger busy today. So that you may have time to rest.”

‘Thank you,’ Ashleigh thought to herself gratefully, unable to say the words.

“Ashleigh, when you are ready,” Corrine whispered, “I am here for you.”

Ashleigh heard her mother’s footsteps as she walked away. She leaned her head back, letting the tears fall.

“I wish I could tell you the truth,” Ashleigh whispered, closing her eyes. “I love you, Caleb. I love you so much.”