赤裸裸的滑稽故事

After a day back in Summer, the swelling had gone down, and Caleb had regained control of his arms. Then, two days after his return, he had his operation.

He and Ashleigh spent hours of those first two nights talking on the phone. But, after the operation, it became harder to spend that time together.

Each of them was busy. Caleb was recovering and running his pack. While Ashleigh was still dealing with the fallout from the attack and everything that Granger had done.

Axel still hadn’t woken from his coma, and Corrine had almost entirely moved into the hospital.

Results from Renee’s autopsy proved that she had a lethal dose of adrenalin pumped into her heart. Bell guessed the delivery was through her missing EpiPen.

The petal she had found contained trace amounts of the chemical compounds Galen had mentioned before. This confirmed that both Renee and Ashleigh had been poisoned by the same source.

Even without Axel’s statement, it was clear that Granger had been the cause of everything.

Saul led the investigation on Granger’s whereabouts, but unfortunately, the trail had run cold. And though no one blamed them, Beta Richard and his family went into self-imposed isolation and lockdown as they dealt with the shame of their son’s betrayal.

With all the aftermath of the attack, there wasn’t a chance to give Renee the pyre she deserved. Instead, Bell and Ashleigh held a private ceremony, just the two of them and her father. They walked the forest through the night in silence. They found a rock, smooth and almost perfect, with touches of red coloring.

Ashleigh painted small flowers and the sun for Renee’s cheerful disposition. Her father simply wrote her name with a heart. Bell painted fireworks.

They placed the rock in the Grove beside the one that Renee had picked out years ago for her mother. And they said goodbye.

***

A week after, Wyatt and the other Alphas gathered to discuss what had happened in Winter— the sudden appearance of these monsters from the history books. The meeting was closed, and the location

kept quiet.

That included Alpha Caleb of Summer.

“It’s only been a few days. What if something happens?” Ashleigh demanded.

Caleb smiled, listening to the worry in her voice.

“Like what?” he asked casually. Then, resting his head back against the seat, listening to her._.

“Like… blood clots, rejection, infection… or what if you get hurt? What if there is an attack?”

“Ashleigh,” Caleb laughed gently.

“It could happen,” she pouted.

“It could,” he replied, “but it won’t.”

Ashleigh sighed. Caleb smiled; her concern was a warmth he never realized he craved.

“I’m fine, I promise,” he said. “Galen will be right by my side. He will make sure I don’t overdo it.”

“But–”

“And,” he interrupted, “because of my operation, I have already been approved to bring two of my medics.”

Ashleigh sighed again.

“I would feel better if I could see you myself.”

Caleb closed his eyes, thinking of her, imagining her pacing in her room as they spoke.

“I’ll be ok,” he whispered softly.

Ashleigh gasped. She felt a warmth on her neck and shoulders as though he were with her. Hugging her from behind and whispering against her throat.

She closed her eyes, took a deep, cleansing breath, and let the feeling roll over her senses. The warmth of his touch, the gentle thrill that echoed through every nerve.

“I miss you,” she whispered. Leaning back into Caleb in her mind.

He nuzzled her throat, kissing her delicately.

“I miss you too,” he answered.

Galen knocked at the window, pulling Caleb away from his connection to Ashleigh.

He sighed and looked up at Galen, who indicated the time.

“I have to go,” he said.

“I know,” Ashleigh replied.

Caleb reached into his pocket he pulled out a small vial. He had never had reason to use it before now.

“Hey,” he said, “before I go, I need to warn you about something.”

“What is it?” Ashleigh asked, immediately concerned.

“It’s nothing to worry about, just something you will notice.”

“Ok?”

“To keep information secure during these gatherings, we are all required to take something that blocks the connection with our mate.”

“That’s possible?” Ashleigh asked.

Caleb thought for a moment.

“Didn’t the Priestess have you take something similar?” he asked.

“No… I don’t remember taking anything….” Ashleigh replied, trying to remember if there was anything like that. “Why?”

“The days you were with them, I couldn’t feel you,” he answered. His voice was gentle and quiet. “Like you were gone, it was… difficult.”

Ashleigh swallowed down the painful guilt.

“Caleb… about what happened when I came back….”

“No,” he quickly interrupted her. “No, we don’t need to talk about that right now.”

“Caleb…”

“Ashleigh,” Caleb sighed, a plea in his voice.

“Okay,” she answered softly. “So, what will happen when you take this thing?”

“I’m not sure exactly,” he said. “My father designed it a few years before he died.”

“He did?” she asked, surprised.

Caleb smiled, “He created a lot of things. Most people think he was a military leader. But, it was actually my mother who ran most of Summer’s military side. My father was the scientific leader.”

Ashleigh wanted to ask more about Cain, about their relationship. She wanted to know everything about Caleb.

But how could she? Now more than ever, she needed to know what happened between Cain and Wyatt.

Caleb cleared his throat.

“Anyway,” he said, “I don’t know how it will feel, but I wanted to warn you. It might be… lonely.”

Ashleigh felt a pang of anxiety and touched a hand to her heart.

As did Caleb.

“But,” he continued, “I’m still here, I promise.”

“I love you,” Ashleigh whispered.

Caleb smiled. She said it so effortlessly now.

“I love you, Ashleigh.”

They hung up the call reluctantly. Ashleigh was still worried, but all she could do now was take his word and keep busy.

Caleb stared down at the phone. Already he felt lonely without her.

Galen knocked at the window once again. Caleb lowered the window giving him an irritated glance.

“You said ten minutes; I gave you fifteen,” Galen said, shrugging unapologetically.

Caleb laughed.

“Are you sure you should be doing this?” Galen asked.

“I have been summoned by the other Alphas,” Caleb replied with a sigh, “do I have a choice?”

“Oh yea, because you always listen when they call you….” Galen mumbled.

Caleb smiled to himself at Galen’s words.

“How else can I learn what they are hiding?” he said.

Galen shrugged.

“Let’s go,” Caleb said.

He sent another message to Ashleigh, reassuring her that he would be fine.

Galen opened Caleb’s door, and Caleb put his phone back in his pocket.

“Ready?” Galen said, giving a quick glance around the area.

Caleb nodded.

Galen put an arm under Caleb’s knees, the other behind his back. Caleb grabbed onto Galen’s shoulder as he was lifted out of the passenger seat and moved into his wheelchair.

Once Galen had finished strapping him in, he gave Caleb a look.

“What?” Caleb asked, a slight irritation in his voice.

“When are you going to tell her about this?” Galen asked, indicating the wheelchair.

Caleb looked away, “It’s not time.”

Galen took a deep breath before moving to wheel Caleb into the building.

***

Ashleigh sighed as she reread the last message.

It had been a week since she had last heard from Caleb. She had expected it; every time her father had gone to these councils with the alphas, he would remain out of contact until his return.

But it didn’t make it any easier, especially with the block in their connection. Caleb had been right. It felt lonely.

All she could do was keep busy.

She worked together with Saul to get the rest of the barrier defenses updated with the gifts they had received from Caleb. They also started to develop a training program emphasizing group and team fighting, using a lot of the tactics she had witnessed while observing in Summer.

Ashleigh also took it upon herself to train more of the younger fighters in the basic fighting tactics of Berserkers.

Around this time, Axel finally woke up.

His mind was fuzzy, and he didn’t remember much of what had happened the night of the attack.

He could only remember for sure that he had been very sick for a while. Then, he remembered running through the woods and feeling like he was being chased. But it was all out of focus in his mind.

After Peter made sure that Axel was medically alright, Corrine filled him in on the events of that night. The attack, what Axel had said to Bell before he passed out, and everything they had learned about Granger.

Including what only Corrine had known about his relationship with Ashleigh.

Axel was devastated.

As he started to process what she told him, some of his confusion wore off. He remembered that he had heard Granger on the phone saying strange things. When Axel confronted him about it, Granger had attacked him. They struggled, but Axel was already weak, and Granger overpowered him.

He was only able to get away when something else attacked them both. But Axel didn’t know what it was. He just ran.

Ashleigh had a hard time visiting Axel after that. Both felt the shame of their trust in Granger.