赤裸裸的滑稽故事

The surviving children of Whiteridge totaled twenty-two. From Shadowcrest, there were only ten, and two women in their very early twenties, one from each pack. They had been kept alive to mind the children.

They were weak, hungry, and thirsty. Granger had provided only the bare minimum for them to survive. Brought back to Summer, the surviving members of Eclipsed were the first to greet them.

Having suffered their own tragedy, Amy, the surviving teenage daughter of their alpha, thought they would be more understanding of what the children were going through.

Members of Eclipsed spread out among the children, never leaving their sides as they went through their medical checks and were taken to eat and find a bed of their own.

Galen stayed close with the survivors of all the packs, trying to ease their transition and meet any needs they had.

Fiona and some of her team had stayed behind to scour the mountain and be sure there were no other survivors or secrets that Granger was keeping.

Ashleigh and Caleb had ridden back with the children, but once she was cleared by the medics, they retreated to his room.

As they entered, Ashleigh stopped, looking around at the mess of shattered glass and destroyed furniture.

“What… happened here?” she asked quietly.

Caleb’s eyes widened. He had forgotten. As soon as they heard from Axel, they ran out the door, leaving behind the mess.

“We can talk about that later… for now, why don’t you take a shower. I’ll get this cleaned up,” he offered.

Ashleigh looked at him, then quickly turned away, nodding. She went ahead into the bathroom.

Caleb took a breath looking around the room at the mess he had made. He owed Fiona and Galen a more significant apology now that his head was clear, and he could see how bad it had gotten. He quickly got to work as he heard the water of the shower turn on.

***

Ashleigh stood under the hot water for a long time.

Her mind was all over the place, still processing all that she had been through over the last week._.

Being held captive by him, Ashleigh had witnessed just how lost Granger had become in his madness.

Her time trapped within her own mind, struggling with the Valkyrie, the representation of her own strength, her power, had her thinking about her life in general.

Over the past year, her life had been turned upside down.

Granger was the man she planned to spend her life with. To build a future with. To have a family with. But that man turned out to be a mask he wore just for her. And the feelings for him she had thought were love turned out to be nothing more than the remnants of her lost sister.

Her father, whom she idolized as a strong, stoic figure who was just and honorable above all else, had lied for years. He hid the truth about Cain’s death and Autumn’s involvement until it ate away at him.

The burden of that choice weighed him down through shame and guilt to such an extreme that the cost was not just born by him. But also by his family and his people.

They had lost Renee and many others. Whether to the rogues, Granger, the Fae, or whatever the hell was happening to the lesser packs. They had been lost, nonetheless.

Ashleigh still had no idea what was happening with the rogue attacks and the lesser packs. It was clear that Whiteridge had become involved, but she didn’t know how or why. What she did know, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Was that war was coming. It was the only certainty.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

“Yes?” she called out.

“I just wanted to let you know there are some spare clothes in the linen closet,” Caleb’s voice called from the other side of the door.

“Alright,” she called back.

Ashleigh heard him walk away from the door.

Her mind drifted back in time, back to when they met.

She had tried so hard to run away from him, and he had fought so hard to catch her.

Ashleigh swallowed down the guilt and shame of her memory. It was over, she made mistakes, and now they had each other.

Caleb, the young leader of Summer. His steely gaze and off-putting personality. Privileged and entitled. Powerful but arrogant. Said to be colder than any northern territory.

That was the man she expected when she caught the flash of grey eyes in the dance hall. When she ran from their bond.

But, just like Granger hid the emptiness of his soul behind smiles and a sweet act, Caleb hid behind a wall of ice, protecting the warmth that lived inside of him.

Ashleigh turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping the towel around her, she looked into the mirror.

The daughter of Winter. The Luna of Summer.

Who was she?

***

By the time Ashleigh stepped back into the bedroom, the mess had been cleaned up, and a new coffee table was covered in food and drinks. She smiled before reaching down and pulling a grape out of the bowl of fruit.

The door to the patio opened, drawing her attention.

“Of course, I understand, but I won’t order her to stay or go. She’s a grown woman, and she can make that decision for herself,” Caleb growled as he pulled the phone away and hung up the call.

Ashleigh could see the bruising on his face, his lip was still bleeding, and there was a cut above his eye.

She swallowed, thinking of how she had seen herself attacking him in the cave.

Caleb closed the door before he noticed her. His expression immediately relaxed, and he smiled warmly at her.

“Sorry,” he said, “I didn’t realize you were there.”

“I figured,” she smiled. “I hope you and Axel can figure out how to get along soon.”

Caleb sighed,

“I’m trying,” he shrugged.

Ashleigh let out a soft chuckle.

“Thank you for the clothes,” she said, waving her arms down over her shirt and lounge pants. “They look… familiar.”

Caleb laughed.

“I had already gotten those for you, physically, before I imagined them in our mindscape date.”

“I see, so… did you get me the other one too?” she asked.

“The other…?” Caleb asked, confused for only a moment. A soft blush crept into his cheeks, and he chuckled. “Uh.. no.. no, that was purely from my imagination.”

Ashleigh laughed.

Caleb took a deep breath. It was good to see her laugh.

“Have a seat,” Ashleigh said, motioning toward the sofa.

Caleb nodded and did what he was asked. He expected her to join him, but she turned and walked back into the bathroom. Then, after a moment, she returned, holding a small first aid kit in her hands.

Ashleigh sat down on the sofa beside him. Then, setting the kit on the table, she opened it and pulled out the antiseptic wipes and a few small bandages.

Opening one of the wipes, she brought it to his face.

“I’m ok,” he smiled.

“You’re a mess,” she smiled back.

He sighed and smiled again.

“Okay,” he said.

Ashleigh gently cleaned the wounds. He watched her as she took care of him and treated him as though he were fragile.

“I missed you,” he whispered, almost unintentionally.

Ashleigh stopped her movements; she lifted her eyes to his.

“I missed you first,” she teased.

“Ash, I–”

“Caleb,” she interrupted, “I need you to hold still so I can treat your wounds.”

Caleb swallowed down his words and nodded, noticing a shift in her eyes.

She continued to clean his wounds, placing a small bandage over the cut above his eye and leaving the wound at his mouth to heal on its own.

As she finished, she looked at him, touching her hand to his cheek.

“I’m going home,” she whispered, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“Ash…” he started to protest.

“Caleb,” she said, smiling sadly at him. “I love you so much. I just need a little time.”

Caleb took short breaths through his nose, having difficulty holding back his reaction. He didn’t want her to go. He needed her by his side.

“Do you have to?” he whispered.

Ashleigh chewed at the inside of her lower lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotion she felt. She nodded.

“I need to, for me, for us,” she said.

Caleb took a deep breath. He reached out for her; she went into his arms without protest.

“When?” he asked softly.

“Soon,” she replied.

Caleb closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

“Okay,” he nodded, sniffling. “Whatever you need.”

Ashleigh hugged him.

Two hours passed, holding each other in comfortable yet melancholy silence. It was then that Ashleigh told him it was time.

Uneasy with the idea of letting her travel alone after what she had just been through, he insisted that someone go with her.

To everyone’s surprise, Ashleigh asked Fiona to join her.