Caleb’s P.O.V
It was an odd sensation…this rejection…
I know Aurora didn’t reject me as her mate, but the fact that she had cowered away from me, with that horrified expression on her face…it was no less than an actual rejection. And the more I thought about it, the more helpless I felt.
I had never been helpless in my life before, but for the first time, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how I could make it all better so Aurora wouldn’t be scared of me, and I didn’t know what to do to make her pain and anguish disappear.
The poor girl had been suffering for so long…and I couldn’t believe how oblivious I had been all this time. I had seen the bruises from time to time, knew that her father was a drunk and a gambler, but never in my wildest imaginations had I thought he would go as low as to sell his own flesh and blood off to a bunch of-
Suddenly, the piercing ring from a phone call brought me back to the present, and I saw my father dig into his pant pockets to fish out his phone before he took the call, a frown on his face.
It would’ve been easy to eavesdrop on the call, but my mind was swirling with images of the monsters who had tried to do horrible things to Aurora.
I couldn’t forget the scent of the blood that had filled the room when I had entered her house. The complete state of disarray it had been in.
“…Cal…”
The way they had chased her down to the forest, pouncing on her battered form like bloody animals as they tried to pin her down and have their way with her.
“Caleb.”
The way tears streamed down her face as she cried helplessly, but all she got in return was vile laughter as they enjoyed her pain, enjoyed her humiliation…
“CALEB!”
My attention snapped back to the present, and I realized too late that my claws were drawn and my lips were pulled back in a snarl. I had been dangerously close to my wolf, and it still growled inside my head, begging me to let it go so it can hunt down those who hurt Aurora and tear them to bits.
My father strode forward until he was standing ring in front of me, before he places a hand on my shoulder with a concerned look on his face. “Caleb, what is wrong my son?”
“Those people who hurt Aurora…they’re still out there.” I told him, my voice husky and rough from barely controlled rage. “They need to be taught a lesson, da-Alpha. They need to be stopped before they try something again.”
“I think we have more pressing matters at hand, Caleb,” my father told me, but a smirk formed on his lips. “And I think you just might get your chance.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned.
“Sheriff Gilbert called,” he informed me. “He said that three men went to the police station to report that a boy had turned into a wolf right in front of their eyes. But they didn’t get to get away with just the report. Sheriff Gilbert noticed the blood stains on their clothing, so now, they’re sitting behind bars, waiting for someone to report a crime they committed so they can be dealt with for good.”
I felt my wolf scratch at my consciousness, begging to be released, but I knew this was one task that I needed to do as a human.
“Let’s go,” I told my father. “I’ll report them. I transformed inside the forest, so there is no footage of me turning. But I have the proof we need to get rid of them for good.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for tomorrow morning, Caleb?” My mother’s concerned voice rang out as both me and my dad turned to leave. “It’s past three in the morning, son.”
“I’ve already lost so much precious time, mom,” I told her, my voice trembling slightly under the weight of my emotions. “I can’t afford to lose any more time. Aurora deserves her justice, especially from those men.”
My mother didn’t try to stop us anymore and my father and I took his car as we began to drive to the police station.
Each minute that passed by felt like an eternity, making me grit my teeth in irritation. The men behind Aurora’s despair were only behind bars, and I needed to make sure that they didn’t just serve time, but they got the worst punishment they could possibly imagine.
My wolf prowled closer to the surface than normal, and I let it. I needed that anger to fuel my determination, but at the same time, I was worried about what I might do when I finally saw the faces of those men once again. I wondered if I should just let my wolf free and let it toy with them before I went for the kill.
But according to our most vital laws, killing or harming humans was punishable by a death sentence. However…could I really consider those men humans when they had shown even less empathy than wild animals?
As the lights of the police station neared, I couldn’t help the growl that escaped my lips, and almost immediately, the car came to a screeching halt, and my father’s hand was on my shoulder in an almost punishing grip.
“Caleb, rein in your wolf!” He commanded, the Alpha’s power in his voice, and even though I had Alpha blood in my veins, his experience and age far exceeded mine, so I was forced to listen to his command.
Only when he was sure that I had control of my wolf once again, that he let go of his hand. My breathing was heavy when I finally turned to face my father, perspiration beading my forehead as tried to keep my wolf in control.
I thought I would get a lecture from him, after all, I just turned eighteen, and I should have better control of my wolf. But what I saw instead was a look of understanding.
“Caleb, I know you’re angry because your mate was hurt, but right now, we need to make sure those filthy men make a fool of themselves.” My father told me, his voice low but firm. “So when you go in there, remember that you cannot display any signs of anger. You need to remain calm, and they will do the rest on their own.”
At first, I didn’t understand what my father meant, but when we walked up to the stairs of the police station, and my father shook hands with Sheriff Gilbert, a sudden chorus of shrieks and cries made me wince at the intensity.
And right there, inside the cell, were the three men who had the audacity to hurt my mate…one of them being Mr. Hemming.
But unlike the two who were crying and begging for mercy, Mr. Hemming ran up to the bars and screamed in anger, pointing his finger at me. “You! It was you who caused my accident! You filthy creature! Let me out of here! I’ll kill him! Let me out!”
“Mr. Hemming,” Sheriff Gilbert turned to him, his voice sharp. “Do you realize that you’re threatening to kill a teenager under the influence of alcohol?”
“What alcohol?” He screeched. “I’m perfectly sober! Get a fucking test done if you want to find out! He isn’t a teenager! He’s a fucking animal! And animals need to die!”
My father smirked at the Sheriff before placing a hand on my shoulder. “Sheriff Gilbert, I suggest you do test that man, and if he is indeed sober…then I’m afraid you need to take action immediately. He threatened my son’s life in plain sight, in front of an officer of the law. You must take action against him.”
“And the rest of them,” I added, before the Sheriff could answer. “I went to my…classmate’s house this evening to see why she didn’t show up at my birthday party,” I lied to make my story plausible. “But when I reached her house, it was a mess and there was blood on the floor. And I found these men chasing her through the woods to try to harm her.”
“Is that so?” Sheriff Gilbert turned to one of his guards. “Interrogate them, and check the scene of the crime to validate this young man’s statement.”
It was only then that Mr. Hemming realized what he had done, and soon, his expression changed from anger to horror in a heartbeat, especially when two other officers opened the cell and dragged him out to what I presumed was the interrogation room.
Only once the entire room was almost empty, except for the two cowering men in the corner of the cell, and my father, me and the Sheriff, did Sheriff Gilbert finally turn to face my father.
“What would you have me do, Alpha?” He asked, his tone respectful. “They seem to have witnessed something they shouldn’t have.”
“If their crime checks out, and I know it will, they must be given severe sentences.” My father told the Sheriff. “As for Mr. Hemming…I highly doubt he’s a first time offender. Ask around the school; find out if someone else is willing to come forward.”
“I will, Alpha.” He said, before turning to face me. “But from now on, be careful. You’re going to be the future Alpha of the pack, so you must learn to control your wolf.”
“I will,” I promised him, my mind at ease now that Mr. Hemming was finally going to be taken care of. “Please…make sure they don’t get away with it.”
“They won’t. It’s my promise to you.”
No, Sheriff Gilbert wasn’t a wolf, but his mate was. And I was sure that he will keep his word.
With that, my father and I left the police station, my wolf a lot calmer knowing that justice was going to be served.
Now…all I needed to worry about was how I was going to make it up to Aurora, after everything that had happened.