Alpha Wyler
I slowed the truck as I approached the dilapidated trailer my brother called home. It had seen better days fifty years ago- with it's patched up roof and plywood siding. As I stopped the vehicle, the front door creaked open and my tiny niece came rushing out, her curly brown hair bouncing in waves behind her.
I quickly got out of the truck so I could pick the little girl up and let her hug me.
“Uncle Caleb!” She wrung her arms around my neck. Today she wore a faded pink dress and leggings with holes. I guessed it was the best her mother could muster that day; she always tried to look nice when I would visit.
I drew her back with a smile. “I missed you, Krissy.”
She scooped my clean shaven face between her tiny palms. “Mama said you've been busy. Is that why you haven't come to see us?”
“Yes but I brought you something special to make up for it.” I looked up as Lara walked towards us, though a slight bruise was showing on the side of her face, she held a smile.
“Caleb.” She stopped in front of me as I put her daughter down. “Nice to see you.”
I kissed her cheek and popped the back door of my truck open. “Is Jackson here?”
Lara shook her head. That was a relief. I wasn't sure if I could deal with seeing my drunk of a brother after dealing with Olivia the past twenty-four hours – I might have ended up finally killing his sorry ass.
“Uncle Caleb has a present for me!” Krissy danced from foot to foot in anticipation as I pulled out grocery bags and one gift bag, giving it to my niece.
She took it with a magic of excitement in her eyes and rushed towards the trailer.
Lara watched me unload a couple more bags. “How much did you bring this time?”
“I haven't seen you in three weeks, do you even have any food in the house?”
She looked away with a sigh. “Jackson got a deer the other day but he ate most of it shifted.”
I wanted to puke at the thought and walked with her toward the front door. “Where is he?”
“Work today, but likely at the bar. He cashed the cheque you sent and hasn't been home much.”
“The cheque was made out to you, Lara.”
“Caleb,” she sighed with exhaustion and shook her head. I knew that never stopped Jackson before from cashing in money for my sister in law and niece but it still angered me.
She brought me inside and I unloaded the bags to the kitchen table right inside the door. it leaned funny when I did and Lara began to unpack. Krissy rushed over to my side, holding up the doll I'd brought her.
“Thank you!”
“You're welcome, sweetie.” I patted her head and she took off towards her room to play.
“You didn't have to do this,” Lara whispered minutes later.
I helped her, taking a look inside an empty fridge and putting milk, juice, and an array of things my little niece shouldn't have been without.
“How have things been?”
She sighed, giving me a sympathetic smile. “Fine.”
“Really?” When I studied her face it showed otherwise. “What's he doing now?”
“I'm pregnant.”
My heart sped. if she lost another pup because of being beat, I was going to flip my shit on my brother, and in the worst way possible.
She saw my expression. “I haven't told him.”
“I hope he stays so drunk he can't see straight through this one, Lara.”
She sat down after putting the last of the groceries away.
“He's beat four pups out of you - in case you weren't counting.”
“Don't get short with me, Caleb.” Her voce gained some courage I didn't expect. “I try my best.”
“Now that I have Silvermoon, you can come live there with Krissy.”
She gave me the most dreary expression. I could easily take her and my niece from my brother. Was it right? No.
Would my brother have grounds to invade my pack? Yes.
Did I give a shit about logistics? No.
“How's the new pack?” She changed the subject.
“It's fine.” I grunted.
She smiled. “Should you not be more excited?”
I looked up at her with a cocked eyebrow.
“Perhaps it's too much for you to show excitement but still....”
I huffed, knowing I had to tell her. “Lara, I found my mate.”
Her lips froze open and all I heard her make was a faint oh sound. This would be hard for her to hear, but it had been hard news for me to take when I'd walked her into my family's house for dinner many years ago only to have her be my brother's mate. No, things we're not awkward anymore – but she'd loved me, more than my brother – hence I could understand Olivia's pain with Johnathan, but I gave Lara up to him as I had to, resolving my feelings for her other than as a family member. Though I did take more pity on her than most of my immediate family, Jackson and I had never got along well, this had only enhanced it.
“You-you did? At Silvermoon?”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “At The damn introduction meeting. It was a mess.”
Lara was astonished, and maybe a bit hurt but I couldn't pay too much attention to it. I'd still look after her and Krissy and she must have known that. This changed nothing in our friendship.
“What's she like?”
I smiled with a shake of my head. “She's a brat.”
“Oh, no.” Lara quipped. “Does she know she is?”
“Just a natural talent of hers.” I couldn't hold my laugh.
“Well, that should be fun for you.”
I grunted. “She's basically refused to mate me. Aside her wolf is quite happy. I moved her into the pack house but she's very difficult to deal with. I have my work cut out for me.”
“How does she manage to resist you?”
I smirked. “She wasn't doing well this morning.”
“I'm sure you'll have your mate soon.” Lara swallowed hard, looking away. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I'm fine.”
She stood to pour herself some milk, which I assumed she hadn't had in a good long while. I watched her drink and enjoy the simple glass of liquid.
“Lara, consider moving to Silvermoon.”
“I can't do that to you, Caleb.”
“Do what?”
She appeared exhausted from my need to help her. “You have a mate. You need to focus on her. Not me and my children.”
“He moved you out here to keep you away from everyone, this is no place to have children.”
“Caleb.” She put her empty cup down, over with the conversation and I gave up. Whatever had happened to the woman who trusted and did as I said was long gone. She protected herself and that child the best she could and I was nothing more than her brother-in-law now.
I pulled out my cell phone as it beeped and checked over the text message that had just come in. From my mate, and this I figured was why she did so poorly in school, but the message wasn't what I expected from her mid-day at a desk.
Olivia
I am rejecting you. Officially. Do not come get me after school.
I stared at the message as my adrenaline pumped with every passing second, making my fingers twitch on the screen. What sort of message was this? I figured if she knew me well enough by now, she knew this sort of thing would not fly and it wouldn't.
I stood from the table. “I need to go, Lara.”
She nodded. “Thank you for the food and Krissy's toy.”
“You're welcome.” I walked to her and kissed her cheek. “If you need anything, you call me.”
“Yes.”
I said goodbye to Krissy and then I was out the door, walking towards my truck in an obliterating anger. I didn't know what Olivia's issue was now, but I wasn't in the mood for it. Her message was a threat and I didn't appreciate being threatened, let alone over text message, and she would soon find that out.