Olivia Blake
I couldn't believe this! This had been my weekend with him. how come he wasn't sending Johnathan to pick her up – why did he, himself have to do it? That's what Betas were for, doing the damn dirty work for the Alpha. How'd Caleb Wyler manage to miss that memo?
It was my weekend! My weekend! The anger shook through me as I sat with my arms folded across my chest. he'd been rude, demanding, and he'd broken his promise of my celebratory time – we were supposed to be alone! How did this make sense in his thick beef-cake head?
I huffed to prove my annoyance with him but he ignored me for the zillionth time, so I continued to ignore him. That's when he pulled off the highway onto a dark, small dirt road and we travelled it, for much longer than I thought possible. It was so dark and the dim flickering lights way out in the bush were anything but inviting. It made me forget my anger – this was where his brother lived? Some old little trailer in the middle of nowhere?
I gulped down some fear. “They- they live here?”
Caleb sighed as he slowed the truck. “Get in the driver's seat.”
“What!” My eyes went wide and I grabbed his bicep for clarity. “No, why?”
“Jackson's here, I can smell him.” He stopped the vehicle and turned to me, looking me right in the eyes. “I'm going to go in and if I tell you to drive, you go back to Silvermoon and tell Johnathan where I am.”
“I don't even know where we are, Caleb!”
He hit the GPS on the truck and it sparked to life, showing a map. “Do as you're told, Olivia.” He slammed the door when he left and went toward the house. I noticed then that the dim flickering lights were candles and that these people lived in basic poverty! How was this possible, Caleb was so in control and together... what the hell was going on?
I squinted into the darkness and watched as he disappeared inside, it made my heart thud in my chest. I didn't like seeing him walking right into danger, it made me want to puke. Sitting like a duck, I held my breath for a sign of my mate. There was a faint shout and what sounded like glass breaking and then Caleb was out the door, holding a little girl who had wrung herself around him. He came to the truck and opened the passenger door.
“Get in the driver's seat...” he instructed.
“Oh, god, Caleb don't make me--”
He grabbed me around the waist with his free arm and hauled me out the vehicle, putting the crying little girl in my place.
“Krissy, shh...”
“Mommy!” She screamed, not letting go of his neck and he had to remove her arms physically, putting the belt over her and closing the door. “I just levelled my brother out on the floor. Lara is locked in the bedroom. I'll bring her home. You take Krissy and go now.” Before I said a word, he was walking away, shouting at me to go one last time.
I was terrified, but Krissy was more afraid and her crying made me run around the truck to get her to safety, which was Silvermoon. My shaking hands got the truck started and I peeled out of the driveway, my heart aching in all sorts of weird ways. The little girl next to me continued to cry and I tried to reassure her but I was way out of my element.
“You're... you're okay.”
“Mommy!” She wailed, tears spilling down her cheeks non-stop.
I was driving fast, maybe faster than what Caleb would approve of- though I wasn't sure he'd give two shits in that moment.
“My mommy!”
“Caleb's got her. She's alright...” My attempts of soothing her were a big fat fail but I did manage to get to Silvermoon and take out Johnathan's mailbox on his front lawn. I laid on the horn, waking up the neighbouring houses around him. Lights switched on and I sighed, maybe that hadn't been the best way to get the Beta's attention.
His front door opened and I rushed out, but when he saw me – he rushed too. “Olivia!”
I gasped for air when he caught me with both hands on his shoulder. “Caleb is...” I pointed in some delirious direction.
“Where's Caleb!” He demanded, going from my friend in concern to Silvermoon's Beta.
“I... I have the GPS...” I rushed back toward the car. Krissy was still crying in the front seat and Johnathan took a look at her.
“Who's the kid?”
I snatched the GPS from the truck's dash. “It's his niece. He's at his brother's house.... which is here... you need to hurry, John.”
“Is he in danger?”
“I-I... don't know.”
“It's alright, Liv. I'll find him.” He took the GPS and didn't say another word to me, heading off to hopefully collect other males and get my mate back to me. All I suddenly wanted was Caleb, even if he was standing in front of me lecturing. I turned back to the sobbing girl and climbed into the truck.
“We're going to go to my home. It's nice there.” I tried to speak gently, and it worked a bit. She calmed for a moment.
“Your home?”
I gave her a nod and smile, even if I had to force myself to do it. “Yes, your uncle lives there too... is-is that what you call him?”
“Uncle Caleb?”
My heart filled up inside. “Yeah, he lives.... well, we live together.”
“Like, you're my Aunty?”
Oh my god! I choked on the value of accepting that statement and then nodded. “I guess I am.”
“Oh.” She blinked at me. “I've never had an Aunty.”
I took in a shaky breath as I pulled into the pack house and parked the truck in the drive. “I'll come around and get you...”
She sat, sniffing still from her hysteria but I'd somehow calmed her down. I got her in my arms and walked her into the house. It was dark and quiet, and I slipped off my flip flops and made my way toward the kitchen.
“Are you hungry?”
“Uh huh.” She nodded her head into my shoulder. So was I- starving, in fact. I flipped on the lights and sat Krissy to a stool, so I could go about making us sandwiches. The little girl continued to suck air and I looked up to see her shivering. “Oh, here...” I picked her back up and took her into the living room, where I wrapped her in a blanket. It was then I saw her ripped, little pink dress and dirty skin.
I sighed, seeing now how bad it really was and understanding Caleb's need to leave the hotel without a second thought. His brother must have been one big asshole to let a little girl live like that. it really put all my problems in perspective.
“You have a nice house.”
I gave her a weak smile as I stood and grabbed the remote. “Want to watch some cartoons?”
“Oh please!” Her big blue eyes begged and I turned on the television, finding a kids network for her and returning back to the kitchen. It gave me too much time to think and worry about him; what was going on, if he'd gotten away, if he was lost... none of my thoughts were reassuring.
I walked over and sat next to Krissy on the couch, sharing food with her and watching her fall asleep afterward, safe. She had curled up into my side and I had to give her the comfort, she needed someone to. I wondered how many times Caleb had cared for her and I knew it must have been a lot... how I'd ever thought of that man as an asshole, I couldn't even grasp now.
My eyes moved to the clock as it rolled closer to two in the morning.
Where are they? It's all that consumed my mind as I settled my head against the couch, lulling Krissy in her sleep. Soon, I drifted off but the front door opening, startled me awake. Lifting my head from the back of the couch, I looked up as Caleb walked into the room, a towel around his waist from being shifted but otherwise, he looked fine.
“Caleb...” My heart slammed in my chest and I went to get up, sneaking away from the sleeping girl and tossing myself into his arms when he got close enough.
“Hello.” He caught me with a grunt, about to say something when I kissed him. He allowed it too, allowed me that ounce of neediness and wanting of him. His arm wrapped my waist, his other my shoulders, holding me so close I could hardly breathe but I was thankful every second of it.