Graydon
I can feel Callie’s anxiety rising. Man this is going to take some getting used too. Every instinct in me is yelling at me to go and fix the problem. I can tell when her anxiety hits the others because they all look at her. Each of them taking a step toward her. Max is the closest to her, so he starts to comfort her. I take my phone out of my back pocket and send a message to my father. He knows about Callyn. We feel that our parents need to know what is going on. It doesn’t take long for my father to message me back.
“Hey, guys.” Everyone stops what they are doing and looks at me. “My dad says that he will close the training center early on days we need to use it. He would rather we have the whole place to ourselves than risk someone seeing what we are doing.”
“That’s a smart idea, though depending on how many people know now, it might not make a difference,” Zeke states.
“That might be true, but it would also be in Kelsey’s best interest if no one knew,” Lucian pointed out.
“You know the harder you try to keep a secret the faster it seems to come out.”
Callie’s right, but this is because we need to keep her safe. I’ll be damned if I let anything else happen to her. If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s D.T.A., don’t trust anyone. Lucian, Zeke, and Maximus have proven their loyalty. It’s part of the reason we don’t have any other friends. Callyn, as we all know, can keep a secret. You have to pry information out of her.
“We’ll cross that bridge when it gets here. For now, let’s focus on Callie’s training tomorrow night. Did your father say what time he was closing the training center? I would like to show up five or ten minutes after that. That should give everyone who is there time to leave,” Lucian states.
“He said he can close at seven. We can show up about fifteen minutes after that. Plus, we can also park in the back and use the back entrance.”
“Good. Is everyone staying for dinner?”
Everyone nods. I know I am. I want to find out what happens when Elder Harris comes back from his visit with the Taylors. I think they’re going to be a problem. The Taylors like to be the best at everything. They like to have the best of everything, hence their daughter’s shitty ass attitude. She has wants for nothing and always gets her way. Kelsey also likes to be the center of attention. Chances are they are going to shout this loud and proud, consequences be damned. They’ll do anything they want as long as the Taylor name is out there. They need to get over themselves.
“Wait, Lucian, your grandfather said that the prophetess and the queen were in close confidence. Does this mean that I’m going to have to get along with Kelsey? If I’m honest, I don’t think that will be possible.”
“I don’t think you will have a choice in this. You do what you have to do. You don’t let people rule your life anymore, Callie. Do you hear me? You are stronger than this.” I growl.
“Graydon is right. Kelsey being a prophetess can help us immensely. It can make all the difference if or when the war happens. Just think of the information we can possibly gain from this. We don’t want a repeat of the last Alpha Queen and her mates,” Lucian says.
Hell no there won’t be a repeat of what happened with the last Alpha Queen. I’ll make sure of that my damn self if I have to.
Zeke
Callyn sighs, “I know you’re right Graydon, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She huffs and crosses her arms. She tries so hard to look intimidating but it never quiet works out. She’s just too damn cute.
“You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” I say.
“So true, angel. It’s better to know what your enemies are up to so that nothing comes as a surprise.”
“I get that, but what are the chances of her actually helping me? If it was one of you guys, she would already be here.”
“That’s when you use her weakness and exploit it.”
“Don’t you think doing that will make things worse?”
Graydon moves from his spot and takes up the spot on the coffee table in front of Callyn, getting right in her face.
“Don’t think for one second that Kelsey wouldn’t do the same to you. She has already proven that when she yoked you up in the locker room. Don’t think that she won’t use this to her advantage either. You need to put your foot down fast and hard on her.”
“Well, I can’t use you guys as that carrot to dangle in her face. I already told her that you guys were all mine.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” Graydon yells.
Callyn surges to her feet making Graydon lean back. “Because, it was the one trump card I had on her. You,” she pokes him in the chest, “have to be out of your ever loving mind if you think I will ever let her think she can have one of you,” Callie shouts. Both of their chest are heaving.
Graydon grabs the hand she left on his chest, pulling her forward. She falls against him. He wraps his arms around her, keeping their balance. I can see what Graydon wants to do in his eyes, but he is searching Callie’s for something. Whatever is was he must have seen it because he starts in move closer, angling his head. Fuck, I don’t want to see him kiss her. I go to turn away and leave the room, when I hear the front door open.
“Can someone help with the groceries?” Lucian’s grandmother shouts.
I look back to Graydon and Callie and see that they have jumped apart. I can see the frustration on Graydon’s face. I guess he didn’t get that kiss after all. Good. Now, I sound like a jealous boyfriend. Maybe, I am. I haven’t gotten a lot of alone time with Callyn. The others have gotten to spend more time with her than I have. Football really cut into that, with practice and away games. Luckily, we played our last game last week. We got nudged out of a playoff spot. I can’t say that I’m mad about it. It opens up my schedule.
“Today boys, not tomorrow,” Grammy yells. All of us rush out to help. With the four of us, it doesn’t take long to bring the in the rest of the groceries. Callyn tries to help, but Max hip checks her out of the way. While everyone is preoccupied with helping Grammy, I pull Callie off to the side.
She gives me this look, asking me with her eyes if I’m okay. “I wanted to check on you and see how you’re really doing. I know this is a lot to take in, and you seem to be handling it well, but looks can be deceiving.” I can see her deflate a little.
“Honestly, I’m overwhelmed. The only reason I’m not crumbling right now is because of you guys. I know that you guys are here to help. There are too many what if’s in play right now, and it makes me uneasy.”
“It makes us all uneasy, but I can tell you, eventually everything finds its way to the light. Once we can uncover everything, we can make a plan. I promise you are not alone in this.” I reach up and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I cup the side of her face. Callie sighs and leans into my hand.
“I know,” she whispers. She reaches up and places her palm on my chest. A rumble starts in my chest and a low growl slips between my lips. I expected Callie to move away, but instead she takes a step closer. “One day I would like to see your wolf.”
“You will.” My wolf likes that idea very much. I think back to when Callie was running her fingers through my hair and wonder what it would feel like to have her do the same to my wolf’s fur. My wolf howls in the back of mind. He wants me to make that happen. I will, soon.
Before I can get any further, we hear music coming from the living room, and not good music either. I sigh, Max.
Maximus
“Angel,” I yell. There have been too many days recently where all we talk about is doom and gloom. My angel needs to have a little fun. Bad music and bad dancing is just the way to do it. I see Callie and Zeke walk in. So that’s where he got off too. I see the uncertainty on her face. “Come,” I say as I hold out my hand to her. “I promise I won’t bite. Well, not unless you want me to,” I give her a toothy grin and a wink. I hear her sharp intake of breath. I inhale slightly, the sweet scent of Callie’s arousal is faintly in the air. I let loose a low growl. My angel likes that idea. Interesting.
“What are you doing, Max?” Callie questions a little breathlessly.
Control Max, control, show a little man. You’re not a young pup anymore. I clear my throat. “We are going to have some fun. Grammy is making lasagna for dinner, so that will take a little while. I know all of us are waiting to hear back from Elder Harris, but there is no need for us to sit around moping.”
“Okay, but what does that have to do with the music?”
“We are going to dance.” Callie groans.
“I can’t dance, Max.”
“Neither can I, so this should be interesting.”
“Entertaining is more like it,” Graydon says from the doorway.
I can see the moment Callie gives in. “Fine.” I smile.
I take her by the hand, and we stand in the middle of the living room. I had moved the furniture to open the space a little. The next song starts to play. It’s upbeat and fast. Alright, time to show her my moves. I pick some of the worst dance moves I can think of and start doing them. It only takes about half the song before Callie is laughing. I mean the double over can’t breathe laughing. It takes about another two songs before I get her to join in.
We are in the middle of doing the cabbage patch, when the song switches to a slow one. We stop and Callie looks like she is about leave, when I grab her hand and pull her into me. I place one arm around her waist; my hand resting right above the curve of her butt. My other hand brings her hand up to my chest and places it right over my heart, resting my hand on top of hers. Her other hand goes to my shoulder. We slowly dance in a circle in the middle of Lucian’s living room.
As the night wore on, each of us took a turn slow dancing with Callie. Grammy takes too many photos. Elder Harris comes in right as dinner is done, we eat sans flinging food. Now, we are all sitting back in the living room waiting to hear how talking to the Taylors went.
“Well, unfortunately I have nothing good to report. Some of the other Council members got to her before I got there. I have no idea what they said and whatever that was, the Taylors have no intention of keeping this quiet.”
“What does that mean for me?” Callie asks.
“It means, by tomorrow, the whole school is going to know who and what you are. They will know what Kelsey is, and she will use her new status to catapult her even higher.”
“Do you really think that she will mention me? I mean, she’s all about herself, I don’t see why she would have a need to bring me up.”
“Kelsey being a prophetess will bring her enough attention in its own right, but the fact that she will be working,” air quoting the last word, “right alongside the Alpha Queen, well that will garner even more attention.”
We all groan. Well, tomorrow is going to be interesting to say the least.
“Well, fuck me sideways,” I say. This is the last thing we need, Kelsey with more power.