Mated To An Enemy

After they returned to the party, Ashleigh and Caleb had a wonderful time. They ate, drank, and celebrated with the people of Summer.

Ashleigh eventually was taken away by Corrine and Fiona, leaving Caleb alone. He sighed and debated calling it an early night.

The moon was high in the sky, and a chorus of howls reached his ear. It was a hunt through the forests of Summer. Caleb smiled; it had been years since he had joined a proper full moon hunt. He shifted and joined his wolves in a run through the trees.

When morning came, he was disappointed that Ashleigh had already gotten up and started her day. Corrine would be leaving in two days, and Caleb knew there were things that she needed to teach Ashleigh before then.

But he was having a hard time being away from her.

Between the kidnapping, learning about their connection to the original wolves, and Ashleigh’s power problems, he felt he needed to be with her. To know that she was okay.

Getting up from their bed, he saw a bag on the couch. It was his overnight bag, and from what he could see, it was packed.

He got up to investigate and found a note sitting on top of it.

‘Stop worrying. The moms will be with me the whole time you’re gone.’

Caleb couldn’t help but smile as he sighed.

“Even my wife is trying to get rid of me,� he laughed.

After a quick shower and a business-like call with Galen, he headed to his office. He was surprised to find someone already waiting at his door.

“Hello, my love,� Fiona smiled.

“I thought you were training with Ashleigh?� Caleb said, opening the door and letting her inside.

“She and Corrine are on a run,� Fiona said. “I didn’t realize how much Corrine has missed the non-snowy terrain.�

Caleb smiled.

“Anyway, I wanted to take the time to come to finish our conversation from last night.�

Caleb sighed.

“I know,� he said. “I’m going, alright? Once Galen returns, I will make arrangements to meet with the alpha of Burning Ember.�

“Good,� Fiona smiled. “But you’re leaving today. I already spoke with Galen. He will be back tomorrow afternoon. I know you spoke with him earlier, so you already know he’s only back for a week. Which means you have no time to waste.�

Caleb looked at Fiona with irritation.

“Be pissy if you want, but this is your duty,� Fiona said with a roll of her eyes.

“I know,� he said, “but I don’t have to like it.�

“It will only be a few days. And Ashleigh will be busy most of that time anyway.�

“True,� Caleb sighed, then smiled as he remembered something. “It will be nice to see Burning Ember’s alpha again.�

“Oh?� Fiona asked. “I didn’t realize you were friends with any lesser alphas.�

“I’m not,� Caleb replied.

“Then why will it be nice to see him again?�

“The last time I saw the old creep was at Axel’s ceremony. Where his focus was entirely on Ashleigh’s ass.� Caleb growled.

***

The wolves of Burning Ember were balanced and independent. They had strong warriors, but unlike Eclipsed or Broken Crag, it wasn’t their primary focus.

Within their territory was an active volcano on a cycle of eruption every five years. They supposedly founded their pack in the burning embers of a once great forest.

They developed their culture around the fire of the earth. They found a focus on forging and smithing. Armor and blades, essential tools, and materials. In nearly every part of their territory, you could hear the clanking of a hammer on hot metal or the violent hiss of a quenching.

Proximity to the volcano had given them access to rare material. Obsidian glass. Over time they had developed themselves into experts at working with the obsidian to create decorations and various items to be traded with other packs and even humans.

They also had perfected blades and arrowheads made from obsidian, not an entirely unique idea. Still, unlike most weapons made of obsidian, those made in Burning Ember were not fragile.

However, these items they would not part with.

The material that Summer had developed into their armor to create weapons was synthetic obsidian, meant to replicate the sharpness but without the fragility of the glass.

As Caleb walked through the streets, he noted how many wolves looked at him. They didn’t trust him. But, they had no reason to. They eyed him with suspicion.

None of them were outright rude or hostile. If anything, they seemed to be cautious of him. Avoiding getting close while keeping an eye everywhere he went.

Caleb couldn’t help but wonder what their alpha had told them about the Alpha of Summer.

“Alpha Caleb,� a large man with dark skin and eyes called him.

“Yes,� Caleb replied.

The man nodded and pointed to a door.

“Our Alpha has asked that you wait here.�

Caleb nodded and headed toward the door.

“Will he be long?� Caleb asked, turning to see that the man had already disappeared. “Alright...�

He entered the room, closing the door behind him.

It was a small sitting room with two couches facing each other and a table between them. On the table was a tray with four black cups and a black pitcher beside it.

Caleb leaned forward, picked up one of the cups, and looked it over. It was beautiful, but he could tell it wasn’t made of genuine obsidian.

The door opened.

The man he had seen before entered the room. Behind him was a woman. She was of average height, roughly five foot eight inches.

Her skin was darker than the man that walked ahead of her. Her long black hair was pulled into twisted braids stretched to the middle of her back.

The man and the woman positioned themselves behind the couch and then looked back at the door.

A second man entered the room. This man was tall, so tall he had to duck as he entered the room. His skin was pale, his eyes brown, his hair greying and long enough to reach his chin. He wore a severe expression.

As he stood straight, he looked at the two that had entered the room before him with a nod, then he turned to Caleb.

He made a grunting sound and then moved around the couch, taking a seat.

“Sit,� the man grunted.

Caleb raised his eyebrow and took a deep breath. He sat on the couch across from the man and then sat down the cup.

“Are you thirsty?� the man asked.

“Not particularly,� Caleb replied.

“Fill his cup,� the man said.

The woman gave a nod and came around the couch. She grabbed the pitcher and lifted her eyes to Caleb.

Caleb was surprised by the brightness of her eyes. Pale green, even brighter than Galen’s. He noticed the piercing on her septum and tattoos on her fingers.

He also noted scattered bits of obsidian jewelry among the twists in her hair.

She lifted the corner of her mouth in a coquettish grin as she poured the water from the pitcher into one of the cups and then placed it before him.

The man on the couch let out a soft growl.

The woman bowed her head and moved back behind the couch.

Caleb looked back to the man sitting across from him.

“Drink,� the man said.

Caleb clenched his jaw and took a deep breath through his nose.

“Where is your alpha?� Caleb asked.

“Right in front of you,� the man grunted.

Caleb narrowed his eyes at the man.

“I realize that the lesser packs prefer to operate on their own, but they are still required to report a change in leadership,� Caleb said. “You are not the alpha of this pack.�

“You think you know everything?� the man scoffed. “You know nothing of Burning Ember.�

Caleb’s eyes lifted to the man and woman behind the couch.

“Where is your alpha?� Caleb asked.

The woman gave the same grin as before and shrugged her shoulders. The man behind her made no sound of movement.

“Now you’re being rude,� the man on the couch growled.

“No,� Caleb sighed.

His movements were quick. He flipped the table between them against the wall and then placed his hand below the man’s chin, lifting him into the air.

“Not greeting a guest properly is rude,� Caleb growled, “lying to an alpha is rude. Likewise, pretending to be an alpha is rude.�

Caleb squeezed his hand until the man began to make gasping sounds.

“I would be within my right to kill this man, but that would also be very rude,� Caleb snarled. “I can be rude if you make me.�

“Stop!�

Caleb turned to the other two wolves.

The woman glared at him angrily.

“I am Sofia. I am the Alpha of Burning Ember.�