Chapter 19

Luka

I held onto Caleb on the drive home, pretending there was no one in the car but us. I wished that Hecate actually had a broom so she could fly us home. Instead, I was stuck with Declan behind me, haunting me in the car like he did in real life.

When we got to the manor, Caleb nodded at James and Warren, and they positioned themselves in their seats. Caleb took my hand and pulled me out immediately.

“Come, Luka.” He ushered me straight into the house. True to his word, Caleb protected me, making sure I didn’t have to spend a second longer with Declan than necessary.

I could hear Declan fighting Warren and James. “She’ll see, and so will you! You can’t lock me up forever.”

Caleb took me onto a patio in the back of the house, where we had dinner the night before, and he held both of my hands. His hair looked golden in the setting sun, and his eyes looked brighter than the waning sky.

“How are you feeling?” At that moment, no one else but him existed.

“I’m feeling…a lot.”

He nodded his head in sympathy. “Well, it’s over now.”

I was afraid at first that he was telling me that he and I were over, because my wolf hadn’t appeared.

“Your bond begins to break today. The first step of freeing yourself is getting well. We’ll get one of the best nutritionists in the world, along with doctors and counseling. A whole team, just for you.”

I lay my head on his shoulder, and he stroked my hair.

“She’ll be here within the hour,” he said.

“Who will?”

“The nutritionist. Layla Goodwin.”

My eyes widened. “You have one already?”

“I’ll move mountains for you, Luka. I want you to know that.”

Layla arrived even faster than Caleb’s prediction.

“Will you come to meet her with me?” I asked nervously.

“Of course, Luka. I’m in this with you all the way.”

Caleb asked Layla even more questions than I did. I was salivating just talking about the menu. Layla had nutritious snacks with her, things I had never had before. Cashews, macadamia nuts, jerky, dried mangos.

“Carry these with you, Luka, in case you get hungry,” Layla said. “You’ll have fresh food, too, but to keep with you.”

“Is there a chance I’ll eat too much?” My mouth was half-full of nuts when I asked.

Layla laughed. “We’ll worry about that when the time comes. That’s what they call a champagne problem.”

I had a puzzled look. “Champagne?”

“We’ll have some later, Luka, to celebrate.”

Layla got a serious look on her face. “Only a tiny amount for now. Once she’s well, she can have a full glass. For now, this much.” Layla held her index finger and thumb an inch apart.

“Yes, ma’am,” Caleb said, putting his hand on my knee. I had never seen him acting subservient to anyone, even in jest.

When Layla left, we had scheduled our first regular weekly appointment, and on-demand meetings for whenever I needed.

“Thank you, Caleb.” I threw my arms around his neck, and he lifted me up.

“Thank you, Luka.”

“For what?”

He held my forehead close to him. “For showing me this.” He put his hand on my heart, and I closed my eyes, inhaling him.

Mia came by the next day to visit. She had brought me a care package of some of her favorite treats, including a basket of her favorite fruits, and a bouquet of flowers.

“How are you holding up?” she asked.

“Much better than before, thanks to you. And thanks to…”

“My brother?”

I smiled shyly, and she jokingly swatted me. “Good. That’s what he’s there for. Let me know if he’s not doing his job.”

“I will.” My smile grew bigger.

When Caleb came by, the smile spread across my entire face. I noticed he wore a big smile too. “My lovely sister! What brings you here?”

Mia put her arm around me. “This lovely person.”

“Understandable.” He brushed his hand against my cheek, and it felt like a gentle breeze. “Unfortunately, I have to leave you now. Training sessions this morning. You take good care of her, okay?”

“I will,” I said.

“I meant Mia.” They both laughed.

Mia and I walked around the grounds, and I told her all about the visit to the witch.

“So the witch was lovely, and Declan was the horrible fiend,” Mia joked.

“Exactly.”

Strolling across the estate, we came across a horde of people sparring. “Those are the training grounds, right?” I asked.

“Yep. Wanna spy on my brother? I can also point out some of the members of the pack.”

“I won’t say no…”

She started running, and then stopped. “Are you allowed to run?”

I shook my head. “I’m not actually sure how much physical exertion I’m supposed to be doing. I have to ask.”

“We’ll be on the safe side, then.” Mia held my hand and walked slowly toward the field. We crouched down and watched.

Caleb was incredibly graceful in his fighting abilities, like he was a dancer, not a warrior. His muscles bulged from his athletic clothes, and he blocked every person he fought. He flipped a particularly muscular pack member effortlessly.

Mia laughed at my wide-open mouth. “He’s good, isn’t he?”

I nodded, amazed.

“Gets your heart rate up, huh? I see the way you’re looking at him.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“It’s exciting to watch. The fighting. It would be nice to know how to defend myself, after everything.”

“If you’re interested in learning, you absolutely should. It’s for the entire pack.”

“Oh.” My mouth dropped.

“So, you don’t want to?”

My eyes darted toward her. “Wait. You’re saying it’s only for pack members. Am I…part of…?”

“The pack? Are you kidding? Of course.”

I watched the fighting even more closely, thrilled that I would get to join. My eyes kept drifting toward Caleb, who was just stunning as sweat glistened over his body. He took his shirt off, and I nearly swooned. Mia fanned my face teasingly.

Even if he weren’t my mate—which still felt awkward to say, since I didn’t feel the bond—I would have had a huge crush on him. Even in Long Lake Pack. I couldn’t believe that he was actually mine.

That evening at dinner on the patio—with fish, rice, vegetables, and fruit with yogurt for dessert—I told him what I had seen with Mia.

“She took you to the training fields? What did you think of what you saw?”

“I thought it looked amazing. And Mia said everyone can participate. I was thinking, maybe…I could learn…”

“No. Out of the question.”

“Really?” I could feel the moisture pooling in my eyes. Even though Caleb told me I was his mate, that didn’t mean he had to be kind to me. I knew that from Declan. Would he be controlling, too?

“Without a wolf,” he said, “it’s too dangerous.”

My fists were clenched. “The witch said I need to get strong and physically fit. If you’re not letting me, I don’t know how I’m supposed to awaken the wolf.”

He put his hand on his chin. “I’ll consider it. You raise a good point.”

“You’ll consider whether I can get fit?” I was almost yelling.

“I’ll consider whether you can train in the pack sessions, which are for combat. But I have to test whether you’re ready.”

I had a huge smile on my face. “When do I take the test?”

“Now.” Caleb was smiling, too.

He picked up the salt on the table and started pouring it on the ground. I had no idea what he was doing.

Once he was done sprinkling a circle around himself, he grinned. “All right, here’s our sparring ground.” He gestured for me to come inside his circle, which felt oddly intimate, like I was joining his private bubble. “All you have to do is catch me.”

He was mostly staying in one place, so I figured it would be easy. I figured wrong. As soon as I got close, he managed to evade me. I ran right into the middle to catch him, and he’d be on the other side a moment later.

He was like a ghost, slipping out of my grasp right when I thought I’d caught him. I was getting frustrated, and Caleb was quietly laughing.

I lunged for him when he was half-turned, pouncing like a wildcat. Caleb, like he had eyes in the back of his head, dodged it easily. I started tumbling to the ground, filling the space that Caleb had filled just a second ago.

His arm swooped down and caught me tightly by the waist , like a bungee cord springing into action.

The mixture of exhilaration of almost falling and the security of Caleb’s arm tightly around me made me flush. My heart beat fast, and I could feel my cheeks reddening.