Chapter 4

Laura

Marcus hits his chest and clears his throat once we are standing outside Caleb's mansion at sunrise.

Great.

I can't say I'm interested in listening to the beta. I barely slept in the car since I was pressed between two giants. I'm dying to go inside and find myself a fancy bed.

"Once we head inside, you can't see Caleb," Marcus tells me in a strict tone, burying his eyes in mine. "There was a full moon last night, and I'm not sure what mental state our alpha will be found in. He might still be aggressive and mad."

"From a full moon?" I ask, confused.

"Yes, alpha Caleb reacts that way to moonlight. He gets... Upset. Most of the time, he is also aggressive in his human form. That's why you might only see him as a wolf. When we hunt, for example."

Now it's my turn to glare up at Marcus. I don't care that he is at least a foot taller than me. I might only be five feet tall, but I'm not a coward, and I won't let this big man tell me what and what not to do. 

"Listen here," I glare at Marcus, lowering my tone enough to make him stare down at me. "I will talk to Caleb if I want to."

"With all due respect—"

"No."

He blinks. "Did you just interrupt me?"

"Yes?"

Marcus stares at me.

It makes me roll my eyes. This idiot isn't taking me seriously. 

I square my shoulders, not one bit afraid of the damn beta. I'm in a bad mood when I'm hungover, and I haven't slept for even five minutes in the car—I'm one second away from ripping out his eyes!

"Caleb kidnapped me, which makes him owe me a fucking explanation. Because if he expects me to marry him without one, then boy do I have a surprise for him."

Marcus continues to stare at me. I swear some men think I will behave like a doll just because I'm tiny.

They are dead wrong.

I got some attitude when I'm mad.

"And if I marry Caleb, I will become your luna, so you better get on my good side right now, Marcus. I might only be five feet tall to your six-foot-something, but I'm not to be underestimated. I'm fierce, and if a man pisses me off, I know exactly how to castrate him."

By now, Marcus has turned into a block of ice. Even the color of his face is draining, rapidly turning into a sickly pale hue.

I smile in satisfaction. "Now, where is Caleb's room?"

He gulps. "O-on the third floor, ma'am. Alpha Caleb usually keeps the door locked, b... but you could try knocking?"

"Ah, I see," I keep the smile on my face as I saunter up the stairs, still wearing the same wedding dress from earlier. "Thank you, Marcus. You've done good—you may keep your balls."

Both Marcus and the other werewolf stare after me as I pull open the grand doors of the mansion. They are twice as tall as me and super heavy, yet I somehow manage.

My high heels produce a clip-clop sound as I walk forward over a white marble floor. A single chandelier hangs over two stairs that look like they were made for royalty. 

Holy shit.

I'm just losing more of my mind, taking it all in. What the hell did this place cost?

Wrought iron banisters belonging to the stairs, super detailed in black, make my eyes grow huge. I'm impressed. I also love the Roman-inspired columns holding up the place.

And the interior? Gosh, Caleb even got some fancy flowerpots. It makes me smile; I didn't take him for a flower guy. Perhaps he had someone else decorate the house?

Either way, I hurry up the stairs and inhale the air. My heart immediately picks up speed because a scent I haven't inhaled for years hits my nose, bringing me back to my childhood.

Caleb.

A scene of us swinging in his backyard flashes past my eyes. We are smiling and laughing under the summer sun. 

Caleb was the person I trusted the most, and then the bastard kidnapped me off a parking lot!

I'm so freaking angry at him.

Walking in high heels isn't going my way, so I throw them off and hold my dress with my hands. It makes me climb the stairs faster until I finally stand outside Caleb's door.

Panting, I reach out my hand to knock but hesitate. 

This is it. 

Caleb is behind this door, the best friend I haven't seen for seven years and the idiot who kidnapped me from my damn car. I'm mad at what he did. But most of all, I'm afraid of meeting him again after so many years. 

What if he hates what he sees?

I've always had low self-esteem when it comes to my appearance. Even after losing weight, I'm still the same girl everyone bullied on the inside. My self-esteem is low. And Caleb used to date pretty girls in the past, and I know it's silly, but...

What if I'm not good enough?

No. 

I can't think like that!

I place my hand over the knob, and my heart pounds like crazy when the door opens to reveal a big bedroom. There isn't anyone inside the room telling me to get out, and I take that as an invitation.

My eyes roam around: no one is resting in the king-sized bed. The net is pulled to the side, revealing an empty mattress.

I avert my eyes, and suddenly the world seems to stop spinning.

A man is peering out through the window with his back turned against me and earbuds in his ears.

The sight of him knocks the winds out of me.

I freeze on the spot. 

Brawny, tattooed arms, brown hair, and a back so broad I could comfortably rest on top of it. Those muscles are nothing short of frightening. 

I continue to stare, no, gawk. The stranger is standing there, newly showered, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. 

It's then I notice his height.

Holy fuck—this man is much bigger and taller than Marcus! So freaking ripped and broad he could be the offspring of a professional wrestler and a basketball player!

And he is hot.

My mouth waters, but I soon become paralyzed by a new fear.

This behemoth of a man must be Caleb, and he hasn't seen me yet!

A voice tells me to run before it's too late. I should escape as fast as I can before Caleb inhales the air and can tell someone is in his room. I'm practically ogling his ass.

I mean...

I wish to speak to Caleb, but I didn't expect him to be so freaking enormous and intimidating!

What the hell does that alpha eat?!

Cows?

My entire body is trembling as I watch him peer down at the phone in his hand while humming.

Suddenly the humming stops, and I chant an inner prayer when he grows silent. Caleb must have discovered my scent, and the world seems to screech to a halt when he whips around. 

Shit-shit-shit!

My chest is heaving while he moves!

Caleb looks forward, frowning when he doesn't see anyone, then he looks further down. And finally, his eyes land on mine. It's genuinely the most nerve-wracking moment of my entire life. Terrifying because I can see recognition settling over Caleb's features.

His eyes widen slightly, and then he moves across the room, slowly approaching me while tilting his head. 

I almost pass out from the sheer anxiety wracking havoc inside me.

Caleb is even more stunningly handsome up close. He is beautiful even though he has a beard. Large and muscular and so much taller than I remember. I feel like a child when he stops in front of me.

I lift my chin, and he blinks. 

Awestruck, his gaze roams over me, up and down, as he silently takes me in, but once we make eye contact, he pauses. 

I stop breathing.

It's like someone has lit up a matchstick and thrown it into an oil-filled ocean. The mate-bond comes in so strong I can barely stand straight and almost buckle forward.

Caleb places a big, warm hand on my cheek. The simple touch sends shockwaves throughout my body.

So familiar yet scary.

Caleb says nothing as he just looks at me intensely and begins to gently trace my jawline with his finger. So gentle. I close my eyes in response and stand deathly still, making him breathe a laugh. 

I look at him again, and his finger travels down to my lips. The rough surface of his thumb tickles against my bottom lip as he searches for something.

I already know what it is.

There is a little scar on my lip. It's from when I fell with my bike. Caleb and I were kids back then, and now he is touching that area.

"I can't believe it," he murmurs. "It's really you."

No, fuck this—I'm out!

I feel like I could come from simply hearing him talk dirty. Caleb has that kind of gravelly voice that does things to me.

It's not fair!

Fucking mate-bond!

"You're my Teacup, right?" Caleb asks, looking super happy. "And you're my mate—my itsy bitsy, adorable mate."

Itsy bitsy?

Adorable?

I'm suddenly reminded that I'm mad at this guy, and those freaking insults just rekindled the hellfire within me!

"I'm not your itsy bitsy mate!" I back up from Caleb, leaving him blinking at me like I've grown two heads.

"But... Can't you feel the mate-bond?"

"That means nothing after you've kidnapped me!" I hiss at him. "And stop giving me those fuck-me eyes!"

Caleb tilts his head. An amused smile is playing over his lips. "I think it's rather hard to fight the mate-bond."

"Uh, no?" I laugh to mock him. "I've left one alpha already, Caleb—don't expect me to be an easy victim. It doesn't matter that we are mates! You kidnapped me, and I won't ever forgive that! So if you excuse me, I will find myself a bed to sleep in. Goodbye, Caleb."

"But you came here to speak to me, right?"

I did, but the tiny detail that we are mates is pissing me off. How could the moon goddess betray me like this?!

I flip Caleb the bird. 

His beautiful eyes light up in return, and he looks entirely taken by me, spellbound. I almost swoon, but close doesn't shoot any duck; I'm not falling for those damn eyes. 

Or that beautiful face. I turn on my heel, spin around and storm towards the door, knowing full well that Caleb is staring after my ass.