Mated To An Enemy

Caleb grinned as he fastened the buttons on his shirt. He felt her eyes on him, and though he pretended not to notice, he relished the satisfaction he felt coming off of her.

Ashleigh lay in bed, the sheets covering her aching body. They had spent the entire night consumed by their passions.

The entire night.

They had barely pulled themselves away from each other an hour ago, and that was only because Caleb had a schedule to keep.

She watched him now, smiling and humming to himself. He had taken a shower, shaved, ironed his shirt, and everything.

“How are you so full of energy?” she asked, snuggling into his pillow. “I’m exhausted.”

Caleb chuckled.

“Maybe I stole all of yours,” he grinned.

“You definitely stole all of mine,” she said, laughing. “I’m just not sure how you managed to keep your own as well.”

Caleb finished off the last button and kneeled forward on the bed so he could kiss her.

“Being near you rejuvenates me,” he whispered.

Ashleigh took a deep breath and pulled the sheets over her head.

“Go!” she said. “Go away, you incubus!”

Caleb laughed heartily. He kissed the top of her head through the sheet and stood back up.

“Alright, I’m going,” he smiled, turning away from the bed.

“Wait!” Ashleigh called out, tossing the sheets aside.

She jumped up from the bed, wearing a tank top and panties. She ran to him and hugged his back.

“I’ll miss you,” she said softly.

He was going to be gone for at least a few days. That was why she was so willing to spend hours locked in passion. Because she knew how much she would miss him when he walked out the door.

“I already do,” he whispered, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips.

Caleb turned around and gave her a proper hug.

“I’ll be back in a few days. Once this very surprising meeting is taken care of, I’ll come right home,” he said.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Ashleigh said. “Has it ever happened before?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Caleb replied.

“How did she even manage this?” she asked.

Caleb shrugged.

“I’m learning every day to be less and less surprised by what that woman can accomplish, even without being asked.”

Ashleigh nodded.

“I have never been happier to be proven wrong about someone,” she smiled.

Caleb narrowed his eyes and cocked his head with a playful grin.

“Never?” he asked.

Ashleigh looked at him with confusion and then laughed with understanding.

“Ok, yes, I was much happier to be proven wrong about you,” she smiled. Then another thought occurred to her. “And about Granger, sort of. And technically, Axel and my dad. Wow, I have been wrong a lot this year.”

Caleb laughed, and so did Ashleigh.

“My point is,” Ashleigh continued. “I’m glad that Alice is the person my brother tried so hard to tell me she was.”

“I mean… a few of us tried to tell you that,” Caleb smiled.

“Ok, you can go now,” Ashleigh said with a gentle scoff as she pushed him away playfully.

Caleb grinned and grabbed her waist. He pulled her to him and captured her lips with his own. His hand grabbed the back of her head and held her as he poured his admiration and love into the kiss.

When they pulled away breathless, he bent forward and nuzzled into her nape, kissing gently on her skin as his hot breath made her shudder.

“When I get back,” he whispered gruffly against her throat. “I plan to take all of the energy you have inside of you.”

He gave her one last nip before pulling away and grabbing his overnight bag. He didn’t look back at her once before he left the room.

As Ashleigh stood there trying to catch her breath, she felt another shuddering through her body as he pushed back onto her the desire he felt and couldn’t take with him. Suddenly, even with her body still aching, a few days seemed like a very long time to her.

***

Alice ended up staying in Summer for four days after Axel returned to Winter. Though they talked multiple times a day, they were both unhappy with the distance.

So, when Myka finally reached out and set a date for the meeting, Alice was overjoyed. Without this meeting as an excuse, she was sure the doctor would insist she stay a few more days.

But Alice was done with the hospital, and a few more days threatened her ability to behave.

Axel had already spoken with Bell, who talked to the doctor in Summer. She planned for Alice to continue with the treatments she was receiving already. Bell could monitor her from her home rather than the hospital.

Now it was just a question of getting home.

She and Caleb would be traveling to Winter together. The scouts had reported fewer and fewer sightings of Autumn wolves or any of the fae. And those posted near Autumn had reported seeing many returning to their pack.

It was suspicious behavior, but right now, what mattered most was securing the new alliance and the new weapons that Burning Ember had prepared.

Caleb had offered to send a team to Sofia to collect the weapons, but she insisted on meeting him in Winter. He quickly realized the reason for her insistence.

“I’ll be glad to see her again,” Alice said as the car drove down the road.

“I know she will be glad to see you,” Caleb replied.

“I feel bad,” she said, looking down toward the floor. “When I think about all the time we spent together, all the secrets we shared, I see how many times she had to reintroduce herself, I never remembered her.”

Caleb glanced at Alice.

“You might not have remembered her, but you never abandoned her. I think that matters a lot more than you think it does.”

Alice smiled and glanced out the window.

“Maybe,” she sighed.

“So,” Caleb said, attempting to change the subject for her. “How did you manage to arrange this whole thing?”

Alice sat back in her seat and thought about it for a moment.

“Well,” she said. “It wasn’t really that difficult. Myka and I met several times over the years, so we already had a decent relationship. And when I found them, they were already very well aware of the trouble brewing.”

“Yea, but don’t they generally hate us?” Caleb asked.

“They generally disagree with you,” she corrected. “They don’t particularly feel one way or the other about you.”

“I still find it difficult to believe that there is an entire pack I knew nothing about a few months ago.”

“Not a pack,” Alice corrected again. “They are nomadic wolves. They don’t join together; they don’t follow a leader. That’s why this is such a rare and crazy event. Them gathering to sign a formal alliance… unheard of.”

“And it’s all thanks to you,” Caleb smiled.

“No,” Alice said, glancing out the window. “It’s all thanks to the murderers and monsters that want a war.”