Chapter 2
I knew that sooner or later I would have to face a war, but when my father gave me the mission to go after my uncle and take him urgently back to the pack, I understood that I would never be recognized as head of that people. He preferred a bastard who rejected his family for a human, to me. I always had everything. I am a powerful alpha and I do not measure efforts to get what I want, but I was not a legitimate wolf of that pack, since I was adopted by them when I was still a cub. Although my wolf was imposing, strong, and bigger than any I know, my gray coat showed that I did not belong to that group of brown wolves.
Although I did not agree with my grandfather, I obeyed his orders and went to the neutral city in search of my uncle.
After researching, I found out that he had a large construction company, and then I used one of our companies to get closer and make a deal. It was the perfect opportunity to face him without arousing suspicion, and if I couldn’t convince him to come back with me for good, I would use my means to get that idiot back home.
I didn’t want to scare him, and so I tried to bind him to a contract before he showed up, and then my uncle would have to listen to me and stop playing house with his human and go back to our pack and fight for our people.
Everything was going the way I planned. I don’t play to lose. Every step I take is calculated and as much as I do not agree with what is happening, I am faithful to my leaders and will do everything in my power to take my uncle back.
However, when one of my lawyers who was handling the contract that was being concluded with my uncle’s company told me that the person in charge of the company was an Ava Smith, I realized that I wasn’t being careful enough and that I missed some very important information. That way, I sent for one of the best detectives I know who is trusted by my Pack and ordered him to lift my uncle’s story over the last twenty years in that neutral city.
Rick was very efficient and at the end of the day already had a detailed report of what had happened and met me to pass me the information, which, I confess, caught me by surprise.
“Caleb, you have a problem ahead. I know your grandfather sent you to meet your uncle and take him back to the pack, but unfortunately he’s dead.”
“Dead?” — I said without knowing exactly how to process that information, since his absence would make room for me, but at the same time, I will see my father and grandfather torn apart by the loss of a family member. I know they were always proud, but it was clear that they felt the pain of his absence.
“Yes, Caleb. What are you going to do with this information. You can say that he didn’t want to come back with you until he didn’t. Then his place as leader in the pack would be secured.”
“Yes, Rick. I could do that. But I’m not a disloyal man, and would kill my wolf in disgust if I had such an attitude. I have no choice. I’m going to call my family and tell them it’s all over, that there’s no Valgerd left here.”
Rick looked at me with some discomfort, as if he was choosing the words to speak to me and after facing him seriously, he finally let go of what he wanted to say:
“It’s not all over. There’s still one of you here.”
“If you’re talking about his human wife, forget it. She’s not and will never be one of us.”
“Damn it, Caleb! You never thought that a union of, so long, would yield no fruit?”
“What are you talking about, Rick? Don’t tell me that’s what I’m thinking.”
“Exactly. The woman who runs your uncle’s company is Ava Smith, his daughter with the human. As much as she’s not a pure Valgerd, she still carries her uncle’s blood.”
I needed to think. So I paid Rick for his excellent services and dismissed him. I needed to decide how I was going to tell my family.
The other morning, I already had a decision. I let my lawyers continue with the contract and the plan to meet my alleged cousin, since she was the one who answered for my uncle, and I returned home.
Furthermore, I rented a private jet and went to my pack. I didn’t have a good way for my grandfather and father to know my uncle was gone, so the least I could do was tell them personally.
As I imagined, the news was received by them in the worst possible way. Although my father continued with his serious and closed countenance, he knew he was suffering. His eyes did not lie. My grandfather, the great leader, often feared and even cruel, who went over everything for the good of his people, learned to hide his feelings, But at that moment, the single tear that ran down the corner of his eyes showed that the news had affected him more than I dared to imagine.
Suddenly, the silence that reigned in that room was broken by my grandfather’s orders:
“Caleb, go back to the neutral city and bring her to me.”
What do you mean, he wanted the human’s daughter? I even tried to argue, but the authoritarian tone of my grandfather gave me no choice and without even saying goodbye, I returned to the neutral city to fulfill my mission.
It’s been two days since I was back in the Neutral City, and finally I would meet my human cousin and tell her about the family I’m sure she despises, since not even the name of the pack she carries.
As she was an almost inaccessible person, I kept my plan to perform a contract with her company and set up a meeting. At first, I would not identify myself and would try an approach to have a minimum of knowledge about the territory I was treading, but it seems that fate likes to play with me.
It was already night and dinner was already happening. As my lawyers looked at the contract paperwork, I finished getting ready. As much as my priority was to take my cousin away, I couldn’t do a bad deal with my family’s companies, and so I asked them to look at everything thoroughly.
As I was about to go down to the hotel restaurant and meet my bastard cousin, I felt my wolf shake and I heard a noise outside the room, so without much thought I opened the door and came across it.
I knew I was standing before Ava Smith because I had seen countless pictures of her, but there was a strange familiarity in her eyes that made my wolf uneasy. I was paralyzed in front of that woman, and although I knew we were from the same family, as much as we did not share the same blood, the desperate desire to kiss those lips seemed too wrong.
I was still motionless, feeling a warmth run through my entire body. My wolf was restless, as if standing before his companion, but as much as I knew that there was no wolf there, which was expected to be the daughter of a human, but still our souls were attuned to the desire that burned every part of our being.
After a while, seeing that she would not leave there and without understanding what she wanted, she said to the woman who stared at me with eyes of fire:
“What are you doing here?”
To my surprise, she answered nothing and fainted in front of me, as if lifeless, and I instinctively picked her up and carried her into my room, loosened her clothes a little and laid her on my bed.
After seeing that she was breathing, I asked my lawyers to extend that dinner while I tried to find out what took my cousin to my room.
She was lying in my bed and I couldn’t help but admire the scene that was forming before my eyes. That woman was beautiful, and I wouldn’t mind having her if she wasn’t a human, but unfortunately she is, I won’t get dirty with such a being, no matter how much my body cries out for her. It was because of her mother that my family suffers today, and so I refuse to cherish any feeling for her.
When I realize she’s about to wake up, I approach the bed and sit next to her, when she opens her eyes, I realize she’s confused and then I say:
“You were at my bedroom door, and you fainted when I asked you what you were doing, and I brought you in. Rest assured, that was just that.”
I realized she was as confused as she was before, and then I gave her time to recover and got up from bed, but as soon as I walked away she asked me:
“Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Caleb, I’m here to close a deal with your company.”
She then snorted angrily, as if what I had just said was nonsense, and asked again:
“I don’t want to know your name or what you do, I want to know who you are and why I came here as if I were bewitched. What have you done and what do you want from me?”
“Don’t be crazy, girl! I didn’t do anything. You should explain yourself, since you practically broke into my room and passed out at my door.”