Chapter 14 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CAIUS
I finally return to my pack around 1 am. I run to Clayton's house and push the door open with my snout. The first sounds I hear when I enter are moans of ecstasy. He's with someone in his room so I don’t enter. Instead, I shift and walk into the kitchen for some food. They both pause when they hear noise but continue when Clayton tells her it's fine.
"I didn't expect you back tonight." Clayton says through the mind link.
"Don't talk to me right now." I tell him and continue looking through his fridge.
Unfortunately for me, the only thing in his fridge is raw meat and bread. I don't mind raw meat, it's what my wolf prefers but this one has been in the fridge and we don’t like fridge meat. I sigh, grab the bread and a beer.
Humans did good with beer, but the werewolves that continued after the humans were gone – even though the beer does nothing for us – did better.
I sit on the couch in the living room, quietly eating bread and drinking beer while still looking for the reason I came here, his cell phone.
I need to speak with Maeva and I don't have any way of contacting her myself. I don't want to pull the Council card with Maeva. She already feels like being with me will suppress her, I don't want to fuel that feeling but if I don't make any progress in two weeks then it's off my hands.
Clayton finally comes out and the first thing his eyes zero on is my dinner. He shakes his head and sits down next to me.
"I'm sorry I don't have any other food available."
"It's fine. Bread and beer isn't as disgusting as you would expect it to be." We both laugh at that.
I hear the window in his room open and I turn to him. We both watch each other in silence as the she-wolf he was fucking jumps out and starts running.
"That's not Zee if you were wondering." He says, scratching his head.
"I wasn't wondering." I reply, shaking my head.
"Of course you weren't. What's up, what happened at the meeting?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow, I want you to call Maeva's pack for me."
His eyes bulge in surprise and his brows lift.
"You came into my house at…" He looks at his phone, "1:40 am because you want me to call her?"
"It can't wait."
He scoffs but scrolls through his contact. "Her Beta is going to be very upset that I'm calling him this late." He says.
"You have his number?" I ask, anger from earlier seeping into my voice.
"Yes, who else was I supposed to call?"
I shrug. "I was hoping you had her contact."
"She's like you and doesn't have a phone."
That piece of information almost makes me smile. I file it away for later and wait for the Beta to answer the phone.
He finally answers and groggily says hello.
"I'm sorry to be calling this late but my Alpha wants to speak with yours." Clayton says.
"Who is this?"
Clayton looks offended but doesn't say anything to the Beta about it.
"This is Clayton, Beta of Nightwind pack. My Alpha is Alpha…"
"Alpha Caius." Maeva's Beta completes from the other end.
He sounds more alert and I hear shuffling.
"Hold on a moment," he says. He's probably trying to mind link her.
"She's not awake but I will deliver whatever message you want to pass on in the morning."
The growl I let out is low and deadly. I take the phone from Clayton who looks resigned.
"Tell her I said she won't like what will happen if I don't talk to her tonight."
He’s quiet before a low. "I'll call you back when I get to her."
I end the call and throw it on Clayton's lap. It's all I can do to stop myself from thinking about the fact that this Beta gets to see my mate whenever he wants and I am told to drop a message.
"Who the fuck does he think he is? Taking a message for MY mate? This is Maeva's fault. I'm out here looking like an idiot because I want to do things at her own pace."
"This is the most I've heard you say. I think this is good for you."
I exhale and focus on the beer.
"How was the meeting?" He asks, changing the subject.
"A fucking waste of my time. Haze and Hills want to declare war on the witches."
He laughs. "Yeah, that worked out well for everybody the first time."
"Then, they suggested we find the witches first and be on their side in the witches’ revolution."
His face twists in disgust. "If you had agreed to take your father's place on the council, those idiots wouldn't be there."
"Alpha Brent is there and he has more patience than I do."
The phone rings then and I snatch it up. Clayton shakes his head and leaves for the kitchen.
"What do you want?" Maeva says when I answer.
My palms twitch and I fight the smile threatening to take over. Her fight is sweet but her submission will be sweeter. I just have to convince her that submitting to me is not a bad thing.
"I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow night."
Clayton's choking sound makes me turn to him. A beer bottle is in his hands and he's looking at me like he doesn't know me.
"No. Is that why you're calling this late?" Maeva says.
"Maeva, I'm running out of patience but I'm willing to try because of you. I want to convince you that this doesn't have to be the end. We can have conversations and talk about it."
"No, I'm not interested."
"I'll come to your pack either way tomorrow and trust me, you won't like it if you don’t corporate."
"This is the third time you're threatening me today, Caius and I don't like threats. Do your worst. I'm ready for it all."
She ends the call and Clayton starts laughing.
"You're going to lose your tongue."
"I'm sorry. It's strange to see you like this. Soft and gentle. I'm used to strong and stoic."
"Don't get used to it."
I stand up and shift back into wolf form. I run back to my house and I get into bed. Today was exhausting, tomorrow might be worse.