Wolves' Bane (The Order of the Wolf, #3)(49)

“Yes, she’s sure.”

“How sure?”

“She’s one hundred percent sure, Cal. Morgan will betray the Order. What Kelly’s not sure about is how or when.”

With those words, Cal’s heart felt like it came to a screeching halt, unable to bear the weight of such sadness, such disappointment, such anger that he thought it might never recover. He dropped Kelly’s hand and made for the door.

“Cal,” Andrew pleaded, for what Cal didn’t know, but the tone was enough to stop him in his tracks.

“You’re telling me that there’s good chance I’ll have to kill her. If she is his bride, then I’ll have to end her life.”

“Yes, just as you vowed you would when you joined the Order.”

Cal snorted as he turned to face Andrew. “Joined? Like I had a choice.” He ran his finger along his tattoo. “I vowed because that was the only option. I’m a Hunter. I’m a protector and you’re telling me that I might have to kill the only one I was born to protect.”

Andrew nodded, his eyes shadowed by sadness. “We all make sacrifices.”

“Would you be able to kill Kelly?”

“Yes. If I knew I must. For the Order. For the future. It’s our responsibility.” He shook his head. “We don’t know enough about what’s going to happen to do anything but stick to the plan with Morgan. She must fight Lazarus on the night of the lunar eclipse, and if necessary, you will have to kill her on that night as well. You are a Hunter, Cal, and with that comes the responsibility to do the right thing. The hard thing.”

Cal’s temper flared as Andrew’s words rolled in his head. The right thing. The hard thing. He couldn’t understand the unfairness of it all. Why was he the one to carry this burden? Why did it have to be Morgan, his Huntress? Why did he have to lose both his mother and his destined mate? It was as if fate had decreed that there would be no happiness for him. That he didn’t deserve even a moment of bliss beyond what he’d already had with Morgan.

As Cal’s glare met Andrew’s, his anger ebbed away. Andrew had seen his own fair share of shitty luck and bad circumstances, and there he was standing by his vows.

“She’d want me to end her life, Cal.” His hand strayed back to Kelly’s limp one. “She’d want me to kill her rather than let her betray us.”

Cal nodded as he closed his eyes briefly, collecting himself before turning toward the door. “I don’t think Morgan is going to see things the same way.”





Chapter Twenty-Three





Rejected


“Son of a bitch,” I hissed as I scrambled out of bed. There was no way I was going to let him take off for another day without any explanation. I was halfway to the door, intent on trailing after him when I realized that I was still completely naked. By the time I found one of Cal’s oversized T-shirts and made it out into the hall it was too late. Cal was already gone.

Shit, shit, shit!

I ducked back into the room and headed straight for the bathroom.

It didn’t take me long to wash up and pull on some more appropriate clothing. I was in the process of lacing my running shoes when I heard the unmistakable sound of someone thudding down the hall and my heart leapt. Was he coming back?

I rushed for the door and threw it open, darting my head out only to see Cal’s hulking form headed toward the staircase.

“Aren’t you at least going to say goodbye this time?” I hedged my tone, trying desperately to keep my anger in check and give him the benefit of the doubt.

He froze in place, his shoulders hunching like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I’ve got things to do.”

His cold words hit me like a brick and I stepped fully out into the hall. With his back still to me, I felt the sting of his rejection even more.

“Don’t you think I deserve an explanation? I mean, you are my Hunter. You should be the one training with me. You said so yourself.”

Cal’s massive back shuddered as he took a deep breath. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Another hit. This one made my legs wobble. I took a step back and wrapped my arms around my waist. “Cal? What about last night? Didn’t that mean anything?” I hated that I sounded like a cliché. The silly woman who wanted more from a one-night stand. He made me feel like a discarded fling when I knew that our bond meant so much more.

“Nothing more than what my body needs from a female.”

“What?” I croaked, the word almost not coming out.

But he didn’t say anything more. Instead, he continued down the hall and disappeared around the corner without once looking back at me. I stared in disbelief as the air seemed to withdraw from around me and my lungs ceased to breathe. I lay my hand over my heart as tears budded in my eyes. What had just happened?

I staggered back into the room, closing the door behind me, then crumpled into a heap on the floor, my body wracked with sobs as my heart shattered. He was supposed to be with me. Every fiber in my body screamed for him to come back. Bonding had done more than gift me with amazing powers and incredible strength—it had also embedded this undeniable urge to be with Cal, touching him, tasting him, talking with him.