Chapter 122

Chapter 122: I know

With Mr Wrisberg and his elder son busy with the recent investigations, it was upto Caleb to look after the pack activities for the time being. He didn’t mind since he enjoyed the pack responsibilities but sometimes they can be a bit overwhelming. Once he was done with the training and everything he decided to stop by Ashton’s school. He hasn’t been to his old school ever since he graduated, and picking up his boyfriend seemed like a perfect excuse to go.

Today Ashton had football practice so he had to stay back late. With their upcoming inter school matches a lot of late practice sessions were due. As a Captain Ashton didn’t have any excuses to bail so he had no choice but to attend it, despite not really caring much about the team.

After Caleb parked his car, on his way to the stadium, he ran into an old friend of his, “Mel”? He called out.

“Caleb”? She looked up from her phone and gave him a smile. “What brings you to the school? Let me guess, your mate”? She teased him.

“Of course”. Caleb shrugged with a smirk before both of them burst into laughter.

“So, how have you been. I haven’t seen you since...” He tried to recall.

“The party at Emily’s house on the day of graduation”? She prompted.

.....

“Yeah... It’s been months.” Caleb nodded cheekily. “So, how have you been”?

“Well, school keeps me busy, but with you and Matt gone... and Sara being dead, kind of lonely”. She shrugged.

“You have other friends right”? Caleb gave her an odd look.

“Yeah... but they aren’t exactly... wolves. I get bored”. She shrugged. “What about you? You managed to get one of the rarest wolves for yourself huh”? She teased.

“Well, I am quite rare myself”. He went along with the flow.

He didn’t actually think that she would get what he actually meant, which is why he was surprised to hear her say, “I know”.

“You know”? He snorted. He wondered what she could have possibly deduced from his words so he was curious.

“Yeah, I know”. She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

“You know what”? Caleb narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“That you are...” She trailed off before she finished her sentence in the link [an omega].

Caleb’s eyes widened momentarily before he forced a laughter, “What? Wha... What? Nooooo” He shook his head in a not so convincing manner. “I am not.... you know.” He cleared his throat.

“You can’t even say it out loud. You honestly expect me to believe you”? She gave him an ‘Are you kidding me’ look.

“You couldn’t say it out loud” Caleb countered her.

“Because I know this is a big secret for you. I don’t want to mess it up”. Melanie replied with confidence.

Caleb opened his mouth to come up with further excuses, but he couldn’t find anything that would be situation appropriate, so he instead retorted, “What gives you that idea”?

“What am I? An idiot? Like Matt?” She remarked in a derisive manner. “Your absence wasn’t nearly as convincing as you thought. Also, I found you running one day, in your human form. Your scent was... quite strong”. She explained.

Caleb realised that at this point it’s better not to deny anymore, or else he would simply appear stupid, “Yeah, fine you got me” He huffed. “Man, for the first time I am so glad that Matt is an idiot.”

“Hey! Don’t badmouth behind his back” Melanie punched him on the shoulder.

“Enough about me, what about you”? Caleb tried to revert the conversation. “Dating someone new”?

“Actually... yeah”. She gave a shy smile. “Remember that guy you used to be friends with, but then you grew apart?” Melanie raised her eyebrows.

“George” His eyes widened. There was a time when they used to be friends. It wasn’t like they were exactly enemies now, but they were not close anymore. “How come”?

“Well, I have always kind of liked him. I decided to go ahead and confess”. She admitted.

“Yeah... confessing is hard. Took me a lot of guts”. Caleb snorted, reminiscing the day they he and Ashton got together. “Wait a minute”, Caleb froze, earning a curious gaze from Melanie. “Did you... become friends with us just so you could talk to him when we were young”?

“Yeah, that plan crashed like hell”. Melanie snorted earlining a disappointed scoff from Caleb. “Come on, that was a long time ago”!

“Yeah, whatever. I am used to being used”. Caleb said, pretending to be helpful.

“As if you were of any help”. She rolled his eyes at him, before they both ended up bursting into laughter. Caleb invited her over to watch the game with her since Ashton had a long way to finish. Usually Melanie was not someone who cared for sports much. But she met Caleb after a long time, so she didn’t mind the chat.

At the stadium Caleb sat at the podium stared at the game with nostalgia. He missed these tiny things about school. Things that made him feel like a human instead of a werewolf. Things that were not too tied with the pack life. An involuntary smile crept up on Caleb’s face as he witnessed Ashton command and everything. The more he witnessed the more he felt that Ashton would make a great leader, cold yet cautious and always to the point.

“How did you know...” Melanie began to speak which gained Caleb’s attention. “How were you sure that you wanted to be his mate”?

“Well, I...” Caleb hesitated. He didn’t have any answer for that, he just simply knew that he did. “I mean... I never had any moment of epiphany or something like that, but as time passed my feelings only grew stronger. I have dated before, but with Ashton... I guess I felt like I belonged with him”.

“That’s nice,” Melanie said with a poignant smile.

“Why? Everything okay between you two”? Caleb asked her.

“Yeah, everything is great. I like him a lot... but sometimes I hesitate when the topic of being a mate comes up.” Melanie sighed. “I know, It’s all in my head, that I am being stupid.”

“I don’t think you are,” Caleb declared. “You are allowed to feel whatever you want without being guilty about it. It’s not wrong to have doubts. Who knows, maybe it simply means you care more.”

“So... what should I do”?

“I don’t know what you should do, but maybe try telling him how you feel. Just because we are wolves doesn’t mean we have to rush into this whole mating thing.” Caleb pointed out.

“I suppose that’s true”, Melanie smiled, “Thanks”.

After a few more rounds they called it a day. Ashton, who noticed the presence of his mate despite his lack of scent ran to him while drenching in sweat. Melanie decided to take her leave, not wanting to be a third wheel in the happy couple. “Hey, sorry for making you wait” He spoke to Caleb. “In my defense, you didn’t inform me you would be coming here”.

“I am not accusing you or anything” Caleb frowned. “Also, take a shower. You stink. I waited for an hour, I can wait a few more minutes” Caleb declared.

Ashton glared at Caleb, before he mumbled “I will be back” and ran off. Caleb linked him and let him know that he would be waiting by his Car. Ashton changed into a pair of baggy pants and a shirt that gave him a casual touch in contrast to Caleb’s professional attire with Shirts and formal pants.

“It’s late, what do you want to do”? Ashton asked him.

“Well, with everything going on... I realised that I didn’t get to take you out on a proper date”.

“What about the day in the woods”, Ashton pouted. He was offended that Caleb forgot about that.

“That was you, now, it’s my turn.” He smirked before getting inside his car. Ashton followed the same suit and they drove off. They ended up at the chinese restaurant they often visited back when they were not yet together. Ashton mused at the choice. What surprised him even more was a not so huge cake with his name on it.

Ashton stared at the cake with a puzzled look before he gave the same expression to Caleb, who was smiling ear to ear. “You know, with all the rut and heat, we never actually got to celebrate your birthday.” Caleb explained.

“And here I thought you don’t like celebrating birthdays”, Ashton narrowed his eyes at Caleb before he ended up chuckling.

“I don’t mind as long as it’s not my own birthday” Caleb shrugged.

“Why? Hate getting old or something?” Ashton frowned.

“No... I just don’t enjoy that much attention for my birthday. Saying thank you to everyone throughout the day is actually quite irritating” Caleb groaned which earned him a chuckle from his mate. Ashton simply shook his head at that excuse. “Anyways...Welcome to adulthood”! Caleb smirked.

“Thank you”. Ashton smiled. After a second, Caleb ended up choking on his water when Ashton murmured, “Although, you already did welcome me to adulthood in more adult ways”.

Once Caleb was done coughing, he shrieked, “Ashton”!