Chapter 131

Chapter 131: Been Busy

Caleb filled in for Christian while he was out of town for some business. While Caleb wasn’t sure exactly what business his brother had, he didn’t mind filling in his shoes for the time being. He had been a great help to him for the past couple of weeks, and he didn’t mind returning that favor at all.

However, with his increased duties and Ashton’s daily practice after class, the mates barely got any time to spend together. However, for this fact that both of them were busy, it prevented them from missing each other much. He was still quite in the cloud number nine ever since he marked him back.

Most of the time Alphas hated bearing the mark, especially of someone from lower blood rank. But with Ashton’s gesture, he was beyond elated that he chose Ashton as his mate.

Caleb was busy training the twins when he received a link from his father.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

[Your brother would be returning from his trip. Find some time to pick him up.] He ordered and disconnected the link without waiting for any reply.

Caleb frowned. He wasn’t the one who drove him on his way there, then why would he have to pick them up. Usually he wouldn’t mind, but after a week of busy schedule he finally managed to find some time to spend with Ashton, and now he has to spend that very time as a chauffeur to his brother.

“You okay? You look glum”? Ava, who was sweating thoroughly, asked him. Caleb’s attention returned to present before he smiled and nodded at them.

.....

On their way back to the pack house, the trio ran into Ashton, but to avoid getting overheard Caleb decided to talk in his link.

[So, there has been a change of plans...] Caleb began.

Ashton stopped abruptly and took a deep breath before he replied to him, “You have to stop scaring me like that”! He snarled at him, earning suspicious stares from the twins. Ashton noticing their gaze realised why Caleb did what he did and continued the rest in his head, [I am still not used to having you in my head unannounced. I need to learn how to reject a link] He huffed.

Caleb rolled his eyes, [Sorry for disturbing your mental peace] He replied sarcastically. [But, back to my original point. I won’t be able to come with you tomorrow]

[Let me guess, some urgent pack duty?] Annoyed, Ashton asked. While Caleb was still okay with their time away, it was evident Ashton was beyond annoyed. For some reason ever since he got marked his feelings for the other seemed to have heightened by many folds. He wasn’t sure if this would drive him further crazy, but he did find it hard to be around him without jumping on him a little more.

[I have to go pick up my stupid brother] Caleb grunted, having picked up the annoyance of his mate. At this point, they were back to the pack house, everyone headed for their respective rooms. Well, everyone except Ashton. Ashton decided to follow Caleb and talk things through, despite his exhaustion. What’s surprising was Caleb didn’t notice that and was about to shut the door on Ashton’s face when he called out, “Hey! What the hell”.

That’s when he realised that Caleb was lost in his own trance. “Are you alright”? Ashton asked, pushing his way in Caleb’s room.

“I am exhausted”. Caleb mumbled.

“So... I should leave”? Ashton suggested.

Caleb shook his head before he said, “Stay. Might as well spend some time together now. I feel bad for bailing on you tomorrow” Caleb pursed his lips.

“When is your brother coming back”? Ashton asked.

“His flight lands around noon, so I will be back late”. Caleb suggested.

“Well... I guess it can’t be helped then”. Ashton shrugged.

“Want to watch something”? Caleb suggested. He opened netflix and showed him more or less anything that was available. “Choose whatever you like”? He shrugged and was about to leave when Ashton grabbed his wrists.

“Wait” Ashton frowned. “Why am I sitting here alone watching this”? He glared. “I thought we were supposed to spend time together”.

“We are”. Caleb assured. “I will be right back, I stink so bad, I just need to take a shower. I need a long one so it will be while”. He smiled meekly.

“Are you kidding me”? Ashton narrowed his eyes.

“What”? Caleb. “If you don’t believe me, sniff yourself”. Caleb brought himself closer so that his shirt was closer to his nose. Ashton on the other hand stopped breathing at that very moment the moment his eyes landed on the somewhat exposed collarbones. It was hard for Ashton to be this close to his mate and not to pounce on his right there and then.

He gulped, and unsure how to react, he pushed Caleb away, almost making him fall due to the stumble and uttered. “Whatever, let me know when you are done I have...” he racked his brains for excuse, “.... Some stuff to do. I will see you then”.

Caleb opened his mouth to say something, but even before he could utter a single syllable, Ashton was gone leaving him standing him all by himself. “What’s wrong with him”. Caleb mumbled and frowned at the door. Shaking his head, he got his clothes and took his sweet time freshening up. By the time he was almost done, he linked Ashton to come down.

When he got out he found a cup of coffee at the nightstand. He asked one of the maids to bring him a cup before he went to wash, which was now on the verge of going cold enough to lose its taste. Therefore, to prevent that he decided to drink it before he could get dressed. Unfortunately though, as soon as he was done with the cup, Ashton walked in and froze in his spot when he noticed his half naked mate, with dripping wet hair.

“Oh, you are here”. Caleb. “Give me a minute and I will get dressed”. Ashton frowned. He was more frustrated at Caleb than himself since he was seemingly unaffected by the situation right now. If Ashton didn’t learn to control himself properly right now, he might end up doing something he regrets.

Caleb witnessed the hesitation on Ashton’s eyes and asked him, “What’s wrong with you? You have been acting quite weird lately”.

“No... I am not”. Ashton looked away.

“You are”. Caleb took a few steps towards him, trying to find some clue as to what was happening. Since Ashton avoided his gaze sneakily, Caleb linked Ashton as he heard in his head [...don’t come any closer... stay away...]

Caleb halted in his steps and frowned. He took a quick glance at himself and realised what could be the trigger for his current behaviour. An evil smirk graced his face as he looked at his conflicted mate with suggestive eyes. “Does me being like this bother you”.

“... No”. After a not so subtle pause Ashton replied.

Caleb’s smirk deepened and his steps further approached his mate. “Since when are you so shy”? He challenged, “Usually, you are the one who takes charge, aren’t you”?

“It’s different this time,” Ashton admitted. Caleb’s smirk faded a little bit as he pondered what he meant. “I... my feelings are stronger than ever”.

“Due to the mark”? Caleb proposed, shifting his glance from Ashton’s face to his turtleneck, which was currently hiding the mark he made. Ashton nodded at him reluctantly earning him a chuckle from Caleb.

“That’s good, isn’t it? Or are you scared once more that you would lose control”? Caleb took a guess. Ashton didn’t reply to him, but his gaze held a bit of heavy emotion, a fear of regret that was not uncommon on Ashton’s face, which gave away his true feelings. “It’s okay if you do”.

Ashton’s eyes widened before he snapped, “No”!

Caleb rolled his eyes before he mumbled, “Honestly, sometimes I hate the fact that you try to hold back so much. For once, I would like to see you not try so much and express your real feelings”. He huffed.

“Believe me, you don’t want that”. Ashton warned through his teeth.

“Believe me...”, Caleb brought his face closer to Ashton’s. “I. do.” After each word, Caleb decreased the distance between their faces by an inch. Apart from hearing the loud mixed heartbeats of both of them, Caleb could also feel the wave of the hot breaths on his cold lips. Ashton stared at him intensely as if he was giving him a ‘last warning’. Caleb maintained his confident gaze, determined to not give up at this moment. They have been apart for a while, and he didn’t want to back down at this moment.

Suddenly he felt a pair of lips on his own which came onto him with a tremendous force, and before he could react properly he winced in pain as blood trickled down his punctured lower lip. Ashton pulled away and challenged him once more, “You still want me to go wild”?

Caleb glared at him before he licked the blood from his lips, “Yes”.