Ava’s POV
My stomach plummets to the floor as I look at the outstretched hand before looking at Cameron, whose lips are practically disappearing into an even tighter line.
Girlfriend?
I close my mouth and lightly grasp the soft hand as she holds it as if she’s touching something dirty and quickly pulls it back and places it around Cameron’s arm, taking my outfit in with a smirk.
She glances disapprovingly around the hall before turning to one of our younger pack members who is pulling two designer suitcases towards us.
“Oh, you! Be careful, those are mine. You can put them in King Cameron’s room.”
I feel as if I’m going to drop onto the floor and die.
“No.”
My eyes go quickly to Cameron’s, who is now looking at the young boy holding Rachel’s suitcases.
“You can put them back in the car, Rachel won’t be staying.”
Rachel slaps Cameron’s arm with a laugh that sounds like music. “Oh Cameron, you are too funny. Oh, Chris! There you are!”
To my horror, scary asshole man(I’m trying a few names out for him), walks up behind Cameron.
Just who I want to witness my rejection.
His eyes swivel to mine as he gives me a smirk, before smiling at Rachel.
“How was the trip?” She let’s go of Cameron’s arm to plant two kisses on each of his cheeks.
“Dreadful! The roads were so windy and there wasn’t even anything nice to look at. Why are we staying here again? Couldn’t we find a more civilized area to stay?”
“That’s what I’ve been saying all along, sister.” Scary guy smiles at Rachel.
Ugh. They are related. How fitting, the two people I instantly hated most in the world.
The hall is suddenly full of gorgeous giants. Obviously, the Lycan back-ups are here.
Cameron keeps getting pulled into a conversation, while everyone is trying to figure out where to go.
I back up a step and I feel hands circle my waist. I look up to see Caleb watching me.
“Do you want to step away for a moment?”
I watch Cameron talk to two men with buzz cuts while Rachel stands beside him with her hand on his back.
“Yes.”
I glance one last time at the crowded room, before I follow Caleb out the door.
“Shouldn’t you be helping with the room arrangements or something?” I ask as he leads us towards his office.
“Oh hell no, I don’t get involved in that. Chrissy will take care of it.” Chrissy has been the house manager for as long as I can remember, she is super old and great at making sure the house runs smoothly.
“Want to tell me what you and Lily were doing today?” Caleb glances at me as he pushes open the office door and holds it for me.
I walk into the room and head toward the couch in front of the fireplace, flopping down and pulling my knees up to my chest.
“I was helping Lily.”
“With what?”
Caleb sits down beside me and stretches his long legs out onto an oversized ottoman, placing his arm on the back of the couch and turning towards me.
“Training.”
“Training?” Caleb’s eyes are wide in shock. “As in…fighting?”
“Yes.”
He laughs.
“It’s not funny Caleb! Did you see how the Lycan’s fought today? They took down some of our best fighters in seconds! What if something happens? Lily needs to know how to defend herself at least somewhat…”
Caleb looks thoughtful as he nods at me.
“Are you worried about the Red Night pack breaking the boundaries?”
I put my chin onto my knees.
“Aren’t you?”
He’s silent beside me.
“I think we are better prepared now with the reinforcements arriving. Training went a lot better after you left, Ralph hung in there really well, and I didn’t do so bad either. I think we will all get better each day.”
I don’t say anything.
“We just need to make sure we don’t go running around by ourselves anymore.”
Caleb puts his hand on my shoulder, and I look up at him. “You need to have a Lycan, Ralph, or myself with you when you go out for now on, understand?”
I nod absently, picking at the edge of my shoe that seems to be detaching itself from the bottom.
“I’ll make sure Lily get’s training in as well.” Caleb says reassuringly to me.
I don’t say anything. I’m thinking about Rachel. Perfect, tall, beautiful Lycan Rachel. Was she really Cameron’s girlfriend? That’s what she said, and she definitely seemed possessive of him, her hands constantly being on him.
I feel a surge of anger that some other female was touching my man and pull a little too aggressively on my shoe edge, causing it to rip and a huge chunk of the bottom of my shoe fell to the floor.
He never said anything about a girlfriend. Was he ever going to tell me?
“Ava…”
I jerk my head up as Caleb leans toward me, his eyebrows raised.
“Are you okay?”
I chew on my bottom lip.
Caleb shakes his head and puts a finger up to my lip to stop me.
I look at him, expecting him to pull it away with an apologetic face, but his eyes are hard as they stare into mine.
He leans closer to me and I freeze, a part of me wants to lean into it, a bigger part of me wants to be with Cameron right now.
“Cal-“
There’s a knock on the door and I jump as Caleb sits upright, running his hand through his hair.
“Come in.” He calls lazily from the couch, giving me a small wink.
What the hell? Did that just happen? Was my sister’s mate really about to kiss me?
I feel flustered as the door opens and Lily walks in with Ralph, looking back to her amazing self with her hair straightened around her face, her make-up smudge free again, and a cute floral pink sundress that flares slightly at the hips.
I straighten my legs out and look down at my black tank top and now falling apart tennis shoes.
Why would Cameron want to be with me? I’m hideous next to Lily and Rachel.
I swallow and a hard lump forms in my throat.
I just found my mate, and he has a girlfriend. Will he break up with her like Caleb did with me, or will he keep her around? Even if he does break up with her, will he try to kiss her months later, like Caleb just did with me?
Oh my god. I can’t handle this right now.
I stand up and everyone looks at me.
“Ava…” Lily is watching me with concern.
I shake my head.
“I have to get air.” I run past her and down the short hall to the back door of the packhouse, feeling the tears hot against my cheeks. I hesitate outside, knowing I shouldn’t be out here, but I just have to get away…where do I go?
My eyes land on the trees and I make a run for them, not stopping until I reach the small clearing that Lily and I trained at today and plopping down in the middle, burying my face into my hands.
I instantly feel someone else with me and I look up. It’s Ralph. He must have followed me on Caleb’s order.
He stands slightly awkwardly with his back towards the packhouse direction, looking anywhere but at me directly.
I let out a deep breathe and wipe my face and look over at Ralph.
I’m suddenly curious about what’s really happening with him and Lily. Does he actually have feelings for her? I wonder if it’s hard for him to watch his best friend mate with her… I always just assumed that Ralph and Lily’s hook ups were casual, since they never went on dates or seemed to hang out. Not to mention, Ralph constantly had a different girl at every high school party we went to. I really can’t imagine him having deep emotions or attachments as he always seems so easy going and care-free.
“Ralph.”
His head turns towards me and he gives me his charming grin.
“What’s going on between you and Lily?”
His eyebrows go up for a second before his face goes back to his casual carefree grin.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Ava.” He looks away, his eyes moving back and forth around the clearing.
“Oh, come on!” I roll my eyes and throw my hands up. “I am not a completely blind idiot, I can clearly see that you two are sneaking around, and you aren’t doing a good job of hiding it either!”
He turns to me and raises an eyebrow pointedly at me. “Oh, Lily and I aren’t doing a good job at sneaking around?”
Fuck.
I chew on my lower lip as Ralph keeps scanning the forest.
“Nasty habit, chewing on your lip.”
I throw a rude hand gesture at him as he grins, still not looking at me.
I sigh again and make up my mind.
I need to go talk to Cameron. He has to explain what in the hell is happening with Rachel. I’m not going to just give up on my mate without a fight.
I slam one fist into my palm and stand up.
Ralph grins at me. “Atta girl.”