14 | Alpha

"Your cousin owns this place?" I questioned as I scooted to the edge of the seat and jumped out of the truck, landing on my feet. The building was probably as much of an antique as the things that were sold inside. It stood out on the main street, amongst the newer and more modern designs of buildings and storefronts. Paige had mentioned several weeks ago that the reason my house even remained was because Cal's cousin had petitioned for it and its historical value.

I closed the door as Cal rounded the tailgate, catching my gaze, "Tamara has always had a love for old things. Come on." He nodded his head, meaning for me to follow him as he stepped up onto the sidewalk toward the front door. I gave a glance over my shoulder as an uneasy feeling crept up my spine. It felt like someone was watching me, watching us. I narrowed my eyes as I scanned the street, a couple of people wandering the sidewalk.

"Lucinda." Cal called my name. I turned toward him, disregarding the odd feeling as my own paranoia. I quickly crossed the distance to the front door as he opened it for me. I gave him a passing glance as walked into the store the musky smell of old items tickling my nose. Most of the items in the front of the store were old furniture items, a couch, a set of wings backed chairs, and an old writing with a roll up top. It reminded me of a desk I remember my aunt using, though she kept it under lock and key, as if the old prude had any secrets worth knowing.

There was a rush of air as the door closed behind Callum as he stepped in behind me. I did my best to ignore the heat of his body sinking into mine. He moved around me, "Mara? You in the back?"

There was a raspy grunt in response as tuff of blonde hair poked up behind a counter near the back, followed by a hand, "Be right with you Cal." He gave me a glance over his shoulder, nodding his head for me to follow as moved through the walkway. I walked behind him hesitantly, wondering what exactly it was that he wanted to talk about with his Cousin.

A beautiful blonde, with familiar eyes rose up from behind the counter. She was wearing a pair of denim overalls, hair braided into pig tails. Honestly, she reminded me of a some kind of seventies farm girl. She gave a friendly smile as her gaze shifted between the two of us, "You made a new friend, I see. That's good, Roxanne was telling me how worried she was about you living like a hermit on that mountain."

Cal let out a grunt, "Roxie is a silly teenage girl."

"To that I can agree. Do you know what your niece has been doin' lately? Runnin' round with her friends, skipping school, and starting issues with the Vanderville girl. You got to speak to her Cal. She won't listen to me anymore...you're the one with the..." Tamara remarked as she wiped her hands down the front of her overalls, gaze skittering to me for a moment before moving back to Cal, "Well you're the only one she listens to these days."

"I'll talk to her..."

"You better, or I'll be sending her to live with you. Then she'll never have to worry about you being alone again."

"I said I'll talk to her." He grumbled, clearly annoyed. I couldn't help but feel a little smirk tug at my lips over his reluctance. It seemed I wasn't the only one who was left with parenting duties, though I was curious about where the girl's parents were. Tamara called the girl his niece, which meant she had to be the child of a sister or brother. I found my mind wondering more about Callum Wolfe, who was he exactly.

"Good." She looked satisfied with his response, fixing her hands on her hips, "Now, what brings you here?"

"It's about Gunther's murder..."

"I should have known." She looked over his shoulder to me with a mix of curiosity and hesitance in her gaze, probably wondering my involvement in the whole situation. Probably wondering exactly how much I knew about their little town secret, and her cousin, "You should stay out of it Callum Wolfe, you hear me?" She turned her back to him when he glared at her, grabbing up a box from behind the counter, "You know that Bradford and Helena are looking for any chance to...get rid of you. Don't go sticking your nose in places it don't belong. Just let them handle it how they see fit."

So, the mayor and his wife didn't like Cal. I knew that, anyone could have picked up on that but they wanted to get rid of him? That seemed like a lot more than simply not liking a person. I peered up at him, studying the way his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together in frustration, "This is our town Mara. It was ours long before it was theirs. You can't say you agree with the way their doing things is working? The bodies keep piling up."

Tamara turned back to him, dropping the heavy box on the counter between them with a loud thump that startled me, "Don't you let people hear you talkin' that way, Cal. It'll get you into serious trouble." There was obviously something more going on that I didn't understand, a layer to the madness that went deeper than people turning into monsters.

"If you haven't noticed we're already in trouble. There is someone out there killing innocent people. Who knows who's next? All I know is I'm not going to sit around and wait for someone else to die." He slapped his palm against the counter, leaning forward as he barred his teeth. The action seemed to have his cousin straightening her back, eyes growing a bit wider. I felt a little bad for Tamara.

I reached out and placed my hand on Cal's arm, "Calm down big guy. We get it, you're upset." He let out a growl that had the hair on my arm standing on end but I watched as the tension faded from his body. Tamara glanced down at my hand and I quickly withdrew it, my cheeks heating. I didn't know why I felt embarrassed but the way she looked between us it was as if had caught us both butt naked, fucking under the moon.

"Cal is she—"

"Lucinda knows the big secret, isn't that right?" He interrupted whatever she had been about to say, turning to me with a smile that made want to cower. He reached over when I shrunk back, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck, keeping stationary. I gritted my teeth, narrowing my eyes as I tried to ignore the delicious heat of his palm against my flesh, "I'm her, Alpha."

I heard the subtle intake of air as it rushed into Tamara's lungs, "Callum Wolfe! You must have a death wish. First, you tell a...human about us after it's been forbidden. If that wasn't bad enough, you go and declare yourself her Alpha! Bradford will kill her then kill you!" Cal let out a vicious growl, his grip on me tightening to a painful degree. The sound was not human, it was guttural and deep. Tamara quickly hunched forward, tilting her head to the side. I watched with morbid curiosity as to what would happen next, at this point I wasn't certain he wouldn't wring her neck.

"I overstepped, Cal. I'm sorry." Her voice wavered, gone was the strong woman who had been poking the bear. One growl and she cowered before him. That was a power that I wish I could have. I felt the sharp prick of claws digging into my neck. A shiver of fear rushed through me as I looked down at his hand pressed to the counter. The nails had turned black, grown longer and thicker. They curled inward at the tips. That was all I needed to reign in my curiosity.

"Cal, please..." I spoke through my teeth. His gaze swung toward me, mouth looking a little fuller and eyes flickering between green and a glowing amber, "You're hurting me..." At those words the glow in his gaze faded away and his hold on me relaxed. Tamara sucked in a deep breath as if someone had been holding her underwater. I couldn't understand what had happened between them but I wasn't looking to have it happen again.

"Well, maybe I was wrong...maybe you'll give Bradford a run for his money. Forgot what that felt like...it's been a while." Tamara mumbled as she lifted her face to meet Cal's stare. Her lips twitched upward in amusement, obviously, she wasn't holding any grudges.

"Just so you know, Cal didn't spill the beans about your secret...that I found out by accident."

"Because sneaking around and spying on people in the woods is such an accident..." Cal remarked as he pulled his hand away from me.

I sent him a narrowed look, mourning the heat of his touch, "I told you already I wasn't sneaking. I needed someone to help me get into my truck." Her gaze moved to me as she stood back up to her full height, the amusement on her face growing as she watched to two of us interacting with one another. I could only imagine how it looked from the outside, probably like an old married couple.

"I like her. She's got fire." She simply supplied, breaking up our banter.

Cal let out a low growl but it was more of a grumble, "Don't encourage her, Mara." I had the urge to stick my tongue out at him like a child but I didn't. Instead I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

Tamara let out a soft chuckle before her expression grew more serious, "So Gunther's really dead, then? Same as the Redford's girl?" I felt the mood in the room shift, the reason for our being there was not a friendly visit.

"Saw the body myself." And so, had my sister. Which was why I was even in this situation with Callum. I would never had agreed to the deal he had offered otherwise. Now It was about survival and making sure the odds were in our favor, "That's why I'm here. Gunther's body looked nothing like the Redford girl. His body reminded me of Caroline Mercer..."

"She died over three years ago, Cal." She shook her head, "And the one who killed her was put down. We all saw it happen. You included."

"Yes, were all there."

"So, are you suggesting that a dead man is wandering around Twin Peaks, killing people? Cause that's what it sounds like you're saying." Her eyebrow arched up in questioning.

"Don't be ridiculous." Cal snapped, "I'm saying that maybe our dead man is innocent and the real killer framed him for Caroline's death. And that the real killer is back at it again, only this time it seems like they are enjoying the taste of blood a lot more."

"Um, Who's Caroline Mercer?" I questioned, breaking up the staring contest the two of them seemed to be locked in.

Tamara looked to me, "She was a local girl. She grew up with Cal and I. Her family has been in twin peaks, almost just about as long as ours. Anyway, after high school she left and went to college. When she came back she brought her fancy city boyfriend with her. Three years later, she was found in her home, murdered...the city boy, did a number on her."

"At least that's what we thought anyway." Cal interjected, clearly, no longer buying that tale.

"Was she like you...you know? A werewolf?" I waved my hand between the two of them.

"She was." Cal replied, "And so was her city boyfriend."

"There's people like you in the cities, too?" I asked much louder than I had meant, watching as both of them flinched at the sharpness of my voice.

"There are people like us, everywhere." Cal looked annoyed, turning back his attention back to Tamara, "Believe me, this is the same person. They framed her boyfriend and now they're trying to frame me but I don't plan to go down like he did."

"Cal you're being paranoid. Why would anyone want to frame you? And why would they wait so long before continuing there murdering?" His cousin tried to reason.

"I don't know, Mara but when I get my hands on the person I'll be sure to ask them right before I rip their throat out." He closed his hand into a tight fist. I felt a shiver of fear work through me at the bloodthirsty aura coming off of him.

"Seriously, Cal...let this go. You'll only end up chasing ghosts again. That nearly destroyed you last time." I wondered what she meant by that, giving Callum a sideways glance.

He clenched his teeth together, "This is different. Now, is that clerk at the sheriff station still sweet on you?"

Tamara held his gaze in silence for a moment, before letting out a heavy sigh, "Yeah..."

"Have him get you Caroline Mercer's case file." It wasn't a nicely asked question. It was more like a demand that he expected her to follow. It was the same thing he had done with me on occasion, something that really got under my skin.

"Cal..."

"Tamara, this is different." He stated firmly and she shut her mouth, though her eyes leaked concern.

"I'll get you the file."

"Thank you." His tone was heavy as he turned his face toward me, "Time to go finish our talk..." My heart constricted slightly but I was more than ready to leave the talk of killers and murdering behind us for the time being. There was only so much a person could process at once.

"It was nice to meet you, Lucinda." Tamara said with a smile that didn't quiet reach her eyes as Callum grabbed hold of my wrist and began dragging me toward the door.

"Nice to meet you too!" I shouted back as he pulled me out of the building like the thing had been on fire. I glared at his back as I yanked my arm free from his grip, "First, that was so rude. Second, don't just grab me like that..." I rubbed at my wrist.

He cast a look over his shoulder at me, "Do you want to discuss the terms of our relationship or not?"

My cheeks heated at the way he chose to word the question, "Of course I do."

"Then stop nagging me about proper etiquette and get in the truck." He snapped as he walked away from me, long strides eating up the distance between him and the driver's seat. I wanted to throttle him, still might, but first I would get my answers.

I got up into the truck, slamming the door closed behind me, "What did your cousin mean when she said that you nearly destroyed yourself chasing ghosts before?"

"None of your damn business." He growled as he started up the engine. I sunk into my seat. Wonderful, I was trapped in a metal box on wheels with an angry werewolf. There was no way anything bad could happen.