Chapter 2

Emersyn's POV

“Emersyn!” Callum says with surprise apparent in his voice as he climbed into the front seat of the Jeep. “I figured you wouldn’t come.”

“Yeah, well you figured wrong!” I said grinning back at him.

“I see that,” he stated as he stole an appreciative look at my outfit of choice. “Who are you trying to impress?”

Maverick chimed in, “See, even Callum knows there is more that you aren’t telling us!”

“Both of you shut up. I can dress nice and go to a damn bonfire. I don’t have to explain myself to either of you,” I said rolling my eyes nervously.

Callum’s eyes met mine and for a moment I thought I noticed something. Jealousy, maybe. I pushed the thought aside as I glared back. He shook his head as if forcing himself back to reality.

“Let’s go, I need a drink or ten,” Callum stated almost annoyed.

Maverick pulled the car out of the driveway as he smiled in the rearview mirror, “Tonight, we live like kings.”

“Tomorrow we puke like dogs,” Callum said laughing.

As we drove the few miles to the bonfire, I listened to the boys chatter back and forth about the football game, training, and other various sports that took their time and energy. I allowed my mind to wander. What was I thinking? Callum would never be interested in a girl like me. And even if he was, I was promised to another on my eighteenth birthday.

I internally groaned as I wrestled with the thoughts that were fighting in my head to be heard. My wolf, Nya, growled at me annoyed that I was even hesitating. I wasn’t yet old enough to know my mate for certain, but I knew who I wanted it to be. I knew that it wasn’t some stranger that I had met a handful of times and was promised to. I knew that who I wanted was just out of reach.

We pulled into the long gravel drive, pulling me back to reality. The Jeep came to a stop as Maverick, and Callum jumped out. Maverick looked over his shoulder as he grinned that flawless smile, “Well, I’ll see you two around. I have an entourage of ladies awaiting my arrival.”

Callum laughed calling after him, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Maverick smiled back, “Absolutely not.”

Callum glanced over at me as he watched Maverick disappear into the crowd. “So, who did you get all dressed up for?”

I looked away from his piercing green eyes as I swallowed hard, “I just wanted to look nice, Callum. Is that a crime?”

He allowed his eyes to trail my body appreciatively as he responded, “It should be.”

“Have you already been drinking?” I asked, certain that he wouldn’t be looking at me like that without some form of inhibition.

Callum’s eyes found mine as he replied, “No. I just know a good thing when I see it.”

My heart raced as I answered back, “Do you?”

He looked at me with a curious look, seeming unsure of himself, as he smiled nervously, “Let’s get a drink.”

“Okay,” I said suddenly feeling like I could use a little liquid courage.

Callum finds the alcohol quickly as I stand awkwardly to the side, suddenly doubting myself. This is foolish. Callum Murphy will never see me as more than the little sister of his best friend. Possibly a friend, but he wouldn’t dare see me as anything more. But I could swear I saw jealousy on his features when he thought I had dressed like this for someone else.

I see him approaching through the crowd of teens from our pack as he smiles broadly at me, “I got you a couple jello shots, I thought they may go down easier.”

I rolled my eyes at him, “I have drank before I am not some prude.”

His eyes darkened as he laughed, “Okay, okay. You can have my beer then?”

I snarled my nose up at the idea of drinking lukewarm beer. “Give me the jello shots.”

“That’s what I thought,” Callum said sarcastically.

I took the tiny cup lifting it to my lips as the bouncing liquid seeped onto my tongue, I allowed a satisfied moan to escape. Callum’s eyes grew wide as he watched me flick my tongue around the cup retrieving the remnants that were left behind. I reached my hand out for the other one he was holding with his mouth dropped open.

He shut his mouth as he handed it to me swallowing hard as his eyes traced my lips. “Maybe I should have gotten more,” he said through clenched teeth. “I didn’t realize you would enjoy them quite so much.”

I ignored him as I repeated the same steps with the next shot. Callum took in a short sharp burst of air as he sighed, looking around nervously. “Where did your brother run off to?”

My face fell slightly as I answered, “Who knows? Why do you care?”

Callum looked at me with a forlorn look as he responds, “I just don’t want him to see me looking at his little sister like I could eat her up.”

I swallowed hard as my eyes locked with his, “Are you hitting on me?”

He grinned back with a sly smile, “Would that be so bad?”

I blushed as I pulled my eyes away from his nearly whispering, “No. Not at all.”

Callum’s hand grazed the side of my face as he pulled my face back towards his, “You want to go on a walk? We can stay close but there is too many damn people here to think.”

“Sure, but Maverick will worry if he cant find me.” I said nervously looking for an excuse to steer away from being alone with Callum.

He laughed as he scanned the crowd finding my brother between two brunettes that were practically sitting on his lap. “I think he will be fine, but if you’d rather stay here that’s fine.”

Callum looked slightly disappointed as he finished his sentence. My mind raced this couldn’t be happening, I thought to myself. “No, lets take a walk.”

He smiled broadly at me as he pointed towards the dark woods ahead of us, “There is a trail through the brush we can walk on.”

I tried not to imagine the reasons he knew that it was there, but the jealous side of me filled in the blanks. Almost as if he sensed the question I wanted to ask he responded, “Maverick and I run these trails when we shift.”

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as I smiled to myself, “I didn’t ask.”

“You didn’t have to,” he said grinning back.

“So why’d you end it with Barbie?” I asked with the liquid courage clearly taking effect.

Callum laughed as he questioned, “Barbie?”

“You know the blonde perfect she wolf that you have been flaunting about,” I said with a hint of pure jealousy.

“Her name is Callie,” he said with an amused look planted on his face. “But I just realized she was never going to be who I really wanted.”

My heart skipped a beat as my feet found the cleared path, “Oh yeah, and who is that?”

Callum stopped and grabbed my hand as he pulled me back against him. “I think you can fill in the blanks, your smart.”

I allowed a shallow breath to escape my pursed lips as I stammered, “Am I? I think the alcohol is killing every brain cell I have because I know you didn’t break it off with her for me. That would be crazy.”

“Maybe, but yet here we are.” He said with a dark glint in his twinkling green eyes.

I ran my fingers through my dark curls pushing it out of my face as I nervously laughed, “How much have you had to drink seriously?”

“Emersyn, I’m not drunk.”

“Callum, you obviously are,” I said almost annoyed at myself for not being able to lavish in this moment.

He looked at me with annoyance clearly playing on his features as he responded, “Why do you assume I’d have to be intoxicated to find you irresistible?”

“Because I’m not,” I said honestly.

“Well I’m not blind and I disagree with you,” he said stubbornly.

I push myself back from his grasp and cross my arms defiantly arching a brow, “Callum, I may be completely inexperienced for a girl my age, but I’m not an idiot, and I have perfect eyesight.”

He holds up his hand with a finger pointed at me, “First off, I never called you an idiot but you may be blind if you don’t see what I do.”

My heart races as he continues his rant raising another finger, “And second off, what do you mean by completely inexperienced?”

My cheeks lit a vivid red as I turned to walk away from him, “Nothing. It’s stupid, forget I said anything!”

“I can’t do that,” he said grasping my hand to stop me from walking away. I looked down at his hand with a bit of shock as his touch resonated through my body. I heaved a sigh as his face edged closer to mine.

“Callum, we can’t do this. Maverick will kill us both.” I whispered against his chest.

Callum took in a deep breath before he put his hand on my face and pulled my chin up to look him in the eyes, “Maybe he doesn’t have to know. This can be our little secret?”

I hesitated biting my bottom lip as I considered what he was saying, “If anyone finds out we will be damned.”

“If you don’t think its worth the risk, I understand,” He said as he looked away from me trying to hide the hurt clearly playing on his features.

“I didn’t say that,” I said as I allowed my hand to pull his attention back to me.

“This is crazy,” Callum said shaking his head. “You are promised to another.”

It was my turn to look hurt as I said, “I understand, if you don’t think I am worth the risk.”

Callum’s green eyes softened as he looked at me with a look of disbelief, “You don’t realize it yet, but you will be my undoing Emersyn O’ Connor.”

I blushed looking away from him as I nervously bit my bottom lip, “And you Callum Murphy will be mine.”

He leaned down edging closer to my lips and just as our lips were on the brink of connecting, I heard the rustle of the brush behind us. I pushed myself quickly away from Callum just as Maverick and the brunettes made their way down the path.

Maverick suspiciously looked back and forth from Callum and I, before asking, “What the hell are you two doing out here?”

Callum quickly answered, “Em was feeling sick so I brought her back here for some privacy.”

I quickly looked to Maverick as I feigned a nauseated look, “Yeah, Callum was just doing the big brother act since you were no where to be found.”

Maverick’s anger lessened as he looked at me with disappointment clearly playing on his features, “I’ll take you home.”

“I’m fine really,” I said.

Callum sheepishly looked at me from behind Maverick, “I’ll take her home. You look busy. You can catch a ride?”

My pulse raced as I looked between the both of them suddenly feeling more nauseated than before. “You do look kind of pale,” Maverick said. “If that works for you two, I’ll check on you when I get home.”

“Sure,” I said nervously as Callum winked at me from behind Maverick.

“I’ll take good care of her,” Callum called over his shoulder as he steered me towards the Jeep.

Goddess of the moon, help me, I thought to myself.