Chapter 32: Chapter 32

VANESSA “You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” I laugh as Vienna pulls me by the hand down a well-worn forest trail. Half an hour ago, she busted into my room and told me to put on a bikini, all cloak and dagger about giving me any details as to where she was taking me. All she said was that it’d been too long since I’d had any real fun, and since I couldn’t disagree with that, I humored her.

I put on my favorite white crochet bikini and my second favorite pair of cutoff jean shorts – since my favorites were a casualty of my hasty shift to run away from Callum last week- and hopped into Vee’s Jeep with her. I thought it was safe to assume we were going swimming, so imagine my surprise when she pulled into the parking lot of the squad complex in Goldenleaf. Then my confusion only multiplied after we got out of the car and she bypassed the entry gate for the complex to head for this trail instead.

“You’ll see,” Vee answers conspiratorially, shooting me a devious smirk over her shoulder.

My arm jerks in her grasp as she continues tugging me along, my flip flops slapping against my heels with every step. If I knew we were going for a hike, I would’ve chosen more comfortable footwear- but given the fact that Vienna also wore sandals, I can’t imagine that wherever we’re going is a far jaunt.

Though we’re putting more distance between ourselves and the complex, I swear the dull hum of music is getting louder. I start to hear voices too, clueing me in that we won’t be alone once we reach our destination. What’s this girl up to?

“C’mon,” Vienna urges, veering sharply off the trail onto a narrower path and nearly pulling my shoulder out of its socket in the process.

I stumble to follow her, a rogue branch catching in my hair. “Slow down!” I laugh as I pull it free, wrenching my arm out of her grasp. We’re headed down a gradual incline, I realize, and the music and chatter in the distance are now unmistakable. It sounds like there’s a full-blown party happening in the woods and we’re headed right for it.

My suspicions are confirmed when we hit the end of the path, a break in the trees revealing our destination: a swimming hole. I skid to a stop, my jaw going slack as I take in the scene before me.

For starters, the swimming hole itself is beautiful. It’s bordered on one side by a tall rock face, a thin waterfall cascading down over the stone into the large pool below. The side we’re on boasts a wide, flat bank, and both the bank and the swimming hole itself are packed with bodies; guys in board shorts flaunting their bare, muscular chests and scantily clad girls in skimpy bikinis.

“What is all this?” I ask incredulously, lifting my aviator sunglasses to rest atop my head as my eyes ping from the throng of people to the beer kegs floating in tubs of ice, to the big speaker playing music.

Vee grins proudly, linking her arm with mine. “Party for the squad. They randomly throw these when it’s too hot to train outside and we all need a break. Boosts morale.” She tosses me a wink, taking a step forward and urging me along with her.

Now that I’m here, I vaguely remember Vienna telling me about a party like this once before. Hearing about it and seeing it with my own eyes are two different things, though- the scene before me is straight out of a movie, hands clutching red plastic cups, couples canoodling, and groups of friends splashing around in the water. I can’t help but grin as we wander down the bank; this is definitely the pick-me-up I’ve been needing lately.

“Hey, you made it!” Levi greets, approaching us with his signature charismatic grin. He’s carrying a plastic cup in each hand, foamy beer sloshing out of the tops with each step.

“Where’s…?” Vee starts to ask, but her voice trails off into a scream when a thick set of arms wrap around her torso from behind, lifting her off the ground. She giggles and kicks as Chase hauls her up to nuzzle into her neck, nipping her skin playfully.

I laugh at their display while Levi rolls his eyes, thrusting one of the cups of beer in my direction. “You’ll probably need this,” he warns, his gaze flickering past me in warning.

I turn over a shoulder to follow his line of sight, spotting a familiar shock of blonde hair and a pair of wide, apologetic hazel eyes. I whip my head back around with a barely disguised wince, taking the cup from Levi gratefully and raising it to my lips. He gives me a little nod, backing off as Miles comes up behind me, his hand brushing my arm.

“Hey, can we talk?” he asks, my muscles tensing reflexively at his slight contact.

I swallow down a big gulp of beer, my lips lingering on the rim of the cup as I slowly turn to face him.

I haven’t seen Miles since the day Cal punched him at the packhouse, though I know a conversation between us is long overdue. At first, I was avoiding him because I was still fuming over the stupid bet, but after that kiss with Callum yesterday, now I’m the one feeling guilty.

I nod, taking another long sip from the cup before lowering it.

Miles blows out a breath, hanging his head sheepishly. “I know I fucked up with that bet,” he grumbles.

“I’m really sorry.”

“I know,” I reply quickly. “Honestly, I don’t want to rehash that whole thing. I just…” my voice trails off as I get a prickly feeling like I’m being watched, and immediately, I know who it is. Just as before, I feel Callum’s presence before I even see him. I turn to seek him out, my eyes drawn to his like a magnet.

My breath catches in my throat when our gazes lock.

He’s standing beside the beer keg, puffing on a joint while Logan fills his cup. The two of them are like bad boy eye candy with their chiseled, tattooed bodies, and I can’t help the way my own body reacts to the sight of Callum. Heat crawls up my neck, my cheeks flushing. I look away, back toward Miles, but suddenly I’m tongue tied, my mind going blank.

What were we talking about, again?

Miles isn’t the most clever guy I’ve met, but he’d have to be blind not to pick up on the reason for my distraction. His gaze bounces from Callum to me, his throat bobbing with a hard swallow. The look on his face betrays his emotions, and damnit if I don’t feel even more guilty when I see the defeated look in his eyes.

I down the rest of my beer.

“This isn’t going to work out, is it?” Miles asks, his voice soft. “You and me.”

I open my mouth to respond, but no sound comes out. The people pleaser in me wants to say something to soften the blow and spare his feelings, but I know giving him false hope won’t do either of us any favors. I tried with Miles, I really did, but I just never felt that spark. I didn’t even realize how much I needed to feel that until Callum came back, and one look from those blue-green eyes set me ablaze.

Miles is a good person. Sure, everybody has their faults, but he’s kind, loyal, and decidedly uncomplicated. He always offered a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear when I needed it. I doubt anyone else would’ve been as patient with me as he’s been. He would be the sensible choice, but deep down, I know something would always be missing.

I grind my molars, searching for the right words to say. “Miles, you’re a great guy, but I’m not him,” he finishes.

Exactly.

I blow out a breath, eyes pricking with unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”

Miles heaves a sigh, hanging his head and kicking at the sandy bank dejectedly. I half expect him to get defensive or angry, but when he looks up at me again, his gaze is resigned. “Hey, no hard feelings,”

he offers. “I kinda saw it coming. I want you to be happy, you deserve that. But I deserve it, too.” His eyes slide between Callum and I once more. “I hope I’ll find someone someday who looks at me like that.”

He’s taking this way better than expected, which only makes me feel like more of a jerk. I don’t know what to say to that, but thankfully, he doesn’t stick around for a response. The blow to his ego is probably too much. Miles just offers me a weak smile and shuffles away without another word, only to be replaced by Vienna seconds later.

“How’d that go?” she asks, wide-eyed in curiosity.

I grimace, shrugging a shoulder. “Better than expected. Guess I’m officially single.”

Vee shoots a glance toward Cal, snorting. ” Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” She smirks knowingly, reaching forward to pluck my empty cup from my hand “Need a refill?”

“Sure,” I breathe. I don’t have to look to know that Callum is still posted up by the keg; I’ve felt his eyes burning into the side of my face ever since I looked his way. I’m not quite ready to go over there and talk to him yet. I wrap an arm around my waist, fingertips brushing the little cherry tattoo on my ribcage.

“Remember to make him work for it,”

Vienna clucks, tossing me a wink as she heads over to the keg to pour us fresh beers.

I glance out toward the water, watching the hard-bodied squad fighters swimming and splashing around. The longer I stand out here under the scorching heat of the sun with beads of sweat rolling down my spine, the more inviting the water looks.

“You did the right thing,” Chase murmurs, approaching me with a rueful grin. I’m not surprised that Miles already filled him in on our little chat. He takes a sip of his beer, licking the foam from his top lip.

“I know Cal has his demons, but he’s trying to work past them.”

“I don’t think he did it, Chase,” I say decisively, shaking my head. I probably sound like a crazy girl in denial right now, but I’ve been thinking about it since Cal admitted the truth, and something just doesn’t add up in my brain. “There had to be some sort of mistake. I know him, and it doesn’t make sense.”

Chase takes me by the elbow, tugging me closer to the treeline so we’re out of earshot of the other people roaming the bank of the swimming hole. “You didn’t know him back then,” he reasons, his voice low. “People make mistakes. It doesn’t define them or mean they can’t get past them.”

I shake my head adamantly. “No, you don’t understand. Cal’s the most observant person I’ve ever met.

You really think he wouldn’t realize that he was…” I drop my voice to a whisper, leaning in. “Killing someone?”

“I think it happened quicker than that,” he mutters. “I went through my dad’s old files, and when they went to investigate, her neck was broken. That’s how she died, not suffocation. So it would’ve been quick.”

That little detail has my mind reeling, but I continue shaking my head in denial. “It just doesn’t make sense, he would’ve felt that. And what was Troy doing there?” I hiss, whisper-shouting. “That guy has it out for Callum, don’t you think it was a little convenient that he was right outside?”

Chase sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face.

“I thought that, too, but just because we don’t want it to be true doesn’t mean it isn’t.”

I scowl, not liking his implication. I swear I’m not crazy. I can’t be the only person who thinks that something just feels off about this whole thing.

“I’m going to ask Rob about it as soon as he’s back,” he adds. “Maybe he can shed some light on the specifics.”

“Will you let me know what he says?” I ask eagerly.

He hesitates for a moment, and I realize this is probably overstepping. I’m not part of his pack. I have no right to be poking around in official pack business. I’m surprised when he nods, though, and replies, “Yeah.”

I smile in gratitude, and before I can get another conspiratorial whisper in, Vienna reappears with fresh beers in her hands. What’d I miss?” she chirps, passing a cup to me and lifting the other to her own mouth.

Chase gives a little shake of his head. “We were discussing that thing I told you about last night. I’ll fill you in later.”

“Ahh,” Vee nods, eyes rounded in understanding as her gaze shifts between me and her mate. I suppose it makes sense that Chase would’ve brought Vienna up to speed. Not only is she his partner, but she’s the pack’s Luna. It makes sense that she’d be kept in the loop.

“Drink up,” she says, tapping her cup to mine and hitting me with a stern look. “No more serious talk, today’s about having fun.”

I roll my eyes, cracking a smile as I raise my beer. “Yes, Mama Vee.”