Page 55 of Fated (The Bonded Legacy #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CALEB

P rogress hummed in the air as Caleb walked the courtyard—hammers striking wood, patrol boots moving in rhythm, wolves chattering as they coordinated.

The past two weeks had been a whirlwind of activity for Crescent Fang, but he couldn’t have been prouder seeing the pack surge forward with purpose, alive with shared vision.

“Alpha!” called a young wolf as he jogged up, beaming with pride. “The eastern garden beds are coming along great. We’ve already started planting those medicinal herbs you suggested.”

Caleb clasped the youth’s shoulder, feeling the eager energy thrumming beneath his palm. “Good work, Nate. Those herbs will serve us well come winter.”

The young wolf beamed before darting back to his post, renewed purpose in his stride.

Caleb continued toward the construction site where Asher directed the action.

The sanctuary project’s foundation was already set, wolves moving in synchronized effort at his beta’s calm instructions.

When their eyes met across the site, Asher’s smile sent a flutter beneath Caleb’s ribs, heartbeat quickening as he returned the gesture.

His beta raised a hand in greeting, and Caleb nodded back.

Farther out, Varek’s patrol teams rotated in from the borders. Caleb intercepted his gamma. “How are the warriors holding up with the new schedule?” he asked as they fell into step.

“Better than expected, Alpha.” Varek wiped sweat from his brow. “Injuries are down thirty percent, and alertness has improved significantly.” He gestured to the returning patrol. “They’re tired, but not exhausted. That’s the difference.”

Caleb nodded, squeezing his gamma’s shoulder. “Well done.”

The warriors had embraced Varek’s revamped patrol system—the balance between readiness and rest impressive in its effectiveness.

It wasn’t just about preparing for an attack; it was about sustaining the warriors for the long haul.

And the new alarm systems installed along the borders added an extra sense of security.

As he moved towards the forest edge of the pack grounds, Caleb’s thoughts drifted to the summit, to the new relationships he formed and the quiet ripples of change spreading across the region.

Correspondence with Renford had reaffirmed a commitment to exploring an alliance between Crescent Fang and Blackwater, while Garrick had proven generous with advice and guidance on navigating regional politics.

It was progress—slow but steady—and Caleb could feel the momentum building across his pack.

He thought of the invitation to Cian’s alpha ceremony that sat on his desk. He looked forward to seeing his new friend take his place as Moonshadow’s leader and reconnecting with some of the other alphas who had gathered at the summit.

But first, there was today—and the unexpected request from Darius.

Caleb shed his clothes as he reached the tree line and shifted. Fenrir’s powerful form emerged, paws pounding earth, wind whipping through black fur. As he raced toward Lunaris Sanctum, the Bloodstone Alpha’s call lingered in his mind.

As he reached the sanctum, Caleb shifted back into his human form.

The ancient site pulsed with quiet energy, a tangible reminder of Crescent Fang’s connection to Selene.

He sank to his knees at the center of the grounds, bowing his head as he let the sanctum’s peace settle over him.

With his eyes closed, Caleb let his thoughts drift, seeking guidance from the Moon Goddess and ancestors that came before him.

Fenrir’s presence coiled at the base of his skull, a low vibration that sent ripples of awareness down his spine. “A meeting with Darius Bloodstone. Curious, isn’t it?”

Caleb released a measured breath, considering the alpha who had requested his consult.

Darius’s reputation as a domineering male preceded him, but the request for a private meeting had caught Caleb off guard.

What could drive such a powerful figure in the region to seek counsel from someone like him, a younger alpha leading a smaller pack?

Fenrir’s voice nudged him. “You’re right to consider what this meeting might bring, but remember—Darius isn’t Crescent Fang. Approach him with curiosity, not expectation. Don’t assume alliance or enmity. Keep your ears open and guard what you offer.”

The warning wasn’t suspicious but measured. Caleb hummed in acknowledgment, taking his wolf’s advice to heart.

The sound of tires crunching gravel announced Darius’s arrival. Caleb straightened from where he stood on the packhouse porch, gaze sharpening as the Bloodstone Alpha pulled to a stop.

Darius unfolded from the vehicle, imposing frame blocking the afternoon sun.

His critical gaze swept over the packhouse grounds with the automatic assessment of an alpha accustomed to command.

Yet his usual fluid stride had shortened, shoulders hunched forward against some invisible weight.

Gravity had carved trenches around his mouth since Caleb had last seen him.

Shadows collected beneath his eyes like bruises never given time to heal.

His jaw worked side to side, teeth audibly grinding against invisible resistance—chewing words that refused to be spoken.

“Darius,” Caleb greeted with a respectful nod. “Welcome to Crescent Fang.”

“Caleb,” Darius replied gruffly, though lacking his usual sharp edge as he extended a hand. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

Caleb clasped his hand firmly. “Please, come inside.”

The two alphas moved into the packhouse, settling in Caleb’s private office.

Darius’s gaze swept over the room, taking in the understated warmth and simplicity.

Caleb poured them both a drink, the amber liquid catching the afternoon light filtering through the windows.

He waited patiently, sensing that the older alpha needed a moment to gather his thoughts.

Finally, Darius spoke. “You’ve built something remarkable here, Caleb,” he said, voice heavy with an emotion Caleb couldn’t quite place. “Your pack… It feels strong. Balanced.”

Caleb inclined his head, accepting the compliment even as he wondered at the alpha’s true purpose. “Thank you. It’s taken many hands to get us here.”

Darius’s lips twitched into a faint smile before fading. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he cradled his glass. For a long moment, he said nothing, gaze fixed on the liquid as though it held the answers he sought. When he looked up, his eyes were haunted.

“I don’t want to waste your time with pleasantries.” Darius’s voice dropped, vulnerability seeping through his usual commanding tone. “I need your counsel.”

Caleb nodded, keeping his expression neutral. “I’ll help however I can.”

Darius exhaled heavily, shoulders sagging. “It’s about my son, Kai.”

Over the next several minutes, Darius laid bare the story of Kai and Ava. He spoke of their childhood friendship and how it had morphed into a romantic relationship, one that had grown increasingly obsessive and codependent over the years.

Darius’s jaw worked between sentences, muscles bunching beneath the skin.

“I had my doubts early on in their romantic relationship. Ava’s influence over Kai was…

troubling. When Althea, his mother, passed, Ava isolated him, made him believe that she was all he needed.

I tried to guide him, to help him see what Selene wanted for him—a fated mate, a true partner—but Kai resisted.

And the more I pushed, the more he clung to her. ”

Darius’s voice softened as he recounted the events of the summit, though his tone still carried the depth of his burden.

“When Kai found Lena, I thought it was the answer. Selene’s will, clear as day, but he…

he planned to reject her. For Ava.” His hands tightened around the glass.

“I couldn’t let that happen. I…I threatened him.

Told him if he rejected Lena, he’d have no place in Bloodstone. ”

The older alpha admitted to bringing Ava to the summit to force an end to their relationship, agreeing to send Kai to Moonshadow to keep them separated so he could focus on growing his bond with Lena, and how it had all unraveled in a disastrous confrontation.

He looked up at Caleb, eyes heavy with pain.

“Lena was enraged. Ava was devastated. And Kai… Kai was shattered. Afterward, I was distant. I thought I was sparing him my anger, giving us both time to calm down, but…” Darius’s voice broke.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “He sent me this.”

Darius played a voice memo, and Kai’s voice filled the room, raw and broken. The alpha-heir’s anguish was palpable. Caleb listened intently, compassion stirring for both father and son.

Fenrir’s voice hummed in the back of his mind. “Speak carefully, Caleb. A father’s strength lies in knowing when to guide and when to let go.”

When the recording ended, Darius’s frame vibrated with a barely contained tremor. His knuckles bleached white around the phone until the tendons in his wrist protruded like steel cables beneath paper-thin skin.

“I don’t know what to do anymore.” His voice broke as his hand raked through his hair. “Every instinct tells me to push him, to force him down the right path, but all I’ve done is drive him away.”

Caleb let the silence stretch for a moment before speaking.

“Darius,” he began, tone measured, “it’s clear how much you care for Kai.

That care has driven you to fight for what you believe is best for him.

But you’re not just an alpha, you’re his father.

” Caleb leaned forward. “Strength isn’t always in control.

Sometimes it lies in stepping back, in trusting those you love to find their own path. ”

Darius nodded, expression thoughtful. “Trust,” he murmured. “It’s not something that comes easily to me—especially since Althea passed.”

“No,” Caleb agreed. “But it’s something we all have to learn.”

Darius leaned back, eyes meeting Caleb’s. “I reached out because of you and Asher. You’re not fated, yet your bond strengthens your pack. I thought you might understand Kai’s position, help me see what I’m missing.”

Caleb’s lungs seized mid-breath, heat flooding his neck as he forced his spine straight.

“What Asher and I share is everything,” he said softly, gaze fixed on a point beyond Darius.

“When we realized we weren’t fated, we were afraid of what might happen when our mates appeared.

That fear still lingers.” His fingers spread against his thigh. “But we trust in Selene’s plan.”

He returned his gaze to Darius. “My wolf has never discouraged me from sharing my life with Asher. I trust that whatever the future holds, he will always have a place in it. Selene’s will is bigger than us, Darius. It’s bigger than just fated or chosen bonds.”

Darius fell silent, the gentle afternoon light catching the tension in his expression.

When he finally looked up, the tightness around his eyes had softened, shoulders lowering a fraction from their previously rigid set.

“Thank you, Caleb. For your honesty. For your perspective. I have a lot to think about.”

Before Caleb could respond, Darius’s phone buzzed in his hand. The alpha frowned, glancing down at the screen. His expression hardened as he answered the call, posture straightening as he settled into the authority of his role.

“What is it?”

The voice on the other end was tinny and frantic, the words spilling out in a rush. “Alpha, Bloodstone is under attack. Rogues. It’s bad. We need you back. Now !”

Darius shot to his feet, weariness vanishing from his face as though it had never been there. “I’m on my way,” he said, ending the call. He turned to Caleb, urgency etched into every line of his body. “I have to go.”

Caleb stood, meeting the alpha’s gaze. “I’m coming with you.”

Darius paused—regarding the young alpha with a mixture of surprise and gratitude—then bounded down the steps of the packhouse, shifting on the fly, and racing towards the woods in the direction of Bloodstone territory.

Caleb followed, Fenrir’s consciousness pushing against the membrane between forms like water against a failing dam.

The wolf’s hunger seeped through muscle fiber and sinew, saliva pooling beneath Caleb’s tongue as primal instincts overrode human restraint—the urge to hunt, to fight, to run igniting each cell from within.

There was no time to waste. Caleb’s telepathic call to Asher and Varek carried clear, concise orders. Minutes later, he stood at Crescent Fang’s border, a dozen elite warriors assembled at his back. He turned to address them, voice ringing out with alpha authority.

“We go to aid Bloodstone,” he said, gaze sweeping over the assembled wolves.

“Our mission is to defend and protect. Do not attack unless provoked. Stay together, stay focused, and trust each other.” He paused, meeting each warrior’s eyes in turn.

“I want you safe. I want you coming home to your families when this is done.”

A chorus of “Yes, Alpha!” rose from the group, their resolve clear in the set of their shoulders and strength of their response.

The shift began at Caleb’s core—his human form dissolving like salt in water as Fenrir’s ancient power claimed dominance.

Bones crackled like kindling as they realigned, muscles stretched and thickened beneath skin that prickled with emerging black fur.

The transformation completed with a rush of heightened senses—scents becoming landscapes, sounds transforming into visible vibrations.

Where Caleb had stood, Fenrir now loomed, massive and electric with purpose, coat a tapestry of gradient shadow in the dying sun.

He threw back his head, letting loose a howl that echoed through the trees—a rallying cry, a promise of aid to their neighbor.

Then, with a final nod to his warriors, he bounded forward, leading the charge toward Bloodstone and the battle ahead.

The air crackled with tension as they ran.

His heart pounded with Fenrir’s strides, urgency thrumming through his veins.

They didn’t know what awaited them at Bloodstone, but one thing was certain—Crescent Fang would stand with their neighbors, no matter the cost. For the first time in generations, they were part of something bigger than themselves, and they wouldn’t let the Bloodstone pack down.