Page 48 of The Alpha’s Seer (The Shifters of Stormhollow #1)

Chapter Forty-Eight

CALIX

We head back to the packhouse, Blair wearing my shirt as hers lies torn on the ground. I smirk to myself when people see us, averting their eyes because they know exactly what we just did.

Jeez, I’m surprised the next town over didn’t hear her screaming.

My hand slips to the small of her back, and she looks at me with her beautiful eyes, and I drop a kiss to her lips.

“Beautiful,” I mutter with annoyance. “Yet so fucking disobedient.”

Blair’s lips lift at the corners as I guide her to our bedroom, pleased that no one interrupts us on the way. After everything we have been through, it’s nice to have a little peace. The pack needs to heal, and so do we.

I stride to the bathroom and run a bath, pouring creamy liquids into the water as my mate wraps her arms around me from behind.

“How’s your back?” I ask roughly, pissed that I’d hurt her. But fucking against trees is normal for animals—I just have to remember my mate is a human.

Blair shrugs against me. “It’s not too bad.”

But she’s a liar—I can smell the blood from here.

When the bath is ready, I nod to it, and she climbs in, sweeping her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.

She’s so effortlessly sexy, even when she’s taking a bath while injured.

She yawns and slips into the water with a grateful moan, and I leave her for a moment.

I head outside for some fresh air, stopping when I see Alpha Asher having a heated argument with the new girl—Azra.

“Just don’t encourage him,” he snarls, stepping into her personal space. “I’m warning you.”

Azra, slight as she may be, straightens her shoulders and scowls at him. “I’m not your property, Asher. You can’t tell me who to speak to.”

Alpha Asher tenses his jaw, and his face reddens. I know better than to intervene, but I need to diffuse this—and quickly.

“Azra,” I command, watching as she turns her furious glare to me. “Go.”

Azra’s hands ball into fists, but she has to obey me—I’m her Alpha. Asher isn’t.

“Fine,” she bites out, sending a look of hatred Asher’s way. “But remind him he isn’t my Alpha.”

Alpha Asher grits his teeth and moves forward, but I step between them and turn to Azra with a sharp tone.

“I’ll remind you I am. Respect Alpha Asher while he is our guest.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Azra responds as she bows her head, her rage glittering in her eyes. She moves away without another word, and I turn back to Alpha Asher.

“What was that?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” Alpha Asher mutters. “She’s just a little bitch.”

I chuckle, recognizing this for what it is—sexual tension.

“Ah.” I scratch the back of my neck and sigh. “Are you staying here much longer? You know you’re welcome.”

Alpha Asher says nothing at first, but then he sighs. He looks at me with wariness, but he knows he can trust me.

“What is it?”

“It’s her.” He nods his head in the direction Azra went off in. “She’s in my fucking head, and I can’t get her out.”

“Fuck her out of it then,” I suggest, before realizing it’s not that simple. Even wolves feel trauma, and I doubt Azra or any of the other women can slide back into someone’s bed so quickly after what they went through with that fucker Faolan and his men.

I’m lucky Blair wasn’t hurt like that.

The thought makes me incandescent with rage.

Still, I’ve seen some women come back swinging the other way—needing touch, needing sex, like it’s the only way to scrub the filth out and make it theirs again.

Maybe that’s what Azra’s doing.

Maybe Asher’s just the bastard strong enough to take it.

“It isn’t enough.” Alpha Asher shrugs.

I lift a brow. They’ve already fucked?

I can’t imagine Azra letting Alpha Asher, or any other man, anywhere near her.

Reading my mind, Alpha Asher sighs.

“No, we haven’t. I just know it wouldn’t make a difference.

” He sighs heavily again. “It’s complicated.

I can’t fucking stand her, but…” His eyes change as he stares past me.

“I don’t know. I’m being stupid.” He stands straighter, and his gaze hardens, returning to the man I know. “We’ll leave tonight.”

I nod, surprised he’s made such a sudden decision. He seemed to stay because of Azra, but that’s impossible. If she were his mate, they’d know.

Right?

Then again…

“Thank you for having us.” Alpha Asher nods at me before moving past, stomping toward his pack.

“That boy has so many issues,” I murmur to myself as my wolf agrees.

The woman will help him.

I snort. “They can’t stand each other.”

No matter.

I decide not to argue with my wolf and head back to Blair, who is dozing in the bubble bath. Her eyes remain closed when I walk in, with no sense of danger at all. I sigh.

I need to train her somehow—I could’ve been anyone walking in here.

“Better?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the tub as she grins at me.

“God, yes. This tub is divine.”

“No, you are divine.” I tell her, leaning down to lift her leg from the soapy water. “Now, I’m going to wash you.”

Blair looks surprised but says nothing, allowing me to clean her from head to toe. I have to exercise serious self-restraint when I clean her swollen pussy, but somehow I manage to behave like a man, not a wolf.

Rude, my wolf huffs, and I grin.

Blair smiles. “What’s he saying?”

I lift her from the tub and wrap her in a large, fluffy white towel before kissing her forehead. “That I’m rude.”

Blair chuckles. “Why?”

“Because I thought it was decent of me to behave like a man and not a wolf while I cleaned you.”

Blair laughs, and my lips lift at the corners at the sound. I could listen to her laugh all day.

“I love your wolf.”

My wolf preens, and I roll my eyes. “Don’t start him off. He already thinks he’s the reason we’re together.”

Blair tilts her head. “Well, he is so beautiful and caring.”

See? Told you.

I huff and shake my head. “And I’m not?”

Blair reaches up to cup my face in her hands and kisses me softly. “You’re outrageously sexy and grumpy, but I’m here for it.”

“So he gets beautiful and caring, and I get sexy and grumpy?”

“And I love you,” Blair adds softly.

My gaze moves to hers, and we stare at one another, aware this is the first time she’s said it to me, face-to-face.

I swallow and stroke her face, my heart bulging in my chest, swollen with adoration for this woman.

“You know I love you,” I say, watching as her eyes light up, her whole face transforming into that of a love-struck teenager.

“Yeah?”

I pull her into my arms and kiss her softly, like I’m showing her how much I love her. Because sometimes words aren’t enough.

“Yeah.”