On the Run Ch. 02

Once again, Callie woke up and groaned. She knew the stress of her chaotic evening, coupled with her exhaustion, had caused her fainting spells. She glanced around the comfortable living room, taking note of the fact that James was no longer sitting across from her. She seemed to be alone for the first time in hours, and Callie breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that she had a second to gather her thoughts, she recalled her conversation with James. He was convinced that he and his family were werewolves. Hell, he was convinced that Callie and her brothers were werewolves! The sheer ridiculousness of the conversation caused her to giggle, before growing pensive.

Outside the doors, Jordan and Aiden raised their eyebrows at the soft laughter coming from within. Both men were feeling entranced by the young woman inside the lounge. It had been so long since someone new had come to Rockford for more than a gas fill-up and a quick bite to eat. They knew that Callie wasn't at their compound on her own terms, but James had convinced them that bringing her family to their home by force was necessary.

The story that the pack understood was that Callie's mother, Cassie, had fallen for a human man from the town nearby. Before the pack caught on, she and her lover had eloped and were pregnant. For a few years, the pack allowed the couple to live nearby. However, when it came to light that Cassie did not plan to raise her children in pack life, the tides of favor turned against them. The family and their young children had left and never returned.

It seemed like fate had brought the Cooper children back to the Rockford pack's lands.

As much as Aiden and Jordan wished to join Callie in the living room and try to woo her, James had forbidden it. The boys were strictly sentries to ensure that Callie stayed put and didn't make another run for it. James had a suspicion that Callie would be reluctant to leave her brothers, but he wasn't ready to trust her fully.

Meanwhile, Noah and Mason's first experiences with the pack could not have been more different than Callie's. After the scuffle in the diner, they had been left in the care of many of the young males of the pack. Currently, the Cooper boys were screaming at the TV while they shot at each other in Call of Duty. Younger than Callie, the boys were always inherently more trusting, and they couldn't deny the sense of belonging they felt with the pack males around them.

A soft knock on the door broke Callie out of her reverie. A lovely woman entered the room and looked to Callie. Callie rose to her feet and quickly looked to the door.

"Hello, I'm Amy. James's wife and mate. I'm guessing you'd like a chance to shower and get cleaned up. We thought you could join us for supper, then James will resume answering any questions you may have." "Where are my brothers? I need to see them. You're all acting ridiculous." Callie replied. She was pissed that these people continued to treat her like a guest, rather than their prisoner. She wouldn't nod along and act like she wasn't here against her will. She wouldn't soon forget the way she was brought to their "pack" and how they had separated her from her family.

Amy nodded, unsurprised by Callie's outburst. "I promise your questions will be answered. Your family is safe. In fact, after your shower, you'll see them at supper. If you'll please just agree to get cleaned up and meet us in the dining hall."

Callie paused to study the woman in front of her. Blonde hair fell to her shoulders and laugh lines around her mouth and clear blue eyes made her look warm and charismatic. Callie begrudgingly admitted that she certainly didn't look like a crazy person.

Finally, Callie agreed and followed Amy into the hall. There, she ran into what felt to be a solid wall of muscle.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry!" She stuttered out before glancing up into the face of the man she'd run into.

Jordan laughed and showed her rows of perfect teeth. "It's okay. I'm Jordan. I've been dying to meet you anyway, so I guess the time is now!"

Callie shook his proffered hand and turned to follow Amy without a second glance. Jordan was attractive, tall and solid, with thick dark brown hair and a kind smile. But dating or meeting someone was literally the last thing on her mind. She had more important things to deal with, like getting out of Rockford and on with her life.

Avery led Callie to a snug, woodsy looking bedroom. Though furnished, the room seemed empty and Callie had the uncomfortable feeling that maybe they were expecting it to be her bedroom.

She pushed the thought from her mind when she entered the en-suite bathroom and set to work looking for soap. Some generic shampoo and conditioner sat on the counter and she gladly took it. She was looking forward to the shower, but not to putting her dirty clothing back on. Callie wondered where her truck was, and whether or not she would be able to get her bag.

After a quick, refreshing shower, Callie stepped out to see that someone had left clothing on the vanity for her. It seemed clean, so she slipped into the jeans and top and was pleasantly surprised at how well they fit. Amy was sitting on the bed when Callie emerged. She smiled and stood, gesturing for Callie to again follow her. Callie appreciated her quiet demeanor. It was a pleasant respite from all of the overcharged testosterone she seemed to be bombarded with since arriving in Rockford.

Amy and Callie soon found themselves in what appeared to be a large dining hall. Callie felt like it was a scene from a movie when the people filling the long tables fell silent upon her entry. She had never felt more scrutinized or examined in her life. There were probably 30 to 40 men, women, and even a few children staring at her with blatant curiosity. Callie was relieved to see her brothers, apparently unharmed, sitting amongst boys they acted like they'd known their entire lives. Noah and Mason waved at her excitedly. Callie inwardly rolled her eyes at her brothers' naivety.

Amy patted her shoulder and led her to a serving line. "Don't worry, they'll get over it. We're just surprised to see Coopers after so long."

The two women were served plates of barbecue chicken, green beans, and cornbread by a series of young women. Callie followed Amy to where James and a few others sat at the head of one of the tables. By the way the group deferred to James, it was obvious to Callie that he had some say around them. He stood and welcomed the two women to the table, and chatter resumed around them.

Amy slid into a seat next to James and gave him a chaste kiss before smiling at Callie and gesturing her to the seat across from them.

James smiled widely at Callie and encouraged her to eat up. Evidently, everyone looked forward to the barbecue chicken. Callie wasn't exactly interested in glib small talk. She leveled a glare at James and cut straight to the chase, "When exactly will you be letting us leave? I don't plan to stick around for the next chicken night."

To her frustration, James chuckled. "I see you've got your wits about you again. I just knew you'd be sharp as a tack. You'll be such a valued member of the pack when you come into your own. And so, if that doesn't answer your question, you will not be permitted to leave. This is your new home." Sickeningly, his wife nodded along with a smile on her face.

Callie looked hard at James and Amy. These people were stupid if they thought they could win her over with a shower, clean clothes, and chicken. Without another glance, Callie stood and strode quickly to the door. She had to find her truck and get herself under control. She didn't need James; she didn't need Amy or any of the others she'd met. She'd look out for herself and her brothers just like she was used to.

As soon as she reached the hallway, Callie began to run. She ran because she didn't know how else to cope with the confusion of this new situation. She finally found a door leading to the outside and thanked her lucky stars. Her hope deflated when she realized she was in the middle of nowhere. At the sounds of footsteps behind her, Callie quickly tore off into the trees.

Feeling less than confident in her plan of action, Callie's heart rate sped up. She berated herself for running off into the woods without a clue as to where she was going. She figured she'd stay close enough that she could still find her truck, but hide out until the pack assumed she was long gone.

Her heart lodged in her throat when she began to hear the same howls from the previous night. She shook her head. It was ridiculous for her to believe they were wolves. Who's ever seen a giant wolf in West Texas? Maybe coyotes, but she could handle coyotes.

Finding a sturdy tree with plenty of low branches, she took one last look behind her and started to climb. Once she reached the thicker branches and felt somewhat concealed, Callie stopped to catch her breath. She curled her body into a ball and decided to wait it out.

"Goddammit!" James had roared as he watched Callie make a break for it. She's definitely strong willed, he'd have to give her that. But his pack didn't need her running off at every odd moment. Frankly, it was a pain in his ass.

"Betas! Let's go. We've got to bring that Cooper girl back home. But don't hurt her!"

Jordan and Aiden had watched the group take off from their seats with their friends. James had been clear that unmated males were to stay away from Callie until the time was right. So they sat and finished their dinners while Ethan, Jacob, and Carter joked and laughed around them.

Shedding their clothing, about 6 of the Betas had shifted into wolves and went running after Callie. Her scent, laced with fear, clung to where she had run and they had no trouble following her. The wolves tracked her to a tall tree, where they assumed she was hiding.

Callie looked underneath her where a pack of wolves stood, sniffing the ground and the trunk of the tree.

Just freaking great, she thought. Could my life get any more comical?

All of a sudden, below her stood a group of 7 very naked, very angry men. She had to admit, James had proven his point in a very compelling way. It would appear that he wasn't acting out some kind of delusion. The people standing below her were exactly what James had claimed: werewolves.

"Come on Callie. It's time to come down from there. Let's talk and get everything figured out. My name is Luke. I'm here for you, I want you to feel happy here," one of the men called up to her.

Callie sighed and climbed down to the waiting men. She was starting to see a pattern here—she ran and they caught her.

When her feet touched the ground, she was shocked when James stepped forward to wrench her arms behind her back. Even more shocking was the feeling of a wide cable tie cinching her hands together.

"James, what the hell?" Callie demanded.

James roughly grabbed her chin and brought his face close to hers. "Callie, your stupid desire to run away from anything that's difficult or scary is a habit we need to break. I will not risk the safety and wellbeing of the pack to keep chasing you and bringing you back. It's looking more and more like we'll have to keep you somewhere more secure until we can trust you."

Callie's eyes widened as the truth of what James said sank in. Reluctantly, she followed the men back into the pack's compound. She was surprised when they marched her past the bedroom she'd showered in and continued walking.

After twisting and turning down a few more hallways, James walked Callie into a smaller room containing just a bed and a chair. She whirled around to look at the man who clearly had the inclination to lock her in something like a jail cell.

"You can't do this to me!" Callie screamed at him.

James shook his head mockingly, "Actually, I can. You're in MY home on MY lands and you're refusing to see reason. This is for our safety and yours. Now, Luke has a few things he's going to explain to you. Hopefully you're a little more polite to him."

Callie sat down on the bed, resolute in her decision to prove her levelheadedness and get out of the cell.

Luke stepped into the room and offered his hand to Callie. "It's nice to talk to you face to face instead of face to tree." Callie giggled at his lame attempt at humor. "Now that you're smiling, James has asked me to talk to you. He seems to think you'll respond better to me than you have to him. Must be my charm and rugged good looks." At that, he wagged his eyebrows at Callie.

He continued, "Now, your bloodline contains the werewolf gene, handed down from your mother's side. It's highly likely that you and your brothers also carry it. Have you experienced a shift?"

Callie gawked at Luke in disbelief, "Of course I haven't."

Now it was Luke's turn to look puzzled. "At 19, you're more than old enough to have experienced your first shift. It's a little odd that you haven't but we may be able to attribute that to your mother removing you from the pack and isolating your family. We'll let the pack doctors worry about that later. Anyway, it's about time that you start to come into your own. Does that make sense?"

Callie simply nodded along.

"Right. Let's push on. James has been thinking about you and your mother extensively since you popped back up in town. He feels betrayed by your mother, to be honest. Your mother grew up on our lands and in our way of life. When she fell in love with a human man from another town, they eloped and got pregnant before they even told James. James was hurt, but he let them live nearby. We should have seen something coming when your mom started distancing herself from the pack, but by the time we caught on, they were long gone. We found out about their death a few months ago. We had no idea you kids would come through Rockford."

Callie was speechless. Inside, she couldn't make heads or tails of Luke's story. Her mother had never said a word about the Rockford pack or her life here. A surge of competing thoughts and emotions left Callie feeling even more confused than she'd been before.

Luke took her silence to mean that she was ready for him to continue.

"Now that y'all are here, you have to understand why James doesn't want you to leave again. He just wants you to be a part of something. He wants you to have a family again."

Callie had to acknowledge that the idea of feeling safe and secure in a family again was appealing. But it would take more than Luke's good-natured humor to win her over. The cable ties securing her wrists were a testament to the fact that James wasn't afraid to play dirty.

Callie strengthened her resolve and spit back, "There are better ways of showing that than chasing me through the woods, cuffing me, and leaving me in a jail cell."

Luke shrugged. "I can't pretend to know everything about how he makes his decisions."

At that, a knock on the door caused both of them to glance up. Another tall blonde woman strode purposefully toward the pair. Callie was beginning to think she'd need to bleach her hair if she ever wanted to fit in with the women around here. Luke beamed at the woman and offered her the chair he'd been sitting in.

"Callie, this is my mate Riley. I'm so glad you two get to meet. Riley didn't grow up in the pack either. She can help you understand how your life will change as you become one of us."

The women smiled at each other and Amanda took a seat. "Hey Callie. I'm excited to get to meet you. You've caused quite a stir around here. You should've seen James's face when you took off out of the dining hall. Do you have any questions about pack life?"

Callie took a deep breath and asked, "I've heard y'all call each other mates. What does that mean?"

Riley paused then began. "I knew that question was coming. A mate is a partner, an equal in life. Fate has chosen your mate before you're even born and you're destined to find them. It can take years and years for it to happen to some people. Luke and I were lucky that I came through Rockford a few years back. One second, I'm pumping gas and the next, this mechanic was ALL over me! I would've been creeped out but I felt it too. It was just this instant sense of love and belonging. Since Luke and I have been together, it's gotten even stronger. You form such a special bond, it's hard to believe that we didn't know each other at all before mating. I quit my job, moved to pack lands, and never looked back!" She giggled like a schoolgirl as she finished her story.

Callie was disgusted. She couldn't imagine moving to life with someone she'd just met. She looked at Riley one last time, before laying on her side facing the wall. She deadpanned, "Thanks Riley. I don't have any more questions right now. I'm really tired so, I think I'll go to sleep."

If Riley was surprised, she hid it well. She excused herself and Callie was hoping she would finally get some peace. She should've known better.

As the door opened once more, Callie glanced up to see James gazing down at her thoughtfully. "What did you think of Riley's story?" he asked softly. With a quick flash of a knife, Callie's wrists fell free.

Callie snorted and wrinkled her nose in revulsion. "I thought it was absurd."

"I figured you would react like that. Luke and Riley's story is a typical mating story. However, some mates never cross paths and never have a chance to feel that way. In those cases, wolves will find a suitable partner and force the mating process. It's not ideal, but they get a chance to find happiness too."

Callie interrupted, "What does this have to do with me?"

James leaned in and gave her a hard look. "I was getting there. You need to understand that you're here to stay, and I think you need a mate to keep you in hand. I know you've been too stressed to feel the mating pull, if there is one, so we're going to give you a chance to meet some of our unmated young men. If attraction isn't immediately apparent, we'll select the mate we think is up to the task and you'll be tied to them. Don't worry. The mate bond ensures that you'll come to love him. You won't be unhappy."

If Callie had any more outrage or anger in her, she would've hurled it at James with everything she's got. Unfortunately, it had been such an outlandish day that she didn't have much of anything left in her.

"I'll let you take this in and get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day for you. If you're really well behaved, we may even let you chat with your brothers. They're currently under the impression that you don't feel very well and you need time to rest."

James stepped out of the door and sighed. He should've been surprised when Callie flung the chair against the door behind him, but he knew something like that was coming. She was more a handful than anticipated, but James felt confident that he'd get her under control.