Chapter 38


    Chapter 38


    Caleb


    I can tell L has figured out that I’m a vampire. Her eyes are colder now, more guarded as she looks


    me up and down as though seeing me for the first time. I cringe and nervously scratch the back of my


    head, embarrassed of what I am.


    “So,” I awkwardly drawl. “I guess you’ve figured it out, ha-ha…”


    Her chocte eyes narrow. “This isn’t funny, Caleb. You’re a vampire, and I’m a werewolf-I could get in


    big trouble just for talking to you.”


    I’m surprised she is focusing on the future punishment from her pack and Alpha rather than on the fact


    I’ve deceived her for three days. I could have told her from the beginning that I’m not a werewolf, but…I


    guess I had this unrealistic dream of us actually bing lovers.


    “Are you going to close the door on me?” I ask, carefully measuring my tone. I don’t want to sound


    afraid, but I am. That’s the truth of it all. Never have I been so fearful of losing something I never had in


    the first ce.


    She crosses her arms in her wheelchair, her face conflicted while chewing on her lower lip. It’s a bad


    habit of hers, but I’ve never pointed it out. Her ws are what make her L, and I wouldn’t change a


    single thing about her.


    “I don’t know yet,” she finally says. “It’s not just about you or me anymore, Caleb.”


    “Tell me about it,” a bitterugh leaves my lips as I sit down cross-legged on the porch, hoping to


    appear less intimidating. When L is sitting in her wheelchair, I feel like a giant. “If I return empty-


    handed to my n, Taria will kill me with her own hands.”


    L falls silent before asking, “Who is Taria?”


    F*ck, I’ve said too much…but does it matter? The werewolves hate me and I know L’s Alpha would


    kill me if he saw me, but I don’t mind helping out L. I’ve already decided she is more important than


    my n. I guess that’s what the mate bond does to a vampire. I mean, I could reject L and mark


    someone else, but what’s the point?


    She is my fated mate, and I’m sorry, but I’ve always been a hopeless romantic. I would die for this wolf


    right here, and I’m not even joking. Call me whipped or whatever you want, but I will choose love over


    world domination every single day of the week. And L is my first and only love.


    “Taria is the vampire queen,” I say casually as if it’s no big deal that I’ve just revealed the name of the


    second most feared and revered being in our world. “She is the one who holds my life in her hands…at


    least, she used to.”


    Thest word dissolves into the air, quieter than a whisper, carrying with it the weight of a thousand


    unspoken truths. I watch as L’s eyes widen in surprise, her mouth opening slightly as she takes in


    the information. I can almost see the cogs turning in her brain, processing the confession that I’d


    blurted out on a whim.


    “The Vampire Queen?” she repeats, her voice thin, almost disbelieving. “You’re a part of her n and


    yet you chose to…to betray her?”


    An impish grin crosses my lips. “I’ve never been known for my intelligence. I’m more of the guy they


    call when they need magic shit done.”


    “Magic shit?”


    “I’m very talented when ites to messing with people’s brains…I can also change my appearance


    and look like anyone I want. Comes in handy when you need to hide from a certain vampire queen that


    might soon want me dead,” I borate, smirking at L’s astonished expression.


    “But I…” She bites her lower lip again. “I still haven’t decided whether or not I ept this…if I ept


    you.”.,


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    Chapter 38


    “Understandable.”


    “No, Caleb…wait, what? You’re just going to ept it? Just like that?” L’s voice takes on a tone of


    disbelief, and her expressive eyes are wide with surprise at myck of reaction.


    “Of course,” I shrug nonchntly. “Happy wife, happy life. Haven’t you heard that saying?”


    She giggles. “Caleb, we aren’t married.”


    “But we could be,” I suggest, letting the words hang between us, a tantalizing promise of what could


    happen in the future. Theughter dies in her throat, and she stares at me, shock registering in her


    widened eyes.


    “What? Are you….are you serious?” L sputters. “We just met each other!”


    “And?” I challenge. “Werewolves don’t live for a very long time, so I’d rather not sit and wait around for


    the good things to happen, L.”


    She swallows thickly at that. “Right… you’re a vampire, so you’re going to outlive me.”


    “Well, technically, there are ways around that,” I correct her gently, not wanting to upset her further. “But


    yes, without any of that, my lifespan will be longer than yours.”


    The silence stretches between us as L digests this new information. Her chocte eyes are pools of


    confusion and turmoil, and I can almost see the cogs turning in her head as she processes my words.


    “So that means I will have wrinkles and graying hair while you look like a member of a K-pop band


    forest?” her tone is half teasing, half sad as the idea settles into her mind.


    I chuckle nervously, hoping her willingness to speak to me is a good sign. “Well, I could always mor


    myself to look old and decrepit if it makes you feel better.”


    She bursts outughing then, her head tilting back as genuine mirth bubbles up within her. Herughter


    is a sound I’ve always found intoxicating, and it makes the tension in my shoulders ease considerably.


    “I can’t believe you’d do that for me


    “Anything for you, L,” I reply earnestly, hoping she doesn’t think I’m joking.


    She turns to me then, her eyes shimmering in the dim porch light. She’s quiet for a moment, just staring


    at me before she finally speaks. “Is this normal? The way we are….you being a vampire and me a


    werewolf-”


    “No, it isn’t,” I say quickly, pausing when she raises a brow at me. “But it’s not unheard of. The vampire


    queen believes her son’s mate is a werewolf, or…well…she hasn’t shared such private information, butN?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    it’s a rumor.”


    L smiles. “So we might not be the only example of a vampire and werewolf couple in this world?”


    “Possibly,” I smile back at her, my heart racing as I recognize a hint of warmth in her tone.


    The silence lingers again, but this time, it feels less tense and more contemtive. L gazes out into


    the endless night while I continue observing her, captivated by her every move and expression.


    “I won’t let you inside,” L suddenly says. “But maybe I could bring myptop, and we could…watch a


    movie together? You have to stay on the porch, though.”


    I grin, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. “I’d like that.”


    “Me too.”


    Hours pass as we watch movie after movie, the genres varying wildly from romanticedies to horror


    flicks.


    Over time, L’s initial hesitance gives way tofort, her body rxing against the back of her


    wheelchair. Although we


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    Chapter 38


    are separated, with her sitting inside and me outside. I can see her reflection on theptop screen. I


    can also see the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathes, feel her presence so close yet so far


    from me.


    Da*n, I’m in love with this girl


    When morninges around, I don’t want to leave, but L is getting tired. A little yawn leaves her


    lips, and my heart tugs at the sight.


    “Tired?” Lask


    She nods, rubbing her eyes. “It’s been a long night.”


    “I should probably go” I say, although every fiber of my being tells me to stay with her, even if I can’t be


    right next to her. But it’s clear she needs rest, and thest thing I want is to keep her awake longer than


    necessary.


    “You coulde backter tonight?” she offers, her voice quiet and uncertain.


    My heart lurches at the invitation. “You’d be okay with that?”


    She smiles softly, shrugging her shoulders. “I enjoyed spending me with you, Caleb. Even if you stayed


    on the other side of the door.”


    I return her smile, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. “I’ll see you tonight then.”


    As I turn to leave, L calls out to me, stopping me in my tracks. “Caleb?”


    “Yes”


    “Just…be careful, okay?”


    “I will.”


    With a final wave and a smile, I push off from the porch and melt into the shadows, leaving L’s


    house behind. I’m so happy it feels like I’m flying, but my cloud-nine momentes to an end when I


    hear rustling in the bushes.


    I’m being followed.


    I stop in my tracks to listen. A low rumble echoes through the quiet night, sending shivers down my


    spine. I can fee in the ground, and it only means one thing.


    Werewolves.


    My instinct is to flee. I might be a capable fighter, but thest thing I want is to hurt one of L’s


    friends. It would shat if I identally killed a pack member of hers while trying to defend myself.


    Bors


    That’s why I raise my hands to surrender when arge, white wolf with wings on its back walks out of


    the bushes. It snarls at me, its pink eyes gleaming with hostility.


    This must be Daisy, the reincarnated werewolf queen. She is a friend of L, her best friend, which


    means touching even a strand of her fur is a big no unless I want to lose L forever.


    “I mean no harm,” I say, keeping my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart in my chest.


    But the angelic wolf doesn’t listen.


    It lunges forward, its teeth bared and body poised for attack. I don’t want to fight L’s friend and let


    the wolf bite into me. The pain registers in my mind, but I don’t react


    The things we do for the ones we love…..