Outsider (Outsider Series) (15 page)

eight
.

Gram wasn’t at home when I got there so I assumed she was either meeting with the council again or at her store.
I was worried about how much time Gram was spending with the council. It made me think that there was something bad, something major, going on. But then it again it could just be my overactive imagination because Caeden acted as if it was normal. If he wasn’t worried then I shouldn’t be worried either.

I took a quick shower and changed into jean
s
and a long-sleeved maroon shirt.
I quickly finished my homework before deciding to start dinner.
I looked through the refrigerator for something to make for dinner. I decided to make a homemade pizza. I first made only one but then decided with the way that Caeden ate that I should probably make two. Just as I stuck them in the oven the doorbell rang.

I practically
floated to the door. A smile lit
my face before I even opened the door. I opened the door wide to let in Caeden. His hair was still slightly wet from the shower, the ends curling slightly. He had on jeans and a black pea coat, with a gray scarf. I thought that he had never looked more perfect.

Noticing my gaze he blushed as if embarrassed. “It got cold out,” he said quietly. “I may be wolf but I’m not entirely impervious to the cold.”

“You look perfect,” I breathed. “I feel underdressed,” I stated.

I closed the door as he began to shrug out of his coat and pull off his scarf. “Have no fear,” he said hanging up his coat, “I wore a plain shirt.” I smiled as he tugged at his gray long-sleeved shirt.
“Is that pizza I smell?” he asked with a grin. “I thought you Beaumont women felt the need to cook everything?”

I laughed. “I did cook it,” I said, “and it should be ready any minute.” On cue the timer went off and I strode in the kitchen to get them before they
burned;
Caeden right behind me.

“
Mmm
, smells delicious,” said Caeden as I removed the pizza’s a
nd
waved the oven mitt at them to help cool them down.

I shook my head. “You think everything smells good.”

He grinned. “That’s very true. But I still know the difference b
etween
what’s good and what’s bad.”

“Sure you do squirrel-hunter,” I mocked.

He groaned. “Can we just forget about that?”

“Oh no,” I said, “never.”

I cut up the pizzas and grabbed two slices for me and a whole pizza for Caeden. He was already sitting at the table and he grinned when he saw that I had made him a whole pizza.

“You already know me so well,” he said and took a bite. “This is really good,” he added.

“I’m just waiting to see you eat a whole cow or two,” I said.

He laughed. “Next time,” he said.

We ate in companionable silence, every little bit one of us voicing an errant thought. Our peace however was disturbed by a scratching at the back door. I jumped. I couldn’t think coherently. All I could see was Caeden, only a few days ago, at my door as a wolf dying. Was it possible that one of the others had been attacked?

Caeden stood and sniffed the air. “It’s just a dog,” he said and sat back down grabbing another slice of pizza.

“A dog?” I asked, still holding my hand over my racing heart.

“Yeah,” he said around a mouthful. “Wait,” he said holding up a hand. A grin spread across his face. “I think your familiar is here.”

“What?” I asked. “How is that possible?”

He chuckled. “We don’t control when they come. But it might not be your familiar,” he added. “It might just be a stray.”

The scratching
at the door became more incessant, harder to ignore. I stood and went to the door. I expected some kind of monster of a dog to jump out at me like Murphy. Murphy was a nice dog though
just abnormally large
. One of the sweetest I had ever been around so it couldn’t be so bad could it?

I opened the door, looking into the gloom, for a big dog. But what I found was a tiny little Boston
terrier
staring at me with the most adorable brown eyes.

“
Aww
,” I said picking up the tiny dog.

Caeden laughed. “He suits you,” he said.

“He’s mine,” I said. “I can feel it. But how?”
I asked cuddling the dog to my chest.

Caeden laughed. “I don’t know. It’s a weird perk of being a shifter,” he stood and petted the dog on top of his head.

I cooed softly to the dog in my arms. He was jus
t so cute with his white and black fur and pointy ears.

“What are you going to name him?” asked Caeden.

I held the dog out at arm’s length. “Archie,” I said. “His name is Archie.”

Caeden laughed and said, “I hope Archie and Murphy get along because if I have my way you’ll be spending most of your time with me.”

“Oh is that right?” I asked. I looked at Archie. “Do you think they’ll get along? I mean, Archie’s a small dog and Murphy is the size of a moose.”

Caeden eyed me. “He gets along great with Bella so I don’t see why this would be any different.”

I set the dog down on the floor and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. I filled it with water and set it down for him. Within moments he had lapped it all up. “Good boy,” I said and stroked his soft fur. “You know this is your home don’t you? Don’t you?” I asked in that gooey voice that most people reserved for babies.

Caeden shook his head and laughed at me. I didn’t care though. This was a new experience for me. I had never had a dog before. I wondered at that. Didn’t my parents have familiars? I’d have to ask Gram about that later.

Caeden sat back down and continued eating his pizza. I was so absorbed in my new dog that all thoughts of finishing my meal were gone.

Chomping on his pizza, a little sauce sitting adorably in the corner of his mouth, Caeden said, “How about tomorrow after work I take you to
PetSmart
? We can get little Archie
some toy’s and what not.”

I smiled. “That would be great. My poor little baby doesn’t have anything,” I cooed
to
the dog. I saw Caeden shake his head out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t care though. I was going to have my fun.

I heard Gram’s car pull in the driveway and then a moment later she appeared at the front door. Archie went running to her, his tail wagging.

She smiled and bent down to pet him. “Well, who is this?” she asked.

“Archie,” I supplied. “He’s apparently my familiar.”

She smiled. “He suits you.”

“What does that mean? I’m cute and sweet?” I asked jokingly.

“Of course,” said Caeden grinning.

I raised my eyebrows, “So Murphy symbolizes that you’re a giant mess?”

He grinned, his dimple showing. “No, silly. Murphy is my familiar because we have the same traits. Passionate, affectionate, easy-going, quiet, fearless, loyal and many other amazing things.”
He finished with a laugh and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“Maybe you should date him?” I said.

“Ugh no thanks,” said Caeden and then grinned. “He’s not as good of a kisser as you. I don’t think I could survive off of Murphy’s kisses. But yours… Your kisses are like heaven.”

“Glad to know that you’ve made out with your dog, Caeden,” I said and punched his leg from where I sat on the floor with Archie who had curled up in a little ball on my lap.

He puckered his lips. “You seem to like the way I kiss. I guess practicing with Murphy paid off.”
He laughed and moved his legs to avoid another punch from me.

“Ugh, too much information,” said Gram. “You’re making me nauseous.”

I couldn’t help the laughter that burst forth. Caeden started laughing too.
A few tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes.

Gram sat down across from Caeden to eat her pizza. “So how did it go today Sophie? I know you were dreading it.”

I groaned and Caeden grinned.

“Sophie was fine up until the point where she fell flat on her face when she got a look at my delicious abs,” he said and pulled up his shirt rubbing his chiseled stomach.

I blushed and then mocked him, “Delicious huh?”

“Oh yeah,” he said jokingly. “My basement floor is now flooded with your drool.”

“That’s not drool that’s your sweat,” I chuckled.

“Touché,” he replied with a smile.
He finished his pizza and stood. “I better get home. I don’t want to worry my mom. I’ll see you tomorrow at school, babe,” he said and bent down and kissed my cheek and rubbed Archie behind his ears.

“Bye,” I said and smiled at him.

“Bye Lucinda,” he said and hugged Gram.

She patted his cheeks. “Be careful,” she said.

“I always am,” he replied heading out to the living room to put his coat on.

Gram harrumphed and said, “No you’re not.”

He chuckled and ducked out the door. I heard his
Jeep
start and then pull away.
“I’m going to head to bed,” I said to Gram. “I am absolutely exhausted.”

Gram laughed. “What are you going to do, Sophie? We’re going to have to whip you into shape,” she said with a quiet chuckle.

I grinned. “I guess I’m not cut out to be a shifter.”

“Not many of us are,” she said. “You have to be tough as nails. You’ll get there, sweetie,” she said patting my hand.

I smiled up at her. “It all still seems so surreal,” I said. “It’s become more real since I saw Caeden as a wolf but I don’t think it’ll
actually
hit me until I change.
”

Gram sat down on the floor beside me, crossing her legs Indian style. For a moment she said nothing, only petted Archie, then she spoke. “I knew my whole life what I was. I grew up with my husband and our friends, all of us knowing that one day we would come of age and shift into wolves. We’d seen our parents do it many times and had no reason to doubt them but it was still a scary experience.” She patted my knee. “Sophie, you’re a strong girl. You’re going to make a great wolf. And you have Caeden to help you through it all. I had no one.”

I was quiet, thinking, and then I said, “Why were you alone?”

She sighed and looked at me. An ancient sadness glimmered in her shimmery brown eyes, “I never had a mate. I married your grandfather but he wasn’t my true mate. I loved him dearly but the bond of a mate is different.
” She sighed and continued,
“
Despite the idea of a mate turning into nothing more than a legend we still abided by the old rules. The rules clearly state that a female without a mate must make the change alone. I was scared to death. I was only eighteen and the first female to change in my generation pack. I had no one to talk to but my mother and the other elders.
It was so frightening but exhilarating at the same time when I first shifted. I felt like for the first time in my life I was coming into my own skin. I felt free but whole at the same time. It was amazing. After that I felt silly for all the worrying that I had done. So, don’t worry Sophie
, it’s not necessary
. Everything will work out perfectly. And you are so much luckier than the rest of us because you’ll have Caeden to help you through it.
He’ll be there to coach you through it.
” She pulled me against her and began to stroke my hair. “You may be finding out about this after everyone else but you are so much luckier than they are because you have something infinitely more precious, Sophie. You have the gift of the purest, most kind, forgiving, all-consuming, true love. I wish I could have had that. It’s a gift everyone wants and few receive it.
Human and shifter alike.
For whatever reason you and Caeden have been given th
is gift, just like your parents,
I can only hope that the bonds are coming back because everyone deserves to have it.
”

“Gram,” I said and cuddled closer into her comforting arms. I felt like a little kid again, but in a good way, sitting in her arms. “My feelings for him are so strong Gram. It scares me,” I whispered.

“I know sweetie,” she said. “It’ll get worse once you’re bonded too.”

“Bonded?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

She sighed. “When you find your mate there’s a bonding ceremony. It’s almost like a wedding but only for the two of you. It’s a very powerful, very old, kind of magic.”

“Does Caeden know?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “He probably didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to scare you further. He’s very attuned to your feelings.”

“But how do you know all this?” I asked.

“It’s written down in our histories. We stopped believing in mates because for hundreds of years there haven’t been any. Like I’ve told you before, fact turned into legend, and here we are today.”

“Oh, right,” I sai
d embarrassed.