Outsider (Outsider Series) (28 page)

“Well,” I said. “This was some way to spend my Christmas break. I should get a medal or something for worst vacation ever. What day is it anyway?” I asked.

“New Year’s Eve,” Caeden said.

“I missed Christmas,” I mumbled. I knew I had but it hurt hearing it. “Christmas is my favorite holiday.”

Amy leaned over to look at me. “Well, we were optimistic that we would find you so we saved Christmas until we found you.
All the presents are still under the tree.”

“Bryce wasn’t too happy but I think he was scared enough of my wrath that he didn’t say anything,” said Caeden.

I smiled. This was the nicest thing they could have done for me. Gram and I had planned to spend Christmas Eve night here and celebrate Christmas morning with the Williams’ but of course that hadn’t happened.

Choked on emotion I said, “Thanks you guys this means a lot to me. It really does.”

“You’re family now,” said Amy. “We wouldn’t have done it any other way.”

“And look at this way, we get to celebrate two holidays in one day,” said Caeden
.

Bryce came into the kitchen rubbing the sleep from his eye. His face perked up at Caeden’s words. He turned to his mom. “Does this mean I get my presents now?”

“Yes,” she said rolling her eyes at her youngest son.

He whooped with joy and ran from the room shouting. “Santa here I come!”

fifteen
.

We follow
ed Bryce into the large library-
like family room. A large tree was set up in the corner with a mountain of presents under it. Bryce hopped up and down looking like a little kid. His dog Bella came into the room and joined him in his jumping motions. He practically skipped over to a fancy stereo setup where he hit a button and the room was suddenly filled with the sounds of Christmas. Caeden pulled me down onto the floor and into the comfort of his arms.
He kissed the side of my cheek and inhaled the skin at my neck. “I missed this,” he said quietly.

“What?” I asked leaning back to look up into his eyes.

“Holding you, you’re smell, you,” he smiled.

“I’m here now,” I said.

“And you’re never going anywhere,” he said.

“I like the sound of that,”
I
said.

“Lovebirds you’re making me sick,” said Bryce.

We laughed at him and Caeden planted a big, fat, sloppy, kiss on my lips. “Alright, enough of that,” said Gram. “It’s time for presents.”

“Presents!” squealed Bryce like a five year old girl upon seeing a Barbie Dream House. I couldn’t contain the laugh that bubbled out. Bryce glared at me which just made me laugh harder.

“Here Bryce,” said Amy shoving a present at her son. He took it and tore it viciously open. I expected his wolf claws to come out any second.

“Yes, yes, yes!” he said doing a little dance and holding up his present. It looked like a very expensive camera but he was waving it around so frantically that the package became a blur.

Amy shook her head and looked at me, “His enthusiasm amazes me.”

Caeden said to me, “We say that he saves his energy up all year just for this one day.”

“That’s not true!” said Bryce pointing a finger at his older brother. “I’m just a very energetic person.”

“I wish you had this much energy when you have duty,” said Caeden.

“Maybe if I wasn’t stuck with boring old you I’d be peppier,” countered Bryce.

“I doubt it,” said Caeden and they both laughed.

Bryce looked at his mom, “I’m sick of talking to this old coot. Hit me with another present.”

She tossed him one, hard. It hit him in the
chest
. He mock glared at his mom. “You said hit me,” she smiled.

“It’s an expression, mom,” he said.

“Oh, I know,” she said.

Gram pointed to a pile of gifts, “The
se
are for you Sophie,” she said, “from me, your mom, and dad.”

“Gram,” I said, “you didn’t need to get me anything.”

“I wanted to
,” she said, “I’ve been alone on Christmas for many years. This is special.”

“Thanks Gram,” I said.

I opened my presents in a less savage way than Bryce attacked his. Caeden opened his presents too. I got a bunch of new clothes and a new laptop. I thanked Gram profusely and called my parents to thank them too.

I pulled out a package that I had wrapped delicately. I had wanted to make it perfect. “Here,” I said giving Caeden a small smile, suddenly shy.

He smiled and took it in his long fingers. He shook the box and grinned. “What is it?”

“You’ll have to open it,” I said. “I’m going to warn you, I’m not good with gifts.”

He ripped it open and took the tickets out. “This is awesome,” he said holding up the Cage the Elephant concert tickets. “Thanks babe,” he said and planted a kiss on my cheek.

“I know you like them so I th
ought we could go see them live,” I said.

“This is really great,” he said. “And now, here’s your present,” he said handing me a small box wrapped in red paper.

I treated this box with even greater care than I had my other packages. The red paper fluttered to the ground and I was left holding a small white box. Caeden smiled encouragingly. I smiled back and lifted the lid off and gasped. I lifted the beautiful leather bracelet out of the box. The brown the leather was soft and metal beads with a Celtic design added to it.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.

Caeden blushed, and smiled, his dimple showing. “It’s a Celtic love knot.” He pointed to the beads, “It represents infinity and never-ending love. I… uh… I actually made it.” He blushed even redder. “I thought it would make it more special.”

“You’re amazing,” I said and kissed him. “Put it on me,” I said holding out my wrist and the bracelet. I
n
one smooth movement he had the bracelet dangling from my arm. It looked like it belonged there. I fingered it. I was never taking it off. I leaned back against him and inhaled his special scent of pine
and cinnamon
. “I love you,” I said.

“I love you too,” he said and buried his face in the side of my neck. I felt his lips press a gentle kiss against my sensitive skin.

Amy started picking up the wrapping paper and stuffing it in trash bags. “It always amazes me,” she said, “how every year you put so much time into this and in a matter of minutes it’s over.”

“Or in
Bryce’s case, a matter of seconds,” I said.

“Hey!” said Bryce in mock disgust. “I’ll get you for that,” he said and then held up his camera and snapped a picture of me in Caeden’s arms. He appraised the picture. “Too bad this isn’t good enough for blackmail.
You just look like
lovesick puppy dogs. Or I guess
wolves.”

Caeden grabbed a pillow off the couch we were leaned up against and in a blinding fast motion launched it at his brother. It hit him squarely in the head. Bryce glared at his brother.

“You’re going to pay for that,” said Bryce and suddenly Caeden’s arms were no longer wrapped around me.
The two of them rolling around on the floo
r throwing random punches.
All
while they laughed.

I stood up and began gathering the trash together. “Thanks Sophie,” said Amy.

“You’re welcome,” I said. “Thank you for this,” I said. “It really means a lot to me. I want you to know that. Not just this,” I said looking at the Christmas decorations still left up, “but for looking for me too.”

She stopped gathering up the wrapping paper and looked at me. “You’re a part of this family now and we protect our family. We weren’t going to leave you with them. We would’ve kept looking, forever, if we had too.”

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “I didn’t want to be found if it meant they’d hurt him. They want to kill him. I’d die before I’d let them have him,” I said.

Amy looked at her son and then back at me. “I know he feels the same. But you have to remember that your death wouldn’t stop them from killing Caeden. It would only lead Caeden to it. He’d want revenge. I’m afraid that we haven’t seen the last of Peter and Travis. They left with their tail
s
tucked between their legs. Their pride will get the best of them and they’ll be back.”

“I know,” I said. “They won’t rest until they accomplish whatever it is they need to accomplish. They’re determined,” I said. “I’ll give them that.”

“No,” she said, “they’re not determined. They’re cocky and I can only hope that
will be their
down fall. I already lost my husband and I’m not about to lose my son too,” she said. A light glittered in her blue eyes that I had never seen before. It was the look of a mother bear protecting her cub. Or I guess I this case, mother wolf.

She smiled at me and I knew it was the end of the discussion. It was time to move on to lighter more happy topics. That was fine with me.

We finished packing up the trash and I followed her out to the garage. She showed me where to toss the trash and then she turned to look at me. She put her hands on her hip, her curly hair floating around her face. “You know,” she said, “I’m so happy that if the mates are coming back that Caeden is getting to experience this. I’m not just saying that because he’s my son, I mean that’s part of it, but not entirely.” She sighed, “He’s had to become a man
quicker than I would’ve liked because of circumstances out of his control. He’s only been shifting for the past two years and to be thrust into the position
of Alpha
he’s handled it gracefully. He’s taken everything in stride, even while he was grieving, he was strong. He’s never asked for anything in return even though he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. And then you came along and he smiles more than he ever did. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. Caeden was always my more serious child. With you he’s discovering a side of himself that I don’t think he even knew existed. You compliment him and he does you. Anyone can see that you’re a perfect match. It’s amazing to watch, breathtaking even. I hope the others might find that but if they don’t I’m happy that at least Caeden has.” She paused and looked at me. “And I want you to know that I look at you like a daughter. I know you probably don’t see me as your mom, and I wouldn’t want to replace her anyway. But I want you to know that I’m here for you if you ever want to talk. I know it has to be hard on you living away from your mom and dad and then having all of this thrust upon you.  Just know that I’m here. I’m a good listener,” she said.

I smiled. “Thanks Amy that means a lot to me. It really does. You may not be my mom but I’d like to think of you as my second mom.”

She pulled me into a hug. It was awkward at first but some of that left when I wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m so glad you’re going to be a part of our lives,” she said into my hair.

“Amy?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said pulling me away.

“Do you know what the bonding ceremony is? Gram mentioned it but she didn’t explain it to me.” I asked her.

“Let’s go inside. It’s far too cold in here for a serious talk,” she said.

“That’s probably a good idea,” I conceded.

I could still hear
Caeden and Bryce bickering but it sounded like they had moved it to the kitchen. Amy led me past the staircase and towards the back of the house. She opened a pair of French doors that led into a light and airy office. “This is my office,” she said, “t
he one room in the house that is
entirely my own.”

The walls were painted an airy periwinkle color. The office looked out at the backyard and for the first time I noticed a swimming pool. Her desk was an off white color and shelves of the same color lined the back wall. Books, pictures, and various odds and ends were placed on the shelves. A very expensive computer sat on top of the desk. Airy, white, curtains framed the window and French doors which we had entered through. Two wing backed
chairs done in a similar color of
the walls framed the doors. She took one and motioned for me to take the other. Somewhere along the way she’d picked up her cup of coffee.

She sipped at it and said, “So you want to know about the bonding ceremony?”

“Yes,” I breathed.

“I don’t know where to begin,” she said. “Every shifter has heard of the bonding ceremony but like so much else we stopped believing in it. It’s just for you and your mate. It’s like a wedding but just for the two of you-,” she said before I interrupted her.

“That’s what Gram said.”

She smiled and continued. “But much, much, more powerful
than any normal human wedding. You each speak the words of the ancient text in front of nature, meaning in the woods,” she clarified. “Once you speak the words, once you bond yourselves, you’re forever bound to one another. There’s no turning back. Your souls become like one. It’s said that once you bond with a mate you develop powers but I don’t know if there’s any merit to that.
I tend to think not.
”