“Does this mean Caddy will be here?” I asked excitedly. Theo nodded, pausing from his writing to watch my face bounce from dread to delight. A soft smile graced his lips before he ducked his head down and resumed writing.
I hopped off the couch and wobbled over to Theo’s office. I dialed the familiar number and sunk down into the plush chair.
“Hello?” a quiet voice answered.
“Mrs. Delphine?” I said.
“Yes, who is this?”
“It’s Margo,” I paused and was met with silence. “Is Caddy there?”
“Oh, dear. He’s not here right now,” she breathed slowly. Someone grabbed the phone, and there was a short quarrel.
“Margo?” Caddy’s voice asked after the brief jilt.
“Caddy!” I greeted happily.
“I’m so glad you called, I was just thinking about you,” he admitted. A real smile appeared on my face for the first time since we met Bodhi.
“Good, because I was thinking about you, too. Guess what? Theo’s holding a gathering for all the allied wolves, something about mingling and diplomacy, but that means you’ll be here, right?”
“Of course, I’ll be there.” I could almost see the smirk on his face. We talked for a while more before Theo’s silhouette shadowed the doorway. I continued talking as Theo sat down on the edge of his desk, looking at me, waiting for me to stop talking. I never did. This was Caddy, Theo could wait a few moments. He waited a couple more minutes, as long as he could, before he slipped the phone out of my hand.
“Hey, Caddy. It’s Theo. I need to talk to Margo, but I’ll send over the information soon. Yeah, you too, man. See you soon.” He hung up.
“What was that for?”
“I need to talk to you about something.” His face grew serious, and I knew that whatever he was going to tell me, I wasn’t going to like it. I waited, looking at him through narrowed eyes. He fidgeted and ran a hand over his face. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“I’m not looking at you like anything. Spit it out, Theo.”
“Well, with the gathering taking place at the end of the week, I think it’d be silly to send Bodhi and her packmates back to their lands just to turn around and come back within a day.”
“I agree,” I said to his surprise. “So, we’ll find them room in the packhouse. I’m sure Gabriel won’t mind. He knows Bodhi, too, right?”
“That’s the thing,” he paused. “Bodhi doesn’t feel comfortable staying in another Alpha’s home.”
“Where is she going to sleep?” I breathed a laugh, obliviously. “I know the air is mild this time of year, but it gets cold at night, even if she was in her wolf form.”
“She’s going to stay with us,” he blurted abruptly.
“Why?” I shook my head. “If she’s that uncomfortable with other Alpha’s, what is she going to do next week? Plus, aren’t you like the Alpha of Alphas? That doesn’t make sense to me, why would she be comfortable here and not there?”
“Margo, it’s a couple of days. She will hardly be in the way, and I think it’d be nice for you to have someone around. I know I’m quite busy these days, and you might grow to like having her here.”
“I don’t think I will.”
“Why are you so adamant about not liking her? She hasn’t done anything to you, and she’ll be very helpful come gathering time.”
“I just…don’t like her,” I whispered, looking down.
“Well, I’m sorry, but she’s staying. You can either mope and stay in your room the whole time, or you can be friendly and maybe learn something from Bodhi. She’s a great leader, and she would make a good friend to you.”
“So, that’s it?” I asked bitterly, a slow fire simmering in the pit of my stomach. “You get to make all the decisions, and I don’t even get a say?”
“If you had a legitimate reason for Bodhi not staying here, I would take it into consideration,” he paused, allowing me time to provide him with a reason. When I didn’t, he stood up. “That’s what I thought.”
Theo left his office, leaving me to simmer in my displeasure. It wasn’t that Bodhi had done anything significant to warrant my attitude. It wasn’t that she had been rude or aggravating on purpose, or that she meant to stir my jealousy as she touched my mate. It wasn’t even that she vaguely resembled me in a more confident, distinguished way.
Something didn’t sit right about Bodhi, and I wasn’t going to let that go to please Theo. I was allowed to feel what I was feeling, even if it wasn’t deserved yet.
Fester
The three days between Monday and Friday passed painfully slow. Theo was completely enamored by our house guest while I sat in the shadows, waiting until they finally grew tired of each other’s perpetual presence. They never did.
She and Theo sparred outside with Bodhi’s packmates while I watched from the porch sipping hot cocoa. Theo laughed as Bodhi hopped on his back and pulled on his hair. Her pack ran around them, pushing and tripping over each other.
A guard was standing close to me, and I reached my hand towards him for help. He looked shocked and flustered before he rushed to my side, helping me stand and giving me my crutches. Theo stopped playing long enough to see me go inside, and his face was no longer happy.
Bodhi continued to climb on his back, telling him to move forward like a racehorse. His eyes searched through the windows of the house to find me. We met eyes as I sat in my sanctuary.
It’s not that I wanted to take him away from Bodhi. I knew he was mine, but the thought of Bodhi’s hands on him made me itch. His skin should only know my touch. My fingers were supposed to be the only ones wrapped in his short hair. Only my breath should touch
