Mated To An Enemy

Ashleigh smiled, running her fingers through his soft hair as he took small breaths in his sleep.

Moments after confirming that she was all right, Caleb passed out. Ashleigh could barely hold him up as two nurses came running in and moved him onto the couch to rest.

That had been several hours ago. Now, Ashleigh was teasing Caleb’s hair as he attempted to catch up on his lost sleep.

She had been cleared to leave the hospital an hour ago, but she couldn’t bear to wake him. So instead, she sat down on the couch and moved his head onto her lap, where she proceeded to pet him softly as he slept.

She felt his breaths change.

“Ashleigh?” he called softly.

“I’m still here,” she whispered, leaning down to kiss his head.

He sat up and looked at her. A look of happiness and relief fell over him, and he pulled her tightly into his warm embrace.

“You have no idea how terrifying that was,” he whispered. “You were gone, just gone. With the suppression, I can still… sense you there through the haze. But this… no… this was like you just stopped.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered back, squeezing Caleb tightly to her. “I had no choice.”

Caleb sighed and pulled back to look at her. He moved his hand to her cheek and looked into her hazel eyes.

“What happened?” he asked.

Ashleigh licked her lips and then glanced at the door.

“Not here,” she said quietly. “Let’s go home.”

Caleb was confused. But once he had confirmed with the doctor that Ashleigh was, in fact, clear to leave and not just making a run for it, he had no issue retreating with his wife to a more private location.

He was surprised when she insisted on the treehouse instead of their room. Still, again, he had no issue taking his wife to a secluded and private location.

Ashleigh climbed into the treehouse first, immediately went to the bar, and poured herself water to swallow down her nerves. She wasn’t sure exactly how to begin this conversation. She had run several ideas through her mind, but all of them sounded like complete garbage.

She swallowed the last of the water and turned to face Caleb, but she didn’t expect him to be directly behind her.

Ashleigh took a deep breath and gathered her courage.

“Caleb, the truth is, I learned a lot tonight. Some things–“

But Ashleigh couldn’t finish her thought as Caleb’s lips covered her own, his demanding tongue pushing firmly into her open mouth.

Ashleigh knew she needed to stop this, to bring his attention back to what he needed to hear. But she was struggling to deny her own desires for her husband. She kissed him back fiercely and wrapped her arms around his neck.

The heat that was building between burned inside of her in a twisted flame of desire and longing.

He had truly feared she would never wake up. Unsure if she was even still alive beyond her body. She could feel it clinging to him even now.

His feelings were all over the place. He was scared, relieved, angry, and hurt. Caleb was drowning in his fear and anxiety about what had happened to her.

Ashleigh pulled back, his hungry panting made her ache, but she needed to focus. It was not an easy task, as Caleb moved his mouth down against her throat, licking and nibbling as he went.

“Caleb…” she whispered, fighting to stifle a moan from her throat. “I need to tell you…what happened.”

Caleb nipped at her mark, a gasping moan escaped her lips, and he smiled.

His hands trailed down along her spine. She closed her eyes as his soft, seemingly innocent touch sent a flood of excitement over her every nerve.

“Caleb…I really, really need–“

“I need you,” he growled as his arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the ground.

Ashleigh let out a slight squeal as she was hoisted into his arms and carried toward the bed.

She swallowed and tried desperately to take control of herself. She needed to tell him everything about what happened in the ley line, all that was said and promised.

He lay her down on the bed gingerly and then slowly peeled up her shirt, exposing her belly to his soft lips pressing against her flesh.

“Caleb,” she tried again. “I really need to tell you–“

“Tell me tomorrow,” he whispered as his tongue traced her belly button, and his hands began to move down her thighs.

It was now or never, and she knew it.

“The Goddess is a Fae Queen!” she shouted louder than necessary.

Caleb stopped his movements; he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes.

Ashleigh swallowed nervously but nodded.

“It’s true,” she whispered.

Caleb let out a mournful sigh but pulled away from her, allowing Ashleigh to sit and look at him thoughtfully.

“There is a lot to talk about,” she said, taking a deep breath.

***

For two hours straight, Caleb hadn’t said a word. Instead, he sat quietly as Ashleigh did her best to remember every detail as best she could.

While he processed what she told him, Ashleigh had stepped away to call Axel. When she couldn’t get ahold of him, she called Bell.

Ashleigh told her about her own heritage but not about the Goddess. Bell was surprised but didn’t really care for more details. In fact, she very suddenly was hurrying to get off the phone.

When Caleb finally found his words again, Ashleigh was surprised by what he said.

“If anyone else told me what you just told me… I would assume they were crazy,” he said, “And that is what people will think of you, Ash. So we need to be careful about who exactly we tell.”

“Don’t you think that every wolf has the right to know that the Goddess… isn’t a Goddess?”

Caleb looked away and took a deep breath.

“They have a right to know the truth of where we all came from,” he said. “But right now, telling everyone would cause more harm than good. After this war, we can figure out how to explain what we’ve learned.”

Ashleigh nodded.

“You’re right,” she said.

“About Moonguard,” he began.

“Caleb,” she sighed. “Please don’t try to stop me.”

She looked up at him with seriousness.

“It is the right thing to do, and I already gave my word.”

“I’m not trying to stop you, Ashleigh,” Caleb replied, reaching his hand to her cheek. “I’m coming with you.”

Ashleigh’s eyes widened, and then her brows furrowed.

“But you need to be here. The war has already begun.”

“Mom and Galen are already doing an amazing job,” Caleb smiled. “I will join them as soon as we get back, but I am coming.”

“Caleb, I–“

“Ashleigh,” he interrupted. “This mission, before it was yours, belonged to my father. I will make sure that you are safe, but I will have to finish his work for him.”