Faith With Wolves Book 2
5. Marlo the Magnificent

Faith

I never thought I would need an office. My dad has one and of course Caleb has one, but I never thought I would NEED one. But staring at the piles of paperwork surrounding me I realize I desperately need an office.

When I was at the Royal Palace, I made a copy of everything my dad has on the virus, which isn’t much, but what I do have is so disorganized and I’m trying to file everything correctly. I would be done by now, but I have a big distraction tracing his finger in circles on my thigh.

“Caleb you’re supposed to be helping me. Thanks to you I’ve been staring at the same paper for ten minutes.” I scold my mate whose lap I’m sitting on. Since I’ve been back, he’s been over-affectionate and very clingy. I can hardly go to the bathroom alone without him following.

He sighs. “I’m sorry baby. I just missed you so much.” His large hand cradles my face and I lean into his touch.

“I missed you too. I’m still upset about it, but I understand why you felt like you had to spare my feelings. I don’t like hearing about you with other women, especially someone as beautiful as Brooke.”

“Don’t even put those thoughts in your head Faith.” He presses a kiss on my forehead. “You are the most beautiful, intelligent, and caring woman I know. My heart belongs to you and only you.” Caleb holds his hand over my heart, and I nod.

“And mine only beats for you, Caleb,” I whisper along his lips making him shudder.

His lips meet mine in a soft yet passionate kiss. I deepen the kiss and Caleb growls as he gets more turned on. But instead of his growl having the same effect on me my mind instantly goes to our fight the other day.

We just finished helping pack up everything from the camping trip. Despite letting Caleb cuddle with me last night I'm still angry with him and trying to avoid him at all costs.

I thought he got the hint after I didn't talk to him outside but now that I'm walking upstairs towards our bedroom I can sense him right behind me.

I try to close our bedroom door before he can enter but he's too quick and pushes it open making me sigh and back away. Caleb just rolls his beautiful blue eyes at me.

"You can't keep avoiding me, we need to talk."

I scoff. "Then I'll just leave again."

"Really Faith? You can't just keep running away every time you're upset," he growls.

I fold my arms across my chest. "Why can't I? I'm sure you would rather have Brooke here anyway. You can have the perfect Luna and cute little pups running around. I won't be around to block you from your happiness anymore."

"Happy? Do I look happy Faith? I'm absolutely miserable and that's because I don't have you! You're the one I want and I don't know what I have to say or do to prove it to you." he says sounding completely defeated.

I just continue to stare into his intense blue eyes. He's got bags under them from no sleep and they're red like he's been crying recently.

I wave my hands frantically. "How about just being honest with me Caleb? You've had almost three months to tell me about Brooke but never said anything. Why keep her secret if you're not still harboring feelings for her?"

He sighs. "I never had feelings for Brooke. We were best friends and sometimes we had sex, but it was casual! We both still slept with others so we weren't even exclusive. Why do you think I let her go so easily? It's because she was nothing to me!" he shouts and takes a step closer to me. "There's only one person in my life I'm afraid of losing and that's you, Faith."

A tear escapes down my face and I quickly wipe it away. Caleb takes another step closer to me and cups my chin softly. "You are everything to me. My mate, my Luna, you're the one I want carrying my pups, and I will do anything to keep you here with me."

Caleb gets down on his knees shocking me. He pulls down the collar of his shirt and bears his neck in submission. Tears are rolling down his face as he says. "I was taught an Alpha never submits, but right now I'm at your mercy. I'm sorry, so fucking sorry Faith. I thought I was protecting you by lying but I was wrong. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I'm begging for it, please."

A sob escapes me and I cover up my face with my hands. "You're such an asshole. You really hurt me. All my insecurities of being unwanted or not enough came back when you told me about her."

He just hugs my legs his head laying against my stomach. "I'm sorry baby I didn't mean to hurt you. You're right I'm an asshole and an idiot. I never meant to make you feel that way."

Tears just continue to stream down my face and Caleb stands up finally and leads me over to our bed. He lays beside me and pulls me to his chest. I hate the fact that the only one who can comfort me is also the source of my pain.

Because it feels so right in his arms and I never want him to let me go. I just close my eyes letting myself drift off to sleep. I dream of him, my heart beats for him and in the morning I make love to my mate as he whispers in my ear how much he loves me.

I'm suddenly brought back to the present when I feel Caleb place a strand of my hair behind my ear. "You okay baby? You just completely spaced out."

I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I feel terrible for lying when I've been begging Caleb for honesty but I don't have the strength to explain how I'm feeling right now. I've forgiven Caleb but I don't think I'll ever forget how he made me feel.

He narrows his eyes like he wants to argue but instead clears his throat and grabs the paper I was reading before I got distracted. “Let’s see what’s so important about this. Hmm, it looks like a report about the last vampire clan that died.”

While I was with my parents, we got a call another vampire clan killed themselves over the deadly virus. Vampires are mostly loners, but this was a group of friends who traveled the world together.

“Yeah, five died,” I reply feeling heartbroken over my kind dying. We’re supposed to be immortal. Now we’re afraid to go out and feed.

“You’re wrong.” Caleb shows me the paper. “It says there was one survivor, Marlo the magnificent.” he frowns. “What kind of name is that?”

I snatch the paper from his hands reading over the report. “The group of friends were a part of a traveling circus. Marlo the Magnificent must have been one of the performers. Are you serious, one actually survived? I have to go talk to him!” I jump off Caleb’s lap and he stands up abruptly.

“Talk to him? All we have is the address of their last known location. We have no idea if this Marlo guy is still there.”

I grab my black leather jacket and slip it on. Caleb just stares at me with his arms crossed angrily. “This could be our only chance to get information on the virus! It’s worth investigating Caleb. I’m going to talk to him.”

“No way! Just because he's a vampire doesn't mean he won't kill you! Not everyone cares that you're the vampire princess Faith! It's too dangerous, you can't go.” He snaps and I growl at him.

“I’m going! Marlo could have all the answers were looking for.”

Caleb walks up to me with a determined look on his face. “Then I’m coming with you.”

I put my hand on his chest. “No, you’re not. The pack needs you. If you get sick-

“I don’t care about getting sick! I care about you Faith and I’m not letting you go meet some strange vampire alone!” He growls, his blue eyes burning with fury. But his touch is soft as he cups my chin. “Where you go, I go.” he huffs.

“Then let’s go.”

My eyes are forced open by the feeling of the car halting to a stop. "Geez Caleb are you trying to kill me."

"Sorry," he mutters. "A damn cat ran out in front of the car," he complains and looks my body over. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "I'm fine. It just surprised me at all."

"Well you woke up at a good time, we're here."

"That's great. We're going to talk to Marlo, figure out how to stop the virus from spreading, and save the world." I grin at my handsome mate.

He smirks. "Did I tell you that I love how optimistic you are?"

"Don't make fun of me, you love it."

"True." He parks the car and reaches over to me. He cups my face and his lips gently brush against mine. "I love everything about you Faith," he whispers before his soft lips connect with mine in a breathtaking kiss.

As he deepens the kiss, I slide my tongue in letting it dance with his. As if perfectly orchestrated our lips continue to move in perfect flow together.

Caleb’s hand slides down to my neck and he tilts my head back as he begins peppering kisses down my jaw and to my mark in the crook of my neck. A moan escapes me as his other hand travels down my waistband and into my jeans.

He easily replaces my wet folds and slides his two fingers deep inside. “Caleb fuck.” I whisper making him smile against my skin.

“Don’t curse baby,” he says continuing to finger fuck me into oblivion.

I’m so wet and about to burst when his canines pierce my mark again. A scream of pleasure leaves my lips as I come undone. My shallow breaths fill the car while Caleb licks the blood off my neck from marking me again.

“That was.... wow. I can’t believe you marked me again.” I feel my neck. Touching it sends a surge of pleasure and love right into my soul.

“I’m sorry. My wolf was begging me too. I know I’m still earning your trust back, but I want you to know you’re the only one I want. Will you mark me again too?” he asks shyly for once. The confident Caleb I know is nowhere to be found.

“If that’s what you want then I will.”

He nods. “I do but only if you think I deserve it.”

His emotions suddenly slip through the bond and hit me like a Mack truck. I don’t think he meant for me to feel it but it’s too late. I can feel how sad, hopeless, and regretful Caleb is. He’s really worried about losing me.

“Caleb you-” I start to say but I’m hit with the strong scent of a vampire. Caleb must smell it too because he steps out of the car and starts looking around.

We’re in an abandoned junkyard outside a small desert town. Caleb parked outside an old trailer home the vampires probably lived in. I step outside the car too and stare at the home, but I have a feeling whoever is watching us isn’t in there.

“Someone’s here,” I say looking in every direction.

“Stay close to me,” Caleb says and grabs my hand as we start walking around the property.

The air grows heavier the further we walk in. Rust, old motor oil, and rubber are just some of the smells that surround me. Tall grass covers the ground and I have to be careful not to trip over broken glass and other random objects on the ground.

“Where is he? The scent is all over the place?” I whisper to Caleb who’s focused on our surroundings.

He stops suddenly and my heart starts to race. The vampire should be ahead of us but all I see is a pile of tires stacked up at least ten feet high.

Caleb growls and pushes me behind him. Loud rustling starts and now I’m even growling at the presence. The large stack of tires collapses and the imposter we’ve been chasing tumbles down along with it.

I stop growling and Caleb scoffs beside me. “What the fuck, we’ve been chasing a dumb cat.”

I smack his chest. “Don’t call the cute little kitty dumb. Aww come here precious.” I bend down and call the cat over.

The small tabby cat prances over and I scoop him up into my arms. I snuggle him to my chest and he purrs.

Caleb shakes his head. “We’re not keeping it. So get your cuddles in now.”

“Please.” I pout. “He’s so adorable and lonely. He needs a home."

He growls. “No! He has a home. Right here in this fabulous junkyard. Leave him and let's go look for Marlo now. This place gives me the creeps.” He frowns and I chuckle.

“It gives me the creeps also. Let’s check the trailer out and see if we can replace any clues.”

Two hours later were finally headed home. We didn’t replace anything useful at the junkyard. There was no trace of what killed the vampires, and we didn’t replace anything connecting us to the mysterious Marlo.

“I’m sorry we didn’t replace anything baby.” Caleb grabs my hand and kisses it. “I want to replace out more about the virus also.”

Nodding I gently rub the cute kitten in my lap. “I’m sorry too. I argued about coming here and it was pointless.”

Caleb shakes his head. “It wasn’t pointless. Look at the tag on the cat. I just now noticed its name, Marlo. You did it Faith, you found him.”

“Marlo.” I pick up the cat and stare at his adorable face. “Are you the key to replaceing the cure to the virus?” I ask and he meows back. “If only he could understand us.” I sigh and look out my window.

But I had no idea the answers to the virus were closer than I thought.