THE NORD BROTHERS

CHAPTER 15

Caleb. 

She's avoiding me like a plague. Am I a bad kisser? No, I'm definitely not. 

Not a single lady could resist being swoon away by his charm, and then there was Mariana that looked ready to jump from third floor window when she saw him walking down the hallway. Every time he tried to make conversation she came up with something ridiculous not to talk to him. 

It's all Logan's fault. 

It had to be. Why would she avoid him otherwise? And then there was the Vivian issue...

Inwardly, he groaned in frustration. He never anticipated her to be a problem. Sure, the woman had her eyes set on being a Luna. But he had made sure that would never happen. Not clearly enough apparently. 

Caleb found the said annoyance standing outside the training grounds with flock of her friends, chatting and laughing until they spotted him approaching. It was creepy how they looked at him all at once and fell silent. Then Vivian said something and all her friends scattered like flies. 

"Caleb." Her voice dropped to a seductive purr. That might have worked before he met Mariana. Back then he wasn't above screwing her in middle of the day behind some bush. Now, the thought alone repelled him. His fiery mate was the only one he could think about, even if she used Max as a shield to keep from seeing him. 

"We have to talk." Caleb's voice oozed authority of an Alpha. 

"What about?" Vivian twirled her hair, batting her lashes in fake innocence. 

Where was my brain at when I thought screwing her was a good idea? 

"I know what you did to provoke Mariana." Hell, if he had been around, he wouldn't have allowed anything like that to happen. 

"You mean that accident?" The woman sighed dramatically, standing a bit too close for his liking. "One of the girls fell and bruised her arm. Mariana went apeshit. I was so worried she would pounce on that poor girl. Like, seriously, she looked wild." 

This inflated sex doll has a nerve to lie to me....

"You shoved that girl onto the ground." Caleb pointed out. If he wasn't raised better, he would demonstrate. 

"Did that Mariana girl tell you that? I did not-" 

His patience had ran thin. He grabbed her hand, little regard to how strong his hold was. "Listen very carefully. We are a thing of past, got it? I found my mate, and I would never chose someone like you over her." 

"Caleb, please-"

"Provoke her again and count on finding a new pack." 

"You can't be serious..." Vivian's eyes widened in shock, her voice raising to a nasal whine. "You would kick me out to be a rogue like her!?" She shrieked in horror, shaking. 

He remained unfazed, staring down at her with cold calmness. "You can count on that." He assured. 

The woman looked at loss of words, and then, her gaze flicked to the side. "I don't think you will." She spoke, pressing her chest against him. "We were such a good couple." 

"Vivian-" Before Caleb could threaten her to step away, she grabbed the collar of his shirt, pressing her lips against his. Shiver of disgust rushed down his spine, pure rage replacing the blood in his veins. 

This time he did shove her away, but the damage had already been done. His heart stuttered when he spotted Mariana standing short distance away. 

Fuck.

His mate was watching, her eyes filling with hurt before facade of cold indifference fell across her features. She turned and begun to walk away without a word. 

Vivian was trying to mask her smugness. "I would be a better Luna than her." 

Caleb felt his wolf claw at his insides, threatening to tear the woman apart. "Pack your things. I want you gone from this pack in three days. If I will see your face around here again, I will have enforcers escort you out." 

"You can't just do that!" 

He didn't listen to her petty complaints, rushing to catch up with his mate. "Mariana, wait! It's not what it looks like!" His hands itched to pull her close, to wipe away the hurt and assure her that it was a misunderstanding. But the girl was too stubborn to let him plead his case. 

"Couldn't come up with a more cliche line?" Her voice was sharp and cold like a knife. She didn't acknowledge him, staring straight ahead. 

"Please listen to me." Caleb begged, his long legs easily keeping up with her brisk pace - not without effort. 

"Why don't you just skip along? All those doe-eyed groupies must miss you." 

That stubborn little-

He stepped in front of her, both hands settling on her shoulders. "I am not going anywhere until you hear me out. I am done with you avoiding me." 

The fire in her gaze could burn down a house. "I think what I saw explains enough." 

"You're wrong." He returned her glare with stubborn determination. If more odds stacked against him, he'd be falling over, but the man was not about to let this go unresolved. "Only woman in my life besides you is Gwen. It's true that Vivian and me have a past. She is trying to put a wedge between us. Don't let her do that." 

"Let go." 

"Not before you hear me out." His grip on her arms tightened slightly. "I banished her from the pack. Vivian will be gone. I know that she provoked you during the training session. Please believe me." 

Mariana regarded him with stone cold indifference. Caleb felt her eyes burn with icy fire. Fierce and chilling to the bone. "You done?" Her voice was flat. 

"No." Caleb shook his head. "I am not done. Not until I have your forgiveness. Go on a date with me. Let me apologize." 

The softness in his gaze was easily brushed off with a scoff. "Sorry, pal. I already have date plans..." Mariana shoved past him, cold smile on her lips as she added. "...with Logan." 

Like being stabbed with a silver knife, he felt his body flinch with hurt. 

Caleb watched his mate go with hollow eyes. His long fingers curled into fists. The wolf within his was raging, begging him to stop her, to pull her into his arms and never let go. But his body had turned into a statue. He could only watch her back grow smaller and smaller....