City of Blood

04

"Lennox, get up!" I hear Ramsay whisper urgently.

I get up, my eyes blurry and my mind groggy. "Hm? Is it time to go?" I blink a few times and see the panic on Ramsay's face. "Oh, gods, what's wrong?"

"Dad called me," Ramsay says, his voice full of panic. "He sent Raina home to check on us last night and she called him when he realized we weren't home so he called me and I told him everything because he was so mad and he's on his way right now to get us... we're fucked, Lennox."

My heart drops. I guess I'm going to have to say goodbye to going out during the day and hello to being stuck in the house for the entirety of my young life. Guess I'm not getting a birthday cake or anything fun like that today.

I get up shakily and walk down the stairs, Ramsay right beside me. I know Dad would never hurt us, but he can get really scary when he's angry. He doesn't even yell; he just talks calmly and slowly which is even more unsettling.

"Oh, good morning!" Callum exclaims, in the kitchen covered in flour and other... ingredients. "You two look miserable."

"Yeah, our dad is on his way to get us and ground us until we're as old as him."

"How old is he?"

"Six hundred," I say, making Callum's eyes widen. "What are you doing?"

He blushes, which I wasn't anticipating but I like how it looks. "I wanted to make you a birthday cake... I never made one before though, so that's why I'm covered in flour. It probably won't be edible, anyway. Also, since you're part dog, can you eat chocolate?"

"I'm basically immortal and you think chocolate will kill me?" I deadpan, trying to avoid taking offense to being called a dog since he didn't say it for a malicious reason. "That's really sweet, though. Too bad my dad will kill me before I can try it."

Callum frowns. "You're welcome to try to hide, but I don't know what good that will do."

Ramsay looks between the two of us. "Did something happen between you two?"

"We had a conversation last night while you were upstairs," Callum says, smirking.

Ramsay glares at him. "Just because you're technically his mate does not mean you get to try to get in his pants hours into knowing him. Got it? He's my baby brother and it's my job to protect him from horny assholes like you."

"We're two months apart," I tell them both, more for Callum than Ramsay. "And it was just a conversation. I'm the one who can feel the mate bond."

Callum shakes his head. "I can feel it, too. Not as strongly as a werewolf, I'm sure, but I can feel a sort of supernatural–ish connection and tension."

That surprises me and I definitely want to read more on this. Learning about other supernatural species is a personal passion of mine and if Callum can feel a connection then that's something I absolutely need to study. My excitement must show on my face because Ramsay rolls his eyes and Callum has a sweet smile pulling at his lips.

There's a knock at the front door and both myself and Ramsay tense up instantly. I feel like I'm going to puke again but I don't want to ruin another one of Callum's outfits. Thankfully, he goes to the front door so neither myself nor Ramsay opens it.

"You must be Samuel Gates," Callum says as he opens the door, holding out his hand.

Dad shakes his hand, but I can tell he's irritated. "I apologize for the inconvenience of my sons. Where are they?"

"In the kitchen, and it was really no trouble, sir." Callum shows him inside the house and guides him right to us.

Dad is glaring daggers at myself and Ramsay. "Let's go, both of you. I do not want to argue right now and I do not care that he's your mate, Lennox. You are both in so much trouble."