Callidus Rising | Complete ✔️ | Book 1

38: Partner

We get to the front door, and I hear footsteps behind us.

I whip around and meet familiar eyes. He's wearing nothing but cargo pants and his Nation-issue boots, and I shoot him a raised eyebrow.

"We were actually just looking for you Ninja-Doctor," Walton says with a grin on his face, and I elbow him in the side.

James nods, fighting a little smirk. He walks over taking his time, and as he does, he tugs a piece of white cloth from the cargo pants waist line and pulls it over his head.

Turns out it's a shirt.

Walton lets go of me, and allows James to take his place.

Walton, still grinning, looks at us and waves as he jogs outside to where Ryker is tying a bag onto Remi's saddle. I watch them talk for a moment through the huge window as James takes me over to the table.

I sit down in the nearest chair, and he pulls one up in front of me.

"Leg," he says.

I gingerly lift it up, and place it in his lap. He looks at the gash across the back of my thigh, and inspects the thin scab and pink skin. He takes out another wrap and some sort of paste, and applies both.

He then looks up at me with a stern look on his face.

"You better not rip that again," he says and gestures to the scab.

I shrug. "I could just bleed out," I say
sarcastically," that would be super fun."

He glares at me.

"No, it wouldn't. That wouldn't be good for anyone," he says with sincerity and takes my hand that was wounded about a week ago.

It still has the pad on it, and he gently pulls it off. The skin there is pink and a little swollen, but it's healed.

He smiles up at me with satisfaction.
I roll my eyes and laugh as the front door opens.

Ryker is inside holding a smaller saddle over his shoulder, and a bag over the other.

"Ready?"

"Never," James and I say in correspondence.

We just smile at each other as he helps me up, and we head outside.

"So," Walton says as he gestured to the two wolves,"one rider on Shiva, and two riders on Remi."

"Remi is larger and stronger. He's more capable of carrying two of us. He's a little bit more playful than Shiva though. Shiva here is serious.

She's faster than Remi, but less capable of carrying two of us. She takes her assignments and carries them out almost flawlessly, and she listens very well to commands," Ryker says.

"So, I'd recommend James on Shiva, and Ryker and Alexi on Remi. Those two will ride together because Ryker is very experienced, and since Alexi is wounded it might be better for her to be with a partner in case something goes wrong," Walton finishes.

I nod and look over at James who has a neutral look on his face, and gives a solid nod to Walton.

"Well," James says," what are we waiting for?"
He approaches, Shiva and Walton jogs over to him after taking the saddle and bag off of Ryker's shoulder.

I go over to Remi, and he licks the side of my face, making me laugh.

Ryker joins me, his own laughter entangling with mine. Ryker bends down, and picks me up. He carries me over to the saddle, and I slide onto it.

A little strap comes out on each side and slides around my calves and the very top of my thighs to ensure I don't fall.

I guess there is tech around here after all.

Ryker hops up after me, and sits just in front of me. The same things secure him to the saddle, and drags a hand down Remi's neck, petting him.

He looks over to when James is mounting Shiva, and securing the bag with food and other supplies to her flank. Walton jogs over to Remi, and looks up at Ryker.

They do some weird handshake before Walton jumps up and plants a kiss on Ryker's cheek. My eyes widen and I realize why Walton had laughed when I called him Ryker's partner.

"MOVE," Ryker yells, and the two wolves begin to run into the woods as Walton fades behind.

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I'm running out of author's notes guys 😂 I'm not sure exactly what to write down here! So, I'll just get to the usual.
Thanks for reading! ♥️