From just outside the door, Ashleigh watched as Fiona recognized her son before her eyes. As she embraced him and clung to him with the fear that he might disappear at any mont.
Ashleigh smiled to herself. She turned away, the sound of Caleb’s voice comforting and reassuring his mother slowly fading as she made her way down the hall. This was their ti. There was no reason for her to stay.
She had wanted to keep him back at the inn for as long as possible. Locked away from anyone else, just the two of them, reconnecting.
Part of it was her desire to be with him, to make up for all the ti they had lost. But much of it had been her fear of bringing him ho and letting him see how the world had moved on without him.
She had tried to keep that from him, to preserve the bubble of joy and love that surrounded their reunion for as long as possible. But Caleb knew her better than that. He knew she was holding back, and once she told him the truth, the bubble around them burst.
To her surprise, it wasn’t what she had expected.
Caleb wasn’t devastated or angry. He didn’t feel hurt or betrayed.
Ashleigh had intended to spend a few more days together. She sent the picture to allow Fiona a chance to get used to the idea before Caleb simply appeared before her, but she wanted more ti with him.
But once Caleb knew the truth, there was no more ti. He kissed her, told her he loved her, and then told her they needed to go ho.
She wanted to say no, to convince him to wait a little longer… but how could she? Two hours later, they were on a plane with Alice, Axel, and Savannah on the way back to their territories.
The closer they got to ho, the more unsettled Ashleigh felt. She was worried that Caleb wasn’t prepared for what he would walk into. For the changes, the shifts in their world.
It was a long flight. The first few hours were spent in conversation, mainly between Axel and Caleb, regarding the general state of affairs in the territories. However, Ashleigh did note that Axel was careful in what he spoke about, unsure how much Ashleigh had told Caleb and not wanting to cause any problems.
Alice did inform both Ashleigh and Caleb about the efforts made by her and Myka to locate Caleb since his disappearance. Ashleigh was shocked, but more so because Axel and Galen had been aware of this for the past three years.
There was an imdiate anger, but then, understanding. She couldn’t really bla them. Ashleigh was keenly aware of the fact that, over the years, she had placed a barrier between herself and the others. One that protected her and kept them at a distance.
But she had underestimated how great that distance had beco.
As she watched the way that Caleb chatted with both Alice and Axel with such ease, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of longing and regret. She was glad they all got along now, but sohow, it felt uncomfortable for her. As though she were a stranger among them now.
Trying to ease her mind and not draw attention to her troubled thoughts, Ashleigh chose to play with Savannah while the others chatted.
When there were only a few hours left in the flight, Axel and Alice moved to the small room at the back of the plane to rest with Savannah.
Ashleigh and Caleb remained in the main cabin. He stared out the windows as the light of the dawn broke through the clouds as they got closer and closer to ho. Ashleigh continued to watch him as she considered all the thoughts she had been struggling with since the day they found each other again.
They would be back in Sumr soon. It would be too late to prepare him, to reassure him, to remind him that even if the life he knew was gone, she would always be there for him. Together, they would work through his pain and loss.
She needed to talk with him to clear the air before it was too late.
Nervously, she licked her lips and took a deep breath.
“How… how do you feel?” she asked.
Caleb looked back over his shoulder at her, knowing there was more to the question.
Ashleigh swallowed and lowered her gaze.
“Now that you know,” she said, her voice quieting slightly. “That you’re no longer Alpha of Sumr…”
Caleb sighed and looked back out the window.
“Are you upset?” Ashleigh asked softly.
Imdiately, she regretted her question. Of course, he was upset. How could he not be?
But Caleb let out a gentle scoff, followed by a chuckle. Ashleigh lifted her gaze with furrowed brows.
He still looked out the window, but a gentle smile was on his face as he spoke.
“Ya know,” he said, “I thought I would be.”
He paused and took a deep breath.
“Throughout all these days we’ve spent together, I knew…” he said softly.
Caleb nodded thoughtfully, then turned back to look at her. He smiled.
“I knew,” he whispered.
Ashleigh swallowed.
“You did?” she asked.
Caleb grinned, taking another deep breath and nodding.
“Co on,” he said. “It’s been five years… there’s no way I would still be Alpha.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Ashleigh asked.
Caleb smiled.
“You weren’t ready to tell …” he said, then, with a note of sadness in his voice, he added, “and I wasn’t ready to hear it.”
Ashleigh got up and moved to the chair beside him. She took his hand in hers. Caleb smiled and brought her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it.
“So… I’ve been waiting,” he said. “Expecting at any mont to hear about the new Alpha of Sumr… dreading it.”
Ashleigh laid her head on his shoulder, offering whatever comfort she could.
“But now?” he continued. “I feel… relieved.”
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