24. Rain

**Rain**

Once I get out of the kitchen, I stop to inhale deeply. With the sleeve of my sweater, I clean my face, not wanting to risk meeting with someone and look like I have been crying over the tomb of my dead cat. Or something like that.
Once I am in control of my feelings, I rush to my room. I smell Viki's scent, but I need a moment for myself before I look for Caleb.
I cross paths with Viki in the hallway. Lately, we have become friends. She is fun and easy to talk to.
"Rain! I thought you were training with Caleb!" she says.
I keep walking but turn to look at her, "We are. I mean, we will!"
Viki looks around, "Where's Caleb? Have you been crying?"
Crap! I bet my eyes are red.
As for Caleb, I hope he is in the packhouse. But even if he has gone to the clearing, I will look for him because he is worth it!
I shrug, "Some allergies. I am not sure where Caleb is. Look, I really want to talk, but I am in a hurry!"
Viki laughs, "In a hurry to look for your male?"
I wouldn't be surprised if the whole pack knows by now about Caleb and me. Jordan never told the pack about him and me until the night he rejected me, but Caleb has never tried to hide me. Us.
"Yes!" I say and start climbing the stairs.
Once I get to my room, I lock the door and make it to the bathroom before I collapse on the floor. Before I can stop them, tears fall down my face. I fan my eyes with my hands, hoping to stop the stupid tears from falling.
Come on, Rain, enough crying over Jordan!
Safia sorts.
*'This is the last time I cry because of him. From now on, I will be happy with Caleb!'* I say and stand.
I wash my face, brush my hair, and change the clothes I am wearing, not wanting to smell like Jordan when I am with Caleb.
First I look for him in the office, but to my disappointment it is empty. I go around the packhouse and even look for him outside before stopping. I even ask around, hoping that someone has seen him, but no luck.
Come on, Caleb, where are you?
I am about to go to the clearing when a thought rushes to my head, and I look at the last floor of the packhouse. Before I think about what I am doing, I am already climbing the stairs.
When I am in front of Caleb's 'little piece of Heaven,' as he calls it, I stop and put my ear against the door and listen. To my relief, I hear music. I smile and open the door.
Caleb sits in front of the piano while his finger moves expertly on the keyboard. He might say he is self-taught and can think he is not good enough, but the truth is Caleb had real talent. I wonder what would have happened if he had discovered his passion for the piano when he was little. Would he have been famous?
I close the door, press my back to it and close my eyes while listening to the beautiful music. It is a piece I haven't heard before, but it is lovely non the less.
Soon the music stops, and I open my eyes. Caleb is looking at me, and I can smell his sadness. His fingers move once more, and I know this piece even if I have never listened to it on the piano before–All of me by John Legend.
Even if I can't see his silver eyes, I know he is staring into my eyes as he plays. Even if we don't love each other yet, Caleb lets me know his feeling. He wants me with all my perfect imperfections. And I need him.
My heart beats so fast, wanting to escape my body, but my ribs cage it inside my chest.
I can hear the song inside my head as he keeps playing.
*'Give your all to me,*
*I'll give my all to you.'*
The music stops, and I find myself breathing hard as if I have been running for hours.
"Red." The way Caleb says Red sounds as if he is saying a prayer.
Caleb stands, and I run to him. He catches me in his strong arms, and I bury my nose in his chest. I inhale deeply because I love how he smells. He sits on the bench, putting me on his lap, and I circle his torso with my arms.
"I thought you were angry with me," I say.
"I was. But then I was afraid," he says. "Afraid that I will lose you." He kisses the top of my head. "Thank you for choosing me, Red."
I lift my head and look at him, "You are an idiot, Caleb Black." He freezes, and I smell his shock. I smile. "I would always choose you. But I want you to know that there might be moments when I will panic or need to cry—moments when nightmares will plague me. I am broken, Caleb, in many pieces, but I give all my pieces to you. And if you are patient with me, I know that one day my heart will only belong to you. And to Raven."
"With you, Red, I will have all the patience in the world. I am also broken, and all my pieces are yours."
His hand cups my cheek, and I expect to hear my instinct telling me Caleb is my soulmate, but it is silent as ever. Those stupid sparks come to life beneath his palms, but I am frustrated—tears pool inside my eyes. Why isn't my instinct roaring inside my head telling me Caleb is mine forever?
"What's wrong?" Caleb asks. His thumb strokes my skin. "Did he do anything to you?"
I shake my head and blink my tears away. "We just talked, and I rejected him. And I hoped that once you touched me, my instinct would tell me that you are mine. But it is as silent as a freaking grave!"
"I don't know why your instinct isn't telling you what I already know, but I hope one day it will. So you rejected that fucker? What took you so long?"
Safia chuckles, agreeing with Caleb.
I laugh. "I don't know. It might be the fact that when he rejected me, everything happened too fast, and I didn't have the chance to reject him back." Caleb snorts. "I wasn't ready to reject him then. And for a long time, I felt as if I would never be ready to say those words to him."
"Were you ready today?" Caleb asks, and my heart beats faster. I am sure he can hear it because I can hear his heart and it beast as quickly as my own.
"I have never been readier in my life," I confess.
His thumb stops caressing my cheek. "What made you reject him?"
"You, Caleb. Because you make me want to draw again. My smiles are possible because of you. I gave up on myself, but you never stopped fighting for me, even when I screamed at you how much I hated you. I fought you, but you fought *for* me."
Caleb dips his head until our lips are just a few heartbeats away. His breath waltzes on my lips. His thumb keeps caressing my cheek, and my pulse quickness. He has never tried to kiss me because I know he is giving me time to get used to him, but I wonder what he tasted like.
"You want to draw?" Caleb asks, and I nod. "I will buy whatever supplies you need. You can use this room if you like. And Red, I will always fight for us."
I smile because I can see myself drawing while listening to Caleb playing the piano.
"I would like that very much."
"Thank you for choosing me, Red. I will make you very happy."
For one beautiful moment, I see my life with Caleb, and I know how beautiful it will be. We will have a little house with a stupid white fence. I will paint it blue. Or black and in the Black family. While Caleb will still be the Alpha of this wonderful pack and I will be the Luna, I will teach art classes. I will wait for Caleb to return home. While we eat dinner, he will tell me about his day, and I will tell to him about my day.
"Thank you for wanting me. I know you will make me happy. I want everything with you, Caleb Black. Our little house with that stupid white fence that I will paint black. Some days we might fight, and some days, we might laugh, but I know we will fill our home with love and happy memories."
Caleb chuckled. "What's wrong with having a white fence?"
I shrugged, "Too movie-like."
Caleb looks at me for long moments. "Something is different about you," he finally says.
I frown. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I never heard you talk so much before. And I don't remember you expressing your feelings the way you do now. Don't get me wrong, I love how you are opening up, but I wonder what made you change so fast. Because the Red that was in my office earlier is different from the one I have on my lap right now."
"I am still her, Caleb, but I hate that I hurt you when I said I wanted to talk to Jordan. And I need to make sure you understand that I want you. I might have accepted you for the wrong reason, but know that I want to be with you because I know you are my true soulmate and not because I was hoping you could help me forget Jordan. Can we start fresh?"
"Your true soulmate?"
I nod. "You understand my pain. And while you are as broke as I am, we are both glue. We are Alpha and Omega."
"The begining and the end," Caleb says.
"And everything that's between."
"Red," Caleb says my name with adoration. "I think I am falling in love with you. And it's thrilling and exciting and scary."
"You are scared of loving me? Why?"
Caleb sighs. "Because no one ever chose Raven and me. And part of me is scared you will never truly choose us."
I want to wrap him in my arms and never let go of him.
"You're a moron, Caleb!" I snap. "Can't you see I already chosen you?"
Caleb move his face closer to mine, until our mouths are only a breath away. He is going to kiss me! What do I do? I am freaking out.
Safia laughs.
*'Not helping!'*
"Red, I want to kiss you so badly. But I understand if you are not ready. I can wait because it is worth it. Please don't feel pressured to say yes because I want to feel your lips and taste you. But I want you to know how Raven and I feel. I will never–"
I put my left hand around his neck. "Caleb."
Caleb breathes, "Yes?"
"Shut up and kiss me already!"
Caleb chuckles. And then his lips find my mouth, and I close my eyes. He pecks and nibbles my lips. I sigh in contentment because kissing has never felt so good. Caleb is not only kissing me but letting me know what he feels. He licks my lips before pushing his tongue inside my mouth. His tastes explode inside my mouth. Who would have thought Caleb would taste like chocolate and cherries? I see myself becoming addicted to his kisses.
Safia comes closer to the surface, wanting to feel Caleb and Raven better.
"You taste so good," Caleb says against my lips.
He kisses me again, and our tongues tango around each other.
When we stop kissing, we are both breathing hard.
"Can Raven kiss Safia? He is excited to be with her."
Safia starts jumping around like a small pup, and I chuckle.
"Yes," I say.
Caleb's scent changes from sandalwood and coconut to forest scents—Raven.
I am a bit nervous because up until now, I met Raven in his wolf form. Werewolves rarely give their wolves control over their human body. Only those that have a strong bond with their wolves do it.
I never gave Safia control over my body, but I do trust her with my life, and I know that she will respect my boundaries if I let her take control.
"Hi!" I say. "I missed you!"
Raven doesn't say anything and pulls me in for a kiss. And he is not only kissing me, but he is also claiming me.
Safia paces impatiently, wanting to be with Raven.
"Sorry!" Raven says when he brakes the kiss but the way he says it makes me doubt he is truly sorry.
I snort. "You are lying."
"I am sorry for not kissing you more! But don't worry, I will kiss you as many times as possible."
I shake my head, trying to hide my smile. "Safia wants to be with you, but I don't know how you two will communicate."
"We will find a way! Besides, I will be too busy wanting to know if she tastes like you!"
I chuckle and give Safia control over my body.
Raven doesn't lose any moment and kisses Safia as if there's no tomorrow.