Waiting For August

Part 14~Throwing Axes

Arriving home, it was clear that the canning bee was already in full swing. My laneway was full of cars. It was always a large gathering that came out to help each fall. The ladies primarily focused their talents in the kitchen, while their husbands worked out in the yard. They would work in the orchard or garden doing whatever harvesting was still required. Still others would set to the task of chopping wood which was always appreciated and never-ending. When we were finished there would be a lot of food to pass out to the families.

I drove up the laneway and pulled my truck into the front yard. There'd been no where else to park. When I rounded the house, Naomi, Gillian, and several ladies were all on the porch, drinking iced tea, probably spiked, as they took a break. Immediately the girls began giving me shit as Naomi and Gillian started clapping.

"There he is ladies," Gillian smirked. "Fresh home from his walk of shame."

Ruth, one of our elders, was sitting on the bench between Naomi and Gillian and became immediately intrigued. She was petite and thin and was easily in her mid eighties; her long hair was braided, and she'd tied those braids back with a scarf. A pair of oversized glasses adorned her snub little nose. "What is a walk of shame?"

"Caleb has just returned from a booty call." Gillian supplied as I breached the stairs.

"I've done no such thing." I glared at Gil while Naomi smirked.

"What's a booty call?" Ruth asked, clearly interested in the joke.

Naomi stood, and bent over, putting her fabulous behind out on display. She patted and wiggled her backside as she spoke. "This is your booty. So, a booty call—"

"Caleb, you've got yourself a beau?" She rose to her feet to greet me. "How wonderful. When do we get to meet her?"

I leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

My relationship with August was still on the down low and in a lot of ways, I was still processing it myself. The only people who knew about it were my inner circle, and I had no intention of making an announcement until after I had marked him as my own. That was when the pack would officially be made aware. If August accepted me as his mate, then the pack had until the next full moon to object to our pairing. If August decided to refuse me, then things would get a lot more interesting. I'd either have to fight for him or agree that we should deny our pair-bond and go our separate ways.

It was something I didn't want to dwell on as I had already developed feelings for him. Even thinking that he might reject me caused me physical pain. Hell, when I'd seen how attractive a mate he posed to our younger wolves, I'd nearly had a panic attack. The very idea of someone else pursing him had caused me distress. If August hadn't immediately calmed me with our bond, I'm not sure what would have happened. I'd never felt so vulnerable or insecure like that before.

As alpha I was used to being calm, collected and in control. It was very much a natural state for me, after all I was responsible for the strength and welfare of the pack. But with August I didn't feel that way. Not at all. Our pair bond had left me wandering off-kilter and in unfamiliar territory.

Their tea break must have been over, for most of the ladies began to rise and disappear back into the kitchen with Gillian and Naomi leading the way. With the two of them taking charge it gave me a chance to catch up with Ruth without any additional interference. She didn't make it out to many of our get-togethers anymore. She lived in a little cottage with her sister-in-law. She'd outlived her mate but her health over the last few years hadn't been the best.

I dropped down onto the bench beside Ruth as she hooked her arm into mine. "The thing is Ruth. My beau is a bit shy. In fact, I invited them to come today, but—" I shrugged. "As you can see, I'm here alone."