Chapter 7: The Arrangement

Caleb Andino's POV

It has been a few days since the first time I claimed Marina. I have been coming back for more and now, I can never get enough of her. When the storm was about to hit, I will come and be her company while it was raining.

I have never been happier in my life. As well as my wolf. We were finally claimed by our mates. I know she was not a werewolf but something in me was ignoring that fact. We will show to the world, mostly my pack, that Marina was a werewolf.

We were laying on the floor as the duvet covered our naked body. The storm was not passing yet as I was laying here with my mate after the glow of our lovemaking. I would not say fucking because I was making love to her. And I hoped she knows it.

"Caleb?" Marina asked me as she was laying on my chest right now, making circles with her fingers.

"Hmm?"

"When will I see your family? I have been dying to meet them," Marina said as she got up and looked at me in the eyes. She was being serious and I don't think I was not happy about it.

"In time," I said as I was trying to do something about the fact that I don't tell my pack yet that I have found my mate. The storm has been dragging for two days and I was building walls around my mind. They cannot reach me even they wanted to.

"But it has been a few days. Can't I go to your house for dinner or something?" She asked as her big blue eyes were looking at me. I sighed before I pulled her closer as she wrapped her hands around my waist.

"I still have to take care of stuff," I said. And I was not lying. I still never got a chance to go back to the packhouse and told them the truth. I was complicated that way.

"Okay, but will I see them at the festival?" She asked, not wanting to let this go. I laughed before I kissed her forehead.

"I hope not but I can only say maybe," I said as we were laying and looked at the crackle of the firewood in the fireplace.

"I see you tomorrow night," I said as I was getting ready to face my family. I have been delaying the inevitable. I will need to face them. And that time has come.

"Be safe," Marina said as she kissed me on the lips. I lingered for a while as I don't want to leave her just yet.

"I'll be waiting,"

"And I'll be there," I said as I walked through the trail of the woods as Marina waved me goodbye. I waved back before she got inside and I was walking into the woods.

'Where have you been?' Xavier asked me when I finally shifted into my brown wolf. I have been suffocating since I was not running for a while but it felt good to be back on four paws.

'It's none of your business,' I said as I was running toward the packhouse. I have to speak with my Alpha quickly. I cannot resist this calling anymore. I need to claim Marina and bring her back into my world as my mate.

'Caleb, your father was waiting for you,' my mother told me through the mind link as I snarled after I saw the packhouse. It was deserted. Where was everyone?

'Father? What happened? Mum, is he okay?' I asked her as I was running to the change room before I shifted back.

"You need to talk to him and he has been waiting for your return. Where on earth have you been?" My mother asked me after I got out with only black sweatpants. She was shaking her head but I just shrugged at her.

"Your scent,"

"What about it?" I asked her as she was looking at me knowingly. I smirked at her before I jogged lightly to the packhouse and I went to my father's office. I knocked on the door before he called me in.

"Come in," he said as I opened the knob and I saw that he was staring down on the field. I went to stand beside him as he was looking down with longing.

"Do you remember what was it like to train with all your strength and not knowing the word fear?" He asked me as I was looking at him.

"I believe I still have that, sir,"

"Well, I heard that you have been wondering around that house again, son. What on earth were you spying on that poor girl? She did not know about us like her grandfather was so it's best to leave her alone," my father said as he went to take his seat. Then, he sniffed the air.

"Your scent," he said as he was arching his eyebrow together at me. I gulped as I was battling myself, to tell the truth, or lie.

"I have mated," I said as I was standing in front of his desk. He nodded at me as he was smiling.

"Good, good. Diana would be a nice Luna—"

"With my mate, father. Not Diana," I said as he turned to look at me as if he was shocked to hear the news.

"Your mate? But it has been, what, 8 years and you still haven't found her. That's why we arranged you one instead," my father said as I sighed at his statement.

"I know, father, but I have found her and she was happy to see you guys. I told her that I was promised to someone else before anything and she told me that it doesn't matter because we were destined to be together. That's why I asked you, father, to call off the engagement," I said as my father frowned at me.

"You know I can't do that,"

"Yes, you can. You're the Alpha. Why are you so afraid of your friendship with the Beta? If anything, he should be following you, not you to him," I snarled at him as he was showing that he was not strong enough to take care of this little arrangement himself.

"You know it's not that. It's Diana's reputation. What will people say?"

"To hell with that. People talk all the time. They gossiped about your legs. They gossiped about me no having a mate at 18 and they will gossip about Diana but they will die off on itself, Dad. You have to let me be happy. And I'm happy with my mate. My destined mate," I said as I was looking at him for understanding. If anything I hoped he knows how that felt. He sighed before he turned to look at me.

"Very well, where is she?" My father asked as I was smiling from ear to ear.

"You will meet her at the Folk Festival. I will bring her then. Until then, father,"

"Go on now. But don't you go to your mate. You have some Alpha duties that you need to do as you have been neglecting for some time now," my father said as he was looking at me with all his seriousness. I laughed.

"I will not let you down, father," I said as I saluted at him. He was shaking his head as he smiled at me. I was being childish but nothing can break this happiness from me now. I found my mate and I claimed her. I will bring her to meet my family and nothing will get better than that.

Except I don't count the external factor that can harm her.