The Fox's Heart

Chapter 12 - Calin’s POV

***Warning Violence***

Calin leaned against the porch railing, the cool evening breeze brushing past him, mingling with the remnants of a sultry summer day. He stared out at the shimmering surface of the lake, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the water. Just like the day before. However, his mood was anything but golden. It had been a long day filled with a mix of frustration and simmering jealousy, and he felt the tension building in the pit of his stomach.

Elora had spent the entire afternoon with her laughter echoing across the water and house as she conversed easily with Ryder. The sight and sound had twisted in his gut like a knife.

“It’s ridiculous,” Calin muttered, breaking the silence that hung between him and his brothers. Talon and Falon exchanged glances, their expressions mirroring his frustration.

“Yeah, it is,” Talon agreed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the railing. “But we can only blame ourselves.”

Falon sighed, kicking at a loose stone on the porch. “It makes sense, Ryder did not come into our lives until we were fourteen. He is Talia’s age and finished high school in his mother’s pack. So he never bullied her, so it is no wonder why she likes him.”

Calin’s jaw tightened. “We’ve all been assholes to her.”

Silence enveloped them again, heavy and suffocating. They were supposed to be the future of the pack, yet all they could think about was their own feelings, their own insecurities. They were three strong werewolves, yet they felt powerless against the deep-rooted fears of losing Elora to someone who seemed to understand her better.

Just as the silence grew unbearable, a sharp knock on the door broke the tension. Talon pushed away from the railing and walked over to answer it, leaving Calin and Falon to fume in their frustration. The door swung open, revealing their girlfriends—Courtney, Layla, and Teresa—each beaming with excitement, and they weren’t alone.

“Look who’s here!” Talon said feigning excitement. Truth was they had decided that afternoon that they were going to break up with them on Monday after they got home. Even if Elora rejected them, Courtney, Layla, and Teresa, had proved they were just as dull and shallow as they were in high school.

A crowd of their packmates surged into the lake house after the girls. The brothers began to panic because they had promised Elora it would be only them this weekend. Calin suspected Ryder must have tipped off their girlfriends to where they were and their girlfriends took it upon themselves to have a party.

“Come on, Calin! Don’t be a buzzkill,” Teresa chimed, her voice bright as she tugged on his arm. “Let’s have some fun! We’ve got music, drinks, and everyone is here to celebrate.”

Calin yanked his arm away from Teresa's grip, irritation flaring within him. The excitement in the room felt suffocating, like a pressure cooker ready to explode. “I’m not in the mood for this,” he muttered, trying to peer through the throng of partygoers for a glimpse of Elora. Her absence gnawed at him, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding from the chaos they had promised would be a quiet gathering.

“Where is she?” Calin murmured, more to himself than to his brothers. He scanned the room, looking for that familiar flash of platinum blonde hair and those arctic blue eyes. But the laughter and noise swallowed her presence, leaving him restless.

Using the mind link he shared with Talon and Falon, he reached out, Where’s Elora?

No idea, Falon replied, his voice tinged with concern. You think she went to hide?

I’ll check with Ryder, Calin decided reluctantly, moving toward the center of the room where the crowd was thickest. He spotted Ryder leaning against the kitchen counter, animatedly chatting with a couple of girls who was laughing too hard at his jokes. The sight twisted in Calin’s gut—Ryder’s charm was hard to resist, and it only added to his irritation.

“Ryder!” Calin called, forcing his way through the bodies until he was close enough to get the guy’s attention. “Where’s Elora?”

Ryder turned, his smile faltering slightly as he took in Calin’s expression. “Oh, she went to her room. Said she needed a break,” he replied. “Is everything okay?”

Calin’s heart sank. She had gone to hide. His instincts screamed at him to go after her, to make sure she was okay. Leaving Ryder’s question unanswered, Calin pushed past a couple of their packmates, irritation bubbling to the surface as they laughed and danced without a care.

I’m going upstairs, he communicated to his brothers, urgency threading through his words.

We’re coming, Talon replied, and he could feel the tension rising among the triplets as they shared the same unease.

Calin fought his way through the crowd, each step feeling like an eternity. As he reached the stairs, a loud crash echoed from above, followed by a faint cry. Adrenaline surged through him, propelling him forward. “Elora!” he shouted, panic gripping his chest as he raced up the stairs.

His brothers were hot on his heels, their footfalls thudding behind him. They reached Elora’s room just as he pushed the door open. The scene inside froze them in place.

Caleb stood over Elora, his hands wrapped around her throat, squeezing tightly. Her body lay limp, her head lolling to the side, a gash running along her scalp where it had hit the corner of the nightstand. The sight of her unconscious form ignited a fury within Calin that he had never known before.

“Get off her!” Calin roared, the sound echoing in the small room. He lunged forward, fists clenched, ready to unleash his rage.

Caleb turned his head, a smirk on his lips as he saw the triplets. “What’s the matter? Defending the little weakling now?” he taunted, his grip tightening.

“Let her go, you bastard!” Talon shouted, rushing in alongside Calin. Falon followed, anger boiling over as they rushed Caleb.

The three of them attacked in unison, launching themselves at Caleb with all the force they could muster. They pulled him away from Elora, forcing him against the wall. Talon and Falon held him in place while Calin crouched beside Elora, cradling her head in his hands.

“Caleb, we told you to leave her alone when we suspended you,” Falon hissed, rage in his voice. “You have no right to touch her.”

“Why are you suddenly defending her?” Caleb shot back, anger sparking in his eyes. “You have always wanted to make her life a living hell. She’s our favorite punching bag.”

The brothers exchanged looks, their hearts pounding as they pushed Caleb away. “She’s our friend now, and she’s stronger than you’ll ever know. You need to leave her alone!” Calin growled, his protective instincts surging.

“Not until she’s dead,” Caleb spat, venom dripping from his words. “She’s bewitched you. You are not the men I knew!”

In a whirlwind of fists and fury, the brothers fought Caleb, each blow fueled by the need to protect Elora. Finally, after a struggle that seemed to stretch on forever, they managed to knock him out, his body slumping against the wall, unconscious.

They quickly bound him with a spare length of rope, securing him to the bedpost. Calin took a moment to catch his breath, then turned to his brothers, dread pooling in his stomach. “We need to check on Elora.”

They rushed to her side, only to find her missing. “Where did she go?” Talon exclaimed, his voice a mixture of panic and confusion.

Calin felt a surge of despair. “She was just here,” he murmured, his eyes darting around the room, searching for any sign of her. “She wouldn’t just leave.”

A chilling thought struck him. “She must have gone to find Ryder,” he said, dread pooling in his stomach. “We have to find her now.”

The brothers nodded in unison, their mission clear. They would not let anything happen to Elora—not now, not ever. Together, they raced out of the room.

However, when they found Ryder, Elora was not with him. Panicked, they ran outside looking for any sign of her.

“Over here!” Talon yelled. Calin and Fallon ran to join him and as they got closer they realized why he had called them over. They caught her scent heading into the trees.