His Oblivious Mate

Chapter 13 : Meeting

Caleb sat behind his desk, his hands crossed and his chin resting on them. He wanted to be with his mate, but he first had to get the meeting over and done with. He wondered what she was doing. He smiled, thinking of the fun they had while painting. Before the rogues interrupted them. He wished he could dig them up, bring them to life, and kill them again.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Duncan and Cass knocked on the open door. "Come on in" he invited. "The others are on their way" Duncan informed him as he pulled out Cass's chair for her and then sat down.

Leon entered the room and sat down. Caleb was not overly fond of him, but as a lion shifter, he was very strong, and a cunning fighter. Caleb's parents found him abandoned as a small boy of about five, during a trip to Kenya. They realised he was a shifter, and not finding any shifters to take him in, they brought him home with them. He was always aloof and cold. "It must a lion thing" he thought to himself.

Timothy and Athena arrived next, greeting everyone before sitting down. Then Owen walked in, nodding at everyone, taking his place next to Timothy. Bert came in last, closing the door behind him. He greeted everyone warmly, before sitting down at the foot of the table.

"Does anyone have an idea why the rogues are suddenly, either brave or stupid enough, to attack us?" Caleb asked, looking around the table. "It could have something to do with the fact that you have suddenly found your mate. They started sniffing around her place first" Owen suggested. "I think Owen is on to something. When you met her and acknowledged her as your mate, we all felt a little stronger. We are already the strongest pack in this area. Someone might feel threatened by the fact that you will be stronger when she becomes your luna" Duncan said thoughtfully. "So Cathy is in very real danger?" Bert asked, anger blazing in his eyes at the thought that someone wanted to harm his friend.

"The whole pack is" Leon remarked drily.

"We have to get to the bottom of this. I want more warriors placed on patrol at the border, and on Cathy's land. We will take turns guarding her" Caleb said "and keep your eyes and ears open. Send spies to the neighbouring packs. I want reports at the end of each day". "Yes Alpha" Duncan replied.

"When are you planning on introducing her to the pack?" Leon asked. Caleb answered "When she is ready. I first want to woo her the human way. She is not from our background. I will not force her into our way of life". "That makes sense" Cass said with a smile.

Caleb dismissed the meeting. Bert stayed behind when the others left. "Alpha, I am going to take up residence in the woods outside her cabin" he said. Caleb looked at him, weighing it over in his mind. "Thank you Bert, but please, don't scare her again. I will have food delivered to you daily" he said, smiling warmly. Bert thanked him and left. He watched him leave the packhouse and shift. Then the bear dissapeared into the woods.

Caleb went to his room and dressed warmly. Then he went to the kitchen and packed some food and snacks into a basket. He pulled out his Range Rover from the garage and drove off. Listening to the radio, he watched the trees fly by the car as he drove. A few minutes later he turned on to the gravel road leading to Cathy's place.

The snow started melting, but a big snowstorm was predicted for the next week. Pulling up to the cabin, he parked behind Cathy's car. He got out, and took the basket from the passenger side. Then he walked up to the front door. He knocked and waited. He heard her footsteps approaching the door and smiled. She opened the door and smiled when she saw him. "Hi Caleb, good to see you. Come in please" she said as she stood aside, making room for him to pass. "Hi Cathy. I thought I would bring some food over for you" he said as he walked past her into the cabin. He placed the basket down on the kitchen counter. "That is very kind of you, thanks" Cathy answered. He noticed that she had safety glasses perched on her head and she was covered in wood dust. "Am I interrupting?" he asked. "Oh no, I was about to take a break from sculpting now" she said, waving her hand. "What are you sculpting?" he asked with interest. "Follow me, I will show you" she answered, leading him to the studio. He looked at the half completed sculpture of a wolf. He could immediately tell it was Cass from the facial features. Then he saw the bear statue, and chuckled mentally when he recognised Bert. "You have amazing talent Cathy. These are marvellous" he said, walking to the bear statue, running his finger over the varnished wood.

Cathy blushed, feeling strangely pleased that he liked her work. She brushed the wood dust from her clothes, then took off the glasses and placed them on her work table. "Will you eat with me?" she asked, going the kitchen. "Yes, of course" he answered, following her. She washed her hands at the kitchen sink, drying it with the dish towel. Then she switched on the kettle and took out two plates. Caleb took the food out from the basket, and helped her to dish it into the plates. She made them coffee, and they sat down at the kitchen table. He asked her about her youth years and she told him. About growing up as a single child to loving parents, and life in the city. He listened with interest, and then told her stories from when he was growing up.

They chatted the afternoon away, over more coffee and slices of cake that Caleb brought. It was late when he said " I have to go. I really enjoyed spending time with you" and then he asked, looking nervous "Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?". Cathy pretended to think, tapping her finger against her chin, and then chuckled when he looked even more nervous. "Of course I would, I would love to" she answered. He sighed in relief, smiling a huge smile. "I will pick you up at five tomorrow afternoon" he said and she replied with a wink "I will be ready". She walked him to the door, and he insisted that she lock it behind him. She was a bit baffled by this, but decided not to press the issue. She turned the key in the lock, and slid the latch into place. Then she went to the window, watching him walk to his car. He turned around, waving at her before getting into his car and driving off. She waved back, then pulled the curtain closed when his car disappeared from view.

Red eyes watched her from the trees, before slinking away into the darkness, carefully sticking to the shadows to avoid being seen by the owl perched in the tree next to the cabin.