Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Callisto

Callisto returned to the shop, fully prepared for Sophia to jump all over her, asking for details about the hot date that wasn't a date. She was even going to give a few—all about the amazing food and how kind Elowen had been—but Sophia never asked.

She just gave Callisto a knowing smile that said more than words ever could. It also implied many different things, none of which were true. Callisto wasn't falling for Rory because he'd cleaned himself up, brought her flowers one day, had two cute babies, and one very nice, responsible, polite older son. She didn't feel anything at all because he'd arranged a special lunch or promised not to poison her with food she couldn't even stomach the sight of, or because he was now going to his alpha and beta to try and arrange a place for her and Sophia in his clan.

Nope, her chest didn't squeeze one bit and her legs certainly didn't feel weak.

"Will you stay down here with me until he's back?"

Callisto wrinkled her nose, but Sophia looked at her with her half pleading, half ancient wisdom expression and she relented. It wasn't like there were dead things hanging all over and no meat was left out to spoil. Everything was put away, probably in the huge fridges in the back and the whole area had been cleaned up. There was no big display area with glass shields and meat all over the place. Rory wasn't that kind of butcher. For the sake of blending in, he did have a cash register and huge chalkboards with the offerings and their prices written on, as well as a few metal signs with a cow and a pig and the cuts of meat labeled on them. The front was super tiny, with room for only one or two people at most to stand in it. The back, where the real work happened, was extra spacious. The stainless-steel tables gleamed, and all his supplies were neatly arranged on the shelves throughout the area. Those anti-fatigue mats lined the floor in areas, but they were hard plastic and probably easy to clean. Hoses looped around the walls and there were drains in different parts of the floor.

Her stomach churned, but since that lunch was too delicious to ruin thinking about the past, she swallowed down the nausea, put it away in her mind, and sealed it off.

She crossed her arms and nodded.

Sophia relaxed and let out a breath. "Okay. Thanks."

Rory said you wanted to help out at the school. He thought it would be a good idea for me to teach ASL to the kids. He's asking Sam and their beta, Nelson, about that right now, she signed as she focused on Sophia, rather than the fact they were basically standing next to a massive meat locker.

Sophia turned pensive, like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be engaging in. "I was going to tell you."

I know. I'm not mad. You'd be perfect at it.

Sophia bit down on her lip and nodded. Sometimes, even as a kid, she looked like an old woman, like she'd been born middle-aged. Right now, she was the opposite. She was technically approaching middle age—-although she looked more like a twenty-something—but she had a childish excitement that was almost tangible.

"Was Clay there? At lunch?"

No. I can't even be disappointed about it. It wasn't all that awkward after a while, and the food was amazing. Elowen has to be a five-star chef. She hesitated for a second, her hands dropping away before she resumed signing. Rory said Taylee teaches art lessons. He could tell I liked the idea, so he said he'd talk to her as well, about us going.

"Wow. That would be amazing. It would be a good in for you. I wonder if Taylee looks like you? No, she mustn't or people would have figured out who you are already. But she can't look like… like Clay does. Then again, he has that same expression you often get. All dark and brooding and so intelligent it's frightening."

Stop it. I don't look like that, Callisto signed with a scowl, which she realized probably did look dark and brooding.

"You do. That's why most people don't fuck with you. Well, that and you're as tall and strong as a bear." Sophia licked her lips and looked around the empty, tidy area. There were big windows in the back for natural light and it shone through. It was perfectly air conditioned, so the heat of the day never got in despite the bright sunlight from all angles. "Do you ever think that this whole thing might be bigger than you?"

Callisto's stomach tightened again. Right after lunch was not the time to have philosophical conversations like this. She'd thought Sophia had given up years ago trying to convince her that this wasn't her destiny. Sophia believed that the past was the past and the future was the future, and that forward was the only way a person could live, but Callisto didn't believe in that concept. To her, time wasn't a straight line. The past was always there, affecting what happened in every moment of the present and the future. Until she took care of her past, she didn't feel that she could look forward.

She purposely misunderstood. The thing with Rory? Nope. He's a nice man. I'm glad I'm not married to a real butcher or a fucking caveman, and I'll try to hurt him as little as possible.

Sophia shook her head. She was about to retort something biting, but Callisto held up her hand, cutting her off. Outside, she could hear footsteps. She'd picked up on them long before Sophia did and sure enough, a minute later the back door opened. It wasn't just Rory who stepped in.

Samuel and Nelson's presence seemed far larger than they did, immediately filling up the space. At their mating, Rory had done the token ‘explain who everyone is' thing, probably because there was nothing else for him to talk about and he wasn't the kind of man who was okay with long, drawn out silences. He felt the need to fill the gaps with conversation.

Callisto had never had that problem.

She knew who Nelson was, vaguely, as a name to a face, but now she sensed who he truly was. He had that menacing energy that some men radiate. Men who usually aren't into peace and goodness and laughter. He was the polar opposite of Samuel, which was probably why he'd been chosen to be the clan's beta.

Callisto moved slightly, blocking the line of sight between Nelson and Sophia, protecting her friend.

Samuel noticed and decided to speak first. He looked grave, but not threatening like Nelson. He threw zero shade and gave off no threatening vibes.

Rory, she could see now that she looked at him properly, was visibly upset. It was more than the walk over that made him sweat. His face was red, and his jaw was set in a hard line. He didn't look grim like Nelson. He looked pissed right the hell off.

"Rory came to talk to us about the idea of helping out and teaching at the school." Samuel took the lead, getting right to the point.

Callisto nodded. Sophia edged out from behind her, unwilling to ever let her fight any battles on her own. Callisto wasn't about to say anything yet, she'd already read the room. It wasn't going to happen. Nelson hated the idea and Samuel was also cautious. He was alpha and he always had to act with the clan's best interests at heart, despite what he personally believed.

"I'm not trying to say no or never, I just think that the people here need a little more time to get used to the idea of having new people here, let alone possibly a whole new clan coming in, before they're okay with letting newcomers into their school, working around their children."

Rory puffed out his chest. He didn't look torn. He actually looked ready to go to war with his alpha. Inexplicably, under that anger, he also looked hurt. Callisto nearly took a step back she was so stunned by that. She flushed hot herself and then her skin immediately chilled and prickled with goosebumps under her all-black ensemble.

"I don't think that's sending the right message. We can't welcome someone into our clan, mate them into our clan, and then despise and mistrust them. I don't remember there being a problem when Steph or Loretta wanted to help out at the school," Rory said.

Nelson sneered at that clearly unhappy with Rory mentioning his mate, he flashed his teeth at Rory before he spoke. "I don't care what message we're sending. We look after our own people first."

"Callisto and Sophia both gave blood oaths—that's something we haven't required any other mates, let alone a human to do. We've taken in shifters who were from dangerous situations before, because they needed sanctuary. We have a wolf living here, someone who had a more than shady past himself."

"He wasn't trusted at first either. He was a prisoner," Samuel interjected, but mildly. He wasn't fighting, just stating facts. "Of course we welcomed rescued shifters from a lab. They were in obvious need of sanctuary."

"You don't have proof that Callisto's clan isn't."

Callisto was about to raise her hands to tell Rory to stop defending her. It was embarrassing for him. She didn't need him to fight her battles. Sophia stepped in before she could. She laid a hand on her arm to keep her from getting mad, but she was perfectly in control of her emotions. She honestly hadn't expected anything less.

She signed, her hands flying as Sophia quickly interpreted.

"You're right. You don't have proof. And it's probably too soon. We're more than willing to wait. It was an idea for the future. We both love children and would be happy to help where we can. Part of being in a clan is being useful. It's hard to just sit around all day. If you have any other work that you would trust us to do, day or night, we would appreciate it."

She stopped signing for a moment, Samuel and Nelson were watching her intently, Rory still looked like he would go into battle for her. Her hands started moving again and Sophia spoke, her voice heavy with emotion. "No one else here has challenged like we did, before anyone even knew us. That's the first thing they'll see when they look at us and the first thing they'll be thinking of for a long time. We didn't mean to upset or offend anyone."

Nelson made a grumbling sound and pegged them both with dark looks that would have wilted anyone else. Callisto stood strong and Sophia wasn't backing down beside her. She was all sweetness anyway. She never allowed the darkness to get inside of her. She might be tiny, but she was mighty in her own way.

"We think it would be best if you didn't attend the art classes yet either," Samuel stated. "But I'm willing to talk to Taylee and see if she can give you private ones, when Rory and the children are there with you."

Right. Because if Rory trusted them with his kids, which was his call to make, then they would have to behave. It wasn't sound logic, but maybe it was a bit of a gift and a first step towards Samuel giving them his trust.

"Thank you," Sophia said gently. "That would be amazing. If she doesn't want to though, we understand."

Samuel nodded. "I'll see about finding you some work during the day. It's a good thing to want to contribute and I understand that you'd feel restless. It's a great thing that you want to contribute to our clan, and Lily and I do appreciate it."

He wasn't speaking for Nelson, who clearly didn't appreciate anything that had to do with them. Another series of scorching looks came their way as alpha and beta departed. It was clear that Nelson would be keeping an eye on them.

When they left, Rory shut the door behind them. He turned around and was no longer angry. He looked ashamed. It hit Sophia at the same time, but she was quicker to act on that expression that made their breath catch.

"Thank you for trying, Rory. It's not your fault. We do appreciate it very much." Sophia, always better with people than Callisto could ever hope to be, walked over and squeezed Rory's hand. As most people did, he pretty much melted for her.

"I was going to apologize—"

Callisto shook her head, and quickly signed to Sophia what she wanted to tell this good man who was really only trying his best. Not realizing that she didn't deserve it.

"No. Please don't. We truly do understand. I wasn't just giving a speech for their benefit. Not right now isn't not ever. Samuel said he'd find us something to do, and he will. He's a man of his word. Thank you very much again for all the work you've put into this. It's not easy, doing something for us when it goes against what your clan wants. You're a part of them first and foremost and you always will be."

"It's not right," Rory mumbled, but so quietly that Sophia didn't even hear. Only Callisto seemed to catch the words.

He seemed so disappointed that she tapped Sophia on the shoulder so she turned around. She signed to Rory. It'll be fine. Thank you for trying and thank you for lunch. Everything you've done for us is beyond kind.

He relaxed somewhat, or at least he didn't look so upset. He still looked disappointed, but Callisto took Sophia's hand and pulled her to the door to head upstairs. In a few hours, Fraiser would be back with the twins, and she wanted to give Rory some time by himself.

She didn't look behind her and she couldn't allow herself to pick apart his feelings. She couldn'tlet herself go there, when she was betraying him every night by sneaking out to Pinefall.

She did feel more than a twinge of guilt at the elation fluttering in her chest. Rory was unhappy on their behalf, but all she could think about was the possibility that she might meet her sister soon. She might not have gotten what she wanted with the school, but meeting her siblings mattered more than any job.