Chapter 21

Twenty-One

JADE

O ver the next few days, I stayed true to my promise.

I didn't answer the door to any of the alphas, although once in a while, I'd see one of them stalking me from outside the window, mostly Dravin, to check on me.

Caleb would call to check on my progress but wasn't micromanaging everything like the last time. It was lonely, but the arrangement worked out fine. The house was slowly coming together as I stood in the living room watching the beta contractors hang a giant painting.

I was proud of the polka-dot painting I hunted down from a second-hand shop.

"Just a little to the left," I instructed. They moved the painting around until I was finally satisfied. I walked to the kitchen for a glass of water. I was pretty thirsty after directing the workers for hours this morning. As I sipped on the water, I leaned against the kitchen counter, staring at the time on the microwave. It was one in the afternoon already.

I nearly dropped my glass when I heard a loud shout coming from the living room.

Leaving my glass of water on the counter, I quickly ran toward the living room. The two contractors had gotten off their ladders and stared at each other in shock as if they'd seen a ghost.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Our ladders started shaking like crazy. I'm getting the hell out of here," said one of them, grabbing his ladder and making a beeline out of the front door.

"No, wait!" I shouted after him, wondering what the heck was going on. I turned back to the second worker, but he was also shaken up and ready to leave.

"This house is freaking haunted," said the other contractor shakily as he also grabbed his equipment. "Sorry, lady."

"What the fuck," I muttered to myself when I was alone in the house again. What was I going to do? They were supposed to help with hanging the curtains in the rooms next. I walked to my bedroom and grabbed my phone, dialing Caleb's number. My heart started to pound a little faster when I heard the phone ringing. I didn't want to call him, but he needed to know what was going on.

"Yes, Jade?" he answered on the third ring.

"The contractors left," I said and explained the entire story.

"I'm coming."

"No, that's not necessary," I started to say, and then I felt a small tug on the bottom of my jeans, and I screamed. When I looked down, there was nothing there.

"I'll be right over there," he said, hanging up when he heard me scream.

I hopped on the bed, scared of whatever was happening in the house. I've always felt like something was off in the house but I never felt a tugging on my clothes or anything like that before.

I hadn't seen Caleb ever since the spanking, and my heart was pounding hard in my chest at the thought of seeing him. I was wearing jeans with paint all over it and suddenly worried about how I looked.

Screw the damn ghosts. I quickly got off my bed and ran to my boxes. I didn't have time to organize anything, but I quickly sifted through several clothes until I could find something decent.

I changed into a pair of white leggings and a black low-cut shirt. It was the best I had for now. Looking in the mirror, I untied my ponytail and fluffed my long black hair around my shoulders. I looked okay, just a little plain, so I put on a little bit of makeup to enhance my eyes. I had no idea why I was panicking, but I didn't want to look terrible when he came over for the first time in days.

Within minutes, I heard the front door opening, and I took a deep breath before heading over to the living room.

"Jade," he said, his gaze raking over my body from head to toe- lingering on my breasts. My face warmed and I bit my lip.

To my alarm, Caleb looked like he hadn't slept in days.

His usually neat hair was mussed around his head, and he wore a gray shirt that looked like it needed to be washed. His black sweatpants hung loose around his waist like he couldn't care less about his appearance.

"Everything is fine now," I said hastily. "The contractors left, and I was just wondering if you could get us a couple of new workers."

"Are you okay? I heard you scream on the phone," he said, walking towards me- his eyes never leaving me.

I gulped.

"I'm okay," I said and thought to lie about it. "My clothes just got caught on something."

"Alright," he said slowly. Then he turned to see the work I'd done in the house. "Wow, with the couch, rug, and the painting. It all just comes together."

"Do you like it?" I asked hesitantly as he admired my handiwork.

"Very nice," he said, turning to me. "I can see what you can achieve without my pack distracting you."

"I'm glad you approve," I said, pleased that he liked it. Caleb pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to me. "I can't accept that. You're already letting me stay here. I don't need all that."

"Take it," he said, and I quietly put it in the kitchen drawer without counting it. After he left, I'd count the money without feeling too guilty.

"Thanks," I said.

"Take a walk outside with me?" he suggested.

"Sure."

We walked towards the back of the house, past the double kitchens, as he held the doors open for me. When our arms brushed each other, I felt a flutter in my soul. The air was thick and heavy with tension. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination or if he also felt the sexual tension.

It was a sunnier day today, instead of the gloomy rain we'd had for days. We walked along the cement pathway as it wound down between plants.

"Would make a beautiful garden one day," he said.

"I like walking out here to clear my mind sometimes," I said, inhaling the fresh air with the sun on my skin.

"Do you?" he asked, looking at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Yes. But how about you? You look like you haven't gotten any sleep."

He stopped walking, and I stopped alongside him.

"Because I couldn't sleep," he said slowly, his eyes on me. I could see his eyes darken as he stared at me. My heart beat faster, and I tried to take deep breaths to fight the impending desire. "I have been thinking about you."

Now my heart was literally thumping out of my chest. I had no idea what to think as my brain scrambled for something to say.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked. I was filled with nervousness and concern for him but also scared of his answer.

He sighed and looked off in the distance, scrunching his eyebrows. I softly grasped his wrist, and he looked down at my hand, gripping his wrist, his nostrils flaring at my touch.

"Don't…I don't have much control around you," he sputtered. " Fuck it."

Then he kissed me.

I couldn't believe it as his lips touched mine in greedy desire, ready to take what was his. I was too shocked to move as I allowed him to kiss me in the garden. He cradled the back of my head, adding pressure to the kiss. My eyes drifted closed as our kiss intensified and deepened. I absorbed the feeling of his muscular arms around me, his unshaven face rubbing against my face, and his unwashed musky alpha scent, causing fires of desire in my core.

When the kiss ended, I was breathless, and my face was hot.

"Oh my," I said, opening my eyes. He stared thoughtfully at me, his green eyes still dark with desire. It scared me, but I knew he was feeling it too. He craved to be around me too. Even without words, I knew.

"I couldn't handle the thought of never seeing you again," he said. "I want to be around you. I want to be in your presence at all times. Do you feel the same way, Jade?"

"Yes," I said softly. He traced my chin to my jawline with his finger. His touch ignited the fire within me. "I want to taste your lips again."

"Let's take this to the bedroom," he growled, lifting me high as I squealed and wrapped my legs tight around his waist.

I bounced on the bed as he dropped me onto it.

He crawled on top of me, kissing me on the lips again as his hands explored every inch of my body. My legs were still wrapped around his waist as he kissed me thoroughly. His hands squeezed my butt through my leggings.

"Let's get these damn leggings off. Watching you strut around in them was torture," he muttered over my lips, his hot breath sending chills down my spine. His darkened eyes were only intent on one thing. To take me. Even if I wanted to run away, his look showed me that he would hunt me to the ends of the earth for me. "I need to be inside you. Right. Now."

My fingers were shaking too much to pull my leggings off, so he took control. His fingers dug into my waistband, pulling my leggings and underwear down over my thighs. Before removing them, he knelt between my legs, staring at my panties and the dark stain on my white leggings.

"Don't look at that," I said, ashamed.

"You've wet your panties, little omega," he said, pulling them off as he studied them. I was naked now except for my black shirt. I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and flung it onto the floor. I wanted him completely. Knot and all. I was scared that if I disappointed him, I would never get to be his omega, and I would never see Dravin, Bruce, or Nick again.

I blushed as I watched Caleb sniff my panties.

"Why are you doing that?" I whispered.

"Alphas have a thing for scents," he growled, closing his eyes in pleasure as he sniffed the seat of my panties to his fill. "You slicked in your panties before I even got here. Were you excited that I was coming to see you?"

"Yes," I admitted, my face hot. Feeling like a total slut.

"I see," he said, dropping my panties onto the ground next to the bed. He pushed me down on the bed, and now I was on my back. He spread my knees apart and gazed at my pussy. My face heated, and I suddenly wished I had shaved earlier. He liked a clean-shaven pussy, but I never thought he'd be here today. He ran a finger down my hairs and in between the wet folds of my pussy. Then he inserted his finger into my throbbing core. "Do you want my knot inside here, sweetheart?"