Chapter 15 - Justin

My heart thumps erratically in my chest as I stand in the doorway of Callie's room, taking in the sight of the empty space. She's gone. Vanished into thin air. How did she manage to slip away? I locked the door myself, and I'm the only one with the key.

My mind races, trying to piece together how she could have pulled this off. Callie's resourcefulness shouldn't surprise me anymore, but somehow it still does. She's a woman of many talents, some of which I'm only beginning to uncover.

Callie's disappearance isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a glaring sign that I've underestimated her once again. Dammit, Justin, get it together. You're supposed to be protecting her, not letting her slip through your fingers like this.

I rake a hand through my hair as I pace the room, my thoughts whirling with possibilities. Did she pick the lock somehow? No, that's unlikely. She may be skilled, but I doubt she's that skilled. Unless... okay, I'll admit there's still plenty about her past that I don't know about, but this is nuts.

The idea gnaws at me as I scour the room for any clues she might have left behind. But aside from the faint scent of her pheromones lingering in the air, there's nothing. No note, no indication of where she might have gone. Just an empty room mocking me with its silence.

I curse under my breath and smack the wall, ignoring the way the plaster chips beneath my hand. How could I have let this happen?

Callie's always been one to chart her own course. I should've kept a closer eye on her. Hell, I should've insisted she sat her ass on the toilet every time I took a shower, for crying out loud. But instead, I gave her the space she seemed to need like an idiot. And now she's out there somewhere, possibly in danger.

I need to find her, and fast, before she gets herself into even more trouble. I'm just going to follow her scent and let it guide me.

When I step out into the living room, I consider bringing Snowy and Stormy along. They're trained in search and rescue, but I'd rather they stay here to protect her in case she comes back before I do. So, I head outside alone, relying on my keen sense of smell to lead the way.

I plunge into the dense forest, my senses on high alert as I track Callie's scent through the wilderness. The crisp air fills my lungs as I push through the underbrush, and the sunlight pours down from the treetops, casting streams of light onto the ground below. Branches snap beneath my feet as I dart through the trees—any sound I hear, every rustle of the leaves, I stop to analyze. My focus is singular as I home in on one goal: find Callie.

As I navigate the rugged terrain, my mind races with thoughts of what could have happened to her. What if she stumbled upon an unfriendly pack? Or worse, what if she encountered Evan? Fortunately, the only shifter’s scent I can pick up is hers. That offers me some comfort, but it doesn't mean she's safe. There's a possibility her scent could be masking another.

The farther I go, the more frantic my heart rate becomes. I've gone far enough to reach the edge of the forest and cross over into a neighboring territory, but her trail is still strong. Her scent is unmistakable.

I should probably head back. The forest is full of dangerous predators, and it's entirely possible she's back at the cabin waiting, but I can't bring myself to turn back until I've searched every inch of this forest. Time blurs as I press on, and I keep my senses attuned to the slightest disturbance in the surrounding wilderness.

The faint sound of rushing water catches my attention, and I stop in my tracks. As thirsty as I am now, it stands to reason that she might be, too. Maybe she headed that way for a drink.

The possibility sends a sense of hope gliding over me, driving me forward with renewed vigor.

I push through a thicket of bushes, coming to a sudden halt. There, in the distance, I catch a glimpse of cascading water. A waterfall. My heart leaps in my chest as I pick up the pace. As I draw closer, I slow my pace, taking my time to collect myself. The roar of the waterfall fills my ears, drowning out all other sounds as I approach with caution. And then, through the mist, I catch sight of her.

She's sitting on a moss-covered rock with her back turned to me as she gazes out at the rushing water. Her clothes and her hair are soaked and clinging to her shoulders, and strands of brown catch the sunlight in a halo of radiance.

For a moment, I'm transfixed by her beauty. The sight of her takes my breath away. As I watch her, a part of me softens, the anger dissipating like mist in the morning sun. She's safe. That's all that matters in this moment. Everything else can wait.

But then reality crashes down on me like a ton of bricks, reminding me of why I'm out here in the first place. She ran off without a word, putting herself in danger without a second thought. I clench my fists, torn between relief that she's safe and fury that she would pull a stunt like this. How dare she run off like that? Doesn't she realize the danger she's in?

I stride toward her, my footsteps heavy against the soft ground. As I near her, the anger bubbling inside me threatens to boil over, and it takes all my willpower to stop short of a violent outburst. Callie's been through so much already, but damn it, she scared the hell out of me!

"Callie, what the hell were you thinking?"

She startles at the sound of my voice, turning to face me with wide eyes. "Justin," she breathes, clutching her chest.

"What were you thinking, running off like that?" I demand, my frustration seeping into my words despite my efforts to remain calm.

Callie's gaze drops to the water, and her shoulders hunch over. "I needed some fresh air. Sorry if I scared you."

"Sorry?" I echo, incredulous. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

She sighs, shaking her head as if I'm being so incredibly unreasonable. "I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

"Trouble?" I scoff. "You could've been hurt, Callie. What were you even doing out here?"

She hesitates for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip as she considers her response. Finally, she speaks, though her voice is barely audible over the roar of the waterfall. "There's something about this place," she begins, her words hesitant. "It reminds me of home."

"Home?" I repeat, taken aback. I step closer until I'm up to my knees in water. "What do you mean?"

Callie sighs, running a hand through her damp hair. "There was a waterfall like this in my old home," she explains. "Whenever I needed to be alone, whenever I wanted to escape from... from Dante or from my old pack, this was where I would come."

My heart twists at the thought of her needing to flee from anyone. It's hard to imagine a world where Callie of all people would ever be so afraid, she felt the need to escape. "Callie..."

She holds up a hand, cutting me off. "I know you're angry, Justin, but I can't keep doing this. This constant feeling of fear is eating me up inside, and staying cooped up like that is only making it worse. I need space to breathe. Can't you understand that?"

"I do understand," I tell her, coming to sit on the rock beside her. "But running off like this is reckless and it's going to get you killed. Next time, just come and get me and we can take a walk together or something. Okay? You don't have to risk your safety by sneaking away."

"I wasn't thinking straight," she admits. "I was just so frustrated, and when I got here, it was like I could breathe again, and I didn't want to leave. And I was enjoying the solitude, to be honest."

I can see that. I was so busy worrying about her safety that I never thought about how her current situation might be triggering her, bringing her back to a place she didn’t want to be. A place where she had to spend every second looking over her shoulder in fear of someone who should've been looking out for her instead of hunting her.

God, her alpha is a piece of shit. She's spent so much time alone because of him that I wonder if she'll ever get used to relying on others. To relying on me.

"You're going to have to learn to trust me," I tell her. "And I'm going to have to trust you, too."

"How did you find me all the way out here, anyway? I mean, I know our noses are good, but they aren't that good. Unless you have some super sniffing powers or something."

I pick up a pebble and toss it into the water. "A combination of our heightened senses and my military training, I guess. It's easy enough to track someone when you know what to look for."

Tilting her head, she watches me carefully before she asks, "Why did you leave? The military, I mean."

I skip another stone across the water, watching as it creates ripples that dance across the surface. Callie's question hangs in the air between us, and for a moment, I'm unsure how to respond. But then I meet her gaze, and I find the bravery in her eyes to respond.

"I quit the Marines because..." I begin, my voice trailing off as memories flood back. "Because I couldn't take it anymore."

Callie stares at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. And as the words come tumbling out, it's like a dam bursting. Everything comes flooding out, and as I tell her the truth, the emotions wash over me like a torrent of water, carrying away the grief and pain of the past.

"I lost too many comrades," I confess. "Too many good men and women who didn't deserve to die."

I can see the understanding in her eyes as she nods solemnly. "I'm sorry, Justin. That sounds really hard."

"It was," I admit, my throat tight with emotion. "There was this one mission... we were supposed to extract a group of civilians from a war-torn village. It was supposed to be routine, but things went south fast."

I pause, taking a moment to gather my thoughts before continuing.

"We were ambushed by enemy forces, and we were outnumbered. We fought tooth and nail to protect those civilians, but... not everyone made it out alive."

I can still see their faces when I close my eyes. It's been years, and the wounds are still fresh.

"And then there was another mission," I say, my voice barely a whisper now. "We were tasked with taking out a high-value target, but... something went wrong. I don't know all the details, but... we were attacked by enemy forces. One by one, we were gunned down. We were pinned down and helpless, and when most of us were either killed or captured, I somehow made it out. I lost more friends that day. More good people who deserved better."

Tears sting my eyes as I relive those moments, each one etched into my memory like a scar that refuses to fade.

"After that... I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't keep putting myself in harm's way, knowing that I might not make it out alive. So, I left. I left it all behind."

Callie reaches out and places a hand on my arm, offering me a silent comfort that I hadn't realized I needed.

"I'm so sorry, Justin," she says softly. "I can't even imagine what you've been through."

I manage a weak smile, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Callie. It means a lot."

"So, what made you decide to stick to being a dog trainer when you got out?" she asks. "I know you trained them in the military, but why did you keep with it?"

"After I left the military, I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt lost, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. But then... I remembered how much comfort I found in animals. I started volunteering at a local shelter, helping to train the dogs so they could find forever homes."

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I recall those early days, the joy I felt every time I saw a dog find a loving family.

"It was like... they saved me as much as I saved them," I continue. "I realized that I had a gift for working with animals, and I decided to pursue it as a career in the civilian sector. It's been the best decision I've ever made."

"That's amazing, Justin. I'm glad you found something that brings you joy."

"Me too," I agree.

Callie's hand lingers on my arm. Her touch sends a jolt of warmth through me, banishing the lingering chill of my memories. I look into her eyes, finding a degree of understanding and compassion there that I've never witnessed in her or anyone else. In that moment, the weight of the world seems to lift from my shoulders, and all the pain and guilt from the past wash away. For the first time in a long time, I feel truly free.

Without a word, I lean in closer, drawn to her the way I always seem to be, no matter how hard I fight it. Callie meets me halfway, and her lips brush against mine in a soft kiss that feels like coming home after a long journey. The kiss is gentle, and yet it carries all the longing and desire that has built up between us these past few days. Her scent washes over me, intoxicating and sweet, and my inner wolf longs to claim her as our own.

When she brings her hands up to my face, stroking my cheek, I groan, deepening the kiss. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her closer, wanting her heat and her touch like a man dying of thirst. She gasps when my tongue brushes against hers, and I swallow the sound, devouring her mouth as I've been longing to do for so long.