Chapter 21 - Justin

I'm not sure why I let Sarah pull me away from the gathering, but as soon as we step into the woods, I wish I hadn't. I know damn well she has a thing for me, and the way her eyes lingered on me throughout the day had given me a hint of what was coming. But there's a big difference between her flirting and her actually making a move, and the latter is a problem.

"I'm so glad you're back," she purrs, tightening her grip around my arm as we walk. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"Yeah, about that…" I start, rubbing the back of my neck with my free hand.

"Hmm?" She turns her head and flashes me a sultry smile.

"I think you know how I feel about you, Sarah, and─"

"How you feel?" she interrupts, and I immediately know she thinks this conversation is headed in an entirely different direction. "I mean, I've suspected, but..."

"That's not what I mean."

She looks at me, confused. "Then what do you mean?"

"Look, I'm not good with this sort of stuff," I admit. "But, uh, I'm involved with someone else."

She blinks at me. "Involved? You mean, like, in a relationship?"

I nod, but my throat suddenly feels dry. "Yes, exactly. Callie and I, we... well, we've been spending a lot of time together."

"Spending time together?" she parrots. "That's not really the same thing as in a relationship, is it?"

She's not wrong. It's not the same. But it's the truth, and it's what I have to offer her.

"Well, no. But it's... more than a friendship, if that makes any sense. I don't know. We're figuring things out. It's a fresh, um, new relationship."

She shrugs and rolls her eyes. "Fresh and new. That sounds to me like you two aren't on the same page, and instead of accepting that, you're letting her string you along. Poor Justin. How unfortunate for you."

Her words strike a chord, and I want to deny what she's saying, but is she right? I'm at a loss for words. Sarah's directness catches me off-guard, forcing me to confront the truth of my relationship with Callie. We've shared more than just a physical connection, that much is certain. But beyond the confines of our tangled sheets, where do we stand?

Callie has made it pretty clear that she has no interest in getting involved with a pack. She doesn't want permanence. So, how long is she going to stick around? At the end of the day, there's a pretty high possibility that I'm going to be left here in her dust, looking like an idiot.

I try to get a read on Sarah's intentions, but her expression is unreadable. Her face is neutral, her tone passive. "Listen, Justin, I'm not going to pretend I'm not disappointed. I like you. If Callie isn't ready to commit to you the way you deserve, then─"

"What the fuck makes you think I'm not ready to commit to Justin?" Callie's voice sounds from behind us, and we turn around at the same time to see her storming toward us.

Sarah's eyes widen in surprise as Callie approaches, her demeanor shifting from confident to uncertain in an instant. Callie's presence commands attention, her stride purposeful and her gaze unwavering.

"Callie," I start, stepping forward to intervene, but she ignores me, her focus solely on Sarah.

"You've got it all wrong, sweetheart," Callie declares. "Justin and I are dating."

Sarah's mouth falls open, and she glances between Callie and me, clearly caught off-guard by Callie's assertion.

"Dating?" Sarah repeats.

"That's right," Callie confirms, her chin lifted defiantly. "So, whatever ideas you've got in your head about Justin, you can forget about them. He's mine."

Sarah stammers for a response. "I-I didn't know..."

"Well, now you do," Callie says firmly.

I'm stunned by Callie's boldness, but fucking hell, is it a turn-on. She's claiming me as hers. Staking her claim in front of Sarah and everyone else within earshot.

Before Sarah can muster a coherent reply, Callie takes my hand in hers and begins to lead me back toward Ram's house. I glance over my shoulder at Sarah, offering her an apologetic look before following Callie.

As we step inside the house, I expect Callie to confront me about the situation, but instead, she leads me to the living room, away from prying eyes and eager ears.

"Callie, I can explain," I start, but she holds up a hand, cutting me off.

"Don't worry about it. I saw how uncomfortable you were out there, and I just wanted to help you out. You know, get her off your case."

I'm taken aback by her words, the realization dawning on me that Callie's bold declaration wasn't about staking a claim or marking her territory. It was about protecting me, about ensuring that Sarah didn't get the wrong idea.

"You did?" I ask, unable to hide the surprise in my voice. Or the disappointment.

"Of course. She's clearly got a thing for you, and you weren't comfortable with that. I knew she was going to try something, and I just wanted to put a stop to it. I wanted to save you the trouble."

"You did?"

"I mean, if I had to have a reason, that's a good one," she says, raising an eyebrow.

If I didn't know her better, I might fall for this little ruse. But one thing I learned about Callie all that time in the woods is that when she lies, she can't hide her tells. When her upper lip twitches, it's a dead giveaway.

A smug smile takes position on my face. Callie is jealous. No matter what she says, she stormed out there because she didn't like seeing me with another woman.

I flash Callie a knowing grin, fully aware of the game she's playing. But rather than call her out on it, I decide to play along, enjoying the thrill of her jealousy and the way it ignites a fire within her.

"Well, I appreciate the rescue," I reply, leaning in closer to her. "But you know, you didn't have to go to all that trouble. I can handle myself."

"Oh, I know you can, but where's the fun in that?" she retorts.

With a mischievous grin, I decide to use this to my advantage. After all, it's not every day I get to see Callie's guard drop like this. "Come with me." I take her hand and lead her through the crowded house, searching for a quiet spot.

As luck would have it, I spot a partially open door at the end of the hallway. I give Callie a playful wink and guide her toward it, excitement bubbling in my chest. Pushing the door open further, I reveal a small closet tucked away in the corner, hidden from view.

"This looks promising," I murmur, stepping inside and pulling Callie with me.

She follows with a giggle and a squeal. "What are we doing?"

I don't answer. Instead, I close the door behind us, sealing us in darkness. Without a word, I reach out and cup her cheek, tilting her face upward. She leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed, and I savor the moment before I descend, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Our kiss is slow and passionate, and when her tongue snakes out and grazes my bottom lip, I can't help but groan. In an instant, her body is flush against mine, and my arms wrap around her, clutching her tightly against me.

"Mm, that was smooth," Callie mumbles, her voice muffled.

"You're sexy when you're jealous."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," I breathe, my lips moving against hers.

She bites her lip and grins. "Well, maybe I can be a little jealous more often."

"Whatever you want, baby," I whisper. "Whatever you want."