ROMANCE: ALIEN ROMANCE: Captured by the Alien Dragon (Alpha Male Alien Abduction BBW Romance) (Bad Boy Shifter Fantasy Romance) (28 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

“I want to go to the park!” Joel demanded once they were in Caleb’s car.

Caleb looked over at her and smiled, “he’s a demanding little guy.”

“Just like someone I know,” she whispered rolling her eyes.

“Park!” Joel shouted.

“Alright, little man,” Caleb said turning on the car. “We’ll go to the park.”

As they watched Joel run back and forth around the playground, Rachel and Caleb talked quietly.

“I just want to get to know him,” Caleb started.

She turned to face him and set her eyes on his, looking at him seriously and sternly. “Caleb, are you going to be a part of his life?”

“What?” he said offended. “What does that mean?”

“It means do you plan on being a regular part of his life? I don’t want him to be around someone, especially a man, who’s just going to come and go.”

“Rachel,” he said softly, reaching out and placing his hand on hers. “I’ve thought about you every day since I left. I’ve missed you; I’ve wanted to be with you. I know what my father said. But, it doesn’t matter anymore. We have a son, all right? I’m going to be a part of his life, and yours. I swear.”

“But if he finds out…”

“He won’t. Not yet at least. Okay? Let’s just take this one step at a time.” He turned to give his attention to Joel, who was digging a hole in the dirt at the far end of the park. “The first step is me spending time with my son,” he turned to look at her and added, “with my family.”

His words filled her with a sort of hopeful comfort. She was hesitant at first. She no longer had to worry about only protecting herself, it was her son’s well-being that weighed on her heart.

But, over the next month, she let Caleb spend more and more time with him. Their meetings were always quick and in secret, but they were wonderful all the same. More often than not, they met at her small apartment, and Caleb would spend the hour or two he was able to slip away from his responsibilities at his father’s company playing with Joel.

On rare occasions, she made dinner and the three of them would eat together, talking, laughing, bonding, and feeling like a real family. Joel became very attached to Caleb and would ask where he was on days they didn’t see him. Rachel found herself longing to see Caleb on a daily basis. When he was around, things felt like they were in balance; they felt complete.

“I think we should tell him,” Caleb said to her one night after they had tucked him into bed. Up to that point, Joel had no idea that the man who had been spending time with them was his father.

They were sitting together on the couch. It was one of the few times they had been alone since the night at his house.

“Is it too soon?” she asked.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. She rested her back against his chest and let the warmth of his body wash over her.

“I’m not going anywhere, Rachel. When will you realize that?”

“I’m still scared,” she said turning to look up at him. “I hated when you left before. Back then it was only me you were leaving. But now…”

“Now I’m not going anywhere,” he cut her off. He leaned in and slowly pressed his lips to hers.

Her stomach turned to knots. He ran his hand slowly down her back, causing her skin to turn to goose bumps. She felt like the entire world ceased to exist. In that moment, she felt like nothing could pull them apart.

It was over all too soon, though, when his phone started to ring loudly. The chimes broke through the air, causing her to jump back. “Damn it,” he said reaching for it quickly.

She saw the name that appeared on the screen. “You’re still seeing Elise?” she asked, feeling her heart sink.

“No,” he said quickly, hitting the ignore button. “But I think my dad has been talking to her,” he admitted. “She’s been calling me the last few days.”

“Oh,” Rachel said pushing herself up and getting to her feet.

“It’s not like that, Rachel,” he said standing up quickly and wrapping his arms around her waist. “I swear. It’s not like that. It’s just complicated.”

“I don’t have time for complicated, Caleb. I have a three-year-old. We have a three-year-old. We can’t play games anymore. This isn’t just a high school fling. This is our child’s life we’re talking about.”

“I know. Just give me a little time to figure this all out, okay? I swear I’m going to figure all of this out.”

“Call me when you do,” she said, pushing him back and walking towards the door. She pulled it open forcefully and avoided looking back at him. She waited for him to leave. He turned as if he were about to say something, but she quickly threw the door shut in his face.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Where’s Caleb, Mommy?” Joel asked every day for the next week.

Caleb still hadn’t called, and her heart had finally stopped jumping every time her phone rang. She never knew how to respond to Joel’s question. She thought of one excuse after another until eventually she just stopped answering all together.

She divulged her recent activities to Amanda, between sobs and tears while they watched Joel playing in the park one afternoon. “I knew he would just leave!” Rachel exclaimed. “I knew he wasn’t going to be around forever. Why did I let myself fall for him?”

“You had to try,” Amanda said soothingly. “He’s your son’s father. You had to try.”

“I feel like an idiot,” Rachel confessed.

“Don’t,” her friend replied in an authoritative tone. “You did what you thought was best, Rachel. At least you tried. One day, when Joel’s old enough to understand all of this, at least you can say that.”

“I guess,” she admitted, wiping her cheeks with the palm of her hand.

“I’m really sorry, Rachel,” Amanda said looking down at her phone, “but I have to get to work. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah,” Rachel said with a shrug.

Amanda gave her a quick hug before getting up to leave. She kept her focus on Joel, watching him play in the dirt and mud. He was so young. He couldn’t understand, not now. But, Amanda was right. One day he would ask about his father. He would want to know who he was and why he wasn’t in their life. At least when that moment came, she could feel some relief knowing she had done her part.

“Cute kid,” she heard a woman’s voice say behind her.

She turned around quickly, startled. “Thank you,” she said eying the woman walking up to her. It was Elise; she recognized her immediately. There was no mistaking the tall, breathtakingly beautiful woman who was now standing right behind her.

“He looks like his father,” she noted, her eyes still on Joel.

“Excuse me?” Rachel asked, suddenly very nervous.

“I’ve been watching you for some time now,” she said. Her words were dry, and her expression harsh. “Since the night at the restaurant, actually.”

“But, how did you know?”

“I have my ways,” she said walking around the bench and sitting next to her. “It’s sweet, really. Seeing Caleb try to be a good father. It’s endearing.”

“Why are you here?” Rachel asked, already annoyed by her condescending personality and cryptic speech.

“I just came to extend a friendly warning.”

“I have a feeling that anything coming from you is far from friendly.”

“Oh, a spicy one,” she said with a laugh. “I can see why Caleb was so drawn to you.”

“Just tell me what you want,” Rachel demanded.

Elise turned around quickly, setting her deep, dark green eyes on her. Her stare almost burned into her, increasing her uneasy feeling. “You need to stay away from, Caleb,” Elise warned.

“What?”

“You heard me. Stay away from him. You have no idea what you’re getting involved in. If you dive in too deep, you’ll never make it out.”

“Is that a threat?” Rachel choked, standing to her feet quickly.

“Just a friendly warning, like I said.”

“Joel,” Rachel called him, holding out her hand. “Let’s go, sweetie.” She picked up her son quickly and looked directly at Elise who was still sitting calmly on the bench. “I don’t want to see you around me or my son ever again. I’ll call the cops; I’ll file a restraining order; I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Now who’s making threats?” Elise replied with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Rachel pulled out of the parking lot before she even put on her seat belt. The only thing she was worried about in that moment was getting as much distance as possible from that woman.

CHAPTER SIX

“
Caleb!” she yelled, banging on the front door of his house. “Caleb! I know you’re in there! Your car is parked out front!” She continued banging loudly on the door, determined not to stop until he opened it.

It didn’t take him long. He pulled the door open slowly and looked at her with a lazy expression of surprise. He seemed tired and distant.

“What happened to you?” she asked pushing past him and walking inside. “You look horrible.”

“You woke me up.”

“It’s noon, Caleb.”

“Why are you here, Rachel? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“I just came to tell you to keep your girlfriend away from me and Joel,” she said storming down the hall to the parlor. The house was still unfurnished and her steps echoed out around her.

“Elise?” he asked hurrying after her. “What did she do?” He suddenly sounded alert and angry.

“She came to the park. We didn’t talk for long, but it was long enough to know that I don’t want her anywhere near Joel.”

“What did she say to you?”

“Other than the fact that she’s been following me since the night at the restaurant and that I have to stay away from you? Nothing really.”

“That’s all?”

“What?” Rachel said, surprised. “Maybe you didn’t pick up on my sarcasm, Caleb. I think that was more than enough!”

Caleb inhaled slowly and turned away from her, running his hands through his short, dark hair. When he turned back around his face was twisted in an expression of confusion and worry.

“There are a few things you don’t know about me,” he said quietly.

“What does that mean?” she asked feeling apprehensive.

“It’s just easier if I show you,” he said holding out his hand.

“No, Caleb!” she demanded. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what the hell is going on.”

“I’ll explain everything, I promise. Just come with me.”

She placed her hand in his and let him lead her slowly down the hallway deeper into the house. He took her out the back door and into a large backyard, surrounded completely by trees. Dropping her hand he turned around and looked at her.

“You wanted to show me your backyard?” she asked, still confused.

“Stay here,” he said turning to walk away from her.

She watched as he walked slowly towards the line of trees, removing his clothes as he did. She felt her heart quicken a little at the sight of his naked body—his muscular back and his sculpted legs that flexed as he walked. She scolded herself silently and refocused.

“What are you doing?” she yelled out to him.

He didn’t answer. He kept his back to her as he leaned forward and let out a quiet groan. With that, she could hear the soft cracking of bones and joints as his body began to twist and contort before her eyes.

She didn’t have time to react, although even if she had her fear and amazement would have kept her frozen in place. In the spot where Caleb stood naked just a moment before, was a large wolf. It was easily three times the size of any wolf she had ever seen before. As it turned to look at her, she couldn’t help but feel a numbing tingle run from her fingertips up her arms.

He began walking towards her slowly, judging her reaction to his proximity. With each step he took, she felt her heart start to race. He stopped and when her pulse had slowed back to normal he took another step. This process continued for a short time until he was standing right beside her.

“Caleb?” she asked in a forced whisper. Despite seeing the transformation with her own eyes, she still couldn’t believe it.