Episode 58: Memories of You

Genre: Horror
Characters: Kaya, Caleb, Charlie, Connor
Word Count: 5,423
Rating: R
Type: Series
Summary: Kaya returns home to a surprise romantic dinner from Caleb and a proposal to learn all they can about one another. She starts by sharing a memory that she knows really interests Caleb in hopes of clearing the air between him and Connor once and for all.
Warnings: Language, suggestive material, violence, strong sexual content, adult content, adult situations, nudity.

“Caleb?” Kaya called as she stepped around the corner into his study. “Oh Charlie hi, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you. Um…have you seen your brother?”

“Yes, he’s waiting in the gardens for you. Welcome back Luna.”

“Thank you.” The smirk on his face was lost on her as she made her way over towards the doors leading to the back terrace. The chilly wind of the night air nipped at her arms and she breathed in heavily as she walked the path over the Koi pond and down towards the gardens.

Nearing the stone path, she stopped and smiled. Small tea lights lined the once dark area and lit a trail up the rose garden and down near the greenhouse. Kaya followed them, stepping on the rose petals and releasing the scent into the air as she moved.

She turned the corner into the flowered archway and a small gasp passed through her lips. Dozens more candles were decorating the tiny area as well as roses and her favorite lilies. In the center of the square was a table set for two covered in a creamy white silk cloth, a bottle of chardonnay chilling on ice and a serving tray with two covered dishes on top. There was a box of chocolates beneath that sitting beside a can of whipped cream, and a small duffle bag. A classical instrumental piece played low on the speakers well hidden within the bushes making the sight even more enchanting. 

Caleb stepped behind her, instantly pulling her against him as she moved towards the table. “Welcome home,” his voice was soft, velvety and ran over her nerves like warm water in a bath. She tried to turn and face him but his hands on her hips kept her eyes pinned on the scene before her. Tenderly he rubbed his lips across the flesh of her neck peppering kisses towards her shoulders as he held her firmly against him. “You’ve been missed.”

“I can feel that,” Kaya responded with a smile in her voice. She leaned against him, allowing his warmth to coat her like the finest furs. He felt different somehow; warmer than usual but it had also been a while since she’d allowed a deep consenting form of intimacy to occur between them. “What’s all this?” 

She received her reply in the form of a deep chuckle and tender kiss before she lost the touch of his body on hers. Caleb stepped in front of her and guided her to a seat. After pushing her in, he circled around behind her and took his seat across from her. When her eyes finally took him in, he noticed the hesitance on her face as he moved his hand towards hers. Kaya’s eyes closed momentarily and she exhaled a breath before joining her hand to his and relaxing her body. A smile formed on Caleb’s lips as he watched Kaya continue searching around the little alcove enjoying the scenery. “How was your trip?”

“It was fine Caleb, it was nice to be back at Greymane after all that’s happened and Dad really enjoyed having me ‘home again’,” Kaya replied as she drank a few mouthfuls from the glass in front of her.

“And how is your Dad?” Caleb asked to which Kaya noted a hint of regret in his tone.

“He’s doing well. He told me how proud he was watching me become the Alpha he knew I could and gave me some advice on dealing with inter pack disputes and such. Actually to be honest, he seemed kind of lonely now. With everything that’s happened with Lexi and then me moving away he doesn’t have someone to help distract him from the day to day things.” Caleb nodded his head and bowed his eyes away as he thought about how bad it would feel to lose your lifelong mate and bit his bottom lip hard. “How have things been here?” 

“Quiet for the most part. Patrols have been roaming the areas checking for traps and ensuring the main borders haven’t been compromised by hunters. The ladies have all been planning the Emergence party. I have been told the pack’s living quarters as well as the greenhouse were off limits to me as they get everything just right. They know I hate surprises but that hasn’t stopped them from keeping this secret from me. I don’t know, now that you’re back maybe you’ll have better luck getting in.”

“Wow! The Alpha is being run by his pack mates? That’s interesting.”

“Hey don’t be fooled, Rosette may look maternal but she has a right hook that’ll knock you on your ass. And Sophie, let’s just say she’s learned a lot being mated to my brother. Rosie’s daughters too are ones to watch out for. We are talking about she-wolves here.”

“Hey!” Caleb laughed at Kaya’s pout.

“What can I say? They are also wild so that only makes matters worse.”

“Well it’s sweet that they care enough to make this perfect for you though.”

“Us, it’s about us Kaya. You are my Luna, don’t forget that. And you fully deserve the royal treatment.”

She blushed slightly followed up by a comforting smile. “I know I was only supposed to spend a few days back at Greymane and it ended up turning into a week but something came up that kind of needed my attention.” 

“I thought as much. I wanted to call and check on you but I knew you wanted your space. But I kept busy, writing, poems mostly. Honestly I didn’t know what to do with myself while you were away.”

“Yeah Connor told me. I’m sorry about that. I figured there were Alpha duties that would keep you busy; at least that was my hope.”

“Right, Connor. I should have figured he’d called to let you know. It’s good you were kept up to date,” Caleb cleared his throat and smiled unconvincingly as he toyed with the fork on his plate. “And back in Willow Reed, is everything alright now?”

“Well other than the fact that Rafe is utterly and completely gone now I suppose. There was an issue with the band and Ulrick and I had to come up with a solution to keep our heads above water. Bane had evidence against you and he used it as a final ‘fuck you’ from the grave. So I hope you’re comfortable in your skin.”

“I am. While you were away I had some time to think about us and where we are in our relationship. I’ve come to the decision that if we’re going to be able to make it we have to be 100% open about everything and well this,” he touched his face lightly. “Is who I am.”

“And this is your final decision?” she asked with a hint of concern in her tone. Caleb swallowed hard as he tried to sense her emotions but noticed the block she had against him. Slowly he nodded his head before ending with a confident smile and an unequivocal ‘yes’. “Alright Caleb but you better keep your hands off of Beary! We just found each other again and I won’t have you kidnap his affections once more.”

Again he chuckled and brushed his thumb over the back of her hand as he reached onto the adjacent table pulling the bottle of chardonnay from the bucket. “More wine?” Without waiting on her response, he poured a generous amount into the glass in front of her and some for himself before returning the bottle to the ice.

With a heavy sigh, Kaya scooped up the glass and took a sip smiling seductively as she noticed her mate’s eyes on her lips. “It’s very beautiful out here.” She spoke taking another look around.

“My thoughts exactly.” Her eyes shot to his and he laughed as he motioned to the plates in front of them. “I hope you’re hungry,” he remarked about the meal of Chateaubriand, Asparagus and Portobello mushrooms Risotto.

She pulled her fork from her napkin and tenderly bit into the steak first. The robust flavor of tenderloin danced perfectly over her tongue and with the subtle blend of garlic and Madeira wine nestled within her mouth and drowned her senses in the delectable taste of beef; it was baked to perfection. The creamy mixture of both meat and sauce mingled together creating a balanced medley of parmesan and mushroom. Her taste buds exploded with satisfaction. “Mmm this is sooo good! So tender! Just…it’s just…delicious!”

“Thank you. I’m glad to see you’re enjoying it, I worked really hard to get it just right.”

“What? You did this?” 

“Yes. I had to make sure not to overcook the meat; I know how you enjoy a nice raw slice of beef every now and again. You sound surprised. I’d like to think I’m capable of preparing a meal worthy of your palate.”

“Rafe…Caleb you can’t cook.”

“Of course I can, I’ve always been a connoisseur of the finer tastes but being who I am I couldn’t always find the time to scurry off to some fancy restaurant to sate my hunger. I learned to cook for myself and I must say my recipe knowledge would impress you.”

“You seriously cooked this? That must be a part of Caleb then. The Rafe I knew had the numbers to Joey’s Pizza Palace and Sung Lee’s Happy Wok on speed dial!”

“Ha, yeah, I can still feel those overly greasy meals sitting on my stomach. I guess it was all a part of ‘Rafe’ but slowly I’m settling into things again.” He took a bite of his steak as she dove back into her dinner. The tender moans she exhaled between bites kept his eyes on her and he smiled seeing his mate enjoying herself.

“My god this is just divine!” she growled with a mouthful of steak making Caleb laugh as he again refilled her glass.

“And there’s plenty more where that came from, really. It’s good to see you have an appetite too and not a bird eater.”

“Are you kidding? You’ve seen my hips. You don’t get thighs like these from dining on salads.”

“Duly noted,” he grinned as he contemplated more meals he could serve up for his mate. “Kaya I know things got off to kind of a rocky start with us. And I know it was entirely my fault. I’m hoping that tonight we can start over. A silly thing to say considering we’re eternal mates already I know but I want you to learn the real me for yourself and not everyone else’s opinions of who I am.”

She dropped her fork to her plate with a light clink and dabbed her napkin against her lips a few times as she listened. “Tonight I’m hoping that you and I can try and start fresh and really see one another through the eyes of experience.”

“Our memories.” He nodded as she spoke and Kaya sighed and dropped her eyes to her hands as they fidgeted in her lap. “Caleb I don’t know. I don’t fully trust my memories. Lexi may have said I’m fully restored but…the things I see compared to what I actually went through…I don’t know if what I remember is what I remember if that makes any sense.”

“It makes perfect sense, but I can help you with that. As far as what happened when you were a child, I can show you everything from the moment my brother and I set foot in Willow Reed up until I fell at your father’s hands. I just want to know if you’re willing to try, if you’re willing to trust in me and work on what we have.”

“Of course I am. Caleb you’re my mate and I accept that. What I feel for you was there before I knew we were true mates and it only grows stronger with every passing moment. I want this to work and I am willing to try, from the beginning.” The look on Caleb’s face grew brighter with excitement and he graced her with one of his famous smirks as she took a sip of her wine. “Plus if you keep cooking like this, I’m hooked for life.”

They finished their meals and he retrieved the chardonnay, glasses, chocolates and the bag from beneath the table and led her through the woods towards the falls he’d shown her earlier. He entered the cave first with her hand in his and walked her towards the back. “Remember when I said this was my favorite place?” he asked as they traversed a narrow cavern past a large room of stalagmites. “Now you get to see why.”

Entering a small cove at the very back of the cave Kaya gasped and stopped in her tracks at what she saw. From the outside of the cavern one would not suspect the beauty of which the place holds but now she understood why he enjoyed it here. There was flora all around the walls, many flowers she’d never seen before which made the entire area smell delightful. A miniature waterfall and hot spring was situated in the back corner where dozens of fish called home and it led into another cove that Kaya was now dying to explore. “It’s magnificent.” Pulling a blanket from the duffle, he laid it beside a log as he set a fire and pulled her to her feet. After sprawling comfortably into the soft quilt, Kaya joined him and rested her head against his chest. “So where do we begin?”

“I’ll let you decide. Do you want to go first?”

She nodded, “I think I know one that would interest you.” He kissed the crown of her head, closed his eyes and leaned back as she let him explore her mind. 

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Willow Reed – November 8, 1989

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“Ky? Baby what’s the matter? Are you hurt? Did something happen?” Connor’s concerned questions shot at her one after the other as he removed himself from the doorway to allow her to enter. It was bad enough she was up at three in the morning but to be knocking on his door as frantically as she was and crying scared him even more.

“No I just I can’t take this anymore! I’m going crazy Connor! Everything I see, touch, taste it’s too much it elevates my senses beyond control and I don’t know what to do anymore! The ice isn’t working and I sat in that cold water for over an hour and still I’m burning up. It’s like my skin is melting and I’m doing everything I can to keep from exploding!”

“Sweetie relax, here sit down,” he threw his pillows to the top of the bed and joined her in the cushions as he held her tight against his chest. “I can’t say I know what you’re going through Baby because I don’t but I know it must be hard. I wish there was something I could do to help I just don’t know what.” He gently caressed his hands through her hair as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. Kaya lifted her head and peered into his eyes and Connor immediately recognized her desire. “Kaya no, not that.”

“Please? Do you really want me to beg you Connor? I’m dying here and if not you then what? You want me to pick up some random guy on the street? I’m choosing you for this Connor! Please?”

He pulled away from the bed and paced the room nervously running his hands through his hair. “Alpha would have my head Ky! I don’t know I just…I want to help you Kaya but you and I both know that this is dangerous!”

She nodded gently and slid from the edge of the mattress. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I knew it was foolish to ask I just thought it would make things easier. Let’s just forget this happened ok?” She started for the door and he could sense her misery. Her heat cycle was stronger than it had ever been before if she was up here practically throwing herself at him. 

He slapped his open palm over his mouth and breathed in slowly. “Where are you going?”

“To find relief.”

“What does that mean? Kaya?”

“It means I’d rather my best friend not suffer at my father’s wrath because of me. It means that one way or another I’m going to end this horrid heat cycle.” She gripped the knob of the door and Connor withdrew her hand immediately and pushed her against the wall.

“Your first time should be with someone that you love right, Ky?” Connor whispered against her neck as he continued to gently caress her arm.

She nodded slowly and turned to face him. “And I love you Connor.” He smiled and his lips pressed against hers as he backed her into the wall and slid his hands down her body circling around towards her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back harder and more passionately.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, collapsing his warm body on top of hers he broke their kiss and looked down at her. She smiled and brushed the hair behind his ear before drawing his lips to hers again. His fingers curled beneath the bottom of her shirt and brushed lightly across her belly. She arched her back in response and his cock throbbed against her thigh. She hissed thinking back to the first time she saw him naked and rubbed her knee along his crotch. Fearing his size would cause her more pain, she quivered at the thought, “Connor I…”

“I’ll be gentle, I promise.” He pulled back and drew her into his arms. His lips trailed down her neck to her chest peppering kisses along the way. He blew out a breath and again looked at her, focusing on her eyes and watching the hesitance he saw within them. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I…” she sighed. “I don’t know.”

He moved her back down into the pillows and dropped to the space beside her. Throwing the covers out of the way he gripped her waist and brought her onto his arm. “Kaya, I need you to be absolutely sure and absolutely comfortable with this idea. I don’t want this to affect our friendship. Losing you because of this would kill me. So tell me, yes or no?”

She chewed her lower lip and looked up at him tentatively. His green eyes shone with concern and compassion all the while smiling at her and offering her safety within his arms. “No. As much as I want to, I don’t at the same time.” She looked away nervously and he gripped her chin and pulled her attention back. Gently caressing her cheek he dipped his head and kissed her lips passionately.

“I understand Baby, trust me. I love that you wanted it to be me; it’s the thought that you hold me that close. But at the same time I know how strange it would be as well. I love you Kaya but we should focus more on what brought us together and try and keep everything else separate. I could never lose you as a friend and sex only complicates things where friends are involved.”

“Yeah,” she sighed and pulled away. “It’s just so much easier for guys. I’m supposed to remain this wholesome and pure wolf because Alphas don’t want to mate ‘used goods’ all the while my heat cycles grow more and more intense. Meanwhile you and every other dick in every pack around the world can swing for the fences whenever the mood hits you. How is that fair? And what’s worse is I’m the daughter of one of the most feared Alphas of all so even if I wanted to, every guy I know would never agree for fear of Dad’s retribution.”

“I admit Lobo is a scary man and I respect him as both an Alpha and a friend which is why I hesitated at first. But you’re my friend too Kaya and I made a promise, my life for yours so if it came down to it, I’d take the hit if you needed me too.”

“Right and leave me here to clean up. We talked about this Red!” Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she smiled noticing the picture of Nadine, his mother on his dresser and thought about the first time they’d spoke. “We’ve been through so much together.” He moved beside her as she spoke, listening intently. “To me this seemed like just another hump to get over but…if things got weird afterwards because I let you ‘Morvantize’ me, I’d really hate myself.”

He laughed and nodded at her use of his last name. “Well I might be able to distract you for the next few days until this cycle ends.” He grabbed a small black recorder from inside his bedside table and pressed the play button. Within seconds Kaya was listening to the sounds of her own voice bellowing out Peggy Lee’s “Fever” over the water of her shower.

“You recorded me singing in the shower? Frogger how could you?” she asked with a mortified red glow on her face.

He only laughed more at her embarrassment and turned the audio up for her. “Wait, wait it gets better, this is my favorite part.” She screamed and yelled Connor’s name as the toilet flushed on her and she was splashed with cold water.

“Connor!”

“Oh come on Baby K, that was hilarious!”

“Why did you record that?”

“Because you have an amazing voice and I didn’t think you’d believe me if I told you so I recorded it and played it for Ulrick.”

“You did what?!”

“Calm down,” he smiled as he watched her grab a pillow ready to belt him. “He agreed with me and he wants us to ‘audition’ for his label. He thinks we might have something. And if we can come up with some other guys we might even get a band going. Oh don’t look at me like that K! You’re always writing poems in that notebook of yours, it would be cake to turn them into actual songs. And I’ve even talked to Mike about this. He might be interested in providing Bass!”

“Wow…you are really getting ahead of yourself.”

“Am I?” he asked rubbing the tattoo on her lower back. “I mean it’s not like I don’t know how to get my way with you. I want to start a band and I want you to be the singer, period end of conversation.”

“But…” he quickly planted a kiss on her cheek and she smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Fine! But I get to choose our name. I refuse to head a band with some perverted Connor Morvant name on it!”

“Whatever! Besides the ‘Pussy Lickers’ is already taken.”

“You are really sick!” she spoke between giggles.

“I love you too K.”

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Shadowvale – Present Day

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“I thought the band formed in 1998?” Caleb asked as the memory trailed off. Kaya shifted in his arms and looked up at him with a smile. “That’s what the band’s bio reads right?”

“Yes that’s right.”

“So then it’s not right?”

Kaya laughed and shook her head negatively. “Officially we formed ‘Night Shift’ in 1998. But unofficially, we’ve been together as a band since April 1990. We’ve been Moonstruck and The Mark before that. Each one had about a four year lifespan.”

“To explain why you’ve never aged. Clever!”

“Yes. The only downside to Night Shift now though is the fact that we’ve hit mainstream and people know us. It all happened so fast none of us were able to back away. So now there will have to be a farewell tour or a nasty break up of some kind to get rid of us,” she sighed solemnly and Caleb gently rubbed his hand over her arm as he listened to the obvious pain in her voice.

“You’re not ready to give it up.”

“Not even close. But we can’t be Night Shift forever.”

“Well if it makes you feel better, I’m sure the pack would love to have you perform private concerts for them. Charlie has even suggested having Night Shift perform for the Emergence ceremony.”

“You mean me on stage with the Caleb Savage? That sounds fun. I’m curious to see if your talent translates.”

“Well given the fact that you were immensely impressed in other areas of my expertise, I’m fairly certain I won’t disappoint you in this one either.” 

She leaned back and he caught her lips as she turned to peer up at him, kissing her sweetly on the mouth. Kaya’s hand instantly moved up into his long, dark mane, toying with the ends of his hair as his tongue demanded entry past her supple lips. She moaned as it gently caressed hers and smiled once he backed away, touching her cheek with the tip of his nose. “So now Caleb, you know the little tidbit you’ve been dying to learn. Now it’s your turn to share.”

“How do you know that was the memory I wanted to see?”

“Because you and Connor have a lot of anger between you and I know it’s because you don’t like how close the two of us are which you thought had something to do with sex. Now you can see for yourself, nothing ever happened there. Connor’s my friend and he’ll be yours; that’s something that comes with being my mate. The sooner you learn that the better off we’ll all be.”

“I’m trying, trust me. In fact while you were gone, Connor and I went hunting together a few times.”

“Really?”

“Yep and he even helped me with a small problem we encountered on the way. I’m working on my relationship with him, trust me. Especially since I know you intend to name him as Beta. I can’t very well go around with a major grudge towards my second in command now can I?”

“I guess not,” Kaya giggled when Caleb’s hand playfully tickled her side and turned to rest herself better on his chest.

“What is it that you want to know?”

“Your fondest memory.”

“Of? You can’t just ask what my fondest memory is; there are way too many to just decide one. Do you want to know my favorite from childhood or adulthood or meeting my mate for the first time?” He grinned and brushed her hair back as he rested on his elbows beneath her.

“Oh that one sounds good, what is your fondest childhood memory?”

“Hmm it would have to be unleashing my wolf for the first time. I was thirteen and playing with a few chums of mine outside our home. Charlie was only three at the time but a real busy body. Every time I wanted to do something outside he would follow. Our Dad said it was because he looked up to me and wanted to be just like me. I saw it as him being a real pain in the ass and never really wanted him around. I was a teenager and had a world to explore; girls especially and that’s hard to do with a kid toting a soiled diaper around behind you.”

Kaya laughed and Caleb took a moment to relish the sound. After watching her for so long with Connor the day he returned and longing to be the one to make her laugh, he finally heard the most beautiful sound in the world and it was because of something he said. Smiling at her as he realized he was staring he gave a long blink and shook his head. “Sorry where was I? Oh yeah so anyway, one of my friends started messing with Charlie, so much so that he made him cry. Well I didn’t like that and neither did my wolf. As much as I hated him following me around like a little lost puppy he was my brother; my blood. The moment that kid raised his hand and pushed him, I felt the most excruciating pain rip through me until I was standing in front of them as this large, black hound; snarling and growling ready to tear them apart.”

“Oh wow! What happened to them?”

“Nothing. Our Dad was watching us from the backyard and he hurried over and stopped me before I could jump them. They ran home to their packs with their tails between their legs and we never played with them again.”

“So you started putting the fear in people at an early age then huh?”

“What can I say? Realizing I had the power of an Alpha in my blood meant I didn’t have to answer to anyone and I made sure they all either feared me or respected me.”

“And what about me?”

“You? I’m hoping very much for your respect though I know at times you’re afraid of me. I’m hoping I can somehow change the image of the man you first met and be the one you want.”

“Mmm well keep talking like that Caleb Joseph Trent and you just might get what your heart desires.” She crawled forward slightly and kissed him again. Her unprovoked intimacy put a smile on his face and made his heart skip a beat.

“I can really get used to this Kaya.” Throughout the night they shared more thoughts and memories and Kaya was beginning to see beneath her mate’s hardened exterior. The picture of the man Caleb is or was slowly revealed to her. And although they hadn’t fully disclosed everything just yet, she was beginning to understand why he did some of the things he had and how that shaped the man he became.

She asked about his parents, questions he couldn’t fully answer or promised to explain later. He asked about her father and her life in France and learned how close she came to being mated to another wolf not once but twice. As the fire began to dim, Caleb pulled away and poked at it for a little bit as Kaya poured herself another glass of wine. He watched the light undulate over her face, highlighting her best features and found himself again staring at her lips before returning to his spot and pulling her into his chest again. 

Grabbing the bag he’d brought with him, he touched a small velvet gift box inside and closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about his next move. Without thinking too much on it, he pushed the bag away and glanced over at his mate with a smile. “Kaya there’s something I wanted to ask you but I don’t know how you’ll respond. Whatever your reaction though, I just want your honest opinion about the matter ok?”

“Of course Caleb, what is it?” she asked curiously as he inched close enough to feel the warmth of her body on his side.

“Ok this is gonna sound weird and perhaps it’s a little soon but I’ve never been a very patient man. I know it’s not very customary for our kind but I thought since you and I are in the public eye, it was only right for the outside world to witness our commitment as well and thought…”

“Caleb are you asking me to marry you?” Kaya gasped as she completed his thought.

“Kind of…yeah…well I’m asking if marriage is something that interests you or not. And I know we’re not really in a position to do anything official just yet but I wanted to know if it was a possibility at least; for our future.” 

“Maybe in the future, the very distant and far off future it’s something we could have but for right now, I just want to concentrate on learning who you are and who we are as a couple.”

“Of course; that’s what I want too.”

“But ask me again later Caleb,” Kaya smiled as she lifted her mouth towards his. “I’m finding you to be a very charming man so I have no doubt you’ll be able to convince me it’s the right thing to do.”

“Well in that case, what’s say you and I extinguish those flames and go set our bedroom on fire instead?”

“I say you’d better show me just how fast my Alpha can move and get me home.”

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