Simply His (+18)

"Insecurities"

*Caleb*

Alex emailed me his search results. The subject’s name was Sheila McLane, and she had just finished her degree in chemistry; she was living in New York and left everything after she broke up with her boyfriend of 3 years, to see the father and take a break. His father, Carter McLane, is a fascinating man. He had been working on that same real estate company from the beginning and climbed his way slowly to his current position at the top. An excellent hard worker like those of old times. I was going to have to look for something special to buy so Meadow would join me if it were possible, even though she was not a sales agent.

I thought of exciting deals for them to let her get credit for the sale. I would save that for the near future, right then it would be too soon. The dating process was stressing me. All my wolf and I wanted to do was to explore her body and claim her.

"Alpha, our squad arrived safely to Demark's land late last night, and they started to move immediately with his people. They have arrived half an hour ago to the center of Smithson's land and are helping them recover. I am getting a report that they see many casualties, as well as great structural damage." Craig started filling me right after he walked through the door. I nodded slowly.

"Remember last month we told you about our thoughts on new perimeter traps?"

"Yes Alpha, I remember it well."

"Ok, let's gather the basics and ship them towards the Smithson's land, tell our guys to start working on it. It is time we start testing how good of a trap we've managed to create."

"Alpha?"

"Yes?"

"Erm... the wolfsbane...?"

Ah, true. I had got rid of any wolfsbane available near our lands; it wasn't going to be easy to find more. I had to make a few phone calls to see what was available. If there was any.

"Let's start with the security infrastructure."

"Yes, Alpha." He bowed and left.

ღ ~~~~~~~ ☽ⓈⒽ☾ ~~~~~~~ ღ

*Meadow*

Oh, it was finally noon and the day had been too long. First Gideon almost spilled coffee on me, but I was lucky to notice it in time and move away. He didn't even apologize! He hadn't even talk to me since Monday's meeting, I was starting to think Caleb was right and he was a psychopath. The look in his eyes made the hair at the back of my neck stand straight up; and not in a good way. Also today I had to fire one of our sales staff; who we found was using some of the empty residences as his private motels.

My cell phone rang and I smiled as I saw it was Caleb, picking it up quickly while I grabbed my purse.

"Hey there... how is your day coming along?" I still needed to find a way to refer to him besides ‘Hey’. I just couldn't call him ‘Babe’ or ‘Hun- all of the sudden, besides, it didn't suit him.

"Hello... I am having a hectic day, but I wanted to know how your day is coming along. I hope better than mine." Ah, I am not alone at this either. He seemed to be unsure on how to refer to me as well. I blushed and felt like a teen.

"I had a busy morning, but my boss gave me the afternoon off. I will have lunch with his daughter and take her around the city. Apparently, she likes me, and told him she would like me to provide her a tour."

"I can see why she likes you... I am glad you will be having the afternoon to relax. Where are you going to take her? Any ideas yet?"

"No, not really, I thought I would talk to her over lunch and see what is she in the mood for. I just hope we don't end up walking for hours at a mall." I chuckled, and he joined me on the other side.

"I heard from a friend of mine that she had a bad breakup actually, maybe that can be of some help. My friend said she is in town to have some fresh air and forget the guy."

"Oh poor girl, she seems so sweet! Thank you, that will help me avoid love subjects with her. Hmm, how did your friend know about her?" This was intriguing. Had he been talking about me to his friends? I blushed deeper and walked closer to the security line for the checkout. I already could see her waiting for me outside, waving.

He cleared his throat, which I thought it was cute. "It happens that I was talking about an estate I wanted to purchase and my friend advised me of your company. I found it more than interesting. One thing led to another, and it turns out he was her classmate at college his first year before he dropped and went for the tech department."

I was surprised; the world is the size of a tissue. Who would have thought how small it would be. "Oh I am next on the security check, I have to go."

"Have a good lunch, enjoy your day. I will call you later."

"Caleb... don't get too stressed ok?"

"I won't. I promise. Until later Meadow."

"I hope so, Caleb," I said with a smile and heard him chuckle before he cut the call. I was definetly a teenager all over again.

I met Sheila, and we both decided to get lunch at the Mall. I sighed, I didn't want to be hours walking there especially since I would be tempted to buy things and I was on a tight budget. But after what Caleb told me about her, I felt compelled to just do whatever she wanted and let her enjoy the day.

I grinned, she was a salad girl and picked up one at the same time as I did. We both laughed and got some fries just to make a balance with our food.

We talked about what else to do, and where to go. I was glad to hear she only wanted to see a few stores, then she didn't mind leaving for another place. I wasn't sure where to take her so I thought maybe she would enjoy visiting the Zoo. My mother always said that animals were the best therapy for a broken heart. She would tell me "If you break up with someone, get a pet that fits your personality, pour your love there and you will heal faster." I never dated someone long enough to actually be hurt with their departure, and we were not picking up a pet either, but maybe the walk and new sights would help her out.

When we were looking at the last store, I noticed a beautiful dress that resembled the one Caleb got for me. It was last year's season, and the price almost blew my mind. I gasped when the image assessor at the store said it was over 400$. This made me swallow hard, and I thought about it carefully. Perhaps it belonged to an old girlfriend. Suddenly my insecurities hit high, and I felt horrible by having worn the ensemble. I was not even sure how to bring it up to him; I felt conflicted, he was being kind to me and had just rescued me from my lame condition at the cemetery, he surely wasn't expecting anything from me.

I was stupid, crazy even. I should just be grateful and thank him. Maybe I could ask him about it when I saw him again. No, I would better only return them to him. Or perhaps…

"Hey! I love that dress! You should try it on!" Sheila interrupted my thoughts. I sighed, not really that happy about it anymore.

"I actually was just checking it out to see the difference with one I already have." And was going to return to Caleb as soon as I had the chance.

"Oh very nice Meadow, you have a good taste." She said, and I faked a smile.

We finished her last item on her checklist at the mall and decided to go to the Zoo. At first, she wasn't so sure about it, but she didn't fight it either. We arrived around 3pm, and after I paid for our entry, we started to walk around not really aiming to see anything in particular.

She loved the birds, more than that, she was fascinated by them. She got as close as she was allowed to their cages and was amazed at their colors and delicate wings; the graciousness with which they would move, their singing. I admit I never saw them in much detail until she started to mention the qualities in them she admired.

We saw the elephants and giraffes, and we both gave a step back at the lion's den. One male and two females. "So macho." She mocked, and I laughed.

We went to see the tigers, and I loved the couple they made; a white male and a typical orange female. They were cuddling and snuggling so comfortably next to a small stream of water, not even bothering with the visitors.

Suddenly, we heard a siren that took us by surprise. A group of people near us started running and looking for shelter. I took her hand and pulled her with me. "We better go find somewhere safe, it doesn't look like it is something good." She was scared and modded.

"Attention please, there has been a breach at one of the mammal's cages, and we encourage visitors to find safety in one of our many information booths. Our security staff is already trying to contain the situation. Please do not scream, this will make them nervous, and they will become aggressive. We repeat, there has been a breach in one of our mammal's cages, we encourage..." I stopped hearing as I started to run with Sheila to one of the information booths that I had spotted. I was in survival mode, I needed to get her and myself safe. Once we got there, one of the information staff opened the small door to let us in, locking the door behind her. It was a little 1 meter by 1-meter square, but we were better there than out in the open.

I heard the information guide yelp, and she covered her mouth. When I looked out, I saw five wolves were surrounding the booth. They were smelling us and watching. Sheila was paralyzed and couldn't move nor make a sound. I was nervous but had to be the one in charge as both of them were entirely in shock. "Ok girls, calm down, remember the warning, don't scream... we don't want them to get aggressive... they smell us," I whispered lowly.

One of the wolves, which seemed larger than the other ones and probably their leader, gave a step towards us and I cursed myself for having said anything. The others walked around the booth twice then settled behind the bigger one. Two more had cornered another group at a box not far from us. I was starting to feel my hands cold and got nervous when I saw something that left me in awe.

She was tall, leather from neck to toes. She exuded confidence and walked like she owned the place. Her short straight hair didn't even move an inch as she walked towards us. Behind her, the most prominent wolf I had ever seen, dark brown fur and honey eyes. I almost panicked but I gritted my teeth trying to keep myself together. He acted differently though, like he was aiming at the other wolves. As the woman and wolf approached, the ones surrounding us turned and started growling. The considerable large wolf accelerated his pace and walked in front of the woman until they both stopped together a foot from them. Where they part of the security team?

"Girls, you will be fine. Please hold on there a few more minutes." I heard her say with calm. We all nodded, and I shuddered as the leader of the Zoo wolves howled. The other two who were not too far replied and ran to join them. It was becoming more dangerous, and I couldn't see how she would help us.

She smirked and clicked the concrete floor with her boot's heel. The bigger wolf showed his teeth and growled at them in a way it made me shiver. I heard the guide behind me sob, and I turned to hush her with a stern look. She put both hands in her mouth this time.

The wolves from the Zoo actually gave a step back and kept growling. Their leader did not move and growled at the bigger one. I could not believe what I was witnessing. She clicked her boot again and her wolf, because it definitely looked like it was hers, gave a step ahead and showed his canines more, growling louder. It was only then when I saw the real security team arrive with their uniforms and guns. She lifted a hand making them a signal, and they stopped.

"Guys, you better shoot your tranquilizers to your wolves and not mine, or I swear you will be in trouble." She sounded threatening, and the guys nodded and aimed at the other wolves. In a matter of seconds, darts flew to them, and they whimpered and howled before they laid on the floor and started to fall asleep.

The zoo crew finally walked to the sleeping animals, and the woman smiled at me directly. She clicked her boot once more, and her wolf walked back to her, she caressed his maw, and he pushed his head on her hand. The security team asked her about him, and she showed them his papers. So people could have wolves as pets now? That was surprising.

We finally left the small booth, and Sheila started to talk to the PR representative who came trying to apologize for the situation. I walked towards the woman who saved us, and she smiled at me when I stopped a meter away, not sure of how her wolf would react. "Thank you, you were amazing." I managed to say.

She smiled and extended her hand. "Your welcome, my name is Cara by the way."

"A real pleasure to meet you, Cara."

"You are a brave woman, Meadow," She said looking at me, her wolf huffed and she laughed. Wait a minute, she knew my name?

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am one of the security people that Caleb asked to keep an eye on you. Now don't hold it against him, he asked us just to watch over you after we found out some things about this Gideon guy. It is only me and my husband the ones assigned. You don't have an army of bodyguards looking out for you or anything." She said with a tense smile, trying to reassure me. Too late.

I was shocked. Caleb sent his people to look out for me? I felt flattered, confused, happy and worried at the same time. It was one thing to find out he was important and had resources, but he started to assign people to me? And they found out something about Gideon that was important? I involuntarily had my hand in my pocket already playing with my cellphone, and I felt like I needed to call him and ask some questions.

"Look darling." She said with a smaller smile after watching my reaction. "I only got put on the details about you this morning. And he had plans to call you and tell you himself. You would have never seen us if it weren't because, this situation." She looked around so I could understand she was referring to the wolves in the Zoo. "It made the need of my presence immediate."

I nodded slowly. "Thank you again, Cara," I said with genuine honesty. She nodded at me and smiled.

"Well we have to go, I need to meet my husband and put this beast at rest." She nudged her wolf's head and he huffed again, bringing a smile out of me. She turned around and started to walk towards the exit, stealing more than a look on her way out.

Sheila joined me soon after and was grinning. "This has been the most exciting afternoon in ages!" I looked at her in disbelieve. "Granted, we could have died and become wolve's food, but we survived!" She said again with a little jump. I just chuckled and shook my head.

On our way back to the car, I took out my phone and sent a quick text to Caleb. I wasn't sure how to react to his attention to me, and I really needed to have a talk.

*Meadow- I've just met Cara. Thank you for the warning by the way. Talk to you tonight.