Broken Bond

Chapter 5

CALLUM

The Cedar Ridge ski resort is a winter tourist trap that sits just outside the edge of the six-pack’s territory, owned and operated by the six shifter packs that reside within.

Since we generally keep to ourselves, the ski resort was built as an income stream to keep our towns afloat, as well as the Cedar Ridge brewery just down the road.

The ski resort is shuttered in the summer months, but the brewery is open all year round so we have consistent revenue.

It’s a smart setup, but it also tempts us into wandering off-territory more than we probably should.

My boys and I spend a lot of time at the ski resort in the winter, though we generally stay away from the human tourists as best we can since one of the fundamental rules of shifter culture is to keep our existence a secret.

We’ve all been snowboarding for years, and we take full advantage of the fact that we've got a full-service ski resort right in our backyards.

The runs here are second to none, and while the guests staying at the resort pay hundreds of dollars a day for lift tickets and equipment rental, the six of us just show up whenever we want to board, free of charge.

It’s a pretty sweet setup, one that I never take for granted.

There’s a big lodge at the heart of the ski resort where the guests stay, complete with a restaurant and bar.

We’ve typically steered clear of the lodge in the past to avoid tangling with the human population, but ever since Chase discovered that Vienna works there, it has become a regular stop- off after we come down from the mountain.

I’ve been less against it since learning that Nessa works there, too, but I’ve yet to catch her on a shift.

Ever since the potential rogue sighting the other night, our packs have been on high alert.

Chase, ever the opportunist, somehow manipulated that into getting Vienna to give him a ride home at the end of her shift today under the guise of protection, so it’s just Levi and I in his truck as we depart the ski resort, Miles and Dare hopping in to ride with Alec like they usually do.

Right as we’re about to pull out of the parking lot, my phone vibrates with an incoming call, the name ‘Fuckface’ appearing on the screen.

He’s persistent, I’ll give him that.

I mash the red button to ignore the call, tossing my phone into the cupholder in the center console of Levi’s truck

"Troy again?" Levi asks, shooting me a side- eyed glance as he pulls out onto the forest road to head back to Norbury.

I grunt in confirmation and scrub a hand over my face.

I know I can’t avoid my stepdad forever- it’s only a matter of time before he gets sick of me dicking his calls and shows up at my door to ruin my fucking day in person- but for now, I don’t have the energy to listen to his bullshit.

It’s quiet in the cab of Levi’s truck, so I flick the button to turn on the radio, scrolling through the stations to find something worth listening to.

I finally land on one when my phone vibrates loudly against the cupholder and I bristle, glancing down at what’s visible of the screen.

It isn’t Fuckface calling twice in a row, though - it’s an incoming text.

I pick it up to get a better look, snorting when I read the message.

Vanessa: Would you rather be 11 feet tall or 9 inches tall?

Shaking my head with a chuckle, I open it up and start typing out a response.

Callum: Definitely 11 feet.

Chicks dig tall dudes.

You? Vanessa: Nine inches.

listen

glance, his eyes dropping to my phone screen to try to

shoving my phone in my jacket pocket and

since the night of the bonfire, mostly silly would -you-rather hypotheticals that I can’t even

so I can win

skin prickle in irritation, effectively un-doing all the

it isn’t nearly enough

for me yet?" I grind out, eyes still focused on the forest road

nobody’s stupid enough to take you

my chest and I

me like it always does, and I know that if I can’t find a way to let it out

thing that seems to work is

channel it into

so after he died, those opportunities died

of losing my shit, but then some drunken asshole challenged me to a fight one night, and I achieved that same catharsis from beating his face

was entertaining as shit for the boys to watch, so they found me another opponent the next week and encouraged me to do it again, turning it

is, until they couldn’t find any more takers.I guess that’s

grumble,

my pocket for one

off like

"Yeah, yeah.I will."

his seat, his jaw twitching as he navigates the curves of the forest road.I don’t miss how tense his shoulders are and the way he’s white knuckling

and I’ve got a pretty good idea as

into her?" he

the patience for this kind of trivial shit right now, and for the life of me I still can’t figure out why Chase and Levi are fighting over Vienna like a couple of dogs

friend is ridiculously hot, and beyond all logic, neither

swiping my hand over my

grunts, clearly

why hasn’t he said anything to me? He knows I like her.""Do you

gaze on him.He furrows

"What’s the difference?"

just wanna fuck her, then what’s the problem if he’s interested,

his fist and swinging his arm sideways to deliver a jab to my bicep.I don’t even flinch; I absorb the pain like an addict

"Asshole," he mutters.

a beat, "You think she’ll be at

few of the

Because I

around the steering wheel again, his

my move.Maybe you can be my wingman, help me get Vienna and I'll

back in my head that I practically see my skull.As if

me that fight and I'll consider

lips slide into a grin and he shoots

hey, if all else fails, you can always fight Miles over

"Right," I snort.

finding me someone who can actually

he sighs, waving me

"I’m on it."

about to crawl out of

birthday celebration, and if one more person inadvertently bumps into me as they

see that.I might fuck around and kill someone,

since Vienna showed up here tonight on the arm of some other dude, and his agitation is rubbing off on me, only further fueling my own.I shouldn’t stay here.I know it, but I can’t bring myself to leave, either, because I know Nessa