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.

and listen in on everyone’s private conversations like a tiny

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

shoving my phone

bonfire, mostly silly would -you-rather hypotheticals that I

keep the conversation going so I can win this

my skin prickle in irritation, effectively un-doing all the progress I made on de- stressing by cutting

it isn’t nearly enough to keep my

got a fight lined up for me yet?" I grind out,

nobody’s stupid enough to take you on.Especially

annoyed growl rumbles in my chest and I scrub my hand over my

can feel that dark, ugly thing building inside of me like it always does, and I know that if I can’t find a way to let

only thing that seems to work

my rage, channel it into something productive

were never public knowledge, though, so after he died, those

some drunken asshole challenged me to a fight one night,

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 into a regular thing for

couldn’t find any more takers.I guess that’s

trying," I grumble,

my pocket for one but

me off like

"Yeah, yeah.I will."

curves of the forest road.I don’t miss how tense his shoulders are and the way he’s white knuckling the

bothering him, and I’ve got a pretty good idea as to

he’s into

for this kind of trivial shit right now, and for the life of me I still can’t figure

and beyond all logic, neither of them have

I reply, swiping my hand over

grunts, clearly not

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

challenge, swinging my gaze on

"What’s the difference?"

the problem if he’s interested, too? Don’t act like

and swinging his arm sideways to deliver a jab to my bicep.I don’t

"Asshole," he mutters.

"You think she’ll be at Serena’s

with a few

I fucking pay attention.I

fists around the steering wheel again, his jaw set

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

head that I practically see my

and I'll consider

and he shoots me a side-eyed glance,

else fails, you can always fight Miles over

"Right," I snort.

can actually throw a punch,

waving

"I’m on it."

by Saturday night that I feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin, and the last place I should probably be is out at a packed

for Serena’s birthday celebration,

wants to see that.I might fuck around and kill someone, and Alpha Vaughn isn’t around anymore to

other dude, and his agitation is rubbing off on me, only further fueling my own.I shouldn’t stay here.I know it, but