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

and Levi darts me a suspicious glance, his eyes dropping to my phone screen to try to sneak

it from the nosy bastard by shoving my phone

have been texting on and off since the night of the bonfire, mostly silly would -you-rather

conversation going so I can win this bet, right?

effectively un-doing

and all, but it isn’t nearly

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

take you on.Especially after the last

my chest and I scrub my hand over

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

thing that seems

channel it into something productive by setting

public knowledge, though, so after

losing my shit, but then some drunken asshole challenged me to a fight one night, and I achieved that same

watch, so they found me another opponent the next week and encouraged me to do it again, turning it into a regular thing

more takers.I guess that’s the

trying," I grumble, barely

my pocket for one but come

me off like it’s

"Yeah, yeah.I will."

curves of the forest road.I don’t miss how tense

got a pretty good idea as

think he’s into her?" he

of trivial shit right now, and for the life

and beyond all logic,

reply, swiping my hand over my

clearly not liking my

anything to me? He knows I like her.""Do you

swinging my gaze on him.He furrows

"What’s the difference?"

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

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

"Asshole," he mutters.

a beat, "You think she’ll be at

a few of the Lunas,

know?" Because I fucking pay

steering wheel again, his jaw set

can be my wingman, help me get Vienna and I'll

back in my head that I

and I'll consider it," I

slide into a grin and he shoots

all else fails, you can always fight Miles

"Right," I snort.

who can actually

waving me off

"I’m on it."

didn’t get me that fucking fight.I'm so on edge 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 bar full of drunk

that turned out for Serena’s birthday celebration, and if one more

nobody wants to see that.I might fuck around and kill someone, and Alpha Vaughn isn’t around anymore to help clean

shouldn’t stay here.I know it, but I can’t bring myself to leave, either, because I know Nessa plans on coming, and I’ll be damned