Forbidden by Fate

Callum's POV

That was easier than I expected it to be, I thought to myself as I steered Emersyn towards the Jeep. Maverick would kill me if he knew the thoughts that had been running through my head of his sister, but yet here we were. I was willing to lie to my best friend to steal a moment alone with the blue eyed bombshell.

“What are you thinking?” Emersyn said through clenched teeth. “He almost caught us!”

I smiled my most cunning smile as I replied, “Almost, but he didn’t. And I was thinking this would give us more time to talk.”

She rolled those vivid blue eyes that I could get lost in as she bit her bottom lip nervously, “Callum, I said to forget it! I shouldn’t have said anything.”

I laughed as I playfully nudged her arm, “But you did and now I have got to know.”

She looked away nervously as she climbed into the passenger seat of the Jeep, “There is nothing to know.”

I raised an eyebrow as I studied her trying to unravel the mystery that was Emersyn 0’ Connor. “What do you mean exactly by nothing?”

“Are you deaf or dumb? I mean there is nothing to know.” She said as she glared at me with an adorable look of annoyance.

I sat perched in the driver’s seat as my mouth fell open at the reality of her words, “Are you telling me you have never even been kissed?”

Her cheeks lit a bright crimson shade as she quickly turned away from my piercing gaze, “There now you know my deep dark secret, can you drop it?”

The thought of those perfect pink lips never being touched caused an irrational explosion of desire to overwhelm me as I put the car into drive. “Em, I just find it hard to believe, that’s all.”

“Well, believe it because it’s the truth,” she said glaring. “Now drop it.”

I laughed as I pulled the Jeep down the long drive out of the woods. “Alright, then. What do you want to talk about?”

She raised her perfectly arched brows as a playful smirk reached the corners of her lips, “I told you mine. Tell me your darkest secret.”

I rolled my eyes as I glanced over at the beautiful curly hair cupping her perfect face, “I don’t have any secrets.”

A blatant lie escaped my lips. My secret was that I had been falling for this girl for nearly a year. A year of lying to myself and keeping my hands and mind busy with any girl that would allow it. Callie, aka Barbie, had been my latest distraction, but Emersyn was driving me mad.

I had grown up around the O’ Connors since I was a pup, but last year something changed. The once awkward tagalong matured into the kind of body a woman envied and a man needed. No matter how much I argued with myself she always found a way back into my thoughts.

Emersyn grumbled under her breath, “That’s not fair, Callum.”

I allowed a carefree laugh to escape as I turned my head slightly to give her my best smile, “Life isn’t fair Emersyn, besides I told you the truth earlier.”

She blushed as she looked quickly away, “Whatever, you’re a liar.”

I pulled off the road, stopping the Jeep so I could look her in the eyes. “I wasn’t lying. I am not drunk. I am dead serious. Why is that so hard to believe?”

Her chest rose with shallow breathes as she looked me in the eye with unwavering certainty, “Because you are Callum Murphy and you’re my brother’s best friend. But most of all because I’m me.”

“Yeah, which should make you question why you didn’t notice it sooner?” I said with a sulky look planted on my face.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she said clearly unaware of how gorgeous she was.

“Em, I have been trying to get your attention for a year.” I said half annoyed that she was so oblivious.

“Is that why you dated half the cheer team?” Her blue eyes were almost angry as she shot a glare my direction.

I hesitated before answering, “Well, I knew I couldn’t have you, so what was the point?”

“The point is that you didn’t ask?” She turned away from me with a quivering voice.

I reached my hand out touching hers, “Don’t be like that. You’re right, I didn’t. It was stupid and makes me a total ass.”

I felt like the biggest jackass there was for making her want to cry. I was completely screwing this up. I heaved a sigh, unsure of myself, as I squeezed her hand gently. “Seriously, Em, don’t cry. I can’t take it when you get sad.”

Her blue eyes were welled with tears on the brink of escaping as she defiantly turned to me, “I’m not crying, that would be stupid. Take me home, Callum. I’m sick remember?”

I quietly cursed myself under my breath as I shook my head in agreement, “If that’s what you want.”

She quietly shook her head turning away from me as she looked at the window. We rode in silence back to the main packhouse. I knew that I had royally messed this up. It was stupid to think she would consider risking everything for me anyways. I was the epitome of the bad boy fathers warn their daughters of, yet this girl had me wishing I was more.

As we approached the packhouse, I heaved a sigh pulling into the drive and throwing the Jeep in park. “Emersyn, just forget I said anything.”

Hurt clearly played across her gorgeous features as she reluctantly replied, “Already forgotten.”

She started towards the main door of the house when she stopped and hesitantly turned around. Her blue eyes lit with determination as she opened her mouth to speak, my heart beat quickened, and I hoped she was about to risk it all for me.

I started towards her as the door of the house opened revealing her father, our Alpha. I froze in place too afraid that he could read my mind when I noted the somber look on his face.

“Callum, we have been trying to reach you for an hour.” I looked down at my phone remembering I had flipped it to silent when we arrived at the bonfire.

“Sorry, Alpha. I forgot to turn the volume back up. We were just out with the other kids from school.” I said quickly hoping that he wouldn’t smell the deceit.

“Callum, I have some bad news. I need you to come in,” Alpha said. “Emersyn, you can go to your room.”

I spoke up nervously as I looked between the two of them, “Can she stay?”

The Alpha’s eyes softened as he said, “If that’s what you want. You are going to need a friend.”

My mind raced with the possibilities of what was wrong, but nothing could have prepared me for what he said next. “Callum, there was an accident. Both of your parents were rushed to the hospital, but I am sorry to say that neither of them made it through.”

My legs buckled beneath me as the reality of his words sat in. “No,” I whispered.