The Other Part of Me

Cassie

Cassie, Talon and Caspian were walking back to her Jeep after the provisions had been unloaded. Cassie had been formally introduced to Talon and told of the history between the Bloodstones and him. She liked him immediately, and it didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes as well. He looked like a typical Southern California surfer guy. She'd had a few dates with that type in her pre-wolf days.

By the third time Talon caught her staring at him with a goofy smile, he smiled back, snapping her out of her deep appreciation for his looks. "So that takes care of all the check marks on your last order." Cassie quickly said to hide her embarrassment. She handed Caspian the ledger. "I don't know how many rogues are here so if you need me to bring more supplies sooner, just let me know next time I drop by." She looked at Talon, "Or..." He raised an eyebrow.

"Or you can come to pack yourself." She filled in. "I'm sure Braden will appreciate seeing you again."

Talon put his hands in the pockets on the front-side of his jeans. "Yeah, I remember how much he appreciated seeing me the other night."

Cassie smiled. "Let's just chalk it up to extenuating circumstances." She turned to Caspian. "Anything at all you need, just let me know." Caspian had the ledger tucked under his arm. "You don't have to do this, we're doing better now than when your father was helping us."

She looked at the ground. "Says the man who threatened to kill me and feed me to his wolves."

Caspian chuckled. "That's the thing about she-wolves," he turned to Talon. "They never forget a thing we say." He took her hand. "I'm sorry about that, babe."

She smiled up at him. Looking at him now, he was very approachable, and it was obvious his heart was genuine. "Why do people think wolves go crazy without a pack? It's clear to me that you're quite normal for this world." When they reached her Jeep, Talon went to close the hatch, which had been left open for the unloading of supplies.

Caspian shrugged. "Rumors, perhaps? I was born to two rogues and this has always been my world. We're no crazier than established packs."

Talon chimed in, "It's a rogue pack, but still a pack. Maybe that has something to with you keeping most of your marbles." He laughed.

Caspian stared at Talon amusingly. "And you, yours my fellow rogue."

Talon opened his mouth to say something, but he clearly reconsidered. "Touché, old wolf. Touché."

Cassie could see the playful camaraderie between the two. It surprised her to know these men were at opposite ends of a war once. "Caspian," she called.

He looked at her.

"You and my father were amicable, once upon a time, correct?"

He nodded. "We were friends. He confided in me as I, in him."

"Then why did you attack his pack?" She asked earnestly. "I'm not here to judge, I just want to understand."

Caspian looked at her dead in the eyes. All traces of mirth had left. His black eyes managed to darken even more. "It is because we were friends that I ordered the attack on his pack. From what I understand, your father was outnumbered when he was attacked. His Beta took a blade to his neck and sliced and then the other wolves tore him apart." He looked at her, "There was no wolf pride in the way he was killed. Only cowardice."

"Thaddeus was very respected," Talon explained. "Even those of us who suffered the consequences understood why it had to be done."

She shook her head. "This mentality is so warped. I doubt I'll ever get used to it."

Talon nodded, he leaned against her car and smiled at her. "It is, but we subscribe to it."

"Because 'it is the way of the wolf'," she mocked.

Both men laughed.

"Well, when you say it that way," Talon said. "Let me make it clear, we weren't happy at being nomads."

"We did it to avenge a good man's murder," Caspian explained. "We wanted to hurt the bloodlines of all the murderers."

Cassie looked at Caspian. "I understand Elsbeth's mother was there for the murder as well, correct?" She looked at Talon. He gave her one brief nod. When she got visual confirmation, she looked at Caspian. "And yet, you're friendly with Elsbeth?"

"Cassandra, Moon Goddess sent to her to me. She was my mate."

"As Braden is mine," Cassie reminded him. "Caspian, please be assured, Braden is kind with a heart of gold."

"He isn't like his father and he shouldn't be judged by his father's indiscretions." Cassie defended as she placed her hand on his arm, "Nor should our children."

Caspian looked at her nearly flat abdomen- surely Orphea told him. He nodded. "The joining of both bloodlines complicates things." He looked at her eyes. "I'll think about it, babe."

Cassie nodded.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to find Orphea, see if Elsbeth told her anything before she left." He turned pensively and walked away.

Cassie turned to her other escort and smiled sweetly at him.

"You realize it goes both ways, right?" He walked to the driver's side door and opened it for her. "Braden is going to have to forgive as well. Rogues are the reason both his parents died. Directly or indirectly."

She shrugged. "I guess I was living in the moment, I hadn't thought about that." She looked at him. "How did you end up here?"

"Orphea is my mother." He kicked an imaginary pebble out of his way. "After I was rejected by my mate, I went to find mom with the pack that had taken her in. When they wouldn't accept me because my best friend was a traitor's son, she left them and together we came to the rogue tribe. They accepted us only after my wolf fought Caspian's and defeated him. The rest is history."

"Orphea is your birth mom?" She asked, surprised at the stark contrast in their coloring.

He laughed. "My father was a Norwegian wolf."

"Oh?" She hopped in the driver's seat. "Does that mean your wolf's name is Sven?" She said jokingly.

"How did you know?" He winked as he closed the door. "It's actually Christos."

The engine turned over. She chuckled looking over at him. "Your mate was a fool," she said as she pulled away from the pack. She headed back to Bloodstone territory with plans to shower and then talk to Braden.

If she wanted her plans to resurrect an old friendship come to fruition, it had to be in that order.