The Hidden Alpha (Stryders #4) - HOLD

Chapter 13: Meditate

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At the last moment, Callum twisted his body so he would take the brunt of the fall instead of me. Making me topple over him, pressed against his hard body in a very compromising position. I stopped my own fall with my hands, on either side of his face.

Both our faces were just a breath apart. So close I could see tiny flecks of dark brown in Callum's eyes. 

There was no distinct scent from Callum, but I could feel his body heat. My heart fluttered for a moment, suspended for a moment.

It took me several moments to get myself together. 

"Are you-" Callum started, his arms helplessly hovering over me, careful not to touch me.

This snapped me out of my weird stupor. Like a sling, I jumped up so fast, scrambling to get on my feet. Wiping nonexistent dirt on my shirt. "Yup! I am just fine. Nothing to see here. Thanks!" My voice was too high and squeaky. Embarrassingly so.

Turning around towards the steps and  as far away from Callum as I could manage without making it look like I was trying to get away from him, I looked up to an oblivious Opal. She was skippng up the stairs happily, and sure enough...

Sure enough she followed through my plans. It was like watching something in slow motion happen right before your eyes. Wonderful friend she is, she made herself fall down, tripping as she looked back, realizing in the last second that no one was there.

I gasped, to call out to her, to shout, but it was too late for me.

Not for Trey. With such speed I didn't see him, he caught Opal, breaking her fall. Opal blinked at him, almost surprised that he wasn't Callum. She frowned, looking past him, down to where I was at. 

I waved at her, looking back to see if Callum was still there in my peripheral vision. Of course he wasn't. Gone like always. 

There was laughing, and Opal bent over, saying something I couldn't hear to Trey. She handed him something- his glasses. Both of them made their way down to me. All because my plan had failed.

Depleted, I sat down at the edge of the steep stair. Hearing footsteps come down to me. "Well guys, it's done. I can't do this anymore."

"You didn't even go up the first step yet," Trey pointed out to me. 

I sighed, shaking my head. Looking up at both of them, who stood in front of me with their arms crossed, looking down. "I don't know what Daria was thinking. I can't go up all those steps. It's futile. Leave me here while you guys complete the training."

"You didn't even try," Trey said. 

"I really thought you wouldn't give up so easily," Opal told me.

This made me look up at them both. She thought that much of me? She was right, I didn't give up easily. But seeing my plan backfire that badly left a sting to my soul. Hurt in my pride. And falling on top of Callum...