Page 14 of The Bull's Head

“Great. I’ll try to make it early. Mal said I could do my job whenever, but I’d feel bad if I didn’t put some effort into it today.” Then he did the most curious thing. He threw his arms around Callum’s neck and squeezed. “Thank you for allowing me to stay last night. I’ll see you later.”

One more quick hug, and then Teddy ambled off into the woods. Callum wanted him to come back. He was about to bellow, try to get Teddy’s attention, when he realized he didn’t need to, because Teddy was coming back tonight!

And maybe he’d bring another hug with him. If there was one thing Callum was certain of, he couldn’t wait to see Teddy again, because being with Teddy brought safety and security.

And Callum needed that now more than ever.

The first thing Teddy did when he got back to his room was strip off his nasty clothes and throw them into the garbage. True, they had people who did the laundry, but Teddy would be embarrassed as hell to find out they touched his stained clothes. Still, he wouldn’t trade last night for anything. He hadn’t lied to Callum: it was the first night in far too long he’d slept straight through, and it felt glorious.

He stepped into the shower, amazed that the water started out hot and stayed that way, even though he lingered, washing the smell from his skin. He thought about giving Callum a bath tonight and was surprised to find his cock filling. It rarely did, especially since they’d slaughtered the people who’d been in the place that night. Teddy could still hear their screams as he and Ivan tore into their flesh.

He knew he should feel guilt, but what Damon and Mal had said was true. They were protecting not only themselves, but everyone Hyde had locked away from their lives. When Teddy laid eyes on the first shifter—his skin abraded and fiery red, his eyes filled with fear, and the way he shrank back into the cage and screamed—all thoughts of mercy were gone. If he’d known what they’d done to Callum, Teddy was certain he would have been even more brutal.

He dressed in a pair of torn jeans and a T-shirt that had seen better days. It was so much different from the suits he and Ivan had worn while they were escorting Damon, Cece, or their boys, Wiley and Micah. Those were chosen to give the impression he and Ivan were larger than life and not to be messed with.

He grinned, because if anyone needed that suit, it would be Cece. Devil bear indeed. When Damon had asked if Teddy was interested in making the move to the Wald pack, she’d taken him aside and spoke to him of the benefits.

“I won’t be throwing you around anymore.”

That would have been funny, if it wasn’t so damn true. Cece had given Teddy more bruises in one sparring session than he’d gotten in the remainder of his career with the First and First Mate. He’d also gained things, though. Two good friends in their sons. Wiley, who would one day be First, was still young, but he had already chosen his mate. He was the best of Damon and Cece, and Teddy had no doubt he would make an amazing First. Micah was… well, he was like a placid lake that you could sit and watch, and know that the serenity would flow over you as well, encompassing you in warmth and caring.

He’d done many of the painted walls in Wald. Landscapes, forests, sky. If it existed, Micah could draw it. When Alp spoke with him about doing the walls, the first thing he’d done was the main hallways. Then he asked Alp if he could do the rooms too. When Alp agreed, Micah found out what each shifter was, then set out to recreate a scene that would speak to their animal as well as the human. Teddy felt certain that he’d done it to coax those who were unable or unwilling to shift back to their human forms.

“I can do your room for you,” he’d offered.

“I think you’re using it as an excuse to skip school.”

Teddy knew it wasn’t true. Micah loved his classes and was a verified genius. If Micah offered, it was out of love.

“I would appreciate it,” Teddy said later. “I can think of no one I would rather have make me feel comfortable in my new home.”

And a moment after he said that, he found himself with two arms full of the slender blond boy who clung to him and said how much he was going to miss Teddy. How had Teddy missed the fact that Damon and his family weren’t just the people he protected, but also the ones he loved?

Leaving his room, he smiled and nodded at a few people whose names he didn’t yet know, then made his way to the cafeteria to grab some coffee before he went to work.

The moment he stepped into his makeshift office, Mal wrinkled his nose. “Dude, what were you rolling in?”

Very few things would escape the notice of the First.

“I spent the night laying with Callum. He… had a reaction to me walking toward him with a bag in my hand. I never even thought of it, and stayed to calm him.”

Mal grunted, but it wasn’t out of annoyance or anger. Mal’s was genuine and oddly affectionate. “That was nice of you.”

“I’d like to give him a bath tonight, if that is allowed.”

“Sure, of course it is. They tried, but he was—” Mal waggled his brows. “—bullheaded.”

Teddy shook his head. “Let’s not tell Alp that one.”

“Good idea. Anyway, if you can get Callum to come inside, you can use one of the shower rooms. There are a dozen shower heads in there, so you could aim them toward the center and stand beneath the spray.”

That sounded like a great idea. “Thank you, Mal.”

He beamed a smile. “Don’t thank me. What you’re doing benefits us all. One of the goals Damon and I set was to get all the shifters to return to their human forms as soon as possible. If you can get Callum to do that, you’re going to be my hero.”

“I was just thinking of Damon and his family a little while ago.”

“Probably prophetic. They’re coming here this morning. Micah has some more painting to do, and Wiley wants to be sure we don’t need anything else. Damon is only coming along as a chaperone. He wants to see his kids in action.”

---