Chapter 2

Caleb had always wanted to visit Paris. The City of Love and Lights. The idea of strolling down the Champs-Élysées with a fresh croissant in hand, admiring the Eiffel Tower, and exploring the Louvre museum had been a dream of his for years. So when the opportunity presented itself, he didn't hesitate to book his flight and pack his bags.

Rory, on the other hand, was not pleased with Caleb's decision. As the Luna of the Alpha King's pack, she had a lot on her plate, and she couldn't afford to have her second-in-command gallivanting across Europe. She knew that Caleb was an experienced and capable fighter, but the thought of him being so far away made her uneasy.

"Are you sure about this, Caleb?" Rory asked as they sat in the Alpha King's office, discussing the trip.

"Absolutely," Caleb replied, his excitement evident in his voice. "I've always wanted to visit Paris, and I think this is the perfect time."

"But what about the pack?" Rory argued. "What if something happens while you're gone?"

"C'mon, Rory," Caleb said, rolling his eyes. "We both know that the pack can handle themselves. And besides, I'll only be gone for a week."

"A week is a long time," Rory pointed out. "Anything can happen in a week."

"I'll be fine, Rory," Caleb said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You worry too much."

Rory sighed, knowing that Caleb was right. She did tend to worry too much, but it was only because she cared so deeply for her people. She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Caleb while he was away.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," she said softly.

"I won't," Caleb promised. "I'll be back before you know it."

Rory knew that she couldn't stop Caleb from going, but she couldn't help feeling uneasy about the whole thing. As Caleb left the room to finish up some last-minute preparations, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

The next day, Caleb was off to Paris. Rory tried to distract herself with her duties as the Luna, but she couldn't help but worry about Caleb. Every time she heard a noise outside, she jumped, thinking that it was some kind of attack. Every time her phone rang, she prayed that it was Caleb, safe and sound.

Days passed, and Rory still hadn't heard from Caleb. She tried to stay positive, telling herself that he was probably just having too much fun to remember to call, but deep down, she knew that something wasn't right.

One evening, as Rory was preparing to go to bed, her phone rang. She jumped, almost dropping the phone in her haste to answer it.

"Hello?" she said, her heart racing.

"Rory?" Caleb's voice came through the phone, crackling with static.

"Caleb! Thank God," Rory exclaimed, relieved to hear his voice. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine, Rory," Caleb said, his voice calming her nerves. "I just had some trouble at the airport. Missed my flight, had to stay overnight. Nothing major."

Rory sighed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Thank goodness. I was so worried."

"I'm sorry," Caleb said. "I should have called earlier. I didn't mean to make you worry."

"It's okay," Rory said, smiling to herself. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Caleb chuckled. "I'll be home soon, Rory. Don't worry about me."

Rory knew that she couldn't help but worry, but hearing

Logan's voice, a calming and reassuring presence, eased some of the tension in her chest.

"Don't worry, Rory. Caleb is a grown man, and he knows how to take care of himself. Besides, Paris is relatively safe compared to some other cities."

Rory took a deep breath and nodded, feeling a bit silly for getting so worked up over Caleb's trip. "You're right, Logan. I just can't help but worry, you know?"

Logan smiled at her. "I know. It's one of the things I admire about you. But sometimes, you have to let go and trust that things will work out."

Rory nodded again, feeling grateful for Logan's support. They had always been close, ever since she had been chosen as the Luna. Logan had been the one to train her and help her adjust to her new role, and they had become friends in the process.

As they talked, Rory felt a twinge of guilt. She knew that she had been overprotective of Caleb, and that he was probably feeling suffocated by her constant hovering. Maybe it was time for her to let him make his own decisions, even if she didn't always agree with them.

The next day, Rory decided to talk to Caleb. She found him in the training room, punching a punching bag with a fierce intensity.

"Caleb," she called out, approaching him cautiously.

He stopped mid-punch and turned to face her. "Hey, Rory. What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about your trip to Paris," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Caleb's face fell. "Oh, here we go again. Look, Rory, I appreciate your concern, but I'm a grown man. I can take care of myself."

"I know that," Rory said, holding up her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "And I'm sorry if I've been overprotective. I just worry about you, that's all."

Caleb sighed and put his hands on his hips. "I know you mean well, Rory, but I need to do this. I need to see the world, explore new places, meet new people. I can't just spend my whole life in this pack, you know?"

Rory nodded, understanding his perspective. "I get it, Caleb. And I'm not trying to stop you from doing what you want. I just want to make sure you're safe."

Caleb walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I know, Rory. And I appreciate that. But I promise you, I'll be careful. I'll check in with you every day, and if anything happens, I'll call for backup."

Rory smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "Thank you, Caleb. That means a lot to me."

Caleb grinned back at her. "No problem, Rory. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a plane to catch."

Rory watched as he gathered his things and headed out the door. As she stood there, alone in the training room, she felt a strange mix of emotions. She was proud of Caleb for standing up for himself and pursuing his dreams, but she was also worried about what could happen to him out there in the world.

For the rest of the day, Rory tried to keep busy, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Caleb. She wondered what he was doing, where he was, and if he was safe. She tried to push these thoughts aside, telling herself that she needed to trust him and let him live his life.

But deep down, she knew that she would always worry about Caleb, no matter where he went or what he did. It is just

part of who he was. And she couldn't deny that it was one of the things that she loved most about him.

But still, the thought of him going on this trip without her made her uneasy. She wanted to be there to protect him, to keep him safe. And she knew that if anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.

"Caleb, please don't go," she pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.

Caleb's expression softened as he looked at her. "Rory, I'll be fine. I promise. I just need to get away for a little while. Clear my head."

"But what if something happens?" she asked, her voice rising in panic. "What if you get hurt? Or lost?"

"I won't," Caleb said firmly. "I'll be careful. And I'll call you every day, okay? Just to check in."

Rory bit her lip, still not convinced. She knew that Caleb was a responsible adult, capable of taking care of himself. But the thought of him being so far away, in a foreign country where he didn't know the language or the customs, made her uneasy.

"I'll come with you," she said suddenly, her eyes brightening with hope. "We can make it a romantic getaway. Just the two of us."

Caleb looked surprised, and then a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "As much as I would love to have you with me, Rory, I need to do this on my own. I need to prove to myself that I can handle things without you always holding my hand."

Rory felt a pang of hurt at his words. Was that what he thought? That she was always holding him back?

But before she could say anything, Caleb took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "Rory, I love you. You know that, right? And I appreciate everything you do for me. But I need to do this for myself. Please understand."

Rory nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I understand," she said softly. "But please be careful. And call me every day."

"I will," Caleb promised, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Rory whispered, burying her face in his shoulder.

As they pulled away from each other, Caleb grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Rory nodded, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Okay."

Caleb leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Rory whispered, watching as he turned and walked out the door.

She stood there for a moment, listening to the sound of his footsteps fade away down the hallway. And then, with a deep sigh, she turned and headed back to her room.

As she lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, Rory couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that Caleb was capable of taking care of himself, but the thought of him being so far away, alone in a strange city, made her feel helpless.

She tried to distract herself, pulling out her laptop and scrolling through social media. But every few minutes, she found herself checking her phone, hoping for a text or a call from Caleb.

It wasn't until late that night that her phone finally rang. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Caleb's name on the screen.

"Hey," she said, trying to sound casual.

"Hey," Caleb replied, his voice slightly crackly over the line. "Sorry it's so late. I forgot about the time difference."

"It's okay," Rory said, relief washing over her. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Caleb smiled weakly, still feeling guilty for worrying her. "I'm sorry for making you worry. I should have told you I was leaving earlier."

Rory shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just...I don't want anything to happen to you. You're my teammate, my friend."

Caleb's smile turned into a small grin. "More than a friend, I hope."

Rory's cheeks turned red, and she couldn't help but smile. "You know what I mean."

Caleb's grin widened. "Yeah, I do." He paused for a moment, looking at Rory intently. "Rory, I know you're worried about me, but I need to do this. I need to see Paris. It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid."

Rory's expression softened. She knew how much Caleb loved traveling and experiencing new things. It was one of the things that drew her to him in the first place. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about him going alone.

"I understand," Rory said. "But can't you wait until the rest of us can go with you? We could make it a team trip, and it would be a lot safer."

Caleb shook his head. "I can't wait. I need to do this now. And besides, you know how hard it is to get everyone's schedules to line up. We might not have another chance for a while."

Rory sighed, realizing that Caleb was right. She couldn't force him to stay, and she didn't want to hold him back from his dream. But she also didn't want to let him go without making sure he had everything he needed.

"Okay," Rory said finally. "But promise me you'll be careful. And take this," she added, handing him a small silver pendant. "It's a good luck charm. My mom gave it to me before I left for college, and it's brought me good luck ever since."

Caleb smiled, taking the pendant from her. "Thank you, Rory. I'll treasure it."

Rory smiled back, feeling a sense of relief knowing that Caleb would have the charm with him. "Just...promise me you'll check in with me every day. And if anything happens, call me right away."

Caleb nodded, putting the pendant around his neck. "I promise. I'll call you every day, and I won't do anything stupid."

Rory laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. "I know you won't. Just...be careful, okay?"

Caleb took a step closer to her, his expression serious. "I will. And Rory...thank you for caring so much about me. It means more than you know."

Rory felt her heart skip a beat at his words. She had known for a while now that she had feelings for Caleb, but hearing him say that made her heart swell with happiness. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, Caleb leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

The kiss was brief but sweet, and when Caleb pulled away, he was smiling. "I'll see you in a week," he said, before turning and walking away.

Rory stood there for a moment, feeling slightly dazed. She had never expected Caleb to kiss her like that, but she couldn't deny that she liked it. As she watched him disappear into the crowd, she felt a sense of longing wash over her.

She knew that she couldn't force Caleb to stay, but that didn't stop her from worrying about him.