Callum's POV
Hailee helped me shop for the things I lied about needing. After we were done, we got back to the car and I drove off.
"Drop me back at the pack house," she said.
I should have agreed. We were done shopping, and she was free to go. But somehow, I liked her company. There was this breath of fresh air around her—and not to mention her smell… damn. She smelled so fucking good. That warm, intoxicating scent of nutmeg mixed with fresh honey… it was unreal. She smelled too good for someone who's an omega.
"You're following me home," I said as I took the path leading to my apartment.
Hailee's eyes widened as she stared at me. "You can't be serious," she said.
"I am," I said without sparing her a glance.
"Why? What else do I have to do?" she asked, clearly furious.
"I need your help carrying the bags… and I'm an Alpha heir, remember?" I shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Hailee let out a sharp breath and rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You're using your title to make me carry your shopping?"
I smirked. "Not just shopping. My shopping."
She folded her arms and leaned back into the seat, looking out the window like she was done with me. But she didn't ask me to turn the car around. That was something.
The drive to my apartment was quiet—not the awkward kind, though. The kind that felt… calm. Easy. I liked that. And even if she was pretending to be annoyed, I could tell she wasn't really mad. She liked being around me too. I could feel it in her energy.
When we pulled up, I turned off the engine and got out. Hailee stayed in the car for a few seconds before finally stepping out with a loud sigh, like she was doing me the biggest favor in the world.
"I swear, Callum, if you try anything messy with me, I'm reporting you."
I chuckled as I opened the trunk. "Relax. You're not my type."
Well… I didn't know if that was true or not. Sure, she wasn't like the girls I usually hooked up with—flashy, flirtatious, horny girls—but she… she was different. And maybe that's exactly what drew me to her.
We carried the bags inside. I purposely took fewer so she'd have to make a second trip. Yeah, I was that guy. But damn, watching her walk into my place—her red hair, the way she moved like she wasn't trying to impress anyone—it made something tighten in my chest.
She dropped the bags on the counter and glanced around. "Huh. Not bad. Thought it'd be all black leather and gym equipment."
I raised a brow. "Do I look like a gym instructor?"
She gave me a flat look. "You have the body of one…"
I laughed, and she actually smiled—just a little. It made my heart do something stupid.
I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms, watching her. "I'm hungry. You can cook, right?"
Her eyes widened. "What? Cook? You dragged me here just to—what am I, your maid now?"
I smirked, loving the way her voice rose in outrage. "Not a maid. My guide. And as my guide, it's your duty to make sure I don't starve."
She looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "Your guide? That doesn't mean I'm your personal chef!"
"Sure it does," I said casually, pushing off the counter and walking toward her. "You're supposed to help me adapt, remember? What better way to help than keeping me fed?"
She threw her hands in the air. "That's not what the guide role means, and you know it!"
I shrugged like I didn't care. "You can say no if you don't want to. I'll just tell the principal by Monday that I need a new guide. That the one given to me failed in her job."
Hailee's eyes flared with irritation. "Callum, I swear to the Goddess—"
But she cut herself off, growling under her breath before stomping into my kitchen.
"Fine!" she snapped. "But don't get used to this."
I grinned and followed her like a puppy. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Red."
She opened one of the cupboards and started rummaging through it with far more aggression than necessary. "Where's your damn food? Or do you just live on protein bars and cockiness?"
I leaned on the counter again, watching her with amusement. "Check the bottom drawer. And I'm flattered you think I live on cockiness—it's a good source of energy."
She gave me a deadly glare over her shoulder.
I laughed and held my hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll behave."
But the truth was, I liked riling her up. I liked that spark in her. She wasn't like the other girls who bent over backward to please me. Hailee didn't care who I was. Or at least, she pretended not to care. And maybe that's what was driving me crazy.
Still… I couldn't ignore the weird feeling building in my chest as I watched her search through my kitchen like she belonged there. Goddess help me.
I was in trouble.
She opted to make spaghetti. I watched as she grabbed a knife and started chopping vegetables on the cutting board. Her movements were quick and skilled, like she knew exactly what she was doing.
Then her phone rang.
I saw the panic flash in her eyes before she grabbed it and quickly put the call on speaker.
"Hailee?" The voice was sharp, irritated.
"Where the hell are you?" Nathan's voice growled through the speaker. "You're the library keeper. I need a book and I can't find it."
Hailee's voice softened a little. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I'm with Callum right now. I'm his guide, and I'm helping him."
"Helping him?" Nathan's growl turned vicious. "It hasn't even been a full day since he arrived. And you're already fucking him?"
I felt the anger rise in my chest as Hailee's eyes darted to me.
She quickly cut the call before Nathan could say more.
"Fuck Nathan," I muttered, stepping closer.
Hailee blinked, shaking off the tension, and went back to chopping.
Then suddenly, she yelped.
I looked down to see blood dripping from her finger.
"Shit," she muttered, trying to pull her hand away.
But I gently grabbed her wrist, holding her finger steady. "Hey, hey, relax. Let me see."
She tried to pull away again, but I kept a firm grip.
"Hold still. I've got this."
I grabbed a clean cloth from the counter and carefully wrapped it around her bleeding finger, pressing gently to stop the bleeding. As I worked, I couldn't help but stare at her.
God, she looked so beautiful up close—her alluring sea-blue eyes, that fiery red hair falling around her face, the way her lips parted slightly as she focused on not pulling away. There was something about the way she moved, even in this simple moment, that caught me off guard.
"Almost done," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady, though my heart was racing.
She didn't say anything, just watched me with those steady eyes.
Suddenly, a heavy knock slammed against my front door.
Startled, I looked up—just in time to hear Nathan's voice bellow from outside.
"Hailee! You better open this damn door!"