Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

Chapter 5

5

CALLUM 

The Cedar Ridge ski resort is a winter tourist trap that sits just outside the edge of the six–pack‘s territory, owned and operated by the six shifter packs that reside within. Since we generally keep to ourselves, the ski resort was built as an income stream to keep our towns afloat, as well as the Cedar Ridge brewery just down the road. The ski resort is shuttered in the summer months, but the brewery is open all year round so we have consistent revenue. It‘s a smart setup, but it also tempts us into wandering off–territory more than we probably should. 

My boys and I spend a lot of time at the ski resort in the winter, though we generally stay away from the human tourists as best we can since one of the fundamental rules of shifter culture is to keep our existence a secret. We‘ve all been snowboarding for years, and we take full advantage of the fact that we‘ve got a full–service ski resort right in our backyards. The runs here are second to none, and while the guests staying at the resort pay hundreds of dollars a day for lift tickets and equipment rental, the six of us just show up whenever we want to board, free of charge. It‘s a pretty sweet setup, one that I never take for granted. There‘s a big lodge at the heart of the ski resort where the guests stay, complete with a restaurant and bar. We’ve typically steered clear of the lodge in the past to avoid tangling with the human population, but ever since Chase discovered that Vienna works there, it has become a regular stop–off after we come down from the mountain. I‘ve been less against it since learning that Nessa works there, too, but I‘ve yet to catch her on a shift. 

Ever since the potential rogue sighting the other night, our packs have been on high alert. Chase, ever the opportunist, somehow manipulated that into getting Vienna to give him a ride home at the end of her shift today under the guise of protection, so it‘s just Levi and I in his truck as we depart the ski resort, Miles and Dare hopping in to ride with Alec like they usually do. Right as we‘re about to pull out of the parking lot, my phone vibrates with an incoming call, the name ‘Fuckface‘ appearing on the screen. He‘s persistent, I‘ll give him that. I mash the red button to ignore the call, tossing my phone into the cupholder in the center console of Levi‘s truck. “Troy again?” Levi asks, shooting me a side–eyed glance as he pulls out onto the forest road to head back to Norbury. I grunt in confirmation and scrub a hand over my face. I know I can‘t avoid my stepdad forever– it‘s only a matter of time before he gets sick of me dicking his calls and shows up at my door to ruin my fucking day in person– but for now, I 

 

don‘t have the energy to listen to his bullshit. 

It‘s quiet in the cab of Levi‘s truck, so I flick the button to turn on the radio. scrolling through the stations to find something worth listening to. I finally land on one when my phone vibrates loudly against the cupholder and I bristle, glancing down at what‘s visible of the screen. It isn‘t Fuckface calling twice in a row, though, it‘s an incoming text. 

I pick it up to get a better look, snorting when I read the message. Vanessa: Would you rather be 11 feet tall or 9 inches tall? 

Shaking my head with a chuckle, I open it up and start typing out a response. 

sneak into small spaces and listen in on everyone‘s private conversations like a tiny spy.

to conceal it from the nosy bastard by shoving my phone in my jacket pocket and staring out the windshield. Nessa and I have been texting on and off since the night of the bonfire, mostly

Snowboarding is great and all, but it isn‘t nearly enough to keep my particular demons at bay. “You got a fight lined up for me yet?” I

growl rumbles in my chest and I scrub my hand over my face again. I can feel that dark, ugly thing building inside of me

so after he died, those opportunities died with him. 1 I was on the verge of losing my shit, but then some drunken asshole challenged me to a fight one night, and I achieved that same catharsis from beating his face in. It was entertaining as shit for the boys to watch, so they found me another opponent the next week and encouraged me to do it

the past couple months. That is, until they couldn‘t find any more takers. I guess that‘s the downside of people being scared of you. “Keep trying,” I grumble, barely concealing my agitation. I need a joint. I dig into my pocket for one but come up empty. Levi waves me off like it‘s nothing. “Yeah, yeah.

he navigates the curves of the forest road. I don‘t miss how tense his shoulders are and the way he‘s white knuckling the steering wheel. Something‘s

a sigh, flopping my head backwards against the headrest. I don‘t have the patience for this kind of trivial shit right now, and for the life of me I still can‘t figure out why Chase and Levi are fighting over Vienna like a couple of dogs over a bone. Especially when her friend is ridiculously hot, and beyond all logic, neither of them have seemed to take notice. “Yeah, man,” I reply, swiping my hand over my chin. “It‘s obvious.” Levi grunts, clearly not liking my answer. “Then why hasn‘t he said anything to me? He knows

or do you just want to fuck her?” I challenge,

his brow. “What‘s the difference?”

problem if he‘s interested, too?

sideways to deliver a jab to my bicep. I don‘t even flinch; I absorb the pain like

“Probably. She‘s

be my wingman, help me get Vienna and I‘ll help you get on that friend of hers.” My eyes roll so far back in my head

lips slide into a grin and he shoots me a side–eyed glance, waggling his eyebrows. “Well hey, if all else fails, you can always fight Miles over her.” “Right,” I snort. “Try finding me someone who can actually throw a punch, eh?” “Yeah,” he sighs, waving me off again. “I‘m

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