They'd all been surprised when she'd been passably skilled at handling her province over the years, even as it was emerged and populated.
They'd also all been surprised when the years passed and she never found her lifemate, something which his father knew would turn her attention away from Callum.
However, apparently, since Mac's death, she'd lost focus on her responsibilities.
This, too, Callum understood and it irritated him.
Callum was now king and the spoiled, ambitious Mona would want his attention even more than before. And she'd want it so desperately, it wouldn't matter what form that attention would take.
She'd want it enough to f**k up and draw him to her territories. Something which, unless there was an insurrection, Callum, and Mac before him, rarely had to do as his other Governors ruled their provinces efficiently. In fact, it was something the Governors took pains in not doing because Callum's attention, unless it was for an official ceremony or a social visit, wasn't something they'd seek.
It was likely the she-wolf probably didn't even know she was doing it.
Callum took Sonia's hand and moved toward the door, muttering, "Let's do this."
"Hang on," Ryon called and Callum stopped, pulling Sonia to his side.
"Have you briefed her on protocol?" Ryon asked, getting close.
"Sorry?" Callum replied, his thoughts anywhere but on protocol which was something, as king, he didn't have to concern himself with. Only those around him did.
Ryon gave him an aggravated scowl but turned gentled eyes to Sonia.
"Sonia, you're about to walk into a Throne Room in the official capacity as our Queen," he explained softly. "Everyone in that room will bow to you and Callum. If you were alone, you'd walk to the throne, seat yourself and tell them to rise. As you're with Callum, you don't say anything. Don't speak at all until Callum tells you that you can. He'll lead you to the throne and give the order. In a minute, as this happens, people will talk but you won't. Your duty is to observe in silence, don't say a word. But pay attention, love, to everything that's going on. You'll understand why later. Okay?"
Callum found he was annoyed with himself that he hadn't thought to instruct her on the way down the mountain.
He found himself further annoyed that Sonia was gazing up at Ryon with open gratitude.
She nodded to Ryon. Callum gave her hand a tug and, without looking at her, he led a silent Sonia through the mansion and up the wide staircase to The Throne Room.
The doors were opened as they approached and he heard Sonia take in a surprised breath before he guided her through.
The room was filled with his warriors and the mansion's detail. Every one of them, including Mona, who was standing at the foot of the dais, dropped into the deep, heads lowered, ceremonial bow.
He strode through the room, hand in hand with Sonia whose step had faltered. Looking down at her, he saw her staring in fearful awe at the fifty large wolves who were bowed low.
He lifted her hand and tucked it under his arm, drawing her closer to him in an effort to offer her comfort.
She looked up at him, her eyes still startled, and he nodded down at her but didn't wait for her response and led her up the stairs to the throne sitting there.
Without delay, as his father had done before him and every king, prince, duke, governor or noble in history did with their mate, he sat on the throne and pulled her into his lap.
Instantly, she made a surprised noise and tried to jerk away.
His arms tightened around her, he gave her a warning shake and her alarmed gaze flashed to his. Whatever she saw there made her stare then her eyes went blank and her body settled into his.
"Rise," he commanded, the assemblage took their feet and all eyes turned to the throne.
He knew what they saw.
If he'd not claimed her, she'd be standing at the right side of his throne.
But, claimed and bound, now their queen, she was in his lap.
He felt another thrill of elation, understanding the overwhelming importance of the occasion as did everyone in the room. Everyone except, he didn't think to note, Sonia.
Watching their eyes scan Sonia, he allowed himself a moment to glory in it, knowing what they saw. Even if it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with fate, he was still exceedingly proud of it.
Then he commenced business.
Not looking at Mona, his eyes searched the room and focused on Mona's Lieutenant Governor.
"Saint," he called and the tall warrior walked toward the dais.
Callum knew Saint well. Saint had fought alongside Callum. He was a strong, crafty warrior and a good friend. Thirty-one years ago, Mac had installed Saint at Mona's side to make certain she didn't discover Sonia's existence and to keep an eye on Mona.
He'd done both.
As was standard practice, Saint had also been interrogated but, not surprisingly, he had no connection to the plot nor, until recently, any idea the rebellion had chosen the Western Territories to assemble.
He had no idea because Mona didn't.
However, it had been Saint who'd cottoned on something was happening. He'd uncovered the plot against Sonia and revealed it to Callum.
Over the years, Saint had been reporting with growing frequency that working with Mona was becoming more and more of a chore.
Callum, unfortunately, knew everything about Mona was a chore and hadn't thought much of it.
This was his mistake.
He was about to rectify it.
When Saint stopped at the foot of the dais, Callum spoke. "By the end of the day, I'll want a shortlist of names of those you feel would best replace Desdemona as Governor of this Territory." Callum heard Mona's angry gasp and felt Sonia go still in his arms but he continued, "If you're interested, put your name at the top of that list."
"Yes, your grace," Saint replied, relief in his eyes and a small smile tugging at his lips.
Callum's gaze went to Mona. "Desdemona, I'm removing you as Governor, effective immediately."
She leaned forward and started, "But, your grace ndash;"
"Under your nose, a rebellion amassed in your Territory," he announced, cutting her off. "You're well aware that one of the most important parts of your duty is to be my eyes and ears in this region and to inform me if there's news of an insurrection. Nevertheless, you've flagrantly ignored missives from Scotland as to how to oversee your people to make certain that didn't happen. This meant they knew your region was weak and targeted it. There were even two amongst your personal guard who were involved. Further, because of your personal failings, for thirty-one years you put my father and me in a disadvantageous position because we couldn't trust you and your guard to protect my queen. Now we have a situation where, if you were doing your job, you would have sorted it and it would not have required my attention or I would have been aware of it long before now. But it's far worse. It's a situation where known rebels have accumulated in your region, they've conspired to break the treaty and all of this has placed my queen at risk."
Callum interrupted her tersely, "Mona, you best not speak. We both know your rule of this province has been a joke since it started."
Her beautiful face twisted and, unwisely, she ignored his command and stated, "Your father never complained."
"That wasn't my father's way," Callum returned.
"My father ndash;" she began, her tone turning threatening.
"Your father has no choice but to accept this decision," Callum retorted. "You're released," he declared with finality. He watched her body jolt and her temper flair but continued, "For placing my queen in jeopardy, you should be punished. But with respect to your father, instead, I'm giving you a year to find your mate and settle. After that year, if you don't, you'll be sequestered."
Her face paled before it flushed and she breathed, "Sequestered?"
"Is that not what we do when one of our females refuses to seek her mate?" Callum enquired.
"But that's forhellip; it's forhellip;" she paused and snapped, "for females who are mad!"
"Prove your sanity," Callum invited and he saw her face change in a way he, in his impatience and anger with her, and his father in his kindness and diplomacy, had heretofore missed.
Desdemona, daughter of Titium, wasn't stupid, spoiled and ambitious.
She wasn't nuts.
She was f**king crazy.
"I've no need to find my mate ndash;" she started to declare.
"Desdemona ndash;" Callum tried to break in.
She continued mutinously, "Because he's sitting right in front of me!"
The air grew dense with shock and the sounds of shuffling feet. Sonia's already tight body turned to marble against his frame and he heard her soft intake of breath.
Ryon approached to put an end to Mona's insolence but Callum lifted a hand to stop him.
The deeper she dug her grave, the deeper Callum could bury her in it and he wanted her buried so deep he never had to see her face again.
"You declare this in front of your queen?" Callum asked with deceptive calm.
"Years ago, I felt the connection," she threw out. "And, no matter what you say, Cal, you did too. I know it."
Sonia's body moved, those movements were slight but filled with disquiet.
He gave his mate a comforting squeeze before he said derisively, "Hardly, Desdemona."
"What we had was good!" she cried desperately, leaning further forward.
"What we had was sex," Callum returned dismissively and Sonia jerked in his arms which didn't squeeze comfortingly this time, they tightened.
"I'm consort to a king!" Mona declared madly, moving up the steps.
Ryon shot forward, hooked an arm firm around her waist and stopped her.
Callum's voice lowered but, even so, he knew every wolf in the room could hear.
"You were nothing but a f**k, Mona. A good one but I'd had better before," he moved slightly his eyes never leaving Mona as he rubbed his temple against Sonia's hair, making his message clear before he murmured, "And definitely better since."
He heard Sonia's breathing escalate as he saw her chest start to rise and fall with agitation but she kept her seat which satisfied him. This was an intense situation amongst a passionate people, something she wasn't used to but she was handling herself, as he had guessed she would, brilliantly.
Mona didn't handle herself nearly as well.
Fighting against Ryon's hold, she snapped, "But she's blonde. You hate blondes."
"I've changed my mind," Callum returned coolly.
To that, Mona's arms went ramrod straight, her face grew red and she shrieked, "She is not our queen. She's f**king human."
Irreverence to his queen spoken aloud during an official assembly in a throne room.
Callum held back his smile.
Mona was so deep, even Titium couldn't dig her out.
"Get her out of here, Ry," he ordered.
"Released to find her mate?" Ryon asked, his lips twitching.
"Fuck no. Sequester her," Callum answered.
"No!" Mona shrieked while she struggled.
"Okey doke," Ryon muttered and a few wolves chuckled.
Sonia, he noted vaguely, had clenched her fists.
As Ryon handed Mona off to two warriors who led her struggling body out of the room, Caleb climbed the dais and stood at his right side. Then his deep voice rang out in the vast room.
"Are there those in this company who have issue with our human queen?"
No one spoke.
Caleb went on, "Are there those whose allegiance lies with Desdemona?"
More silence.
Caleb's voice then announced loudly, "Then behold our new queen!"
Everyone looked at Sonia. Sonia blushed.
"You're laying it on a bit thick, aren't you, brother?" Callum muttered.
There were several chuckles, a few full-blown laughs and a room full of smiles.
"I thought the situation warranted it," Caleb replied with a bold grin as he leaned against the side of his brother's throne.
Callum threw him a look then turned his head, his mouth seeking Sonia's ear and he asked softly, "Would you like to meet your warriors, baby doll?"
She twisted her neck and her green eyes searched his. She pulled in breath through her nose and, finally, nodded.
He stood up, lifting her to her feet. He slid his arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side.
To his men in the room, he stated, his voice proclaiming proudly, "It's time for you to meet Sonia."
* * * * *
"Jesus, it's brilliant finally to have something to do," Calder announced, sitting back in his chair and grinning broadly.
Callum studied his brother from his seat behind a desk cluttered with the remains of the meal they'd eaten there while going through intelligence reports and notes on interrogations. For hours, throughout all of this, except for when Caleb had escorted her to the bathroom, Sonia had sat silently in his lap, even when they ate.
Calder, Callum knew, if he had not been of royal blood, would undoubtedly be the leader of an insurrection. All wolves had an abundance of energy, a zest for life, strength in their opinions and none of them shied away from a fight.
Calder was all that and a great deal more.
Calder, more impatient and volatile even than Callum, was a brilliant warrior, if a flawed strategist, who appeared to be at his most relaxed in the middle of a bloody battle.
His brother, Callum decided, needed to find his f**king mate.
And his brother, Callum decided, once this was finished, would go on a quest to seek her. He'd hand down the order himself.
"Though," Calder went on, his eyes flashing to Sonia before he grinned, "it's disappointing that we're not going to have the mating ceremony. You'd love that, Sonia," he told her. "Our people like a good party and A Mating is the f**king best."
"Maybe after this is over, Callum will give Sonia a ceremony," Ryon suggested, his eyes soft on Callum's mate.
Callum's eyes were anything but soft on his cousin.
Jesus, if he didn't know better, he'd think Ryon had a thing for her.
"A Royal Mating is even better," Caleb threw in, also grinning at Sonia. "A f**king blast."
Sonia grinned back at Caleb and Callum's arms gave her a squeeze to capture her attention.
This worked, her face swung to his.
"Would you like that, little one?" he asked gently.
She regarded him a moment before she shrugged.
"We'll talk about it later," he told her and she nodded. Callum looked at Saint. "Are our quarters prepared?"
Sonia's body jerked in his arms but Callum's attention was on Saint who was answering. "Yes, actually. They have been since you arrived. Mona ordered it."
"At least she did something," Caleb muttered and Saint laughed.
"Callum," Ryon called and Callum's gaze swung to his cousin and saw his eyes were still on Callum's bride. "Since this is going to go down here, and you'll likely be here awhile, why don't you stay at Sonia's?"
At Ryon's words, Sonia instantly relaxed in Callum's arms and he caught her throwing Ryon another very grateful smile.
"Fuck, Ryon, what are you on about? The king always stays at the mansion," Calder put in.
"Yes, and a female of our kind would know and be prepared for that," Ryon replied patiently. "A human, being initiated to our culture which is probably a bit overwhelming, Calder, might like the comforts of home while she gets oriented."
Sonia pressed together her lips and sighed, clearly agreeing with his cousin.
Callum would never have considered this. Then again Callum had very little experience with female humans except, of course, f**king them.
"Would you like to go home, Sonia?" he asked, her head tipped back instantly and she nodded, this time happily, with her eyes bright on him, to which he smiled and murmured, "Then we'll take you home."
Which was somewhere they were going now.
It was high time for her injection and, after their play this morning, he was impatient to have her again.
Further, the idea of having her in her sweet, welcoming bedroom lit by Christmas lights was an idea he liked greatly. He just hoped the cleaners he'd commanded to be sent to her house had successfully scoured away all traces of the bloody mess he'd made of her two attackers as he'd ordered them to do.
He stood, taking Sonia with him and setting her on her feet. "Calder, you're off tonight," he told his brother and Calder nodded. He then looked at Saint. "We'll meet tomorrow to discuss the turnover." Saint lifted his chin and Callum then looked at Ryon and Caleb. "You know what to do." They both nonverbally indicated they understood his order.
Then he took Sonia's hand and led her from the room.
His SUV was at the bottom of the steps where he'd left it and he helped Sonia into her seat before taking his own, starting the truck and pointing them toward her farmhouse.
He'd driven several miles before the silence in the cab caught his attention and it finally occurred to him that Sonia had another full, turbulent, likely mystifying day.
"You okay?" he asked.
She was silent.
"Baby doll?" he prompted, not taking his eyes from the road.
She remained silent.
He glanced at her to see her arms were crossed on her chest, the bag filled with her medication in her lap, and she was glaring through the windscreen.
"Sonia?"
"Oh, am I allowed to speak now?" she queried sarcastically.
"What?"
"Nothing," she snapped. "Just take me home."
Fucking hell. She was pissed about something.
"Sonia, tell me what's bothering you," he ordered gently.
"Nothing. I'm perfectly fine and I'll be more fine when I'm finally home."
Callum decided that was probably not true because it appeared they would be arguing when they arrived at her home. He wasn't going to engage in one in the truck. Further, he had to take that time to control his temper that she obviously didn't realize today, regardless of how delightfully it started, the rest had been unpleasant for him to say the least. Furthermore, the coming days, or weeks and (although he hoped to God not) possibly months would be busy and taxing.
Therefore she'd failed in her responsibility to provide him what he'd thought he'd explained to her during their second day at the cabin was her duty to provide. An outlet. A release. Be that in the form of a casual conversation in an SUV about his day, holding her cuddled on her sweet bed in her sweet room and talking with her about his concerns about his people or f**king her so hard that when she came she cried out his name.
The latter of which was how he definitely decided he'd like to process his day.
And that was exactly how he was going to do it.
He turned into the short drive at the side of her house, parking behind the door of her garage and he shut off the engine.
She didn't wait for him to help her from the SUV (another issue he had with her that he decided, astutely, to bring up later). She dropped down from the truck and stormed up to her dark house.
Then she stood at her front door, arms crossed, her bag with her meds dangling from her fingers, as he took his time (to calm his temper further, an effort which failed) sauntering to her house.
"I don't have the key," she told him when he arrived at her side using a voice that made this clear it was an accusation.
He had her key.
Saint had given it to him the day he'd arrived. It was on the ring with his truck keys, his SUV being something else Saint had provided for him.
He used the key to let them in while she glared at his keyring like she was willing it to combust in his fingers.
When they entered, her alarm started beeping. She turned to it and punched in the code then stomped into the house.
Callum took off his coat while slowly Christmas lights, inside and out, started twinkling from everywhere.
Callum glanced around.
Ryon wasn't wrong. Sonia seriously had a thing about Christmas.
He listened to her tramping around upstairs as he went to her clean, pristine kitchen and opened the fridge, praying she had beer.
She didn't.
She didn't even have a bottle of chilled white wine.
He was searching the cupboards for spirits when she stormed in, having divested herself of her vest and scarf, and her eyes narrowed on her mail neatly piled on the counter.
"I see someone's been taking care of my house," she announced ungraciously and walked to the mail, snatching it from the counter. Not looking at him, she shuffled through it while she demanded to know, "Did you arrange that?"
"Yes," he replied, turning back to open another cabinet in which he saw, thankfully, she had a number of bottles of liquor and one of them, to his great fortune, contained a very good whisky.
"I shudder to think of the state of my store considering I disappeared into thin air during Christmas season." She aimed a glare in his direction as he discovered where she kept her glasses. "My girls are probably freaked!"
"Only if they have the uncanny ability of clairvoyance," Callum replied calmly. "Regan arranged for one of our people, a woman who has a goodly amount of retail experience considering her mate owns Harrinton's department stores, to tell them you had an urgent situation that called you away but arranged for her to manage the store in your absence."
This knowledge gave her a start, as it would considering there was a Harrinton's in every exclusive mall in the country. They were highly lucrative ventures and were known as the elite shopping experience.
He ignored her reaction and the fact that she didn't express her gratitude as she had to Ryon, three times when he'd displayed his thoughtfulness, and turned to pour his whisky.
She threw her mail on the counter and stomped from the room.
He listened to her crashing around upstairs as he turned his h*ps to the counter, sipped his whisky and practiced controlled breathing.
This didn't help.
Some time later, he put his empty glass on the counter, switched off the light and followed her up the stairs.
He found her in her bedroom wearing a silvery-gray knit nightgown with a thin edge of white lace at the bodice and hem. The nightgown hugged her curves and came down to her knees. Her face was cleaned of makeup and she was throwing back the covers on the bed.
"Sonia, it's time for your injection," he told her.
"Yes, it was. That's why I gave it to myself," she retorted, climbing on the bed and seating herself with her shoulders against the headboard.
At this news Callum's body went still as his anger escalated exponentially.
"I'm sorry?" he asked quietly.
She nabbed a tube from her nightstand. Not looking at him, she squirted lotion into her hand, bent forward and started to massage it into her foot.
"I gave it to myself," she repeated.
The only thing from the cabin she packed was her medication. She didn't need anything else, his people would see to the dirty laundry and food. And, as they'd be returning, hopefully soon, it would be good that she had clothes and toiletries there. In fact, he'd order her to stock what she needed so they could return there at his whim.
He came into the room and stopped at the foot of her bed.
"I thought I explained I'd be giving you your injections."
She shifted her attention to her other foot but not to him. "You did."
"Sonia, look at me," he demanded.
She slammed the tube of lotion down on her nightstand and then turned to face him. Or, more accurately, glare at him.
"I'll not tolerate another defiance like that again," he stated.
Her head tilted to the side. "You won't? Well thenhellip;" she leaned forward and snapped, "good. Because you won't be defied because you won't be around."
He felt his muscles grow taut as his control on his temper started slipping.
"Perhaps you'd like to explain that," he invited in a way that said, very clearly, she wouldn't.
Recklessly, she did it anyway.
"After today, I've decided I don't want to be your queen. After today, I've decided I don't want anything to do with you. Not," she stated boldly, "your people, who all seem very nice, except that crazy woman who was, sadly, though you didn't seem to notice it, not well at all. But you. I don't want anything to do with you."
"Little one," he advised softly as he moved to the side of the bed, "I'd stop talking now."
"You would? Well, of course you would, since all day you've been saying a lot but not much of it good. However, since I haven't been allowed to talk nearly all day, I've got a lot of words left in my stockpile."
He stopped beside the bed and watched her nab a tub, open it and start to rub moisturizer in her face.
And he watched her do this as he sought patience.
Finally, he explained, "As Ryon told you, you weren't allowed to speak in the throne room. You didn't speak of your own accord the rest of the day. I thought you were quiet because you were letting things sink in."
She slapped the tub down and looked up to him. "I wasn't. I had no idea what was going on! No one told me anything. Including the fact I could speak, which, I will note, you didn't even notice I didn't!"
"Sonia ndash;"
"However," she broke in, "the fact that I can't for any length of time ishellip; ishellip; medieval! And that you made me sit in your lap during thathellip; thathellip; whatever-it-was, washellip;" She paused and cried, "I don't even know what it was!"
"What it was, was the way of my people," he told her.
"What it was, was your way because you are king," she shot back, grabbing another tube. "Which brings us back to my earlier point that I'm done with this queen business. Done. You can go now," she finished, dismissing him.
Dismissing him.
Callum lost what hold he had on his patience at the same time he lost his temper.
She'd opened the tube and started to squirt it in her palm when Callum tore it from her hand and tossed it on her nightstand. It skidded through all of the other tubes, bottles and tubs sitting there, leaking lotion the entire way and she glared at the mess.
He leaned down, grabbed her ankles and hauled her down the bed.
"What are you ndash;?"
He then entered the bed and settled his weight on top of her.
"Get off me," she demanded, shoving at his shoulders and writhing underneath him.
"Sonia, look at me."
"Get off!"
"Look at me, goddamn it!" he roared, she stilled and glared at him. "You want instruction, I'll give it to you but you f**king look at me when I'm speaking to you and you better f**king pay attention."
"You have my attention, King Callum," she retorted sarcastically and he sucked in breath at her tone.
Then he spoke. "Do not disrespect me even in private," he said evenly, calmly, her eyes narrowed but she snapped her mouth shut. "Good thinking," he approved tersely and went on. "I, obviously, should have explained this more clearly earlier but I didn't. Now I am. The queen's duty is to support her king. You stand by my side or sit in my lap, however I want it, and you listen, you learn and then, after I perform my duties, which can often be not so much f**king fun, you're available for me."
"Available for you?" she asked angrily.
"Available for me," he repeated.
"And what does that mean?"
"It means whatever the f**k I want it to mean."
She stared at him, he watched realization dawn then she rolled her eyes to the headboard and muttered, "I was righthellip; medieval."
"Sonia ndash;"
Her eyes rolled back to his and she stated tartly, "Get off me Callum. You didn't give me a choice but I choose no. This is the twenty-first century and my culture doesn't tell women to be silent nor do men make women sit in their laps during official proceedings."
"My culture does," he returned. "And I did give you the choice and you jumped at it, I'll remind you, pretty f**king gleefully. While you sat connected to me, I asked you if you were mine. You didn't f**king hesitate saying yes. Then, the minute you reared into my c**k when you were on your knees with my chain around your waist, you embraced my culture and there's no going back now."
Her eyes grew wide in horror before she snapped, "That's crazy!"
"That may be but you did it. After twenty years of dreaming of me and not having me you were obviously gagging for it and the minute you got your chance you f**king jumped at it. Or more to the point, opened your legs for it, rode it and f**king ground into it, moaning the whole goddamned time."
Her head jerked and her voice lowered, sounding hurt but Callum was too angry to notice. "Please tell me you didn't just say that."
"I did because you did," he returned. "And I know you'll do it again."
Her wide eyes widened further and her body froze beneath his.
"Callum ndash;"
He dipped his face closer to hers and his tone was deadly when he asked, "You want to know why I know that, little one?"
"Callum ndash;"
"Because you're not going anywhere. I'm f**king well not going anywhere. Right now, you're going to perform your queenly duties by letting me use that sweet little body of yours to deal with my day and you're going to love, everyhellip; fuckinghellip; minute of it."
She opened her mouth to speak.
Or yell.
But Callum got there first.
Sliding a hand in her hair and fisting it, he held her head steady and he kissed her, rough and hard, his tongue invading and seizing.
She fought him the entire time.
Making furious noises in her throat, she bucked under him, pushed at him, and, when that didn't work, she scratched him.
He felt her nails ripping through his shirt, piercing his skin. He tore his mouth away from hers at the pain and she took advantage. Rolling him slightly away from her, she slid out from under him and nearly got to her feet when he tagged her at the waist and tossed her back to the bed.
She grunted with frustrated rage and renewed her attack and Callum found, to his utter delight, she was a vicious and cunning little fighter who'd not only rival, but best any she-wolf of his experience.
So as not to harm her using his full strength with which he could break her in two, he wasn't able to subdue her. Their rough play continued and he enjoyed every f**king second of it.
Their breathing escalated and he noticed her struggles diminish. Her pushing had turned to touching. She'd started biting him and, in doing so, used her tongue liberally. And he could feel her gliding her nose along his neck, taking in the scent of him, an odd thing for a human to do but it aroused him greatly.
She didn't even notice when she stopped fighting him and started struggling to get his clothes off his body.
But Callum noticed.
He decided in that instant to allow her defiance. Hell, he'd even incite it if this was to be his reward.
They were na**d and she was as she was that morning, all over him with her hands, mouth and tongue, touching, tasting, licking, rubbing herself against him as if she couldn't get enough fast enough. Callum couldn't believe his good fortune that destiny chose a greedy little human in heat to be his queen.
She was f**king perfect.
But it was time he had his fill.
He rolled her to her back and used his hands, mouth and tongue on her, all over her and she was greedy for that too. Arching against him, her hands coaxing and demanding, her nails scraping or diving into his hair to hold him to her.
When Callum's mouth was at her belly, Sonia spread her legs and Callum accepted her sweet invitation. He settled between them, ran his hands up the backs of her thighs, cocking them and then throwing her calves over his shoulders.
Finally, she was right there.
The scent of her was unbelievable. He'd wanted to taste her since he'd smelled it that first night when he'd rescued her from her kidnappers.
He lowered his mouth to her and she was just as sweet as her scent promised.
The minute his mouth touched her, she went completely still a moment before he heard the low, sexy whimper escape the back of her throat. Then she jerked her h*ps up, clearly always greedy his Sonia, demanding more.
He smiled against her and gave it to her.
As he worked her with his mouth, her movements became more agitated and her whimpers came faster through her panting until he pulled away.
When he did, she cried desperately, "No!"
He moved over her and rolled them so he was on his back.
"You stopped," she accused, squirming on top of him.
He grinned at her and lifted his head to bury his face in her neck.
He ran his tongue up its length to her ear and his body absorbed her shiver before he said there, "I'm not done eating you, baby doll. But you took all of me this morning. I'm curious to know what you can do with your mouth."
He heard her breath catch as her face twisted to his and he saw, to his delight, she liked that idea.
"Do you know what I want?" he asked, she nodded and he murmured, "Then give it to me."
She didn't hesitate a moment. She moved, positioning herself over his head and his hands slid up her outer thighs, his fingers curling into her h*ps as she bent her body down the length of his.
The minute she wrapped her fingers around him, he lapped at her. When her tongue touched the tip of his hard cock, he pulled her h*ps down and gave her more. She learned swiftly that the more she pleased him, the more she was rewarded.
And she pleased him a good deal.
She was rocking her h*ps against his mouth, her fist around the base of his cock, her movements nearly frenzied, her moans vibrating against his shaft as her sweet, little mouth took him deep and he knew she was ready.
He slid away from her and turned on her. He had her ass in his hands and her back to the headboard before she had the chance to wrap her arms and legs around him.
When she did, he pressed the tip of his c**k to her wet, tight entrance but stopped.
Her head tipped back and her lips parted in anticipation.
But he didn't give it to her, as much as he wanted it himself.
They'd played, he'd won and now he wanted the spoils of victory.
"What do you want?" he demanded.
Her eyes opened halfway but she didn't answer.
He placed his lips on hers. "Baby doll," he murmured. "Tell me what you want."
"I want you to f**k me," she whispered, pressing her h*ps into his and he pulled back.
Her mouth formed a disappointed "O" and her eyes closed.
He grinned against her lips.
Yes, she was absolutely, f**king perfect.
But he wasn't quite done.
"Call me wolf," he ordered and her eyes opened again, this time not halfway.
"Callum ndash;"
He circled his h*ps and she bit her bottom lip before she strained to find him.
"Call me wolf," he repeated gruffly, the feel of her, wet and open, waiting for him, was driving him mad.
"Callum ndash;"
"Do it, little one."
"Wolf," she whispered.
"Say it all."
She pressed her body closer, her face went into his neck and under his ear she begged softly, "Please, my wolf, I need you to f**k me."
Sonia calling him wolf, begging him to f**k her, seemed to shatter his soul.
It also shattered his control.
He gave her what she asked for, fast and rough, then faster and rougher and the harder he took her, the higher she went until he knew it was overwhelming her.
Her neck bent sharply, her eyes sought his and he saw the panic just as her body tightened all around him.
He lifted his hand to cradle the back of her head.
His control of his own orgasm was slipping but he assured her in a hoarse voice, "It's all right, baby doll, I've got you."
Her dazed eyes focused on him a scant second before she gave him her trust and let go.
Her head reared back, slamming his hand against the wall just as it cushioned her head from the blow. Her body bucked. Her sex convulsed, sucking him deeper inside her hot wetness. And, finally, he heard her release yelped in loud, sharp, almost feral cries.
The sound of her cl**ax was his undoing. He surged into her one last time and joined her in a brilliant explosion with his own claiming animal roar.
When he came back from the beautiful place Sonia took him, the most beautiful of his life (and considering he was three hundred and eighty-three years old, that was f**king saying something), he felt her breath evening out against his neck.
She still held his body tight in her limbs, his c**k still snug inside her and she had pressed her face into his neck. All of this he thought was, as Sonia could very much be, sweet.
And the realization hit him suddenly like a crushing weight that he wanted her limbs around him, her breath to stir his skin and their beautiful connection to last for eternity.
Which heralded the unwelcome knowledge he'd lived with for thirty-one years. Knowledge he'd worked time and again with Mac to come to terms with. Knowledge that, when he met Sonia as a little girl, felt their connection and discovered she was his, he'd raged against. Knowledge that he'd buried deep until that moment.
It was the knowledge that she was a mortal human and he was an immortal werewolf and they didn't have eternity.
Instead he'd enjoy his mate for decades, not millennia.
Then he'd watch her grow old.
Then he'd watch her die.
And destiny had chosen to make her perfect which Callum thought was a f**king cruel tease.
His arms tightened around her and he dropped from his knees to his back, taking her with him, careful to keep their connection.
When he had her settled on top, she nuzzled closer. His fingers found his chain and trailed along it and he pulled in a breath, taking in the gorgeous scent of her hair, the beautiful scent of them mingled between her legs and the scent ofhellip;
His body froze and his head, at the same time as Sonia's, twisted to look at the man standing in the door.
The scent of f**king vampire.
Chapter Ten
Vampires
"Who would have thought, Sonny, that when you f**k you sound like an animal?" Yuri noted blandly, standing in the door, gaze locked on Sonia.
Belying his tone, his eyes were blazing.
Then Callum watched those eyes narrow on the claiming chain Callum's hand had arrested toying with when Yuri appeared in the door and Callum bit back a wolfish howl of elation.
Before he reached out to throw the blanket folded at the end of her bed over their bodies, Callum had thoughts he was certain, if Sonia knew them, she would greatly dislike (and likely have no problem sharing that opinion).
Yuri, who so very much wanted to get his cold, vampire hands on her, had walked in on them naked, still connected, her claiming chain glinting in the lights of the room, the cries of their orgasms practically still ringing in the air.
And Callum f**king loved it.
He loved that Yuri had seen everything he saw and heard everything he heard and was right now smelling everything he smelled.
Thus he couldn't stop himself from aiming at Yuri a very f**king satisfied smile to which Yuri aimed back a very incensed scowl.
"Whathellip; what are youhellip;?" Sonia stammered and, hearing the horror in her tone, Callum smothered his chuckle and his arms tightened around her under the blanket. "Doing here?" she screeched.
"Father wants to speak to you," Yuri answered.
"Now?" she shrieked.
Yuri leaned in the doorway and stated, "When we arrived, we noticed you were busy. Therefore we waited until you weren't. So, yes, now, if you'd be so kind."
Callum was surprised he hadn't sensed them or smelled them.
Then again, he was entirely wrapped up in his pretty little mate so perhaps it wasn't that surprising.
And he thought that this just got better and better.
They'd been there awhile.
Fucking brilliant.
Callum felt Sonia's body jolt, taking him from his thoughts but Yuri casually pushed away from the door and disappeared from sight.
Callum looked from the door to Sonia and found she was still staring across the room.
"Honey," he called, giving her a squeeze.
"Tell me I'm dreaming now," she whispered, her voice still filled with horror, as was her face. Her eyes were dazed and unfocused and at the look of her, Callum had to bite back another chuckle. "No, this isn't a dream," she stated, her head slowly turning to face him to breathe her finale. "This is a nightmare."
"Sonia ndash;"
"They heard us," she whispered.
They did. They not only heard their orgasms, they probably heard a great deal more. Even if Gregor and Yuri weren't vampires, who had exceptional hearing, in fact all their senses were exceptional, they still would hear them. Fuck, the neighbors probably heard them.
"Sonia ndash;"
"We're loud," Sonia went on.
"Yes, baby doll, but ndash;"
"We were having sex," she breathed this fact as if he hadn't participated fully in the event, her eyes widening and Callum was losing his fight with his amusement and felt his body start shaking.
"Sonia ndash;"
"He saidhellip;" she cut him off, her dazed eyes clearing and beginning to flash. "He saidhellip; he actually said that I sounded like an animal."
"Son ndash;"
She disengaged from him and rolled angrily away.
Callum rolled to his side, got up on an elbow and watched as, clumsy in her fury, Sonia struggled with her nightgown.
The material was caught helplessly around her arms and her head was hidden by it but she still ranted on.
"I can't believe what just happened. What he just said. My brother!" she tugged the nightgown down with effort and then glared at Callum. "Well, essentially my brother saw me na**d andhellip; andhellip;" she leaned toward him and hissed, "fastened to you."
"Fastened to me?" Callum repeated, the thread of humor in his tone impossible to miss and Sonia didn't miss it.
Her eyes narrowed and she snapped, "Nothing about this is funny!"
Callum thought everything about this was the height of hilarity, especially her reaction.
He didn't share that.
Instead, he said, "Baby doll, calm down."
She leaned back and her eyebrows went up. "Calm down?"
Callum exited the bed and pulled her rigid body into his arms.
"Yes, calm down. It happened. It's over. Let's get dressed and go down and see what we're dealing with."
"Oh, we'll do that, all right. We certainly will," she told him, pulling free from his arms and then jumping around on one foot trying to tug up her underwear.
Callum grabbed his clothes and pulled them on as she yanked up her panties and smoothed her nightgown down. Then she ran her fingers through her hair while walking to her chest of drawers. She pulled something out of a box on the top and twisted a holder in her hair, fixing a ponytail.
Callum had on his jeans, was shrugging on his shirt and, seeing her makeup free, in a nightgown and ponytail, her lips bruised from his kisses, her face flushed with sex, he thought she'd never looked more adorable, never prettier, beyond beautiful.
Perfect.
Without buttoning his shirt, he strode to her and yanked her in his arms. His head descended and his mouth claimed hers in a kiss so thorough, the bruising of her lips wouldn't disappear for days.
When his head lifted their hearts were both beating faster and Sonia looked like she was emerging from a delicious dream, a fact which made him want to kiss her again.
Unfortunately, he couldn't.
"All right, baby doll," he called softly and he saw that, with effort, her eyes focused on his and he grinned, which made her eyes focus on his mouth, which made him want to laugh but he kept speaking. "Remember I told you that you have family now and they wouldn't want you to struggle, no matter what you're struggling with?"
She blinked and then she nodded.
He dipped his face close to hers, looked her in the eye and said quietly, "You're about to see what I mean."
Her eyes grew wide but he ignored her look, took her hand and guided her down the stairs.
Gregor was lounging on one of Sonia's clean-lined, pristine couches by her Christmas tree.
Yuri was fuming while leaning on the mantel above the fireplace.
They both came to attention and watched as Callum led Sonia down the stairs and into the room.
Callum's gaze went to Gregor and he demanded, "I'll want to know the meaning of this."
Gregor slowly closed his eyes, visibly seeking patience and when he opened them, he said in his cool, refined voice, "Remember who you're speaking to."
"I know exactly who I'm f**king speaking to," Callum returned.
"I kept her safe for you for thirty-one years," Gregor rejoined, Callum heard Sonia gasp and felt her hand tighten spasmodically in his.
He curled her hand up, drawing her nearer, and tucked it under his arm.
"You kept her safe for Lassiter for thirty-one years," Callum returned. "You vowed it, you did it. Your work is done."
"He's already claimed her," Yuri announced hostilely. "I saw the chain."
Gregor looked to his son and murmured a warning, "Yuri."
Due to Gregor's position amongst the vampires and Callum's royal standing, Callum had known Gregor all his life. However, recently, linked by the Arlingtons, primarily Sonia, Callum had grown to know Gregor and Yuri very well.
Gregor was tall, black-haired and lean. His son was blond, like his mother, and had more bulk to his tall frame.
Gregor was also quite like Mac, without the warmth. Patient and thoughtful about his actions.
Yuri was quite like Callum, as much as Callum hated to admit it. Impatient, quick to anger and when he wanted something, he f**king well got it and he'd consider the consequences later.
Except, for Yuri, he wanted Sonia.
And he would never have her.
Not only because she had been Callum's before she existed but most especially now but also because the vampire culture didn't allow vampires to mate with mortals.
Yuri didn't heed his father's warning and his gaze narrowed on Callum. "Four days. You had her four days and you've already claimed her. Tell me, Cal, did you whisper your people's secrets in her ear as you were thrusting inside her or did you simply boggle her mind with your legendary dick and she still doesn't even f**king know?"
Callum heard Sonia's indignant intake of breath, his triumphant elation evaporated and his temper rose.
"Do you want me to challenge you?" he asked Yuri and Yuri pushed away from the mantel stating he did indeed. Callum's skin prickled, he so wanted to transform to take on the challenge. But he didn't reckon Sonia, no matter how angry she was earlier and now, would like to watch her beloved "puppy" ripping her "brother" apart with his teeth.
Not to mention, he hadn't yet told her that he was her puppy and that her puppy was a werewolf.
"Control your son," Callum clipped to Gregor, not taking his eyes from Yuri.
Gregor sighed and noted, "You aren't helping, Yuri."
"No," Sonia stated flatly, her eyes on Yuri and they were cold. "He isn't."
"Sonny ndash;" Gregor started but Sonia cut him off.
"Callum took me to the cabin, Gregor."
It surprised Callum to see Gregor flinch but he recovered quickly, stood, faced her and said again, "Sonny ndash;"
"You told me it had burned down."
"My dear."
"You tore them away from me, not piece by piece but fast and painful, like ripping off a Band-Aid," she snapped. "Is that what you thought? If you took it away quickly, it'd hurt less?" She didn't give Gregor the chance to answer, she went on, "Well, I'd already lost them quickly once so it f**king well didn't!"
"Sonny, give me one moment to explain," Gregor said.
Sonia obviously didn't feel in a magnanimous mood for she proclaimed, "Callum gave them back to me. He took me to the cabin and he introduced me to Regan. She even has pictures. Do you know who doesn't have pictures of my mother and father? Me!"
"Lassiter and Cherise made me promise I'd erase your old life so you could live your new one," Gregor returned quietly. "I didn't like it but there were a great number of things Lassiter and I didn't agree on. But he was your father. That's what they wanted. I vowed to do as they asked and I did it."
Callum stared at the vampire.
The different immortal beings on earth all had uneasy relationships with each other. The relationship between vampire and werewolf was the uneasiest. However, Callum had always respected the vampire vow.
Any vow a vampire took he or she would never break it. They'd die to keep it and vampires enjoyed their immortality and most held it sacred. Unlike werewolves, who often skirmished and felt losses, sometimes numerous, amongst their own, vampires had only warred once in all of history. They didn't reproduce as easily as werewolves (who were quite prolific) and they had a variety of edicts that governed them which were pure lunacy but had been put in place to protect their species. Lastly, they couldn't procreate with humans, which werewolves could and did, frequently, which was one reason why Yuri would never be allowed Sonia as his mortal mate. Vampire law forbid it.
Werewolves by their nature were lusty and unless there was an insurrection or rebellion against the monarchy, the laws were few and wolves were free to make their own lives amongst their brethren, humans or inhumans as they liked. If Callum or his father before him or his before him attempted to enforce abundant strictures on wolves, his brethren would rebel and their culture would descend into chaos. Free to live their lives, however, werewolves were naturally warm, sociable and practically consumed life, likely because, with their intermittent fighting, it could be shortened.
Vampires were colder, far more controlled and practically every move they made was governed.
The differences between the cultures were even evident in their clothes. Both Yuri and Gregor were wearing superbly tailored suits. Callum hadn't even bothered to button the torn flannel shirt he wore over his jeans. He couldn't even remember the last time he wore a suit and didn't currently own one.
Because they were opposites, the two peoples did not get on well with each other and studiously avoided contact.
Callum had only met one vampire that he respected. His name was Lucien and Callum liked him because Lucien's intensity reminded Callum of a wolf.
Not to mention, Lucien was an epic warrior.
Sonia broke into his thoughts with an astute one of her own.
Too astute.
"You talk like they knew they were going to die," she accused and every male in the room, vampire and wolf, went still.
Callum watched with further surprise as Gregor's face slightly softened at the same time he quickly covered.
"Parents, my dear, when they become parents tend to plan for such things. Death is an ugly fact of life and when someone loves another, they'll want the one they love to be cared for if they're not around. So, Sonny, they prepared for that time, they gave strict instructions and, when I agreed to be your guardian should that unfortunate event occur, I vowed I'd follow them and I did."
It was a good cover because it was the truth, with only the fact not shared that Lassiter and Cherise Arlington prepared carefully for their deaths because what they were doing in their lives put them in mortal danger.
Callum gazed down at Sonia to see that Gregor's words had affected her. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and it cut him to the quick seeing them. He dropped her hand but curled an arm around her shoulders, tucking her front into his side.
She rested her cheek against his pectoral and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her soft body molded to his and she took in a stuttering breath.
That cut him to the quick as well and his arm around her shoulders grew tighter.
"Why would they want you to erase them?" she asked Gregor, her voice no longer flat and accusatory, it was soft and sad.
"I've no idea, my dear," Gregor answered. "Lassiter, nor Cherise, shared the reasons behind their wishes. They just shared their wishes."
She paused a moment before she continued her quiet interrogation.
"Earlier, you said you'd been keeping me safe for Callum," she stated and enquired, "Did you know about all of this?"
The air grew heavy, this mostly coming from Callum and Yuri, but Gregor kept his cool.
"Yes," he answered simply.
Sonia's voice was barely audible when she asked, "Did my parents?"
Gregor came closer, his eyes flicking to Callum as if to assess the threat, as he would do considering he was approaching a wolf's mate.
Callum lifted his chin and Gregor crept closer.
Quietly, he replied, "Yes, Sonny, they knew about your destiny. They wanted it for you. Very much so. They werehellip;" he hesitated and said the next word as if it cost him to do so, "honored that you were to be his queen."
Sonia pulled in a soft breath and her body grew tight for a second before she seemed to come to some conclusion, closed her eyes briefly and, when she opened them, she relaxed further into Callum.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" she asked, her voice still hushed but there was an accusatory note threading through it.
"Many reasons, my dear," Gregor replied, coming even closer. "Because you're human. Because there was the possibility you weren't safe. Because you needed to mature to a time when you could take all this in, understand it, not fear it and accept your destiny."
Sonia gazed at Gregor a moment, letting this sink in.
Then she looked up at Callum and noted, "Your family knew too."
"We did," Callum told her truthfully.
She looked at Gregor then Yuri then back to Callum and tried to pull away but Callum held her firm.
She gave in to his hold and remarked, "If I was eventually to live amongst you, it would have made it a lot easier for me now if your family had taken me in. I would have understood your culture. I would have grown up in it."
She was right. And she was far too shrewd.
Callum took in breath but it was Yuri who answered.
"You'd hardly have benefited from growing up with Callum and his family," he clipped and when he went on, his tone was bitter. "Trust me, things would be different about now if you grew up thinking of Callum as a brother."
Sonia, far too sweet for her own good, reacted to the bitterness, her face grew soft with understanding and sorrow and she whispered, "Yuri."
"And Sonny," Gregor added, "your parents wanted you to grow up amongst your own. Humans. It was also their wish."
This was an outright lie, considering they were vampires.
However, for thirty-one years, Gregor and Yuri had taken great pains to live the charade of a human life.
For Sonia.
And to protect her destiny, not only as Callum's mate, but also for the reason why fate chose her to be at his side during this time.
She tore her soft gaze from Yuri and looked to Gregor. She pulled in a deep breath and then released a heavy sigh.
Callum decided Sonia had had enough. It was time for this to be over and therefore he announced, "Sonia's had a stressful few days. Share why you're here so we can get on with our night."
Gregor looked to Callum and replied, "Actually, I'm here to speak with you."
"So speak," Callum ordered.
Gregor took a step back, glanced over his shoulder at his son then back to Callum and invited, "Let's walk."
Callum's eyes also went to Yuri, who was standing with arms crossed on his chest but his face was carefully blank.
Gregor had something he wanted to share privately, not for Sonia to hear.
He looked back to Gregor. "I'll not leave Sonia. It's unsafe."
"Yuri will stay with her," Gregor replied immediately.
Callum looked at Yuri to see he was now smiling.
"I don't think so," he told Gregor. "We'll go into the kitchen."
"We'll walk," Gregor replied firmly.
"We won't," Callum returned even more firmly.
"Worried?" Yuri taunted and Callum tensed.
"Why can't you just talk here?" Sonia cut in.
"I need to have a private word with your mate," Gregor answered and it was Sonia's turn to go tense.
"More secrets?" she queried irately.
"Business, Sonia," Gregor retorted, his tone surprising Callum by turning positively fatherly and surprising Callum further when Sonia's expression turned visibly daughterly. Gregor continued, "Between his family and mine. It's late, I'm tired, I want to get this done and it won't take long," he turned to Callum. "Let's walk."
Callum didn't move a muscle.
"Callum," Gregor said on a weary sigh. "No matter Yuri's behavior tonight, Sonia's safe with him. He'd never do anything to cause a rift between our families."
"That's surprising, considering some of the things that have come out of his mouth tonight," Callum replied.
"Take a moment and stand in his shoes," Gregor retorted sharply, uncharacteristically losing patience.
Callum didn't want to do as Gregor suggested but he couldn't stop the visions from invading. The very thought of wanting Sonia and walking in on her na**d and connected to a vampire made his blood start to heat.
"We'll walk," he muttered but his eyes went to Yuri. "Sonia's going directly to bed."
"I thought she and I could share a nightcap," Yuri returned acidly.
"She's going to bed," Callum repeated and, not waiting for further response, he turned and guided her up the stairs.
She was unresisting and she was silent.
Until they hit the room.
"Callum ndash;"
"Get in bed, honey, I'll be back before you know it."
She stood by the bed and crossed her arms on her chest, declaring, "I don't like this."
Callum didn't either but he clearly had no choice.
There was something pressing on Gregor's mind and Callum's instinct was to find out what it was so he could deal with it, as well as everything else, and move on.
He buttoned the buttons on his shirt saying, "The longer we discuss this, the longer it will take for me to get this done."
Sonia didn't seem to be worried how long it would take for she retorted, "I don't know what part about lsquo;this' I don't like most. The fact that you and Gregor are taking a walk to talk about something you don't want me to overhear. The fact that you stated I was going to bed when maybe I don't want to go to bed. Or the fact that you led me out of the room without letting me say goodnight to the men who raised me."
Callum studied his mate. He didn't know her very well but he was beginning to recognize something about her. And that was, only Sonia could find three things about the vague concept of "this" to be pissed about.
"We're not arguing now," he stated decisively.
"Then we'll argue later," she returned.
With that, she climbed into bed, turned out the bedside lamp and settled in, commanding, "Leave the Christmas lights on when you go."
Callum sighed. Then he tugged on his socks and boots. Then he walked down the stairs, stopped and looked at Yuri.
"She had a break-in the night I took her," he informed the vampire and saw Yuri's eyes flash before turning hard. "Kidnap attempt," Callum went on. "The intruders were rough with her."
Yuri's voice was as hard as his eyes when he replied, "I hope you dealt with them."
"I did," Callum confirmed and he saw another flash, this one grimly satisfied for he knew what Callum did to the two wolves who touched Sonia.
And Callum found himself grimly satisfied learning from that brief exchange that Gregor was correct. No matter Yuri's foul behavior that evening, he'd never let anything harm Sonia.
He jerked his head at Gregor, grabbed his coat and they walked.
Gregor was silent for a block and a half and Callum was losing patience when Gregor finally spoke.
"Something's changed," he proclaimed.
"And that would be?" Callum prompted when Gregor went no further.
"Lucien has found his lifemate," Gregor shared and that news was definitely worth a proclamation.
Nearly every immortal race had lifemates.
Vampires didn't believe in them. As they wouldn't.
After they warred centuries ago, they wrote the copious laws they lived under. Amongst them they outlawed mating with mortals (and anyone else for that matter) and, at that time, forced all vampires to denounce their mortal or non-vampire mates. They'd even hunted, tortured and executed vampires and mortals who refused. From that point, they'd only been allowed to mate with vampires which significantly lowered the chances of finding that one, single soul in billions who you were destined to spend eternity with.
Therefore, they'd turned their backs on the idea of lifemates.
Callum grinned to himself that it was Lucien who'd declared a lifemate. That vampire had balls.
"Is it Katrina?" Callum asked, hoping it was not.
Lucien was bound to another vampire who went by the name of Katrina. Callum had also met her, she was stunning to look at but she reminded him of Mona.
"No, he was granted severance from Katrina," Gregor answered, Callum nodded his head and Gregor continued. "And then he had necessityhellip;" Gregor paused, "to dispatch her."
Callum felt his lips get tight.
Vampires officially bound themselves to other vampires but they had an out, called "severance", which was like a mortal's divorce.
Unlike the vampire vow, which clearly didn't include their vows to their mates, Callum found the concept of vampire severance repulsive. Werewolves had nothing like it. A wolf would never sever from his or her mate.
Never.
However, if his mate was Katrina, Callum would consider it.
Nevertheless, "dispatching" her was beyond the pale, even for a vampire. This idea was even more repugnant to Callum. The only thing he knew, knowing Lucien, was that if the deed was done, there was a valid reason behind it.
"Who is she?" Callum asked.
"A mortal," Gregor answered and Callum stopped short.
He turned and stared at the vampire. "You're f**king joking."
Gregor stopped too and regarded Callum. "I'm not."
"Bloody hell," Callum muttered, finding himself concerned for Lucien.
Vampires liked their laws, had lived under them for half a millennium and not mating with mortals was top on their list.
Lucien and his mate could be hunted, tortured and executed.
"Are they ndash;?" he started but Gregor shook his head.
"Things becamehellip;" Gregor hesitated, "uncomfortable for a while. However, several members of The Council, including, obviously, myself, saw the wisdom of rescinding that particular edict. We were successful in convincing the others as well."
Callum continued to study Gregor, keeping his face perfectly blank and his turbulent thoughts to himself.
It had begun. The Prophesies, or what he knew of them, were coming true.
Even the parts Callum had hoped would not.
Bloody hell.
"So the foundation of vampire culture has shifted," Callum noted.
"It has indeed. Not only Lucien but all vampires are free to take mortal mates if they so choose."
Callum's jaw grew tight and he started walking again. Gregor fell in step by his side.
They rounded the block and kept walking together silently.
After some time, Gregor spoke again and, when he did so, he did it quietly.
"This means Yuri is free to take a mortal mate."
Callum halted and turned instantly to the vampire, fighting the blinding fury that immediately started roiling inside him.
"Don't say another word," he warned.
"Callum, hear me out."
"Absolutely f**king not."
"Callum, hear me out," Gregor repeated but Callum started walking again and Gregor again fell in step by his side.
"She's my daughter," Gregor stated.
Callum stopped once more and turned to the vampire. "She's your ward."
"She was my ward, thirty-one years ago. That's a long time, Callum, nurturing a mortal, watching her grow up, putting Band-Aids on her skinned knees, arguing with her about eating peas and hoping you bought her the birthday present she wanted most of all." Callum ground his teeth together, unaffected by the depths of Gregor's heretofore unknown fondness for Sonia as Gregor finished, "Since then, she became my daughter."
"And you're saying you want me to renounce my queen, walk away from my f**king mate, so you can keep your daughter?" Callum bit out.
"I'm saying I don't want her to die," Gregor returned coolly. "Ever."
Callum sucked in breath. He knew where this was going.
And he had no idea Gregor felt this deeply for Sonia but he didn't disbelieve it. Gregor was not a warm male, not openly. But Sonia was a warm woman and it would be hard not to feel deeply for her, especially if you had thirty-one years of putting Band-Aids on her skinned knees and buying her birthday presents.
Gregor continued, "Yuri adores her. He has since the moment he laid eyes on her. He'll take care of her. He'll give her anything she desires ndash;"
"You need to stop talking," Callum warned.
Gregor ignored his warning and announced what Callum already knew, "He'll give her immortal life."
Callum sucked in breath.
Vampires fed on human blood, they had since time began. As their species developed, it also developed the capacity to protect its prey. Therefore, at the exact same time vampires fed, they released healing properties into their human meals through their saliva. These properties were extraordinarily strong, they helped the bite heal and the blood to regenerate swiftly.
And, if released into the bloodstream of a human regularly and for any length of time, it could do more. Regress aging, fight disease, greatly hasten the healing of broken bones or, say, halt the effects of a deadly blood disease.
And, if released into the bloodstream of a human regularly and indefinitely, it could keep them young, vital and alive forever.
"I know your people don't understand this concept but this is my lifemate you're talking about," Callum growled.
Gregor's tone was actually gentle when he replied, "Lifemate? Hardly, Callum. Her life, maybe. But yours?"
Callum's skin started prickling again, even so far as stinging and he felt his blood start to heat as the transformation started.
He hadn't transformed without willing himself to do so since he was a young wolf who hadn't yet learned control.
It took effort but he held it back and started walking again swiftly, his long legs eating the distance to round the block which would take him back toward Sonia's house.
Gregor kept up with him, pace for pace.
"Think of her, Callum," Gregor urged calmly. "What she'll go through, aging while you do not age, knowing that ndash;"
Callum cut him off, "This conversation is over."
"Callum, you must think of Sonia."
Callum yet again halted, turned on the vampire and took a step closer, clearly aggressive and on the offense, bending slightly so he was nose-to-nose with Sonia's guardian.
"I said, this conversation is over."
Gregor held his cool and Callum's scowl for long moments before he replied, "Fine, Callum, the conversation is over."
"Don't raise this subject again, not with me, not with Sonia," Callum commanded.
Gregor pulled in breath through his nose then sighed and agreed, "I won't raise it again, with either of you."
"Yuri either," Callum went on.
"I'll speak with Yuri," Gregor promised.
"I want your vow on that," Callum demanded, he watched Gregor's eyes flash then the vampire nodded.
"You have my vow."
Callum felt his body relax.
But he wasn't finished. "If you and Yuri want to be a part of Sonia's life, no matter how short it may be, you'll not behave like you did tonight. Especially Yuri."
"As you can see, my news was important," Gregor returned.
"Call next time," Callum gritted out.
Gregor's jaw tensed but he nodded.
"Yuri speaks to her like that again, or to me when she's within hearing distance, I'll tear him apart, burn the pieces and scatter the ashes to the winds."
This threat was not idle, Gregor knew it and he knew Callum could carry it out.
Yuri might be a vampire with extraordinary abilities, including strength.
But Callum was king of the werewolves and his family didn't rule because they were good at diplomacy. They ruled because they were the strongest, swiftest, most cunning and by far the most ferocious warriors of all werewolves.
In Callum's teeth, Yuri would be shreds.
A muscle in Gregor's jaw flexed.
Then he defended, "This evening was difficult for Yuri."
"That might be so but the past four days have been traumatic for Sonia and the man she thinks of as her brother behaving like that didn't f**king help."
Gregor held Callum's scowl for a moment before he acceded, "Your point is made. As I said, I'll speak with Yuri."
"Good," Callum bit out.
Finished with their f**king stroll and definitely finished with their conversation, he turned and walked the rest of the distance to Sonia's house. He didn't speak the entire time nor did he do so when he entered her house and took off his coat.
He was striding to the stairs, not having deigned even to glance at Yuri, when he ordered, "You let yourselves in, you'll lock up on your way out and you'll never use your keys again unless you know Sonia and I aren't in this f**king house."
"Callum," Gregor called.
Callum stifled a growl, stopped, turned to Sonia's guardian and regarded him in silence.
"We'll expect to see Sonia during the holidays," Gregor said quietly.
"We'll see," Callum replied roughly, put them out of his mind and took the stairs two at a time.
Sonia was asleep on her side when he'd disrobed and joined her in bed.
He fitted his body to the curve of hers and, with his arm around her waist, he hauled her deeper into his still agitated frame.
He had a great deal on his mind but the only things catching his attention were the exact things he wished not to think about at all.
He had a vast number of friends who had found their mates. Claiming stories were shared freely and outrageously amongst wolves, both male and female, even bragged about. Fuck, it was such a common practice he even knew his parents' claiming story.
Keen to find his connection, Mac had gone on a quest to seek his mate. It had lasted years, but Mac, with his usual patience, never grew frustrated.
He'd sensed Regan well before he was even in her vicinity. He'd tracked her and found her sitting on the steps in front of her parents' cottage in France, eating an apple and, apparently, as reported to Callum by Mac, waiting for him.
Mac had seized her immediately, dragged her into the wood surrounding her parents' cottage and claimed her on the forest floor, clasping the chain he'd carried in his pocket for centuries around her waist before he'd done it.
Until the deed was done, Mac didn't even know her name.
And that was the wolves' way. Wolves didn't f**k around.
The male seized the female, claimed her and their lives began.
Although wolves didn't shy away from talking about sex and mated wolves didn't balk at unseemly (to other cultures) public displays of affection, Callum was grateful not to know the particulars of his mother's claiming as he did some of his friends.
What he did know was that was it. Regan was then Mac's and their lives together started there. Callum wasn't a romantic and never imagined their relationship was perfect in the centuries they had together. But it was solid, it was strong, it was affectionate and tender and, last, it was loving.
What Callum had with Sonia might not have started like other wolves but with the way he felt the moment her hand drifted toward him last night while he was wolf then stroked his muzzle with drowsy affection. The way he felt when she threw the covers aside and offered to make him warm. The way he felt when she pressed herself to him and fell asleep. The way he felt when her eyes opened that morning and she stared at him with that sleepy look of love. The way he felt when she was connected to him and agreed she was his. The way he felt when the claiming was done and he smelled the beauty that was them. And, lastly, the way he felt through (practically) every moment in between, he knew it had ended that way.
Human or not, what he would have with Sonia was solid, strong, affectionate, tender, loving as well as spirited, fiery and unbelievably sweet. Sonia felt the pull of their connection. He knew it and she herself had declared she was his.
But now Regan was without her mate and, although his mother kept up a bright, cheerful façade, her eyes always betrayed her loss, sometimes her sorrow, sometimes even her confusion as if she didn't know what to make of a life without Mac in it.
That was to be Callum's future. There was no way of escaping it.
And this thought didn't make him anguished.
It enraged him.
So much, he felt the change, again against his will, coming over him, heating his blood and tightening his skin.
Any other time, he'd give into it, become the wolf and run.
But he couldn't, not in bed beside Sonia, nor could he go outside and roam the city streets.
So he did the only thing he could do.
He fought back the change as he released his conscious human will to his innate wolfish instincts.
And his instincts told him his mate was finally at his side. She was there for him, to take care of him, ease his way, soothe his frustrations and tame the beast within.
His hand slid over her hip, back over her bottom, between her legs and he found her. Without easing into it or waking her, he manipulated her until he heard her breath become heavy in her sleep, her h*ps moving unconsciously against his hand.
And then she woke, already wet, her breath escalating sharply as she realized what Callum was doing but she didn't begin to fight.
Callum's sweet Sonia began to moan.
Yes, asleep, awake, Sonia was f**king his.
His other hand pressed under her and between her legs. Taking over, he used the hand that had been working her to yank off her underwear and then it went back to start f**king her with two fingers.
Stroking deep, feeling her growing wetness coat his fingers as they drove again and again into the silk that was Sonia, his heart rate rose as his blood still boiled under his prickling skin and his breath grew thick when he heard her moans turn to pants. She bent a knee deep to offer him better access and she wiggled out of her nightgown as her h*ps started jerking, demanding, slamming down on his fingers.
Christ, she was f**king glorious.
His c**k hard and throbbing, he could wait no longer. He growled into the back of her hair, stopped f**king her with his fingers and flattened his hand against her pubic bone. Using his other hand to shift her hips, he roughly pulled her up with the hand between her legs until she was on her knees and he positioned himself between them.
Then he entered her with a violent, driving thrust, seating himself to the hilt.
He f**king loved it that she could take all of him. Even she-wolves couldn't take all of him.
And he loved that she was made for him. Loved not only that she understood it but also that it was Sonia who explained it to him.
He loved it that she loved to play, just as much as Callum, and just as rough and hard and hungry.
Like at that very instant, Sonia was on her knees with her sex offered to him shamelessly, her thighs quivering in joyful anticipation and he gave her what she wanted. He pulled back, surged forward and seated himself to the root yet again.
And again.
And again.
And he did it with a ferocity he would only use with a wolf, never a human. Fucking Sonia so hard her moans were sharp and curt, jolted to silence by his thrusts.
She came up on her hands and, when she assumed the position of a wolf, his need quickened, his strokes deepened and she took him, all of his cock, all of his power, feeding the force of his hunger.
He reached his long arm out and grasped her thick hair, using it and his hand at her waist to grind her into him as he drove into her, harder, harder. It hit his consciousness she wasn't only taking the pounding force of his thrusts, she was rearing her h*ps back to meet him.
He felt her sex quiver around his shaft and her breath start to rasp and he knew it was upon her.
He twisted his fist in her hair.
"Say it," he demanded.
She reared back into his cock, her rasping breath turning to scratchy cries.
"Sonia, f**king say it." His own orgasm was coming. He felt it building in his groin and he finally understood the panic she displayed the two times he had her because the force behind his oncoming cl**ax seemed like something that would tear her apart.
Not of his will, his hand twisted again in her hair, forcing her neck to arch as she moaned deep in her throat, his own voice gravelly when he changed his command, "I want to hear you f**king scream it."
"Wolf," she whispered, then her sex convulsed around his c**k with her orgasm and she did as he commanded, her words shrieked so loud, it wasn't a possibility the neighbors heard, it was a certainty, "My wolf!"
At her words, he buried himself inside her silken wetness and exploded with a guttural snarl, feeling an intensity he'd never experienced. It was akin to the change to wolf, it was like exploding out of his skin.
And the power of it was startling and magnificent.
When he recovered he released her hair but held her h*ps and continued to thrust gently inside her. She'd collapsed on her front, her head in the pillows, her hair fanning everywhere, her breathing still labored. She continued to offer her sweet ass to him as he tenderly plunged inside her, her h*ps angled up and pressing, encouraging, a loving invitation, a tender capitulation, a beautiful reminder that she belonged to him.
He glided a hand from her hip, over her bottom and up to his chain which had slid high up her back, catching under her br**sts. He tugged it down where it caught lightly on her h*ps so he could remind his mate of its presence, something he never wanted her to forget. Then, still thrusting, slower and slower, he trailed his fingers along the chain at the small of her back.
Her body shivered under his as the walls of her sex trembled delicately around his shaft.
Callum forced his h*ps into hers, taking her off her knees, pinning her to the bed on her belly, his c**k still inside her, her legs spreading pleasingly wide to accommodate him.
The change wasn't upon him anymore. His blood not boiling, his skin heated only from f**king his gloriously sweet, pretty, perfect little mate.
As was the reason for her existence, she'd sated him.
And, he was realizing with fierce satisfaction, she did it beautifully every f**king time.
Content, he placed his forearms into the bed at her sides to settle some of his weight off her body. He used his chin to shift her hair away from her face and, at her ear, pressing deep inside her one last time, he muttered, "My glorious queen, I told you we'd have a beautiful life, you and I."
And, with his still hard c**k buried deep inside his queen, Callum, king of the wolves, fell asleep while the Christmas lights from Sonia's tree cast a glow on their connected bodies.
Chapter Eleven
Scales
Still mostly asleep, Sonia's hazy consciousness registered the covers slowly sliding down her body.
She was on her belly. Even motionless she could feel the delicious ache in every single muscle and a luscious throbbing between her legs that was a vague ache but a greater feeling of gratification. The ache was the ghost of Callum pounding inside her, the gratification was the reminder of being headily stuffed full.
Her eyes fluttered open then closed as she felt the fleeting touch on the skin of her upper bu**ocks where the needles were jabbed for her injections.
This fleeting touch became a different kind as if lips were trailing there.
She sighed at the beauty of it and momentarily melted back to sleep.
Then she felt strong fingers grasp her h*ps and she was gently rolled, arms came around her and she was lifted.
She nuzzled into Callum's warm, hard, weirdly fully-clothed body, tucking her face in his neck and seeking slumber as he settled into the bed, his back to the headboard, his knees cocked, Sonia snug in his lap.
"Sonia?" he called and her eyelids fluttered again.
"So sleepy," she whispered, cuddling closer, one of her arms bent and pressed between them, the other hand resting on his massive chest.
"I know, baby doll," he murmured, his arms growing tight for an instant then she felt his temple glide lovingly against her hair.
"I like it when you do that," she told him, pressing her nose to his neck for a moment then settling and sighing, exhaustion and the heavy ache of her body calling her back to sleep.
"When I mark you?" She heard him ask through her waning consciousness.
"Mm," she replied, falling briefly into a doze as his arm around her calves shifted to become fingers trailing from her knee down her inner thigh.
"Sonia, honey," Callum called and her eyes fluttered again.
"Wolf, I'm sleepy," she protested weakly and to make her point, burrowed deeper into his hard frame.
At her words, his trailing fingers became a gentle grip on the flesh of her inner thigh for a moment before they started trailing again.
"You said that, little one," he replied softly. "I wanted you to know that the men are here. You need your rest and I need to get to work so I called them here." His fingers were still trailing from knee to mid-inner-thigh and back again as he finished, "I came up to tell you because I didn't want you to be alarmed if you woke and heard voices."
"Okay," she replied, her thoughts still drowsy, her attention reverting to his fingers' movements.
He kissed the top of her head and muttered in a final way, "You sleep as long as you like."
Sonia wasn't listening.
Her body decided his fingers weren't going deep enough and, on a downward trail, her h*ps unconsciously, lazily, rose to lengthen their route.
Those fingers stilled.
Involuntarily, a disappointed noise escaped the back of Sonia's throat.
His hand dropped instantly and his big palm rested warmly at the juncture between her legs.
It registered on her somnolent brain that that felt nice.
His voice had grown husky when he asked, "Do you want a little play, baby doll?"
Before her mind fully woke, her body used her mouth to answer quietly, "Yes, Callum."
"My sweet, greedy queen," he muttered, his voice rough and satisfied as his palm moved away but his fingers moved in. Finding her instantly they twitched and vibrated until she shoved her face in his neck, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and ground into his fingers.
She was panting gently against his skin when his fingers plunged inside her, stroking tender but deep.
"God, I love the feel of you," he whispered adoringly, the tone of his words Sonia missed as she focused on the beautiful tension gathering around his fingers. "Are you going to come for me, little one?"
"Yes," she breathed, pressing to meet his strokes.
His fingers drove deep and stilled as his thumb hit the core of her, pressing and twitching and the tension built swiftly then exploded magnificently.
After, she instantly relaxed into his body as the calm of her post-orgasm and Callum's warm frame enveloped her, making her feel safe.
"So wet," he muttered, his fingers still toying with her tenderly as she drifted slowly to sleep in his arms. "The times are few, Sonia, when I regret my calling as king. But right now, with you in my arms like this, so f**king sweet, so f**king wet, I'd give anything to be able to stay here with you and eat you clean instead of having to walk down those stairs."
"Mm," was all Sonia could say, having no idea that Callum had not ever shared with a living being any regrets about his royal duty. He'd further never been tempted by anything enough actually to consider, even for an instant, avoiding that duty.
The next second, the throbbing still there, with renewed and intensely more delicious vigor that lulled her body, Sonia fell asleep with Callum's fingers still playing between her legs.
* * * * *
Sonia woke, her eyes opening to see her pillows and thoughts of yesterday, last night and this morning crashed painfully into her head.
Her body under the covers that were tucked snug around her went rigid.
"Oh my God," she breathed to the pillow.
She felt the ache in her muscles, the insistent throb between her legs and every inch of her skin grew hot with shame when she remembered last night (both times but especially the second time) and this morning (good goodness!).
She closed her eyes tight and turned her flaming face into the pillows as Callum's words of last night echoed in her ears.
"My glorious queen, I told you we'd have a beautiful life, you and I."
And she had lain under him, listening to those words, her legs spread brazenly wide to receive him, her body glorying in his weight pressing her into the bed, him still seated deep inside her, filling her full as she drifted into an exhausted sleep of deep abandoned contentment.
And she'd not wanted to lose him, his weight, his warmth, his shaft filling her full, making her feel whole.
"My glorious queen, I told you we'd have a beautiful life, you and I."
Memories, sharp and stabbing, filled her head.
Yesterday morning, Callum claiming her and then practically forgetting about her for hours.
Yesterday afternoon, Callum telling that poor, sick, clearly demented woman she was "just a f**k" while Sonia, his mate, his supposed wife, sat in his lap facing his ex-lover.
He'd even rubbed his temple against Sonia's hair, making it clear to the woman, who was obviously hung up on him (and not in a healthy way), not to mention everyone in that room, that Sonia was better in bed than she was. This deepening Desdemona's humiliation to uncharted levels not to mention Sonia's.
Then he and his people laughed and joked at Desdemona's panicked struggles and Callum's sentence for her to be "sequestered". Even Ryon, who Sonia thought was a considerate man. Whatever sequestered was but clearly, whatever it was wasn't good.
And Sonia's place, her role, as silent succor to Callum. There for nothing more than him to use her "sweet little body" when he needed to work out his day.
It wasn't medieval
It washellip;
It washellip;
She didn't even know what it was!
And the things he'd said to her last night, about gagging for it, gagging for him.
And Yuri.
And Gregor!
And what they'd heard and Yuri had seen.
And the things she'd learned from them.
And that morning, oh God, that morning, sitting in his lap and letting him toy with her like she was his plaything.
No, she didn't let him, she'd practically asked him.
She did ask him!
A beautiful life? He called that a beautiful life?
More memories flooded her mind, these at war with the first.
Yesterday morning, Callum, sexy and sweet, just like her dream Callum, teasing her in bed before he'd seduced her and, for that matter, after, if only for a short time.
Yesterday afternoon, Ryon, Caleb and Calder chatting to her like they'd known her for ages. Like she was a member of their family already. Like she wasn't weird or strange. Like she fit in.
And both times Callum tucked her hand, which was held safe in his, under his arm. Drawing her nearer. Offering his strength when she was frightened in the throne room and upset while facing Gregor and Yuri.
And, looking back at it, last night on the drive home and when they arrived at her house, Callum's hilariously strained patience at dealing with her when she was in a snit (before he became an arrogant bastard who said hideous things, that was).
And the way he held her after she'd cl**axed, her back to the headboard, his hand cradling her head, something about the way he did it making her feel precious.
And the way he'd dealt with her after Yuri interrupted them, that time with amused patience in the face of her fury.
And, before they went down to face Gregor and Yuri, that kiss. That thorough, beautiful kiss. A kiss that made her feel beautiful, desired, even the impossible, loved.
And, having a difficult conversation while facing the only family she had left (outside of Callum's now, that was), she'd relaxed in his embrace. Callum showing her physically what it meant to support her during her times of struggle by holding her close, holding her strong. Showing her in ways she didn't understand and couldn't put her finger on that he stood between her and pain. Perhaps not able to halt it completely but he would be there to cushion the blow.
And at that very moment, tucked snug and warm in her covers, Callum did that. He did something tender in a way that made her feel he was keeping her safe.
"My glorious queen, I told you we'd have a beautiful life, you and I."
Now that could be a beautiful life.
But that wasn't all there was to it.
More thoughts pushed the others out and invaded her mind.
Last night, waking up with his hand between her legs, the urge already on her, stronger than ever before, changing her, taking her out of herself so she wasn't any Sonia she'd ever known but someone else entirely. She was the creature he'd created. The creature he'd claimed. The creature, on some level, her mind was telling her she actually was meant to be.
And the way he took her. The way she responded to it, wanted it, lunged to meet it, her h*ps pushing into his, his fingers sinking into her flesh and fisting in her hair. He demanded more and more and more and she gloried in giving it to him as she took it from him, needing it like it was breath.
No, like there was something vital missing. Like there was some crucial part of who she was that had been lost. She felt drawn to Callum, linked to him, in fact, just as she'd thought after he claimed her, she felt owned by him and, in so being, only Callum could give her whatever she'd lost.
And this morning, half asleep, her instincts taking over and her brazen (again!) behavior, falling asleep with his hand still teasing her between her legs.
And the way they'd fallen asleep last night and how that didn't feel shameful or scandalous (at the time, now she was horrified), but instead it felthellip;
It felt right.
"My glorious queen, I told you we'd have a beautiful life, you and I."
A beautiful life? Was all of that a beautiful life?
Did all the good that was Callum, all that was tender and affectionate and warm and teasing outweigh the things that were bad? Did it outweigh the things that caused her to feel humiliation that her life as his queen meant he felt entitled to fall asleep between her spread-eagled legs still buried inside her even though he didn't want her but only the use of her body? Did it outweigh her knowledge that something he dredged from deep inside her made her feel replete, content, whole after he'd taken her so hard, so roughly, making her scream in her cl**ax and then he'd pinned her to the bed under him, still full of him and feeling, insanely, that it was right?
It was a beautiful life to him. She knew it with the way he said it, the words still echoing in her head. He'd muttered them, quiet, sated, but the way he said it was the way you'd say the sky was blue, that grass was green, the earth was round.
Like they were just plain true.
Then again, for him, they would be.
King Callum had a sure thing at his side at all times until the day she died. He might not want her but he was a man and men, it was Sonia's experience, didn't quibble. They'd take it as they could get it, whenever they could get it and in whatever form that took (most of the time).
And, worst of all, her parents wanted this for her. They were honored she'd be his queen.
They knew his culture. They were friends with his people. They had to understand Sonia's sentence and they wanted her to be their queen, planned for it, even when she was a child.
Which meant, even though she was certain Callum would never allow otherwise, she had no choice. She was, indeed, sentenced to be his queen, trapped in this life, forever.
She wished, however, that she was with Desdemona on her way to be sequesteredhellip; whatever that meant.
Instead, she was lying in her bed aching in a way that didn't feel at all bad (even though she told herself it did). She could still feel the delicious specter of Callum seated to the hilt between her legs. And she was praying that she could spend her years focusing on the good and being able to tolerate the bad without going completely mad.
But she wasn't certain she could do it.
However, she had no choice but to try.
Fighting back the tears that threatened and the mortification that consumed her, Sonia dragged herself from under the covers. As she did she noticed belatedly that Callum, unlike any lover before him (all of whom thought her attachment to the stuffed wolf as an adult was a little bit strange), had tucked her wolf in her arms.
Strike one for the good.
Still, the scale was tilted to the bad side as if the good side had a thimble full of cotton and the bad side held a gosh darn brick (or two).
By the time she'd showered, made herself up and dressed, she had a pounding headache caused by stress, embarrassment and the constant futile churning of thoughts in her head trying to find some way to escape.
The headache persisted even though the hot shower eased the ache in her muscles though not entirely. And it didn't do the first thing to alleviate the gently pulsating reminder of the feel of Callum between her legs.
She heard (and ignored) the voices all through getting ready and continued to ignore them as she made her way down the stairs, into the kitchen and straight to the coffeepot. She poured herself a mug with a splash of skim milk and went to her vitamins, taking the cocktail of supplements with the addition of two capsules of ibuprofen.
Then, because she was their queen and queens should probably not be rude, she walked around the staircase that separated and hid most of the kitchen from the dining room. She knew, from the voices she counted, that Callum, Caleb, Saint and a voice she didn't know sat at her dining room table.
The minute she appeared in the opening between dining room and kitchen, Callum, seated at the head of the table, turned his head to look at her.
When his clear blue eyes hit her and her mind again registered his intense masculine beauty, her belly wobbled (but she told herself it wasn't in a good way, when it was) and she felt the blood rush to her cheeks as memories of the night before (and that morning) invaded.
Ignoring the wobble and the second wobble she felt when, the moment after his eyes hit her, she watched them grow soft in a very sexy way, she leaned against the doorjamb.
She tore her eyes from Callum and glanced about the room, saying, "Morning guys."
Everyone greeted her with warm smiles.
She heard the legs of Callum's chair against the pile of her rug as he pushed it back and twisted it toward her and her gaze went back to him.
"Come here, baby doll," he said in a rumbling, tender voice that was so intimate, so knowing, she felt the pulsing between her legs escalate.
Good goodness.
Now he only had to speak to her and her body betrayed her.
If she didn't get herself together, she was never going to find a way out.
She took in breath to calm her system and walked to him. The minute she got close, he leaned forward and hooked her about the h*ps with his arm, drawing her nearer while being careful of her full coffee mug. He settled her, as ever, in his lap.
This time she wasn't seated there because it was her duty or that was the way he liked it. This time, it was a clear, affectionate cuddle.
Sonia tried to ignore her audience as she looked into his soft, sexy eyes.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked.
She did. She slept the sleep of exhausted, abandoned contentment both after he took her last night and after he made her cl**ax this morning.
With her thinking hindered by her headache, she decided it best just to be truthful.
For now.
"Yes," she whispered and his eyes grew even softer and way, way, way sexier as the tawny slowly began to seep out of his pupils, erasing the blue and that made her belly wobble too (and her ni**les get hard besides).
Even though she fought it, she didn't win.
His head dipped down, he slid his temple along hers which was, when he wasn't doing it to be ugly to some poor madwoman, another thing in that thimble on the good side of her scale.
At her ear he said, "Me too."
Her body, betraying her again, caused her to feel some sort of triumph at the knowledge that he liked the way they slept last night and she shivered with delight in his arms.
Those arms tightened and, as if giving her a reward for her response, he ran his lips along the curve of her ear.
She shivered again.
She felt him smile against her ear.
"Callum," she mumbled.
His lips still at her ear, he whispered low, "Right now, I want to carry you upstairs, take those f**king clothes off your sweet little body and f**k you on your hands and knees like last night." Her heart stuttered to a halt, her body took over her brain completely, her legs shifted unconsciously as the pulse between them quickened and he flicked her ear with his nose before he finished, still whispering, "Just like last night."
She turned her head slightly and tilted it down so her cheek was pressed to the now far thicker whiskers of his and her lips were at the hinge of his strong jaw before she breathed, "Callum."
"Unfortunately, my little one, it'll have to wait for later," he told her and she found she was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling with it.
"Okay," she mumbled and, though she wanted it to sound noncommittal, even to her own ears it sounded disappointed.
She heard his arrogant, satisfied chuckle in her ear before he gave her another squeeze with his arms and lifted his head away.
His spell broken, Sonia realized there were other people in the room. Her face flushed with renewed embarrassment hoping that they didn't overhear Callum's whispers and her body tensed.
Callum felt it. He had to feel it and that must have been why he quickly changed the subject and asked her, "What are you doing today?"
His question surprised her.
She didn't know. She didn't know there would be a choice.
Before he lost his generous mood, she blurted, "I'd like to go to my store."
"Perfect," he grinned, the gold retreating, the blue taking over his irises and her mouth dropped open at his response and his grin. "Regan's been dying to go to your store. She's on her way here now. You can take her with you."
Sonia liked the idea of showing Regan her store. She was proud of Clear. It was, in the only way she'd ever get, like showing her Momma her store because Regan had known her Momma for ages and they'd been close friends.
"I'd like that," she said softly and Callum's eyes also went soft, this time not in a sexy way, in a tender way.
"She's also going to take you to the grocery store," Caleb announced from across the table and Sonia's head swung to face him. "You don't have any beer in your house."
Sonia glanced at the clock she could see over her sink in the kitchen and back at Caleb.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," she informed him.
"Your point?" Caleb shot back hilariously before he grinned.
Sonia grinned back.
"Queen Sonia, this is Magnum, he's Sergeant of Callum's Royal Guard," Saint introduced the man sitting at the table that Sonia didn't know. Though she had briefly met him, though didn't remember his name, in the round robin introductions yesterday after they'd dealt with Desdemona.
"Magnum," she smiled at him.
"Queen Sonia," he replied.
She threw her hand out and said to Magnum, "Considering all this queen stuff is new and I don't want to get a big head, you know, being suddenly royal and all, it's probably best to lose the lsquo;queen' part and just call me Sonia." Her eyes glided to Saint to include him in her statement.
She felt Callum's body relax under hers and hadn't noticed it was tense. He leaned forward and grabbed his coffee mug from the table, taking her with him and bringing her attention to him. As he leaned back, his neck twisted, he looked at her and he winked.
King Callum winked at her.
Holy cow.
Her body went statue-still.
He took a sip of coffee, replaced the mug, sat back and his hand at her hip gave her a squeeze before he called, "Baby doll?"
"What?" she whispered, still frozen, mind blank, reacting to the wink and the fact that that one wink took the cotton out of the thimble and filled it with cement.
"You okay?" Callum asked.
She blinked. Then she swallowed.
"I just have a headache," she replied.
One look at his face told her that was the wrong answer. His brows shot together and his hand at her hip gripped her harder.
"Do you get those often?" he enquired.
"What?"
"Headaches?" he asked, his voice not soft, not tender, not teasing but sounding impatient.
"Umhellip;" she was uncertain of the state of affairs or, more to the point, uncertain how his mood had flipped so quickly. For goodness sakes, it was just a headache. "Not really. I mean, occasionally. When I'm under stress."
"Did you take something for it?" he queried, she nodded and his hand relaxed as did his body. "Is that what I heard you taking this morning?"
She nodded again, saying cautiously, "That and my vitamins."
"It sounded like you were opening a pharmacy in there. How many vitamins do you take?"
She did a quick mental calculation and told him, "Six."
He stared at her.
"In the morning," she went on when he didn't speak. "I take a couple more at lunch."
He burst out laughing.
She blinked again at his second change of mood in the last thirty seconds then she decided to look on the bright side. At least he didn't look angry anymore.
His hand traveled up her back to cup her neck and maneuver her head toward his.
Mouth again at her ear, he stated quietly, "We'll work out that stress later, baby doll."
And, fighting the shiver his words caused, she could do nothing but nod yet again.
His other hand slid up the outside of her thigh, over her hip and under her silk knit, wide ribbed, black turtleneck, then down, digging into the waistband of her winter white wool slacks.
This time, she hadn't forgotten their audience and she stiffened in his arms.
"Callum, what are you ndash;?" she stopped when his long finger hooked on something under the material of her slacks and he pulled out her claiming chain. Freeing it completely, he settled it around her h*ps outside her slacks as she finished breathily, "Doing."
Her mind took that moment to remind her how the chain felt dangling from her body while he drove into her last night, the delicate links a tantalizing torment against her sensitive skin. And more, after they had cl**axed, when she had lowered her arms and Callum was still behind her, gently thrusting inside her, the chain had slid up her waist, her ribcage, to rest on the underside of her overly aroused br**sts. The charm tweaking so close to her nipple, at the time, every inch of her body so responsive, she'd had to bite her lip not to cry out in pleasure.
That reminder, so sharp it was almost as if took her back to the actual moment, made the urge start to surface, wanton impulses flooded her brain. Things she wanted to do to Callum. Things she wanted him to do to her.
"I like to see it," Callum muttered, his voice bringing her hooded eyes to his. His gaze lifted from the chain to her face and his body grew tight under hers then he whispered, "Fucking hell, baby doll."
She took in a fluttering breath and tried to calm her thoughts, focusing on his hand still moving at her chain. He was fiddling with it and her head tipped down to look.
Then her mind erased as she saw for the first time (as she hadn't had a lot of time yesterday and she hadn't been paying much attention to anything but to her fevered thoughts this morning), the charm.
In heavy gold, beautifully rendered, it was the head of a snarling wolf with two eyes made of yellow diamonds.
"It's a wolf," she breathed and she was so taken by the charm, entranced by it, she missed the air in the room getting tense.
She forgot the bricks on the bad side of the scale. She forgot everything. Except the fact that Callum had put that charm on her claiming chain.
Her head snapped up and he'd moved so close, he had to rear his own back to miss being clipped on the chin.
"I love wolves!" she cried, unable to hide the delight in her voice and still not sensing the air, which had now lightened considerably. In fact, she was so touched by this gesture of Callum's (obviously someone told him that she loved wolves), that she didn't even notice the soft chuckles coming from the table.
Callum's face was back to that affectionate softness when he replied, "I know you do, honey."
"No, I really, really love wolves," she blurted.
The chuckles grew louder but she still didn't process it as Callum was now smiling a white, gorgeous smile and his voice held his own mirth when he said, "Yes, honey, I know."
Her head tipped back down and she remarked with wonder in her tone, "He's a beauty."
"I'm glad you think so."
She whipped her head back again and uttered with feeling, "Thank you."
His head dipped and he rested his forehead to hers. "You thanked me last night, baby doll, twice. But the second time was so good, you earned another charm."
Her breath caught, her br**sts swelled but she had little time for these reactions.
His mouth took hers in a thorough, beautiful kiss much like the one he gave her last night but this one was different. It was also hungry. Further, it was in front of an audience.
"Should we leave the room?" Caleb asked in a teasing voice.
Callum pulled away and glared at his brother.
Sonia, blushing, back to embarrassed, ducked her head under his chin, tucked her face in his neck and chanced a glance at the group from under her lashes.
They were all grinning at her and Callum.
But it was Saint who noticed her pinkened cheeks and said to her gently, "I remember those first days after I claimed my mate, Sonia. You don't have anything to be embarrassed about." He looked around the table and said, "We all have either felt it or want to."
Considering Sonia's face was burning so hot, before it melted to oblivion, she decided the best thing to do was to change the subject and do it immediately, "You have a mate?"
"I do," Saint replied.
"I'd like to meet her," Sonia told him.
"I'm certain she'd like that too," Saint smiled.
Callum's arms came around her and she decided to take a sip of her coffee instead of giving him her attention, as giving him her attention was making her do stupid things.
Not having her facing him didn't deter Callum in the slightest.
His mouth came to her ear and he whispered, again low, "Something else we're going to do later, baby doll. You're going to tell me what was on your mind a minute ago when you looked like you look about a split second before you come."
Sonia bit her lip, slid her eyes to the side, caught the seriously sexy look on his face (or, it might have been a sexy serious look, she couldn't quite tell) and decided her best way forward was just to nod.
This was the right thing to do. He slid his temple against hers again.
She relaxed in his arms.
The doorbell rang.
"That'll be Regan," Caleb announced.
"I'll get it," Magnum offered and rose from his chair to go to the door.
"Sonia," Callum called.
Sonia kept sipping her coffee with her eyes following Magnum as she mumbled, "Mm?"
"Ryon tells me you throw a Christmas party every year."
That statement brought her head around and she looked in Callum's eyes, wondering what was on his mind.
"Yes," she answered tentatively.
"I've decided, since this situation is likely to keep us here for a while, regardless if we take care of it, we'll stay for the holidays. You should go ahead with the party."
Sonia's heart leapt and another thimble full of cement (maybe two, or even three) joined the first.
"Really?" she asked.
"Really," he replied, his eyes studying the expression on her face with a look in them she could swear was almost doting. "You like Christmas so I want you to have your Christmas just as you like it."
"Hello all," Regan called as she came in but Sonia only had eyes for Callum and only had thoughts on the fact that her heart had skipped a happy beat.
Not of her volition, her hand came up and rested against the side of his head.
Then she used her thumb to smooth his dark brow after which she moved it down and she used it to stroke his bottom lip.
Then she said softly, again with feeling, "Thank you."
So deep in her gratitude, she noted only in a dazed way that Callum's face was suddenly hungry, his eyes were fully tawny and she heard him growl. It came deep from the back of his throat and seemed to vibrate through her body, sending the ever-present pulsating between her legs soaring.
"Oh my, the newly claimed," Regan observed and both Callum and Sonia, with effort, turned to focus on Callum's mother. "It's a shame this business is happening now, you two need a few weeks alone in a castle."
Sonia stared at her but Caleb spoke in a mutter. "I just hope he can keep his mind on the matter at hand and off his dick."
"Caleb!" Regan snapped at the same time Callum bit out the same word.
"Give me a break, Regan," Caleb returned. "You haven't been here the past ten minutes. Seriously, the newly claimed, f**king hell."
Sonia, firmly out of the moment and back to embarrassed, squirmed in Callum's lap. Callum felt it and he didn't like it.
Therefore, he aimed a dark look at his brother.
"Caleb, I'll not tolerate that shit again," he warned in a dangerous voice.
"Whatever," Caleb mumbled, obviously used to Callum's dangerous voice.
"All right, moving on," Regan announced in a way that said she had lots of experience stepping between her battling sons. "Sonia, sweetheart, we're going to the grocery store. Callum called this morning and said practically everything in your refrigerator is white. I don't know what that means but I do know it doesn't sound good. Our people eat," she finished on a smile.
"Sonia's taking you to Clear now, Regan," Callum informed his mother. "You can go to the grocery store later."
"Brilliant!" Regan cried instantly as her eyes lighted and she clapped happily.
When she did so, Sonia noticed she was carrying a small, glossy, charcoal gray shopping bag.
Wow, it was barely 11:00 o'clock and Regan had already been shopping. Callum's Mom was clearly the shopping master.
Taking her mind off the bag, her husband and moving it to the day before her, Sonia slid out of Callum's lap, taking another sip of coffee before saying, "I just need to run up to my office and get the invitations for my Christmas party. They're ready to post. There's a mailbox on the way to Clear."
Those invitations had been ready to post, stamped and addressed since the day after Thanksgiving.
Callum was letting her have her Christmas party, something she looked forward to all year.
And, Sonia hoped, maybe, just maybe, if things kept going like this, the good would eventually outweigh the bad.
"Excellent, sweetheart," Regan smiled warmly at her and Sonia smiled warmly back.
Another, definitely larger, thimble of cement on the good things side of the scale was Regan. Until then, Sonia hadn't fully realized what she was missing growing up with Gregor and Yuri and no motherly-type figure.
It was lucky she realized it when she actually had a motherly-type figure.
She smiled to herself, suddenly strangely contented. So much so her headache had disappeared. She walked into the kitchen and put her mug in the dishwasher then ran up the stairs to her office. Piling the invitations down the length of her arm, she ran back down.
Callum was in the living room, his head bent to his mother, when Sonia arrived.
Regan took one look at her and stated, "I'll go get a bag, easier to carry those."
"There in ndash;" Sonia started to tell Regan where to find a bag but Regan waved her hand, rushed forward, divesting Sonia of the invitations and bustled off.
"I'll find them," she muttered and Sonia watched her go.
"Baby doll," Callum called and she turned to him. He got close and grabbed her hand, mumbling, "One thing."
His head was bent to her hand and she looked down too. He was carrying a jeweler's box in plush, charcoal gray velvet. He flipped it open and she saw the sparkle inside just a moment before he pulled out the two rings nestled together there and tossed the box unceremoniously on a table close to them.
Then, without further ado, he slid a set of wedding rings on her left ring finger.
Sonia held her breath and stared as he slid on the thin wedding band of gold imbedded with twinkling yellow diamonds and its accompanying yellow diamond solitaire. The solitaire was huge, so gigantic it could be seen from space and it was set at the sides with more glimmering diamonds.
Regardless of the diamond's size, it wasn't ostentatious but extraordinary. Sonia had never seen anything like its exquisite, extortionate beauty.
Callum dropped her hand in an absent way that didn't coincide with the fact he just slid a wedding ring on her finger and this jarred Sonia out of her rapt study of the rings.
Then his hand moved to the chain that was resting outside her slacks, his finger hooked it yet again and he gave it a gentle tug.
"This is important," he declared in a kingly voice and she felt her body start to grow tight at his tone as he went on. "But your people don't understand the significance so that," he jerked his head to her hand, "will declare to your people that you're mine."
This wasn't a romantic gesture, a gesture of love.
This was another kind of claiming, one that physically proclaimed the fact that Sonia was Callum's, his possession. He owned her and the fierce, kingly look on his face cemented that fact.
The thimbles on the good side of the scale started trembling as Regan walked in carrying a bag filled with the invitations.
"Oh look!" she cried. "You're wearing your chain outside your slacks. What a lovely idea."
Regan approached and, woodenly, Sonia turned to her as Regan stopped close and beamed.
"I looked at hundreds of chains before I chose that one for you," Regan commented and at her words Sonia felt like rocks were pummeling her body. "I liked the charm," Regan went on, "such a fierce wolf."
Callum hadn't chosen the chain or the charm for her.
Like her wedding rings, his mother had.
Kings, apparently, didn't bother shopping for their mates, even if it was for things as significant as claiming chains and wedding rings.
And, as another brick crashed down on the bad side of her scales, the thimbles that were added that morning slid off the good side in the tumult.
However, unfortunately, Sonia didn't know the way of the wolves.
She didn't know that it was millennia-old tradition that a wolf's mother chose the chain to be bestowed on his mate and therefore, in a nod to Sonia's humanity but still adhering to their traditions, Regan had also chosen her wedding rings as a matter of course.
Sonia didn't even know they were wolves.
So she reacted to what she did know.
She hid the fact that her stomach had tightened and her heart had hardened as Callum brushed her lips with his absentmindedly and obviously dismissed her from his thoughts as he walked back to the dining room table. This indicating to Sonia that his show at the dining room table that morning was exactly that.
A show.
Not the sweet, tender behavior of newly claimed mates.
But a performance for his people sitting around that table so they would think all was well in the world of the king and his queen.
It was then her strange, brief contentment fled and Sonia made the fierce determination that she'd never, never be deceived like she was that morning.
Never.
So when they were in bed and she felt that urge, primal and sharp, she knew, whatever it was and from wherever it came, she was obviously not strong enough to fight it.
But her heart was her own.
Her body might betray her but she vowed she'd never lose her heart.
She mentally threw away her scales as no more measuring was needed.
This was her "beautiful life"?
So be it.
She would be his queen, his "sweet little body" to use and dismiss.
And she would be his people's queen because that was her destiny and not only had her parents wanted it for her, not only had her dreams been guiding her to it for twenty years but Gregor had kept her safe in order that she could live that destiny.
She hid these reactions and her thoughts under a falsely bright smile as Regan tucked her arm through Sonia's and led her to the door.
Chapter Twelve
Newlyweds
Sonia and Regan walked through the doors of Clear.
The minute the bell jangled, Mabel, one of Sonia's two shop assistants who was standing behind the counter with a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous, obviously Callum's people woman, shouted, "Sonny!"
Kerry, Sonia's other shop assistant, who was helping some customers, looked around and gave Sonia a big, happy smile.
Sonia adored Mabel and Kerry. They were good workers, never called in sick, came in even when they were hungover, hid it like pros and never complained. They were fantastic with customers and they were both exuberant, full of personality and made working there fun.
Their reactions to her return were balm to the soul, something Sonia needed desperately.
It was like coming home.
Sonia's gaze moved to the tall woman behind the counter who studied Sonia curiously for a brief moment then bowed her head low in deference to her queen. She couldn't exactly drop to a knee in a shop amongst humans but her message was clear.
And Sonia wondered if she'd ever get used to that the way Callum was. When they walked in the throne room and everyone sank to a knee, he'd not even glanced at them.
Then again, he'd had a lifetime of feeling entitled that people would be on their knees before him.
Including Sonia.
Sonia shrugged off these thoughts and walked toward the counter with Regan at her side, not knowing what to do about the tall woman so, when her head came up, Sonia inclined her own.
Then she greeted her shop assistants with, "Hey girls."
"We were so worried," Mabel exclaimed as she rushed around the counter toward Sonia. "Diana said everything was cool but you never take off from work." As Mabel came toward her, Sonia had started to unwind her scarf from around her neck when Mabel suddenly skidded to a halt, her eyes wide on Sonia's scarf and she screeched, "Ohmigod! Look at that ring!" She gasped then let out a strangled cry before she went on, "Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Did you get married?"
Sonia tensed and Kerry's head swung toward Sonia again. Kerry excused herself and headed their way but Mabel had grasped hold of Sonia's hand and she yanked it to within an inch of her eyes.
"Look at that rock!" she shrieked. "It's huge!"
"Ohmigod!" Kerry cried, getting close. "This is insane! I can't believe this! Did you really get married?"
There it was, as Sonia had noted, her girls were exuberant.
Before Sonia could utter a word, Regan, on Sonia's right side, announced in a proud voice, "Sonia and my son eloped over a long weekend."
"Ohmigod!" Mabel and Kerry screamed in unison. They turned to face each other and then started jumping up and down, taking Sonia's hand with them as they did so, jerking Sonia's body repeatedly through her arm.
"Girls, my hand," Sonia said quietly, thinking, sadly (and trying to hide it) for all other humans, this news was reason to shriek and jump up and down.
For Sonia, it was not.
She pinned a bright smile on her face when the girls let go of her hand and looked at Sonia with their faces wreathed with glee.
"You sly fox!" Kerry exclaimed. "I didn't even know you were dating anyone."
Good goodness.
How was she going to explain this?
"Well ndash;" Sonia began.
Mabel's ebullient curiosity saved the day as she interrupted Sonia's frantic thoughts to find a cover story with, "Is he hot?"
Was Callum hot?
Only one answer to that and as hateful as that answer was, it was a big, fat yes.
"Well ndash;" Sonia started again but Kerry cut her off this time.
"Of course he's hot. Sonia's hot. Hot likes hot."
"Yeah," Mabel grinned at Sonia. "Stupid question."
"Apparently he's loaded too." Kerry grinned as well. "Heck, you sell that ring, you could feed an entire, starving African nation."
This, Sonia thought with uncharacteristic bitterness, was food for thought.
"When are we going to meet him?" Mabel asked and Sonia stilled.
She could barely come to terms with fitting into Callum's life. She'd never considered that he'd have a place in hers.
And she wasn't certain she liked that idea.
"He's very busy," she demurred but Kerry talked over her.
Shoving Mabel playfully on the shoulder she declared, "Of course we'll meet him, crazy. He'll be at her Christmas party."
Oh heck.
Sonia hadn't thought of that.
"Brilliant!" Mabel shrieked.
Sonia fought the urge to close her eyes in despair and instead attempted to beam at her girls. This fortunately worked as they beamed back.
Luckily, Sonia thought, Mabel and Kerry were the kind of people who took their employer's all of a sudden "elopement" in stride. Knowing them, they probably thought it was incredibly romantic.
However, it was highly likely that others, say the guests at her annual Christmas party, would not. They would think it was curious, even weird.
Sonia sighed. So she was weird. She could live with that and had her whole life. It was the least of her worries.
Kerry took Sonia from these disturbing thoughts and turned to Regan.
"So you're mystery, hot, loaded, new hubby's Mom. Dig it! I'm Kerry," and she offered her hand which Regan shook.
Not to be outdone, Mabel leaned in to shake Regan's hand after Kerry while saying, "And I'm Mabel and you can tell your son I get the first congratulations kiss."
Kerry turned to Mabel and protested, "Why do you get the first kiss?"
"Because I've been in the shop longer," Mabel shot back.
"Byhellip; a day," Kerry returned and this was true, they'd both been with her since it opened and they started one day after the other.
"I'm sure Callum will be delighted to receive both your congratulatory kisses," Regan stated, smiling with great humor at Sonia.
Sonia was sure he'd like it too. Kerry and Mabel were both uncommonly pretty. Heck, considering what had been inferred by Caleb, Calder and Yuri, Callum might see the two of them and go on the make.
"Callum. That's an excellent name," Kerry commented, again tearing Sonia from her thoughts.
"And, seriously, I want what you're drinking because if you're Sonia's hubby's mother, and you look like Sonia's sister, then it's got to be good," Mabel noted.
"First-rate skin care regime," Regan blithely replied. "I'll write down the products I use."
"Excellent!" Kerry cried.
"I'm Regan," she introduced herself. "And I'd love a tour of the store."
"I've gotta get back to my customers," Kerry said, grinning as she walked away. "I'll be back."
"I'll show you the store, come on," Mabel offered and then hooked her arm through Regan's and led her away as Regan threw a smile over her shoulder at Sonia.
The tall, dark-haired lady came forward and got close.
"My queen," she said softly.
Sonia looked in her startling, clear, gray eyes, something she could do as she was wearing heels and the woman was in flats. If Sonia had not been in heels, she'd be looking up.
"Please," Sonia replied quietly, "I'm Sonia."
The woman's gaze warmed and she nodded.
"And you are?" Sonia prompted.
"Diana," she replied.
"Well, thank you Diana, for being here while I've, ermhellip; been away. I appreciate it."
"Anything for my queen," Diana stated but when Sonia opened her mouth to speak, Diana quickly went on. "Though, your girls are such fun, it hasn't felt like doing a duty for my king. It's been a blast. More fun than I've had in ages."
Sonia's smile was not forced but genuine when she said, "They're a bit nuts but you're right, they're a lot of fun."
A customer approached the counter ready to check out and Diana turned to her as the customer said on a smile, "Obviously this is a special occasion, I can wait for you to ring me up."
"It is a special occasion," Mabel shouted from across the store where she was standing with Regan and Regan was examining a delicate glass decanter. "And after the tour, I'm running out to get champagne!"
"Yippee! Champagne!" Kerry cried from her spot and the customers she was with started giggling.
"Champagne for everyone, on me," Regan declared to which both Kerry and Mabel yelled, "Yippee!"
"Definitely fun," Diana commented on a chuckle and looked at Sonia. "I'll ring this up. Your mail is stacked on your desk. I've dealt with everything that was urgent. Same with phone messages. Anything that hasn't been seen to, I've written down for you. I was going to take them to Kihellip;" she stopped then went on, "um, Callum today." She smiled again and finished, "You've saved me a trip."
Sonia caught Diana's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Even if it's been fun, seriously, thank you."
Diana squeezed her hand back and said, "Delighted."
Then Diana went around the counter to wait on Sonia's customer as Sonia went to her tiny office in the back.
Within half an hour it became clear that Diana knew what she was doing. The books were done every evening. The orders had been placed that would keep them stocked for Christmas. And there was very little mail to be dealt with and most of it was junk mail that Sonia threw away. She returned the three phone messages she had and found she was completely caught up.
There came a knock on the door, Sonia called her welcome and Diana poked her gleaming, dark-hair-mixed-with-a-burnished-red head around the door.
"Regan and Mabel are off down the street to get champagne. They should be back in a second," Diana told her.
"Come in a minute and take a load off," Sonia invited and Diana gave her a grateful look.
"Things are quiet," Diana remarked as she entered and sat down. "That is, until we have to ring up Regan's purchases. She's buying half the store. Says she's doing her Christmas shopping in one fell swoop. We'll have to reorder."
This was good news. A good Christmas for Clear meant a good Christmas for Mabel and Kerry. Her girls didn't know it but, every December, Sonia split every penny of the profits in half and gave them to the girls as their Christmas bonus, augmenting it from her own personal money if they had a bad year.
This year, evidently, she wouldn't have to augment.
"I get the sense my mother-in-law likes to shop," Sonia remarked on a fond smile.
"Why do you think Harrinton's is so lucrative? Regan is our best customer," Diana joked and they both laughed.
But Sonia couldn't help but think about how Regan liked to shop. And about the thousands of dollars worth of diamonds Callum so casually slid on her finger. And the expensive way the cabin had been refitted. And Callum's SUV which was an SUV but it was also a luxury SUV. Not to mention the opulence of the Territorial Mansion.
It hadn't occurred to her before, considering she'd never seen Callum in anything but jeans and flannel shirts, but he truly must be loaded.
Then again, she reminded herself, he was a king and kings tended to be that way.
"So?" Diana said expectantly and Sonia came out of her thoughts with a start and looked at Diana's beautiful, eager face.
"So?" Sonia parroted, confused.
Diana leaned forward and encouraged, "Tell me all about it. Every detail."
Sonia's head jerked, still with confusion, and she asked, "Every detail of what?"
"The claiming!" Diana cried and Sonia jumped.
"What?" Sonia whispered.
"Mine was wild. Oh my, you wouldn't believe," she shared, apropos of nothing, leaning ever forward. "I was just going about my business and then I felt him. And, all of a sudden, I couldn't wait. I didn't know for what but I was just excited, ready. Then Harrinton was there. He'd been running. Running for miles," she sat back, fanned her face then grinned a saucy grin, "which meant he was sweaty. It was the best."
Holy cow.
Was shehellip;?
"He threw me to the ground right there and claimed me."
She was.
"Thank God no one was around," Diana went on and Sonia gasped but Diana didn't notice or was so excited to tell her tale, she didn't care and she continued, "He barely got the words out and the chain around my waist before he turned me to my knees and was on me." She sighed and finished dreamily, "It was beautiful."
