Callum liked Sonia’s story better.
What he liked best of all was that they were both, mostly, true.
Suddenly, Jo’s eyes bugged out, she leaned forward and grasped Sonia’s hand.
Callum stiffened.
This party was not in the least like a party a wolf would throw. For one thing, no one had shown up smashed. For another thing, even though it started an hour ago, still no one was smashed. That said, he was enjoying himself immensely, mainly due to being with Sonia who was taking great pleasure in entertaining her friends and being with the people who clearly cared about her.
However, he was having more than a little difficulty with humans, female and male, touching his mate. The wolf’s protective instinct of their mate was naturally strong. Callum’s protective instinct for his queen was stronger. Callum’s protective instinct for Sonia was immeasurable. You didn’t approach a wolf’s mate without permission, certainly not if you were a stranger to that wolf and you definitely didn’t touch her.
Even so, tonight amongst Sonia’s people, he couldn’t give in to the instinct. If he had, her beautifully clinical living room would be littered with unconscious bodies.
“My God!” Jo cried. “Your ring is gorgeous!”
“Oh Lord,” Jay told the ceiling as his eyes had rolled there. “Here we go.”
Jo examined Sonia’s ring closer, not taking her eyes from it but still managed to bicker. “Well it is, Jay,” she yanked Sonia’s hand toward her husband, “look at it.”
Jay didn’t look at Sonia’s ring.
He turned aggrieved eyes to Callum, seeking male camaraderie. “She’s always on me to buy her a bigger ring.”
He didn’t find his camaraderie as Callum replied abruptly, “So do it.”
It was Jay’s turn to blink, Sonia’s turn to stiffen but Jo burst out laughing.
“I like him,” she said to Sonia, releasing Sonia’s hand and jerking her head at Callum. “If I didn’t like all that was him,” she boldly gestured to Callum from top-to-toe, “then I’d like his accent. If I didn’t like that then I’d still like him.”
Sonia relaxed and smiled at Jo, as did Callum, deciding that he also liked Jo.
“If you want to make nice with the men in the neighborhood,” Jay advised with forced joviality, “you might want to take a little care.”
“It’s highly unlikely Sonia and I will be settling here,” Callum announced.
Sonia went rock-solid at his side and Jed and Jake, who were rushing up to them with their unwrapped presents in their hands, skidded to a halt and the cheerful expressions on their faces melted.
“Sonny’s moving?” Jed, or Jake, Callum didn’t know which was which, whispered.
“We haven’t decided yet,” Sonia said swiftly with a radiant smile at the boy and quickly changed subjects. “So, what do you think? Do you like them?”
The boys, as children do, human or wolf, immediately remembered their presents. Their faces lit and Jake (or Jed), shouted, “They’re awesome!”
Then both boys ran forward and gave her awkward yet genuine hugs which forced Callum to release her.
This he didn’t mind. Children were no threat.
Further, he liked watching Sonia’s relaxed, innate affection for the boys. Something which he hoped, very soon, he’d be witnessing between her and their own children.
“I’m hungry,” Jay announced and then made another try at friendly discourse with Callum. “Sonia always puts on the best spread.”
This, to Callum’s way of thinking, wasn’t true. Although there was a good deal of food and every bite-sized item he had tasted was appetizing, there wasn’t enough meat, there wasn’t enough cheese and there wasn’t a single thing that required a knife and fork. Most people took a small, white, china plate and a napkin and saw them through.
The minute Callum had seen the caterers laying out the fare, he’d been alarmed. Although no one but the other wolves in attendance had his reaction.
Wolves did not do finger food.
“You’ll undoubtedly not be disappointed this year,” Callum told Jay with truthfulness.