“I find out they’ve been doing that to her then deceiving her to doing it to herself for thirty-one years, I swear, Ry –”
Ryon cut him off yet again, stating fiercely, “You’ll have my teeth at your back.”
They held each other’s gazes for several long moments, Callum trying to decide if Ryon’s loyal declaration was for his benefit or Sonia’s.
Then Callum let it go and nodded.
“Fuck, I wish I could run,” he muttered curtly, turning back toward Sonia’s house. “It’s too long I’ve spent in this goddamned city.”
“You’ll be home soon,” Ryon replied, walking beside him. “And when you go, you’ll be taking back your queen.”
At least that was something to look forward to, so much so, Callum looked to his cousin and smiled.
Ryon returned his smile and stopped walking. Callum stopped with him.
“Speaking of your queen…” Ryon started and trailed off.
Callum automatically braced.
Ryon studied him a moment before asking, “Is everything okay with you two?”
Callum relaxed and grinned before stating, “Perfect.”
And they were perfect. Not just their play, which happened as frequently as he could manage and Sonia always greeted it with eagerness, but everything that was them was perfect.
They settled in a rhythm of life that pleased Callum very much.
He allowed her to go to Clear for two or three hours a day but kept her close any other time. Mostly in his lap, liking her near, liking her scent. The sound of her steady breathing. The sight of her elegant profile if he just twisted his neck to look at it. Her sweet ass snug in his lap, his chain within reach so he could toy with the charm she loved so much and he could have the physical reminder of their bond in his fingers.
She didn’t mind this, had settled into it nicely, in fact. As her reward, he often allowed her to do things around the house or go shopping with his mother or, if they were at the mansion, to wander freely so she could talk to and get to know her wolves. This last he’d noted, as Sonia was very sociable and sweet, she’d charmed the lot of them as Callum knew she would do.
She would often stiffen and inform him of what displeased her (or not, depending) but she was Sonia. That was her way.
They did not fight as they did in the beginning. She had clearly accepted her destiny, in fact, she’d embraced it.
Ryon’s eyebrows went up, taking Callum out of his thoughts when he enquired, “You’re certain?”
Callum turned fully to Ryon and demanded, “What are you driving at?”
Ryon blew out a sigh and noted, “Regardless of her heightened abilities, she’s still human.”
“Yes, Ry, she’s still human,” Callum remarked with strained patience.
“And female humans are not like she-wolves.”
“No, they aren’t.” Although Sonia, Callum thought, in many ways very much was.
“Cal,” Ryon went on patiently, “ours is a whole other world for her. A different culture, all of it but mostly the way a male is with his mate, what he expects of her. I’ve been watching Sonia, she’s settled quickly, too quickly. It’s strange for a human and it makes me uncomfortable.”
Callum felt his gut get tight. “What makes me uncomfortable is you watching her.”
Ryon’s body went visibly solid and his voice was threaded with angry affront when he whispered, “You insult me, my king.”
Callum studied his cousin then he reminded him, “She’s my mate.”
“Understood,” Ryon replied, “more than probably you know.”
“What does that mean?”