Wild and Free(153)

Bloody hell.

There it was, just as he suspected. A female human’s reaction indicating his protection would be considered a deceit.

“She’s not like you, Leah. She’s not grown up knowing her place in his culture,” Lucien told his bride. “If I was in his position and I understood what was at stake with my mate, I would do the exact same thing.”

Callum felt slightly better.

“Then you’d be in serious trouble too,” Leah stated firmly.

Callum stifled a growl.

Lucien looked at Callum and said with the experience of an immortal male who lived with a female human, “It’ll be fine, Callum.”

Leah looked at Callum and said with the experience that simply was female human, “It will be but only after she makes you put your tail between your legs erm… no offense intended.”

“Perhaps we can stop talking about this,” Callum suggested in a way that stated clearly the wording was a courtesy, the words were a command.

Leah bit her lip.

Lucien’s mouth twitched.

Callum stifled another growl.

“Your housekeeper’s coming,” Lucien finally noted and Callum would have kissed Mara for her timing if he didn’t know Drogan would challenge him for doing so.

“Coffee!” Leah declared delightedly. Lucien chuckled and Callum smelled that Callista had, as usual, made him a gracious host because there was far more than coffee heading their way.

Mara arrived with a tray of coffee, platters of homemade cakes and biscuits and admonishments of, “Callista is preparing a huge spread for lunch, don’t fill up.”

Sonia arrived while Leah was pouring her second cup and it was clear to see why her appearance was delayed.

She’d showered, put on light makeup and her hair shown, falling in sleek waves over her shoulders and down her back but the front was pulled back at her crown with a tortoiseshell oval threaded with a matching stick. She was wearing dusty pink cords and she put on a belted, cream-colored cardigan that fell to her hips and had a shawl collar. The soft fall of material was heavy enough to open the front wide, exposing a skin-tight army green camisole underneath.

As she had when she met their guests in her robe at the door, but probably didn’t realize, Sonia looked, from top-to-toe, the queen of a werewolf’s castle.

They all stood when she arrived. Sonia moved toward Callum with a smile at their guests and he saw her claiming chain was hidden behind the material of her cardigan but her wedding rings shown more brightly than usual as if she’d cleaned them.

Callum’s gaze turned to Leah’s finger to see she too was wearing Lucien’s symbols. Hers were black diamonds set in platinum, the engagement diamond was cut in an emerald shape rather than Sonia’s solitaire. Although the diamond was smaller, the engagement ring was layered between two bands. One embedded with smaller, baguette diamonds at the bottom, the other embedded with lustrous black onyx at the top.

At the sight, Callum instantly decided to send his mother out to get an accompanying band for Sonia. Something set with tiger’s eye.

Sonia’s fingers found his and threaded through when Leah noted, “You were right, Sonia, your coffee is good.”

Sonia’s smile deepened and he noticed she’d lost her earlier discomfiture now that she was groomed for company and her innate sociability was clearly in evidence. “It isn’t mine. Mine’s average. Callista is an artiste. Wait until you taste her cooking. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

At her innocent words, Callum’s eyes caught Lucien’s and he knew they both had gone tense.

For The Prophesies were known but they were far from clear. Therefore their mates’ fates were unknown and, as humans, both could easily perish and, as immortals, both Lucien and Callum faced a desolate eternity if they did.

Unfortunately, Callum faced it anyway, sooner or later.

“Have you asked them to stay?” Sonia enquired of Callum, taking his mind from his dismal thoughts.

“No,” Callum forced his smile. “But you just did.”

“We couldn’t,” Leah cut in.

“You are,” Sonia replied, firm but friendly. She let go of Callum’s hand and moved to Leah. “Let me take you on a tour. You can pick a bedroom. There are twelve in total but eight of them are at the top of a turret. Five are taken but, trust me, the other three are fantastic.”

Sonia guided Leah out of the room, tossing a seemingly carefree smile over her shoulder at Callum.

Leah walked with Sonia out of the room, tossing a genuinely carefree smile over her shoulder at Lucien.

The difference was miniscule but it bloody well existed.

“Callum,” Lucien called softly as Callum glared at the door and he turned his head to the vampire.