Wild and Free(164)

But he didn’t move because her eyes were wide as she gaped at him as wolf, face-to-face with her “puppy”.

Then her expression changed. She winced in pain but Callum knew it was the pain of betrayal.

She took in a breath that sounded both surprised and ragged before she lost consciousness. In so doing, she fell forward and rolled down a step as Callum tensed to leap but he stopped when Sonia came to rest on a wide step with her back facing him, Titium’s claw marks oozing blood through her jacket.

Titium’s men behind him all shuffled back at the sight of their fallen, bleeding queen.

But Callum didn’t notice.

He howled his fury and his muscles bunched to attack.

However Titium howled as well but Titium’s howl wasn’t fury.

It was the fucking tone of surrender which meant Callum couldn’t bloody well attack when his mouth salivated to tear into the wolf’s throat.

In the seconds that transpired, Ryon, Caleb and the Guard leaped into wolves. Ryon and Caleb were prowling, snarling and circling Sonia’s prone body. Callum’s guard was at the foot of the steps, snapping at Tititum’s men to warn them back.

Lucien, with lightning vampire speed, ran to Sonia, carefully lifted her in his arms and again like a flash, he was up the steps, disappearing into the castle.

Callum, as wolf, bounded after him.

* * * * *

There were way too many fucking people in the room.

Sonia lay on their bed on her belly, her head to the side, her weight pressed into her forearms, cords still on but back bared as Orphenon saw to her.

Younger brother to one of his Guard, Orphenon was also simply a young wolf, being only a century and a half old. But his calling made him a human doctor currently practicing in Glasgow. He’d come to be with his brother for the celebrations, his brother was one of the eight who’d witnessed the scene and after had called Orphenon in for human medical attention.

Luckily, Orphenon had learned that anything could happen anywhere and he brought his doctor’s kit with him to town.

He’d cleansed the wounds at Sonia’s back and head and had injected her to numb the pain as he stitched the claw marks together when she regained consciousness while he was still stitching.

She’d panicked, fear filling her face and started to resist, causing tearing at her stitches when she did so. It took some effort before they could calm her enough for Orphenon to administer her.

However, it was only Leah who could calm her and only Leah who she’d allow to touch her.

Only the human.

His cunning little queen, she could smell the difference in them now.

The rest of them, all of them, including Callum and every last one of his family was in the fucking room, she stared at with wary, silent fear that didn’t even begin to mask the pain she felt at their treachery.

As Orphenon stitched and Leah sat on the side of the bed holding her hand, Callum saw his mate’s mouth get tight. Then he saw Leah start to wince repeatedly as Sonia’s hand squeezed hers with each insertion of the needle.

But she still remained silent.

“She’s feeling it,” Callum growled to the wolf.

Orphenon stopped and leaned closer to Sonia’s ear. “Sonia, do you feel what I’m doing?”

She didn’t speak, simply closed her eyes tight.

Orphenon noted this, his eyes slid to Callum and he muttered, “I’ll administer another dose.”

Callum watched the doctor inject another dose of the anesthetic and Sonia flinch when he did but he spoke to his mother as it was happening.

“Get everyone out of here.”

“Callum, sweetheart, we’re worried and Sonia needs her family close,” Regan demurred and she was right.

In times of trouble for wolf, family would always be there.

“She’s not wolf. She’s uncomfortable with this. Get them out,” Callum ordered.

“Cal –”

Finally, he turned to his mother and barked, “Out!”

Sonia jumped at his tone, the fear in her eyes escalating and Callum gritted his teeth.

“The vampire should remain,” Orphenon noted. “He could be useful. He can monitor her heartbeat.”

At that, Sonia’s eyes widened and she moved, skittering on her forearms up the bed, fleeing and protecting her nudity at the same time she cringed and her eyes flew about the room in a panic trying to source the vampire.

“I can report her heartbeat is erratic, now she knows I’m vampire,” Lucien drawled with irritated dryness.

“Whoops,” Orephenon mumbled. “Didn’t know.”

“Calm, Sonny,” Leah cooed, scooting urgently up the bed with her. “It’s okay. Lucien’s okay. He’s good people. They’re all good people and they’re worried about you. Just calm down and let the doctor see to you.”