“What the fuck?” he muttered.
“Human estrogen, werewolf estrogen and human testosterone,” Ryon clipped.
“Why the bloody hell would they inject her with werewolf estrogen and human testosterone?” Callum asked tersely.
“Who fucking knows?” Ryon replied. “Orphenon can’t believe her system would even take a wolf hormone. He says some of the other things on that list are toxic to humans. Long-term use would be deadly.”
It took all of Callum’s self-control not to come out of his chair.
Instead, his hands simply balled into fists and he fought back the instant prickling of his skin.
“That’s not it,” Ryon continued, watching Callum closely.
“What?” Callum barked.
Ryon didn’t delay. “Calder’s boys finally discovered the source of who leaked the information to the rebels that Sonia is your queen.”
Callum felt a chill slide up his spine before he prompted, “And that would be?”
“Yuri.”
Callum stood so fast, his chair flew back toward the grate of the fire. His fury was palpable, his blood boiling, his mind focused on two things – halting the change and making someone pay.
“Bring Gregor to me,” he ordered in a dangerous voice and then a sudden thought occurred to him and he went on, “And my mother.”
Ryon nodded and he left at once to carry out Callum’s order.
Callum took the time Ryon was gone to scan the contents of both folders. He wasn’t in a better mood when Ryon guided Gregor and Regan into the room.
“Callum, what –?” Regan started but took one look at her son’s face and her mouth clamped shut.
Callum didn’t even look at Gregor. He turned to Ryon who was standing at the door. “I want Sonia occupied far away from this study. Talk to Mara.”
Ryon nodded.
Callum continued, “Yuri’s arriving this afternoon?”
Ryon nodded again.
“You’ll meet his plane,” Callum commanded. Ryon smiled in grim satisfaction and exited the room.
Callum took in his mother and the vampire.
“Sit,” he snarled.
They did as they were told. Regan visibly agitated. Gregor, the cold-hearted prick, completely composed.
Callum didn’t sit, couldn’t, he was hanging onto his control by a thin thread.
He stared down at them and announced, “Sonia’s disease doesn’t exist. The medicine she’s being given is a deadly toxin and Yuri is responsible for exposing her to the rebels as my queen.”
“Oh dear,” Regan muttered and Callum’s eyes narrowed on his mother.
“Callum, there’s an explanation,” Gregor replied coolly.
Callum’s gaze sliced to the vampire and he demanded, “Then you better give it to me quickly or I’ll rip your bloody head off but you’ll die knowing I’m going to play with your son until he fucking begs me to kill him.”
“Sonia’s dying,” Gregor stated.
Those two words ripped through Callum’s fury and all he could do was stare.
Gregor took in a breath and continued softly, “She became symptomatic as an infant. Naturally, as you experienced her symptoms first hand, you’ll understand that Lassiter and Cherise were frantic to find some solution. Her illness, whatever it is and even though they took her to dozens of doctors, they never discovered what it was, is unique. Like her abilities which, I presume, since she’s not hiding them anymore, you also understand.”
Gregor let this sink in and when Callum didn’t respond, he carried on.
“When no answers were to be found, Lassiter and Cherise were forced to go on a voyage of discovery. They tried everything and, knowing of immortals, they widened their search. Wolf blood, vampire blood, vampire saliva, a cocktail of this, that, the other, anything. Some worked but only for a time and she’d display symptoms again. It took years but they finally found the solution, her current injection. But they knew, as did Mac and I, that it would only be a matter of time. We knew, because of The Prophesies, that the injection would only work for so long. We knew we weren’t saving her life, we were simply prolonging it.”
“It’s my understanding that she inherited this illness from her father,” Callum noted.
“That was a lie,” Gregor replied.
Callum pulled in breath looking down and to the side. His chest had tightened again, powerfully, and the breath he’d taken did nothing to alleviate the pain.
Gregor continued, “We never told her. We wanted her to live her life free of the burden of this knowledge.” Then he finished, “I’m sure you’ll agree that was the right decision and keep to the pact that we three made.”