Wild and Free(37)

Gregor, nor Yuri, touched, hugged or cuddled. They were often coolly affectionate but not in any physical way.

But with Callum, even when they weren’t cuddling he found ways to touch her. Like while she was cooking, he’d get close, put a hand to her waist and look over her shoulder at the food she was preparing. Or when she was playing solitaire on his computer, he walked up behind her, wrapped his arm around her chest, pulled her back to his front and held her there for long moments before bending, rubbing his temple against hers and letting her go.

He never said anything. He just touched.

He was, all day, as he promised, entirely different – patient and tender, sometimes teasing and sweet.

Especially when he gave her the injection. His reaction was no less severe and her reaction to his soothing embrace was no less deep.

Obviously, since he did have men (he, again, talked to them on the phone often that day and she’d even met the cheeky but deferential Waring), she decided he was a leader of a cult or something. Somehow, he’d locked onto her as his “mate” and, being the leader, had convinced his people she was their queen.

They had resources. That was also obvious. Even small as it was, her family’s cabin was outfitted spectacularly. His and her clothes were outdoorsy but they were of an excellent brand and very high quality. His cell phone and computer were top of the line. The kitchen was not only stocked to the gills, everything in it was the finest you could buy – from the appliances, to the utensils, pots and pans even the food.

She didn’t believe a word he said about her father but she reckoned, in his loopy mind, he did.

It was sad that this glorious man was obviously not well.

But it was scary that, as the day progressed, something was telling her she didn’t care.

She understood how he recruited his followers. Because he was the kind of man you followed, even if he was insane.

There was something about him. It was more than the fact that he was incredibly good-looking (but that helped). More than the sharp intelligence in his blue eyes. More than the rich depth of his attractively accented voice. More than his manner filled with absolute confidence and exhibited through every movement of his powerful body and every word he spoke.

It was the quiet yet fierce force of his personality which was compelling and nearly impossible to resist.

As the day wore on Sonia found she wanted to believe in his world, to be a part of it, even (Lord forbid) the ridiculous but appealing idea of being his queen.

She was even trying to find ways to sort it in her brain. Telling herself seeing him in dreams for years meant they were supposed to be together just like he said they were. That maybe she was his queen. That maybe he was her handsome wolf.

But the logical side of her brain which was fighting the battle of its life against Callum’s captivating pull told her there were no such things as secret sects with kings and queens and wars.

He was just a madman who kidnapped her, maybe murdered men while doing it (even bad men, but still) and he intended to make her his “mate” without her getting a word in edgewise.

Therefore, long after she heard his breathing even the second night, she made good her escape.

It scared her silly, trying to creep around silently getting prepared and out the backdoor but she did it.

Even with four pairs of thick socks on, walking in his boots was clumsy and time-consuming, it was freezing and the snow was only gently falling, which meant she had to waste precious time covering her tracks.

But even though she remembered the cave being only a short, maybe twenty minute walk away from the cabin, it took her what felt like hours to get there.

She didn’t light a fire because she had no idea how but also because she didn’t want him to see it.

Instead, she carefully unbundled her medicine and food, wrapped herself in the woolly blanket she brought (and she was still chilled to the bone within minutes) and stayed awake until dawn touched the sky.

She fell into an exhausted sleep while considering her next step.

Then she sensed him.

Instantly awake and alert, she jumped up but his large form was filling the mouth of the cave before she even got the blanket off her shoulders.

She stared at him.

That was impossible. When she’d sensed him, he hadn’t been close.

How did he get there so fast? He couldn’t sense her and no one could move that fast. He had to know about the cave.

“You knew about the cave,” she whispered.

“Quiet,” his voice was even and calm.

She squared her shoulders, faced off with him and told him courageously, “I don’t want to go back.”

“Quiet!” he roared, his voice not even or calm in the slightest.

Sonia went still.

Callum strode forward, snatched up her medicine, wrapped her in the blanket, picked her up in his arms and strode angrily from the cave.