Newlyweds

 

Sonia and Regan walked through the doors of Clear.

The minute the bell jangled, Mabel, one of Sonia’s two shop assistants who was standing behind the counter with a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous, obviously Callum’s people woman, shouted, “Sonny!”

Kerry, Sonia’s other shop assistant, who was helping some customers, looked around and gave Sonia a big happy smile.

Sonia adored Mabel and Kerry. They were good workers, never called in sick, came in even when they were hungover, hid it like pros, and never complained. They were fantastic with customers and they were both exuberant, full of personality, and made working there fun.

Their reactions to her return were balm to the soul, something Sonia needed desperately.

It was like coming home.

Sonia’s gaze moved to the tall woman behind the counter who studied Sonia curiously for a brief moment then bowed her head low in deference to her queen. She couldn’t exactly drop to a knee in a shop amongst humans, but her message was clear.

And Sonia wondered if she’d ever get used to that the way Callum was. When they walked in the throne room and everyone sank to a knee, he’d not even glanced at them.

Then again, he’d had a lifetime of feeling entitled that people would be on their knees before him.

Including Sonia.

Sonia shrugged off these thoughts and walked toward the counter with Regan at her side, not knowing what to do about the tall woman so, when her head came up, Sonia inclined her own.

Then she greeted her shop assistants with, “Hey, girls.”

“We were so worried,” Mabel exclaimed as she rushed around the counter toward Sonia. “Diana said everything was cool but you never take off from work.” As Mabel came toward her, Sonia had started to unwind her scarf from around her neck. Mabel suddenly skidded to a halt, her eyes wide on Sonia’s scarf, and she screeched, “Ohmigod! Look at that ring!” She gasped then let out a strangled cry before she went on, “Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Did you get married?”

Sonia tensed and Kerry’s head swung toward Sonia again. Kerry excused herself and headed their way, but Mabel had grasped hold of Sonia’s hand and she yanked it to within an inch of her eyes.

“Look at that rock!” she shrieked. “It’s huge!”

“Ohmigod!” Kerry cried, getting close. “This is insane! I can’t believe this! Did you really get married?”

There it was, as Sonia had noted, her girls were exuberant.

Before Sonia could utter a word, Regan, on Sonia’s right side, announced in a proud voice, “Sonia and my son eloped over a long weekend.”

“Ohmigod!” Mabel and Kerry screamed in unison. They turned to face each other and then started jumping up and down, taking Sonia’s hand with them as they did so, jerking Sonia’s body repeatedly through her arm.

“Girls, my hand,” Sonia said quietly, thinking sadly (and trying to hide it) that for all other humans, this news was reason to shriek and jump up and down.

For Sonia, it was not.

She pinned a bright smile on her face when the girls let go of her hand and looked at Sonia with their faces wreathed with glee.

“You sly fox!” Kerry exclaimed. “I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”

Good goodness.

How was she going to explain this?

“Well—” Sonia began.

Mabel’s ebullient curiosity saved the day as she interrupted Sonia’s frantic thoughts to find a cover story with, “Is he hot?”

Was Callum hot?

Only one answer to that, and as hateful as that answer was, it was a big fat yes.

“Well—” Sonia started again but Kerry cut her off this time.

“Of course he’s hot. Sonia’s hot. Hot likes hot.”

“Yeah,” Mabel grinned at Sonia. “Stupid question.”

“Apparently he’s loaded too.” Kerry grinned as well. “Heck, you sell that ring, you could feed an entire starving African nation.”

This, Sonia thought with uncharacteristic bitterness, was food for thought.

“When are we going to meet him?” Mabel asked and Sonia stilled.

She could barely come to terms with fitting into Callum’s life. She’d never considered that he’d have a place in hers.

And she wasn’t certain she liked that idea.

“He’s very busy,” she demurred but Kerry talked over her.

Shoving Mabel playfully on the shoulder she declared, “Of course we’ll meet him, crazy. He’ll be at her Christmas party.”

Oh heck.

Sonia hadn’t thought of that.

“Brilliant!” Mabel shrieked.

Sonia fought the urge to close her eyes in despair and instead attempted to beam at her girls. This fortunately worked as they beamed back.

Luckily, Sonia thought, Mabel and Kerry were the kind of people who took their employer’s all of a sudden “elopement” in stride. Knowing them, they probably thought it was incredibly romantic.

However, it was highly likely that others, say the guests at her annual Christmas party, would not. They would think it was curious, even weird.

Sonia sighed. So she was weird. She could live with that and had her whole life. It was the least of her worries.

Kerry took Sonia from these disturbing thoughts and turned to Regan.

“So you’re mystery, hot, loaded, new hubby’s mom. Dig it! I’m Kerry.” She offered her hand which Regan shook.

Not to be outdone, Mabel leaned in to shake Regan’s hand after Kerry while saying, “And I’m Mabel and you can tell your son I get the first congratulations kiss.”

Kerry turned to Mabel and protested, “Why do you get the first kiss?”

“Because I’ve been in the shop longer,” Mabel shot back.

“By…a day,” Kerry returned and this was true, they’d both been with her since it opened and they started one day after the other.

“I’m sure Callum will be delighted to receive both your congratulatory kisses,” Regan stated, smiling with great humor at Sonia.

Sonia was sure he’d like it too. Kerry and Mabel were both uncommonly pretty. Heck, considering what had been inferred by Caleb, Calder, and Yuri, Callum might see the two of them and go on the make.

“Callum. That’s an excellent name,” Kerry commented, again tearing Sonia from her thoughts.

“And, seriously, I want what you’re drinking because if you’re Sonia’s hubby’s mother, and you look like Sonia’s sister, then it’s got to be good,” Mabel noted.

“First-rate skin care regime,” Regan blithely replied. “I’ll write down the products I use.”

“Excellent!” Kerry cried.

“I’m Regan,” she introduced herself. “And I’d love a tour of the store.”

“I’ve gotta get back to my customers,” Kerry said, grinning as she walked away. “I’ll be back.”

“I’ll show you the store, come on,” Mabel offered and then hooked her arm through Regan’s and led her away as Regan threw a smile over her shoulder at Sonia.

The tall dark-haired lady came forward and got close.

“My queen,” she said softly.

Sonia looked in her startling, clear gray eyes, something she could do as she was wearing heels and the woman was in flats. If Sonia had not been in heels, she’d be looking up.

“Please,” Sonia replied quietly, “I’m Sonia.”

The woman’s gaze warmed and she nodded.

“And you are?” Sonia prompted.

“Diana,” she replied.

“Well, thank you, Diana, for being here while I’ve, erm…been away. I appreciate it.”

“Anything for my queen,” Diana stated, but when Sonia opened her mouth to speak, Diana quickly went on, “Though, your girls are such fun, it hasn’t felt like doing a duty for my king. It’s been a blast. More fun than I’ve had in ages.”

Sonia’s smile was not forced but genuine when she said, “They’re a bit nuts but you’re right, they’re a lot of fun.”

A customer approached the counter ready to check out and Diana turned to her as the customer said on a smile, “Obviously this is a special occasion, I can wait for you to ring me up.”

“It is a special occasion,” Mabel shouted from across the store where she was standing with Regan and Regan was examining a delicate glass decanter. “And after the tour, I’m running out to get champagne!”

“Yippee! Champagne!” Kerry cried from her spot and the customers she was with started giggling.

“Champagne for everyone, on me,” Regan declared, to which both Kerry and Mabel yelled, “Yippee!”

“Definitely fun,” Diana commented on a chuckle and looked at Sonia. “I’ll ring this up. Your mail is stacked on your desk. I’ve dealt with everything that was urgent. Same with phone messages. Anything that hasn’t been seen to, I’ve written down for you. I was going to take them to Ki…” she stopped then went on, “um, Callum today.” She smiled again and finished, “You’ve saved me a trip.”

Sonia caught Diana’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Even if it’s been fun, seriously, thank you.”

Diana squeezed her hand back and said, “Delighted.”

Then Diana went around the counter to wait on Sonia’s customer as Sonia went to her tiny office in the back.

Within half an hour it became clear that Diana knew what she was doing. The books were done every evening. The orders had been placed that would keep them stocked for Christmas. And there was very little mail to be dealt with and most of it was junk mail that Sonia threw away. She returned the three phone messages she had and found she was completely caught up.

There came a knock on the door, Sonia called her welcome, and Diana poked her gleaming dark-hair-mixed-with-a-burnished-red head around the door.

“Regan and Mabel are off down the street to get champagne. They should be back in a second,” Diana told her.

“Come in a minute and take a load off,” Sonia invited and Diana gave her a grateful look.

“Things are quiet,” Diana remarked as she entered and sat down. “That is, until we have to ring up Regan’s purchases. She’s buying half the store. Says she’s doing her Christmas shopping in one fell swoop. We’ll have to reorder.”

This was good news. A good Christmas for Clear meant a good Christmas for Mabel and Kerry. Her girls didn’t know it, but every December Sonia split every penny of the profits in half and gave them to the girls as their Christmas bonus, augmenting it from her own personal money if they had a bad year.

This year, evidently, she wouldn’t have to augment.

“I get the sense my mother-in-law likes to shop,” Sonia remarked on a fond smile.

“Why do you think Harrinton’s is so lucrative? Regan is our best customer,” Diana joked and they both laughed.

But Sonia couldn’t help but think about how Regan liked to shop. And about the thousands of dollars’ worth of diamonds Callum so casually slid on her finger. And the expensive way the cabin had been refitted. Also Callum’s SUV, which was an SUV but it was also a luxury SUV. Not to mention the opulence of the Territorial Mansion.

It hadn’t occurred to her before, considering she’d never seen Callum in anything but jeans and flannel shirts, but he truly must be loaded.

Then again, she reminded herself, he was a king and kings tended to be that way.

“So?” Diana said expectantly and Sonia came out of her thoughts with a start and looked at Diana’s beautiful eager face.

“So?” Sonia parroted, confused.

Diana leaned forward and encouraged, “Tell me all about it. Every detail.”

Sonia’s head jerked, still with confusion, and she asked, “Every detail of what?”

“The claiming!” Diana cried and Sonia jumped.

“What?” Sonia whispered.

“Mine was wild. Oh my, you wouldn’t believe,” she shared, apropos of nothing, leaning ever forward. “I was just going about my business and then I felt him. And, all of a sudden, I couldn’t wait. I didn’t know for what but I was just excited, ready. Then Harrinton was there. He’d been running. Running for miles,” she sat back, fanned her face then grinned a saucy grin, “which meant he was sweaty. It was the best.”

Holy cow.

Was she…?

“He threw me to the ground right there and claimed me.”

She was.

“Thank God no one was around,” Diana went on, and Sonia gasped, but Diana didn’t notice or was so excited to tell her tale, she didn’t care and she continued, “He barely got the words out and the chain around my waist before he turned me to my knees and was on me.” She sighed and finished dreamily, “It was beautiful.”

Horrified at her blunt subject matter, but not able to stop it in spite of herself, Sonia asked, “What…words?”

Diana focused on Sonia. “Didn’t King Callum say them?”

“Um…” Sonia mumbled.

“Oh, I forgot, you’re human,” Diana said. “‘Are you mine?’ Those are the words. It’s like your ‘Will you take this man…,’ if you say ‘yes,’ it’s the same as ‘I do.’” She smiled. “But you know that last part, surely.”

Sonia didn’t.

Well, she kind of did.

But she still didn’t.

Diana continued, “And then the fun stuff starts, unlike you humans, who have to wait for the party to be over. We just go for it right away. We have the party later.”

Sonia stared at her trying to hide the fact she was appalled. Did they really just run a woman down and claim her?

“I still remember every second,” Diana said wistfully. “It was the most beautiful day of my life.”

Apparently, they did and the women liked it.

Then it hit her that Callum hadn’t done that. He’d gone against the customs of his culture and he’d tried courting her first. He wasn’t very good at it and he obviously didn’t like to do it, but he’d tried it.

Even as king, who clearly, by his behavior, felt at liberty to do pretty much anything he wanted to do, he’d tried to give her a courtship.

It was only a week he’d given her, but if his people found their mates, threw them to the ground, and claimed them, then a week to Callum would have felt like a year of dating.

Luckily (for him), he’d only had to wait a few days.

Still, Sonia didn’t know what to make of that.

Diana broke into her thoughts. “Now, tell me about yours.”

“Sorry?” Sonia asked in a shocked voice. She couldn’t really mean she wanted Sonia to describe her claiming.

“Tell me all about your claiming. Everything,” Diana encouraged.

She did want Sonia to describe her claiming.

“Um…” Sonia hedged, “it’s probably like your people’s average, everyday, erm…claiming.”

Diana burst out laughing like Sonia was an award-winning comedian on a sold-out tour.

When Diana gained control of herself, she wiped her eyes and coaxed, “No, seriously. We’re talking about King Callum here. Everyone is going to want to know about your claiming.”

Sonia hesitated before she asked, “Is it usual for the king’s story to be known like this?”

Diana nodded. “Everyone knows Mac and Regan’s story. But yours…I figure yours will be a winner considering it’s Callum we’re talking about.”

“What does that mean?” Sonia queried.

But she knew.

Oh did she know.

Diana opened her mouth to speak but there came a knock on the door and Kerry stuck her head through.

“Regan bought enough champagne for customers too. We’re ready to pop the cork and we need the lady of honor. Come on, Sonny!”

When her head disappeared, Diana caught her eye, smiled, and stood.

With no choice, Sonia stood too. As she did, she schooled her features, buried her sorrow and prepared to pretend this was a happy occasion full of smiles, shrieks of glee, and bottles of champagne.

Upon arrival, Sonia found that Regan had not bought a bottle of champagne. She’d purchased twelve of them, all chilled, and a package of plastic champagne glasses.

They were all standing in front of the counter and Mabel was preparing to pop the cork on one when the bell over the door went. Out of habit every eye (but Regan’s) went to the door.

“Ho…my…gawd,” Kerry breathed.

Kerry did this because Callum was walking in, followed by Ryon, a double threat of ultra-tall, dark, handsome man. Callum’s eyes were on Sonia and his mouth was engaged in aiming a sexy intimate grin in her direction.

Sonia felt her belly twist at the same time the pulse between her legs quickened.

With everyone frozen at the counter staring at him, Callum walked through with his natural masculine grace. He came directly to Sonia and slid an arm around her shoulders, curling her front to his.

“Hey, baby doll,” he murmured when she tipped her head back and his eyes hit hers.

In harmony, Sonia heard Mabel and Kerry emit lustful sighs.

“What’s happening here?” Ryon asked.

Sonia began to look around Callum but his other hand came to her neck and he recaptured her attention with his thumb at her jaw, tilting her face back to his.

Then he bent his head and touched her lips.

The pulse strengthened between her legs as her belly dipped, but her brain reminded her that this was all show.

Just a show.

“We’re having champagne to celebrate Callum and Sonia’s weekend elopement,” Regan replied and Sonia watched Callum’s eyebrows go up.

“We eloped?” he asked in a low voice only she could hear.

“Apparently,” Sonia whispered back.

He grinned.

Sonia stared at his mouth.

He started chuckling.

She mentally shook herself and pulled against his arm.

Callum allowed this but only so far as turning away from her front and tucking her into his side.

“Then Ryon and I are just in time,” Callum announced to the group.

Kerry and Mabel were staring at him with wide eyes.

Then Mabel breathed, “You’re not hot. You’re dreamy.”

Everyone chuckled except Sonia, Mabel, and Kerry. Mabel and Kerry because they were still entranced with all that was Callum. Sonia because she didn’t think anything was humorous.

“Do you play basketball?” Kerry blurted.

“No,” Callum answered.

“You’re flipping tall,” Kerry blurted again.

“Yes,” Callum agreed with a thread of amusement in his deep voice.

Sonia had to do something about this. This could go on all day.

So she said, “Kerry, Mabel, quit drooling and meet my husband. Callum, these are my girls, Kerry and Mabel.” She indicated each in turn. “Girls, this is my new husband, Callum.” She gestured to Callum.

Callum’s fingers curled around her shoulder flexed almost convulsively and definitely fiercely each time Sonia said the word “husband.” Sonia thought that was a bit overkill considering no one but Sonia could feel his fingers on her shoulder.

“Ladies,” Callum greeted.

Mabel tore her eyes from Callum and looked at Sonia.

“I can see why you hid him, Sonny,” she observed. “I would hide him too. Good call, keeping him to yourself until you got the ball and chain on that leg.”

There was more laughter even though no one but Sonia knew the proverbial ball and chain was worn by the wife this time. Then they heard a champagne cork pop.

Everyone looked to Ryon who’d done the deed.

“Let’s stop talking and celebrate,” he declared on a boom.

“Yee ha!” Kerry shouted.

Plastic glasses were passed around, even to the five customers browsing the shop. When everyone (including the customers) had a glass and were gathered close, they all turned to Callum and Sonia.

“To the newlyweds!” Mabel cried, lifting her glass.

Everyone but Callum and Sonia followed suit and shouted in gleeful harmony, “To the newlyweds!”

Sonia wished she could disappear.

Instead, she smiled.

Callum, on the other hand, much better at playing his part in this travesty, took her chin in his fingers, gently tipped her head back, and he kissed her.

It was soft and sweet but it was also long.

Long enough for laughter and catcalls to ring out and long enough for it to build from soft and sweet to something else. Something that required Callum to drop his fingers from her chin, slant his head, and drag her into his arms.

She was regretfully in a daze when his mouth broke from hers and his head moved, his temple sliding against her hair.

His lips at her ear, he murmured, “To the newlyweds.”

Then his arms gave her an affectionate squeeze.

The hoots, laughter, and giggles surrounding her penetrated her daze and Sonia closed her eyes against the pain in her heart.

And, in Callum’s ear, she whispered, “To the newlyweds.”

 

* * * * *

 

Sonia sat on her bed and massaged lotion into her feet, absently listening to the voices of Callum and his men downstairs.

She was running through her day in her mind in an effort to control the panic, and if she was honest (which she was not), the expectation of what the night might bring.

While the champagne celebration went on at Clear, Callum had explained that he’d arrived because he, too, was curious about her shop.

But also, he explained, because he disliked being parted from her.

She’d been gone less than an hour and he claimed he disliked being parted from her.

Really.

He said this after he’d firmly detached them from the group in a way that appeared he wished for them to have a moment to their newlywed selves. They were far enough away so no one could overhear which meant, to Sonia’s way of thinking, without an audience, he said it with no purpose at all.

But he said it like he meant it.

Maybe, she thought, he was trying to convince himself.

Or maybe her.

Or maybe both of them.

She’d struggled with how to respond and decided to give him a hug.

This worked. His arms closed around her and he gave her another affectionate squeeze. She made a point to remember that for future reference.

He and Ryon stayed for a while then Ryon gave Callum a look, Callum sighed with resignation, touched his mouth to Sonia’s, and they left.

Shortly after, to Sonia’s surprise, Waring arrived at Clear on the errand of loading up Regan’s four bags of purchases, even though Sonia lived four blocks away (and Regan and she had walked) and nothing in the bags was that heavy.

Instead of packing up the bags and whisking them away for his dowager queen, he’d had a glass of champagne, managed cheekily to chat up both the enchanted Mabel and Kerry (who were staring at him with an amazement that was almost, but not quite, how they gazed at Callum) then he loaded up Regan’s bags and took them away.

That was when Sonia realized that she’d suddenly acquired a number of new names on her Christmas gift list and asked Regan if they could go to the mall. Regan’s eyes lit, she instantly pulled her cell out of her big leather designer bag, hit some buttons, and said into the phone, “Caleb, Sonia and I need a ride to the mall.”

Why Caleb needed this information, Sonia didn’t know.

It became clear ten minutes later when a shiny SUV pulled up outside Clear. Another man who was obviously one of Callum’s people collected them (to Mabel and Kerry’s delight as he, too, was enormously good-looking). His name was Nikolas. He seemed a bit (but not much) older than Waring, but he was far more serious and thus didn’t spend any time drinking champagne or chatting up Mabel or Kerry, much to their obvious dismay.

He took them to the mall where, with Regan’s guidance, Sonia bought Caleb, Calder, and Ryon Christmas presents and where she and Regan had a late lunch. This included a lovely, getting-to-know-you-better conversation that, luckily, didn’t include Regan asking about Sonia’s claiming. But, unfortunately, didn’t include Sonia having enough courage to ask Regan about Diana’s open curiosity about the same. Then he took them to the grocery store where Regan bought Sonia and Callum a mountain of very unhealthy food. Finally, he took them back to Sonia’s house.

When Sonia alighted from the SUV and walked to the back of the vehicle to grab some bags, she heard Regan call her name.

She looked at her mother-in-law who was gazing at Sonia, perplexed.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing?” Regan asked.

Sonia, having the handles of two grocery bags in her hand, looked at Regan then at Nikolas then at Regan again.

“What do you mean?” she asked in return, for it was readily apparent what she was doing.

Before she knew it, Nikolas had silently rid her of her bags and Regan came forward, tucking her arm through Sonia’s, and guiding Sonia toward the house.

Regan’s head got close and she whispered, “Sweetie, you’re queen. In company, queens don’t carry bags.”

At Sonia’s horrified expression, Regan smiled an understanding smile and tugged her closer with a pull on her arm.

“It’s been so very long, I forgot how strange it all was after I’d been claimed. Mac had only been a prince then, but still, the life he claimed me into was very different to the simple life I’d lived,” Regan remarked and patted Sonia’s arm with her other hand. “But, I promise, you’ll get used to it like I did.”

Sonia wasn’t sure she would, and as the late afternoon wore into the evening, she was certain of it.

This was because, when they arrived in the house, she found that Saint, Magnum, Caleb, Ryon, and Callum had been joined by Julianna, Saint’s mate. Julianna was a lovely woman with a bright smile and a quiet but friendly manner. She was smaller than most of Callum’s people, but still slightly taller than Sonia.

After Sonia met Julianna, while Nikolas carried in all their purchases, Callum claimed her, situating her in his lap, and taking a moment to ask about her day.

While he did this, and she answered his quiet questions, Julianna put the groceries away in Sonia’s kitchen.

Listening to Julianna move around in her kitchen, Sonia noticed Regan settle herself with a book on one of the couches in the living room while Nikolas built a fire.

And something about all of this didn’t sit quite right with Sonia.

“Um…” she started and turned her eyes to Callum, “maybe I should help Julianna.”

Callum’s brows went up then his smile grew wide.

Then he said something that caused her temper to rise and her palms to itch.

“Baby doll, when no one’s around, your job is to take care of me.” She stared at him (as this was the point where her temper started rising and her palms started itching) and he continued, “But when someone’s around, their job is to take care of us.”

Seriously?

He might be king but…

Seriously?

He continued, “Saint called Julianna here to do that. It’s her duty. She’d be offended if you went in and helped.”

Sonia decided to keep on the subject she wanted to discuss.

“My job is to take care of you?”

He grinned. “I thought I explained that.”

He had.

He had just not done it thoroughly.

“How, precisely and in all the varied forms, am I required to do that?”

His grin turned positively wolfish.

“I’m guessing you understand the most important part.”

“Indeed,” she rejoined with irritation and he chuckled before continuing.

“The other parts include you cooking for me, caring for our home, our clothes, if there’s no one around to do it. Understanding my schedule and providing for it. Making certain I have what I need or want available to me so when—”

“So,” she broke in, “in other words, I’m to be your little wife?”

His best answer to that question was “no.”

Instead, being Callum, his eyes, for some reason beginning to change to golden, he replied, “Yes.”

“Did your people skip past the twentieth century?” Sonia inquired with sarcasm.

The gold obliterated the blue not, she sensed, due to anger, but, she instinctively knew, with something else. Something that made that ever-present throb between her legs deepen and his face dipped close. “Baby doll, I’d really like to give you the opportunity to work out your anger right now, but regrettably I’ve got things to do.”

She stared then glared then asked, “What does that mean?”

She asked it, but she really didn’t want to know.

However, he told her.

His face dipped even closer, veering to the left at the last minute, he said in her ear, “That means, you want rough play and I want to give it to you. But I’ll have to give it to you later.”

She wanted rough play? What on earth was he talking about?

She didn’t have the chance to ask, not that she wanted the answer to that question either.

Giving her a “we’re done talking about this” squeeze, Callum dismissed her, turned his attention to the copious papers and files on her dining room table and the laptop pointed in his direction.

Regardless of his inattention to her, he still kept Sonia pinned to his lap.

And he did this for a good long while.

He did this while they ate dinner. A dinner which Julianna cooked in Sonia’s kitchen and served in Sonia’s dining room on Sonia’s plates, using Sonia’s cutlery and glasses, and cleaned up after, again in Sonia’s kitchen.

And he did this while the men talked, not only about the rebellion, the intelligence they were currently in the process of gathering, and the strategy they were forming to quell it, but about all things kingdom. What was happening in other regions. Saint’s takeover and eventual cleanup of the Western Territories. Invitations to official ceremonies and which ones Callum would take (none of them) and who would go in his stead (mostly Regan, but also, surprisingly, once the rebellion was crushed, Ryon).

It was, she hated to admit, fascinating; this whole secret world that was obviously thriving but completely unknown amongst her world.

What was more fascinating was Callum’s intense interest in all of it. Sonia had the sense that he didn’t rule with a heavy hand, but he certainly liked to have his finger on the pulse of absolutely everything. He was interested in what his people were doing, making sure that they were living peaceful prosperous lives, and he took his role as their leader very seriously.

Callum interrupted the proceedings only once, to guide Sonia upstairs with his hand firm in hers in order to take her to the bathroom to administer her injection. And this he did with now practiced ease, quickly, but as usual, she emerged from the burn snug in the circle of his arms, and if Sonia still had her scales, this would definitely be on the good side.

Regan left with a hearty good-bye and warm smile to Sonia.

Julianna, who had—when she was not serving them, to Sonia’s disgust—sat completely quiet in Saint’s lap, left with Saint on a quiet farewell and a shy smile at Sonia.

The night wore on, Sonia sitting in Callum’s lap, Callum seeming not to know she was there but doing things intermittently and unconsciously that made that damnable throb ache. Like fiddling with the charm on her claiming chain or occasionally drawing lazy circles with the tips of his long fingers at her hip.

Finally, when another man arrived (his name was Bodim), carrying large, scrolled up pieces of papers, which, she saw when he spread them out on her table, were maps of the Western Territories with lots of markings on them, Callum’s attention turned back to her.

Mouth again at her ear and voice lowered, he ordered, “Go to bed, little one.”

His ordering her to go to bed, she thought, was bad.

Escape, she knew, was good.

She instantly made a move to slip off his lap but his hand tightened, stalling her progress.

His voice a barely audible murmur, he went on to command, “Don’t wear anything to bed. I want you naked when I join you.”

She pressed her lips together, ignored the pulse that shot from the juncture of her legs straight to her nipples, and met the sexy serious look in his eyes (or seriously sexy look, she still didn’t know which).

Without a word, Sonia slid from his lap and called her goodnights, then she went upstairs and did exactly what she wanted to do.

This was investigating her catalogues and trawling the Internet to find Regan’s gift. She couldn’t buy Regan a gift with Regan actually there, but she needed to buy Regan a gift. It was, indeed, Christmas and Regan was her mother-in-law.

She got distracted while online shopping for Regan and swerved down the road of shopping for Callum. She told herself this was because it was her queenly duty to buy her king Christmas gifts. But it really wasn’t. He looked good in clothes and she found she enjoyed buying them for him. So much so, she searched for evidence of his size (and found his clothes hung in her closet, his toiletries put tidily away in her bathroom, and noted Julianna had been busy) and in the end maybe went a bit overboard.

She eventually finished buying presents for all the new entries on her Christmas list, even Julianna and Diana, both of whom she found she liked tremendously, though she couldn’t quite say why. She wrapped the ones she purchased for Callum’s family that day and headed to bed.

She put on her nightgown and left on her panties, defying Callum’s order to be naked. Firstly, because she didn’t like sleeping naked, though she didn’t mind it last night (then again, she’d slept the sleep of abandoned contentment). Secondly, because she may be his queen and her duties may be extensive, but he gosh darn couldn’t tell her what to wear, especially not to bed. No, strike that, he couldn’t tell her what to wear anytime.

She finished lotioning and oiling her face, feet, hands, and cuticles. And, with the hum of deep male voices plotting in her dining room (something Sonia vaguely recognized that was tremendously weird, but she had had a lot of weird recently and now it didn’t even penetrate), Sonia switched off her light.

She cuddled her stuffed wolf and stared at her tree.

And she came to the realization, as the hum of voices and the twinkling of the lights lulled away her panic (and expectation), that she’d drifted through her thirty-seven years of life in a fog.

Losing her parents so young, knowing in an integral way she was more than a little bit strange, and if people knew the things she could do, they might even fear her, Sonia had never thought to dream.

Considering she had to hide her gifts from everyone, she never fantasized about who her husband would be, what their life would be like, how many children she’d have, because how would she go about living that kind of lie?

Therefore, she never considered living with another person and deciding who would do the cooking and who would take out the trash. She never thought about how she and her partner would argue and how they would make up. Where they’d go on vacation. If she’d get impatient with him watching too many sports on TV and if he’d get impatient because it took her too long to get ready. She never pictured a time when, together, they brought out the boxes of Christmas decorations and littered the house with them. Year by year adding precious memories, purchasing new ornaments to put on their tree and sharing moments that would be cherished.

She’d bought her white picket fence farmhouse knowing she’d be the only one living in it and shrouding her disappointment that she was fated to live her life alone.

But now, she thought sleepily, having dreamed of Callum so long (an indication of her destiny before she even knew it was her destiny), she realized she did have fantasies of what her life would be like. They were as unobtainable as her dream Callum was (she thought then and she still did). But the feelings she had with Callum in those dreams, that was what she would have wanted to nurture in her real life, if it had been possible.

Not this.

Never this.

She took in a breath and let it out in one long sad sigh, closed her eyes, clutched her wolf close and fell asleep.

 

* * * * *

 

She awoke with Callum’s mouth between her legs over her panties, the urge already upon her, overwhelming her, wresting away her control.

She fought it with her mind, but even as she did, her hips pressed up to meet his mouth as she emitted a low whimper and the throb between her legs started to devour her.

Callum’s mouth lifted away but his finger replaced it, drifting light as a feather against the fabric of her panties, causing a sensual torment.

“I thought I told you to go to bed naked,” Callum’s deep voice vibrated between her legs and she whimpered again. Her hands going to his hair to press him back. Her hips pushing against the light touch of his finger. Her nipples, already hard, straining against the fabric of her nightgown, causing such pleasure, it was torture.

“You defy me?” he asked, still denying her his mouth.

“Callum,” she whispered.

“Answer me,” he commanded and she pressed up again, seeking his mouth, keeping her silence, the Sonia she knew trying to beat back the Sonia that he created.

And failing.

He shifted her underwear aside and two fingers penetrated her, not gently, brutally, and she moaned at the beauty of it, needing it, wanting it, having throbbed for it all day.

“Answer me, Sonia,” he demanded.

“I…” she whimpered and for a brief moment the Sonia she’d been her whole life surfaced, breaking through the urge. “You can’t tell me what to wear.”

His fingers slid out then they thrust back in and she moaned, the urge rushed back, stronger than before, and she lifted her hips to meet them.

“My queen likes to play rough,” he growled, sounding pleased.

“No, I—” she began but his fingers pulled out and hooked at the gusset of her panties. With a vicious wrench, the fabric tore in several places and the panties were gone.

She gasped, but his big hands slid along her inner thighs, gripping her behind her knees, lifting them to fully bent and spreading her legs wide, boldly exposing her.

Sonia felt vulnerable for a moment before his mouth came down on her and all feelings evaporated except the exquisite pulse accelerating between her legs.

He wasn’t gentle with his mouth either. He was hungry, insatiable, feeding on her with his lips, his tongue, even his teeth, causing Sonia to lose any hold she had left on her true self as her body forced her to give into the urge.

She was panting, rocking her hips against his mouth, spreading her legs ever wider to give him access. Greedy for him, for what he could make her feel, reaching out and embracing the creature he could make her be. The creature, something buried inside her told her, she was meant to be.

She slid close to the edge, no longer scared of the enormity of it, ready to let it take her, needing for it to consume her so she could exist in her skin the way she was intended to. The way she only did in these times with Callum. She cried out, and the instant she did, his mouth disappeared and she was yanked from the edge.

“Callum!” she exclaimed her protest but he wasn’t leaving her.

He was over her, his weight settling into her, and she gloried in it. Feeling the promise of him a scant second before he reared his hips back and impaled her, fucking her like she loved it, slamming into her violently, filling her full, again and again and again.

His mouth captured hers and he gave her a devouring kiss, his tongue invading as his shaft drove mercilessly inside her.

She wrapped her limbs around him and lifted her hips to meet his. Welcoming him. Taking him all the way in and loving the feel of him filling her full so much, she moaned recklessly against his tongue.

He pulled out and flipped her to her belly, yanking her up to her knees.

“Yes,” she gasped.

This was it. This was right. This was who she was. This was who they were, Sonia and Callum.

Perfect.

Positioning himself between her legs, Callum leaned forward and gripped her hair, using it to yank her up to her hands.

She felt it then, the sensation that this was exactly Sonia. The Sonia she was supposed to be, in front of Callum on her hands and knees.

She held her breath and felt her thighs quiver in sweet anticipation, arching her back, tilting her behind, offering her sex to him brazenly.

He accepted her invitation and seated himself to the root as he yanked her hair back, arching her neck. But he needn’t have done it for she threw her head back at the splendor of him.

Then he did it again.

And again.

And again.

She reared into his hips, greeting every plunge, feeling finally whole, finally right when she took him all.

The tension built and built until her blood was boiling. Until she felt she was going to come out of her skin. Until she cried out to her wolf and exploded in sheer bliss. Through her climax she felt him impale her one last time and heard, as if from far away, the depth of his answering groan.

Just as last night, after, he rocked inside her, his shaft stroking her sex gently as his fingers drifted over the skin of her bottom, the small of her back, hooking her chain and tugging until it caught on her hips. This action of Callum’s, last night and just then, she felt was profound. The reminder of the chain that signified she was finally his, just as she was always destined to be.

He twisted it so the links slid around her waist, the lightest of sensations making her shiver against him.

Then, his strokes coming slower and slower, finally he started to pull away.

“No,” she whispered, pressing her hips back.

He stilled, thankfully still hard and staying inside. She’d never known a man to stay rock hard that long afterwards.

“Baby doll?” he called.

She answered his call, using her mouth and her hips, still pressing into him, explaining her need. “I don’t want to lose you.”

He glided out and then back in one last time while murmuring, “My little one.”

Then his hips forced her off her knees and her legs, of their own accord, opened wide so he could settle between them, his body both surrounding her and filling her deep.

He moved the hair away from her face before he rested some of his weight into his forearms in the bed at her sides, the rest of it settled into her.

She loved how big he was, his body, his shaft, how it surrounded her, filled her, became her whole world. It melted away her ever-present loneliness, making her feel, with Callum encasing her in his frame, filling her so deep, she’d never be lonesome again.

She tipped her bottom up into his groin, non-verbal indication of the intensity of her thoughts.

He pressed in deeper, giving her more of what she was seeking, filling her even fuller.

“You like this,” he said softly in her ear.

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. There was an element of surprise, but the low rumble of his voice revealed the depth of his approval.

Sonia didn’t answer.

He pushed in further and she sighed contentedly.

She felt his smile against her ear.

“I like it too,” he whispered. “It’s everything we are.” He slid out a bare inch then settled back in. “The connection, our connection, so fucking strong.”

There was a depth in his voice that slithered lazily through her system and then settled there in a way that felt like forever.

He went on, “And it’s everything I am to you.” His arms moved in tighter at her sides. “Your protector.” He ran his lips around the curve of her ear and she trembled underneath him before he murmured, “Lift your ass for me, little one, I want to go deep.” Without hesitation, Sonia did as she was told and Callum did what he wanted, muttering, “And I’m also your possessor.”

She shivered in delight at this last and his arms tightened all the more.

Her arms were cocked and under her body, pinned to the bed, but she reached out a hand, laced her fingers in his, and tilted her head until her nose was resting against their hands.

She tipped her hips up again and mumbled, “For me, wolf, I just like to be full of you. It makes me feel whole. It, finally, makes me feel right.”

She missed his answering growl because it was then Queen Sonia slid into an abandoned sleep. Surrounded, connected, protected, possessed, contented, and beautifully full of her king.

 

* * * * *

 

Sonia’s sleeping body was shifted, the nightgown pulled up. Her arms, unresisting, rising to make this task easy, and the nightgown was swept away.

Then she was curled, pulled close, a strong arm circling her waist, molding her body down the side of Callum’s hard one.

She rested her cheek against his pectoral and snaked an arm around his flat stomach.

She started to shift into sleep as he murmured, “The days, I can forget, baby doll. But the nights…” His voice dropped to a hoarse growl, filled with intense feeling. “The nights will be torture knowing I won’t have this for eternity.”

Even if she was conscious enough to process his words, she wouldn’t have understood them.

However, she wasn’t conscious enough for he’d barely uttered his last word before she was asleep.

 

* * * * *

 

Soft and fleeting, the touch of fingers trailing the pinpricks on her upper buttocks drifted. The same when the fingers became lips, something about them Sonia couldn’t hold on to but it felt as if the touch yearned to be healing.

Then Sonia was being lifted.

She was cradled in the warm cocoon of Callum sitting, back to the headboard, fully clothed, in her bed.

Still half asleep in his arms, she nuzzled closer, burying her face in his neck.

His fingers invaded between her legs, toying, playing.

“The men are here.”

“Mm,” she replied, pressing into his hand, seeking even in her sleep.

“Sonia?” he called.

“Play with me before you go,” she urged.

His arm about her tightened, his neck twisted and she felt his lips at her temple, and then Callum did as she asked.

When she was finished, he lifted her again, settled her in bed, and tucked her stuffed wolf in her arms.

Mostly asleep, she drifted further into sated oblivion.

Her eyes fluttered but remained closed when his lips glided along the curve of her ear, at the same time his hand went between her legs from behind and his fingers entered her again.

She lifted her bottom in reflexive invitation.

His fingers slid out, gliding lazily through the folds of her wetness, his mouth still at her ear, his voice husky when he stated admiringly, “Always in heat, my greedy little queen.”

Then his hand disappeared, her hips settled, and Sonia clutched her wolf closer as Callum tucked her tight in the bedclothes and she drifted off to sleep.

 

* * * * *

 

And this was to be the rhythm of Sonia’s life for a while.

Nights (and often during the days besides) being forced by the irresistible urge to “play” as she learned Callum called it. Sometimes rough, sometimes sweet, but always ending up devoured by it. And, often in the nights, desperate to keep him close, to feel whole, sliding off her knees, Callum still inside, and falling asleep with his weight surrounding her, him filling her.

Mornings were spent cocooned in his arms as Callum gave her more of what her body craved and left her tucked safe in her bed in a way her mind wished it could truly be.

All of this leaving her feeling pampered, desired, protected, and adored.

 

* * * * *

 

But Sonia spent her days steadfastly guarding her heart against a king who apparently wanted his queen to believe she was much desired, much adored, definitely pampered, and even cherished.

Which meant that Sonia had to guard her heart with a growing ferocity that, the longer she did it, the more the bitterness built.