With Everything I Am (63 page)

“I told Mara and Callista my claiming story,” she announced when she came around the desk and he turned his chair to face her.

His brows went up when she seated herself in his lap and then curled up, her knees bent, feet close to her ass, torso twisted to face him.

“You did?” he asked, his arms wrapping about her small body, surprised at this news.

She shrugged as if it was all the same to her and she hadn’t been guarding this secret for months.

Then her mouth quirked in a smile (something she did a great deal the past month) and explained, “They were relentless.” Then her body started shaking before she went on while laughing, “I think they didn’t believe me though. Apparently, wolves are pretty excited during a claiming and they don’t have the wherewithal to do it in multiple positions the first time.” Her hand cupped his jaw and she brushed her thumb along his lower lip before finishing softly, “I think I’ve made you a legend, wolf.”

He’d been smiling at her as she told her story but at her endearment, he growled before he bent his head and took her mouth in a hard, rough kiss that she returned instantly.

When he lifted his head, she emitted a fluttering sigh, tucked her face in the crook of his shoulder, placed her hand in the center of his chest and rested it there, something else she’d done a great deal in the past month.

His queen, he’d learned through a variety of delightful ways, was fond of his chest.

“I like how you kiss,” she whispered.

“I know,” he whispered back.

She shook her head in his neck and muttered, “So arrogant.”

His arms gave her a squeeze.

She snuggled closer.

He loved these times when she’d come to him after breakfast.

Fuck, he loved every time he was with Sonia.

“Cal?” she called, her fingers toying with his sweater.

“Yes, baby doll?”

“I feel funny this morning.” His arms tightened reflexively at this news and her head came up to look at him. “Not like that,” she said quickly. “No, it’s something else. I felt funny yesterday morning too and the morning before that.” Her eyes went dazed and drifted over his shoulder. “I don’t know how to describe it.” Then she looked back at him. “It’s almost like jetlag, though kind of nauseous but I don’t get sick. It just like, I’m not one with my body somehow.”

Callum’s arms tightened again and he bit back a triumphant howl.

“We’ll get you to a doctor,” he told her.

She shook her head, still looking dazed, her mind preoccupied. “That’s not necessary. I don’t think it’s that bad.”

She’d be right, since she was pregnant with his pup.

She hadn’t had her period since she’d been at the castle. He wasn’t that familiar with humans but he did know they had their cycle monthly, rather than every five months like a she-wolf. And since she’d been there over two months, he reckoned she was at least that far gone.

If not more.

And he fucking
loved
that idea.

“Humor me,” he ordered, her dazed eyes cleared and she looked at him.

“Bossy,” she muttered but her lips quirked again.

His hands moved on her and her eyes widened in understanding before they got soft.

“Cal, the door is open,” she whispered.

He didn’t fucking care.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Cal –”

He pulled the robe open, exposing her breast.

She sucked in breath.

Bloody brilliant, she was naked under the robe.

His head dropped and he took her nipple into his mouth and, not leading into it, sucked deep.

Her mind clearly no longer on the door, her head fell back and her fingers slid into his hair to hold him to her.

There were a myriad of ways he loved Sonia but one of them was how much he fucking
loved
how responsive she was.

He lifted his head, yanked the robe away from her other breast and did the same.

She shifted her soft ass against his hard cock, a low moan escaping her arched throat.

His hand went to her knee, pulled aside her robe and slid down the skin of her inner thigh, between her legs to find she was wet, already ready for him.

Always ready for him, his Sonia.

She was perfect.

He touched her, her hips jerked immediately and she whimpered softly.

He smiled against her nipple then sucked deeper.

With his hand between her legs, Sonia arched over his other arm and, his mouth alternating between her breasts, he took her there. He listened as she came quietly (for once). She pulled in a soft breath and held it as he felt her sex clutch the two fingers he had embedded inside her and he rolled his tongue around her nipple as his thumb pressing against her sweet spot prolonged her release.

When she relaxed against him and her hands holding his head became fingers stroking his hair. He lifted his head and stared at his pretty, little queen, her beautiful, heated body exposed to him, her face soft, eyes hooded, gazing at him contentedly and for once he could forget his future and feel at peace with his cruel fate.

His hand gently slid away from between her legs, he gathered her closer and murmured, “You know I love you, baby doll?”

She nodded as her hands slid down through his hair so she was holding his neck. “You know I love you, wolf?”

He didn’t answer, he kissed her lightly.

“You’re still hard,” she whispered against his mouth.

“Your sweet ass is in my lap,” he explained, grinning against hers.

She grinned back before asking, “Do you want me to –?”

He cut her off. “Later.”

He had things to do. When she put her mouth on him, he wanted her to take her time which was how she preferred it too.

“Okay,” she breathed, catching his meaning and her eyes, even after just coming,
were
again hungry.

Fucking…

Perfect.

He heard Ryon’s approach as did she and she straightened while he pulled her robe closed.

Then her eyes flew to his and she hissed softly, “God, Callum! I smell like sex.”

Callum’s grin changed and he said smugly, “Yes, you do.”

She only had the chance to glare at him before Ryon hit the door.

When Callum looked at his cousin all thoughts, pleasant and smug, left his head.

“Hmm,” Sonia mumbled, also looking at Ryon. “This appears to be my cue to go get a shower.”

She turned Callum’s face to her with a gentle hand at his jaw, taking his mind from his duties and bringing it back to her. Something she also made a habit of doing lately and something that he also liked.

She gave him a quick kiss and an understanding smile before scrambling out of his lap. Pulling her robe tight around her she tossed another smile at the frowning Ryon as she walked across the room and with one last look at
Callum,
she closed the door behind her.

Ryon stood at the front of the desk and remained silent, his ear turned partially to the door waiting for Sonia to be out of earshot.

This, Callum didn’t take as a good sign and he felt his jaw go hard.

After several long moments, Ryon tossed the two file folders he was holding on Callum’s clean desk. Sonia had taken to keeping it ordered which was a blessing and a curse. A curse because he never knew where anything was.
A blessing because he had to find Sonia to ask when he needed something.

The files skidded and came to rest on the cleared blotter.

“Both of those came in this morning,” Ryon announced in a low voice but Callum didn’t touch the files. He just watched his cousin silently and Ryon continued, “The results of the analysis of Sonia’s medication came in some time ago. But, in the end, I had to find one of our own to do it. I didn’t understand it but what I
did
understand made me dig deeper. I gave it to Orphenon.”

A muscle flexed in Callum’s jaw but he still didn’t speak.

“Orphenon called me the minute he, personally, finished a second analysis. He couldn’t believe Sonia was being injected with that cocktail and I asked him to research it. I gave him her medical records and he looked into it. Then he did it more, talking to colleagues and even professors he studied under.”

Finally Callum spoke. “I’m not thrilled that you shared Sonia’s illness with others without asking me, Ry.”

Ryon leaned forward and put his hands on Callum’s desk. “And I knew you wouldn’t be that’s why I didn’t tell you.” When Callum opened his mouth to speak, Ryon got there before him. “Her illness doesn’t exist, Cal.”

Callum closed his mouth and his chest tightened.

“Sorry?” he asked quietly.

Ryon leaned further into his hands and hissed, “It doesn’t
exist.
”

Callum also leaned forward in his chair. “I saw it happen to her. I felt her body. She was burning up. She was fucking
roasting.
”

“I can’t explain that,” Ryon replied.

“It’s rare,” Callum reminded him.

“It’s not rare, Cal. It… doesn’t…
exist
. It isn’t in
any
medical literature. No one’s bloody heard of it.”

“That’s impossible,” Callum returned.

“It’s true,” Ryon shot back and, pointing at the folders on Callum’s desk, demanded, “Look at the report, top folder.”

Callum did as he was
asked,
opening the folder and seeing on top a lab report identifying the various components in Sonia’s medicine. The entire page was filled with the list and most of it made little sense but, at the top, the three items which made up the largest parts of the substance were easily identifiable.

“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.”