Chapter 105 Chapter 105
Nona dropped the phone on the table like it had burned her hands. She covered her face with shaking hands. Dropping them, she looked at him. “I asked…years ago… they told me they let them lose after serving their purpose.” Exhaling a shaky breath, she pushed the chair back and got up. “My god. What have they done?” Picking up her dish, she walked into the kitchen.
Shae watched her walk out, then looked back to Calum.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the pain clear on his face, “I didn’t know if she knew.”
Shaking, she exhaled, trying to ease the pressure on her chest. “I don’t think anyone does.” Taking another ragged breath, she tried not to cry in front of him. “I’m sorry about your friend.” She clasped her hands in her lap, tying to steady them. “I just got home from school, two weeks ago… I-I didn’t know… anything,” she whispered as a tear roll down her cheek. “Excuse me, I n-need a moment.” Pushing back from the table, she quickly headed toward her room.
Her chest felt like it was being crushed, she couldn’t catch her breath. Before she could reach the privacy of her room, Calum was behind her, stopping her. The tears were rolling down her face as his strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her gently against chest. “We didn’t know…” she whispered, leaning into him.
He didn’t speak, just ran a hand down her spine in a soothing gesture as she sobbed quietly. Shae couldn’t believe she was falling apart in a stranger’s arms, because he was, despite what had happened between them. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and tried to calm down.
“Just breath with me, listen to my heartbeat.” He whispered, his breath against the side of her head.
She could feel each breath he took, hear the pulse of his heart as it beat. Never before had she felt such peace, which was completely absurd, but she’d take it over the overwhelming sorrow that had been choking her a few moments ago.
“That’s it.” His warm hand ran over the back of her head.
When she realized her arms were wrapped around his waist, squeezing him, she stiffened. She hadn’t even known she’d done that. With his other hand, he coaxed her to look up at him. Hesitantly, her eyes connected with his. She didn’t understand the look he was giving her. Her heart stuttered when he gently wiped the tears on her cheek away with his thumb.
He lowered his face to hers, “there’s things we need to discuss…” his lips brushed over hers lightly, “but the sight of you distracts me...”
His tongue brushed over the swelling in her lip. “Discuss?” Was the only word she could vocalize with him being this close.
He smirked, “Yes.” Leaning down, he pushed his face into her hair and inhaled slowly.
It was the most erotic feeling, which, she thought only confirmed she was indeed a shifter. Shifter … my father. “You need to get out of here before they find out you’re here.”
Straightening, he frowned at her. “You keep trying to get rid of me and its going to give me a complex.”
She blinked, and stared up at him. “I just want you safe.”
Kissing the top of her head, he turned with his arm around her and started guiding her back to the table. “We want the same thing.”
Nona stood there, staring out the window when they walked back in. “We can’t let this continue.” She said, so quietly Shae barely heard her.
“Then we’re on the same page.” Calum said firmly. He sat down at the table again, still holding Shae’s hand.
Turning, Nona looked at their joined hands then sighed loud. “We have a few other concerns as well.”
Dragging her eyes from him, Shae looked to Nona, “Oh?”
Nona made one of those noises she made, letting Shae know it was a deep thought moment. “You’re starting your change…”
“We don’t…”
Calum nodded, “She’s close.”
Frowning, she looked down at him. “How do you know?” Everyone knew more about what was going on with her body than she did lately.
“My cat can sense it.” He said in a hushed tone, a contemplative look in his eyes.
Glancing from him to Nona, then back to him, Shae lifted a brow, “that’s a thing?”
He chuckled, “It’s a thing.”
His eyes moved over her face almost in a caress, Shae had to curb the urge to sigh out loud.
“I think there’s a bit more…”
The door opened and Aunt Marilyn breezed in, as was her way.
Calum was on his feet so fast the chair banged to the floor in a clatter, pushing Shae behind his large frame at the same time, before she could react.
“Woah, big fella,” Marilyn raised her hands up, “I’m the harmless aunt.”
Shaelan peeked around Calum and gave her aunt an annoyed look. “I almost had a heart attack.”
“You?” She closed the door, then stood there with her hands on her hips, looking Calum up and down. Then she pointed a finger at Shae. “You are brilliant! Hiding him up here while their best trackers chase their tails. Ha!” Then she slumped her shoulders. “Dammit, I’ve been out done again. I must be getting old.”
“He did leave,” Nona said with a smirk, “then he came back.”
Aunt Marilyn’s jaw dropped, “well, aren’t you the ballsy one?”
“I suppose.” He said in a low voice.
He was still half in front of Shae, she realized. Placing a hand on his arm, she looked at him. “It’s okay, Aunt Marilyn won’t tell anyone you’re here.” His eyes searched her face for a moment, then he relaxed, becoming slightly less rigid.
“Heh, I could stand up here waving a bright flag and they still wouldn’t see it.” She mumbled and moved toward the table, her eyes moving up and down, then stopped on his eyes. “Damn, do you have any… older brothers with those eyes? Not too old, mind you.” She extended her hand, “Marilyn.” She laughed, “or crazy Mari, as they call me around here.”
Calum looked at her hand, then slowly extended his and shook hers. “Calum, and I don’t see why they would, your color choices are perfectly sensible.”
“Ha!” She turned to Nona, a big grin on her face, “I vote he stays and we send Leroy away…” glancing at Shae, she scowled, “any father that does that to his daughter’s face needs to…”
A low, feral growl came from Calum. He turned to Shae and cupped the back of her neck and head with his big hand. He pulled her toward him, lowering his face to be level with hers, green eyes burning. “Your father hit you?”
His voice was so low it sent shivers all through her body. “He was angry…”
“We do not harm our women. For. Any. Reason.” He whispered in a venomous tone, while he looked at her swollen mouth. Calum straightened, without releasing Shae and looked at Nona. “Who is this Leroy, and why hasn’t he been banished for harming a female clan member?”
The surprise was clear on her face, “he is the alpha.” She said slowly.
A long, drawn-out growl of frustration came from Calum’s throat and Shae felt her knees go weak. Leaning against him, she ran a hand lightly over his chest, trying to soothe him, even while she was wondering why she felt compelled to do so.
“My word,” Aunt Marilyn said breathlessly.
“I think we need to talk.” He said firmly to Nona.
Aunt Marilyn dropped into the nearest chair, nodding with a dumbfounded look on her face, one that Shae had never seen before—ever.
“We do for sure.” Nona agreed as she moved over to her chair.
Calum didn’t release his hold on Shae, guiding her to sit in a chair, then pulled another close to her and sat down. He blew out a breath and rolled his muscled shoulders a few times, then leaned on the table and to look at Nona.
“I am not leaving until some things here are settled.” He glanced to Shae briefly before continuing. “And I should tell you, I’ve called for help, they’ll be on their way.”
“Help?” Marilyn sat forward. “Who?”
Nona raised a hand to stop all talking. “Show her the pictures before we climb too deep into this.”
“Pictures?” Marilyn’s voice was still quiet for her.
Her aunt sat perfectly still and waited while Calum picked up his phone and brought up the horrible pictures of the grave he’d found. Shae watched as sadness wiped her aunt’s usual carefree expression away, as she stared at the screen.
“They never let any of them go home.” She set the phone down and looked to Nona. “Did they?”
Nona shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
She watched her aunt close her eyes and rock back and forth in her chair for a few seconds, processing the information. When she opened them again, Shae was taken back by the disgusted expression in them.
Then her head snapped to Nona-Eve. “Are any of the women caught, that they’ve been sending into the yard?”
Nona gave Shae a quick look, then shook her head. “Not yet, that I know of.”
Shae frowned but kept quiet, until she knew what was going on.
“Good.” Aunt Marilyn nodded, “good. Even if they are pregnant already, hide it. Don’t tell anyone.” She pointed a finger at Nona. “Get them to agree not to tell anyone… buy us some time.”
Unable to stay quiet any longer, Shae glanced from one to the other. “Time for what?”
Nona tapped the phone on the table. “To stop them from being there.”
“Oh.” Shae shifted to the edge of her seat and leaned on the edge of the table. “Brock and I can go…”
“No.” Calum said abruptly.
Eyebrows raised, she turned to look at him.
His expression softened. “You are not putting yourself at risk again.”
She opened her mouth to answer, but her aunt interrupted before she could.
“That’s not a permanent solution, baby Shae. We need to stop this, not stall so they can bring in more people.” She clicked a fingernail on the blacked-out phone screen. “No more will be added to that.” She flicked the phone down the table. Then turned to Calum. “Who is on the way to help?”
Calum leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “A few of my friends.” He gave Shae an odd look, but continued, “The next in line for King of the Alliance, one of his seconds and a few more.”
“The alliance?” Nona asked, a tone of excitement. “It still exists?”
He frowned, “yes.”
“Are these friends large shifters like you?” Marilyn asked.
Calum nodded. “The prince,” he smirked, “is a wolf, but no one will mess with him.”
“He’s that mean?” Marilyn inquired, looking a little too excited.
Grinning he shrugged, “yes and no.” His expression sobered, “I’m one of his seconds and my friend, who is a large tiger, close to twelve feet in length, is his other.” He shrugged, “You mess with him, you mess with us. Not to mention the entire alliance of clans.”
She made a big ‘O’ with her lips and nodded abruptly. Shaking her head, she turned to look at Nona. “The alliance still stands, and from the sounds of it, stronger than ever.”
Nona sighed. “I caught that.” She looked briefly at Calum and Shae then clasped her hands on the table. “We were part of the alliance, back when it was formed. The alpha, at the time, wasn’t happy a wolf was in charge and refused to be part of it.”
“Mmhm,” Marilyn flung both arms out, “we’ve been forbidden to leave the mountain territory since then.”