Chapter 617 Chapter 617
Calum heard the door open and knew before he turned around who was there. “I’m okay.” He glanced to see his beautiful mate coming toward him. “You should have put a coat on.”
Shaelan gave him that look that told him to shush and came over and wrapped her arms around him. “Then I wouldn’t have an excuse to do this.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he leaned down and rested his cheek against her hair. Taking her scent into his body calmed him and his cat as much as would be possible under the circumstances.
“Are you really okay?” She looked up at him.
“I don’t know.” It was the truth. Just hearing what his mother said repeated by a stranger hit him hard. “I hoped she would be found for years, but it’s been so long now.”
“Should you call your family? Lloyd? You should tell your uncle.”
Calum leaned down and kissed her mouth, just needing to taste her. He wasn’t sure if it was to keep his animal happy or himself, but with all of the traveling they’d been doing and ending up in different places, he just needed that slight taste to get him through. “I don’t want to get their hopes up. She may not be there or even alive.” Saying it out loud sounded so final.
“I think she’s still there. She will still be there if her son got even a small piece of her strength and determination.”
He nodded, but barely as he held her close. Even though the fences were high, and security was tight, he still scanned the bush on the other side of the clearing as he held her. There was no day that he would ever be at ease. Not until Tomas and all of his affiliates across the globe were buried in a hole so deep that the next ice age couldn’t reach them.
The door opened, and he turned his head slowly to see who was coming to check on him. Cy stepped outside.
“You okay, big man?” The man the same damned size as Cal himself asked.
“I’m good.”
Cy snorted, flicking his black hair back from his face, “yeah? I wouldn’t be.” Tucking his hands in his pockets, he gave Calum a brief once over and then looked out into the bush. “Do you think it’s really her?”
“I don’t know.” Calum loosened his hold on his mate and straightened, “I don’t want to tell anyone at home and get their hopes up.”
Cy nodded his head slowly, “I get that.” He lifted one shoulder and let it drop, “I’m really good with secrets.” He grinned.
“I suppose you are.”
Shaelan rubbed her hand over his chest, “I’m going to go back in and check on Journee. That talk probably took a lot out of her.”
“Brave woman,” Cy said and walked over to the fence.
“Yes, she is.” Shae stretched up and kissed Calum and then gave him that look that told him it would be continued later. “I should probably check on Leah as well. That was a surprise.”
He winked at her and then let her go.
Both men watched her go back inside. Before the door closed, Jesse came out. Calum studied him as he walked over, “Leah, all right?”
Jesse huffed out a breath, “Yeah, she will be.” He shook his head a few times, “I didn’t see that coming.”
Calum smirked, “it was an eventful discussion.”
Jesse jerked his head to look at him. “Was that really your mother that Journee was talking about?”
“Sounded like her.” Calum put his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t do something stupid like climb the fence and go for a run.
“Damn.” Jesse mumbled, “We’ll find that island.” He assured him.
“I know.” On second thought, he was going for a run. He looked to the other end of the fence and motioned to the gate. “I’m going for a run.” He gave Cy an inquiring look.
Cy shook his head. “No, I’m good. You’re going to go run supersonic speed, and I’m more stealth now.” He shrugged, “it’s kind of my thing.”
Jesse snorted. “Let me guess, Cal taught you how to move without being heard.”
Cy grinned. “Something like that.” He patted Calum’s shoulder once. “Don’t eat any bears, big man.”
Calum shook his head and watched him walk back to the building and go inside. “I didn’t eat it,” he mumbled and then looked at Jesse, “How about it, spot, want to go for a run.”
Jesse looked at the building and then the fence. “Let me message Evanna first.”
Calum inclined his head and started walking toward the gate.
“What about the rogue patrols?”
Calum glanced to see him walking as he typed, “I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”
Jesse stopped and looked up from his phone. “No, I meant do they have a way to communicate when some of us go for a run?”
Calum shrugged, “Sure.”
“You are not instilling any security in us going for a run without a fight.”
Calum grinned, “I’m sure it will be fine.” He pulled his sweatshirt over his head, “Try to keep up, spot.”
Jesse snorted and jammed his phone in his pocket, “you do know that you have spots too, right? But they’re dark like your black coat.”
Calum rolled up his shirt and then set it on the ground. “I know.”
“Then why do you call me spot?”
Calum smiled, “because then you spend most of the time puzzling out why I call you it.” He was out of his boots and jeans by the time Jesse had his shirt half off. “See you out there.” Twisting the bolt lock, he pushed the gate open.
“You sometimes suck, you know that?” Jesse sounded like he was laughing when he said it, but Calum didn’t turn to look. He needed this too much. Ducking between trees, running full speed in open areas. His mother may still be out there. What would it be like to see her again? He couldn’t even wrap his head around that. He did know one thing, if he had to swim to that island, he was going there to find out.