The Wolf's Mate Book 3: Callie & The Cats (6 page)

“No. Annoyed, that’s all.”

“At us or getting injured?” Eryx smirked.

She sat up. “Getting caught by the hoof. Are
you guys going to yell at me?” Right now, she wanted their approval
more than anything and that scared her. It meant that after a day,
her resolve to leave was already weakening, new mantra or not.

Eryx, clearly the more stoic of the two,
folded his arms and his pecs bulged nicely. She gave him hard eye
contact so she didn’t stare at his lickable nipples. “What, do you
mean are we going to tell you that it was insanely foolish for you
to go out alone in a territory entirely run by mountain lions that
don’t know you? Or that you scared us half to death when you went
out without telling us?”

“Or, we could tell you that you’re beautiful,
human and wolf, and it was our pleasure to hunt with you. If you
want to hunt, all you have to do is ask and we’ll escort you. It’s
safer that way. The humans know about us, but they won’t know about
a wolf yet and a lot of them are twitchy with a rifle.” Ethan said
and Eryx nodded.

A thousand things went through her mind but
what she said wasn’t the top of her list, even if it was smart.
“What I want is to get another car and be on my way.”

Their faces fell and her heart cracked so
sharply she was sure they heard it. It was Eryx that said, “Well
the lot in town is closed until tomorrow morning, so I guess you’ll
just have to suck it up for one more night.” His voice was raw,
dripping with hurt and sarcasm and she winced at it. He and Ethan
left without a word but didn’t shut the bedroom door.

She heard their hushed voices, the angry
tones, and cabinet doors slamming in the kitchen, and then the
front door opened and slammed shut with such force that the house
shook. She’d hurt them.

Laying back on the bed, she blinked at the
tears as she stared at the ceiling. This was for the best. The less
attached they were to her, the better. No matter how beautiful they
were, no matter how well they took care of her and watched over
her, a relationship between a wolf and a mountain lion was doomed.
They said it, anyway, that she’d always need an escort to make sure
she wasn’t hurt. That was no way for her to live. She was looking
for freedom and independence, not more rules.

She tried to rest, to catch up on the sleep
she’d hoped to get the night before, but it wouldn’t come. All she
could think about was the looks on their faces when she said she
was leaving, as if she’d slapped them. She tossed and turned for a
long time, and then got up. She wasn’t a bitch. She might not want
to stay, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be mean. It would be
better if they hated her, so they’d be glad she was leaving, but
the problem was that she couldn’t be that mean.

Pausing at the doorway of the bedroom, she
closed her eyes. What was she doing, exactly? She was going to walk
out into the front room and tell whichever one was sitting there
babysitting her that she was, what? Sorry they’re so hot that she
couldn’t help but want to wrap her arms around them even as her eye
was trained on the door? That she had to keep moving, because she’d
only been gone from her stifling life in the pack for a week, and
that was hardly spreading her wings? That she didn’t want to come
between them, even as she was pretty sure she couldn’t choose
anyway? Those things all sounded like excuses, and weak ones at
that.

Still unsure what to say, she walked out into
the front room only to be surprised to see a woman standing at the
front door with her hand on Ethan’s arm. She was beautiful, like
something carved by an artist. All sharp angles, tall and lean, she
just screamed predator, and immediately Callie knew she was a lion
like them. Ethan shook off her hand as if it suddenly burned.

The woman, who looked only slightly older
than Callie but more refined and elegant than she could hope on her
best day, sniffed the air and made a face, “Who let the dog
in?”

Oh, this was exactly why she didn’t want to
be around other were-animals. The females always fought for the
males and Ethan and Eryx were the most wonderful examples of
masculine perfection she’d ever seen. Of course they were sought
after. And she’d be seen as a threat. An easily dispatched by a
huge lion paw one, but a threat nonetheless.

Ethan's voice was hot with anger, “Farrah,
you will treat our guest with respect when you’re in our home.”

She snorted and it sounded regal. “Banging
tourists, Ethan, really? And a dog at that? That’s low even for
you.”

Callie turned away before she heard anymore.
Before Farrah saw the tears that her words caused. Before Ethan saw
how humiliated she was. She was definitely leaving now.

She laid down on the bed and drew the covers
over herself, turning away from the open door and staring at the
window. She wondered how female lions put down their competition.
In the wolf pack, if Callie had made a pass at a wolf that another
female wanted, or if a male was sniffing around another female and
someone else wanted him, then the females would try to put each
other down. That meant someone got grabbed by the neck and forced
down to the ground. In public. It was about the most humiliating
thing, unless they gave you a choice to put yourself down, and that
was worse. Sure it saved you from getting beaten to a pulp until
you gave up, but no one thought much of anyone that didn’t at least
try to stand up for themselves.

Not that she’d had that many suitors. Only
one wolf had ever really sniffed around her, an older male named
Bruce. He was the stuff the word “ick” was made of. And he wasn’t
looking for a mate. One night, he’d caught scent of an unmated
female in heat in town somewhere, and he was looking for sex and
didn’t care who it was with. And he had a reputation for liking it
rough. She could remember easily how he'd had a mind to drag her
out into the parking lot whether she was willing or not – and she
was most definitely not – and bend her over the hood of his car,
and Cadence had come to her rescue. If Cadence were here in King
instead of her, she’d have marched over to Farrah and took a swing
at her. Even if she would have ended up losing, she took it as a
victory if she could at least get one good punch in. Callie wanted
to be like Cadence. Callie had planned to turn over a new leaf and
find her inner bitch, but the first sign of trouble and she tucked
her tail between her legs and ran.

“Callie.” Ethan came into the bedroom and sat
down on the corner of the bed. It dipped with his weight. She
didn’t turn over to look at him. She couldn’t.

“I’m sorry that you had to, well I’m just
sorry. She’s not anything to either Eryx or I, just one of the
pride females. They’re very bitchy I guess is the right word. I’m
sorry if she made you feel bad.”

She hoped to crap she didn’t sound like she
was trying not to cry. “No problem, Ethan.”

He growled slightly in frustration, “Callie,
would you please look at me?”

“Ethan, I’m pretty tired. If you don’t mind?”
She hugged herself tight. She was afraid to move, because she knew
if she did that she’d crawl right into his arms.

The room got very quiet. She could hear him
breathing, feel his eyes on her back, and finally, thankfully, he
stood up. “About 7 tonight our family is coming over to watch the
UFC fight on pay-per-view. There will be a couple humans and a
couple females, but not Farrah. Eryx and I would like you to join
us, as our guest.”

Oh fantastic. Now the whole house was going
to be swarming with people who wanted to get to know her. She would
be the new toy that everyone wanted to see. Spotlight on her.

“I’m not much for crowds.”

He let out a slow breath. “Fine.”

The door shut and she was alone, and she let
herself have a little self-pitying cry. Why was she so weak? She
was like a leaf in the stream, going wherever the current took her.
She certainly wasn’t doing her wolf ancestors proud. Weren’t dogs
supposed to be better than cats? She scoffed at the notion in her
head. Yeah, maybe if they weren’t three times her size. She could
maybe give them a scar to remember her by as she lay bleeding and
broken. Maybe. And then she’d be shuffling off this mortal coil
right quick.

The voicemail that had broken her heart the
night before rang in her mind. She’d had several calls, all hang
ups except one from Cadence.

“Callie, I wish you’d pick up the phone when
I call. I’m starting to get a complex.” The laugh was nervous,
emotional. Not really like Cadence except when it was just the two
of them and there were no pretenses. “I told Jason about the baby
and he was so sorry he tripped all over himself apologizing for
putting me down and I’m making him suffer for it, just like you
said I should.” The pause was significant, and then her voice was
thick with tears, “Callie I miss you so much. I know you think that
you’re not good enough or strong enough to be in the pack, but
you’re wrong. The females, they picked on us so much because we
were a threat. It wasn’t because we were weak, Callie, you have to
know that. You were meant to lead, to fight, to be great. All you
need is something worth fighting for. Please call me, let me know
you’re safe. I love you, my friend.”

Callie hadn’t called. Last night, she was so
angry at her situation that if she’d called Cadence she would have
driven up here herself and taken her back to Allen. Callie didn’t
want to be rescued; she wanted to make her own way. But she missed
the hell out of her best friend. And Cadence was wrong, at any
rate. Callie left so Cadence didn’t have to fight for her. Cadence
wanted to keep her apart from the other females and protect her,
and the alpha couldn’t really do that without making herself look
weak and screwing up the hierarchy of the pack. It would have torn
her apart eventually, ruined her relationship with Jason. Callie
was a lot of things, but she wasn’t that selfish.

So her new plan, that she had hatched early
this morning while she was hunting, was to get a car and get on her
way. She’d find a job in some big city. She could be a teller at a
bank or do customer service somewhere. She’d get a place, start her
life over, and no one would know that Calliope Marie Hunter was a
werewolf until she found the man she was going to marry. And it
wouldn’t be twin mountain lions that were cops in a small town in
northern Pennsylvania. Definitely.

She dozed off and on fitfully, thinking about
the car accident, her growing attraction to the boys, the bitch
Farrah, and the party. Several hours later, against her better
judgment, she got up and showered. With a towel around her head and
one around her body, she opened both suitcases and looked at the
contents. It was much colder up here than back in Allen. By about
twenty degrees at least. Her wool winter coat wasn’t thick enough
to withstand this blistering cold. She should head west instead of
east. Seemed like there were some wide open places in Kansas
without packs. She wasn’t sure she had enough money for that trip,
though. Unless she didn’t replace the car. Her insurance company
said once she had a mechanic take a look at the car and send them a
letter saying it was totaled along with pictures, that she’d get
the value of the car. Which wasn’t much. It had been a loaner from
Peter when she got her license and he gave it to her on her 18th
birthday. It was old and run down when she got it.

She put on a matching satin pink bra and
panties, and slid into a pair of artfully distressed jeans. Besides
the pair that had been cut off her, these were her favorite. She
layered a fitted white tank with a dark green brushed cotton long
sleeved shirt and left it unbuttoned, and finished with her black
Champion tennis shoes.

Taking the time to dry her hair, she pinned
the sides back with little twists. It was starting to get long,
dipping past her shoulders in a soft wave, the color all browns and
honeys. In the summer it got lighter and went a little red. While
she put on enough makeup to cover the dark circles that little to
no sleep had garnered her, she looked at herself in the mirror.
Short, curvy, cute. That’s her. Like a bunny rabbit on two legs.
Men didn’t fall at her feet and beg for a kiss. She'd get the punch
on the arm, good-buddy attention.

“You’re not going out there for anything
except to be nice and respectful to Ethan and Eryx for their
hospitality, and to not embarrass them in front of their family.
That’s it. If the females give you attitude, you just walk away.
You’re not sticking around anyway.” She glared at her reflection as
she spoke out loud and willed herself to believe that she could
spend the evening with Ethan and Eryx and not want to stay. Yes,
she would. She had no choice. That female’s reaction to her was all
the proof she needed that the hierarchy for lions was like the
pack. And she was trying to avoid that at all costs.

It was 6 when she walked out of the bedroom
and there were two extra men in the kitchen besides Ethan and Eryx.
All four turned towards her when she walked out, and Ethan and
Eryx’s eyes lit up like they’d just seen something incredible. She
was tempted to glance behind her to see if there was anyone else
there.

They moved quickly to her and a rush of their
spicy scent hit her and she might have swooned if she wouldn’t have
been completely mortified at the thought. “Are you feeling okay?
Are you hungry?” Ethan worried.

“I’m fine, thanks. I wanted to see if you
needed help?”

They looked pleasantly surprised. “We don’t
yet, but you can keep us company in the kitchen, and meet our
family.” Eryx said with a grin. She followed dutifully.

“This is our dad, James, and our younger
brother Alek. Dad, Alek, this is Callie.” Ethan positively beamed.
It was so strange.

She shook their hands and then let Ethan lead
her to the table where she sat, and James and Alek joined her while
Ethan and Eryx busied themselves at the counter. She’d never seen
men that were so adept in the kitchen before. Michael, Jason’s
brother was a good cook, but he was also powerfully lazy unless he
was properly motivated. He was happy to sit back and wait to be
waited on. She frowned internally at herself for comparing
everything to the pack, except it was hard not to. Different
were-animal, same bullshit hierarchy.