Chapter 12
twelve
CALLUM
I sat on the back porch for one hour.
Two hours.
Three.
Four.
It was nearly midnight when Sable finally came trotting back to the house, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. She was absolutely soaked, thanks to the constant drizzle I fucking hated.
Given the mess that occurred the last time Larson tried to alter the wards, I wasn't pushing him about it again.
Yet.
The relief that crashed into me at the sight of my mate, safe and unharmed, was staggering.
I dragged a hand through my hair despite the stabbing, icy pain it sent up my arm and over my shoulder.
Kat was alright.
I hadn't lost her.
Not entirely, at least.
"That was a lot more than an hour," I said, ignoring my pain as I followed Sable to the back door. I'd had a camera installed to open the doors electronically at the sight of her and her alone, but there was no need for it while I was there with her.
Sable's tail was wagging, as if saying she knew how long she was gone and was happy about leaving me to wait it out in ultimate fucking stress.
I wished she would brush up against me or lick me, the way she had before, but she didn't.
She shook the water from her fur, shooting me a wolfy grin after the droplets sprayed all over me.
That would freeze.
I supposed one could argue that I deserved it for keeping the truth from her.
I trailed her into the house and closed the door behind her, locking it as well. She was already in the kitchen when I caught up to her, and I was right behind her as we reached our room.
Until Sable bumped the door with her side, shutting it in my face.
I stared at the wood for a long moment.
How much more could I afford to push them?
I itched to open the door, and go in.
To somehow convince the wolf to shift and and the human to talk to me.
But for this moment, I might need to give her... space.
I stepped back, and after a beat of hesitation, slowly sat down on the floor. My legs fucking ached.
My phone was buzzing in my pocket.
I ignored it.
As soon as the buzzing stopped, it started again.
Had to be Liv.
I pulled it out, and sent the call to voicemail. Sable would hear me if I spoke aloud.
I'd missed a few texts from her while I was pacing.
Liv
Merrily told me what happened
You okay?
Did she make a run for it?
Are you still alive?
Helloooo?
I'm calling you
Answer your damn phone
Did you send me to voicemail?
Me
I'm alive
She's pissed. Shifted, and went for a run. For four fucking hours.
Liv
Damn
Did she come back?
Me
She did
Liv
That's a good sign
Me
Is it?
Liv
I think so?
Me
I'm not convinced
Liv
I don't think she would've come back if she wasn't willing to figure things out
Does she seem mad?
Me
Sable slammed the bedroom door in my face
She was the only one of the two who didn't hate me, so I'd say yes
Liv
Shit
You basically have to deal with two women
Me
Yes
Liv
Good luck with that
What did she say before she left for the run?
Me
She needed space
Liv
Well it doesn't take a relationship expert to know that's not good
Me
I'm aware
She was asking what would happen if she mated with someone else or refused to seal the bond
I may have been too harsh
Liv
You? Harsh? Impossible
Me
I don't need your sarcasm right now.
Liv
Sorry
But you did abduct the woman and tell her you only wanted to mate with her to avoid prison
I don't think the addition of being soulmates would make all of that any easier to work through for her
Me
What else was I supposed to do?
Liv
Just tell her what she was to you?
Trying to trap her with a wedding and a sealed bond before she knew the truth was never going to go over well, I warned you of this
You said it was what you wanted
Me
She would've said no
Liv
Why?
Me
I'm me
Liv
I like you
Me
You're obligated to
Liv
No I'm not
And that's not what we're talking about
Me
I'd rather talk about that
Liv
Why don't you want her to love you? Or vice versa?
I stared down at the question for a long moment.
The answer was... complicated.
Liv
Fine, ignore me
But she's going to want to know that too
I can't imagine she's going to agree to promise you her future if you're not even willing to consider the possibility of loving each other. She's too nice.
Me
I have to go
Liv
Liar
Just think about it
And try compromise for once. This is your mate, Callum. You only get one chance. Give her whatever she wants, and don't be an ass to her, or you're going to be in pain forever
The needles of ice that pierced my skin constantly grew thicker, and I closed my eyes.
As much as it pained me to admit it, my best friend might be right.
I might need to ask my female what she wanted, and even... give in.
I set my phone down beside me and stared at the door. When I heard the shower turn on, I felt slightly better.
She had shifted back.
That was good, right?
My phone buzzed again, and I looked down.
Liv
Hey, did you know her not-boyfriend is an MMA fighter?
Me
Obviously
Liv
Not all of us stalked her for five years
Think he'd want to make a bargain with me?
Me
You're finally thinking about a man other than Niall?
Liv
Maybe
Me
What would he want from you?
He already has fame and fortune
Liv
Maybe I could offer to retrieve his not girlfriend from the asshole fae who abducted her
Me
If you wanted to die
Liv
Oh please
You'd always be the third wheel with Dare and Merrily if you killed me
Me
He's in love with Kat's sister
You don't want him
Liv
Idk, he's hot
And didn't she break up with him half a decade ago?
Me
If you were with a werewolf, you would have to deal with two men the way I'm currently dealing with two women
On the off chance he was your mate, which seems very unlikely
Liv
Good point
I could just fuck him though
I miss sex
Me
If you miss sex, you could call Niall
Liv
We're still not talking about him
Jonah could be the exception to my one-night stand hatred
I've been watching videos of him fighting, maybe he could teach me or something
Me
The last thing you need is to learn how to fight. You'd be black and blue all the time. You'd never leave the mats.
Liv
Might be cool
Me
He's going to win the Beta challenges, so I don't think he's looking to find someone to train
Liv
True
He'll probably get back together with his ex when he wins, too
So my opening here is very slim
If I dated him, you could stop worrying that he's going to steal your girl
Me
I would just kill him if he tried
Liv
But then she'd hate you, so...
Me
She's free to hate me
Liv
You say that, but you're texting me right now because you're worried that she's mad at you
You just suck ass at relationships
Me
You have to have been in a relationship to suck at them, so I can't
Liv
I think you just insulted yourself
Me
I hear her coming
Fuck.
Don't text me back.
Liv
You can just say bye
Or gtg
I set my phone down as Kat pulled the door open, and couldn't help but stare when she stepped out in a set of the pajamas I’d given her before the third heat we spent together. A silky blue tank top that made no attempt to hide the points of her nipples, and tiny shorts that matched.
She was so fucking beautiful, and mine.
"We need to talk," she said, now much calmer than she had been a few hours earlier.
That was either a good sign, or a bad sign. I had no idea which.
I rose to my feet, taking care to move my joints as little as possible when I did.
I took a step toward the bedroom, but she pointed down the hallway. "In the office. This is a business arrangement to you, right?"
"Those aren't the words I would use, no."
She sent me a piercing look. "You stalked and abducted me, then made me believe I was going to be forced to seal a mate bond that already existed when you had no way of making me, because you don't want to be in pain anymore."
I blinked.
"So yes," she said. "Doing this as a business arrangement is the best approach to make sure we both get what we want."
"Okay." I was just going to have to let her run the conversation, because the alternative was to risk pissing her off enough that she walked away. Which would be the single way this situation got worse.
I followed her to the office. When she took my chair behind the desk, I reluctantly sat across from her.
Definitely needed to put a more comfortable chair there.
My pain was fucking hellish at the moment, which didn't help things, but I tried to spread myself out in a way that would reduce it.
Kat obviously hadn't realized that taking my chair would cause me more pain, and I had no intention of telling her. Concealing my pain meant concealing my weakness.
"I'm done being lied to and manipulated," she said bluntly. "If you want to see me or you need something from me, you tell me. Straight up. Like you believe we're equals."
"Of course we're equals."
"You don't manipulate your equal into marrying you without giving them all of the information, Callum."
That was fair.
I actually felt a small amount of guilt, which was strange for me.
"The best way to do this," she gestured between us, "is to treat it like a negotiation. I've thought about what you said, and I agree that sealing a bond tomorrow is the best route."
She explained, "You're not going to be able to let me go, and if I can't have a future with someone of my choosing, we'll have to figure out a way to make this work.
On top of that, you've already made me a target for anyone in the city who might want to hurt you, so it's not like living apart is safe for me anymore. "
I stared.
Had she just said she was actually willing to seal the mate bond?
"And despite your obnoxious secret keeping, I do appreciate whatever you did to make sure my cafe succeeded. And the favor you called in with Elle. Thank you."
That was... unexpected.
I just blinked.