As the thought filled his mind, Callon felt a jolt of rage and his vision blurred as he grabbed the steering wheel.With one swift jerk, it popped from the dash.He held it, waiting to see if the brief act of violence had helped at all.Nope.He still wanted to kill Bane.
Tossing it into the back seat, he glared at the mangled wires that hung from the spot where it had just been.It was the perfect representation of what his own insides looked like.As if his heart had been ripped from his chest and all that was left were useless hanging arteries.
She'donly known him for less than a day, but Callon had come to know her over the course of nearly a month.She'd altered something inside of him.Because of her, he forgot his responsibilities.Women were being taken, possibleanimi, and he was obsessed with a female to the point he couldn't stand the idea of being separated from her.What use would he be to his father and their warriors if he couldn't even make rational decisions?
She bares your lion, a voice in his mind reminded him.
"That doesn't mean she can't choose someone else," he said, feeling like a fool for talking to himself.The action made him think of Lola and how she constantly talked to herself.Callon felt something moving inside of him and watched as claws grew from the tips of his hands and hair rippled across his arms.His beast was not happy.In fact, he was down right pissed.Ever since he'd laid eyes on Lola the soul of the animal had begun to become more prominent.
She is ours,the voice rumbled.
"You've got to be kidding me," he hissed.The damn animal was growing more bold, he was merging with Callon's human half and increasing in strength.With another snarl, Callon pushed the door open and unfolded his large frame from the car.He slammed the door closed and headed for the elevator.He had no plan to see his parents.He was heading for one of the apartments his father had added to the top floor of the building.Sometimes they needed to stay in the city, and it was more convenient to stay there than getting an apartment or staying in a hotel.
The ride up seemed to take longer than usual and Callon felt trapped in the small box.He let out a sharp breath when the doors finally opened and he stepped out into the hall.By the time he was standing in the apartment, his agitation level reached a point he was pretty sure being around people would be dangerous.All he could think about was that Bane currently had his eyes on Lola.He was watching her when itshouldhave been Callon.Everything inside of him screamed that she washis.Only his, and would never belong to anyone else.
Callon ripped his shirt off and headed for the workout room.He planned to beat the shit out of the punching bag that hung in there until he could no longer stand.He connected his phone to the speakers and turned up the volume.Callon walked over to the punching bag and Bane's face appeared in his mind's eye.He felt the beast rise in him again, and this time Callon let him take over.
He had no idea how much time had passed when he finally stepped back.Sweat dripped from his body, and his lungs burned as he sucked air into them.While he'd been taking his rage out on the bag, he'd been able to push thoughts of Lola aside.He kept his mind firmly focused on the idea of taking Bane on in a challenge.Now?It was her face that he saw.The curiosity that constantly burned in her beautiful eyes, the way her cheeks bloomed with two shades of red when she was flustered.He needed to do something to get his mind off of her, or he was going to head to her apartment and carry her out over his shoulder.
He turned off the music and found Roan's number.The Shaman picked up on the second ring.
"Callon," Roan said, sounding surprised to be hearing from him.
"What did you learn at the Council meeting?"Callon asked without any preamble.
"I will be back in New York tomorrow, and plan to brief Taras and Lyra then," he responded tersely.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"It wasn't supposed to," Roan said."I'm not going to tell you only to then have to repeat it tomorrow."He paused and then added, "I expected you to be indisposed."
"Why would you think that?"It was a dumb question."I'm my father's Second-In-Command.I need to know what's going on just as much as he does."
"You've just met your mate," Roan said as if Callon wasn't aware."Youneedto be spending time with her."
Callon’s hackles rose at the words that sounded too much like an order.He only took orders from his Prime."We have a kingdom breaking a sacred law puttinganimiin danger, doing who knows what to them.That'swhat my focus should be on.I can’t deal with a mate until after justice has been served."
Roan was silent for a good thirty seconds, and the tension in that silence practically reached through the phone and choked Callon."Deal withamate?"Roan asked, his words slow and measured."Notyourmate?"
"It's not your concern," Callon growled.
"That's where you're wrong, Prince," Roan said, his voice tight."It is very much my concern.Where is Lola?"
Callon hated her name coming from his lips."She isnoneof your business, Roan.Drop it."
"She's ananimus, that makes her my business.She is on the radar of the Kingdom of Venom which means she is very likely in danger.So I will ask you again, where the hell is she?"he demanded in a tone that made it clear he expected an answer.
"At her job and under the protection of Bane."The panther's name came out through lengthened, clenched teeth.
"Why isheguarding your female?"
Callon began to pace as he ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair.His body radiated with rage, and with every step, his stride became longer and more agitated."She isn't mine.She has tochooseme to be mine.Which she hasnot.She has to love me to be mine, and she's not known me long enough to feel those kind of emotions for me."His free hand clenched into a fist so tight, he heard his knuckles crack, while he fought the urge to crush the phone in his other hand.“And I don't have time to develop a relationship with her and give her what she needs.As I've said many times, my duty to my kingdom must always come first.I let her make me forget about that for a while.If I'd done the responsible thing and gone to New Orleans, this could have all been avoided and no more females taken against their will."
"Where the hell did you get that idea?"Roan barked."Is there something so special about you that you'd be able to find out everything that's going on, and then take down Azure on your own?Are you seriously that arrogant?"Callon heard something in the background slam and Roan spoke again."You know what it means to have a mate.You know you will be more powerful once your beast is free.Are you really this big of a fool?I mean, damn.I knew you were pigheaded, but I never considered you stupid."
"Watch it, Shaman," he said in a tone that made it clear he would not put up with the disrespect Roan was showing him.
"Oh, I'm watching it," Roan laughed, the sound full of disdain."I'm watching you make the biggest mistake of your life.You have no idea what you will sentence yourself to if you don't bond with Lola."
