“I’m sorry.What?”Lola snapped forward, nearly dislodging herself from his grasp.
Callon readjusted his hold on her body and then pushed open a set of double doors.He continued down a long hallway.Lola wasn’t paying too much attention to her surroundings because she was processing what Callon had said.There’d been a part of her at first, like a tiny part, that had thought maybe there’d been a spark between the Shaman and her friend.But then, Roan had been such an ass...“How do you figure?”
“He doesn’twantto want her.”Callon pushed yet another set of double doors open.They were outside again, walking down some stairs, and Lola realized they were in what looked like a courtyard divided up into squares.He set her down on her feet and then turned her to face him.Callon took her face in his hands and tilted it back until she was looking up at him.“When you want something so badly, but you don’t think you should want it or deserve it, you do stupid shi—” He paused.“Stuff.You do stupid stuff.”
“I’m not ten.”Lola rolled her eyes.“You can say shit.”
“You’re a female,myfemale.”He leaned closer.“I will speak in no such way around you.”
“Chivalry is alive and well with the beast.”She smirked.“Does flaying a man open fall under chivalrous acts?”
“If he deserves it.”Callon’s voice was soft and his breath warm against her face.“Absolutely.”His lips were a hair’s breadth from hers.Lola’s mouth watered, simply remembering what his kiss had tasted like.Before they could fully press together, she heard the doors open behind them.
“Lola!”a voice exclaimed.
Callon lifted his head, and the sound of footsteps suddenly stopped.In fact, there was no noise at all.Lola stayed as still as possible, as if she, too, were afraid of drawing the attention of the predator that held the newcomer in his gaze.That predator dropped his eyes to hers, and she sucked in a breath.
“Where were we?”Callon’s lips hovered just above the curve of her mouth, his breathing as ragged as hers.
Lola raised her hands, feeling the warmth of his skin through the material at his shoulders and reveling in his strength.The coolness of his teeth touched her bottom lip, followed by a sweep of his tongue so warm she felt it all the way to her toes.She was so completely ensnared by the specimen before her that she’d forgotten they had an audience.And she nearly screamed when a deep throat cleared.
Callon’s chest rumbled as he pressed his forehead to Lola’s.“Riker.”It wasn’t a nice sound.
“As important as the mating dance is,” the deep voice rumbled, “there are other pressing matters that require our attention.”
Heat filled Lola’s cheeks as she pulled away from Callon.He ran his thumbs across her face and knew he was looking at the two-tone vitiligo that he claimed to love.The adoration in his eyes would say his words were true.“We will continue this later,” he promised.Or threatened.It sounded like both.
Lola straightened her shirt and turned to face the couple, who were taking time to work with her.A tall, slender woman with shoulder-length blonde hair stood about ten feet away.She had a friendly smile and kind eyes.“It’s wonderful to officially meet you.I’m Samantha, but please call me Sam.”
Lola instantly liked the friendly woman.She returned her smile tentatively.“Nice to meet you, too.Sorry, about the…” Lola pointed between her and Callon.He batted her hand away.
“I don’t have to apologize for touching my mate,” Callon grumbled.
Sam waved a hand dismissively.“Oh, please, no apology necessary.They’re quite insufferable.Though no one will ever love or care for you the way he will.”Lola could see the emotions behind Sam’s words in the depths of the woman’s warm, hazel eyes as she stepped forward and wrapped Lola in a hug.“It all feels crazy right now,” Sam whispered, “but I promise it’s going to be okay.You’re right where you’re supposed to be.”
For a moment, Lola wasn’t sure what to do, but then she found herself hugging Sam back.She wrapped her arms tightly around the taller woman and allowed herself to take comfort from a total stranger.Lola could feel Callon’s anxiousness to pull her out of Samantha’s embrace.He really didn’t likeanyoneelse touching her.Finally, they released one another, and Lola was surprised to find the other woman wiping away tears.
Sam sniffed.“I was a total mess when I first learned about all this.”She glanced at the man that must have been her mate.
Riker stood like a dark sentry guarding her.With beautiful ebony skin that looked as smooth as silk, but hard as granite over the hard definitions of the muscles that were obvious beneath his snugly fitting shirt.He had long dreadlocks that draped over his shoulders like heavy curtains, partially obscuring his face, but not enough that Lola couldn’t see his bright gold gaze fixed on Sam.He looked like he might snatch her up at any moment and run off with her and never look back.
Sam obviously got the same vibe because she shook her head at her mate and looked back at Lola.“So, I get it.It’s a lot to take in.”Her hazel eyes sparkled with warmth and understanding.“But don’t worry.You’re not alone.You’ve got an entire kingdom behind you.We’ll have you shifting in no time.”
There was a brief silence, which was interrupted by a soft vibration.Riker pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen.His mouth did something that she thought could have been a sign of amusement, but it was hard to tell with these Alpha males.Their RBF faces and their RHF, aka, Resting Human Face, were well matched.
“Things are about to get interesting, my prince,” Riker’s lips curled into a knowing smirk, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“What now?”Callon reached for Lola, apparently done with the whole “Lola not being in my reach” thing.
“The Alpha isn’t sending the pack.”
“Surprising, but that’s good new—” Callon was interrupted by a much-too-amused Riker.
“He’s sent in the Dire.”
“Shit,” Callon spat out.
Hadn’t he just said he wouldn’t curse around her?This can’t be good.
