With Everything I Am (The Three #2)(34)

She understood how he recruited his followers. Because he was the kind of man you followed, even if he was insane.

There was something about him. It was more than the fact that he was incredibly good-looking (but that helped). More than the sharp intelligence in his blue eyes. More than the rich depth of his attractively accented voice. More than his manner filled with absolute confidence and exhibited through every movement of his powerful body and every word he spoke.

It was the quiet yet fierce force of his personality which was compelling and nearly impossible to resist.

As the day wore on Sonia found she wanted to believe in his world, to be a part of it, even (Lord forbid) the ridiculous but appealing idea of being his queen.

She was even trying to find ways to sort it in her brain. Telling herself seeing him in dreams for years meant they were supposed to be together just like he said they were. That maybe she was his queen. That maybe he was her handsome wolf.

But the logical side of her brain which was fighting the battle of its life against Callum’s captivating pull told her there were no such things as secret sects with kings and queens and wars.

He was just a madman who kidnapped her, maybe murdered men while doing it (even bad men, but still) and he intended to make her his “mate” without her getting a word in edgewise.

Therefore, long after she heard his breathing even the second night, she made good her escape.

It scared her silly, trying to creep around silently getting prepared and out the backdoor but she did it.

Even with four pairs of thick socks on, walking in his boots was clumsy and time-consuming, it was freezing and the snow was only gently falling, which meant she had to waste precious time covering her tracks.

But even though she remembered the cave being only a short, maybe twenty minute walk away from the cabin, it took her what felt like hours to get there.

She didn’t light a fire because she had no idea how but also because she didn’t want him to see it.

Instead, she carefully unbundled her medicine and food, wrapped herself in the woolly blanket she brought (and she was still chilled to the bone within minutes) and stayed awake until dawn touched the sky.

She fell into an exhausted sleep while considering her next step.

Then she sensed him.

Instantly awake and alert, she jumped up but his large form was filling the mouth of the cave before she even got the blanket off her shoulders.

She stared at him.

That was impossible. When she’d sensed him, he hadn’t been close.

How did he get there so fast? He couldn’t sense her and no one could move that fast. He had to know about the cave.

“You knew about the cave,” she whispered.

“Quiet,” his voice was even and calm.

She squared her shoulders, faced off with him and told him courageously, “I don’t want to go back.”

“Quiet!” he roared, his voice not even or calm in the slightest.

Sonia went still.

Callum strode forward, snatched up her medicine, wrapped her in the blanket, picked her up in his arms and strode angrily from the cave.

So much for her escape attempt. She only managed to stay away a few hours.

Seriously, she was in trouble.

And she was in even more trouble because she didn’t know whether to be frightened out of her mind that he found her or… elated.

They were nearing the cabin and she knew instantly there were people inside.

So shocked at this, forgetting to hide her gift, she whispered, “Callum, there are people –”

“Quiet.”

“But –”

His arms grew so tight they almost, but not quite, hurt.

She thought it prudent to be quiet so she did.

He walked right in the porch door through to the cabin’s backdoor and straight into the cabin.

There were four people there. All tall. All looking a lot like Callum, three even had sky blue eyes but one had green. One was a woman.

They were all staring at Callum and Sonia with knowing, amused expressions on their faces.

Callum ignored them and tossed Sonia on the bed.

Sonia bounced then settled and looked up at Callum’s handsome but enraged face, not knowing what to do or if she’d live long enough to do it.

Callum’s voice was back to even and calm when he stated, “So yesterday was a lie.”

Knowing this voice heralded the scary roar if she said the wrong thing, Sonia decided not to speak at all.

And anyway, they had an audience.

Were they going to do this in front of an audience?

“Answer me,” Callum demanded.

Apparently they were going to do this in front of an audience.

“Um…” Sonia muttered.

“Answer me!”

There it was, the roar.

Okay, maybe he was a murdering, kidnapping madman and there was a better way to play it. She just didn’t know what that was and she was so angry, she didn’t care.

She threw off the blanket and got to her knees, shouting, “You kidnapped me!”

“I told you, Sonia –”

“I know what you told me!” she interrupted on a shriek. “That I’m your mate, your queen, yadda, yadda, yadda. Do I get a say in this?” she demanded.

“No you bloody well don’t!” he shouted back.

“Well, that’s unacceptable!” she yelled. “It’s even insane!”