With Everything I Am (The Three #2)(71)

Regan approached and, woodenly, Sonia turned to her as Regan stopped close and beamed.

“I looked at hundreds of chains before I chose that one for you,” Regan commented and at her words Sonia felt like rocks were pummeling her body. “I liked the charm,” Regan went on, “such a fierce wolf.”

Callum hadn’t chosen the chain or the charm for her.

Like her wedding rings, his mother had.

Kings, apparently, didn’t bother shopping for their mates, even if it was for things as significant as claiming chains and wedding rings.

And, as another brick crashed down on the bad side of her scales, the thimbles that were added that morning slid off the good side in the tumult.

However, unfortunately, Sonia didn’t know the way of the wolves.

She didn’t know that it was millennia-old tradition that a wolf’s mother chose the chain to be bestowed on his mate and therefore, in a nod to Sonia’s humanity but still adhering to their traditions, Regan had also chosen her wedding rings as a matter of course.

Sonia didn’t even know they were wolves.

So she reacted to what she did know.

She hid the fact that her stomach had tightened and her heart had hardened as Callum brushed her lips with his absentmindedly and obviously dismissed her from his thoughts as he walked back to the dining room table. This indicating to Sonia that his show at the dining room table that morning was exactly that.

A show.

Not the sweet, tender behavior of newly claimed mates.

But a performance for his people sitting around that table so they would think all was well in the world of the king and his queen.

It was then her strange, brief contentment fled and Sonia made the fierce determination that she’d never, never be deceived like she was that morning.

Never.

So when they were in bed and she felt that urge, primal and sharp, she knew, whatever it was and from wherever it came, she was obviously not strong enough to fight it.

But her heart was her own.

Her body might betray her but she vowed she’d never lose her heart.

She mentally threw away her scales as no more measuring was needed.

This was her “beautiful life”?

So be it.

She would be his queen, his “sweet little body” to use and dismiss.

And she would be his people’s queen because that was her destiny and not only had her parents wanted it for her, not only had her dreams been guiding her to it for twenty years but Gregor had kept her safe in order that she could live that destiny.

But Sonia would hold her heart safe.

She hid these reactions and her thoughts under a falsely bright smile as Regan tucked her arm through Sonia’s and led her to the door.

Chapter Twelve

Newlyweds

Sonia and Regan walked through the doors of Clear.

The minute the bell jangled, Mabel, one of Sonia’s two shop assistants who was standing behind the counter with a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous, obviously Callum’s people woman, shouted, “Sonny!”

Kerry, Sonia’s other shop assistant, who was helping some customers, looked around and gave Sonia a big, happy smile.

Sonia adored Mabel and Kerry. They were good workers, never called in sick, came in even when they were hungover, hid it like pros and never complained. They were fantastic with customers and they were both exuberant, full of personality and made working there fun.

Their reactions to her return were balm to the soul, something Sonia needed desperately.

It was like coming home.

Sonia’s gaze moved to the tall woman behind the counter who studied Sonia curiously for a brief moment then bowed her head low in deference to her queen. She couldn’t exactly drop to a knee in a shop amongst humans but her message was clear.

And Sonia wondered if she’d ever get used to that the way Callum was. When they walked in the throne room and everyone sank to a knee, he’d not even glanced at them.

Then again, he’d had a lifetime of feeling entitled that people would be on their knees before him.

Including Sonia.

Sonia shrugged off these thoughts and walked toward the counter with Regan at her side, not knowing what to do about the tall woman so, when her head came up, Sonia inclined her own.

Then she greeted her shop assistants with, “Hey girls.”

“We were so worried,” Mabel exclaimed as she rushed around the counter toward Sonia. “Diana said everything was cool but you never take off from work.” As Mabel came toward her, Sonia had started to unwind her scarf from around her neck when Mabel suddenly skidded to a halt, her eyes wide on Sonia’s scarf and she screeched, “Ohmigod! Look at that ring!” She gasped then let out a strangled cry before she went on, “Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Did you get married?”

Sonia tensed and Kerry’s head swung toward Sonia again. Kerry excused herself and headed their way but Mabel had grasped hold of Sonia’s hand and she yanked it to within an inch of her eyes.

“Look at that rock!” she shrieked. “It’s huge!”

“Ohmigod!” Kerry cried, getting close. “This is insane! I can’t believe this! Did you really get married?”

There it was, as Sonia had noted, her girls were exuberant.

Before Sonia could utter a word, Regan, on Sonia’s right side, announced in a proud voice, “Sonia and my son eloped over a long weekend.”