Page 68 of Soul Fated

“I need you,” I rasped. My body felt like it was going to cleave in two as I searched her face for any sign that she didn’t hate what she was hearing.

Callista’s lips pursed. “You’ve known me for three days, Kael. Three days of me being terrified and in pain. That’s not who I am?—”

“If that’s who you are at your worst, then I can’t imagine the best.” I strode forward until I had to crane my neck to meet her eyes. “You’re curious. Calm under pressure. Smart and willing to get your hands dirty.” A lump formed in my throat. “You see me.”

Her cool facade cracked at that. She drew a breath and exhaled. “Inside.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to have this conversation through a window. Can you come inside, please?”

My heart thumped in my chest. I reached up for the sill, and Callista swatted my hand. “Lana isn’t sleeping in the hall. You can come in the front door.”

I nodded once, then jogged to the front of the house. I scanned for a vehicle but only saw a car that I assumed was hers. Callista pushed the door open as I took the steps two at a time.

As soon as I was next to her in the entryway, I couldn’t keep from touching her. I dragged my hand over her arm, and she smiled.

“Not here. Blake will be back soon. Just take off your boots.”

My blood heated. “Giving orders again?”

Callista’s cheeks flushed. I set my boots next to hers and followed her down the hall to her room. She walked in and closed the window, then drew the shades.

I shut the door behind me.

Callista turned to face me. “I thought you took the dagger to complete your assignment. To save your friend.”

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to tame it. “I was never going to complete my assignment. I knew that before we went to Swan Lake or I wouldn’t have gone.”

“Because of what we tried to do with the dagger?”

I nodded. “I thought about taking it back to the alphas.”

“But you gave it to Rowan.” Callista took a few steps toward me, and the walls of her room suddenly seemed to press in on me.

“He told me about your plan.” I moved toward her, and we met at the foot of her bed.

Her eyebrow quirked. “Which one?”

“To put together a rescue group.” I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “You didn’t know I was coming back with the dagger.”

Callista arched against me. “It didn’t matter.”

“Didn’t it?”

She shook her head. “They might have others. We need to show them they can’t harm our packs or other shifters to cow us into submission.”

I brushed my lips over her forehead. “So it wasn’t just for me?”

She pressed a hand to my cheek, and the corner of her mouth lifted. “Definitely not.”

I leaned into her touch. “I need to say it now. All the things I don’t have to offer you.”

Callista laughed, dropping her hand to my shoulder. “You’ve already told me how inadequate you are.”

I fixed my eyes on her. “I’m serious, Callista.”

She smiled up at me, her eyes glassy. “I know you are. I’m just waiting for you to realize that I don’t care where you came from or what you’ve done.”

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