Page 11 of Callen's Captive
Chapter Three
CALLEN
As soon as Callen shifted, he ran hard and fast around the perimeter of the town. He didn’t want to leave Kate alone, but he had to work off the turmoil she had stirred within him. She was safely tucked away, sleeping in the middle of one of many abandoned houses. She needed the sleep, more than he did. She was not the trusting type, not that she should be with how the WSSO operated. They had their hands in all levels of government and the resources to hire as many mercenaries as they needed to kill her.
There was so much he wanted to ask her, but he knew he’d have to tread lightly. For now, he’d focus on getting her out of Riverview. As he ran, stretching muscles and enjoying the cool night air rush over his fur, Callen surveilled the enemy.
No less than two dozen mercenaries were spreading through the town like a swarm of bees. The local Sherriff’s department had roadblocks up, and they were checking every car and truck that left the small town. A second group of officers plastered Kate’s photo along every storefront and telephone pole. As soon as she left the house, someone would spot her.
Callen returned before sunrise and pushed the bedroom door open to check on her. She was curled up around her backpack, her face twisting in her sleep. His wolf took notice, seeking whatever danger disturbed her sleep.
The protectiveness he’d been feeling toward her had surged the moment she’d touched his cheek. That hadn’t surprised him at the time. An enforcer’s primary function was to protect, not simply instill fear in those who endangered the pack. The torture and killing were only tools, ones he hated but often employed out of necessity. What he didn’t understand is why she had run her hands down his throat to his shoulders, lightly gliding over his muscles in such an intimate manner when only moments before she had backed away from him.
After shifting back to human form and donning his clothes, Callen took up a defensive position at the window. This was one of those times he could really use Blade’s help. The scout was quite adept at circumventing law enforcement, and Callen needed to get Kate out of town, past the soldiers and police hunting her.
“Morning, Callen.”
Despite the dirty jeans and shirt, she was damn sexy the way she stood in the doorway, her hair tousled from sleep and her eyes somewhat hooded, like he imagined she’d look after a night of sex. This wasn’t the time to admire her curves or fantasize about having her writhing beneath him though. Clearly, he hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings, or he would have heard her rise, especially with that creaky old bed. Having her near soothed both him and his wolf, and that was a problem with the enemy so close.
“Sleep well?” He still hadn’t taken his eyes from her.
“Best night’s sleep in a week. Nothing like being home.”
Home? This place is a rat’s nest, not a home.
“I don’t travel much, but when I do, I always appreciate returning home.” Callen left his spot by the window and tore into a bag in the kitchen. “I brought some food for you.”
“You left?”
“I needed to do some reconnaissance and thought you’d like some food.” He pulled out the loaf of bread and hunk of cheese he pilfered from a deli on the other side of town. From the way she was eyeing the cheese, it was clear she hadn’t eaten in a while.
“You clearly know the way to a girl’s heart is through her stomach.”
“I thought that was a guy’s heart.”
“Considering I was eyeing the spilled chips on the floor of the bar yesterday, I think I can modify the saying.”
He chuckled as he handed her the cheese. “I didn’t take the time to get any utensils or a plate.”
“Don’t tell me you’re a picnic type of guy, Callen.”
“I don’t know. Never been on one.”
“Me neither, but it sounds nice, the idea of sitting outside on the grass, feeling the sun on your face as you talk and eat, all casual, without a worry in the world.”
She drew a nice picture, one he would enjoy. He could imagine her nestled between his legs with her back against his chest while they simply talked. That would be nice, having the chance to be himself.
To her, he wasn’t an enforcer. He was just Callen, a shifter who was trying to help her, nothing more, nothing less. He needed to stop fantasizing about her, about a life with her.
She broke off a chunk of swiss cheese. Her entire face lit with the first bite. “That’s soooo good!” She handed the large piece back to him, which he refused. “You’re bigger,” she protested, still holding the cheese out to him.
She finished off the cheese in record time. After he caught her glancing toward the bag, trying to assess if there was more food, Callen set his cheese down on the bag for her. “Go ahead. I already ate at the shop,” he lied. “This is all for you.”
Callen returned to the window to keep watch while she ate. Soon, he was lost in thought about home and how his parents had always been there for him and his sister, loving and supporting them, keeping them well-fed and warm. He hoped to have a family of his own one day, to feel once again that unwavering support and to know that no matter what horrors he committed as an enforcer, they’d see the shifter inside, the one who didn’t want to maim or kill.
Kate appeared before him, holding out a small chunk of cheese. “Are you sure? I’m stuffed, and I wouldn’t want you fainting from hunger. I don’t think I could carry you.”
He swung her in between his legs, shocking himself as much as her. Dark brown eyes narrowed, but she didn’t fight him. In fact, she inched closer to him. Holding her, feeling her body trapped between his legs, shielding her from any harm that might come their way, felt right.
