Page 129 of Callen's Captive
When she failed to shift, Callen resigned himself to sitting there, stroking her head. An hour or two must have passed, and the bite wound had practically healed.
A noise off to his left made Kate’s head rise. Her growl was low and focused on whoever approached.
“Shh,” Callen said, still stroking her back. “It’s only Jason. Damien must have sent him.”
“I have clothing and food,” the teen said.
“What’s happening at camp?”
“The soldiers are gone. Damien’s increased patrols and all but three are accounted for.”
“Which three?”
“Max, Valerie, and Hayden.”
Callen’s hand tightened in Kate’s fur until he heard a slight whimper. He loosened his grip and returned to stroking her as his mind drifted to Valerie. Callen had sent her out there. He had been impressed with her skills and her judgment, but she was still just a teen. He never should have left her to patrol alone.
“Thank you, Jason.”
Jason stared at Kate. “Does she belong to Drake?”
“No, she belongs to me,” Callen replied, barely keeping the bite out of his voice.
“Oh. I know she’s your mate, but she’s a white wolf, like Drake.”
“Can’t judge a shifter by looks, Jason.”
“I guess not. Hayden’s a white wolf, too.”
“Tell Damien we’ll be back as soon as we can. I don’t know how long this will take. It’s her first shift.”
“Yeah, that can suck. I couldn’t remember what my dad had told me about how to shift back. Took me three hours to figure it out.”
Jason was still hanging around for some reason. “Anything else, Jason? I think Kate might want some privacy to shift.”
“Okay, it’s just—”
“Don’t give up on Valerie yet,” Callen said. He knew the teens were close. “Maybe you can join one of the search parties, since you know her scent so well.”
Jason blushed. Yeah, he knew about the teens. “Tell Blade I want you out there searching for her.”
Jason’s face lit for a moment, then fell again. “And if I find her?”
“You’ll know what to do, one way or the other.”
Jason nodded, shifted, and headed back to camp.
“That was sweet of you,” Kate said. She was naked and looking up at him with those beautiful brown eyes.
He pulled her into his lap, to get her off the snow, and sank his head against her neck. There were no words, nothing that could express how worried he’d been for her. She seemed to know it too, as she wrapped her arms around him.
“Valerie will be fine,” she said, as if reading the pain and torment in his heart. He knew better. Valerie had been on patrol when the WSSO had broken through their perimeter. It was only a matter of time before the search teams found Valerie. Callen had sent the teen out there, to her death.
