Page 71 of Callen's Captive
“Hear him out, Callen. There has to be something else going on here. You’ve done nothing to warrant this.”
“She’s right, Callen. Please, wait until Damien arrives,” Mason said, sounding desperate. “This is not something anyone wanted, and I don’t have all the details. Damien hasn’t had the time to brief us fully. My orders are to keep everyone out, including any of our pack who weren’t with us when we abandoned home.”
“Not just me?”
“Only five have found us so far, and Damien spoke to each privately before sending them off. Wait for Damien.”
“Who returned? Who’s still missing?”
“I’m not permitted to say.”
The yellow in Callen’s eyes spread. “We’ll wait.” He turned his back on Mason as he leaned his forehead against Kate’s.
“It will be fine,” she said, hoping to reassure him.
His hand sifted through her hair and came to rest on the back of her neck. His power, his insecurity, and his need for answers traveled down his hand to where he held her. There was nothing she could do to help him but let him hold her, even in this possessive manner in front of the other shifters.
Callen suddenly whisked her behind him. “Damien,” he greeted the huge silver wolf that had appeared without warning.
Kate didn’t understand why Callen was protecting her from his alpha, but she remained silent.
The silver wolf shifted into a tall, well-built man with short, jet black hair and the same gray eyes as his wolf. The alpha leaned to his right, trying to peer past Callen to see her.
Kate stepped to Callen’s side. “Hi, I’m Kate.”
A warm, genuine smile surfaced on Damien’s face. “Nice to meet you, Kate. I’m Damien. Anna’s told us about you.” His eyes returned to Callen. “I wish you hadn’t found us.”
Callen’s body straightened. “Then it’s true? You intentionally didn’t leave me a way of finding you.”
“It was for your protection.” Damien turned to Mason and the other wolves and ordered them to patrol. Each wolf lowered his head before Callen before disappearing into the woods.
It was a goodbye. That moment left Callen shaking.
“Sit down,” Damien finally said, breaking the awkward silence. “This will take a while. Just don’t touch me or anyone else you come into contact with from our pack.”
“Hell,” Callen said, as if he knew what had happened.
“I don’t understand,” Kate said.
“The damn virus,” Callen said, pacing. She’d only seen him pace once before, when he was really agitated.
Damien’s frown deepened. “It’s not what you think, Callen. It’s worse.”
* * *
CALLEN
“We found Alex,” Damien began.
Callen knew from Damien’s tone that whatever he had to say was going to go downhill from there. “Dead?”
“No, though he tried to kill himself soon after.”
“What the fuck happened?”
“Drake had him.”
“Reason enough to commit suicide.” He remembered what Drake had done to Anna, how reserved she was when Callen had first met her. Callen looked over at his Kate, knowing that if Drake ever got his filthy hands on her, Callen would do anything to protect her, even challenge the alpha.
