“You’re going to leave?” Elliot asked, when he returned from his run to find Callum shoving all his possessions into a bag.
“Vivian has agreed to go with me to Maine, and we’re going to leave today. Now in fact.” He was so close to getting out of this hellhole, he could taste it. “It was Rafe’s idea.”
“For you to leave?”
“Yes,” Callum confirmed. “I imprinted on her last night.”
Elliot leaned against a wall. “Congratulations.”
Pausing, Callum glanced up. “Thanks.”
“Gonna miss you.”
“Maybe once things blow over, we can come back and visit.” But for now, he needed to get Vivian somewhere safe. “Or you can come visit Maine.”
Elliot snorted. “I doubt that will happen anytime soon.”
Callum approached his cousin. “My offer always stands. You, your sister, your mom. You’re welcome at any time, and not just for a visit.”
Returning to his bags, Callum double check he had all his electronics before zipping everything shut.
“I’ll get my keys.”
“No,” Callum objected. “You have the Curusm tonight. You worry about that. I already asked Rafe, and he agreed to take us to the bus stop.”
“Okay.” Elliot sighed. If he objected to Callum’s plan, he didn’t voice his complaints.
“I wouldn’t mind a ride to Rafe’s, though.”
“Sure.”
As they drove by trees and rocks, Callum practically bounced.
He was going home, and he was taking Vivian with him. She’d meet his family, his friends. They’d get her enrolled in school. She’d blossom.
He couldn’t wait, but before he could hop out of the truck, Elliot grabbed his sleeve. “Watch your back, okay?”
Callum frowned. He didn’t like the worry on Elliot’s face.
“And get south as quickly as you can.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You think Norman is going to come after us?”
“Or Thatcher.” Elliot released him. “I just think you need to move fast. And call me to check in.”
Callum realized part of his concern was likely from when his father went missing.
“I will.”
Together, they unloaded Callum’s stuff at Rafe’s. After hugging his cousin goodbye, he headed toward the tree fort to collect his mate.
Once they were safely away from Thatcher’s reach, maybe he could take her somewhere fancy. Take her shopping in Toronto, and out for dinner at a five-star restaurant. Maybe take her up the CN Tower. He’d never done that before, and she’d never been in a big city. He couldn’t wait to experience it with her.
He opened the hatch on the treehouse and crawled through the hole.
Vivian was already there, facing away from him on the bed, her mane of red hair blocking her from his view.
“You ready?” He couldn’t keep the glee from his voice.
She cleared her throat, but made no effort to get up. “I can’t go with you.”
His brow furrowed as he came closer. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, my place is here. With my family, and you should go.”
“We’re mated. I’m not leaving without you.”
“You need to go.”
“Why?” He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what had happened in the last few hours, though he had a damn good guess.
“Please, Callum, just go.”
“Vivian, look at me.”
She shook her head, wavy hair going everywhere.
“Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll go.”
She sniffed.
Closing his eyes, he took a moment to compose himself, and already knowing what he’d see, he demanded, “Look at me.”
“No.” The word was a whisper.
Tenderly, he reached forward and took her chin between his fingers, urging her to twist toward him. At first, she resisted, but finally she looked up.
Half her face was red. The entirety of her right cheek was swollen.
Through gritted teeth, he uttered, “Who did this?”
“Callum–”
“Who?”
“My father.” Water leaked from her eyes, tracing hot lines down her cheeks. As gently as possible, he brushed them away. “He signed me up for the Curusm, and when he found out what I’d done, he was furious.”
“I’m going to kill him.”
“No! Callum!” She clutched at his arm when he pulled away. “You can’t. He’s gone to Thatcher. It’s too late. You need to run to get out of here while you still can.”
He crouched down next to her. “Run off with my tail between my legs? Leave you here so they can mate you off to whoever they fucking please? So you can spend your life cooking and cleaning for some asshole who doesn’t even care about you?”
“They’re going to kill you.”
He cupped the left, unmarred side of her face. “You are my mate. I love you. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some other man mate you, and put babies in you, and do all those things while I hide out thousands of miles from here.” He was shaking now, pressing his forehead to hers. “I love you.”
“You have to go,” she pleaded.
Lightly, he touched his lips to hers. “Not without you.”
Breaking away from her, he hurried to the hatch as she screamed after him to stop, but he wasn’t listening. He had a dictator to deal with, and an abusive, no-good father to kill.