Page 78 of Colton’s Mate

Humph. The owl flew away, leaving his dead disemboweled rabbit behind.

Callie opened her eyes and she was back on Titan’s steps. “I think I did it,” she said, excitement fizzing through her. “I think I did it!”

She hugged the bear shifter, her arms only making it about halfway around his huge shoulders. “Thank you so much! You’re the best. And also, that is a very weird talent you have. But I’m glad you have it.”

He nodded. Then he said, “I have something for you.”

He went inside, and came out with a stone carving. It was about eight inches tall, and the bottom part was a lynx and a leopard twined together. It was so beautifully done you could see the furry tufts on the lynx’s ears, and a suggestion of spots on the leopard’s hide.

But the whole top of the carving was an owl in flight, above the two cats, sheltering them with his wings.

Callie looked at it in awe. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Is this for me?”

Titan nodded. “For you and Colt. A mating gift.”

Tears stood in her eyes. “I don’t even know what to say. Thank you.”

Titan nodded. Then he asked, “Aren’t you going to ask which owl that is?”

Colt’s or Remy’s, he meant. She shook her head. It could be either. Both. “It doesn’t matter.”

He gave her a faint smile. “Good answer.”

Chapter 33

A week or so after Callie had her talk with Titan and the owl, Colt burst into his room while Callie was sitting on his bed, painting her toenails.

Trying to get a few minutes to herself, which was almost impossible at the Wild Blood territory.

And trying to figure out how she was going to explain to Colt about still needing time to herself, without hurting his feelings.

Clearly the owl had fallen down on the job. Or maybe it just didn’t care.

But she needed to say something, because they were all planning to build a suite for her and Colt in the mansion. For privacy. Right after Brandon and Kitty’s was finished.

Which was fine, except the plans only had a bedroom, a sitting room, and a bathroom. Possibly an office for Colt.

So it was only private from the others, not from him.

She’d been wondering if she should keep her little house across town when the door burst open and Colt came inside like a whirlwind.

“Put on your walking shoes, girl, because I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Callie contemplated her still-wet toenails, some of which were unpainted. And her interrupted private time.

And the smile on Colt’s face, and the excitement in his eyes.

Plus, surprise. For her. Nobody in her life had ever planned surprises for her before. That made the place in her chest where their bond was go all warm and fuzzy.

“How about my walking sandals?” she said. “Because, wet toes.”

He flung himself down on the bed and blew on her toes, which tickled. “Walking sandals would work. And if you wreck your pretty blue toenails, I’ll repaint them for you later.”

Seriously? No guy had ever offered to paint her toes. Crows would die first.

Colt kissed the arch of her foot. “Maybe I’ll paint little dicks on them for you. Jason-sized.”

She capped her nail polish, then wrapped her arm around him and kissed the top of his head. “Don’t be mean about Jason. He’s going to be the alpha of a crow crew one of these days, so you’ll have to respect his dick.”