Winter Wolf (A New Dawn Novel Book 1) (17 page)

“I’m fine.” He sounded pained.

Katalina took his hand and placed it over her heart. “I know I’m not as good at this shifter stuff as you, but I know this feeling inside of me is yours, and not mine. Talk to me. You’re anxious, fearful even.”

Bass sighed, “It’s hard to explain.”

“Try.” She gave him an encouraging smile.

“These people, River Run, they love you. You might have not have grown up in the pack, but to them, you’ve always been a member. I can see it, how easily you slot in.”

“I’m not so sure I fit in, but isn’t them accepting me a good thing?”

“Yes…it’s just, they look at me and see Dark Shadow. These are your people, but they may never accept me. I don’t want you to resent me, or them because I don’t fit in your world.”

“Sebastian Evernight, you are my world.” Standing on tiptoes she placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Please don’t feel like that. Give them time. I belong here about as much as you. I’ve never been in a pack and I certainly won’t be taking orders from Jackson. We’ll just take each day as it comes, but I promise you, I’d never want to be anywhere other than by your side.”

Chapter 26

They didn’t go back inside. Bass stood behind Katalina with his arms wrapped around her. She melted into his hold, her body molding against the hard panes of his torso. “This right here, this is my home,” she whispered to him, tipping her head to the side and kissing him along his jaw. The few days old stubble rubbed against her sensitive skin.

“How are you coping, Kat? Having to fight, I know it’s not something you wanted to do.”

Katalina stood in his embrace, watching as the sun slid its way down the sky. She could see the distant outline of people still working to put out the fire. The sun lit the smoke turning the plumes into a canvas of purples and oranges. She thought about driving through the fire and the feeling of being transported into another world. She remembered every beat of her heart as she watched Toby fall and not get back up. She recalled the anger and driving need inside of her, to protect, to stop those wanting to hurt the people she cared for.

“I honestly feel fine. I’ve come to realize something. Fighting and protecting others is in my blood. My wolf could never stand back and watch others fight for her, and she’s as much a part of me as my human half. I suppose I feared that if I accepted who I was, then I would lose myself. I wouldn’t be Katalina Winter anymore. My wolf has always been a part of me. I was born shifter, not human, and I’ve been denied my true self long enough.”

Katalina felt Bass’s lips against her neck, his breath hot against her skin. He breathed in, opening his mouth to speak, but the back door opened, cutting him off. They both looked up to see who’d come outside.

“Jackson,” Bass murmured with a nod.

“What did you say to the police?” Katalina asked.

“I didn’t have much to tell them other than someone decided to set fire to my land. They didn’t buy it but they can’t prove otherwise. They’re gone for now.” Jackson’s eyes narrowed on Bass’s arms wrapped around Katalina. He looked to be having an argument with himself. He took a deep breath and with a hand on his neck, he said, “Kat, we need to talk.”

I can’t wait.

Bass stepped back from Katalina, but his hand remained tight around hers.             

“Both of you, really,” Jackson stated, looking more uncomfortable by the minute.

“We’re listening,” Katalina muttered, glaring.

“Right, well, I’m not going to say I’m happy about this, but I understand I have no right to dictate your life, and even if I did, there is little I can do to stop a mating. It’s very clear you’re mates. I only need to watch the two of you to see that. The way you move and act together, it’s as if you’ve known each other for years. I sincerely wished it had been Cage, not because I don’t like Sebastian, because honestly, Kat, he’s strong, stronger than Cage, and he’s obviously willing to protect you, but he’s Dark Shadow, Kat. His father is their alpha, and quite frankly, I’m losing this war. I’m not sure I can protect you. I’m worried, Kat. I made a mistake giving you away, and now, I’m frightened I’m going to lose you again.”

Stunned, Katalina had no idea what to say. This was the first real conversation she’d had with him. The first time she actually felt as if she was listening to her father, and she had no idea what to say.

Bass saved her from having to speak. “It’s my job to protect Katalina. I will deal with my father.”

“Okay, so you have a plan?” Jackson asked.

“Yes, I’m going to talk to my father. See if I can reason with him.”

Katalina thought Jackson’s eyes might bulge out of his head. He linked his hands behind his neck, staring at Bass as if he’d gone mad. Bass had his mask in place, looking cool and collected, as if nothing fazed him.

“Talk? And you think he’ll listen?”

“Not at all. I think he’ll see my mating to Katalina as the ultimate betrayal and finally have an excuse to kill me.”

Jackson actually laughed. He turned toward the house and then back around. “Wonderful,” he muttered. “Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but your plan sucks.”

Katalina tugged the hand she held. “Bass I’m sure your father will listen. Look at Jackson. He’s come around.”

Bass looked her straight in the eyes. “My father is nothing like Jackson. He will want to kill me, but I’m going to kill him.”

“Bass!” Katalina gasped.

“What are you, like twenty?” Jackson asked.

“Nineteen.”

“Right, nineteen and you’ve got the strength to take on an alpha and lead a pack like Dark Shadow?”

“I never said it was an easy plan, but there are a lot of members in Dark Shadow who follow my father through fear not loyalty.”

“Shit! This is the craziest half-assed plan I’ve ever heard.”

“When I lead Dark Shadow, Katalina will be safe, and so will you.”

“I’m not denying that, but let me ask you something, Sebastian. Are you ready to kill you own father? Mentally and physically?”

“He’s not killing anyone! This is crazy. I can’t listen to this. How can the two of you stand there talking so casually about killing someone? Your own freaking dad, Bass.” Katalina stormed off, ripping her hand from Bass’s. She slammed the door as she stomped in, rattling the side of the house.

“Kat!” Bass called after her.

“Leave her,” Jackson said, taking hold of his arm. “You need to answer me, boy. You truly want me to accept you. I need to hear you say it.”

Bass pulled out of Jackson’s hold and faced him head on. He let the wolf inside of him to the surface, allowed his true self to come forward.

“I have been preparing for this day all my life. I have never gotten along with him and I have always seen the world differently to him. I always knew there’d be a day when he’d pushed me too far, when I couldn’t stand by and watch his cruelty anymore. And as to my physical strength, I’m not sure. I thought I’d have more time, but my times up. I don’t have a choice anymore.”

“Does he know how strong you are?”

“I’m not stupid, Jackson. I’ve always stayed under the radar. I’ve never fought for dominance or a higher ranking within the pack. But neither is my father stupid. He’s had me training from the moment I could walk, always pushed me so I could defend myself against River Run, but I don’t think he knows the full extent of my power; otherwise, I’d have been dead a long time ago.”

The back door swung open. Cage’s head popped out. “Everything all right? Kat’s trying to knock the house down.”

“Yeah,” Jackson answered. “Has the fire crew left yet?”

“Dad’s just gone out to see them off. What we doing with them?” Cage nodded toward the truck with the dead Dark Shadows in the back.

“Return them,” Bass interrupted.

Cage took a step forward, his hands in fists. The door shut with a click behind him. “What makes you think you have a say in this?” he ground out.

“All right, Cage, I’ve not got the energy for this,” Jackson said, taking a step, positioning himself in front of Bass and blocking Cage’s view.

This only enraged Cage more. “So it’s like that now, is it? You trust him enough to put your back to him!”

“Two of those men died by his hands, Cage. If he’d wanted me dead, all he’d have needed to do was stand by and watch.”

Cage glared for a moment longer before storming into the house. The walls rattled behind him.

“Gonna need a new house at this rate,” Jackson muttered. “Why should I return them? They came here to kill me.”

“It’s not their fault. All they did was follow orders. Disobeying my father is a death sentence. There are no second chances. You follow or you die. Two of those men have mates and children. Let them bury their loved ones on home land.”

“Fair enough, but you can return them. Keys are in the truck.”

Bass nodded. He walked to the truck. Half in he turned to speak. “Tell Kat, I won’t be long.”

“I’ll have Karen check on her. Think she’d like to hit me again. That girl sure has a temper.”

The door closed. Bass started the engine, smiling to himself as he imagined Katalina punching Jackson.

Chapter 27

Katalina stood at the window watching Bass drive away. In a way, she'd come full circle. Once again, she was staring at the endless snow-dusted treetops. Only this time, she wasn't contemplating escape; rather, she was considering how to stay without anyone else dying.

There was a soft knock at her door. “You can come in, Karen,” Katalina said, not moving her eyes from the view outside.

“Starting to use your wolf senses,” Karen said.

“Where's he going?” she asked, ignoring Karen’s observation.

“He's taking the dead back home. He said he wouldn't be long.”

Kat crossed her arms, needing a shield from the world.

“Kat, are you okay?” Karen asked softly.

Katalina let out a long, sad breath before facing Karen. “No, I'm not.”

“The attack a bit too much for you?”

“Honestly, Karen, I'm not sure how I feel. I'm numb. Defending Toby was as easy as breathing. There was no thought, just instinct. I just…all this death, I watch all of you, so immune to it all; you just accept it as life.”

“I'm afraid it is, Kat.”

“Well, it's not where I come from. He’s going against his dad for me. He’s willing to do anything. How can I even look him in the eye? He’s willing to give up so much…to do so much. How do we have a calm conversation about that?”

“Oh, Kat, he loves you. You're his mate, and he won't…he can't stop until you are safe.”

“Surely there's another way?” she asked, feeling hopeless.

“In our world, the alpha is law. To challenge his word is to challenge his position. A pack only has a new alpha if the old one steps down or dies. Maybe he'll surprise Sebastian and accept you as Jackson has.”

“Maybe,” she answered, not sounding sure at all.

“Don't punish him for doing what is necessary.”

“I'm not. I know this isn't his fault, but I wouldn't be me if I just accepted everything that’s involved in a shifter’s life. I'm more than a shifter, Karen. I need to hold on to the part of me who was raised by humans. If I lose myself, then they will truly be gone.” She took a breath before carrying on, “Jackson and Winter gave me life, but my parents raised me. My beliefs were shaped by them.”

“I understand, Kat.” She was silent for a beat. “Toby’s coming around. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you.”

“Okay, I'll be down in a minute.”

Karen said one last thing before leaving Katalina alone. Her voice was the softest of whispers, and filled with the pride of a grandmother. “You're doing well, Kat. Don't change. Our world needs to see its mistakes.”

Katalina let her go, only answering in her head.
Why do I have to be the one to change this world?

*****

Propped up on a pillow, Toby drank from a straw in a cup his mother held for him. Cage hovered in the corner staring at nothing, but looking as if he had a lot on his mind. She smiled at him as his eyes fixed on her for a second, but he didn’t return it. He pushed off from the wall and started to leave.

“I’ll run a perimeter check,” he muttered as he left.

Katalina stared after him, wondering whether she should follow him when Toby gasped her name. She looked at him with a smile, pleased to see his infectious, carefree personality still intact.

“Hey, you.”

His mother stood up. “I’ll go make you something to eat, Toby.” She ruffled his hair before leaving.

“Mom! I’m not a baby,” Toby whined.

“You’re my baby!” she huffed.

Katalina laughed, sitting on the end of the sofa. “How’d you feel?”

“Hurt like hell, but I’ll be fine. Thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do much except give them somebody else to chomp on. Bass saved you.”

“No, Kat, I’m alive because of you.”

Katalina played with her hands in her lap, feeling a little uncomfortable; she wasn’t ready to think about what she’d done.

“You were pretty badass, Kat,” he laughed. “Ow! Best not do that.”

Katalina sank into the sofa and put Toby’s feet in her lap. She smiled, “Yep, that’s me. I’m a real badass now, Toby. I have wolf senses and everything!” she joked.

“Yeah, and a mate! Gone for a week and you come back hitched.”

“Hitched! I did not get married, Toby. Only old people get married.”

“Pfft! Look pretty old to me!”

“Urgh, if you weren’t injured, I’d kick your butt with my new ‘badass’ skills!’”

Toby shook his head, trying not to laugh. “Dark Shadow though! I can’t believe you’ve mated a Dark Shadow wolf.”

“Don’t forget he’s the alpha’s son. That’s the best part. I bet Jackson’s wishing he’d left me where I was.”

“I’m not. It’s about time something interesting happened around here. This place was dull without you.”

“Thanks, Toby, I’m pleased to be back.”

“You mean that or you just humoring me?”

Turning her head, she found Toby staring at her intently. “I mean it, Toby. Things aren’t great, but I know this is where I belong. I’m a shifter now, a mated one!”

“So where is he? Cage seems to think he is a douche.”

Katalina burst out laughing. “He’ll be back soon I think. I can’t believe Cage said that?”

Toby laughed and gasped, his face scrunching up. “Stop making me laugh!”

“But douche? I can think of many things Cage would call him, but not that.”

“Well, he didn’t say douche exactly, but it’s what he meant.”

They were both laughing when Bass walked in. “I hope you’re not talking about me?”

Katalina smiled wickedly. “Depends, are you a douche?”

“A douche? Is that even a word?” Bass asked.

Katalina nearly choked for laughing.

Toby reached over to grab his phone. “According to the urban dictionary, douche or douchebag, means, ‘someone who has surpassed the levels of jerk and asshole; however, not yet reached fucker or motherfucker’.’”

Toby’s mother chose that moment to walk in, a plate of food in her hand. “Toby!” she gasped, looking outraged.

Katalina bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Right, I best be off.”

“Already?” Toby whined, the look on his face saying, ‘don’t leave me alone with my fussing mother’.

“Sorry, Toby, I’ve lots of important ‘badass’ things to do.” She lifted his legs gently, getting up.

Once out of the room, Bass blocked her path, a questioning look on his face. “Badass?”

“A joke. So you weren’t gone very long. Did everything go okay?”

“I left them on the border of Dark Shadow land. Someone will find them soon, but it’s not patrolled regularly. I’m not ready to face my father yet.”

“Okay,” she answered, not sure she’d ever be ready to face his father. “Come on. Let’s raid the kitchen. I’m starving.”

He stopped her as she was about to push the door. “Hey, Kat, about before.”

Katalina stopped his words with a kiss. “Leave it for tonight. I just want to forget about everything until tomorrow.”