“Oh…no, of course not, but, I’m not exactly feeling too safe right now.”
“Katalina,” he whispered coming to her side, “you are safe. I promise. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
“They could have taken me today, Bass,” she answered, sounding rattled.
“There was never a chance of that happening. I sensed them approach. I just couldn’t get away from your grandmother, but you handled yourself beautifully, Kat. You’re stronger than you think.”
“If you say so,” she muttered.
“I know so,” he replied, leaning in for a kiss.
Pulling back from his kiss, she asked, “What are you doing here anyway? You’ll be kicked out the house if you’re found.”
“Everyone’s asleep. Although, I think your aunt forced herself to stay awake for a while, thinking I’d be sneaking in.”
“Which you are,” Katalina smiled, feeling less afraid now he was with her.
He smiled cheekily. “I’ve come to steal you away.”
“What?” she frowned?
“Come run with me.”
“Running? It’s the middle of the night,” Katalina said, sounding skeptical.
“I know. The best time not to be seen.”
“You mean you want to go out and run around as wolves? What about Jackson’s men?”
“I’ll deal with them.”
“I don’t know, Bass. I’d rather just try to sleep.”
“Okay.” He kissed her lips. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
“You’re still going?”
“Yes, Kat, I’m not used to staying human for such a long period. If I do not allow my wolf freedom, he will become unsettled.”
“Oh…okay, be careful.”
He kissed her hungrily, cupping her face. “I will,” he breathed into her mouth, making her shudder.
He slipped out the window. Katalina lay on her side staring out the window, imagining Bass changing into his black wolf, blending into the night as if he were a part of it. Part of her longed to join him, but she pushed that part away, not wanting to acknowledge that her wolf was becoming as much a part of her as her human side. With a sigh, she turned over, roughly wrapping the covers around her shoulders and forced her eyes to stay shut.
She tossed and turned for a long time, feeling at war with herself, wanting to join Bass and worrying if he was safe. She wanted to sleep and pretend she was still the normal girl she’d been before she’d turned eighteen. Her last glance at the clock read two-thirty a.m. Bass had been gone for over an hour. She imagined the three enforcers tracking him down and attacking him. She almost climbed out of bed and went into the night looking for him.
“Urgh, stop it, Kat! Bass isn’t stupid. He’ll be fine. Now, go to sleep,” she muttered to herself, flopping back onto the mattress, punching the pillow as if it was at fault for her inability to fall asleep.
*****
Hands touched her. Her bed dipped from the weight of another…
Katalina reacted on instinct. Her wolf surged within her, forcing her into action. Her elbow connected with flesh as her hand gripped the intruder’s neck. The savage snarl that echoed around the room startled even Katalina.
Her eyes focused on the person she was pinning to the bed. “Bass?” Her eyes widened, her hand jumping back. “Oh, God, Bass, are you all right?” She jumped away from him; frightened her body might act on its own accord again. “I’m so sorry. I just…I’m not sure. I just acted, I guess.”
Bass sat up, rubbing his neck and laughed low. “Well, that will teach me to climb into your bed uninvited.”
Katalina covered her face with her hands. “Bass, this is not funny. I just attacked you,” she mumbled through her fingers.
“It’s a little funny.”
Katalina flopped back with a sigh. “What were you doing, anyway?”
“Going to sleep.”
“What made you think you could just climb in bed with me?”
“Well, you are my mate. I’ve been out running for most the night. I just wanted to curl up next to you and sleep.”
Katalina wanted to be mad at him, but her heart melted at his words. She loved to see the soft, loving side of him, the part that needed her more than anything else. To the outside world, he was formal, polite. Only Katalina saw his funny, caring side.
She pulled the covers back. “Come on then.”
He was about to climb back under the covers when his head angled to the door. She heard it the second after he did; someone was walking toward her room. Their eyes met and then Bass was gone. Katalina pulled the covers up to her chin, closing her eyes just as her door opened. She kept still. Listening for the moment her aunt left. “Kat?” her aunt whispered from the doorway. She stood there a moment longer before closing the door again, and returning back to bed.