“Tell me what’s wrong,” Bass murmured as she ran into his open arms. “Please tell me what’s been haunting you.”
She would never tell him. The vision would stay between her and Anna until her death, whenever that might be. Explaining to him wouldn’t help. Anna had made it clear the vison was something she must understand on her own. Bass had to have hope. He had to believe they’d all walk away from this free and alive.
Katalina had once been full of hope, but it was dwindling, dying, and flickering inside her anxiety-riddled heart.
“I need to go visit my parents.” One last time. “See my gram, and aunt and uncle. Dillon. It’s been too long.” I just need to go home. To say goodbye.
Maybe it would help her. It was where she came from, after all. The human world where she’d never truly belonged.
“When?” Bass murmured, stroking her hair, soothing her hurt as only he could.
“My birthday.” The anniversary of their deaths. “Then after… after we can finish this.”
It had been decided they’d take the fight to Castor. They’d never survive winter living on high alert. First though, they needed to finish rebuilding Dark Shadow. The early fall of snow hadn’t helped. It was nearly done. Already families were living in their new homes. A couple of weeks and the job would be complete, just in time for Katalina’s birthday and her potential death.
“Bass, I want you to promise me something. You’re not going to like it, but I need you to promise me anyway.”
“Okay.” He sounded wary, and he had reason to be.
“If I fall, or if—”
“Nothing is going to—”
“Bass, listen to me. Listen and promise.” He sighed deeply but remained silent. “If something happens to me, I want you to promise me you’ll hold the packs together. Don’t allow your pain to destroy all we’ve achieved. For Tyler, for Logan, for me, promise me you’ll hold them together.”
“If you die, Katalina, I die with you. I do not wish to live in a world without you.”
Katalina looked up, a crazed kind of desperation surging through her veins. She gripped his jacket and shook him. “You don’t get to say that, Bass. There are others who need you, not just me.”
“You are all that matters.”
“That’s crap and you know it. You were unconscious for a day when Logan was shot. You gave so much of yourself. How can you say I’m all that matters? People have relied on you before I was ever a part of your world.”
“It’s not that simple, Kat. You’re my mate.”
“So die. Join me, but only after you’ve made sure Dark Shadow and River Run survive. Only then can you join me.”
“You ask too much,” Bass whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “And you ask as if you are certain you are leaving me.” His eyes held hers, glassy as they filled with terror. “You can’t leave me, Katalina.”
“I know.” Her voice cracked. “I would never leave you intentionally, but I need to know those we love will be okay. I know I ask too much, but I ask it anyway.”
“What do you know, Katalina?” he whispered.
“Nothing. I know nothing.”
And it wasn’t a lie, not really. Nothing was certain. Anna saw her blood on the snow. Anna saw what would happen if she fell. But Katalina had bled before, and she’d bleed again. Somehow, someway, she’d understand the vision’s meaning. Because even as she made Bass promise, even as she saw his determination to not let her down, Katalina knew she wouldn’t hold him to her word. Even she didn’t have the power to ask him to suffer after her death.
Not even his mate had the right to ask Bass to live while she died.
Chapter 11
Eva
After watching Katalina leave, Eva couldn’t shake the hollowness in her gut that warned her something was wrong. Searching out John in the room, she made her way to him, weaving through the many people who’d come to celebrate with Mia and Logan.
“John,” she murmured, slipping her hand onto his arm and tugging slightly. Not that she really needed to tug to get his attention, he’d been watching her all night, his gaze a constant flicker her way. It was both unnerving and reassuring.
Stepping away from the couple he was speaking to, John bent to her level. “What’s up?”
“I think something is wrong with Katalina. I know I don’t know her all that well, but I just can’t shake the feeling something is wrong. She’s normally so… bright.” Eva wasn’t stupid, no one was that happy all the time. It was just that Katalina tended to smile for those she was around, and today, Eva had seen her smile fall far too many times.
“Trust your instincts, Eva.” Taking her hand, John led her through the room. “Which way did she go?”
“Out back.”
Those they passed noted their joined hands, gazes curious, some almost angry. A slight pull of her hand wasn’t enough to free herself from him, and she had no desire to cause a scene by ripping herself free. Besides, she quite liked holding his hand, even if the feeling troubled her. They’d almost made it to the door, which led outside when John paused, his head tilting in a very canine way.
“Bass has already found her. We should give them privacy.”
“You can hear them from here, even with the noise of the party?” It was hard not to be jealous of such advantages.
“Yes and no. It’s hard drowning out the voices, but Bass is my alpha. I can sense his presence.”
“So… you just know where he is?” Sometimes the wolf stuff gave her a headache.
“People give off energy,” he explained as they made their way back to the main room.
