“But you were his favorite thing in the whole world.” Glancing over her shoulder, Katalina smiled through her tears as she looked up at Bass. Closing the last few paces between them, Bass knelt beside Katalina and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “How was Cage?” he asked.
“Still no change. Karen put on a brave face, but I saw through it. She doesn’t think he’s going to survive.”
“And Anna.”
Katalina leaned her head on Bass’s shoulder and breathed deeply to regain control of her emotions. “She says she’s already seen her death and when she leaves this world, she’s old and gray and surrounded by her children and grandchildren.”
“And Cage?”
Katalina shook her head. “He’s not in her vision, but she’s adamant that her future can only happen with him. After all Anna’s been through, after all the packs have been through, you’ve got to admire her faith.”
“Without faith in her abilities, Kat, they’d be nothing but a curse.”
“She’s stronger than me. I left the room so I could go and cry away from her.”
“He’s strong, Katalina.”
“And so were the others who died.”
Bass held her tighter and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “It seems like Eva’s going to be okay. She made it through the first shift with John’s help.”
“Good. I must go see her, congratulate them both on their mating. I’ve just been so….” Her words trailed off, the sorrow inside of her flowing down the mating bond to answer what she could not voice.
“I know, baby. We all have.”
“It’s not right though, Bass. John found his mate, and we’ve not even been to wish them well.” Guilt shadowed her grief, adding to the darkness haunting her.
“I think he’ll forgive us, Kat. He’s lost people too,” Bass reassured.
But even though she knew Bass was right, Katalina couldn’t shift the wrongness in her chest. John had found love in the chaos of war. His love had held onto Eva long enough for her body to begin to heal, and it should be celebrated not pushed to one side.
“We should do something for them. All the other matings have been celebrated with a party. There’s should too.”
“I’m not sure it’s not the best time.”
“That’s exactly why it is the best time, Bass. There’s a cloud hanging over us all, and we need to step out from under it and remember there is still joy in the world.”
Cupping her face, Bass turned her head to face him. His smile was warm and full of love as he took her in. It shined through Katalina’s own pain, giving her joy back. “Have I told you I love you?”
“Once or twice.” Katalina grinned.
As he climbed to his feet, Bass held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s go see what they think.”
Allowing him to pull her up, Katalina looked down on Arne, the ache of his absence crushing her heart. “See you later, boy,” she whispered. “I miss you.”
Bass wrapped an arm around her as they walked, his lips coming to her ear. “I miss the pain in the butt too. There’s no one stealing my side of the bed or licking my face in the morning. Damn it, I should not miss those things.”
Katalina laughed. “He loved you too, Bass.”
“He had a way of loving everyone, Kat. He’ll be missed by many.”
Arriving at John and Eva’s cabin, Bass knocked, John opening the door seconds later.
“Come on in,” John said as he stepped back to let them through. “Eva’s just reading Matty a story before bed.”
“How’s she coping?” Bass murmured quietly, aware Eva would now have hearing as sharp as theirs.
John shrugged, studying them both. “She seems fine. Doesn’t stop me worrying though.” His gaze landed on Katalina, eyeing the knife wound she knew stood out on her cheek. “How are you doing, Kat?” he asked gently, cupping her cheek.
“I’ll survive. Oliver doesn’t think it will scar,” she answered.
“You’d be beautiful still, even if it did,” John assured.
Bass punched John’s shoulder playfully. “Best quit the flirting now you have a mate, John.”
The men grinned as Katalina shook her head.
“He’s all right. I’m not the jealous type,” Eva said as she came out of the bedroom. “I’ll give Matty five minutes before he’s out of bed and coming to see you both,” she added.
“Sorry,” Katalina mumbled. “We didn’t really think about it being bedtime.” It was still hard for Katalina to picture Eva and John as parents—not that they hadn’t taken to it like seasoned pros. It was just that what seemed like five minutes ago, Eva was arriving in a van, her brother half-crazed in a cage. There were quite a few events to wrap her head around that had happened in a short space of time. Katalina didn’t envy them; she too had had life thrust things onto her and given her no time to catch her breath as well.
Katalina had a lot in common with Eva, and with a bit of luck, the future would be less chaotic, and she’d have time to get to know her a little better.
“Drinks?” John asked.
“I’ll take a beer if you have one,” Bass answered.
“Nothing for me, thanks,” Katalina replied.
Together, the four of them took a seat, the men with their beers and her and Eva without. “So,” Bass began, “we came to first say congrats, and second to ask what you thought about having a party to celebrate.”
“A party?” Eva’s eyes widened.
“It would be good for lifting the packs’ spirits,” Katalina explained. “We can’t let our sorrow darken the light.”
John looked at the two of them, a silent conversation going
