Chapter Thirty-Two
Catherine turned and ran. The forest was well maintained. There was no brush, briars or fallen trees. Her feet padded softly along the pine needles littering the ground as she pushed herself to the brink. Her legs screamed at her, already tired from the thirty minute run she’d just been on.
“Catherine, you need to shift!” Juno said.
“1… can’t… need… full… moon,” Catherine panted, wanting to focus on her feet.
“Fuck! I forgot. Hang on, I’m calling Graham!”
The call beeped, indicating Juno put her on hold. She focused on pumping her legs. While she couldn’t shift, Catherine had always been a fast runner, even compared to other wolves in their human form. It made sense after what Jensen said. Her abilities were intermingled, allowing her to tap into them even when not shifted. Even though she thought it might be a lost cause, Catherine ran in the direction of town, hoping she could get close enough for people to hear what was happening.
For the first time she tried to search her mind for the invisible link which connected wolves or lycans to one another. Because she was rogue she hadn’t been able to mindlink anyone for five years. She had heard though that oftentimes, when a bond was strong, one could connect with their mate even when not a part of a pack. As she ran, she tried to find the invisible tether connecting her to Graham.
Graham, she called to the void.
Behind her she heard howls. She could also hear the red lycan yelling for the others to stop. Please, let them hear reason, she begged the moon Goddess. Her prayers were in vain. She lengthened her stride. Her leg stretched out but before her foot could touch the ground a claw sliced her ankle. Catherine cried out as she fell and tumbled over herself. She only stopped when one of the black lycans jumped on top of her. His bared teeth lowered close to her face. Drool dripped down to her neck and she shivered in disgust.
“Let go of me!” Catherine shrieked.
The lycan snarled as she attempted to roll free. His claws latched onto her arms, digging in deeply to keep her pinned. She screamed in pain. A moment later the claws were ripped out of her arms as the red lycan tackled the one on top of her. The lycans snapped and growled at each other as they tried to get the upper ground. Catherine was crying as she sat up and tried to crawl away. A menacing growl came from behind her and she swiveled to see the second black lycan advancing on her.
“Catherine! Are you still there?” Juno asked in her ear. Catherine didn’t answer, hoping the sound of her harsh breathing was enough. “Just hang on! Try to climb or something. Get high!” Again the call cut to a repetitive beep.
The lycan watched her but his ears continued to flick to the commotion a few feet away. A sharp whine pierced the air, drawing his full attention. Catherine used the moment to jerk up and run. She spotted a tree about thirty feet away. She limped on her injured foot but tried to build up enough speed. The nearest branch was fifteen feet off the ground. On a normal day, it would be a cakewalk to get to it, but with her arms losing blood and the slice to her ankle, she needed to be strategic.
She heard the thunder of several feet behind her and she picked up her pace. She felt claws swipe at her back as she lunged upward. She gripped the first branch and heaved upward, screaming against the pain in her arms as she did. She continued to climb until she was at least fifty feet up.
Breathing heavy, she glanced down to see the two black lycans pacing back and forth. The red lycan was nowhere to be found. She gripped the tree with both arms, hoping it was over. She closed her eyes but then snapped them back open when she felt the tree shake. She looked down and gasped as the lycans were slashing at the trunk. Their claws cut deep, essentially sawing the tree down.
The tree lurched and her stomach dropped as it began to fall backwards. She took in sharp breaths, preparing for the impact. When she was about twenty feet off the ground she jumped to try to get away from the main trunk. She closed her eyes.
Graham!
Catherine hit the ground on her back. Thin branches of pine needles covered her as she tried and failed to get her breath back. She clutched her chest as her lungs failed to expand. A few feet away she could hear Juno shrieking through the earbuds she’d lost in the fall.
“Catherine?! Catherine! He’s not answering! Hold on! Just hold on! Why aren’t you responding! Oh Goddess! Answer me!”
She gasped in a breath and choked on the influx of air. She gripped the pine straw around her trying to root herself. Just as the air began to come normally several claws pierced just below her collarbone. Catherine struggled as she was pulled slowly back out from the pine branches’ protection. The black lycan glared down at her. He opened his mouth, teeth poised to strike her neck. She closed her eyes, picturing her mate one last time.
1/2
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Stop!” someone yelled. The lycan above her jerked back. He whined slightly. “What the fuck is the meaning of this? Have you not been taught protocols? What were you thinking going after a…” the person took in a sharp breath. “Catherine?”
Catherine opened her eyes to see Theo standing a few feet away, completely naked and his face white with shock. She looked back up at the sky and choked when blood filled her throat. Theo was beside her in a second. He shifted her head to the side so she could spit up the blood filling her mouth. He pulled her head up to his lap before glaring at the men now shifted to their human form.
“What the fuck happened?!”
“She’s a fucking rogue!” Ryan spat, before literally spitting on the ground beside her.
“She’s Graham’s mate, you little fuck!” Theo roared. Ryan’s face turned an odd shade of green before taking a step back. Catherine saw an expression on Theo’s face she’d never seen him wear before, that of a murderous psychopath. “You better get the fuck out of here before he shows up but don’t even think about leaving pack lands!”
Without a second thought, Ryan took off with the other black lycan on his heel. The third man, the red lycan, looked on with moisture in his sky blue eyes. He ran his hands through his auburn hair and gulped. He knelt down beside her and started putting pressure on a few of her wounds. She hissed in pain.
“It’s okay, Catherine. You’re going to be okay,” Theo assured her, his normal face back in place.
“Gr-Grah…” she choked again on the blood in her throat.
“He’s coming. Stay with me, he’s coming,” Theo told her.
She nodded and stared back up at the sky. It was a beautiful day. The rain from yesterday brought a clearness to the light blue of today. Little wisps of white clouds seemed to stream through the blue as if the Goddess had been pulling cotton candy. The branches framing the sky swayed slightly. Somewhere far off she could still hear Theo ordering her to stay awake. The ground started to shake with the promise of more reinforcements heading their way. Above her though the trees were swaying, coaxing her to let go. So she did.
Surrendering to Destiny
