Chapter Eighty-Six
“This is your after-heat recovery day, isn’t it?” Isobella asked with a coy smile.
Catherine’s face heated. “Is it so obvious?”
“You just have a certain glow to you, is all,” Isobella explained.
Isobella finished applying the clear nail polish to Catherine’s pinky and then examined the others for any imperfections. “Mr. MacTavish is a lucky man, I tell you what.”
Catherine shrugged. “I agree.”
The pair laughed together and Catherine couldn’t erase the smile from her face if someone held a gun to her head. Just when she thought Graham had nothing else up his sleeve, he pulled out another handkerchief and surprised her. When he drove into the parking lot of Teodora’s Spa she thought he had some kind of pack business to attend. After he took her with him inside, she couldn’t help but let out a groan of envy when she spotted the relaxed women sprawled across the front room. Then he told the receptionist he had an appointment for her and she practically leapt into his arms in excitement.
Catherine never had the money to spend on herself. She always cut her own hair, did her own nails and, when she felt like it, put on her own makeup. She never experienced this level of pampering before. The day started with a full body massage followed by a hot sauna, exfoliating treatment, hair appointment, nail appointment and, finally, a make-up artist would glam her up for the big dinner tonight.
Though the day had left her practically catatonic, she could still feel Graham’s frayed emotions during her appointments. She felt the foreign irritation, flares of anger and nerves jolt through her system when he let his guard down. She didn’t know what he was going through but she tried her best to channel her own calming energy into their bond to help.
“Alrighty, Sugar, just sit here and relax for a bit. Shannon is almost done with her client and then she can get you all finished up, ‘kay?” Isobella said. She directed Catherine to a group of fluffy chairs in the front of the spa.
“I suppose I could add another thirty minutes of relaxing to my to-do list,” Catherine said with a laugh.
“If you need anything, just let Ginger know,” Isobella added, pointing toward the receptionist..
Catherine settled back in the chair. She propped her feet up and sighed. The gentle music threatened to lull her to sleep. She heard someone move and sit in the chair beside her.
“That’s quite an impressive bite you got there,” a sweet voice said.
Catherine opened one eye to spy the source of the voice. She was one of the most beautiful women Catherine had ever seen. Blindingly bright red hair flowed like waves down her white robe. She had dark blue eyes that seemed almost black framed by thick eyelashes and delicate eyebrows. Her heart shaped face came to a point under her plump lips.
“I beg your pardon?” Catherine asked, opening her other eye and sitting back up.
The woman pointed at her neck. “Your mark. It’s quite impressive.”
“Thank you?”
“It’s a higher ranked lycan. A soon-to-be Beta perhaps?”
“Umm…”
1/4
Chapter Eighty-Six
The redhead leaned closer and her kind smile turned sinister. She inhaled and her eyes fluttered closed before her nose pinched off.
A rogue? That’s surprising.”
“Look, I’m trying to relax and…”
“I’d recognize Grey’s bite anywhere, you know.”
Catherine felt her hard-earned relaxation slipping through her fingers. “I don’t know ‘Grey.””
The other woman gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure he’s kept that side of himself hidden from a vulnerable, gentle woman such as yourself. I know Grey very well.”
“Congratulations,” Catherine said.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who this woman was. Graham mentioned her before they’d left for the cabin. The fact that Catherine didn’t recognize her coupled with the strange pack scent wafting around her meant this woman was the one who was promised to her mate. Key word: was.
“My daddy is talking to Jensen right now about upholding his promise. I was so excited to hear Grey challenged Stuart. It was a long time coming. I’d held off on marrying Jensen’s illegitimate heir for so long, Daddy was getting angry with me. I just told him to wait and Grey would take the lead soon enough. Sure thing, he did,” the other woman, who had yet to actually introduce herself, continued.
“Stuart challenged him. Not the other way around.”
The woman flicked her wrist. “Whatever. Result is the same. As soon as Grey becomes Beta he’ll have to stick to what Alpha Jensen promised.”
“The future Beta of Blackmoore is already mated,” a third voice said.
Both girls looked over to the only other woman in the room. Catherine recognized her as one of the waitresses at the Full Moon Diner. She’d noticed the cute blonde making eyes at Graham a few times but she never approached him. Catherine guessed she gave up hope when she learned Graham had a mate… if only everyone could be smart enough to concede.
“There are ways around that, Honey,” the redhead told her.
The other girl shook her head and gave Catherine a pitying look. “It’s against the law to force true mates to reject each other.”
Catherine’s heart plummeted. Would they really force Graham to reject her? No, thank Goddess they couldn’t. But would they still try?
The redhead seemed unphased. “Look at her,” the redhead said, gesturing up and down Catherine’s body. Catherine felt her anger rise. “I mean, she has the gifted thing going for her, but can you really say you’re threatened by this woman?”
“My name is Catherine, Bitch,” Catherine finally interjected. Woah, Juno would be proud. The redhead scoffed while the blonde smiled. “My father is Alpha Jensen. My mate is the future Beta of Blackmoore, Graham MacTavish. I’ve been blessed by the fucking Moon Goddess, I run the kitchens at the packhouse, escaped one of the worst wolf alphas on the continent and did so without my daddy pulling the strings for me. Look at you. Besides your breeding, of which you had no responsibility for, what the hell can you bring to my pack and my mate?”
The redhead seemed completely unphased. She leaned forward. “It’s not what I can bring but what I can prevent. If Grey won’t have me, then the blood oath your dad made will kill him. Then my daddy will wage war until Grey has no choice but to leave you.”
“Blackmoore hasn’t lost a fight in centuries,” the blonde interjected helpfully.
Only because StoneCross hasn’t fought them in centuries,” the redhead said with a glare. She turned her attention back to Catherine and gave her another once over. She huffed. “You’ve spent all day trying to make yourself presentable to your own mate. When you’re at home tonight, all alone and you feel that gutting fire burning through your chest, I want you to know it’s because Graham has made the wiser choice and is fucking me in my hotel room.”
Catherine felt the energy around her crackle. The blonde whimpered when she was shocked with static from her robe. She imagined gathering the energy in the room and focusing it like a spike. She imagined sending said spike into the redhead’s chest. She pictured the blood spraying everywhere, her screams and the panic of the other guests. A slow smile spread across her face as she imagined the power.
She’d never felt such hatred or experienced such vivid visions before. It took her a moment to realize Graham’s venom had done more to her mind than she thought. She had taken on Graham’s strength, his cunning, and, apparently, his darkness. He was a part of her and the thought sent a nervous thrill up her spine.
The bell above the door chimed and all three women looked to it. Graham himself stood in the doorway, his eyes blazed, focused on only one of them. The energy in the room fizzled and calmed but he didn’t. He strode toward her. His expression was firm and set. Beside her she could hear the redhead cooing and calling his nickname. He didn’t look at the redhead. He didn’t acknowledge anyone else was even in the room. Instead he ate up the last few steps to Catherine. He placed both hands on the arms of her chair, leaned down and claimed her lips.
Catherine moaned, putting more of a show into it than necessary. She grasped the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. A low rumble vibrated in his chest. He pulled away just enough to meet her gaze.
“You look beautiful, Baby. You must be done,” he reasoned.
“Grey, did you not hear me? I said it is so nice to see you again,” the redhead said. Out of the corner of Catherine’s eye she noticed the redhead open her robe a bit more, exposing more of her ample cleavage.
“I just have the makeup left to do,” Catherine answered.
His eyes perused her face and the hardness within them softened. The lines of his face eased and a small smile pulled at the corner of his lip. He leaned down and kissed her softly again. “You’re done,” he assured her against her lips.
Graham lifted Catherine into his arms and started for the door. Catherine glanced over her shoulder at the redhead fuming in her chair.
“Grey!” she called again.
“The bitch is calling for Grey,” Catherine whispered up at him as he pushed through the door with his shoulder.
“Do you see anyone by the name of Grey around here?” he asked.
She looked up at her knight in shining armor. “No.”
“Me either.”
He walked her to his bike, stopped, glanced down at her robe and shook his head before pivoting toward the mustang. He opened the door and set her down in the passenger seat. She grabbed his wrist before he could stand up.
“I wasn’t going to do it,” she offered, remembering the vivid fantasy she had right before he walked in.
He gave her a challenging smirk before kissing her forehead. “Liar.”
211
Surrendering to Destiny
