Chapter Forty-Seven
Though Catherine only had three hours of sleep, she felt almost as rested as she had the morning before. When she walked out of her bedroom door she saw why. Graham’s scent was all over the floor. He’d slept at her door to ease the pain they both shared. She glanced down the halls but he was nowhere to be seen. He must have heard her wake up.
The croissants turned out perfectly and Mable helped her to turn them into delicious breakfast sandwiches. She was too busy to deliver the food to the vip guest herself, but Rebecca sent word they were a huge hit. She made sure the roast beef was cooking for the sandwiches she planned before heading to the farm to get what she needed for dinner.
She and Mable were working side by side, using pitchforks to dig up carrots. The sun was hot on their backs and Catherine felt as though she was sweating out as much water as she was consuming. Mable was taking a break under a nearby shaded tree when some water appeared in front of Catherine’s face. She looked up into gorgeous emerald eyes, crinkled by a brilliant smile.
“Hi, Catherine, I’m Chloe, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” Chloe beamed, holding the water up as if it were an olive branch.
Catherine glanced down at the water and hesitantly took it. “Thank you.” Catherine set the water down and thrust the fork back into the dirt.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your work. From what I hear though it’s hard to find you not at work,” Chloe said on a light laugh. When Catherine continued to dig without speaking Chloe tried again. “I feel like I owe you an explanation…”
“Look,” Catherine began, stabbing the fork into the ground before turning to face the model-like beauty. “I have nothing against you personally. I’m sure you didn’t intend to cause any trouble. What’s going on between me and my mate is strictly between us.”
“I can respect that but if you won’t speak to him then I feel like maybe I should at least try.”
“Who said I wasn’t speaking to him?” Catherine asked, the gnawing feeling of jealousy creeping back up. Had he spent the night with Chloe before coming to her door? Her stomach dropped, was that why she was in so much pain? Was he cheating on…
“Woah, woah, I can see where your thoughts are taking you and there is no way he would ever hurt you like that,” Chloe said in a rush.
Catherine narrowed her eyes. “How could you possibly know what I was thinking?”
Chloe blushed a bit. “I’m sure the gossip mill has already told you I’m a witch. Emotions and mind magic are kind of my specialty. I know you were wondering if Graham was with me last night the same way I knew you were dreaming of him after you were attacked.” Chloe took a step closer to her. “It’s the same way I knew the moment I saw Graham that he no longer held even a sliver of romantic feelings for me. Graham is not a cheater.”
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Finally Catherine sighed. She had to admit that speaking with this woman she didn’t seem to be a threat. She wasn’t vindictive like the other women who’d made her life a living hell.
“What is it you need?” Catherine asked.
“I just felt like I should tell you that I’m only here to get Graham’s help. Nothing more.”
“Was that why you were here last time? When he almost marked you?” Catherine hated herself. Even she thought that sounded childish.
Chloe looked up into the treeline and Catherine followed her gaze. The trees blew with the wind but there didn’t seem to be anything lurking. Chloe finally sighed. “I was seeking sanctuary. Ten years ago this man was looking for a witch to corrupt in order to help him gain power. He wanted to be an alpha and would do whatever it took to get there. He had some kind of grand plan to become some sort of alpha king. A king of all packs on the continent.” Catherine scoffed. Sounded like someone she knew from her past.
“Jensen discovered me in Sterling and allowed me to hide within Blackmoore until the threat was over. A witch can only seek sanctuary within a lycan pack for five years. When those five years were up I… I was terrified of leaving. Graham and I had been seeing each other for about a year and so I asked him… I begged him to mark me. Graham being who he is, considered it. When the time came, though, he refused.” Her face softened. “He wanted to wait for you.”
“Are you seeking sanctuary now?” Catherine asked, fully engrossed. Mable had begun her work again, Catherine suspected so she could hear the rest of Chloe’s story.
“No… I… I’m looking for my brother. I believe he’s been corrupted and the man who corrupted him is looking for a new source of power.”
“A new source?”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chloe nodded. “When a witch or wizard is corrupted, they receive a huge influx of power. If they use the power inappropriately it will dwindle twice as fast,”
“You think that because this man’s henchmen came for you that your brother…” Catherine couldn’t finish. Chloe nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “And you’re here so that Graham can… track him?”
“No,” Chloe straightened her shoulders. Her eyes went back to the treeline. “Graham told me you were a member of the Moonstone Pack.”
Catherine’s blood ran cold. Spikes of frozen thorns stabbed along her arms and legs. She gulped. “Yes, I was. But that was a long time ago.” Unwilling to think about it further, Catherine started to walk away.
“Catherine did you ever meet Curtis Munroe?” Chloe called.
Catherine froze. She took in a sharp breath at the name. Suddenly memories filled her mind’s eye. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shove them away.
I would never let him know about this power of mine, Catherine, Baby. You don’t want me to send you to him and you get in trouble again do you? Now, be a good girl and come here.
“Catherine!” Chloe called.
Catherine’s eyes shot open and she saw Chloe standing in front of her, gripping her arms. Catherine’s breathing was rapid, her chest shuddered with each breath as tears leaked down her face. She shook her head and tried to flee. A sense of calm began to flow from Chloe’s fingertips into Catherine’s arm. It slowly slid upward through her shoulders and down to her heart. A few minutes later Catherine was able to breathe easier.
“You knew him, didn’t you? He hurt you?” Chloe asked, fear in her eyes while she waited for Catherine’s answer.
Catherine nodded. “I knew him. I’m sorry Chloe. He has been corrupted.”
#
Surrendering to Destiny
