Catching Kate (Book 2.5 She-Wolf Series)

Kate

Three days later, my flight landed on the tarmac of the airport near the pack house. Pain lanced through my shoulder at the jostling on the runway. I pinched my lips together and tried to keep my expression neutral.

My trip to Chicago had gone as I expected and I was thankful I hadn’t given in to Emerick joining me. At least now, I could leave everything about that world behind me. It didn’t change what I did, but at least I was trying to atone.

I struggled with my carry-on, but luckily the man sitting in the aisle with me was kind enough to help. I thanked him and made my way off the plane.

Emerick asked to drop me off when I left, but I insisted on driving myself. I felt like agreeing to the date before I left was a mistake, but when he asked, my refusal died on my lips. Even now, I couldn't bring myself to regret it despite the fact I knew it was opening a door that would be difficult to close.

As I made my way to the lot where I had parked, a familiar figure greeted me.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Emerick stood up from where he leaned against the driver’s side of my car.

“You didn’t have to meet me here,” I couldn’t help but grin. The action highlighted the soreness in my cheek, but I ignored it. “I’m heading to the pack house anyway.”

He shrugged. “I wanted to.”

He took my bag and opened my door for me before climbing in on the passenger side.

“You didn’t drive?” I asked.

“Uh, no,” he admitted. “I stashed clothes yesterday and then ran here this morning.”

“Well, that’s adorably extra,” I rolled my eyes. “It’s literally a thirty minute drive.”

“I missed you,” he said, sincerely.

Self-preservation told me to brush him off, but after the events of the last few days, I indulged his comfort.

“I missed you, too,” I said, quietly. He beamed back at me and a lump formed in my throat.

I shouldn’t string him along, I thought, but my admission was the truth.

Even while I was away, I couldn’t keep myself from answering all of his texts. There was a piece of me that longed to be near him.

On the drive, he caught me up on current event among the pack. Apparently, Luke enrolled in online courses in order to have more flexibility and would be substituting training with Jonathan for his hand-to-hand combat classes. Sam was not entirely pleased but was satisfied that he would at least graduate. Luke and Michael came up with a more manageable schedule so that the alpha was getting enough sleep and taking the time to eat.

I was happy to hear he was addressing his basic needs. When I texted to check in, all my nephew said was that things were going better. I looked forward to committing myself to pack business fully now that I was officially off the payroll in Chicago.

When I slid into a parking spot, Emerick jumped out to open my door. I took the solitary moment to steel myself for getting out of my seat. My shoulder throbbed incessantly and I made a mental note to check in at the med bay when I had some time alone.

I climbed out gingerly when Emerick pulled the handle open. As I stood, he leaned down to kiss me and I tried not to flinch from where his hand rested on my hip. When he pulled away, he furrowed his brow in confusion. I ignored it and turned to head inside.

He probably assumed I was pulling away because of the kiss itself, and I selfishly planned to let him believe it.

“Kate,” he called and caught up to me. “Are we… okay?”

“Can we not do this here?” I snapped. “It’s my first day back at work.”

He grabbed my arm as I rounded a corner and I yelped in pain and doubled over. Tears stung my eyes and I quickly wiped them away under my sunglasses. I watched Emerick freeze, his expression deadly, and realized my makeup had probably been smeared.

I turned around and walked as quickly as I could towards my office. The door I tried to slam shut hit Emerick’s hand with a thud, but he didn’t seem phased.

“Kaitlyn, what the fuck happened to your face?” He growled. “What’s wrong with your arm?”

I glared back at him defiantly. When I didn’t answer, he lifted my chin and took off my sunglasses. His lip curled in a snarl by what he saw. I pulled back and slapped his hand away.

“It’s none of your fucking business,” I hissed.

His eyes swam in fury and his skin practically vibrated with the energy pouring off of him.

“Like hell it’s not, mate,” he said in a dangerously low voice. “Take off your jacket. Right. Now.”

“Get out,” I spat back.

Instead, he grabbed my good wrist and tore the fabric of my blazer in half. It fell from my shoulders in tattered shards. My sleeveless top did little to hide the many bruises and cuts that marred my arms.

Emerick’s mouth fell open and it looked like every muscle in his body was pulled tight.

“What the fuck?!?” He roared.

Rage seemed to pop in the air around him from where he stood clenching and unclenching his fists. Claws poked through the skin of his hands. For the first time, I felt fear in his presence.

“Emerick…” I whispered and took a retreating step.

Luke swung open my office door a second later. He took in the scene and threw me behind him. When he turned back to face Emerick, it was in a defensive stance.

“Keep her back,” Emerick snarled to Luke who nodded once.

The furious male growled, more animal than human. Then, he jumped and crashed through my office window.

“Emerick!” I screamed and pushed past Luke to look out of the shattered glass.

He landed on four paws and shot off through the trees, is silver wolf never breaking stride. I turned at the sound of my office door opening again and a dark gray streak flew past me and out the window. I shrieked in surprise and Luke caught me when I stumbled backward. I winced as he grabbed one of my many sensitive bruises.

“Michael is going after him,” Luke explained.

He took out a cell phone and put it to his ear.

“Call whoever we have at the border between here and Chicago. Tell them to keep an eye out for Zef… He’s not himself. Approach with caution… Sure. Report back when he’s secured.”

I watched my nephew who never took his eyes off me. He scanned over my injuries and his own energy became palpable. When he finished his call, he stared at me without speaking for a long moment.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I told him.

“Figured that’s why Zef freaked out,” he said. “Wouldn’t matter though. I can smell the man who did this all over you which means he can too,” he pointed towards the forest that had swallowed the two wolves. “Unless he can be convinced otherwise he’s going to tear apart Chicago brick by brick.”

“You can’t let him do that,” I said.

He gave me a hard look.

“Honestly, Aunt Kate, I have half a mind too. You’re beat to a fucking pulp. What the hell happened?”

I wouldn’t meet his gaze. More than anything, I was absolutely mortified anyone had seen me this way. I’d had years of practice hiding my injuries. This time was worse though. He might have killed me if I hadn’t fought back.

“Kate,” Luke said, more gently.

Just then, Cassie Stevens swept into the room. She looked between us and at the broken window. Instead of asking any questions, she turned to Luke.

“You should go after him,” she said. “You’re the only one he will listen to right now.”

“My commanding him as Alpha isn’t going to solve the problem,” Luke argued.

“No,” Cassie shook her head. “But you talking to him as his best friend might help get Zef under control.”

Luke nodded after a moment and glanced at me.

“I’ve got her, Luke,” Cassie said gently.

He nodded again with a grim expression. “Get her to med bay.”

Then he started to undress and Cassie took me under her arm.

“Come on,” she said, gently. “I have a jacket in my office.”

I nodded and let her lead me out of the room. I felt numb. We walked in silence until we reached a room painted a blush color with a white desk and chair in the center. Bulletin boards covered with magazine clippings and paint chips covered most of the walls.

“Sorry,” Cassie apologized. “I work better in a healthy state of chaos.”

I nodded, not able to find my voice yet. Cassie pulled a black zip up jacket and a baseball cap from the bottom drawer of her desk. She handed them both to me.

“In case you want some anonymity today,” she said, with a kind smile.

“Thank you,” I told her and took them.

She looked at me with a measuring gaze. I felt naked under her knowing stare.

“Whatever he told you,” she started. “You didn’t deserve it.”

“I know,” I sighed.

She nodded. “I’ve been where you are. Sometimes it’s easier to believe you did something wrong than to believe anybody could be that cruel. Other times, you don’t want to think their love is a lie they use to control you. Either way, you should know he’s the broken one, not you.”

“I don’t want your pity,” I said, shaking my head.

“Good,” she said. “You don’t have it. You have my absolute admiration that you were able to leave such a fucked up situation and know you deserve to be treated better.”

“I left to take care of Luke.” My voice came out a whisper.

“Whatever the reason, the important thing is you left, Kate. You got out.”

I shook my head again, not wanting to explain. Cassie gave me a small smile before looping her arm through my good one.

“Let’s get you to med bay. She can give you something for the pain,” Cassie explained.

I let the usually bubbly woman lead me, still feeling somewhat disoriented. It took every ounce of effort I had to pretend everything was fine in the car with Emerick. After the adrenaline dump of facing off with a seriously pissed off werewolf, I just felt so fucking tired.

Cassie pushed through the door of the medical bay and called a greeting. Dr. Yvonne Martin, the pack’s lead physician, came out of her office and stopped dead in her tracks when she looked at me.

“What the hell happened?” She demanded.

I hesitated and looked away.

“She doesn’t want to talk about it, yet,” Cassie kindly explained for me. “I think she probably needs to be checked out, though.”

Dr. Martin nodded and led me to an exam room.

“I’ll be outside,” Cassie offered.

“Actually, can you stay?” I asked her, biting my lip. I hated the vulnerability in my voice, but I didn’t want to be alone.

Her eyes softened. “Of course I can, Kate.”

Dr. Martin did a full exam and had x-rays taken of my arm. She explained that she was suspicious of a tear and I would need to undergo an MRI to confirm. I decided to put it off, but promised to return.

The doctor also felt strongly that I had a concussion and walked me through precautions to take for the time being. The rest of my many bruises and contusions would just need time to heal.

Cassie held my hand throughout the process. Her support was a comfort I hadn’t known that I desperately needed. This had always been my burden and I felt so fucking isolated with it.

Dr. Martin gave me a serious look before I left.

“You took one hell of a beating, Ms. McClain,” she said, slowly. “If this was a werewolf -“

“It wasn’t,” I cut her off.

She nodded and pinched her lips together.

“Then I hope that mate of yours tears him to pieces,” she said without an ounce of humor.

“If only the world worked that way,” I agreed.

I stood to leave, sucking in a tight breath at the effort. Dr. Martin handed me a bottle of pills.

“Take one every six hours for the pain,” she explained. “It’s a strong anti-inflammatory so it should help with healing a bit.”

“Thank you,” I told her and then turned to Cassie. “Both of you. I, um, hope this can stay between us?”

“Of course,” they chorused and nodded.

“Just know werewolf packs tend to be rife with gossip,” Dr. Martin said. “There are probably going to be some rumors. It’s up to you whether you address them.”

I nodded. I figured as much. Still, it was nice to know these two ladies would keep my confidence for now.