by Lily Cahill
"Don't move." Her voice was muffled through her tears, but then Mandy turned, disappearing into the bedroom directly across the hall, leaving Catie on the floor. She gritted her teeth and tried to sit up. Pain radiated though her, and she had to bite down hard to keep from screaming. But she had to stop the blood, or else there was no way she'd even make it to the door. Catie dragged herself toward the kitchen, a small galley across from her bedroom. She reached up blindly and yanked down a towel from where it hung from the stove door. Catie took a deep, steadying breath, then wrapped the towel around her calf and tightened it as much as she could. It was agony, but she tied a secure knot in the makeshift tourniquet. Then it hit her: She was in the kitchen. In the kitchen she had knives. She didn't own a gun, but a knife was at least something. She tried to be silent, but every centimeter that her leg moved sent excruciating pain through her body. She bit her lip to keep from crying out and grunted, moving closer to the drawer where she stored knives. She cursed herself for getting rid of her landline, knowing there was no way she could call 911. Her cell was on the dresser in the very bedroom where Mandy had disappeared.
Catie was reaching to pull herself up when Mandy reappeared.
"I said don't move." Her voice was stronger now, and Catie froze. Mandy dumped a pile of clothes in Catie's lap.
"Get dressed."
She backed a step away, but still held the gun out at Catie as she got dressed.
"What do you want?" Catie asked, her voice shaking. She struggled to get her arm through the sweater she was trembling so much.
"Shut up!" Mandy screamed again. She pulled a kitchen chair over and flicked her gun toward it, indicating Catie should sit down.
It took a lot of effort, but Catie pushed herself up, standing on one leg, and made her way over to the chair. She was wearing just a pair of panties and a sweater. It hit her like a blast of cold air: What an awful way to die.
She looked down and saw the towel was completely soaked through with blood, a red trickle falling from the edge and onto the floor. Catie made to reach down and reposition the towel, but Mandy yanked her back. With rough hands, Mandy tied her up with Catie's own scarves. She tied them tight, double knotting, and making it impossible for Catie to move. Once she was fully secured, Mandy collapsed in a heap in front of her.
"Why doesn't he love me?" Mandy asked, her voice trembling. Just as suddenly as she'd fallen, she pushed to her feet and pressed the butt of the gun against her forehead as she sniffled. She started pacing, and the tears returned to her eyes. "I would have given him everything," she said with a shudder. "Why can't he love me?"
Catie didn't respond. She didn't think Mandy was really asking her that question.
Mandy turned suddenly, an edge in her voice and rage in her eyes. "I never had a chance because of you." Mandy sucked in a deep breath and steeled herself, raising the gun again at Catie. This time, her arms were steady and her eyes were clear of tears. She was all anger--any insecurity or regret she might have felt was completely gone.
"If I can't have him. No one can."
Chapter Nineteen
Everett
Everett paced his apartment, trying to sip a tumbler full of whiskey to calm himself. How could he go from such a high to such a low in a single day?
Now that he knew that Catalina was his future, he couldn't wait for it to start. Who cared if the launch was in a matter of days. He couldn't wait that long. Every second without Catalina was a life sentence. He called Catalina for the third time. It went straight to voicemail. Was she just ignoring him or was something wrong? Would she really ignore his phone calls? She'd always always been there for him in the past, and now that he felt closer to her than ever, he couldn't reach her. His stomach ached with the pain of possibilities. Was she in some kind of trouble? He felt queasy with the thought, like just thinking it made it true.
He dialed again. Still nothing.
Did that meathead do something to her? He could picture Nick's thick arms assaulting her, his big hands closing around her throat. Everett groaned at the awful thought. His whole body quaked with the image of Catalina hurt, in pain. The tumbler in his hand slipped free and shattered against the marble tiled floor.
Fuck it. He grabbed his keys and bolted out of the apartment. He couldn't sit still. He had to make sure she was okay. And then he had to convince her to forgive him and to be with him. He didn't care about the risks.
#
The door was hanging open. Just the sight of it made Everett's blood surge. His instincts had been right, she was in trouble. If he found Nick in there with her ... hurting her ... the bear in him roared. He couldn't be held responsible for what he did if his mate was in pain.
Everett spared a second to dial 911 and shout the address, then ran headlong into the apartment.
What he saw made him reel backward. It wasn't Nick. It wasn't even a man. It was Mandy. With a gun. Pointed at his soulmate.
He shifted without thinking.
His claws dug into the parquet floor, and the guttural growl that exploded out of him was so deep it made the picture frames tremble on the walls.
"Everett!" Catalina screamed.
Mandy whirled, the gun tight in her hands, and shrieked. "You're a monster!"
Everett lowered his massive head and growled again, his sharp teeth bared. He stalked closer, his paws heavy on the kitchen floor. Mandy was shaking badly, her hair wild and her mascara smearing black down her cheeks. She swung the gun around to point at Everett, but that didn't stop him. Nothing would stop him until his mate was safe.
"Everett, don't! She's crazy!"
Mandy snarled at Catalina's outburst and slapped her hard across the face. "Don't make me shoot you again," she hissed.
And that was when Everett saw the blood, the towel wrapped tightly around Catalina's leg. He roared in anger, and bounded closer. This ended now. But Mandy shoved the nozzle of the gun against Catalina's temple, and Everett skidded to a stop.
"That's right," Mandy said, a thin smile twisting at her lips. "Down boy."
Everett growled again, low and menacing. Mandy cocked her head, regarded him. "I never knew, really. You know that? I overheard you on the phone, talking about your bear or something. I just thought you were into some kinky shit. But this ...." She laughed, and it ricocheted off the close kitchen walls, high and manic.
"Please, Mandy," Catalina begged. God, she wasn't crying. She had a gun to her head, and she was keeping it together. The sight of it made Everett's love for her grow even more. "We won't press charges. We ... we'll get you help. We'll--"
"Enough! We we we. Don't you get it? There is no we, not between you and Everett. Not anymore."
Her finger twitched at the trigger, and Catalina clenched her eyes shut. But then she swung the gun wildly, pointed at Everett, and fired. Everett surged forward just as the bullet hit him. It was hot against his fur and skin, sending pain shooting through his arm, but adrenaline overrode any wound.
It only took him one giant leap before he was on Mandy. The force of his massive body knocked the gun out of her hands, sending it skittering across the floor. Everett pressed his weight on top of Mandy, pinning her to the ground. Her eyes were wide with fear, but Everett didn't care. The smell of Catalina's shed blood sent his anger higher. He bared his teeth and roared, letting all his primal rage out in that one sound. He raised his paw over Mandy's face, ready to strike. She winced and turned her head to the side.
"Everett! Stop!" His head snapped to Catalina. Tied up with her leg wrapped in a bloody towel. Mandy deserved this, deserved so much worse. But Catalina's eyes were pleading with him. "I'm okay," she said. Her voice was soft and low, singing to him, and the sound melted just enough of his anger for him to see straight.
He crawled off of Mandy just as shouts echoed down the apartment hallway.
"Police!" men shouted, their voices mixing with the thump of running. Everett shifted quickly and crawled toward Catalina. Blood was soaking his left arm, dribbl
ing down to his fingers, but that didn't matter. Not right now. He had to get to Catalina, make sure she was safe. Everything in him needed to feel her whole and alive in his arms. Behind him, he sensed movement, but he only saw Catalina. Shouts rang through the air, the metallic click of cocked guns and Mandy's curdled shrieks assaulting his senses. Everett reached Catalina and fumbled at the thick knots bounding her to the chair. His left hand felt dull and slow, and he struggled untying her. Finally, he gritted his teeth and tore, ripping the fabric holding her tight. She tumbled into his arms, the tears she's kept at bay overflowing.
All around them, police were securing the kitchen, snapping handcuffs around Mandy's wrists, but it was a background distraction to having Catalina in his arms. He was distantly aware of an EMT crouching next to him, trying to look at the gunshot wound on his arm, but he ignored the man.
Catalina buried her head into Everett's neck and let out a sob."I thought I was never going to see you again." The words stabbed at his gut, and Everett felt another flash of anger at Mandy for hurting Catalina in any way. It wasn't just the physical wound--the relief in Catalina's voice was so strong, Everett didn't want to imagine how scared she must have been with the gun pointed at her. Or what would have happened if he had been just a minute later. He smoothed down her hair and looked deeply into her eyes.
"I would never let anything happen to you." His only regret was that he hadn't left his apartment earlier. His gut was telling him Catalina was in trouble, and he'd almost dismissed it as being overly protective. This must have been another part of being mated. He would never second-guess himself again.
"I love you, Catalina Flores. I love you so much."
Catalina swiped away tears and pressed her forehead against his. "I love you too, Everett Bowen."
#
Everett finally allowed his wound to be attended to, but only after the EMT dressed Catalina's leg to stop the bleeding before she could get to the hospital. The two of them were quiet, never letting distance grow between them, and Everett could feel the exhaustion radiating off Catalina in waves.
"I need the strongest, blackest coffee known to man," she muttered, leaning her head against Everett's chest as the EMT swabbed at the deep cut in his shoulder where the bullet had grazed him.
Everett winced, but nodded. "Me too. No sugar, no cream, just straight coffee."
"I'm rubbing off on you, Everett."
He smiled. "About time, don't you think?"
His eyes traveled to Mandy, who was being read her rights in the corner of the kitchen. All this because he'd been searching for his mate. Everett wanted to kick himself. If he would have simply recognized the perfect person just one office over from his, this could all have been avoided. He could have began his real life, his life with a true partner, with children. He shook his head just as Mandy's eyes glanced up and met his. Her pupils were blown wide, her once-immaculate clothing disheveled and dirty. He felt bad for her, in a way.
The cops started to haul her away, and she screamed. She started kicking, struggling against her handcuffs. Her eyes roved wildly over the apartment until they landed on Everett again. "He's a bear! He tried to kill me! He's a monster!"
Everett froze for a second, this nightmare of a night never ending.
But then the cop next to him arched his eyebrows. "A real nutcase, huh?"
"She needs help," Everett said.
Catalina took a deep breath. "I truly hope she gets it."
"Don't worry," the cop said. He pulled out a small notepad and pencil, poised to take their statements. "She'll get help whether she wants it or not. You and your girl won't have anything to worry about."
Everett looked over at Catalina. A stretcher was being wheeled in to take her to the hospital, and Everett watched in wonder as Catalina chatted with the EMT and tried to help him get her onto the gurney.
"She's a real brave one," the cop piped in.
"She's one of a kind."
Chapter Twenty
Catalina
It was the middle of the night by the time Everett and Catie were discharged from the hospital. Catie was nearly seeing double from the exhaustion, and the pain meds weren't helping. The doctors had wanted to keep her overnight, but Everett had convinced them she'd be more comfortable in her own home.
Now, she rested her head back against the soft leather of Everett's car and watched the streetlights flash past overhead. She didn't quite recognize where they were, but it didn't look like they were headed back to her SoHo apartment. Everett reached over and took Catie's hand.
"Sleep," he commanded.
"Not sure if I can, no matter how tired I am."
Everett squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'll be here when you wake up. I'll always be here."
Catie's eyes dropped closed, her body feeling like she was floating and nearly weightless. She flickered them open inside a garage, and again as Everett lifted her out of his car and cradled her in his arms. She nestled into his shoulder as they rode up an elevator and as he pushed his apartment door open. He carried her to his bedroom and gently placed her under thick, soft blankets. Then he sat on the edge of the bed next to her and laced his fingers with hers.
"You're home now, you're safe," Everett said softly. "Catalina, my Catalina."
Catie held tight to his hand. She closed her eyes and breathed out a sigh. This felt like home, safe in Everett's bed, in his heart. This was the craziest twenty four hours she'd ever lived through, and she was so exhausted and delirious and couldn't think of any reasons why Everett could ever be a bad idea. She lifted the covers with one hand, inviting him in. He slid in, careful to avoid her wound.
They nestled in bed, face to face, and Everett's cologne mingled with his natural sent--the smell made her feel at home.
"Thank you, for showing up tonight." The guilt over how she'd treated him and the memory of the look on his face earlier today tore at her. She shouldn't have second-guessed him. "I'm sorry," she started to apologize.
"Don't," Everett said.
She closed her eyes, and tears trickled down her face. All the stress and turmoil of the day finally broke inside of her, and her tough act melted into a puddle of vulnerability.
Everett kissed away her tears and tipped her face up to him. "No more tears. As your round-the-clock nursemaid, I won't have it."
She nodded and wiped at her face. Then her eyes flew open. "The launch! Everett, you can't waste time taking care of me right now! I'll be fine."
"I refuse to leave your side. Screw the launch."
Catie grimaced, and Everett smiled.
"You did so much to make sure the launch would go smoothly, I doubt they'd miss either of us right now. Everything will be fine. What matters right now is making sure you're safe and healed."
He pulled her close and kissed her. His soft lips matched hers, working together in a rhythmic slow dance.
"Catalina," he whispered.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"I don't care about the business or the lawsuit. When I saw you today with that gun ... it was like seeing the sun go out."
He combed his hand through her hair. "I shouldn't have left your office today. I shouldn't have let you get away, even for a second. Those few hours were the worst of my life, and I never want to feel that way again."
Catie nodded at him, her eyes still shimmering with tears. "This is so right between us. I shouldn't have second-guessed us."
"You're my soulmate, Catalina."
Catie pressed her lips together. She felt it, she did. The connection between her and Everett was deeper and stronger than anything she'd ever felt in her life. She never would have used the word soulmate before this, but now ....
Everett must have seen her hesitance. "In the shifter world, there's one person on this entire planet who is your match. Your soulmate. That's why I wasted all that time on dates, years on searching for that one person when she was next to me the whole time."
"And it's me? I'm your ...
?"
"Soulmate. You are. I knew it the second we made love for the first time. You felt it too?"
Catie could only nod.
Everett pressed a kiss to her lips, lingered there. "I know this is sudden, but I've never been more sure of someone in my entire life. Catalina, will you marry me?"
Catie's heart soared in her chest, her body tingling all over. And this time, she didn't think this was the effects of the pain meds. She nodded more vigorously and the tears spilled, but now they were tears of joy.
"Yes," she said emphatically over and over again in between kisses.
Everett wrapped his arms around her, and this time she knew she would honor his request and never let him go.
Part Three: Secretly Mated
Chapter One
Secretly Mated
Chapter One
Kamilah
Kam Hutchinson hated Seattle. Hated the crowds, the pavement, the endless corridors of brick and steel. As far as she was concerned, there was only one thing that would make spending the night here worthwhile.
She was going to have a steak.
On the archaeological dig that Kam ran, food was plentiful but basic. That's what came of feeding two dozen volunteer interns on a shoestring budget. Most of the time, Kam didn't mind eating simple fare. But if she had to spend a night in the city, away from the work she loved, she was going to make the most of it.
The incessant rain made the city even more dreary. She shook out her umbrella as she stepped beneath the awning of The Seaside Steakhouse. When she pushed the door open, the change in temperature instantly fogged Kam's glasses. She pulled them off and cleaned them on her shirt.
When she could see again, Kam realized that the concierge at her hotel had made the perfect recommendation. The place was all gilt and velvet, with the Old World charm that appealed to her interest in history. Not to mention, it smelled fabulous. Her stomach growled in anticipation.