She silently walks toward the sound of rushing water. It takes a while to get there, but when she rounds a giant tree, the sight takes her breath away. This is what she’d seen from the shuttlecraft window. A large waterfall, at least one hundred feet tall, rushes with a force as it races to a pool at the bottom. Huge boulders and large red flowers surround the pool. And as much as Catalina wants a drink of water, she knows better than to leave her scent and scare off whatever wildlife might come for a drink or a swim.
She hides crouched down, waiting behind one of the boulders. It’s been awhile. Her legs are stiff and hurting. Just as she’s about to stand, a large animal with red fur casually walks toward the water. It is almost as large as a garr, but not as wide, and it doesn’t look as heavy. It has a long, pointed snout and long legs.
Catalina takes slow, steady breaths as she nocks an arrow. When the animal gets close enough, she waits until it turns broadside. Aiming for the area between the shoulders and neck, she takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. Holding her breath, she lets the arrow go. It hits its mark, and the animal falls lifeless to the ground.
Unlike one of her foster families, Catalina takes no pleasure in killing animals; it is just a necessity for survival. Now she has to get the animal back to where Jove waits.
Sighing loudly, she stands with her hands on her hips before the tears drip down her cheeks. Her lower lip trembles, and she bows her head at the unfairness of life. Why did someone do this to her? Who would do this to her? Tarra is the first person that comes to mind, and as much as Catalina would love to blame it all on her, someone had to have lifted her onto a gamel and whisked her away.
Swiping at her eyes, she pushes the unwanted feelings away and heads over to a rock. Leaning over, she cups her hands, taking several gulps of water. When she drinks her fill, she splashes water over her face, hoping Jove won’t notice she’s been crying.
Blowing out her anger at the situation, Catalina studies the animal and the predicament she is in. After a moment of contemplating, she turns her back to the animal and reaches down, grabbing its two front feet and pulling them over her shoulders. Wearing the animal as a cape, she uses her legs to stand. The animal’s body hangs down her backside, touching the ground, but it is the best she can do.
Grunting with every step, Catalina slowly walks back toward Jove. He isn’t far, but with the animal on her back, he might as well be a state away. Sweat drips from her brow, soaking through her shirt. Her legs quiver and her arms tremble from exertion with every step.
When she gets back to where he sits with wide eyes, she drops the animal and collapses onto the ground, heaving.
“You killed a graset?” Jove asks in disbelief.
“I don’t know what it is. I just hope it’s edible.” Catalina throws her forearm over her eyes, and she lies panting on the ground.
“It is a graset. They are a delicacy. Those who do see them rarely get close enough to kill one.” He stares incredulous at her. “How did you kill it?”
“Arrow,” she mumbles before resting enough to sit up. When she does, she blows out a long breath and says, “Please tell me you have a knife.”
“I do.”
She holds out her hand. “Let me have it.”
“I can do it,” he insists.
“Look, I understand that you don’t want me to do this, but you can’t do it right now. You may open the wound and start bleeding again. So, hand it over.”
Reluctantly, he pulls a jagged knife from his black trousers and hands it over.
“Thanks,” she says, going to work, skinning the animal. Hoping to give the fur to Theon, she works meticulously with every cut. It doesn’t take long until she needs to start a fire and roast the meat. “Oh, shoot! I was so tired and hungry, I forgot my bow.” Glancing around, looking for something to collect water, she finally asks Jove, “Do you have anything I can collect some water in?”
He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a canteen-like container. “Thanks,” she says before heading back toward the water.
The refreshing water slides down with each swallow, and when she is no longer thirsty, she fills the container and scoops up her bow and arrows and heads back.
When she reaches Jove, she hands him the container. “Here.” He reaches up and clasps it in his hands.
“Thank you.” He uncaps the container and takes a big swallow of water.
Catalina gathers what she needs and starts a fire.
Not long later, the two of them sit around the small fire eating the roasted meat and drinking water. Jove doesn’t talk much, and that’s okay. Darkness is descending once again, and her mind wanders back to Theon. He will be back soon, and she knows he will come looking for her. He has to.
14
____________________
Theon
It has been a long two moon cycles, and Theon can’t wait to see Catalina. He worries about her and misses her terribly. He has rushed Odias and pushed Coleia harder just so he can arrive home a little earlier. Anticipation blossoms when the Commons comes into view.
“You will see her soon.” Odias shoots him a grin.
Theon laughs; he knows Odias is also anxious to get back to Shena. “It has been too long.”
“I am sorry that I wasn’t more supportive. These last two moon cycles have showed me how much you truly care about her.”
Theon’s lips curl in a half-smile as they guide the gamels inside the stables. Barely taking time to secure Coleia, Theon races to his rooms.
She’s not there.
He races to the training fields.
Nothing.
He checks the lake.
No Catalina.
Dread pools inside as he heads back to the training fields. Where is she?
“Welcome home, Theon.”
“Tarra,” he says absently as he looks for Catalina. Nothing.
Tarra stands there with all the other females who like to visit the training fields. Even Shena is smiling at Odias and welcoming him home.
Tarra wraps her delicate hand around his arm. “What’s wrong?”
With worry in his eyes, he asks, “Have you seen Catalina?”
“Hmm… I believe she said she could not stand living up here any longer and moved down to the female Commons.”
Theon narrows his eyes at Tarra. What game does she play now? Catalina hated living in the female Commons, and he says as much. “She did not like living down there.”
Tarra shrugs. “That is what she said.” Turning to one of the other females, she says, “Ask Sheilia.”
“That is what I heard her say,” Sheilia chimes in. “Shena?”
Shena hesitates before giving a curt nod.
He can’t wrap his head around the idea that Catalina doesn’t want to live with him. He thought she loved the time they spent together. Could he be wrong? He doesn’t think so. But if he is, she could’ve at least told him, been honest about things.
Something nags at him; it just doesn’t seem possible, and he can’t accept what the females are telling him. Catalina never got along with them, so why would she confide in them now?
Spotting Kaid across the training fields, he trots over.
“Theon,” Kaid grins when he sees him coming. “I see you have made it back safely.” They clasp forearms.
“It is good to be home.” Theon looks around, noting who stands close by. When he is sure that no one can hear, he asks, “Have you seen Catalina?”
He slowly shakes his head. “Every cycle I have looked for her, but I have not seen her since you departed two moon cycles ago.”
Theon’s gut clenches in anger when he realizes that Tarra may be telling the truth. How could she just leave without talking to him?
“Thanks, Kaid.” He turns on his heels and heads for his rooms.
It feels like a fairytale that ended too soon. He watches the door, expecting her to walk through it at any moment, but she doesn’t.
Everywhere he looks, memories of
her in his place spring forth, reminding him of what he almost had. For the first time in his life, when the darkness comes, he can’t sleep on his furs, opting for the hard floor instead.
He tosses and turns before throwing off the blanket in anger and jumping to his feet. Before the sun comes up, Theon is on the training field. When the first male approaches, it is minutes before Theon has him flat on his back. By mid-morn, most of the males who fought against Theon have limped away.
Odias clutches Theon’s upper arm, concern etched in his eyes. “What is wrong?” he demands.
Jerking his arm from Odias’ grasp, he shoots him a warning look and stomps away without speaking one word to his friend.
Training with one male after another, taking his anger out on them, doesn’t help. His emotions soar out of control. By late day, no one will come within six feet of him. No one will challenge him. He speaks to no one. The only one who dares approach…is Tarra.
“Theon,” she smiles, but he averts his gaze, not wanting to look at her. Knowing everything she has done, the power she tries to wield, he does not want to hear her sweet, ice-laced voice. But he will not be disrespectful to a female. They are few.
Turning, he does not smile. “Tarra. What can I help you with?” He folds his arms across his chest.
“I was thinking,” she bats her eyes, “since the…since Catalina has decided to live down below, maybe you would share a meal with me?”
He searches her face. Her beautiful, deceiving, untrustworthy face, and gives a curt, “No.”
Her face crumbles before his eyes, but he does not care as he turns and walks away. He still wonders if Tarra told the truth about Catalina. More than one time that day, he thinks about visiting the female Commons.
~~~~~~~~
Catalina wakes the next morning, only to find Jove awake and staring at her. “Good morning,” she mumbles before rolling to her side and sitting up. She picks foliage from her hair, wipes it from the side of her face. She looks over at Jove, who sits silently, watching her. She sighs loudly. “Are we back to the silent treatment again?” She shakes her head in annoyance. If that’s the way he wants to treat her, then screw him! She misses Theon, and today she is going home.
Catalina jumps to her feet and stretches, raising her arms above her head and yawning. She glances down at a silent Jove and clenches her teeth. Why on Earth would she stay and help someone so ungrateful?
Her eyes roam up and down his arm, looking for signs of more bleeding. Finding none, she starts, “I think your arm will be fine until your people come for you. I’ll fetch you another container of water and leave you the cooked meat, but after that, you’re on your own, buddy. I’m heading home.”
“Back to the Southern Clan?”
“Now you’re talking,” she scoffs. “Yes, back to the Southern Clan.” She reaches down and picks up the container. Heading toward the water, she throws a quick “I’ll be back” over her shoulder.
When she makes it to the pool, she gazes at the swirling, clear water. Her mind drifts back to when she and Theon swam in the lake together, the time she ran away in a childish tantrum. He doesn’t think that she had run away this time, does he? He knows that she would never leave without saying goodbye. Doesn’t he?
Now she worries. Is he even looking for her? He has to be. After the last fortnight, there is no way he would believe she would just up and leave him. They have shared too much of themselves with each other, emotionally as well as physically. He knows she has abandonment issues and would never leave without saying goodbye. So he has to be looking for her. That is the only thing she will allow herself to believe.
Catalina gives a quick shake of her head, trying to rid the doubt that sometimes clouds her mind. Leaning over the boulder, she cups the clear water in her hands and splashes it on her face before drinking the next handful. She lowers the container and fills it up.
Heading back, she takes her time. She feels a little guilty about leaving Jove there wounded, but he is a strong male who can fend a predator off with his knife. She’ll leave him with food and water, and soon his people will find him.
She isn’t paying attention, just walking with her head down, watching every step. When she looks up, she freezes mid-step.
Four large, copper-colored males stand next to Jove. They all stare at her. Different shades and varying lengths of black hair frame their strong faces. Their size and strength match the Southern Clan, but their eyes hold intelligent malice, all but Jove’s.
“Jove?” Her frightened eyes find him, pleading for him to help. Instead, he averts his gaze.
She turns to run, but one of the males roughly grabs her arm, pulls her backward, and tosses her over his shoulder. She flails and then begins beating his back with her fist.
“Let me go! Let me go, you son of a bitch!”
When one of the males mounts his gamel, the one carrying her hands her up to him. With Catalina placed between his thighs, the others mount their own gamels, and they ride away. Catalina strains her neck to look back toward the mountains, back toward her home with the Southern Clan, back toward Theon. Please find me…
Not letting them see her in a weakened state, she slams her tear-filled eyes shut. Every time Jove looks her way, she turns her head in defiance. He was injured, and she saved his life, and look where that’s landed her. Sniffing for the last time, she steels her spine and stares straight ahead, numbing herself to the entire situation. She’s learned a hard lesson, one that she will not repeat.
When they finally reach the land of the Northern Territory, she stares in awe. Not that they notice a change in her expression. To protect themselves from the storms, they live in large, clear domes with small walkways that connect each section. She guesses they aren’t willing to give up the sunlight or their technology.
Someone waits at the clear gate, and when they approach, he lets them pass. Of course, his head follows her when she passes by.
They don’t speak as they take her to medical. The one in front dismounts, walks over, and catches her around the waist, dragging her from the gamel. Catalina makes no sound as rage boils deep inside.
Someone also helps Jove to medical, but she never looks his way. The betrayal in her veins runs strong.
Sitting on a nearby table, she hears the healer say, “Jove, how did you stop the bleeding?”
Catalina wants to scream, I stopped the fucking bleeding, and he repaid me by kidnapping me! Instead, she acts unfazed as he says, “The female stopped the bleeding and bandaged my arm.” He could keep his damn praise!
The healer walks over, but she stares straight ahead. “May I examine you?” he asks.
Startled by his question, she shows a little emotion when she looks at him with narrowed eyes.
“I was under the impression that you never ask—you just do as you please. I mean, who am I? A fucking alien, a female who saved one of your male’s lives.”
“I am sorry that you have that impression of us,” he says in a sad voice.
“Am I wrong?” He winces, and she knows she is right. Females are second class in the Northern Clan. She presses on.
“I mean, who am I? Someone who saved someone’s life, and I’m repaid how? I’m held against my will, forced to do who knows what. From one healer to another, I should have let him die, right? To save myself?”
His eyes shot to hers, and she knows she’d hit a nerve. Good! Let him think about that.
Taking a long, deep breath, Catalina clamps her lips tightly together lest she say something to get her into more trouble. The healer runs some type of scanner over her body, pricks her skin for a drop of blood, and hands her some clothes.
“No, thank you,” she says in a monotone.
“You can put those on yourself, or someone will hold you down and do it for you.” Her eyes dart to the male leaning against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest. At first glance, he looks handsome enough with his buzzed black hair and muscled body. But a closer look reve
als hard edges to go with his hard eyes.
He stalks over with arrogance and authority oozing from every pore of his body. “I am Hasan, leader of the Northern Clan. And you are?”
Catalina slowly turns her head straight forward and ignores him until he roughly wraps his strong hand around her arm. “I asked you a question…” He squeezes her arm until she winces with the pain.
“Catalina.”
“Now that isn’t so hard, is it? Where are you from?”
“Earth!” She jerks her arm away and rubs the reddened area with her other hand.
His cunning grin scares her a little. “Ah…Toran has found a compatible species, or so he suspects.” Hasan glances at the healer and orders, “Check her blood.” Looking back at Catalina, he says, “You are new here, so I will give you some leeway until you learn the rules.” Pointing one long finger at her, he warns, “But do not try me. Now change your clothes, and I will escort you to the female Commons.”
She waits for privacy, but Hasan just stands there waiting as he stares with a smirk. The look on his face dares her to speak. Jove and the healer are also in the room, but they turn their heads away.
Swallowing hard and trembling slightly, Catalina turns her back to everyone and quickly changes her clothes. It is a low-cut lilac dress that barely covers her backside, and no underclothes. When she turns around, Hasan’s gaze roams her length, making her feel exposed. She stands with her spine straight and refuses to cross her arms in shame.
Hasan walks over, and with one finger, he lifts her chin until she meets his eyes. “So strong-willed,” he muses. “If only you were Curazin.” His mouth grazes her earlobe. Catalina jerks her face away from his touch. He smiles wickedly, wraps his arm around her waist, and with a quick jerk, he forcefully pulls her body tight against his. His other hand slides down and squeezes her ass. “Someone will have fun with you, and who knows, maybe it will be me.” He bites her earlobe before quickly releasing her and then takes her roughly by the arm. “Come on, and I will show you to your new home.”
Theon Untamed_First Contact Page 11