Chapter Eight

Catherine opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She glanced to her right and saw her bedroom window. She wondered why she hadn’t opened the window to let the air in like she always did before falling asleep. She looked down at her floor and noticed boxes piled up with labels: photos, bathroom, books, winter jackets. She heard a drawer being pulled open and turned to her left. Her breath caught.

Her mate was standing in front of her dresser with his back to her. Suddenly everything came rushing back. She’d gotten drunk, really really drunk last night and passed out in Toma’s arms. When she woke Graham was there, holding her and looking as if he’d just pulled her back from the dead. How had she gotten here? What was he doing? He was wearing different clothes than she remembered. He had on a hoodie with one sleeve pushed up to his elbow, blue jeans and socks but no shoes. He looked so comfortable, casual. Goddess, even from behind he was gorgeous. Her eyes lingered on his ass in those jeans.

“It’s rude to stare,” Graham said, low. She finally noticed what he was doing. He was pulling clothes from her dresser, refolding them and placing them in a cardboard box.

“How’d you know I was awake?”

“I’ve been listening to you breathe for quite some time now. Your breathing hitched about two minutes ago,” he explained without stopping his task or turning to look at her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, sitting up on her elbows.

“Packing your things.”

“I can see that. Why?”

“So that when you woke up you’d be ready to leave faster. I’m taking you to my home in Blackmoore.”

“Says who?”

Graham’s hands stilled on the top he’d been folding. He set it down in the box and finally turned to face her. She swallowed hard as he folded his arms in front of his chest and gave her a challenging look. In the darkness of her room, the sharp angles of his face cast shadows across his expression making him hard to read. Her heart pattered at the sight of him in front of her and she was hit with the intimacy of this large man in her small bedroom. She glanced down, thankful to still be fully dressed in what she’d worn to work yesterday.

“Says your mate,” he answered.

Catherine scoffed. “So you’ve decided to be my mate now? Where were you the last two days then, huh? What happened to you coming to talk with me?”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I had business that kept me away.”

“Business?”

He merely nodded.

“Well I hate to break it to you, Sir, but I have a job and an apartment and friends who…”

“I’ve already told Paul that you’ve quit.”

“What?” Catherine jumped out of bed. “What gives you the right to do that?”

“Again, I’m your…”

“Mate, right.” Catherine rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, I don’t know much about lycans but I like to work. It took me a long time to find someone who would hire me despite my status as rogue. If you think you can just come in here, usher me to your pack and use me as some kind of barefoot broodmare then…”

Graham took two long strides toward her, stealing her breath with his proximity. She tried to take a step back but her knees hit the side of the bed. She fell back with a squeak and bounced slightly as she landed on the soft mattress. Graham smirked slightly as he placed one knee between her legs.

He leaned over her, his hands resting on either side of her head. His eyes roamed down to the sharp rise and fall of her chest and lower still to where her legs met causing her to clamp her thighs against his knee. His eyes shot up to hers and he full-on grinned. She would have scowled back if she wasn’t so turned on. His nose dipped and ran between her breasts. He chuckled.

“Us lycans are not so medieval, Catherine,” he whispered. She gulped at the sound of his husky voice. “I make more than enough to keep us comfortable but I figured you’d want a job. There are plenty in town, I assure you. Though…” His fingers ran down her arm causing her to shiver. His mouth dropped to her ear. “If you would rather spend your days beneath me in this position, we could certainly arrange that.” He bit her earlobe and she sucked in a breath before shoving his chest. He pushed away from her with a laugh.

“Not funny.”

He shrugged. “I thought it was.” Graham turned around to continue packing for her. “Go ahead and get a shower. There’s zero chance of me letting you stay here after what happened the other night. I should be done packing in a few hours and then we’ll leave. I only have a couple more days off to get you settled at my house.”

Catherine stood up. “What happened the other night? I’m allowed to get drunk, Graham.”

Graham turned and tilted his head. “Yes… but your drinking is not what bothered me. You being poisoned by Wolfsbane did.”

Catherine squinted her eyes at him. “Wolfsbane? What are you talking about?”

Graham ran a hand down his face. He stepped in front of her as if he couldn’t stand to be more than a foot away from her for more than a few minutes. He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You were poisoned, Baby. We’re not sure by whom or for what purpose. We’ll get to the bottom of it but for now I need you to come home with me where I can keep you safe.”

Catherine was taken aback at the raw sincerity on his face. A thought came to her. “What about Toma? Is he okay?”

He snarled slightly at the mention of her friend. “He’s fine. It wasn’t the alcohol.” He turned around and started shoving clothes in the box with less care than before. “Take a shower. We need to leave today. We’ve already wasted two days.”

Catherine rolled her eyes and grabbed some clothes he’d left out for her. “Wait… two days? I’ve been out for two days?”

He watched her from the dresser as she stopped on the threshold of the bathroom. “Yes.”

“And you’ve been here?”

“Yes.”

“With Juno?”

He smirked at her train of thought. “Does that bother you?”

She bristled, the unfamiliar jolt of jealousy startling her for a moment. “Of course not. She’s my best friend.”

“Mhmm,” he hummed, getting back to his task.

Catherine stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door cracked slightly. She started to strip when she heard her bedroom door open.

“Hey, muscly man,” Juno said, a bit too cheery for her liking. “Made your breakfast. No mushrooms this time.”

Catherine fumed. She peaked out the bathroom door to find Juno checking out her mate with abandon. How dare she? Catherine not only hated how her eyes lingered on Graham’s rear end but the fact that Juno had gotten two full days alone with her mate. She already knew more about him than Catherine. What else did she know besides his culinary preferences? Had they stayed up late gossiping and swapping stories? Had he checked her out too?

“You want to come out and join me?” Juno pleaded.

Catherine tightened the towel around her cleavage and threw the bathroom door open. Juno was standing far too close but she stepped away as soon as she noticed Catherine. Her glare shot to Graham who was leaning lazily against the dresser now, facing her with a knowing smile. His eyes dropped to her cleavage. She narrowed her eyes further at him.

“Kitty! I am so glad you are awake! I was so worried about you!” Juno exclaimed as she rushed to give Catherine a hug. She glanced over her friend’s shoulder to find her mate backing out of the room.

“I’ll let you two catch up,” Graham said with a wink.

As soon as Graham left the room, Catherine stepped back. “What the hell was that?” she asked.

“What?” Juno asked, a devilish grin on her face.

“He’s mine,” she hissed.

Juno full out cackled. “Girl, don’t worry. I was just admiring that ass. Have you seen it? You’re so lucky.” Juno flopped back on the bed.

“And other than eye fucking, what else has been going on between you two?” Catherine tapped her foot in agitation.

Juno sat up on her elbows. “I like you jealous. Just as much as I’m sure he does,” she said on a laugh. Catherine took a threatening step forward and Juno raised her palms. “Relax, chick. That boy hasn’t so much as left your room since he brought you here. He won’t even eat because you haven’t been able to. The only words he has said to me are ‘I’m taking her home’ and ‘allergic’ and that was only when I kept pestering him about why he wouldn’t eat my damn mushroom soup. I was insulted, bitch. Everyone likes my mushroom soup.”

Catherine sighed, relaxing finally. “I’m sorry.”

“Eh, don’t be. I mean I can understand your irritation… do you remember my Saturday Night Fever?” Juno asked.

Catherine nodded. “The hot Lycan who comes in on Saturdays that you fawn over every Sunday?” she asked, not liking where this was going.

“Yeah…” Juno said, glancing to the door Graham had walked through.

Catherine gasped. “You bitch!”

Juno held her hands up and laughed. “It’s not like I knew! Jeez! He’s all yours, Girl.”

“Damn right. You stay away!” Catherine warned, pointing a finger at her friend who she knew would never hurt her.

“Fiiinne,” Juno said with a wink. She glanced around the room. “He really is taking you away, huh?”

“It appears so,” Catherine said, sitting down next to her friend.

“I think it’s for the best. He can keep you safe. I’m sure of it.” Juno took Catherine’s hand and their fingers intertwined.

“Maybe you can come with me,” Catherine whispered.

Juno snickered. “And listen to you two fuck each other non stop for the next year? Nah, I’m good here.”

“Promise you’ll at least come and visit.”

“I promise. It’s going to be weird here without you.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be weird learning more about my Lycan side.”

“Oh yeah, thanks for telling me about that by the way,” Juno quipped. The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Juno sighed. “I think you should tell him.”

Catherine stiffened. “He knows I’m a lycan, Jun.”

“Not that… About the man you’re running from.”

“I’m not…”

Juno squeezed her hand. “Don’t start lying to me now. It’s okay. I don’t expect you to tell me. Graham is your mate though. He can protect you.”

“I can’t.”

Juno turned her head to look at her. “Why not?”

Catherine swallowed. “He’d leave me if he knew.”