Bitten (Once Bitten, Twice Shy #1)(81)
Like now, for instance. Though, this time, she truly just hadn’t been paying attention.
“How is it that you can remember all that, but this move – this simple move – is too much for you?”
“It’s not simple,” Katherine disagreed, forcing her battered body to stand. “And even if it was, I just can’t do it. You’re too heavy and my arms aren’t strong enough to lift you.”
“It’s exactly because strength isn’t your strong suit,” Zane interjected, grinning a little at his pun, “that you need to learn this. The move uses your opponent’s strength – their momentum, if you will – against them.”
“…Oh.” It was the first time either man had explained it that way.
“Get in the position Markus showed you,” Zane ordered, leaving his perch on the couch to maneuver Katherine’s limbs how he wanted them. “Spread your legs further apart. Okay. And keep your hips centered under your torso. Make sure your head stays straight. Your body will always follow your head.”
Once satisfied that Katherine had taken the correct stance, Zane gave Markus the okay to move backward a few feet and get ready to charge.
“Alright,” Zane spoke softly in her ear, “instead of stepping forward when he comes at you, step backward. Use his power to throw him over your shoulder, not your own.”
Katherine nodded that she understood and Zane shifted out of the way. As soon as he moved, Markus rushed at her.
Ignoring the instinct to brace herself for impact, Katherine kept her body loose and just as Zane instructed, stepped backward when Markus got close enough. She grabbed just above the elbow of his right arm with her left hand and twisted underneath him so that his front was flush against her back. Then, reaching around with her other hand, she seized the collar of his shirt and with one mighty heave, flipped Markus right over her shoulder. He landed flat on his back in front of her.
For a moment, Katherine could only stare at the fallen man, shocked that she’d managed to pull it off. As soon as Zane broke out in applause, however, she could no longer contain her grin.
Markus scowled at her from his place on the floor, but she could clearly see the pride in his eyes. “Not bad, princess,” he complimented her. “Not bad at all.”
#
The next day came and passed too quickly.
Before Katherine knew it, the sun was setting and she – along with the rest of her pack – had been forced to set foot for the moon gathering. It was a long walk from Bastian’s house – though trek may have been a better word for it. There had to have been close to two feet of snow on the ground!
At least once they’d reached the frozen falls, a somewhat decipherable trail had been created by other wolves whose heavy footsteps had packed down the white stuff as they’d made their way to the moon gathering earlier in the day.
Katherine followed her pack – their alpha leading the way, of course – as they journeyed through the snow, marching straight by the cluster of pine trees surrounding the waterfall and continued onward until they’d reached the top of a small hill, under which lay a large clearing.
It was quite crowded.
Amidst the throng of people, Katherine could make out a large fire pit where red and yellow flames licked at the sky. The smell of smoke and incense was heavy in the air.
She hadn’t taken more than two steps towards the fire and surrounding mob, however, before she spotted a cluster of her friends huddled together near the tree line far east from the soaring blaze.
“Can I?” she asked, turning to face Bastian, whom she’d noticed follow her gaze.
He seemed uncomfortable with the idea of her letting her leave the safety of the pack to go meet her school friends, but reluctantly nodded regardless. “Just make your way back to me at the first sign of moonlight. I’ll be near the fire pit.”
“Alright,” she quickly agreed and took off before he could change his mind.
“Katherine!” Mack, the first of her friends to see her approaching, greeted enthusiastically. “We didn’t know for sure if you were going to make it.”
The small brunette frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?” she questioned, tucking a wayward strand of dark hair behind her ear as she came to stand beside him. “I thought going to these gatherings was kind of required.”
“It is,” Melanie quickly interjected. “What Mack meant was that it’s only your second full moon and well, we all know how,” she paused, her cheeks reddening a bit as she seemed to search for a word, “protective of you Bastian has been since you’ve been here. And with his fight with Rogue tonight, well…”
“The fight’s going to be epic!” Jonathan exclaimed, eyes alit with excitement, before Katherine could protest to Melanie’s assertion that Bastian was protective of her.
“Jon,” Mack said pointedly, jabbing him in the side with a sharp elbow.
“Oh,” he glanced sheepishly at Katherine. “Well, I mean, Bastian is sure to win, of course.”
Katherine rolled her eyes.
“Boys,” Agnes muttered, following suit.
“Anyway,” Melanie trilled before Jonathan had the opportunity to cram more of his foot in his mouth, “you came just in time, Katherine. Leander was just telling us about a race that’s been planned for tonight.”