Bitten (Once Bitten, Twice Shy #1)(84)

Was it possible that the alphas had marked a trail before the race had begun?

Heart palpitating in her chest, Katherine ran up to the tree, scrutinizing the mark. Yes, it had definitely been made by werewolf claws. She quickly examined surrounding trees, hoping to see a similar mark on another trunk.

And she did.

Hoping that she was right about the alphas marking the racing route, Katherine took off, following the marked trees as she saw them. She hadn’t been at it for more than ten minutes when she began to vaguely recognize the landscape. Five more minutes, and she heard a howl.

Eager to find whoever was howling – she didn’t even care if it was Rip’s dad at that point – Katherine ran full tilt to where she thought the sound was coming from.

She couldn’t describe the relief that nearly overwhelmed her when she saw Caleb waiting for her where the race had begun hours earlier. Her friends were there too, looking as apologetic as any group of wolves possibly could.

Caleb, whom Katherine crashed into mid-howl, yelped in surprise before recognizing exactly who it was that’d pounced on him. When he did, he began nuzzling her, digging his snout into Katherine’s soft fur in a faux hug. Then he was pulling back, checking her over to make sure that she was unharmed.

Once he was satisfied that she was none the worse for wear, he playfully bit her ear – almost like he was chastising her for disregarding Bastian’s earlier instructions and getting herself involved in such a mess. As soon as he had her attention, though, all he did was gesture westward with his head. He took off, clearly expecting Katherine to follow.

She did, her five friends trailing after her.

Within moments, they were out of the forest and had made it back to the clearing where the tall fire still burned brightly in its pit. Katherine expected to see wolves everywhere, mulling about, much like their human counterparts had been earlier. Instead, though, nearly all of the wolves were gathered together, many of them yipping excitedly.

It looked like they were surrounding something.

…The fight!

Feeling her stomach plummet, Katherine sprinted to catch up with Caleb. Leaving her friends in her dust, she followed her pack mate’s lead, slinking around bodies until she was at the forefront of the action. She recognized Sophie, Markus, and Zane in her peripheral vision, but didn’t acknowledge them.

She spotted Bastian immediately. But then, how could she not? There were only two wolves at the center of the circle that had been formed. There was the large, sinewy one with an almost tawny colored coat – Rogue, no doubt – and there was Bastian.

Katherine could do nothing but watch helplessly as Rogue jumped on Bastian, obviously trying to take a bite out of him if his snapping jaws were any indication. Bastian shrugged him off easily enough, but as the moonlight caught his fur, Katherine immediately noticed that it was glistening in places – proof that Rogue had managed to dig his sharp teeth into him more than once already.

The fact that Bastian was bleeding – she couldn’t explain how much it infuriated her.

But why wasn’t he retaliating? Attacking Rogue in the same fashion that the other was coming at him?

Instead, Bastian seemed almost distracted. He wasn’t focused on thoroughly trouncing his opponent. He was just standing there, seemingly looking out into the crowd for something… or someone.

The idea that she could be what he was looking for – that she was the reason for his distraction – well, the guilt nearly paralyzed her.

Sophie, apparently, was thinking along the same lines as Katherine. While Rogue was busy picking himself up, she began barking loudly, clearly trying to get Bastian’s attention. His head jerked in their direction, his eyes seemingly drawn to Katherine’s by some magnetic force field. His serious blue eyes positively drilled into her remorseful green ones.

Their gazes couldn’t have interlocked for more than a second, but it was enough – enough to divert his attention – and Katherine watched, horrified, as Rogue once again slammed into him.

This time, though, Bastian truly bucked him off – nearly throwing the other wolf into the crowd of spectators and by the time Rogue was able to get back up to leap at Bastian once more, he was ready.

He met Rogue’s attack with one of his own. Stretching on his hind legs, Bastian clawed at Rogue’s snout. Lurching away from Bastian in obvious pain, he took a moment to compose himself. Then sprang at him again. Bastian jumped at him too. Their two bodies clashed in mid-air with a thwack.

Bastian landed on his paws.

Rogue did not.

And before he could roll off of his back, Bastian had placed his big, black body atop of his, paws on either side of Rogue’s face as he growled menacingly, nostrils flaring and spittle dripping down his chin as he bared his teeth.

Katherine could recall play fighting with Bastian during the last full moon. He’d pinned her to the ground much like he had with Rogue. But he didn’t look nearly as frightening then. This was different. This was real rage.

Foolishly, though, Rogue refused to surrender and show his neck to the other alpha. He tried to squirm out from under him.

It was a mistake.

As soon as he’d moved, Bastian sunk his teeth into the other wolf’s shoulder, not letting go even as Rogue let out a pained cry and began to writhe underneath him. After a minute or two of struggling, Rogue finally cooperated and lay prone. Bastian released him and the tawny wolf grudgingly bore his neck.