Page 9 of Catastrophe

She’d tried to clean herself, but only her paws were cream. The rest of her coat was black. She huffed, turned her back on me, and settled back down, facing the cushions.

“No. Let’s go.” I scooped her up, and she grumbled and squirmed as I took her into the bathroom.

I got into the shower and turned the water on, getting her and my clothes wet so she had to commit to getting clean. I laughed as her wet fur clung to her tiny body and revealed the angriest face on the smallest head. Even her ears looked giant on her. She huffed, probably knowing how ridiculous she looked, and I set her on the floor of the shower while I stripped out of my clothes.

“Not exactly how I imagined you seeing me naked for the first time, but life is full of surprises,” I said wryly as she watched with a twinkle in her violet eyes.

What I wouldn’t give to hear her thoughts.

I used the shampoo and then soaped Clawdia, washing her until the water pouring from her turned clear instead of dirt brown. I turned off the water and wrapped myself in a towel before scooping up Clawdia and hugging her close to me. I found a comb, which I used on both of us, and when I climbed into the bed, exhausted, Clawdia snuggled into my side, purring.

I didn’t have the energy to summon a dreamscape, despite wanting to check Zaide was safe. It would have been a futile exercise anyway.

The hunters had him. And hunters kill their prey.

Unless, of course, the prey had a vengeful soul mate with a lot to make up for.

CHAPTER 3

CLAWDIA

CHAPTER 3 - CLAWDIA

Stretching as the morning light streamed through the window into the small wooden room, I came aware of my position in the bed. With my head lying on top of Baelen’s chest, I had a leg thrown over his and his hand curled into my hair.

The possessive gesture made me smile, and I nuzzled into his chest, relishing in the warm, male scent of him. Like iron and wood. A spark of arousal roused my sleepy mind, and I pressed a gentle kiss to his skin as I stroked his arm and rubbed my legs against his.

It was then I realized I was naked.

And human.

With a gasp, I jumped, waking Baelen almost instantly. His red eyes shot open, his body wrapped around me protectively, and he hissed as he searched for the danger that made me react so abruptly. So relieved to be human again, I relaxed into his arms and soothed him with gentle strokes on his chest.

When his gaze returned to mine, the confusion clear on his expression, he began, “Clawdia, what …” My smile stretched slowly across my face as clarity made his eyes widen and he exclaimed, “You’re human again.”

He leaned in to hug me. One hand pressed me to his body, and the other curled into my hair. I nuzzled into his neck and let my hands roam across his strong shoulders and back.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

I pulled back but held his face as I stared him dead in the eyes. The sorrow in them made my heart ache. “Don’t be sorry. You shouldn’t be sorry for anything because you did nothing wrong.”

His jaw clenched in my hands. “I abandoned Zaide to his fate after promising I’d keep you and Charlie safe. I failed you all,” he ended in a whisper.

“You said that yesterday. But the shadow possessed you. How could you have kept a promise or saved Zaide?” I smoothed his hair back and ducked my head to meet his gaze again. “Please don’t blame yourself for anything that’s happened. We are all just doing our best.”

His eyes searched mine for something. “You truly hold me faultless?”

“How much of our … intimate moment … was the shadow involved in?”

I already knew what I’d hear, because the eyes that stared hungrily at me as he licked my core had been his. My Baelen’s. But I needed to prove to him he did his best to help us when he couldn’t help himself, and the important moments were ours, even if an interloper had witnessed them.

As I thought he would, Baelen recoiled and rushed to assure me. “None of that was him. That was us. It was my bloodlust and thankfully pulled me wholly into my body. I tried to keep him as far away from you all as I could.”

“I know,” I told him in an earnest whisper. His dark waves flopping over his shoulder to shroud us, and my fingers twitched with the need to brush it back. I didn’t resist for long. “Despite having your body taken from you, you protected us as much as you could.”

He mirrored me, combing my hair back and running his thumb across my lips. With only that small motion, all the anxiety swirling in my stomach turned to butterflies, and my heart raced as he tipped my head back with his thumb on my chin, and his eyes warmed as they gazed at my face.

“So understanding. Trusting,” he murmured.

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