Page 1 of Tide Touched

Chapter One

Katie

Watching the tide go out is one of my favourite times of day. The sun falls on the horizon, washing the distant line hues of bloods and bruises; shades I’m all too familiar with. I gingerly touch the side of my face, knowing my jaw matches the sunset. Still healing.

I watch the water slide away from my bare toes on the shore. I want to reach out and touch the water, to beg the tide to take me away, under the calming embrace of the waves.

I’ve always been this way. For as long as I can remember. A freak, that is. What kind of Fire Pack wolf am I, to love water so much? To feel such a bone-deep connection to the opposite of my power?

I look fire-born, with my long, red hair and rust-coloured lashes. You wouldn’t know by looking at me that I’m a freak; at least, that’s what my stepmother used to say. I look down at my hands. I should have my pack power pulsing through my veins. Every little bit of me should be bursting with warmth and fire and the ability to turn things to ash. I try to conjure a flicker of flame, but it’s no use.

‘Hey, water bitch!’ a harsh voice calls from behind.

I groan without getting up. Oh, great. ‘I’ve missed you, Levi,’ I call in my best I-don’t-give-a-shit voice. As though I really don’t mind being the pack’s punching bag.

Of course, my bully hauls me to my feet. ‘You freak,’ he hisses in my face.

I try not to cringe, deliberately wiping my face. ‘Say it, don’t spray it, geez.’

Levi shoves me to the ground, which, thankfully, is soft sand, but it still grazes my palms. ‘Getting your wolf tomorrow night won’t change anything.’ His lip curls. ‘You’ll always be a freak, the pack mutt. You like the water so much? Go on in and drown.’

‘Say that to the Tide Witches.’ I get a punch to the stomach for my smart-ass comment, my breath whooshes out of my mouth. I should have seen it coming. I raise my hand to strike back—which is very stupid because Levi has his wolf, and I don’t—but I don’t get the chance, he’s too fast.

His fist collides with my cheek. I stagger sideways as my vision sways. The sand catches me, and I’m looking up at Levi. ‘You know, that nose of yours looks much bigger from this angle.’ I tilt my head. ‘Not the best,’ I add. He’s a stout, stocky wolf. A head taller than me and all brawn, no brain.

I can’t help baiting him, even when it’s literally against my best interests.

A swift kick to the ribs has me gasping. ‘Well, you might not have brains, but you have a little brawn, I guess.’ I’m familiar with the burning pain that radiates through my body. It’s easier to let it wash over me like a wave, rather than recoil, or fight against it.

On really bad days, the pain is almost warm, like a blanket, but that’s usually just before I pass out.

I’m sure I look awesome, getting kicked in the ribs, asshole towering over me, delivering blow after blow. One of these days, I’m going to return the favour.

There’s no point fighting back. Against Levi—or anyone with their wolf—I’m basically a weak, little human. No magical healing or strength for me. Not until tomorrow night. The night I’ve waited so long for. The first full moon after my twentieth birthday.

Levi lowers his scrunched up face to me—not a pretty sight—and growls. ‘You’re a freak, Katherine. You’ll always be a freak. Even your pathetic father knew that.’

Anger surges through me. Before I can tell my dumbass self not to, I pull my fist back and punch Levi in the face. You’d think that big nose of his would help shield him, but nope. I wince, pretty sure I did more damage to myself. ‘Don’t you talk about him.’

Levi barely flinches at my assault, and to my annoyance, there’s no blood or anything. He wraps a hand around my throat and squeezes, hauling me up, cutting off my breathing. ‘I feel sorry for whoever your mate is.’ His voice is low and menacing.

In this position, my bruised—or maybe broken—ribs ache, my organs slushing around me, complaining. If only his grasp weren’t so strong, I’d kick him in the face, but I’d probably break a foot. ‘I would say the same,’ I gasp out. ‘But you don’t have one.’ It’s a low, cheap shot, I know, but the anger that flares in his eyes makes me smile. Or, it would, if I could smile while being choked.

‘Let go of her!’

I sigh at the familiar voice. Moira, fuck off, I think, wishing she could hear me. My best friend is going to get her own ass kicked.

Levi turns, my throat still in his big sausage-finger clutches. My head starts to ache from lack of oxygen. I try to kick at him, because I would get my foot broken to protect her, but it’s like kicking a wall. He snarls at Moira, which sets my teeth on edge. I reach out and scratch down his face, catching at is his eye. Levi shouts, finally releasing me.

I gasp, choking down air. Moira reaches me, wrapping her arms around my waist. ‘Are you okay?’

I shove her dumb, protective ass behind me. ‘Shut up,’ I hiss. She has her wolf, but Levi is older, his wolf much bigger and more ferocious than hers. His problem is with me, not her. I’m an offence to the whole pack, especially the small-brained ones who value fire-power and strength above all else.

Levi turns, looking thunderous. ‘You little bitch.’

I smile, sticking my chest out proudly. ‘That’s my name. You know, I would have thought a manly scar on your face would do something to butch you up a little, but I guess not.’ I offer a mock pout of sympathy. There’s like an eighty-nine percent chance my insults will only serve to rile him up to attack us, but I can’t help it. I won’t cower from him.

‘Katie,’ Moira murmurs in warning.

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