16

Katarina’s POV
We pulled into the driveway, and I staggered through the front door, stubbornly waving off Seraphina’s offer to help.
“I’ve got this, I’ve got this,” I insisted, my words slurred as I pointed a wobbly finger at her chest. She raised her hands in surrender, trying to suppress a smile.
As we entered the house, I frowned when Alpha Dominic was nowhere in sight.
“We’re hoooome!” I called out in a sing-song voice, using the wall for support.
A grin spread across my face as I heard the familiar sound of Alpha Dominic’s heavy footsteps descending the stairs.
Alpha Dominic’s POV
I spent the better part of an hour interrogating a new batch of rogues my Beta had rounded up. For a month now, my pack had been under attack from this rogue group, and it was my responsibility to put an end to it.
After inflicting enough pain to make a few rogues reveal just one name, I headed back to the pack house, feeling frustrated. Throughout Katarina’s absence, Hunter had been nothing but a constant source of whining and howling. His endless pining for our mate had become a relentless noise in my head, punishing me for confining Katarina for three days. Hunter’s displeasure was clear-he hadn’t spoken to me since.
I would have welcomed the silence, but Hunter had other ideas. He spent every waking moment howling for Katarina.
During Katarina’s confinement, the emotions I usually kept buried were gnawing at me. I found myself seeking excuses to visit the basement, just to be near her and inhale her sweet vanilla and honey scent. Each visit became a battle against my own instincts, desperately trying to resist the urge to pull her from her cell and take her upstairs. The struggle against Hunter was difficult enough, but battling my own desires felt nearly insurmountable.
Whenever I saw Katarina, she greeted me with fresh insults, her blue eyes blazing with anger. The sound of her voice sent shivers down my spine, and each time I looked into her eyes, I had to fight the impulse to beg for her forgiveness and grant her whatever she wanted. I rebuilt my emotional defenses each time I left, convincing myself that she would not be my undoing. It felt as though the two sides of me-one shaped by my harsh father and the other brought out by Katarina-were at constant war. My tough exterior had long ruled the pack, but Katarina was threatening to awaken a side of me I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet.
I was in the bedroom when I heard the front door open and Katarina’s cheerful voice call out, “We’re hoooome!” Hunter’s ears perked up, and he responded with a joyous howl at the sound of his mate’s voice. I struggled to keep Hunter’s wild excitement in check, forcing myself to stay put.
Making my way to the living room, I saw Katarina, Seraphina, and Lucian enter. As soon as my gaze landed on Katarina, I noticed something was off.
Katarina stumbled over to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. The sensation of her embrace was electrifying, sending a wave of warmth through me. Hunter’s joy was palpable as he howled in contentment. For the first time, I felt butterflies in my stomach as my mate’s arms encircled me.
“Mate!” Hunter exulted.
“Now you decide to talk,” I muttered, my headache still throbbing from his incessant howling over the past three days.
“Shut up, I’m talking to my mate,” Hunter growled, his frustration clear.
I shifted my attention from Katarina to Seraphina, who looked equally surprised. The strong scent of alcohol was unmistakable.
“Katarina,” I said softly, drawing her attention as she looked up at me. Her crystal-blue eyes, usually so fiery, were now soft and somewhat hazy, and her cheeks were flushed.
“Your eyes are like silver,” she slurred, tilting her head in admiration. I was taken aback by the compliment-something I wasn’t accustomed to.
“Katarina?” I repeated, trying to regain her focus.
“Hm?” Her gaze wandered, her attention drifting. The scent of sweet alcohol lingered on her breath. Anger flared within me, directed not at Katarina but at Seraphina.
“Katarina, are you drunk?” I inquired, my tone tinged with concern as I gently held her face and inhaled the wine-soaked breath.
Her eyes widened at my close proximity, and her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. She licked her chapped lips, a habit of hers, and pouted, “You’re squishing me,” as she tried to push away, though her efforts were weak.
Reluctantly, I released her, missing the feel of her skin against my fingertips. Katarina staggered over to the couch and sat down. Turning to Seraphina, I let my frustration show.
“She’s drunk,” I said sharply, my tone betraying my anger. Lucian looked away, showing his neck in submission, understanding well enough not to interfere.
“I had no idea she had never drunk before!” Seraphina retorted, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
“You still thought it was a good idea to let her drink?” I snapped back, regretting having allowed Katarina to spend the afternoon with my sister.
“Dominic, she only had wine. It’s not like she was downing shots. What wolf gets drunk from two bottles of wine?” Seraphina argued, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
“Look at her size. It’s no wonder she’s drunk,” I countered, rolling my eyes.
A giggle from Katarina interrupted our argument. It was a beautiful sound I had never heard before. Deep down, I wanted to hear it again, to be the one who made her laugh, sigh, and smile.
We all turned to Katarina, who was now sitting on the couch, taking sips directly from a bottle of wine.
“You let her take the bottle home?” I demanded, pinching the bridge of my nose as my headache worsened.
Seraphina looked stunned. “No, I didn’t. She didn’t have anything on her when we left.” Lucian also looked surprised.
As I watched Katarina drinking from the bottle, I noticed her attire-a little black dress that had ridden up her thigh. Hunter’s urges became more insistent.
“Katarina?” Seraphina called, her voice rising slightly.
“Seraphina?” Katarina smiled between sips, hiccuping occasionally.
“Where did you get the bottle?” Seraphina asked, hands on her hips.
Katarina leaned in as if sharing a secret, “Shhh, I sneaked it. Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered, her eyes darting around as if someone might overhear.
I fought the urge to laugh at her playful expression. The feeling was unfamiliar but oddly refreshing. I couldn’t recall the last time I had genuinely laughed.
Seraphina let out a laugh but quickly stifled it upon seeing my stern expression.
“It’s not her fault, Dominic. Don’t chew her head,” Katarina pouted. Hearing her say my name, simply “Dominic,” instead of “Alpha Dominic,” sent a wave of excitement through me. I found myself captivated by the way my name sounded on her lips and couldn’t help but imagine how it might sound if she called it out in pleasure.
I stared in shock as I processed her words.
“‘Chew her head?'” I repeated, directing a pointed look at Seraphina, waiting for an explanation. After Seraphina stopped her laughter, gasping for breath, she finally managed to respond.
“Lucian said you were going to chew my head off for letting her get drunk. She took it literally,” Seraphina explained between giggles.
I stared at Katarina, incredulous at her misunderstanding. As Seraphina grabbed Lucian’s arm and dashed up the stairs, she called out, “She’s all yours, bro!”
Resisting the urge to growl in frustration at my irresponsible sister, I turned my focus back to Katarina. Katarina’s pink lips curved into a small smile as she sipped from the wine bottle. When she noticed my gaze, she patted the seat next to her and called out, “Sit with me!”
I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. I settled down beside her, allowing my eyes to explore her face. For the first time, the anxiety that usually clouded her bright eyes was absent, though I knew it was merely a result of the alcohol.
“Would you like some of this fuzzy grape juice?” Katarina asked with a proud grin, her sparkle making me momentarily speechless. Her eyes glistened with a light that would be etched in my memory.
“Katarina, that’s actually wine,” I replied, raising an eyebrow. I was taken aback by how unconventional my mate was-cute, stunning, and beautiful, but not at all what I expected. Katarina was full of surprises.
She shook her head slightly, slurring, “I’m pretty sure it’s not what you think.” She took another sip, frowning at me.
I reached out, taking the wine bottle and setting it out of her grasp on the table. “No, I need that,” she pouted, her lower lip jutting out as she gazed at me with wide eyes.
“Explain to me why you need it,” I said, trying to focus on her while inhaling the faint scent of vanilla and honey that lingered around her. Despite the situation, being close to her was surprisingly pleasant.
She frowned and shook her head, mumbling something unintelligible. I gently took her wrist as she tried to rise from the couch. The sparks that traveled up my arm made me want to pull her closer.
“If you tell me why you need it, I’ll give it back,” I promised, relieved when she sank back onto the couch. I watched her dark hair cascade over her shoulder enticingly as she leaned in, as if sharing a secret.
“It keeps the bad memory away,” she whispered, her breath fragrant with fruit. Hunter, my wolf, was eager to close the distance between us, but I resisted. Taking advantage of her state felt wrong; she was too innocent and vulnerable for that. I doubted she would remember any of this in the morning.
“The bad memory?” I asked, intrigued. There seemed to be much more to Katarina than met the eye. She had already surprised me by resisting an Alpha command-something no one else had ever done.
“Just one memory,” she clarified, her voice slurred. I wondered what could have hurt someone as innocent as she seemed. Guilt washed over me as I recalled the threat I had made when she first arrived. I maintained control over my emotions, as always.
“Will you tell me what it is?” I asked, unable to help my curiosity. I handed the bottle back to her, and she smiled as she took another sip.
“Maybe someday. Now it’s my turn to ask you a question,” she said, poking me in the chest with her tiny finger. Hunter rumbled in response, pleased by her touch.
“Go ahead, ask me,” I said, still absorbed by her angelic appearance.
“Why are you always so grumpy?” she asked, tilting her head. Her long chocolate hair fell behind her, revealing the creamy skin on her shoulder. Hunter whimpered at the sight, eager for our mate.
I was taken aback by her question, and her attempt at a glare made me realize how far she was from having a cruel bone in her body.
“I’m not grumpy,” I replied, but my little mate’s giggles proved me wrong. Her laughter was unexpected and refreshing.
“Are too,” she giggled, mimicking me poorly, “You’re all like grrrr. I’m Dominic and I’m grumpy.”
Her terrible imitation made me raise an eyebrow. This playful side of Katarina was new to me.
She yawned and rubbed her eyes, signaling it was time for bed. “Come on, let’s get you to bed,” I said, rising from the couch.
“Carry me?” she asked, pouting and nearly toppling over.
I smirked and lifted her, letting her wrap her legs and arms around me. The sparks were even stronger than I’d anticipated, making me nearly lose my balance as I held onto the railing of the stairs.
I carried her to her room and gently set her on the bed. I pulled the covers back and tucked her in, removing her tiny flats and tossing them aside. To my surprise, Katarina slipped out of her dress under the covers and tossed it to the floor.
Hunter was ecstatic at the sight. “Stay,” she pouted, catching me off guard. Her blue eyes were wide, hinting at a trace of fear. I felt my eyes darken, as Hunter’s instincts were stirred.
“The nightmares won’t let me sleep,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. I knew I would have to resist temptation for the night.
“Fine, but you need to change. I won’t be able to control myself if you’re not wearing anything,” I said, handing her my t-shirt. I could have found something of hers, but I wanted her to wear my scent.
“Okay,” she giggled, sitting up. I turned around, not wanting to intrude on her state of undress.
“I’m covered,” she announced, and when I turned back, I saw her in nothing but my shirt. Her long hair was tousled, and her legs were draped over the bed.
Looking at Katarina, I realized no other woman had ever made me feel this way. None of them mattered now that I had her.
I slipped out of my shoes and climbed into bed beside her. “You better not freak out when you wake up,” I warned.
“I won’t,” she promised with a smile.
As I lay back on the pillow, Katarina curled up next to me, draping a leg over mine and snuggling into my chest. Her deep breaths and the way my scent seemed to soothe her made me and Hunter feel content.
For the first time in a long while, I felt truly at peace, listening to her soft breathing until sleep finally took me.