Winter Wolf (A New Dawn Novel Book 1)

by Rachel M Raithby

  “Fuck it!” she swore, dragging her jeans off and then jumping back to her feet. As she started to run again, she heard Cage yell.

  “Here goes nothing,” she muttered.

  Katalina closed her eyes. She pictured her wolf in her mind’s eye, instinctively knowing this was how to take control of her wolf. The pain of the change ran up her spine. She screamed, falling forward as her wolf burst from within her.

  Cage had already closed the distance between them, but she didn’t look back. The woods became a whole different world as a wolf. She could see and feel the best path through the trees. Her paws easily glided over the uneven earth, but Cage had been a wolf longer than her and he was soon snapping at her heels.

  Arne was already far behind them, not able to keep up with the wolves, but she couldn’t think of him now; she had to think of herself, no matter how much it hurt her to leave him behind.

  Cage jumped onto her. They tumbled to the ground, a ball of snow white and dark grey fur. Katalina was startled by the savage snarl, which ripped from her throat. She leapt to her feet, prowling around him, her wolf instincts taking over. Cage snarled back at her. He was twice as big and covered in more muscle. His growl vibrated through her bones, and she felt the command in his tone. He was more dominant than she was, higher in rank within the pack, but Katalina didn’t truly belong to the pack. She shook off the command, and leaping, as she sunk her sharp wolf teeth into his flank.

  Cage had spent his whole life training to fight. He’d been a wolf for many years and Katalina was no match for him. He had her pinned within a matter of minutes. He snarled above her snapping at her exposed throat. Ice-cold fear flooded her veins, causing her human form to come through.

  Cage changed back. “Well done, Kat, I’m impressed. You’ve been a wolf one night and you actually managed to draw blood.” He smiled at her as if it was all some big game. “Imagine how powerful you’ll be when I’ve trained you.”

  “You’ll never train me, Cage. I’m not staying here!” she spat at him. Lashing out, her nails scratched against skin, drawing blood.

  Anger flared in his eyes, but he didn’t fight back. “Back home,” he snapped.

  Cage lifted her up, his arm tight around her waist as he dragged her back to the house. Katalina didn’t go quietly; she kicked and screamed, slashing her nails across his skin but he didn’t let her go.

  “That’s not my home! It will never be my home. Put me down!” she screamed.

  “For God’s sake, Kat, will you just stop? Do you think I want to be doing this? Dark Shadow want you dead and they’re responsible for your parents’ deaths. I can’t let that happen, can’t let them hurt you. This is for your own good. Please just stop fighting. We’re supposed to be friends, remember?”

  Katalina went slack in his arms. Cage let her go as she relaxed, realizing she’d given up trying to escape. She fell back, her naked ass hitting the snow.

  “Friends! If you were my friend, you’d be taking me back to my home, so I can say goodbye to my parents. We could have been friends once, but not anymore.” Kat jumped to her feet, turning on her heel and stormed back to the house, collecting her discarded clothes along the way.

  “Kat!” Jackson growled at her as she walked up the porch steps.

  “I want to go home, Jackson!”

  “This is your home,” he said, barely containing his fury.

  “No, it isn’t. If this were my home, I’d be free to come and go as I pleased. This is my prison. You claim to be my father, but fathers don’t lock up their daughters.”

  “I’m sorry, Katalina, but this is for your own good.”

  “I’m sorry, too.”

  He looked at her, surprise etched on his face at her apology.

  Katalina’s jaw clenched tightly, her body rigid with anger. She slapped Jackson across the face, the force jarring up her arm. Everyone gasped as the slap echoed around them.

  “I’ve never hated someone so much in my life!” she growled.

  Cage grabbed her before she could launch herself at Jackson. She screamed all the way up the stairs, gouging her claws into his back. Cage flung her to the floor, slamming the door shut and locking her in.

  Climbing to her feet, she trembled with an anger she’d never felt before. It swirled and grew inside her like a tornado, ripping from her in a savage scream. She was running at the door, her shoulder connecting and smashing through the wood. Splinters exploded around her as she traveled through it and landed in a heap on the other side.

  She heaved in a breath trying to gain some control, but nothing would calm the storm inside her. Her wolf paced, pushing against her skin, straining to escape. Pain rippled down her spine, her claws gouged into the wooden boards beneath her; her wolf fought for its freedom and won.

  She prowled forward on wolf paws, a growl rumbling through her chest. She couldn’t think beyond the red haze of anger. Katalina pounced on the nearest person she found. Blood filled her mouth as her sharp, wolf teeth tore into flesh. Toby’s flesh… Toby’s blood…

  The red haze dropped as ice ran through her veins forcing the change. Toby lay bleeding in her arms.

  “Oh, God, what have I done?” she sobbed.

  “Kat,” Toby croaked.

  “Toby, Toby, I’m so sorry. I…I don’t know what…I was so angry…I…please, please be okay.”

  “Katalina!” Jackson pushed her away, lifting Toby into his arms. “Just go! Go back to your room!”

  Katalina ran back to her room without complaint. She slumped to the floor naked, staring at the blood staining her hands, wondering how she’d become such a monster. Time passed but she didn’t seem to notice. All she could think of was Toby, young sweet Toby, covered in blood, because of her.

  Sometime later, she noticed a guard outside her room. The broken pieces of door still remained scattered all around, reminding her of the strength she now possessed, the power that she couldn’t contain. She climbed to her feet, her body protesting from being bent in one position for so long. She pulled on the nearest clothes she could find and walked to the man guarding her door.

  “Can I go wash my hands?” she asked in a small voice. She didn’t recognize him. He’d not been in the house before. He looked at her, his brown eyes hard with anger.

  “No!”

  The man was broad shouldered, his body covered in muscle. Katalina turned away from the door, not daring to protest.

  She heard whining outside. Going to the window, she saw Arne. No one seemed to be letting him in. “Looks like we are both in trouble,” she whispered against the glass, pressing her hand on the cold surface. She longed for freedom, for home.

  “Kat?”

  Katalina whipped around. Was he a hallucination? How was he on his feet so fast?

  “You’re okay?” she asked quietly, not daring to move in case he wasn’t real. She’d honestly thought she’d killed him, all the blood that had covered her …Yet there he stood, bandaged and looking a little pale but alive. She’d never been so happy to see him.

  “Yes, takes more than a bite to put me down. I’ll be right as rain by morning.”

  “But the b-blood?” she stammered, looking at her red stained hands.

  Toby followed her eyes and frowned. “Why haven’t you cleaned up?”

  Katalina glanced toward the door. “He wouldn’t let me out. Best to keep the monster locked away.”

  “Kat!” Toby took a step toward her. “You are not a monster. Do you hear me? None of this is your fault, none. You’re a newly changed wolf, who hasn’t had any guidance. Jackson has kept you locked up like a prisoner. I’m surprised you’ve kept it together this long. Being a shifter is amazing, but it also comes with problems. Part of you is a wild animal, and sometimes, that animal takes over.”

  “I don’t want this, Toby.” Katalina shook her head, close to tears. She was about to say more when she felt a strange pull in her chest. Turning, she looked out the window with a frown.

  “What is it,
Kat?” Toby asked.

  Katalina looked over her shoulder at him. “I- I’m not sure.”

  There it was again, a pull in her chest, a sense that someone was calling to her. The sun was setting. Bass…

  “Kat?” Toby said, sterner.

  He’s here. Bass has come for me…

  Katalina felt time slow as her brain worked a mile a minute. She needed to escape, but her door was guarded and Jackson was downstairs. Cage, where’s Cage?

  “Toby, where’s Cage?”

  “Jackson sent him home. Said his presence was winding up your wolf.”

  “So no one is guarding the house? Who’s here?”

  “No…Kat, what’s going on? You’re safe. Jackson is here and Ned is an enforcer.” He nodded toward the door.

  Just Jackson and an enforcer to get past.

  She saw a truck in the far distance.

  Katalina picked up a vase and smiled at Toby, sending him a look of apology in the process. She threw the vase. It smashed loudly against the window, cracking the glass. The sound of Jackson’s feet running for the stairs urged her to move. Leaping, Katalina smashed through the window. She landed on her side in the snow, wishing she had more control over her wolf so she could have changed and landed on her paws. The impact knocked the air from her lungs. Stunned, she was unable to breathe as her nerves pulsed with pain. Sucking in a gravelly breath, she pushed up with her arms, blood dripping onto the snow; its stark crimson leaving its mark on the pristine earth.

  Shouts from inside the house brought her body back to life. She leapt to her feet running for the truck that had travelled past the tree line. Katalina was surprised nothing major had been broken from the fall. Her feet glided across the ground fast and sure, a quick glance over her shoulder confirmed Arne was following, and Jackson had just burst through the front door.

  “Katalina!” His voice echoed all around her, the power in it, vibrating through her bones. She shook it off, pushing her legs faster toward Bass. He’d just spun the truck around and headed back toward the tree line.

  “Katalina, I order you too stop, as your alpha!” His voice bellowed through her causing her steps to falter. She felt her wolf rise to the surface, brushing against her skin, wanting out.

  She could feel it, the natural instinct to change; her wolf was stronger, faster and she needed to escape. Katalina forced herself to relax to let her wolf through. When an image of Toby entered her mind, the feel of his warm blood filling her mouth…she gasped, forcing the wolf back.

  “I’m your alpha. Obey me!”

  He was right behind her. She could almost feel his fingers brushing against her. Arne ran at her side. The command rolled through her again. No! You’re not my alpha. You are no one to me!

  Katalina found more strength within her, pushing herself faster. The truck ground to a stop. Bass climbed half out, his eyes frantic.

  But Jackson was an alpha, not hers, but he still had the power of an alpha, which Katalina didn’t possess. His fingers brushed her skin and she heard a growl rumble from his human throat.

  “Go!” she yelled at Bass. The truck started moving; it was just a meter away.

  Katalina pushed off the ground, stretching as she jumped. She landed half into the back of the moving vehicle. Her hands scrambled for something to hold onto, wrapping around a bar as Jackson took hold of her ankle. The truck was now speeding away, swerving from side to side, trying to loosen Jackson, but his hand only tightened around her.

  “Let go!” he growled.

  Katalina gripped on with all her strength half-turning her body. She looked into Jackson’s angry eyes. “Let me go!” she screamed, kicking her free foot into his face.

  Arne was still running after the truck, but he wasn’t quick enough to make the jump.

  “Bass, Arne!” she yelled, kicking out again in hopes of making Jackson let go.

  The truck suddenly braked, causing Jackson to collide with the back; Arne jumped, his legs scrambling on the smooth metal as he landed beside Katalina; her arm jarred, stretching painfully as Bass put his foot back on the accelerator. Gravel sprayed up as the tires skidded, making Jackson lose his footing. Katalina screamed as Jackson’s weight pulled against her.

  “Let me go, Jackson!” she yelled. She was losing her grip, unable to take his full weight.

  He was dragged behind the truck, his feet scrambling for grip. Determination flooded Katalina as her foot connected with his nose. His blood splattered against her bare feet. Her hold was slipping; she was going to fall. Fear of being trapped in that house forever coursed through her. At that moment, Arne leapt forward, sinking his teeth into Jackson’s wrist. Jackson yelled. Unable to keep his grip, he fell onto the ground, rolling over and over before stopping in a heap. The growl that left him as he sat up made Katalina’s hairs stand on end. She scrambled further into the back and banged on the glass window. “Go, Bass, get me out of here!”

  Chapter 10

  Ten minutes down the road and Katalina finally started to relax. That was until she saw a truck in the distance slowly gaining on them.

  “Bass, we have company,” she yelled.

  “Shit! Hold on!”

  Katalina barely had a chance to grasp the edge of the truck before Bass swerved off the road. The vehicle bumped violently over the rough terrain and into the woods. Bass weaved in and out of the trees at stupid speeds; branches collided into them, slashing at Katalina huddled in the back. Arne stood on four spread legs, trying to keep upright; the look on his face, indicating he wasn’t impressed with the little detour. However, driving through the woods hadn’t stopped Jackson from pursuing, and soon Katalina saw the battered blue truck following behind them.

  “He’s following!”

  Katalina didn’t hear his answer. She screamed as she was thrown around when they turned sharply, bumping up onto another road. Arne’s feet fell from under him. He landed in a heap, skidding across the metal truck floor.

  “I’ve got you, boy,” Katalina said, wrapping her arms tightly around her dog.

  “Nearly there!” Bass yelled. He swerved again, taking them into more woods.

  “Nearly where?” They didn’t seem to be anywhere and she could hear tires screeching onto tarmac so Jackson was still following.

  Bass didn’t answer; instead, he sped up, swerving through the maze of trees as if he knew the placement of every one. Katalina couldn’t bear to look anymore. She was sure any minute they’d all be dead with the truck wrapped around a tree trunk, but another few minutes of crazy driving and Bass came to an abrupt stop.

  “Get in!”

  Katalina jumped over the side, Arne following her and they quickly climbed in. It wasn’t until she shut the door and glanced behind her that she realized Jackson wasn’t following them anymore.

  “He gave up?” she asked, not quite believing it was true.

  “We’re on Dark Shadow land. I didn’t think he’d risk an all-out w…” Bass’s eyes widened. “Kat, what happened to you?” His hands gently touched her bleeding arm. “We need to get this out, Kat; otherwise, you’ll heal with the glass still inside.”

  “Okay.” She looked down at her arm for the first time, realizing it was lacerated with cuts and pieces of glass embedded in her skin. The adrenaline from her escape began to fade when she took in her injuries.

  Bass gently removed the glass from her shoulder and arm. Kat winced each time, biting her lip so she wouldn’t cry out.

  “There, all done. We’ll stop at a petrol station so you can freshen up, but I think it would be wise to leave before my father’s enforcers arrive.”

  Katalina nodded, pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Bass glanced at her as he drove through the trees, slower this time.

  “Tell me what happened, Katalina. Whose blood stains your skin?”

  Katalina took a deep breath before speaking, “It’s Toby’s.” She didn’t miss the shocked look on his face, even if it was there for just a split seco
nd.

  “Toby’s, the young lad? I thought you liked him?”

  “I did…I do. Toby is the only friend I have there.” She sucked in another breath. “I couldn’t control it, Bass. Jackson had me locked up; he treated me like a prisoner and I was so angry. I…I lost it. I broke through the door and the wolf took over. I was so blinded by my rage I didn’t even know it was Toby until I felt his bl…until…” She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.

  “Hey, Kat, it’s okay. Losing control is perfectly normal after the first change and your situation is very different. Jackson should have treated you better. He should have known. If anyone is to blame, it’s him!”

  “I don’t ever want to change again,” she whispered into her knees.

  His hand ran through her hair. “So that’s why you didn’t change when you were running for the car. I’m surprised you could control your wolf. No more worrying. You are safe now, Katalina.”

  Katalina turned her head to the side, her cheek resting on her knees. She looked at Bass with unshed tears in her eyes. “Am I? Am I ever going to be safe? Dark Shadow want me dead and my own father wants to keep me as a prisoner. What was his plan? To just lock me up until he decides he wants me to have babies with Cage.”

  Bass growled. His hand caressed her face. “I will never let anyone hurt you again. I’ll keep you safe. Do you understand? You are mine, not his, and I will treat you like the queen you are. You’ll never be locked up again.”

  Mine was such a possessive word, yet coming from Bass, it sounded anything but.

  “Queen?”

  “Yes, Katalina Winter, you are a queen, a very beautiful one,” he said softly, brushing his thumb over her face. “Now, let’s get you home.”

  “Do you think Jackson will come looking for me there?” she asked. “And your father, will he not wonder where you are?”

  “I’ve taken care of my father, and as for Jackson, he’ll most definitely come looking, but as long as you’re with your family he can’t just kidnap you. We may live outside of the law a lot of the time, but he couldn’t get away with taking you in front of humans. I’ll figure something out, just concentrate on dealing with all that’s happened and I’ll worry about Jackson. Okay?”