Luminous

by Noelle Marie

  Katherine instinctively reached out for her, and Bastian sat carefully on the edge of the bed before handing her over. Katherine took her, staring at the sleeping babe as she unconsciously snuggled up to her chest.

  She looked so peaceful, her tiny pink lips puckered in a little ‘o’.

  “We’ve been feeding her formula since you haven’t been able to nurse,” Bastian informed her quietly. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s fine,” Katherine assured softly, barely even hearing Bastian’s words. She was completely besotted with Maggie’s tiny face. It was already slightly different than when Katherine had last seen her. It helped that Maggie was clean, of course. The patch of feathery hair on her head looked much lighter now that it wasn’t covered in bodily fluids. She wasn’t quite as wrinkly as before. And her cheeks looked a little fuller.

  “How long have I been unconscious?” Katherine asked, glancing at Bastian.

  Bastian pressed his lips together, the answer obviously upsetting to him. “Three days,” he said tightly.

  Katherine was horrified to feel tears threatening to fill her eyes at the answer. She hurriedly blinked them away, feeling stupid for nearly crying. After all, three days wasn’t all that long considering the length of time it had taken her to heal from the wounds Cain had inflicted on her a year before. But the guilt of missing out on her daughter’s first days out of the womb nagged at her. She knew Maggie hadn’t noticed her absence, of course. She was a newborn; what did she care as long as her needs were attended to? Still, as she stared at the little girl in her arms, Katherine resolved to make it up to her somehow.

  “She looks just like you,” Bastian muttered, pressing a kiss to Katherine’s shoulder, as he, too, gazed intently at their baby. “I could hardly stand looking at her right away because of it. I asked myself what right I had to enjoy her when you were lying here, covered in bruises and basically comatose.”

  Compassion swelled in her chest. “Oh, Bastian,” she murmured, carefully cradling Maggie with one arm, and using the other to reach for Bastian’s hand. She squeezed it as tightly as she could.

  “I missed you so much,” he confessed, rubbing a calloused thumb over her knuckles.

  “I missed you, too,” she whispered, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder.

  “Do you mind if I...?” he asked, trailing off as he nodded towards the empty space next to her.

  He wanted to get into bed with her.

  Katherine blinked. “Of course.”

  She wondered why he’d felt the need to ask at all.

  The answer came to her when he gathered her in his arms, lying down and throwing one of his legs over hers. He rubbed his calloused cheek against hers, and gently ran his hand up and down one of her arms. Except for where Maggie lay sandwiched between them, he covered as much of her body with his as possible.

  He was scenting her.

  The abrupt realization caused Katherine to stiffen. She felt clean. There certainly wasn’t blood and dirt sticking to every other inch of her like it had been in the forest three days ago. She could only conclude that she must have been given a bath at some point while she was unconscious.

  Regardless, at least a hint of Gerard’s scent must have still been clinging to her.

  It made Katherine want to scream.

  Somehow, she swallowed the urge.

  She could only imagine what Bastian thought. Gerard’s scent mixed with hers, combined with the horrible words he’d spewed in that clearing...

  Katherine bit her lip before taking a deep breath. “Bastian, about the things Gerard said...”

  She trailed off when Bastian’s entire body stiffened at the mention of the other man’s name.

  “What about them?” he asked tersely, his grip on her tightening.

  “They’re not true,” she assured softly, and despite the fact that her injured hand was wrapped in bandages, Katherine used it to pet Bastian’s hair.

  He was quiet for a long time.

  “You know it wouldn’t matter to me if they were, right?” He shook his head. “That’s not right,” he retracted, pulling away from her just enough to meet her gaze. “Of course, it matters to me. I already regret granting that bastard such a swift death. If he,” Bastian paused, swallowing, “if he touched you the way he said he did, it only gives me more reason to wish I had made his death slower.” The “and more painful” was implied. Bastian kept his eyes trained on hers. “But his actions could never change how I see you. Nothing anyone could ever do would change how much I adore you. You don’t have to hide anything from me... you know that, right?”

  If Maggie wasn’t resting between them, Katherine imagined she would have flung herself at Bastian and never let go. “I know that,” she said instead. “I do. And, Gerard, he did... touch me sometimes,” she admitted softly.

  Bastian’s grip around her tightened.

  “And the intention to do more was definitely there,” she added. Katherine wasn’t about to tell him about Gerard’s intentions of making her little more than a breeding mare, though. At least not right then. She knew there was only so much the man could handle at once. “But he never got the chance,” she swiftly assured. “Honestly, I think my pregnancy turned him off. He didn’t like the proof that another man had been with me.”

  Incredulity-laced anger sparked in Bastian’s eyes, but his gaze softened slightly when he glanced at the baby still peacefully snoozing between them. “Then I guess I have this little one to thank for your well-being, huh?” he muttered.

  Katherine paused in her answer, another face popping up in her mind. “And one other person,” she admitted carefully.

  Bastian frowned. He didn’t push, but was obviously waiting for her to elaborate.

  “Her name is Serena. She’s... well, she was,” Katherine amended, “Gerard’s cousin.”

  Bastian’s eyes widened, and he clenched his jaw so tightly that the veins bulged out of his neck. “She’s related to that monster?” he demanded.

  “Just listen,” Katherine begged. “Please.”

  Bastian took a deep breath. “Go on,” he allowed, voice clipped.

  “Serena took care of me from the very beginning; from the moment I woke up in that place, she was there. She went behind Gerard’s back to make sure I was fed, she treated my injuries and kept me company... she even stopped Gerard when he tried to-” Katherine paused, taking a moment to brace herself. “Well, when he tried to rape me,” she said bluntly.

  Bastian flinched at the r-word. “I’m glad she did all that; of course, I am,” he allowed. “But did she ever try to get you out of there?”

  “Not until the end, after you had invaded,” Katherine admitted.

  He pressed his lips together into a firm, unyielding line. “Then what she did wasn’t good enough.”

  Part of Katherine agreed. And yet...

  “You have to understand. Gerard has – well, had – been manipulating Serena for her entire life. I know it’s hard for you to see – it was hard for me to see at first, too – but she’s a good person.” Katherine remembered Serena’s expression when she left her behind in Gerard’s hut: frightened, but accepting of whatever fate had in store for her. Katherine hoped that the alphas of Haven Falls didn’t blindly attack her. She really hoped Gerard didn’t purposely do so. “I wonder if she’s okay,” she murmured aloud. “I wish there was a way I could find out.”

  Bastian was quiet for a moment, seeming to be debating something in his head, before finally sighing. “That might be easier than you think.” He ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Your description of Serena,” he said, testing her name out on his tongue, “fits a lot of people of the western colony: victims, more than cohorts, of Gerard’s rule. Half of their camp burned to the ground during their skirmish with us. It left women and children without protection from the harsh winter.” He paused, shaking his head like he still couldn’t believe what had happened next. “The only humane thing to do was allow those who denounce
d Gerard to come back to Haven Falls with us.”

  Pride swelled in her chest. She knew how hard a decision like that had to have been for Bastian. After all, the last time he’d shown mercy to someone – Melanie – it had come back to bite him – well, Katherine, really – in the butt. “That was very compassionate of you.”

  “If any of them even looks at you the wrong way, I’ll-”

  “I’m not worried,” Katherine assured, cutting him off before he could finish what was sure to be a string of threats. “So do you think Serena is here, then?”

  Bastian shrugged. “Probably.”

  Katherine nodded, the beginnings of an idea coming to fruition in her mind. “What do you think about inviting her to join the pack? Or live with us, at least?” she quickly backtracked at Bastian’s expression. “Maybe on a trial basis?” She was almost as surprised as he was when the suggestion came tumbling out of her mouth. She didn’t realize until right then how attached to the girl she’d become.

  Bastian, for his part, didn’t immediately shoot down the idea, although critical would have been a kind way to describe his expression. “That’s asking a lot,” he finally settled on as an answer, or non-answer, as it was.

  It was asking a lot; Katherine knew it was. Why would Bastian want anyone who had a hand in taking and holding his mate captive – no matter how gentle or unwilling said hand was – anywhere near them or their baby? “Besides,” he continued, “there might not be room.”

  Katherine frowned. “What? Why?”

  There were plenty of extra bedrooms upstairs, and it wasn’t like Maggie took up a lot of space. She’d be rooming with them for the foreseeable future, in any case.

  Bastian frowned. “I was informed that Markus had told you. Your parents and sister; they’re arriving next week.”

  Katherine froze. Markus had dumped so much information on her that morning three days ago – not that she hadn’t asked him to do it – that she’d completely forgotten that tidbit.

  “And that’s okay with you?” Katherine hedged. His first meeting with her parents hadn’t exactly been ideal. Chad had assaulted her, her mom and dad had kicked Bastian out of the house, and then she’d preceded to run away with him, all in a matter of twenty-four hours.

  She remembered her dad’s accusing question when she’d warned him she was leaving: “Are... are you pregnant?”, and winced.

  With Maggie still slumbering between them, Bastian rested his forehead against hers. He offered her a weary sort of grin. “How could I deny my daughter the opportunity to know the only living grandparents she has left?”

  Katherine bit her lip. That reminded her...

  “Her name – Margaret Rose – is it okay? We never got the chance to discuss what we were going to call her – I mean, we didn’t even know it was a her,” she rambled nervously. “But I thought you might like to name her after your mother. I didn’t want you to be reminded of painful memories whenever anyone said her name, though, so I figured if she went by Maggie-”

  Bastian cut her off by pressing a finger to her lips. “Maggie’s perfect,” he assured. “I love it. She would have loved it. And Sophie certainly approves as far as I can tell – although she’s been so busy bragging to anyone that’ll listen how she knew the baby was a girl the whole time that I don’t think she’s even given her name much thought.”

  Katherine allowed an amused smile to pull at her lips. She had a feeling that Sophie would be pleased with her daughter’s gender. She also had a feeling the blonde’s shopping hobby was about to become more of an addiction.

  When Maggie suddenly began to stir, Katherine looked down at the precious baby in her arms. The newborn blinked open her blue, blue eyes.

  Katherine’s small smile transformed into a full-blown grin. “She has your eyes,” she pointed out quietly.

  The only way to describe Bastian’s expression in response to her comment was a strange smile-frown. The corners of his lips were curled up, but his brow was furrowed. “How can you tell? I thought that all babies were born with blue eyes.”

  “It’s not just the color,” Katherine argued, “though the shade is spot on. It’s the kindness and generosity of spirit they exude. Just like yours.”

  Katherine knew it was an incredibly sappy sentiment, but that didn’t make it any less true. Besides, she figured she was allowed to be a little corny considering the unbelievable strain she’d been under the past few weeks. The past year and a half, really.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t been feeling overly kind lately.”

  Bastian’s eyes wandered over to the pile of wooden shards in the corner of the room.

  It was hard for Katherine to comprehend that the gentle hands holding her right then, were the same ones that had torn the hand-carved cradle to shreds, the same ones that had violently ripped a man’s throat out mere days ago. Katherine pressed her lips together, remembering how Markus had explained that Bastian’s wolf hadn’t been far from the surface ever since she’d been kidnapped.

  She eyed the broken cradle. “What happened?” she asked softly, though she could figure it out well enough on her own. She just wanted confirmation.

  Bastian sighed, dragging a hand down his face, and Katherine could tell he was ashamed of the answer. “I destroyed it when I found out you were gone,” he explained succinctly, not offering any further detail. Regardless, Katherine could imagine his fit of rage well enough. “I swear I’ll make you a new one.”

  Katherine frowned at the obvious upset in his voice. “Hey, it’s okay,” she assured quietly, and then in an attempt to lighten mood, added, “I don’t think I want her out of my arms for a long time, anyway.”

  Bastian tightened his own grip around Katherine, burying his face into her hair. “I know the feeling.”

  Katherine allowed herself to sink into the warmth of his embrace. “Are you okay now?” she asked after a moment. “Markus said your wolf has been in control since... well, since... you know.” She was already tired of discussing her kidnapping.

  Bastian snorted. “You’re lying in bed, recovering from massive blood loss and having been held hostage in a hostile environment for weeks. You have a nasty burn on your hand, and bruises are covering half your body... yet you’re asking me if I’m okay?” His voice was saturated in disbelief.

  Katherine frowned at his depiction of her. Bruises, burns, and blood loss. He made her sound so... bludgeoned.

  She supposed it wasn’t far from the truth.

  She knew that they had a lot to discuss, not the least of which was how she got all those injuries. Katherine wasn’t quite ready to discuss what she’d all gone through when she was held hostage, though. She wanted to savor her reunion with Bastian and Maggie, not dampen the moment by discussing, or even acknowledging, the cruelty she had experienced at Gerard’s hands.

  “Well?” she pressed after a near minute had passed and he didn’t answer her question. “Will you be okay?”

  Bastian sighed. She didn’t know if the hint of exasperation she heard in the sound was the result of her choice to ignore his half-hearted probing or something else entirely, but his answer was so sweet that she didn’t even care. “Now that I have you back in my arms? I will be.”

  That was all she needed to hear.

  Because despite everything she had been through, as she lay there, enveloped in Bastian’s familiar body heat and holding a totally new source of warmth in her arms – perfect, little Maggie – Katherine knew, that eventually, she would be okay too.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Katherine was not okay.

  It had been an entire month since she’d returned to Haven Falls. An entire month since her mom, dad, and Sam had arrived. If Katherine thought the house had been full before – before she’d been kidnapped, before she’d had Maggie, before her family had come – it was positively overflowing now. Overflowing with love, laundry, sarcasm, hormones – everything.

  It was, in a word, overwhelming.

  Shocking
ly, though, the transition hadn’t been nearly as difficult for everyone – her parents, her sister, the pack – as she’d thought it would be. Her dad took to simplistic, outdoor living like a fish to water, his training as a paramedic even earning him a job of sorts as Gabriela’s assistant.

  It had taken Katherine’s mother and sister a little longer to warm up to the idea of living without modern commodities like cell phones or the Internet. Spending time with Maggie seemed to help, though.

  For all the anxiety that had gnawed at Katherine about how her mother, especially, would take the fact that her seventeen-year-old daughter was having a baby, once Elaine was able to shake off the fact that not only had Katherine been pregnant, but that she’d already given birth, her mother had accepted Maggie with open arms. Well, after subjecting Katherine to a horrifying demonstration on how condoms were meant to be used, anyway. Suffice to say, a banana had been involved.

  Even her sister, Samantha, seemed charmed by little Maggie, and had engaged Sophie in a silent, but highly competitive contest to see who could buy the one-month-old the most extravagant gifts.

  Katherine was fairly certain that Maggie got more entertainment out of chewing on her tiny fist than any of the fancy toys they’d gotten her, but that didn’t stop them from trying.

  They weren’t the only ones enamored with the little girl, either. They all were. It was a constant battle over who got to hold her, rock her, play with her. Even Markus seemed smitten, and Katherine had caught the pack’s patent jackass playing peek-a-boo with Maggie more than once, using a garishly high-pitched voice and all.

  Oddly enough, Maggie wasn’t the only one that Markus was fascinated by. His hazel eyes seemed drawn to Sam of all people. It wasn’t that Katherine blamed him. Her sister was gorgeous – a bombshell, even, with her near perfect figure and stylish bob of platinum blonde hair. But she couldn’t be more different from Markus. Sam was prim and proper – snobbish even – whereas Markus was a brutish, rude, rough-around-the-edges... well, jerk, to be honest.