Winter Wolf (A New Dawn Novel Book 1) by Rachel M Raithby Page B

on in silence, hands entwined, only stopping once to fill the truck with gas and to clean and bandage Katalina. Before long, Katalina dozed off, snuggled against Bass as he drove through the darkness. It had been a while since she’d felt truly safe, and with Bass she did. She trusted him.
    She woke to Bass’s fingers stroking her face, his soft voice whispering against her skin, “You’re home, Katalina.”
    She sat up, feeling suddenly wide-awake. It was still dark outside. A quick glance at the clock said it was one a.m.
    “There’s a car parked out front.”
    Katalina’s eyes scanned the drive, finding the car. “It’s my grandma’s. She must be here.” She leapt out the car, running for the front door, not caring about the sharp stones beneath her feet.
    Bass was beside her in seconds, his dark eyes scanning all around. He positioned his body to protect. After a few loud bangs against the locked door, Katalina could hear feet shuffling toward the door. A light turned on above their heads, casting them in dim light.
    “Who is it?”
    “It’s me, Gram.”
    “Kat?” She heard the startled whisper and then the sound of a key turning.
    Crap, what am I going to say? Too late now.
    Just before the door opened, Katalina quickly kissed Bass on the mouth. “No mate talk in here. You’ll freak Gram out.”
    Bass didn’t get chance to answer before the door was swung wildly open, and Katalina was dragged into the arms of her grandma.
    “Oh, God, Kat, it’s you. It’s really you. I thought… Oh, thank God, you are safe. Let me get a look at you,” Grandma said, holding her at arm’s length, her eyes focusing on the white dressings on her shoulder and down her arm.
    “I’m all right, Gram, nothing serious.”
    “Well, I thought, after your mom and dad, well I…” her voice trailed off with emotion. Composing herself, she asked, “Where have you been, Kat?”
    “Oh, I…erm” Shit, shit, shit! She glanced at Bass out of the corner of her eyes, hoping he had some idea of what to say.
    “Her father found her on the side of the road, the other side of those woods. He took her to hospital, but she couldn’t remember who she was, or what had happened when she woke.”
    Katalina’s grandmother gave a startled squeak, only just noticing Bass. “Kat, who is this?”
    “Oh, erm, he’s my friend.”
    Bass took a step forward, offering his hand, “Sebastian Evernight, but my friends call me Bass. It’s nice you meet you.”
    Grandma took his hand, still looking startled. “I’m Kat’s grandmother, M-Mary. You said her father?”
    “Her biological father.” Bass didn’t seemed fazed at all.
    “And he didn’t think it was important to inform her family she was alive?”
    “I’m certain he wasn’t aware she had any more family, and with Kat not having any memory, he was uncertain of what to do. Of course, when she recovered, I brought her straight here.”
    “Where is he?”
    “Gram,” Katalina jumped in, “I’m so tired. Can we talk about this in the morning, please?”
    “Oh, yes, of course. You must be exhausted. Your friend can stay in the spare room.”
    They stepped over the threshold, Arne scampering in and curling up in his bed.
    “It’s so good to be home, hey, Arne?” Katalina smiled at her dog. “Come on, Bass. I’ll show you the way.”
    With another quick hug, Katalina kissed her grandma on the cheek, and took Bass’s hand, dragging him off down the hall.
    Her home wasn’t large. It had four bedrooms but the smallest was an office. Katalina walked past the spare room and realized her grandma had been asleep in there.
    “He’ll have to stop in the office. I…I couldn’t bear to touch your parents’ room.”
    Katalina swallowed down her tears as she walked past the next door. Slightly ajar, she caught a glimpse of her parents’ bed, still unmade as if they would be jumping back into it any moment.
    “Here it is,” she said to Bass, overly cheerful.
    He pulled her in