Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Chapter 13

The cool morning air combined with the dew dampening my cheek rouses me from my sleep.I pull Kas closer to my chest so she won't catch a chill.She grumbles a little at being moved, but doesn’t wake up.

My little sleepyhead.She hates waking up early.I smile as I take a deep breath with my nose buried in her hair.Her fresh rain and lilac scent is mixed with something else.

Mud and a little blood.

Hold up.

Mud and blood? My eye snaps open and I see the sun is rising over the treeline.

We are still out in the woods.I look around to find we are in the grass next to the Blood River.

We are both naked and look like we have been rolling in mud puddles.

There is a pile of rabbit remains nearby.I notice my face feels sticky.I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

When I pull my hand away, I see it's covered with goopy, almost dried blood that smells just like the rabbit carcasses.

Gross.

At some point during the night, Kas and I both shifted, but I can’t remember a thing after Saint cut our link.

I need to get some clothes for us from the nearby lockbox.I adjust my position slightly so I’m on my back, assessing how far away the container is from where we are.

As I turn, I feel sores all over my body.I groan a little and try to find a spot that hurts, that isn’t covered in mud.I find a couple spots on my arm that clearly have the remnants of bite marks, but Saint has already started healing them.

They are just red and sore now.

"saint?"

"Let me sleep.It was a late night," he grumbles.

"Not so fast, buddy.What exactly happened last night? How come Kas and I shifted and why are we in the woods? I told you to get her back to the packhouse by dawn."

"Listen, Bronx.I’m not gonna to taint your virgin ears by getting into the nitty-gritty details.Just know that Lex and I mated...a lot.It was a night to remember.I don’t even know the last time Lex was such an animal.It was probably when she was affected by Cora,"

I can practically hear him purring, "We were too worn out to make it to the packhouse, so we shifted for you and letting you snuggle up by the river.Like camping.Isn’t that what you guys call romantic?"

I'm not sure what to say to him.I can’t really be mad.He has every right to spend time with Lex as I do with Kas.

Who am I to judge if he wants to have a wild night out in the woods with his mate? I just wish he would have taken her back to the packhouse like he said he would instead of romping around until he was too tired to make it back.

"Okay, well I’m going to get us some clothes and go home.Wait.Who’s Cora?"

"Leader of The Feral," he yawns, "Don’t worry about it, you'll never meet her."

"Fine.Go back to sleep."

"Thank you and you’re welcome," he adds, emphasizing ‘welcome ’, like he did me same sort of favor before he curls up to fall hack asleep.I carefully slide my arm out from under Kas and gently lay her head on the ground.She sighs deeply, but looks content.She also has rabbit remnants around her mouth.

The wolf side of me thinks it looks kinda sexy.

mental note to get her into the shower before she has time to look in a mirror.I make my way to the lockbox and pull

mind link our ranked pack

to the packhouse with Kas.I want both James and Marco on duty.One of you inside the apartment, the other outside.Better yet, bring Tyree in

and cut the

the PR team know I don’t need

"No problem, Alpha."

find anything you can about a group known as The Feral and a woman who leads

You don’t have any more info

this Cora woman may have somehow magically affected Kas and Lex.I don’t have

"Alright, we're on it."

of MasoncCo.After we release the tape to the media, we are

it, boss man.We will change into

before cutting the link.I kneel down in front of my sleepy little mate, prepping

up, Baby.We have to get back to the packhouse,"

she gives a cranky little growl, resisting waking up and barely opening her eyes, looking around

last night.They let us roll around in mud puddles and sleep by the river.Come on, sit up.I have a

groggily sits up and lets me pull the shirt over her head.I wrap her up like a burrito in the blanket and

not to fall back asleep

"Yeah, Baby?"

smile.Her eyes are closed, but

you and I’m so glad to be home," she

"I love you too, Kas.More than

mad that you left me alone

I guess she’s

again.We can talk more about it later.I have some business to attend to after I get

hum before her

Kas back to our apartment, I settle her in the bed and turn on the shower.I coax her out of the blanket and join her in the shower, helping her get all the mud and

practically purrs when

a question," I say

up, Sweetheart?" she asks with her eyes closed, a

anyone named Cora? Or people who

opens her eyes and looks up at me with concern,

just something Saint said to

"Nothing to worry

wrap a towel around Kas’s body, another around her wet hair, and lead

I don’t want you to worry about the bakery or anything today.Delilah has it under control.Please, just get some rest and

"Raw rabbits? Gross, Bronx."

"Yeah, I know,"

my head thinking about our wolves' carnal habits, "I will be back to check on you this afternoon, but James is going to be outside the bedroom door, and Marco is going to be in the hall.I even have Tyree by the

hand me my blanket,

grab her old green and

thing left from when she was a slave with her old

to Blood River wrapped

explain why but,

to her on the bed whispering words meant just for her until she falls asleep with a smile on

I kiss her forehead and get myself prepared

Katherine's POV

Turn on the television! Bronx Mason is on