Staying cool, Katherine beamed at her mate, “Hi honey, what brings you here?”
Henry grinned and brought her into a hug, “I wanted to tell you to not make plans tonight. It’s Sunday and I want you all to myself.” Grinning, she was cute and flirty as she simpered, “I would love that.” Henry kissed her head and whispered in her ear and after a silent conversation, Tommy glanced away when they kissed and then Henry was heading out.
And Tommy found it best to follow, so he waved a quick bye to Katherine who saluted him still as casual as can be.
Trailing after the larger Henry, Tommy built up the nerve and greeted, “Hey, you’re Henry Foy, correct?” Henry looked at Tommy casually, “I am. Pleasure to finally have a name to a face Tommy Carlin.” Knowing he probably had gotten an earful about his name before they’d met, Tommy rubbed his jaw frustrated, “Yeah listen man, I don’t want things to be weird between us either. I live in a small village with Katherine but me and you, we’re pack. I don’t want there to be a sense of any misgiving or a shred of disdain. For anything.”
Agreeing, Henry chuckled easily as he promised, “I hold no hostility against you Tommy. But thank you.” He waved back to where Katherine was, “Your wife apologizing and now you will definitely help finish tying up this unfortunate mess nicely.” Tommy grinned and then froze, “Wait how did you know I apologized?”
Henry shrugged, “Any man worth his salt would for starters.” Nodding, Tommy’s stomach swooped when the wolf suddenly gave him a sharp smile that flashed his canines, “And besides I heard you.” Turning to look up at him surprised, Tommy was left stunned as Henry shrugged, “Just in case you upset her and I had to kill you.”
Not putting it past him, Tommy and Henry got to the pack grounds and as Tommy went to patrol, Henry went to training. Going over drills and exercise, the endurance built was incredible as Henry finished feeling wired up. Breathing in deep, he jumped as he heard, “You alright?”
Bodhi looked at him concerned but Henry nodded as he admitted, “It’s been an adjustment being here. But things are getting better. So, I’m blessed, it’s just some things are still hard. Harder than I thought they’d be.” Knowing what it was like, Bodhi had come from another pack when he was child after a raid. He’d seen countless wars, and he knew the trauma wasn’t easy to shake.
Promising himself to keep an eye on the wolf under his rank, Bodhi left Henry to think eagerly of the night he had planned.
Katherine was also excited too as she got off a little earlier and ran to get home. Going inside and showering, exfoliating, she saw her upkeep from last week was in a good standing. No razor bumps or straggle hairs.
Bathing and oiling her skin, Katherine was prepping herself and soon smelt of her usual Rosemary and Mint mixed now with a husky undertone she sweetened with Indian Tuberose. After getting out of her steamy bathroom, Katherine blow dried her hair and packed a bag.
Dressed in comfortable biker shorts and a tunic, Katherine kept it barefaced but since it was just three, she put on sunscreen. Hearing her door open, she called out, “Dad?” Eloise smiled as she chirped back, “Mom!”
Happy for the lucky fate, Katherine called out, “One sec let me come down.” Grabbing her bag and going down the stairs, Katherine found her mom smiling in the kitchen, “Sorry lovely, we ran out of jam, and I hadn’t even realized it!” Giggling, Katherine waved her mama off, “Well my jam is your jam mama.” Smiling, Eloise grabbed the jar but then froze, seeing her daughter with a bag and looking keyed up.
“Is everything okay?” Katherine’s jittery eyes swung to her mom, and she blushed, “Henry is taking me somewhere tonight, I don’t know where. But I just wanted you to know.” Grinning, Eloise promised, “Well then I’ll know you’re safe.” Smiling as her daughter turned even pinker, Eloise sighed happy, “He makes you so happy, and that’s all we want darling. Your happiness.”
Grinning, Katherine knew that and promised her mom she was. Kissing Eloise on the head, she promised to be careful and send up the SOS if she needed anything.
Leaving out her cottage and heading to the fence, she stopped seeing Henry waiting.
All tall and muscular like a dark-haired Thor, her mate beamed at her as his grey/silver eyes found hers. Beaming as his breath rushed out, he approached quick and picked her up, “Time I kidnap you properly.”
Laughing, she accepted kisses as he admitted, “First I want to pick up something in one of the village shops and then we’ll go.” Nodding in agreement, she climbed into the jeep he’d borrowed from the pack. Driving to the store and getting some things, he was talking to a fellow pack member unknowing to what was happening outside the store.
Katherine had gotten snacks and was loading up when she heard, “And I see you’re still up to your immoral behaviors, skirting off with a wolf, unmated. How indecent.” Katherine turned and saw Bartha Mae with her chest puffed in pretentious haughtiness, “I have no idea how a sensible man like your father ended up with such an unethical child.”
Eyes rolling and about to just let the old woman talk out the side of her neck, Katherine’s stomach became hot when the woman kept going, “It must be something that mother of yours passed on.” All bets off, Katherine turned around like a tornado and had the full rage of it’s wind in her anger as she fumed, “Never insult my mother you viper, she’s twice the woman you’d ever dream to be.”
Bartha Mae scoffed as if the words were ridiculous and flapped her mouth mercilessly stupid, “Your mother is no shining peach either darling. In fact, I’m sure you get more than just bad manners from her, I’m pretty sure your mama had the same reputation as you. A loose little hussy pleasing herself with someone else’s happiness, it’s shameful really.”