Reed (Nano Wolves #4) - Donna McDonald Page 0,33

bear tranquilizer. She’s recovering slowly but should be fine. Brandi let Jon help her agent friends tear apart the aircraft they were using for their abductions. She said he feels better now. By now, all the bears should be headed to Alaska.”

“Everyone safer there. Whole group can fight together,” Katarina said. She nodded gratefully when Reed produced a pack of beef jerky and a bottle of water. “Bol'shoye spasibo,” she said in gratitude. “Is Stewart okay? I had to get rough to make him do right things. They scared him.” She gave a shrug. “I was scared too, but that feeling is normal for me.”

Reed went to the other pack and pulled out a bag of jerky for himself. Luckily, there were several in each bag. “Fearing for his life, your life, and Terra’s brought on the boy’s first shift. I didn’t see Stewart in his beast form, but I heard he made quite the impression on the bears when he charged back to the fight to help you.”

Katarina nodded in approval. “Good. So boy is now wolf. That is dream come true for him, yes?”

Reed snorted. “Unfortunately, that didn’t get to happen. Rumor is the boy changed into a freakish man-beast, which is what ultimately scared your kidnappers away.”

Katarina finished her bag of jerky, crumbled the container, and tossed it accurately across the room into the trash basket. It was amazing how much food helped a person. Hunger appeased, she opened the bottle of water and drank half without stopping. She lowered it when Reed tossed a packet of something else that landed in her lap. She looked down and saw it contained dried apples.

“Dessert,” she said happily, tearing open the bag with genuine joy.

Reed watched her eat. “I need to be honest with you, Katarina Volkov. I find you interesting.”

Katarina chewed and swallowed a slice of apple before she answered. “Like bug pinned to board? You do not look like geek to me.”

Reed shook his head. “Nothing with you is ever easy. You know that’s not what I meant.”

Katarina rolled her eyes. “How could I know anything, Temptation? You speak like old man yet your body is like youth. Why don’t you let your mind feel youth too? Be positive about life.”

“How do you feel about me?” Reed asked.

Katarina ate two more apple slices and made him wait. Finally, she smiled.

“I’m interested in you as well, but my interest has purpose, Temptation. I am interested in how you fuck, but all the waiting you do… this not work for me. I get bored. Who needs reluctant male? No one.” She shrugged at his glare. “I will not be offended if you do not feel same urgency. Plenty of good fucks in the world. Not all of them beautiful like you, but that is life.”

When she continued to stare at him and eat her dried apples, Reed finally stopped glaring and dropped his gaze. She seemed unaffected—like they just hadn’t had an intimate conversation at all. Was he an idiot to hope she felt passion for him and him alone?

Katarina finished her apples, slid off the bed, and walked to dispose of the empty packet. She wasn’t running yet, but she felt a lot better. She went to stand in front of Reed’s chair. Reaching out, she lifted his chin and made him look at her.

“You think too much and feel too little. This is why zest of life is gone. I could give that back to you, but then I think—why bother? It wouldn’t last. You don’t want zest. You don’t want pack. You don’t want family because some are evil seeds. From your words, I do not think you want anything in life except to be alone. Me being interesting means nothing. How could I ever know you want me? I have no answer to this question. A female should know.”

Reed stared at the female who refused to let him establish any boundaries. He was supposed to be in a quieter phase of his life. He was supposed to be able to find peace. How could he do that when he kept having an emotional cold war with his very own Russian?

Sighing, Katarina turned away and started back toward the bed. One of Reed’s hands grabbed her wrist and spun her back to face him. “You’re right. I don’t want to be young again. I don’t want the life that comes with it,” he said, and then let her go.

Katarina stood there and searched his face. She