Castle didn't miss her mistake though and his mind suddenly raced with all speculations he'd pushed aside in order to tell her all about the phone call he'd gotten. Had she been that wolf? And if so, was it a shapeshifter thingy or a werewolf thingy? Also, if she'd known he was there, if she'd watched him through the windows, then why hadn't she showed up as herself sooner? Moreover, how the hell was he supposed to bring it up?! It wasn't like he could just straight up ask her! Or, maybe he could? But she would never admit it, that he was sure of. Especially since she was always the sceptical one, constantly making sure no one with a supernatural theory ever actually believed it fully. Perhaps that was to protect herself.

"Castle? What are you doing?" her voice coming from behind him had him jump as he let go of a small screech.

"You scared me!" he accused her and she raised her eyebrow in question as he tried to gather himself again.

"Anyway, I'm going to bed," she said and he figured it was for the best not to push it. Not tonight. Maybe he needed more proof first. It was all speculation.

Beckett opened a door to what looked like a scrub and she threw a pillow towards him before taking out a thick blanket she laid on the couch.

"Thanks." She nodded before saying night and he answered with his normal "Until tomorrow", to which he saw a quick eye roll as she disappeared up the stairs.

It didn't take him long before he laid down onto the couch, but he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to sleep. His mind was too busy trying to figure out what the hell was up with his partner.


Kate couldn't help but notice the small difference in her partner's behavior the next few days. It was not like he was avoiding her but… it felt like he was observing her with a new set of eyes. And she didn't like it. It made her questioning everything that happened at the cabin. After all, he had seen her wolf. But she'd been so sure he didn't know, he hadn't said anything and he wasn't the type to just let it pass. She was sure he would've mentioned it already, grilled her with theories of why the wolf in the forest had been out there. Or at least grilled her with the worry of having met a wolf and she being out there all on her own. Why hadn't he even mentioned the wolf?

Kate was so busy thinking about how weird he was acting that she wasn't aware of her partner entering the precinct nor the way her two colleagues walked out of the captain's office with mixes of furious and sad faces.

"Detective Beckett!" the captain's voice sounded through the bullpen and Kate jerked at the sudden return to the now as she looked up in time to see the irritation on her captain's face.

What did she do now? "Yes sir?" she said and saw the second Gates got eyes on her partner coming from the elevator with coffees in his hands.

"What are you doing here mr. Castle?" The captain crossed her arms as she looked straight at the writer.

The writer almost stumbled in his step and Kate gave a quick glance to the clock, seeing it was the ordinary time the captain took a small lunch break and also the time when Castle had started sneaking in to give her the favorite black beverage they both shared, he also always snaked her a pastry so she wouldn't skip lunch completely. This whole ordeal had became a routine the first day after the cabin, and Kate had added it to one of the differences she'd noticed. Every time he was there it felt as though he was careful around her, she wouldn't say testing her but… it felt weird, that's all.

"I-uh-I," Castle started rambling as he looked between her and the captain before settling his eyes to the coffee and bag in his hands. "I was just delivering lunch, and I'll be on my way again." He pointed to the elevator as best he could with his hands full.

Captain Gates narrowed her eyes and Kate could see the way her partner wanted to put his tail between his legs and run, which made the hair at the back of her neck rise in anger. Before the captain could say anything else she took the coffee and bag that was meant to her with a smile set on her lips, automatically putting herself between Castle and the captain.

"Thank you Castle," she said and gave him a get-out-of-here look.

He didn't hesitate one minute, nodding before turning right back to the elevator. When she saw him disappearing behind the shutting elevator doors she took a breath before turning to her captain.

"Captain?"

Kate watched as the woman in front of her gestured into her office and without another word she went inside to see what was going on.


Once Castle got home he went into his office, brought out the book he'd started to write down his theories. He'd started doing research after coming home from the cabin, real research. And he'd started writing down every theory he'd stumbled across about werewolves. He'd crossed preferences on all the things which repeated in every theory. Things like the supernatural speed and strength. He'd also printed pictures of normal wolves along with all the sketches of werewolves. He'd even listed down a few times when she'd surprised him with her strength, times when the suspect should've been stronger or when she shouldn't have been able to catch up to the killer running away from them. The more he thought about it the more he couldn't see how he hadn't seen the signs before. Then again, the forever-sceptic-voice-of-reason detective Beckett was never one Castle would ever suspect of being anything supernatural. Extraordinary yes, one thousand times yes, but never supernatural.

So, he had convinced himself these past few days that the wolf he met in the forest truly was Beckett, now he just needed to confirm it. He just wasn't sure how. He wondered if he could straight out ask her, but was rather convinced she'd shoot him down. She probably already had a "logical" reason as to why he might think she is when she's not. It wouldn't surprise him if she did. She was good at finding the logic to ruin all his theories before they truly get a go. But he couldn't exactly make her change in front of him, could he? Maybe if he followed her to the cabin without her knowing. Then again that didn't feel quite right. He wanted her to tell him. If she was the one to tell him then perhaps it would mean she trusted him on a deeper level than just as partners at the precinct.

The sudden rapid knocks against his loft door startled him and by the sound he could tell whoever was on the other side was either upset with him or pissed at something else. Quickly he rose from his chair in order to answer the door. Just as he put his hand on the door-handle he got a thought that it might be his ex-wife slash publisher coming to grill him about not having another chapter yet, but pushed the thought away as he prayed that weren't it.

"Beckett? What's-"

"She put the case on hold. On hold!" She rushed inside with her whole body screaming with anger. "She keeps saying there's no leads and a lot more important cases piling up!" She's absolutely furious.

Without thinking Castle closed the door before putting his hand on the small of her back to lead her towards his study, thinking neither his mother or daughter needed to hear what she had to say about her new captain. The pushing didn't stop her from continuing her rant.

"How can it not be important that a killer is still out there?! A cop killer even?! She's completely arrogant and… and… what's this?" Her sudden complete change of tone had him look up from the door he just closed.

"Huh?" He looked towards her and felt his blood freeze. He didn't hide the book.

He watched as Kate circled around his desk in order to look closer at the book and its content. Her eyes went wide and he wondered if it was because he was right or because she was shocked by his research.

"Why…" she swallowed a lump. "Why do you research werewolves?"

Kate felt her pulse accelerate as she tried her hardest to keep herself calm, to not burst right in front of him. She felt her senses going on highdrive, being able to smell his own nerves accelerating, hearing the beating of his heart harden along with his breaths getting heavier. Her hand felt like it was living its life on its own as she started stroking the letters he'd scribbled onto the page, her fingers soon finding the pictures he'd printed and glued on.

"I-ah," he started but she could hear his hesitation and so she looked towards him. That's when she also picked up on the way he was fiddling with his fingers. "Nikki Heat!" he exclaimed and she saw right through his lie. "I'm considering a case like the one we had a year ago, the one with the wolves and the vampires."

Kate looked down at his notes again, read the small scribbles he'd put down. She couldn't help but start turning the page and when his heart peaked her eyes widened at the words suddenly staring back at her.

"You…" she couldn't get any more words out as she read about all the times she'd been reckless enough to show bits and pieces of her other self. Kate let go of the page and her hand immediately went into her hair, her breathing got heavier as she fought the panic closing up her throat.

Castle didn't know what to say, the panic written all over her face was both worrisome and scaring him. He suddenly realized he'd never truly seen her panic. All the times she'd stood in front of hard situations she'd never been as panicked as she was right there in front of him. He couldn't help but wonder if that was due to knowing she could take most of the perpetrators they faced. It actually explained the way she broke the two-way mirror when she pushed Vulcan Simmons into it.

"I-I'm… I should go." Kate took a few steps towards the door but since he already stood in front of it he just needed one step to the side to block it. "Castle," she half-groaned, half-whispered.

"Please, just tell me if I'm right. Was it you in the woods?" he asked in an almost pleading tone. "Were you the wolf?"

At first he wasn't so sure of looking at her but after a few seconds of her being nothing but quiet he decided to look up and observe her whole body. He wasn't sure what her body language was telling him. Her eyes weren't looking at him. Did that mean it was true? Or was she preparing what to say when she called the mental institute.


A/N: Hi! I'm once again so so so sorry for the bad updating and I wish I hadn't posted this fic before I was almost finished writing it because I hate not being able to update it the way I wish I could... I'm really grateful for all of your patience, you have no idea how grateful I am! Hopefully you still enjoy this story and can forgive me for the bad updating...

Anyway, until next time, xxxx