They've grown closer the past few months. If someone had told Kate Beckett that revealing her wolf to her partner would've made her feel more open and free she would've told them they were delusional. Her dad had known she'd told her partner the second she'd blushed when he told her she should just tell the guy already. Speaking of blushing she'd blushed ferociously when Castle had asked if she could turn in front of him. Of course she'd told him no, when he asked why she'd told him she didn't want to risk his daughter or mother coming down and seeing a wolf in their loft. She hadn't mentioned the fact that for her to change she'd need to dispose of all of her clothes, and that would mean standing naked in front of him either before turning or after turning back.
The day after she'd found her partner going into the precinct with no intention of leaving, and when she'd seen the captain come with furious steps she'd warned him about it but he'd just worn a smirk on his face making her confused. It wasn't until the captain hissed at them to follow her into her office that Kate found out Castle had used his contacts to weasel his way back into the precinct again. She had wanted to laugh, hug him tight at the realization that he was back, but she'd just managed to keep it all inside of her, only showing a small smile. Partial due to the furious captain they now had watching their every move, hoping Castle would make a mistake so she could throw him out, and partially because she still didn't want him to know the kind of impact he had on her life. But during the past few months, with the constant dinners at either her apartment or his loft she had a feeling they were past that now.
He continued asking his questions, and she continued answering them. Sometimes he'd ask during a case, when no one else was around, and sometimes she'd tell him something she discovered thanks to her heightened senses without him asking. She wasn't sure how or when but he didn't hesitate to touch her anymore, probably somehow knowing she wouldn't shot him for it, but every touch had her body igniting with the want of more. There was a part of her wondering if he felt the same kind of ignition, or if it was because she was the wolf that she felt it. She'd known all along he was the one she should be with, but how does one tell someone that? How would she tell him that? He who had asked her about soulmates, asking if wolves had them and knew of them. He who had almost specifically asked if she knew who was hers. And she'd told him no, and then distracted him with another fact she thought would take his mind elsewhere.
Now, sitting at her desk she couldn't stop following him with her eyes. Watching as he was in the breakroom, making them coffees. Biting her lip she thought about that morning, that night. He'd come over for dinner as usual, what had not been the usual had been that he'd fallen asleep at her place. They'd watched a movie and without thinking she'd started leaning into him, being too tired to care. She'd falled asleep like that and when she woke up he'd fallen asleep too, his arms a tight hug around her. Her first thought had been to remove herself, wake him up and send him home. But before she did he'd whispered her name on a breath and she hadn't been able to find it in herself to wake him. Instead she'd snuggled closer, breathed in his scent, and fallen back asleep. This morning it hadn't been as awkward as she thought it would be, they'd just eaten breakfast together while continuing the discussion of how she had the same hair color as a wolf as she did as human. He'd asked if it would turn blue if she were to color her hair, it had made her laugh as she told him no. By the look of the grin on his face she had a feeling he'd only asked to make her laugh, not really believing there was any truth to the question he'd asked.
"Here you go," her partner handed her the coffee he'd just made for her and when she accepted it she couldn't help but let her fingers touch his in the process.
She could hear his heart skip a beat, the same way hers did, and she bit the inside of her lip to try and hide her knowing.
"You know," she said after taking a sip of her coffee. "I have the weekend off, as long as there's no dead body dropping before five, and I'm really in the need of a run." Taking a pause she glanced around to make sure no one could hear their conversation. "Would you want to join me? At the cabin, I mean."
"I… of course!" he only just managed to control the level of his voice from shouting his excitement and she couldn't help but giggle at the way her whole being was tingling with anticipation.
"Okay," she whispered with a small smile setting her lips.
"What are you two talking about?" Esposito came into view and Beckett immediately took control over her emotions.
"Nothing," both partners said simultaneously and Espo rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, we got a case," he said and handed Beckett a note with the address on.
"Alright, let's go," she said with a sigh, hoping it's an easy one so they could get the weekend together.
"I can't believe you did that," Kate said while shaking her head, writing the last on her report.
"Did what?" Castle asked in a nonchalant tone and Kate chuckled.
"I can't believe you went up and sniffed the guy, I don't think you only creeped him out but I think both Ryan and Espo are starting to wonder too." She finished the report and gathered all the papers into the file she'd give to her captain.
He shrugged his shoulders as he scratched his head in a dismissive sort of way. "Well, you said he smelled of her perfume, and he smelled like the killer who'd been at her apartment." She tried to stop smiling. "I wanted us to go away this weekend, and didn't look like we would be able to without a push in the right direction and even though I understand why you don't want to tell your insight I couldn't not act on it."
Kate bit her lip, trying her hardest to contain the smile before rising from her desk in order to go leave the file to her captain. Her partner raised as well but started putting on his jacket instead of following her. Smart choice, especially considering the captain wasn't exactly a fan of him. Kate couldn't help but wonder how Gates reacted to the fact that Castle had sniffed the guy in order to arrest him. She put the file on the captain's desk, thankful the captain must've gone to the bathroom or something because that meant she could just leave without needing to talk to the woman.
"Ready to go?" Castle asked as she went back to him.
He held up her jacket for her and she felt herself smile at the gesture, saying thanks as she lets him assist her in putting it on.
"I'm ready." She looked around them to make sure she could speak without anyone paying attention to them. "Should I drop you off at your place so you can pack and then come pick you up once I'm done?"
"Hm, why don't I pick you up when I'm done? You've been driving almost all day, gotta be tiring," he suggested as they started walking towards the elevator.
She smiled, "Sure."
They spent both rides being silent, not because they couldn't come up with anything to talk about but simply because they both enjoyed the silence after a long day. Kate dropped him off at his building and he promised her he wouldn't be long, earning a big smile from her as she said they'd see each other soon. Driving to her apartment she started thinking about the decision that made her ask him to join her at the cabin. She tried figure out how to do it and started to think that perhaps it was better to just… see where everything led to. Maybe it would just come natural.
Once in her apartment she decided to switch out of her work attire and into something a bit more comfy, a pair of leggings and a baggy shirt. As she was starting to pack a bag with snacks along with a bottle of wine she heard the knock on the door and didn't hesitate to call out she was coming. She quickly zipped the bag and carried it to the door, already being able to pick out the heart beating on the other side. It made her belly twist with excitement and her lips pull up in a grin.
"That was quick," she commented as the door opened and revealed her partner on the other side.
He was almost panting and Kate wondered if he'd hurried more than he should've. She wouldn't complain though, even if he smelled a bit more from the extra running around he'd probably done at his loft she loved the scent filling her nostrils.
"Yeah, I-uh, didn't want to keep you waiting," he said and she smiled with her teeth parting.
"Uh-uh." She grinned as she picked up her bag again and they walked out of her apartment. "Let's go then."
They took the elevator down and Kate couldn't stop smiling, she just felt so happy. It was weird considering it had only been a couple months ago she'd been shot at and had been halfway forced to tell her partner about her secret.
"So, when you said you were in need for a run, did you mean…?"
"Yeah," she smiled at him as she walked out of the elevator and quickly set her feet towards his ferrari.
"This is going to be so cool!" Castle exclaimed and she had to stifle a laugh as she practically heard him make a joyous jump behind her.
"What makes you think I'll let you join me?" she questioned once they were both seated in the car.
"Because you like me," he teased and when she gave him her look he just smirked at her while waking up the roaring engine.
Rolling her eyes she bit her lip before thinking of what exactly she had in mind for him this weekend.
"Plus, I have seen your wolf before," he added and she humphed.
"Once, and technically you didn't know it was me," she argued with the smile still on her lips.
"Yes I did, your furr and your attitude gave it away. Did you know you actually rolled your eyes at me?"
"No, I didn't."
"Yes you did. And speaking of eyes those were another tell it was you." She glanced to him and saw his eyes flicker between her and the road, their eyes meeting a couple of times. "So, I knew. I didn't have proof but I knew."
"Then why didn't you confront me the first thing you did when I walked through the door?" she questioned with a smug expression on her face.
His smirk turned down a bit and so did hers when she remembered what he'd come to discuss that day. "That, plus I wanted some time to actually prepare myself. I wondered why you wouldn't tell me, especially since you know how exciting I would find it."
Kate bit the inside of her cheeks, knowing exactly why she never told him. "It was nothing personal Castle, I haven't told anyone."
He hummed, "Only human knowing before me was your mother right?" She nodded, observing him as he continued to flicker his eyes between her and the road. "Why have you never told anyone else? I mean, as a kid you must've been tempted, weren't you?"
"Of course I was tempted," she told him, thinking back to her childhood. "I had a friend when I was six who I was close to telling, my mom and dad stopped me just in time."
"Really? What happened?" The curiosity of this man never failed to surprise her. Of course he would want to know about her childhood.
She chuckled, shook her head as she leant her head into her hand, looking out the window. "Okay, so the reason we became friends in the first place was because I made a couple boys stop bullying her. Even though they were older I was stronger. Anyway, I was almost always myself around her, climbed trees the way I could with ease, ran faster with ease, didn't pretend to get tired the way kids my age did. After a while she wanted to pretend I was supernatural, a hero like Supergirl, and she was my sidekick."
She got lost in her thoughts, remembering the events in the perspective of an adult and knowing her mom and dad made the right decision.
"Then what happened?" His question brought her back to the now and she turned to look at him again.
"I was ready to turn in front of her, to tell her and then turn, but my parents got on to it just before I managed to utter the words. They came up with some lame excuse about why Rachel had to go home, and then they lectured me. Threatened that if I ever told anyone, didn't matter if it was a friend my own age or a grownup, we would move."
The look he gave her expressed the confusion and judgement. "That seems a bit harsh."
She shook her head. "No, it was for the best. Last time someone got whim of werewolves being real and they didn't have a solid relationship with one it turned into mass hysteria."
"But you were just a kid, and who would've believed a kid?" Castle defended her younger self.
Kate shrugged her shoulders. "That last time it began with a kid too, and a parent being superstitious."
"Oh."
To be continued...
A/N: So sorry for the long wait, I don't really have any good excuses but I want to let you know I promise I won't just up and leave this story. I will finish it, I just can't promise how long it'll take... I wish I hadn't posted it before I was already finished with it because you have no idea the amount of guilt I feel not being able to post frequently. Anyway, hope you all are good out there, stay safe! Until next time... xxxx
