“And you, Kat?” her grandma asked.
Katalina took a deep breath before answering, “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Well, might as well wake up Sebastian. We can all have breakfast together.” grandma started to walk out of the kitchen.
Katalina jumped from her chair, knocking it to the floor. “I’ll get him, Gram,” she called, running after her.
“Don’t be silly, dear. I’ll knock first.”
Katalina’s heart hammered in her chest and she felt slightly woozy, her mind rattled searched for some explanation, as to why he wasn’t in his bed, but hers. She came up empty, all she could do was stand by looking stupid, waiting for the arguments to come.
Her grandmother knocked on his door. “Sebastian dear, I’m making breakfast,” she said through the door.
There was no answer.
Oh, God…oh, God…oh, God!
She knocked again.
“He must be asleep, Gram. Leave him.”
Her grandma turned and looked at her. “Katalina, what has gotten into you?”
“Just leave him!”
The door opened and Bass stepped out, dressed. “Did someone say breakfast?”
Katalina nearly collapsed to the floor in relief.
As they followed her grandma back toward the kitchen, Bass leaned toward Katalina speaking in a voice so low only she could hear, “Shifter hearing, remember?”
The morning had gone by in a blur. Katalina’s aunt had finished all she needed and given Katalina’s grandmother instructions. She was packing her things into her car while Katalina stood by the window staring outside. She wasn’t really watching her aunt, but staring off into the world, not taking anything in. The sky was filled with angry clouds in the distance. They were growing by the minute. A wind had picked up, whipping her aunt’s auburn hair around in the air as she loaded her last suitcase.
Katalina thought the weather matched her mood. Her growing anger toward the universe and the fate she’d been given grew by the day. She knew it was only a matter of time until she reached her limit. Katalina wasn’t sure what she’d do when she was pushed to breaking point. She was no longer sure who she was anymore; a shifter and yet she didn’t really feel like one at all. Yes, she was gifted with new senses and strengths but they didn’t feel like a part of her. She wasn’t natural in her skin like Bass. She couldn’t hear with the ears of a wolf without thinking; she wasn’t fearless and brave.
Katalina felt like a stranger in her own skin, an imposter. She wasn’t special. She was as ordinary as they came. She’d never been popular or the smartest in school. She’d just been Kat; the adopted kid with the strange hair. She’d give anything to turn back the clock and be that girl again, to have her parents and to feel safe, but she’d been living a borrowed life. It had never really been hers. She’d always been different, always deep down been a shifter. The problem was she was still the strange kid in this new world. She still didn’t belong. She was a shifter and yet she wasn’t. She still felt like she was living a borrowed life.
“It’s going to be okay, Katalina.”
Katalina turned into Bass’s embrace. She buried her head into his chest and breathed in the wild scent of him.
“How do you know?” she whispered.
“Because I do. Do you trust me?”
Tilting her head up, she looked into his eyes. They were strong and fearless. “Yes,” she answered.
“Then trust that everything will work out. That you’ll end up where you're supposed to be, and one day, you’ll be happy again. I still remember my mom, you know. I remember her smile and the way she used to tuck me into bed every night. I miss her every day. The part of my heart where she belonged will always be empty. The pain of her absence will always be there, but with time, I’ve learnt to live with my loss, to find the good in my life and hang onto it with all I’ve got. One day, it will get better. You just need to find the good to hang onto, to get you through.”
Katalina tightened her hold and buried her head back into his chest. Find the good to hang onto. She was hanging on and she never planned to let go.
Her aunt cleared her throat from behind them. Reluctantly, Katalina pulled back but she didn’t let go of her grip on Bass’s hand. “Are you going now?” she asked her aunt.
“Yes, looks like a storm’s coming in. I’d like to be on the road before it hits.”
“Be careful.”
Her aunt held out her arms for a hug and Katalina felt like a little girl again as she went into them.
“I will, Kat. I’ll see you soon, okay,” she murmured into Katalina’s hair.