"I'm in love," Kat announced the second she entered the shop, startling Bella who had just finished closing up.
"Oh god, you're going to be one of those people," Bella sighed dramatically and turned to go to the kitchen. "Wait! I'm going to need alcohol to hear this."
Kat laughed, not taking her friend's words to heart. Bella wasn't the romantic type, hell, she didn't have much faith in men in general, so the attitude didn't surprise the cat shifter. At this point, it didn't even discourage her.
Kat had had the time of her life, dancing with her mate. He'd taken her out to eat first and then they'd headed to a dance club, where he'd put his hands all over her. With just a gentle caress he'd her all hot and bothered and she was in serious danger to say to hell with all of it and mate him right then and there. His erection had strained against his pants and she got some payback by grinding herself on him as if her life depended on it.
Inappropriate?
Probably. But she didn't care. She needed him more than her next breath and if it hadn't been for her alarm going off, she'd happily let him bed her over the closest flat surface and fuck her until they didn't know where one began and the other ended.
But like a real-life Cinderella, she had to dash when the alarm went off. As always, she didn't – or couldn't – explain why she had to leave every time her alarm went off. Or why he couldn't follow her home or--- Well, in the end, all she could do was to kiss him for all she was worth and promise him that she'd call him tomorrow…
Kat sat and as if on cue, the fireplace started up and the couch moved closer to the open fireplace. A table ran over and just in time for Bella to put down a bottle of wine and cookies. Not that Kat would be able to eat much. She was giggling and grinning like a lovestruck fool and she didn't give two flying fucks about it. And while Bella poured them each a glass of wine, Kat recounted everything that had happened that weekend.
Ending on a dramatic sigh of "I'm in love", again.
"That's amazing, Kat," Bella said and mechanically patted her leg. "I'm so happy for you?"
She ended the statement with a question, but Kat didn't mind. From what she'd gathered, Bella had never been in love, and while she'd been infatuated with one man before – her mother's younger brother of all things! – the witch had never been in love. She Kat didn't hold it against her. Bella had told her that witches didn't feel emotions the same way that humans did, the price to pay for their powers. But still, Kat hoped that someone one day would be able to melt the walls of ice that Bella had around her heart and experience all the wonderful things that came with being in love…
If all of them were wonderful that was.
Despite wanting to forget all about it, Kat hadn't forgotten that there was a hoard of beautiful, perfect she-wolves out there right now, trying to win Magnus over. What if he realized that she wasn't worth the hassle? What if he wanted someone who'd be by his side – who'd rule by his side? She was a cat shifter! She couldn't lead a pack of wolves. Not to mention that she didn't want to…
What then?
"Why don't you seem happy?" Bella suddenly asked and Kat realized that her smile had slipped as the dark thoughts had taken over her train of thoughts. And since it would be useless to try and hide anything from the nosy witch, Kat let it all out:
"What if I'm not good enough for him?" she asked, and despite being almost 26 years, she felt like curling into the fetal position and hugging her legs to her chest.
Wanting to protect herself.
"Oh?" Bella frowned. "How so?"
"Well, I told him that I didn't know what to do with my future right now, and he didn't seem to mind all that much. But---" She groaned, knowing exactly what her family would have said if she'd ever voiced any of this in front of them. "What if he thinks I'm some kind of loser?"
When she was younger, she'd started college and persuaded a degree in business. Her parents had been so proud of her, and her friends told her it was the right fit for her. It was a safe choice, and she was all about safe and predictable. Rather boring actually, but it had been her life. She'd never questioned if she'd be happy about it because stability was all she cared about.
Now---?
It didn't seem nearly as important…
"How does that make you a loser?!" Bella questioned--- and no, she wasn't being rhetorical. Something that Kat sincerely appreciated right now…
"People my age are usually working on their master's degree or starting their own companies or traveling the world or some other shit," she summarized, hoping she didn't sound as bitter as she felt. "I'm not--- I'm not ambitious like that. What if he thinks I'm boring or lazy or indecisive?"
"You ARE indecisive if you keep thinking that you're not good enough for your FATED MATE!" Bella snorted and gave her a look that never failed to make her feel like she'd just spouted the dumbest load of bull ever.
"Bella!" Kat sighed, knowing what her friend was getting at, but still--- Her insecurities were eating away at her and while there was no doubt in her mind that Magnus liked her, she still wondered if it would be enough in the long run.
"Just saying," the witch replied, rolling her eyes before taking a big gulp of her drink. "Fine. Forget everyone else for a second," she continued and turned towards her. "10 years from now, what would you like your life to be like?"
And there it was: THE PROBLEM!
"Promise me you won't laugh, ok?" she warned her.
"Witchy-swear," she winked, and Kat took in a deep breath.
"Before I was cursed, I went to college to study business," she began. "Not because I liked it, but because it seemed like a safe choice, you know?"
"Let's say that I do and go on," Bella huffed impatiently, gesturing for her to just get on with it.
Right…!
Bella wouldn't know, because she came from the 17th century.
Kat wondered why she kept on forgetting…
"Well, living on the clock like this," she gestured to the pendant around her neck. "I want to say screw safe and do the things I like. And I like to bake and spend time with the people I love. And I want children! I want to be a mother and a mate and the whole nine yards. I want to cook from my own garden and have a house filled with laughter and whining and all the madness that comes with having a family. And---"
"Awe, that's sweet," Bella cut her off, with a sardonic grin and took another gulp of her drink. "Really, who needs a curse when you have ambitious like that?"
"Shut up!" "And yeah, I know that that's like setting feminism back to the 1950s, but---"
"That's bad, I presume?" Bella frowned, probably not even noticing that she'd cut her off again. Of all the things that Bella had loved most about the new world, was the feminist movement. Forget layering up and burning bra's, the witch was just happy she could breathe!
"Women were considered little more than their husband's slave," Kat explained and tried not to laugh when she saw Bella's startled expression. "It was more like a society-thing than women's intelligence, don't worry. We snapped out of it."
"Thank fuck," she blurted, before setting down her glass and just sitting quietly watching the fire for a while, thinking. "Well, I came from a time where everything I did was frowned upon, but I still can't say I understand your dilemma."
Not it was Kat's turn to frown. While being on the opposite side of the specter, their problems were alike in many ways, from Kat's point of view. Considering what Bella had been through, if anyone should have understood her, it would be Bella…
"Bella," Kat sighed, wondering if hadn't made herself clear enough. "People will hear something like that and---!"
"And fuck them," Bella cut her off with a scoff and then turned to face Kat with a serious expression on her face. "It's your life why should anything they say matter?" She swatted her hand as if the problem – and thereby the discussion – was nothing but an annoying bug. "You're a kind, strong and beautiful young woman who survived being cursed to live as a cat for years in the wild. If people insist on taking one look at you and judging you based on their own shallow perception, then they're the problem. Not you!"
Kat had never looked at herself in that light. And yeah, when she thought about it, it sort of was that simple. No matter what she did, she'd never be able to change people's perspectives. No matter what she did or what she looked like, people would always judge her for it.
But she had a choice!
She could let it get to her – strive to become what everybody else expected of her or from her – leaving her exhausted and unhappy. Or she could tell all those people to fuck the fuck off and be who she wanted to be. And do what made her happy. Even if her Fated Mate rejected her, she'd at least always have that…
"And if your cooking skills are only half as good as your parenting skills will be," Bella continued with a sly grin. "Then you are going to be an amazing mother, because these," she moaned as she took a bite. "Are divine!"
Kat laughed and just because she couldn't help herself, she threw her arms around her and hugged her.
"Thanks, Bella," she sighed happily and pulled back. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd crash and burn, love," Bella said, still a little awkward about being hugged and shown affection, but at least she didn't spell her away anymore.
That was progress…
"But seriously, go make dinner!" Bella pouted and playfully hit her arm. "I'm hungry"
Kat shook her head and stood--- just when the laundry basket came rushing by, throwing a torn-up dress in Kat's direction. Kat caught it and realized that it was the red little number that Bella had worn the other night. Why was the laundry basket throwing it at her? It usually only did that when the clothes were---
Kat gasped when she saw the huge tear in them. It looked like someone had taken a knife through it or something!
"What happened?!" she gasped and turned to Bella, sticking her finger through the hole. Oh, God! Her whole hand fit through there!
What on earth had happened?!
But calm as a cucumber, Bella barely spared the dress a glance and waved her off like it was no big deal.
"Oh, that's when I ran away from Bjorn the other night---" she began, and this time, it was Kat's turn to cut her friend off…
"Bjorn?!" Kat exclaimed, barely keeping her volume below a panicked screech. "You mean Bjorn Larson? Magnus's partner? Trigger Happy Bjorn?!"
"Yeah, him," Bella replied calmly--- as if Kat was the one being ridiculous right now!
"Oh shit," Kat muttered, too shellshocked to do much of anything right now – except for panicking! "That's bad!"
As in really, freaking BAD!
While a bear's senses weren't as pronounced as a wolf's, they were still freaking good! And the two of them hunted down criminals for a living! Hell, it was probably just a matter of time, before they were breaking down their door and---
"I'd say," Bella huffed and got up, taking the dress away from Kat and inspecting the tear herself. "Ruined my favorite pair of shoes too, that mongrel."
THAT'S what she was worried about?!
"BELLA!" Kat yelled, unable to help herself, and grabbed her friend's shoulder, hoping she could shake some sense into her. "I'm serious!"
"Well, so am I," Bella replied evenly. "They were on sale!"
"You use magic to get everything you want---," Kat found herself replying before she should stop herself. "Arg! That's not even the point! The point is, did he recognize you?"
Perhaps they'd gotten lucky. Bella had changed a lot over the past six months. And when all the grime and sweat had been washed away, even her scent had been different.
Perhaps---
"Yes," the witch with a scowl, that never failed to make the cat shifter think she was asking a stupid question. Oh, fuck! This was bad!
Really. Freaking. BAD!
"Why else would he chase me like a mad bear all over town? It's---"
"Bella," Kat cut her off again, her chest constricting with panic and---
Sadness…
"Don't you realize what that means?" she blurted, hoping that her voice sounded stronger than she felt. Because right now, her whole world seemed like it was falling apart. She couldn't let Bella be captured! She was all she had. Everybody thought that the witch was some sort of evil mastermind and if the MBI had their way, they'd lock her up without even a trail. And although she was a cat most of the time, she couldn't just leave her friend behind like that. They had to somehow get away from here. Leave! And while that meant she had to leave her mate behind, she couldn't---
"That means that they're on to you," Kat continued, her voice cracking. "You're in danger! You---!"
"I'm not leaving," Bella stated, her voice crisp and clam like ice. "You promised to stay by my side until I had enough power to return to my own time and save my sister. I'm keeping you to that promise."
Kat let out small hysterical laughter. Did she really think that she'd tell her to leave while she stayed behind?
"Bella…" Kat sighed while she tried to sound stern and glared at her friend through tear-filled eyes.
"And since your mate is here, we obviously can't go," Bella however continued, as if Kat hadn't spoken at all. "Mates can't live without each other and I'm not willing to lose you! That's why we're staying."
Kat gaped.
Of all the things that could have come out of the witch's mouth, those were--- More tears stung her eyes and her chest swelled with something more. No, Bella wasn't the most emotional being in the world, but she was loyal and honest to a fault.
And she was her friend…
"I'll be more careful when going out and perhaps get a new hair color or something. But I'm not losing the only thing I have left worth fighting for in this world," she continued, her tone still controlled, but she folded her hands over her chest the way she always did when she felt something she couldn't explain. Or something she felt she shouldn't feel…
But Kat knew…
"I'm not losing you, Kat!"
Suddenly Kat realized that while she had been making plans for BOTH of them to escape, Bella had feared that she was going to be alone again. That the next person she would come across would be another Colten or someone even worse. Knowing it or not, Bella didn't want to be without a friend again. Knowing it or now, Bella was becoming more and more human…
Once again Kat pulled her best friend into her arms and held her tight.
"You're not losing me, Bella," she said, surprised at how calm and steady her voice suddenly had gotten. "Not ever. I promise."
Stunned for a moment, Bella hesitated before hugging the cat shifter. But she found, that she really, really hoped, that she meant it…
But unfortunately, some promises are meant to be broken. Because from across the street on the rooftop of another building, lay a man with a scope watching them interact. Now recognizing both women, he cursed low and pulled out his phone, quickly dialing his wolf partner.
"Magnus! Get your ass to that new voodoo shop on Main Street right now," the bear shifter growled low into the speaker. "That witch, I was talking about? The one with Colten?"
Bjorn looked up, once again confirming what he already knew.
"She's talking to your future mate right now!"