Hidden | Completed

16| Blood Purity

Saturday| November 5th, 2016 | Katerina | Early Morning

It was unusual for me to be up so early on a Saturday morning. My body just felt so alive and full of energy that I just couldn't sleep anymore. It probably had something to do with the fact that I would get the chance to spend the full day with my parents.

A day wasn't enough to make up for the twelve years of separation, but I was happy enough to have a day with them. I wish we had the entire weekend, but they did have a kingdom to run.

I got myself ready for the day. I was still getting used to the clothes here since they weren't exactly modern. I decided to wear a gray vest with a black belt buckled along my waist with a pair of comfy silk black pants and low-cut black boots.

Satisfied with how I looked, I went to exit my room only to almost run smack-dab into Cato.

"Cato? What the hell?" I grumbled.

"Good morning to you as well, princess," he said with a smirk.

"Can I ask why you're standing outside my door?"

"Have you already forgotten that I was assigned to guard you?"

I glared at him. "No, I didn't but that doesn't mean you need to stand outside my door like some creepy stalker." I pushed past him and started making my way to the dining hall with Cato trailing behind me. "And you don't have to follow me around either."

"My apologies, princess but I have to. You could be attacked at any moment."

"I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."

Cato gripped me by the arm, and I turned to tell him to let me go, but the serious look on his face made me keep my mouth shut.

"Have you ever fought another werewolf before?" I shook my head. "It's nothing like the silly fights you get into with those weak humans. You could actually die, Katerina. Be sure you keep that in mind the next time you complain about my presence."

I felt ashamed for calling him a stalker. He was only doing his job. "I'm sorry, Cato. I understand you're just trying to do your job. I'm just not used to, well, you know."

He let go of my arm. "Used to being protected. That's understandable. Your safety is mine and your parents' number one priority. They've lost you once. They don't want it to happen again."

"Okay. I'll try not to be weirded out by you following me everywhere."

"That's all I ask for, princess."

"Oh, so now I'm princess again? You can call me Katerina, you know?"

"That would be unprofessional of me."

"Well, I'm not gonna have my friend constantly calling me princess." I didn't miss the look of shock that overcame his face at my statement. "What? If you're gonna be following me around, we might as well be friends."

"Fine, but I'll have to call you by your title when we're around your parents," he said. "Let's continue to the dining hall before your parents think something happened to you."

~~~

Breakfast was...interesting to say the least. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the food that was served.

Except for the raw bacon that is.

I wouldn't have been totally grossed out by it if it weren't for the fact that it was freshly cut from the pig. It was completely drenched in blood and the sight of it had my stomach churning. I watched disgustedly as my parents ate their fill before they offered me some.