The kitten claims her mate (complete)

The birthday card

The sun was shining through her curtains and the birds were chirping happily. It was a beautiful spring morning. Betty stretched in bed with her eyes closed and a happy grin on her face. She'd had an amazing dream. She remembered a few scenes, but most of it was just feelings and smells. That smell... She had a strong feeling that it wasn't cinnamon cookies, after all. It was a person who smelled absolutely wonderful.

She accidentally hit Koga with one of her arms and she heard him growl tiredly. Aww was he tired from doing nothing all day and night?

She lightly kicked him with her foot and sang, "Wake up sleepy head! It's time to get up and do doggy things."

Koga raised his head and bared his teeth before laying down again, his back foot kicking Betty when she tried to push him out bed. She giggled and snuggled up to him, rubbing his fur. He was so adorable. He liked to growl and show his teeth, but at heart he was a big teddy bear.

She stripped off her shirt and stood in her panties as she danced around her bedroom, listening to The Airborne Toxic Event. She heard a huffing noise from Koga on her bed, and she stopped to see what was wrong. He was staring at her with his mouth in the biggest doggy grin and his tongue falling out.

She put her hands on her hips and fake lectured him, "Are you making fun of my dancing, mister?" She was too happy to really lecture him.

She turned around and continued to dance as she pulled out clothes from her clothes basket to wear. She ended up with a sensible white bra, an oversized X Men shirt, blue panties with penguins on them, and a pair of jeans. After she was all dressed, she quickly brushed her hair and then headed for the kitchen. Koga followed her the entire time. He was such a good dog.

She microwaved two breakfast sandwiches and fed one to Koga. She paused on her way to the table, seeing her birthday card.

"Oh my gosh! I forgot to read this. Let's see what the old coot has to say."

She opened it up and inside Jack had written: Happy not your real birthday. When things get weird come talk to me, Jack.

Okay, that was weird. She shrugged and put the card on the table and ate her breakfast quickly. He probably meant it to be funny. She really loved that old guy, but sometimes she just didn't understand him.

She let Koga out and he ran off. He probably went to console his real family, who must have missed him. She selfishly hoped that he returned. It was nice having someone to talk to and cuddle at night.

Work went by quickly and without incident. Koga stayed away all afternoon, which was okay. It wasn't like she needed him or anything. Or at least that's what she told herself. She spent her evening cooking a healthy dinner, cleaning and watching Zoo on Netflix.

It was late at night and she was curled up on the couch watching a little dog lead a man to an alley to die. She loved this show, it was so creepy! A scratch at her door and a low woof alerted her that Koga was back. Bad timing, dog.

She paused Netflix and ran to the door. She opened it a crack and whispered, "Do you have a defiant pupil?"

Koga tilted his head in confusion and pawed at the door. Betty grinned and opened it wider, letting him in. "I was just messing with you, superstar. Want to watch TV and get some bad ideas?"

Later, she pulled off her shirt (she'd already shucked her pants the moment she got home from work) and bra and climbed under her covers. She pulled the blankets snugly across her shoulders and lay on her back. Koga lay with his head on her belly, his tail wagging. She ruffled his fur softly and kissed him goodnight.

That night she dreamt about the creepy neighbors. In the dream she didn't think Jax was intimidating at all, she thought he was wonderful. When he held her it felt like she was right where she belonged.

She had hazy memories of being annoyed by the other one... What was his name again? Jason? He kept trying to take her away from her spot, where she was nestled against Jax's neck. The other one, she didn't know his name, she didn't like at all. The scenes were slowly fading from her conscience mind- leaving her with a general sense that she'd been dreaming about her neighbors.

***

For several weeks she followed the same routine. She got up and ate breakfast with Koga. He would run off to his other home while she worked. When she came home, she would putter around the house. Koga would reappear near bedtime and they would go to sleep.

Her dreams were becoming more vivid. She could remember more and more of what happened in them- and they made no sense at all. In her dreams she was a kitten. She would romp around the house and play with a wolf. Sometimes she played with her neighbors.

She remembered vividly how much she loved being held by Jax. He was the source of the wonderful, intoxicating smell. Her kitten brain didn't understand the words they used, but the tone of Jax's voice made her melt.

It worried her that she kept having the same recurring dream. It wasn't normal for her to remember her dreams, much less have such vivid dreams every night. Plus she worried about why they all centered around her neighbor. Was she becoming obsessed with him? She'd only talked to him once before. She didn't understand any of this. It was just plain weird.