What am I

24: Walk with Titan

It's been a week since I told Seri I loved her. A whole week went by with her distancing herself from me. Even when we weren't in school she wouldn't come to 'check in' on me. Though a few times I thought I saw her wolf running through the small wooded area behind my house.

Tonight I took Titan out for his walk, which let me tell you, is beyond weird now. Knowing he's a demon and I can talk to me...is just kind of freaky. But his company was nice and welcomed, seeing as I had no other canine companion to talk to.

"She'll come round, Harry. Just give her some time to work through her issues." He thought to me while we approached the small clearing. It was our spot and we would always end up here whenever we went out.

"Ya think? She's just so confusing sometimes." I said as I sat against a tree. "I catch her sometimes looking at me with this look in her eye, like she's looking at a sparkling gem or something. But then other times, her eyes are so blank and emotionless."

"Have you read her thoughts?" he asked, lifting the side of his muzzle with a wicked smirk.

"W-what?...I-I mean...I've tried but she keeps blocking me out." I was slightly embarrassed that I had tried to pry into her personal thoughts just to see if I was in them. Yes, I know, invading her privacy is wrong but what would you do if you were me?

I turned towards Titan, half expecting him to laugh at my confession but he seemed distracted. He looked to be having a mental discussion with himself so I left him in peace.

"Harry, has Seri told you about your powers yet?" he asked out of the blue. I thought it was strange, considering our previous topic of discussion but let it go.

"No, not really. But Kale said-"

"Who's Kale?" he cut me off. I mentally slapped myself for slipping. Seri had told me NO ONE was to know about Zee and Kale being here.

'Tell him it's what I call my wolf!' Seri's voice sounded in my head and I did my best not to jump up and spin around looking for her. Something in her thoughts told me to keep her presence quiet.

"It's Seri's wolf..." I wasn't sure how believable that lie came off but Titan nodded and continued with his weird questions.

"Does she have any idea what your powers might be?"

"I-I don't know. She doesn't really like to talk about it, I guess." I shrugged as if it were not big deal. A wave of suspicion hit me and I knew it was coming from Seri.

But why would she be suspicious of Titan?

"And no signs of getting them early?" I finally looked over at him to see his head cocked to the side, his right ear lifted a bit higher than the other, as if listening to something.

'Tell him no, Harry! I'm on my way, don't tell him anything!' She all but screamed in my head and it took everything I had not to burry my head in my hands and wince in pain.

I thought it was strange of her to tell me to say no, as if it were a lie, but I listened.

"Nope, she said I won't get them until I turn 19."

"Yea, she's right. But you're the most unique Halfling out there. Normally rules really don't... shouldn't, apply to you." As he thought it, I could feel a slight wave of disappointment come off of him. It was a bit weird but I let it go. Maybe he was just excited about getting a second chance, I figured, those like him and Seri would be.

"I'm not really sure how all this works." I said, staring off in the distance. I could feel Seri in the back of my mind, she was very close.

"Hey, where's Everett been lately? I haven't seen him in school for a few days." I asked, not meaning to change the subject but the thought of his son came to mind. It was weird, Everett loved the attention he got at school so him missing a few days was odd.

"I assume he went off with some new witch he found. Mostly likely at the pub, boy has no taste when it comes to women." He sneered, but I could tell there was something off about his nonchalant answer.

"Oh." Was I all I could say, it wasn't like I was good friends with him so maybe his father was right.

"Harry?" Seri's voice sounded from the other end of the clearing. It shocked me to see her in her human form. I expected her to come as her wolf.

Or maybe you were just hoping. My subconscious chuckled at me. It was true, I loved Seri in her wolf form. She was just so beautiful. But with the shifting getting more and more painful, she really only shifted when she had to.

"What are you doing out here so late?" she sounded concerned but I knew it was an act.

"I wanted to walk with Titan. I didn't realize it was getting so late." I looked down, it felt like I was being scolded by my mum.

"Titan, next time, keep him closer to the house. This is too far out for him to be as darkness falls." She finally reached us and took a seat next to me. Titan just nodded and looked around. I caught Seri watching him closely.

'What is it? What are you not sharing with me about Titan?' I mentally broke down the brick wall she was trying to keep up. This was something I was getting better and better at and I knew it pissed her off.

She mentally slapped my when I was almost through and I withdrew. I narrowed my eyes at her when look up to see a smug look on her face.

"Well, I guess we better be getting home than." Titan thought as he stretched his legs. His claws digging into the ground a bit.

"Actually, Harry, you think your parents will notice if you didn't come home tonight?" she looked down at her hands as she played with the grass. Pulling small fistfuls out and sprinkling them around her folded legs.

"Huh? I mean...yea, they would?" it came out as a question since my mind was wondering what she getting at?

"But I could tell them I'm going to stay at a friend's." I suggested.

"Yea, I-I just need to talk to you. Thought maybe we could...hang out? After?" the way she said may me think she was testing the words, saying them to see how they tasted rolling off her tongue.

"Yea!" I nearly shouted excitedly. I knew she just wanted to get away from Titan but with her being so closed off, or more closed off, to me lately I was still excited to have some alone time with just her.

"I mean, yea...that'd be cool." I shrugged and I heard Titan chuckling. He tried to play it off as a cough or something.

Shooting him a glare I said, "Hairball?"

He narrowed his eyes at me before saying, "I'm not a cat, halfwit. But I do have things of my own to do, so go have fun with your 'lady'."

I rolled my eyes, patting his head. "See ya at home tomorrow, T."

With that he left took off running towards the woods as me and Seri stood to walk back to my house. I needed clothes and my backpack.

'So are you going to tell me what all that was about?' I asked after a moment of silence.

'Not here...keep your thoughts guarded Harry. I have a feeling I'm not the only one in your head.' She said as she mentally pulled me to the corner of my mind and closed the door behind her.

What is with her? Why is she acting so strange? I thought and tried to keep it to myself, but since she was locked in with me, I guess it didn't work.

'You're right. It didn't. Now shut up and go get your stuff. I'll wait for you by your car.' She playfully hit my shoulder and winked. Waiting to until I was inside the house and I could feel Seri wondering around my memories, I finally thought maybe she was losing it.

One moment she is ignoring me and the next I'm packing an overnight bag to 'hang out' with her at hers. One moment she trusts Titan than the next she can't get me away from him soon enough. I swear if she gets any weirder I might have to pad her house down.

'Haha! Not funny, Styles! Hurry up and I'll explain once we get there.' I could tell she was rolling her eyes and shaking her head. It was something she did when I flustered her with my witty self.

'Witty? Is that what you think you are? Cause I can think of another name for it.'

I cut her off by telling my parents I would be back after school tomorrow. That's one of the things I love about my parents. They always trusted me and always made sure to never give them a reason not to. Though, I did feel bad for letting them think I was stay with a guy friend. But it wasn't like Seri and I were going to do anything...she made that quite clear. I thought as I walked out of the house.

"Made what 'quite clear'?" she asked as I unlocked the door for her.

"Nothing...just something mum said." I said quickly as I closed down my thoughts and turned the car on.

This was going to be a long night...I could feel it.