Comes with the Territory

Chapter 4 CWT

Sun streamed through a window, bouncing off a mirror, which in turn shot strait into my eyes. Great, just great. I looked around, seeing my neon green walls and car posters. My strategically place mirror sat on my dresser on the opposite side of the room, so if the power went out and my alarm clock didn’t go off, the sun would wake me up. I knew I should wake up, but my bed was just too warm, so I snuggled back under my yellow covers.

Something nudged me in the back of my mind, something I should remember, but I didn’t want to. Not on a Sunday. Sundays were days where you relax and enjoy yourself, eating mushy cereal while watching old Loony-Tunes with your day in pajamas all day.

Mica, get up.

I froze, hearing a voice in my head. I tenderly touched my forehead, feeling a huge bump. How did I get that? Then it all came back to me. The fight, Ethan, Ethan the bear, and then finally the fit I had had. Oh my god.

“Daddy!” I yelled, hoping out of bed and lunging out of my room, wanting the protection being with my father had to offer. I slid into the kitchen, and relief bubbled in me when I saw my old man sitting down, drinking coffee. That relief, though, went away once I saw who he was with.

“Mica, I can explain,” he called as I stormed out, getting away from him. What the hell did he do to me! I know he said it was all genetics, but if he hadn’t had his minions kidnap me, I wouldn’t have gone through what I just did.

Calm down, Mica. It isn’t his fault. It would have happened anyway, even without him.

Don’t you tell me what to do, you stupid voice inside my head, I growled at it, slamming the apartment door behind me as I fled down the stairs two at a time.

No, you listen to me, it growled, making me freeze.

We need your brother now, no matter how much you don’t. We need the safety of a pack, no matter how elusive we want to be.

Well then, whoever you are, I’m in charge here, so I don’t have to listen to you.

Oh, yes you do. I can take over this body anytime I want to. I am your Hellcat, Mica. I am the fighter that was silent until you unlocked me. Now, we can change into our Inner Animal, and be set free.

You’re Hellcat? I asked, shocked. When I realized I had asked the most unimportant question, I asked the other, more important one.

What do you mean, unlocked and set free? I mean, how long have you been here?

She gave a dry chuckle, a sound that sounded absolutely feline.

I have always been here, Mica. But with all of the hormones and emotions that have been flooding through you, it sort of opened the floodgate. So now I can finally speak to you, and not just take over your body when you feel threatened or angry.

Oh, I said stupidly, scratching the back of my head. This was utterly confusing.

So, you mean I can turn into an animal now? I asked cautiously, and I got another dry chuckle in response. She was really annoying. It then hit me that if we were the same person, I was this annoying too. Damn, now I hate myself.

Yes, Mica, you can turn into an animal. I have to warn you, though; it hurts your first shift, but nothing like the connection.

I was relieved to hear that, I could handle a little pain, now and then. How do you think I could fight for a living?

“Talking to yourself, Mica?” I heard him say behind me, and a low growl erupted from my throat, along with a disproving grumble from Hellcat.

“Still an ass, Ethan?” I asked hotly, and he frowned, probably wondering what he did wrong. I felt a little guilty, so I turned to look at him, fighting the urge to hug him.