Choices, Love, and Magic (Complete)

chapter 26

My acknowledgement of why I was here barely escaped my lips before there was enraged shouting coming from the corridor at the top of the stairs. I knew who it was as soon as I heard the voice, and Tristam was getting closer.

"I don't care if he's arguing about strategies!" Tristam shouted, seemingly from right outside the door,"I know that she's nearby, and we are going to-" He stopped cold as he stormed inside and spotted me. We stared at each other for a moment, him shocked and me concerned. My absence had clearly cost him dearly.

I nearly jumped out of my skin and into a wolf when I felt a hand on my shoulder, twisting aggresively to see that it was just Rebecca as she prompted suddenly,"Look who's back, Tristam. We wouldn't want her to think you turned into a monster in her absence."

"Rebecca, I think we all know that calling him a monster is an insult to monsters," Hannah giggled behind me, and I let loose a chuckle of my own as light laughter from everyone filled the room, calming the tension until it was at least bearable. For the first time in several weeks, I was surrounded by people that really knew me, and I'd put them there.

Tristam grinned hesitantly and slowly descended the stairs, approaching me. He'd almost reached me when I was scared half out of my wits by strong arms circling me from behind. Again. Instinctivly now, I grabbed the wrist and twisted out of the person's grip, putting them on the floor and my knee on the back of their neck before I realized it was Cora. A now very surprised Cora.

"Oh my god!" I gushed as I pulled my friend up from the floor,"Cora! I am so sorry! You startled me and I just reacted and I am so sorry! I didn't mean to, I just...did." I trailed off, embarrased, as everyone looked at me with "maybe she's crazy after all" expressions. I giggled nervously before Tristam blinked away his surprise and smirked, chuckling.

"What kind of crap did you face out there, Katherine?" he chuckled before erupting into complete and total... laughter! The rest of us couldn't help but laugh along with him, but when we finally stopped, I knew that I had to answer Tristam's question.

But before I could tell my story, the rest of the group ran in, led by my mother, steamroller style.

Olivia, Hailey, Megan, Nicole, and Dad were all just a mix of worry and relief, but my mother had a fair amount of anger, too. Acting on borrowed instinct from the wolves I'd been hunting with, I shoved Clarissa, the weak spot, behind me and slid smoothly into a crouch, facing my mother's worry-fueled anger with a defensive wolf's growl.

Answering growls radiated around the room, and I whipped my head from side to side, seeing that all the werewolves in the room were snarling at the trespassor in their territory. In answer, I shifted to my powerful wolf, just to hear one word ring through the room.

"ENOUGH!!" Antonio roared. As we all halted, he shouted at the wolves,"Are you all just dumb dogs? I don't know about you, but I'd like it if we didn't lose Katherine again after FIVE MINUTES!" His voice turned deadly soft as he ordered,"Now Cora, Christian, and Katherine, please shift or turn back so that we can discuss this as normally as we can."

The two werewolves grudgingly did as he said, apparently seeing wisdom in it that I did not. When they turned, I merely sat down and proceded to stare down everyone in the room. They obviously didn't get why I didn't shift back, so I shifted just to explain why I didn't. Backwards, I know.

"I feel safer as a wolf," I explained,"It's what I've been safe in for the last few weeks." With that, I drew a frightened Clarissa closer to me and whispered soothing things in her ear. The other people in the room finally seemed to notice her, and my sister, who had a way with most kids, started walking forward. She stopped when I growled threateningly, hugging the girl closer as she whimpered in fear of anyone but me.