Butterflies in Winter

::Chapter 35:: Wolf

For the second time in the space of half an hour. Kit felt as though his heart was about to stop.

Colour flooding from his face, until he was as pale as the clouds gathering above head. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Romany, still tangled in his arms to the point where Kit wasn't sure he could have let go of her if he had wanted to, for once didn't seem to notice the fear which lit his expression. The luck didn't extend to the ever observant Max and Vic.

"What do you think this means, Kit." Max chose his words carefully, but was unable to entirely mask the level of caution to his tone.

As though he wasn't entirely certain who the man before him was.

Like he was questioning everything that had happened over the last five years.

Vic didn't even need to say anything further for Kit to know what he was insinuating. Kit tilted his head, daring the bear to speak. His eyes narrowed until they were almost catlike, a gentle rumble growing from inside his chest.

Max spoke before Kit had the chance, the eagle as offended as the wolf at what had been alluded towards. "It was probably nothing, Vic. Perhaps a new trick of the beasts, to mess with our heads."

Snorting in a manner that wasn't as elegant as the bear usually enjoyed to portray himself as. "You saw what I saw, Max. Don't lie to yourself."

Now Romany pulled herself from Kit's arms. Her gaze was not as accusing as Vic was, but now with more a level of concern. "Unless you have a twin brother..."

Unable to finish her statement, before Vic impatiently butted in. "Who lost his left arm as well n the disaster," he growled taking a threatening step forward.

Pushing between Romany and the angered shifter, Kit didn't want to take on the man. Mostly because he was a friend, as well as the fact that there was no way he could beat the much bigger bear.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kit insisted as firmly as he could make the words come out.

"Lies," then all of a sudden Vic's words were perfectly calm. Like the eye of the storm. A side which showed how truly lethal the older man was. To be able to switch from fury to absolute composure in the space of a second.

Kit stumbled on his words, he didn't know what to say. How to tell the truth, if there was anyway of getting out of telling it.

With all eyes firmly on him, Kit took a step back. Contemplating taking as many as possible until he hit water, and then to start swimming from there. Yet from the looks he was receiving from the two shifters and the woman he loved, he could guess that there was no way that they were going to let him.

One way or the other, it appeared that he was entirely screwed.

A sigh tumbled from his lips before he could stop it, as though admitting defeat. Kit lowered his head and spoke softly. "You have to understand, that what I have to say means nothing. I'm still the same person I have been for the last five years, nothing can change that."

Narrowing his eyes, Vic didn't seem amused with Kit. "Just please get on with it, Kit," he spoke with the same calm tone. His arms crossed tightly across his chest, as though it were the only thing which was holding back his growing frustration and anger.

"Promise me this changes nothing," retorted Kit, more sharply than he had intended it to sound. Defensive.

"I promise you nothing," Vic growled lowly.

It was now Max's turn to sound defensive. His tone desperate as he pushed himself between Vic and Max. "Please, just stop it. You're acting ridiculous, when we know nothing yet." He begged, panic lighting the eagle shifter's gaze.