Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Night World series belong to L.J. Smith. No copyright infringement is intended.
It was a garden, enclosed by a wall ten feet high and topped with barbed wire, but it was a big garden and not overly landscaped the way gardens like these often were. Keller could almost pretend she was in the wild. Almost. It was too quiet and yet too loud because she could hear the sounds of multiple televisions playing in the house. Still, it was the best she could do for now. She changed and it felt so good. There was a cherry tree ahead. She raced towards it and sprang and settled in a branch eight feet above the ground. A moment later she jumped down and leaped back up.
She was still playing like a cub when she smelled Iliana coming outside. Security at the safe house was as tight as they could make it, but Keller always worried. Some bird shapeshifter could be lurking up there. True, there were no birds in the air - her panther cry having startled them all away a few minutes ago - and the witches swore their wards would hide Iliana from even bird 'shifters, but Keller hastened to Iliana's side lest some threat materialized while she was relatively unprotected. Iliana was more than capable of protecting herself, having vaporized a dragon, Keller couldn't help herself. She was committed to the job.
Only it wasn't just a job anymore. They were friends and blood sisters, and in the three months they'd been here, Keller had come to love Iliana in a way she'd never loved anyone else. Not the same way she loved Galen, but almost as strongly. More than she loved Nissa and Winnie, her dearest friends. Iliana was...Iliana. Keller circled her and when she got close enough, Iliana patted her on the head. Then she scratched her ears.
Keller had never allowed anyone but Galen to pet her. She leaned into Iliana's touch, though, and rubbed herself against her, marking Iliana with her scent. After brushing away some sodden leaves to preserve her second best coat, Iliana sat, and Keller laid down beside her. She moved her head into Iliana's lap and Iliana resumed petting her. A girl and her cat.
"I wanted to talk to you in private," Iliana said. "Maybe I'm a coward, talking when you're in this form and you can't answer." She stroked Keller's muzzle. "I guess you could bite me though. I deserve it. I kissed Galen last night. I'm so sorry."
Keller changed back into human form. "I know," she said. "Galen told me." She was still lying with her head in Iliana's lap. It was okay when she was a panther, but she was a girl now and it was too close, too personal. It was more intimate than she'd ever been with anyone other than Galen. Yet it didn't make her uncomfortable; if anything, it felt nicer. So she stayed there.
"I didn't mean for it to happen. Galen didn't either. It just happened." Keller was silent so Iliana continued, "I won't lie to you and say it didn't mean anything because it did. But I know you and Galen are soulmates, and you're my best friend, Keller. I won't let it happen again. Please forgive me."
Galen had begged for forgiveness too. He'd actually fallen to his knees and begged. Keller knew she should be angry, that she should feel betrayed. But she just didn't. It was easy to forgive them because it didn't feel like they'd really done anything wrong. She wasn't sure where that left the three of them, though, so she'd come out here to be alone and stop thinking.
"I forgive you," she assured Iliana.
"Oh, Keller," Iliana squealed. She leaned forward to cover Keller in a hug. "You're too good."
"Not if you continue suffocating me."
Iliana straightened up and began stroking Keller's hair in happiness. Keller's human body had inferior senses compared to her panther body; it didn't make sense that Iliana's touch should seem more now but it did. Keller closed her eyes and tried to understand what it all meant.
Galen found them sitting like that. Keller saw and felt the worry melt away from him. He sat beside them, and none of them spoke. Then Keller reached for him with one hand, feeling the almost electric feel of the soulmate connection, and clasped Iliana with her other hand, feeling something different but almost as powerful. "Whatever happens between the three of us," she said, "Is okay."