Sunday night found her tossing and turning in her bed, worried out of her mind. This was a part she hadn't thought about. What if Paul was hurt? She knew he had patrol essentially every night – both because there was only three wolves to protect a whole town, and because of the constant danger of the Cold One who was targeting the town.
Abandoning her hope for sleep, she sat up, throwing back her duvet and getting out of bed – immediately feeling the chill of her room. Timidly, she made her way over to her back doors, pulling back the curtain a little to look out into the moonlit night. Her grass looked grey and one dimensional, the forest reduced to a slivery mash of shadow. For a moment, everything looked still and peaceful – before something moved in the trees.
Heart pounding, she retreated back behind the curtain – peeking through a sliver of glass. This was it – the bushes rustled – it was coming for her, and she was going to die-
A familiar, silver-furred shape came out of the bushes, massive body making no sound, and barely making the leaves shiver.
"Paul." She breathed, heart pounding again – but for a different reason. Since her realization the night before – she'd been very careful to make sure her thoughts only stayed on danger. She could admit freely that she was a little afraid of the feelings that she'd put a name to. She liked Paul.
The giant wolf was still moving, and Kitty gave a little squeak as he stepped into the shadow of her house, right up close to her glass door. He nudged at the pane of glass gently, and Kitty ducked back behind the curtain to open the door. When she opened it, Paul's human face appeared – suddenly transformed. "Hey, pretty-Kitty." He grinned, growing wider as she ducked her head involuntarily.
"What are you doing here?" she asked instead, trying to take an unimpressed stance, crossing her arms and planting her feet.
Paul just stepped into her room, coming very close to her in one movement. She didn't even have the time to move back as he suddenly towered over her, tilting his head slightly. "Just… checking." He said mysteriously, smiling like he knew something she didn't.
"Checking what?" Kitty asked, heart thudding as he leant down a little, following her as she took a step back.
"Checking on my best girl." He said casually – and it was truly a mark of how embarrassingly gone she was that she actually blushed at the implications of being 'his'. "I could practically hear you tossing and turning from a mile away."
"Could you really?" she asked, curiosity returning. He hadn't really explained all of the traits that came with being a wolf – but she was willing to bet enhanced hearing was one. He'd already said he could hear her heart. She tried to not think about how humiliating it was that everytime he'd made her heart skip a beat, he had known. She took a seat on her bed.
Paul grinned and followed her. "I'm good – but I'm not that good. I just had a… feeling." He took a seat at the foot of her bed, as she curled up against her pillows, watching him. "And here I am."
"Here you are." She said softly. It seemed silly now, now that he was with her; all anxieties and worries fading in the wake of his smile and his warmth. The late hour came crashing down onto her all at once, and she blinked sleepily, as they sat there in a comfortable silence. "What is it about you?" she asked faintly accusingly, as her eyes threatened to slide shut.
"Huh? What have I done?" he asked, looking exaggeratedly outraged, even as he stood up – reaching for her duvet and pulling it up over her. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"You know. You make it better." She said nonsensically. She wasn't even really sure what she meant herself – only that her feelings were bubbling to the surface the closer he got to her, as he knelt beside the bed with a fond expression.
"Make what better?" he asked in a hushed voice.
"Everything." She whispered.
She wasn't too tired to miss the way his face contorted for a moment, before a dopey smile settled over his features. But sleep was singing it's siren song, and as he stepped away, his hand touching her cheek briefly, she didn't have the time to figure it out before her eyes were settling shut.
"Sleep well, Kitty."
He may have left the room, sliding the door shut after him – but he didn't stray far. The moonlight was nice, the wind through his fur soothing – but nothing compared to the way he felt. He probably should have felt embarrassed – feeling so gooey over nothing much at all – but it was the way she looked at him, the way her breath caught, her heart fluttered, her cheeks warmed.
It was her. All her.
And for once, he allowed himself to hope.
Was it bold to say that she had had the best night's sleep of her life?
Was it vain to say that, for once, she had woken up… glowing? Flawless? Was this how Beyoncé felt?
She grinned at herself in the mirror, danced her way through breakfast, sung in the shower – and even Alex commented on it.
"What's got you so… happy?" she asked, as if it was a curse word, brow raised, stormy eyes narrowed.
Kitty shrugged. "I don't know… just… just…"
"That boy of yours?" Her mother said casually, passing by with a knowing smile.
Kitty balked, eyes shooting wide. "W-what?! No – hah, good one, mom! As if…"
"Methinks she doth protest too much…" Alex muttered, taking a sip of her coffee. Kitty glared fiercely at her, making her younger sister snort into her mug. "You look constipated." She said dryly.
Kitty dropped the attempt at the frown, smiling slightly. "I don't know…"
"Ah young love!" Her dad boomed brightly, doing up his coat and winking. Kitty sunk lower into her chair.
"Is this a family discussion now?" Kitty groused, pouting.
"Sure is, Kit-Kat!" As if summoned, Topher stuck his head in the door grinning like a demon. She groaned – but couldn't stop from smiling.
"You guys are the worst!"
Kim met her at her locker, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. When she took in Kitty – her eyes widened. "Oh – look at you."
"What?" Kitty asked.
Kim smiled knowingly, wriggling her eyebrows. "Did Paul go to see you last night?"
"Oh my god!" Kitty groaned. "Did I accidentally write everything on my forehead or something? Why does everyone keep saying these things?!"
Kim held up her hands in surrender. "Hey, no judgement here – whenever Jared's nearby I get the tingles. At first I thought I had bad circulation, but nah – just an Imprint thing." She said with a grin.
Kitty just shook her head. "Ew Kim, I don't wanna know about your tingles! And what the hell is an Imprint? Like a tattoo – did you get a tattoo?" Kitty ran her eyes over her friend, oblivious to the sudden panicked look on Kim's face.
"Did I say Imprint? Huh – funny, don't remember that." Kim cleared her throat, "Wow, look at the time, we should get to class." With that, her friend began to speed-walk away. Kitty watched her go with a faint frown.
Okay. Weird. Very weird.