The Pixie's Warrior Wolf (Completed)

Is It Hate?

It had started with the fact that Tommy never liked the way Josie went after Katherine. Having always wanted his mate to drop the small intimacy he’d shared with the sweet girl; he’d gotten the opposite. A fire started that had seemed so trivial and small had grown into a devastating forest fire.

Having ended Katherine’s life in Heart Cove and put a side eye on Tommy as the accelerant, the village had seen Josie as the victim. But really? She was the one left holding a match with a soot covered face.

“Are you coming home tonight?”

About to walk out for patrol, Tommy knew the kids were down and barely sent his mate a look as he grunted, “No. I’m on graveyard again.” Frowning, Josie tried to wipe the disapproval off her face as she tried to joke, “I need to tell Elijah you’ve been working too many of those rounds. I’m starting to think he doesn’t want you in our bed anymore.”

Joke not met with laughs, Josie felt the awkward silence and it made her sigh in annoyance as she begged to know, “How long are you gonna keep doing this?” Raising an eyebrow, Tommy still had a hand on the door as he asked, “Do what? Go to patrol? As long as I breathe, you know my rank darling.”

Waving that off, the young lady sent him a “come on” look, “No. I meant you giving me the cold shoulder about that stuff with Katherine. You can’t keep blaming me.”

A laugh that felt mocking sent all the hairs on her arms standing upright, “Yeah well that’s easier said than done.” He started to leave but with her magic, Josie kept the door closed. Growing frustrated, the pumpkin orange of Tommy’s eyes met his wife’s dusk rose.

Turning away, she sighed, “Right.” Tommy hated fighting with his wife, especially over another woman. But he had to call a spade a spade and make things right. “Katherine was shamed, bullied, and berated out of town and could have been killed because of a comment you made out of term. You made a narrative that she was trying to tempt me. When you had to have known that wasn’t the ca-.”

Josie looked down ashamed, “I was just scared. I acted without thinking and I said it before I thought and then I just…didn’t take it back.” Tommy stared at her for a moment and then asked, “Was it because you weren’t honest about something?” Josie looked at him confused, “Beg your pardon?”

Shrugging, Tommy admitted, “Usually when someone insists on something in their partner it’s because their the ones-.” Their son crying stopping his accusation, Tommy watched Josie’s face as she reminded him, “You saw pretty clearly that night we mated I hadn’t been with another man. I wasn’t even familiar or friends with one before I got to Heart Cove. I don’t know where you got that. But no, I hadn’t and I would have never lie about that.”

She’d turned to go in the back when Tommy looked at her back and said, “I wasn’t asking if you’d been with another man.” Josie froze as he asked, “But is there maybe another reason you went after Katherine?” Unable to move her mouth, Josie rushed to their son.

Leaving off to his shift, Josie felt the door close even when he didn’t slam the door. Soft for the kid’s sake, Josie was left alone with her thoughts. And she waited for him to come back when she had them somewhat in order to share with him, but he didn’t come home.

Unlike the other times when they fought, Tommy didn’t come rushing back to apologize. She fell asleep uncomfortably on the couch, and the fairy was woken up by her toddlers wanting breakfast. A crick in her neck and her back hurting, Josie grumbled about throwing it out as she made coffee and food.

Going through the day sleep-deprived and numb, when Tommy came home, he greeted the kids and looked to his wife. Starting to ask her if she was okay and was ready to talk, Josie suddenly said she was taking the kids to the park to let him sleep.

Tommy watched her go minutes later and as Josie thought the fresh air would help her, she was suddenly greeted, “Hey honey.” Turning to Shana Bright, Josie smiled softly, “Hey.” A young mother too, the elf was adorable as she chirped, “You want to go and get a coffee?” Shrugging softly in agreement, Josie gasped when Amaretto suddenly asked, “Have you seen her?”

Confused as she pulled her hair up into a messy bun, Josie stilled when Amaretto taunted, “Katherine.”

Stopping midway from grabbing her wallet from her baby bag, Josie righted herself as Amaretto’s pastel lilac purple eyes swiveled to the tree in the distance.

Seeing Katherine, Josie’s breath stopped for a moment before she took her in. Serene and relaxed in the evening as the shade protected her from the sun, the soft breeze made her sweet strawberry blonde hair dance in the wind. Smiling when the man who ran the ice cream stand greeted her, the pretty girl was heart racing as she tucked her flying hair behind her ear.

Sketching as she hummed a song, Amaretto and Shana watched their friend stare her down. And neither knew the expression on her face as Josie suddenly snatched her gaze away like she shouldn’t have looked. Feeling nerves build, Josie was checking on her sleeping two year old daughter and her six-month-old son. Both sleeping unaware, Amaretto saw Josie’s expression and wanted to see it titter.

So, she goaded, “Don’t you have something you want to say to her?”

Josie did.

And she now had the stage.

Walking over after asking Shana to watch the kids for her they both watched their friend go over and Josie shocked them as she gently asked Katherine, “Can I sit with you?” Nodding surprised as well, Katherine was shocked when she felt not a sliver of hostility like she expected.

Having only seen Josie at a distance since coming home, Katherine was sure the hate lived on. Only Josie now sat with her in the park defeated and looking pale. Seeing Katherine’s sketch, she complimented, “That’s really good.” Grinning, Katherine thanked her before feeling weird. Because she and Josie had ever spoke before.

And her now nice approach was making her uneasy.

Staring holes in the side of her head, Katherine didn’t get any answers from her face, so she just asked, “Did you…did you want something?” Josie jumped a little, giggled, and then shook her head disoriented, “No. I need to apologize to you, but I can’t find the words to describe how shitty I feel.”

Surprised, Katherine started to tell her there was no need. But Josie faced her suddenly and the dusk rose eyes nervously looked at her, “I am truly sorry Katherine.” Feeling she was, Katherine would have left it there, but Josie only thought it fair to be honest.

“I can’t even tell you why you’ve been all in my head as much as you have been.” She scoffed in disbelief, “Oh wait, maybe I can. Jealousy.” Because Katherine had been perfect in her eyes from the time Josie had met her. Coming into the colonies and having seen the way Katherine was treated, she’d been in green awe. Easily liked/loved in their community Katherine had been the untouchable princess who everyone said to be friends with if you wanted friends at all.

Katherine Tomsen had always been sweet, pretty, and creative. Not to mention mature and sure of herself in ways Josie hadn’t understood at the time.

Loved, pretty, kind, popular, and not to forget powerful. Josie had seen it all there in the palm of the girl’s hands and knew the tools of destruction were nothing to trifle with. And yet she still did.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Katherine’s gaze on Josie made the fairy cringe, but she kept her eyes straight ahead. “You had the perfect parents, perfect blonde hair, and perfect life it seemed. And I was just so scared because…I didn’t feel like enough. I was, young, I felt…stupid? I’d grown up in a small all female colony and I felt unprepared. I thought he was too, and I kept assuming his many patrols were excuses and he wasn’t ready. That he was second guessing everything.”

More like projecting and it had led to her feeling like she had a competition where it wasn’t.

“I insulted you that day because I had driven myself insane, and it was completely me and nothing you did, and I had no right to come at you that way.” Katherine bit her bottom lip from quivering before whispering, “Wow, I mean, it’s okay, I mean now it is. At the time it sucked, and I hated you so much.”

Josie nodded knowing it was fair if Katherine still did. But Katherine didn’t have the energy to keep hate alive and instead wondered, “Why were you there the other day? I saw you…”

Remembering Katherine’s meltdown and hating herself for pushing her there, Josie whispered, “I was there to apologize. Make things right between our houses, I was going to invite you around for dinner.” And while at the time it had been Tommy’s idea she was being pushed into agreeing with, Josie now realized how childish she was being.

“I just…I shouldn’t have hurt you because I was upset about something that had nothing to do with you. I’m sorry, and I’ll straighten it out.” Katherine’s expression stayed measured as she admitted, “I don’t need you to do anything.” Maybe then, but now, Katherine had her own spine and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind back.

“I was a kid when I needed defending. Now I don’t because, I’m more prepared and I’m not afraid to, so…thanks. But you don’t have to.” Josie knew that she didn’t have to. But she would.

Because as she’d come off like the aunties in her last colony, Josie’s stomach clenched. “I…sorry.” Starting to get up, Katherine surprised Josie by asking, “You okay?”

Nodding slowly, Josie lied, “Yeah I’m okay.” And Katherine couldn’t push as she suddenly walked away. Brunette bun bouncing as she went to her friends and kids, Josie was calm as she told Shana she’d talk to her later. And as she wheeled her children away, people continued to stare.