The Pixie's Warrior Wolf (Completed)

The Past II

“So how did this matter blow up then? I saw the looks of those women earlier, and now I understand even more what that kid was saying. What did she say that has everyone acting this way?”

Breathing out shakily, Katherine told him about that day with a flat monotone.

How after she’d gotten into a fight with her mom for hanging out with Dorian all night, going for a walk to clear her head had seemed smart. Only for that walk to have changed her life as Josie, a stranger, appeared like a hurricane of resentment and been downright repulsive in her approach.

She’d bellowed her words, and everyone in attendance that day heard, “You stay away from my mate you skank! He’s mated now! So, no more late-night rendezvous with him like with your other men.”

Hearing what Josie had called her, did nothing to stop Henry from getting angry as Katherine remembered looking around lost and confused. “I had no idea who she was or what she was talking about. Or even who until later. I was just confused so I ran away, and I guess it made me look guilty.”

Told later Josie was Tommy’s mate and looked at like a stain by one of her kin who use to beg to spend the night, share clothes, act like “sisters” she was suddenly shunned by her. Back turned with a haughtiness like the rumors were facts, talking to Tommy got her no where.

Stressed with a new son, a new position, and a new mate up his ass about a history he didn’t deem important? He had basically brushed her off asking to mediate. “Tommy basically told me it’d die down and ignore it but he didn’t get it. He didn’t see what I had saw.”

Her scared eyes of every old biddy, young couple, or group of teenagers looked at in the park that morning. Talking amongst themselves, they continued, and it spread. And soon it was the talk all over the village.

“When I got back home my dad wouldn’t even look at me. He treated me like I wasn’t even there even when I screamed at him nothing Josie said was true.” It was that night her mom came into her room nearly made her explode though. “My mom told me I’d given people the ammo to talk about me and my “night business”. That I had embarrassed them and whatever I did from then on, should be discreet.”

Scoffing as she shook her head; Katherine saw her mate about to shift he was so angry.

About to assure him she wasn’t a p********e; she didn’t have to because Henry had already gotten that. Seeing his mate so forlorn and emotionally whipped Henry had most of the puzzle pieces and he was starting to rethink Heart Cove entirely again. And not just for his mate’s peace either.

But for their future daughters as well.

“How could they treat you this way and let others?” The sweet old people he met hadn’t seemed so judgmental and cold, but then again, he wasn’t their daughter. But still. “They were supposed to protect you, go to war for you. Hell, I will if they are too stuck in their ways too!” Henry’s anger felt good, Katherine hadn’t had anyone to get angry like that on her behalf when it was all happening.

Only, she didn’t need anger. Or a war.

“I just need you, Henry.” Surprised by her honesty, Henry saw a tear fall in her firelight as she quickly wiped it away. “My parents basically shut down on me long before I decided to leave. They got embarrassed by me and didn’t want to go or do anything with their “shameful” daughter, and we practically avoided leaving the house. It was the summer I was turning nineteen when I decided to leave officially.”

After almost a year of walking on eggshells and holding up plans in the hope everything will die down, all she got was the cold shoulder and a lot of nights crying herself to sleep. So, when she finally threw her hands up and wanted to get the f**k away, why was it a shock?

“I wanted to get away from the village to find myself, see if the rumors and the hate would die. I went to the human cities, I had found distant relatives and lived with them in California.” A simple life with simple life struggles that had been hard and wonderous all in the same way. Stressful but all hers. Little Katie-Bell found Katherine.

“I liked being in California at first. No one knew me, I didn’t get special treatment because of my parents or because they’d seen me grow up. They didn’t judge me because of something as stupid as kissing a boy when I was fifteen. I was finally able to breathe. I got high there for the first time, grew three pants sizes and had to burn it off.” She shook her head remembering the weight she’d picked up from fried foods and funnel cakes. “But I learned about myself. I grew up...”

Sandy beaches and cool water on her feet. A hot sun and ice cream on the docks, followed by grueling hours put in at the restaurant her second cousin, twice removed owned. “I got so much life in realizing the real world had so many thing I didn’t know about. Utilities, rent, making my own way, and such, having to pay my way. I was spoiled and that had to be corrected. Fast.”

And it had been. Humbled when she got her check and thought, clothes, fun, and some food would be on the list, she’d been corrected in a blink.

“I was so confused when I had to give practically my whole check to my aunt for bills and rent, and half of my food that I had eaten.” Soon she was right back broke and looking for a second job. “I sold my art on the board walk, made portraits of couples and jewelry, was saving money wherever I could.”

Katherine smiled thinking of faces that had become vague, and numbers deleted as they probably wouldn’t call anyway, “I made pretty casual friends and I was doing fine but this guy…he tried to attack me. And I…it got bad.”

Upset and ready to kill hearing that, Henry’s stomach swooped as he let her tell him instead of interrupting assuming, “Zane was a mutual friend, I had a thing for him but he found out from one of the girls I was “saving myself for marriage basically” and wouldn’t f**k him.” So, he wouldn’t make a move, but he basically acted bodyguard to any other guy getting too close.”

Not caring since dating hadn’t been her priority, Katherine instead was too wrapped up in first feeling her magic in hot uncomfortable bursts, to not at all the longer she was in California. But by the end? The erratic fault lines having been working overtime starting to pull the power into the fifth-generation pixie? She was soon getting the bursts of power in uncontrollable tangents again.

Dangerous ones.

“I was in denial, said it was my body resettling, but then it seemed every time I got upset something happened and it was getting worse. And because of the lay lines I couldn’t control it.” Wishing she’d talked to her mom about this before having to tell Henry, she whispered, “Like I said Zane was a friend of sorts, so I didn’t think him ever capable of hurting me.”

Until he attempted to do just that.

“What happened? Did he hurt you?” Henry’s warm hand rubbing her back gave her strength to confess, “No he tried…”

One night, after a party. “The last few months in California he’d been not too subtly hinting he was going to “slow down” hooking up and wanted something “real” finally and I knew the words were supposed to be for me.” Still uninterested, Katherine didn’t even think it was because she was slut shamed into wanting to keep her legs closed that made her not even want to go there with Zane.

Sure, most would believe she reclaimed her sexuality by screwing any guy she wanted. But no, that wasn’t her. She’d long known what she wanted for herself in that regard without the village’s judgement and while other guys were easier to ignore? Zane wasn’t.

He wouldn’t be.

“We’d gone to a party; I’d stopped drinking because I was feeling power in a human city when I wasn’t supposed to be. It hurt and I was having outburst, which was pissing off my extended family and bringing unwanted attention, so I was trying to stay in control.” Which hadn’t helped with Zane making her uncomfortable and making suggestions that left her uneasy about hanging out with him.

“Me and a few others were hanging out and then went back to his and his roommate’s place. We weren’t doing anything crazy, just talking and watching something but it got late. They were going to leave, and I wanted to as well but, he told me to stay.” Which she said no to. Laughing it off saying she was tired; she’d tried to leave with one of the girls who’d brought her.

Looking between her and him, she’d asked Katherine if she’d wanted to stay. And again, she’d said no.

“Zane got pissed and told her to get out and let him talk to me.” And to her horror she’d tried to tell the girl not to leave her.

“I’ll be right outside the door.” The girl she’d thought was somewhat decent had promised.

Scared as s**t as she tried to leave still, Zane grabbed her elbow, “Hey, what’s your problem? Why you acting like this?” Trembling, Katherine breathed, “Let go of me.” Holding the blonde’s arm tighter, Zane stressed, “I want to be with you. Don’t you get it? You don’t have to “wait till marriage” or any of that small town bullshit. It’s been two years, and you’re still acting like a nun. When you going to lighten the f**k up?”

Katherine snatched from him, “I don’t want to be with you, I don’t want to f**k you, and me choosing to f**k or not to f**k anyone else is none of your goddamn business. So, piss off.”

Trembling now, Henry’s stomach was in his ass as Katherine breathed out shakily and whispered, “He grabbed me, tried to make me kiss him but I slapped him, and it pissed him off.” Slapping her back, she’d screamed and the front door to his apartment hadn’t opened once.