The Shifters: Katrina

I would've found Koren a lot sooner if my body hadn't decided to function properly and demand food. I made a pit stop, sheepishly walking into Clarissa's store. The woman was at the front counter, scolding one of her helpers who was taking orders. Not only was the helper fumbling adorably, but it was also Quintin who was trying to do whatever and failing miserably.

Ah, mother-son relationships.

The thought made me smile. Back in Greenhill, Felix and my mother Abigail had had an amazing relationship. Watching Clarissa and Quintin bicker wasn't the same, but it was still familiar.

And it was a nice little touch of a happier past home.

"Hey," I called, since the store was almost empty, "think you can feed a starving shifter? I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and it's catching up to me."

Clarissa forgot all about her troublesome son, grabbing my hands and pulling me to a table. She sat me down forcefully, muttering something about feeding myself properly. I snorted, watching her buzz around her little shop like a madwoman. Quintin watched as well, his mother flying around him. She bumped him multiple times, and eventually the teenager gave up, coming to sit with me.

"Hi," I grinned, "busy day?"

He rolled his eyes. "I just wanted to blow off some steam, but Mom needed help."

"It's good that you lent a hand," I said, playfully hitting his shoulder. "We all need to do something less hectic once and a while."

He hummed, and instead of watching his mother, he began to stare at me. For the first time, knowing he was watching me made me nervous.

Then, my face felt warm.

Holy shit am I blushing? The hell?!

"I heard about what happened with the foreign kids," he murmured, drumming his fingers on the table. "Rumours won't stop popping up everywhere. People are waiting to hear what Coraline has to say."

"We, uh," I cleared my throat, "we have permission to ask Koren to lead an invasion against Orgull. I think it's important that we attack first."

Quintin frowned, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head. "But if we wanted to do it properly, we would need to know the layout. Which means the kids from Orgull would have to help orchestrate an attack on their precious home."

I nearly flinched as his words turned bitter and harsh. Anger flickered across his face, frustration pouring off him in waves. I knew he was upset about being betrayed, but I hadn't expected him to still be this bad.

"It's a gamble," I admitted, "but at this point, everything is a gamble. This one... I'm willing to take."

"I've got your back."

My eyes widened. I was slightly shocked.

"What?" He grumbled. "Did you think I wasn't on your side?"

I shrugged sheepishly. "I'm expecting everyone to disagree with me. Even Coraline almost said no."

Quintin sighed, shaking his head with an amused look. He reached toward me, gently taking my hands. I smiled as his thumbs brushed over the backs of my hands, the wolf mirroring my expression.

"I'm always on your team, Katrina. I trust your judgement, and I trust that you're doing what you think is right."

"Thanks, Quintin. Really."

He snorted. "Don't mention it."

"Are you sure..?"

Quintin paused, leaning forward on his elbows. He squeezed my hands, staring at me with nothing but confidence.

"How could I not support such an amazing girl? You're incredible, Katrina."

Do. Not. Blush.

"Aw, shucks," I said, trying not to stutter. Also trying to play off the moment with grace. "You're amazing too, Quin--"

My words died as Quintin crossed the distance. My face burned as he gently pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"I should go help my mom," he began, pulling away. "Good luck with your hunt for Koren."

And with that, the little shit wandered away.

Leaving me all alone with pink cheeks and a bit of a heart attack.

"Koren, I swear if you're not in here I'll scream because tracking you down has been such a--oh."

My well crafted rant that I was saying as I walked into the staff room in the school was cut short by a moment of surprise.

Koren was, in fact, in the staff room.

But he was also shirtless, in pajamas bottoms and slippers.

"What the hell are you doing?" I blurted.

He pointed over his shoulder at the coffee maker. "I don't have one in my room, so..."

"And the need was so dire that you didn't feel like grabbing a shirt?" I asked, dumbfounded and trying not to stare. Koren was athletically toned, obviously, but he was also an elite and I didn't need to think of him like that.

"Normally random people don't come barging in," he muttered, just as the coffee maker's light flicked on. That meant his pot of liquid caffeine was done, the wolf shifter rushing over to make his cup.

"Well I need you, so if you have a shirt, I'd love to talk to you when you're fully dressed."

He rolled his eyes. "How important is it?"

I raised my eyebrows, crossing my arms. Using my foot to kick the door, just to make sure it was shut all the way, I managed to capture his full attention.

"An invasion on Orgull. Sound important?" I asked rhetorically, looking and feeling unamused.

The wolf pursed his lips.

"Unfortunately, yeah. That does sound important. Give me a minute."

The man rushed past, disappearing toward his room to retrieve a shirt. I rolled my eyes, sauntering toward the coffee pot. While Koren was gone, I made my own cup of coffee.

The staff room was nicer than expected. I threw myself onto one of their plush sofas, staring at the tan liquid in my plain ceramic mug.

If only coffee could get me drunk. It might make this planning process go easier.

"Okay, I'm dressed," Koren muttered, storming into the room. He shut the door behind him, the lock clicking into place. "Catch me up."

"I think the only way to stop Xavier from destroying Iluita is to attack him in Orgull, where he's hiding," I told him. "Not only does that prevent any more damage to Iluita, but then he can't teach the hunters and shifters from Orgull all our weaknesses. That, and hopefully we can keep Coraline out of the spotlight."

"So, are you taking point on this?"

"Huh?" I blurted. "What?"

Koren leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He sipped his own drink slowly, hesitating.

"Koren?"

"Coraline must've told you to get me to lead this, right?"

I shrugged. "Duh."

The shifter met my eyes with a hard stare.

"I'll lead everyone, but only if you lead with me, Katrina. This was your idea, and those kids from Orgull will listen to you," he sighed, "almost anyone would listen to you."

I gaped. "I'm just a kid, man, I couldn't lead anyone into anything."

He lifted a brow. "You're 'just a kid'? A kid who grew up with a huntress for a mother. A kid with two elements. A kid who's a dragon. The same kid who has a fighting spirit and has been beating others up since day one. Someone who doesn't really listen to anyone else's orders. Someone who has done a pretty darn good job of protecting her friends so far."

He smirked.

"The same 'kid' who led a counterattack and protected a group from an ambush, both on short notice. Who has done several elite missions."

With another sip of his coffee, Koren leaned back onto the sofa.

"I would trust that kid -- who's actually legally an adult."

I scoffed, hiding my smile. Part of me really did believe him.

But I needed to believe in myself.

It may not be you who starts the fight.

"I have to rescue the other Guardian. I will need a small team with the sole objective of saving her. Everyone else will focus on hunting Xavier and Sonya. The hunters will always be around, so we can't focus on them as much."

"And what about Orgull?" Koren prodded. "Do we destroy them, reform the compound, take prisoners..?"

"It's obvious that there are shifters in Orgull who don't agree with their new alliance," I murmured. "So we need to have mercy. I'd say we throw them in their own prison and weed out the ones who support the hunters."

"So that we can kill them?"

"So that Coraline can deal with them," I said firmly. "After the fight, I'm not responsible."

Koren snorted. "Poor Coraline. Her heir is so cruel."

Sighing, I polished off my mug of coffee and set it down on the side table. I eyed Koren, the wolf casually sipping his own.

The elite cleared his throat. "I can deal with actual formations and putting together a fighting force. Don't expect anything too soon, but I'll try to do it as quickly as possible."

I pursed my lips, but stayed quiet.

I'm not expecting anything, Koren. I'm new, remember? No matter how much you trust me... I'm just a new shapeshifter. I haven't really done this before.

But I'm trusting myself here.

I got up without a word, ignoring Koren when he called my name. My footsteps were quiet as I wandered out of the school, stepping out into the winter weather. Snow fell from the sky in fluffy flakes, covering my hair and sticking to my eyelashes. They melted once they neared my skin, which was coated with a layer of warmth.

Even that trick to keep myself warm had once been hard for me. After all my training, it was as easy as breathing.

What a strange life this has become.

Oh well. Can't escape it now.

I'll just have to--

"Katrina."

Oh god what now.