Shifters

Chapter 43

"You did what?" Raul asked.

Kayla shrugged her shoulders and stared out the window of the empty diner.

"It felt so real." She closed her eyes. "He was right there, and we climbed that mountain together, and we made it to the top. Together."

"But, this was all dream?"

She nodded sadly. "I cried when I woke up, and ever since that dream, I've seen him every night, but he's never really there."

"It's just your subconscious going over everything the two of you faced." Raul tried to reason.

"But they seem so real." She stared at the table blankly. "The other night, I woke up and I could have sworn he was right next to me. I even reached out to touch his hair, and it was only a pillow." She laughed humourlessly.

"That's because you want it to be true. Your heart is broken, Kayla. You miss him, and you feel responsible. But it's not your fault, remember that."

"I feel like half of me has died!" She cried, dropping her head onto the table. "For three nights he's haunted me, how long will it go on!?"

He reached towards her lovingly, but with a sarcastic scoff. "Do you even hear yourself? It's only been three days. Of course it still hurts like hell, if it didn't that'd make you a psychopath or something."

She peered at him with a tearful smile. "You're my best friend, you know that."

He nodded. "You're going to make me throw up if you keep being all mushy, like a booger." Raul had already had his emotional spill with Kayla, he was keen to move on from that now.

She laughed heartily, wiping her face dry. "I know. I'm sorry."

He gasped comically. "What? You're sincerely apologizing for your actions! What have you done with the real Kayla?"

She raised her eyebrows to give him a no nonsense look. It was his turn to laugh now. "I'm just teasing. I actually like mature Kayla better, honest. What I don't like is heartbroken Kayla."

A howl interrupted their conversation suddenly. Anthony was rallying the pack together, it was time to go. Ever since they'd closed the Bermudan entrance three days ago they'd been cleaning the valley out and erasing their tracks so they could relocate.

"I sure am going to miss this place." Raul mused as they stood. "It has a lot of good memories." He smiled to himself, remembering his high school days, all the students would crowd in after class, when he and Kayla used to eat all three meals and never exhausted of its menu, and the many dates Silvia spent there with him.

Kayla nodded in agreement, looking at the booth where her and Damian had their first exchange. How had they been so rude to each other? How did she not melt at the instance of his attention?

The bell dinged. "You coming?" Raul asked. She hadn't noticed that he was already at the door.

"Yeah, just go ahead without me and catch up to Silvia. I need a couple of minutes."

He frowned. "I can wait with you." He offered.

She shook her head and smiled. "No, go on. I just want to say goodbye to... Everything."

He nodded in understanding. "Okay then. I'll see you at the house, cuz." He let the door close softly behind him.

She sighed, patting her hands against her thighs tirelessly, taking in the urban scent of the diner for the last time. It had been owned by a human, yet the quality meat had attracted every lobain in the valley to its business. It lay empty now, forgotten by the humans in the evacuation of the large fires, and now it would be forgotten by her, too. She appreciated it's welcoming atmosphere, and allowed her mouth to salivate for the delicious meals one last time. The fresh scab on her jaw, tingled slightly. The feel brought the thought of her father, and the state he'd been in when he returned the other night, with the black crystal scars on his chest. He didn't say anything to Kayla, or her mother, he didn't need to. After 72 hours with the scar, his eyebrows didn't furrow as much and he didn't pant when he breathed. He acted as though it didn't burn anymore, but a hardness had developed in his amber eyes that told otherwise. Whatever entity they encountered at that entrance made sure to leave a mark, one that would last and be felt on her father forever. As much as she despised him for his recent actions, a small part of her still hurt for the pain he felt. She wished she could take it from him, even though he was deserving of that punishment.