Shifters

Chapter 11

She locked herself in her room all weekend. Whenever she emerged, she moped bitterly. Her parents tried to figure what could be wrong, but she refused to speak to them. Especially her father, she blamed him for the entire mess. It wasn't until Sunday, when Kayla came across Amarie's twitter update about dress shopping for prom, that she lost it. She had tossed the phone across the room, and locked herself in her bedroom again while working on math homework. The ruckus sent her mother rushing to her immediately.

"Kayla, what is it? Please tell me what's been bothering you so much lately."

She was in tears before she could stop them, "It's not fair, mom! Cody asked Amarie to prom, but it should have been me! It would have been me if it wasn't for this stupid agreement!"

Her mom tsk-ed and gently stroked her hair. "Oh, Kayla. I'm so sorry. I really am."

"Why can't I be with the one I love like you can!? Like everyone else can, it's not fair!" Kayla sobbed bitterly.

Her mother pulled her into a hug and held her tightly, while Kayla cried into her shoulder. She hated to see her daughter so torn apart, it broke her sweet heart to bits.

"I know it's hard, but give it a chance, for the sake of peace. Maybe you'll even learn to love Damian, you never know."

Kayla's cries came to a screeching halt when she heard this. She slowly lifted her head to stare at her mother in disbelief and horror. "Fall in love... with him!? I've grown up in a pack that hates his family and talks daily about how nice it would be to kill them off! And you suggest I just fall in love with him!?"

Her mother stiffened her jaw, sometimes tough love needed to be used on children. Unfortunately, she hadn't given Kayla the discipline she may have needed, and now the girl was still throwing tantrums at age 16.

"You'd be surprised what could happen." She said stiffly. "Either way, you are his future bride and there's nothing you can do to change that! So unless you want a bunch of innocent lives killed, from both packs, I suggest you fix your attitude."

Kayla put her head down hating everything she heard. Bernese carefully lifted her chin up to face her, "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you've lived a life of luxury for far too long. It's time you grew up and faced your responsibilities. Life sucks, no matter what, so instead of acting like a 2 year old, keep your chin up, and face what comes. You are a daughter of Pelisian, do not be a coward, be strong, like your father."

Kayla turned away, "Does being strong include giving your children away to the enemy?" She said bitterly.

In the hallway, her father leaned against the wall, listening to their conversation. His daughter's words felt like ice picks through his soul. Everyday he'd asked himself if he'd done the right thing. He needed to protect his people, it was his duty, but what about his family? It seemed he was doing a lousy job at that. Bernese was quiet with her answer for a long time before she nodded.

"Yes, I'm afraid it does."

Kayla dropped down onto her bed limply, crying softly into her pillow. Her mother left her to herself. She came face to face with her husband when she opened the door. He raised his eyebrows at her, but she narrowed her eyes coldly and continued down the stairs. He sighed deeply, and followed her, another argument hot on their tails.

Kayla didn't stay long, as soon as her eyes had dried she left to find Raul. He was the only one who would understand her, the only ally she had in this world. She needed to see him, but he wasn't home, odd, because he was always there. She wandered through town, following his scent trail, and found him at the diner. It looked like a date, he was dressed nicely and the Pelisian girl he was with, Silvia, was dressed just as well. He'd been spending a lot of time with her lately. He'd had girlfriends before, but something about the spark between him and Silvia was different. Even now, as they sat across from each other in the diner, he did something silly--something Kayla would've normally rolled her eyes at-- and Silvia laughed. The look Raul gave her as she laughed, was a look that immortalized time, it made that moment between them last forever.