Her Heart's Desire

Lost

All these years, Katarina had dreaded to come back to this place. To the family she so willingly left behind. She could imagine just how much things had changed in six years. The people from her memories were far different from who the people she would come home to for sure. She knew it would be foolish to even hope for one thing that remained the same. And she was right.

Katarina walked behind the L-shaped couch then pressed her palms on top of the backrest. Her aunt Theresa was nowhere in sight. She heaved a deep sigh as she looked around. The living room walls and ceiling which used to be painted white were now covered in a warm cream color. The carpeted floor where she used to roll around on as a child, now with brown floorboards instead. The fireplace opposite the couch looked the same but not the family portrait that hung above it. Still the Kingsley bloodline, yes. But another Kingsley family.

A glass wall that ran from the floor to the ceiling was to Katarina's left side while the double doors that lead outside were to her right. The brunette ran her fingers on the backrest of the couch one last time before deciding to explore out in the woods of the territory.

Pushing the double doors of the pack house open, Katarina was greeted by warm sunlight and cool air. She headed straight to the direction of the thick lines of trees at the back of the pack house, eager for a run. Her feet carried her to a familiar oak tree and a memory suddenly flashed in her mind. A story her father used to tell her when she was a child.

The former Alpha Kingsley told Katarina that the oak tree was the symbol of the gods. Of strength and knowledge, honor and stability. Traits that their bloodline put a high value on. It could live for hundreds of years, bearing witness to all that happened for generations. 

A bitter laugh escaped the brunette's lips. "Witness, huh?" She said to herself. Well, it really was a witness to her family's demise and to the mess she had to deal with after. "What more tragedies have you seen and will see?" Katarina whispered into the air as she pressed her right hand against the trunk of the tree. Once again, she heaved a deep sigh as if life itself was escaping from her body. She, then, carefully stripped off of her clothes behind the old oak tree.

Hair quickly started growing all over Katarina's face and body. The bones on her hands and feet elongated with loud grinding sounds, all the while growing claws. Her ears morphed into small pointed ones. The brunette fell on the damp earth on all fours followed by the sickening crunch of her spine. Her face transformed into that of her grey wolf with very strong jaws and sharp fangs.

The grey wolf shook her body then stomped her right paw on the ground, steadying her proud stance. It had been too long since Katarina was last in this form, maybe a year or so as city life had prevented her from doing so. It felt refreshing, like she was alive once more. It was a moment of ecstasy and with that, she began to run.

The first few steps were shaky and uncertain but as the minutes passed and the scenes go by in a blur, Katarina's legs became steadier and stronger. The path the grey wolf was taking grew narrower and at some points, was barely there. Overhead, thousands of leaves concealed the clear blue sky. Katarina stopped in her tracks once she realized how quiet her surroundings were. She had covered a fair amount of distance in her run. But she felt no alarm or panic by the fact that she may be lost. Instead, she felt at peace knowing she was alone and far from everyone else. 

Katarina found a spot on which to lay on in between the enormous roots of an old tree. It concealed her perfectly from anyone who was passing by. She decided to take a moment to rest. Her body was tired from the run, her mind from the flashbacks and her heart from all the emotions that overwhelmed her since early morning.

The grey wolf was woken up by the sound of faint footsteps a few hours later. She opened her eyes to find that sunlight was slowly draining away from the horizon, soon the woods will be in darkness. Katarina heard a rustling sound nearby, surely not the kind the wind would make. Then, there was a movement in the shadows. It made her frozen still in her spot. Nevertheless, alert and ready to defend herself to whatever it was.

"Everyone has been looking for you." Katarina knew who that voice belonged to. She could not be mistaken. The grey wolf stepped out of her resting place to meet the person who had found her. "Keira was so worried that you left again."

Hearing his words, Katarina shifted back into her human form while Jacob turned his back on the she-wolf. He tossed an oversized shirt her way then waited a few moments before turning back to look at her again.

"How did you find me?" Katarina asked, not meeting Jacob's gaze. She didn't mean to stay out for that long but she also didn't think anyone would look for her.

Jacob took a step closer to Katarina but still maintaining about seven feet distance between them. He looked away from the brunette for a second, his jaws locked tight. It made the veins on his temples clearly visible and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "It wasn't hard to find you since we're..." Jacob trailed off, uncertain if he should even acknowledge the fact out loud.

"We're what?" It was Katarina's turn to take a step forward. This time, she was looking straight at him. "Can't say it out loud?" She taunted him with a scoff. But the she-wolf was caught by surprise when Jacob met her eyes with an intense gaze. 

"Mates." Jacob said it loud and clear for any living thing in that forest to hear. The word coming out of his mouth made Katarina sigh in relief. "He acknowledges it!" She thought. A smile was painted on her lips and she was about to approach him when Jacob took a step back.

"We're mates. I am well aware of that." Jacob's fists were balled tight on his sides. The expression on his face held pure determination, his heart already set as his gaze remained on Katarina. "The moon goddess has chosen you for me... but my heart... has already chosen another."

"What?" Katarina blurted out after hearing his words. The color on her face slowly drained as she stared into that beautiful, cold, blue eyes of her mate. She had saved herself for him. She had hoped to find him one day and finally, become happy once again. But this was far from what she had expected.